South Africa: Public urged to vaccinate against COVID-19

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) has emphasised the importance of COVID-19 vaccination, as South Africa looks towards the end of the third wave and mitigation of a fourth wave in the latter part of the year.

Vaccine supply and the number of vaccination sites has increased, and it is up to the public to ensure that they present for vaccination, NICD Head of the Division of Public Health Surveillance and Response, Dr Michelle Groome, said on Wednesday.

South Africa has to date administered 9 962 111 vaccines, with 194 882 being administered in the last 24 hours. A total of 152 158 Pfizer vaccines and 42 724 Johnson and Johnson vaccines were administered.

South Africa, meanwhile, recorded 14 728 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of laboratory-confirmed cases to 2 638 981.

This increase represents a 22.1% positivity rate.

As per the National Department of Health, a further 384 COVID-19 related deaths have been reported, bringing total fatalities to 78 377 to date.

The total number of cases today (14 728) is higher than yesterday (10 685) and higher than the average number of new cases per day over the seven preceding days (12 107), the NICD said on Wednesday.

According to NICD Acting Executive Director, Prof Adrian Puren, nationally there is a decrease in the number of new daily cases and percent testing positive, however there are some differences in trends at a provincial level.

Gauteng, Limpopo, North West and Mpumalanga have sustained decreases in case numbers, while the other five provinces have either increasing or sustained number of new cases.

The Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape provinces still appear to be on the upward slope of the third wave, although the Western Cape is showing early signs of reaching the peak of their third wave, whereas the Free State and Northern Cape provinces continue to see a steady number of new cases, Puren said.

The majority of new cases are from Western Cape (27%), followed by KwaZulu-Natal (25%).

Eastern Cape accounted for 13%; Gauteng accounted for 12%; Free State accounted for 7%; Mpumalanga and North West accounted for 5% each; Northern Cape accounted for 4%, and Limpopo accounted for 3% of the new cases.

While many may feel that the third wave is abating based on the national picture, adherence to the current adjusted level 3 restrictions and preventative measures remain essential, Groome said.

A total of 15 752 534 tests have been conducted in both public and private sectors.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2021-08-19. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
RTHK: Meng Wanzhou's extradition hearing wraps up in Canada

Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou's fight in a Canadian court against extradition to the United States to face fraud and conspiracy charges wrapped up on Wednesday after nearly 1,000 days of legal wranglings and diplomatic brawls.

The daughter of company founder and CEO, Ren Zhengfei, is accused of defrauding HSBC Bank by falsely misrepresenting links between Huawei and Skycom, a subsidiary that sold telecoms equipment to Iran.

This, according to the US Justice Department, put the bank at risk of violating US sanctions against Tehran, as it continued to clear US dollar transactions for Huawei.

Supreme Court of British Columbia Associate Chief Justice Heather Holmes said she will on October 21 likely set a date to deliver her ruling.

Meng, 49, is living in a Vancouver mansion on bail conditions that include a curfew and electronic monitoring, as she awaits the outcome of her extradition proceedings.

If transferred to the United States for trial and subsequently convicted, Meng could face more than 30 years in a US prison.

Her arrest in December 2018 during a stopover in Vancouver caused a deep diplomatic rift between China and Canada.

Beijing has accused Washington of trying to crush its international tech giant Huawei.

Days later, China detained two Canadians, businessman Michael Spavor and former diplomat Michael Kovrig, in what Western nations have decried as "hostage diplomacy." Both were tried in March for espionage, charges that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said were "trumped up."

Last week Spavor was sentenced to 11 years in prison as the final arguments in Meng's case got underway.

In a hearing last week, Meng's lawyers rejected the US allegations against her, accused Canadian and US officials of abuse of process and called for her release.

Defense lawyer Mark Sandler argued this week there was no deceit and no loss or risk of loss to HSBC, telling the court: "We have turned fraud law on its head in this proceeding."

Canadian government lawyers representing US interests in the hearing countered that the defence's arguments were best aired at a trial, and that the judge should commit Meng for extradition.

To do so, Associate Chief Justice Holmes only needs to find that there is sufficient evidence to go to trial, a relatively low bar.

"No one has received a fairer extradition hearing in this country than Ms Meng," Crown Attorney Robert Frater insisted on Wednesday.

Both Canadian and US authorities, meanwhile, have denied any abuse of process in the case. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2021-08-19. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
South Africa: Funding package to support business affected by unrest

Cabinet has called on all eligible businesses affected by the recent civil unrest in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng to apply for industrial loan support at zero-percent interest, under the R3.75-billion Economic Recovery Support Package offered by government.

The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) and its development finance institutions  the Industrial Development Corporation and National Empowerment Fund - have put together a funding package to support various business recovery interventions. This includes the rebuilding of infrastructure, equipment, fittings for premises, stock and working capital, a Cabinet statement said on Thursday.

The funding will help to alleviate the socio-economic challenges facing businesses affected by the unrest.

Cabinet has welcomed and endorsed the announcement by JP Morgan to provide financial and non-financial support to the tune of R340 million through the Abadali Equity Equivalent Investment Programme (EEIP).

The programme consists of Abadali Fund  a Black Business Growth Fund and Abadali Grant (R40 million).

Energy

Cabinet also welcomed this weeks gazetting of the regulations that increase the threshold for embedded generation from the current one megawatt (MW) to 100 MW.

In June 2021, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the amendment of Schedule 2 of the Electricity Regulation Act, 2006 (Act 4 of 2006) to increase the National Energy Regulator of South Africas licensing threshold for embedded generation projects to allow for more private generation of electricity.

Companies in energy-intensive sectors will now be able to generate their own electricity without the need for a licence. The new generation capacity will increase energy security by reducing reliance on the power grid and unlocking significant private sector investment.

These initiatives will support inclusive economic growth and job creation within the small and medium-sized businesses, particularly in the manufacturing and green economy sectors, Cabinet said.

Meanwhile, South Africa is expected to participate at the upcoming World Expo.

Cabinet approved the participation in December 2019 but the event was subsequently postponed due to COVID-19.

The multinational event, which is held every five years in different countries, provides a large and attractive market to showcase South African goods and services to a global audience. It will be held as a hybrid of virtual and on-site exhibitions in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from 1 October to 31 March 2022, Cabinet said.

The dtic will next week host a media briefing to unpack South Africas participation at the World Expo 2020.  SAnews.gov.za

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South Africa: South Africans reminded to apply for special COVID-19 SRD Grant

Cabinet has reminded South Africans to submit their applications for the COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant to support people who have no income.

Applications for the grant opened on Friday, 6 August 2021.

In a statement on Thursday, Cabinet said it is conscious of the hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent public violence in some parts of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.

Cabinet said the R350 per month grant is an important safety net for families, who would otherwise be devastated by the scourge of poverty and unemployment.

People between the ages of 18 and 60, who have no financial support of any kind, should apply. The first payments are expected to be made in the last week of August 2021.

The new iteration is for a period of eight months, with effect from August 2021 until March 2022.

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) opened new channels, where applications can be submitted via the govchat.app and Facebook Messenger, in addition to its website: https://srd.sassa.gov.za or through WhatsApp on 082 046 8553, Cabinet said.

An amount of R26.7 billion has been allocated for the new iteration. This includes the administrative costs borne by SASSA.

The eligibility criteria for the COVID-19 SRD grant include:

- South African citizens;

- permanent residents or refugees registered on the Home Affairs database;

- persons who are holders of special permits under the Special Angolan Dispensation, the Lesotho Exemption Permit dispensation and the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit Dispensation;

- asylum seekers whose section 22 permits or visas are valid or were valid on 15 March 2020;

- currently residing within the borders of the Republic of South Africa;

- unemployed;

- not receiving any social grant;

- not receiving an unemployment insurance benefit and does not qualify to receive an unemployment insurance benefit;

- not receiving a stipend from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) and other financial aid;

- not receiving any other government COVID-19 response support; and not a resident in a government funded or subsidised institution.

Caregivers, who are not receiving any grant on their own behalf, should also apply for the special grant.  SAnews.gov.za

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South Africa: Collaborative conservation continues between SA, Mozambique

In another victory for cross-border conservation, a series of successful wildlife translocations saw 27 Zebra and 62 blue wildebeest safely making the 1 250 km journey from Kruger National Park in South Africa to Zinave National Park in Mozambique.

These new arrivals are welcome additions to the more than 2 300 reintroduced animals that are now thriving under the restoration and management programmes being implemented in Zinave, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE) said on Thursday.

Since 2018, more than 700 animals have been translocated under a donation from the DFFE to the Ministry of Land and the Environment in Mozambique, as they work together, supported by the Peace Parks Foundation, to restock and rebuild key parks within the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area.

The translocation of species from the Kruger National Park to the Zinave National Park in Mozambique is an important indication of how South Africas conservation success is contributing to the rewilding of Africa. The success of ongoing cross-border collaborations is an outstanding example of how African countries are working together to solve conservation problems and grow the eco-tourism sector, Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Barbara Creecy said.

The two-million-hectare world-renowned Kruger National Park, managed by South African National Parks, offers a wildlife experience that ranks with the best in Africa.

With more than 147 mammal species thriving in abundant numbers because of many years of expert conservation management and protection strategies, the park is well positioned to support the restoration of decimated protected areas in neighbouring southern African countries.

The restoration of Zinave National Park has been one of southern Africas most remarkable conservation success stories. After decades of human impact severely disrupting the 408 000-hectare parks natural ecosystems and healthy wildlife populations, work began in 2016 to restore Zinave to its former glory, with the signing of a co-management agreement between Mozambiques National Administration of Conservation Areas and Peace Parks.

Partnership bears fruit

Through this partnership, significant investment has been directed towards enhancing conservation management, anti-poaching, infrastructure development, tourism development and community development interventions in the Park, the DFFE said.

With wildlife donations from South Africa and Zimbabwe and through restocking from other areas in Mozambique, Zinave now boasts 13 species including impala, reedbuck, waterbuck, buffalo, zebra, wildebeest, giraffe, sable and elephant.

Thriving in their safe and plentiful habitat, these reintroduced populations have more than doubled in numbers to close to 6 000 animals. With the herbivore populations flourishing, the first predators  a clan of four spotted hyenas  were reintroduced into the park at the end of 2020 and have already produced their own offspring, the department said.

Minister of Land and the Environment in Mozambique, Ivete Maibaze, said the park is set to become a major contributor to Mozambiques eco-tourism economies.

It is heartening to see how healthy populations of wildlife have stimulated the potential for increased tourism and related income opportunities in and around Zinave. We highly value the cross-border partnerships that we have with our governmental partners in South Africa and with the Peace Parks Foundation.

It is a wonderful example of how regional partnerships can contribute to building a more prosperous future for southern Africa and its people, Maibaze said.

Kruger and Zinave national parks respectively form the most western and eastern anchor parks of a vital cross-border wildlife corridor within the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area.

Wildlife monitoring has identified various species, such as elephants, lions and wild dogs, which are using this transfrontier migration route to access water, food and breeding grounds. Ensuring healthy and protected ecosystems in these areas is therefore not only significant to the parks, but to the environmental well-being of the region, its natural resources and human development, the department said.  SAnews.gov.za

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South Africa: Mapisa-Nqakula elected as new National Assembly Speaker

Former Defence and Military Veterans Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has been elected as the new Speaker of the National Assembly, following a vote by secret ballot by Members of Parliament on Thursday.

Addressing the National Assembly sitting for the first time as Speaker on Thursday afternoon, Mapisa-Nqakula said being initially nominated left her emotional and humbled.

I return of course to be part of a collective leadership of this national legislature after what can be considered a long stay within the executive branch of government. I therefore fully appreciate the extent of the transition that I must personally make in order to fulfil my obligations and those of this House, to ensure the accountability and oversight of the executive branch, she said.

She said this after Western Cape Judge President John Hlophe presided over the nomination and the election of the new Speaker of the National Assembly.

After a voting process that lasted for over three hours, Mapisa-Nqakula was elected after she received 199 votes out of a total of 298 votes cast during a secret ballot. Dr Annelie Lotriet MP, who was a nominee from the main opposition DA, received 82 votes, while 17 ballots were spoilt.

The election comes after Thandi Modise resigned as Speaker following President Cyril Ramaphosa announced changes to his Cabinet earlier this month. Modise was appointed as the new Defence Minister.

Ahead of the vote, ANC Chief Whip Pemmy Majodina rose to nominate Mapisa-Nqakula, and she was seconded by Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu.

The DAs Chief Whip Natasha Mazzone in turn nominated Dr Annelie Lotriet, MP and was seconded by DA leader John Steenhuisen.

Mapisa-Nqakulas record of service

Mapisa-Nqakula has served as Chairperson of the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence and as a member of the Joint Standing Committee on Defence from 1994.

She served as a Deputy Minister of Home Affairs from May 2002 to April 2004, and then as Minister of Home Affairs from April 2004 to May 2009.

In May 2009, she was appointed as a Minister of Correctional Services, a position that she held until June 2012 when she was appointed as Minister of Defence and Military Veterans. - SAnews.gov.za

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South Africa: Education sector assesses COVID-19 disruptions

The Department of Basic Education has encouraged all stakeholders in the education sector to support its efforts to ensure that learning is not disrupted or delayed any further during this school year.

Director for Research at the department, Dr Stephen Taylor, says the departments observations show that large parts of crucial learning time were lost last year due to COVID-19 related disruptions.

We have now begun to measure COVID-19 related learning losses in South Africa by comparing how much children learned in 2020 with how much they learned in a normal school year before that. These measures indicate that between 50% and 75% of a normal years worth of learning was lost during 2020.

Although we only have this information for certain grades and learning areas, it is likely that learners across grades and subjects would have been similarly affected, Taylor said.

He said further delays in the reopening of schools at the beginning of the year and an extended winter holiday would have a negative effect on society and the education sector.

Early Childhood Development

The department also raised concern about children attending Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres and primary schools.

The impact on early learning for children attending ECD centres is also likely to have been significant, since attendance rates at ECD centres have dropped considerably since the pandemic. There is now evidence from the NIDS-CRAM [National Income Dynamics Study  Coronavirus Rapid Mobile Survey] that more school-aged children are not attending school than usual.

It is not clear whether this is temporary non-attendance or will become permanent, the department said.

The department warned that if the schooling system does not recover to pre-pandemic levels, the knock-on effect will be felt in years to come.

[It is] predicted that grade 12 outcomes may be expected to be lower over time. In the long run, the learning losses in primary school may lead to an increase in dropouts when these children reach grades 10, 11 and 12. This creates an urgent need to recover learning that has been lost, the department said.

Despite these challenges, the department said the introduction of comprehensive school COVID-19 safety protocols and the vaccination of teachers has now created the possibility to keep schools open and return to everyday attendance.

The second step, which will take some time, will be to introduce measures to catch up what was lost, the department said.  SAnews.gov.za

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RTHK: Defiant Afghans wave national flag

Defiant flag-waving Afghans took to the streets on Thursday to mark the country's independence anniversary, just days after the Taliban seized power and raised their own white standard over government buildings.

One group of men and women were seen unfurling a large black, red and green tricolour near Wazir Akbar Khan  a suburb in the capital  even as a pick-up truck carrying Taliban fighters cruised slowly by.

The truck slowed down and the group attracted some curious stares, but the fighters rolled on and ignored the show of defiance.

Amanullah Khan, then the emir, declared independence in 1919 after the third Anglo-Afghan war and the country has had dozens of flags since then.

The latest was adopted in 2013 and features three vertical bands of black, red and green, with the national emblem printed in white.

On Wednesday, Taliban fighters fired shots to disperse dozens of Afghans in Jalalabad who waved the flag ahead of national day.

There were also unconfirmed reports of shots fired in Kunar on Thursday and Twitter showed several cars and motorbikes racing through the Asadabad suburb of the capital while flying flags.

Social media also showed a crowd cheering a man shimmying up a pole in Abdul Haq Square  also in Kabul  before tying the flag to the top.

The Taliban flag is a plain white banner inscribed with the Islamic declaration of faith  now a familiar pennant since the group's lightning-fast takeover of the country following a simmering 20-year insurgency.

On Thursday the Taliban put out a statement acknowledging independence day and the defeat of the British empire as well as the decade-long Russian occupation that ended in 1989.

"It is a matter of great pride for Afghans that their country is on the verge of independence from the American occupation today," it added. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2021-08-19. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
RTHK: Man threatens to detonate bomb on Capitol Hill

A man in a pickup truck was threatening to set off a bomb on Washington's Capitol Hill Thursday, triggering evacuations and a massive police response  months after the site was targeted in a deadly insurrection.

Much of the complex was cordoned off as police and FBI agents negotiated with the driver  who drove his truck onto the sidewalk near the Capitol building and Library of Congress  and searched for possible explosives.

"The driver of the truck told the responding officer on the scene that he had a bomb and what appeared to be a detonator in the man's hand," Capitol Police Chief Thomas Manger told reporters.

A man appearing to be the suspect took to Facebook Live to stream a series of incoherent threats  and ask to speak to President Joe Biden.

"I'm trying to get Joe Biden on the phone. I'm parked up here on the sidewalk right beside all this pretty stuff," said the bald man with a salt-and-pepper goatee, wearing a white T-shirt and identified on the Facebook page as Ray Roseberry.

"I'm not hurting nobody, Joe. I'm not pulling the trigger on this thing. I can't," he said. "I'm telling you, them snipers come in, they start shooting this window out, this bomb's going off."

Later he lashed out at Biden's party, saying: "You all know what you're doing, Democrats? You're killing America."

Manger told reporters that law enforcement were "in communication with the suspect," with the Federal Bureau of Investigation assisting.

"We're trying to get as much information as we can to find a way to peacefully resolve this," the police chief added, declining to identify the suspect or provide details about him.

While it remained unclear whether the bomb threat was genuine, the Library of Congress's main buildings were evacuated, as was the nearby US Supreme Court and at least one of the three House office buildings. (AFP)

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Last updated: 2021-08-20 HKT 02:25

This story has been published on: 2021-08-19. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Taliban declares general amnesty, Asian countries evacuate diplomats, citizens

Xinhua) 09:49, August 18, 2021

Afghan Taliban fighters stand guard in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, Aug. 16, 2021. (Str/Xinhua)

-- Taliban declares general amnesty, urging gov't workers to return to work;

-- Witness says evacuation flights continue at Kabul airport;

-- Japan evacuates embassy in Afghanistan, several Asian countries evacuate diplomats and citizens.

KABUL, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Taliban urged people in Afghanistan to live their routine lives on Tuesday, while Asian countries including Japan, Nepal, India and the Philippines have evacuated diplomats and citizens from the country, two days after the group took control of the Afghan capital.

The Taliban declared a general amnesty and called on people to live their normal lives with confidence. It urged government employees to return to work and women to join its government.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid tweeted that the situation in Kabul was completely under control, and law and order had returned to the city.

Media reported that senior Taliban leader Amir Khan Muttaqi had held several rounds of talks with the Afghan leadership, and talks were going on on how the Taliban-led government could absorb new members beyond the Taliban and how the current rights could be preserved.

Evacuation flights carrying diplomats and civilians from Afghanistan's capital continued as of Tuesday afternoon, a witness confirmed.

"Military flights are continuing in Kabul airport. Roughly at 3:28 p.m. (local time), a huge cargo plane took off from Hamid Karzai International Airport," witness Farhad Mohammdi who lives near the Kabul airport told Xinhua.

Afghan Taliban fighters are seen in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, Aug. 16, 2021. (Str/Xinhua)

"All Monday night, huge planes were taking off or landing in the airport. The sound of four-engine military cargo planes could be heard from Monday night to early hours of the day (Tuesday)," he said.

The United States is taking charge of air traffic control at the airport for military and commercial flights as around 2,500 U.S. soldiers are in Kabul to assist the evacuation of U.S. personnel and others, according to reports.

Earlier on Tuesday, unconfirmed reports said Taliban officials suspended all flights in the airport. On Monday morning, all commercial flights from Kabul's airport were suspended amid a big rush of people at the airport.

A government official said an Indian Air Force (IAF) C-17 plane evacuated over 120 Indians, including diplomats, from Kabul and landed in the western state of Gujarat on Tuesday.

During the day, Japan has evacuated all personnel from its embassy in Kabul due to the possible deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan and established a temporary office in Istanbul for resuming the embassy's operations.

As many as 118 Nepalis arrived in the capital Kathmandu from Afghanistan via Kuwait on Tuesday, Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

Sewa Lamal, the spokesperson of the Nepali Foreign Ministry, said the Nepali government had made a request to various foreign governments having presence in Afghanistan for help in bringing out Nepalis.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) of the Philippines said 35 Filipinos had been evacuated from Afghanistan after it issued an alert level 4 "due to the uncertain security situation in the country" on Sunday.

Afghan Taliban fighters stand on a military vehicle in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, Aug. 16, 2021. (Str/Xinhua)

Taliban spokesman Mujahid reiterated that the lives and properties of people were safe as there are reports that the Taliban has arrested about 200 people involved in the looting of government properties and vehicles.

The Taliban leadership has ordered its members that "no one is allowed to enter anyone's house without permission. Life, property and honor of none shall be harmed but must be protected," Mujahid said.

Taliban members on Monday took control of the outside of Kabul airport while thousands of U.S. forces were inside the airport helping to evacuate the crowds.

At least 10 Afghans were reportedly killed in the stampede and shooting inside the airport within the past two days.

The offices of the Afghan Public Health Ministry and the Kabul municipality were reopened on Monday. Wahid Majrooh, acting minister of public health, appeared together with Taliban public health representatives in televised footage, urging medical workers including female medical employees to return to their jobs.

Small shops were also reopened around the city while banks and business centers mostly remained closed as of Tuesday morning.

Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani left the country on Sunday night, while the Taliban forces entered the capital of Kabul and took control of the presidential palace.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
US lacks concrete evidence, makes do with circumstantial material to compile report of coronavirus origins: sources

Global Times) 08:14, August 19, 2021

US ramps up pressure to coerce intl scientists, rope in allies, WHO members to smear China over virus origins to beat 90-day deadline

Will Uncle Sam be able to continue deceiving the world in terms of investigation into COVID-19 origins?

As the Joe Biden-set deadline of the 90-day investigation into the coronavirus origins draws near, sources told the Global Times that US intelligence agencies are gearing up their efforts to compile a report, yet are struggling to find concrete proof to support the "lab leak" theory, and even its own research institutions and allies believe the virus was almost certainly not created artificially.

Despite all those hurdles, the US, determined to use those presupposed investigation to throw mud at China, will make do with mostly circumstantial evidence that is completely unreliable in their report, said sources, who confided that Washington has been pressuring the World Health Organization (WHO) and marshaling its allies, including the EU, Australia, Japan and other countries, to launch the "second-phase origins tracing" on China as soon as possible and trying to bend the will of scientists to churn out materials to chide China.

In May, US President Joe Biden ordered US intelligence officials to "redouble" efforts to investigate the origins of COVID-19, including the theory that it came from a laboratory in China. He said the US intelligence community was split on whether it came from a lab accident or emerged from human contact with an infected animal, and he asked groups to report back to him within 90 days.

A desperate US

Sources told the Global Times on Tuesday that the US intelligence agencies are gearing up efforts to put together their own investigation report on the tracing of the virus origins.

Yet those US intelligence agencies cannot produce any concrete proof or scientific support to make up the "lab leak" theory, said the sources, who noted that the so-called evidence that has been fabricated so far is mostly circumstantial that is completely unreliable.

Moreover, the US research institutions and the US allies also believe that the virus was almost certainly not created artificially, and that it will be highly unlikely they will be able to draw definitive conclusions within 90 days which can verify the "lab leak" theory, according to the sources.

Speaking at a Wednesday press briefing, Zhao Lijian, spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said if the media report is true, it is a testament that the US cares nothing about truth, but just how to throw mud at China.

The US' tricks to frame others using a small bottle of laundry powder fools nobody. And the more Washington tries to blame Beijing, the more people wonder if the US is trying to hide something, Zhao noted.

CNN cited sources on August 12 that the US intelligence community is still divided over two theories - one suggesting the virus originated from a lab in Wuhan, and the other suggesting it jumped naturally to humans from animals.

Officials told CNN that the Biden administration is considering whether to launch another investigation if the current one proves inconclusive.

Finding it is making little progress on the report itself, the US also resorted to pressuring other countries, the WHO and international scientists to turn them against China on the probe of coronavirus origins.

Sources told the Global Times on Wednesday that the US knows clearly that the Chinese government insists on scientific principles in the virus origins tracing issue, and opposes the politicization or disregarding the conclusions reached in the joint report on the China-WHO research, a stance that is also supported by many other governments.

China's refusal to participate in the US-led second stage of the WHO virus origins tracing work and the joint statement China made with some developing countries that was sent to the WHO have seriously impeded the US plan to promote their "virus origins investigation" that targets China.

In desperation, the US government has to win support from the international community by perpetuating lies like "China refuses to join in the virus origins investigation" and "China refuses to cooperate with the WHO." These lies, although groundless, are helpful to the US government in smearing China and shifting responsibility of their own failure in fighting against the virus, the sources said.

The latest move by the US government is to arrange the director of the White House's Office of Science and Technology Policy and presidential science adviser to collide with governmental science advisers from the EU, Australia and Japan to issue a statement on the second phase of investigation to urge the Chinese government to reflect on its decision on the rejection, expressing disappointment on China and requiring China to "shoulder responsibility" and "take action," according to the sources.

A source close to the matter told the Global Times previously that the US' push for the probes on the virus origins was aimed at consuming China's diplomatic resources. The US is trying to find "loopholes" in China's epidemic control policy, and planning to continue pressuring the WHO and collude with its allies to pressure China in an attempt to discredit the Chinese government for "covering up the truth about the origins of the virus."

Betrayal of science

While the US is shepherding the trend of politicizing the coronavirus origins probe, a growing number of scientists stepped forward and rejected the US-led "lab leak" theory, with some scientists believing objective and scientific voices will be heard more widely which may prompt more objective reporting on COVID-19 origins in Western media.

In early July, 24 international scientists published an open letter in The Lancet reiterating the natural origins hypothesis and their firm support to health professionals and scientists of China and the world, the same views they have been holding since they published their first joint letter in February 2020 in The Lancet, when the Trump administration attempted to smear, attack and stigmatize China on COVID-19.

As many international scientists loath the US' politicization of the issue, they oppose the US' stance and refuse to support the US government. However, the US government is going all out to threaten and entice them, including doxing these scientists and their families, censoring their papers and forcing their employers to put pressure on them, the source told the Global Times on Wednesday.

In order to bend scientists' wills and let them serve the US' interests, the US government has employed dirty plots to threaten international scientists and force them to smear China over the virus origins investigation issue.

The Global Times learned previously that prominent US scientists who have been focused on the tracing of COVID-19 origins have been facing tremendous political pressure, and some have been sidelined for not yielding to politician-driven conspiracy theories on the matter, and many have received anonymous threats.

Jonathan Stoye, head of the division of virology at Britain's Francis Crick Institute, told the Global Times previously that at this stage, accusations are particularly unhelpful, and "merely compound the difficulties in carrying out a successful investigation."

"This process [virus origins probe] must be collaborative and fully transparent. Perhaps this is a little naive, but I truly believe we must set aside any political or cultural differences in order to understand this question for the benefit of the entire population of the world," Stoye told the Global Times.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
China's control of COVID-19 boosts foreign entrepreneurs confidence

Xinhua) 08:25, August 19, 2021

Farzad Farhad and Julia, two young foreigners doing business in China, chose to continue their businesses in China even during the COVID-19 pandemic. They do not regret their decisions, as Chinese government's measures to contain the pandemic have further boosted their confidence in China's economy.

Farzad Farhad from Afghanistan created an e-commerce platform which introduces the products of small microelectronic enterprises along the eastern coast of China to overseas consumers.

In 2019, Julia, an Italian, set up a company which imports European craft beer to China and also carries out consulting services for companies in China and abroad.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
China to strengthen coordination with Pakistan on Afghan issues: FM

Xinhua) 08:42, August 19, 2021

BEIJING, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- China and Pakistan need to strengthen communication and coordination to support a stable transition in Afghanistan, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Wednesday.

He made the remarks in the evening during a phone conversation with Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

Wang congratulated Pakistan on its grand celebration of the 75th Independence Day and wished it prosperity and strength.

Noting that the situation in Afghanistan has changed dramatically and become the focus of global attention recently, Wang said the so-called "democratic transformation" proved to be unrealistic, which only brought about hurtful consequences and lessons from it are worth remembering and learning.

As important neighbors of Afghanistan and responsible countries in the region, China and Pakistan need to play constructive roles in maintaining regional peace and stability, Wang said, offering the following four suggestions:

Firstly, the two sides should encourage all Afghan parties to strengthen solidarity, and to establish a new broad-based and inclusive political structure that is suited to the Afghan national conditions, and supported by the public.

Secondly, the two sides should support Afghanistan in its resolute fight against terrorism, and Afghanistan must not become a gathering place for terrorism again.

Thirdly, the two sides should contact and communicate with the Taliban in Afghanistan to ensure the safety of Chinese and Pakistani personnel and institutions there, as the Chinese and Pakistani embassies in Afghanistan are still operating normally.

Fourthly, the two sides should promote international cooperation involving Afghanistan in an orderly manner, and especially give play to the unique role of neighboring countries, so as to push the situation in Afghanistan gradually into a virtuous circle, during which various mechanisms should complement each other and expand consensus.

Discussing the Dasu terrorist attack, Wang voiced China's appreciation of the important progress made by Pakistan in the investigation and hoped that Pakistan will make every effort to arrest the perpetrators, and punish them in accordance with the law, so as to give an explanation to the people of the two countries and as well as a powerful deterrent to the forces that attempt to undermine China-Pakistan friendship.

He also hopes that Pakistan will accelerate to implement strengthened whole-process security measures and upgraded security cooperation mechanism to ensure that similar incidents will not happen again.

For his part, Qureshi thanked China for its good wishes for Pakistan's Independence Day and its long-term strong support for Pakistan's national construction, saying that Pakistan will go all out to arrest perpetrators of the Dasu terrorist attack, find out the forces behind it and severely punish them.

He expressed his appreciation for China's important and positive role on the Afghan issue, saying as Afghanistan's neighbors, Pakistan and China are countries most expecting Afghanistan to realize peace, and as all-weather strategic cooperative partners, they ought to strengthen coordination.

Afghanistan needs a political settlement through negotiations in the future, Qureshi said, adding the Taliban's takeover of Kabul has not caused bloodshed and Afghanistan's domestic situation is stabilizing with life gradually returning to normal.

He added that all the parties should support the Taliban to implement its commitment and protect the rights and interests of the Afghan people.

Pakistan, he said, stands ready to strengthen communication with China, push the Taliban to work with all other parties to set up an inclusive and comprehensive political structure and establish a multilateral coordination mechanism involving the neighboring countries of Afghanistan, and urge the international community to jointly support the efforts of various Afghan factions to achieve peace and stability.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Shenzhen sets up temporary protection area for whale

Xinhua) 09:00, August 19, 2021

SHENZHEN, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- The southern Chinese city of Shenzhen has set up a temporary protection area for a Bryde's whale that has been lingering in waters there for more than a month, local authorities said Wednesday.

The area currently covers 64 square kilometers in Dapeng Bay off Shenzhen and is subject to change based on the whale's activities, according to Shenzhen municipal fishery department.

Yachts, recreational and tourism vessels, motorboats, and sailboards are banned in the area, while fishing boats are prohibited from fishing in it. Ships passing the area are asked to sail at a low speed and take precautions to avoid the whale.

The restrictive measures for the temporary protection area will be effective until the whale leaves the waters off Shenzhen.

The Bryde's whale was first spotted in Dapeng Bay on June 29. Experts said it is a subadult with a length of around 8 meters.

Bryde's whales, mainly found in tropical and subtropical waters, are marked by three ridges in front of their blowhole, a dark grey back, and a white or pink abdomen.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
New virology lab from China to increase Brunei's COVID-19 testing capacity: health ministry

Xinhua) 09:10, August 19, 2021

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- A new virology laboratory from China will increase Brunei's capacity to process up to 5,000 COVID-19 swab tests a day, Brunei's Ministry of Health said on Wednesday.

To increase the testing capacity of the SARS-CoV-2 laboratory, the Brunei government, in collaboration with China's BGI Group, has acquired an additional virology laboratory named Brunei COVID-19 AirLab, a press release from the health ministry said.

The new mobile laboratory is currently placed at Bridex International Conference Center in Jerudong and will be put into operation on Thursday.

Haji Mohammad Isham, Brunei's health minister, said during a press conference on Wednesday that with the new testing facility, the results of swab tests will be known within 24 hours, compared to four to five days previously, which will significantly ease the backlog of swab samples due to limited testing capacity.

According to Haji Mohd Amin Liew, minister at the Prime Minister's Office and second minister of finance and economy, Brunei has cooperated with the BGI Group before, which "helped the country a lot."

He said that to increase the capacity to carry out more rapid testing, Brunei decided to transport testing equipment from China using a chartered flight and set up the new virology laboratory in just a few days.

Headquartered in Shenzhen, China, the BGI Group is China's leading biotech company.

Brunei reported 94 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, another record daily rise, bringing the national tally to 946.

According to the health ministry, while the source of infection of 30 new cases is still under investigation, 61 cases are related to 10 active clusters already identified and the other three local cases are related to one new cluster confirmed on Wednesday.

All new cases in the active clusters are individuals who are currently being quarantined and were found to be in contact with several confirmed cases.

The health ministry said contact tracing for all new cases is still actively running, with a total of 13,473 people identified as close contacts of the recently confirmed cases, an increase of 718 individuals from the previous day.

There are currently 605 active cases being treated and monitored at the National Isolation Center, with three of them in critical condition requiring respiratory assistance and 10 other patients under close monitoring.

Before the detection of the local cases on Aug. 7, Brunei had kept a record of 457 days without community infections.

Brunei also reported five recoveries on Wednesday. There have been a total of 338 recovered patients and three deaths reported from COVID-19 so far in the country.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Interview: COVID-19 origins tracing should cover U.S. labs, says biologist

Xinhua) 09:14, August 19, 2021

MOSCOW, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Tracing the origins of COVID-19 should be conducted on a global scale, including an investigation of U.S. biological laboratories, Russian biologist Alexei Deykin has said.

The United States is a global leader in biotechnology and there have been media reports of accidents at U.S. biological facilities in recent years, said Deykin, a senior scientist with the Institute of Gene Biology at the Russian Academy of Sciences.

People want to know how biological research is controlled and regulated in the United States, he told Xinhua in a recent interview.

Washington opposes negotiations related to a protocol for the verification regime under the framework of the Biological Weapons Convention, while the United States is actively using sites in "gray zone countries," where monitoring compliance with the international convention is difficult, to conduct biological research, he noted.

Biological weapons are much more dangerous than nuclear ones because they can multiply on their own and even affect the entire planet, warned Deykin, also an expert with the Valdai Discussion Club, a Russian think tank.

All versions should be checked when carrying out COVID-19 origins tracing, he stressed, adding that the possibility can't be ruled out that COVID-19 was brought to the central Chinese city of Wuhan by U.S. soldiers during the Military World Games in October 2019.

Deykin believes that the virus could have spread latently before its outbreak, saying "it is quite possible that there were already COVID-19 cases in some countries of the world at the end of 2019. However, they were not classified as the novel coronavirus."

It is "completely unfounded" to claim that COVID-19 leaked from a Wuhan lab, said the molecular biologist, who has studied recombinant organisms for over 15 years.

Deykin praised China for quickly identifying the genome of the virus and taking necessary health measures at the beginning of the epidemic.

China responded appropriately to the epidemic, strived to protect its people and shared information with the international community, he said.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
China shores up support for SOEs in northeast region

Xinhua) 09:30, August 19, 2021

BEIJING, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- China on Wednesday launched a program on promoting coordination between local state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in the country's northeast region and central SOEs to ramp up the revitalization of northeast China.

A total of 111 local SOEs in Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning provinces, and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region will work closely with 100 subsidiaries of 53 central SOEs, according to the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (SASAC).

The country will enhance resource sharing and industrial integration between these enterprises to deepen reforms of state-owned assets and firms in the region, and promote high-quality development of local SOEs.

These enterprises will cooperate for optimizing and coordinating industrial and supply chains, transforming and upgrading traditional industries, making breakthroughs in core technologies, improving corporate governance and enhancing the building of talent teams.

Reforms of state-owned assets and firms in the region achieved positive results in the first half-year, with combined operating revenue of local SOEs and locally-based central SOEs and their subsidiaries surging 28 percent year on year, SASAC data showed.

More efforts should be made to improve the market-oriented operation mechanism, weak links in industrial structure and the level of management for the local SOEs, the SASAC noted.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Nanjing County in Fujian develops tourism industry and local economy in sustainable way

Xinhua) 09:32, August 19, 2021

Tourists visit Yunshuiyao ancient town in Nanjing County, southeast China's Fujian Province, Aug. 17, 2021. Relying on Tulou, the unique residential architecture of Fujian Province which was inscribed on the UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2008, Nanjing County has found a sustainable way to develop the rural tourism industry and boost the local economy. (Xinhua/Song Weiwei)

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
GT launches online petition demanding Meng Wanzhou's release as her detention approaches 1,000 days

Global Times) 09:37, August 19, 2021

China's Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou leaves her residence for the extradition hearing in Vancouver, Canada, Jan. 20, 2020. (File Photo by Harrison Ha/Xinhua)

 Click here to cast your vote for the release of Meng Wanzhou

As August 26 marks 1,000 days since Huawei's Meng Wanzhou was detained in Canada, the Global Times launched an online petition on Wednesday demanding her immediate release.

The incident is blatant political persecution of a Chinese citizen and another example of the US government's unjustified crackdown on Chinese companies and its attempts to curb the development of China's high-tech industry, according to the petition. In this process, the Canadian government is a willing accomplice, said the petition.

Also on Wednesday, the Global Times released an open letter to Canadian Ambassador to China Dominic Barton, demanding Meng's immediate and unconditional release.

At the request of the US government, the Canadian government on December 1, 2018 illegally detained Meng, who is also the chief financial officer (CFO) of Chinese company Huawei Technologies, based on so-called accusations of fraud imposed by the US.

Meng's lawyers concluded their submissions at the extradition proceedings on Tuesday with a final attempt to end the case by building on an "evidentiary vacuum," claiming that the US fraud charges simply aren't valid. The case is also widely seen as an unusual one with a number of points of suspicion.

During the latest hearings, the defense team of Meng pointed out that in Canada's legal history, there was never a fraud case in which the government held the alleged perpetrator accountable in the absence of actual losses.

She was accused of defrauding HSBC as she was said to have "lied to the bank about the Chinese company's business in Iran," and the charges center on a PowerPoint presentation that the CFO gave to the bank in a steakhouse in Hong Kong in 2013.

However, Meng's lawyers claim that the US deliberately omitted two slides from the PowerPoint presentation, which showed that Meng didn't mislead the bank.

The defense holds that Meng's presentation did not expose HSBC to any real deprivation or any reputational and loan loss, which is an evidentiary vacuum in this case, or sanctions risks, according to a court note obtained by the Global Times on Wednesday.

When Meng presented evidence to disprove the US government's false accusations, and even HSBC agreed to provide relevant materials to the court to help prove Meng's innocence, Canada completely ignored it and pushed forward with so-called extradition procedures.

It's bizarre for legal experts in Canada to see the legal procedures lasting an unusually long time for a fraud case, with no actual harm and misrepresented facts, further underscoring the political nature of the case.

The stairway to extradition in the case has been unnecessarily long and convoluted because successive ministers of justice have not had the courage or political will to intervene to stop it, as they are entitled to do at any time under the Extradition Act, Gary Botting, an extradition lawyer and author of Canadian Extradition Law Practice, told the Global Times in a recent interview.

The International Assistance Group (IAG) of the Department of Justice was understandably reluctant to advise the minister to intervene in Meng's contemporaneous case, Botting sad, noting that acting like robots controlled by the US, the IAG issued a provisional arrest warrant against her.

"In effect, the US said 'Jump!' and the Canadian bureaucrats asked meekly, 'How high?'," the Canadian legal expert said.

Some Canadian lawmakers and officials have been constantly calling for Meng's release as they believe that her case was highly politicized that led to a deteriorating Canada-China relationship.

It was ironic and rare when the so-called victim of this fraud case - HSBC - agreed to provide relevant materials to the court to help prove Meng's innocence, the Global Times said in the open letter to the Canadian diplomat Barton.

"Even worse was when former US president Donald Trump, ignoring so-called legal procedures in the US and Canada, blatantly took the case of Meng as a bargaining chip in a geopolitical game with China," the letter said.

Trump wanted a "ransom" for Meng's freedom, her lawyer was quoted as saying in media reports earlier in August. Botting also noted that the case was a political gambit from the outset in a bid to throw cold water on Huawei's aspirations to promote its 5G technology.

"The Canadian government has deviated from fairness and justice, and seriously violated the human rights of a Chinese citizen," the petition said.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
Commentary: People's support source of strength for century-old CPC

(Xinhuanet) 09:41, August 19, 2021

BEIJING, Aug. 18 (Xinhuanet) -- Looking back on the history of the Communist Party of China (CPC) over the past 100 years, one can see that the Party always has firm support of the Chinese people, which serves as an inexhaustible source of strength for the world's largest Marxist ruling party to overcome all difficulties and forge ahead.

Starting off as a small party of around 50 members, the CPC now has more than 95 million members, becoming the world's largest political party with tremendous international influence.

Under CPC's leadership, China has been transformed from a poor and backward country into a vibrant and dynamic economy, the second largest in the world, and people's lives have seen significant improvement.

President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, has said that the people are the "supreme and ultimate judge" of the Party's work.

An Edelman Trust Barometer trust and credibility survey in 2020 showed that the Chinese people's trust in their government stood at 95 percent, higher than that of other countries surveyed. Harvard University of the United States has revealed similar findings.

So how has the CPC won overwhelming support from 1.4 billion Chinese people?

Putting people first

The people's support for the CPC comes from its great dedication and governing philosophy of putting people first.

The CPC has in the people its roots, its lifeblood and its source of strength. It works for the people's interests and has no special interests of its own.

Since the first day of its founding, the Party made seeking happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation its original aspiration and mission.

The CPC has always been putting people's well-being in paramount position throughout its history and Chinese Communists are willing to sacrifice everything, including their lives, for the interests of the people.

Data shows that as many as 3.7 million CPC members sacrificed their lives from 1921 to 1949 in striving for the establishment of the people's republic. Many others died anonymously.

China's handling of the COVID-19 epidemic and massive poverty-alleviation campaign fully vindicate the CPC's efforts to put people first.

Facing the ravaging pandemic, the CPC gave top priority to protecting people's life and health even at the cost of short-term economic downturn and a temporary shutdown.

"We are willing to do whatever it takes to protect people's lives!" Xi emphasized.

Members of the CPC have acted as the vanguard in the battle against the epidemic. Nearly 400 of the over 39 million CPC members and cadres who fought against COVID-19 on the front lines died in the process, according to official numbers.

During China's massive poverty-alleviation campaign, the Party put forward the "targeted poverty alleviation" strategy and stressed that no one should be left behind on the path to a moderately prosperous society in all respects, or Xiaokang society.

Xi announced that China has achieved the goal of building Xiaokang society when addressing a ceremony celebrating the CPC centenary at Tian'anmen Square on July 1.

China has lifted nearly 800 million people out of poverty over the past four decades, meeting the poverty eradication target in the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 10 years ahead of schedule.

More than 1,800 Party members and cadres died on the front lines of the battle against poverty, which brought home the Party's fundamental purpose of wholeheartedly serving the people.

Modernizing governance capacity

The people's support for the CPC also stems from its strong leadership and performance in the field of governance.

In the early 20th century, after multiple political attempts failed to save the nation at a perilous time of domestic upheaval and foreign aggression, the CPC rose from chaos and led the country toward national independence, changing the fate of Chinese people.

Over the past 100 years, the Party has united and led the Chinese people in achieving great success in the new-democratic revolution, socialist revolution and construction, reform, opening up and socialist modernization, as well as for socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era.

Under the strong leadership of the CPC, China has created a miracle of rapid economic development and long-term social stability rarely seen in the world.

China now is also the largest recipient of foreign direct investment, and boasts one of the world's largest consumer markets. Its GDP has exceeded the 100-trillion-yuan threshold.

The CPC has transformed China from a country where almost half of the population had to worry about where their next meal would come from into the world's second-largest economy, where every life is equally treasured.

From 1949 to 2019, China's per capital disposable income grew at an average annual rate of 6.1 percent in real terms.

Besides income increases, Chinese people enjoy other tangible development benefits, such as access to better education, medical care, improved living conditions and a safe environment.

The country has the largest social security system globally, with basic medical insurance covering over 1.3 billion people and basic old-age insurance covering about 1 billion. The average life expectancy of the Chinese has risen to 77.3 years.

Employment is pivotal to people's wellbeing. The CPC prioritizes employment in economic and social development. It carries out a pro-employment strategy and pursues a more proactive employment policy.

Rather than focusing on short-term results as in the policy fluctuation of election-related cycles in Western countries, the CPC has shown its proficiency in making long-term strategic plans based on the people's interests, breaking them down into phases, and translating a blueprint into reality with force and tenacity.

China has formulated and implemented 13 five-year plans since 1953 and the country has already entered the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025).

Having met the goal of poverty elimination, the Party continues to work to reduce the gap between the rich and the poor, to work for people's well-rounded development and common prosperity and a better life for all.

Over the past 70-plus years, the CPC has led the people in developing socialist democracy, which enables the people to participate in the whole process of political affairs and efficiently solve the problems that concern the people.

China's whole-process democracy involves more than just a matter of voting, rather, it ensures the people's rights to democratic elections, consultations, decision-making, management and oversight, covering all aspects of state affairs and social activities.

Preventing internal rifts and the waste of resources due to "endless discussion without decision, and decision without implementation" seen in western democracy, Chinese democracy ensures that once a major decision is made, the Party is able to pool resources across the country for great undertakings, which is exemplified in everyday governance or emergency responses, to name a few like earthquake rescue, the fight against epidemics, poverty relief.

Continuous self-reform

The people's support for the CPC originates from its self-improvement and self-reform as well.

During the past 100 years, the CPC has continued to adapt the basic tenets of Marxism to the Chinese context, and make theoretical innovations, thus maintaining its full vitality.

The Party practices effective self-supervision. From intraparty political education to criticism and self-criticism, deviations and mistakes in thinking are corrected in time.

"To forge iron, one must be strong." In the long history of leading the Chinese revolution, construction and reform, the CPC has a fine tradition of learning and education among party members to keep pace with the times, strengthen political beliefs and improve governing capacity and better serve the people.

The Party launched various education campaigns to urge members to maintain disciplinary and moral integrity, curb undesirable practices, draw strength from CPC's past, boost morale and advance the country's modernization drive.

Moreover, the Party has combined internal supervision with state and public scrutiny.

The Party sees corruption as the "greatest threat" to its survival and its relationship with the Chinese people.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the Party has investigated and punished corrupt officials, including some high-ranking officials, on a scale unseen in decades.

In 2020, around 604,000 people were disciplined by China's top anti-graft body.

The resolute fight against corruption has resulted in surging public support. According to a survey conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics, 97.3 percent of the respondents expressed satisfaction with the improvement of Party conduct, the working practices of government officials, and social morality.

Throughout century-long process of overcoming hardships and securing brilliant achievements, the Chinese people and the CPC have helped each other through thick and thin, forming a closely bonded relationship, which is often described as being inseparable as fish and water, flesh and blood.

However, over the years, western anti-China forces have attempted to sow discord between the CPC and the people and attack China's human rights record by fabricating lies and rumors with the intention to disintegrate China from within and contain its development.

Their ulterior motives, out of ideological bias and geopolitical reasons, reveal the ignorance about the century-old CPC and solidarity between the Party and people, thus being doomed to failure.

Xi said that any attempt to divide the Party from the Chinese people or to set the people against the Party is bound to fail. The more than 95 million Party members and the more than 1.4 billion Chinese people will never allow such a scenario to come to pass.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Sheng Chuyi)
Chinese FM, ASEAN envoy to Myanmar exchange views on ties, situation in Myanmar

Xinhua) 09:44, August 19, 2021

Aerial photo taken on Jan. 14, 2021 shows the container terminal of Qinzhou Port in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Cao Yiming)

BEIJING, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday had a phone conversation with Haji Erywan, special envoy of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to Myanmar and Brunei's second minister of foreign affairs, over ties and the situation in Myanmar.

Wang expressed his appreciation for Brunei's contribution to the development of China-ASEAN relations as the rotating chair of ASEAN, and thanked Brunei for its support in elevating the positioning of China-ASEAN relations.

He said he hoped that Brunei will continue to play a positive role to ensure that a commemorative meeting marking the 30th anniversary of the establishment of dialogue relations between China and ASEAN will be successful and achieve more important results.

Noting that September marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Brunei, Wang expressed his hope that the two sides will take this opportunity to carry forward traditional friendship, deepen the Belt and Road cooperation, and push for new development of China-Brunei strategic cooperative partnership.

Anti-pandemic cooperation remains a top priority currently, Wang said, adding that China attaches great importance to the needs of Brunei, will send a batch of vaccines to Brunei and deliver them as soon as possible, and lend a helping hand to Brunei when the country most needs it.

Members of a Chinese medical team assisting the Myanmar government's efforts in the fight against COVID-19 board the plane before departure at the Kunming Changshui International Airport in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province, April 8, 2020. (Photo by Chen Xinbo/Xinhua)

Both China and ASEAN countries are friends of Myanmar and hope that Myanmar will achieve peace and stability, Wang said after listening to Erywan's views on the current situation in Myanmar.

Noting that China welcomes the appointment of Erywan as ASEAN's special envoy to Myanmar, Wang expressed his belief that Erywan can uphold the ASEAN way and play a unique role in accordance with the five-point consensus reached in April by ASEAN leaders regarding the situation in Myanmar to help different parties in Myanmar find a political solution within the constitutional framework through dialogue.

Wang said that China has the following suggestions: First, deal with all parties in Myanmar in a rational and pragmatic manner and gradually build trust; Second, give top priority to helping Myanmar in its fight against COVID-19, and ensure the accessibility and effectiveness of such assistance; Third, remain patient and determined, stick to the direction of promoting peace talks, return government to the people in an orderly manner and restart the democratic process, which not only serves the interests of Myanmar but also meets the expectations of the international community; Fourth, stay vigilant against and oppose interference in Myanmar's internal affairs by extraterritorial forces, and earnestly respect Myanmar's sovereignty and the choice of its people.

China's friendly policy towards Myanmar has always been oriented towards all the people of Myanmar, and China will provide urgently-needed help to Myanmar through various channels, Wang stressed, adding that China will fully support ASEAN's special envoy in performing his duties and is willing to continue to play a constructive role in promoting a political settlement of the Myanmar issue.

People unload medical materials donated by China in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, April 23, 2020. (Photo by Jeffrey Wong/Xinhua)

For his part, Erywan thanked China for its continuous assistance of medical supplies and vaccines to Brunei when Brunei is confronting a new wave of COVID-19 pandemic.

He said he hopes that the two countries can mark the 30th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties as a milestone, to give full play to the role of the China-Brunei intergovernmental joint steering committee, and further deepen cooperation in various fields, such as energy, agriculture and fishery.

Myanmar is an important member of the big ASEAN family, Erywan noted, adding that as ASEAN's special envoy to Myanmar, he will be dedicated to pushing forward the implementation of the five-point consensus, advancing dialogue among relevant parties in the ASEAN way, stopping violence, promoting inclusiveness, and helping Myanmar better fulfill its commitments to the international community.

ASEAN appreciates and supports China's continuous crucial role in the Myanmar issue, and is willing to strengthen coordination and carry out cooperation with China, he said.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
China holds celebration of 70th anniversary of Tibet's peaceful liberation

Xinhua) 10:20, August 19, 2021

Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, who is leading a central delegation to Tibet, presents congratulatory plaques and banners at a grand gathering to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the peaceful liberation of Tibet, in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, Aug. 19, 2021. President Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, wrote inscriptions "building a beautiful and happy Tibet and together fulfilling the great dream of national rejuvenation" on congratulatory plaques presented at the event. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)

LHASA, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- China on Thursday held a grand gathering to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the peaceful liberation of Tibet.

More than 20,000 people from various ethnic groups attended the event held in Lhasa, capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region.

President Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, wrote inscriptions "building a beautiful and happy Tibet and together fulfilling the great dream of national rejuvenation" on congratulatory plaques presented at the event.

The national flag of the People's Republic of China was raised at the beginning of the celebration. People sang the national anthem.

A congratulatory message from the CPC Central Committee, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the State Council, the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and the Central Military Commission was read.

Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, attended the gathering and presented congratulatory plaques and banners.

Wang also addressed the event.

Wang, who is leading a central delegation to Tibet, said the delegation is entrusted by the CPC Central Committee and Xi to jointly celebrate the 70th anniversary of Tibet's peaceful liberation with people of all ethnic groups in Tibet.

Wang called the peaceful liberation of Tibet in 1951 "a major victory in the cause of liberation of the Chinese people and China's reunification," saying it marked a historic transition with epoch-making significance for Tibet.

"Since then, Tibet has embarked on a path from darkness to brightness, from backwardness to progress, from poverty to prosperity, from autocracy to democracy, and from closeness to openness," Wang said. "A thriving socialist new Tibet is standing tall and firm at the rooftop of the world."

In the old Tibet, the reactionary and barbarous feudal serfdom was practiced.

With the establishment of socialist system and regional ethnic autonomy, the rights of people of all ethnic groups in Tibet to equal participation in the governance of state affairs and to administration of affairs of the autonomous region are fully ensured.

At present, Tibet has over 35,000 deputies of people's congresses and over 8,000 CPPCC members at various levels, 90 percent of whom are ethnic minorities, Wang said.

In the old days, agriculture and livestock in Tibet were at the mercy of nature; industry was non-existent; and a round trip between Xining and Lhasa would take more than six months.

The GDP in Tibet soared past 190 billion yuan (about 29.3 billion U.S. dollars) in 2020 from merely 130 million yuan in 1951, Wang noted.

During the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020), Tibet hosted close to 160 million tourist visits.

Now 140 flights connect Tibet with the rest of the country and the world.

In the old Tibet, over 90 percent of Tibetans struggled for subsistence, and up to 95 percent were illiterate. Today, hunger and poverty is a thing of the past for people of all ethnic groups in Tibet, and per capita living space in Tibet is close to 40 square meters.

Meanwhile, the 15-year public-funded education is conducted across the region, ending the long-standing issue of school drop-out, Wang noted.

The average life expectancy has risen from 35.5 years in 1951 to 71.1 years.

Highlighting progress in ethnic unity in Tibet, Wang said separatist and sabotage activities committed by the Dalai group and hostile external forces have been crushed.

The central government has invested huge manpower, resources and funding to preserve and develop Tibet's fine traditional culture, Wang noted.

The Tibetan language is used extensively. Precious classics such as Epic of King Gesar were saved and collated. Close to 800 projects including thangka, Tibetan opera and Tibetan medicine have been placed on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Religious beliefs of all ethnic groups are fully respected, Wang said.

More than 1,700 temples in Tibet have full access to water, electricity, the Internet, fire fighting and other facilities. All of the 46,000 monks and nuns are covered by the government's social security scheme.

The Potala Palace, the Jokhang Temple and other temples and sites have been renovated and are under protection.

"Since the 18th CPC National Congress, Tibet has entered a new era, an era in which greater development and bigger changes have been made and more benefits delivered to the people than in the past," Wang said.

The region ranks among the top three in China in terms of annual average growth rate, and it has topped the country in terms of growth of per capita disposable income of rural residents for many years. Around 628,000 people have been lifted out of poverty.

"Together with the rest of the country, Tibet has, as envisaged, finished the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects," Wang said.

Tibet has reached a new historical starting point in pursuing its economic and social development, Wang noted, stressing the need to always follow the leadership of the CPC and march steadily on the path of building socialism with distinctive Chinese features.

"Only by following the CPC leadership and pursuing the path of socialism, can Tibet achieve development and prosperity," Wang said.

Stressing harmony and stability in Tibet and national security and stability in the border areas, Wang said officials and the general public of all ethnic groups should be mobilized to forge an ironclad defense against separatist activities.

He also called for efforts to ensure that religions in China are Chinese in orientation and guide Tibetan Buddhism in adapting itself to socialist society.

"No one outside China has the right to point fingers at us when it comes to Tibetan affairs," Wang said. "Any attempt or maneuver designed to separate Tibet from China is doomed to fail."

Urging fostering a strong sense of the Chinese nation as one community and advancing ethnic unity and progress, Wang said the Chinese culture has always been a bond that fosters a sense of togetherness and belonging among people of all ethnic groups in Tibet.

He demanded all-round efforts to teach standard spoken and written Chinese language and foster and share the cultural symbols and images of the Chinese nation among all ethnic groups.

Wang said the people-centered development philosophy should be followed and high-quality economic and social development should be promoted.

He also promised that the CPC Central Committee's input in and support for the development of Tibet will only increase, not decrease.

He reiterated the CPC Central Committee's support to Tibet in building a national demonstration region on ecological conservation, piloting a comprehensive ecological compensation program, and conducting comprehensive scientific research on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

In the afternoon, Wang and other delegation members joined about 600 local officials and people at the People's Hall of Tibet for a grand gala, which presented a feast of dancing and singing.

After the performance, Wang, accompanied by local officials, stepped onto the stage. He congratulated those involved in the performance for its success and had photos taken with all the cast members.

Before the performance, Wang met with members of the autonomous region's leading groups, retired officials, as well as representatives of officials of political and legal affairs, officers and soldiers of the military and armed police forces stationed in Tibet, among others.

The central delegation presented the people from various ethnic groups and from all walks of life in Tibet with souvenirs, including congratulatory plaques and banners, washing machines, medical kits, electronic sphygmomanometers, bedding sets and books.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
China right to stick to anti-pandemic strategy amid Delta variant surge: media

Xinhua) 10:52, August 19, 2021

BEIJING, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- China's zero-COVID strategy continues to make sense as the rapidly-spreading Delta variant has caused increasing infections and deaths around the world, said a report by the South China Morning Post on Wednesday.

China's zero-COVID strategy has served its economy well, the article said, adding that the average two-year growth of China's economy for 2020 and 2021 is likely to reach 5.3 percent, which implies that the impact of COVID-19 has been very limited -- only 0.4 percentage points.

The article stressed that China's comprehensive containment measures, including mass testing, isolation of confirmed and suspected patients, lockdowns of high-risk areas and vaccination, have proved to be low cost and very effective, especially when the Delta variant landed in south China's Guangdong Province months ago.

"As China's domestically transmitted cases have been on the decline in recent days, the victory is surely not far off," it noted.

As for China's opening up to the world, the negative impact of strict border control measures has been "fully compensated for by the successful economic rebound."

One case to the point is that in the first half of this year, the average two-year growth rates of China's international trade and actual use of foreign capital reached double digits, according to the article.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Trading persons for prosperity -- America's "legacy of sleaze" lives on

Xinhua) 11:33, August 19, 2021

BEIJING, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. State Department recently released its annual "Trafficking in Persons Report," dividing countries worldwide into tiers based on how well America thinks they have tackled the crime.

Replete with double standards, the report blasts the human rights records of other countries while downplaying the atrocities of modern slavery at home.

But the facts speak for themselves. The United States has long traded persons for its prosperity. The country is a self-proclaimed "human rights defender" with a shameful "legacy of sleaze" that lives on today.

DARK NATIONAL HERITAGE

The institution of slavery is widely seen as a fundamental part of America's prosperity. From southern inland tobacco plantations to shipbuilding plants in coastal New England, U.S. industries supported slavery and were nurtured by it for centuries.

"Out of slavery ... grew nearly everything that has truly made America exceptional: its economic might, its industrial power ... its astonishing penchant for violence," commented The New York Times Magazine in 2019 in an issue marking the first enslaved Africans arriving in the British colony of Virginia in 1619.

It's estimated that from 1525 to 1866, more than 12.5 million Africans were shipped to the New World, with the Thirteen British Colonies, later the nascent United States, being a key market, according to Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database.

Numerous people died during the brutal maritime transport, while about 10.7 million having survived and landed in the Americas, only to be sold into slavery.

Though the United States banned the importation of slaves in 1808, growing demand for slave labor in the cotton industry had fueled the domestic slave trade. Meanwhile, the cross-Atlantic trade went on covertly.

"The system proved itself so lucrative that law and legal precedent began to leave future governments leeway for prioritizing the economy over morality," according to the website of James Madison Montpelier, a national historical landmark.

By 1850, 80 percent of American exports were the product of slave labor. A decade later, "the nearly 4 million American slaves were worth some 3.5 billion U.S. dollars, making them the largest single financial asset in the entire U.S. economy," David Blight, a historian at Yale University, was quoted as saying by The Atlantic.

The American Civil War brought legal slavery to an end in 1865, but the country still had to confront the widespread presence of similar practices.

As Jim Crow laws -- local statutes of racial segregation -- were enacted in the southern states, racial repression and exploitation stretched into the 20th century, reducing the entire black population to decades of second-class citizenship.

"All men are created equal," stated the Declaration of Independence in 1776, a founding document of American values, something so "self-evident" that it was not until the 1960s that legal systems granted black Americans equal rights.

DRIVING U.S. DEMAND

This year, the United States has applied the same old twisted logic by ranking itself as a top performer in the annual trafficking report.

It's a common misconception among U.S. citizens that trafficking is just "a problem in other countries," as the term comes with an impression that the pattern is transport-based, Luis Cabeza deBaca, former U.S. anti-trafficking ambassador-at-large, has said.

However, massive data, cases and personal accounts attest that the United States has long been -- to put it in the U.S. State Department's own words -- "a source, transit, and destination country" of adult and minor victims, both at home and abroad.

An estimated 403,000 people in the United States were kept for modern slavery in 2016, either in forced labor or sex trafficking, according to the Global Slavery Index published in 2018 by Australia's Walk Free Foundation.

According to nonprofit organization Polaris, the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline handled more than 5,700 cases in 2015. Four years later, that number doubled to 11,500.

Such cases have been reported in restaurants, cleaning services, construction and factories, many of which appear to be legal businesses.

In 2019, federal prosecutors sued 12 hotel groups, including Hilton Worldwide Holdings and Intercontinental Hotels &Resorts, claiming that they knowingly ignored signs of women being sold as sex slaves. Some even reported profiting from sex trafficking.

Nonprofit organization DeliverFund reported last year that there are 15,000 to 50,000 women and children coerced into commercial sex annually in the United States.

"The United States is the number one consumer of sex worldwide. So we are driving the demand as a society," Geoff Rogers, co-founder of the United States Institute Against Human Trafficking, told Fox News.

"We're also driving the demand with our own people, with our own kids," he said.

WIDESPREAD FORCED LABOR

The day of legal slavery in the United States is long over, yet its dark past of threats, violence, fraud and coercion to exploit people for labor or sex remains.

Slavery is not merely a relic, but a problem "alive and well. It has simply taken on a new form," said Laurel Fletcher, a law professor at the University of California, Berkeley.

In 2007, American citizen Rory Mayberry testified that a U.S. government contractor that he had worked for was involved in using forced laborers during the reconstruction of the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.

Mayberry said the employer once asked him to bring 51 Filipino workers to the Iraqi capital via a transit flight.

But the plane landed elsewhere. "All of our tickets said we were going to Dubai," Mayberry was quoted as saying by The Washington Post.

Upon arrival, he was told by a manager not to disclose the real destination. He also noticed that the workers' passports had been taken away.

Like the Filipinos, legions of people from all corners of the world are either coerced or lured into forced labor by false promises, VOX news reported in 2015.

Chrissey Buckley, a graduate alumnus at the University of Denver, has found that an existing market and poor legislation combined with inefficient laws allow the problem to persist.

The most prevalent industries are "sex services, domestic servitude, agriculture, sweatshop, and factory work," she wrote in a research paper on contemporary slavery published in 2008.

Researchers have found that there are hundreds of thousands of people working against their will in the agriculture sector alone, and some victims even had college backgrounds, said the VOX report.

Anti-Slavery International describes them as "some of the poorest paid and most exploited workers within the U.S. economy," who are deprived of such rights on the job as health insurance, sick leave, pensions, or job security.

A more compelling fact is that 71 percent of victims of forced and coerced labor enter the United States on legal visas, and over a third of all victims work in domestic servitude and live with their employers, according to a study in 2014 by the Urban Institute and Northeastern University.

VULNERABLE ILLEGAL MIGRANTS

Migrants and refugees are particularly vulnerable to various forms of labor trafficking and related inhumane treatments.

Amid increasingly tightened U.S. immigration polices and reckless law enforcement, more than 850,000 immigrants were detained at the U.S.-Mexico border in fiscal 2019, and an unprecedented 69,550 migrant children were held in U.S. government custody away from their caretakers, according to media reports and official data.

The separation reached its height after the U.S. government enacted a zero-tolerance policy for illegal entry in 2018, igniting an urgent humanitarian concern.

Stressing that children should never be held in immigration detention or separated from their families, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said in 2019 that she was "deeply shocked" that the children are forced to sleep on the floor in overcrowded facilities, lacking adequate healthcare, food and sanitation.

Last year, about 40 women from Latin America and the Caribbean who were held at a detention center in the state of Georgia sued U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for undergoing unnecessary and non-consensual gynecological surgeries, including uterus removal, which they said caused severe physical and mental harm.

"Modern slavery doesn't come with the iron chains and auctions of the past. Today's restraints take the form of withheld documents, the possibility of exposure, and the threat of deportation," Aryn Baker, a Times magazine correspondent, wrote in 2019, asking for more inclusive U.S. immigration policies to bring an end to the humanitarian crisis.

The COVID-19 pandemic has added a new layer of tragedy to medically vulnerable detainees, as they are more likely to be infected with the virus due to dense gatherings and a health supplies shortage.

"It was a very uncomfortable and very ugly situation that I went through," said 38-year-old Guatemalan Heraldo Malumbrez, who had been in immigration detention in the state of Arizona for more than three months before being infected with COVID-19 in July 2020.

"We are talking systemic cruelty (with) a dehumanizing culture that treats them like animals," Democratic House Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted in 2019.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Rampant arms trafficking along border with U.S. stokes drug violence in Mexico, say Mexican experts

Xinhua) 13:12, August 19, 2021

MEXICO CITY, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Rampant arms trafficking across the Mexican border in the past decade, not least with weapons from the United States, is fueling Mexico's spiraling drug violence, experts and activists told Xinhua.

Each year on average, more than 200,000 weapons enter Mexican territory, due to the largely unregulated sale of arms in the United States. That means more than 560 weapons a day are brought into the country, and most of them cannot be recovered, according to Mexico's Ministry of National Defense.

About 70 percent of homicides or femicides in Mexico are committed with firearms, according to the Mexican Foreign Ministry.

"The crisis of Mexican violence and its relationship with weapons is not new, but has been on the rise currently ... in fact it is possible to trace back to the beginning of the 2000s, when the United States deregulated carrying assault weapons," said Rodrigo Pena Gonzalez, a Mexican criminologist.

"That (measure) leads to the first waves of violence in Mexico. Instead of stopping, it exacerbates the situation," said Pena Gonzalez.

Lax gun laws in the United States, which allow practically anyone to purchase military-grade assault weapons, coupled with Mexico's porous border, have undermined bilateral efforts to fight crime, said the academic from the prestigious Colegio de Mexico (The College of Mexico).

To tackle the problem, he said, Mexico's government in early August took the "unprecedented" step of suing 11 U.S. arms manufacturers and distributors for their role in arming criminal organizations.

However, much more needs to be done, he added.

When people and vehicles heading into Mexico undergo strict inspection at borders known as arms-trafficking points -- such as San Diego-Tijuana, McAllen-Reynosa and Brownsville-Matamoros -- the truth is that neither government "has the capability to monitor all flows, especially ... arms trafficking from north to south," said Pena Gonzalez.

Human rights activist Raymundo Ramos Vazquez said he believes that a combination of stricter gun laws and better border control would be a better solution.

"As long as this flow is not stopped and the traffickers in small arms or the large companies that sell them are not put behind bars, the violence will continue," said Ramos, who is president of the Human Rights Committee of the violence-torn Mexican border city of Nuevo Laredo.

A report, based on official data of seizures from 2016 to 2017 and presented by the United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime in 2020, showed that firearms are smuggled into Mexico in batches that are smaller compared to smuggled arms shipments in other parts of the world.

Assault rifles, machine guns and bullets are brought into Mexico in trailers or private vehicles modified to hide the weapons in secret compartments, according to Mexican officials, who manage to foil some smugglers.

Ramos questioned Washington's stance towards Mexico, asking why the United States demands Mexico fight organized crime but "never touches on the issue of the weapons, the weapons that come from U.S. manufacturers."

The manufacture, sale and use of guns in the United States is a huge industrial chain, forming huge interest groups, such as the National Rifle Association, which makes large political contributions to presidential and congressional elections.

Many drawbacks of U.S. party politics, vote politics and money politics are intertwined, which makes it difficult for legislative and executive agencies to make a difference on gun control but let the situation continue to deteriorate.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Naval aviation aircraft in flight training

China Military Online) 14:12, August 19, 2021

A military aircraft attached to a naval aviation regiment under the PLA Eastern Theater Command spins its propellers and takes off for a flight training exercise in mid July, 2021. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Qiu Tongjun)

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
One world, two systems: How China and U.S. deal with derelict officials during COVID-19

14:53, August 19, 2021 By Wu Chaolan ( People's Daily Online

Staff members receive the novel coronavirus strain transported from Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, at a laboratory of Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 25, 2020. (Photo by Liu Peicheng/Xinhua)

On August 7, some 15 officials in the epidemic-stricken city of Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province were punished for their slack response and ineffective management when dealing with the latest COVID-19 outbreak at Nanjing Lukou International Airport that later spread to several provinces across China.

The long list of those who were meted out punishments included Hu Wanjin, a vice mayor of Nanjing. He was given an administrative demerit for ineffective management and supervisory responsibilities for the city's epidemic prevention and control. Fang Zhongyou, the head of the Nanjing health commission, was removed from his post for poor performance.

Wang Chao, deputy general manager of Eastern Airports Group, who had led the foreign-related epidemic prevention and control work at the local airport, was put under investigation and into detention for suspected negligence and disregard for his duties, behavior that has caused "heavy losses and [an] extremely bad influence."

The announcement was welcomed by the public, with many asking for stiffer punishments. "An incompetent general keeps the whole army at bay," one netizen wrote on Weibo, a Chinese microblogging platform, referring to the seriousness of dereliction that caused the spike in sporadic COVID-19 cases across the country. "They must be punished severely to warn others," the netizen further commented.

Since the latest round of outbreaks on July 20, China has penalized a great number of officials in the epidemic-hit provinces. Punishing officials for failing to swiftly contain the COVID-19 outbreak has become a stock-in-trade in China. A day after Zhengzhou, central China's Henan Province reported its first confirmed cases on July 31, the city announced disciplinary actions against officials and personnel who were negligent in carrying out their duties, including the director of the health commission of Zhengzhou City and those at the city's No. 6 People's Hospital where infections were discovered.

Medical workers wait to submit COVID-19 samples for nucleic acid test at the center for disease control and prevention in Fengman District of Jilin City, northeast China's Jilin Province, May 17, 2020. (Xinhua/Yan Linyun)

"Punishing officials responsible for the loopholes now serves as a reminder to their peers that they should always implement people-centered principles throughout the anti-pandemic battle and remain vigilant to protect people's safety and livelihoods," said Li Haidong, professor at the Institute of International Relations at the China Foreign Affairs University, to People's Daily Online.

"The punishments, which have been applauded by the public, are essential and effective as they embody the country's seriousness for its COVID-19 containment measures," said Diao Daming, a researcher at the National Academy of Development and Strategy, Renmin University of China in an interview with People's Daily Online.

"In the face of previously unknown coronavirus cases, a zero-tolerance approach towards any mishandling is truly indicative of a prioritization of people's interests and lives and respect for science, which indicates a sense of responsibility for the Chinese people," he added.

Mad kings of the COVID-19 era

Across the Pacific, officials from the other major world power - the United States - seem to be luckier than their Chinese counterparts as their nation is now inured to its cascading COVID-19 failures. Since the outbreak began, ZERO U.S. officials have been punished or made to step down due to their mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Under such a loose political environment, it's no wonder that U.S. politicians can still rest easy, or worse, go about hamstringing their own people's efforts to fight against the pandemic.

Illustration: Chen Xia/GT

The COVID-famous New York state governor, Andrew M. Cuomo, who has been dubbed as "America's governor" for how he handled the earliest wave in the pandemic, sent more than 9,000 recovering coronavirus patients back to nursing homes early on during the pandemic, according to the Associated Press. The jaw-dropping directive signed by Cuomo, which aimed to downplay the seriousness of the pandemic has resulted in life-and-death consequences that helped to further spread sickness and death upon residents living in nursing homes who were among the most vulnerable victims amid the growing pandemic.

The nursing home scandal kindled the public's outrage towards his administration's handling of recurrent outbreaks and cut to the heart of Cuomo's reputation as a pandemic hero. However, has Cuomo been held accountable for his public heath malpractice? In one word: NO. More than a year after his notorious directive that might have fueled an uptick in fatalities in nursing homes throughout his state, the U.S. Justice Department announced on July 24, 2021 that it will not be conducting a civil investigation into Cuomo's misconduct. Cuomo even declined to apologize for his administration's decision , insisting that they followed the guidance of federal agencies .

Ironically, governor Cuomo has done better than almost any other U.S. state governor at containing the outbreak. At least he implemented all possible strategies once he got the fire lit under him, despite his mistake-filled early response. Some politicians in the U.S. suddenly turned into "the mad kings of the COVID-19 era" who could do nothing else but cause panic and chaos at all times.

Students attend an in-person class in a school in Los Angeles, California, the United States, on April 13, 2021. (Photo/Xinhua)

Florida governor Ron DeSantis is one of them. DeSantis, who has been firmly opposed to any pandemic restrictions, recently waged a battle seeking to put a ban on the mask mandate as the contagious and virulent Delta variant continued to engulf his state across the state map. He banned the mask mandate in schools just weeks before students were set to go back to school and threatened to withhold paychecks from school leaders that did not comply with the order. This is not his first time that the state authorities ran afoul of the current guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). On August 5, DeSantis objected to vaccine mandates at Florida hospitals and three months earlier, he signed a piece of legislation that sought to place a ban vaccine passports.

Netizens on Reddit crowned him as "the nation's worst COVID governor" as his reckless approach to COVID-19 has pushed his state back into the grip of the pandemic once again. The proof is in the pudding: Florida continues to break records for numbers of new COVID-19 cases, registering 25,991 daily cases on August 15; with the case rate in the state having meanwhile jumped by 60 percent over the past two weeks.

Texas governor Greg Abbot is also in the running for "the worst COVID governor" prize as he moved to forbid local governments from imposing vaccine and mask requirements. Even as his state now grapples with a COVID-19 surge and appeals for outside help, he is nonetheless continuing to fight aggressively in court to uphold his statewide ban on local mask mandates.

The politician's dereliction of duty has indirectly claimed lives and has destroyed families, and yet the question remains: Has he faced any punishments or has he expressed even the slightest whiff of a guilty conscious for the plight of Texans? Answer: NO. The state's political helmsman, nor his boosters in seats of power, need not bear any responsibility for their blunders during the pandemic. Instead, they continue to whimsically spew forth their anti-science rhetoric that can only serve to further plague the nation.

Ingrained system defects?

"The U.S. political system features the decentralization of responsibility, which provides a perfect excuse for a politician to shirk their responsibilities as they can always find someone to shift blame onto," said Li.

The U.S. federalist system of government has divided up the country's powers between governments in U.S. state capitols and the federal government in Washington, D.C., which has often led to buck passing and uncertainty regarding personal liability during the pandemic. Pointing fingers back and forth between states and federal governments over anti-pandemic restrictions, PPE supplies, and vaccine distribution have often made headlines. The two-party electoral system also generates the exact same problems. Since the COVID-19 outbreak took hold in the country, the quarrel over who should be held accountable for the containment failure has never ended, with both sides claiming that the opposing party was sabotaging their containment efforts.

"This leads to an American political tragedy where U.S. politicians always scamper about to claim credit, while no one meanwhile takes any responsibility for failures," said Li.

Illustration: Liu Rui/GT

With no one to blame becoming a systemic defect that is now a feature of the American political establishment, this has in turn led to the unscrupulous oversight and ineptitude that has characterized the country's attempts at carrying out epidemic control and prevention. Moreover, other system-wide defects have likewise cropped up and continue to play their own part in the spectacle that is American politics.

U.S. politicians are willing to put their people at risk to gain personal political advantage since "the priority of U.S. politicians is to secure their second terms and protect their party and interest groups, and not to safeguard their people's right," said Diao.

This can explain the widespread and bizarre political farce that has taken place amid the pandemic. To distance themselves from the federal capital, some politicians have opted to flout scientific and medical advice by lifting containment measures in the middle of the pandemic. Some who have indulged in factionalism take every opportunity to run counter to the orders issued by the opposite party. "U.S. politicians are irresponsibly insouciant about the raging pandemic since their poor performance has only a slight impact on their own political interests," said Sun Chenghao, an assistant researcher at the Center for International Security and Strategy, Tsinghua University.

Most politicians will face their reckoning at the ballot box in the next election, which often comes two or four years later. "One of the deficiencies of the electoral system is its hysteresis quality, which leads to a poor error correction capability," said Sun. Even though electorates show growing signs of disaffection, they cannot dismiss officials immediately. In the next election term, their misconduct will have been downplayed by that time or outshone by the latest crisis. Hence their reckless leadership style won't force them to step down during their current tenure or lead to their loss in a second term.

"That's why the officials can flagrantly screw up epidemic prevention and control," said Diao. "The ingrained systemic defects of the U.S. breeds malfeasance, which directly causes endless pain to its people."

"Drawing a parallel line between China and the U.S. on their responses to derelict officials is in vain as the U.S. doesn't have any mechanism to hold officials accountable for their failures on containing the virus," said Diao.

A pedestrian walks past a COVID-19 vaccine inoculation billboard in New York, the United States, July 26, 2021. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

One of the stark differences between China and the U.S. is the governing ideas of the ruling party. In the U.S., the ruling party is working on behalf of its own interest groups, power groups or a privileged stratum. While the leading party in China, the Communist Party of China, has no special interests of its own and always represents the fundamental interests of all Chinese people. Since the founding of the CPC a century ago, China has, in the face of all foreign aggressions, external interferences and disturbances, found a distinctive path in its people-centered principle: serving the public good, and exercising power in the interests of the people.

This people-centered principle has sprinkled into every step of the country's anti-pandemic work, which is one of the key factors for successfully controlling the pandemic. Since the onset of the pandemic, China, insisting that the rights to subsistence and development are primary fundamental human rights, has been putting the lives and health of its people front and center. Compared to the U.S., which values capitals more than its people, China has placed people's lives even above economic growth. When the virus struck, China took strict and comprehensive control measures even at the cost of a short-term economic downturn and a temporary shutdown in the affected coronavirus-hit cities. Nothing is more precious than people's lives.

"To safeguard its people, China has developed a mature anti-pandemic mechanism with clear rights and responsibility," said Li. "So the government can discover the loopholes and the misconducts and immediately reduce the losses of people and save lives."

"Any officials who neglect their duties and cause damage to the public during the anti-pandemic fight would be punished as they set aside the people-centered principle during their work," said Diao. "If government officials cannot serve its people, they would be replaced by a competent counterpart."

"Punishments for misconduct incarnates the Chinese government's responsibility toward its people," said Diao.

(Web editor: Wu Chaolan, Liang Jun)
Pic story of young orthopedic doctor in Beijing

Xinhua) 15:09, August 19, 2021

Ma Yuan (C) and a senior doctor (L) discuss on a case at Haidian Hospital in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 12, 2021. Ma Yuan, 28, is a resident orthopedic doctor at Haidian Hospital in Beijing. During working hours, Ma needs to attend morning shift meetings, follow superior doctors to make the rounds of the wards, participate in surgeries and etc. Sometimes Ma has to work continuously for up to 36 hours. Although the workflow is the same almost every day, there are different challenges in clinical work. As a young doctor, Ma often deals with new problems in his work. In his spare time, Ma reads medical monographs to strengthen the study of theoretical knowledge. In addition, he also consults seniors for advice. By chance, Ma learned that the hospital is calling on young medical workers to share medical knowledge through new media platforms. He joined a short video shooting team of the hospital. The team recorded some simple and humorous short videos to publicize medical knowledge in a relatively simple way. At present, orthopedic surgery can be completed with robot assistance, which can help doctors improve the accuracy and safety of surgery. Ma wants to learn more about orthopedic robotic surgery technology to better serve patients. (Xinhua/Ren Chao)

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
China-Europe freight trains see surging deliveries

People's Daily Online) 16:15, August 19, 2021

China-Europe freight train routes have seen surging deliveries this year, solidifying their role as efficient international logistics channels across the Eurasian continent.

A China-Europe freight train bound for Kazakhstan prepares for departure at Xi'an International Port in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Aug. 11, 2021. This is the 10000th China-Europe freight train departed from Shaanxi Province. (Xinhua/Zhang Bin)

Chinas imports and exports with Belt and Road countries registered 209.78 billion yuan (about $32.3 billion) in terms of railway transport in the first half of the year, up 43.1 percent year-on-year, data from the General Administration of Customs (GAC) showed.

A train loaded with 100 TEUs of cargo, including wireless headphones, Christmas products, and daily necessities, departed from Chinas small commodity hub Yiwu for Prague, capital of the Czech Republic, on Aug. 16. It was the 867th China-Europe freight train passing through the cities since Jan. 1.

The total import and export value of goods handled by the freight train route linking Yiwu and Europe hit 26.71 billion yuan in the first seven months, up 130.7 percent year-on-year, surpassing last years total value five months ahead of schedule, according to statistics released by Hangzhou Customs in east Chinas Zhejiang province. The citys customs authority has given priority to China-Europe freight trains for inspection and clearance, offering 24/7 reservation services to improve clearance efficiency.

Between January and June this year, China-Europe freight trains made 330 trips and sent out 27,000 TEUs of goods, up 66.7 percent and 104.5 percent year-on-year, respectively, from a multimodal transport center at the China-Shanghai Cooperation Organizations local economic and trade cooperation demonstration zone in Qingdao, east Chinas Shandong province.

China-Europe freight trains have shown great advantages and have become a pillar force in stabilizing trade between China and Belt and Road countries, said GAC spokesperson Li Kuiwen.

The trains, with their unique strengths in safety and stable operations, have safeguarded smooth logistics flows during the pandemic, Li added.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
Blame game intensifies in Washington on Afghan debacle

Xinhua) 16:39, August 19, 2021

WASHINGTON, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Blame game has intensified in Washington as the While House is scrambling to contain the fallout of a humiliating end to the 20-year war in Afghanistan and Republicans are sparing no efforts to exploit President Joe Biden's handling of the messy withdrawal from Kabul.

"I don't think it could have been handled in a way that ... but the idea that somehow, to have gotten out without chaos ensuing, I don't know how that happens," said Biden in an interview with ABC News on Wednesday.

Reiterating his defense of the withdrawal from Afghanistan, Biden blamed the Afghan government and the U.S.-trained Afghan military for not more forcibly defending the capital of Kabul which fell to the Taliban militia on Sunday.

The militia, which the U.S. overthrew in 2001, has taken over Afghanistan just two weeks before the United States was planning to complete its withdrawal of troops from the war-torn country.

In a televised speech from the White House on Monday, Biden made similar remarks during which he also cast blame on his predecessor for the unfolding crisis in Afghanistan.

"The choice I had to make as your president was either to follow through on that agreement or be prepared to go back to fighting the Taliban in the middle of the spring fighting season," Biden said, referring the deal former U.S. President Donald Trump inked with the Taliban to withdraw U.S. forces by May 1.

In an interview with Sean Hannity on his Fox News show Tuesday night, Trump called Biden's handling of the situation "the greatest embarrassment in the history of our country while blaming Biden for not getting American soldiers and civilians out of the country in time.

The two senior politicians actually started to play the blaming game on Saturday when the threat of Kabul falling to the Taliban loomed large.

Biden then criticized Trump for empowering the Taliban and leaving them "in the strongest position militarily since 2001." Trump responded with a statement that Biden had "ran out of Afghanistan instead of following the plan our Administration left for him."

The Biden administration is about to face a grilling from both the House and Senate over the bungled U.S. exit from Afghanistan, reported The Hill, a U.S. political website, on Wednesday.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy sent Biden a letter on Wednesday requesting a briefing or call next week for the "Gang of Eight" -- the top four congressional leaders and top members of the House and Senate Intelligence Committees, said the report. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has also requested three briefings.

Democrats "largely support Biden's ultimate endgame of withdrawing U.S. troops from Afghanistan" while Republicans are launching "heavy broadsides against Biden, viewing the Afghanistan exit a messy misstep of his own making," it said.

"This is President Biden's Saigon moment," House Minority Whip Steve Scalise said Sunday on CBS' Face the Nation, referring to the chaotic departure from Vietnam in 1975.

A number of U.S. media outlets blasted Biden for what they called a mishandling of the troop withdrawal too.

On Sunday, CNN's Jake Tapper on "State of the Union" labeled the issue a foreign policy "disaster" that caught the president "flat-footed."

The Atlantic Monthly, a moderate liberal publication, ran a headline referring to what the magazine called Biden's "Betrayal of Afghans."

In an email to reporters, Harry J. Kazianis, senior Director at the Center for the National Interest, founded by former President Richard Nixon, said:"While we should not place the entire blame of Afghanistan's rapid collapse on Joe Biden's shoulders, we should rightly criticize the haphazard way in which U.S. forces left Afghanistan with very little thought to what happens after to the population."

Jason Campbell, policy researcher at the non-partisan RAND Corporation, said in an email to reporters: "While things are currently developing fast on the ground, the position the Taliban currently find themselves in did not occur overnight.

"The Taliban has powerful reasons not to govern as in the 1990s, if they want aid and recognition-but we will see," Michael O'Hanlon, a Brookings Institution senior fellow, told Xinhua.

Washington's initial objective, 20 years ago, was to kill or capture key al-Qaeda leaders that the Taliban was harboring.

Since then, Washington has spent nearly 1 trillion dollars on defending the nation against the Taliban, and many lives were lost in the effort.

"Over two decades," said Malou Innocent, an adjunct scholar at The Cato Institute, "U.S. military strategists had become engulfed in mission creep, in a failed attempt to create a Western-style Democracy in the embattled nation."

"It was a gross misrepresentation to assume that we could graft Western institutions onto inhospitable local conditions," Innocent told Xinhua.

David Harper, a retiree and military veteran in the U.S. state of Virginia, told Xinhua it's "sad" that U.S. troops who defended Afghanistan from the Taliban for two decades "died for nothing." He blamed Biden for the Taliban takeover.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Politicizing origin tracing is dirty politics

16:55, August 19, 2021 By Mario Cavolo ( China Daily

JIN DING/CHINA DAILY

The saddest and most disconcerting aspect of the political circus revolving around novel coronavirus origin tracing is that it has turned a blind eye to rising rates of infections and deaths around the world. The two main aspects of the politicization of the pandemic are its severity and the measures taken to contain it, and the demand for an "investigation" into the origin of the virus.

When those US politicians demanding such an investigation are asked what they have done to contain the pandemic and reduce the high death rate in the country, they often start citing conspiracy theories because they don't have an answer.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's estimates show that influenza has caused between 12,000 and 61,000 deaths a year since 2010. Which means the more than 631,000 lives that COVID-19 has claimed in less than one and a half years is 10 times higher than the annual flu deaths.

This is a real problem, a medical problem which has nothing to do with politics. But the US politicians refuse to realize that.

Before this year, I hadn't taken any flu shot. I recall a doctor explaining to me that the annual flu jab "will help". He said, "the annual flu shot doesn't guarantee you won't get the flu but if you catch a flu bug, it will help your system better fight the bug, you won't get seriously ill. So, we recommend it." Still, I chose not to take any flu shot.

However, it is different now. We are facing a virus that is far more deadly than any other flu virus. Which makes me responsible for my health and safety as well as those around memy family and the community in which I live, and the people who work in the places I regularly or occasionally visit. So it is absolutely necessary that I practice pandemic-appropriate behaviorwear a face mask and maintain social distancing. I have already taken the COVID-19 vaccine. And if need be, I will get a booster shot in the future.

Yet there are people in some Western countries who seem to be delusional enamored as they are with Western-style "democracy". Some of them are so obsessed with "freedom" that they insist they could even die and drag others along with them in the name of "freedom".

Similarly, when it comes to virus origin tracing, we see a politically motivated group challenging an increasingly clear body of evidence that a SARS-CoV-2-like virus was detected in some countries months before it was identified in Wuhan.

In fact, there is evidence to suggest the virus was found in the US many months before it was detected in Wuhan. But since US politicians are hell-bent on blaming China for the pandemic, they will not allow any study, let alone an investigation, to be conducted anywhere in the country.

There were many reports by both medical professionals and patients of a particularly nasty early flu season in the US in September and early October 2019. A member of my own family in Arizona shared this fact with me, yet there was no attempt to identify the virus that was causing the severe cases.

Also, a National Institutes of Health study in June found evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infections in five states earlier than had been initially reported. The research confirmed that many people had antibodies, which was further proofapart from a CDC study that suggested a SARS-CoV-2-like virus was detected in the US way back in December 2019-that the novel coronavirus spread in the US much before China.

Given that there are many other points of evidence to consider such as the "vaping" illness and nursing home outbreaks around the now closed Fort Detrick in Maryland, along with the identification of a SARS-CoV-2-like virus in other countries earlier, the next proper step would be to conduct a virus origin tracing investigation in the US as part of a thorough scientific study.

There is nothing political about such a study, because following the demonstrable, observable record of evidence to learn more about a virus, a bacterium or a disease is the best way to deal with any future pandemic. And such a study is the work of scientists, not intelligence agents and certainly not politicians.

The malign agenda to politicize COVID-19 by falsely accusing China of spreading the virus is just another US ploy to check China's peaceful rise and maintain Washington's global leadership.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
People-to-people relations essential to U.S.-China ties: Chinese ambassador

Xinhua) 16:59, August 19, 2021

File photo shows China's new Ambassador to the United States Qin Gang making remarks to Chinese and U.S. media upon arrival in the United States on July 28, 2021. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

People-to-people relations underpin state-to-state relations and it is hoped that the two peoples will strengthen friendly exchanges, bridge misunderstanding with friendship and replace suspicion with trust, the Chinese ambassador said.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Ambassador to the United States Qin Gang on Wednesday said that people-to-people relations are essential to the development of U.S.-China ties.

Qin made the remarks during a virtual meeting with old friends of the midwestern state of Iowa Sarah Lande, former executive director of Iowa Sister States, and Kenneth Quinn, former U.S. ambassador to Cambodia, according to a press release posted on the website of the Chinese embassy.

Students from Shanghai Foreign Language School affiliated with Shanghai International Studies University sing the song of "Seasons of Love" from Broadway musical Rent at Aaron Copland School of Music of Queens College in New York, the United States, on Aug. 4, 2019. (Xinhua/Liu Yanan)

He expressed high appreciation and respect to them for their long-term commitment to promoting friendly exchanges and sub-national cooperation between China and the United States.

People-to-people relations underpin state-to-state relations and it is hoped that the two peoples will strengthen friendly exchanges, bridge misunderstanding with friendship and replace suspicion with trust, Qin stressed.

The ambassador also expressed his wishes to see more fruitful cooperation between China and Iowa.

A pupil from Intercultural Montessori Language School learns Chinese calligraphy in Chicago, the United States, June 2, 2019. (Xinhua/Stringer)

Extending welcome to Qin for assuming office, Lande and Quinn said that the U.S.-China friendship has a profound foundation, and they greatly cherish their sincere friendship with President Xi Jinping and Professor Peng Liyuan.

They believed that the stable development of U.S.-China relations meets the common expectation of the two peoples, and that the two countries should strengthen cooperation.

Lande and Quinn also pledged to continue to make positive efforts for U.S.-China friendship.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
The 2nd echelon of the 20th Chinese peacekeeping construction engineer contingent to Lebanon sets off from the Pingtan Airport in Huizhou city, Guangdong province on August 17, 2021.

By Zhuang Xiaohao and Wang Zhehao

GUAGNZHOU, Aug. 19 -- After completing 14-day quarantine and nucleic acid tested negative, 100 Chinese peacekeepers by taking a special plane taking off at 16:00 on August 17 from the Pingtan Airport in Huizhou city, Guangdong province arrived in Kunming, capital city of Yunnan Province. At 7 a.m. next morning, they boarded a special plane at the Kunming Changshui International Airport and flew to Lebanon to perform a one-year peacekeeping mission in Lebanon.

They are the 2nd echelon of the 20th Chinese peacekeeping construction engineer contingent to Lebanon. The contingent, consisting of 200 troops, was formed mainly from a brigade of the PLA 74th Group Army. The 100-member first echelon arrived at the peacekeeping camp in Lebanon on July 29, local time, and completed the handover of equipment, barracks and materials with the 19th Chinese Peacekeeping Force to Lebanon.

After the second echelon joins force with the first echelon, the 200 Chinese peacekeepers will work together to fulfill tasks including erecting boundary markers along the Blue Line, engineering construction, repair of important infrastructure and humanitarian assistance.
BEIJING, Aug. 19 -- Recently, personnel and equipment sent by the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force to participate in the Aviadart event of the International Army Games (IAG) 2021 have arrived in Ryazan Oblast, Russia. Eleven aircraft of 5 types of the PLA Air Force will take part in the contest, including J-10B fighter jets, J-16 fighter jets, H-6K bombers, Y-20 large transport aircraft and Y-9 transport aircraft. The event will also be the maiden show of China's J-10B, J-16 and Y-20 in international military competitions.
By Lyu Desheng and Yang Xiaobo

YINCHUAN, Aug. 19 -- The last batch of Russian troops participating in the joint exercise Zapad/Interaction-2021 departed from a military airport in Chinas Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region to return home on the afternoon of August 17. Representatives from the Chinese participating troops held a farewell ceremony at the airport.

This exercise marks the first time that the Russian military has dispatched troops to China to participate in astrategic and operational exercise hosted by the Chinese military. The participating troops of both sides accomplished all the drill targets as scheduled, as they successively held drills of more than 20 subjects including joint firepower strikes, joint three-dimensional seizure of targets, joint parachuting assaults, and joint obstacle overcoming during the two phases of joint planning and live-fire operations.

Since the exercise wrapped up last Friday, the Russian troops involved have returned to Russia in batches by taking Il-76 military transport aircraft, and five Su-30 fighters sent by the Russian military to the exercise have also returned to Russia.

Both Chinese and Russian participating troops learned from each other and fought side-by-side during the exercise, having forged a close friendship.

The exercise fully reflected the new height of the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new eta between the two countries, and fully demonstrated the two militaries strong determination and ability in jointly safeguarding regional peace and security.
BEIJING, Aug. 19 -- As the Chinese air force Y-20 transport aircraft carrying a Chinese team to participate in the "Depth" event of the International Army Games (IAG) 2021 landed in the Chabahar airport in Iran on the morning of August 17, local time, more than 700 members of all 17 Chinese teams for the IAG 2021 have arrived at contest venues together with their weapons and equipment.

The 17 teams from the PLA Army, Navy, Air Force, Strategic Support Force, and Joint Logistics Support Force will compete in 17 events in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, and Iran respectively.

It is the first time for the Chinese PLA Strategic Support Force and Joint Logistics Support Force to send teams to international military competions abroad. They will participate in "Meridian", the event among specialists of the military topographic service, "Masters of Armored Vehicles", the event among vehicle crews, and "Military Rally", the event among armored vehicle crews .

In response to the impact of the pandemic and the IAG competition arrangement, the PLA has adjusted the transportation of participating troops and equipment accordingly. The Chinese participating troops were mainly transported by military aircraft in a point-to-point manner. All the teams maneuvered to the designated delivery points by rail, sea, or air transportation, before assembling and being delivered abroad by multiple and long-haul flights.

This year is the eighth consecutive year that the PLA has participated in the IAG. This international military event has become an important platform for the Chinese military and the militaries of other countries to learn from each other, cooperate closely, enhance mutual trust, and deepen friendship.
LHASA, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Tibet Autonomous Region celebrates the 70th anniversary of its peaceful liberation this year, a triumphant moment for its socialist system and governance that delivers a powerful message to Western politicians who fail to acknowledge its enormous progress.

In 1951, the Agreement of the Central People's Government and the Local Government of Tibet on Measures for the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet, known as the 17-Article Agreement officially proclaimed the peaceful liberation of Tibet.

That liberation, together with the epochal democratic reform in 1959, has helped Tibet cast away its regressive, autocratic, and isolated past to embrace prosperity and an open future.

Nearly 3.65 million people live in the region, up 21.52 percent from 2010. Over 86 percent of the population is Tibetan.

Tibet's average life expectancy increased from 35.5 years in 1951 to 71.1 years in 2019.

The region has more than 1,700 sites for Tibetan Buddhist activities with 46,000 monks and nuns. In an effort to preserve traditional Tibetan culture, the state and the region have invested over 5 billion yuan (770 million U.S. dollars) in the renovation of cultural relics. Tibetan opera, Gesar, Lum medicinal bathing of Sowa Rigpa have been included in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List.

Having eradicated absolute poverty, Tibet is in an accelerated drive of economic development with modernized infrastructure.

Tibet's achievements should be sufficient to prompt certain individuals in the West to drop their fixation on the Shangri-La myth, which idealizes eternal theocratic rule and a spiritual world, and sees any modern development as worthy of condemnation.

Over the past 70 years, leaving the dark ages behind, Tibet has replaced the cruel, feudal serfdom system with a socialist system, exercised regional ethnic autonomy, and carried out reform and opening-up along with the rest of the nation.

As a region that occupies an important place in the nation's security paradigm, Tibet receives significant attention from the central authorities, and massive assistance from other provinces to boost its development. The central budget has funded key infrastructure projects in the region, including railways and airports.

In order to maintain lasting stability and sustain development, Tibet steadfastly opposes secessionist plotting. The 14th Dalai Lama and his followers, supported by Western anti-China forces, have over the years continued attempting to promote "Tibetan independence" by provoking incidents that jeopardize peace and stability in Tibet.

These political exiles, as well as certain Western politicians and organizations, have launched a misinformation campaign targeting Tibet. They call liberation "repression" and demonize China's policy in the region. Their cries of "cultural destruction" and "genocide" do not carry a shred of truth. Their frequent accusations regarding ethnic, religious, democratic and human rights issues are in fact driven by the idea of "Tibetan independence" to meddle in China's domestic affairs.

These narratives concerning Tibet reflect either sheer ignorance or hegemonistic thinking tied to imperialist aggressions in the region in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Since the 1980s, Western forces have played an active role in the outbreaks of unrest that have taken place in Tibet.

China, with its ironclad resolve to safeguard national sovereignty and ethnic unity, will never allow the meddling hands attempting to play the "Tibet card" to turn the tables. And any secessionist attempts, which go against history and the common will of various ethnic groups in the region and the whole country, are doomed to failure.

Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, people in Tibet now live moderately prosperous lives, which would have been unimaginable before the region's peaceful liberation. They are sure to create an even brighter future through unity, modernization drive and continued support from the central authorities.
DUSHANBE, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Ministry of Public Security and the Tajik Ministry of Internal Affairs held joint anti-terrorist exercises on Wednesday and Thursday in the Tajik capital of Dushanbe.

The Anti-Terrorist Coordination-2021 drills were conducted to cope with terrorist and extremist threats facing the two countries and increase the level of cooperation between law enforcement departments.

Some terrorist groups are moving towards and concentrating in northern Afghanistan, posing a grave threat to China, Tajikistan and regional security, the Chinese Ministry of Public Security and the Tajik Ministry of Internal Affairs noted.

Through the drills, the two sides aim to raise combat readiness, improve tactical skills, demonstrate their commitment to counterterrorism, and deter terrorist forces.

Nearly 100 SWAT officers from both countries practiced flying drones for anti-terrorist operations, firing various kinds of arms, and clearing explosive devices.
The remains of independence fighter Hong Beom-do have been laid to rest in his homeland 78 years after his death.

A burial ceremony was held Wednesday at the National Cemetery in Daejeon attended by President Moon Jae-in and first lady Kim Jung-sook as well as other dignitaries. In a eulogy, Moon thanked the Kazakh government and ethnic Koreans there for helping to repatriate Hong, calling him a hero and the pride of all Koreans.

Hong's burial followed a two-day mourning period after his remains were repatriated from Kazakhstan on Sunday ahead of Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's state visit to Korea early this week.
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The American technology company Intel says it is working to address a shortage of semiconductor chips affecting the automotive industry. That same day, U.S. President Joe Biden convened CEOs for a virtual summit on the semiconductor supply chain. "We hop...








[ last night ] 08.19.21 The Sea Witch Goes to the Opera House

T he Sea Witch goes to the opera house. She goes there wobbling on borrowed legs. She goes to see the ballet, to slide down the marble banisters, to pet the velvet upholstery. She wears a diadem of coral combs and her gait is a seamans rolling swagger. Les Amis de lOpera think shes drunk. On the steps, she turns to take it in: the crossroads, the sculpture, the traffic, the place. So this is the world, she sighs. So this is the world. The wind ruffles the anemone trim on the seaweed coat she wears buttoned to her throat. If you squint, it looks like shearling. If you squint, she almost looks routine. The Sea Witch passes silently through the metal detectors. She has no shiny phone, no keys, nor coins. Her pockets are full of shells and spells and pale, powdery sand, with which she tries to buy a program. The attendant frowns down at the spider conch she holds out on her palm. Let me, I offer, handing over my card. Thanks, she says. We move slowly with the crowd towards the foot of the staircase. She sighs softly at the well-lit splendor of such a runway, clutching the program to her chest. When its her turn to take a spin on the stairs, she ascends step by step, each stride carrying the stabbing pain of two sharp knives. But the Sea Witch is attuned to pain. If she can dish it out, she can take it. At the landing, she steadies herself against a cool marble plinth. Swaying, she shucks her coatvamping for a moment or two. Isnt that what land vixens do? Les Amis de lOpera keep their faces blank until she pivots about-face, dragging the coat up the steps behind her in one clammy fist. Who is this strange Witch? they hiss. She cannot be one of us. Consult the list! At the very top, she hands her ticket to the attendant, and the venomous whispers dull. A gauche, madame, he says. So gauche she goes, and I go too. We have tickets for the same box, you see. When the attendant retires, she stands to hang her coat. With the house lights up, separated from the crowd, her glamour is plain-to-see. Her gown is ivory silk and net, weathered green at the seams. A belt of studded oysters is slung low across her hips. You like? she says, catching me looking. Like a child playing dress up, she twirls unsteadily, her train fanning out behind her. Its Mid-Atlantic. Titanic! She hooks her coat and slithers back into her seat. In the closeness of our velvet box, the air is heavy and still. I scrunch up my nose. She wears too much perfume, and under it there is a whiff of the wharf, tangy and wet like landed fish and sodden ropes. At close range, she is older than Id thought. Her neck is ringed with wrinkles. Hovering above the orchestra pit, just us two, I watch the other seats fill up. The great room teems with bodies, but no one fills the layer of seats behind us. More room for us, she says, propping her bare feet up on the railing. I want to knock them down. Her soles are black and tiny pieces of grit detach as she wriggles her toes. I watch them settle on the surface of the thick velvet. Are you Une Amie de l'Opera? I ask, sitting up straighter. No, Im a Sea Witch. I open my mouth, then close it again. I dont reply. She doesnt seem to mind, her attention bouncing from me to the musicians playing their tangling scales. She opens her program and reads through the clipped biographies of the dancers. I watch her slant until the house lights dim and the curtains rise. The overture is all surging strings as the stage slowly fills with light. From this angle, part of the scene is obscured. Only half of the hamlet is ours. The rest is woods, branches scraping the painted sky. Giselle and Albrecht whirl and plie and grande jete into and out of the unknown corner. When they prance towards us, they pause. Ballet at close range is sweat and sculpture, rhinestones and pantomime. Arms outstretched, they stare into the middle distance, and I can hear them breathing. The sound of their slippers reminds me of the cats padding along the parquet. The company leaps and flies through the air in concert. The sound of twenty cats landing. There is no intermission, no call for snacks and programs. You have to arrive here early for that. For seven secondscount them, onetwothreefourfivesixseventhe stage goes black. In the wings, stagehands unroll a thick carpet of white smoke out across the floor. Spotlights cut through the darkness. The smoke swells over the edge of the stage. Albrecht paces the graveyard, framed by branches like gnarled fingers, but I watch the smoke billow out. I watch the smoke drop into the orchestra pit, tumbling over the oboes. I watch as it dissipates into the air. Then, when it is gone, I watch the Sea Witch watch the ballet. I catalog her soft sounds of surprise and delight, the deepening lines on her forehead as Albrecht whirls faster and faster, dancing with death. A briny tear tracks down her cheek. When the final curtain falls, she claps until her palms are red. The house lights rise, and applause thunders through the room like waves pounding a sea wall. Dancing out from the wings, the company bows twice, thrice, before they leave us to our ends. The audience drains out through the back doors until only a dribble of musicians remains, snapping glossy instruments into hardshell cases. Is there anyone waiting for you? No, I say, because cats dont count. Will you sit awhile with me? I let the silence be my answer. We sit on our plush chairs, fingering the velvet upholstery until the attendants forget about us. After thirty minutes, we plunge into a murky darkness, the black auditorium a velvet womb. We stay that way until I notice a faint glow out of the corner of my eye. You really are a Sea Witch, I say. Yes. She is matter-of-fact. She is phosphorescent. There is nothing to contest. Flaky salt shimmers along the contour of her clammy cheek. The honey of her hair is golden kelp. Even the faint lines on her neck, the rings of skin Id taken as wrinkles, are the finest of gills. We watch each other for a moment, and then I ask her if shed like a drink. Refreshment would be nice, she says. But lets stay in. We leave our coats on the hook and slip out the back door. The corridors are creepy crawly in the dim, pocked with glowing exit signs. There are no windows on the north side of the building, but the Sea Witch lights our way. A six foot torch, she keeps two steps ahead of me. In the foyer, the wide windows cast warped rectangles of light across the floor. We ransack the bar cart, Les Amis be damned. We split open bags of pretzels and salted nuts, and take bites only from the center of the sandwiches. I reach for a bottle of red wine, but she stops me. Lets have the bubbles, she says, gesturing towards the bottles of champagne standing sentinel. I peel back the foil, and untwist the wire cage around the cork. Grasping the neck of the bottle, I wiggle the cork slowly until it shoots up towards the mosaic ceiling with a wet pop. I expect the foam to splutter out over my hands and onto the parquet, but all we hear is a faint fizzing. The glasses have been packed away so we take turns swigging from the bottle. I smile at the Sea Witch in the darkness and she smiles at me. Would you like to watch the stars? I nod, and follow her through to the balcony overlooking the crossroads below. She hops up onto the balustrade. Her smile is luminescent pearls and sharpened knives. Wont you sit with me? I hand her the bottle and hoist myself up beside her. My legs dangle over the edge. The glossy billboards, three-stories high, wink at us. I stifle a yawn. The streets are quiet now. Is it time to go home? she asks me. Not yet, I say. Tell me about being a Sea Witch, about your potions and your spells. I live beyond the kelp fields, she begins. People come from miles around to leave offerings tethered to the mouth of my cave. They come to buy better luck, divine their futures, grant them license to misbehave. The greater the boon, the higher the price. Sometimes the spell asks for pain. Sometimes it requires something much dearera morsel of your mind, a swathe of your soulthe recipe is precise. All potions come with a price. I look down at her feet and without asking, she answers. For fish who walk out of the sea, each fresh step brings the jagged pain of stabbing knives. There is only so much I can disguise. As the day wanes to night, the human cloak will destabilize. And then you must choose who lives And who dies? I chime in, a smile playing at my lips as I complete the rhyme. I sing them the spell before I sell. They know what theyre getting into. As much as anyone can. She passes me the bottle, and I take a long swig. A companionable silence lies slack between us. My mouth is buzzing with bubbles, wet and cool and crisp. Thats when it hits me. We are entirely alone. The rules do not apply. We could try on the tutus. We could slide through the corridors in our socks. I feel so alive. Dont you? I am sorry, she says softly. For what? I turn my head to face her. Briny tears pool again at the edges of her eyes. Haltingly, I reach out to touch her, stroking the salt-encrusted curve of her cheek. A flake of salt breaks off under my finger. I open my mouth and let it melt on my tongue. I close my eyes for a moment, see the sea, and open them again. I blink, and like lifting a conch to my ear, the ghost of the waves flashes again before me. When she meets my gaze, her stare is cool and hard. She is ferociously beautiful, her face is wreathed in her undulating kelp hair. Thats when she gives me the hard shove. Thats when I tumble through the air. Thats when I am momentarily weightless before I hit the cobblestones with a sick crack.
(The Center Square)  Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb has appointed the head of the CDC Foundation and a former deputy director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to head a new public health commission in the state  a commission he says will lead a better health system in Indiana over the next 100 years.

The Governors Public Health Commission will be led jointly by Dr. Judy Monroe and by former Indiana State Sen. Luke Kenley.

Monroe is the president and CEO of the CDC Foundation and before that was the deputy director of the CDC in Atlanta. From 2005 to 2010, she was Indianas state health commissioner.

The new commission is to meet monthly beginning in September and will also hold listening sessions around the state. It is to finish its work by the end of next summer and will deliver a set of recommendations for changes in law to the Indiana General Assembly.

In his opening remarks, the governor referenced a recent report that showed Indiana ranks 41st when it comes to health care, and noted Indiana is in the bottom 10 of states when it comes to obesity, smoking and childhood immunizations.

The task ahead couldnt be more important,..and the work thats ahead couldnt be more pressing, said Holcomb.

The 15 members of the commission, who have not yet been announced, will form several task forces to study the states public health system related to emergency preparedness, funding, governance, workforce, data collection and utilization, and childhood and adolescent health. Theyll also look at the states handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In her comments to the media on Wednesday, state health commissioner Kristina Box said the new commission will look at all factors that affect health  including what Hoosiers eat, whether they smoke or exercise, and whether they have access to job training, a good education, safe and secure housing and healthy food.

The best way to improve Hoosiers health and reduce those disparities is to focus on those behaviors and those circumstances that can prevent issues before they require medical care, Box said.

She also indicated the state will be taking on a larger role in public health, saying many of Indianas local health departments are unable to handle their current workload, which includes providing free immunizations, processing birth and death certificates, investigating disease outbreaks, licensing restaurants and issuing permits for septic systems.

Some of these departments are simply unable to perform all of these duties that they are required to do by law, said Box. Their resources are stretched thin in the best of times, and carrying out these duties during a pandemic has become a Herculean task.

At the CDC Foundation, Monroe has been a strong advocate for COVID-19 vaccination clinics in schools, tweeting in August that schools as trusted institutions can play a vital role in promoting #COVID19 vaccination.

https://twitter.com/DrJudyMonroe/status/1425918524845867017?s=20

Indiana is now ground zero for the legal fight over vaccine mandates at public universities, with eight students suing Indiana University in federal court over its vaccination mandate, saying the university has violated their Fourteenth Amendment rights. The case is currently before the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.

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The COVID-19 vaccine has not been mandated by K-12 schools, but mask mandates at schools throughout the state have brought throngs of angry parents to school board meetings, who argue that masks dont work and that whether a child wears a mask should be a decision left to parents.

In Owen County, an hour southwest of Indianapolis, upset parents succeeded in getting the local health officer to lift the mask mandate shed imposed on the students attending the Spencer-Owen Community School Corporation.

In addition to recommending changes in law to the legislature, the new commission will be recommending changes to local health departments.

At the CDC, Monroe was the deputy director for state, tribal, local and territorial support.

Thats the office at the CDC that supports all the health departments across the nation, Monroe said on Wednesday. So I will tell you that over the last few years, I have visited a lot of health departments.

Monroe is a primary care physician who in the early 1990s worked as the clinical director for the Indiana University Department of Family Medicine. After serving as Indianas state health commissioner from 2005 to 2010, she worked at the CDC for almost six years, from 2010 until 2016, when she left to become the president and CEO of the CDC Foundation. The foundation is the nonprofit arm of the CDC and has private funding from many sources.

Monroe will remain living in Atlanta, but will travel to Indiana .

In a statement sent to The Center Square, a spokesman for the CDC Foundation said:

"Dr. Monroe will continue to serve as president and CEO of the CDC Foundation. She will commute to Indiana as needed to fulfill her responsibilities. Her home is in Atlanta, but she maintains many professional and personal relationships in Indiana, where she lived for over 20 years. Dr. Monroe, like other nonprofit leaders, is often asked to chair or co-chair committees or commissions."

Contributors to the CDC Foundation include Merck & Co, the largest vaccine-maker in the United States, and also Pfizer, the manufacturer of one of the three COVID-19 vaccines on the market in the U.S. Several other pharmaceutical companies are on the published list of companies that gave the foundation $50,000 or more in the year 2020.

Holcomb said on Wednesday that Indiana has reached out to the CDC for perspectives that will inform the work of the commission.

At least one person in the state was not happy to hear about the new commission.

Donald Rainwater, the Libertarian Party candidate for governor in 2020, released a video on Facebook late Wednesday, saying its not the governments job to tell Hoosiers how to stay healthy.

Nowhere in the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution is the government given the authority to tell you what you can and cannot do when it comes to personal health, he said in the video. You have the right to choose your own health care, make your own healthcare decisions.
HAMMOND  Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. is running next year for the U.S. Senate.

The five-term leader of Northwest Indiana's most populous city filed paperwork Wednesday with the Federal Election Commission indicating his McDermott for Congress campaign committee now will be used for a Senate bid, instead of a second possible run for the U.S. House.

McDermott said the office change "is the next step" as he begins openly courting support among elected officials, party leaders, activists, and voters at an annual Democratic Party gathering this weekend in French Lick, Indiana, for a possible challenge to incumbent U.S. Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind.

"I want to make sure I'm not going to be controversial as a candidate, that the party wants me, and making sure that it appears everything is going the way we need it to go if I'm going to be a serious challenger to Todd Young," McDermott said.

"As long I get a lot of green lights from key people, I'm willing to take on who I consider one of the toughest opponents in the Republican Party."

WATCH NOW: Mayor McDermott Gives 17th State of the City Address

McDermott has hinted for months a Senate run could be in his future, especially as Young repeatedly has voted against items on Democratic President Joe Biden's legislative agenda that help Indiana, including financial support for Hoosier families with children and federal funds to pay for road and bridge repairs and broadband internet expansion.

"Washington, D.C., is broken, let's be honest," McDermott said. "In particular, the U.S. Senate, in my opinion, is the place where good bills go to die, and Todd Young is part of the problem."

The U.S. Navy veteran said he initially had high hopes that Young, a Naval Academy graduate, would be a leader in the mold of former U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., who McDermott said was willing to work across the aisle and always focused on the needs of Hoosiers.

But McDermott said Young over the past five years has become only about raising campaign money, hobnobbing with lobbyists, and blocking the president.

"It has nothing to do with Hoosiers anymore, and that bugs me," McDermott said. "I'm a Hoosier, and I'm a Democrat, and I know he doesn't give a crap about me or what I feel is important. He doesn't care. He ignores us."

A spokesman for the Young campaign declined to comment on McDermott's Senate bid.

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McDermott said his campaign will be about offering Hoosiers an experienced, credible alternative to Young who will follow in the footsteps of the best Hoosier senators of both political parties, instead of being a reflexive partisan merely for the sake of partisanship.

"I'm the kind of guy who can get people across the aisle to vote for me," McDermott said.

McDermott never got the chance to prove that in his most recent campaign. He was defeated by U.S. Rep. Frank J. Mrvan, D-Highland, in the 2020 Democratic primary election to represent Northwest Indiana in the House.

After initially wallowing in that defeat, and starting his "Left of Center" podcast to talk his way through it, McDermott, 52, said he's realized an election loss isn't the end of the world  it could be the start of something great.

He noted former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg unsuccessfully ran for Indiana state treasurer, Democratic National Committee chairman, and president of the United States, and Buttigieg still ended up as U.S. Secretary of Transportation.

Watch Now: Riding Shotgun With NWI Paramedics

"Pete Buttigieg wasn't afraid to take on a big challenge and that's been inspiring to me  and this is a guy that's 20 years younger than me," McDermott said. "He's inspired me to take chances and to do things that are hard."

McDermott said he has no plans to resign as mayor if he mounts a full-fledged Senate campaign. He said he's learned over the years how to balance his city duties with his political activities and excel at both.

"I still have a family and I still have to be the mayor of Hammond, and I plan to do a good job at that as well," McDermott said.

So far, only one other Democratic candidate, Haneefah Khaaliq, has raised money and filed the preliminary paperwork required to run in the May 3, 2022, primary election.

The winner of the Democratic and Republican primaries then will compete for Hoosier votes at the Nov. 8, 2022, general election with a six-year Senate term on the line.

Get to know these new Indiana laws enacted in 2021
INDIANAPOLIS  A new commission will recommend improvements to Indiana's public health system, which state officials said Wednesday continues to be the state's "Achilles' heel."

The 15-member Governor's Public Health Commission  established in an executive order issued by Gov. Eric Holcomb  will examine the state's preparedness for health emergencies, funding plans, governance models at the state and local levels, data collection measures and adolescent health care access.

The group's goal is to make long-term recommendations for changes to the General Assembly and enacted through new policy during the 2023 legislative session.

"The task at head couldn't be more important, and the time of the world it's going to be conducted couldn't be more pressing," Holcomb said during a news conference Wednesday. "This will help us inform going into that budget year, and it will be a very thorough, deep dive. This is not a blame-storming mission by any stretch of the imagination," Holcomb said Wednesday.

While state officials said planning for the commission began before the COVID-19 pandemic, they emphasized that the coronavirus has "exacerbated the need" to modernize Indiana's public health system.

The commission is expected to offer long-term recommendations. A commission subgroup is expected to study state and local health department responses to COVID-19, but Holcomb said that examination is aimed at informing future public health emergencies.

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Still, the Republican governor said some "good ideas" learned along the way could be implemented, including those related to the coronavirus pandemic.

"We've got our game plan right now to continue to work through the pandemic," Holcomb said. "But that's not what this task force is about," Holcomb added. "This is a long-term look at where we want our state to be decades from now."

The commission will be co-chaired by former state Sen. Luke Kenley, who has spent decades managing complex issues and budgets for the state, and Dr. Judy Monroe, who served as state health commissioner from 2005 to 2010 and is president and CEO of the CDC Foundation.

State Health Commissioner Dr. Kristina Box, who will be the commission's secretary, said addressing resources within Indiana's 94 health departments  especially those needed to complete routine tasks  will be key to statewide improvements to public health.

"Some of these departments are simply unable to perform all of these duties that they're required to do by law," Box said. "Their resources are stretched thin in the worst of times. ... They deserve our help."

Appointments to the commission are forthcoming, according to the governor's office. The commission is expected to begin its work in September and provide a report with recommendations within a year.
The Oregon Ducks debut at the top of the Pac-12 football power rankings from The Oregonian/OregonLive as the season gets fully underway this week. USC followed the Ducks at No. 2 and Washington took the third spot in our power rankings. Utah was fourth and UCLA fifth. UCLA blew out Hawaii 44-10 last Saturday in the only game involving a Pac-12 team. This week, every team from the Pac-12 is set ...
VALPARAISO  Valparaiso is preparing to annex 142 acres for a new subdivision on the citys far west side.

Olthoff Homes Westwind subdivision would have around 240 homes on a four types of lots  estate, single-family, villas and paired villas.

Watch Now: Riding Shotgun With NWI Paramedics

The property is east of Tower Road and north of Vale Park Road. The two entrances would both be on Tower Road, attorney Todd Leeth told the City Council last week.

The council approved a fiscal plan for the subdivision that basically says the city will gain a bit more in property taxes from the completed subdivision than the cost of extending utilities and other city services.

Its a good investment for the city, Leeth said, and allows the city to control development under its own standards rather than the countys standards.

Were asking for suburban residential (zoning), which is actually one step higher than what your own city master plan calls for, he said.

The subdivision would be the first to use the cluster home standard allowed under the unified development ordinance approved in 2013.

This clustering really makes sense to protect a lot of those natural features, including wetlands and woods, council President George Douglas said.

This is a natural progression of the city, he said.

Douglas hopes the subdivision will connect to the nearby Vale Park pathway.

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Final approval of the annexation is expected at the councils Aug. 23 meeting.

On the other side of the city, at the Uptown East mixed-use complex, the council voted 6-1 to approve a planned unit development that essentially locks in the development as its currently built. Councilman Robert Cotton voted against the ordinance.

Before the ordinance was adopted, the property was zoned two different ways, the result of the 2013 unified development ordinance put in place after the four mixed-use buildings were built, Leeth explained.

Cotton asked how the planned unit development zoning would affect other city entities.

Planning Director Beth Shrader said the Board of Zoning Appeals will retain jurisdiction.

The property has been a source of controversy regarding parking for residents. The four buildings were originally marketed for student housing, with commercial space on the first floor of the two buildings facing Lincolnway.

With declining enrollment at the university, the closure of the lawsuit and the opening of a new dorm and other nearby mixed-use buildings, the Uptown East occupancy rate has fallen.

Mayor Matt Murphy has championed a plan to turn two of the buildings into workforce housing to address a gap in affordable housing identified by a major housing study done on the citys behalf.

Valparaiso University has sued the city over the parking issue, saying there arent enough legal parking spaces in the area for residents and that tenants are likely to park illegally on VU property. The university has appealed the local court judges ruling in favor of the city.

Get to know these new Indiana laws enacted in 2021
To add/change your event, send an email to: newsgazettereporter@gmail.com

NOTE: Some events may be canceled or rescheduled, we will update as we are notified.

EVERY SATURDAY

Winchester Farmers' Market

The Winchester Farmers' Market is every Saturday starting May 29th, and will go until Sept. 25th. The hours are 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. This year we have been awarded the title of "Indiana Grown" farmers' market. This means that all of our vendors grow or produce what they sell and they live right here in Indiana. SNAP is accepted.

AUGUST

Cemetery front entrance closed

Patrons of Fountain Park Cemetery in Winchester are reminded that the front entrance to the cemetery will be closed two to three weeks due to needed repairs. Patrons are asked to use the rear entrance during this time.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 19

DPAC Field Day

Check-in begins at 7:30 am and the event begins at 8 am. A free pork chop lunch will be provided. Register online at http://bit.ly/3gTFWMW, or call the Randolph County Extension Office at 765-584-2271.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 21

The Pregnancy Care Center of Randolph is hosting its annual Walk-for-Life fundraiser on Saturday, August 21st. You can either walk in person, or on your own. The in-person event is at the Pregnancy Care Center's parking lot at 811 N. Main St. in Winchester. Come anytime between 9 & 11 AM with the money you raised for the center. The virtual walk can be anytime, anywhere, any length, from now until August 31st. Virtual walkers take a selfie walking alone or with friends, post it on the center's Facebook page, and submit the money with your sponsor sheet by August 31st. The first 30 walkers who bring $40 or more to the event on August 21st will receive a t-shirt designed by Williams Printing.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 22

Countryside Christian Church invites the community to a special outdoor service on Sunday, August 22 at 9:30 am. Our musical service will be provided by the young Christian singing group CITIZENS OF GLORY. Come out and bring your lawn chairs to Countryside christian Church located at 1212 East 100 South, Winchester to enjoy uplifting, modern Christian music at its best with Citizens of Glory. After our service join us for the All Church Picnic featuring food from Hoosier Q Daddy Too! What a great Way to worship and spend time with friends and Family.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 24

Become a Certified UAV Pilot at the Davis Purdue Ag Center, 6230 IN-1, Farmland, Ind. from 8 am-4 pm. Cost is $200 per person. Register at https://cvent.me/mAeE41. For more info contact Mark Carter, Purdue Extension Blackford County, 765-348-3213.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 26

Support Local Journalism Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by making a contribution. Contribute

Become a Certified UAV Pilot at the Davis Purdue Ag Center, 6230 IN-1, Farmland, Ind. from 8 am-4 pm. Cost is $200 per person. Register at https://cvent.me/mAeE41. For more info contact Mark Carter, Purdue Extension Blackford County, 765-348-3213.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 28

White River Township Fire Dept. Open House from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM at 1023 N Old US Hwy 27. Weather permitting, the Lutheran Medical Helicopter will be landing and on display.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 11

Tire Collection Event at Pollution Solution.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24

Training on Grain Dust Explosion Prevention Methods

12 to 1 PM at Wayne County Extension, 861 Salisbury Road North, Richmond, Ind. For more information contact Kingsly Ambrose, Ph.D. at 765-494-6599. Please confirm your participation by emailing Mr. Jonathan Ferris, County Extension Director at ferrisj@purdue.edu.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2

WCHS Class of 1980 Reunion will be Saturday, October 2nd with Dinner, Drinks, and Music at Roots. Please send your contact information to class1980wchs@gmail.com so we can send you an Evite with all of the details. We also have a class Facebook page - WCHS Class of 1980.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16

Community Paper Shred at Pollution Solution.

Cubed Steak Supper

Farmland Christian Church from 4 pm-7 pm. Carry-out only. For more info call 765-717-7000 or 765-468-6683.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23

Vendor Event Sponsored By Farmland Christian Church Youth at the Farmland Lions Building from 10 am-2 pm. Call 765-546-4224 for more info.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6

Holiday Bazaar at Farmland Christian Church from 9 am-2 pm. Call 765-468-7733 for more info.
Press Release

August 19, 2021 Dispatch from Crame No. 1,128:

Sen. Leila M. de Lima on the DOJ completing its report on the initial 52 anti-illegal drug operations where deaths occurred 8/19/21 Earlier this week, DOJ Secretary Guevarra confirmed that they have already wrapped up the investigation on the 52 anti-illegal drug operations where deaths occurred. Of the thousands of deaths that resulted in children being orphaned and, worse, in children themselves falling prey to abusive policemen hiding behind Duterte's cloak of state-sponsored impunity, 52 is actually a poor representation. If anything, it's a good representation how a number can, in reality, be a bloodbath dressed up as an achievement. Hindi ito ang hustisyang sigaw ng mga pamilyang naiwan at mga buhay na sinira. But it is still a progress, no matter how little. A modest notch which should not stop us from seeking justice for all those unjustly, extrajudicially silenced by gunshots backed by a bloodthirsty President's promises of change that quickly devolved into fulfilled threats of carnage. Ngunit tagumpay nga lamang itong maituturing kung pananagutin ang mga may sala. However, when asked if the findings will be released after Sec. Gueverra reviews them, all he could mutter was that "if criminal investigation is warranted, witnesses and family members will be sought and called upon to provide information." Hindi masagot nang deretso samantalang simple at madali lamang dapat ang sagot. Syempre karapatan ng mga anak na inulila at mga asawang binalo ng gigil na kamay at putok ng baril na malaman kung anong nangyari, na maunawaan kung bakit kinailangang buhay ng mahal nila sa buhay ang naging kabayaran sa libangang kumitil. Sec. Guevarra even gave us a runaround when instead of saying when the DOJ will be publicizing the results once he is done with his review, he just said that he would first consult with the PNP whether it could be released to the public. Why would the DOJ require the PNP's assent? Why consult the agency being investigated if the DOJ can release the report? Sino ang ginagawa nilang tanga? By choosing to evade committing to an obvious answer, that in itself, is answer enough: If they can get away with it, they will never let that incriminating report see the light of day. Much like the Ever Gotesco Shootout incident between PDEA operatives and policemen has been forgotten without an acceptable explanation from the agencies involved. We have to demand transparency and accountability. If the perpetrators can shoot away in broad daylight, why should we not demand that they answer for their crimes before the public? Kung ikinasa niyo ang baril ng walang takot at walang habas, maging kasing tapang din dapat kayo sa pagsagot sa mga buhay na inutang ninyo. This is why we continue to speak for the voiceless and the powerless. This is why we demand transparency and sincere actions for all the lives that Duterte's culture of senseless violence destroyed. Mr. Duterte, naniningil na ang hustisya at taumbayan, magbayad ka na at ang iyong mga tauhan sa mga buhay na inyong ninakaw. ### (Access the handwritten version, here: https://issuu.com/senatorleilam.delima/docs/dispatchno1128)
Lacson Salutes State Auditors for Flagging Potential Corruption

More at: https://pinglacson.net/2021/08/19/lacson-salutes-state-auditors-for-flagging-potential-corruption/

Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson on Thursday saluted state auditors for heading off corruption by flagging irregular transactions by various government agencies.

Lacson said that without the Commission on Audit (COA)'s reporting, corrupt officials would have had free rein to misuse and abuse already-limited resources.

"Imagine a country without state auditors... kanya kanyang kupit, kanya kanyang kurakot," Lacson said in a post on his Twitter account.

He cited the Commission on Audit (COA)'s flagging of several questionable transactions not only in the Department of Health but in other agencies such as the Department of Budget and Management Procurement Service (DBM-PS), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), and Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), among others.

Lacson maintained the COA is an independent constitutional body that has a mandate to perform. He added transparency dictates that the public, especially Filipino taxpayers, have the right to be informed of how their money is spent.

In an interview on Quezon-based DCG FM, Lacson also reiterated that consistency is the key to good governance and stomping out corruption.

"The key is consistency. If you have one standard for friends and allies, and another one for everyone else, you won't succeed," he said.

"I cannot get tired from stressing this: our biggest problem is bad governance. But the solution also lies in good governance," he added.
Pangilinan seeks inquiry into LTFRB's 1% utilization of service contracting budget in 2020

SENATOR Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan on Thursday calls for an investigation into the slow implementation of the Land Transportation and Franchising Board's (LTFRB) Service Contracting Program for displaced transport workers as reported by the Commission on Audit (COA).

"Noong Mayo pa lang nanawagan na tayong bilisan ang paggamit sa pondong ito. Ngayong na-expire na ang Bayanihan II, kapiraso pa rin ng pondo ang ginagastos para sa mga drayber na nawalan ng pagkakakitaan," Pangilinan said.

Proposed Senate Resolution 861 shall direct the appropriate Senate Committee to look into the 1.07 percent utilization of the total P5.58 billion budget of LTFRB for their Service Contracting Program intended as a temporary livelihood for public utility vehicle drivers.

In its 2020 report, COA flagged the LTFRB for the delays in implementing the said program.

The audit commission also reported that only 49.79 percent or a total of 29,871 drivers of the 60,000 targeted driver-participants were registered in the program at the end of 2020.

According to the transport coalition Move As One, there are at least 2.7 million land transport workers whose jobs have been at risk since the start of the pandemic. More than half of the workers are drivers, conductors, and freight handlers.

"Nasa emergency mode tayo at kailangan mabilis kumilos. Hindi ito katanggap-tanggap habang may mga jeepney drivers pa ring hikahos at walang mapantustos sa pamilya," he added.

Yesterday, the LTFRB issued a statement that a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the transport agency and the Landbank of the Philippines (LBP) was signed only in December 2020, which governs the distribution of cash subsidies to eligible beneficiaries.

LTFRB said that the 1 percent utilization rate only covers the implementation month of December 2020.

The transport agency further clarified that as of June 30, 2021, P1.5 billion was released to the beneficiary drivers and for the procurement of the systems manager.

"Bilyun-bilyon pondo ang nilaan, bilyun-bilyon ang dapat sana napakinabangan, pero dahil sa mabagal na pagkilos at implementasyon, ang mga drayber at kundoktor ang nagdurusa. Kailangang magpaliwanag ng LTFRB sa kapabayaang ito," said Pangilinan.
Saudi Ceramic Company is mulling plans to set up a new porcelain factory, a total investment of 49.3 million riyals ($66.5 million), the company has announced according to reports.

The future new facility will produce 8.25 million square meters of porcelain tiles every year and is expected to be completed during the second quarter of 2023. The sales are expected to start in the same quarter.

The project is expected to have a positive impact on the companys revenues, the firm said. The publicly listed company based in capital Riyadh, Zawya reports, had posted a net profit of 63.3 million riyals for the second quarter of the year, up from 6.5 million from the same period in 2020. The positive performance has been due to the improvement in the companys profit margins and lower financing costs, the media further notes.
Comedian John Otieno alias Owago Onyiro has defended his mentor Daniel Ndambuki, aka Churchill in a hard-hitting lecture addressed to local comedians.

In a rant on social media, Owago Onyiro said the Churchill Show founder should not be blamed for the difficulties that comedians endure.

Owago likened Churchill to a father who can only do so much for his children.

Lets learn to stop blaming Churchill on everything Comedians undergo. The other day I fell sick and came across weird comments.some said oooh Churchill dont kill this onereally? Do you mean us Comedians we just cant fall sick and God forbid die a natural death.Churchill is also human and has his personal life. Churchill is not Kenya Comedians God.

Churchill does not have every solution to every comedians problems. The best your father could give you while taking you to school was pocket money, and not salary.

To my fellow comedians, do we expect Churchill to take us to school, teach us how to fish, and still expect him to pay us a salary? We are not fair to this guy because we did not pay him to appear on his platform. Ask any media house how much an Advertisement costs even for 25 seconds, he wrote.

Owago said comedians should learn to face their problems without dragging Churchills name into them.

Lets not put all our blame and failed ambitions to Churchills bucket because he is also facing his own problems. Oooooh, I am depressed because of Churchill, I cannot pay my rent because of Churchill. Soon we will hear someone say they are not married because of Churchill, and that they cannot sleep because of Churchill, Owago blasted.

The funnyman went on to advise his colleagues to widen their income streams and not depend on comedy alone.

Always learn to have a side hustle (invest in different businesses). Learn to respect and know how to live with people. Do not let celebrity syndrome make you see other people as useless. Always be humble to that mama mboga who sells you vegetables every day, he said.

As a Comedian always remember to invest the little you earn from your art..You wont be in the limelight forever but through Investment your legacy will live forever, Owago conluded.
Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) detectives in Ruiru, Kiambu county have arrested four police officers accused of robbing a man they had arrested for allegedly breaking the curfew.

Constables Thomas Okuku, Lawrence Mbau, James Munyoki and Dan Keya were accused of robbery with violence. They allegedly conspired to steal Sh1,030 from a curfew violator.

The victim recounted his ordeal on social media, saying one of the officers on patrol robbed him of his money after arresting him for violating the 10 pm-4 am curfew on Thursday, August 12.

He said the armed officer handcuffed him and asked him for his M-Pesa PIN and went ahead to transfer Sh1,030 to another mobile wallet registered under the name Martin Ndichu Kamau. He was then allowed to go home.

The victim said after the officer wired the money to another mobile number, his attempts to reverse the transaction were unsuccessful as the receiver of the funds had already withdrawn the money.

Sh1,030 might appear little to some people, but to my family, it was a meal, shelter, security and assurance of a better day ahead, said the victim on social media.

DCI detectives took up the matter and obtained the victims money transfer records from Safaricom.

Upon scrutiny of the data, the following police officers were arrested at Ruiru Police Station for robbery with violence: Thomas Okuku, Lawrence Mbau, James Munyoki and Dan Kenya, says a police report filed at the Ruiru Police Station under the OB Number 71/17/8/2021.

In addition to the four cops, detectives also arrested Charles Muteria; an M-Pesa shop owner, and Bosco Ereng; Muterias employee.

Muteria and Ereng are assisting police in the investigation, said the report.

Detectives will be seeking to hold them for five working days to complete the probe before they can be formally charged.
Machakos Governor Dr. Alfred Mutua will this weekend hold a joint birthday party with Tanzanian musician Rayvanny.

Mutua and Rayvanny share a birth date, August 22, when they will be turning 51 and 28 respectively.

On Wednesday, the Machakos county boss announced their joint birthday party that will double up as a concert. The bash is slated for Sunday, August 22 at the Emara Ole Sereni Hotel in Nairobi.

Sunday, August 22nd, is my birthday and also the birthday of @Rayvannyboy- we have decided to hold a special double birthday party for a few people on Sunday afternoon. Please get your free ticket and join us for food and music. See poster below. Mutua announced.

The party comes about two months after Governor Mutua visited Rayvanny at his Next Level Music Headquarters in Dar es Salaam.

The two were seen jamming in the studio and having a tete-a-tete which Mutua said was about their upbringing and aspirations.

I had a great time with talented Tanzanian artist Rayvanny (Raymond Shaban Mwakyusa) who was born at the southern tip of Tanzania in Mbeya.

Rayvanny  Chui  and I share a birthday (August 22nd) and we spent an afternoon singing and talking of our childhood(s), aspirations and how we can work together to consolidate and grow the talents of East African music.

Although he is in the WASAFI stable, Rayvanny has his own Studio  Next Level Music (NLM) which he is using to record and support the growth of upcoming East African music artists, mostly from Kenya and Tanzania, Mutua said at the time.

He added: We agreed to partner in a few ventures as we grow the arts. I will soon be unveiling a Fresh initiative to empower talented film and music artists.

As a lover of the arts and one who believes in the power of music and entertainment, I am excited about working with artists as they bring melody and vibe to our lives.
President Uhuru Kenyatta has sent a message of condolence to the family, relatives and friends of Mahoo Ward Member of County Assembly (MCA), Hon Ronald Sagurani.

Hon Sagurani, a Jubilee Party ward representative and Taita Taveta County Assembly leader of minority passed away on Tuesday in a Mombasa hospital.

In his message of comfort, the President mourned Hon Sagurani as a progressive grassroots politician and regretted that the cruel hand of death had taken him away at a time when his constituents still needed his transformative leadership.

As a party we have lost a progressive leader who was dedicated to the service of his community. His commitment to improving the lives of wananchi at the grassroots endeared him to many, propelling him to be elected twice to represent Mahoo Ward, the President said.

The Head of State said Hon Sagurani leaves behind a colorful legacy of transformative development projects that will continue to positively impact residents of Mahoo Ward and Taveta Constituency in general.

We appreciate his commitment to improving the agricultural sector within the County of Taita Taveta, and especially banana farming where he championed for value addition, the President said.

The Head of State prayed to God to give the family, residents of Mahoo Ward and the entire leadership of Taita Taveta County comfort and fortitude during this difficult period of mourning.
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Welcome Guest! You Are Here:
Russophobes may be barred from entering Russia  draft law

 RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov

14:36 19/08/2021

MOSCOW, August 19 (RAPSI)  The United Russia party lawmakers have drafted a bill to ban Russophobes from entering the country.

The document is a response to outrage cases of the open anti-Russian prejudice in the post-Soviet space, according to Deputy secretary of the partys General Council.

Amendments are proposed to the Federal Law Concerning the Procedure for Exit from the Russian Federation and Entry into the Russian Federation. The Interior Ministry, as an authorized body, supported the initiative.
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Regular Press Conference on August 19, 2021

2021/08/19

CCTV: We noticed that the fifth China-Arab States Expo opened in Ningxia today and President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter. Could you please give us more details including the purpose and significance of this expo?

Hua Chunying: The China-Arab States Expo, formerly the China-Arab States Economic and Trade Forum, was upgraded to the current format in 2013 and has been successfully held for four times. During the previous four sessions, the China-Arab States Expo attracted more than 40,000 guests and 5,000 enterprises from 112 countries and regions and agreements for 936 cooperation projects were signed.

The fifth China-Arab States Expo opened today and President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the event. President Xi stressed in the letter that China is prepared to work with the Arab states to pursue common development, safeguard peace and development, deliver mutual benefits, and promote the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative, with a view to building a higher level China-Arab strategic partnership and a community with a shared future for China and Arab states in the new era. This fully reflects the great importance China attaches to the development of China-Arab strategic partnership.

Since the establishment of strategic partnership in 2018, the two sides have enhanced political mutual trust, supported each other more firmly on issues concerning each other's core interests and major concerns, coordinated and cooperated more closely in international and regional affairs, and jointly safeguarded the interests of developing countries. In particular, after the outbreak of COVID-19, the two sides have provided mutual assistance and demonstrated their brotherly bond at trying times through concrete actions. To date, China has shipped nearly 100 million doses of Chinese vaccines to Arab states in the form of assistance or exports. We are working with the United Arab Emirates and Egypt in joint filling and production of vaccines, which has provided strong support to Arab states in their fight against the virus.

China and Arab states are natural partners in Belt and Road cooperation. In recent years, our joint efforts to build the BRI have deepened with solid progress. China has signed BRI cooperation documents with 19 Arab states and the League of Arab States. In the first half of this year, two-way trade reached $144.27 billion, up 25.7% year on year, and China remains the largest trading partner of Arab states. Looking ahead, China will follow the consensus reached by President Xi Jinping and leaders of Arab states to continuously deepen connectivity, pursue high-quality BRI cooperation and jointly build a community with a shared future for China and Arab states.

Global Times: On August 18 local time, the Canadian court concluded the first trial of Meng Wanzhou's extradition case but reserved the decision. Meng's defense lawyer stressed that it can be seen that there was no deception in this case, no loss was caused, and there was not even a reasonable risk causal discussion. Besides, last night, the Global Times published an open letter to the Canadian ambassador to China and initiated an online petition calling on the Canadian side to unconditionally release Meng Wanzhou. What is China's comment on that?

Hua Chunying: We have noticed relevant reports. China pays great attention to the trial in the Canadian court.

In fact, during the trial, the Canadian judge in charge of the case questioned the fraud charges by the US against Meng Wanzhou for several times, calling these accusations "unclear" and "unusual". The Canadian prosecutors have shown self-contradictions and allegations that they cannot justify at all. China has stressed from the start that the Meng Wanzhou case is purely a political incident. The US government concocted the incident not for legal reasons, but to keep Chinese high-tech companies down and obstruct China's scientific development. This has been fully proved by more facts and fully recognized by more people. The Canadian side has been acting as an accomplice for the US side and can never shirk its responsibility.

Ms. Meng Wanzhou has not violated any Canadian law but has been groundlessly detained by Canada for close to 1,000 days. Ms. Meng Wanzhou is a daughter to an elderly father, and a mother to young children. The Canadian side, acting as an accomplice for the US, has been disregarding the fact that Ms. Meng has not violated any Canadian law and has groundlessly and arbitrarily detained her. This constitutes textbook coercion and human rights violation. I wonder, when some in Canada talk about defending human rights and democracy, have they thought about the human rights of Ms. Meng Wanzhou? Have they thought about the human rights of Ms. Meng's young children? Have they thought about the human rights of Ms. Meng's family? Such moves certainly have outraged the Chinese public.

I noticed that Global Times last night published an open letter to the Canadian ambassador to China and launched an online petition. Within less than 24 hours, more than 6.5 million people have added their names to the letter. This is China's public opinion. We hope Canada could hear this. At the same time, we have noticed that many Canadians with vision have been calling on the Canadian government to end the extradition of Ms. Meng Wanzhou under Canada's Extradition Act. We urge the Canadian government to heed these voices for justice seriously, uphold the spirit and courage for independence, immediately correct mistakes, release Ms. Meng Wanzhou and ensure her safe return to the motherland as soon as possible.

Shenzhen TV: Former US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley and Republican Rep. Mike Waltz published a signed article on August 18, falsely accusing China of oppression of 1.4 billion people and genocide against millions of mostly Muslim Uighurs and calling for the US government and enterprises to boycott next year's Winter Olympics in Beijing. Do you have any comment?

Hua Chunying: When the world is shocked and saddened by the chaos and misery at Kabul's airport, a handful of politicians in the US are turning a blind eye to the ongoing tragedy of its own making. In fact, they are still busy spreading China-related lies and rumors unscrupulously under the pretext of democracy and human rights, which again reveals the hypocritical and ugly nature of these US politicians.

They falsely claim that China "oppresses" 1.4 billion people. I am one in the 1.4 billion, and each of my colleagues and Chinese journalists here is also one in the 1.4 billion. How come we don't feel oppressed? Why do we feel particularly happy, safe and proud to live in China today?

Once again, I can responsibly say to some US politicians that people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang, including over 11 million Uighurs, are living a happy life and enjoying unprecedented security, peace and happiness. The US politicians can't find any evidence of so-called "genocide" and "crimes against humanity" even with a magnifying glass or a microscope.

By contrast, the US conducted genocide of Native Americans and discriminated against ethnic minorities in the history. Its botched epidemic response has led to the death of more than 600,000 Americans. The US has engaged in subversion and sabotage in many countries, grossly interfered in other countries' internal affairs. It has even waged wars under the pretext of democracy and human rights, causing numerous civilian casualties, broken families and displacement. Afghanistan is the latest case in point. Anyone that doesn't shut his or her eyes can see it is the US that has committed genocide and crimes against humanity and the US is the biggest threat to democracy and human rights.

We hope certain US politicians will stop defiling the sacredness of Olympic Spirit and refrain from undermining the interests of athletes, the American ones included, and the international Olympic cause for their selfish political gains.

Bloomberg: Has China been in touch with the Taliban since it seized Kabul? Also, what conditions would China have in order to recognize the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan? Would it specifically demand that the organization protect the rights of women better than it did when it was in charge 20 years ago?

Hua Chunying: China maintains contact and communication with the Afghan Taliban and other parties on the basis of full respect for the sovereignty of Afghanistan and the will of all parities.

After major changes took place in Afghanistan recently, the leaders and the spokesperson of the Afghan Taliban have said publicly through different channels that the Afghan Taliban would resolve problems the people face, meet people's aspirations and stay committed to forming an open and inclusive Islamic government. They said the Afghan Taliban works toward equality and elimination of discrimination, and announced that former government staffs would be pardoned and women's rights and interests would be protected, including freedom of speech, employment and access to education. The spokesperson also said, the Afghan Taliban would act responsibly to protect the safety of Afghans and foreign missions in Afghanistan, build good relations with all countries and never allow anyone to use the Afghan territory to threaten other countries. China has taken note of these positive statements and signals.

We have also noticed that some political figures of Russia and other countries and many international media have recognized Afghan Taliban's behaviors after it entered Kabul, believing that they have been good, positive and pragmatic actions. Although the Afghan situation is not fully clear yet, they believe the Afghan Taliban will not repeat history, and the Afghan Taliban today is more clear-headed and rational than it was in power last time.

We encourage the Afghan Taliban to follow through its positive statements, unite with all parties and ethnic groups in Afghanistan, establish a broadly-based, inclusive political framework that fits the national conditions and wins public support through dialogue and consultation as soon as possible, and adopt moderate and prudent domestic and foreign policies. That's what we hope to see. It's also hoped that the Afghan Taliban can contain all kinds of terrorist and criminal acts and ensure a smooth transition of the situation in Afghanistan to take the long-suffering Afghans away from wars and chaos as soon as possible and build lasting peace. The process of peace and reconstruction won't be plain sailing since many contradictions have built up in Afghanistan and difficult problems have been left by the US. In this process, the international community should encourage and support solidarity and cooperation of all parties and ethnic groups in Afghanistan to open a new chapter in the Afghan history.

I noticed that some people have been saying they don't trust the Afghan Taliban. I want to say that nothing stays unchanged. When understanding and handling problems, we should adopt a holistic, interconnected and developmental dialectical approach. We should look at both the past and the present. We need to not only listen to what they say, but also look at what they do. If we do not keep pace with the times, but stick to fixed mindset and ignore the development of the situation, we will never reach a conclusion that is in line with reality. In fact, the rapid evolution of the situation in Afghanistan also reveals how the outside world lacked objective judgment on the local situation and accurate understanding of the public opinion there. In this respect, some western countries in particular should learn some lessons.

Phoenix TV: The Japanese Liberal Democratic Party plans to have a "2+2" high-level dialogue with the Democratic Progressive Party in Taiwan through the inter-party communication channel, instead of an inter-governmental dialogue. Do you have any comment?

Hua Chunying: I noted relevant reports. Taiwan is part of China. The Chinese side firmly opposes all forms of official interactions between Taiwan and countries having diplomatic ties with China.

The Taiwan question concerns the political foundation of China-Japan relations. On the Taiwan question, the Japanese side bears historical responsibilities to the Chinese people for its past crimes and should especially be prudent with its words and actions. We seriously urge Japan to review its considerations, avoid interfering in China's domestic affairs in any form, and refrain from sending wrong signals to "Taiwan independence" forces in any form.

CGTN: Some US media and personnel said that China is laughing at the US as it embarrassingly fled from Afghanistan. Do you have any response?

Hua Chunying: Isn't this a laughing stock in itself?

It is not difficult to understand that there are such views in the US. Instead of looking for causes from within so as to get to the root of the problems, the US habitually takes every opportunity to shift blames onto others whenever it encounters problems.

As to whether the US' Afghanistan policy is a failure and whether US allies still think it is reliable and credible, people have their fair judgement.

Phoenix TV: The US government announced it will will impose a 40% capacity limit on Chinese airlines flying into the US, after the Chinese government required a US airline to reduce its passenger capacity following a circuit breaker arrangement. Do you have any comment?

Hua Chunying: Five passengers aboard United Airlines flight UA857, which entered China on July 22, tested COVID-19 positive. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), in accordance with the circuit breaker measures concerning scheduled international passenger flights and based on the choice of the airline, imposed a 4-week passenger load factor (PLF) limit of no higher than 40% on flight UA857's operation starting from August 9.

The measures of circuit breaker or limiting PLF operation are an important step to reduce the risk of cross-border spread of the epidemic. The measures, which are open and fair, apply equally to both Chinese and foreign airlines. When it comes to flights operating between China and the United States, circuit breakers have been triggered by Chinese airlines like Air China and China Eastern Airlines. As for the airlines that do not meet the conditions to trigger circuit breaker, China has never applied relevant measures on them. Therefore, this US decision to restrict the passenger load factor of Chinese flights to the US is unjustified. What the US did is very unreasonable.

Going forward, China will continue to implement all epidemic prevention and control measures, including circuit breakers, to prevent as much as possible the spread of the epidemic.
The Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage for the second flight of NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket arrived in Florida on July 28 for the final phase of production.

The stage and its single RL10 engine provide the in-space propulsion needed to send NASA's Orion spacecraft and its crew on a precise trajectory to the Moon for Artemis II, the first crewed mission of NASA's Artemis lunar missions. It is the first piece of the rocket for the Artemis II flight to arrive in Florida.

Boeing and United Launch Alliance, the contractor team for the stage, shipped the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage from ULA's facilities in Decatur, Alabama, to its Delta IV Operation Center at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The stage will undergo final processing and checkout before it is transported to NASA's Kennedy Space Center for launch preparations.

With Artemis, NASA will land the first woman and the first person of color on the lunar surface and establish long-term exploration at the Moon in preparation for human missions to Mars. SLS and NASA's Orion spacecraft, along with the commercial human landing system and the Gateway in orbit around the Moon, are NASA's backbone for deep space exploration. SLS is the only rocket that can send Orion, astronauts, and supplies to the Moon in a single mission.



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Redigging the Wells of Revival

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NEWS PROVIDED BYAug. 19, 2021LOS ANGELES, Aug. 19, 2021 / Standard Newswire / -- The mission for 'Redigging the Wells of Revival' is to have solemn assemblies to pray and fast for revival in the nations of the world. Here in the US, we are envisioning all fifty states to have fasting & prayer gatherings at sites of revivals. All the gatherings will be on Saturday, September 11th, 2021. This is a 9/11 moment for the nations of the world and for the church. This is the first time after World War II that all the nations of the world have been crippled by a global crisis and are desperate to overcome it. There is so much fear in the hearts of the people. This is the time, the Church (Ecclesia) should seize this moment and intercede for revival. We are partnering with various national and global prayer ministries like The Return, 10 days, Harvest prayer ministries and many other prayer networks and ministries.'Redigging the Wells of Revival' gathering in Los Angeles is hosted by The Potter's Ministries based in San Jose, CA, on September 11th to fast & pray from 9 am PST to 6 pm PST. The mighty man of God, Lou Engle from Lou Engle Ministries will be our guest speaker who will be joining us via video on that day. We welcome all pastors, all leaders and intercessors from the local churches and ministries in and around Los Angeles area to participate in this strategic prayer initiative. We invite you to register TODAY to attend this significant gathering. Here is the link for information and registration www.wellsofrevival.us This God given vision is based on Genesis 26:18 where Isaac dug again the wells that were dug during the days of his father Abraham. The California gathering will be at the site of Azusa Revival in Los Angeles. For more information on global sites that are hosting this gathering and a complete list of prayer leaders for this year's gathering in Los Angeles, CA could be found at www.wellsofrevival.us We thank God for our media partners GOD TV ( godtv.com ) and Global Net TV ( globalnettv.org ) who will be broadcasting the event globally on their digital platform."Our only solution to the crisis that America and the nations face is a transforming revival" said pastor Cyril Rayan who is the co-founder of The Potter's Ministries and the Blessing church in San Jose, CA. His wife, Pastor Jemima Rayan, said that "Our churches need to become houses of prayer for all nations."David Andrade, from Global Net TV ( globalnettv.org ) said that as Isaac dug again the wells that Abraham had dug, we must become the Isaacs of this generation to redig wells of revival.Would you be that Isaac who is willing to dig the wells of revival?For more information on The Potter's Ministries please visit www.pottersministries.org . To book interviews and find out more about "Redigging the wells of Revival" contact cyril@pottersministries.org or text him at (408) 568- 2597. May God richly bless you!SOURCE The Potter's MinistriesCONTACT: Cyril Rayan, 408-568-2597, cyril@pottersministries.org
The Ministry of Investment of Saudi Arabia (MISA) said that more foreign investor licenses were issued during the first quarter (Q1) of 2021 than during any previous quarter since Saudi records began in 2005, as the Kingdoms investment recovery accelerates.



The issuance of 478 new licenses breaks the previous record, set as recently as Q4 2020, and marks a 2.6% quarterly increase.



The first quarter of 2021 also recorded the fourth consecutive increase in the number of new foreign investment projects since the peak of the pandemic in Q2 2020, indicating a continued rebound in FDI.



As the G20 nation seeks to diversify its economy, the latest figures also show that 114 new licenses issued in Q1 2021 were for the manufacturing sector. Data from the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources show that $4.7 billion worth of industrial investments were made in the first quarter of 2021, more than four times higher than the same quarter in 2020.



The retail and e-commerce (78 licenses), construction (78 licenses), professional and scientific (62 licenses) and ICT (41 licenses) sectors also accounted for a significant proportion of growth.



Following a 2018 reform in the Kingdom that allowed for a first time the 100% foreign ownership of companies, 59% of new investment projects in Q1 2021 were full foreign ownership, with the remainder being joint ventures with local investors.



The figures were revealed in MISAs Spring 2021 Investment Highlights report, which outlines the developments and pro-business reforms ongoing across the Saudi investment environment. Reforms profiled include Shareek, part of a $7.2 trillion investment program designed to provide solid support for the Saudi economy via financial, monetary, and regulatory means, as well as through asset investment over the next 10 years.



As well as the Made in Saudi program to strengthen the private sectors resilience and contribution to GDP, and the Private Sector Participation Law to accelerate private sector participation in infrastructure projects and the privatization of public sector assets.



Khalid Al Falih, Minister of Investment of Saudi Arabia, said: These latest figures show that, despite the ongoing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the global economy, foreign investors continue to have great confidence in Saudi Arabias historic transformation journey under the guidance of Vision 2030.



Despite common global challenges, more and more investors are starting businesses in the Kingdom, FDI inflow into Saudi Arabia is at its highest level since 2016 when Vision 2030 was launched, and global interest in Saudi financial assets traded on our Tadawul stock exchange continues to grow.



Our goals are ambitious, but we are making progress at an accelerated pace to make it easier and quicker for international businesses of all sizes to access opportunities, opening up a wide and diverse range of economic sectors. So I am particularly delighted to see such a big increase in manufacturing, evidence that investors are looking beyond oil to other Saudi sectors like construction, retail & e-commerce, professional & scientific services, and ICT, he added.



The reports findings correspond with trends indicated by UNCTADs World Investment Report 2021, published in June, which noted that FDI in Saudi Arabia remained robust, with inflows increasing to $5.5 billion and investments concentrating in financial services, retail, e-commerce and ICT.



The report also details recent progress made by Saudi Arabia to ensure that investors in its health sector are supported by appropriate regulatory frameworks for sustainable growth, digitization, and increased efficiency.



A growing, wealthy population and major government investment has led to growing demand for healthcare services and the Kingdom is aiming to grow the private sectors contribution to the healthcare market from 25% to 35% by 2030.



The Ministry of Health has already launched a project for the private sector to build and operate the 244-bed capacity Al-Ansar Hospital in Madinah with an initial investment of approximately $187 million, and a comprehensive privatization plan for the next five years will soon present investors with more detailed opportunities.  TradeArabia News Service
Top real estate developer Bloom Holding has announced the completion of its premium development, Bloom Heights, at Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC) in Dubai.

Designed in a contemporary style, it offers 686 spacious residential units ranging from studios to three-bedroom apartments, with sizes from 395 sq ft to 1,500 sq ft, in addition to a number of retail units, said the statement from the developer.

Conveniently located in the centre of JVC, it has easy access to all major roads next to Al Khail Road,

Bloom Heights features key amenities including two swimming pools, gymnasium, a multipurpose hall and six retail outlets. It also features a kids play area, a jogging track, and a landscaped area on podium level, it stated.

Bloom has received the completion certificate for the two high-rise buildings, thus paving the way for its handover.

It reinforces Bloom Holdings dedication to meeting the market demand for premium residential real estate through the development of world-class urban communities that enrich the lives of residents, it added.

"The successful delivery of the twin tower marks a great milestone achievement for Bloom Holding. As we stated before, 2021 is certainly a positive year for us," said a company spokesman.

"We have announced the handover of Bloom Towers in Dubai, the launch of Aldhay in Abu Dhabi, and now the handover of Bloom Heights," he noted.

"The handover of Bloom Heights highlights our ongoing commitment to delivering high-quality residential developments that address existing and future market needs," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Abu Dhabi Health Services Company, (Seha) said it has expanded its Mezyad Healthcare Center, which is managed by Ambulatory Healthcare Services (AHS), to include a new building for specialty clinics in efforts to meet the communitys ongoing healthcare needs.

The UAEs largest healthcare network, Seha said the new two-storey building comprises 14 rooms and provides a range of new specialty services, including cardiology, ophthalmology, ENT, orthopedics, premarital screening and counseling, and physiotherapy.

In addition, the new building is home to the recently renovated dermatology, general dentistry, orthodontic, prosthodontics, and oral surgery clinics.

AHS Acting Chief Executive Officer Dr Noura Al Ghaithi said: "We are steadfast in our commitment to ensure the community of Al Ain have access to world-class, expert care as they manage their health and treatment journeys."

"By expanding Mezyad Healthcare Center and adding specialty clinics, we are broadening our services and offerings in efforts to provide a seamless and holistic treatment journey for all those in neighboring areas.The Mezyad community and surrounding areas have witnessed significant growth in the recent years, and we look forward to the residents of these communities benefiting from the recently enhanced services," she noted.

Mezyad, which is operational 24 hours a day, provides an extensive range of services including family medicine services, such as womens health, antenatal, well child, chronic disease, pre-university screening, preventive screening, vaccination, and travel medicine stated Dr Al Ghaithi.

"The expansion of Mezyad Healthcare Center is aligned with Sehas strategy to provide specialty services throughout all communities spanning Abu Dhabi, in order to ease access to specialty care," she stated.

"Over the past few months, we have significantly expanded specialty services across the network to provide comprehensive services to our community, while ensuring we implement all precautionary measures to provide a safe patient journey," she added.
LG Electronics (LG) Home Appliance & Air Solution Company has opened a new online showroom, LG HVAC Virtual Experience.

Utilising the latest in digital technology, this interactive online showroom lets visitors get to know LGs diverse range of residential and commercial indoor environmental solutions from the comfort and safety of their homes.

The showroom delivers an intuitive, virtual experience that lets visitors view the companys latest solutions in a variety of virtual environments to learn about the benefits they provide, such as greater comfort, improved indoor air quality and seamless control, all important in helping customers make informed and important decisions for the family or employees.

Upon entering LG HVAC Virtual Experience, visitors can choose from a range of business and living space categories: Residential Apartment, Residential Villa, Office General, Office HighRise, Retail and Hotel. Customers can roam the 3D environments freely using their mouse or touchscreen. Menus offer additional information on every model, including specifications, features, product videos and case studies. Simple to use and navigate, LGs new virtual platform is a great tool for consumers, industry professionals and partners looking to create healthier and more comfortable indoor spaces.

Whats more, the virtual showroom allows visitors to see the behind-the-scenes details and technologies. Press the onscreen Airflow and Piping buttons to see how air travels in an air conditioner or air purifier and how pipes direct water and refrigerant through a system.

Virtually switch operational modes and observe how airflow changes from one air conditioner to another. Beyond the technology and science, the showroom is also a great place to check out all the products stylish designs to see how they match various virtual interiors.

LG HVAC Virtual Experience is an open, engaging online resource that will give visitors a thorough understanding of LGs latest, optimised HVAC solutions for all kinds of spaces, helping them figure out which products are best suited to their specific needs.-- TradeArabia News Service
The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc), in partnership with Fertiglobe, has sold a cargo of blue ammonia to Inpex in Japan, for use in power generation applications.

The sale builds upon the recently announced joint efforts to enhance industrial cooperation between the UAE and Japan and support the development of new UAE-Japan blue ammonia supply chains and follows the recent sale of blue ammonia cargos to Japans Itochu and Idemtisu, a WAM report said.

Adnoc and Inpex have a longstanding and trusted partnership. Inpex participates in a number of Adnocs upstream concessions, has partnered with Adnoc and Intercontinental Exchange Inc on the launch of ICE Futures Abu Dhabi, and most recently announced participation in a joint study agreement with Adnoc and other Japanese partners to explore the commercial potential of blue ammonia production in the UAE.

Fertiglobe, a 58:42 partnership between OCI and Adnoc, will produce blue ammonia at its Fertil plant in the Ruwais Industrial Complex in Abu Dhabi for delivery to Adnocs customer, Inpex, in Japan.

The shipment, which was sold at an attractive premium to grey ammonia (ammonia produced without CO2 capture and sequestration), underscores the favourable economics for blue ammonia as an emerging source of low-carbon energy.

The sale represents a further production milestone of a planned scale-up of blue ammonia production capabilities in Abu Dhabi, which is expected to include a low-cost debottlenecking programme at Fertil. In addition, it was announced in June that Fertiglobe will join Adnoc and ADQ as a partner in a new world-scale 1 million metric tonnes per annum blue ammonia project at TAZIZ in Ruwais, subject to regulatory approvals.

Ammonia can be used as a low-carbon fuel across a wide range of industrial applications, including transportation, power generation, refining and industries including steel, wastewater treatment, cement and fertiliser production. For Japan, in particular, hydrogen and its carrier fuels, such as blue ammonia, are expected to play an important role in the countrys ongoing industrial decarbonisation efforts.-- TradeArabia News Service
MDC Business Management Services (MDC BMS), a Mubadala company, has signed an agreement with Trustech Solutions to become the exclusive partner offering ReSPR technologies chemical free air and surface sanitisation solutions in Abu Dhabi.

The ReSPR solution aims to reduce up to 99.96 per cent of surface and air contaminants including viruses, bacteria, mold, fungi, and volatile organic compounds.

The solution, which is not harmful to humans, pets or plants, is intended for use in hospitals, shopping malls, hotels, warehouses, offices or homes.

CEO Nasir Al Nabhani said: "We are pleased to provide this technology, which allows our customers to maintain a sanitary environment at their venues across Abu Dhabi without using chemical sanitizers. In line with the Abu Dhabi Governments safety directives, we will leverage this innovative technology to contribute to the wellbeing of our community."

Trustech Medical Solutions Group CEO Alaa Al Ali said: "We believe this collaboration allows the parties to serve the Abu Dhabi community by improving air quality and sanitation at publically shared spaces, thus facilitating the progression towards healthier indoor environments."

It is certified by multiple American, European and international conformity and accreditation bodies, including the US Environmental Protection Agency and Europes Bureau Veritas.-TradeArabia News Service
The Port of Salalah recorded handling of 2.1 million containers as well as 8.8 million general cargo goods in the first six months of 2021, marking a steady growth in operations and logistic services, local media reported.



Despite challenges posed by Covid-19 pandemic, the port had achieved a positive growth in 2020. In fact, it made the largest volume of container handling evera record hit of 4.3 million containers, compared to 4.1 million in 2019, Mohammed Oufait al-Shanfari, Executive Manager of Salalah Port Company, was quoted as saying in an Oman News Agency (ONA) report.



Al-Shanfari pointed out that Salalah Port achieved global records in the volume of container handling and operational efficiency. The two records were quoted by the World Bank in its Container Ports Performance Index issued by the World Banks international transport organization. Salalah Port came sixth among 351 ports worldwide. The index measures the operational efficiency shown by a port when receiving container vessels and handling them.



Al-Shanfari added that Salalah Port Company is embarked on developing two products: Flexible Storage (Flex Hub) and the development of simultaneous sea and air transport via Salalah.



Flex Hub has been developed in cooperation with Maersk and support from Asyad and the Royal Oman Police (ROP) Directorate General of Customs. The aim is to cut down cargo handling time by 60% to 80%.



The second product (development of simultaneous sea and air transport via Salalah) minimizes logistics cost, the period of handling goods (that have added value or are perishable or brittle) when transporting them to markets in Europe, the United States or African states. Both products have been developed after passing the trial periods, now over.



Speaking about employment in higher and medium posts, al-Shanfari said that more than 80% of the companys staff are Omanis with advanced expertise in managing operations.
Metso Outotec will supply cutting-edge flotation technology for a major nickel producer in Western Australia as part of its concentrator modernisation.

The site is one of the largest nickel producing sites in the world. Start-up of the new flotation cells is scheduled for 2022. The order value, which is not disclosed, has been booked in Minerals Q3/2021 orders received.

Metso Outotecs delivery includes nickel rougher and cleaner flotation technology based on new and proprietary Concorde Cell flotation technology.

The Concorde Cell uses a high-pressure aerated slurry jet through a choke to force the bubbles and particles to attach. This technology was originally invented by Laureate Professor Graeme Jameson to improve ultrafine particle flotation. Metso Outotec will be launching the Concorde Cell technology this fall.

Metso Outotec is a leading provider of flotation technology. Thanks to intensive R&D efforts, we have successfully developed the new Concorde Cell flotation technology for superior performance in fine and ultrafine particle recovery. This is in response to the global industry trend towards efficient use of the Earths resources with more environmentally efficient technologies for more finely disseminated and complex orebodies, says Paul Sohlberg, Vice President, Separation business line at Metso Outotec.

The Concorde Cell technology is a part of Metso Outotecs Planet Positive portfolio.-- TradeArabia News Service
Louvre Abu Dhabi and Swiss watchmaking brand Richard Mille have revealed the jury for the inaugural edition of their contemporary art exhibition Louvre Abu Dhabi Art Here 2021 and The Richard Mille Art Prize.

Composed of four members, the jury has been drawn from diverse artistic spheres including curatorial, architectural and institutional.

The panel will first shortlist artists to participate in the upcoming exhibition, from the ongoing call for proposals, and following the launch will award a $50,000 cash prize to the recipient of The Richard Mille Art Prize, WAM reported.

The 2021 jury members are UAE Unlimited Chairman Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Chief Curator at the Musee national dart moderne, Centre Pompidou Christine Macel, lead of the Louvre Abu Dhabi project Hala Warde, and Louvre Abu Dhabis Scientific, Curatorial and Collections Management Director Dr. Souraya Noujaim.

Dr. Noujaim said: "We are happy to launch this new chapter in collaboration with Richard Mille, marking Louvre Abu Dhabis extension into contemporary art and highlighting our dedication to local artistic talent.

"For this first edition, we are privileged to have the support and expertise of our jury members, who have demonstrated their commitment to Louvre Abu Dhabi and their strong interest in the local contemporary art scene."

The artists shortlisted by the jury will showcase their work in the Louvre Abu Dhabi Art Here 2021 exhibition, from November 16, 2021 to March 27, 2022 in the museums Forum, a space of interaction and exchange dedicated to contemporary art.

From among the shortlisted artists, the jury will select the recipient of the first edition of The Richard Mille Art Prize.

For this inaugural year, UAE-based artists can submit proposals around the theme of Memory, Time and Territory, with the exhibition and prize shining the spotlight on local talent as part of the UAEs 50th National Day celebrations.

Proposals from the open call can be submitted until September 11, 2021 via the Louvre Abu Dhabi website.
ITB China, the marketplace for Chinas travel industry, has announced that Trip.com Group will be the Official Travel Service Partner for this years show, scheduled from November 24-26 in Shanghai with a virtual extension from November 8 to December 31.

Trip.com Group is one of the world's leading online travel service providers with global travel brands under its umbrella providing millions of travellers with accommodation reservation, transportation and attraction ticketing, vacation and tour packages, and corporate travel management services.

Trip.com Groups engagement at ITB China 2021 will include numerous on-site activities, sharing its market knowledge and forecasts at the conference sessions, and added networking opportunities by co-hosting the ITB China Cruise Night, set to take place on November 24.

Trip.com Group CEO Jane Sun said: It has been a while, but it is wonderful to be able to meet up with industry partners again. While the pandemic has brought global travel to a standstill, we are working at full speed toward travel recovery.

"ITB China 2021 will provide the travel industry with a trusted platform for personal encounters and successful business again. I cant wait to see you all in Shanghai!

As one of Trip.com Groups flagship events, the 2021 Asia-Pacific Corporate Travel Summit will be held concurrently to ITB China on November 24 in Shanghai to discuss development of the business travel eco-chain together with corporate customers, airlines, hotels, MICE companies, travel payment and expense management companies.

The event is also the Corporate Travel Event Partner of ITB China 2021. Senior excutives from Trip.com Group Corporate Travel will be joining the dicussions of ITB China 2021 MICE and Business Travel Conference sessions, to take place on November 25.-TradeArabia News Service
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The Taliban, having, secured a highchair on the power table of war-torn Afghanistan will be faced with a host of challenges. The foremost task will be to form an inclusive government. Although Pashtuns make for around 40-45% of the population in Afghanistan and the Taliban primarily draw strengths from this tribe  there are other ethnic and religious minorities with whom the Taliban must share power to represent all Afghans.

Mushtaque Rahamat | TwoCircles.net

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Since the withdrawal of the majority of the American and NATO forces, within a couple of weeks, the Taliban captured most of the Afghanistan provinces and districts, including the Presidential Palace, with surprising speed. No one expected the Taliban to achieve this, and everyone is still trying to understand the vanishing of Afghan armed forces and the melting away of any resistance of provincial capitals. It is remarkable how the former warlord Abdul Rasheed Dostum, who had earlier fought alongside American forces against the Taliban, fled to a neighbouring country. Similarly, Ismail Khan, the lion of Herat, surrendered to the Taliban and the son of another formidable force Abdullah Shah Masood endorsed the Taliban.

This swift sweeping of territories by the Taliban were remarkable for how bloodless these have been in most cases, although there were few reports of killings and lootings in the wake of the Taliban taking over. Taliban announced general amnesty to all those who seek not to fight and resist. There have been, remarkably, no reports of sexual harassment which are common in the aftermath of military victory in most cases, including molestation, forcible marriage or even the ill-treatment of women across Afghanistan in the areas controlled by the Taliban.

Inclusive and representative government

Taliban, having, secured a highchair on the power table will be faced with a host of challenges. The foremost task is forming an inclusive government. Although Pashtuns make for around 40-45% of the population of Afghanistan and the Taliban primarily draw strengths from this tribe  there are other ethnic and religious minorities with whom the Taliban must share power to represent all Afghans. Notably among these minorities are Tajiks, Uzbeks, Turks, Hazara, Shias and groups who do not share the same ideals of governance and belief as of Taliban.

Taliban shouldnt discount the fact that in their previous stint in power they didnt have full control of Afghanistan. A significant area of Afghanistan was under the control of the Northern Alliance, which was a staunch opponent of the Taliban. This time around, the Taliban must have a practical approach to the coalition formation by including and giving due space to all such distinctive groups. Afghans of today are still divided into the lines of tribal and ethnic identity and loyalty.

Women and children

The previous Taliban regime from 1996 to 2001 gained notoriety for denying education and working rights to women. In general, women were forced to wear the Burqa and were not allowed to venture out without a male chaperon. A strict rule of the Taliban effectively denied Afghan women access to health, education, and employment. This is especially hard for widows and poor families where every member of the household has to earn a livelihood. According to the reports of UNICEF, only 16 per cent of Afghanistans schools are girls-only and an estimated 3.7 million children are out-of-school in Afghanistan, 60% of whom are girls. Taliban must deliver fair access to education for all Afghan girls and women. Female education is not only a moral imperative but an economic necessity.

After the ousting of the Taliban in 2001 and being under the control of US and coalition forces, the Afghan government worked hard on the front of education. According to one survey conducted in 2019, out of roughly 9 million children in school in Afghanistan today, as many as 3.5 million  roughly 40 per cent  are girls. The Taliban has to make sure not only these girls continue their education, but it should grow in the future. They must understand that without education no society has ever progressed. They must take a cue from the Prophet Muhammad (PUBH) who mandated education for both men and women. The Prophet (PBUH) didnt put a ceiling on the education of women.

In the last two decades, women and children were faced with poor access to medical and health facilities owing to long-term fighting, which caused population displacement and economic hardship, loss of socioeconomic status and the shortage of female health professionals. As per WHOs report, Afghanistan has one of the highest infant and maternal mortality rates in the world. Women and children of Afghanistan have a distinctly higher burden of illness and death. It is estimated that 40% of children are underweight and more than 50% of all deaths occur among those under age five. The higher death rate in women is mainly due to the complications of childbirth.

Engaging with the international community

Over the years, the Taliban has grown to understand the fact that the world is connected and interdependent. In order for Afghanistan to flourish and to develop and bring peace and betterment to its people, it cant afford to be a hermit state or pariah country. Like any other nation, Afghans would like its leadership to engage with the world and vice-versa. In the last few months, the Taliban and its leaders have been visiting and meeting with its neighbouring countries  notably among them have been visits to Iran, China, Russia and Turkey. As the war ends, the new government will have a strong presence and influence of the Talibans ideology but that shouldnt come in the way of international relations based on mutual respect and interest. Taliban and its leaders of late have also been busy assuring the international community about their commitment to peace and their country wont be used against anyone for any illegal activity especially terrorism. After coming to power, they must deliver on these promises to gain trust and earn goodwill. At the moment, there is, among the international community, a sense of reservation about the Talibans claim, given the past experiences.

Rights of minorities

Although Afghanistan is a predominantly Muslim country with more than 99% of the population being Muslim, there is a very small presence of Bahai, Christians and others. However, Afghanistan has been marked with the intra-religious struggle between Shia and Sunnis. Taliban in the past has been accused of radicalising Sunni religion and using violence against religious minority groups. The reports of civilian casualties resulting from attacks deliberately targeting Shias and their places of worship have increased markedly since 2016. The Hazara Shia population is generally the most common victim of this ethnoreligious terrorism.

Taliban and its cohorts must ensure the rights of the minorities, including the religious and ethnic groups not only according to Islamic law (in Islam religious minority rights are protected) but also conforming to international laws and treaties. Of late, the Taliban captured territories and areas which traditionally have been populated by the ethnic and religious minorities without much struggle and there have been no reports of atrocities from those areas. So far so good, but the real test lies when the Taliban comes to power.

Economic development

Afghanistan today is a much-changed country than it was in 2001. Although there have been improvements in life expectancy, income, and literacy since then, but Afghanistan is still a poor, landlocked country which is highly dependent on foreign aid. With USD 507.10 per capita GDP, Afghanistan is among the poorest countries in the world. Most of the population still do not have access to clean water, electricity, medical care, employment and food and housing. Afghanistan is marred by very weak infrastructure, corruption, a weak or at times no governance at all.

According to the Afghan governments estimates, 42 per cent of Afghanistans total population lives below the poverty line. Also, 20 per cent of people living just above the poverty line are highly vulnerable to falling into poverty.

The new incumbents have their task cut out: to launch an inclusive and rapid economic development. The vicious cycle of decades long fight must end and give respite to ordinary Afghans who have been the biggest losers of these years of unrest. Millions have been displaced inside the country and millions took refuge in other countries.

The toppling of the Taliban government in 2001 was a chance to rebuild Afghanistan but it failed miserably. The situation to rebuild Afghanistan has presented itself again. The Taliban must grab this opportunity to rebuild Afghanistan. It is situated, at a crossroad geographically and can use its location for economic advantage. Afghanistan can be a gateway and transit for Central Asian countries to access warm water through Pakistan. Pakistan, of late, has actively been marketing its Gwadar port which is being built with the support of China. Besides, China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has got potential for Afghanistan too. Central Asian countries have since long been interested in exporting natural gas to Pakistan and India through Afghanistan. But were withheld because of instability and fighting in Afghanistan. Its other neighbour Iran and China present one of the biggest markets and economic superpowers. An economic prudent policy may yield more than the desired result in the short and medium-term.

According to the report published by Ahmad Shah Katawazwai in The Diplomat (February 01, 2020) Afghanistan has vast reserves of gold, platinum, silver, copper, iron, chromite, lithium, uranium, and aluminium. The countrys high-quality emeralds, rubies, sapphires, turquoise, and lapis lazuli have long charmed the gemstone market. The United States Geological Survey (USGS), through its extensive scientific research of minerals, concluded that Afghanistan may hold 60 million metric tons of copper, 2.2 billion tons of iron ore, 1.4 million tons of rare earth elements (REEs) such as lanthanum, cerium, neodymium, and veins of aluminium, gold, silver, zinc, mercury, and lithium. According to Pentagon officials, their initial analysis at one location in Ghazni province showed the potential for lithium deposits as large as those of Bolivia, which has the worlds largest known lithium reserves. The USGS estimates the Khanneshin deposits in Helmand province will yield 1.1.-1.4 million metric tons of REEs. Some reports estimate Afghanistan REE resources are among the largest on earth.

Taliban have proved themselves on the battlefield. We are yet to see how they perform in the field of economics.

Terror and non-state actors

Afghanistan since the last couple of decades has been the hotbed of terror activities of various denominations. Its form, definition and size have kept on changing from anti-Soviets to Mujahedeen to Al Qaeda to ISIS. The world is a changed place, the rise of China and the shrinking of Europe and the USA from the world stage have changed geopolitics dynamics. Therefore, this has increased the appetite for any terror and acts of violence by the non-stage actors against any community and country. The theory of pre-emptive strikes has pushed the world to the danger of unintended and unwanted war with unknown consequences.

Afghanistan having emerged from four decades of war, it can, no longer, afford to get embroiled in any kind of conflict either internally, externally with or without its consent and accord. Earlier, Afghanistan gave protection to Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden and his band of bloodthirsty zealots, which brought no good to Afghanistan except thousands of dead bodies, widows and orphans and leaving thousands injured. The stubbornness of the Taliban at that time cost Afghanistan a lot and they were pushed into war and poverty.

This time around, the Taliban must make sure not to allow any terror activities to take place against anyone within the country or outside its border.

Lately, the Taliban has committed itself to not allow Al Qaeda, ISIS or any other terror organization to operate from the soil of Afghanistan.

The world will wait & see and hope there is no repeat of 2001.

From armed struggle to unarmed living

According to one estimate, the Taliban has some 80,000 fighters in its ranks. This number may be much higher if all its sympathisers and part-time fighters are also taken into account. For decades, these fighters have not experienced life without rifles hung from their shoulders. They do not know what ordinary life looks like. The majority of these fighters would have been kids in 2001. In the armed struggle, life has different meanings, and daily affairs of life are conducted much different from that of civilian life. For this reason, the Taliban will have the biggest challenge to channelize this energy, urge and habits of its battle-hardened fighter to lead a life without a rifle, to adjust to the humdrum of daily boring life. Some of these, certainly, will be conscripted in the army, employed in police and civil defence but a large number will find no use of their fighting skill in civil life. This may lead, if not handled properly, to despondency, discontentment and could ignite a rebellion.

According to one Pew research, 27% of American war veterans say re-entry into civilian life was difficult for thema proportion that swells to 44% among veterans who served in the ten years since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. There will be no surprise if similar numbers of decommissioned Taliban fighters have the same difficulty and some of them relapse into another armed struggle but this time against their own people. This is a real challenge hitherto unmet by any of the fighter groups in Afghanistan.
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President Xi Jinping delivers a keynote speech via video at the opening ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference 2021, on April 20, 2021. [Photo/Xinhua]

BEIJING, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said Wednesday that China stands ready to work with Iran to push for steady and sustained development of their comprehensive strategic partnership.

He made the remarks in a phone conversation with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.

Xi pointed out that since the establishment of China-Iran diplomatic ties 50 years ago, bilateral relations have stood the test of international changes, with the friendship between the people of the two countries growing ever stronger.

In the face of a complicated situation that combines profound global changes and a pandemic both unseen in a century, China and Iran have stood together and helped each other, Xi noted.

While working together against COVID-19, the two countries have strengthened solidarity and coordination, made positive progress in practical cooperation, effectively cemented strategic mutual trust, and firmly defended international fairness and justice, he said.

China appreciates Iran's active efforts to develop bilateral relations, Xi said, stressing that no matter how the international and regional situation changes, China will unswervingly develop friendly relations with Iran.

The two sides, he suggested, should continue to support each other on issues related to their core interests and major concerns.

China firmly supports Iran in safeguarding its sovereignty and national dignity, and opposes external interference, he said, adding that China is willing to work with Iran to enhance experience sharing on state governance, strengthen cooperation in pandemic response, advance their respective development, and promote the people's well-being in both countries.

The plan for China-Iran comprehensive cooperation has opened up broader prospects for deepening bilateral win-win cooperation, Xi said, adding that the two sides should tap deeply into their potential, actively promote Belt and Road cooperation, and produce more results in practical cooperation.

China, Xi said, supports Iran's legitimate concerns on the comprehensive agreement on the Iranian nuclear issue, and stands ready to strengthen coordination and cooperation with Iran on regional affairs, so as to jointly safeguard common interests and promote regional security and stability.

For his part, Raisi expressed warm congratulations on the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Iran and China.

It is a foreign policy priority and focus of the Iranian government to steadfastly develop a more robust comprehensive strategic partnership with China, he said.

The Iranian side, he said, thanks China for providing Iran with valuable support to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, appreciates China's fair positions on international and regional affairs, including the Iranian nuclear issue.

Iran stands ready to work with China to intensify strategic communication, enhance strategic mutual trust, deepen bilateral cooperation and multilateral coordination, and jointly oppose unilateralism, hegemonism and external interference, Raisi added.

The Iranian side firmly supports China's positions on issues concerning Taiwan, Xinjiang and Hong Kong, and staunchly opposes certain countries using the issue of COVID-19 origins tracing as a pretext to suppress and contain China, he said.

China's Belt and Road Initiative brims with strategic vision, and Iran is willing to actively participate in it, he added.
-- China's Tibet Autonomous Region is celebrating the 70th anniversary of peaceful liberation -- a turning point in the region's history -- as it starts a new journey of modernization after decades of leapfrog development.

-- In just a few decades, the Communist Party of China has united and led the people of all ethnic groups in Tibet to make unprecedented historical achievements.

-- Efforts must be made to build a new, modern, socialist Tibet that is united, prosperous, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful, Xi Jinping has said.

by Xinhua writers Shen Hongbing, Zhang Jingpin, Liu Xinyong, Xia Xiao

LHASA, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- China's Tibet Autonomous Region is celebrating the 70th anniversary of peaceful liberation -- a turning point in the region's history -- as it starts a new journey of modernization after decades of leapfrog development.

With the peaceful liberation in 1951, the people of Tibet broke free from the fetters of invading imperialism for good, and embarked on a bright road of unity, progress and development.

In late July, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visited the region to extend congratulations on the occasion, the first time in the history of the Party and the country.

"It has been proved that without the CPC, there would have been neither New China nor new Tibet," Xi said during the visit. "The CPC Central Committee's guidelines and policies concerning Tibet work are completely correct."

Decorations for the Spring Festival and the Tibetan New Year are seen in front of the Potala Palace in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, Feb. 8, 2021. (Xinhua/Chogo)

HISTORIC CHANGES

Thubten Gyaltsen, 81, clearly remembers his miserable days in old Tibet and has witnessed the great transformation of the region.

"My parents were serfs and we could barely fill our stomach," he said.

In old Tibet, the three major stakeholders -- officials, aristocrats and higher-ranking lamas -- and their agents, made up about 5 percent of the population but owned almost all of the land and most of the livestock. Serfs and slaves had no means of production or freedom of their own and were subjected to exploitation and oppression.

In 1959, democratic reform was launched and feudal serfdom was finally abolished in Tibet. A million serfs and slaves were emancipated.

Now, Thubten Gyaltsen and his family live in a two-story house with 13 rooms and a garage in the city of Xigaze. Five in his family of six enjoy wages or pension.

"Our lives couldn't be happier, and we are experiencing a totally different world compared with the old days," Thubten Gyaltsen said.

Nijia (1st L) and his family members pose for a photo in front of their house at the Rongma relocation settlement, a local poverty alleviation project, in Gurum Township of Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, April 2, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhan Yan)

Over the past 70 years, the central government has introduced many favorable policies for the region, covering tax and finance, infrastructure, industrial development, education, health, cultural preservation and environmental protection.

Since 1978, the CPC Central Committee has held seven national meetings on Tibet to adopt major decisions and plans for the region.

"We must make improving people's livelihoods and rallying public support the starting points and ultimate goals for economic and social development," said Xi at the seventh Central Symposium on Tibet Work in August 2020.

In 2020, the regional GDP exceeded 190 billion yuan (about 29.3 billion U.S. dollars). The per capita disposable income of rural residents in the region was 14,598 yuan, representing double-digit growth for the past 18 years, while that of urban residents came in at 41,156 yuan.

By the end of 2019, all registered poor residents in Tibet had shaken off poverty, marking the elimination of absolute poverty in the region for the first time in history.

In just a few decades, the CPC has united and led the people of all ethnic groups in Tibet to make unprecedented historical achievements. Tibet has progressed "from darkness to light, from backwardness to progress, from poverty to prosperity, from autocracy to democracy, from closure to opening up," said an editorial on Tibet slated to be published on the People's Daily on Thursday.

The social system in Tibet has achieved a historic leap, the economy and society have made all-round development, people's lives have been greatly improved, and the urban and rural areas are not what they used to be, the article added.

A Fuxing bullet train runs on the Lhasa-Nyingchi railway in Nyingchi, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, June 16, 2021. (Xinhua/Chogo)

EN ROUTE TO MODERNIZATION

Efforts must be made to build a new, modern, socialist Tibet that is united, prosperous, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful, Xi has said.

In the new era, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi at the core and with the vigorous support of the whole country, Tibet has eradicated absolute poverty and achieved moderate prosperity in all aspects. People in the region enjoy a stable social environment, economic and cultural prosperity, a sound eco-environment, and lead better lives.

Tibet has also been increasing the level of specialization in production and boosting production efficiency. The comprehensive mechanization rate for growing staple crops has reached 65 percent. The region has established a comprehensive transport network of highways, railways, air routes and pipelines.

Stretching 1,956 km from Xining, capital of Qinghai Province, to Tibet's regional capital Lhasa, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway linking Tibet with the rest of the country opened in 2006. The Lhasa-Nyingchi railway, the region's first electrified railway, started official operation in June this year, with advanced Fuxing bullet trains running on it.

From 1951 to 2020, the central government invested 224 billion yuan in Tibet's education sector. The region now has a modern educational system that includes preschool, primary and middle schools, higher education institutions, as well as vocational and technical schools.

During his inspection tour in Tibet last month, Xi said people of all ethnic groups had jointly contributed to the development of Tibet and written the history of Tibet.

Students learn tailoring at a vocational school in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, Nov. 23, 2020. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorje)

The continuous pairing-up support programs in Tibet from the rest of the country have facilitated Tibet's new industrialization, IT application, urbanization and agricultural modernization over the past few decades.

Zhang Honglin, who works with a leading egg producer in central China's Hubei Province, is playing his role in promoting agricultural modernization in Tibet. Last year, he set up a large egg production company in Shannan City of the region.

Zhang said that his company has brought advanced technology, equipment, management methods and experience to help the industry become competitive and maintain high-quality development. "We have also made many improvements based on Tibet's special plateau climate environment."

"Practice has fully proved that Tibet can enjoy a prosperous present and a bright future only by unswervingly upholding CPC leadership, socialism with Chinese characteristics, and the system of regional ethnic autonomy," said Zhuang Yan, deputy Party chief of the autonomous region.
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The Israeli premier received the Egyptian intelligence chief and announces an upcoming meeting. From the situation in the Strip to the Palestinian Territories, Egypt has a key role in the region. On August 26, Bennett will be at the White House for a face-to-face meeting with Biden. Afghanistan and the Iranian "threat" on the agenda.

Jerusalem (AsiaNews/Agencies) - Strategic bilateral relations, security, Egypt's role as mediator in the Gaza Strip and a formal invitation for an upcoming visit to Cairo by the head of the Israeli government. These are the issues at the center of the meeting, which took place yesterday in Jerusalem, between the head of Egyptian intelligence Abbas Kamel and the Prime Minister of the Jewish State Naftali Bennett, which was followed by a face to face with the Minister of Defense Benny Gantz.

Bennett's trip to Egypt was the first in over a decade by an Israeli prime minister: the last one dates back to 2011, with the meeting between Benjamin Netanyahu and Hosni Mubarak in the tourist resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

Bennett's visit to Cairo should take place "within the next few weeks" and seal the promise of a meeting between the parties occurred during the first telephone talks with President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, the day after the swearing in of the government. The mediation of Egypt has proved fundamental in May, to resolve the crisis in Gaza where a bloody lightening war was fought between Hamas and the Israeli army that caused hundreds of victims, including civilians.

Sources close to the talks deny a discussion on the possible entry of Qatari funds in the Strip, worth hundreds of thousands of dollars and essential to revive an economy in the doldrums. Kamel also made a stop in Ramallah, in the West Bank, for talks with Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas focused on the "development" of the territories and a "strengthening of bilateral relations" with a view to peace and security.

The visit of the Egyptian intelligence chief comes two days after the launching of rockets from Gaza to Sderot, which have raised fears of a new escalation of violence in the area. Behind the attack there would be the hand of Islamic Jihad active in the Strip; at the moment, Israel has not responded with a military operation, keeping instead open the channel of dialogue with Hamas.

Still on the diplomatic side, in the last few hours it has been made official the next two-day visit, scheduled for August 26, of Prime Minister Bennett to the United States, where he will be received by US President Joe Biden. At the center of the talks the Iranian issue and the latest news coming from Afghanistan, with the taking of Kabul by the Taliban and the hasty flight of the government in office after the withdrawal of U.S. troops.

According to a note released by White House press secretary Jen Psaki, the goal of the meeting is to "strengthen the partnership between the United States and Israel" already consolidated by the "deep bonds between our governments and our peoples," combined with Washington's "unwavering" commitment "to Israeli security." The spokesman added that diplomatic efforts to achieve peace with the Palestinians will also be on the agenda.
by Sumon Corraya

In Bangladesh several militant Islamist groups had participated in the fight against the Soviets in Afghanistan, now in Kabul history is likely to repeat itself. Human rights activists lobby for non-recognition of the Taliban government. Foreign Minister: we will not accept refugees, we already host one million Rohingya.

Dhaka (AsiaNews) - The reconquest of Afghanistan by the Taliban is worrying neighbouring nations. In the nineties, several militant Islamist groups (known by the names of Jamaat-ul Mujahideen Bangladesh and Ansarul Islam) had sprung up in Bangladesh, joining the war against the Soviet occupation and reporting to al-Qaeda. History is now in danger of repeating itself: according to some sources, in recent days several people from Bangladesh have joined the Taliban.

For Shafqat Munir, head of the Bangladesh Centre for Terrorism Research and a researcher at the Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies, the Taliban's assurance of preventing foreign fighters from entering Afghanistan must be taken with a grain of salt. "There are other terrorist groups in Afghanistan, such as ISIS [or ISKP, which stands for Islamic State Khorasan Province]. There is a possibility of a resurgence of al Qaeda, but at the moment we have no data," he told local media.

For some extremists, the prospect of going to fight in Afghanistan could be attractive. Or a new militant group could be born in Bangladesh itself. "Many Islamists here now feel inspired by the Taliban's victory," commented former army officer Shakhawat Hossain. The jubilation was shared on social media and many expressed concern.

The Ekattorer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee (a historic protest movement born to demand that Bangladeshi war criminals be tried) is among them: "It is alarming to see on social media the joy of some Muslims for the reconquest of Kabul," said Shahriar Kabir, president of the Committee. "We call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who has shown zero tolerance for militancy and terrorist activity in the country, not to recognize the new Taliban government."

A member of the committee, Mithusilak Murmu, reiterated the same sentiment to AsiaNews, "We don't want to see any terrorist heading any government. If Bangladesh were to recognize the Taliban, the extremists will feel legitimized to create an Islamist country here as well."

Foreign Minister Abdul Momen said Bangladesh will continue to be vigilant about terrorists trained in Afghanistan, even though some of them have already been "identified and removed." He added that Bangladesh has rejected the U.S. request to take in refugees from Afghanistan because the country is already hosting over a million Rohingya. Instead, Dhaka is ready to recognize any government supported by the Afghan people, Momen concluded.
by Alessandra De Poli

The young MEP missionary edits Khmer-language Wikipedia. Speaking to AsiaNews, he talked about the challenges and joys of evangelisation via culture. The online encyclopaedia "is not a tool for proselytising, but a public agora to seek the truth.

Phnom Penh (AsiaNews)  Wikipedia is like a public agora for the search for truth. This is how Fr Guillaume Conquer sees the most famous online encyclopaedia. For him, the mission relies on it as well.

Fr Will, as everyone calls him, has been in Cambodia for almost two years. The young missionary with the Missions Etrangeres de Paris (MEP) was ordained a priest in the Archdiocese of Monaco and then left for the Apostolic Vicariate of Phnom Penh.

Now he finds himself literally immersed in the mission, amid the rice fields of the tiny village of Chom Lak at the head of a small congregation. At the same time, he has edited Wikipedia since 2008, and on Tuesday, he held a Wikimania seminar with 15 participants.

Organised and funded by the Wikimedia Foundation, Wikimania is an annual conference that celebrates access to free knowledge through volunteers around the world. This year however, due to the pandemic, the event was held online rather than in Bangkok. For his part, Fr Will organised one in Cambodia, where people did meet.

Khmer Wikipedia was created 15 years ago, but since 2016 there have been fewer writers, he told AsiaNews. It's up to the new generations to pick up the baton. His goal is to double the number of Cambodian-language (Khmer) articles by next year. At present, there are more than 8,000 articles; by comparison, those in English exceed 6.3 million.

A cross-section of people took part in Fr Wills Wikimania, especially young students, but also a Korean entrepreneur, a Cambodian who works for a German cultural institute, an Australian who organises cultural events, and a 60-year-old man who was "the first Cambodian to earn a doctorate in archaeology in Germany. He came with his grandson, who listened in silence all the time, Fr Will said.

The COVID situation in Cambodia is far better than in Thailand, Vietnam or Myanmar. There has been no confinement, but schools have been closed for more than a year. Many students have dropped out. When I saw girls who had told me they wanted to study, they were pregnant.

What has the mission to do with Wikipedia? For Fr Will, this goes back to a long French missionary tradition.

"In the 19th century, scholars were interested in Pali and Sanskrit languages, which are Asias equivalent to our Latin, he explained. Back then, Cambodian was a spoken vernacular.

Missionaries wrote the first French-Khmer dictionaries and some were so accurate that they are still in use today", the missionary explained. "My work at Wikipedia is the same. It's a huge but lively task."

Where can we find the mission in dictionaries? It is the Incarnation of the Word. The knowledge that becomes flesh. But, as the 32-year-old missionary is keen to point out, Wikipedia is not the right tool for proselytising. Its success lies in its neutral point of view. It's a space for knowledge, not preaching. This is still a big challenge.

I wrote the article on Thomas Aquinas. But how can one make Cambodians understand that he revolutionised philosophy? It's not easy. There are many other challenges, linguistic ones, even for pere Will.

"Here in the village everyone treats me with respect, but when I leave it, people don't know how to relate to me. Whats a priest to a Buddhist? Where does the Church fit in a country with such a rich history? Sometimes it is difficult to translate even Christianitys basic concepts.

There are the material challenges as well. Most people do not own a computer. For this reason, we only have a dozen contributors even though we have three million visits a month.

The data of those who access the Cambodian pages of Wikipedia offer Fr Will great insights.

I see how old they are and what they read. Cambodians are interested in their history, in their politicians. Everyone uses their mobile phones, but there are no computer courses in schools."

The pandemic comes with its own challenges as well, such as a high dropout rate, and the fear of government restrictions.

During the four-year Khmer Rouge communist regime, schools were closed. People are afraid the same could happen or that the government will not tell the truth about the number of deaths from COVID-19".

Finally, there are the economic challenges. Since the Cambodian government requires at least two weeks of quarantine for anyone entering the country, there are no more tourists.

Everyone who worked in the sector is out of work, and there are a lot of them. Companies have laid off employees out of necessity. But there are also some signs of hope.

Large-scale events have been banned, but we are still holding Mass, Fr Will said. In my parish I have 20 people; in Cambodia, thats the size of a single household!

Yet, there have never been so many Christians in the country, in every province. It is a unique moment for the Church. We are conscious that we are living in a privileged situation.
by Vladimir Rozanskij

Moscow patriarch forced to cancel traditional summer visit to monastery that was turned into a lager by the Soviets. Bishop Porfirij a few weeks ago had caused embarrassment for a no-vax sermon.

Moscow (AsiaNews) - Patriarch Kirill (Gundjaev) of Moscow has cancelled the traditional summer visit to the historic monastery of the Savior of the Transfiguration on the Solovki islands, in the great Russian north beyond the Arctic Circle.

Since the monastery is difficult to reach in other seasons, the patriarch used to go there for the feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God, which is celebrated on August 19 according to the Julian calendar of the Orthodox Church. Those days also commemorate the founders of the monastery, Saints Zosima and Savvatij (August 21) and the "Council of Solovki Saints" (August 22).

The patriarchal visit was suspended, according to the official communique, because of the coronavirus infection of the Hygumen of the monastery, Bishop Porfirij (Sutov), who also bears the title of patriarchal vicar, and "the possible spread of the virus in the community of monks."

The Patriarch, therefore, "with sorrow was forced to cancel the visit that had been planned for so long". The tone of the statement does not hide Kirill's deep disappointment with his vicar Porfirij, one of the most vocal anti-Covid and no-vax deniers among Orthodox hierarchs.

The Hygumen-bishop has been in isolation in his monastery rooms since August 14 due to a non-serious form of viral infection. The patriarch himself has been living in isolation since the first lockdown in 2020 in Peredelkino, on the outskirts of Moscow, with the fear of contagion, going out very rarely for particularly significant meetings.

Porfirij is the superior of the Solovki since 2009, and he is also the director of the historical-architectural and naturalistic museum linked to the monastery.

The Solovki Monastery is situated on a small archipelago in the White Sea and has been through all the great events of Russia from the period of liberation from the Tatar yoke in the 15th century to the tragedy of the Soviet years, when it was transformed into a lager for bishops and priests. Many Orthodox and Catholic martyrs have died here, from the theologian Pavel Florenskij to the Greek-Catholic exarch Leonid Fedorov.

Even the particular flora and fauna of the archipelago is the object of keen interest on the part of visitors, who reach the islands by boat and helicopter in the summer.

Bishop Porfirij has been in charge since Kirill's election as patriarch, and he has always interpreted his projects. For example, to remove the Solovki from the activity of the various historical-cultural associations such as the Memorial, the center for the memory of martyrs and those persecuted by the Soviet regime, to make it an "exemplary" center of Russian Orthodoxy, open only to the true believers and pilgrims.

Kirill's visit was supposed to represent in some way the rebirth of the Church and of the faith after the long months of the pandemic, in the place-symbol of the religious rebirth of the last thirty years.

Porfirij, however, had aroused much resonance a few weeks ago, with a heated sermon against the vaccination campaign, which in his opinion is aimed at changing the genetic code of people and deprive them of the divine image received with the creation.

The patriarch had forced the Hygumen to publicly apologize for his out-of-control statements. By falling ill, he further attracted the ire not only of Kirill, but also of President Vladimir Putin, himself obsessed with the danger of infection and very dissatisfied with the denialist excesses of the Orthodox clergy.
Students began their school year in Palm Beach County on Aug. 10 with a parental opt-out policy that allowed more than 10,000 children to attend classes without masks. The board reversed course after seeing the numbers: After just one week, 734 students and 112 employees had confirmed infections, and more than 1,700 students had been sent home home, Interim Superintendent Michael Burke said.
In the defenses sentencing memorandum, Reeder claimed he was a registered Democrat who did not support former president Donald Trump. According to the documents, he attended the rally because he had nothing better to do and intended to visit several monuments when he heard that people were going to the Capitol. The documents further state that he did not know he was not allowed to enter the Capitol.
I need to get the lay of the land, because things can change from year to year, said Adolph, whose interest in photography began with his first encounter with the eagles at Conowingo. Im really into this; its somewhat of an addiction. You want to get that perfect shot, and when you do, you want to get the next one, too. Eagles are iconic animals  big, bold and with beautiful colorings. And the patriotic aspect is attractive to most people.
The standoff was resolved peacefully after roughly five hours of negotiations, ending when Roseberry crawled out of the truck and was taken into police custody. But even in a city with a long history of dramatic law enforcement encounters outside federal landmarks, this episode was notable for its timing  Washington remains on edge eight months after the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol  and for the way the suspect harnessed social media to draw attention to his actions in the hours before his arrest.
President Biden had the courage to acknowledge the inevitable and finalize what Barack Obama began in 2014 and Donald Trump agreed to in 2020. While the final pullout could have been handled better, the end result would not have changed. The ability of the Taliban to take over the entire country in 11 days demonstrated the inability of the government and military to defend the country despite 20 years of American training and massive financial support.
It seems that many citizens believe that their personal rights are more important than those of the rest of us. Lets not forget that the founders of this country believed in personal responsibility for the common good as well as our rights. The idea of personal rights has been expanded but folks have forgotten that rights require responsibilities as well.
In this July 23 file photo, J. Thomas Manger, left, a veteran police chief of departments in the Washington, D.C., region, is welcomed by interim acting Capitol Police chief Yogananda Pittman, to the Capitol as he takes over the U.S. Capitol Police following the resignations of the previous leadership after the Jan. 6 insurrection. Pittman, the Capitol Police official who led intelligence operations when thousands of pro-Trump rioters descended Jan. 6, is back in charge of intelligence as officials prepare for whats expected to be a massive rally at the Capitol to support those who took part in the insurrection. Pittman has been put back in charge as assistant chief of the agencys intelligence operations and supervising officers who protect top congressional leaders. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)
Summary

Chapter 3 starts in 1974 as Hillary arrives at the Greenbergers. She had just left DC, and Gwen is joining her for the drive to Arkansas. On the drive Gwen warns Hillary that she is giving up so much for Bill, telling her more than any other young woman I know, you have the freedom to choose your own path (102).



Later on, Gwen asks if Hillary can imagine being first lady, of either the country or Arkansas. Hillary says she can have an impact once he is elected. Gwen asks why she would want to work behind the scenes when she does not have to. Gwen also tells Hillary that she had watched Bill flirt with a girl at their party a few years ago. Hillary is resentful that Gwen did not tell her about this before.



After Hillary graduated from Yale, she had...
Research News

Attractiveness pays off at work  but theres a trick to level the playing field

Striking a power pose  standing with feet shoulder-width apart, hands on hips, chest out and chin up  enables less attractive people to match the level of nonverbal presence that their more attractive counterparts display naturally.

By KEVIN MANNE

While good looking people have a greater sense of power and are better nonverbal communicators, their less attractive peers can level the playing field during the hiring process by adopting a powerful posture. 

Beautiful people are more likely to get hired, receive better performance evaluations and get paid more  but its not just because of their good looks, according to new research from the School of Management.

The study, forthcoming in Personnel Psychology, was recently published online. It found that while a beauty premium exists across professions, its partially because attractive people develop distinct traits as a result of how the world responds to their attractiveness. They build a greater sense of power and have more opportunities to improve nonverbal communication skills throughout their lives.

We wanted to examine whether theres an overall bias toward beauty on the job, or if attractive people excel professionally because theyre more effective communicators, says Min-Hsuan Tu, assistant professor of organization and human resources. What we found was that while good looking people have a greater sense of power and are better nonverbal communicators, their less attractive peers can level the playing field during the hiring process by adopting a powerful posture.

Researchers conducted two studies that evaluated 300 elevator pitches of participants in a mock job search. In the first study, managers determined the good looking people to be more hirable because of their more effective nonverbal presence.

In the second study, researchers asked certain participants to strike a power pose by standing with their feet shoulder-width apart, hands on hips, chest out and chin up during their pitch. With this technique, the less attractive people were able to match the level of nonverbal presence that their more attractive counterparts displayed naturally.

By adopting the physical postures associated with feelings of power and confidence, less attractive people can minimize behavioral differences in the job search, says Tu. But power posing is not the only solution  anything that can make you feel more powerful, like doing a confidence self-talk, visualizing yourself succeeding or reflecting on past accomplishments before a social evaluation situation, can also help.

Tu collaborated on the study with Elisabeth Gilbert, assistant professor of business administration at the Washington and Lee University Williams College of Commerce, Economics and Politics; and Joyce Bono, professor of management at the University of Florida Warrington College of Business.
Buffalo, WY (82834)

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Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Low near 60F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph..

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Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Low near 60F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph.
Comment Policy Calaveras Enterprise does not actively monitor comments. However, staff does read through to assess reader interest. When abusive or foul language is used or directed toward other commenters, those comments will be deleted. If a commenter continues to use such language, that person will be blocked from commenting. We wish to foster a community of communication and a sharing of ideas, and we truly value readers' input.
Already, normalcy is returning to the academy, with Parents Weekend for the plebe class taking place last weekend. The academy will also host a second Herndon Climb, this time for the class of 2023, which could not do it in 2020 because of the pandemic.
Midshipman III class Kelly Bye, right, greets classmate Siena Hall with a hug as the two are moving back into Bancroft Hall, their dormitory at the US Naval Academy for the start of the Fall semester. (Kenneth K. Lam)
Meanwhile, Haziminas is the subject of a pending civil lawsuit brought in U.S. District Court by a man who said Haziminas choke-slammed him during an arrest at a bar at Power Plant Live! in 2016. The lawsuit is pending a settlement conference, according to court records. A previous federal lawsuit against Haziminas was dismissed after the plaintiff, who said hed been beaten up by officers who stormed an eatery where he was having breakfast, failed to follow through.
The man was described as approximately 20 years old and wearing a unique black or blue hooded sweatshirt featuring what appeared to be a sharks mouth with two eyes above it, police said.
Once a students application is submitted, their community college will be informed and will submit the students academic transcript or enrollment verification form. After these items are received, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions will review the application. Students are notified via email of their MTAP admission decision about four to six weeks after the application deadline, contingent upon the enrollment verification by the community college.
Metro Crime Stoppers of Maryland has offered rewards up to $2,000 for information that leads to the arrest and charges in connection with the shooting, according to a news release. Anonymous tips can be sent to Metro Crime Stoppers by phone, online or via mobile app.
In November 2020, police responded around 7:15 p.m. to a Cold Stone Creamery on Lee Airpark Drive. The two employees reported to police that a man and a woman walked into the store but were either not wearing masks or not wearing masks appropriately and were told to leave. An employee told police the couple refused to the leave so she walked out from behind the counter to guide them out of the store. Police said the dispute escalated after Opanuga pushed one employee, leading to the pair assaulting the two employees, punching one for threatening to call the police and punching and kicking another employee after she fell to the ground.
I think that its regrettable that neither court ever ruled on the issue at hand, which was that the city had failed to follow its own charter and ordinances, by failing to change the law at the City Council level, he said. Citizens never really had an opportunity to come in and make their case before an elected body. I think thats important.
Purnell Carter Jr. distributed and received drugs from a supplier, mainly marijuana and oxycodone, and Deniko Carter delivered the product to customers around Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County and Baltimore City. Their phones were wiretapped as part of the investigation and their conversations with customers and suppliers read in court. Purnell Carter Jr. is considered a high-ranking member of the enterprise who, along with Darrius Bain, controls the groups access to drug supply, access to firearms and approve punishments against lower-ranking members, according to the indictment.
Anne Arundel County Police officials said Wednesday that the department became aware of the allegations against Taylor in February of 2020, and the agency then contacted local authorities as part of an ongoing criminal investigation. Taylor is currently suspended without pay, and his police powers have been suspended, and an internal investigation has been opened, the department said in a statement.
EPAs decision effectively removes an important tool for farmers, the company said in a statement, adding that it appears that the rationale used by the agency is inconsistent with the complete and robust database of more than 4,000 studies and reports that have examined the product in terms of health, safety and the environment.
One of the advisors to Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, Malwinder Singh Mali sparked a controversy after he claimed that Kashmir was a separate country and both India and Pakistan were illegal inhabitants.

In a tweet, Malwinder Singh Mali stated,Kashmir is a separate country and India and Pakistan are illegal occupants. It belongs to the people of Kashmir.

The post has drawn heavy criticism from various quarters, both within and outside the Congress.

Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Majithia said Malwinders tweet was an effort to insult martyrs who had given their lives fighting for India in Kashmir.

"He [Mali] said that Kashmir is the country of Kashmiris, which means Kashmir is a separate country. He also said that India and Pakistan have illegally encroached upon Kashmir. Rahul Gandhi, is this not an insult to martyrs? SAD leader said.

If he [Rahul Gandhi] endorses Mali's views, then the real face of the Congress will be exposed. If not, what action will he take against Mali? he added.

Furthermore, the SAD leader said, While Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has been accusing Pakistan of disturbing the peace in Punjab, Navjot Singh Sidhu is hugging Pakistans army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

The Bharatiya Janata Party also criticized Malwinder Singh Mali for his controversial statement and called for action against him.

BJPs Vineet Joshi asserted that Navjot Singh Sidhus appointment of Mali as his advisor points to where he was headed in political discourse.

"Many Army and allied forces personnel, besides the Jammu and Kashmir police, have sacrificed their lives to save Kashmir from Pakistan-sponsored terrorists. A number of martyrs belong to Punjab. Mali is trying to shrink the supreme sacrifices made by these martyrs," Vineet Joshi said.

Vineet Joshi also went on to call Navjot Singh Sidhu an unstable politician.

"BJP gave him a political identity. His wife was given a party ticket and then he switched his loyalties and joined Congress. The infighting within the Punjab Congress unit is the outcome of the unfulfilled political ambitions of Navjot Sidhu. He can go to any length and now he is trying to sprinkle salt on the wounds of martyrs families," Vineet Joshi stated.

BJP has also raised question on Navjot Singh Sidhus silence on the matter as well as the vandalisation of Maharaja Ranjit Singhs statue in Lahore for the third time during Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khans term..

"Sidhu has a soft corner for Pakistan. His controversial hugs with Pakistan army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa are still fresh in the minds of the people. Sidhu lives in India but his mind is somewhere else," BJP leader said.

While Sidhu has continued to ramain mum on the issue, a close aid of the Punjab chief minister and Punjab government spokesperson Raj Kumar Verka lambasted Mali for his tweet. He advised Mali not to spread hatred.

"I think the issue of Kashmir is very sensitive and one should avoid commenting on it like this. This has hurt the sentiments of the people of this country. I don't know Malwinder Mali and in what context he issued this statement but he should speak within limits. Fostering brotherhood and patriotism is good but earning hatred is bad," Congress leader Raj Kumar Verka said.

So far Malwinder Singh Mali has not responded to any criticism of his tweet.

Also Read: UP: Charge sheet filed against SP leader Azam Khan, wife, son in fraud case in Rampur
What can be trusted; what can be relied on; what stands firm no matter what? What isnt shaky and shifting below our feet? Psalm 93 gives a response to those questions about instability and
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In May, the City Council approved new zoning for the Thompson Center that would allow one of Chicagos tallest skyscrapers to replace  or be built next to  the glassy Helmut Jahn-designed post-modern building at 100 W. Randolph St., giving would-be developers an opportunity to build on the footprint of the property, while sparing the spaceship-shaped building from the wrecking ball.
Some kids might have a disorder of anxiety, and might require treatment. Signs could include triggers during normal developmental activities that most kids love. For example, separation problems with being apart from caretakers or even in a different room; social anxiety in highly sensitive and self-conscious kids who wont raise their hand at school, join groups to play or who have limited eye contact; and generalized anxiety in kids who worry about the past and future on topics like death.
And yet, at the current rate it would be difficult for the U.S. to evacuate all of the Americans and Afghans who are qualified for and seeking evacuation by Aug. 31. President Joe Biden said Wednesday he would ensure no American was left behind, even if that meant staying beyond August, an arbitrary deadline that he set weeks before the Taliban climaxed a stunning military victory by taking Kabul last weekend. It was not clear if Biden might consider extending the deadline for evacuees who arent American citizens. The president will deliver remarks on the evacuation Friday afternoon at the White House.
I needed to hear her voice, I needed to reconnect. I watched her sing and I watched her jump and I watched her little gestures with her sister and her cousins and she was filming all this by herself. She would set up her tablet and play and just let it go, Regina Broughton said. She has so much life and she was just smiling and thriving. And yes, of course, I was a bundle of tears and my eyes are swollen this mornin
Denise Huguelet was one of three passengers in one of the vehicles. She sustained life-threatening injuries after being hit by gunfire and later died at a hospital. The two other passengers, a 67-year-old woman and 67-year-old man, both of Homer Glen, were uninjured as well as the driver of the car, a 67-year-old man from Orland Park, according to a news release Wednesday night.
Squeak had a knack for knowing his audience. He was able to play music that would put a smile on peoples faces no matter their age, Johnson said. He also enjoyed family gatherings such as Thanksgiving or casual potlucks. To Squeak, the evening would be extra special if his aunt made seven-cheese macaroni.
Figueroa, of the 4300 block of West Thomas Street, had been sitting in the front seat of another vehicle when Cortes allegedly began firing at him around 9 p.m.
A tough day for our city, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said after the funeral. Weve had a lot of tough days recently. But I feel very confident that we will move forward because we must. We must because its what we know the families that are suffering want us to do. We need to stand tall and make sure that we remember all of our victims and survivors of this terrible scourge of gun violence.
It is perhaps a bit too tidy to assume the lessons from vaccines can directly be applied to fighting violent crime. The virus is full of surprises, but lets not forget it is a biological phenomenon, and the challenge is different when trying to stop people from shooting each other. A vaccine lacks knowledge and will. It does not hold grudges or follow a gang leaders orders. It has no access to handguns.
As bungled as the U.S. exit from Afghanistan has been, the Biden administration was right to pull out. To expect America to remain another year, another five years, indefinitely is wholly unrealistic  and not in U.S. national interest. At the same time, it is indeed incumbent upon America to stand up for human rights in every corner of the world. Under the Trump administration, that ideal was shoved aside, forgotten. It must be revived, and it must include the plight of women in Afghanistan.
There are a lot of folks here that want to brush off the fact that the Democrats here in Illinois, in Springfield, because of (legislative) supermajorities and because of Gov. Pritzker, they control the destiny of Republicans who are running for office statewide because theyre drawing the maps, Davis said. We have got to stop brushing aside what Democratic control has meant to fairness and has meant to fair districts here in Illinois over the last few decades.
There are going to be a lot of people probably rushing to want to get a booster again, similar to how it was at the beginning, Arwady said during an online question-and-answer session. So please take this next month, if youre not vaccinated, to get it, because I dont want people in this whole scramble.
China has seen notable progress in the excavation, utilization and protection of cultural relics since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2012, according to a report submitted for deliberation at the ongoing session of the National People's Congress Standing Committee.



China has 766,700 immovable cultural relics, 108 million pieces (sets) of state-owned movable cultural relics and 56 UNESCO World Heritage sites, such as "Quanzhou: Emporium of the World in Song-Yuan China," according to the report from the State Council, delivered by Vice Minister of Culture and Tourism Li Qun, who is also head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration.

The country has strengthened archaeological work by approving the implementation of over 7,000 archaeological excavation projects, achieving important results, says the report.

Steady progress has been made in underwater archaeology, notes the report. For instance, over 180,000 pieces (sets) of cultural relics were excavated from Nanhai (South China Sea) No. 1, a cargo ship from the Song Dynasty (960-1279) salvaged in the South China Sea in 2007.

The central government has arranged a total of 57 billion yuan (about 8.78 billion U.S. dollars) for cultural relics protection since 2012, says the report, adding that an average of over 1 billion was spent on ensuring cultural relics safety every year.

Over the years, public security organs across the country have investigated about 15,000 criminal cases involving cultural relics, detained 14,000 suspects and recovered more than 100,000 pieces of cultural relics, says the report.

It notes that fire safety inspection was carried out in museums and cultural relic buildings across the country for potential fire hazards.

Efforts were made in improving supervision over the entry and exit of cultural relics, with over 3,600 pieces of precious cultural relics protected from loss, says the report.

Progress was also achieved in the protection and utilization of revolutionary cultural relics. China has over 36,000 immovable revolutionary cultural relics, over 1 million pieces (sets) of movable revolutionary cultural relics and over 1,600 revolutionary museums and memorial halls, according to the report.

It says that over 4,000 exhibitions featuring revolutionary cultural relics were held nationwide during the 13th Five-year Plan period (2016-2020).

Next, more efforts will be made in strengthening legal protection for cultural relics, improving the system for protection and utilization of cultural relics and promoting scientific and technological innovations in the field, says the report.
Despite the pandemic and domestic economic development challenges, China's economy has sustained a steady recovery since the start of 2021, laying a solid foundation for achieving its full-year economic and social development targets, reported the country's top economic planner Wednesday.

In the first half of the year, the country's major economic indicators, including economic growth, unemployment rate and consumer price index (CPI), have met expectations, said He Lifeng, head of the National Development and Reform Commission, while delivering a report on implementation of the national economic and social development plan at the ongoing session of the National People's Congress Standing Committee.

China's gross domestic product expanded 12.7 percent year on year in the first half of 2021, and a total of 6.98 million new urban jobs were created, according to He.

The country's CPI rose 0.5 percent year on year during the January-June period, and foreign exchange reserves stood at 3.214 trillion U.S. dollars by the end of June, He added.

China's proactive fiscal policy so far this year has provided support for major strategic national tasks and contributed to the recovery of the economy as well as the improvement of people's wellbeing, said Xu Hongcai, vice minister of finance.

Yet with external shocks persisting and new challenges arising for enterprises, He stressed that greater efforts are needed to consolidate the foundation for economic recovery at home.

To keep major economic indicators within proper range, Xu said that efforts should be made to undertake cross-cyclical adjustments.

Macro-policies should focus on supporting the real economy, promoting employment, stimulating the vitalities of market entities and coping with potential cyclical risks, Xu added.
More than 1,000 domestic and overseas enterprises have registered as exhibitors for offline and virtual events at the fifth China-Arab States Expo, scheduled from Aug. 19 to 22 in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.



Expo organizers said at a press conference on Wednesday that a total of 239 companies will display their latest products and innovations at offline exhibitions covering an area of about 12,000 square meters.

The in-person events will be themed on healthcare, clean energy, new materials, the digital economy and cross-border e-commerce.

The participating enterprises will also hold a slew of online exhibitions based on technologies such as 5G, artificial intelligence, big data and cloud computing.

Morocco and the United Arab Emirates, as the guests of honor at the expo, will host online and offline events to showcase their culture and technology, said Zhang Liwei, deputy head of the Ningxia regional exposition bureau.

More than 5,000 enterprises from over 110 countries and regions attended the previous four editions of the China-Arab States Expo in Yinchuan, the regional capital of Ningxia.

On Wednesday, forums on cooperation between China and the Arab countries on tourism and water resources were also held in advance of the expo.

"We are very much interested in China-Arab cooperation and have recently initiated a proposal welcoming the establishment of a comprehensive and long-term cooperative relationship in the field of water-resources management," said Mahmoud Abu-Zeid, chairman of the Arab Water Council, at the Water Resources Forum.

Wei Shanzhong, China's vice minister of water resources, said that China and Arab countries face similar problems and challenges, and have great potential for cooperation.

He added that China is willing to work with other countries and international organizations, including Arab countries, to strengthen exchanges and cooperation on water-resources utilization.

At the China-Arab States Leisure Tourism Forum, plenty of officials from Arab states expressed their confidence in the Chinese market.

"In recent years, tourism in Arab states has developed well by tapping the Chinese market," said Dhia Khaled, Tunisian ambassador to China, stating that the Chinese market has emerged as a key tourism market for Arab countries.
Taiyuan, capital of north China's Shanxi Province, is set to host an international forum on energy and low-carbon development from Sept. 3 to Sept. 4, the provincial government said on Wednesday.

The two-day event to be held online and offline will include an opening ceremony, a roundtable interview, an online exhibition hall, and a summit of the world's top 500 new energy enterprises, said Wang Ligang, deputy director of the provincial development and reform commission.

The aim of the forum is to show achievements in energy, climate and environment, and convey that China is confident in promoting green and low-carbon development, Wang said.

About 300 guests from home and abroad will attend the event. So far, more than 70 people from embassies of 24 countries and over 50 other participants outside the Chinese mainland have confirmed their attendance.

Approved by the State Council in 2016 as a national forum featuring internationality, the forum has been held four times.
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Trial operations of Shanghai's first autonomous bus line have begun in the Lin-gang Special Area of China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone.



The 8.5-km loop line with a total of eight platforms opened to the public on Tuesday. It takes a bus 30 minutes to 40 minutes to complete the route.

The autonomous vehicles on the route were developed by CRRC Electric Vehicle Co., Ltd., and can automatically respond to traffic lights, pull over, and open and close their doors.

Testing for the bus line began in October 2020, and it obtained Shanghai's first intelligent network bus demonstration application license in July 2021.
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Photo taken on July 16, 2021 shows a screen displaying real-time information of national carbon emission trading in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province. [Photo/Xinhua]

China's national carbon market has been operating smoothly since it started trading last month, a senior official said Wednesday.

Since July, the total trading volume in the market reached 7.02 million tonnes as of Tuesday's closing, with turnover totaling 355 million yuan (about 54.69 million U.S. dollars), Minister of Ecology and Environment Huang Runqiu told a press conference.

The transaction price stood at 51.76 yuan per tonne at the closing, up from 48 yuan per tonne at the opening on the first trading day, Huang said.

A total of 2,162 power generation companies were involved in the first trading group of the market, covering 4.5 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.

Huang said more efforts will be made to optimize related rules and standards, with market regulation being ramped up.

The market will also include more heavy-emitting sectors over time, Huang added.

The national carbon market, the world's largest in terms of the amount of greenhouse gas emissions covered, was launched on July 16, marking a significant step China has taken to reduce its carbon footprint and meet emission targets.

China has announced that it will strive to peak carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.
The fifth China-Arab States Expo opened Thursday in Yinchuan, capital of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.



The four-day event will feature trade fairs and forums on digital economy, clean energy, water resource, modern agriculture, green food, cross-border e-commerce and tourism cooperation.

This year's event is held both online and offline for the first time in history due to COVID-19 prevention and control, with the online event being the main focus. More than 1,000 domestic and overseas enterprises have registered as exhibitors for offline and virtual events at the expo.

China, now the Arab states' largest trading partner, has the confidence to further expand cooperation with the countries in digital economy, new energy, artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging fields, said Chinese Vice Commerce Minister Qian Keming via videolink at the opening ceremony.

According to statistics of the ministry, China-Arab trade volume reached $239.4 billion in 2020, during which China imported 250 million tonnes of crude oil from Arab states, or half of the country's total crude oil imports last year.

Arab states' imports from China reached $122.9 billion last year, up by 2.1% year on year, Qian said.

Moroccan Prime Minister Saad Eddine El Othmani said via video that Arab countries and China are highly complementary in economy and enjoy broad prospects for cooperation. He noted that Morocco has actively participated and played a constructive role in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and has seen great progress in the country's infrastructure.

Kazakhstan's First Deputy Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov said that the BRI has proven to be practical and successful, and the proposal of building a digital Silk Road and a green Silk Road will make contributions to the low-carbon development of the world.

Stressing that new opportunities will be brought to countries along the Belt and Road, Tunisian Foreign Minister Othman Jerandi said that joint efforts to safeguard regional security and stability are vital for the further development of the initiative.

Sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, and the regional government of Ningxia, the biennial expo has attracted more than 5,000 enterprises from around 110 countries since its inauguration in 2013, with about 940 cooperative projects signed.

China-Arab economic and trade cooperation has gained steam in recent years. A total of 287 deals worth about 185.42 billion yuan ($26 billion) was signed at the fourth China-Arab States Expo in 2019.
The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, held a plenary meeting on Wednesday to hear multiple reports.

Li Zhanshu, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, attended the meeting, which was presided over by Cao Jianming, vice chairman of the committee.

At the meeting, lawmakers heard a report on the implementation of the plan for national economic and social development. Since the start of this year, China's economy has been steadily recovering and has met projected target, which laid a solid foundation for achieving the goals for this year's economic and social development, according to the report.

The report laid out the work priorities for the second half of the year, including continuing the solid efforts in COVID-19 prevention and control, and striving to keep economic growth within a reasonable range.

A report on budget execution was also submitted to the meeting for review. From January to July, revenue in the national general public budget reached 13.77 trillion yuan (about 2.12 trillion U.S. dollars), up by 20 percent year-on-year. During the same period, expenditure in the national general public budget reached 13.79 trillion yuan, up by 3.3 percent year-on-year, according to the report.

Work for the second half of the year will be focused on six aspects, including forestalling and defusing local governments' debt risks, and continuing the reform of the fiscal and taxation systems, said the report.

Lawmakers heard a report on cultural relics work and the enforcement of the Law on Protection of Cultural Relics. Fully implementing the law, China has scored historic achievements in work in the area, said the report. It proposed several measures for future work, including upholding law-based management of cultural relics.

The meeting also reviewed a report on the ecological conservation of the Xiongan New Area, and two law enforcement reports on the Enterprise Bankruptcy Law and the Animal Husbandry Law.
Over the past few weeks, China has battled the spread of the Delta variant of COVID-19 across several provinces. The strong response of the authorities to the outbreak has seen areas targeted with lockdowns and mass testing. Despite the fact that locally transmitted infections diminished to just 15 on Monday, many mainstream Western media outlets nonetheless continue to argue that Delta is a threat to China's economic recovery.



The argument technically makes sense given that lockdowns and intense social distancing immediately reduce consumption, and make the operation of some businesses such as restaurants, cafes and cinemas completely untenable. This potentially increases unemployment while reducing public confidence. Therefore, shouldn't China's recovery be in doubt, despite being forecasted by economists to rebound between 8-9% in 2021? Many news outlets have concurrently made these kinds of statements in order to argue against a stringent pandemic prevention and control approach to handling the virus in favour of the economy. This is the strategy the U.S. and the U.K. have pursued at a horrific human cost.

However, what these arguments fail to acknowledge is that China's immediate, strict and uncompromising approach to quashing the virus has less of an impact on growth than the West presumes, because it makes short-term sacrifices on behalf of the long-term interests of stability and the economy, and this itself reaps gains. It is easy to point towards the rapid growth in the U.S. and U.K. and say that their approach works, but this obscures the immense mistakes and costs these countries have suffered having mismanaged the pandemic.

In 2020, China became the world's only major economy to register a positive GDP growth, ranking at 2.3%. While this was vastly reduced than usual years owing to the initial Wuhan shutdown and a fall in global consumption and exports, it was nonetheless a victory. China had taken the same approach which it is taking now, and its reward was a recovery which was stable and natural. The stability has also seen investors pile into China as they have confidence in its economy. For the first time, China in 2021 became the world's largest recipient of FDI. Some things of course such as local consumption did take longer to recover, yet there is little argument it was in a better state, and not only that but China's push to normality did not come at the cost of 620,000 lives as we are seeing now in America.

In addition, China's recovery has come without the enormous fiscal burdens the U.S. and the U.K. have thrown at their recoveries which have involved borrowing and throwing trillions of dollars into their economies. America waged multiple stimulus payments to kickstart their economy, which have breached the U.S. debt selling and pushed the budget deficit to an all-time high. This will be economically damaging in the long run. Britain likewise has run up its highest public debt and deficit since World War II. Again, this will catch up with them. The positive economic numbers right now only show their economies rebounding from steep declines and does not mean they are booming.

On the other hand, while China has utilized some monetary policy and support for businesses affected by the pandemic, it has done so conservatively and does not need to accumulate trillions in new debt to facilitate its recovery, which is more organic. Its growth is more accumulative as opposed to recovering from record declines caused by excessive and extended lockdowns by governments who mismanaged the pandemic.

In addition, China's current lockdowns are never broad in scope. They are targeted and regional in the area of infection, not nationwide. This approach is working, again as noted on August 16, local cases had come down to just 15, showing how testing and contact tracing is getting ahead of the curve. Things will subsequently return to normal, meaning local economies may hit a speedbump but the fundamentals are all there to resume as they were.

In this case, it is unwise to do away with COVID-19 controls altogether in order to save the economy when China's actions are already shoring up stability and sustaining growth. The Western mainstream media should recognize that by letting the Delta variant run riot in favour of the economy, the U.S. is not coming out "smelling of roses." The average death toll is up to 800 a day again, daily cases are close to 150,000, and this situation itself is eroding public and investor confidence. To let Delta run riot in a country is a dangerous experiment that will cost human lives.

Tom Fowdy is a British political and international relations analyst and a graduate of Durham and Oxford universities. He writes on topics pertaining to China, the DPRK, Britain and the U.S. For more information please visit:

http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/TomFowdy.htm

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.

If you would like to contribute, please contact us at opinion@china.org.cn.
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If the United States has nothing to hide, it should invite the World Health Organization (WHO) to conduct origins-tracing investigations at its Fort Detrick and the University of North Carolina, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said Wednesday.

"This is the sincerity and attitude of a country who really cares about global origins tracing," Zhao said at a daily news briefing.

Zhao made the remarks when asked to comment on a report that the United States still intends to release the report on origins tracing as scheduled and make up misleading conclusions on virus-leaking from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, although there is not any tangible progress in the origins-tracing investigation by the U.S. intelligence agencies yet.

"China has always supported and will continue to participate in the scientific origins tracing. China has twice invited the WHO to China for joint research, which produced scientific and authoritative conclusions, laying the foundation for the next phase of global origins tracing. What we firmly oppose is politicizing COVID-19 origins tracing," Zhao said.

"No matter how hard the United States tries to smear and falsely accuse others, it can't dispel the international community's doubts about U.S. biological laboratories all over the world," he added.

"The sites of U.S. labs are often the location where diseases such as plague, anthrax and MERS break out. According to U.S. media reports, the U.S. military carried coronavirus to Europe through a blood program in 2019 and civilian volunteers entering the U.S. military base in Italy in August last year became the earliest victims," the spokesperson said.

Media outlets quoted high-level officials of the U.S. government as saying that the origins-tracing investigation is not the purpose and that continuing to hype the investigation can exhaust China's diplomatic resources and increase U.S. leverage toward China.

Zhao said he noted relevant reports and that the words of senior U.S. officials are a confession of the U.S. manipulation for presumption with guilt.

"What the United States cares about is not facts or truth, but how to consume and malign China. Isn't the malicious intention of the U.S. side's political manipulation evident enough?" the spokesperson asked.

"The world will no longer be deceived by the old U.S. ploy of set-up with a vial of washing powder. Instead, the international community is getting more and more suspicious of the United States as it is sparing no efforts to smear China by all means. Is it trying to deflect people's attention from the questionable points and spotty track records of the bio labs at Fort Detrick? What is the United States trying to hide?" he continued.
 Flash

U.S. President Joe Biden will host Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett at the White House on Aug. 26, Press Secretary Jen Psaki said on Wednesday.

"The President and Prime Minister Bennett will discuss critical issues related to regional and global security, including Iran," Psaki said in a statement.

"The visit will also be an opportunity for the two leaders to discuss efforts to advance peace, security, and prosperity for Israelis and Palestinians and the importance of working towards a more peaceful and secure future for the region," it added.

The visit will come as negotiations between Washington and Tehran to restore the nuclear deal stalled. The two sides have been unable to settle their differences after multiple rounds of indirect talks in Austria's capital Vienna since April.
 Flash

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, exchanged views on the Afghan situation in a phone conversation on Wednesday.

Wang said that the situation in Afghanistan has changed overnight, and what will happen next depends on the policy of the Taliban.

Taliban leaders have sent positive signals to the outside world, while a Taliban spokesperson has ensured the security of embassies in Afghanistan and expressed the willingness to establish sound relations with other countries, Wang noted, expressing his expectation that the commitments will be turned into concrete policies and actions.

The key now, he said, is to find a reconstruction path that is suited to the Afghan national conditions, in line with the trend of the times, and understood and supported by the Afghan people.

To do so, the Taliban in Afghanistan needs to make a clear break with all terrorist forces and take measures to crack down the international terrorist organizations designated by the United Nations Security Council, including the East Turkistan Islamic Movement.

It will be difficult for the process of peace reconstruction in Afghanistan to go smoothly, Wang said, calling on the international community to jointly encourage and support all the parties and nations in Afghanistan to cooperate in solidarity during the process.

For his part, Cavusoglu said he fully agrees with Wang on the Afghan issue.

China's views and stance on the Afghan situation are objective and fair, which respect the choice of the Afghan people and also encourage the Taliban to act in a responsible manner, Cavusoglu said.

Peace and stability in Afghanistan is very important for regional countries, including China and Turkey, he noted.

The Turkish side is willing to maintain close coordination and cooperation with the Chinese side, and push the situation in Afghanistan to develop in a favorable direction as soon as possible, he said.
 Flash

The Ghana-China Friendship Association presented a citation of honor to the 10th batch of the Chinese medical team to Ghana for its contribution to the West African country's health sector on Wednesday, a day before the Chinese Doctor's Day.

Benjamin Anyagre, General Secretary of the association, said at the presentation that the citation is a manifestation of their appreciation for the team's efforts in helping Ghanaians.

He said the Chinese doctors not only demonstrate their dedication to humanitarian aid in Ghana but bring valuable experience to their counterparts, especially in combating the COVID-19, which vastly benefit Ghana.

"They have proven that they are ready to help mankind, they have demonstrated it to us," he added.

Expressing gratitude to the association, Zhuang Shaohui, chief of the Chinese medical team, told Xinhua that the team, which consists of many top-notch doctors in various fields, has treated more than 2,000 Ghanaian patients since the beginning of the year.

"Despite a lack of medicine and equipment here, we completed many complicated surgeries and helped save many patients that are critically ill," said Zhuang.

She said that through daily medical practice, the team members also shared lots of experiences with their Ghanaian counterparts, which helped boost their capacities for conducting sophisticated operations.

Over the years, China has dispatched 10 medical teams to Ghana, which significantly helped boost its health sector.
 Flash

China attaches great importance to developing relations with Iraq, and stands ready to promote their strategic partnership for greater development, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Wednesday.

In a phone conversation with Iraqi President Barham Salih, Xi said China is willing to continue to support Iraq's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, expand bilateral cooperation in such fields as energy, electricity and transportation, and assist Iraq with economic rebuilding and social development.

Xi pointed out that Iraq is one of the first Arab countries to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China, and also an important partner of China for Belt and Road cooperation in West Asia and North Africa.

As a sincere friend of the Iraqi people, China has actively participated in Iraq's economic reconstruction, with bilateral friendly and practical cooperation making steady progress in various fields, Xi noted, adding that the two countries have been supporting and helping each other since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

China, Xi stressed, firmly supports Iraq's efforts to defend its national sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, fight against terrorism and safeguard its national security and stability.

Xi added that his country also supports the Iraqi people independently choosing a development path in line with Iraq's national conditions, and opposes any external interference in Iraq's internal affairs.

He expressed his hope that the various factions in Iraq will strengthen unity, push for new progress in the domestic political process, and realize long-term peace and stability as well as prosperity and development.

China, he said, stands ready to work with friendly countries, including Iraq, to promote peace and development and build a community with a shared future for mankind.

For his part, Salih said that the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China is a milestone event for both China and the world, adding that he wishes China greater achievements in the journey ahead from this new starting point.

Noting that Iraq and China are both great civilizations with a long history, he said the Iraqi side understands the measures taken by China to safeguard national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, and firmly adheres to the one-China policy.

The Iraqi side, he added, appreciates China for its help in Iraq's economic reconstruction and fight against COVID-19, and is willing to deepen friendly relations with China.

He said Iraq hopes to make concerted efforts with China to continuously strengthen pandemic response cooperation, expand bilateral cooperation on trade and investment, and expand exchanges and cooperation in such areas as culture, tourism, youth and sports.

Iraq, he added, is also ready to work with China to intensify strategic communication, address the precipitous changes in international and regional circumstances, fight against terrorism, and safeguard regional and global peace and stability.
 Flash

China urges the Canadian government to immediately correct its mistakes and release Huawei's chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou, so that she can return to China safely at an early date, the Foreign Ministry's spokesperson Hua Chunying said Thursday.

China has, from the very beginning, stressed that the Meng Wanzhou case is a political incident through and through, which was created by the U.S. government out of nothing but attempts to suppress China's hi-tech companies and thwart China's progress in science and technology, Hua said.

This has been increasingly evident as more and more people have fully understood and recognized the facts around the case, she added.

Stressing the fact that Meng, who did nothing in violation of Canadian laws, has been arbitrarily detained for nearly 1,000 days, Hua said this is a textbook case of coercion and human rights infringement.

She said that the Canadian government has been acting as an accomplice for the U.S. side and bears inescapable responsibilities in this incident, which certainly infuriated the Chinese people.

"We have taken note that some insightful people in Canada have also called for the government to stop Meng Wanzhou's extradition process in accordance with the Canadian law," she said.

China urges the Canadian government to heed the call for justice, show the spirit of independence and courage, and release Meng immediately, she added.


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Once upon a time, a beautiful young woman falls on hard times as a result of a tragic death in her family. She is forced into manual labour. Then a complete reversal occurs. She fortuitously meets a wealthy, well-respected member of the community who falls in love with her. They marry and she is rescued from a life of poverty and hardship. They live happily ever after.

This is the basic plot of Cinderella, several other fairy tales and many fictional stories. Its also the storyline of all our lives.

Our Cinderella story

We were created beautiful, made in the image of God. We have worth and value because we bear Gods image. We fall on hard times because we live in a broken world. Hard times take many guises. Cinderella experienced the tragic death of her father which changed the family dynamic.

We may experience conflict in our family due to divorce, addictions, abuse, neglect. Or our hard times may come from unfortunate circumstances, illness, economic downturns, floods, fire. Or our hard times might be unseen, mental health issues, emotional distress, disappointments, broken dreams. None of us escapes difficulties, though the severity varies greatly.

We are all faced with a choice, a call to action or adventure. Cinderella didnt have to go to the ball. She could have stayed home and bemoaned her unfortunate life. Will we allow our hardships to define our lives or will we carve out a life of meaning and purpose outside our difficulties?

Our opportunities to overcome physical difficulties may be limited, perhaps ill-health or financial restraints mean well never achieve all we hoped for. Yet this doesnt mean we cant achieve something worthwhile for our family or community. We can change the lives of those we come in contact with through our kindness, by being a listening ear and by our prayers. Yet its a risk.

The risk of engagement

Cinderella took the risk of becoming involved in the kings affairs and the danger of being exposed if she was home late. Likewise, were called to take a risk, maybe not to go to a ball, but to take the initiative and pursue a course of action outside the expectations placed on us by others.

Our course of action may simply be to abandon our plans and commit to Gods plans, not knowing where this might lead. Though its unlikely to lead to marrying into a royal family or even a family of wealth and privilege. Yet from a spiritual perspective when we commit to God, he welcomes us into his family and we experience spiritual wealth and privilege. Even as part of Gods family, we may not experience release from hardship in this world but we know we will in the next. By faith we know, we will receive our happily ever after ending.

The Cinderella of the bible

Of all the characters in the Bible, the story of Ruth reads like Cinderella.

Ruth is still a young woman when the early death of her husband leaves her destitute. She travels with her mother-in-law to Israel, the birthplace of her husband and her deceased father-in-law (Ruth chapter 1).

She works in the fields, gleaning grain and meets Boaz, a wealthy, well-respected member of the community (Ruth chapter 2). They fall in love and marry (Ruth chapter 3 & 4). Ruth is rescued from a life of poverty and hardship. Its a rags to riches story where God works unnoticed behind the scenes.

The complete reversal of Ruths circumstances comes about because she makes the decision to abandon her Moabite religion and puts her faith in the God of Israel. Her situation isnt instantly improved, as Ruth has to work long hours in the heat of the day gleaning grain, but she has hope in God and her faith is rewarded. She is blessed beyond expectation.

Ruth was a foreigner, widowed and poor.

Through her marriage to Boaz, Ruth joins his family and is released from poverty. Ultimately, she becomes an ancestor of Jesus (Matthew chapter 1 verse 5). Destitute Ruth is the Cinderella of the Bible.

Happily ever after?

Ruths story finishes with great blessing but also unanswered questions. Ruth marries an older man, will she be widowed again? Does she ever see her parents again or her sister-in-law, Orpah?

In this life, we will always face uncertainties and disappointments but we have great hope in the God who makes Cinderellas of us all.
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STOCKHOLM, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Azelio has received a conditional order from Engazaat Development S.A.E. for 20 of Azelio's TES.PODAA renewable energy storage units. The order is valued at approximately USD 1.5 million, and it is estimated that delivery will take place in December 2021. The order is conditional on, apart from customary project items, the ongoing techno-economic feasibility study for this specific project. The TES.PODAA units are intended to be financed, installed, and operated through a project company jointly owned by Azelio and Engazaat Development S.A.E., and be used in the SAVE sustainable agriculture project in Egypt. The 20 TES.PODAA units have a combined storage capacity of 3.3 MWh of electricity production and will be part of a mini-grid system to supply farmers with renewable energy, thereby significantly lowering CO 2 emissions, energy related costs, and dependency on diesel. A Egypt-based Engazaat Development S.A.E (Engazaat) specialises in development, implementation, and management of infrastructure systems in the water, technology, and renewable energy sectors. In its sustainable agro-village and entrepreneurship platform project SAVE, at the Moghra Oasis in Egypt, a mini-grid system is planned to supply farmers with 85% of their energy from renewable sources. For the project a conditional order has been placed for 20 of Azelio's TES.PODA energy storage units, subject to the conditions of an ongoing techno-economic feasibility study for the specific project. Based on an agreed commercial setup and obtained permits, Engazaat and Azelio will establish a joint project company to finance and carry out the installation and operation of the project. Azelio's TES.PODA is a long-duration energy storage system that stores renewable energy in recycled aluminium and supplies electricity and heat on demand around the clock. For the SAVE project, Azelio's TES.PODA combined with solar PV have proven to be a better long-term storage solution than lithium-ion batteries. The 20 TES.PODA units - with an electric output of 260 kW and storage capacity of 3.3 MWh of electricity production - will reduce diesel consumption by 232 m3 annually, thereby cutting CO 2 emissions by 603 tonnes per year. "This conditional order is a significant milestone for Azelio. We are very proud to be part of Engazaat's sustainable agriculture initiative. We look forward to commencing a close and successful collaboration with Engazaat", says Jonas Eklind CEO of Azelio. "Capitalizing on their superior energy storage technology we aspire with Azelio to launch a unique business model that has the potential to transform the livelihood of small farmers in the Egyptian Sahara Desert, the biggest sand ocean on the planet. Together we believe we will be able to decrypt the power supply formula necessary for water and food production sustainably both ecologically and economically", says Muhammad El Demerdash CEO Engazaat.A For further information, contact Jonas Eklind a CEOA A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A Ralf Wiesenberg - VP Business Development Email: jonas.eklind@azelio.comA A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A Email: ralf.wiesenberg@azelio.com Tel: +46A 709 40 35 80A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A Tel: +34A 699 30 86 36 This disclosure contains information that Azelio AB is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation (EU nr 596/2014). The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact persons, on 19 August 07:00 CEST. About Azelio Azelio specialises in energy storage with electricity and heat production. The technology is revolutionary in that the energy becomes dispatchable, making renewable energy available around the clock. The energy is stored in recycled aluminium from which it is converted into electricity and heat with a total efficiency of up to 90 %. The solution is scalable, sustainable, and cost-efficient from 0.1 MW up to 100 MW. Azelio has approximately 170 employees, is headquartered in Gothenburg, has production in Uddevalla (Sweden) and development centres in Gothenburg and A mAl (Sweden), as well as a presence in Stockholm, Beijing, Madrid and Ouarzazate (Morocco). Azelio is listed on Nasd! aq Stockh olm First North Growth Market with FNCA Sweden AB as Certified Adviser: +46(0)8-528 00A 399,A info@fnca.se.A More about Azelio: www.azelio.comA A About Engazaat Development S.A.E. Engazaat development is an Egyptian company that specialises in the development, implementation, and management of state-of-the-art infrastructure systems, in water, technology and renewable energy sectors with a unique set of enterprise business solutions and non-traditional payment and financing structures. Since 2014, Engazaat has been one of the leading qualified companies to tap into the renewable energy market - when Egypt had for the first time enabled the private sector investment policies in power sector - and has been growing year-on-year as an independent power producer. For utility scale projects, Engazaat current business portfolio in RE utility scale projects exceeds 20MW IPP projects under development and a pipeline exceeding 140 MW in partnership with international developers, and more than 20 MW of total project in commercial scale applications both as EPC/EPC-F predominantly in the agriculture sector and integrated water/! energy so lutions. Engazaat list of references includes the Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Planning, Ministry of Education, and top tier private sector enterprises. This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/azelio/r/azelio-signs-conditional-order-with-engazaat-development-s-a-e-in-egypt-for-20-energy-storage-units,c3399326 The following files are available for download: https://mb.cision.com/Main/16031/3399326/1455927.pdf Azelio_Engazaat_ENG_Final https://news.cision.com/azelio/i/azelio-energy-storage,c2945098 Azelio energy storage
Join Edith Salas of Salas Properties & host Jenn Barlow as they visit the Coronado Shores community. The towers have amazing views including the world famous Hotel del Coronado, downtown San Diego, San Diego Bay, the City of Coronado, Point Loma, and the Pacific Ocean.
On the launch dates of each flight, a one-way fare was $69, with the exception of Tampa, which was $59. Avelo said it was offering introductory fares starting at $59, which had to be booked by Aug. 31 for travel by Nov. 17 and is available on a limited number of seats.
Employees who refuse to get vaccinated or, if they have the option, refuse to get tested, will not be permitted in the state facility, Lamonts chief operating officer Josh Geballe said. Specifics on the disciplinary process for noncompliance will also be determined through the collective bargaining process.
One argument that isnt part of the official position stated publicly by a number of these groups, but that is surfacing among a number of their supporters, is that masks are not really effective in stopping the transmission of the coronavirus. The particles are too small for a mask to work, they say. There is no evidence that masks prevent transmission of the deadly virus, they argue.
The annual 1619 Commemoration of the First Enslaved African Landing this year will be a hybrid of virtual and on-site events at the forts Continental Park. The fete at the former military post will begin with a colorful parade of flags from African nations, a procession to the stage and an African drumming ceremony and dance presentation. The ceremony invites spectators to bring a drum for the Circle of Drums portion.
Over the course of the summer, those numbers dwindled where we could have a day that we were doing one or two a day and then in the last few weeks, all of a sudden, weve had an increase in people calling, coming in and wanting to get their doses, Ranger said.
Lubbock, TX (79409)

Today

A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Partly cloudy. Low 71F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Partly cloudy. Low 71F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.
Udhayanidhi Stalin demanded the withdrawal of all cases filed against those who protested against NEET all over the State, devoting a considerable time dwelling on the need for a united effort to do away with NEET. (AFP Photo)

Chennai: A legislation to get exemption for the state for NEET, the all Indian medical entrance examination, would be passed in the present session itself, Chief Minister M K Stalin told the State Assembly, replying to a demand to that effect placed before the House by Udhayanidhi Stalin, representing Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni, in his maiden address on Wednesday.

Udhayanidhi Stalin also demanded the naming of the government medical college that is coming up at Ariyalur after Anita, the girl who became the icon of the protest against NEET after her suicide that followed a valiant fight against the national level entrance test.

Asking for the cleaning up of the Marina beach, which falls under his constituency, he also demanded the withdrawal of all cases filed against those who protested against NEET all over the State, devoting a considerable time dwelling on the need for a united effort to do away with NEET.

Udhayanidhi, who is also the son of Chief Minister M K Stalin, traced his political lineage to the Dravidian movement and even recalled the maiden speech of M Karunanidhi in the Assembly in 1957 favouring farmers during the speech that basically recalled the achievements of the present DMK government.

He took potshots at the BJP government at the Centre, referring to demonitisation and the bringing in of the GST, and the bid to privatize airports, railways, petroleum and even part of defense services.

Stating that the Union Government did not do anything more than placing a brick to set up an AIIMS in Madurai, promised years ago, Udhayanidhi recalled how he captured the imagination of the people by showing a brick during his campaigns to drive home the point.

His campaign led to a brick kiln owner to name his company as AIIMS Bricks in Trichy and people in Bihar organising protests in demand of AIIMS in their State by showing bricks.

Not sparing the previous AIADMK government, too, he wanted new tenements to be built for four slum clearance colonies in his constituency and raised a slew of other demands specific to his constituency, including one of the setting up of a womens cooperative society.
The Chief Minister will inaugurate collectorate complexes and lay the foundation for new medical colleges. (Twitter)

HYDERABAD: Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao is to soon embark on the next phase of his district tours for launching various development programmes.

Some ministers and collectors have sought time from Rao to lay the foundation for newly-announced medical colleges in their respective districts. In some places he is being urged to inaugurate newly-constructed integrated collectorate complexes.

Although the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) is yet to confirm his tour schedule, official sources said that Rao would start touring districts tentatively by the month-end or in the first week of September.

Rao launched the first leg in May when he visited Warangal. In the second leg of his tour, he visited Siddipet, Siricilla and Kamareddy districts in June. He was in Huzurabad to launch the Dalit Bandhu scheme on August 16.

In the next phase, the Chief Minister will visit Nizamabad, Peddapalli, Jagtial, Jangaon, Yadadri, Vikarabad, Nagarkurnool and Wanaparthy districts. Construction of new integrated collectorate complexes has been completed in these districts and they await his inauguration.

That apart, Rao recently announced new government medical colleges at Nagarkurnool, Wanaparthy, Mancherial, Jagtial, Sangareddy, Mahbubnagar and Kothagudem.

The Chief Minister will inaugurate collectorate complexes and lay the foundation for new medical colleges in Jagtial, Nagarkurnool and Wanaparthy districts simultaneously.
Chennai: PMK leader in the State Assembly G K Mani eulogized the DMK government for the excellent work done to combat the Coronavirus and also for presenting the exclusive Agriculture Budget, saying that in appreciation of that all his party MLAs had turned up in the House with green shawls.

Though the PMK is still part of the alliance led by the opposition AIADMK, Mani was generous in paying encomiums to Chief Minister M K Stalin in providing the 10.5 per cent exclusive reservation for Vanniyars.

He wanted such compartmentalized reservation to be provided for all communities in the interest of social justice and urged the government to bring in total prohibition and compensate for the revenue loss by increasing mineral sand mining.

Manis demand to reduce the price of LPG cylinders as it was done for petrol evoked a response from Finance Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, who explained that the rate of cooking gas was controlled by the Union Government and the gas companies.

The State government had no say on the pricing of LPG gas, Thaiga Rajan said.
On Wednesday morning, the maximum temperature was recorded at 26 degrees Celsius, which is four degrees below normal for this time of the year. Representational Image. (PTI)

Hyderabad: As per the forecast by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday, parts of the state received moderate showers on Wednesday. Till 6.30 pm, the highest rainfall was recorded at Bheemini in Mancherial district, which received 55.5 mm rainfall. This was followed by Sarvapur in Kamareddy district which received 45.3 mm rainfall.

If all goes as per the predictions made for the state, there will be cold climes and light rain over many parts of the state for the next four days.

Parts of the state also include the capital city and for the next four days, it could witness light to very light rainfall, K Naga Ratna, director, IMD, Hyderabad told this newspaper.

Owing to the incessant rains and clouding over the city, the maximum temperatures plummeted as much as four degrees. On Wednesday morning, the maximum temperature was recorded at 26 degrees Celsius, which is four degrees below normal for this time of the year.

Under the influence of such conditions, the city turned cooler than usual. During the monsoon, there is a wave of humid and cold winds which engulf the land mass. These winds are cooler than the winds found during summer. Under their influence, the temperature does not rise much, she said.
Chau also met Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and additional chief secretary in the department of IT,BT and S&T, Dr Ramana Reddy where he pledged support to the upcoming Bengaluru Tech Summit.

Bengaluru: The Ambassador of Vietnam to India Phan Sanh Chau on Wednesday announced opening its first ever consul office in India in Bengaluru and appointment of N S Srinivasa Murthy as the Honorary Consul of Vietnam for Bengaluru.

Chau also said the consul was opened to improve the investment ties between Vietnam and India, which are friends historically as the country has a Buddhist population of about 80 per cent.

"We had last month announced the appointment of Srinivasa Murthy as the honorary consul for Vietnam for Bengaluru. He is our first ever honorary consul for any state in India and 19th the world over," Chau said at a press conference.

He was talking to reporters during the hybrid event, 'Invest Vietnam: High-tech investment and startups'.

According to him, India is 26th investment partner of Vietnam and the country is looking at improving this further.

The ambassador explained that there are many attractive sectors of investments in Vietnam including pharmaceuticals, manufacturing of automobile parts and information technology sector and Bengaluru has all the potential to invest as well as collaborate with Vietnam to grow this further.

Murthy said Vietnam is India's fourth largest trading partner in the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Chau also met Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and additional chief secretary in the department of IT,BT and S&T, Dr Ramana Reddy where he pledged support to the upcoming Bengaluru Tech Summit.

He visited Biocon which is India's largest biopharmaceutical company and TVS Motor Company.
The court also made it clear that it would not permit to utilise `700 crore, which was collected from successful bidders, if it was proved that the measures were not taken. (PTI)

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Wednesday cautioned the state government and the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) that it would not allow them to lay even a single brick for foundation of any structure in the recently auctioned 49.94 acres of lands at Kokapet, unless it was shown documental evidence and other details of sewerage and stormwater facilities in the said lands.

This court was reacting to the submissions by the HMDA and the state government that they had taken necessary steps to ensure not even a single drop of sewerage and storm water from this area would flow into the Kokapet lake and further to Himayat Sagar lake.

The court also made it clear that it would not permit to utilise Rs.700 crore, which was collected from successful bidders, if it was proved that the measures were not taken.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Hima Kohli and Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy said that no work would be allowed and directions would be issued to keep Rs.700 crores in a separate escrow account, if the details were not shown on August 23.

The bench was dealing with the petitions related to GO 111, including not granting permissions for constructions in this area. Two days ago, the court directed to tag the PILs challenging Kokapet lands auctions, on varied contentions of the governments in allowing for construction of high-rise buildings at Vattinagulapally and Kokapet, both near to the twin reservoirs.

The bench questioned the dual standard of the government in allowing constructions in Kokapet and not allowing high-rise buildings at Vattinagulapally.

You wont allow the constructions which are more than 3.5 kms away from the lake, but on the other hand, you auction the lands to construct high-rise buildings at a place which is only 1000 meters from the lake. You appoint a committee which drags on years to submit the report when common people ask to exempt their lands, which do not fall in the catchment area. When you require funds, you auction the lands as per your wish, the bench observed

Advocate general B.S. Prasad submitted that the GO 111 was issued in 1996 to protect the twin drinking water reservoirs and the catchment area. Further, he submitted that Vattinagulapally village came under the catchment area of the lakes and Kokapet village did not fall in the catchment area.

S. Niranjan Reddy, senior counsel appearing for the HMDA, informed the bench that the lands which were auctioned at Kokapet were 700 meters away from the FTL of Osman Sagar lake at the downstream and was far away from the catchment area. The government already sanctioned an amount of Rs.350 crore for the purpose of constructing sewerage water and drainage systems in Kokapet lands.

The bench directed to show the record evidence for that and adjourned the case to August 23.
The bench was not satisfied with the contentions of the governments counsel, who submitted that they had issued advisories to the people telling them to stay home and purchase Ganesh idols made of clay, this time around. (Representational Image/DC)

Hyderabad: Taking exception to lack of moves to restrain immersion of Ganesh and other idols in Hussainsagar Lake and insisting on clay idols to those made of plaster of Paris, despite warnings from environment activists and court directions, the Telangana High Court on Wednesday directed the concerned authorities to take a tougher stance against such violations.

"We are not interested in your advice to people asking them to change their mindset, rather the government should issue strict directions and enforce them", the High Court commented.

A division bench court comprising Chief Justice Hima Kohli and Justice B Vijaysen Reddy was dealing with a contempt case and a PIL challenging the continuation of immersion of Ganesh idols in the lake, despite court directions.

The bench directed GHMC commissioner and the commissioner of police, Hyderabad City, to inform the court by September 1 by way of filing their counter-affidavits, as to the steps taken to ensure that congregations would be avoided during the ensuing Ganesh festival and the steps that have been initiated to ensure that chemically made idols are not immersed in the already-polluted Hussainsagar Lake.

The bench was not satisfied with the contentions of the governments counsel, who submitted that they had issued advisories to the people telling them to stay home and purchase Ganesh idols made of clay, this time around.

"Religious sentiments are good, but they should not be at the cost of peoples health", observed Hima Kohli. Further, the CJ said the authorities should issue strict guidelines and implement them.

In the previous hearing, the court had directed the government and the police commissioner to file their affidavits furnishing details about the festivals celebration but both failed to file their response.

Chief Justice Hima Kohli Bench directed that a senior officer from GHMC and Hyderabad Police Commissionerate be present before the court on September 1, if they fail to file their affidavits before the date of the next hearing.
TRS leaders from BC communities submitted representations to Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao on this and the CM has promised to discuss and possibly decide on this at the next weekly cabinet meeting. (Photo:Twitter@TelanganaCMO)

Hyderabad: The Telangana state government is all set to include more castes in Backward Classes list. Requests are pouring in from BC sub-castes to include them in the list after the Centre recently passed the Constitution (127th Amendment) Bill 2021 in Parliament.

The new law accorded powers to states to prepare their own BC lists in matters of reservations for them in education and employment.

Official sources said TRS leaders from BC communities submitted representations to Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao on this and the CM has promised to discuss and possibly decide on this at the next weekly cabinet meeting.

As many as 26 BC sub-castes have submitted representations to the TS government to include them in BCs list. At present, there are 129 castes in the BC category and they were divided into four groups  A, B, C and D  depending on their backwardness, with a total of 25 per cent reservations granted to them in education and employment. If these 26 castes are added, the total castes under BCs list will increase to 155.

However, castes already in the list are strongly opposing the inclusion of more castes without raising the existing 25 per cent reservations limit for BCs in education and employment.

"BCs comprise nearly 52 per cent of the population in Telangana. As of now, the reservations extended are only 25 per cent for 129 castes. What's the point in adding more castes to the BC list without raising reservation quota? The government should increase reservations for BCs to 52 per cent, proportionate to the population size and bring pressure on the Centre to amend the Constitution to lift the 50 per cent overall reservations ceiling set by the Supreme Court, asked R. Krishnaiah, president of the National BC Welfare Association.

"If the Centre could recently amend the Constitution to give powers to states to decide on their own BC lists, why is it not amending the Constitution to lift the 50 per cent overall quota," Krishnaiah asked.

He expressed the apprehension that state governments will misuse their powers to add more castes under the BC list without taking up any scientific study on their social and economic status, and for these ruling parties to derive political mileage in elections.

The TS government had added 17 castes in September 2020 to the BC list with the approval from the Centre. The 26 new castes in the proposal stage include those that were removed from the BC list after the formation of Telangana State in 2014. The TS government removed these castes by arguing that they are "Andhra-based BC castes" and these communities do not belong to Telangana.

People from most of these deleted castes in Undivided AP had settled down in Hyderabad or elsewhere in Telangana over the past many years but lost the reservation benefit due to their deletion from the BC list after the bifurcation.
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FILE - In this Thursday, April 30, 2020 file photo, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds is seen on a monitor as she updates the state's response to the coronavirus outbreak during a news conference at the State Emergency Operations Center, in Johnston, Iowa. A new lawsuit contends that Reynolds' office is illegally delaying the release of public records related to the state's $26 million, no-bid coronavirus testing contract.
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To fight fading immunity and the predominance of the delta variety, the Biden administration is recommending booster doses for most Americans who got a coronavirus vaccination.

Top Administration Health Officials Released a Joint Statement About Booster Shot

In a recently published article in The Hill, Top government health officials stated in a joint statement that individuals will require boosters eight months after their second dosage of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine most especially for the immunocompromised and organ transplant recipients.

Rochelle Walensky, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Francis Collins, Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Anthony Fauci, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, and acting Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Janet Woodcock are among the officials who supported the booster shots.

The top health officials said "The available data makes very clear that protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection begins to decrease over time following the initial doses of vaccination, and in association with the dominance of the Delta variant, we are starting to see evidence of reduced protection against mild and moderate disease," according to a published report in ABC News.

Read Also: FDA Plans to Allow Third Dose of Some COVID-19 Vaccines for Immunocompromised Persons

Booster Shot Will Begin in September

The boosters will be administered starting September 20. Many health care professionals, nursing home residents, and other seniors who were completely vaccinated early in the vaccine rollout, including many health care providers, nursing home residents, and other seniors, will likely be eligible for a booster at that time, according to the authorities.

The White House said the move was essential to keep ahead of the virus and encouraged anybody who has not received a shot to do so as soon as possible. The approval of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration was still required before a comprehensive plan could be implemented, according to a published report in USA Today.

Anyone who got Pfizer or Moderna vaccinations will be advised to obtain a booster injection eight months following their second dose, with health care professionals, nursing home patients, and the elderly being prioritized. Meanwhile, since the J&J vaccine was not introduced in the United States until March, boosters would not be required until November at the earliest.

Fauci Says Everyone Needs the Booster Shot

It can be remembered that the CDC and FDA issued a joint statement in July, objecting to Pfizer's suggestion of booster injections. "At this point, Americans who have been completely vaccinated do not need a booster injection," the authorities said.

However, in recent days, the tone of the message has changed. Last week, White House top medical advisor Anthony Fauci said it's "probable" that everyone would require a coronavirus booster at some time. Following that, the government's disclosure of a booster injection marks a swift and significant change in policy for the administration, which had been fighting a drive for booster doses for months.

The choice to give boosters has far-reaching consequences both locally and internationally. Only about half of Americans are completely vaccinated against the coronavirus, and although vaccination rates have been steadily rising in recent weeks, millions remain unvaccinated and unwilling to roll up their sleeves.

Related Article: Pfizer-BioNTech Submits Results of Early Stage Clinical trial for Booster Shot as They Seek Authorization from FDA



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According to US diplomats, at least two additional Americans stationed in Germany sought medical care after experiencing signs of the strange health condition known as "Havana Syndrome."

What is Havana Syndrome?

in a recently published article in the news website DW.com, the mystery illness first appeared among U.S. diplomats and their families stationed in Cuba in 2016. After hearing loud sounds in the middle of the night, those afflicted have complained of chronic tiredness, headaches, nausea, and nosebleeds.

Similar instances have been recorded in China, Russia, and the United States since then. Since U.S. President Joe Biden assumed office in January 2021, hundreds of U.S. diplomats in Vienna reported experiencing Havana Syndrome symptoms.

Moreover, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in the United States concluded in December 2020 that "directed, pulsed radiofrequency (RF) radiation" was most likely to blame for the diplomats' illnesses, according to a published article in FOX News.

Read Also: Russian Intelligence Chief Slams Accusations from the US and UK Saying It Hacked Solar Winds

More U.S. Officials Experienced "Havana Syndrome"

At least two additional Americans have complained of nausea, terrible headaches, ear discomfort, tiredness, sleeplessness, and sluggishness, which have rendered them unable to work, according to The Wall Street Journal, which cited unnamed diplomats familiar with the situation.

These instances, according to the news outlet, are the first to be recorded in a NATO nation that hosts U.S. soldiers and nuclear weapons. Officials from the United States stationed in other European countries that are not NATO members have previously reported symptoms associated with Havana syndrome.

According to the Journal, those impacted include intelligence personnel or diplomats working on Russia-related problems such as gas exports, cybersecurity, and political influence. The first instance of Havana syndrome was discovered at the American embassy in Berlin in July, according to NBC News.

Lawmakers are Pushing Biden Administration To Investigate the Cause of 'Havana Syndrome'

The U.S. legislators have pressed the Biden administration to step up its efforts to figure out what's causing the mysterious illnesses. A bipartisan group of senators introduced legislation aimed at streamlining the U.S. government's investigations and responses to the unexplained brain ailments that have affected hundreds of American officials and employees across the globe.

In a published article in POLITICO, the bill, sponsored by Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Susan Collins, is the latest attempt by Congress to support the Biden administration's attempts to figure out what's been called "Havana sickness" after several of the U.S. employees there had mysterious illnesses.

The bill would establish a new post on the National Security Council of the White House to manage the federal government's reaction to what US authorities studying the issue think are directed-energy assaults against U.S. diplomats and spies.

Meanwhile, their legislative attempt reflects broad frustration on Capitol Hill with previous and current administration's failure to find out what's causing the mysterious health occurrences.

On the other hand, when President Joe Biden took office, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan named a senior staffer to coordinate the government response, a move that administration insiders believe demonstrates the White House's commitment to the issue.

Related Article: US Senate Passes Havana Syndrome Bill



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The Taliban betrays their promise not to murder civilians. Self-proclaimed Jihadi fanatics are once again doing what they did after getting routed in 2001, seeing a chance to terrorize Afghan civilians ruthlessly.

Suspected traitors who helped the allies are killed by the violent fanatics who are throwing the bodies into mass graves. Reports from Kabul said that they are stematically going on a vendetta to eliminate all who opposed them.

Many Afghans live in fear from the violent reprisal of these extremists who are not tolerant of norms approved by them, including the violent oppression of women.

Taliban cruelty apparent in Kabul

After the fall of Kabul and its eventual Taliban occupation, many civilians are stampeding to get out. Starting Sunday, the radical Jihadis are liable to harm civilians, which they are known to do, reported the Mirror UK.

They have been declared tolerant, despite the extreme doctrine that has resulted in women being shot and mutilated for not following their rules. The Taliban promised no revenge on their enemies, locals, or foreigners, but on the contrary, their actions have said more than enough.

Most controversial is they said they would respect women's rights according to Islamic law, but they have not been keen on it.

The southern province of Kandahar is proof that the Taliban cannot be trusted, as atrocities are reported to be happening, cited the Daily Star.

A news tabloid obtained pictures of the extremists tossing bodies into ditches, and some are Muslims who are without the privilege of burial rituals. Taliban betrays promise not to murder civilians is what they did.

Hey, did you hear that the #Taliban hacked off the breasts of more than 8500 healthy women and girls and the penises of more than 4000 healthy men and boys this year? What monsters!



Oh, wait, never mind. https://t.co/3NsiPEMttd  Jeremy Carl (@jeremycarl4) August 18, 2021

Read Also: Taliban Hordes Force the Afghanistan President to Give Up as the Western Powers are Abandoning the Country

Alleged traitors killed by Taliban

The extreme Jihadis are persecuting anyone who they claim traitors their cause, which can cost lives. They target former Afghan government associates, soldiers, NATO, NGOs, and reporters on the ground; many are at risk of getting killed.

Organized crime and counter-terrorism expert David Otto, Global Risk International, said it was the usual terrorist tactic to sow and create fear from getting resistance from anti-Taliban groups to form a stiff push back. The Jihadis feed on fear to control populations they oversee.

Cruelty and brutality are tools to spread fear from resistance, leaving resistant citizens defeated when news of Afghan force soldiers is executed. This adds to senseless abuse of power to arrest, coerce, and wholesale murder that allows an easy victory noted Headtopics.

No one knows what violent Jihadis will do to any government member or official. Many of the opponents are gathered up without the benefit of due process. Subject to Taliban lawlessness, that means execution is a definite option.

Otto said the American defeat, and if Jihadis are isolated, which is deadlier to international peace and security, having the military hardware left by US forces and personnel who might be forced at gunpoint to cooperate.

Extremists will have resources and power, even train terrorists like al-Qaeda and give support to further knowledge. They are even exporting terrorism to other countries to attack US interests.

It is a bleak outlook that is not far from possible, as the current US administration is one factor in this dangerous predicament.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is very concerned about how women will be treated under their despotic rule. The people of Afghanistan cannot be left to suffer, as the Taliban betrays promise not to murder civilians.

Related Article: Pompeo Agrees with Afghanistan Troop Withdrawal, Warns Biden to Get it Right

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President Xi Jinping issued a warning to China's wealthiest citizens on Tuesday, outlining a plan for "shared prosperity" that involves income restriction and redistribution.

The administration unveiled fresh plans to target the highest levels during a meeting of the Communist Party's Central Committee for Financial and Economic Affairs. According to a report of the meeting released by state media Xinhua, officials pledged to strengthen the regulation and adjustment of high income, protect legal income, fairly adjust excessive income, and encourage high-income groups and companies to contribute back to society more.

Significant phrase and promise to make more people wealthy

Simultaneously, officials committed to increase the number of the middle-income group, increase low-income group wages, and prevent illicit revenue to achieve social fairness and justice. It also reinforced Deng Xiaoping's famous remarks, "let some people get rich first," while also promising to create an atmosphere in which more people can become wealthy.

Officials pledged to make it easier for people to further their education and advance in their careers, NDTV reported. They also advocated for enhancing housing supply, elderly care, and the medical system to promote fair access to public services.

The meeting also emphasized the importance of reducing financial risks. According to Xinhua, efforts should be made to find a balance between providing stable economic growth and avoiding financial dangers.

Per SCMP, the speech drew attention from China watchers because it came after Chinese leaders emerged from a two-week disappearance from public view, apparently to arrange at the seaside retreat of Beidaihe, and because it was formally addressed as a policy for the first time after being discussed informally in the past. It was also delivered at a time when Beijing has launched unprecedented crackdowns on several sectors of the economy, including online education, technology, and real estate, to address expanding income disparities, rising debt levels, and slowed consumption.

Plan examples provided at the conference included favorable changes in taxes and social security payments for middle-income workers, more policies that raise wages for individuals in low-income groups, and crackdowns on practices and loopholes that could lead to "illicit revenue."

Read Also: UK to Accept 20,000 Afghan Refugees Under Resettlement Scheme Prioritizing Women, Children Who Face Persecution

China grew as one of the world's most powerful country

Xi Jinping also asked for property and intellectual property rights to be protected. But shared prosperity isn't limited to financial markets; it also encompasses the spiritual and cultural lives of society. It needs to be expanded to rural and urban areas, with rural infrastructure and living circumstances, in particular, needing to be upgraded.

Policymakers at the meeting agreed that all levels of government, including local governments, must work together to develop policies to accomplish the aim of common prosperity.

China has grown from a poor country to the world's second-largest economy and one of the world's most powerful in industry and technology. Its strong expansion may enable it to overtake the United States as the world's largest economy within the next decade.

However, as China's private sector and wealth have exploded - in 2019, the number of wealthy Chinese topped that of wealthy Americans for the first time - disparities between affluent and poor, as well as rural and urban residents, have worsened.

Xi appears to be troubled by this issue. He stated that the Party "allowed some people, some areas to get rich first" as a result of its 1970s economic reforms. The Chinese President's emphasis on wealth redistribution is in line with his government's larger economic objectives.

In recent months, the country has launched an unprecedented crackdown on technology, banking, education, and other industries for the sake of mitigating financial risk, safeguarding the economy, and combating corruption. His government has also stated that it must preserve national security and the interests of its citizens. Regulators have widely accused the private sector of causing socio-economic issues that could destabilize society and threaten the Party's control, as per CNN via MSN.

Related Article: China Mocks US Troops Afghanistan Withdrawal, Welcomes "Friendly Relations" With Taliban



@YouTube

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In the world's most terrible jails, inmates are in an incomparable hell hole, and getting sent here for life is worse than summary execution. Inside the walls are worst conditions, and the prospects of criminals in for unnameable crimes.

The inmates in these jails were jam-packed inside with no space to move. Their feet are rotting, with mouths sewn shut, nothing to eat but rats caught like a hungry animal. All these are inhuman conditions that are like hell in a cell. Many inmates of the prison are the worst criminal jailed for unimaginable crimes.

Suspected child Killer

One of the newest residents of the Alcatraz of North is the suspect in the Madeleine McCann case, reported the Mirror UK.

Involved in the murder of McCann in 2007, Christian Brueckner, the main suspect for the child slay, will be in solitary detention in the Oldenburg prison near Bremen, northwest Germany.

Inside the high-security prison are CCTV cameras all over. Anyone plotting escape is nearly impossible, but one inmate got out by making friends with one guard.

Oldenburg prison is nothing compared to other jails, with crowded cells with gang leaders and horrible sanitation.

Several prisons are mentioned as the world's most terrible jails where corruption is rampant. Killing and dishing out torture by corrections officers is what happens most.

Read Also: Lone Foreign Bat Disease Scientist in Wuhan Lab Says COVID-19 Leak is Not Impossible

Worst prisons in other parts of the world

Welcome to Sabaneta in Valenzuela, which former Venezuelan president Hugo Chaves called the 'gateway to the fifth circle of hell.' The prison is where the worst things happen.

Inside, Sabaneta is swarmed with murderers since Valenzuela has the most murders committed. For every 150 inmates, there is only one guard.

The notorious jail is where the gangs are in control. Inmates have protection rackets for the most vulnerable inmates to pay, even just for safe sleep.

Filth is everywhere, with convicts having the same water in buckets recycled and taking a dump in plastic bags thrown out a window. Worse, prisoners have no access to clean potable water.

In Sabaneta, the 'Los Anegados or Unwanted Ones' are helpless and would even resort to having their lips stitched for protection with the belief of a prison code that silence will keep you alive, and no one can slay you.

Keeping deadly weapons from convicts is crucial because riots have happened, again and again, knives, guns, and fatal grenades found.

In 1994, a riot in Sabaneta occurred with 100 plus convicts dead after that, fires, gang killings, and some inmates dismembered in these savage halls.

Kay Danes, founder of the Australian-based Foreign Prisoner Support Service, said that keeping shrewd is important, noted Fox News.

One more prison hell is on La Modelo, Colombia, Central America's where the horrific discovery was made five years back when guards checked the drains for clogging caused by chopped-up body parts of at least 100 convicts killed.

In Hoeryong Concentration Camp, North Korea, inmates suffer physical hardships and severe starvation, where they are forced to eat rats or starve to death. A prisoner recalls he learned to breed rats to have food. Add surviving systematic torture that is fatal every time.

Caterina Heyck, an investigator of the attorney general office, remarked in 2016 that it might be more than 100 convicts where the lopped of body parts. Even visitors are killed and dismembered, ending up in the drain system, citing Reuters.

These are the world's most terrible jails where the worst criminals are, and some are hells that are daunting to live through.

Related Article: Deadman's Island Is Off-Limits to Visitors As Human Remains, Open Coffins Surround the Area Resembling Horror Movie Scenes

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Governor J.B. Pritzker signed numerous bills into law in recent days during ceremonies that corresponded to daily fair themes that will benefit Seniors and Veterans.

Illinois Governor Signed Different Bills Into Law

In a recently published article in News-Gazette, Illinois Governor Pritzker signed a package of legislation targeted at improving health care for seniors, particularly those suffering from Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia, on Monday, which was Senior and Scout Day at the fair.

Pritzker said at the signing ceremony "I am excited to sign four pieces of legislation that will make Illinois an even safer state for seniors. Together, the steps we're taking today mark a bipartisan commitment to ensuring that Illinois seniors can live their best lives."

Read Also: Department of Veterans Affairs to Require Healthcare Workers To Receive Inoculation; 70 Percent of Workers in VA Centers Are Already Vaccinated

Some Bills Signed Into Law

The following are the bills signed into law that will benefit the seniors and veterans, according to a published article in Illinois News Room.

Senate Bill 677, sponsored by state Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago, and state Rep. Kathleen Willis, D-Addison, mandates that all healthcare workers with a continuing-education requirement take at least a one-hour training course on the diagnosis, treatment, and care of patients with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias every renewal period. This new requirement will go into effect on January 1, 2023.

Rep. Natalie Manley, D-Joliet, and Sen. Melinda Bush, D-Grayslake have introduced House Bill 848, which extends the Illinois Lottery's unique scratch-off game that helps finance Alzheimer's care, support, education, and awareness until January 1, 2025. It was supposed to run out in 2022.

House Bill 3147, co-sponsored by Manley and Sen. Tom Cullerton, D-Villa Park, tackles a problem that emerged during the pandemic when patients in long-term care institutions were unable to contact family members due to facility lockdowns. During a governor-declared catastrophe, such institutions must make "every reasonable effort" to arrange at least one phone or video contact with a family member each day. It went into action right away.

Rep. Dan Brady, R-Bloomington, and Sen. Omar Aquino, D-Chicago introduced House Bill 2570, which enables drivers over the age of 55 to qualify for lower car insurance rates by completing an online defensive driving or accident prevention course rather of an in-person course.

Paula Basta, director of the Illinois Department on Aging, said "The past year has been challenging for all of us, but especially for older adults. This package of legislation is about respecting yesterday, supporting today, and planning for tomorrow," according to a published article in Capitol News Illinois.

Some Bills Signed Into Law that Will Benefit the Veterans

Pritzker signed three laws dealing with services for military veterans and their families during a similar signing event at the fair on Sunday, which was Veterans and Gold Star Families Day.

Rep. LaToya Greenwood, D-East St. Louis, and Sen. Christopher Belt, D-Swansea introduced House Bill 2776, which allows military members or their spouses who have professional licenses in other states but are stationed or deployed in Illinois to get their licenses faster. It mandates that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation process such applications within 30 days of receipt, rather than the usual 60 days. It also brings up-to-date laws on licensing requirements.

Rep. Mark Walker, D-Arlington Heights, and Sen. Michael Hastings, D-Frankfort introduced House Bill 3865, which compels commercial businesses that offer military benefit services to declare that the benefits are free. It also makes it illegal to fail to provide the necessary disclosure, fail to comply with federal fiduciary duties, or collect fees in violation of federal law under the state's Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act.

Members of the Illinois National Guard serving on state active duty, as well as those serving on federal duty or in training status, would get a state flag when they die, according to Senate Bill 505, sponsored by Hastings and Rep. Dave Vella, D-Rockford.

These are some of the bills signed into law that will benefit the Seniors and Veterans in Illinois. Meanwhile, it is still not clear if these will be adopted into federal laws.

Related Article: New Series of Stimulus Checks Involves Payments to Veterans



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A Georgia woman has pleaded guilty to defrauding the COVID-19 relief funds of almost $7.9 million. Hunter VanPelt, 49, submitted six false Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans between April and June 2020, totaling $7.9 million if fully paid, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).

On Wednesday, VanPelt pleaded guilty to bank fraud in the Northern District of Georgia. On January 4, she will return to court for a sentencing hearing, when she might face up to 30 years in prison.

A woman made fake PPP loans for six companies

Although PPP funds are technically loans, they are frequently used in fraud schemes since they are totally refundable-that is, they never have to be repaid. The DOJ and law enforcement partners were able to confiscate and reclaim $2.1 million of the more than $6 million in illegal loans made to VanPelt, while a bank seized and returned another $1.6 million to the lender. Over $2 million has yet to be found.

"PPP funds should be reserved for legitimate businesses and their hard-working employees who have suffered economically as a result of the pandemic," said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the DOJ's Criminal Division in a statement.

VanPelt filed for PPP loans on behalf of six firms she owned, according to court documents: United Healthcare Group & Co., Georgia Nephrology Physician Associated, Nephrology Network Group LLC, Kiwi International Inc., Corkrum Consolidated Inc., and First Corporate International.

VanPelt supplied fraudulent information regarding costs and personnel, as well as fake bank statements, payroll reports, and tax records, to acquire the loans. Except for a $1.9 million loan she sought on behalf of Corkrum Consolidated Inc., all of the loans she filed for were fully funded, Newsweek reported.

VanPelt was born Ellen Corkrum and legally changed her name to VanPelt in July 2016. Hunter Lauren VanPelt and Ellen Yabba Kwame Corkrum were her other names. According to the feds, she submitted half of the fake PPP loans under the name Ellen Corkrum, which she continued to use despite the official name change, according to an investigation.

In court filings, VanPelt is identified as a "former Liberian government official." According to Liberian paper FrontPage Africa, she faced multiple serious criminal accusations as Ellen Corkrum in Liberia over the last decade; however, the charges were withdrawn in December 2019.

Read Also: Prevent Missing Your Next Stimulus Check; Make Sure To Do This by the End of the Month

A man in Georgia recently tries to defraud COVID-19 relief funds

Recently, the Department of Justice has announced that a Georgia man who attempted to fraudulently claim over $1.5 million in COVID-19 relief from two government programs will serve two and a half years in jail. Christopher Hayes, 35, pled guilty in May to cheating a USDA program and attempting to steal from another run by the Internal Revenue Service.

According to a news release from the United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia, this is the country's first completed fraud prosecution involving these two sources of aid. Erskine said the Stonecrest man filed a claim with the USDA's food assistance program, claiming that he lost livestock at his commercial farming operation despite not owning a farm or losing livestock.

He also attempted to receive a reimbursement from the IRS by submitting a false form intended to repay companies for the cost of providing virus-related leave compensation to employees. Hayes will be required to make restitution for $249,000. Three years of supervised release will follow his prison sentence, Fox5 Atlanta reported.

Related Article: Stimulus Check Scammers Send Fake Payments to Steal Yours; Here's How to Know If You Are Getting The Right COVID-19 Relief Money

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After learning that tissue around unborn babies can heal itself, scientists believe they may be able to avoid premature births. Many preterm births are caused by damage to the fetal membrane, and self-repair was thought to be uncommon.

However, studies on donated tissue have shown that cells known as myofibroblasts are capable of doing so. The discovery is a "major step" in developing medications to prevent some premature births, according to Professor Anna David of University College London Hospital.

Researchers found a way to prevent women from suffering premature births

The professor added that the discovery that the fetal membranes can repair is a big step forward in the development of treatments for women suffering from PPROM. It raises the possibility of delaying or even preventing preterm birth, which would greatly enhance newborn outcomes, as per The Sun.

The fetal membranes, which enclose the infant in the womb during pregnancy, must be intact for proper development to occur. However, fetal membranes can be disrupted by bleeding, infection, or even diagnostic tests during pregnancy, such as amniocentesis, which requires doctors to poke a hole in the fetal membrane sac with a needle.

There are currently no clinical techniques available to repair or improve healing in the fetal membranes, and it was unknown whether small holes in the membranes could heal on their own until today. The international research team, which included scientists and physicians from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and University Hospitals Leuven in Belgium, used a needle to induce microscopic flaws in donated human fetal membrane tissue to replicate damage that occurs during fetal surgery.

Per Big News Network, the researchers observed a population of myofibroblasts (MFs), which play a crucial role in wound healing, a few days after the injury and determined that these cells crawled towards the borders of the wound and into the defect location. This cell population began to make collagen and began to pull the wound's borders together, compressing the tissues and healing the wound.

The findings back up the team's prior research, which found that a protein named Connexin 43 (Cx43) plays an important role in wound healing and repair. While the researchers reveal that Cx43 is expressed by two cell groups, amniotic mesenchymal cells (AMCs) and mesenchymal fibroblasts (MFs), the localization and amounts of Cx43 assessed in this study were different. Overexpression of this protein also hampered cells' capacity to move into the defect region and seal the wound, according to the researchers.

Read Also: World's Largest Real-Life Dragon Fossil Unearthed in Australia; Researchers Predict Flying Reptile Lived Over 150 Years Ago

Premature births account for 40% of infant death

The institution emphasizes that there are currently no clinical ways to repair or improve the healing of fetal membranes, and it was previously unknown whether minor perforations in the membranes might heal on their own.

According to the research institute, untimely rupture of fetal membranes is one of the leading causes of premature births, accounting for "about 40% of early infant death." The same note adds that successful fetal membrane restoration can help lower the likelihood of problems during childbirth, the Portugal News reported.

The researchers also discovered that too much Cx43 protein inhibited the cells' capacity to move to the failure site and close the wound. In addition to the two English universities, the multinational study team included scientists and physicians from the Technological University of Nanyang in Singapore and the University Hospitals of Leuven in Belgium.

The membranes that cover fetuses during pregnancy can repair on their own after an injury, according to a study published today in Scientific Reports by Queen Mary University of London and University College London. Authors claim the new evidence that this procedure is conceivable is a scientific advance and a contribution to the development of treatments for women who experience premature pre-partum rupture of membranes during pregnancy.

Related Article: How Speech Therapy Can Help Children With Autism



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Under pressure from the Biden administration, the International Monetary Fund announced Wednesday that it would not release $450 million in funding that was supposed to be delivered to Afghanistan next week.

International Monetary Fund Withhold $450 Million Amid Chaos in Afghanistan

In a recently published article in CNN News, the decision comes after the Treasury Department and congressional Republicans expressed reservations about transferring the money in light of the Taliban's overthrow of the US-backed government in Kabul.

The International Monetary Fund stated in a statement that Afghanistan is unable to access the money, known as Special Drawing Rights, or SDRs, owing to a lack of clarity among the international community over recognition of an Afghan government after it collapsed under the hands of the Taliban.

Meanwhile, a Treasury U.S. source told a news outlet early on Wednesday that the department is taking measures to block the Taliban from obtaining IMF money. The dispute centers on a previously planned distribution of the IMF's own currency, known as Special Drawing Rights. Dollars, euros, yen, Chinese yuan, and pound may all be traded for SDRs. Each day, the value of an SDR is determined using a basket of currencies, according to a published article in Local News8.

Read Also: US, Senior Taliban Officials Reach a Deal to Ensure Peaceful Evacuation From Kabul

Taliban Cannot Access Afghan Central Bank Access

Da Afghanistan Bank (DAB) has $9 billion (6.5 billion) in reserves, the majority of which is held in the United States. Dollar shipments, foreign loans, and assistance are all under jeopardy now that the extremists have taken control. The previous governor of DAB warned that the Afghan economy was on the verge of collapsing.

DAB's entire reserves were about $9 billion as of last week, according to Ajmal Ahmady, who was forced to leave the country over the weekend. However, he said that the majority of this was kept in secure, liquid assets such as U.S. Treasury bonds and gold abroad, as per international norms.

Ahmady said, "Given that the Taliban are still on international sanction lists, it is expected (confirmed?) that such assets will be frozen and not accessible to Taliban. We can say the accessible funds to the Taliban are perhaps 0.1-0.2% of Afghanistan's total international reserves. Not much," according to a published article in BBC News.

Recent Financial Statement of Da Afghanistan Bank

In a recently published article in Geo News, DAB's most current financial statement, published in June, indicates total assets of about $10 billion, including $1.3 billion in gold reserves in New York. It also claimed that the bank has $6.1 billion in investments but did not specify which ones. However, a breakdown from a report released at the end of last year revealed that they were mostly made up of U.S. Treasury bonds and bills held in the U.S., Switzerland, and Turkey.

DAB's foreign currency cash assets in June totaled $362 million and were kept in Afghanistan at the bank's headquarters, branches; and the presidential palace, which is currently under Taliban control. According to Unesco, the bank also has a modest quantity of gold bars and silver coins in its vaults, as well as a 2,000-year-old trove of gold jewelry, decorations, and coins known as the Bactrian Treasure.

Related Article: Taliban Fighters Harass Afghans From Reaching Kabul International Airport, Contradicts Public Promises



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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's biographer said they are doing well and are in a better situation to return to public life after taking parental leave. After the birth of their second child, Lilibet Diana, in June, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex both took time off.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are "now in the thriving chapter," according to Omid Scobie, author of Finding Freedom. As their parental leave draws to an end, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who left royal duties for a new life in California, are allegedly gearing up for a busy autumn. Scobie said the couple, who published a lengthy statement on the status of the world yesterday, is entering a new era of visibility and are very positive about the future.

The Sussexes took parental leave following the arrival of their daughter

Per Express.co, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry left their royal duties in March 2020 and are currently based in Montecito, California, with their two-year-old son Archie and daughter Lili. Following Lili's arrival in May, the pair, who made a series of startling claims about the Royal Family in an Oprah Winfrey interview earlier this year, has been on parental leave.

The Sussexes posted a statement on their Archewell website on Tuesday as they near the end of their parental leave, voicing their "heartbreak" about the state of the "exceptionally fragile" world. They urged world leaders to expedite humanitarian negotiations and encouraged people to donate to non-governmental organizations that aid those in need.

After keeping toxicity at arm's length, the royal expert emphasized that the couple would prioritize their mental wellness. It comes after the couple issued a statement claiming they were "speechless" over the Afghan situation, as per METRO.

They were also heartbroken by the deaths of over 2,000 individuals in Haiti as a result of an earthquake. Prince Harry's upcoming memoir about his time as a member of the Royal Family will be released in late 2022. In July, he revealed that he had been working on the book in secret for about a year.

Harry and Meghan are settling into their new independent life in Montecito, California, after a somewhat difficult start of the year 2020 with their surprise decision to break away from their responsibilities as senior working members of the royal family.

Read Also: US Prosecutors Consider Prince Andrew as Person of Interest in Jeffrey Epstein's Sex Trafficking Investigation

Prince Harry, Meghan Markle hinted at a major comeback in public life

The couple has managed to obtain several lucrative business deals, including multi-year production contracts with Spotify and Netflix, as well as operate their charity foundation, Archewell, since their very public exit from royal life.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have reportedly negotiated a series of multimillion-dollar streaming and publishing deals since standing down as senior members of the Royal Family. A royal insider criticized the couple's need for privacy as "farcical" earlier this month.

The couple's claims for privacy while pushing enterprises that reveal intimate details about their lives, according to royal expert Phil Dampier, are "ludicrous." It follows Prince Harry's announcement that he would be publishing a memoir during the Queen's Platinum Jubilee year, The Sun reported.

On the first day in 15 months, Clarence House confirmed Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles were in a public engagement, Prince Harry made the announcement. According to a spokesperson for Prince Harry, he only recently informed his family, including the Queen, about the book. Officials at Buckingham Palace were unaware of the book, according to reliable sources.

Through their Archwell charity, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have hinted at a major return to public life. On Tuesday, they sent out a personal statement that mentioned mental health. With a line that essentially revealed some of their future plans.

Related Article: Meghan Markle's Dad Brands Her Liar, Claims She Has Changed Since Meeting Prince Harry



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Connecticut authorities reported the death of the suspect in a Middletown apartment complex shooting that occurred on Wednesday afternoon.

Officials announced that police shot and killed the gunman on Roosevelt Boulevard in Philadelphia after a pursuit. Authorities believe that the unidentified suspect was responsible for shooting another man at the Racquet Club Apartments on Veterans Highway. The scene of the crime was located near New Falls Road and the shooting reportedly happened at around 2:30 p.m.

Connecticut Shooting

Authorities said that the shooting victim was immediately transported to St. Mary Medical Center to be treated and was revealed to be in serious condition. Police said that after the pursuit of the suspect, the man pulled his gun and tried to shoot officers.

The gunman fled from Levittown to the areas of Adams and Whitaker avenues in Philadelphia. Police officers from both Philadelphia and Bucks counties were involved in the chase. They said that the suspect was shot only one time, Bucks County Courier Times reported.

Matt Weintraub, the Bucks County district attorney, said in a statement that the incident initially occurred out of Middletown and the suspect was shot and killed in Philadelphia. However, he did not reveal any additional details regarding the case.

The shooting comes amid a separate incident where a 14-year-old male was arrested in connection to the shooting of a 15-year-old female at Danbury Fair Mall last week. Police were called to the Danbury Fair Mall at around 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday over reports of gunshots.

Read Also: IMF Refuses to Release $450 Million to Afghanistan; Taliban Cannot Access Most Afghan Central Bank Assets

Authorities said that the victim was shot in the chest and remained in an alert and conscious condition when emergency crews arrived at the scene. They immediately transported her to Danbury Hospital and later transferred her to Connecticut Children. Medical experts said her injuries were not life-threatening, NBC Connecticut reported.

Surging Gun Violence

The incidents came after two women were found dead after a shooting at an Indiana automotive plant, where police have arrested the suspected gunman. Police said the criminal opened fire outside a central Indiana automotive plant where a woman and her granddaughter worked.

The area of the shooting was the NHK Seating of America factory parking lot and occurred at around 4:15 p.m. Police said the male suspect fled the scene of the crime using a blue Ford but was later arrested by police when he crashed his vehicle.

Clinton County Sheriff Rich Kelly said that co-workers identified the shooter as 26-year-old Gary C. Ferrell II. The man reportedly worked the day shift at the plant and was to remain in the custody of authorities pending charges related to the fatal shootings.

Authorities identified the victims as 62-year-old Pamela Sled and her granddaughter, 21-year-old Promise Mays. The two were from Rossville and were arriving for the start of their evening shifts shortly before the crime.

The gunman and the victims were all working for the plant and allegedly knew each other as co-workers. However, authorities have not yet identified a motive for the fatal shooting of the two women, USA Today reported.

Related Article: Georgia Woman Pleads Guilty of Bank Fraud Worth $7.9 Million in COVID-19 Relief Funds

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Convicted murderer Robert Gleason Jr, a death row inmate, wants to be executed by the electric chair. But while his wish was not yet granted, he killed other prisoners.

He specifically asked to die by electricity as his choice for execution. When he did not get his request, he promised to go on a murder spree at the cost of uninvolved prisoners. Either he gets the chair and dies, or others will.

Those in prison did not take his impatience to die seriously. Next thing you know, other inmates paid the price.

Gleason on a killing spree until he gets chair execution

Gleason was serious when he told prison officials that his fellow inmates would get killed and he won't stop until they let him be executed in the electric chair, reported the Daily Star.

In 2007, he was convicted for killing Michael Kent Jamerson and was sentenced to life with no parole. In 2009, two years after his conviction, he strangled his cellmate, Harvey Watson, 63, using the bedsheets at Wallens Ridge State Prison.

One year after, Gleason was kept in the maximum-security Red Onion Prison, waiting to be sentenced for killing Watson. Next, he got another victim, Aaron Cooper, 24, noted the SeveNews.

Continuing his vow to kill, he strangled the young man through a wire fence inside a solitary pen. Officials were boggled on how it happened.

Read Also: Notorious Monster Ex-Cop and Rapist, Who Molested and Abused a Minor Dies in Prison

In Virginia, lethal injection was an option, but he insisted on how he would die. Ironically, Gleason chooses electrocution.

After he strangled Cooper on August 28, 2010, he got his wish to die in the chair. Three years later, on January 16, 2013, all his murderous hard work paid off. He would be executed at the Greensville Correctional Center in Jarratt, Virginia.

Gleason finally granted the 'chair'

The press covering the long-awaited execution of Gleason said he was very hostile and angry till the end of his life that ended at 9:08 pm.

When Gleason was strapped into the chair, he was even winking and smiling at Tim 'Bam Bam' Spalding, his spiritual adviser, getting ready for the big event. Spalding informs the corrections officers that it was his signal for the execution to begin.

Before the execution began, Gleason told the witnesses in Irish Gaelic to "Kiss my a**. Put me on the highway going to Jackson and call my Irish buddies... God bless," cited Big World Tale.

The officer pulled a wide leather strap on his eyes and another covering his mouth. Then, a wet salty sponge was strapped to his right calf, another on his head, allowing the electricity to kill the inmate quickly and in less pain.

The cables needed were attached to start the execution, and officers turned the system on to serve a sentence. One push sends electric voltage into his body and shook him. The electrocution lasted for five minutes, and then he was dead.

To convince them that he deserved it, Robert Gleason Jr, a death row inmate, finally got the sentence he wanted after killing Michael Kent Jamerson and two other prisoners.

Related Article: Man Hurls Acid on Ex-Girlfriend's Face Following Break Up, Months of Harassment

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A human rights group released a statement on Wednesday claiming that the military coup in Myanmar has resulted in the death of more than 1,000 civilians at the hands of security forces.

The group, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), monitors protest-related arrests and deaths in the chaotic region. It said that by adding two more deaths on Wednesday, the total death toll in the country caused by the military seizing power was pushed to 1,001.

Myanmar's Dire Situation

Since the military coup in February, many residents have protested against the control of the military junta. Army officials ousted Aung San Suu Kyi and her elected government officials to take their place.

Additionally, the casualties among military and police agencies have increased as resistance grows in urban and rural areas across the nation. The secretary-general of the AAPP, Teik Naing, said that the majority of the civilian casualties were anti-military activists and noted that more than 40 of them were shot in the head, NBC News reported.

The official also said that many of the victims died at interrogation centers and prisons after the military arrested them for their resistance. However, the military has said that the numbers the AAPP released were not accurate but has failed to release any statistics of its own.

Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the military commander who leads the current authority in the country, said that only about 300 people have died as of the end of May.

Read Also: Booster Shots of Pfizer and Moderna's COVID-19 Vaccines Will Begin on September

Reports also claimed that security forces have detained thousands of residents amid the ongoing crackdown of the military against the resistance forces. Since the coup, the region has spiraled into chaos with daily protests and insurgencies. Widespread strikes have also severely affected the country's economy.

The situation is also underscored by the ongoing COVID-19 crisis that has devastated the majority of Myanmar. Residents are queueing up in long lines just to purchase oxygen supply for their families, CNN reported.

Coronavirus Pandemic in the Region

The surge of cases has also strained Myanmar's health care system and independent ethnic organizations that had, for decades, operated on the border of the country. The provision of basic medical services and treatment of coronavirus patients have significantly dropped after the military coup.

A doctor working at a makeshift clinic in the jungle located in the eastern parts of Myanmar said they had no available transport to get medicine and other supplies. The medical expert noted that their storage of oxygen cylinders was insufficient. The heavy rains in the region also contributed to the difficulties of getting clean water to drink.

More than 363,000 cases of the coronavirus have been recorded in Myanmar as of Wednesday, the state-owned news media said. However, many believe the number to be highly undercounted as testing in the region of nearly 55 million people was extremely difficult.

In June, officials first observed a massive spike in the number of COVID-19 cases, which forced hospitals to turn away some patients due to being full. Oxygen and medical supply have been hard to come by and the military was accused of hoarding supplies for its own hospitals, ABC News reported.

Related Article: Study Allegedly Measures How Many SARS-CoV-2 are Really Asymptomatic, Is This Accurate?

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ANN ARBOR, Mich., Aug. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Zell Founders Fund, in collaboration with the Samuel Zell & Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies at the University of Michigan's Stephen M. Ross School of Business, announced today that it has contributed $100,000 to a recent funding round for Just Enough Wines, a premium quality canned wine company founded by University of Michigan alumna Kaitlyn Lo (MBA '21) with her friend, Jessica Hershfield.

"People are gravitating toward canned beverages that are more portable, convenient, and sustainable," said Kaitlyn Lo, co-founder and COO of Just Enough Wines. "Our goal is to be the nation's No. 1 selling premium canned wine. The Zell Founders Fund's $100,000 investment in Just Enough Wines is helping us at a critical point in time as we approach our company's one-year anniversary from when we first started selling our wines and begin to expand into new geographical markets."

The Zell Lurie Institute's rich and diverse entrepreneurial programming helped Lo build and think about her new venture while she was an MBA student at Michigan Ross.

"From hands-on courses such as the Financing Research Commercialization class to the sessions offered through Dare to Dream, there were plenty of resources available to help me with different facets of the business," said Lo, who received a Dare to Dream grant and was named a Zell Entrepreneur. "The Zell Lurie Institute also provided access to the law clinic, a design team, and a network of other entrepreneurs."

Daniela Sanchez (JD/MBA '22) and Simona Zhu (BBA '22), who led the Founders Fund due diligence team, said they were impressed by the brand and partnerships that Lo and Hershfield had built since launching their company in January 2020 with limited funding from friends and family.

"This was not just a vision  they had a product on the market and strong strategic partnerships in the wine industry," said Sanchez. "Additionally, the founders leveraged their strengths but also recognized their gaps, which is essential for growth."

The two student investors took responsibility for the entire due diligence process, beginning in April with initial research and founder calls. They pitched the company to other Founders Fund members and made their decision to invest in mid-May.

"There's been a lot of movement in the alcoholic beverage landscape, so it was interesting to see what the other players are doing and to understand how Just Enough Wines fits into the ecosystem," said Zhu. "It's clear that the founders have been very thoughtful in their go-to-market approach, and we are excited to see their new developments in implementation and customer acquisition for Just Enough Wines."

"We really enjoyed working with Daniela and Simona," said Lo. "It was evident they were very knowledgeable and had done their research into our market and competitors."

"The mission of the Zell Founders Fund is to back recent University of Michigan graduates who are starting businesses right out of school and need help to get going," said Michael Godwin (MBA '10), faculty director of the Fund. "Our goals are different, so the return on investment is a secondary consideration.

"Kaitlyn and Jess had been working on the company together for a little over a year and a half and had made quite a bit of progress," Godwin said. "They already have product sales in the market and a pretty strong team, including co-investors from the wine industry and partners on the distribution side. It was easy to pull the trigger on this investment."

Just Enough Wines worked with experienced winemakers and vineyard operators in California to craft and produce its Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Brut Bubbles in 2020, followed by a Rose in May of 2021. It currently sells its premium canned wine in more than 100 retail locations across the state and offers direct-to-consumer shipping in California, Oregon, and Florida.

The environmentally friendly company focuses on sustainable measures for sourcing its wines as well as labeling and packaging its final products. Future expansion plans call for new product launches in several states, including Michigan where wines will be shipped directly to consumers' homes.

Launching a startup during the Covid-19 pandemic was a significant challenge, but Just Enough Wines has regained its momentum and now has a fully booked calendar of wine events and tastings.

Funds from this investment will enable Just Enough Wines to expand its production, gain greater awareness with marketing, and retain a talented team.

"We've grown fast, but it has been a fun journey," said Lo.

The Zell Founders Fund is a $10 million seed fund made possible by a 2015 gift from business magnate Sam Zell. Created to support extraordinary entrepreneurs who are either graduating or have recently graduated from the University of Michigan, the Fund is led by Ross School of Business students who represent the top talent from the Zell Lurie Institute's four other established student-led funds.

For more information on the Zell Founders Fund, please visit: http://zli.umich.edu/programs-funds/zell-founders-fund

About University of Michigan: Ross School of Business

The Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan is a vibrant and distinctive learning community grounded in the principle that business can be an extraordinary vehicle for positive change. Through thought and action, members of the Michigan Ross community drive change and innovation that improves business and society. Housed within Ross, the Samuel Zell & Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies is a leading center for entrepreneurial thought leadership and engagement.

About the Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies

The Zell Lurie Institute brings together an impactful combination of deep-seated knowledge, enriching experiences and strategic opportunities from the front lines of entrepreneurship and alternative investment. Students' learning experiences are further enhanced through internships, entrepreneurial clubs, business competitions, and campus-wide events that foster valuable networking and engage the business community. The Institute's five student-led investment funds, with over $10M under management, immerse students in the entrepreneurial business sourcing, assessment and investment process while pursuing their graduate or undergraduate degree at the Ross School of Business. For more information, visit the Institute's website at www.zli.umich.edu.

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SOURCE Zell Lurie Institute University of Michigan
Showing proof of your vaccination status has become mandatory for some establishments and events. Samsung is making it easier for its Galaxy users to do just that. With Samsung Pay, Galaxy users can now add their vaccination records to their devices for easy access.

Samsung Galaxy Smartphone to Carry Vaccination Record

Attending events or going to certain venues or establishments can require guests to show proof of their vaccination status before entering. To make sure its users have their records on hand anytime, anywhere, Samsung has partnered up with the health care nonprofit The Commons Project, CNet reported.

Samsung Galaxy users that support Samsung Pay can securely store their immunization status digitally for convenient access. Considering the size and material of the American COVID-19 vaccination cards, having a digital record easily accessible through your phone is favorable.

Users only need to download the free CommonHealth app from the Google Play Store and go through the software's authentication process. Once the user has successfully authenticated their records, they can add the details to their Samsung Pay wallet, Engadget explained.

Both The Commons Project and Samsung ensure their users that their data will be secure and that the transfer of information between the CommonJealth app and Samsung Pay is quick and easy.

A Smart Health Card will be available for the user to download and use to show at restaurants, airports, and other establishments requiring proof of vaccination. A QR code can also be used to securely share the information.

We're excited to announce our partnership with @SamsungMobile. #SamsungPay users in the U.S. can now download their #SMARTHealthCard vaccination record and conveniently store it in Samsung Pay via @MyCommonHealth on supported Samsung Galaxy smartphones. https://t.co/41ooqQ40re pic.twitter.com/mLYT0PIFrk  The Commons Project Foundation (@commons_prjct) August 18, 2021

Read Also: Should You Buy the Samsung Galaxy S22? 5 Reasons You Should Get the Galaxy S21 Now Instead!

How To Add COVID-19 Vaccination Records into Samsung Pay

Samsung Pay is the tech giant's mobile payments service for its smartphones and wearable smart devices. It was first launched in 2015 and would be the substitute for physical credit cards when paying for virtually anything.

The idea is to have users wave their Galaxy device or smartwatch near the store's checkout register to pay, instead of swiping a card. Aside from credit cards, users can add their loyalty cards to their Samsung virtual waller. Users can also receive cashback for making certain purchases and take advantage of promos, CNet said.

Assing the Samsung Galaxy user's COVID-18 vaccination record to Samsung Pay is as easy as 1-2-3.

1. Users first need to download the COmmonHealth app from the Google Play Store. The app will guide the user through the verification process of their vaccine record.

2. Once the COVID-19 vaccination record is ready on the CommonHealth app, users can click on "Add to Samsung Pay."

3. In Samsung Pay, click on "COVID-19 Vaccine Pass" from the homepage and it will be ready for the user to use and present to any establishment requiring proof of vaccination.

Samsung said the feature will be available to all Galaxy smartphones that support Samsung Pay by the end of the week. According to CNet, this would include all Galaxy S devices starting from the Galaxy S6 to the latest, the Note lineup since the Note 5, the Samsung foldable smartphones, and the Galaxy A series including the A32 5G and the A50. Samsung's smartwatches supporting Samsung Pay can also be used.

Related Article: Samsung Galaxy Unpacked: First Foldable Phone with Under Display Camera Revealed
A few predictions for the second-biggest cryptocurrency market have been revealed. Ethereum price could surge by $5,000 by the end of 2021 and reach $10,000 later on. Four expert crypto investors cast these predictions.

As of time of writing, Ethereum (ETH) is valued at $2,974.8, down by 1.68 percent in the past 24 hours, according to CoinDesk. However, it is still a significant 417 percent growth compared to the $730.37 value it had on January 1.

ETH also reached an all-time high of $4,168.7 on May 11, around $2,801.93 more than its previous record of $1,366.77 on January 14, 2018.

Despite the difference between ETH values in May and August, Ethereum showcased amazing performance in these last few months. With that, investors have grown more positive about its long-term potential.

Ethereum Price Prediction: Could It Reach $10000?

It is impossible to know for certain what Ethereum's price will be by the year end. However, experts analyzed the previous data and tried their best to forecast Ethereum's growth pattern for the future.

According to The Sun, 42 cryptocurrency experts from Finder said Ethereum would be worth $4,596 by the end of 2021. It would then soar at $17,810 by 2025 and $71,763 by 2030.

Other experts like Martin Frohler from Morpher are a lot more optimistic. He predicted that Ethereum would break through the $10,000 mark this December.

CoinPriceForecast predicted that Ethereum would hit $4,758 by year end and $10,198 in 2025.

Lastly, Wallet Investor said Etheruem would grow $5,430.50 in one year and $13,961.80 in five years.

In reflection to these predictions, investors might want to consider buying ETH now while it remains relatively affordable. Later by December, they should ideally make profits selling these crypto coins.

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Ethereum Value Risks to Keep in Mind

It is important to note, however, that cryptocurrency markets are very volatile. Crypto coin values can easily crash without notice. Crypto industries also have scant regulations, so investors have to be aware that all their transactions comes with a risk.

Experts in crypto markets always warned other investors that there is no guarantee in this industry. Therefore, investors should not put more money than the value they can afford to lose.

In the past, cryptocurrency markets have already showed being affected by several different factors.

For example, comments made by high-profile individuals like Elon Musk, drove Dogecoin from its initial $0.00026. to a +$0.5 marker in a matter of months. However, after the hype, it immediately dropped back to the $0.20 threshold.

Other issues like regulatory crackdowns and local laws could also affect the market. The China cryptocurrency ban that happened a few months back pulled Etheruem down to $2,000 trading values.

In highlight, Ethereum could drop its value, meaning investors could quickly lose their money.

Many investors put their confidence in Ethereum because it is a well-built system that could run applications and smart contracts. Admittedly, it has the potential to achieve sudden growth spurts, beneficial to the investors. However, take these predictions with a grain of salt and an open mind that anything could happen in the coming months.



Related Article: Dogecoin Price Prediction: Mark Cuban Gives Massive Boost to Meme Coin Over Bitcoin, Ethereum
View of the Central Pavilion in the Giardini at the Venice Biennale / Courtesy of the Venice Biennale





By Park Han-sol







The curator of the Korean pavilion at the 59th Venice Art Biennale next year will be Professor Lee Young-chul, according to the Arts Council Korea (ARKO), the commission responsible for organizing and operating the pavilion.







A professor of fine art at Kaywon University of Art and Design, Lee previously served as the chief curator of the second Gwangju Biennale in 1996, art director of the Pusan International Contemporary Art Festival (PICAF) in 1999 and the inaugural director of the Nam June Paik Art Center in Gyeonggi Province in 2008.







The Korean pavilion's exhibition will feature the theme of "Campanella: The Swollen Sun," which was inspired by the philosophical work of the Italian theologian, Tommaso Campanella (1568-1639), "La citta del Sole (The City of the Sun)." The work depicts a utopian, theocratic society where all beings are on an equal footing and all goods are held in common.







With the word "campanella" also meaning "bell" in Italian, Lee explained that the upcoming exhibition at the Biennale will serve as the sound of a bell ushering in the arrival of a new era.







The featured artist will include Kim Yun-chul, the Seoul-based media artist and electroacoustic music composer, whose interdisciplinary works have embraced the fields of both art and science, as he explores the possibility of the creative realm beyond existing human reality.







Earlier this year, the selection of the Korean pavilion's curator at the upcoming International Art Exhibition was embroiled in a cronyism controversy. A complaint was filed claiming a conflict of interest between two of the finalists and one of the judges.







This incident prompted the ARKO to take the unprecedented move to nullify its earlier decision and reevaluate all applicants after excluding the judge in question from the committee. A few days later, the members of the previous committee all decided to resign in pursuit of fairness, and a new selection committee of nine art experts was accordingly formed.







Dubbed the "Olympics of the Art World," the Venice Biennale, which consists of the International Art Exhibition and the Architecture Exhibition, has been one of the most prestigious cultural institutions since it was founded in 1895. More than 60 national pavilions, represented by each country's curator, showcase to the audience a wide range of works fitting the Biennale's theme.







The 59th International Art Exhibition will be curated by Cecilia Alemani, director and chief curator of the New York-based High Line Art. Under the theme of "The Milk of Dreams," the event will take place from April 23 to Nov. 27, 2022.






A U.N. Security Council panel has approved sanctions exemptions for a German project to provide North Korea with medical equipment for the prevention of COVID-19, its website showed Thursday.







The exemptions will allow Germany to export medical equipment to prevent and control the coronavirus, including the delivery of "six units of a Rotor-Disc 100 Starter Kit" for PCR testing to the North's Ministry of Public Health, according to the website of the North Korea sanctions committee.







The sanctions waiver will be in place for nine months until April 23, 2022.







In an approval letter published on its website, the committee stressed that U.N. sanctions on Pyongyang are "not intended to bear a negative impact" on the North Korean people.







North Korea has claimed to be coronavirus-free but has taken relatively swift and tough measures against the pandemic, such as imposing strict border controls since early last year.







It remains unclear whether the supplies will be delivered to the North in time, due to the tightened border controls. (Yonhap)


In this March 25 file photo released by the North's official Korean Central News Agency, a new type of a tactical guided missile is launched from the North Korean town of Hamju, South Hamgyong Province. Yonhap



North Korea had declared a no-sail zone for ships off the east coast earlier this week, sources said Thursday, indicating that it had plans to launch missiles amid an ongoing combined exercise between South Korea and the United States.



The navigational warning was issued for Sunday through Monday for northeastern regions in the East Sea, according to the military sources. Such an advisory is usually issued ahead of missile launches or other weapons tests to warn vessels to stay clear of certain areas expected to be affected.



But no actual ballistic missile launches or artillery firings took place during the period, according to officials at Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).



Many have predicted that the communist country could carry out provocative acts to protest joint military exercises under way between South Korea and the U.S. The North has long denounced such drills as a rehearsal for invasion.



Last week, the North slammed the South and the U.S. for going ahead with the exercise, saying it will "make them realize by the minute what a dangerous choice they made and what a serious security crisis they will face because of their wrong choice."



The JCS said that no peculiar movements by North Korea have been detected, but sources said that the North Korean military has conducted trainings near inter-Korean border areas in response to the ongoing Korea-U.S. exercise.



"We are closely monitoring military moves by North Korea while maintaining a tight readiness posture in close coordination with the U.S." a JCS official said. On Monday, the U.S. military flew the E-8C, or JSTARS, and other surveillance aircraft over the Korean Peninsula.



This year's summertime computer-simulated exercise does not include outdoor drills and involves a smaller number of service members than previous ones amid the COVID-19 pandemic and peace efforts involving North Korea, according to the defense ministry.



The last known major missiles test took place in March this year, when the North fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea days after Seoul and Washington staged their springtime combined exercise. (Yonhap)


Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman speaks on the situation in Afghanistan at the State Department in Washington, D.C., Wednesday. AP-Yonhap



Remains to be seen if Sung Kim will offer enticements to Pyongyang



By Kang Seung-woo



The U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan is drawing mixed responses here, on speculation that it could leave room for Washington to concentrate efforts on the North Korean nuclear issue that seems to have been put on the back burner under the new Joe Biden administration.



Despite completing its policy review of Pyongyang in April, the Biden administration has been less productive to engage the Kim Jong-un regime, unlike Biden's predecessor who held summits with the North's leader on three occasions.



"The Biden administration has clearly shown its willingness to work with allies, including South Korea. And the Moon Jae-in government has successfully helped to put North Korea on the Biden administration's radar, among others, by supporting Washington's China policy," said Ramon Pacheco Pardo, professor of international relations at King's College London.



"So I think that the Biden administration not only has more room to focus on North Korea now, but Seoul can actually help to continue to draw Washington's attention to this issue."



However, Soo Kim, a former CIA analyst now with the Rand Corp., said it was too soon to foretell due to problems ensuing from the withdrawal.



"As of now, the U.S.'s pullout from Afghanistan doesn't appear to have resolved the longstanding security and political challenges, so the expectation that this would free up more time and space for Washington to concentrate on other issues seems premature," Kim said.



"There will be a lot of other consequential issues and challenges to deal with, so if anything, I think the U.S. will need to give more attention to settling the Afghanistan issue, like it or not."



In the wake of the U.S. pullout, Biden has been under fire for the decision, leaving South Korea and other allies anxious about whether they can trust the United States. Pacheco Pardo said the South Korean government needs to step up efforts to ease the concerns.



"The sudden withdrawal from Afghanistan will embolden officials and experts in South Korea who think that Seoul should follow its own policy, including towards North Korea," he said.



"So even though I don't expect the Moon administration to stop coordination with the U.S. when it comes to Pyongyang, it will have to address the concerns of those who think that Washington isn't a reliable partner and that it only focuses on its own interests."





Marines assigned to the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit await a flight to Kabul, Afghanistan, at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, Tuesday. AP-Yonhap
People wait to get tested for COVID-19 at a testing center in Sogang University Station in Seoul, Aug. 19. Yonhap



South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases topped 2,100, the second-largest number recorded here during the COVID-19 outbreak, following an extended weekend, as the country will likely again extend the toughest virus restrictions in the greater Seoul area and the enhanced restrictions across the country.



The country added 2,152 more COVID-19 cases, including 2,114 local infections, raising the total caseload to 230,808, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).



Daily infections reached a record high of 2,222 cases on Aug. 11 as people increased their gatherings and activities in the summer season despite the toughest virus curbs.



The daily cases exceeded 1,000 for the first time on July 7 and has stayed above 1,000 for 44 days in a row.



The country added 13 more deaths from COVID-19, raising the death toll to 2,191. The fatality rate was 0.95 percent.



South Korea has been grappling with the fourth wave of the pandemic since early July amid the fast spread of the more transmissible delta variant and slow vaccinations.



The greater Seoul area, the epicenter of the latest wave of the outbreak and home to half of the country's 52 million people, has been under the Level 4 distancing measures, the highest in the country's four-tier system, since July.



The southern resort island of Jeju and some other regions are also under the toughest virus restrictions.



To contain the pandemic, the KDCA said Wednesday it will decide on Friday whether to maintain the strongest Level 4 distancing measures for another two weeks.



The greater Seoul area will be placed under the strongest curbs possibly till the Chuseok holiday in mid-September.



A delay in the vaccine supply by U.S. drugmaker Moderna Inc. is also complicating the country's efforts to accelerate the vaccine rollout.



Moderna recently notified the government that it will supply less than half of the 8.5 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine planned for August.



The supply setbacks have raised doubts over the government's plan to administer at least the first shot to 70 percent of the population, or 36 million people, by September and to achieve herd immunity in November.



As of Thursday, 24.30 million people, or 47.3 percent of the population, had received their first shots of COVID-19 vaccines, the KDCA said.



The number of fully vaccinated people stood at 10.81 million, or 21.1 percent.



Of the locally transmitted cases, Seoul reported 570 new cases, and Gyeonggi Province, which surrounds the capital city, identified 641 new patients. The southeastern port city of Busan reported 136 more cases, and Incheon, 40 km west of Seoul, added 153 cases.



The number of new imported cases came to 38, raising the total to 12,995.



The number of patients with serious symptoms across the country reached 390, up from 366 a day earlier, the KDCA said.



The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries was 201,235, up 1,653 from a day earlier. (Yonhap)


Members of the DaeguNorth Gyeongsang Province branch of the Korean Health and Medical Workers' Union call on the government to increase healthcare personnel in front of Daegu City Hall, Wednesday, warning of a strike starting Sept. 2. Yonhap



Government vows sincere negotiations with union



By Jun Ji-hye



Nurses and other healthcare workers across the nation are warning of going on strike early next month, calling for expanded public health services and infrastructure as well as improved working conditions.



The warning comes as they have been struggling with burnout and fatigue due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic that has lasted for more than a year and a half since the country reported its first virus case in January last year.



The government said it is coming up with appropriate countermeasures to reduce the burden on healthcare workers, mindful of concerns that their strike will pose a serious threat to the country's fight against the ongoing fourth wave of infections.



The Korean Health and Medical Workers' Union, associated with the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, said Wednesday that its members will go on strike on Sept. 2, if its negotiations with the government do not reach a settlement in the next 15 days.



The union, representing nurses and most other healthcare-related workers excluding doctors, said it has already been in negotiations with the government since the end of May, but to no avail.



"Nobody knows when the pandemic will come to an end. President Moon Jae-in vowed to reinforce nursing personnel and improve working conditions last year, but nothing has changed since then," Na Soon-ja, the head of the union, said during a press conference in Seoul. "In 2018, the government also announced it would expand public health services and infrastructure, but nothing was implemented."



She said public hospitals, which account for less than 10 percent of all medical institutions of the nation, have been responsible for about 80 percent of COVID-19 patients, calling for more public services in preparation for the prolonging of the pandemic.



The union also demanded the government limit the number of patients per nurse by law and increase the number of doctors, claiming that they have been exhausted with the heavy workload during the pandemic.



A nurse who participated in the press conference noted that 80 percent of nurses have considered changing their jobs, while 42 percent of newly graduated nurses have already quit their jobs.



If the negotiations eventually break down, the union's 124 branches which are comprised of 136 medical institutes, including the National Medical Center and Korea University Anam Hospital, are expected to participate in the strike.



The number of members that will participate in the strike is estimated at 56,000, about 6 percent of the entire healthcare workforce in the nation. This is expected to deal a heavy blow at a time when concerns are growing over a shortage of hospital beds and medical workers amid no signs of a slowdown in infections.





A medical worker is on standby at a COVID-19 testing center in front of Seoul Station, Tuesday. Yonhap
Ambassador Choi Tae-ho / Yonhap



The South Korean ambassador to Afghanistan, who stayed behind to assist with the evacuation of the last remaining Korean citizen in the southwest Asian nation, recalled a harrowing escape from the capital as the Taliban swept into Kabul.



Ambassador Choi Tae-ho said in an interview with South Korean news service News 1 on Wednesday that the embassy staff and a South Korean civilian left Afghanistan as the sound of nearby gunshots grew in frequency and evacuation helicopters whirred overhead.



"It was a situation comparable to wars depicted in the movies," Choi said.



South Korea's foreign ministry issued an emergency evacuation order requiring all Korean nationals to leave by Sunday. Choi confirmed the embassy destroyed all sensitive documents on site before staff left the country.



Many diplomats who were required to leave on short notice did not even have time to return to their residences to pick up personal belongings, according to South Korean network KBS.



Choi also said the South Korean civilian, a businessman in Afghanistan, was at Kabul's international airport Sunday when he told diplomats he needed to "attend to business" before leaving the country. The man said he would "leave on his own," the envoy said.



Choi and two other Korean diplomats stayed behind in the country after President Moon Jae-in said Monday that every last South Korean citizen and diplomat must safely leave Afghanistan.



The decision may have been difficult. According to Choi, Taliban troops by Sunday had entered an area about 20 minutes away by car from the Korean Embassy. Choi said Sunday evening that gunshots began to ring out from Kabul's former "Green Zone," home to foreign embassies and government buildings.



The South Korean civilian later agreed to leave with the diplomats and boarded a U.S. Air Force transport plane at 1 a.m. Tuesday. Evacuees on board were mostly Americans, but also some Afghan and Indian nationals, the South Korean ambassador said.



Seoul and Washington signed a memorandum of understanding earlier this year that enabled the allied evacuation, according to reports. (UPI)


Kim In-chul, chair of the Korean Council for University Education, speaks during a seminar of university chancellors at the Paradise Hotel in Busan, July 1. Korea Times photo by Kim Jin-joo





By Bahk Eun-ji







Universities are protesting the provisional results of the Ministry of Education's triannual certification and competency evaluation process, announced earlier this week, claiming that the government-led evaluation process may create overheated competition among them and leave them underfunded, while undermining their autonomy.







They also urged the ministry to come up with a remedy for universities that failed the evaluation process, which will lose out on financial support in the form of government subsidies.







The protest came from the Korea Council for University Education (KCUE) and the Korea Association for Professional University College Education (KCCE), following the education ministry's competency evaluation results, released Tuesday, announcing its selection of 136 four-year universities and 97 two-year colleges that will receive financial support.







Twenty-five universities, including Sungshin Women's University in Seoul and Inha University in Incheon, along with 27 colleges, were excluded from the list of beneficiaries of government support.







The selected institutions must set up their own plans for scaling down admissions of new students, in order to receive the billions of won in funds for three years until 2024.







Those universities excluded from the list will receive financial support only for national scholarships and student loans.







The excluded universities are expected to face difficulties attracting new students, given the fact that the evaluation results came out the month before the admissions process begins for the 2022 academic year.







The ministry will finalize the list of selected universities receiving general financial support by the end of this month.







In October, the ministry will disclose the amount of financial support and the specific details of the projects under which it will be provided, which is currently under discussion with financial authorities.







However, the KCUE said that the ministry's evaluation results will result in heightened competition among post-secondary education institutions.







"What the ministry has done will only rank universities and colleges, as they evaluated them based solely on reports submitted by the schools," KCUE Chairman Kim In-chul said.







"Even universities that are healthy have received restrictions on government funding based on this evaluation."







Kim then said that the Ministry of Education should work with the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the National Assembly to increase the amount of innovation support project expenses for universities to 2 trillion won ($1.7 billion), and to grant universities autonomy over how that money is applied.







"The ministry must come up with a separate way to provide relief for the universities that have been excluded from government financial support due to the unreasonable evaluation process," Kim said.







If its demand is not accepted, Kim said the council will take collective action, such as increasing tuition fees at individual institutions.







He said university tuition levels have been kept frozen for the past 13 years according to the "half-price tuition" policy, based on the expectation that government funding will offset the lack of tuition revenue.







"But the ministry has undermined this effort," he said.







"If the government and the National Assembly do not accept our demands to expand financial support to higher education institutions, we will have no choice but to review the possibility that universities will exercise their autonomy in setting their own tuition fees."







The KCCE also said that the number of students accepted under admissions quotas has been drastically reduced by about 60,000 or 27 percent over the past 10 years, in accordance with the government's restructuring reforms for universities.







"It is very unfortunate that there was no evaluation of the universities' autonomous quality control and efforts according to the characteristics of each region and major," KCCE Chairperson Nam Sung-hee said.







"If government support ends up getting reduced based on the results of the evaluation process, the damage will be passed on to the students. Rather than ranking two-year colleges in a standardized way according to evaluation criteria meant for four-year universities, we request that the financial support for the colleges be greatly expanded so that they can strengthen their roles as lifelong vocational educational institutions."










South Korea plans to invest 1.6 trillion won ($1.37 billion) in the next 10 years to secure core technologies for satellite development in the defense sector, the arms procurement agency said Thursday.







The plan is part of a series of measures aimed at upgrading the country's defense capabilities in the space sector, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration.







The agency has launched a task force to focus on developing South Korea's space defense industry, saying that 16 trillion won of investment is expected in the field in the next 10 years following the lifting of U.S. curbs on the country's missile development.







In May, Seoul and Washington agreed to lift the guidelines that had barred South Korea from developing or possessing ballistic missiles with a maximum range greater than 800 kilometers.







"The task force will focus on preparing legal and institutional grounds, and handling organizational and personnel issues to effectively support the country's space defense industry," an official said.







The team includes officials from the defense ministry, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the arms procurement agency and the state-run Defense Agency for Development, it said. (Yonhap)






The commander and two other officers of South Korea's peacekeeping unit in Lebanon have been relieved of duty and ordered to return home amid a probe over suspected embezzlement and other irregularities, military sources said Thursday.







The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) made the decision after holding a deliberation session earlier in the day on corruption allegations against the Army colonel heading the Dongmyeong Unit and three other officers.







The 300-strong Dongmyeong Unit has been operating as part of the U.N. Interim Force in the conflict-laden country since 2007. It is South Korea's longest-serving military unit abroad.







They are suspected of misappropriating public funds and pocketing supplies for personal use. The commanding officer is also suspected of holding an overnight drinking session with subordinates despite COVID-19.







The defense ministry and the JCS dispatched officials to Lebanon for an onsite inspection late last month and confirmed some of the allegations, the ministry said earlier.







The colonel is reportedly denying all the allegations against him.







Upon returning home, they will undergo an additional probe, which will decide whether they will face disciplinary actions or prosecution. (Yonhap)


Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong attends a trial over a suspected fraud and stock manipulation case at the Seoul Central District Court, Aug. 19. Yonhap



Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong made his first public appearance Thursday since his release on parole to attend a trial over a suspected fraud and stock manipulation case.



The vice chairman of Samsung Electronics Co. was charged in September with unfair trading, stock manipulation and breach of trust in relation to the controversial 2015 merger of two Samsung affiliates, Cheil Industries Inc. and Samsung CT, seen as a key step toward his succession, and suspected accounting fraud at the pharmaceutical unit of Samsung Biologics.



He was released Friday after serving seven months in prison for a separate bribery case involving former President Park Geun-hye, after the Ministry of Justice granted him parole citing the impact of the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic on the country's economy and "social sentiment, and (the prisoner's) behavior and attitude."



On Thursday morning, Lee did not respond to questions, including the one regarding a work restriction, from reporters waiting outside the Seoul Central District Court.



Under the law, Lee is barred from working at Samsung for five years. The Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes bans those convicted of embezzlement or breach of trust involving amounts over 500 million won ($436,300) from being employed by companies related to their crimes or any institution that receives government subsidies.



Although the restriction remains in place, he is widely expected to circumvent the rule.



Earlier in the day, Justice Minister Park Beom-kye said the ministry could not intervene in the internal discussions of the board members at Samsung Electronics regarding the vice chairman's work there.



"Vice Chairman Lee has been unpaid and has served as a nonpermanent and unregistered executive for many years," he said.



Given that, the minister continued, Lee cannot be seen as being "employed" by the company in the strict sense of the word.



But civic groups countered the argument. Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice has said it would file a formal complaint against Lee over a violation of the law. (Yonhap)


In this 2019 July file photo, a woman walks past the company sign of the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Tokyo. AP-Yonhap



A South Korean court has ordered the seizure of Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries' assets here to provide compensation to forced wartime labor victims' families, according to judicial sources Thursday.



According to Haemaru Lawfirm, the Anyang branch of Suwon District Court, just south of Seoul, recently ordered the seizure of about 850 million won ($725,000) worth of bonds the Japanese company owns in LS Mtron, a South Korean industrial machinery manufacturer.



The value is the equivalent of the total 340 million won of damages ordered to be provided to four victims of Japan's forced labor during World War  in a 2018 Supreme Court ruling, as well as approximate losses incurred from the delay of the compensation.



Earlier this month, the surviving families of the victims asked the court to seize Mitsubishi Heavy's bonds in Korea after confirming business transactions between the Japanese firm and the local machinery manufacturer.










By Kang Hyun-kyung







The Taliban's gaining control of Afghanistan following the withdrawal of U.S. military forces is a chilling reminder for Koreans of the nightmare that continued for 42 days during the summer of 2007.







On July 19, 2007, 22 Koreans  six men and 16 women  were kidnapped by the Taliban on their way to Kandahar from Kabul. Of them, 19 were the members of a Protestant church based in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, and three others were Christian missionaries based in Afghanistan.







A day later, the Taliban made public that they were holding the Koreans captive. They urged the Korean government to pull its military forces out of Afghanistan in exchange for the release of the hostages. The Taliban also demanded the Afghan government release jailed Taliban members.







Taking advantage of the media, the Taliban had played a brutal game of taking lives one after another as their initial demands were not met. Two male hostages were killed  one on July 25 and the other on July 30  as the captors' negotiations with the Korean government didn't go the way they wished.







By playing the mind games, they stoke fear throughout those 42 days have taught Koreans about who they are.







A deal was reached and the remaining Koreans were released.







At home, Protestant churches suffered the consequences for their overseas missions, particularly in Islamic countries. To spread faith was portrayed as a reckless, self-centered action.







But the real lesson Koreans learned from the deadly hostage crisis is that the Taliban are an armed group that would do anything to secure their demands. It is fully understandable for the Afghan people to be living in terror after the Taliban have now seized Kabul.







Simple fear of the Taliban has turned into collective disgust of the group.




By Dick Polman





Anyone who professes to be shocked by the Taliban victory in Afghanistan has not been paying attention.



It was always bound to happen. It was merely delayed because Uncle Sam kept his trillion-dollar finger in the dike for 20 years. Were we fated to remain forever, in a land that had already proved fatally inhospitable to the British and the Russians and Alexander the Great?



The harbingers of failure had long been obvious, but most Americans, benumbed by the war, had long ago stopped paying attention. In 2019, word leaked that the U.S. officials entrusted with propping up the Afghan regime were disgusted with their proteges, saying in memos and private interviews that "after almost two decades of help from Washington, the Afghan army and police are still too weak to fend off the Taliban."



They were weak largely because they were deeply corrupt. In the private words of Ryan Crocker, a former U.S. ambassador, "they're useless as a security force because they are corrupt down to the patrol level." Nevertheless, as another U.S. official admitted to government interviewers in 2015, "The less they behaved, the more money we threw at them."



Fairly or not, President Biden will own the humiliating images of retreat  but, in reality, the Afghanistan debacle was authored by American presidents from both political parties. What we're seeing now is a bipartisan clustermuck.



It was launched by George W. Bush, who committed us to the impossible task of nation-building. (From his 2005 inaugural address: "It is the policy of the United States to seek and support the growth of democratic movements and institutions in every nation and culture," even though, he admitted, "our country has accepted obligations that are difficult to fulfill.")



It was sustained by Barack Obama, who approved a troop surge in 2009 and whose military spokesmen kept saying there was light at the end of the tunnel (Gen. James Mattis to Congress in 2010: "We're on the right track now.").



It landed in the capacious lap of Donald Trump, who decided it was time to get out, who invited the Taliban to Camp David in 2019 ("We're getting along very, very well with the Taliban"), and who set a May 1, 2021, withdrawal deadline for U.S. forces.



Nevertheless, Republicans are predictably hammering Biden, conveniently forgetting that antiwar sentiment has long been rampant in their own ranks. Mitt Romney, the Republican's presidential nominee in 2012, said of Afghanistan in 2011: "We've learned that our troops shouldn't go off and try and fight a war of independence for another nation."



As recently as last April, Trump endorsed Biden's announced intention to withdraw the troops: "Getting out of Afghanistan is a wonderful and positive thing to do. I planned to withdraw on May 1, and we should keep as close to that schedule as possible."



"Biden understood that the choice was between getting out or being stuck there with no end in sight, and he rightly judged that the former was better for the United States," wrote historian and veteran conservative commentator Daniel Larison.



"The fact that the Afghan government has lost so much ground so quickly proves that the U.S. failed in building a functioning state that could fend for itself ... Far from showing the folly of Biden's decision, it confirms the wisdom of it. A state as rickety and incapable of protecting itself as this one would not have been saved by delaying withdrawal a few more months or even years."



As Biden said on Saturday, "One more year or five more years of U.S. military presence would not have made a difference if the Afghan military cannot or will not hold its own country. And an endless American presence in the middle of another country's civil conflict was not acceptable to me."



That view also jibes with the sentiments of the most Americans. He'll likely take a hit in the short run as the images of surrender resonate globally  although that's akin to blaming President Gerald Ford for our chaotic final departure from Vietnam in 1975  but the fact remains that the current withdrawal is supported by 70 percent of Americans, including 56 percent of Republicans.



What most Americans appear to understand  even while mostly tuning out the war  is that leaving Afghanistan is basically the least bad option. There's no point in investing a few more trillion dollars and more American bodies just to keep meeting the definition of insanity, the compulsion to do the same thing over and over again in expectation of a different result. It takes wisdom and political courage to face reality.





Dick Polman (dickpolman7@gmail.com), a veteran national political columnist based in Philadelphia and a writer in residence at the University of Pennsylvania, writes at DickPolman.net. His article was distributed by Cagle Cartoons Inc.


Afghan turmoil undercuts US global leadership



The U.S.'s chaotic exit from Afghanistan is casting a dark cloud over President Joe Biden's pledge to reinforce alliances with other countries and restore his country's global leadership. Biden now faces criticism for abandoning his much-touted "America is back" catchphrase and returning to his predecessor's "America first" agenda.



Criticism came after Biden defended his decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan and put the blame for the Taliban's rapid takeover of the war-torn country on the corrupt and incompetent Afghanistan government. On Monday he said, "I will not repeat the mistakes we've made in the past  the mistake of staying and fighting indefinitely in a conflict that is not in the national interest of the United States, of doubling down on a civil war in a foreign country, of attempting to remake a country through the endless military deployments of U.S. forces."



The remark was seen as affirming his position that the U.S. would not engage in any war which does not serve the U.S.'s interest. But it could be interpreted as a retreat from his security commitments to allies. It could also signal that his global strategy is focused on maximizing his country's interests just as former President Donald Trump did with his America-centric mantras.



What Biden said has prompted many people to wonder if U.S. troops will leave any host country anytime if it loses its strategic value, as was the case with Afghanistan. It also appeared to send a message that there are no permanent friends or enemies in the stark international arena. In addition, his remark has apparently implied that the U.S. can't keep playing the role of the "world's policeman" as it had done in the Cold War era.



National security adviser Jake Sullivan clarified that Biden has no intention to reduce U.S. military presence in South Korea or Europe. Yet some pundits point out that they cannot rule out the possibility that another troop withdrawal could take place in other U.S. allies' territories.



Marc Thiessen, the Washington Post's foreign policy columnist and former speech writer for former U.S. President George W. Bush, triggered controversy by saying that South Korea could experience similar consequences as Afghanistan if the U.S. pulls out its troops from the country. He tweeted Monday, "If South Korea were under this kind of sustained assault, they would collapse just as quickly without U.S. support. There's virtually no American ally who could defend themselves without us."



But it is improper to compare South Korea to Afghanistan because there are big differences between the two countries. As ruling Democratic Party of Korea Chairman Song Young-gil pointed out, South Korea is a country with the world's sixth-strongest military and 10th-largest economy. Song stressed the need for Seoul to regain wartime operational control (OPCON) of South Korean forces from Washington. He also emphasized the importance of the nation establishing self-reliant defense readiness.



The Taliban's return to power offers a valuable lesson to South Korea. Most of all, the country should modernize its own military and strengthen its defense preparedness to fend for itself as the U.S. military cannot stay here forever. It is also necessary to beef up its alliance with the U.S., boost its strategic value and contribute more to regional security, stability and peace.




By Troy Stangarone





One challenge that negotiators face is determining under what conditions are they willing to resume negotiations with North Korea on its nuclear weapons and missile programs.



At times in the past, the United States and South Korea have insisted that North Korea demonstrate a commitment to dismantling its nuclear weapons. In an effort to advance talks, the Biden administration, however, has taken a more flexible approach and offered to meet with North Korea unconditionally.



In contrast to the United States' flexibility, North Korea is reported to have demanded that specified sanctions be lifted in advance of talks.



If reports based on a National Intelligence Service briefing to the National Assembly are correct, North Korea is conditioning talks on the lifting of sanctions in three areas  its ability to export metals, loosening restrictions on its importation of refined petroleum products, and an easing of a ban on imports of luxury goods.



Each of these sanctions impacts North Korea in a different way. A series of U.N. sanctions since 2016 have prohibited North Korea from exporting metals such as iron, lead, zinc, copper, nickel and silver. These and other sanctions have severely constrained the regime's ability to earn the hard currency it needs to fund its weapons programs and make other international purchases. Exports of metals were worth around $220 million for North Korea prior to the U.N. sanctions that have been in place since 2016.



Sanctions on North Korea's ability to import refined petroleum products, however, constrain the domestic economy and agriculture by limiting Pyongyang's access to refined fuels. Since 2017, U.N. sanctions have limited North Korea's imports of refined petroleum to 500,000 barrels per year. North Korea has sought to evade these restrictions through smuggling, and the U.N. Panel of Experts suggests that these efforts have allowed the regime to obtain levels of refined petroleum that exceed the amount that it is legally allowed to be imported under U.N. sanctions.



U.N. sanctions also include restrictions on the sale of luxury goods to North Korea. These predate the U.N. sanctions that have been in place since 2016, but have been viewed by the international community as a means to ensure that the elite in North Korea pay a price for the regime's pursuit of nuclear weapons.



North Korea's demand for sanctions relief in exchange for talks likely reveals that its position on negotiations remains unchanged since the Trump administration. After working-level talks in Stockholm, North Korea suggested that negotiations would not continue unless the United States made significant concessions. While those concessions were not spelled out at the time, they likely included some of the sanctions relief that Pyongyang sought during the breakdown of talks in Hanoi.



After U.N. sanctions were strengthened beginning in 2016, the Bank of Korea estimated that North Korea's economy contracted by 3.5 percent in 2017 and an additional 4.1 percent in 2018. Those economic challenges have only grown due to North Korea's decision to severely constrain trade due to COVID-19, and the economy is estimated to have declined by an additional 4.5 percent. Under these circumstances, it is not surprising that Pyongyang might be reluctant to resume talks with the United States unless economic benefits are provided in advance of any negotiations.



With the Trump administration having turned down a previous offer from North Korea in Hanoi to dismantle parts of its nuclear program in exchange for more robust sanctions relief, it is unlikely that the Biden administration would agree to provide a lesser level of relief in exchange for merely the resumption of talks.



Recent remarks by U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield would seem to suggest as much. While noting that the United States supported finding ways to ease humanitarian assistance to North Korea, Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield also said it is "important to remember that sanctions did not create the humanitarian crisis."



While sanctions relief may not be on the table, the inclusion of an easing on the importation of luxury goods in North Korea's demands may be revealing. It suggests that while the large-scale smuggling of items such as coal or petroleum documented by the U.N. Panel of Experts is something that the regime has been able to maintain, it has faced more significant challenges in acquiring the luxury goods that are needed to maintain the loyalty of the elite. It also suggests the potential for growing discontentment among the elite at the current situation.



While the Biden administration is unlikely agree to talks conditioned on sanctions relief, North Korea's demands in themselves give us insight into how the pandemic has impacted the regime. The challenge for negotiators knowing that is finding a solution that would entice North Korea back to the negotiating table short of providing sanctions relief.





Troy Stangarone (ts@keia.org) is the senior director of congressional affairs and trade at the Korea Economic Institute.


Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou exits court at the conclusion of a hearing in Vancouver, Canada, Aug. 18. Reuters-Yonhap



Huawei says US trying to increase leverage against China with CFO's extradition case



By Baek Byung-yeul



A high-profile hearing of Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer (CFO) of Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei Technologies, ended in a Canadian courtroom Wednesday (local time), drawing to an end the case that has provoked unprecedented conflict between the United States and China.



Over the next two months, Associate Chief Justice Heather Holmes will deliberate whether to extradite the Huawei executive to the U.S. as the justice is slated to announce her decision on Oct. 21.



Alykhan Velshi, Huawei Canada's vice president of corporate affairs, said Thursday that former U.S. President Donald Trump politicized her case as the CFO has been used as a bargaining chip in trade related negotiations between the world largest powers.



"We have contested her extradition on a number of grounds. The first ground that we raised is we said that president Trump politicized her case. This is a political prosecution," Velshi said during an online interview with The Korea Times.



"The evidence we cited is that in the days following her extradition he gave a speech in a news conference to Reuters where he told Reuters that he would be willing to intervene in her case if it got him a better trade deal with China."





Alykhan Velshi, vice president of Huawei Canada, speaks during an online interview with The Korea Times, Thursday. Courtesy of Huawei Korea
Korean business travelers wait to check in their luggage at Incheon International Airport before departing to Vietnam, Thursday. Courtesy of KCCI



By Kim Hyun-bin



Korean business travelers who have been vaccinated will get a reduced quarantine period when visiting Vietnam, thanks to the newly implemented Vaccine Track system.



The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) announced the system started off Thursday, with 84 vaccinated businesspeople from 50 companies traveling to the Southeast Asian country.



The Vaccine Track system reduces the compulsory quarantine to seven days from the previous 14 once they submit negative PCR test results and vaccination certificates.



With the COVID-19 pandemic spiking in Vietnam, the country imposed a 28-day quarantine and self-isolation policy for all visitors. But Vaccine Track will reduce the quarantine costs for visitors and enable them to work more proactively.



The KCCI worked tenaciously through its networks to persuade the authorities in Vietnam to implement Vaccine Track. The South Korean Embassy in Vietnam also made several official requests regarding the matter.



In response, Vietnam's Office of the Prime Minister instructed the relevant ministries earlier this month to review the new system, which was then applied to the KCCI business team for the first time, Thursday.



"The special entry of vaccinated business travelers and the reduced quarantine period greatly demonstrate our companies' willingness to invest in Vietnam. Through such efforts, we also will be able to win the trust of the Vietnamese government," KCCI Vice Chairman Woo Tae-hee was quoted as saying in a press release.



Korean companies in Vietnam have faced setbacks due to a lack of in-house technicians in the field, but Vaccine Track is expected to help resolve technical difficulties.



At a time when global supply chains are moving to ASEAN member countries, it has become more important for businesspeople to visit countries such as Vietnam, a major production hub. Korean businesses called for easing the process and documents required to enter Vietnam.



The KCCI has helped Korean businesspeople visit Vietnam in cooperation with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, after the Vietnamese government banned the entry of foreigners on March 22 last year to prevent the spread of COVID-19.



Up to 4,453 Koreans from 2,091 companies have visited Vietnam and none have tested positive for the virus.


An Afghan waves the national flag as they celebrate the 102th Independence Day of Afghanistan in Kabul on Aug. 19. AFP-Yonhap



Flag-waving protesters took to the streets of more Afghan cities on Thursday as popular opposition to the Taliban spread, and a witness said several people were killed when the militants fired on a crowd in Asadabad in the east.



"Our flag, our identity," a crowd of men and women waving black, red and green national flags shouted in the capital Kabul, a video clip posted on social media showed, on the day Afghanistan celebrates independence from British control in 1919.



A witness reported gunshots fired near the rally, but they appeared to be armed Taliban shooting in the air.



One woman walked with an Afghan flag wrapped around her shoulders, and those marching chanted "God is greatest." At some protests elsewhere, media has reported people tearing down the white flag of the Taliban.



A Taliban spokesman was not immediately available for comment.



Some of the demonstrations are small, but, combined with the ongoing scramble by thousands of people to get to Kabul airport and flee the country, they underline the challenge the Taliban face to govern the country.



The Islamist militant movement conquered Afghanistan in lightning speed as foreign troops withdrew, surprising even its leaders and leaving them to fill a power vacuum in many places.



Since seizing Kabul on Sunday, the Taliban have presented a more moderate face to the world, saying they want peace, will not take revenge against old enemies and will respect the rights of women within the framework of Islamic law.



During their previous rule from 1996-2001, they severely restricted women's rights, staged public executions and blew up ancient Buddhist statues.



In Asadabad, capital of the eastern province of Kunar, several people were killed during a rally, but it was not clear if the casualties resulted from Taliban firing or from a stampede that it triggered, witness Mohammed Salim said.



"Hundreds of people came out on the streets," Salim said. "At first I was scared and didn't want to go but when I saw one of my neighbors joined in, I took out the flag I have at home.



"Several people were killed and injured in the stampede and firing by the Taliban."



Protests also flared up in the city of Jalalabad and a district of Paktia province, both also in the east.





Afghans wave a black, red and green banner in honor of the Afghan flag on Afghan Independence Day, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday. AP-Yonhap



On Wednesday, Taliban fighters fired at protesters waving flags in Jalalabad, killing three, witnesses and media reported. Media reported similar scenes in Asadabad and another eastern city, Khost, on Wednesday.



First Vice President Amrullah Saleh, who is trying to rally opposition to the Taliban, expressed support for the protests.



"Salute those who carry the national flag and thus stand for dignity of the nation," he said on Twitter.



Saleh said on Tuesday he was in Afghanistan and the "legitimate caretaker president" after President Ashraf Ghani fled as the Taliban took Kabul.





Airport chaos





U.S. soldiers help a woman while she tries to climb the wall as crowds gather near the wall at Kabul airport, Afghanistan, Aug. 17. Courtesy of Rise to Peace via Reuters-Yonhap

In an op-ed for the Washington Post, Ahmad Massoud, leader of the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan based in the old anti-Taliban stronghold of the Panjshir Valley northeast of Kabul, called for Western support to fight the Taliban.



"I write from the Panjshir Valley today, ready to follow in my father's footsteps, with mujahideen fighters who are prepared to once again take on the Taliban," wrote Massoud, the son of Ahmad Shah Massoud, a veteran guerrilla leader killed by suspected al Qaeda militants in 2001.



Other former Afghan leaders including ex-president Hamid Karzai have been holding talks with the Taliban as they put together a new government.



While Kabul has been generally calm since Taliban forces entered on Sunday, the airport has been in chaos as people rushed for a way out of the country.



Twelve people have been killed in and around the airport since then, a NATO and a Taliban official said. The deaths were caused either by gun shots or by stampedes, according to the Taliban official.



He urged people who do not have the legal right to travel to go home. "We don't want to hurt anyone at the airport," said the Taliban official, who declined to be identified.



In one scene captured on social media, a small girl was hoisted over the airport's high perimeter wall and handed to a U.S. soldier standing guard, underlining the desperation many people felt.



On Wednesday, witnesses said Taliban gunmen prevented people from getting into the airport compound. A Taliban official said soldiers had fired into the air to disperse the crowd.



Gunmen unleashed sustained fire into the air on Thursday at several entrances to the airport, sending the crowds, including women clutching babies, scattering. It was not clear if the men firing were Taliban or security staff helping U.S. forces inside.



The United States and other Western powers pressed on with the evacuation of their nationals and some of their Afghan staff from the capital's airport, from where about 8,000 people have been flown out since Sunday, a Western security official said.



Under a pact negotiated last year by former President Donald Trump's administration, the United States agreed to withdraw its forces in exchange for a Taliban guarantee they would not let Afghanistan be used to launch terrorist attacks.



The Taliban also agreed not to attack foreign forces as they left.



U.S. President Joe Biden said U.S. forces would remain until the evacuation of Americans was finished, even if that meant staying past an Aug. 31 U.S. deadline for withdrawal. (Reuters)




In this Aug. 11 file photo, a healthcare worker fills a syringe with Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at a community vaccination event in Los Angeles, Calif. The US government will announce that Americans should get booster shots for coronavirus vaccines eight months after their last shot, part of a campaign that could begin as early as mid-September. AFP-Yonhap



US President Joe Biden said Wednesday he will make COVID-19 booster shots available to all American adults beginning next month, as his administration warned that vaccines are showing a declining effectiveness against infection.



The move comes as scientists and health experts grapple with how to beat back the surging Delta variant of the coronavirus, and follows extensive debate over whether a third injection of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines would be appropriate.



Stressing this was "no time to let our guard down," Biden urged every American 18 and older to get a booster eight months after becoming fully vaccinated.



"This will boost your immune response, it will increase your protection from COVID-19, and it's the best way to protect ourselves from new variants that could arise," Biden said in an address from the White House.



"It will make you safer, and for longer  and it will help us end the pandemic faster."



According to the plan, which is still pending a final evaluation by the Food and Drug Administration, the boosters would become available beginning the week of September 20.



Biden also unveiled a new facet in the push to increase vaccination rates: mandating nursing homes to require all workers be fully vaccinated as a condition for receiving federal funding for social safety net programs like Medicare.



The president highlighted how vaccination rates of the nation's 1.3 million nursing home workers "significantly trail" the rest of the country.



Earlier in the day the nation's top health authorities described how "waning immunity" after receiving vaccinations and the strength of the widespread Delta variant were necessitating a booster for most Americans.



"We are concerned that this pattern of decline we are seeing will continue in the months ahead, which could lead to reduced protection against severe disease, hospitalization and death," US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said in a video press conference.



Murthy and other members of the White House COVID-19 response team said that while vaccines remain remarkably effective, the best way to shore up protection is through a booster.



They said they also anticipate booster shots will be needed eventually for people who received the Johnson Johnson vaccine, which rolled out in March.





Emergency Room nurses speak to each other at the Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital in Houston, Texas, Aug. 18. Across Houston, hospitals have been forced to treat hundreds of patients in hallways and corridors as their emergency rooms are being overwhelmed due to the sharp increase in Delta variant cases. AFP-Yonhap
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks from the East Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Aug 18, 2021, on the COVID-19 response and vaccination program. AP-Yonhap



U.S. President Joe Biden says even with the Taliban in power in Afghanistan, he sees a greater threat from outposts of al-Qaida and its affiliated groups in other countries, and that it was no longer ''rational'' to continue to focus U.S. military power there.



''We should be focusing on where the threat is the greatest,'' Biden said in an interview that aired on ABC's ''Good Morning America'' Thursday.



''And the idea we can continue to spend a trillion dollars, and have tens of thousands of American forces in Afghanistan, when we have North Africa and Western Africa _ the idea we can do that and ignore those looming problems, growing problems, is not rational.''



Biden named Syria and East Africa as places where the Islamic State group poses a ''significantly greater threat'' than in Afghanistan and said that ISIS has ''metastasized.'' He said while the U.S. doesn't have a sizable military presence in a place like Syria, it does have an ''over the horizon capability to take them out.''



The comments come as the Biden administration has faced sharp criticism for the timing and direction of the Afghanistan withdrawal, after the Taliban came to power more quickly than administration officials predicted. The swift takeover by the Taliban prompted scenes of chaos and violence as thousands of Afghans and Americans sought to flee the country.



Biden also pushed back against concerns about the treatment of women and girls in the country, arguing that it's ''not rational'' to try to protect women's rights around the globe through military force. Instead, it should be done through ''diplomatic and international pressure'' on human rights abusers to change their behavior.



Up to 15,000 Americans remain in Afghanistan after the Taliban took full control of the nation last weekend. Biden said during the same interview that he's committed to keeping U.S. troops in Afghanistan until every American is evacuated, even if that means maintaining a military presence beyond his Aug. 31 deadline for withdrawal.



Pressed repeatedly on how the administration would help Americans left in the nation after Aug. 31, Biden said, ''If there's American citizens left, we're gonna stay till we get them all out.''



Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said earlier Wednesday that the U.S. military does not have the forces and firepower in Afghanistan to expand its current mission from securing the Kabul airport to collecting Americans and at-risk Afghans elsewhere in the capital and escorting them for evacuation.



The question of whether those seeking to leave the country before Biden's deadline should be rescued and brought to the airport has arisen amid reports that Taliban checkpoints have stopped some designated evacuees.



''I don't have the capability to go out and extend operations currently into Kabul,'' Austin said. ''And where do you take that? How far do you extend into Kabul, and how long does it take to flow those forces in to be able to do that?''



Austin, a retired four-star Army general who commanded forces in Afghanistan, spoke at his first Pentagon news conference since the Taliban swept to power in Kabul on Sunday.



He said the State Department was sending more consular affairs officers to speed up the processing of evacuees.



''We're not close to where we want to be'' in terms of the pace of the airlift, Austin said.



He said he was mainly focused on the airport, which faced ''a number of threats'' that must be monitored.



''We cannot afford to either not defend that airfield or not have an airfield that's secure, where we have hundreds or thousands of civilians that can access the airfield,'' he said, adding that talks with the Taliban were continuing to ensure safe passage for those evacuating.





Taliban stand guard as Shiite Muslims attend a mourning procession during Ashura, in Kabul, Afghanistan, 19 Aug. EPA-Yonhap
In this file photo taken on Jan. 26, a healthcare professional draws up a dose of the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine at the vaccination center set up inside Brighton Center in Brighton, southern England. AFP-Yonhap



Rich countries' decisions to roll out COVID-19 booster shots "threaten the promise of a brighter tomorrow for Africa," the Africa director for the World Health Organization said Thursday, warning that "as some richer countries hoard vaccines, they make a mockery of vaccine equity."



Matshidiso Moeti and other African health officials, including the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, had warned against booster shots in recent weeks as less than 2 percent of the population on the continent of 1.3 billion people is fully vaccinated against COVID-19.



Moeti noted that the latest resurgence in cases across Africa is leveling off and more vaccine doses are finally arriving on the continent, but "Africa is encountering headwinds" as rich countries like the United States decide to roll out booster shots.



The situation in Africa remains "very fragile" as the more infectious delta variant is now dominant in most of the continent's 54 countries, she said. More than 7.3 million cases, including more than 186,000 deaths, have been confirmed across the continent and health systems are straining to provide medical oxygen and other care.



U.S. health officials on Wednesday announced plans to dispense COVID-19 booster shots to all Americans amid the surging delta variant and signs that vaccines' effectiveness is slipping.



Moeti told reporters she couldn't say with any accuracy whether the doses the U.S. plans to use for booster shots will come from stocks that had been planned for Africa, but "hopefully not."



She noted the "already highly inequitable situation" globally in vaccine supply and urged that the emphasis instead be placed on making progress in vaccinating people in Africa, whose countries lag far behind much of the world in access and coverage.



Moeti pointed out that rich countries have on average administered more than 103 vaccine doses per 100 people, while in Africa it's just six.



Earlier this week the WHO director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, called it "unconscionable" that some countries are now offering booster shots "while so many people remain unprotected." (AP)




Applications are invited for a 12-month, staff position as a Nursing Student Program Coordinator at the Alamogordo campus for the School of Nursing, Requisition #2100478S Required education/experience: Bachelors Degree in a related field; No previous work experience required Equivalency: An Associate's degree and two (2) years of related experience; or, four (4) years of related experience may substitute for the Bachelor's degree. Job Duties: Provides administrative support for faculty and students at the Alamogordo campus

Monitor ITV classes

Proctor exams

Assisting and setting up of the nursing labs

Monthly inventory

Ordering of lab supplies

Coordinating course set up with the labs for the students (including covid preparedness)

Serves as an academic support specialist who organizes and schedules standardized exams, exam preparation, and coordinates student success seminars

Coordinates BSN community outreach, new student orientations and graduation events

Supports the Associate Director for the Undergraduate Program in the execution of the School of Nursings strategic goals and initiatives

Provides limited administrative support for the clinical course lead faculty

Answer phones, copying and emailing and other duties as assigned. NMSU is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. Closing date August 30, 2021 For more information or to submit your information and be considered today please click Apply!

recblid 94mq51l6zg7rz1n5u7xp3qc0k0x9zc








Salary $49,608.00 - $75,732.80 Annually Location Arlington "METRO-accessible", VA Job Type Full-Time Department Commonwealth's Attorney Job Number 9412-22A-CWA-HQ Closing 8/31/2021 11:59 PM Eastern Position Information The Office of the Commonwealth's Attorney for Arlington County and the City of Falls Church has an opening for a Paralegal to provide court administration and documentation assistance to the professional legal staff. This employee will manage court dockets that are prosecuted in the General District and Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Courts for Arlington County and the City of Falls Church.



Specific duties include: Performing administrative functions including preparing court dockets, composing letters and narrative reports, and compiling information relevant to cases;

Using police department's database to obtain and review police reports to assist with preparing cases for trial;

Issuing subpoenas for all necessary witnesses;

Requesting lab reports and prior criminal convictions;

Obtaining video evidence;

Tracking cases using the Client Information Management System (CIMS), and Prosecutor by Karpel (PBK) Case Management System; and

Serving as a liaison between the courts and law enforcement agencies for Arlington County and/or the City of Falls Church. The ideal candidate will possess strong interpersonal, organizational and time management skills to carry out their assigned tasks in a timely and complete manner as well as exceptional communication and customer service skills to work with a diverse population.

Selection Criteria Minimums: High school diploma or GED;

Completion of a paralegal certificate program recognized by the American Bar Association; and

One year experience as a paralegal, legal assistant or legal secretary. Substitution: Additional qualifying experience in a legal office performing paralegal responsibilities may be substituted for the paralegal certificate program requirements.



Desirables: Preference may be given to candidates who have the following experience: Working in a criminal justice or court system environment;

Docket management; and/or

Using Prosecutor by Karpel (PBK) or similar case management software.

Special Requirements A background check will be conducted on all candidates who are finalists for the position. It may include checks of the following: criminal record, driving record, education, professional licensure, and credit check and may require signing a release authorizing the County to obtain this information. Any offer of employment may be contingent upon a favorable review of the applicant's driving record and criminal history.



An offer of employment will be contingent upon obtaining the Virginia Criminal Information Network (VCIN) and National Crime Information System (NCIS) certification within the first four months of employment.

Additional Information Work Hours: Core work hours are Monday through Friday, from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Telework and other alternate work scheduled may be available with prior supervisor approval.



Your responses to the supplemental questionnaire are considered part of the selection process. Please do not enter "see resume" as a response to the questions. Each section of the application must be completed. A resume may be attached; however, it will not substitute for the completed application. 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.




Job Title: Residential Advocates Reports To: Residential Shift Supervisor Salary for Residential Advocate: Starting hourly rate $16.00/hour ($33,280.00 annual) Days/Hours: Full Time: Monday  Friday, 10:30pm-7:30am

Part Time: Saturday and Sunday 6:30am-6:30pm

Part Time: Saturday and Sunday 6:30pm-6:30am

Relief Advocates: Weekday/weekend mornings, afternoon, and overnight (all shifts)

All employees are required to have flexibility as needed to meet the needs of the department and the agency.

Bilingual Spanish Preferred. This position is considered essential personnel during holidays and in times of hardship, such as extreme weather conditions and/or other emergencies. Workplace Location(s): Women In Distresss Emergency Shelter Qualifications: Bachelors Degree in Social Services related field

Two years of work experience in Domestic Violence preferred

Excellent customer service skills

Experience working in a residential setting preferred

In addition, candidates must possess a valid Florida drivers license, safe driving record, and proof of automobile liability insurance General Job Description for Residential Advocate: The Residential Advocate will provide supportive, trauma-informed and survivor - directed advocacy services for domestic violence survivors in Women In Distress' Emergency Shelter program. Utilizing best practice models, Advocates facilitate individual support services with participants to include but not limited to the registration and intake process, answering crisis calls on the hotline, crisis counseling, individual counseling, service or case management, file reviews, proper timely documentation, and facilitation of support groups. Candidates must exhibit a positive, non-judgmental approach to survivors. In addition, candidate must have the ability to demonstrate a clear understanding of the dynamics of domestic violence, forming proper boundaries, and use of good judgment. Lastly, candidates should preferably have case management experience. The Residential Advocate will ensure that all services provided are empowerment-based and are consistent with Department of Children and Family (DCF) standards. The employee holding this position must be able to perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation. This job description is intended to describe the nature and level of work performed in this position. It is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties required and management may assign or reassign duties and responsibilities at any time. Essential Job Functions: Accepts and handles crisis calls providing crisis de-escalation, developing safety plans, and providing referrals as needed.

Provides trauma-informed direct services to survivors of domestic violence including individual counseling and crisis intervention as needed. Utilizes the empowerment model and maintains a non-judgmental attitude towards participants decisions. Models non-violent conflict resolution and takes appropriate steps to deal with emergency situations with the goal of maintain the safety of all residents. Maintains strict standards of confidentiality.

Facilitates orientation, support, and/or empowerment groups, maintaining or consistently increasing group attendance.

Provides comprehensive survivor centered service management and advocacy services to survivors including the creation of a safety plan, action plans and goals to transition out of shelter and court advocacy services.

Maintains current and accurate participant records and files through proper chart documentation and/or data entry into required computer database. Reviews and departs files on a monthly basis. Will meet position productivity standards and funding contractual obligations, and meet position's quality assurance standards.

Establishes connections and working relationships with appropriate service providers/community agencies. Acts as a liaison and advocate for survivors to assure providers and agencies are appropriate and accessible. Collaborates with the Residential Manager to promote survivor engagement in services.

Follows State and Agency guidelines when reports of child abuse and incident reports as required and notifies supervisor in a timely manner.

Completes other tasks as assigned. Additional requirements: Employee will be required to take the Department of Children and Families (DCF) Core Competency training and obtain a passing grade of 75% or higher. Women In Distress does not discriminate by reason of race, sex, color, age, national origin, religion, mental or physical ability, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran or military reserve status, immigration status, or language spoken. All room assignments, activities, programs, etc. are provided in a non-discriminatory manner. Applicants with disabilities who may need accommodations are encouraged to contact Diane Smith, Human Resources Manager at 954-760-9800 ext. 1034 5 days prior to scheduled interview, so that reasonable accommodations may be coordinated.

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Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid (MMLA) is seeking a full-time Healthcare Navigator/Housing Paralegal for its St. Cloud office, helping residents of Central Minnesota access affordable health coverage and maintain their legal rights with housing. This position will start as soon as possible after an offer is extended. RESPONSIBILITIES: Apply the principles of MMLAs Racial Justice Values Statement in all interactions

Help members of the community enroll in affordable health coverage

Assist residents with a variety of healthcare issues, including completing applications and program renewals and responding to program notices and requirements

Participate in community outreach and education activities

Interview prospective clients, work with our housing attorneys in writing letters, drafting documents, and addressing clients legal issues, and provide targeted community outreach on housing-related issues

Provide legal advice and representation to clients from low-income backgrounds, with an emphasis on helping tenants with housing-related issues

Other duties as assigned QUALIFICATIONS: Concern for and commitment to the needs and rights of people from low-income backgrounds

Ability to positively support co-workers while maintaining high-quality service to clients

Ability to manage multiple tasks and maintain strong attention to detail

Government security clearance required

Access to reliable transportation, as occasional travel may be required

Proficiency using Microsoft Office required

Second language skills, particularly in Vietnamese, Spanish, or Somali, preferred

Diverse economic, social, or cultural experiences preferred SALARY: Starting at $35,362 per year, depending on experience, plus benefits APPLICATIONS: Submit resume and cover letter at https://mylegalaid.org/employment by September 1st, 2021, or until position is filled. If you require a reasonable accommodation for completing this application, interviewing, or otherwise participating in our employee selection process, please contact Jolene Chestnut at jchestnut@mylegalaid.org. Please direct all other inquiries to hiring@mylegalaid.org. Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer.

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Description

As a Customer Service Coordinator you will work with a select group of sales representatives supporting and servicing Federated customers and prospects. By phone, you will answer questions, fulfill service requests, and identify, collect and research information to ensure a quality product is provided. We are looking for someone with exceptional customer service skills, polished and energetic phone skills, problem solving and prioritizing skills combined with a genuine desire to create an exceptional customer service experience for our clients. No prior insurance experience is necessary - we provide an excellent 16 week training program, starting on October 18th. The training will take place in our Mankato office and your hours during training would be 7:30-4:00, Monday-Friday. Additional Qualifications Needed: Two-year degree or equivalent experience

Minimum of three years' customer service experience; prefer one year in a call center or inside sales environment

Strong computer skills with proficiency in Office programs and an ability to work in multiple applications

Ability to successfully complete the training program; including learning about Property & Casualty and Life/Disability insurance concepts and coverages

Self-motivated with a high degree of personal responsibility. Juggles multiple competing priorities and tasks.

Demonstrated problem-solving skills with attention to detail Starting pay is $21.50 per hour. At Federated Insurance, we do life-changing work, focused on our clients success. For our employees, we provide tremendous opportunities for growth. Over 95% of them believe our company has an outstanding future. We make lives better, and were looking for employees who want to make a difference in others lives, all while enhancing their own. You will have opportunities to grow in your career. Our employees are encouraged to ask questions and learn on the job, and we are committed to promoting from within. We recognize your contributions with an exceptional rewards package that includes competitive pay and bonus programs, incredibly affordable health insurance, generous pension and 401(k) benefits, and gift matching and paid volunteer time to support your involvement in the community. Learn more about our Benefits.

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Requirements

None






Potter-Randall Appraisal District has an immediate opening for the following position: Field Appraiser This is a Full-Time position, Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm Under direct and general supervision of Department Coordinator, discovers, locates and values Real Estate (land and improvements) and Business Personal Property (machinery, inventories, equipment, furniture, fixtures), Freeport exemptions and Pollution Control exemption, etc. for the appraisal roll to be utilized by the Taxing Entities. Position Duties & Responsibilities: Draws and labels diagrams of improvements

Obtains measurements and specific data pertaining to architectural style, construction and component parts

Records quality of materials and workmanship of improvements

Estimates reproduction construction new, based on schedule of current construction costs and costs of existing structures

Observes, estimates and records accrued depreciation

Gathers and analyzes income data

Ability to group similar properties into neighborhoods and maintain neighborhood evolvement

Maintain property equalization according to class, quality and construction type within a neighborhood

Ability to review market costs and sales data in ratio studies for appraisal purposes of land and improvements

Obtains data on land and improvement sales

Estimates the value and groups similar businesses of various types of tangible personal property

Calls on business establishments to solicit renditions and correspondences with businesses concerning renditions when necessary

Reviews the books and records and has to be capable of auditing the books and records of business establishments

Identify businesses while in field throughout the year

Makes personal inspection of inventories, fixed assets, rolling stock and other personal property

Justifies and explains values through all types of communication with the property owner

May appear before the Appraisal Review Board and present information and/or testimony

Operates an automobile in course of work

Ability to coordinate areas of responsibility with neighboring Field Appraisers and Department Coordinators

Ability to work in a team environment

Maintains mileage and accounts on daily basis on computer log

Makes recommendations to Department Coordinator for methodology and procedure changes

Bring any type of trend changes in the industry to the attention of the Department Coordinator

Ability to appraise and answer all types of correspondence regarding all types of property not just area of responsibility

Review work after data entry to insure accuracy

Ability to manage time in field without direct supervision and organize work for best production, accuracy and timely completion

Performs any other work necessary to fulfill the goals of the Appraisal District Education and Experience: A Bachelor's degree from a four-year accredited college or university with a major in public administration, economics, business administration, real estate or a major demonstrably related to this job, provided that other qualified education course and experience may be considered Must progress through the courses and the levels of an appraiser as required by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Must know or be able to learn, retain and recall:

Basic economic principles of the theory of value

Appraisal practices and procedures

Tax law and other laws pertaining to ownership of property

Basic accounting and auditing principles

The operation of a computer

Map reading

Must be able to make independent decisions based on experience and knowledge

Must be able to follow oral and written instructions

Must have the ability to maintain an effective working relationship with the public

Must have the ability to maintain an effective relationship with other employees

Must be able to withstand verbal abuse

Must be of good character with complete integrity and mature judgment

Must be able to work and produce on his/her own Special Requirements: Must possess a valid driver's license

Must register with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR)

Must progress through the courses and levels of an appraiser as required by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) Your employment with the Appraiser District is expected to receive your paramount attention. Appraisal personnel who are licensed by the State to make value judgements are prohibited from accepting outside employment ("moonlighting") due to possible conflicts of interest unless approved by the Chief Appraiser The Appraisal District is an equal opportunity employer and does not consider race, color, creed, age, or sex in matters of employment. The masculine or feminine pronoun is used only for convenience and either may be substituted for the other. Applications for this position will be taken through Friday, September 3, 2021 To request an application click Apply!

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The Apprenticeship program of Local 669 began on April 1, 1953 through the UA when it was registered with the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training.

The program was established by Peter Schoemann, the General President of the UA and Ray Casey, the Executive Director of the Association. During the inception, the UA solicited the assistance of Penn State University.

Each Apprentice would receive a textbook by mail, study the material independently, take a paper-based test in a booklet and then mail it back to the University to be assessed. Penn State would then grade the test, share the students results with the JATC and the program administrator, and then return mail the results to the students.

Jack Walsh was the first Director of Training; a position he held from 1967-1997 recognized from the start that the Penn State courses, while covering the right topics, lacked practical application and insight for the Sprinkler Fitter. The courses were too theoretical. As a result, Walsh revamped the courses not only to include on-the- job information but also to present the information from the Sprinkler Fitter perspective.

With technology constantly changing, so has the JATC program. Today the Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee governs all training for Sprinkler Fitters Local 669. The JATC is an independent training committee with four members of Local 669 and four from the management side of the industry, all are associated with the National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA).

The 5-year Apprenticeship period is divided into one-year segments, each to include 2,000 hours of on-the-job training and a minimum of 246 hours of related classroom instruction and independent study. The Apprenticeship program blends on-the- job training, hands-on training and virtual training that features online access to 19 courses offered through Washtenaw Community College, a nationally recognized college.

Once an apprentice successfully completes the apprenticeship program and becomes a Journeyman, many opportunities lie ahead. You can work as a foreman, move up to superintendent or even move into management with a company. On the other hand, you can strive to continue building on the most respected labor unions in the construction industry. Being identified as a Sprinkler Fitter is both rewarding and fulfilling.


SUMMARY OPEN UNTIL FILLED - Review of applications will begin 8/31/21



The full-time Lead Faculty/Instructor is a position with primary efforts focused on teaching and learning, academic excellence, and student success. Responsible for program effectiveness, including outcomes, organization, administration, continuous review, planning, and development. The Health Information Technology (HIT) Lead Faculty/Instructor has a role in leading the program, including administration and budget development. This position is responsible for obtaining initial accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 1. Adheres to all College Policies and Procedures.

2. Engages in activities that promote recruitment, retention, and student success.

3. Facilitates student learning to meet the program learning outcomes.

4. Infuses a culture of assessment of student learning into the instructional environment to inform improvements in curriculum, pedagogy, resources, and student success.

5. Ensures timely, consistent, and accurate record keeping in support of student success and accreditation requirements.

6. Fosters equity and respect for diversity among students with a focus on student learning.

7. Integrates appropriate instructional technology and instructional materials to enhance student learning outcomes and promote student success.

8. Engages collaboratively with colleagues by using data-informed decision making to continually improve courses within the Health Information Technology program of study.

9. Collaborates with colleagues across the College to identify and provide appropriate resources that promote student learning and completion.

10. Maintains currency in teaching discipline and in the issues of higher education and stays current with professional issues by maintaining membership of the American Association for Health Information (AHIMA).

11. Teaches at various instructional sites and in multiple delivery formats as needed to meet scheduling needs of students and the Health Information Technology Program, which could include day, evening, and weekend options.

12. Participates in activities necessary to achieve and maintain program accreditation through CAHIIM.

13. Submit all required reports in a timely manner and maintain accurate program records.

14. Perform other related duties as assigned. MINIMUM EDUCATION QUALIFICATIONS Bachelors degree from a national accredited institution in Health Information Technology, OR , an Associate degree from a national accredited institution in Health Information Technology and a Bachelors degree from a nationally accredited institution in a related field required. Current credentials from the American Association for Health Information (AHIMA) required. Credentials from the Registered Health Information Management (RHIA) or the Registered Health Information Technology (RHIT) required.

Demonstrated ongoing continuing education in the field of Health Information Technology.

Must meet SACSCOC criteria and the minimum criteria of other pertinent accrediting, licensing and credentialing agencies in the area of teaching. MINIMUM EXPERIENCE QUALIFICATIONS Prior community college and online teaching experience preferred.

Two years of related (non-teaching) work experience in the Health Information Technology field preferred.

Must be willing to teach classes during summer semester.

Strong computer skills and commitment to the use of technology in curriculum instruction required. PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Must be able to lift, carry, push, and/or pull up to 25 pounds.

Frequent standing, walking, stooping, and bending required.

Must be able to meet the same technical standards as students admitted into the Pharmacy Technology Health

Information Technology Program, with or without accommodations.

Work environment can be stressful at times in dealing with a wide variety of challenges and deadlines. Gaston College provides a comprehensive, affordable insurance and benefits program. We are continuously investigating new benefit offerings that are responsive to the needs of our regular** employees. State Health Plan

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts

Employee Assistance Program

Additional Supplemental Insurances

NC State Retirement Plan

Supplemental Retirement Plans

Disability Benefits, Long- and Short-Term

Longevity Pay

State Employees' Credit Union Eligibility

Leave (Vacation, Sick, FMLA, Civil and Military, Child/Student Involvement, Education, and Voluntary Shared)

Paid Holidays

Educational Advancement Compensation

Tuition Assistance

Employee Discount Program

Benefits Overview Booklet **Please note: Temporary (part-time) employees do not earn benefits. Gaston College is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Click "Apply" to submit an application today!

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Description

Req #18080 Wednesday, August 18, 2021 Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI) is a subscription-led and digitally focused media and marketing solutions company committed to empowering communities to thrive. With an unmatched reach at the national and local level, Gannett touches the lives of millions with our Pulitzer-Prize winning content, consumer experiences and benefits, and advertiser products and services.



Our current portfolio of media assets includes USA TODAY, local media organizations in 46 states in the U.S., and Newsquest, a wholly owned subsidiary operating in the United Kingdom with more than 120 local news media brands. Gannett also owns the digital marketing services companies ReachLocal, Inc., UpCurve, Inc., and WordStream, Inc., which are marketed under the LOCALiQ brand, and runs the largest media-owned events business in the U.S., USA TODAY NETWORK Ventures.



To connect with us, visit www.gannett.com . The Palm Beach Daily News,part of theUSA TODAY NETWORK, is seeking a top-notch journalism studentto participate in our10-weekFallInternship Program.

This paid internship program provides an opportunity to work in the newsroom.Were seeking students who are looking for a professional-level experience and have the initiative, skills, and judgment to excel at it.

The program will include extensive one-on-one coaching and mentoring, but students are expected to handle stories independently and effectively in a 24/7 deadline-driven environment.

This hands-oninternshipisfulltime(40 hours per week)and runs for 10 weeks.Youll doreportingevery day, learning how to write clear, accurate copy on deadline. Responsibilities: Report and write about general assignment topics inthe Town of Palm Beach, with a focus on public safety and trending news. Requirements: Candidates must be juniors, seniors or graduate students or have a journalism degree but havent yet landed a job.

Prior experience working for a college publication is required; a previous journalism internship is a plus.

Strong command of AP writing, spelling, grammar, and style.

Solid fact checking and reporting skills.

Well-organized, detail-oriented, and flexible.

Open to new ideas, new experiences and learning on the job.

Critical thinking and analytical skills.

Ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment.

Experience performing a wide variety of tasks under the pressure of deadlines.

Exceptional written and verbal communication skills required.

Advanced proficiency in MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

If you are selected for a driving role, these positions require a valid drivers license, reliable transportation, and the minimum liability insurance required by state law.

Employment is contingent on passing a post-offer pre-employment background check and drug screen (for driving roles only). Provide 5 (five) samples of work with your application. Gannett Co., Inc. is a proud equal opportunity employer committed to building and maintaining a diverse workforce. As such, we will consider all qualified applicants for employment and do not discriminate in connection with employment decisions on the basis of an applicant or employees race, color, national origin, ethnicity, ancestry, citizenship status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, marital status, personal appearance (including height and weight), sexual orientation, family responsibilities, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy status (including childbirth, breastfeeding or related medical conditions), education, genetic characteristics or information, political affiliation, military or veteran status or other classifications protected by applicable federal, state and local laws in the jurisdictions where Gannett employs employees. In addition, Gannett Co., Inc. will provide applicants who require a reasonable accommodation, as a result of an applicants disability or religion, to complete this employment application and/or any other process in connection with an individuals application for employment with Gannett Co., Inc. Applicants who require such accommodation should contact Gannett Co., Inc.s Recruitment Department at Recruit@gannett.com. Job Family Intern

Job Function General Administration

Pay Type Hourly Other details

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Requirements

None




The Western withdrawal from Afghanistan is not only a humiliation for US imperialism, but also for Brexiteer Tories, whose jingoistic delusions have been shattered. To help the Afghan masses, we must overthrow this rotten Tory government.

In Kabul this week, there were scenes of chaos and tragedy, as ordinary Afghans attempted to flee the country and the dire prospect of Taliban rule.

In the House of Commons yesterday, meanwhile, there were scenes of chaos and farce, as MPs returned from their summer recess to debate the governments response to the rapidly unfolding events in Afghanistan.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson floundered and bumbled as he faced an onslaught of attacks from all sides. The most vicious and wounding criticisms, however, came not from the opposition benches, but from behind the Tory leader.

Conservative MPs piled in to lambast Johnson and his cabinet for their failure to react with sufficient urgency and decisiveness as Taliban insurgents swept across the country and into Kabul.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Britain would do everything it could to avert a humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan https://t.co/AjgxDviVPz pic.twitter.com/ubCIY13MLp  Reuters (@Reuters) August 18, 2021

Above all, the feeling amongst Tory backbenchers was one of dismay and betrayal. Brexit-loving MPs had been promised a Global Britain; a triumphant return of British imperialism to the world stage, complete with increased military spending and international leadership on the key issues of the day.

Instead, the Taliban takeover and Western withdrawal from Afghanistan have stripped Emperor Johnson of his new clothes, revealing the nakedness of British imperialism for all to see.

Humiliation

This truth pains the Tories most of all. The Conservative Party  particularly its hard-Brexit, petit-bourgeois, nationalist wing  lives in the past; in a deluded Rule Britannia fantasy, fuelled by jingoism and flag-waving. But suddenly the cold reality of post-Brexit Britains importance and stature has hit, causing alarm and panic amongst Tory MPs.

Yesterdays stream of sharp rebukes in Parliament were a collective grievance by the Tories towards the death of their nostalgic dreams and imperialist ambitions.

One after another, Conservative MPs lined up to criticise their leader: ridiculing Johnsons suggestion that Britain had succeeded in its core mission in Afghanistan; and demanding an explanation for how the UK  and its key ally, the worlds pre-eminent war machine, US imperialism  had been so badly humiliated by a ragtag gang of insurgents.

Philip Hammond, a former defence secretary, foreign secretary, and chancellor, asserted that there had been a catastrophic failure of western policy. Ex-minister Iain Duncan Smith (IDS), meanwhile, stated that the parallels with the Americans departure from Saigon were shocking but also very true.

Former Tory leader Michael Howard added that the NATO withdrawal fatally undermines the credibility of any assurance of support  past, present or future  that we in the West offer to those who need it, saying any future promises will be in debased coinage.

And Owen Paterson, the former Northern Ireland secretary, summarised the mood amongst anguished Conservatives, calling events in Afghanistan the UKs biggest humiliation since Suez.

Special relationship

Others called into question the so-called special relationship between the UK and US, with ex-army officer IDS amongst those doubting both President Bidens judgement, and the Prime Ministers blind faith in Washingtons intelligence and decisions.

Similarly, former prime minister Theresa May launched a scathing attack against her successor, rhetorically asking: Did we just think we had to follow the United States, and on a wing and a prayer it would be alright on the night?

The ex-Tory leader went on to suggest that Johnson should have attempted to form a NATO alliance to stay in Afghanistan without the US  a strategy that was also supported by other Conservative MPs, such as Tobias Ellwood.

What we require is the backbone, the courage, the leadership to step forward, Ellwood, another former soldier, stated. Yet when our moment comes such as this we are found wanting.

AFGHANISTAN INQUIRY:



Given the tragedy that is now unfolding, following the reckless decision to pull out, I asked the PM, once again, for an independent inquiry so we can learn lessons.



Once again the answer was NO. pic.twitter.com/f5KZ1rAzIq  Tobias Ellwood MP (@Tobias_Ellwood) August 18, 2021

Cutting to the heart of the matter, May asked: Where is Global Britain on the streets of Kabul?

These telling remarks reveal the reality about the UKs position in the world. The truth is that Tony Blair followed George Bush into Afghanistan like a loyal poodle; and now, Britain and its other NATO allies are forced to accept the fait accompli of withdrawal presented by Washington.

Far from gaining independence and sovereignty, Brexit  and the long-term decline of British capitalism that Brexit itself is a reflection of  has left the UK even more reliant and subservient when it comes to US imperialism and the special relationship.

This was starkly demonstrated by a recent admission from Tory defence secretary Ben Wallace, who revealed that the UK government had attempted to rally NATO allies to stay in Afghanistan in the wake of Americas retreat.

But this plan disintegrated even faster than Ghanis puppet government in Kabul, with British officials quickly acknowledging that any stabilisation effort would be impossible without US military infrastructure and support.

Imperialist impotence

This is the bitter truth that the Tories are finding so hard to swallow.

Figures such as May can bang the drum all they like, demanding leadership and responsibility from Johnson and his ministers. But this will do nothing to alter the fact that Britain is now a minnow in regards to world relations; a veritable pygmy on the international stage.

The writing has been on the wall for some time, however. In recent months, for example, the Prime Minister has faced down similar attacks from Tory backbenchers over the question of cuts to foreign aid.

As with the UKs abandonment of Afghanistan, these cuts to the overseas aid budget  from 0.7% of GDP to 0.5%  have provoked anger amongst sensible Conservatives, and the rest of the liberal wing of the establishment, who consider this move to be a damaging blow to the UKs credibility and soft power abroad.

The split inside the Tory Party over such questions is not about aims, but methods. One side prefers the carrot of aid and soft power; the other prefers the stick of military spending and hard power.

Both wings, however, are ultimately out to defend the interests of UK imperialism and British capitalism. And both are finding that the UKs weight on both fronts has been severely diminished over the decades, leaving British imperialism impotent and unable to rise to the challenge at times of crisis, such as these.

Tory hypocrisy

Theresa May and co. wail about Britains dereliction of duty in Afghanistan. But whether it is in Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria, or anywhere else, these establishment figures are not motivated by moral or humanitarian concerns, but only by the interests of British imperialism.

The Tories wring their hands about the threat posed by the Taliban to women and children. They cry crocodile tears about the dangers to democracy in Afghanistan, and the prospect of repression by the new fundamentalist leaders against their opponents.

But all of this is pure hypocrisy, coming as it does from this criminal Tory government

This is a government that has itself helped to hurl conditions for women backwards during the pandemic; that has ramped up repression against protestors, including those gathered peacefully to demonstrate against the murder of a woman by a policeman; and which has refused to provide adequate funding for childrens education, or free school meals for those in need.

And whilst criticising one repressive, destabilising, Islamic government in the region, the Tories happily support and arm another  that is, the brutal, warmongering Saudi regime.

Saudi Arabia has some of the most unequal and oppressive laws in the world when it comes to women and LGBT people. The countrys leaders, in alliance with its Wahhabi clerics, are responsible for breeding and exporting jihadi fundamentalism across the world. And Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi crown prince, has for years been waging a barbaric and deadly war in Yemen  all with the help of UK (and US) arms sales and military assistance.

Under pressure, the Tory government has announced that it will admit 20,000 Afghan refugees, prioritising women, children, and religious minorities. But this is nothing more than a cynical, tokenistic gesture.

For starters, it is a drop in the ocean compared to the numbers who are seeking to escape from Taliban rule. This arbitrary figure is approximately the same as the (already miniscule) number that the UK has resettled from Syria  a country around half the size of Afghanistan. And this 20,000 is actually to be spread over five years, with only 5,000 to be accepted by the end of 2021.

Furthermore, what kind of reception can these refugees expect upon arrival in the UK? From most ordinary people, there will likely be compassion and sympathy. From the Tories and their reactionary press, however, there will be nothing but xenophobia and repression.

This is the government responsible for the hostile environment; for the Windrush scandal and racist deportations; and for consistently whipping up a hysteria over the migrant crisis, in order to distract from their own disastrous record.

In short: we can have no trust in the Tories when it comes to helping women, children, and the oppressed  in Afghanistan or anywhere else. The only people that the Afghan masses can rely on are themselves, and their class brothers and sisters internationally.

Starmers jingoism

Unfortunately, however, when it comes to international solidarity with the people of Afghanistan, the Labour leaders have once again been found wanting.

In Parliament yesterday, Keir Starmer accused his opposite number of complacency and poor judgement in regards to the UK governments response to the situation in Afghanistan.

Starmer then went on to criticise the Home Offices refugee resettlement scheme for not going far enough, as well as attacking foreign secretary Dominic Raab for going on holiday while our mission in Afghanistan was disintegrating.

But, as per usual, there was nothing of any substance from the Labour leader, who could instead only offer empty platitudes, with calls for the government to step up and show leadership.

Starmer and his right-wing Labour cabal agree with the Tories on all the main points when it comes to British imperialism / Image: Socialist Appeal

The reason is clear: on all the major points, Sir Keir Starmer agrees wholeheartedly with the Tories.

Like Boris Johnson, Starmer has consistently turned to jingoism and patriotism  wrapping himself in the Union Jack, and falling over himself to demonstrate to the ruling class his abiding support For Queen and Country.

And as was seen during the most recent Israeli aggression in Gaza, when it comes to international issues, Starmer and the right wing will always take the side of the oppressors over the oppressed.

In recent weeks, meanwhile, the Labour leader has urged party members to embrace Blairs legacy  which includes, of course, the disastrous imperialist adventures in Afghanistan and Iraq.

This stance was recently reiterated by Lisa Nandy, the shadow foreign secretary, who stubbornly asserted on last nights BBC Question Time that the New Labour government was absolutely right to join the American intervention 20 years ago, following 9/11.

Socialist internationalism

Workers and youth must reject this craven support for British imperialism from the Labour leaders, and demand a socialist programme based on internationalism and class solidarity. This should include:

Hands off  No more imperialist adventures and interventions!

End all arms sales  No support for rotten regimes across the world!

Open our borders  Refugees welcome! Make the bosses pay!

Above all, solidarity must start at home. That means organising and mobilising to overthrow our own imperialist government, which  along with US imperialism  is the biggest terrorist of them all.

There can be no genuine sympathy or support for the downtrodden masses in Afghanistan from a Tory government that attacks workers, the youth, and the vulnerable in Britain.

By contrast, we can see how, when the Home Office attempted to deport migrants in Glasgow recently, the local working-class community rallied to prevent this racist raid. This is what class solidarity looks like.

Foreign policy is always and everywhere an extension of home policy. How a country behaves towards the rest of the world is determined by the class interests that it defends and represents within its own borders.

It is the capitalist class that are responsible for all the exploitation, oppression, and barbarism across the planet. Capitalism, in the words of Lenin, is horror without end.

The greatest service we can offer to the people of Afghanistan, therefore, is to join the fight for socialism  in Britain, and internationally.
Four years after the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia, a journalist and blogger who led the investigation of the Panama Papers leak in Malta, a new inquiry has concluded that the state should shoulder responsibility for her death. The 437-page report does not directly blame the Maltese state for the orchestration of her murder, but it deems that an atmosphere of impunity was generated by the highest echelons of the government. This comes after a period of increasing instability in the country, which has been engulfed in corruption scandals, enormous levels of inequality, and utter incompetence in dealing with an increasingly dire refugee crisis.

Throughout her time as an investigative journalist, Caruana uncovered countless corruption schemes involving the countrys elites. Her independent blog was one of the most visited websites on the island, which placed a target on her back. For years, the ruling class and their political representatives had vilified her, launching propaganda campaigns to blacken her name. The involvement of the Maltese ruling class in the money laundering schemes uncovered through the Panama Papers leak was unequivocal, and Caruana was instrumental in establishing links between members of the Maltese government and shell companies such as Egrant. Caruana claimed that this company in question was owned by former Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscats wife, although she was never able to prove it. Litigation is ongoing between Muscat and Caruanas family regarding these claims, but two other members of Muscats cabinet, Keith Schembri and Konrad Mizzi, were indeed positively identified as owners.

In his testimony, Yorgen Fenech, a Maltese businessman implicated in Caruanas assassination, pointed at Mizzi as one of the architects of the crime. The fact that such atrocious crimes have been committed on European soil speaks to the corruption entrenched in the governments of this so-called bastion of progress and civilisation. The climate of impunity for the ruling class of Europe in its rampant conclusion has found its natural conclusion in the assassination of a journalist, the true culprits of which will likely never be apprehended.

Caruana was instrumental in uncovering links between Maltese politicians and shell companies for tax avoidance that were exposed in the Panama Papers / Image: Moscow Live, Flickr

The inquirys indictment of the Maltese government is just the latest in a series of crises that have shaken the political system on the island to its very core. A small, paradise-like enclave in the Mediterranean Sea, Malta was granted independence from the British empire in 1964 and was declared a republic within the Commonwealth in 1971, during the reformist government of the Maltese Labour Party (Partit Laburista), headed by Dom Mintoff. During his mandate, Mintoff carried out a series of nationalisations of the banking sector (formerly in British hands), import substitutions schemes and expansion of the welfare state. Social gains were also made at this time: civil marriage was introduced, and homosexuality and adultery were decriminalised. In spite of this, his period in office was not without its detractors. In 1984, Mintoff resigned, paving the way for the entry of the right-wing Nationalist party into government, and the abandonment of any semblance of radicalism by the Partit Laburista.

In 2004, Malta entered the European Union. Despite having campaigned against entry in the referendum, the Partit Laburista has embraced Maltas new relationship with the EU, holding significant leverage due to the islands status as a point of entry for refugees. As oversight of financial fraud is somewhat lax in Malta compared to other member states, financial firms on the island have taken special advantage of this state of affairs as the island is used as an entry point for foreign money into the EU economy.

Known for its links to the drug trade, there have been many cases of assassinations and other episodes of violence that the Maltese police and the broader justice system have left unsolved. In fact, one of Caruanas first major articles called for the resignation of Maurice Calleja, Maltas head of the armed forces, after it was reported that he had been helping his son, a prolific cocaine trafficker, avoid customs when entering the island. This report was the first of many that put her in the crosshairs of the ruling elites. In 2008, she eventually opened her own independent blog, Running Commentary, alleging frustrations with the constraints of the local Maltese press. This coincided with Joseph Muscats election as Maltas new Laburista leader. The relationship between Caruana and Muscat was a bitter one, as the journalist pointed to his government as the main driver of rising corruption on the island.

One of the main sources of income for the Maltese government is the citizenship-by-investment scheme. The scheme hands out EU passports in exchange for exorbitant sums injected into the countrys economy (no less than 1.5 million). Since its inception in 2018, this scheme has generated approximately 2 billion in revenue, accounting for 15 percent of the islands gross domestic product. The ease with which these so-called third-country nationals are granted citizenship stands in contrast with the countrys brutal treatment of refugees and asylum seekers, who are retained in so-called open centres, which are often overcrowded and in very bad conditions. There, they have little access to information about their application process or to stable employment opportunities. In September 2020, the Council of Europes anti-torture committee condemned Maltas treatment of refugees and asylum seekers, calling it a system that purely contained migrants who had essentially been forgotten, within poor conditions of detention and regimes which verged on institutional mass neglect by the authorities.

The Partit Laburista in no way whatsoever represents the interests of workers. Indeed, they have been the main advocates of tax and trade liberalisation, turning the island into an off-shore, casino-like tax haven within the EU. Despite having been in office since 2013, the Partit Laburista has done little to deal with the problems that have befallen working people as a result of the financial crisis. Despite macroeconomic data showing steady growth for the Maltese economy, the story for the working class is quite different: 17.1 percent of the population, or 82,000 people, are considered at-risk of falling into poverty. While non-Maltese high-net-worth individuals get preferential tax treatment, the Maltese working class suffers from income insecurity and precarious working conditions. Walking through the streets of Marsa or Valletta demonstrates the depth of the inequality that cripples the country: supercars rev their engines within metres of migrant workers, working under the scalding sun and suffocating humidity typical of the Maltese climate.

The tragedy of Caruanas assassination and the lack of accountability for its perpetrators, serve as reminders of the brutality with which the capitalists and their enforcers deal with their opponents. Daphne Caruanas efforts, albeit brave, proved futile in bringing the ransacking elites to justice. The Panama Papers proved that the capitalist system is corrupt by design. The list of beneficiaries of the more than 200,000 shell companies created by Mossack Fonseca included capitalists, politicians and private companies from every corner of the globe. It can only be assumed this itself is merely the tip of the iceberg, with many other culprits undoubtedly carrying on such schemes with impunity.

The story of Daphne Caruana shows that no individual alone can bring the entire ruling class to justice. But in recent times, Maltese youth have come onto the streets to demonstrate along with the youth of the rest of the world: against climate change, during the Black Lives Matter movement to denounce the racist treatment of migrants and refugees, etc. These actions show a willingness to fight for just causes and a desire to break with the status quo. Ultimately, only the workers and youth of Malta can challenge the scandalous corruption and exploitation that their ruling class engages in. Once the working class becomes conscious of its true role in society and the power that it wields, there will be no force capable of stopping them.


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To commemorate the 75th Independence Day of Pakistan, two solemn flag hoisting ceremonies were held in the High Commission of Pakistan, Mauritius. In order to follow the local sanitary protocols (only 50 guests were invited), the Mission organized the celebrations in two sessions. The ceremony was attended by members of Pakistani diaspora, Mauritian nationals, and the representatives of various community and non-government organisations like, Pakistan Women Organisation, Friends of Pakistan, Muslim Ladies Council to name a few.

The event commenced with the recitation from Holy Quran followed by hoisting of Pakistani flag with the national anthem . Mr Faisal Idris, Charge d Affaires read the Message of the President of Pakistan while Mrs. Nida Tariq Awan, Finance and Admn Attache read out the message of the Prime Minister of Pakistan.

Mr. Sudhamo Lal, Director General, Mauritius Revenue Authority, while speaking on the occasion, he said that all Minorities are enjoying equal rights in Pakistan. In Pakistan, there more religious places per person for minorities as compared to the world. He also thanked the Government of Pakistan for treating the minorities very well. Mr. Malcom Ershaan (Pakistani Christian in Mauritius) sang the national song.

Pakistan Independence Day Pakistan Independence Day Pakistan Independence Day Pakistan Independence Day Pakistan Independence Day Pakistan Independence Day Pakistan Independence Day

On the occasion, the Chancery building was adorned with Pakistani flags, banners and posters depicting vision of Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali and Sir Dr. Allama Iqbal and standees of touristic places in Pakistan

Mr Faisal Idris, Charge d Affaires congratulated the audience on the occasion of Pakistan Independence Day and paid rich tributes to the Father of the Nation, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and leaders of Pakistan Movement who struggled for the independence of Pakistan. He also highlighted that despite several political and economic challenges, Pakistan continues to tread onto the path of peace, progress and prosperity.

The winners of the Pakistan Day Art Competition were also awarded at the occasion. The kids around the island participated in the Pakistan Day Art competition.
A new study shows probiotics to be helpful protagonists in boosting coral health and preventing mortality in the face of environmental stressors, such as warming oceans and changing climate conditions.

Published in Science Advances, the study details research conducted by the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in collaboration with the Red Sea Research Center at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). It is the first of its kind to show that Beneficial Microorganisms for Corals (BMC) can protect bleached corals from death, by stimulating immune processes that help them rebuild their microbiome environment and offset post-heat stress disorder symptoms driven by thermal stress.

The scientists created a probiotic using microbes derived from the coral itself, selecting strains with traits deemed likeliest to boost resilience. They isolated, plated and studied hundreds of bacteria strains for their potential to serve as BMCs. They inoculated two groups of corals in controlled environmentsthose with probiotics and those with a placebo, exposing both to the same degree of thermal stress. Probiotics increased the stability and survivorship in the algae-coral host relationship by more than 40%.

Dr. Raquel Peixoto, lead author and KAUST marine scientist, said, Whereas all corals initially bleached and showed signs of stress, those with BMCs survived and returned to their original state, with results similar to corals that had not been exposed at all. Corals without BMCs sustained damage or died. The holistic formula equipped the corals with hearty traits for buffering and surviving heat trauma.

Contributing author Dr. Chris Voolstra, reef genomicist and big data specialist, said, The study is remarkable for demonstrating genetic reprogramming, meaning, microbes prompt the coral to make beneficial changes at the genetic level rather than superimpose their functions onto the host. This is a key understanding about the mechanisms underlying coral probiotics that was not known before.

The study received funding from the Great Barrier Reef Foundations Out of the Blue Box Reef Innovation Challenge, for new ideas to protect coral reefs, and was supported by the Tiffany & Co Foundation.



Great Barrier Reef Foundation Managing Director Anna Marsden said, Pioneering science such as this provides hope for the future of the Great Barrier Reef and coral reefs globally, which are coming under increasing pressure from climate change.
Nigerian Women in Public Relations has concluded its much anticipated and first of its kind Reverse Mentorship Workshop for Senior Public Relations and Communications Professionals with the theme Building Brands, Leveraging Trends, Managing Complex Comms Teams.

The two-day intensive workshop, which comprised five training sessions facilitated by mid-level PR women from Africa and Europe, global branding expert and the marketing lead of international software company Meltwater, brought together over 40 high-skilled female professionals from Indonesia, Namibia, Ghana, South Africa, Rwanda, England, the United States and Nigeria.

Exclusively designed for senior PR professionals with over 15 years of experience, the Reverse Mentorship Workshop provided a unique opportunity for the industry mavens to learn from their middle-level, yet high-ranking counterparts. These faculty presented their professional insights on actual tendencies in brand building, trend identification, team management and the undebatable role of tech solutions in business communications.

Inaugurating the workshop on the Day 1, Global PR Consultant and the Founder of Nigerian Women in Public Relations, Tolulope Olorundero said To effectively manage an increasingly young communications team that constantly propose the use of apps and platforms being introduced daily, one way to ensure that senior professionals keep up is reverse mentorship. The world is changing daily and the public relations industry must rise up to the occasion and design upskilling programmes for veteran professionals who lead communications at the highest levels in organisations. Speaking during her welcome address on Day 2 about the forthcoming projects of Nigerian Women in Public Relations, Tolulope revealed other ambitious plans of the organisation to execute a series of impactful initiatives including the C-Suite Acceleration Workshop, a national communication policy to be delivered in 2025, as well as proprietary research for Women in PR across Africa, to mention a few.

The Keynote Speaker, Eloine Barry, Founder and the CEO of African Media Agency (AMA), gave the introductory statement: In the continent that we work in, we cannot speak the language of the past for the youths. Who I have learnt from the most in the work we are doing is from the youth  and this is the future. More than 60% of the people on the continent are under 25, so if we want to build a service or innovate we cannot do it through the lens of a 50 year old. So, I was particularly excited when Nigerian Women in PR reached out to me to keynote this Workshop. The concept of reverse mentoring is the future.

The Event Faculty demonstrated extraordinary expertise while speaking on the event theme. Carol Kaemmerer, a global executive branding expert emphasised an urgent need for executives to prioritise personal brands and consider themselves more than their job designations. Philippa Dods, the Head of Marketing at Meltwater, Africa, showed the vital importance of embracing tech solutions in public relations as she demonstrated the Meltwater SaaS platform.

Enitan Kehinde, Lead Consultant at BHM in her 40-page presentation on identifying and leveraging trends provided practical examples of how her team has used influencer marketing to drive results for clients. How many people read the traditional press releases again? We must explore various formats in communicating with the public: video, designs, etc. Content atomization is the future. Jennifer Ogunleye, B2B Communications Lead for Google, UK and Ireland, shared insights on diversity and inclusion as foundational principles of managing complex communications teams as well as ethical responsibilities of brands when a market segment they represent is being oppressed. She further commended the initiatives of Nigerian Women in Public Relations as ones that are driving professional inclusion amongst female Nigerian PR practitioners across the world.

Nigerian Women in Public Relations (NGWiPR) is an independent social impact organisation established in 2019 to provide a networking platform for practicing female public relations professionals of Nigerian descent worldwide. Its aim is to support, inspire and empower these professionals while improving access to career advancing opportunities. Since inception, Nigerian Women in Public Relations has executed a various set of exclusive programs, including Experiencing PR E-book Launch, PR Students` on Campus Summits, Reverse Mentorship Workshop for Senior Public Relations and Communications Professionals and educational social media campaigns #PRin30Seconds and #ThrivethruPR.
In 2020, the organization placed almost 1,300 animals. The sanctuary adheres to a no-kill animal welfare philosophy which means it does not euthanize animals to create space. The Sanctuary at Haafsville partners with shelters that are overcrowded, works with 15 municipalities in Lehigh and Berks counties to take in stray dogs and cats, rescue dogs and cats from natural disasters, accept dogs and cats from owners who need to relinquish them, and work to place animals into loving homes.
Jacob said the tool and the underlying data will be used as part of a five-step regional health transformation plan. He said the steps the plan will employ are to identify areas with disparities, causes of the disparities, and organizations in those communities that can help address the disparities. It will also develop strategies to address the disparity and to monitor the area.
A bundle of 10 individual drug doses involving illicit fentanyl sells for about $60 on the streets of Northampton County, Assistant District Attorney Mike Thompson said. To fight the drug crisis, the office has started to pursue felony charges of drug delivery resulting in death, and Thompson said in every one of those cases fentanyl seems to be at the center of it.
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Keokuk, IA (52632)

Today

A shower is possible early. Cloudy early with some clearing expected late. Low 63F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

A shower is possible early. Cloudy early with some clearing expected late. Low 63F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.
News

Sayre school district eliminate nine bus stops due to driver shortage

SAYRE  The Sayre Area School District has announced that due to a shortage of bus drivers nine bus stops will be eliminated and children who used those stops will now have to walk or find another ride to school.

The Sayre School District Administration has been working on the reopening of our schools for the 21-22 school year. As part of our planning, we evaluated and adjusted our transportation plan. The new busing and walking route plans are due to a shortage of qualified bus drivers in the area, a letter from the school district reads.

Snyder Elementary students who live between Stevenson Street and Hayden Street will now have to walk or be driven to school. The following stops have been eliminated:

Allison Street and North Elmer Ave.

Allison Street and North Wilbur Ave.

Allison Street and West Lockhart Street

Hayden Street and South Elmer Ave.

Hayden Street and South Wilbur Ave.

Hayden Street and South Hopkins Street

South Elmer Ave. and West Packer Ave.

South Wilbur Ave. and Hospital Place

West Lockhart Street and South Hopkins Street

According to the school district, this change will impact 52 students.

We recommend our students who live on the North side of Lockhart Street walk to North Hopkins Street to Mohawk Street to the crossing guard at Keystone Ave. and Mohawk Street. For those living South of Lockhart, we recommend crossing Lockhart at Hopkins Street where we will have a crossing guard and then proceeding to Mohawk Street to the crossing guard at Keystone Ave. and Mohawk Street, Sayre Area School District Business Manager Barry Claypool said in the letter.

The district also announced that it would no longer be providing a crossing guard at Keystone Ave. and Stevenson Street.

Safety will always remain a priority of our district, Claypool said. It is imperative that our families partner with us as we make changes to implement our reopening plan. Parents of elementary students should practice the walking route with their child (or children) multiple times in preparation for the new school year.

Sayre students will return to their classrooms on Tuesday, Aug. 24.
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Tripura BJP MLA asks workers to attack TMC leaders in Talibani style

AGARTALA, AUG 19 | Publish Date: 8/19/2021 12:15:22 PM IST

A ruling BJP MLA in Tripura, Arun Chandra Bhowmik, has stoked a controversy by allegedly saying that his party activists should counter Trinamool Congress leaders in Talibani style if they land at Agartala airport. The saffron camp, however, said it is the MLAs version and not that of the BJP.

With an eye on the Tripura Assembly polls in 2023, TMC leaders, including its national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, are visiting the hilly state frequently to try and build a base and an organisation for the party which till now has been confined to West Bengal. The TMC is trying to harm the Biplab Kumar Deb-led government in Tripura that came to power by ending the 25-year-long Communist rule. All these are happening due to the instigation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the

legislator who represents Belonia constituency said. Bhowmik made this remark Wednesday during a felicitation ceremony for newly inducted Union minister of state for Social Justice and Empowerment, Pratima Bhowmik at Belonia old town hall in South Tripura district. I appeal to all of you that we need to attack them in Talibani style. We need to attack them once they land at the airport here. We will protect our government led by Biplab Kumar Deb with every drop of blood, he said.

A video clip of his comments went viral on the social media inviting wide criticism. Reacting to his remarks, Tripura TMC leader Subal Bhowmik demanded the BJP MLAs arrest. West Bengal TMC leaders were harassed last night at a private hotel in Agartala where they are staying. The incident happened after the MLA made this provocative remark, he claimed. BJP Tripura chief spokesperson Subrata Chakraborty said the comment made by Bhowmik is exclusively his own and the party does not take any responsibility.  It is entirely his responsibility. This is not the culture of BJP, Chakraborty told PTI. When contacted, Bhowmik said he had made the remark as an example to justify how to counter the TMC seriously. I used the word Talibani to make it clear that the way the Trinamool Congress is trying to harm the BJP government in Tripura, it needs a strong reaction. Use of the word Talibani might have sent a wrong message, but my intention was just to narrate how to counter them seriously, the BJP legislator said. Clashes between the TMC and the BJP have been reported from Tripura over the past few weeks.

On his first visit, TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjees convoy was allegedly attacked by BJP workers in Tripura on August 3. The TMC had claimed that two of its youth leaders from West Bengal sustained injuries after being attacked by BJP workers in Dhalai district of the north-eastern state on August 7.

The TMC alleged that two of its MPs -Dola Sen and Aparupa Poddar  were attacked twice by BJP supporters in South Tripura district on Independence Day.

The saffron party, however, has denied the allegations, saying the TMC posed no threat to them in the state.
ZANU PF has scoffed at MDC-Alliances remarks on the ruling party following the victory of Zambias President-elect Hakainde Hichilema in the recently held elections saying the opposition partys conduct exhibits cardinal political immaturity.

The opposition party has been leading a fallacious campaign on social media platforms seeking to gain cheap political capital from Mr Hichilemas win.

The revolutionary partys spokesperson Cde Simon Khaya-Moyo said Zambia and Zimbabwe were sovereign States who needed no external interference when holding their elections.

MDC-As conduct following recently held national elections in Zambia demonstrates cardinal political immaturity. The revolutionary Zanu-PF party is fully aware that elections were held by a sister sovereign state of Zambia, that great country. No outside political party could have participated, let alone the MDC-Alliance, he said.

Cde Khaya-Moyo urged the opposition party to keep off elections of sovereign States. Zimbabwe held its harmonised elections of 2018 and MDC-A are still licking their wounds of defeat. More is to come in 2023, he said.





Cde Khaya-Moyo said the ruling partys position was fully reflected in the congratulatory message sent to Zambias President-elect Hichilema.

The revolutionary Zanu PFs position in relation to the recently held elections in Zambia are fully reflected in the congratulatory message sent by the President, First Secretary and Head of State Cde Mnangagwa to President-elect Hakainde Hichilema for the resounding victory.

There is no need to waste time on the MDC-A antics, he said. Herald
The first booster shots will be given to those who received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, which were the only ones in use eight months ago.
We must continue to do everything we can to bring the numbers of cases down and prevent a large surge from occurring once again, Vice President Myron Lizer said in the release. Our health care workers are sacrificing so much for us, so please help them by taking precautions.
De Blasio suggested Tuesday that the city will continue with the standard of exempting vaccinated kids and adults from mandatory quarantine. DOE officials did not immediately respond to a question about whether the city will adopt CDC guidance allowing even unvaccinated kids sharing a room with an infected classmate to forego quarantine as long as both kids were wearing masks  a measure that would likely cut down significantly on the number of kids required to isolate at home.
Something just told me that I should take a look, he said. I had the bike in front of the machine, thinking I could use it as a shield. All of a sudden, he stood up, and he had the axe on the side. I looked at him and I thought, This guy might be twisted.
Every organization had to make its own choice. And we respect the choices, de Blasio said Wednesday. Some organizations have said they want to have their events again. Some want to do a modified version. Some are postponing it to 2022. Theres not one way of doing things. When it comes to the concerts, they are outdoors. They are for vaccinated folks only. We are definitely encouraging mask use. But I really want to emphasize that the whole key here is vaccination.
They asked why she lied to her mom about attending Kellys first trial when she should have been in school. They also asked why she initially lied to Kelly about her age  claiming she was 19  before later revealing to him that she was underage.
My brother [Greg] got arrested a few weeks ago and you know, Oneal ran up there [to the precinct] to make sure he was OK, tried to bring him food and stuff. Oneal ran up there making sure he had something to eat.
There was like a big noise and I heard, Get down! Get down! Get down! he said. Not being afraid I just opened my door to see what was happening and there were eight policemen with guns drawn and they had pried the door.
Darren Quinn has been charged in the murder of Mamadou Bah, 22, who was shot several times in the torso and arm on E. 172nd St. near Seabury Place in the Bronx on July 4. A 27-year-old victim was also shot once in the buttocks. (Theodore Parisienne/for New York Daily News)
Mussonguela, who was trying to become a U.S. citizen, was shot that day at 4:50 a.m., cops said. Friends said he was recently required to wear an ankle bracelet. According to police sources, Mussonguela had a pair of domestic violence-related arrests over the past four years, but it wasnt clear if the restraint and arrests were related.
Five members of an East Harlem gang were busted in the early hours of Wednesday, August 18, 2021, in an investigation of 21 shootings that hurt four innocent bystanders, authorities said. The bust included four members of the Chico gang named in two indictments in Manhattan Supreme Court. The Chico gang is based at the Wagner Houses, a New York City Housing Authority development just south of the E. 125th St. entrance to the Triborough Bridge.
Everyday we go to work we dont know whats going to happen, State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers President Malcolm Lutu said after the ruling, according to the Honolulu Star Advertiser.
Relating to Patricia Schmidt: her destructive comments do not reflect the 7,000 talented, dedicated, and hardworking employees of @collierschools, the tweet read. Accordingly, she is no longer employed by CCPS. The video and corresponding CCPS review have been sent to the Florida Dept. of Ed.
The stabbing occurred right in front of the school around 3 p.m., according to police. KIPP Prep students had just completed their third day of school. Cops did not speculate on a motive but said the stabbing happened amidst a large gathering of students.
Fines ranged from $7,500 against a passenger for allegedly making death threats against the person sitting in front of him, to $45,000 against a traveler who allegedly threw his carry-on luggage and other objects at fellow passengers and refused to stay in his seat. That passenger, the FAA said, spent time lying down on the aisle floor and then grabbing a flight attendant by the ankles and putting his head up her skirt.
Peterson on Wednesday made an appearance in Broward County court, where his attorney fought to dismiss child negligence charges against him, the Sun Sentinel reported. Prosecutors have argued that Peterson failed to act when Cruz opened fire into classrooms and hallways at the South Florida school. The law that hes accused of breaking specifically applies to caregivers, but Petersons attorney, Mark Eiglarsh contended the former school resource officer is not a caregiver and therefore shouldnt be charged with child neglect.
Among those who have promoted Ivermectin for use in humans is Dr. Stella Immanuel, who has also falsely claimed scientists are experimenting with alien DNA, dreamworld demons are responsible for cysts and infertility, and masks are unnecessary because hydroxychloroquine cures COVID. Former President Donald Trump, who has retweeted Immanuels advice, called her very impressive noting that when he saw her on television she was on air along with many other doctors.
Nearly a foot of rain fell in North Carolina, focusing primarily in Haywood County, which saw historic flooding along the Pigeon River. Local officials also said that up to 15 bridges were damaged or destroyed.
In September, a city licensing board upheld a July 2020 decision by Philadelphias historical commission to remove the 144-year-old statue. But Patrick concluded that officials failed to provide an opportunity for public input regarding the controversial piece. It became a point of contention following the death of 46-year-old Floyd, who was killed in Minneapolis during a violent confrontation with police officers on Memorial Day last year.
I think it is just a fundamental fact of the reality of where we are, that communications and a certain measure of agreement with the Taliban on what were trying to accomplish has to occur, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said.
I dont believe we should have been in there to begin with, said Sebastian Garcia, a 23-year-old Biden voter from Lubbock, Texas, who said he had three cousins serve in Afghanistan. But now that were leaving, I do feel we probably should stay after seeing, I guess youd say, the trouble weve caused.
You had the government of Afghanistan, the leader of that government get in a plane and taking off., he said. You saw the significant collapse of the ... Afghan troops we had trained, up to 300,000 of them just leaving their equipment and taking off.... Thats what happened.
A pickup truck is parked on the sidewalk in front of the Library of Congress' Thomas Jefferson Building, as seen from a window of the U.S. Capitol, Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021, in Washington. A man sitting in the pickup truck outside the Library of Congress has told police that he has a bomb, and that's led to a massive law enforcement response to determine whether it's an operable explosive device. (Alex Brandon/AP)
The 46-year-old alleged kingpin of the Camorra organized crime syndicate, based in Naples, is considered one of the countrys most dangerous fugitives and was taken into custody on Aug. 4, according to a joint statement from Italian state police and the financial crimes police corps. He was being held in the United Arab Emirates while the Italian justice ministry finished extradition procedures.
But starting on Oct. 1, the questionnaire will instead ask whether people have had high-risk sexual relations with a new partner or multiple partners for the last three months. If so, they will be disqualified from giving blood.
The spokesperson told CNA that Glynn  who had been given a fresh charge for not masking up outside the State Courts  had been remanded from July 19 until Aug. 4 and then at the Institute of Mental Health from Aug. 5 until Wednesday.
Town officials wanted the complaining public to know how they really felt and came up with a tongue-in-cheek poster campaign that asks the urban tourists to assume all the risks that come with life in the rural area, according to The Guardian.
Meantime, the 70% who have gotten the life-saving shots will wisely start getting their boosters eight months after the completion of their initial round. The start date is Sept. 20, which is eight months since Jan. 20 and Trump and his wife had their vaccinations in January before the end of his term. Trump might even get an invite to return to the White House for the shot; Biden, in the name of unity, should welcome that if his predecessor is amenable.
In a bid to make himself the hero of a New York Tough success story, Gov. Cuomo spent the past year-and-a-half skewing statistics and hiding data, especially when it came to the number of nursing home residents who have died. In truth, he and his administration were fatefully slow and unsteady in their early reactions last spring  which is part of why New Yorkers suffered one of the deadliest COVID-19 outbreaks seen anywhere in the world.
A handful of councilmembers who recently lost their bids for higher office or re-election  Robert Cornegy, Darma Diaz and Alicka Ampry-Samuel  were all in good spirits, eager to land their next elected or appointed job in public service. They, like many other attendees, got a little face time with Sheena Wright, the president and CEO of the United Way of New York City, who is poised to chair the transition team for Eric Adams if he wins the fall election for mayor. (Adams is expected to arrive for his own fundraiser in the later part of the week.)
This is a war that literally felt like it might never end. A war that grudgingly refused to grant us the closure given to our grandparents when Germany and Japan surrendered in 1945. As veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, we longed for that. Of course, that image of ticker-tape parades, that standard of how a war is supposed to end, has been a mirage for more than 75 years now.
It was taken by a photographer that does headshots at his studio, Messing told BuzzFeed in 2015. There was extra film left in the roll so I decided to do that one for the fun of it.
[Heard] argues she was in privity with The Sun because they both had the same interest in the case. However, for privity to exist, [Heards] interest in the case must be so identical with The Suns interest such that The Suns representation of its interest is also a representation of [Heards] legal right, Azcarate wrote.
The two days that I watched, though, were both little flashbacks, so she was playing Lucy in the late 30s and mid-40s, she continued. She wasnt Lucy of Lucy Ricardo fame yet, so it was a trifle different. And I know she meant it to be, so it could feel different. But boy, what she did was astounding. Shes got such poise and class.
The case in discussion has been granted permission to travel to Hong Kong with a quarantine exemption for the purpose of performing designated professional work, taking into account that it is conducive to maintaining the necessary operation and development of Hong Kongs economy, reads a statement from the Hong Kong government.
His breakthrough role in the U.S. came in 1974s The Street Fighter, but he created a huge following inhis later years playing sushi restaurant owner and retired swordsman Hattori Hanzo in Kill Bill: Volume 1, directed by Quentin Tarantino, crafting a blade for Uma Thurmans main character. In The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift he played Yakuza boss Kamata, an uncle of main antagonist Takashi (Brian Tee).
Please dont worry. Nothing has changed. If it were to change, we would tell you. So please dont think because youve read something that you cant get off the ship or were not going there, if there are any changes to anything, well tell you, Heald said. At the moment, you have nothing to do, nothing to worry about and we will always keep you informed.
With the highly contagious delta variant spreading across the U.S., children are filling hospital intensive care beds instead of classrooms in record numbers, more even than at the height of the pandemic. Many are too young to get the vaccine, which is available only to those 12 and older.
We wanted to make sure we understood the community and could give them the best service possible, she explains. We went everywhere to see how they served, what they served, did a ton of research and learned as much as we could. What we learned is that although there were places we liked, there was nothing really fresh.
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You have all these problems, and yet the White House and Biden, their number one issue is theyre so intent on having the government force kindergarteners, first graders to have to wear masks for eight hours a day, DeSantis said. They want to take that decision away from the parents and they want to vest that in local governments.
President Joe Biden, whose administration last week said it was deeply concerned about Floridas efforts to stop schools from mandating masks, on Wednesday said he asked U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona to use all of his oversight authorities and legal action, if appropriate, to take action against governors who are trying to block and intimidate local school officials and educators, according to U.S. News & World Report.
Although the legal battle between Luma on Park and its former landlord came to an end this month, an attorney for one of the parties said Thursday the two sides came to an amicable agreement over the lease.
The speed at which the Taliban took over the country after the Trump deal is the outgrowth of so-called cease-fire deals, according to Susannah George of The Washington Post. These were essentially bribes the Taliban negotiated with Afghan soldiers, who believed it was only a matter of time before they were on their own and made deals to switch sides.
These tax increases will just take more money out of the pockets of hardworking Floridians, as 43% of smokers have a household income of $25,000 or less in Florida. Its been proven time and again that tobacco taxes are regressive, which means the families struggling the most will be the ones having to bear the financial burden of a tobacco tax.
Hayden Dublois must have his head in the sand if he thinks Florida is anywhere near a beacon of hope (Despite the naysayers, DeSantis has state thriving, Aug. 19). Great, get rid of requiring masks in school and thousands of students across the state are back at home sick, not in school. Parents, many of whom have to go back to work, are infected and share the virus with their unable-to-be-vaccinated kids. Hospitals have lost many staff members either to the toll of the pandemic, or contracting COVID-19. DeSantis needs to look at the picture of the ER patients waiting in August heat (Full ERs cause hours-long waits, Aug. 19) for his reality check. Freedom, schmeedom. DeSantis is a joke.
I dont think there are any silver bullets for transforming an economy so reliant on low wages. And as long as we keep sinking billions of tax dollars into tourism advertising campaigns and never-ending convention center expansions, we will continue to reap the low-wage oats we sow. (Even if every one of the 133,000 people now working in food-prep jobs gets a degree, those low-paying jobs will still need to be filled to make our hospitality engine churn.)
Prosperous candidate promises prosperity

Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, whos put $2.3 million of her own money into her campaign for Congress, wants the government to send a $1,000 check every month to any adult earning less than $75,000 a year.

A website promoting the Peoples Prosperity Plan, and Cherfilus-McCormicks, features a large block of type proclaiming $1,000 A MONTH FOR YOU.

The plan would cost, by the candidates own estimate, $2.2 trillion. Thats equivalent to what the Congressional Budget Office estimates all individual and corporate income taxes will total in the current fiscal year.

Cherfilus-McCormick said shed start paying for the program with a $400 billion automation tax on employers that eliminate jobs because theyre shifting to automation and a $200 billion data tax on sales of private information.

Bullet points on the website also suggest a $1 trillion value-added tax, which would operate like a national sales tax; a $300 billion wealth tax, and a $250 billion tax on carbon, emissions of which contribute to global climate change.

Even though the proposal is exceedingly unlikely to become law, its the kind of thing that could win her support from some voters, said Kevin Wagner, a political scientist at Florida Atlantic University.

Cherfilus-McCormick dismisses questions about whether it has any chance of becoming reality. She pointed to the temporary, monthly payments that just started going to families with children.

Theres been some other people who are naysayers, some other candidates who are saying Im selling pipe dreams. But it just goes to show you why our district is in poverty, she said. Im the only one who has the audacity to dream different, and do something different. But thats how Ive been successful in my personal life. So Im not afraid to put forth a bold policy.
About 70% of Floridians eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine have gotten at least one dose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It takes time for the body to build protection against the virus after the vaccination. People are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or two weeks after the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine, according to the CDC.
Olive told prosecutors she didnt give the consultant or anyone else permission to use her signature on bank or tax forms but didnt tell him not to use it, either. Asked why he wouldnt have had her sign the paperwork herself, she speculated it was because such a request might have dissuaded her from going along with fronting the committee.
Other questions touch on decisions of her past and her current state of mind, but theres no further mention of theme parks or Florida. Still, its adult content  must that be said?  include a word or two that might be hollered on the descent of Ripsaw Falls. To read it all, go to www.vanityfair.com.
Princess Aerial passes by in a character cavalcade in front one of the honorary windows that recognizes Walt Disney World leaders and legends, on Main Street USA in the Magic Kingdom, photographed Wednesday, August 18, 2021. This window acknowledges retired Disney World executives Phil Holmes, former Vice President of Disneys Hollywood Studios; Trevor Larsen, former Executive Vice President of Facilities & Operations Services; Jim MacPhee, former Chief Operating Officer & Senior Vice President of Operations; Djuan Rivers, former Vice President of Disneys Animal Kingdom; and Meg Crofton, former president of Walt Disney World and Walt Disney Parks & Resorts. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel) (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
Les Weldin, co-chair of the Hunter Arms Homecoming Weekend set for Friday and Saturday in Fulton, looks over a display of L.C. Smith guns in the Hunter Arms Gallery upstairs at the Pratt House Museum in Fulton. Several L.C. Smith/Hunter Arms displays brought in by homecoming visitors will be available for viewing Friday and Saturday at the museum.
Cotonou, Benin (PANA) - The Beninese police on Tuesday arrested nine individuals suspected of being cyber criminals, police sources said on Thursday in Cotonou
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The adoption by the House of Representatives Wednesday of the draft law on the election of a president directly by the Libyan people, described by Libyan parties as an individual initiative, may jeopardize the organization of elections on 24 December
PARLAMENTUL REPUBLICII MOLDOVA

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News and commentary on organized crime, street crime, white collar crime, cyber crime, sex crime, crime fiction, crime prevention, espionage and terrorism.
Welcome back pirates! As you make your return to campus The East Carolinian has created a forum that centers around topics within the community where readers can express their experiences and concerns. With the new guidelines set in place by East Carolina University do you feel as these precautions will keep you safe?

Survey
There are more than 20 walk-up drill targets defined by the survey, said managing director Mark Bolton

( ) ( ) said the expanded induced polarisation (IP) survey at the Kalaka Project in southern Mali has enhanced the definition of existing targets as well as identified several additional ones.

The gold exploration and development company said its associate company, Moydow Holdings Limited, has completed the IP survey over 150 line kilometres and a drill rig has been secured to drill test the highest priority anomalies after the wet season later in the year.

Moydow, in which Panthera holds a 45.8% equity interest, is earning an 80% interest in the Kalaka Project.

Several new high-order chargeability highs were found in the survey, indicating possible disseminated sulphides at depth, Panthera said, with many chargeability highs associated with geochemical anomalies and artisanal mining activity.

The largest anomalies exceed 4km in strike length, it added.

Mark Bolton, managing director of Panthera, said: The IP geophysical technique has been proven to be a highly successful targeting tool on all of our West African gold projects.

The enhanced definition of existing drill targets at Kalaka is highly encouraging and the identification of additional targets to the east of an interpreted package of graphitic sediments adds an entirely new mineralisation trend.

We now have over 20 walk-up drill targets defined by chargeability highs (suggestive of sulphide alteration zones) with support from resistivity highs, geochemistry, other geophysical techniques and/or previous explorer drilling.
Oriole Resources ( ) Tim Livesey explains their latest news from their Central Licence Package (CLP) in Cameroon, confirming that a number of areas of elevated gold concentrations have been located.

Assay results for gold in 376 stream sediment samples have been received for the Niambaram and Tenekou licences.

Results indicate a number of areas of elevated gold in distinct drainage basins, associated with the northeast-trending Tchollire-Banyo shear zone corridor and interpreted north-northwest trending cross-cutting structures.
Oil price- Taper tantrums The oil price continues to fall, the recent dip can be attributed to Chinese data showing its economy to be struggling with further Covid numbers and other markets are also effected in this way. Im convinced that if there is any supply/demand imbalance will reduce that overproduction level pretty rapidly.

Oil price, Helium One. Catch up DEC, Scirocco, SDX, Jadestone. And finally

WTI $65.46 -$1.13, Brent $68.23 -80c, Diff -$2.77 +33c, NG $3.85 +2c, UKNG 109.23p -6.81p

Oil price- Taper tantrums

The oil price continues to fall, the recent dip can be attributed to Chinese data showing its economy to be struggling with further Covid numbers and other markets are also effected in this way. Im convinced that if there is any supply/demand imbalance will reduce that overproduction level pretty rapidly.

In the US the Fed say that they are still happy with the economy although market feel is that Tapering of asset purchases may start later in this year. That spooked the market and everything went risk-off. The EIA inventory stats were pretty good, a big drop in crude oil and distillates was slightly offset by a small build in gasoline stocks.

Finally the IAEA nuclear checkers state that in Iran uranium enrichment has risen again, will John Kerry be able to overlook that as usual?

Helium One Global ( )

Helium One has announced the commencement of drilling operations at the Tai-2 exploration well at its 100% owned Rukwa Project in Tanzania, the second exploration well targeting the Tai prospect. The exploration well targets prospective Lake Bed stratigraphy, which was identified but not fully evaluated in Tai-1.

Tai-2 is located ~20m from Tai-1 and utilises the same drill pad, saving time and money in relocation compared to mobilising from one site to another.

Tai-1 has de-risked the Rukwa Basin by proving a working helium system. With 3,500km2 of untested licences in the Rukwa area, Helium One is excited to continue exploration in this highly prospective helium basin.

With confirmation of a working helium system, Tai-1 supports ongoing exploration with helium shows identified at multiple stratigraphic intervals. The drilling at Tai-2 will test one of several targets highlighted for additional exploration following positive results from Tai-1.

David Minchin, Chief Executive Officer, commented:

Having proven a working helium system with Tai-1, Helium One have substantially de-risked the Rukwa basin. Demonstration of seal and reservoir, as well as helium shows at multiple stratigraphic levels, indicates a working system in which free helium gas is waiting to be discovered. Helium One maintains 100% ownership of licences at Rukwa covering approximately 3,500km2 in what must now be considered the worlds premier basin for helium exploration.

We are delighted to have started drilling activity at Tai-2, testing shallower targets that were not fully evaluated in Tai-1. Tai-2 is approximately 20m from Tai-1, is on the same drill pad and uses the same infrastructure, therefore saving time and money by drilling here rather than moving on to a new location.

We are excited to continue with our 2021 exploration campaign with drilling at Tai-2.

**********************************************************************************************************

Catching up, in my short absence I missed a few announcements, this is what slipped through.

Diversified Energy Company ( ) Announced the completion of the Tanos acquisition along with its co-investment with funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management, to acquire certain Cotton Valley and Haynesville upstream assets and related facilities in the states of Louisiana and Texas from Tanos Energy Holdings III as previously announced on 5 July 2021.

Commenting on the Acquisition, CEO Rusty Hutson, Jr. said:

We are pleased to have closed our third acquisition within the Central Region. We are already at work with the former Tanos employees who join the Diversified family to integrate the assets and strategically implement our Smarter Asset Management program. We are also actively pursuing the operational and administrative synergies afforded by aggregating assets within a defined area much like we currently enjoy in Appalachia. Collectively, these efforts enhance the already significant free cash flow from the Central Region assets that complement our ESG, dividend distribution and debt reduction commitments to stakeholders.

We are excited about Oaktrees co-investment in these assets as we continue to jointly pursue additional value-accretive opportunities in both Appalachia and the Central Region. With our enlarged credit facility and healthy balance sheet, we are well positioned to use our financing capabilities to fund additional growth.

Ahead of the Capital Markets Day in October I would only point out that at 105p the stock yields the best part of 11% and I think it will return both capital and income as it continues to grow with imaginative deals like this one. Rusty and his team are first rate and now have been let loose in Texas and Louisiana should have much to bring to shareholders.

Scirocco Energy ( )

Scirocco has reported that the Ruvuma joint venture has received an extension to its licence under the Ruvuma PSA from the Ministry of Energy of Tanzania. Scirocco holds a 25% working interest in the Ruvuma Licence. The operator, ARA Petroleum Tanzania Limited secured the extension, which is valid for two years from 15 August 2021, and allows for the completion of the acquisition of 200 square kilometres (surface coverage) of 3D seismic data, drilling of the Chikumbi-1 well and conclusion of negotiations of the Gas Terms for the Ruvuma PSA.

As announced by the Company on 1 July, tendering for the acquisition of 3D seismic has been completed and APT awaits approval from the Tanzanian authorities for the issue of the seismic acquisition contract. It is still expected that acquisition will commence in the third quarter of 2021. Drilling of the Chikumbi-1 exploration and appraisal well is expected to commence early in the third quarter of 2022

Commenting on the update, Tom Reynolds, CEO of Scirocco, said:

This is a very positive update for the Ruvuma JV partners as the licence extension adds significantly more clarity to the project going forward. It also reflects the quality of the Operator and its status in country which is critical for the future success of the project. Most importantly for Scirocco, it provides clarity of licence tenure to potential acquirers within our ongoing discussions regarding the sale of Sciroccos interest in Ruvuma. With a clear licence position, work programme and associated timeline, we are able to present a well-defined pathway to development to prospective purchasers. We look forward to progressing those discussions and providing updates to the market as appropriate.

Things are beginning to look up for Scirocco on a number of fronts. Regarding the above it continues to clear a runway to sale of its interests at Ruvuma and I suspect that there are a number of parties interested, after all drilling in 2022 doesnt sound so bad right now does it?

Also todays announcement from Helium One Group shows how well Sirocco has done with that legacy investment, as a microcosm of the group strategy it has been realising value in order to reinvest, something again I expect soon and I understand that its average sale price of HE1 shares is still around 20pWith the next well underway there may well be further opportunities to take some money off the table.

SDX Energy announced that the HA-1X well at South Disouq was dry.

Mark Reid, CEO of SDX, commented:

Whilst the result of this well is disappointing, I remain positive about the remaining prospectivity in the area which has not been materially impacted. In particular, I am encouraged by the proof of reservoir quality sands in the Qawasim Fm in the South Disouq area as this derisks further close by prospectivity. The Company will now be working towards moving these prospects to drill-ready status for a 2022 campaign and looks forward updating the market on its campaigns in West Gharib and in Morocco in the remainder of the year.

Jadestone Energy ( ) announced that H1 2021 Group production was slightly ahead of plan at 9,934 bbls/d and that average full-year 2021 production guidance of between 11,50013,500 boe/d remains unchanged maybe slightly below expectations which they outline in the statement.

This includes 9,00010,500 bbls/d from the Australia assets, reflecting H1 2021 performance, and the revised contributions from the Montara H6 infill well and the Skua 10 and 11 subsea well workovers, due to the late arrival of the Valaris 107 drilling rig and longer than expected drilling at the Montara H6 well causing a circa one month delay in the work programme.

There have been slight delays to Stag workovers due to COVID restrictions on people and equipment; and includes daily production from the Peninsular Malaysia assets of a little over 6,000 boe/d, post-closing on 1 August 2021 net to Jadestone and consistent with production levels at the time of the announcement of the acquisition, with some potential upside, equivalent to 2,5003,000 boe/d annualised production.

Paul Blakeley, President and CEO commented:

2021 marks the return to a phase of active investment across our producing assets, following an extraordinarily challenging 2020, and we welcome the relative stability and more favourable investment climate our industry is seeing this year. Further, we remain well positioned to capitalise on the growing number of acquisition opportunities in our core areas, without sacrificing our rigorous sub-surface screening and clear focus on returns.

With more than half of 2021 behind us, we have updated our guidance to reflect the delayed timing of work programme activities and Maari closing, offset by the recent Peninsular Malaysia transaction. Full year production guidance remains unchanged at 11,500  13,500 boe/d.

We have removed the impact of the Maari transaction for this year, reflecting ongoing uncertainty in the timing of New Zealand government approval. While the government seems more focused on new legislation to provide clarity around decommissioning security, we have, in the meantime, provided all the information requested by the relevant regulator in seeking their approval. Importantly, removing Maari from guidance is more than offset by the inclusion of the Peninsular Malaysia acquisition from 1 August.

The quality of the opportunity set across our asset portfolio remains unchanged and the incremental cashflow from rising production will benefit the business in the last quarter this year and throughout 2022, rather than during last years depressed price environment. I look forward to the successful completion of the Montara activity programme and the full benefit of the Peninsular Malaysia assets increasing Jadestones production towards 20,000 boe/d.

And finally

In the Boropa Cup Rangers take on Alashkert of Armenia in the first leg of the fixture.
A glance at some of the day's highlights from the Proactive Investors' newswire

Capital Ltd has reported the strongest half-year in its history with revenues up by 52% and operating profits more than doubling as gold drilling activity continues to increase.

( , , , )s Vares silver project in Bosnia and Herzegovina has been valued at US$1.06bn in a final definitive feasibility study.

( , ) said it will focus most of its research & development resources toward delivering complete system solutions as opposed to licensing deals after achieving a change in revenue mix in the first half of the year.

( , ) said it has identified substantial nickel and gold exploration targets following a soil sampling programme at its Tati project in Botswana.

( , ) said multiple areas of elevated gold concentrations have been identified on the Central Licence Package (CLP) in Cameroon.

( , , , ) said it received all assay results from its drilling programme in the La India starter pit, part of the La India project in Nicaragua, and met its key objectives.

( ) is to receive some money from the administrators of collapsed airline ( ) but does not yet know how much or when. ( ) said the expanded induced polarisation (IP) survey at the Kalaka Project in southern Mali has enhanced the definition of existing targets as well as identified several additional ones.

( , ) reported drilling results from the Karakavak area, northeast of the Kiziltepe gold-silver mine in western Turkey, and said a resource estimate and the definition of an exploration target was underway.

( ) has kicked off reverse circulation drilling at the Central Menzies gold project in Western Australia.

( ) has signed up a new partner which has optioned the Atlin West gold-silver project in British Colombia, Canada.

( ) has hired Terravision Exploration which will conduct geophysical programmes across three lithium projects in Arizona.

( ) has begun drilling the Tai-2 exploration well at the Rukwa Project in Tanzania.

( ) has acquired a 29,676 sq ft industrial unit on Wester Gourdie Industrial Estate, Dundee, adjacent to the A90 for 1.9mln.
( , , ) has agreed its second acquisition in the health care sector, with the purchase of UK home care agency provider Vista Care Solutions.

It is the companys fifth purchase of the year and its 17th since the start of 2020.

Vista Care, which includes Nottingham, Newham and Redbridge city councils among its clients, generated unaudited revenues for the year to 31 May 2021 of 3.3mln.

MBH will pay a total consideration for the acquisition of between 3.3-4mln, settled by way of convertible notes which will convert into MBH shares at the lower of the 30-day volume weighted price preceding the conversion date or 0.80 per share.
Tai-1 proved a working helium system and it substantially de-risked the Rukwa basin, though Tai-2 needs to avoid operations trouble.

With ( )s rapid spudding of the Tai-2 well the explorer is not jumping to Plan B, its repeating Plan A.

Helium One shares rallied 25% in Thursdays early deals after the company began drilling Tai-2 just over a week since the non-result of Tai-1 disappointed the firms retail investor base that has bought up the shares strongly in the months following its AIM market float in December.

Tai-2 aims to test the same targets that provided evidence of a helium system in Tai-1 but could not be evaluated properly due to poor hole conditions. It is located only 20 metres from Tai-1 and is being drilled from the same drill pad, which saves costs and allows a quick turnaround.

It also underscores what this programme is for Helium, a vital do-over.

To say that the company arrives at Tai-2 with more confidence after the events at Tai-1 perhaps feels disingenuous given the halving of HE1s share price in the aftermath of the recent well, nonetheless, theres some technical truth in such a statement.

Tai-1 very nearly proved what was previously speculated  that the Rukwa project contains a natural source of helium. Such deposits are rare and the gas is very much in demand by global industry.

In Helium Ones words, Tai-1 proved a working helium system and it substantially de-risked the Rukwa basin.

Chief executive David Minchin, in Thursdays statement, goes a little further saying the free helium gas is waiting to be discovered.

Helium One shares climbed 25.8% to trade at 14.47p on AIM as the start of the second well was confirmed, though the share remains some way shy of the 26p level seen immediately prior to the Tai-1 result.

"We are delighted to have started drilling activity at Tai-2, testing shallower targets that were not fully evaluated in Tai-1, Minchin said on Thursday.

Plainly the plan is for Tai-2 to avoid and/or overcome the problems experienced in the first well so that pivotal data can be gathered to potentially confirm a helium discovery at Rukwa.

Tai-1 encountered helium shows in a total of five intervals of the Karoo formation, three of them had been identified pre-drill as targets.

Wireline logging of the uppermost interval did not find evidence of free  i.e. movable and producible  gas though data indicated good reservoir potential with porosities of 15 to 20%, something that may bode well for other zones.

Unfortunately for Helium One and its investors this was the only interval among the five that could be examined in detail. Deeper intervals could not be logged nor tested due to poor and deteriorating hole conditions, it said earlier this month.

At the time, the company described the deeper intervals as thicker and cleaner sandstone units.

The company also told investors that through the Tai-1 programme it had learnt a lot about the subsurface.

Stockbroker SP Angel, in a note, similarly pointed to de-risking that precedes Tai-2.

Whilst typical exploration risks will remain especially given the close proximity to Tai-1, investors can take some comfort from the evidence of Helium shows at multiple stratigraphic levels recorded during drilling of the first well of the programme, SP Angel analyst Sam Wahab said.
Calima Energy Ltds (ASX:CE1) business strategy is counter-cyclical, designed to take advantage of momentum returning to the oil and gas sector after the savage downturn in global oil and gas prices that started in 2014.

The companys core asset lies within a liquids-rich sweet-spot of the Monetary Formation in northeast British Columbia where it has been able to covert around 60% of its total 63,000 acres holding to 10-year lease through a successful exploratory drilling program.

Calima is merging with Blackspur Oil Corp, a privately held Canadian company having to produce oil and natural gas assets in two core areas within Alberta - at Brooks and Thorsby.
Yandal Resources Ltd (ASX:YRL) is a gold exploration company with a portfolio of advanced gold projects in the highly prospective Yandal and Norseman-Wiluna Greenstone Belts.

The companys strategy is to aggressively explore a number of highly prospective areas within its projects to make multi-million ounces discoveries.

Yandal also owns a 100% interest in the prospective Ironstone Well projects, which comprise eight contiguous mining, exploration and prospecting licenses covering about 472 square kilometres within the northern part of the prospective Yandal Greenstone Belt.
Buru Energy Ltd (ASX:BRU) is an oil and gas exploration and production company focused on exploring and developing petroleum resources of the Canning Basin in the southwest of Western Australias Kimberley region.

The company has a 50% operating interest in the currently producing Ungani Oilfield and holds interests in an extensive portfolio of petroleum exploration permits covering about 5.4 million gross acres in the Canning Basin.

Buru is the operator of all of its exploration permits, and also has the largest acreage in the Canning Basin.
( )s expanded Halleck Creek Project in the US has revealed consistently high-grade surface samples with total rare earth oxides (TREO) averaging more than 3,000 parts per million (ppm).

The 2021 Technical Report of the Wyoming Halleck Creek Rare Earths Project report prepared by World Industrial Minerals (WIM) shows impressive surface sampling results over a substantially expanded tenement control footprint, which support the robust prospectivity of the extensive Halleck Creek project area.

The report provides an overview of the Halleck Creek Project area, regional and local geology, recent claim-staking activities, general mineralogy of the host rocks and summarises assays of rock samples collected across the project area.

ARR has filed for exploration drilling permits and JORC 2012 compliant exploration targets are being determined.
It is very optimistic about the year ahead in getting the Nolans Project fully funded and ready for production.

( ) is focused on its reaching its Final Investment Decision for its Nolans Neodymium and Praseodymium (NdPr) Oxide Project in the Northern Territory in mid-2022.

The company is very optimistic about the year ahead in getting the Nolans Project fully funded and ready for production when the global economy is desperate for a secure and alternate supply of its critical minerals.

It is exceptionally well-placed to capitalise on the ever-escalating global demand on the back of strengthening NdPr prices and forecast shortage of the product.

Chairman Mark Southey said: With strong project economics, secured development tenure and our social license to operate, we have never been better placed to execute the Nolans project.

Critical year for Arafura

The 2021 financial year was a critical year for Arafura. With strengthening rare earths pricing and increased interest from financiers and potential offtake partners as well as optimisation of the process plant design and mine scheduling following the ore reserve update, there was a strong case to review the findings from the Definitive Feasibility Study delivered in 2019.

With extremely positive results, confirming the financial viability of the Nolans Project, this has enabled us to prepare for Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED), a critical step to progress the commercialisation of Nolans NdPr Project towards offtake and project funding.

As the world focuses on ESG, Arafura has set its goal to be a trusted global leader and supplier of choice for sustainably mined rare earth products', helping our customers deliver clean and efficient technologies.

Arafura has committed to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, with its greenhouse gas reduction options study well advanced to set interim targets to meet this goal.

Offtake progress

Arafura continues to advance its rare earth product offtake arrangements with parties in Japan, Europe, South Korea, the US and for its phosphoric acid product with parties in India.

Commercial discussions to secure offtake arrangements with European partners, who are seeking alternative supply sources from transparent and ESG-compliant suppliers are all progressing positively.

With changes to global priorities around sustainability and ESG standards, Nolans strong alignment with sustainability goals is meeting the changing mandates of key-end users.

In fact, it is starting to become evident that Nolan is emerging as the supplier of choice to secure supply NdPr oxides from a sustainable mining and processing source from Australia.

Arafura managing director Gavin Lockyer said: We continue to advance discussions on key terms with various European end-users in the automotive and wind industry,

"European customers immediate objectives are to establish supply security and jurisdictional diversification of the NdFeB magnet supply chain and traceable product from a sustainable mining and processing source."

Project update

Supply chain partners in Europe, China and Japan have confirmed that the product is well within the required key specification for use in their processes.

The feasibility study update follows extensive work from the Arafura team and confirmed ultra-low operating costs of US$24.76/kg NdPr oxide and robust financial metrics for the Nolans Project, showing an outstanding net present value (NPV) of $1.4 billion and average EBITDA of A$354 million per annum.

It incorporates key improvements following the completion of the pilot program, allowing elements of the process flowsheet to be refined or optimised.

With the forecast supply shortage, the company has reviewed the process plant design and deferred cerium production to allow the company to focus on the ramp-up of on-specification high-value NdPr production.

To optimise the production profile and economic outcomes at Nolans, an updated mine scheduling was used based on the updated ore reserves and also include an associated minor increase in concentrate processing capacity.

These now form the basis of all its discussions with potential financiers and offtake partners.

Domestic support

Increased support from the Australian Government has been seen with non-binding letters of support from both the Export Finance Australia and the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility for senior debt facilities of $200 million and $100 million respectively, both for a 15-year term each.

With sovereign support now achieved, we will continue to engage with key banks, advisors and export credit agencies (ECA) to execute our debt-led strategy from ECA-backed debt to attract project equity, Southey added.

Approvals secured

All ancillary mineral leases to host the Nolans borefield in support of the mine and processing plant and allowing for the construction of a water diversion channel have been granted.

Having already secured both Federal and State environmental approvals, Nolans remains the only fully permitted ore to oxide rare earths project in Australia.

With renewed Major Project Status by the Australian Government for a further three years, Arafura retains ongoing focused support from the Australian Governments Major Projects Facilitation Agency (MPFA) with Nolans recognised as an economically and strategically significant asset to Australia.

Coupled with the Indigenous Engagement Strategy released in the prior year, it continues to make strong commitments to the local community and as such retain its social license to operate.

Cash position

Arafura had a strong cash position of $10.8 million as at the end of June 2021.

Further, its two-tranche placement and share purchase plan will raise A$45.5 million to commence its FEED and for general working capital purposes.

Tranche 1 and Tranche 2 have already settled to raise $40 million before costs and following high shareholder interest and participation, the SPP closed early and is expected to settle on 20 August 2021 to raise $5.5 million before costs.

NdPr market

The demand for NdPr has increased more than anticipated, with tightening supply globally driven by the need for global powers to secure their supply chains of critical materials which are both sustainable and traceable.

Further rare earths are continuing to be recognised as a priority in the accelerated electrification of transport and renewable energy transitions to meet ambitious climate targets many countries are adopting and bringing into policy.

With market analysts forecasting that NdPr oxide demand to increase to 98,000 tonnes by 2030, Arafura is well placed to meet the potential supply gap by supplying up to 10% of the worlds rare earth magnet supply from the Nolans Project.

NdPr oxide prices strengthened through the financial year, increasing by 78% overall, and looks to continue to strengthen through the year.
Loop Secure has an excellent operating record, with an unaudited FY2021 turnover of $18 million, delivering $2.25 million in EBITDA.

The consideration for the acquisition of Loop will be a mix of cash and Tesserent shares.

( ) has finalised the strategic acquisition of Loop Secure Pty Ltd, aimed at strengthening its Cyber 360 capabilities.

Loop is a leading Australian cybersecurity firm providing Managed Security Services, Governance Risk and Compliance (GRC) and Offensive Security services.

The cybersecurity firms service and solution offering is a strategic addition to strengthen Tesserents Cyber 360 capabilities, with immediate synergies and opportunities to leverage its corporate relationships and skills within Tesserent.

Chairmen comments

Tesserent chairman Geoff Lord said: The addition of Loop Secure to the TNT group is a welcome one, cementing our position as the leading ASX-listed provider of cybersecurity solutions and services in ANZ and as well as contributing to our annual turnover and adding significant recurring revenue to the Group.

Loop chairman Adam Davenport said: After more than 15 years as a leading cybersecurity firm, I am delighted Loop Secure will become part of the Tesserent Group.

The transaction provides Loop with immediate access to substantial resources and new opportunities and will allow us to continue our strong growth in the key cybersecurity domains of monitoring, consulting and solutions.

Financials

Loop has an excellent operating record, with an unaudited FY2021 turnover of $18 million, delivering $2.25 million in EBITDA.

Notably, the last 12 months have continued to deliver strong growth with Loop bringing immediate earnings, cash flow and earnings per share accretion to Tesserent.

The consideration for the acquisition of Loop will be a mix of cash and Tesserent shares, being $9 million in cash and 15.9 million shares at a price of 28 cents.

The cash component is paid $7 million on completion with the balance paid out over 12 months which will be funded from existing cash reserves together with the earlier announced Pure Finance facility.

- Ephrems Joseph
Venture Minerals Ltd (ASX:VMS) is confident of success through an aggressive and systematic exploration of its suite of precious, base and bulk materials in Western Australia and Tasmania and particularly at the Golden Grove North Zinc-Copper-Gold Project where drilling has confirmed a large VMS body.

Venture Minerals will send off first iron ore shipment in early September, shares up

Venture Minerals Ltd (ASX:VMS, OTC:VTMLF) is more than 20% higher on booking its first shipment of iron ore following the completion of plant commissioning and steady-state production achievement at its Riley Iron Ore Mine in Tasmania.

The shipment will be hauled from Riley to the Port of Burnie, where a 46,000-tonne capacity bulk carrier vessel will be chartered by a major international shipping operator.

Venture's offtake partner and one of the world's largest iron ore traders, Prosperity Steel United Singapore, will designate the discharge port in China.

Shares have been as much as 26.6% higher this morning to 10.5 cents and VMS is currently at 10 cents while the market cap before the opening was approximately $110.7 million.



Becoming an iron ore producer

Venture managing director Andrew Radonjic said progress made in recent months at Riley had put the company in good stead.

"Through the now completed commissioning of the plant, Venture already has a significant stockpile of iron ore ready to ship," he said.

"The achievement of steady-state production and consequently continuous ore haulage has enabled us to immediately charter a bulk carrier vessel to load and deliver the first shipment," he said.

"This marks a major milestone for us as we transition from a highly successful explorer to producer."
Elon Musk's electric car maker and Chinese technology conglomerate Tencent are next cabs on the trillion-dollar rank

The race to the first hundred trillion-dollar companies was won by Zimbabwe

( ) this summer became the sixth company to join the ranks of the trillion-dollar club, while ( ) is closing in on double that valuation, and ( ), the worlds largest company, passed that landmark some time ago.

Amazon.com Inc, Google owner ( ) and oil giant make up the sextet.

But just who will be next?

Well, according to data tracking growth trajectories of the worlds largest companies on a website called Approve.com, the next cab off the rank in all likelihood will be ( ) (market capitalisation US$704bn).

Indeed, the Chinese technology conglomerate almost got there in February when it was valued at US$916bn.

However, it has been buffeted by a number of headwinds, the most powerful of which has been Beijings backlash against the growing power of firms such as Tencent that dominate search and social media.

Approve.com reckons Tencent will hit the trillion-dollar market cap landmark some time next year based on its historic trajectory.

The stellar recent performance of Elon Musk ( ) means it will be nip and tuck just whether the Chinese giant gets over the line first, or whether it will be beaten by a super-charged electric car maker.

It could also soon be hot on Facebooks heels with a 124% average annual growth rate, the latest survey data reveal.

By 2023, the ranks will have swelled to include broadcaster ( ) and shopping platform Meituan, while a year later TV streaming colossus ( ) Inc, chipmaker Nvidia Corporation and drinks maker Kweichow Moutai will join a club thats becoming less exclusive by the day.

It was less than two years ago that ( ), the worlds most valuable company, earned the distinction of becoming the worlds first trillion-dollar company.

Back in autumn 2019 analysts wondered whether the phones, laptop, apps and movies and music firm could remain airborne at those levels.

Today a far less sceptical Wall Street reckons Apples valuation could soon push through $3 trillion, even though the Washington's House Judiciary Committees antitrust subcommittee recently passed six bills aimed at curtailing the power of Big Tech.

Relevant to Apple specifically are the Ending Platform Monopolies Act and American Choice and Innovation Online Act.

But Daniel Ives at broker Wedbush said: Apple remains the top tech name to own.

His analysis suggests the Cupertino, California-based titan is worth $185, giving it a market cap of $3.1 trillion.

The tech bull cycle will continue in our opinion its upward move in in the second half of 2021 and 2022 given the scarcity of growth names/winners in this market looking ahead on the heels of the fourth industrial revolution playing out among enterprises/consumers, Ives said in a note to clients overnight.

He said the iPhone maker is our favourite large cap tech name to play the 5G transformational cycle, hailing the one-two punch of its massive services business and iPhone product cycle, translating into a $3 trillion market cap during 2022, in the broker's opinion.

Currently, the company is worth $2.5 trillion based on a share price of just shy of $150.

The Wedbush analyst is not alone in predicting Apple will push beyond the $3 trillion mark.

Five star rated Brian White, of boutique equity research firm Monness Crespi and Hardt, is one of those. In research quoted by CNBC, he said he reckons the shares could ultimately wind up changing hands for $180 each.

All eyes are currently on Septembers launch of the latest iPhone.

If the release of a new handset could act as a major valuation catalyst, then antitrust legislation would undoubtedly have the reverse effect.


The iron ore will be transported from Ventures Riley mine in Tasmania to the Burnie port and eventually on to China.

( , ) is more than 20% higher on booking its first shipment of iron ore following the completion of plant commissioning and steady-state production achievement at its Riley Iron Ore Mine in Tasmania.

The shipment will be hauled from Riley to the Port of Burnie, where a 46,000-tonne capacity bulk carrier vessel will be chartered by a major international shipping operator.

Ventures offtake partner and one of the worlds largest iron ore traders, Prosperity Steel United Singapore, will designate the discharge port in China.

Shares have been as much as 26.6% higher this morning to 10.5 cents and VMS is currently at 10 cents while the market cap before the opening was approximately $110.7 million.

Becoming an iron ore producer

Venture managing director Andrew Radonjic said progress made in recent months at Riley had put the company in good stead.

Through the now completed commissioning of the plant, Venture already has a significant stockpile of iron ore ready to ship, he said.

The achievement of steady-state production and consequently continuous ore haulage has enabled us to immediately charter a bulk carrier vessel to load and deliver the first shipment, he said.

This marks a major milestone for us as we transition from a highly successful explorer to producer.

Riley Iron Ore being loaded onto Qube trucks destined for Burnie.

Background progress

Venture began the commissioning of its wet screening plant in May and it is now fully installed and operational.

24-hour processing is now underway and the first stage of steady-state production has been achieved, allowing the continuous ore haulage from Riley to the Burnie port.

All of this has enabled Venture to book its first shipment, which is due for arrival in the second week of September.

Venture then plans to work on continuous improvement programs for the following months as it ramps up production from one to two shipments per month.

Other projects

Venture has a multi-commodity focus, with exposure to platinum-group elements, zinc, nickel, copper, gold, lead, tin and tungsten also among its projects.

Recently it doubled its nickel-copper-PGE portfolio with new tenure at Kulin Project in Western Australia.

That followed drill spinning on a priority tin target at its Mount Lindsay Project in Tasmania.

- Daniel Paproth
The company said the delta variant of COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on Mexico and the number of individuals in isolation at the Don David mine has climbed to 102 over the past three days

The company is monitoring the situation daily to assess when normal operations can resume

( ) said it is ramping down certain activities at its Don David gold mine in Mexico due to a spike in coronavirus (COVID-19) cases at the operation.

The company noted that the delta variant of COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on Mexico and the number of individuals in isolation at the Don David mine has climbed to 102 over the past three days, stretching the camp and extra accommodations in the local communities to the limit.

After discussions with its medical staff and an epidemiologist, Gold Resources Corporation said it is reducing the movement of people coming to the mine site from the local communities and the region.

From August 18, it said it will ramp down operations and will continue with significantly reduced activities at the mine for at least the next 10 days to help minimize the further spread of infection among the workforce and the local communities, providing relief to medical teams, and not further overstraining its accommodations.

The operations will continue with those employees and contractors who have agreed to stay in the camp for periods longer than the usual rotation to create a bubble, the company said in a statement.

Testing frequency will increase with stricter procedures governing operational activities, and exploration, construction of the filter press, transportation and certain other critical activities will continue following the implementation of the enhanced protocols, it added.

Gold Resources Corporation said it is monitoring the situation daily to assess when normal operations can resume and will report back to the market as more information becomes available.

Contact the author at stephen.gunnion@proactiveinvestors.com
( , , , ) (AIM:CNR, TSX:COG, FRA:W5XA, ) ( ) Mark Child joins Proactive London to talk about their 'very successful drill programme' at La India project in Nicaragua.

All the assay results from the starter pit, part of the La India project in Nicaragua met its key objectives.

The highlight from the latest results was drill hole LIDC464, which returned 6.6 metres at 10.51 grammes a tonne (g/t) gold from about 10 metres below the Northern Starter Pit.

Child takes viewers through the findings of the 3,370-metre drilling programme which consisted of infill drilling and the replacement of historical reverse circulation (RC) drill holes with diamond drilling.
As international travel continues to open up, increasing accessibility, Thermal Dynamics expects more contracts to follow

The new contract is in addition to a $1 million contract for a new project in Europe awarded earlier this month

Alpine 4 Holdings Inc announced that its subsidiary, Thermal Dynamics International Inc (TDII), has been awarded a new $2.2 million contract in Africa.

The new contract is in addition to a $1 million contract for a new project in Europe awarded earlier this month. TDII said it expects more contracts to follow as international travel continues to open up, increasing accessibility.

Thermal Dynamics International is an international contracting, fabricator, and project management services company. Its primary client is the US Federal Government, including the Department of Defense and Department of State. The company specializes in managing complex projects, assets and infrastructure for its customers, including support and services for the engineering, design, logistics and installation of HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning), control and electrical systems in government facilities outside the US.

"The strategic acquisition of Thermal Dynamics has quickly proven to be a substantial addition to Alpine 4's ever-growing holdings, Ian Kantrowitz, a member of Alpine 4's executive leadership team, said in a statement.

With the leadership of TDII's President, John Meiser, their elite team creates the necessary solutions to solve the most demanding infrastructure projects around the world with exacting precision.

Alpine 4 is a publicly-traded conglomerate that is acquiring businesses that fit into its disruptive DSF business model of drivers, stabilizers, and facilitators.

Thermal Dynamics, acquired by Alpine 4 in April, resides in the A4 Defense Systems portfolio and is considered a "stabilizer" company from Alpine 4's DSF business model.

Contact the author at stephen.gunnion@proactiveinvestors.com
If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this





Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here
Google fined over $80K for refusal to delete banned information

 RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov

13:26 19/08/2021

MOSCOW, August 19 (RAPSI)  Google LLC was fined 6 million rubles ($80,000) on Wednesday for refusal to remove prohibited content, RAPSI was told in Moscows Tagansky District Court.

On Tuesday, the company received a fine of 14 million rubles (about $200,000) for similar violations.

The company has been found guilty of failure to delete information or Internet page when obliged by Russian law.

According to Russias communications watchdog Roskomnadzor, Google was earlier notified of its obligation to remove banned information, however the company failed to restrict access to it within 24 hours and became subject to fines.




Businessman ordered to stay in detention until late November in Penza Governors case

 The Moscow City Court's press service, Moskva city news agency

15:00 19/08/2021

MOSCOW, August 19 (RAPSI)  Moscows Basmanny District Court on Wednesday extended detention of the head of BIOTEC Group of Companies Boris Spiegel involved in a bribery case against ex-Penza Region governor Ivan Belozertsev until November 20, the courts press service told RAPSI.

Earlier, the court extended detention of Belozertsev for the same term.

After his arrest and detention the businessman voiced his readiness to cooperate with investigators.

According to the investigation, between January and September 2020, Belozertsev accepted through intermedia money and other values worth over 31 million rubles (over $400,000) in bribes from Spiegel, his spouse andDirector of Pharmacia Company Anton Koloskov. In turn, the official allegedly promised to give BIOTEC Group of Companies the competitive gain in execution of state contracts for acceptance, quality and validity period tracking, storing and supplies of medical drugs and goods for the needs of health care institutions of the Penza Region.




Detention of ex-schema monk Sergius prolonged for six months

 RAPSI, Eugeny Varlamov

16:44 19/08/2021

MOSCOW, August 19 (RAPSI)  The Izmaylovsky District Court on Wednesday extended detention of excommunicated ex-schema monk Sergius (Nikolay Romanov) in a case over inducement to suicide and usurpation of power until February 10, the courts press service told RAPSI.

Romanov was placed in detention in December 2020. He stands charged with inducing a minor to commit suicide. Earlier, Russias Children Ombudsman Anna Kuznetsova petitioned the Prosecutor Generals Office and the Investigative Committee to launch a probe into allegations of child abuse in a nunnery situated near town of Sredneuralsk in the Sverdlovsk Region, where the former schema monk took refuge.

Moreover, he is accused of violating a right to freedom of thought, conscience and and religionarbitrary behavior.

He denies his guilt.

His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill approved a decision of the church court of the Yekaterinburg eparchy to excommunicate schema monk Sergius (Romanov) on October 19.
Journalist Union urges to put end to discrimination against Russian journalists abroad

 RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov

17:53 19/08/2021

MOSCOW, August 19 (RAPSI)  The unprecedented pressure on Russian journalists abroad must be immediately and completely stopped, the Union of Journalists of Russia has stated.

The practice of discrimination against Russian journalists and the media working in the UK, attempts to put pressure on them, are actions that have nothing to do with the principles of adherence to freedom of speech and dissemination of information declared by the British authorities, the statement reads.

The use of such means as denying Russian journalists access to official and open to the press events, far-fetched accusations of disseminating disinformation, the actual expulsion of TASS correspondent Igor Brovarnik and his colleagues in 2019 under the far-fetched pretext of not extending work visas is a direct bureaucratic and political interference in professional journalism, what leads to an escalation of tension and mutual mistrust between peoples and countries, the Union stresses.

According to the national journalist union, the mirror measures taken in Russia against the British BBC journalist, similar to the actions of the British authorities, are intended to indicate to the British authorities the inadmissibility of such discriminatory practices and to revise the policy of putting pressure on Russian journalists and media.

This whole situation is a matter of regret for the Union of Journalists of Russia. We believe that Russian journalists are subjected to unjustified pressure and interference in their work, and we believe that journalism is the main element of civil diplomacy and strengthening cooperation between the audience of international media, societies and states. We stand up for the rights and freedoms of Russian journalists both in Russia and abroad, and we are confident that such unprecedented pressure on our colleagues must be immediately and completely stopped, the Union concludes.
Nasdaq, August 9, 2021

KABUL, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Suspected Taliban fighters killed an Afghan radio station manager in Kabul and kidnapped a journalist in southern Helmand province, local government officials said on Monday, reporting the latest in a long line of attacks targeting media workers.

Gunmen shot Toofan Omar, the station manager of Paktia Ghag radio and an officer for NAI, a rights group supporting independent media in Afghanistan, in a targeted killing in the capital on Sunday.

"Omari was killed by unidentified gunmen...he was liberal man...we are being targeted for working independently," said Mujeeb Khelwatgar, the head of NAI.

Officials in Kabul suspected Taliban fighters had carried out the attack.

Last month the NAI report at least 30 journalists and media workers have been killed, wounded or abducted by militant groups in Afghanistan this year.

In southern Helmand province, officials said Taliban fighters had seized a local journalist, Nematullah Hemat, from his home in Lashkar Gah, the provincial capital, on Sunday.

"There is just absolutely no clue where the Taliban have taken Hemat...we are really in a state of panic, said Razwan Miakhel, head of private TV channel, Gharghasht TV where Hemat was employed.

A Taliban spokesperson told Reuters that he had no information on either the killing in Kabul or the abducted journalist in Helmand.

A coalition of Afghan news organisations have written to U.S. President Joe Biden and leaders in the House of Representatives, urging them to grant special immigration visas to Afghan journalists and support staff.

The Taliban seized three northern cities over the weekend and were threatening to capture more, ramping up an offensive against Afghan government forces that followed Washington's announcement that it would end its military mission in the country by the end of the month.
Counter Punch, August 17, 2021

By Paul Street

One of the doctrinal principles behind U.S. corporate-imperial news coverage and commentary and mainstream US politics is that the United States is a fundamentally benevolent force for good facing difficulties created by evil others and challenging situations not of Washingtons own making. Debate is permissible on immediate strategy and tactics but is not allowed on these core American Exceptionalist positions.

Hence, while there is contestation in U.S. media and political culture over how to respond to the flood of migrants seeking entrance to the United States on the nations southern border, there is little if any serious mainstream media discussion and critique of the long and many-sided role that U.S. capitalist imperialism has played in imposing abject misery on millions of people across Central America and Mexico.

The US invasion of Vietnam (and Cambodia) and Iraq could be criticized in dominant US media as bad strategy, as mistakes, but never as monumentally mass-murderous, racist, and imperialist war crimes and crimes against humanity.

John Kennedy (who initiated the US assault on Vietnam and Southeast Asia) could face mainstream criticism for failing to properly back the failed Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba and then be praised for his handling of the Cuban Missile Crisis. There was no serious mainstream discussion of how the American Empires long neocolonial treatment of Cuba and its response to the brilliant Cuban Revolution bred a popular socialist revolution that naturally gravitated to the protective umbrella of the Soviet Union (or of another matter: how the imperialist Kennedys response to evidence of Soviet missiles in Cuba brought the world to the brink of nuclear annihilation and how it was the action of a Soviet sub commander that averted that fate).

The defeat of American invasions and occupations can be reported and discussed in the mainstream media and political culture as the consequence of strategic miscalculations by US policy makers but never as the result of legitimate popular resistance to American imperialism.

As a state senator, US Senator, and presidential candidate, the post-George W. Bush Empire re-brander Barack Obama made it clear that he viewed the invasion of Iraq as a bad war only in the sense of being strategically dumb, not because it was an immoral, racist, and petro-imperialist adventure meant to put the American boot on the giant Iraqi oil spigot. Candidate Obama even ended up blaming the Iraq mistake on Bushs excessively idealistic desire to export democracy to Iraq  an absurd formulation in line with the American exceptionalist doctrine that Obama would articulate while personally drone-killing children and wedding parties, helping decimate Libya and Honduras, and deepening the US devastation of Afghanistan.

The assumption that the United States has the right to invade, attack, and occupy other nations is taken for granted in mainstream US media and politics. The American people, candidate Obama sanctimoniously told the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations in 2006, have seen their sons and daughters killed in the streets of Fallujah. The most remarkable thing about this comment wasnt just that Obama left out the American Empires savage decimation of that key Iraqi city, replete with the use of radioactive munitions that sparked an epidemic of child leukemias, but that Obama just normatively assumed that American troops had any right to be patrolling the streets of a major Iraq metropolis!

We lead the world, presidential candidate Obama explained, in battling immediate evils and promoting the ultimate good.  America is the last, best hope of earth. Obama elaborated in his first inaugural address. Our security, the president said, emanates from the justness of our cause; the force of our example; the tempering qualities of humility and restrainta fascinating commentary on Fallujah, Hiroshima, the U.S. crucifixion of Southeast Asia, the Highway of Death and more.

America is always good and well-intentioned. This is so doctrinally embedded in US ruling class ideology that evidence to the utter contrary must be reflexively dismissed out of hand. Within less than half a year of his inauguration, Obamas rapidly accumulating record of atrocities in the Muslim world would include the bombing of the Afghan village of Bola Boluk. Ninety-three of the dead villagers torn apart by U.S. explosives in Bola Boluk were children. In a phone call played on a loudspeaker on Wednesday to outraged members of the Afghan Parliament, the New York Times reported, the governor of Farah Province  said that as many as 130 civilians had been killed. According to one Afghan legislator and eyewitness, the villagers bought two tractor trailers full of pieces of human bodies to his office to prove the casualties that had occurred. Everyone at the governors cried, watching that shocking scene. The administration refused to issue an apology or to acknowledge the global policemans responsibility.

By telling and sickening contrast, Obama had just offered a full apology and fired a White House official because that official had scared New Yorkers with an ill-advised Air Force One photo-shoot flyover of Manhattan that reminded people of 9/11. The disparity was extraordinary: Frightening New Yorkers led to a full presidential apology and the discharge of a White House staffer. Killing more than one hundred Afghan civilians did not require any apology.



Chaos at Kabul airport as foreigners and Afghans race to leave city. Chaos at Kabul airport as foreigners and Afghans race to leave city.

This brings us to the current spectacle in Afghanistan, where Obamas vice president and current US imperial warlord-in-chief Joe Biden is being made to look like a doddering buffoon by the chaotic and desperate scenes from the former US embassy and the Kabul airport. The total collapse of the formerly U.S.-sponsored Afghan regime cruelly mocks his claim just one month ago that everything was fine for an orderly US evacuation and the persistence of a non-Taliban government in the nations capital. Does this underestimation of the insurgent, anti-imperial forces political and fighting power sound at all consistent with earlier official American over-estimations of they and their illegitimate client regimes ability to militarily suppress resistance movement? Its much the same story all over again, as in Iraq and Vietnam, replete with images of evacuation helicopters atop a besieged US embassy that are hauntingly like those from Saigon in 1975. (In Saigon, the helicopters could fly US personnel straight to offshore imperial aircraft carriers. In Kabul, they move the imperial evictees to a nearby airport where the scene is even more chaotic).

The Biden administration is being predictably and properly mocked for his strategic blundering and the bad intelligence that produced the memorably humiliating optics (complete and utter mayhem and chaos) in Kabul. At the same time, the occasion of Washingtons final departure is leading to a fair amount of officially permissible soul-searching about whether Americas longest war was worth it in the first place  whether it was a strategic mistake to have gone into Afghanistan, the well-known graveyard of empires, in the first place.

Notice two things outside the parameters of permissible discussion: the criminal nature of the U.S. invasion from day one, and the longstanding role of the US in training and equipping right-wing Islamo terrorism in Afghanistan and the broader Muslim and Arab world.

Afghanistan did not attack the United States on September 11, 2001, al Qaeda did, and al Qaeda was sheltered and funded mainly by Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, both major U.S. regional allies. France does not have the right to invade and bomb Vermont and the United States more broadly if a neofascist purportedly sheltered in the Green Mountains is said to have coordinated deadly terror attacks on the Eifel Tower and the French National Assembly. After 9/11, the various players in Afghanistan, including the Taliban government, were more than ready to talk and negotiate, possibly even hand over Osama bin-Laden for international prosecution. They did not want the worlds greatest superpower to pulverize the country. The US rejected these overtures and undertook instead to use immense force used to demolish Afghanistans physical infrastructure and to break open its social bonds (Noam Chomsky and Vijay Prashad). Like something out of the texts of the brilliant American anti-imperial New Left historian Gabriel Kolko, the American Empire went instead with the doomed and enormously destructive path of military punishment. More than 71,000 Afghan citizens died in the ensuing violence while American defense (empire) firms including Boeing, Raytheon, and Lockheed Martin cashed in on the cost-plus contracts that purchased the weapons of imperial mass destruction.

At the same time, as seems unmentionable in US media, the hated Taliban is to no small extent a U.S. product. As Noam Chomsky and Vijay Prashad explained last May from beyond the margins of acceptable US debate and memory:

Afghanistan has been in a civil war for half a century, at least since the creation of the mujahideenincluding Abdul Haqto battle the Peoples Democratic Party of Afghanistan government (1978-1992). This civil war was intensified by the U.S. support of Afghanistans most conservative and extreme right-wing elements, groups that would become part of Al Qaeda, the Taliban, and other Islamist factions. Never once has the United States offered a path to peace during this period; instead, it has always shown an eagerness at each turn to use the immensity of the U.S. force to control the outcome in Kabul.

It is of course unthinkable that any talking head at CNN or MSNBC, not to mention FOX News, would point out that the best time for womens rights and advancement in modern Afghanistan came under communist power, in alliance with the Soviet Union between 1979 and the late 1980s. Driven by concerns of imperial geopolitics and not human rights (Orwellian US rhetoric notwithstanding), the United States sponsored arch-reactionary and hyper-sexist Islamist resistance to the socialist Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, backing elements it knew would crush womens rights after defeating the socialist state.

Geopolitical considerations remain paramount for the US in Afghanistan, beneath all the media horror over Taliban atrocities and sexism. As Chomsky and Prishad wrote last May, The United States, it appears, is willing to allow the Taliban to return to power with two caveats: first, that the U.S. presence remains, and second, that the main rivals of the United Statesnamely China and Russiahave no role in Kabul.

Whether those goals are attainable remains to be seen but one thing is clear: Washingtons foreign policy remains today, as across its long and bloody history, about bottom-line imperial calculation first and foremost. Human rights talk is window-dressing meant to cloak wolfish global power considerations in the deceptive sheeps cover of humanitarian concern.
Medya News, August 18, 2021

By Mark Campbell

These past few days, we have witnessed on our television screens and social media, images of the Taliban having swept through Afghanistan and on the 15th August, walked into the capital of Afghanistan, Kabul and straight into the Presidential Palace without any resistance after the withdrawal of the US forces just a few weeks before.

Yesterday, the Taliban issued a statement claiming that they will be an inclusive political force, calling on people not to leave Afghanistan and that women will be able work and take part in education. However, a key question is: What is the reality on the ground and what does the future hold for Afghan women?

I was joined for this special podcast by Afghan woman, Lida Ahmad, a member of the Solidarity Party of Afghanistan in Europe and by Remziye Mohamed, the spokeswoman of Kongreya Star, to talk about the recent developments in Afghanistan and what it means for the Afghan people and especially for the struggle of Afghan women.

Because of connection issues in North East Syria, Remziye Mohamed of Kongreya Star joined by telephone and spoke in Kurdish. Her conversation was then translated into English.

Category: Taliban/ISIS/Terrorism, Women - Views: 1580
Counter Punch, August 18, 2021

By Patrick Cockburn

As Taliban fighters enter Kabul, everybody from the US government to local policemen seeks to reach a deal with the new rulers of Afghanistan. Alternatively, they want to flee the country as soon as possible.

The Afghan government agreed at the weekend on a transitional government, which will avoid a direct Taliban military assault on the capital, allowing a peaceful transfer of power. At the start of this transition, at least, it may be in the interests of the Taliban to show a moderate face and not stir up opposition at home or abroad by public executions and beatings.

As Afghans see it, President Donald Trump began a series of one-sided deals favouring the Taliban in 2020, an approach confirmed by President Joe Biden in his speech on 14 April this year. He declared that the final American pull-out would be completed by the 20th anniversary of 9/11, come what may.

By fixing on such a firm date, Biden evidently did not foresee that he had set the ball rolling for the complete disintegration of the anti-Taliban forces four months later. By highlighting the immediacy and completeness of the US military withdrawal, the White House probably wanted to gain credit among American voters, who have become increasingly hostile to US involvement in foreign wars. The likely shattering impact in Afghanistan of Bidens announcement received too little attention.

Many Afghans thought that if the Americans were reaching a deal with the Taliban, then they should not be far behind  if they wanted to maximise their chances of personal survival. People began to ask why they should die for a lost cause and not reach an agreement with the Taliban as the Americans had just done, says one Afghan observer.

She points out that Taliban fighters met no military opposition when they swept through the traditionally anti-Taliban north of the country. In provinces dominated by the Tajik, Uzbek and Hazara communities, the Taliban, who largely come from the Pashtun community in the south of Afghanistan, met no armed resistance. Yet before 2001, this region was the heartland of the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance. It is clear that the local leaders and former Northern Alliance warlords reached their own deals with the Taliban and refused to rally to the government side, says the observer.

Army officers abandoned military strongholds they had held for two decades, while cities and towns surrendered without a fight, the latest being Jalalabad in the east of the country. I have taken off my uniform and hidden it, says Najib, a 35-year-old police officer in Jalalabad, which fell on Saturday. Taliban white flags sprouted everywhere in the city as they took over with scarcely a shot being fired.

Najib says in a message to a friend in Europe shown to The Independent that he hopes that the Taliban will stick to their pledge not to harm anybody who did not resist them. Like many Afghans in the security forces, Najib had decided last week, as city after city fell without a fight, that the Taliban had won the war.

All over Afghanistan frightened individuals and families are desperately trying to calculate how they can either survive or escape the new regime. Many would like to flee the country, but do not know how they would do so or where they could go.

In the city of Herat, in the far west of Afghanistan close to the Iranian border, a wealthy businessman called Farid says in another message to a friend that for the last three days we have been hiding in our basement. We do not know what the Taliban will want to do. We have enough food for now, but soon we will need to go outside our house to the market.

The family had thought of leaving Herat in recent years, but the choice was not easy. The city was relatively peaceful and they owned property there as well as profitable pistachio and almond orchards. Farid considered building a private hospital where his two medically trained daughters could work as doctors, but he abandoned the idea as security deteriorated in the past couple of years.

Instead, he and his family went to Istanbul for six months, but Covid-19 restrictions made living conditions there difficult and they went back to Herat, where they are now trapped in their basement.

Others, who in the past had rejected the idea of leaving Afghanistan, now want to get out. Mustapha, the cousin of a Canadian citizen, had once been a translator, but was forced by lack of work to be a taxi driver in Kabul. Even so, he said he was happy in Afghanistan  until the past few days when he sent a message to his cousin saying he wanted to ask about the chances of getting a Canadian visa [Canada has offered to take 20,000 Afghan refugees].

Women in Kabul have no doubt that they are facing a grim and deteriorating future. Mursal, a film maker and freelance journalist, says that under the Taliban there will be no respect for women, culture or films, and no way to go on working. Najmia, an older woman and a teacher who had experience of Taliban rule 20 years ago, says: I did not expect that I would have to stop teaching again, but that seems to be the case. She likewise asks if it is not too late to get a residence visa to live outside the country.

Not everybody is stuck in Afghanistan. Mrs Abadi, a British citizen born in Iran who works for an NGO, says that it is sad that so many want to leave, especially if they have daughters. What a mess the US has left behind! She herself plans to go to Iran for a time, but intends to return when the situation clarifies. She could have a long wait.
Posted by Jay on at 03:52 PM CST

Marvel has sent out solicitations for their November 2021 titles, including 8comics and three trade paperbacks!CHARLES SOULE (W)  STEVEN CUMMINGS (A)  Cover by LEINIL FRANCIS YUSABACC CARD VARIANT COVER BY DAVID LOPEZKNIGHTS OF REN VARIANT COVER BY RAHZZAHWARRIORS OF DAWN VARIANT COVER BY VALERIO GIANGIORDANOENEMIES OF DAWN VARIANT COVER BY CLAYTON CRAINSYNDICATE VARIANT COVER BY KHOI PHAMCONNECTING VARIANT COVER BY ARIO ANINDITOVARIANT COVER BY STEVEN CUMMINGSAFTER THE DAWN... COMES THE REIGN!The story that began with WAR OF THE BOUNTY HUNTERS continues here, in the second installment of a trilogy that will reshape the history of the Star Wars Galaxy during the Age of Rebellion. Featuring the return of beloved characters, shocking twists, epic feats of the Force and a story that will reach from Star Wars' darkest underworld all the way to the Imperial Palace on Coruscant, Crimson Reign is a Star Wars saga like no other!40 PGS./Rated T $4.99CAVAN SCOTT (W)  GEORGES JEANTY (A)  Cover by PHIL NOTOVARIANT COVER BY PEACH MOMOKOVARIANT COVER BY JAN DUURSEMATHE HUNT FOR LOURNA DEE CONTINUES! The NIHIL have unleashed a nameless terror against the Jedi. MARSHAL AVAR KRISS is more determined than ever to bring LOURNA DEE to justice, but does STELLAN GIOS and the JEDI COUNCIL agree? As KEEVE TRENNIS struggles with what she experienced on the Nihil base, the Jedi prepare for war. PLUS, the truth about SSKEER is finally revealed  but what does it mean for his future?32 PGS./Rated T $3.99ALYSSA WONG (W)  MINKYU JUNG (A)COVER BY SARA PICHELLILUCASFILM ANNIVERSARY VARIANTCOVER BY CHRIS SPROUSEVARIANT COVER BY SWAYA DEADLY GAME! DOCTOR APHRA and SANA STARROS have escaped the VERMILLION, but there's no escaping CRIMSON DAWN: their spies are EVERYWHERE! As DOMINA TAGGE contends with moles within TAGGE CORPORATION and Aphra struggles with the damage inflicted on her by a POWERFUL ARTIFACT, they strike one last bargain... But who can Aphra really trust?32 PGS./Rated T $3.99(of 5)DANIEL JOSE OLDER (W)  DAVE WACHTER (A)  Cover by DAVID LOPEZVARIANT COVER BY DAVID LOPEZ  VARIANT COVER BY MEGHAN HETRICKEMERICK AND SIAN FACE TOTAL AN-NIHIL-ATION! As dead ends and loose threads mount in Jedi Master Emerick Caphtors investigation, hes called to Coruscant, where Chancellor Soh introduces him to his new partner: private eye Sian Holt. Together, they must go undercover to infiltrate one of the most crime-riddled and dangerous planets in the galaxy. Will Emericks duty to the Republic get in the way of Sians personal vendetta? Times running out to close this case and what do the Nihil have to do with any of this?!32 PGS./Rated T $3.99GREG PAK (W)  RAFFAELE IENCO (A)  Cover by AARON KUDERLUCASFILM ANNIVERSARY VARIANT COVER BY CHRIS SPROUSEVARIANT COVER BY KEN LASHLEYRED REVENGE! LADY QIRA not only insulted the EMPIRE but challenged it, too. In the end DARTH VADER showed her criminal organization the Empire is not to be toyed with. But now fearful whispers echo in every corner of the Empire  Darth Vader is on the hunt, searching for anyone with any connection to the criminal organization known as Crimson Dawn. How deep has Crimson Dawn infiltrated and is it worth the wrath of Vader?32 PGS./Rated T $3.99CAVAN SCOTT, JUSTINA IRELAND, JODY HOUSER AND STEVE ORLANDO (W)IVAN FIORELLI and more (A)  Cover by PHIL NOTOVARIANT COVER BY CHRIS SPROUSE  VARIANT COVER BY JAN DUURSEMATHE GALAXYS FAVORITE HOLIDAY!Happy LIFE DAY! Celebrate the galaxys favorite holiday with a collection of festive tales from all across the STAR WARS SAGA! Life Day is the last thing on HAN SOLOS mind when he and CHEWBACCA find themselves outgunned and under fire. But Chewie wont give up hope, remembering the lessons of Life Days past and present. As for Life Days yet to come... well, theyll have to survive the night first!40 PGS./ONE-SHOT/Rated T $4.99ETHAN SACKS (W)  RAMON BACHS (A)COVER BY GIUSEPPE CAMUNCOLILUCASFILM ANNIVERSARY VARIANTCOVER BY CHRIS SPROUSEVARIANT COVER BY Daniel AcunaTHE GALAXYS GREATEST! In the wake of the shocking events of WAR OF THE BOUNTY HUNTERS, the underworld has become more dangerous than ever. T'ONGA has assembled the greatest team of bounty hunters in the galaxy  including BOSSK, ZUCKUS and TASU LEECH for a special mission! Can she keep them from killing each other long enough to become a real team while she grieves the loss of an old friend?32 PGS./Rated T $3.99CHARLES SOULE (W)  MARCO CASTIELLO (A)Cover by CARLO PAGULAYANACTION FIGURE VARIANT COVER BY JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHERLUCASFILM ANNIVERSARY VARIANT COVER BY CHRIS SPROUSEVARIANT COVER BY E.M. GISTLUKES QUEST FOR ANSWERS TAKES A DANGEROUS TURN! As the REBELLION tries to pull itself together for a last-ditch effort to defeat the evil GALACTIC EMPIRE, LUKE SKYWALKER realizes it is time for his journey to become a JEDI to continue. After near-death at the hands of DARTH VADER, he knows he has much to learn if he will ever defeat the DARK LORD OF THE SITH. But the JEDI ORDER is gone, and his teachers have vanished... where can Luke turn to find the Jedi legacy he so desperately needs?32 PGS./Rated T $3.99Written by GREG PAKPenciled by GUIU VILANOVA & RAFFAELE IENCOCover by AARON KUDERWhat will a raging War of the Bounty Hunters mean for the Dark Lords ongoing schemes? Returned to the fold after his rebellion against the Emperor, Darth Vader faces the horrors of reconstruction in the secret laboratories of Coruscant. As he blacks out under the knife, does the Dark Lord of the Sith still dream of revenge against his master? Or do his thoughts drift toward his son and the friends who make Luke Skywalker so vulnerable? Dont miss this next critical new chapter in Darth Vaders ongoing evolution  featuring the revelation of the first time that Vader learned the name Han Solo! As Vader and Ochi of Bestoon embark upon a search for Solos carbonite-frozen body, who is the Umbaran? What happens when she emerges from the darkness? Collecting STAR WARS: DARTH VADER #12-17.144 PGS./Rated T $17.99ISBN: 978-1-302-92622-9Trim size: 6-5/8 x 10-3/16Written by ETHAN SACKSPenciled by PAOLO VILLANELLICover by GIUSEPPE CAMUNCOLIThe War of the Bounty Hunters rages across the galaxy! As Valance and his reluctant partner Dengar race to intercept Boba Fett and his precious cargo, deadly pursuers are after them. A dark secret from Valances past with Han Solo is about to emerge  and it may get him killed all these years later! But who is the mysterious leader of an assassination squad driving Valance into a life-and-death confrontation with an old friend? Meanwhile, Tonga is outgunned and outnumbered  but she does have one last surprise up her sleeve! And as the shadowy mastermind behind everything makes their move, Valance and Dengar try their luck at the Canto Bight casino, and Tonga puts a crew together  with faces both fearsome and familiar! Collecting STAR WARS: BOUNTY HUNTERS #12-17.136 PGS./Rated T $17.99ISBN: 978-1-302-92881-0Trim size: 6-5/8 x 10-3/16Written by KIERON GILLEN & JASON AARONPenciled by SALVADOR LARROCA, MIKE NORTON, MAX FIUMARA, LEINIL FRANCIS YU & MIKE DEODATO JR.Covers by KAARE ANDREWS & ALEX ROSSOne of the greatest antagonists in all of fiction rises again! Fresh from a stinging defeat at the hands of the Rebel Alliance, Darth Vader must reassert the Empires iron grip on the galaxy. But will his personal desire for vengeance against the young Jedi who destroyed the Death Star distract from Vaders duty to the Emperor? As a fateful quest begins, the Dark Lord of the Sith will face fresh threats to his power. And as other villains old and new play their part  from Boba Fett and Jabba the Hutt to diabolical debutant Doctor Aphra and the killer droids Triple-Zero and BeeTee-One  will Vaders imperial march continue, or will his schemes prove his undoing? Collecting DARTH VADER (2015) #1-25 and ANNUAL #1, STAR WARS: VADER DOWN and STAR WARS (2015) #13-14.736 PGS./Rated T $100.00ISBN: 978-1-302-93404-0Trim size: 7-1/4 x 10-7/8STAR WARS: DARTH VADER BY GILLEN & LARROCA OMNIBUS HC ALEX ROSS COVER [NEW PRINTING, DM ONLY]736 PGS./Rated T $100.00ISBN: 978-1-302-93405-7Trim size: 7-1/4 x 10-7/8
A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind.
Northern New Mexico College Vice President of Finance Ricky Bejarano checks some numbers while regents break during a June meeting. Northern President Rick Bailey (right) said Bejarano and his business team dug the College, "out of a real mess. There's no other way to put it."
Former Karnataka chief minister B.S. Yediyurappa flew off to the Maldives, taking a break from a hectic political activity even after he had stepped down from the coveted post.

There is no official communication from him or family members on a foreign trip. However, sources close to his family said that Yediyurappa left India on Wednesday with his son B.S. Vijayendra, daughters and grandchildren to the Maldives.

He will return to Bengaluru after a 3-day trip. Yediyurappa has emerged as a power centre of the ruling BJP government after anointing Basavaraj Bommai to the post of Chief Minister.

Yediyurappa will spend quality time with his family members especially grandchildren taking a break from the routine political activities, sources said.

He recently tried to pacify miffed Tourism Minister Anand Singh who was adamant that he would not take part in the Independence Day celebrations. Later, he agreed to hoist the national flag.
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Ms. Natorii Illidge in her bid to complete her studies in Musical Theatre





The Department of Culture is calling on all interested persons and supporters of the creative industries in the community to come out and support Ms Natorii Illidge in her bid to complete her Masters in Musical Theatre Performance, validated by the University of Wolverhampton in London. Ms. Natorii Illidge who is currently residing and studying in London is finalizing her thesis in the form of an online live stream one-woman show, Survive to Thrive, that will take place this Saturday August 21st, at 12pm (local time) at the Philipsburg Cultural Center. Natoriis family members will collect an entrance fee of $13.75 US Dollars or Fls. 25.00 Guilders at the door.





Persons that are unable to attend the viewing at the Philipsburg Cultural Center are welcomed to join the performance via the following online link - https://doors.live/e/survive-to-thrive . The funds collected will go directly to the well-known aspiring dance artist to facilitate any expenses associated with finalizing her studies while abroad.





Honestly, Im a bit nervous and yet excited to showcase the early stage of my triple threat skills but theres a common saying, Life begins at the end of your comfort zone. So here I go!, stated Ms. Illidge.





Studying Musical Theatre Performance at Associated Studios in London has been the most challenging journey Ive experienced so far. Not only was I studying during the pandemic but I was entirely out of my comfort zone in this course. Although Im still in the beginning stages of my singing and acting abilities, Im so proud of how far Ive come, and how much further I can go.





It should be noted that Natorii Illidge is one of many recipients of the Talent Scholarship granted by Department of Culture based on the annual budget of the Ministry of Education Culture Youth & Sport. The Department of Culture's remind the community of Sint Maarten that its mission is to develop, promote and safeguard the Tangible and Intangible Cultural Heritage of the people of St. Maarten.





Clara Reyes, Head of the Culture says, I am extremely happy to see and recognize the accomplishments of Natorii thus far and want to encourage her to remain focused as she finalizes her studies. The Department of Culture is a proud supporter of her efforts and we continue to encourage all persons in our community who are pursuing a career in the Creative Arts Industry not be discouraged and remain steadfast in their dreams of becoming a professional creative.





Accompanied with visual content, Natorii explains her one-woman show as follows, Ill take you on a journey sharing the stories of black women that have impacted me. Through singing, acting, and dancing. Ill play the different hats of black women in the past and modern world to bring awareness and to celebrate resilient women and black women. These stories have also inspired me to become a stronger role model for others that aspire to unapologetically be the best version of themselves. It's important for us women to empower others so that we can continue creating a better world for everyone. My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive!




What Biden should do and the American people should demand is that a national summit or summits take place within the United States the purpose of which would be to figure out what America is and what it wants to be going forward.

by John Stanton

To President Theodore Roosevelt - you are like the Wind and I like the Lion. You form the Tempest. The sand stings my eyes and the Ground is parched. I roar in defiance but you do not hear. But between us there is a difference. I, like the lion, must remain in my place. While you like the wind will never know yours. - Mulay Hamid El Raisuli, Lord of the Riff, Sultan to the Berbers, Last of the Barbary Pirates. From the movie the Wind and the Lion starring Sean Connery as the Raisuli and Brian Keith as T. Roosevelt

President Joe Biden plans to hold a Summit of Democracies in December of 2021. This meeting will bring together all the usual cast of characters of heads of state, civil society, philanthropy, and the private sector according to a White House statement. Private citizens will be included but most likely those participants will be screened and have a question to pose to the leaders that will undoubtedly be carefully scripted. Nothing will come of this as the US will seek to steer the narrative towards Americas creation of the Post World War II order over which it lords and to trumpet its questionable premise that only it alone is capable of leading because, after all, Americans always work in the best interests of global peace and prosperity and, besides, it has the mightiest military with which to back up its words with violent deeds.

US President Joe Biden leaves after speaking about the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, from the East Room of the White House, on August 16, 2021, in Washington, DC. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP)

What Biden should do and the American people should demand is that a national summit or summits take place within the United States the purpose of which would be to figure out what America is and what it wants to be going forward. New England style Town Hall meetings should be held across the country. The Arsenal of Democracy is in rough shape and, at least from the perspective of millions of its citizens, the national government has lost much of its legitimacy only holding the three branches of governmentlegislative, judicial and executivetogether by virtue of controlling state sanctioned violence. Even that is questionable as a rag-tag band of then President Donald Trumps supporters could storm the legislative branch with impunity (the US House and Senate on January 6, 2021) and terrorize members of congress who were affirming Bidens electoral victory. As of this writing, there are members of congress who still believe Trump won the 2020 presidential election and millions of American citizens who agree with them.

What is an American and the United States?

The defeat of US and NATO forces by the Taliban in August 2021 makes a mockery of the new US national security strategy of Great Power Competition which would, in a worst case scenario of a kinetic/shooting war, pit the US and its allies against Russia, China and perhaps Iran and North Korea. How would American forces and its cronies fare against a real military with conventional intermediate range and ballistic missiles, tanks and tactical wheeled vehicles, and special forces of their own, and that would likely include partisan fighters modeled on the Taliban? It makes no sense at all to pursue a national security strategy that is doomed from the start just as the US led war in Afghanistan and nation building project was.

The US military and its civilian leaders have no one to blame but themselves for the fall of Afghanistan; that, and the tenacity and tactical ability of the Taliban. Many government officials have said that the fall of Afghanistan was not like the fall of Vietnam. They are right. For the most part, Americans forgot about Afghanistan or just didnt care unlike the during the Vietnam War millions of Americans would ultimately take to the streets to protest against the war. The US military would claim that it did not have the support of the American people and that was one of the reasons it lost the war, but won most of the tactical battles. Well, in Afghanistan the American military had a free hand with a compliant media, US congress and presidency supporting them along the way. And what of the American people/citizens? Where were they for the last 20 years? Who are they and what do they care about? Freedom, they will say, the freedom to buy and sell as George W. Bush once said. Freedom is not free, they will add and a whole host of other bumper sticker sayings that are nonsensical. Americans do not know their place on this Earth or their country other than as a violent country not bound by any constraints against war.

Afghanistan was not a Total Waste

Over the course of 20 years the US officer corps, and defense contractors who were once uniformed soldiers, were able to pay their bills, put their kids through college or maybe even themselves. Many lower ranking officers in the US Army, Air Force, Marines and Navy punched their tickets to promotion to colonel or maybe even general by serving a combat tour or two in Afghanistan and maintaining the Big Lie of success in Afghanistan. Enlisted soldiers, who did most of the fighting, could rotate out of their low paying positions to become well paid defense contractors earning many times more in the private sector. Thinks Tanks like the Center for Strategic and International Studies and dozens like it would house intellectualsor former Pentagon employees (Kathleen Hicks, Deputy Secretary of Defense comes to mind) who would go on to positions as advisors or full time employees of the Pentagon or White House.

Retired military/intelligence personnel would become pundits for CNN, Fox, CBS. Young journalists in their 20s or 30s would become embedded with military units in Afghanistan (and Iraq) and go on to positions in the main stream media or to schools of journalism around the United States. Thousands of PhDs were likely handed out to those who roamed around Afghanistan studying the culture or those who analyzed the war from afar behind a computer screen.

It is difficult to fathom who did not make money to meet the needs of US troops in Afghanistan over a 20 year period. Perhaps the best piece of journalism on just how tied in private companieslet alone defense contractorsare to the Pentagons economic needs is by Nick Turse in his book How the Pentagon Invades Our Everyday Lives. Turse provides a humorous example through a character named Rick:

Rick drags himself to the bathroom (fixtures by Pentagon contractorKohler, purchased at defense contractor Home Depot). There, he squeezes the Charmin, brushes with Crest toothpaste, washes his face withNoxzema; then, hopping into the shower, he lathers up with Zest and chooses Donna's Herbal Essences over Head & Shoulders -- "What the hell," he mutters, "I deserve an organic experience." (The manufacturer of each of these products, Procter & Gamble, is among the top 100defense contractors and raked in a cool $362,461,808 from the Pentagon in 2006.)

Yes, the Afghanistan War was good for business. It was also good for fielding new weapons and testing them on the Taliban. In 2010 ABC news reported on the XM-25: Looking like it came straight out of a sci-fi movie, the XM-25 fires highly specialized rounds that can be programmed to explode at the precise location where the enemy is hiding behind cover.

Improvementsto the Kill Chain were made by compressing the time from target identification to munitions on target. In an Air Force Magazine article titled All In One Kill Chain the machinery used to kill one or many Taliban (or ISIS terrorists) is described as:

As the US continues to fight the war against ISIS and resumes a more proactive role in Afghanistan, the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing is intimately involvedat every step of the kill chain.Nicknamed the Grand Slam Wing, the 379th is the largest expeditionary air wing in the world. It comprises intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance from RC-135s and E-8s, global strike capabilities from B-52s or B-1s, mobility with the C-17, C-130, and C-21, and refueling from the KC-135. It also runs the Mideast Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC), critical command and control functions, and has space and cyber capabilitiesIt touches every aspect of the war effort, both kinetic and nonkinetic, 24/7, 365 days a year, The kill chain is the process by which USAF will find, fix, track, target, engage, and assess in its wartime operations, before repeating the cycle again, as needed.

Drones, satellites, handheld communications devices are also part of the kills chain.

Sacrificed on the Altar of American Hubris and Exceptionalism

Thousands of US soldiers killed and maimed, Afghan civilianswomen and children obliterated, and yes, Taliban fighters slaughtered by Apache gunships and artillery fire. Where are the resignations letters of the politicians and generals who lied repeatedly about the progress of the war over the last 20 years? Or why dont the think tank creeps and media personalities who were complicit in it all just disappear from view?

The images from the long war that are truly remarkable are those circulating on Twitter or You Tube of Taliban fighters, AK-47s slung over their shoulders, driving bumper cars into each other or riding toy horses on a merry-go-round at an amusement park. Others show them working the weights and machines in abandoned fitness centers, playing on a seesaw or jumping on a trampoline, all of this with childlike enthusiasm. Youve got to figure that these fighters have never seen or known such things engaging in combat for so many years as they have. As an American it is tough to reconcile within the self the fact that these are the fearsome warriors that pushed the US and NATO out of Afghanistan, and yet they possess the ability to laugh as they engage in childrens activity. Thats not the portrait of the Taliban that Americans have become accustomed to over the years.

US soldiers did not sacrifice in vain. Those that came back home in one piece or not, fought to keep each other alive while in Afghanistan. Many died there so that others would live. The care they showed for each other under combat/duress is remarkable and thats a victory in and of itself.

Arguably the best novel on Afghanistan is the gut wrenching Wasted Vigil by Nadeem Aslam. One of the characters in the book, Marcus, laments that: Both sides in Homer's war, when they arrive to collect their dead from the battlefield, weep freely in complete sight of each other. Sick at heart. This is what Marcus wants, the tears of one side fully visible to the other

It seems its time for that.

John Stanton can be reached at jstantonarchangel@gmail.com
Taliban  more accurately the Islamic Movement of Afghanistan - has been slandered by almost every western news outlet and wrongly called a terrorist movement linked to the late Osama bin Laden.

by Eric S. Margolis

Oh! wherefore come ye forth, in triumph from the North,

With your hands, and your feet, and your raiment all red?

And wherefore doth your rout send forth a joyous shout? ~ The Battle of Naseby by Thomas Macaulay

After 20 years of B-52 carpet bombing of Afghanistan, murderous drone strikes, 350,000 puppet soldiers, 20,000 mercenaries, nearly two trillion dollars in US spending, destruction of countless Afghan villages, the killing up to one million Afghans, spreading the opium trade around southeast Asia and Europe, abetting wide scale torture. after all this the US-run Afghans puppet `president and his drug-dealing cronies have fled embattled Kabul like thieves in the night.

Life of Afghans

Taliban  more accurately the Islamic Movement of Afghanistan - has been slandered by almost every western news outlet and wrongly called a terrorist movement linked to the late Osama bin Laden. Heavily-propagandized Americans, Canadians and British have been inundated by this torrent of government lies against Afghanistans Pashtun (Pathan) people.

I was in Afghanistan with the newly created Taliban in the early 1990s. I walked from Pashtun village to village and had tea with the local chiefs, known as maliks. The Pashtun treated me as an honored guest and welcome visitor. These rough mountain warriors were the descendants of the fighters who had defeated four British invasions the previous century. My book War at the Top of the World examines the beginning of our Afghan War.

The fathers of these Pashtun fighters were the men who formed the anti-Soviet mujahidin (holy warriors) that defeated the mighty Soviet Red Army with the secret help of US, British and most of all Pakistani intelligence. Everyone in south Asia knew better than to mess with the Pashtun Afghans, including their blood enemies, Afghanistans ethnic Tajiks, Uzbeks and Hazara.

An old Hindu prayer goes, Beware of the fang of the cobra, the claw of the tiger, and the vengeance of the Pathan (Pashtun)

Taliban had just been created when I was visiting the usually off-limits frontier Tribal Territories on the Pakistan-Afghan frontier and the Khyber Pass leading into Afghanistan. After the hurried Soviet pullout, Afghanistan fell into civil war or anarchy. Armed gangs attacked caravans and raped many Afghan women, mostly in the Pashtun region. In Islam, rape is a grave, intolerable crime.

As chaos spread, a one-eyed village preacher, Mullah Omar, a maimed veteran of the anti-Soviet struggle, organized a group of his young religious students, known as Talibs, to protect the local village women and defend the caravans. As the late Benazir Bhutto told me, she ordered Pakistans Home ministry to arm the Talibs.

Rising from the ashes of the Mujahideen, once they were in the saddle the Taliban never looked back.

At that time, the Afghan Communists were waging a war to keep control of the countryside and, most important, the nations lush opium fields, which financed the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance and Communist Party. Once Taliban defeated the Tajik-Communist alliance, opium production in Afghanistan fell by over 90%. Until then, Afghanistan was the worlds leading producer and exporter of opium. This narcotic was then exported with full Communist approval to the Soviet Union/Russia, Iran, Central Asia an onward to northern Europe. Afghanistans ethnic Tajiks, many Communist dominated, ran most of the drug trade.

Taliban crushed the Afghan drug trade and ended some of the attacks on women. But its members were mostly rough-hewn mountaineers of the very old school. They often treated women badly, as was the custom, but certainly far less brutally compared to the often-murderous way girls and women were mistreated or murdered in India, a US ally, or by US air raids on Afghan towns and villages.

Afghanistans urban education system was heavily infiltrated by the Afghan Communist Party which used female education as a way of infiltrating government. A major reason for Talibans hostility to female education was that it was viewed as a communist plot.

Todays Taliban is a younger generation of mountain people, better educated and less narrow-minded than their rustic elders. I was invited by its leadership to attend peace talks in Doha. Meanwhile, one hopes that American right-wingers do not get the US to stage new military operations against Afghanistan to prolong this 20-year conflict. Let the Afghans sort out their own messy ethnic issues without interference by their neighbors. A new coalition government that includes non-Taliban leaders like former president Hamid Karzai, Abdullah Abdullah and Gulbuddin Hekmatyar should be encouraged and supported. War criminals like Uzbek warlord Rashid Dostum should be prosecuted.

We have to stop drinking our own Kool-Aid over Afghanistan, stop believing our own western and communist propaganda and try to accept that what we are so far seeing is the liberation of this war-ravaged land from four decades of first Soviet, then US occupation.

Copyright Eric S. Margolis 2021
Neo-isolationism is the direct product of foolish globalism Compared to people who thought they could run the universe, or at least the globe, I am a neo-isolationist and proud of it.

by James W. Carden

Isolationisms close association with interwar figures such as Charles Lindbergh and Joseph P. Kennedy has long given it a bad nameand not without reason. Yet, 80 years on from the founding of the America First Committee, it is time to reconsider the policy in light of three decades (and counting) of failed foreign policy. From this perspective, the whole of the postCold War era must be counted as an immense, lost opportunity.

Charles Lindbergh ( File Photo)

For decades, neoconservatives and liberal interventionists have hurled charges of isolationist at any critic who dared question their preferred policy frameworkliberal internationalism by namewhich, in recent decades, has more often than not amounted to waging war for ostensibly humanitarian ends. Both neoconservatives and liberal interventionists, to borrow Charles Beards felicitous phrase, have sought to wage perpetual war for perpetual peace.

Leveling accusations of isolationism against critics has served their purposes well by short-circuiting debate on the actual merits of one or another policy. Then as now, this is the pernicious utility of labels in American discourse. Calling someone an isolationist has long been an unusually effective way of insinuating that the target of the charge also secretly held other sinister beliefssuch as antiSemitism. That some high-profile isolationists, such as the late Gore Vidal, were often accused of harboring such views only added to the efficacy of the charge.

Vidal was, of course, aware of this and noted that the tactic was also used to demonize Patrick Buchanans 1992 long-shot bid for the Republican presidential nomination. Writing in The Nation that year, Vidal observed that during the campaign the word isolationist was trotted out

to describe one Pat Buchanan, who was causing great distress to the managers of our National Security State by saying that America must abandon the empire if we are ever to repair the mess at home. Also, as a neo-isolationist, Buchanan must be made to seem an antiSemite.

Long before we found ourselves in our current iteration of the mess, serious and unusually courageous foreign policy thinkers were giving isolationism a second look. Figures usually associated with the realist school of thought, such as George F. Kennan and Walter Lippmann, were asking whether isolationism might be the right way to go.

As early as 1952, Lippmann was defending the concept of isolation as one that was very much in line with the ideals of the founders. Lippmann cited Thomas Jeffersons 1801 inauguration speech as emblematic of the founders foreign policy: peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations, entangling alliances with none. Lippmann, who, as a young man, counted himself among the most enamored of Wilsonians, now conceded:

 it is becoming increasingly plain that the Wilsonian ideology is an impossible foundation for the foreign policy of a nation Our people are coming to realize that in this century one crusade has led to another.

While Lippmann was the Cold War liberal par excellence, the crusade in Vietnam only deepened his disillusionment. By 1967 he was, according to his biographer Ronald Steel, routinely accused of being a neo-isolationist. Lippmann countered:

Neo-isolationism is the direct product of foolish globalism Compared to people who thought they could run the universe, or at least the globe, I am a neo-isolationist and proud of it.

By the late 1990s, George Frost Kennan had for decades been one of the countrys most eminent, and heterodox, foreign policy thinkers. Though his reputation in recent years has taken a hit due to the publication of an injudicious biography, Kennans thinking on U.S. foreign affairsin particular on the existential threat posed by nuclear weapons and NATO expansionis a necessary corrective to what today passes as wisdom.

An entry in Kennans diary from November 1996 reads in part:

Waking up yesterday morning, I fell to asking myself whether I could properly be called, in the vocabulary of this epoch, an isolationist. The answer is: yes. Being guided strictly by consideration of national interests as opposed to a plethora of other ones, I am indeed an isolationist, though with certain important reservations

Those reservations were with regard to remaining in our alliances with NATO and Japan. Other than that, to the great portions of the international community, embracing almost all of Latin America, Africa, and southern Asia we owe nothing but the dictates of our national interest.

Kennans views on China in the same diary passage would today no doubt get him expelled from the Council on Foreign Relations on grounds of apostasy, and for that reason alone bear repeating. China, wrote Kennan, is the seat of a great culture which deserves our highest respect. I would like to see us treat them on the diplomatic level with the most impeccable courtesy (which they would understand) but to have, beyond that, as little as possible to do with them We should guard against allowing our business world to develop any extensive dependence on China in commercial matters

I should note that I do not view a retreat from the world to Fortress America as inherently desirable. And, indeed, under normal circumstances in a normal country run by a non-sociopathic elite, it would not be desirable. But we dont have that. Instead, we are saddled with an elite that showers money and hosannas on the likes of David Petraeus and John Brennan yet jails truth-tellers such as John Kiriakou and scorns antiwar combat veterans such as Tulsi Gabbard.

If we had responsible people running things, and in all but the rarest of cases we do not, the program of a New Internationalism as laid out by David Hendrickson in his Republic in Peril (Oxford, 2018), is one the country would adopt.

Hendrickson, who is now emeritus at Colorado College, believes that America should not withdraw from the world. It should, instead reframe the terms of its engagement with it. Hendrickson writes that the U.S. needs to return to its tradition of liberal pluralism, rejecting madcap ventures to overthrow the government of states. The kind of internationalism Hendrickson proposes would be founded on the old internationalism of the U.N. Charter. Hendrickson believes a reorientation away from unilateral military intervention and toward the pluralism envisioned in the charter would best serve U.S. national interests. The emphasis would be on diplomacy and reciprocity, rather than claiming a superior role as judge, jury, and executioner.

Hendricksons is a vision of a foreign policy that would be pursued by the country if it were run by responsible, empathetic, knowledgeable adults.

But the US is not that country. And it has not been that country for a long time.

Therefore, given the out-of-control nature of the people in charge, and given their grandiosity, incompetence, and utter lack of introspection, isolationism along the lines of those suggested by Kennan may very well be the most moral policy choice we could adopt. At a minimum, it should be seriously reconsidered until such time as a generation of American leaders emerges that is not under the spell of either neoconservatism or liberal interventionism.

The current crop of U.S. elites cannot be trusted with this project or anything resembling it, nor should it be.

To limit the damage these cosseted and venal people continue to inflict on our country and the world, it seems time to give isolationism serious reconsideration.

Author Bio: James W. Carden is a former adviser to the US state department and a frequent contributor to The American Conservative and The Quincy Institutes Responsible Statecraft.

This article was produced in partnership between The Scrum and Globetrotter.
The idea that US support for bin Laden and friends helped win the cold war remains a treasured fable among some of the dimmer bulbs on Capitol Hill.

by James W. Carden

A decade ago, John Lamberton Harper, a professor of US Foreign Policy and European Studies at Johns Hopkins in Bologna, Italy published an indispensable history of the first cold war (The Cold War, Oxford University Press, 2011) in which he described the origins of what became known as "the Carter doctrine."

The Carter Doctrine was a policy proclaimed by President of the United States Jimmy Carter in his State of the Union Address on January 23, 1980,

The Carter Doctrine pledged US military action against any state that attempted to gain control of the Persian Gulf. As Quincy Institute president Andrew Bacevich has pointed out it implied the conversion of the Persian Gulf into an informal American protectorate and set the stage for repeated (and disastrous) interventions over the coming decades. Among other things, the Carter Doctrine, the brainchild of Carters national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski, caused the US to ally with primitive Saudi Arabia at the expense of manageable relations with civilized Persia.

It is also a story of miscalculation and hubris, one which resonates rather profoundly this week as American soldiers, diplomats, intelligence officials and many thousands of Afghans flee the Talibans assault on Kabul.

How did we get here?

The story begins, not, as we are commonly led to believe, on 9/11, but in December 1979. As Harper points out, hawkish US officials overstated Soviet gains in the third world in the 1970s, and exhibit A in the case that the USSR was inexorably expandingwas Afghanistan. And after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Washington believed Russias objective was the Persian Gulf. Yet Harper argues that the hawks within the Carter administration, led by Brzezinski, were misled by their schematic conceptions.

According to Harper

Brzezinski was right that occupying Afghanistan put the Soviets in a better position to march southward. But to consider such a move plausible meant assuming Moscow believed it could overcome the combined resistance of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran. Once again, it required doubting not only the Russians declarations but their sanity as well.

For their part, Soviet leaders such as general secretary Leonid Brezhnev, foreign minister Andrei Gromyko, defense minister Dmitry Ustinov, and KGB chief (and later, general secretary) Yuri Andropov were also victims of their own schematic thinking. One argument they advanced for the December 24 Soviet invasion was that should then-Afghan prime minister Hafizallah Amin switch sides in the cold war (as Egypts Anwar Sadat did, to the continuing consternation of the Soviet leadership) then the Americans could use Afghanistan to aim additional missiles at the Motherland. By the 27th, Amin and his closest associates had been executed by KGB special forces.

Harper concludes that the Soviets and the Afghans would pay a high price for another major miscalculation, this time made in a state of nervous agitation. But positioning themselves to threaten the Wests oil supplies was probably the last thing on their minds.

In the end the US allied with the Brzezinskis Islamist freedom fighters in Afghanistan and bin Laden in order to defeat the Soviets, proving the truth of Henry Wallaces observation that, there is no regime too reactionary for us provided it stands in Russias expansionist path. There is no country too remote to serve as the scene of a contest which may widen until it becomes a world war.

Incidentally, the idea that US support for bin Laden and friends helped win the cold war remains a treasured fable among some of the dimmer bulbs on Capitol Hill. Here I recall a rather unpleasant lunch I attended some years ago in Washington where the guest of honor was the American warlord Erik Price, there to pitch, to the most unreceptive group of journalists imaginable, his plan to privatize the war in Afghanistan and line his own pockets. At this gathering the elephantine former Republican California congressman Dana Rohrabacher appeared and waxed not-very-eloquently about the time he spent supporting the Afghan Mujahedin.

Brzezinksi and Rohrabacher: What a duo.

And what a mess they started.

In the end, it all backfired in spectacular fashion, setting the stage for the events which continue to unfold in Afghanistan right now.

Author Bio: James W. Carden is a former adviser to the US state department and a frequent contributor to The American Conservative and The Quincy Institutes Responsible Statecraft.

This article was produced in partnership between ACURA and Globetrotter.
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Antarctica: DP0GVN antenna destroyed, rebuild planned for 2022

AMSAT-DL reports the antenna used by DP0GVN in Antarctica for the QO-100 geostationary satellite amateur radio transponder is completely destroyed



According to the Alfred-Wegener-Institute (AWI), a severe winter storm hit Atka Bay (Antarctica) at the end of last week. At Neumayer Station III, about 20 kilometres away, wind speeds of max. 94.9 knots (175.7 km/h) were recorded as a minute average during the night from 13 to 14 August. The strongest gust was 112 knots (207 km/h). This is by far the highest wind speed in recent years.



Unfortunately, the satellite antenna for the geostationary QO-100 amateur radio satellite was also completely destroyed during the storm, despite the weatherproof radome, so no school contacts with DP0GVN can take place until further notice.

AMSAT-DL and AWI hope to erect a new antenna early next year, in particular to continue the very successful contacts with schools.



Source AMSAT-DL

https://amsat-dl.org/en/dp0gvn-antenna-destroyed-rebuilding-planned-2022/

https://twitter.com/amsatdl
Indonesia is also using its courts to kill people. Since 2015, Sari reported, 18 people15 of them foreignershave been executed for drug offenses.

by Phillip Smith

Despite significant advances made by governments around the world in humanizing drug control systems since the turn of the century, human rights abuses still seem to be taking place in the course of enforcing drug prohibitions in recent years and, in some cases, have only gotten worse.

The United States continues to imprison hundreds of thousands of people for drug offenses and imposes state surveillance (probation and parole) on millions more. The Mexican military rides roughshod over the rule of law, disappearing, torturing, and killing people with impunity as it wages war on (or sometimes works with) the infamous drug cartels. Russia and Southeast Asian countries, meanwhile, hold drug users in treatment centers that are little more than prison camps.

A July virtual event, which ran parallel to the United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, shined a harsh light on brutal human rights abuses by the Philippines and Indonesia in the name of the war on drugs and also highlighted one method of combating impunity for drug war crimes: by imposing sanctions.

The event, SDG 16: The Global War on Drugs vs. Rule of Law and Human Rights, was organized by DRCNet Foundation (a sister organization of the Drug Reform Coordination Network/StoptheDrugWar.org), a U.S.-based nonprofit in consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council. The SDG 16 refers to Sustainable Development Goal 16Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutionsof the UNs 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Event organizer and DRCNet Foundation executive director David Borden opened the meeting with a discussion about the broad drug policy issues and challenges being witnessed on the global stage.

Drug policy affects and is affected by many of these broad sustainable development goals, he said. One of the very important issues is the shortfall in global AIDS funding, especially in the area of harm reduction programs. Another goalPeace, Justice, and Strong Institutionsis implicated in the Philippines, where President [Rodrigo] Duterte was elected in 2016 and initiated a mass killing campaign admitted by himalthough sometimes denied by his defendersin which the police acknowledged killing over 6,000 people in [anti-drug] operations [since 2016], almost all of whom resisted arrests, according to police reports. NGOs put the true number [of those who were] killed at over 30,000, with many executed by shadowy vigilantes.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has proposed a formal investigation of human rights abuses in the Philippines drug war, but the court seems hampered by a chronic shortfall in funding, Borden pointed out.

Former prosecutors have warned pointedly on multiple occasions of a mismatch between the courts mission and its budget, he said. Recent activity at the conclusion of three different preliminary investigations shows that while the prosecutor in the Philippines moved forward, in both Nigeria and Ukraine, the office concluded there should be formal investigations, but did not [submit] investigation requests, leaving it [up to the] new prosecutors [to do so]. The hope is [that the ICC] will move as expeditiously as possible on the Philippines investigation, but resources will affect that, as will the [Philippine] governments current stance.

The governments current stance is perhaps best illustrated by President Dutertes remarks at his final State of the Nation address on July 26. In his speech, Duterte dared the ICC to record his threats against those who destroy the country with illegal drugs, the Rappler reported. I never deniedand the ICC can record itthose who destroy my country, I will kill you, said Duterte. And those who destroy the young people of my country, I will kill you, because I love my country. He added that pursuing anti-drug strategies through the criminal justice system would take you months and years, and again told police to kill drug users and dealers.

At the virtual event, Philippines human rights attorney Justine Balane, secretary-general of Akbayan Youth, the youth wing of the progressive, democratic socialist Akbayan Citizens Action Party, provided a blunt and chilling update on the Duterte governments bloody five-year-long drug war.

The killings remain widespread, systematic, and ongoing, he said. Weve documented 186 deaths, equal to two a day for the first quarter of the year. Of those, 137 were connected to the Philippine National Police, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, or the armed forces, and 49 were committed by unidentified assailants.

The unidentified assailantsvigilante death squads of shadowy provenanceare responsible for the majority of killings since 2016.

Of the 137 killed, 96 were small-time pushers, highlighting the fact that the drug war is also class warfare targeting small-time pushers or people just caught in the wrong place or wrong time, Balane said.

He also provided an update on the Duterte administrations response to ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensoudas June 14 decision concluding her preliminary examination of human rights abuses in the Philippine drug war with a request to the ICC to open a formal investigation into the situation in the Philippines.

In a bid to fend off the ICC, in 2020, the Philippine Justice Department announced it had created a panel to study the killings carried out by agents of the statepolice or militarybut Balane was critical of these efforts.

[In the second half of 2020], the Justice Department said it had finished the initial investigations, but no complaints or charges were filed, he said. They said it was difficult to find witnesses [who were willing to testify about the killings], but [the victims] families said they were not approached [by the review panel].

The Justice Department is also undercutting the Philippine Commission on Human Rights, an independent constitutional office whose primary mission is to investigate human rights abuses, Balane pointed out.

The Justice Department said the commission would be involved [in the investigation process by the panel], but the commission says [that the] Justice [Department] has yet to clarify its rules and their requests have been left unanswered, Balane said. The commission is the constitutional body tasked to investigate abuses by the armed forces, and they are being excluded by the Justice Department review panel.

The Justice Department review is also barely scraping the surface of the carnage, Balane said, noting that while in May the Philippine National Police (PNP) announced they would be granting the review panel access to 61 investigationswhich accounts for less than 1 percent of the killings that the government acknowledged were part of the official operations since 2016the PNP has now decreased that number to 53.

The domestic review by [the] Justice [Department] appears influenced by Duterte himself, said Balane. This erodes the credibility of the drug war review by the Justice Department, which is the governments defense for their calls against international human rights mechanisms.

The bottom line, according to Balane, is that the killings continue, they are still systematic, and they are still widespread.

In Indonesiawhere, like Duterte in the Philippines, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) also declared a war on drugs in 2016it is not only extrajudicial killings that are the issue but also the increasing willingness of the government to resort to the death penalty for drug offenses.

Extrajudicial killings [as a result of] the drug war are happening in Indonesia, said Iftitah Sari, a researcher with the Indonesian Institute for Criminal Justice Reform, who cited 99 extrajudicial killings that took place in 2017 and 68 that happened in 2018, with a big jump to 287 from June 2019 through June 2020. She also mentioned another 390 violent drug law enforcement incidents that took place from July 2020 through May 2021, of which an estimated 40 percent are killings.

The problem of extrajudicial killings [in Indonesia] is broader than [just] the war on drugs; we [also] have the problem of police brutality, Sari said. Police have a very broad authority and a lack of accountability. There is no effective oversight mechanism, and there are no developments on this issue because we have no mechanisms to hold [the] police accountable.

Indonesia is also using its courts to kill people. Since 2015, Sari reported, 18 people15 of them foreignershave been executed for drug offenses.

In addition to extrajudicial killings, there is a tendency to use harsher punishment, capital punishment, with the number of death penalties rising since 2016, she said.

Statistics Sari presented bore that out. Death penalty cases jumped from 22 in 2016 to 99 in 2019 and 149 in 2020, according to the figures she provided during the virtual event.

Not only are the courts increasingly handing down death sentences for drug offenses, but defendants are also often faced with human rights abuses within the legal system, Sari said.

Violations of the right to a fair trial are very common in drug-related death penalty cases, she said. There are violations of the right to be free from torture, not [to] be arbitrarily arrested and detained, and of the right to counsel. There are also rights violations during trials, including the lack of the right to cross-examination, the right to non-self-incrimination, trial without undue delay, and denial of an interpreter.

With authoritarian governments such as those in Indonesia and the Philippines providing cover for such human rights abuses in the name of the war on drugs, impunity is a key problem. During the virtual events panel discussion, Scott Johnston, of the U.S.-based nonprofit Human Rights First, discussed one possible way of making human rights abusers pay a price: imposing sanctions, especially under the Global Magnitsky Act.

That U.S. law, originally enacted in 2012 to target Russian officials deemed responsible for the death of Sergei Magnitsky in a Russian prison, was expanded in 2016 to punish human rights violators around the globe by freezing their assets and denying them visas to enter the United States.

In an era [when] rising human rights abuses and also rising impunity for committing those abuses [are] a hallmark of whats happening around the world, we see countries adopting these types of targeted human rights mechanisms [imposing sanctions] at a rate that would have been shocking even five or six years ago, said Johnston. Targeted sanctions [like the Global Magnitsky Act] are those aimed against specific individual actors and entities, as opposed to countrywide embargos, he explained.

The Global Magnitsky program is one such mechanism specifically targeted at human rights abuses and corruption, and the United States has imposed it against some 319 perpetrators of human rights abuses or corruption, Johnston said. (The most recent sanctions imposed under the act include Cuban officials involved in repressing recent protests in Cuba, corrupt Bulgarian officials, and corrupt Guatemalan officials.)

Weve seen a continued emphasis on using these tools in the transition to the Biden administration, with 73 cases [of sanctions having been reported] since Biden took office, he noted.

And it is increasingly not just the United States.

The U.S. was the first country to use this mechanism, but it is spreading, Johnston said. Canada, Norway, the United Kingdom, [and] the European Union all have these mechanisms, and Australia, Japan, and New Zealand are all considering them. This is a significant pivot toward increasing multilateral use of these mechanisms.

While getting governments to impose targeted sanctions is not a sure thing, the voices of global civil society can make a difference, Johnston said.

These are wholly discretionary and [it] can be difficult to [ensure that they are] imposed in practice, he said. To give the U.S. government credit, we have seen them really listen to NGOs, and about 35 percent of all sanctions have a basis in complaints [nonprofits] facilitated from civil society groups around the world.

And while such sanctions can be politicized, the United States has imposed them on allied countries, such as members of the Saudi government involved in the killing of U.S.-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi and in cases of honor killings in Pakistan, Johnston noted.

But we still have never seen them used in the context of the Philippines and Indonesia.

Maybe it is time.

This article was produced by Drug Reporter, a project of the Independent Media Institute.

Phillip Smith is a writing fellow and the editor and chief correspondent of Drug Reporter, a project of the Independent Media Institute. He has been a drug policy journalist for more than two decades. He is the longtime writer and editor of the Drug War Chronicle, the online publication of the nonprofit Stop the Drug War, and was the editor of AlterNets coverage of drug policy from 2015 to 2018. He was awarded the Drug Policy Alliances Edwin M. Brecher Award for Excellence in Media in 2013.
In recent years, the United States has failed to accomplish any of the objectives of its wars.

by Vijay Prashad

On August 15, the Taliban arrived in Kabul. The Talibans leadership entered the presidential palace, which Afghan President Ashraf Ghani had vacated when he fled into exile abroad hours before. The countrys borders shut down and Kabuls main international airport lay silent, except for the cries of those Afghans who had worked for the U.S. and NATO; they knew that their lives would now be at serious risk. The Talibans leadership, meanwhile, tried to reassure the public of a peaceful transition by saying in several statements that they would not seek retribution, but would go after corruption and lawlessness.

Life in Afghanistan

The Talibans Entry in Kabul Is a Defeat for the United States

In recent years, the United States has failed to accomplish any of the objectives of its wars. The U.S. entered Afghanistan with horrendous bombing and a lawless campaign of extraordinary rendition in October 2001 with the objective of ejecting the Taliban from the country; now, 20 years later, the Taliban is back. In 2003, two years after the U.S. unleashed a war in Afghanistan, it opened an illegal war against Iraq, which ultimately resulted in an unconditional withdrawal of the United States in 2011 after the refusal by the Iraqi parliament to allow U.S. troops extralegal protections. As the U.S. withdrew from Iraq, it opened a terrible war against Libya in 2011, which resulted in the creation of chaos in the region.

Jalaluddin Haqqani (right), leader of the Haqqani network, is Pakistans asset in tackling Indian influence in Afghanistan  if need be.

Not one of these warsAfghanistan, Iraq, Libyaresulted in the creation of a pro-U.S. government. Each of these wars created needless suffering for the civilian populations. Millions of people had their lives disrupted, while hundreds of thousands of people lost their lives in these senseless wars. What faith in humanity can now be expected from a young person in Jalalabad or in Sirte? Will they now turn inward, fearing that any possibility of change has been seized from them by the barbaric wars inflicted upon them and other residents of their countries?

There is no question that the United States continues to have the worlds largest military and that by using its base structure and its aerial and naval power, the U.S. can strike any country at any time. But what is the point of bombing a country if that violence attains no political ends? The U.S. used its advanced drones to assassinate the Taliban leaders, but for each leader that it killed, another half a dozen have emerged. Besides, the men in charge of the Taliban nowincluding the co-founder of the Taliban and head of its political commission, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradarwere there from the start; it would never have been possible to decapitate the entire Taliban leadership. More than $2 trillion has been spent by the United States on a war that it knew could not be won.

Corruption Was the Trojan Horse

In early statements, Mullah Baradar said that his government will focus its attention on the endemic corruption in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, stories spread across Kabul about ministers of Ashraf Ghanis government attempting to leave the country in cars filled with dollar bills, which was supposed to be the money that was provided by the U.S. to Afghanistan for aid and infrastructure. The drain of wealth from the aid given to the country has been significant. In a 2016 report by the U.S. governments Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) relating to the Lessons Learned from the U.S. Experience with Corruption in Afghanistan, the investigators write, Corruption significantly undermined the U.S. mission in Afghanistan by damaging the legitimacy of the Afghan government, strengthening popular support for the insurgency, and channeling material resources to insurgent groups. SIGAR created a gallery of greed, which listed U.S. contractors who siphoned aid money and pocketed it through fraud. More than $2 trillion has been spent on the U.S. occupation of Afghanistan, but it went neither to provide relief nor to build the countrys infrastructure. The money fattened the rich in the United States, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.

Corruption at the very top of the government depleted morale below. The U.S. pinned its hopes on the training of 300,000 soldiers of the Afghan National Army (ANA), spending $88 billion on this pursuit. In 2019, a purge of ghost soldiers in the rollssoldiers who did not existled to the loss of 42,000 troops; it is likely that the number might have been higher. Morale in the ANA has plunged over the past few years, with defections from the army to other forces escalating. Defense of the provincial capitals was also weak, with Kabul falling to the Taliban almost without a fight.

To this end, the recently appointed defense minister to the Ghani government, General Bismillah Mohammadi, commented on Twitter about the governments that have been in power in Afghanistan since late 2001, They tied our hands behind our backs and sold the homeland. Damn the rich man [Ghani] and his people. This captures the popular mood in Afghanistan right now.

Afghanistan and Its Neighbors

Hours after taking power, a spokesperson for the Talibans political office, Dr. M. Naeem, said that all embassies will be protected, while another spokesperson for the Taliban, Zabihullah Mujahid, said that all former government officials did not need to fear for their lives. These are reassuring messages for now.

It has also been reassuring that the Taliban has said that it is not averse to a government of national unity, although there should be no doubt that such a government would be a rubber stamp for the Talibans own political agenda. So far, the Taliban has not articulated a plan for Afghanistan, which is something that the country has needed for at least a generation.

On July 28, Taliban leader Mullah Baradar met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Tianjin, China. The outlines of the discussion have not been fully revealed, but what is known is that the Chinese extracted a promise from the Taliban not to allow attacks on China from Afghanistan and not to allow attacks on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) infrastructure in Central Asia. In return, China would continue its BRI investments in the region, including in Pakistan, which is a key Taliban supporter.

Whether or not the Taliban will be able to control extremist groups is not clear, but what is abundantly clearin the absence of any credible Afghan opposition to the Talibanis that the regional powers will have to exert their influence on Kabul to ameliorate the harsh program of the Taliban and its history of support for extremist groups. For instance, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (set up in 2001) revived in 2017 its Afghanistan Contact Group, which held a meeting in Dushanbe in July 2021, and called for a national unity government.

At that meeting, Indias External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar laid out a three-point plan, which achieved near consensus among the fractious neighbors:

1. An independent, neutral, unified, peaceful, democratic and prosperous nation.

2. Ceasing violence and terrorist attacks against civilians and state representatives, settle conflict through political dialogue, and respect interests of all ethnic groups, and

3. Ensure that neighbors are not threatened by terrorism, separatism and extremism.

Thats the most that can be expected at this moment. The plan promises peace, which is a great advance from what the people of Afghanistan have experienced over the past decades. But what kind of peace? This peace does not include the rights of women and children to a world of possibilities. During 20 years of the U.S. occupation, that peace was not in evidence either. This peace has no real political power behind it, but there are social movements beneath the surface that might emerge to put such a definition of peace on the table. Hope lies there.

This article was produced by Globetrotter.

Vijay Prashad is an Indian historian, editor and journalist. He is a writing fellow and chief correspondent at Globetrotter. He is the chief editor of LeftWord Books and the director of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research. He is a senior non-resident fellow at Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, Renmin University of China. He has written more than 20 books, including The Darker Nations and The Poorer Nations. His latest book is Washington Bullets, with an introduction by Evo Morales Ayma.
I could not look myself in the mirror any longer and say that I am doing everything I can to make my schools safe, Brill told the board. I will not let myself be driven by 5% to 6% of the families.
The new effort seems to be paying off, as the nations rate of new vaccinations has nearly doubled over the past month. More than 200 million Americans have now received at least one dose of the vaccines, according to the White House, but about 80 million Americans are eligible but havent yet been vaccinated.
In New York you play a lot in very small spaces around Greenwich Village and all over the city. So when the opportunity came up to do this, the idea was to make it feel like you were in downtown New York in a small jazz club or in a small restaurant that you really love, said owner and musician Michael Kolber.
Police said the driver of the sedan, who was also uninjured, is being charged in the accident.
We are very confident we will have the resources and message to win both the primary and the general, said Kevin Cate, a media consultant for the Fried campaign. The current governor clearly thinks this campaign is going to come down to who has the most cash  which is why he continues to abandon our state as people are getting sick and dying to raise money for his campaign. Hes wrong.
Neither Alexander nor Anderson could be reached for comment. Both Odom and Jeff Pitts, the former Matrix CEO who now co-owns Canopy Partners, a Florida-based firm where Odom also works, declined to comment through a spokesman. Matrix LLC earlier this year filed suit against several of its former employees, including Pitts and Odom, and Canopy Partners, accusing them of conspiring with certain clients to divert fees owed to Matrix to their own businesses; a lawyer for Pitts new firm has said Canopy Partners has always acted lawfully.
Shootings, often in daily violence, so disproportionately impact Floridians of color that gun violence has become the leading cause of death statewide for Black youth, and second for young Latinos. Of the over 2,700 Latinos killed by gun violence in Florida during Rubios tenure, 40% have been in Miami. And despite Black men being just 9% of Floridas population, they represent over half of Floridas gun homicide victims.
Americas military industrial complex seems to run everything, and probably gets us into these wars because of the money they will make. We the people have gained absolutely nothing from either of these wars. How many men, women, and children were collateral damage from these useless events, while the military industrial complex gets wealthier? When is enough going to be enough?
Spain has begun the repatriation of Spanish citizens and their Afghan collaborators - trapped by the rise to power of the Taliban after the withdrawal of international troops - from Kabul's international airport.

On Wednesday, a Spanish Air Force plane, the long-distance A400M transport aircraft, landed in the early afternoon at the Hamid Karzai airfield in the Afghan capital from Dubai, where it returned hours later and this Thursday (19 August) it touched down in Madrid at 4.30am. Spains Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jose Manuel Albares met the flight on arrival.

The first flight of the operation, coordinated by the Defence and Foreign ministries carried about 75 passengers, including members of the diplomatic delegation, security forces and Afghan employees and their families. The evacuation of personnel is expected to continue this Thursday if normality is maintained at the Kabul airfield, thanks to the pact reached by the US command, responsible for air traffic, with the Taliban.

The evacuation plan consists of boarding groups of less than a hundred people on each flight until the list managed by the Spanish authorities is completed, so the extraction will last several more days.

video / EFE

The acting ambassador, Gabriel Ferran, who left his post on 5 August, will remain in the city until the end of the operation, and will leave on the last plane.

Agreement with EU

In addition to the 25 embassy employees and the half dozen Spanish residents, the main difficulty will be coordinating the departure of collaborators from the Spanish missions in the provinces of Herat and Badghis. Many of them have not yet made it to Kabul or are still hiding in the capital without having reached the airport. At first, this group of collaborators and relatives was estimated to be 400 people but it has grown to at least 500.

Following an agreement with Brussels, the Spanish military planes will also be used to evacuate Afghan aid workers from other EU member states. These people will be temporarily housed at the Torrejon de Ardoz air base in Madrid before being distributed among the European countries. The cost will be borne by the EU, which will also take care of the transfers to their final destinations: Germany, France or Italy.
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Blackshear, GA (31516)

Today

Mostly clear this evening then becoming mostly cloudy after midnight. Low 74F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Mostly clear this evening then becoming mostly cloudy after midnight. Low 74F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.
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Weather Alert

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM EDT WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING... The Flash Flood Watch continues for * A portion of central Pennsylvania, including the following areas, Adams, Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Clearfield, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Mifflin, Montour, Northern Centre, Northern Clinton, Northern Lycoming, Northumberland, Perry, Schuylkill, Snyder, Somerset, Southern Centre, Southern Clinton, Southern Lycoming, Sullivan, Union and York. * From 8 AM EDT Wednesday through Thursday morning. * Heavy rain associated with the remnants of Ida will overspread the region Wednesday, bringing the potential of flash and urban flooding to the watch area. The area of greatest risk is across the Laurel Highlands northeast into the Pocono Mountains. Rainfall totals of 4 to 7 inches are forecast in this area, resulting in significant flooding. Rainfall totals are likely to be slightly less near I-80 and for areas southeast of Harrisburg. The rain should taper off from west to east across central Pennsylvania Wednesday evening. * Some roads and bridges may become impassable and homes may be flooded. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... You should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action should Flash Flood Warnings be issued. &&
The Perspective

Atlanta, Georgia

August 19, 2021





The nations attention has once again been captured by controversy over the budget formulation and implementation after an interview conducted by President Weah in Kakata, Margibi County on August 16, 2021. During the interview, a journalist asked the President about the Liberia National Fire Service complaining about the agency low budgetary allotment. The President responded by saying " I am from the Executive; I dont create a budget."

In the past several years, we have analyzed national budgets; their context, content, effectiveness, and relevance to critical development challenges. We came across wasteful spending, wrongful priorities, and the absence of clear-cut developmental visions and plans for the nation's whole. While the Government has a statement of intentions for 2018-2023 encapsulated in 157 pages The Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD)  and a dodgy Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), most of the counties did not even attempt that, and certainly had no articulated visions, plans and medium-term programs to anchor their annual budgets.

Development theory and experience support the proposition that budgets need to be predicated on long-term visions, economic strategies, and plans to be effective instruments of societal progress. Unfortunately, this is not the case for Liberia. Either the government budgets are not anchored on coherent visions and plans or where there are development plans, the budgets are at variance with the visions. Worse still, besides policy incoherence and perhaps in consequence of implementation discontinuities. Audit reports from the General Auditing Commission (GAC) on County Development Fund (CDF) and the Social Development Fund (SDF) indicate Liberia has been plagued by the phenomenon of abandoned projects. Similarly, the National Oil Company of Liberia is alleged to have wasted over US$32million and the institution became virtually insolvent, with the departure of the former heads Robert Sirleaf, Randolph McClain, and other top officials leaving with hefty severance pay. Former President Sirleaf is on record to have publicly said she took responsibility and no one was brought to book. The 2019 GAC report on the US$25 million used to mop-up excess Liberian dollars on the market shows many discrepancies between what the Central Bank reported and what the investigators found. These and other examples point to a fundamental malaise  our failure to articulate a national vision, coherent economic strategy, national development plans, and annual budgets to translate these into concrete outcomes and progress.

The importance of focusing on the national visioning and development planning process and their link to the budget cannot be over-emphasized. Unfortunately, this is not always the case in Liberia. In the last fifty years, a handful of countries have transformed their countries from low to middle and high-income through careful visioning, sound development planning, and focused implementation under competent leadership. China has not only grown at more than 10% per annum on average for 30 years but lifted more than 400 million people out of poverty since the leadership began implementing economic reforms in 1978.

The President's statement of I am from the Executive; I dont create budget has generated lots of debates on social media with some saying his statement was correct while others are saying his statement was wrong. For the sake of the ongoing debate, we will first describe the Liberian government budgeting process. How are budget priorities determined and who does? How are budgets prepared, reviewed, and implemented? What does sound budgeting mean for our political economy and progress as a nation? What can we learn from the past when things worked slightly better? And what country experiences are available for Liberia as lessons for the future? We intend to spend the next couple of articles explaining budgeting and addressing some of these questions. We hope that our citizens will be better enlightened about the subject and demand accountability from those in power.

The first step in our budget preparation is the President issuing directives to the Minister of Finance and development planning and proposing a budget in line with his government vision for Liberia (The PAPD). This is followed by producing a Medium-Term Fiscal framework (MTFF), mandated in the Public Financial Management Law of 2009. The MTFF shows projected expenditure and revenue plans for a few years in advance. Next in the budget preparation process are stakeholders consultations. This entails consulting with the international financial institutions, donors, and legislative leadership on the broad budget direction, size, and proportions. Then Ministry, Department, and Agencies (MDAs) expenditure ceilings are set; that is each MDA is given an envelope  a maximum amount available for its recurrent and capital expenditure needs for the following year. The medium-term sector strategies for MDAs are then prepared by the Department of Budget within the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, which translates into Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) for presentation. After all the above is done, the Minister of Finance then issues a budget call circular which is like a framework for the MDAs to prepare their budget proposals, but within their envelopes.

When the MDA budgets have been verified to comply with the requirements, the draft is forwarded to the President for his approval. The President then forwards it to the Two Houses of the National Legislature. The budget is a money bill which is required by our constitution to be passed by the Two Houses, but the House with its 73 members and more representative of the Liberia population, has the upper hand in event of disagreements with the Senate. Our constitution gives the Senate a greater say in presidential appointments but confers inherent superiority to the House concerning the appropriation of public funds.

Like every bill, the Budget  referred to as Appropriation Bill or Supplementary Appropriation Bill  goes through a First (or Introductory) Reading and debate in plenary sessions. It is then referred to the Appropriation and other sector committees for more detailed review and scrutiny to move the Bill to the Second Reading. At this point, the various MDAs are invited to justify and defend their draft budgets in a way similar to public hearings. For instance, the Minister of Information and his staff defend the budget of his ministry and its parastatals before the legislative committees on Information or Media and so on. And it is at this point, MDAs lobby legislative committee to increase their allocations, re-introduce projects that may have been screened out or rejected by the Executive Branch, and promises of financial quid pro quo for budget distortions negotiated and agreed. The respective projects and numbers which constitute the revised budget are now referred back to the two houses for debate and passage in plenary sessions. It is unlikely that the two houses will come up with the same list of projects and numbers which make up the budget for presentation to the president for approval. If some degree of harmonization is necessary; the two houses usually appoint a committee to undertake this with equal membership from each. In the unlikely event that the Committee fails to agree, the two houses go into a joint house to vote on the budget  a process that ensures that the House version of the Money Bill is passed for approval. As soon as the budget has been harmonized, the finalized Appropriation Bill is sent to the President for his approval. In the event, the President fails to approve, the Bill lapses unless passed by a two-thirds majority of the legislature thereby no longer requiring presidential approval. Once enacted the budget becomes a national law that cannot be changed or modified in any way without recourse to the legislature.

In conclusion, the Constitution of Liberia places the power of the purse with the national legislative branch. Article 34 states: no monies shall be drawn from the treasure except in consequence of appropriations made by legislative enactment and upon warrant of the President. . . The legislature passes legislation, including decisions about taxes and spending (although the President must agree for it to become law). The President, who heads the governments executive branch, is required to submit an annual budget, but that is merely a statement of proposed priorities. The national legislature may or may not consider some of those proposals. The President can veto spending bills or tax legislation (although the legislature can override the veto). The President implements the budget decision.

About the Author: Karweaye is a Liberian residing in the United States of America and can be contacted at s.karweaye1668@student.tsu.edu


Clearfield, PA (16830)

Today

Cloudy with rain developing after midnight. Potential for heavy rainfall. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Cloudy with rain developing after midnight. Potential for heavy rainfall. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.
MBABANE  The report on the SADC Troika fact-finding mission to Eswatini was not part of the issues endorsed or deliberated upon during the recently ended 41st Ordinary Summit of SADC Heads of State and government.

At least this is according to a communique which was issued at the end of the summit yesterday. The summit was held in Malawi, where Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, President of the Republic of Malawi, was Chairperson of SADC, Felix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, was announced as the incoming chairperson SADC.

Report

Instead, the summit received a report of the outgoing Chairperson of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, Dr Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi, President of the Republic of Botswana, and commended him for his outstanding leadership and continued efforts to address peace and security threats during the year, notwithstanding challenges posed by COVID-19. The summit received a progress report from the SADC Facilitator to the Kingdom of Lesotho, Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa, on the implementation of SADC decisions in Lesotho, and commended the Kingdom of Lesotho for progress made in implementing SADC decisions and the ongoing reforms. Summit also urged the Kingdom of Lesotho to expedite completion of the ongoing reforms, and to continue with peace, transitional justice and reconciliation process to engender national unity, and bring national healing and cohesion, reads the communique in part. According to the communique, the summit recommended an extension of the mandate of the National Reform Authority for a period of six months, from October 30, 2021 to April 30, 2022.

Updates

It was further revealed that the summit received updates on the security situation in Cabo Delgado Province, in Northern part of the Republic of Mozambique, and commended SADC Member States for pledging personnel and providing financial support towards the deployment of SADC Standby Force to Mozambique. Meanwhile, it was also revealed that the summit endorsed an action plan for the implementation of security threats report, and urged member States to implement interventions contained in the plan. The report was however, presented at Troika level and was not readily available for public consumption.

Other resolutions from the summit:

Summit commended the United Republic of Tanzania for offering to host the Regional Counter Terrorism Centre, which will offer dedicated and strategic advisory services to the region on terrorism threats.

Summit approved the transformation of the SADC Parliamentary Forum into a SADC Parliament as a consultative and a deliberative body.

Summit expressed concern and objected to the unilateral decision taken by the African Union Commission to grant the State of Israel Observer Status to the African Union.

Summit approved the Protocol on Statistics and an Agreement Amending the SADC Protocol on Energy.

Summit noted that an Agreement Amending the SADC Protocol on the Control of Firearms, Ammunition and Other Related Materials; and an Agreement Regarding the Status of SADC Standby Force and its Components Deployed within the Region for Purposes of Training, Peace Support Operation, Exercises and Humanitarian Assistance were going to be signed by Member States who were ready to do so.

Summit reaffirmed SADCs position that the creation of the SADC Central Bank and Monetary Union, as a long-term objective to be premised on fulfilling pre-conditions that include, the harmonisation of the fiscal and monetary policies of SADC countries, and greater convergence of banking systems. In this regard, the African Monetary Institute and the African Central Bank should, be long-term objectives.

Summit reiterated its call on the unconditional removal of sanctions imposed on the Republic of Zimbabwe, and support Zimbabwe in the ongoing socio-economic strengthening efforts.

Summit expressed concern on the implications of the Post-Cotonou Agreement and the Neighbourhood Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) in terms of potential risks to fragment ACP countries; weaken Regional Economic Communities, shift agenda setting powers from Member States to other Parties, and directed the SADC Secretariat to submit SADCs preliminary concerns to the European Union Commission.

Summit approved the appointment of Mr Elias Mpedi Magosi as the new Executive Secretary of SADC.

29. Summit noted that the next Summit will take place in the Democratic Republic of Congo in August 2022.
MANZINI  Minister of Education and Training Lady Mabuza has claimed that a teacher could be behind the constant mayhem at Mhubhe High School.

Mabuza minced no words as she said the ministry would deal with bad potatoes within the school that were a bad influence to others. She implored all stakeholders to get rid of the bad potatoes. There are different bad potatoes in this school. If all was within my powers, Id go to certain people. Ive prayed about this and pleaded for action. We are tired of people who are directionless and want to instill the same among our children, Mabuza said. She was speaking in a meeting organised to deal with the constant challenges at Mhubhe High School. These challenges include constant protests and recently, the burning of the school. Over the past weekend, the office of the deputy head teacher and the staffroom were burnt using a combustible substance. Following this act, an impromptu meeting between the parents, officials from the ministry, the police and the royal kraal was organised to address this incident.

The minister visited the school to assess the damage and engage the parents while seeking their input to deal with the challenges. Mabuza said they had visited the school having suspicions that there was a teacher behind the constant unruly behaviour exhibited by the pupils. She said the ministry, after getting information from other stakeholders which include the police, the royal kraal and the Manzini Regional Education Office (REO), would compile a report that would highlight the cause of the challenges at the school and the solution. The minister said the report would be delivered in a reasonable time so that the issues that were a challenge were dealt with accordingly. Mabuza said life should be enjoyed and cherished by every person in the country without having fear being instilled by wayward individuals. She said to her knowledge, only beasts were herded and not people. Therefore, the ministry would deal with the people behind the mayhem at the school.

She pleaded with the royal kraal to also deal with the bad potato as the school did not belong to an individual but was the hard work of parents who paid building fund to have it constructed and developed. Today, I say cul-de-sac on bad potatoes bringing disharmony to this school. Well get rid of them; be it a teacher, pupil or parent. The minister said she was aware that there was someone behind the manner in which the pupils behaved as they would not randomly decide to act in the manner they did.

In most instances, there is usually someone older behind this. They use the learners and tell them to burn and throw stones (at structures). If you look closely, these people have qualifications. The minister said the pupils could not be brought to order if there was an elder telling them what to do.

She requested the parents to look deep into the issue as she complained that there were pupils who she funded their education but always had poor results. Worth noting is that the minister is also an elected Member of Parliament (MP) for Mafutseni Constituency, which Mhubhe High School is located under. She is also a former teacher and head teacher. Meanwhile, before the minister took to the podium, Director at the ministry Ntombenhle Dlamini had requested that the attendees of the meeting clap their hands to welcome the minister. The response was not appealing such that in jest she said: I know some of you are clapping and are showing your happiness without exhibiting it. Please clap again. The attendees of the meeting responded by clapping louder this time. However, after greeting the people, the minister said she would not have clapped as well because there was nothing exciting about being part of a meeting while parents had left their children at home because of COVID-19 and the constant unruly behaviour that resulted in the burning of schools.

Mabuza explained that she was well informed about Mhubhe High School and knew that all was not well at the school. On the other hand, the schools Head teacher, Mlungisi Nxumalo, announced that lessons would resume today after the temporary closure. He implored parents and guardians who were at the meeting to inform their children to report for school.
MBABANE - Following many run-ins with the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), High Court Judge Sipho Nkosi has been suspended from work.

Judge Nkosi was suspended last Friday by His Majesty King Mswati III, in terms of Section 158 of the Constitution through Legal Notice No.241 of 2021. In exercise of powers vested in me in terms of Section 158 of the Constitution of Eswatini Act No.5, 2005, I Mswati III, King and Ingwenyama of Eswatini suspend Justice Sipho Anthony Nkosi from being a judge of the High Court of Eswatini with immediate effect, reads part of the legal notice which was signed by the King at Lozithehlezi on August 12, 2021. Section 158 (6) provides that; Where the question of removal has been referred to the commission, the King may suspend from office the chief justice or other justice as the case may be, for the duration of the enquiry.

Impeached

Judge Nkosi is now expected to show cause why he should not be impeached for alleged professional misconduct. It is alleged that the judge, among other transgressions, absented himself from work and failed to write judgments. Impeachment is the process by which a legislative body formally levels charges against a high official of government. It does not necessarily mean removal from office; it is only a formal statement of charges, akin to an indictment in criminal law, and is thus only the first step towards removal. In the event Judge Nkosi is impeached, he will be the fourth in 10 years, which is the highest in southern Africa. During the tenure of the late Michael Ramodibedi, Judge Thomas Masuku, who is now a judge of the High Court of Namibia, was impeached and removed as a judge of the High Court of Eswatini on September 29, 2009. Ramodibedi suffered the same fate on June 17, 2015 for serious misbehaviour.

Former Judge Mpendulo Simelane followed Ramodibedi out the door on July 21, 2017, after being found guilty of serious misbehaviour as well. It has been reliably gathered that when the police went to serve Judge Nkosi with the letter of suspension at Mafutseni, they found that he was not around and they left it with a security guard. Meanwhile, lawyers who had cases before Judge Nkosi yesterday were turned back by court officials, who informed them that the judge was not available and their matters would be enrolled during the next court session next month. Judge Nkosis suspension started making the rounds on Tuesday. His support staff was deployed to other workstations within the High Court.

Questionnaire

On the same day, these reporters sent a questionnaire to the JSC via email, seeking answers on what necessitated the commission to suspend the judge, duration of the suspension and whether the suspension was with full pay. However, by the time of compiling this report last night, the JSC had not responded. On July 27, 2021, the JSC served the judge with a letter requesting him to provide a detailed account of what transpired at the Piggs Peak Magistrates Court during the hearing of a rape matter involving his brother-in-law, Sibusiso Vilakati. Pursuant to a resolution of the Judicial Service Commission, you are required to provide the commission with a written report on the event of April 22, 2021 relating to the matter. The report should be submitted within three working days to the undersigned, reads part of the minute. In a previous interview, Judge Nkosi confirmed to have received something which he said did not make sense to him. He said the minute that was sent to him did not state what exactly should be explained. He wondered what he was really being called upon to do and described the minute as silent.

I really dont understand what it is all about as it does not tell me to show cause of anything, said Judge Nkosi. The judge said he was sticking to what he previously said that he did not do anything wrong in this matter. At the time, the judge went on to say he was not apologetic for his actions at the Piggs Peak Magistrates Court. He had said he was sure that he did not break any ethical rules at the magistrates court and neither did he bulldoze anyone using his powers as a judge. Absolutely none, he had said emphatically during the interview. I followed the procedure. I did not ask to be made a priority. I am absolutely not apologetic for what transpired there (Piggs Peak Magistrates Court). I have no doubt that the law took its natural course. Following a raid at his homestead at Mafutseni in April 2021, where his firearms were seized, Judge Nkosi said it was not about his brother-in-law but he was being targeted.

Firearms

He had said the raid and seizure of the firearms exposed his security. The least the police could have done, according to the judge at the time, was to advise that he should renew the licences for his firearms within a certain period. Judge Nkosi also pointed out that there was no incident where he had used a gun to warrant the search and seizure at his residence. The judge alleged that he got hold of information to the effect that somebody had recorded a statement saying that he (judge) had seven guns at his home.

Ngemanga nje laluhlata lawa. Kungenteka ngikhandze ba plante lisaka lensangu lekami (it is pure lies. I might find that they have planted dagga now at my home), he added. He said what he did in Piggs Peak was what most people had done as well. The judge was referring to the act of seeking the release of his brother-in-law to his custody and making an undertaking to produce him to court the following day. According to Judge Nkosi at the time, even some judges and magistrates had allegedly called a police station to ask that their arrested relatives be released to their custody.
Etihad Rail has signed a partnership with Al Ghurair Iron & Steel (AGIS), the UAEs largest producer of galvanised and coldrolled flat steel, to use the UAE National Rail Network to transport the steel producers product across the nation.



Etihad Rail will be providing efficient and sustainable services by transporting steel products from AGISs manufacturing facilities through the rail freight terminal in the Industrial City of Abu Dhabi (ICAD) to Khalifa Port in Abu Dhabi and Jebel Ali in Dubai for exports.



Mohammed Al Marzouqi, Executive Director of Rail Relations Sector at Etihad Rail, commented: Our company consistently seeks more robust partnerships with a range of entities, delivering services that are integrated directly with clients business models and further promote their efficiency.



Our agreement with AGIS will facilitate the transport of their products through the UAE National Rail Network, connecting industrial hubs, exports points, and commercial centres. Our rail network drives further cost and time savings, increases operational efficiency in comparison to road-based transport, and enables further market expansion opportunities for our partners at AGIS.



The addition of AGIS to our roster of partners demonstrates how Etihad Rail benefits businesses in industries across the UAE. Etihad Rail is looking to bring those benefits to all industries across the UAE, particularly the iron and steel industry. Our customers trust us for our innovative, sustainable, and competitive transport solutions and services. In doing so, they drive our ability to meet the demands of the market and enhance both our existing and future partnerships through enabling extensive freight services, Al Marzouqi added.



Abu Bucker Husain, CEO of Al Ghurair Iron & Steel, said: We are confident Etihad Rail will provide world class facilities. Our collaboration with the company will immensely boost our continuous endeavour to improve customer satisfaction. Transporting steel coils by rail is both reliable and environmentally friendly, reducing both time and damage caused by road transport. Additionally, rail transport allows for shorter timeframes for import clearance of hot rolled steel coils. With such improvements in our supply chain, galvanised steel coils made in UAE will find a wider customer base.



AGIS is a leading manufacturer of high-quality steel sheets and galvanised steel, widely used in the UAEs construction sector. With AGISs products being exported to over 40 nations, the producer will leverage Etihad Rails facilities at ICAD to reduce transportation costs and time.



Stage Two of the UAE National Rail Network continues to be developed on schedule. Customers will benefit from customised service scheduling solutions. Additionally, the company will deliver specialised wagons which can handle a wide variety of freight.



The agreement signed with AGIS demonstrates Etihad Rails sustained role in delivering additional value to the UAEs and the GCCs logistics sector through its sustainable rail network. The network will additionally offer long-term support for the UAEs economic growth, offering innovative, competitive, and reliable transport and freight solutions across the region.



Etihad Rail has successfully concluded a range of agreements with companies in other sectors, including energy and quarrying, but is looking to grow partnership agreements with companies focused in the iron and steel sector.  TradeArabia News Service
The Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), the government hub supporting private sector investment in the UAE capital, in collaboration with the Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT), has pre-qualified nine companies for Phase 2 of its Road Lighting LED public-private partnership (PPP) project tender.

The project, which forms part of the Abu Dhabi Road Lighting Programme, includes the finance, supply, installation, operation and maintenance of 135,742 LED energy-efficient luminaires in the emirate of Abu Dhabi.

It will result in significant electricity savings of almost 2,400 million kWh, equivalent to a reduction of approximately 76 per cent in power consumption, over the 12-year concession period, ADIO said in a statement.

The project is being procured in accordance with the PPP Law, ADIOs Partnership Projects Guidebook and its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Policy.

ADIO has now concluded its bid evaluation process as part of the Request for Qualification (RfQ) phase and has pre-qualified nine companies from eight countries, including the UAE, China, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Israel and Singapore.

Pre-qualified bidders will be invited to participate in the next stage of the procurement process and submit detailed proposals in response to a Request for Proposal (RfP).-TradeArabia News Service
The 8th edition of Cultourfair, the only B2B trade show for the cultural tourism industry, will be held in Hotel VP Plaza de Espana Design, Madrid, Spain, from November 7-9.

The event will also be celebrating the Capital Iberoamericana de la Cultura Gastronomica, the title awarded this year to the city of Madrid.

The programme offers an agenda of up to 30 pre-scheduled appointments with selected buyers. The workdays will be completed with a networking programme, ensuring direct contact between all participants and fostering business links, organisers of the show MITM Events said.

"At Cultourfair the buyers quality is guaranteed, since they must pass a strict selection process and only buyers with high business potential will be approved," MITM Events stated on its website.

More than 135 companies from 28 countries have registered for the show. They include directors of tour operators and specialised agencies in cultural tourism, luxury travel, events, MICE, city-breaks, heritage, gastronomy, oenology (the study of wines), folklore, concerts, religious, among others.

The companies hail from countries such as Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Israel, Italy, Mexico, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the USA and a few others.

Visitors or on-site registrations will not be accepted at the event to avoid aisle sellers, protecting the exhibitors investment. Only approved hosted buyers and exhibitors owning a stand are allowed to participate.-TradeArabia News Service
With the Phuket Sandbox and Samui Plus models making travel to Thailand safe and smooth once again, luxury resorts and residences by Anantara in both destinations are teaming up to provide a return for international guests.

Fully vaccinated international travelLers can now fly into Phuket to spend their first seven nights in five-star comfort by the Andaman.

After that, guests can venture to hotels on the beaches of Samui and Phangan certified by Amazing Thailand Safety and Health Administration (SHA+), provided they produce negative RT-PCR tests, according to a press release from Anantara hotels.

In Phuket, Anantara Mai Khao combines pool-villa serenity with wellness activities, beachfront dining and elegant afternoon teas in lush surroundings. Anantara Layan Resort overlooks the Andaman, offers airport transfers and immerses guests with a Muay Thai stadium and cooking classes.

Guests booking any Phuket destination in conjunction with an onward stay with Anantara in Samui or Phangan can enjoy savings on rates, dining and spa experiences.

In the second week, there are three SHA+ certified escapes to choose from. On Samui, Anantara Lawana places guests just steps from the golden sands of Chaweng and enchants with the chance to dine at award-winning Tree Tops.

Just steps from the islands Fishermans Village, Anantara Bophut connects guests to local culture with traditional Thai treatments at the Bill Bensley-designed Anantara Spa, sunset cruises around the island and cocktails at the new beach bar A.Shore.

In Koh Phangan, Anantara Rasananda awaits with ocean-facing villas on the best beach in Thailand. Stays include transfers related to the final RT-PCR test and set guests at ease with extensive safety measures.

All team members are fully vaccinated and Anantaras 'Stay with Peace of Mind' programme includes rigorous sanitation and social distancing procedures.-TradeArabia News Service
Washington, Aug 19 (UNI/Sputnik) US President Joe Biden said in an interview that he did not see any way to pull the United States out from Afghanistan without an ensuing chaos.

"I don't think it could have been handled in a way that, we're gonna go back in hindsight and look - but the idea that somehow, there's a way to have gotten out without chaos ensuing, I don't know how that happens," Biden told ABC News' George Stephanopoulos on Wednesday.

Asked about the developments in Afghanistan over the last several days and whether there was any failure on the part of the intelligence community, the execution or planning of the withdrawal, Biden said, "It was a simple choice."

"When you had the government of Afghanistan, the leader of that government, get in a plane taking off and going to another country; when you saw the significant collapse of the Afghan troops we had trained, up to 300,000 of them, just leaving their equipment and taking off - that was, you know, I'm not, that's what happened. That's simply what happened," Biden said.

Commenting on his first reaction to the pictures and videos showing chaotic scenes at the Kabul airport, Biden said his first thought was "to gain control of this."

"We have to move this more quickly. We have to move in a way in which we can take control of that airport. And we did," Biden said.

On Sunday, the Taliban terror group (banned in Russia) completed their takeover of Afghanistan by entering Kabul. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani resigned and left the country to prevent what he described would be a bloodshed. Numerous countries chose to evacuate their citizens and diplomatic personnel from Afghanistan due to the precarious security situation.

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Berlin, Aug 19 (UNI/Sputnik) The German Foreign Ministry will provide 10 million euros ($11.7 million) for a program to support people in Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told reporters in Berlin.

We are looking into the period after the evacuation, I spoke about this with representatives of German human rights organizations... These days, many representatives of NGOs, science and culture addressed us. In recent years, they have maintained a close partnership with civil society (in Afghanistan) which they would like to continue to support," Maas said.

"To ensure this, we are creating a support fund for those who campaigned for human rights, freedom of science and culture, we want to expand specific protection programs for Afghanistan... and we are allocating immediately 10 million euros for this," he said.

On August 15, the Taliban (terrorist group, banned in Russia) completed their takeover of Afghanistan by entering Kabul. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani left the country to prevent what he described as bloodshed that would occur if militants had to fight for the city. Most countries have reduced or evacuated their diplomatic missions in the Central Asian country following the events.

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JAIN Online part of JAIN (Deemed-to-be University) Announces Online Accredited Degree Programs towards ACCA Professional Qualification

JAIN Online will roll out new-age programs like Bachelor of Commerce (International Finance & Accounting), BBA International Finance, Master of Commerce International Finance, and MBA International Finance in association with ACCA to fast track their learning journey and gain a globally recognized professional qualification

BENGALURU, India, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- JAIN (Deemed-to-be University)'s online education platform, JAIN Online, has announced the launch of four UGC entitled online degrees - Bachelor of Commerce (International Finance & Accounting), BBA International Finance, Master of Commerce International Finance, and MBA International Finance.

JAIN Online is offering UGC Entitled Online Degree Programs for UG and PG specializations. It ranges between 2 to 3 years of full-time degree programs that are completely online and the certification are recognized by all the major organizations all over the world.

Accredited by ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants), the programs offer a complete evaluation of the regulation, syllabus, and assessments. Further, the ACCA affiliation allows students to claim exemption from appearing for nine subjects out of the 13 papers. These programs will offer learners a unique opportunity to earn an industry-recognized degree while simultaneously preparing for their ACCA qualification. JAIN Online will deliver these programs in partnership with International Skill Development Corporation (ISDC).

Tom Joseph, Director - New Initiatives, JAIN (Deemed-to-be University), said, "In the changing digital world, professional accountants add significant value, where a lot of transactional work is getting automated. Employers are looking for professional accountants who are strategic and complete finance professionals. These programs in integration with ACCA qualification will be a platform to train students to be the well-qualified workforce of tomorrow. With this initiative, we would like to overcome the geographical challenges and provide an opportunity to capable students to have dual qualification and scale up on their employability scores."

The online degree programs will engage the students through a practical approach with a curriculum integrated with the ACCA qualification. JAIN Online will also host live interactions sessions with the faculty and industry experts on a state-of-the-art Learning Management System (LMS).

About JAIN Online

JAIN Online, a part of the JAIN (Deemed-to-be University), is one of the leading online education providers offering over 70+ specializations at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. JAIN Online delivers career-enhancing opportunities for learners in Indian and global markets by equipping learners with future-ready skills in many technical areas. With technology-enabled learning and international partnerships, JAIN Online is committed to reshaping the careers of technology professionals in some of the high-demand verticals.

(Disclaimer--Features may vary depending on the regions; subject to change without notice.)

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1597999/JAIN_Online_Logo.jpg
Bus crash kills 29 in central Peru 01 Sep 2021 | 8:18 AM Lima, Sep 1 (UNI/Xinhua) At least 29 people were killed and several injured early on Tuesday after a passenger bus crashed and plunged into a ravine in central Peru, the National Police said. see more..

Texas Governor says will sign Republican voting rights bill into law 01 Sep 2021 | 7:50 AM Washington, Sep 1 (UNI/Sputnik) Texas Governor Greg Abbott said in a press release he will sign the Republican-supported voting rights bill into law that passed the state legislature earlier in the day. see more..

Militants attack Syrian public agencies, army in Daraa, kill 4 soldiers - Russian Military 01 Sep 2021 | 6:54 AM Moscow, Sep 1 (UNI/Sputnik) The situation in the Syrian province of Daraa significantly deteriorated, terrorists attacked state institutions and the local army, killing four soldiers and wounding eight more, Rear Adm. Vadim Kulit, the deputy head of the Russian Center for the Reconciliation of Warring Parties in Syria, said on Tuesday. see more..

US in contact with Turkey, Qatar to restore civilian part of Kabul Airport  White House 01 Sep 2021 | 6:49 AM Washington, Sep 1 (Sputnik) The United States is in contact with Turkey and Qatar to restore operations of the civilian part of Kabul airport in order to send humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan through it, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said on Tuesday. see more..
Three UW Faculty Members Research Wyoming History in Developmental Disability Care

Three faculty members in the UW College of Health Sciences received funding to research Wyomings history in developmental disability care. Pictured, from left, are Michelle Jarman, Erin Bush, Sandy Leotti and Jeremy Forbis, administrator of the WLRC in Lander. (Stephanie Wright Photo)

Three University of Wyoming College of Health Sciences faculty members were awarded funding through the Equality State Research Network to develop a partnership with the Wyoming Life Resource Center (WLRC) in Lander.

Erin Bush, an associate professor with the Division of Communication Disorders; Michelle Jarman, an associate professor with the Wyoming Institute for Disabilities; and Sandy Leotti, an assistant professor with the Division of Social Work, are the awardees.

The WLRC, formerly named the Wyoming State Training School, opened in 1912 to provide residential care and education to people who would now be diagnosed with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Historically, state schools, such as the WLRC, became custodial in nature, where people were confined, often for decades or lifetimes within the institution. Over the years, the WLRC has changed dramatically. In response to disability rights and advocacy efforts resulting in deinstitutionalization, long-term residents were reintegrated into communities across Wyoming decades ago.

Today, the WLRC is undergoing another transformation by providing temporary residential health services to individuals with complex and significant needs. The new mission of the facility is to fill a gap in services for people who are not able to access appropriate supports in their communities.

Our research project seeks to investigate the long history of the Wyoming Life Resource Center, from the early decades as a state training school through deinstitutionalization, to its current incarnation as a health care facility for people with significant disabilities and complex support needs, Bush says. Through documenting the history of the institution as well as its current transformation, we aim to bring the history of deinstitutionalization to light through archival research and contemporary oral histories.

Bush has been a certified speech-language pathologist for 17 years. For over a decade, she has conducted collaborative and interdisciplinary research with and for people with disabilities. As a qualitative researcher, Bush aims to gain a deeper understanding of health care and educational issues impacting groups of marginalized people.

Leottis work critically examines the politics of social work and social welfare. A significant portion of her research and practice experience has been aimed at understanding and impacting health disparities in the lives of people with disabilities.

Jarman brings a social and historical perspective to the project. As a disability studies scholar, she has investigated and taught students about the history of institutionalization, especially the impact of segregating people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She is interested in the research and pedagogical value of documenting oral histories of deinstitutionalization, especially in the rural frontier context of Wyoming.

Through this project, the goal is to develop a partnership not only with the WLRC, but also with former residents, families, community members and other stakeholders to document a multilayered history of the institution and its connections to residents, staff members, families, communities and the state of Wyoming. The first prong, being more archival in nature, seeks to understand the institution and its operations, specifically prior to the 1970s.

The second prong, focusing more on the years leading up to and following deinstitutionalization, will involve identifying people involved in the former state school who are interested in recounting oral histories.

Using a community-based participatory approach to inform our historical research, we also will rely upon community participants to identify local and statewide health, disability and social integration issues relevant to this project, Bush says.

Through this process, the hope is to identify health and other disparities that have been produced through the process of deinstitutionalization and community reintegration in rural communities. These disparities can then be targeted in future research. Furthermore, the development of this partnership will lead to future collaborations, which can specifically examine the experience and impact of rural community reintegration, including gaps in support or services, and the relationship of these on the health and well-being of WLRCs residents.

We are in the initial stages of this project, having just completed our first trip to Lander, Bush says. We had meetings about partnership directions and processes of identifying stakeholders. We received a campus tour of newly constructed buildings, and we were able to review some archival documents and pictures regarding the original buildings and setup of the campus compared to the modern-day design.

The three UW faculty members also were able to view historical newspapers and other public documents, such as articles about the building of the infirmary, as well as materials from the 100th-year celebration. They met some WLRC employees and gained further insight into this unique history and aspects of the evolution of the facility. Off-site, the team will continue to research the institution from publicly available records, such as state reports, administrator publications, relevant history and news articles.
During the COVID pandemic, American families have been adopting pets for emotional support.
Owings Sought as Non-Compliant Sex Offender

By West Kentucky Star Staff

PADUCAH - A local man is wanted by law enforcement for not complying with a judge's orders.The McCracken County Sheriff's Office said 32-year-old Cody Hayden Owings is a convicted sex offender who has not recently registered his address. This is at least the second time Owings has not complied with sex offender laws.Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to contact the McCracken County Sheriff's Department at 270-444-4719.Tips can also be provided by calling Crime Stoppers at 270-444-8355, texting WKY and the information to 8474111, or by using the Crime Stoppers App.
Woman Driver Shot with Air Rifle; Man Arrested

By West Kentucky Star Staff

PADUCAH - A Paducah man has been arrested after a woman was reportedly shot while driving her vehicle.Paducah police responded to Baptist Health Paducah, after a woman arrived with a wound to her arm. Hospital staff told police the injury was consistent with a wound from an air rifle.The victim said she was driving on Guthrie Avenue and had stopped at an intersection when she heard a pop. Thats when she noticed her arm had been injured.A detective returned to the scene, and learned that officers had been in the area the previous day and had talked to Robert C. Palmer, who had an air rifle. A search warrant was executed at Palmers home and a .22 air rifle was found.Palmer was arrested Friday, and police say he admitted firing the rifle.
Who Has the Power Over Masks in School?

By Jennifer Selin, University of Missouri-Columbia

FRANKFORT - (THE CONVERSATION) Legal battles over masks in schools are being fought across the country, including in Arkansas, California, Florida, Kentucky, Michigan, Oklahoma, Nevada and Texas.Rather than clarifying policy, these legal challenges have led to more confusion.As a new school year begins and COVID-19 hospitalizations rise across the country, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that students wear masks in school to help slow the spread of the coronavirus.This guidance, and schools responses to it, has resulted in an intense debate. Some parents argue that they should be able to decide when and where their children wear masks, whereas others argue collective health and safety concerns take priority over individual choices. These arguments fall sharply along partisan lines, with 88% of Democrats supporting mask mandates and 69% of Republicans against the requirements.State rules reflect this division. In eight states, as of Aug. 16, 2021, laws were enacted or governors issued orders banning public schools from requiring students to wear masks. On the opposite side of the debate, 12 states and the District of Columbia are requiring students to wear masks indoors.Further complicating matters, some school districts have acted in outright defiance of their states regulations. These conflicts pose one key question: Who has the power to control the health and safety measures schools take  state leaders or local officials?Texas provides a good example of this conflict. Even after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order banning school mask mandates, local officials in several school districts adopted policies that required students to wear masks.Simultaneous legal battles across multiple state court districts ensued and resulted in inconsistent rulings on whether banning masks in schools is constitutional.On Aug. 15, the Texas Supreme Court weighed in, siding with the governor and saying that schools cannot require masks. Yet some schools still do, defying both the governor and the states highest court.With all of the partisan rhetoric, lawsuits and conflict, many parents are left bewildered about how to proceed with the school year.This is not the first time legal battles have erupted in the wake of a public health emergency. During the influenza pandemic of 1918, state and local governments enacted a variety of restrictions to combat the spread of the virus. As they must now, officials had to make hard decisions about whether to close schools or prevent public gatherings. Mask mandates even existed in some areas. State and local judges routinely upheld these measures.Many of the same constitutional questions debated over 100 years ago arise today about mask mandates and other pandemic-related regulations.Long-standing U.S. Supreme Court precedent recognizes that states have broad powers to regulate the health and safety of their citizens during a public health crisis.But no right is absolute. When evaluating a states actions in a pandemic, courts weigh the governments interest in protecting the health and safety of its citizens against an individuals civil liberties.Common challenges against COVID-19-related regulations argue that some requirements violate the First Amendment or an individuals right to liberty, including the right to make choices about ones own health.Over the past year, the challenges that have been most successful in the courts argued that certain COVID-19 rules violated the First Amendment right to freely exercise ones religion.For example, the U.S. Supreme Court recently blocked the state of California from enforcing COVID-19 restrictions on an at-home Bible study group and prevented New York state from enforcing occupancy limits on religious services.But with respect to mask mandates, legal precedent supporting similar challenges is not as strong.For example, in Maryland, a federal district court recently suggested in a decision that litigants were unlikely to succeed with claims that challenged mask mandates as unconstitutional violations of the First Amendment.Arguments that mask mandates violate an individuals constitutional right to liberty  defined by a leading legal resource as freedom from arbitrary and unreasonable restraint upon an individual  face an even greater uphill battle. Courts have interpreted the Constitution as giving elected officials leeway when it comes to social policy, particularly in areas fraught with medical and scientific uncertainties.This does not bode well for challenges like one recently filed in Nevada, which claims mask mandates infringe upon the fundamental right of parents to make child-rearing decisions.On the other side of the debate, in some states litigants have gone to court to advocate for more stringent COVID-19 regulations.In Florida, two different lawsuits seek to overturn the governors ban on school mask requirements. They claim that the Florida Constitution guarantees a safe school environment and grants local governments the authority to govern schools.Some of the more successful lawsuits have focused on the fact that, by law, most states can regulate mask wearing in only public schools. This means that state laws and orders that ban mask requirements do not extend to private schools. In Arizona, Arkansas and Oklahoma, lawsuits claim that this creates unconstitutional distinctions between public and private students rights to a safe educational environment  and therefore, they say, the state cannot ban mask mandates in schools at all.All of this fighting within and among the states led the Biden administration to step into the fray. While the federal government cannot constitutionally command the states to do something, it can create incentives for them with money.In response to the governors orders in Florida and Texas that prohibit mask mandates in schools, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona reminded both states' governors that federal CDC guidance recommends students wear masks. Cardona also suggested that the Biden administration would closely monitor whether the states were meeting requirements for federal relief funding under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. That law requires states to adhere to CDC guidance, including implementing mitigation strategies such as contact tracing or mask requirements, in order to receive the federal money the act provides.President Joe Biden followed up Cardonas letters to the governors with a phone call of support to one of the superintendents who adopted mask mandates in violation of his governors executive order.If it all sounds confusing and as if the law is all over the place regarding school mask mandates, thats because it is. The nations schools are subject to a complex web of local, state and federal laws that make it difficult to impose uniform standards.Add in an intense political battle over the appropriate policies to adopt in the wake of the delta variant and you have precisely the kind of situation that may well end up at the U.S. Supreme Court.This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/who-has-the-power-to-say-kids-do-or-dont-have-to-wear-masks-in-school-the-governor-or-the-school-district-its-not-clear-166128
COVID-19 Testing Individuals with questions, comments, or constructive feedback can email covid-19@wiu.edu. In addition, a comments/concerns form has been established for easy submission.

COVID-19 Fall 2021 Testing Plan

All students, faculty, and staff who physically come to campus are REQUIRED to participate in COVID-19 testing. Individuals may opt out of testing if they provide proof of vaccination. Testing is required (1) time weekly for individuals who do not want to receive the vaccination or who have failed to show proof of vaccination. Please see the COVID-19 vaccination section for more information regarding vaccinations.

COVID-19 Testing Information

WIU-Macomb Testing

Testing Site: The WIU Testing Site is located at the Recreation Center MAC Gym.

Testing Dates/Times: Fall 2021 test clinics on the Macomb campus will be held from 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday thru Thursday in the WIU Student Recreation Center MAC Gym (south gym).

Testing Modality: WIU-Macomb faculty, staff and students will utilize the SHIELD Illinois fast-turnaround saliva- based COVID-19 tests created by the University of Illinois. The SHIELD test requires individuals to deposit a small amount of saliva in a vial, which usually takes less than 10-20 minutes to complete. The test will provide results within 24 hours of samples reaching a SHIELD Illinois Lab. Participants will receive their test results through the SHIELD Portal that they will register on their first day of testing.

Things to Know:

This is a saliva based test where individuals will drool into a tube.

Individuals on the Macomb campus MUST register in advance at the following site: https://www.wiu.edu/covidtest/.

Please note that we have received several reports of users attempting to register with the message "Credentials did not match anyone in SHIELD Illinois system". If this occurs, please do a walk-in appointment where staff in the testing center will help create an account for you.

Quad Cities faculty, staff, and students do not need to register in advance for the CRL brand tests used at the QC campus.

Please do not eat, drink, chew gum, use tobacco products or brush your teeth at least 60 minutes prior to performing the test.

Results will be provided within 24 hours.

No cost for testing.

Testing at this location is limited to current WIU students, faculty, and staff only.

Please bring your WIU ID with you

You do not need to bring your insurance card.

Schedule a COVID-19 Test Appt.

WIU-Quad Cities Testing

Testing Site: The WIU-QC testing site is a pickup and drop-off location located at Riverfront Hall.

Testing Dates: Test clinics will be held in Riverfront Hall on the WIU-Quad Cities campus from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday/Wednesday/Thursday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday, and 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday.

Testing Modality: WIU-QC faculty, staff and students will utilize the CRL saliva- based COVID-19 tests administered by Clinical Reference Laboratory in Lenexa, KS. The CRL test requires individuals to deposit a small amount of saliva in a vial, which usually takes less than 10-15 minutes to complete. The test will provide results within 24-36 hours of samples reaching the CRL Labs.

Things to Know

This is a saliva based test where individuals will drool into a tube.

Quad Cities faculty, staff, and students do not need to register in advance for the CRL brand tests used at the QC campus.

Please do not eat, drink, chew gum, use tobacco products or brush your teeth at least 30 minutes prior to performing the test.

Results will be provided within 24-36 hours.

No cost for testing.

Testing at this location is limited to current WIU students, faculty, and staff only.

You do not need to bring your insurance card.

Test Results

Individuals who test positive must isolate for 10 days. The ten day count begins on the day the test was administered. WIU-Macomb has residential facilities set up to ensure comfortable and safe accommodations for any student who must isolate. Faculty, staff and commuter students on both campuses who test positive must isolate at home for 10 days. For more information pertaining to isolation, please see the "Quarantine and Isolation" page.

Individuals who are Symptomatic

Any individuals experiencing COVID-19 symptoms should NOT visit the COVID-19 testing center. Instead, individuals on the WIU Macomb Campus should call the Beu Health Center at 309-298-1888. Individuals on the WIU-QC Campus should NOT come to campus and call their primary care provider.

COVID-19 symptoms include:

Fever or chills

Cough

Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

Fatigue

Muscle or body aches

Headache

New loss of taste or smell

Sore throat

Congestion or runny nose

Nausea or vomiting

Diarrhea

Individuals who have previously tested positive for COVID-19

Individuals who have had COVID-19 should not get tested for up to 3 months after recovery as long as they do not develop symptoms again. People who develop symptoms again within 3 months of their 1st bout of COVID-19 may need to be tested again if there is no other cause identified for their symptoms. If you are an individual who has tested positive within the last (90) days and you are unvaccinated, please report this to BD-Slater@wiu.edu.

Disciplinary Action for Testing Non-compliance

Individuals who do not participate in the required weekly testing and do not upload/present a vaccination card will be subject to disciplinary action consistent with Western Illinois Universitys Human Resources and Student Conduct procedures.

Students

First missed test clinic:

Letter of reprimand

Letter of reprimand Second & third missed test clinic:

Referred to Student Rights & Responsibilities for disciplinary action

Referred to Student Rights & Responsibilities for disciplinary action Fourth & beyond missed test clinic:

Further progressive discipline up to, and including, dismissal from WIU

Employees

First missed test clinic:

Letter of reprimand

Letter of reprimand Second & third missed test clinic:

Referred to HR for disciplinary suspension

Referred to HR for disciplinary suspension Fourth & beyond missed test clinic:

Further progressive discipline up to, and including discharge, from WIU

Incentive Contest for Testing Program

Please see Incentive Contest for Vaccinations and Testing Program section on Vaccination page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Am I required to participate in the COVID-19 testing program? Western Illinois University faculty, students, and staff are REQUIRED to participate in the Universitys weekly testing program if they do not provide proof of vaccination.

If I have received my first dose of a two-dose vaccine, do I need to participate in the required testing? Yes, in order to opt out of the required testing, all individuals must be fully vaccinated. (Fully vaccinated is defined as taking any of the current three vaccine options  Pfizer (2 shots required- 21 days between shot 1 and shot 2), Moderna (2 shots required-28 days between shot 1 and shot 2), or the Johnson and Johnson (1 shot required), plus 14 days following the last shot.). In addition to these three common vaccinations within the United States, WIU will acknowledge other vaccines approved through the World Health Organization (WHO). For a complete list of WHO approved vaccines, please see above.)

Q: If I have a COVID-19 test result from another entity, can I turn that in in lieu of having to participate in the University testing? Yes, as long as the test provided is a PCR based test, it can be emailed to BD-Slater@wiu.edu

What if I am taking classes remotely and do not come to campus? The required testing program is for individuals who are physically the WIU-Macomb or WIU-QC campus. If an individual does not physically come to campus, they do not need to participate, however, can do so if they choose.

What if I do not want to participate in either vaccination or the testing program? Members of the WIU campus community have two options: Provide proof of vaccination and opt out, or Participate in the required testing program. Failure to cooperate with either of these two options will result in disciplinary action either through the Student Conduct Office or Human Resources.

What if I have been positive with COVID-19 in the last 90 days? Individuals who have been positive for COVID-19 within the last 90 days will still be responsible for informing health care staff of their current situation. Individuals should still plan on coming through the testing clinic at this time.

Why arent individuals who are vaccinated required to test? The CDC does not recommend testing for fully vaccinated individuals unless they develop symptoms consistent with COVID-19. Individuals should self-monitor for signs of infection for 14 days after exposure to someone with COVID-19 infection.

How can an employer be allowed to mandate an employee to test for Covid when they are not their health care provider? The ADA requires that any mandatory medical test of employees be job related and consistent with business necessity. Applying this standard to the current circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, employers may take screening steps to determine if employees entering the workplace have COVID-19 because an individual with the virus will pose a direct threat to the health of others. Therefore an employer may choose to administer COVID-19 testing to employees before initially permitting them to enter the workplace and/or periodically to determine if their presence in the workplace poses a direct threat to others. The ADA does not interfere with employers following recommendations by the CDC or other public health authorities regarding whether, when, and for whom testing or other screening is appropriate. Testing administered by employers consistent with current CDC guidance will meet the ADAs business necessity standard. Consistent with the ADA standard, employers should ensure that the tests are considered accurate and reliable. For example, employers may review information from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration about what may or may not be considered safe and accurate testing, as well as guidance from CDC or other public health authorities. Because the CDC and FDA may revise their recommendations based on new information, it may be helpful to check these agency websites for updates. Employers may wish to consider the incidence of false-positives or false-negatives associated with a particular test. Note that a positive test result reveals that an individual most likely has a current infection and may be able to transmit the virus to others. A negative test result means that the individual did not have detectable COVID-19 at the time of testing. A negative test does not mean the employee will not acquire the virus later. Based on guidance from medical and public health authorities, employers should still requireto the greatest extent possiblethat employees observe infection control practices (such as social distancing, regular handwashing, and other measures) in the workplace to prevent transmission of COVID-19.

May employers ask all employees physically entering the workplace if they have been diagnosed with or tested for COVID-19? Employers are responsible for maintaining a safe and healthy workplace and there is nothing in Illinois or federal law that prohibits an employer from requiring a doctors note or COVID-19 test before an employee reports to the workplace. Employers may ask all employees who will be physically entering the workplace if they have COVID-19 or symptoms associated with COVID-19, and ask if they have been tested for COVID-19. Symptoms associated with COVID-19 include, for example, fever, chills, cough, and shortness of breath. The CDC has identified a current list of symptoms. An employer may exclude those with COVID-19, or symptoms associated with COVID-19, from the workplace because, as EEOC has stated, their presence would pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others. However, for those employees who are teleworking and are not physically interacting with coworkers or others (for example, customers), the employer would generally not be permitted to ask these questions.

What is the reliability of the COVID-19 test being provided? The saliva test has a sensitivity of 97% and a specificity of 99%.

It has been found that even individuals who are vaccinated can still become infected or transmit the COVID-19 virus. Why isn't everyone in the campus community required to test? At this time the CDC does not recommend testing for fully vaccinated individuals unless they develop symptoms consistent with COVID-19. With that being said, if there are vaccinated individuals who do wish to be tested, they will not be turned away and are welcome to participate.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-08 03:21:45|Editor: huaxia

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BAGHDAD, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi security forces on Saturday launched an operation to hunt down militants of the extremist Islamic State (IS) group in Iraq's eastern province of Diyala, a provincial police source said.

Based on intelligence reports, a joint force from the provincial police and Sunni tribal fighters launched the operation 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.

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 militants have intensified their attacks on the 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 fully defeated the IS militants across the country late in 2017. However, IS remnants have since melted in urban areas or deserts and rugged areas, carrying out frequent guerilla attacks against security forces and civilians. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-10 01:00:58|Editor: huaxia

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LUSAKA, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Zambian President Edgar Lungu on Monday met an Election Observer team from the African Union (AU) ahead of this week's general elections.

The Zambian leader met the team led by former Sierra Leone President Ernest Bai Koroma at State House where they held talks.

During the talks, the Zambian president urged the team to execute its mandate diligently and have a clear picture of the conduct of some opposition political parties.

On his part, the AU Election Observer team leader said the mission will deploy 30 observers to all the country's 10 provinces.

He said the mandate of his team was to ensure that peace, security and democracy prevailed during the elections.

Meanwhile, former Zambian President Rupiah Banda has advised losers in this year's elections to accept defeat. Banda, the country's fourth president from 2008 to 2011, said the winner in this year's general elections should be magnanimous and show respect to the losers.

Banda, who accepted defeat in 2011, said political leaders should uphold the country's peace which has been prevailing since independence in 1964.

Zambia will hold general elections on Aug. 12, with incumbent President Edgar Lungu facing 15 other contenders. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-15 16:08:17|Editor: huaxia

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The second Shenzhen-Kashgar-Europe international freight truck completed the customs clearance procedures in the Kashgar comprehensive bonded area, NW China's Xinjiang on Thursday, marking the normal operation of the freight trucks.

Produced by Xinhua Global Service
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-17 05:19:05|Editor: huaxia

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Munir Akram, Pakistan's permanent representative to the United Nations, speaks to reporters outside the Security Council Chamber at the UN headquarters in New York, on Aug. 16, 2021. Pakistan is actively promoting an inclusive political settlement in Afghanistan and helping evacuate diplomats, representatives of international organizations, and others from Kabul, said Pakistan's UN ambassador Munir Akram on Monday. (Xinhua/Xie E)

UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan is actively promoting an inclusive political settlement in Afghanistan and helping evacuate diplomats, representatives of international organizations, and others from Kabul, said Pakistan's UN ambassador Munir Akram on Monday.

Leaders of a number of political parties and groups in Afghanistan, representing all the multi-ethnic groups, apart from the Pashtuns, were present in Islamabad and met with the Pakistani leadership on Monday, he told reporters.

"They have promised to engage continuously with the Taliban and to try to evolve an inclusive Afghan government. Pakistan will work with them and with the Taliban representatives to advance this objective -- the objective of an inclusive political government, which is important for durable peace and stability in Afghanistan," he said.

Pakistan is also making efforts to facilitate the safe evacuation of diplomats, representatives of international organizations, and others from Afghanistan, said Akram.

"We are evacuating all diplomatic personnel who wish to evacuate and wish to come through Pakistan, all representatives of international agencies who have requested our help in being evacuated, and all other personnel who feel that they are in danger. We would be willing to look at the possibility of taking them out."

Whenever needed, arrangements will be made for issuing visas to such people on arrival in Pakistan, he said.

A facilitation center has been set up by the Pakistani Interior Ministry to ensure the expeditious processing of visas and other requirements to enable the smooth and timely evacuation from Kabul, said Akram. "We will try to mount a series of flights to Kabul Airport as soon as conditions allow in order to continue the evacuation, which we have already started."

On Monday, Pakistan evacuated 421 Afghan employees of the Danish Embassy in Kabul, he noted.

He said Pakistan has called on all Afghan parties, including the Taliban, to ensure the preservation of law and order in Kabul and elsewhere. The immediate priority should be at the maintenance of law and order and the safety and security of all Afghan civilians, especially women and children. Fundamental human rights must be upheld. All civilian property and infrastructure must be protected. There must be complete respect for human rights and international humanitarian law, said Akram.

The safety and security of the diplomatic community and premises, as well as UN personnel, humanitarian workers and other international staff is paramount. There is a need to urgently address the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, he said.

Apart from these immediate actions, the international community should look ahead to other steps designed to promote durable peace and stability in Afghanistan, he said.

The infrastructure destroyed in this long conflict needs to be reconstructed, including the transport infrastructure which can enable Afghanistan to serve as a hub for regional trade and commerce.

The international community also needs to engage with the new authorities in Afghanistan to eliminate the threat posed by terrorist organizations in Afghanistan, he said.

The Pakistani ambassador regretted the fact that his country's request to participate in Monday's Security Council emergency meeting on Afghanistan was turned down by India, which holds the Security Council presidency for the month of August.

"This is most regrettable because we believe that Pakistan has an important contribution to make at this important and vital juncture in the destiny of Afghanistan, and the stability and peace in our region," said Akram. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 02:12:30|Editor: huaxia

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JERUSALEM, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said on Wednesday that he plans to travel to Washington and will discuss the Iran issue with U.S. President Joe Biden.

In a televised news conference, Bennett said the visit will take place by the end of August.

"It is an important meeting with President Biden," Bennett said, adding that the meeting will focus on the Iran issue.

Bennett said that Iran is now "in the most advanced stage ever in uranium enrichment," adding that Israel has a plan to deal with it and "ensure the safety of the people of Israel."

World powers have been engaged in talks with Iran to revive the 2015 nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Considering Iran its arch-rival, Israel had strongly opposed the deal. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 05:08:31|Editor: huaxia

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UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addresses an open debate of the Security Council on technology and peacekeeping at UN headquarters in New York on Aug. 18, 2021. Guterres said Wednesday that UN peacekeeping must embrace the digital world to deal with evolving threats. (Evan Schneider/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua)

UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Wednesday that UN peacekeeping must embrace the digital world to deal with evolving threats.

"The concept of peacekeeping is itself the product of the art of the possible. But UN peacekeeping was conceived in an analog world. It is now essential that it fully embraces the digital world in which we live, to improve the UN's agility, anticipation and responsiveness to conflicts, and to be able to address the challenges of today and tomorrow," he told an open debate of the Security Council on technology and peacekeeping.

"A shift in peacekeeping culture, as well as a systemic change, are required for this to happen. That is why we have developed a strategy for the Digital Transformation of UN Peacekeeping Operations," he said.

The strategy seeks to use the opportunities offered by digital technologies to peacekeeping missions, to mitigate the risks they pose and promote their responsible use. The strategy takes forward the vision for his second term -- a renewed United Nations that is nimble, dynamic and evolving to anticipate and address complex issues, said Guterres.

Digital transformation in peacekeeping will contribute to one of the central objectives of Action for Peacekeeping Plus -- to further data-driven and technology-enabled peacekeeping. It will be one of the most complex undertakings for UN peacekeeping in the coming years. But the need is critical and the benefits will be profound, he said.

The Digital Transformation Strategy focuses on four objectives: to drive technology innovation at UN Headquarters and in the field; to maximize the potential of current and new technologies to augment the capacity of missions to carry out their mandates effectively, including transforming information gathering and early warning capacities to better protect civilians; to allow troop and police contributors in front-line roles to have access to the most up-to-date technology; to make sure peace operations are able to detect, analyze and address threats against civilians, peacekeepers and humanitarian and political missions in a timely and integrated manner; to ensure the responsible use of digital technologies by peace operations by developing clear principles and undertaking human rights due diligence wherever there is a potential for harm.

Over recent decades, conflicts have become more intractable and protracted. Actors have multiplied and diversified. Tools of warfare are increasingly sophisticated. And the growing internationalization of civil wars has made their resolution even more complex, he noted.

The devastating effects of the climate crisis on the lands and resources of peoples around the world, combined with growing socio-economic vulnerabilities, are converging with and fueling conflicts, causing further suffering, he said.

These shifts in conflict are accompanied by a broader societal transformation propelled by new technology. Digital technology, in particular, represents one of the greatest opportunities, but also one of the greatest challenges of today, he said.

The international community must come together better to govern the digital space for good, while addressing its many challenges, said Guterres.

New technologies pose unfamiliar and profound threats, as seen most clearly in the online proliferation of violent extremist ideologies, increasingly prevalent cyberattacks, and deadly vaccine misinformation.

Emerging technologies are also blurring the lines between war and peace. States and non-state actors are carrying out malicious acts that fall below commonly understood thresholds for the use of force yet may still have devastating impact. Anonymous actors are able to target critical infrastructure such as power stations, hospitals, government facilities and the IT systems crucial to running societie s.

"The clandestine use of these technologies risks unintended escalation, including full-blown conflict," he warned.

Technological advances are also modifying the ways in which conventional weapons are being used. More accurate long-range rockets and missiles are allowing both states and non-state armed groups to carry out targeted strikes at great distances, including against populated areas. There is also the increased use of autonomous weapon systems, he said.

On this rapidly emerging issue, governments must work together to ensure that sufficient human control and judgment are retained in the use of force.

In short, new technologies are changing the scale and speed of attack, as well as the character and nature of violence and destruction in war, with an indelible impact on civilian populations.

These developments create new and urgent challenges for peace operations, which are experiencing these challenges firsthand, he said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 06:16:20|Editor: huaxia

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The UN Security Council unanimously adopts a resolution on the protection of peacekeepers at UN headquarters in New York on Aug. 18, 2021. (Loey Felipe/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua)

UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Security Council on Wednesday unanimously adopted a resolution on the protection of peacekeepers.

Resolution 2589 calls on UN member states hosting or having hosted UN peacekeeping operations to take all appropriate measures to bring to justice perpetrators of the killing of, and all acts of violence against UN personnel; urges all parties to armed conflict to fully respect their obligations under international law; calls on host states to work with peacekeeping missions to enhance the safety and security of mission personnel, and to take all necessary measures to investigate such acts, and arrest and prosecute perpetrators of such acts.

The resolution requests the UN secretary-general to include updates on progress made by member states in this regard in his annual briefing to the Security Council on peacekeeping reform.

It further requests the secretary-general to establish a comprehensive online database of crimes against UN peacekeepers as well as information on capacity-building assistance offered by the United Nations to member states and progress they made in bringing to justice perpetrators of such crimes.

It affirms the Security Council's determination to enhance the partnership between the United Nations and regional and sub-regional organizations to provide capacity-building assistance to host states for the prevention, investigation, and prosecution of cases of killing or harming UN personnel serving in peacekeeping operations.

The resolution requests each UN peacekeeping mission to designate a focal point for all issues related to the prevention, investigation and prosecution of the killing or harming UN peacekeepers. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 07:37:40|Editor: huaxia

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UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy said Wednesday that the use of new technologies in UN peacekeeping should respect the sovereignty and will of the host country.

Peacekeeping missions, when using technologies of all kinds to conduct reconnaissance and surveillance, should have prior consultations with the host countries to make sure that the use of relevant technologies fully respect their sovereignty, uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, including the principle of non-interference in internal affairs, and follow basic principles of peacekeeping, said Dai Bing, the charge d'affaires at the Chinese Permanent Mission to the United Nations.

Peacekeeping missions should use relevant technologies based on the needs on the ground and in accordance with Security Council mandates, and should avoid harming the national security, public security and information security of host countries, he told a Security Council open debate on peacekeeping and technology.

"The use of new technologies must focus on improving the safety of peacekeeping personnel," he said. "Peacekeeping operations can fully use technological tools to improve information gathering and analysis, risk early warning, emergency response, emergency relief and other capacities, and reduce safety risks for peacekeepers."

He stressed the need to reduce the threat posed by improvised explosive devices to peacekeepers.

The use of new technologies in peacekeeping operations needs relevant support and guarantee to facilitate the effective use of new technological equipment in peacekeeping operations, he said.

The Contingent Owned Equipment list of troop- and police-contributing countries should be updated timely. Cost-effectiveness should also be taken fully into consideration to ensure proper planning, said Dai.

All member states should pay their peacekeeping budget dues in full and on time. Reimbursement for equipment and personnel of troop- and police-contributing countries should be provided promptly to make sure peacekeeping operations can make full use of new technologies, he said.

To improve peacekeepers' capacities in using new technologies, the Security Council, troop- and police-contributing countries, and the UN Secretariat should improve coordination, provide more tailored training for peacekeepers, and compile lessons and best practices in a timely manner, he said.

China is the largest troop-contributing country for UN peacekeeping operations among the permanent members of the Security Council and attaches great importance to the use of technologies in peacekeeping, he said.

China stands ready to work with other council members and the international community to contribute to the continuous improvement of peacekeeping operations and the safety of peacekeepers, he said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 07:46:31|Editor: huaxia

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UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Security Council on Wednesday called for efforts to better protect UN peacekeepers with new technological tools.

In a presidential statement, the Security Council recognizes that technology has the potential to act as a force multiplier by enhancing performance, saving resources, simplifying work processes, and allowing peacekeeping missions to have a deeper understanding of the environments they operate in, through improved collection, analysis and dissemination of data.

Existing and new technologies can support the safety and security of peacekeepers and the protection of civilians, by enabling effective and timely decision-making, including through early warning and response, said the statement.

The Security Council stresses the need to leverage the technological tools available to support greater situational awareness of peacekeeping missions and their front-line peacekeepers through measures to improve information acquisition and analysis capacities, including surveillance and monitoring capacities -- within the limits of their mandate and area of operation and in line with existing UN guidelines and regulations and consistent with international law, said the statement.

The Security Council encourages better integration of existing and new technologies, especially digital technology, to enhance field support, implementation of safety and security, and protection of civilians tasks of Security Council mandates.

It encourages troop- and police-contributing countries and field missions to support field-focused, reliable, and cost-effective technologies that are driven by the practical needs of end-users on the ground, and, in this regard, stresses the need for consultations with member states and host countries, as appropriate.

The Security Council encourages the UN secretary-general to continue to work with member states in exploring available and future technologies and best practices that can contribute to the safety and security of peacekeepers and protection of civilians, and allow for safer and more effective peacekeeping missions, with a focus on technology solutions that are cost-effective and mission appropriate. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 09:20:39|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese mainland Wednesday reported five new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases, the National Health Commission said in its daily report Thursday.

Among the local cases, three were reported in Jiangsu, and one each in Shanghai and Yunnan.

Also reported were 41 new imported cases, including 11 in Tianjin, 10 in Guangdong, six in Yunnan, five in Shanghai, four in Fujian, and one each in Beijing, Inner Mongolia, Zhejiang, Henan and Sichuan.

One suspected case arriving from outside the mainland was reported in Shanghai on Wednesday.

No new deaths related to COVID-19 were reported, the commission added. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 10:27:15|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. State Department recently released its annual "Trafficking in Persons Report," dividing countries worldwide into tiers based on how well America thinks they have tackled the crime.

Replete with double standards, the report blasts the human rights records of other countries while downplaying the atrocities of modern slavery at home.

But the facts speak for themselves. The United States has long traded persons for its prosperity. The country is a self-proclaimed "human rights defender" with a shameful "legacy of sleaze" that lives on today.

DARK NATIONAL HERITAGE

The institution of slavery is widely seen as a fundamental part of America's prosperity. From southern inland tobacco plantations to shipbuilding plants in coastal New England, U.S. industries supported slavery and were nurtured by it for centuries.

"Out of slavery ... grew nearly everything that has truly made America exceptional: its economic might, its industrial power ... its astonishing penchant for violence," commented The New York Times Magazine in 2019 in an issue marking the first enslaved Africans arriving in the British colony of Virginia in 1619.

It's estimated that from 1525 to 1866, more than 12.5 million Africans were shipped to the New World, with the Thirteen British Colonies, later the nascent United States, being a key market, according to Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database.

Numerous people died during the brutal maritime transport, while about 10.7 million having survived and landed in the Americas, only to be sold into slavery.

Though the United States banned the importation of slaves in 1808, growing demand for slave labor in the cotton industry had fueled the domestic slave trade. Meanwhile, the cross-Atlantic trade went on covertly.

"The system proved itself so lucrative that law and legal precedent began to leave future governments leeway for prioritizing the economy over morality," according to the website of James Madison Montpelier, a national historical landmark.

By 1850, 80 percent of American exports were the product of slave labor. A decade later, "the nearly 4 million American slaves were worth some 3.5 billion U.S. dollars, making them the largest single financial asset in the entire U.S. economy," David Blight, a historian at Yale University, was quoted as saying by The Atlantic.

The American Civil War brought legal slavery to an end in 1865, but the country still had to confront the widespread presence of similar practices.

As Jim Crow laws -- local statutes of racial segregation -- were enacted in the southern states, racial repression and exploitation stretched into the 20th century, reducing the entire black population to decades of second-class citizenship.

"All men are created equal," stated the Declaration of Independence in 1776, a founding document of American values, something so "self-evident" that it was not until the 1960s that legal systems granted black Americans equal rights.

DRIVING U.S. DEMAND

This year, the United States has applied the same old twisted logic by ranking itself as a top performer in the annual trafficking report.

It's a common misconception among U.S. citizens that trafficking is just "a problem in other countries," as the term comes with an impression that the pattern is transport-based, Luis Cabeza deBaca, former U.S. anti-trafficking ambassador-at-large, has said.

However, massive data, cases and personal accounts attest that the United States has long been -- to put it in the U.S. State Department's own words -- "a source, transit, and destination country" of adult and minor victims, both at home and abroad.

An estimated 403,000 people in the United States were kept for modern slavery in 2016, either in forced labor or sex trafficking, according to the Global Slavery Index published in 2018 by Australia's Walk Free Foundation.

According to nonprofit organization Polaris, the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline handled more than 5,700 cases in 2015. Four years later, that number doubled to 11,500.

Such cases have been reported in restaurants, cleaning services, construction and factories, many of which appear to be legal businesses.

In 2019, federal prosecutors sued 12 hotel groups, including Hilton Worldwide Holdings and Intercontinental Hotels & Resorts, claiming that they knowingly ignored signs of women being sold as sex slaves. Some even reported profiting from sex trafficking.

Nonprofit organization DeliverFund reported last year that there are 15,000 to 50,000 women and children coerced into commercial sex annually in the United States.

"The United States is the number one consumer of sex worldwide. So we are driving the demand as a society," Geoff Rogers, co-founder of the United States Institute Against Human Trafficking, told Fox News.

"We're also driving the demand with our own people, with our own kids," he said.

WIDESPREAD FORCED LABOR

The day of legal slavery in the United States is long over, yet its dark past of threats, violence, fraud and coercion to exploit people for labor or sex remains.

Slavery is not merely a relic, but a problem "alive and well. It has simply taken on a new form," said Laurel Fletcher, a law professor at the University of California, Berkeley.

In 2007, American citizen Rory Mayberry testified that a U.S. government contractor that he had worked for was involved in using forced laborers during the reconstruction of the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.

Mayberry said the employer once asked him to bring 51 Filipino workers to the Iraqi capital via a transit flight.

But the plane landed elsewhere. "All of our tickets said we were going to Dubai," Mayberry was quoted as saying by The Washington Post.

Upon arrival, he was told by a manager not to disclose the real destination. He also noticed that the workers' passports had been taken away.

Like the Filipinos, legions of people from all corners of the world are either coerced or lured into forced labor by false promises, VOX news reported in 2015.

Chrissey Buckley, a graduate alumnus at the University of Denver, has found that an existing market and poor legislation combined with inefficient laws allow the problem to persist.

The most prevalent industries are "sex services, domestic servitude, agriculture, sweatshop, and factory work," she wrote in a research paper on contemporary slavery published in 2008.

Researchers have found that there are hundreds of thousands of people working against their will in the agriculture sector alone, and some victims even had college backgrounds, said the VOX report.

Anti-Slavery International describes them as "some of the poorest paid and most exploited workers within the U.S. economy," who are deprived of such rights on the job as health insurance, sick leave, pensions, or job security.

A more compelling fact is that 71 percent of victims of forced and coerced labor enter the United States on legal visas, and over a third of all victims work in domestic servitude and live with their employers, according to a study in 2014 by the Urban Institute and Northeastern University.

VULNERABLE ILLEGAL MIGRANTS

Migrants and refugees are particularly vulnerable to various forms of labor trafficking and related inhumane treatments.

Amid increasingly tightened U.S. immigration polices and reckless law enforcement, more than 850,000 immigrants were detained at the U.S.-Mexico border in fiscal 2019, and an unprecedented 69,550 migrant children were held in U.S. government custody away from their caretakers, according to media reports and official data.

The separation reached its height after the U.S. government enacted a zero-tolerance policy for illegal entry in 2018, igniting an urgent humanitarian concern.

Stressing that children should never be held in immigration detention or separated from their families, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said in 2019 that she was "deeply shocked" that the children are forced to sleep on the floor in overcrowded facilities, lacking adequate healthcare, food and sanitation.

Last year, about 40 women from Latin America and the Caribbean who were held at a detention center in the state of Georgia sued U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for undergoing unnecessary and non-consensual gynecological surgeries, including uterus removal, which they said caused severe physical and mental harm.

"Modern slavery doesn't come with the iron chains and auctions of the past. Today's restraints take the form of withheld documents, the possibility of exposure, and the threat of deportation," Aryn Baker, a Times magazine correspondent, wrote in 2019, asking for more inclusive U.S. immigration policies to bring an end to the humanitarian crisis.

The COVID-19 pandemic has added a new layer of tragedy to medically vulnerable detainees, as they are more likely to be infected with the virus due to dense gatherings and a health supplies shortage.

"It was a very uncomfortable and very ugly situation that I went through," said 38-year-old Guatemalan Heraldo Malumbrez, who had been in immigration detention in the state of Arizona for more than three months before being infected with COVID-19 in July 2020.

"We are talking systemic cruelty (with) a dehumanizing culture that treats them like animals," Democratic House Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted in 2019. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 10:44:57|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- China's zero-COVID strategy continues to make sense as the rapidly-spreading Delta variant has caused increasing infections and deaths around the world, said a report by the South China Morning Post on Wednesday.

China's zero-COVID strategy has served its economy well, the article said, adding that the average two-year growth of China's economy for 2020 and 2021 is likely to reach 5.3 percent, which implies that the impact of COVID-19 has been very limited -- only 0.4 percentage points.

The article stressed that China's comprehensive containment measures, including mass testing, isolation of confirmed and suspected patients, lockdowns of high-risk areas and vaccination, have proved to be low cost and very effective, especially when the Delta variant landed in south China's Guangdong Province months ago.

"As China's domestically transmitted cases have been on the decline in recent days, the victory is surely not far off," it noted.

As for China's opening up to the world, the negative impact of strict border control measures has been "fully compensated for by the successful economic rebound."

One case to the point is that in the first half of this year, the average two-year growth rates of China's international trade and actual use of foreign capital reached double digits, according to the article. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 10:47:41|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese mainland Wednesday reported five new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases, the National Health Commission said in its daily report Thursday.

Among the local cases, three were reported in Jiangsu, and one each in Shanghai and Yunnan.

Also reported were 41 new imported cases, including 11 in Tianjin, 10 in Guangdong, six in Yunnan, five in Shanghai, four in Fujian, and one each in Beijing, Inner Mongolia, Zhejiang, Henan and Sichuan.

One suspected case arriving from outside the mainland was reported in Shanghai on Wednesday.

No new deaths related to COVID-19 were reported, the commission added.

By the end of Wednesday, a total of 8,011 imported cases had been reported on the mainland. Among them, 7,252 had been discharged from hospitals following recovery, and 759 remained hospitalized. No deaths had been reported among the imported cases.

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases on the mainland reached 94,546 by Wednesday, including 1,866 patients still receiving treatment, 61 of whom were in severe condition.

A total of 88,044 patients had been discharged from hospitals following recovery on the mainland, and 4,636 had died as a result of the virus.

A total of 30 asymptomatic cases were newly reported. There were a total of 508 asymptomatic cases under medical observation on Wednesday, including 408 imported.

By the end of Wednesday, 12,042 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 212 deaths, had been reported in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), while 63 cases had been reported in the Macao SAR, and 15,891 cases, including 821 deaths, had been reported in Taiwan.

A total of 11,755 COVID-19 patients in the Hong Kong SAR had been discharged from hospitals following recovery, while 59 had been discharged in the Macao SAR, and 13,214 had been discharged in Taiwan. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 11:05:24|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu exchanged views on the Afghan situation in a phone conversation on Wednesday.

Wang said that the situation in Afghanistan has changed overnight, and what will happen next depends on the policy of the Taliban.

Taliban leaders have sent positive signals to the outside world, while a Taliban spokesperson has ensured the security of embassies in Afghanistan and expressed the willingness to establish sound relations with other countries, Wang noted, expressing his expectation that the commitments will be turned into concrete policies and actions.

The Taliban spokesperson has said that it is hoped that an inclusive new government can be formed in Afghanistan, and the country will no longer be a center for growing opium and trading drugs. The remarks, Wang said, indicated a right direction.

He also stressed that after the withdrawal of foreign troops from their country, the Afghan people have the opportunity to take their destiny in their own hands. The "Afghan-led, Afghan-owned" principle can also be possibly implemented in a practical way.

The key now, he said, is to find a reconstruction path that is suited to the Afghan national conditions, in line with the trend of the times, and understood and supported by the Afghan people.

To do so, the Taliban in Afghanistan needs to make a clear break with all terrorist forces and take measures to crack down on the international terrorist organizations designated by the United Nations Security Council, including the East Turkistan Islamic Movement.

It will be difficult for the process of peace reconstruction in Afghanistan to go smoothly, Wang said, calling on the international community to jointly encourage and support all the parties and nationalities in Afghanistan to cooperate in solidarity during the process.

For his part, Cavusoglu said he fully agrees with Wang on the Afghan issue.

China's views and stance on the Afghan situation are objective and fair, which respect the choice of the Afghan people and also encourage the Taliban to act in a responsible manner, Cavusoglu said.

He also urged relevant parties in Afghanistan to seek inclusive solutions and prevent the country from once again falling into a birthplace of terrorism.

Peace and stability in Afghanistan is very important for regional countries, including China and Turkey, he noted, adding that the situation in Kabul is gradually returning to calm and the Taliban is adjusting its domestic and foreign policies in a positive direction.

The Turkish side is willing to maintain close coordination and cooperation with the Chinese side, and push the situation in Afghanistan to develop in a favorable direction as soon as possible, he said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 11:22:07|Editor: huaxia

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LHASA, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- China on Thursday held a grand gathering to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the peaceful liberation of Tibet.

The event was held in Lhasa, capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region.

The national flag of the People's Republic of China was raised at the beginning of the celebration. People sang the national anthem.

A congratulatory message from the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the State Council, the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and the Central Military Commission was read.

Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, attended the gathering and presented congratulatory plaques and banners.

Wang also addressed the event.

Wang, who is leading a central delegation to Tibet, said the delegation is entrusted by the CPC Central Committee and Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, to jointly celebrate the 70th anniversary of Tibet's peaceful liberation with people of all ethnic groups in Tibet.

Wang called the peaceful liberation of Tibet in 1951 "a major victory in the cause of liberation of the Chinese people and China's reunification," saying it marked a historic transition with epoch-making significance for Tibet.

"Since then, Tibet has embarked on a path from darkness to brightness, from backwardness to progress, from poverty to prosperity, from autocracy to democracy, and from closeness to openness," Wang said. "A thriving socialist new Tibet is standing tall and firm at the rooftop of the world." Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 13:25:32|Editor: huaxia

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LHASA, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- China on Thursday held a grand gathering to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the peaceful liberation of Tibet.

The event was held in Lhasa, capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region.

The national flag of the People's Republic of China was raised at the beginning of the celebration. People sang the national anthem.

A congratulatory message from the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the State Council, the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and the Central Military Commission was read.

Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, attended the gathering and presented congratulatory plaques and banners.

Wang also addressed the event.

Wang, who is leading a central delegation to Tibet, said the delegation is entrusted by the CPC Central Committee and Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, to jointly celebrate the 70th anniversary of Tibet's peaceful liberation with people of all ethnic groups in Tibet.

Wang called the peaceful liberation of Tibet in 1951 "a major victory in the cause of liberation of the Chinese people and China's reunification," saying it marked a historic transition with epoch-making significance for Tibet.

"Since then, Tibet has embarked on a path from darkness to brightness, from backwardness to progress, from poverty to prosperity, from autocracy to democracy, and from closeness to openness," Wang said. "A thriving socialist new Tibet is standing tall and firm at the rooftop of the world."

In the old Tibet, the reactionary and barbarous feudal serfdom was practiced.

With the establishment of socialist system and regional ethnic autonomy, the rights of people of all ethnic groups in Tibet to equal participation in the governance of state affairs and to administration of affairs of the autonomous region are fully ensured.

At present, Tibet has over 35,000 deputies of people's congresses and over 8,000 CPPCC members at various levels, 90 percent of whom are ethnic minorities, Wang said.

In the old days, agriculture and livestock in Tibet were at the mercy of nature; industry was non-existent; and a round trip between Xining and Lhasa would take more than six months.

The GDP in Tibet soared past 190 billion yuan (about 29.3 billion U.S. dollars) in 2020 from merely 130 million yuan in 1951, Wang noted.

During the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020), Tibet hosted close to 160 million tourist visits.

Now 140 flights connect Tibet with the rest of the country and the world.

In the old Tibet, over 90 percent of Tibetans struggled for subsistence, and up to 95 percent were illiterate. Today, hunger and poverty is a thing of the past for people of all ethnic groups in Tibet, and per capita living space in Tibet is close to 40 square meters.

Meanwhile, the 15-year public-funded education is conducted across the region, ending the long-standing issue of school drop-out, Wang noted.

The average life expectancy has risen from 35.5 years in 1951 to 71.1 years.

Highlighting progress in ethnic unity in Tibet, Wang said separatist and sabotage activities committed by the Dalai group and hostile external forces have been crushed.

The central government has invested huge manpower, resources and funding to preserve and develop Tibet's fine traditional culture, Wang noted.

The Tibetan language is used extensively. Precious classics such as Epic of King Gesar were saved and collated. Close to 800 projects including thangka, Tibetan opera and Tibetan medicine have been placed on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Religious beliefs of all ethnic groups are fully respected, Wang said.

More than 1,700 temples in Tibet have full access to water, electricity, the Internet, fire fighting and other facilities. All of the 46,000 monks and nuns are covered by the government's social security scheme.

The Potala Palace, the Jokhang Temple and other temples and sites have been renovated and are under protection.

"Since the 18th CPC National Congress, Tibet has entered a new era, an era in which greater development and bigger changes have been made and more benefits delivered to the people than in the past," Wang said.

The region ranks among the top three in China in terms of annual average growth rate, and it has topped the country in terms of growth of per capita disposable income of rural residents for many years. Around 628,000 people have been lifted out of poverty.

"Together with the rest of the country, Tibet has, as envisaged, finished the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects," Wang said.

Tibet has reached a new historical starting point in pursuing its economic and social development, Wang noted, stressing the need to always follow the leadership of the CPC and march steadily on the path of building socialism with distinctive Chinese features.

"Only by following the CPC leadership and pursuing the path of socialism, can Tibet achieve development and prosperity," Wang said.

Stressing harmony and stability in Tibet and national security and stability in the border areas, Wang said officials and the general public of all ethnic groups should be mobilized to forge an ironclad defense against separatist activities.

He also called for efforts to ensure that religions in China are Chinese in orientation and guide Tibetan Buddhism in adapting itself to socialist society.

"No one outside China has the right to point fingers at us when it comes to Tibetan affairs," Wang said. "Any attempt or maneuver designed to separate Tibet from China is doomed to fail."

Urging fostering a strong sense of the Chinese nation as one community and advancing ethnic unity and progress, Wang said the Chinese culture has always been a bond that fosters a sense of togetherness and belonging among people of all ethnic groups in Tibet.

He demanded all-round efforts to teach standard spoken and written Chinese language and foster and share the cultural symbols and images of the Chinese nation among all ethnic groups.

Wang said the people-centered development philosophy should be followed and high-quality economic and social development should be promoted.

He also promised that the CPC Central Committee's input in and support for the development of Tibet will only increase, not decrease.

He reiterated the CPC Central Committee's support to Tibet in building a national demonstration region on ecological conservation, piloting a comprehensive ecological compensation program, and conducting comprehensive scientific research on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 14:58:18|Editor: huaxia

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Ma Yuan (C) and a senior doctor (L) discuss on a case at Haidian Hospital in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 12, 2021. Ma Yuan, 28, is a resident orthopedic doctor at Haidian Hospital in Beijing. During working hours, Ma needs to attend morning shift meetings, follow superior doctors to make the rounds of the wards, participate in surgeries and etc. Sometimes Ma has to work continuously for up to 36 hours. Although the workflow is the same almost every day, there are different challenges in clinical work. As a young doctor, Ma often deals with new problems in his work. In his spare time, Ma reads medical monographs to strengthen the study of theoretical knowledge. In addition, he also consults seniors for advice. By chance, Ma learned that the hospital is calling on young medical workers to share medical knowledge through new media platforms. He joined a short video shooting team of the hospital. The team recorded some simple and humorous short videos to publicize medical knowledge in a relatively simple way. At present, orthopedic surgery can be completed with robot assistance, which can help doctors improve the accuracy and safety of surgery. Ma wants to learn more about orthopedic robotic surgery technology to better serve patients. (Xinhua/Ren Chao)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 15:24:15|Editor: huaxia

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WASHINGTON, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Blame game has intensified in Washington as the While House is scrambling to contain the fallout of a humiliating end to the 20-year war in Afghanistan and Republicans are sparing no efforts to exploit President Joe Biden's handling of the messy withdrawal from Kabul.

"I don't think it could have been handled in a way that ... but the idea that somehow, to have gotten out without chaos ensuing, I don't know how that happens," said Biden in an interview with ABC News on Wednesday.

Reiterating his defense of the withdrawal from Afghanistan, Biden blamed the Afghan government and the U.S.-trained Afghan military for not more forcibly defending the capital of Kabul which fell to the Taliban militia on Sunday.

The militia, which the U.S. overthrew in 2001, has taken over Afghanistan just two weeks before the United States was planning to complete its withdrawal of troops from the war-torn country.

In a televised speech from the White House on Monday, Biden made similar remarks during which he also cast blame on his predecessor for the unfolding crisis in Afghanistan.

"The choice I had to make as your president was either to follow through on that agreement or be prepared to go back to fighting the Taliban in the middle of the spring fighting season," Biden said, referring the deal former U.S. President Donald Trump inked with the Taliban to withdraw U.S. forces by May 1.

In an interview with Sean Hannity on his Fox News show Tuesday night, Trump called Biden's handling of the situation "the greatest embarrassment in the history of our country while blaming Biden for not getting American soldiers and civilians out of the country in time.

The two senior politicians actually started to play the blaming game on Saturday when the threat of Kabul falling to the Taliban loomed large.

Biden then criticized Trump for empowering the Taliban and leaving them "in the strongest position militarily since 2001." Trump responded with a statement that Biden had "ran out of Afghanistan instead of following the plan our Administration left for him."

The Biden administration is about to face a grilling from both the House and Senate over the bungled U.S. exit from Afghanistan, reported The Hill, a U.S. political website, on Wednesday.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy sent Biden a letter on Wednesday requesting a briefing or call next week for the "Gang of Eight" -- the top four congressional leaders and top members of the House and Senate Intelligence Committees, said the report. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has also requested three briefings.

Democrats "largely support Biden's ultimate endgame of withdrawing U.S. troops from Afghanistan" while Republicans are launching "heavy broadsides against Biden, viewing the Afghanistan exit a messy misstep of his own making," it said.

"This is President Biden's Saigon moment," House Minority Whip Steve Scalise said Sunday on CBS' Face the Nation, referring to the chaotic departure from Vietnam in 1975.

A number of U.S. media outlets blasted Biden for what they called a mishandling of the troop withdrawal too.

On Sunday, CNN's Jake Tapper on "State of the Union" labeled the issue a foreign policy "disaster" that caught the president "flat-footed."

The Atlantic Monthly, a moderate liberal publication, ran a headline referring to what the magazine called Biden's "Betrayal of Afghans."

In an email to reporters, Harry J. Kazianis, senior Director at the Center for the National Interest, founded by former President Richard Nixon, said:"While we should not place the entire blame of Afghanistan's rapid collapse on Joe Biden's shoulders, we should rightly criticize the haphazard way in which U.S. forces left Afghanistan with very little thought to what happens after to the population."

Jason Campbell, policy researcher at the non-partisan RAND Corporation, said in an email to reporters: "While things are currently developing fast on the ground, the position the Taliban currently find themselves in did not occur overnight.

"The Taliban has powerful reasons not to govern as in the 1990s, if they want aid and recognition-but we will see," Michael O'Hanlon, a Brookings Institution senior fellow, told Xinhua.

Washington's initial objective, 20 years ago, was to kill or capture key al-Qaeda leaders that the Taliban was harboring.

Since then, Washington has spent nearly 1 trillion dollars on defending the nation against the Taliban, and many lives were lost in the effort.

"Over two decades," said Malou Innocent, an adjunct scholar at The Cato Institute, "U.S. military strategists had become engulfed in mission creep, in a failed attempt to create a Western-style Democracy in the embattled nation."

"It was a gross misrepresentation to assume that we could graft Western institutions onto inhospitable local conditions," Innocent told Xinhua.

David Harper, a retiree and military veteran in the U.S. state of Virginia, told Xinhua it's "sad" that U.S. troops who defended Afghanistan from the Taliban for two decades "died for nothing." He blamed Biden for the Taliban takeover. Enditem

(Matthew Rusling also contributed to the report)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 15:55:20|Editor: huaxia

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File photo shows China's new Ambassador to the United States Qin Gang making remarks to Chinese and U.S. media upon arrival in the United States on July 28, 2021. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

People-to-people relations underpin state-to-state relations and it is hoped that the two peoples will strengthen friendly exchanges, bridge misunderstanding with friendship and replace suspicion with trust, the Chinese ambassador said.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Ambassador to the United States Qin Gang on Wednesday said that people-to-people relations are essential to the development of U.S.-China ties.

Qin made the remarks during a virtual meeting with old friends of the midwestern state of Iowa Sarah Lande, former executive director of Iowa Sister States, and Kenneth Quinn, former U.S. ambassador to Cambodia, according to a press release posted on the website of the Chinese embassy.

Students from Shanghai Foreign Language School affiliated with Shanghai International Studies University sing the song of "Seasons of Love" from Broadway musical Rent at Aaron Copland School of Music of Queens College in New York, the United States, on Aug. 4, 2019. (Xinhua/Liu Yanan)

He expressed high appreciation and respect to them for their long-term commitment to promoting friendly exchanges and sub-national cooperation between China and the United States.

People-to-people relations underpin state-to-state relations and it is hoped that the two peoples will strengthen friendly exchanges, bridge misunderstanding with friendship and replace suspicion with trust, Qin stressed.

The ambassador also expressed his wishes to see more fruitful cooperation between China and Iowa.

A pupil from Intercultural Montessori Language School learns Chinese calligraphy in Chicago, the United States, June 2, 2019. (Xinhua/Stringer)

Extending welcome to Qin for assuming office, Lande and Quinn said that the U.S.-China friendship has a profound foundation, and they greatly cherish their sincere friendship with President Xi Jinping and Professor Peng Liyuan.

They believed that the stable development of U.S.-China relations meets the common expectation of the two peoples, and that the two countries should strengthen cooperation.

Lande and Quinn also pledged to continue to make positive efforts for U.S.-China friendship. 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 16:30:30|Editor: huaxia

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HONG KONG, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong's Center for Health Protection (CHP) reported five new imported cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, taking the total tally to 12,047.

A total of 46 cases have been reported in the past 14 days, including two local cases with unknown origins and an import-related case, with the rest imported.

Hong Kong's vaccination drive is progressing steadily. Around 3.83 million people, or 56.9 percent of the eligible population, have taken at least one shot of the vaccine since the rollout of a government inoculation program in late February. Nearly 3 million people have been fully vaccinated, accounting for 44.4 percent of the eligible groups. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 17:12:31|Editor: huaxia

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Aerial photo taken on Oct. 27, 2019 shows a long-span bridge on the Sichuan-Tibet Highway in Tangmai, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Sun Fei)

LHASA, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- China's Tibet Autonomous Region is celebrating the 70th anniversary of peaceful liberation -- a turning point in the region's history -- as it starts a new journey of modernization after decades of leapfrog development.

With the peaceful liberation in 1951, the people of Tibet broke free from the fetters of invading imperialism for good, and embarked on a bright road of unity, progress and development.

Aerial photo taken on May 29, 2020 shows a road to Mount Qomolangma base camp, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Purbu Zhaxi)

Aerial photo taken on Jan. 28, 2021 shows a section of the Lhasa-Nagqu high-grade highway and the Qinghai-Tibet railway crossing each other in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Purbu Zhaxi)

Aerial photo taken on July 22, 2021 shows Nyingchi Railway Station on the Lhasa-Nyingchi railway in Nyingchi, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Purbu Zhaxi)

Aerial photo taken on Sept. 8, 2020 shows workers operating on the power line in Jilung County, Xigaze City of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. (Xinhua)

Aerial photo taken on Nov. 27, 2020 shows a 220-kV transformer substation in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Zhan Yan)

Aerial photo taken on Dec. 24, 2019 shows a 110-kV power transformer substation in Tsonyi County, Nagqu City, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Sun Fei)

Aerial photo taken on June 2, 2021 shows a forested section of the Yarlung Zangbo River in Shannan City of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Sun Ruibo)

Aerial photo taken on Oct. 24, 2019 shows forests in Medog County of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Purbu Zhaxi)

Aerial photo taken on March 10, 2018 shows a black-necked crane in Lhunzhub County, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Purbu Zhaxi)

Aerial photo taken on Jan. 10, 2021 shows a view of the Yamzbog Yumco Lake in Shannan, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Sun Fei)

Aerial photo taken on June 5, 2019 shows a view of Lhalu Wetland National Nature Reserve in Lhasa, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Purbu Zhaxi)

Aerial photo taken on Dec. 23, 2019 shows a group of Tibetan wild donkeys running in Nagqu, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Sun Fei)

Aerial photo taken on May 10, 2020 shows glacier near the advance camp at an altitude of 6,500 meters on Mount Qomolangma. (Xinhua/Sun Fei)

Aerial photo taken on Oct. 7, 2018 shows a night view of the Potala Palace in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Purbu Zhaxi)

Aerial photo taken on Oct. 7, 2020 shows a night view of Qamdo City of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorje)

Combo photo shows a view of Lhasa City of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region in 1955 (top, taken by Lan Zhigui) and on Aug. 10, 2019 (bottom, taken by Li Xin) respectively. (Xinhua)

Aerial photo taken on June 4, 2021 shows a night view of Nyingchi City of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. (Photo by Dong Zhixiong/Xinhua)

Combo photo shows a view of Bayi Township in Nyingchi, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region in 1991 (top, taken by Chen Xie) and on July 20, 2021 (bottom, taken by Purbu Zhaxi) respectively. (Xinhua/Purbu Zhaxi)

Aerial photo taken on Aug. 24, 2020 shows the Sijijixiang Village, a relocation village, of Caina Township in Quxu County, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. It was among the first relocation sites for poverty alleviation in the region. (Xinhua/Sun Fei)

Aerial photo taken on Sept. 21, 2020 shows a poverty-relief relocation village of Zongang County in Qamdo City, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorje)

Aerial photo taken on Sept. 24, 2020 shows a relocation site for poverty alleviation in Gonggar County, Shannan City of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Sun Fei)

In this combo photo, the upper part taken by Zhaduen in 1998 shows a panoramic view of Xigaze City of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region; the lower part is an aerial photo taken by Zhang Zhenqi on July 12, 2019 showing a view of Xigaze City. (Xinhua)

In this combo photo, the left part taken by Ren Yongzhao and released on Dec. 24, 1964 shows a view of Qamdo City of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region; the right part is an aerial photo taken by Sun Fei on March 25, 2021 showing a view of Karub District of Qamdo City. (Xinhua)

In this combo photo, the upper part taken in 1981 by Yuan Kezhong shows a view of Nagqu Township in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region; the lower part is a screen shot from an aerial video taken by Purbu Zhaxi showing a view of the downtown area of Nagqu City. (Xinhua)

In this combo photo, the upper part taken by Cai Long and released on Jan. 9, 1981 shows a view of Medog County before it had any highway in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region; the lower part is an aerial photo taken by Sun Fei on Feb. 13, 2021 showing a view of the same county, which has ended its isolation from the outside in 2013 with the opening of a highway. (Xinhua)

In this combo photo, the upper part taken by Xu Bang and released on March 17, 1971 shows a view of Shiquanhe Township in Ngari of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region; the lower part is an aerial photo taken by Sun Ruibo on May 21, 2021 showing a view of the same township. (Xinhua)

In this combo photo, the upper part taken by Gu Shoukang and released on Nov. 30, 1979 shows a view of Zedang Township in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region; the lower part is an aerial photo taken by Cering Lungbu on Nov. 26, 2020 showing a view of the same township. On May 23, 1951, the Agreement of the Central People's Government and the Local Government of Tibet on Measures for the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet (17-Article Agreement) was signed, officially proclaiming the peaceful liberation of Tibet. The year 2021 marks the 70th anniversary of the historic event. (Xinhua)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 17:33:22|Editor: huaxia

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Photo taken in Arlington, Virginia, the United States, on Aug. 16, 2021 shows a screen displaying U.S. President Joe Biden delivering remarks on Afghanistan at the White House in Washington, D.C. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

Biden criticized Trump for empowering the Taliban and leaving them "in the strongest position militarily since 2001." Trump responded with a statement that Biden had "ran out of Afghanistan instead of following the plan our Administration left for him."

WASHINGTON, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Blame game has intensified in Washington as the White House is scrambling to contain the fallout of a humiliating end to the 20-year war in Afghanistan and Republicans are sparing no efforts to exploit President Joe Biden's handling of the messy withdrawal from Kabul.

"I don't think it could have been handled in a way that ... but the idea that somehow, to have gotten out without chaos ensuing, I don't know how that happens," said Biden in an interview with ABC News on Wednesday.

Reiterating his defense of the withdrawal from Afghanistan, Biden blamed the Afghan government and the U.S.-trained Afghan military for not more forcibly defending the capital of Kabul which fell to the Taliban militia on Sunday.

Cartoon: American-style blame-shifting. (Xinhua/ Yu Aicen)

The militia, which the U.S. overthrew in 2001, has taken over Afghanistan just two weeks before the United States was planning to complete its withdrawal of troops from the war-torn country.

In a televised speech from the White House on Monday, Biden made similar remarks during which he also cast blame on his predecessor for the unfolding crisis in Afghanistan.

"The choice I had to make as your president was either to follow through on that agreement or be prepared to go back to fighting the Taliban in the middle of the spring fighting season," Biden said, referring to the deal former U.S. President Donald Trump inked with the Taliban to withdraw U.S. forces by May 1.

In an interview with Sean Hannity on his Fox News show Tuesday night, Trump called Biden's handling of the situation "the greatest embarrassment in the history of our country while blaming Biden for not getting American soldiers and civilians out of the country in time.

The two senior politicians actually started to play the blaming game on Saturday when the threat of Kabul falling to the Taliban loomed large.

Afghan Taliban fighters stand guard in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, Aug. 16, 2021. (Str/Xinhua)

Biden then criticized Trump for empowering the Taliban and leaving them "in the strongest position militarily since 2001." Trump responded with a statement that Biden had "ran out of Afghanistan instead of following the plan our Administration left for him."

The Biden administration is about to face a grilling from both the House and Senate over the bungled U.S. exit from Afghanistan, reported The Hill, a U.S. political website, on Wednesday.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy sent Biden a letter on Wednesday requesting a briefing or call next week for the "Gang of Eight" -- the top four congressional leaders and top members of the House and Senate Intelligence Committees, said the report. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has also requested three briefings.

Democrats "largely support Biden's ultimate endgame of withdrawing U.S. troops from Afghanistan" while Republicans are launching "heavy broadsides against Biden, viewing the Afghanistan exit a messy misstep of his own making," it said.

"This is President Biden's Saigon moment," House Minority Whip Steve Scalise said Sunday on CBS' Face the Nation, referring to the chaotic departure from Vietnam in 1975.

A number of U.S. media outlets blasted Biden for what they called a mishandling of the troop withdrawal too.

On Sunday, CNN's Jake Tapper on "State of the Union" labeled the issue a foreign policy "disaster" that caught the president "flat-footed."

The Atlantic Monthly, a moderate liberal publication, ran a headline referring to what the magazine called Biden's "Betrayal of Afghans."

Taliban fighters are seen on a military vehicle in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, Aug. 17, 2021. (Str/Xinhua)

In an email to reporters, Harry J. Kazianis, Senior Director at the Center for the National Interest, founded by former President Richard Nixon, said: "While we should not place the entire blame of Afghanistan's rapid collapse on Joe Biden's shoulders, we should rightly criticize the haphazard way in which U.S. forces left Afghanistan with very little thought to what happens after to the population."

Jason Campbell, policy researcher at the non-partisan RAND Corporation, said in an email to reporters: "While things are currently developing fast on the ground, the position the Taliban currently find themselves in did not occur overnight."

"The Taliban has powerful reasons not to govern as in the 1990s, if they want aid and recognition-but we will see," Michael O'Hanlon, a Brookings Institution senior fellow, told Xinhua.

Photo taken on July 8, 2021 shows military vehicles abandoned by U.S. forces at the Bagram Airfield base after all U.S. (Xinhua/Rahmatullah ALizadah)

Washington's initial objective, 20 years ago, was to kill or capture key al-Qaeda leaders that the Taliban was harboring.

Since then, Washington has spent nearly 1 trillion dollars on defending the nation against the Taliban, and many lives were lost in the effort.

"Over two decades," said Malou Innocent, an adjunct scholar at The Cato Institute, "U.S. military strategists had become engulfed in mission creep, in a failed attempt to create a Western-style Democracy in the embattled nation."

"It was a gross misrepresentation to assume that we could graft Western institutions onto inhospitable local conditions," Innocent told Xinhua.

David Harper, a retiree and military veteran in the U.S. state of Virginia, told Xinhua it's "sad" that U.S. troops who defended Afghanistan from the Taliban for two decades "died for nothing." He blamed Biden for the Taliban takeover. Enditem

(Matthew Rusling also contributed to the report)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 18:35:02|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- As a staunch champion for the international humanitarian spirit, China, under the leadership of President Xi Jinping, has taken the lead in providing international aid to various countries.

With the COVID-19 pandemic still raging, Xi put forward the proposal of jointly building a community of common health for humankind, calling for active engagement in jointly battling the pandemic and enhancing global public health governance.

Having initiated the largest global humanitarian efforts in its history, China by April had provided or was offering anti-epidemic aid to 151 countries and 14 international organizations, and sent 37 medical expert teams to 34 countries, said a white paper released by China's State Council Information Office in June.

Xi promised on various occasions to make China's COVID-19 vaccines a global public good, and China has joined COVAX, a global initiative backed by the World Health Organization, to ensure effective and equitable global access to vaccines.

"China will provide 2 billion U.S. dollars over two years to help with COVID-19 response and with economic and social development in affected countries, especially developing countries," Xi said on May 18 as he announced concrete measures to boost global fight against COVID-19, addressing the opening of the 73rd session of the World Health Assembly via video link.

China will work with the United Nations to set up a global humanitarian response depot and hub in China, ensure the operation of anti-epidemic supply chains and foster "green corridors" for fast-track transportation and customs clearance, he said.

When the pandemic started to rage in the Arab world, China delivered much-needed supplies and shared its experience combatting the disease via video conferences with medical staff from 21 Arab states and sent medical experts to eight Arab states.

China and Arab states have offered mutual assistance and staunch support to each other, and engaged in close cooperation since the COVID-19 outbreak, Xi said in a congratulatory letter to the 9th ministerial meeting of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum held on July 6, 2020, stressing that under the current circumstances, it is more necessary than ever for the two sides to step up cooperation and join hands in tiding over difficulties.

When Africa was short of anti-pandemic goods last year, China overcame difficulties in international transportation and delivered anti-pandemic goods to 53 countries in Africa.

The African Union in July 2019 praised China for its continuous support for public health in the continent as China fulfilled the promises it had made to the African people, referring to Xi's announcement during the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing in September 2018, that China decided to upgrade 50 medical and health aid programs for Africa, particularly flagship projects such as the headquarters of the Africa Centers for Disease Prevention and Control.

In January 2017, when delivering a keynote speech at the United Nations Office at Geneva, Xi said that China had provided foreign countries with over 400 billion yuan (about 58.4 billion U.S. dollars then) in aid between 1950 and 2016, pledging that China would remain unchanged in its commitment to pursue common development.

Also in the speech, Xi announced that China decided to provide an additional 200 million yuan (about 29 million dollars) of humanitarian assistance for refugees and the displaced of Syria.

In April 2016, China provided two million dollars in cash and humanitarian aid worth 9.2 million dollars for Ecuador hit by a 7.8-magnitude earthquake that killed almost 700 people, injured nearly 5,000 and displaced much more.

"China will take an active part in Ecuador's post-quake rebuilding, and continue to provide support in housing, medical treatment, human resources and disaster prevention and reduction," Xi said in November 2016 when visiting the headquarters of Ecuador's national emergency response system ECU-911. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 20:10:04|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- China urges the Canadian government to immediately correct its mistakes and release Huawei's chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou, so that she can return to China safely at an early date, the Foreign Ministry's spokesperson Hua Chunying said Thursday.

China has, from the very beginning, stressed that the Meng Wanzhou case is a political incident through and through, which was created by the U.S. government out of nothing but attempts to suppress China's hi-tech companies and thwart China's progress in science and technology, Hua said.

This has been increasingly evident as more and more people have fully understood and recognized the facts around the case, she added.

Stressing the fact that Meng, who did nothing in violation of Canadian laws, has been arbitrarily detained for nearly 1,000 days, Hua said this is a textbook case of coercion and human rights infringement.

She said that the Canadian government has been acting as an accomplice for the U.S. side and bears inescapable responsibilities in this incident, which certainly infuriated the Chinese people.

"We have taken note that some insightful people in Canada have also called for the government to stop Meng Wanzhou's extradition process in accordance with the Canadian law," she said.

China urges the Canadian government to heed the call for justice, show the spirit of independence and courage, and release Meng immediately, she added. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 20:10:35|Editor: huaxia

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MOGADISHU, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations on Thursday called on all parties in Somalia to protect humanitarian workers who provide life-saving assistance to vulnerable persons in the country.

Adam Abdelmoula, UN resident coordinator and humanitarian coordinator for Somalia, said 146 incidents impacting humanitarian operations have been recorded in Somalia since the start of 2021 and in the first seven months of 2021, one humanitarian worker was killed, five more injured, one abducted and three detained or temporarily arrested.

"Targeting humanitarian workers is an egregious violation of international humanitarian law and such attacks must never be tolerated. I implore all parties to do their part to ensure protection of all humanitarian workers as they continue to provide support to the most at-risk communities," he said in a statement issued to mark the World Humanitarian Day which fell on Thursday.

While urging Somalia and its partners to act collectively and urgently to stave off further destruction of the planet as the climate crisis continues to ravage the world, Abdelmoula said Somalia is a prime example of how the climate emergency disproportionately impacts the most vulnerable, despite the fact that they contribute to it the least.

"We are in a race against time, a race to prioritize and address the needs of the most vulnerable Somalis and to break this vicious cycle of environmental degradation, displacement and loss of livelihoods," he said. "This means investment in short, medium and long-term solutions that can resist future climate shocks, use of nature-based solutions and low carbon energy sources, and strengthening resilience and adaptive capabilities of the affected communities."

According to Abdelmoula, the country's cyclical droughts and floods make water either a short supply with drought-like conditions or a destructive force that sweeps away all life in its path and breaks embankments. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 20:12:28|Editor: huaxia

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BEIRUT, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Hezbollah Leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Thursday warned the United States and Israel against intercepting shipment that will sail within hours from Iran to Lebanon carrying fuel oil, al-Manar local TV channel reported.

"I announce that our first ship that will be launched from Iran carrying the necessary products is ready ... and will sail for Lebanon within hours, ... I tell the Americans and Israelis: the fuel ship sailing from Iran is Lebanese territory, make no mistake about that," Nasrallah said in a televised address on the occasion of Ashura.

Nasrallah also accused the United States of "being partly responsible for Lebanon's economic collapse, with the U.S. embassy sponsoring this economic war in Lebanon."

Lebanon has been suffering from a shortage in fuel oil caused by the lack of U.S. currency reserves needed to import basic commodities. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 20:46:02|Editor: huaxia

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KABUL, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Taliban's supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada Thursday congratulated Afghans on the 102nd anniversary of the country's independence, Taliban spokesman Qari Yousaf Ahmadi said.

The statement came days after Taliban took control of capital Kabul on Sunday.

This year Afghans celebrated independence day as "it is a great honor for Afghans that their country is on the verge of independence from American occupation today," Ahmadi wrote on his Twitter account.

No major event was held in Kabul. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 21:02:38|Editor: huaxia

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Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, who is leading a central delegation to Tibet, presents congratulatory plaques and banners at a grand gathering to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the peaceful liberation of Tibet, in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, Aug. 19, 2021. President Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, wrote inscriptions "building a beautiful and happy Tibet and together fulfilling the great dream of national rejuvenation" on congratulatory plaques presented at the event. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)

LHASA, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- China on Thursday held a grand gathering to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the peaceful liberation of Tibet.

More than 20,000 people from various ethnic groups attended the event held in Lhasa, capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region.

President Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, wrote inscriptions "building a beautiful and happy Tibet and together fulfilling the great dream of national rejuvenation" on congratulatory plaques presented at the event.

The national flag of the People's Republic of China was raised at the beginning of the celebration. People sang the national anthem.

A congratulatory message from the CPC Central Committee, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the State Council, the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and the Central Military Commission was read.

Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, attended the gathering and presented congratulatory plaques and banners.

Wang also addressed the event.

Wang, who is leading a central delegation to Tibet, said the delegation is entrusted by the CPC Central Committee and Xi to jointly celebrate the 70th anniversary of Tibet's peaceful liberation with people of all ethnic groups in Tibet.

Wang called the peaceful liberation of Tibet in 1951 "a major victory in the cause of liberation of the Chinese people and China's reunification," saying it marked a historic transition with epoch-making significance for Tibet.

"Since then, Tibet has embarked on a path from darkness to brightness, from backwardness to progress, from poverty to prosperity, from autocracy to democracy, and from closeness to openness," Wang said. "A thriving socialist new Tibet is standing tall and firm at the rooftop of the world."

In the old Tibet, the reactionary and barbarous feudal serfdom was practiced.

With the establishment of socialist system and regional ethnic autonomy, the rights of people of all ethnic groups in Tibet to equal participation in the governance of state affairs and to administration of affairs of the autonomous region are fully ensured.

At present, Tibet has over 35,000 deputies of people's congresses and over 8,000 CPPCC members at various levels, 90 percent of whom are ethnic minorities, Wang said.

In the old days, agriculture and livestock in Tibet were at the mercy of nature; industry was non-existent; and a round trip between Xining and Lhasa would take more than six months.

The GDP in Tibet soared past 190 billion yuan (about 29.3 billion U.S. dollars) in 2020 from merely 130 million yuan in 1951, Wang noted.

During the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020), Tibet hosted close to 160 million tourist visits.

Now 140 flights connect Tibet with the rest of the country and the world.

In the old Tibet, over 90 percent of Tibetans struggled for subsistence, and up to 95 percent were illiterate. Today, hunger and poverty is a thing of the past for people of all ethnic groups in Tibet, and per capita living space in Tibet is close to 40 square meters.

Meanwhile, the 15-year public-funded education is conducted across the region, ending the long-standing issue of school drop-out, Wang noted.

The average life expectancy has risen from 35.5 years in 1951 to 71.1 years.

Highlighting progress in ethnic unity in Tibet, Wang said separatist and sabotage activities committed by the Dalai group and hostile external forces have been crushed.

The central government has invested huge manpower, resources and funding to preserve and develop Tibet's fine traditional culture, Wang noted.

The Tibetan language is used extensively. Precious classics such as Epic of King Gesar were saved and collated. Close to 800 projects including thangka, Tibetan opera and Tibetan medicine have been placed on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Religious beliefs of all ethnic groups are fully respected, Wang said.

More than 1,700 temples in Tibet have full access to water, electricity, the Internet, fire fighting and other facilities. All of the 46,000 monks and nuns are covered by the government's social security scheme.

The Potala Palace, the Jokhang Temple and other temples and sites have been renovated and are under protection.

"Since the 18th CPC National Congress, Tibet has entered a new era, an era in which greater development and bigger changes have been made and more benefits delivered to the people than in the past," Wang said.

The region ranks among the top three in China in terms of annual average growth rate, and it has topped the country in terms of growth of per capita disposable income of rural residents for many years. Around 628,000 people have been lifted out of poverty.

"Together with the rest of the country, Tibet has, as envisaged, finished the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects," Wang said.

Tibet has reached a new historical starting point in pursuing its economic and social development, Wang noted, stressing the need to always follow the leadership of the CPC and march steadily on the path of building socialism with distinctive Chinese features.

"Only by following the CPC leadership and pursuing the path of socialism, can Tibet achieve development and prosperity," Wang said.

Stressing harmony and stability in Tibet and national security and stability in the border areas, Wang said officials and the general public of all ethnic groups should be mobilized to forge an ironclad defense against separatist activities.

He also called for efforts to ensure that religions in China are Chinese in orientation and guide Tibetan Buddhism in adapting itself to socialist society.

"No one outside China has the right to point fingers at us when it comes to Tibetan affairs," Wang said. "Any attempt or maneuver designed to separate Tibet from China is doomed to fail."

Urging fostering a strong sense of the Chinese nation as one community and advancing ethnic unity and progress, Wang said the Chinese culture has always been a bond that fosters a sense of togetherness and belonging among people of all ethnic groups in Tibet.

He demanded all-round efforts to teach standard spoken and written Chinese language and foster and share the cultural symbols and images of the Chinese nation among all ethnic groups.

Wang said the people-centered development philosophy should be followed and high-quality economic and social development should be promoted.

He also promised that the CPC Central Committee's input in and support for the development of Tibet will only increase, not decrease.

He reiterated the CPC Central Committee's support to Tibet in building a national demonstration region on ecological conservation, piloting a comprehensive ecological compensation program, and conducting comprehensive scientific research on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 21:12:56|Editor: huaxia

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JERUSALEM, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Israeli airline workers on Thursday staged a demonstration at the Ben Gurion Airport outside Tel Aviv to express their dissatisfaction with the distressful work environment and low payment.

From 10 am to 12 am local time, hundreds of employees of Israel's major airlines El Al, Israir and Arkia halted their work and demonstrated at the airport, according to statements issued by Israeli largest worker union Histadrut with photos and videos.

The demonstrators claim that there has been severe employment distress in the Israeli aviation industry since the outbreak of the coronavirus crisis, the statement said.

Thousands of aviation workers have been laid off or put on unpaid leave since the crisis began, and many have not yet returned to work and fear for their job security ahead of the Jewish New Year in early September, it added.

Workers of the Israel Airports Authority, which operates the airport, joined the demonstrations to show solidarity, according to a statement issued by Israel Airports Authority.

As a result, more than 10 takeoffs were postponed, and baggages were not unloaded from landing planes. The airport has resumed operation after the two-hour demonstration. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 21:45:38|Editor: huaxia

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China's Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou arrives at the court in Vancouver, Canada, Aug. 18, 2021. Canada's British Columbia Supreme Court concluded the hearings of Meng Wanzhou's extradition case Wednesday afternoon, with a final decision expected to come later in October. (Photo by Liang Sen/Xinhua)

OTTAWA, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Canada's British Columbia Supreme Court concluded the hearings of Chinese Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou's extradition case Wednesday afternoon, with a final decision expected to come later in October.

The ruling on the extradition now rests with the court's Associate Chief Justice Heather Holmes, who reserved her decision on Wednesday and adjourned proceedings until Oct. 21 this year, adding that she would not have a verdict at that point.

Wednesday afternoon after the hearing ended, Huawei Canada made a statement on Twitter, saying "in Ms. Meng's defense, counsel raised four branches of abuse of process: political motivation, unlawful detention, material omissions and misstatements, and violations of customary international law."

"From the start, Huawei has been confident in Ms. Meng's innocence," said the statement, adding that Huawei "has been supporting Ms. Meng's pursuit of justice and freedom."

Meng, who did nothing in violation of Canadian laws, was arbitrarily detained on Dec. 1, 2018 at Vancouver International Airport at the request of the United States.

China urges the Canadian government to immediately correct its mistakes and release Meng, so that she can return to China safely at an early date. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 23:11:27|Editor: huaxia

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JERUSALEM, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- An ancient coin from nearly 1,900 years ago will fly with the second Israeli astronaut to space, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) said on Thursday.

The coin, recently uncovered in the Cave of Horror in the Judean Desert in southeastern Israel, bears the first name of Simon bar Kokhba, the leader of the third Jewish revolt against the Romans, between 132 and 136 AD.

Both sides of the coin also bear Jewish symbols, including a palm tree and a vine leaf.

Eytan Stibbe, the astronaut, is scheduled to fly into space on a private flight aboard a SpaceX spacecraft in early 2022.

Stibbe was presented with the coin on Thursday during a visit to the IAA Dead Sea Scrolls laboratory, where he viewed scrolls written in the Aramaic language over 2,000 years ago, which already then discussed celestial bodies.

"I will be taking to space a bag filled with items that have a special meaning to me. It was clear to me that one of them will be a symbol of Jewish history," said the astronaut.

Eli Eskosido, Director of the IAA, added that "the Jews who struck this coin while fighting for their independence could not have imagined in their wildest dreams that it will make its way to space with a Jewish astronaut who lives in an independent Jewish state."

He added that "Bar Kokhba means 'son of a star' in Hebrew, and today this name receives an added symbolic meaning." Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 23:16:36|Editor: huaxia

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WASHINGTON, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- A U.S. House office building was evacuated Thursday morning as the Capitol Police said officers were investigating a "bomb threat" posed by a "suspicious vehicle" near the Library of Congress, which is adjacent to the Capitol building.

The police said in a tweet that "an active bomb threat investigation" is being carried out on site. In an earlier tweet, police said they were responding to a "suspicious vehicle," urging the public to stay away from the surrounding area.

Police ordered the evacuation of the Cannon House Office Building and the Library of Congress' Jefferson Building, according to alerts sent to congressional staff. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 23:26:43|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said Thursday China is ready to work with Arab states to jointly build the Belt and Road with high quality and advance China-Arab strategic partnership to a higher level.

Xi made the remarks in a congratulatory letter to the fifth China-Arab States Expo, which opened Thursday in Yinchuan, the capital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in northwest China.

More than 1,000 domestic and overseas enterprises have registered as exhibitors in offline and virtual events.

As one of the expo's major events, the Belt and Road Investment Promotion Conference held on Thursday afternoon witnessed the signing of 13 cooperation projects under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), involving a total of 4 billion yuan, or about 617 million U.S. dollars.

FRUITFUL COOPERATION

China and Arab states have in recent years continued to strengthen strategic coordination and synergy of actions, and the joint construction of the Belt and Road has achieved fruitful results, Xi said in the letter.

Bound by the history of the ancient Silk Road, China and Arab states are natural partners for BRI cooperation and have notable complementarity. So far, China has signed BRI cooperation documents with 19 Arab countries and the Arab League.

The initiative serves as an opportunity to achieve the common development of participating countries and advance China-Arab strategic partnership, as noted in a declaration of actions on China-Arab BRI cooperation inked in 2018.

Xi said that China remains the largest trading partner of Arab countries.

In 2020, the total trade volume between China and Arab states was 239.8 billion U.S. dollars. Arab states' imports from China reached 122.9 billion U.S. dollars, up 2.1 percent year on year despite the impact of the pandemic. That is proof of the great resilience, potential and concrete achievements of China-Arab cooperation.

Xi also said that in the face of COVID-19, China and Arab countries have joined hands to fight the pandemic, setting an example of helping each other and overcoming difficulties together.

China and Arab states have shown great sincerity in jointly countering pandemic challenges. Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud was among the first foreign heads of state to hold a phone call with Xi voicing support for China's COVID-19 response back in 2020, and China and the United Arab Emirates jointly conducted the world's first international phase three clinical trials of inactivated COVID-19 vaccines. So far, China has donated and exported more than 72 million doses of vaccines to 17 Arab states and the Arab League.

"The construction of the BRI in the economic and health sectors, among others, has been gaining momentum during the pandemic, which demonstrates progress toward the construction of a China-Arab states community with a shared future, oriented to the new era," said Su Xiaohui, a researcher at the China Institute of International Studies.

China will now work to meet the need for COVID-19 vaccines in Arab countries, and work with Arab states to further cooperate on the local production of vaccines, said Zhai Jun, China's special envoy on Middle East affairs, at the opening of the expo. "We will build on the BRI cooperation momentum to further synergize development strategies and help realize the dreams of national rejuvenation for both sides," he said.

PROMOTING COOPERATION, DEVELOPMENT

China is ready to work with Arab states to seek cooperation and development, promote peaceful development, achieve mutual benefit and win-win results, jointly build the Belt and Road with high quality, Xi noted in the letter.

The expo features exhibition areas with themes including the digital economy, clean energy and cross-border e-commerce.

"These arrangements stand as barometers of the continuous upgrading of the BRI in the post-pandemic era, indicating new growth areas in technology-empowered sectors -- not including infrastructure and production capacity cooperation -- as well as new cooperation dividends for both sides," said Ding Long, a professor at the Middle East Studies Institute at the Shanghai International Studies University.

Moroccan Prime Minister Saad Eddine El Othmani said via video that Arab countries and China are highly complementary in economy and enjoy broad prospects for cooperation. He noted that Morocco has actively participated and played a constructive role in the BRI, and has seen great progress in the country's infrastructure.

Kazakhstan's First Deputy Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov said that the BRI has proven to be practical and successful, and the proposal of building a digital Silk Road and a green Silk Road will make contributions to the low-carbon development of the world.

Stressing that new opportunities will be brought to countries along the Belt and Road, Tunisian Foreign Minister Othman Jerandi said that joint efforts to safeguard regional security and stability are vital for the further development of the initiative.

"China-Arab BRI cooperation will help rally forces to build clusters and highlands of advanced economies, providing powerful engines of technology, expertise and service so as to promote global recovery and contribute to maintaining an open world economy that benefits all," said Gao Shangtao, director of the Center for Middle East Studies at China Foreign Affairs University. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 23:29:17|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), the State Council, the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and the Central Military Commission on Thursday sent a congratulatory message in celebration of the 70th anniversary of the peaceful liberation of Tibet.

Please see the attachment for the full text of the congratulatory message. Enditem

Full Text
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 23:50:52|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Increasingly rampant provocations by "Taiwan independence" forces will lead the secessionists to their doom even sooner, a Chinese mainland spokesperson said Thursday.

Ma Xiaoguang, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, made the statement in response to Taiwan politician Yu Shyi-kun's recent interview with the Voice of America.

Yu's words showed he is willing to be the pawn of external forces and have exposed him as a stubborn secessionist seeking "Taiwan independence," Ma said.

Ma warned that no one should underestimate the Chinese people's resolve, determination and ability to safeguard China's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-20 00:07:35|Editor: huaxia

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LHASA, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- China on Thursday held a grand gathering to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the peaceful liberation of Tibet.

The event was held in Lhasa, capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region.

Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, delivered a speech at the event.

Wang heads a central delegation to Tibet for the celebration.

Please see the attachment for the full text of the speech. Enditem

Full text
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-20 00:21:28|Editor: huaxia

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Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, who is leading a central delegation to Tibet, presents congratulatory plaques and banners at a grand gathering to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the peaceful liberation of Tibet, in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, Aug. 19, 2021. President Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, wrote inscriptions "building a beautiful and happy Tibet and together fulfilling the great dream of national rejuvenation" on congratulatory plaques presented at the event. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)

LHASA, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- China on Thursday held a grand gathering to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the peaceful liberation of Tibet.

More than 20,000 people from various ethnic groups attended the event held in Lhasa, capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region.

President Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, wrote inscriptions "building a beautiful and happy Tibet and together fulfilling the great dream of national rejuvenation" on congratulatory plaques presented at the event.

The national flag of the People's Republic of China was raised at the beginning of the celebration. People sang the national anthem.

A congratulatory message from the CPC Central Committee, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the State Council, the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and the Central Military Commission was read.

Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, attended the gathering and presented congratulatory plaques and banners.

Wang also addressed the event.

Wang, who is leading a central delegation to Tibet, said the delegation is entrusted by the CPC Central Committee and Xi to jointly celebrate the 70th anniversary of Tibet's peaceful liberation with people of all ethnic groups in Tibet.

Wang called the peaceful liberation of Tibet in 1951 "a major victory in the cause of liberation of the Chinese people and China's reunification," saying it marked a historic transition with epoch-making significance for Tibet.

"Since then, Tibet has embarked on a path from darkness to brightness, from backwardness to progress, from poverty to prosperity, from autocracy to democracy, and from closeness to openness," Wang said. "A thriving socialist new Tibet is standing tall and firm at the rooftop of the world."

In the old Tibet, the reactionary and barbarous feudal serfdom was practiced.

With the establishment of socialist system and regional ethnic autonomy, the rights of people of all ethnic groups in Tibet to equal participation in the governance of state affairs and to administration of affairs of the autonomous region are fully ensured.

At present, Tibet has over 35,000 deputies of people's congresses and over 8,000 CPPCC members at various levels, 90 percent of whom are ethnic minorities, Wang said.

In the old days, agriculture and livestock in Tibet were at the mercy of nature; industry was non-existent; and a round trip between Xining and Lhasa would take more than six months.

The GDP in Tibet soared past 190 billion yuan (about 29.3 billion U.S. dollars) in 2020 from merely 130 million yuan in 1951, Wang noted.

During the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020), Tibet hosted close to 160 million tourist visits.

Now 140 flights connect Tibet with the rest of the country and the world.

In the old Tibet, over 90 percent of Tibetans struggled for subsistence, and up to 95 percent were illiterate. Today, hunger and poverty is a thing of the past for people of all ethnic groups in Tibet, and per capita living space in Tibet is close to 40 square meters.

Meanwhile, the 15-year public-funded education is conducted across the region, ending the long-standing issue of school drop-out, Wang noted.

The average life expectancy has risen from 35.5 years in 1951 to 71.1 years.

Highlighting progress in ethnic unity in Tibet, Wang said separatist and sabotage activities committed by the Dalai group and hostile external forces have been crushed.

The central government has invested huge manpower, resources and funding to preserve and develop Tibet's fine traditional culture, Wang noted.

The Tibetan language is used extensively. Precious classics such as Epic of King Gesar were saved and collated. Close to 800 projects including thangka, Tibetan opera and Tibetan medicine have been placed on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Religious beliefs of all ethnic groups are fully respected, Wang said.

More than 1,700 temples in Tibet have full access to water, electricity, the Internet, fire fighting and other facilities. All of the 46,000 monks and nuns are covered by the government's social security scheme.

The Potala Palace, the Jokhang Temple and other temples and sites have been renovated and are under protection.

"Since the 18th CPC National Congress, Tibet has entered a new era, an era in which greater development and bigger changes have been made and more benefits delivered to the people than in the past," Wang said.

The region ranks among the top three in China in terms of annual average growth rate, and it has topped the country in terms of growth of per capita disposable income of rural residents for many years. Around 628,000 people have been lifted out of poverty.

"Together with the rest of the country, Tibet has, as envisaged, finished the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects," Wang said.

Tibet has reached a new historical starting point in pursuing its economic and social development, Wang noted, stressing the need to always follow the leadership of the CPC and march steadily on the path of building socialism with distinctive Chinese features.

"Only by following the CPC leadership and pursuing the path of socialism, can Tibet achieve development and prosperity," Wang said.

Stressing harmony and stability in Tibet and national security and stability in the border areas, Wang said officials and the general public of all ethnic groups should be mobilized to forge an ironclad defense against separatist activities.

He also called for efforts to ensure that religions in China are Chinese in orientation and guide Tibetan Buddhism in adapting itself to socialist society.

"No one outside China has the right to point fingers at us when it comes to Tibetan affairs," Wang said. "Any attempt or maneuver designed to separate Tibet from China is doomed to fail."

Urging fostering a strong sense of the Chinese nation as one community and advancing ethnic unity and progress, Wang said the Chinese culture has always been a bond that fosters a sense of togetherness and belonging among people of all ethnic groups in Tibet.

He demanded all-round efforts to teach standard spoken and written Chinese language and foster and share the cultural symbols and images of the Chinese nation among all ethnic groups.

Wang said the people-centered development philosophy should be followed and high-quality economic and social development should be promoted.

He also promised that the CPC Central Committee's input in and support for the development of Tibet will only increase, not decrease.

He reiterated the CPC Central Committee's support to Tibet in building a national demonstration region on ecological conservation, piloting a comprehensive ecological compensation program, and conducting comprehensive scientific research on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

In the afternoon, Wang and other delegation members joined about 600 local officials and people at the People's Hall of Tibet for a grand gala, which presented a feast of dancing and singing.

After the performance, Wang, accompanied by local officials, stepped onto the stage. He congratulated those involved in the performance for its success and had photos taken with all the cast members.

Before the performance, Wang met with members of the autonomous region's leading groups, retired officials, as well as representatives of officials of political and legal affairs, officers and soldiers of the military and armed police forces stationed in Tibet, among others.

The central delegation presented the people from various ethnic groups and from all walks of life in Tibet with souvenirs, including congratulatory plaques and banners, washing machines, medical kits, electronic sphygmomanometers, bedding sets and books. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-20 00:32:09|Editor: huaxia

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JERUSALEM, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli state-run company Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) on Thursday said in a statement that it will establish a Boeing passenger-to-cargo conversion facility in Ethiopia.

IAI has signed an agreement with Ethiopia's national flag carrier Ethiopian Airlines to establish the conversion site for Boeing 767-300 passenger aircraft.

The new passenger-to-freighter conversion center will operate from the airline's maintenance center in Addis Ababa Airport, the largest airport in Ethiopia.

It will provide solutions for the rising demand for cargo aircraft of these models, the statement said.

The conversion site will provide solutions in the field of converting passenger aircraft to cargo configuration, aircraft maintenance and overhaul, staff training and guidance, as well as assistance in acquiring certification and licenses.

It will join existing conversion sites of IAI at its campus in Israel's Ben Gurion International Airport and in Mexico.

"We are very happy to collaborate with IAI to enable us to expand our cargo and logistics services, which is already the largest and leading cargo network in Africa," said Ethiopian Airlines Group Chief Executive Officer Tewolde GebreMariam. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-20 00:34:31|Editor: huaxia

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Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, inspects the tunnel of Zhengzhou Metro Line 5 in Zhengzhou, central China's Henan Province, Aug. 18, 2021. Li inspected the flood-hit Henan Province from Wednesday to Thursday. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)

ZHENGZHOU, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Chinese premier Li Keqiang stressed efforts to ensure the livelihood of people affected by disasters and promote post-disaster reconstruction.

Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks while inspecting the flood-hit Henan Province from Wednesday to Thursday.

The safety of people's lives and property should always come first, while flood control and disaster relief measures must be effectively implemented, Li said.

Noting that the province is a major grain-producing area in China, Li said the central government would scale up support to help people resume production and reduce losses.

While inspecting the tunnel of Zhengzhou Metro Line 5, Li urged measures to reduce safety hazards of facilities in urban areas and improve the mechanisms of early warning and emergency response.

The premier was briefed on epidemic control situations in the province. He demanded that local governments and medics continue working on COVID-19 prevention and control and post-disaster epidemic prevention.

During the special meeting on post-disaster reconstruction, Li pledged fiscal and financial support for the reconstruction work in the worst-hit areas. Li also urged local governments to assist enterprises with business reopenings and address salient problems like waterlogging in urban areas.

As the flood season has not passed yet, the country should continue to prepare for flood control and disaster relief and work on emergency response, Li added. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-20 01:17:13|Editor: huaxia

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TEHRAN, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Two Russian Navy's warships docked at Iran's northern Caspian Sea port of Bandar Anzali on Thursday to take part in an international military game, the Tasnim news agency reported.

The Russian warships, with a total of 106 crew members on board, will take part in the 6th edition of the Sea Cup competition as a part of the 2021 International Army Games, it said.

On Wednesday morning, two patrol ships of the Azerbaijani Navy arrived at the same port, with a total of 66 crew members on board.

Two naval vessels from Kazakhstan arrived in Iran on Monday morning, as the first group to participate in the competition.

The Sea Cup competition is scheduled to kick off on Aug. 25 and end on Sept. 4.

Iran's Sina-class fast attack missile boats, Joshan (Armor) and Paykan (Arrow), will represent the Islamic republic's Navy in the contest. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-20 01:32:50|Editor: huaxia

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-- Chinese President Xi Jinping said Thursday China is ready to work with Arab states to jointly build the Belt and Road with high quality and advance China-Arab strategic partnership to a higher level.

-- Bound by the history of the ancient Silk Road, China and Arab states are natural partners for BRI cooperation and have notable complementarity.

-- China will now work to meet the need for COVID-19 vaccines in Arab countries, and work with Arab states to further cooperate on the local production of vaccines, said Zhai Jun, China's special envoy on Middle East affairs

BEIJING, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said Thursday China is ready to work with Arab states to jointly build the Belt and Road with high quality and advance China-Arab strategic partnership to a higher level.

Xi made the remarks in a congratulatory letter to the fifth China-Arab States Expo, which opened Thursday in Yinchuan, the capital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in northwest China.

Aerial photo taken on Aug. 19, 2021 shows the main venue of fifth China-Arab States Expo in Yinchuan, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. The four-day event will feature trade fairs and forums on digital economy, clean energy, water resource, modern agriculture, green food, cross-border e-commerce and tourism cooperation. (Xinhua/Wang Peng)

More than 1,000 domestic and overseas enterprises have registered as exhibitors in offline and virtual events.

As one of the expo's major events, the Belt and Road Investment Promotion Conference held on Thursday afternoon witnessed the signing of 13 cooperation projects under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), involving a total of 4 billion yuan, or about 617 million U.S. dollars.

FRUITFUL COOPERATION

China and Arab states have in recent years continued to strengthen strategic coordination and synergy of actions, and the joint construction of the Belt and Road has achieved fruitful results, Xi said in the letter.

Bound by the history of the ancient Silk Road, China and Arab states are natural partners for BRI cooperation and have notable complementarity. So far, China has signed BRI cooperation documents with 19 Arab countries and the Arab League.

The initiative serves as an opportunity to achieve the common development of participating countries and advance China-Arab strategic partnership, as noted in a declaration of actions on China-Arab BRI cooperation inked in 2018.

Photo taken on Aug. 19, 2021 shows the healthcare exhibition area of the fifth China-Arab States Expo in Yinchuan, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. The fifth China-Arab States Expo opened Thursday in Yinchuan.(Xinhua/Wang Peng)

Xi said that China remains the largest trading partner of Arab countries.

In 2020, the total trade volume between China and Arab states was 239.8 billion U.S. dollars. Arab states' imports from China reached 122.9 billion U.S. dollars, up 2.1 percent year on year despite the impact of the pandemic. That is proof of the great resilience, potential and concrete achievements of China-Arab cooperation.

Xi also said that in the face of COVID-19, China and Arab countries have joined hands to fight the pandemic, setting an example of helping each other and overcoming difficulties together.

China and Arab states have shown great sincerity in jointly countering pandemic challenges. Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud was among the first foreign heads of state to hold a phone call with Xi voicing support for China's COVID-19 response back in 2020, and China and the United Arab Emirates jointly conducted the world's first international phase three clinical trials of inactivated COVID-19 vaccines. So far, China has donated and exported more than 72 million doses of vaccines to 17 Arab states and the Arab League.

Photo taken on Aug. 19, 2021 shows the digital economy exhibition area of the fifth China-Arab States Expo in Yinchuan, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Wang Peng)

"The construction of the BRI in the economic and health sectors, among others, has been gaining momentum during the pandemic, which demonstrates progress toward the construction of a China-Arab states community with a shared future, oriented to the new era," said Su Xiaohui, a researcher at the China Institute of International Studies.

China will now work to meet the need for COVID-19 vaccines in Arab countries, and work with Arab states to further cooperate on the local production of vaccines, said Zhai Jun, China's special envoy on Middle East affairs, at the opening of the expo. "We will build on the BRI cooperation momentum to further synergize development strategies and help realize the dreams of national rejuvenation for both sides," he said.

PROMOTING COOPERATION, DEVELOPMENT

China is ready to work with Arab states to seek cooperation and development, promote peaceful development, achieve mutual benefit and win-win results, jointly build the Belt and Road with high quality, Xi noted in the letter.

The expo features exhibition areas with themes including the digital economy, clean energy and cross-border e-commerce.

Photo taken on Aug. 19, 2021 shows the cross-border e-commerce exhibition area of the fifth China-Arab States Expo in Yinchuan, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.(Xinhua/Feng Kaihua)

"These arrangements stand as barometers of the continuous upgrading of the BRI in the post-pandemic era, indicating new growth areas in technology-empowered sectors -- not including infrastructure and production capacity cooperation -- as well as new cooperation dividends for both sides," said Ding Long, a professor at the Middle East Studies Institute at the Shanghai International Studies University.

Moroccan Prime Minister Saad Eddine El Othmani said via video that Arab countries and China are highly complementary in economy and enjoy broad prospects for cooperation. He noted that Morocco has actively participated and played a constructive role in the BRI, and has seen great progress in the country's infrastructure.

Kazakhstan's First Deputy Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov said that the BRI has proven to be practical and successful, and the proposal of building a digital Silk Road and a green Silk Road will make contributions to the low-carbon development of the world.

Photo taken on Aug. 19, 2021 shows the green food exhibition area of the fifth China-Arab States Expo in Yinchuan, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Wang Peng)

Stressing that new opportunities will be brought to countries along the Belt and Road, Tunisian Foreign Minister Othman Jerandi said that joint efforts to safeguard regional security and stability are vital for the further development of the initiative.

"China-Arab BRI cooperation will help rally forces to build clusters and highlands of advanced economies, providing powerful engines of technology, expertise and service so as to promote global recovery and contribute to maintaining an open world economy that benefits all," said Gao Shangtao, director of the Center for Middle East Studies at China Foreign Affairs University. 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-20 03:12:12|Editor: huaxia

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UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (Rear) speaks to reporters at the UN headquarters in New York, on Aug. 19, 2021. Guterres on Thursday called for a cessation of hostilities and the start of a political dialogue in Ethiopia. (Xinhua/Xie E)

UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday called for a cessation of hostilities and the start of a political dialogue in Ethiopia.

"The Ethiopian people have suffered too much. Humanitarian conditions are hellish. Millions of people are in need," he said. "Infrastructure has been destroyed. We have heard first-hand accounts of women who have been subjected to unspeakable violence. The spread of the conflict has ensnared even more people in its horror."

It is time for all parties to recognize that there is no military solution, and it is vital to preserve the unity and stability of Ethiopia which is critical to the region and beyond, he told reporters on World Humanitarian Day, which falls on Aug. 19.

He appealed for action on three fronts to give peace a chance: an immediate cessation of hostilities by all parties; unrestricted humanitarian access, together with the re-establishment of public services in all affected areas; and the start of an Ethiopian-led political dialogue to find a solution for the crisis.

"Such a dialogue can contribute to addressing the underlying causes of the conflict and ensure Ethiopian voices direct the pathway to peace," said Guterres.

The United Nations will continue to work together with the African Union and regional and international partners to support the Ethiopian people on the way to peace and reconciliation, he said. "Now is the time to put an end to the suffering. All of these steps are critical to make it happen." Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-20 03:42:34|Editor: huaxia

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JERUSALEM, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Israel decided to lower the eligibility age for the third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine from 50 to 40, Israel's state-owned Kan TV news reported on Thursday.

The expert committee of the Israeli Health Ministry recommended vaccinating people aged over 40, as well as teachers of all ages due to the recent sharp rise in COVID-19 infections in the country, said the report.

The decision is expected to take effect by Friday after an approval by the ministry's director general, Nachman Ash.

So far, nearly 1.25 million people have received the third dose in Israel, out of about 1.9 million aged 50 and over who took the second shot more than five months earlier.

The number of people who have received the first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in Israel reached nearly 5.88 million, or 63 percent of its total population, while over 5.4 million have taken two doses and nearly 1.25 million have got three jabs. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-20 06:13:11|Editor: huaxia

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BEIRUT, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Two civilian airplanes, one Lebanese and another Turkish, escaped from the Israeli missiles which flew over Lebanon's airspace to hit targets in Syria on Thursday night, the al-Jadeed TV reported.

Fadi Al Hassan, director general of civil aviation at Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut, told the TV channel that control towers in Syria and Cyprus urged the two airplanes to change their trajectories due to the missiles fired by Israel.

The airplanes later managed to land safely at the Beirut airport, the report said.

Israel on Thursday night launched missiles to attack the alleged targets for Hezbollah and Iran in neighboring Syria, local media reports said.

The Lebanese army said in a statement that it was following up with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) over Israel's violations of Lebanon's airspace. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-20 06:32:44|Editor: huaxia

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UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Thursday called for a comprehensive approach to fighting terrorism.

Although important progress has been made in international counter-terrorism cooperation, the current world situation on this front remains complex and severe with terrorism and violent extremism intertwined, said Dai Bing, the charge d'affaires at the Chinese Permanent Mission to the United Nations.

In the first half of this year, the Islamic State has regrouped in places such as Iraq and Syria and has further infiltrated the African region. COVID-19 has posed economic and social challenges, which may bring a new wave of terrorism, he told the Security Council.

"The international community needs to attach great importance to this matter and adopt comprehensive measures to jointly respond to the threat of terrorism," said Dai.

Terrorism is a common enemy of human societies and combating terrorism is a common responsibility of the international community. Countries should strengthen cooperation at national, regional and global levels by stepping up counter-terrorism efforts in early warning, counter-terrorism financing, travel restrictions, border supervision and intelligence exchanges, he said.

In fighting terrorism, emphasis should be placed on the prevention and elimination of its root causes. Counter-terrorism measures should focus on long-term solutions by addressing both symptoms and root causes, he said.

It is important to adopt comprehensive political, economic, judicial, and social means and stick to peaceful solutions to hot-spot issues through political means. It is important to assist member states in eradicating poverty, strengthening capacity-building, promoting sustainable economic and social development, and advocating mutual respect and harmonious coexistence among different civilizations, religions, and ethnic groups, he said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-20 07:09:44|Editor: huaxia

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UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Thursday called for a comprehensive approach to fighting terrorism.

Although important progress has been made in international counter-terrorism cooperation, the current world situation on this front remains complex and severe with terrorism and violent extremism intertwined, said Dai Bing, the charge d'affaires at the Chinese Permanent Mission to the United Nations.

In the first half of this year, the Islamic State has regrouped in places such as Iraq and Syria and has further infiltrated the African region. COVID-19 has posed economic and social challenges, which may bring a new wave of terrorism, he told the Security Council.

"The international community needs to attach great importance to this matter and adopt comprehensive measures to jointly respond to the threat of terrorism," said Dai.

Terrorism is a common enemy of human societies and combating terrorism is a common responsibility of the international community. Countries should strengthen cooperation at national, regional and global levels by stepping up counter-terrorism efforts in early warning, counter-terrorism financing, travel restrictions, border supervision and intelligence exchanges, he said.

In fighting terrorism, emphasis should be placed on the prevention and elimination of its root causes. Counter-terrorism measures should focus on long-term solutions by addressing both symptoms and root causes, he said.

It is important to adopt comprehensive political, economic, judicial, and social means and stick to peaceful solutions to hot-spot issues through political means. It is important to assist member states in eradicating poverty, strengthening capacity-building, promoting sustainable economic and social development, and advocating mutual respect and harmonious coexistence among different civilizations, religions, and ethnic groups, he said.

Young people are susceptible to extreme ideologies. Therefore, special attention should be paid to strengthen youth education and employment in order to provide a favorable environment for their growth. Countries should carry out exchanges and cooperation on terrorism prevention and de-radicalization, such as vocational training and community correctional measures so as to help vulnerable countries strengthen their counter-terrorism capacity-building, he noted.

In fighting terrorism, it is important to focus on key issues while taking into consideration new development, he said. "We must be highly vigilant against terrorist forces using COVID-19 to instigate terrorist activities, and we must strive to solve outstanding problems, such as the abuse of the internet and emerging technologies by terrorists, diversification of terrorist financing channels, and the confluence of organized crimes."

China will continue to actively work with counter-terrorism platforms like the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and the Global Counter-terrorism Forum, and to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with all sides in a joint effort to respond to terrorist threats and maintain world peace and stability, he said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-08 01:45:47|Editor: huaxia

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CAIRO, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi held talks on Saturday with Iraqi Defense Minister Juma Inad Saadoun on bilateral military cooperation, said the Egyptian presidency.

The meeting in the Egyptian capital Cairo discussed "military cooperation between the two countries, including joint training programs, exchange of expertise and boosting capabilities," in addition to a number of Arab and regional issues of common interest, said Egyptian presidential spokesman Bassam Rady in a statement.

Sisi reaffirmed Egypt's keenness to cooperate with Iraq in all fields and support Baghdad to enhance its Arab national role, overcome terrorism and maintain security and stability, according to the statement. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-10 06:13:26|Editor: huaxia

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CAIRO, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Tariq al-Molla and the Israeli Minister of Energy Karine Elharrar discussed on Monday future plans to liquefy Israeli gas in Egyptian plants.

During a phone conversation, the two sides discussed the ongoing cooperation in the field of natural gas, and future plans to pump Israeli natural gas to be liquefied in Egyptian factories for re-export, the Egyptian Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources said in a statement.

The two ministers also talked about cooperation within the framework of the East Mediterranean Gas Forum (EMGF), stressing the need to strengthen bilateral and multilateral cooperation.

In January 2019, Egypt, Israel, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Jordan, and Palestine established the Cairo-based EMGF, whose charter entered into force in March, to become an intergovernmental organization concerned with natural gas affairs.

The forum was formed to reinforce cooperation among member states, create a regional gas market, optimize resource development, cut the cost of infrastructure, offer competitive prices, and improve trade ties.

In February, al-Molla made a rare visit to Israel where he discussed bilateral energy cooperation initiatives.

For her part, the Israeli energy minister said that Egypt is an important partner for Israel in all fields.

She hopes that cooperation with Egypt would help achieve energy security for all the peoples of the region. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-16 00:39:59|Editor: huaxia

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RABAT, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Morocco announced on Sunday 7,380 new COVID-19 cases, taking the tally of infections in the North African country to 759,456.

The total number of recoveries from COVID-19 in Morocco increased by 9,272 to 667,230. The death toll rose to 11,017 with 84 new fatalities, while 2,350 people are in intensive care units.

Meanwhile, a total of 16,262,278 people have received their first vaccine shots against COVID-19 in the country, while 11,402,066 have taken 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| 2021-08-16 08:56:19|Editor: huaxia

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TRIPOLI, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Sunday said 120 illegal migrants were rescued and returned to Libya.

"Earlier today, some 120 persons were rescued/intercepted by the Libyan Coast Guards in two disembarkation operations," UNHCR tweeted.

"The individuals were returned to the Tripoli Naval Base where UNHCR and its medical partner IRC provided urgent humanitarian assistance," it said.

Libya has been suffering insecurity and chaos since the fall of its leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, making the North African country a preferred point of departure for illegal migrants who want to cross the Mediterranean Sea to European shores.

So far this year, more than 20,000 illegal migrants, including women and children, have been rescued, while hundreds of others have died or gone missing off the Libyan coast on the Central Mediterranean route, according to the International Organization for Migration. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 10:30:39|Editor: huaxia

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TRIPOLI, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Libya's Coast Guard rescued 172 illegal migrants in two separate operations off the country's western coast, said the Libyan Navy on Wednesday.

The migrants were on their way to Europe when the Coast Guard patrol received a distress call and immediately headed to the location to rescue them, the navy said.

The migrants were disembarked at the capital Tripoli's Naval Base and then handed over to the anti-illegal immigration department.

The department will look after the migrants and complete the procedures for their safe deportation back to their countries of origin, the navy added.

Libya has been suffering insecurity and chaos since the fall of late leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, making the North African country a preferred point of departure for illegal migrants who want to cross the Mediterranean Sea to European shores. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 18:37:26|Editor: huaxia

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LUANDA, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Angola (CCIA) has signed a memorandum with the China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation Innovation Demonstration Park to strengthen economic cooperation, technology transfer and investment promotion.

Speaking at the signing ceremony via a video conference on Wednesday, Vicente Soares, chairman of the CCIA said, "This partnership, which starts today, aims at transferring technology, exchanging experience, training and promoting trade, with the intention of promoting the export of products from Angola to China."

This agreement will help attract Chinese investors and import competitive Chinese products to Angola, as well as export Angolan products such as manioc and bananas to one of the world's largest consumer markets, he said.

The China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation Innovation Demonstration Park, an innovative project in the China (Hunan) Pilot Free Trade Zone located in Changsha, capital city of China's Hunan Province, is "an extremely important" platform for the exhibition of various Chinese products, said Soares.

"The Chinese market is opening up to Angola and our companies should take advantage of this moment to explore and identify products that attract consumption in China," he said.

Li Xinqiu, deputy director of the Department of Commerce of Hunan Province in China, expressed his hope that the memorandum will contribute to sharing business opportunities between the CCIA and the China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation Innovation Demonstration Park to achieve an advantageous development for both parties.

"The China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation Innovation Demonstration Park is a national platform in Hunan that focuses on building an African center for the distribution and processing of products and flow of people for cooperation with Africa," he said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 20:35:45|Editor: huaxia

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A worker unloads the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine at the Kigali International Airport in Kigali, Rwanda, on Aug. 19, 2021. Rwanda on Thursday received 200,000 doses of the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine along with syringes donated by the Chinese government as the country is stepping up efforts to vaccinate as many people as possible against COVID-19. (Photo by Cyril Ndegeya/Xinhua)

KIGALI, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Rwanda on Thursday received 200,000 doses of the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine along with syringes donated by the Chinese government as the country is stepping up efforts to vaccinate as many people as possible against COVID-19.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday along with Rao Hongwei, Chinese ambassador to Rwanda at the Kigali International Airport, Rwandan Minister of Health Daniel Ngamije said that the vaccine will help vaccinate more Rwandans in a short period of time.

"This is a sign of international solidarity, and we appreciate that China is supporting the government of Rwanda to get these vaccines," said Ngamije.

He said that from the first day, China has been supporting the government of Rwanda in different areas towards fighting against the spread of COVID-19.

"Today, we have received vaccines from China in addition to Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) we got from China. It is a symbol of strong collaboration between both governments," said Ngamije.

He said that the vaccine will be rolled out to eight districts in Rwanda that are among the leading hotspots of new COVID-19 infections.

The donation is a valuable contribution to Rwanda's ongoing vaccination drive, targeting the most vulnerable across the country, according to Ngamije.

Speaking to reporters, Rao Hongwei said that the donation came at a critical time when Rwanda wants more vaccines to immunize a great number of people in an effort to curb the spread of the pandemic.

"The donation from China is a sign of existing warm and cordial relations between China and Rwanda," said Rao.

China has been supporting Rwanda's anti-coronavirus efforts since its first case was confirmed in March last year.

Rwanda launched a nationwide vaccination campaign on March 5, starting with people from risk groups, including health personnel, frontline workers, and those older than 65 years or with underlying health conditions.

Rwanda targets to vaccinate 30 percent of the population by the end of 2021 and 60 percent by the end of 2022. The Central African country has so far administered about one million doses of COVID-19 vaccines. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 20:51:20|Editor: huaxia

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WINDHOEK, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Namibian youth and investors have been encouraged to initiate innovative ways and invest in waste management solutions, technologies and systems that process waste to useful forms or products, an official said Thursday.

Industries were also encouraged to invest in zero waste technologies to ensure clean production processes that reduce pollution in the country, Namibia's Deputy Minister of Environment, Heather Sibungo said at the official launch of the country's national clean-up campaign at an event held in Okahandja, 60 km from the capital Windhoek.

"Waste does not only damage the image of our country, it also contributes significantly to the greenhouse effect through the emission of methane which is one of the causative factors to climate change and global warming," she added.

Sibungo further encouraged Namibians to actively organize and participate in the clean-up activities of their surroundings and desist from irresponsible disposal of waste which ends up in river bed and being ingested by livestock and wild animals. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 21:36:45|Editor: huaxia

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ABUJA, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- A politically motivated COVID-19 origins tracing will not help contain this pandemic, and will discourage international cooperation on preparation for the next possible pandemic, a Nigerian expert has warned.

Despite clarifications by scientists that COVID-19 "most likely originated from nature and not in laboratory," the U.S. government kept turning the origins tracing saga from genuine scientific inquiry to "another cold war ideological armoury to besmirch China," Charles Onunaiju, director of the Abuja-based Center for China Studies, wrote in an article published Tuesday in local daily newspaper Vanguard.

"This is not helpful and will rob mankind of adequate understanding of the trigger of the malicious and vile virus that has caused humanity of untold sorrows," said Onunaiju.

He echoed some scientists' calls for turning down the heat of the rhetoric, as recriminations have not and will not encourage international cooperation and collaboration that might help to prevent a future pandemic.

While escalating the rhetoric about origins tracing of the virus and accusing China of lacking transparency, it appears that Washington's rhetoric is smokescreen to cover its own shocking failure in epidemic control and containment, Onunaiju said.

"While wagging fingers at the Chinese laboratory in the city of Wuhan, the United States has not mentioned or demonstrated any concern about the U.S. Army medical Research Institute of Infectious Disease at Fort Detrick," he said.

An outbreak of disease with similar COVID-19 symptoms happened just after the lab's serious safety accident in 2019, he noted, adding that the United States is "the world's largest funder of coronavirus research."

Noting that a research team at the University of North Carolina has long developed coronavirus synthesis, Onunaiju said a wide-ranging origins tracing of the virus should definitely include an investigation of those U.S. facilities.

China demonstrated a high sense of responsibility when its scientists published the genetic sequencing of the virus shortly after the outbreak of the disease in Wuhan and instituted the most rigorous lockdown of the city, in a bid to contain the spread of the disease, Onunaiju said.

"Had the American leadership and other Western countries then taken a cue from China's rigorous epidemic control measures, extended support and refrained from stigmatisation, the virus may have been contained much earlier," he said.

For developing countries, especially those in Africa, while tracing the origins of the virus is essential, the control and containment of the pandemic is of utmost concern, he stressed, adding that "China's support with materials and practical experience-sharing in pandemic control has been of tremendous value and unforgettable." Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 21:38:17|Editor: huaxia

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KHARTOUM, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Sudanese authorities on Thursday announced that 43 people have been killed by the torrential rains and floods which recently hit a number of the country's states.

"A total of 43 people have been killed and thousands of homes collapsed," Abdul-Jaleel Abdul-Rahim, spokesman of Sudan's National Council for Civil Defense, said in a statement.

As many as 2,838 homes have completely collapsed while 8,621 homes have been partial damaged, he added.

He pointed out that there was a noticeable decline in the levels of the Nile River, urging the citizens of the southern part of the country to be cautious amid expectations of heavy rains during the next phase of the rainy season.

On Wednesday, the UN's humanitarian agency OCHA said some 12,000 people in eight out of the country's 18 states had been affected by the heavy rains.

Sudan often witnesses floods caused by heavy rains from June to October.

Floods killed last year 138 people and destroyed tens of thousands of homes in Sudan. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 23:56:52|Editor: huaxia

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KAMPALA, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Uganda on Thursday said it is continuing to decentralize cancer health care in the country as cases are on the increase.

The Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI) in a statement said there is an increasing burden of cancer.

"It is estimated that for every 100 new cases diagnosed, 80 of them die majorly because they come to our health facilities late," the statement said. "This is mainly due to lack of access to cancer services within close proximity of the population," it added.

UCI figures show that annually, over 7,000 cases are registered at the Institute. The commonest cancers are breast and cervical cancers among women, leukemia and lymphomas among children, prostate among men and Kaposi's sarcoma among men and women combined.

"Sixty percent of these cancers are infection-related in Uganda. Unlike in the developed world, where cancers are majorly due to lifestyle changes, here they are basically about infections," the statement said.

In order to address the burden, the ministry said several cancer services are being decentralized at least up to the regional level.

A cancer center is being constructed in northern Uganda and upon completion and operationalization, it will cater to treatment needs and also raise cancer awareness among the public and carry out research.

The ministry said services would soon be extended to Mbarara, which serves western Uganda, Arua, which services northwestern Uganda, and Mbale, which serves the eastern part of the country.

Previously patients were traveling all the way to UCI in the capital Kampala to access care services.

"As government we believe that this move will greatly improve on access to cancer services in our country. Our focus now as a country should be in creating cancer awareness so that people do not die with the disease because they had no idea that they had cancer," the ministry said.

The UCI is also constructing the East Africa Oncology Center of Excellency, which will increase the capacity for cancer care, training and research in the region.

The ministry said currently 198 cancer experts are being trained in different fields to diagnose and manage cancer, undertake cutting edge cancer research and offer training in cancer across the country.

With support from the African Development Bank, UCI is working on establishing a National Reference Laboratory for Cancer which will improve cancer diagnosis and other non-communicable diseases.

"Once this center is fully functional, it will reduce the health revenue flight out of the East African region as it is anticipated that individuals who have been seeking highly sophisticated cancer treatment in developed countries will come to the UCI," the statement said.

Government has also stocked different cancer treatment drugs and machines at UCI as it strives to fight the cancers. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-20 00:02:20|Editor: huaxia

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LIBREVILLE, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- About 81,000 people in Gabon have received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, said Gabon's health minister Guy Patrick Obiang Thursday in his daily bulletin.

The vaccination campaign, launched on March 19 in the central African country with a population of about two million, is free for all citizens and aims to vaccinate 60 percent of the population.

Gabon's President Ali Bongo Ondimba said on Monday in his address on the 61st anniversary of Gabon's independence, that the number of people vaccinated against COVID-19 in the country is clearly "not enough".

Last Thursday, the government extended the health emergency for another 45 days. As of Wednesday, 25,626 confirmed COVID-19 cases have been reported nationwide, including 165 deaths. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-20 00:10:17|Editor: huaxia

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ACCRA, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Ghanaian government on Thursday paid 3 million Ghana cedis (496,903 U.S. dollars) to help cover the cost of a separation surgery of four-month-old conjoined twins.

According to a statement by the Minister of Health Agyemang Manu, funds have been released and the conjoined twins are set to undergo surgery in September.

"We have also started procuring equipment that would enable the doctors to perform the surgeries," said Agyemang Manu.

"Some of the equipment has arrived. The doctors are on course and we are getting things actually moving very fast for us to get the thing going," added Manu.

On July 5, Ghanaian President Akufo-Addo announced to pay for the surgery following massive social media campaigns to solicit funds for the conjoined twins.

About 135 Ghanaian doctors are expected to come together to carry out the historic procedure of separate the two conjoined twins currently at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-20 01:03:39|Editor: huaxia

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NAIROBI, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Kenya is witnessing a spike in both infectious and non-communicable diseases as the climate crisis escalates in the country, experts said at a virtual forum in Nairobi on Thursday.

The experts said during a webinar on impact of climate change on Kenya's health systems that extreme weather events such as droughts and floods had fuelled spread of disease causing pathogens.

Anthony Wainaina, deputy director of public health in the Ministry of Health said that higher incidences of malaria, dengue fever, cholera and typhoid have been reported in regions experiencing rising temperatures.

"There is no doubt climate change is having a negative effect on health outcomes in the country as the frequency and severity of water and vector borne diseases become the norm," said Wainaina.

He said that pathogens that resist drugs have thrived against a backdrop of ecosystem disruption linked to climate change, thereby putting a strain on an already fragile public health infrastructure.

The Nairobi-based international health charity, Amref Health Africa partnered with Kenya Climate Innovation Centre (KCIC) to convene the forum that discussed the impact of climate change on human health in the country.

Senior policymakers, researchers and campaigners noted that climatic shocks had derailed Kenya's quest to attain health related universal goals amid rapid spread of pathogens, food insecurity and pollution.

Martin Muchangi, a water and sanitation specialist at Amref Health Africa noted that droughts, floods, cyclones and forest fires linked to climate change were taking a toll on the continent's urban and rural poor amid water scarcity, malnutrition and respiratory infections linked to air pollution.

Muchangi said that some of the high-impact interventions that could shield vulnerable populations from negative impacts of climate change include investments in clean water supply, sanitation, hygiene and climate-smart farming.

Solomon Nzioka, public health and environment expert at WHO Kenya Country Office said that disease outbreaks, compromised immune systems for local communities, hunger and water contamination were inevitable given the frequency of extreme weather events.

He said that investing in a resilient public health system, ecosystem restoration and early warning on impending natural disasters was urgent to minimize the negative health outcomes linked to climate change. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-20 04:47:35|Editor: huaxia

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Tunisian President Kais Saied (C) meets with a delegation of Chinese tech firm Huawei in Tunis, Tunisia, on Aug. 19, 2021. Saied on Thursday hailed the "fruitful" cooperation between Tunisia and China in recent years, while praising Chinese companies for contributing to Tunisia's digital economy. (Tunisian Presidency/Handout via Xinhua)

TUNIS, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Tunisian President Kais Saied on Thursday hailed the "fruitful" cooperation between Tunisia and China in recent years, while praising Chinese companies for contributing to Tunisia's digital economy.

Saied made the remarks during a meeting with He Tao, the president of Huawei Northern Africa Region, the Tunisian presidency said in a statement.

The Tunisian leader also highlighted the ample opportunities and promising prospects for the two countries to diversify and strengthen the bilateral ties, especially in the education, transport and health sectors.

For his part, He Tao said that Tunisia has all the assets to become a "digital hub" in Africa.

"Huawei Foundation will set up a center for research, development and innovation in Tunisia," he said.

Huawei is committed to continuing to provide the best services in Tunisia, especially by contributing to the implementation of the Health City project in the province of Kairouan in central Tunisia, supporting the technological transformation and digital economy in Tunisia, creating jobs, developing skills, expanding partnerships with universities and educational institutions, and equipping schools with media rooms, he added. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-20 06:22:32|Editor: huaxia

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TUNIS, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Tunisian Foreign Minister Othman Jerandi on Thursday highlighted the importance of cooperating with China as the 5th China-Arab States Expo kicked off.

Addressing the opening ceremony of the expo, Jerandi highlighted the importance of strengthening the partnership between China and the Arab countries under the framework of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Jerandi spoke of his country's aspiration to host the first Arab-Chinese ministerial meeting in tourism sector in 2022. He also proposed to create an Arab-Chinese observatory for sustainable tourism and green economy.

On the domestic situation of Tunisia, Jerandi conveyed a message of reassurance from Tunisian President Kais Saied to Tunisia's friends and partners, pledging its full commitment to guarantee fundamental rights and freedom within the framework of respecting constitutional institutions and rule of law.

The fifth China-Arab States Expo, scheduled from Aug. 19 to 22 in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, features trade fairs and forums on digital economy, clean energy, water resource, modern agriculture, green food, cross-border e-commerce and tourism cooperation.

More than 1,000 Chinese and overseas enterprises have registered as exhibitors for offline and virtual events at the expo. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-14 13:16:48|Editor: huaxia

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ULAN BATOR, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia confirmed 1,402 new COVID-19 cases over the past 24 hours, bringing the national tally to 181,291, the country's health ministry said Saturday.

One of the latest confirmed cases was imported from abroad, and the remaining ones were local infections, said the ministry.

Meanwhile, one more death was reported in the past day, bringing the death toll to 899, the ministry added.

The Asian country launched a nationwide COVID-19 vaccination campaign in late February, aiming to cover at least 60 percent of its 3.3-million population.

So far, 62 percent of the country's total population have been fully vaccinated, according to the ministry. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 11:47:40|Editor: huaxia

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People wearing face masks line up to enter a supermarket in Auckland, New Zealand, Aug. 19, 2021. New Zealand reported 11 new Delta community cases on Thursday, all in Auckland and being transferred to managed isolation and quarantine facilities, bringing the total outbreak to 21 active cases. (Photo by Zhao Gang/Xinhua)

WELLINGTON, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand reported 11 new Delta community cases on Thursday, all in Auckland and being transferred to managed isolation and quarantine facilities, bringing the total outbreak to 21 active cases.

Two cases - one in their 20s, one in their 40s - have been taken to hospital and are in stable conditions, Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield told a press conference.

Among the 21 cases, 12 have already been confirmed in the same cluster, a further eight are under investigation but have strong links to the cluster. One is unlikely to be linked as the case is the Air NZ crew member who is linked to the border, Bloomfield said.

The cluster is linked to a returnee from Sydney who arrived on a flight on Aug. 7. This person was transferred to hospital on Aug. 16, he said.

This outbreak will continue to grow, considering the large number of locations of interest which have been identified nearly 70 so far, including malls, a school, bars, and more, Bloomfield said.

From Sept. 1, the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine will be available for 12 to 15-year-olds, he said, adding that masks are now mandatory for customers and staff at all essential services.

New Zealand has moved to the top level 4 national lockdown from midnight Tuesday after the first identified Delta COVID-19 case in the Auckland community.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the Alert Level will be reviewed on Friday for all areas except Auckland and the Coromandel Peninsula which will remain at Level 4 for an initial period of seven days.

Under the Alert Level 4 lockdown, businesses and schools are closed except for essential ones such as supermarkets, pharmacies, and service stations. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 12:00:17|Editor: huaxia

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CANBERRA, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Australia reported its highest number of new COVID-19 cases on Thursday when some of the capital cities were still under lockdown to battle a third wave of coronavirus infections in the country.

There were 754 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 reported in Australia on Thursday morning, taking the total number of confirmed cases since the start of the pandemic to more than 41,000.

The daily number beat the previous record in August, 2020, according to the figures from the Department of Health website.

A vast majority of Thursday's new cases were in New South Wales (NSW), Australia's most populous state, with Sydney as the capital city, and 57 in Victoria, where Melbourne is the capital city of the state.

The Australian Capital Territory (ACT), which is one week into a lockdown that has been extended until Sept. 2 at the earliest, reported 16 new cases, taking the total number of active cases in Canberra to 83.

The measures made Canberra another major Australian city currently subject to a lockdown, with strict restrictions also in place in Sydney and Melbourne.

Andrew Barr, the ACT chief minister, said that as the list of exposure sites in Canberra continues to grow more than 21,000 people - approximately 5 percent of the city's population - are in quarantine.

"We either stop this virus now or we live like Sydney for the rest of this year, they are the choices that we face," Barr said on Thursday.

"We must stop this virus now. The lockdown needs to work. The restrictions need to stay as they are."

As of Wednesday afternoon, there had been 40,774 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Australia, and the number of locally acquired cases in the previous 24 hours was 675, according to the latest figures updated on Wednesday evening from the Department of Health. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 12:07:16|Editor: huaxia

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SYDNEY, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Australia's two most populous states are desperately struggling in their uphill battle against the Delta variant of COVID-19 with both New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria facing ever-increasing rises in the number of cases.

NSW, where the outbreak began with a single case in its capital city of Sydney in mid-June, remains the epicenter of the rapidly escalating national crisis, and as of Thursday, the total locally acquired cases in the latest outbreak have reached 9,950.

The state recorded 681 new cases in the 24 hours up to 8:00 p.m. local time Wednesday. Among the other grim daily statistics were that 511 of the cases were under investigation. Fifty-nine cases were infectious in the community, and the isolation status of 459 cases remains unknown.

To date, 474 COVID-19 patients have been hospitalized in NSW, with 82 in intensive care, 25 of whom require ventilation.

NSW authorities announced that the lockdown on the state's regional areas will be extended until Aug. 28, the same date that the lockdown on Greater Sydney and surrounding areas is scheduled to end, as 25 among the new cases were detected in the state's western region.

NSW Deputy Chief Health Officer Marianne Gale told Thursday's press conference that the situation in western NSW is "deeply concerning" and she urged residents in the areas to keep vigilant for symptoms and go for testing.

Along with the increasing local transmission, came the more willingness of residents to get vaccinated, as vaccination figures steadily rise.

As of Thursday, more than 5.47 million doses had been administered throughout NSW. Earlier this month, state Premier Gladys Berejiklian had expressed hopes that 6 million jabs would have been given by the end of August.

"When we get to six million jabs, those who are vaccinated will have the opportunity to do something that they can't do now," Berejiklian said on Thursday.

"Once we get to mid-November we expect 80 percent of the population to be fully vaccinated. It gives enormous opportunities for greater freedoms than we do today."

Throughout Australia, there is increasing pressure on people in various industries to get vaccinated. The nation's national airline, Qantas, for instance, said on Wednesday that it would be mandatory for all its 22,000 employees to get vaccinated.

Frontline employees including cabin crew, pilots and airport workers will need to be fully vaccinated by Nov. 15 this year and the remainder of employees by March 31, 2022.

"It's clear that vaccinations are the only way to end the cycle of lockdowns and border closures and for a lot of Qantas and Jetstar employees that means getting back to work again," said Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce.

Even though much of NSW has been in lockdown for almost two months, the virulent virus has managed to cross borders, triggering outbreaks in neighboring states, with Victoria being the hardest hit.

On Thursday, Victoria recorded 57 new locally acquired cases, almost double its previous peak of 29 cases on Aug. 7. Aside from the dramatic rise in numbers, the origins of three of the new cases are unknown. Such mystery cases are of increasing alarm to health authorities as there is a cluster within the inner suburbs of the capital city Melbourne.

The present lockdown on the Greater Melbourne region is due to be lifted on Sept. 2, but citizens have become unfortunately familiar with lockdowns being extended again and again. Besides the lockdown, they are having to live with curfews meaning most people cannot leave their homes nightly from 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. local time.

The Sydney outbreak also spread to New Zealand, as the country's health authorities traced its current Delta variant outbreak to a person who returned from Sydney, and investigation is underway to figure out how the virus leaked from the hotel quarantine system.

The Australian Capital Territory (ACT), which has also been plunged into a lockdown, recorded 16 new local cases on Thursday.

The state of Queensland which already lifted restrictions for some local government areas kept zero local case status on Thursday. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 14:07:19|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Taliban on Wednesday met with former Afghan President Hamid Karzai as the group is seeking to form a new government in the war-torn country.

The meeting between the Taliban and the former Afghan leader came after Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani left the country following the Taliban's takeover of most parts of the country, including the capital city of Kabul, on Sunday.

After the takeover, the Taliban said Tuesday it intends to form an inclusive government in Afghanistan and does not want to have any internal or external enemies.

Karzai, president from 2001 to 2014, has been leading efforts to ensure a peaceful transfer of power in Afghanistan, according to media reports.

On Wednesday night, Ghani claimed that he "was forced to leave Kabul and decided to leave my country in order to prevent bloodshed."

Ghani made the statement during a live Facebook broadcast from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which confirmed on Wednesday that it has welcomed Ghani and his family into the country "on humanitarian grounds."

"If I had stayed, I would be witnessing bloodshed in Kabul," Ghani said.

He also made a rebuttal of accusations saying he left Afghanistan hastily, stressing that "those who think that I fled should not judge if they don't know all the details."

Since the U.S. troops started to pull out of Afghanistan on May 1, the Taliban has been advancing quickly on the battlefield. During the past two weeks, the group has captured most of Afghanistan's territories.

The fast-evolving situation in Afghanistan has aroused deep concerns in the international community.

On Wednesday, various countries voiced their call for restraint and peace in the war-battered country.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi agreed on the importance of establishing peace and stability in Afghanistan in a telephone call.

"Much attention was paid to the events unfolding in Afghanistan. Willingness to contribute to the establishment of peace and stability in this country was expressed," the Kremlin said in a statement.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey welcomes the "moderate" statements made by the Taliban leaders in Afghanistan.

"We have already stated that we can receive the leaders of the Taliban. We maintain this attitude today. We also welcome the moderate statements made by the Taliban leaders," Erdogan said during a televised interview.

Turkey is open to cooperation for the peace of the Afghan people, the well-being of the Turkish compatriots living in Afghanistan, and protection of Turkey's interests, he said.

Meanwhile, in the face of mounting criticism, U.S. President Joe Biden has been defending his decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan.

In an interview with ABC News on Wednesday, the president said that the U.S. military could extend its mission in Afghanistan beyond Aug. 31 to evacuate Americans on the ground. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 14:44:19|Editor: huaxia

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CANBERRA, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Australia's unemployment rate has fallen for the ninth consecutive month amid COVID-19 lockdowns, according to labor force data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Thursday.

The official unemployment rate was 4.6 percent in July, down from 4.9 percent in June, data shows.

It is Australia's lowest seasonally adjusted unemployment rate since December 2008.

However, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the figures were not "cause for celebration" with the majority of Australia's population in the states of New South Wales (NSW), Victoria, Queensland and South Australia enduring lockdowns in July to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

As of Thursday, people in the capital cities of NSW, Victoria and the Australian Capital and Northern Territories remained in lockdown.

"Normally when the unemployment rate hit a 12-year low, it would be a cause for celebration," Frydenberg told reporters. "But not today. As millions of our fellow Australians are in lockdown, as lives have been lost, and as the economy has been hit hard."

According to the ABS, the national labor force participation rate fell 0.2 percentage points to 66 percent.

The total number of hours worked by Australians fell by 0.2 percent nationally and by 7 percent in NSW, the country's biggest state.

"Hours worked data continues to provide the best indicator of the extent of labor market impacts from lockdowns," Bjorn Jarvis, the head of labor statistics at the ABS, said.

"In New South Wales hours worked fell by 7.0 percent in July, compared with a 0.9-percent fall in employment. This highlights the extent to which people in New South Wales had reduced hours or no work through the early stages of the lockdown, without necessarily losing their jobs," he said.

"Before the pandemic, people in New South Wales accounted for 31.8 percent of national employment and Victorians accounted for 26.5 percent. Large changes in these two states are important in understanding changes in the Australian labor market." Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 15:14:42|Editor: huaxia

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ULAN BATOR, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia's annual college entrance exam kicked off on Thursday across the country with a total of 40,420 candidates signing up for the test, according to the country's Ministry of Education and Science.

Among the examinees, the youngest is 15 years old while the eldest is 58 years old, the ministry said in a statement.

The four-day exam takes place amid the fear of COVID-19, and more than 1,000 COVID-19 cases have been reported per day in the country.

Preparations were made to protect the examinees from possible infection by disinfecting classrooms where the exam is to take place, checking their temperature before they enter the classrooms, and providing them with disposable plastic gloves and face masks, the ministry said.

Under normal circumstances, the exam is organized in early June across the country. However, this year's exam had been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In June, more than 2,000 COVID-19 infections had been reported daily in the country with a population of 3.3 million. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 16:12:13|Editor: huaxia

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TOKYO, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Major Japanese mobile carriers are starting to provide online medical services through smartphone applications, to meet the growing demand of people seeking health services from home amid the COVID-19 pandemic, local media reported Thursday.

The mobile companies, including KDDI Corp. operating the au brand, are adding new functions to their health monitoring apps that permit users to consult doctors and pharmacists via video chat.

The KDDI started offering the online health checkup service on the "au Wellness" app, which logs users' step counts and the amounts of calories burned, from June. The checkup costs 330 yen (3 U.S. dollars) per session.

It also schedules to offer medication consultations with pharmacists from September.

"We want to offer services that can solve issues in many situations with just one app," a KDDI representative said.

Its industry peer SoftBank Corp. provides online medical examinations on its health management app designed for companies to use through employees' welfare programs. Companies taking great care of their workers' health state have begun using the app as part of their programs, officials of the firm said.

Meanwhile, NTT Docomo Inc. has established a capital and business tie-up with medical technology company Medley Inc. The carrier plans to allow its customers to use Medley's online health checkup app with their Docomo accounts later this year.

Japan started permitting online initial medical consultations as a special measure in April last year. The plan is currently limited for use during the pandemic, discussions are still within the government about turning the measure into a permanent step.

A senior official of the SoftBank affiliate that takes charge of operating its health management app said that the COVID-19 pandemic created "a favorable market environment earlier than initially expected."

The online health service has been selected by the communications ministry as one of the topics of this year's lectures held for the elder about smartphone use. The lectures are set to be held at some 1,800 places around Japan. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 17:47:01|Editor: huaxia

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ISLAMABAD, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- At least three people were killed and over 30 others injured after a bomb went off in Bahawalnagar district of Pakistan's eastern Punjab province on Thursday, local media reported. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 22:12:32|Editor: huaxia

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COLOMBO, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's health experts on Thursday said an investigation had been launched to identify the implications of three new mutations of the Delta variant found mainly from capital Colombo to see if it is more contagious than the original Delta variant.

State Minister of Production, Supply and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals Channa Jayasumana said in the parliament earlier this week that three new mutations of the Delta variant had been identified in Sri Lanka, which might explain why the virus was spreading rapidly in the country.

Head of the Department of Immunology and Molecular Sciences of the Sri Jayawardenapura University Professor Neelika Malavige said the three variants had been found from gene sequencing done by health experts around 10 days ago, and they were now probing to identify its implications.

The three new mutations had mainly been identified in Colombo which has been identified as the epicenter of the Delta variant.

Sri Lanka's total COVID-19 patient count reached 372,079 after 2,720 patients tested positive for the virus earlier in the day, statistics showed.

The present active patient count in the country increased to 46,761. The death toll from the virus reached 6,604.

Sri Lanka presently has imposed a curfew from 10:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. local time and public gatherings remain banned until further notice. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 23:16:16|Editor: huaxia

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SINGAPORE, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Singapore's Ministry of Health (MOH) reported 32 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, bringing the total tally in the country to 66,366.

The new infections included 29 locally transmitted cases. As many as 11 are linked to previous cases and have already been placed on quarantine. Five are linked to previous cases and were detected through surveillance, while 13 are currently unlinked.

There are three imported cases, who have already been placed on Stay-Home Notice (SHN) or isolated upon arrival in Singapore. Among them, one was detected upon arrival in Singapore, while two developed the illness during SHN or isolation.

A total of 391 cases are currently warded in hospital. Most are well and under observation. There are currently 29 cases of serious illness requiring oxygen supplementation, and eight in critical condition in the intensive care unit (ICU).

As of Aug. 18, 77 percent of Singapore's population have completed the full vaccination regimen, and 82 percent have received at least one dose.

The ministry also announced that the city-state will classify countries and regions into four categories, each with differentiated border measures, premised on a traveler's 21-day travel history prior to their entry into Singapore.

This is the first step of Singapore to introduce vaccination-differentiated border measures for travelers from countries and regions that have controlled the pandemic well and also vaccinated large parts of their population.

Beyond this framework, the country will implement a new Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) to facilitate fully vaccinated persons to travel into Singapore under reduced border measures. It will start pilot VTL arrangements with Brunei and Germany. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 23:35:07|Editor: huaxia

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DHAKA, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Clubs and community centers, resorts as well as recreational facilities across Bangladesh reopened to tourists on Thursday, after having remained closed for months in phases since last year due to COVID-19 pandemic.

The Bangladeshi government on Aug. 12 decided to allow tourist destinations to reopen at half of their capacities from Aug. 19, asking everyone to follow the health guidelines.

Bangladesh's Cabinet Division made the announcement, directing relevant authorities to ensure compliance with the government-issued health safety protocols, including wearing masks outdoors.

The announcement came after Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (TOAB) demanded reopening of tourist spots to save millions involved in the sector.

Md Rafeuzzaman, the TOAB president, recently in a press conference said the sector had to incur a loss of around 200 billion taka (around 2.33 billion U.S. dollars) due to the pandemic since last year.

He said the pandemic has created untold suffering to some four million people involved in the country's tourism industry.

The resurgence in COVID-19 cases since June prompted the government to enforce the latest lockdown that began on July 1 and continued till July 14.

Bangladesh re-imposed the lockdown from July 23 to Aug. 10 in phases after relaxing restrictions for a week on the occasion of the Eid al-Adha festival which fell on July 21.

Instead of imposing again lockdown, Bangladesh since last month strengthened COVID-19 vaccination drive in capital Dhaka and elsewhere in the country thanks largely to the Chinese government's vaccine support so far.

To further strengthen the countrywide vaccination drive, Bangladesh Monday signed an agreement on co-production of the Chinese Sinopharm doses locally.

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between China's Sinopharm Group, Bangladesh's Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Incepta Vaccine Ltd., a leading local vaccine manufacturing company.

Bangladeshi Health Minister Zahid Maleque Monday said the Bangladesh government is in need for 260 million doses of vaccine to bring 80 percent of its population under vaccination to control the pandemic outbreak.

Bangladesh reported 6,566 new COVID-19 cases and 159 new deaths on Thursday, making the tally at 14,47,210 and death toll at 24,878, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) said.

Bangladesh recorded the highest daily new cases of 16,230 on July 28 and the highest number of deaths of 264 twice on Aug. 5 and 10. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 05:00:32|Editor: huaxia

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MADRID, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- More than 30 million people in Spain have now received both doses of vaccine against COVID-19, the country's Ministry of Health confirmed on Wednesday.

The data published by the ministry showed that 30,261,332 Spaniards, or 63.8 percent of the population, are now fully vaccinated, while 35,072,910, or 73.9 percent of the population, have received one vaccine dose.

However, vaccination numbers are still considerably lower for the groups aged 12-19 (9.3 percent), 20-29 (35.8 percent) and 30-39 (58.5 percent), although the Spanish government hoped the speed of vaccination would increase as people return from their holidays.

Also on Wednesday, the ministry reported 11,956 new COVID-19 cases and 144 deaths, taking the national tallies to 4,745,558 and 82,883 respectively.

Meanwhile, the country's 14-day COVID-19 incidence continued to fall to 378.13 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 15:33:29|Editor: huaxia

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BERLIN, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- The German government launched a relief fund worth 30 billion euros (35.1 billion U.S. dollars) for the victims of the flood disaster in July, the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Federal Ministry of the Interior announced in a joint statement on Wednesday.

The rapid repair of the damage and reconstruction of the destroyed infrastructure were an "immense effort in view of the destruction in the regions affected by heavy rain and flooding," said Olaf Scholz, minister of finance, describing the aid fund as "solidarity in action."

More than half of the amount, 16 billion euros (18.7 billion dollars), will be paid before the end of this year, according to the ministries. A corresponding draft is scheduled to pass the Bundestag next week.

The German government also launched a so-called cell broadcast on Wednesday. According to the Ministry of the Interior, the technology enables warnings to be sent simply, quickly and precisely to all cell phones in a specific area in the event of emergencies and natural disasters.

"Warning the population has to work, on all channels," said Minister of the Interior Horst Seehofer, adding that cell broadcast supplemented sirens, apps and radio as warning tools.

"If you are woken up at night, you need to know immediately what has happened and how to act," he added. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 16:15:58|Editor: huaxia

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GENEVA, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Tourism offices in Switzerland are "planting the seed" to prepare for a possible return of Chinese travelers in the Alpine country as the industry "suffered" from a sharp drop of overseas tourists, a tourism official has said.

Lei Zhao, Market Manager for Geneva's tourism office Fondation Geneve Tourisme & Congres, told Xinhua in an interview on Wednesday that the year 2019 was one of the best for tourism, and they had even higher expectations for 2020.

"But suddenly, everything stopped," she said, explaining that besides the first two months of 2020, there were "almost no tourists from China."

The global pandemic brought travel worldwide to an almost complete halt in 2020, as the world started its fight against coronavirus.

China was the third biggest market for Swiss tourism in 2019, and the Chinese tourists accounted for 101,000 overnight stays, a number that has been reduced to some 12,000 in 2020, according to official figures from Switzerland Tourism.

Zhao said the Geneva office is now preparing for a possible return of Chinese travelers and has developed several applications to guide Chinese tourists in the streets of Switzerland.

Her office has also launched several media accounts to promote Switzerland in China, generating about 10 million views on the Chinese short-video platform Douyin. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 18:20:20|Editor: huaxia

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ISTANBUL, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Turkey on Thursday proceeded with the evacuation of Turkish citizens from Afghanistan's capital Kabul, local media reported.

According to the state-run Anadolu agency, 273 people arrived at Istanbul Airport early in the morning onboard a Turkish Airlines plane via Islamabad, the capital city of Pakistan.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said around 1,500 Turkish citizens are currently in Afghanistan, and evacuations are ongoing for those who want to return to Turkey, the press reports said.

Cavusoglu said that Turkey is also helping other countries to evacuate their citizens and diplomatic missions from Afghanistan, according to the Haberturk daily.

Turkey started the evacuations on Monday after the Taliban entered Kabul on Sunday, and so far, nearly 600 people have been evacuated.

According to the current COVID-19 preventive measures, those coming from Kabul will be put under quarantine for 10 days. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 19:41:08|Editor: huaxia

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ISTANBUL, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Turkish police have detained 506 illegal immigrants in Turkey's biggest city Istanbul, Istanbul Governor's Office announced on Thursday.

Istanbul police forces have recently beefed up their controls against irregular refugees and detained 506 undocumented foreign nationals, including 239 Afghans, across the city on Wednesday, the governor's office said in a written statement.

It added that the apprehended migrants were sent to a local repatriation center for deportation procedures.

Istanbul Governor Ali Yerlikaya said 38,251 irregular migrants have been arrested across the city since the beginning of this year.

Turkey, a key transit point for asylum seekers on their way to Europe, has been lately witnessing an increased influx of Afghan refugees fleeing turmoil in their homeland.

The country hosts more than 4 million refugees, including 3.6 million Syrians, within its borders, mostly in Istanbul. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 20:03:02|Editor: huaxia

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LONDON, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- U.S. "hasty and ill-planned" withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan leading to chaos and deaths was met with wide condemnation, according to an article published Monday by British media the Daily Mail.

"The president never addressed the real questions: why would he not leave a few thousand troops to provide air power?" Elliott Abrams, Vandenberg Coalition chairman and former senior State Department official, asked in the article.

"Why did he not understand that his decisions would create chaos?" he said, viewing the withdrawal as a "disgraceful performance."

Following the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, scenes of chaotic evacuation at the Kabul airport and desperate Afghans who fell from the sky after clinging to planes taking off shocked the world.

"It's not that we left Afghanistan. It's the grossly incompetent way we left!" Former U.S. President Donald Trump said, refuting President Joe Biden, who, in a speech at the White House on Monday, defended his decision to bring home U.S. troops before blaming Afghan leaders for their failure to prevent the country collapsing.

"It is unconscionable that the Biden administration accelerated this withdrawal without having plans in place to get all American citizens and allied Afghan partners who assisted American forces out of the country first," the article quoted Jim Carafano of the Heritage Foundation as saying.

"It is shocking that there was no contingency planning in place to respond to the worst-case scenario," he said.

At least eight people were killed during chaos at the Kabul airport on Monday, and two of them were shot dead by U.S. troops, the Daily Mail reported. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 23:59:27|Editor: huaxia

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LONDON, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- As chaos continues at the Kabul airport amid the hasty withdrawal of the U.S., British and NATO troops in Afghanistan and Taliban's swift takeover of the country, experts in Britain have decried the U.S.-led military intervention in the Asian country since 2001, calling it "a mistake".

"I saw a war over there as a mistake from the start. I wrote about that weeks after the 9/11 attacks. I said then an attack on Afghanistan would be wrong," Paul Rogers, an emeritus professor at Britain's Bradford University, and author of Losing Control: Global Security in the Twenty-first Century, told Xinhua on Thursday.

"The idea that you go in and make a new politics for a country is highly suspect in this day and age. What should have happened is they should have drawn in the United Nations in some way," he said.

Claiming to be in pursuit of Osama bin Laden, the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 terror attacks in 2001, the U.S.-led military forces invaded Afghanistan. Since then, they have caused more than 30,000 civilian deaths, injured more than 60,000 and resulted in about 11 million refugees.

According to official figures, just in 2019, at least 6,825 drone strikes took place in Afghanistan, and 7,423 bombs and other munitions were dropped on the land, an average of 20 bombs a day. With U.S. bombs blasting all around, peace and stability have long been a goal far beyond the reach of ordinary Afghans.

Following the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan over the weekend, scenes of chaotic evacuation at the Kabul airport and desperate Afghans who fell from the sky after clinging to planes taking off shocked the world. Thousands of the nationals and local support staff of the United States and Britain are still left stranded in Afghanistan, waiting to be evacuated.

Amalendu Misra, a professor from the Department of Politics, Philosophy and Religion at Lancaster University, told Xinhua that the U.S.-led military intervention in Afghanistan -- what Washington called a "nation building" mission -- is a "thankless task".

"Some people and cultures simply don't want to have outsiders barging into their house," he said.

Anthony Glees, an expert in world politics at University of Buckingham, told Xinhua: "In Kabul's fall, the U.S., NATO, and Britain in particular, have demonstrated their weakness."

"My feeling is that the disorderly withdrawal from Afghanistan in what amounts to a victory of the Taliban over the U.S. and NATO is a kind of line in the sand," he said.

"It indicates to me the need for a fundamental re-think of all the existing relationships between the powerful nations so that new designs for containing violent action can be constructed." Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-20 00:01:08|Editor: huaxia

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COPENHAGEN, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- A group of 84 evacuees from Afghanistan arrived in Denmark on Thursday, after being picked up from the Pakistani capital of Islamabad by a Scandinavian Airlines plane.

The group, comprised mainly of Afghans who have worked for the Danish embassy in Kabul and their families, was evacuated following the takeover of Kabul by Taliban.

"I am pleased to be able to confirm that we have now got a plane with 84 evacuated people on safe ground in Denmark," said Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod on his Twitter account.

Upon arrival, the evacuees were transported to Center Sandholm, Denmark's largest asylum center, 31 km north of Copenhagen. Initially, the Red Cross will be responsible for accommodating them, and they will have to quarantine for five days under Coronavirus rules.

Kofod confirmed on Twitter that the evacuation of Danes and Afghan employees continues unabated.

"The operation is still in full swing, and we are working at high pressure to evacuate the last local staff, interpreters and other groups out of Kabul."

Evacuated Afghan employees and their families are permitted to stay in Denmark for two years following a recent political agreement. Under the Danish Aliens Act, the evacuees also have the right to apply for a residence permit. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 10:29:27|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- For a long time, the United States has proclaimed itself as a "beacon of human rights." The facts, however, show that America not only acts too slowly to protect human rights, but also incessantly violates human rights in various aspects. Human trafficking is one such widespread and deeply-rooted human rights problem in the United States.

Many consider a significant starting point to slavery in America to be August 1619, when more than 20 captive Africans first landed at Point Comfort in the British colony of Virginia. These men and women had been kidnapped from their homes in Africa, forced to board a ship, and sailed for months into the unknown. From this fateful moment on, America began a 400-year story filled with tragedy, inequality and oppression.

Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, wrote that "all men are created equal" in the Declaration of Independence, and yet enslaved more than 600 people over the course of his life.

Jefferson even measured the yield of slaves on his plantation. In a letter sent to President George Washington, he counted the agricultural profits and losses of his plantation and said he was making a 4-percent profit every year on the birth of black children. The enslaved were yielding him a perpetual human dividend at compound interest.

Today, more than 150 years after slavery was officially abolished, human trafficking remains rampant in the United States.

The State Department itself conceded the United States is a "source, transit, and destination country for men, women, transgender individuals, and children -- both U.S. citizens and foreign nationals -- subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor."

"Trafficking occurs in both legal and illicit industries, including in commercial sex, hospitality, traveling sales crews, agriculture, janitorial services, construction, restaurants, care for persons with disabilities, salon services, massage parlors, fairs and carnivals, peddling and begging, drug smuggling and distribution, and child care and domestic work," said the 2018 Trafficking in Persons Report.

How serious is human trafficking in the United States? In the past five years, cases of forced labor and human trafficking have been reported in all 50 states and Washington D.C. Up to 100,000 people are trafficked into the United States for forced labor annually and half of them are sold to sweatshops or enslaved in households. According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, the number of reported cases increased significantly from more than 3,200 in 2012 to more than 8,500 in 2017.

Women and children account for a significant proportion of human trafficking cases in the United States, and many of them are victims of sex trafficking. According to a 2020 report by DeliverFund, a U.S. counter-human trafficking intelligence organization, it is estimated that between 15,000 to 50,000 women and children are forced into sexual slavery in the United States every year.

The United States is the number one target country for sex trafficking in the world, said Laura Riso, a victim specialist with the FBI, at the foreign press center in New York. She said the youngest victim she had met was only 10 years old.

Behind rampant human trafficking in the United States is lax law enforcement and the frequent absence of the justice system. According to a 2014 study by Northeastern University in collaboration with the Washington-based Urban Institute, labor trafficking investigations were not prioritized by local or federal law enforcement agencies.

Although the majority of victims in the study were willing to cooperate, investigations and prosecutions of their traffickers were rare, said the study, adding that civil actions or back wage claims were also rarely pursued, further compounding victims' debts and stolen wages.

"It's a vicious cycle that law enforcement in the U.S. sees time and time again," Detective Bill Woolf with the Northern Virginia Human Trafficking Task Force was quoted by the Atlantic as saying.

Luis Cabeza deBaca, former U.S. anti-trafficking ambassador-at-large, said the gravity of the human trafficking problem reveals systemic flaws in the U.S. governance system. "This is not one bad apple that needs to be dealt with," he said. "The entire barrel has a problem."

A typical case is American billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, who had long been engaged in sex trafficking. However, because of his close ties with celebrities, artists and politicians, he had been for years treated leniently by the U.S. justice system.

Human trafficking is just the tip of the iceberg of America's human rights violations. With such terrible human rights records, the United States holds no moral high ground to judge the human rights situation in other countries.

For Washington, the top priority is not to seek personal political interests or maintain American hegemony under the cover of human rights, but earnestly respond to the needs of people in the country and improve their basic rights of survival and development. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 11:29:06|Editor: huaxia

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MEXICO CITY, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Rampant arms trafficking across the Mexican border in the past decade, not least with weapons from the United States, is fueling Mexico's spiraling drug violence, experts and activists told Xinhua.

Each year on average, more than 200,000 weapons enter Mexican territory, due to the largely unregulated sale of arms in the United States. That means more than 560 weapons a day are brought into the country, and most of them cannot be recovered, according to Mexico's Ministry of National Defense.

About 70 percent of homicides or femicides in Mexico are committed with firearms, according to the Mexican Foreign Ministry.

"The crisis of Mexican violence and its relationship with weapons is not new, but has been on the rise currently ... in fact it is possible to trace back to the beginning of the 2000s, when the United States deregulated carrying assault weapons," said Rodrigo Pena Gonzalez, a Mexican criminologist.

"That (measure) leads to the first waves of violence in Mexico. Instead of stopping, it exacerbates the situation," said Pena Gonzalez.

Lax gun laws in the United States, which allow practically anyone to purchase military-grade assault weapons, coupled with Mexico's porous border, have undermined bilateral efforts to fight crime, said the academic from the prestigious Colegio de Mexico (The College of Mexico).

To tackle the problem, he said, Mexico's government in early August took the "unprecedented" step of suing 11 U.S. arms manufacturers and distributors for their role in arming criminal organizations.

However, much more needs to be done, he added.

When people and vehicles heading into Mexico undergo strict inspection at borders known as arms-trafficking points -- such as San Diego-Tijuana, McAllen-Reynosa and Brownsville-Matamoros -- the truth is that neither government "has the capability to monitor all flows, especially ... arms trafficking from north to south," said Pena Gonzalez.

Human rights activist Raymundo Ramos Vazquez said he believes that a combination of stricter gun laws and better border control would be a better solution.

"As long as this flow is not stopped and the traffickers in small arms or the large companies that sell them are not put behind bars, the violence will continue," said Ramos, who is president of the Human Rights Committee of the violence-torn Mexican border city of Nuevo Laredo.

A report, based on official data of seizures from 2016 to 2017 and presented by the United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime in 2020, showed that firearms are smuggled into Mexico in batches that are smaller compared to smuggled arms shipments in other parts of the world.

Assault rifles, machine guns and bullets are brought into Mexico in trailers or private vehicles modified to hide the weapons in secret compartments, according to Mexican officials, who manage to foil some smugglers.

Ramos questioned Washington's stance towards Mexico, asking why the United States demands Mexico fight organized crime but "never touches on the issue of the weapons, the weapons that come from U.S. manufacturers."

The manufacture, sale and use of guns in the United States is a huge industrial chain, forming huge interest groups, such as the National Rifle Association, which makes large political contributions to presidential and congressional elections.

Many drawbacks of U.S. party politics, vote politics and money politics are intertwined, which makes it difficult for legislative and executive agencies to make a difference on gun control but let the situation continue to deteriorate. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 14:10:34|Editor: huaxia

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WASHINGTON, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- A U.S. freelance journalist on Wednesday sued Congress for footage and other records pertaining to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, arguing that concealing those records from the public eye is a manifestation of the legislative branch's lack of transparency.

Shawn Musgrave, in the lawsuit filed with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, asked a judge to recognize a "common law right of access" to congressional records, which are exempt from public records laws like the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

The lawsuit was filed against the U.S. Capitol Police (USCP), the House Sergeant at Arms and the secretary of the Senate.

"The result of FOIA inapplicability, in combination with almost nothing requiring further transparency to the public from these offices, has roundly led to low transparency and high secrecy," the complaint reads, adding that the lack of transparency has become even more apparent in the face of increased public interest in congressional security in the wake of Jan. 6.

"However, these offices are subject to the common law right of access to public records, as all three branches of government are subject to that right."

Musgrave is seeking public access to surveillance footage of the riot and records about the Capitol's security measures, arguing that increased USCP transparency generally would be helpful in understanding Jan. 6 riot and in preventing similar attacks from happening in the future.

Musgrave also filed a separate lawsuit against the Senate Intelligence Committee and its chairman, Sen. Mark Warner, Democrat of Virginia, seeking to make public the panel's full torture report.

The American public only "had access to the redacted and heavily abridged Executive Summary version" of the torture report since its release in 2014, according to the file.

Whether the judges will be convinced by Musgrave's argument that the legislative branch has an implied legal obligation to disclose those materials remains unclear.

The lawsuits came amid ongoing investigation led by a House select committee into the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, during which a mob of former President Donald Trump's supporters breached the Capitol Complex, attempting to stop Congress from certifying the 2020 presidential election results to Joe Biden.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi suggested Tuesday that GOP representatives Jim Jordan of Ohio and Jim Banks of Indiana could be targets of the Jan. 6 committee's investigation.

Staunchly supporting Trump, Jordan and Banks were House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy's picks to serve on the select committee, but their membership were vetoed by Pelosi, who claimed the pair were "outrageous" and "not serious." Enditem
Este 21 y 22 de agosto, la #Vacunaton contra la #COVID19 se desarrollara en 15 regiones del pais. Ademas, en Lima Metropolitana y Callao se activaran 28 centros de vacunacion y se espera superar la meta de 600 000 personas vacunadas, informo el ministro Hernando Cevallos. pic.twitter.com/JohFnUbpGk
17:00 | Lima, Jul. 20.

"Thanks to the gaze of historians, we can realize what happened and the price that the country paid for decades for not seeking the harmony and unity that independence had advocated," Mr. Sagasti said in remarks to Andina news agency.









The Head of State called on citizens to become aware of what "we are, we were, and we can become as a country" so that all Peruvians willing to dialogue can become the example of decency and honesty to transform politics in a way that it is truly at the service of citizenry.





The top official mentioned that political parties are organizations which in his opinion must rethink the way to connect with citizens and their militants, establishing a more horizontal link, as well as filters so that the most qualified citizens can reach leadership positions.





"What we need are new politicians, who have a different vision, capable of recognizing differences, looking for coincidences, submitting them to a reality filter and proposing laws. Afterwards, it will be up to the Executive Branch to put them into practice," he indicated.









Mr. Sagasti also assured that the South American nation has extraordinary possibilities, adding that it will be up to young people "of all ages" of the post-Bicentennial generation to make the most of those potentialities.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 19, ARMENPRESS. Ensuring the security of the people of Artsakh and the peaceful and comprehensive resolution of the Karabakh conflict must be the main objective of the Armenian government for the coming years, the Pashinyan Administration says in the 2021-2026 action plan.

The government sees the final resolution of the Karabakh conflict within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship with the clarification of the final status of Nagorno Karabakh, based on the well-known principles and elements, including the right to self-determination.

The post-war restoration of Artsakh, boosting the economic life, solution of social problems of displaced population and preservation of cultural and religious heritage will be in the governments focus. No effort will be spared to create conditions for dignified and prosperous life in Artsakh. The government will reach these goals through deepening of cooperation with the authorities of Artsakh, as well as creation of new formats of partnership with Artsakh.

The action plan mentions that Armenia will continue to be the guarantor of security of Artsakhs people and will continue working in the direction of protecting the rights of the Artsakh people.

The Defense Army will continue ensuring the security of Artsakh and the people of Artsakh. The presence of the peacekeeping forces of the Russian Federation in Artsakh is a highly important guarantee for security. The government will guarantee the existence of all necessary conditions for the uninterrupted and unhindered activities of the peacekeeping mission. The holding of substantial negotiations within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship format is crucial for the exclusively peaceful solution of the Karabakh conflict.
SACRAMENTO, AUGUST 19, ARMENPRESS. Senator Anthony J. Portantino (D  La Canada Flintridge) and Senator Scott Wilk (R  Santa Clarita) announced the decision by the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) to restrict the number of investments and holdings they have in the Republic of Turkey. CalPERS is the largest defined-benefit public pension in the United States.

California continues to take significant and historic steps to end the practice of divestment from countries that violate principles of human rights, stated Senator Portantino as quoted by his office. This week CalPERS took important, proactive action and did the right thing by initiating the process of eliminating their holdings in Turkey. I am grateful to the community and all the activists for their tireless efforts and tenacity to push forward on divestment and to the CalPERS Board for responding to our collective plea.

The CalPERS action followed a similar path taken by the State Teachers Retirement System (CalSTRS). Senator Portantino and representatives from Glendale Community College, Glendale Unified School District and the Armenian American community announced the CalSTRS action on June 16, 2021 at a press conference on Artsakh Avenue. During the event, Senator Portantino challenged CalPERS to follow CalSTRS and do the right thing. Todays announcement underscores the action by CalPERS to do just that.

At the outset of the legislative session, Senators Portantino and Wilk introduced SB 457 to require the CalPERS and CalSTRS Boards of Administration to allow school districts and cities to opt out of investment vehicles issued or owned by the Republic of Turkey. The idea for the bill came from Glendale City Councilmember Ardy Kassakhian who recognized the injustice of Glendales significant public workforce having its hard-earned wages invested in Turkey.

SB 457 received unanimous support in the Senate and has helped push forward Turkish divestment efforts by encouraging CalPERS and CalSTRS to take bold steps. Since the introduction of the bill, the question of Turkish divestment became a priority for CalPERS and CalSTRS. This week CalPERS answered the call to restrict its holdings in the Republic of Turkey and began the necessary steps to move towards completing divestment.

In line with US policy rejecting Turkeys ongoing Armenian Genocide denial campaign, CalPERS decision to divest from Turkish government investments is a bold and principled one for which we have long advocated, stated Armenian National Committee of America  Western Region Chairwoman Nora Hovsepian. We are grateful to Senator Anthony Portantino for spearheading this effort and look forward to further similar successes as the walls of denial continue to crumble.

The State of California has a long history of divesting from countries that violate human rights. In 1986, Governor George Deukmejian condemned South Africas apartheid policy by signing Californias divestiture law, aimed at pressuring the government to end its system of racial segregation. In 2008, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a Sudan divestment bill due to the ongoing genocide in the Darfur. Students from the University of California successfully lobbied the UC to divest from Turkey in 2017.

We are pleased that CalPERS leadership has made this decision to be more socially responsible and take a stand against governments who abuse human rights, stated AGBU Community Affairs Representative Talin Yacoubian. The action taken by CalPERS, and earlier this year by CalSTRS, to eliminate their investments in Turkey is a strong stance against the genocidal government of Turkey. We thank the Senator for his steadfast commitment to what is right."

In May, CalSTRS announced it was taking several steps to restrict its holdings in Turkey. They placed restrictions on three Turkish state-owned banks, which prevented them from being included in the CalSTRS portfolio. In addition, they directed external managers who have Turkish state-owned entities in their portfolios to re-evaluate each of these investments to assess their compliance with CalSTRS Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) policy  a risk assessment that defines 25 risk factors that managers must consider when investing assets on behalf of CalSTRS. Finally, CalSTRS announced it was conducting additional risk evaluation of a Turkish-issued treasury that is currently the only investment issued or controlled by the Government of Turkey that they hold internally.

CalPERS announced that it has made an active investment strategy decision to narrow its overall investment exposure. The policy shift includes removing several countries considered immaterial and the most operationally challenging. The result is a substantial reduction in currency and equity exposure to Turkish issued securities between March 31, 2021 and June 30, 2021. CalPERS anticipates this number will continue to go down and that their holdings in Turkey will be entirely eliminated in the very near future.

This is a historic and important action by CalPERS. Turkey should not be benefiting from the wages of the Armenian American public employees in California, stated Senator Wilk. I am grateful to both CalSTRS and CalPERS for responding to our effort and the Armenian American community that joined us in this successful effort.

CalSTRS and CalPERS are the two primary California pension funds that have had portfolio interest with Turkey. Established in 1913, CalSTRS is the largest educator-only pension fund in the world, and the second largest pension fund in the U.S., with 975,000 members and beneficiaries. The market value of the CalSTRS investment portfolio was approximately $306.7 billion as of May 31, 2021. CalPERS, the largest defined-benefit public pension in the country, serves more than two million members in their retirement system and offers health program benefits to more than 1.5 million members and their families. Established in 1932, CalPERS had $392.5 billion in assets at the end of the 2020 fiscal year.
YEREVAN, 19 AUGUST, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 19 August, USD exchange rate down by 0.39 drams to 490.69 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 1.49 drams to 573.86 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.06 drams to 6.62 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 3.39 drams to 671.75 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price down by 117.10 drams to 28135.79 drams. Silver price down by 3.93 drams to 373.42 drams. Platinum price down by 265.18 drams to 15807.6 drams.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 19, ARMENPRESS. A private servicemen has been arrested on suspicion of killing 3 of his co-servicemen, ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the Investigative Committee of Armenia.

Three on-duty Armenian soldiers were found shot dead in the outpost of a military base of the Armenian Armed Forces in the south-eastern direction, the Ministry of Defense said.

The bodies of Private Murad Muradyan (b. 2002), Private Levon Harutyunyan (b.2002), and Private Gor Sahakyan (b. 2002) were found with gunshot wounds around 02:15, August 19.

Preliminary investigation is underway.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 19, ARMENPRESS. President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with the President of France Emmanuel Macron, during which, among other issues, the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict was discussed, ARMENPRESS reports, the press service of the Kremlin informed.

At the request of Emmanuel Macron, Vladimir Putin informed about the implementation process of the November 9, 2020 and January 11, 2021 trilateral statements on Nagorno Karabakh.

It was noted that the situation in the region is generally stable, measures are taken to unblock economic and transport communications and meet the humanitarian needs of the people in the South Caucasus.

The mutual readiness for further joint work on various aspects of the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, first of all within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group, was emphasized.
Three on-duty Armenian soldiers were found shot dead in the outpost of a military base of the Armenian Armed Forces in the south-eastern direction, the Ministry of Defense said.

August 19, 2021, 10:21 Three on-duty Armenian soldiers found shot dead in military position

STEPANAKERT, AUGUST 19, ARTSAKHPRESS: The bodies of Private Murad Muradyan (b. 2002), Private Levon Harutyunyan (b.2002), and Private Gor Sahakyan (b. 2002) were found with gunshot wounds around 02:15, August 19.

The Ministry of Defense is investigating the circumstances of the incident.
The Armenian military issued new details over the deaths of the three soldiers who were found shot dead in a military outpost on August 19.

August 19, 2021, 11:01 Armenian military responds to rumors on adversary raid targeting outpost

STEPANAKERT, AUGUST 19, ARTSAKHPRESS-ARMENPRESS: In response to media rumors purporting that the soldiers were killed by an adversary raid, the Ministry of Defense told that full-scale actions are underway to completely reveal the circumstances of the incident. Nevertheless, according to the preliminary information of this moment, the incident isnt adversary-related, the Defense Ministry said, adding that it will issue additional information whenever it becomes available.

Three on-duty Armenian soldiers were found shot dead in the outpost of a military base of the Armenian Armed Forces in the south-eastern direction, the Ministry of Defense said.

The bodies of Private Murad Muradyan (b. 2002), Private Levon Harutyunyan (b.2002), and Private Gor Sahakyan (b. 2002) were found with gunshot wounds around 02:15, August 19.
The Taliban radical movement (outlawed in Russia) published a declaration marking Afghan Independence Day on Thursday, Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid reported on Twitter, Tass informs.

August 19, 2021, 14:41 Taliban publishes declaration to mark Afghan Independence Day, spokesman says

STEPANAKERT, AUGUST 19, ARTSAKHPRESS: He published a link to a document noting that this was the "Declaration of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan on the occasion of the 102nd anniversary of the countrys independence from the British rule."

"The Afghans are very proud that their country today is on the threshold of independence from American occupation. This is a divine blessing that all Afghans should be grateful for. We should work in unity and sincerity in the interests of the Islamic system in our country as well as for the sake of the nations reconstruction and prosperity," the document said.

This is the first official document of its kind by the Taliban, marking the occasion of the national event after the group took control of the country.

After the Biden administration had announced the end of its US military operation in Afghanistan and the launch of its troop pullout, the Taliban (outlawed in Russia) embarked on an offensive against Afghan government forces. On August 15, Taliban fighters swept into Kabul without encountering any resistance and gained full control over the Afghan capital within a few hours. Afghanistans President Ashraf Ghani said he had stepped down to prevent any bloodshed and subsequently fled the country. At present, Western nations are evacuating their citizens and embassy staff.

On February 14, 2003, the Russian Supreme Court declared the Taliban to be a terrorist organization. The extremist organizations activities are outlawed nationwide.
On the initiative of the non-governmental organizations of the Artsakh Republic, on August 17 an online discussion was held with Paul Gavan (Ireland), PACE rapporteur for the 'Humanitarian consequences of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

August 19, 2021, 15:10 Online discussion with the PACE Rapporteur

STEPANAKERT, AUGUST 19, ARTSAKHPRESS: The representatives of non-governmental organizations spoke about the issues that were directly related to the humanitarian crisis caused by the war unleashed by Azerbaijan and Turkey on September 27, 2020.



The efforts of the two Armenian states to overcome the crisis cannot be enough; the international community should widely support the Artsakh people to get over the difficulties. The permanent residents of the Artsakh settlements, currently occupied by Azerbaijan, who have lost their apartments and property, are in a desperate situation. At present, social assistance is provided by the governments of the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Artsakh.



Meanwhile, according to international humanitarian norms, those forcibly displaced should be supported by the relevant international organizations. Meanwhile, according to international humanitarian norms, those forcibly displaced should be supported by the relevant international organizations.



The PACE rapporteur listened attentively to the displaced people, who have been deprived of their homeland due to the 44-Day War. The issue of the return of Armenian prisoners held in Baku was also discussed.



Holding prisoners several months after the end of the war is a gross violation of international humanitarian law. It is inadmissible when the Azerbaijani side makes such an issue a subject of speculation, making it a matter of political nature. The detainees and relatives of the missing people presented a number of facts about atrocities committed against Armenian civilians and servicemen in captivity.

The preservation of the historical and cultural heritage of Artsakh in the territories under ther Azerbaijani occupation was also discussed. The Azerbaijanis disseminated videos and showed how brutally they destroy and desecrate the Artsakh churches.



All these are facts that show Baku's goal to erase everything that is Armenian, to present the Armenian heritage as non-Armenian; they present it as Albanian or Udi. Representatives of the Artsakh non-governmental organizations also spoke about the Armenophobia propagated at the state level in Azerbaijan. Our opponent does not hide the plan to commit one more genocide.



Baku is doing everything possible to prevent the PACE rapporteurs on Nagorno-Karabakh from visiting the conflict zone. The Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe has not visited so far, which is considered an unacceptable fact for the Armenian side. They spoke about the need to exert international pressure on Azerbaijan, emphasizing that the Council of Europe, whose main task is the protection of human rights, firstly should deal with this issue.



In order to protect the rights of the people of Artsakh affected by the war, first of all, we must stand by them; discuss their problems in order to present them more clearly to the international community, in order to find appropriate solutions.
Ensuring the security of the people of Artsakh and the peaceful and comprehensive resolution of the Karabakh conflict must be the main objective of the Armenian government for the coming years, the Pashinyan Administration says in the 2021-2026 action plan.

August 19, 2021, 16:24 Defense Army to continue ensuring security of Artsakh

STEPANAKERT, AUGUST 19, ARTSAKHPRESS: The government sees the final resolution of the Karabakh conflict within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship with the clarification of the final status of Nagorno Karabakh, based on the well-known principles and elements, including the right to self-determination.

The post-war restoration of Artsakh, boosting the economic life, solution of social problems of displaced population and preservation of cultural and religious heritage will be in the governments focus. No effort will be spared to create conditions for dignified and prosperous life in Artsakh. The government will reach these goals through deepening of cooperation with the authorities of Artsakh, as well as creation of new formats of partnership with Artsakh.

The action plan mentions that Armenia will continue to be the guarantor of security of Artsakhs people and will continue working in the direction of protecting the rights of the Artsakh people.

The Defense Army will continue ensuring the security of Artsakh and the people of Artsakh. The presence of the peacekeeping forces of the Russian Federation in Artsakh is a highly important guarantee for security. The government will guarantee the existence of all necessary conditions for the uninterrupted and unhindered activities of the peacekeeping mission. The holding of substantial negotiations within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship format is crucial for the exclusively peaceful solution of the Karabakh conflict.
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As the newer varieties of Bradford pears produced fruit, birds would eat the fruit, fly to another location like forests and woodlots, then deposit the seeds, which would grow. This transfer has become an environmental threat for thousands of acres of forests located across the eastern United States.

As the seeds grow into seedlings, the new plants carry the genetics of the older callery pears, which produce thorns measuring up to four inches. It is reported that these thorns are very sturdy and can even puncture tractor tires! Once established, the thickets take over native forest trees like dogwoods, maples, oaks and redbud. Many of these native tree species produce fruit that is nutritious and palatable to birds and other animals, while the callery pear fruit has little nutritional value.

Bradford pear trees are a species of pear, as their name indicates. There are approximately 3,000 species of pear worldwide. Pears are a member of the rose family of plants and are related to apples. Pear trees are native to Asia and Europe, and are reported to have arrived in North America with the colonists when New England was settled in the 1600s.
Cayuga County Legislator Mark Strong, who represents the towns of Moravia, Niles, Sempronius and Summerhill, said there are businesses and homes affected by flooding, especially in the village of Moravia. He heard reports of similar conditions throughout the county.

Strong is among the homeowners who are trying to keep their basements dry. When the rain began Tuesday, he had to dig a ditch at his house because of the high water levels.

"Everybody is in the same boat," he said, adding that he's had 7.7 inches of rain at his house over the past three days.

The Owasco Inlet in Moravia reached major flooding stage overnight, peaking at 10.57 feet early Thursday morning. Major flood stage for the inlet begins at 9.5 feet. As of 4 p.m. Thursday, the inlet level was down to 8.62 feet. Minor flood stage for the inlet is between 8.5 and 8 feet.

Flooding has been more common after heavy rainstorms in Cayuga County. In July, there was a flash flooding, most notably at Casowasco in Scipio. It caused extensive damage to the campground and retreat center. There were campers on the grounds at the time, but no one was injured.
Flooding 2 Jacob Klipple, an employee at Moravia Fabrication, stands in flood water outside the company's facility on Thursday morning.

Other locations will experience flooding, including the city of Auburn and several towns and villages in the southern half of the county.

Because of the weather conditions, the sheriff's office said roadways may be covered over, culverts may be undermined or washed out, and debris may be washing into the roadway.

According to the National Weather Service, the Owasco Inlet in Moravia reached major flooding stage overnight, peaking at 10.57 feet. Major flood stage for the inlet is 9.5 feet. As of 9:17 a.m. Thursday, the inlet level was down to 9.93 feet.

Owasco Inlet The Owasco Inlet has reached major flood stage on Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.

Other Cayuga County water bodies tracked by NWS remained below flood stages but were considerably elevated. The Owasco Lake gauge, which is located toward the northern shore, at 8:45 a.m. showed a level of 714.1 feet above sea level (minor flood stage is 715 feet), while the Owasco River in Auburn was at 6.46 feet as of 9 a.m. (minor flood stage is 8 feet).

The city of Auburn posted high river flow notice for the Owasco River, noting that flows will be above 1,000 cubic feet per second into the weekend as the city attempts to keep Owasco Lake at safe levels by adjusting gates at its dams.
"They wanted U.S. forces out, and they wanted to take over the country militarily, and they believed that they could do that," Curtis said of the Taliban. "That was just crystal clear."

The agreement called for the U.S. to bring down its forces to 8,600 from 13,000 over the following three to four months, with the remaining U.S. forces withdrawing in 14 months, or by May 1.

Biden, in an ABC interview that aired Thursday, said he was confronted with that deadline soon after taking office: "Do I say we're staying? And do you think we would not have to put a hell of a lot more troops?" Even without Trump's deal, Biden said he "would've tried to figure out how to withdraw those troops" and that "there is no good time to leave Afghanistan."

The agreement stipulated commitments that the Taliban were expected to make to prevent terrorism, including specific obligations to renounce al-Qaida and prevent that group or others from using Afghan soil to plot attacks on the U.S. or its allies. Though the agreement bound the Taliban to halt all attacks on U.S. and coalition forces, it importantly did not explicitly require them to expel al-Qaida or to stop attacks on the Afghan military or offensives to take control of Afghan cities or other populated areas.
A release from Cuomos office didnt address the court fight, pointing instead to Velazquez accomplishments behind bars. He earned a bachelors degree, has worked from behind bars as a teaching fellow for a Columbia University professor and established programs that enlist inmates to counter gun violence and talk to prison officials and the public, leading to gun buyback, youth mentorship and other programs, according to Cuomos office.

Velazquez lawyer, Robert Gottlieb, said he was working to confirm when his client would be released.

I am thrilled for a wonderful man who should never have been convicted and remained locked up for years because DA Vance looked the other way in the face of an injustice, Gottlieb said.

A request for comment was sent to the DAs office.

Cuomo has issued pardons and clemencies on several occasions in recent years, with many of the pardons going to immigrants facing deportation, where a pardon could be beneficial to their attempts to be allowed to remain in the country.

The governor's office said all five people pardoned Tuesday were in that position. The other four people receiving commutations in addition to Velazquez were also cited for what they accomplished while in prison.
We think theres no substitute for teachers being with their students, both in terms of academic learning and their social emotional learning needs, and were prioritizing that and really trying to make that our focus this year," explained Nathan Quesnel, a superintendent of schools in East Hartford. In his district, virtual learning will be available short-term to accommodate individual students, classrooms or schools that need to quarantine or if there's a surge in cases.

Families have to make choices, he said. Some families have chosen to homeschool as an option. That's certainly not something we recommend, that's certainly not something we're promoting, but that is an option for families.

Connecticut attorney Andrew Feinstein, who represents an immunocompromised mother from Fairfield who is challenging her town's denial of remote learning for her child to the state Department of Education, said the state has thoroughly abdicated its responsibility when it comes to these families. Feinstein said the state released entirely ambiguous statements which he contends have led some superintendents to wrongly believe they can't offer them remote learning.
The bigger threat is probably just the chances of flooding and widespread flood watches that are in effect right now, he said.

Schools were closed and people evacuated along three rain-swollen rivers in far eastern Tennessee. "The areas around the Pigeon, French Broad and Nolichucky Rivers have become unsafe, Cocke County Mayor Crystal Ottinger said in an order posted to Facebook late Tuesday. Four shelters opened.

Schools in Lincoln County, West Virginia also canceled classes Wednesday due to high water from heavy rains.

In North Carolina, Gov. Roy Cooper said Wednesday he had declared a state of emergency and approximately 100 people had been rescued during the flooding in the state's mountains. There were at least 70 water rescue efforts in Buncombe County, spokesperson Lillian Govus said, and 911 call records show 2,400 calls within 24 hours, more than twice the typical volume.

Authorities also found at least 10 cars abandoned in flooded roads where people apparently sought safety and had to leave their cars behind, said Taylor Jones, the countys emergency services director. The town of Candler saw significant flooding, with impassible roads and two washed-out bridges preventing dozens of people from leaving their houses. No deaths or injuries were immediately reported.
The airport also received a flight from the European Union External Action service with five Afghan families on board. Spains government has offered to take in additional evacuees from EU partners and care for them until they can be distributed to other countries of the bloc.

We are still working to evacuate those Afghans who worked with Spain in the quickest manner possible and guarantee their security along with those people who have worked with the EU, said Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Albares.



COPENHAGEN, Denmark  Denmark says that a plane with 84 people who had been evacuated from Afghanistan has landed in Copenhagen and were now on safe ground in Denmark.

On Twitter, Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod wrote Thursday that the evacuation is still in full swing and we are working hard to evacuate the last local staff, interpreters and other groups from Kabul.

Danish media said that those aboard the plane reportedly were locally hired people and interpreters who had worked for Denmark. No further details were available.


Proposed state legislation would authorize the New York state commissioner of health to conduct a study and issue a report on the impact of pro-life pregnancy centers in the state. The pre-determined outcome of the "study" is that such services are too "limited" in denying pregnant women access to abortion.

The New York State Catholic Conference opposes this legislation and urges a negative vote.

By labeling pro-life pregnancy centers as "limited service pregnancy centers," it appears the intention of the bill is to intimidate, silence and shut down pro-life pregnancy centers. This legislation will force such centers, which rely primarily on volunteer workers, to turn over to the state voluminous data including funding sources, services, staffing, operational guidelines, client demographics and more, even if they receive no state subsidies. The majority of pro-life pregnancy centers do not receive government funding.

New York state has one of the highest abortion rates in the nation, and in 2019 expanded its abortion law to make the procedure more widely available and accessible than it previously had been. A state that prides itself on being "pro-choice" should not be taking legislative action to obstruct the choice of childbirth.

I urge you to oppose A5499/5470.
Toyota Motor, world's largest carmaker, has been forced to cut down its production target next month by almost half due to the ongoing global chip shortage crisis. The Japanese carmaker has now decided to revise its production targets for September as the crisis has hit its supply chain.

According to Nikkei, Toyota Motor will cut down vehicle production by 40 per cent next month. Toyota had earlier announced plans to build less than 900,000 vehicles in September due to the crisis. However, as the crisis worsens, Toyota has further revised its target by around just 360,000 units for next month. This triggered a drop in Toyota's shares today by more than four per cent, its biggest in a day since December 2018.

The crisis has reached a stage where Toyota Motor has been forced to suspend operations at several factories. These include as many as 15 Toyota facilities in Japan, besides some overseas plants in North America, China and Europe.

The Toyota models which will bear the brunt of this decision will be the RAV4, Corolla, Prius, Camry and Lexus RX. Most of these cars are only sold in Toyota's domestic and overseas markets. However, as of now, Toyota has not clarified yet if its production in India will be impacted as well any time soon.

Toyotas Purchasing Group Chief Officer Kazunari Kumakura was quoted by Bloomberg saying, Especially in Southeast Asia, the spread of Covid and lockdowns are impacting our local suppliers. Going forward, the company will look at ways of further diversifying its supply chains to not focus on one region and is attempting to find replacement parts from suppliers in other regions."

With the Delta variant of the coronavirus now raising concerns in many countries, Toyota has been forced relook at production plans in Southeast Asia, where the supply chain is also hit. Toyota has already suspended production at its three factories in Thailand last month due to a pandemic-related parts shortage.
Chinese self-driving startup FABU.AI secures 100 million yuan in Series B+ funding

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- FABU.AI, a Chinese autonomous driving startup, announced on August 19 it has banked 100 million yuan ($15.438 million) in Series B+ funding round from Cowin Capital and DYEE Capital. The proceeds will be used for the deployment of the company's car-road-cloud integrated solution in more scenarios like port transportation and city shuttle service.

FABU.AI's self-driving trucks at Meishan terminal



Notably, the company just closed its Series B funding in late May with hundreds of millions of yuan raised. The round was led by Fortune Capital and also attracted the aforementioned investor DYEE Capital.

Founded in 2017, FABU.AI is dedicated to developing proprietary technology for advanced driver assistance systems and autonomous driving vehicles to usher in a new era of safer roads and intelligent transportation. It focuses on developing the self-driving technology by pouring its engineering resources not only in algorithm optimization, but also in building AI-enabled chips.

The startup started the R&D of port-used self-driving technologies in 2019. Its autonomous trucks were put into routine operation at the Meishan terminal at China's Ningbo-Zhoushan Port in May 2020 and have been stably worked for over one year.

FABU.AI announced in Feb. 2019 the strategic partnerships with China Post and Deppon Express for autonomous package delivery service. Powered by FABU.AI's technologies, delivery trucks of the two logistics giants have so far conveyed over 1 million parcels.

Earlier this week, Chinese self-driving startups QCraft and Neolix announced completion of a $100 million Series A funding and a 100 million yuan plus Series B financing round respectively.
Chinas MOFCOM encourages greater facilitation for NEV promotion in charging, parking

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Local governments in China are encouraged to further facilitate the promotion of new energy vehicles (NEVs) in charging, traffic management, parking, and other links, Gao Feng, spokesperson of China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), said on August 19.

Wuling Hongguang MINIEV; photo credit: SAIC-GM-Wuling



Meanwhile, Mr. Gao said local authorities are urged to relax NEV purchase restriction by enlarging license plate quotas and ease the application for NEV license plates. Local governments should adopt diverse measures to boost the deployment of NEVs in the fields like bus, taxi, and logistics delivery.

According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), China's NEV sales amounted to 1.206 million units in the first half of 2021, surging 201.5% compared to the year-ago period. Mr. Gao revealed over 70% of the semi-annual NEV sales were contributed by private users, marking a greater inherent dynamism for the domestic NEV market.

The CAAM's data show that China's NEV sales reached 1.478 million units in the first seven months of 2021, soaring 197.1% year on year and topping the full-year volume of last year (1.367 million units). NEVs accounted for 10% of the country's Jan.-Jul. auto sales, 6.1 percentage points more than that of the prior-year period.
Gasgoo Daily: China's PV retail sales likely to drop 9% YoY in August

With Gasgoo Daily, we will offer important automotive news in China. For those we have reported, the title of the piece will include a hyperlink, which will provide detailed information.

China's PV retail sales likely to drop 9% YoY in August



The retail sales of passenger vehicles in China may drop 9% year on year to 1.55 million vehicles in August, according to the China Passenger Car Association.

Geely publicizes autonomous related patent application



Zhejiang Geely Holding made public a patent application which is about a control method and system for autonomous vehicles. The application was made in June, this year.

FAW speeds deployment of intelligent vehicles

To accelerate the pilot operation of Hongqis autonomous vehicles, FAW Group is speeding the development and operation deployment of Hongqis intelligent vehicles and will deploy 100 intelligent vehicles for operation.

Photo credit: FAW Group

Zeekr related company increases registered capital

The registered capital of Zhejiang Zeekr Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. increased from $49.99 million (about RMB320 million) to RMB2 billion.

RoboSense starts to deliver RS-LiDAR-M1 to American automaker

RoboSense started to deliver its second RS-LiDAR-M1 lidars to an American new energy vehicle manufacturer. The company has delivered more than 10 batches of RS-LiDAR-M1 lidars to customers.

Great Wall Motor targets annual capacity of 100,000 vehicles in Brazil



Great Wall Motor (GWM), one of Chinas top SUV and pickup manufacturers, has entered into agreement with Mercedes Benz to buy a factory in Brazil from the Germany automaker, the Chinese company announced on Wednesday.



CATL signs agreement to build manufacturing base in Shanghai

On August 18, CATL signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement with Shanghai municipal government to set up a high-end manufacturing base in the megacity, the Chinese power battery giant announced via its WeChat account.



FABU.AI secures 100 million yuan in Series B+ funding

FABU.AI, a Chinese autonomous driving startup, announced on August 19 it has banked 100 million yuan ($15.438 million) in Series B+ funding round from Cowin Capital and DYEE Capital. The proceeds will be used for the deployment of the company's car-road-cloud integrated solution in more scenarios like port transportation and city shuttle service.



Chinas MOFCOM encourages greater facilitation for NEV promotion in charging, parking

Local governments in China are encouraged to further facilitate the promotion of new energy vehicles (NEVs) in charging, traffic management, parking, and other links, Gao Feng, spokesperson of China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), said on August 19.
Gasgoo Daily: Tesla Shanghai plant expected to produce 450,000 vehicles this year

With Gasgoo Daily, we will offer important automotive news in China. For those we have reported, the title of the piece will include a hyperlink, which will provide detailed information.

Daily PV sales in second week down by 17%



In China, the average daily retail sales of passenger vehicles in the second week of August declined 17% year on year to 36,158 vehicles. The daily sales of the first two weeks decreased 9% from a year ago to 33,311 vehicles.

Geely to launch global power brand

Geely Auto plans to launch global power brand to build its GHS2.0 intelligent hybrid system. The system will be applied to over 10 new models within 3 years.

Chengdu aims to have 3000 battery swapping stations by end of 2025

Chengdu will encourage the building of battery swapping stations. It aims to have a total of 1200 battery swapping stations and 58,000 charging piles by the end of 2021 and 3000 swapping stations and 160,000 charging piles by the end of 2025.

FAW VW Audi suspends production of several models

FAW VW Audi suspended the production of the Audi B9 (the Audi A4L) and the Q5L PA from August 12 and August 13 respectively, citing automotive chip shortage. The production line of the C8 (the Audi A6L) will start production from August 25.

Tesla Shanghai plant expected to produce 450,000 vehicles this year

The vehicle production volume of Lin-gang Special Area, Shanghai is expected to exceed 600,000 vehicles while its export will be over 100,000 vehicles. Teslas Shanghai plant in this area is expected to produce 450,000 vehicles in 2021 while the export of the factory will be 66,100 vehicles. 90% parts of the vehicles made in Tesla Shanghai plant will be supplied by local plants.

Photo credit: Tesla

Baidu unveils first robocar

Baidu unveiled its first robocar today at Baidu World 2021, its annual flagship technology conference. The robocar has no steering wheel as the tech giant envisions that future vehicles will be more like robots.



Geely Auto sees H1 2021 net profit rise 4% YoY

Geely Automobile Holdings Limited (called "Geely Auto" or "the Company") gained 45.032 billion yuan ($6.952 billion) of revenue in the first half of 2021 (H1 2021), representing 22% year-on-year growth. The semi-annual profit attributable to the Company's equity holders climbed 4% to 2.381 billion ($367.607 million).



Neolix closes B round financing led by SoftBank Ventures Asia

Neolix Autonomous Vehicle (called Neolix for short), a driverless delivery vehicle startup in China, has raised hundreds of millions of yuan in the series B fundraising, the company announced on August 18.



XPeng starts construction of Zhaoqing plants 2nd phase

On August 18, XPeng broke ground on the second phase of its new energy vehicle (NEV) plant in Zhaoqing, Guangdong province, as the NEV startup is striving to ramp up its production capacity to meet the fast-growing market demands.



Leapmotor nabs 4.5 billion yuan in new financing round

Chinese EV startup Leapmotor announced on August 18 it has closed a new funding round with 4.5 billion yuan ($694.723 million) raised.
CATL signs agreement to build manufacturing base in Shanghai

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On August 18, CATL signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement with Shanghai municipal government to set up a high-end manufacturing base in the megacity, the Chinese power battery giant announced via its WeChat account.

CATL, Shanghai municipal government signing agreement; photo credit: CATL



The investment deal for the production base was inked by CATL, the management committee of Lin-gang Special Area, and Lingang Group, the largest industrial park developer in Shanghai. Notably, Lin-gang Special Area is also home to Teslas Gigafactory 3.

Under the framework agreement, CATL will bring its global innovation center, the headquarters of its international businesses, and the energy research institute to Shanghai.

To be specific, the global innovation center will be dedicated to the innovation of advanced materials, structural design, and business models, and operate part of CATL's international businesses. The energy research institute will team up with Shanghai Jiaotong University to build a platform for both technology innovation and talent development, and jointly make breakthroughs in cutting-edge new energy technologies.

CATL said the cooperation with Shanghai will focus on the efforts to speed up digital transition for urban transportation, foster high-end talents for new energy industry, peak carbon emissions, and achieve carbon neutrality.

On the same day, the Ningde-based power battery giant signed another framework agreement with Sichuan Development Holding Co.,Ltd. Based on the deal, CATL will work with Sichuan Development Holding and latter's six subsidiaries on the R&D of charging & battery swapping facilities and aerodynamic technologies, the integration of upstream raw materials, the smart mining, and the commercial vehicle electrification.
Leapmotor nabs 4.5 billion yuan in new financing round

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Chinese EV startup Leapmotor announced on August 18 it has completed a new funding round with 4.5 billion yuan ($694.723 million) raised.

Leapmotor C11; photo credit: Leapmotor

The newly-closed financing round was led by China Capital Investment Group, and also attracted China Securities, CITIC Dicastal, as well as the State-owned Assets Supervisions and Administrations Commission of Hangzhou Municipal Government. The governmental arm poured up to 3 billion yuan ($463.149 million) in this funding round.

Leapmotor said the collaboration it formed with the aforesaid investors will contribute to a faster product R&D, branding promotion, and sales network expansion.

The startup plans to file for an IPO in the second half of this year, and is expected to go public at the end of 2021 or in early 2022.

As of July 2021, the EV manufacturer delivered a total of 26,148 new vehicles in total. For the first seven months of this year, Leapmotor received 28,055 new vehicle orders, 6,540 of which were generated in July.

The company said last month it expected its annual sales to reach 62,400 units this year and aimed to sell 800,000 vehicles per year by 2025. Supported by the Hangzhou municipal authority, Leapmotor is striving to crack the first-tier ranks of Chinese NEV startups at a faster pace.


MONTREALGay star Max Konnor makes his directorial debut with "Start of the Summer" for Mile High Media banner Noir Male, releasing Friday on the studio's membership site NoirMale.com.

"Start of the Summer" stars Devin Trez, Dillon Diaz and Zeno Ray. Konnor's sophomore scene as director, starring Ray with Adrian Hart, is slated to premiere in early September.

To celebrate his first venture behind the camera, Konnor is taking over Noir Males Twitter on Friday, and doing an IG Live chat hosted by Noir Male brand ambassador Brandon Karson, taking place at 2 p.m. ET on the Noir Male Instagram page @officialnoirmale

Konnor's history with Noir Male goes back to its formation in 2018, when he starred in a scene with Armond Rizzo that went on to win the GayVN Award for Best Duo Scene. He also claimed the first Noir Male Man of the Month 2019 title.

Commented Konnor, Its a pleasure to return to Noir Male as a director! I filmed in the very first Noir Male scene, which received the GayVN Award that year. Now Ive come full circle, returning to work behind the camera. All of the models brought their A-game and I think we made some really great porn. I cant wait for yall to see!

Having been named CAM4's first gay male brand ambassador, Konnor in 2020 becaome a Falcon/NakedSword exclusive for studio shoots. Hes a Fleshjack Boy and the founder of Haus of Konnor , a management company for BIPOC performers.

Max Konnor has been integral to Noir Males popularity and success from day one. We are excited for this new collaboration with Haus of Konnor and Max. He brings a welcome perspective to production that is crucial to the culture of the brand and its evolution, Mile High VP Jon Blitt said. I presented this opportunity to him knowing he has what it takes and am so impressed with what he has brought to the table as a writer and director. We are honored to have him join our directing ranks.
In next weeks column Ill talk about the volunteer efforts needed to maintain northern Arizonas water catchment features and how water often has to be hauled to these water features when rainwater is insufficient to keep them full. See also David Wolfs column in the Daily Sun (July 2) about the controversial use of game cameras to keep track of when wildlife are using trick tanks and the recent decision by the AZGFD Commission to outlaw cameras for the purpose of take.

To learn more how you can help in keeping these valuable water features up and running for the benefit of the wildlife that rely on them, check out azwildlifehero.com or text SENDWATER to 41444.

John Noll is a geologist living in Flagstaff and a graduate of Northern Arizona Universitys Department of Geology (now part of the School of Earth and Sustainability). After a long career in the energy sector, he relocated back to Flagstaff. When not exploring the geology of his home state, John has developed interests in the challenges of managing water resources in the arid southwest and the ongoing transition to a lower-carbon energy future as the worlds climate changes. This is Johns third year as a volunteer Ranger with the Roving Rangers Interpretative Partnership.

The NPS/USFS Roving Rangers volunteer through a unique agreement between the Flagstaff Area National Monuments and the Coconino National Forest to provide Interpretive Ranger walks and talks in the Flagstaff area each summer.

Submit questions for the Ask a Ranger weekly column to askaranger@gmail.com
Sunday, Aug. 15

On this date in 1888, three men were lynched at Holbrook during the aftermath of the Pleasant Valley War.

On this date in 1898, a locomotive boiler exploded in Prescott destroying the roundhouse and killing two men.

On this date in 1907, the entire Yuma contingent and a part of the Phoenix Guardsmen asked to be mustered out of the Territorial Militia because of the bad food at the annual encampment and because the officers were too harsh.

On this date in 1913, eight buildings were destroyed by fire at Ray and residents of the town pulled down several more buildings to prevent the entire town from burning.

On this date in 1917, the federal government ruled that men holding mining claims did not need to do their assessment work while in the military service.

On this day in 1995, Department of Public Safety officer Bob Martin was shot during a traffic stop about 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) south of Saguaro Lake. A 19-year-old Globe man was arrested the next day after a standoff in California and charged with killing a convenience store clerk. The Beeline highway has since been renamed after Martin and another law enforcement officer killed in the line of duty.

Monday, Aug. 16
Today, I am worried about our children. All 1.1 million, Gestson wrote. But as for those in our care in PXU, we will continue to prioritize their health, safety and wellness.

Karamargin said the governor's moves were not about penalizing schools that defy his will or their students, who will lose out on funding he is withholding.

"This is about sending a clear message to those schools that are not violating the law about how important it is to follow the law," Karamargin said.

Meanwhile, a western Arizona school district is considering an unorthodox proposal to ban any discussion between staff and students about vaccines and masks. The Colorado River Union High School's governing board was set to meet on the matter Tuesday night in Bullhead City. The measure would allow for disciplinary action to be taken against any district employee who speaks on anything related to vaccine status or encouraging/discouraging vaccines or mask with students.

District officials did not immediately return a message from The Associated Press seeking comment. According to the district dashboard, there are 18 active COVID-19 cases across the district.



Associated Press writers Jacques Billeaud, Terry Tang and Anita Snow contributed to this report.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
The Taliban wants to be seen by the world as reformed for the simple reason that Afghanistan is a tattered, broken country with a dysfunctional economy. Taliban leadership needs the pipeline of funds coming from the West to continue unabated. But the image of a Taliban leader interviewed by a female news presenter isnt going to convince the world, and certainly not Afghan women, that the militant group has rehabilitated itself.

By leaving the country, the U.S. can no longer safeguard Afghan womens rights as it did before. It still has some leverage, however. It can warn the Taliban that existing sanctions on the group will remain in place unless womens rights are upheld. That includes allowing girls to attend school and women to work. Any aid to the Taliban regime should also be conditioned on the groups commitment to womens rights.

As bungled as the U.S. exit from Afghanistan has been, the Biden administration was right to pull out. To expect America to remain another year, another five years, indefinitely is wholly unrealistic  and not in U.S. national interest. At the same time, it is indeed incumbent upon America to stand up for human rights in every corner of the world. Under the Trump administration, that ideal was shoved aside, forgotten. It must be revived, and it must include the plight of women in Afghanistan.

We refuse to leave Afghanistan to a group that still forces girls & children to live in fear and darkness because they desire a better life. They deserve better. We must give it to them. Its a plea the U.S. and the West cannot  and should not  ignore.

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An event is planned for this weekend to celebrate Beatrices leading man.

The Gage County Classic Film Institute will present a 110th Birthday Celebration of Hollywood Leading Man Robert Taylor as its 2021 annual film event, Aug. 20-22.

Robert Taylor was born Aug. 5, 1911 in Filley. He graduated from Beatrice High School and went on to become one of the leading men of Hollywood from 1934-1969.

Among the Hollywood celebrities from Gage County, our biggest Hollywood legend is Robert Taylor, said Jeanelle Kleveland, a member of the Gage County Classic Film Institute. TCMs Robert Osborne said that Robert Taylor was underrated as an actor. Because he was exceptionally handsome, he was not always taken as seriously as an actor. Taylor was one of the biggest stars during the golden era of the movies. Best of all, he never forgot his Nebraska roots.

We are so grateful that Hevelone Foundation and Gage County Foundation have made it possible to celebrate Robert Taylors 110th birthday. We are also excited to offer a virtual option this year so people can participate wherever they are.
Kirby told reporters the limiting factor has been available evacuees, not aircraft. He said efforts were underway to speed processing, including adding State Department consular officers to verify paperwork of Americans and Afghans who managed to get to the airport. Additional entry gates had been opened, he said.

And yet, at the current rate it would be difficult for the U.S. to evacuate all of the Americans and Afghans who are qualified for and seeking evacuation by Aug. 31. President Joe Biden said Wednesday he would ensure no American was left behind, even if that meant staying beyond August, an arbitrary deadline that he set weeks before the Taliban climaxed a stunning military victory by taking Kabul last weekend. It was not clear if Biden might consider extending the deadline for evacuees who aren't American citizens.

At the airport, military evacuation flights continued, but access remained difficult for many. On Thursday, Taliban militants fired into the air to try to control the crowds gathered at the airports blast walls. Men, women and children fled. U.S. Navy fighter jets flew overhead, a standard military precaution but also a reminder to the Taliban that the U.S. has firepower to respond to a combat crisis.
OMAHA -- The Council Bluffs man who was shot in the eye with a pepper ball while at a May 2020 Omaha protest has filed a federal lawsuit against Sarpy County, Sheriff Jeff Davis and four deputies.

In the lawsuit filed this week, Adam Keup alleges that Sarpy County sheriffs deputies were not trained to use pepper ball guns and their negligence in doing so violated Keups constitutional rights. Keup says he has been left with permanent damage to his right eye, rendering it functionally blind and effectively useless.

He is seeking an unspecified amount of money for his medical care, compensatory and punitive damages and attorneys and other fees.

Davis declined to comment and referred questions to the Sarpy County Attorneys Office.

Megan Stubenhofer-Barrett, a Sarpy County spokeswoman, said the county would not comment on a pending legal matter.

Keup told the World-Herald in June that he has suffered not just physical pain but emotional and mental grief from having to adapt to his new disability.
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP)  Leading Republican state legislators are calling for immediate reforms to enhance sentences for violent crime and place new limitations on pre-trial release from jail in response to violent crime in Albuquerque.

The lawmakers urged Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Wednesday to call a special legislative session to send a strong signal that criminals will be held responsible.

A letter from House Republicans including minority leader James Townsend of Aztec and Rebecca Dow of Truth or Consequences calls for reconsideration of 11 GOP-sponsored bills on public safety that were rejected in 2020 and 2021 by the Democrat-led Legislature.

The GOP legislators describe state bail reforms as a failure and call for a new move toward mandatory minimum sentencing.

On Monday, Lujan Grisham said she will open up the 30-day legislative session in early 2020 to consideration of criminal justice proposals that expand the number of law enforcement officers and increase penalties for crimes involving firearms.

Albuquerque has surpassed its annual homicide record already in 2021, having logged more than 80 killings with four months still go in the year. The previous record was set in 2019.
Nobody is saying that we want to get rid of all of those types of season structures or tags, what were saying is that as we go through this process, lets let our folks focus on the science, he said. We understand this is a big change and instead of going out to the public as we typically do, this year weve been given the task to put it in front of ourselves. Then we can come to the public with some detail and thinking and have some real, intentional, formal processes to collect feedback on those proposals.

Another FWP document dated July 16 offers guidance to biologists tasked with drafting the proposals. Among the standards of review are using major landmarks where possible to delineate hunting districts and eliminating regulations that apply only to portions of hunting districts.

Antlerless elk hunting will see a shift, according to documents. Specifically, permits for hunting cows will be eliminated in favor of B licenses where applicable. Currently, some districts allow cow elk hunting using a general license, but other districts may allow a second license to be purchased or awarded through a drawing called a B license. In that scenario, a hunter would be licensed to take two elk in a year, with even a third allowed in some areas.
The clock is ticking on drawing Montanas two new congressional districts with a final map due Nov. 14.

The state Districting and Apportionment Commission accepted the results of the 2020 Census on Tuesday, setting off the state Constitutions 90-day clock for drawing congressional districts.

This is the first time in 40 years that we will now embark on drawing a second congressional district for the state of Montana, and it is the very first time that we will use the current process of the 90 days and all of these were established in the new Constitution and approved by the voters of Montana so everybody should be feeling good about this important day, said Commissioner Joe Lamson.

Montana is the first state ever to regain a U.S. House district after being demoted to a single, at-large U.S. House district. The 2020 Census showed Montanas population grew just enough to warrant a second U.S. House seat for the first time since 1991.

Already there are seven candidates for Montana's yet to be drawn congressional seats, five in the west and two in the east. The seats will be on the ballot in 2022.
In response to emailed questions, a CMS spokesperson on Wednesday clarified that the emergency regulation will be issued in September, at which point it will be immediately effective. The regulation wont apply to other long-term care facilities, the spokesperson wrote.

In a televised address Wednesday, Biden noted that the federal government has recently issued directives requiring federal workers and contractors, Department of Veterans Affairs medical staff and military personnel be vaccinated. More than 130,000 nursing home residents in the U.S. have died after contracting COVID since the beginning of the pandemic, he said.

In 2020, there were nearly 4,000 Montanans living in certified nursing facilities, according to data maintained by the Kaiser Family Foundation.

With this announcement, Im using the power of the federal government, as a payer of health care costs, to ensure we reduce those risks to our most vulnerable seniors, Biden stated. These steps are all about keeping people safe and out of harms way  If you visit, live or work in a nursing home, you should not be at a high risk for contracting COVID from unvaccinated employees.
As companies returned to normal operations earlier this year, Zoot saw a rapid increase in the demand for its services. Follett said they began to see a trend.

"Post-COVID, companies are looking to innovate," he said.

Much of that innovation is tied to finding and retaining staff. Zoot works closely with Montana's higher education institutions to make sure students are aware of the career opportunities available in Montana and that colleges are teaching the skills Zoot will need.

Zoot Enterprises is now working with high school and middle schools in an attempt to reach students sooner and get them thinking about tech careers and showing them they can do it and stay in Montana.

"We need more talent," Follett said.

Wes Tuscano of Tuscano Machine, which is based in Big Timber, echoed Follett's comments and talked about his company's efforts to set up apprenticeships and work specifically with high schoolers to introduce them to the machining industry.

Tuscano, who was a self-described underground miner, launched his company after an injury sidelined him from the mine. He set up in his garage, machining the "little parts that make the big parts work."
One officer is seen turning around to face the person recording the video with a look of disbelief, shakes her head, then stands near the patrol vehicle while the officers awaiting a tow truck called to impound the uninsured vehicle involved in the traffic stop.

Another individual associated with the NDN Collective approaches the officers and gave them what appeared to be two business cards, according to Hedrick.

As the officers accept the cards, the individual told the officers that this is why Daniel Tiger did what he did.

The comment referred to a 2011 shooting incident where 22-year-old Daniel Tiger killed two Rapid City police officers in a shootout and seriously injured another. Tiger was killed during the exchange of gunfire.

Hedrick said the comment made one of the officers emotional.

Hedrick provided texts messages Tilsen had sent him where he claimed the officers were harassing a Native American woman in a privately owned parking lot. Tilsen messaged Hedrick that he was on his way to the scene, then sent another text stating the family had permission to park the car in the lot and that the officers had no right to remove the vehicle, which Tilsen claimed was insured.
And heres the thing, we already know what to do, Gordon said. I do believe statewide orders are not necessary, what will help ease the situation is people choosing to get vaccinated.

Vaccines have been widely available to Wyoming adults since late March, earlier than much of the country. Despite that head start, thus far Wyomingites are making the choice to be vaccinated at a much slower rate than the rest of the nation.

Just under 43% of adults are fully inoculated. For those 12 to 17 years old, that number falls to below 16%. Nationwide, more than 60% of adults are fully vaccinated, as are 48% of those 12 to 17, according to the New York Times.

Two weeks after vaccines were opened to Wyoming adults, uptake in the state began to fall.

Recently, however, vaccination is slightly on the rise. Between the last week of July and the first week of August, more than 5,000 residents received a first dose  more than had sought a first vaccine in any two week period since mid May.

Gordon stressed vaccination is an intensely personal choice, but that he encourages people to get the shots, adding he felt the vaccines were safer than the risk of contracting the novel coronavirus.
As the evacuations continue in Kabul, tens of thousands of Afghans are still trying to flee the country. Tension remains high at Kabul airport
A cool-down is in the works, with high temps later this week expected to be only in the 70s, according to the weather service forecast. There's a chance of rain showers through the weekend.

"As a storm system advances eastward out of the West, moderate to heavy rain is possible from central and eastern Utah northeast into the northern Great Plains and western Minnesota," Riganti wrote. However, he added that below-normal precipitation is expected in the region again next week.

The U.S. Drought Monitor is a partnership of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Struggling agriculture

The weekly crop report from the National Agricultural Statistics Service shows 91% of topsoil and 88% of subsoil in North Dakota as being short or very short of moisture -- little change over the week.

Nearly two-thirds of the state's staple spring wheat crop remains rated as poor or very poor, and about half of the durum wheat, soybean and corn crops are still in those categories.
I would imagine it would be important to talk to them, Splichal said.

Heck also questioned Splichal on the methods and statistics used to determine repetitive patterns in DNA profiles. Splichal on Monday said the odds were 1 in 482 billion that anyone other than Fakler could have the profile developed from samples found in Isaaks pickup. The samples might also have included some of Lois Cobbs DNA, he testified.

ATF firearms expert Arnold Esposito testified Tuesday morning about bullets found at the crime scene, and casings and gun parts found at Isaaks home. The bullets were all of the same caliber and based on barrel markings left on them could have been fired from the same gun, Esposito said. Several guns could have left those markings, however, and Esposito said he was unable to determine conclusively if all of the bullets had been fired from the same gun.

BCI Supervisory Special Agent Arnie Rummel testified last week that a partial gun found in a container in a freezer in Isaak's home was missing the cylinder and the barrel -- parts that could have been used to try to match the gun to bullets at the crime scene. Rummel said he believes the gun is the murder weapon.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people wear masks in public indoor settings in areas with substantial or high COVID-19 transmission. That's calculated based on new cases per capita and testing results. In North Dakota, 37 of 53 counties are in those two categories, including Burleigh-Morton, both of which are in the high category, according to the agency's COVID-19 data tracker website.

Vaccine boost

The Health Department on Monday urged people with weakened immune systems to consider getting an additional dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

The move followed an announcement last week by the federal Food and Drug Administration that people who are vulnerable because of organ transplants, certain cancers or other disorders can get an extra dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines to better protect them from the delta variant.

North Dakotas who think they might qualify for a third dose should contact their health care provider, said Jennifer Galbraith, COVID vaccine manager for the Health Department.
As a schoolteacher, Poolman has observed growth in Bismarck-Mandan "for all sorts of reasons," she said, such as parents of her students who travel to work in the oil field, and former rural residents who have moved into cities for more conveniences.

And with Bismarck's growth comes more influence in the Legislature, "a good thing for everybody who lives in this community," Poolman said.

The Redistricting Committee has a shortened time frame for its work due to the coronavirus pandemic delaying census data.

"We're going to have to hear from some experts that first day on redistricting to make sure everything is done legal and proper, and then we will start drafting the maps, decide where (committee members) want to meet in other places in the state," Devlin said. "We just don't have the timeline we've always had before."

Redistricting occurs every 10 years, using census data. North Dakota has 47 legislative districts, each with one senator and two representatives. The state constitution allows for 40 to 54 legislative districts.

Republicans control the Legislature with supermajorities in the House and Senate. The committee reflects that power balance, with 14 Republicans and two Democrats.
The 19-year-old civil rights group CHRF was behind Hong Kongs annual July 1 protests from 2003 to 2019; a rally commemorating Handover Day, where the responsibility and sovereignty of Hong Kong was transitioned from the United Kingdom to the Peoples Republic of China. In 2020, Hong Kong officials banned the event, citing its violation of COVID regulations and the new NSL that had been put into effect just the night before. []

The Civil Human Rights Front, or CHRF, a prominent civil rights group that has commonly supported and organized some of Hong Kongs most notable pro-democracy protests, has disbanded under increasing restrictions in Hong Kongs wide-sweeping National Security Law, or NSL.

CHRF leadership made this decision after facing pressure from Hong Kong authorities and the threat of being sentenced to prison under the ever-restrictive NSLs became a reality.

The group disbanded Aug. 15, saying members werent willing to perform any duties within the groups operations after their convenor, Figo Chan Ho-wun, was sentenced to 18 months because of his participation in a 2019 protest, according to The Guardian.

Figo Chan has been held in custody since May, alongside other high profile pro-democracy activists such as Jimmy Lai, Ryan Law, and Leung Kwok-hung.

In their Sunday statement, members of the CHRF thanked the people of Hong Kong, because Hong Kongers allowed the world to see Hong Kong, allowed light to shine through darkness, and had sown the seed of democracy and freedom in peoples hearts.

The 19-year-old civil rights group was the group behind the annual July 1 protests from 2003 to 2019; a rally commemorating Handover Day, where the responsibility and sovereignty of Hong Kong was transitioned from the United Kingdom to the Peoples Republic of China. In 2020, Hong Kong officials banned the event, citing its violation of COVID regulations and the new NSL that had been put into effect just the night before.

The groups disbandment comes days after Hong Kong chief of police, Raymond Siu, suggested that past rallies the CHRF took part in may have violated National Security, even though authorities, like city leader Carrie Lam, repeatedly assured the group that the law was not retroactive.

Siu defended the polices pressure, saying they were ready to take action at any time, and that CHRF could have violated the national security law for organising a series of large-scale, illegal protests in recent years.

Multiple Hong Kong civil and community groups are disbanding because of the states crackdown on speech and assembly. The CHRF shutdown just three days after Hong Kongs largest teachers union decided to cease operations. On July 22, five members of a speech therapist union were arrested for promoting democracy in their childrens books.

With the latest crackdown on assembly and speech, it is evident that community groups and civil society groups are at risk of censorship. On Aug. 10, Joshua Rosenzweig, the head of Amnesty Internationals China team, said in a statement: This is the latest in a troubling pattern in which the Hong Kong authorities readily heed strident but baseless calls targeting groups or individuals in Hong Kong. Having effectively neutralized the political opposition, the Hong Kong and Chinese authorities now appear to be ramping up attempts to wipe out civil society groups that have a strong mobilizing capacity  a disturbing development for other unions still operating in the city.

The CHRF is the largest group to disband since the Beijing-imposed NSL was enacted.

Since the NSLs passage in June 2020, hundreds of Hong Kong activists have been arrested, charged with violating Hong Kongs definition of terrorism, collusion with foreign forces, incitement, or secession.

Hong Kong police have said they will continue to investigate the group for possible violations of the security law. In addition, CHRF says its assets of HK$1.6 million will be donated to other like-minded organizations.

The NSL has extended its reach from media outlets and influential figures to NGOs and community groups. Should Communist China continue to suppress any state-opposing voice, not much later will the freedoms of assembly and speech be lost for all.
Alabama's state motto is "We Dare Maintain Our Rights," and to Bama born and bred mufreedummies that means they have the God-given right to not wear a mask or get jabbed while also having the right to occupy a hospital bed when they get deathly sick from Covid-19.

That's why, in the state that boasts the lowest vaccination rate in the United States, free-riders are peeved-a-plenty at an Alabama doctor who has a sign on his door that reads:

Effective

October 1st, 2021

Dr. Valentine will no

longer see patients that

are not vaccinated

against COVID.19.

From The Washington Post:
There are your conclusions about the extent of the threat from foreign governments, but then there's your government's conclusions about the extent of the threat from them, you and the people you associate with. The FBI is reportedly warning Silicon Valley companiesin secretthat their Chinese and Russian workers may be forced to (or simply paid to) spy on them.

But the risk to tech companies is real, the FBI says: Employees are being persuaded, or more typically, coerced by foreign autocracies into stealing information or handing over login credentials. In one case [FBI special agent Nick] Shenkin worked on, Chinese government agents threatened to deny an employee's mother dialysis back in China if he didn't steal proprietary information from a large hardware/software company.

"This is a quotidian activity," Shenkin told Protocol in an interview. "This is a massive fundamental activity that bolsters and is one of the mainstays of many autocratic countries and their governments."

For the last few years, San Francisco-based Shenkin has been quietly briefing venture firms, startups, academics and tech industry groups that might be of interest to foreign actors.
Life can be rough, and sometimes a little laugh is what we need to get us through the day. And the creative writers behind Reductress, the world's very first and only satirical women's magazine, know how valuable a little cheekiness can be, and lucky for you, they're spilling on their creative secrets.

If you've always wanted to write satire, whether it be on social media or your own online magazine, but don't quite know where to start, let the founders of Reductress show you the ropes! For a limited time, they're offering an exclusive two-hour workshop, giving aspiring writers access to invaluable writing tools, specifically in the comedy genre.

Under the instruction of Beth Newell and Sarah Pappalardo, who co-founded Reductress back in 2013, you'll learn how to turn your own thoughts and ideas into engaging, entertaining copy that people will love reading. Over the course of four, easy-to-follow lectures, you'll explore the fundamentals of satire writing and find out what exactly made Reductress so successful.

In addition to learning satire basics, you'll also find out how to comment on and write about current events in your own, unique voice. You'll learn what exactly makes a great piece, from well-thought-out content to eye-catching headlines that readers will want to share with their friends. You'll even have the chance to apply everything you learned and write a satirical piece of your own!

Praised by Cosmopolitan, the New York Times, Wired, and more, Reductress has become a true leader in today's satirical content, deeming it "essential reading" and "one of the most popular humor sites on the internet." In other words, if you want to turn heads online and invoke a chuckle or two, there are no better teachers to show you the way than the brilliant minds behind Reductress.

Ready to give creative writing a whirl? Make things easy on yourself and Learn to Write Satire from the Founders of Reductress for just $39.99, nearly 30% off its regular price.
The Zone of Death is a 50 square mile area of Idaho within Yellowstone National Park where any crime, including murder, is theoretically legal. Maybe I shouldn't be spreading the word about this, but I can't help myself.

The Zone of Death is the result of a loophole within the United States Constitution. Yellowstone stretches a bit beyond the state boundaries of Wyoming and into Idaho and Montana. The Federal government has exclusive jurisdiction over the national park, so crimes committed in the park can't be prosecuted by state law. The loophole exists because the federal government places the entire park in Wyoming, even though it stretches slightly into Idaho and Montana.

Maybe that's why Yogi was such an incorrigible pic-a-nic basket thief.

From USA Today:

Members of a jury must be from both "the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed." Typically, jurors for a court case can be drawn from a large pool, because a federal district's boundaries match the boundaries of the state, as is the case in Wyoming, or a state has multiple federal districts designated within it, like California. But the only place where one could live both in Idaho and within the District of Wyoming is in Yellowstone. The court would have to draw jurors from within the tiny, mountainous region to satisfy the vicinage clause  and no one lives there. No jurors would mean no jury, which would violate criminal defendants' right to a trial by jury, enshrined in Article III, Section 2 of the Constitution. And thus, some argue, no trial could occur, and, logically, no conviction.

Photo by Paula Hayes on Scopio
A UK gentleman who didn't think masks had any purpose learned that they are effective against going to jail.

Unfortunately, Benjamin Glynn, a self-described "sovereign, living man" against whom the law had "no effect", didn't learn that important fact until after he was sentenced to 6 weeks in jail for refusing to wear a mask on a train and for behaving in a truculent and bellicose manner toward authorities who asked him to wear one.

As an added treat, the feisty 40-year-old father of two will be kicked out of the country upon release.

Before he was sentenced Glynn scolded the court for inconveniencing an important personage such as himself: "I'm a man of God, no man puts any fear into me  Hopefully, I will be in the book of life, and it's scary how there's total disregard for common law in Singapore because you are not my master and I am not your slave."

Blimey!

From Channel News Asia:

District Judge Eddy Tham said Glynn was "completely misguided" in his beliefs that he was not subject to Singapore's mask-wearing laws and was instead under "some higher law". He said the laws were set out by the Government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and that Glynn knew very well the regulations were in force. "It's not open to him to say he is above the law," said Judge Tham, adding that allowing an individual to state so regardless of his beliefs would "completely undermine" the enactment of such laws. Glynn continued to say there was "no jurisdiction" over him while the prosecutor pushed for seven weeks' jail, citing his "defiance" and how he openly flouted the law by removing his mask after just being charged for a similar offence.

IN HIS WORDS: Benjamin Glynn, 40, who was filmed on an MRT train without a mask was sentenced to six weeks' jail today. READ: https://t.co/bgH5o951Zy pic.twitter.com/b3875Liv0H  Yahoo Singapore (@YahooSG) August 18, 2021

Benjamin Glynn, caught for not wearing a mask, given 6 weeks' jail after brief one-day trial https://t.co/BgyVKSxlPB pic.twitter.com/D4lBpfJMTk  CNA (@ChannelNewsAsia) August 18, 2021
Yelda Akbari's phone rang at 4 a.m. Monday. It was her mother calling from Afghanistan.

"The Taliban took over Kabul," her mother said in a panic.

The news shocked Akbari to her core. She had been following the news of the Taliban's rapid advancement through her home country but had never thought the capital, where she grew up and where her family still lives, would fall back into Taliban hands.

"I thought somebody threw boiling water over me from to top to bottom," she said.

Akbari, 32, came to the United States in 2009 with her now ex-husband and their two children. She lives in Amherst and works at Jericho Road Community Health Center in their front office and as a Farsi interpreter.

She is one of roughly 200 Afghans now living in the Buffalo area who are now scared for their loved ones who remain in Afghanistan.

It's too early to know whether any now trying to flee Afghanistan may end up in Buffalo, but local agencies that work with refugees say they are monitoring the situation closely.

"All of us at the International Institute are heartbroken and deeply concerned by the scenes emerging from Afghanistan," said Eva Hassett, executive director of the International Institute, in a statement. "Our thoughts are with those who are still in the country seeking to escape the Taliban and with the Afghani community here in Western New York, who are grieving this continued instability and fearful for their family members abroad.... This situation highlights the moral imperative of expanded refugee resettlement in the United States. We bear a responsibility to protect the safety of the people of Afghanistan, especially their women and girls, who now face a return to the oppressive Taliban rule."

+5 Khoshmazeh Afghan Cuisine pop-up in Broadway Market compels, with bigger plans ahead Weekly pop-ups will run until Khoshmazeh Afghan Cuisine open its own space and act as an introduction to a cuisine unfamiliar to most Buffalonians.

Mohamad Rahimi and Mohammad Alemyar are also among them. They run Khoshmazeh Afghan Cuisine, a pop-up restaurant at the Broadway Market, where they serve delicacies from their home country. Both served for several years as interpreters for U.S. forces  Rahimi with the Marines and Alemyar with the Army  which qualified them for Special Immigrant Visas to come to the U.S., the same visas that Afghans who worked with the U.S. are now desperately trying to obtain to get out of Afghanistan.

Rahimi is hoping that one of his brothers, who has such a visa, manages to leave.

He shared what his brother's ordeal earlier looked like this week.

The brother, a doctor and a member of the Afghan military, was able to get to the airport as Taliban fighters poured into Kabul.

"I'm in the airport," his brother told him, Rahimi said. But soon the brother reported that it seemed all the Afghan security disappeared and the airport was soon overrun.

The brother managed to board his plane, but soon realized there was no pilot. More people kept trying to get inside the plane. The brother eventually gave up. He was in a taxi on his way home when it was stopped by a mob. Someone began punching him to try to get his cellphone, but the brother said he was able to hang on to it. The brother showed him his bruises during a video chat.

Now, Rahimi, 44, said, his brother is keeping quiet about his location. "He is somewhere but he doesn't want to say it to me," Rahimi said.

Rahimi teared up as he talked about what his daughters could have faced had his family stayed. The Taliban were notorious for their treatment of girls and women, banning them from schools and work.

The father believes he did the right thing for the sake of his daughters but feels anguish over the fate of the family he left behind. He fears it's just a matter of time before the Taliban show their true selves.

The Afghan expats are appalled by the Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fleeing their country and angry at the pervasive corruption. They have little faith in the Taliban's assurances that things will be different this time.

Some reports of violence already have been confirmed. While the U.S. military has regained control of the airport, Taliban fighters have formed checkpoints nearby and opened fire and harassed people trying to get in, the Washington Post reported. The Taliban also opened fire on a crowd of protesters in Jalalabad.

Alemyar, 34, said he heard from a friend who is in Afghanistan that the Taliban came looking for him on Monday.

"He never worked with the United States or did anything," Alemyar said. "But they arrested him." His friend said he was questioned and that the Taliban questioned many people who know him before releasing him.

He said people back home are scared and hungry, but don't know what to do. They feel they can't leave their homes. But they're running out of food, he said.

The Afghan expats all remember what life was like when the Taliban took control of Afghanistan.

Akbari's family fled to Iran. "We had a lot of young girls in my family," she said. "My dad took all of us illegally to Iran."

The Taliban arrested Alemyar's father, a prominent doctor, for no reason, he said, and held him for 40 days. His family had no idea what had happened to him. He was eventually released.

Rahimi remembers seeing amputated hands dangling from overhead, reminders from the Taliban of what happens to suspected thieves and the cries of a neighbor's daughter as a Taliban commander took her away from her family to be his second wife.

They all feel helpless about the future for their loved ones.

Right now, they've assured their families that they will continue sending money to support them.

"I cannot do anything for you, but I can at least send some money," Rahimi said he has told his family.

Akbari is trying to contact immigration officials to try to help her mother and other family members. They have already started the process to get the Special Immigrant Visas, but don't know how long it will take for their applications to be accepted.

"I've been trying to make an appointment to talk to a lawyer," she said. "I've tried many things. It doesn't work."

Alemyar is scared for his loved ones. He believes his best weapon is to tell the world about what's happening to the people of Afghanistan.

"Fighting against terrorism doesn't mean you have to have a gun or use your hand to fight," he said. "We fight through social media."

As for the Taliban's claims of having changed, Alemyar said the world should be wary.

"This is my view: It's the calmness before the storm."

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Barr said he declined to allow his latest client to speak with a diocese investigator and attorneys. "We're in litigation and I wasn't comfortable letting my client be interviewed," he said.

The review board in previous cases has found allegations unsubstantiated after a diocese investigator has been unable to interview the complainants.

"They have their own rules, but I have to operate under the civil rules in a manner that's most advantageous to my client," said Barr. He added that he would be inclined to allow those conversations to happen after the cases are settled.

The review board also determined that allegations against the Rev. Donald J. Lutz, former pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in South Buffalo, were substantiated.

Lutz, who is accused in multiple CVA lawsuits, has been assigned to permanent administrative leave, according to a diocese news release on Thursday.

He is restricted from presenting himself as a priest publicly and from presiding over the public celebration of sacraments, including celebrating Mass. Lutz also will be subject to a monitoring program recently created by Fisher for clergy with substantiated abuse claims.
Walton's campaign provided The News on Monday with a series of Facebook posts between her and the woman who had her arrested.

The woman wrote in one, "You let Kathy and I down because you lied to us. You know who u r and I have no respect for you."

Walton responded, "I'm going through a lot of personal turmoil right now. Unfortunately whether you respect me or not I will continue living." She added, "The next time you have something to say to me I'd appreciate it if you would address me in person as a professional adult woman should."

In a reply to another person's Facebook post, Walton wrote, "Sucks that a bunch of nurses are so self interested that the administration had to violate the contract for the safety of our patients. ... Some of y'all need to check your souls."

The woman who had Walton arrested responded, "Will we ever get rid of you?"

Walton told The News in June that she took an adjournment in contemplation of dismissal to put the harassment case behind her.
A woman who is a witness in an organized crime investigation was sentenced to six months in jail Thursday for an accident that injured two other people.

Katrina L. Gerace, also known as Katrina Nigro, 38, of East Aurora, was also sentenced by Erie County Court Judge Kenneth Case to probation for five years after her jail term for second-degree vehicular assault is complete. Her drivers license was revoked.

Gerace was driving under the influence of alcohol on the night of Oct. 11, 2019, when her car crossed a double yellow line and struck an oncoming vehicle on Bowen Road in East Aurora, Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn said.

Two people in the other vehicle were injured as a result, Flynn said.

The Kenmore couple injured in the collision has sued Gerace in State Supreme Court.

In July 2020, Gerace pleaded guilty to the felony before State Supreme Court Judge John L. Michalski, the district attorney said.
When asked about the matter during her news conference, Walton advised a reporter to follow up with her campaign spokesman.

The News reported that Walton was charged in June 2014 with second-degree harassment. The arrest report said her co-worker alleged Walton "continuously threatened to do bodily harm" to her. In an addendum to the arrest report, police said Walton was accused of telling the co-worker that she would break her legs and said, "I'm gonna take you out," a law enforcement source told The News.

A City Court judge issued an order of protection in 2014 that required Walton stay away from the other nurse for six months, The News reported.

The News' story included a statement issued by Walton's campaign that quoted her calling the allegations absurd and character assassination.

Walton told The News in June that her harassment arrest was resolved with an adjournment in contemplation of dismissal. Walton alleged at that time that the other nurse had used social media posts to bully her.
Early treatment with these monoclonal antibodies  Regeneron and others  have proven to radically reduce the chances that somebody ends up being hospitalized, DeSantis said Monday at a treatment site in Orlando. Reducing hospital admissions has got to be a top priority.

Experts agree that keeping people out of the hospital is a top priority, but say vaccines  not treatments for people after they get sick  are the best way to do that. The Regeneron drugs, when given within 10 days of initial symptoms, have been shown to cut rates of hospitalization and death by roughly 70%. The vaccines authorized for use in the U.S. have been proven in large, real-world studies to be 95% effective against hospitalization.

We definitely need treatments like monoclonal antibodies that can prevent mild disease from progressing to severe disease. Ultimately, its still best to prevent someone from contracting COVID-19 in the first place, said Dr. Leana Wen, public health professor at George Washington University and former Baltimore Health Commissioner. Monoclonal antibodies are not prevention.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday and is receiving Regeneron treatments. Like DeSantis, he has been opposed to mask mandates in public schools. He was vaccinated in December.
Fulkerson acknowledged that she does not follow Afghanistan that closely, saying she is more concerned with gas prices and local news.

Im a Christian and I know where my future lies, and all of this stuff thats going on that I have no control over except through prayer, I just cant watch it all the time, she said. I would be negative all the time.

About half of Americans say they are extremely or very concerned about the threat to the U.S. posed by extremist groups based outside of the United States; about another one-third are moderately concerned. Only about 1 in 10 say they are not concerned.

But nearly 20 years after the Sept. 11 attacks that spurred the Afghanistan war, more Americans say they perceive the major national security threats as being internal.

Roughly two-thirds say they are extremely or very concerned about the threat of extremist groups based inside the United States. About one-quarter are somewhat concerned, and about 1 in 10 are not concerned.
Teachers are the latest to be added to the growing statewide vaccine mandate, which also includes health care workers and state employees. They must be fully vaccinated by Oct. 18 or six weeks after a COVID-19 vaccine receives full approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, whichever is later.

There are those who will disagree with the actions Im taking today, Brown, a Democrat, said during Thursdays press conference. But school is starting across the state and COVID-19 poses a threat to our kids. Our kids need to be protected and they need to be in school. And thats why Im willing to take the heat for this decision.

In addition, Brown announced weekly testing for health care workers will no longer be an option for those who want to avoid vaccination. The only opt-out of the requirement is either a medical or religious exemption.



ATLANTA  Georgias Republican governor issued an executive order Thursday banning cities from requiring businesses to enforce local pandemic restrictions.

But what impact, if any, the measure would have on new mask requirements in Atlanta, Savannah and other cities was not clear.
One of those unprecedented victories belongs to Walton, the self-proclaimed democratic socialist. Zellner supported Brown prior to the primary, then pledged his backing to Walton after her June win.

In late June, Zellner said he was urging Brown to not mount a write-in campaign. Were with India Walton. Shes the Democratic nominee, and its important to respect the will of the voters, Zellner said.

Brown, seeking a fifth term in office, is running a write-in effort and now his campaign is seeking to have his name placed on the ballot as an independent candidate.

The state Legislature this year, due to the primary being moved from September to June, changed the filing period for independent nominating petitions. They were due between May 18 and May 25, one month before the primary.

As an elections commissioner, Zellner rules on whether candidates check all the boxes to have their names on the ballot, for primaries or general elections. With New Yorks byzantine election laws, the decisions are not always clear-cut. For the county Democratic chairman to decide which candidates appear on the ballot and which do not can make it appear that the process is rigged. Thats unacceptable in a system that depends on free and fair elections.
(Bloomberg) -- Toyota Motor Corp. slumped as much as 4.7% as the worsening chip shortage saw the worlds No. 1 automaker suspend output for several days at almost all its plants in Japan next month, forcing a 40% cut in production plans.

Adjustments will be made to the production operations of plants for completed vehicles in Japan due to parts shortages resulting from the spread of Covid in Southeast Asia, Toyota said in a statement Thursday. A total of 360,000 fewer cars will now be made next month. The cuts were reported earlier by Nikkei.

Some 27 lines in 14 plants in Japan will be impacted, affecting production of models from the RAV4 to Corolla, Prius, Camry and Lexus RX, Toyota said. That represents a hit to every one of the plants Toyota has across the country bar one.

Especially in Southeast Asia, the spread of Covid and lockdowns are impacting our local suppliers, Toyotas Purchasing Group Chief Officer Kazunari Kumakura said. Going forward, the company will look at ways of further diversifying its supply chains to not focus on one region and is attempting to find replacement parts from suppliers in other regions, he said.

Kumakura declined to comment on specifics regarding Toyotas parts shortages, but noted supply chains in Vietnam and Malaysia were particularly impacted.

Toyota maintained its annual operating profit outlook earlier this month, disappointing investors that had been buoyed by its peer-beating financial performance on the back of brisk global demand for automobiles. The carmaker kept its forecast for 2.5 trillion yen ($22.7 billion) for the fiscal year through March, versus analysts average projection for 2.95 trillion yen.

While a shortage of automotive chips has hindered many rivals ability to capitalize on strong global demand for cars over the past nine months, Toyota up until now had been relatively unimpaired due to its supply-chain savvy and the strong stock it keeps of key components such as semiconductors.

Story continues

An alarming Covid outbreak in Southeast Asia has however weighed on the company. Toyota also has a large manufacturing presence in Thailand, where case numbers have been hitting records.

Read more: Nike, Adidas Output Snarled as Covid Shuts Asian Factories

Last month, Toyota said it was extending production halts in Thailand due to Covid-related parts shortages. The carmakers plants in the country have combined production capacity of 760,000 units per year.

Shares of Toyotas suppliers and affiliates also tumbled, with Toyota Industries Corp. sinking 4.1% and Aisin Corp. down 5.8%. Toyota Industries generates 12% of its revenue from Toyota, according to Bloomberg data, while Aisin gets 57% of its sales from the automaker.

Read More: The World Is Short of Computer Chips. Heres Why: QuickTake

(Updates with company comment. An earlier version was corrected to reflect company change to number of lines impacted in third paragraph.)

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com

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CBC

The economy is a big subject of conversation in the eastern P.E.I. riding of Cardigan, but the candidates have different views of what the issues are with it. Both Liberal candidate Lawrence MacAulay and Conservative candidate Wayne Phelan say they are hearing a lot from business owners about the trouble they are having finding workers. MacAulay said over his decades in politics jobs have always been an issue. "It was always jobs and now it's people looking for employees. It's changed in the las
A favorite Chippewa Falls fast food restaurant is back open and slinging juicy burgers again.

McDonalds, at 100 Prairie View Road, reopened Monday after closing in early April for a complete rebuild and redesign. A ribbon cutting ceremony was held for the redone location Thursday morning by the Chippewa Falls Area Chamber of Commerce to celebrate the occasion.

The Chippewa Falls McDonalds location is owned by Courtesy Corporation, owner of more than 50 McDonalds throughout Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa. Tom Jacobs, area supervisor of Courtesy Corporation, said the redesign was made to help the location remain successful for decades to come.

We are so thankful to be back open, Jacobs said. The care and love this community has shown us has been absolutely fantastic. We wanted to make sure that this became a spot for people to want to come, that it looked attractive and that we could stay competitive with everyone else. This is a special day for us.

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Aspects involved in the remodel of the new McDonalds include shying away from the bright yellow and red design of the former location and transitioning to a more muted and relaxed cafe feel, similar to other locations in the Chippewa Valley.
Like many of you, we were saddened by the recent violence against two members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer plus (LGBTQ+) community.

As health care organizations, we see first-hand the negative emotional, physical, mental, and other forms of harm experienced by patients who identify as LGBTQ+.

Research studies consistently show that members of the LGBTQ+ community are at higher risk of anxiety, depression, and suicide. Additionally, the stress of negative attitudes and disapproval, rejection, abuse or harassment, and the internalization of social stigma can impact emotional, physical, and mental health well-being.

Lets create a welcoming and inclusive community that celebrates all unique human differences. In fact, its vitally important to the health and well-being of our LGBTQ+ family, friends, and neighbors that we do this together.

Our organizations stand against racism and prejudice in all forms, and we are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion within and outside of our institutional walls. As a reflection of our values, we welcome all patients, families, visitors, and staff. We ask our community to do the same.

In Solidarity,

Caroline Wilker, MD
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 19)  Senator Richard Gordon has advised Health Secretary Francisco Duque III to seek "psychiatric help" if he is too overwhelmed with his job.

Gordon, chair of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, made the comment during the Senate's seven-hour hearing on the Department of Health's use of the P67-billion pandemic response funds on Wednesday. Duque seemed to have unknowingly turned on his microphone and told someone in his office that he was confused.

"Ano ba yun? Nagulo na 'yung utak ko. Hindi ko na alam," Duque said.

[Translation: What is that? My brain is confused. I don't know anymore.]

Gordon told Duque to seek psychiatric help.

"Marami kayong psychiatrist diyan sa DOH. Pagamot ka muna sa psychiatrist niyo sa DOH. Mayroon kami dito mga psychosocial support," he said.

[Translation: You have many psychiatrists there in DOH. Seek help from the DOH's psychiatrists. We have psychosocial support here.]

"I know it's very stressful to work in the government, so please make sure that you get it done," he added.

Duque later realized that the topic was capital outlay. Senators and the Department of Budget and Management said it should have been realigned to the special risk allowances for health workers.

As health officials lamented lack of funds for the health workers' benefits, DBM Undersecretary Tina Rose Canda questioned the DOH's unutilized funds, including P1.6 billion from the agency's 2020 budget.

"It's the significant phase of the budget cycle because it ensures that the government funds have been effectively and efficiently utilized to achieve the socioeconomic goals," Gordon said.

The Senate will conduct another hearing on August 25. The House of Representatives' Public Accounts Committee is also set to hold an inquiry on August 20.

CNN Philippines correspondent Eimor Santos contributed to this story.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 19)  The Palace on Thursday expressed concern over the increase in hate crimes targeting Filipinos in the United States.

Sana po ay matigil na ito [May this be put to an end], said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque during his regular briefing, as he described the situation as saddening and alarming.

A report by nonprofit organization Stop AAPI Hate published this month revealed Filipinos are the third ethnic group reporting more hate incidents from March 2020 to June this year, next to Chinese nationals and Koreans.

Majority of reported incidents against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders take place outside their homes and in spaces often open to the public, particularly public streets and businesses.

Just in the past week, two Filipinos were assaulted in separate incidents in New York, which is among the states with the most hate incident reports, according to the organization.

RELATED: Man arrested in hate crime assault on Filipino-American woman was out on parole for killing his mom

Yung mga kababayan natin, mga kamag-anak natin nagpunta sa Amerika kasi alam natin what drives America is the hopes and aspirations ng mga [of the] immigrants, said the spokesman, noting that such actions are hurting the soul of the United States itself, being the land of immigrants.

[Translation: Our countrymen, our relatives went to America because we know that what drives America is the hopes and aspirations of the immigrants.]

Asians and Asian Americans have been grappling with more hate crimes and racism amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Stop AAPI Hates latest report, which covers over 9,000 hate incidents, said almost 50% included at least one hateful anti-China and/or anti-immigrant statement. Among the common themes of such remarks include the scapegoating of China, which involves blaming the country or its people for the COVID-19 pandemic, the report noted.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 19)  The Philippines has finalized its logistic support pact with Australia, authorities confirmed this week.

The Australian Embassy first made the announcement Wednesday, noting the Mutual Logistics Support Agreements finalization has further deepened long-standing defense relations between both nations.

The MLSA is a framework agreement that allows the provision of logistics support during exercises, training, deployments and other exigencies as mutually determined by both countries, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Thursday.

The deal also facilitates the swift deployment of both the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Australian Defence Force for humanitarian assistance and disaster response, he explained, adding it also aims to boost the interoperability between both military forces.

Department of National Defense spokesperson Arsenio Andolong said the Philippines signed the agreement on February 18 this year, while Australia did so on April 23. AFP Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics Rear Admiral Alberto Carlos and his Australia counterpart ADF Rear Admiral Ian Murray inked the deal on behalf of their respective countries.

The MLSA will be endorsed by the DND to (the Department of Foreign Affairs), and the DFA will transmit it to the (Office of the President) for ratification of the President, Andolong added.

Both the AFP and ADF regularly conduct exercises under the PH-AUS Defense Cooperation and Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA), Lorenzana said.

Manila and Canberra first signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperative defense activities in August 1995, effectively laying the foundation for the Joint Defence Cooperation Committee. The body provides policy direction and coordinates and monitors activities under the memorandum.

The SOVFA, meanwhile, entered into force in September 2012  aiming to provide a comprehensive legal and operational framework for defense cooperation.

Australia is among the countries who vehemently support the Philippines in its landmark arbitral win against China over the West Philippine Sea.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the Philippines and Australia.
(CNN) -- New satellite images obtained by CNN show Russia may be preparing another test of its nuclear-powered cruise missile, known as "Skyfall"-- a controversial weapon that is designed to defeat US defense systems.

The photos, which were captured on August 16 by the commercial satellite imaging company Capella Space, offer "strong indications Russia was preparing to test a nuclear-powered cruise missile" at a known launch site located near the Arctic Circle, experts at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies Center for Nonproliferation Studies who analyzed the photos told CNN.

US officials are aware that Russia could be preparing another test of what it calls the "Burevestnik" missile as part of its advanced weapons program, according to a source briefed on the matter.

The CIA declined to comment and the Pentagon and the Russian Ministry of Defense did not immediately respond to CNN's requests.

"Using a nuclear reactor would, in principle, give the cruise missile unlimited range to fly under and around US missile defense radars and interceptors," according to researcher Jeffrey Lewis, a weapons expert at the Middlebury Institute who reviewed the images.

There are "substantial questions, however, about whether the system can be made to work successfully, to say nothing of the threat that testing this system may pose to the environment and human health," he added.

Those risks have prompted some experts to call the weapon a "flying Chernobyl," Lewis told CNN, noting an August 2019 effort to recover a missile that had crashed into the White Sea resulted in an explosion that killed five Russian technical personnel.

At the time, Lewis told CNN that satellite imagery suggested that the incident might have been related to the development of a nuclear-powered cruise missile.

Russia conducted at least one test flight of the nuclear-powered cruise missile from the same site near the Arctic Circle in November 2017. Moscow reportedly carried out multiple other tests in the months that followed, though none were considered successful.

In March 2018, Russian President Vladimir Putin released a video of a nuclear-powered cruise missile test, which allowed open-source researchers, including analysts at the Middlebury Institute, to identify the location, Lewis told CNN.

Researchers have been monitoring this site in recent months and satellite images taken by commercial satellite imaging company Planet over the summer showed cargo ships visiting this location and supplies piling up at a support area, according to Lewis. More recently, Russia issued a "notice to mariners" warning of hazardous operations to be conducted between August 15 to 20 near the known Burevestnik test site near Pankovo on Novaya Zemlya.

A high-resolution radar image taken on August 16 showed "Russian personnel had erected a large environmental shelter to protect the missile and the crews preparing the launch from the harsh weather," according to Lewis.

"This shelter was retracted, revealing a large object on the launch pad, which is a possible SSC-X-9 Skyfall launcher," he said. "There are also a significant number of objects next to the launch pad that are likely vehicles and shipping containers. None of these signatures were present the last time the site was imaged optically in June."

Russia has been modernizing its strategic nuclear weapons and delivery systems to counter US and NATO and bolster its claim to be a major military power, raising fears of another nuclear arms race as the US also sets about upgrading its nuclear arsenal.

While Moscow and Russia renewed the New START Treaty in February, shortly after President Joe Biden took office, the US has withdrawn from two landmark arms control treaties with Russia, the Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty in 2019, and the Open Skies Treaty in 2020.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "New satellite images show Russia may be preparing to test nuclear powered 'Skyfall' missile"
(CNN) -- A vast majority of US residents live in an area with high Covid-19 transmission, but hospitalization and death rates are significantly higher in states with the lowest vaccination rates.

In the 10 states with the lowest vaccination rates, fewer than 41% of their residents have been fully vaccinated. In the 10 states with the highest vaccination rates, more than 58% of their residents have been inoculated against coronavirus.

Hospitalization rates in those bottom 10 states are nearly four times higher, and death rates are more than 5.5 times higher than in the top 10 states, according to a CNN analysis of federal data.

Nearly 93% of the US population lives in an area with high Covid-19 transmission, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"We continue to see a rise in cases driven by the more transmissible Delta variant with cases concentrated in communities with lower vaccination rates," Jeff Zients, White House coronavirus response coordinator, said Wednesday at a virtual Covid-19 briefing. "So this remains a pandemic of the unvaccinated."

The 10 states with the lowest vaccination rates are Alabama, Mississippi, Wyoming, Idaho, Louisiana, Arkansas, West Virginia, Georgia, Tennessee and North Dakota. Data from the US Department of Health and Human Services shows an average of 39 people hospitalized with Covid-19 for every 100,000 residents in those states, compared to 10 for every 100,000 in the top 10 vaccinated states.

The top states with high vaccination rates are Vermont, Massachusetts, Maine, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maryland, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Washington and New York.

In the 10 states with the lowest vaccination rates, there is an average of about 34 deaths per 1 million residents, and in states with the highest, the average is six deaths per 1 million, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Wallensky said at the news conference that the country is averaging about 500 Covid-19 deaths a day -- deaths that "remain largely preventable."

"In areas with low vaccination coverage, we continue to hear far too many heartbreaking stories of people who did not get vaccinated, only then to get severe Covid-19," she said. "In these areas, the data are showing us that the more people who are in the hospital, and tragically, more people are dying of Covid-19."

Child Covid-19 cases are steadily increasing as schools reopen

As Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations surge in the US, a health expert is warning that an accompanying rise in cases among children, many of whom aren't yet eligible to be vaccinated, will only worsen as schools resume classes.

That warning comes as top US health officials announced their intention -- subject to pending regulatory decisions -- to soon start allowing booster shots for any adult who'd received two mRNA Covid-19 vaccine shots.

As for youths: More than 121,000 child Covid-19 cases were reported in the US last week -- more than 14 times the weekly number in late June, when the figure was at the low point for 2021, the American Academy of Pediatrics reported this week.

This likely is just the start of what is to come, said Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine.

"This is happening before school starts. Schools are opening now," Hotez told CNN's Jake Tapper on Tuesday. "So, Houston Independent school district opens August 23. That's going to be a huge accelerant. ... This is just the beginning, unfortunately."

Though the rise in children's cases coincides with the surges among the broader US public since early summer, the proportion of child cases is up. Child cases represented 18% of the US total last week, against 14.4% over the whole pandemic, AAP says.

Health experts had hoped to get a critical threshold of the population vaccinated against Covid-19 in time to get spread under control for the new school year, but only 51% of the population is fully vaccinated.

And with the more transmissible Delta variant accounting now for nearly 99% of cases in the US, the situation is growing particularly dangerous for children, experts said.

They have advocated for children to wear masks in school, but some governors have attempted to ban such requirements.

"Why tie the hands of the public health officials behind their backs? You have two weapons here, one is vaccines, the other is masking, and for children less than 12 that's the only weapon they have," Dr. Paul Offit, a member of the US Food and Drug Administration's vaccine advisory committee, told CNN's Erin Burnett on Tuesday.

Hotez said the US is now at a "screaming level of virus transmission," adding that to really interrupt the spread, 80 to 85% of the population will need to be vaccinated.

Boosters planned for adult mRNA vaccine recipients

On Wednesday, the US surgeon general announced a plan to allow booster shots to any American adult, age 18 and older, who already had received two doses of either the Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna mRNA vaccines.

That plan still depends on whether the US Food and Drug Administration authorizes boosters and whether the CDC's immunization advisory committee recommends those boosters, US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy said.

Under the plan, adult mRNA vaccine recipients would be eligible for a booster eight months after receiving their second dose, starting the week of September 20, Murthy said during the White House Covid-19 news conference.

As for the people who received the other Covid-19 vaccine authorized in the US -- the one-dose Johnson & Johnson product -- more data needs to be collected before a booster is recommended for them, Murthy said.

The plan to authorize an mRNA booster comes as data suggests that protection against mild and moderate disease from the first two doses appears to decline over time, Murthy said.

He emphasized coronavirus vaccines still appear to be effective in protecting against severe Covid-19, hospitalization and death.

But, "we are concerned that this pattern of decline we are seeing (in protections against mild and moderate disease) will continue in the months ahead, which could lead to reduced protection against severe disease, hospitalization and death," Murthy said.

On Monday, Pfizer and BioNTech said they submitted initial data to the FDA to support the use of a booster. Their data indicated a booster dose elicited a significantly higher antibody response against the initial strain of coronavirus and the Delta and Beta variants compared to what was seen among people who got two doses.

Last week, the FDA authorized third doses for some people who are immunocompromised, and the CDC almost immediately recommended giving those doses.

As the Delta variant increased its grip in the US this summer, coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and deaths have jumped.

The US averaged more than 137,500 new daily cases over the past week -- an average that is more than 11 times higher than it was two months ago, when the figure was nearing its lowest point of the year, according to Johns Hopkins University.

More than 88,300 Covid-19 patients were in US hospitals Tuesday, nearly five times higher than two months ago, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. And the US averaged 734 Covid-19 deaths a day over the past week, more than double the average seen two months ago, according to Johns Hopkins.

Thousands of students already quarantining

Many schools that have gone back to campus are already seeing the impact of the spread of the virus.

More than 3,000 students and employees have been quarantined in the New Orleans Public School District because of Covid-19 cases in the past week, according to the district's latest tally.

They represent 5.89% of the students and teachers in the district.

Students returned to the New Orleans Public School District on August 12 and are required to wear masks in school facilities, according to the district.

Mask mandates have caused tension in Florida as some schools press to implement them but are going up against Gov. Ron DeSantis' ban against such requirements.

Among the state's 15 largest school districts, at least 4,641 students and 1,547 employees have tested positive for coronavirus and at least another 19,072 students and staff members have been quarantined or isolated because of Covid-19.

The tallies do not include any cases from the two biggest school districts in Florida -- Miami-Dade and Broward. Miami-Dade begins classes August 23. Broward started Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Florida's State Board of Education voted unanimously to recommend investigations into the Broward and Alachua districts over their requirements for mask-wearing in school.

In Arizona, Gov. Doug Ducey said the state would use federal Covid relief money to increase the funding available to public school districts only if they're open for in-person learning and don't require children to wear masks.

A handful of Arizona districts have imposed mask mandates despite the state law that prohibits them, arguing the ban cannot go into effect until mid-September at the earliest, making their current mandates legal.

In Washington, Gov. Jay Inslee announced a policy that requires everyone who works at an academic institution in the state to be vaccinated by October 18.

"We won't gamble with the health of our children, our educators and school staff, nor the health of the communities they serve," Inslee said.

This story was first published on CNN.com "If you live in a state with a low vaccination rate, you're 4 times more likely to be hospitalized and more than 5 times more likely to die".
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 19)  New digital banks, including converting banks, have only until end-August to hand in their applications, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said.

In a statement on Thursday, BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno said closing the application window will allow the central bank to "monitor the performance and impact of digital banks on the banking system and their contribution to the financial inclusion agenda."

"We need to ensure that the business environment continues to allow healthy competition among banks enabling them to offer innovative and competitive financial products and services to their clients," he added.

The Monetary Board has so far approved the application of five digital banks. These include UNObank, UnionDigital Bank, and GoTyme. Meanwhile, Overseas Filipino Bank, Inc. and Tonik Bank converted their existing licenses to digital ones.

Applications of digital banks will be processed on a first-come, first served basis, the BSP said. They will also be assessed in terms of completeness and sufficiency of documentation along with compliance with the licensing criteria on establishing digital banks.

"The applications received on or before 31 August 2021 with noted documentary deficiencies or which do not meet the BSP's pre-qualification criteria will be returned and will not be subject to further processing," the central bank said.

The BSP also said it is currently processing two other digital banking applications.

"As these tech-savvy, customer-centric players introduce innovations in the banking sector, we are confident that the BSP is on track to achieving its digitalization and financial inclusion goals," Diokno said.

The government has been encouraging digital transactions amid the COVID-19 pandemic to further avoid physical interactions and reduce the risk of coronavirus transmission.
(CNN)  Chinese President Xi Jinping this week issued a bold new pledge to redistribute wealth in the country, piling more pressure on the country's richest citizens and businesses.

Xi told top leaders from the ruling Chinese Communist Party on Tuesday that the government must establish a system to redistribute wealth in the interest of "social fairness," according to a summary of the speech published by Xinhua, the official state news agency. He said it was "necessary" to "reasonably regulate excessively high incomes, and encourage high-income people and enterprises to return more to society."

The Xinhua article did not include many details about how Xi hoped to accomplish this goal, but did suggest that the government could consider taxation or other ways of redistributing income and wealth.

Xi even invoked the need for "common prosperity" among the Chinese people as critical for the Party to maintain power, and transform the country into a "fully developed, rich and powerful" nation by 2049, the 100th anniversary of the existence of the People's Republic of China.

"Common prosperity is the prosperity of all the people," Xi said during the leadership's economic meeting, which is hosted every few months to determine policy. "Not the prosperity of a few people."

A significant phrase

That phrase carries a lot of historical significance in China, and Xi's use in the context of wealth redistribution calls to mind its use by Chairman Mao Zedong in the middle of the last century as the former Communist leader advocated for dramatic economic reforms to take power away from rich landlords and farmers, the rural elite.

Mao ruled the country through great economic and social transformation and upheaval. His death in 1976 marked the end of the Cultural Revolution.

Afterward, China embarked on decades of economic liberalization under the leadership of Deng Xiaoping.

Deng adopted his own use of the phrase "common prosperity" as the country embraced free market principles in China's socialist economy, and opened up the world's largest Communist country to the West.

The former Chinese leader famously told a visiting delegation of American corporate executives in 1985 that "some areas and some people can get rich first, and then lead and help other regions and people [get rich], and gradually [we] achieve common prosperity."

Over the years, China has transitioned from a poor country to the world's second largest economy and one of its greatest forces in business and technology. Its rapid growth could help it overtake the United States as the world's largest economy within a decade.

Growing inequality

But while the country's private sector and amount of wealth has exploded  in 2019, the number of rich Chinese surpassed the number of rich Americans for the first time  gaps between rich and poor and rural and urban citizens in China have worsened.

That problem appears to have vexed Xi. On Tuesday, he admitted that the Party "allowed some people, some areas to get rich first" following its economic reforms dating back to the 1970s.

But since 2012  when Xi assumed office  he said the central government has made "realizing the common prosperity of all people in a more important position."

Xi's focus on wealth redistribution ties into his government's broader goals for the economy. In recent months, the country has embarked on an unprecedented crackdown on tech, finance, education and other sectors in the name of stemming financial risk, protecting the economy and stamping out corruption.

His government has also cited a need to safeguard national security and protect the interests of its people. Regulators have widely blamed the private sector for creating socioeconomic problems that could potentially destabilize society and affect the Party's grip on power.

The crackdown on private enterprise has rattled global investors and stoked fears about the prospects of innovation and growth in China's economy.

The country's economy already has showed signs of weakness lately. Data released Monday indicated that the country's recovery is slowing, and the unemployment rate among young people has spiked to the worst level in a year.

Economists have attributed to the slowdown to an array of factors, including the fast spread of the Delta variant, natural disasters, growing debt risks, and waning investor sentiment on the heels of the regulatory clampdown.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "President Xi Jinping turns his fire on China's rich in push to redistribute wealth."
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 19)  The Department of Justice will file charges against self-confessed drug lord Rolan "Kerwin" Espinosa along with several others for their supposed involvement in the illegal drug trade in Eastern Visayas.

In a resolution dated July 23, the DOJ said that "upon careful evaluation of the facts and evidence adduced by the parties and applying the foregoing provisions of law," they found probable cause to charge Espinosa and the following individuals for conspiracy to commit illegal drug trading:

Marcelo Adorco

Jose Antipuesto

Alfred Cres Batistis

Galo Stephen Bobares

Nickjune Canin

Virbeca Diano

Josela Dumaguit

Jose Jernie Estrera

Ferdinand Rondina

Brian Anthony Zaldivar

The resolution said the affidavits of the respondents showed these contained statements where they described their "respective participation in the illegal drug trade of respondent Kerwin which partake in the nature of extrajudicial confessions, i.e. out of court confessions."

"Clearly, due to the complexities of transactions alleged in the instant case...it is sufficient that the communications among and between the respondents are established to prove the illegal drug trade," said the DOJ.

Espinosa is the son of Rolando Espinosa Sr., who was mayor of Albuera, Leyte.

Police arrested the elder Espinosa over charges of illegal possession of dangerous drugs and firearms in 2016. Both father and son were tagged by President Rodrigo Duterte in his list of alleged illegal drug coddlers and traffickers.

In the same year, the younger Espinosa was arrested in Abu Dhabi, while mayor Espinosa was killed in a shootout in his jail cell.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 19)  After a Senate hearing that lasted almost seven hours, lawmakers expressed dissatisfaction over the explanations offered by the Department of Health on the nonpayment of benefits promised to healthcare workers.

In a text message shared to reporters on Thursday, Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III pointed out that Health Secretary Francisco Duque "blames others and never their lack of responsibility."

Senator Imee Marcos, in a strongly worded statement, asked the embattled Health chief to stop the blame game and get to work.

"Tumigil siya! Ilabas niya ang totoong kwenta ng bilyon-bilyong binigay sa DOH, kausapin lahat ng health workers at ospital nang malaman ang utang ng DOH sa kanila," Marcos said.

[Translation: He should stop! Give an accounting of the billions of pesos given to the DOH and ask health workers and hospitals how much the DOH owes them.]

Duque and his colleagues told the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on Wednesday that the Department of Budget and Management did not give them sufficient time and funding to give all health workers their special risk allowance (SRA), hazard pay, meal, accommodation and transportation allowances, and other benefits.

Budget Undersecretary and officer-in-charge Tina Rose Marie Canda quickly rebutted, saying the DBM was able to release more than 9 billion for health workers' SRA on June 25, the next working day after receiving the request from the DOH. Only 6.7 billion was disbursed by June 30, when the Bayanihan 2 lapsed, so the remaining 2.3 billion had to be reverted.

Canda also said the DOH had enough unutilized funds to pay for the benefits. Duque said he would "order an immediate determination" on how much of the agency's savings can be used to compensate medical frontliners.

Two other Senate leaders said the DOH should address the problem soon, or else other government agencies can take on the job of downloading the funds to hospitals.

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said funds can be handled by the Department of Labor and Employment, which has been giving COVID-19 cash aid to displaced workers.

"[I]f the DOH can't give the SRA funds efficiently and effectively then why not give the funds next year to another agency that can give it to nurses on time and immediately. The DOLE is one example of this," Zubiri told CNN Philippines in a text message.

"They should prove it before their budget is taken up by Congress, so we don't need to raise that discussion by that time," he added.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said aside from the funds for health workers, other pandemic allocations can be transferred to local government units if the DOH will not step up.

"If the DOH is unable to perform its task, we can transfer the responsibility of disbursing the budget to our LGUs...The other budgets for COVID-19 response can be executed by the LGUs," Drilon said.

The Senate and the House of Representatives are investigating the DOH for "deficiencies" in the management of more than 67 billion, which the Commission on Audit said "contributed to the challenges encountered and missed opportunities" during the coronavirus crisis.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 19)  While Party-list Rep. Claudine Bautista was saddened by the backlash she faced over her Balesin wedding, the lawmaker insisted on Thursday she never neglected the sector she represents.

"Although given the situation, I would also like to express my sadness over how my wedding day, something that I have separated from my work as a public official, has been made into a political spectacle," Bautista said in a statement.

The representative of the Drivers United for Mass Progress and Equal Rights - Philippines Taxi Drivers Association (DUMPER-PTDA) also pointed out that the wedding in the exclusive resort was "a product of my husband's hard work."

READ: PUV drivers rep draws flak over lavish wedding in Balesin

Netizens and celebrities called out the "lavish" wedding of Bautista, which came at a time when her constituents are reeling from the COVID-19 crisis.

The uproar started after photos of her in a wedding gown by renowned fashion designer Michael Cinco went viral.

Bautista, however, stressed that she has never neglected the issues hounding public transportation workers.

"I know that I have been doing everything in my capacity to get our sector through this pandemic and I understand that there are still some issues and concerns that have yet to be fixed," she said.

The congresswoman stressed that her office, together with other government agencies, has been providing pandemic assistance to transportation workers.

She said 18,000 public utility vehicle drivers have already been vaccinated against COVID-19.

"To address the effects of the pandemic, in my personal capacity, I also made sure that more than 1.1 million grocery packs, PPEs, free insurance policies, and relief assistance are distributed to affected PUV drivers and commuters," Bautista said, adding she also donated 3 million to doctors and nurses.

"Moving forward, I want to move past this issue and focus on pressing matters - the pandemic and serving better my constituents," she said.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 19)  As the Taliban takeover unfolded in Afghanistan early this week, Elmer Presa knew he and his team needed to leave the country - and they had to do it fast.

Presa has been working in a private security company in Afghanistan for more than a decade now.

On August 16, he was told that Taliban militants have already entered their area and they need to leave immediately.

"Pagka-advise po sa amin na nandiyan na sila sa area talagang mabilisan po," Presa said.

[Translation: When we were told that Taliban militants were already in our area, we immediately left.]

The initial plan was to go to a more secure spot, then head to the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, and board the first flight out.

But amid the chaos, Presa refused to leave instantly.

"Umikot pa ako. Hindi ako agad nakasunod sa airport kasi may mga Pinoy na dapat sunduin," he said.

[Translation: I drove around first. I was not able to go to the airport immediately because I knew some Filipinos were trapped.]

Presa asked permission from his employers to fetch the remaining Filipinos, but he was told they could no longer leave their area.

His employers will also not allow other company personnel to go with him.

"Sabi ko teka mag take charge ako. I'll take responsibility for this kailangan ko sila kunin," the OFW recalled.

[Translation: I told my bosses I'll be in charge and take responsibility for this mission. I can't leave my co-workers and fellow Filipinos behind.]

Encounter with the Taliban

Presa said he drove towards the first embassy where one of the Filipinos was located.

A checkpoint manned by the Taliban stopped him for a while but allowed him to pass through.

"Nagulat din po ako dahil Taliban na po magmamanning po sa mga checkpoints. Nakiusap po ako na dadaan lang kami. Pinayagan naman po," Presa said.

[Translation: I was surprised to see the Taliban guarding the checkpoints. I appealed to them to let us in because we will only pick up our fellow Filipinos. They granted our request.]

Presa said while the first checkpoint went smoothly, it was a different scenario on the second checkpoint heavily guarded by Taliban fighters.

"Wala eh kailangan mo sila babain ng sasakyan, kausapin at sabihin na kailangan mo lang sunduin yung kasamahan mo. Medyo nagtagal pero sa bandang huli pumayag din," he recalled.

[Translation: I had to get out of the car to explain to them why we needed to pass through the checkpoint. It took some time but they eventually granted our request again.]

Presa was able to pick up at least two other Filipinos that same day before they boarded a United States Air Force plane.

Despite the challenging escape from Afghanistan, Presa was able to take a photo with a group of Taliban militants at the Kabul airport.

He also shared images of him inside the US military plane with thousands of Afghans on board.

Speaking to CNN Philippines' The Final Word, Presa said there were seven Filipinos with him on that same flight.

Presa is now in Doha, Qatar waiting to be repatriated.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 19)  The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration said a second repatriation flight for OFWs in Afghanistan is now being arranged in coordination with the Department of Foreign Affairs.

"Ang naiiwan na...around 100 na kailangan ilikas at sa pagkakaalam ko, mayroon nang isinasaayos...na second repatriation flight. Sa tingin ko yang 100 na yan mga tatlo o apat na repatriation flights," OWWA Administrator Atty. Hans Leo Cacdac said in a briefing on Thursday.

[Translation: The remaining...around 100 need to be evacuated and from what I know, there is a second repatriation flight being arranged. I think there needs to be three or four repatriation flights for the 100.]

On Tuesday, 35 Filipinos from the beleaguered country arrived at Terminal 1 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

No details were given on when the second repatriation flight would happen or how many OFWs would be on board.

Cacdac said he visited the repatriated Filipinos on Wednesday at the hotel where they were quarantined and saw they were doing well.

OWWA also said it would be extending help to all OFWs coming home from Afghanistan, which fell once again into the hands of Taliban militants after the withdrawal of US troops.

The agency said benefits would revolve around financial, livelihood, and scholarship assistance, especially for collegiate-level dependents, according to Cacdac.

Evacuation attempts made

Meanwhile, in a separate advisory Thursday afternoon, the DFA said two attempts to evacuate Filipinos via New Delhi and Islamabad were made Wednesday but were unsuccessful as commercial flights were canceled.

"As experienced by the groups last night, access to and even within the airport is very difficult, and if able to check in, this is still no assurance that a flight would be able to leave," the DFA added.

In the same advisory, the DFA said some Filipinos were able to leave Afghanistan with help from their employers. It confirmed seven were evacuated to Qatar and another five to the United Kingdom.

"There are reports of other Filipinos who have left Kabul which our embassies are verifying. In all cases, the DFA will assist in their return to the Philippines.

The DFA added Filipinos still in Afghanistan should be prepared to leave "at a moment's notice and be able to travel with minimal luggage."

There are around 90 Filipinos left in Afghanistan, with at least 79 requesting repatriation, according to the DFA.

The department has raised the alert level in Afghanistan to four - the highest level which means mandatory repatriation.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 19) The country's stockpile of Sinovac COVID-19 vaccines continues to grow as another three million doses arrived on Thursday.

The plane carrying the latest batch of the government-procured shots  the biggest single-day delivery  landed past 5 p.m. at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

"Lahat ng procurement natin, ito [ang] pinaka-malaking delivery. And we are so happy that we were accommodated by the Sinovac Biotech na talagang mabigyan tayo ng three million, kasi kailangang kailangan natin talaga sa mga probinsya," Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez told reporters during the arrival ceremony.

[Translation: From all of our procurement, this is the biggest delivery. And we are so happy that we were accommodated by the Sinovac Biotech for three million (doses), because we really need these for the provinces.]

The new shipment forms part of the 26 million doses the national government has ordered from the Chinese firm.

Last week, the country also received two million Sinovac doses.

Earlier, Galvez said while the government will continue to buy Sinovac shots, it is also considering shifting procurement efforts to prioritize western brands like Pfizer and Moderna.

READ: Govt. eyes prioritizing buying more Pfizer, Moderna vaccines over Sinovac  Galvez
(CNN) -- President Joe Biden on Wednesday suggested for the first time that he's willing to keep US forces in Afghanistan until all American citizens who want to leave are out of the country, but stopped short of making the same commitment to the United States' Afghan partners.

In an interview with ABC News, Biden said Americans should expect for all US citizens in Afghanistan to be evacuated by August 31, the deadline the administration has set for ending the nation's longest war.

Asked if Americans should understand that US forces may be in Afghanistan past August 31, the President responded "No, Americans should understand that we're going to try and get it done before August 31."

But, he added, "if there's American citizens left, we're going to stay until we get them all out."

Here's where veterans can turn to get help with their anguish over Afghanistan

The potential commitment to extending American forces' stay in Afghanistan for evacuations past the end of the month does not necessarily apply to extending US-led evacuations for Afghans who worked with the US during the war.

Biden said the US estimates between 50,000-65,000 Afghan partners and their families are trying to get out of the country. In order to get them out of the country before the August 31 deadline, the President said, evacuations will have to ramp up.

Asked if he would keep US troops there if they weren't all out, Biden said, "The commitment holds to get everyone out that, in fact, we can get out and everyone that should come out. ... That's the path we're on. And I think we'll get there."

The President also defiantly defended his administration's execution of the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, saying that he doesn't think the crisis represents a failure and there was no way to better handle the drawdown.

Biden was asked if it was a failure of intelligence, planning, execution or judgment that led to the situation in Afghanistan.

"I don't think it was a failure," the President responded.

He added, "When you had the government of Afghanistan, the leader of that government getting into a plane and taking off and going to another country. When you saw the significant collapse of the Afghan troops we had trained, that was -- you know I'm not -- that's what happened. That's simply what happened."

Asked if he thought the withdrawal could have been handled better, Biden said: "No."

How to help Afghan refugees

The President said he thought chaos in the country was inevitable after US troops departed.

"(T)he idea that somehow, there's a way to have gotten out without chaos ensuing, I don't know how that happens," he told Stephanopoulos.

But in public statements since the troop drawdown was first announced in April, Biden repeatedly relayed to the American people that the withdrawal would proceed safely and in an orderly fashion.

In April, he said the drawdown would be done "responsibly, deliberately, and safely."

And in July, Biden used a question-and-answer session in the White House to downplay the prospect the Afghan government could collapse and the Taliban could take over, saying that outcome was not inevitable. He indicated that the "drawdown is proceeding in a secure and orderly way, prioritizing the safety of our troops as they depart." And he also insisted there would be "no circumstance" in which American personnel were evacuated from the roof of their embassy, rejecting any comparison to the fall of Saigon.

Asked during the ABC News interview if chaos was "always priced into the decision," Biden initially responded yes, but then added that exactly what happened was not part of his calculation.

"One of the things we didn't know is what the Taliban would do, in terms of trying to keep people from getting out. What they would do. What are they doing now? They're cooperating, letting American citizens get out, American personnel get out, embassies get out, etc., but they're having -- we're having some more difficulty having those who helped us when we were in there," Biden said.

Biden was also asked if the intelligence was wrong of if he downplayed it when he called a takeover unlikely.

"There was no consensus if you go back and look at intelligence reports," the President responded. "They said that it's more likely to be some time by the end of the year."

Earlier Wednesday, Biden was briefed at the White House on the situation in Afghanistan. He also spoke with German Chancellor Angela Merkel about the issue.

The world was shocked earlier this week by images coming from Afghanistan that included people falling from a US Air Force plane taking off from Kabul's airport after attempting to hold on to its exterior to make a desperate escape from the country. When Biden was asked about pictures showing people packed into a C-17 and video of Afghans clinging to the sides of planes attempting to take off from Kabul's airport, he sharply cut off the question.

"That was four days ago, five days ago!" Biden told ABC News. Many of those pictures were from Monday, just two days before the interview was conducted.

Asked what his first reaction was upon seeing the scenes, Biden told ABC that he thought: "We have to gain control of this."

"We have to move this more quickly. We have to move in a way in which we can take control of that airport. And we did," he said.

The Defense Department has dispatched military teams to two of the airport's gates to assist the State Department in processing individuals seeking entry. But despite relaying a message of control at the airport, the administration sent conflicting messages on Wednesday about whether individuals seeking to leave the country will be able to get there safely.

The State Department said it could not ensure safe transit to the airfield, while the Pentagon said the Taliban is "guaranteeing safe passage."

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley said during a press briefing on Wednesday that "approximately 5,000 people" have been evacuated from Afghanistan already, and the US military intends to "increase" the number of people who have been evacuated.

Milley said, if directed, US military in Kabul have the ability to extract Americans and bring them to Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport. But Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin clarified that US troops in Kabul do not have the ability to collect and extract "large groups of people."

This story has been updated with additional developments from Biden's interview.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Biden suggests US troops could stay in Afghanistan past withdrawal deadline to ensure evacuation of all Americans"
(CNN) -- On July 20, Chinese authorities detected a cluster of Covid-19 cases in the eastern city of Nanjing. The virus soon spread across the country, with dozens of cities reporting infections fueled by the highly infectious Delta variant.

At its peak, China was reporting more than 140 new symptomatic cases a day, which, though a tiny proportion of its 1.4 billion population, marked a significant uptick in a country that for months had largely contained the spread of the virus.

But less than a month later, the outbreak is showing early signs of winding down. Numbers have fallen steadily with the country reporting six new locally-transmitted symptomatic cases on Tuesday, and six more on Wednesday.

The apparent turnaround stands in sharp contrast to many other countries still grappling with large Delta-driven outbreaks, including the United States.

Delta now makes up more than 93% of all coronavirus cases circulating in the US, and is pushing hospitals past capacity once again. The country could soon see more than 200,000 new cases every day as the virus spreads, particularly among unvaccinated people, experts warn.

Meanwhile in Asia Pacific, the Delta variant has also forced parts of Australia and New Zealand back under lockdown, and ravaged Southeast Asian countries like Malaysia and Thailand.

China's falling caseload has been touted in state media as proof the country's strict zero-Covid control measures are working, despite facing criticism from some prominent Chinese public health experts.

The so-called "zero transmission" model, also seen in places like New Zealand and Hong Kong, has so far proved broadly effective in curbing widespread transmission. Many of these countries and territories have faced less severe outbreaks than other parts of the world, with fewer cases and deaths overall.

However, this approach requires punishing, oppressive measures that many argue are simply not sustainable in the long term, especially as new variants spread and other countries open back up. Experts say fortress territories will eventually have to shift away from this strategy -- they can't stay shut off from the world forever.

Following the initial outbreak, Chinese authorities acted quickly, with numerous major cities launching mass testing campaigns and building pop-up testing labs. Yangzhou, one of the infection hotspots with a population of 4.5 million people, has so far conducted seven rounds of mass-testing for its residents.

Communities that reported infections were promptly locked down, with residents unable to leave except for emergency reasons. Tens of millions of people were placed under travel and movement restrictions, as well as extra screening procedures and mandatory quarantines for anybody traveling between cities or provinces.

All the while, authorities ramped up the nationwide vaccination campaign. More than 1.8 billion doses have been administered so far, according to the National Health Commission (NHC).

As of August 14, a total of 36 of China's 48 virus-hit cities reported no new infections for at least six days, according to NHC director Ma Xiaowei.

Ma said in an interview Monday with state news outlet Xinhua that China would strive to control the outbreak by the end of August, before students return to schools for the new semester, and return life to normal as soon as possible.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "China's Delta outbreak shows signs of slowing, as variant rages across the world"
Robinson won't really be able to walk for the next three months while he heals from the surgery.

"But he's done this so many times he's literally just on wheels for three months," Palik said.

Robinson said he supposes most of his classmates are used to that, too. This was his 15th surgery since 2015.

"We started this when he was in fifth grade," Palik said. "...He'd had a couple surgeries (locally) and they couldn't quite fix his problem."

Then they visited the Shrine Circus and it dawned on Palik that Shriners might be able to help. Shriners evaluated Robinson, decided they would be able to help him and he became a Shriners patient in 2017.

If it weren't for Shriners, Palik said, Robinson might have been wheelchair-bound by the time he turned 30.

"Without foot reconstruction, he would never have a job on his feet and would have been facing a life of pain and back problems," Palik said.

Robinson and his mom will fly back to St. Louis in two weeks to get a cast put on his leg, but Robinson said he should still be able to participate in the deer hunting season.
After seven months in the White House, and despite horrible immigration polling, an issue that cost the Democrats the 2016 presidential election, the Biden administration just doesnt care about voters opinions or how sustained open borders will alter sovereign nation America.

Like it or not, open borders are here to stay for the simplest reason. No one in the Biden administration, least of all the president and his Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, wants immigration laws enforced.

The law, 8 U.S. Code  1225, is crystal clear on borders: aliens who do not have a legal right to be present in the U.S. shall be detained pending a final determination of credible fear of persecution and, if found not to have such a fear, until removed.

That is, as former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Andrew McCarthy wrote, even those who credibly claim to fear persecution if returned from whence they came  the infinitesimally small percentage of legitimate refugees among the hordes now seeking entry  are supposed to be held in custody until that claim is fully adjudicated.
Conleys relatives did not attend Wednesdays sentencing. In an earlier tribute, Conleys mother wrote that her son had a 3-month-old child at the time of his death and was a great father and student. Quensha Conley wrote that she had been diagnosed with lupus and her son  the youngest of three  helped care for her.

Daheem made sure he took care of anything I needed where itd be helping me out of my bed to preparing food for me when I needed to eat, she wrote. Its a shame that somebody would take the life of a life that just began.

Stratman reiterated that Wednesday. Even though Dagosta had little idea that Smith would open fire, the judge cautioned him that he will forever be viewed by the company he keeps. As part of his five years of probation, she ordered him to not hang around gang members.

Dagostas attorney, Joe Naatz, noted that Dagosta had a minimal juvenile record before these horrific events.

Stratman said Dagosta is going to have chances Conley will not.
Biden understood that the choice was between getting out or being stuck there with no end in sight, and he rightly judged that the former was better for the United States, wrote historian and veteran conservative commentator Daniel Larison. The fact that the Afghan government has lost so much ground so quickly proves that the U.S. failed in building a functioning state that could fend for itself Far from showing the folly of Bidens decision, it confirms the wisdom of it. A state as rickety and incapable of protecting itself as this one would not have been saved by delaying withdrawal a few more months or even years.

As Biden said on Saturday, One more year or five more years of U.S. military presence would not have made a difference if the Afghan military cannot or will not hold its own country. And an endless American presence in the middle of another countrys civil conflict was not acceptable to me.

That view also jibes with the sentiments of the most Americans. Hell likely take a hit in the short run as the images of surrender resonate globally  although thats akin to blaming President Gerald Ford for our chaotic final departure from Vietnam in 1975  but the fact remains that the current withdrawal is supported by 70 percent of Americans, including 56 percent of Republicans.
Sonny Chiba, the famed Japanese actor and martial artist known for his work in The Street Fighter and Kill Bill, has died. He was 82.

Chiba died from COVID-19 complications, his representative Timothy Beal confirmed to CNN.

Newsweek reported that Chiba was battling COVID-19 before he was admitted into the Kimitsu hospital in Japans Chiba Prefecture. The report said he developed pneumonia as he battled the virus, and ultimately didnt recover, passing away.

Born Sadaho Maeda in Fukuoka, Japan, Chiba was an athlete at a young age before studying martial arts in college. His acting career began in the 1960s, appearing in television shows and films like Seven Color Mask, Messenger of Allah and Invasion of the Neptune Men.

He rose to international fame with the 1974 cult classic The Street Fighter, parlaying that popularity into a successful stint as a martial arts action hero. He would later appear in films like The Bullet Train, Karate Warriors, Shogun Samurai, Shadow Warriors and many more.
The state Department of Health reported 48 new cases of COVID-19 for Cumberland County Thursday.

The county's seven-day average of cases now sits at 44.57, the highest rate since May 9, and its 14-day per capita rate sits at 223.39.

So far this week (from Saturday through Thursday), Cumberland County has 275 cases, 58 more than it reported the entire month of June. It has reported at least 20 new COVID cases every day in August. Data is not available for how many positive new cases include vaccinated people.

The county now has 734 cases in August, more than the total number of cases it reported last October (642) at the start of the fall surge. That case total far outpaces the 279 cases reported during the entire month of July or the 217 cases reported in June. The county totaled 778 cases in May.

Thursday's report included 246 total test results, with 8 probable cases. Comparing just the number of negative tests (198) and confirmed positive tests (40), the county saw 16.8% of its tests come back positive.

The number of patients in the county hospitalized with COVID-19 decreased to 32 in Thursday's report, a drop of one from Wednesday, with eight in intensive care and four on ventilators.
Ahead of a hearing on a motion to dismiss his lawsuit, Rob Schilling filed a response contesting arguments that his lawsuit was based just on a six-minute voting delay.

Schilling, a local radio host, filed the suit in June in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia after he claimed he was briefly prevented from voting during the June 8 Democratic primary election in Albemarle County due to a face mask dispute. The lawsuit names as defendants county Registrar Jake Washburne, Election Officer Leo Mallek and two unnamed poll workers.

According to Schillings lawsuit, he did not wear a mask when he went to vote at the Woodbrook precinct on June 8. Per the lawsuit, Washburne previously had told Schilling that masks were not required in polling locations. The loosened mask requirements were the result of changes in state mask mandates in the wake of widespread COVID-19 vaccinations.

When he went to vote, Schilling said, he was asked to wear a mask by Mallek and, after he refused, he claims in the lawsuit that two poll workers placed their hands on his arms and/or shoulders and tried to convince him to leave. After a poll worker not named in the lawsuit placed a call to Washburne, Schilling was able to cast his ballot.
Firearms soon will be banned from many Albemarle County-owned properties.

On Wednesday, the county Board of Supervisors unanimously approved an ordinance to ban guns from buildings, parks and community centers owned or used by the county for governmental purposes. Notice will need to be posted at all entrances of buildings, parks and recreation and community center facilities that are covered.

Supervisors said the ordinance was needed due to intimidation and the need for local control.

Board Chairman Ned Gallaway said Albemarle has asked the state for more local control when it comes to being responsible for its property, and it has not been granted it in some cases.

Since 2018, after the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, the board has asked the General Assembly to add Albemarle to the list of localities in which carrying specified loaded weapons in public areas is prohibited, but has been unsuccessful.

During the 2020 session, state lawmakers granted localities the authority to ban weapons from buildings and events. Albemarle does not currently have a permitting process for events outside of its public parks, so events are not included in its ordinance
Friedman also worked on behalf of children who have yet to enter school. As a board member of the United Way of Greater Charlottesville, he has been involved in the charitys preschool programs for those less advantaged.

He joined our board in 2001 and, as an educator, his main thrust with us was helping build our early education efforts, said Ravi Respeto, president of the local United Way. A lot of the work he did on our board was helping with grant-making decisions on organizations involved in early education. He helped decide how we allocated funds to organizations that were making sure children were ready to learn when getting to kindergarten.

Respeto said Friedman also impacted the United Ways efforts to help residents to gain financial stability and workforce training.

Friedman worked with the University of Virginia to turn a donors $5 million gift into a $9.5 million scholarship for students transferring from PVCC and the creation of an inter-college liaison to help shepherd students wanting to transfer.

The Piedmont Scholars program will provide scholarships to 25 PVCC students who graduate with associates degrees and transfer to UVa. The scholarships are part of the University Achievement Award program.

Frank is a very innovative and effective leader who has served our community better than well for many years, said Charles Rotgin Jr., of Great Eastern Management Co. Rotgin has served with Friedman on the chambers board of directors. We have been fortunate to have had him in many leadership roles in addition to his PVCC responsibilities, and his competence will be both remembered and missed.

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Gov. Ralph Northam in a speech to lawmakers Wednesday praised the states historic $2.6 billion revenue surplus  promising to direct some of those funds to pandemic recovery, state police salaries and the states struggling behavioral health system in his coming budget.

Northam, who will propose a new two-year budget in December before he leaves office in January, credited the COVID-19 vaccine, fiscally conservative decisions at the state level, and the federal governments financial boost for businesses and families.

We need to be clear about how this has happened: 2020 was a profoundly difficult year, but Virginia is open for business  and business is good, Northam said during a joint meeting of the General Assemblys money committees.

We accomplished all this during a pandemic that many expected to break our budget  and did exactly that to many other states, Northam added.

The administration first announced the revenue figures in July, when it confirmed the state had hauled in an additional $3.1 billion compared with the previous fiscal year. Thats a growth of 14.5%, compared with the expected 2.7%.

In an otherwise celebratory speech, Northam highlighted the uncertainty that the COVID-19 pandemic continues to pose for Virginia and its economy.
We dont know what the future holds. If youd asked me about the pandemic in June, I would have said we could have a fall that looked almost normal. But now we know that wont be the case, thanks to the delta variant, Northam told lawmakers.

So as we head into the fall, we will continue to be cautious and prudent in our budgeting. We want to be ready for any more surprises COVID may throw our way.

The higher-than-expected revenues will fuel the states two-year budget, which lawmakers will finalize in the spring.

Northam said his priority will be to craft a budget that prioritizes long-term investments for the state and supporting people as they recover from the pandemic.

Northam said addressing salary compression  in which pay for veteran employees does not keep up with market pay for newly hired workers  among state police officers and other public safety workers will be a key priority.

He also promised to address the states behavioral health system, which continues to face strains.

Administration officials said payroll withholding and sales taxes together account for 71% of revenues. Combined, the two categories grew 6.4% this past fiscal year.

Among the increases in revenue over last year that contributed to the $2.6 billion figure: an increase in revenue from personal income taxes of 4.7%; increase in revenue from sales taxes of 12.4%; an increase in revenue from home sales of 41%; and an increase in revenue from ABC profits of 29.4%.
But some lawmakers are sounding less comfortable with their decision to legalize marijuana without providing a way to buy it. Currently, the only legal way to obtain the drug is to grow it yourself or receive it as a gift from someone who has, and even that arrangement is complicated by the fact that it is not legal to purchase seeds or plants.

Krizek worried that waiting until 2024 to open the recreational marketplace  time lawmakers said they needed to write regulations and begin issuing licenses would only boost illegal market.

People know its legal and they probably think they can buy it legally. And its going to become more and more difficult to explain that to the general public, he said. We dont want to facilitate an illegal market out there.

David Mays, a General Assembly legislative analyst, said medical industry is suggesting that lawmakers give them temporary licenses to sell to recreational customers on the condition that they each serve as an incubator for five new licensees who qualify for a planned social equity program, which is aimed at directing a portion of new marijuana business licenses to Black Virginians, who faced disproportionate enforcement of marijuana laws under prohibition.
The alleged grower, Charles A. Miller Jr., was arrested and charged with felony possession with intent to sell, give or distribute more than 5 pounds of marijuana, and possessing between 50 and 100 marijuana plants, also a felony.

The new law allows adults to legally possess up to 1 ounce of marijuana. And anyone found to be in possession of more than 1 ounce but less than a pound is subject to a civil penalty of not more than $25. But anyone possessing more than one pound still can be charged with a felony.

In late June, as the states new marijuana law was about to go into effect, Chesterfield Police Chief Jeffrey Katz posted a message on Facebook that warned Virginians about the statutes nuances, along with a short video that outlined the provisions.

Virginia, we have a problem, Katz wrote at the time. A lot of folks believe that as of July 1, 2021, the possession and use of marijuana is legal within the commonwealth. In reality, its not that simple.
HOUSTON  At least four school districts in Texas have closed campuses due to coronavirus outbreaks early in the new school year.

The shutdowns are taking place as more districts and communities are requiring students and residents to wear face coverings indoors, defying Gov. Greg Abbotts ban on mask mandates.

The school district in Gorman in North Texas had been set to begin the school year Wednesday but is delaying that by a week. Campus shutdowns also were announced Tuesday by the districts in the East Texas towns of Bloomburg and Waskom.

Those moves came a day after the Iraan-Sheffield district in West Texas closed its schools for two weeks.

Mask wearing was optional in these four school districts. At least 21 other districts, including some of the states biggest, have instituted mask mandates, which are in violation of Abbotts executive order banning such measures.



MORGANTOWN, W.Va.  West Virginia University is requiring masks to be worn in classrooms and labs for the next 30 days, saying not enough students and employees have submitted proof of vaccination against the coronavirus.
As the images of chaos at Afghanistans main airport looped on the news channels, disaster quickly became the favored word of commentators, followed by disgrace. What we saw was disturbing, especially the evidence that U.S. forces hadnt secured the airport early on.

But 20 years after the U.S. first sent its soldiers to police the country and spent billions arming a huge Afghan army  a force that quickly melted away  Americans saw their country finally getting out of an impossible mission, that of transforming a very foreign political culture to our liking. The audience at home did not share the unhappiness expressed by experts on TV criticizing what they saw on TV.

Everyone saw the hundreds of Afghans running on the tarmac. They heard commentators opining, with no information, that the mob was all frightened Afghans who had helped the U.S. But some could have been using the confusion to immigrate to a better life in America. Some could have been slipped into the crowds by terrorist organizations. No one then knew.

And if, in the middle of the craziness, someone clings to the bottom of a packed U.S. military cargo plane as it takes off  and that person falls to earth  what are we supposed to do about that?
American strategists will be studying for some time how Afghanistans U.S.-trained security forces crumbled so quickly before what appeared to be an inferior Taliban militia. One place they should look for answers is Pakistan, whose leader on Aug. 16 cheered the Taliban takeover of its northwestern neighbor.

Afghans have broken the shackles of slavery, said Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, according to Indian media. The offhand celebration of the U.S. retreat from Afghanistan came as Mr. Khan denounced English education in Pakistan as promoting cultural control.

That a U.S. security partner would say this out loud certainly raises eyebrows. But the sentiment should not surprise. As Walter Russell Mead notes, a key obstacle to American success in Afghanistan was unrelenting support for the Taliban from our ally in Islamabad. The Taliban safe-haven across Afghanistans southern border was crucial to the groups longevity and eventual military success.
"When I first met Jason, it was passion and determination from the get-go," said Babcock, whose firm makes tiny homes and accessory dwelling units, among other micro-structures. "The finished product is truly unique and we will continue to work with Jason to refine his project."

Babcock is working with Christensen to try to interest city governments in the project. So far, he said, only Albany has taken notice, but he's continuing to send out information.

Christensen envisions the Sleep Trailers being available for lease: to businesses, nonprofits, government organizations, churches, existing shelters, anyone who wants to help.

His website, sleeptrailer.com, offers a $10 per month subscription for people who are interested in helping with manufacturing costs. Once placed somewhere, he said, it would be up to the leasing organization how  or whether  to charge for their use, and how long to let people stay.

The idea is to provide short-term respite, Christensen stressed. The pods have windows and vents but don't have electricity, heating or air conditioning and wouldn't be comfortable for long-term living.

"True to its name, this is designed for sleep," he said. "You sleep, get out, try to regroup. I didn't want it to be a place where people just hang out."
In any case, "foreign" foods don't stay foreign here for long. Tacos now vie with hamburgers and pizza as American staples.

The Census report was predictably turned into a discussion of immigration, but even here, the numbers lead to imperfect conclusions. Historically, Mexican Americans are the only group that started their American citizenry not because they immigrated but because the border moved to include them.

In 1848, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo turned over California and much of Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah and Colorado to the United States. It set the border with Texas at the Rio Grande.

In 1854, the Gadsden Purchase enabled the U.S. to acquire another 30,000 square miles of Mexico, roughly the size of Scotland. That area is now southern Arizona, including Tucson, and southwestern New Mexico.

This is in no way an endorsement of the Reconquista, a radical movement that seeks to return parts of the American Southwest to Mexico. The border is where it now is, and we should want an immigration program that is humane but also respects the law. I'm just saying that Latinos are hardly "newcomers" to the American scene.
This is not an issue of liberty, as they would have you believe; it's an issue of public health (and courts have long upheld the right of government to make public health rules). This is not a question, solely, of control over one's own body  the health and safety of others are at risk. People who don't wear masks or won't get vaccinated enable the virus to spread and reproduce, and increase the chance of new variants that will evade vaccines.

Yes, some vaguely confusing facts about vaccines may raise legitimate concerns for ordinary Americans. It's true, for instance, that the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines do not have full formal approval by the Food and Drug Administration; they have only been authorized for emergency use. That sends a discomfiting message. And indeed, "breakthrough" infections may allow fully vaccinated people to catch COVID.

But following the science is the best and only way to fight the disease. The overwhelming consensus of scientists, doctors and data is that the vaccines are not dangerous, that the breakthroughs are rare, and that it is far safer to be immunized than not.

It's also true that there are some people who face real barriers to getting informed, finding the time or arranging for transportation to where the shots are. They need our assistance.
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I love the music in the movie, said Linn County Historical Museum staff member Joni Nelson. Stand By Me (released in 1961) is and incredible song. Its so emotionally heavy, I still cry when I hear it.

But here are some things you may not know about the film. For one, its based on the novella, The Body, by Stephen King. While the location of the story was changed from Maine (where the vast majority of Kings works are set) to Oregon, the movie is remarkably true to the source material.

The characters each have their unique traits or sayings, like Teddy DuChamps obsession with re-enacting the D-Day storming of Normandy, or Vern Tessios lisping way of saying, Sincerely  whenever he has something important to impart. Its these characteristics that endear us to these kids, seeing the innocence that will slowly be robbed as they go through their harrowing journey.

As much as the plot centers on the quest to recover the body of a dead boy who was struck by a train, what makes it resound so well with viewers of all ages is that its really about the passions of childhood  and how they get lost in the bustle of adulthood.
It seems that Gov. Kate Brown and the Democrats have finally shown themselves as the racists they are, enacting Senate Bill 744 that drops the requirements that high school students prove proficiency in reading, writing and math before graduation.

Charles Boyle, the deputy communications director from Browns office, said the new standards for graduation will help benefit the states "Black, Latino, Latinx, Indigenous, Asian, Pacific Islander, Tribal and students of color." Are they stating that minorities are too dumb to understand the basics of learning? Arent teachers doing their job to help these children have a chance for a better life? In essence, they are being dumbed down.
Should the U.S. military have remained in Afghanistan past Aug. 31 and until all American civilians and Afghans who helped our country's efforts could get out?

You voted:
Brazilian Internet Service Provider (ISP) Desktop Sigmanet (Sigmanet Comunicacao Multimidia SA) has acquired Net Barretos, a small-scale broadband provider that serves the interior of Sao Paulo.

Net Barretos provides broadband internet services with fiber optic technology in the interior of the State of Sao Paulo, in the municipalities of Barretos, Bebedouro, Guaira, Pitangueiras, Colina, Jaboticabal, Jaborandi, and region.

The acquisition is part of Desktop's strategy to grow through acquisitions using the capital raised (R$715 million) on the stock exchange in July. The transaction strengthens its presence in the State of Sao Paulo.

According to local media reports, the deal was signed by the company Starnet, which was also purchased by Desktop earlier this month. However, owners of Net Barretos stated that they are prevented from expressing themselves on the matter for contractual reasons.

Desktop also offers fixed telephony and pay-TV services. The company's fiber optic broadband plans range up to 500 Mega speed. According to company figures, more than 300,000 customers are served by its services.
As I pen this, Hurricane Ida is busying herself with the process of reclaiming the Mississippi Delta and marshland without much regard for local inhabitants. If the sun rises in the morning, the capsized infrastructure will be drifting, burning, or sizzling for the bewildered to see, again. 
I am not on the board for political partisanship, Combs said. We have to keep our schools open. That is my goal.

One member who voted against the mask mandate, Melissa Snively, said there will be repercussions from the state that could include funding cuts, although President Joe Biden has vowed the federal government would make up any losses for districts that impose mask mandates.

Were going to go down this road and get our hands slapped, Snively said. I have no interest today in breaking the law.

Also Wednesday, the Miami-Dade school board passed a similar mandate with a medical exemption by a 7-1 vote. In Miami-Dade, Florida's largest school district with 334,000 students, a task force of medical experts recommended students be required to wear masks when they return to classrooms next week. Superintendent Alberto Carvalho agreed and pushed for the new rule at Wednesday's meeting.

DeSantis said at a Wednesday news conference near Fort Lauderdale that Broward, Miami-Dade and other districts that impose mask mandates are violating a law passed by the Legislature and signed by him that states it is up to parents to make health decisions.
The sudden increase in coronavirus cases has also had other ramifications in federal courts. In West Texas, concerns about the surge recently ground many court functions to a halt. On Aug. 9, the chief federal district judge in San Antonio suspended jury trials and grand jury proceedings until Oct. 3, although bench trials, sentencings and some other hearings will continue.

Along with other cases, the move is likely to slow the federal investigation into corruption claims against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. The probe into bribery and abuse-of-office allegations is being led by a San Antonio-based federal prosecutor whos been using a grand jury in the city to issue subpoenas, including for records of renovations made to the Paxtons million-dollar home in Austin.

Paxton, who is running for re-election in a competitive Republican primary, has broadly denied the allegations from eight of his former top deputies that he used his office to help a wealthy donor.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP)  The former school resource officer accused of hiding during a South Florida school shooting that left 17 people dead said after a hearing Wednesday that he never would have sat idle if he had known people were being killed.

Former Broward County Deputy Scot Peterson, 58, appeared in court, where his attorney argued to dismiss child negligence charges against him, the Sun Sentinel reported. After the hearing, Peterson lost his composure and fought back tears as he described how his life has changed after the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.

I didnt do anything there to try to hurt any child there on the scene, Peterson said. I did the best that I could with the information. I did the best ... Ill never forget that day. You know, not only kids died, I have friends that died. And never for a second would I sit there and allow anyone to die, knowing that animal was in that building! Never!

Nikolas Cruz, who was 19 at the time of the February 2018 shooting, has been charged with 17 counts of first-degree murder and faces a possible death sentence.
ATLANTA (AP)  Georgias State Election Board inched forward Wednesday in a process set in motion by Republican lawmakers using a controversial provision of the states sweeping new election law that could ultimately lead to a takeover of elections in the states most populous county.

Fulton County, a Democratic bastion that includes most of the city of Atlanta, has long been a target of Republicans who complain of sloppiness and say they want to ensure state laws are being followed. Former President Donald Trump fixated on Fulton after the November general election, claiming without evidence that fraud in the county contributed to his narrow loss in the state.

Democrats and voting rights activists have said the takeover provision in the new law invites political interference in local elections and could suppress turnout.

Well have to wait and see how it plays out, but it does feed the Democrats concerns that Republicans are going to interfere with the actions of the board which is in charge of elections in the county which gave Democrats their biggest total margin of votes, University of Georgia political science professor Charles Bullock said.
Trucks seen at Tan Thanh Border Gate in Lang Son Province. Photo by VnExpress/Binh Minh

China has tightened Covid-19 safety measures at one of its border gates with Vietnams Lang Son Province, which could cause longer delays.

Starting Wednesday, Vietnamese container drivers at Tan Thanh Border Gate will have to leave their trucks in the hands of Chinese drivers waiting in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

These drivers will transport the goods to their destination, then return the truck to the border.

This is a new pilot scheme agreed between Lang Son and Guangxi, to be trialed until the end of this month.

Vietnams Export-Import Department said the new regulations could increase costs and delay exports.

Many truck containers carrying farm produce from Vietnam have not been identified as having a specific destination, which means it would be difficult for Vietnamese drivers to identify the value, quantity and quality of goods before handing them over to their Chinese counterparts, it said.

The department encourages Vietnamese businesses to sign prior contracts with Chinese buyers before transporting their goods over to reduce risks.

China reopened its border gate with Vietnams Tan Thanh Border Gate on Wednesday after shutting it down for several days due to Covid-19 linkage.

Many trucks have been waiting to cross over as a result of the closure.

China was Vietnam's second largest export market in the first seven months with a value of $28.7 billion, up 24 percent year-on-year, according to the General Statistics Office.
Wind power farms in the central province of Quang Tri are scrambling to complete construction to benefit from the 20-year incentive feed-in tariff available until October 31.

Under the scorching sun 800 workers are quickly building a solar plant in Huong Hoa District, hoping to finish the work before the rains begin next month.

Tai Tam  Hoang Hai will have 31 turbines, and the foundations have been completed for more than 20 of them. Five turbines are being installed, and the investors hope the farm will become operational by the end of October.

Then it will be eligible for the incentive feed-in tariff of 9.8 U.S. cents per kilowatt-hour for offshore projects and 8.5 cents for onshore.

A truck carries a part of a wind tower in Quang Tri Province. Photo by VnExpress/Hoang Tao

But the transport of equipment is facing issues.

Nguyen Van Nghi, deputy director of the project, said some households have built tall structures nearby hoping to get compensation to make way for the giant turbines.

"We need to speed up transportation to complete the project by the end of October, but if we do not pay high compensation local residents refuse to let us transport the equipment through their land.

So far around VND200 billion has been paid as compensation. The company is seeking help from authorities to get locals to remove their structures.

At two other wind power plants nearby, Phong Huy and Phong Nguyen, the foundations are complete but only four out of 24 towers have been built.

Nguyen Ngoc Tien, CEO of the projects, said he has increased the number of workers and even transports materials at night to finish the projects before the deadline.

It would take five to six weeks to finish, he added.

After that foreign experts will make any adjustments necessary before the plants can begin operations.

But with travel restrictions causing delays, wind power plant developers want Quang Tri authorities to allow experts to quarantine on-site upon arrival and start working immediately.

Quang Tri has 29 wind farms under construction with a total capacity of 1,117 megawatts and costing over VND30 trillion.

It is estimated that 16 of them will become operational before October 31.
Vietnam on Thursday recorded 10,639 new local Covid-19 cases, the highest single-day tally ever observed since the coronavirus hit the country.

The three localities recording the highest number of cases were Ho Chi Minh City with 4,425 cases, Binh Duong with 3,255 cases and Dong Nai with 657 cases.

Thursday's tally has put Vietnam's total coronavirus tally at 312,611 cases, meaning there are 3,180 cases for every one million people, ranking 169th of all countries and territories. Since the fourth coronavirus wave hit Vietnam in late April, the total infection tally is 308,559 cases.

Also on Thursday, 5,000 people were announced recovered from the disease, putting the total number of recovered cases so far to 120,059 cases.

380 new deaths were recorded, with 307 in Ho Chi Minh City, 45 in Binh Duong, 17 in Long An, three in Can Tho, and two each in Ben Tre, Binh Thuan, Tien Giang and Vinh Long. The total coronavirus death tally in Vietnam so far is 7,150 cases, or 2.3 percent of the infection tally, around the world's average.

Vietnam has vaccinated nearly 16 million people with at least one Covid-19 vaccine shot, with over 1.5 million people having been fully vaccinated.
The United States is deeply concerned with the increasingly harsh surveillance, harassment and intimidation of U.S. and other foreign journalists in the Peoples Republic of China, said State Department Spokesperson Ned Price.

In a statement, Mr. Price cited the most recent example of such harassment: the dangerous intimidation of foreign journalists reporting on the devastating floods and loss of life in the central province of Henan. Several journalists were subjected to threats of violence online, and others were physically confronted by angry crowds.

As Spokesperson Price wrote, the PRCs harsh rhetoric, promoted through official state media, toward any news it perceives to be critical of PRC policies, has provoked negative public sentiment leading to tense, in-person confrontations and harassment, including online verbal abuse and death threats of journalists simply doing their jobs.

At a recent news conference, PRC Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian claimed that the reporting environment for foreign correspondents in China is open and free. This simply isnt the case. The Foreign Correspondents Club of Chinas annual report on media freedom found that 82 percent of surveyed correspondents said theyd experienced interference, harassment, or violence while reporting.

The U.S. State Departments latest human rights report on the PRC noted that Government harassment of foreign journalists was particularly aggressive in Xinjiang, and included constant surveillance, staged traffic accidents, road blockages, and cyberattacks. It also cited the expulsion in 2020 of three Wall Street Journal reporters and the governments designation of the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, and Voice of America as foreign missions, forcing all three to report details to the government about their staffing, finances, and operations within the country.

In addition, the State Department reported that the visa renewal process was used by PRC authorities to challenge journalists and force additional foreign reporters out of the country, while local employees working for foreign press outlets were subjected to increased harassment and intimidation.

Beijings intensifying campaign against foreign media comes just months before it hosts the 2022 Winter Olympics. Spokesperson Price urged the PRC to act as a responsible nation hoping to welcome foreign media and the world to the upcoming games.

He noted that in her recent meeting with PRC officials in Tianjin, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman raised the importance of media access, freedom from harassment, and press freedom. We call on PRC officials, Mr. Price said, to ensure that journalists remain safe and able to report freely.
For 60 years, the U.S. Agency for International Development has worked with its partners across Africa to develop their institutions through investments in education, healthcare, agriculture, and energy.

USAID assistance has dramatically reduced the rates of HIV and malaria, lifted millions from extreme poverty, and helped countries in Africa record the biggest increases in primary school enrollment of any region in the world, said USAID Administrator Samantha Power at this years U.S.-Africa Business Summit.

And our unwavering and long-standing commitment to Africa will continue, as we partner with countries to battle a crippling third-wave of COVID-19, build resilience to climate shocks, and strengthen the rule of law amidst a troubling democratic decline on the continent.

But it is time for the U.S. - Africa relationship to move from a relationship based mostly on aid, to one based on trade, said Administrator Power. We must strengthen private sector ties between our countries, spur economic investment at a scale that could never be matched by foreign aid, and help Africans realize the kind of sustainable, independent future that they have long sought.

That is the spirit behind the Prosper Africa Build Together Campaign that was announced at the Summit.The United States is reinvigorating its Prosper Africa initiative through the Build Together Campaign, to elevate the commitment to two-way trade and investment between African nations and the United States.

Through Prosper Africa, the U.S. government will connect American investors with African businesses ripe for investment. This will help American businesses access Africas fast-growing markets and create thousands of jobs for both African and American workers.

Through the Prosper Africa Build Together Campaign, said Administrator Power, we will leverage our longstanding presence on the ground to build a better, stronger, more secure, and inclusive trade and investment strategy for African nations and the United States.

We will do this in partnership with African countries and in accordance with American values rooted in mutual respect, national sovereignty, democratic governance, and individual dignity, not as a means to advance our own interests or seek favors in return.

We believe in the nations of Africa, in their potential, and in the entrepreneurial and innovative spirit of the African people, declared Administrator Power.Now we have to work to turn that belief into action.
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Elko school superintendent candidate withdraws, only one left

ELKO  An applicant for superintendent of Elko County School District withdrew Tuesday night, one day before the school board was set to interview him and another candidate for the vacant position.

Local teacher Kenneth Demick announced his withdrawal in an email to the Elko Daily Free Press, citing many aggressive, mean-spirited online communications he received after an online article listed him and Dr. M. Neil Terhune as the two candidates for the position.

School board president Teresa Dastrup corroborated Demicks statement and said she was saddened by the development.

According to Dastrup, seven candidates applied after the job was advertised in Nevada, other Western states and the Midwest. The annual salary ranges up to $180,000.

Two vie for Elko schools superintendent position ELKO  Two Nevada residents are vying to fill the Elko County School Districts vacant superintendent position.

School board members received their applications on July 27. Then-board president Jim Cooney instructed them to request which candidates to interview, with the majority of requests guiding the selection of the finalists.

Dastrup said four applicants were selected, but two of them withdrew over the past couple of weeks. Demick was the third one to drop out of the selection process late Tuesday.

Dastrup told the Elko Daily that the trend of negativity sparked by the pandemic seemed to be whittling down the candidates.

The worst  and lingering  outcome of COVID is the division of our communities, she said. It is sad to see what is happening to our communities.

Public unrest has been building since last year when schools were closed at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. A year ago, parents and teachers voiced their concerns and fears to the school board when the district grappled with choosing one of three reopening plans. The board first approved a hybrid plan before reversing their decision and implementing distance learning for the first nine weeks of the school year.

More debate and discussion continued as school administrators transitioned into hybrid instruction before reopening to in-person instruction by the end of the year.

Since May, parents, students, teachers and community members have expressed their thoughts on mask mandates and possible vaccine requirements during public comment at school board meetings. Most of the speakers have asked the school district to support parental choice in Covid-19 mitigation mandates and protocols.

School board: 'Masks optional' ELKO  School board trustees finalized the reopening plan that gave parents and students the choice to wear masks at school Tuesday night.

I think people are concerned but frustrated, Dastrup said. They want to see change, but were going about it the wrong way. Attacking people at a local level is not the right way. If you want change, lets look at where the change needs to happen. We need to lobby and communicate with the governor.

Dastrup went on to describe her thoughts on how division has torn apart the community and suggested individuals lobby Gov. Steve Sisolak to remove or to relax mandates instead of attacking their local representatives who have to follow the law.

We need to have people focus their energy on sharing their message with our governor and doing so in a constructive way, Dastrup said, not in an abusive or aggressive manner that is going to get them labeled as aggressors and not as concerned citizens that would like to see change.

On Aug. 4, Sisolak affirmed school mask mandates for Clark and Washoe counties but said smaller districts could set their own policies. That same day, Elko County Commissioners voted unanimously to reject Sisolaks broader face mask requirement for indoor, public places.

On Aug. 10, the school board voted 5-2 for a reopening plan that said masks will be optional for all students and staff unless an outbreak is determined by local public health authorities.

The last remaining candidate for superintendent, Terhune, is expected to be interviewed Wednesday afternoon by the Board of Trustees.
LEHI, Utah (AP)  A Utah teacher is no longer employed at a high school after a video of her sharing political opinions in class began circulating online, school district officials said Wednesday.

The teacher at Lehi High School was initially placed on administrative leave after the video surfaced, but Alpine School District officials confirmed she no longer works there. District spokesman David Stephenson declined to say whether the teacher was fired or if she resigned.

Video that appears to be surreptitiously recorded by a student in the classroom shows the teacher criticizing people who choose to not get vaccinated against COVID-19. The video was shared online by conservative activists who have led demonstrations against mask mandates and vaccines throughout the state.

I dont have to be happy about the fact that theres kids coming in here with their variants that could possibly get me or my family sick, the video showed the teacher saying. Thats rude, and Im not going to pretend like its not.

She can also be heard saying that most students are smarter than their parents and that they don't need to believe everything their parents believe.
In Las Vegas, Southern Nevada Health District medical chief Dr. Fermin Leguen issued a statement calling the 5,005 deaths in his region a tragedy for everyone who has lost a loved one, family member and friend and again pleaded for people to get free vaccine shots.

The vaccination rate in the Las Vegas area continued to tick slowly up on Wednesday, according to state health data, approaching 61% for people ages 12 and older who have received at least one dose and nearly 49% fully inoculated. Nationally, the figure is about 72%.

In Reno, 66% have gotten one shot and nearly 59% are fully vaccinated, the health department said.

State health officials also reported almost 1,100 new coronavirus cases in Clark County since Tuesday and 17 additional deaths.

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Statewide, 6,248 people have died of COVID-19, the health department said. That represents 1% of the more than 621,000 who have died nationally, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A weekly Nevada Hospital Association report charted a slowing of COVID-19 hospitalizations in southern Nevada, and increases in the Reno area.
I am 86 years of age, and I mistakenly thought I have seen everything. Well, I hadnt, come the election of 2020.

I am a retired professor from UNR with The Emeritus title. I have been a county commissioner. I was head of the Nevada Department of Agriculture; and I have been involved in Nevada agriculture essentially all of my life. I have never missed an opportunity to vote in my entire life since becoming of legal age. I think I have been pretty involved in Nevada, and national, politics as well all these years.

President Trump was controversial. Some folks didnt like that. But President Trump put this great nation in gear very quickly after taking office, and he never took his foot off the pedal until the last hour of the last day of his tenure. As controversial as he was, I had a very positive feel that he undoubtedly would be reelected. And he was when I went to bed on the night of November 3, 2020. However, when I awoke the next a.m. all that had changed. It changed with unknown facts, facts that I didnt understand then, but I think I do now.
After two long decades, with thousands of casualties on both sides, America's longest war has come to an end.

With images reminiscent of the US withdrawal from Vietnam, the world has watched in horror as thousands of Afghans fled to the last remaining US holdout, Hamid Karzai International Airport, desperate to escape Taliban rule.

On Tuesday, 17 August, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan held a press briefing from the White House to inform the public on the administration's plans in the ongoing evacuation.

After days of chaos, Sullivan said that the US military had secured the airport and that it is open, and U.S. military evacuation flights are taking off. The operation, being carried out by the Department of Defense, aims to evacuate American citizens and Afghan nationals who worked with us, along with other vulnerable Afghans," as quickly as possible.

However, more than a week after the Talibans takeover, the federal government has yet to release any solid figures on how many Americans remain in the country.

Updates from the Department of Defense

While late last week, the Department had told the media that US forces had not had any hostile interactions, no attack and no threat by the Taliban" since the group took Kabul, these statements have been adjusted.

Press Secretary Kirby admitted that the Department had seen reports of Americans being held up Taliban run checkpoints but that by and large, what weve been seeing is that Americans are able to get through those checkpoints and are able to get onto the airfield.

Earlier today on 23 August, Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby, Major General Hank Taylor, and the Deputy Director of the Joint Staff For Regional Operations, J-35 hosted a press conference, offering new information on the status of the evacuation.

Still unable to provide official figures, General Taylor told the media that it is their belief that the Department of Defense has been able to evacuate several thousand Americans, since 14 August.

Journalists pushed back hoping the officials would offer more detail, but Taylor quickly ended the line of questioning by stating firmly number is very fluid, and it literally changes nearly by the hour, and that he was more comfortable leaving it several thousand right now.

The White House and State Department also struggles to provide an accurate headcount of US citizens left in Afghanistan

Earlier the number of Americans still in Afghanistan stood at around 15,000.

However, in recent days, like their colleges at the Department of Defense, officials from the State Department have struggled to calculate the exact number.

The department had encouraged those working and living in Afghanistan to register with the embassy. However, with registration-optional, many did not, limiting the governments ability to compile a headcount.

On Friday 20 August during an interview with CNN, White House communications director Kate Bedingfield confirmed that the administration did not have a precise number.

Bedingfield shifted her message to talk about the outreach efforts that had been conducted saying, As of a few weeks ago, we had already begun reaching out to all American citizens who were in Afghanistan via email, via text, via messaging app to hear from them and to understand their plans and work with them to get them out, if they want to get out.

When are all US citizens expected to be evacuated?

Bedingfield also evaded questions related to if the US military would be able to safely evacuated all American citizens and Afghans who supported the US mission. This came after President Biden had affirmed his commitment to getting all American citizens out of the country, earlier in the week.

During a speech made by the Presidnet on 18 August, he said If theres American citizens left, were gonna stay till we get them all out. Weeks prior, the President had marked 31 August as the date for all forces to be out of the country, but with Defense officials unable to provide a timeline, this date could be postponed.

When asked on 23 August if the Department had a timeline on when all citizens would be home, Press Secretary Kirby responded, he was not prepared today to speak to the specific dates or process by which that would occur but. Kirby did however say that the focus is on getting as many people out as we can, as fast as we can. This is no easy task and includes airport transport, which US forces are currently undertaking.

Kirby also said that the departure timeline will depend on various factors and the Department will continue to maximize throughput as best we can and without getting anybody hurt.

How many Afghans will be evacuated?

In addition to the number of American citizens that will be brought home, figures on the number of Afghans that will be able to leave the country have not been made public.

For years, many activists and policymakers have argued that special support must be provided to Afghans that supported the US mission. Many of these brave people translated for US soldiers in need of information from local populations. Now, with the Taliban in charge, they and their families are at risk.

During the Defence press conference on 23 August, Kirby stated that since July, more than 42,000 people have been relocated. Many of those evacuated have SIV, or Special Immigration Visas since they were employed by the US government. These visas will allow them entry into the United States.

However, just how many people have been awarded this visa, and the larger question of how many people are eligible to have yet to be answered.

What is the process for getting an SIV?

The State Department has recently updated its web portal with information on the SIV program for Afghans. Through the Emergency Security Supplemental Appropriations Act (ESSA), 2021, and previous pieces of legislation allowed for 34,5000 SIV "for Afghan principal applicants." By Friday, 1,200 SIV recipients had arrived in the United States.

The ESSA increased the number of SIVs available by around 8,000 and earlier this year, the US government announced that all those who had worked at US-based NGOs or media organizations could apply for a P2 visa. Former World Bank official, James Schwemlein, who served as the senior adviser to the US special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, stated that there could be more than 100,000 people eligible for the P2 visa.

However, regardless of the visa type, applicants must undergo lengthy background checks. While many of those who have applied have been evacuated, they will be held in a third country until their application can be processed.

But, many who have applied or could, however, are now in hiding as they cannot risk the trek to the airport because if caught by the Taliban they could be killed.
BEIJING, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- China attaches great importance to developing relations with Iraq, and stands ready to promote their strategic partnership for greater development, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Wednesday.

In a phone conversation with Iraqi President Barham Salih, Xi said China is willing to continue to support Iraq's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, expand bilateral cooperation in such fields as energy, electricity and transportation, and assist Iraq with economic rebuilding and social development.

Xi pointed out that Iraq is one of the first Arab countries to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China, and also an important partner of China for Belt and Road cooperation in West Asia and North Africa.

As a sincere friend of the Iraqi people, China has actively participated in Iraq's economic reconstruction, with bilateral friendly and practical cooperation making steady progress in various fields, Xi noted, adding that the two countries have been supporting and helping each other since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

China, Xi stressed, firmly supports Iraq's efforts to defend its national sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, fight against terrorism and safeguard its national security and stability.

Xi added that his country also supports the Iraqi people independently choosing a development path in line with Iraq's national conditions, and opposes any external interference in Iraq's internal affairs.

He expressed his hope that the various factions in Iraq will strengthen unity, push for new progress in the domestic political process, and realize long-term peace and stability as well as prosperity and development.

China, he said, stands ready to work with friendly countries, including Iraq, to promote peace and development and build a community with a shared future for mankind.

For his part, Salih said that the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China is a milestone event for both China and the world, adding that he wishes China greater achievements in the journey ahead from this new starting point.

Noting that Iraq and China are both great civilizations with a long history, he said the Iraqi side understands the measures taken by China to safeguard national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, and firmly adheres to the one-China policy.

The Iraqi side, he added, appreciates China for its help in Iraq's economic reconstruction and fight against COVID-19, and is willing to deepen friendly relations with China.

He said Iraq hopes to make concerted efforts with China to continuously strengthen pandemic response cooperation, expand bilateral cooperation on trade and investment, and expand exchanges and cooperation in such areas as culture, tourism, youth and sports.

Iraq, he added, is also ready to work with China to intensify strategic communication, address the precipitous changes in international and regional circumstances, fight against terrorism, and safeguard regional and global peace and stability.

Editor: WXY
BEIJING, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- If the United States has nothing to hide, it should invite the World Health Organization (WHO) to conduct origins tracing investigations at its Fort Detrick and the University of North Carolina, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said Wednesday.

"This is the sincerity and attitude of a country who really cares about global origins tracing," Zhao said at a daily news briefing.

Zhao made the remarks when asked to comment on a report that the United States still intends to release the report on origins tracing as scheduled and make up misleading conclusions on virus-leaking from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, although there is not any tangible progress in the origins-tracing investigation by the U.S. intelligence agencies yet.

"China has always supported and will continue to participate in the scientific origins tracing. China has twice invited the WHO to China for joint research, which produced scientific and authoritative conclusions, laying the foundation for the next phase of global origins tracing. What we firmly oppose is politicizing COVID-19 origins tracing," Zhao said.

"No matter how hard the United States tries to smear and falsely accuse others, it can't dispel the international community's doubts about U.S. biological laboratories all over the world," he added.

"The sites of U.S. labs are often the location where diseases such as plague, anthrax and MERS break out. According to U.S. media reports, the U.S. military carried coronavirus to Europe through a blood program in 2019 and civilian volunteers entering the U.S. military base in Italy in August last year became the earliest victims," the spokesperson said.

Media outlets quoted high-level officials of the U.S. government as saying that the origins-tracing investigation is not the purpose and that continuing to hype the investigation can exhaust China's diplomatic resources and increase U.S. leverage toward China.

Zhao said he noted relevant reports and that the words of senior U.S. officials are a confession of the U.S. manipulation for presumption with guilt.

"What the United States cares about is not facts or truth, but how to consume and malign China. Isn't the malicious intention of the U.S. side's political manipulation evident enough?" the spokesperson asked.

"The world will no longer be deceived by the old U.S. ploy of set-up with a vial of washing powder. Instead, the international community is getting more and more suspicious of the United States as it is sparing no efforts to smear China by all means. Is it trying to deflect people's attention from the questionable points and spotty track records of the bio labs at Fort Detrick? What is the United States trying to hide?" he continued.

Editor: WXY
-- China's Tibet Autonomous Region is celebrating the 70th anniversary of peaceful liberation -- a turning point in the region's history -- as it starts a new journey of modernization after decades of leapfrog development.

-- In just a few decades, the Communist Party of China has united and led the people of all ethnic groups in Tibet to make unprecedented historical achievements.

-- Efforts must be made to build a new, modern, socialist Tibet that is united, prosperous, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful, Xi Jinping has said.

by Xinhua writers Shen Hongbing, Zhang Jingpin, Liu Xinyong, Xia Xiao

LHASA, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- China's Tibet Autonomous Region is celebrating the 70th anniversary of peaceful liberation -- a turning point in the region's history -- as it starts a new journey of modernization after decades of leapfrog development.

With the peaceful liberation in 1951, the people of Tibet broke free from the fetters of invading imperialism for good, and embarked on a bright road of unity, progress and development.

In late July, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visited the region to extend congratulations on the occasion, the first time in the history of the Party and the country.

"It has been proved that without the CPC, there would have been neither New China nor new Tibet," Xi said during the visit. "The CPC Central Committee's guidelines and policies concerning Tibet work are completely correct."

Decorations for the Spring Festival and the Tibetan New Year are seen in front of the Potala Palace in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, Feb. 8, 2021. (Xinhua/Chogo)

HISTORIC CHANGES

Thubten Gyaltsen, 81, clearly remembers his miserable days in old Tibet and has witnessed the great transformation of the region.

"My parents were serfs and we could barely fill our stomach," he said.

In old Tibet, the three major stakeholders -- officials, aristocrats and higher-ranking lamas -- and their agents, made up about 5 percent of the population but owned almost all of the land and most of the livestock. Serfs and slaves had no means of production or freedom of their own and were subjected to exploitation and oppression.

In 1959, democratic reform was launched and feudal serfdom was finally abolished in Tibet. A million serfs and slaves were emancipated.

Now, Thubten Gyaltsen and his family live in a two-story house with 13 rooms and a garage in the city of Xigaze. Five in his family of six enjoy wages or pension.

"Our lives couldn't be happier, and we are experiencing a totally different world compared with the old days," Thubten Gyaltsen said.

Nijia (1st L) and his family members pose for a photo in front of their house at the Rongma relocation settlement, a local poverty alleviation project, in Gurum Township of Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, April 2, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhan Yan)

Over the past 70 years, the central government has introduced many favorable policies for the region, covering tax and finance, infrastructure, industrial development, education, health, cultural preservation and environmental protection.

Since 1978, the CPC Central Committee has held seven national meetings on Tibet to adopt major decisions and plans for the region.

"We must make improving people's livelihoods and rallying public support the starting points and ultimate goals for economic and social development," said Xi at the seventh Central Symposium on Tibet Work in August 2020.

In 2020, the regional GDP exceeded 190 billion yuan (about 29.3 billion U.S. dollars). The per capita disposable income of rural residents in the region was 14,598 yuan, representing double-digit growth for the past 18 years, while that of urban residents came in at 41,156 yuan.

By the end of 2019, all registered poor residents in Tibet had shaken off poverty, marking the elimination of absolute poverty in the region for the first time in history.

In just a few decades, the CPC has united and led the people of all ethnic groups in Tibet to make unprecedented historical achievements. Tibet has progressed "from darkness to light, from backwardness to progress, from poverty to prosperity, from autocracy to democracy, from closure to opening up," said an editorial on Tibet slated to be published on the People's Daily on Thursday.

The social system in Tibet has achieved a historic leap, the economy and society have made all-round development, people's lives have been greatly improved, and the urban and rural areas are not what they used to be, the article added.

A Fuxing bullet train runs on the Lhasa-Nyingchi railway in Nyingchi, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, June 16, 2021. (Xinhua/Chogo)

EN ROUTE TO MODERNIZATION

Efforts must be made to build a new, modern, socialist Tibet that is united, prosperous, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful, Xi has said.

In the new era, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi at the core and with the vigorous support of the whole country, Tibet has eradicated absolute poverty and achieved moderate prosperity in all aspects. People in the region enjoy a stable social environment, economic and cultural prosperity, a sound eco-environment, and lead better lives.

Tibet has also been increasing the level of specialization in production and boosting production efficiency. The comprehensive mechanization rate for growing staple crops has reached 65 percent. The region has established a comprehensive transport network of highways, railways, air routes and pipelines.

Stretching 1,956 km from Xining, capital of Qinghai Province, to Tibet's regional capital Lhasa, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway linking Tibet with the rest of the country opened in 2006. The Lhasa-Nyingchi railway, the region's first electrified railway, started official operation in June this year, with advanced Fuxing bullet trains running on it.

From 1951 to 2020, the central government invested 224 billion yuan in Tibet's education sector. The region now has a modern educational system that includes preschool, primary and middle schools, higher education institutions, as well as vocational and technical schools.

During his inspection tour in Tibet last month, Xi said people of all ethnic groups had jointly contributed to the development of Tibet and written the history of Tibet.

Students learn tailoring at a vocational school in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, Nov. 23, 2020. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorje)

The continuous pairing-up support programs in Tibet from the rest of the country have facilitated Tibet's new industrialization, IT application, urbanization and agricultural modernization over the past few decades.

Zhang Honglin, who works with a leading egg producer in central China's Hubei Province, is playing his role in promoting agricultural modernization in Tibet. Last year, he set up a large egg production company in Shannan City of the region.

Zhang said that his company has brought advanced technology, equipment, management methods and experience to help the industry become competitive and maintain high-quality development. "We have also made many improvements based on Tibet's special plateau climate environment."

"Practice has fully proved that Tibet can enjoy a prosperous present and a bright future only by unswervingly upholding CPC leadership, socialism with Chinese characteristics, and the system of regional ethnic autonomy," said Zhuang Yan, deputy Party chief of the autonomous region. Enditem

(Xinhua reporters Lyu Qiuping, Li Jian and Chen Shangcai also contributed to the story. Video reporters: Liu Xinyong, Shen Hongbing, Zhang Jingpin, Li Jian, Chen Shangcai, Xia Xiao; Video editor: Zhou Sa'ang.)

Editor: WXY
Photo taken on Aug. 18, 2021 shows the Houses of Parliament in London, Britain. British lawmakers on Wednesday criticized Prime Minister Boris Johnson's handling of the situation in Afghanistan amid the Taliban takeover of the country. Speaking at an emergency session of parliament, Johnson told the MPs the collapse of Afghanistan's government happened faster than expected, but denied his government "was unprepared or did not foresee this." (Xinhua/Han Yan)

LONDON, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- British lawmakers on Wednesday criticized Prime Minister Boris Johnson's handling of the situation in Afghanistan amid the Taliban takeover of the country.

Speaking at an emergency session of parliament, Johnson told the MPs the collapse of Afghanistan's government happened faster than expected, but denied his government "was unprepared or did not foresee this."

The parliament debate, recalled from its summer recess to discuss the rapidly evolving situation in Afghanistan, came as thousands of British nationals and local support staff are still left stranded in Afghanistan while scenes of chaotic evacuation in Kabul's airport shocked the world.

"There's been a major miscalculation of the resilience of the Afghan forces and staggering complacency from our government about the Taliban," said Keir Starmer, leader of the main opposition Labour party.

Starmer referred to the fact that the United States decided in February 2020 to withdraw its forces in Afghanistan, which afforded Britain 18 months to prepare for what would follow.

"The very problems we are confronting today in this debate were all known problems... and there has been a failure of preparation," he said.

"The lack of planning is unforgivable. The prime minister bears a heavy responsibility," he added.

Theresa May, the former prime minister, was also critical of his successor's handling of the Afghan situation.

"Was our understanding of the Afghan government so weak? Was our knowledge of the position on the ground so inadequate?" May asked. "Or did we just feel that we have to follow the United States and hope that, on a wing and a prayer, it would be all right on the night?"

Lawmakers also scrutinized the U.S. decision to withdraw and Biden's criticism of Afghan forces' surrender.

Tom Tugendhat, a Conservative MP and chairman of parliament's foreign affairs committee who himself served in Afghanistan, said he, like other veterans, felt "anger, grief, and rage".

"To see (Biden) call into question the courage of men I fought with, to claim that they ran, is shameful," he said.

The British government's resettlement plan for Afghan refugees, announced hours before Wednesday's parliament session, was also called into question during Wednesday's debate as lawmakers said the plan was far from enough to deal with the crisis.

According to the "bespoke" resettlement plan, Britain will take in up to 20,000 Afghans "in the long-term," with up to 5,000 being in the first year.
A central delegation is warmly welcomed by representatives from various ethnic groups and from all walks of life at an airport in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. The central delegation led by Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, arrived in Lhasa to attend celebrations of the 70th anniversary of the peaceful liberation of Tibet, Aug. 18, 2021. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)

LHASA, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- A central delegation led by China's top political advisor Wang Yang arrived in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, on Wednesday to attend celebrations of the 70th anniversary of the peaceful liberation of Tibet.

Wang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, waved to the crowds as the delegation was warmly welcomed at the Gonggar Airport by representatives from various ethnic groups and from all walks of life.

In the afternoon, Wang led all members of the central delegation to the Tibet Museum to attend the opening ceremony of an exhibition on achievements made during the 70 years since the peaceful liberation of Tibet and visited the exhibition.

The exhibition covers different historical periods in Tibet during the past seven decades, including the peaceful liberation, the democratic reform, the establishment of the autonomous region, the socialist construction, the reform and opening-up, and the new era, showcasing the significant progress achieved in Tibet's economic and social development under the leadership of the CPC.

Entrusted by the CPC Central Committee and Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, Wang paid a visit to leading officials in Tibet and veteran senior officials, among others, at Lhasa Hotel.

Wang recognized the high reputation they enjoy among various ethnic groups and their important contributions to developing Tibet.

Expressing their gratitude, attendees of the meeting vowed to unswervingly follow the CPC and make further contributions to Tibet's stability and development.
Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, attends the second plenary meeting of the 30th session of the 13th NPC Standing Committee in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 18, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Tao)

BEIJING, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, held a plenary meeting on Wednesday to hear multiple reports.

Li Zhanshu, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, attended the meeting, which was presided over by Cao Jianming, vice chairman of the committee.

At the meeting, lawmakers heard a report on the implementation of the plan for national economic and social development. Since the start of this year, China's economy has been steadily recovering and has met projected target, which laid a solid foundation for achieving the goals for this year's economic and social development, according to the report.

The report laid out the work priorities for the second half of the year, including continuing the solid efforts in COVID-19 prevention and control, and striving to keep economic growth within a reasonable range.

A report on budget execution was also submitted to the meeting for review. From January to July, revenue in the national general public budget reached 13.77 trillion yuan (about 2.12 trillion U.S. dollars), up by 20 percent year-on-year. During the same period, expenditure in the national general public budget reached 13.79 trillion yuan, up by 3.3 percent year-on-year, according to the report.

Work for the second half of the year will be focused on six aspects, including forestalling and defusing local governments' debt risks, and continuing the reform of the fiscal and taxation systems, said the report.

Lawmakers heard a report on cultural relics work and the enforcement of the Law on Protection of Cultural Relics. Fully implementing the law, China has scored historic achievements in work in the area, said the report. It proposed several measures for future work, including upholding law-based management of cultural relics.

The meeting also reviewed a report on the ecological conservation of the Xiongan New Area, and two law enforcement reports on the Enterprise Bankruptcy Law and the Animal Husbandry Law.

Editor: WXY
A drawing made by Liang Sicheng in 1925, during his studies at the University of Pennsylvania. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Born to Liang Qichao, one of the preeminent scholars of early-20th-century China, Liang Sicheng carved a niche for himself in architecture. The architect, architectural historian and educator is hailed as the "father of modern Chinese architecture".

Liang: the Overreaching, an exhibition now on at the Tsinghua University Art Museum until Oct 20, commemorates the 120th anniversary of Liang Sicheng's birth by gathering more than 300 photos, videos, drawings, models, letters, manuscripts and installations from several institutions.

The exhibition traces back to Liang's early years, during which he not only was trained to be an architect but also became knowledgeable in Chinese history and studies. Documents related to his architecture studies at the University of Pennsylvania in the 1920s are on show.

The exhibition then moves into his extensive field research of Chinese architecture in the 1930s and '40s, displaying photos and drawings of Yingxian Timber Pagoda, the largest and oldest surviving pagoda constructed entirely of wood in China.

The exhibition also reviews Liang's contributions to the protection of cultural heritage, city planning and the establishment of the architectural education system.

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Editor: JYZ
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky will award German Chancellor Angela Merkel with the Order of Freedom when she arrives in Ukraine on August 22, the website of the German Bundestag reports.

"President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky will award Chancellor Merkel with the Order of Freedom, the highest honor in Ukraine," the message says.

Merkel will also lay a wreath at the Memorial of Eternal Glory at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

The parties plan to discuss issues of bilateral and economic policy, the reform process in Ukraine and the implementation of the Minsk agreements, after which they will give a joint press conference.

Merkel will then meet with Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal at the government palace in Kyiv.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Ukraine plans to implement a large program for the development of the Navy by 2035, the presidential press service reported on its website on Thursday.

"As for our naval fleet, we now have three stages. By 2035 - construction of a large fleet. We will see the first stage in reality - it will definitely take place by 2024. The second stage will be completed by 2030, the third - by 2035," Zelensky said in an interview with Ukrainian journalists from Crimea.

The President noted that Ukraine is creating infrastructure for the construction of the naval fleet: small submarines, corvettes and military boats. In addition, there are plans to begin construction of naval bases.

"The first naval base will be built in Berdiansk. The idea is to get support for this project from the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States. We have definitely received the full support of this project from the United Kingdom. I will have a meeting with the President of the United States, and this [the development of the Ukrainian Navy] is part of our meeting and part of the Crimea Platform," Zelenskyy said.

The Head of State noted that the issue of unblocking the Black Sea and Azov coasts is part of the de-occupation of Crimea.

According to him, Ukraine is increasing the presence of the Allied fleet from NATO countries in the area of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.

"It's not just the Sea Breeze issue, it's the attitude and the constant work, the cooperation of our Ministry of Defense with the United States and the European Union. We also have real agreements in this direction with Turkey and Great Britain," the Head of State stressed.
COVID certificates issued by Ukraine will be accepted in the countries of the European Union from August 20.

The corresponding decision was made by the European Commission on Thursday, the press service of the EC reported. Similar decisions on equivalence were also adopted for North Macedonia and Turkey.

"This means that the countries will be connected to the EU's system and that COVID certificates issued by North Macedonia, Turkey and Ukraine will be accepted in the EU, as of tomorrow, under the same conditions as the EU Digital COVID Certificate," the press release says.

At the same time, the EC noted that North Macedonia, Turkey and Ukraine had agreed to accept the EU Digital COVID Certificate for travel from the EU to their countries. "Thus, their participation in the EUs Digital COVID Certificate will thus facilitate safe travel to and from the EU," they said in the European Commission.

In this regard, Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders said: "I am pleased to see that the list of countries implementing a system based on the EU Digital COVID Certificate is growing steadily and we are setting standards internationally. This will help to facilitate safe travel, also beyond the borders of our Union."

In turn, Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi stressed: "As we fight the pandemic together, our partners are also an integral part of opening up safely together." "I welcome Ukraine, North Macedonia and Turkey in our Digital COVID Certificate system and look forward to more of our neighbours connecting soon," he stressed.

The three decisions adopted today will enter into force as of tomorrow, 20 August 2021 and are available online.
Klitschko calls on Ukrainians to get vaccinated, despite readiness of hospitals for autumn wave of COVID-19

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko called on Ukrainians to get vaccinated, even despite the readiness of hospitals for the next wave of coronavirus disease, the press service of the Kyiv City State Administration reported.

"The only protection against further spread of the coronavirus is mass vaccination. Today we do everything. And every day a large number of Kyiv residents, 20,000-30,000 people are vaccinated in the capital," Klitschko said.

He expressed hope that the tendency to get vaccinated will not decrease and by the end of 2021 all Kyiv residents will be vaccinated.

"I hope that everyone listens. And we will avoid new transport restrictions, special passes and other severe restrictions. Today the only way out is vaccination," the Kyiv mayor said.

According to him, Kyiv is ready for a possible next coronavirus wave, which epidemiologists predict in early autumn.

"We are preparing for different scenarios. Even the worse. But we will do everything to avoid it. Hospitals are ready, beds are available, including equipped with oxygen. Hospital staff is already experienced, well trained. Necessary medicines and individual protective equipment have been purchased," Klitschko said.
Israel is interested in participating in the land irrigation project in the south of Ukraine - The Embassy of Ukraine

The current state of Ukrainian-Israeli trade and economic relations and the interest of Israeli business in the land irrigation project in southern Ukraine were the subject of a meeting between Ukrainian Ambassador to Israel Yevhen Korniychuk and the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of the State of Israel, the Peripheral and Negev Oded Forer. The Embassy of Ukraine reported this at Facebook.

During the meeting, the parties discussed the current state of Ukrainian-Israeli relations in the trade and economic sphere. The Ambassador of Ukraine stressed that Ukraine considers cooperation with Israel in the agricultural sector as a priority area of Ukrainian-Israeli relations, - the statement reads.

The interlocutors noted the importance of further implementation of the bilateral intergovernmental Free Trade Agreement, which entered into force on January 1, this year, to increase trade between the countries in a pandemic.

The Israeli side was informed about the intentions of the Ukrainian government to launch a national irrigation project with a total area of more than 2 billion hectares in the southern regions of Ukraine (Odessa, Kherson, Mykolaiv regions) and was invited to participate in this project. The Minister noted that such a project is of great interest to Israeli business and suggested that Israel consider participating in it within the framework of the current bilateral agreement on cooperation in agriculture, - the Embassy noted.

The parties also discussed the prospects of attracting Israeli investments in dairy production and animal husbandry, in particular the possibility of cooperation in the construction and modernization of large dairy farms in Ukraine.
Control over compliance with anti-epidemic measures to contain the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) disease will be strengthened in all regions of Ukraine, according to the website of the Ministry of Health on Thursday.

The relevant letter was sent by the Ministry of Health to heads of regional and Kyiv City State Administrations, heads of regional structural healthcare units, the National Police, and the State Service on Food Safety and Consumer Protection.

"Now the situation with coronavirus disease in Ukraine is under control, but we see an upward trend and must understand that it is not time to relax. The epidemic can only be defeated by making joint efforts," Minister of Health Viktor Liashko said.

The ministry noted that citizens must comply with anti-epidemic restrictions, in particular, wear masks, observe physical distance, requirements for the number of passengers in public transport, and persons who are subject to the self-isolation regime must also comply with this measure.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said that NATO membership would offer Ukraine protection from a fresh Russian offensive, The Washington Post reports, citing an interview with the head of state.

"It's very popular to accuse Ukraine of corruption, and it's not that I hold these views only since I became president, but I've always felt offended by this. Because you know what? No country is free of corruption," Zelensky said in an interview with The Washington Post and four other media outlets on Wednesday.

Zelensky cautioned that the buildup remains, as Russia left behind some equipment near the border and could rapidly ramp up its troop presence there "at any given moment."

According to the President, the ambiguity over Ukraine's NATO admittance is "a signal to other countries that you guys are not welcome here and Russia is just around the corner, increasing its clout."
KYIV. Aug 19 (Interfax-Ukraine)  European and Euro-Atlantic integration is the dominant foreign policy vector in Ukraine - these are the results of the sociological survey entitled "Generation of independence: values and incentives" conducted by the Rating sociological group and presented at a press conference at the Interfax-Ukraine agency on Thursday.

According to the study, if a referendum on the country's accession to the EU was held in Ukraine, 64% of respondents would support integration, 27% are against, 4% will not vote, and 5% found it difficult to answer.

Ukraine's accession into NATO in a referendum would be supported by 54% of the respondents, 35% are against, 3% will not vote, and 8% found it difficult to answer. Most of those who support the European future of Ukraine are among young people (16-24 years old): 66% are for joining NATO and 75% are for joining the EU.

The survey was conducted from July 20 to August 9, 2021. During the study, 20,000 respondents aged 16 and older in all regions, except for the temporarily occupied territories of Crimea and Donbas, were interviewed using the CATI method (Computer Assisted Telephone Interviews) based on a random sample of mobile phone numbers. The sampling error is not more than 1.0%.
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with Governor of Sevastopol Mikhail Razvozhayev at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia (Photo : Sputnik/Alexei Nikolsky/Kremlin via REUTERS)

Russian President Vladimir Putin, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi and French President Emmanuel Macron discussed Afghanistan in separate phone calls on Thursday, highlighting the importance of addressing humanitarian issues in the country.



The discussions came as G7 foreign ministers called for the international community to unite in its response to the Afghan crisis to prevent it from escalating further.



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Putin and Draghi both spoke in favour of consolidating international efforts, including through the G20 bloc, in order to foster peace and stability in Afghanistan, the Kremlin said in a statement.



Italy holds the rotating presidency of the Group of 20 and is considering calling a special summit to address the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, a diplomatic source in Rome said.



In a statement from Rome, Draghi's office said he and Putin had had a "substantial discussion" about the situation in Afghanistan and on its regional implications.



They also looked at the guidelines the international community might follow "to restore Afghanistan's stability, fight terrorism and illegal trafficking and protect women's rights", the Italian statement said.



In a separate statement, Draghi's office said the Italian leader had also spoken on Thursday with French President Emmanuel Macron.



"During the call the two leaders discussed the different implications of the Afghan crisis, including the management of the migration flows and the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the country," the statement said.



Putin also spoke to Macron on Thursday, discussing Afghanistan under the Taliban's rule and the importance of ensuring the safety of civilians, the Kremlin said.

Putin and Macron also discussed issues of Karabakh, Iran and Ukraine among others and agreed to continue personal contacts, the Kremlin said in a statement.


Military vehicles transferred by the U.S. to the Afghan National Army in (Photo : Afghanistan Ministry of Defense/via REUTERS)

About a month ago, Afghanistan's ministry of defense posted on social media photographs of seven brand new helicopters arriving in Kabul delivered by the United States.



"They'll continue to see a steady drumbeat of that kind of support, going forward," U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters a few days later at the Pentagon.



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In a matter of weeks, however, the Taliban had seized most of the country, as well as any weapons and equipment left behind by fleeing Afghan forces.



Video showed the advancing insurgents inspecting long lines of vehicles and opening crates of new firearms, communications gear and even military drones.



"Everything that hasn't been destroyed is the Taliban's now," one U.S. official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told Reuters.



Current and former U.S. officials say there is concern those weapons could be used to kill civilians, be seized by other militant groups such as Islamic State to attack U.S.-interests in the region, or even potentially be handed over to adversaries including China and Russia.



President Joe Biden's administration is so concerned about the weapons that it is considering a number of options to pursue.



The officials said launching airstrikes against the larger equipment, such as helicopters, has not been ruled out, but there is concern that would antagonize the Taliban at a time the United States' main goal is evacuating people https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/kabul-airport-operations-restarted-evacuation-flights-pentagon-2021-08-16.



Another official said that while there are no definitive numbers yet, the current intelligence assessment was that the Taliban are believed to control more than 2,000 armored vehicles, including U.S. Humvees, and up to 40 aircraft potentially including UH-60 Black Hawks, scout attack helicopters, and ScanEagle military drones.



"We have already seen Taliban fighters armed with U.S.-made weapons they seized from the Afghan forces. This poses a significant threat to the United States and our allies," Representative Michael McCaul, the top Republican on the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, told Reuters in an email.



'MORE LIKE TROPHIES'



The speed with which the Taliban swept across Afghanistan is reminiscent of Islamic State militants taking weapons from U.S.-supplied Iraqi forces who offered little resistance in 2014.



Between 2002 and 2017, the United States gave the Afghan military an estimated $28 billion in weaponry, including guns, rockets, night-vision goggles and even small drones for intelligence gathering.



But aircraft like the Blackhawk helicopters have been the most visible sign of U.S. military assistance, and were supposed to be the Afghan military' biggest advantage over the Taliban.



Between 2003 and 2016 the United States provided Afghan forces with 208 aircraft, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO).



In the last week, many of those aircraft were most useful for Afghan pilots to escape the Taliban.



One of the U.S. officials said that between 40 and 50 aircraft had been flown to Uzbekistan by Afghan pilots seeking refuge. Even before taking power in Kabul over the weekend, the Taliban had started a campaign of assassinating pilots https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/afghan-pilots-assassinated-by-taliban-us-withdraws-2021-07-09.



Some planes were in the United States for maintenance and will stay. Those en route to Afghan forces will instead be used by the U.S. military to help in the evacuation from Kabul.



Current and former officials say that while they are concerned about the Taliban having access to the helicopters, the aircraft require frequent maintenance and many are complicated to fly without extensive training.



"Ironically, the fact that our equipment breaks down so often is a life-saver here," a third official said.



Retired U.S. Army General Joseph Votel, who oversaw U.S. military operations in Afghanistan as head of U.S. Central Command from 2016 to 2019, said most of the high-end hardware captured by the Taliban, including the aircraft, was not equipped with sensitive U.S. technology.



"In some cases, some of these will be more like trophies," Votel said.



FIGHTING AT NIGHT



There is a more immediate concern about some of the easier- to-use weapons and equipment, such as night-vision goggles.



Since 2003 the United States has provided Afghan forces with at least 600,000 infantry weapons including M16 assault rifles, 162,000 pieces of communication equipment, and 16,000 night-vision goggle devices.



"The ability to operate at night is a real game-changer," one congressional aide told Reuters.



Votel and others said smalls arms seized by the insurgents such as machine guns, mortars, as well as artillery pieces including howitzers, could give the Taliban an advantage against any resistance that could surface in historic anti-Taliban strongholds such as the Panjshir Valley northeast of Kabul.



U.S. officials said the expectation was that most of the weapons would be used by the Taliban themselves, but it was far too early to tell what they planned to do - including possibly sharing the equipment with rival states such as China.



Andrew Small, a Chinese foreign policy expert at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, said the Taliban was likely to grant Beijing access to any U.S. weapons they may now have control over.



One of the U.S. officials said it was not likely China would gain much, because Beijing likely already has access to the weapons and equipment.



The situation, experts say, shows the United States needs a better way to monitor equipment it gives to allies. It could have done much more to ensure those supplies to Afghan forces were closely monitored and inventoried, said Justine Fleischner of UK-based Conflict Armament Research.



"But the time has passed for these efforts to have any impact in Afghanistan," Fleischner said.


Diego Guerrero, 7, watches a video on a mobile phone, with the weak internet signal he receives at home in the village of Sotomo, outside the town of Cochamo, Los Lagos region, Chile, (Photo : REUTERS/Pablo Sanhueza)

After half an hour's windswept journey on foot and by boat through a craggy forested estuary to the school he attends in remote southern Chile, Diego Guerrero can finally access the internet.



His school is located in the hamlet of Sotomo, around 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) south of the capital Santiago in the region of Los Lagos and inhabited by just 20 families.



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A rain-drenched scattering of brightly painted wooden and tin houses, Sotomo stands out against a mist-swathed row of rocky outcrops jutting out into the Pacific Ocean. It can be accessed only by boat.



For decades, its inhabitants have survived by catching mussels and fish to sell at market, a five-hour round-trip away by boat.



Now, it is one of two places in Chile to be chosen for a pilot project run by billionaire Elon Musk, chief executive of SpaceX, to receive free internet for a year.



Starlink, a division of SpaceX, aims to roll out 12,000 satellites as part of a low-Earth orbiting network to provide low-latency broadband internet services around the world, with a particular focus on remote areas that terrestrial internet infrastructure struggles to reach.



Since October, it has been offering https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/musk-set-tout-starlink-progress-cost-demand-hurdles-linger-2021-06-29 a 'Better Than Nothing Beta' program to subscribers in the United States, while also running pilot trials in other countries. In Chile, a second antennae will be installed in Caleta Sierra, a small fishing port close to the arid northern deserts.



The plan is key to generating the funds that SpaceX needs to fund Musk's dream https://www.reuters.com/article/us-spacex-starlink-insight-idINKCN1N50FC of developing a new rocket capable of flying paying customers to the moon and eventually trying to colonize Mars.



For Diego, aged 7, stable internet is a dream enough.



"I really like the internet because we can do homework," he said. "It's faster so we can do more of it."



Starlink did not reply to a Reuters request for comment. SpaceX chief operating officer Gwynne Shotwell said in a July statement about the Chilean pilot: "Starlink was designed for remote communities like those in Caleta Sierra and Sotomo. High-speed connectivity can have a transformational impact on these communities."



BROADENING HORIZONS



Diego's favorite subject at school is math. He wants to be a sailor, and loves to go out on his father Carlos's fishing boat.



Carlos, 40, has more ambitious plans for his son and hopes the window onto the world the new internet connection will give him will broaden his horizons.



He takes Diego to school daily by boat, often battling wind and rain to get him there.



"I didn't have the option of going to school so you do it whatever the conditions, good or bad weather or pandemic, even if it's difficult," he said.



"If he has a good education, he has that option and is eager to do it, then you have all the hopes of any father, that maybe one day all the children from Sotomo can go on to professional jobs."



Using tablets provided by the education ministry, the school's seven pupils can now tap into online learning material, watch films, do virtual museum visits and try out video calls to children in other schools.



Their sole teacher at Sotomo's John F Kennedy School, Javier de la Barra, said he also looked forward to using it for professional development.



The signal is received via a satellite dish installed on the school's roof, which transmits through a Wi-Fi device to most of its facilities and outdoor patio. Eventually, the plan is to extend it to the rest of the hamlet.



It only works from noon to midnight, because of a constrained supply of diesel to the generator that supplies power to Sotomo.



Nonetheless, said de la Barra, it is a significant advance on the patchy mobile internet signal that residents currently can get on their phones by leaning out of windows or paddling out into the bay.



The Starlink antennae was installed in July and inaugurated earlier this month in a ceremony attended by Transport and Telecommunications Minister Gloria Hutt.



She said she hoped Starlink would prove key in bridging Chile and the wider region's digital divide - an issue laid bare with the advent of coronavirus lockdowns that left people without good internet struggling to work or study.



Chile has among the highest internet penetration rates on the continent, with 21 million mobile internet connections among its population of 19 million as of March 2021, according to government figures.



But as the families in Sotomo can attest, having mobile internet does not mean you can always get a signal.



"I love living here," said Carlos Guerrero. "It's tranquil, my family is without stress, but we do lack connectivity, roads, electricity and drinking water.



"What would be great is if all these services could be extended around our community, not just to a small part, so everyone could enjoy them."


A sign for BlackRock Inc hangs above their building in New York U.S., (Photo : REUTERS/Lucas Jackson)

Activist investor Starboard Value LP poached an analyst from asset manager BlackRock's investment stewardship team, which exerts great influence on issues such as climate change and board makeup that often are critical to the hedge fund's campaigns, two sources familiar with the matter said on Thursday.



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Starboard hired Mack Abbot, a vice president at BlackRock who worked for the world's largest asset manager for nearly four years, for its investment team, the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity.



The move marks the second departure from BlackRock's investment stewardship team in two months as well as an unusual step in which one of the team's analysts is leaving to join an investment management firm not a bank, which had been a more traditional choice for others who departed previously.



Representatives for Starboard and BlackRock did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Abbot did not return an email seeking comment.



Starboard, run by CEO Jeffrey Smith, has long been one of the industry's busiest and most powerful activist investors pushing for change at companies ranging from restaurant chain Darden to internet company Box, often trying the remove the CEO.



BlackRock and index funds Vanguard Group and State Street help determine the outcome of many proxy fights because they generally own huge stakes in targeted companies.



With $9 trillion in assets under management, BlackRock recently signaled that it is taking a much tougher stance on climate and sustainability issues.



BlackRock's investment stewardship group employs dozens of people globally including about half a dozen analysts in the United States who vote on hundreds of proposals annually.



BlackRock last month said that Ray Cameron, who had been the head of investment stewardship for the Americas for three years, would be moving to another position within BlackRock's institutional client business.



A number of former analysts and executives, including Cameron's predecessor Zach Oleksiuk who joined investment bank Evercore, now work for banks defending against activists.



Starboard has been among the most successful activists in getting board seats and won six in the first half of 2021, including seats at Corteva, where it proposed three new independent directors.



Separately, Douglas Snyder, a former managing director who had been with Starboard for nine years, this month moved to hedge fund Luxor Capital Group as president.


Egypts Education Minister Tarek Shawki announced on Tuesday the results of the final exams of the high school certificate, known as Thanaweya Amma, as well as the names of its top-top-ranking students whom for the first time since more than three decades did not achieve a GPA of 100 percent.

The past years results saw 39 students achieve the full mark of 100 percent. However, this year only 20,190 students went over the bar of 90 percent in the GPA compared to more than 90,000 students last year, Shawki told a press conference in Cairo.

Shawki added that the success rate among Egypt's Thanaweya Amma students in the academic year 2020/21 is 74 percent, less than 81.5 percent in the year 2019/20.

The grades of students this year are significantly lower than those of the previous years, the minister said, which also lowers the minimum GPA requirement for university admission.

A statement by the Higher Education Ministry announced that the minimum grades required for applying for first stage faculties are 88.41 percent for the science section, 80 percent for the mathematics section and 65.73 percent for the literature section.

Roughly 650,000 high school students took the Thanaweya Amma exams this year. Scores in the competitive nationwide exams determine which university and faculty students can attend, if any.

Back to Normal grades

Minister Shawki said this years exams were the first real tests to measure the levels of understanding, application and analysis, following a shift from the culture of memorising for exams.

Renowned education expert Dr. Kamal Moughteeth believes the grades of Thanaweya Amma returned to normal after three decades of madness.

It all started with late education minister Hussein Kamel Bahaa El-Din and his Thanaweya Amma systems that made the grades hit the ceiling without any use for the students, Moughteeth told Ahram Online.

One of the longest serving education ministers Egypt has ever had, Bahaa El-Din changed the whole system of Thanaweya Amma and its grading several times during his term under Mubaraks era from 1991 till 2004.

Bahaa El-Din once introduced an enhancement system which allowed the students to improve their grades by setting for a second-trial exam in 1994. Starting from there, the GPA went up to 100 percent and 101percent, which led universities and faculties in the country to raise the minimum GPA requirement for their admission.

Even Einstein himself would not have got 100 percent GPA if he had exams in different subjects, he may get it in physics and math but would not get it in history and language, Moughteeth said.

The systems of Bahaa El-Din were criticised by university professors for a long time as those schemes depended on memorisation and do not reflect true learning by the students.

Those normal numbers in GPA which we have this year are the students capabilities of understanding and not their abilities of memorisation if we think about it, those grades in the past were unbelievable and ridiculous, the veteran expert added.

It is worth mentioning that this is the second year students have examined during the coronavirus pandemic.

Professor Hassan Shehata of teaching methodology in Ain Shams University and an education expert believes that this noticeable decline in the GPA reflects the real potential of the students and not that fake superiority of the 100 percent GPA culture.

This year we witness the end of that fake 100 percent GPA era, we have students who can think and not memorize the textbooks and the questions of the special tutors lessons that created that era, He told Ahram Portal.

Shehata believes that the 2020/21 results showed the real level of understanding of the students.

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Head of Egypt's General Intelligence Service Abbas Kamel travelled to Ramallah and Tel Aviv on Wednesday as per the directives of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, a statement read.

Kamels visit is meant to advance Egypts efforts in the Palestinian-Israeli peace process, which is sponsored by El-Sisi.

Earlier in May, an Egypt-sponsored ceasefire deal was reached between Israel and Palestinian factions to end an 11-day military aggression in the Gaza Strip.

The escalation was sparked on 10 May when Israel cracked down on Palestinian demonstrators who were protesting against Israels plan to expel Palestinian families from the Sheikh Jarrah district in East Jerusalem.

The 11-day fighting was deemed the most vicious since 2014 as Israel upped its aggression on Gaza with artillery and air strikes in response to rocket attacks on Israeli towns from the Strip, which is controlled by Hamas.

The Israeli offensive killed more than 250 Palestinians, including 66 children, left more than 1,900 injured, and destroyed hundreds of commercial and residential buildings.

The death toll in Israel stood at 13.

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Egypts Ministry of Education and Technical Education has set 7 September as the deadline for school staffers to complete their COVID-19 vaccine registration.

No employee will be allowed to enter their workplace at the start of the new school year if they have not been vaccinated, whether they work at government, private or international schools, the ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

Earlier this month, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi issued the decision that university and school staff must be vaccinated before the start of the new academic year.

Presidential Adviser for Health Awad Tag El-Din said on Monday that vaccination will be mandatory in government institutions, and soon, even some private institutions.

The government announced earlier that Egypt seeks to inoculate 800,000 people per day to increase the number of citizens vaccinated against the coronavirus to 35.353 million within an average of 88 days.

The government has set a goal to vaccinate 40 million citizens by the end of the year using the AstraZeneca, Sinopharm, Sinovac, Sputnik V, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines.

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Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi directed bodies concerned to apply international safety standards at El-Dabaa nuclear power plant being built in Matrouh Governorate on the Mediterranean coast.

El-Sisi made the directives during a meeting with director of the Military Academic College Maj. Gen. Ismail Mohamed Kamal and Presidential Adviser for Urban Planning Maj. Amir Sayed Ahmed.

The meeting discussed the outcome of the work of a higher committee concerned with ensuring compliance with all safety measures at the nuclear power plant being built in cooperation with Russia, said a presidential statement.

El-Dabaa nuclear power plant belongs to the 3rd generation of modern nuclear plants that are characterized by the highest degrees of safety and self-protection, as per the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Safety Standards, Kamal told the president during the meeting.

El-Sisi also instructed officials to review the density of population and urban planning of the area around El-Dabaa plant, while suspending all construction activities within the scope of the circular area dedicated to the project, whose radius measures 32 km, according to relevant international standards.

El-Sisi also emphasized the need for coordination among all the bodies involved in the project, including the Egyptian Nuclear Power Plants Authority (NPPA), the Egyptian Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority (ENRRA) and the General Authority for Urban Planning (GAUP).

This coordination should aim to carry out a thorough study of future population growth around the project area, in cooperation with the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS), El-Sisi directed.

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President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi gave directives to provide all the needed support and possible resources to ensure the success of tourism and antiquities projects and ceremonies, as well as reveal the real image of the Egyptian state, Minister of Tourism Khaled El-Enany said.

In an interview on Thursday with Ali Hassan, board chairman and editor-in-chief of the states news agency MENA, El-Enany asserted that El-Sisi closely follows up on all tourism and archaeological projects, adding that the unprecedented archaeological inaugurations witnessed in Egypt were all done under El-Sisis directives.

He said that El-Sisis presence at the Pharaohs' Golden Parade affirms his keenness on promoting tourism and archaeology.

Furthermore, El-Enany said that the president instructed that all procedures within hotels and tourism facilities should be streamlined for the convenience of all visitors.

The president has also invited kings and world leaders to visit various archaeological sites within the framework of promoting Egyptian tourism and antiquities.

The minister lauded the safety and security achieved in Egypt under El-Sisis leadership, adding that they have positively reflected on the restoration of the tourism movement in Egypt.

He also assured that the relocation of Khufus solar ship to the Grand Egyptian Museum was done successfully with the use of state-of-the-art technological methods.

El-Enany also said that the Pharaohs' Golden Parade represents the best publicity Egypt has ever gotten, as it was watched all over the world.

On the preparations to inaugurate the Grand Egyptian Museum, El-Enany said that it depends on the end of the coronavirus globally, as the state aims to invite leaders, kings, presidents, and famous figures from all over the world to attend the inauguration.

As for the Kebash road in Luxor, El-Enany said that a ceremony like the Pharaohs' Golden Parade is being prepared to inaugurate it.

He said that the museums launched in other governorates are also very important, especially those in South Sinais Sharm El-Sheikh and the Red Seas Hurghada, adding that more than 20 museums were inaugurated in the past few years.

El-Enany added that preparations for Egypts Capitals Museum were also finalised, and it is ready to be inaugurated soon.

The minister said that he is honoured to work with an exceptional generation of archaeologists who succeeded in unearthing unprecedented discoveries that contributed to promoting Egypt.

He emphasised that the role of Egyptian archaeological missions was not only to make discoveries, but to also renovate museums and inaugurate a large number of archaeological mosques, churches, and palaces, adding that all these activities are done under the directives of President El-Sisi.

There is also cooperation between the ministries of justice and foreign affairs to repatriate Egyptian monuments that were illegally smuggled abroad, he said, adding that the Egyptian state has managed to bring more than 30,000 artifacts, including 22,000 archaeological coins, back home over the past few years.

El-Enany mentioned that the Central Bank of Egypt has been strongly supporting the tourism sector since the start of the coronavirus crisis.

Currently, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities is working on increasing Egyptians awareness of their monuments via social media and initiatives that were launched for children and students to get acquainted with the history of the countrys artifacts, he added.

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The New Republic Youth Federation urged youths to donate blood plasma in the allocated centres, states news agency MENA reported.

The call for donations comes as part of a national project to produce plasma derivatives and achieve self-sufficiency in this regard.

The New Republic Youth Federation was formed as per the directives of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi in July with the aim of unifying the efforts of community and developmental work within the framework of Egypts 2030 Vision and the Egyptian states policies, according to their website.

It embraces a number of youth groups, initiatives, and movements concerned with public work and social and political development.

El-Sisi launched the national plasma donation project last month. The project is set to help achieve self-sufficiency of plasma derivatives, thus providing medication for many chronic diseases, liver and kidney illnesses, and burns.

Donors are being received in six plasma donation centres in five governorates, including three in Greater Cairo. Twenty other centres will be opening their doors later this year, according to officials.

In mid-July, Health Minister Hala Zayed donated plasma in Ehab Serag El-Din Centre for blood transfusion services in Gizas Al-Agouza district, becoming the first permanent plasma donor in the project.

Plasma donation services are provided in the regional blood transfusion centres of Cairos Dar El-Salam and Abbasiya districts, Alexandria, Gharbiyas Tanta city, and Upper Egypts Minya, according to a statement by the health ministry last month.

The minister urged citizens over 18 years of age to take part in the project by donating blood once every two weeks and becoming permanent donors.

Donors will not bear any financial expenses and will be compensated for their time and commuting expenses.

Zayed affirmed that donating plasma has numerous benefits for donors, including encouraging the bone marrow to produce new blood cells and activating the organs responsible for renewing plasma proteins.

Donors also undergo a periodic medical examination free of charge that includes a screening for all diseases and viruses, Zayed said.

The centres are provided with the latest equipment in accordance with international standards and are under the supervision of the World Health Organisation, Zayed said.

She noted that this comes in preparation for the international verification of these centres.

Each donor will receive an identification card with a QR code that they can use in subsequent visits, health ministry spokesperson Khaled Megahed said, noting that the donation centre will communicate with each donor every two weeks to schedule a date for donations.

In June, El-Sisi hailed the plasma project as a dream-come-true. In July, he said the project would be very important for the Egyptian state if implemented in the right way.

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said in April that the country will establish the first factory for blood plasma derivatives as per El-Sisis directives in the New Administrative Capital by the end of next year.

El-Sisi inaugurated what he called the new republic in a speech where he announced the launch of the first phase of the Decent Life megaproject to develop Egypts countryside.

The launch of this promising project is the launch of Egypts new republic; a modern civilian state based on citizenship, democracy, and stability, the Egyptian president said.

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Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi discussed in a phone call on Thursday, with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi the situation in Afghanistan and a number of bilateral cooperation issues, the Egyptian presidency said.

El-Sisi and Al-Kadhimi also discussed developments in regional issues of mutual concern.

Al-Kadhimi affirmed Iraqs appreciation of the Egyptian efforts to support Iraqi affairs on all levels, according to the presidency.

The Iraqi premier also voiced appreciation for cooperation between the two countries, the most important of which is counter-terrorism and the efforts to achieve security, stability and development.

El-Sisi affirmed Egypts support for all efforts that would enhance security and stability in Iraq and also to Al-Kadhimis efforts to strengthen state institutions and preserve the sovereignty and Arabness of Iraq.

Egypt will continue to foster a framework of cooperation with Iraq across various fields, within the framework of bilateral relations and the trilateral cooperation mechanism that also includes Jordan, the presidency cited El-Sisi as saying.

Since March 2019, Egypt, Iraq and Jordan have held four trilateral summits, the latest of which was held late in June in Baghdad.

The summits have aimed at promoting cooperation mechanisms and reinforce political consultation on regional issues.

The past summits saw an exchange of views between the leaders of the three countries on crucial regional issues and common security challenges, as well as means to restore stability in the region.

For months, the three countries have been have been hammering out the details of long list of cooperation agreements in the fields of energy, health, construction, reconstruction, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and food.

El-Sisi, Al-Kadhimi and King Abdullah II of Jordan laid special emphasis on ambitious plans to build a power grid, a gas network, an oil pipeline, and a land route that would connect their three countries and facilitate their integration.

El-Sisi received Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi late-July in Cairo, where they called for adopting "tangible" measures to increase coordination and cooperation between the three countries.

This should especially include the fields of energy, power linkage, and industrial complexes, a presidential statement read.

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The Ever Given ship, which blocked navigation through the Suez Canal for nearly a week in March, is expected to begin transiting Egypts canal in the upcoming hours.

Currently, the Ever Given is in east Mediterranean Sea and is expected to reach Port Said Thursday evening, according to vessel and marine tracking websites.

According to sources in the Suez Canal Authority that spoke to Egyptian media, the Japanese-owned cargo vessel will cross the canal on Friday accompanied by two tug boats.

This will be the 22nd time the Panama-flagged vessel has crossed the Suez Canal since its manufacture in 2018.

The Ever Given ran aground and blocked Egypts Suez Canal in March for nearly a week until it was refloated on 29 March by a fleet of Egyptian tugboats and diggers.

In July, Egypt allowed the Japanese-owned ship to leave Egyptian waters, where the vessel had been seized for around 100 days, after signing a settlement agreement with the ship owner.

The settlement followed a legal dispute where Egypt asked for $550 million in compensation, down from $916 million, to cover salvage efforts, reputational damage, and lost revenue.

The actual value of the compensation Egypt has received as per the settlement and the terms of the agreement have been kept confidential, but Egyptian officials said the deal has been satisfactory and preserves both parties mutual interests.

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Education Minister Tarek Shawky announced on Thursday that the 2021/22 school year would start normally with full in-person attendance of students at school.

In a statement on his official Facebook account, Shawky added full attendance would be required, with absences of students, teachers and administrators recorded.

The digital and educational resources are a complement to the education process in schools and not an alternative to it, except in extreme necessity and pandemic, Shawky added.

Egypt's 2021/22 school year will start on Saturday 17 October according to a statement by the education minister in July.

In 2020, schools and universities suspended in-person classes in March in the wake of the pandemic. Most students have remained at home since, with assignments given online, although pupils taking their final high school exams  the Thanaweya Amma  did so in person in June and July.

The education ministry has already set 7 September as the deadline for school staffers to complete their COVID-19 vaccine registration.

Shawky also fired back on Thursday at criticism of the Thanaweya Amma and the demands of some of students and parents.

Earlier Thursday tens of Thanaweya Amma students and their parents organized a small demonstration in front of the Ministry of Education in downtown Cairo demanding the re-correction of the exams manually instead of the electronic system adopted this year, as many students failed this year.

The students also demanded to repeat the exams if they fail in more than two subjects instead of repeating the whole year. Also, parents said that the results were unfair as the exams happened during coronavirus pandemic. The demands in the small protest were echoed online with petitions to the minister and the president.

Minister of Education Shawki said on Tuesday that the success rate among Egypt's Thanaweya Amma students in the academic year 2020/21 was 74 percent, which is lower than last year.

The grades of students this year were significantly lower than previous years, such that for the first time in decades no student obtained the perfect 100 percent score this year in all subjects.

In a post on his personal Facebook account, the minister shared an excerpt from an educational law regulating the Thanawya Amma exams, adding that they could not allow a second chance for students who failed in more than two subjects, nor could it allow students to receive more than 50% of the full grade of the subjects they have a second exam in.

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Egypt has expressed its sincere condolences to Niger and Burkina Faso for the victims of two attacks that took place on the borders between the two countries, leaving scores of people dead.



In a press statement issued on Thursday, Egypt asserted its backing of the governments and peoples of the two countries in such tragic incident.



The statement also reiterated Cairo's full solidarity with the two countries and condemned all forms of violence, extremism and terrorism.

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The leader of the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group said Thursday that an Iranian fuel tanker will sail toward Lebanon ``within hours,'' warning Israel and the United States not to intercept it.

The delivery organized by Lebanon-based Hezbollah, would be an apparent violation of U.S. sanctions imposed on Tehran after former U.S. President Donald Trump pulled his country out of a nuclear deal between Iran and world powers three years ago.

Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said in a televised speech that the tanker, carrying diesel fuel, will be followed by others to help ease Lebanon's crippling fuel shortage that has paralyzed the country for weeks.

Nasrallah did not say how Lebanon will pay for the fuel but in a previous speech he said Tehran could be paid in Lebanese pounds. The currency has lost more than 90% of its value since the country's economic crisis began in October 2019.

``I would like to say that at the moment the tanker sails _ within hours _ and moves in the sea, it will be considered in Lebanese territory,'' Nasrallah said. He said the West was imposing an undeclared siege on Lebanon, causing the current crisis.

Hezbollah and its allies accuse the U.S. and some Arab gulf nations of punishing Lebanon because of Hezbollah's military activities in other countries, including Syria and Iraq.

``I tell the Americans and the Israelis that this is Lebanese territory,'' Nasrallah said about the tanker, without elaborating on what his group will do if it is intercepted.

Neighboring Syria has blamed Israel for mysterious attacks that have targeted oil tankers heading from Iran to Syria this past year.

For weeks, Lebanese have been waiting in long lines at petrol stations to fill their car tanks. Diesel shortages amid severe power cuts have shut down thousands of private generators, leading to shortages of bread. Some hospitals have warned that patients could die because of the diesel shortage.

The shortages are blamed on smuggling, hoarding and the cash-strapped government's inability to secure deliveries of imported fuel.

Lebanon has for decades suffered electricity cuts, partly because of widespread corruption and mismanagement. The Mediterranean nation of 6 million _ including 1 million Syrian refugees _ is near bankruptcy.

The situation deteriorated dramatically last week after the central bank decided to end subsidies for fuel products. The decision will likely lead to a hike in the prices of almost all commodities in Lebanon.

Nasrallah said his group does not aim to ``defy anyone,'' by arranging the fuel shipment from Iran, but added that ``we cannot stand idle amid the humiliation of our people whether in front of bakeries, hospitals, gas stations and darkness at night.''

The move is likely to anger Hezbollah's opponents at home, who have warned that such a move could end up putting Lebanon under American sanctions.

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan late on Wednesday backed a peaceful resolution for the Tigray conflict in Ethiopia that has displaced tens of thousands and left millions hungry. He also said Turkey was willing to mediate between Ethiopia and Sudan to resolve a separate border dispute.

Erdogan spoke during a joint news conference with visiting Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. The visit comes amid a broadening of the conflict in Tigray, which began in November after a political fallout between Abiy and the leaders of the Tigray region who had dominated Ethiopia's government for nearly three decades.

Thousands have been killed in the nine-month war in Tigray that has been marked by widespread allegations by ethnic Tigrayans of gang rapes, manmade local famines and mass expulsions of Tigrayans by Ethiopian and allied forces.

``The peace, tranquility and integrity of Ethiopia, which has a strategic location and importance in Africa, is important to us,'' Erdogan said. ``All the countries in the region will be affected by the worsening of the situation (over Tigray).''

Erdogan, who hosted General Abdel Fattah Abdelrahman al-Burhan, chairman of the Sovereignty Council of Sudan, in Ankara last week, said Turkey was also prepared to contribute toward a peaceful resolution of a dispute between Ethiopia and Sudan over the Al-Fashaga region.

``We are ready to make any contribution to an amicable resolution of the problem, including mediation,'' he said.

Earlier on Wednesday, Erdogan and Abiy oversaw the signing of military agreements, including a military financial cooperation deal. Details of the deals were not immediately available.

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Syrian government forces shelled a village in the country's rebel-held northwest on Thursday, killing five people, most of them children, opposition activists said.

Northwestern Syria has been witnessing sporadic military activities since a cease-fire there was brokered last year in March by Turkey and Russia, which support opposing sides in Syria's civil war. The deal ended a crushing a government offensive on Idlib province, the last major rebel stronghold in the war-torn country.

Thursdays shelling of the village of Belshoun killed one women, three of her children and another child, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitoring group.

The Syrian civil defense, also known as White Helmets, which is active in opposition-held areas confirmed the deaths and said it took rescuers three hours to recover the bodies from under the rubble.

Syrias government, which agreed to the Russia-Turkey negotiated truce last year, has vowed to restore control over territory it lost during the 10-year conflict.

Rebel-held northwestern Syria is home to some 4 million people, many of them displaced by the civil war that has killed half a million people, and displaced half the countrys pre-war population of 23 million. They include more than 5 millions who are refugees outside the country.

*This story was edited by Ahram Online.

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Faced with a potential new migration wave from Afghanistan, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on European nations Thursday to shoulder the responsibility for Afghans fleeing the Taliban and warned that his country wont become Europes refugee warehouse.

In a televised address following a Cabinet meeting, Erdogan also said his government would if necessary engage in talks with a government that could be formed by the Taliban  for the stability and security of this country.

Erdogans comments come amid an increase in recent weeks in the number of Afghans making their way into Turkey across the border from Iran. Anti-migrant sentiment is running high in Turkey as it grapples with economic woes  including high unemployment  that have been exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic, and there is little appetite in the country to take in more people.

We need to remind our European friends of this fact: Europe  which has become the center of attraction for millions of people  cannot stay out of (the refugee) problem by harshly sealing its borders to protect the safety and well-being of its citizens, Erdogan said.

Turkey has no duty, responsibility or obligation to be Europes refugee warehouse, Erdogan said.

Erdogan said his country is home to 5 million foreign nationals  including 3.6 million Syrians who fled the civil war in the neighboring country and 300,000 Afghans. Around 1.1 million are foreigners with residence permits, he said.

In 2016, Turkey and the European Union signed a deal for Turkey to stem the flow of hundreds of thousands of migrants and refugees towards Europe, in return for visa-free travel for Turkish citizens and substantial EU financial support. Erdogan has frequently accused the EU of not keeping its side of the bargain.

The president said he was aware of the Turkish public's unease about refugees. He reiterated that the country had reinforced its border with Iran with military, gendarmerie and police and that a wall being erected along the frontier is nearing completion.

Our state is primarily responsible for the safety and well-being of its 84 million citizens. On the other hand, we are not a society that lacks character, thinks only about itself and turns its back on those who come to our door, Erdogan said.

In reference to the millions of Syrians in Turkey, Erdogan said that those who have learnt Turkish, acquired professional skills and adapted to the country would remain in Turkey, while others would have to return to Syria once conditions in the war-torn country improve.

It is our responsibility toward our own citizens to help those who do not succeed to return to their homes in parallel with an improvement of the situation in their own country, Erdogan said.

Around 450,000 Syrians have already returned to Syria, he added.

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President Joe Biden says the Taliban have not changed but are going through an ``existential crisis'' about whether they want legitimacy on the global stage as they've taken over Afghanistan.

In an interview on ABC's ``Good Morning America,'' Biden said that he's ``not sure'' the Taliban want to be ``recognized by the international community as being a legitimate government.''

He also said that the threat from al-Qaida and their affiliate organizations is ``greater in other parts of the world than it is in Afghanistan, adding that it's ``not rational'' to ignore the ``looming problems'' posed by al-Qaida affiliates in Syria or East Africa, where he said the threat to the U.S. is ``significantly greater.''

``We should be focusing on where the threat is the greatest,'' Biden said, in defense of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Biden also pushed back against concerns about the treatment of women and girls in the country, arguing that it's ``not rational'' to try to protect women's rights around the globe through military force. Instead, it should be done through ``diplomatic and international pressure'' on human rights abusers to change their behavior.

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PRAGUE _ The Czech leaders declared the country's effort to evacuate the Czech nationals and the Afghans who have worked with them a mission accomplished.

Three Czech evacuation flights in three days transported almost 200 people from Kabul to Prague by Wednesday night.

Foreign Minister Jakub Kulhanek says 170 Afghan nationals were among them, including all the local staffers at the Czech Embassy in Kabul and interpreters who helped the Czech armed forces during NATO missions and their families. Also, the Afghans who have a permanent residency in the Czech Republic were included.

Four Afghans were transported at the request of another European Union member state Slovakia. Czech embassy staff and two Polish nationals were also evacuated.

``We've saved everyone we wanted to,'' Prime Minister Andrej Babis said on Thursday. ``The mission has been accomplished.''

A Czech NGO that helps army veterans says several interpreters with families who have helped the Czechs still need to be rescued.

Foreign Minister Jakub Kulhanek says that a possible transport in such cases will be coordinated with the allies.

Kulhanek said the successful rescue operation was ``a big miracle.'' He described the situation in Afghanistan as ``a total and unexpected collapse... a tragedy that nobody could be ready for.''

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ISTANBUL _ A top Afghan official says he and other top officials left Kabul on Monday on board a Turkish Airlines flight to Istanbul with the help of the Turkish Embassy.

Babur Farahmand, deputy chief of Afghanistan High Council for National Reconciliation, told The Associated Press in Istanbul that other senior officials on board the flight included Second Vice President Sarwar Danish, Foreign Minister Hanif Atmar, intelligence chief Ahmad Zia Saraj, former foreign minister and politician Rangin Dadfar Spanta.

Farahmand said he and some other officials reached the Hamid Karzai International Airport's military airfield in Kabul on Sunday evening. They spent the night inside the military compound waiting for the flight. Various countries facilitated the Afghan officials' entry into airport but Turkish government facilitated the flight, he said.

Earlier, Turkey's Hurriyet newspaper reported that as many as 40 Afghan officials arrived in Istanbul on Monday on board a Turkish Airlines flight. The plane with 324 passengers on board, took off from Kabul with several hours of delay due to the chaos at the airport.

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MOSCOW _ Russia's top diplomat on Thursday reiterated a call for a broad dialogue between all political forces in Afghanistan, noting that the Taliban do not control ``the entire territory'' of Afghanistan yet.

Speaking at a news conference in Moscow, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov pointed to ``reports ... about the situation in the Panjshir Valley, where the resistance forces of Afghan Vice President (Amrullah) Saleh and Ahman Massod have been gathering.''

He said that it makes Moscow's stance on the necessity of a dialogue between all rival forces and groups even more consistent. Russia has been calling for one when ``all of Afghanistan was engulfed in a civil war,'' and continues to urge it now, ``when the Taliban have taken power in Kabul, in the majority of other cities, in the majority of Afghanistan's provinces.''

``We support the same thing _ a nationwide dialogue''? that will lead to a representative government, Lavrov said. ``''This, with the support of Afghan citizens, will work out agreements on the final make-up of this long-suffering country.''

Earlier this week, the minister stressed that Moscow was ``in no rush'' to recognize the Taliban as the new rulers of Afghanistan. Russia had labeled the Taliban a terrorist organization in 2003, but has since hosted several rounds of talks in Afghanistan, most recently in March, that involved the group.

Moscow, which fought a 10-year war in Afghanistan that ended with Soviet troops' withdrawal in 1989, has made a diplomatic comeback as a mediator, reaching out to feuding Afghan factions and cultivating ties with the Taliban as it has jockeyed with the U.S. for influence in the country.

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ROME _ A plane carrying some 202 Afghans, including an activist and medical researchers affiliated with an Italian think-tank, have arrived in Rome in the latest airlift fleeing the country overtaken by the Taliban.

The Italian foreign ministry said Italy was committed to evacuating ``those who collaborated with Italy and who are threatened, such as women and children.''

One of the passengers was Zahra Ahmadi, whose brother lives in Venice and apparently helped rally diplomatic efforts to get her out. Other passengers were affiliated with the Veronesi Foundation, which supports medical research, especially for women, and hosted Afghan doctors in the past.

Italy has been flying groups of Afghans out at a clip of two or more flights a day, transferring them to a plane in Kuwait and then onto Rome. The new arrivals are then tested for the coronavirus and placed in mandatory quarantine, as called for by current Italian health regulations.

Italy had one of the largest military contingents during the two-decade NATO and U.S.-led operation in Afghanistan.

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BUDAPEST, Hungary _ More than two dozen Hungarian nationals evacuated from Kabul arrived in Frankfurt, Germany early Thursday, and will likely be transported to Hungary later in the day, deputy foreign minister Levente Magyar told reporters.

The air evacuation of the 26 Hungarians was carried out by Hungary's military allies with a stopover in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan. The evacuees had worked as private security contractors at the Dutch embassy in Kabul before the city's takeover by the Taliban. Magyar did not say which allies were involved in the operation.

A separate evacuation mission was launched from Hungary early Thursday, which will attempt to recover other Hungarians still in Afghanistan and some Afghan citizens who assisted Hungarian military forces, Magyar said. Not all of the Hungarian citizens awaiting evacuation have yet made it to Kabul airport, he added.

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LONDON -- Britain's foreign secretary is rejecting calls to resign for not interrupting his holiday on the Greek island of Crete to make a call to help translators flee Afghanistan.

According to the Daily Mail newspaper, Dominic Raab did not call his Afghan counterpart Hanif Atmar on Friday after officials suggested he ``urgently'' do so in order to arrange help for those who supported British troops.

Two days later, the Taliban captured Kabul and Raab cut short his holiday and headed back to the U.K. to deal with the crisis.

Defense Secretary Ben Wallace told BBC radio that the suggested phone call would not have made ``any difference whatsoever'' given the Afghan government was ``melting away quicker than ice.''

Keir Starmer, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, said on Twitter: ``Who wouldn't make a phone call if they were told it could save somebody's life?''

Lisa Nandy, Labour's foreign affairs spokesperson, was one of many to call for Raab's resignation after what she described as ``yet another catastrophic failure of judgment.''

On entering 10 Downing Street, Prime Minister Boris Johnson's office, Raab was asked if he would resign. In response, he said ``no.''

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The first evacuation flight from Kabul organized by the Slovak government has landed in Slovakia.

Foreign Minister Ivan Korcok says a total of 20 passengers were onboard, 16 Slovak nationals and four Afghans among them, including a 10-month old baby. It was the full capacity of the military transport plane.

Four other Afghan nationals who were working with the Slovak armed forces were transported onboard of a Czech evacuation flight and flown to Slovakia overnight.

Defense Minister Jaroslav Nad said the members of Slovak army's special forces had to use weapons to secure the passengers' safe transport to the plane. He cited a deteriorating situation at the airport but declined to give details.

Prime Minister Eduard Heger says his country is coordinating further steps with allies.

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WARSAW, Poland -- A second airplane carrying people evacuated from Afghanistan has landed in Warsaw.

The plane landed on Thursday morning, following one that brought people late Wednesday.

Poland has deployed 100 soldiers to Afghanistan to help with the evacuations of Polish and Afghan citizens. Those evacuated are first transported to Uzbekistan by military transport and then brought to Poland on civilian airliners.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has shared images on Facebook of some of those being evacuated.

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ROME _ Two more Italian C130s have brought nearly 200 Afghan citizens out of Kabul, as Italy continues its evacuation of people who worked with Italian forces and their families following the Taliban takeover of the country.

The Defense Ministry said the passengers aboard the two flights were transferring Thursday to other aircraft in Kuwait, and from there would continue onto Rome.

Italy has vowed to evacuate as many Afghans as it can, particularly those who worked with Italian forces during the nearly two-decade long NATO and U.S.-led operation in the country.

With the arrival in Rome later Thursday of the latest evacuees Italy says it will have airlifted out some 500 Afghans.

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KABUL, Afghanistan _ Afghanistan's steel factories' association is concerned scrap metal smuggling abroad has increased and exhausted supplies, putting thousands of workers at risk of losing their jobs.

Abdul Nasir Reshtia, chief executive of the association says that with borders reopening, Afghanistan's scrap metal is being smuggled once again to neighboring countries.

Reshtia warns that in next ten days, the smuggling will push factories to close as they cannot operate without scrap metal.

Former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani had banned the export of scrap metal to support Afghan steel factories so they could compete with imported steel from neighboring countries.

Reshtia says that he has not been able to reach the Taliban leadership to share his concerns.

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BUCHAREST, Romania _ Romania's foreign ministry says that a military aircraft has evacuated a single Romanian citizen from Kabul airport to Islamabad.

It said in a statement that ``the particularly difficult security conditions in Kabul meant that the access of other groups of Romanian citizens to the airport could not be achieved.''

The C-130 Hercules aircraft, which evacuated a NATO employee on Wednesday evening, had military personnel and a mobile consular team onboard ready to provide ``specialized assistance.'' It is set to return to Kabul airport to continue evacuating Romanian citizens, officials said.

Authorities said that at the time of the operation there were 33 Romanian citizens registered as present in Afghanistan.

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A Dutch military transport plane has arrived in Amsterdam carrying people evacuated from Kabul.

The Ministry of Defense says that a C-17 plane landed late Wednesday night at Schiphol airport. On board were 35 Dutch nationals along with citizens from Belgium, Germany and the United Kingdom.

The government says it has now airlifted 50 Dutch nationals out of Kabul. A Dutch consular crisis team along with dozens of troops to protect the personnel flew into the Afghan capital on Wednesday.

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BRUSSELS _ The European Union said Thursday that 106 staff members of EU delegations and their families had safely left Afghanistan but said that some 300 still remained behind.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Thursday that the first plane with EU staff had landed in Madrid, from where they will be relocated among the 27 EU member states.

``There are still 300 more Afghani staff of European Union delegations blocked on the streets of Kabul trying to reach the airport and trying to have a seat on some of the European Union member state flights,'' Borrell told a EU parliament committee.

He insisted that ``these people have loyally promoted and defended the union's interests and values in Afghanistan over many years,'' adding that it was the EU's ``moral duty to protect them and to have to save as many people as possible.''

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MADRID _ Spain has evacuated 53 people from Afghanistan on its first flight to airlift Spanish citizens and Afghan workers and their families from Kabul.

The military cargo plane landed at an airport near Madrid on Thursday morning with five Spaniards and 48 Afghans on board. An unspecified number of children were included.

Spain has two more planes prepared to continue with the evacuation of Afghan workers and their families.

All the passengers received a COVID-19 test on arrival and were attended by police so that they could ask for ``international protection,'' the government said in a statement.

The airport also received a flight from the European Union External Action service with five Afghan families on board. Spain's government has offered to take in additional evacuees from EU partners and care for them until they can be distributed to other countries of the bloc.

``We are still working to evacuate those Afghans who worked with Spain in the quickest manner possible and guarantee their security along with those people who have worked with the EU,'' said Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Albares.

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COPENHAGEN, Denmark _ Denmark says that a plane with 84 people who had been evacuated from Afghanistan has landed in Copenhagen and were now on ``safe ground in Denmark.''

On Twitter, Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod wrote Thursday that the evacuation ``is still in full swing and we are working hard to evacuate the last local staff, interpreters and other groups from Kabul.''

Danish media said that those aboard the plane reportedly were locally hired people and interpreters who had worked for Denmark. No further details were available.

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WARSAW, Poland _ Poland's president has approved the deployment of a 100-person military contingent to Afghanistan to help secure the evacuation of Polish citizens and the citizens of other countries in coordination with allies.

President Andrzej Duda signed the order late Wednesday for the mission, and which is to last until Sept. 16.

Meanwhile, a first plane carrying a group of people who were evacuated from Afghanistan landed at Warsaw's military airport late Wednesday, said Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak. The group was first taken from Kabul by military plane to Uzbekistan and from there was transported on to Warsaw.

Since Tuesday, Polish forces have been carrying out an operation to evacuate Poles and Afghans who previously cooperated with the Polish military or diplomatic mission or who helped otherwise with western groups.

Those who arrived in Warsaw will have to go into quarantine.

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WASHINGTON _ The Biden administration has suspended all arms sales to the government of Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover of the country.

In a notice to defense contractors posted Wednesday, the State Department's Political/Military Affairs Bureau said pending or undelivered arms transfers to Afghanistan had been put under review.

``In light of rapidly evolving circumstances in Afghanistan, the Directorate of Defense Sales Controls is reviewing all pending and issued export licenses and other approvals to determine their suitability in furthering world peace, national security and the foreign policy of the United States,'' it said.

The notice said it would issue updates for defense equipment exporters in the coming days.

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WASHINGTON _ President Joe Biden says he's committed to keeping U.S. troops in Afghanistan until every American is evacuated, even if that means maintaining a military presence there beyond his Aug. 31 deadline for withdrawal.

In an interview with ABC News' George Stephanopoulos on Wednesday, Biden said that the U.S. will do ``everything in our power'' to get Americans and U.S. allies in the nation out before the deadline. Pressed repeatedly on how the administration would help Americans left in the nation after Aug. 31, Biden finally affirmed, ``if there's American citizens left, we're gonna stay till we get them all out.''

Up to 15,000 Americans remain in Afghanistan after the Taliban took full control of the nation. The Biden administration has received criticism for the scenes of violence and disorder in recent days as thousands attempted to flee while the Taliban advanced.

But during the same interview, Biden suggested there wasn't anything the administration could've done to avoid such chaos. ``The idea that somehow, there's a way to have gotten out without chaos ensuing, I don't know how that happens,'' he said.

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WASHINGTON _ The International Monetary Fund says that the new Taliban government in Afghanistan will not at the current time be allowed to access loans or other resources from the 190-nation lending organization.

In a statement Wednesday, the IMF said it would be guided by the views of the international community.

The statement said, ``There is currently a lack of clarity within the international community regarding recognition of a government in Afghanistan, as a consequence of which the country cannot access SDRs or other IMF resources.''

SDRs are special drawing rights which serve as a reserve that IMF member countries can tap into to meet payment obligations.

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A leading member of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's center-right Union bloc called Thursday for the United States to provide funding and shelter to those fleeing Afghanistan now.

'The United States of America bear the main responsibility for the current situation,'' Markus Soeder, the governor of Bavaria, said. 'Because of their decision to leave Afghanistan, in parts overly hasty, they have the main responsibility.''

Soeder noted that the U.S. had already provided security guarantees for the evacuation of foreigners and local staff from Kabul, and should do likewise 'when it comes to providing financial support to neighboring countries, especially for UNHCR and, if necessary, also for taking in people.''

The U.N. refugee agency has said that so far most displacement following the seizure of power by the Taliban has been inside Afghanistan. But some officials in Germany are already warning of a repeat of the 2015 migrant crisis that saw hundreds of thousands of people from Asia and Africa come to Europe.

Soeder, who leads the Bavaria-only Christian Social Union, said fears about a fresh influx of migrants should not be exploited in the campaign for Germany's upcoming national election.

'Of course it needs to be ensured that there's no uncontrolled movement of people,'' he said. 'But I also say that having no repeat of 2015 for us means no instrumentalization of the migration question ... in the election campaign.'

Soeder, who lost a bid to be the Union's candidate to succeed Merkel, was heavily criticized in 2018 for talking about the need to crack down on 'asylum tourism.''

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German public broadcaster Deutsche Welle says the Taliban shot and killed a family member of one of their reporters in Afghanistan and severely injured a second family member.

The broadcaster said in a statement on Thursday that Taliban fighters were looking for the Deutsche Welle reporter and searching homes in western Afghanistan. It said other family members managed to escape.

Deutsche Well says the reporter himself, whose identity was not revealed, is already based in Germany where he is also working. Deutsche Welle didn't give further details on the killed and injured family members or say where and when exactly in Afghanistan the killing took place.

The director of Deutsche Welle, Peter Limbourg, sharply condemned the killing saying that, ``the killing of a close family member of one of our journalists by the Taliban is incredible tragic and a proof for the imminent danger that all of our workers and their families are exposed to in Afghanistan.''

He added: ``The Taliban are obviously conducting organized searches for journalists in Kabul and the provinces. Time is running out.''

Limbourg added that the homes of at least three other Deutsche Welle reporters were searched by the Taliban in Afghanistan in recent days and weeks.

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Prospects for cooperation between Egypt and the World Bank Group (WBG) in the transportation sector were the subject of discussion between Egypts Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat and Ibrahim Dajani, the regional director for sustainable development and infrastructure in the Middle East and North Africa region at the WBG, on Thursday during the latter's visit to Egypt.

The meeting tackled the means to boost private sector investments and the status of ongoing projects, in addition to opportunities for future cooperation on green cities and dry ports.

Al-Mashat discussed future partnerships between Egypt and the World Bank in the transport sector, sustainable infrastructure, and the promotion of smart solutions in the sector to create more job opportunities and increase the sector's contribution to economic growth.

The minister said the transport sector was the highest recipient of development financing from multilateral and bilateral partners in 2020, receiving $1.8 billion throughout the year.

The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) has financed several projects in the transport sector, including the Egypt National Railways Restructuring project (ENRRP) in 2009 with $270 million, in addition to a $330 million fund in 2011, she added.

The World Bank is also financing the Greater Cairo Air Pollution Management and Climate Change project to the tune of $200 million, which ensures the reduction of harmful emissions from vehicles and the provision of infrastructure to meet the energy supply requirements for charging and maintaining electric vehicles.

Dajani praised Egypt's efforts to develop its infrastructure, especially in airport development and the speedy implementation of transport projects in the past two years, elaborting that the World Bank is greatly invested in expanding development partnerships with Egypt.

Egypts transport sector projects support social and economic development and directly benefit the citizens, he said, adding that these projects further stimulate the participation of the private sector and increase its investments in the transport sector.

Al-Mashat also met with Ayat Soliman, the WBGs regional director of the sustainable development department for the Middle East and North Africa, during her visit to Egypt, to discuss joint relations between Egypt and the WBG meant to achieve sustainable development across several fields.

The meeting broached several pressing issues, including climate change and the governments efforts to overcome its repercussions and prepare an integrated national strategy.

They also delved into the achievements accomplished in the field of gender equality, which is a key pillar of the World Bank's financing development policies.

Furthermore, the development of the Suez Canal axis was discussed. The Upper Egypt Development Programme was tackled, being an exemplary model in the development of rural communities.

During the meeting, the minister noted that Egypt plays a key role in the regional transition towards a green economy, explaining that it is planning for more partnerships and is keen on integrating climate action into the development strategies to promote private and foreign investments in transitioning towards a green economy.

Al-Mashat pointed out that several projects are being implemented through joint cooperation between national authorities and the World Bank, such as the Greater Cairo Air Pollution Management and Climate Change project that is worth $200 million. The project is focused on reducing harmful gas emissions.

The two sides are also working on the $8.1 million Organic Pollutants Management project.

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Daily rates of Covid-19 infections are creeping up. They reached their lowest levels in March, when an average of 31 infections and four deaths were recorded. On Monday the figure had increased to 106 infections and six deaths, and the Ministry of Health has warned that a fourth wave of Covid-19 infections is expected in late September or early October, coinciding with the beginning of the academic year.

Students at public schools and universities are scheduled to return on 9 October, and international schools will start on 12 September. A handful of private universities say they will begin the new term in late September.

Noha Assem, an advisor to the Ministry of Health and Population, says health officials are increasingly concerned by the publics failure to take precautionary measures. Many people have abandoned the wearing of face masks, and basic precautions such as washing hands regularly and using hand sanitisers. People are acting as there is no coronavirus in the country, she said.

According to Assem, a programme to vaccinate school staff is already underway and will be complete before the beginning of the new academic year.

Egypt has been preparing for the arrival of the Delta variant, which has been recorded in 15 neighbouring countries, Tunisia among them. The Scientific Committee to Combat Coronavirus is updating the treatment protocol for people infected with coronavirus with the arrival of the new variant in mind, she said.

Unfortunately, the Delta variant spreads faster than other variants, and children are susceptible. Vaccination is essential. Assem added that while no drug has been removed from existing Covid-19 protocols, immunity stimulant drugs have been added.

Health officials continue to beseech the public to wear face masks, maintain social distance and regularly wash their hands or use sanitiser.

Professor of chest diseases Khaireya Ebeid cautions that Egyptians returning from abroad, and from crowded local resorts, are already pushing the Covid-19 curve upwards. We are already seeing an increase in infections, mostly among those who have not been vaccinated. Yet people still ask whether they should take the vaccine or not, she says.

Only 2.7 per cent of Egypts population of 100+ million have been fully vaccinated, while 3.8 per cent have received one dose. The governments target is to fully vaccinate 40 per cent of Egypts population by the end of the year, Khaled Megahed, official spokesman at the Ministry of Health said.

Minister of Finance Mohamed Maait revealed that, in order to fulfil the presidential instructions to prioritise the health of citizens, especially those suffering from coronavirus, the health sector budget for 2021-22 has been set at LE275.6 billion of which LE3 billion has been spent on buying vaccines.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 19 August, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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The state-owned Administrative Capital for Urban Development (ACUD) Company may be listed on the stock exchange within two years, according to statements by President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi on Saturday.

We are talking about raising some LE100 billion. The Companys assets are estimated at between LE3 and LE4 trillion, Al-Sisi said during the opening of a number of residential projects in Badr city.

Following Al-Sisis announcement, Ahmed Zaki Abdine, CEO of ACUD, said the companys assets included the land portfolio under development. He said that much of the land had been sold, with ownership moved to real-estate development companies. There were also government facilities not considered under the ownership of ACUD, he said.

ACUD was established by presidential decree in 2016. It is the owner and developer of the land at the New Administrative Capital, the first phase of which is under construction. The company is owned by the New Urban Communities Authority and the National Service Projects Organisation.

Abdine said ACUD had a land portfolio of 174,000 feddans, and the first phase was finalised on an area of 47,000 feddans. The second and third phases will follow. Land left undeveloped will be assessed in order to estimate the real size of the companys assets, he added.

The value of the companys land portfolio is increasing year by year as a result of the development taking place and the high standards of the infrastructure projects, Abdine stated.

Financial inflows from instalments paid to the company for land sold in the first phase and planned to be sold in the second phase guarantee the availability of the liquid funds mentioned, he added.

The New Administrative Capital is a three-phase project covering an area of 700 square km east of Cairo. It will transform the desert into a modern urban hub of government buildings, embassies, and leading companies and will host the tallest tower in Africa.

The government is scheduled to move up to 50,000 employees to the New Administrative Capital by December, and the monorail linking it with Cairo is expected to become operational by mid-2022.

The LE100 billion initial public offering (IPO), Egypts largest ever, is awaiting the appointment of a financial advisor, lead regulator, and bookrunner.

Hani Tawfik, chairman of the Direct Investment Association, said the announcement of the IPO had had a positive impact on stock market indices, which rose during Sundays session by about 1.5 per cent.

He added that more important than the announcement of the offering was its overall significance, meaning that the state was paving the way for the entry of private and foreign investment.

Tawfik said the IPO would attract foreign and Arab investors who often prefer to invest in real-estate stocks that are known for their good performance on the Egyptian Stock Exchange.

The introduction of ACUD as an IPO is expected to increase liquidity in the market and attract more local and international investors. Telecom Egypt was previously the largest IPO since 2015, collecting LE5.1 billion.

Toka Al-Waziri, a real estate analyst with Beltone, an investment bank, believes the announcement of the ACUD offering means that the market is witnessing an increase in listed real-estate stocks. It would revitalise the market due to the large amount of liquidity involved, she said.

The preparatory steps preceding the offering will reveal information about Egypts real estate market, the size of the demand for ACUD stocks, and the units for which there is high demand, Al-Waziri said.

It is crucial that the offering be well-publicised at home and abroad, she added.

We are in the planning stage now and can start the procedures for choosing advisers and deciding the size of the offering early next year, Abdine told the US Bloomberg channel. We hope this IPO will be the largest in Egypts history.

The offering will take place on the Egyptian Stock Exchange and very possibly in another international market as well, he added. We are studying this option.

Al-Waziri believes that the IPOs the government had earlier announced, but then postponed, will attract more investors to the ACUD IPO if implemented or partially executed.

Egypts IPO programme surfaced in 2018 with the target of offering 23 public companies on the Egyptian Stock Exchange. But by March 2019, only 4.5 per cent of Eastern Tobacco shares had been offered. Other IPOs were postponed due to unsuitable circumstances.

It was expected that Banque du Caire and e-finance, a national developer of digital payments infrastructure, would be among the first companies to be offered. It was also anticipated that additional shares would be offered in Alexandria Containers and Cargo Handling, Abu Qir Fertilisers, and Sidi Kerir Petrochemicals, but the plans were postponed.

Al-Waziri said that Egypts real estate sector has been revitalised over the past year. The year before, the sector had witnessed a slowdown as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, she said. According to the performance of companies listed on the bourse, all real-estate sectors have recovered.

Besides promoting the ACUD IPO, it should also be accompanied by exemptions on taxes on investing in the stock exchange and stamp duties on buying or selling whether profits are garnered or not, she added.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 19 August, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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The Egyptian Authority for Maritime Safety (EAMS) reported revenues of LE1.475 billion this year, becoming one of the states leading revenue-making authorities together with the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) and the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC).

The statement was made by Hussein Al-Gezeiri, head of the EAMS, who said the figure had come despite a 35 per cent drop in global cargo due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. He said Egypt had decided to reduce toll fees at Egyptian ports by 10 per cent to encourage global maritime companies to navigate through Egypts waters, and that this had contributed to the increase in revenues.

The EAMS dates back to 1830 when an authority was set up to supervise the docking of large vessels in the port of Alexandria under the name of the Egyptian Ports and Lighthouses Administration.

Today, the EAMS is a state agency affiliated to the ministry of transportation. Egypt has been focusing on this sector, seeing it as a pillar for reviving the economy through a host of large-scale national projects.

The EAMS regulates navigation and attracts maritime companies to Egypt while ensuring that all appropriate safety regulations are observed. Maritime safety and crew training are two of its main responsibilities, and it also represents Egypt in various international maritime organisations, Al-Gezeiri told Al-Ahram Weekly.

It provides various services for seafarers, including licences and certificates for sailors and captains, the registration of ships, technical assistance for navigation, and monitoring and inspecting ships.

The EAMS licenses sailors and marine engineers, as well as fishermen, Mustafa Abdel-Kader of the EAMS Examination Department, explained. Professional licences are issued after those applying complete course at the Arab Academy for Science, Technology, and Maritime Transport and undergo appropriate medical examinations.

Abdel-Kader said that recent upgrades at the authority had led to reductions in waiting times and increased the flexibility and speed with which services are provided to Egyptians and others. Every four months EAMS missions are dispatched to Arab countries such as Syria, Jordan, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates to issue licences for workers in the maritime trade who may not be able to travel to the authoritys headquarters in Alexandria to finalise their papers.

Other upgrades had led to improvements in maritime beacons at Nelson, Alam Al-Roum, Barrani, and Salloum in the Mediterranean. The beacons are marine buoys made of copper, silicon, and manganese alloys and are used to increase navigational safety, Abdel-Kader said.

EAMS buildings had been upgraded to accommodate the new information technology network, he said.

The Abu-Kizan and Ras Shaqiq lighthouses in Alexandria have been upgraded, and two tugboats the Al-Safa and Al-Marwa that operate search and rescue missions and inspections of Sharm El-Sheikh, Port Said, and Hurghada, have also been refurbished.

The Shaker Island lighthouse, one of the most important in the Red Sea, has been refurbished, in addition to the Al-Ashrafi and Al-Akhwain lighthouses.

The development work has included installing seven flexible marine beacons in the Gulf of Suez to ensure the safety and security of navigation in the area, as well as the development of navigational aids in the Gulf of Suez and the Red Sea. New fire control systems have been installed in warehouses and buildings allocated for maritime inspections, Al-Gezeiri said.

All this has raised the quality of services provided by the EAMS, especially those pertaining to vessel movements, search and rescue systems, navigational aids, and service stations. Work flow had been improved, speeding up the registration of Egyptian and foreign vessels, the issuing of licences for vessel inspection, and the obtaining and renewal of marine passports and maritime certificates, he added.

Other upgrades include interactive electronic services to receive and investigate complaints submitted by or against seafarers, as well as the collection of fees electronically through point-of-sale machines that accept Egyptian pounds as well as other currencies.

The EAMS has consolidated billing with the SCA, and captains, officers and engineers can inquire about the validity of eligibility certificates, ship licences, medical examinations, and other documents through a dedicated website.

The EAMS is issuing new digital marine passports that include all the data of the passport holder. These are more difficult to damage or falsify, Al-Gezeiri said, and are recognised the world over.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic and social-distancing measures, vessels and companies can also apply for remote inspections to gain certificates and ensure their continued validity. The validity of certificates has in some cases been extended for three months in accordance with international agreements to ensure social distancing.

The EAMS has branches in Port Said, Arish, Damietta, Hurghada, Safaga, Tor, Sharm El-Sheikh, and Nuweiba, in addition to offices to collect revenues at maritime inspection branches that collect invoices and fees for ship docking and accommodation in accordance with Law 24/1983.

Egypt is signatory to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Maritime Labour Convention of 2006, and the EAMS is bringing national legislation into line with it, Al-Gezeiri said. It was looking at ways in which the convention could benefit Egypts maritime industry, protect the rights of seafarers, open new labour markets for Egyptians on foreign ships, and speed up procedures affecting the mutual recognition of certificates issued to Egyptian sailors abroad.

Violations monitored by the EAMS during the inspection of ships are those identified by international agreements, especially with regard to navigation, distress procedures, machinery, and safety, he said. They are dealt with in accordance with international treaties, and ships in violation of the rules can be impounded under the 1997 Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control in the Mediterranean Region, to which Egypt is signatory.

In cases where an Egypt-flagged vessel is impounded abroad, the Maritime Accidents Investigation Department of the EAMS determines the legal responsibility of the crew and holds any violators accountable, Al-Gezeiri said.

Foreign ships in violation of maritime codes are impounded until they meet international regulations or are issued a warning. They can be held at the next port if they do not correct violations within 14 days, and their country, consulate, and supervising authorities are notified.

Maritime accidents that the EAMS investigates are those that take place in territorial waters in coordination with the concerned authorities. If an accident results in deaths, the Marine Investigations and Analysis Department and Seafarers Complaints Department of the EAMS, in coordination with the prosecution-general, investigate the accident under the latters supervision.

If an accident results in pollution of the marine environment, the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA) is notified, Al-Gezeiri stated.

He added that the EAMS regulates traffic throughout the maritime transport sector and monitors vessels through an integrated technical control and inspection process. It repairs navigational aids such as beacons and buoys to improve maritime safety, operates lighthouses, and trains operating crews at technical and administrative maritime institutes.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 19 August, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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Ashraf Negm, deputy chairman and executive director of the state-owned National Investment Bank (NIB), said on 11 August that the government has no plans to liquidate the bank.

The government is currently implementing its intention, announced three years ago, to restructure the bank. The committee in charge of drafting the restructuring plan includes experts and specialists and changes will be implemented within the framework of the structural reform of the Egyptian economy.

According to Negm, the restructuring will include a clear timetable for rescheduling the repayment of outstanding loans made by the bank to government institutions.

Some of these financial entanglements have already been settled, said Negm, mostly via the NIB acquiring high-value assets from indebted organisations.

Efforts are also underway to maximise the value of the banks assets in order for it to play a more pivotal role in the national economy, and a complete administrative overhaul is scheduled, revealed Negm.

Rumours that the government intended to sell NIB-held shares in indebted companies to private investors within 18 months filled the local media in recent days, with some outlets claiming the IMF had recommended NIB halt credit to government institutions, cut its financial obligations, and accept public assets in return for settling outstanding loans.

NIB was established in 1980 to fund government projects. According to Law 119/1980, the NIB is a non-commercial bank mandated to fund national development projects.

Major recent recipients of NIB funding include petrochemical and oil projects, banks (eg the Egyptian Bank for Export Promotion), the media (Egyptian Media Production City and the Egyptian TV Satellite Company), fertilisers (Abu Qir Fertilisers and Chemical Industries), housing (Nasr City for Housing and Reconstruction), and the steel industry (Ezz-Dekheila Iron and Steel Company). NIB is also a major investor in the cement sector (Suez Cement Company), transport (the Egyptian Company for Trade and Transport Services), and the food and agricultural sector.

In February, NIB Executive Chairman Mahmoud Montasser said that since many government institutions, economic and service organisations, were unable to repay loans, the government, in coordination with the IMF, had determined that the bank should accept assets to settle outstanding debts.

Montasser added that, in line with IMF recommendations, the NIB had stopped offering loans to government institutions. It was agreed that the NIB should first settle outstanding loans before it extended any further credit, Montasser said.

The NIB had, controversially, been exempted from Central Bank of Egypt supervision, an exemption that the IMF has insisted must end. Montasser also revealed that the National Bank of Egypt has taken overall NIB-owned investment certificates (valued at LE435 billion) to be reinvested in a more profitable way.

Press reports had suggested that the government was seeking to transfer NIB assets and shares to the Egypt Sovereign Fund.

Hala Al-Said, minister of planning and economic development, announced in May that the NIB would be restructured in order to allow it to continue funding development projects, but on a much sound economic basis.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 19 August, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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Iraqs problems reflect broader issues within the countrys dysfunctional governance, but its Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, believes that with some tactical twists he can use foreign diplomacy to overcome Iraqs formidable troubles.

In order to prove his point, Al-Kadhimi plans to bring together the leaders of several of Iraqs neighbouring countries at a summit meeting he will host later this month in Baghdad in order to address the problems facing the wider region.

Neither Al-Kadhimi nor his office have disclosed details about the summit, dubbed by local media the Iraqs Neighbouring Countries Conference and intended to tackle regional cooperation and stability.

Invitations have already been delivered to the leaders of Jordan, Turkey, Iran, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. While leaders of Egypt, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates are also on the list of invitees, Iraqs Ministry of Foreign Affairs said no invitation was sent to Syrias Bashar Al-Assad.

Al-Kadhimis office said French President Emmanuel Macron had also been invited and had confirmed plans to attend during a phone conversation with the Iraqi premier.

But the list of participants does not seem to be final, and much of the success of the conference will depend on which countries appear to be receptive and their level of participation.

A few details about the summit were given by Iraqs Minister of Culture Hassan Nadhim, who said the gathering was part of the Al-Kadhimi governments diplomatic strategy to restore Iraqs stability.

When the region is stable and tensions ease, this will reflect positively on Iraqs stability, Nadhim, who doubles as the governments spokesman, told a local television channel on Friday.

If convened, the event will be the second in two months after the June conference that brought the leaders of Egypt, Iraq, and Jordan together and rebranded Baghdad as a summit destination.

It also comes nearly three months after a historic visit by Pope Francis to Iraq, when he became the first leader of the Roman Catholic Church to visit the battered country.

Al-Kadhimi took credit for bringing these and other foreign leaders to Baghdad and for visits he has made to some key world capitals, trumpeted by friendly media as bringing Iraq back on the path of important events.

But until Baghdad turns out in full strength to catch a glimpse of the visiting kings, emirs, and presidents, some of them long-time adversaries, many Iraqis will remain sceptical about Al-Kadhimis strategy to seek solutions for their countrys colossal challenges abroad.

Iraq faces multiple political, economic, and security crises and governance challenges, and confronting them is crucial to ending the countrys stalemate.

Since he took office in May 2020, Al-Kadhimi has been engaged in diplomatic forays to try to boost his image in the eyes of foreign leaders, taking advantage of the worlds willingness to help stabilise Iraq.

On the surface, his proactive foreign policy seems to be directed at creating a new landscape for diplomacy with neighbouring and other countries and enhancing regional cooperation.

But it has also been evident that Al-Kadhimi is facing a suite of challenges on the domestic stage, from a dysfunctional government to rampant corruption, incompetent bureaucracy, and a crumbling healthcare system overwhelmed by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

His greatest challenge, however, is to restore state sovereignty through measures that include restructuring Iraqs security forces and reining in rogue militias in order to prevent the country from becoming a battleground for clashes between the US and Iran.

A key task for Al-Kadhimi is to hold early elections, one of the main demands of the anti-establishment protests that have taken place in Iraq. The vote is scheduled for 10 October but is threatened by a boycott and disruption.

Iraq is also plagued by foreign interference, such as Irans increasing bid for influence, Turkeys military incursions, and other forms of outside intervention.

External influence continues to pose deep challenges for the intervention-prone country, and Al-Kadhimi may try to make the summit meeting a way of asking for help to stem foreign interference.

Indeed, Al-Kadhimi has been getting positive messages from many world and regional powers for what pundits in the western media and think-tanks call his determination to alter Iraqs political and economic fortunes.

This increasingly vocal band of promoters say that Al-Kadhimi may have developed some assets to work with in this regard, mostly in the form of the relationships he has fostered with foreign leaders since he came to power in 2020 and his enhancing frayed Iraqi relationships with the countrys neighbours.

Taking such assessments at face value, these advocates seem to be building on growing efforts by leading Arab countries such as Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to enhance their cooperation with Iraq and bids by some European nations, especially France, to woo Baghdad.

Yet, while these efforts may aim at helping Iraq to distance itself from neighbouring Iran in order to support its stability, still the declared objective of the upcoming Baghdad summit, there is little chance that Al-Kadhimi will be able to unplug his country from Iran.

Since he came to power, Al-Kadhimi has showed ineptitude in carrying out the reform programme he had promised and facing up to powerful ruling oligarchs and Iran-backed militias that have been eroding the Iraqi states power and resisting change.

Combating corruption and government inefficiency and taking on the influence of entrenched ruling factions and pro-Iran militias are widely seen as being Iraqs last chance to change the status quo and save it from crumbling.

One of the most pressing questions is what Al-Kadhimi can do to end Iraqs perpetual crisis in the few weeks left for his government before Iraqis go to the polls to elect a new government.

Al-Kadhimi, who is not affiliated to any group, will not run in the elections, and he is counting on the failure of the political blocs to form a government following an inconclusive outcome to keep him in office.

In addition to scepticism about the ability of Al-Kadhimi to strengthen his position in a second term in office, there are also doubts about whether the forthcoming summit will achieve much, given the poor state of relations between the attendees.

Almost all the leaders who have been invited to the summit are entangled in geopolitical disputes, soaring regional conflicts, historical suspicions, or personal grudges, and their encounters at the summit meeting are not expected to turn into a rapprochement.

Not every participant is happy about the summit even going ahead, particularly because it will not be an appropriate venue to discuss the full range of pressing issues that have marred their countries relationships.

Whatever the summits guest list or goals may be, the event is likely to be framed in large part as a photo opportunity to buy Al-Kadhimi time for a second term, and its possible outcome will remain clouded in doubt, caution, and speculation.

With competing agendas and bilateral relations plunging to some of the lowest recorded, it is hard to imagine that the leaders at the summit will achieve any breakthrough on the substantial issues of stability in Iraq.

Finding solutions to Iraqs multiple problems should start with Iraqs leadership. Since the current political class came to power after the US-led invasion in 2003, Iraq has consistently experienced serious political, security, and development challenges.

While instability in Iraqs neighbourhood contributes to the countrys conflicts, the tragic events impacting the country bear witness to a deep-seated leadership crisis.

Over the last two decades, several attempts have been made by world and regional powers to help Iraq solve its challenges, but its structural leadership deficiencies have remained flagrant.

This time round, the outcome will not be different, and the only guarantee is that Iraqi civilians will continue to suffer until a new generation of Iraqi leaders is on the frontline demonstrating commitment, vision, and strategy as they build efficiency, trust, and ethical behaviour in government.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 19 August, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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The Muslim Brotherhood celebrated Joe Bidens arrival to power in Washington earlier this year with nearly the same degree of triumph they felt when Mohamed Morsi became president of Egypt in 2012.

They imagined that the new administration would reshape the regional political scene by reviving the Barack Obama administrations biases, which had facilitated their hijacking of the Arab Spring in their drive to reach power in Egypt and other countries in the region. But they failed to appreciate that the circumstances of the Obama era no longer apply in the light of the changes that took place during the four years in which the Democrats were out of power in both the White House and Congress in Washington.

The Muslim Brothers presumptions were based on the differences between the US and Egyptian administrations priorities on the question of human rights. While Washington homes in on one of the 30 rights listed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, namely Article 19 on freedom of opinion and expression, Cairo espouses a developmental approach. Its foremost aim is to lift 30 million citizens from below the poverty line and to enable them to attain higher levels on the Maslow hierarchy of needs, as set out by US psychologist Abraham Maslow.

Given Bidens pledges on coming to office, there is a possibility that bilateral tensions could surface around such differences, and the Muslim Brotherhood was banking on the hope that Washington in the Biden era would come down hard on Egypt with punitive measures depriving it of the economic and development aid it receives in accordance with the Camp David Accords.

The Muslim Brotherhood has mobilised its followers and supporters to notch up their lobbying efforts towards this end. One way in which it has done this has been through the so-called Federation of Egyptian National Forces. Created in March, it includes a number of prominent Muslim Brotherhood figures who plan to testify before the US House of Representatives Human Rights Committee in the hope that the House, in which Democrats hold a comfortable majority, will issue statements condemning Egypt.

Among the key members of the Federation are Mokhtar Al-Eshri, a member of the legal committee of the now banned Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), Saber Aboul-Fotouh, a Muslim Brotherhood hardliner named chairman of the Labour Force Committee in the 2013 parliament, Mostafa Hindawi, a member of the Brotherhoods Shura Council, and Walid Sharabi, a spokesman for the Judges for the Sake of Egypt Coalition that was closely aligned with the Muslim Brotherhood.

The Muslim Brothers have also pursued indirect means to promote their ends. From 2017 to 2021, one of their main backers, Qatar, signed 63 agreements totaling billions of dollars with public-relations firms to promote certain individuals and entities to serve lobbying and pressure campaigns to advance Muslim Brotherhood agendas related to Egyptian domestic and foreign-policy issues. This is nearly two-thirds of the 102 agreements that Qatar has signed since 1977. In 2020 and up until mid-August 2021, Qatar signed 17 such agreements, or a fifth of those it has signed since independence. Such figures are a concrete gauge of the efforts and money Qatar has poured into expanding its influence.

A prime example is the agreement signed between the Qatar embassy and the US firm Holland and Knight LLP on 20 February 2020, engaging the firm to provide consultation and advice on how to communicate and engage with key US policy-makers and Republican Congresspersons in particular. Qatar pays the firm $35,000 per month just as a retainer, and this does not cover the actual costs of the firms advice. Another example is the agreement Doha struck with the US firm Praia Consultants LLC in August 2020 to the tune of $100,000 per month in exchange for advice and support for its relations with decision-makers in the US.

These efforts have born some fruit. On 25 January 2021, US representatives Tom Malinowski and Don Beyer announced the creation of the Egyptian Human Rights Caucus in Washington to mark the tenth anniversary of the 25 January 2011 Revolution. Its purpose is primarily to target US aid to Egypt.

American interests have not been served by a policy of unconditional support for the Egyptian military, while downplaying the military-led governments human-rights abuses, corruption, and mistreatment of American citizens, Malinowski said. Malinowski also joined forces with representative Adam Schiff to up the pressure in the name of human rights during the Houses discussions of the 2020 appropriations bill that covers government assistance programmes to Washingtons friends and allies.

The Biden administration has made it clear that it is disinclined to support major reductions in aid to Egypt in view of the strategic relations between the two countries and Egypts crucial role in the region. Egypt has established its value in the framework of various major regional issues, to which testify its success in brokering the recent truce between Israel and Hamas, its crucial influence concerning energy resources in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Russian pressures in that sector, its coordination with Europe to combat organised crime and human trafficking across the Mediterranean, and the growing importance of the Egyptian security establishment in the fight against terrorism.

The two congressmen have reduced their demand to a cut of $75 million in economic aid to Egypt, but even that relatively modest sum has found no takers in Washington.

Under the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Funding Act that was just approved by the House of Representatives, Article 7041 provides for $1.43 billion in economic assistance to Egypt for 2022. This includes $125 million in economic aid, $3.5 million in counterterrorism assistance, $1.8 million to support military training, and $1.3 billion in military assistance. Egypt has thus retained its place as the second-largest recipient of US military aid after Israel, which receives $3.3 billion.

The lesson to be learned here, as was borne out in the debates over the appropriations in the House, is that Egyptian-US relations remain consummately strategic, regardless of any tensions that might arise as one administration succeeds another in Washington or differences between the two countries priorities. This is a relationship forged and sustained by core institutions, and as such it remains separate from tactical political games.

As Mira Resnick, US deputy assistant secretary of state for regional security in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, stressed when responding to questions involving human rights and military support, Egypt remains a critical security partner of the US.

Even so, the Egyptian administration needs to continue to build its diplomatic strengths and to acquire more means to assert pressure and influence regionally. Perhaps the best avenue towards this end would be to augment Egypts role as the key to security and stability, a solid, reliable, and indispensable partner in the pursuit of peace, and a vital force for progress and development in a very volatile region.

*The writer is senior researcher at the Egyptian Centre for Strategic Studies.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 19 August, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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The survival of three of our most important cultural institutions hangs in the balance. These are the Academy of the Arabic Language, which currently lacks political support; the Story Club, which lacks financial support; and the Afro-Asian Peoples Solidarity Organisation and its subsidiary, the Asian, African and Latin American Writers Federation, which lack both political and material support.

The three organisations belong to the civil society sector, on which most cultural activities now depend. Unlike the1960s, the state no longer controls cultural activities, which increases the importance of civil society cultural organisations, in general, as a bastion against the decline of cultural activity caused by the states decision to disengage.

In the 1970s, President Anwar Al-Sadat went so far as to abolish the Ministry of Culture, replacing it with a minister of state for cultural affairs, to which post he appointed Mansour Hassan. Although President Hosni Mubarak reinstated the ministry in the first cabinet he formed, his was an era in which Egypt, under the influence of sweeping international changes, began to institute a range of political and economic reforms.

As a result, the state ceded its central role in many activities, especially in the economic sector, paving the way to a greater role for the private sector which now became an authentic partner in national development plans, as the government called it at the time.

The cultural sector obviously has a significant economic dimension, and the impact on it was profound, something to which the revival of private sector theatre testified. The Samir Khafagi, Fayez Halawa and Fouad Al-Mohandes theatre companies were the bywords for a new theatre movement, one that contrasted with an early theatrical revival that was born in the state-run theatres of the 1960s.

However, while the state amended economic laws and regulations to facilitate the shift from a centralised to a market economy, it did not take similar steps in the cultural sphere. In this context, it merely reduced its role without compensating with measures to enable civil society to step in to oversee, support and encourage cultural activity. This is why, today, we need to come to the aid of civil society cultural organisations to help them sustain their activities and ensure their survival. To me, the three organisations mentioned above merit particular attention.

The Academy of the Arabic Language in Cairo, as it was officially called, was founded in 1932. Modelled on the Academie Francaise, it was an independent scientific institution whose president had the status of a minister. Taha Hussein, Ahmed Lotfy Al-Sayed, Abbas Al-Akkad, Muhammad Hussein Heikal, Tawfiq Al-Hakim, Ibrahim Bayoumi Madkour and Shawky Deif were among its best-known members. According to the royal edict with which King Fouad established it, half the members of the academy had to be Arabs.

The academy, itself, was a member of the Federation of Arab Scientific Language Academies, which Egypt chaired during Taha Husseins tenure as the academy president. The institutions aims were to produce dictionaries, study Arabic language issues, coin scientific and technical terms in Arabic, research Arabic heritage and organise cultural activities.

Unfortunately, this great institution has been gripped by a crisis since Muslim Brotherhood affiliates gained control over its board of directors, which triggered calls to investigate the results of the organisations last elections. The minister of higher education intervened, appointing Salah Fadl acting president until new elections were held. This eminent and widely respected literary critic is also well known for his efforts to combat extremist thought. However, what good are new elections when the same majority continues to prevail?

Many great cultural figures have been reluctant to join the institute precisely because of the nature of its leadership. However, if some of them were appointed to the board, as occurred with Taha Hussein and Mohammed Hussein Heikal in the organisations earlier history, they would offset the current majority which espouses the kind of ideas and attitudes the Egyptian people rose up against on 30 June 2013.

The battle inside the academy is vicious. Yet the government appears indifferent to the paralysis that has struck this venerable institution, which is an important source of Egyptian soft power because of the universal respect and esteem it has long enjoyed throughout the Arab world. Just a decade shy of its centennial, the academy must not be abandoned to those purveyors of deviant ideas and attitudes that nearly tore our society apart.

Surely the government should come to the aid of the enlightened camp fighting on just one front in the greater battle against the infiltration of fascist thought into cultural institutions. The battle of the Arabic Language Academy concerns the state and society at large.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 19 August, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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I just spent ten days in Houston, Texas. The weather was hotter than anything Id experienced in the past seven years since I first started regularly visiting that city. In general, when temperatures climb, one feels asphyxiated. For some inexplicable reason, the air is so thick it feels like you are breathing oil. The effect is to make you dream of the colder climes you have visited or lived in. For me, one of the places that first came to mind was Boston, where the weather at this time of year is not only moderate but sometimes also carries a whisper of a chill, heralding the approaching autumn and the customary explosion of variegated colour.

In Houston, my second stop on this trip, the heat was palpable, a phenomenon you can best appreciate when you step out of an air-conditioned building and hit the sunlit furnace. But relative temperatures in Boston and Houston aside, weather news in the US as a whole did not bode well at all, even to the perpetual optimist inside me. From every direction came undeniable reports of record highs and, combined with the unprecedented spread of wildfires, a general panic has set in, best summed up by the question, What the hell is happening to our planet?

As anyone who has been following political developments in the US during the past few years will know, public discourse has been dominated by the Covid-19 pandemic and the withdrawal from Afghanistan and Iraq. But the climate change controversy has also had a goodly share. In the US, as elsewhere, opinion is divided between those who accept the unanimous conclusion of the scientific community that greenhouse gas emissions are threatening life as we know it and the deniers who insist that the current spike in temperatures is just one of those phases in one of the earths cycles. The debate entered the official realm when president Barack Obama signed the Paris Climate Accords in which state signatories from around the world agreed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from factories and to take other incremental measures in order to cool the planet down. Then along came president Donald Trump, one of whose precipitate decisions was to withdraw from the accords, rendering them ineffective. The US together with China are the most air polluting countries in the world. Since then, the problem has grown so urgent that President Joe Biden made returning to the Paris Accords his first priority on taking office.

Essentially, the problem is that humanity, as the result of a succession of industrial revolutions, has begun to compete with the sun as a producer of planetary heat. Over time, the planets resistance to overheating deteriorated because, as we know, heat rises; its excess created an ever-increasing hole in the protective ozone layer. The general trend has been to lay the blame for this entirely on humanity, while the sun, the main source of our planetary heat, has remained innocent. That is until Brian Sullivan, in Bloomberg of 22 May, pointed an accusing finger at the sun beneath the headline Solar Storms are Back.

A few days ago, millions of tons of super-heated gas shot off from the surface of the sun and hurtled 90 million miles toward Earth, he writes. The sun began a new 11-year cycle last year and as it reaches its peak in 2025 the specter of powerful space weather creating havoc for humans grows, threatening chaos in a world that has become ever more reliant on technology since the last big storms hit 17 years ago. He explained that while invisible and harmless to people on the surface of the earth, the geomagnetic waves unleashed by solar storms can cripple power grids, jam radio communications, bathe airline crews in dangerous levels of radiation and knock critical satellites off kilter. In other words, in this high-tech digital age, the extra solar heat can wreak compound disasters.

Of course, the writer is not a scientist and, therefore, not in a position to make prognoses. However, the point is that the problem is not just about rising temperatures but also about their consequences and, specifically, how these relate to floods, the destruction of towns and villages, and breakdowns in transport and communications.

In 1947, a group of atomic engineers, meteorologists and other scientists created the Doomsday Clock, representing the countdown to global catastrophe and planetary destruction as a result of manmade technologies. Midnight on the clock stood for that hypothetical apocalypse. A Science and Security Board was formed to meet twice a year to discuss global developments and reset the clock, if necessary, based on their findings and on consultations with supporters of the concept who include 15 Nobel Prize laureates. Perhaps the most precarious moment registered by the clock was in 1953 when the US and the Soviet Union began testing hydrogen bombs. The board set the clock forward to two minutes to midnight. The safest time was in 1991 after the two superpowers signed the first Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. The Doomsday Clock was set backward to 17 minutes to midnight, which is still a short period relative to the human lifespan.

I do not know what happened to this clock. What is certain is, first, that the doomsday indicated by the clock will arrive eventually and, secondly, that only God knows exactly when. Meanwhile, all we ordinary humans can do is to observe the phenomena as they unfold, which is far from a pleasant pastime.

Perhaps what this bleak backdrop calls for is a new chapter in globalisation with all the challenges it presents to mankind. In this regard, Saudi Arabia has embarked on a global collective scientific drive premised on the fact that fossil fuel burning is responsible for much of the deterioration. The basic aim of the project is to turn oil into a non-pollutant source of energy by reducing its carbon emissions through a process called decarbonisation. Still, it is important to bear in mind that, although there is a lot of CO2 producing oil out there in the world today, there are also a lot of human practices that cause massive wildfires, not to mention innumerable heat-producing machines that people use to shorten time and distance and modify the weather, such as cars and plays and air-conditioners. Such subjects also came up for discussion during the last G20 summit, which was chaired by Saudi Arabia in 2020. Covid-19 is another concern that presents globalisation with great challenges in many areas. In fact, the pandemic may prove a window that sheds a clarifying light on a broad array of global concerns, including greenhouse emissions.

What surprises me most at this point is that despite all the suffering and commotion, there has been very little discussion of the question, Where do we begin? Can the Paris Accords, now that the US has rejoined them, deal with the grave issues related to humanitys survival? Surely at the Arab and Middle Eastern regional levels, global warming and water shortages should stimulate some collective regional thinking. The disasters we have already seen are many and alarming.

*The writer is chairman of the board, CEO and director of the Regional Centre for Strategic Studies.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 19 August, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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Scientists are warning that the world has entered a dangerous new phase of the pandemic, with the World Health Organisation reporting in early August new infections spiking up by 80 percent globally over the previous four weeks, driven by the more transmissible and deadly Delta variant,which has been found in over 130 countries since it was first detected in India.

COVID-19 presents itself as a case in point regarding the role of science in defining and shaping responses to global challenges. In the process of finding a potent cure and reliable protection, countries have to rely on scientific knowledge in its capacity as a source of authentic and tested information on how the virus acts and spreads and ultimately how it could be defeated.

The world shall together ensure that this global fighting is against the virus, but not against science.

Science in Service of Global Fight Against the Virus

The term of science comes from the Latin scientia, meaning a process of studying and knowing the fundamental laws of nature. The evolution of science has been a long process, originating in humans longing for logical and structured knowledge of and insight into the phenomena of life and nature. It is the catalyst for change and growth, a key to the search for truth.

Our world is witnessing an era of ever faster growing revolution at all levels in an exponential spiral pace. In the meantime, we are also living in a time when misinformation, falsehoods, and outright lies spread like viruses, with a concerning shift of policy decisions driven by ideology and politics instead of facts and evidence. The result is a growing mistrust in science and scientists.

However, it is science, research, and evidence  not wishful thinking or ideology  that give us hope as we face uncertainties on the pandemic.

We are not powerless in this global health crisis. The world must commit to evidence-based actions to fight the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now is the time for scientific knowledge to re-assert itself as the established resource of the information deemed necessary for not only winning the battle against COVID-19, but also building the very scientific research base that can be greatly influential in promoting the capabilities of human societies to respond to similar global challenges in the future.

Science is Violated in Tracing the Origin of COVID-19

Real leadership demonstrates itself in respecting science and truth, not on political manipulation, inverting the facts, and sidestepping the truth. What is worthy of triggering an alarm is that the US violates science tracing the origin of COVID-19.

From openly calling the virus the Wuhan Virus to outrageously withdrawing from the WHO last year, the US has, from the very beginning, tried to politicise the pandemic and stigmatise the virus.

To substantiate its predetermined conclusion of a China lab leak, the US has ignored the hard work of scientists, set aside scientific research, and used means of intelligence to presume guilt. Through misleading and pressurising means, the US intends to force scientists to bow and turn to support the China lab leak theory.

Pamela Bjorkman, professor of biology at the California Institute of Technology, explained that the reason she co-signed an open letter to science calling for an investigation into the lab leak theory was because she thought the letter would have the effect of promoting more funding for searching for natural viruses in animal reservoirs and did not anticipate that the letter would be used to promote the lab origin hypothesis. In retrospect, she felt she had acted perhaps naively.

Michael Worobey, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Arizona, who also added his name to the letter, explained why he continues to think that a zoonotic origin of SARS-COV-2 is more likely than a lab leak scenario, even though signing the letter leaves the opposite impression.

Jeffrey Sachs, a professor at Columbia University, wrote that origin-tracing should not be used to blame China and exculpate the US.

Armenian scholar Benyamin Poghosyan said that the US, driven by narrow-minded geopolitical purposes, has used origin-tracing to engage in anti-China propaganda, which undermines the international solidarity against the pandemic and runs counter to the vision of justice and human rights that the US claims to champion.

Over 70 countries have written to the WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus to stress that tracing the origins of the virus is a scientific matter and should not be politicised, and the joint WHO-China study report should be upheld.

In many countries, condemnation of the US has been expressed by political leaders, media outlets, experts, and the general public. In China alone, over 16 million netizens have endorsed the open letter calling on the WHO to investigate the US Fort Detrick bio-lab.

About 80 percent of the global netizens who participated in the online survey by China Global Television Network Think Tank in the UN official languages of Chinese, English, Russian, French, Spanish, and Arabic, believe the issue of virus tracing on COVID-19 has been politicised.

The report released on July 26 has shown strong global disapproval towards the US. Participants have voiced their shared opinion in different languages that the investigation of the origin of the virus does not help to solve the problem of pandemic control. This is nothing but a stupid and unhelpful political move to cover up the US attempt to contain Chinas rise.

COVID-19 needs origin-tracing, and so does the political virus. The objective and impartial voices of the people of the world are worthy of closely hearing.

An inclusive world environment is needed in which physicians, scientists, and experts are free to communicate factual information without fear of retaliation or retribution. We all have a responsibility to seek out and share information only from credible sources; to exercise good judgment; and affirm science, evidence, and fact in words and actions.

Respecting Science

China holds that origin-tracing needs a respect for science rather than political lies, cooperation rather than discrediting. Chinese medical experts and scientific research experts have held a press conference to clarify a series of rumors with facts and data and make clear Chinas solemn position in a scientific manner.

China has been participating in international origin-tracing cooperation with an open attitude. It has twice invited WHO experts to carry out joint research on origin-tracing. The experts went to all the places they wanted to go, met all the people they wanted to meet, drew a scientific conclusion that a laboratory leak is extremely unlikely, made important recommendations such as searching for possible early cases on a global scale, and studying the possibility of cold-chain transmission of the virus.

The next phase of tracing should build on this and study early cases in many countries around the world.

The US government, on this point, is encouraged to release at the earliest the medical records of those infected in the unexplained outbreaks of respiratory disease in Virginia, the large-scale e-cigarette or vaping associated lung injuries in Wisconsin and Maryland in 2019, and of US military personnel who fell ill during the Military World Games in Wuhan, China, in October 2019, and to allow a thorough international probe into Fort Detrick lab and the 200-plus US biological labs overseas.

The WHO secretariat notified its member states in July about a work plan on a second-phase origins study, which has surprised scientists. It is not only inconsistent with the requirements of the 73rd World Health Assemblys (WHA) resolution, but also ignores the conclusions and recommendations of the first-stage joint research report.

It seems that when the US returns to the WHO, it does not focus on joining the international fight against the pandemic, but on continuing to spread political viruses through the platform.

But at this critical time, shouldnt the world respond with reason and resolve? Keep science at the fore of decision-making so that it may guide us?

China is True in Word and Resolute in Deeds

In May last year, Chinese President Xi Jinping made a solemn commitment at the 73rd WHA that China would make vaccines a global public good and make its contribution to vaccine accessibility and affordability in developing countries.

China has been honouring its commitment. China is the first to share the full-length genetic sequence of the novel coronavirus with the world, helping countries accelerate vaccine research and development.

China is the first to conduct phase III clinical trials of the inactivated vaccine overseas and has conducted research and development cooperation with more than 20 countries since then.

At present, four Chinese vaccines have been approved for use in more than 100 countries, and two vaccines have been added to the WHO Emergency Use Listing and the procurement list of the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX).

Their safety and efficacy have been recognised by international authorities. This is a common achievement of China and other developing countries.

China is the first to provide vaccines to developing countries in need. When China hadnt formed a scale production capacity and had a sharp rise in demand for vaccination, China began to provide vaccines for much-needed countries since September 2020.

China has been and is donating vaccines to more than 100 countries, and has exported vaccines to more than 60 countries, with a total exceeding 770 million doses, ranking the worlds first.

China is the first to cooperate with other developing countries in vaccine production. With its help, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Indonesia, and Brazil have become the first countries in their regions to have COVID-19 vaccine production capacity, writing a new chapter of unity and self-reliance among developing countries.

China has also actively provided vaccines to COVAX, UN peacekeepers, and the International Olympic Committee. It has launched the Initiative for Belt and Road Partnership on COVID-19 Vaccines Cooperation and welcomes more countries to join the initiative.

Looking ahead, China will provide 2 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses to the world throughout this year and offer 100 million USD to the COVID-19 COVAX facility, another major move for China to honour its commitment of making vaccines a global public good, and also allow it to make new contributions to the global cooperation against COVID-19.

China will continue to deepen technology transfer and production capacity cooperation with developing countries, support the WTO in making an early decision on waiving intellectual property rights on COVID-19 vaccines, and support COVAX by delivering the first batch of more than 100 million doses of vaccines to the facility before the end of October.

At present, there are still outstanding problems, such as insufficient vaccine production capacity, inequitable distribution, and uneven vaccination. To address these challenges, the world must do away with vaccine nationalism.

The first step is to address the capacity deficit by expanding supply and helping developing countries through technology transfer and cooperative production, as well as ensuring the global supply chains of raw materials.

The second is to address the distribution deficit by strengthening and quickening vaccine sharing and achieving universal access and affordability of vaccines in developing countries, especially the least developed countries.

The third is to address the cooperation deficit by bringing the role of governments, enterprises, and international organisations into full play in the spirit of sticking together in times of difficulty.

The pandemic is far from under control. As long as there are infections in a country, it is impossible for humans to completely defeat the virus.

Respecting science and scientists, China strives to realise vaccine fairness and accessibility, make vaccines a global public good in the real sense, promote global access to vaccines, practice multilateralism and enhance effectiveness of international cooperation, lend a new impetus to solidarity and cooperation among developing countries, and work together with the world to win the battle against the pandemic at the earliest possible date.

* Counselor Li Jie, Embassy of the Peoples Republic of China in the Arab Republic of Egypt

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An international system to share coronavirus vaccines was supposed to guarantee that low and middle-income countries could get doses without being last in line and at the mercy of unreliable donations.

It hasnt worked out that way. In late June alone, the initiative known as COVAX sent some 530,000 doses to Britain  more than double the amount sent that month to the entire continent of Africa.

Under COVAX, countries were supposed to give money so vaccines could be set aside, both as donations to poor countries and as an insurance policy for richer ones to buy doses if theirs fell through. Some rich countries, including those in the European Union, calculated that they had more than enough doses available through bilateral deals and ceded their allocated COVAX doses to poorer countries.

But others, including Britain, tapped into the meager supply of COVAX doses themselves, despite being among the countries that had reserved most of the worlds available vaccines. In the meantime, billions of people in poor countries have yet to receive a single dose.

The result is that poorer countries have landed in exactly the predicament COVAX was supposed to avoid: dependent on the whims and politics of rich countries for donations, just as they have been so often in the past. And in many cases, rich countries dont want to donate in significant amounts before they finish vaccinating all their citizens who could possibly want a dose, a process that is still playing out.

If we had tried to withhold vaccines from parts of the world, could we have made it any worse than it is today? asked Dr. Bruce Aylward, a senior advisor at the World Health Organization, during a public session on vaccine equity.

Other wealthy nations that recently received paid doses through COVAX include Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, all of which have relatively high immunization rates and other means of acquiring vaccines. Qatar has promised to donate 1.4 million doses of vaccines and already shipped out more than the 74,000 doses it received from COVAX.

The U.S. never got any doses through COVAX, although Canada, Australia and New Zealand did. Canada got so much criticism for taking COVAX shipments that it said it would not request additional ones.

In the meantime, Venezuela has yet to receive any of its doses allocated by COVAX. Haiti has received less than half of what it was allocated, Syria about a 10th. In some cases, officials say, doses werent sent because countries didnt have a plan to distribute them.

British officials confirmed the U.K. received about 539,000 vaccine doses in late June and that it has options to buy another 27 million shots through COVAX.

The government is a strong champion of COVAX, the U.K. said, describing the initiative as a mechanism for all countries to obtain vaccines, not just those in need of donations. It declined to explain why it chose to receive those doses despite private deals that have reserved eight injections for every U.K. resident.

Brook Baker, a Northeastern University law professor who specializes in access to medicines, said it was unconscionable that rich countries would dip into COVAX vaccine supplies when more than 90 developing countries had virtually no access. COVAXs biggest supplier, the Serum Institute of India, stopped sharing vaccines in April to deal with a surge of cases on the subcontinent.

Although the number of vaccines being bought by rich countries like Britain through COVAX is relatively small, the extremely limited global supply means those purchases result in fewer shots for poor countries. So far, the initiative has delivered less than 10% of the doses it promised.

COVAX is run by the World Health Organization, the vaccine alliance Gavi and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, a group launched in 2017 to develop vaccines to stop outbreaks. The program is now trying to regain credibility by getting rich countries to distribute their donated vaccines through its own system, Baker said. But even this effort is not entirely successful because some countries are making their own deals to curry favorable publicity and political clout.

Rich countries are trying to garner geopolitical benefits from bilateral dose-sharing, Baker noted.

So far, with the exception of China, donations are coming in tiny fractions of what was pledged, an Associated Press tally of vaccines promised and delivered has found.

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Turkey offers to mediate between Ethiopia and Sudan to resolve separate border dispute



AP, , Thursday 19 Aug 2021



`The peace, tranquility and integrity of Ethiopia, which has a strategic location and importance in Africa, is important to us,' Erdogan said



Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan late on Wednesday backed a peaceful resolution for the Tigray conflict in Ethiopia that has displaced tens of thousands and left millions hungry. He also said Turkey was willing to mediate between Ethiopia and Sudan to resolve a separate border dispute.



Erdogan spoke during a joint news conference with visiting Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. The visit comes amid a broadening of the conflict in Tigray, which began in November after a political fallout between Abiy and the leaders of the Tigray region who had dominated Ethiopia's government for nearly three decades.



Thousands have been killed in the nine-month war in Tigray that has been marked by widespread allegations by ethnic Tigrayans of gang rapes, manmade local famines and mass expulsions of Tigrayans by Ethiopian and allied forces.



``The peace, tranquility and integrity of Ethiopia, which has a strategic location and importance in Africa, is important to us,'' Erdogan said. ``All the countries in the region will be affected by the worsening of the situation (over Tigray).''



Erdogan, who hosted General Abdel Fattah Abdelrahman al-Burhan, chairman of the Sovereignty Council of Sudan, in Ankara last week, said Turkey was also prepared to contribute toward a peaceful resolution of a dispute between Ethiopia and Sudan over the Al-Fashaga region.



``We are ready to make any contribution to an amicable resolution of the problem, including mediation,'' he said.



Earlier on Wednesday, Erdogan and Abiy oversaw the signing of military agreements, including a military financial cooperation deal. Details of the deals were not immediately available.



https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/419420.aspx
KYODO NEWS - Aug 19, 2021 - 17:25 | All, Japan, Coronavirus

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Thursday asked a major business lobby in Tokyo to thoroughly implement telework to reduce the number of commuters by 70 percent to cope with the continuing surge in COVID-19 infections.

The request to the Japan Association of Corporate Executives known as Keizai Doyukai was made a day after Suga sought a similar action by the country's largest business lobby Keidanren, officially called the Japan Business Federation.

In a meeting with Keizai Doyukai Chairman Kengo Sakurada and other members of the business lobby, Suga said, "I would like to ask for your cooperation in promoting teleworking to curb the flow of people and prevent cluster infections in the workplace."

Sakurada expressed his willingness to cooperate but asked the government to facilitate business transactions that do not require face-to-face contact, saying, "In some cases, people in divisions such as sales come to work in response to customer requests."

On Wednesday, Keidanren Chairman Masakazu Tokura said the business lobby would ensure that all its member companies recognize the need to implement remote work and urged the government to make "antibody cocktail treatment" widely available.

The treatment, in which COVID-19 patients are administered casirivimab and imdevimab intravenously, lowers the risk of hospitalization or death by about 70 percent, according to overseas clinical trials.

Suga has been seeking business circles' cooperation in curbing the spread of infections with Japan seeing an unprecedented rise in coronavirus cases nationwide due to the highly contagious Delta variant.
KYODO NEWS - Aug 19, 2021 - 20:31 | World, All, Coronavirus

A U.N.-backed facility has newly allocated 3 million doses of coronavirus vaccine produced by China's major pharmaceutical company Sinovac Biotech Ltd. to North Korea, according to U.S. media.

But it is uncertain whether North Korea will accept them, Radio Free Asia on Wednesday quoted an official of the World Health Organization as saying, with all eyes on when the nation will obtain vaccines for its people through the COVAX platform.

North Korea was expected to receive around 2 million doses of vaccine produced by Britain's AstraZeneca Plc earlier this year, but the plan has been postponed as the country has been unwilling to fulfil all of the COVAX program's required administrative steps.

The COVAX initiative has asked vaccine receivers to accept those engaged in monitoring whether vaccinations have been carried out in an appropriate manner there, but North Korea has not allowed even its own citizens to enter the nation.

North Korea may carefully consider receiving Sinovac's vaccine from the framework designed to guarantee equitable global access to coronavirus vaccines, as many countries in South America and Southeast Asia have recently started to doubt the efficacy of it.

Pyongyang claims no infection cases have been found in the nation. It has cut off land traffic to and from China and Russia since early last year to prevent the intrusion of the virus, first detected in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019.
KYODO NEWS - Aug 19, 2021 - 10:38 | All, Japan

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi on Wednesday asked Israel to make concrete efforts toward easing of tensions in the Middle East.

In separate meetings with new Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid in Jerusalem, Motegi asked for the Middle Eastern nation's actions to foster trust with "all parties concerned" in reference to its relations with the Palestinians, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said.

The Japanese minister explained Tokyo's support for a two-state solution that establishes an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel, it said.

Bennett said in response his country will work with the international community, including Japan, toward increasing stability in the region, according to the Japanese ministry.

Motegi's visit to Israel came after the country saw its first change of power in 12 years in June, with Bennett assuming his post following the resignation of Benjamin Netanyahu.

The two sides also discussed a free and open Indo-Pacific initiative led by Japan and the United States, which Motegi told the Israeli leaders will serve the Middle East through developments such as improvements in infrastructure.

Among other topics, Motegi requested Israel's cooperation in supporting an immediate resolution of the issue of North Korea's abductions of Japanese nationals in the 1970s and 1980s.

The meetings followed Motegi's visit to Ramallah in the West Bank, where he pledged Palestinian leaders additional humanitarian assistance for the Gaza Strip following Israeli airstrikes on the enclave during an escalation in violence earlier in the year.

Motegi is on a tour to Middle Eastern nations through next Tuesday. He has visited Egypt and will head to Jordan, Turkey, Iran and Qatar after Israel.

Related coverage:

Japan foreign minister pledges more humanitarian assistance for Gaza

Japan, Egypt agree to cooperate for stability in Afghanistan
New Delhi:

The vessel of Indian Naval officer Abhilash Tomy, who had suffered a back-injury on Friday after his yacht was hit by a storm with 14-metre-high waves mid-way while participating in the Golden Globe Race across south Indian Ocean, was located by an Indian Navy aircraft, a Defence spokesman said on Sunday.

Tomy on Sunday managed to contact race organisers in France through messages and had requested for a stretcher as he could not move on his own. He was representing India in the Golden Globe Race 2018 (GGR) on an indigenously-built sailing vessel 'S V Thuraya'.

The Navy's P8I aircraft, which flew from Mauritius in the early hours Sunday, has located the "mast broken boat rolling excessively", the spokesman said.

Also Read | Pity Rahul Gandhis understanding, Rafale deal will not be cancelled: Arun Jaitley

"Commander Tomy responded by ping on EPIRB as the aircraft was flying over him," he said.

Who is Abhilash Tomy and how the incident happened?

Tomy became the first Indian to have circumnavigated the globe in 2013.

He is the only Indian participating in the race that involves a gruelling 30,000-mile solo circumnavigation of the globe.

His vessel is in the south Indian Ocean, about 1,900 nautical miles from Perth in Australia.

Tomy's vessel was dismasted in extremely rough weather and sea conditions, with wind speeds of 130 kmh.

Also Read | Ayushman Bharat Scheme Live Updates: From poor to poorest will receive better healthcare from today, says Modi

He was in third position in the race and has sailed over 10,500 nautical miles in the last 84 days, since the race started on July 1.

A report from France on Friday night had said 70 knot winds and 14-metre-high waves have left the yachts of Tomy and Ireland's Gregor McGuckin dismasted, and twice knocked down the yacht of second-placed Dutchman Mark Slats.

Both McGuckin and Slats had reported that they are okay, but 39-year-old Tomy, making his second solo circumnavigation, has been injured, it had said.

The nearest yacht was McGuckin's 'Biscay 36 Hanley Energy Endurance', some 90 miles to the southwest of Tomy's 'Thuriya', but she too was dismasted in the same storm.

(With PTI inputs)

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Paris:

The French government on Sunday expressed fears that the controversy stirred after former president Francois Hollande's claim about Rafale deal may damage its bilateral relations with India. Hollande, who was the French President until May 2017, had on Friday said that French jet manufacturer Dassault Aviation had been given no choice about its local partner in a 2016 deal with the Indian administration.

"I find these remarks made overseas, which concern important international relations between France and India, do not help anyone and above all do not help France," PTI quoted junior foreign minister Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne as saying.

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The Narendra Modi had signed a deal with France to buy 36 Rafale jets from Dassault Aviation, which announced afterward it was partnering for the project with a newly launched private defence company rather than India's public defence conglomerate HAL.

Hollande's announcement that Dassault "did not have a say in it" added fuel to claims of Congress president Rahul Gandhi that the Modi government had intervened to help the Indian firm in question.

"Because one is no longer in office, causing damage to a strategic partnership between India and France by making remarks that clearly cause controversy in India is really not appropriate," Lemoyne said in an interview on Radio J.

Hollande made the comments to defend himself from accusations of a conflict of interest because Ambani's Reliance conglomerate had partially financed a film produced by his girlfriend, Julie Gayet, in 2016.

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The choice of Reliance for a highly strategic contract to upgrade India's aging fleet of fighter jets had caused surprise at the time because the group had no previous experience in the aeronautics industry.

Hollande's comments were front-page news in Indian newspapers on Saturday and it was the top trending topic on Twitter.

Rahul Gandhi, head of the main opposition Congress party, who is seeking to replace Modi and his rightwing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in elections next year, went on the offensive.

"An ex-president of France is calling him (the prime minister of India) a thief. It's a question of the dignity of the office of the prime minister," he told a news conference in New Delhi.

(With PTI Inputs)

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New Delhi:

In what looks like a U-turn, former French President Francois Hollande seems to have backtracked from his earlier claim on Rafale deal that Narendra Modi government had proposed the name of Indian partner for Dassault Aviation, who is responsible for making the fighter aircraft. According to news agency AFP, Hollande said that France did not choose Reliance in any way.

The former French president, as per the AFP report, denied any conflict of interest with Reliance, which reportedly financed a film produced by his female friend Julie Gayet in 2016.

Also Read | On Rafale deal, Rahul Gandhi questions PM Modis integrity, calls him corrupt

"That is why, moreover, this group (Reliance) did not have to give me any thanks for anything. I could not even imagine that there was any connection to a film by Julie Gayet," AFP quoted Hollande as saying.

Earlier, Hollande had that it was the Modi government that proposed the name of Indian partner for Dassault.

We didnt have a say in that. It was the Indian government that proposed this service group (Reliance), and Dassault who negotiated with Ambani. We didnt have a choice, we took the interlocutor who was given to us, French news website Mediapart.fr quoted Hollande, who held the office of President of France until Emmanuel Macron succeeded him in May 2017, as saying.

The revelation supported the claim of Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who had been saying for long that there was a massive scam in the deal and contradicted governments stand that it had no say in deciding the Indian offshore partner for Dassault.

Also Read | Imran Khan calls India arrogant after cancellation of 'peace talks'

However, the Defence Ministry rejected Hollandes claims and maintained that the alliance between the Reliance Defence and Dassault Aviation was a commercial pact and neither the Government of India nor the French government had played any role in this.

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Islamabad:

Saudi Arabia will be the third strategic partner of the $ 50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a senior Pakistani minister announced Thursday, soon after Prime Minister Imran Khan returned from his first foreign trip to the cash-rich kingdom.

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is the flagship project of the multi-billion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a pet project of Chinese President Xi Jinping aimed at enhancing Beijings influence around the world through China-funded infrastructure projects.

Addressing a press conference here on Khans two-day visit to Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (UAE), Minister of Information Fawad Chaudhry said that Pakistans main interest lies in cooperation with Saudi Arabia on matters of trade and security.

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Pakistan has invited Riyadh to join the CPEC as the third strategic partner, The News quoted him as saying.

Saudi Finance and Energy Ministers will visit Pakistan in the first week of October, Chaudhry said.

He said the projects that Saudi Arabia would be investing in the CPEC will be smoothed out during the Saudi delegations visit.

China has rejected accusations that its financial backing for the CPEC was a debt trap that could compromise cash-strapped Pakistans sovereignty.

The CPEC is the fastest-moving and flagship part of President Xis global Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

The CPEC aims to construct and upgrade the transportation network, energy projects, a deep-water port at Gwadar and special economic zones to eventually support Pakistans industrial development as a manufacturing hub by 2030.

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Chaudhry said Prime Minister Khan has assured Riyadh that Pakistan will stand with Saudi Arabia.

We have also assured the Saudi leadership that we will continue to provide security to their country and provide strategic support wherever needed, he said on the close defence partnership between the close allies.

He also said that a high-level coordination committee has been constituted [to look into matters of trade and commerce] and it has the complete backing of Saudi King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud and Prime Minister Khan.

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New Delhi:

The 22-year-old Sikh soldier to create history by becoming the first to wear a turban during an annual parade - Trooping the Colour - to mark British Queen Elizabeth II's birthday ceremony, could be expelled after he was tested positive for cocaine, as per reports. Charanpreet Singh Lall hit the headlines after for donning the turban during the annual parade in June.

However, he was tested positive for cocaine following random drug tests at his barrack, a leading British Daily  The Sun  reported.

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"Guardsman Lall has been discussing it openly in the barracks. The Guards carry out public duties at the Palace, it's disgraceful behaviour," a source was quoted as saying by the report.

"It is for his commanding officer to decide if he gets the boot but anyone caught taking Class A drugs can expect to be dismissed."

"Everyone's shocked. He was put in the limelight and now he's brought only embarrassment," the report said.

Lall is among the three soldiers to have failed the drug test at Windsors Victoria Barracks.

"I can confirm that a number of soldiers from the Coldstream Guards are under investigation for alleged drugs misuse," said Head of Army Personnel Services Group, Brigadier Christopher Coles.

ALSO READ: Complete list of Khel Ratna and Arjuna Awardees 2018

Lall moved to the UK with his family after taking birth in Punjab and joined the British Army in January 2016.

Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her birthday on April 21, however, the Trooping of the Colour ceremony takes place on any Saturday of June.

The ceremony has honoured the birthday of the sovereign since more than 250 years as the celebrations include display of music, army drills and horsemanship.

(With PTI Inputs)

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New Delhi:

NTPC, the countrys largest power utility, has been given an approval by the Environment Ministry for the Rs 7,732-crore expansion project of the Talcher Thermal Power Station in Odisha, a senior government official said on Monday.

The state-run power producers proposal is to add two additional units of 660 MW each in the existing premise of the Talcher Thermal Power Project (TTPP) located in the Angul district of Odisha.

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The Union Environment Ministry has given the environment clearance for the NTPCs proposed coal-based ultra-supercritical thermal power project expansion. The approval has been given with some riders, the official said.

The proposed project, which is expected to meet the power demand of the eastern region, is estimated to cost Rs 7,732.35 crore and is planned to be commissioned by 2022.

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In its proposal, the NTPC said about 446-acre land is required for expansion. The two additional plant facilities will be set up within the land available in the existing power station.

The coal requirement for the expansion project is estimated to be about 6.9 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) and it will be supplied by the Coal India Ltd (CIL), mostly from Mahanadi Coalfields.

The NTPC plants generate about one-fourth of the total power generated in the country. The company has been continuously exploring and identifying projects, where expansion of existing stations apart from new greenfield projects could be set up, wherever feasible.

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Lucknow:

Dr Kafeel Khan, the paediatrician out on bail in connection with the death of infants at the state-run BRD Medical College and Hospital in Gorakhpur last year, was released on orders of a magistrate on Sunday hours after his arrest on Saturday for disturbing treatment being given to patients at the district hospital in Bahraich, the police said.

Superintendent of Police Sabharaj Singh said, Police got information that a person entered the hospital and disturbed treatment being given to the patients admitted there. He was also arguing with the doctors. The person was later arrested and introduced himself as Dr Kafeel Khan.

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Kafeels brother Adeel Khan said he was arrested just before he was going to address the media on the mysterious deaths in Uttar Pradesh. He had rubbished the claims of a mysterious fever and said the symptoms were similar to those of acute encephalitis. Kafeel was taken to Simbhauli Sugar Mill guesthouse and was not allowed to meet his family, Adeel alleged.

The BRD hospital was in the news recently because of the death of 70 children in 45 days because of a mysterious fever.

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Kafeel is one of the nine accused in the case involving the death of 63 children within four days because of the disruption in the supply of oxygen at the hospital in August 2017. He was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Police in September 2017. The Allahabad High Court had granted him bail in April this year.

(With PTI inputs)

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New Delhi:

Fuel prices on Sunday (September 23) continued to shoot high as petrol was marked at Rs 82.61 per litre in Delhi, increasing by Rs 17 paise, while diesel was up by Rs 10 paise to Rs 73.97 per litre in the national capital. Whereas, the revised prices of petrol and diesel in Mumbai stood just below the Rs 90 mark at Rs 89.97, increasing by 17 paise per litre while diesel was priced at Rs 78.53 per litre, increasing by 11 paise.

Petrol & Diesel prices in #Delhi are Rs.82.61 per litre & Rs.73.97 per litre, respectively. Petrol & Diesel prices in #Mumbai are Rs.89.97 per litre & Rs.78.53 per litre, respectively, News Agency ANI reported on Sunday.

ALSO READ: Delhi weather: Dark clouds loom over national capital today

Petrol & Diesel prices in #Delhi are Rs.82.61 per litre & Rs.73.97 per litre, respectively. Petrol & Diesel prices in #Mumbai are Rs.89.97 per litre & Rs.78.53 per litre, respectively. pic.twitter.com/NZ6dNOVgDO  ANI (@ANI) September 23, 2018

Petrol prices are on a constant rise since the start of the calendar year, especially since August 16. However, fuel prices in the national capital are at lowest due to lower sales tax or VAT, while Mumbai has the highest VAT on petrol.

Fuel prices are witnessing continuous hike owing to a drop in rupee value and rise in crude oil price. The small revisions of 10-20 paise on a regular basis have added up to a big hike in last couple of months. Almost half of the retail selling price of the two fuels is made up of central and state taxes.

Earlier, the Narendra Modi-led government had assured that the hike is temporary, however, no significant steps have been adapted so far to stop it.

The new prices have been made effective from 6 am on September 23, 2018.

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New Delhi:

On Prime Minister Narendra Modi big 10 crore job promise during his five-year rule, Maharashtra BJP lawmaker Ashish Deshmukh on Saturday took on his own partys government, saying that the saffron party governments at the Centre and in Maharashtra have failed to provide jobs to the youth.

Deshmukh claimed that the BJP had promised to create two crore jobs per year, but only 2.2 lakh jobs were generated in the country in the last four years, which is too far from the promise made during the election campaign in 2014.

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The BJP leader also questioned the Maharashtra governments claim that over 50,000 youths have got jobs in MIHAN (Multi-modal International Hub Airport at Nagpur) and the surrounding industrial area.

No new factory is seen in the area, nor is there any service industry, he said.

Initiatives such as Make in India, Magnetic Maharashtra (the BJP-led state governments investment summit), Start-up India and Skill India have failed to create jobs, Deshmukh alleged.

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Deshmukh has been critical of his party for long, especially on the issue of separate statehood for Vidarbha which he supports. BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha and AAP leader Sanjay Singh were also present at the program.

(With PTI Inputs)

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New Delhi:

Ruling AIADMK MLA S Karunaas was arrested in Chennai on Sunday over some alleged provocative remarks made at a recent public meeting against the chief minister and police. The issue, however, prompted the Opposition, includingthe DMK, to question why police were not acting against BJP leaders H Raja and S Ve Shekher who are also facing a number of cases.

Karunaas, also a well-known actor and founder of a small outfit, was picked up from his house this morning by a specialteam, police said. At a recent public meeting Karunaas had reportedly madesome remarks in relation to Chief Minister K Palaniswami andthe police, besides some alleged caste related ones, drawingcriticism from various quarters.

The actor, who aligned with the AIADMK for the 2016 Assembly polls, was elected from Tiruvadanai constituency in Ramanathapuram district on an AIADMK ticket. He had later met sidelined AIADMK leader and RK NagarMLA TTV Dhinakaran, who has also floated his own Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK), post his ouster from the AIADMK.

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Responding to the police action against him, Karunaas said he was not aware whether the Speaker P Dhanapal'sapproval was taken prior to his arrest as is the requirementand charged the government with "denying freedom ofexpression." "I am ready to face the matter in the court," he said.

DMK President MK Stalin as well as Dhinakaran said Karunaas could have avoided making such remarks but wondered why Raja and Shekher have not yet been arrested.

There was no doubt that elected representatives should"not exceed their limits" and they had the duty of ensuringpublic peace and harmony, Stalin said in a statement.

Karunaas had, however, expressed regret for hisutterances, the DMK Chief said and sought to know why the MLAwas still picked up. "The rule of law is being selectively implemented inTamil Nadu. Raja, who threatened to damage statues of(rational leader EVR) Periyar and one who demeaned and defamedpolice, besides making remarks against spouses of templeadministration staff, has not yet been arrested," he said.

Stalin, leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, said Raja was still attending public events with police protection and asked why another BJP member, Shekher, was also still notarrested in connection with a case of making demeaning remarksagainst women journalists.

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"There is one rule for Karunaas and another for Raja andShekher and this is an injustice. This attitude of the AIADMKgovernment is condemnable," he added.

Dhinakaran also said it was "wrong" on the part of Karunaas to have made such remarks "emotionally" and regretted that his "friend" has been arrested. He also sought to know why the K Palaniswami governmentwas yet to act against Raja.

"The government and police should take a consistentstand. Raja is making so many remarks. He spoke against thepolice and juiciary. The police department just filed a caseagainst him and has gone silent," he said.

DMDK founder Vijayakant 'condemned' the arrest ofKarunaas and asked why "some other persons freely airing theirviews" were not facing action, apparently referring to Raja.

Meanwhile, at a meeting of its State Council, the CPI(M) adopted a resolution on this matter, saying the AIADMKgovernment had become a "puppet" of the Centre.

While the remarks made by Karunaas can be "critiqued,"why has the police not acted against Raja? it asked.

It also referred to the police action against a womanresearch student who raised anti-BJP slogans against party'sstate unit chief Tamilisai Soundararajan in a Tuticortin-boundflight recently.

It sought the immediate arrest of Raja.

Asia Cup 2018: Rohit Sharma can break THESE 3 records against Pakistan

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New Delhi:

The Supreme Court on Thursday made it clear that newly-appointed acting Director General of Police of Jammu and Kashmir Dilbag Singh will continue in office till the UPSC scrutinises and provides a panel of three police officers for regular appointment of the police chief.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra granted the interim relief to the state government, saying acting DGP Singh, who replaced S P Vaid, shall continue to operate.

The bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, asked the state government to provide within five days the requisite documents to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) about senior police officers.

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The UPSC, in turn, would examine various aspects, including merit and seniority of these officers, and short-list within four weeks three names. The state government may then appoint an officer from the list as a regular DGP, it said.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for former DGP Prakash Singh on whose PIL the judgement on police reforms had come in 2006, alleged that the appointment of the acting DGP was in J and K was in violation of the judgement on various counts, including that Singh was the seventh in the seniority list.

They have removed a DGP without following the procedure devised by the Supreme Court and the government should have appointed the senior-most person as acting DGP, he said, adding that his plea seeking contempt against the state government be listed for hearing.

Attorney General K K Venugopal and lawyer Shoeb Alam, representing the state government, opposed Bhushans submission and said the law and order and the ground situation of Jammu and Kashmir was different from the rest of the country.

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Venugopal said the person shifted out from the DGP post had no problem and no other police officer has aired any grievance, but Bhushan who has filed the PIL has a problem. The ground situation in Jammu and Kashmir is not normal, he said.

We should not forget that this is Jammu and Kashmir. The law and order and security situation in unique and no other state has similar security requirements, Alam also said.

The state government had on September 6 appointed Dilbagh Singh as the acting police chief, replacing S P Vaid who was posted as the transport commissioner.

Earlier, the state government had moved the court seeking modification its order that made it mandatory for all states to send a list of three senior-most IPS officers to the UPSC for clearance before appointing the DGP.

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The apex court had earlier passed a slew of directions on police reforms in the country and restrained all states and union territories from appointing any police officer as acting DGPs to avoid favouritism and nepotism.

It had said that all states were required to send their proposals in anticipation of the vacancies to the UPSC well in time, at least three months before the date of retirement of the incumbent on the post of DGP.

The J and K government, in its plea, has said: It may be pointed out that in view of the complex security concerns of the state, the peculiar ground situation prevailing therein, the upcoming panchayat and local body elections, insurgent and terror related activities, the unique law and order requirements, it is essential to have a head of the police force in the State of Jammu and Kashmir at all times.

As such, as a purely ad-interim measure, the State Government has been constrained to appoint the Director General, Prisons of State of Jammu and Kashmir, Dilbagh Singh... as the In-Charge Director General of Police till a regular arrangement is made, it said.

The state government also said that the apex court guidelines, which envisages the role of the UPSC prior to the appointment of a DGP in a state, could not be followed as the present case is not that of an anticipated vacancy which would have enabled the state to forward a panel to the UPSC and comply with the other rigors of the applicable procedure.

It said that in view of the guidelines, the state government has now already approached the UPSC and forwarded a panel of senior-most officers from the state.

The apex court, while deciding the PIL filed by two former DGPs Prakash Singh and N K Singh in 2006, had issued several directions, including that state police chiefs will have a fixed tenure of two years.

It had said the appointment of DGPs and police officers should be merit-based and transparent and officers like DGPs and Superintendents of Police should have a minimum fixed tenure of two years.

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New Delhi:

An "outraged" China on Friday lodged a diplomatic protest with the US for imposing punitive sanctions on its military unit for buying Russian weapons, warning of "consequences" if the sanctions are not revoked.

The US State Department said on Thursday that the purchases of Russian Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets and S-400 surface-to-air missiles by China's Equipment Development Department (EDD) of China's Ministry of Defence violated US sanctions on Russia.

Both the EDD and its director, Li Shangfu, have been named in Thursday's sanctions.

It is the first time the Trump administration targeted a third country with its Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act of 2017 (CAATSA), designed to punish Russia for its seizure of Crimea and other activities.

Reacting to the US move, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said, "China is strongly outraged by this unreasonable action of the US and lodged stern representations".

"What the US has done gravely violated the basic norms governing the international relations and harmed the state-to-state and military-to-military relations between the two sides," he said.

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"We strongly urge the US side to address this mistake and revoke so-called sanctions otherwise it will need to shoulder all possible consequences," he said.

Asked whether China would continue its close intelligence and defence cooperation with Russia, Geng said, "China and Russia are comprehensive strategic partners of coordination. We have been having normal exchanges of cooperation on the basis of equality, mutual trust and mutual benefit in various fields including national defence".

The China-Russia defence cooperation is meant to safeguard the two nations' legitimate interests and regional peace and stability," he said.

It targets no third country and violates with no international law, he added. "We will work with Russia to implement the consensus reached by two leaders and move forward our strategic coordination," he said referring to the close ties between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

Founded in 2016 by Chinese President Xi Jinping, the EDD was tasked with overseeing and improving the country's military technology. It is regarded as a key part of China's Central Military Commission (CMC), the overall high command of the Chinese military headed by Xi.

The sanctions will deny EDD any foreign export licences, prohibit it from making foreign exchange transactions within US jurisdiction or using the US financial system, and block its property and interests within US control, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported.

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Sanctions on Li will also prohibit his using the US financial system and making foreign exchanges, and block any of his property or interests. He will also be prohibited from having a US visa.

China, which relies on technology for its military modernisation has stepped up its military ties with Russia.

The sanctions are expected to heighten tensions between the US and China, which are currently engaged in a trade war.

The two countries will launch new tariffs on Monday, with Washington targeting USD 200 billion in Chinese exports and Beijing hitting USD 60 billion worth of American products.

(With inputs from PTI)

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New Delhi:

Associating memory loss such as Alzheimers to the old is a misconceived notion, a myth in regards to mental illness. It is important to understand that this disease affects a large number of people, both young and old. A recent study showed that about five per cent develop the symptoms before the age of 65. This age has been categorised as the young onset dementia.



In fact, scientists have found pieces of evidence of a protein found in Alzheimers disease, called amyloid, in the brains of people as young as 20. This discovery has debunked the myth that Alzheimers affects the old only. The cases of young onset Alzheimers has been found to develop when the proteins build up in the brain to form structures called plaques and tangles or are either inherited by one generation from the previous.

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The symptoms of young onset dementia are similar or almost same as that of dementia in older people. As such, the symptoms will start hindering their everyday lives such as forgetting the name of a family member, the roads that they take every day or even where they live. However, the diagnosis of younger onset dementia can prove difficult.



This is because mental health condition such as depression, anxiety, stress may have similar symptoms to those in the early stages of Alzheimers. But accepting that they have the disease is often ignored and they go on about living their thinking there isnt anything wrong but are otherwise fit and well. This has to do with the stigma and stereotype associated with mental health conditions.

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In this situation, monitoring memory function, activities of daily living and behaviour over time is important. Keeping track of the first symptoms such as vision problem, speech or having difficulty planning, making and behaviour change is crucial.



As of now, there is no treatment to cure, delay or stop the progression of Alzheimers disease. However, there are many new biomarker tests such as genetic tests, brain scans and measuring proteins in spinal fluid that can help doctors diagnose Alzheimers more accurately.

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Pay crucial importance to the signs of the early symptoms, if you exhibit the early signs or feel like your confusion and memory problems are getting worse, it is the right time to consult your doctor.
New Delhi:

A pregnant woman allegedly bit off half of her husbands tongue in the Ranhola area of outer Delhi on Saturday night.

According to neighbours, the woman, who was eight months pregnant, was apparently unhappy with her 22-year-old husband and felt he wasnt good-looking, the police said, adding that the couple used to often fight and had compatibility issues. The couple had been married for about two years now and the woman was pregnant with their first child. Victim Karan Singh is a street artist and a youtuber.

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According to the police, Karan had an altercation with his wife Kajal Singh around 11 pm. The issue was sorted out and the couple patched up. Following which, the couple went to their room.

Around midnight, Karan rushed out of the room calling out for help. He was bleeding profusely from his mouth as Kajal had bitten off a part of his tongue. The family members than called up the police and the man was rushed to Safdarjung hospital where he underwent an emergency surgery. However, it cant be said for sure if he will be able to talk again, said a senior police officer.

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The police have registered a case under section 326 (causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means) of the Indian Penal Code and further investigation is underway.
Jakarta:

An Indonesian teenager survived seven weeks adrift at sea after his tiny fishing trap lost its moorings and ended up some 2,500 kilometres (1,500 miles) away in waters near the Pacific island of Guam, his family said on Monday.

Aldi Novel Adilangs harrowing tale began in mid-July when the 18-year-old was working solo on a fishing hut anchored about 125 kilometres off Indonesias Sulawesi island.

His job was to keep the vessels lamps lit to attract fish. Its owner would reportedly come by weekly to drop off food, clean water, fuel and other supplies.

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The floating fishing trap, known as a rompong, had no engine and was anchored to the seabed with a long rope, but heavy winds knocked it off its moorings and sent Adilang out to sea, local media said.

Rompongs are a traditional form of trapping fish in Indonesia, but are often unmanned, secured by buoys and ropes.

Local media reported that the owner of Adilangs rompong had as many as 50 moored in the surrounding waters His boss told my husband that he went missing, Adilangs mother Net Kahiking told AFP from her home in Sulawesi.

So we just surrendered to God and kept praying hard. The teen, who only had enough food to last several days, survived by catching fish, Mirza Nurhidayat, the Indonesian consul general in Osaka, who oversaw his eventual return, told the Jakarta Post.

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After he ran out of the cooking gas, he burned the rompongs wooden fences to make a fire for cooking, he was quoted as saying.

He drank by sipping water from his clothes that had been wetted by sea water. About ten ships passed the malnourished teen before a Panamanian-flagged vessel rescued him on August 31 near Guam and brought him to Japan, its original destination.

I was shocked when his boss told us, he had been rescued, Adilangs mother said.

I was so happy.

Adilang is the youngest of four siblings and arrived back home on September 8, in good health despite his ordeal.

He is now back at home and he will be 19 on September 30 -- were going to celebrate, his mother said.

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Mumbai:

Bollywood actor Neil Nitin Mukesh and wife Rukimi have welcomed a baby girl, their first child together. The 36-year-old actor announced the good news on Twitter and also shared that they have named their little one, Nurvi.

"Rukmini and I are proud to announce the arrival of our darling daughter, Nurvi. The entire Mukesh family is elated. Both mother and daughter are well by the Grace of God," Neil tweeted.

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The couple tied the knot last year on February 9.

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New Delhi:

The Supreme Court verdict on Aadhaar is a big victory for the "pro-poor Modi government", the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) claimed on Wednesday. The Supreme court on Wednesday bench upheld the constitutional validity of the scheme and asserted that it does not violate privacy.

As the Congress party projected the verdict as a slap on the face of the ruling party, saying the order has in fact exposed the Opposition party, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra hit back, saying the Congress favoured middlemen while the Modi government brought Aadhaar to ensure that benefits are given directly to people.

"We see it as a big victory of the Modi government, the pro-poor Modi government. The Supreme Court has upheld the constitutional validity of Aadhaar and has also said that it does not violate privacy," Patra said.

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The Supreme Court like the Modi government has stood with the poor of the country and gives strength to the poor, Patra said.

The verdict by the Supreme Court bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justices A K Sikri and A M Khanwilkar declared the Centre's flagship Aadhaar scheme constitutionally valid but struck down some of its provisions, including its linking with bank accounts, mobile phones and school admissions.

The Supreme Court said: Aadhaar serves a bigger public interest. Aadhaar means unique and it is better to be unique than be the best.



(With inputs from agencies)

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New Delhi:

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Sunday made it clear that irrespective of the allegations, the Rafale jets deal will not be cancelled.

In an interview to news agency ANI, Jaitley said whether the planes are bought at a higher rate or not is a matter for the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) to examine.

He also said the present Rafale aircraft are cheaper than what the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government had negotiated and added that all these facts and figures will be placed before the CAG.

Pity Rahul Gandhis understanding- how is it a scandal if a dozen Indian companies say that for a 56,000cr contract, if offsets are going to be 28,000cr, I want to be among the 20 who are going to make offset supplies?Everyone will get 2000-4000cr. How is it impropriety?:#FMtoANI pic.twitter.com/DOlo6viJKT

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"Fortunately, there is pricing, and for security interest, that pricing cant be disclosed in detail. But I have come as close to this. If you take a weaponised aircraft as of 2007, add the same two things to it again and bring it to 2016 level, the 2016 level is 20% cheaper. Now the CAG will go into pricing. They may not eventually disclose it, but about being 9% and 20% cheaper or not, they are looking into it. Congress has submitted a memorandum. The truth will come out, Jaitley said.

Congress can believe anything, but you must remember a basic principle of conduct, which for centuries has ruled throughout the world. Which is Men may state inaccurate facts, circumstances never lie.: #FMtoANI on if Congress will only believe Hollande's first statement #Rafale pic.twitter.com/t8ohgnEeVR

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Earlier in a Facebook post titled 'A Questionable Statement Which Circumstances & Facts Demolish', Jaitley wrote: "The former French President's first statement rhymes with Rahul Gandhi's prediction."

The minister also accused the Congress party leaders of using vulgar language and said public discourse is not a "laughter challenge".

"I have said how public discourse should be. It is not a laughter challenge. You go and hug someone, then you wink, utter lies 4-6-10 times. Your words should reflect intellect. Vulgarity and abusive language does not suit the world's largest democracy,? he added.

He also questioned the timing of the statement by former French President Francois Hollande that came days after Congress President Rahul Gandhi's August 30 tweet warning of "some big bunker buster bombs in the next couple of weeks" with regard to the controversy surrounding the Rafale deal.

Its highly objectionable statement. Surgical strike is something India should be proud of. Your patriotism is questionable if you are ashamed of it &refer to it in a derogatory manner: FM Jaitley on Rahul Gandhi's tweet that #RafaleDeal was a surgical strike on forces' #FMtoANI pic.twitter.com/5F559cvCph  ANI (@ANI) September 23, 2018

The finance minister said: I wont be surprised if the whole thing is orchestrated. On August 30, why did he tweet some bombs are going to burst in Paris? And then what happens is in perfect rhythm with what he predicted.

On being pressed to say that if is indicating that both India and France are colluding with each other, Jaitley said, "I don't know. But I see a perfect coincidence in the rhythm between his tweet on August 30 and what happens when a statement is made which is found to be inaccurate and, therefore, the next day itself, Mr Hollande goes and starts backtracking it."

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New Delhi:

Days after Hizbul Mujahideen warned the Special Police Officer to quit their jobs by September 19, militants reportedly abducted and killed three policemen in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district on Thursday night.

The policemen, all SPOs, have been identified as Firdous Ahmad Kuchey, Kuldeep Singh and Nisar Ahmad Dhobi. Their bodies were recovered from Shopian.

The fourth abducted person, Fayaz Ahmad Bhat who is a brother of a policeman, was released on Friday morning. No organisation has claimed responsibility so far.

Jammu & Kashmir: Three policemen who were kidnapped by terrorists in south Kashmir's Shopian, found dead. pic.twitter.com/OV9xwHrDBn  ANI (@ANI) September 21, 2018

The incident came less than a month after as many as eight family members of policemen were kidnapped on the night of August 30 after militants raided their homes in Jammu and Kashmir.

Read | Jammu and Kashmir LIVE: Security forces eliminate two militants in Bandipora encounter

Releasing a 12-minute video, Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo had purportedly claimed responsibility for the abductions and issued a three-day deadline for the release of all relatives of militants, who were in police custody.

The August 30 incident came after the NIA arrested the second son of globally-wanted terrorist Syed Salahuddin, leader of the Hizbul Mujahideen group. Salahuddin's son was arrested on charges of receiving secret funds.

Read | Cyclone DAYE to hit Odisha, coastal Andhra Pradesh today; Here is how to stay safe

In June, Army soldier Aurangzeb was abducted from a private vehicle when he was going home for Eid in Shopian. His bullet-riddled body was recovered from a Pulwama village hours later.

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New Delhi:

Using the hashtag #RahulKaPuraKhandanChor, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman lashed out at the Congress president Rahul Gandhi for using abusive language against Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the controversial Rafale deal.

"The @INCIndia & Shri. @RahulGandhi repeat untruth several times and use brazen & abusive language about @PMOIndia @narendramodi. They betray their sense of desperation in being out-of-power. In our govt there is no corruption. No wonder today the buzz is #RahulKaPuraKhandanChor," Sitharaman's tweet read.

The @INCIndia & Shri. @RahulGandhi repeat untruth several times and use brazen & abusive language about @PMOIndia @narendramodi. They betray their sense of desperation in being out-of-power. In our govt there is no corruption. No wonder today the buzz is #RahulKaPuraKhandanChor https://t.co/o76HiaYtDh  Nirmala Sitharaman (@nsitharaman) September 22, 2018

Earlier, senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad while attending a press conference said, Why was the Rafale deal sent back for re-examination in 2012 just six months after Dassault was identified as the lowest bidder? Our explicit charge is this: they (Congress) did not get a bribe, thats why.

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Prasad also spoke about the statements given out by the French government and Dassault in which they had said that both the Indian and French governments had no influence in picking the offset partner as per the offset clause.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said that former French president Francois Hollande has termed Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a thief in the controversial Rafale deal and joint Parliamentary probe in the deal.

Hollande had said in an interview that the French government had no role in enabling an Indian firm get the offset clause.

ALSO READ: Delhi weather: Dark clouds loom over national capital today, thundershowers likely

Gandhi questioned Modis silence over the issue and sought answers citing Hollandes interview.

"For the first time, an ex-French President is calling our PM a thief. It is a question of the dignity of the office of Prime Minister. It is the question of the future of our jawans and the Air Force. It is very important for PM now to either accept Mr. Hollandes statement or state that Mr. Hollande is lying or tell what the truth is," Gandhi had said.

"What I'm surprised at is that PM is completely silent. Not one word has come out from PM's mouth on this. This is from a (former) President of France, who had a one-on-one meeting with PM where the Rafale deal was decided," he had added.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Chennai: Customs and divisions staked out a big breakthrough at Chennai airport. Chennai Air Cargo Customs has recovered 2,247 live Indian Star turtles from a consignment to Thailand. An attempt was made to smuggle them from India. The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs said that the recovered star turtles have been handed over to the State Forest Department for rehabilitation.

The officer said that 4 species of tortoises are included under the schedule of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. It is one of the most prized extinct species in international illegal markets around the world. In India, turtles of this species are found in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Gujarat, Odisha, and Telangana. They have been smuggled on a large scale in the last three decades.

According to the same sources, this rare species of turtle is in high demand abroad. It sells for 3.5 lakh rupees per piece abroad. In India, it costs up to 50,000. In foreign countries, the market opens up like a regular stock market and its price is fixed.

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The Burkinabe government said Wednesday that 47 people, including 30 civilians, 14 soldiers and three army auxiliaries, were killed in an attack by suspected jihadists on a military convoy escorting civilians in northern Burkina Faso. "A mixed convoy composed of civilians, elements of the defense and security forces (FDS) and volunteers for the defense of the homeland (VDP) was the target of a terrorist attack 25 km from Gorgadji (North), during which 30 civilians, 14 soldiers and 3 VDP were killed," announced the Burkinabe Ministry of Communication.

The commune of Gorgadji is located in the Seno province, in northern Burkina Faso, in the so-called three-border zone, which straddles Mali and Niger. The tri-border area is the region most affected by the violence. Thousands of civilians and soldiers have been killed there. The attack, which also left 19 people wounded, took place "while the security forces and the VDP were on a mission to secure civilians leaving for Arbinda," according to the government.

"During the retaliation SDF and VDP shot dead 58 terrorists and many others were wounded and fled," the same source said, noting that "rescue and field operations are ongoing." This attack is the third in a series that has left more than a dozen dead in two weeks against soldiers engaged in the anti-jihadist struggle in the north and northwest of Burkina Faso. On August 4, thirty people, including fifteen soldiers, eleven civilians, and four army auxiliaries, were killed in attacks by suspected jihadists in northern Burkina Faso, near the border with Niger.

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Algeria has decided to "review" its relations with Morocco, accused of being involved in the deadly fires that ravaged the north of the country, according to a statement from the Algerian presidency. "The incessant hostile acts perpetrated by Morocco against Algeria, have necessitated the review of relations between the two countries and the intensification of security controls at the western borders," said the statement, without further clarification.

This decision was taken during an extraordinary meeting of the Algerian High Security Council, chaired by the Head of State Abdelmadjid Tebboune and devoted to the assessment of the situation after the huge forest fires that have killed at least 90 people in the north of the country. President Tebboune said that most of the fires were of "criminal" origin.

Algerian officials accused a Paris-based Kabyle independence organization of being involved in the fires and in the lynching of a man wrongly accused of arson in the northeastern region of Kabylia, the region most affected by the fires. They also implicated the London-based Islamo-conservative Rashad movement. These two movements, the bete noires of the Algerian government, are illegal in Algeria where they were classified as "terrorist organizations" on May 18.

'Help! Talibani's are coming,' video of Screaming Afghan women goes viral

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Armed men killed 37 civilians, including 14 children, in an attack on a village in southwest Niger. The officials said this on Tuesday. This year alone, hundreds of civilians have been killed by terrorists in the region. It was reported that unidentified assailants opened fire on Monday at the commune of Banibango in the Tillaberi area near the border of Niger, adjacent to Mali.

The same local official said that in the afternoon when everyone was working in the fields, the attackers reached Dera-De village on motorbikes. A local reporter said, 'They found people in the fields and opened fire when anyone moved.' According to a report received, at least 420 people were killed in jihadist attacks in Tillaberi and neighboring Tahoua this year. "Armed Islamist groups are attacking people in western Niger," Korin Duffka, Sahel director of the international rights group, said in the report.



HRW said disabled people and 'several children' were killed, some of whom were dragged from their parents' arms to death. The extremist attacks have also damaged schools and churches, leaving thousands of people behind their homes. Most of the active terrorists in the so-called tribal area between Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali are associated with al-Qaida or the Islamic State group. Similar attacks have taken place several times in the area even after the officers beefed up security. After firing, the attackers run towards Mali.

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WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden will meet Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett at the White House on August 26, Press Secretary Jen Psaki said. "The visit will also be an opportunity for the two leaders to discuss efforts to advance peace, security, and prosperity for Israelis and Palestinians and the importance of working towards a more peaceful and secure future for the region," she said.

"Prime Minister Bennett's visit will build up the enduring partnership between the United States and Israel, reflect the deep ties between our governments and our people, and underscore the US' unwavering commitment to Israel's security," Psaki was quoted as saying in a statement on Wednesday.

The President and Prime Minister Bennett will mull critical parameters related to regional and global security, including Iran. Bennett's visit is not expected to last more than 48 hours due to Covid-19 precautions, according to International media reports. It will be his second foreign visit since taking office in June, following an earlier trip to Jordan to meet with King Abdullah.

Eerie scene in Niger, armed men killed 37 people including 14 children

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Lucknow: There is a lot of talk about the Taliban all over the country at the moment. You all must know that the Taliban has taken over the border of Afghanistan. The fear of Afghan civilians over the Taliban can be gauged from the pictures coming from Kabul airport. On the other hand, there has been constant rhetoric about the Taliban in India. Now, in an interview, the famous poet Munawwar Rana said, "The Taliban has done right, their land can be occupied in any way.''

When asked if the Taliban was occupying the territory, Rana replied, 'It has to go a long way, it cannot be thought of as Hindustani. It should be considered as a Hindustani who was in British slavery, who liberated. So, they have also liberated their country, so what is the problem? What is the need for India to suffer in this? Afghanistan has been a friend of India for thousands of years. Sometimes the US captures Afghanistan, sometimes Russia harasses it, sometimes Britain, their enmity is with them. What role do we have in that?''

He further said, "The Taliban's attitude cannot be called terrorists. Yes, they can be called aggressive. If the Taliban are fighting for their country, how can you call them terrorists? Those who were ashing with the US and Ashraf Ghani are running away.'' You must all know that at present there are many people in India who are supporting the Taliban. One of the names on the list is All India Muslim Personal Law Board spokesperson Sajjad Nomani.

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Mumbai: There are shocking reports from Mumbai day in and day out. Now, recently, a shocking case has come to light. In fact, the Mumbai Police has made a big revelation about sextortion here and according to this revelation, more than 100 Bollywood stars and TV stars were hunted down by the racket. Police have so far arrested four gang members in the case. It is said that these people used to get close to the stars through social media and then blackmail them by making obscene videos. The gang used Nepal's bank account to put dust in the eyes of investigating agencies in the case.

Mumbai Police is said to have learned during interrogation that the gang had implicated 258 people in sextortion. Out of these, 100 are big stars of Bollywood and TV. Mumbai Police has arrested 4 accused from Nagpur, Orissa, Gujarat, Kolkata in the case, out of which 2 accused are engineers by profession while one is a minor. Mobiles, 12 fake accounts, 6 fake email IDs, and other electronic devices have been recovered from the accused. Let me tell you all that the investigation into the case has revealed that the gang had close links with Bollywood and TV stars through social media.

They previously won their trust and made obscene videos. Lakhs of rupees were reportedly charged by celebrities and victims in return for the video. Not only that, the grasp of these videos then sold to others on social media apps like Twitter, Dark Net, and Telegram for a hefty sum.

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Musa, biggest drug smuggler on NCB's radar, supplied drugs to Bollywood celebs!
Home  Just In  Ashta Laxmi Shakya leads Bagmati govt after choosing UML over Madhav Nepals party

Hetaunda, August 19

On the day the CPN-UML officially split, the Bagmati province got its new government under Ashta Laxmi Shakya as the chief minister.

Incumbent Dor Mani Paudel resigned on Wednesday to convince the Shakya-led camp in the party to stay in the UML itself and not support the Madhav Kumar Nepal-led new party.

Before this, Shakya was a senior leader among the UML dissidents who were empowering Madhav Kumar Nepal to split the party, owing to their differences with the KP Sharma Olis leadership.

Although Shakya has been convinced to stay in the UML, it is not immediately clear if other lawmakers of the camp in the provincial assembly support Nepal or Shakya. If a significant section decides to join the Madhav Kumar Nepal-led party, Shakyas government might topple.

Shakya has become the first woman to lead a provincial government in the country. She is in politics for at least four and a half decades.

Meanwhile, Shakya also announced a three-member cabinet on Wednesday.
Effects of climate change are visible all around the world. There have been wildfires, heatwaves and floods almost everywhere. Scientists say this is the result of rising global temperatures as they warn that such tragedies are likely to be repetitive in the coming days.

Before discussing recent big floods in China, India, and European countries, let me discuss a flood that occurred in Melamchi, Nepal. Melamchi is a small city of the Sindhupalchok district, near Kathmandu, which is always vulnerable to natural disasters. In June, floods swept dozens of houses in the area affecting the livelihood of hundreds of people who say they have never seen such large-scale flooding in the area.

The reason why such a flood occurred is yet to be scientifically ascertained. While many argue it was due to heavy rainfall, there are also some who argue it might have happened due to a glacier bursting in the Himalayas.

Government officials are yet to dispatch a scientific team to ascertain the cause of such a big flood. The flood, however, has taught a lesson that human habitats that are on the riverbanks are now vulnerable even though they were perceived to be safe in the past.

A global threat

Photo: Pxfuel

Take the example of recent floods in central China, Europe, and the Indian state of Maharashtra. Millions were displaced by the floods in Henan province due to extreme wet weather in the region that experts say occurs once in a thousand years. They say rain levels recorded at some stations can be seen once in every 5,000 years.

Similarly, scientists were shocked by the scale of floods that occurred in the second week of July in Germany. Precipitation records were unexpectedly and historically high in some areas which caused flood and inundation. In Maharashtra, over 100 people died due to floods and landslides. According to Indian authorities, the state witnessed the heaviest spell of rain for decades.

These tragedies clearly show that earth is going to face an unprecedented crisis in the coming days. It could manifest as floods, heatwaves, glacier bursts, and other forms. This should be a wake-up call for all countries, including Nepal, to think about the safety of human settlements that are near the riverbanks or in low land which are prone to flooding and inundation.

Our context

Due to incessant rain patterns and cloudbursts, any place could be inundated in floodwaters. The government should take this as a warning and prepare all levels to tackle this issue and plan rescue accordingly.

This means every village should make preparations for possible floods. In recent years, we have seen big landslides in villages. The recent floods call for greater collaboration among countries to minimise the impacts of climate change. The rise in temperature is causing more evaporations which have resulted in incessant rainfalls, the main reason behind recent floods.

File: A flood in Saptari

In the least developed countries like Nepal, people are unaware of areas vulnerable to floods. Lack of evidence-based research and awareness makes the local people vulnerable to natural disasters like floods and landslides. What makes it difficult to mitigate these disasters in the future is a lack of action plans and impact assessments.

Every year, an estimated 1.6 million deaths occur globally due to floods. Nepal ranks 23rd in the world in terms of total natural hazard-related deaths. Between 1998 and 2007, over 7000 people died in the country from natural disasters.

Nepal is categorised as the 30th most hazard-prone country in terms of flood hazards by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The intertwining impacts of climate change-related phenomenon together with the vulnerable settlements may lead to losses beyond imagination if immediate actions are not deployed. Nepal is considered the second-highest country at risk of floods in South Asia. Between 1954 and 2018, floods in Nepal caused 7,599 deaths and affected 6.1 million people and caused economic losses in billions.

When it comes to natural disasters, Nepal is in a vulnerable position. A new glacial lake inventory report has identified 47 potentially dangerous glacial lakes (PDGLs) within the Koshi, Gandaki, and Karnali river basins of Nepal, the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, and India.

According to the information available, Nepal has experienced at least 24 GLOF events in the past. Of these, 14 are believed to have occurred in Nepal itself, and 10 were the result of flood surge overspills across the China (Tibet AR)-Nepal border. Of the 47 dangerous lakes on the Koshi, Gandaki and Karnali basins, 31 were found to be at very high risk of bursting and causing damage. There are dangers of glacial lake outbursts flooding in some parts of the country. Various reports have shown that the level of glacial lakes is increasing and it could burst anytime.

Climate-induced disasters are going to emerge as the greatest humanitarian crisis all over the world and Nepal will not be able to avoid it. As Nepals leaders are busy playing politics, little or no attention has been paid to deal with possible crises. More than that, our leaders lack knowledge about the climate crisis. It has already been too late to deal with climate change issues.
Description

"Guild Hall will celebrate its 90th birthday all day and night on Thursday, August 19! The exhibition on view, Robert Longo: A History of the Present will be on view in the galleries for extended hours from noon to 8PM. The days festivities will begin at 11AM with artist Viv Corringham, who will be giving a personal tour of Full of Noises: A Village Soundwalk at 11AM, followed by Community Drip Painting with the Pollock-Krasner House & Study Center in front of the building from 3-5PM. Hampton Ballet School will present Pop-Up Performances in the John Drew Backyard Theater at 3:30PM and 4:30PM leading up to New York City Ballet: On & Off Stage indoors at 7:30PM in the John Drew Theater.



As the sun goes down the exterior of the building will be lit up with a special projected installation by artist Christine Sciulli that will serve as the backdrop for a Silent Dance Party from 8-11PM. The grounds of Guild Hall will come alive in a quietly energetic way as two DJs spin tunes from the 70s to today, piped into three channels on headphones, so there will always be one of your favorite dance songs in your ears to groove to! Additionally, free birthday cupcakes will be available all day courtesy of Citarella, and the eAT Coffee Bar will be open for refreshments (and cocktails!) from noon to 11PM."



Guild Hall
Workforce

Was DOD ready for telework in 2020?

Two reports from the Office of the Inspector General at the Department of Defense give insight into how much access to IT and communications employees at different DOD components had during the first few months of the pandemic.

For many, slow networks and the need for more government-furnished equipment and applications were problems.

The reports, dated Aug. 13 and Aug. 12, go into the experiences of employees at the Missile Defense Agency and the Defense Logistics Agency, respectively. The report are offshoots of a larger evaluation and August 2020 survey of access to information technology and communication during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic released in March 2021.

The beginning of the pandemic forced many DOD personnel into full-or part-time telework, it found. 88.2% of survey respondents went virtual at least some of the time between March 15 and Aug. 26, 2020.

The shift was initially hampered by problems with employee access to DOD component networks and voice and video conferencing tools, in addition to gaps in government-furnished equipment. These problems lessened over time "as the DOD increased its network availability and capacity, added voice and video conferencing applications and purchased and distributed computer and communications equipment," the report says.

At the root of some of these challenges was the fact that some DoD components didn't fully test if their IT systems would hold up with government-wide telework, and hadn't done telework exercises with their workforce before March 2020 like instructed in the DoD Implementation Plan and Telework Policy. This left some components "unprepared," the report said.

The IG recommended updating the department's Implementation Plan for Pandemic Influenza, aligning that with the agency's teleworking policy, and requiring components to update their own plans.

MDA and DLA also saw big shifts to telework in early 2020. At the MDA, 98.2% of survey respondents moved to either full or part-time telework last year. The DLA workforce moved from 78.2% teleworking either full- or part-time before the pandemic to 88.7% after the crisis started.

Overall, feds largely said that they were either more productive or at least as productive as they were before.

Almost half of MLA survey participants  45.9%  said that they were more productive during max telework. Out of the other half, 37.8% said they productivity didn't change, and 16.3% said it decreased.

That's similar to responses from DLA feds, where 50.7% said their productivity increased; 43.1%, remained the same; and 6.2%, decreased.

The most frequently cited problems by MDA feds were intermittent connectivity and slow networking speeds, but employees said these got better over time.

Slow networks were also the most-cited problem by DMA employees. Reports of slow speeds often or very often went down 4.9% over the five months.

At MDA, some employees also needed more equipment and applications when they first started teleworking: many referenced headsets, government-furnished monitors and teleconferencing applications. In fact, when asked what improvements where needed, the most referenced answer was more government-furnished equipment, followed by management buy-in.

Support from management also came in second at the DLA, although the most common answer to the question of what improvements were needed for successful telework as no improvements needed. Those that did say they needed more equipment when the pandemic started referenced government monitors and printers the most.

The reports come as the federal government continues to monitor growing coronavirus cases across the nation and the impact on the government's workforce and operations.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is looking to mandate vaccinations for civilian, military and contractor employees by mid-September, or when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issues full approval for the COVID-19 vaccines, which are currently available under emergency use authorizations.

Feds at both components said rated shorter or less commuting and a better home-life balance as positives of teleworking more often, and the most common answer at both DOD components to the question of what parts of teleworking they want to continue was regular telework in their schedule.
LONDON, Aug 19 (Reuters) - Britain is starting to invest in hubs to process Afghans fleeing from the country after the Taliban's lightening takeover, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said on Thursday.

"We are starting to invest in third country hubs already so we can process people, if they get out to other countries such as in the region," Wallace said.

Wallace said a British presence would stay at Kabul airport as long as U.S. forces continued to run the airport.

"We will stay as long as the United States forces are running that airport," Wallace said. "The airport is now being run by the United States."

(Reporting by Sarah Young; writing by Guy Faulconbridge; editing by Michael Holden)
BeInCrypto 

Coinbase has announced that it has launched in Japan, according to a blog post published on Aug 19. The move marks yet another step by Coinbase to reach a more global audience, which it must do to compete with the likes of Binance.

The exchange says that the launch is in line with its global expansion and that it will be fully compliant with regulation. To support this, it has also formed a partnership with the Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG), one of Japans largest banks. This could give Coinbase a real boost, as the bank serves over 40 million customers.

Japan is a country whose citizens are extremely keen on the crypto market, as Coinbase rightly notes in saying that it was among the first to embrace crypto. Consequently, the government has stepped in to regulate it in the past few years.

This story was seen first on BeInCrypto Join our Telegram Group and get trading signals, a free trading course and more stories like this on BeInCrypto
List of the Companies Profiled in the Market: Alliance Concrete Pump, Liebherr, Schwing Stetter, Ajax Fiori Engineering, Sany Heavy Industry Co.,DY Concrete Pump, PCP Group LLC, Xuzhou Construction Machinery Co,Ltd, Zoomlion Heavy Industry Science & Technology Co., Ltd, Zhejiang Truemax Engineering Co., Sebhsa, Concord Concrete Pump, Junjin

Pune, India, Aug. 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global Concrete Pump market is set to gain impetus from the increasing investments in research and development activities by numerous prominent manufacturers. In June 2021, for instance, SCHWING Americaannounced the expansion of the pumping season with a newly designed chassis forSX III, S 47, and S 43 SX. It would enable boom pump operators to drive on highways and roads according to Minnesota restrictions. As per a report by Fortune Business Insights, in a report, titled, Concrete Pump Market, 2021-2028, the market size wasUSD 4.57 billion in 2020. It is projected to grow from USD 4.74 billion in 2021 to USD 6.61 billion in 2028 at a CAGR of 4.9% in the forecast period.

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A list of renowned manufacturersoperating in the global market:

Alliance Concrete Pump (Pennsylvania, the U.S.)

Liebherr (Kirchdorf an der Iller, Germany)

Schwing Stetter (Herne, Germany)

Ajax Fiori Engineering (Karnataka, India)

Sany Heavy Industry Co., Ltd. (Changsha, China)

DY Concrete Pump (Calgary, Canada)

PCP Group LLC (Florida, the U.S.)

Xuzhou Construction Machinery Co,Ltd (Jiangsu, China)

Zoomlion Heavy Industry Science & Technology Co., Ltd. (Hunan Province, China)

Zhejiang Truemax Engineering Co., Ltd. (Hangzhou, China)

Sebhsa (Girona, Spain)

Concord Concrete Pump (Port Coquitlam, Canada)

Junjin (China)

Report Scope & Segmentation -

Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 2021-2028 Forecast Period 2021 to 2028 CAGR 4.9 % 2028 Value Projection USD 6.61 Billion Base Year 2020 Market Size in 2020 USD 4.57 Billion Historical Data for 2017-2019 No. of Pages 120 Segments covered Product Type; Industry; Regional Growth Drivers Development of High-rise Buildings and Construction of Commercial Skyscrapers to Boost Growth.

Severe Shortage of Labor and Need to Adopt Automation in Construction Industry to Aid Growth.



Pitfalls & Challenges Breakdown of Concrete Pump Leading to Halt of Construction May Hinder Growth.

COVID-19 Pandemic: Halt of Construction Activitiesto Obstruct Growth

Story continues

The COVID-19 pandemic has halted construction activities happening across the globe because of stringent lockdown and social distancing norms. Many investors cancelled their plans to invest in the field of Concrete Pump, resulting in low cash liquidity. The International Labour Organization, for instance, declared that the Indian construction industry is facing severe problems post the two waves of COVID-19 because of the shortage of labourers. At the same time, the declining demand for commercial outlets in malls would hamper growth amid the pandemic.

To get to know more about the short-term and long-term impact of COVID-19 on this market, please visit: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/concrete-pump-market-105636

Segments-

Stationary Segment Held 13.2% Share in 2020: Fortune Business Insights

Based on product type, the market is trifurcated into specialized, stationary, and truck mounted. Out of these, the stationary segment earned 13.2% in terms of the Concrete Pump market share in 2020. The truck mounted segment is set to remain dominant throughout the forthcoming years because of its ability to providehigh accuracy and precision.

Report Coverage-

The research report contains an in-depth study of various regions. It was curated by our analysts after studying and observing numerous factors that determine regional growth, such as political, technological, social, economic, and environmental status of that particular region. The competitive landscape section was developed to help our clients better understand the collaborations and strategies that key manufacturers ofthese Pumpsare focusing on to compete with their rivals globally.

Ask for Customization: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/request-sample-pdf/concrete-pump-market-105636

Drivers & Restraints-

Rising Development inMetropolitan Cities and Urbanization to Aid Growth

The rapid urbanization and development in metropolitan cities worldwide is set to propel the demand for high-rise buildings. These Pumps can transport the concrete mixture easily at far reaching high-rise buildings with ease. ANAROCK Property Consultants, for instance, mentioned that in the top 7 cities across India, 52% out of the total 1,816 housing projects in 2019 were high-rise buildings. They had a20 plus floor structure. However, the breakdown of these pumps at construction sites can lead to the waste of ready mix concrete and stop operations temporarily. It may hamper theConcrete Pump market growth in the upcoming years.

Regional Insights-

Rising Construction of Skyscrapers to Help Asia Pacific Dominate

Geographically, Asia Pacific stood at USD 1.62 billion in 2020 in terms of revenue.India is set to contribute to this growth because of the surging construction of skyscrapers and high-rise buildings in this country.According to Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), around 734 upcoming projects are under the high-rise category. On the other hand, North America is anticipated to show stable growth backed by the rising demand for performance oriented Concrete Pump.

Competitive Landscape-

Key Players Focus on Introducing Novel Products to Intensify Competition

The global market contains a large number of companies that are presently striving to keep up with the high demand from customers worldwide. To do so, they are launching innovative products to attract more customers. A few others are trying to follow guidelines given by governments to prevent accidents. Below are the two significant industry developments:

January2020 :Putzmeister and Sany expanded its concrete product range at Excon 2019. The new product range includesPutzmeister BSF 47  5, Sany SYG5180THB300C-8, and Batching Plant MT 0.35.

November 2020:Axio (Special Works) Limited had to provide a fine of 20,000 as one of its employees was injured by a concrete pump. As per aHSE inspector, proper guidelines should be followed while working with such equipment.

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Table Of Content

Introduction Definition, By Segment Research Methodology/Approach Data Product Types

Executive Summary

Market Dynamics Macro and Micro Economic Indicators Drivers, Restraints,Opportunities and Trends Impact of COVID-19 on Concrete PumpMarket Short-term Impact Long-term Impact

Competition Landscape Business Strategies Adopted by Key Players Consolidated SWOT Analysis of Key Players Porters Five Forces Analysis Global Concrete PumpMarket Share Analysis and Matrix, 2020

KeyMarket Insights and Strategic Recommendations

Profiles of Key Players (Would be provided for 10 players only)

Overview Key Management Headquarters etc. Offerings/Business Segments



Key Details (Key details are subjected to data availability in public domain and/or on paid databases) Employee Size Past and Current Revenue Geographical Share Business Segment Share Recent Developments

Primary Interview Responses

Annexure / Appendix Global Concrete Pump MarketAnalysis, Insights and Forecast (Quantitative Data), By Segments, 2017-2028 By Product Type (Value) Truck Mounted Stationary Specialized By Industry (Value) Commercial Industrial Domestic



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The Bloom Lake Mine will have a structuring effect on the Cote-Nord economy and the overall Quebec economy

MONTREAL, Aug. 19, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - To support the expansion plans for the Bloom Lake Mine and contribute to reducing steelmaking emissions, Fonds de solidarite FTQ has granted an unsecured loan of up to $75 million to Quebec Iron Ore Inc. ("QIO"), a subsidiary of Champion Iron Limited.

QIO owns and operates the Bloom Lake Mining Complex ("Bloom Lake"), located on the south end of the Labrador Trough, approximately 13 km north of Fermont, Quebec, adjacent to other established iron ore producers. Bloom Lake produces one of the world's highest-quality iron concentrates and enables steelmakers to significantly reduce their carbon footprint. Currently under construction, Phase II of the Bloom Lake expansion project will allow QIO to double its annual production capacity to 15 million tonnes and meet global demand for high-grade iron ore. Operations at the Phase II expansion project are expected to begin in mid-2022.

Mr. Dany Pelletier, Executive Vice President, Investments, at the Fonds de solidarite FTQ said "The Bloom Lake development will have a structuring effect on the Cote-Nord and all of Quebec, thanks to Quebec Iron Ore's experienced and qualified management team that identified measures to be taken to relaunch the mine. Phase II of the expansion project, which will require purchasing new mining equipment and building a second processing plant, will create over 400 permanent quality jobs and have a positive impact on the region for years to come."

Quebec Iron Ore Inc.'s President, Mr. David Cataford, said "We are fortunate to have partners like Fonds de solidarite FTQ who share our vision of sustainability and responsible environmental management as we reduce global steel-making emissions with our high-grade iron ore products. We are proud of the positive impact created by our Company following the commissioning of Bloom Lake in 2018, which secured over 500 quality jobs for remote regions of Quebec. This financing by the Fonds demonstrates local support for our Company by participating in its growth trajectory with the ongoing Bloom Lake Phase II expansion project and participate in the economic expansion of the region by creating additional permanent quality jobs."

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About the Fonds de solidarite FTQ

The Fonds de solidarite FTQ invests to build a better society by channelling the savings of its 723,501 shareholders into development and risk capital investments to help Quebec transition to a green economy, to a human-centred world of work, and to a healthier society. The Fonds offers businesses unsecured financing and strategic support. With $17.2 billion in net assets as at May 31, 2021, the Fonds has supported 3,437 partner companies and 247,612 jobs.

About Champion Iron Limited and Quebec Iron Ore Inc.

Champion Iron Limited, through Quebec Iron Ore Inc. owns and operates the Bloom Lake Mining Complex, located on the south end of the Labrador Trough, approximately 13 km north of Fermont, Quebec, adjacent to other established iron ore producers. Bloom Lake is an open-pit truck and shovel operation with a concentrator, and it ships iron ore concentrate from the site by rail, initially on the Bloom Lake Railway, to a ship loading port in Sept-Iles, Quebec. The Bloom Lake Phase I plant has a nameplate capacity of 7.4 Mtpa and produces a high-grade 66.2% Fe iron ore concentrate with low contaminant levels, which has proven to attract a premium to the Platts IODEX 62% Fe iron ore benchmark. In addition to Quebec Iron ore's partially completed Bloom Lake Phase II expansion project, Champion also controls a portfolio of exploration and development projects in the Labrador Trough, including the Kamistiatusset iron ore project located a few kilometres south east of Bloom Lake, and the Fire Lake North iron ore project located approximately 40 km south of Bloom Lake. The Company sells its iron ore concentrate globally, including to customers in China, Japan, the Middle East, Europe, South Korea, India and Canada.

SOURCE Fonds de solidarite FTQ

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- Amilo-5MER suppresses chronic inflammations in broad spectrum of animal models of inflammatory diseases.

- Amilo-5MER has a unique mechanism of action targeting Serum Amyloid A (SAA) associated pathologies, i.e, chronic inflammatory conditions.

TEL AVIV, Israel, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Galmed Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (Nasdaq: GLMD) ("Galmed" or the "Company"), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company for liver, metabolic and inflammatory diseases announced today the publication in The Journal of Autoimmunity for its IND ready compound, Amilo-5MER entitled: "MTADV 5-MER peptide suppresses chronic inflammations as well as autoimmune pathologies and unveils a new potential target-Serum Amyloid A."

Galmed Pharmaceuticals Ltd. Logo

Amilo-5MER, is a five amino acid in a specific sequence that was originally isolated from synovial fluid of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. This human peptide displays an efficient anti-inflammatory effect to ameliorate pathology and clinical symptoms in mouse models of RA, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and multiple sclerosis (MS). The presumed MoA by which Amilo-5MER affects chronic inflammation is binding to SAA and preventing its ability to activate immune cells for pro inflammatory cytokine secretion.

Studies have demonstrated that Amilo-5MER significantly inhibits the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-1 from SAA activated human fibroblasts, THP-1 monocytes and peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Amilo-5MER suppresses the pro-inflammatory IL-6 release from SAA-activated cells, but not from non-activated cells providing selective anti inflammatory properties.

Prof. David Naor, a winner of 2021 Kaye Prize for scientific innovation and affiliated with the Lautenberg Center of Immunology and Cancer Research, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel and the inventor of Amilo-5MER commented "Serum Amyloid A (SAA) initiates and activates the cascade of events leading to chronic inflammation by stimulating release of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6,IL-1 and TNF, generating a "cytokine storm" and subsequently damage to the body tissues. Amilo-5MER, specifically binds to subunits of SAA, thereby neutralizing its pathological structure and consequently its ability to stimulate "cytokine storm", thus interfering with the inflammatory process. Challenged by the unmet needs of treating inflammatory diseases and preserving the immune surveillance of these patients, Amilo-5MER attenuates inflammation as a specific immune modulator while not interfering with acute immune response."

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Allen Baharaff, Galmed co-founder and CEO commented: "I congratulate Prof. Naor for the publication of his pioneering research work on Amilo-5MER, unveiling its unique mechanism of action. Amilo-5MER demonstrated interference with SAA polymerization and aggregation which is essential for the activity of SAA. Aggregated SAA is the main cause and a bio - marker of chronic inflammation. Amilo-5MER has a unique mode of action up stream to all pro inflammatory cytokine and can potentially be a therapeutic agent in numerous SAA-associated pathologies."

Galmed Pharmaceuticals Ltd.

Galmed Pharmaceuticals Ltd. is a clinical stage drug development biopharmaceutical company for liver, metabolic and inflammatory diseases. Our lead compound, Aramchol, a backbone drug candidate for the treatment of NASH and fibrosis is currently in a Phase 3 registrational study. We are also developing Amilo-5MER, a 5 amino acid synthetic peptide and recently initiated a first in human study.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This press release may include forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements relating to Galmed's objectives, plans and strategies, as well as statements, other than historical facts, that address activities, events or developments that Galmed intends, expects, projects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future. These statements are often characterized by terminology such as "believes," "hopes," "may," "anticipates," "should," "intends," "plans," "will," "expects," "estimates," "projects," "positioned," "strategy" and similar expressions and are based on assumptions and assessments made in light of management's experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors believed to be appropriate. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Many factors could cause Galmed's actual activities or results to differ materially from the activities and results anticipated in forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the following: the timing and cost of Galmed's pivotal Phase 3 ARMOR trial, or the ARMOR Study or any other pre-clinical or clinical trials; completion and receiving favorable results of the ARMOR Study for Aramchol or any other pre-clinical or clinical trial; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic; regulatory action with respect to Aramchol or any other product candidate by the FDA or the EMA; the commercial launch and future sales of Aramchol or any other future products or product candidates; Galmed's ability to comply with all applicable post-market regulatory requirements for Aramchol or any other product candidate in the countries in which it seeks to market the product; Galmed's ability to achieve favorable pricing for Aramchol or any other product candidate; Galmed's expectations regarding the commercial market for NASH patients or any other indication; third-party payor reimbursement for Aramchol or any other product candidate; Galmed's estimates regarding anticipated capital requirements and Galmed's needs for additional financing; market adoption of Aramchol or any other product candidate by physicians and patients; the timing, cost or other aspects of the commercial launch of Aramchol or any other product candidate; the development and approval of the use of Aramchol or any other product candidate for additional indications or in combination therapy; and Galmed's expectations regarding licensing, acquisitions and strategic operations. More detailed information about the risks and uncertainties affecting Galmed is contained under the heading "Risk Factors" included in Galmed's most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC on March 18, 2021, and in other filings that Galmed has made and may make with the SEC in the future. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release and reflect Galmed's current views with respect to future events, and Galmed does not undertake and specifically disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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SOURCE Galmed Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
TORONTO, Aug. 18, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gran Colombia Gold Corp. (TSX: GCM; OTCQX: TPRFF) announced today that Ms. Belinda Labatte has been appointed to its Board of Directors effective immediately.



We are pleased to be welcoming Ms. Labatte as an independent director to Gran Colombias Board of Directors. Ms. Labatte is a dynamic leader with considerable industry and public company experience that will complement our existing Board members as we execute our strategy of growth through diversification and continue to incorporate ESG principles into the way in which we conduct our business, said Serafino Iacono, Executive Chairman of Gran Colombia. With the addition of Ms. Labatte, Gran Colombia continues to embrace its commitment towards building a gender diverse Board and is well on track to meet its gender diversity goals as per our written Gender Diversity Policy adopted earlier this year. Please join me in welcoming Ms. Labatte to our Board.

Ms. Labatte holds an MBA from the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto and is a CFA charter holder. She is the Founder of The Capital Lab Inc. and formerly Chief Development Officer of Mandalay Resources. Ms. Labatte has extensive extractive industry and corporate development experience having executed on numerous global IR and capital markets advisory mandates, transaction negotiations and implementation of corporate responsibility, risk and crisis management strategies. Ms. Labatte is a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors, ICD.D since June 2018 and is an independent director of Star Royalties and Rambler Metals and Mining.

Monthly Dividend Declaration

Gran Colombia also announced today that its Board of Directors has declared the next monthly dividend of CA$0.015 per common share will be paid on September 15, 2021 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on August 31, 2021.

About Gran Colombia Gold Corp.

Gran Colombia is a mid-tier gold producer with a proven track record of mine building and operating in Latin America. In Colombia, the Company is currently the largest underground gold and silver producer with several mines in operation at its high-grade Segovia Operations. In Guyana, the Company is advancing the Toroparu Project, one of the largest undeveloped gold projects in the Americas. Gran Colombia also owns an approximately 44% equity interest in Aris Gold Corporation (TSX: ARIS) (Colombia  Marmato), an approximately 27% equity interest in Denarius Silver Corp. (TSX-V: DSLV) (Spain  Lomero-Poyatos; Colombia  Guia Antigua and Zancudo) and an approximately 26% equity interest in Western Atlas Resources Inc. (TSX-V: WA) (Nunavut  Meadowbank).

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Additional information on Gran Colombia can be found on its website at www.grancolombiagold.com and by reviewing its profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information:

This news release contains "forward-looking information", which may include, but is not limited to, statements with respect to production guidance, the payment of dividends and other anticipated business plans or strategies. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Gran Colombia to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements are described under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Information Form dated as of March 31, 2021 which is available for view on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this press release and Gran Colombia disclaims, other than as required by law, any obligation to update any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, results, future events, circumstances, or if management's estimates or opinions should change, or otherwise. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

For Further Information, Contact:

Mike Davies

Chief Financial Officer

(416) 360-4653

investorrelations@grancolombiagold.com




Business class flights and luxury transfers included

LONDON, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Luxury furniture brand and interior design studio Juliettes Interiors are offering the chance to win a 5 star Iceland break worth up to 4000. The winner and a guest will be jetting off for a two-night stay at the Diamond Suites Keflavik - Iceland's very first 5 star hotel. With celebrities, VIPs and world dignitaries among its clientele, this superb, family-run hotel offers the ultimate luxury hotel experience. A perfect place to escape and unwind at any time of year.

Iceland the land of fire & ice

Part of the renowned Hotel Keflavik, Diamond Suites has five luxury penthouse residences, each named after a precious gemstone. Guests at the hotel find private, glass-enclosed hot tubs with spectacular views of the Reykjanes Peninsula; magnificent, hand carved beds by Juliettes Interiors; fabulous bathrooms with Versace tiles and Philippe Starck taps - and a level of service that is second to none. The Reykjanes Peninsula is at the heart of everything Iceland has to offer. This is the most visited area in Iceland - and with good reason. Relaxing in the geothermal waters of the Blue Lagoon, picnicking alongside a newly-erupted volcano, whale watching or gazing up at the elusive Northern Lights. In this land of ice and fire, there is so much for holidaymakers to do. The family team at Diamond Suites are always on hand to recommend and arrange an itinerary.

This luxury Iceland break starts at the airport, with business class flights from London Heathrow Airport, lounge access and chauffeur-driven transfers from and to Keflavik International Airport in the hotel's own top-of-the-range Range Rover.

The prize includes:

Return business class flights (or equivalent) for two from London Heathrow to Keflavik International Airport

Private, chauffeur-driven transfers between Keflavik International Airport and the Diamond Suites

Two nights' accommodation for two people in one of the Diamond Suites

Full Icelandic breakfast each morning

Enter at the Juliettes Interiors website: https://www.juliettesinteriors.co.uk/win-a-luxury-iceland-break/

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Closing date 6th September 2021

Juliettes Interiors are proud to work with the Hotel Keflavik, supplying exclusive luxury furniture to bring the owner's interior design ideas to life. From exquisite chandeliers to beautiful beds and eye-catching accessories, only the finest pieces make their way into this elegant, 5 star hotel.

Contact

Juliette Thomas

+44 (0) 207 870 7415

www.juliettesinteriors.co.uk

Notes to Editors

Established in 2005 by Juliette Thomas, Juliettes Interiors is an internationally-renowned, award-winning company, offering a luxury interior design service, retail showroom and interior design courses. The brand is a member of the British Institute of Interior Design, membership of which is subject to a highly selective process; companies are only granted membership when they can demonstrate the highest level of products and services. Based on The Kings Road, Chelsea, Juliettes Interiors is in the high-end design hub of London. With quality, service and expertise at the heart of the company, Juliettes Interiors is justifiably a leader in its market.

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1598172/Juliettes_Interiors_Iceland.jpg
Craig R. McClellan and Conor J. Hulburt of The McClellan Law Firm have been selected to the 2022 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

SAN DIEGO, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- San Diego Civil Trial Attorneys Craig R. McClellan and Conor J. Hulburt were once again named among The Best Lawyers in America.

The McClellan Law Firm (PRNewsfoto/The McClellan Law Firm)

This year's selection also marks a major milestone for McClellan. It's the 30th year that he has been recognized by Best Lawyers.

Peer-Endorsed Attorneys With a Record of Success

Recognition by Best Lawyers is regarded among the legal industry's top honors. That's because the Best Lawyers methodology is based entirely on peer review, meaning attorneys who earn a spot on the final list have been selected by fellow lawyers, judges, and members of the bar who know their work and what it takes to be a leader in their area of practice.

Attorneys included in The Best Lawyers in America are deemed to demonstrate exceptional knowledge and success in their areas of practice, and have earned the respect and esteem of their peers. For Craig McClellan and Conor Hulburt, it's an honor they've earned more than once:

Craig R. McClellan has been named to Best Lawyers every year since 1993 in the categories of Commercial Litigation, Product Liability Litigation  Plaintiffs, and Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs. McClellan, who has handled high-profile cases across the country, is known for litigating complex auto defect claims against some of the world's largest automakers. As Founder of The McClellan Law Firm, he's recovered millions for clients in claims involving business and IP litigation, serious injury, and defective products and has secured more than 140 verdicts and settlements in excess of $1 million each. McClellan is a current member of the Inner Circle of Advocates , a distinguished trial lawyers' group with membership limited to the nation's top 100 plaintiffs' attorneys.



Conor J. Hulburt earned his second selection to The Best Lawyers in America in Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs and Product Liability Litigation  Plaintiffs. At The McClellan Law Firm, he has obtained numerous seven- and eight-figure recoveries in claims involving serious personal injury, wrongful death, product defects, and insurance bad faith. Hulburt is a three-time recipient of San Diego Business Journal's "Best of the Bar" award and has been named to The National Trial Lawyers Top 100 and Super Lawyers Rising Stars.

The McClellan Law Firm has been serving clients in matters of serious personal injury, wrongful death, and complex business litigation for more than 30 years. Based in San Diego, the firm handles cases across California and beyond. Visit www.mcclellanlaw.com for more information.

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SOURCE The McClellan Law Firm
WUHAN, China and SAN DIEGO, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Neurophth Biotechnology Ltd., a fully-integrated genomic medicines company committed to the development of AAV-delivered gene therapies for the treatment of ocular diseases, today announced the recent appointment of Dr. Zhengbin (Luke) Li as the Head of Commercial.

In his role, Dr. Li will oversee all aspects of commercial activities, develop the strategic brand and sales/marketing plans, launch readiness of products, implement market access and lead the business development. At Neurophth, he will apply his extensive past experience in growing and scaling businesses that apply gene therapy technology to Ophthalmology to improve the lives of under-served patients.

Dr. Luke Li is a seasoned commercial leader with more than 12 years of proven commercial experience in the healthcare and multi-national pharmaceutical industry, specializing in new product commercialization and brand management experience particularly in ophthalmology. Dr. Li's previous positions include commercial leadership roles at top MNC pharmaceuticals including Bristol-Myers Squibb, Sanofi, Bayer, Novartis etc.. Within Novartis, he was a member of Lucentis best-in-class launch commercial launch team as well as global Ophthalmology brand team. Within Bayer, he led the company's successful launch of Eylea, built the commercial team and oversaw the strategic planning for the Ophthalmology business unit.

Dr. Li received his MBA from Washington University in St. Louis and his Ph.D. from Peking Union Medical College. He completed his postdoctoral research trainings at the Washington University School of Medicine in Neuropharmacology and at the Yale University School of Medicine in Neurobiology.

Founder and Chairman of Neurophth Prof. Bin Li said: "Luke's strong track record of successfully launching Eylea and in-depth experience in Ophthalmology, coupled with his academic background in Biology and clinical medicine, makes him an ideal candidate to lead our growing commercial and business development teams and infrastructure. With the anticipated first AAV gene therapy product in Ophthalmology launch in China and plans for international commercialization and growth, I'm confident he will play a critical role in shaping and achieving Neurophth's global growth strategy."

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"Neurophth has set the stage for commercial success with well-defined growth strategies and a solid pipeline in rare and common ophthalmic diseases. Luke's appointment as the Head of Commercial comes at a key inflection point for Neurophth as the company evolves into a fully integrated, commercial-stage organization with the potential approval and launch of NR082 in and outside of China, bringing the ideal of the company 'in China, for Global' closer to reality." said Dr. Alvin Luk, Chief Executive Officer of Neurophth.

"I am delighted to be part of Neurophth at this exciting juncture of the company. The team at Neurophth share a commitment to transforming medicine and helping blind patients by using technology to supplement correct genetic information to reverse the vision loss," said Luke Li, Head of Commercial at Neurophth. "AAV in-vivo gene therapy platform approach continues to demonstrate great promise in treating ophthalmic diseases that have been already proven in the U.S. I'm deeply passionate about scaling the use of novel technologies to improve the lives of patients and look forward to joining the team to build a global and sustainable commercial organization to drive the field of gene therapy forward as well as to bringing these potentially curative therapies to patients upon their approval."

About Neurophth

Neurophth is China's first gene therapy company for Ophthalmic diseases. Headquartered in Wuhan with subsidiaries in China (Shanghai and Suzhou) and US (San Diego, California), Neurophth, a fully integrated company, is striving to discover and develop gene therapies for patients suffering from blindness and other eye diseases globally. Our validated AAV platform which has been published in Nature - Scientific Reports, Ophthalmology, and EBioMedicine, has successfully delivered proof-of-concept data with investigational gene therapies in the retina. Our most advanced investigational candidate, NR082 (NFS-01 project, rAAV2-ND4), in development for the treatment of ND4-mediated Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON), has been granted orphan drug designation (ODD) by the U.S. FDA and its IND evaluating NR082 in a Phase 1/2/3 clinical trial has also been approved by the China NMPA in March 2021 with the first patient being dosed in June 2021. The pipeline also includes ND1-mediated LHON, autosomal dominant optic atrophy, optic neuroprotection (e.g., glaucoma), vascular retinopathy (e.g., diabetic macular edema), and five other preclinical candidates. Neurophth has initiated the scaling up in-house manufacturing process in single-use technologies to support future commercial demand at the Suzhou facilities. To learn more about us and our growing pipeline, visit www.neurophth.com.

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SOURCE Neurophth Therapeutics, Inc.
The Education Department (ED) is discharging $5.8 billion in student debt held by over 323,000 federal student loan borrowers who are totally and permanently disabled in a win for advocates who urged the Biden administration to make the move.

Education Secretary Miguel Cardona told reporters that the move was "in alignment with our strategies from day one to put our borrowers at the center of the conversation," adding that ED is looking to make more improvements in this type of targeted loan relief program such Public Service Loan Forgiveness and regarding a massive backlog of borrower defense applications for debt relief.

Alex Elson, senior counsel at the National Student Legal Defense Network, which was among the groups that has been pushing ED to forgive the loans, told Yahoo Finance that the latest action was "a life-changing announcement for hundreds of thousands of people, and it's precisely what we've been calling on the department to do for a long time now."

Catie Walsh, who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, walks across a field to receive her diploma on 6/7/2017 (Photo By Natalie Kolb/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images)

The action affecting borrowers who have a total and permanent disability (TPD) brings total student loan forgiveness enacted by the Biden administration to roughly $8.7 billion. Federal actions amid the pandemic will lead to roughly $100 billion in total student loan forgiveness between March 2020 and September 2021, according to Education Department (ED) data and analysis from experts.

The wave of student debt relief has provided a financial lifeline to the roughly 45 million student loan borrowers owing more than $1.7 trillion in outstanding federally-backed debt. At the same time, some Democrats and experts are still urging the Biden administration to enact broad-based student debt cancellation.

"The Departments actions today will provide meaningful relief to hundreds of thousands of borrowers," Persis Yu, director of the National Consumer Law Centers Student Loan Borrower Assistance Project, told Yahoo Finance in a statement. "Todays action will take one step towards fixing a fundamentally broken system, but more still needs to be done. Millions of borrowers are still waiting for President Biden to make good on his promise to provide widespread student loan cancellation.

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'Life-changing' move by the U.S. government

Federal loan borrowers with TPD can generally apply for debt relief through a process created by Congress in 1965. Under a program set up by the Obama administration, the Social Security Administration (SSA) determines borrowers' eligibility.

If an eligible borrower opted in, they'd be subjected to a three-year monitoring period.

Since the start of the SSA collaboration, 818,074 borrowers have been identified as eligible for a TPD discharge and 300,405 were granted $8.8 billion. However, the process stalled for 517,669 others.

The new regulation by ED will apply to those borrowers who are identified as eligible through the existing data match with SSA. Furthermore, the process will also be automatic  borrowers will not have to fill out an application to get relief.

"This process is going to be a smooth process for borrowers where they're not going to have to be applying for it, or getting bogged down with paperwork," Cardona said. "We recognize that these borrowers are eligible and we are moving swiftly to provide relief of $5.8 billion to them."

U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona addresses the daily press briefing at the White House in Washington, U.S. August 5, 2021. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

ED also noted that the agency would also "indefinitely extend the policy announced in March to stop asking these borrowers to provide information on their earnings." ED expects affected borrowers to get notices of their approval for discharge "in the weeks after the match" in September, and the "expects that all discharges will occur by the end of the year."

A discrepancy remains: Previously released federal data stated that as of May 2021, over 517,000 individuals had not received the relief to which they are legally entitled while the Thursday announcement only covers 323,000 of those borrowers.

"Our understanding is that the [517,000] is essentially the numbers that are accumulated over multiple quarterly matches done over multiple years," an ED senior advisor explained on the call. "And so as a result. there are borrowers who may have applied, there are who may have been double counted because they are essentially showing up in multiple matches. So this 323,000 is our count of who we think will get the discharge is based upon the last quarterly match we did in June, who had not yet applied so those would be the most updating comprehensive numbers there."



Aarthi is a reporter for Yahoo Finance. She can be reached at aarthi@yahoofinance.com. Follow her on Twitter @aarthiswami.

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(Bloomberg) -- The Trump administrations approval of a ConocoPhillips oil field project on Alaskas Northern Slope was rescinded by a federal judge who said it failed to adequately protect polar bears and didnt properly consider the effects on climate change.

Federal officials also failed to properly consider the Willow projects possible harm to Teshekpuk Lake, U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason said in a 110-page ruling issued late Wednesday.

The court recognizes that vacatur would have considerable economic consequences to ConocoPhillips, which has already made a significant investment in the Willow Project, the judge wrote. And it would have a negative impact to the many other stakeholders in the project.

But Gleason, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama, said the evidence tipped in favor of rescinding the approvals and referred the issue to the appropriate agencies for further proceedings that are consistent with her ruling.

A ConocoPhillips spokewoman said the company would review the decision and evaluate the options available regarding this project.

The Trump administration approved permits for the project last year after concluding it wouldnt harm the environment or wildlife. The Biden administration defended the project in court.

The Willow project has been projected to produce more than 160,000 barrels of oil a day and about 586 million barrels over its 30-year life. Construction on the project hasnt started.

Environmentalists and Native Americans sued to halt the project, which they claimed would destroy polar bear and caribou habitat and forever alter the ecology of the Northern Slope.

The case is Sovereign Inupiat for a Living Arctic v. Bureau of Land Management, 3:20-cv-00290, U.S. District Court, District of Alaska (Anchorage).

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(Bloomberg) -- The British government ordered a probe into the proposed purchase of defense-technology specialist Ultra Electronics Holdings Plc by U.S. buyout firm Advent International Corp., citing national security concerns.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng issued a Public Interest Intervention Notice regarding the 2.57 billion-pound ($3.6 billion) agreed takeover by Advents Cobham Ltd. arm, according to a statement Wednesday.

The Competition and Markets Authority has until Jan. 18 to conduct its examination. While that means it could report after a law introducing tougher powers to scrutinize deals comes into force, the government said Thursday the Ultra case will be determined according to existing legislation.

Ultra said Monday it had approved an all-cash acquisition by Advent, sparking an outcry among some politicians and unions, who say the U.K. firms role in producing sonars and electronics for Britains nuclear submarines make it a vital asset. Similar concerns surround bids for aerospace supplier Meggitt Plc by two other American groups, Parker-Hannifin Corp. and TransDigm Group Inc.

Paul Everitt, ex-head of U.K. defense and aerospace trade body ADS, told BBC radio the government was right to step in and must now set precedents and markers for future bids. He questioned whether a private-equity owner with a buy, break and sell model is ever appropriate for a crucial defense business.

The Unite union said the intervention was a step in the right direction but that the government must not just talk tough and should now block both the Ultra and Meggitt sales.

Shares of Ultra were priced 1.6% lower at 33.12 pounds as of 12:53 p.m. in London Thursday in their first trading since the announcement. The stock was already below the 35 pounds purchase price agreed with Advent after Kwarteng told Bloomberg earlier this week that he planned to look more closely at ongoing defense deals.

Sensitive Information

Referencing the decision to order the CMA probe, the minister said on Twitter that the U.K. is open for business, however foreign investment must not threaten our national security. In a later tweet he said hed lodged an order in parliament preventing Ultra from disclosing sensitive information to Cobham on work it does for the British government and armed forces.

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A spokesman for Ultra declined to comment on the U.K. move, while pointing to a statement earlier this week from Chairman Tony Rice saying the companys board is comfortable that legally binding undertakings to the government will protect stakeholder interests.

Cobham also declined to comment, while reiterating that it will engage pro-actively with U.K. authorities.

Breakup Controversy

Britain conducted a similar review of Advents proposed Cobham purchase before signing off on the deal in December 2019, saying it was satisfied with remedies proposed to address security concerns.

The purchase went through in January last year and has remained controversial, with the private-equity buyer selling off divisions so that Cobham now has no U.K. manufacturing presence, leading its founding family to accuse the government of abandoning a national asset.

A government spokesperson confirmed that like the Cobham deal, the Ultra takeover will be examined under the Enterprise Act 2002 rather than the new National Security and Investment Act, which widens government powers to intervene on security grounds and is due to come into force in January.

Any merger which is subject to a national security intervention under the Enterprise Act must be completed under that same act, the spokesman said. It cannot be switched or subsequently called in.

U.K. defense assets have become magnets for a spate of foreign bids as private-equity firms tap into free-flowing capital and British stocks trade at a discount to U.S. and European peers. Targets include Senior Plc, which rejected a $1.2 billion bid from Lone Star Funds as too low.

(Updates with government comment on scrutiny process from 3rd paragraph, updates shares)

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A general view of tents at the Nyakabande refugees transit camp in Uganda.

Uganda is set to temporarily host Afghan 2,000 refugees following their home countrys rapid takeover by the Taliban.

Ugandas minister for relief, disaster preparedness and refugees, Esther Anyakun, told the countrys Daily Monitor newspaper that president Yoweri Museveni had granted a request by the US to let them stay in Uganda for three months. The US will then relocate them, she said, without specifying where.

Uganda hosts more refugees than any other country in Africa. Around 1.5 million people have found asylum there, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, most of them from neighboring South Sudan. Uganda is known for having friendly policies that give refugees plenty of rights, including education, work, and property ownership.

Meanwhile, for many years Ugandans have worked in war zones like Iraq, Afghanistan, and Somalia. Armed guards are Ugandas top export, reported Bloomberg in 2016.

The US has reportedly been holding talks with several different countries to get them to agree to temporarily host at-risk Afghans who worked for the American government. With the Taliban back in charge, and memories of the brutality of its former regime remaining strong, many Afghans are trying to flee the country, especially those who worked with foreign powers like the US and UK.

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Various CBD products from Green Roads' portfolio now available online in Japan through Tele Marche Co., Ltd.



KELOWNA, BC, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - The Valens Company Inc. (TSX: VLNS) (OTCQX: VLNCF) (the "Company," "The Valens Company" or "Valens"), a leading manufacturer of cannabis products, today announced that its subsidiary Green Roads has entered into a third-party distribution agreement with Tele Marche Co., Ltd. ("Tele Marche Co") for the sale and distribution by Tele Marche Co of Green Roads' award-winning CBD products in Japan.

The Valens Company Inc. (CNW Group/The Valens Company Inc.)

Tele Marche Co, in consultation with Green Roads, developed an online store in Japan by leveraging insights and best practices from Green Roads' strong e-commerce and marketing platform in the US, which averages approximately 9,000 orders per month and boasts over 30,000 five-star product reviews. The online store in Japan also includes various educational resources to help consumers learn more about cannabidiol (CBD), the importance of lab testing for safety and quality, and how to choose a product that best suits their preferences.

"We are very excited to join forces with Tele Marche Co so that they can bring Japanese consumers our award-winning CBD products that many consumers in the United States and beyond have come to trust for their quality, consistency, and value," said Dale Baker, President, US of The Valens Company. "We are confident that this new online store, along with its robust consumer education, will meet the growing needs of Japanese CBD consumers and will achieve success similar to that of our US e-commerce platform."

A full range of Green Roads' CBD products are now available to Japanese consumers through the online store, including tinctures, pet products, gummies, chocolate, bath bombs, and capsules. The online store in Japan will be owned and operated by Tele Marche Co under license from Green Roads.

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Tyler Robson, Chief Executive Officer, Co-Founder and Chair of The Valens Company added: "We are incredibly proud to add Japan to the growing list of countries in which Green Roads' products are available. With a population of approximately 127 million1, we view Japan as a significant growth opportunity with untapped potential for leading North American CBD brands like Green Roads. With Green Roads and Valens' products now collectively available in over 12 countries, we are rapidly increasing our distribution exposure and strategically positioning our platform to service many emerging markets poised for significant growth in new global regions."

At Valens, it's Personal.

1 Brightfield Group

About The Valens Company

The Valens Company is a leading manufacturer of cannabis products with a mission to bring the benefits of cannabis to the world. The Company provides proprietary cannabis processing services, in addition to best-in-class product development, manufacturing, and commercialization of cannabis consumer packaged goods. The Valens Company's high-quality products are formulated for the medical, health and wellness, and recreational consumer segments, and are offered across all cannabis product categories with a focus on quality and innovation. The Company also manufactures, distributes, and sells a wide range of CBD products in the United States through its subsidiary Green Roads, and distributes medicinal cannabis products to Australia through its subsidiary Valens Australia. In partnership with brand houses, consumer packaged goods companies and licensed cannabis producers around the globe, the Company continues to grow its diverse product portfolio in alignment with evolving cannabis consumer preferences in key markets. Through Valens Labs, the Company is setting the standard in cannabis testing and research and development with Canada's only ISO17025 accredited analytical services lab, named The Centre of Excellence in Plant-Based Science by partner and scientific world leader Thermo Fisher Scientific. Discover more on The Valens Company at http://www.thevalenscompany.com.

Notice regarding Forward Looking Statements

All information included in this press release, including any information as to the future financial or operating performance and other statements of The Valens Company that express management's expectations or estimates of future performance, other than statements of historical fact, constitute forward-looking information or forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as of the date hereof. Forward-looking statements are included for the purpose of providing information about management's current expectations and plans relating to the future. Wherever possible, words such as "plans", "expects", "scheduled", "trends", "forecasts", "future", "indications", "potential", "estimates", "predicts", "anticipate", "to establish", "believe", "intend", "ability to", or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "should", "could", "would", "might", "will", or are "likely" to be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of these words or other variations thereof, have been used to identify such forward-looking information. Specific forward-looking statements include, without limitation, all disclosure regarding future results of operations, future outcomes of transactions, economic conditions, and anticipated courses of action. Investors and other parties are advised that there is not necessarily any correlation between the number of SKUs manufactured and shipped and revenue and profit, and undue reliance should not be placed on such information.

The risks and uncertainties that may affect forward-looking statements include, among others, Canadian regulatory risk, Australian regulatory risk, U.S. regulatory risk, U.S. border crossing and travel bans, the uncertainties, effects of and responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, reliance on licenses, expansion of facilities, competition, dependence on supply of cannabis and reliance on other key inputs, dependence on senior management and key personnel, general business risk and liability, regulation of the cannabis industry, change in laws, regulations and guidelines, compliance with laws, limited operating history, vulnerability to rising energy costs, unfavourable publicity or consumer perception, product liability, risks related to intellectual property, product recalls, difficulties with forecasts, management of growth and litigation, many of which are beyond the control of The Valens Company. For a more comprehensive discussion of the risks faced by The Valens Company, and which may cause the actual financial results, performance or achievements of The Valens Company to be materially different from estimated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by forward-looking information or forward-looking statements, please refer to The Valens Company's latest Annual Information Form filed with Canadian securities regulatory authorities at www.sedar.com or on The Valens Company's website at www.thevalenscompany.com. The risks described in such Annual Information Form are hereby incorporated by reference herein. Although the forward-looking statements contained herein reflect management's current beliefs and reasonable assumptions based upon information available to management as of the date hereof, The Valens Company cannot be certain that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking information. The Valens Company cautions you not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements. The Valens Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. Nothing herein should be construed as either an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy or sell securities of The Valens Company.

Cision

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SOURCE The Valens Company Inc.
A newly built housing estate can be seen next to another under construction in a suburb of Auckland in New Zealand

By Vivek Mishra

BENGALURU (Reuters) - New Zealand's runaway housing market, which has accelerated rapidly during the pandemic, will cool next year, according to a Reuters poll of property market analysts, but affordability will stay stretched or worsen over the next few years.

House prices have nearly doubled in the last seven years thanks to super-low interest rates, slashed from 3.50% to 0.25% over that period, leaving first-time homebuyers and low-income earners behind as prices climbed beyond their reach.

After soaring 30% in just the past 12 months, the most among OECD nations, home prices were forecast to jump another 20% this year, according to a Reuters poll of 10 property market analysts taken Aug. 11-19.

With a series of Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) interest rate rises set to start in the coming months, that blistering pace of house price appreciation was expected to slow dramatically to 2.5% next year and in 2023.

"While we think the annual (house price rise) is very close to its peak, the ratio of house prices to incomes is simply off the chart," said Sharon Zollner, chief economist at ANZ. "Properties available for sale remain very low, and the only real solution to this madness is to build more houses.

"But the scary thing is, even if we assume house price inflation from here to the end of time is zero, and that income growth can run at the very solid pace of 5% per annum, it would still take six years for this ratio to return to pre-COVID-19 levels," Zollner added. "Without outright house price falls, it's a slog."

Only two analysts in the poll forecast a fall in prices, and one of them said not until 2023. All but one who answered a question about affordability over the next two to three years said it would stay the same or worsen.

CONSIDERABLE TIME

Measures introduced this year by the government and the RBNZ - with rates still at record lows - so far have failed to cool the market.

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"Nationwide affordability continues to worsen," said Brad Olsen, principal economist at Infometrics. "(For) house price to income ratios to fall back from around 7 to the more affordable ratio of 3 would require a 56% fall in house prices or a 130% increase in incomes, meaning improved affordability will take a considerable time."

Earlier this month, the Human Rights Commission announced an inquiry into New Zealand's property market, saying the housing crisis is having a "punishing impact" on marginalized communities and is leaving many people homeless.

However, all respondents in the poll to an additional question said central bank and government measures to cool property prices would have a significant impact, including one who said very significant.

Asked what was the biggest downside risk, analysts said higher interest rates or tighter monetary policy.

"The house always wins ... We expect that house prices will continue to rise over the coming year, but that the pace of increase will slow as mortgage rates lift from their recent lows," said Michael Gordon, chief economist at Westpac.

"That's likely to take some of the steam coming out of the housing market," Gordon added. "And combined with changes to the tax system, the middle part of the decade is likely to see some modest price declines."

(Reporting by Vivek Mishra; Polling by Md. Manzer Hussain; Editing by Ross Finley and David Holmes)
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / August 19, 2021 / Labaton Sucharow, a nationally ranked and award-winning shareholder rights law firm, announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of persons and entities that purchased or otherwise acquired Zymergen Inc. ("Zymergen" or the "Company") (NASDAQ:ZY) common stock pursuant and/or traceable to the registration statement and prospectus issued in connection with the Company's April 2021 initial public offering ("IPO"). Zymergen investors have until October 4, 2021, to file a motion to serve as lead plaintiff.

On August 3, 2021, less than four months after its IPO, the Company issued a disappointing business update and revised its financial forecast citing "issues with its commercial product pipeline." Additionally, the Company announced that its CEO Josh Hoffman would be stepping down from his role, effective immediately. On this news, the Company's stock price plummeted over 70%. The Company now stands accused of issuing a registration statement that was materially false and misleading and omitting to state material adverse facts.

If you purchased stock of ZY and want to receive additional information and protect your investments free of charge, please contact David J. Schwartz using the toll-free number (800) 321-0476 or via email at david@labaton.com.

About the Firm

Labaton Sucharow LLP is one of the world's leading complex litigation firms representing clients in securities, antitrust, corporate governance and shareholder rights, and consumer cybersecurity and data privacy litigation. Labaton Sucharow has been recognized for its excellence by the courts and peers, and it is consistently ranked in leading industry publications. Offices are located in New York, NY, Wilmington, DE, and Washington, D.C. More information about Labaton Sucharow is available at labaton.com.

CONTACT:

David J. Schwartz

(800) 321-0476

david@labaton.com

Story continues

SOURCE: Labaton Sucharow LLP





View source version on accesswire.com:

https://www.accesswire.com/660626/ZY-ALERT--Labaton-Sucharow-Announces-the-Filing-of-a-Securities-Class-Action-Against-Zymergen-Inc-Investors-Encouraged-to-Contact-the-Firm




The woman managed to talk Austin into stopping the attack. She told him he hadnt really done anything wrong yet and she promised not to tell the police if he promised to never do anything like that again. She was eventually able to slide out from under Austin and leave the store.

When deputies arrived a short time later, Austin walked up and told them, Im the one youre looking for. He told police then that he didnt know why he did what he did, and he repeated that yesterday in court.

I hate myself for what I did to [the victim] and the shame Ive brought on my family, said Austin, who had no prior criminal record. I live with this every day and will have to do so for the rest of my life.

The victim is still traumatized by Austins actions. In emotional testimony Wednesday, she said shes had to put her acting career on hold and will continue to need extensive therapy to put her life back together.

Defense attorney Gowri Janakiramanon asked Levy to limit Austins active sentence to seven years. She called for extensive therapy in hopes of learning what made him snap in such a hugely destructive way.

Lustig said it may never be clear why Austin acted out like he did, but we do know that he did it. The victim has suffered greatly, and will have to live with this for the rest of her life.

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When some EDA members questioned funding the groups request, member Mitzi Brown made it clear she would support it.

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I cant imagine a request for help thats more of a bullseye on why our organization exists, she said, We have certainly funded things in the past that are much less connected to workforce development.

Eventually, the request to send $20,000 to the event was unanimously supported, with the caveat that the EDA would get space for a booth at the event and be mentioned in the events programming.

As for whether the government body would become an annual sponsor, EDA members said thats a discussion for another day. Several members said a recent appearance by the EDA at the Peace in the Paint event made it clear that it needs to do more outreach to minority businesses.

One member noted that participants there at one point looked at EDA representatives like flamingos in the middle of the Gobi desert, providing the lesson that we need to show up more.

In other business, the city EDA heard from Michael McDermott, president and CEO of Mary Washington Healthcare, who shared a few tidbits that drew the EDAs interest.
Even with the breakthrough cases, the majoritybetween 97 percent and 98 percentof all cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the state are among the unvaccinated, according to the state health department.

Avula stressed that the sense of urgency or emergency is very different than what we experienced when people had no protection from the virus. He said protection doesnt drop off overnight and if people get a third dose several weeks after they reach the eight-month mark, theyll still have a high degree of protection against severe consequences.

When their turn comes up, they can approach that in a relaxed way and go to a provider in their community, he said.

In terms of the state having the ability to give third shots to the vaccinatedand to continue to provide first doses to those who havent been inoculatedAvula said the capacity numbers are really assuring. The highest number of eligible Virginians will hit their eight-month mark in late December. Thats when about 320,000 people, who got their second doses in late April, will be able to roll up their sleeves for a third shot.
In the beginning, those who organized a regional motorcycle ride simply wanted to honor two local young men killed in action during the War on Terror.

But as the years went by, the effort, which evolved into the Some Gave All Foundation and memorial ride, became so much more. Money raised from entry fees and other events went to area servicemen and women who needed help transitioning from the military or to the survivors of those who died while on duty.

Likewise, the memorial event attracted thousands of riders, as well as onlookers who stood along the route from Spotsylvania High School to King George County, cheering on the riders and reflecting on their own loved ones who had served in the armed forces.

On Wednesday, organizers announced that this years 15th annual ride, scheduled Sept. 12, will be the last one. Doug Cantrell, who assembled the first ride in 2007, thought back on the legacy Some Gave All leaves behindand the place of honor it holds in the Fredericksburg area.

What does this mean to the community? he asked. What does the Fourth of July mean to this community, what does Memorial Day mean to this community? I would put the Some Gave All ride right up there.
Police negotiators spent hours communicating with Roseberry as he wrote notes and showed them to authorities from inside the truck, according to the two people and a third person also briefed on the matter, all of whom spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the matter.

"My negotiators are hard at work trying to have a peaceful resolution to this incident," U.S. Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger said earlier in the day. "We're trying to get as much information as we can to find a way to peacefully resolve this."

While police continued negotiations, video surfaced of Roseberry on Facebook Live inside the truck, which was stuffed with coins and boxes. He was threatening explosions, making anti-government threats and talking about what he believes are the ills of the country, including the U.S. position on Afghanistan, health care and the military.

He said Democrats needed to step down, then also said he loved the president, Democrat Joe Biden. Facebook removed the videos a few hours after they were apparently filmed. Roseberry did not appear to have a specific demand for law enforcement other than to speak with Biden.
Of the lost production out of Japan, 140,000 vehicles are for Japan and 220,000 for overseas, with 80,000 in the U.S., 40,000 in Europe, 80,000 in China, 8,000 in the rest of Asia and about 10,000 in other regions.

Toyota had already announced smaller production cuts for July and August in Japan.

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused to our customers and suppliers due to these changes, Toyota said.

A shortage of the computer chips used widely in vehicles has been problematic for months as the world appeared to emerge from the pandemic and demand surged. Toyota had not been hit as hard as some other major automakers, and now the spread of the delta variant has introduced new complications.

David Leggett, auto analyst at GlobalData, said auto demand is now down in Vietnam, and sales have already been hurt in some markets for all manufacturers.

The pandemic is clearly far from over and appears, as far as the auto industrys recovery path is concerned, to have a sting in the tail, he said.

Toyota has held up relatively well amid the pandemic, racking up a record profit for the April-June quarter at about $8 billion, an increase of more than fivefold from the same period the previous year.
COVID-19 cases continue to rise in the Three Rivers Public Health Department district.

In the past seven days, the health department has reported 89 new cases of COVID-19: 27 in Dodge County, 26 in Washington County, and 36 in Saunders County.

The department also announced that it surpassed 10,000 cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.

As statewide hospitalizations also continue to climb, Three Rivers said in a press release that it is critical for individuals who have not yet been vaccinated against COVID-19 to do so.

Children have now returned back to school. We want nothing more than for them to stay in school. Please protect your families and community by getting vaccinated if you are able, Terra Uhing, executive director of the Three Rivers Public Health Department, said in a prepared statement.

The health department has identified four new lab-confirmed variants of concern within the health district.

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The new variants of concern are the Delta variant: two in Dodge County, one in Saunders County, and one in Washington County.
BERLIN (AP)  A leading member of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's center-right Union bloc called Thursday for the United States to provide funding and shelter to those fleeing Afghanistan now.

The United States of America bear the main responsibility for the current situation, Markus Soeder, the governor of Bavaria, said. Because of their decision to leave Afghanistan, in parts overly hasty, they have the main responsibility.

Soeder noted that the U.S. had already provided security guarantees for the evacuation of foreigners and local staff from Kabul, and should do likewise when it comes to providing financial support to neighboring countries, especially for UNHCR and, if necessary, also for taking in people.

The U.N. refugee agency has said that so far most displacement following the seizure of power by the Taliban has been inside Afghanistan. But some officials in Germany are already warning of a repeat of the 2015 migrant crisis that saw hundreds of thousands of people from Asia and Africa come to Europe.

Soeder, who leads the Bavaria-only Christian Social Union, said fears about a fresh influx of migrants should not be exploited in the campaign for Germany's upcoming national election.
At least four people have been killed in a grenade attack on an Ashura mourning procession of Shi'ite Muslims in eastern Pakistan.



A spokesman for the Shi'ite organization Majlis-e-Wahdat Muslimeen told RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal that several people were also injured in the attack in the city of Bahawalnagar in the eastern Punjab Province on August 19.



The spokesman said that the grenade was hurled into the crowd and blamed local authorities for failing to provide adequate security measures.



No one has claimed responsibility for the attack.



The annual commemoration mourns the 7th-century death of Prophet Muhammads grandson, Hussein, one of Shi'ite Islams most beloved saints.



For Shi'a, the remembrance of Hussein is an emotional event that sees many believers weep over his death at the Battle of Karbala in present-day Iraq.

During the Ashura processions, which are held across the world, many participants beat their backs with chains, flagellating themselves in a symbolic expression of regret for not being able to help Hussein before his martyrdom.



Shi'a are a minority in predominant Sunni Muslim Pakistan, where extremist Sunni Muslims view them as apostates who deserve to die.

With reporting by AP
DUSHANBE -- Tajikistan has said it is ready to shelter up to 100,000 refugees from neighboring Afghanistan amid increasing security concerns in Central Asia over the fallout of the Taliban's territorial gains in the northern part of the war-torn country.

Imomali Ibrohimzoda, the first deputy chief of the Committee for Emergency and Civil Defense, said on July 23 that if the number of Afghan refugees exceeds that number, Dushanbe will turn to international groups for help.

Ibrohimzoda added that the construction of two large food depots has started in the southern region of Khatlon as part of preparations for the possible influx of refugees.

According to Ibrohimzoda, 11 flights were organized in recent days to repatriate 1,600 Afghan citizens who entered Tajikistan to flee military clashes between Afghan government forces and Taliban militants.

Earlier this week, Khatlon regional Governor Qurbon Hakimzoda said that a temporary camp for refugees will be set up in the region's Jaihun district.

Hundreds of Afghans, including police and government troops, have fled the country in recent weeks and entered Tajikistan and neighboring Uzbekistan amid the Taliban offensive. The militants are said to have captured large swaths of the border regions since the start of the international military withdrawal on May 1.

Last week, almost 350 ethnic Kyrgyz shepherds from Afghanistan with their families and some 4,000 livestock entered Tajikistan. They have since been sent back to their village in Afghanistan after Kabul guaranteed their safety.

The United States has announced the withdrawal of all its forces by August 31. Earlier this month, U.S. forces vacated their largest base in Afghanistan at Bagram, north of Kabul.

The rapid withdrawal of U.S. forces, and the Taliban's battlefield successes, are stoking concerns that the Western-backed government in Kabul may collapse.
The U.S. military has said that it has airlifted some 7,000 people out of Afghanistan over the past few days as demonstrators defied the newly installed Taliban rule for a second day in a row in several cities, taking to the streets and waving the national flag to mark the country's Independence Day.

Several casualties were reported as the Taliban resorted to violence against the demonstrators despite promises that it wants peace and an inclusive government -- within the values of Islam -- after seizing control of Kabul four days ago.

In the eastern city of Asadabad, a witness told Reuters that several people were killed when Taliban fighters fired on demonstrators waving the black, red, and green national flag at an Independence Day rally.

It was not clear whether the casualties came from the shooting or from the stampede it triggered.



"Hundreds of people came out on the streets," witness Mohammad Salim said from Asadabad, the capital of the eastern province of Kunar. "At first I was scared and didn't want to go but when I saw one of my neighbors joined in I took out the flag I have at home."

At another protest, in Nangarhar Province, video posted online purportedly showed one demonstrator with a gunshot wound, as onlookers tried to carry him away.

Protests were also reported in Kabul, the eastern city of Jalalabad, as well as Paktia and Kunar provinces, but there were no reports of violence.

"Our flag, our identity," a crowd of men and some women waving the national banner shouted in the capital, a video clip posted on social media showed.

The previous day, at least one person was killed during anti-Taliban protests in Jalalabad after the militants attacked demonstrators who were reportedly attempting to lower the group's banner and replace it with the Afghan flag.The Taliban marked Afghanistan's 1919 independence from Britain by issuing a statement declaring that "our jihadi resistance forced another arrogant power of the world, the United States, to fail and retreat from our holy territory of Afghanistan."

First Vice President Amrullah Saleh, who is trying to rally opposition to the Taliban, expressed support for the protests, saying on Twitter, "Salute those who carry the national flag and thus stand for dignity of the nation."



Saleh said earlier this week that he has remained in Afghanistan and was the "legitimate caretaker president" after President Ashraf Ghani fled the country as the Taliban captured Kabul. Ghani resurfaced in the United Arab Emirates on August 18, reiterating that he had fled to prevent bloodshed.

Streets in the capital were mainly calm on August 19, with armed fighters roaming Kabul on foot and in vehicles, as businesses started to reopen. Banks and government offices remain closed, however.

At the airport, the massive airlift operation continued with U.S. and British soldiers ensuring security.

But reports that Taliban fighters are manning checkpoints around the airfield and impeding Afghans from reaching the airfield have sparked panic among some who fear they won't be allowed to leave the country even as foreign governments ramp up evacuations.

Major General Hank Taylor told the media that the U.S. military had airlifted out of Afghanistan some 7,000 people since August 14 as the Pentagon said the Taliban appeared to be cooperating with evacuation efforts from Kabul airport.

Taylor said that the pace of evacuating U.S. citizens, Afghans with U.S. immigrant visas, and other nationals had accelerated despite reports of the Taliban continuing to impede people trying to enter the airport gates.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said that the Taliban appeared to be cooperating to allow Afghan nationals who have registered for U.S. special immigrant visas to get to the airport gate.

"We have indications this morning that that process is working," Kirby said.

Taylor added that U.S. forces on the ground were in regular contact with Taliban officials to ensure that U.S. nationals have a safe passage to the airport.

Twelve giant C-17 cargo aircraft with 2,000 evacuees took off from the airport in the past 24 hours, he said.



The Americans now have more than 5,200 troops to secure the airport and the capacity to take as many as 9,000 people out every 24 hours. "We're ready to increase output and have scheduled aircraft departures accordingly," Taylor said.

Officials said this week that as many as 10,000 U.S. citizens remained in Kabul, and thousands of Afghans who had worked for U.S. forces were also seeking to flee to the United States.

The United States has moved nearly 12,000 people out of the country since July as the Taliban offensives picked up and Washington neared its own August 31 deadline for withdrawal from the country.

Taylor confirmed that US F-18 combat jets had been flying high-altitude missions over Kabul. "Those are overwatch flights over Kabul to ensure enhanced security," he said.

Kirby said the U.S. forces continue to aim for the completion of the airlift by August 31.

But on August 18 President Joe Biden said that U.S. troops could stay longer if necessary for the evacuations.

The shocking images of hundreds of Afghans clinging to U.S. military aircraft on August 16 at the Kabul airport were evoked on August 19, when it was reported that a member of Afghanistan's national youth soccer team, had died while attempting to stow away on a U.S. plane.

Turkey had offered to control and run the airport following the withdrawal of U.S. troops, but the swift Taliban takeover has cast doubt on the plan.



Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country still maintained its intention to operate the facility, and that Ankara was "open to any cooperation" with the Taliban.



"With the Taliban maintaining control over the country, a new picture appeared before us," he said in a television address. "Now we are making our plans according to these new realities."



European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on August 19 that about 100 EU staff and 400 Afghans working with the bloc and their families had been evacuated. He also said hundreds more were still waiting to leave.



Addressing the European Parliament, he described the developments in Afghanistan as "a catastrophe for the Afghan people, for the Western values and credibility, and for the developing of international relations."



Meanwhile, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and other UN agencies accredited in Afghanistan have started to temporarily relocate to Kazakhstan's largest city, Almaty, despite Taliban pledges to protect diplomatic staff and UN personnel as part of a broader public relations bid to reshape its image and avoid international isolation.

The UN and its agencies have about 3,000 Afghan employees, in addition to international staff.

The Taliban, which ruled Afghanistan between 1996 and 2001, has offered no details on how it will lead the country this time, other than to say policy will be guided by Shari'a law.

As Western powers face the decision whether to deal with the Islamist insurgents they had fought for nearly 20 years, the militants are in talks with senior officials of previous Afghan governments, but they face an increasingly precarious situation.

A UN official on August 19 warned of dire food shortages in the country of 38 million people reliant on imports and international aid.

"A humanitarian crisis of incredible proportions is unfolding before our eyes," Mary Ellen McGroarty said. "This is really Afghanistan's hour of greatest need, and we urge the international community to stand by the Afghan people at this time."

The comments cane a day after the International Monetary Fund on August 18 suspended Afghanistan's access to $440 million in monetary reserves -- a move pushed for by the U.S. Treasury to prevent funds falling into Taliban hands.

British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace expressed concerns on August 19 that the events in Afghanistan will be perceived as Western weakness by adversaries such as Russia.



"That is something we should all worry about: if the West is seen not to have resolve and it fractures, then our adversaries like Russia find that encouraging," Wallace said.



"Around the world, Islamists will see what they will view as a victory and that will inspire other terrorists," he also said.



Asked about footage of a child being passed over a wall to Western soldiers at Kabul airport, Wallace said that Britain was unable to evacuate unaccompanied children from Afghanistan.



"You will find as you see in the footage...the child was taken -- that will be because the family will be taken as well."

With reporting by AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters, and the BBC
NUR-SULTAN -- The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and other UN agencies accredited there have started to temporarily relocate to Kazakhstan's largest city, Almaty, amid instability in Kabul caused by Taliban militants taking control of the city.



Kazakhstan's foreign minister said on August 19 that the first group of UNAMA staff members arrived in Almaty overnight.



"Due to the escalation of the internal political situation in Afghanistan, the United Nations turned to Kazakhstan and asked to temporarily relocate UNAMA and other UN agencies accredited in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to Almaty... President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev made the decision to support the request," the ministry said in a statement.



Kazakh state media reports said 141 UN workers arrived in Almaty aboard the plane.



UN spokesman Stephane Durjarric said on August 18 that about 100 international staff would temporarily relocate to Almaty as a "temporary measure."



He stressed that the world body is committed to providing humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover of the country.



The Taliban has pledged to protect diplomatic staff and UN personnel as part of a broader public relations bid to reshape its image and avoid international isolation.



The UN and its agencies have about 3,000 Afghan employees, in addition to international staff.



Dujarric said "a significant amount of work is being undertaken, as we speak, specifically to safeguard national staff."

A Kazakh military cargo plane evacuated 25 Kazakh, 14 Kyrgyz, one Russian, and one Lithuanian from Afghanistan to Almaty on August 18.



The Kazakh Foreign Ministry's press service also said on August 18 that Toqaev ordered officials to outline a program for bringing ethnic Kazakh Afghan citizens from Afghanistan to Kazakhstan.

With reporting by Tengrinews and KazTAG
Choose from more than 300 tea varieties and participate in a Chinese tea ceremony at Yellow Mountain Tea House in Old Colorado City. While the tea is made in front of you, youll learn the best way to brew and steep tea. yellow-mountain-organic-tea.com  Carlotta Olson
If you go

What: Greek Festival

When: 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday

Where: Archangel Michael Greek Orthodox Church, 2215 Paseo Road, Colorado Springs

Price: Admission is free. Cash and card accepted for food, drinks and other items. For more info, amgoc.org/greek_festival.
If you go

You have three chances to see South for Winter this weekend:

 6 p.m. Thursday at Boot Barn Hall, 13071 Bass Pro Drive, Colorado Springs. Free. For more info, visit bootbarnhall.com.

 7 p.m. Saturday at Stargazers Theatre, 10 S. Parkside Drive, Colorado Springs. For tickets, $10, visit stargazerstheatre.com. Proceeds go to the charity, Everything for Sight.

 1 p.m. Sunday at Rhapsody Bar, 121 W Midland Ave., Woodland Park. Free. For more info, visit rhapsodybar.wordpress.com.
Patient volume at Children's Hospital Colorado has spiked in recent weeks, thanks to a combination of COVID-19 and unusually high rates of another respiratory illness typically seen in the winter. Officials with the hospital said they're concerned about the situation, particularly as schools reopen.

Overall patient volume for Children's is more than 20% higher than is typical for this time of year, associate chief medical officer Kevin Carney said. There are 60% more patients in the system's pediatric intensive care units than typically, and, depending on location, emergency departments are seeing an increase between 20% and 50%.

The hospital system still has sufficient capacity, Carney said, and it's still accepting transfer patients from other states where facilities are overwhelmed. But the rising numbers, combined with concerns about disease spread caused by kids returning to school, are prompting concern at the pediatric hospital.

The increase is fueled by two twin diseases: The primary cause, Children's officials said, is an unprecedented summer rise in respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, which causes an infection in the respiratory tract. It's typically seen in the winter, particularly among children, and is one of many respiratory viruses that circulate. But its heavy presence now, before most schools have returned and when the summer months keep people outdoors, "doesn't happen," said Samuel Dominguez, a pediatric disease specialist with the hospital.

His theory is because children were masked and distanced in the 2020-21 school year, there were remarkably low rates of RSV, as well as influenza. But that means kids' immune systems don't have a recent familiarity with the virus, which can make them more susceptible to it.

But that doesn't explain why RSV is circulating so much now, months away from expected winter peaks.

"We don't really understand it," Dominguez said. "This is really uncharted territory for all of us who study these kinds of things. To have it come in July and August is really unheard of."

RSV is more common now, officials said, than the other cause for increasing hospitalizations: COVID-19. Though there are still fewer COVID-19 patients in Children's than there were in the fall 2020 peaks, "we're concerned because the number of cases of (SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19) are going up."

The RSV and COVID-19 cases "are in parallel in terms of increasing," he said. Colorado is not alone in seeing unusual RSV spread: Texas, Kentucky and Wisconsin have all reported similar spikes, among others. It's dovetailing with rising COVID-19 rates in those states, most of which are in worse positions than Colorado. The Houston Chronicle reported last week that 25 kids in a Houston hospital had both RSV and COVID-19 infections.

According to data provided by the state, there were only two RSV hospitalizations statewide between Oct. 1 and April 30. But since then, there have been 71, nearly all of whom were children. In August alone, there have been 22, predominantly kids.

A spokeswoman for Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children in Denver said they, too, have seen an increase in emergency department and intensive care patients. She said that's been primarily driven by RSV and rhinovirus, which often causes the common cold. COVID-19 has played a smaller role. Like Children's, she said, they "definitely" have sufficient capacity.

Denver Health has also seen "early signs of a resurgent of other respiratory viruses," spokeswoman April Valdez Villa said, including RSV and parainfluenza. But the hospital hasn't "seen the same sort of increase in pediatric COVID that has occurred in areas most hard hit by the delta variant."

Though Children's is a dominant presence in Colorado's pediatric care world, it is not alone in seeing patients increase. Cara Welch, spokeswoman for the Colorado Hospital Association, said in an email that facilities providing pediatric care "are experiencing higher volumes than they typically see this time of year."

"It also sounds like those respiratory viruses may be causing illness in older pediatric patients, which is also not what we typically see," she said. "So it is likely a combination of issues leading to this current issue."

The state agreed.

"We do not believe we currently have a lack of capacity for pediatric patients," the state Department of Public Health and Environment said in an email. "We have talked to our hospitals and they have conveyed concerns about potential constraints due to a surprising spike of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) that is occurring this month and concerns that the delta variant could spike COVID cases."

With those COVID-19 and RSV circulating in the state, "a perfect storm" is brewing as students return to school, Dominguez said. Not only will they likely spread more as students are in close proximity to each other  many of whom will be allowed to be unmasked by their school districts  but the beginning of the year historically signals a jump in mental health hospital admissions.

Carney said that in the next one to two weeks, as more students return to classrooms, "the stresses of school and other factors lead to kids becoming suicidal, there are increases in depression and anxiety disorders." They're often treated initially in Children's emergency departments, and those patients "compete, frankly, for the same beds that our sick medical patients" occupy.

What's more, like health care institutions across the country, Children's is weathering its own staffing shortage, which is putting additional strain on the facility.

"We're concerned," Dominguez said. "I think that the stresses are real and the viruses are real and the numbers  it's a numbers game. Thankfully, I think the really good news about COVID is children have not been as severely affected as adults have been. But a small percentage of children infected will end up here. With more and more kids exposed and infected, that small number gets bigger and bigger."

He and Carney advocated for masking, social distancing and good hand hygiene for students. They also advocated for better testing, not just for pediatric cases but for anyone who's symptomatic for the disease. But masking, and, to an extent, social distancing, have become a sensitive topic. Gov. Jared Polis has refrained from requiring any COVID-19 mitigation measures in schools, though he's hinted that the state could step in if a district switches to remote learning because it had too few strategies in place.

Some major districts have indicated they're require masking, including Denver Public Schools and Boulder Valley School District. Others, like Jefferson County's district and those in Adams and Arapahoe counties, will have mask mandates to various degrees because of public health orders. Douglas County, which would be covered by one of those orders, is planning to opt out and not require masks. Cheyenne Mountain School District in Colorado Springs will require masks starting Thursday.

Not only will masks and social distancing cut down on COVID-19 spread, the Children's officials said, but it'll also blunt RSV's presence, too. The other lurking illness is influenza, which, like RSV, had a remarkably mild presence in its 2020-21 season that begins in October and runs into the spring. Officials have attributed that to the COVID-19 mitigation measures instituted last school year.
The Cheyenne Mountain School District 12 announced via letter on Aug. 18 that all students, faculty, staff, and visitors will need to mask up 
As a former videographer for Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Crystal Egli filmed a series of her learning how to hunt big game. As a young Black woman, she had a feeling this would be perceived a certain way by the sport's predominantly white, male base.

"One thing I did very intentionally was never mention race, never mention diversity, never mention any of that," the Denver woman recently told an audience of about 50 in Colorado Springs.

"And guess what complaints we got."

Comments were along the lines of: Why do you have to make it about race?

"I didn't talk about it, I knew I couldn't talk about it," Egli said, "and I still got crap for it."

Egli is co-founder of Inclusive Journeys, a tech company using data to help businesses and organizations be more inclusive. She was among local and state-wide experts convened to talk about the issue in parks, open spaces and trails, as part of El Pomar Foundation's latest Heritage Series event.

The nonprofit program aims to "celebrate and raise awareness of the natural assets of the Pikes Peak region." But this discussion, organizers noted, was no celebratory affair.

Egli's story was but one shared that underscored wrongs emerging to the forefront of outdoor leaders, advocates and brands.

"When I go outdoors and look around and notice I'm the only one that looks like me, I try to make myself literally and figuratively smaller sometimes," said Patricia Cameron, the Black woman behind Blackpackers, the Colorado Springs-based nonprofit addressing underrepresentation and economic inequity.

It can feel unsafe, being the only one, Cameron explained  a feeling rooted in historic, ongoing racism. "Bring your voice down," she said she tells her son. "We don't wanna draw attention to us."

In its latest annual outdoor participation report, Boulder-based Outdoor Foundation continued to track what it called "troubling trends" amid a record year for fresh-air activities. Nationwide, the organization's study found 72% of people recreating in nature are white. Participation percentages among people of color remain well below their overall population makeup.

Another recent survey by Trust for Public Land determined people of color have quick, easy access to 44% less park space than white counterparts. In Colorado Springs, the study found that divide to be 83%.

"I talk a lot about transportation in Colorado Springs in particular," Cameron said. "It's something I'm intimately familiar with, as somebody who didn't have a car, as somebody who grew up on the southeast side."

She cited research showing the racial wealth gap to be as wide as it was in the 1960s between Black and white Americans.

"Even if I get past the fact that maybe I'll be the only Black person at Eleven Mile State Park, that's fine," Cameron said as an example. "Even if I get past the fact that I have to drive up there, and do I have a car that can make it up Ute Pass? That's fine. But do I have the money to afford a pass? Do I have the money to afford the camping site?"

The Outdoor Equity Grant Program was authorized this year  a program dedicating more money to related initiatives around the state from Great Outdoors Colorado's lottery-funded pot. This comes as GOCO has pledged its attention to neglected neighborhoods, said the agency's interim executive director, Jackie Miller.

At the El Pomar discussion, she encouraged leaders to "work with organizations who have those trusted relationships," she said, "and ask communities what type of outdoor experiences they value, and mobilize around that."

Egli offered another recommendation.

"Just because you don't see folks out doing these activities doesn't mean they're not out there already. It just means they're not doing it where you're doing it," she said. "Re-examine the spaces where you're doing it."
A Jefferson County district court judge handed down 10 years in prison Monday afternoon to an Evergreen woman who pled guilty to conspiring have her husband's girlfriend killed, and to approaching people to harass and retaliate against them and others involved in cases against her.
This undated photo provided by Razmeen Joya shows Afghan Capt. Mohammad Nasir Askarzada with his daughter in Kabul Afghanistan. Lawyers for Askarzada, one of three Afghan military officers facing deportation after sneaking away from a military training exercise in Massachusetts say he was improperly denied entry into Canada when he arrived at the border seeking refugee status, Thursday, Nov. 6, 2014. (AP Photo/Razmeen Joya)
It took six years and about $30 million for Colorado Springs-based Compassion International to rebuild schools, churches and homes for families that the child- development nonprofit serves in Haiti when a 7.0-magnitude earthquake hit near Port-au-Prince on Jan. 12, 2010.

Less than a week after a 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck last Saturday in a more rural area of the country, plans to reconstruct already are underway, said Edouard Lassegue, regional vice president for Compassion International.

Early estimates are that damage to buildings linked to the organizations work will cost $20 million to repair, he said Wednesday night in a phone call from Haiti.

This one was stronger, but fortunately it did not hit in populated areas this time, which accounts for lower casualties, he said.

The death toll from last weeks temblor neared 2,200 on Thursday, the nations civil protection agency reported, with many still missing and about 12,200 injured.

The 2010 quake killed more than 220,000 people and injured another 300,000, according to estimates from news agencies.

Lessons learned from 11 years ago are driving the current response, Lassegue said.

People have lost their homes, jobs, farms and livelihood, which necessitates medical attention, supplies, food and water and other material goods.

But we learned from 2010 that we want not to just bring stuff to the people who are affected, he said. Millions have been spent bringing stuff. After that, what happens? They have nothing left behind.

That is our concern: to lead the people to a better position than they are in now so they can lead their families in the future.

Compassion International is not a relief organization  typically spending $4 million annually on disasters, or 1% of a $650 million worldwide programming budget  but it is one of several global agencies responding in Haiti, one of the worlds least-developed countries due to ongoing political, structural and environmental instability.

Food, water and electricity are constantly lacking, Lassegue said, and the earthquake has exacerbated problems with meeting basic human needs.

Relief efforts seem more coordinated with less duplication and wasted resources this time, he said, and the ruling government  whose president was assassinated July 7 at his residence in Port-au-Prince  seems to be trying to play a role.

Compassions national office in Haiti employs about 100 people, who work with 125,000 children in child development centers at 320 churches. Staff are on the ground in affected areas and have met with pastors, center directors and local leaders to determine the most urgent needs, Lassegue said.

More Compassion employees will arrive in Haiti next week to distribute supply kits. To donate, text Haiti to 97646.

Children and adults are sleeping outside because they are afraid to go in buildings, Lassegue said, and safety has become a concern. Due to gang violence, some roads are too dangerous to travel on to transport emergency food and medical care, he said.

Of the 91 churches in southwest Haiti where Compassion operates child-development centers, 46 have been directly affected by the earthquake, Lassegue said. Those 46 churches minister to more than 17,000 children and youth, he said, and their families.

In group settings, Compassion helps the neediest children learn about daily life, such as good hygiene practices, and develop social, emotional, spiritual and cognitive skills. They also receive educational tutoring and mentoring.

We work in the development of these young people to make them grow to be responsible adults, so that they have an impact in their region and their lives, Lassegue said.

Compassion staff also will help rebuild collapsed churches and assist with reconstructing 25 to 30 schools, he said.

One lesson we learned in 2010 was that the children want to have that environment with caring adults advising them, tutoring them, praying with them, he said.

Well have some transitional office space and classrooms open again as early as next month, to bring stability to children, so that they can feel safe.

Many buildings are stiff concrete structures that don't flex when the earth shakes intensely, so they collapse, said Jason Chandler, water, sanitation, hygiene response program manager for Engineering Ministries International, a nonprofit based in Colorado Springs with 10 offices worldwide.

"The type of construction over there is not great, especially for being in a heavy seismic zone," he said, adding that buildings can crumble due to the type of construction, design and materials used.

Engineering Ministries International is sending three engineers to Haiti next week to assess damaged buildings and a project that was underway  making safety improvements to 100 existing emergency shelters that people can go to during hurricanes.

"Some have had significant damage, which has likely changed the scope of what we were rehabbing," Chandler said.

Another priority for Compassion International is providing additional shelter  not in the form of public tent cities, as was done in 2010 and led to child-protection issues, Lassegue said  but temporary setups in yards of destroyed homes, so that families can be together.

Having Christian counselors address the trauma children have experienced and training adults in reestablishing small businesses are other developing plans, Lassegue said.

Lassegue, who works out of the Deerfield Beach, Fla. office, which serves 12 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, happened to be in Haiti on Saturday when the earthquake hit at 8:29 a.m.

Hes staying in the capital, Port-au-Prince, which is about 80 miles away from the epicenter. He said it was the worst earthquake he's ever experienced.

The United States Geological Survey reports that 1 million people in the Caribbean region, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Cuba and Puerto Rico felt very strong or severe shaking levels.
U.S. Border Patrol returns a group of migrants back to the Mexico side of the border in this Associated Press file photo. U.S. The agency is now is asking agents about volunteering to deploy to Afghanistan and nearby countries to process Afghan citizens seeking admission to the United States
Police arrested a man suspected of assaulting customers in Old Colorado City Thursday morning, law enforcement said.

Colorado Springs police arrived in the 2100 block of West Colorado Avenue where a man "was causing a disturbance" around 9:43 a.m., then he began to assault customers, police said.

The man hit one officer in the face, causing minor injuries, and lacerated another officer's arm, police said.

More police arrived and arrested the man whose name was not released.

He was booked into the El Paso County jail, police said.
Colorado Springs, CO (80903)

Today

A few passing clouds, otherwise generally clear. Low 61F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

A few passing clouds, otherwise generally clear. Low 61F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.
Census mishandled 2020 hack, IG says

In January 2020, hackers took advantage of a publicly available exploit to gain access to Census Bureau remote-access servers and create user accounts, according to an Aug. 16 watchdog report.

The hackers were in the Census system for more than two weeks before being detected, in part because an automated cybersecurity tool was not configured to deliver alerts to incident responders, Census inspector general said. Once inside Census servers, the attackers were blocked from communicating back to their own system due to the bureau's firewalls. However, the bureaus server logs may have delivered inaccurate information to security operations personnel that may have delayed a timely response, the report said.

There were additional delays in communicating with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, which is the lead agency for federal civilian government networks.

The report indicated that regular vulnerability scans of the remote-access servers were not being conducted as recommended under guidance from the Department of Homeland Security's Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation program.

No census data was accessed in the exploit, the report stated. The servers were used by bureau employees to access agency production, development and lab networks.

The report found that Census tech personnel missed the chance to reconfigure the servers ahead of the hack. The vendor (which is unnamed in the report) released a mitigation plan three weeks before the attack took place. The timing and some of the details in the report suggest that the vulnerability in question involved the Citrix Application Delivery Controller.

The servers in question were just a year away from their end-of-support date when they were attacked, and OIG auditors found that all of these servers (the number of servers is redacted in the report) were still online in February 2021.

In reply comments, sent under the signature of Ron Jarmin, acting director of the Census, the agency noted that a patch was not available for the vulnerability right away and that "in mid-January concern escalated when it was discovered that the vulnerability was being actively exploited." At that point, CISA launched an incident response effort, and bureau staff "reacted expeditiously" to CISA's guidance.

Census also noted that "a dependency on Citrix engineers (who were already at capacity supporting customers across the federal government who had realized greater impacts from the January 2020 attack" slowed the bureau's ability to migrate to newer hardware.

The agency acknowledged in reply comments some weaknesses in its formal incident response and after-action review, but noted that it made "numerous improvements  as a result of informal lessons learned following the January 2020 incident."

This article was first posted to FCW, a sibling site to GCN.
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Census Bureau results: Not a single North Iowa county grew in population in past decade

Lisa Grouette / LISA GROUETTE, Globe Gazette Drivers travel along Highway 65 North near the Cerro Gordo and Worth county lines.

From 2010 to 2020, Iowas population grew 4.7% from 2010 to 2020, according to Census Bureau data released Thursday, Aug. 12.

80% of that growth is owed to four of the largest counties in the state; Johnson, Linn, Polk and Scott, while 68 counties throughout Iowa showed losses over the past decade. That includes all of the North Iowa area.

Over a 10-year period, not a single county in the North Iowa region saw population growth. In fact, the counties of: Butler, Cerro Gordo, Floyd, Franklin, Hancock, Kossuth, Mitchell, Winnebago, Worth and Wright each had negative percent change of more than 1.5%.

The greatest drop, by percentage, was experienced by Franklin County, which went from 10,680 in 2010 to 10,019 in 2020 for a loss of 661 people and a change of -6.2%. Winnebago and Worth each had negative changes of about 1.7% with the former losing 32 more people (187 to 155).

Cerro Gordo County, the largest by population in North Iowa, went from 44,151 people in 2010 to 43,127 in 2020 for a loss of 1,024 and a percent change of -2.3%.

Census: US is diversifying; white population shrinks The U.S. became more diverse and more urban over the past decade, and the non-Hispanic white population dropped for the first time on record, the Census Bureau reported Thursday as it released a trove of demographic data that will be used to redraw the nation's political maps.

"In a way, its really sort of the same old story that the state, overall, is growing a little bit," Iowa State University sociology professor David Peters said in a story for the Gazette Des Moines Bureau. "But even though as a state we're growing, it kind of masks a lot of unevenness. So you have phenomenally fast growth rates in the states large urban centers and an exodus of people in most of rural Iowa."

Data also shows that Iowa saw an increase in housing vacancy rates by about 0.2% over the past decade which suggests a possible oversupply of units in certain parts of the state.

Census data for North Iowa Butler County- Went from 14,867 people in 2010 to 14,334 in 2020 for a loss of 533 and a percent change of -3.6%.

Cerro Gordo County- Went f rom 44,151 people in 2010 to 43,127 in 2020 for a loss of 1,024 and a percent change of -2.3%.

Went f Floyd County- Went f rom 16,303 people in 2010 to 15,627 in 2020 for a loss of 676 people and a percent change of -4.1%.

Went f Franklin County- Went f rom 10,680 people in 2010 to 10,019 in 2020 for a loss of 661 people and a percent change of -6.2%.

Went f Hancock County- Went from 11,341 people in 2010 to 10,795 in 2020 for a loss of 546 people and a percent change of -4.8%.

Went from Kossuth County- Went from 15,543 people in 2010 to 14,828 in 2020 for a loss of 715 people and a percent change of -4.6%.

Mitchell County- Went from 10,776 people in 2010 to 10,565 in 2020 for a loss of 211 people and a percent change of -2%.

Winnebago County- Went from 10,866 people in 2010 to 10,679 in 2020 for a loss of 187 people and a percent change of -1.7%.

Went from Worth County- Went from 7,598 people in 2010 to 7,443 in 2020 for a loss of 155 people and a percent change of -1.7%.

Went from Wright County- Went from 13,229 people in 2010 to 12,943 in 2020 for a loss of 286 people and a percent change of -2.2%.

Image clipped from the "Census.gov" website. A U.S. Census Bureau map of Iowa's population density in 2020. 68 counties saw losses over the past decade.

Chad Schreck, the president and CEO of the North Iowa Corridor Economic Development Corporation, said that with the decreases there are challenges and opportunities alike.

"Our biggest challenge is on the workforce side and we see that nationally. We dont have enough people to fill all of the jobs nationally and if youre losing a little bit of population, even in smaller numbers, it impacts that. Were seeing that crunch for businesses," Schreck said.

He said that some of that crunch is owed to the pandemic but also to the changing nature of how business is conducted. "Theres a lot of things people are working through."

On the positive side of the ledger, Schreck pointed to increasing diversity numbers remaining relatively stable. The Gazette noted: "Iowas Hispanic numbers increased 64,442 to 215,986, from 5 percent in 2010 to 6.8 percent today. Nationally, Hispanics are 18.7 percent of the population. Ten years ago, Blacks were 2.9 percent of Iowas population. Thats up to 4.1 percent, an increase of 43,628 to 131,926. Nationally, Blacks are 12.4 percent of the population."

With that, Schreck then turned toward housing.

"When we build new housing, we get it filled up," Schreck said. As proof, he mentioned that downtown Mason City's 133-unit housing complex, The River, filled up in a matter of months. Now the developer, the South Dakota-based Talon, is looking at bringing a follow-up 102-unit complex to the area.

Floyd County says redistricting won't happen quickly The shift to a single-member per district style is going to take some time.

Not every urban area saw marked increases.

Black Hawk County, the states fifth largest and home to Waterloo with 131,144 people in the latest census, had a gain of just 54 residents over the decade. Rural counties that saw gains included: Buena Vista, Dickinson and Lyon.

Adams County remained the least-populated county in the state and lost 325 people from 2010 through 2020.

Census data sets up redistricting fight over suburbs The once-a-decade battle over redistricting is set to be a showdown over the suburbs, as new census data released Thursday showed rapid growth around the some of the nation's largest cities and shrinking population in many rural counties.

6 months of local news for just $1
President Joe Biden on Wednesday announced that his administration will require that nursing home staff be vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition for those facilities to continue receiving federal Medicare and Medicaid funding.

Biden unveiled the new policy Wednesday afternoon in a White House address as the administration continues to look for ways to use mandates to encourage vaccine holdouts to get shots.

If you visit, live or work in a nursing home, you should not be at a high risk for contracting COVID from unvaccinated employees, Biden said.

The new mandate, in the form of a forthcoming regulation to be issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, could take effect as soon as next month.

Hundreds of thousands of nursing home workers are not vaccinated, according to federal data, despite those facilities bearing the brunt of the early COVID-19 outbreak and their workers being among the first in the country to be eligible for shots.

Kimber Kleven, the administrator for Good Shepherd Health Center in Mason City, admitted there was some concern over the mandate in nursing home facilities in North Iowa.

"We are suffering critical staffing shortages," Kleven said. "People may not want to come back.
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MoneyOutVA has heard many concerns from lawmakers about doing campaign finance reform, and addressed them in the report with responses and options. The report examines how other states handled reforms and contribution limits.

The lawmaker subcommittee to study campaign finance reform was scheduled to meet Aug. 2, on the first day of a General Assembly special session, but Democratic leaders canceled it and held a fundraiser that morning.

Morgan said she expects some lawmakers will say they need more time to study the issues and want to continue next year. But she said they ought to work over the next few months to come up with real legislative proposals for next years session.

Del. Marcus Simon, D-Fairfax, the chairman of a House committee on elections, said the MoneyOutVA report was excellent and thorough, and he plans to analyze it and give copies to lawmakers on the study group.

But getting legislation passed is going to be challenging, he said, because many lawmakers fear they wont be competitive in elections with restraints on campaign money. One thing he wants to push for is a ban on personal use of campaign money.
The Newport News School Board voted Tuesday to ignore state guidelines on protecting transgender students rather than change its policies, which the law required it to do by the start of the school year.

Administrators had asked the board to change current policies and more explicitly protect trans people from discrimination. Along with the policy, the district planned to assemble a group to change the districts procedure documents to fit state guidelines.

Newport News is one of the largest districts in the state and among the first in Hampton Roads to refuse to follow the law passed in 2020. The vote came after a long and crowded meeting. So many people attended, many from just one church, the district set up an overflow area in the buildings lobby.

The board voted against the change, 5-1, with one member, Terri Best, abstaining. Only Gary Hunter voted for it. Most of the board members said they wanted more information about the procedures, citing their discomfort with parts of the guidelines.

Chair Douglas Brown said before the vote that theres nothing stopping the district from spending more time on the procedures before revisiting it. As it stands though, he says, the law violates the rights of Christian parents like him who believe kids arent capable of making choices about their gender.
1. The 9th District and 5th District will have to grow in size. Every locality west of Montgomery County lost population. So did every locality along the North Carolina border west of Suffolk, and so did many of the counties bordering them to the north  the historic heart of Southside. None of this should come as a surprise but it should clarify a question weve been asking for a while now (and were not alone): Where should the 9th expand? There are really just three options and none of them are particularly appealing. Theyre just unappealing in different ways. The 9th already goes up to Alleghany County; it could keep going in that direction, eating into the southern part of the Shenandoah Valley. That starts to create a weird-looking district. It may not be politically gerrymandered  a Republican district would be adding Republican localities  but it wouldnt exactly be compact. The 9th could push into Southside; it already takes in part of Henry County. It could push up to add Franklin County or east into Pittsylvania County. Again, not particularly compact. Or the 9th, which already includes Salem and part of Roanoke County, could swallow more or maybe all of the Roanoke Valley. That would be compact, but and wouldnt really change the political character of the district, but it would change the districts character in other ways  by making a rural district more urban and suburban.
How would you describe your creative process?

It used to be pretty cut-and-dried. I would just write the song on the piano, find some chords, then write a melody and lyrics over that until the song was finished, and then I would produce it after that. But recently, Ive been producing first, laying down a drum track or some kind of guitar thing that I think sounds cool and making a whole song and writing for that, which I kind of prefer at this point.

How did the podcast challenge song come about?

That was a school assignment. We applied for that challenge with something unique about quarantine. I made a song called An Exercise in Patience about how COVID required a lot of patience to get through. I was thinking how to write about quarantine without making it cheesy. So, I thought of the concepts, and the one that stuck out to me the most as being artistic, was about the whole thing being an exercise in patience. Because I had been frustrated for a while with the sudden switch-up of daily life.

They put it on the radio, and it was really cool.

If you could open a show for any artist, who would it be, and why?
That is, if you believe in Americas system of constitutional government, you think a mix of democratic and non-democratic elements is better than a simple majoritarian democracy. You favor checks and balances, including checks on the power of elected lawmakers and balancing popular will with individual rights. You arent just comfortable with judges (including appointed ones) striking down laws that most voters favor. Youd be upset if judges didnt exercise such a power.

Consider the Bill of Rights. The First Amendment states that Congress shall make no law abridging the freedoms of religious exercise, speech, press, assembly and petition. The argument was never that restricting core freedoms is OK as long as its the majority who does it.

During segregation, the right of African Americans to vote in federal, state and local elections was routinely denied in many places. But even if it hadnt been, even if Blacks had been voting in those places at rates compared to whites, the latter would often have prevailed in democratic elections. That wouldnt have given white-run governments the moral authority to infringe on the personal and economic freedoms of their Black neighbors. Nor would it have rescued such Jim Crow policies from being overturned by federal judges in defense of constitutional rights.
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'This was my dream all along': Young Hanford resident made honorary firefighter
He goes on to blame the Biden administration for limiting the amount of oil and gas produced in Montana and for eliminating hundreds of jobs  something he and his allies wish could be true for the sake of political leverage, but simply isnt.

The truth is, this administration has done nothing to limit the amount of gas produced on public land in Montana. It hasnt had to, because oil and gas executives are doing it themselves. Thats right: If anyone or anything is responsible for the fact that no drills are operating on public lands in Montana today, its the industry.

According to recently released data from the Bureau of Land Management, oil and gas companies are sitting on nearly 800 already-approved permits to drill on public land, but currently not using any of them, even though market conditions are quite favorable.

That means the companies could drill now, but theyve chosen not to. And thats largely been the case for the last ten years. Between 2011 and 2020, leases covering over 1.6 million acres of public lands expired, were terminated, or were relinquished without resulting in a single job or any return on public investment.
The commission is expected to make final decisions on:

Marias Crossing FAS Acquisition

Montana Rail Lin Clark Fork River Temporary Closure Rule

Future Fisheries Improvement Program Summer 2021 Funding Recommendations

Southwest Montana Brown Trout Fishing Regulations

Wolf and Furbearer Trapping Setbacks

2021 Furbearer Seasons and Quotas

2021 Wolf Season Quotas, Regulations

2021 Traditional Muzzleloader Deer and Elk Season

2021-22 Elk Shoulder Season Adjustments

Nongame Check-Off Workplan

Jordan Urban Wildlife Plan

2021 Contractual Public Elk Hunting Access Agreements

Pheasant Translocations

The commission will hear and may move forward the following proposals:

2022 Fishing Regulations

Brucellosis Review and Annual Work Plan

Big Horn Sheep Transplant to Wild Horse Island

Turkey Transplants in Region 4

Mule Deer Adaptive Harvest Management Plan

Trap and release workshop held

Footloose Montana will have a trap-release workshop 3-5 p.m. Sunday at the Montana Wild Education Center, 2668 Broadwater Ave. in Helena.

People will learn what to do if someone or something is caught in a trap. Learn how to avoid traps, trap regulations, how to open traps, first aid, and what to carry with you to rescue your pet.

The event is free and open to public. No registration is necessary. Call 406-274-4791 for more information.

Fish art wanted for contest

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks announces the annual fishing regulation photo and kids art contest. Winners will see their work on the front and back cover of the 2022 fishing regulation booklets.

The department will give special consideration to photos that highlight the diversity of people and fishing opportunities in Montana.

Photo contest:

Photo must be vertical (portrait) mode, or suitable for tight vertical cropping to fit the available space on the regs cover.

Photo must be a minimum resolution and size of 6 inches tall at 300 pixels-per-inch.

FWP will feature your name on the front cover as credit. Please specify how you would like to be credited.

Please include a short description of the photo, so we can provide some caption information.

Ownership of the photo is retained by the photographer, who may use his/her image for other purposes.

Please do not send photos of fish that have been mounted.

Photo must be taken in Montana.

Art contest

Kids 12 and younger are invited to submit a colored drawing of a fish that lives in Montana.

Send in your best photo and drawing by e-mail to fwpphotocontest@mt.gov. Deadline is Oct. 15.

Winners will receive their photo on the cover, a subscription to Montana Outdoors Magazine and a Montana Outdoors T-shirt.
ROME (AP)  One of Italy's most wanted men, an alleged major cocaine trafficker who investigators say bought two stolen Van Gogh paintings on the black market with drug money, has been arrested in Dubai, Naples-based police said Thursday.

Raffaele Imperiale, an alleged kingpin in the Naples-based Camorra organized crime syndicate, was arrested on Aug. 4, Italy's state police and financial crimes police corps said in a joint statement.

Imperiale, 46, was being held in the United Arab Emirates while Italys justice ministry completes extradition procedures.

Italian authorities had been seeking him since January 2016 for alleged money laundering and international drug trafficking as part of organized crime activity, according to the Italian Interior Ministry. He was considered one of Italy's most dangerous fugitives.

He was able to construct an imposing network of international drug trafficking, in particular in cocaine,'' the police said. According to Italian investigators, Imperiale started as an international broker" in the drug trade in the early 2000s, with his ties to powerful Camorra clans surviving various feuds among Naples mobsters.

Imperiale is "a top exponent of international drug trafficking and money laundering, who accumulated huge amounts of illicit wealth thanks above all to cocaine sales,'' said Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese.

In 2016, two Van Gogh paintings stolen in 2002 from an Amsterdam museum were found stashed in a non-descript farmhouse on property owned by Imperiale in the Naples-area town of his birth, Castellamare di Stabia.

The wealth illicitly accumulated allowed him to buy on the black market two Van Gogh paintings of unquantifiable value, police said. They referred to the 1882 View of the Sea at Scheveningen and a 1884-1885 work, "Congregation leaving the Reformed Church in Nuenen,'' which had been stolen from the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.

Italian financial police found the paintings wrapped in cotton sheets, stuffed into a box and hidden behind a wall in a bathroom. The artworks were discovered as part of a seizure of property from Imperiale and another reputed Camorra drug kingpin.

Police noted that Imperiale gave an interview this year to Naples daily newspaper Il Mattino in which he denied any link to the museum theft and claimed he bought the paintings because he is a passionate lover of art.

"I bought them directly from the thief, because the price was attractive,. But most of all because I love art,'' Imperiale was quoted as telling the newspaper. He made no secret of having lived in Dubai for several years.

Investing in art, real estate and legitimate businesses like hotels, restaurants and pharmacies is increasingly common among Italian mobsters awash in drug trafficking proceeds, according to Italian investigators.

Shortly before the Van Gogh paintings were discovered, Italy's financial police seized some 40 houses in Spain that they alleged Imperiale had gotten with illicitly acquired revenue.

Italian anti-Mafia investigators have following Imperiale's activities for years. The arrest of a close Imperiale associate who supervised the importation of cocaine from Venezuela led to the 2013 seizure of 1,330 kilos (roughly 1.5 tons) of the drug in Paris, according to Italian police.

Italian news reports said Imperiale lived for about 10 years in Amsterdam while allegedly directing drug shipments to Italy and then moved to Madrid and eventually Dubai.

Dutch daily newspapers De Telegraaf reported that he took over one of Amsterdams marijuana-selling coffeeshops in 1996.



Mike Corder in Amsterdam contributed to this report.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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Todays Highlight in History:

On August 19, 1934, a plebiscite in Germany approved the vesting of sole executive power in Adolf Hitler.

On Aug. 19:

In 1807, Robert Fultons North River Steamboat arrived in Albany, two days after leaving New York.

In 1812, the USS Constitution defeated the British frigate HMS Guerriere off Nova Scotia during the War of 1812, earning the nickname Old Ironsides.

In 1814, during the War of 1812, British forces landed at Benedict, Maryland, with the objective of capturing Washington D.C.

In 1848, the New York Herald reported the discovery of gold in California.

In 1909, the first automobile races were run at the just-opened Indianapolis Motor Speedway; the winner of the first event was auto engineer Louis Schwitzer, who drove a Stoddard-Dayton touring car twice around the 2.5-mile track at an average speed of 57.4 mph.

In 1942, during World War II, about 6,000 Canadian and British soldiers launched a disastrous raid against the Germans at Dieppe, France, suffering more than 50-percent casualties.

In 1955, torrential rains caused by Hurricane Diane resulted in severe flooding in the northeastern U.S., claiming some 200 lives.

In 1960, a tribunal in Moscow convicted American U2 pilot Francis Gary Powers of espionage. (Although sentenced to 10 years imprisonment, Powers was returned to the United States in 1962 as part of a prisoner exchange.)

In 1974, U.S. Ambassador Rodger P. Davies was fatally wounded by a bullet that penetrated the American embassy in Nicosia, Cyprus, during a protest by Greek Cypriots.

In 1980, 301 people aboard a Saudi Arabian L-1011 died as the jetliner made a fiery emergency return to the Riyadh airport.

In 1991, rioting erupted in the Brooklyn, New York, Crown Heights neighborhood after a Black 7-year-old, Gavin Cato, was struck and killed by a Jewish driver from the ultra-Orthodox Lubavitch community; three hours later, a mob of Black youth fatally stabbed Yankel Rosenbaum, a rabbinical student.

In 2010, the last American combat brigade exited Iraq, seven years and five months after the U.S.-led invasion began.

In 2011, three men  Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jesse Misskelley  whod spent nearly two decades in prison for the nightmarish slayings of three Cub Scouts in Arkansas, went free after they agreed to a legal maneuver allowing them to maintain their innocence while acknowledging prosecutors had enough evidence against them.

In 2016, the Obama administration defended its decision to make a $400 million cash delivery to Iran contingent on the release of American prisoners, saying the payment wasnt ransom because the Islamic Republic would have soon recouped the money one way or another. Usain Bolt scored another sweep at the Rio Games, winning three gold medals in his third consecutive Olympics by turning a close 4x100 relay race against Japan and the United States into a runaway, helping Jamaica cross the line in 37.27 seconds. Allyson Felix won an unprecedented fifth gold medal in womens track and field, running the second leg of the 4x100-meter relay team. Actor Jack Riley, 80, died in Los Angeles.

In 2020, Kamala Harris accepted the Democratic nomination for vice president in a speech to the partys virtual convention, cementing her place in history as the first Black woman on a major party ticket. In a speech on the third night of the convention, former President Barack Obama warned that his successor, Donald Trump, was both unfit for office and apathetic to the nations founding principles. Another night of protests in Portland, Oregon ended in clashes with police; officials said protesters broke out the windows of a county government building, sprayed lighter fluid inside and set a fire. President Donald Trump blasted universities that had canceled in-person classes amid coronavirus outbreaks, saying students posed a greater safety threat at home with older family members. Apple became the first U.S. company to boast a market value of $2 trillion, just two years after becoming the first U.S. company with a $1 trillion market value.

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DECATUR  Macon County Health Department is experiencing technical difficulties with its telephone lines and currently cannot accept calls.

According to an email from Krystle Temple, the county health educator, the offices phone service is having issues connecting to outside calls.

She also said they are working to fix the problem and are asking for the public to be patient while they work on getting service back.

This story will be updated.

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WASHINGTON (AP)  A man who claimed to have a bomb in a pickup truck near the Capitol surrendered to law enforcement after an hourslong standoff Thursday that prompted a massive police response and the evacuations of government buildings and businesses in the area.

Police did not immediately know whether there were explosives in the vehicle, but authorities were searching the truck in an effort to understand what led the man, identified by law enforcement officials as 49-year-old Floyd Ray Roseberry of North Carolina, to drive onto the sidewalk outside the Library of Congress and make bomb threats to officers.

The standoff was resolved peacefully after roughly five hours of negotiations, ending when Roseberry crawled out of the truck and was taken into law enforcement custody. But the incident brought the area surrounding the Capitol to a virtual standstill as police emptied buildings and cordoned off streets as a precaution. Congress is in recess this week, but staffers were seen calmly walking out of the area at the direction of authorities.

The episode unfolded during a tense period in Washington, coming eight months after the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and and one month before a planned rally in Washington that law enforcement officials have been preparing for.

The incident began about 9:15 a.m. when a truck with no license plate drove up the sidewalk outside the library. The driver told the responding officer that he had a bomb, and was holding what the officer believed to be a detonator. The truck had no license plates.

Police negotiators spent hours communicating with Roseberry as he wrote notes and showed them to authorities from inside the truck, according to the two people and a third person also briefed on the matter, all of whom spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the matter.

"My negotiators are hard at work trying to have a peaceful resolution to this incident," U.S. Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger said earlier in the day. "We're trying to get as much information as we can to find a way to peacefully resolve this."

While police continued negotiations, video surfaced of Roseberry on Facebook Live inside the truck, which was stuffed with coins and boxes. He was threatening explosions, making anti-government threats and talking about what he believes are the ills of the country, including the U.S. position on Afghanistan, health care and the military.

He said Democrats needed to step down, then also said he loved the president, Democrat Joe Biden. Facebook removed the videos a few hours after they were apparently filmed. Roseberry did not appear to have a specific demand for law enforcement other than to speak with Biden.

Videos posted to his Facebook before the page was taken down appears to show Roseberry at the Nov. 14 rally attended by thousands of Trump supporters to protest what they claimed was a stolen election. One video appears to be filmed by Roseberry as he's marching with a crowd of hundreds of people carrying American flags and Trump flags and shouting "stop the steal."

Roseberry's ex-wife, Crystal Roseberry, said she had seen images of the man in the standoff at the Capitol and confirmed to The Associated Press that it was her ex-husband. She said had never known him to have explosives, but that he was an avid collector of firearms.

The nation's capital has been tense since the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol by supporters of then-President Donald Trump.

Fencing that had been installed around the Capitol grounds had been up for months but was taken down this summer. A day before thousands of pro-Trump rioters stormed the Capitol, pipe bombs were left at the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee and the Republican National Committee in Washington. No one has been arrested yet for placing the bombs.

The RNC, not far away from where the truck was parked Thursday, was also evacuated over the threat. Officials are also jittery over a planned rally in September in D.C.

Long reported from New Buffalo, Michigan. Associated Press writers Alanna Durkin Richer in Boston, Tom Foreman Jr. in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Zeke Miller, Nathan Ellgren, Ashraf Khalil, Alex Brandon and Michael Biesecker in Washington contributed to this report.

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CHICAGO  Theres a womans restroom at the East Aurora Hobby Lobby where Meggan Sommerville works, but for 10 years, shes been barred from using it because she is transgender.

She has had to punch out of work and cross a parking lot in the rain or snow to access the bathroom at a fast-food restaurant, she said. She has used the mens room, which is shared by both employees and customers. She has restricted her fluid intake and endured dehydration, muscle cramps and headaches, according to court documents.

So when Sommerville contemplated the Illinois Appellate Courts ruling that she had the right to use the womens restroom at work, she paused, took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

Its a huge, huge relief, said Sommerville, 51, of Oswego. Its still an emotional roller coaster, because we dont know how Hobby Lobby is going to respond, and we have a ways to go. But to have a court uphold unanimously: I cant put into words the relief that this brings.

Hobby Lobby could not be reached for comment. The company has the option of appealing the case to the Supreme Court of Illinois.

The Aug. 13 Appellate Court decision, which requires Hobby Lobby to allow Sommerville to use the womens restroom and allows her to pursue $220,000 in damages awarded by the Illinois Human Rights Commission, is a tremendous victory for the transgender community, according to one of her lawyers, Jacob Meister of Chicago, who worked on the case with co-counsel Katherine Christy.

The court rejected Hobby Lobbys argument that a persons sex is determined by their reproductive organs and anatomy, and found that Sommervilles sex is unquestionably female.

The court affirmed in a very resounding way that a (transgender) persons gender identity is recognized in Illinois law, and Illinois courts will enforce nondiscrimination against the transgendered, Meister said.

Sommervilles battle began shortly after she completed her transition to living as a woman in July 2010, with a new name, Social Security card and drivers license. Hobby Lobby, where she had worked since 1998, changed her personnel records to reflect her female gender but balked at what has become a flashpoint in the transgender culture wars: access to a gender-appropriate bathroom.

Sommerville was informed that she wouldnt be able to use the womens restroom, according to court records.

In early 2011, she was written up for using the womens room, an experience she has described as emotionally devastating. She was very upset and broke down crying according to court records. She looked for a lawyer and in February 2013, she filed complaints with the Illinois Human Rights Commission, saying Hobby Lobby was discriminating against her based on gender identity.

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Hobby Lobby added a unisex bathroom in 2013 but continued to refuse Sommerville access to the womens room.

The commission found Hobby Lobby violated the Illinois Human Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on gender identity in both workplaces and places of public accommodation, such as public restrooms. The commission determined that the company owed Sommerville $220,000 in damages, at the time the highest amount ever awarded by the commission for emotional distress.

The appellate court decision affirmed the commissions order that Sommerville be allowed to use the womens bathroom. And the court sent the case back to the Human Rights Commission to determine whether Sommerville is owed more than $220,000 due to continuing violations.

Sommerville, who has worked at Hobby Lobby for 22 years, stayed on during the legal battle.

Why should they run me off, just because they dont like who I am? she said.

And besides, she said, she loves what she does. As the frame shop manager, she works one on one with clients, some of whom have been coming to her since before her male-to-female transition.

They bring their artwork to me, all different types, she said. And theyre looking for my opinion, and to help them preserve their memories, and thats a very rewarding job. I dont want to give that up.

There may be additional legal wrangling over the exact amount of financial damages, and Sommerville doesnt know whether Hobby Lobby will pursue an appeal.

But on Tuesday, the signs were good.

Sommerville said when she came in to work, she was called into a managers office and told that from now on, she can use the womens restroom. She kept her composure during the exchange she said, but when she left the office, she cried.

I think I was more emotional hearing that than I was Friday, she said, referring to the day the appellate court decision was released. This really is over.

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It also takes down the stairs in the front of the building and replaces them with a terraced walkway entrance.

This campus renovation is a part of what we initiated several years ago, which is the reason I stayed all this time, too, White said.

Arts officials like White call this plan Completing the Masterpiece.

Several people and organizations donated money for the project, including $75,000 each from the town of Abingdon and Washington County, Virginia.

Now, arts officials have mounted a buy-a-brick campaign to help raise money for the project.

The immediate plan also includes revamping parking lots.

White expects all this to be complete by the end of autumn.

Beyond the ramps, the center is now raising $1 million to build trails and an amphitheater on the grounds near U.S. Highway 11 (Main Street).

Its what White calls a community park that really is dedicated to healthy lifestyles.

It will also include a picnic area.

Its probably the last big capital project that we will ever do, White said.
ABINGDON, Va.  Virginia first lady Pamela Northam on Wednesday praised the innovation of the staff at Blue Mountain Therapy in Abingdon, especially their plans to use horses to communicate with children who have special needs.

The recently relocated therapy center now occupies the former Dixie Pottery building along Lee Highway, just off Interstate 81s Exit 13.

Earlier this summer, it was granted a special-exception permit from the Washington County Board of Supervisors to host horses on the property for equine therapy  a concept Northam, a former therapist, says she relishes.

Im very excited about that. I grew up riding horses in central Texas. And I know what working with animals like that can mean to your average young person, Northam said. But also those with special needs, weve seen tremendous gains in therapy.

She added that she considers horses a wonderful tool that can be used to really engage students who have communication disorders.

Northam is slated to continue touring schools and facilities Thursday with stops at Grundy and Richlands.

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If You Go Food distribution from 5-7 tonight in the parking lot of the future Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, the former Bristol Mall, on Gate City Highway in Bristol, Virginia.

BRISTOL, Va.  Local nonprofit organizations are hosting a food distribution today outside the former Bristol Mall.

Santa Pal and United Way of Bristol, in partnership with Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee and Feeding Southwest Virginia, will host the pop-up event. It is being held in the parking lot of the future Hard Rock Hotel and Casino on Gate City Highway in Bristol, Virginia from 5-7 p.m.

The pandemic continues to cause financial hardships for many in our region, so when Santa Pal approached us to partner for this food distribution, we were happy to help, said United Way Executive Director Lisa Cofer. We encourage individuals and families in Tennessee and Virginia that need food to come on out Thursday and take advantage of this great event.
Our modeling shows us getting to 300 COVID inpatients by the end of next week, and we could get beyond 500 patients at some point in the next two to three weeks, Deaton said. Based on what were seeing, the delta variant is pretty widespread  across the Southeast something like 95% of the cases were seeing are the delta variant. Its more aggressive, more contagious and spreads much quicker that what we saw before. Within the next 30 days, it is really important that we continue to focus on capacity, and thats why were looking for help from the outside, particularly the National Guard.
In this time with everything happening, I thought how courageous, to be a person of color to put that uniform on, said Klock, who returned to Stafford to capture more footage and conduct interviews to produce his documentary.

Local businessman Vernon Green, one of the producers of the new film, said he became involved with the project because the answer to the communitys law enforcement challenges is more minority involvement, not less.

From a place of community policing, responsible policing and minority involvement, anywhere theres going to be a challenge that involves minorities and the community, I want to be part of it, said Green.

During local protests last year, Green stood with law enforcement officers where he witnessed minority officers trying to keep the peace among people of their own race. He also understands the pain Black officers endure when another minority civilian loses their life at the hands of the law.

It tears them apart because they feel divided, said Green. All those things, I just feel, need to be heard. Im not saying their struggle is any harder than their counterparts, Im just saying that we should be aware.
It cant be accepted as fact, said Hamilton Lombard, a research and policy analyst with the U.Va. center. If you see anyone using (the data) extensively, you maybe should be a little worried.

So how did we get here?

The Census Bureau started looking for a new way to protect privacy leading up to the 2020 Census over worries that more computing power over the past decade would let hackers identify people with the data.

Experts have said that concern may be overblown, Lombard said. But it led to the development of whats called differential privacy, which uses an algorithm to scramble the numbers by injecting noise into the data.

The method doesnt affect big and general numbers, such as total state population and totals for various racial groups.

Its at a more granular level that errors appear, such as those specific blocks in Virginia Beach or in more rural areas.

If the health department is trying to assess teen pregnancy rates using census age data, for instance, it might be useless, Lombard said. The city of Emporias teen pregnancy rate artificially increased by fivefold, to 66%, when the Cooper Centers analysts first applied differential privacy.
Ive been present during those occasions, Turk said. Dennis had a way of speaking with people  he has a very soothing drawl with the way that he speaks. He could identify with a person in crisis. He has encouraged many a person to surrender that perhaps, if not for Dennis, there would have been a more violent outcome.

He could talk to people and reason with people, Brown said. People respected him. If you had a personality conflict with Dennis, you had an issue on your own.

Brown said there was a somber feeling among the officers as they arrived to work the day after Dixons death. There are folks that worked with Deputy Dixon for many years, and known him personally for many years, he said.

Brown ordered that a patrol vehicle be parked outside of the sheriffs office in honor of Dixon. Dixons photo was also displayed in the office. Its for the purpose of memorializing the deputy, his death and his service to the sheriffs office and the community, Brown said.

Lt. Kerry Penley said he worked closely with Dixon in his own 21 years with the sheriffs office.

He was a good guy, Penley said. Very uplifting to be around.  He would do anything he could to help someone.
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In what appears to be a first, a CIA-bankrolled threat intelligence firm has set up a "tech news" outlet to spread its wares.

Recorded Future's association with the American intelligence agency is described in this way by Wikipedia: "The company has close links with In-Q-Tel, CIAs investment arm, and Google Ventures, who were both early investors."

The news., or rather propaganda, outlet, is known as The Record. Surprisingly, its "stories" are being taken seriously by aggregation sites like Slashdot.

But then a large number of journalists, both from the general and technology beats in the US, operate as mouthpieces for American intelligence agencies.

In the past, the CIA was known for getting journalists onside using an operation that came to be known as. That continuesthough not under the same name; only last month, investigative journalist Glenn Greenwaldabout Natasha Bertrand, a new face at CNN, but an old hand in spreading CIA propaganda.

Another well-known, but lesser written about phenomenon, is the fact that many security companies attribute the source of malware they track down based on what their contacts at intelligence agencies tell them.

And those sources will always be countries like Russia, China, North Korea and Iran, nations that are on the US blacklist.

Recorded Future has also announced a partnership with Avast, a Czech multinational cyber security software company headquartered in Prague. It has also got ties to another East European security firm, Bitdefender. Anotther firm in which the American spy agency has invested is Kasada, which, incidentally has another notable investor: former Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull.

The Record has hired two former security writers, Adam Janofsky and Catalin Cimpanu, to staff the publication. The former worked for the Wall Street Journal for a while, while Cimpanu put in stints with Bleeping Computer and ZDNet. While some reports they write are the same bread-and-butter ones that emerge based on the "findings" of security firms  and which are also written up by many other regular tech outlets  there are others which are clearly being fed to drive this narrative or that.

These include reports like this, which clearly serve to cast doubt on Chinese groups. And without any trace of shame, we have the spectacle of a journalist quoting someone working for his parent company, completely forgetting that one who does this has no credibility at all.

But then most outlets are only too happy to vomit out the leaks from intelligence agencies and law enforcement sources, with no questioning at all. CyberScoop is another of these outlets which serves as a good outlet for US government propaganda.

Exactly why Recorded Future decided to branch out this way is not known. But it is very likely that the decision was taken because the organisation was not getting the publicity it thought its "research" merited.

I met two of the Recorded Future staff in Melbourne in 2019, having exchanged business cards with the founder, Christopher Ahlberg, at a talk during the Kaspersky Security Analyst Summit in Cancun in 2018.

But the "research" that the company publishes seems a little too cute at times. Just before the summit of the Koreas in 2018, Recorded Future published a blog post about North Korean activities in cyber space.

Another report, issued just before former US president Donald Trump was due to pronounce on the Iran nuclear deal  he cancelled it  claimed that Iran would retaliate by stepping up its online attacks. Nothing of the sort happened.

Both the North Korean attack report and the Iran one were sent to iTWire prior to publication; we ran the former, but then I thought the second one looked just too much of a coincidence. So I held off.

The American intelligence agencies push their wares in a much more expansive way through cable TV channels like MSNBC and CNN, where former spies figure quite often as talking heads. John Brennan, Michael Hayden, Asha Rangappa, James Clapper, Malclom Nance... the names go on and on.

In 2003, the US and a number of other countries went to war in Iraq based on bogus information spread by intelligence agencies. More recently, when Trump floated a plan last year to pull American forces out of Afghanistan, a bogus story about Russia offering the Taliban incentives to kill American soldiers gained a lot of currency in numerous outlets.

[With all the chaos that the Americans have created in Afghanistan, it is amazing that people still believe that one needs to pay any Afghan to attack them.]

With all the talk about fake news, it is somewhat surprising that people pay little attention to this growing trend of spreading whatever propaganda is the flavour of the day. Maybe another adventure like the Iraq one is needed to bring people to their senses.
PLYMOUTH, Ind.  An 11-month-old northern Indiana girl who had been reported missing was found dead in a wooded area after a man who had agreed to babysit the toddler for a few days led authorities to her body, a prosecutor said Thursday.

Marshall County Prosecutor Nelson Chipman Jr. said that man, Justin Miller, 37, would be formally charged Thursday with neglect of a dependent resulting in death. His initial hearing is expected Friday.

Chipman said Mercedes Lain's body was found after 9 p.m. Wednesday in a densely wooded area of Starke County near the Marshall County line after Miller led officers to the site.

"It's a tragedy," Chipman said, adding that officers who had searched for the Plymouth girl had hoped she would be found alive.

An autopsy had not been performed on the child's body as of Thursday morning, he said.

Chipman said the girl's father, Kenny Lain, left Mercedes with Miller on Friday at a Plymouth motel to babysit for the weekend so he and the girl's mother, Tiffany Coburn, could have "a few days break from their child."

But after Miller did not bring the toddler back as planned on Sunday her parents reported her missing to police, he said.

According to a probable cause affidavit, Miller told police Wednesday that he woke up on Saturday at a residence in Mishawaka, a St. Joseph County city just east of South Bend, and found the child dead. He told police he then moved her body to the wooded area in adjacent Starke County.

Miller, who the affidavit describes as a relative of the parents, told officers he had used synthetic marijuana several times during the time he had Mercedes in his care.

Kenny Lain and Tiffany Coburn both face one count each of neglect of a dependent for allegedly giving their child to Miller to care for, Chipman said. They also are expected to appear for initial hearings on Friday, he said.

Online court documents do no list attorneys for Miller or for the girl's parents.

Authorities said the search for the girl involved FBI agents, Indiana State Police, Marshall County deputies and Plymouth police officers.

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CHICAGO  With the Ashburn neighborhood draped in blue, Chicago Police Officer Ella French is expected to be laid to rest Thursday morning with stories about her well-documented compassion and desire to protect others.

Thousands of officers, representing departments across the country, lined up outside the St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel before the service in a queue that stretched for blocks. Mayor Lori Lightfoot arrived about 30 minutes before the funeral Mass, as did Chicago U.S. Attorney John Lausch.

French, 29, and her partner were shot while conducting a traffic stop on three people in a vehicle just after 9 p.m. Aug. 7 in the Englewood neighborhood, police said. Her partner was seriously injured and remains hospitalized.

One of the suspects was also shot after at least one of the officers returned fire, according to police.

Hundreds attended Frenchs wake Wednesday evening at the Southwest Side chapel, where the electronic sign on the church lawn rotated with a message proclaiming thank you for your service and a picture of the slain officer.

Prosecutors have charged two brothers in connection with the shooting. Emonte Morgan, 21, is accused of first-degree murder, attempted murder, and weapons charges. Eric Morgan, 22, faces weapons charges as well as a count of obstruction of justice.

Authorities allege that Emonte Morgan shot the officers, then handed the gun to his brother, who ran to a nearby yard where he was held by residents until police arrived.

Both brothers were on probation for separate cases at the time of the shooting. Emonte Morgan pleaded guilty to robbery in Cook County court last year, and Eric Morgan pleaded guilty to theft in Dane County, Wisconsin, records show.

Frenchs partner, Officer Carlos Yanez Jr., was shot in the eye, brain and shoulder, according to a GoFundMe fundraiser organized by family. He is facing a long recovery and the possibility of a lifelong disability. The Tribune confirmed the veracity of the fundraiser with a spokesperson for the company.

In a video provided to the Tribune Wednesday by his sister, Yanez thanked people for their support, prayers and donations. He spoke softly in the video while laying in a hospital bed.

I love you all, he told supporters.

Praise for Frenchs police work has poured in from the community since her death, while the slaying ramped up tension between Lightfoot and rank-and-file police officers. In a widely reported incident, a group of officers turned their backs on Lightfoot when she visited the hospital on the night of the shooting.

Those animosities were reflected in an angry prayer offered by a Chicago Police chaplain at Edison Park Fest over the weekend. As a line of uniformed Chicago police officers stood in front of the stage, the Rev. Dan Brandt, a Catholic priest, cursed unnamed elected officials and blamed them for the death of French and others, according to a video later posted on Facebook.

Their lives were stolen by repeat offenders, people who should not be on the street, Brandt said. And damn our politicians. And damn our penalty system, our penal system. We need reform, friends.

Brandt seemingly excluded Ald. Anthony Napolitano, 41st, a frequent and prolific Lightfoot critic, from his condemnation as he thanked God for the Northwest Side neighborhoods great alderman. He also referred to Edison Park  which is overwhelmingly white and home to more than 1,000 police officers  as almost like a Utopian neighborhood.

The chaplain is expected to participate in the funeral Mass, along with Cardinal Blase Cupich of the Chicago Archdiocese. Although Police Supt. David Brown and Lightfoot are in attendance, theres no indication in the funeral program that either will be delivering remarks.

French, who became an officer in 2018, is the first officer to be shot and killed in the line of duty during Lightfoots tenure.

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We stand ready to activate additional surge planning scenarios from staffing contingency to the utilization of additional space on our campuses, should we need to.

Ohl said Triad hospitals are busy and tight in terms of beds dedicated to COVID-19 patients and overall.

Cohen stressed that many hospitals in North Carolina are being squeezed in terms of availability of adult intensive-care unit beds. She said some hospitals are choosing to scale back non-urgent procedures and agreeing to share available ICU beds.

This is exactly the situation we have been working to avoid, Cohen said.

Layered protection is crucial to save lives, ensure our hospitals can provide care to those who need it, and fight this more contagious delta variant, Cohen said.

Dr. David Priest, an infectious diseases expert for Novant, said Tuesday that 97% of the systems intensive-care unit beds are occupied  the same levels as experienced in late January and early February.

About 91% of those hospitalizations in the Novant system are unvaccinated individuals, Priest said.

Statewide, individuals ages 50 and older represent 67% of new patients hospitalized with COVID-19 related illnesses.
We must make sure that no patient in North Carolina is ever left alone in a hospital or nursing home while their spouse or family members are forced to wait at home or in the parking lot while their loved one is receiving care, said Sen. Warren Daniel, R-Burke, and co-primary sponsor, during the Senates floor debate on SB191.

A video call to a hospitalized patient, many who dont know how to use a computer, cannot become a substitute for having a family member present during potentially life-and-death health care situations.

Background

The latest version of SB191 has been broadened to apply the same patients rights protections to most long-term care facilities, Hospice facilities and certain residential treatment facilities.

Krawiec has said that non-COVID-19 patients are being adversely affected by the visitor restriction as well.

There are a multitude of cases where residents are still not allowed to have visitors, Krawiec said. It should never happen again where patients are dying alone in facilities.

There are also those who have diminished cognitive abilities who dont understand why they are abandoned without loved ones or caregivers being allowed to visit them.
We have worked diligently to correct that path, Joyce said. Lord, we are living in strange times. We are living in a time of dark places  Many have turned away from you and have followed the ways of the world.

Dyer criticized the Moravian church leaders for approving Resolution 14 at the May 2018 synod in Black Mountain. The resolution allows gay and lesbian ministers to be ordained and to be married in Moravian churches.

The resolution says in part, we have learned and experienced that our unity in Christ if far greater than our differing views and understanding about homosexuality and the church and, that we can be welcoming, respectful and loving toward one another in our differences 

The Moravians trace their roots to Bohemia and Moravia, now the Czech Republic, and to John Hus, whose protests preceded the Protestant Reformation.

The Moravian church was formally established in 1457. During the next two centuries, persecution forced the church underground and dispersed it throughout Northern Europe.

In 1741, the first successful Moravian settlement in America was established in Bethlehem, Pa, and is todays headquarters of the Northern Province of the Moravian Church.
Priest said Novant would update patients' electronic health records to provide an alert when they are eligible for a third dose. He expects other vaccination sources, including drug stores, will do the same.

"I anticipate some age-based guidance, but it may be more widespread than that," Priest said. "I won't be surprised if they say 'any age or any medical condition.' "

Priest said demand for a third dose will represent "another interesting observation into human behavior."

"We know that many individuals who have been vaccinated are adamantly interested in getting a third dose, particularly as the delta variant has spread," Priest said.

"We know there are individuals who are adamant that they don't want any doses.

"It speaks to the polarization we've seen during the entire pandemic," Priest said. "It's unfortunate, but it's where we are right now."

Swift said he expects the third dose to be scheduled similarly to how first doses were handled during the January to April period.

In that scenario, among those going first would be the elderly, residents in long-term care facilities, and individuals working in higher-risk professions for infections.
The Interior Department review will consider the effects of coal mining on air quality and the local environment, whether leasing decisions should consider if the fuel will be exported, and how coal supports the nation's energy needs.

The agency said it will take 30 days of public comment and plans to announce its next steps by November.

The coal program brought in more than $500 million for federal and state coffers through royalties and other payments in 2019, the most recent data available.

The program supports thousands of jobs and has been fiercely defended by industry representatives, Republicans in Congress and officials in coal producing states.

Our public lands are intended for multiple uses, including the production of affordable, reliable energy for all Americans, and we look forward to providing comment throughout the governments review, said Ashley Burke with the National Mining Association, an industry lobbying group.

California, New York, New Mexico and Washington state sued after then-Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke revived coal lease sales in 2017. The Northern Cheyenne Tribe, joined by the Sierra Club and other environmental groups, also filed a legal challenge, while state officials from Wyoming and Montana argued against reviving the moratorium.
He made that point Monday, saying in a televised address from the White House that he would not commit to sending more American troops to fight for Afghanistans future while also harkening back to the Trump deal to suggest that the withdrawal path was predetermined by his predecessor.

The choice I had to make, as your president, was either to follow through on that agreement or be prepared to go back to fighting the Taliban in the middle of the spring fighting season, Biden said.

The Taliban takeover, far swifter than officials from either administration had envisioned, has prompted questions from even some Trump-era officials about whether the terms and conditions of the deal  and the decisions that followed after  did enough to protect Afghanistan once the U.S. military pulled out.

The historic deal was always high-wire diplomacy, requiring a degree of trust in the Taliban as a potential peace partner and inked despite skepticism from war-weary Afghans who feared losing authority in any power-sharing agreement.

The Doha agreement was a very weak agreement, and the U.S. should have gained more concessions from the Taliban, said Lisa Curtis, an Afghanistan expert who served during the Trump administration as the National Security Councils senior director for South and Central Asia.
This article was written by NerdWallet and was originally published by The Associated Press.

Chanell Alexander writes for NerdWallet. Email: calexander@nerdwallet.com.

The article $20K or More to Expand Your Family? How to Pay for Adoption originally appeared on NerdWallet.
Some nursing homes and long-term care facilities wasted no time responding to President Joe Biden's announcement Wednesday that their staffs must get vaccinated against COVID-19 if they want to continue to receive Medicare and Medicaid payments.

Among the local facilities that announced plans to require staff vaccinations were Tabitha, Sumner Place and Southlake Village.

Tabitha President and CEO Christie Hinrichs said the organization will require not only its own employees to be vaccinated, but also any volunteers, students, vendors or contractors who work in its facilities.

"As a leading senior care provider in the state who employs 1,000 team members across 25 Nebraska counties, we hope our bold action will inspire other senior care providers and living communities to require COVID-19 vaccines, as well, Hinrichs said in a news release.

She said Tabitha has already had very good success getting staff members vaccinated, with about 85% of employees voluntarily getting the shot so far.

I know some would be ecstatic having 85% of their workforce vaccinated, but at Tabitha we strive for exceptional and will work diligently to get as close to 100% as possible," said Hinrichs, who noted that all workers covered by the mandate will need to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 29.
In 2016, two Van Gogh paintings stolen in 2002 from an Amsterdam museum were found stashed in a non-descript farmhouse on property owned by Imperiale in the Naples-area town of his birth, Castellamare di Stabia.

The wealth illicitly accumulated allowed him to buy on the black market two Van Gogh paintings of unquantifiable value, police said. They referred to the 1882 View of the Sea at Scheveningen and a 1884-1885 work, "Congregation leaving the Reformed Church in Nuenen,'' which had been stolen from the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.

Italian financial police found the paintings wrapped in cotton sheets, stuffed into a box and hidden behind a wall in a bathroom. The artworks were discovered as part of a seizure of property from Imperiale and another reputed Camorra drug kingpin.

Police noted that Imperiale gave an interview this year to Naples daily newspaper Il Mattino in which he denied any link to the museum theft and claimed he bought the paintings because he is a passionate lover of art.

"I bought them directly from the thief, because the price was attractive,. But most of all because I love art,'' Imperiale was quoted as telling the newspaper. He made no secret of having lived in Dubai for several years.
As part of Head Starts comprehensive, whole-family approach to services, parents and staff members connect regularly to discuss families unique needs and goals. Everyone, from teachers to family engagement specialists, to parents, to the children themselves, are part of this work. A core tenant of Head Start is that family is a childs first and most important teacher.

At Head Start, everything is about true partnership, said Bomberger. Were providing support and guidance. Our team works with families to identify and take steps to reach the goals that are most important to them. And when they get there, we all celebrate that success together.

The types of goals set by families can vary greatly, but all are seeking to promote their childrens health, well-being and development. In addition to goals set specifically to support children in the home, parents and caregivers often set personal goals supporting family achievement of economic stability. Examples include obtaining a post-secondary degree or professional certification, securing a higher-paying job, or purchasing a home or other asset such as a reliable vehicle. One of Williams personal goals was to obtain her bachelors degree in economics from University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
A 41-year-old Fillmore County man who was arrested Aug. 4 after allegedly selling stolen windmill blades to undercover Lancaster County Sheriff's investigators has now been booked on suspicion of possession of child pornography.

Spencer Lile of Exeter had already been lodged in the Lancaster County Jail after being charged with one count of felony theft when investigators discovered the pornography on his phone while serving a search warrant, according to deputies.

Capt. Tommy Trotter said investigators found numerous photos and videos of children believed to be under the age of 16 engaged in various sexual acts. Trotter said the pornography is not thought to have been produced locally, though an investigation into its origin is ongoing.

Trotter said the sheriff's office wasn't aware of the images until it served the search warrant this week.

Investigators arrested Lile for the second crime Wednesday. He remains in jail, where he's been since Aug. 4, when deputies say he attempted to sell stolen windmill blades to investigators via Craigslist.

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He wasnt yet a man the first time he straddled a scooter for a test ride.

Walt Meier was still a boy in 1945, a 14-year-old whose father had started work at Cushman the year before. The company needed to know why so many of its military scooters -- strapped to pallets and parachuted out of planes -- were breaking down during World War II.

They came up with a simple stress test to identify and reinforce the weak points -- the train tracks that ran alongside its foundry, just northeast of downtown Lincoln.

An employee from the experimental department went first, bumping over the ties, keeping the scooter between the rails.

He made a pair of bone-rattling passes but was too shaken to continue. And he said, Thats enough, Meier remembered this week. So my dad called me, and we went down there and he had me ride up and down the tracks. I was thinking it was going to be fun. It wasnt. It beat the heck out of you.

But the teen lasted a week, longer than the scooter, which broke in several spots. And that was the end of that.
NPS: Get vaccinated  and enjoy

This requirement will be in effect until further notice, the NPS said. It applies "to all NPS buildings and public transportation systems. It also applies to outdoors spaces where physical distancing cannot be maintained, such as narrow or busy trails and overlooks."

"Being vaccinated is the most effective way to protect yourself and your loved ones from the dangers of the coronavirus," said Capt. Maria Said, an epidemiologist in the NPS Office of Public Health and a member of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.

"Masking in addition to being vaccinated will help prevent the spread of new variants and protect those who are more at risk of severe disease. This simple act of kindness allows us to be safe while we continue to enjoy the benefits of our national parks."

Big park attendance this summer

As the 2021 summer travel season unfolded, Americans flocked to parks in huge numbers.

Arches National Park in Utah was one of a number of headliner parks that saw significant overcrowding. The influx of visitors forced the park to temporarily shut its gates almost daily.
This (crime) was just complete immature stupidity, Stratman told Dagosta Wednesday. A life is not worth marijuana.

That said, Stratman told Dagosta she understood that Dagosta had no idea Smith would be set off and resort to such an itchy trigger finger that night.

The night of March 12, 2020, Dagosta and Smith had arranged to try to sell pot to Conley, a cousin of one of the teens girlfriends.

Conley arrived in a packed car, and Dagosta dealt with him as he sat in the rear drivers side seat.

At some point, words were exchanged over the weight of the baggie. Conley thought he was being shorted, prosecutors have said.

It wasnt clear how the argument ended, but other passengers in the car told police that shots were fired as they drove away. Police determined Smith fired nine times, some into the back bumper. The fatal bullet ricocheted off the car frame and into Conleys neck.

Conleys relatives did not attend Wednesdays sentencing. In an earlier tribute, Conleys mother wrote that her son had a 3-month-old child at the time of his death and was a great father and student. Quensha Conley wrote that she had been diagnosed with lupus and her son  the youngest of three  helped care for her.
Iowa signed an emergency $26 million contract with Nomi Health in April 2020 to obtain 540,000 coronavirus tests, which were produced by Utah-based Co-Diagnostics. Utah tech firms Domo and Qualtrics also worked on parts of the program.

Nomi Health has been paid more than $35 million in all, according to Iowas online checkbook.

The lawsuit against Reynolds comes as the governors office has faced increasing criticism for tightly controlling information during the pandemic and refusing to acknowledge or fulfill many open-records requests. Randy Evans, director of the Iowa Freedom of Information Council, said recently the states compliance with the law is the worst he has seen in 50 years as an Iowa journalist.

The case Rasmussen filed last month against Iowas health department and records custodian Sarah Ekstrand seeks correspondence between department director Kelly Garcia and officials in Utah, Nebraska and Tennessee related to the testing programs.

Ekstrand told Rasmussen in April that she anticipated having the request fulfilled in five days, but no records had been released by late July, according to the lawsuit.
Vances candor proved to be a problem. With tweets and in interviews, he jabbed Trump with unflattering terms like moral disaster and cultural heroin, a narcotic to which voters were turning to avoid their real problems.

But by the time Vance threw his hat in the ring, it had turned into a MAGA hat. He apologized for misjudging the former president, deleted anti-Trump tweets and came out as a full-throated speaker of Trumps populist attack-speak.

I began to hear from my readers after Vance and I appeared together in a video stream for the Woodson Center, a conservative Black think tank. What, they asked, did I think of Vances defense of his very conservative friend Tucker Carlson against the Anti-Defamation Leagues call for the Fox News commentators dismissal?

Carlson had offended the ADL  and me too  by arguing on his show that Democrats were trying to replace the current electorate, the voters now casting ballots, with new people, more obedient voters, from the third world. The ADL accused Carlson of embracing a foundational theory of white supremacy.

Vance responded to me patiently that he was not concerned about non-white people replacing whites, and Im sure thats not Tuckers concern either.
America has made some successful long-term foreign policy commitments, for instance to Germany and South Korea. Those typically date from the Cold War and immediate post-World War II eras, and they are held in place partly by inertia. They also seem to be slowly crumbling. American voters are hardly calling for more such commitments.

The hawks I know, especially those with a politically conservative bent, typically will admit or perhaps even emphasize that the American electorate lacks the stomach for long-term interventions. But rather than consider the practical implications of such an admission, they too quickly flip into moralizing.

We hear that the American citizenry is not sufficiently committed, or perhaps that non-conservative politicians are morally bankrupt, or that the Biden administration has made a huge mistake. But those moral claims, even if correct, are a distraction from the main lesson at hand. If your own country is not morally strong enough to see through your preferred hawkish policies, maybe those policies arent going to prove sustainable, and thus they need to be scaled back.
Im writing in response to Attorney General Doug Petersons recent Local View, Safety, law motivate actions" (Aug. 5). Petersons column seems to have been triggered by an earlier Local View by Sara Rips, Make state safe for all (July 27)

Rips took Peterson to task for joining with 16 other state attorneys general to file an amicus brief in federal court defending Arkansas bill HB1570, which bans lifesaving, gender-affirming medical care for Arkansas trans youth. Peterson seemed particularly offended by Rips statement that she is speaking truth to power.

Im sure Peterson didnt intend this, but his column actually reinforces Rips point about the importance of speaking truth to power  and doing so publicly in order to fact check officials who like to offer reasonable-sounding but misleading and disingenuous justifications for their actions, citing evidence that doesnt hold water.
Local

topical alert

SplinterPrintz

Skulls, trophies, lighthouses, oh my! | One 3D print at a time: Union Grove couple turns hobby into business

Michael Izquierdo / MICHAEL IZQUIERDO, michael.izquierdo@journaltimes.com Miranda and Jack Jasperson stand in front of their home backyard garden in Union Grove. The married couple are the owners of SplinterPrintz, a local business specializing in woodworking and 3D printing, and found success online and in Racine County during the pandemic. Michael Izquierdo / MICHAEL IZQUIERDO, michael.izquierdo@journaltimes.com Jack Jasperson is pictured fixing one of the 3D printers that wasn't working properly in their packaging room.

UNION GROVE  Miranda Jasperson always wanted her own skull from her favorite video game series, Halo.

She decided to design and 3D-print her own rendition of the skull by adding popular symbols found in the games on their foreheads. Her work got mentioned on the official Halo websites monthly community spotlight blog twice, in October 2020 and February 2021.

Today, Miranda and her husband, Jack, have a business called SplinterPrintz, a 3D printing and custom woodworking company. They own 13 printers that seemingly take up most of their living space, from the kitchen to the garage in Union Grove.

This was never expected or planned, Miranda said with a laugh. Im just happy that Jack puts up with the fact we took over the house with 3D printers.

The first printer

Miranda, 31, and Jack, 47, were born and raised in Kenosha and Racine County. They met in 2016 while working as firefighter paramedics.

Prior to dating, Miranda attended Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, where she obtained her masters degree in applied anatomy in 2015. There, she took classes along the biomedical engineering track and learned about 3D printing.

I always liked making things and Ive always been crafty because I used to do cosplay, said Miranda. When I had to learn about 3D printing, we had our own independent learning about prototyping and designing with 3D printers.

Michael Izquierdo / MICHAEL IZQUIERDO, michael.izquierdo@journaltimes.com One of 13 3D printers is printing out a customized skull inspired by the Halo video game series, using a white PLA filament. Miranda and Jack Jasperson are the owners of SplinterPrintz, a local business specializing in woodworking and 3D printing, and found success online and in Racine County during the pandemic.

In 2018, Miranda received her first 3D printer as a Christmas gift from Jack. It wasnt until she had a foot and ankle injury the following year that she took a deep dive into the 3D universe.

In October (2019) when I got hurt, I taught myself the computer coding of 3D printers, said Miranda. It takes so much work to learn all the settings and technical stuff.

SplinterPrintz became an established business by August 2020, using Etsy as the primary outlet to sell its products. The two sold their first product to a customer in Sweden. Since then, they have sold to customers across the U.S. and in Australia, Russia and the U.K.

Miranda and Jack knew their business was a reliable investment when they made over $8,000 in sales their first month.

When that happened, we reinvested into the business and I was buying more machines, said Miranda. Its been nice to share something that I enjoy and theres a lot of people that enjoy it as well.

Can I print anything?

3D printing is no simple task, but learning the process behind making an idea become a fully fledged product is part of the fun, according to Miranda.

Before printing, you have to come up with an idea for a design  and it could literally be anything. 3D printers can print a range of items from action figures, kitchenware and medical devices.

Michael Izquierdo / MICHAEL IZQUIERDO, michael.izquierdo@journaltimes.com Two of thirteen 3D printers rest on a counter next to a a customized skull inspired by the Halo video game series, using a multiple colored PLA filament.

You have to do the majority of the work, using the computer to make the modeling design, creating shapes and editing of a mesh, the structural build, and creating a prototype, Miranda said.

The designs will then be sliced into individual layers on a computer slicing program of ones choosing. This is how the 3D printer learns how to print out your design.

(The program) will literally slice it in layers of whatever filament width youre using to tell the machine how to design it, said Miranda.

From there, the designs are downloaded onto a memory card or USB stick. They are plugged into the printing machine, after which the user must adjust calibration settings for details such as temperature and speed, and off it prints.

Designs can take anywhere from a few hours to more than three days to print depending on the size. The products are printed using thread-like plastic materials called filaments.

We use PLA filament, which is the most biodegradable, non-toxic plastic, said Miranda. It still lasts quite a long time but degrades faster than most other plastics.

The real challenge comes when the customer receives their package, anxious if its all in one piece or not.

We shake the package to make sure it doesnt move, Jack, who packages all the products, said with a smirk. We have to plan on the postal service just throwing the package.

3D printing goes local

SplinterPrintz doesnt just sell Halo skulls. The business works with other local businesses to design fun and beneficial products in the community.

Last summer, Miranda and Jack designed 3D-printed ear savers, an adjustable hook to masks to relieve pressure on ears, and donated 300 of them to faculty and staff at Union Grove Elementary School. More went to Gateway Technical College students enrolled in the Fire Medic program, where Jack is a full-time instructor.

In August 2020, many local businesses in Kenosha were damaged in the aftermath of protests over the police shooting of Jacob Blake. Miranda and Jack created 3D-printed key chains with the message Kenosha Strong in the center of a Wisconsin state outline and red heart placed in Kenosha.

We sold them for about $3 or $4 and gave 50% of the profits to the GoFundMe they had for the Kenosha Strong fundraiser, said Miranda. I think we ended up donating around $400.

Miranda and Jack have also been able to partner up with local businesses to design and sell business-specific products.

Michael Izquierdo / MICHAEL IZQUIERDO, michael.izquierdo@journaltimes.com Miranda Jasperson 3D-printed costumed Pokemon championship cups for Twin Dragon's recent Pokemon tournament inside their shop.

The business works with Twin Dragons, located on 500 Wisconsin Ave, to sell a collection of their Halo skulls and other video game-related creations. The two even created miniature championship cups for the shops recent Pokemon tournament.

SplinterPrintz is the process of making prototypes, from Wind Point Lighthouse replicas for Lighthouse Gallery & Gifts, located on 306 Main St, to 3D-printed hand prosthetics for Team Unlimbited, a charity organization focused on designing prosthetic hand and arms.

And the duo have no plans to stop collaborating anytime soon.

Establishing in Wisconsin

The business hasnt been able to take advantage of the custom woodworking due to CNC (computer numerical control) machines and wood prices skyrocketing during the pandemic last year.

The sale of 3D printers also increased during the pandemic partly due to the medical necessities of creating 3D-printed personal protective equipment, nose swabs and emergency isolation wards for patients. Meanwhile, the phenomenon of 3D printing has become more accessible to the average consumer.

Up until five years ago, the average cost of a 3D printer was floating around the $50,000 mark  You can now purchase a respectable 3D printer for the substantially lower cost of $1800-$4,500, according to 3D Printing Industry.

However, as 3D printers become more mainstream, its more difficult to find reliable information on how to use them.

It doesnt come with good instructions, said Miranda. If youre not mechanically minded, it tends to be difficult when things break if you dont understand how it works.

This leads to Miranda and Jack wanting to establish their own 3D printing business in southeastern Wisconsin to sell 3D printing materials, to be a sort of GeekSquad of how to repair printers and hold classes on how to use the printers.

I know a lot of people know about this but arent educated about all its capabilities, said Miranda. You can make anything. Its literally up to your imagination of what you can create.

+25 +25 In photos: African American Chamber of Commerce hosted business expo over weekend The African American Chamber of Commerce Greater Racine held a business expo for businesses from Racine and Kenosha, and the surrounding areas
Sixteen deaths connected to COVID-19 related illness and 1,403 new cases of the virus were confirmed by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services on Tuesday.

The state health department also noted that more than 50% of the Wisconsin population were fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Tuesday, and nearly 54% had received at least one vaccine dose.

The state health department also released data regarding the number of confirmed COVID-19 illnesses after full inoculation - known as breakthrough cases. According to the data, there has been 125 confirmed cases, 5 hospitalizations and 0.1 deaths among 100,000 vaccinated people in the state, compared to 369 cases, 18 hospitalizations and 1.1 deaths among 100,000 non-vaccinated people.

Traci DeSalvo, Director, DHS Bureau of Communicable Diseases will be joined by Dr. Ryan Westergaard, Chief Medical Officer, DHS Bureau of Communicable Diseases, to answer questions and provide an update to the public.
The council chambers are located next to the police department in the City Hall complex at Pine Street and Jefferson Street.

Meeting

The City Council met to reconsider the contract issue Tuesday, although most of the discussion took place behind closed doors. The city invoked an open meetings exception that allows closed sessions to review bargaining or competitive issues.

After about 30 minutes of closed-door deliberations, the council reconvened in open session and voted unanimously to rescind the Aug. 3 contract award. The vote took place with no public debate, and aldermen adjourned without explaining their action.

Officials made no announcement about their plans for the City Council chambers project.

The rescinded contract had been awarded to Bob Riggs Construction Inc. for carpentry and project management for $12,400, while the subcontractors included Ketters Flooring, $3,576; B. Schneider Electric Inc., $6,548; McDermott Top Shops LLC countertops, $11,840; Hey Burlington audio/video, $38,600; Drywall Plus Inc., $1,750; and T. Larue Painting, $2,350.
Where in Racine County can chickens be kept?

The following is a list of local rules as found in municipalities' ordinances.

City of Burlington: The keeping of animals, birds or fowl otherwise prohibited may be permitted by applying for a special permit from the Common Council.

Elmwood Park: No person shall keep, raise or have in his/her possession any live fowl within the village, erect or maintain and use on any lot or parcel of land within the village any yard, coop, structure or other building for the purpose of keeping or housing any type of fowl except the keeping of racing or show pigeons.

Mount Pleasant: The keeping of up to four chickens is allowed as an accessory use on lots occupied by three or fewer dwelling units. The keeping of up to eight chickens is allowed as an accessory use to a museum or school or day-care center. The chicken housing enclosure must be located at least 25 feet from any residential building on an adjacent lot. The owner, operator or tenant must obtain a zoning compliance permit.

North Bay: No livestock or other animals including chickens, except the usual household pets, shall be kept or raised within the village.

Norway: No person shall keep livestock on any parcel of land in an area zoned for residential use in the Town of Norway. However, any person who shall be denied the use of property for the keeping of livestock may apply to the Town Board for a variance of this ordinance upon an application.

City of Racine: Chickens may only be kept at single-family residential properties and shall be kept as pets and for personal use only. Any person who keeps chickens in the City of Racine shall obtain a permit from the City of Racine Public Health Department prior to acquiring the chickens by completing the application for a chicken permit form.

Raymond: No person shall keep, maintain or harbor more roosters on any single property within the village than a maximum of two on a less than half-acre parcel, a maximum of four on a half-acre to one acre parcel and so forth. This does not apply to commercial poultry operations whose primary commodity is the production of eggs or meat for sale as permitted by the village, county or state.

Rochester: On agriculturally zoned properties more than five acres in size, there is no restriction. For any property less than five acres in size, a special exception permit is required.

Sturtevant: Chickens may be kept in the village, subject to the limitations and restrictions set forth. No person may keep chickens in the village without obtaining a valid permit issued by the clerk. The permit process requires a completed application, including a site plan and accompanied by the application fee set by the Village Board and shown in the fee schedule.

Union Grove: Village ordinances provide that no person shall keep or maintain in any zoning district any poultry, pigeons or fowl or any animal raised for fur-bearing purposes. This includes any livestock including but not limited to: horses, cattle, sheep, goats, pigs or swine, whether or not such animal is domesticated, tamed or a pet.

Town of Waterford: No parcel of land(s), having less than 3 acres in size, nor any residentially zoned parcel, may be used to keep any domestic animals, including but not limited to: riding horses, ponies, donkeys and/or poultry unless given specific permission by the Town Board.

Village of Waterford: No person shall keep chickens in the village without obtaining a valid permit issued by the clerk. The permit process requires a completed application, including a site plan and a manure management plan, accompanied by the fee set by the Village Board and shown in the fee schedule.
No criminal charges will be filed in more than 30 cases of sexual assault mishandled by the Wisconsin National Guard between 2009 and 2019 after a review by the Wisconsin Department of Justice.

However, DOJ is recommending changes to the National Guards handling of complaints of sexual assault in order to prevent future cases.

DOJ on Thursday announced the completion of its review, which began after a 2019 report by the National Guard Bureaus Office of Complex Investigations that found the Guards policies and procedures for handling allegations of sexual misconduct were out of date, ineffective, understaffed and in violation of federal rules.

At the request of Gov. Tony Evers, former Wisconsin National Guard Adjutant General Donald Dunbar resigned in December 2019 over the reports findings.

The report had found that the Wisconsin National Guard had used its own investigators to look into many sexual assault allegations instead of referring them to local law enforcement or other outside authorities, violating Department of Defense and National Guard policies.
All unvaccinated UW-Madison students and employees will need to be tested weekly for COVID-19, the university announced Wednesday.

The policy expands UW-Madisons position on testing heading into another academic year disrupted by the pandemic  and particularly the highly contagious delta variant.

Previously, the university stipulated only unvaccinated students living in campus housing would need to undergo weekly screenings this fall semester, but the new policy now includes all unvaccinated students, regardless of whether they live on or off campus, and unvaccinated employees.

As the university has done throughout the pandemic, were adapting our approach as needed to respond to changes in COVID-19 activity, the university said in a statement. The continuing high rate of infection due to the delta variant makes this expanded testing requirement necessary.

Those who are vaccinated but havent provided proof also need to be tested weekly. The testing requirement takes effect Aug. 30.
National Night Out was held on Tuesday, Aug. 3, and it was the perfect night to give crime and drugs a going away party!

Known as Americas night out against crime, thousands gathered to take part in this annual community-building campaign that promotes on-going and positive community-law enforcement relationships, advances neighbor-to-neighbor connectedness and builds strong and resilient neighborhoods.

NNO embraces a powerful spirit, energy and commitment to creating safe and drug free neighborhoods in which to live, work and play. NNO themes were celebrated at events and parties held throughout the Racine community in individual blocks and neighborhood areas, and at community orientated policing houses, churches and community centers.

NNO cant happen without the help of many volunteers and organizations.

Racine Neighborhood Watch, Inc., would like to thank the Racine Police Department, Racine Fire Department, Racine County Sheriffs Office and the Village of Mount Pleasant Police Department for their participation.
I became interested and involved in issues related to racism and white supremacy during college in the '60s. Over 50 years Ive read many books on the topic, and with free time provided by COVID, read another 15 since the murder of George Floyd.

I never heard the term Critical Race Theory until Republicans started lobbying against it. A Google search defined it is a legal term taught in law schools, so it isnt even relevant to Wisconsin public schools.

As a teacher, I worked hard in my classroom to assure that authors and stories, both true and fiction, reflected the backgrounds of all of my students.

From the legislators CRT viewpoint, education about racism purposely makes white people look bad: but the only way to end the evil of racism is to openly create awareness.

Multicultural history includes ... but is about so much more than evil enslavers and Jim Crow lynchers. I see it as acknowledging the historical existence of my Black, Latinx and Asian students, whose history, authors and accomplishments have been mostly ignored.

They finally get to read authors who write about their own people, their great accomplishments as well as tribulations, their strength in adversity, their cultures.
1. Yes. An unvaccinated worker is a potential health liability for the entire workforce.

2. Yes. But it should only be required in some businesses, like health care or food service.

3. No. The requirement shouldnt be forced on employees; its a discriminatory practice.

4. No. Not only should they not require COVID shots , but no proof of vaccination either.

5. Unsure. Its a hard choice between public safety concerns and personal freedoms.

Vote

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The situation deteriorated dramatically last week after the central bank decided to end subsidies for fuel products. The decision will likely lead to a hike in the prices of almost all commodities in Lebanon.

Nasrallah said his group does not aim to defy anyone, by arranging the fuel shipment from Iran, but added that we cannot stand idle amid the humiliation of our people whether in front of bakeries, hospitals, gas stations and darkness at night.

Hezbollahs opponents are likely to be angered by Nasrallah's remarks as importing Iranian oil may lead to U.S. sanctions on Lebanon.

Former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, a harsh critic of Hezbollah, warned in tweets that an Iranian fuel shipment could plunge Lebanon into more conflict.

On Thursday, Coral, one of the largest fuel companies in Lebanon, said it was running out of gasoline. A tanker that's bringing in supplies has been stuck off the Lebanese coast for eight days because of paperwork, it said. The company warned it won't be able to resupply gas stations for the first time since it was founded.

Im trying to find solutions for the Lebanese people, Shea, the U.S. ambassador, told Al Arabiya English. Weve been talking to the governments of Egypt, Jordan, the government here (Lebanon), the World Bank. Were trying to get real, sustainable solutions for Lebanons fuel and energy needs.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
For Baby Boomers who either fought in Vietnam or knew someone who did, the war in Afghanistan will be known as the I Told You So War. Afghanistan so much resembled the conflict in Vietnam that it was frightening. Especially spooky about the fighting in Afghanistan was the United States inability to learn from the mistakes made in Vietnam.

Why, during the 20 years of warfare in Afghanistan, did U.S. political and military leaders allow themselves to be fooled by their own optimism? Leaders  then and now  also were prone to accept any hint of progress as an indication that the U.S. could prevail, both in Vietnam, where Americans were told the enemy was communism, and in Afghanistan, where our enemy was terrorism.

Hopefully, before we are fooled into thinking the U.S. can fight another nations civil war, our leaders will learn from the debacles in Vietnam and Afghanistan. No war is so important it should consume 20 years of military efforts, cost more than 240,000 peoples, and consume $2.2 trillion.

Rank-and-file Americans can share the blame for Afghanistan. Coming after the terror attacks of 9/11, we initially accepted the war in Afghanistan as a necessary response to terrorism.
David Stoeffler, executive director of the La Crosse Public Education Foundation, is resigning from his position, effective Sept. 30. A search for his successor will begin immediately.

Stoeffler will become the chief executive officer of a new nonprofit being formed in Springfield, Missouri, where he was executive editor of the local newspaper from 2010 to 2014, prior to becoming executive director of LPEF.

The name and mission of the new Springfield nonprofit have not yet been announced.

Davids enthusiasm for developing and supporting educational initiatives has been instrumental in LPEFs growth and success over the past seven years, said Anna Prinsen, LPEF president and owner of Modern Crane Service. He has been a leader for LPEF, our schools and our community. David has touched many lives and will be greatly missed.

Stoeffler joined LPEF in June 2014 after a nearly 35-year career in the newspaper business. Among his jobs, he was a reporter at the La Crosse Tribune from 1979-1981, and returned as the Tribune editor in 1995-97. As editor of the Tribune, Stoeffler was a co-founder of the Extra Effort Awards, which continue to provide annual recognition for area high school seniors who have overcome obstacles.
Gov. Tony Evers today released the following statement regarding Afghanistan refugee reception efforts at Fort McCoy:

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Many Afghan people now fleeing their homes have bravely contributed to work in Afghanistan over the past two decades. Just as they protected us in serving our country and helped keep our troops safe, we owe it to them to protect and keep them safe.

We have been in contact with federal partners about resettlement efforts for Afghan people who are seeking refuge at Fort McCoy. As we learn more information, Wisconsin is ready to assist these efforts and help these individuals who served our country and are now seeking refuge.

We also know some Wisconsinites who served in Afghanistan alongside these alliesas well as some of those who have sought safety in our state previouslymay be experiencing trauma and anxiety as they watch these events unfold. We are thinking of them and are reminded today and in the days ahead to offer each other support, patience, and kindness and treat one another with empathy, respect, and compassion.

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The following people have been charged with felonies in La Crosse County Circuit Court:

Brittany J. Voltz, 35, and Alan C. Kubera, 48, both of Onalaska, have been charged with uttering a forgery. According to the criminal complaint, the two passed nine counterfeit checks totaling $456.74 from June 30 to July 4. Both are being held in the La Crosse County Jail on probation violations.

Felony criminal complaints have been filed against the following people:

Yano W. Gipson, 48, La Crosse, is accused of felony intimidation of a victim. According to the complaint, Gipson threatened a woman if she called police to report his abusive behavior. An arrest warrant was issued for Gipson Aug. 5.

Kevin Vue, 27, La Crosse, is accused of operating a vehicle without the owners consent. According to the complaint, Vue stole a black Honda with the keys left inside July 5 and was driving the vehicle July 16 when he was involved in an auto crash on Mormon Coulee Road. He has an initial appearance in La Crosse County Circuit Court set for Sept. 9.
Wolf said the goal of releasing the mugshots was transparency, and the decision came after a media outlet in the community filed an open records request to obtain the photos.

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For a couple different reasons related to a strategy in trying to develop suspects, we chose to release the pictures, Wolf said. Were totally aware of the fact that they can be demoralizing to a victim.

Wolf said that police communicated with the victims families that the photos would be released.

It was done to be transparent with the public. It was also done as a strategy to obtain more information, he said. I apologize if people have hurt feelings. It isnt that we werent concerned about the victims or we wouldnt have spent countless, sleepless nights working on this case.

Svee, who is the program coordinator at New Horizons Shelter & Outreach Centers, said that criminalizing a victim ... can also deter victims from coming forward in the future, and called on officials to not repeat this same process, instead suggesting pulling photos off of social media.
NEW YORK (AP)  Clarissa Ward described on Wednesday how a member of her CNN crew was nearly pistol-whipped by a Taliban fighter as they were covering a tumultuous scene outside the airport in Kabul.

I've covered all sorts of crazy situations, Ward said in a report that aired on CNN. This was mayhem. This was nuts.

The network's chief international correspondent has been probably the most visible reporter covering the rapid fall of Afghanistan to Taliban fighters. Perhaps inevitably, that has made her words and even her wardrobe a topic of social media conversation.

In one report Wednesday, Ward said it was extremely chaotic near the airport, where people were pleading for help to get out of the country. At one point, she said, a Taliban fighter shouted at her to cover her face or he wouldn't talk to her. He was carrying a makeshift whip with a heavy chain and padlock.

The CNN producer, Brent Swails, was taking video with a cellphone when two Taliban fighters approached him with their pistols and seemed about to strike him, Ward said, making a motion with her arms to simulate it.

Another Taliban fighter stopped them, saying not to hit him because they're journalists, she said.
Public Health Madison and Dane County spokesperson Sarah Mattes said in an email the department is confident the countywide mask mandate is legal, but declined to provide further comment.

Under Dane Countys order, everyone age 2 and older must wear a face covering when in any enclosed space open to the public where other people, except for members of the persons own household, could be present.

The health department also strongly recommended wearing a face covering at private gatherings or crowded outdoor settings, and businesses will once again have to post signs notifying customers and staff of the face-covering requirement, which will be in effect until Sept. 16.

COVID-19 cases have been on the rise mostly among unvaccinated people in Wisconsin, fueled in large part by the more contagious delta variant. About 53.5% of Wisconsin residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine, according to the state Department of Health Services.

The seven-day average of positive cases was at 6.7% Wednesday as cases return to levels not seen in Wisconsin since February.
The Wolf administration has thrown its support behind a $4 million expansion at an artisan specialty foods maker here that will create 100 jobs.

The state Department of Community & Economic Development said Thursday it will contribute grants totaling $450,000 to assist the growth of Stir Foods Lancaster, formerly Lancaster Fine Foods.

They are a $300,000 Pennsylvania First grant for equipment and machinery and a $150,000 workforce development grant to help the company train employees.

Located on Richardson Drive, off Columbia Avenue in East Hempfield Township, Stir Foods Lancaster makes salad dressings, sauces, marinades, fruit spreads, jams and other products for branded food companies and food service operators. Customers include Auntie Annes, Starbucks and Casablanca.

LNP | LancasterOnline reported in March that Lancaster Fine Foods had been sold to California-based Stir Foods and would serve as its East Coast division. But to fulfill that role, the plant would undergo a $4 million expansion to add capacity.

The Economic Development Company of Lancaster County, a nonprofit that helps local businesses stay healthy and grow, worked with the Governors Action Team to bring about the financial aid.

The new ownership and new state support put the (local plant) in the drivers seat to leverage consumer interest in custom food products, said EDC President Lisa Riggs.

Stir Foods Lancaster, whose local roots date to 2008, now has 51 employees. The new hires will be added over three years. To achieve the desired amount of manufacturing output, the Richardson Drive plant will add a second shift, according to the state.
With COVID-19 cases climbing and schools poised to open amid a fifth surge, the Lancaster Chamber on Wednesday hosted a virtual town hall to provide legal and health information for business leaders navigating an ever-changing landscape.

During the hourlong presentation, Dr. Michael Ripchinski, Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health chief clinical officer, and David Freedman, an employment law attorney with Barley Snyder, gave attendees an update on the court challenges to vaccine mandates; COVID-19 boosters and contact tracing efforts.

Here are six takeaways:

Vaccine mandates

The growing list of legal challenges appear to be falling on the side of employers.

In Bridges v. Houston Methodist Hospital, currently under appeal, a Texas judge in June ruled in favor of an employer mandate saying employees can accept or refuse a COVID-19 vaccine. But in refusing, would need to work somewhere else.

And earlier this month in Klassen v. Trustees of Indiana University, a federal judge dismissed a case from students claiming the mandate violated their due process.

These cases are not really getting much traction in the courts, Freedman said.

Freedman also warned, though, that medical complications linked to vaccinations would be considered a work-related injury if the employer mandates the COVID-19 vaccine.

Grounds for termination

Freedman, who told attendees his opinions Wednesday did not constitute legal advice, said an employee who misrepresents their vaccination status to an employer could result in termination.

At-will employees can be fired for lying, Freedman said.

Mask guidance

Because the U.S. Department of Labor adopted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance regarding indoor mask-wearing in areas with substantial or high levels of COVID-19 transmission, employers could risk being out of compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

OSHA is telling employers, Look you have to do what the CDC is telling you to do, and if you dont you risk getting an OSHA violation citation, Freedman said.

Waves of infections

Since the novel coronavirus first emerged, cases have ebbed and flowed by season and the public health measures imposed to mitigate spread. Plotted on a graph, the case buildup to a peak looks like a wave.

State health data shows four wave crests in Pennsylvania cases  April and July in 2020 and December and April in 2021  with the current surge still building.

Lancaster County had 109 new infections on Tuesday, according to the latest state health department data. Infections have been slowly climbing in the county since July 7, when the seven-day case average bottomed out at 4.1 after peaking at 428.1 on Dec. 9. The seven-day average, at this point, is 97.4 cases in Lancaster County over the past week.

I dont know where its going to land, Ripchinski said. And thats where I think the concerns for the health care institutions are. Wheres the zenith, if you will, the top end of this peak?

COVID-19 Boosters

On Wednesday, U.S. health officials announced beginning Sept. 20, Americans can get a booster for the COVID-19 vaccine eight months after being inoculated, subject to authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Boosters, though, should be administered with the same manufacturer, Ripchinski said. In other words, individuals who were inoculated with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine should get a Pfizer booster.

Vaccinating children ages 5 to 11

At the urging of federal regulators, Moderna and Pfizer expanded the size of their clinical trials for children ages 5 to 11.

Officials had hoped this age group would receive emergency authorization in time for the return to school. But with COVID-19 cases rising in the South, where children have already begun returning to classrooms, Lancaster County may not sidestep a fall surge.

It will spread like wildfire in school, Ripchinski said. We may have missed the window to vaccinate kids.
Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health ended contact tracing for COVID-19 in June, the hospitals chief clinical officer revealed during a virtual Lancaster Chamber on Wednesday.

LG Health ended the program on June 20, 2021, John Lines, a hospital spokesperson, said in an email to LNP | LancasterOnline.

In the absence of a local health department, LG Health spearheaded the tracing project in the county to alert those in close contact with individuals who tested positive for COVID-19.

Now the county relies on the state health department to conduct contact tracing.

That contact tracing team no longer exists and I dont think people realize that, Dr. Michael Ripchinski, Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health chief clinical officer, said of the local effort.

Health officials consider contact tracing critical to mitigating spread by alerting people to a possible COVID-19 exposure to monitor their health for symptoms and, if necessary, test and quarantine suspected cases.

A contract signed last year between LG Health and Lancaster County provided Lancaster General Hospital with funds for COVID-19 testing and contact tracing using CARES Act funding. While the contract ran through April 30, 2021, the funding ended in 2020.

Since the initiative started in May 2020, LG Health conducted more than 100,000 COVID-19 tests, Lines said.

LG Health paid nearly $1.8 million to continue the contract tracing program after CARES Act funding ended.

The County/CARES Act funding did not cover the cost of those services in 2021, Lines said.
After about three months with no reported cases, Lancaster County Prison is in the midst of a COVID-19 outbreak -- 63 inmates have tested positive for the virus since Sunday.

This is just rearing its ugly head again, Warden Cheryl Steberger said after a county Prison Board meeting Thursday morning, where prison officials provided updated case numbers.

None of the people who tested positive have experienced any severe symptoms, said Deputy Warden for Inmate Services Joe Shiffer. Most are asymptomatic, and no one has required hospitalization, he said.

Only inmates have tested positive for the virus during the outbreak.

The prison has reimplemented mitigation measures, Steberger said, including isolation housing units for inmates who test positive and universal mask-wearing. The prison also paused all visitation and programming for the jailed population.

Two inmates on Sunday reported losing their sense of taste and smell, Steberger said. They later tested positive, and those cases triggered broader testing at the facility, she said.

Since Sunday, the state has reported 545 new COVID-19 cases in Lancaster County. In the last two days, positive cases climbed past 100. Tuesdays count reached 139, and on Wednesday the state reported 154 cases.

Prison officials have not carried out contact tracing with recent visitors because the facilitys visitation rooms are noncontact, Steberger said after the meeting.

The inmate population has increased recently. On Aug. 1, the daily population was 709. At 8 a.m. on Thursday it was 741, Shiffer said. Through July, the prison has maintained an average daily population of 666 this year.

At Thursdays prison board meeting, Lancaster County President Judge David Ashworth said he asked the adult probation and parole services, and bail administration departments to consider electronic monitoring as a way to reduce the prison population.

Inmates have the option to get a vaccine when they enter the countys prison, Steberger said.

Since vaccines became available, the prison has vaccinated 165 inmates, Shiffer said at the meeting.

Steberger said a majority of prison employees are vaccinated and she opposes instituting a requirement for staff to get vaccinated.

The outbreak comes as the prison struggles with a shortage of corrections officers. The prison is operating with 167 correctional officers, 62 fewer than budgeted, according to Steberger.

Correctional officers routinely have to work mandatory overtime shifts to make up for low staff levels and tolerate difficult conditions in a dated facility, Steberger said. The vast majority of the prison goes without air conditioning in the summer.

County officials are in the process of securing a 78-acre property for a new county prison in Lancaster Township.

Republican county Commissioner Josh Parsons said the situation is serious enough to consider a way to increase wages for correctional officers.

Under the countys collective bargaining agreement with the correctional officers union, The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees District Council 89, the base hourly wage for a beginning correctional officer is currently $18.50. It is set to increase to $19 in 2022, the last year of the contract.

Whether its opening up the contract, doing a side agreement or some other option, everything is on the table, Parsons said.
Franklin & Marshall College is the latest Lancaster County college to require face masks indoors.

Three of the four largest county colleges  Millersville University, Elizabethtown College and F&M  now require masks indoors entering the fall semester. Lancaster Bible College, the third-largest college in the county, is entering the fall mask-optional.

F&M follows the best practices recommended by the CDC, Pa. Department of Health and the American College Health Association, F&M spokesperson Pete Durantine said in an email Wednesday. Based on the recent rise of infection in the local community as well as statewide and those recommended practices, the College determined it was best to require masks when indoors in public places.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American College Health Association has recommended implementing universal mask requirements. The Pennsylvania health and education departments encourage masking but have not mandated it.

F&Ms mask requirement, implemented this week, applies to everyone, regardless of vaccination status, and runs at least until Sept. 10.

That date may change depending on the circumstances surrounding COVID-19, Durantine said.

The Colleges strategy is to be flexible to ensure the communitys safety, he said.

F&M is the only major Lancaster County college to require students and employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19, though its possible for a student or employee to seek a religious or medical exemption. According to the colleges online COVID-19 dashboard, last updated Tuesday, 88% of students and 95% of employees are fully vaccinated. For students, 2% have been exempt; 2% of employees have also been exempt, college data shows.

At Millersville, everyone, vaccinated or not, is required to mask up inside common spaces when unable to social distance. The state-owned university made its mask announcement Aug. 5, the earliest of the countys major colleges.

Elizabethtown was next to announce a mask mandate, which was effective Aug. 12. Like at F&M and Millersville, Elizabethtown students arent required to wear masks inside private living spaces.
President Joe Bidens approval rating dropped slightly to 41% among Pennsylvania voters in the latest Franklin & Marshall College Poll released Thursday.

Even before the Taliban took over the Afghan government -- news that national polls show is hurting voters assessment of his presidency -- Bidens approval was slipping in the state, down from 44% who rated his performance as excellent or good in the June Franklin & Marshall poll. The same measure was 42% in March.

Bidens approval rating fell as uncertainty mounts across the nation about another COVID-19 surge and the future of the United States economy, said Berwood Yost, the director of the poll.

The pandemics resurgence was reflected in the poll, with 17% of respondents saying COVID-19 is the top problem facing the state -- a ten-point gain from Junes poll, taken at a time when Americans were confident that widespread vaccination was allowing a return to normalcy.

What youre seeing here is some worry about COVID and the uncertainty about what it means, said Stephen Medvic, a Franklin & Marshall government professor who works on the poll. You're seeing that manifest itself in the [responses].

Continued pessimism

Respondents shared a continued pessimism about the future of the state and country, with 26% of respondents reporting they are worse off financially than one year ago -- and 27% who say they think theyll be worse off in another year, too, according to the poll. The same numbers for the poll taken in August 2020 reflected greater optimism, with 23% saying they were better off than a year earlier and only 17% saying they were worse off.

More than two-thirds of poll respondents strongly agree or somewhat agree that the countrys economic system is biased in favor of the wealthiest Americans. Additionally, 64% of respondents believe the federal government should raise taxes on the wealthy.

Most people think that when it comes to income and wealth that those things are not fairly distributed, and for that reason, a lot of people believe the federal government should raise taxes on wealthy people, however you define that, Yost said. On the other hand There's a sizable portion of people who think government is wasteful and inefficient. This shows a real division about some of those things the government can do.

The poll was conducted from August 9 through August 15 by the Center for Opinion Research via phone or online, depending on a participants preference. Pollsters interviewed 446 registered Pennsylvania voters, including 207 Democrats, 173 Republicans and 66 independents. This makes up a representative sample of Pennsylvanias voters, with Democrats outnumbering Republicans in voter registration in the state. It has a 6.4% sample error.

Trumps hold

Former President Donald Trump continues to have a hold on Pennsylvania Republicans, with 47% of registered Republican respondents self-identifying as a Trump Republican. Other respondents self-identified as traditional Republican (31%) or something else (20%), according to the poll.

On the Democratic side, a plurality of respondents (37%) self-identified as centrist Democrats, while 34% said they were progressive Democrats. Nineteen percent said something else, and 11% said they didnt know.

Senate race opportunities

Respondents were asked about their preferences by party for candidates in the 2022 race to succeed Republican U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey. Democratic respondents had a clear front-runner in Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, with 33% of registered Democrats saying theyd vote for him if the election were held now, followed by 12% who prefer U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb, who represents a western Pennsylvania district.

At this stage in the 2022 primary election -- which is still nine months away -- the poll mainly reflects name recognition among voters, Medvic said. Fettermans status as lieutenant governor and Lambs service in Congress likely contributed to the poll results, he added.

For Republicans, though, there was no clear front-runner, with two former congressional candidates aligned with former President Donald Trump leading the pack: 14% of respondents said they would vote for Sean Parnell, followed by 6% who said theyd choose Kathy Barnette. This means there could be an opening for another candidate to enter the race, Medvic added.

There just isnt a household name in the Republican race, he added. If somebody can do something to make a splash now, their name can maybe get some recognition.

Jan. 6

The F&M poll also asked respondents whether it would be good or bad for American democracy if violence like what occurred on Jan. 6 at the U.S. Capitol should occur again after future elections. Eighty-five percent of respondents said it would be bad for democracy if the events were to happen again, 6% said it would be good, and 9% said they didnt know.

This was an attempt to get at peoples sense of whether it was an insurrection or was it just a democratic expression of anger, Medvic said. A huge majority said it would be a bad thing. That was a bit surprising but it was pretty clearly seen as a bad thing for the vast majority of Pennsylvanians.
When Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala issued his conclusion that the 2018 fatal police shooting of Mark Daniels was a justified use of force, his written analysis repeatedly cited a ShotSpotter report he said had determined that Daniels fired the initial two shots" at the officers.

But a recently filed exhibit in a federal civil lawsuit brought by Daniels' family shows the report did not include that information.

Paul C. Greene, a senior forensic engineer with ShotSpotter  an acoustic gunshot detection and location system  testified during a deposition that none of the company's analyses in the case contain information on who fired which shot or who fired first because thats something the company does not determine.

A spokesman for Zappala said the office stands by its determination that the shooting was justified.

Several elements were used in analyzing the events and reaching a conclusion of justification, including a report from a ShotSpotter engineer, spokesman Mike Manko wrote in an emailed response to The Associated Press. Why they would choose to contradict that report at this time is a question for them and does not change the fact that this individual fired his gun at police officers or the conclusion that the actions of the police officer were justified.

But Zappalas written analysis for not filing criminal charges against the officers relies heavily on the idea that Daniels fired first. And without body camera footage or street cameras capturing the initial gunfight, and with the contradiction to Zappalas assertion that ShotSpotter proves Daniels fired first, the remaining evidence is largely in the narrative provided by the officers.

The Allegheny County Police Department that investigated the shooting and the district attorney's office both declined to release investigative materials including the ballistics report, saying only Zappala's conclusion is a public document.

On Thursday, The Associated Press published a national investigation looking at thousands of pages of internal documents, emails and confidential contracts and dozens of interviews with defense attorneys and others that found serious flaws in using ShotSpotter reports as evidence in criminal investigations.

In Pittsburgh, The Associated Press obtained the initial ShotSpotter report and a second report submitted by Greene before his deposition. Neither report includes the names of Daniels or the officers or offers any determination of who fired which shot. They only offer projected times and locations of each gunshot.

The first report by an engineer named P.J. Ramos placed the first two shots at an intersection where police say the initial altercation happened, but placed four following shots about half a block away.

Greene testified that Ramos likely didn't factor the echo of the shots into his analysis, and Greene moved the shots in his report to all cluster around the intersection. Greene's analysis places the first two shots closest to the alley where the officers were standing, and both reports note all six shots happened within fractions of seconds of each other.

Lawyers for Joyce Daniels, Mark's mother, have raised other issues in the case, including the initial reason Pittsburgh Police officers Gino Macioce and then-recruit Kevin Kisow decided to engage Daniels and the fact that they did not identify themselves as police officers as they exited a dark alley with their guns drawn.

Officer Macioces story that this all started from a look and that he was ambushed has never added up and it is shocking that the leadership of the Pittsburgh Police Bureau and the County (District Attorney) would conduct such a shoddy and misleading investigation just so they could justify the actions of a police officer who clearly should not be wearing the uniform, said attorney Glenn A. Ellis, a partner at Freiwald Law, P.C. who represents Daniels' family.

In the early morning hours of Feb. 11, 2018, Macioce and Kisow said they saw the 39-year-old Daniels leaving a 24-hour convenience store. Macioce said he believed Daniels dipped his body in a suspicious way to possibly get a better look at the officers who were on foot about 150 feet (45 meters) away. Macioce instructed Kisow to draw his gun and the two moved quickly down the alley.

Police said Daniels fired at the officers as he came to the alley entrance, and Macioce returned fire. Police said Daniels ran, and began talking to a woman nearby to try to blend in. When Macioce saw Daniels, he believed it to be the same person who had fired at them, and he ordered Daniels to get on the ground.

Police said Daniels responded, It wasn't me, and attempted to run. Macioce fired four times, striking Daniels at least once. Police found Daniels a few blocks away on the back porch of a residence bleeding heavily. He was pronounced dead a short time later.

Public records showed Macioce was cleared in two other non-fatal shootings in January 2018 and April 2017, both determined to be justified shootings. In both those incidents, he was responding to reports of crime involving guns.

In his April 18, 2018, written analysis, Zappala wrote, It would be counter-intuitive to debate whether Macioces first set of gunshots were justified. The ShotSpotter data and ballistics revealed that it was Daniels who initiated the first three gunshots against Macioce and Kisow."

Zappala also writes that Macioce was right to consider Daniels a threat, based on the fact that Daniels had opened fire on police previously.

On the surface, it could be disputed that a fleeing Daniels posed no threat to Macioce or others in the area," he wrote, calling the view myopic" and added, Daniels could have taken cover behind a car, house, tree or other object and then re-initiated the offensive gunfire that he began seconds prior.

Legal experts say that analysis must change if Macioce fired his weapon first. David Harris, a law professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, reviewed the ShotSpotter reports and Zappala's analysis.

Without the determination that the victim fired first from ShotSpotter, which we now know was not part of the record after all, we are left to wonder whether other assertions made by the police would or should have undergone greater scrutiny," Harris said.

The (District Attorney's) letter makes clear that all of the facts in it come from police sources," he added. "With the key determination of who fired first now in doubt, public confidence in the whole investigation will be hurt."

For their part, Joyce Daniels and her daughter Sequaha Jeffries  Mark's sister  want justice. The two talk about hearing first from a friend that Mark had been shot, and then waiting for hours at the hospital expecting to see him. They said they were told they had to call the police to get information about him, not knowing he had died hours earlier.

Not a day goes by I don't think of him or see his face. It's been horrible. It's been horrible thinking of how he was shot in cold blood like that," Joyce Daniels said. It's not my son's character to just shoot at a police officer for nothing. It's not. It's just not who he was.
LE LUC, France (AP)  Just when fire officials thought a huge wildfire near the French Riviera might be slowing down, a new pocket of flames shot up. And just as a water-dumping helicopter finished dousing one hot spot, another ignited.

Despite calmer winds and cooler weather, the fire that has forced thousands to flee and ravaged woodlands raged for a fourth day Thursday, defying some 1,200 firefighters struggling to bring it under control.

The blaze, which has killed two people and injured 26, is the latest among numerous large wildfires to have scorched the Mediterranean region this summer. The spokesman for the regional fire service, Florent Dossetti, called it one of the worst forest fires to hit southern France in centuries.

The fire has burned 8,100 hectares (20,015 acres) of forest since it started Monday about 40 kilometers (24 miles) inland from the coastal resort of Saint-Tropez. Several thousand people have been forced to evacuate campgrounds, hotels and homes across the region at the height of summer vacation in France.

In addition to chestnut, oak and pine trees, the blaze has consumed vineyards on the rolling hills of the low-lying Maures mountain range. One family desperately shoveled dirt on flames in a vain attempt to protect their vines. Smoke swept through wooded valleys as sirens wailed and the propellers on firefighting helicopters whipped overhead.

Earlier in the day, local authorities had said the fire was less violent and its progression has slowed. Strong winds coming off the Mediterranean Sea that had fanned the flames calmed overnight. High temperatures in the region  which had reached 40 degrees Celsius (104 F) in recent days  were dropping.

But new bursts of flames ignited in three spots Thursday, complicating firefighting efforts, Dossetti said.

We are working on drowning the edges (of the fire) to ensure it is extinguished, and to avoid new bursts of flames, Dossetti told The Associated Press.

The regional administration warned that the risk of new flames remained high, and kept several roads closed. About 2,000 people evacuated from campgrounds earlier in the week were allowed to return, the administration said in a statement, though thousands of other evacuees remained housed in temporary shelters.

In the Gulf of Saint-Tropez, huge water-bombing planes could be seen swooping down to fill their bellies with water to dump across the flaming Riviera backcountry. Reinforcements came in from elsewhere around France.

This summer has brought extreme heat, drought or wildfires to many parts of the world. Scientists say there is little doubt that climate change from the burning of coal, oil and natural gas is driving such extreme weather events, and that the world will see more and more of them as the planet warms.

Wildfires this summer have left areas in Greece, Turkey, Italy, Algeria and Spain in smoldering ruins. In Greece on Thursday, hundreds of Greek and Polish firefighters battled a major wildfire decimating a pine forest northwest of the Greek capital for a fourth day.

The fire near the village of Vilia, about 60 kilometers (37 miles) from Athens, has already burned through thousands of hectares, destroyed some homes and led to evacuation orders for several villages in the area. Strong winds forecast for later in the day could complicate firefighting efforts.

On the Croatian island of Hvar, a large fire that broke out overnight torched bushes, olive trees and some pine forests. About 50 fire trucks and three firefighting planes were being used to control the blaze.



Charlton reported from Paris. Elena Becatoros in Athens and Dusan Stojanovic in Belgrade, Serbia, contributed.



Follow AP's coverage of climate change issues at https://apnews.com/hub/climate-change
DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP)  Bangladesh on Wednesday disputed a Human Rights Watch investigation into disappearances of government critics and others as built on questionable, uncorroborated allegations that security forces were involved.

The government has long denied allegations of forced disappearances, and its latest denial followed a report the rights group released Monday that identified 86 people who remain missing after allegedly being targeted by security forces. The group is urging the United Nations to independently investigate.

The study is built on questionable sources of information that in many instances should not be believed," said Ferdousi Shahriar, the deputy chief of mission at Bangladesh's embassy in Washington.

She said the report was based on interviews with unidentified individuals, including 60 interviews with unnamed people, 81 citations from unnamed individuals, as well as 7 anonymous witnesses. She added in the statement that the study conflates" what could be kidnappings with government-sponsored disappearances.

Shahriar said Bangladesh investigates every reported disappearance, but that it "cannot, logistically or legally, give credence to anonymous sources that suggest law enforcement officials are abducting individuals in broad daylight when there is zero evidence  in arrest records or records of those detained  that corroborate those events.

Human Rights Watch mainly blames the disappearances on the Rapid Action Battalion, an elite anti-crime force that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government credits with crushing Islamic militancy. Calls to a spokesperson for the Rapid Action Battalion were not returned.

Based on over 115 interviews between July 2020 and March 2021 with alleged victims, family members and witnesses, Human Rights Watch said Bangladeshi authorities have continually refused to look into enforced disappearances or to hold those responsible accountable.

Referring to data collected by Bangladeshi rights groups, Human Rights Watch said nearly 600 people have been forcibly disappeared by security forces since Hasina took office in 2009. While some victims have been released or appeared in court after weeks or months of secret detention, others were killed in what authorities labeled shootouts with police, it said.

It found 86 were still missing. "Many of the victims were critics of the ruling Awami League government, the report said.
BANDA ACEH, Indonesia (AP)  Indonesian police say they have arrested an elephant poacher in Aceh province along with four people who bought ivory from an animal he killed.

The elephant was found without its head on July 11 at a palm plantation in East Aceh, police said. Local police worked with the Aceh Natural Resource Conservation Center to investigate the death.

The team found indications that the elephant had been given poison before it was killed. The team also found the elephant's head without its tusks 300 meters (1,000 feet) away, East Aceh Police Chief Eko Widiantoro told reporters Thursday.

Police arrested a suspect on Aug. 10 who admitted he had tried to kill elephants five times since 2017 by poisoning them, but had succeeded only twice, including the recent death, Widiantoro said. On July 19, he and a partner poisoned mangos near a herd of wild elephants and executed a weakened elephant two hours later with an axe, he told police. The partner is still on the run.

The suspect said he sold the ivory to someone in East Aceh, who sold it to four buyers in Aceh and West Java provinces. The last buyer, a craftsman in West Java, made the ivory into a dagger and cigarette pipe, Widiantoro said.

All of the buyers were arrested and are being held at East Aceh police station along with the poacher, he said. They face up to five years in prison and a fine of 100 million rupiah ($7,000) if found guilty.

In the last seven years, 46 dead elephants have been found in Aceh, Indonesia's westernmost province. Many were attributed to illegal hunting and conflicts with humans.
THE ISSUE

The world reacted with shock to the speed with which Afghanistan fell to the Taliban, the extremist Islamic movement that had been ousted from that country by a U.S.-led coalition after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. The militant group al-Qaida, founded by Osama bin Laden, planned the 9/11 attacks from Afghanistan. Since 2001, more than 750,000 U.S. service members have been deployed to that South Asian country. Through April, according to The Associated Press, 2,448 U.S. service members were killed there. As FactCheck.org explains, the Trump administration negotiated a withdrawal agreement with the Taliban in February 2020 that excluded the Afghan government, freed 5,000 imprisoned Taliban soldiers and set a final withdrawal date of May 1, 2021. President Joe Biden pushed back that deadline, but the U.S. military withdrawal precipitated the Talibans speedy takeover of Afghanistan.

First and foremost, we must say this to the Lancaster County residents who served in the U.S. military in Afghanistan: We are deeply grateful for your service.

You did everything that was asked of you. You did your duty. You made your country proud.

To those too young to remember 9/11, it is hard to convey just how shaken to our very core Americans were by those horrific attacks. For weeks, many of us walked around numbly, struggling to make sense of a world that had been turned upside down.

Members of the U.S. armed services didnt have the luxury of mourning. They bade farewell to their families and boarded planes to Afghanistan. Their mission was clear: to root out the terrorists who had attacked us.

Unfortunately, in the years that followed, the politicians back home lost the thread. Even after Osama bin Laden was killed by U.S. Navy SEALs in 2011, the U.S. stayed in Afghanistan  for 10 more years.

As David E. Wood, a retired Army National Guard brigadier general who commanded a helicopter unit in Afghanistan, writes in a searing, must-read column that will be published in this Sundays LNP | LancasterOnline Perspective, whats happening now is not a failure by U.S. troops. Its a policy failure.

Its the fault not of U.S. service members, but of the politicians who wrote and endlessly rewrote the policy those service members were charged with carrying out.

A mess of a withdrawal

Joey Lombardo, a Marine Corps veteran living in Brecknock Township, described the withdrawal as a mess that makes us look weak.

Lombardo served two combat deployments in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, in 2010 and 2012. In an interview with LNP | LancasterOnlines Dan Nephin, Lombardo criticized President Joe Bidens handling of the withdrawal.

And no wonder. The chaos at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul this week was appalling.

The Trump administration, for some inexplicable reason, negotiated a withdrawal agreement with the Taliban without involving the Afghan government  a terrible mistake. But the Biden administration is in charge of the withdrawal now, and its fumbles earlier this week wont soon fade from the collective memory. Even Wednesday, the U.S. Embassy was telling American citizens in Afghanistan that the U.S. government could not ensure their safe passage to the airport in Kabul.

Lombardo also expressed concern for Afghan women who stand to lose, under Taliban rule, the gains they made over the past two decades.

Nevertheless, he said he agrees that it is past time for the United States to be out of Afghanistan.

Honestly, I think we completed our mission a long time ago, Lombardo said. The problem is, we kept changing the mission and it became this nation-building thing.

Sometimes, he said, I have to remind myself that we went there and answered our countrys call. No one died in vain for that. I wasnt there to build Afghanistan. I was there fighting to defend our country, fighting with the people on each side of me.

That is exactly right. He answered his countrys call. He did his duty. And we appreciate the sacrifices he and his family made.

Lost brothers and sisters

Earnest Jones, 44, of Lancaster Township, served in Afghanistan as an Army mortuary affairs specialist, preparing bodies of soldiers and civilians for burial  which must have been a brutal task.

He told Nephin that he is angry that, after years of training the Afghan forces, after all the loss of American life, the Afghan forces gave up so easily.

We will never get back all my brothers and sisters that lost their life in that country, he said.

Luke Thorsen, 32, of West Lampeter Township, spent nearly all of 2012 in Afghanistans Pech River Valley as an infantryman. He told Nephin that the Afghan soldiers he fought alongside at that time were good fighters.

I was hoping their training was good enough, he said. But, he added, the Taliban forces dont fight fair and would have no qualms about killing an Afghan soldiers family.

That is a sad fact.

American service members, with help of some brave Afghans who worked to support the U.S. forces, did what they could to move Afghanistan forward. The rest was up to the Afghan people.

Ready and willing

Now it falls to the rest of us to urge our representatives in Congress to ensure that the interpreters and other Afghan support personnel who risked their lives helping the U.S. military are evacuated from Afghanistan safely.

We also must find ways to help Afghan women leaders, journalists and others who are in danger of being targeted by the Taliban for working in the public sphere. We assure that there will be no violence against women, the Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said Tuesday. No prejudice against women will be allowed, but the Islamic values are our framework.

We are deeply skeptical.

As The New York Times reported Wednesday, The previous Taliban rule, from 1996 to 2001, was a bleak period for Afghan women. ... In the nearly two decades since the U.S. invasion toppled the Taliban, the United States has invested more than $780 million to encourage womens rights. Girls and women have joined the military and police forces, held political office, competed in the Olympics and scaled the heights of engineering on robotics teams.

All that now stands to be lost.

Which is why were hoping Church World Service Lancaster gets its wish to help resettle Afghan refugees.

As LNP | LancasterOnlines Aniya Thomas reported Wednesday, four Church World Service Lancaster workers are in Virginia to help those evacuating from Afghanistan. The local refugee resettlement agency has reached out to its global headquarters to express interest in supporting refugees from Aghanistan, as well as Afghan recipients of special immigrant visas, which are available to those who worked with the U.S. armed forces as translators or interpreters.

Were ready and willing. We have the staff capacity as well as the community capacity, Rachel Helwig, development and communications coordinator for Church World Service Lancaster, said. Lancaster has a strong history of being a welcoming city. Weve had an outpouring of support from our volunteers, faith groups, community organizations that we work with saying that everyone is ready to go and ready to assist anyone who might be resettled here in Lancaster.

Were not surprised by that outpouring. Of course the city once dubbed Americas refugee capital would stand ready to help.

In the meantime, the website Charity Navigator, which evaluates nonprofit organizations, has a list of highly rated charities responding to the needs of Afghans in crisis. It has a separate list of highly rated organizations serving U.S. service members and veterans. If you can help, please do.

And once again, we thank those who served our country in Afghanistan. We know that some came home with injuries from which they havent recovered  and may never recover. And we know that too many didnt come home at all.

No matter what happens in the days to come, we cannot forget their sacrifice.
Chinas Role in Afghanistan, with Belt and Road, Drives U.S. Establishment Figures Nuts

Aug. 18, 2021 (EIRNS)The very thought of China playing a positive role in Afghanistan, through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), is driving some members of the U.S. political and financial establishment off the deep end. An Aug. 17 article in Forbes and another by CNBC on the same date, conjure up scenarios of China greedily exploiting Afghanistans 1.4 million tons of rare-earth minerals, to the detriment of the West, while engaging the country in several key BRI infrastructure projects, such as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Forbess panicked author Ariel Cohen, warns that the U.S.s loss of credibility and geostrategic leverage after its 20-year fiasco in Afghanistan and precipitous departure, now means that insidious actors, including Russia and China, as well as North Korea and Iran, can cause problems in the region without U.S. interference.

With the rise of the Taliban, Cohen laments, the energy infrastructure and natural resources of the region are now more in jeopardy than ever since 2001, because China is preparing to move in with massive investments. In fact, he says, Russia and China are eying lucrative development projects that boost their regional ambitions. The big prize in Afghanistan is its 1.4 million tons of rare-earth elements (REE), which are crucial for the production of renewable energy technology.

This makes Afghanistan a prime target of investment for China, the current king of global REE supply chains. America needs rare earths and China controls 90% of processing capacity. CNBC quotes Shamaila Khan, a director of emerging market debt at AllianceBernstein, who told the networks Squawk Box Asia that the possibility that Afghanistans minerals could be exploited by the Chinese is a very dangerous proposition for the world.

China is already involved in Afghanistan through the Belt and Road Initiative, which Cohen says is welcomed by the Taliban who have invited China to play a role in economic development. China has already invested a great deal of capital in infrastructure projects under the aegis of the BRI in the region, he reports, and theres no reason to believe the Taliban would want to interrupt Belt and Road programs already underway. In fact, Cohen frets, Afghanistan and China have in principle agreed to deepen BRI cooperation, despite uncertainty over the security situation. The key, he says, will be the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, that will involve Taliban-controlled Afghanistan as well. Cohen details several other BRI projects in the region but says they are at risk because of the Taliban takeover, lack of security, etc., going on to predict other dangerous scenarios that might develop that would encourage China and Russia to become more aggressive in pursuit of their regional goals.
Only Inclusive Dialogue with All Key Forces, Can Bring Afghanistan Back to Normal, Recommends Lavrov

Aug. 18, 2021 (EIRNS)Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned against any attempt to impose any form of governance on Afghanistan, during the Q&A following his remarks with faculty and students at the during a meeting with the faculty and students at Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, in Kaliningrad, yesterday.

Lavrov gave an extensive response to a question about Russias relation to Afghanistan, which included the following:

When I became Foreign Minister in 2004, Afghanistan was the first country I visited in this capacity. ...We know this country well, and we have become convinced that trying to impose any other form of government on this country would be counterproductive. The Americans tried to establish what they called a democracy there, just like in any other country.... What norms can there be in Afghanistan, if during all election campaigns several million refugees voted from Pakistan? Ballot papers were carried to this country by donkey, and then filled in without any observers, be it from the OSCE or anyone else. Then the ballots were shipped back in bags on backs of donkeys through mountain passes and trails.... In this context, it would be naive to pretend that the people of Afghanistan can live by the Western precepts. Once again, this is an attempt to impose ones so-called values on the rest of the world, while totally ignoring centuries-old traditions of other countries. I believe this to be the main mistake. We are convinced, and have known this for a long time, that bringing the situation in Afghanistan back to normal is possible only through inclusive dialogue involving all the key forces,

he concluded.

After the event at the IKBFU, Lavrov responded to questions from the media. Answering a media question about Russias relation to the Taliban, Lavrov explained:

Just like all other countries, we are not in a hurry to recognize them. Just yesterday, I spoke with Foreign Minister of the Peoples Republic of China Wang Yi. Our positions overlap. We are seeing encouraging signals from the Taliban, who are saying they want to have a government with the participation of other political forces.... We are observing positive processes on the streets of Kabul, where the situation is fairly calm and the Taliban are effectively enforcing law and order. But it is too early to talk about any unilateral political steps on our part. We support the beginning of an all-encompassing national dialogue with the participation of all Afghan political ethnic and religious forces. Former President Hamid Karzai and Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation Abdullah Abdullah have already spoken in favor of this process. They are in Kabul. They came up with this proposal. One of the leaders of northern Afghanistan, Mr. Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, has joined this initiative as well. Literally these days, as I understand, maybe even as we speak, a dialogue with a Taliban representative is going on. I hope it will lead to an agreement whereby the Afghans will form inclusive transitional bodies as an important step towards fully normalizing the situation in this long-suffering country.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told a press conference that the U.S. was in touch with both Russia and China on the Afghan matter. Well, first we, of course, are in touch with the Chinese and the Russians as we work to bring men and women out of Afghanistan and including our SIV applicants and others, she stated. Our objective in Afghanistan is to deliver also on what the president promised, which is to not put the men and women who have served our country bravely over the past 20 years in harms way again.
EIR LEAD EDITORIAL FOR THURSDAY, AUGUST 19, 2021

Schiller Institute Webcast, Now More Urgent Than Ever: Afghanistan Is an Opportunity for a New Epoch for Mankind

Aug. 18, 2021 (EIRNS)With nearly all policymakers and strategic analysts in the trans-Atlantic sector of the world in a clueless state of utter chaos and hysteria over the developments in Afghanistan, Schiller Institute founder Helga Zepp-LaRouche today convoked an urgent international seminar for this coming Saturday, August 21 to pursue the only available solution to the crisis: peace through development. The seminar will continue the prescient discussion held by the Schiller Institute on July 31, with many of the same panelists, as well as new ones.

Zepp-LaRouche drew a crystal clear picture in her weekly strategic webcast yesterday:

First of all, I do not agree with the hysteria of the Western media that this is the end of the world. The first thing that must be stated, is that it ends 40 years of war for the Afghani people, and if people have any sense of what it means to live in such a long war, all the suffering of the civilians, all the terrible things people had to endure, in terms of drone attacks, in terms of anxiety, I think, first of all, its very good that the war has ended. I think it is, on the contrary, the real chance to integrate Afghanistan into a regional economic development perspective, which is basically defined by the Belt and Road Initiative of China. There is a very clear agreement of Russia and China to cooperate in dealing with this situation. The interest of the Central Asian republics is to make sure there is stability and economic development; and there is the possibility to extend the CPEC, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, into Afghanistan, into Central Asia. So I think its a real opportunity, but it does require a complete change in approach.

Zepp-LaRouche continued:

This is an epochal change.... I think that if the European nations and the United States would understand that this is a unique chance, if they cooperate, rather than fight Russia and China and their influence in the region, and if they join hands in the economic development there ... then this can become a very positive turning point, not only for Afghanistan, but also for the whole world.

Zepp-LaRouche made a special appeal to the United States in remarks earlier in the day on Aug. 17:

The United States must go back to the foreign policy of the Founding Fathers and the initial periodsuch as John Quincy Adamsthat the aim of the United States is not to chase foreign monsters, but to build alliances. John Quincy Adams said that the United States should have alliances of perfectly sovereign republics, and this is now the moment to really do that. The idea is to not oppose China linking Afghanistan into the Belt and Road Initiative, but rather see it as an opportunity to cooperate, and stop this geopolitical confrontation which can only lead to catastrophe.

She concluded: Thats the kind of discussion which we have to catalyze.

The archive of the July 31, 2021 Schiller Institute event on Afghanistan: A Turning Point in History after the Failed Regime-Change Era is posted on the Schiller Institute website. The speakers included: Helga Zepp-LaRouche (Germany), Founder and President of The Schiller Institute; Pino Arlacchi (Italy), Sociology Professor at the Sassari University, former Executive Director of the UN Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention, and former European Parliament Rapporteur on Afghanistan; H.E. Ambassador Hassan Shoroosh (Afghanistan), Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to Canada; H.E. Ambassador Anna Evstigneeva (Russian Federation), Deputy Permanent Representative at the Mission of the Russian Federation to the UN; Dr. Wang Jin (China), Fellow with The Charhar Institute; Ray McGovern (U.S.), Analyst, Central Intelligence Agency (ret.), Co-Founder, Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS); Hassan Daud (Pakistan), CEO, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province Board of Investment; and Hussein Askary (Sweden/Iraq), Southwest Asia Coordinator for the Schiller Institute.
BLACK VOTERS WILL BE KEY TO STOPPING GAVIN NEWSOM RECALL EFFORTS

JUST VOTE NO

By now, most Californians have already received their ballot for the recall election in the mail. This election is critical for the advancement of our community to fend off the right-wing conservative attacks on our states government.

We have all seen and read about voter suppression efforts being launched in Georgia, Texas, Arizona, and a number of other states across the country. But, what Californians should realize is that we are being targeted in the Republican-led voter suppression efforts here in California with the recall of Governor Gavan Newsom.

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These efforts are being led by anti-tax, anti-immigration, anti-police reform, anti-diversity and inclusive, conservative Republicans in an attempt to gain a foothold on their failing party in the countrys most populous state.

Californians and African American voters in particular are facing a stark choice on September 14: Do we retain Democratic Governor Newsom or replace him with a candidate hand chosen by the Trump-led Republican Party, and turn California and its progressive agenda on its ear.

There are over forty candidates running to unseat Governor Newsom; over half of whom are Republicans. According to local polls, the current leader in the race to unseat Governor Newsom is right-wing radio host Larry Elder, along with former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, and The Bear Trump supporter and businessman, John Cox. All of these candidates are being heavily funded by right wing conservatives who are in favor of the voter suppression campaigns being waged throughout the nation.

Also linked to the recall campaign are the activities are members of neo-fascist, para-military groupings like the Proud Boys, Three Percenters, and possibly Qanon. All of these groups were instrumental in an attempt to overthrow the election and the government as part of the January 6 insurrection of the nations capital, all who take their lead from Donald Trump and those who support the Trump culture.

The truth is Governor Newsom does not deserve to be recalled. You may or may not agree with his decision to shut down California because of the pandemic, but what you cannot deny is that his decision and leadership saved lives. He has also brokered opportunities for support of small businesses who without the support from state agencies would not have survived. California, the most populous state in the nation, was able to save hundreds of thousands if not millions of lives by taking the actions Newsom took. California managed to support small businesses, including many restaurants, and the state has operated well. The governor, along with his state legislature, have made it a priority to invest the billions of dollars of state resources back into the communities that need it most.

The Republican candidates are using race-based discriminatory tactics to either in flame voters or simply get us to sit this race out. These divisionary practices using sexist rhetoric, homophobic intolerance, crime suppression all is part of the Trump propaganda machine that Governor Newsom so vehemently opposes.

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The Republican far right is counting on Californias and particularly African Americans who most of the time vote Democratic as well as progressive-leaning independent voters to stay home, lulled by a false sense that there is no way a small Republican minority will unseat Newsom.

We cannot and must not get lulled to sleep by these tactics. When you receive your ballot, VOTE NO, JUST VOTE NO. Dont vote for any of the recall candidates, because you are against the recall. When you have your ballot and voting by mail, fill it out and mail it in right away. There are also in-person drop pff sites throughout Los Angeles. Make sure your entire family and your friends also VOTE NO, JUST VOTE NO.

We cannot afford for the governor to be recalled and to potentially have Larry Elder or some other right-wing candidate unseat the Governor and lead our state and our community to our own demise.

On the line is the protection of hard-won gains that Gov. Newsom expanded, such as increased pay, paid sick leave and paid family leave, and doubling the earned-income tax credit for low-income families, and expanded the right to form unions, including signing legislation to give childcare workers the right to organize.

We cannot be tricked into letting a far-right, pro-Trump Republican lead our state. Our votes, our voice will set the tone and are the most critical piece to overcoming this attempt at voter suppression, and our community finding itself in an even more challenging position than we already are in.

The Los Angeles Sentinel is strongly pushing that all Californians vote in the September 14 recall election, and make sure that family members and friends vote, as well. VOTE NO AND GO STRAIGHT TO THE POST OFFICE AND MAIL IN YOUR BALLOT or MAKE SURE YOU VISIT AN IN-PERSON DROP OFF SITE. JUST VOTE NO, AND DONT VOTE FOR ANY OF THE CANDIDATES ON THE BALLOT.
Long Beach Center of Economic Inclusion Finds their Permanent President and CEO

The Long Beach Center of Economic Inclusion (LBCEI) open its doors to an undeniable force and gave him the authority to shape the progression of their organization; Byron Reed has become LBCEIs first permanent president and CEO.

In April of 2017, Long Beach City Council moved forward with an intense strategy that focused on the advancement of the city in a 10-year span. Long Beach public servants focused on providing opportunities for workers, investors, and entrepreneurs.

One of the key parts of the economic blueprint is Economic Inclusion which aims to increase access to economic opportunities in low-income communities to advance economic equity.

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LBCEI launched in March of 2020, standing as physical evidence of the Long Beach City Councils initiative, which was devoted to the growth of the local economy entitled, Everyone in.

During their growth, the pandemic rapidly spread throughout the world. This pivoted the urgency of the original mission; the city needed a solution to take form immediately. LBCEI shifted gears and started to look at where they can support small businesses and harness food security for Long Beach residents in the north, central, and western regions.

The organization knew these next seasons of business will lean heavily on compassion due to COVID-19. That is why sitting at the helm is a businessperson who has a bigger heart than his suitcase, Reed is looking to become the firms first permanent president and CEO.

As a sought-out mentor for senior leadership and master of financial dealings, Reed will transition out of his senior position as vice president of CIT/One West Bank and begin a new chapter as CEO of LBCEI.

In reflection, the newly appointed CEO stated, Now more than ever, economic inclusion is critical to creating an equitable environment for positive growth and impact throughout the city of Long Beach, Reed said in the press release.

He continued, As the first President/CEO of the Long Beach Center for Economic Inclusion, I am extremely excited and grateful for the opportunity to lead the organization around this critical work.

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Reed has been known to guide the very best and take on projects that deal very heavily with personal life. Much like the community seeks help during a crisis, people from various backgrounds would come to Reed in their most vulnerable states.

He leads a mentorship, Reeds Tribe, which is a Colorblind Mentorship through Authentic Leadership. In a previous exclusive interview, Reed explained how this work influences the future and why it is significant to the collective community.

As president and CEO, Reed will be able to exercise his talents of support and strong leadership skills to navigate LBCEI through extremely sensitive places in the community, that need both a hand extended and the strength to pull them over rough times.

Looking at his background, Reed earned his bachelors degrees in finance and political science/public administration from the University of Oklahoma with over 30 years of experience in finance. The Long Beach Center of Economic Inclusion (LBCEI) welcomes his wisdom to lead the organization to success.
As part of The Los Angeles Sparks #WeAreWomen campaign, began in 2015, the Los Angeles Sparks named Brotherhood Crusade President and CEO Charisse Bremond Weaver 2021 Woman of the Year.

Natalie White, Interim President & COO, Los Angeles Sparks said, Charisse is someone who leads by example, a true pioneer for the community of Los Angeles and we are so proud to honor her as our #WeAREWOMEN, 2021 Woman of the Year. She inspires us all to continue to be helpful, be hopeful and to be a servant to all youth and families.

Stacy Hill-Williams, Executive Vice President Brotherhood Crusade said, We just want to thank the Los Angeles Sparks for sharing and uplifting Charisse in this most profound way. We appreciate the Sparks organization and look forward to our continued partnership.

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The #WeAreWomen campaign was launched in an effort to honor stand-out women and young girls in the Los Angeles community who share the Sparks goals of empowering the Los Angeles community and females of all ages. The Sparks also honored five other Los Angeles women who exemplify the following categories: Health & Wellness, Women & Girls Empowerment, Social Justice, Youth Sports, and Military/Veteran Affairs.

Charisse is a passionate, dedicated leader in the not-for-profit sector. Her focus and desire are to serve her community and make it a better environment for those she touches and those they touch. Charisse is leading the Brotherhood Crusade that was founded by her late father Walter Bremond in 1968 and her mentor Institution Builder Danny J. Bakewell Sr., who led the organization for 35 years. Shes been the President and CEO of the Brotherhood Crusade for more than 15 years. Her team directly serves approximately 3,000 low-income youth and young adults between the ages of 10 to 24 daily through various trauma-informed youth development programs and impacts more than 20k youth, young adults and families annually.



Brotherhood Crusade President and CEO Charisse Bremond Weaver
Mark Ridley-Thomas Will Not Run for Mayor

Says he will focus on addressing homelessness and says, I would love to see Congresswoman Karen Bass enter Mayors race

Mark Ridley-Thomas is undefeated as a candidate for elected office. Over the past 30 years, Ridley-Thomas has been a councilman, a member of the California Assembly, the California Senate, the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors and is now serving his final term as a councilmember for the 10th District for the City of Los Angeles. For many in South Los Angeles and throughout all of Los Angeles, most believed Mayor would be a fitting title for a man who has established himself throughout the city, county, and state as a relentless warrior for the underserved. A ferocious campaigner for political office and an honorable leader who works tirelessly for the service of all.

So, when Los Angeles City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas announced Monday that he will not be running for mayor, it was a shock to many and a relief for those who have been considering running for the seat.

Mark Ridley-Thomas, in an exclusive sit-down interview with the Los Angeles Sentinel says, Thirty years of working as an elected official is enough and that he has no plans for running for another political office. What he wants to do is spend his time and energy addressing the unprecedented homeless crisis that we have here in Los Angeles and throughout the state. If we dont address this now and get a comprehensive plan together, the problem is just going to get worse, says Ridley-Thomas. He says that he doesnt believe he can cure the problem, but he does feel that he can make an impact in addressing the problem. I never thought I could cure all of the medical issues that face our community, but if you look at what I was able to accomplish by re-opening Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital, there is no doubt I was able to have an impact. It is that type of unapologetic and forward thinking that is needed to address the un-housed here in Los Angeles. Thomas is confident that with the right focus and a massing of city, state, and federal resources that he can have a serious impact in addressing this issue.

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Ridley-Thomas says that at this point in his career his calling and focus is that of the homeless crisis in the city of Los Angeles, and I will double down and lean in on that particular issue. He says right now, he believes he can have the greatest impact on this issue as a member of the city council and chair of the powerful committee that is currently leading the efforts to house thousands of people now living on the streets of Los Angeles.

When asked, if not him, who would he like to see be the next mayor of Los Angeles, he immediately offered up the suggestion of Congresswoman Karen Bass. Ridley-Thomas says while the overwhelmingly popular congresswoman has not entered the race, and that he has not had any conversation with her about running, he believes she has the character, track record, the understanding of the issues and the leadership qualities needed to guide this city into the future.

This obviously led to the next question, if Congresswoman Bass is elected Mayor, would he then consider a run for congress? He reiterated his previous response, I have no intentions of seeking another elected office and the councilman was adamant that what he now wants to focus on both while in city hall and after, is addressing the homeless crisis here in Los Angeles.

Ridley-Thomas said, Her [Karen Bass] candidacy for mayor is compelling. She is already a history maker and if she were to become mayor, she would make history again.

To date, City Attorney Mike Feurer, Councilman Joe Buscaino and real estate agent, Mel Wilson have all announced their candidacy. It is rumored that Council President Nury Martinez is also considering a run for mayor as well as Councilmembers Kevin De Leon and Paul Krekorian.

Following Ridley-Thomass announcement of not running for Mayor, Congresswoman Bass released this statement.

Mark Ridley-Thomas is a living legacy of life-long courageous leadership and selfless public service to the people of the City of Los Angeles. The passion he had when we worked as activists together in South Los Angeles more than 40 years ago has never wavered nor waned  not when he served in Sacramento and not when he served as County Supervisor. His impact can be seen all throughout South Los Angeles. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital is not only serving our community again but saving lives daily in the midst of a public health disaster. The first-of-its-kind Reentry Opportunity Center has offered opportunities to folks from our community to better our neighborhoods. Biotech, infrastructure, and housing investments are all being made in our community. While I respect Marks decision not to run for mayor, Los Angeles is grateful and fortunate that he continues to serve us on the city council and continue his work to address the housing crisis.

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While Congresswoman Bass has not addressed the idea of running for mayor, her candidacy would make anyone considering entering the race to rethink their consideration; she would undoubtedly be the front runner to succeed current Mayor Eric Garcetti. If Bass were to win, she would be the second African American (Tom Bradley was the first) and first woman to be elected Mayor of the city. An idea that is not improbable given that the current Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is all-female and that women across the country have been elected and leading major cities like San Francisco, New Orleans, and Atlanta in recent years.

I am hopeful that Karen will run for mayor. We need a strong leader like her to move our city forward. We couldnt have a better candidate if she decides to run, stated Charisse Bremond-Weaver, president of the Los Angeles Brotherhood Crusade.

Congresswoman Bass has confirmed that she has been recruited to run for mayor. Bass is extremely popular throughout Los Angeles and throughout the state. She was the sponsor of Congressional bill H.R. 1280  The George Floyd Justice in policing Act of 2021, which passed in the house on 3/3/21, she was considered by then candidate and now President Joe Biden as a potential vice presidential running mate as well as had been considered by Governor Gavin Newsom for appointment to the U.S. Senate seat to replace now Vice President Kamala Harris. Her broad appeal from progressives and liberals to independents voters, both young and old, makes her a prime candidate to potentially lead the nations most populous and diverse city.

The City of Los Angeles voters will be looking to support a mayor who can solve two main issues, homelessness and crime in the next election. Congresswoman Karen Bass is uniquely qualified to address them both, stated Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer.

While Garcettis official term does not end until December 2022, he has been nominated by the Biden administration to become the U.S. Ambassador of India, pending confirmation by the U.S. Senate. This could lead to an early vacancy which would need to be filled via an appointment of an interim mayor by the city council.

The appointment of an interim mayor gets more complicated since several of the councilmembers are considering running for mayor, and none of them want to allow the other to run and have the advantage of being called the incumbent or have the title of Mayor on their political literature. This quandary has opened conversations about people like former Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and former Council President Herb Wesson as candidates to fill Garcettis seat for a year assuming Garcetti is confirmed by the Senate and the interim agrees not to run for mayor in 2022.

Who will be Los Angeles next mayor is wide open, both for the short term and the long term. But what we know is that Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas will not be one of the candidates vying for that title. Since it wont be Ridley-Thomas, the question remains, will it be Karen? Stay tuned.
National Study Shows Disparities in Healthcare Spending Among Race

On Monday, the L.A. Sentinel and other media outlets attended a virtual press briefing on healthcare disparities. A recent analysis conducted by Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington School of Medicine revealed inequities in healthcare spending among race and ethnic groups. The study showed White Americans gaining the most from healthcare in comparison to other races. It also revealed minorities are least likely to receive outpatient services or prescription drugs.

The press briefing was attended by health officials that included Dr. Joseph L. Dieleman, associate professor in the Department of Health Metric Sciences at the University of Washington and lead author of the study, Dr. George Mensah, director of the Center for Translation Research and Implementation Science, Dr. Amelie Ramirez, P.H., M.P.H, director of the Institute for Health Promotion Research and the Salud America! program at UT Health San Antonio and moderated by Susannah Masur, who works with the communications team of IHME.

The lion share of healthcare resources in this country is used for White, non-Hispanic population, said Dieleman according to information from 2016. We see that 73 percent of health spending was on people who identify as White, non-Hispanic and thats relative to 61 percent of the population that was surveyed in the data that we used.

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The research conducted was gathered from surveys and organized into four different categories which included accumulated data from polls, standardized estimates from data, types of healthcare and disease. The study looked at information from 2002 to 2016, which revealed $2.4 trillion in spending in healthcare.

Right from the onset we see that a disproportionally high amount of spending in on the White, non-Hispanic population, said Dieleman. The other two of the five ethnicity categories that have the most spending both have 11 percent of the spending in 2016 that includes the Black, non-Hispanic population, which is about 12 percent of the people and the 11 percent also of the spending on Hispanic population, which makes up 18 percent of the population in 2016.

Dieleman further stated, This study provides a clear picture of who is benefiting from and who is being left behind in our healthcare system.

The study reveals that in 2016 White, non-Hispanic Americans received health services representing 72 percent of all healthcare spending, despite comprising only 61 percent of the population. Hispanic and Asian Americans received the least spending relative to their proportion of the population: Hispanic patients benefited from 11 percent of healthcare spending despite accounting for 18 percent of the population, while Asian, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander individuals received 3 percent of spending while making up 6 percent of the population.

People of color are likely to be uninsured or have restrictive insurance policies, said Ramirez. As of 2019, only 8 percent of White Americans, under the age of 64 are uninsured but, when you compare that to 11 percent for Black Americans, to 20 percent for Hispanic Americans and 22 percent of our [Native American] and Alaskan Native populations, those differences are large.

Ramirez added, Latinos in particular often lack access to high-quality healthcare and are among the least likely of any racial or ethnic group to visit the doctor when they have a medical issue. As a result, they suffer from poorer health outcomes on a range of measures. This study highlights the urgent need for new investments in Latino health.

While spending on African Americans was roughly equal to their share of the population  they received 11 percent of healthcare spending, while making up 12 percent of the population  it was skewed significantly toward emergency and inpatient care, suggesting that they do not receive care until they are experiencing advanced illness. Specifically, they received 26 percent less spending on outpatient care, but 12 percent more spending on emergency department care.

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Much of these findings should not have come as big surprise to all of us, said Mensah. For example, the Agency for Healthcare, Research and Equality, they publish every year some of the objective measures of healthcare quality that they track for the whole nation.

The most recent report showed that for about 40 percent of the objective metrics of quality of healthcare that they track, African Americans, [Native Americans] and Alaska Natives received worse care than Whites, thats U.S government data and its not very different from the data that was published the year before and the one published the year before that.

Its very clear to all of us that there isnt any silver bullet, were going to need a comprehensive set of actions that can address this and we have to with active community engagement, outreach, addressing misinformation.

Mensah added, COVID-19 has exacerbated health disparities. This paper adds to existing research that illustrates the need for comprehensive solutions to address underlying barriers patients face in achieving optimal health and benefitting from optimal health care.

On addressing other healthcare issues, Ramirez stated, We need healthcare providers to be culturally competent. Just because a provider may speak Spanish doesnt mean that a patient will feel comfortable speaking with them. We need to look at opportunities to support and train our providers that will reflect our community demographic.

The study, conducted by researchers from IHME, was published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Dielemen shared there is an interest in contemporary numbers and that going forward, there will be research expanding into 2019 and into 2020 on the impact of health spending.
Pastor Fred Price Receives Doctorate Degree

Pastor Frederick K. Price Jr. of Crenshaw Christian Center (CCC) received his doctor of divinity degree, along with several others, during a ceremony on July 10 at the Carson Civic Center.

The ceremony combined both the 15th and 16th graduating classes of the Bible Believers Christian College and Seminary (BBCCS) in the city of Hawthorne. The graduating classes were combined because the coronavirus epidemic delayed the 2020 graduation classes. About 400 persons were in attendance.

Dr. Willie E. Dye and Dr. Steven Davis were the presenters. Dr. Edward Jenkins, Sr., the keynote speaker, gave the charge. Dr. Vera Milton is chancellor and founder of BBCCS. Dr. Dye, who is the BBCCS dean of students and vice president as well as a CCC member, recommended the CCC pastor for the doctorate. Besides Dr. Price, there were 63 other graduates.

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Among them were Crenshaw members Pamela Dye, Dr. Dyes wife, and Corliss M. Williford, CCC historian-archivist. Both were part of the postponed 2020 graduation class. Dr. Williford was unable to attend the graduation ceremony.

There were seven class speakers, each a valedictorian representing a different class level. Among the other degrees awarded were Ph.Ds, doctoral, D.D. (honorary doctoral degree), Masters, Bachelors and Associate of Arts degrees.

The entire ceremony lasted about two and a half hours.

Crenshaw Christian Center is located at 7901 S. Vermont Ave. in Los Angeles.
Redistricting Commissioners Seek Input from African American Community

Redistricting will bring changes to South Los Angeles, an area where many African Americans reside, and the adjustment could affect the collective power of the Black community.

The L.A. City Charter mandates that every 10 years following the decennial U.S. Census, City Council district boundaries be redrawn to make each district largely equal in population. The charter also establishes a 21-member commission charged with recommending a redistricting plan to the City Council that outlines the borders of each Council District.

Charisse Bremond-Weaver, the Rev. Eddie Anderson and Valerie Lynne Shaw were appointed by Mayor Eric Garcetti, Councilmember Mark Ridley-Thomas and Councilmember Marqueece Harris Dawson, respectively, as Los Angeles City Council Redistricting Commissioners who are the only African Americans on the board.

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Although they will vote along with fellow commissioners on the entire redistricting plan, the three are especially focused on persuading Black Angelenos to share ideas, desires, histories and experiences that impact and define their neighborhoods. The goal, they said, is to ensure inclusive representation, secure needed assets, and maintain a strong community.

Why is redistricting important, particularly for African Americans? Its really about power and how were going to exercise our power and access resources, said Shaw, a member of the Board of Governors for the California Community College System and former L.A. Board of Public Works president, vice president and commissioner.

During the [Mayor Tom] Bradley days, about 40 years ago, we were 20% of the population and now were about 7%. Weve also seen a decline in our communities, changing demographics, the decline of our civic and professional groups and the disappearance of some of our nonprofits, she noted.

These are all called mediating structures  structures that illustrate the life of the Black community. Now, were looking at changing and rearranging our council districts  our neighborhoods  and its important to look at this process in order to further empower Black people.

Anderson, who serves as senior pastor of McCarthy Memorial Christian Church and describes himself as a millennial who works with Black Lives Matter and other organizations that care about the Black future, encouraged African Americans to consider the concept of redistricting as investing in communities.

When we talk about investment, we are talking about how do you get more parks, more public space, how do we [get] our roads fixed in our neighborhoods. All of that will be the by-product of redistricting  even who is our representative and do they ultimately have your needs at heart, he insisted.

So, for the Black community, especially in South L.A. and all across L.A. County, its important for us to really bring it in and make sure our voices are heard and to draw, with our moral imagination, for the next 10 years, Anderson said.

Further emphasizing the importance of input from African Americans, Bremond-Weaver, president/CEO of the Brotherhood Crusade, urged Blacks to attend and speak up during the Commissions public hearings. In addition to the census data, the commissioners redistricting recommendations will be greatly influenced by input from local residents and people with a stake in the direction of their neighborhood, she said.

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If you care about your community, if you want your community to change, if you want resources in your community, then you have to be a part of the process. We all have to be accountable to the communities we care about and love. For me, thats Council Districts 8, 9 and 10, where we have three Black amazing elected officials who represent our community. If we dont get the input from our own community, those lines might be different, she stressed.

Black voices must be heard in this process and we have to be unapologetic about what we want for our community. If were not pushing that narrative, if were not showing up to tell our stories about why our community should look like this, then shame on us, said Bremond-Weaver.

In addition to giving testimony at public hearings, residents will be able to communicate their vision for their community by using a map tool on the City Council Redistrictings website. According to Robert Battles, associate director of community outreach and engagement for the Commission, the tool will allow site visitors to create a visual presentation reflecting their image of their community and what they would like it to look like in the future. The tool, which will be launched in the near future, will include a tutorial.

The public can also share comments during meetings that the Commission is currently hosting for each Council District via Zoom. Individuals or representatives of neighborhood-based organizations can participate either virtually or by telephone.

Hoping to inspire African American involvement in the redistricting process, Anderson declared, Your voice is very important. Please tell us your story and lets show up. This is equity. This is our civil rights for 2021!

Bremond-Weaver said, Your voice matters, resources matter in our community and who represents us at the local level. If you care about keeping our community whole and all of the things that make our community as beautiful as it is, your voice needs to be heard.

Shaw frankly stated, If you can intend to live in L.A. as we move forward, it will be crucial that you understand how city government operates, that you understand the power structure of your district and your neighborhood.

This process will enable the average citizen to understand those two things because as we lose population, if we dont raise our voices, we lose power.

To learn more about the Los Angeles City Council Redistricting Commission, visit https://laccrc2021.org/

Managing Editor Brandon I. Brooks contributed to this report.
South Los Angeles Clinics Celebrate National Health Center Week

Hundreds of Children and Community Members to Receive Immunizations, Vaccines, and School Supplies During this Years 2021 National Health Center Week

For the parents and children in South LA, National Health Center Week marks the end of summer vacation and the start of the new school year. For more than 40 years, South Central Family Health Center (SCFHC) has hosted a National Health Center Week celebration at its medical campus on the corner of Vernon and Central Avenues. The national event, celebrating the essential role that community health centers play in traditionally underserved communities, is a bustling affair with medical, dental, and vision care screenings for adults and activities for children. In 2021, SCFHC is focusing on the most important work it can do during the pandemic; it is focusing on providing students with all the vaccines they need to go back to school. For students 12 and older, that includes administering the COVID-19 vaccine.

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More than 500 students and community members will visit SCFHC during NHCW receiving required immunizations so they can return to school. With many parents concerned about the Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus, students 12 and older will receive Pfizer vaccines at zero cost to the families to keep their children safer while returning to in-person education.

According to Dr. Jose L. Perez, Chief Medical Officer at SCFHC, For decades, public schools have required that our children have all their vaccines before they return to school to ensure their protection from life threatening diseases. Dr. Perez added, I strongly recommend that parents add COVID-19 vaccinations to the list of vaccines their children need to stay healthy, especially as Delta variant can impact youth.

SCFHC invited several of their community partners to share resources and materials during NHCW. One of those partners, L.A. Care Health Plan, made a financial contribution that will offset the costs of purchasing backpacks and school supplies for the clinics students.

South Central Family Health Center shares a mission with L.A. Care of addressing the health care needs of vulnerable populations who are marginalized and underserved, and we have seen these populations in South Los Angeles suffer disproportionately during the COVID-19 pandemic, said John Baackles, L.A. Care CEO. L.A. Care is proud to support SCFHCs National Health Center Week event as they expand medical and specialty services and strive to strengthen their community.

NHCW enhances SCFHCs role in the community as the one-stop shop for healthcare services. Their network of ten clinical sites across South Los Angeles and Southeast Los Angeles County already provide primary medical, dental, vision, and chiropractic care. SCFHC pays close care and attention in hiring culturally authentic medical providers and support staff, the majority of whom reside in the communities it serves.

To make an appointment for a student to receive their vaccines, please contact SCFHC at (323) 908-4200.
The California Legislative Black Caucus Stands in Strong Support of Governor Newsom

The California Legislative Black Caucus strongly opposes the recall of Governor Gavin Newsom and urges all Californians to say NO to this unwarranted, ill-advised, and costly recall election.

During a global health and economic crisis, proponents of the recall choose to waste more than $200 million tax-payer dollars on this baseless campaign, blaming the Governor for their losses, when in fact, his efforts have been squarely focused on protecting the health of all Californians.

The language used in the recall position is reminiscent of the hateful words used by the previous Federal Administration vilifying people based on their race, ethnicity, and nationality. At its core, this petition is an attack on peoples civil rights and liberties. We cannot condone the repulsive language used in this petition and find the tactics being used by the Governors opponents deceitful.

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Governor Newsom has enacted the biggest economic recovery package in Californias history  a $100 billion California Comeback Plan. The Plan focuses on providing relief to those that need it most and major investments to address the states most persistent challenges. The Plan provides immediate cash relief to middle class families and businesses hit hardest by the pandemic, creating the biggest state tax rebate in American history and the largest small business relief package in the nation.

While California has seen a large surplus of money, we applaud the Governor for taking the initiative to provide support to our community. Throughout the health and economic challenges of the pandemic, Governor Newsom has found ways to illuminate equity and justice for the Black community such as: $10 million in support of the Martin Luther King Jr. Hospital, $1.5 million to expand the scope of work for adults living with Sickle Cell Disease and $50 million to Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Sciences, a predominantly African American school focused on developing Black doctors and improving health conditions in the Black community.

There is zero evidence that the opponents in this race seriously care about equity and will undoubtedly try to undermine public support for meaningful Black Caucus legislation signed by the Governor in recent years such as: The first in the nation task force to study and develop reparations proposals for African American descendants of U.S. chattel slavery, banning the use of carotid restraint chokeholds by peace officers, requiring ethnic studies as a graduation requirement and increased diversity and representation on our state corporate boards. This legislation not only benefits the African American community, but all Californians.

Furthermore, the recall of Governor Newsom will impact the current legislation we have advanced this year, particularly those that address policing, which includes: creating a decertification process in the state for law enforcement that has committed serious misconduct, establishing a five-year pilot for emergency response programs, requiring officers to intercede and report when witnessing the use of excessive force by another member of law enforcement, and much more.

We are at a critical juncture in this state and nation. A recall should only be used if an elected official has committed a crime or an egregious act and Governor Newsom is not accused of either.

For these reasons, we are urging all Californians that believe in uplifting the best of our core democratic values to participate on Tuesday, September 14 and say NO to this unwarranted, ill-advised, and costly recall election of Governor Gavin Newsom.
These steps can help protect your money and your information. How a simple email or text message could open you up to fraud.

The pandemic has accelerated identity theft  and the impact on regular people is significant. In fact, Americans have lost more than $382 million to scams related to stimulus checks and unemployment benefits, fake treatments for COVID-19 and more, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

Even worse, Black and Latinx consumers are more likely to be victims of fraud than their white counterparts. Thats why its crucial to recognize activity designed to steal your hard-earned money.

JPMorgan Chase is available to help consumers learn to spot suspicious activity  from fake emails and texts to bogus claims about ways to stay healthy. We sat down with Jordan King, local community manager from the Chase Community Center branch on Crenshaw Blvd, to discuss tips and best practices for securing a better financial future.

What should consumers be looking for when it comes to scammers?

King: Lets start with emails and texts. Phishing is the fancy name for emails pretending to be from reputable companies  including banks. Theyre really from criminals who are trying to get your personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers.

The email could ask you to reply or click on a link that takes you to a website that looks like your banks site. Then theyll ask you to give your username, password, account number, personal identification number (PIN), Social Security number or other personal information. Also, if you click on an attachment to that email, it could download software called malware that tracks or steals your information.

So, be very careful about clicking on a link in an email; instead go directly to the companys website. And dont click on attachments unless youre sure its from someone you know and trust.

Scammers are increasingly starting to contact victims by text message or phone, most often from a number you dont recognize, and telling you theres a problem with your bank account, including that its closed, frozen or will be terminated unless you call a phone number or go to a website listed in the message and give your personal and/or account information.

Are there specific signs to look for?

King: Yes, here are a couple of surefire ones:

Scammers will often tell you there is a problem or a prize. They might say you are in trouble with the government, you owe money, someone in your family has an emergency, there is a problem with an account of yours, or that you won lottery money. Remember  if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

They might say you are in trouble with the government, you owe money, someone in your family has an emergency, there is a problem with an account of yours, or that you won lottery money. Remember  if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. After setting up the problem or prize, scammers will pressure you to act immediately. They want you to hand over your sensitive information before you have time to think. They might threaten you, stress a sense of urgency, or say time is running out. However, no legitimate business or government agency will pressure you in this way or ask for your personal information, like your Social Security number, bank account or credit card numbers over the phone or email.

How can consumers protect their money and their information?

King: Here are few best practices:

Guard your online information. Download and update antivirus software for your computer, and dont enter sensitive information into public computers or on unsecured networks. Also, be careful about giving out your financial username and passwords on the internet  this includes financial websites and apps that offer tools to help you manage your accounts, invest or prepare your taxes.

Download and update antivirus software for your computer, and dont enter sensitive information into public computers or on unsecured networks. Also, be careful about giving out your financial username and passwords on the internet  this includes financial websites and apps that offer tools to help you manage your accounts, invest or prepare your taxes. Make purchases only on secure websites. Look for the symbol of a lock in the address of an internet site. That will help protect your credit card number, expiration date and three-digit CVV.

Look for the symbol of a lock in the address of an internet site. That will help protect your credit card number, expiration date and three-digit CVV. Change your passwords often. Change your passwords frequently and use a combination of letters, numbers and special characters. Dont use your pets name, your childs name, or anything else that could be easily figured out.

Change your passwords frequently and use a combination of letters, numbers and special characters. Dont use your pets name, your childs name, or anything else that could be easily figured out. Create a separate password for each financial institution. This provides an additional level of protection in case there is an issue at one institution.

This provides an additional level of protection in case there is an issue at one institution. Monitor your accounts. Log into your accounts frequently  even daily  through online banking or on your mobile banking app to monitor transactions and your account balance. Look for transactions you dont recognize. Also, check out your monthly statements and if theres an issue, contact your bank right away.

Log into your accounts frequently  even daily  through online banking or on your mobile banking app to monitor transactions and your account balance. Look for transactions you dont recognize. Also, check out your monthly statements and if theres an issue, contact your bank right away. Set up extra confirmation. The proper name is two-factor or multi-factor authentication. It just means youll need to take an extra step or two to access your information. For example, it could be requesting a text with a code be sent to the mobile phone number you gave the company before. At Chase, when you sign into your Chase account electronically for the first time or with a device we dont recognize, well ask you for your username, password and a temporary identification code. And well send it to you by phone, email or text message.

The proper name is two-factor or multi-factor authentication. It just means youll need to take an extra step or two to access your information. For example, it could be requesting a text with a code be sent to the mobile phone number you gave the company before. At Chase, when you sign into your Chase account electronically for the first time or with a device we dont recognize, well ask you for your username, password and a temporary identification code. And well send it to you by phone, email or text message. Shred sensitive documents. Shred banking records, checks that you deposited through mobile banking and other documents that have your account information. Keep monthly checking and savings account statements in a secure location until you file your taxes and then shred these as well. Chase and other banks offer paperless statements, letting you see the information online without having to worry about paper.

Shred banking records, checks that you deposited through mobile banking and other documents that have your account information. Keep monthly checking and savings account statements in a secure location until you file your taxes and then shred these as well. Chase and other banks offer paperless statements, letting you see the information online without having to worry about paper. Check your credit report. At least once a year, read through your credit reports carefully. You can request a free annual credit report from each of the three national credit reporting agencies, even if you dont suspect any unauthorized activity on your account. Visit annualcreditreport.com.

How does Chase protect customers from fraud?

King: We see it as a partnership; we help protect your accounts and information, and so do you. We monitor all of our accounts around the clock, including using security measures you cant see.

Also, if we find or you flag a transaction that you didnt authorize, we offer Zero Liability Protection, meaning you wont be held responsible for it.

Stop by our branch on Crenshaw Blvd or our other locations to learn more about JPMorgan Chases commitment to customer security through our fraud prevention and protection tools. I look forward to working with you.

Sponsored content from JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Wesley Assigned to Phillips Temple CME

The Rev. Dr. Darrell J. Wesley has been appointed senior pastor at Phillips Temple Christian Methodist Episcopal Church in Los Angeles. Bishop Paul A. G. Steward, CME Ninth District Presiding Prelate, announced the assignment on July 28 during the annual conference reporting session.

Dr. Wesley replaces Rev. Bernard M. Jackson, who is currently on hiatus and serving as visionary extension team leader at Cathedral of Praise Church International Ministries in San Bernardino.

Formerly the senior pastor at Amos Temple CME Church in Riverside, Wesley is hailed as a theologian, philosopher, pastor, prophetic witness and champion of social justice. Recently, he published Black Preaching as a Counter-Hegemonic Movement in the CME Christian Index publication.

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Presently, he is completing the book with Cascade Publishers called Toward an Ethic of Radical Freedom: Cornel West and Michel Foucault in Discursive Dialogue. He also contributed to the book, Toward an Urban God-Talk, with a chapter called, Let the Redeemed of the Lord Say: Viewing Rap Music as a Form of African American Spirituality.

Wesleys earned his B.A. degree and M.S degree at Abilene Christian University, Master of Sacred Theology at Yale University Divinity School; Doctor of Ministry degree at United Theological Seminary and Ph.D. degree in Theology, Ethics, and Culture from Claremont Graduate University. In addition, he served as an adjunct professor of religion and philosophy at Vincennes University.

For 24 years, he was an active-duty Navy Chaplain retiring as Captain and earned an M.A in National Strategic and Security Studies from the Naval War College. Dr. Wesley is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, Inc.

For more about Phillips Temple call (323) 233-4783, email:[email protected], or visit www.facebook.com/PhillipsTempleCME.LosAngeles/


The Taliban violently broke up a protest in eastern Afghanistan on Wednesday killing at least one person. The violence came just one day after the militants promised to respect womens rights and forgive those who resisted them.

In a rare public show of opposition to the Taliban, people in the city of Jalalabad raised the national flag a day before Afghanistan's Independence Day, which honors the end of British rule in 1919. They lowered the Taliban flag  a white flag with an Islamic message  that the militants have raised in the areas they captured.

Videos show the Taliban firing into the air and attacking people with sticks to break up the crowd. A local health official said at least one person was killed and six were wounded.

Babrak Amirzada is a reporter for a local news agency. He said he and a TV cameraman from another agency were beaten by the Taliban as they tried to cover the unrest.

More videos from the Panjshir Valley north of Kabul appear to show a gathering of possible opposition leaders. The area is home to the Northern Alliance militias that allied with the U.S. against the Taliban in 2001. It is the only area that has not yet fallen to the Taliban.

Those leaders include members of the former government  Vice President Amrullah Saleh and Defense Minister Gen. Bismillah Mohammadi. The son of the late Northern Alliance leader Ahmad Shah Massoud was also there.

Saleh said on Twitter that he is the country's rightful president. It is not clear if they plan to oppose the Taliban, who took control over most of the country in a matter of days last week.

Talks among Afghan groups

The Taliban, meanwhile, continued their efforts to form an "inclusive, Islamic government."

Anas Haqqani, a senior leader of a powerful Taliban group, met with former President Hamid Karzai and Abdullah Abdullah, a senior official in the ousted government. The U.S. called the Haqqani network a terrorist group in 2012, and its involvement in a future government could result in international sanctions.

A spokesman for Karzai said the early meetings would help to arrange negotiations with Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the top Taliban political leader. Baradar returned to Kandahar, the Talibans birthplace on Tuesday.

Afghan security forces surrendered to the Taliban on Sunday as then-President Ashraf Ghani left Kabul. The foreign ministry of the United Arab Emirates said in a statement that Ghani and his family were in the country for humanitarian considerations.



Afghans looking to leave

Hundreds of people were waiting outside Kabuls international airport early Wednesday. The Taliban demanded to see documents before permitting the rare passenger inside. U.S. officials said Tuesday that the militants had agreed to permit safe passage for civilians with documents looking to leave the country.

Many of the people outside did not appear to have passports, and each time the doorway opened a few centimeters, many tried to push through. The Taliban then fired warning shots to keep them out.

The Taliban had promised Tuesday that they would respect womens rights, forgive those who resisted them and ensure a secure Afghanistan. But witnesses say groups of armed men have been going door to door asking about Afghans who worked with the Americans or the former government. It is unclear if the gunmen are Taliban or criminals acting as if they were militants.



On Wednesday, the U.S., Britain, the European Union and 18 other countries issued a joint statement saying they are deeply worried about the Afghan womens rights to education, work and freedom of movement under the Taliban.

The statement said, Any form of discrimination and abuse should be prevented. We in the international community stand ready to assist them with humanitarian aid and support, to ensure that their voices can be heard.

Any future Afghan government will have to deal with the U.S. where $7 billion of Afghan assets are being held. Ajmal Ahmady is head of Afghanistans Central Bank. He said the countrys supply of U.S. dollars is close to zero. This will likely lead to a decrease in the value of the local money, the afghani, hurting the countrys poor.

The Taliban won militarily  but now have to govern, he wrote on Twitter. It is not easy.

Im Dan Friedell.

And Im Jill Robbins.

Ahmad Seir, Rahim Faiez, Kathy Gannon and Joseph Krauss reported on this story for the Associated Press. Jill Robbins adapted it for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor.

______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

sanction  n. an action that is taken or an order that is given to force a country to obey international laws by limiting or stopping trade with that country, by not allowing economic aid for that country, etc.  usually plural

arrange  v. to organize the details of something before it happens :

birthplace  n. the place where someone was born or where something began

humanitarian  n. a person who works to make other people's lives better

asset  n. something that is owned by a person, company or the like

What do you think of the Taliban reaction to protests? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.
Update: After several attempts, Khalid and his family have been rescued Wednesday by the U.S. military and its allies. Robert McCreary, a former White House official under President George W. Bush, said several allies, including the British, helped, and that Khalid, his wife and their four sons, ages 3 to 12, were safe in an undisclosed location under the protection of the United States.



Mohammad Khalid Wardak was a well-known national police officer who worked alongside American special forces. He had no plans to leave Afghanistan. He planned to stand with his fellow Afghans to defend his homeland after U.S. forces were gone.

Then, the government collapsed. His president fled. And now Khalid, as his friends call him, is in hiding. He hopes that American officials will honor his loyalty by helping him and his family escape from the Taliban.

But time and U.S. policy are against him. Interpreters and others who worked for the U.S. in Afghanistan are permitted to apply for special immigrant visas. But Afghan military members or police officers are not. The State Department said they could apply for refugee status, but Khalid's supporters say his family needs to get out now.

A brother in arms

His friends in the U.S. military say he is a brother in arms who helped save many lives. They are asking for help  from elected leaders and officials  to get Khalid and his family inside the Kabul airport so they can be taken to another country.

The U.S. still controls the airport, where Americans and some Afghans are leaving the country.

Army Special Forces Sgt. Major Chris Green worked with Khalid. He is among several current and former military members pressing his case. It is this nation's duty to help those who helped us and were loyal to us and their country," he said.

Robert McCreary is a former White House official under President George W. Bush. He worked with special forces in Afghanistan. He said those like Khalid are top Taliban targets because of their work with U.S. forces, and they deserve special attention. "They're shouting his name in the street, looking for him, hunting for him," McCreary said.

Wounded two times

Khalid came to the rescue in March 2013, when a special forces group in eastern Afghanistan's Wardak province was attacked. He hurried into the valley with a police team to defend his American partners.

In 2015, Khalid lost part of his right leg in an attack. Friends in the U.S. military helped get him medical care and an artificial leg outside the country. A month later, he was again leading special police operations in Afghanistan alongside the U.S., Green said.

Along the way, he helped catch al Qaeda and Taliban leaders. He went on to serve as police chief in Ghazi and then Helmand, where he was wounded again last month. He continued to direct the resistance from his hospital bed.

"Khalid was  is  a true patriot to Afghanistan, but also resolute in support to the Americans," said Green, who said he saw Khalid's bravery and leadership many times. Khalid even went on television and radio to say, how we were protecting the Afghan people and the Americans, and then daring the Taliban to drop their terrorist methods and come fight him face to face, Green said.

McCreary said Khalid and his family should be able to apply for special immigrant visas or refugee status because he no longer works for the Afghan government. "People in Khalid's situation ... had no plans of leaving Afghanistan," McCreary said. "They were staying there to fight to the end."

If they can leave, many in the U.S. military would gladly offer to help.

"Without a doubt, any one of us would take these guys, these police officers, these Afghan soldiers into our homes, with their families, and do anything we could to help them just continue to live," Green said.

McCreary warned that time is running out.

"We know what's going to happen, and it's not good," he said.

Im Jill Robbins.

Alex Sanz, Tammy Webber and Matt Lee reported on this story for the Associated Press. Jill Robbins adapted it for Learning English. Hai Do and Susan Shand was the editor.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

interpreter  n. a person who translates the words that someone is speaking into a different language

brother in arms  expression. a soldiers fighting together with other soldiers, especially in a war

persecute  v. to treat (someone) cruelly or unfairly especially because of race, affiliation or religious or political beliefs

patriot  n. a person who loves and strongly supports or fights for his or her country

resolute  adj. very determined: having or showing a lot of determination

province  n. any one of the large parts that some countries are divided into

artificial  adj. not natural or real; made, produced, or done to seem like something natural

dare  v. to tell (someone) to do something especially as a way of showing courage

What do you think of the current situation for those who helped the U.S. military in Afghanistan? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.
In 2005, coastal residents jammed freeways and gas stations as they rushed to get out of the way of Hurricane Katrina, which was headed toward
MOSCOW  Crews from across the Palouse worked Monday afternoon and into the night to battle a wildfire that destroyed structures and threatened at least 20 residences near the base of Moscow Mountain.
Feed a squirrel, pay a fine. That could be the new norm in Lompoc if the City Council approves an ordinance introduced Aug. 17.

Parks and Recreation Department staff asked the council to make the move after ground squirrels damaged Beattie Park's upper parking lot. That damage resulted in a significant portion of the lot being closed to the public due to safety concerns. With no budget to hire a structural engineer for a safety assessment and no money to cover repair or replacement, the city has no timeline for reopening the lot.

Signs requesting the public not feed squirrels have been ignored, staff reported.

The proliferation of ground squirrels is related (to) the public feeding the animals on a daily basis, according to a staff report.

The council voted unanimously to approve the ordinance as introduced. While its purpose was to focus on the immediate problem of squirrel damage, the proposed law extends to banning feeding of any wildlife in city parks and public land.

If approved upon second reading at a future council meeting, the penalty for feeding wildlife on public land in Lompoc would be $25 for a first violation, $100 for a second violation within a 12 month period and $500 for a third violation in that same period. Administrative citations may be made by parks rangers and hosts.

State law already bans feeding wild animals and is enforceable by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. City staff said it would be more effective if the city had its own enforcement mechanism.

Were not looking to fine people. It really is to educate people and let them know the detriment to feeding the little guys, a parks employee said.

She noted the city is also beginning a full-court press on the squirrels with trapping and relocation in process.

Mayor Jenelle Osborne said the city traps squirrels and relocates them to the far end of Ken Adam Park, so while we dont do anything to them, the mountain lions might have new, fat treats.

In other business

The council also voted unanimously to deny an environmental impact violation appeal by the Lompoc Artificial Kidney Center. That notice of violation dates back nearly three years and stemmed from an anonymous complaint regarding the centers heavy use of salts in a water softening system which has since been taken out of service.

The center, which is also negotiating confidentially directly with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, now has 90 days to wrap up that negotiation, provide details from that negotiation to the city, then work toward a solution that would keep the city from incurring fines. In turn, the city will provide the center a list of potential contractors for installation of a water testing system.

It's the United States EPA. You do what they ask, and thats what well do, said Dr. Kamal Bindu, the centers nephrologist.

If the city supported the appeal of the center, and the State Water Board found the city in violation of its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit, then fines of up to $6,000 per occurrence per day could be imposed against the city or against individual users. There also could be fines from the EPA, as well as litigation from private parties alleging the citys noncompliance.

In other action, council members approved a $334,984, one-year contract with the county of Santa Barbara for animal control services. The new, full-service contract reflects the addition of rooster and horse services and the removal of portions of the Lompoc Municipal Code, which the city will address through its own City Attorneys Office and Planning Division.

The contracted rate marks an increase of $6,716 from the previous fiscal year.

Council members also heard a comprehensive report by NASA staff regarding the 50th anniversary celebration of the Landsat program to coincide with the September launch of Landsat 9 from Vandenberg Air Force Base.
A NASA representative last week offered the Lompoc City Council a detailed rundown of the September celebration of its Landsat program in conjunction with the launch of the ninth such satellite.

The weeklong celebration will feature such events as a geo tour coordinated through geocaching.com, a USGS-developed, life-size Landsat 9 model to be displayed at the Lompoc Airport, and hands-on science activities during the launch window of the Sept. 15 late morning launch.

Other events will include a conversation with Ladies of Landsat, as well as a showcase of scientists who have developed tools and applications used globally to monitor carbon emissions.

Landsat launched its first spacecraft in 1972 from Vandenberg and followed with six others as a joint NASA-U.S. Geological Survey mission to collect data to better understand environmental change, manage agricultural practices, allocate scarce water resources, respond to natural disasters and more.

An additional satellite, Landsat 6, failed following its launch in 1993 aboard a Titan II rocket.

Landsat 9, managed by NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, will carry two instruments: the Operational Land Imager 2 (OLI-2), which collects images of Earths landscapes in visible, near-infrared and shortwave infrared light, and the Thermal Infrared Sensor 2 (TIRS-2), which measures the temperature of land surfaces. Like its predecessors, Landsat 9 is a joint mission of NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey.
"Could I wait to find out? Sure, that sounds great," Compton said. "But stringing everybody along that much longer erodes confidence and makes my performance look even more inconvenient."

Performing the show in a mask "is not a presentation I'm interested in promoting, standing behind or asking people to spend precious time consuming," he said.

A few local shows have been canceled for the weekend, including two at the High Noon, but that is not necessarily connected to the mask mandate. So far, no performances at Overture have yet been postponed or canceled due to the Delta variant, Gasper said.

"Audiences can still come and watch as long as they wear a mask and show proof of vaccination or a COVID test," Gasper said. "The only thing we need to find out now is how it affects performers.

"It just comes down to, we want to make it as safe an environment as possible," she added. "If someone doesn't want to follow those rules, we'll happily refund their ticket. That's the way it's got to be. It's not easy for any of these arts organizations trying to make this work."

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How does refugee resettlement work in Madison?

Dane County is home to a good-sized Afghan population already, and it is possible that Madison will see many new families settling around the city.

Madison has a very tight Afghan community, which makes the transition easier, said Dawn Berney, the executive director of Jewish Social Services of Madison (JSS). Theres already a built-in community for people. That makes a big difference.

According to Berney, JSS of Madison has already helped resettle 14 Afghan families and is expecting to be heavily involved in the resettlement of many more over the remaining summer and fall.

I dont know what the time frame is going to be, Berney said. It sounds like people wont even be arriving for three to four weeks.

I know Fort Lee {in Virginia} has been overloaded with more people than they can handle. Were really just in the process of reaching out to extended stay hotels because if we get people on short notice were not going to be able to get them into apartments.
We have to engage in triage, Saenz said. In some cases we may have to allow an election to go by with bad lines.

Though several lawsuits have already been filed, they're mainly opening salvos trying to gain advantage before line-drawing begins in earnest. Democrats have sued in Louisiana, Minnesota and Pennsylvania, arguing that deadlock is inevitable between those states' GOP-controlled legislatures and Democratic governors, so courts need to get ready to draw lines. Republicans are filing public records requests to see if they can challenge the way the Census calculated people living in college dorms and other large residential areas.

Still, the only significant litigation so far has come in Illinois, where the Democratic-controlled state legislature redrew its own state maps without waiting for the Census data so as not to miss a legal deadline and have redistricting power handed to the courts. Republicans and civil rights group are suing to overturn those maps.

Though federal courts will no longer be able to strike down gerrymanders due to reliance on partisanship, state courts remain free to. The willingness of state judges to do that may depend on their party, legal analysts say. It depends on who your state judges are, said Edward Foley, a law professor at The Ohio State University.
Two people with serious or severe injuries were airlifted to hospitals from the Grizzly Flats area, fire officials said.

Derek Shaves and Tracy Jackson were helping their friend salvage food and other supplies from the Grizzly Pub & Grub, a business in the evacuation zone that wasn't touched by the blaze.

Shaves said he visited Grizzly Flats Tuesday and saw his home and most of the houses in his neighborhood had been destroyed by the fire.

Its a pile of ash, he said. Everybody on my block is a pile of ash and every block that I visited  but for five separate homes that were safe  was totally devastated.

At the Dixie Fire, numerous resources were put into the Susanville area, where residents were warned to be ready to evacuate, said Mark Brunton, an operations section chief.

It's not out of play, and the next 24 hours are going to be crucial to watch as to what the fire is going to do there, he told an online briefing.
Opinion: Like 90% of Americans, I was in favor of the war in Afghanistan. We were fighting the fight against terrorism and we were going to win.

So, what the hell went wrong?
This weekend, history will come alive again at Davidsons Fort.

Davidsons Fort Historic Park in Old Fort will present an event called Cherokee Attack on Davidsons Fort on Saturday, Aug. 21, and Sunday, Aug. 22. It is a re-enactment of a significant event in the history of western North Carolina at the beginning of the Revolutionary War. This event will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days, according to a news release.

There, you can view Native American artifacts and learn their story from the time of the 18th century. Young folks can play various childrens games and toys from that era and watch a militia drill with flintlock muskets and cannon.

There will be various demonstrations throughout the day, including the militia soldiers kits, tools of the period, make a corn husk doll, and learn to use a lucet, which is a tool used in cordmaking and braiding. A working tavern in the fort will sell cold drinks.

This is a good hands-on learning living history, said Bob Martin with Davidsons Fort.

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Heard an update from Jason Hollifield with McDowell Transit. The countys transportation system has acquired some new vehicles. Hollifield added he has been able to install Plexiglas and cameras in the vehicles used by McDowell Transit. He showed the commissioners the new brightly colored jackets that will be worn by the drivers. After hearing from Hollifield, the commissioners approved some new policies for the transit system.

Heard from MEDA Director Chuck Abernathy about an economic development grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. If awarded, the grant would pay for the use of GIS technology to evaluate sites around McDowell. Every vacant piece of land in the 50-acre size and 100-acre or more size would be identified. The sites will then be given an evaluation of site criteria including utility availability, topography, flood plain/watershed issues, soils, zoning, rail access and more. This information would help local officials make the right decisions about these sites. They dont have to be for manufacturing. They could be listed for housing or a new school location. The total local match for this grant is $12,500. The commissioners agreed to put in roughly half and will ask MEDA, the city of Marion and the town of Old Fort to put in the rest.
COVID-19 trends in McDowell County continue to accelerate in the wrong direction, said Emergency Services Director William Kehler. Health care resources are being strained. EMS calls for service due to COVID-19 are soaring. Twice in the past seven days, McDowell EMS has been required to transport patients directly to hospitals outside of McDowell, due to our local hospital being at capacity and going on diversion. While the diversions only lasted several hours at a time, this is still alarming and should serve as a wake-up call to individuals within our community that arent taking this virus seriously. These diversions have also occurred within the region as well. Strained health care resources affect everyone needing medical care, not just those affected by COVID-19. The actions of everyone within this community will determine whether we overload our health care system or we reverse the current path were on.
Mondays trial, which is expected to last about a week, focuses on the remaining requirements.

Lawyers representing those who were sued said the law doesnt violate constitutional rights because it treats all people convicted of felonies the same by withholding the right to vote.

The current North Carolina Constitution forbids a person convicted of a felony from voting unless that person shall be first restored to the rights of citizenship in the manner prescribed by law. But the plaintiffs say the restrictions violate other portions of the constitution, like those addressing free speech and equal protections.

Monday's witnesses included a Clemson University professor who testified that an 1875 felony disenfranchisement amendment to the constitution was designed to intentionally prevent Black residents from voting after the Civil War.

A lawyer for the legislative leaders acknowledge in a brief that for much of the state's history felony disenfranchisement was used to exclude African Americans from voting. But there is no evidence the 1970s law was motivated by discriminatory intent  rather, it was designed to help Black residents by removing obstacles to voting, the attorneys wrote.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

T cells play an important role in the human immune system. The blood cells classified as lymphocytes are formed in the bone marrow. From there they travel through blood vessels to the thymus gland in the breastbone. They then form receptors on their cellular surface to identify and fight foreign matter. The T cells also stimulate the formation of B cells, which produce antibodies to attack viruses. Virus-specific immune responses by T cells can be detected in the blood months or even years after an infection.

In view of the millions of people infected by COVID-19 and the emerging fourth wave of the pandemic, it is of great interest to learn more about the T cells that fight the virus. The T cells are enormously important for protecting against a SARS-CoV-2 infection or preventing serious illness. "We're especially interested in how many of these specific T cells are present in the body of an infected person, the qualities that enable these cells to respond to the virus, and how long the T cells last," says Dr. Kilian Schober of the TUM Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene.

Identifying the T cells that fight SARS-CoV-2

An interdisciplinary team of researchers at TUM, Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen and LMU Munich has now succeeded in developing a method for finding the T cell receptors that respond to SARS-CoV-2. The team divided blood samples taken from seriously infected COVID-19 patients into two pools. The samples in the first pool were then stimulated with the virus antigen, with the second pool left untreated. "This enabled us to identify the T cells that responded to the virus and characterize a precise phenotype," says Dr. Herbert Schiller, group leader at Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen. "So we now have a profile to identify a T cell that fights SARS-CoV-2."

T cells show whether the infection is still active

The Munich researchers now know what T cells look like that have recently been exposed to the virus-fighting antigen. Similar T cells were found not only in the blood, but also in the respiratory tract of patients. This made it possible to distinguish between cells still in the "hot phase" and those that have become dormant ("cold")  in other words, whether a patient is still fighting the infection or has already overcome it.

The results of the study are highly significant. They enable us to distinguish between SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells in different organs (blood or lungs), different activation states (antigen seen recently or not) and in different illness contexts (seriously ill/virus positive or mildly ill/virus negative). "We now have a better understanding of the appearance of T cells targeting SARS-CoV-2 and how numerous they are in the blood and respiratory tract," says Prof. Dirk Busch, the Director of the TUM Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene. "In the future, this process can probably also be used to determine how many protective T cells are present after a vaccination."

Providing T cells with receptors to save seriously ill patients

The team working with lab director Prof. Dirk Busch also succeeded in modifying T cells of healthy individuals to enable a first response to SARS-CoV-2. "That shows that it might be possible to equip the T cells of patients with receptors to fight the virus more effectively," says Kilian Schober. This is the first step towards an adoptive T cell treatment for seriously ill COVID-19 patients. The process may also be applicable to other diseases through better characterization of T cell responsesan important hope for treatments of autoimmune conditions and cancers.

The research was presented in Nature Communications.

Explore further Study shows COVID-19 vaccine likely protects people with HIV

More information: David S. Fischer et al, Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals ex vivo signatures of SARS-CoV-2-reactive T cells through 'reverse phenotyping', Nature Communications (2021). Journal information: Nature Communications David S. Fischer et al, Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals ex vivo signatures of SARS-CoV-2-reactive T cells through 'reverse phenotyping',(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24730-4
Credit: Ruby Wallau/Northeastern University

Booster shots are coming.

Top U.S. public health officials announced on Wednesday that booster shots of both the Moderna and the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines would become available the week of Sept. 20, starting eight months after a patient's second dose. The Biden administration and public health officials say the decision to encourage coronavirus booster shots was made after reviewing data showing that vaccine-produced immunity to milder infection decreases over time.

Although officials expect that a booster shot will be needed for the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine, it was originally authorized for emergency use later than the two-dose vaccines and so officials are still reviewing long-term efficacy data.

"You want to stay ahead of the virus," White House medical adviser Anthony S. Fauci said during a news briefing Wednesday. "You don't want to find yourself behind playing catch up."

The news does not come as a surprise to public health experts such as Neil Maniar, professor of public health practice, associate chair of the department of health sciences, and director of the master of public health program at Northeastern.

"One of the hallmarks of the approach to addressing the pandemic," he says, "is that as we get new information, as the data provides new clues and a new direction in terms of what we need to do, we have to then respond accordingly. The boosters are just another step in that process."

Three research studies reveal that vaccine protections against SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, began to decline in the middle of the summer when the Delta variant was sweeping through the nation. Those reports, published Wednesday in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's scientific digest, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, swayed the Biden administration to develop a plan for booster doses.

"Examining numerous cohorts through the end of July and early August, three points are now very clear," CDC director Rochelle Walensky said at a news briefing Wednesday. "First, vaccine-induced protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection begins to decrease over time. Second, vaccine effectiveness against severe disease, hospitalization, and death remains relatively high. And third, vaccine effectiveness is generally decreased against the Delta variant."

So what can a booster shot of the same vaccine do to boost someone's immunity?

The mRNA vaccines work in two ways, explains Mansoor Amiji, university distinguished professor of pharmaceutical sciences and chemical engineering at Northeastern. First, it teaches the body to produce antibodies to block the virus from attaching to and infecting a cell.

"The second part is what's called a cellular response, which makes our immune cells almost soldier-like in that if they see a virus-infected cell in our body, they go after that cell and kill that cell so that the virus from that infected cell cannot infect other cells."

But over time, the concentration of those antibodies goes down. That is typical in biology, Amiji says. At the same time, variants are emerging that might look a bit different than the original virus that the vaccine taught the body to attack. So those antibodies might not be as good at blocking the variants from infecting the cell.

Booster shots of the same vaccine can still help, Amiji says. That's because if you produce more antibodies, even if they aren't as good at attaching themselves to the virus, a bunch of antibodies together can still coat the viral particle to prevent it from attaching to the cell.

Antibodies circulating in the body aren't the only way that a vaccinated body generates immunity, however, says Todd Brown, vice chair of the Department of Pharmacy and Health Systems at Northeastern. There are immune cells that can remember the recipe to generate antibodies. If a person is infected with the virus, and those memory cells recognize it from when the vaccine trained them, then the immune system will start making more antibodies.

But, Brown says, those memory cells don't work as well in older people. The new booster shot plan specifically articulates the need to administer booster shots to nursing home residents and other seniors.

The trio of studies published by the CDC show that vaccines do continue to be effective in reducing the risk of severe disease, hospitalization and death. The vast majority of so-called breakthrough cases, in which fully vaccinated individuals test positive for COVID-19, have been mild or asymptomatic.

That has led some expertsincluding officials with the World Health Organizationto criticize Biden's move toward booster shots for the already vaccinated population while so many people around the globe remain waiting for even a first shot.

"I think it's coming from good intentions. It certainly does boost antibody levels and there's likely to be little harm," says Brandon Dionne, associate clinical professor of pharmacy and health systems sciences at Northeastern. "The bigger question is, what's our goal?"

"We have enough vaccine stockpiled in the U.S. right now to give people a third booster dose. But I don't think that's necessarily the most effective use of the vaccine," he says. "I think the bigger bang for your buck is going to be finding a way to get those people [who are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated] vaccinated" in order to prevent hospitalization and deaths, and further reduce the spread of the virus around the world.

Timing may be part of the calculus behind Wednesday's announcement, suggests Brown.

"There's going to be some lag time," he says, between when public health officials are sure that immunity from the vaccines wanes significantly enough over time to justify booster shots, and when those booster shots "actually go into people's arms." As the original vaccine rollout showed, the logistics of vaccinating such a large population can take time.

"The CDC is clearly trying to be one step ahead and has taken this as a preemptive measure," Brown says. "The CDC is in a little bit of a tough situation where they want to rely on data to formulate and justify their recommendations, but if they wait too long, then people are going to die needlessly."

That's not to say efforts to vaccinate the unvaccinated should stop, says Maniar. "We want to reduce as much as possible the proportion of the population that is susceptible to the virus," he says, and that means maintaining immunity in the already vaccinated population as well as increasing immunity in the unvaccinated or partially vaccinated population around the world. "We need to do both."
Prof. Dr. Nicole Ernstmannfrom the Research Center for Health Communication and Health ServicesResearch at Bonn University Hospital. Credit: Johann Saba/UKB

The goal of tumor conferences is to determine the best treatment for patients with complex cancers. In these interdisciplinary meetings, doctors from various branches of medicine convene to talk about a patient's casehowever, the patient is rarely present. In the PINTU study a team of researchers from the University of Oldenburg and the University Hospitals of Bonn and Cologne has now investigated whether cancer patients can benefit from participating in these meetings. The study, which was funded by Deutsche Krebshilfe e.V., has now been published in the journal Cancer Medicine.

A key finding of the study was that most respondents perceived their participation as a positive experience. The findings are intended to contribute to the development of recommendations for hospitals that would like to include patients in tumor conferences.

"Whether patients really benefit from being involved in these often very technical discussions is a controversialand unfortunately little studiedquestion," says Professor Lena Ansmann, a health services researcher at the University of Oldenburg and lead author of the study. Nonetheless, there is a growing international quest for ways to increase patients' involvement in the planning of their treatment. The goal of the research team was therefore to compile and analyze a large data set.

"As far as we know, our study is one of the first large studies on this topic," says co-author Professor Nicole Ernstmann from the Research Unit for Health Communication and Health Services Research at the Clinic and Polyclinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy and from the Center for Integrated Oncology (CIO) Cologne BonnBonn site, the interdisciplinary cancer center of the University Hospital Bonn.

The majority of breast cancer patients in Germany are currently treated at certified cancer centers. Tumor conferences are mandatory there, but the participation of those affected by the disease is not. "We know from previous studies that about five to seven percent of patients have already participated in a tumor conference," Ansmann explains. But what role patients play in the conferences, how they are organized, and how the participants experience them has been unclear so far.

To reduce this knowledge gap, the researchers surveyed 87 patients with breast cancer or a gynecological tumor before and immediately after their participation in a tumor conference and then four weeks later. For comparison, they also surveyed 155 patients who did not attend the tumor conference on their case. In addition, the team observed a total of 317 case discussions in tumor conferencesdirectly and also via video and audio recordings. Patients were involved in 95 of these case discussions.

The data gathered shows that the procedures at tumor conferences with patient participation varied greatly. Some hospitals allowed the patients to participate during the entire conference. Others held the actual conference without the patients, but allowed them to participate in a smaller meeting afterwards in which they were informed about recommended therapy options, for example. Other aspects of the conferences also varied, such as the duration and the seating arrangement.

The interviews showed that the patients played a rather passive role in the conferences. For example, only 61 percent reported being involved in the actual decision on what treatment they should receive. Overall, most patients perceived their participation in the conference as positive. They found them informative, for example, and recommended that others participate. However, some patients also reported that taking part in the conference had triggered feelings of fear and uncertaintya factor that should be focused on more in future studies, Ansmann says.

More information: Lena Ansmann et al, Patient participation in multidisciplinary tumor conferences: How is it implemented? What is the patients' role? What are patients' experiences?, Cancer Medicine (2021). Journal information: Cancer Medicine Lena Ansmann et al, Patient participation in multidisciplinary tumor conferences: How is it implemented? What is the patients' role? What are patients' experiences?,(2021). DOI: 10.1002/cam4.4213
How are COVID-19 vaccines being distributed globally? Credit: AP Illustration/Peter Hamlin

What is being done to distribute COVID-19 vaccines globally?

Several groups are working to get shots to poor countries, but they're falling far short of what's needed to curb outbreaks around the world.

Among the efforts is COVAX, which relies on donations from rich countries and private funders. The group has missed its own distribution targets largely because it didn't have the resources to secure vaccine supplies early on in the pandemic.

As of mid-August, COVAX has distributed about 207 million doses to 138 countries and territories. That's compared with more than 417 million doses distributed in just the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

COVAX was created last year to try and ensure vaccines are distributed fairly and is led by public health agencies including the World Health Organization. Without enough purchased vaccines, COVAX is now relying on donated shots from wealthy countries, but most of the pledged doses won't be delivered this year.

Logistics are another problem. To get vaccines from COVAX, countries have to show how they'll distribute the shots and prioritize high-risk people like health workers and the elderly. But some countries that are in desperate need of vaccines haven't been able to show they can carry out such plans and lack the funds to carry out immunization campaigns.

Other groups have been stepping in to help. In July, the African Union said it bought 400 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson shot for 45 African countries. China, Russia and the U.S. have donated millions of vaccines to countries. And in June, the leading industrial nations known as the Group of Seven said they would donate 1 billion doses to poor countries. The G-7 countries are Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States.

Still, that's far short of the 11 billion doses WHO says are needed to stop the pandemic.

To protect people at high risk for severe illness in poor countries, WHO has urged rich countries to immediately donate more doses and to stop plans for immunizing children and giving booster doses.

"We are making conscious choices right now not to protect those in need," said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Ebola virus. Credit: NIAID

Forty-nine individuals have been identified who were in contact with a young Guinean woman who tested positive for the Ebola virus in Ivory Coast's biggest city Abidjan, the UN health agency said Thursday.

The 18-year-old had travelled to Abidjan by bus from Labe in northern Guinea, a journey of some 1,500 kilometres (950 miles) that traverses a densely-forested region where Ebola epidemics broke out earlier this year and 2013-16.

It is Ivory Coast's first known case of the disease since 1994.

Ebola, which is transmitted through close contact with bodily fluids, causes severe fever and, in the worst cases, unstoppable bleeding.

Contact cases were identified from among fellow bus passengers as well as "among families at the starting point in Labe," WHO specialist Georges Ki-Zerbo told an online press conference of the World Health Organization's Africa branch.

A senior health official in Labe, Elhadj Mamadou Houdy Bah, on Wednesday had said 58 contact cases had been identified there, and none had any sign of the disease.

An Ivorian doctor told the WHO press conference that 70 people were aboard the bus, of whom 33 arrived in Abidjan, while the others are scattered across Ivory Coast.

The bus made stops in the western towns of Duekoue and Guezabo and in the administrative capital Yamoussoukro, he said.

"Through networking, we were able to home in on the communities" where the fellow passengers live, Health Minister Pierre Demba added.

"We are stressing the need for vigilance" by all health structures to spot any further cases, he said.

Three suspected cases have tested negative, according to Ivorian health authorities.

Demba travelled Wednesday to the Ivorian-Guinean border to raise awareness of the need for vigilance.

Matshidiso Moeti, the director of WHO-Africa, praised the two countries' "remarkable solidarity" over the Ebola situation and the swiftness of the Ivorian response.

'Doubts' over diagnosis

Guinea, with aid from the WHO, sent 5,000 doses of the Ebola vaccine to Ivory Coast two days after the young woman's infection emerged.

Vaccinations began in the country on Monday.

However, Guinean authorities on Thursday asked for a review of the initial diagnosis of the Guinean woman.

"The improvement in symptoms... in 48 hours raises questions, given the typical course of the disease," Guinean Health Minister Remy Lamah wrote in a letter to the WHO seen by AFP.

The minister also said that a Guinean medical team sent to Abidjan could not gain access to the patient.

The city of Labe, where the young woman is from, recorded no cases of Ebola during the previous outbreaks in Guinea, Lamah wrote.

He requested a "reconfirmation" of her infection by the Pasteur Institute in the Senegalese capital Dakar, which is a reference lab for West Africa, "and if possible by another accredited laboratory."

The 2013-16 Ebola epidemic left 11,300 people dead in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, including 2,300 people in Guinea.

A four-month outbreak in Guinea claimed 12 lives in Guinea this year before being declared over on June 19.

Explore further Guinean authorities identify 58 contacts of Ebola sufferer

 2021 AFP
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Long-term survival rates of kidney transplant patients in the U.S. have increased over the last three decades, but there are opportunities to further improve these outcomes, according to a review article published today in The New England Journal of Medicine.

For many patients with end-stage kidney disease, transplants are a better option than a lifetime of dialysis. But some kidney grafts will fail eventually. Prolonging the survival time of kidney grafts not only improves patient lifespan, boosts quality of life and reduces health care costs, but it also means that more kidneys are available for the approximately 90,000 people who are waiting for a transplant in the U.S.

"There has been a gratifying improvement in kidney transplant survival, both for patients and the kidney graft itself, from 1996 to the current era," said the review's lead author, Sundaram Hariharan, M.D., professor of medicine and surgery at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and senior transplant nephrologist at UPMC. "These improvements have occurred despite unfavorable increases in obesity, diabetes and other conditions in patients and donors."

The articlecoauthored by Ajay Israni, M.D., transplant nephrologist at Hennepin Healthcare, and a professor of medicine at the University of Minnesota, and Gabriel Danovitch, M.D., transplant nephrologist and professor of medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, who contributed equally to the reviewdescribes these positive trends in the U.S. and suggests opportunities to further enhance kidney transplant survival.

Kidney transplantation involves grafting a healthy kidney from a deceased or living donor, who is carefully screened to ensure they are compatible with the recipient. To help prevent their bodies from rejecting the new organ, transplant patients must take immunosuppressive drugs for the rest of their lives.

The study found that long-term survival of kidney grafts has increased over time. For example, the five-year survival rate of kidneys from deceased donors increased from 66.2% in 19961999 to 78.2% in 20122015. Similarly, survival of those from living donors increased from 79.5% to 88.1% in the same period.

"We have learned a lot through research and by taking care of kidney transplant patients," said Hariharan. "Newer tissue typing and tissue matching platforms, changes in organ allocation systems, living donor paired exchanges, transplant surgical techniques, immunosuppressive medications, anti-viral medications, refined diagnostic methods of kidney rejection by biopsy, aggressive post-transplant surveillance and overall post-transplant medical management have contributed to better survival rates."

The researchers emphasize that COVID-19 is a serious threat to kidney transplant recipients, and mortality rates from the disease are high in these people. COVID-19 vaccines can help reduce the rate and severity of infections, but they are less effective in transplant patients compared with the general population. A third, or "booster," dose of the vaccine may be beneficial for these people.

"It's also very important that kidney transplant patients follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines on social distancing and masking," said Hariharan.

Despite advances in kidney transplant survival, the U.S. rates fall short of those in other developed nations. This is likely because Medicare insurance covers immunosuppressant drugs for just three years after transplantation.

But in December 2020, a new U.S. law was passed that will eventually provide lifetime coverage of these essential medications.

"The passing of this law is a great victory for kidney transplant patients, and we anticipate further improvements in long-term kidney transplant survival over the next decade," said Hariharan.

The article outlines other opportunities to further enhance kidney graft survival, such as early referral of patients for transplants, kidney exchange programs, better diagnostic tools to identify early acute rejection, innovative therapies for both T-cell- and antibody-mediated rejection, adoptive T-cell therapy for certain post-transplant viral infections and optimization of immunosuppressive medications.

Better education of patients about the importance of adhering to therapy also is important for improving transplant survival. According to Hariharan, a silver lining of the COVID-19 pandemic has been wider adoption of telemedicine, expanding patient access to post-transplant care.

Explore further Immune responses after COVID-19 vaccination in kidney transplant and dialysis patients
(HealthDay)Almost 90% of U.S. parents plan to send their kids back to the classroom this fall, but fewer than 60% plan to get a COVID-19 vaccine for those who are old enough, a new poll reveals.

Anxiety is also high among many parents, who wonder just how safe in-person learning will be as the highly contagious Delta variant spreads nationwide and the pandemic grinds on.

"To feel safe sending their children to school in-person, most parentsespecially those still unsure about in-person schoolingwant classroom ventilation, teachers to be vaccinated, and social distancing in schools, in that order," said Heather Schwartz, director of Pre-K to 12 educational systems at RAND, a nonprofit research organization.

Those are key takeaways from RAND's July poll of a representative sample of 3,146 U.S. parents with kids between 5 and 18 years of age.

Though most middle and high school students are eligible for the COVID-19 shot, just 57% of respondents said they planned to get their child vaccinated, the survey found.

The percentage was higher among vaccinated parents, with about 79% planning to have their kids get the jab.

About 10% of unvaccinated parents said they planned to get shots for their children, the findings showed.

Despite a nationwide tsunami of new COVID-19 infections, including ones in children, a growing number of parents plan to send their kids back to classrooms.

In July, 89% said they planned to do so, compared to 84% in May. The percentage was higher for white parents (94%), than for Black parents (82%) or Hispanic parents (83%), the poll found.

It revealed that parents of kids under age 12who are too young to get vaccinatedwere as likely as parents of older children to send them back to school.

COVID-19 was among the top reasons for parents who are not sending their kids to in-person schooloutranking concerns about racial discrimination, bullying or schools teaching critical race theory.

At least two-thirds of Black respondents, Hispanic respondents and Asian respondents said they needed ventilation in classrooms, vaccinated teachers, social distancing, mandatory masking and regular COVID-19 testing in order to feel safe sending their kids to school.

Fewer white parents said they needed these practices in place in order to feel safe, according to a RAND news release.

Slightly more than half of parents supported voluntary, free weekly COVID-19 testing at school. About three out of four supported testing if their child showed symptoms. Parents opposed to in-school COVID-19 testing most often expressed concern that it would be uncomfortable for kids.

Despite concerns, roughly only 27% of parents knew in detail which COVID-19 safety measures their child's school had planned.

Six in 10 said they wanted to know more. That same number said a school staff memberoften the principalwas their most trusted source of information about school safety measures.

Explore further Parents remain concerned about safety of in-person instruction

More information: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers guidance for The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers guidance for COVID-19 prevention in schools

Copyright  2021 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Obtaining two vaccine doses remains the most effective way to ensure protection against the COVID-19 delta variant of concern dominant in the UK today, according to a study from the University of Oxford.

Conducted in partnership with the Office of National Statistics (ONS) and the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC), the study found that with delta, Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines still offer good protection against new infections, but effectiveness is reduced compared with Alpha.

Two doses of either vaccine still provided at least the same level of protection as having had COVID-19 before through natural infection; people who had been vaccinated after already being infected with COVID-19 had even more protection than vaccinated individuals who had not had COVID-19 before.

However, delta infections after two vaccine doses had similar peak levels of virus to those in unvaccinated people; with the Alpha variant, peak virus levels in those infected post-vaccination were much lower.

Professor Sarah Walker, professor of medical statistics and epidemiology at the University of Oxford and chief investigator and academic lead for the COVID-19 Infection Survey, said: "We don't yet know how much transmission can happen from people who get COVID-19 after being vaccinatedfor example, they may have high levels of virus for shorter periods of time.

"But the fact that they can have high levels of virus suggests that people who aren't yet vaccinated may not be as protected from the delta variant as we hoped. This means it is essential for as many people as possible to get vaccinatedboth in the UK and worldwide."

Other key findings from the study:

A single dose of the Moderna vaccine has similar or greater effectiveness against the delta variant as single doses of the other vaccines.

Two doses of Pfizer-BioNTech have greater initial effectiveness against new COVID-19 infections, but this declines faster compared with two doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca.

Results suggest that after four to five months effectiveness of these two vaccines would be similarhowever, researchers say long-term effects need to be studied.

The time between doses does not affect effectiveness in preventing new infections, but younger people have even more protection from vaccination than older people.

Dr. Koen Pouwels, senior researcher in Oxford University's Nuffield Department of Population Health, said: "The fact that we did not see any effect of the interval between first and second doses, and the greater effectiveness of having had two doses, rather than one dose, supports the decision to reduce this to eight weeks now delta is the main variant of concern in the UK.

"However, whilst vaccinations reduce the chance of getting COVID-19, they do not eliminate it. More importantly, our data shows the potential for vaccinated individuals to still pass COVID-19 onto others, and the importance of testing and self-isolation to reduce transmission risk."

This study from the COVID-19 Infection Survey is the largest to evaluate, and directly compare, the real-world effectiveness of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines against all infections, including those without symptoms, after the delta variant has dominated. It is the first to show how protection against COVID-19 infections changes over time following second vaccinations in a large group of adults from the general population.

Released today as a pre-print, the study compares protection from infections from COVID-19 vaccines before and after 17 May 2021, when delta became the main variant in the UK. It also looks in detail at how effectiveness changes over time as well as other factors like previous infection. Researchers analyzed 2,580,021 test results from nose and throat swabs taken from 384,543 participants aged 18 years or older between 1 December 2020 and 16 May 2021, and 811,624 test results from 358,983 participants between 17 May 2021 and 1 August 2021.

The COVID-19 Infection Survey will continue monitoring the pandemic in the UK on a weekly basis to look for early warning signs of rising infection rates in different regions, sub-regions, and demographic groups, as well as continuing to compare the effectiveness of different vaccines and monitor the impact of immunity on protection against COVID-19.

Professor Sarah Walker said: "Without large community surveys such as ours, it is impossible to estimate the impact of vaccination on infections without symptomsthese have the potential to keep the epidemic going, particularly if people who have been vaccinated mistakenly think they cannot catch COVID-19. We are very grateful to all our participants for giving up their time to help us."

Ruth Studley, Deputy Director for Infection Survey Analysis at ONS, said: "I'm delighted to be working in collaboration with such an excellent team at Oxford, who inform our work and put the data from our survey to such invaluable use. There's still a lot for us to learn about COVID-19, but this kind of research is key to informing how we continue to navigate our way through the pandemic. Participants on the COVID Infection Survey have helped us to learn a huge amount about the virus and I would like to thank them all for their continued participationwe are very grateful."

About the National COVID-19 Infection Survey (CIS)

Researchers analyzed 2,580,021 test results from nose and throat swabs taken from 384,543 participants aged 18 years or older between 1 December 2020 and 16 May 2021, and 811,624 test results from 358,983 participants between 17 May 2021 and 1 August 2021. In this latter period, when delta was the main variant causing SARS-CoV-2 infection, 21 days after a single dose of Oxford-AstraZeneca, Pfizer-BioNTech or mRNA-1273 vaccines (with no second dose), the rates of all new COVID-19 infections had dropped by 43%, 58% and 75% respectively in those aged 18 to 64. Fourteen days after a second dose of Oxford-AstraZeneca or Pfizer-BioNTech, rates had dropped by 67% and 82% respectively. In comparison, people who had not been vaccinated but had had COVID-19 before had rates which were 73% lower than unvaccinated individuals.

The effectiveness of ChAdOx1 or Pfizer-BioNTech did not depend on the time between first and second doses. However, people vaccinated after having already had COVID-19 had more protection from vaccination than those who were vaccinated but had not had COVID-19 before. For example, 14 days after a second dose of Oxford-AstraZeneca, on average the rates of all new COVID-19 infections had dropped by 88% among those with prior infection versus 68% in those without; and 93% versus 85%, respectively for Pfizer-BioNTech.

Younger people also had significantly greater protection from both vaccines. The effectiveness of a single dose of ChAdOx1 was slightly lower in those reporting long-term health conditions.

With delta, infections that happened after two doses had similar peak viral burden to those in unvaccinated individuals. Previously with Alpha, infections that happened after two doses had much lower peak viral burden. Similarly to effectiveness, viral burden was lower immediately after two Pfizer-BioNTech doses, but increased faster with time after second vaccination than with Oxford-AstraZeneca, leading to similar levels of viral burden with the two vaccines ~3 months after second doses.

The COVID-19 Infection Survey is the largest longitudinal community survey of SARS-CoV-2 infection across the UK, including a representative sample of households (and over 450,000 individuals aged two and older in total) in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland. Participants completed a questionnaire and nose and throat swabs at regular visits, and a subset also give blood for antibody testing.

Explore further Pfizer Covid jab declines faster than AstraZeneca: study

More information: Impact of Delta on viral burden and vaccine effectiveness against new SARS-CoV-2 infections in the UK, Impact of Delta on viral burden and vaccine effectiveness against new SARS-CoV-2 infections in the UK, www.ndm.ox.ac.uk/files/coronav  mbinedve20210816.pdf
A transmission electron micrograph of SARS-CoV-2 virus particles (UK B.1.1.7 variant), isolated from a patient sample and cultivated in cell culture. Credit: NIAID

New Zealand reported a breakthrough Thursday in tracing the source of a COVID-19 outbreak that plunged the nation into lockdown, with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern saying it should help "stamp out" the virus.

Health officials have been trying to determine how an Auckland man contracted the coronavirus this week, ending a six-month run of no community cases in New Zealand.

Tests showed the man had a version of the Delta strain found in Australia, and Ardern said investigations narrowed down the origin to a person who arrived from Sydney on August 7.

She said the traveller had been in quarantine and hospital since touching down, indicating the virus had not been in the community as long as initially feared.

"We believe we have uncovered the piece of the puzzle we were looking for," Ardern told reporters.

She said finding the outbreak's source also increased the "ability to circle the virus, lock it down and stamp it out".

Case numbers grew by 11 overnight to a total of 21, she said.

Ardern ordered a three-day national lockdownNew Zealand's first in 15 monthswhen the first case emerged on Tuesday, with Auckland and nearby Coromandel facing restrictions for a week.

"We're all prepared for cases to get worse before they get better, that's always the pattern in these outbreaks," she said.

But she said there were grounds for cautious optimism "because we believe it wasn't here for long before it was found".

The infected traveller arrived from Sydney on a so-called "red zone" flight, arranged to bring back New Zealanders stranded when Wellington suspended a trans-Tasman travel bubble due to multiple outbreaks in Australia.

The person tested positive two days later and was hospitalised a week after that.

Officials said it was still unclear how the virus spread into the community and 1,000 close contacts of positive cases were being assessed.

A decision is due Friday on whether the three-day lockdown will be extended or end by Saturday.

'COVID zero' strategy

New Zealand has adopted a policy of eliminating the virus in the community, rather than containing it, which has resulted in only 26 deaths in a population of five million.

Neighbouring Australia has been pursuing a similar "COVID zero" strategy, but is struggling to contain outbreaks of the Delta variant.

Health authorities on Thursday urged mass COVID testing for an entire Outback town in far western New South Wales, where an outbreak that began in Sydney two months ago is spreading.

The area is grappling with Australia's first significant outbreak in Aboriginal communities, with specialist military health teams deployed this week to boost sluggish vaccination efforts.

Early in the pandemic, Wilcannia's roughly 750 residents put up signs on the town's limits asking travellers not to stopfearing the virus could obliterate an already vulnerable community, where more than 60 percent identify as Indigenous.

Explore further New Zealand PM warns virus outbreak will grow

 2021 AFP
All of them are viewable on the Summer MADE Fair section of handmademontana.com.

The criteria is more about an aesthetic than anything else, and the same as it was when it started 10 years ago  handmade arts and crafts with an alternative sensibility thats distinct from more traditional arts. You can buy a T-shirt that has mountains or elk and says Montana, for instance, but it might say Mon[expletive]tana, or a wood deck chair made from wine barrel staves.

David Miles Lusk of Anomal Press will be printing T-shirts on demand with a new design in addition to selling original prints of flora, fauna.

The summer edition can draw upward of 7,000 people to Caras Park  part of the reason why it didnt go on last year, as artists became cagey.

This year, theyre encouraging people to get vaccinated and invited the Missoula City-County Health Department to set up a clinic where people can receive a shot. Lapotka said they didnt want to wade into the politics of a mask requirement, but are encouraging everyone to do whats best for themselves and their community.

For her part, she hasnt shown her work, under the REcreate Designs moniker, since March 2020, and hopes everyone will be respectful and kind.
As covid-19 cases in the U.S. continue to rise, the Biden administration is countering with new strategies. The latest efforts include preparing for vaccine boosters starting this fall, requiring that nursing home workers be vaccinated and pushing back against state bans on mask mandates in schools.

Meanwhile, the U.S. House is returning early from its summer break to begin work on a planned $3.5 trillion budget bill that will address a long list of health issues, including changes to Medicare and Medicaid, extending the Affordable Care Act subsidies and lowering prescription drug prices.

This weeks panelists are Julie Rovner of KHN, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times and Kimberly Leonard of Business Insider.
The district will ditch its cohort structure that was used last year and the school will return to its full-day schedule.

For the most part, we anticipate that the 2021-2022 school year will look similar to the way things did before the pandemic, wrote superintendent Jim Howard on the districts website. And we will stay in touch with Missoula City-County Health Department to monitor any significant increases in COVID-19 cases in our area.

Though many of the COVID-19 mitigation strategies will not be used to kick off the year, the district is prepared to adjust its practices if necessary.

Other tactics such as frequent cleaning of high-touch surfaces, classroom sanitization and contact tracing will be employed in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Lolo School District

Students and staff in Lolo will start the year wearing face coverings while indoors regardless of vaccination status, but there is a point at which the requirement could be lifted.

If the seven-day average number of new cases per 100,000 in Missoula County is below 25, masks will no longer be required.
The department made 22 capital requests in a variety of areas. Among the highest-priority projects are phase two of improvements at Westside Park, replacement of the Northside pedestrian bridge, work at Caras Park and new surfaces at tennis and other athletic courts around the city.

Health

Missoula County and the city jointly run the area's health department and split costs on a variety of items.

The health department is asking for $600,000 to expand the animal control shelter, which would come out of ARPA funds. The department had an approximately $2 million overage due to the pandemic and is asking the city to pay around half that amount, which also could come from ARPA funds.

The health department would also like to add an additional public information officer and an environmental health specialist. Both of those positions would be tax-funded, with half paid by the county.

"I think COVID has really shown us the importance of communication," Missoula City-County Health Officer D'Shane Barnett said. "We have found that position is extremely important in helping the health department do its work ... we're very proud of the fact we lead the state in vaccinations and a lot of that attributes directly back to the work our public information officer is doing."

Jordan Hansen covers news and local government for the Missoulian. Shout at him on Twitter @jordyhansen or send him an email at Jordan.Hansen@Missoulian.com

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On behalf of these hospitals, their staff and vulnerable Missoulians, Im pleading with you to get vaccinated, Engen continued. If you can save your life, the life of a family member, the life of a neighbor or a stranger by getting a couple of pokes in the arm at no cost, why wouldnt you? Thank you to everyone who has already chosen to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. It is truly our best defense against this pandemic."

There has been an uptick in residents getting vaccines, but more need to be vaccinated, the mayor said.

We should be at the tail end of this pandemic, but were not. Our hospitals, more than a year-and-a-half into the pandemic, are in the most dire situation theyve been in to date, Engen said. Im begging you, if you are eligible for a vaccine, get it. Were open seven days a week at the old Luckys Market in Southgate Mall, no appointment is necessary, you pay nothing and youll be in and out in no time. And youll be saving lives.

Engen contracted COVID on New Years Day and said he speaks from experience as someone whos been vaccinated.

My case was, fortunately, mild, but it was very unpleasant," he said. "I was lucky. And I got the vaccine as soon as I could. And Ill get a booster when the time comes.
But lo and behold, Leone made sure to answer the call so his organization and TU could take the credit in the newspaper. He even lamented that we would have loved to see this water a month ago. Despite having ample financial resources to do so, neither CFC nor TU were willing to put their money where their mouths are. Indeed, CFC and TU are like the cousin that shows up for Thanksgiving Day supper, brings nothing but eats the most. If you want to share in the credit, its only right to share in the cost.

The Standards story closed with another quote from Leone: "A lot of us are hopeful that this agreement will mature into something a little bit longer lasting. Im sure CFC is hopeful for this when such a gift is received for free. Its about time citizens demand that CFC and TU get their snouts out of the NRDP public restoration fund trough.

It might be appropriate for NRDP restoration fund money to be used for Silver Lake Water System infrastructure improvements so that special interest organizations have the ability to fulfill their mission, but it is not appropriate for this money to solely fund the delivery of water itself.

Rest assured, Montana Resources is prepared to continue working with Butte-Silver Bow, NRDP and other stakeholders towards a better long-term solution for the Upper Clark Fork. That solution needs to be good for the fish, but it needs to work for the municipal, and the many industrial and agricultural water users in the basin too. We also need to be mindful of the limited funds for restoring our damaged watershed and find ways to partner and make those funds go further.

Mark Thompson is vice president for environmental affairs at Montana Resources.

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CONNELLY SPRINGS  A man is in custody after a shooting left one person dead Wednesday afternoon.

Johnny Everette Setzer, 49, of 7556 Spain Hill Road in Icard, was charged with murder and larceny of a firearm, according to an arrest report from the Burke County Sheriff's Office.

The charges stemmed from a Wednesday afternoon shooting on Coldwater Street in Connelly Springs. One person was killed in the shooting, but their identity has not been released.

Police blocked off Coldwater Street near the scene of the shooting and a reverse 911 call was sent to nearby residents with Setzers description, according to records from the Burke County Emergency Communications Center.

A neighbor who lives on Tomlinson Loop told The News Herald he called 911 when he saw Setzer on his property. He said Setzer was covered in scratches and was holding his abdomen and his lower back.

The neighbor asked Setzer to get off his property, and he said Setzer did so without resisting.
Added Swan in the BCPS press release: I am excited to have Dr. Auton as our assistant superintendent. She brings a vast background of classroom teaching, curriculum knowledge and administrative leadership to this role. She is from Burke County, is a product of Burke County Public Schools and is now raising her own family here.

She has a calm demeanor and a servants heart, but is tough when it comes to doing what is right for children. Her passion for seeing that kids get a quality education in a safe and nurturing environment has earned her respect from colleagues, parents and students. Not only is she focused on ensuring all students learn, she is passionate about building capacity in the educators responsible for teaching them.

According to the release, Auton and her husband, Matt, both are from Burke County and have two daughters, Allyson, 14, and Macy, 12. Allyson will be a freshman at Draughn and Macy is a rising seventh-grader at Heritage Middle School. Auton said her family enjoys going to gyms, pools and fields watching her girls play volleyball, compete in swim meets, play softball and run track events. When they are not involved in sporting events, they love hosting game nights with family and friends at their home in Morganton.

As for Wilson, according to an email sent from Swan to all BCPS employees, prior to Wilsons move into school administration, he taught secondary mathematics and coached in both Vance and Burke counties. Wilson holds an undergraduate degree in psychology from North Carolina State University and a masters degree of school administration and a doctorate degree in educational leadership, both from Western Carolina University. He resides in Valdese with his wife, Kristin, and their three children.
Former Butte resident and award winning multi-instrumentalist Maiah Wynne will perform a free family friendly show from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, Aug. 23, at the Veterans Memorial at Stodden Park.

Wynnes voice has been described by reviewers as a hauntingly beautiful, emotional and lyrical. Her style features folk, pop, blues and indie rock on the harp, banjo, dulcimer, while she plays percussion with her feet.

Her numerous film music placements include the major motion picture The Ballad of Lefty Brown, starring Bill Pullman. She has collaborated with the Portland Cello Project and opened for artists and bands including Lucinda Williams, Dave Matthews, Tanya Tucker, Indigo Girls, Beth Ditto, Brandi Carlile, members of Pearl Jam, Asleep at the Wheel, The Sweet Remains, We Three, and Rising Appalachia at festivals such as Red Ants Pants, Timber, NW Folklife, Upstream and more.

Bring your lawn chairs, blankets and picnic baskets. The venue offers plenty of space to social distance.

Share your 9/11 memories

The Montana Standard would like you to tell us the story of how you experienced 9/11  and how it has affected you. What are your memories, your takeaways from the morning that changed our lives forever?
Investigators, according to the report, were told by a relative that Stops Pretty Places had been hanging out on Rangeview Drive because that was where the person who bought her alcohol lived. The report says that the location of where her body was discovered is in a distinct location but in close proximity to where the person who bought her alcohol lived.

Bulltail did say that the report "finally" puts people at the scene with Stops Pretty Places when she was last seen. The report mentions Stops Pretty Places was with a 17-year-old girl, 19-year-old woman and 23-year-old man.

In describing the circumstances of Stops Pretty Places' disappearance, Harris references witness statements from four people with firsthand knowledge. The county attorney wrote that the statements are not "fully consistent" but generally describe a series of events culminating with an argument outside of a Rangeview Drive residence at about 3 a.m. involving Stops Pretty Places and the three other people she was with. The report says the argument ended after a homeowner activated their car lights and alarm to disperse the people nearby. After the alarm and lights went off the people involved fled in different directions and Stops Pretty Places fled to the fenced backyard of the residence where her body was discovered, according to the summary of witness statements referenced.
This type of bipartisan leadership you demonstrated, Sen. Tester, in working to be an author of this major infrastructure bill. And truly working across the aisle is exactly what I believe an overwhelming majority of Montanans want, Vanatta said. We are tired of divisive politics. We are tired of name calling and blame games, and we're ready for our elected officials to lead us as they were hired to do. You and many other senators from both sides of the aisle did just that in this infrastructure bill.

The City of Billings has $6 billion of infrastructure to take care of, said Debi Mehling, the citys public works director.

Acknowledging that our citizens pay for water, sewer, storm drain, road, all of the infrastructure, it's a substantial part of their monthly expenses. Mehling said. So anytime there's an infrastructure bill like this, or help from the federal government, or the state level, it's a direct impact to our citizens.

Tester said the water projects in the infrastructure bill in particular were going to be important for Montanas future. There was $300 million in the bill to complete three large drinking water projects serving several hundred miles of Hi-Line communities, including three American Indian reservations.
On the subject of cases where someone who tested positive was vaccinated, Williams said that was not unanticipated.

What the vaccine is helping to deter are those extreme cases of hospitalization, severe reaction and/or death, she said.

Williams said about 90% of residents who are currently hospitalized for COVID-19 have not been vaccinated. Vaccines are still the primary way to stop the spread of the virus and prevent it from continuing to mutate.

The more people we can get the vaccine into, the more we will be protected as an overall society, Williams said, The virus will continue to morph and change itself in order to stay alive, so our rates will continue going up if we continue having people who arent vaccinated. If we can get to 90% of the county vaccinated, I think well continue to see a decrease in cases.

As research continues on both COVID-19 and the vaccines, residents are asked to remain informed and prevent the spread of the virus by either getting vaccinated or wearing face coverings while in populated areas.
TIPTON  A Muscatine man charged with first-degree murder in the death of a Wilton teen has pleaded guilty to a charge of criminal mischief the week before his trial is scheduled to begin.

According to court documents, on Tuesday, Milton Serrano entered a plea of guilty in the Iowa District Court for Cedar County to a charge of second degree criminal mischief, a Class D felony punishable by up to five years in prison. There was no mention on the documents about the charge of first-degree murder in the death of Chantz Stevens. Serranos murder trial is scheduled to begin Aug. 24 in Dubuque County. A sentencing hearing for criminal mischief is scheduled Oct. 29.

The charge came as a result of an incident on July 19, 2020, at a party at 938 Quincy Ave. in Clarence, rural Cedar County. According to police reports, Serrano keyed a silver Toyota Camry, doing about $1,000 damage. He changed his plea of not guilty to the charge to guilty as part of the plea agreement.
MUSCATINE  With classes starting next week in the middle of a COVID-19 surge, the Muscatine Community School District released its full Return to Learn plan for the 2021-2022 school year.

"Our district continues to work very closely with MCPH (Muscatine County Public Health) and MCSD nurses along with following guidelines set forth by the CDC with regards to the best strategies for COVID mitigation, MCSD Superintendent Clint Christopher said.

Although protocols remain in place because of the pandemic, other precautions from last year will not be implemented. Overall, the 2021-22 school year is expected to be a bit more "normal."

Face masks will not be required for staff or students in school buildings but will be strongly recommended. Students on school buses are required to wear masks.

Vaccinations for students 12 and older, and staff who have not been vaccinated, are also strongly recommended. Officials also encourage frequent hand washing and sanitizing for all students regardless of vaccination status. The district assures that 75% of staff will be fully vaccinated by the time the school year starts.
CHICAGO (AP)  The Chicago Teachers Union and the city's school district are at "an impasse in talks over COVID-19 safety protocols ahead of school starting at the end of the month, the union's leader said Wednesday.

CTU President Jesse Sharkey noted remaining disagreements include metrics over when to close schools in case of an outbreak, rules about when students need to quarantine, and physical social distancing rules, which were cut back from 6 feet to 3 feet.

Similar clashes over reopening during the pandemic have extended remote learning for students in the nations third-largest school district. But Sharkey said teachers were still planning on returning to buildings when school starts Aug. 30.
CHICAGO (AP)  Michael Williams wife pleaded with him to remember their fishing trips with the grandchildren, how he used to braid her hair, anything to jar him back to his world outside the concrete walls of Cook County Jail.

His three daily calls to her had become a lifeline, but when they dwindled to only a few a week, the 65-year-old felt he couldnt go on. He made plans to take his life with a stockpiled stash of pills.

Williams was arrested last August, accused of murdering a young man from the neighborhood who asked him for a ride during a night of unrest over police brutality. The key evidence came from video of a car driving through an intersection, and a loud bang picked up by acoustic sensors. Prosecutors said audio technology powered by a secret algorithm indicated Williams shot and killed the man inside his car.

I kept trying to figure out, how can they get away with using the technology like that against me? said Williams. Thats not fair.

Williams was jailed for nearly a year before prosecutors, citing insufficient evidence, asked a judge to dismiss the case.
WHO IS ON THE JURY?

Seven men, five women. We don't know who the jurors are  the judge ordered their names and other details that could identify them withheld.

HOW LONG IS THE TRIAL EXPECTED TO LAST?

About a month or so.

WHO HAS TESTIFIED SO FAR?

Jerhonda Pace, who testified she was 16 when she met Kelly. She said he beat and choked her and gave her herpes. An ex-employee, Anthony Navarro, said he never saw any sexual abuse but testified that R. Kelly's home was like a Twilight Zone where everyone  including girls  was under his thumb, needing to seek permission to eat or leave.

IS THERE ANYTHING UNUSUAL ABOUT THE TRIAL?
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP)  Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said Iowa would welcome refugees from Afghanistan who want to resettle in Iowa saying their situation is much different from the immigrants coming across the U.S.-Mexico border Reynolds refused to accept in April.

Reynolds and U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst discussed plans to take refugees while attending the Iowa State Fair on Wednesday.

Were working with the state department right now were offering our opportunity to settle here in Iowa, Ernst said.

Ernst said she is working with Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, a New Hampshire Democrat, to push the U.S. Department of State to allow as many people as possible to qualify for the Special Immigrant Visa Program. It is designed to get people who worked with U.S. military as interpreters or translators in Iraq or Afghanistan.

The U.S. Bureau of Refugee Services has said Iowa could take as many as 2,000 refugees a year and Reynolds didn't disagree with that number.
Jimmy Dee sings the iconic Hafa Adai at the MDA Telethon in Las Vegas. The video can be found on YouTube.
President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the crisis in Afghanistan during a speech in the East Room at the White House in Washington, D.C. on Aug. 16, 2021.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte gestures as he delivers his 6th State of the Nation Address in the chamber of the House of Representative in Quezon City, Metro Manila on July 26, 2021.
Editor

Zaldy Dandan is the recipient of the Best Editorial Writer Award of the Society of Professional Journalists, and the CNMI Humanities Award for Outstanding Contributions to Journalism. His three books are available on amazon.com
Massmarts new head of ecommerce, Sylvester John, has divulged the companys plans to develop a market-leading online shopping experience in South Africa.

John previously served as vice president for last-mile delivery in North America at Massmarts majority shareholder, Walmart.

He played a key role in launching and positioning Walmarts online grocery pickup service in the US and drove the establishment of the companys last-mile delivery organisation.

This now delivers from over 3,000 stores to more than 500 US domestic markets, covering 65% of the countrys population.

This included leading Walmarts Express Delivery, SNAP, Smart Substitutions, and Instacart Marketplace initiatives.

John will now leverage this experience to help Massmart establish market-leading ecommerce and omnichannel capability for its Makro, Game, and Builders stores.

I am intricately familiar with the playbook and, in fact, helped write parts of it, John told MyBroadband.

John said that Massmart was well-positioned to be a more effective ecommerce player, thanks to the brands that it owned, its wide range of products, and its brick and mortar store base.

Its notable that our sophisticated national distribution centre network and warehouse store base  particularly Makro and Builders  offer fantastic geographic coverage for rapid online order fulfilment, he stated.

Its clear that we have the brand portfolio, geographical presence, merchandise assortment, procurement scale and primary logistics capability to be a successful ecommerce player,

He stated the 60% ecommerce growth experienced at Massmart in 2020 and the strategic plans underway were encouraging.

Our immediate opportunity now is to even better leverage these assets by further improving our digital sales platforms and last-mile delivery capability, John said.

John stated there were four key areas of focus for Massmarts ecommerce strategy in the next few years, namely:

Revamping the makro.co.za, game.co.za and builders.co.za online user interfaces, including key functionalities like search, to provide a much more seamless and intuitive customer experience. Developing transactional and value-adding mobile-first digital solutions that cater to different customer occasions, journeys and segments. Increasing Massmarts competitiveness in the on-demand and same-day customer proposition. Deploying a wider range and strengthening fulfilment capabilities, including new integrated and proven Walmart store technology, improving the click-and-collect experience in stores, and launching ship to home capability from distribution centres to complement its store fulfilment capacity.

One major change that has already been implemented was to create a centralised group ecommerce structure.

This structure has specialist functional teams responsible for providing expert input into each part of its customers online experiences.

Amongst other things, this also enables us to more efficiently leverage and deploy Walmart experience across the group by offering single functional points of ecommerce engagement, John said.

This approach has already improved our ways of working and the speed at which we can deploy new integrated ecommerce solutions.

John said while Massmart was actively working on improving its same-day delivery offering, it was important to highlight that it already offered same-day delivery.

Around 7% of Makro orders are delivered same day, and about 41% are delivered within one day, John stated.

Now read: Game will give you a discount if you are vaccinated
The Minister of Social Development, Lindiwe Zulu, has published the Green Paper on Comprehensive Social Security and Retirement Reform.

The paper proposes increasing income taxes to fund a Basic Income Grant (BIG) and mandatory contributions to a state-run pension scheme.

To fund the lowest level of its proposed universal basic income grant, the Department of Social Development said a 10-percentage point increase on income taxes would be needed to raise R200 billion.

At face value, these amounts appear to be astronomically high and even impossible to propose, however the microsimulation on the redistributive impact on society suggest that the reform is not as large and has net benefits for vast majority of the population, the paper states.

For the majority of the population, depending on the level of the transfer, it is likely that the benefit received will be larger than their increase in taxes.

It said that the wealthiest would only see a slight reduction in income on average, and the impact of this may be reduced if the tax hike is phased in over time.

However, the 10-percentage point income tax hike would only fund the lowest level proposed for the Basic Income Grant, which is at the food poverty line.

Depending on the governments objectives, the green paper proposes the following options for the BIG:

Reduce hunger  R585 per month , grant value set near the food poverty line.

, grant value set near the food poverty line. Reduce poverty  R840 per month , grant value set around the lower-bound poverty line.

, grant value set around the lower-bound poverty line. Improve peoples standard of living  R1,268 per month, start the grant value at the upper-bound poverty line.

The paper goes further, saying that government should strive to achieve a basic income for all South Africans of at least R7,500 per month using a combination of the grant and labour.

Studies done on a decent standard of living suggests income of around R7 500 per person, per month, the paper states.

This is an aspirational value that government should strive to achieve through a mix of transfers, labour and economic policies.

Mandatory government pension fund

In addition to the Basic Income Grant, the green paper also proposes creating a mandatory pension and insurance system called the National Social Security Fund (NSSF).

This will be funded with payroll contributions ranging between 8% and 12% of earnings, with the following thresholds in place:

Workers earning more than the ceiling of R276,000 per annum, or R23,000 per month, will not be obligated to contribute on income above that level.

Workers earning less than R20,000 per year should not be obliged to contribute to the NSSF, though they will continue contributing to the UIF.

Financial Mail money editor Giulietta Talevi has warned that messing with peoples pensions is a good way to start a middle-class revolution in South Africa.

For a nation that has seen hundreds of billions of rands which were meant to be spent on citizens siphoned away into the pockets of the rent-seeking predatory elite, you couldnt blame South Africans for suspecting this is just another raid on their rapidly diminishing wealth, Talevi said.

Trade union Solidarity announced on Thursday that it would fight the green paper. It warned it would result in legal action if the proposals in the paper are implemented in formal legislation.

Solidarity said that South African workers are already overtaxed and tired of paying more taxes for fewer and fewer services.

Workers in South Africa are tired of seeing their hard-earned money being wasted by the state, said Dirk Hermann, chief executive officer of Solidarity.

At best, the state is just inefficient and clumsy, but more often, funds like this and the NHI is simply an excuse for looting and corruption.

Apart from the new tax proposals, Hermann said the countrys tax rate is already high, and ordinary people have to incur expenses for which they are already taxed.

On top of that, tax money is still looted at a large scale, he said.

The green paper is out for public comment. Submissions close on 10 December 2021.

Now read: SARS tightening tax on Bitcoin
The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Sacramento asks a judge to order a jury trial for the arresting deputies, Dalton McCampbell and Lisa McDowell, and seeks unspecified damages.

The events unfolded as Porter and her 61-year-old father were making the 100-mile (160-kilometer) drive home to Orangevale, northeast of Sacramento, after a family trip to Oakland. Her two daughters, ages 3 and 6, and her 4-year-old niece were in the back seat. Porter is a software engineer, and her father, who's retired, worked in computer networking.

Porter was behind the wheel when they stopped along an empty road in Dixon. The deputies' squad car pulled up behind them with lights flashing. Porter already was out of the car and explained that they were just switching drivers and would be on their way, according to the court filing.

The deputies said they noticed the car had mismatched license plates  a California plate on the back of the car, and one from Maryland on the front.

However, the deputies had called in the rear license plate to their dispatch and knew that it matched the description of the car and that there was no report of the car being stolen, the filing states.
Charles Moore, chief for the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District, said firefighters take extraordinary precautions" to protect firefighters responding to blazes in a warehouse with toxic chemicals but not out on wildfire lines.

Reno Fire Chief Dave Cochran said exposures to unhealthy air quality are to some extent unavoidable" during a wildland blaze. He recommended developing new protective equipment for responders because existing versions often are not practical on fire lines in 100-degree temperatures."

If theres any upside to the latest blankets of thick smoke, Cortez Masto said its getting the attention of politicians in Washington from regions outside the West.

Western state senators get it, she said. But this is the first time Ive heard from some of our eastern senators because theyre smelling the smoke in their air on the East Coast. They are saying to me, Oh, my gosh, how are you doing out there?

Cortez Masto told reporters after the event that should help Western lawmakers make their case for why we need to put these dollars and make this bold, big investment in wildfire suppression and recovery and preparation, and put money into the federal agencies budgets as well.

Does it make it easier? Absolutely.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Rocker Marilyn Manson approached a videographer at his 2019 concert in New Hampshire and allegedly spit and blew snot on her, according to a police affidavit released Wednesday.

Manson, whose legal name is Brian Hugh Warner, surrendered last month to police in Los Angeles in connection with a 2019 arrest warrant in the case. The allegations were detailed in the affidavit that released along with the criminal complaint in the case.

Manson is charged with two misdemeanor counts of simple assault stemming from an alleged incident on Aug. 19, 2019, at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion in Gilford. The misdemeanor charges can each result in a jail sentence of less than a year and a $2,000 fine if convicted.

An arraignment hearing on the charges will be scheduled for Sept. 2 at Laconia District Court in New Hampshire.

Mansons attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comment Wednesday.

Susan Fountain, a videographer, was in the venues stage pit area at the time of the alleged assault. Her company, Metronome Media, was contracted by the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion for the concert season.
This state cannot continue in the path it is going. Homelessness is at an absolute crisis level, drug users and others are making it so nowhere is safe and the Democratic answer is to close all the jails and prisons, eliminate law enforcement and not charge anyone with crimes. Another bad choice coming from San Francisco is your state senator, who has made it his mission to protect pedophiles and drug dealers.

You complain about the cost of the recall election, and rightfully so. Why is it so expensive? It is because of the bureaucratic mess that the Democratic party is famous for. The only reason something like this costs so much money, is the politicians have allowed it.

Maybe you should have looked at the poor track record your Emperor had when he was Mayor of San Francisco before elevating him so he could do the same destruction on a statewide level that he did in San Francisco. Then we would not be forced to have this recall election.

Now the latest investigative reporting by mainstream media, which has always sided with liberal causes is getting an eye-opening with how cozy Newsom became with PG&E. Indictments should be coming down on Newsom and a whole bunch of his cronies for that mess.
Merkel says that Germany is trying to establish contact with Taliban

Digest: More on COVID-19 in Armenia, armed robbery takes place in Yerevan

Russia FM calls on Azerbaijan to unconditionally release Armenian POWs

Russias Lavrov: Rhetoric of both sides of Karabakh conflict needs to be moderated

Armenias Mirzoyan: We will respect Afghanistan peoples choice

Armenia FM: No negotiations on peace agreement with Azerbaijan underway

Eurasian Development Bank wants to become one of largest creditors of Armenia economy

Armenia Investigative Committee: Man found dead with gunshot wound inside car in Yerevan

Lavrov: In talks with Armenia FM we will separately discuss Nagorno-Karabakh situation

Opposition MP: Positive signals being exchanged with Turkey are new trap for Armenia

Armenia FM: Tense situation in region is consequence of Azerbaijan's destructive policy

ECtHR ruling: Ambassador to Sweden, Iceland to get compensation from Armenia government

Armenia, Russia FMs hold tete-a-tete meeting

Armenia ex-president Kocharyan, former deputy PM Gevorgyan case court hearing not held

Ombudsman: Azerbaijan MOD aims to cover up their criminal acts against Armenia civilian population

Fallen soldiers family stages protest outside Armenia government building

No electricity in court where Armenia 2nd president Kocharyan, ex-deputy PM Gevorgyan criminal case is heard

Armenia ex-president Kocharyan, former deputy PM Gevorgyan criminal case court hearing resumes

524 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

OSCE Minsk Group new Russian Co-Chair visits Azerbaijan

Armed robbery occurs at bank branch in Yerevan shopping mall

37,000 first-graders start school in Armenia

Armenia PM congratulates Kyrgyzstan President on Independence Day anniversary

Some 30,000 people evacuated in California due to wildfires

Russia peacekeepers hold humanitarian action for Nagorno-Karabakh children

Dead body of man, 37, with gunshot wound is found in car in Yerevan

Newspaper: Artsakh independence anniversary to be celebrated without Armenia top leadership for first time in history

Newspaper: Armenia authorities trying to cause rift among parliament opposition factions, MPs

Armenia PM goes on short vacation

UN Security Council adopts Afghanistan resolution

Pentagon announces US completion of evacuation out of Kabul airport

Armenia ombudsman reaffirms Azerbaijan soldiers deliberate starting fire near Sotk, Kut villages of Gegharkunik

Ukraine and Armenia to cooperate in attracting investments

Armenian Ministry of Education and French Embassy sign cooperation agreement

Israeli Defense Minister meets with the President of Palestine

Uzbekistan completely closes border with Afghanistan

IAEA: North Korea seems to have restarted nuclear reactor

EU recommends restoring restrictions on US tourists

Digest: Turkey talks normalising relations with Armenia, soldier injured in Karabakh

Dollar drops in Armenia

Azerbaijans Aliyev calls Karabakh Armenians hated enemy

Azerbaijan president: Current course of events shows that Karabakh conflict would never be resolved peacefully

Divine Liturgy served in Armenian church of Turkeys Malatya for first time since 1915 (VIDEO)

Economist: Armenia exports growth connected with external factors

Opposition Armenia Faction MPs health grows worse in prison

Moscow Armenian Theater actor dies during performance

Artsakh FM: Azerbaijan, with Turkeys complicity, sending militants from Afghanistan to occupied part of Karabakh

Opposition Armenia Faction MP summoned to Special Investigation Service

Officer charged with Azerbaijans capturing of 62 Armenia soldiers in Artsakh: They were forces 15 times greater

FM: Armenian captives in Azerbaijan are subjected to torture

Lawyer of Armenia officer accused in 62 Shirak residents case: How was connection cut off on day of Azerbaijan attack?

Health ministry: 275,138 people so far vaccinated in Armenia against coronavirus

Russia peacekeepers in Karabakh carry out actions to find drones

Confusion arises during Armenia appellate court hearing of case of ex-President Kocharyan, others

Armenia 2nd president Kocharyans lawyer submits to appellate court motion to cancel or reduce bail

Prosecution in case on Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan, others: Charge should be re-qualified

Artsakh Investigative Committee: Azerbaijan soldier who entered Martakert city apartment is arrested

275 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Armenia appellate court continues considering lawyers, prosecutors appeals in ex-President Kocharyan, others' case

Armenia FM to pay working visit to Russia

Coronavirus casualties worldwide exceed 4.5m

One dead, 2 injured after road accident in Armenia town

Brazil unveils largest Buddha statue in country

Unidentified gunman opens fire inside Toronto shopping mall

Explosions occur in Kabul Monday morning

Armenia ombudsman: Azerbaijan soldiers deliberately set fires near Sotk, Kut villages

Biden declares major disaster in US State of Louisiana

Death toll rises to 7 in US missile strike in Kabul

US hits Kabul territory

At least 30 people killed in airstrike on a Yemeni military base

Turkey speaks about normalising relations with Armenia

Pentagon confirms US attacked car in Kabul due to ISIS threat

Macron talks revival of ISIS activity in Iraq and Syria

Turkish MFA says it cannot accept refugees from Afghanistan

Central Bank of Afghanistan limits withdrawals to $ 200 per week

US evacuates nearly 2,000 people from Afghanistan over past day

Taliban kill Afghan singer

Afghans in Greece advocate peace amid chaos in Kabul

383 COVID-19 new cases reported in Armenia per day

Biden to recall American diplomats from Afghanistan by August 31
Merkel says that Germany is trying to establish contact with Taliban

Digest: More on COVID-19 in Armenia, armed robbery takes place in Yerevan

Russia FM calls on Azerbaijan to unconditionally release Armenian POWs

Russias Lavrov: Rhetoric of both sides of Karabakh conflict needs to be moderated

Armenias Mirzoyan: We will respect Afghanistan peoples choice

Armenia FM: No negotiations on peace agreement with Azerbaijan underway

Eurasian Development Bank wants to become one of largest creditors of Armenia economy

Armenia Investigative Committee: Man found dead with gunshot wound inside car in Yerevan

Lavrov: In talks with Armenia FM we will separately discuss Nagorno-Karabakh situation

Opposition MP: Positive signals being exchanged with Turkey are new trap for Armenia

Armenia FM: Tense situation in region is consequence of Azerbaijan's destructive policy

ECtHR ruling: Ambassador to Sweden, Iceland to get compensation from Armenia government

Armenia, Russia FMs hold tete-a-tete meeting

Armenia ex-president Kocharyan, former deputy PM Gevorgyan case court hearing not held

Ombudsman: Azerbaijan MOD aims to cover up their criminal acts against Armenia civilian population

Fallen soldiers family stages protest outside Armenia government building

No electricity in court where Armenia 2nd president Kocharyan, ex-deputy PM Gevorgyan criminal case is heard

Armenia ex-president Kocharyan, former deputy PM Gevorgyan criminal case court hearing resumes

524 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

OSCE Minsk Group new Russian Co-Chair visits Azerbaijan

Armed robbery occurs at bank branch in Yerevan shopping mall

37,000 first-graders start school in Armenia

Armenia PM congratulates Kyrgyzstan President on Independence Day anniversary

Some 30,000 people evacuated in California due to wildfires

Russia peacekeepers hold humanitarian action for Nagorno-Karabakh children

Dead body of man, 37, with gunshot wound is found in car in Yerevan

Newspaper: Artsakh independence anniversary to be celebrated without Armenia top leadership for first time in history

Newspaper: Armenia authorities trying to cause rift among parliament opposition factions, MPs

Armenia PM goes on short vacation

UN Security Council adopts Afghanistan resolution

Pentagon announces US completion of evacuation out of Kabul airport

Armenia ombudsman reaffirms Azerbaijan soldiers deliberate starting fire near Sotk, Kut villages of Gegharkunik

Ukraine and Armenia to cooperate in attracting investments

Armenian Ministry of Education and French Embassy sign cooperation agreement

Israeli Defense Minister meets with the President of Palestine

Uzbekistan completely closes border with Afghanistan

IAEA: North Korea seems to have restarted nuclear reactor

EU recommends restoring restrictions on US tourists

Digest: Turkey talks normalising relations with Armenia, soldier injured in Karabakh

Dollar drops in Armenia

Azerbaijans Aliyev calls Karabakh Armenians hated enemy

Azerbaijan president: Current course of events shows that Karabakh conflict would never be resolved peacefully

Divine Liturgy served in Armenian church of Turkeys Malatya for first time since 1915 (VIDEO)

Economist: Armenia exports growth connected with external factors

Opposition Armenia Faction MPs health grows worse in prison

Moscow Armenian Theater actor dies during performance

Artsakh FM: Azerbaijan, with Turkeys complicity, sending militants from Afghanistan to occupied part of Karabakh

Opposition Armenia Faction MP summoned to Special Investigation Service

Officer charged with Azerbaijans capturing of 62 Armenia soldiers in Artsakh: They were forces 15 times greater

FM: Armenian captives in Azerbaijan are subjected to torture

Lawyer of Armenia officer accused in 62 Shirak residents case: How was connection cut off on day of Azerbaijan attack?

Health ministry: 275,138 people so far vaccinated in Armenia against coronavirus

Russia peacekeepers in Karabakh carry out actions to find drones

Confusion arises during Armenia appellate court hearing of case of ex-President Kocharyan, others

Armenia 2nd president Kocharyans lawyer submits to appellate court motion to cancel or reduce bail

Prosecution in case on Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan, others: Charge should be re-qualified

Artsakh Investigative Committee: Azerbaijan soldier who entered Martakert city apartment is arrested

275 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Armenia appellate court continues considering lawyers, prosecutors appeals in ex-President Kocharyan, others' case

Armenia FM to pay working visit to Russia

Coronavirus casualties worldwide exceed 4.5m

One dead, 2 injured after road accident in Armenia town

Brazil unveils largest Buddha statue in country

Unidentified gunman opens fire inside Toronto shopping mall

Explosions occur in Kabul Monday morning

Armenia ombudsman: Azerbaijan soldiers deliberately set fires near Sotk, Kut villages

Biden declares major disaster in US State of Louisiana

Death toll rises to 7 in US missile strike in Kabul

US hits Kabul territory

At least 30 people killed in airstrike on a Yemeni military base

Turkey speaks about normalising relations with Armenia

Pentagon confirms US attacked car in Kabul due to ISIS threat

Macron talks revival of ISIS activity in Iraq and Syria

Turkish MFA says it cannot accept refugees from Afghanistan

Central Bank of Afghanistan limits withdrawals to $ 200 per week

US evacuates nearly 2,000 people from Afghanistan over past day

Taliban kill Afghan singer

Afghans in Greece advocate peace amid chaos in Kabul

383 COVID-19 new cases reported in Armenia per day

Biden to recall American diplomats from Afghanistan by August 31

Azerbaijan opens fire on Sotk positions of Armenia

UK threatens Taliban with sanctions

State Emergency Service of Artsakh: The body of another Armenian soldier was found in the Jrakan region

Shelling from Azerbaijan damaged wall of one of residential buildings in Kut village

Soldier injured in Arstsakh

Protests against coronavirus health pass, mandatory vaccinations continue in France

Iran security council chief says Biden, Bennett statements threaten Tehran

Deputy PM Papikyan is appointed Armenian Territorial Development Fund Board chairman

State assistance to be provided to Armenia employers who hire soldiers with disabilities

Fatal hit-and-run in Armenias Kotayk Province

Taliban calls on Kabul residents to hand over government vehicles, weapons

Armenia, Russia FMs to meet in Moscow on August 31

Yerevan neighborhood resident on hunger strike is forcibly apprehended

4 new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh

Macron warns of threat Islamic State group poses

Pentagon holds talks with China military for first time under Biden

EU High Representative to Armenia FM: We are prepared to provide assistance related to border delimitation

At least 15 killed in Peru bus crash

Armenia national debt exceeds $9b

US President, Israel PM discuss bilateral cooperation
To date, the Government of Armenia hasnt released official data on the number of Armenians of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) who have temporarily settled in Armenia, and even though top officials have announced certain figures, the figures have mostly contradicted each other.

Recently, Armenian News-NEWS.am addressed the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs of Armenia with a request to clarify, based on the latest statistics, how many Armenians of Artsakh are temporarily residing in Armenia after being displaced as a result of the war and how many of them have returned to Artsakh. Although the minister has regularly released data on the number of Armenians of Artsakh who have temporarily taken shelter in Armenia, the ministry reported that it doesnt record-register Armenians of Artsakh temporarily residing in Armenia.

In March, for instance, former Minister of Labor and Social Affairs of Armenia Mesrop Arakelyan had declared that there are 25-30,000 Armenians of Artsakh temporarily residing in Armenia, but in January, the Russian Ministry of Defense declared that over 50,000 Armenians of Artsakh have returned to Artsakh, and they were mainly those who moved to Artsakh in buses.
YEREVAN.  A group of relatives of the missing servicemen are protesting Thursday in front of the building of the National Security Service of Armenia.

One of these relatives told reporters that the parents are also gathering facts about where their missing sons may be.

"The fathers enter the trenches, carry out search operations with the employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations and the Red Cross. The bodies of only 9 of the 21 missing servicemen were found, and 8 of them were identified," this relative said.

This relative added that these 21 missing soldiers are from the Tsor military unit.

"On the 17th day of the [44-day Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh)] war [last fall], they took the kids to the Hadrut region at a time when the Hadrut region was almost surrendered. Knowing what the situation is there, they took the kids there. Our kids were artillerymen, their positions should have been different, but they took [them] to quite wrong positions," said a relative.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says Russia supports pan-national dialogue in Afghanistan amid the battles in Panjshir Province, TASS reported.

Lavrov called attention to the fact that the Taliban still arent controlling the whole territory of Afghanistan. There are reports about the situation in Panjshir where the troops of Vice-President of Afghanistan Amrullah Saleh and Ahmad Masoud are deployed. Russia supports pan-national dialogue with all the forces battling each other, Lavrov added.

According to him, Russia views the Moscow format of consultations over the settlement of the situation in Afghanistan as a more effective platform and is ready to resume the activities.
YEREVAN.  We agreed with the head of the NSS that we will leave here, but on the condition that a more in-depth investigation be carried out. The relatives of a group of missing servicemen told reporters about this Thursday in front of the building of the National Security Service (NSS) of Armenia.

"Also, we agreed that we will meet regularly, and they will report to us on the work done. We cant be satisfied until there are results; and the result is to find our children," added one of these relatives.

Another one of the relatives of these missing soldiers said that the Ministry of Defense had not collected data on these servicemen to this day, and therefore the parents of these servicemen collected such data.

"Now they will complete that information so that the specialists can already do their job," this relative added.
State Minister of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) Artak Beglaryan today received the delegation of the Union of Banks of Armenia led by Executive Director Seyran Sargsyan, as reported the Information and Public Relations Department of the Staff of the State Minister.

Beglaryan considered the mission of the Union of Banks of Armenia to stand with Artsakh a mission that is in demand and emphasized that Artsakh needs the support of all Armenians now more than ever.

Sargsyan emphasized that the delegations visit is marked by yet another substantial example of cooperation with the education system, evidence of which is the rearmament of 15 schools with computer technologies.

State Minister Beglaryan expressed gratitude for the support shown to several schools and touched upon the possible directions for future cooperation, including the efforts aimed at raising the level of financial literacy of the population.
We have stated many times. The authorities of the Republic of Armenia must explain what they are negotiating about. Ishkhan Saghatelyan, the opposition vice-speaker of the National Assembly, on Thursday told this to Armenian News-NEWS.am when asked to comment on the resumption of the activities of the tripartite commission of the Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani deputy prime ministersand despite the Armenian authorities' previous assurances that the resumption of these activities would be possible only after the invading Azerbaijani troops left Armenia.

He reminded that there is information, including official information, that these negotiations are ongoing. "But about what? Is the issue of enclaves being discussed in the negotiations? Is the issue of the Meghri corridor being discussed? What does 'peace' mean?" The opposition parliamentary vice-speaker asked.

Saghatelyan stated that the behavior and approaches of the adversary are well known, as taking advantage of the situation, Azerbaijan is trying to snatch the maximum. "Against this background, Azerbaijan also makes impudent and provocative statements, including about [Armenias] Vardenis [region], Syunik [Province], and Sevan [region].

The most important question is what the position of the Armenian authorities is in this situation. No one is against negotiations; but negotiations should not be held as a result of pressure. Moreover, we [the Armenian side] cannot make new concessions as a result of these negotiations. There are questions that remain unanswered, whereas the people who have appeared in power in Armenia are not able to serve the interests of the Republic of Armenia," the opposition vice-speaker of the parliament emphasized.
At around 10am on Thursday, the Azerbaijani troops withdrew from the part they occupied on the border of Artsakhs (Nagorno-Karabakh) Yeghtsahogh village; its mayor, Artak Hakobyan, told this to Armenian News-NEWS.am.

"The Azerbaijani troops had advanced about 1 km, [but] now they have withdrawn to their base deployed in the cattle farm that used to belong to our community. The village was under direct target from that area where the adversary had advanced; now they have retreated," said the village head.

Hakobyan had told us on Tuesday that a few days ago, the Artsakh Defense Army servicemen were taken out of Yeghtsahogh, whereas Vahram Poghosyan, Adviser to the Artsakh President, had stated that the units of the Defense Army were at their place Yeghtsahogh and there was no problem.

To our question as to whether there are servicemen of the Defense Army on the borders of Yeghtsahogh, the village head said: "There are soldiers of the Defense Army in the village, but our army has withdrawn from that part of the specific front line."

According to the mayor of Yeghtsahogh, Russian border guards monitorbut not around the clockthe area that had passed under the control of Azerbaijan. As per Artak Hakobyan, this monitoring of the Russian border guards shall become permanent within a few days.
Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia Ishkhan Saghatelyan today met with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Peoples Republic of China to Armenia Fahn Yong.

Welcoming the guest to the National Assembly of Armenia, Saghatelyan noted that Armenia considers China a friendly country. During the last 30 years, more than 40 agreements, more than one memoranda have been signed between Armenia and China, which serves as a good opportunity for cooperation between the two countries.

Congratulating Saghatelyan on being elected Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Ambassador Yong stated that Armenia and China have diplomatic ties and expressed certainty that those ties will continue for a long time. There is more than 1000-year history of cooperation between our two countries, and the archaeological excavations serve as evidence of this, the Ambassador said.

During the meeting, the issue of security and stability in the region was highlighted.

The issue of security is the greatest problem in our country, the enemy has penetrated into the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia in two directions. The passive stance of the international community towards the actions of Azerbaijan is surprising for us, the Deputy Speaker stressed.

The Ambassador mentioned that the position of China regarding the issue is the same: the problems should be solved through peaceful means  through negotiations and dialogues. We support the maintenance of territorial integrity. Security and peace will be at risk in this region without stability, he said.

According to the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Armenia has appreciated the balanced position of China on the issue. Peace and stability in the region should not be at the expense of territorial integrity. Certainly, we are in favor of stability, peace and the solution to the issues through negotiation. Unfortunately, the opposite side thinks differently, Saghatelyan said.

The interlocutors also touched upon the agenda of bilateral relations and the issues regarding further expansion of those relations.
The situation in Transcaucasia is constantly in the focus of the Russian side. This is what Spokesperson of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Maria Zakharova told reporters during todays briefing.

Implementation of the trilateral agreements signed by the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia on November 9, 2020 and January 11, 2021 are unconditionally a priority. The contacts with Baku and Yerevan are held at the high and highest levels on a regular basis. On July 7, the President of Russia met with the Prime Minister of Armenia, and on July 20  with the President of Azerbaijan. The necessary works continue to be carried out with respect to foreign policy, defense and border guard departments. The formats are considered with the sides, Zakharova stated.

The Russian MFA spokesperson underscored the absolute ineffectiveness of confrontation, especially the war rhetoric that the politicians of the countries of Transcaucasia sometimes use. Everything is stipulated in the agreements that I recalled today. Generally speaking, Baku and Yerevan highly appreciate the stabilizing role of Russia, that is, the Russian peacekeeping contingent, which is deployed in Nagorno-Karabakh (along the length of the line of contact of the sides and along the length of the Lachin corridor). The data on refugees having returned to their homes are regularly posted on the website of the Russian Ministry of Defense, and certain incidents are resolved successfully and immediately. Russia supports comprehensive improvement of the relations between Baku and Yerevan and, of course, we present this stance to Baku and Yerevan. We call on both sides to exchange the prisoners of war through the all for all formula and along with all the mine maps, Zakharova said.
Presidents of Russia and France Vladimir Putin and Emmanuel Macron had a telephone conversation during which they discussed the need to ensure security of the residents of Afghanistan, the situation regarding Irans nuclear program, the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the tension in southeast Ukraine and the coordination through efforts in the Normandy format, as reported on the Kremlins official website.

At the request of Emmanuel Macron, Vladimir Putin informed abou the course of implementation of the trilateral statements on Nagorno-Karabakh that were signed on November 9, 2020 and January 11, 2021. It was stated that the situation in the region is generally stable, actions are being taken to restore the economic and transport links in the South Caucasus and to meet the humanitarian needs of the population. Both sides said they were disposed to work together on various aspects of the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and firstly within the OSCE Minsk Group, as reported on the website.

The heads of states also mentioned the importance of ensuring security of the civilian population in Afghanistan and resolving urgent humanitarian issues and expressed support to the talks over resumption of implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which is a weighty factor for non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. They also discussed several other regional topics that also concern the African continent.
Women of the U is a signature initiative of the University of Miami Alumni Association (UMAA), which seeks to build community among alumnae and female students and foster engagement through programming and activities focused on womens issues.

Patricia Morgan

The upcoming events theme will be Changing the rules: impacting lives. The three panelists will explore how to develop and deploy a winning market strategy, understand and capture sufficient market share, and secure financingall critical success factorsas well as how to expand access to the business arena in ways that change lives for the better.

Panelists will include Dr. Patricia Dunac Morgan, B.S. 06, who will moderate the discussion. Morgan is an innovative and passionate educator whose consulting firm, The Executive Learning Lab, provides programs, content, and strategies to support organizational diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. She is a volunteer leader at the U and serves as president of the Black Alumni Society.

In addition to moderating, Morgan will share how she was first inspired to venture into the business arena and how she stays focused managing multiple projects and priorities. Her expertise in issues of bias in business and the workplace will also be highlighted.

Birame Sock

Joining Morgan is Birame Sock, 97, a successful serial entrepreneur in the technology and media sectors. Her first startup, Musicphone, was the catalyst for bringing music recognition technology to wireless consumers in North America in the early 2000s.

After several more successful ventures, Sock splits her time between Miami, Senegal, and Gambia, providing business development assistance and building entrepreneurial capacity in Africa.

As a woman of many firsts, Sock will discuss what inspires her and keeps her pushing ahead to realize her visions. She will reflect on her work motivating and supporting other female entrepreneurs, her current efforts to help them expand their market reach, and what others can do to help pave the way for future generations.

Also on the panel is Samantha Ku, B.B.A. 10. After five years in banking, Ku joined San Francisco-based Square, Inc., where she is now chief operating officer.

Samantha Ku

Moving from traditional finance to fintechan industry where disruptive innovation drives growthhas enabled Ku to lead efforts toward achieving financial inclusion in traditionally underserved communities.

As the leader of a large team at Square, Ku will reflect on the challenges she has faced and lessons she has learned in managing an industry disruptor and innovator in the point-of-sale and financial services marketplace. She will also touch on how Squares business model has given her the scope to conduct business differently from traditional lending institutions, how technology drives innovation in finance, and what that means for potential future fintech entrepreneurs.
OSU Veterinary Colleges INTERACT Partners with Humanimal Trust

Media Contact: Derinda Blakeney | College of Veterinary Medicine | 405-744-6740 | derinda@okstate.edu

Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicines Institute for Translational and Emerging Research in Advanced Comparative Therapy (INTERACT) recently inked a memorandum of understanding with Humanimal Trust, a United Kingdom based charity which drives collaboration between veterinarians, physicians, and the allied health/scientific disciplines.

Launched in December 2020, INTERACT aims to promote One Health research by developing new therapeutics and diagnostic platforms for both veterinary and human medical settings.

News of the launch of INTERACT inspired Dr. Tracey King, research and outreach manager with Humanimal Trust, to contact me about collaborating with OSU, said Dr. Ashish Ranjan, Kerr Foundation Endowed Chair, professor in Physiological Sciences and director of INTERACT. This partnership will give both entities an opportunity to support One Health initiatives, and learn the approaches that each country is applying to improve the lives of animals and humans globally. When international travel resumes, we hope to promote faculty and student exchanges for cross-country research projects.

We are delighted to be entering into partnership with INTERACT," said Dr. Roberto La Ragione, professor and Humanimal Trusts Chair of Trustees. "This is a pivotal moment for both Humanimal Trust and One Medicine and highlights the fact that when we work together, we are truly stronger together and can, therefore, deliver equitable benefits for both humans and animals.

I want to thank Humanimal Trust for their interest in Oklahoma State University and their willingness to partner with INTERACT," said Dr. Carlos Risco, dean of OSUs College of Veterinary Medicine. "This Memorandum of Understanding provides ample opportunities for both of us to work together and stimulate research that will drive medical progress and discovery in One Health to improve the lives of both people and animals, which I feel is our mutual mission.

The concept of One Medicine is much further ahead in the U.S. than in the U.K., King said. Were very excited about our partnership with INTERACT and working together to bring both human and veterinary medicine together as one.

On the virtual call from Humanimal Trust in the United Kingdom were Drs. King and La Ragione. Representing OSU were from the College of Veterinary Medicine: Drs. Ranjan, Risco and Jerry Malayer, senior associate dean of Research and Graduate Education, professor and McCasland Chair; and from the School of Global Studies and Partnerships: Vivian Wang, director of Global Partnerships.
HK, regional shares slip as dollar climbs

Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index finished down more than 500 points. Image: Shutterstock

Concerns over the pace of the global economic recovery and jitters over an end to ultra-loose monetary policies sent regional stocks lower and the US dollar higher on Thursday, with the Hang Seng Index among the underperformers.



The Hong Kong benchmark took its cue from Wall Street to open in the red, after US stocks finished lower for a second day on the Fed's indication that it could start tapering its financial support by the end of the year.



The blue-chip index widened its losses during the day before closing down 550 points, or 2.1 percent, at 25,316.



Market turnover was HK$164.9 billion.



Leading losses on the benchmark was Meituan, which sank 7.1 percent as investors continued to fret about China's regulatory crackdown and dumped tech shares.



Tencent retreated 3.4 percent to its lowest in more than a year, after a number of banks trimmed its target price and despite the tech giant posting forecast beating second-quarter profits.



Alibaba tumbled 5.5 percent, and Xiaomi declined 2.4 percent.



But Sino Biopharmaceutical bucked the trend and jumped 2.4 percent to become the biggest blue-chip winner, after the company said it could see a five-fold surge in interim profits.



The Shanghai Composite Index eased 0.5 percent, while the blue-chip CSI300 index shed 0.7 percent. But the Shenzhen Composite edged up 0.2 percent.



Taiwan fell 2.7 percent.



Japan's Nikkei gave up more than one percent, the Kospi in South Korea dropped nearly two percent, shares in Australia were 0.5 percent weaker, and Singapore dropped 1.4 percent.



In currencies, the US dollar strengthened to 10-month highs as investors rushed to the currency on the prospects of rate hikes.
Complaints about RTHK substantiated

The complaints against RTHK were about a news story about Taiwan and a Cantonese foul word in a song. File photo: RTHK

The Communications Authority (CA) on Thursday said two complaints against RTHK have been substantiated, including one that involved the wrong use of the term "nationwide" in a news story about Taiwan.



The story in question was about a by-election held in Kaohsiung last year that was aired in a Chinese news report. It said "people can cast their votes at over 1,800 polling stations nationwide."



The CA said Taiwan is not a country and the by-election was only held in Kaohsiung. RTHK later corrected the mistake online.



"It is a fact that Taiwan is not a country and hence the use of the term nationwide in the remark is inaccurate," the CA said.



It added that RTHK should be "strongly advised" to observe more closely the Radio Programme Code.



In another case, the lyrics of a song broadcast in the programme World Discovery on Radio 1 in April 2021 contained a Cantonese foul word.



The CA said it constituted a clear breach of the Radio Programme Code, and warned RTHK to observe regulations more closely.
SIU faculty member, student receive honors for innovation

by Tim Crosby

CARBONDALE, Ill.  A Southern Illinois University Carbondale faculty member and an undergraduate student received statewide awards for innovation during the Illinois State Fair on Wednesday.

Professor Ken Anderson, director of the Advanced Coal and Energy Research Center, and Nelson Fernandes, a senior in mechanical engineering, were honored by the Illinois Innovation Network with the organizations inaugural awards. The awards celebrate advances in research, technology commercialization and education across 12 public universities and 15 innovation hubs throughout Illinois.

The Illinois Innovation Network is a group of public universities and community colleges working together to improve the state's economy through an inclusive approach to innovation, research and education. It works with businesses, governmental agencies and community groups to grow Illinois' workforce, bring new technologies to market faster, and utilize research to make better decisions through an equity approach for the state.

The organization made the awards based on each entrys novelty, potential impact on society, contribution to the field, feasibility and support of its principles.

The awards ceremony was Aug. 18 on the main stage at the Tech and STEAM Expo at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield.

Long-term service

Anderson has a long record of accomplishment at SIU.

After working as a postdoctoral fellow and organic geochemist at Argonne National Laboratory, as well as in the private energy sector as a research scientist, Anderson arrived at SIU in 2003 as an associate professor of geology, becoming a professor in 2007. He was appointed director of ACERC in 2020.

In 2010, he founded Thermaquatica Inc., an energy company focused on his patented process that treats coal, wood or agricultural byproducts with oxygen in superheated water, breaking it down into useful products in an environmentally friendly way. Based in Carbondale, Thermaquatica that has created a substantial patent portfolio that resides in several jurisdictions across the globe and has a global network of collaborating entities.

Showing great promise

Fernandes has been extensively involved in the innovative Green Roof sustainability project at the Agriculture Building. It features space for native plants, growing vegetables and flowers and conducting research while demonstrating the benefits of sustainable roofs.

He is receiving the award for his work on expanding the Green Roof's vision by fostering an interdisciplinary, virtual team of students from SIU and other universities. The students designed and manufactured a temporary wind turbine, installed in May.

In 2018, Fernandes, a senior in mechanical engineering from Skokie, also won the universitys first Energy Boost Scholarship from the ACERC. The scholarship provides $20,000 for tuition and fees -- $5,000 annually for four years  and is available on a competitive basis for all students pursuing mechanical engineering with specialization in energy engineering or a minor in energy engineering.

Fernandes other campus activities include Undergraduate Student Government, Engineering Student Council, and the Robotics Team. He also completed the SIUs highly competitive Leadership Development Program in 2019, as well as summer internships with Berkshire Hathaway Energy Pipeline Group and Dominion Energy, with projects targeting energy cost savings.
University of Saskatchewan PhD candidate Nazanin Charchi and her research team in the Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering are investigating how to minimize losses of fruits and vegetables by regulating emissions of ethylene in controlled agricultural environments.

Each year, more than one billion metric tons of fruits and vegetables are harvested globally to feed the worlds population of people and animals. There is, however, produce that is not consumed. What about fresh food that is sitting in a greenhouse or storage environment, waiting to be distributed to other locations?

These food resources can cause significant environmental effects. The carbon footprint of food produced and not consumed has been ranked as the third top greenhouse gas emitter.

The annual loss of fresh fruit by ethylene damage is estimated at 30 per cent, and vegetable losses reach as high as 40 to 50 per cent, leading to considerable economic loss, Charchi said.

Ethylene plays an important role in greenhouses, storage and warehouse facilities. Its used as a plant hormone to speed up the growth and ripening process in greenhouses or growth chambers.

However, after a certain level of exposure, ethylene causes physical and chemical changes in fruits and vegetables that result in quality and production losses before and after harvest.

Despite the significant progress in increasing food production at the global level, approximately half of the population in developing regions does not have access to adequate food supplies, Charchi said. There are many reasons for this, one of which is food losses in the post-harvest and distribution network.

With the scientific support of the Canadian Light Source (CLS) and synchrotron facilities on the U of S campus, Charchi and her team have developed a state-of-the-art technology for the removal of ethylene from air with minimum energy consumption.

The process can convert ethylene emissions into CO2 and H2O at room temperature, effectively purifying the air surrounding fresh food  a process referred to as advanced oxidation. The team estimates that using their process to preserve fresh produce would reduce air treatment costs by 40 per cent.

Reducing the waste after harvest, especially in developing countries, can be a sustainable solution to increase food availability, reduce greenhouse gas emission, and improve farmers living conditions, Charchi said.

The team is working with CLS to build an ethylene-removal unit for installation in fruit and vegetable growth chambers and storage facilities. They hope to commercialize their ethylene-removal process and operational unit for global use.

Smart-farming and the development of indoor ecosystems is the future of food security, Charchi said.

Because of increasing population and environmental instability, providing a more stable, sustainable, and predictable food supply is a critical issue, especially for countries with a harsh climate condition.

Developing technology that can support high levels of automation and reliability in farming activities will ensure agricultural production continues amid shifting environments and the effects of climate change that threaten food security.

It is also possible that similar processes could be developed in the future to remove mold, bacteria or other substances from produce storage areas, along with ethylene.

By considering the amount of water used to grow these agricultural commodities and the greenhouse gas emissions this (process) wastes, it is crucial to reduce post-harvest fruits and vegetable loss, Charchi said.

Charchis work is supervised by Dr. Jafar Soltan (PhD), professor of biological and chemical engineering in the U of S College of Engineering, and Dr. Ning Chen (PhD), a scientist at CLS.

The research is funded by the U of S and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council.

Brooke Kleiboer is a communications student intern in the USask Research Profile and Impact unit.

This article first ran as part of the 2021 Young Innovators series, an initiative of the USask Research Profile and Impact office in partnership with the Saskatoon StarPhoenix.
Some of the Republican House members who this week excoriated President Joe Biden's strategy to pull U.S. troops out of Afghanistan and evacuate Afghan civilians voted last month against legislation to speed up the visa application process for Afghan citizens.

The House overwhelmingly passed a bill to make it easier for Afghans who assisted the American military to relocate to the U.S. The Averting Loss of Life and Injury by Expediting SIVs Act (ALLIES) Act was approved by a 407-16 vote on July 22. The 16 "no" votes were all from Republicans.

The ALLIES Act removes some application requirements for Afghan special immigrant visas that led to long backlogs and wait times. It also boosts the number of visas for Afghans by an additional 8,000 to 19,000. Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., introduced the bill in June, with 24 bipartisan cosponsors.

We have a moral obligation to make sure the American handshake matters, that we are keeping our promises, Crow told Colorado Public Radio. We have to show to the world that our word is our bond.

Biden has faced withering bipartisan criticisms for his handling of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, which has led to the Taliban's return to power.

More: U.S. evacuations flights restart from Kabul as Taliban declares 'amnesty' for government officials

Stunning photo: More than 600 people pack a US Air Force plane leaving Afghanistan amid siege, reports say

Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., speaks during a news conference, Wednesday, May 12, 2021, expressing opposition to "critical race theory," during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) ORG XMIT: DCJM126

These Republican House members voted against the bill:

Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona

Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado

Rep. Mo Brooks of Alabama

Rep. Scott DesJarlais of Tennessee

Rep. Jeff Duncan of South Carolina

Rep. Bob Good of Virginia

Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia

Rep. Kevin Hern of Oklahoma

Rep. Jody Hice of Georgia

Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky

Rep. Barry Moore of Alabama

Rep. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania

Rep. Bill Posey of Florida

Rep. Matt Rosendale of Montana

Rep. Chip Roy of Texas

The U.S. military on Tuesday continued to evacuate American citizens and Afghan civilians who helped American troops after reports of chaos at Hamid Karzai International Airport Monday. Afghans rushed the tarmac and clung to already loaded airplanes, desperate to escape. At least seven people died in the melee.

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As reports of Afghan people fleeing the Taliban spread across social media, many of these lawmakers attacked Biden.

More: 'I am begging you guys:' Florida veteran fights to bring his Afghan interpreter to the U.S.

Learn: They will slaughter us: Afghans who worked with US beg for visas as troop withdrawal looms

In a tweet Monday, Biggs wrote, "Lets set the record straight before Biden & co. starts blaming Trump for the Afghanistan disaster. Biden abandoned Trumps peace plan & exit strategy & haphazardly created his own. Biden is FULLY responsible for this absolute wreck."

After Biden's address to the nation Monday, Boebert tweeted, "The American people are not arguing that we should have stayed in Afghanistan. Were furious that you abandoned Americans on the ground and are the most incompetent President in American history."

Crow, the lead sponsor of the ALLIES Act, responded to another one of Boebert's tweets Sunday in which she wrote, "Joe has a 48 year history of making bad decisions. Add this weekends foreign policy decisions to the list."

"Wait a minute," Crow quote-tweeted Boebert. "A few weeks ago you were 1 of only 16 members of Congress who voted against my bill to expand and speed up the visa program to evacuate and save our Afghan partners."

DesJarlias slammed Biden in a statement: A hasty withdrawal that was given zero thought left our citizens in danger and threatened the security of classified information falling into the hands of terrorists," he said.

"President Biden and his administration were reckless and deserve to be held accountable for the disastrous mistakes they made in our departure from this country.

More: 'They already looking for me': An Afghan interpreter on the last 24 hours

Related: Afghanistan mayor worries the Taliban may 'kill' her: Will women be oppressed again?

Massie singled out American arrogance in a tweet, "The hubris that led the US to spend 20 years in Afghanistan is the same hubris that caused the withdrawal to become an emergency evacuation."

Duncan agreed with Biden's decision to pull troops out of Afghanistan but objected to how Biden went about the withdrawal.

"I don't disagree with @JoeBiden's comments on stopping endless wars," Duncan tweeted. "I agree with him, I've said I agree with him, and I disagree with many in my party on this issue. But THE WAY he's implemented this withdrawal is a completely separate and deeply troubling issue."

In a statement, Hern laid the blame for the havoc in Afghanistan on Biden's shoulders.

The truth is, Biden owns this. This is a tragedy of his own making. Biden, Secretary of State Blinken, and Defense Secretary Austin either lied to the American people, or they are spectacularly incompetent," Hern said in a statement. "They reassured us that Afghanistan would not fall, that the Taliban would not take Kabul, and that Americans would not be put in harms way. Not only were they wrong, they were proven wrong almost immediately."

Moore called the American retreat "a painful betrayal of our Afghan allies" and "an unforgivable insult to the thousands of American who spilled their blood on Afghan soil" in a statement.

Rosendale agreed with Biden's decision to leave but said in a tweet, "the chaos we're seeing is not an excuse to flood our country with refugees from Afghanistan."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 16 Republicans voted against special visas to help Afghanistan people
Restaurant reservations may be down, but that's not stopping these Twin Cities spots from opening. Here are some new places to check out this month:

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A-Side Public House: This hybrid brewpub-coffee bar is housed in a 136-year-old rehabilitated fire station in St. Paul's West 7th neighborhood, and they serve food too. The A-Side wings, marinated in cola, are already a fan favorite. Opened early August.

Toma Mojo Grill: Minnetonka's new "Mediterranean-inspired" spot specializes in chicken and pulled pork platters and boasts seven (vegan and dairy-free) house sauces. Opened Aug. 16.

OShaughnessy Distilling Co.: For technical and branding reasons they can't call their drinks Irish whiskey, but the owners of this Prospect Park distillery say their creations are still the country's first American whiskey to be made in the Irish style. Opening Aug. 19.

Farmers Kitchen + Bar: This Minneapolis restaurant is entirely owned and operated by local farmers from the Minnesota Farmers Union. Expect a farm-to-table market, too. Opening Aug. 24.

Sonora Grill: The South Minneapolis "modern Mexican" bar and restaurant is opening a Loring Park location. Audrey can personally recommend their elote, which is drizzled with cilantro aioli, cheese and chipotle salsa over coconut milk rice. Opening Aug. 30.

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Spain's Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said the plane brought 53 people, five of them Spanish diplomats. The remaining 48 are Afghans working for Spain in Afghanistan and their families.

Spain plans to airlift around 500 people including Spanish embassy staff and Afghans who worked with them and their families from Kabul, radio station Cadena SER said, citing sources close to the evacuation.

Albares said Spain's goal is to bring them all to Europe as soon as possible but warned on the challenges the mission is facing on the ground in Kabul.
Local channel Shamshad News showed the girls entering the gates of Tajrobawai Girls High School, freely walking about within the school compound and taking lessons in classrooms.

Taliban leaders have made reassurances in the build-up up to and aftermath of their stunning conquest of Afghanistan that girls and women would have the right to work and education, although they have come with caveats.

When the Taliban first ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, their strict interpretation of sharia, or Islamic law - sometimes brutally enforced - dictated that women could not work and girls were not allowed to attend school.

On Tuesday (August 18), at the Taliban's first press conference since seizing Kabul on Sunday (August 15), a Taliban spokesperson said women would have rights to education, health and employment and that they would be "happy" within the framework of sharia.
Hundreds of Afghan refugees in Greece took to the streets of Athens on Thursday to protest the Taliban takeover of their country, saying they feared for relatives still there.

Chanting "We don't want Islamists in Afghanistan", around 500 protesters -- many of them women and children -- flocked onto Syntagma Square outside the Greek parliament waving the black, red and green colours of the Afghan flag.

Greece is currently home to 40,000 long-term Afghan refugees and asylum seekers, making it the largest migrant population there, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

An Afghan flag in one hand, 19-year-old refugee Golbahar Shojayie said she was "anxious and stressed" about the future of her country under renewed Taliban rule.

"They don't let women out of the house without a man. It's horrible," she told AFP.

She called on the Greek authorities to provide shelter from those fleeing the Taliban. "Please give a place to these people. Don't let these people alone!"

She said she had spoken by phone the previous day with her uncle, who described how he and his family had fled under cover of darkness to neighbouring Pakistan.

- Relatives 'in hiding' -

"I can't sleep at night," said Razia Bayoni, a 35-year-old Afghan woman who arrived in Greece three years ago with her three children and her husband, who lost a leg to a Taliban landmine.

"I learnt that the Taliban killed seven people in my village, Malistan," where her mother still lives, southwest of Kabul.

She has had no news from her family, explaining that "because of the Taliban, there's no phone, no electricity".

"For 20 years, women tried to be freer, choose their lives. The Taliban are destroying that," she said.

The demonstrators would march to the offices of the European Union in Athens "to show that the Taliban are terrorists, they will kill women and children", she said.

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Among the marchers was Julmurad Hussaini, 27, who reached Athens in 2019 having first sought refuge on the Greek island of Lesbos.

In his home province of Samangon, his relatives are "in hiding", and did not have the resources to get to Europe, he told AFP.

Sijadullah Zakhel, in Greece for the past four years, said he usually calls his family in Afghanistan about once a week, but now he phones every day, worried for their survival.

"I am 21-years-old," he says "and I didn't see one good day in Afghanistan. I want my family to come here, where there is not this same stress".

At the head of the march, protesters held a banner proclaiming: "Now we know that we will not return home, thanks to NATO, the United States, Europe".

Greece's Minister of Migration, Notis Mitarachis, warned on Wednesday that Greece is determined not to once again become the "gateway" to Europe for refugees crossing from Turkey as it was in 2015.

eg-chv/mr/db/har
Watch: Local council volunteering to take in five Afghan families

A local council has offered to take five Afghan refugee families  and has encouraged authorities across the UK to make similar pledges.

The government announced this week that the UK will take up to 20,000 people fleeing Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover.

Caroline Jackson, the leader of Lancaster Council, said the authority has volunteered to take five Afghan families, reflecting that they "already have a large number of asylum seekers and refugees from other areas with us".

But Jackson said they are "very keen" to add to that numbers as they find more accommodation in the future.

She told Sky News that other councils should also volunteer to take Afghan refugees as they "will give a lot to the communities".

Read more: 'Why is he still in a job?' Raab under fire for being 'too busy' to make Afghan phone call on holiday

Demonstrators including former interpreters for the British Army in Afghanistan protest in Parliament Square. (Getty)

She said: "Many of them speak very good English...

"They've been working with our forces, they share some of our values...

"They just want to get on and set up a new life."

Jackson said there are Afghans who have been working on the front line with British troops and therefore "dont lack courage", adding: "Theyre going to be really useful to your communities."

Read more: Vulnerable 73-year-old mother of Afghan who worked for UK stuck in Kabul at mercy of Taliban

Following the governments announcement to find homes for thousands of Afghan refugees, offers of help have already come from various parts of the country.

The leader of Newark and Sherwood Council John Robinson confirmed it had welcomed its first resettled Afghan family tweeting he was "blown away by their resilience, optimism and gratitude in the face of such tragedy."

James Jamieson, chairman of the Local Government Association which represents councils across England and Wales, said councils "stand ready to work with government to design any new resettlement scheme" while Wirral Council leader Jan Williamson said there would be a welcome for "those who need our assistance."

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Taliban fighters patrol in the Wazir Akbar Khan neighbourhood in the city of Kabul, Afghanistan, following their takeover. (AP)

Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, told Radio 4s Today programme: "We of course  as always  stand ready to help and to welcome people here who need our help, but it does need to be fair to places like Greater Manchester."

Steve Rotheram, metro mayor for the Liverpool City Region, told the Liverpool Echo: "Our city region has long been a sanctuary for people escaping war, famine and persecution and we will do all we can to assist refugees from this terrible conflict."

A spokesman for Ashford Borough Council, which had been planning to help between five and 10 families this year, said its officers had been in discussions with the Home Office on Wednesday about planning for the arrival of more Afghan families in the region.

However, the government has faced criticism that it is not moving quickly enough to take in refugees, with 5,000 expected this year.

A protester holding a placard demanding the government take in Afghan interpreters. (Getty)

The Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI) described the resettling of 5,000 Afghans as "woefully inadequate."

JCWI chief executive Satbir Singh warned that local authorities are currently "woefully underfunded" and will need resources "to house Afghan refugees safety, welcome them and give them the chance to rebuild their lives."

On Wednesday home secretary Priti Patel defended the governments Afghan resettlement scheme, telling Sky News: "We are working quickly on this. We cannot accommodate 20,000 people all in one go. Currently we are bringing back almost 1,000 people a day.

"This is an enormous effort. We cant do this on our own. We have to work together."

Watch: The UK has agreed to accept 20,000 refugees
A witness jumps into an alligator tank to help a handler (Fox13)

An alligator handler at a Utah theme park who was pulled from the reptiles enclosure after it attacked, has shown-off her injuries following the incident.

Lindsay Bull, who works at the West Valley City reptile and bird centre in Utah, suffered a damaged tendon and multiple fractures during the alligator attack on Saturday, in which she was pulled into the animals enclosure.

She told TMZ following her discharge from hospital on Tuesday that she has spoken with the members of the public who witnessed the animal, named Darth Gator, grab her hand and toss about in the water. Paying visitors watched on in horror.

Ms Bull instructed two men to help her gain control over the alligator, forcing it to free her hand. It also avoided the alligator biting her hand off, or drowning her.

Pictures shared with TMZ show the wound on her hand before it was covered with a cast on Saturday. Ms Bull is expected to wear it until she is recovered from her injuries, which include a broken wrist and thumb.

She added that she will soon be reunited with Darth Gator, who she said was her first born son and had no hard felling against.

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Donnie Wiseman, aged 48, was seen in video assisting Ms Bull after he jumped on top of the alligators back on Saturday.

He told the Gephardt Daily: I'm just like, "What do I do? What do I need to do. And I got on him, just like in all the movies and documentaries I've seen.

Im so glad I was there to help that girl, because she was in trouble, added Mr Wiseman. But shes the real hero, she was so well trained on what to do, and so professional.

The owners of the animal park said in a statement that Mr Wiseman and another man who rushed to help, Todd Christopher, were responsible for saving Ms Bull.

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A good news update about a woman we first told you about on Monday: The single mother in Antioch who's been braiding children's hair for free to kick off their school year with confidence is still braiding. Since our story aired, even more families and single parents have reached out to Brittany Starks asking if she might have time to braid their child's hair, too.
PHOENIX (AP)  An appeals court on Thursday rejected an effort by the Arizona Senate to keep secret records of its ongoing review of the 2020 election in Maricopa County that are in the possession of the contractors conducting the recount.

The Arizona Court of Appeals ruled that the documents sought by the watchdog group American Oversight detailing how the recount and audit are being conducted are public and must be turned over.

Republicans who control the Senate argued that because the records are maintained by its contractors, they were not subject to public records law and that legislative immunity applies. But the court said that was not the case.

The court said the main contractor, Florida company Cyber Ninjas, was subject to the records law because it was performing a core government function that the Senate farmed out.

"Allowing the legislature to disregard the clear mandate of the (public records law) would undermine the integrity of the legislative process and discourage transparency, which contradicts the purpose of both the immunity doctrine and the (law)," acting presiding Judge Maria Elena Cruz wrote for the three-judge panel.

"The requested records are no less public records simply because they are in the possession of a third party, Cyber Ninjas, Cruz wrote later in the ruling.

The ruling upholds a decision by a Maricopa County Superior Court judge, who has ordered the Senate to turn over the records by Aug. 31.

The Senate has taken radical positions to obstruct basic public access to information about its so-called audit," Austin Evers, American Oversight's executive director, said in a statement. It has tried to get away with outsourcing the audit to a third party and argued that the public has no right to enforce transparency laws against them.

Kory Langhofer, the Senate's lawyer, said they planned to appeal to the Arizona Supreme Court.

The unprecedented partisan recount and review of election results in the state's most populous county was prompted by former President Donald Trump's loss in the state and his contention without evidence that he lost in Arizona and other battleground states because of fraud.

Story continues

Senate Republicans issued subpoenas to Maricopa County for all 2020 ballots, the machines that counted them and other data in the states most populated county.

The materials were given to contractors with little to no election experience for what Senate President Karen Fann calls a forensic audit. Election experts say the 2020 election was secure and well-run, and the contractors are using bizarre and unreliable procedures. Maricopa County has refused further participation.

The results of the audit and hand recount are expected to be handed over to the Senate next week. A date for public release has not been announced.
The Daily Beast

HRH Princess Charlene/InstagramThe narrative of a love match between Prince Albert of Monaco and his bride, former South African Olympic swimmer Charlene Wittstock, so relentlessly marketed by the tiny principality, has long struggled to maintain credibility when confronted with reality.Even before their wedding, there were extraordinary stories that Charlene tried to thrice flee the statelet only to be intercepted and brought back to the palace by the local security service.One of her escape at
An F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jet, attached to the Diamondbacks of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 102, launches from the flight deck of aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) in the Arabian Sea, Aug. 16. US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Matthew Mitchell

US F/A-18s launched from the USS Ronald Reagan are flying armed overwatch over Kabul.

The Pentagon said that this is being carried over from the drawdown mission to the evacuation operations.

"We will use all of the tools in our arsenal to achieve" security, a US general said at the Pentagon.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

US military fighter jets are flying armed overwatch missions over Kabul as US forces continue round-the-clock evacuations, defense officials said at the Pentagon Thursday.

In the last 24 hours, "F/A-18s from the Ronald Reagan carrier strike group flew armed overwatch flights over Kabul to ensure enhanced security," US Army Maj. Gen. William "Hank" Taylor, the Joint Staff deputy director for regional operations, told reporters.

"We maintain a watchful eye and are continuously conducting in-depth assessments to protect the safety of Americans," he said. "We will use all of the tools in our arsenal to achieve this goal."

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said that these flights were not low-pass flights or shows of force, but were, instead, at-altitude overwatch missions in line with those conducted as the US steadily withdrew its forces.

The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan arrived in the US Central Command area in late June to support the withdrawal.

The Navy said at the time that the carrier "provide airpower to protect US and coalition forces as they conduct drawdown operations from Afghanistan."

"Force protection is a high priority," Kirby said Thursday. "We're going to have at our disposal all the assets and resources necessary to make sure we can accomplish this mission safely and efficiently just like we were accomplishing the previous mission of drawdown safely and efficiently."

"The Ronald Reagan has been there providing support," Taylor said. "These F/A-18s are flying more than just yesterday."

Story continues

Asked if the US was prepared to conduct airstrikes in Kabul, Kirby said that he "is not going to talk about potential future operations." He did, however, say that "we've made it very clear to the Taliban that any attack upon our people in our operations at the airport would be met with a forceful response."

The US has been working to evacuate US personnel and Afghan partners and their families following the capitulation of the Afghan armed forces and the collapse of the Afghan government in the face of a sweeping Taliban offensive that reached Kabul on Sunday.

The US has more than 5,200 troops on the ground providing security and supporting the ongoing evacuation operations at Hamid Karzai International Airport in the Afghan capital. So far, roughly 7,000 evacuees have been moved out of Afghanistan.

"We're ready to increase throughput," Taylor said. The Pentagon has indicated that it hopes to ramp up operations to the point that it could move as many as 5,000 to 9,000 people out per day.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Four men shot to death within 38 hours in Minneapolis early this month were officially identified Thursday.

No arrests have been announced in any of the shootings, which spanned from the night of Aug. 7 until late in the morning on Aug. 9 and occurred along some of the cities most well-traveled thoroughfares.

The killings are among 61 homicides that have occurred in the city so far this year, according to a Star Tribune database.

According to the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office:

Shortly after 9 p.m. on Aug. 7, 31-year-old Prince S. Hinton was shot in the abdomen while outside the Winner gas station in the 600 block of West Broadway. Hinton, of Plymouth, died later that night at North Memorial Health Hospital.

About 5 p.m. on Aug. 8, 50-year-old Carl L. Putmon Jr., of Minneapolis, was shot multiple times at the intersection of E. Lake Street and S. 12th Avenue. Putmon died less than an hour later at HCMC.

About 7:50 that same night, 25-year-old Darryl R. Wells Jr., of Minneapolis, was hit multiple times by gunfire while outside the Skyline Market in the 1800 block of Glenwood Avenue. Wells fled on foot as the suspect continued shooting. He also died that night at HCMC.

Shortly after 11 a.m. on Aug. 9, 36-year-old Telly T. Blair, of Minneapolis, was shot multiple times while at the Amstar gas station in the 1600 block of West Broadway. He died about 30 minutes later at North Memorial. Blair was shot while sitting in a car.

Paul Walsh  612-673-4482
The Biden White House apparently failed to coordinate evacuation efforts with the government of the United Kingdom for more than a day despite repeated attempts by Prime Minister Boris Johnson's office to contact President Joe Biden after the Taliban's takeover of Kabul.

According to the Times of London, "senior [U.K.] military commanders have also not been party to key discussions between the U.S. and the Taliban, so were left in the dark about when they could be forced to pull out."

'RAGE': CONTEMPT FOR US SPREADS TO UK AFTER AFGHANISTAN DISASTER

Meanwhile, the Telegraph reports that "Mr Johnson had been attempting to get Mr Biden on the phone to discuss Kabul falling from Monday morning. The pair eventually talked at close to 10 pm on Tuesday."

White House officials did not respond to the Washington Examiner's inquiries by press time, although the administration did release a readout of Biden and Johnson's call from Tuesday.

The pair of leaders "commended the bravery and professionalism of their military and civilian personnel, who are working shoulder to shoulder in Kabul on the evacuation of their citizens and Afghan nationals who assisted in the war effort," the statement read. "They also discussed the need for continued close coordination among allies and democratic partners on Afghanistan policy going forward, including ways the global community can provide further humanitarian assistance and support for refugees and other vulnerable Afghans."

Biden also spoke with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, from which the White House produced a near-identical readout.

German and British politicians have been highly critical of the Biden administration's handling of both the U.S. troop withdrawal and the ensuing evacuation efforts of American and third-country nationals from Afghanistan in recent days.

A number of Biden administration officials expressed concerns to the Washington Examiner that the Afghanistan situation could do irreparable damage to the president's goals of reestablishing diplomatic ties that the previous administration allegedly let fall by the wayside.

Story continues

"[Deposed Afghan President Ashraf] Ghani came to Washington and made promises they would be able to hold off the Taliban," one official said. "In hindsight, maybe we shouldn't have believed him, but the president is getting blamed for something that isn't really his fault."

Daniel Hoffman, a former CIA operator and foreign policy expert, told the Washington Examiner that "obviously" Afghanistan will hurt America's foreign policy standing, but he added that it's too soon to determine the damage done to relationships with U.S. allies.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

"It's way too early to start making those sort of definitive judgments. I think people need to just take a deep breath here and calm down, call off this administration for a chaotic and disastrous withdrawal that never should have happened in the first place," he said in an interview. "But let's just take a deep breath before we start making pronouncements about what it means for our global or national security, and I'm the first person to be critical of these people for this mess that they got into."

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, Joe Biden, Afghanistan, White House, Boris Johnson, United Kingdom, National Security, Foreign Policy

Original Author: Christian Datoc

Original Location: Biden administration kept UK 'in the dark' on evacuation plans after Kabul fell: Report
(AP)

More than 323,000 student loan borrowers with disabilities will have their debts automatically discharged, cancelling more than $5.8bn in student debt, according to the US Department of Education.

Joe Bidens administration will cancel that federally held debt through the Total and Permanent Disability discharge programme, which grants relief to borrowers who are unable to work due to physical or psychological disabilities.

The move follows years of pressure and organising over the course of several administrations to grant relief to eligible borrowers as they are entitled under the law, without burdensome application processes and delays.

Advocates have long argued that the Education Department has authority to discharge loans for people receiving disability benefits through the Social Security Administration, which has previously said that it already identified thousands of eligible borrowers to the department.

Beginning in September, the Education Department will match borrowers with SSA data and should be able to discharge their debt by the end of 2021, according to the department said. Borrowers will not face federal income taxes on cancelled amounts, though they could be liable to state taxes.

Todays action removes a major barrier that prevented far too many borrowers with disabilities from receiving the total and permanent disability discharges they are entitled to under the law, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said on Thursday.

The move follows incremental efforts from the administration to navigate the student debt crisis, which has ballooned to 45 million Americans holding more than $1.8 trillion in debt, which surged within the last decade as private university enrolment grew and federal and state governments made steep cuts to higher-education funding against growing wealth inequality.

Most of that debt  $1.5 trillion  is in federal loans.

Mr Biden pledged to cancel up to $10,000 in federal loan debt before he entered the White House, adding that it should be done immediately upon taking office.

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The president has extended the coronavirus pandemic pause on federal student loan payments through September, and Secretary Cardona has rolled back a policy implemented by his predecessor Betsy DeVos to provide full debt relief for borrowers defrauded by for-profit schools.

During his campaign, Mr Biden proposed a debt relief plan that would cancel up to $10,000 of undergraduate or graduate student loan debt for every year of national or community service, up to five years.

He also modelled a plan from Senator Bernie Sanders and US Rep Pramila Jayapal to cancel federal student loan debt for borrowers from public colleges and universities earning up to $125,000 per year, including students from private Historically Black Colleges and Universities, in an effort to close the racial wealth gap.

The education platform outlined in his American Families Plan would provide up to two years of tuition-free community college and universal preschool, but the plan does not include the measures outlined during his campaign.

As progressive lawmakers weigh congressional action, administration officials are reportedly mulling whether the president has authority  as many debt cancellation advocates have argued  to unilaterally cancel debt through executive action.

Read More

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Biden administration cancels $500m in student loan debt for 18,000 students defrauded by college

Only 32 Americans have ever qualified for student debt cancellation

GOP hits Biden despite divides over Afghanistan withdrawal

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Capitol news - live: Bomb threat suspect livestreams demand to speak to Biden, claims to have propane tank
Miguel Cardona. Win McNamee/Getty Images

President Biden on Wednesday said his administration will not "stand by" while governors try to "block and intimidate" local officials who have imposed mask mandates at schools, and he has asked Education Secretary Miguel Cardona to use "legal action if appropriate" against those leaders.

Biden did not specifically name any governors, but Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.), Gov. Greg Abbott (R-Texas), and Gov. Doug Ducey (R-Ariz.) have all threatened to take measures against school districts that defy their bans on mask mandates, including withholding funding. Still, with the highly contagious Delta variant spreading across the U.S., several districts in those states have voted in favor of universal mask mandates. On Wednesday, Miami-Dade County Public Schools in Florida, the fourth-largest district in the U.S., passed a mask mandate, with medical exemptions.

These districts just want to keep their students safe, Biden said, and they are following recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which has said wearing a mask helps curb the spread of the coronavirus and anyone over the age of 2 should wear a face covering while inside school buildings. Biden said he wants Cardona to take "additional steps to protect our children," and this includes "using all of his oversight authorities and legal action if appropriate against governors who are trying to block and intimidate local schools officials and educators."

Cardona has sent letters to DeSantis, Abbott, and Ducey, as well as the governors of Iowa, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Utah, saying bans on school masking mandates put students at risk and "may infringe upon a school district's authority to adopt policies to protect students and educators as they develop their safe return to in-person instruction plans required by federal law," The Washington Post reports. This isn't about politics, Biden said, but rather "keeping our children safe. It's about taking on the virus together, united."

Story continues

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U.S. President Joe Biden pauses while giving remarks on the worsening crisis in Afghanistan from the East Room of the White House August 16, 2021. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Biden said in an ABC interview that history will show the US 'overextended' in Afghanistan.

'Are we gonna go to war because of what's goin' on in Tajikistan?' asked Biden.

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan made similar comments at a briefing on Tuesday.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

In an interview with ABC's George Stephanopoulos on Wednesday, President Joe Biden said history will judge that the United States "overextended" its mission in Afghanistan.

The remarks followed a lengthy exchange about the symbolism of the Taliban ruling Afghanistan once more on the 20th anniversary of 9/11.

"How will history judge the United States' experience in Afghanistan?" asked Stephanopoulos.

"We overextended what we needed to do to deal with our national interest," replied Biden. "Are we gonna go to war because of what's goin' on in Tajikistan? What do you think?"

Biden is deeply familiar with the war and enmeshed with the US's decisions. As chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee when the US invaded in 2001, Biden offered full-throated support, saying "whatever it takes." Years later, Biden traveled to Afghanistan and began to lose faith in the effort. As vice president in the Obama administration, he recommended a focus only on countering Al Qaeda, and against adding more troops. He was overruled. And as a presidential candidate in 2020, he pledged to bring the war to a close.

In the ABC interview, he went on to invoke the long history of Afghanistan, alluding to the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the British Empire's involvement with the country, and even the conquests of Alexander the Great.

"Where in that isolated country that has never, never, never in all of history been united, all the way back to Alexander the Great, straight through the British Empire and the Russians, what is the idea?," Biden asked. "Are we gonna continue to lose thousands of Americans to injury and death to try to unite that country? What do you think? I think not."

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He went on, noting that the country is bordered by US adversaries. "Is that worth our national interest to continue to spend another $1 trillion and lose thousands more American lives? For what?"

Earlier in the interview, Biden reiterated that the primary goal of the US mission in Afghanistan was counterrorism, rather than nation-building.

Biden's comments echo those made by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan earlier in the week. At a press briefing on Tuesday, Sullivan pushed back after a reporter suggested that the US had a national security interest in having troops near, among other countries, Tajikistan.

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"Would you say that there is no interest for us having some presence on the borders of Iran, on the borders of Pakistan, on the borders of - near China? Would you - or Tajikistan? Would you say that we're - that we should just give that up?" the reporter asked.

"I would say that the President does not believe that the United States should be fighting and dying in a war for the purpose of sustaining American military boots near Tajikistan or Pakistan or Iran," said Sullivan. "We would not agree that it is right to ask American soldiers to risk their lives for the purpose of maintaining a presence near Tajikistan."

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As many as 15,000 American citizens may remain inside Afghanistan, struggling to get out, days after the Asian nation fell to control of Taliban terrorists, President Biden said Wednesday.

Also looking to flee are tens of thousands of Afghan citizens who fought alongside or aided U.S. troops over the past two decades  and now fear retribution from the terrorist organization now wielding power in the country, The Associated Press reported.

Biden said the U.S. was committed to getting every American out of Afghanistan  even if that meant some U.S. troops would remain in the country beyond his Aug. 31 deadline for their withdrawal after a two-decade-long military operation.

GEN. MILLEY DENIES INTEL WARNED OF RAPID COLLAPSE, SAYS NOBODY PREDICTED AFGHAN SECURITY WOULD EVAPORATE

But, "Americans should understand that we're gonna try to get it done before Aug. 31st," Biden insisted during an interview with ABC News.

Earlier this week, a Biden assertion that some Afghans were "still hopeful for their country," and didnt want to leave, was widely criticized. The U.S. State Department confirmed a backlog of tens of thousands of visa applications from Afghans who have been trying for years to leave the country ahead of the Aug. 31 U.S. pullout deadline.

Meanwhile on Wednesday, U.S. Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, denied reports that U.S. intelligence personnel had warned that the situation in Afghanistan could deteriorate rapidly  just as it did last Sunday as Taliban fighters moved in on Kabul, the capital.

"There was nothing that I, or anybody else, saw that indicated a collapse of this army and this government in 11 days," Milley told reporters at a news briefing in Washington, referring to Afghan forces aided by the U.S. and the countrys leadership prior to the Taliban takeover.

Milley said about 4,500 U.S. troops were currently on the ground securing the airport and made clear that any U.S. citizen wanting to leave Afghanistan will have an opportunity to do so  as would any Afghan allies that have helped with the 20-year U.S. effort in the country.

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Milley said some 5,000 people had already been evacuated, adding the U.S. military will have the capability of increasing the pace of evacuations when the State Department "makes evacuees available."
President Biden said in an interview with ABC that aired Thursday that the Taliban is going through an "existential crisis," as it takes over Afghanistan in the wake of the United States' botched withdrawal.

ABC News' George Stephanopoulos asked Biden if be thinks the Taliban has changed since the beginning of the U.S. war in Afghanistan. Biden replied that he isn't sure the group wants to run a legitimate nation-state.

"No. I think  let me put it this way," Biden said. "I think they're going through sort of an existential crisis about do they want to be recognized by the international community as being a legitimate government. I'm not sure they do."

Stephanopoulos asked Biden whether the Taliban cares about its radical Islamic beliefs more than running a country, and the president agreed.

"Well, they do. But they also care about whether they have food to eat, whether they have an income that they can provide for their  that they can make any money and run an economy," Biden said. "They care about whether or not they can hold together the society that they in fact say they care so much about."

BIDEN SAYS NO ONES BEING KILLED' IN AFGHANISTAN, CAN'T RECALL ADVISERS TELLING HIM TO DELAY WITHDRAWAL

Biden said, however, that he is not "counting on" the Taliban to act in a responsible manner to ensure Afghans' safety before qualifying his statement by apparently giving the Taliban credit for not killing Americans.

"I'm not sure I would've predicted, George, nor would you or anyone else, that when we decided to leave, that they'd provide safe passage for Americans to get out," Biden said.

Biden's claim that the Taliban is providing "safe passage" to the airport came as the U.S. embassy in Kabul this week is sending messages to Americans warning: "THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT CANNOT ENSURE SAFE PASSAGE TO THE HAMID KARZAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT."

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TALIBAN FIRE AT AFGHANS CELEBRATING INDEPENDENCE DAY, VIDEOS SHOW

The interview aired on ABC as videos showed the Taliban, in video obtained by Fox News, opening fire on crowds waving Afghan flags and celebrating the countrys Independence Day. Sources also tell Fox News this week that the Taliban has set up checkpoints outside of the Kabul airport and is beating people and arbitrarily denying entry.

Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., on Wednesday evening posted a screenshot of a message to his office of an American who allegedly could not make it to the airport.

Thursday morning Pentagon officials at a press conference said the gates at the Kabul airport "are secure" but did not answer a reporter's questions about whether the gates are "continuously open" or whether the Taliban is "letting people through."

People try to get into Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan August 16, 2021. (REUTERS/Stringer)

"The reporting this morning is that they are open. But I can't tell you with perfect clarity that there haven't been times over the last 72 hours when temporarily, because of maybe security incidents, that they've had to close. I suspect that that's true," Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said. "Our goal is obviously to keep them as open as possible."

Biden in the ABC interview Thursday also insisted that people are not being killed amid the withdrawal; that U.S. intelligence didn't indicate Afghanistan would collapse as quickly as it did; and that his top advisers didn't caution against pulling out of the country so quickly  despite reports to the contrary on all three assertions.

Evacuation flights out of the Kabul airport continue Thursday. The Pentagon says it is not sure how many Americans are in Afghanistan and in need of evacuation.

Fox News' Greg Norman and Rich Edson contributed to this report.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Taliban must decide whether it wants to be recognized by the international community, U.S. President Joe Biden said in an ABC interview aired on Thursday, adding that he did not think the group had changed its fundamental beliefs.

Asked if he thought the Taliban had changed, Biden told ABC News, "No."

"I think they're going through a sort of existential crisis about: Do they want to be recognized by the international community as being a legitimate government? I'm not sure they do," he said, adding that the group appeared more committed to its beliefs.

But, he added, the Taliban also had to grapple with whether it could provide for Afghans.

"They also care about whether they have food to eat, whether they have an income that ... can run an economy, they care about whether or not they can hold together the society that they in fact say they care so much about," Biden said in the interview, taped on Wednesday. "I'm not counting on any of that."

He also added that it would take economic and diplomatic pressure -- not military force -- to ensure women's rights.

(Reporting by Susan Heavey; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne and Chizu Nomiyama)
U.S. President Joe Biden pauses while giving remarks on the worsening crisis in Afghanistan from the East Room of the White House August 16, 2021. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Biden on Wednesday continued to defend the US' rapid exit from Afghanistan.

He told ABC News there was no way the US could've left "without chaos ensuing."

The Taliban took over the Afghan capital on Sunday, triggering a government collapse.

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President Joe Biden in a new interview on Wednesday continued to defend his administration's handling of the Afghanistan pullout amid a humanitarian crisis to evacuate fleeing people.

Speaking to ABC News' George Stephanopoulos, Biden rejected the criticism that the US's military withdrawal has been bungled after the Taliban seized control of the country over the weekend.

"So you don't think this could have been handled - this exit could have been handled better in any way, no mistakes?" Stephanopoulos asked Biden.

"No," Biden responded. "The idea that somehow, there's a way to have gotten out without chaos ensuing, I don't know how that happens. I don't know how that happened."

Biden's comments come as he faces immense public backlash over the US's exit strategy. Congressional Republicans and Democrats alike have expressed frustration over the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan and have slammed the Biden administration. Lawmakers have also called for an investigation into the situation to better understand what went wrong and why the US had not been more prepared for the Afghan-government collapse.

Critics began sounding off on Biden soon after the Taliban took control of the Afghan capital on Sunday. Photos and videos showed Afghans scrambling to leave the country and packing into cargo planes. Some footage showed Afghans clinging to and falling from a moving plane at the Kabul airport.

Stephanopoulos pressed Biden on the scenes, saying: "We've all seen the pictures. We've seen those hundreds of people packed in a C-17. We've seen Afghans falling."

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Biden interjected and claimed "that was four days ago, five days ago," although the photos were actually taken on Sunday and Monday.

Biden told Stephanopoulos that they will try to get US troops out of Afghanistan by the August 31 deadline, but will stay past that until all Americans leave the country.

Biden first defended his Afghanistan strategy in a speech on Monday. He acknowledged the "gut-wrenching" scenes coming out of Kabul and said the US will continue to transport American citizens and Afghan refugees out of the country.

The president has also come under attack for not evacuating Afghan refugees sooner, considering the threat of the Taliban. But Biden stood by that position on Monday and said the Afghan government discouraged a "mass exodus," which would trigger a "crisis of confidence" in country's government. The collapse of that government Sunday triggered chaos as thousands of people tried to flee.

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President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden are intending to get their Covid-19 booster shot when they become available next month (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden will get Covid-19 booster shots as soon as they can, according to an interview with ABC News.

The presidential couple were given their second dose of the vaccine in January and therefore will be able to get their booster in September, Mr Biden told the network on Wednesday.

"Were gonna get the booster shots," Mr Biden said in the televised interview. "We got our shots all the way back in I think, December. So  its past time."

This announcement comes after the federal government said that people will be able to get their third shot against the coronavirus from 20 September.

According to the plan, a third shot will be available eight months after ones last dose of either Pfizer-BionTech or Moderna. No plans have been outlined regarding a booster for the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Health officials had previously assured the public that boosters were not yet required, but could eventually be necessary. The plans to go ahead with boosters is part an effort to stay ahead of Covid, according to Dr Vivek Murthy, the US surgeon general.

He said that vaccines are proving effective at preventing severe Covid-19 infections, hospitalisations and death but that they were worried about their effectiveness against mild infection.

The move for third doses was met with criticism from the World Health Organisation and other bodies. They believe that the US should not administer third doses before other global populations receive at least one dose. The WHO believes that each nation state should have 10 per cent of their populations vaccinated before third shots are given.

Mr Biden addressed the criticism in his interview with ABC.

"Were providing more [Covid vaccine shots] to the rest of the world than all the rest of the world combined," Mr Biden said.

Were gonna provide a half a billion shots to the rest of the world. Were keeping our part of the bargain. Were doing more than anybody," he said.

Israel was the first country to give out booster shots. They started giving the shots to individuals over the age of 60 who got their last jab more than five months ago. Other countries, such as the UK, are due to follow suit.
Boy Scouts of America is one step closer to a plan to get out of bankruptcy after a Delaware judge on Thursday signed off on a $850 million settlement agreement the organization reached last month with a majority of attorneys for sex abuse claimants in the case.

Judge Laurie Silverstein rejected two pieces of the agreement: a request by Boy Scouts to back out of an earlier agreement with one of their largest insurers, the Hartford; and payment for professional fees for attorneys with the Coalition of Abused Scouts for Justice, a group of 27 law firms representing 60,000 abuse claimants.

Silverstein said the parties can opt to move forward on the agreement without those two pieces, or not. Jessica Lauria, an attorney for Boy Scouts, said they would decide quickly.

At a hearing scheduled for next week, Silverstein is expected to review the Scouts' latest plan for reorganization  the next milestone in the case. If approved, it would go out for a vote to claimants.

The $850 million settlement has been praised as the largest for sex abuse claims in U.S. history. Yet, a USA TODAY analysis of the agreement as well as Boy Scouts latest plan reveals significant holes that make it difficult for victims to know how their claims will be handled and how much they're worth.

All of that leaves a steep hill for Boy Scouts to climb to get out of bankruptcy quickly  something the organization has repeatedly said it needs to do to remain solvent.

This is kind of like a plan for a plan, said Marie T. Reilly, a professor at Penn State Law.

Reilly has analyzed the outcomes of Catholic diocese bankruptcies and said that the Scouts' plan has particularly extensive unresolved issues, even compared with the larger diocesan cases.

More: Boy Scouts files Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the face of thousands of child abuse allegations

More: Boy Scouts abuse claims may become largest case against a single national organization

Jason Amala, an attorney with Pfau Cochran Vertetis Amala PLLC  which represents more than 1,000 sex abuse victims in the case  agreed, adding that typically at this point claimants "can take a look at the plan and have a rough sense of how theyre going to do."

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"Right now, nobody can read this plan and have any sense of how theyre going to do," said Amala, who also has represented abuse claimants in diocesan cases.

Amala is among a handful of attorneys objecting to the agreement. He said too much remains unknown, including how much each local council will contribute to the victims' trust, and if that amount matches their level of liability.

Insurance companies who hold Boy Scout policies have been the most outspoken objectors. Roughly 18 insurance companies hold policies for Boy Scouts dating back decades. The terms of those policies are expected to cover much of the Scouts' liability from sex abuse claims. They represent one of the largest assets in the case, and one of the biggest points of contention.

In April, Boy Scouts reached a $650 million settlement agreement with Hartford. In recent hearings, however, Scouts attorney Jessica Lauria said it's become clear that none of the abuse claimants would vote for a plan that includes the agreement and asked the judge to let them abandon it as part of the new deal.

Silverstein said the question wasn't properly posed, and rejected it.

Attorneys for Hartford and other insurers have argued against Boy Scouts' new plan, which doesn't include the $650 million settlement, saying it flouts bankruptcy law by inflating the cost of claims and leaves insurers with the bill.

At issue is whether claims that are time-barred under statute of limitations will be eligible for payouts. In many states, victims are barred from filing lawsuits over abuse after a period of time; however, laws in roughly two dozen states have changed in recent years.

Under the Boy Scouts' plan, claimants who live in states with restrictive statutes of limitations will be dinged an unspecified amount, or they can take an expedited payment of $3,500. Insurers argue that any plan requiring them to pay those claims violates both their policies and bankruptcy code because they wouldn't be viable lawsuits in civil court.

"Bankruptcy shouldnt change the outcome when it comes to insurance," Philip D. Anker, an attorney for Hartford, said during the hearing. "It also shouldnt increase liability."

Without insurers onboard, it remains unclear how the plan would get anywhere close to Boy Scouts' own estimation of the value of the claims, which they say is between $2.4 billion and $7.1 billion. In a footnote, Scouts acknowledged the settlement reached with victims attorneys will only cover 10% to 30% of the total value.

More: Boy Scouts offer to compensate sexual abuse victims in historic $850 million bankruptcy settlement

More: Boy Scouts of America sex abuse survivors claim censorship, object to bankruptcy exit plans

Also unclear is the role of thousands of charter organizations  the religious and civic groups that sponsor Scout troops -- which have largely been left out of discussions.

Objections from Catholic and Methodist chartered groups, which represent about a third of current Boy Scout members, were nearly as heated as those from insurers, warning that such a plan "incentivizes chartered organizations to abandon Scouting."

"If a sufficient number of chartered organizations terminate their relationships with the debtors, then it is unlikely the (Boy Scouts) will be able to meet their financial obligations under the proposed plan," the objection said.

In her ruling Thursday, Judge Silverstein also rejected a provision to cover attorneys fees for the Coalition. Those fees wouldn't typically be covered under bankruptcy law because the group is not the official committee representing claimants. The proposed settlement, however, agrees to pay up to $10.5 million in fees already incurred and $950,000 a month going forward.

A U.S. Trustee, charged by the federal government with oversight of the bankruptcy system, objected to the provision, noting the payments will further reduce the amount of money going to the abuse claimants.

In her ruling, Silverstein echoed the same: "Any funds diverted from abuse victims, especially for their lawyers, needs to be closely examined."

More: He posed as a doctor and a wilderness expert. Behind the facade was an accused child molester.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Boy Scouts bankruptcy: $850 million settlement OK'd by judge
Human Rights Watch accused Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro Thursday of violating the right to free speech by blocking critics on social media, where the far-right leader maintains a heavy presence.

At least 176 journalists, lawmakers, influencers, ordinary citizens and others deemed critical of the president have had their access to his accounts blocked, mostly on Twitter, the New York-based rights group said in a report.

Bolsonaro "is trying to rid his social media accounts of people and institutions that disagree with him and turn them into spaces where only applause is allowed, part of a broader effort to silence or marginalize critics," HRW's Brazil director, Maria Laura Canineu, said in a statement.

The group noted that in the United States, an appeals court ruled in 2019 that Bolsonaro's political role model, then-president Donald Trump, could not block critics from his Twitter account because that violated their constitutional right to free speech.

Bolsonaro, who has built his political brand largely around his fiery social media screeds, has around seven million followers on Twitter, 14 million on Facebook -- where he hosts a weekly live address -- and 18.6 million on Instagram.

Human Rights Watch said Bolsonaro was also violating the right of access to information of those concerned.

It said it is itself among the organizations blocked by Bolsonaro, along with leading online news site UOL, investigative site The Intercept Brasil and fellow rights group Amnesty International.

Brazilian Communications Minister Fabio Faria said it was the president's right to block people.

"Official government accounts are one thing, but Jair Bolsonaro's personal, individual accounts are another," he said.

Bolsonaro claims his own right to free speech is regularly violated on social media, where he has had posts deleted on grounds of spreading fake news.

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By Stephane Nietschke and Andy Kranz

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - A British businessman described how he was in tears when the German military helped him escape Kabul after a harrowing few days stranded at the airport with the Taliban on one side, U.S. troops on the other and looters marauding through the terminal.

Soon after the fall of Kabul to the Taliban on Sunday, the businessman, who declined to be named for security reasons, fled to the airport despite gridlocked streets, where he filmed video on his phone showing tanks standing still in queues behind cars.

He was told to go to the part of the terminal where U.S. and German troops were.

"It took me a good few hours to get myself close to the gate and shout out that I am British and please get me out of here," he said soon after his arrival at Frankfurt airport in Germany.

"There was chaos and they had guns, they were shooting," he said. "Tear gas was just flying all around and then one of them just got me inside and I was in tears, honestly!"

However, the situation was almost as chaotic inside the terminal as within hours there as a panic with people saying the Taliban had taken over the airport and were going to come in.

All airport staff, from pilots to cleaners, left the terminal, leaving hundreds of people, from Britain, Germany, the United States and other countries as well as Afghans stranded, he said.

"We were there for a couple of nights without food and water and a night after that ordinary people started coming into the airport," said the businessman.

Video he filmed inside the terminal showed a group of young men struggling over a vending machine, eventually breaking it and making off with cans while waiting passengers were slumped in chairs.

"They looted the airport and the terminal, they broke everything that was in there: computers, the canteens and we were scared. We were not allowed to go out because Taliban was there and on this side it was the American troops. So we were like, what are we going to do? Just stay here!" he said.

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At last, the man boarded a Bundeswehr flight to Tashkent before arriving in Frankfurt on an Uzbekistan Airways flight on Thursday.

"I am very thankful to the German air force and German troops. They were doing a tremendous job at the airport, honestly! Salute to them!" he said before making his way out into a windy German afternoon.

(Writing by Madeline Chambers; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)
The impoverished Sahel state of Burkina Faso was plunged once more into mourning on Thursday, as the toll of people killed by suspected jihadists the day before climbed from 49 to 80, including 65 civilians.

The national flag was lowered to half-mast for three days of mourning at the parliament, presidency and government offices in the capital Ouagadougou, an AFP journalist saw, while the heavy casualties raised fresh doubts about the country's armed forces.

Several television and radio channels changed their programming, mostly broadcasting songs paying tribute to the defence and security forces.

Newspapers and online media placed a black edging of mourning around their front pages, although some raised pointed questions over the country's security crisis.

"Over the past five years, the days have come and gone but look the same to the Burkinabe public," said the online outlet Wakatsera.

"The flags are raised and then almost immediately dropped to half-mast to mourn new dead, civilians and/or troops, in attacks by armed individuals who are usually never identified," it said.

"This time, the mourning will last 72 hours. What about tomorrow?"

- Bloody toll -

The landlocked country has been battered for the past six years by jihadist attacks from neighbouring Mali -- the epicentre of a brutal insurgency that began in 2012 and has also hit Niger.

Thousands of soldiers and civilians have died in the three countries, while according to UN figures, more than two million people have fled their homes.

In Burkina Faso itself, the toll stands at more than 1,500 dead and 1.3 million displaced.

In Wednesday's attack, 65 civilians and 15 gendarmes were killed near the town of Gorgadji in Burkina's Sahel region, communications minister and government spokesman Ousseni Tamboura said late Thursday.

The location is in the so-called three-border area, where the frontiers of the three countries converge -- and gunmen linked to Al-Qaeda and the so-called Islamic State roam.

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The security forces killed 58 "terrorists" and the rest fled, according to the government, which on Thursday offered its "congratulations to the defence and security forces" for the action.

- Struggling military -

It was the third major attack on Burkina troops in the past two weeks, placing a spotlight on the country's poorly equipped and ill-trained armed forces against a highly mobile foe.

Since the start of August, more than 90 people have died in attacks in the north and northeast of the country.

Overnight on June 4, gunmen killed at least 132 people, including children, in the northeast village of Solhan. It was Burkina's deadliest attack in the history of the insurgency.

"With each new attack, we say we've hit bottom, but then another one comes along, reminding us that there is always something worse," said Bassirou Sedogo, a 47-year-old businessman.

"We observe national mourning, but we also wonder how an ambush against a military convoy... can leave so many casualties.

"If they can kill so many civilians who are under escort, that means no one anywhere in the area is safe from these killings."

The police and volunteers in the Gorgadji attack had been providing a security escort for civilian victims of preceding assaults who were going back to their homes elsewhere in the region, the authorities say.

On Niger's side of the "three-border" region, more than 450 people have been killed since the start of the year.

On Monday, armed men arriving on motorbikes killed 37 civilians in the village of Darey-Daye as they worked in the fields. Four women and 13 children were among the dead.

ab/stb/ayv/ri/tgb/sst
(Independent)

Capitol police are investigating reports that a truck containing explosives has been spotted near the Library of Congress in Washington DC.

People are being urged to stay away from the area.

The USCP is responding to a suspicious vehicle near the Library of Congress, the US Capitol Police force said in a Tweet.

Please stay away from this area and follow this account for the latest information.

The Capitol police described it as an ongoing investigation.

We are monitoring this situation closely and will update this account as we get information we can release.

Situated next to the US Capitol building, the Library of Congress is the largest in the world.

The Associated Press reported the area around the Library was being evacuated.
WASHINGTON  A much-anticipated sentencing for Capitol riot defendant Robert Reeder was called off at the last moment Wednesday after new videos surfaced mere hours before that appeared to show Reeder attacking police on Jan. 6.

Reeder had pleaded guilty in June to a single misdemeanor count for parading, demonstrating, and picketing in the Capitol  a nonviolent offense and one of the lowest-level charges filed in connection with the Jan. 6 insurrection. Hed been prepared to argue for no jail time, while the government wanted him behind bars for two months because it believed hed failed to show remorse for his role in the riots.

But those plans swiftly fell apart midmorning Wednesday, when a collective of online sleuths who have spent months independently trying to identify people who participated in the riots posted previously unseen footage that they said showed Reeder attacking US Capitol Police officers. Known as Sedition Hunters, the group initially tweeted an image of a man with his arm outstretched making contact with an officer; the man was wearing a red hat and blue jacket that matched what Reeder was photographed wearing on Jan. 6 in other evidence previously filed in his case.

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The group followed up the first tweet with a set of video clips that appeared to show the full confrontation. In the video, two police officers advance in the direction of the man identified as Reeder on the steps in front of one of the entrances to the Capitol. The man is then seen striking at one of the officers before being pushed back as other members of the crowd join the fight.

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The abrupt cancellation of Reeders sentencing was a dramatic moment that underscored the fact that even as some Capitol riot cases wrap up with plea deals, the wider investigation and prosecution effort is ongoing. New cases are being filed weekly, and some plea agreements have required defendants to turn over their social media accounts to the FBI to review, another sign that investigators continue to collect more evidence.

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Appearing before US District Judge Thomas Hogan for what was supposed to be Reeders sentencing on Wednesday afternoon, Assistant US Attorney Josh Rothstein confirmed that the government had become aware of the new video footage earlier in the day and immediately notified the court and Reeders lawyer.

Rothstein said the government initially planned to just revise its sentencing recommendation for Reeder from two months to six months in jail  the maximum penalty allowed for the misdemeanor count he pleaded guilty to  to reflect the more serious conduct depicted in the video. But once prosecutors learned there were more videos, Rothstein said they decided to ask for a delay to make sure they had all of the relevant evidence and enough time to go through it before figuring out how to proceed.

Reeders lawyer Robert Bonsib agreed with the plan to push back the sentencing date, suggesting that additional videos might ultimately help his clients case; he did not elaborate on that. He said he didnt think that the new videos would change the ultimate nature of their defense.

Hogan granted the delay request and reset Reeders sentencing for Oct. 8. The judge said he was obviously concerned about the new development because the original evidence in Reeders case portrayed him as an observer more than a participant.

It was not immediately clear if the government would consider bringing additional charges against Reeder, or if the original plea deal would stand. The agreement states explicitly that the government reserves the right to prosecute Reeder in the future for any crime of violence ... if in fact your client committed or commits such a crime of violence prior to or after the execution of this Agreement.

Reeder had contacted the FBI in late January and turned over videos and photos hed recorded in and around the Capitol on Jan. 6, confirming that he went inside the building. The videos posted by Sedition Hunters didnt appear to show him holding up his phone. Investigators have relied heavily on body camera footage from DC police officers who responded to the riots to build cases against people accused of assaulting officers, but as noted by HuffPosts Ryan Reilly, US Capitol Police officers didnt have that equipment.

In one of the videos that Reeder gave the FBI, he recorded himself narrating his experience, according to a transcript included in his charging papers.

Just left the Capitol, I was one of the last people out. I was in there for over half an hour. I got gassed several times inside the Capitol, many times outside the Capitol. Got shot with pepper balls. It was fucking nuts. We had to do... ah... battle with the Police inside. It was crazy... absolutely insane, Reeder said at the time.

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Aerial view of M25 motorway

Car use in Britain is now up to or higher than before the first lockdown, while the number of people using public transport has lagged behind, data from the Department for Transport shows.

The data for cars compares the levels now as a percentage of the traffic on the first week of February 2020.

The figures for buses compares to the third week of January, and the data for national rail services is compared to the equivalent week in 2019.

It comes as the debate about getting more people on to public transport intensifies.

At the start of the first lockdown - the end of March and start of April 2020 - there was between a quarter and a third of car traffic than there had been in the first week of February.

National rail use dropped to as low as 4% as the same week in 2019, and bus use outside London to as low as 10%.

During the summer 2020, car traffic returned to around 90%-100% of February 2020 figures and didn't drop as low as levels in the first lockdown during subsequent lockdowns.

By this summer, car traffic on weekends has consistently been more than 100% of February 2020 levels, reaching as high as 111% on 15 August.

Bus and train use has increased since the first lockdown and during this summer, but is still far from the levels seen before the pandemic.

Train station

Bus use outside London this summer is about or below 60% during the week and under 80% on weekends. Meanwhile national rail use is still less than 60%.

Although the statistics are released every week, they are of particular interest at the moment. As the end of the summer approaches, and with the COP 26 climate change conference approaching, arguments about car use are intensifying.

Politicians are facing more questions about how to get travellers out of cars and on to public transport. The annual decision on whether to raise rail ticket prices from next year has still to be made.

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Paul Tuohy, chief executive of Campaign for Better Transport, said: "If this shift towards car use becomes entrenched, we will see increased carbon emissions, air pollution and traffic-clogged streets."

"With the effects of climate change being felt around the world, it's more important than ever that the government encourages people back onto public transport."

Freezing rail fares for next year would be a good start, he said, but added: "We really need to rebalance pricing towards greener modes: it makes no sense that bus and rail fares continue to rise while fuel duty for drivers has been frozen for a decade and the government is considering cutting air passenger duty."

The fact that car traffic is now at up to 111% of the comparable week in February 2020 does not mean this is an all time high, however. The analysis of the data says that traffic can vary by plus or minus by 20% over the course of a year.

Train companies are operating around 85% of services at the moment.

A spokesperson for the Rail Delivery Group, which represents the industry, said: "Since the relaxation of restrictions last month we have seen a 10% increase in rail journeys, driven by leisure travel, as more people take the train to see friends and family or to go on holiday.

"This is good news because when people travel by train it's more than just a journey, it's part of a clean, fair recovery as leisure travellers by train spending over 100 with local businesses while on their travels."

A DfT spokesperson said: "Our Safer Travel guidance is helping people to return confidently to all forms of transport, as we build back better and greener from the pandemic.

"We are working with industry experts to make all options of travel sustainable as we strive towards decarbonising our transport network and delivering net zero by 2050."
A Chicago Park District watchdog said hes been suspended while investigating allegations of sexual abuse by district lifeguards and thinks hes being punished for trying to expose officials attempts to cover up the misconduct.

Nathan Kipp, the Park Districts deputy inspector general, said he was placed on indefinite emergency suspension last week.

Park District officials gave him no explanation for the move, Kipp said. But he speculated that someone at the Park District doesnt like how hes pursuing the growing scandal over alleged sexual abuse and hazing among lifeguards at Park District beaches and pools.

I cant think of any reason other than that I have been zealously pursuing this investigation, Kipp said Thursday.

Asked why Kipp was suspended and whether the timing had anything to do with the ongoing lifeguard investigation, the Park District in a statement Thursday said the district operates independently of the Office of Inspector General and has absolutely no influence on policies and decisions made by the IG.

Park District Inspector General Elaine Littles office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Kipp suspension.

Kipp noted that days after his suspension, Park District CEO Michael Kelly held a news conference to announce disciplinary action had been taken against 42 employees of the districts Beaches and Pools Unit, including nine workers tied to an investigation of sexual misconduct and abuse in the unit.

Two high-ranking managers  the assistant director of recreation and the beaches and pools manager  have been suspended without pay.

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Kelly also announced the creation of an Office of Protection within the Park District to root out anyone who uses their position to prey on others or turns a blind eye to this despicable behavior.

In his statement, Kipp termed Kellys changes ineffectual and opaque reforms.

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Kipp said in his statement that the Park District and its Board of Commissioners have repeatedly and successfully exerted improper influence over the (Office of the Inspector General), with the apparent goal of ending the investigation prematurely and as quietly as possible.

And he said his suspension is clearly a tactic meant to thwart my unflinching work to expose Park District officials attempts to cover up or minimize the culture of criminal sexual misconduct and misogyny that has thrived  and that continues to thrive  throughout the Districts Beaches & Pools Unit.

At Mondays news conference, officials said the disciplinary actions taken against beach and pool workers included two firings and six resignations. Spokeswoman Michele Lemons later clarified that neither of the firings were related to the sexual misconduct allegations and that 33 of the discipline cases were for drinking or possessing alcohol on park property.

These cases were included in the announcement to share the Districts commitment to rooting out all misconduct in Beaches and Pools, Lemons said.

Chicago public radio station WBEZ first reported in April that the Park District was investigating wide-ranging claims of sexual misconduct among pool and beach employees.
Associated Press

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam granted posthumous pardons Tuesday to seven Black men who were executed in 1951 for the rape of a white woman, in a case that attracted pleas for mercy from around the world and in recent years has been denounced as an example of racial disparity in the use of the death penalty. Cries and sobs could be heard from some of the descendants after Northam's announcement. The Martinsville Seven," as the men became known, were all convicted of raping 32-year-old Ruby Stroud Floyd, a white woman who had gone to a predominantly black neighborhood in Martinsville, Virginia, on Jan. 8, 1949, to collect money for clothes she had sold.
By Yew Lun Tian

BEIJING (Reuters) - China marked the 70th anniversary of its control over Tibet on Thursday, with a celebration in Lhasa, to drive home the message to accept the rule of the Communist Party.

Beijing has ruled the remote western region since 1951, after its People's Liberation Army marched in and took control in what it calls a "peaceful liberation".

"Tibet can only develop and prosper under the party's leadership and socialism," Wang Yang, who heads a national organisation responsible for uniting all races and all parties under the leadership of the Communist Party, said at the event in the region's capital, Lhasa.

The celebration, attended by almost 10,000 people, was held at the foot of the iconic Potala Palace, a sacred Buddhist site associated with the Dalai Lamas.

A nationwide live telecast of the celebration prominently featured a four-storey high portrait of Chinese President Xi Jinping towering over the audience.

Propagandists in the 1950s and 1960s used to extensively display Mao Zedong's portraits at rallies and celebrations to whip up a personality cult around him and cultivate loyalty.

Most leaders after Mao forbade the practice, although under Xi's rule, his solo portraits as well as those with him and four previous leaders have been placed extensively in Tibet.

The party's atheist Han leaders in Beijing have also made extra efforts to cultivate loyalty among Tibetans, many of whom are devout Buddhists and traditionally view the Dalai Lamas as their spiritual leaders.

Beijing brands the current Dalai Lama, exiled in neighbouring India, as a dangerous separatist and instead recognises the current Panchen Lama, put in place by the party, as the highest religious figure in Tibet.

As a mark of the party's rule over Tibetan Buddhism, Wang presented the Panchen Lama with a commemorative plaque at the ceremony. (This story corrects anniversary event to control over Tibet from founding of the Tibet Autonomous Region, in first paragraph)

(Reporting by Yew Lun Tian; Editing by Anil D'Silva)
SHANGHAI/HONG KONG (Reuters) - China's central bank said it summoned executives of the country's most indebted property developer, China Evergrande Group, to talks on Thursday and issued a rare warning that the company needs to reduce its debt risks and prioritise stability.

The unusual summons comes amid fragile confidence in China's credit markets and concern that any financial crisis at Evergrande could pose a systemic risk as the company struggles to find the cash it needs to pay its lenders.

It also comes days after President Xi Jinping highlighted efforts to forestall major financial risks and as a flurry of regulatory crackdowns roil China's equity markets.

Evergrande had no immediate response, although it has been pursing asset sales, with Reuters reporting https://www.reuters.com/world/china/exclusive-china-evergrande-talks-with-xiaomi-consortium-sell-ev-unit-stake-2021-08-19 on Thursday of efforts to offload part of its electric vehicle business.

"The meeting shows Evergrande poses systemic risks. Its massive debt threatens financial stability," said Rocky Fan, economist at Sealand Securities.

"On the other hand, it shows Evergrande has the means to solve its problem, and regulators are pressing it to do more," he added.

The move did not appear to flag a bailout of the kind announced hours earlier by another troubled borrower, China Huarong Asset Management Co Ltd.

Evergrande must "actively diffuse debt risk and maintain real estate and financial markets stability," said the People's Bank of China and China's banking regulator, the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission, in a joint statement.

"Evergrande, as a top real estate company, must earnestly implement strategic arrangements made by the central government to ensure the stable and healthy development of the real estate market, and strive to keep operations stable," they said.

DEBTS PILE UP

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Evergrande has more than 240 billion yuan ($37 billion) of bills and trade payables from contractors to settle over the next 12 months, according to ratings agency S&P Global.

Concern over the developer's financial health intensified in June when it failed to pay some commercial paper on time.

Its bonds carry junk ratings from S&P, Moody's and Fitch, all of whom recently issued downgrades, and its troubles have sent jitters through China's entire junk-debt market at a time when corporate credit is rallying in the rest of the world.

The regulators' statement said senior Evergrande executives were summoned for talks and urged the company to abide by disclosure rules and clarify market rumours promptly.

Such summons' are unusual, though were recently issued to Ant Financial both before and after its ultimately scuppered stock market listing in November.

At least one bond investor said the move could mean Evergrande is on the verge of a default that would reverberate through the banking system.

"This is what worries regulators the most," said the fund manager, who declined to be named as he is not authorised to speak to the media.

The regulators' statement was published after market hours. Evergrande stocks and bonds have been heavily sold for months amid fears it may not be able to meet repayments, with its share price hitting an almost five-year low in Hong Kong on Thursday.

($1 = 6.4893 Chinese yuan renminbi)

(Reporting by Samuel Shen in Shanghai and Clare Jim in Hong Kong. Additional reporting by Cheng Leng in Beijing. Writing by Tom Westbrook; Editing by Kirsten Donovan, Elaine Hardcastle)
By Michael Holden

LONDON (Reuters) - Environmental activists who caused days of traffic chaos in London two years ago said on Wednesday they would start a fortnight of action next week focused on the capital's financial district, which they blame for helping to fuel climate change.

Extinction Rebellion (XR), which has regularly staged demonstrations across Britain targeting banks, financial institutions, energy firms and media organisations, said it expected thousands of activists to take part its "disruptive" protests which will start on Monday.

"We'll be targeting the City of London because it's time that people understand the real contribution of the UK to this crisis," lawyer and XR activist Tim Crosland told reporters.

"The City of London is the arch financier of the carbon economy. It supports 15% of global carbon emissions. It hosts BP, Shell, Glencore, Anglo American, and Russian oil and gas companies such as Gazprom and Rosneft."

Extinction Rebellion brought much of central London to a standstill during 11 days of action in 2019, bringing its cause to the fore but also provoking criticism from some politicians who said the police had been too tolerant.

The planned "Impossible Rebellion" will involve site occupations and marches through the capital's financial district. The group declined to give any details of targets, but said there were no plans to target public transport.

The action will coincide with a planned strike by a rail union next week which the capital's transport operator said could cause major disruption.

Extinction Rebellion wants an emergency response from governments and a mass move away from polluting industries to avert the worst scenarios of devastation outlined by scientists.

A report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) earlier this month warned global warming was dangerously close to spiralling out of control, with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres calling it a "code red for humanity".

Britain will host the United Nations COP26 climate conference later this year, which will try to wring more ambitious climate action from governments and the money to fund it.

(Reporting by Michael Holden; Editing by David Holmes)
Exempt. Illustrated | Getty Images, iStock

A COVID-19 medical exemption is a little like having an emotional support python: In the vast majority of cases, it's unjustifiable, irresponsible, and needlessly dangerous.

But that hasn't stopped perhaps millions of Americans from smugly walking around with a metaphorical snake wrapped around their necks. Medical exemptions have increasingly become the a la mode way for anti-vaxxers to deflect judgment and excuse themselves from mandatory vaccination requirements  even when doctors say there is almost never a well-founded reason to not get the safe and effective shot. What's worse, like those who abuse the emotional support animal system, the people who take a "rules don't apply to me" approach to the COVID-19 vaccine are actively endangering the members of the community they purport to be a part of.

In recent weeks I've steadily encountered friends and family members who claim they haven't gotten the vaccine yet due to a medical condition. And though I appreciate the disclosure, all science indicates it's a phony excuse. Even as everything from a weakened immune system to asthma are cited as reasons to not get the vaccine, doctors say those conditions don't actually make one ineligible.

Art Krieg, an expert in immune disorders, was recently asked by Bloomberg if he could think of any health conditions that would disqualify someone from the COVID-19 shot: "Absolutely not," was his answer. "[T]here is no health condition where you should not get the vaccine." William "Andy" Nish, an allergy and immunology specialist, concurred: "[T]he risk of getting COVID-19 is so much higher and so much worse than the risks of getting the vaccine that it's just not even debatable," he told The American Journal of Managed Care. "It's just something that people need to do." Joel Fishbain, the medical director for infection prevention at Beaumont Hospital Grosse Pointe, further clarified to Detroit's 7 Action News that "we do recommend avoiding live virus vaccines in people with immune systems that cannot handle it. This is NOT a live virus vaccine. So that exclusion would not apply."

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One notable exception would be people who had a severe allergic reaction to the first shot  which, of course, would require them to have gotten the initial shot to have discovered. Yet cases of anaphylaxis seem to only occur in about 5 in every million people vaccinated (and those who did have allergic reactions, meanwhile, responded positively to the use of an antihistamine, Bloomberg notes). Pregnancy, or the desire to get pregnant, is likewise not a reason to avoid the vaccine; in fact, it's even more reason to get it ASAP.

But that hasn't stopped vaccine skeptics from seeking medical exemption letters  or sham doctors from writing them. "[A]n Oklahoma clinic said on Facebook that if an employer mandates vaccines, they can write a doctor's note exempting you from it if you qualify," reports Oklahoma's 4 News, going on to quote Dr. Dale Bratzler, the University of Oklahoma's Chief COVID-19 officer, who frets about such "exemption vouchers ... that are not based on any science." Even more worryingly, while 95 percent of doctors are vaccinated, there are still some medical professionals who've taken to legitimizing vaccine misinformation and in doing so, endanger their patients' lives. If your chiropractor told you not to get the vaccine, for example, it's time to get a second opinion.

In some extreme cases, there are people who have genuine reasons to wait on getting the shot. Chris Frederick, an Ohio man who spoke to News 5 Cleveland, said a new diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) made his doctor tell him to hold off on the shot until they'd done more tests. But even in his case, the pause is only temporary: "Being that they don't see a problem with having COPD and getting the vaccination, I don't think that I'll face too many roadblocks there," he said.

Importantly, it is people like Frederick  or immune-compromised individuals waiting on their third booster shots, or children under 12  who rely on the rest of us to take the COVID-19 vaccine seriously and urgently. The more people who decide they're exceptional and don't need to follow the rules, the more chance the disease has to circulate in the population and threaten vulnerable individuals, or mutate into a vaccine-resistant strain. Just as people who abuse the emotional support animal system make life harder for people who legitimately require support animals, the rampant abuse of the exemption program only leads to the very few people who actually, really need it to be at an increased risk.

You never know another person's medical situation, and a lack of compassion for others isn't productive. But anti-vaxxers need to take accountability for their stances and not hide behind the language of others' real medical conditions. The obligation to protect yourself against COVID-19 is not just about your own individual wellbeing, after all. It's a selfless act that protects all those who aren't lucky enough to have the luxury of choice.

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Aug. 19Dalton Public Schools has announced it will change its COVID-19 policies in an effort to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus and its highly contagious delta variant.

During a special meeting early Wednesday morning, the board of education voted 5-0 to approve a resolution adapting its COVID-19 policies.

In doing so, it established a tiered system for planning its COVID response, moving immediately into the tier for moderate risk. That phase makes masks mandatory for students in prekindergarten through seventh grade  students who are not yet old enough to receive COVID-19 vaccinations.

Students in higher grade levels will not be required to mask, although they will be strongly encouraged to do so.

Masks will be mandated for all students on school buses, where social distancing is difficult due to space constraints.

Parents will have the chance to opt their children out of masking requirements, requests that must be approved by the child's school principal and superintendent. Similarly, staff members may be granted permission not to wear masks by Superintendent Tim Scott.

Scott said the policy will likely be implemented by Friday or will start by Monday at the latest.

Under the new policy, Dalton Public Schools will follow a tiered response plan to attempt to mitigate the spread and other negative effects of the virus. Which tier the school system is in will be determined based on the rate of community spread, as determined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's guidelines.

The first and second tier are for low and moderate community spread. From there, schools will be looked at individually to determine whether there is a need to move them into the phases with the strictest guidelines, Tier 2 and Tier 3.

Individual schools with 2% or more of the total school population impacted over a five-day period will enter into Tier 2. The board did not outline what, exactly, would trigger Tier 3, which moves all Dalton Public Schools students to hybrid or virtual instruction. Superintendent Scott said the district "reserves the right" to enter Tier 3 at any time, based on any combination of factors.

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These are the specifics of the first three tiers:

 The school system will fall into Tier 0 when there is low community spread of the virus. In Tier 0, Dalton Public Schools will sanitize school buses twice daily, clean schools daily, use ecovasive antimicrobial spray in buildings every 90 days, provide acrylic desk shields to students upon request, provide hand sanitizer and masks, encourage social distancing of at least 3 feet during school lunchtimes, emphasize the importance of washing hands and follow standard contact tracing and quarantine guidelines already in place at all schools and facilities.

 Currently, the school system is moving to Tier 1, for moderate community spread. In this phase, Dalton Public Schools will do the following in addition to continuing the cleaning and safety measures from Tier 0: Ask students health screening questions at the start of the school day, during homeroom and again after lunch; restrict visitors and guests to the schools, except by appointment; require masks on school buses for all students; require masks for students in seventh grade and below with opt-out available upon request by a parent or guardian; and make efforts to ensure social distancing of three feet or greater between students.

 An individual school can be triggered up to Tier 2 if 2% or more of its students and staff test positive for COVID-19, as indicated by a 5-day average. In that phase, the school system will: Prohibit visitors from all district buildings; provide lunch in classrooms, instead of the cafeteria, to encourage social distancing; and carry over all policies and procedures implemented during previous phases, such as enhanced cleaning measures.

The decision by Dalton Public Schools to require masks comes just two days after the city of Dalton entered into a state of emergency in response to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in Whitfield County.

Based on the most recent data from Dalton Public Schools released on Friday, the school system had 35 students and 16 staff members test positive for COVID-19 since the start of the school year.

Contact Kelcey Caulder at kcaulder@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6327. Follow her on Twitter @kelceycaulder.
Good morning, Chicago.

Yesterday, U.S. health officials announced their recommendation for a third COVID-19 booster shot. The extra dose would be administered eight months after people received their second shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, according to the plan outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other health agencies. Officials also said people who got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will likely need a booster, but that theyre waiting for more data.

Meanwhile, superintendents from public school districts across Illinois joined forces yesterday to oppose Gov. J.B. Pritzkers school mask mandate after dozens of districts were put on probation for defying the requirement. My colleague Karen Ann Cullotta has the story.

 Nicole Stock, audience editor

Here are the top stories you need to know to start your day.

COVID-19 tracker | For your smart speaker | More newsletters | Puzzles & Games | Daily horoscope | Ask Amy | Todays eNewspaper edition

Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Teachers Union are at an impasse in negotiations over the fall reopening of schools with less than two weeks until students return for in-person learning, CTU President Jesse Sharkey said Wednesday.

CTU says many of CPS safety plans for this year arent strong enough  but right now, were saying were going back into buildings, Sharkey said. CPS emphasized its commitment to the health and safety of its students and staff in a statement Wednesday while reaffirming its intention to reopen classrooms this month.

Half her lifetime ago, Jerhonda Johnson Pace was a teenage R. Kelly superfan, a member of his MySpace fan club, so devoted that she went to the Cook County Criminal Courthouse in 2008 to show support during the singers first criminal case.

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This week, 13 years later and 800 miles away, Pace faced Kelly at another courthouse. This time, as the first witness against him in a federal racketeering case that could see him locked up for life.

Hundreds of mourners waited in line Wednesday afternoon at St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel to pay their respects to Chicago police Officer Ella French, who was shot and killed during a traffic stop on Aug. 7. Frenchs partner, Officer Carlos Yanez Jr., was shot in the eye, brain and shoulder, according to a GoFundMe fundraiser organized by family.

A transgender woman from Oswego won a 10-year court battle with Hobby Lobby, when the Illinois Appellate Court ruled this month that she had the right to use the womens restroom at work.

Meggan Sommervilles battle began shortly after she completed her transition to living as a woman in July 2010. Hobby Lobby, where she had worked since 1998, changed her personnel records to reflect her female gender but balked at what has become a flashpoint in the transgender culture wars: access to a gender-appropriate bathroom.

Long before the pandemic, Labor Day weekend was considered the last hurrah of summer. So it stands to reason that vaccinated Chicagoans might be looking to get out of town for the long weekend and take in some outdoor scenery, socially distanced fun and delicious bites before cold weather descends. Here are 10 ideas to get you started.
The man who claimed to be in possession of an explosive device by the Capitol Hill complex has surrendered to law enforcement after hours of negotiation.

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The Associated Press confirmed the update Thursday afternoon.

Police rushed into emergency response when a man sitting in a pickup truck without a license plate outside the Library of Congress informed them that he had a bomb, sources familiar with the matter told AP. Washington, D.C., police had been investigating the active bomb threat and corresponding with the suspect to reach a resolution and deescalate the situation, Capitol Police chief Tom Manger said at a news conference Thursday.

The man has since been identified as Floyd Ray Roseberry, a 49-year-old white male from North Carolina, authorities confirmed.

Investigators on the scene had tried to ascertain whether the device in question was an operable explosive and whether the suspect was wielding a detonator. The man exchanged notes with the police from the inside of the truck to communicate, three anonymous sources told AP.

Roseberry, who was taken into police custody around 2:30 p.m., was reportedly making anti-government statements, NBC News justice correspondent Pete Williams reported.

Manger said earlier that Roseberry had been broadcasting himself on a livestream to share his thoughts. The man posted a video on Facebook depicting him holding a package that he admitted to be a bomb. He reportedly references a revolution and expressed discontent with recent events in Afghanistan, a law enforcement official told CNN.

Roseberrys wife reportedly told NBC Washington assignment editor Tom Lynch that her husband had left North Carolina Wednesday for a fishing trip. He was upset by the outcome of the 2020 Presidential election and cast a ballot for the first time in his life for former President Trump, she added.

The wife also confided in Lynch in a phone conversation that her spouse had struggled with mental-health issues and had recently changed to a new medication, which the Cleveland County Sheriffs Office and FBI agents reportedly found at the Roseberry residence in North Carolina.

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The FBI said in a statement obtained by CNN that it had deployed its Washington field offices National Capital Response Squad to address the threat. Police also reportedly sent snipers to the area.

The USCP is responding to a suspicious vehicle near the Library of Congress, the Capitol Police tweeted before 10 a.m.

Please stay away from this area  This is an active bomb threat investigation, the department said.

The building that was potentially at risk is situated near the Capitol and the Supreme Court. Staffers working in the Jefferson and Madison Library of Congress buildings as well as the Cannon House building received alerts ordering them to evacuate due to the incident, CNN reported. U.S. Capitol Police also evacuated the Supreme Court, where tourists are not allowed to visit now because of the pandemic, a spokesperson for the court told CNN. The RNC, which is close to the trucks location, was also vacated as a precaution, AP said.

Congress is currently in recess for the summer and most legislators are not in their offices this week. The White House said it was monitoring the situation and that law enforcement would be updating them on the event.

More from National Review
(Getty Images/iStockphoto)

An elderly woman has been hospitalised after being attacked by a moose outside a house near Glenwood Spring, Colorado, on Friday.

The 79-year-old woman was dog-sitting for someone when she saw a cow (adult female moose) and its two calves earlier in the day.

When she thought the moose was no longer in the area, she took the dog out in the yard. A resident witnessed the cow stomping on the woman.

The victim suffered severe injuries and was transported to a local hospital, then by helicopter to a medical facility on the Front Range.

The incident occurred in an area of quality moose habitat and it is known that the moose frequent this area year-round, said Area Wildlife manager Matt Yamashita in a press statement.

Moose are increasingly being spotted in Colorados towns and ski resorts as they go in search of new habitats. There are more than 2,500 moose in the state, and more people are attacked by moose than any other animal.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the woman. This incident was no fault of her own. Conflicts with moose can happen, even when you follow best practices for living in moose habitat.

Wildlife officials searched for the moose for three days after the attack. There had been multiple cows with calves in the area, making it difficult to track down the offending animal.

This likely was an incident of a cow protecting her calves, said Mr Yamashita, who has warned people of the risks of moose encounters since the incident. We have been talking with the local residents to educate them about living in moose habitat, the potential dangers associated with interacting with moose and actions they can take to minimise the risk of conflict.

Moose can weigh up to 1,000 pounds (453kg) and be up to six feet tall (1.8 metres) and are Colorados largest mammal.

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The upcoming Canadian election will likely see a dramatic increase in mail-in votes, as many Canadians try to avoid line-ups and crowded spaces during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

In Canada the practice of mail-in voting has been available for decades to no fanfare, though this year is expected to be a bit different.

During the last election, 50,000 Canadians used the mail-in voting option to cast their ballot. The current estimate of mail-in voters for the upcoming election, according to Elections Canada spokesman Matthew McKenna, is between 2 and 3 million. As a result, there will be more people working in IT at returning offices, where the ballots will be sent.

Theres been quite a bit of work done to make sure that theyre ready for that kind of an uptick, he tells Yahoo Canada News.

Historically, those whove used the mail-in options were people who were going to be away from their riding during the election, either because theyre travelling, in school or living abroad.

Mail-in voting became a controversial issue in the 2020 U.S. election, as some Republican and former U.S. President Donald Trump wrongly claimed the voting option was more prone to fraud. All states currently allow at least a portion of the voting population to cast a vote by mail. The rules vary from state to state, with some allowing registered voters to receive a mail ballot, also known as an absentee ballot, while others require a reason. Some states need a witness signature or notarization on a ballot return envelope, while others only require a voter's signature.

For our election, slated for Monday, Sept. 20, Elections Canada expects more voters to use the mail-in option. Even though voters are in their ridings, they might want to avoid the lineups on Election Day. For the first time, the application for a mail-in voting ballot can be requested online. Previously, a voter would have to contact Elections Canada by phone or go to a local returning office.

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The process of applying to vote online is easy, making it an ideal option for vulnerable populations or those who face accessibility challenges.

The first step is applying to vote online by requesting a special ballot as soon as possible. Elections Canada must receive your completed application by either:

Tuesday, September 14, 6:00 p.m. Eastern time, if you apply online or to Elections Canada in Ottawa.

Tuesday, September 14, 6:00 p.m. local time, if you apply to a local Elections Canada office.

Once youve applied for a voting kit, it will be mailed to you.

Unlike ballots at the poll, there isnt a list of candidates to choose from. On a special ballot, there is a blank space where you write the first and last name of the candidate youre voting for, so you'll have to do your own research or use this Elections Canada tool.

The voting kit will have everything you need, including a series of envelopes that protect the secrecy of your vote and a prepaid, pre-addressed envelope.

Once you vote by applied ballot, you cant vote at the polls on Election Day. It's crucial to allow enough time for your special ballot voting kit to reach you and for you to return your marked ballot to Elections Canada by election day. Theres a subtle nuance for those who are voting within the riding and those voting outside of their riding. Details on the deadlines are also included in the voting kit.

If youre worried about not getting your ballot back in time (by mail), you can bring it to your assigned polling station, on election day, or any other polling station in your riding, and you can drop it off on election day, McKenna says.

For those voting outside their riding, their votes get processed in Ottawa. The deadline for those ballots is 6 p.m. EST on election day, Sept. 20.

For more information, visit the Elections Canada website.
(Corrects headline and first paragraph to say $160 million instead of $140 million)

By Paul Lienert

(Reuters) - Ample, a San Francisco-based developer of swappable electric vehicle (EV) batteries, has raised $160 million in a new funding round, the company said on Thursday.

The company has developed a battery for EVs and an automated process for quickly swapping out depleted batteries for newly charged packs, according to founders Khaled Hassounah and John de Souza.

The Series C round brings to $230 million the total raised by the seven-year-old startup, which plans to expand testing and deployment to New York City, then Madrid and Singapore, Hassounah said in an interview.

"We've been saying for the past few months that this technology is ready for prime time, so now we intend to prove it" by expanding the fledgling service to more cities and drivers, he said.

Long charging times that are common at most public and commercial charging stations have dampened consumer and fleet demand for electric vehicles.

Ample is part of a growing group of companies, including Chinese EV makers Nio and Xpeng, trying to revive and update an old idea: Leapfrog charging hurdles by offering quick battery swaps to EV owners concerned about running out of juice while driving.

Unlike the Chinese carmakers, Ample aims to make its batteries and swapping process more widely available to different brands.

Hassounah and de Souza say their process can replace a depleted battery with a fully charged one in less than 10 minutes, using an automated process that "works with any electric vehicle" at a cost "as cheap as gasoline."

Ample's financial backers include corporate investors Shell and Repsol as well as energy providers such as Japans Eneos and Thailands PTT.

Automated battery swap "could solve a big problem" for energy companies and commercial operators that are moving their fleets to electric power and cannot afford downtime for extended charging, de Souza said.

(This story corrects headline and first paragraph to say $160 million instead of $140 million)

(Reporting by Paul Lienert in Detroit; Editing by David Holmes)
(Bloomberg) -- A surprise meeting between Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and a senior security official from the United Arab Emirates is the clearest sign yet that the regional foes are ready to turn the page.

Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAEs national security adviser, discussed with Erdogan regional issues of mutual concern and boosting investment, the UAEs state-run WAM news agency reported after the meeting in Ankara on Wednesday. Erdogan in a televised interview, hinted he may speak with Sheikh Tahnouns brother, the UAEs de facto leader, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The warming of ties has broad implications at a time of great uncertainty in the region. Regional states are assessing how to deal with Afghanistan, where the Taliban swept to power amid the U.S. withdrawal. And regional heavyweight Iran is weighing how to proceed with talks to revive its nuclear deal with world powers.

Gulf States Reach Out to Erdogan in Wary Move to Ease Tensions

The UAE is signaling that its being proactive about mending ties with adversaries, said Elham Fakhro, a senior Gulf analyst at Crisis Group. The mood in the region has been one of de-escalation and thats mostly because countries are convinced the U.S. might not always be there to save its allies.

The rare high-level meeting built on growing signs of outreach over the past year. The overtures, including investments, have been largely tentative, however, due to longstanding tensions stemming from Turkeys support for the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist political organization viewed as a threat by the UAEs authoritarian rulers. Additionally, Turkey and the UAE have been on opposing sides of a proxy war in Libya and have disagreed on issues ranging from Syria to Iraq and the eastern Mediterranean.

Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed is frequently bashed in Turkeys pro-government media, which accused him of aiding the 2016 failed coup against Erdogan and supporting Kurdish militants in Syria. In the UAE, Erdogan became a target after Turkey moved troops to Qatar to support the small Gulf nation amid a recently ended three-year boycott by the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

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The Dubai-Istanbul Route, Once Rammed With Flights, Stays Silent

Ups and downs are possible between governments, Erdogan told TVNet late Wednesday. Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, described the meeting as historic on Twitter.

Growing Signs

The dispatch of Sheikh Tahnoun involved more than a security component. His portfolio straddles the security and business world through his role as head of Abu Dhabis newest sovereign wealth fund, ADQ, and technology firm G42.

In the past two months, the UAE and Turkey have struck several business deals, after a years-long drought, though small compared to the multibillion-dollar agreements typical of Abu Dhabis various wealth funds.

Abu Dhabis Mubadala Investment Co. wealth fund invested in Turkish grocery delivery startup Getir, which raised $555 million in new funding in June. In August, UAE-based scooter company Fenix bought Turkish peer Palm for $5 million to expand into Turkey. Dubai-based cloud kitchen startup Kitopi raised $415 million from investors including Turkeys Dogus Group.

The UAE is in the phase of strengthening relations with everyone, Gargash said. The divergence of attitudes towards some issues will not stand in the way of communication and enhancing opportunities for stability, prosperity and development.

(Updates with investment information from ninth paragraph)

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BERLIN (AP)  The foreign ministries of Germany, France and Britain on Thursday expressed grave concern over the latest report by the UN's nuclear watchdog that said Iran continues to produce uranium metal, which can be used in the production of a nuclear bomb.

The International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna confirmed earlier this week that Iran has produced uranium metal enriched up to 20% for the first time, and has significantly increased its production capacity of uranium enriched up to 60%.

The production of uranium metal is prohibited by the 2015 nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, which promises Iran economic incentives in exchange for limits on its nuclear program, and is meant to prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear bomb.

Germany, France and Britain  the western European members of the JCPOA  called the moves by Iran serious violations of its commitment under the JCPOA. They said that both are key steps in the development of a nuclear weapon and Iran has no credible civilian need for either measure.

Iran insists it is not interested in developing a bomb, and that the uranium metal is for its civilian nuclear program.

Our concerns are deepened by the fact that Iran has significantly limited IAEA access through withdrawing from JCPOA-agreed monitoring arrangements, the joint statement added.

The U.S. unilaterally pulled out of the nuclear deal in 2018, with then-President Donald Trump saying it needed to be renegotiated.

Since then, Tehran has been steadily increasing its violations of the deal to put pressure on the other signatories to provide more incentives to Iran to offset crippling American sanctions re-imposed after the U.S. pullout.

The western Europeans, as well as Russia and China, have been working to try to preserve the accord.

U.S. President Joe Biden has said he is open to rejoining the pact, but that Iran needs to return to its restrictions, while Iran has insisted that the U.S. must drop all sanctions.

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Months of talks have been held in Vienna with the remaining parties of the JCPOA shuttling between delegations from Iran and the U.S.

The last round of talks ended in June with no date set for their resumption.

Following the latest IAEA report on the increase in uranium metal production, U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said earlier this week that the move was unconstructive and inconsistent with a return to mutual compliance.

In Thursday's statement the three western European powers said that Irans activities are all the more troubling given the fact talks in Vienna have been interrupted upon Tehrans request for two months now and that Iran has not yet committed to a date for their resumption.

While refusing to negotiate, Iran is instead establishing facts on the ground which make a return to the JCPOA more complicated, the statement said.
The suspect involved in an "active bomb threat" near the Library of Congress on Thursday surrendered to authorities in Washington, D.C.

For several hours, police were locked in a tense standoff with a man sitting in a truck outside the Library of Congress who claimed to have an explosive device in the vehicle and demanded to speak to President Joe Biden.

At around 2:20 p.m., the suspect was seen exiting the vehicle, getting on the ground, and surrendering himself to law enforcement, according to footage captured from the incident.

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Officers were responding to a suspicious vehicle near the Library of Congress, U.S. Capitol Police said Thursday morning, evacuating the Cannon House Office Building. Congress is currently out of session. The FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives also responded to the scene. Authorities told nearby residents to evacuate before the situation was clear.

"Please continue to avoid the area around the Library of Congress," police said on Twitter.

During an afternoon press conference, Capitol Police Chief Thomas Manger confirmed a man in a black pickup truck drove on the sidewalk in front of the Library of Congress around 9:15 a.m. local time. The driver of the truck told the responding officer "he had a bomb and what the officer said appeared to be a detonator," Manger said, adding that they were aware of reports of a person livestreaming the incident.

Law enforcement named the suspect as Floyd Ray Roseberry, from Grover, North Carolina. A Facebook user by the name of Ray Roseberry uploaded a video to the site Thursday that appeared to be broadcast from inside the truck outside the complex. Facebook has since deleted the user's account.

Ive called 9-1-1 and told them to come out here and clear this f***ing place out, they need to clear it out," he is heard saying in the video. "Cause I got a bomb in here! I dont want nobody hurt.

Screenshot of Ray Roseberry Facebook Livestream Facebook

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Police sent negotiators to engage with Roseberry.

FBI RELEASES CHILLING VIDEO OF PIPE BOMB SUSPECT NEAR RNC AND DNC

Capitol Police shut down roads to the complex, informing people to avoid the area. The Supreme Court was also evacuated.

Congressional staffers were warned about the threat, with staff inside the Jefferson building told to "remain calm and move in a safe manner to the exits," according to alerts obtained by Forbes.

Staff in the Madison Building were initially alerted to "a security threat inside the building," but a correction was made to denote the possible vehicular bomb threat. People inside were later told to evacuate.

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Several lawmakers took to social media to inform the public that they were safe as police continued negotiation efforts.

"As this situation unfolds, I pray the heroes responding to the scene are safe from any danger," Republican Florida Rep. Byron Donalds tweeted.

Democratic Florida Rep. Val Demings posted to Twitter that she was "monitoring the situation near the Capitol Complex," adding that her staff members were safe from the threat.

The Capitol South metro station has been closed, according to the Washington Metro, which noted that orange, silver, and blue line commuters along the path "should use alternate travel options."

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Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips signaled gratitude toward those concerned about his staff near the Library of Congress, saying, "Everyone is safe," adding in his statement that "once again, America is forced to confront the growing risk posed by domestic terrorists."

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

The threat outside the library complex on Thursday came just months after authorities discovered pipe bombs planted outside the Republican and Democratic national headquarters in Washington at the same time thousands of former President Donald Trump's supporters trespassed onto Capitol Hill in a riot.

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Tags: News, Congress, Library, Investigation, U.S. Capitol Police, Bombs

Original Author: Kaelan Deese

Original Location: Suspect surrenders following 'active bomb threat' near Library of Congress
By Svea Herbst-Bayliss

BOSTON (Reuters) - Activist investor Starboard Value LP poached an analyst from asset manager BlackRock's investment stewardship team, which exerts great influence on issues such as climate change and board makeup that often are critical to the hedge fund's campaigns, two sources familiar with the matter said on Thursday.

Starboard hired Mack Abbot, a vice president at BlackRock who worked for the world's largest asset manager for nearly four years, for its investment team, the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The move marks the second departure from BlackRock's investment stewardship team in two months as well as an unusual step in which one of the team's analysts is leaving to join an investment management firm not a bank, which had been a more traditional choice for others who departed previously.

Representatives for Starboard and BlackRock did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Abbot did not return an email seeking comment.

Starboard, run by CEO Jeffrey Smith, has long been one of the industry's busiest and most powerful activist investors pushing for change at companies ranging from restaurant chain Darden to internet company Box, often trying the remove the CEO.

BlackRock and index funds Vanguard Group and State Street help determine the outcome of many proxy fights because they generally own huge stakes in targeted companies.

With $9 trillion in assets under management, BlackRock recently signaled that it is taking a much tougher stance on climate and sustainability issues.

BlackRock's investment stewardship group employs dozens of people globally including about half a dozen analysts in the United States who vote on hundreds of proposals annually.

BlackRock last month said that Ray Cameron, who had been the head of investment stewardship for the Americas for three years, would be moving to another position within BlackRock's institutional client business.

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A number of former analysts and executives, including Cameron's predecessor Zach Oleksiuk who joined investment bank Evercore, now work for banks defending against activists.

Starboard has been among the most successful activists in getting board seats and won six in the first half of 2021, including seats at Corteva, where it proposed three new independent directors.

Separately, Douglas Snyder, a former managing director who had been with Starboard for nine years, this month moved to hedge fund Luxor Capital Group as president.

(Reporting by Svea Herbst-Bayliss; Editing by Will Dunham)
(Reuters) - The United States and other Western powers are pressing on with the evacuation from Afghanistan of their nationals and some of their Afghan staff from Kabul airport, from where about 8,000 people have been flown out since Sunday, a Western security official said.

Thousands of people have desperately tried to get past Taliban roadblocks and U.S. troops to reach the airport. On Thursday the Taliban urged crowds of Afghans waiting outside it to return home, saying they did not want to hurt anyone, a day after firing at protesters and killing three.

EUROPEAN UNION

The European Union's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Thursday about 100 EU staff and 400 Afghans working with the EU and their families had been evacuated, but that 300 more Afghans were still trying to leave.

UNITED KINGDOM

Britain is unable to evacuate unaccompanied children from Afghanistan, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said on Thursday when asked about footage of a young child being handed over a wall to Western soldiers at Kabul airport.

Britain's ambassador said his team had evacuated about 700 people on Tuesday and hoped to scale up the operation in coming days.

A spokeswoman for Britain's foreign ministry said that since Sunday, approximately 1,200 people had left Kabul on flights for the United Kingdom.

UNITED STATES

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said on Wednesday that in the previous 24 hours U.S. military flights had evacuated approximately 2,000 more people.

The Pentagon is aiming to evacuate up to 22,000 Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) applicants, their families and other at-risk people.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said there were about 4,500 U.S. military personnel in Kabul and there "have been no hostile interactions with the Taliban and our lines of communication with Taliban commanders remain open."

GERMANY

Germany has evacuated more than 1,000 people since Monday, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas wrote on Twitter.

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FRANCE

France has evacuated 395 people from Kabul since the Taliban takeover, including 138 on a flight due to arrive in Paris later on Thursday. Of the 395, 308 are Afghan nationals.

ITALY

Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio was quoted by local media as saying some 500 Afghan residents who have collaborated with Rome have already been transferred to Italy with their families. He said Italy plans to transfer 2,500 people in total.

SPAIN

Spain plans to airlift around 500 people including Spanish embassy staff and Afghans who worked with them and their families from Kabul, radio station Cadena SER said on Wednesday, citing sources close to the evacuation.

NETHERLANDS

The Dutch defence ministry said on Thursday it evacuated 79 people from Afghanistan, including 69 Germans and 9 Dutch citizens. The Dutch have more flights planned later in the day.

The Netherlands said it got 35 of its citizens and 20 other foreign nationals out of Afghanistan on Wednesday. A flight, which included 16 Belgians, two Germans and two British passport holders landed in Amsterdam late on Wednesday, the Foreign Ministry said on Twitter.

CZECH REPUBLIC

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis said on Thursday his country's rescue operation to evacuate Czechs and Afghans who worked for the Czech embassy or as interpreters had ended. The country sent three flights to Kabul since Sunday, evacuating Czech citizens, as well as 170 Afghans.

DENMARK

Denmark on Thursday evacuated some 320 people, including human rights activists, translators and other local employees with a Danish connection, from Kabul to Islamabad, Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod told journalists.

Denmark has also offered to help allied countries with evacuating their citizens.

"The flights have happened in an orderly way when you take the circumstances into account, and we have a really good logistics set-up in place to get people into the airport, over to the planes and on to Pakistan," Defence Minister Trine Bramsen said.

Denmark's prime minister said on Wednesday that 84 people were evacuated that day from Afghanistan on a military plane.

HUNGARY

Hungary said on Wednesday it had organised the evacuation of a group of 26 Hungarian nationals working as contractors from Afghanistan and they would return to Hungary shortly on a flight organised by another country.

POLAND

Poland has evacuated around 50 people from Afghanistan, a deputy foreign minister said on Wednesday, a day after Poland said it had around 100 people on an evacuation list.

AUSTRALIA

Prime Minister Scott Morrison, facing criticism over plans to evacuate citizens and some Afghans from Kabul, said on Thursday that bad weather in the coming days may delay rescue flights.

Australia has evacuated 26 people on one flight from Afghanistan, and Morrison said a further 76 were transported out of Kabul late on Thursday on a British plane.

JAPAN

Japan is in close contact with a "small number" of its nationals still in Afghanistan, seeking to ensure their safety after Taliban militants took over Kabul, the government's top spokesman said on Wednesday.

Japan has closed its embassy and evacuated the last 12 personnel, officials said this week.

CANADA

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Thursday that Canadian Armed Forces assets and personnel have arrived on the ground at the Kabul airport, and two C-17 planes will be making regular flights in and out of Kabul for as long as possible.

However, Trudeau said the Taliban were still blocking access to the airport.

"To get many people out, as many as we want, is going to be almost impossible in the coming weeks," Trudeau told reporters. "Our focus is to get as many people out as quickly as possible."

INDIA

An Indian air force plane evacuated over 170 people from Kabul on Tuesday, including India's ambassador to Afghanistan, a government official said.

TURKEY

President Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey has evacuated 552 citizens from Afghanistan so far, including around 200 people flown from Kabul to Islamabad by a military plane on Wednesday. A Turkish Airlines plane was scheduled to bring them to Istanbul from Islamabad later the same day.

SWITZERLAND

The Swiss government said it was working to evacuate 230 local aid agency workers and their families from Afghanistan and bring them to Switzerland.

Around 40 local employees who worked for the Swiss Development Agency in Kabul and their families will be allowed into Switzerland in a humanitarian operation, the government said.

(Compiled by Catherine Evans, Hugh Lawson and Steve Scherer; Editing by Matthew Lewis)
A federal appeals court Thursday rejected a potential class-action lawsuit stemming from a COVID-19 outbreak last year on a cruise ship that sailed from Florida, ruling that the case needed to be filed in Italy.

A three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a district judges decision to dismiss the lawsuit filed by Paul Turner, a Wisconsin resident who was a passenger on the Costa Luminosa cruise ship, which left Fort Lauderdale on March 5, 2020, for a transatlantic voyage.

The ships owner, Italy-based Costa Crociere, and a subsidiary, Costa Cruise Lines, argued that Turners cruise ticket included a requirement that any legal disputes shall be instituted only in the courts of Genoa, Italy, to the exclusion of the courts of any other country, state or nation.

Turner, who became infected with COVID-19 on the cruise, filed the lawsuit in April 2020 in federal court in South Florida. The appeals court Thursday rejected a series of arguments raised by Turner, including arguments related to the difficulty of traveling to Italy for court proceedings during the continuing pandemic.

Even assuming that travel difficulties and risks associated with COVID-19 are any less foreseeable than medical difficulties that would attend more standard personal injuries that were plainly foreseeable when Turner agreed to the forum selection clause (in the ticket), Turner still has not met his burden of proving that pursuit of his claims in Italy would subject him to fundamental unfairness, the appeals court opinion said.

The reason is basic: He has not established that he would have to travel to Italy in order to pursue his case. The defendants produced an affidavit from an Italian attorney explaining that Turner would not be required to attend routine proceedings in person and that even for those events that required attendance, he could possibly either arrange for appointment of a special attorney to attend on his behalf or request that the event take place in the United States via international rogatory (a process that involves making a request to a foreign court).

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The panel, however, appeared to express some sympathy for Turner.

What might have been a dream vacation for Turner turned into something of a nightmare, said the 13-page opinion written by Judge Stanley Marcus and joined by Judges Kevin Newsom and Andrew Brasher.

The lawsuit alleged that the cruise line knew that COVID-19 was a risk before leaving Fort Lauderdale, in part because an Italian passenger on a prior voyage in late February 2020 had been evacuated from the Costa Luminosa in the Cayman Islands and tested positive for COVID-19 before ultimately dying.

Three days into Turners cruise, the ship docked in Puerto Rico because an elderly Italian couple needed to be hospitalized because of COVID-19 symptoms, Turners attorneys wrote in a brief filed at the Atlanta-based appeals court. The ship then proceeded across the Atlantic, ultimately requiring all passengers to quarantine.

When passengers got off the ship March 19, 2020, in France, 36 tested positive for COVID-19, according to the appeals court.

Despite knowing full well of the tremendous risk faced by all the passengers (and crew) aboard, appellees (Costa Crociere and Costa Cruise Lines) set sail, Turners attorneys wrote in the brief. For this reason and those further stated in the complaint, appellant (Turner) and others similarly situated contracted COVID-19 and/or were at an actual risk of immediate physical injury and death proximately caused by appellees negligence.

But in their arguments to the appeals court, attorneys for the cruise line focused on the terms of Turners ticket that required hearing legal disputes in Italy.

Plaintiff had ample opportunity to review the terms and conditions of the contract, the cruise lines attorneys wrote in a brief. He received a link to a copy of the contract in five separate email confirmations from Costa Crociere, and the contract was also publicly accessible on Costa Crocieres website. Additionally, Costa Crociere required all passengers to download their cruise ticket and accept the terms of the contract as a prerequisite to boarding the ship, and plaintiff accepted the terms of the contract prior to the cruise.
The school board in Florida's largest school district voted Wednesday to require masks for students and teachers when schools reopen next week amid rising Delta-variant COVID-19 cases.

Why it matters: The mask mandate, which allows for medical exemptions, makes Miami-Dade the latest Florida school district to defy Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who issued an executive order that effectively prohibits school districts from imposing mask mandates and threatens to cut funding of those who do.

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Driving the news: The Miami-Dade County School Board voted 7-1 in favor of requiring students and staff to wear masks in schools.

A task force of medical experts advising the Miami-Dade school district on Monday recommended that schools require masks amid rising COVID-19 cases, per the Miami Herald.

Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho said he agrees with the task forces' recommendation  despite opposition from some parents and others.

"My mind is pretty made up on the way to move forward. And, that is in full agreement with the recommendations of this task force," Carvalho said, per the Herald.

Carvalho previously said that "there is no threat, at least to me, to my paycheck, to my salary, that will force me to abdicate from doing the right thing. Our students lives, the lives of our teachers, your lives, are too important," per the Miami Herald.

The big picture: Wednesday's vote comes a week after Broward County's School Board voted to keep its mask mandate in place.

The Florida Board of Education voted on Tuesday to sanction Alachua and Broward County public school districts for defying DeSantis' order, per NBC News.

Florida's board of education earlier this month threatened to withhold pay from superintendents and school board members who mandate face masks in schools.

What to watch: Hillsborough County's school board is also meeting Wednesday to consider a mask mandate after 6,000 students were forced to quarantine from local campuses since last week.

Go deeper: The school districts defying Texas, Florida governors and mandating masks

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Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani makes brief remarks during a meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden and Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation, in the Oval Office at the White House June 25, 2021. hoto by Pete Marovich-Pool/Getty Images

Former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani defended his decision to leave Afghanistan on Sunday.

"The Afghan president was going to be hanged," he said in a video message on Facebook on Wednesday.

Ghani is currently in the United Arab Emirates but said he plans to return to Afghanistan.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

Former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Wednesday said he fled the country to avoid being killed by the Taliban and that he plans to return.

In a video statement posted on Facebook from the United Arab Emirates, Ghani recounted the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan's capital Kabul on Sunday.

"Taliban members, with unrecognizable faces and speaking an unidentifiable language, entered the presidential palace," Ghani said. "They were looking from room to room to find me. The decision was this: Whatever happened 25 years ago was going to be repeated. The Afghan president was going to be hanged."

His comments refer to former Afghan President Mohammad Najibullah, who was hanged by Taliban forces the last time they took control of the country, in 1996.

"You all know that I was never scared and I will never be scared," Ghani said. "I did not want to put Afghanistan's dignity on the line."

Ghani further defended his decision to leave, saying that he wanted to prevent violence and the destruction of the capital once the Taliban entered the city.

"My wish is for Afghan people to have peace and prosperity and for bloodshed to end," he said, adding that he hopes Afghanistan will become a "safe and advanced country."

Ghani went on to deny reports that he allegedly fled the country with a large sum of money, insisting that he left "empty-handed."

"I left in such a way that I didn't even have time to remove my sandals and put on my shoes. My most valuable items - my books and hundreds of notebooks and my private laptop - unfortunately I was unable to take with me. Everything is left in the hands of other people."

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"I left with one shirt, one pants, one vest and one sandals," he added.

Ghani's public statement comes three days after he left the country and the Taliban seized control of Kabul, triggering a collapse of the US-backed Afghan government. Taliban forces swept major cities across the country in a little over a week amid the US' military withdrawal.

Ghani concluded that he's talking with Afghan officials in hopes of one day returning to the country that he, earlier this year, called "my home and grave."

"I don't intend to escape," he said Wednesday. "I am in search of prosperity, governing and peace for Afghanistan."

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A former mayor of Nisswa, Minn., will stand trial for disorderly conduct stemming from a profane argument with police, a judge has ruled.

Fred Heidmann was serving as mayor last year when he angrily intervened in a traffic stop, cursing at police who had pulled over a car full of young people on busy Hwy. 371, a major route through the Brainerd lakes area.

In Heidmann's view, the local police should have been spending their time patrolling neighborhoods rather than making traffic stops on a state highway.

And he told them so. Repeatedly. In very colorful language.

After the initial confrontation, Heidmann left the scene, but returned minutes later and continued his tirade. After telling Heidmann several times to stand back, officers grabbed him, pinned his arms behind his back, handcuffed him and put him in the back of a police car. He was charged with disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor.

Heidmann sought to have the charge dismissed, arguing that his First Amendment right to free speech was violated by the arrest.

In a police report, Heidmann was described as "yelling," a charge he denies. Several videos of the event appear to show Heidmann speaking emphatically, but not yelling.

In her decision, issued Wednesday, Crow Wing District Judge Kristine DeMay noted that Heidmann had cursed police officers repeatedly, calling them "as bad as the ... dinks in Minneapolis."

Videos show that Heidmann stood close to the officers at times and gestured with his hands, sometimes coming near their faces. And that, according to prosecutors, was enough to tip his behavior over the line.

DeMay noted that, while police are expected to endure behavior that a typical citizen might not tolerate, "a person may be charged with disorderly conduct where the officers are subjected to indignities that go far beyond what any other citizen might reasonably be expected to endure."

DeMay said the issue of whether Heidmann's conduct was "offensive, obscene, abusive, boisterous or noisy" is a factual question that should be decided by a jury.

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Heidmann said he believed police were retaliating against him because of past disagreements he's had with Craig Taylor, the Nisswa police chief.

Heidmann, who owns an equipment-rental business, was defeated for re-election in November. The case against him will now be set for pretrial proceedings.

John Reinan  612-673-7402
Aug. 19Alice Sue Smith, a former bookkeeper and office manager at Chattanooga Coin, has been sentenced for embezzling more than $1 million from the business and for filing false tax returns.

Smith, 63, of Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, worked as a bookkeeper at Chattanooga Coin from 2004 to 2018. From 2009 to 2018, the U.S. Department of Justice said, she forged signatures on about 1,400 checks that she then cashed. To hide her fraud, Smith fabricated check stubs in Chattanooga Coin's financial records. She also failed to report the embezzled funds and other legitimate income on her tax returns.

"When employees take advantage of their positions of trust to steal from small, family-owned businesses, real victims suffer serious financial harm," Acting U.S. Attorney Kurt Erskine said in a statement. "As in this case, there are real and significant consequences for employees who are caught stealing from their employers."

In Smith's case, she was sentenced to 3 years and 7 months in prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. She was also ordered by the court to pay approximately $1.48 million in restitution to Chattanooga Coin and the federal government.

Smith pleaded guilty to wire fraud and filing a false tax in early February.

"Smith let her greed blind her to responsibilities her company entrusted her with. For that she will be held accountable," said Chris Hacker, special agent in charge at the FBI in Atlanta.

Both the FBI and the IRS investigated this case, with assistance from the Rossville Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Qin and Russell Phillips prosecuted Smith's case.

Contact Kelcey Caulder at kcaulder@timesfree press.com or 423-757-6327. Follow her on Twitter @kelceycaulder.
Several police officers in Albuquerque were injured in a shooting Thursday morning while responding to a robbery at a coffee shop, authorities said.

"Today 4 APD officers were injured in a shooting as they responded to an armed robery [sic] in the area of Juan tabo and Mountain NE," the Albuquerque Police Department posted to social media.

The department said one officer is in critical condition after being shot in the chest above his vest. A second officer was shot in the arm and is undergoing surgery, while a third officer was shot in the center of his bulletproof vest, police said. The fourth officer was injured from shrapnel during the robbery response.

Police said one suspect was shot and transported to the hospital, and several others have been detained. There is at least one suspect still at large, police said during a press conference. The shooting happened when officers responded to a robbery at a Dutch Bros, which is a coffee chain, according to the police.

TWO BROTHERS CHARGED IN SHOOTING THAT KILLED POLICE OFFICER AND WOUNDED ANOTHER

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The department's statement provided a link to a portal requesting anyone with information to share details.

Albuquerque Public Schools announced on social media at least six schools in the general vicinity were on lockdown Thursday.

The city's mayor, Tim Keller, tweeted, "Officers are receiving emergency care after being shot in the line of duty this morning."

"This is a horrific act of violence and Liz and I join our community in praying for the officers, their families, and the team working to find the remaining suspect."

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

The Washington Examiner contacted APD but did not immediately receive a response.

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, Police, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Law Enforcement

Original Author: Kaelan Deese

Original Location: Four Albuquerque police officers injured in shooting while responding to coffee shop robbery
Downtown Albuquerque, New Mexico. (Photo Courtesy of John Phelan via Wikimedia Commons (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0))

Three police officers were shot and another was injured in New Mexico on Thursday morning, in an exchange of gunfire that led to a major manhunt in northeast Albuquerque.

Officers were responding to a call about an armed robbery when the shooting occurred. One officer was hit in the chest and left in critical condition. Another was shot in the arm and a third in his bulletproof vest, while the fourth was hurt by a piece of shrapnel. All four were taken to hospital for treatment.

Local Goodwill store manager Richard Griego told the Albuquerque Journal he was in his car when he heard the shootout, initially thinking it was a car backfiring.

Then he saw puffs of bullets hitting a wall and 20-30 gunshots sounded as officers exchanged gunfire with the suspects.

One of the men was shot on the scene and taken into custody. Details of his condition were not immediately released.

Tactical officers then began sweeping surrounding neighbourhoods in an intensive hunt for the other suspect.

A major police presence was soon on the ground in the area, while onlookers watched the scenes unfold from parking lots and the roofs of nearby businesses. Mayor Tim Keller and District Attorney Raul Torrez were also at the scene.

Local schools were placed on lockdown for safety until the second suspect was found and taken into custody shortly afterwards.

In a statement released on Twitter, Albuquerque Police Department said: We do not believe there are other outstanding offenders at this point.
File photo. Carlson Tucker has for months called the idea of vaccine passports the medical equivalent of Jim Crow laws. Fox News has now asked its workers to disclose their vaccination status to the company (Getty Images)

Fox News has said that employees must disclose their vaccination status, despite its major stars advocating a stance contrary to the companys policy on air.

On Tuesday, Suzanne Scott, Fox News chief executive said that the company has asked all employees  whether on-site as part of our essential workforce or working remotely  to upload their vaccination status.

She added in the memo that all employees must enter their status no later than today, August 17th, by close of business, AdWeek, which obtained the note, reported.

The network says that this was being done for space planning and contact tracing purposes in conjunction with the state city health and safety guidelines.

Ms Scott wrote to the staff that masks remained optional for vaccinated employees but in small, confined spaces with limited opportunities for social distancing and where there are multiple employees, including control rooms, employees are required to wear masks.

Fox News anchors Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity have, however, been opposed to the idea of vaccination passports and in fact, Carlson had claimed that asking about his vaccination status was akin to asking about his sex life. Hannity had invoked doctor-patient confidentiality when talking about vaccination status.

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Many pointed out that the network asking its employees to update their vaccination status in the companys internal database was in contrast to what the company stars had been advocating on air.

For months, Fox News stars kept saying that asking about vaccination status was anti-American and a threat to personal freedom. They had also played up Republican Florida governor Ron DeSantiss rejection of vaccine passports.

AdWeek reported that at the moment Fox News does not appear to mandate staffers be vaccinated.

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Other media companies like WarnerMedia and Disney are not allowing staffers to be in the office unless they have been vaccinated.

WarnerMedia-owned CNN fired three staffers for entering the office premises unvaccinated earlier this month. CNN Worldwide chief Jeff Zucker had said in a memo that the network was targeting mid-October as a return-to-office date.

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He had said: In the past week, we have been made aware of three employees who were coming to the office unvaccinated. All three have been terminated. Let me be clear -- we have a zero-tolerance policy on this.

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BERLIN (Reuters) -France, Germany and Britain voiced grave concern on Thursday about a report that Iran had accelerated its enrichment of uranium to near weapons grade, saying this was a serious violation of its commitments.

At a time when the West and Iran are looking to resume talks on reviving a nuclear deal, the U.N. atomic energy watchdog said in a report seen by Reuters that Iran had accelerated its enrichment of uranium.

In a joint statement, the three countries said they were worried about IAEA reports confirming that Iran has produced uranium metal enriched up to 20% fissile purity for the first time and lifted production capacity of uranium enriched to 60%.

Both are key steps in the development of a nuclear weapon, they said.

Uranium metal can be used to make the core of a nuclear bomb, but Iran says its aims are peaceful and it is developing reactor fuel.

"Iran must halt activities in violation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) without delay," said the joint statement from the three foreign ministries.

"We urge Iran to return to the negotiations in Vienna as soon as possible with a view to bringing them to a swift, successful conclusion. We have repeatedly stressed that time is on no-one's side," they added.

The accelerated enrichment is the latest move by Iran breaching restrictions imposed by a 2015 nuclear deal, which capped the purity to which Tehran can refine uranium.

The United States and its European allies have said such moves threaten talks on reviving the deal, which is currently suspended.

(Writing by Madeline Chambers; Editing by Douglas Busvine and Gareth Jones)
The Federal Trade Commission on Thursday took a second shot at alleging Facebook is an illegal monopoly in a new complaint that accuses the social media company of buying up potential competitors or thwarting their access to the platform.

Why it matters: The FTC, now led by Big Tech critic Lina Khan, is trying to save its case against Facebook after a judge dismissed its first attempt.

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Driving the news: The FTC filed an amended complaint in a D.C. federal court arguing Facebook illegally acquired competitors WhatsApp and Instagram, and that Facebook "lured" app developers to its platform and "buried" them when they became competitive threats.

In June, Judge James Boasberg dismissed the agency's first complaint, noting that it lacked specifics on the metrics or methods used in defining and calculating Facebook's market share, but allowed the agency to try again.

The FTC said in a press release that its new complaint bolsters its arguments with new detailed statistics on Facebook's market share and new evidence showing Facebook has the power to control prices or exclude competition.

Details: In its complaint, the FTC argues companies like TikTok, Twitter and YouTube are not real substitutes for Facebook in the "personal social networking" market because those services are not used to interact with friends and family.

The FTC notes that Snapchat is the next-largest provider of personal social networking services in the U.S. after Facebook, but its user base and engagement level are only a "fraction of the size" of those of Facebook and Instagram.

The agency argues that Facebook has maintained a dominant share of the market since 2011, and uses metrics including time spent, daily active users and monthly active users as evidence.

For example, the FTC says Facebook's share of the time spent by users of apps providing social networking services has exceeded 80% since 2012.

What they're saying: Facebook lacked the business acumen and technical talent to survive the transition to mobile," said Holly Vedova, FTC Bureau of Competition acting director.

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"After failing to compete with new innovators, Facebook illegally bought or buried them when their popularity became an existential threat. This conduct is no less anticompetitive than if Facebook had bribed emerging app competitors not to compete."

The other side: Facebook called the lawsuit "meritless" in a statement.

"There was no valid claim that Facebook was a monopolist  and that has not changed," a Facebook spokesperson said. "Our acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp were reviewed and cleared many years ago, and our platform policies were lawful.

"The FTC's claims are an effort to rewrite antitrust laws and upend settled expectations of merger review, declaring to the business community that no sale is ever final."

The intrigue: Facebook called on Khan to recuse herself from the case, given her previous work on antitrust issues for the House Judiciary Committee and her public criticism of the company.

The FTC says the Office of General Counsel reviewed the Facebook petition and Office of the Secretary dismissed it, noting that the case will be prosecuted before a federal judge

Flashback: The FTC filed the case in the waning days of the Trump administration, with then-Chairman Joe Simons, a Republican, joining with the agency's two Democrats to bring the complaint over the objections of the two Republican commissioners.

The Democratic and Republican leaders of the House and Senate antitrust subcommittees urged Khan to continue enforcement efforts against Facebook for potential antitrust violations in a letter following the judge's dismissal of the complaint.

Go deeper: Read the complaint

Editor's note: This story has been updated with more details from the FTC's complaint and a comment from Facebook.

More from Axios: Sign up to get the latest market trends with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free
The dark evenings spent saluting coffins loaded onto aircraft bound for America.

The Afghan boy with a wounded arm, recovering in an American military hospital.

The wife of a Marine who was killed, posting on the memorial page for her husband, What was the purpose?

All are moments connected to area veterans service in Afghanistan; all are memories they now struggle to reconcile with the collapse of Kabul following the U.S. exit from the region. The Taliban quickly took over the country, leaving many desperate to flee as the world watched chaotic scenes from the Kabul airport.

Seeing the fall, its like all your hard work has gone to waste, said Ashton Kroner, who served in the Marine Corps in Afghanistan in 2011 and 2012.

Over two decades, 800,000 Americans served in Afghanistan; many are now watching the disintegration of that country. Many veterans said their feelings were complicated, as they were processing experiences they had years ago, and didnt expect them to surface this week. Some were wondering why fellow service members died there, only to watch the country fall so quickly. Still others were filled with worry about Afghans they served alongside, who protected their lives time and again. And naturally, some questioned where the American publics interest, now swirling in conversations on social media and around headlines, was during the time Americans served there.

Justin Kurtzhalts, 34, served multiple times in Afghanistan throughout his more than five years in the Army, which included four deployments to Afghanistan and one to Iraq. I spent a total of 19 months of my time, of my life, over there, said Kurtzhalts, who lives in Minneapolis and has family in Glenview.

This week he is thinking of Afghans he served alongside, like the man who saved our lives more than once and loved American culture, wanting to move to the U.S. and live in Disneyland. Kurtzhalts loved the country and its people; recently he was telling his wife about memories of sitting in the mountains after operations and watching the sun rise over waterfalls and rivers.

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I just want people to look past the government and military right now, and what previous administrations did or what the current administration is doing, he said. Just realize theres human beings just like us, that have the same thoughts and feelings and just a different culture, that are being destroyed right now.

His time in the country included meeting many whose lives the Taliban had ripped apart. As a father of two girls, he feels sick watching a group known for brutality and restricting the rights of women and girls take over. This week, Taliban militants spoke about restoring calm but also attacked protesters. Kurtzhalts said the U.S. needs to make it easier to welcome refugees.

Speaking of videos of people clinging to American planes even as they taxied to take off, Kurtzhalts said, Were watching people fall from the sky. That should say enough right there.

Among his friends who are veterans, Were all kind of just saying the same thing. That were heartbroken about it, he said. Now were failing the people.

Jill Stephenson has been talking about her son, Ben, a lot this week. People keep asking her how shes doing, how she feels. Benjamin Kopp died at age 21 after being shot in Afghanistan in 2009 while serving in the Army. A boy who loved trucks and pored over his great-grandfathers war medals, he wanted to be an Army Ranger.

Watching the news feels like, she said, 20 years of your hard work, of your blood sweat and tears, has just been tossed into the sea.

At the same time, she has found a lot of purpose within her sons life. And she knows his service created long-term good, helping people and providing more education for girls, for example. Yet those gains feel gone.

This just rubs salt in the wound, she said.

Kroner is an outreach coordinator at Rush University Medical Centers Road Home Program, which provides free mental health and wellness services to all veterans and their families. The program is prepared for an influx of help requests; the constant headlines may be triggering for veterans.

The community, theyre struggling right now, she said. A lot of people are upset.

She encourages people to lean on, and listen to, family members. It was her husband who encouraged her to seek help, saying, Theres something going on with you. Kroner was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.

This week, Kroner keeps thinking of the many times she participated in what are called dignified transfers, the moments when a casket is loaded onto a plane bound for home. She watched as coffin after coffin was loaded, each carrying the body of a person killed in Afghanistan.

Seeing all those people lose their lives, she said, its tough.

She is thinking of each slow salute, each carried casket. She wonders, were those deaths worth this?

Kroner said many are asking this question, and wrestling with what mental health experts call moral injury: questioning your own morals, or what you have done and whether it violates deeply held beliefs and values. She was 22 when in Afghanistan, and considered death the ultimate sacrifice one was prepared to make. Now a decade older and a mother herself, she looks back at those loaded coffins and a bullet piercing a childs arm, differently.

Ive lost friends to suicide, and seeing the emotional and physical tolls that that deployment put on your families, put on ourselves, she said. Watching the collapse, she said, Its getting punched in the gut over and over and over again.

Nick Montijo had always been patriotic; as a kid he got chills listening to the national anthem at baseball games. Like many, 9/11 moved him to serve. Somebody messed with my country, he said. Away I went. He deployed to Afghanistan with the Marine Corps in 2009.

This weeks headlines summon memories he wasnt expecting to confront. Its a weird thing to bring back up (things) that Ill probably have to deal with for the rest of my life, he said. Montijo has found healing through work as a veterans advancement coordinator at BraveHearts, a Poplar Grove group that offers equine therapy for veterans through riding and gentling horses.

And the headlines now, for some, highlight the lack of attention paid to the Afghanistan situation.

I wish the public had been half this interested in what we were doing in Afghanistan over the last 10 years, said Jeremy Butler, who grew up in Springfield and is chief executive officer of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. It really does feel like Afghanistan had become the forgotten war.

He hopes Americans work to better understand the military, and the world. He said the rhetoric about Afghan forces not wanting to fight lacks context about how they died in larger numbers than U.S. troops and hadnt been paid for months. He hopes the U.S becomes more thoughtful about what we ask of enlisted members, and why.

Its the American public who was kind of happy to turn a blind eye to what was going on over there, he said. The blame literally encompasses all of us.

He wants veterans to know that they should not question the validity or the honor of their service. They did what their country asked them to do, they did it honorably, he said. And he pointed to the many ways veterans still serve, such as groups like Team Rubicon, which mobilizes veterans to help in places like Haiti.

Kroner said veterans and their families should reach out to each other. If they feel emotions getting the best of them, contact the Road Home Program or veterans crisis lines like the Department of Veterans Affairs line at 800-273-8255 or its text or online chat options.

Its important that we check on one another, Kroner said. Check on your battle buddies.

abowen@chicagotribune.com
WASHINGTON (AP)  Federal regulators have sharpened their antitrust attack against Facebook, alleging in a revised complaint Thursday that the social network giant pursued a laser-focused strategy to buy or bury" rivals to suppress competition.

It is the Federal Trade Commission's second antitrust run at the company. A federal judge in June dismissed antitrust lawsuits brought against Facebook by the agency and a broad coalition of state attorneys general that were among multiplying efforts by federal and state regulators to rein in tech titans market power.

The FTC again is seeking remedies that could include a forced spinoff of Facebook's popular Instagram and WhatsApp messaging services, or a restructuring of the company.

The agency's lawsuit last December alleged Facebook engaged in a systematic strategy to eliminate its competition, including by purchasing smaller up-and-coming rivals like Instagram in 2012 and WhatsApp in 2014.

Facebook said the FTC was attempting to revive a meritless lawsuit and said it will vigorously defend itself against what it said is an effort to rewrite antitrust laws.

There was no valid claim that Facebook was a monopolist  and that has not changed," the company based in Menlo Park, California, said in a prepared statement. Our acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp were reviewed and cleared many years ago, and our platform policies were lawful.

The company has until Oct. 4 to formally respond.

The new FTC complaint lays out a detailed history of Facebook's conduct, particularly since the arrival of mobile devices like smartphones in the 2010s, and the rise of innovative rivals.

Paul Swanson, an antitrust litigator at law firm Holland & Hart in Denver, said the new complaint addresses the courts concerns head-on."

"Facebook will need new arguments to beat back the FTCs case, Swanson said.

Separately, the agency dismissed a request from Facebook that FTC Chair Lina Khan  an outspoken critic of Big Tech appointed in June by President Joe Biden  step aside in this case because of her past public statements. Facebook says Khans criticism of its market power when she was an academic and the legal director of an anti-monopoly think tank, and her more recent work on a congressional investigation, make it impossible for her to be impartial.

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The FTC's general counsel's office reviewed the petition and dismissed the request on grounds that the company's due-process rights will be fully protected in the federal court proceeding.

Without Khan's vote, the FTCs case against Facebook could have stalled by splitting the vote between the four other commissioners  two Democrats and two Republicans. The vote to file the amended complaint was 3-2, with the two Republicans voting against it.

Consumer advocates applauded the FTC's decision to refile the antitrust complaint against the social media company with nearly 3 billion global users that they have long accused of wielding monopoly power and undertaking anticompetitive acquisitions. Facebook's market value recently topped $1 trillion; its revenue last year reached about $85 billion.

"Facebook is one of the worst offenders, and its long past time for this company to be broken up, Alex Harmon, competition policy advocate for Public Citizen, said in a statement.

Harmon and other advocates said, however, that the regulators need support from Congress to update antitrust laws that have been weakened and make cases like the FTC's against Facebook difficult.

An ambitious, bipartisan package of legislation to overhaul the antitrust laws, which could point toward breaking up Facebook as well as Google, Amazon and Apple, was approved by the House Judiciary Committee in June and sent to the full House.

U.S. District Judge James Boasberg ruled in June that the FTC's original lawsuit was legally insufficient and didnt provide enough evidence to prove that Facebook was a monopoly. He dismissed the states separate complaint outright.

But his ruling only dismissed the FTCs complaint but not the case, giving the agency a chance to file a revised complaint.

In the new filing, the FTC laid out a detailed analysis to substantiate its monopoly power claim.

Direct evidence, including historical events and market realities" confirms the allegation, the complaint says. The harm to consumers from the lack of competition is particularly severe," it says.

Some of the material meant to show dominant market share is redacted in the public version of the filing, including internal Facebook emails.

The agency made its case anew Thursday as Facebook, Google, Amazon and Apple fall under extreme scrutiny and legislative pressure from the FTC, the Justice Department, European regulators, lawmakers in Congress and state legislatures. Most recently, Biden last month issued a sweeping executive order to stanch anticompetitive conduct in U.S. industry, including a call for federal regulators to give closer scrutiny to mergers proposed by the tech giants.

Last October the Trump Justice Department, joined by about a dozen states, brought a landmark antitrust suit against Google, accusing the company of using its dominance in online search to stifle competition and innovation at the expense of consumers. As it stands, the case isnt scheduled to go to trial in federal court for nearly three years.

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Follow Marcy Gordon at https://twitter.com/mgordonap
Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer. (David Zalubowski / Associated Press)

At the end of 12 hours of grueling, often emotional testimony from the woman accusing Trevor Bauer of sexual assault, she reminded the court Wednesday of the central reason behind her request for a restraining order against the Dodgers pitcher.

I did not consent to bruises all over my body that sent me to the hospital and having that done to me while I was unconscious, she testified.

The hearing in Los Angeles County Superior Court is to determine whether a temporary restraining order against Bauer should be extended to the full five years allowed under state law. Yet, it has unfolded as a de facto trial with both sides represented by high-powered law firms presenting mountains of evidence.

Attorneys on both sides told Judge Dianna Gould-Saltman at the end of the day Wednesday that the case should be completed Thursday. Marc Garelick, one of the accuser's attorneys, said Bauer will be called to testify, but his attorney, Shawn Holley, said the pitcher plans to invoke his 5th Amendment rights and decline to answer questions to avoid self-incrimination.

In a July court appearance, the woman's attorneys estimated her testimony would take about two hours. Instead, she testified for six hours Monday, three hours Tuesday and nearly all morning Wednesday, walking the court through her intimate encounters with Bauer on April 21 and May 16 and the medical care she received after the second encounter.

The cross-examination by Holley dissected reams of Instagram direct messages and phone text messages from the accuser to four people: Bauer, the womans male cousin, her best friend, and her Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor.

Holley attempted to establish that the messages provided evidence of the womans state of mind, her activities and whether she should be granted a restraining order. The woman was asked to explain numerous inconsistencies and messages that appeared to ridicule Bauer.

She was asked about a text to her AA sponsor after she had been granted the temporary restraining order in which she said Bauer could slap her in the vagina if he gave her $50 million.

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After reading the text aloud, Holley asked the woman, Itd all be OK if he gave you 50 million dollars, right? The woman sat back and replied, Not necessarily.

She was asked why she took a selfie of her face while Bauer was in the shower moments after their second encounter then joined him in the shower. The photograph was used as evidence of her facial injuries.

She was asked why the photo she sent to Bauer from the hospital after she sought medical assistance did not show the side of her face that she alleges he scratched.

She was asked why there are no records of text messages to and from her best friend and her AA sponsor from May 18-29.

Her answers were mostly short and noncommittal.

Later she was asked about a recent text exchange in which her sponsor warned her against posting a photo of her looking happy, saying, Please dont post ... You are supposed to be struggling mentally, not posting. That would be a terrible mistake. I know you want to, but its terrible for your case.

The accusers text response thanked her sponsor for the advice and ended with the phrase secure the bag. Holley asked her if the meaning of that term means get the money, and the woman responded, Im not sure.

After the cross-examination, Doreen Olson, one of the womans attorneys, returned to the central point of the hearing, asking the woman why she is asking for a restraining order.

What happened was not consensual, the woman testified. If they were going to put out their side of the story, it was fair to me to show that it was far beyond [consensual] choking.

I knew I would be slut-shamed, but it was worth it for me to get protection from Trevor Bauer.

Two witnesses were called Wednesday afternoon, one by each side. Holley called pathologist Dr. Jennifer Hammers, who downplayed the accusers facial injuries after reviewing her medical reports.

"[The woman] described forceful punches with a closed fist [to her face]. My expectation would have been that I and the people who examined her would have seen more extensive injuries on the skin.

"[She] also described forceful punching in her genital region, which based off my review was a bruise high up in the pubic region, which is actually above the genitalia, and there is no pattern to that injury.

Garelick called the accuser's best friend and work associate. The accuser went to her house in San Diego after driving back from Bauer's Pasadena home May 17, the morning after the second encounter.

The friend testified that the woman had two black eyes, bruises behind her ears, a swollen lip and cheekbones, and scratches on the side of her face.

"All she wanted to do was lay in bed at my house," the friend said. "She said she'd thrown up, her head hurt, she couldnt open her jaw, she could barely talk."

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Gunmen have snatched nine pupils of an Islamic seminary in northern Nigeria's Katsina state, police said Thursday, in the latest of a string of school abductions.

Motorbike-riding assailants, known locally as bandits, seized the children in the village of Sakki on Tuesday as they were heading home after school, said state police spokesman Gambo Isah.

"Nine pupils were abducted," Isah told AFP, adding that the police were on the trail of the kidnappers.

"All efforts are being made to rescue the children," he assured.

Local residents however said eight pupils and a teacher were taken.

"The bandits came to the school around 6:00 pm (1700GMT) and forced the eight pupils and their teacher on motorcycles and zoomed off into the bush," resident Muntari Nasiru told AFP.

Last December, bandits kidnapped more than 100 children of another Islamic seminary in nearby Baure village but the hostages were rescued by residents and local vigilantes the following day.

Northwest and central Nigeria have been terrorised by criminal gangs who raid villages, stealing cattle, kidnapping for ransom and burning homes after looting supplies.

The gangs -- believed to hole up in Rugu forest, which straddles Katsina, Kaduna, Zamfara and Niger states -- have been increasingly attacking schools, seizing students to extort ransom from parents.

According to the UN, some 950 students have been kidnapped across Nigeria since December.

While most of the hostages have been released after negotiations, some are still being held.

More than 100 pupils of an Islamic seminary kidnapped from the town of Tegina in May in central Niger state are still in captivity.

Kidnappings are just one of the challenges facing Nigeria's security forces, who are battling a grinding Islamist insurgency in the northeast and separatist tensions in parts of the south.

On Wednesday, authorities in central Plateau state said five people were killed and four were missing in an attack on an Irigwe Christian farming community in Bassa district.

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The killings, which occurred despite a round-the-clock curfew, were believed to be reprisals after last Saturday's slaughter of 25 Fulani Muslims by suspected Irigwe youths.

President Muhammadu Buhari, a former military leader first elected in 2015, has faced criticism for his government's inability to end the security crisis.

abu/joa/ri
Aug. 19Hawaii labor officials on Wednesday canceled a planned Sept. 7 reopening of unemployment offices statewide for in-person service, citing drastically elevated infection risks.

The state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations announced the change on the same day it had previously announced it would allow the public to begin scheduling appointments for in-person assistance.

DLIR officials said record COVID-19 case levels locally pose an unacceptable hazard for handling unemployment claim case issues in person when remote serv ices, to be expanded over the next three weeks, will be just as good in most cases.

"It's become extremely difficult to ensure the safety of the community, our customers and our staff as the level of COVID-19 transmission increases within the community, " Anne Perreira -Eustaquio, DLIR director, said on the Honolulu Star-Advertiser's livestream show Spotlight Hawaii. "We will not be opening to in-person appointments on Sept. 7."

The decision to keep unemployment offices closed to the public for an indefinite period reverses a reopening plan announced July 21, and follows a sustained recent spike in COVID-19 cases along with an emergency policy instituted by Gov. David Ige forcing all state employees in executive branch departments, including DLIR, to be vaccinated or test negatively for the virus weekly as of this week.

The state has averaged 680 new cases a day over the past week, up from about 50 a day in early July.

City officials have ordered some reductions to business occupancy limits in response to the increased contagion, and some state entities are beginning to adjust in different ways. For instance, the Hawaii Public Library System on Wednesday began closing all libraries every Wednesday due to high COVID-19 case counts.

DLIR has kept unemployment offices closed to in-person visits since the early days of the pandemic last year, and has been unable to handle an unprecedented flood of unemployment claims and issues with claims by phone or online despite efforts to upgrade an antiquated computer system and expand the ranks of workers who process and adjudicate claims.

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As a result, thousands of residents who have had difficulty obtaining unemployment benefits have been frustrated by the overwhelmed agency's operations, including some who have said they made hundreds of unanswered phone calls.

At least five protest rallies urging the reopening of state unemployment offices have been held since November, including three outside DLIR's headquarters, one at the state Capitol and one outside an unemployment call center at the Hawai 'i Convention Center. The long-awaited reopening that was to have begun Sept. 7, the day after Labor Day, would have welcomed walk-in claimants in the mornings and previously scheduled appointments in the afternoons.

As late as last week, department officials had said they were sticking to the reopening plan.

The Rev. Sam Domingo, a steering committee member for the Hawaii Workers Center labor support organization, was surprised and disappointed by DLIR's backtracking on in-person service.

"I just can't believe it, " he said, noting that other government offices in Hawaii remain open to provide crucial services for residents. "This office is not really wanting to put themselves out for our workers. So many (unemployed ) people are still being hung out."

DLIR said it will launch new and expanded by -appointment phone serv ices over the next three weeks, and that it will be able to help just as many people, or possibly more, this way compared with in-person visits.

"We are actually being able to service the same amount of individuals we would have serviced if we opened up the offices to in-person appointments, " Perreira-Eustaquio said.

A backlog of unemployment claims requiring assistance still exists, but has shrunk dramatically, according to Perreira -Eustaquio, in part because Hawaii's unemployment rate has improved to 7.7 % in June from 14.7 % in the same month last year.

DLIR could not say on Wednesday how many such claims there are because of limitations on a mainframe computer and the constant creation and resolution of claim issues.

Two new planned serv ices will offer appointments to help with Pandemic Unemployment Assistance claims and employer services over the phone starting Sept. 7. Appointments can be made starting Tuesday.

The agency also plans to expand by-appointment phone service for general unemployment claim inquiries to five days a week from the current three days a week starting Sept. 7.

DLIR officials said 525 appointments will be available weekly on Oahu after the change, up from 84 previously. The number of slots statewide after the expansion will be 1, 155 a week.

Last week, the agency announced that a telephone appointment system for claimants to speak with a claims examiner would begin operating Monday.

Help from a call center will continue to be available. The center has been receiving about 500 calls a day, though continual staff turnover exists there and has kept DLIR in hiring mode to fill a persistent average of 30 vacancies recently out of 100 positions.

Perreira-Eustaquio said DLIR maintains a goal to reopen unemployment offices to the public, though when that might be remains undetermined given the coronavirus case situation.

"We will continue to assess the situation and hope to again be able to announce when the new date will be for opening in-person appointments, " she said.

JOBLESS CLAIMS Appointments for unemployment claim assistance by phone can soon be made at.

General unemployment information is at and.
Two Hong Kongers accused of being part of a group that campaigned for international sanctions against China pleaded guilty under the city's national security law on Thursday in a case that is linked to jailed pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai.

China imposed the sweeping security law on Hong Kong last year to wipe out dissent after the financial hub was rocked by huge and often violent democracy protests.

More than 130 people, including many of the city's best-known democracy advocates, have since been arrested under the law.

Democracy activist Andy Li, 31, and paralegal Chan Tsz-wah, 30, admitted to a charge of "colluding with foreign forces to endanger China's national security" on Thursday.

Prosecutors said they were part of a group that organised the publishing of adverts and articles in overseas newspapers calling for sanctions against China.

Both were in custody ahead of their plea.

Little has been heard in open court about the case against the duo but they are part of a group of people linked to jailed pro-democracy media tycoon Lai who faces the same national security charge.

Authorities have accused Lai, 73, of running a "criminal syndicate" that lobbied for international sanctions against China over its crackdown in Hong Kong.

At Thursday's hearing, prosecutors read out a summary of the allegations against the two defendants.

In it, they accused Lai and his American aide Mark Simon of being "masterminds and financial support behind the scene and at the highest level of the syndicate".

Chan allegedly delivered Lai and Simon's instructions to Li.

Simon left Hong Kong last year and has previously described the prosecution against Lai and others as a political witch hunt against Beijing's critics.

In an email to AFP, he said he believed Li and Chan "are making statements under great duress, with questionable legal representation, and with Andy still having charges in China over his head".

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Lai's popular newspaper Apple Daily closed down in June after authorities used the security law to freeze its assets over the content of the tabloid's reporting.

Li was one of 12 Hong Kongers who made a failed attempt to flee the city by speedboat for Taiwan last summer.

They were intercepted by the Chinese coast guard and held in detention until their conviction at a closed hearing for illegal border crossing.

The group were eventually returned to Hong Kong custody.

Charges of Li and Chan assisting offenders over the fugitives case have been shelved by the prosecution as the pair pleaded guilty to the collusion offences.

The pair were remanded back into custody following their plea with the next hearing scheduled for January next year.

The case against Lai and his co-accused has yet to come to court.

su/jta/qan/jfx
A woman and her granddaughter were killed Wednesday after a gunman opened fire at an automotive plant in central Indiana, according to authorities.

The shooting happened during a shift change around 4:15 p.m. in the parking lot of the NHK Seating of America plant in Frankfort, about 45 miles north of Indianapolis.

The women killed in the shooting were identified as Promise Mays, 21, and her grandmother Pamela Sled, 62, according to the Clinton County Sheriffs Office.

INDIANAPOLIS POLICE OFFICER SHOT, WOUNDED ON CITY'S NORTHEAST SIDE: REPORTS

The suspected shooter, Gary C. Ferrell II, 26, of Frankfort, fled the scene in a blue Ford Focus but was apprehended by police shortly after, Sheriff Richard Kelly told reporters.

"It ended in Frankfort city with a vehicle crash," Kelly said, according to the Lafayette Journal & Courier. "The suspect wasn't injured in the crash and has been taken into custody and is being detained at this time at the Clinton County Sheriff's Office."

Kelly said speeds in the brief chase approached 100 mph and the suspect was taken into custody without incident.

Ferrell and the victims were all employees at the facility, he added. Mays and Sled were arriving for work at the time of the shooting, while Ferrell worked a different shift and was not working.

"I know from talking to some of the workers and the staff at NHK America that they have worked together in the past. They do know each other," Kelly said, according to the paper.

INDIANA WOMAN CONVICTED IN MURDER OF 10-YEAR-OLD STEPDAUGHTER FOUND STRANGLED, STUFFED IN TRASH BAG

No motive had been determined, and it was not yet known if the women were targeted or were victims of a random attack, the sheriff added.

The plant, which designs and makes seating for vehicles, opened in June. Kelly said it shut down production for the day after the shooting.

In a statement Wednesday night, NHK said it was "shocked and saddened by these events."

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"Our prayers and sympathy go out to the friends, families, and co-workers of the victims," NHK said, according to the Journal & Courier.

Ferrell was jailed pending the filing of formal charges. Kelly said.

"We are working feverishly with the Clinton County Prosecutors Office to gather evidence and statements so that we may move forward with charges in the next couple of days," he added, according to FOX 59 Indianapolis.
ROME (Reuters) -Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi is working to organise a summit of the Group of 20 major economies on the situation in Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover at the weekend, newspapers La Repubblica and Il Messaggero said on Thursday.

Italy holds the rotating G20 presidency this year and a possible meeting is expected to be held before October's scheduled summit in Rome, La Repubblica said.

Draghi is expected to discuss the matter with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, the two dailies added.

A spokesperson for the prime minister's office was not immediately available for comment.

An online meeting of leaders of the G7 grouping has already been scheduled for next week to discuss a common strategy and approach on the situation in Afghanistan.

(Reporting by Giulia Segreti;Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
Ken Kurson Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images for DuJour

Ken Kurson, a close friend of Jared Kushner, was arrested and charged Wednesday on New York eavesdropping and computer-trespass charges, months after he got a federal pardon from then-President Donald Trump, Kushner's father in law. Kurson, editor of The New York Observer when Kushner owned it, had been charged but not tried on similar federal charges when Trump pardoned him. This is the first instance of state prosecutors charging someone pardoned by Trump for essentially the same alleged crime, in Kurson's case cyberstalking his ex-wife during their divorce proceedings.

"We will not accept presidential pardons as get-out-of-jail-free cards for the well-connected in New York," said Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance Jr., who filed the charges. "As alleged in the complaint, Mr. Kurson launched a campaign of cybercrime, manipulation, and abuse from his perch at The New York Observer, and now the people of New York will hold him accountable. We encourage all survivors and witnesses of this type of cybercrime and intimate partner abuse to report these crimes to our Office."

Prosecutors allege that Kurson, 52, used tracking software to spy on his wife and obtain email and Facebook passwords in 2015 and 2016, then sent a private communication between his wife and a friend to the friend's supervisor, among other trespasses. His now-ex-wife told police in South Orange, New Jersey, he "terrorized her through email and social media causing her problems at work and in her social life," the New York complaint says. It is unclear if the ex-wife is cooperating with the investigation.

Kurson did not enter a plea at his arraignment Wednesday, and he was released without bail and ordered to return to court Sept. 28. Vance's office is still investigating former Trump strategist Steve Bannon for alleged crimes he was pardoned for before his case went to trial, The Washington Post reports.

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Aug. 19Two weeks away

OK, we're two weeks from the first Thursday night action of the college football season.

It's here. It's happening.

We must address college football in some way or shape each day moving forward, don't ya think?

Today, coinciding with the rules around these parts, let's start with the class of the sport.

You know the rules. Here's Paschall on Alabama getting big contributions in camp from transfers. Of course they are.

We will ask a question each day about college football. Hey, it's what we do.

And since Paschall referenced a couple of newcomers that are going to help the top-ranked Tide  and yeah, that Henry To'o To'o run to being a Butkus Award finalist for the Tide is going to sting around these parts  we'll start there this morning.

If you had to bet a meaningful amount of money on who was going to win the college football title, would you take Alabama +250 or the field at even money?

Having it both ways

So the super team of super talent  and super egos  that was the NBA champion 2018 Warriors was undone by coach Steve Kerr and GM Bob Meyers?

Really?

That's what Draymond Green and Kevin Durant, the clashing personalities that divided the locker room and eventually the core of the NBA champs, want you to believe.

Back in 2018 as teammates with the Warriors, Green and Durant got into a heated argument on the court for everyone to see, and the ripples reached the locker room.

Green was suspended for a game, and on a recent podcast, the never-shy-about-speaking, often-shy-about-shooting Green asked Durant if that argument was a big reason why he left.

Durant told Green: "It wasn't the argument. It was the way that everybody  Steve Kerr  acted like it didn't happen. Bob Myers tried to just discipline you [Green] and think that would put the mask over everything."

So Durant was upset that he was not disciplined, too? Hmmmmm.

Green was suspended for a game and claimed he told management to stay out of the argument, which seems nonsensical to me.

Story continues

"'Y'all are about to f  this up,'" Green is quoted on the podcast as to what he told Warriors management. "I said, 'The only person that can make this right is me and K [Durant]. And there is nothing that y'all can do, and y'all are going to f  this up.' And in my opinion, they f  ed it up."

Responded Durant: "I think so, too."

So, in a league run by players, a heated argument between strong-willed and at times emotionally fragile superstars is the fault of the two dudes wearing suits?

Yeah, that makes perfect sense.

Shohei for sure

I know the Angels will not make the playoffs.

They are 10 games back of the Astros in the West, and at 61-61, they are sixth in the wildcard race.

That does not change the amazing numbers Shohei Ohtani is compiling.

Last night, he again was that amazing 12-year-old that played at everyone's park. You know the one, who almost assuredly was the coach's kid, and when you played his team, you prayed he was not going to pitch.

Wednesday night, Ohtani homered  his MLB-leading 40th  and pitched eight innings of eight-strikeout, six-hit, one-run baseball. He needed 90 pitches  yes, just 90  to get through eight innings.

His stats are stuff we haven't seen in a long time.

His 40 homers is behind only Babe Ruth's most productive power seasons in which he started at least one game as a pitcher.

Ruth's time with the Yankees skews several of the records Ohtani is chasing.

For example, Ruth went 1-0 with one start in both 1920 and in 1930 and hit 54 and 49 homers, respectively, in each of those years.

But think about this for a second: splitting hairs when comparing any player  especially a current one  to Babe Ruth is mind-blowing.

Ohtani is a runaway favorite for the AL MVP and a better Cy Young candidate than most realize.

His numbers at the plate  he's hitting .269, with the MLB-leading home run total as well as 87 RBIs and a 1.011 OPS  are as good as anyone's, and then you look at his pitching ledger. He has won seven straight decisions and four consecutive starts.

He's 8-1 on the year with a 2.79 ERA  a number that would be second in the AL if he had enough innings to qualify. His ERA is also better than you realize if you remember that he allowed seven earned runs against the Yankees without getting through the first inning.

Take out that start and his ERA is 2.17, which would be third in the big leagues and tops in the AL.

This and that

 Speaking of Shohei Ohtani, through an interpreter last night, he showed true grace and tried to downplay the Jack Morris hubbub from earlier in the week. Morris was suspended Wednesday by the Tigers for using a faux Asian accent in a reference to how the Tigers should pitch Ohtani. Wednesday, when asked, Ohtani said to The Athletic: "I did see the footage and I heard it. Personally, I'm not offended and I didn't take anything personally. He is a Hall of Famer. He has a big influence in the baseball world. It's kind of a tough spot."

 So Larry David and Alan Dershowitz got into a heated argument at a grocery store in Martha's Vineyard. I'm a white guy  shocker, right?  and that feels like the whitest sentence I've ever written. I have to wonder that if Larry and Alan were going to fight for real, would they have personal assistants come throw hands against each other? Serious question though: Larry David was mad at Alan Dershowitz for defending Trump and his cohorts, which is stupid, right? Even if you hate Trump as much as Chas does, our justice system is based on attorneys defending clients passionately. Heck, Larry David made a Johnny Cochran-like character a part of "Seinfeld" and Cochran got a murderer off. Lighten up, Francis.

 In the most predictable NIL deal possible, Alabama DB Kool-Aid McKinstry has inked a partnership with Kool-Aid. Sweet.

 More college football. Here's the CBSsports.com preseason All-America team. I want LSU to try to figure out ways to get Derek Stingley the ball because that's who I want to win the Heisman.

 Two pitchers  including AL Cy Young candidate Lance Lynn  were tossed Wednesday for violations of the sticky stuff rules.

 Braves played. Braves won. Giddy-up. And yes, those of us riding the Braves on the minus-1.5 line right now are making bank. And yes, the minus-1.5 was in serious jeopardy with the Braves bullpen last night.

Today's questions

Got a mailbag question? Fire away.

Interested in your college football answer to the question above, of course.

Also, who was the 12-year-old that did the Shohei stuff at your youth league baseball park?

Who you got, Larry David or Alan Dershowitz, in the whitest fight since Woody Allen boxed a kangaroo?

As for today, Aug. 19, let's review.

Matthew Perry is 52 today. Bill Clinton is 75.

On this day in 1950, ABC started this crazy idea of having Saturday morning cartoons. Now, it's as old-fashioned as bloomers. (Alejandro, ask your momma.)

Rushmore of classic Saturday morning cartoons. Go, and remember the mailbag.
New "Jeopardy!" host Mike Richards has come under fire for sexist, antisemitic and racist comments he made on a podcast that recently resurfaced. Richards, who is also executive producer of "Jeopardy!" was also a defendant in a discrimination complaint during his time as the executive producer of "The Price is Right."

Richards made the inappropriate comments on his podcast "The Randumb Show," which he hosted from 2013 to 2014. All 41 episodes, which were available online until Tuesday, were reviewed by The Ringer, which found Richards made several inappropriate comments to his co-host and assistant on the show.

On an episode following a massive iCloud hack in 2014, in which intimate photos of famous actresses were leaked, Richards ask the two women if they had ever taken nude photos. He then prodded for more, asking his cohost to go through her phone and show him an image, The Ringer reports.

According to a review of his podcast, Mike Richards used several insensitive terms and slurs, including derogatory terms for little people and those with an intellectual disability and calling women fat. He also has made insensitive remarks about Jewish people. / Credit: Sony Pictures/"Jeopardy!"

According to report, written by Claire McNear, Richards used several insensitive terms and slurs, including derogatory terms for little people and those with an intellectual disability and calling women fat. He also has made insensitive remarks about Jewish people.

When his cohost, Beth Triffon, discussed problems at her apartment, Richards asked: "Does Beth live, like, in Haiti? Doesn't it sound like that? Like, the urine smell, the woman in the muumuu, the stray cats."

When Triffon mentioned losing her job and qualifying for unemployment insurance benefits, Richards said: "The dangerous side about the crack that you just took is that not everyone is like you. But everyone can collect unemployment, which is why we have so many people on unemployment right now. Which is why we have so many people on food stamps. Because what if you got unemployment and food stamps? You'd be like, 'Good lord, I'm making.' You know what I'm saying?"

He also criticized Triffon for giving a dollar to a homeless woman, saying the woman would use it to buy crack or meth, according to The Ringer, which included several audio examples in their reporting.

Story continues

In a statement to CBS News, Richards said: "It is humbling to confront a terribly embarrassing moment of misjudgment, thoughtlessness, and insensitivity from nearly a decade ago."

"Looking back now, there is no excuse, of course, for the comments I made on this podcast and I am deeply sorry," he said. "The podcast was intended to be a series of irreverent conversations between longtime friends who had a history of joking around. Even with the passage of time, it's more than clear that my attempts to be funny and provocative were not acceptable, and I have removed the episodes.

"My responsibilities today as a father, husband, and a public personality who speaks to many people through my role on television means I have substantial and serious obligations as a role model, and I intend to live up to them," Richards said.

Richards was also involved in a discrimination law suit brought by a "Price Is Right" model. In 2010, Brandi Cochran accused Richards of firing her because she had become pregnant.

The complaint alleges that after several models had been fired and Cochran told Richards about her pregnancy, he allegedly said: "Go figure! I fire five girls ... what are the odds?'" Cochran thought Richards meant he "would have selected her for layoff if he had known that she was going to get pregnant." After she gave birth, she found out her contract was terminated.

Another model on the show also filed a suit alleging she was wrongfully terminated and subject to harassment at work. According to Variety, Richards was dismissed and the suit was settled out of court in 2013.

In regards to the lawsuits, which were recently resurfaced by several media outlets, Richards sent a note to "Jeopardy!" staff, provided to CBS News by Sony Pictures.

"I want to address the complicated employment issues raised in the press during my time at The Price is Right ten years ago," Richards said in the note, which was sent out when it was rumored he would be named host of the show. "These were allegations made in employment disputes against the show. I want you all to know that the way in which my comments and actions have been characterized in these complaints does not reflect the reality of who I am or how we worked together on The Price is Right."

"I know firsthand how special it is to be a parent. It is the most important thing in the world to me. I would not say anything to disrespect anyone's pregnancy and have always supported my colleagues on their parenting journeys," he said.

Earlier this month, Sony Pictures announced Richards was named full-time host of "Jeopardy!" and actress Mayim Bialik will serve as host of primetime and spinoff series.

The Ringer interviewed several people with connections to Sony Pictures, "Jeopardy!" and past shows Richards worked on, "The Price Is Right" and "Let's Make a Deal."

One source said employees were blindsided by the choice to make Richards host of "Jeopardy!" after longtime host Alex Trebek died. Others depicted Richards as "exclusionary and dismissive of longtime show employees," The Ringer reports.

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John Hancock is entering the investment-grade mortgage-backed securities (MBS) ETF arena with an actively managed product.

The John Hancock Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF (JHMB) launched Thursday on the NYSE Arca. It carries an initial expense ratio of 0.39% for one year before rising to 0.72% after waivers expire.

That eventual price point is more than twice as expensive than the 0.32% charged by the Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF (JMBS), the only other active investment-grade MBS fund currently trading, and far more expensive than the 4 to 6 basis point costs associated with passive MBS funds run by BlackRock, Vanguard and State Street.

Steve Deroian, John Hancocks head of ETF strategy, said the firm is targeting MBS as a source of income in the portfolio of Americans who are approaching or in retirement.

He said the fund managers will have access to securities issued by private banks rather than from the three federal housing finance agencies, giving the ETF access to a larger array of the $11.5 billion outstanding U.S. MBS market.

This is an area of the market that hasn't been overflowed with active managers, and we have experience, as our management team has been in the securitized space for over a decade, he said.

Contact Dan Mika at dan.mika@etf.com, and follow him on Twitter

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Aug. 19WILKES-BARRE  A Kingston man who has been locked up since April pleaded guilty to several charges stemming from allegations he had sex with a teenage boy, spoke inappropriately online with someone he believed was a minor and possessed child porn.

John William Dawe, 40, entered a guilty plea on Wednesday on three counts of sexual abuse of a minor, along with one count each of possession of and solicitation of child pornography. All charges were felony counts.

Dawe entered the pleas before Luzerne County President Judge Michael T. Vough.

Dawe was charged in April on two separate incidents. In the first, Luzerne County detectives said Dawe had been having a sexual conversation online with who he believed to be a 15-year-old boy, not knowing that the "boy" was actually a Kingston detective.

After Dawe's first arrest, county Detective Charles Balogh and Kingston Detective Steven Gibson continued the investigation after learning he had had sexual contact with a 16-year-old boy.

According to police, Dawe told detectives he became friends with a boy he believed was 17 at the hobby and game shop on East Northampton Street in Wilkes-Barre that Dawe previously managed.

Dawe allegedly told detectives the boy would "come into the store and hit on" him.

The boy eventually told detectives that he became friends with Dawe and they chatted on Facebook. At a certain point, their conversations became sexual, and the boy says Dawe requested nude images.

Police say that Dawe had sex with the boy in an unused room in the game store in either October or November of last year, and then again in either December or January.

Vough accepted the guilty pleas Dawe entered in both cases. Dawe's sentencing was scheduled for Nov. 23. Vough revoked Dawe's bail, so he will remain locked up until his sentencing.

Besides the game store Dawe operated, he is the proprietor of his own consulting company, John Dawe Consulting, LLC.

Story continues

Online court records say Mansfield police in Tioga County charged Dawe with child pornography in 2002, and Elkard police, Tioga County, charged Dawe with unlawful use of a computer and child pornography in 2000.

Dawe pleaded guilty to the separate cases, according to online court records. Dispositions of sentences could not be obtained.

A post on Dawe's personal Facebook page from early August indicates that he had received six weeks of rehabilitation treatment at a center in Chester. Dawe claimed in his post that he was able to make the post in between the end of treatment and going back to the Luzerne County Correctional Facility.
Kyle Rittenhouse during his pretrial hearing on May 21 at the Kenosha County Courthouse in Wisconsin. Sean Krajacic/The Kenosha News via Associated Press

Prosecutors in Kenosha, Wisconsin, asked a judge to admit a video as evidence against Rittenhouse.

It shows him saying he wished he had his gun to shoot at people leaving a pharmacy, they said.

Prosecutors said the video showed Rittenhouse's state of mind weeks before he fatally shot two men.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Prosecutors said a newly surfaced video taken just weeks before last year's deadly Kenosha shootings captured the Illinois teenager Kyle Rittenhouse describing his wish to shoot at people with an AR-15 as they left a pharmacy.

According to court documents obtained by Insider, prosecutors are seeking to have the judge admit the video as evidence in Rittenhouse's upcoming trial. They said the video provided "crucial insight" into Rittenhouse's state of mind in summer 2020.

The 29-second video, which has been published by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, does not show Rittenhouse's face. The video was apparently filmed across the street from a CVS Pharmacy, where several hooded people could be seen rushing out and clutching items.

A voice that sounds like Rittenhouse's can be heard saying, "Bro, I wish I had my fing AR. I'd start shooting rounds at them."

Video: What it takes for something to be labeled a hate crime

It's unclear who filmed the video, where it was filmed, or how prosecutors obtained it. Rittenhouse's attorney did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Rittenhouse, 18, is charged in connection with the killing of the 36-year-old Joseph Rosenbaum and the 26-year-old Anthony Huber and the severe injuries of the 26-year-old Gaige Grosskreutz. The accusation against Rittenhouse stem from heated racial-justice protests in Kenosha on August 25. His trial begins November 1.

Prosecutors alleged Rittenhouse was "hunting humans" that evening and shot the men as an act of vigilantism. Rittenhouse has said that all three men were chasing him and that he opened fire in self-defense.

Story continues

In their motion on Wednesday, Prosecutors wrote that the new video, taken just 15 days before the Kenosha shootings, showed Rittenhouse "saw something, jumped to a conclusion based on exactly zero facts, and then threatened to kill someone based on his baseless assumption and wrongful interpretation."

Prosecutors added that Rittenhouse didn't know the people outside the CVS or what they were doing, was merely watching from a vehicle parked across the street, and was not interacting with anyone involved.

"The video proves that the defendant was ready and willing to use deadly force in a situation where it was completely unjustified," the motion said.

"The video also demonstrates that the defendant fervently sought to insert himself as an armed vigilante into situations that had nothing to do with him," prosecutors added.

Read the original article on Insider
Ousted Vice President Amrullah Saleh, who's helping lead resistance in the last holdout against the Taliban in Afghanistan's northeast, on Thursday praised protesters who raised the national flag in defiance of the new government.

Driving the news: Saleh, who's declared himself Afghanistan's "legitimate caretaker president," in a tweet expressed his "support and appreciation for the courageous and patriotic movement of the honorable" protesters  who were shot at by the Taliban in at least three cities Wednesday.

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At least two people died in Jalalabad due to the Taliban's violent dispersal of the protesters.

The big picture: Saleh said on Tuesday that he's Afghanistan's caretake president due to toppled Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's fleeding to the United Arab Emirates.

He's part of an opposition group in the Panjshir Valleym north of Kabul in the Hindu Kush, with "a corps of loyal fighters" that is resisting the Taliban, the New York Times notes.

People in the region resisted Russian fighters in the 1980s and also the Taliban in the 1990s.

Of note: Saleh is allied with regional leader Ahmad Massoud, whose father, Ahmad Shah Massoud, who was the top anti-Taliban commander until he was killed days before the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the U.S., per the NYT.

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Untangling property and pensions assets without legal advice risks ending up costing both parties more

Bill and Melinda Gates may be among the wealthiest couples to file for divorce this year - but they aren't the only ones trying to figure out how to split their assets and go their separate ways after Covid.

Yet while they may not struggle to pay their legal bills, for many the financial cost of splitting-up can be a huge barrier.

In 2019, more than 100,000 UK couples got divorced - and since then, the pandemic has put many more relationships under tremendous strain.

A quarter of people say their relationship with their spouse or partner deteriorated during Covid, according to a recent survey of 70,000 participants by University College London.

This may be just the tip of the iceberg. UK charity Citizens Advice says the divorce section of its website was visited 419,359 times between July 2020 and July 2021 - 14% higher than the previous year.

Once lockdown restrictions eased, it also saw a spike in views of its divorce advice pages - in particular on how to pay for it.

Bill and Melinda Gates, who together run one of world's biggest charitable foundations, are divorcing after 27 years of marriage

Financial hurdles

While the final cost of a divorce can vary wildly, even getting started is prohibitive for many. The application fee is 550 - which everyone getting a divorce must pay.

"We spoke to people having to save for months or years to find 550," says Prof Liz Trinder, who led research for The Nuffield Foundation on divorce costs.

This initial cost amounts to a tax on people when they are "at their most financially vulnerable", says Prof Trinder who believes the actual costs are lower than 550 and will fall as the process becomes digitised.

Although there is some support available for those on low incomes or benefits, the worry is for most the fear of rising costs will prevent them from getting appropriate advice.

"So many people are terrified of stepping into a solicitor's office, because they are worried about the cost," says Mena Ruparel, who chairs the Law Society's family committee.

Mena Ruparel, who chairs the Law Society's family committee

"Solicitors charge in six-minute increments - so just sending a few emails and receiving replies can quickly see costs mount."

Story continues

But not speaking to a solicitor can end up costing more, says Ms Ruparel, if people don't get advice on how to avoid court by using mediation and arbitration - or receive a fair settlement, for instance.

Women going through a split are often left in a weak financial position, as they are more likely to already be earning less and with lower savings and pensions.

Rita, who did not want to be named to protect her identity, was in her 50s when she separated from her husband of 30 years after giving up work to care for their children.

She saw solicitors as "an unnecessary expense" and instead focused on keeping hold of the marital home, without accessing her ex-husband's pension.

"Career-wise I'm about 20 years behind him, I want a fair outcome."

The Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act will introduce so-called "no fault" divorces in the UK

But Martin Bell from the Money and Pensions Service, who advised Rita against going it alone without a solicitor, says ignoring pension savings often leaves women with a poorer deal.

Many women take career breaks to prioritise their family and forego pension opportunities in the process, and this needs to be taken into account, he says.

When people are distressed they "often just want to get it over with", and that can cost them money, he adds.

DIY divorces

Nevertheless, more are deciding to do it themselves. A survey of 1,000 divorcees for the group Resolution, which campaigns for family law to be more easily available found 57% of those who had divorced in the last five years had sought little or no legal help.

While going it alone can keep costs down, lawyers say it's only suitable for couples who have don't have assets to divide - because issues such as pensions, and arrangements about children and property can be much more complex.

Cuts to legal aid, introduced in 2013 mean many family cases, including divorces, are no longer eligible for public funds.

In 2019, more than 100,000 UK couples got divorced

Resolution, which represents 6,500 family lawyers, wants legal aid to be reintroduced for everyone seeking initial advice about divorce.

"We know that access to early legal advice helps couples make the best decisions about how they will separate," says Juliet Harvey, the national chair of Resolution.

The Ministry of Justice says it is spending millions to help couples avoid costly litigation, and that legal aid for mediation is still available to those who cannot afford it. It adds that charging those who can pay means "the justice system runs effectively, while cutting the cost to the taxpayer".

Louise, who did not want to be named to protect her identity, felt she had no option but to represent herself when her ex-husband emptied their shared bank accounts and sold their possessions after she left him.

"I spoke to a solicitor and quickly saw how the costs could mount up," she says. With children to support and no access to funds she worried she'd spend her only potential asset - the family home - on legal fees, so represented herself in court.

"I became really savvy about the process," she says, but acknowledges the eight years it took to finalise the divorce were gruelling. She still hasn't received the maintenance payments her ex-husband was ordered to pay. "I've written it off, " she adds.

Author Elizabeth MacBride, who has written about her own split, says even though her divorce was expensive and cost her a Silicon Valley job, she wouldn't have felt confident taking the DIY option. Gaining primary custody of her two daughters was her main aim and she felt she needed a lawyer for this.

"To go it alone would have been hard. Your fear is that your partner is going to 'take it out' on your children."

An evolving process

It's in these more difficult cases, where amicable agreements can't be reached, that costs can quickly rise.

Lucy Davis who runs The Divorce Club, a UK network of support groups, says many people she encounters are going through acrimonious separations, where costs can "run into the tens of thousands".

She says the financial pressure can lead to people taking out loans or borrowing from family members. One thing is clear, she adds, emotional trauma can make managing financial decisions extremely difficult.

"People can find it hard to separate money from emotions. We often talk about the benefits of treating divorce like a business transaction. The whole idea of what's fair becomes difficult if someone feels their former partner should pay financially for emotional pain."

Splitting-up may always be hard to do but the way people approach divorce is changing.

Much of the process is now online, so paperwork can be completed more quickly. Next year, the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act will introduce so-called "no fault"' divorces. People will no longer have to cite adultery, unreasonable behaviour or desertion as a reason - just that the marriage has broken down irretrievably.

While this makes divorce less adversarial, it won't necessarily make it cheaper. And for many couples, that still remains the greatest challenge.

Additional reporting by Angela Henshall
Aug. 19A Somerset man recently pleaded guilty in connection to a sex abuse case involving a California juvenile.

Justin Lee Cook, 39, was indicted last May on charges of first-degree Sexual Abuse and Unlawful use of Electronic Means Originating or Received within the Commonwealth to Induce a Minor to Engage in Sexual or other Prohibited Activities. Cook entered into the plea agreement during a pretrial conference on August 5.

According to Somerset Police Captain Mike Correll, the charges stem from an investigation that began on January 8 when SPD Detective Larry Patterson was contacted by Det. Timothy Salyers of the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office in California.

Det. Salyers advised Patterson that his agency had received a complaint related to nude and pornographic photos being shared with a female juvenile in his jurisdiction. Salyers' investigation, according to SPD, linked Cook to the offenses.

Throughout the investigation, SPD said, both detectives discovered Cook had sent nude pictures of himself to the victim as well as videos which showed Cook masturbating.

Det. Patterson obtained evidence confirming the identity of the person sending the juvenile the explicit material along with sexually explicit messages. He then presented the case to the Pulaski County Grand Jury, which returned Cook's indictment on May 5.

Cook was served two days later by Pulaski County Deputy Sheriff Steven Alexander after which, according to SPD, Cook confessed as he was interviewed by Det. Patterson.

At press time, Cook remained lodged at the Pulaski County Detention Center. In an order filed August 11, he is scheduled to undergo a sex offender evaluation before being formally sentenced on October 21 in Pulaski Circuit Court.
Good for Tampa Mayor Jane Castor for pumping some needed energy into the conversation about where the Rays should play their future home games. Not surprisingly, she said in a recent interview that she thinks Tampa would be the best option. More importantly, shes open to splitting home games with Montreal, an idea the Rays have pushed for two years. At this point, the split season seems the most likely option for keeping the Rays in Tampa Bay. Otherwise, the area risks not having a team at all.

Every mayor should be an enthusiastic cheerleader for her city. And thats part of what Castor was doing when she said recently, I believe that the most viable location for the Tampa Bay Rays is in the city of Tampa, and followed up with: Everybody gets behind a winner. You just cant deny that the Tampa Bay Rays are on fire right now. And as a community, we want them to stay here in Tampa. Castor would prefer the team stay anywhere in Tampa Bay than see another city like Nashville or Charlotte steal the team. But she sees Tampa as the most viable local option.

In many ways, it is. Hillsboroughs population is growing much faster than Pinellas, and Tampa is more centrally located, an easier drive for the growing communities in south and eastern Hillsborough and central and eastern Pasco. More people work in downtown Tampa than in downtown St. Petersburg, another potential fan base to draw to evening games. And, of course, St. Petersburgs Tropicana Field where the Rays play now has a disheartening record of attracting fans.

As Tampa Bay Times columnist John Romano outlined recently, the Rays have the fifth-best record in Major League Baseball since 2008, but are 30th in attendance over that span. And there are only 30 major league franchises. Ouch! Over three recent home games, the Rays drew a total of fewer than 26,000 fans, Romano noted. The Milwaukee Brewers, which play in a much smaller market, drew more than 76,000 fans on those same three days. Double ouch!

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And the Rays are a good team again this year. They currently sit in first place in their division. Winning, in other words, hasnt led to a full stadium, not even close. How bad would attendance be if the Rays were lousy on the field?

Of course, no one can guarantee that fans would pack a new stadium in Tampa long term. Thats one of the risks to be weighed, so is the unusual idea of splitting 81 home games with a city in another country 1,300 miles away. The initial idea is for the team to play up to 40 games in the Tampa Bay area in the spring before decamping for Montreal in the summer. Many of the other details  what to call the team and where to play playoff games, for instance  would get hammered out later.

The more open or receptive you are to ideas, the more likely theyll come to fruition. So its good to be flexible, Castor said.

Thats the perfect attitude toward the split-season at this point. The Rays say they want it, so explore the idea, see how it feels. If this unusual pitch tails out of the strike zone, the city isnt obligated to swing. Besides, neither Castor nor Tampas City Council seem inclined to write a blank check for a new stadium. Both appear to understand the limited appetite for spending too many tax dollars to house a part-time, for-profit baseball team.

In the end, a new stadium at the current Trop site or elsewhere in Pinellas County could be the best option. But Castor is right-on for pushing Tampas interest in landing the team. She should keep going. Find some common ground with the (sometimes fickle) Rays and work from there. Remain open, not obstinate. Look out for the best interest of Tampa and the region, but understand that having Major League Baseball is a net benefit  at the right price.

Editorials are the institutional voice of the Tampa Bay Times. The members of the Editorial Board are Editor of Editorials Graham Brink, Sherri Day, Sebastian Dortch, John Hill, Jim Verhulst and Chairman and CEO Paul Tash. Follow @TBTimes_Opinion on Twitter for more opinion news.
The Buffalo Bills announced Thursday that they do not expect starting quarterback Josh Allen to play in Saturday afternoons preseason game against the Chicago Bears. That seems to open the door for Bills backup Mitch Trubisky to play a lot in his somewhat awkward return to Soldier Field.

Trubisky, as has been well documented, played his first four seasons with the Bears, failing to live up to expectations as the No. 2 pick in the draft and leaving town as the latest major disappointment at quarterback for a franchise that has had so many of them. Now hes making an August stop-through in Chicago with his new team and in a new role.

It will be interesting to see what kind of reception Trubisky receives Saturday, both from former coaches and teammates as well as Bears fans. Despite his consistent inconsistency and pronounced struggles on the field over four seasons, Trubisky remained respected and well liked for the most part until his final days at Halas Hall.

Trubisky is celebrating his 27th birthday Friday with a flight to Chicago, where his NFL career began and fizzled. So what will this reunion be like? Dan Wiederer and Colleen Kane sound it out in this installment of Real Talk.

Dan Wiederer: Admittedly, Colleen, this will be a bit bizarre, seeing Trubisky playing for another team. Weve had a front-row seat for his entire career to this point and chronicled all his highs and many, many lows with the Bears. But now he has a fresh start with the Bills, trying to revive his career in some way. Chicagos Trubisky fatigue has been replaced by an incurable case of Fields Mania. And that might be the most intriguing part of Saturdays game  especially if Bears rookie Justin Fields plays a lot, as expected. That will offer a side-by-side comparison of the two quarterbacks abilities in the same game, potentially offering a fresh reminder of why the Bears felt compelled to turn the page plus more evidence for why the excitement surrounding Fields is growing so quickly.

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After just two quarters of preseason work, Fields already has fans imagination running wild in big part because he just seems to have much sharper playmaking instincts. For much of the past four years, Bears fans hoped that Trubisky one day could be the answer at quarterback. Fields seems to have generated a belief that the Bears offense will soon be in good hands. You know what Im saying?

Colleen Kane: Im definitely waiting to see how Bears fans receive Trubisky when he plays a game in front of them at Soldier Field for the first time since Dec. 22, 2019, considering the stadium was empty in 2020. Do you remember that game? It was a 26-3 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes. The crowd booed. Khalil Mack called it embarrassing. Trubisky said he let fans down. Bears nation wondered for the billionth time what might have been had the Bears picked Mahomes over Trubisky.

It seems so long ago now after the weird, COVID-19-interrupted 2020 season in which the Bears waffled between Nick Foles and Trubisky. And it seems even further away since the last 3 months have been filled with talk of what Fields can become. Maybe Bears fans will have moved on, eager to focus on what Fields does instead of rehashing the dashed hopes of the Trubisky era.

Then again, after Fields promising performance in the first preseason game, the crowd gave Foles the booing they couldnt in 2020. Sometimes people just like to boo.

Wiederer: That was weird, the whole booing Foles thing. Multiple times too. Its like being engaged and super excited about your future yet still feeling the urge to make nasty comments on the Facebook feed of some person you went out with on two or three dates. Misdirected energy.

But given that, Id assume there will be more than a few boos awaiting Trubisky on Saturday afternoon, even if most of the crowd carries an appreciation for how Trubisky handled himself during his roller-coaster ride with the Bears. He was always hard-working, driven, unselfish and professional.

Heck, he was voted as last seasons Good Guy honoree by the Chicago chapter of the Pro Football Writers Association. And even Bears coach Matt Nagy, whose relationship with Trubisky had its share of bumps and became quite chilly on occasion, took time Thursday to express fondness for Trubisky as a person and teammate.

Mitch is an extremely tough individual, Nagy said. Really, last year with what he went through with (his shoulder injury in October), it could have been easy for him to just say, You know what? Im not playing anymore. I got injured and Im just done. But he didnt do that. He fought back.

Not only did Trubisky fight back. He played well enough in his final six regular-season starts to keep the Bears playoff chances alive. In turn, he probably helped save the jobs of Nagy and many of his assistants. Thats not lost on the Bears coaches, who privately have expressed their gratitude for that, able to separate their frustration with Trubiskys erratic play from their appreciation for how he handled his business.

Kane: Thats a sentiment shared by Trubiskys former Bears teammates, who expressed hope a fresh start in Buffalo might be good for him  even if it didnt work out with them in Chicago.

Outside of football, thats still my guy, thats still my brother, said Bears safety Eddie Jackson, who was in Trubiskys draft class. I want the best for him and his family. Him going there, taking this next step, this new chapter in his life is something hes going to learn from. He can put all this stuff behind him and prove people wrong. Mitch had a lot of people against him. Right now, its just turning the critics to fans. This is a good start for him.

I was thinking about the Good Guy Award you mentioned as I watched Trubiskys first interview with Bills media. He was typically respectful as he faced a new round of questions about what went wrong with the Bears.

If you read the headlines from a couple of national pundits who took a clip of that interview out of context, you would think he ripped the Bears. Instead, he admitted he didnt have that many options in free agency, couldnt find the right place where he could compete to be a starter and instead found a team that said it wanted to help him become a better player. But the headline came from his next comment, which followed a long list of reasons why he picked the Bills.

Its just really nice to be a part of a great team and be somewhere where people want you here, and they care about how youre progressing as a person, as a player, Trubisky said. It was an interesting process, but I feel like Im right where Im supposed to be and Im enjoying being here.

Wiederer: Im glad you brought that up. I watched that entire interview with Trubisky the day it happened and appreciated his candid nature and introspection. At most, that quote you shared deserved a shrug and maybe a brief eye roll. But once it found its way into the machine, you knew it was going to come out twisted and sensationalized with hit-and-run bloggers and talking heads bloviating away.

Little of the reaction was fair to Trubisky. And all the exaggerated hot takes almost certainly created a chilling effect. Trubisky didnt talk to Bills reporters this week in advance of his return to Chicago. Bills running back Matt Breida offered his support publicly. Im excited for him to go back to Chicago and show them they made a mistake, Breida said.

Jackson, meanwhile? Asked whether a preseason return to Soldier Field could be an ideal venue for Trubisky to truly begin his career reboot, the Bears safety chuckled.

Going against us? Im not going to say its the best start, Jackson said.

The Bears defense has plans to ruin Trubiskys return even as former teammates pledge to root for him beyond Saturday.

Thats my guy, man, Jackson said. Its a good start for him, a new chapter in his life where he can flip the script and start over. But this weekend, I dont care if hes my cousin, my brother, whoever. If you line up on that other side, were going to give you that work. Hes got it coming to him for sure.

Kane: The one person we didnt hear from this week about Trubiskys return is general manager Ryan Pace, but it would be understandable if his emotions were complicated Saturday.

The Trubisky draft pick was his baby, a choice that failed convincingly enough that in other situations it might have ended his GM tenure. Instead, the Bears opted to give him one more shot to get the quarterback position right, and he turned that opportunity into trading up from No. 20 to No. 11 to grab Fields.

If Fields pans out the way the Bears hope he will, the Trubisky era and the disappointment that came with it will be just a blip in Bears history  and Paces. Of course, in the second preseason game of Fields career, thats still just a dream.

Wiederer: Right. Its important, as you know, to distinguish dreams from reality. And the harsh reality, as you just pointed out, is that the Bears and their fans are only having these invigorating Fields dreams right now because the high-stakes dice roll on Trubisky crapped out. As a result, the Bears squandered a window of opportunity that opened for them in large part because their defense was able to play at a championship level.

Imagine if Trubisky had panned out. The Bears could be right in the middle of a decadelong run in which they were consistently Super Bowl contenders. Instead 

Who knows what the state of the defense will be if/when Fields turns into the top-tier quarterback everyone wants them to be? Will some of the current faces of the defense be well past their prime by then?

The point is that the Bears are at the start of yet another quarterback reboot in 2021, one they could have avoided if Trubisky had become the player Pace believed he would become. And if you strip away the justifiable Fields excitement for a minute, you see an organization that always seems to need time and resources to clean up past messes.

Fields, at the very least, has the chance to be the ultimate cleanser in that regard. And as Saturday afternoon goes, Chicago will have its chance for full closure with Trubisky.

Kane: And thats good  because both sides are more than ready to move on.
Rep. Mo Brooks, the leading Republican contender for Senate in Alabama, is expressing empathy for the suspect who was arrested after the person allegedly threatened to detonate multiple explosives on Capitol Hill.

Brooks is favored to win the nomination and succeed retiring Republican Sen. Richard Shelby on the strength of former President Donald Trumps endorsement. But the congressmans prepared statement on North Carolina resident Floyd Ray Roseberry, who surrendered to Capitol Police after a five-hour standoff, could become fodder for his opponents in the GOP Senate primary.

In the statement, Brooks, 67, capitalized socialism and, amid some confusing grammar, appeared to empathize with a frustration with the federal government that might have allegedly motivated Roseberry to threaten the Capitol and its surrounding buildings with bombs. The standoff with law enforcement occurred outside of the Library of Congress, adjacent to the Capitol.

CONNECTICUT STATE SENATE SEAT FLIP SHOWS GOOD SIGNS FOR GOP AHEAD OF MIDTERM ELECTIONS

Brookss statement, posted to Twitter, reads as follows:

"Im aware of the Capitol Bomb threat. Im monitoring the situation. I am in Alabama. My Washington staff is accounted for and safe. I pray for the safety of Capitol Police and first responders on the scene in Washington. Sadly, violence and threats of violence targeting American political institutions are far too common. Although this terrorists motivation is not yet publicly known, and generally speaking, I understand citizenry anger directed at dictatorial Socialism and its threat to liberty, freedom and the very fabric of American society. The way to stop Socialisms march is for patriotic Americans to fight back in the 2022 and 2024 elections. I strongly encourage patriotic Americans to do exactly that now more than ever before. Bluntly stated, Americas future is at risk."

Rep. Adam Kinzinger, an Illinois Republican, quote-tweeted Brooks's statement, calling it "evil."

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The field of Republicans running for Senate in Alabama in 2022 includes Brooks, who sought the office in a 2003 special election but came up short; Lynda Blanchard, the ambassador to Slovenia under Trump; former Shelby chief of staff Katie Britt; and former congressional candidate Jessica Taylor.

Most of the Republicans who are opposing Brooks in the primary are coalescing around Britt, who raised more than $2 million during the first few weeks of her campaign.

Brooks has a history of making provocative statements, but that could be an asset with grassroots Republicans in Alabama, one of the most pro-Trump states in the nation.

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Tags: News, Campaigns, 2022 Elections, Mo Brooks, Alabama, Donald Trump, Library of Congress

Original Author: David M. Drucker

Original Location: Mo Brooks issues statement sympathetic with Capitol suspect's anti-government sentiment
A few weeks ago, Lydia Rodriguez thought her body was strong enough to fight the coronavirus without the vaccine.

But after a week-long church camp, she and other members of her family tested positive for the coronavirus. By the time Rodriguez, 42, changed her mind and asked for the shot, it was too late, her doctor said. A ventilator awaited her, her cousin Dottie Jones told The Washington Post.

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Out of options, the Galveston, Texas, mother of four, asked her family to make a promise: "Please make sure my kids get vaccinated," Rodriguez, a piano teacher, told her sister during their last phone call.

Rodriguez died Monday - two weeks after her husband, Lawrence Rodriguez, 49, also died after coronavirus complications. The couple fought the virus from hospital beds just a few feet from one another in a Texas intensive care unit, Jones said.

Lydia and Lawrence Rodriguez, who were married for 21 years, were among the tens of millions of Americans who have not yet received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine, which is available free to anyone over the age of 12. Health officials have stressed that the vaccine significantly lowers one's chance of becoming severely ill or dying of the virus. The now-orphaned children of the Rodriguez family join the millions tragically affected by the sometimes deadly illness.

The case of the Rodriguez family echoes that of other unvaccinated patients who have begged their doctors for vaccine doses before being intubated.

"Lydia has never really believed in vaccines," Jones, 55, told The Post. "She believed that she could handle everything on her own, that you didn't really need medicine."

A neonatal nurse, Jones was familiar with the serious effects covid-19 had on mothers and babies she treated at the Sugarland, Texas, hospital where she worked. She shared with Rodriguez how she had watched patient after patient be connected to a ventilator for weeks without much improvement.

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Jones could have gone on and on. But her cousin's silence spoke for itself, she said.

"I knew she would never get vaccinated," Jones told The Post. "I was very concerned."

Rodriguez's husband, who shared her anti-vaccine beliefs, also declined to get the shot. Three of their four children are eligible but have not yet received the vaccine, Jones said.

In early July, days after Rodriguez and the children returned from a Christian church camp, Jones's worst fears became true. One by one, each member of the family - including Rodriguez's husband, who did not attend camp because of work - tested positive for the coronavirus.

The family didn't tell anyone they were sick until Rodriguez's husband drove her to the hospital on July 12 after she began experiencing shortness of breath. Rodriguez was admitted to the ICU, and her husband was admitted to another ward, Jones said.

By then, the rest of the family stepped in to bring groceries and medicine to the couple's four children, who were all infected and quarantining at home. The youngest child was the only one to experience mild symptoms, Jones said. The rest were asymptomatic.

At one point, Lawrence Rodriguez's condition appeared to be improving, but a couple of days after he was admitted, he was rushed to the ICU. He requested a coronavirus vaccine shortly before being put on a ventilator, Jones said, but it was also too late for him. He died Aug. 2.

By then, Lydia Rodriguez was fully dependent on an oxygen mask that prevented her from talking to her children, who called to check in and sing Christian hymns to lift her spirits.

"We are praying for you and taking care of the kids," Jones recounted telling her cousin during her last days. Hospital staff called the family on Aug. 16 to report that Rodriguez had died.

The family has relayed her last wishes about the vaccine to the couple's 18-year-old twins, Jones said. The plan is to schedule an appointment for the 11-year-old daughter as soon as she qualifies, and the couple's 16-year-old son is expected to get the shot soon.

The family has created an online fundraiser to help the Rodriguez children while the courts figure out who will become the guardian of the minors.

Wednesday is expected to be a difficult day for the four siblings, Jones said. Their mom would have turned 43.

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By Rozanna Latiff

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysian king Al-Sultan Abdullah's efforts to end the country's long-running political instability could transform the traditionally ceremonial monarchy revered for being above politics in the Southeast Asian nation, say analysts.

Malaysian monarchs play a figurehead role in the Muslim-majority country and rarely intervene in politics.

But Al-Sultan Abdullah - who this week could end months of political turmoil by naming a new prime minister - has wielded his constitutional powers and influence like no other to chart the nation's political course.

Over the last 18 months, the king named Muhyiddin Yassin as prime minister, propped him up in key moments during a power struggle and - as public sentiment soured over the premier's handling of COVID-19 - reprimanded the administration, leaving its future hanging in the balance. Muhyiddin resigned https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/malaysian-pm-expected-resign-after-months-political-turmoil-2021-08-16 on Monday.

Constitutional lawyer New Sin Yew said the constitutional monarch's powers had been stretched to their limits during the ongoing crisis, raising concern that it could lead to overreach by future monarchs.

"A precedent has definitely been set, but it's being set in abnormal times. There is a danger simply because of this precedent, which I hope doesn't repeat itself," New said.

The palace did not respond to a request for comment.

Malaysia has grappled with political uncertainty since 2018 when Mahathir Mohamad led an opposition coalition to election victory over the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), which had governed the country through a stable coalition for more than six decades.

Mahathir's administration, however, collapsed from infighting last year, as Muhyiddin's did.

The king was thrust into the spotlight after Mahathir's abrupt resignation in February 2020. He met with all 222 lawmakers to decide which of them had the majority to form the next government.

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The constitution says the king can appoint a premier he believes has the majority, a power never utilised before as the premier is picked through an election.

The king appointed Muhyiddin who formed a government with parties defeated in the polls, including UMNO, even as Mahathir said he had regained a majority.

When UMNO threatened to withdraw support for Muhyiddin amid tensions in late 2020, the king repeatedly urged lawmakers https://www.reuters.com/article/us-malaysia-politics-idUSKBN27D0PW to quit politicking and support the premier in a budget vote to prevent the government from collapsing during the pandemic.

MIRRORING PUBLIC MOOD

Oh Ei Sun, a senior fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, said the king had a good understanding of the populace and his actions mirrored popular sentiment.

The king refused an October request https://www.reuters.com/article/us-malaysia-politics-idUSKBN27A068 from Muhyiddin to declare emergency rule, a move critics said would have allowed the premier to suspend parliament and stymie efforts to remove him. He did grant a seven-month emergency later in January as COVID-19 cases rose.

But last month the king admonished https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/malaysian-premier-faces-calls-resign-after-palace-rebuke-2021-07-29 Muhyiddin's administration over its handling of emergency laws, saying they had been revoked without his consent and went against the constitution. That rare rebuke gave fresh impetus for Muhyiddin's rivals and the premier quit less than three weeks after.

Royal historian Kobkua Suwannathat-Pian said the king had not acted beyond the scope of his constitutional powers.

"This king seems to be very careful on what he can and cannot do," she said.

Malaysia has a unique system, with nine Malay sultans taking turns to assume the role of king every five years.

It is a largely ceremonial role, with the monarch bound to act upon the advice of the prime minister and cabinet with few exceptions.

The monarch and the country's other sultans are held in deep respect by Malays and the non-Muslim Indian and Chinese minority communities.

The king, whose term ends in 2024, will be picking Muhyiddin's successor this week, after he ruled out elections during the pandemic and asked all parliamentarians to nominate a candidate.

"Of course in a parliamentary democracy, the best would be to hold elections," said Nik Ahmad Kamal Nik Mahmod of the International Islamic University of Malaysia.

"But if elections fail, or if we cannot arrive at a consensus on who should be the prime minister, then it has to be the king who decides."

(Reporting by Rozanna Latiff; Editing by A. Ananthalakshmi and Michael Perry)
Protests against the Taliban have now spread to more Afghan cities, and several more people have been killed at the rallies according to witnesses, by either the militants firing their weapons or the panic and stampedes caused by it.

This video was filmed by Reuters near one of the protests in the capital, Kabul. A witness in the area said that it appeared to be Taliban firing into the air.

Although on Wednesday (August 18) media reported that Taliban fighters fired directly into a crowd of other protesters in the city of Jalalabad, killing three people.

And on Thursday (August 19) a witness at a protest in Asadabad said more people were killed there, although it wasn't clear if they were killed by gunfire, the stampede, or both.

A Taliban spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.

August 19th is the day that Afghanistan typically celebrates its Independence Day - when it gained independence from British rule in 1919.

Some of the gatherings have been small in size, but it underlines the challenge facing the Taliban to govern the country and project a more moderate image.

Meanwhile, dramatic new images have been pouring in from Kabul's airport, as U.S. and allied forces struggle to keep the massive crowds inside and outside under control.

A little girl, here, being lifted over the perimeter fence by American troops filmed on Tuesday (August 17). On Wednesday, tear gas - as the soldiers try to keep the crowds back.

Thousands of people are here. As of Thursday about 8,000 Afghans and foreigners have been evacuated, according to a Western official. The U.S. alone says it's trying to get out 22,000 at-risk Afghans.
FBI agents, Cleveland County sheriffs deputies and other law enforcement agencies swarmed the home of a man on Thursday arrested after threatening to blow up a truck full of explosives near the U.S. Capitol.

Floyd Ray Roseberry, 49, of Grover parked his pickup truck for several hours in front of the Library of Congress and said he had explosives, according to Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger. Grover is about 40 miles west of Charlotte.

In a Facebook video reviewed by the Observer, Roseberry said he had explosives in his pickup truck.

Capitol Police didnt find a bomb in the truck, but possible bomb making materials were collected from the truck, according to a news release by the agency.

A man, identified as Floyd Ray Rosenberry of Grover, NC, surrenders after being in a pickup truck in front of the Library of Congress near the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021. Officials evacuated a number of buildings around the Capitol and sent snipers to the area after officers saw a man holding what looked like a detonator inside the pickup, which had no license plates.

A Facebook spokesperson confirmed the platform removed a page with several livestream videos from Roseberry saying he was inside the truck with explosive materials, McClatchy News reported.

In comments aimed at President Joe Biden, Roseberry says, Im all ready to die for the cause. And brother, if you could do anything to save one life, one life, you said youd do it. Well, you got a chance. I want to go home. I want to go home and see my wife.

Were living in a free country, Joe. The choice is yours. If you want to shoot me and take the chance of blowing up two-and-a-half city blocks, cause that tool box is full, ammonium nitrate is full.

I dont want to die, Joe. I want to go home, just like the people of Afghanistan want to go home. All them dead people are on your hands, too.

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Roseberry had recently lost members of his family, including his mother, Manger said.

There were other issues that he was dealing with, Manger said, citing conversations with Roseberrys family.

Its not known if Roseberry had a military or law enforcement background, Manger said.

Right now, we have no indication that he was acting with anyone else, Manger said.

A woman identified as Roseberrys wife told NBC News that her husband had mental health issues and recently changed medications. She said Roseberry left North Carolina on Wednesday night, telling her he was going on a fishing trip.

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Floyd Ray Roseberry, shown in this image from his Facebook livestream in Washington, is in federal custody after officials said he threatened to explode his pickup truck near the US Capitol on Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021.

What records show about Roseberry

Roseberry also was known as Bubba Roseberry, according to the N.C. Department of Public Safety. He was convicted in February 1989 of larceny and operating a vehicle without a license  both misdemeanors  and received probation and a suspended sentence.

Public records also show multiple criminal offenses in Roseberrys past, but none since 2010.

Roseberry had a limited arrest history in Cleveland County, Sheriff Alan Norman said during a news conference in Grover.

Roseberry was listed as an assistant supervisor at a company called Ithaca Industries Inc. Ithaca manufactured and sold apparel, according to a records search by the (Raleigh) News & Observer. However the company has not filed an annual report with the N.C. Secretary of State since 2001.

Scene in Grover

Late Thursday afternoon, the road outside Roseberrys home in Grover remained blocked to traffic.

At a news conference outside the Roseberry home on Thursday, Norman and Robert Wells, special agent in charge of the FBIs Charlotte office, said they didnt suspect a threat to the public, but they were waiting for a judge to approve warrants allowing them to search the home.

Wells declined to say if Roseberrys family has cooperated with the FBI.

He said the FBI is investigating whether Roseberry was involved in the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol.

Its too soon to tell, Wells said.

At least 13 people from North Carolina, including one from Cleveland County, face charges in the Jan. 6 assault.

Wells also declined comment about reports by neighbors of recent loud bangs in the home.

Neighbor Tina Haskin said she didnt know Roseberry and never expected anything in her neighborhood like what happened Thursday when deputies cars arrived at the home.

Haskin said investigators had not interviewed her.

Hand-written signs

Capitol Police said Roseberry drove onto the sidewalk in front of the Library of Congress at about 9:15 a.m. and told an officer that he had a bomb. The officer saw what looked like a detonator in the mans hand.

Officers immediately evacuated the Library of Congress buildings, the Cannon Office Building and others.

Congress was on recess, but some people were still working in the buildings, according to the police news release.

Roseberry communicated with police by holding up hand-written signs through the front drivers side window, Capitol Police said. Officers brought him a phone in hopes of trying to continue the dialogue, but Roseberry left the truck and officers took him into custody, according to the police statement.

Observer staff writers Jonathan Limehouse and Rogelio Aranda and (Raleigh) News & Observer staff writer Tyler Dukes contributed.
SINGAPORE  Singapore will be opening a new Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) arrangement for fully-vaccinated travellers from Germany and Brunei from 8 September.

Under this arrangement, the travellers may enter Singapore without the need to serve Stay-Home Notice (SHN), the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) said in a media release on Thursday (19 August).

Instead, they would undergo multiple COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests during their stay in Singapore. These include:

A pre-departure test within 48 hours of the scheduled departure flight;

An on-arrival test at Changi Airport;

Post-arrival tests on Days 3 and 7 during their stay, at one of the designated clinics in Singapore.

There will be no restrictions on the purpose of travel under the VTL arrangement, and no requirement for a controlled itinerary or sponsor.

However, these travellers must have remained in their country of departure and/or Singapore in the last 21 consecutive days prior to their departure for Singapore.

They must also travel on non-stop designated VTL flights from their country of departure to Singapore that will only serve VTL travellers. There will be seven and three designated VTL flights from Germany and Brunei to Singapore, respectively, per week.

Those who fail to complete the required PCR tests may be served with an SHN to be quarantined in a dedicated facility. It is also a chargeable offence under the Infectious Diseases Act.

As Germany already allows travellers from Singapore to enter the country without quarantine, the move means that fully-vaccinated travellers can travel between both countries without serving any quarantine or SHN.

INFOGRAPHIC: Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore

Application for Vaccinated Travel Pass

In addition, short-term visitors and long-term pass holders will need to apply for a Vaccinated Travel Pass (VTP) to travel to Singapore under the VTL. Application opens from 1 September for entry into Singapore on or after 8 September.

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As part of the application, travellers will have to pre-pay for their two post-arrival PCR tests. Their vaccination status will be checked for entry into Singapore.

Short-term visitors who require a visa for travel to Singapore must separately obtain a visa, preferably after receiving their VTP approval and before departing for Singapore.

They must also purchase travel insurance, with a minimum coverage of $30,000 for COVID-19-related medical treatment and hospitalisation costs, prior to travel to Singapore. They must also use the TraceTogether app in Singapore to facilitate contact tracing.

Fully-vaccinated Singaporeans and permanent residents do not need to apply for a VTP to enter Singapore under the VTL.

For those who are vaccinated in Singapore, they can show their vaccination status on the HealthHub app to the airline at check-in before departure for Singapore.

For those not vaccinated in Singapore, they can present proof of their vaccination taken in their country of departure to the airline at check-in and to the Singapore immigration authorities on arrival at Changi Airport.

INFOGRAPHIC: Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore

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A woman wearing a face mask is seen using a mobile phone while walking on the street.

The number of alerts sent by the NHS COVID-19 app in England and Wales has fallen to its lowest number since the week ending 23 June.

A total of 261,453 alerts were sent in the week to August 11, down 18% on the previous week.

The figures cover the first full week since changes were made to the app so that it notified fewer close contacts.

Venue check-ins also fell, dropping nearly 480,000 to 1,305,356.

At its peak in July, the number of self-isolation alerts sent in England and Wales in one week was just under 700,000.

Ping alerts

Latest government figures show that between 12 August 2021 and 18 August 2021, 211,238 people had a confirmed positive test result, an increase of 7.6% compared with the previous week.

On Monday in England and Northern Ireland rules were changed so that fully vaccinated adults and under-18s no longer had to self isolate if they were identified as a close contact of someone with Covid (as long as they had no symptoms).

Instead of having to quarantine for 10 days, they are now advised to take a PCR test - but this is not compulsory.

They are also advised to wear a face covering in enclosed spaces and to limit contact with others, especially the clinically vulnerable.

The guidance applies to under-18s too.

The changes to self-isolation rules have already been implemented in Scotland and Wales.

Venue Check ins

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the changes to self-isolation guidance were part of a cautious "step back towards normality", as a result of the vaccine rollout.

The latest statistics on vaccination show 40,987,846 people had been given a second dose by the end of 17 August 2021.
Law enforcement in Washington, D.C., said no explosive device was found inside the vehicle of a man who was arrested near the Capitol on Thursday after he told police he had a bomb.

In a late afternoon update, Capitol Police said no bomb was discovered inside the suspect's truck parked outside the Library of Congress, but investigators did find possible bomb-making materials.

Police responded on Thursday morning to a suspicious vehicle pulled up onto the sidewalk outside the Library of Congress. The suspect said he had a bomb inside and demanded to speak to President Joe Biden, which led to the evacuation of nearby buildings and hours of negotiations between him and police.

SUSPECT SURRENDERS FOLLOWING 'ACTIVE BOMB THREAT' NEAR LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

The man also appeared to have a detonator in his hand, according to police.

The negotiations involved the suspect, whom law enforcement identified as 49-year old Floyd Ray Roseberry of Grover, North Carolina, holding up handwritten signs to officers through the truck's driver-side window, according to Capitol Police. Officers also delivered him a phone to use during negotiations.

Roseberry was seen in nearby security footage exiting the vehicle around 2:20 p.m. and surrendering to law enforcement.

A Facebook account under the name of Ray Roseberry published a video to the platform on Thursday that appeared to be recorded from inside the truck on the Capitol complex.

Ive called 911 and told them to come out here and clear this f***ing place out, they need to clear it out," a man could be heard saying in the video. "'Cause I got a bomb in here! I dont want nobody hurt.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

The video has since been deleted.

Congress is currently on recess, and most of the nation's lawmakers were not at the Capitol across the street when the incident occurred. Still, individuals were working inside the Capitol and nearby office buildings, police said.

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Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, Washington D.C., Investigation, Library of Congress, U.S. Capitol Building, Bombs, U.S. Capitol Police

Original Author: Jeremy Beaman

Original Location: No explosive found in DC bomb threat suspect's vehicle: Police
North Carolina authorities nabbed two suspects on Tuesday charged in connection to the 2019 deadly shooting of a county sheriff deputy's 19-year-old son in a Charlotte grocery store parking lot.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Departments Violent Criminal Apprehension Team, working in conjunction with the U.S. Secret Service and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, located and arrested 26-year-old Dashawn Gernard Partlow and 23-year-old Conner Pyle "without incident."

Both men are charged for their alleged involvement in the November 2019 murder of Nathaniel Isenhour. He was the son of Cabarrus County Deputy Sonny Isenhour, the Cabarrus County Sheriff's Office said in an update Tuesday, sharing Charlotte police's announcement about the arrests.

Police previously described the victim as a "college student and beloved student-athlete in the Charlotte-Metro area."

Following their interviews with homicide detectives, Partlow and Pyle were transferred to the custody of the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office. Partlow has been served his outstanding warrant for murder, and Pyle has been served his outstanding warrant for obstruction of justice, police said.

WISCONSIN SHERIFF'S PROGRESSIVE JAIL REFORM INVOLVES CALLING INMATES RESIDENTS

Authorities did not provide additional information regarding a potential motive. Mecklenburg County jail records show that Partlow is also facing a charge of robbery with a dangerous weapon. Pyle was also charged with possession and conspiring to sell and deliver marijuana.

The elder Isenhour also announced on his own Facebook page the "good news" about the arrests made in his son's murder case.

Investigators believe 19-year-old Isenhour was inside of a vehicle in the Harris Teeter parking lot located at 8640 University City Blvd. when he came under gunfire just before 10 p.m. on Nov. 25, 2019. University City Division officers who responded to a shots fired call found evidence of the shooting when they arrived on scene, but no victims or potential suspects, police said.

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Police located Isenhour at Atrium Health University City Hospital suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound. He was transferred to Atrium Health's Carolinas Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead by medical staff the next morning, police said.

After his sons death, Deputy Isenhour pleaded for anyone with information to come forward, WBTV reported.

"My son Nate was murdered in Charlotte. He was only 19 years old," Sonny Isenhour said. "Before Nate passed, he became involved with some questionable individuals and thats what led us to where we are today."

"Not knowing is absolute torture. Please, Im begging  somebody say something," he said, before addressing the shooter directly. "You need to get right with yourself because you will face justice in this world or the next. It will come to you. Get right with God."

The victims mother, Sherri Walker, worked as an emergency room nurse, but she told WBTV at the time she never expected something like what she sees on the job to happen to her own son.

"I have held mothers whenever I couldnt save their child," she said following Isenhours death. "Never did I think I would be on this end of things."

Homicide detectives identified Partlow and Pyle as suspects throughout the course of their investigation. In late 2020, a reward of up to $25,000 was offered for information. Police on Jan. 15, 2020, had released surveillance footage from a nearby gas station following the 2019 shooting. It showed a car peel out of the parking lot with its rear tail light out and visible damage to its front-right quarter panel.

Even after the arrests Tuesday, the case remains active and ongoing, police said. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call 704-432-TIPS and speak directly to a Homicide Unit detective. Detective C. Sinnott is the lead detective assigned to this case. The public can also leave information anonymously with Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600 or http://charlottecrimestoppers.com.
MANDAN, N.D. (AP)  A jury ended its first day of deliberations Thursday without a decision in the trial of a North Dakota chiropractor accused of killing four people.

Jurors were dismissed after three hours of deliberations. They were scheduled to resume discussions Friday morning.

Chad Isaak is accused of fatally stabbing and shooting RJR Maintenance & Management co-owner Robert Fakler, 52, and his employees 42-year-old Adam Fuehrer, 50-year-old Bill Cobb and 45-year-old Lois Cobb at the companys building in Mandan on April 1, 2019. The Cobbs were married.

Isaak, 47, lives in a mobile home in Washburn on property managed by RJR. No motive has been established in the case.

Prosecutors have presented the case as a puzzle in which all of the pieces point to Isaak, including a knife found in his clothes washer, gun parts found in his freezer and the security camera footage tracking his pickup, the Bismarck Tribune reported.

The defense has painted the case as a rush to judgment, maintaining that authorities overlooked numerous people as possible suspects. Isaaks attorneys also have questioned the sourcing, collection and processing of evidence.

They said some testimony doesnt match police reports and they have questioned the absence of visible blood on the clothing of a person seen in security camera footage leaving RJR the morning of the killings.

A jury of six men and six women is hearing the case. If convicted, Isaak could face life in prison without parole.
The K12 kiddos are already back at school. Next week it's college students' turn.

University of Arkansas

What's happening: Students, faculty, and staff must wear masks on campus, but the university has pulled back on two pandemic policies.

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Students will no longer be guaranteed the option of online learning. Faculty teaching in-person classes may allow students an online option on a case-by-case basis, but the classes must be taught in person, U of A spokesperson John Thomas tells Axios.

U of A is also returning to its usual requirement that freshmen live on campus, with few exceptions, Thomas says.

What it means: College dorms are basically the exact opposite of social distancing  and one of the few places on campus where masks will not be required.

Last school year, the university allowed first-year students to cite COVID-19 as a reason for living off campus. Not anymore.

Freshmen can apply to live off-campus with U of A's standard exemption form, which clearly states they are unlikely to be approved unless they are living nearby with a parent or guardian.

And no, students cannot ask to live with a vaccinated roommate or refuse to live with a fellow student who isn't vaxxed. Thomas says the university does not ask students their vaccination status.

Of note: Vaccines are available to students, faculty and staff at the on-campus health clinic, Pat Walker Health Center. The university also has an incentive program to encourage vaccinations.

NorthWest Arkansas Community College

NWACC announced Wednesday that masks are now required for students, faculty and staff anywhere indoors on campus.

Classes will be offered in-person, hybrid, and online. "Students can choose which format that they feel most comfortable taking," Liz Kapsner, NWACC spokesperson, tells Axios.

Of note: The community college does not have on-campus housing.

1 missing thing: We don't know the vaccination rates of either U of A or NWACC. A spokesperson with the Arkansas Department of Health tells Axios the data is not available yet.

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UPDATE: On Aug. 24, a lawyer for the Afghan Girls Robotics Team sent a cease-and-desist letter to Allyson Reneau, asking her to stop overstating her role in helping the team leave Afghanistan. Reneau denied any exaggeration and said she was part of a group effort. A full report on the dispute can be found here.

Ten girls from Afghanistan's girls robotics team have been rescued from Afghanistan.

"Several members of the girls Afghan robotics team have safely arrived in Doha, Qatar, from Kabul, Afghanistan," a statement from the Digital Citizen Fund and Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs said of the Afghan Girls Robotic Team.

The team, which consists of a group of girls ages 16-18 who have overcome hardship to pursue their love of engineering and robotics in Afghanistan, safely arrived in Doha, Qatar, days after Kabul fell to the Taliban.

"The Digital Citizen Fund (DCF), the team's parent organization, is deeply grateful to the government of Qatar for their outstanding support, which included not only expediting the visa process but sending a plane after outbound flights from Afghanistan were repeatedly canceled," the DCF said in a statement.

Elizabeth Schaeffer Brown, a board member on the DCF, said that she and the DCF founder had been working with Qatar since early August when it became clear that the Taliban would be overthrowing the government.

"The flight out of Kabul was only at the very end of a journey in which safety was always a concern," she said.

"Ultimately the girls 'rescued' themselves. If it were not for their hard work and courage to pursue an education, which brought them in contact with the world, they would still be trapped. We need to continue to support them and others like them," she said. Unfortunately, several members of the team remain in Afghanistan. DCF is working with Qatar to arrange transportation for the remaining members and their aides.

When Kabul fell, the robotics team was on the mind of many.

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Allyson Reneau, a mom of 11 who graduated from Harvard in 2016 with a masters in international relations and U.S. space policy, could not stop thinking about the girls when the Taliban began to take over the country.

Reneau, 60, first met the girls through her work on the board of directors for Explore Mars, when the girls attended the 2019 Human to Mars conference. Reneau has kept in touch with the girls over the years, and as reports of a Taliban takeover grew, she had an overwhelming feeling the team of girls might be in danger.

"I remembered my former roommate in D.C. a couple of years ago was transferred to Qatar," Reneau explained. "She said she worked in the U.S. Embassy in Qatar... she was sure her boss would approve helping the girls."

Reneau and her former roommate attempted the necessary paperwork to get the girls out. It is unclear how much their efforts helped, but Reneau is relieved to know 10 of the girls are now safe. The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the effort.

The girls were flown to a secure location, where they will be able to pursue higher education.

"We appreciate this and hope it translates to long-term commitment to girls' education," Brown said. "This is the most effective way to guarantee their safety and a better future for everyone."
DUBAI (Reuters) - Oman will ease a curfew imposed to combat the spread of COVID-19 by reopening public buildings, malls and restaurants and resuming public events, authorities said on Thursday.

Shops have been closed and commercial activities shuttered between 8:00 pm and 4:00 am since May.

They will reopen on Saturday but then be restricted again between those hours from Sept 1 to people who have been doubly vaccinated against the virus, a government committee tasked with coordinating efforts against the pandemic said on Twitter.

The committee did not give an explanation for the two-stage process.

Vaccination is also being introduce as a condition for visitors entering Oman, on top of an existing a seven-day quarantine requirement, it added.

COVID-19 infections are decreasing in Oman, with 187 reported per day on average over the past week, according to the Reuters COVID tracker. There have been 300,728 in all, and 4,013 coronavirus-related deaths.

(Reporting by Maher Chmaytelli; Editing by Alison Williams and John Stonestreet)
By Brenna Hughes Neghaiwi

ZURICH (Reuters) - One year after Switzerland's top prosecutorial role was left vacant, a parliamentary body has proposed the head of Bern's cantonal police become Switzerland's new attorney general.

Parliament's judicial commission unanimously voted to put forward Stefan Blaettler, head of regional police in Switzerland's capital since 2006, as Switzerland's next lead federal prosecutor in a meeting on Wednesday.

"After an external evaluation process and a two-stage hearing process, in which around a dozen applications were reviewed, the Commission unanimously concluded that Mr. Blaettler has all the qualities needed for this office today," parliament's judicial commission said in a statement late on Wednesday.

Switzerland's former attorney general, Michael Lauber, resigned last summer, after a court decided he had covered up a meeting with FIFA boss Gianni Infantino and lied to supervisors while his office investigated corruption surrounding soccer's governing body and as a parliamentary impeachment case was underway. https://reut.rs/34zyguS https://reut.rs/2Yd2Qqc

Lauber had been attorney general since 2012.

Since last August, the role has been vacant as the parliamentary body tasked with selecting a candidate sifted through multiple rounds of applications without agreeing on the suitability of any of the previous candidates.

Noting Blaettler spoke all three of Switzerland's most widely spoken national languages as well as fluent English, the commission said Blaettler's many years of experience in law enforcement and "comprehensive leadership skills" made him well-equipped for the job.

"He also brings with him the necessary personal skills to head the Office of the Attorney General," the commission said.

Blaettler, who also teaches at the University of Bern's Institute for Criminal Law and Criminology, must first be voted in by parliament before becoming attorney general.

Parliament is set to vote on his appointment on Sept. 29.

(Reporting by Brenna Hughes Neghaiwi. Editing by Gerry Doyle)
A portrait of Cotton Mather, the Puritan minister. His congregation gave him an enslaved man as a gift, and he told Mather about smallpox inoculations. (Universal History Archive / Getty Images)

Less than 25% of Black Americans have been fully vaccinated, the lowest vaccination rate of any group the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tracks. This unacceptably low rate is the result of many factors, including disproportional representation in essential worker settings, a lack of access to quality healthcare, and racism and associated chronic stress.

Looming large in vaccination hesitancy among Blacks is distrust in American healthcare rooted in medical racism and experimentation. The many strategies employed in an attempt to overcome this distrust have included ministers in the community spearheading vaccination campaigns and Black healthcare professionals answering questions during the pandemic about past medical malfeasance and current medical practice.

One untried strategy that could make a difference: An information campaign that would highlight how people of African descent have been crucial to the development of vaccines in the U.S.  going back more than 300 years. This strategy offers a source of pride instead of fear.

The historical record shows that the very notion of inoculation against a virus was first introduced in early America by an enslaved African man named Onesimus. In 1706, a Boston congregation gave him to their minister as a gift  thats right, churchgoing Christians thought it was perfectly fine to present another human being to their spiritual leader as a gift. The recipient was Cotton Mather, the acclaimed Puritan minister and author.

Smallpox had been known and feared for some time when Onesimus told Mather around 1716 about an inoculation method to prevent smallpox that had been used on him as a child in Africa. Onesimus most likely came from Ghana, which had been ruled by several Islamic dynasties, and Arabic medical science had developed several methods aimed at preventing smallpox by the 17th century.

According to Mather, Onesimus explained that scraping the skin of an uninfected person with a thorn dipped in juice from a smallpox vesicle of someone already infected could protect that person from dying. Mather struggled to accept a slaves wisdom. He verified this recounting by speaking with other Africans, and with other ministers who had heard similar reports from enslaved people they owned or interviewed. Mather also learned the inoculation method Onesimus had described was common throughout the Middle East, the Far East and Africa.

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In a letter to what was then called the Royal Society, he called Onesimus a pretty Intelligent Fellow. Mather soon became a believer in inoculation, advocating for it from his pulpit and in his writings. This drew the ire of his fellow white Bostonians, who resented the idea that knowledge obtained from a so-called uneducated, uncivilized African could be useful.

Newspapers inveighed against Mather. Ministers preached his damnation. An explosive device was thrown through the window of his home. Then, on May 26, 1721, the sailing-ship Seahorse arrived in Boston harbor from the Caribbean, and Mather wrote in his diary: The grievous Calamity of the Small-Pox has now entered the Town.

As the epidemic spread from the ship to citizens in Boston, Mather partnered with Zabdiel Boylston, a physician, to administer vaccines via Onesimus method. Boylston inoculated his son and his enslaved African workers before inoculating other Bostonians. Only six of the 242 people inoculated using Onesimus method died, a mortality rate of one in 40. Among those who had not undergone the procedure, the mortality rate was 1 in 7.

Lives were saved. Mather was vindicated. Boylston was lauded. The Boston inoculations helped pave the way for English physician Edward Jenner, in 1796, to develop the smallpox vaccine, a similar but safer inoculation technique. The procedure was called vaccination because cowpox was used; in Latin, vacca means cow.

Onesimus role was largely lost to history until 2016, when medical historians voted him one of the 100 Best Bostonians of All Time in Boston Magazine. The historical record also shows that enslaved people were the subjects of vaccine experimentation. For example, in 1801 Thomas Jefferson had 50 of those he enslaved at Monticello injected with a smallpox vaccine, then daringly exposed them to the live smallpox virus. Only after they showed no symptoms would he allow two dozen of his family members to be vaccinated.

A direct line can be drawn between inoculation in Boston in the early 1700s and the COVID-19 vaccine today. For instance, the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines use pieces of a virus genetic material (mRNA) to create an immune response.

Black Americans should rightly be suspicious of an American healthcare system that has through the centuries treated them as disposable laboratory rats. But by highlighting Onesimus role in the development of vaccines, public health officials might be able to persuade more Black Americans to roll up their sleeves and receive the COVID-19 vaccine with pride, knowing the history of the injection theyre receiving can be traced back to an enslaved African man.

Clyde W. Fords latest book is the forthcoming Of Blood and Sweat: Black Lives, and the Making of White Power and Wealth. He is a contributing writer to Opinion.





This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Mitch McConnell predicted it.

But Rand Paul says hes been proven right as well.

The Talibans breakneck takeover of Afghanistan following President Joe Bidens pullout of U.S. forces has both Kentucky senators arguing their polar opposite positions have been validated.

McConnell, who has warned for years that a hasty abandonment of Afghanistan would precipitate a security crisis, has largely seen his immediate predictions come true, as Americans and their Afghan allies struggle to flee a country in chaos.

Paul, who has contested for just as long that the U.S. had no reason to be in Afghanistan for so long, said the current tragedy couldve been avoided if prior administrations had heeded his repeated warnings to bring troops home. Once America had avenged the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks with airstrikes on the Taliban, the mission had been accomplished, according to Paul.

They cant both be right, and some foreign policy analysts contend neither of their arguments is airtight.

They were both wrong, said Bill Roggio, senior fellow at the nonpartisan Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Rand Paul basically holds the same position as the Biden administration. An objective viewer would say that was pretty wrong because it didnt happen the way we thought.

Roggio added, McConnells wrong because the call to keep U.S. troops there was just staving off the inevitable if they stayed on the same path. Keeping the forces -- without changing the way we did things -- wouldnt have changed the ultimate outcome. It wouldve just delayed it.

Which is to say, finding the right way out of a long war is historically messier than getting into one.

Still, the McConnell and Paul positions are emblematic of the wider rupture inside the Republican Party between the more traditional interventionist mindset and the ascendant anti-war ethos that was normalized by the presidency of Donald Trump, who put in motion the departure from Afghanistan after nearly 20 years of American involvement.

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Now the same people who still defend the Iraq War and who also wanted to stay in Afghanistan forever are some of the loudest voices criticizing the Taliban retaking control of that country, wrote Paul on his new Liberty Tree website. If after 20 years of preparing Afghanistan to govern itself, it immediately bends to extremists the moment we leave, what did hawks think we were going to accomplish over another decade -- or ever? Was two decades not enough time?

Whereas Pauls position dogged him in his 2016 run for president for looking weak and fringe inside the GOP, hes now much more in step with most Americans than McConnell. A Morning Consult poll conducted over the weekend as events in Afghanistan were unraveling found that just 37% disapproved of the withdrawal.

He is in the minority, unfortunately, in the Republican Party in Washington, but the Republican base ...has leaned and gone very hard against the war in the last several years, said Kelley Beaucar Vlahos, a senior adviser at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, which opposes an overly militarized foreign policy. Rand Paul speaks for the base of conservatives throughout the country.

McConnell has spent this week on a media tour, lamenting the utter disgrace of Americas exit and lambasting the Biden administration for lacking a plan to extricate an estimated 10,000 to 15,000 U.S. citizens still on the ground there.

But the GOP leader has been less precise about what to do next.

Asked multiple times if he believes Biden should send more troops into Kabul to retake the capital city, McConnell demurs.

I dont know at this stage, he told conservative radio show host Hugh Hewitt.

Ill leave it up to him to figure out how to correct the mistake that he made, he responded to CBS Norah ODonnell.

Lawrence Wilkerson, the retired U.S. Army colonel and former chief of staff to former Secretary of State Colin Powell, said McConnell and other advocates for remaining have failed to communicate the most geostrategic rationale for a continued presence: To keep a regional check on neighboring Pakistan, a dangerous nuclear power, as well as China, Americas foremost military rival.

No ones articulated that, let alone Mitch, Wilkerson said. We need to be ready to fight China and maybe even Russia. They will flow into vacancies that we leave.

While the Biden administration is incurring widespread backlash for being caught off guard by the Talibans strength, its unclear if Americans will ultimately judge them harshly for getting out of the hobbled country.

The fiasco could reinforce American reluctance for continued unending deployments, thousands of miles away, bending Republican Party orthodoxy even further toward the Paul position.

I think in the near-term the isolationists win, said Roggio. There just isnt this groundswell of support to re-engage in a country that ultimately might lead to the same result as Afghanistan.

He owns it. McConnell asks Biden for troops as Taliban seize Afghanistan.
A man surrendered following a standoff with police on Capitol Hill on Thursday, after he drove near Congress and claimed to have explosives in his truck.

"Floyd Ray Roseberry from Grover, North Carolina, was taken into custody without incident," US Capitol Police Chief Thomas Manger said at a press briefing Thursday afternoon.

At approximately 9:15 a.m., United States Capitol Police responded to a disturbance call outside the Library of Congress, where a man in a black pickup truck with no license plates was making bomb threats, Manger told reporters at an earlier press briefing.

Manger said that the man later identified as Roseberry, 49, told officers that he had a bomb and a detonator, causing police to order the evacuation of multiple buildings on the Hill. In the press briefing after Roseberry's surrender, Manger said police had used a whiteboard to communicate with him during the standoff.

"We do know that Mr. Roseberry has had some losses of family. I believe his mother recently passed away, and we spoke with members of his family, and there were other issues that he was dealing with, Manger said.

He added that it will take hours for police to fully assess the scene for any explosives. Police didn't immediately say if the truck actually contained explosives as Roseberry claimed.

"We had information and evidence of what was in the bed of his truck. And there were some things that were concerning," Manger said. "But ultimately, we were able to take him into custody without incident. But there were certain things that we saw, for instance of propane, propane gas container. But obviously that was not... at this point, we think that's safe."

A Facebook account belonging to Ray Roseberry ran multiple livestreams that appear to have been recorded from within the black truck on Capitol Hill.

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Facebook locked the page, ending the livestreams, at about 12:30 p.m., after the man had been going live on and off for hours.

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In the livestreams, the man demanded that President Joe Biden and other prominent Democrat politicians step down, accusing them of killing America. He identified himself as a southerner and called on other "patriots" and southerners to join him on Capitol Hill to begin a revolution.

As law enforcement snipers appeared on the scene, the man said in the livestream that a bullet to the window would detonate the bomb. He then claimed to have enough gunpowder, ammonium nitrate, and shrapnel in the truck to destroy two city blocks. The man also claimed to have four other bombs, but did not provide more information on them.

Law enforcement has not confirmed whether those claims are true, but Manger said in the afternoon press briefing that police have "no indication" that Roseberry was acting with anyone else.

Manger also said Roseberry did not have anything "serious" in his criminal history.

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The bomb threat comes seven months after thousands of supporters of former president Donald Trump stormed Capitol Hill demanding the 2020 election results be overturned. Pipe bombs were discovered that day at the headquarters of both the Democratic and Republican National Committees in Washington, DC. Police have yet to identify the individuals who placed the bombs.
The Pentagon was pressed Thursday to explain why the U.S. isn't rescuing Americans outside of the Kabul airport as the British are doing for their citizens.

At a press briefing, Fox News' Jennifer Griffin said: "General Taylor, British paratroopers are leaving the airport, going into Kabul to rescue and evacuate some of their citizens who are trapped [and] can't get to the airport because of the Taliban."

"Why isn't the U.S. doing that?" she asked.

BIDEN TELLS ALLIES THEY CAN TRUST THE US, DESPITE WANING CONFIDENCE IN HIS FOREIGN POLICY PROWESS

Maj. Gen. Hank Taylor, who serves as deputy director of the Joint Staff Regional Operations, replied that the U.S.' focus was on securing Hamid Karzai International Airport (HKIA).

"At this time, our main mission continues to be to secure HKIA, to allow those American citizens and other SIVs to come in and be processed at the airfield."

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby was asked during the same press conference whether he knows how many Americans remain stuck in Afghanistan. He replied: "I don't know."

Earlier this week, another 1,000 paratroopers were sent to help evacuate U.S. personnel and Afghans who provided assistance during the war.

Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson contributed to this report.
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is initially more effective against the Delta coronavirus variant than the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab, but this protection then declines at a quicker rate, new research has shown.

Scientists from the University of Oxford have confirmed that the general performance of the two jabs is diminished by Delta, compared to the previously dominant Alpha variant, with vaccinated people likely to pass the virus on to others.

However, two doses of either jab still provides at least the same level of protection acquired through natural infection, and there is not yet clear evidence to suggest that the vaccines are failing to keep people infected with Delta out of hospital.

There appears to be little change in the effectiveness of the AstraZeneca vaccine three months after a second dose, according to the study. In contrast, there is a clear decline in protection provided by the Pfizer jab over this same timeframe.

The results, which have not yet been peer reviewed, suggest that after five months the effectiveness of these two vaccines would be similar, the researchers said.

Even with these slight declines in protection against all infections and infections with high viral burden, its important to note that overall effectiveness is still very high because we were starting at such a high level of protection, said Dr Koen Pouwels, a senior researcher at the University of Oxfords Nuffield Department of Population Health.

The study, conducted in partnership with the Office of National Statistics (ONS) and the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC), looked at data between December 2020 and August 2021 from the Covid-19 Infection Survey.

Swab tests from more than 700,000 participants were analysed from before and after 17 May 2021, when Delta became the main variant in the UK.

Analysis revealed that for infections with a high viral load, protection a month after the second Pfizer dose was 90 per cent greater than an unvaccinated individual, reducing to 85 per cent after two months and 78 per cent after three.

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For AstraZeneca, the equivalent protection was 67, 65 and 61 per cent, the researchers said.

Watch: Do coronavirus vaccines affect fertility?

Dr Pouwels said that the team can be confident that the numbers really represent a decline for the Pfizer vaccine, whereas for AstraZeneca the differences are compatible with chance, that is there could be no change at all in the protection from AZ.

The findings also suggest that those infected with the Delta variant after their second jab had similar peak levels of virus to unvaccinated people.

Sarah Walker, a professor of medical statistics at Oxford and chief study investigator, said it was unclear how much transmission can happen from people who are infected with Delta after being fully vaccinated.

But the fact that they can have high levels of virus suggests that people who arent yet vaccinated may not be as protected from the Delta variant as we hoped. This means it is essential for as many people as possible to get vaccinated  both in the UK and worldwide.

Both scientists stressed that the studys results do not offer any indication on vaccine protection levels against severe disease and hospitalisation.

It did suggest, though, that the time between doses did not affect effectiveness in preventing new infections, and that younger people (aged 18-34) had more protection from vaccination than older age groups (35 to 64-year-olds).

The research also found that a single dose of the Moderna vaccine had similar or greater effectiveness against the Delta variant as single doses of the other vaccines, but the scientists added that they did not yet have any data on second doses of the US-made jab.

Dr Alexander Edwards, associate professor in Biomedical Technology at the University of Reading, who was not involved in the study, said: Overall this study is excellent as it shows that although Delta is better at infecting vaccinated people than previous variants, the vaccines still work remarkably well.

There are subtle differences - between different vaccine types, and some changes over time - but they all work brilliantly.

Read More

Covid UK news  live: Vaccines effective against Delta after months as expert warns of worrying winter

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Georgia police shot and killed a motorist who had been "driving erratically" before leading officers on a brief chase near Atlanta, authorities said Thursday.

The deadly confrontation started at about 3:30 p.m. Wednesday when "a Cobb County Police Department officer observed a vehicle being driven recklessly" near Powder Springs Road and State Route 120A in Marietta, about 20 miles northwest of downtown Atlanta, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said.

The driver, identified as 28-year-old Austell resident Devonte Dawayne Brown, "initially pulled over, but then refused to comply and sped away," according to the GBI.

Police and Cobb County Sheriffs deputies chased Brown and at "one point, the officers attempted to box in the vehicle," the state authorities said.

"During this incident, Brown attempted to get away and hit multiple police vehicles," the GBI statement continued. "As police officers were trying to take Brown into custody, a Cobb County Police Department officer fired his gun, striking Brown."

The driver was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Monica Brown, the driver's biological aunt and adoptive mom, said she's troubled by the video and believes her loved one didn't need to be shot.

"I feel like this was excessive force," she told NBC News on Thursday. "He couldn't go anywhere. They surrounded him."

The biological aunt said she's already spoken to an internal affairs detective with Cobb County police and will speak with state investigators shortly.

"I told him, 'Was this necessary?'" Brown said she told the detective. "'Was there any way you could have de-escalated the situation where we could still have him with us?'"

While a "handgun was found in the vehicle," the GBI statement did not specify whether Brown ever picked up the weapon or pointed it at police before he was killed.

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GBI spokeswoman Nelly Miles declined to elaborate.

"It is still very early in the case so at this time, there is no other information to report at this time as the case is under investigation," she said.

A representative for the Cobb County Police Department declined comment and referred all questions to state authorities, who are taking over the investigation.

Devonte Brown was a truck driver and father of four young children, according to his aunt.
Aug. 19A Port Clinton lawyer was held Thursday in the Lucas County jail in lieu of $900,000 bond for three misdemeanor offenses claiming she violated a protection order by going to her ex-girlfriend's home and stealing security cameras.

Amanda Andrews, 41, a practicing family-law attorney, is also charged in Toledo Municipal Court with misuse of the 911 system, asking police to check on the ex-girlfriend's safety under the false claim the woman might harm herself, court records show.

Ms. Andrews was arrested by Toledo police shortly after 4 a.m. Wednesday. She represented herself later that day before Toledo Municipal Court Judge Michelle Wagner, who set bond at $300,000 for each count and ordered Ms. Andrews to have no contact with the victim.

The Blade left a message on Ms. Andrews' phone on Thursday.

The victim reported seeing Ms. Andrews at Hollywood Casino Toledo around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday and denied making any contact with Ms. Andrews, according to a Toledo police report. The victim left the casino about an hour later, returning to her residence in the 3700 block of Lockwood Avenue.

Around 2:30 a.m. Wednesday, Ms. Andrews went to the ex-girlfriend's home, where surveillance cameras showed her on the property and removing cameras from the garage and the front porch. Ms. Andrews then called 911 about 3:50 a.m. from about a block away and asked for a police check on the ex-girlfriend's safety, police said.

When officers arrived, Ms. Andrews was found "on the ground appearing to be hiding behind a vehicle parked" in a nearby residence, the report states. During her arrest, which occurred without incident, Ms. Andrews told officers she and the victim had been at the casino together and the ex-girlfriend took a large amount of money from her, according to the report.

Police said they also had responded to a call the day before regarding Ms. Andrews having contacted the victim via cell phone and sent her a threatening text message.

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It's not the first time Ms. Andrews has been identified as a defendant, instead of an attorney, on a case.

She was indicted by an Ottawa County grand jury for passing a bad check, a felony offense, on Nov. 15, 2019. Special prosecutors asked to dismiss the case in April after they became "aware of several apparent significant violations" by Ms. Andrews.

"The state seeks to have the indictment dismissed without prejudice so that, upon conclusion of this investigation, any new charges can be included with the charges of the current indictment," Christian Stickan, a special prosecuting attorney, wrote in court documents.

On July 6, visiting Judge Stephen Yarbrough sentenced Ms. Andrews to 60 days in the Ottawa County jail for alleged failure to pay child support and abide by orders in divorce proceedings, court records show. The Sixth District Court of Appeals stayed the term of incarceration pending an appeal.

She previously spent nine days in jail, as ordered by Judge Yarbrough, records show.

A further hearing is scheduled for Sept. 1.

Other court records show liens and a foreclosure on her residence in Ottawa County.

In Franklin Municipal Court, Ms. Andrews pleaded guilty to three separate misdemeanor offenses of violating a protection order in 2018. She served one day in jail and was placed on 730 days of probation, which ended Oct. 17, 2020, according to court records.

Ms. Andrews has her own law office in Port Clinton and handles family law, personal injury, and auto negligence cases.

Ms. Andrews attended law school at the University of Detroit Mercy and was admitted to the bar in May, 2012. According to Ohio records, Ms. Andrews has no discipline history or administrative sanctions or suspensions.

Any grievances potentially filed against her are not public record unless the Office of Disciplinary Counsel investigates and determines there is credible evidence of misconduct.

First Published August 19, 2021, 1:59pm
Aug. 19Presbyterian Healthcare Services, New Mexico's largest private employer, is requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for its entire workforce totaling more than 13,000 people.

Presbyterian's mandate takes a new state public health order announced this week covering hospital workers and other medical service providers one step further in an attempt to stem the rising wave of the new, more contagious delta variant COVID-19 cases hitting the state and the U.S., filling hospitals and stressing the medical system.

"We take care of some of the most vulnerable people in the state of New Mexico," said Dale Maxwell, president and CEO of Presbyterian Healthcare Services, in a telephone interview Wednesday, "and I believe ... we should take every measure possible to deliver the safest environment. This is the right time to reduce risk to our patients, to our visitors and to each other."

The state Department of Health on Wednesday required vaccinations of all hospital workers and others in health care delivery settings in New Mexico. Under the state order, those still unvaccinated must get their first dose within 10 days unless they have a qualifying medical or religious exemption.

After that announcement by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Tuesday, Maxwell said, Presbyterian decided Wednesday morning to also include all other Presbyterian employees, including clinical, clerical and health plan employees. He said about 80% of company employees are already fully vaccinated.

"We believe at Presbyterian that vaccines are the best way to combat this pandemic," he said. "We know that vaccines reduce the spread of the infection and we know that vaccines reduce the illness of those that contract COVID-19. Any action to increase vaccines in our community, we support."

Presbyterian is following the same timeline set out in Tuesday's public health order, so the first dose of vaccine will be required by Aug. 27, with the second dose to be completed in 40 days.

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A spokeswoman for Lovelace Health System told the Journal in an email that, per the public health order, all hospital employees, physicians, volunteers, vendors and consultants will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19, effective August 27. Limited exceptions may be granted for those with a qualifying medical conditions or "religious/strongly held belief."

"We will ensure our practices will align with the governor's orders," said Whitney Marquez, communications manager for Lovelace.

Meanwhile, Public Service Company of New Mexico is asking its 1,663 employees in New Mexico and Texas to be vaccinated or provide a negative COVID-19 test on a weekly basis before entering any of its workplaces, beginning next month.

PNM's essential employees have been working on site "this whole time and we appreciate all of their hard work," spokesman Eric Chavez said in a news release. Others have been allowed to work from home, although Chavez said "employees who feel comfortable can go into the office to work."

That is set to change next month.

"As of right now, we are expecting all of our employees to be returning to the workplace on Monday, Sept. 13, giving employees ample time to get vaccinated or tested," Chavez said. He declined, in response to an email question, to provide the number of employees currently vaccinated.

"PNM is constantly surveying the situation regarding COVID-19 in our service territories, New Mexico and Texas, as well as across the country," the release stated. "Our top priority is to keep our employees, customers and communities safe."

Earlier this month, Lujan Grisham joined members of New Mexico's congressional delegation, except for Republican Rep. Yvette Herrell, in urging the state's business community to require employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or to undergo regular testing. The governor has implemented that policy for state workers, with testing to be done on the employee's own time and at his or her expense.

The number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in New Mexico has increased "exponentially," Lujan Grisham said during a COVID-19 update Tuesday with Dr. David Scrase, who is acting as secretary for the Department of Health and is Cabinet secretary of the state Human Services Department.

"I'm just very, very concerned about what's going to happen in hospitals in the next three to four weeks, and so are all the people who run them," Scrase said.

The governor also announced a renewed mandate for masks indoors in public places. Teachers and other school employees will also be required to be vaccinated or undergo weekly testing.

The mandates are aimed at reducing the number of unvaccinated people who become so sick they need hospitalization, thereby filling hospital beds that might otherwise go to extremely sick non-COVID patients who delayed seeking medical care during the pandemic.

"The more people get vaccinated, the less we are transmitting COVID," Lujan Grisham said Tuesday. "It's already too late to tell you we are not going to be in one of these contingency phases for hospitals to provide services. We're there."

The state reported 878 new confirmed cases Wednesday, with 353 hospitalizations  more than five times the numbers of just a few weeks ago. New Mexico has one of the lowest ratios of intensive care beds in the country.

Maxwell said Presbyterian's main hospital downtown and Rust Medical Center in Rio Rancho are at or near capacity, but there are plans in place to "surge" additional beds if needed.
MarketWatch

The pandemic and its economic impact have had an effect on Social Securitys Trust Funds, and the future course of the pandemic is still uncertain, said the Social Security Administrations acting commissioner, Kilolo Kijakazi, in a statement. Yet, Social Security will continue to play a critical role in the lives of 65 million beneficiaries and 176 million workers and their families during 2021. The government said the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund will become unable to pay full benefits starting in 2033, a year earlier than projected last year, while the Disability Insurance Trust Fund will become depleted in 2057, or 8 years earlier.
People playing bingo in Mecca bingo hall on 17 May 2021

Mecca bingo halls owner Rank Group has reported a hefty loss after it had to close its venues during UK lockdowns.

The group, which also owns the Grosvenor casino chain, slid into a pre-tax loss of 72m, in the year to the end of June, down from a 9.4m profit in the previous year.

Net gaming revenues fell by 48% to 329.6m, compared with 629.7m.

But trading since reopening was "encouraging" and likely to get even better as tourists return, it said.

Chief executive John O'Reilly described the year as "exceptionally challenging" and said: " Frankly, we are delighted it is over."

However, he added: "We are now well into a new financial year with our venues open and trading positively.

"Our venues have been performing ahead of our expectations following the easing of restrictions on the UK hospitality sector on 17 May and we anticipate further growth as travel restrictions eventually ease and tourism returns, particularly to London."

Revenues in the Grosvenor casinos in the 13 weeks to 15 August were down 19% on the same time in 2019, pre-pandemic, while at Mecca, bingo revenues were 21% lower.

Rank said 79% of its group revenues came from its venues rather than online gaming.

"Closures imposed in the government's response to the pandemic amounting to 59% of available operating days, together with capacity constraints, reduced opening hours and other restrictions during the year, have had a material impact on the group."

The group lost 15m a month, net of government support through the furlough scheme and business rates relief, at the height of the pandemic.

However, Mr O'Reilly said the group had been "delivering strong revenue and profit growth before the pandemic".

The steps it had taken over the last 18 months would enable the group to "return to that growth trajectory as the impact of the pandemic reduces and consumer confidence for indoor leisure experiences grows".

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Its online business in the UK had faced a "year of transition" as it progressed with online platform technology. However, revenue had "disappointed".

It had also been a "challenging" year for online "following the stringent application of affordability restrictions", he added.

During lockdown, the Gambling Commission issued new guidance for online gaming operators to ensure consumer protection.

The Commission said the move followed evidence that "some gamblers may be at greater risk of harm during lockdown". That included affordability checks.

Shares fell at the start of trade in London and are now about 4% lower.
Recorded deaths from Covid in Iran passed the 100,000 mark on Thursday, the health ministry said, amid tighter restrictions nationwide to contain the spread of the virus.

In the past 24 hours, 31,266 people tested positive for coronavirus and 564 died, the ministry said. That brought total infections since the pandemic started to 4,587,683, and deaths to 100,255.

Iranian health officials have acknowledged that the ministry's figures almost certainly understate the real toll but even they make Iran much the worst-hit Middle Eastern country.

Since late June, Iran has seen what officials have called a "fifth wave" of infections, the country's worst yet, which they have largely blamed on the more contagious Delta variant of the virus.

Daily infections have hit record highs several times this month.

"Infections and hospitalisation numbers have stabilised in 14 provinces ... but fatalities are expected to be on a relatively rising trajectory in coming days," deputy health minister Iraj Harirchi told Iran's ISNA news agency Wednesday.

The latest measures, which are in force nationwide, include a ban on private travel between provinces until August 27 as well as the closure until Saturday of government buildings, banks and non-essential shops.

On Thursday, ISNA reported that some motorists have got round the restrictions by taking the bus and using trucks to transport their cars to tourist destinations like Gilan province on the Caspian Sea coast.

Authorities have repeatedly blamed rising infection numbers on "unnecessary travel" and citizens flouting health protocols.

- 'Special circumstances' -

The tighter regulations coincided with the run-up to the Shiite commemoration of Ashura on Thursday, when the faithful normally flock to mosques and other venues for mourning rituals and other gatherings.

But the restrictions did not apply to processions held out in the open.

"The people's behaviour (at the) events can decide the fate and future of corona in the country," Harirchi said.

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Iran has avoided imposing a full lockdown on its 83-million-strong population, instead resorting to piecemeal measures such as temporary travel bans and business closures.

Iran launched a vaccination drive in February but it has progressed slower than authorities had planned.

Choked by US sanctions that have made it difficult to transfer money abroad, Iran says it has struggled to import vaccines.

On Wednesday, President Ebrahim Raisi appealed to China and Russia to increase their vaccine deliveries to Iran.

In a telephone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping, he said he hoped Beijing would "accelerate procurement of millions of doses purchased".

In a separate call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, he said Iran requests "more shipments" during its current "special circumstances".

More than 16.2 million people have been given a first vaccine dose, but only 5.2 million have received the second, the health ministry said Thursday.

Iran has imported a total of 25.5 million vaccine doses since February 3, according to customs department figures reported by state television.

As well as China's Sinopharm, Iran is administering Russia's Sputnik V, India's Bharat Biotech and the Anglo-Swedish AstraZeneca vaccines, according to the health ministry.

Authorities have also approved the emergency use of two domestically developed vaccines, but the only mass-produced one, COVIran Barekat, is in short supply.

amh/kir
Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo. J. Scott Applewhite/AP Images

Boebert revealed that her husband earned nearly $1 million between 2019-2020 for energy sector consulting.

The freshman congresswoman failed to disclose her husband's income during her campaign last year.

Boebert introduced legislation to reverse President Joe Biden's ban on oil and gas exploration on federal land.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert revealed this week that her husband earned nearly a million dollars over 2019 and 2020 for consulting work he did for an energy firm.

The freshman Colorado congresswoman failed to disclose her husband's income, which was $478,000 in 2020 and $460,000 in 2019, during her campaign last year, the Associated Press first reported. This failure is a violation of ethics and campaign finance laws, which require candidates to disclose their spouse's and children's income or assets.

"It is not common for members to not disclose their spouse's income because it's just a very clear requirement under the law," Kedric Payne, senior director of ethics for the Campaign Legal Center, told Insider.

In her 2020 financial disclosure statement, Boebert said her income came from a restaurant, Shooters Grill, and smokehouse she owns with her husband, Jayson. She also listed "Boebert Consulting - spouse" and recorded her husband's source of income as "N/A," according to the AP.

Read more: Matt Gaetz busts deadline for disclosing $25,000 in profits from his Trumpian book 'Firebrand'

Payne said Boebert should provide a "very public explanation" of the discrepancy. He expects the Office of Congressional Ethics will open an inquiry if they have questions about whether the violation was intentional. The required disclosures are designed to ensure that the public can evaluate a candidate's potential conflicts of interest.

The energy industry is a major player in Colorado's vast 3rd Congressional District and Boebert, who sits on the House Natural Resources Committee, has taken aggressively pro-oil and -gas positions. She introduced legislation earlier this year seeking to reverse President Joe Biden's ban on oil and gas leasing and permitting on some federally-owned land.

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Her deputy chief of staff, Ben Stout, told the AP that Jayson Boebert "has worked in energy production for 18 years and has had Boebert Consulting since 2012."

But Boebert Consulting hasn't filed required regular reports to the state of Colorado and is classified as delinquent, The Washington Post reported. And there is no company called Terra Energy Productions registered in Colorado. There is a Texas firm called Terra Energy Partners, claiming to be "one of the largest producers of natural gas in Colorado." The congresswoman has previously said her husband is a drilling foreman on a natural gas rig and posted an Instagram photo of him wearing a "Terra" helmet in September 2020.

It's unclear whether the congresswoman's failure to disclose her husband's work and income was intentional or accidental, but the matter could be investigated by congressional ethics officials.

Boebert's office didn't respond to Insider's request for comment.

Read more: Reps. Cheri Bustos, Steve Chabot, and August Pfluger have broken the law by failing to properly disclose their financial trades

On Wednesday, the Federal Election Commission sent Boebert a letter demanding more information about four payments amounting to more than $6,000 that Boebert's campaign paid the congresswoman between May 3 and June 3. Stout told CNBC "the Venmo charges were personal expenses that were billed to the campaign account in error" and that Boebert has already reimbursed her campaign.

"If it is determined that the disbursement(s) constitutes the personal use of campaign funds, the Commission may consider taking further legal action," Shannon Ringgold, an FEC analyst, wrote.

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Read the original article on Business Insider
By Ann Saphir and Trevor Hunnicutt

(Reuters) -President Joe Biden should keep Jerome Powell at the helm of the Federal Reserve for another four years to build confidence in an improving economy that still faces significant risks, Senator Steve Daines said in a letter to the president on Thursday.

"Changing the top leadership at this sensitive time could foster uncertainty across the financial system and undermine our economic recovery," Daines, a Montana Republican, wrote.

His letter was the first formal call for Powell's reappointment from a member of the Senate Banking Committee, which votes on U.S. central bank nominees before they are considered by the full Senate.

A White House spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Renominating Powell, whose term expires in February, "would send a strong signal to households, businesses, and consumers that the head of the Federal Reserve continues to enjoy broad bipartisan support, and will act as necessary to achieve its dual mandate of price stability and maximum employment," Daines wrote.

After the coronavirus pandemic last year prompted widespread shutdowns, the Powell-led Fed slashed its benchmark overnight interest rate to near zero and began a massive bond-buying effort. That support is credited with heading off a financial crisis and paving the way for a rapid economic rebound.

"Having a steady presence at the head of the Federal Reserve would go a long way toward providing the public with confidence that the nations central bank is prepared to combat any potential obstacles to a full and robust recovery," Daines wrote.

Biden's advisers say he has not yet decided whether to reappoint Powell, an investment banker and lawyer picked by former Democratic President Barack Obama to join the Fed's board of governors in 2012. Powell took the reins of the Fed in 2018 after being nominated for the top job by then-President Donald Trump, a Republican.

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Several Biden aides have said they regard Powells macroeconomic stewardship and outlook positively, and Biden said last week that his experts, who agree with Powell that recent high inflation readings are likely to be transitory, "trust" the Fed to take action if needed.

Daines' letter suggests Republicans are still solidly behind Powell and could ease the confirmation process. The full Senate is split evenly between the two parties, with Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris casting the deciding vote when necessary.

Much also depends on the view of Democrats, who control the gatekeeper banking committee under the leadership of Senator Sherrod Brown, who along with fellow Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren has been critical of Powell's record on banking regulation.

Brown has also indicated he'd like to increase diversity on what is now an all-white Fed board, though not necessarily by changing out the Fed chief. The board currently has one vacant seat out of seven, and two more spots could open up in coming months as Randal Quarles' term as vice chair for supervision ends in October and Richard Clarida's position as vice chair ends in January.

Spokespeople for Brown and Warren didn't respond to requests for comment on the senators' current thinking.

SOME OPPOSITION

A White House official said last month that Biden would soon be engaging his senior economic team in "a careful and thoughtful process" about Fed appointments.

Another administration official said Biden is eager to use his appointments to ensure fair banking and market regulation, and that officials would be considering Fed openings as a group.

Powell has his share of critics, including members of the climate activist group 350.org, who are calling on Biden to nominate a "climate leader" to replace Powell and who plan to protest against Powell's leadership during the Fed's annual central banking conference next week in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

The group wants Biden to nominate Fed Governor Lael Brainard to take Powell's role, Michigan State University economics professor Lisa Cook for vice chair and Sarah Bloom Raskin, a former Fed governor, for vice chair of supervision, the group's senior policy analyst Tracey Lewis said.

Cook, who was a point person on the Fed for Biden's transition team, is Brown's top choice for the open board seat.

Progressives trying to block Powell have also been zeroing in on the Fed's emergency lending programs, a key element of the central bank's crisis response that is being phased out. An analysis on Thursday by the Revolving Door Project, a watchdog group that scrutinizes executive branch appointees, argued https://therevolvingdoorproject.org/the-feds-municipal-lending-failed-black-public-sector-workers the Fed's municipal lending facility failed to help the cities that needed it the most.

Left-leaning Roosevelt Institute's Mike Konczal made the opposite case last week, arguing that the program was largely a success and crediting Powell with overhauling the Fed's framework to put more emphasis on achieving full employment.

(Reporting by Ann Saphir in San Francisco and Trevor Hunnicutt in Washington; Editing by Dan Burns and Paul Simao)
Youths feed pigeons near the Shah-Do-Shamshira Mosque in Kabul on Aug. 18 following the Taliban's stunning takeover of Afghanistan.

Youths feed pigeons near the Shah-Do-Shamshira Mosque in Kabul on Aug. 18 following the Taliban's stunning takeover of Afghanistan. Credit - Hoshang HashimiAFP/Getty Images

In the wake of the Talibans takeover of Afghanistan, a veteran Afghan political activist tells TIME why despair over the countrys future is misplaced  at least for the moment. TIME agreed to grant him anonymity over concerns for his security.



I came back to Afghanistan when the Taliban fell in 2001 because I wanted to make a difference for my country. I was always thinking that Afghanistan had the potential to be a prosperous place. I thought if we could replicate some of the values of the Westthe opportunities and investment and entrepreneurship and social opennessthat if we could bring in technology, and connect it with the countrys natural resources, that we would be able to create an opportunity for this country to progress. Just because the Taliban has returned does not mean all is lost. If we do things right, there is reason for optimism.



U.S. President Joe Biden says that the Taliban won because Afghans werent willing to fight. He doesnt know what he is talking about. The Taliban succeeded because Afghans were fed up with their government and didnt see why they should fight for it. Should they die so President Ashfraf Ghani could keep running the country into the ground? Should they fight so all the corrupt politicians and old warlords could laugh all the way to the banks?



You fight for something that you dont want to lose. What has the government created that would be worth fighting for? The Afghan flag? A flag has to be wrapped around certain values. When an American flag is raised, its not just the Stars and Stripes. It is wrapped around freedom, democracy, a sense of ownership and the promises that the institutions, companies, corporations and government make to the people. Its education, health care, law enforcement, a legal system. What are we offering wrapped in our flag? Only corruption and incompetence.



I do not blame this nation for opening up to the Taliban after what they have been subjected to throughout Karzai and Ghanis reign. Taliban or no Taliban, people wanted to get rid of the status quo. The fact that a guy like Ghani has gone, in some ways its a relief for many of us. He was a drag on everybody, and he should not be let off the hook.

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We have to keep up the pressure to bring change

The fear of the Taliban is justified, for what they did in the past. All fears have a historic background. But its also not a proven fact that what happened in the past will happen again. Some people have good reasons to leave, but Afghanistan needs its people more than ever. When I left Afghanistan during the Soviet invasion I had no choice. But the situation is more complicated now, and not so urgent. Im not going to escape.



Im not scared, much, but I have to be very careful. I dont have a beard yet, but I may have to grow one. Maybe a small goatee. I really dont like it but if its necessary to make it easier on everybody then I will take the burden. So far, the Taliban have been very cordial with me. It looks like they have realized that they need help. Its a very optimistic sign in my view. The Taliban remember what happened 20 years ago. Now that theyve achieved their goal, now that they walked into Kabul victoriously, they probably want to make sure that they do not squander this opportunity. I hope thats the case.

Read more: Joe Bidens Botched Withdrawal Plunges Afghanistan Into Chaos

The Taliban alone cannot form a government that will take Afghanistan forward. A government that is more inclusive might. The Taliban can play a positive role if their role is defined by international norms and by international standards. But if Afghanistan is declared a rogue state, then we wont be able to get anything good from the Taliban. Just because the Taliban are victorious today doesnt mean that everything achieved over the past 20 years will be lost. If Afghanistan is declared a pariah, thats when everything will have been lost.



In the short term, the rights of women and minorities is a worry. Still, the country has evolved to the extent where some of the things we gained cannot be shelved. Womens rights are not yet lost, but they could be. Women should not be fleeing; women should be in society so they can reclaim their space in our lives. In their absence they cannot claim anything. We have to keep up the pressure to bring change. Change doesnt happen without pressure.

Students at the all-girls Marshal Dostum School in Sheberghan, Afghanistan, May 5, 2021. Sheberghan, in Jowzjan Province, collapsed less than 24 hours after a provincial capital in southwestern Afghanistan had fallen to the Taliban. Kiana HayeriThe New York Times/Redux

The path to stability in Afghanistan

The best-case scenario would be that the Taliban form a semi technocratic government or agreed to a transitional government for a year to allow everything to fall in place. If the U.S. and the international community can convince the Taliban to bring in some technocrats and share power, then I think we are on the right path to stability. If we have the right technocrats working with the Taliban, the Taliban will probably come to a more moderate center.

With some international pressure attached to development aid money we can guarantee those things, but we should make it a more universal issue of human rights. We should not talk to the Taliban with the NGO language and with the international communitys language of human rights, we should cloak it in the language of Islam, with the right people, interpreting the right Islam. We need to communicate these things with them at the right time. We dont want to overwhelm them. We do not want to turn the switch completely off.

Read more: How You Can Help People in Afghanistan

The international community brought this into being. They cannot just wash their hands and say okay, the Taliban succeeded. The Taliban have to be held accountable before they can get help. We need to create some sort of check and balance by international norms. The first thing the international community should do is make sure that the Taliban abide by the peace agreement settled upon in Doha, where they said they wanted an inclusive government. That does mean women should be included. There should be provisions for guarantees of their representation, as part of a focus on human rights as a whole. We also cannot allow the old warlords, looters and strongmen that people are fed up with to come back in the name of inclusiveness and a representative government.

This time, the Taliban are different. Afghan society is different. The international community is different. And of course, the neighborhood is different. We have China, Iran, Russia, Pakistan and India all playing a role. They will be deciding factors as well. Its a complicated situation, but all is not lost. Afghanistan still has a future, provided everyone stays engaged.

 As told to TIME senior international correspondent Aryn Baker
Aug. 19The discovery of several prairie dogs found dead in traps set near Santa Fe Place mall has provoked an outcry from city officials and animal advocates who called the practice cruel and disturbing.

The cage traps were designed to capture the animals rather than kill them. But whoever set the traps didn't check them, resulting in what one advocate described as a slow, painful death for the prairie dogs.

The prairie dogs, which thrive in underground colonies, have a low tolerance to direct sunlight, so being stuck in a cage with no water in August would be fatal, said Jessica Johnson, chief government affairs officer for Animal Protection New Mexico.

"That seems like a very inhumane end for an animal," Johnson said.

Mayor Alan Webber also condemned the killing of the prairie dogs.

"Santa Fe is a city where we value and protect all of our animals, from dogs to prairie dogs," he said in a statement. "Recently, however, we've witnessed some disturbing attacks on our prairie dog villages. Valuing and protecting animals is part of Santa Fe; hurting prairie dogs harms us all."

The city remains committed to prairie dog protection, Webber added.

Neither city officials nor Johnson know who laid the traps.

Lethal trapping is illegal on city-owned property, Johnson said. If it's done on private property, it can violate animal cruelty laws if the animal was made to needlessly suffer.

Those who feel compelled to catch prairie dogs should not let them languish in a trap but call animal rescue groups that will help relocate them to suitable habitat, Johnson said.

People for Native Ecosystems and Prairie Dog Pals are two such groups, she said.

Prairie dogs are at home in open grasslands, where they can dig colonies, she said. But it's best to let the experts move them because it can get tricky, she said.

For instance, if there's adjacent private land where the animals might burrow, the owners' permission is required, she said.

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And given the diminishing habitat, people also should consider coexisting with prairie dogs, she said.

"We would encourage some opportunity to learn about the benefits of prairie dogs," Johnson said. "They are so important to our ecosystem. They are so important to the way water moves around in our cities and our state. Their burrowing system  they're really important for erosion control and runoff prevention."

Yet prairie dogs, along with beavers, coyotes and cougars, historically have been driven out and nearly made extinct as communities grow and overlap with habitat areas, Animal Protection New Mexico said in a statement.

Some people consider prairie dogs a nuisance, although in Santa Fe this segment is likely to be a minority, Johnson said.

"Prairie dogs are cherished by many Santa Feans," she said.
By Deena Beasley and Ahmed Aboulenein

(Reuters) - The Biden administration's plan to provide COVID-19 vaccine boosters is based on concerns that a decrease in the vaccines' ability to protect against milder infections could also mean people will have less protection against severe illness, a premise that has yet to be proven, scientists said on Thursday.

U.S. officials, citing data showing waning protection against mild and moderate illness from the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines more than six months after inoculation, on Wednesday said https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-begin-offering-covid-19-vaccine-booster-shots-september-2021-08-18 boosters will be made widely available starting on Sept. 20.

The additional dose will be offered to people who received their initial inoculation at least eight months earlier.

"Recent data makes clear that protection against mild and moderate disease has decreased over time. This is likely due to both waning immunity and the strength of the widespread Delta variant," U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy told reporters.

"We are concerned that this pattern of decline we are seeing will continue in the months ahead, which could lead to reduced protection against severe disease, hospitalization, and death."

Data on so-called "breakthrough" infections in vaccinated people shows that older Americans have so far been the most vulnerable to severe illness.

As of Aug. 9, almost 74% of the 8,054 vaccinated people that were hospitalized with COVID-19 were above the age of 65, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Almost 20% of those cases ended in deaths.

Based on available data on vaccine protection, it is not clear that younger, healthier people will be at risk.

"We don't know if that translates into a problem with the vaccine doing what is most important, which is protect against hospitalization, death, and serious disease. On that, the jury is still out," said Dr. Jesse Goodman, an infectious disease expert at Georgetown University in Washington and a former chief scientist at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

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Several countries have decided to provide booster shots to older adults and people with weak immune systems. European Union officials said on Wednesday they do not yet see a need to give booster shots to the general population.

Other experts said the U.S. plan requires thorough vetting by the FDA and a panel of outside advisers to the CDC. A meeting of those advisers to discuss boosters set for Aug. 24 is being rescheduled, the CDC said on Thursday on its website.

The Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the CDC and FDA, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Some experts questioned the focus on booster shots when around 30% of eligible Americans have yet to get even a first vaccine dose, despite new COVID-19 cases and deaths surging across the country.

"The more important thing, I think, at this point than boosters is making sure we get the vaccine in any arm that hasn't had one as fast as we can," said Dr. Dan McQuillen, an infectious disease specialist in Burlington, Massachusetts, and the incoming president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

All experts interviewed by Reuters also emphasized the need to inoculate the vast number of people around the world who have yet to access COVID-19 vaccines.

"You could end up in situation where you are chasing your tail, giving more and more boosters in the U.S. and Western Europe, while more dangerous variants are coming from other places," said Dr. Isaac Weisfuse, epidemiologist and adjunct professor at Cornell University Public Health.

"In reality you should be vaccinating the rest of the world to avoid new variants."

(Reporting By Deena Beasley in Los Angeles and Ahmed Aboulenein in Washington DC; Editing by Michele Gershberg)
SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Singapore will allow quarantine-free entry from next month to travelers from Germany and Brunei who are vaccinated against COVID-19, its aviation regulator said on Thursday, as part of a plan to gradually reopen its borders.

Visitors from those countries can from Sept. 8 bypass the isolation requirement if they test negative in four polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests.

Border restrictions will also be progressively eased for all travel from Hong Kong and Macau from this Saturday, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore said in a statement.

The announcement came shortly after the Hong Kong government said its air travel bubble plan with Singapore had been dropped https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/hong-kong-singapore-decide-drop-bilateral-air-travel-bubble-2021-08-19. Singapore's transport ministry said the two territories had different approaches.

Lawrence Wong, finance minister and co-chair of Singapore's coronavirus task force, said it was important to reopen the country carefully.

"Risk tolerance and risk attitudes will differ from country to country," he told a briefing.

"We want to get through this pandemic with minimum damage and minimum death toll, while trying to resume life as normally as we can."

The health ministry said Singapore would also pilot home isolation for fully-vaccinated people who are infected with coronavirus and have mild symptoms. As of Tuesday, 77% of Singapore's population has had two vaccine shots.

It plans to start vaccinations for children below 12 years old in early 2022, after the safety and efficacy aspects have been studied, health minister Ong Ye Kung said.

(Reporting by Chen Lin; Editing by Martin Petty)
A group of full and part time employees at Current Affairs, a leftist political and cultural magazine founded in 2016, were terminated for attempting to organize a worker co-op.

Editor-in-Chief Nathan J. Robinson, author of Why You Should Be A Socialist, fired the staff members for pushing for organizational restructuring that would limit his power over the company, the dismissed employees alleged in a statement Wednesday.

According to the co-signers, the staff had workshopped the idea of restructuring for nearly two years, and all, including Robinson, had indicated a real interest in fostering a more democratic workplace where all voices were equally valued.

We discussed it informally, we tried piecemeal reforms, we did a full-organization survey and one-on-one interviews with editors and staff to try to find a consensus on a collective vision, the letter affirmed.

The Operating Structure section of the website reiterates the companys goal to establish a culture that empowers its workers. With a small staff (five full-time employees as of Jan 1, 2021), a part-time pod-master, and a volunteer editorial board who are all very passionate about the project, we are working on becoming a truly democratic workplace, it says.

Once the restructuring conversations shifted from brainstorming to implementation, however, Robinsons tone changed. On a Zoom call on August 7 in which the reforms were being discussed, he became agitated and started accusing the employees of discarding the creative mission he outlined in Current Affairs first issue.

The next morning, Robinson requested that a number of employees resign and removed their access to the company communication channels, pledging to hire new staff members to replace those he had expelled without warning. He also eliminated a few positions, including that of freelance contractor Aisling McCrea.

When Managing & Amusements Editor Lyta Gold reportedly called Robinson and asked Are you firing me?, he replied, Yeah, according to the statement.

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The left-leaning outfit prides itself on being a whimsical, eclectic collective of writers and thinkers dedicated to Marxist ideals of class struggle, workers resistance, identity politics, and radical social change, among other progressive values.

The digital version boasts a Labor category with commentary on the minimum wage, communist philosophy, unionization, exploitative capitalist practices as well as interviews with labor organizers. In April 2020, the outlets former Poet-at-Large Cate Root wrote a guide for disaffected workers and sprouting activists seeking better conditions from their occupations called How to Organize.

Despite his magazines outward commitment to socialism, however, Robinson appeared to have abandoned the cause when it challenged his own authority over Current Affairs.

While Robinson first claimed he had lost faith in the discharged employees ability to work together, he later sent follow-up emails reversing his reasoning, stating instead that he didnt want Current Affairs to be run as a democratic project.

This organization has been heading slowly for some kind of reckoning where it was going to have to be made clear once and for all what kind of authority I wanted to have over it. And I was in denial about the fact that the answer is I think I should be on top of the org chart, with everyone else selected by me and reporting to me. I let Current Affairs build up into a sort of egalitarian community of friends while knowing in my heart that I still thought of it as my project over which I should have control, Robinson explained in an email.

The statement drafted by fired employees blasted Robinsons ineptitude in managing the company and his controlling and dishonest actions.

We are sad, aghast, betrayed, and of course, angry to realize that this person we trusted has been lying to us for years, the employees statement reads. When it comes to running an organization, he simply isnt up to the task. The employees cited an another email from Robinson in which he admits as much.

I think you saw yesterday that ultimately I just felt Current Affairs slipping slowly away from me and I took an insane course of action to do what I thought would get it back. I am not good at running an organization. I freely admit this, Robinson reportedly wrote.

The editor-in-chief did not respond to request for comment.

The fired employees left no ambiguity as to the hypocritical undertones of Robinsons actions, declaring, Yes, we were fired by the editor-in-chief of a socialist magazine for trying to start a worker co-op.

Robinson has long praised socialism as a system that allows workers to control how money is spent and who leads their company.

He has mocked the ideologys critics in the past, dismissing Ben Shapiros qualms on Twitter in June 2021, Imagine if you controlled your workplace and could decide how the money was spent and your boss was an elected leader rather than a feudal tyrant. what horror!

More from National Review
Hundreds of workers at the personal styling service Stitch Fix have quit their jobs after incoming CEO Elizabeth Spaulding announced earlier this month that employees would no longer be allowed to work any hours they choose, according to interviews with half a dozen former and current employees. The changes to the companys scheduling policies led to an exodus of around a third of its stylists, part- and full-time employees who work from home selecting clothing items for customers.

It was a gut punch, said Kara Calagera, who used the extra income from Stitch Fix to pay her mortgage and car insurance. Keeping the job wasn't feasible without the flexibility.

For years, Stitch Fix has attracted employees who  because they have part-time jobs, stay home with kids, or have a disability  needed flexible, remote work. Until now, the company allowed employees who could provide their own computer and internet to work from home, some for as little as five hours per week, recommending and sending Stitch Fix clothing to customers at any time of day.

But in an email sent to staff earlier this month, the company informed stylists that employees would now be required to work at least 20 hours per week on a set schedule during regular business hours; their log-on and log-off times would be tracked, and stylists would at least temporarily no longer be allowed to become full-time employees. Those who couldnt work within the new rules were offered a $1,000 bonus to quit, provided they agreed to sign a nondisclosure agreement that promised, among other things, they would not sue the company.

Stitch Fix, which has a market value of over $4 billion, previously laid off 1,400 California-based staffers in June 2020, saying at the time that it hoped to save money by replacing them with cheaper labor from other states. Some employees, citing the companys expanding use of computer-generated clothing recommendations, said that the recent workforce reductions made them feel like their jobs have shifted from styling clients to training an algorithm that will replace them.

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We knew from the beginning we were teaching the algorithm, said an East Coastbased stylist who requested anonymity because she still works at the company. We know the ultimate goal of Stitch Fix was to get rid of us.

Stitch Fix acknowledged that recent changes were inconvenient for some staffers but said the shift would help the company expand the variety of styling services it offers. Our Stylists are instrumental in building relationships with clients and creating the highly personalized experience Stitch Fix is known for, a spokesperson said via email. The company declined to comment on the number of workers whove left.

But employees across the company are working together to track how many have quit since the August 2 announcement, connecting on social media and sharing internal staffing numbers in each region: a tally from earlier this week found that around 1,500 stylists had left following the policy change.

To many workers, the policy shift meant losing a source of income.

I'm a mom to two kids whom I homeschool, said one former stylist who quit her job this week and asked to remain anonymous while she continues to receive Stitch Fix benefits. The strict scheduling just doesn't work with kids.

One Midwest-based employee said she had started working for Stitch Fix on top of her full-time day job after her husband got laid off at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. If I couldn't work after 8 p.m., it wasnt going to work for me, said the stylist, who requested anonymity because she hasnt decided whether to sign the NDA. I certainly felt for the working parents. I know a lot of people really rely on this.

Many employees who havent yet decided to quit remain frustrated with the company, according to three current employees and dozens of screenshots from the companys internal message board reviewed by BuzzFeed News.

A Texas-based stylist decided to stay with the company despite the changes; having left her teaching job due to the pandemic, she said, she needs the money to pay back her federal student loans. But shes worried about how the new scheduling policy will impact her ability to care for her son.

The great thing about the job was being able to do the work any time of the day you wanted, said the stylist, who requested anonymity to protect her job. When you have a toddler, you need to have the flexibility to work at their leisure.

Of the 30 people on her team, fewer than half remained, she said.

The East Coastbased stylist said that she stayed at the company because shed recently been laid off from a full-time job and needed the money, but shes worried about whether shell get reliable hours within the new system. While the new policy requires that stylists be available at least 20 hours per week, company guidelines reviewed by BuzzFeed News said they can be scheduled for as little as zero hours as availability does not guarantee a certain number of working hours each week."

We have to trust [management], the stylist said, and that really hasnt worked out so well for us.

As Stitch Fix leadership attempted to explain the policy changes to staffers, backlash inside the company  and publicly  was intense. On Monday, regional managers in the Southwest (the largest region, which includes all of Texas) told stylists there via the company message board that some of the new policies, like tracking when employees clock in, would be delayed. Stylists erupted, leaving over 300 comments on the internal post, screenshots of which were shared with BuzzFeed News, which opted to keep their names anonymous.

"This is disrespectful and incredibly frustrating, wrote one employee. Stylists' roles are the last to be thought about and stylists are constantly talked down to and given no voice. I hope the company as a whole is taking a long time to think about the approximate 30%+ loss they have undergone."

Another employee pointed out that, in exchange for scheduling flexibility, Stitch Fix stylists had made certain workplace sacrifices. Its hard to understand and tolerate when we do not get laptops provided, a raise, or any type of assistance with our internet, this employee wrote. Im wondering how were supposed to feel that this change is to better help us? It seems as if we have to just deal with it and move on or leave.

Im not worried about how I will be scheduling within these time restraints, wrote another stylist. Im worried about what this means for the future of [Stitch Fix] and how they will continue to mistreat their employees in the name of change.

Indeed, Stitch Fix has been going through a period of significant change. After the company missed its revenue goals in the beginning of this year, its stock price fell. In April, founder and CEO Katrina Lake stepped down. HR head Jevan Soo Lenox left earlier this year as well, according to his LinkedIn profile, as did chief algorithms officer Brad Klingenberg and Tatsiana Maskalevich, the director of data science. The company has also brought in multiple executives from productivity-obsessed Amazon in the last year, including CFO Dan Jedda and chief product officer Sharon Chiarella. Lake was replaced by Elizabeth Spaulding, who came to the company in 2020 from consulting firm Bain; her first day on the job was the same day the scheduling changes were announced.

Five current and former Stitch Fix employees who spoke with BuzzFeed News said they wondered whether the companys intention was to reduce its workforce and replace the stylists with computer-generated recommendations. Last year, the company rolled out a program called Preview that presented customers with a selection of clothing items, half of which were selected by a human stylist and the other half by an algorithm. But in recent months, employees said, the company began increasingly sending out boxes of clothing that were entirely selected by the algorithm, with stylists only getting involved to write a brief note and make corrections if customers complained.

Its like were constantly making the algorithm better by fixing their mistakes, said the Texas-based stylist. The new CEO, she said, thinks that the [technology] can do better than us, and that clients dont care ... that theres not a person behind the computer.

Asked whether Stitch Fix is moving toward a more algorithmic model, a company spokesperson pointed BuzzFeed News to a recent earnings call in which Spaulding said it would continue to invest in stylists, who she said play a role in a number of places for our clients.

They also play a very active [role] in training our machine learning models, she continued. Our ability to generate algorithmic outfits in a feed is, we think, a real source of differentiation.

More on this
CAIRO (Reuters) -Syrian air defenses confronted an "Israeli aggression" in the Damascus countryside on Thursday, Syrian state-owned Ekhbariya TV and state news agency SANA said.

A Syrian military source said in a statement "the Israeli enemy carried out an air aggression this evening with bursts of missiles from the direction of southeast Beirut" in Lebanon and "targeting some points in the vicinity of the city of Damascus and the vicinity of the city of Homs".

The Israeli military declined comment on the reported strike in Syria.

The sound of aircraft could be heard in and around Beirut.

Lebanon's defense minister Zeina Akar condemned the attack, saying that it "blatantly violated Lebanon's airspace at low altitude, causing a state of panic among citizens."

She said the attack violated U.N. Security Council resolution 1701 to resolve the 2006 Lebanon war and she called on the U.N. to deter Israel from carrying out airstrikes on Syria using Lebanese airspace. Akar said she had sent a complaint to the United Nations.

The Syrian statement said its air defenses "confronted the aggression's missiles and shot down most of them, and the results of the aggression are now being audited."

During the air strike, a plane belonging to Lebanese carrier Middle East Airlines coming from Abu Dhabi had to hold in Syrian airspace for about 10 minutes before landing in Beirut, as did a plane from Turkey's Pegasus airlines, said Fadi Alhassan, acting general manager for Lebanon's civil aviation authority.

(Reporting By Ahmed Tolba and Omar Fahmy, additional reporting Laila Bassam in Beirut and Rami Ayyub in JerusalemEditing by Grant McCool)
KABUL (Reuters) - The Taliban urged Afghan imams to try to counter negative reports about the movement and persuade people not to try to flee the country ahead of the first Friday prayers since the dramatic seizure of Kabul on Sunday.

In a message on Thursday as disorderly crowds continued to wait outside Kabul airport for flights out of the country, the Taliban said it hoped all imams in Kabul and the provinces would promote the benefits of the Islamic system and urge unity.

It said they should "encourage our compatriots to work for the development of the country, and not to try to leave the country" and answer "the negative propaganda of the enemy".

The message came as flag-waving protesters took to the streets of more Afghan cities as popular opposition to the Taliban spread.

(Reporting by Kabul bureau; Editing by Mark Heinrich)
Salima Mazari, a district governor in male-dominated Afghanistan, is accompanied by security personnel in Charkint district in July. Farshad Usyan/AFP via Getty Images

The Taliban detained Salima Mazari, one of the few female Afghan governors, The Times of India reported.

The report didn't indicate where Mazari was or when Taliban forces captured her.

As the governor of the Charkint district, she recruited and trained militants to fight the Taliban.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Salima Mazari, one of the few female governors in Afghanistan, has been detained by the Taliban, The Times of India reported on Wednesday, citing local reports.

Nadia Momand, a TV journalist in Afghanistan, tweeted on Wednesday that the Taliban had reportedly captured Mazari. Momand called for her release. The Times of India report didn't indicate where Mazari was or when the Taliban captured her.

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Mazari, 40, is the governor of Charkint district in northern Afghanistan, which has a population of more than 30,000 people. She has been recruiting and training militants to fight against Taliban insurgents since 2019, The Guardian reported last week.

Mazari was born in Iran in 1980. Her family had fled the Soviet war in Afghanistan, and Mazari returned to the country decades later, The Guardian said. She was appointed governor in 2018, making her one of the few women in male-dominated Afghan politics, NPR reported.

She has been a force in the fight against the Taliban. "Sometimes I'm in the office in Charkint, and other times I have to pick up a gun and join the battle," she told The Guardian.

By the first week of August, half of Mazari's district was under Taliban rule, and she had recruited 600 locals to shore up the district's defense, Agence France-Presse reported. Many of them were farmers who had sold their livestock to buy weapons, Mazari told the AFP.

Her district was one of the last standing before the country fell to the Taliban over the weekend.

Charkint is in northern Afghanistan. Google Maps

Fears for women under Taliban rule

During the Taliban's rule from 1996 to 2001, women were not allowed to work or go to school and had to be accompanied by a male guardian when outside. This week, the Taliban claimed they would give women more freedom as long as Islamic law is followed. That claim has been met with widespread skepticism.

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Mazari told The Associated Press on Saturday that "there will be no place for women" under Taliban rule.

"In the provinces controlled by the Taliban, no women exist there anymore, not even in the cities," she said. "They are all imprisoned in their homes."

On Saturday, Zarifa Ghafari, one of Afghanistan's first female mayors, told the UK news outlet iNews that she was just waiting for the Taliban to find her.

"I'm sitting here waiting for them to come," she said. "There is no one to help me or my family. I'm just sitting with them and my husband. And they will come for people like me and kill me. I can't leave my family. And anyway, where would I go?"

Read the original article on Insider
The Taliban is intensifying a search for people who worked with US and NATO forces, a confidential United Nations document says, despite the militants vowing no revenge against opponents.

The report -- provided by the UN's threat-assessment consultants and seen by AFP -- says the group has "priority lists" of individuals it wants to arrest.

Most at risk are people who had central roles in the Afghan military, police and intelligence units, according to the document.

The Taliban have been conducting "targeted door-to-door visits" of individuals they want to apprehend and their family members, the report says.

It adds that militants are also screening individuals on the way to Kabul airport and have set up checkpoints in major cities, including the capital and Jalalabad.

The document, dated Wednesday, was written by the Norwegian Center for Global Analyses, an organization that provides intelligence to UN agencies.

"They are targeting the families of those who refuse to give themselves up, and prosecuting and punishing their families 'according to Sharia law,'" Christian Nellemann, the group's executive director, told AFP.

"We expect both individuals previously working with NATO/US forces and their allies, alongside with their family members to be exposed to torture and executions.

"This will further jeopardize western intelligence services, their networks, methods and ability to counter both the Taliban, ISIS and other terrorist threats ahead," he added.

- 'Recruiting' informers -

The report says the militants are "rapidly recruiting" new informers to collaborate with the Taliban regime and are expanding their lists of targets by contacting mosques and money brokers.

It reprints a letter, dated August 16, from the Taliban to an individual who worked in counter-terrorism in the Afghan government.

The letter asks the person to report to Taliban officials to "provide information about the nature of your work and relationship with the British and Americans."

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"If you do not report to the commission, your family members will be arrested instead, and you are responsible for this. You and your family members will be treated based on Sharia law," it says.

The Norwegian Center for Global Analyses also warned the Taliban may target or arrest remaining Westerners or other foreign personnel, including medical workers, if they criticize the militants.

A UN spokesman did not respond to request for comment on the document.

The Taliban have launched a public relations blitz since sweeping back into power on Sunday, completing a stunning rout of government forces as the United States and other foreign troops withdrew following a 20-year occupation.

Among promises such as rights for women and an inclusive government, the militants have also pledged full amnesty for all who worked with the Western-backed elected Afghan government.

But Afghans have not forgotten the Taliban's ultra-conservative Islamic regime of 1996-2001, when brutal punishments, such as stoning to death for adultery, were imposed.

Tens of thousands of people have tried to flee the country since the Taliban takeover, sparking chaos at Kabul airport.

pdh/sw
The incident took place the same day the Taliban claimed they would honor the rights of women

The Taliban reportedly shot and killed a woman in Afghanistan on Tuesday for not wearing a burqa.

This incident took place on the same day Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, held a televised press conference with an Afghan female journalist, vowing that womens rights would be honored and they would be able to continue their studies and work, Fox News reported. A change in the way of governance from their rule 20 years ago was promised.

The gruesome photo, that is now circulating on social media, shows a woman lying in a pool of blood as loved ones crouched down surrounding her. Another woman is seen touching the victims face in a caring manner as she bleeds out.

Afghan women in burqas walking in the street in Kabul (Credit: Adobe Stock)

A burqa is a loose-fitting full-body garment that includes a veil with a mesh opening for the eyes. It is most commonly worn in Afghanistan and Pakistan by women.

According to Fox News, an Afghan and former State Department contractor confirmed that checkpoints throughout Kabul have been set up by the Taliban, and some civilians were even beaten during their attempts to flee the country from the airport.

There were kids, women, babies, old women, they could barely walk, he said. They [are in a] very, very bad situation, Im telling you. At the end, I was thinking that there was like 10,000 or more than 10,000 people, and theyre running into the airport  The Taliban [were] beating people and the people were jumping from the fence, the concertina wire, and also the wall, he said.

The Taliban encircled and then entered the Afghan capital on Sunday causing chaos and panic, theGrio previously reported. President Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan fled the country, and U.S. military hurried to evacuate civilians and diplomats.

The sudden seizure of power caused an eruption of panic at Kabuls international airport on Monday. Dozens of people attempted to force their way onto a plane, leaving the city in hopes of fleeing the country. Many could be seen on video swarming the sides of a plane as it was in motion.

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Taliban fighters stand guard at a checkpoint that was previously manned by American troops near the US embassy, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021. (AP Photo)

The Taliban, a group made up of former Afghan resistance fighters, fought the invading Soviet forces in the 1980s. In 1996, Kabul was captured by the Taliban, leading to strict rules being implemented. These rules were geared more harshly toward women, according to some authorities. Rules included women being forbidden to work or pursue their education, and required to be fully covered from head-to-toe.

Rep. Barbara Lee was the lone U.S. congressperson to vote against the authorization that allowed then-President George Bush to invade Afghanistan with the use of military force in 2001. She recently took to Twitter to speak out against the unfolding scenes.

Whats happening is Afghanistan currently is a humanitarian crisis, Rep. Lee said. Lets be clear: there has never been, and will never be a U.S. military solution in Afghanistan. Our top priority must be providing humanitarian aid & resettlement to Afghan refugees, women, and children.

According to the United Nations News, 80 percent of nearly 250,0000 Afghans that were forced to flee their homes since the end of May are women and children.

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The post Taliban reportedly shoots and kill Afghan woman for not wearing burqa appeared first on TheGrio.
Defiant protesters waved Afghan flags at scattered rallies Thursday to mark the country's independence day, as a UN document suggests the Taliban are rounding up people placed on a blacklist for working with the Afghan government, or US-led forces.

As the small-scale demonstrations unfolded, the son of the nation's most famous resistance fighter vowed to take up arms against the Islamist hardliners, who are back in power after being ousted in a US-led invasion nearly 20 years ago.

Tens of thousands of people have tried to flee Afghanistan since the Taliban swept into the capital Kabul on Sunday, completing a stunning rout of government forces in a matter of days.

The United States said Thursday that it had airlifted about 7,000 people out of Kabul in the past five days -- and that the Taliban appeared to be cooperating to allow Afghan nationals registered for special US visas to reach the airport.

Small groups of Afghans waved the country's black, red and green flags in Kabul and a handful of suburbs on Thursday to celebrate the anniversary of Afghanistan's independence -- on occasion in plain sight of patrolling Taliban fighters.

"My demand from the international community, the (UN) Security Council, is that they turn their attention to Afghanistan and not allow the achievements of 20 years to be wasted," said one protester.

There were unconfirmed reports of shots fired in the northeastern city of Kunar, after Taliban fighters fired guns to disperse dozens of Afghans in Jalalabad who waved the flag Wednesday.

The Taliban have raised their own black and white banner over government buildings in Kabul.

- 'Door-to-door-visits' -

The movement's leaders have repeatedly vowed not to take revenge against their opponents, while seeking to project an image of tolerance.

But a confidential United Nations document, provided by its threat assessment consultants and seen by AFP, said the Taliban have been conducting "targeted door-to-door visits" searching for people they want to arrest.

Story continues

Most at risk are people who had central roles in the Afghan military, police and intelligence units, but those who worked for US and NATO forces were also included on "priority lists", the report said.

Militants are also screening individuals on the way to Kabul airport and have set up checkpoints in major cities, including the capital and Jalalabad, the document alleges.

Memories of the Taliban's brutal regime of the 1990s -- which saw music and television banned, people stoned to death and women confined to their homes -- have caused panic about what lies ahead for Afghans.

In the Panjshir Valley northeast of Kabul -- the country's last holdout -- Ahmad Massoud, the son of Afghanistan's most famed anti-Taliban fighter Ahmed Shah Massoud, said he was "ready to follow in his father's footsteps".

"But we need more weapons, more ammunition and more supplies," Massoud said.

- 'A situation worse than death' -

The United States, which successfully toppled the Taliban's first regime in 2001 following the September 11 attacks, was just weeks away from completing its military withdrawal when the militants seized power.

Now, more than 5,200 US troops are back to facilitate the airlift of American citizens and Afghan allies who worked with American forces.

Chaos erupted at the airport this week, as frantic Afghans searched for a way to leave the country.

An Afghan sports federation announced a footballer for the national youth team had died after falling from a US plane he desperately clung to as it took off.

The Group of Seven and the heads of several UN agencies echoed US calls for the Taliban to allow safe passage for those Afghans trying to leave, but Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the situation was improving.

"We have indications this morning that that process is working," he told reporters.

State Department spokesman Ned Price later said there had been "productive conversations" with the Taliban "about the need and the imperative of ensuring safe passage".

Unconfirmed reports say several people have been killed as US forces and the Taliban -- separated by an unofficial no-man's land -- struggle to contain the desperate crowds.

"I went to the airport with my kids and family... the Taliban and Americans were shooting," said one man, who until recently had worked for a foreign non-governmental organisation.

"Despite that, people were moving forward just because they knew a situation worse than death awaited them outside the airport."

- 'The system has been changed' -

Many are struggling to believe Taliban pledges of a "positively different" regime this time around.

An Afghan woman journalist made a desperate social media plea Thursday after she was barred from entering the TV station where she worked.

"The male employees... were allowed to enter the office, but I was told that I couldn't continue my duty because the system has been changed," news anchor Shabnam Dawran said, adding: "Our lives are under threat."

The Taliban are edging towards establishing a government, with co-founder Abdul Ghani Baradar returning from exile and other senior figures meeting ex-president Hamid Karzai and other former government officials.

The group said it wants "good diplomatic relations" with all countries, but will not accept any encroachment on its religious principles.

"We will not submit to the pressure of anyone," it said, in a statement published by SITE monitoring group.

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Heroin production has boomed in Afghanistan in recent years, helping fund the Taliban, and experts say they will struggle to wean themselves off the profitable trade despite their promise to do so.

Speaking Tuesday at a first press conference since taking power, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid promised that the new government would not turn the world's leading producer of opium into a fully-fledged narco-state.

"We are assuring our countrymen and women and the international community, we will not have any narcotics produced," Mujahid told reporters in Kabul.

"From now on, nobody's going to get involved (in the heroin trade), nobody can be involved in drug smuggling."

But the anti-heroin rhetoric -- like similar pledges to respect human rights and media freedom -- are seen by analysts as part of efforts by the new Taliban leaders to show a more moderate face in order to secure international backing.

The vast majority of the world's opium and heroin comes from Afghanistan, with production and exports centred in areas controlled by the Taliban, which has taxed the drugs heavily during their 20-year insurgency.

It has become a key resource for the group and they could struggle to ban it, said Jonathan Goodhand, an expert in the international drugs trade at SOAS University of London.

"Drugs will bring out a set of tensions in the movement," he predicted.

On one hand, "they want to create this image of themselves as more moderate and more open to engagement with the West and they realise drugs is one of way of doing this," he said.

But on the other, any repression would hit farmers in the Taliban political heartlands of Helmand and Kandahar provinces in particular.

"It's going to struggle to take a very aggressive approach to drugs," he added.

- Near-monopoly -

In his premier press conference, Mujahid pleaded for "international assistance" to provide farmers with alternative crops to poppies, the source of sap that is refined into morphine and heroin.

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The appeal for international aid might prompt hollow laughs from people who worked in the coalition of NATO forces, NGOs and UN workers over the last 10 years that tried in vain to break Afghanistan's reliance on poppy farming.

The United States spent around $8.6 billion (7.4 billion euros) from 2002 to 2017 in its doomed effort to combat the drugs trade, according to a 2018 report from the US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan (SIGAR).

Those efforts included paying farmers to grow wheat or saffron, investing in transport links, as well as spraying defoliants on crops and bombing refining facilities.

At each step, they found themselves thwarted by Taliban fighters who controlled the main poppy-growing regions and derived hundreds of millions of dollars from the industry, according to US and Afghan government estimates.

Farmers in Taliban-controlled areas would often come under pressure to plant poppies from local warlords and fighters, investigations have found.

As a result, the country has a near-monopoly on opium and heroin, accounting for 80 to 90 percent of global output, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

The amount of land planted with poppies hit a record high in 2017 and has averaged around 250,000 hectares in the last four years, roughly four times the level of the mid-1990s, UN figures show.

- 'Too tied up' -

The narcotics policy of the new government will affect global heroin prices, with repercussions for Western countries and their addicts, as well as Russia, Iran, Pakistan and China -- all major smuggling routes but also huge markets for Afghan drugs.

In recent years, traffickers have also discovered that a plant commonly found in Afghanistan called ephedra can be used to create a key component of methamphetamine, better known as "crystal meth".

Still, spokesman Mujahid vowed Afghanistan would be a "narcotics-free country" moving forward.

It's not the first time the fundamentalist group has vowed to outlaw the trade. Production was banned in 2000, just before the group was overthrown by US-led forces.

Gretchen Peters, the American author of the book "Seeds of Terror: How Heroin Is Bankrolling the Taliban and Al-Qaeda", said the Taliban's previous ban on poppy cultivation was tactical.

"They were under immense international pressure," she said. "It was a ploy because they had so much stored up. They made a huge amount of money once the price shot up by 10 times."

"They are not going to get rid of the drug trade because they are too tied up with it."

"Afghanistan cannot survive without opium. It is simultaneously killing Afghanistan while also keeping a huge number of people alive," she said, referring to the income the industry provides to poor farmers.

Being in control of the country will offer the Taliban access to airlines, the state bureaucracy and banks which could be used to facilitate drug smuggling and money laundering, she explained.

"I have no doubt they will exploit it."

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TEL AVIV, Israel (AP)  President Joe Biden has invited Prime Minister Naftali Bennett to Washington next week to discuss Iran as well as Israel's relationship with the Palestinians, the White House said Wednesday.

The long-expected visit with Israel's new prime minister will take place Aug. 26 amid tensions with the Islamic Republic and Israel's fragile truce with militant Hamas rulers in Gaza following an 11-day war in May.

The meeting will underscore the United States unwavering commitment to Israels security, according to the statement from presidential spokeswoman Jen Psaki. The leaders, she said, will discuss critical issues related to regional and global security, including Iran.

Bennett, meanwhile, described the upcoming meeting as important. His office said Bennett and Biden will discuss a series of diplomatic, economic and security issues, especially the Iranian nuclear program.

The Israeli leader made no mention of the cease-fire efforts with Hamas  even as an Egyptian mediator was in the country  or pledges by the U.S. and Israel to bolster Hamas' rival, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

The meeting next week will be the first between the American and Israeli leader  and Bennett's first diplomatic trip as prime minister  at a sensitive time for the security of the Middle East. Politically, both men want to show a steady hand at the helm of their respective governments in the wake of the Israel-Gaza war and the collapse of Afghanistan's government on Biden's watch.

Both nations want to put the brakes on Iran's conduct in the region and on its nuclear program. But they diverge on the key question of reinstating the 2015 nuclear accord. Former President Donald Trump pulled America out of that agreement in 2018.

Biden campaigned on restoring the deal, with changes to address Iran's conduct. Bennett and his predecessor, Benjamin Netanyahu, staunchly oppose the accord and have vowed that Israel will act against Iran on its own if need be.

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For Bennett, strengthening Israel's relationship with its strong ally, the U.S., is especially important as he leads a coalition government of eight parties from across the political spectrum. Under the coalition deal, Bennett, a founder of the Israeli settlement movement, will step down in 2023. Centrist Yair Lapid, now Israel's foreign minister, will then take the top job.

For Biden, it's a chance to change the subject from the Taliban's blitz across Afghanistan and the collapse of the U.S.-backed government there after 20 years.

While Bennett, who leads a small hard-line party that opposes major concessions to the Palestinians, made no mention of the Palestinians, the White House did  a reflection of human rights concerns for Palestinians among some in Biden's party.

The visit will also be an opportunity for the two leaders to discuss efforts to advance peace, security, and prosperity for Israelis and Palestinians and the importance of working towards a more peaceful and secure future for the region, the White House said.

There have been no substantive talks between Israel and Abbas' government in over a decade. With relations chilly, and the Palestinians divided between rival governments, the prospects for resuming negotiations appear slim.

But Bennett has indicated he would like to improve ties and bolster the Palestinian economy. This week, Israeli authorities postponed a meeting in which hundreds of new homes in West Bank settlements were to be approved. It was unclear if the delay was the result of American pressure.

The 11-day war between Israel and militant Hamas rulers inflicted heavy damage on Gaza. Some 254 Palestinians were killed, including at least 67 children and 39 women, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Twelve civilians, including two children, were killed in Israel, along with one soldier.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Three senators said Thursday they have tested positive for COVID-19 despite being vaccinated, a high-profile collection of breakthrough cases that comes as the highly infectious delta variant spreads rapidly across the United States.

Sens. Angus King, I-Maine, Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., all said they have tested positive for the virus. Almost every member of the Senate spent long hours together on the chamber's floor last week in an all-night session of budget votes before leaving town for August recess.

King said he began feeling feverish Wednesday and took a COVID test at his doctors suggestion. While I am not feeling great, Im definitely feeling much better than I would have without the vaccine, King said.

Wickers office said he tested positive for the virus Thursday morning.

Senator Wicker is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, is in good health, and is being treated by his Tupelo-based physician, a statement from his staff read. He is isolating, and everyone with whom Senator Wicker has come in close contact recently has been notified.

Hickenlooper announced his positive test a few hours later.

I feel good but will isolate per docs instructions. Im grateful for the vaccine (& the scientists behind it!) for limiting my symptoms, Hickenlooper tweeted. If you havent gotten your shotget it today! And a booster when its available too!

The breakthrough cases emerged the day after U.S. health officials announced plans to dispense COVID-19 booster shots to Americans. They said the shots are needed to shore up their protection against the delta variant amid signs that the vaccines effectiveness is waning over time.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. had announced Aug. 2 that he had tested positive for COVID-19 despite being vaccinated. Sending best wishes for a speedy recovery to my good friends and colleagues," he tweeted Thursday.

If you have not already done so please #GetVaccinated," Graham added.

Dozens of members of Congress have reported testing positive for COVID-19. Rep. Ron Wright, R-Texas, 67, died from the disease early this year while Rep.-elect Luke Letlow, R-La., 41, died in December before being sworn into office.
By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A trio of Democratic U.S. senators has asked the Taiwanese government for more help in addressing a chip shortage that has left numerous American auto production lines at times standing idle.

The letter, dated Aug. 18 and first reported by Reuters, was sent by Michigan Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow and Ohio's Sherrod Brown to Taiwan's de facto ambassador in Washington, Hsiao Bi-khim, praising her "efforts to address the shortage."

But the senators added they were "hopeful you will continue to work with your government and (chip) foundries to do everything possible to mitigate the risk confronting our state economies." The three emphasized in a statement that additional steps could be taken to increase chip production.

The shortage has spurred production cuts and layoffs and rippled through the economies of states that are heavily dependent on the auto industry.

Toyota Motor Corp said Thursday it would slash global production for September by 40% from its previous plan, becoming the latest major automaker to cut output due to the global chip crunch.

Taiwan's Foreign Ministry told Reuters it was aware of the letter and had passed on the request to government departments in charge of trade and economics.

Taiwan and the United States "have been closely coordinating and communicating on supply chain issues", the ministry added. "We believe that Taiwan and the United States can jointly establish a safe and reliable supply chain for key industries."

Taiwan's Economy Ministry said it was not able to immediately comment.

FEWER VEHICLES

Ford Motor Co on Wednesday said it would halt output for a week starting Monday at production lines that build its best-selling F-150 pickup trucks because of the shortage.

General Motors Co suspended production for a week at three North American truck plants earlier this month because of the same issue.

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Nissan Motor Co earlier this month halted output for two weeks at a major Tennessee plant due to the impact of COVID-19 in Malaysia and chip issues.

An auto trade group has estimated that because of the chip shortage, there could be 1.3 million fewer vehicles made in the United States in 2021, a drop of more than 10% from pre-pandemic levels.

The senators told Hsiao "what we are hearing at this point is that the risk of shortages clearly has extended into 2022, despite the considerable efforts in Taiwan to augment production."

Last month, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd (TSMC), the world's largest contract chipmaker, said the shortage will gradually tail off for its customers from this quarter, but it expects overall semiconductor capacity tightness to extend possibly into 2022.

TSMC declined to comment on the letter.

"Demand for vehicles - from cars to commercial trucks - is now up, yet the lack of semiconductor chips is preventing this renewed demand from being met," the senators wrote. "The U.S. is now the most impacted region in the world."

The senators offered Taiwan help in addressing pandemic-linked issues.

In June, the United States sent Taiwan 2.5 million COVID-19 vaccine doses, more than three times the initial allocation of shots for the island.

The senators said they backed "President (Joe) Biden's efforts to make excess vaccines available to Taiwan."

(Reporting by David Shepardson in Washington; Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in Taipei; Editing by Bernadette Baum and David Holmes)
Miles Routledge seen in Afghanistan in August 2021. Miles Routledge

Miles Routledge, 21, flew into Kabul, Afghanistan when the Taliban took over the city.

Over the next week, Routledge became a viral phenomenon after posting about his experiences online.

Here's a timeline of Routledge's self-described "adventure" and the criticism he's faced.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Miles Routledge captured the internet's attention after he decided to take an impulsive trip to Afghanistan right at the start of the Taliban's takeover.

According to a now-deleted post from Routledge on the 4chan forum, he arrived in Afghanistan on Friday, after the coalition government fell to the Taliban. He had also posted about his visit on Facebook and other social media platforms.

After spending a few days in the country, he landed in Dubai on a military evacuation flight on Tuesday, according to footage he shared (but has since deleted) on social media, and has since been quarantining in the United Kingdom.

While Rutledge visited the country for a vacation and was able to leave when the country became unsafe, many Afghans haven't been afforded the same opportunity. Approximately 330,000 Afghans have been displaced this year, with over half fleeing since the United States withdrew its military in May, according to The New York Times, citing United Nations data.

The student has also received a wave of backlash from critics and appeared to delete footage he posted of his return on Facebook.

Here's a timeline of how Routledge's saga.

2019: Routledge visited Chernobyl

Routledge appeared to document his "holiday" to Afghanistan on 4chan and Facebook. Miles Routledge/4chan

The 21-year old Loughborough University physics student has been a fan of traveling to dangerous locales, telling Input Magazine in an interview that he traveled to Chernobyl in 2019.

Per a report from the Independent, Routledge shared several Facebook updates about his trip. The posts appear to have since been deleted, Insider previously reported.

August 13, 2021: Routledge traveled to Afghanistan

On August 13, Routledge landed in Kabul. He told Input that he spent roughly $1,500 on a visa and flights and was seeking "adventure" when he booked his trip.

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"I hate lying around on a beach so I wanted to do something a little bit different. After graduating I'll have a full-time job and maybe a family so won't have the opportunity to do things like this again," Routledge told the Times. "I thought [Afghanistan] looked quite nice, the food seemed amazing and it was dirt cheap."

Routledge posted about his arrival in Kabul on August 13 on a now-deleted 4chan thread, Input reported. Originally, commenters doubted that he was actually in the country, but after posting images of his plane ticket, his story started to seem more believable.

"If they invade Kabul tomorrow, I'll buy a ticket to Turkey and then wait in the airport and depart to another country, then the adventures happen all over again," Routledge wrote on 4chan, according to Input.

August 14, 2021: Routledge said he 'knew s--- hit the fan'

The first signs of danger started to appear on Sunday, he said. Routledge told Input, "that's when I knew s--- hit the fan."

That day, the Taliban, an Islamist militant organization, overtook Kabul as Afghan President Ashraf Ghani left the country.

According to his interview with Input, Routledge said he saw people firing AK-47s into the air while others frantically tried to take their money out of banks. He told Input he bought a burqa to hide his identity and tried to visit a number of embassies, none of which were open.

August 15, 2021: Routledge said he made it to a safe house

After failing to find consular support at the Kabul airport, Routledge said he made it to a United Nations safe house, he later said in an interview with Insider.

"I was just goofing off in Afghanistan," Routledge said on an August 15 Twitch live stream. "I want the kids to know I did something interesting in my life and this is definitely on the list."

August 16, 2021: Routledge made it out of Afghanistan and into Dubai

After making it to the Kabul airport, he boarded a British military plane that he said was mainly full of aid and charity workers, military personnel, civil servants, and other foreigners.

On Tuesday, the plane landed in Dubai, and Routledge told Insider he was immediately put on a plane back to the UK, where he said he is currently quarantining in a hotel.

The Independent reported that Routledge shared a 17-second video to Facebook of what appears to be him on a military plane. Footage of his evacuation was since shared on several other platforms.

After his arrival back home, critics were quick to point out his privilege

Some on Twitter accused the student of taking a spot from some of the many Afghan citizens that are still stuck in Kabul.

Journalist Julian Hoez tweeted that "he took a slot that a far less privileged Afghan citizen could have used to escape, while others criticized him for going to Afghanistan amid its humanitarian crisis "for fun."

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AP Photo/Alan Diaz

Macy's is doubling down on toy sales after seeing a successful performance at its off-price stores.

Macy's will also be powering Toy 'R' Us's online presence ahead of the 2021 holiday season.

Toys 'R' Us has traded several hands since it declared bankruptcy in 2017.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

Macy's has seen an uptick in toy sales during the coronavirus pandemic, and the department store chain is doubling down on the trend by partnering with iconic toy retailer Toys 'R' Us, expanding its footprint in the toy market.

Macy announced Thursday it plans to include in-store Toys 'R' Us shops in over 400 of its locations by next year with access to the toy giant's private brands. Toysrus.com, now powered by Macy's, is currently online with an assortment of toy collections just in time for the 2021 holiday season. The news is especially exciting for nostalgic Millennials, who remember growing up with the toy brand at its peak.

"Our partnership with Macy's marks the greatly anticipated return of Toys"R"Us in the US," said Yehuda Shmidman, chairman & CEO of WHP Global and Toys "R" Us. Macy's partnered with brand management company WHP Global to revive the stores.

During its second quarter earnings call, Macy's revealed it was reviving Toys 'R' Us after seeing a "standout" performance in toy sales at their discounted Macy's Backstage stores.

Macy's expects to quintuple the size of its toy business through this partnership, CEO Jeff Gennette said in the earnings call on Thursday.

"Our toy business grew exponentially for Macy's in the past year," said Nata Dvir, Macy's chief merchandising officer. "Our partnership allows Macy's to significantly expand our footprint in that category."

Toys 'R' Us shuttered in 2017 after failing to refinance its rising debt, with its last two stores closing at the beginning of 2021. In March, WHP Global acquired controlling stakes in Toys 'R' Us parent company Tru Kids Brands, which bought out the toy company in 2019.

The partnership and in-store integration also signals a reinvestment in the brick-and-mortar retail model, even after Macy's itself announced it was closing 45 stores at the beginning of this year. In-store retail sales were especially hit hard during the COVID-19 pandemic, with some retailers transitioning to eCommerce models.

Read the original article on Business Insider
WASHINGTON - A group of senior Trump administration alumni this week launched a nonprofit group to try to extend the former president's effort to offer veterans more access to private medical care and other policies while diminishing President Joe Biden's priorities at the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Veterans 4 America First Institute is modeled after the America First Policy Institute, the post-Trump group that launched in April with a multimillion-dollar budget and is one of several efforts by former Trump administration officials to push his priorities. The new effort is led for now by volunteers who said they are committed to "effective management and accountability" at VA and the Defense Department, with a particular focus on what they called an intransigent VA bureaucracy.

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President Donald Trump sought to expand private health care to veterans - long a priority for conservatives but not seconded by Biden - and the group's leaders said that continuing to press for private coverage would be a primary goal.

Founding members of the group, which plans a publicity campaign, include Darin Selnick, a former senior adviser to VA and the Trump White House Domestic Policy Council; Peter O'Rourke, who served briefly as the agency's acting secretary after other senior roles; Camilo Sandoval, a Treasury Department and VA alumnus whose last role was chief information security officer for the White House budget office; Jason Beardsley, who served in senior roles at the Pentagon and VA; and Reed Rubinstein, former deputy associate attorney general at the Justice Department.

The advisory board includes Keith Kellogg, a retired Army lieutenant general who was Trump's acting national security adviser and chief of staff of the National Security Council.

Leaders of the new effort insist they are nonpartisan. "Our point is not to be partisan or point a finger at the current secretary," Selnick said in an interview. "But we have the expertise to come up with solutions and advance them."

Story continues

It is clear, however, that the new effort is intended to pressure VA Secretary Denis McDonough, particularly in the area of private health-care options.

Selnick said McDonough is "going backwards" on Trump and Congress's commitment to encourage veterans to seek care from private doctors, by allowing wait times for these appointments to grow and, in Selnick's view, by pushing patients to be seen at VA instead of in the community.

VA press secretary Terrence Hayes said in an email of the new group: "VA has no comment as it pertains to this or any other group of former VA staff members. We are solely focused on our sacred obligation of providing the absolute-best health care and access to benefits for our Veterans."

The debate over private health care for veterans enrolled in the VA system has taken center stage in recent years, following a scandal over long wait times at the agency's Phoenix hospital. Conservatives have favored more options outside the system, while Democrats and their allies in the labor movement have argued that the government system overall offers the best care.

VA had referred about 31% of veterans to appointments with private doctors by the end of the Trump administration, according to agency figures. McDonough has praised the government system and said it provides top-notch care.

"The Secretary encourages Veterans to use VA health care more often than not because we have a remarkable continuum of care program and offer outstanding providers for our Veterans," Hayes said in an email. McDonough "also fully supports the use of community care when it results in the best outcomes for Veterans."

Hayes said that through the first three quarters of this year, referrals to private doctors and outpatient care in the VA system have grown from the previous year, when the number dropped during the pandemic.

While complete data won't be available until Sept. 30, the volume of appointments with VA and outside doctors "is trending to be near pre-pandemic levels," he said.

McDonough, who was White House chief of staff to President Barack Obama, has focused his tenure on fighting the coronavirus pandemic among veterans and VA's health-care staff, preventing suicides by veterans, fixing a failing Trump-era effort to modernize veterans' health records and expanding benefits to former service members who were exposed to toxic substances.

This is not the first veterans' group started by Trump alumni. David Shulkin, Trump's first VA secretary, in March launched Policy Vets, a weekly podcast with former American Legion executive director Louis Celli with guests including lawmakers, veterans and a variety of experts. But Policy Vets' focus is more practical, highlighting issues from prosthetics management and long-term care to gender equality and disparities in care, according to its website.

With a relative few political appointees to oversee a workforce of more than 400,000, the VA bureaucracy in the past came under withering criticism from some Trump officials as ineffective and, in some cases, resistant to administration policies. Trump officials also clashed with the powerful unions that represent the agency's workers.

"Our veterans . . . bear the burden of bureaucratic mismanagement and political ineptitude," O'Rourke, Veterans 4 America's president, said in a statement. He did not cite examples.

Paul Lawrence, who led the Veterans Benefits Administration under Trump and serves on Veterans 4 America's advisory board, said McDonough's team has contributed to long waits for benefits during the coronavirus pandemic, although Biden was not inaugurated until nearly a year into the crisis.

Lawrence cited a long-standing shortage of doctors who administer exams to document medical conditions under consideration for disability benefits. He said he put a plan in place before leaving office to hire more contract doctors, but McDonough has not yet implemented it.

Lawrence also said that by allowing thin in-person staffing levels at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, an arm of the National Archives that provides veterans with vital paper records they need to obtain benefits, VA has delayed the process for thousands of applicants.

Hayes said the pandemic and concern for veterans' safety forced the agency to pause in-person exams last April. In the past five months, as more exams have been conducted in person, the backlog of pending exams has been reduced by 26%.

He said the inventory of requests to VA for documents from the records center has now dropped to pre-pandemic levels, with responses in three to four days after much of the staff in St. Louis was recalled to the office to speed up processing.

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - About two dozen U.S. diplomats in Afghanistan sent an internal cable last month warning Secretary of State Antony Blinken of the potential fall of Kabul to the Taliban as U.S. troops withdrew from the country, The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.

The newspaper said the confidential cable sent through a so-called dissent channel was signed on July 13 and offered recommendations on ways to mitigate the crisis and accelerate an evacuation.

The administration has been criticized for leaving efforts to get American diplomats and other citizens, as well Afghan allies, out of the country, until after a Taliban takeover was well underway.

U.S. officials declined to confirm specific details or share the contents of the cable.

"I think the cable reflects what we've said all along, which is nobody had this exactly right in predicting that the government and army of Afghanistan were going to collapse in a matter of days," White House deputy national security adviser Jonathan Finer told CNN.

A source familiar with the situation said the State Department took on board the concerns of those who drafted the cable, including by condemning the Taliban's atrocities ahead of the group seizing the Afghan capital Kabul on Sunday.

State Department spokesman Ned Price said diplomats' views shared with Blinken through the channel were incorporated into policy and planning.

"We value constructive internal dissent. Its patriotic. Its protected. And it makes us more effective," Price said.

(Reporting by Simon Lewis and Eric Beech; editing by Grant McCool)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Armed U.S. fighter jets have been flying over Kabul to ensure security for the evacuation operation, the Pentagon said on Thursday, adding that there had been no hostile interactions with the Taliban or attempts to impede the evacuation.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told a news briefing the jets had not conducted "low pass" flights over the city but had been engaged in "overwatch."

"The overwatch flights ... have been in the air since before the noncombatant evacuation operation. It's prudent force protection measures in the air, to make sure that we can protect our people and our operations against any threat," he said.

Army Major General William Taylor told the briefing that multiple gates at Kabul international airport were now open and about 7,000 people have been evacuated so far.

He said the military now has more than 5,200 troops at Kabul airport to guard the evacuation.

Kirby said the Pentagon had not seen any hostile interactions with the Taliban and had not seen the group's fighters impede, harass or obstruct the movement of American citizens into the airport.

"We've made it very clear to the Taliban that any attack upon our people in our operations at the airport would be met with a forceful response," he said.

(Reporting by Idrees Ali and David Brunnstrom; Editing by Daniel Wallis)
By Michelle Nichols

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) -U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Thursday the Taliban's desire for international recognition is the Security Council's only leverage to press for inclusive government and respect for rights, particularly for women, in Afghanistan.

Guterres told reporters he discussed that leverage with the 15-member body during a closed-door meeting on Monday, urging them to remain united.

The Taliban seized power on Sunday, 20 years after they were ousted by a U.S.-led invasion for refusing to hand over al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.

Guterres said he was ready to speak with the Taliban himself "when it is clear with whom should I speak, for what purpose." For now, U.N. officials in Kabul have been in close contact with the Taliban, he added.

"It's very important for the international community to be united, for all members of the Security Council to be united, to use the only leverage that exists, which is the interests of the Taliban for legitimacy for recognition," he said.

He said a common front in dealing with the Taliban could push them to form an inclusive government, respect human rights, continue to allow evacuations from Kabul and prevent Afghanistan from becoming a safe haven for terrorism.

"We've all heard the purported assurances from the Taliban, that the rights of women and girls will be respected. What we hear from women on the ground does not bear this out," Ireland's U.N. Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason, a member of the U.N. Security Council, told reporters on Thursday.

"This is linked very much to the question of the legitimacy of any government," she said.

Under Taliban rule between 1996 and 2001, women could not work and girls were banned from school. Women had to cover their faces and be accompanied by a male relative when they left home.

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The heads of U.N. agencies and international aid groups appealed on Thursday for more humanitarian funding for Afghanistan as they pledged to stay, warning that they were at least $800 million short of what was needed.

"This is not the time to abandon the Afghan people, the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), made up of at least 18 U.N. agencies and international aid groups, said in a statement.

At the start of the year, half of Afghanistan's population - more than 18 million people - needed help, they said. A U.N. appeal for $1.3 billion to reach 16 million people this year with humanitarian aid is only 37% funded.

"Those needs have risen sharply because of conflict, drought and COVID-19," they warned.

(Reporting by Michelle NicholsEditing by Marguerita Choy and Cynthia Osterman)
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday pushed for an immediate ceasefire and unrestricted aid access in Ethiopia's Tigray region, where he said millions of people needed help and women had suffered "unspeakable violence."

"It is time for all parties to recognize that there is no military solution, and it is vital to preserve the unity and stability of Ethiopia which is critical to the region and beyond," Guterres told reporters in New York.

Ethiopian federal government troops and forces from the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) have been battling since November in a war that has killed thousands of people, led to a major refugee crisis and ethnic killings, rape as a weapon of war and a humanitarian crisis.

"Humanitarian conditions are hellish. Millions of people are in need. Infrastructure has been destroyed. We have heard first-hand accounts of women who have been subjected to unspeakable violence," Guterres said.

"The spread of the conflict has ensnared even more people in its horror," he said.

In recent weeks, the conflict has spread into two neighbouring regions, Afar and Amhara, displacing about 250,000 more people and raising international concerns about a wider destabilisation of Africa's second most populous nation.

Guterres pushed for the start of an Ethiopian-led political dialogue to end the conflict.

(Reporting by Michelle Nichols; editing by Grant McCool)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper said he has tested positive for COVID-19, becoming the third senator to announce on Thursday he had contracted the coronavirus.

Hickenlooper, a Democrat from Colorado, said he feels good but will isolate. "Im grateful for the vaccine (& the scientists behind it!) for limiting my symptoms," he said on Twitter.

(Reporting by Eric Beech; Editing by Tim Ahmann)
By Nate Raymond

(Reuters) - U.S. states are racing to meet a deadline to commit to a $26 billion opioid settlement with three drug distributors and the drugmaker Johnson & Johnson, as some grapple with local resistance and concerns the amount isn't big enough to address the damage done by an epidemic of addiction.

Fourteen state attorneys general unveiled the proposed settlement https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/drug-distributors-jj-reach-landmark-26-bln-opioid-settlement-2021-07-21 with McKesson Corp, AmerisourceBergen Corp, Cardinal Health Inc and J&J on July 21, kicking off a months-long process for states, counties and cities to sign on.

By Saturday, states must decide whether to join settlements that call for the distributors to pay $21 billion and J&J to pay $5 billion, money meant to help fund treatment and other services. The epidemic of opioid abuse has resulted in nearly 500,000 overdose deaths since 1999, according to the U.S. government.

The settlement's complex formula envisions at least 44 states participating, but ultimately the companies decide whether a "critical mass" have joined and whether to finalize the deal.

North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, a lead negotiator, last month said he expected "well north" of 40 states to join. But several are against it, including Washington and New Mexico and communities in West Virginia holding out in hopes of recouping more.

Michigan, South Carolina and Nevada say they are still evaluating the deal. Ohio, which was slated to take the distributors to trial next month, is nearing a separate, related $808 million deal with them.

In hard-hit New Hampshire, Associate Attorney General James Boffetti said he recently told a judge the state was unlikely to join the deal with J&J, which the state plans to take to trial next year.

"That settlement is small in comparison to the harm that they caused in New Hampshire and other places," he said. "It's just not sufficient."

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The settlement aims to resolve more than 3,000 lawsuits accusing the distributors of ignoring red flags that pain pills were being diverted into communities for illicit uses and that J&J played down the risks of opioid addiction.

The companies deny wrongdoing, saying the drugs were approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and that responsibility for ballooning painkiller sales lies with others, including doctors and regulators.

The participation of states is tied closely to that of their local governments, who brought the majority of lawsuits.

Ultimately, $10.7 billion is tied to the extent localities participate.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Aug. 5 announced the state would join the distributors' settlement, but in a twist said the state was "still evaluating" J&J's piece.

Some local Texas governments have opposed the deal, and a January trial date is set in a lawsuit by the populous city of Dallas, which has sued the distributors, J&J and others for $10.5 billion.

Mark Lanier, a lawyer for the city, said he was in discussions with J&J and was "hopeful we can find a resolution." But he said Dallas' case against the distributors would move forward.

Paul Geller, a lead negotiator for the plaintiffs with Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd, called on elected officials to unify for the "greater good."

"The only way this deal works, and we've known this from the beginning, is if leaders embrace a level of responsibility that extends beyond local borders," Geller said.

(Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston; Editing by Noeleen Walder and Grant McCool)
US regulators Thursday filed a new lawsuit accusing Facebook of maintaining an illegal monopoly in social networking, reviving the case two months after it was dismissed by a federal judge.

In the amended complaint, the Federal Trade Commission said Facebook's dominance "is protected by high barriers to entry," and that "even an entrant with a superior product cannot succeed against the overwhelming network effects enjoyed by an incumbent personal social network."

The lawsuit filed in federal court in the US capital said Facebook used "anticompetitive acquisitions" of potential rivals such as Instagram and WhatsApp to protect its dominance.

FTC officials said the deals amounted to "illegal buy-or-bury" schemes.

"Facebook lacked the business acumen and technical talent to survive the transition to mobile. After failing to compete with new innovators, Facebook illegally bought or buried them when their popularity became an existential threat," said acting FTC competition bureau chief Holly Vedova in a statement.

"This conduct is no less anticompetitive than if Facebook had bribed emerging app competitors not to compete."

The lawsuit, which could take years to go through the courts without a settlement, calls for the court to order "divestiture of assets," including WhatsApp and Instagram, to restore competition.

The lawsuit comes amid a rising "techlash" against the largest US tech firms, which dominate key economic sectors and have become stronger during the pandemic as more people turn to online services.

A separate US antitrust action has been filed against Google, and Apple and Amazon are also in the crosshairs of antitrust enforcers.

- 'Distinct market' -

Facebook, which has long denied it maintains a monopoly, said in a statement: "We are reviewing the FTC's amended complaint and will have more to say soon."

In June, US District Judge James Boasberg said in a 53-page opinion that the agency's initial lawsuit lacked evidence, notably in defining the market that Facebook was allegedly monopolizing.

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The federal agency based its initial case on a "vague" assertion that Facebook controlled more than 60 percent of the social networking market, but the FTC "does not even allege what it is measuring," according to the judge's June 28 ruling, which allowed the agency an opportunity to refile the case on different grounds.

In the new lawsuit, the FTC argued that "personal social networking services are a unique and distinct type of online service," in an effort to counter Facebook's claim that people have numerous choices for connecting with people online.

Using this definition, the FTC said, Facebook controls more than 65 percent of the market with its core social network and Instagram, giving it monopoly power.

The new lawsuit maintained that TikTok -- the popular Chinese-owned video app that Facebook claims is a rival -- is "a content broadcasting and consumption service that is not an acceptable substitute for personal social networking services."

The FTC said, meanwhile, it would deny Facebook's request to disqualify agency chair Lina Khan, a long-time critic of Big Tech, who has called for more aggressive actions against the major firms.

"As the case will be prosecuted before a federal judge, the appropriate constitutional due process protections will be provided to the company," the FTC said in dismissing Facebook's request for recusal.

The FTC split 3-2 in its decision to refile the case against Facebook.

Republican FTC member Christine Wilson said in a statement it was "bad policy" to try to undo mergers that were previously approved by regulators.

Alex Petros of the consumer group Public Knowledge, welcomed the new filing and said it should address the concerns noted by Judge Boasberg.

"While the case against Facebook has been re-invigorated today, we cannot lose sight of the immediate need for congressional and executive action to rein in Big Tech," Petros said.

But Ryan Young of the Competitive Enterprise Institute countered that the FTC complaint "relies heavily on wordplay" to define Facebook as a monopoly.

"It argues that Facebook dominates the market for 'personal social networking services,' then defines that term in just such a way that excludes TikTok, Twitter, Clubhouse, Discord and others from that market," Young said.

"Any market is a monopoly if you define it narrowly enough, and that is the only thing the FTC's complaint successfully proves."

rl/sw
After the State Department issued an alert over the weekend saying U.S. citizens could have to pay $2,000 or more for evacuation flights out of Afghanistan, a report indicated people hoping to escape are being asked to pay up.

Although U.S. officials told Politico evacuation flights out of Kabul would be free, its National Security Daily newsletter reported some sources said otherwise, including one who said State Department staff were asking for up to $2,000 per U.S. citizen and more from noncitizens.

But, in a statement shared with the Washington Examiner on Thursday, State Department spokesman Ned Price said, In these unique circumstances, we have no intention of seeking any reimbursement from those fleeing Afghanistan.

A security alert published on the website of the Overseas Security Advisory Council, part of the State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security, was issued over the weekend on "repatriation assistance" for U.S. citizens in Afghanistan. The bulletin published on Saturday  one day before the Taliban swept into Kabul and Hamid Karzai International Airport became a chaotic scene of crowds desperately trying to escape Kabul  encouraged U.S. citizens to take advantage of commercial flights while they remained an option, offering guidance on eligibility requirements for those who sought charter flights.

One part of the alert said: "Repatriation flights are not free, and passengers will be required to sign a promissory loan agreement and may not be eligible to renew their U.S. passports until the loan is repaid. The cost may be $2,000USD or more per person."

AFGHANISTAN DEBACLE IS BIDENS SECOND SAIGON MOMENT

A separate State Department webpage, which focuses on crisis situations, also said that generally, such flights would not be free.

"In extreme situations, if there are no commercial transportation options (planes, trains, boats/ferries, etc.) available, and if we have consular officers at the embassy or consulate, and if the conditions permit, we may help U.S. citizens seeking to depart by working with the host government, other countries, and other U.S. government agencies to identify  and in some cases arrange  available transportation. Regardless of the method of transportation, or who provides it, U.S. citizens (and others who are eligible for U.S. government assistance) are generally responsible for reimbursing the government for the cost of their travel," the page says.

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The U.S. Embassy in Kabul warned people on Wednesday the U.S. government "cannot ensure safe passage" to the airport for evacuation. The bulletin also included a message about every U.S. citizen needing to fill out a "Repatriation Assistance Request" form.

The second page of the form tells each applicant that evacuation flights are not free and the cost could exceed $2,000 per person. Each U.S. citizen is prompted to fill out a checklist to say they understand the conditions or choose not to continue with filling out the form.

All passengers will need to reimburse the U.S. Government for the flight. A promissory note for the full cost of the flight, which may exceed $2000 per person, must be signed by each adult passenger before boarding, the form says. No cash or credit card payments will be accepted.

The next question addresses loan repayment, stating that U.S. citizens "who have signed a loan agreement for repatriation may not be eligible for a new passport until the loan is repaid."

The form was still accessible and live on the webpage for the U.S. Embassy in Kabul as of late Thursday evening, the Daily Caller reported. The Washington Examiner found an information page on the State Department's main website dated Thursday that also directed people to fill out the form.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Prior to the statement by Price, Politico reported a spokesperson for the State Department did not deny that U.S. citizens were being asked to pay for flights out of Afghanistan.

U.S. law requires that evacuation assistance to private U.S. citizens or third-country nationals be provided on a reimbursable basis to the maximum extent practicable. The situation is extremely fluid, and we are working to overcome obstacles as they arise, the representative said.

The report drew outrage from at least one member of Congress, Republican Rep. Claudia Tenney of New York, who called on President Joe Biden to resign and said she was drafting legislation to ensure no U.S. citizen would have to pay for an evacuation flight out of Afghanistan.

A White House official said on Wednesday evening the United States, which sent thousands of troops back to assist with the effort at the Kabul airport, has evacuated nearly 6,000 people since Saturday. Price said on Thursday that there were 6,000 people at the airport in Kabul who have been "fully processed by our consular team and will soon board planes."

Biden told ABC News on Wednesday that U.S. forces will remain in Afghanistan until all U.S. citizens are evacuated, even if that means keeping them there past the Aug. 31 deadline for a complete withdrawal.

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, Afghanistan, State Department, National Security

Original Author: Daniel Chaitin, Jerry Dunleavy

Original Location: Are US citizens being asked to pay $2,000 for evacuation flights out of Kabul?
The United States has airlifted out of Afghanistan some 7,000 people since August 14 as the Taliban appears to be cooperating with evacuation efforts from Kabul airport, a senior general said Thursday.

Major General Hank Taylor said that the pace of evacuating US citizens, Afghans with US immigrant visas and other nationals has accelerated at the US military-controlled airport despite reports of the Taliban continuing to impede people trying to enter the airport gates.

Pentagon Spokesman John Kirby said that the Taliban appeared to be cooperating to allow Afghan nationals who have registered for US special immigrant visas to get to the airport gate.

"We have indications this morning that that process is working," Kirby said.

The Pentagon said the Taliban, who captured Kabul Sunday to claim control of the country from the US-backed government, were not interfering with the airlift.

"We have not experienced any security incidents, nor interference" in recent days, said Taylor.

The US commander on the ground is in regular contact with Taliban officials to ensure that US nationals have a safe passage to the airport.

The US flew 12 giant C-17 cargo aircraft with 2,000 evacuees from the airport in the past 24 hours, he said.

Other countries like France and Britain have also flown their nationals and Afghans out as well.

"This increase is reflective of both a ramp-up of aircraft and airlift capability, faster processing of evacuees and greater information and fidelity in reporting," Taylor said.

The US now has more than 5,200 troops to secure the airport and the capacity to take as many as 9,000 people out every 24 hours.

"We're ready to increase throughput and have scheduled aircraft departures accordingly," Taylor said.

US officials said this week that as many as 10,000 US citizens remained in Kabul, and thousands of Afghans who had worked for US forces were also seeking to flee to the United States.

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Since July, as the Taliban offensives picked up and the US neared its own August 31 deadline for withdrawal from the country after 20 years of war, the US has moved nearly 12,000 people out of the country.

Taylor confirmed that US F-18 combat jets had been flying high-altitude missions over Kabul.

"Those are overwatch flights over Kabul to ensure enhanced security," Taylor said.

Kirby said the US forces continue focus on getting the airlift completed by August 31.

But on Wednesday President Joe Biden allowed that US troops could stay longer if necessary for the evacuations.

"Americans should understand that we're going to try to get it done before August 31st," he told ABC, adding: "If there's American citizens left, we're gonna stay to get them all out."

The officials declined to say whether the Taliban -- who only weeks ago were the targets of US bombings in support of now-routed Afghan government forces -- were putting pressure on the Americans to leave by the end of the month.

Kirby stressed that the US focus was evacuating Americans and Afghans who worked for them.

"We're going to do everything that we can to make sure that we can protect our force, protect the people that we are trying to move onto the airport, and protect their movement out of Kabul, as well as protecting the entire operation at the airport," he said.

ec-sct/pmh/bfm
A Utah high school teacher who said she "hates" "moron" former President Donald Trump told her students to "go tattle" on her "to the freakin' admins," as "they don't give a crap."

It turns out, they did.

Leah Kinyon is no longer employed at Lehi High School after Tuesday's rant about how Trump "sucks" while advocating her class to get the coronavirus vaccine.

"I hate Donald Trump. I'm going to say it. I don't care what y'all think. Trump sucks," she said. "He's a sexual predator. He's a literal moron. Go tattle on me to the freakin' admins  they don't give a crap."

COLORADO SCHOOL DISTRICT BANS TEACHING OF CRITICAL RACE THEORY

"Alpine School District has concluded our investigation of the incident that occurred on August 17, 2021 at Lehi High School," said a statement from the district. "Although the details of a personnel investigation are confidential, the teacher involved is no longer an employee of Alpine School District."

"I am, like, so over it," Kinyon said. "I will be super proud of you if you choose to get the vaccine."

Kinyon said she didn't care if the students reported her comments to administrators and told them to ignore Fox News regarding masks and vaccines.

"This is my classroom, and if you guys are going to put me at risk, you are going to hear about it," she said. "I have to be here, and I don't have to be happy about the fact that there are kids coming in here with their variants that could get me or my family sick. That's rude. And I am not going to pretend like it's not. So don't ask me to."

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Kinyon continued by disparaging the students' parents.

"Most of y'all's parents are dumber than you. I'm going to say that out loud. My parents are freakin' dumb, and the minute I figured that out, the world opens up," she said. "You don't have to do everything your parents say, and you don't have to believe everything your parents believe because most likely, you are smarter than them."

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Her tirade ended with a call to students to be more respectful and protective of those in the LGBTQ+ community.

A spokesperson for the district did not say whether Kinyon was fired or resigned.

President of the American Federation of Teachers-Utah Brad Asay said he cringed when he saw the video and worries parents might think such dialogue is the norm.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

"This'll be construed as what happens commonly in the classroom and, emphatically, that is not the case. It is not," Asay said. "Teachers and staff are very professional. They care about kids."

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, Utah, Schools, Donald Trump, Vaccination, Coronavirus, Face masks, LGBT

Original Author: Luke Gentile

Original Location: Utah teacher who called Trump a 'moron' and advocated vaccines to students no longer employed at school
A Virginia school board declined to adopt the state's guidelines Tuesday requiring protections for transgender students.

"The policy doesn't create the concern," Newport News School Board Vice Chairwoman Lisa Surles-Law said. "If we are not prepared to deal with the concern, then we are doing our students a disservice there."

The board voted 5-1 against revisions to its Equal Educational Opportunities Policy to meet the state standard required by law.

CHARGES DROPPED AGAINST TRANS WOMEN IN ALLEGED BAR FIGHT DUE TO FAULTY EVIDENCE

The protections are the product of a state law passed by the Virginia General Assembly in 2020 that mandates school divisions establish protections for transgender and nonbinary students.

"Yes, the General Assembly passed a law  they passed a bad law in my opinion  but their law required us to take a vote.  It does fall to us, and I don't believe we can actually defer this responsibility by saying, 'Well, the General Assembly made me do it.' I very much believe in following the law.  When the law violates the Constitution, then it's a bad law," said Chairman Douglas Brown.

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Students changing their gender identity, possibly more than once, could cause issues with the state's records, Brown said.

Implementing such procedures imposes "a set of beliefs on everyone," he suggested, saying that he doesn't impose his religious beliefs on anyone.

The Virginia Department of Education encourages schools to adopt name and gender pronouns according to students' preferences, allowing them to use restrooms and locker rooms that align with their gender identity.

They can also play sports and participate in other gender-specific activities.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

VDOE Superintendent of Instruction James Lane said the state would not penalize districts that fail to adopt the policy, "but they face pressure of litigation from families of students who identify as transgender."

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Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, Virginia, Transgender, Transgender Issues, Schools

Original Author: Luke Gentile

Original Location: Virginia school board declines to adopt protections for trans and nonbinary students
LE LUC, France (AP)  Just when fire officials thought a huge wildfire near the French Riviera might be slowing down, a new pocket of flames shot up. And just as a water-dumping helicopter finished dousing one hot spot, another ignited.

Despite calmer winds and cooler weather, the fire that has forced thousands to flee and ravaged woodlands raged for a fourth day Thursday, defying some 1,200 firefighters struggling to bring it under control.

The blaze, which has killed two people and injured 26, is the latest among numerous large wildfires to have scorched the Mediterranean region this summer. The spokesman for the regional fire service, Florent Dossetti, called it one of the worst forest fires to hit southern France in centuries.

The fire has burned 8,100 hectares (20,015 acres) of forest since it started Monday about 40 kilometers (24 miles) inland from the coastal resort of Saint-Tropez. Several thousand people have been forced to evacuate campgrounds, hotels and homes across the region at the height of summer vacation in France.

In addition to chestnut, oak and pine trees, the blaze has consumed vineyards on the rolling hills of the low-lying Maures mountain range. One family desperately shoveled dirt on flames in a vain attempt to protect their vines. Smoke swept through wooded valleys as sirens wailed and the propellers on firefighting helicopters whipped overhead.

Earlier in the day, local authorities had said the fire was less violent and its progression has slowed. Strong winds coming off the Mediterranean Sea that had fanned the flames calmed overnight. High temperatures in the region  which had reached 40 degrees Celsius (104 F) in recent days  were dropping.

But new bursts of flames ignited in three spots Thursday, complicating firefighting efforts, Dossetti said.

We are working on drowning the edges (of the fire) to ensure it is extinguished, and to avoid new bursts of flames, Dossetti told The Associated Press.

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The regional administration warned that the risk of new flames remained high, and kept several roads closed. About 2,000 people evacuated from campgrounds earlier in the week were allowed to return, the administration said in a statement, though thousands of other evacuees remained housed in temporary shelters.

In the Gulf of Saint-Tropez, huge water-bombing planes could be seen swooping down to fill their bellies with water to dump across the flaming Riviera backcountry. Reinforcements came in from elsewhere around France.

This summer has brought extreme heat, drought or wildfires to many parts of the world. Scientists say there is little doubt that climate change from the burning of coal, oil and natural gas is driving such extreme weather events, and that the world will see more and more of them as the planet warms.

Wildfires this summer have left areas in Greece, Turkey, Italy, Algeria and Spain in smoldering ruins. In Greece on Thursday, hundreds of Greek and Polish firefighters battled a major wildfire decimating a pine forest northwest of the Greek capital for a fourth day.

The fire near the village of Vilia, about 60 kilometers (37 miles) from Athens, has already burned through thousands of hectares, destroyed some homes and led to evacuation orders for several villages in the area. Strong winds forecast for later in the day could complicate firefighting efforts.

On the Croatian island of Hvar, a large fire that broke out overnight torched bushes, olive trees and some pine forests. About 50 fire trucks and three firefighting planes were being used to control the blaze.

___

Charlton reported from Paris. Elena Becatoros in Athens and Dusan Stojanovic in Belgrade, Serbia, contributed.

___

Follow AP's coverage of climate change issues at https://apnews.com/hub/climate-change
Aug. 18A woman was found dead from gunshot wounds in Spirit Lake Monday evening, and her longtime boyfriend is suspected in the killing.

The victim was identified as Tina Swor, 56, according to a Spirit Lake police news release.

Officers found Swor's body while responding to a welfare check.

Police started a search for a suspect in the case, 55-year-old John D. Dalton, who was known as Swor's longtime boyfriend, the Kootenai County Sheriff's Office said.

Dalton was last seen in a black 2002 Chevy Silverado with Idaho license plate 7BN3581. Police described Dalton as a white 6-foot male weighing about 225 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes.

Police said they consider Dalton armed and dangerous, and anyone who sees him should call 911 or local law enforcement.

The Kootenai County Sheriff's Office encourages anyone with information to contact (208) 446-2237 or email hballman@kcgov.us.
Hundreds of union employees at three U.S. Nabisco bakeries that make Oreo and Chips Ahoy cookies and Ritz Crackers have gone on strike to protest proposed changes amid contract negotiations with parent company Mondelez International, Inc.

Approximately 200 workers at a factory in Portland, Oregon, have been on strike for two weeks and were joined on Monday by about 400 employees at Nabisco's bakery in Richmond, Virginia. On Thursday, workers at Nabisco's bakery in Chicago also walked off the job to go on strike.

Employees at a sales distribution center in Aurora, Colorado, also joined the strike on Aug. 12. All of the workers on strike are members of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers, and Grain Millers International Union, which announced the Chicago strike on Thursday.

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"This fight is about maintaining what we already have," Mike Burlingham, vice president of BCTGM Local 364 in Portland, told TODAY Food. "During the pandemic, we all were putting in a lot of hours, demand was higher, people were at home, and the snack food industry did phenomenally well.

"Mondelez made record profits and they want to thank us by closing two of the U.S. bakeries (last month) and telling the rest of us we have to take concessions, what kind of thanks is that? We make them a lot of money. It's very disheartening. How is that supposed to make us feel?"

The union is in the midst of negotiating a new four-year contract with Mondelez after the previous one expired in May.

Union leaders say that Mondelez has proposed switching from eight-hour shifts, five days a week, to 12-hour shifts, three or four days a week, without overtime, and with increased mandatory work on weekends without extra pay.

The strikes are not expected to disrupt production of Oreos, Chips Ahoy and other products made by the facilities, Mondelez spokesperson Laurie Guzzinati told TODAY. Another plant in Naperville, Illinois, that is part of the company's biscuit manufacturing network is also operational, according to Guzzinati.

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"As soon as we got word that there were local strikes, we activated continuity plans," she said. "Consumers will continue to get the cookies and crackers they know and love. The leadership team and salaried employees are continuing to focus on operations."

Burlingham disputed that there has been no disruption in production of Oreos.

"It's stopped," he said. "I'm standing outside the facility right now, and nothing is coming out of a single smoke stack. You can smell when they're baking something, and I don't smell a thing."

However, Burlingham added that replacement workers have been bused into the plant.

Union representatives in Richmond said on Wednesday that no cookies were being made at that facility, either.

The lines require skilled labor and they just cant run those lines without our union members in there, BCTGM Local 358 president Keith Bragg told the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Union leaders have also said the proposal by Mondelez includes different health care plans that would keep the status quo for existing employees and be more expensive for new hires, potentially creating a rift between the two types of employees. The new plan would have a deductible, which the existing plan does not have.

"We call that eating our young and that's not something we do," Burlingham said. "What's a benefit to one is a benefit to all. If one of my kids comes to work here one day, I don't want to tell him I voted to keep something to benefit me and not him."

Guzzinati said the proposed health care plans for new employees is the same "generous plan" that BCTGM approved for their workers at a facility in Naperville, Illinois, that produces Triscuits.

The alternative work schedules would only affect workers on a small number of high-demand production lines and would not affect overtime pay for a majority of workers, according to Guzzinati. She added that the intention is "to encourage the right behaviors, and if you're assigned to shifts, you're working those shifts."

Burlingham believes the proposal leaves the door open for all employees to be switched from 8- to 12-hour shifts.

"What's to stop them from calling every single line a high-demand line?" Burlingham said.

"Our goal has been  and continues to be  to bargain in good faith with the BCTGM leadership across our U.S. bakeries and sales distribution facilities to reach new contracts that continue to provide our employees with good wages and competitive benefits, including quality, affordable healthcare, and company-sponsored Enhanced Thrift Investment 401(k) Plan, while also taking steps to modernize some contract aspects which were written several decades ago," Mondelez said in a detailed statement.

The strikes at the three locations come after Nabisco shut down long-running factories in Atlanta and Fair Lawn, New Jersey, last month after announcing the closures in February.

Mondelez also eliminated pensions in 2018 and switched workers to 401(k) plans.

Related: Thanksgiving is only three months away. Let's talk turkey.

BCTGM International President Anthony Shelton accused Mondelez in a statement of moving jobs to Mexico with the recent closures.

"Nabiscos response to these loyal, hardworking employees has been to close two more bakeries in Fairlawn, NJ and Atlanta, GA, ship 1,000 more good, middle-class jobs to Mexico and demand major contract concessions from the workers," he said. "Nabisco is making record profits but still this company wants to squeeze more out of its workers."

Guzzinati said the claim that Mondelez moved those jobs to Mexico is not true.

"Our commitment to the U.S and the U.S. supply chain is very strong," she said. "To say that a thousand jobs went to Mexico after the closure of the two bakeries is inaccurate. We remain committed to robust manufacturing here, and our focus now is working through to bring a resolution to these negotiations with workers."

Mondelez reported a 12.4% increase in net revenue in the second quarter of this year and shares of their stock rose 6% in 2020 as snack sales jumped with millions of Americans at home during the pandemic.

The Nabisco strikes come just weeks after workers at a Frito-Lay facility in Kansas went on strike for nearly three weeks to fight against back-to-back 12-hour shifts with only an eight-hour break in between. The workers, who are also represented by the BCTGM, ratified an agreement that put an end to the so-called "suicide shifts" last month, according to The New York Times.
Thousands of New York City teachers' social security numbers, student academic records, and other confidential data were left exposed for months despite the best efforts of a group of tech-savvy high school students who stumbled across them, told their instructors, and waited nearly a year for action to be taken.

The documents showed up online due to a quirk in the Education Department's Google Drive sharing setting, a group of Brooklyn Technical High School students found.

The students told Chalkbeat that they unintentionally discovered they had access to the documents in January after they noticed the Google Drive folder, in which they uploaded their class assignments during remote learning, contained documents, some with confidential and sensitive material, from schools across the city. The documents contained everything from sign-up sheets for parent-teacher conferences to college recommendations and home addresses, Chalkbeat reported.

After discovering the information, the students met with a senior staff member at their school. They prepared a PowerPoint presentation explaining the privacy issues found on Google Drive. The presentation also included a slide with pictures of the shared documents.

HIGHLY SKILLED HACKERS BREACH US AGENCIES AND PRIVATE COMPANIES

"At that point, [after the meeting], we thought the issue was going to get taken care of," the student, who requested not to be identified, told Chalkbeat, adding that the staff member expressed shock that students had access to so many private files.

The students assumed the issue would be dealt with, but when they checked back a few months later, they noticed the problem had gotten worse. They could now see payroll documents containing confidential teacher pay information, social security numbers, phone numbers, and teachers' home addresses.

Disturbed by the escalation, one student started cold-calling the teachers on the list, hoping someone would answer and take charge of the situation. Finally, a teacher picked up and was surprised to hear the Brooklyn Tech student read back his social security number.

Story continues

"He was in shock because no one really expects a 16-year-old to call them at 10 o'clock in the morning, saying, 'I have your social security number,'" the student told Chalkbeat.

The student then emailed three officials at the city's Education Department, telling them of the data breach and how the situation could be avoided in the future. The following day, fewer files could be seen, but not all of them were taken down.

Months after the incident, the education department confirmed that nearly 3,000 students and 100 employees had been affected by a data breach.

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The department said a student had managed to access a Google Drive that contained private information but claimed the information in the files had not been misused or shared.

They also directly contradicted the Brooklyn Tech student and said no social security numbers of parents or students were involved. Despite the claim that no social security numbers had been made public, the department offered two years of free credit and identity theft monitoring services for those affected.

A call to New York City's Education Department for comment by the Washington Examiner was not immediately returned. No one answered the telephone at Brooklyn Tech, and the school's voicemail was full.

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Tags: News, Education, Schools, New York City, Teachers, Hackers

Original Author: Barnini Chakraborty

Original Location: New York high school students uncovered data breach but were ignored for months
New Zealand reported a breakthrough Thursday in tracing the source of a Covid-19 outbreak that plunged the nation into lockdown, with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern saying it should help "stamp out" the virus.

Health officials have been trying to determine how an Auckland man contracted the coronavirus this week, ending a six-month run of no community cases in New Zealand.

Tests showed the man had a version of the Delta strain found in Australia, and Ardern said investigations narrowed down the origin to a person who arrived from Sydney on August 7.

She said the traveller had been in quarantine and hospital since touching down, indicating the virus had not been in the community as long as initially feared.

"We believe we have uncovered the piece of the puzzle we were looking for," Ardern told reporters.

She said finding the outbreak's source also increased the "ability to circle the virus, lock it down and stamp it out".

Case numbers grew by 11 overnight to a total of 21, she said.

Ardern ordered a three-day national lockdown -- New Zealand's first in 15 months -- when the first case emerged on Tuesday, with Auckland and nearby Coromandel facing restrictions for a week.

"We're all prepared for cases to get worse before they get better, that's always the pattern in these outbreaks," she said.

But she said there were grounds for cautious optimism "because we believe it wasn't here for long before it was found".

The infected traveller arrived from Sydney on a so-called "red zone" flight, arranged to bring back New Zealanders stranded when Wellington suspended a trans-Tasman travel bubble due to multiple outbreaks in Australia.

The person tested positive two days later and was hospitalised a week after that.

Officials said it was still unclear how the virus spread into the community and 1,000 close contacts of positive cases were being assessed.

A decision is due Friday on whether the three-day lockdown will be extended or end by Saturday.

Story continues

- 'Covid zero' strategy -

New Zealand has adopted a policy of eliminating the virus in the community, rather than containing it, which has resulted in only 26 deaths in a population of five million.

Neighbouring Australia has been pursuing a similar "Covid zero" strategy, but is struggling to contain outbreaks of the Delta variant.

Health authorities on Thursday urged mass Covid testing for an entire Outback town in far western New South Wales, where an outbreak that began in Sydney two months ago is spreading.

The area is grappling with Australia's first significant outbreak in Aboriginal communities, with specialist military health teams deployed this week to boost sluggish vaccination efforts.

Early in the pandemic, Wilcannia's roughly 750 residents put up signs on the town's limits asking travellers not to stop -- fearing the virus could obliterate an already vulnerable community, where more than 60 percent identify as Indigenous.

ns/hr/dva/qan
The Japanese government expanded the coronavirus state of emergency on Friday to cover a total of 13 prefectures. It also increased the number of prefectures under quasi-emergency measures to 16.

Both arrangements will continue through September 12.

The list of areas under the state of emergency now includes seven more prefectures: Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, Shizuoka, Kyoto, Hyogo and Fukuoka. The emergency declaration has already been in place in Tokyo and Osaka.

Quasi-emergency anti-infection measures are newly taking effect in parts of 10 more prefectures. They are Miyagi, Yamanashi, Toyama, Gifu, Mie, Okayama, Hiroshima, Kagawa, Ehime and Kagoshima.

Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide asked the leaders of three major business groups to help reduce people's movements through telework and other steps.

The government is also calling on people to halve their outings to crowded places, such as shops.

It plans to continue making these requests through social media and other means.

The government says coronavirus vaccine rollouts have been effective in lowering the death rate despite high daily counts of infections in recent weeks. The death toll was roughly 400 last month, compared with more than 2,800 last May.

Based on this and other data as well as discussions by experts, the government will likely consider reviewing indices that are currently used to assess infection situations.

The government may look at revised indices to decide when to lift the state of emergency and the quasi-emergency measures. - NHK
Hackers have drained Japanese cryptocurrency exchange Liquid of $97 million worth of Ethereum and other digital coins.

The company, in a tweet posted late Thursday, announced the compromise and said it is moving assets that were not affected into more secure cold wallet storage. The company has also suspended deposits and withdrawals.

Liquids teams are still assessing the attack vector used and taking measures to mitigate the impact to users, the company said in a blog post. [We] will continue to do everything in its power to mitigate the impact from this incident and restore full service as soon as possible.

Liquid did not put a dollar figure on the amount, but blockchain analytics company Elliptic said its analysis estimates the losses at about $97 million.

Of that, $45 million were in Ethereum tokens, which are being converted into Ether, preventing the hacker from having those assets frozen. Other cryptos taken in the heist include Bitcoin, XR,P and Stablecoins.

Liquid is one of the 20 biggest crypto exchanges, as ranked by daily trading volume, per CoinMarketCap. In the past 24 hours, it has traded nearly $141 million in crypto.
The man who has sold over 41 million pillows since 2009 and led efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election will serve as the keynote speaker at an event to remember the tragedy of the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

According to local Ramsey Advertising owner and Prayer Breakfast founder David Pautsch, Mike Lindell is the "perfect person" to headline the Sept. 11 "A Call to Remembrance" on the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks staged against the World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan, the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., and the thwarted attack on the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

The event will be held at 7 p.m. Sept. 11 in Davenport's Adler Theatre.

Lindell founded MyPillow Inc. in 2009 and credited late-night infomercials for the company's rise. A born-again Christian who claims he was a drug addict, Lindell became a vocal Trump supporter and in the wake of 2020 presidential election was among the first to offer theories about how that election was stolen from then-incumbent Donald Trump.

"Mike is here to talk about the triumph of love over hate," Pautsch said Wednesday. "Hate is why 9/11 happened. And Mike knows a lot about love, about what faith and love can do in your life.
DENVER (AP)  Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert's husband made $478,000 last year working as a consultant for an energy firm, information that was not disclosed during Boebert's congressional campaign and only reported in her financial disclosure forms filed this week.

In paperwork filed with the House of Representatives on Tuesday, the Republican congresswoman reported that her husband, Jayson Boebert, received the money as a consultant to Terra Energy Productions in 2020, and earned $460,000 as a consultant for the firm in 2019.

Boebert did not report the income last year, when she stunned the political world by ousting incumbent Rep. Scott Tipton during the GOP primary in Colorado's sprawling 3rd district, which stretches from ski resorts to energy-rich basins in the state's west. Boebert went on to win the general election in the Republican-leaning district.

Ethics and campaign finance laws require candidates and members of Congress to disclose sources of their immediate family's income, along with major investments and assets, to let voters evaluate potential conflicts of interest. Boebert has been a defender of the energy industry, which is very active in her district.
Iowa Solar Energy Trade Association board member Troy Van Beek called solar a true success story and an economic engine that is powering our communities and economy.

Solar energy is a drought-proof revenue stream for Iowa farmers, added Ray Gaesser, chairman of the Iowa Conservative Energy Forum. Land leases for solar projects enable farmers to preserve and enhance our natural resources for generations to come.

K-12 DESIGN CHALLENGE: Officials with the state Department of Education on Wednesday announced the Build Iowas Future Design Challenge  described as an opportunity for K-12 students to create innovative projects, connect them to careers and compete for up to $1,000 awards for their schools.

The program is designed to engage more students in authentic professional experiences that transform education for the workforce, officials said. Elementary and middle school students can participate in the Iowa Home Design Challenge by constructing a model home using toy plastic construction bricks, wood blocks or other materials of their choice. High school students can participate in the Iowa Dream and Design Challenge, which involves conceptualizing and designing a project that could improve their community.

Students will seek feedback about the projects feasibility from people who would be affected, but students will not actually build the project. More details are available at clearinghouse.futurereadyiowa.gov/challenge.
The end result has a vintage feel. Twenty-six vendor stalls filled with decor, clothing, furniture, jewelry, books and more join two of Dykes' own stalls where she displays some of her handmade baskets and signs.

I wanted to keep it very rustic and unique in here, Dykes said. I wanted the atmosphere of the building to be different than anything else youd be able to find in the area.

She signs vendors to one-month leases and takes 15 percent of each sale.

Diane Segal of Cheyenne is one of the newest vendors at Happy Dackle, and the one from the farthest away. She moved her outdoor cabin decorations into one of the stalls recently. I have never worked with a vendor shop, but I have definitely visited many, she said. Theyre a great concept, really.

Segal discovered the store on Facebook, loaded up a truck full of decor and made the 90-minute drive up to Mitchell. She said she planned to rotate in new items around Christmas.

i think its a great place to visit, Segal, who grew up in Gering, said of the Happy Dackle. Its not far from Scottsbluff, and I think itd be a great addition to Mitchell for sure.
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A COVID-19 vaccination clinic in Ogallala was canceled Thursday due to threats against the safety of the staff, according to the Southwest Nebraska Public Health Departments Facebook page.

A woman answering the telephone at the departments McCook headquarters declined to comment on the situation. Health Director Myra Stoney was out of the office, she said.

The departments Facebook post said people with appointments for vaccinations may call the McCook office at 308-345-4223 to reschedule them.

Ogallala Police Chief James Herman said Thursday afternoon that the Keith County Sheriffs Office would be the lead agency in investigating the threats.

Theyre still in the preliminary part of it, Herman said.

The Southwest health department covers nine counties: Keith, Perkins, Chase, Hayes, Frontier, Dundy, Hitchcock and Red Willow.

Its announcement of the clinic cancellation and threats yielded mostly comments of dismay on the departments post and its reposting on the Ogallala News and Events Facebook page.
Presently our country has been drawn into a racial debate by radical progressive socialists aided by national press outlets that are like-minded. Two movements have attracted attention. Black Lives Matter focuses on identifying criminals not as perpetrators of crime but instead as victims of a white supremacy culture embedded in our society. BLM is an offshoot of critical race theory, a divisive racist sociological theory taught over the past 40 years as historical fact in our liberal higher education institutions.

Most Americans look at the debate through their personal experiences and heritage, and most are indignant towards the blanket accusation that they are racist or victims based solely on their skin color. For example, my great-grandfather emigrated from Ireland in the 1860s; as a teenager he enlisted in the Union Army. He joined 2.13 million others to risk their lives to free their fellow human beings from bondage. An estimated 365,000 lost their lives doing so. After the war he married a war widow.
I know youre hearing from a lot of parents and citizens who are suddenly experts, but even after seven years I am not an expert, even if Im likely far better at understanding the context of a flu-masking meta-analysis or an mRNA study that somebody Googled over breakfast, Youngblood said. Please continue listening to experts in public health even as the wave of new data comes in shifting guidelines. That is how science works.

An Auburn parent said she had two children who were too young to be vaccinated and was thankful for the school boards decision to require masks as students returned to class.

I think all of the parents dont want our kids to go back to virtual learning. We would like our kids in school, the parent said. Wearing a mask is literally the least effort we can put into keeping our kids safe. While its ultimately the school boards decision, Im asking the city council to please continue to support them and encourage them to extend that mask mandate until our community transmission rates go down or until our younger children are eligible to be vaccinated.

There were no boos, scoffs, yells or interruptions during the entirety of the public comments that night.

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Cloudy with periods of rain. Potential for flooding rains. Low 63F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near an inch..

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AP

U.S. health officials call for booster shots against COVID-19

WASHINGTON  U.S. health officials Wednesday announced plans to offer COVID-19 booster shots to all Americans to shore up their protection amid the surging delta variant and signs that the vaccines effectiveness is falling.

The plan, as outlined by the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other top authorities, calls for an extra dose eight months after people get their second shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. The doses could begin the week of Sept. 20.

Our plan is to protect the American people, to stay ahead of this virus, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said as the agency cited a raft of studies suggesting that the vaccines are losing ground while the highly contagious variant of the coronavirus spreads.

People who received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine will also probably need extra shots, health officials said. But they said they are waiting for more data.

The overall plan is subject to a Food and Drug Administration evaluation of the safety and effectiveness of a third dose and a review by a CDC advisory panel.

Officials said it is very clear that the vaccines protection against infections wanes over time, and they noted the worsening picture in Israel, which has seen a rise in severe cases, many of them in people already inoculated. They said the U.S. needs to get out ahead of the problem before it takes a more lethal turn here and starts leading to hospitalizations and deaths among the vaccinated.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the governments foremost expert on COVID-19, said that one of the key lessons of the virus is that its better to stay ahead of it than chasing after it.

Dr. Mark Mulligan of NYUs Langone Health center welcomed the announcement, saying: Part of leadership is being able to see around the corner and make hard decisions without having all the data. It seems to me thats what theyre doing here.

Top scientists at the World Health Organization bitterly objected to the U.S. plan, noting that poor countries are not getting enough vaccine for their initial rounds of shots.

Were planning to hand out extra life jackets to people who already have life jackets, while were leaving other people to drown without a single life jacket, said Dr. Michael Ryan, the WHOs emergencies chief.

The organizations top scientist, Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, said the evidence does not show boosters are needed for everyone, and she warned that leaving billions of people in the developing world unvaccinated could foster the emergence of new variants and result in even more dire situations.

U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy rejected the notion that the U.S. must choose between America and the world.

We clearly see our responsibility to both, and weve got to do everything we can to protect people here at home while recognizing that tamping down the epidemic across the world is going to be key, Murthy said.

White House officials noted that the U.S. has donated 115 million doses to 80 countries, more than all other nations combined. They said the U.S. has enough vaccine to dispense boosters to the American people.

Israel is already offering booster shots to people over 50 to control its delta surge. And European medical regulators said they are talking with vaccine developers about the idea.

Last week, U.S. health officials recommended a third shot for some people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients and organ transplant recipients. Offering boosters to all Americans would be a major expansion of what is already the biggest vaccination campaign in U.S. history. Nearly 200 million Americans have received at least one shot.

Some experts have expressed concern that calling for boosters would undermine the public health message  and reinforce opposition to the vaccine  by raising more doubts in the minds of people skeptical about the shots effectiveness.

Experts believe health officials will recommend that the booster be the same brand of vaccine that people received initially.

As for why the vaccines appear to be less effective over time at stopping infections, there are indications that the bodys immune response to the shots fades, as it does with other inoculations. But also, the vaccines simply may not protect against the delta variant as well as they do against the original virus. Scientists are still trying to answer the question.

Officials said the eight-month timeframe was a judgment call about when vaccine protection against severe illness might fall, based on the direction of the current data. Theres nothing magical about this number, the surgeon general said.

The call for booster shots is a stark reminder that nearly 20 months into the outbreak, the U.S. is still unable to contain the scourge that has killed 620,000 Americans and disrupted nearly every part of daily life.

Just weeks after President Joe Biden declared the countrys independence from COVID-19 on July Fourth, emergency rooms in parts of the South and West are overloaded again, and cases are averaging nearly 140,000 per day, quadrupling in just a month.

In making its announcement, the CDC released a number of studies conducted during the delta surge that suggest that the vaccines remain highly effective at keeping Americans out of the hospital but that their ability to prevent infection is dropping markedly.

One of the studies looked at reported COVID-19 infections in residents of nearly 15,000 nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. It found that the effectiveness of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines against infection fell from about 74% in March, April and early May to 53% in June and July.

The study examined all COVID-19 infections, with or without symptoms. The researchers said more work is needed to determine if there was a higher incidence of infections that resulted in severe illness.

Another study was a look at 21 hospitals. It found that the vaccines effectiveness in preventing COVID-19-associated hospitalizations was 86% at two to 12 weeks after the second dose, and 84% at 13 to 24 weeks after. The difference was not considered significant.

A third study, conducted in New York state, found that protection against hospitalizations stayed steady at about 95% over the nearly three months examined. But vaccine effectiveness against new laboratory-confirmed infections declined from about 92% in early May to about 80% in late July.

Also, the CDC released Mayo Clinic patient data from Minnesota that showed that in July, when the delta variant was prevalent, Modernas vaccine was 76% effective against infection and Pfizers 42%.

Some scientists had been looking for signs that hospitalizations or deaths are increasing, as a necessary indicator that boosters might be needed.

To some leading scientists, the new studies would not be sufficient, in and of themselves, to make the case for a booster, said Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious-diseases expert at Vanderbilt University and liaison to an expert advisory panel that helps the CDC form its vaccination recommendations.
City of West Hollywood Passes Law to Expand Hotel Employee Protection

An ordinance created contains five key elements to keep workers safe.

The City of West Hollywood is prioritizing the safety of hotel employees by approving an expansive hotel worker protection ordinance. According to the National Law Review, the purpose of the ordinance is to protect the safety and security of hotel workers and improve their working conditions. This is the list of the five key elements:

1. Personal Security Devices

Similar to an ordinance passed in 2020 in Sacramento, West Hollywood will require hotel employers to provide personal security devices, such as panic buttons, to all hotel employees that are working in guest rooms or restrooms by themselves. Employers must also assign a manager, supervisor or security guard to provide immediate assistance whenever a security device is being used. Hotel employers must also provide training to workers regarding the following:

 How to use and maintain personal security devices

 The employers protocol for responding to activation of devices

 Hotel worker rights and employer obligations

2. Compensation and Workload

Employers at hotels with less than forty guest rooms cannot require room attendants to clean rooms larger than 4,000 square feet of floor space in any eight-hour workday. This is unless the hotel employer pays the room attendant twice his/her pay for every hour worked. The same is true for hotels with forty or more guest rooms, except those attendants must not clean rooms larger than 3,500 square feet.

If a room attendant is assigned to clean seven or more checkout rooms or additional bedrooms during any eight-hour workday, each checkout room or additional bedroom will count as 500 square feet, regardless of the actual square footage of each room. These limitations apply to any combination of spaces, including guest rooms, meeting rooms and other rooms within the hotel, regardless of the furniture, equipment or amenities in the rooms.
The latest resurgence of the coronavirus that last year virtually shut down most of the world has considerably clouded the previously bright outlook for crude oil demand, driving prices down at the start of the week and capping gains made earlier today.

The latest Covid-19 wave prompted movement restrictions in China plus the partial closure of some of the worlds busiest ports there, which also happen to be major oil hubs. This has cast a shadow on the immediate prospect for demand from the worlds top importer. Meanwhile, infection numbers are soaring in the worlds top consumer, the United States, adding fuel to demand worries.

Hedge fund behavior confirms the bearishness. Reuters John Kemp reported that hedge funds were net sellers of oil futures last week, making it the sixth of the last eight weeks with net sales in the six most traded futures contracts. For the week, funds sold the equivalent of 64 million barrels of crude. For the six-week stretch, sales equaled 213 million barrels, with most of this in crude oil183 million barrelsand the remainder in fuels.

At the same time, bargain hunters have emerged, adding upward pressure to oil benchmarks, Reuters reported earlier today. This was accompanied by expectations that OPEC+ would not be adding more barrels to its production anytime soon, despite calls from the U.S. to that effect.

Indeed unnamed sources from the extended cartel told Reuters on Monday that OPEC+ felt no need to boost production by more than it had already agreed, which was 400,000 bpd from this month onwards until pre-pandemic production levels are reached.

The sources noted OPEC+ members did not expect a shortfall of supply with the scheduled output additions, especially in light of the latest fundamentals data from both OPEC itself and the International Energy Agency. Indeed, the IEA said last week the latest surge in Covid-19 infections had hit the brakes on oil demand recovery and was reversing its direction.

Global oil demand surged by 3.8 mb/d month-on-month in June, led by increased mobility in North America and Europe, the IEA said in its latest Oil Market Report. However, demand growth abruptly reversed course in July and the outlook for the remainder of 2021 has been downgraded due to the worsening progression of the pandemic and revisions to historical data.

Adding further pressure on prices was the Energy Information Administrations latest Drilling Productivity Report, released Monday. The report showed the EIA expected U.S. shale oil production to inch closer to 8.1 million bpd next month, which would be the highest since May last year. Although the monthly increase from August would be just 45,000 bpd, any increase right now would be coming at the wrong time.

On the flip side, at least according to IEA data, global oil stocks have been draining, with OECD stocks 131 million barrels below the five-year average as of June. While this could lend some support to oil bulls, the outlook for 2022 is for a surplus and although IEA forecasts as any other forecasts should be taken with a pinch of salt, the combination of OPEC+ output additions and rising Covid-19 case numbers is hardly bullish.

Be that as it may, trends from earlier this year showed just how quickly and strongly oil demand can recover on a global scale. The rebound was so strong it devastated forecasts for a prolonged oil price depression and quickly had analysts talking about Brent at $80 a barrel. This suggests it could happen again once cases start going down. In the meantime, the upward potential of benchmarks would likely remain constrained, even with the newly elevated geopolitical risk in the Middle East following Afghanistans takeover by the Taliban.



By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
The controversial Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline from Russia to Germany may supply 5.6 billion cubic meters of gas to Europe this year, Gazprom said on its Telegram channel on Thursday.

Gazproms announcement caused European benchmark gas prices to drop 10 percent on Thursday morning. Europes gas prices have hit record levels in recent weeks amid higher demand and lower supply, including from Gazprom.

The operating company behind the project, Switzerland-based Nord Stream 2 AG, told Reuters today that construction is 99 percent complete.

The Fortuna pipe-laying vessel from Russia is working on the final part of the construction, Nord Stream 2 AG told Reuters.

Earlier reports from German news outlet Deutsche Welle suggested that the construction works for the pipeline are expected to be completed on August 23.

At the end of July, one of the western investors in the project, Austrias OMV, said that Nord Stream 2 could begin shipping gas as soon as this year.

The European Union (EU) and the United States have opposed the Nord Stream 2 project from Russia to Germany, concerned about Russia using gas sales and its gas monopoly Gazprom as a political tool. Poland, several other EU countries, and the United States have seen Nord Stream 2 as further undermining Europes energy security by giving Gazprom another pipeline to ship its natural gas to European markets. Germany has looked at the project from a business perspective mostly.

But last month, the United States and Germany said they had reached a deal over the controversial pipeline, clearing the way for the completion of the project and handing Germany a decisive victory in the matter.

The U.S. and Germany said that their commitment is designed to ensure that Russia will not misuse any pipeline, including Nord Stream 2, to achieve aggressive political ends by using energy as a weapon.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Between 69 and 84 percent of observed methane gas flares in Texas were unpermitted, environmental group Earthworks said in a report published on Thursday, which says the Railroad Commission of Texas "systemically fails to regulate flaring."

For the report, Earthworks compared RRC's flare permitting database against 227 flares directly observed and recorded during helicopter flyovers with optical gas imaging cameras. The cross-reference showed that 69-84 percent of observed flares did not have required flaring permits, Earthworks says in the report, which is endorsed by Environment Texas and the Sierra Club Lone Star Chapter.

The report notes that an unpermitted flare is a flare the RRC does not know exists. Therefore, state regulators don't know how much gas was flared, nor how much pollution was emitted, which makes accurate decisions impossible, according to Earthworks.

"As the world's climate scientists tell us we need to cut methane pollution to avoid climate catastrophe, Texas regulators can't even be bothered to track methane flaring," report lead author and Earthworks' Texas Field Analyst Jack McDonald said in a statement.

Big Oil, including Shell and Exxon, are also found to have been among the violators.

"Shell and Exxon, both of which have made prominent climate commitments and called for stronger federal oversight of oil and gas air pollution, were among the violators: Shell did not have a permit for any of its observed flares; Exxon only had permits for two flares," the authors of the report wrote.

Speaking to Reuters, both companies dismissed the key headline-grabbing findings, with a Shell spokesperson saying it had not "routinely flared in the Permian Basin" since 2018, and Exxon's spokesperson Julie King saying its Permian Basin flaring is at a "record low of less than 1%."

"There are flaws in Earthworks' analysis. The conclusion of the report is based on incomplete data or inaccurate assumptions," RRC spokesman Andrew Keese told Reuters.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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Gas prices in Europe took a dive on Wednesday as faulty data suggested that Russias Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline had started flowing.

In a digital age that is rather reliant on all sorts of data, commodity pricing can be at the mercy of data accuracy.

That data failed the nat gas market on Wednesday, when Germanys natural gas infrastructure operator Gascade erroneously reported data that suggested gas had already started flowing from the highly contentious Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

Construction on Nord Stream is indeed nearing completion, but gas has not started flowing.

Gascade confirmed the error on Wednesday, saying that gas is not yet flowing in the pipeline that will run from Russia to Germany. Russia insists that gas will be flowing through the pipeline by the end of this year.

According to data from the ICE London stock exchange cited by Sputnik, the price drop began at 13:00 GMT and continued for 2.5 hours, after which the price stabilized.

September futures on Dutch TTF Index fell from $575 per tcm to $514 tcma 10% lossbefore rebounding to $550 per tcm sometime later.

In July, Washington gave up on sanctioning the pipelineand its sanctions on anyone involved in the construction of the pipelinewhen it reached a deal with Germany over the pipeline with its Joint Statement of the United States and Germany on Support for Ukraine, European Energy Security, and our Climate Goals.

Germany is in dire need of additional gas flows from Russia as it tries to wean itself off of coal-fired power and nuclear power plants as it looks to embrace a net-zero future.

By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com

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Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah, backed by Iran, warned on Thursday the United States and Israel not to try to interfere with a shipment of Iranian fuel oil that is en route to Lebanon.

The vessel carrying fuel oil from Iran is considered Lebanese territory since the moment of departure, said Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, which organized the oil shipment.

"We don't want to get into a challenge with anyone, we don't want to get into a problem with anyone. We want to help our people," Nasrallah said in a televised address, as carried by Reuters.

"I say to the Americans and the Israelis that the boat that will sail within hours from Iran is Lebanese territory," the leader of the Iran-backed movement added.

Nasrallah announced over the weekend that Hezbollah would start imports of gasoline and diesel from Iran to Lebanon amid a severe fuel shortage and an economic crisis in the country.

"I assure you, yes, God willing, we will definitely bring diesel and gasoline from Iran," Nasrallah said on Sunday, noting that the Lebanese government cannot provide the fuel.

Last week, Lebanon's central bank said that it would end the subsidies for fuel amid a country-wide energy crisis.

Instead, the central bank will extend lines of credit for fuel importers at the current market pricea decision that will increase fuel pricesas much as four-foldat a time when energy shortages are already rampant in the country.

"Lebanon is a few days away from the social explosion. The Lebanese are facing this dark fate alone," caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab said in a speech in early July during a meeting with international organizations and ambassadors.

Earlier in July, the caretaker government in Lebanon had effectively slashed fuel subsidies and raised the prices of gasoline and diesel in the Middle Eastern country, which is reeling from an unprecedented economic crisis.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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Libyas Oil Minister Mohamed Oun has recommended to the government of national unity that it replace the long-serving chairman of the National Oil Corporation (NOC), Mustafa Sanalla, in a board reshuffle, Argus reported on Wednesday, citing a Libyan source.

Since getting a unity government in March and a petroleum minister for the first time in five years, Libya has vowed it would raise its oil production, provided that the NOC receives the necessary funds.

However, according to Argus, the tensions between the oil minister Oun and NOCs boss Sanalla have increased, also because of the overlapping of their functions and duties and the jurisdiction of the oil ministry and the national oil corporation.

Five months after the Libyan oil ministry was created, giving the war-torn country an oil ministry for the first time in half a decade, Oun has now written to the government of national unity with a request to replace Sanalla.

The governmentan interim cabinet until elections are held in December this yearwill decide on the request, the Libyan source told Argus. This implies that the oil ministry cannot by itself reshuffle the top management at the NOC.

At the end of last month, Oun said that Libya could boost its oil production to 1.6 million barrels per day (bpd) by the middle of 2022 if the industry has the necessary funding. Currently, the North African producer exempted from the OPEC+ cuts pumps around 1.2 million bpd. According to secondary sources in OPECs latest Monthly Oil Market Report, Libyas crude oil production averaged 1.165 million bpd in July, up from 1.163 million bpd in June.

Libya will struggle to keep its oil production at current levels if the country fails to resolve a long-running dispute over its budget, Oun told Bloomberg earlier this week. The success of Libyan plans to boost oil production remains in jeopardy due to disagreements over the nations budgetthe first national budget in nearly a decade.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Guyana and Suriname, the new stars on the oil map, are expecting more exploration drilling over the next two years after a string of discoveries revealed the potential of the Guyana-Suriname Basin.

Reuters reports that the two small South American countries attracted the most attention at the recent Offshore Technology Conference in Houston this week, eclipsing even the Gulf of Mexico.

Upstream Online reported this week the Guyana-Suriname Basin could see 10 drilling rigs in 2022 as exploration in the area accelerates. Exxon already has six drillships in Guyana waters, and TotalEnergies has deployed two in Suriname waters. The report notes that 15 companies in total hold drilling rights to acreage in the basin.

We have unlocked more than 9 billion barrels of oil equivalent in Guyana, and it appears TotalEnergies has discovered another 2 billion boe in Suriname, Tim Chisholm, exploration VP at Hess, Exxons partner in Guyana, said at the Offshore Technology Conference, as quoted by Upstream.

TotalEnergies, which partners with Apache Corp., has made five significant discoveries since last year and is planning to deploy a floating production storage and offloading vessel in Suriname later this decade.

Guyana expects its oil production from already made discoveries in the Stabroek Block, operated by Exxon and Hess, to reach close to 1 million bpd by 2025 or 2026, the countrys natural resources minister, Vickram Bharrat, told Reuters. That would be up from 125,000 bpd at the moment.

This production comes from the Liza well drilled by Exxon and Hess but will next year rise to 220,000 bpd with the addition of a second FPSO on the site.

With oil prospects so bright, Guyanas government is seeking better royalties and other contract terms, Reuters reported earlier this week. The country plans to form an energy regulator by the end of this year and complete the revision of its production-sharing agreement that will apply to future partners.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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The OPEC+ group saw its overall compliance with the production cuts at 109 percent in July, down from 113 percent in June, Argus reported on Thursday, citing an internal report meant for the Joint Technical Committee (JTC) of the alliance.

The decline in overall conformity levels was mainly the result of OPECs leader and top producer, Saudi Arabia, unwinding the last 400,000 barrels per day (bpd) part of its unilateral extra cut of 1 million bpd implemented between February and April.

In June, the OPEC+ groups overall conformity with the oil production adjustments stood at 113 percent, including Mexico, OPEC said after last months meeting.

At the July meeting, after leaving the market hanging for two weeks, OPEC+ finally reached a compromise deal to unwind the remaining cuts and allow, as of May 2022, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, and Kuwait to have higher reference production levels.

In July, the compliance among OPEC and non-OPEC members of the pact was at 116 percent for OPEC and at 97 percent for non-OPEC led by Russia, according to the report for the JTC seen by Argus.

OPECs compliance slipped from 120 percent in June, while the non-OPEC compliance rate was flat month over month.

OPECs crude oil production averaged 26.657 million bpd in July 2021,

up by 637,000 bpd from June, the cartels Monthly Oil Market report showed last week. Most of the increase was due to higher production in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Nigeria, while output fell in Angola and Venezuela, according to OPECs secondary sources. Saudi Arabia boosted its production by a massive 497,000 bpd to 9.403 million bpd in July as the Kingdom restored all of the 1 million bpd unilateral cut.

Russia, the leader of the non-OPEC group in the OPEC+ alliance, saw its oil production rise for the first time in three months in July as OPEC+ continued to ease the production cuts and planned maintenance at some Russian oilfields ended.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Saudi Arabias crude oil exports hit a five-month high in June at nearly 6 million barrels per day (bpd) as the worlds top oil exporter, and the entire OPEC+ group continued to ease the cuts amid recovering global demand.

Saudi Arabias crude oil exports in June rose for a second consecutive month to reach 5.965 million bpd, data from the Joint Organisations Data Initiative (JODI) showed on Thursday.

Thats the highest export volume since January 2021 and compares with 5.649 million bpd in crude oil exports for May 2021, according to JODI, which compiles self-reported data from the countries.

The last time the Saudis exported more than 6 million bpd was in January this year when the Kingdoms crude exports hit 6.582 million bpd.

But it was in January 2021 when the Saudis surprised the market with the decision for a unilateral cut of 1 million bpd, while the OPEC+ group was only slightly easing the cuts due to the concessions to Russia and Kazakhstan.

At the following OPEC+ meeting in early March, Saudi Arabia surprised the market yet again, saying it would keep the extra cut into April instead of only in February and March as originally planned. OPEC+ decided not to ease the cuts in Aprilexcept for a combined 150,000 bpd increase for Russia and Kazakhstanas the group was looking to tighten the market and keep its powder dry until it sees tangible proof of rebound in global oil demand.

Starting this month, OPEC+ plans to add 400,000 bpd of supply every month until all 5.8 million bpd remaining cuts are restored.

Yet, in view of the faltering demand growth with soaring Delta variant cases in many major economies, including in the worlds top oil importer China, analysts increasingly believe that OPEC+ may have to recalibrate the pace of the easing of the cuts at some point over the next few months. The groups regular monthly meeting is scheduled to take place on September 1.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Democrat Vikki Goodwin, one of the state legislators who is refusing to return to the Capitol, said a neighbor told her law enforcement showed up to her home last week when she was not there. She said attorneys have advised Democrats that if they're inside their house they simply don't have to answer their door, and if they're approached on the street, to state they're not willing to go with them and that they want to contact their attorney.

I dont really want to be confronted with that instance, Goodwin said. Im just staying low.

Democratic state Rep. Celia Israel, who is back in Texas and still holding out, brushed off the threat of the warrant.

This is a bunch of horse hockey," she said. "This is all theater."



WHAT HAPPENS IF DEMOCRATS KEEP STAYING AWAY?

The latest special session  Republicans' third try at passing the elections bill  runs through the first week of September. After that, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott would have to call another 30-day session, which he has promised to do until the legislation reaches his desk.



Acacia Coronado 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.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Unlike past events, when pro-Trump supporters clashed violently with counterdemonstrators, Congress itself is the target on the 6th, the assessment added.

The deadly riot at the Capitol quickly overwhelmed the police force and has resulted in hundreds of federal criminal prosecutions and internal reviews about why law enforcement agencies weren't better prepared.

Now, months later, Pittman has been put back in charge as assistant chief of the agencys intelligence operations and will be supervising officers who protect top congressional leaders.

Police officials in Washington are increasingly concerned about a rally planned for Sept. 18 on federal land next to the Capitol that organizers have said is meant to demand justice for the hundreds of people already charged in connection with Januarys insurrection.

Organizers of the event, known as Justice for J6, have said it will be peaceful but law enforcement officials fear such a gathering with thousands of people could devolve quickly into violence.
Eventually, though, Sufizada found a receptive Marine who got him lined up with a flight, and he is already back in the U.S.

The young woman and her children had a harrowing experience just getting to the airport, and it may be another two weeks before they are allowed back into Nebraska, her brother said. They may have to quarantine because of COVID-19.

During each of their several efforts to get to the airport  typically a 15-minute drive  the family had to pass through five or six Taliban checkpoints, he said.

The Taliban check to see if the women have their faces covered or if music is playing. They ask questions like: Where are you going? Why? Who is the man sitting next to the woman? Why are you clean-shaven?

According to her brother, the family initially tried to take a taxi to the airport. At one of the checkpoints, the Taliban stopped the taxi, so her brother got out. Why arent the women covering their faces? the soldier asked. The brother turned and told his mother and sister to cover their faces. When he turned back, the soldiers started beating him with their fists and weapons until his mother got out, screaming, and sheltered her sons body with her own.
Neighbor Joseph Boyer, 53, said he knew the girl's family.

The mother and father are in the hospital, but all three kids died, he said. The bodies of the other two siblings were found earlier.

Illustrating the lack of government presence, volunteer firefighters from the nearby city of Cap-Haitien had left the body out in the rain because police have to be present before a body can be taken away.

Another neighbor, James Luxama, 24, repeated a popular rumor at many disaster scenes, saying that someone was sending text messages for help from inside the rubble. But Luxama had not personally seen or received such a message.

A throng of angry, shouting men gathered in front of the collapsed building, a sign that patience was running out for people who have waited days for help from the government.

The photographers come through, the press, but we have no tarps for our roofs, said one man, who refused to give his name.

The head of Haitis office of civil protection, Jerry Chandler, acknowledged the situation. Earthquake assessments had to be paused because of the heavy rain, and people are getting aggressive, Chandler said Tuesday.
In 2016, Turkey and the European Union signed a deal for Turkey to stem the flow of hundreds of thousands of migrants and refugees towards Europe, in return for visa-free travel for Turkish citizens and substantial EU financial support. Erdogan has frequently accused the EU of not keeping its side of the bargain.

The president said he was aware of the Turkish public's unease about refugees. He reiterated that the country had reinforced its border with Iran with military, gendarmerie and police and that a wall being erected along the frontier is nearing completion.

Our state is primarily responsible for the safety and well-being of its 84 million citizens. On the other hand, we are not a society that lacks character, thinks only about itself and turns its back on those who come to our door, Erdogan said.

In reference to the millions of Syrians in Turkey, Erdogan said that those who have learnt Turkish, acquired professional skills and adapted to the country would remain in Turkey, while others would have to return to Syria once conditions in the war-torn country improve.

It is our responsibility toward our own citizens to help those who do not succeed to return to their homes in parallel with an improvement of the situation in their own country, Erdogan said.

Around 450,000 Syrians have already returned to Syria, he added.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
The meeting with the Emirati official is also part of a wider effort by an increasingly isolated Turkey to mend frayed ties with regional powers, including Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

A brief statement from Erdogans office after the meeting said he and Sheikh Tahnoun two discussed bilateral relations and regional issues. Erdogan said in a late night interview with Turkeys Kanal 7 TV that they discussed possible investments from the UAE in Turkey.

They have serious investment targets, investment plans, the president said. I believe that in a short period of time, the UAE will enter our country with serious investments.

The UAEs state-run news agency released a brief report on the meeting, saying the two sides discussed investment opportunities in the fields of transportation, health and energy.

Asked whether the visit marked the start of a thaw, Erdogan said: It is natural for there to be ups and downs in relations...We have reached a certain stage (thanks to) our intelligence service especially, which has been holding some meetings for some months.

He said there was a possibility he would meet with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed in the future. The crown prince is seen as the de-facto leader and the force behind the UAE's foreign policy posture.
Shalina Healthcare has been adjudged Promising Company of the Year at the just ended Ghana Pharma Awards, with its Country Director, Mr Amrit Pal Singh emerging as the Promising CEO of the Year.



The awards according to the company, would serve as a motivation in delivering the highest standard of business ethics and customer service satisfaction



Speaking on the sidelines of the awards ceremony held at the Gold Coast Kempinski Hotel in Accra, Mr Amrit Pal Singh said Shalina Healthcare will remain committed to providing innovative health care products whiles participating in both prescription and over-the-counter service delivery.



He said the company had consumer categories in a broad range of therapeutic groups, including anti-malarial, antibiotics, anti-inflammatory & nutrition.



"Shalina Healthcare is a market leader in quality pharmaceutical products at affordable price and available across Sub-Saharan Africa," he said.



"Our products are from WHO-GMP and FDA Ghana approved facilities with first-class distribution expertise," Mr Singh added.



He explained that the company's range of products includes both generic and branded generic products.



"Over the last 35 years, Shalinas reputation as a quality healthcare provider in Africa has been well accepted by the healthcare community," he emphasised.



He indicated that the company had taken new initiatives towards improvement in Healthcare access to Ghanaians in terms of geographical expansions with collaborations from various healthcare bodies such as the Ghana Medical Association and the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana.



He also noted that the company had open learning centres to provide knowledge sharing platform for healthcare professionals and organizing community outreach programs across the country.



Shalina healthcare was in the forefront of giving back to the society as part of its corporate social responsibility towards Ghanaians by various initiatives including mass health checkup for various illness through a network of doctors, nurses, and volunteers which is known as the Market Clinics.



Amrit Pal Singh



Mr Amrit Pal Singh who has been the Country Director for Shalina Healthcare Ghana Limited since 2017 is a graduate in Pharmaceutical Sciences from India and an experienced Professional with a successful career spanning over 21 years in the pharmaceutical industry in India and Africa.

He is skilled in strategic planning coupled with business development and operations.



Having been in Ghana in the last 15 years, Mr Singh also holds a vast experience of the leadership positions in different pharma companies.



He believes Shalina Healthcare Ghana Limited has not only performed very well in business but also created new avenues for local employment generations by opening up the offices across all the major regional capitals across the country.



According to him, Shalina Healthcare Ghana has all the required potential and environment to be the key regional player in Pharmaceutical Industry.





Ghana Pharma Awards



The Ghana Pharma Awards recognizes excellence and provide recognition throughout the entire supply chain in the Pharmaceutical Industry.

Source: Nii Martey M. Botchway









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Toyota is to slash worldwide vehicle production by 40% in September because of the global microchip shortage.



The world's biggest carmaker had planned to make almost 900,000 cars next month, but has now reduced that to 540,000 vehicles.



Volkswagen, the world's second-biggest car producer, has warned it may also be forced to cut output further.



The Covid pandemic boosted demand for appliances that use chips, such as phones, TVs and games consoles.



On Thursday, German firm Volkswagen, which cut output earlier in the year, told Reuters: "We currently expect supply of chips in the third quarter to be very volatile and tight.



"We can't rule out further changes to production."



Toyota's other rivals, including General Motors, Ford, Nissan, Daimler, BMW and Renault, have already scaled back production in the face of the global chip shortage.



Until now, Toyota had managed to avoid doing the same, with the exception of extending summer shutdowns by a week in France the Czech Republic and Turkey.



New cars often include dozens of microchips but Toyota benefited from having built a larger stockpile of chips - also called semiconductors - as part of a revamp to its business continuity plan, developed in the wake of the Fukushima earthquake and tsunami a decade ago.



The decision to reduce output now has been precipitated by the resurgence of coronavirus cases across Asia hitting supplies.



The company will make some cuts in August at its plants in Japan and elsewhere.



The bulk of the cuts - 360,000 - will come in September and affect factories in Asia and the US.



In the UK, Toyota has a car plant at Burnaston, in Derbyshire, and an engine plant on Deeside. In a statement, it said: "Toyota is going to great lengths to minimise the impact of the semi-conductor supply shortage that is globally impacting the automotive industry.



"In terms of our UK production operations, we are currently operating as planned at both plants."

The aim for Toyota as a whole is to make up for any lost volume by the end of 2021.

Source: BBC









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The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said that Afghanistan will no longer be able to access its resources.



The move follows the Taliban's takeover of the country last weekend.



An IMF spokesperson said it was due to "lack of clarity within the international community" over recognising a government in Afghanistan.



Resources of over $370m (268m) from the IMF had been set to arrive on 23 August.



These funds were part of a global IMF response to the economic crisis.



Access to the IMF's reserves in Special Drawing Rights (SDR) assets, which can be converted to government-backed money, have also been blocked. SDRs are the IMF's unit of exchange based on sterling, dollars, euros, yen and yuan.



"As is always the case, the IMF is guided by the views of the international community," the spokesperson added.



It comes after an official from the Biden administration told the BBC that any central bank assets the Afghan government has in the US will not be made available to the Taliban.



In a letter to the US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Congress members called for assurances that the Taliban would receive no US-backed aid.



"The potential of the SDR allocation to provide nearly half a billion dollars in unconditional liquidity to a regime with a history of supporting terrorist actions against the United States and her allies is extremely concerning," 17 signatories wrote.

Source: BBC









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Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani has taken refuge in the United Arab Emirates, the Gulf nation says.



Mr Ghani left Afghanistan as the Taliban advanced on the capital city Kabul over the weekend.



The UAE's foreign ministry said the country had welcomed Mr Ghani and his family on humanitarian grounds.



In a video address later on Wednesday, Mr Ghani denied fleeing and said he had left to prevent what he described as a "huge disaster".



"For now, I am in the Emirates so that bloodshed and chaos is stopped," he said. "I am currently in talks to return to Afghanistan."



Mr Ghani also said rumours that he had travelled to the UAE with a large amount of money were "completely baseless" and "lies".



The 72-year-old has faced intense criticism from other Afghan politicians for leaving the country.



"God will hold him accountable and the nation will also judge," said Abdullah Abdullah, chairman of Afghanistan's High Council for National Reconciliation.

Source: BBC









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United Nations experts have demanded the immediate release of an Eritrean journalist who has been held without trial for 20 years.



A UN special rapporteur on human rights said Dawit Isaak had never been charged and had never spoken to his lawyer.



She said there were fears for his life and urged the Eritrean authorities to present evidence that he was alive.



Mr Dawit, who is a Swedish-Eritrean national, set up one of the country's first independent newspapers in the 1990s.



He was arrested after it published an open letter from politicians demanding political reform.

Source: BBC









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Uganda's foreign affairs minister says the government has not yet reached a formal agreement with the US to take in refugees who have fled Afghanistan in the aftermath of the Taliban's seizure of power.



Jeje Odongo's comments came two days after Refugee Minister Esther Anyakun told the BBC that Uganda had agreed to accept at least 2,000 Afghans following a request from the US.



Addressing a parliamentary committee, Mr Odongo said discussions were continuing but no decision had yet been made.



He added that the US had approached Uganda because of its track record on hosting refugees.



More than one million refugees, most of whom fled conflicts in other parts of East Africa, live in Uganda.



On Wednesday, some members of parliament asked the government to explain why it made a commitment to take in the Afghans without consulting the legislature.



Those who support the plan say that during emergencies, Uganda, as signatory to international conventions, is under an obligation to provide support to people fleeing.

Source: BBC









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The government in the Democratic Republic of Congo plans to make sign language as the fifth official language, adding to Swahili, Lingala, Kituba and Tshiluba.



It will be formally taught in schools to help people who rely on sign language to access government services more easily.



"Its a community that for long has been marginalized because of the communication challenges," DR Congo's minister for people with disabilities, Irene Esambo, told the BBC.



There have been cases of people dying while seeking treatment because they could not express themselves and others lost court cases because of the difficulty in communicating, according to sign language teacher Nicola Tshilomba.



Sign language experts from different provinces in the country are meeting for the next 30 days to agree on signs to be used so that there is a uniform approach in schools.



The government also plans to launch a sign language dictionary.



DR Congo has an estimated two million people with sight and hearig disabilities, according to the World Health Organization's 2012 report.

Source: BBC









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Governance Lecturer at the Central University, Dr. Benjamin Otchere-Ankrah has proposed for the establishment of a National Emoluments Commission to check salary payments to public officials.



Dr. Benjamin Otchere-Ankrah made this proposal while discussing the peaceful settlement between government, the National Labour Commission and the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG).



UTAG has agreed to suspend their strike action following a consultative meeting with the government and the National Labour Commission on Wednesday, August 18, 2021.



The three parties have over the weeks had a rough relationship but have finally come to terms.



In a statement signed by the Education Minister, Yaw Osei Adutwum, and the UTAG President, Prof. Charles Ofosu Marfo, the parties resolved to reach a consensus.



" . . whilst the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations in conjunction with the National Labour Commission (NLC) is taking steps to DISCONTINUE all legal processes (i.e., National Labour Commission vs. University Teachers Association of Ghana, Suit. No. IL/0116/2021) against UTAG, UTAG will also take steps to SUSPEND the on-going strike action;



"That government acknowledges the need to improve the working conditions of University Teachers and shall treat this with all the seriousness it deserves," a memorandum of agreement sighted by Peacefmonline.com read.



Addressing the issue on Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo'', Dr. Otchere-Ankrah complained about the inconsistencies in the salaries of some public officials.



He advised that the salary structure should be streamlined believing it will help resolve the labour issues in the country.



'' . . National Emoluments Commission to assess it sector by sector . . .they should look at all the parameters, risk, commitment as well as the number of working hours and so forth . . . if we don't establish a proper structure for it and we leave it like that, it will get out of hands some day," he said.







Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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The Chief Executive Officer of the Petroleum Commission, Mr. Egbert Faibille, has disclosed that as part of the governments local content agenda in the petroleum sector, the Commission is to sponsor a 10-month training course of 150 technicians at the Takoradi Technical University.



Mr. Faibille made this known yesterday during an event dubbed Around the World Series at the ongoing Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston, Texas, USA.



Mr. Faibille is part of a government delegation led by the Minister for Energy, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh. Others include senior officials of the Ministry as well as heads and senior managers of various energy sector agencies.



Tracing the background to this development, Mr. Faibille stated that in the Commissions engagements with International Oil Companies (ICOs) on local content engagements, it had emerged that there were deficiencies in the skill sets and qualifications of the mid-level technicians that the Commission sought to get engaged by the IOCs.



He stated that the Commission, under the leadership of the Ministry of Energy, was seeking to reverse this by rolling out a number of training programmes for high-end international certification for Ghanaian youths and that in the instant case, the 150 candidates had been selected from a total of over 2,000 young Ghanaians who had been examined.



Speaking on this issue, the Public Relations Officer for the Ministry of Energy, Mr. Kwasi Obeng-Fosu explained that, these candidates will on the completion of their training be issued City and Guilds certification and come out as process technicians, instrumentation technicians, and mechanical technicians.



He quoted Mr. Fabille, When we started our journey, we were looking at the high-end engineering and geoscience training. But over the period, we forgot, possibly, that we would have FPSOs in our waters, for which you would still need mid-level specialist technicians to perform key roles, just as a hospital needs both doctors and laboratory or dispensing technicians,



The result, he noted, was that when the FPSOs came, in a certain deficiency came to light, and the idea now is that if a person is coming into the country as an expatriate technician for say 2-3 years, then by the time the person leaves, there should be in his or her place a Ghanaian technician ready to take over who has understudied the expatriate and has been trained up to their standard both in terms of certification and practical experience. Ultimately, he noted, this would drive down the cost of running the FPSO.



Touching on service provision and in-country spend as part of the local content conversation in the sector, Mr. Faibille stated that this hovered around 67-70% and lauded international oil companies like Tullow for their commitment to this. However, he called for diversification of the supply base, noting that it is the same companies that supply the same services for the same oil companies. This he called a market failure.



Tullow and others must be more welcoming of other suppliers so that the chain of monopoly is broken, else the local content story will remain stagnant, he remarked.



This years OTC, which started on Monday 16th August 2021, will end today.

Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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Tavona Biza, the Group CEO of Old Mutual Ghana, has in an interview after the bra Pa Retirement Salary stakeholder engagement program held in Accra advised Ghanaian youth to start thinking of retirement and life after retirement.



Speaking after the event which was themed Retiring with Confidence; how to live a fulfilled life with a retirement salary, Tavona Biza explained that, You dont start planning for retirement at the age of 50. You start planning for retirement even at the age of 18. At that age, if you come to Old Mutual, we will craft a plan for you that will ensure that by the time you get to retirement, bra Pa Retirement Salary will be there for you to enjoy. Start planning early, dont wait till you are 50.



Old Mutual, Ghanas innovative insurance company led the pack by recently launching a pioneering retirement product called With Profit Annuity dubbed bra Pa Retirement Salary to provide a guaranteed stream of income for retirees for the rest of their lives.



The bra Pa (which means good life) Retirement Salary was designed to help retirees experience all the good things they want in retirement. It helps them to enjoy a customized plan tailored towards their unique needs while helping protect what matters most to them in retirement.



To become an bra Pa Retirement Salary beneficiary, one has to be 50 years and above and invest a minimum lumpsum of GHs 20,000 upfront. In addition to the monthly salaries for individual policyholders, couples can also enjoy Joint Spousal Benefits when they take the policy together. There is also a funeral cover for all policyholders. Mrs. Boateng added.



Old Mutual is an integrated financial services provider with presence in 13 countries on the African continent. Old Mutual has 176 years of expertise in Life Insurance, Pensions, and Banking Services across Africa. In Ghana, the brand is committed to leveraging the 176 years of expertise to partner with Ghanaians to help them achieve their financial goals.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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The Minister of Health, Mr Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, has assured that everything is on course to facilitate a surgery to separate conjoined twins - fused at the head in September 2021.

He said the government had made available funds needed to start the procurement of equipment and commodities needed for the surgery as promised by the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.



This sector minister made this known when he joined an NGO, New Africa Foundation to present a rented five-bedroom house to the family of the conjoined twins to enable them to move from Nsawam to Accra to pursue medical care for the twins. The house has been rented for two years.



He said a team of 166 local and international specialists were still engaging to facilitate the surgery to separate the twins.



Mr Agyeman-Manu also expressed gratitude to the New Africa Foundation for the gesture on behalf of the government.



Govt takes up cost for separating 'Ridge' conjoined twins

What the foundation has done is a demonstration of how Ghanaians would want to care about those who are vulnerable," Mr Agyeman-Manu said.



When the twin were brought here, I had discussions with the Medical Director and his team on the needs of the family and the twins. The discussions included if a psychologist had been assigned to the family and the answer was positive.



In order to facilitate their movement in and out of the hospital, we started asking where they lived and in our needs assessment, we had to put in accommodation because they lived in Nsawam. Not long after that, while we were writing to the office of the President for the release of funds for the medical team to do what they needed to do.



The team informed me that a philanthropist had actually gone ahead to secure an accommodation for the family for two years".



Recall



The Greater Accra Regional Director of Health Services, Dr Mrs Charity Sarpong, recounted the delivery of the first-ever conjoined twins in the head at the Nsawam on March 30, 2021, and how they were transferred to the Greater Accra Regional Hospital immediately for the necessary medical interventions that would lead to their separation.



She said since March 2020 till date, the technical team made up of specialists pooled from all over the country had been collaborating with international medical specialists outside the country in preparation toward the separation. We hope to see a very successful operation, she said.







Source: graphiconline.com









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The Ken and Angela Ofori-Atta Foundation has handed over a newly completed six-unit accommodation facility to the Kyebi Government Hospital in the Abuakwa South Municipality in the Eastern Region.



The one-storey facility, handed over to the hospital last Friday, has been named: Okyenhene Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin Doctors Flat after the Okyenhene.



It is made up three separate two-bedroom units and three different one-bedroom units.



It is the first accommodation facility for the hospital.



Two of the four medical officers at the hospital, including the Medical Superintendent, were housed in bungalows belonging to the Abuakwa South Municipal Assembly, while the anaesthetist and pharmacist had been living in temporary accommodation structures.



Current situation



The Medical Superintendent of the hospital, Dr. Richard Nii Darku Dodoo, told the Daily Graphic that accommodation for critical medical officers had been a major issue over the years, with many doctors declining transfers to the health centre due to that.



Accommodation for staff, especially doctors posted here, has been a great challenge over the years. Several health workers have declined to work at the facility due to the lack of accommodation, and it is very satisfying that upon requests made to the Ken and Angela Foundation, we have this facility, he said.



Dr. Dodoo said medical officers living far off would be moved into the facility to bring them closer to the hospital, adding that the facility would boost the hospitals attempt to maintain critical expertise.





He added that the Ken and Angela Foundation had recently paid a contractor, who abandoned a three-unit semi-detached bungalow belonging to the hospital, to complete work on the facility.



Maintenance



Speaking on behalf of the Okyenhene, the Ahweneasehene of Akyem Abuakwa State, Barima Gyansi Koree, appealed to the management of the hospital to develop a maintenance culture to preserve the facility.



The Etwienanahene of Akyem Abuakwa, Barima Kweku Duah, who represented the foundation, said the facility formed part of the initiative to develop Akyem Abuakwa and Kyebi, in particular, to a befitting status.





He said the accommodation crisis of hospital staff became a priority for the Ken and Angela Foundation as it had become a worrying situation to medical officers posted to the health facility.



The Ken and Angela Foundation is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) set up by the Minister of Finance, Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta, and his wife, Professor Angela Ofori-Atta, for the upliftment and development of the Akyem Abuakwa State.













Source: graphiconline.com









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A former Deputy General Secretary of the biggest opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Samuel Koku Anyidoho, has given the General Secretary of the party, Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia, and its other leaders, a 72-hour ultimatum to retract a notice of his expulsion from the party or face him in court.



Mr Anyidoho also wants Mr Nketia to set aside the recommendations of the National Disciplinary Committee with regard to his expulsion since, according to him, they are "founded on an illegality and is void ab initio.



Mr Anyidoho was sacked from the NDC a few weeks ago, for anti-party behaviour.



He alleges his expulsion is a vile personal vendetta against him by Mr Nketia.



In a letter addressed to Mr Nketia in connection with his expulsion, Mr Anyidoho noted that he was never a party, nor privy to any disciplinary proceedings against him, as required by the constitution of the NDC.



In your expulsion letter, which, you, in true gutless fashion, have failed to serve on me personally, you state that I was expelled for anti-party conduct and indiscipline. I must state that these terms are so broad, vague, amorphous and can be subjected to gross abuse as has been in the present case, Mr Anyidoho argued.



What really constitutes anti-party conduct? Mr Anyidoho asked in his letter.



He further asked: Article 47(G) of the NDCs constitution enjoins all party members to uphold the fundamental human rights and freedoms as enshrined in Chapter 5 of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, so, how come you are, per your arbitrary actions, violating my rights as a citizen of Ghana?



Does your arbitrariness also not breach the constitution of the NDC and amount to anti-party conduct? Must you also not be expelled for blatantly breaching the constitution of our great party? Or do you only reserve this honour for the people you hold a personal vendetta against? he wondered.



The embattled former Deputy General Secretary stated that he has been and will continue to remain a very loyal member of the NDC and glued to the partys values of unity, stability and development, which, according to him, are evidenced by the diligence that characterised my work at the presidency with His Excellency President John Evans Atta Mills of blessed memory.



You, sir, never worked at the presidency, yet you choose to rant about my working relationship with President Atta Mills, hitting at my integrity and claiming I created problems for President Mills. Do you have any concrete evidence to back such loose vicious talk? Or is your vile vendetta against me so strong that it is causing you to conjure imaginative untruths?



He reminded Mr Nketia that: I worked as your deputy for four years (acting in your stead on countless times when you were either on leave or on official assignments) with an unblemished record, thus, it comes as no surprise, your inability to question my sincerity, loyalty and work ethics and makes it sufficiently clear that you deliberately made ill-intentioned remarks about my working relationship with President Atta Mills just to score some cheap points. I implore you to provide even a shred of true evidence that I ever created any problems for you.



Mr Anyidoho further said the party failed to serve him with any hearing notice and, therefore, wonders why the executives rushed to banish him from the party, adding: And, even more concerning to me is how such a respectable party headed by such learned and esteemed persons, could make a procedural blunder this juvenile and ill-advised? The answer is that it was purely and coldly calculated.



Mr Anyidoho stated that he will be forced to seek redress in the courts of law if he is not reinstated as a member of the party within 72 hours, insisting that he would not be pushed out of the NDC for reasons borne out of nothing but malicious perfidy.





















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A former member of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has chided the party for the noise over the governments promise to build 111 hospitals across the country.



Bernard Allotey Jacobs said he is not surprised at the position of the opposition since they were not ambitious while in power.





The NDC is pessimistic about the Agenda 111 project by the Akufo-Addo government. They argue that, since he [Nana] failed to build the 88 districts hospitals it promised in 2020, they are convinced this project is just a political gimmick.



The NDC also called for further and better particulars on the funding sources, the pricing, the procurement process in the Agenda 111 project.



Reacting to this, Mr Jacobs said it is about time the NDC abandons the partisan interest.



When we dont do that we are not advancing the progress of this country; lets stop it! Agenda 111 is for Ghanaians not political parties, he said on Asempa FM Wednesday.



The former NDC Central Regional Chairman was elated the project is under the Office of the Chief of State, Madam Frema Osei Opare who has a proven track record of excellence.



For Chief of Staff to head this flagship project, it proves the President is serious. Agenda 111 is going to happen; the hospital will be built and the people will enjoy, Mr Jacobs said.







Source: adomonline.com









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The attention of the General Secretary of the NPP, Mr. John Boadu, has been drawn to a publication on Ghanaweb and other news portals on the above caption, in relation to him, which publication had been attributed to the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin.



It was reported that the Speaker had told a delegation of the Ethiopian Parliament, the Ethiopian Political Parties Joint Council (EPPJC), on Wednesday, August 12, 2021, that, he [John Boadu] was on record to have admitted that Parliament had gone in favor of the opposition NDC, and so, the NPP had to resort to other means to win back some seats.



They would have had a minority in parliament with a president. Their General Secretary even announced it, but they, last-minute, made some movements and some seats were snatched. That one is a statement of fact, Bagbin was reported to have said.



The General Secretary had originally taken the view that this rather outlandish and preposterous claim did not deserve the dignity of a response from him. However, he had to reconsider that having in mind the revered position of the person making the claim, coupled with the fact that he was speaking to an international delegation, hence this response:



First of all, the claim by Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin is a blatant falsehood as the General Secretary [John Boadu] had, at no point, made any suggestion or announcement to that effect. Indeed, records have it that, in all the post-election press conferences and media engagements, the NPP, through its General Secretary and other leading members, had always maintained that it had won majority of the parliamentary seats.



Mr. John Boadu recalls that at one of such press conferences, [which video has been attached to this release], to respond to the NDCs false and absurd claim that they [NDC] had won majority seats, and so, it necessarily meant that, the party [NDC] ought to be declared as winners of the 2020 presidential elections, John Boadu pointed out to them that it was possible for a party to win more seats in parliament and yet lose the presidential elections.



The phenomenon of skirt and blouse voting which has become a regular feature in our general elections, make nonsense of the NDCs proposition. The General Secretary, in analyzing the 2020 elections results, cited the case of the Central Region, where even though, the NPP won only 10 out of the 23 Parliamentary Seats, Candidate Nana Akufo-Addo won in 19 constituencies.



In other words, the NDC only won 4 constituencies in the presidential elections even though they won majority seats in the region. He equally made mention of Akwatia, Jomoro and some other constituencies in the country where the NPP lost the parliamentary but won the presidential.



As to how on earth Alban Bagbin and the NDC would interpret this analysis, which was based on facts and data at the time, to mean that Mr. John Boadu was conceding that the NPP had lost the nationwide parliamentary elections to the NDC, can only be a monumental defiance of logic.



In any case, are the two main political parties not in court challenging one parliamentary election results or another? So, going by their logic, is the NDC also resorting to unorthodox means to seek to illegally overturn the parliamentary results in those constituencies they are challenging?



Once again, for the avoidance of doubt, the General Secretary of the governing NPP made no such suggestion or announcement as claimed by the Speaker of Parliament. Accordingly, Mr. John Boadu, while advising the Rt Hon Speaker to rise above petty partisanship, is also entreating members of the general public to treat his recent unsubstantiated claim with all the disdain that it deserves.



Thank you.



https://youtu.be/dsvyOsOTSQI



Alhaji Iddi Muhayu-Deen

Press Secretary to John Boadu





Source: Peacefmonline.com









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GENERAL Secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), John Boadu has described claim by Speaker of Parliament, Alban Kingsford Bagbin that Parliamentary majority went in favour of opposition National Democratic Party (NDC) as falsehood.



According to him, there is no iota of truth in such statement made by the Speaker to the Ethiopian Parliament since he has never stated anywhere that the NPP has devised tactics to get parliamentary majority in it favour.



He stated that the NPP had always maintained in it post elections comment that the party had won majority of the parliamentary seats. thereby claim that Parliament had gone in favor of the opposition NDC so the NPP had to resort to other means to win back some seats is untrue.



Mr Bagbin was reported to have told a delegation of the Ethiopian Parliament, the Ethiopian Political Parties Joint Council (EPPJC), on Wednesday, August 12, 2021, that John Boadu had admitted that Parliament had gone in favor of the opposition NDC, and so, the NPP had to resort to other means to win back some seats.



The media reportedly quoted the Speakers remarks as They would have had a minority in parliament with a president. Their General Secretary even announced it, but they, last-minute, made some movements and some seats were snatched. That one is a statement of fact.



However, John Boadu in a statement issued on

August 19, 2021 through his Press Secretary, Iddi Muhayu-Deen, emphatically described the Speakers remark as that of his own imagination.



Below is copy of the statement.



August 19, 2021



For Immediate Release



RE: NPP SNATCHED PARLIAMENTARY SEATS  Alban Bagbin



The attention of the General Secretary of the NPP, Mr. John Boadu, has been drawn to a publication on Ghanaweb and other news portals on the above caption, in relation to him, which publication had been attributed to the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin.



It was reported that the Speaker had told a delegation of the Ethiopian Parliament, the Ethiopian Political Parties Joint Council (EPPJC), on Wednesday, August 12, 2021, that, he [John Boadu] was on record to have admitted that Parliament had gone in favor of the opposition NDC, and so, the NPP had to resort to other means to win back some seats.



They would have had a minority in parliament with a president. Their General Secretary even announced it, but they, last-minute, made some movements and some seats were snatched. That one is a statement of fact, Bagbin was reported to have said.



The General Secretary had originally taken the view that this rather outlandish and preposterous claim did not deserve the dignity of a response from him. However, he had to reconsider that having in mind the revered position of the person making the claim, coupled with the fact that he was speaking to an international delegation, hence this response:



First of all, the claim by Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin is a blatant falsehood as the General Secretary [John Boadu] had, at no point, made any suggestion or announcement to that effect. Indeed, records have it that, in all the post-election press conferences and media engagements, the NPP, through its General Secretary and other leading members, had always maintained that it had won majority of the parliamentary seats.



Mr. John Boadu recalls that at one of such press conferences, [which video has been attached to this release], to respond to the NDCs false and absurd claim that they [NDC] had won majority seats, and so, it necessarily meant that, the party [NDC] ought to be declared as winners of the 2020 presidential elections, John Boadu pointed out to them that it was possible for a party to win more seats in parliament and yet lose the presidential elections.



The phenomenon of skirt and blouse voting which has become a regular feature in our general elections, make nonsense of the NDCs proposition. The General Secretary, in analyzing the 2020 elections results, cited the case of the Central Region, where even though, the NPP won only 10 out of the 23 Parliamentary Seats, Candidate Nana Akufo-Addo won in 19 constituencies.



In other words, the NDC only won 4 constituencies in the presidential elections even though they won majority seats in the region. He equally made mention of Akwatia, Jomoro and some other constituencies in the country where the NPP lost the parliamentary but won the presidential.



As to how on earth Alban Bagbin and the NDC would interpret this analysis, which was based on facts and data at the time, to mean that Mr. John Boadu was conceding that the NPP had lost the nationwide parliamentary elections to the NDC, can only be a monumental defiance of logic.



In any case, are the two main political parties not in court challenging one parliamentary election results or another? So, going by their logic, is the NDC also resorting to unorthodox means to seek to illegally overturn the parliamentary results in those constituencies they are challenging?



Once again, for the avoidance of doubt, the General Secretary of the governing NPP made no such suggestion or announcement as claimed by the Speaker of Parliament. Accordingly, Mr. John Boadu, while advising the Rt Hon Speaker to rise above petty partisanship, is also entreating members of the general public to treat his recent unsubstantiated claim with all the disdain that it deserves.



Thank you.



Alhaji Iddi Muhayu-Deen

Press Secretary to John August 19, 2021







Source: Daily Guide









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Former Deputy General Secretary of the largest opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and now Chief Executive Officer of the Atta Mills Institute, Koku Anyidoho, has lauded the Agenda 111 initiative by the Nana Addo-led government.



To him, the initiative to build health facilities across the country was also keen during late President Atta-Mills led government under the Better Ghana agends.



Speaking in an interview with NEAT FMs morning show Ghana Monte  Koku Anyidoho noted that, any government's major primacy is to invest in the people  something, he strongly believes President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has been exceptional in doing over the years.



If this project [Agenda 111] can be executed, then may God bless our homeland Ghana and make us great and strong. Investing in the people is very important, he said.



Watch video below





Government has secured a US$100 million start-up fund through the Ghana Investment Infrastructure Fund (GIIF) for the commencement of works on Agenda 111 district, specialised and regional hospitals across the country.President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo performed the ground-breaking ceremony on Tuesday, August 17, 2021, at Trede in the Atwima Kwanwoma District of the Ashanti Region.The Project Implementation Committee chaired by Chief of Staff, Madam Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, had secured sites and land titles for 88 out of the 101 district hospitals and each unit would cost US$17 million, covering 15 acres.Each hospital is expected to be completed within 12 months, starting from the point of commencement.

Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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US President, Joe Biden has stated that US troops may stay in Afghanistan beyond his withdrawal deadline, vowing that no American will be left behind.



He made the statement even as armed Taliban fighters kept desperate evacuees from reaching Kabul's airport on Wednesday night and Thursday morning this week.

Biden says he wants US forces out by the end of this month, but up to 15,000 US citizens are still stranded in the country.

He also added that the turmoil in Kabul was unavoidable.



About 4,500 US troops are in temporary control of Karzai International Airport in the nation's capital, but Taliban fighters and checkpoints are allover the perimeter of the airport.



Reports say the Taliban are blocking Afghans without travel documents from going to the airport but there are worrying reports of other people going to the airport being beaten by the Taliban.



In a press conference earlier on Wednesday, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin was asked if the American military had the capability to rescue the stranded Americans.



"We don't have the capability to go out and collect large numbers of people," he replied.



But Biden, a Democrat, told ABC the US would stay to get all Americans out of Afghanistan, even if it meant remaining beyond the 31 August deadline for a complete withdrawal.

"If there's American citizens left, we're gonna stay to get them all out," he said.



Late on Wednesday US time, the US Federal Aviation Administration said domestic air carriers and civilian pilots would now be allowed to fly into Kabul to conduct evacuation or relief flights, as long as they had prior permission from the US Defense Department.



Asked by ABC if he would acknowledge any mistakes in the chaotic withdrawal, Biden said: "No."

He added: "The idea that somehow there's a way to have gotten out without chaos ensuing, I don't know how that happens."



Biden was also asked about images that went viral this week of Afghans falling from an American military plane as it gained altitude over Kabul.



Biden grew defensive, saying: "That was four days ago, five days ago!"









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The Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu in the Volta Region, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has donated the contributions he received at his fathers funeral to the Battor Catholic Hospital.



The MPs father, Theophilius Brown Kisseh Okudzeto, 74 who died on June 24, was buried on Saturday, August 14, 2021, at Battor Aveyime which was attended by the Former President John Dramani Mahama among other Members of Parliament.



The former Deputy Minister of Education under the NDC administration who announce the donation on his Facebook wall after the presentation to the hospital said the donation made to the hospital was on the back of an announcement the family made during the funeral.



According to him, the donation will go a long way to help vulnerable patients in need of help.



He also expressed his heartfelt gratitude to all and sundry who supported the family in their difficult moments.









Source: Daily Guide









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A Deputy Communications Director of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kamal-Deen Abdullai has applauded the government, National Labour Commission and the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) for coming into agreement following weeks of industrial action by the University teachers.



A statement signed by the Education Minister, Yaw Osei Adutwum, and the UTAG President, Prof. Charles Ofosu Marfo, indicated that UTAG has agreed to suspend their strike action following several negotiations between the parties.



In respect of this, the National Labour Commission has also resolved to cancel all legal actions against the lecturers.



" . . whilst the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations in conjunction with the National Labour Commission (NLC) is taking steps to DISCONTINUE all legal processes (i.e., National Labour Commission vs. University Teachers Association of Ghana, Suit. No. IL/0116/2021) against UTAG, UTAG will also take steps to SUSPEND the on-going strike action.



"That government acknowledges the need to improve the working conditions of University Teachers and shall treat this with all the seriousness it deserves," a memorandum of agreement sighted by Peacefmonline.com read.



Making submissions on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' programme, Kamal-Deen Abdullai was happy that the parties have reached a consensus and that UTAG has called off the strike as government works to resolve the challenges confronting the University teachers.



Commending the parties over their amicalbe settlement, Kamal-Deen advised the government not to address labour issues with strong fists.



''I want to appeal to government that we should have that listening posture. Sometimes, humility is the way to go in governing the people.''



"For me, I feel that that emotion must be out. Then, secondly, taking politics out of it should also help us to be able to move," he said.



Watch video below





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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So far in 2021 the company's sites have increased by 1,511 year on year. Photo: Getty Images

Helios Towers (HTWS.L) narrowed its losses in the first half of 2021 during which it closed the acquisition of Free Senegal's tower assets, its first foray into the country, and announced five further acquisitions across Africa and the Middle East.

The FTSE 250 (^FTMC) company, which owns and operates telecommunications towers in African markets, said its H1 2021 revenue increased by 4% year on year to $212.4m (155m), driven in part by the addition of 1,264 tenancies through the acquisition of Free Senegals infrastructure assets.

However, operating profit decreased by $2.4m to $26.9m as a result of an increase in deal costs, depreciation and loss on disposal of property, plant and equipment.

The firm narrowed its pretax loss to $43.6m, compared with a $83m loss last year. It had reported a $18.7m loss in the first half of 2019, before the pandemic.

Shares were down almost 8% on Thursday morning in London.

Helios Towers shares tumbled on Thursday morning. Chart: Yahoo Finance UK

We are delighted to have commenced operations in the attractive Senegal market, said CEO Kash Pandya, adding: "We will be applying our tried and tested framework across each of the announced acquisitions, which we expect to close over the coming nine months.

The company also announced that Pandya will retire as CEO after its annual general meeting in April 2022. He will move into a new role as non-executive deputy chair of the company.

Chief operating officer Tom Greenwood has been promoted to CEO-designate and will formally take up the role after the AGM.

So far in 2021 the company's tower sites have increased by 1,511 year on year to 8,603 thanks to the acquisition of 1,207 sites from Free Senegal and 304 site additions within Helios Towers established markets.

These include the company's entry into the Middle East region through the acquisition of 2,890 sites from Oman Telecommunications for a $575m consideration, due to close in the second half.

Watch: What are negative interest rates
In the United States, one of the new strategies of anti-vax campaigners is to insinuate that the government's vaccination campaign is racist. Their technique? Mobilize the African-American community by infiltrating it, and summon the memory of medical atrocities committed by the American state on Black people to discourage them from getting vaccinated.

On March 11, 2021, the Children's Health Defense association, chaired by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., posted the documentary "Medical Racism: The New Apartheid" on its website. The feature-length film, just under an hour long, was aimed at a specific population, African-Americans, to discourage them from getting vaccinated. In particular, the film reviews the Tuskegee scandal, during which the U.S. Public Health Service sought to learn about the course of syphilis when left untreated. The study, which was originally intended to last 6 months, actually ran from 1932 to 1972. The participants, 400 black men, believed they were being treated for their "bad blood" (the term used at the time for syphilis), even though the study leaders let them live with the disease, to the point of dying, even after a treatment was found.



The episode left its mark on many memories, and is part of the basis for the African-American community's distrust of the American health care system. In March 2021, in the city of Tuskegee, Alabama, only 13% of vaccines were administered to African Americans, although they represent 27% of the state's population.

Infiltration of the African American community via 'digital blackface'

"In the Black communities, there is something very sinister going on. The same thing happened in the 1930s during the eugenics movement," said Kennedy Jr. It is with along these sensitive lines, and against a backdrop of racism, that a group of anti-vaxers have orchestrated anti-vaccination efforts. As reported by Emilie Echaroux for French magazine Usbek&Rica, a vast disinformation campaign was organized in early August on the anonymous discussion forum 4Chan. For users, the strategy would be to make people believe that discrimination related to vaccines is actually systemic racism in disguise. In other words, they would try to disseminate the view that vaccine passes are simply a legal excuse for the government to limit the freedoms of the African-American community, which is statistically less vaccinated than the rest of the population.



The approach is beyond questionable. Anti-vax users have infiltrated African-American communities on social networks, posing as users from the community. Everything is imitated, from profile pictures to particular language, expressing themselves in AAVE ('African-American Vernacular English'), and reusing the hashtags of civil rights struggles. This practice is akin to "digital blackface," which is "using images to claim black identity when you don't identify as a black person," according to Jardin Dogan, a doctor of psychology at the University of Kentucky. These accounts posted images meant to make the African-American community believe that vaccines are a new tool of segregation. While the accounts have since been deleted, their posts have already been shared on other platforms.

Story continues

So there is a 4chan op to try to convince black people not to get vaccinated??? Make being vaccinated into being against BLM? It isn't clear. But if you see #askmewhy you'll find lots of these posters. pic.twitter.com/aKouPcgckO

 Sea Creature (@ambientshitpost) August 6, 2021

In the U.S., where coronavirus kills four times as many blacks as whites, the consequences of misinformation are deadly, when only 10% of African Americans had received their first dose, compared to 59% of white Americans, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.



According to the Center for Countering Digital Hate, the ideal strategy to stop the spread of misinformation online would be to automatically block these accounts to prevent visibility. Imran Ahmed, director of CCHR, laments the lack of responsiveness of social networks to misleading information: "In this case, the best tactic is to try to 'immunize' people against false and misleading claims."

Mattias Corrasco
Shown with their experiment packed for launch, READI FP team members from left to right, Michele Cioffi, program manager; Fabio Peluso, honorary member of MARSCenter scientific committee; Marco Fabio Miceli, system and test engineer; and Pasquale Pellegrino, test engineer from Aerospace Laboratory for Innovative components (ALI) S.C. a r.l. in Italy. Credit: ALI scarl/Marcenter

The 23rd SpaceX cargo resupply services mission carrying scientific research and technology demonstrations to the International Space Station is targeted to launch in late August from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Experiments aboard include an investigation into protecting bone health with botanical byproducts, testing a way to monitor crew eye health, demonstrating improved dexterity of robots, exposing construction materials to the harsh environment of space, mitigating stress in plants, and more.

Highlights of the payloads on this resupply mission include:

Building bone with byproducts

READI FP evaluates the effects of microgravity and space radiation on growth of bone tissue and tests whether bioactive metabolites, substances such as antioxidants formed when food is broken down, might protect bones during spaceflight. The metabolites tested come from vegetal extracts generated as waste products in wine production.

Protecting the health of crew members from the effects of microgravity is crucial for the success of future long-duration space missions. This study could improve understanding of the physical changes that cause bone loss and identify potential countermeasures. This insight also could contribute to prevention and treatment of bone loss on Earth, particularly in post-menopausal women. Sourcing metabolites from materials that otherwise would become waste is an additional benefit.

Keeping an eye on eyes

Retinal Diagnostics tests whether a small, light-based device can capture images of the retinas of astronauts to document progression of vision problems known as Space-Associated Neuro-Ocular Syndrome (SANS). The device uses a commercially available lens approved for routine clinical use and is lightweight, mobile, and noninvasive. Videos and images can be downlinked to test and train models for detecting common signs of SANS in astronauts. The investigation is sponsored by ESA (European Space Agency) with the German Aerospace Center (DLR) Institute of Space Medicine and European Astronaut Centre (EAC).

"SANS is present in over two-thirds of astronauts and thought to be associated with long duration (30 days or longer) exposure to microgravity," said principal investigator Juergen Drescher of DLR. "Currently, visual problems that may manifest from SANS are mitigated by providing glasses or contact lenses to crew members. Multi-year missions to Mars may worsen these symptoms, and there is a need for a mobile device for retinal image diagnostics. While developed for space, this mobile technology has potential to provide diagnostics in remote and extreme environments on Earth at reduced cost. Mobile biomedical diagnostic devices such as these will likely emerge as both an enabler of human deep space exploration and a sustainable model for health care on Earth."

Preflight view of the hardware for Retinal Diagnostics, an investigation testing a commercially available ophthalmology lens to capture images of the human retina in space. Credit: DLR/EAC

Robotic helpers

Nanoracks-GITAI Robotic Arm demonstrates the versatility and dexterity in microgravity of a robot designed by GITAI Japan Inc. Results could support development of robotic labor to support crew activities and tasks, as well as servicing, assembly, and manufacturing tasks while in orbit. Robotic support could lower costs and improve crew safety by having robots take on tasks that could expose crew members to hazards. The technology also has applications in extreme and potentially dangerous environments on Earth, including disaster relief, deep-sea excavation, and servicing nuclear power plants. The experiment will be conducted under the pressurized environment inside the Bishop Airlock, the space station's first commercial airlock.

"This technology demonstration is to show the world that the capabilities necessary for automation in space are finally available," said company chief technology officer Toyotaka Kozuki. "It provides an inexpensive and safer source of labor in space, opening the door to the true commercialization of space."

Putting materials to the test

MISSE-15 NASA is one of a series of MISSE investigations testing how the space environment affects the performance and durability of specific materials and components. These tests provide insights that support development of better materials for future spacecraft, spacesuits, planetary structures, and other components needed for space exploration. Testing materials in space has the potential to significantly speed up their development. Materials capable of standing up to space also have potential applications in harsh environments on Earth and for improved radiation protection, better solar cells, and more durable concrete. Alpha Space provides the MISSE-FF lab that hosts these investigations.

"MISSE-15 includes tests of concrete, spacecraft materials, fiberglass composites, thin-film solar cells, radiation protection materials, a micro-optical chip, 3-D printed polymers, and more," said MISSE project engineer Ian Karcher. "In addition, the availability of this platform for commercial technology development contributes to the ongoing commercialization of space and development of new space technologies."

The complete configuration of the GITAI S1 robotic arm inside the Bishop mock-up. Credit: GITAI, NRAL

Helping plants deal with stress

Plants grown under microgravity conditions typically display evidence of stress. APEX-08 examines the role of compounds known as polyamines in the response of thale cress to microgravity stress. Because expression of the genes involved in polyamine metabolism remain the same in space as on the ground, plants do not appear to use polyamines to respond to stress in microgravity. APEX-08 attempts to engineer a way for them to do so. Results could help identify key targets for genetic engineering of plants more suited to microgravity.

"On Earth, polyamines have been shown to contribute significantly to the mitigation of multiple environmental stresses in plants," said principal investigator Patrick Masson, a professor at University of Wisconsin-Madison. "Altering the metabolism of a polyamine to mitigate the stress of microgravity could have an impact on our ability to use plants as key components of bioregenerative life support systems on long-term space exploration missions. It also may improve our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that allow plants to respond to general environmental stress on Earth, with impacts on agriculture, horticulture, and forestry."

Easier drug delivery, Girl Scouts send science to space

The Faraday Research Facility is a multipurpose research facility that uses the space station's EXPRESS racks. On this first flight, the facility hosts a Houston Methodist Research Institute experiment and two STEM collaborations, including "Making Space for Girls" with the Girl Scouts of Citrus Council.

Photo documentation of the Materials ISS Experiment Flight Facility (MISSE-FF) platform aboard the International Space Station. Credit: NASA

"The ProXopS Faraday Research Facility, developed in partnership with L2 Solutions Inc., is designed to operate remotely and provide a controlled environment for power, command and control, telemetry responses, and safety assurance for microgravity experiments," said Chad Brinkley, president of ProXopS LLC and L2 Solution Inc. "An added benefit with the facility is that experiments return to the ground for evaluation."

Faraday-NICE tests an implantable, remote-controlled drug delivery system using sealed containers of saline solution as surrogate test subjects. The device could provide an alternative to bulky, cumbersome infusion pumps, a possible game changer for long-term management of chronic conditions on Earth. Potential problems with such pumps include high infection risk, electromechanical failures, and double dosing. NICE is minimally invasive, implantable, has no moving mechanical components, and does not require catheters. Remote-controlled drug delivery could increase patient compliance, especially for children, elderly, and disabled individuals.

Seedlings with different genotypes following 9 days of growth in the VEGGIE chamber under temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide conditions mimicking those recorded on the space station. Taken during verification testing at NASA Kennedy Space Center. Credit: Dr. Shih-Heng Su

Faraday-Girl Scouts places control experiments with a Girl Scout troop and provides students with images of the same experiments in space. The studies include plant growth, ant colonization, and the brine shrimp lifecycle.

Explore further Small packages with big benefits aboard SpX-22
Mary Iliadis, Adversarial justice and victims' rights: Reconceptualising the role of sexual assault victims, Routledge, 2021.

Deakin University criminologist Dr. Mary Iliadis has uncovered more meaningful ways to include sexual violence victims in criminal justice systems. Her research has been extensively consulted in the lead-up to the development of policy reforms in Northern Ireland. (Content Warning: discussions of sexual violence in court proceedings and criminal justice systems generally.)

The research of Dr. Mary Iliadis, co-convenor of the Deakin Research on Violence Against Women (DRVAW) Hub, has been recognized and cited in Northern Ireland's Gillen Review into the Laws and Procedures in Serious Sexual Offences.

The chair of the review, Sir John Gillena retired Judge of Belfast's High Courtdescribed Dr. Iliadis's research as "absolutely invaluable, serving to inform the Advisory Board's views on this issue [sexual history evidence] in a manner that otherwise would not have been possible."

The influential report of the Gillen Review led to the development of a pilot project in Northern Ireland to introduce independent legal representation for victims whose sexual history evidence is subpoenaed in criminal trials.

In Australia, just under 30 percent of sexual assault reports lead to an arrest, summons, formal caution or other legal action. It is important to acknowledge that not all victims choose to come forward. In fact, current reporting rates are a significant underestimate of the gravity and extent of sexual victimization within Australia, and indeed globally.

In an effort to reconceptualise victims from "witnesses" to "participants," Dr. Iliadis attests that if victims do decide to report a crime, they should be given opportunities to meaningfully participate.

"My research helped to shed light on how we might consider introducing victims' rights without compromising the ways in which the current legal system operates," Dr. Iliadis said.

In Australian criminal justice systems, sexual violence victims have a limited opportunity to participate. They can provide a victim impact statement, but only if there is a guilty verdict. Significantly, this is because victims are considered to be "complainants" bringing forward a complaint of an alleged sexual violence to which they are a witness in the criminal proceeding.

In her recent book, "Adversarial justice and victims' rights: Reconceptualising the role of sexual assault victims," Dr. Iliadis seeks to address how we can better acknowledge victims and their rights in a criminal justice system that has historically excluded victims.

"Sexual violence victims feel so silenced within our legal system because, beyond the victim statement, they aren't given the opportunity to relay their version of events in a way that suits them or reflects their story and the impact of the crime upon them," Dr. Iliadis said.

Her study investigated victim-focused reforms across England, Wales, Ireland and Australia to explore the extent to which reforms that offer victims enhanced rights to information and participation meet their procedural justice needs. In this study she also examined whether there is scope and merit in introducing independent legal counsel in adversarial justice systems, including within Victoria's criminal prosecution processes.

Her research has revealed the value of using a "triangulation of interests" framework that acknowledges the defense, the prosecution who represent public interest and the victim. Dr. Iliadis explains: "Let's think about the adversarial system as a triangle connecting the defendant, the prosecutor and, importantly, the victim and their voice.

"To enhance how victims experience the justice system, we need to be asking: How can we give victims more of a meaningful voice? How can we enhance prospects for information? How can we enable participation? How can they [victims] still feel validated even if a guilty outcome is not reached? How can they [victims] exercise control over those proceedings?"

Dr. Iliadis' research is highly relevant for the transfer of knowledge and practice in international jurisdictions that employ adversarial legal systems. In fact, her research on the Victims' Right to Review reform in England was cited extensively in the Victorian Law Reform Commission's report on The Role of Victims of Crime in the Criminal Trial Process.

Her work in Ireland has also been engaged with by the victim support sector in Australia to inform the development of proposals to extend the remit of separate legal representation offered to victims in limited circumstances in Queensland.

"It is absolutely critical that we continue to consult with those impacted by the laws and policies that we're contemplating, like victim-survivors," Dr. Iliadis said.

"This research is about measured, evidence-based and concise incremental steps to advance victims' involvement and level of contribution in a way that safeguards their needs and interests and allows them to contribute meaningfully to the case without further complicating or compromising the criminal trial process."

Explore further How to stop re-traumatizing sexual assault victims who must appear in court
Credit: University of Reading

The discovery of an Anglo-Saxon monastery in Berkshire, unearthed this summer by archaeologists, gives unique insight into the life of one of the most powerful women of the Early Middle Ages and her likely final resting place.

The location of the 8th century monastery in the Berkshire village of Cookham, on the banks of the Thames, was a mystery until now, despite being well known from contemporary historical sources. Written records show it was placed under the rule of a royal abbess: Queen Cynethryth, the widow of the powerful King Offa of Mercia.

Now, archaeologists at the University of Reading and local volunteers excavating in the grounds of Holy Trinity Churchone of the rumored locations of the monasteryhave made a breakthrough discovery. The team has uncovered the remains of timber buildings which would have housed the inhabitants of the monastery, alongside artifacts providing insights into their lives.

Dr. Gabor Thomas, the University of Reading archaeologist who is leading the excavation, said: "The lost monastery of Cookham has puzzled historians, with a number of theories put forward for its location. We set out to solve this mystery once and for all.

"The evidence we have found confirms beyond doubt that the Anglo-Saxon monastery was located on a gravel island beside the River Thames now occupied by the present parish church.

"Despite its documented royal associations, barely anything is known about what life was like at this monastery, or others on this stretch of the Thames, due to a lack of archaeological evidence. The items that have been uncovered will allow us to piece together a detailed impression of how the monks and nuns who lived here ate, worked and dressed. This will shed new light on how Anglo-Saxon monasteries were organized and what life was like in them."

A network of monasteries was established on sites along the route of the Thames to take advantage of what was one of the most important trading arteries in Anglo-Saxon England, enabling them to develop into wealthy economic centers. The stretch of the Thames in which Cookham falls formed a contested boundary between the kingdoms of Mercia and Wessex, so the monastery here had particular strategic and political importance. In spite of this historical background, the exact location of the monastery has been long debated.

Wealth of evidence

The excavation, in August, sought to answer this question by investigating open spaces straddling the churchyard of Holy Trinity Church, which still stands today.

The team have discovered a wealth of evidence including food remains, pottery vessels used for cooking and eating, and items of personal dress including a delicate bronze bracelet and a dress pin, probably worn by female members of the community.

Clear evidence has emerged for the layout of the monastery which was organized into a series of functional zones demarcated by ditched boundaries. One of these zones appears to have been used for housing and another for industrial activity indicated by a cluster of hearths probably used for metalworking.

"Influence and status'

Dr. Thomas added: "Cynethryth is a fascinating figure, a female leader who clearly had genuine status and influence in her lifetime. Not only were coins minted with her image, but it is known that when the powerful European leader Charlemagne wrote to his English counterparts, he wrote jointly to both King Offa and Queen Cynethryth, giving both equal status.

"We are thrilled to find physical evidence of the monastery she presided over, which is also very likely to be her final resting place."

Cynethryth joined a religious order and became royal abbess of the monastery after the death of her husband, King Offa, in AD 796. Before his death he had ruled Mercia, one of the main Anglo Saxon kingdoms in Britain, which spanned the English Midlands.

King Offa is considered by many historians to have been the most powerful Anglo-Saxon king before Alfred the Great. He is known for ordering the creation of the earth barrier on the border between England and Wales, known as Offa's Dyke, which can still be seen today.

Cynethryth is the only Anglo-Saxon queen known to be depicted on a coina rarity anywhere in Western Europe during the period. She died sometime after AD 798.
Scorched property destroyed by the Caldor Fire is seen in Grizzly Flats, Calif., on Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Ethan Swope

Record-setting blazes raging across Northern California are wiping out forests central to plans to reduce carbon emissions and testing projects designed to protect communities, the state's top fire official said Wednesday, hours before a fast-moving new blaze erupted.

Fires that are "exceedingly resistant to control" in drought-sapped vegetation are on pace to exceed the amount of land burned last yearthe most in modern historyand having broader effects, said Thom Porter, chief of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Hours after Porter spoke, a grass fire spurred by winds up to 30 mph (48 kilometers per hour) swiftly burned dozens of homes, forced the evacuation of schools and threatened the city of Clearlake about 80 miles north of San Francisco.

Rows of homes were destroyed on at least two blocks and television footage showed crews dousing burning homes with water. Children were rushed out of an elementary school as a field across the street burned.

Lake County Sheriff Brian Martin issued a warning of "immediate threat to life and property."

"This isn't the fire to mess around with," he told KGO-TV.

Fires burning mostly in the northern part of the state threatened thousands of homes and led to extended evacuation orders and warnings, as well as power outages to prevent utility equipment from sparking fires amid strong winds.

A car burned by the Caldor Fire rests in the driveway of a property on Tyler Drive in Grizzly Flats, Calif., on Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Ethan Swope

The largest current fire in the West, known as the Dixie Fire, is the first to have burned from east to west across the spine of California, where the Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountains meet, the state's fire chief said.

It was also one of several massive fires that have destroyed areas of the timber belt that serve as a centerpiece of the state's climate reduction plan because trees can store carbon dioxide.

"We are seeing generational destruction of forests because of what these fires are doing," Porter said. "This is going to take a long time to come back from."

Although the Dixie Fire is only a third contained and remains a threat, dozens of fire engines and crews were transferred Wednesday to fight the Caldor Fire, which exploded in size southwest of Lake Tahoe and ravaged Grizzly Flats, a community of about 1,200. It covered 84 square miles (217 square kilometers).

Chard paper burned by the Caldor Fire rests in the remains of the Grizzly Flats Community Church, Grizzly Flats, Calif., on Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Ethan Swope

Dozens of homes burned, according to officials, but tallies were incomplete. Those who viewed the aftermath saw few homes standing. Lone chimneys rose from the ashes, little more than rows of chairs remained of a church and the burned out husks of cars littered the landscape.

Chris Sheean said the dream home he bought six weeks ago near the elementary school went up in smoke. He felt lucky he and his wife, cats and dog got out safely hours before the flames arrived.

"It's devastation. You know, there's really no way to explain the feeling, the loss," Sheean said. "Maybe next to losing a child, a baby, maybe.  Everything that we owned, everything that we've built is gone."

All 7,000 residents in nearby Pollock Pines were ordered to evacuate Tuesday. A large fire menaced the town in 2014.

Time lapse video from a U.S. Forest Service webcam captured the fire's extreme behavior as it grew beneath a massive gray cloud. A ceiling of dark smoke spread out from the main plume that began to glow and was then illuminated by flames shooting hundreds of feet in the sky.

A chimney is left standing after a property was destroyed by the Caldor Fire in Grizzly Flats, Calif., on Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Ethan Swope

John Battles, a professor of forest ecology at the University of California, Berkeley, said the fires are behaving in ways not seen in the past as flames churn through trees and brush desiccated by a megadrought in the West and exacerbated by climate change.

"These are reburning areas that have burned what we thought were big fires 10 years ago," Battles said. "They're reburning that landscape."

The wildfires, in large part, have been fueled by high temperatures, strong winds and dry weather. Climate change has made the U.S. West warmer and drier in the past 30 years and will continue to make the weather more extreme and wildfires more destructive, according to scientists.

Battles said the fires have created a vicious cycle. Burning increases carbon emissions while also destroying trees and other ground cover that can absorb the greenhouse gas. Dead trees will continue to release carbon they once stored.

Smoke and haze from wildfires obscure the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco skyline in the background near Sausalito, Calif., Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021. Wind-driven wildfires raged Wednesday through drought-stricken forests in the mountains of Northern California after incinerating hundreds of homes and forcing thousands of people to flee to safety. Credit: AP Photo/Eric Risberg

The fire is burning along the U.S. Route 50 corridor, one of two highways between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe. The highway through the canyon along the South Fork of the American River has been the focus of a decades-long effort to protect homes by preventing the spread of fires through a combination of fuel breaks, prescribed burns and logging.

"All of that is being tested as we speak," Porter said. "When fire is jumping outside of its perimeter, sometimes miles ... those fuel projects won't stop a fire. Sometimes they're just used to slow it enough to get people out of the way."

In the Sierra-Cascades region about 100 miles (161 kilometers) to the north, the month-old Dixie Fire expanded by thousands of acres to 993 square miles (2,572 square kilometers)two weeks after the blaze gutted the Gold Rush-era town of Greenville. About 16,000 homes and buildings were threatened by the Dixie Fire, the second-largest in state history.

Smoke and haze from wildfires obscure the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco skyline in the background near Sausalito, Calif., Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021. Wind-driven wildfires raged Wednesday through drought-stricken forests in the mountains of Northern California after incinerating hundreds of homes and forcing thousands of people to flee to safety. Credit: AP Photo/Eric Risberg

Cali Byers, 10, and Quentin Popeyus-Byers, 13, rest at the Green Valley Community Church evacuation shelter, Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021, in Placerville, Calif., after fleeing the Caldor Fire. Credit: AP Photo/Ethan Swope

A woman takes a selfie as smoke from wildfires obscures the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco skyline in the background near Sausalito, Calif., Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021. Wind-driven wildfires raged Wednesday through drought-stricken forests in the mountains of Northern California after incinerating hundreds of homes and forcing thousands of people to flee to safety. Credit: AP Photo/Eric Risberg

Glen Granthem, 87, exits a car with the assistance of his son Paul Granthem at the the Green Valley Community Church evacuation shelter, Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021, in Placerville, Calif., after fleeing the Caldor Fire. Credit: AP Photo/Ethan Swope

Ava Robol, 7, and Josephine Delarosa, 2, arrive at the the Green Valley Community Church evacuation shelter, Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021, in Placerville, Calif., after fleeing the Caldor Fire. Credit: AP Photo/Ethan Swope

James Byers, Cali Byers, Quentin Popeyus-Byers, and Jessica Popeyus, from left, rest at the Green Valley Community Church evacuation shelter, Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021, in Placerville, Calif., after fleeing the Caldor Fire. Credit: AP Photo/Ethan Swope

In this long exposure photo, embers fly from burning trees as the Caldor Fire grows on Mormom Emigrant Trail east of Sly Park, Calif., on Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Ethan Swope

In this long exposure photo, embers fly from burning trees as the Caldor Fire grows on Mormom Emigrant Trail east of Sly Park, Calif., on Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Ethan Swope

In this long exposure photograph, the Caldor Fire burns through trees on Mormom Emigrant Trail east of Sly Park, Calif., Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Ethan Swope

Evacuee Jeff Madeira, left, listens to an emergency radio scanner at the Pollock Pines Shell Gas Station as the Caldor Fire burns in El Dorado County, Calif., Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Ethan Swope

Seen in a long exposure photograph, embers light up hillsides as the Dixie Fire burns near Milford in Lassen County, Calif., on Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Noah Berger

"It's a pretty good size monster," Mark Brunton, a firefighting operations section chief, said in a briefing. "It's going to be a work in progresseating the elephant one bite at a time kind of thing."

The Caldor and Dixie fires are among a dozen large wildfires in the northern half of California.

More than 40,000 Pacific Gas & Electric customers had no power, though the utility began restoring electricity to customers as forecasts for low humidity and gusts were expected to improve Thursday.

Most of the fires this year have hit the northern part of the state, largely sparing Southern California, which experienced rare drizzle and light rain Wednesday. Fire conditions in the region are expected to get worse in the fall.

Explore further Devastating wildfires advancing through Northern California

 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
This pair of Hubble Space Telescope images of comet C/2019 Y4 (ATLAS), taken on April 20 and April 23, 2020, reveal the breakup of the solid nucleus of the comet. Hubble photos identify as many as 30 separate fragments. The comet was approximately 91 million miles from Earth when the images were taken. The comet may be a broken off piece of a larger comet that swung by the Sun 5,000 years ago. The comet has been artificially colored in this view to enhance details for analysis. Credit: NASA, ESA, Quanzhi Ye (UMD), Alyssa Pagan (STScI)

It's suspected that about 5,000 years ago a comet may swept within 23 million miles of the Sun, closer than the innermost planet Mercury. The comet might have been a spectacular sight to civilizations across Eurasia and North Africa at the end of the Stone Age.

However, this nameless space visitor is not recorded in any known historical account. So how do astronomers know that there was such an interplanetary intruder?

Enter comet ATLAS (C/2019 Y4), which first appeared near the beginning of 2020.

Comet ATLAS, first detected by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS), operated by the University of Hawaii, quickly met an untimely death in mid-2020 when it disintegrated into a cascade of small icy pieces.

In a new study using observations from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, astronomer Quanzhi Ye of the University of Maryland in College Park, reports that ATLAS is a broken-off piece of that ancient visitor from 5,000 years ago. Why? Because ATLAS follows the same orbital "railroad track" as that of a comet seen in 1844. This means the two comets are probably siblings from a parent comet that broke apart many centuries earlier. The link between the two comets was first noted by amateur astronomer Maik Meyer.

Such comet families are common. The most dramatic visual example was in 1994 when the doomed comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 (SL9) was pulled into a string of pieces by Jupiter's gravitational pull. This "comet train" was short-lived. It fell piece by piece into Jupiter in July 1994.

But comet ATLAS is just "weird," says Ye, who observed it with Hubble about the time of the breakup. Unlike its hypothesized parent comet, ATLAS disintegrated while it was farther from the Sun than Earth, at a distance of over 100 million miles. This was much farther than the distance where its parent passed the Sun. "This emphasizes its strangeness," said Ye.

"If it broke up this far from the Sun, how did it survive the last passage around the Sun 5,000 years ago? This is the big question," said Ye. "It's very unusual because we wouldn't expect it. This is the first time a long-period comet family member was seen breaking up before passing closer to the Sun."

Observing the breakup of the fragments offers clues to how the parent comet was put together. The conventional wisdom is that comets are fragile agglomerations of dust and ice. And, they may be lumpy, like raisin pudding.

In a new paper published in the Astronomical Journal, after one year of analysis Ye and co-investigators report that one fragment of ATLAS disintegrated in a matter of days, while another piece lasted for weeks. "This tells us that part of the nucleus was stronger than the other part," he said.

One possibility is that streamers of ejected material may have spun up the comet so fast that centrifugal forces tore it apart. An alternative explanation is that it has so-called super-volatile ices that just blew the piece apart like an exploding aerial firework. "It is complicated because we start to see these hierarchies and evolution of comet fragmentation. Comet ATLAS's behavior is interesting but hard to explain."

Comet ATLAS's surviving sibling won't return until the 50th century.

Explore further Hubble captures breakup of comet ATLAS

More information: Quanzhi Ye et al, Disintegration of Long-period Comet C/2019 Y4 (ATLAS). I. Hubble Space Telescope Observations, The Astronomical Journal (2021). Journal information: Astronomical Journal Quanzhi Ye et al, Disintegration of Long-period Comet C/2019 Y4 (ATLAS). I. Hubble Space Telescope Observations,(2021). DOI: 10.3847/1538-3881/abfec3
A simplified model for a welding exposure scenario. Without conservation of mass the model construction would not be possible. Reasonable model construction is not always obvious; a three-compartment model that accounts for the rising welding fume is a more appropriate model for welding emissions, as explained by Nicas et al. (2009) in a comment to Boelter et al. (2009). The two-compartment model parameters are explained in the Supplementary data Text S1, as an example of a general exposure model. The figure is modified from Koivisto et al. (2019b). Credit: DOI: 10.1093/annweh/wxab057

A research project affiliated with the University of Helsinki's Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research (INAR) has identified serious deficiencies in the Stoffenmanager and Advanced REACH Tool occupational exposure models used for assessing chemical safety and calls for the discontinuation of their use in statutory chemical safety assessment.

Stoffenmanager and the Advanced REACH Tool (ART) are models recommended by the European Chemicals Agency for the statutory assessment of chemical safety at workplaces. The models are used in legislation to determine the framework for the safe use of chemicals. They are also used for conducting occupational exposure and risk assessment and describing the necessary protective measures in material safety data sheets.

Stoffenmanager offers the facility to register hazardous substances as well as create, export and distribute workplace instruction and safety cards.

The deficiencies in the models recommended by the European Chemicals Agency have a significant effect on chemical safety. Stoffenmanager alone has more than 37,000 users globally, with more than 310,000 risk assessments relating to chemical safety carried out using the model by 2020.

According to a multinational research project headed by researcher Joonas Koivisto from the University of Helsinki, the problems relating to the models are evident in all instances of their use. The models in use have been reported to observe physical principles, such as the law of conservation of mass. However, a theoretical analysis shows that this is not the case.

The study demonstrates the models' uncertainty from three perspectives. Firstly, the models are not based on physics, since the parameters used in the models do not observe causality. For example, in a situation where a local exhaust ventilation is applied, the model should either reduce the general ventilation exhaust volume flow rate or increase the incoming air volume flow rate.

In addition, the parameter values are selected partially subjectively, or as a result of the user's interpretation. According to the third finding, the models are calibrated with subjectively assigned multipliers, which have been determined by mixing various exposure groups, such as the pharmaceutical industry, bakeries and construction sites.

Based on the findings, the modeling approaches do not fulfill the requirements set by the European Chemicals Agency for exposure assessment, which requires objective, or quantitative, exposure values. By combining the uncertainties associated with the models and their interpretive parametrisation, a tiered modeling approach can be used to manipulate exposure values according to the user's wishes.

"There are a lot of uncertainties also in physical models, but in these cases the uncertainties can be determined and modeling accuracy assessed more reliably," says Koivisto.

The researchers recommend that the non-physical models be replaced with e.g., a physical two-compartment model. This modeling approach is used to describe higher concentrations close to point sources of emission, taking into account that mass (or amount of the chemical) cannot appear or disappear without a cause.

Koivisto and his colleagues have also carried out a study which describes how the two-compartment model can be used to make well-grounded decisions pertaining to chemical safety, and how this helps determine the preconditions for safe use.

The multi-year project affiliated with the University of Helsinki's Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research (INAR) is carried out in cooperation with several research institutes.

Explore further Mathematical model of thermoplastic composite helps design and certify highly reliable structures

More information: Antti Joonas Koivisto et al, Evaluating the Theoretical Background of STOFFENMANAGER and the Advanced REACH Tool, Annals of Work Exposures and Health (2021). Antti Joonas Koivisto et al, Evaluating the Theoretical Background of STOFFENMANAGER and the Advanced REACH Tool,(2021). DOI: 10.1093/annweh/wxab057
This map from satellite data by PhD student Shikhar Rai shows, in blue, areas of the oceans where eddy killing results in net loss of kinetic energy. The areas in black depict land masses and oceanic regions with seasonal or permanent ice coverage. Credit: Hussein Aluie

Ocean currents, propelled by kinetic energy from the wind, are the great moderators of our climate. By transferring heat from the equator to polar regions, they help make our planet habitable.

And yet, the large-scale models used by scientists to study this complex system fail to accurately account for the impact of wind on the ocean's most energetic components: Swirling, mesoscale eddies. These circular currents of water 50 to 500 kilometers in size are critical to determining the trajectory of larger ocean currents like the Gulf Stream.

In a paper in Science Advances, researchers from the University of Rochester and Los Alamos National Laboratory document for the first time how the wind, which propels larger currents, has the opposite effect on eddies less than 260 kilometers in sizeresulting in a phenomenon called "eddy killing."

They also provide the first direct measurement of the overall impact of this eddy killing: A continual loss of 50 gigawatts of kinetic energyequivalent to the detonation of a Hiroshima nuclear bomb every 20 minutes, year-round.

Better analysis with satellite observations

"For the first time we are able to unravel eddy killing by direct measurement from satellite observations, with minimal assumptions," says corresponding author Hussein Aluie, associate professor of mechanical engineering at Rochester.

The teamwhich also includes Shikhar Rai, a Ph.D. student in Aluie's Turbulence and Complex Flow Group, and Los Alamos National Laboratory scientists Matthew Hecht and Matthew Maltrudapplied a coarse-graining approach to satellite imagery. Doing so allowed them to separate the complex, multiscale structures of ocean currents and eddies embedded within each other.

This method provides a more detailed spatial analysis than is possible with the ones used by most oceanographers, which concentrate on temporal fluctuations, Aluie says. Those methods either fail to account for the impact of eddy killing or provide wildly varying estimates. "The numbers have been all over the place," Aluie says.

Aluie praised Rai, a fifth-year Ph.D. student, for doing "all the heavy lifting" for the paper. "There were many technical issues, but he persevered and was able to figure them out," Aluie says. "He's got a lot of promise and talent."

Eddies are circular currents of water (shown here as green and light blue swirling patterns of phytoplankton blooms) that play an important role in determining the oceans currents, heat flow, salt concentrations, and upwelling of nutrients and organisms. Credit: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Ocean Color

New method could turn the tide for studies of ocean currents

Scientists have known about eddy killing since the late 1980s from idealized models, Aluie says.

The basic concept is fairly simple to visualize. An eddy is like a circle rotating either clockwise or counterclockwise. Any wind flowing over the eddy, however, will be moving in only one direction, "helping" the half of the circle moving at least partly in the same direction, while impeding the other half.

Imagine riding a bicycle alongside a car going in the same directionmuch like the wind flowing over the part of the eddy moving in the same direction. The difference in velocity is proportionately much less than occurs when you bike past a car moving in the opposite direction, much like the wind pushing against the other side of the eddy. That difference in proportional velocity accounts for the net "killing" effect on the eddy, resulting in the wind extracting energy.

"On the one hand the wind is making the ocean move, and yet it is killing the part of it that is the most energetic. So, it is counterintuitive and something that had not been directly measured before because people were using the wrong tools," Aluie says.

A better tool is important because many questions remain about other factors that may influence eddy killing, and about the importance of eddies in other aspects of the ocean's currents, heat flow, salt concentrations, and upwelling of nutrients and marine organisms, he says.

The method demonstrated in this paper will hopefully be adapted by oceanographers to "unravel" these mysteries as well, Aluie says.

Explore further Proposed set of conservation laws find order in the chaos of turbulence

More information: Shikhar Rai et al, Scale of oceanic eddy killing by wind from global satellite observations, Science Advances (2021). Journal information: Science Advances Shikhar Rai et al, Scale of oceanic eddy killing by wind from global satellite observations,(2021). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abf4920
A new study shows that disappearing sea ice is a significant element of the food web supporting female walruses and their dependent young in the Arctics Chukchi Sea. Researchers were able to trace biomarkers that are unique to algae growing within sea ice to connect marine mammals with a food source that is rapidly diminishing in the face of climate change. Credit: University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science/Lee Cooper

A new study shows that disappearing sea ice is a significant element of the food web supporting female walruses and their dependent young in the Arctic's Chukchi Sea. Researchers were able to trace biomarkers that are unique to algae growing within sea ice to connect marine mammals with a food source that is rapidly diminishing in the face of climate change.

"This study builds on work we have been doing in the Bering and Chukchi Seas to show that these tracers of ice algae and phytoplankton can be used to monitor the ecosystem response to disappearing sea ice," said lead study author Chelsea Koch of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. "Ongoing monitoring of these sea ice biomarkers in walruses and even other organism tissues in the region will potentially help us to identify how the system is responding to changing food sources at the base of the food web as a result of climate change."

The marine ecosystem of the Pacific Arctic near Alaska is adapted to utilizing fat-rich foods derived from biological production in sea ice. Ice algae blooms lead to a pulse of high-quality food to the sea floor. This in turn supports high abundances of clams and other benthic organisms throughout the Bering and Chukchi Seasand lots of food for walruses to eat.

However, the loss of seasonal sea ice poses a threat to Pacific walruses, particularly how they use sea ice for rest and to access and forage on these dense offshore clam beds. With the disappearance of sea ice in many recent years near Alaska, thousands of walruses are coming ashore in the late summer on coastal beaches that are distant from the most productive clam beds. Stampedes are also likely to occur with these massive gatherings, leading to additional mortalities.

Based on the migration patterns of adult females and juveniles moving north with the ice edge each spring, Koch and the research team expected to see higher signatures of ice algae in the walruses harvested from the Chukchi Sea. However, results from the northern Bering Sea revealed a more nuanced finding, aligning with the traditional local knowledge of subsistence hunters on St. Lawrence Island.

Walruses were evaluated for Endangered Species Act listing due to the decline of seasonal sea ice in the Arctic. They are also important in some Alaska Indigenous communities as a source of subsistence food.

"One of the interesting findings was that these sea ice biomarkers were consistently higher in the female walruses in the northern Bering Sea compared to the males. These markers are short-lived in walrus livers, on the order of days or maybe weeks. So we know this elevated sea ice signature in the females is not an accumulation from their previous years' journey into the Chukchi Sea," said Koch. Researchers were able to trace biomarkers using liver tissues from some animals that were harvested as part of subsistence hunting.

This provides supporting evidence that female foraging behavior differs from the males in the winter and spring months while in the Bering Sea.

The work was carried out in coordination with a number of partners in Alaska and also included scientists from Clark University and the Scottish Association for Marine Science. Samples from the Bering Sea were provided by the University of Alaska's Museum of the North, who in turn received the samples as donations from subsistence hunters. Samples from the Chukchi Sea were collected by the North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife Management (NSB DWM) as part of their harvest and walrus health harvest monitoring program. Co-author Dr. Raphaela Stimmelmayr of the NSB DWM emphasized that "without the support of the hunters of regional community-based harvest monitoring programs, important studies like this would not be possible."

Explore further Thousands of Pacific walruses again herd up on Alaska coast

More information: Chelsea W. Koch et al, Female Pacific walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) show greater partitioning of sea ice organic carbon than males: Evidence from ice algae trophic markers, PLOS ONE (2021). Journal information: PLoS ONE Chelsea W. Koch et al, Female Pacific walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) show greater partitioning of sea ice organic carbon than males: Evidence from ice algae trophic markers,(2021). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0255686
Firefighters say they hope to be able to announce they have contained the blaze on Thursday.

Dropping winds and cooler temperatures raised hopes Thursday that France's worst summer wildfire could be contained, as firefighters entered a fourth day of battling a blaze that has killed at least two people.

The fire started on Monday evening at a motorway stop in the south of France with flames ripping through the arid Plaine des Maures nature reserve towards the glitzy Riviera resort of Saint-Tropez.

More than 1,000 firefighters have been in action, using helicopters and water-dropping Canadair aircraft, while 10,000 residents and holidaymakers have been evacuated in the area.

"The fire is still not contained, but we're counting on the conditions today to be able to announce it when we are completely sure," said fire chief Loic Lambert.

Asked if more victims were likely, he replied that most of the scorched areas had been checked by firefighters.

The fire is the latest in the Mediterranean region that has also seen major blazes claim lives in Greece, Turkey, Italy and Algeria in recent weeks, with numerous officials blaming climate change.

The region has long faced seasonal wildfires linked to its dry and hot weather in the summer, but climate scientists warn they will become increasingly common because of man-made global warming.

Explore further French firefighters battle Riviera inferno for third day

 2021 AFP
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

A new study led by the University of Colorado Boulder reveals the complex history behind one of the Grand Canyon's most well-known geologic features: A mysterious and missing gap of time in the canyon's rock record that covers hundreds of millions of years.

The research comes closer to solving a puzzle, called the "Great Unconformity," that has perplexed geologists since it was first described nearly 150 years ago.

Think of the red bluffs and cliffs of the Grand Canyon as Earth's history textbook, explained Barra Peak, lead author of the new study and a graduate student in geological sciences at CU Boulder. If you scale down the canyon's rock faces, you can jump back almost 2 billion years into the planet's past. But that textbook is also missing pages: In some areas, more than 1 billion years' worth of rocks have disappeared from the Grand Canyon without a trace.

Geologists want to know why.

"The Great Unconformity is one of the first well-documented geologic features in North America," Peak said. "But until recently, we didn't have a lot of constraints on when or how it occurred."

Now, she and her colleagues think they may be narrowing in on an answer in a paper published this month in the journal Geology. The team reports that a series of small yet violent faulting events may have rocked the region during the breakup of an ancient supercontinent called Rodinia. The resulting havoc likely tore up the earth around the canyon, causing rocks and sediment to wash away and into the ocean.

The team's findings could help scientists fill in missing pieces of what happened during this critical period for the Grand Canyontoday one of North America's foremost natural wonders.

"We have new analytical methods in our lab that allow us to decipher the history in the missing window of time across the Great Unconformity," said Rebecca Flowers, coauthor of the new study and a professor of geological sciences. "We are doing this in the Grand Canyon and at other Great Unconformity localities across North America."

Beautiful lines

It's a mystery that goes back a long way. John Wesley Powell, the namesake of today's Lake Powell, first saw the Great Unconformity during his famed 1869 expedition by boat down the rapids of the Colorado River.

Peak, who completed a similar research rafting trip through the Grand Canyon in spring 2021, said that the feature is stark enough that you can see it from the river.

"There are beautiful lines," Peak said. "At the bottom, you can see very clearly that there are rocks that have been pushed together. Their layers are vertical. Then there there's a cutoff, and above that you have these beautiful horizontal layers that form the buttes and peaks that you associate with the Grand Canyon."

The difference between those two types of rocks is significant. In the western part of the canyon toward Lake Mead, the basement stone is 1.4 to 1.8 billion years old. The rocks sitting on top, however, are just 520 million years old. Since Powell's voyage, scientists have seen evidence of similar periods of lost time at sites around North America.

"There's more than a billion years that's gone," Peak said. "It's also a billion years during an interesting part of Earth's history where the planet is transitioning from an older setting to the modern Earth we know today."

A continent splits

To explore the transition, Peak and her colleagues employed a method called "thermochronology," which tracks the history of heat in stone. Peak explained that, when geologic formations are buried deep underground, the pressure building on top of them can cause them to get toasty. That heat, in turn, leaves a trace in the chemistry of minerals in those formations.

Using this approach, the researchers conducted a survey of samples of rock collected from throughout the Grand Canyon. They discovered that the history of this feature may be more convoluted than scientists have assumed. In particular, the western half of the canyon and its eastern portion (the part that tourists are most familiar with) may have undergone different geologic contortions throughout time.

"It's not a single block with the same temperature history," Peak said.

Roughly 700 million years ago, basement rock in the west seems to have risen to the surface. In the eastern half, however, that same stone was under kilometers of sediment.

The difference likely came down to the breakup of Rodinia, a gigantic land mass that began to pull apart at about the same time, Peak said. The researchers results suggest that this major upheaval may have torn at the eastern and western halves of the Grand Canyon in different ways and at slightly different timesproducing the Great Unconformity in the process.

Peak and her colleagues are now looking at other sites of the Great Unconformity in North America to see how general this picture might be. For now, she's excited to watch geologic history play out in one of the country's most picturesque landscapes.

"There are just so many things there that aren't present anywhere else," she said. "It's a really amazing natural lab."

Explore further Researchers dig into case of geologic amnesia

More information: B.A. Peak et al, Zircon (U-Th)/He thermochronology reveals pre-Great Unconformity paleotopography in the Grand Canyon region, USA, Geology (2021). Journal information: Geology B.A. Peak et al, Zircon (U-Th)/He thermochronology reveals pre-Great Unconformity paleotopography in the Grand Canyon region, USA,(2021). DOI: 10.1130/G49116.1
Hurricane Grace buffets a shopping mall in Cancun on August 19, 2021.

Hurricane Grace grounded flights and forced tourists to spend the night in shelters on Mexico's Caribbean coastline before weakening to a tropical storm on Thursday as it moved inland.

Grace made landfall before dawn as a Category One hurricanethe lowest on the five-level Saffir-Simpson scaleon the Yucatan Peninsula near the town of Tulum, famed for its Mayan temples.

It lost strength as it churned across the peninsula and was clocking maximum sustained winds of 95 kilometers (60 miles) per hour at 1800 GMT, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami said.

On Wednesday, as the hurricane approached Mexico, more than 100 flights to or from the major resort of Cancun were cancelled.

In total, more than 6,000 tourists and residents were evacuated to storm shelters across the southeastern state of Quintana Roo, according to local authorities.

The storm passed the Riviera Maya coastline without any loss of life, said Quintana Roo governor Carlos Joaquin.

Cancun airport resumed operations on Thursday but ports remained closed, Joaquin said on Twitter.

Workers were seen clearing up fallen branches and other debris in Tulum but the townlike other tourist resorts along the Caribbean coastescaped major damage.

Location and projected path of Hurricane Grace.

"The scare is over and luckily everything turned out OK," said Sandra Rodriguez, a 39-year-old Argentinian tourist visiting Cancun.

Rodriguez admitted she had been worried because she was not used to such storms.

"I thought the hurricane was going to drown us," she said jokingly.

Blackouts, minor damage

Electricity was cut off, affecting almost 150,000 people, but as soon as the storm passes, repairs would be carried out to restore supply, Joaquin said.

Cancun's hotel zone was largely deserted at dawn as intense wind and rain caused some damage to structures on the beach, which was pounded by strong waves.

In the neighboring state of Yucatan, the storm toppled trees in the city of Valladolid and damaged some of the less sturdy buildings, according to images released by local authorities.

After it crosses the Yucatan, the storm is expected to move over the southwest Gulf of Mexico before hitting the eastern state of Veracruz, where a hurricane warning was in effect.

Intense wind and rain caused some damage to structures on the beach in the resort city of Cancun.

"Re-intensification is likely after the center reaches the Gulf of Mexico," the NHC said.

"Grace is forecast to be a hurricane when it makes its second landfall on the mainland coast of Mexico late Friday or early Saturday. Rapid weakening is expected after Grace moves inland over central Mexico," it predicted.

'Destructive waves'

Gusty winds and heavy rains would continue to buffet the Yucatan Peninsula on Thursday, forecasters said.

"Heavy rainfall from Grace will likely result in areas of flash and urban flooding, and will also be capable of producing mudslides," the NHC added.

The storm surge will be accompanied by "large and destructive waves" near the coast, it warned.

On Wednesday, businesses on the Riviera Maya had boarded up windows, while fishermen and tour operators hauled their boats onto land in preparation for the storm's arrival.

Authorities in Quintana Roo had declared a red alert and opened 85 shelters for people who needed refuge from the storm.

Explore further Hurricane Grace lashes Mexico's Caribbean coast

 2021 AFP
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Political parties need to put more effort into recruiting candidates with scientific backgrounds in order to increase 'cognitive diversity' among MPs, say the authors of a new academic study.

Of the 541 MPs with higher education degrees in the 2015-2017 Parliament, only 93 (17%) held degrees in STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering, and maths). For comparison, 46% of UK students in 2019 graduated in STEM subjects. According to recent analysis of the 2019 intake, MPs with STEM backgrounds or interests still remain largely in the minority (103 MPs).

A dominance of MPs with social sciences backgrounds has long-existed in Parliament, however the issue has become more acute in recent years as policymakers grapple to understand increasingly complex data and evidence, not least in relation to Covid-19 and climate change.

By running analysis of Private Members Bills (PMBs) submitted by MPs, the researchers from the University of Bath found that politicians with STEM backgrounds were more likely to raise policy issues related to STEM subjects.

Their findings highlight that MPs who had both a scientific degree and had subsequently worked in a science-related field (e.g., as a researcher, or a doctor) devoted 10% more of their PMB proposals to STEM-related issues than MPs with no such background.

Professor Hilde Coffe from the University of Bath's Department of Politics, Languages & International Studies explained that "we know that diversity matters in Parliament and this cuts across gender, ethnicity, age. Diversity of educational and occupational background has been less well-acknowledged, but the dominance of the social sciences matters too in particular as policymakers are facing up to increasingly complex challenges underpinned by science and data.

"Political parties have a role to play here in widening the pool of candidates and actively recruiting individuals with STEM backgrounds to stand for election. For those already in Parliament with social sciences backgrounds, we should do more to upskill them to ensure they have good scientific literacy and knowledge. Ultimately though, we need a diverse Parliament with different expertise and experiences. Achieving this can help us improve the robustness of policymaking."

Their analysis also highlights interesting gender splits when it comes to raising STEM issues in Parliament. Whereas men with a STEM educational background had a 30% likelihood of proposing at least one STEM Private Member Bill, women with a similar education and experiences were much more likely to, at 72%. The researchers hypothesize that this could be because women who have pursued STEM careers have often had to overcome norms and barriers which may make them more vocal in highlighting STEM issues.

Co-author Joshua Myers added that "the differences we found between the behavior of men and women MPs with STEM backgrounds were stark and surprising. It seems women with a STEM background are far more likely to become passionate STEM advocates in Parliament than men. This is likely partly a result of more women MPs holding degrees in life sciences subjects, which lend themselves to better engagement with the healthcare issues which predominate on the policy agenda. However, it also highlights the importance of intersectionalitythe interactions between the various different background characteristics of any individualin understanding how our elected representatives prioritize different policy issues."

The research was published in the journal British Politics.

More information: Joshua Myers et al, The impact of a STEM background on MPs' legislative behaviour, British Politics (2021). Joshua Myers et al, The impact of a STEM background on MPs' legislative behaviour,(2021). DOI: 10.1057/s41293-021-00188-2
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Tens of thousands of hydraulic fracturing wells drilled over the past few years from Pennsylvania to Texas to North Dakota have made unconventional oil and gas production part of everyday life for many Americans. This raises questions about the impacts to local communities and human health. While some studies document that hydraulic fracturing can contaminate groundwater, new evidence shows the practice can also reduce surface water quality.

The study, released today in the journal Science, finds hydraulic fracturing is associated with small increases in salt concentrations in surface waters for several shales and many watersheds across the United States. The largest impacts occurred during the early phases of production when wells generate large amounts of flowback and produced water. However, even the highest levels were well below what the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency considers harmful.

"Our work provides the first large-sample evidence showing that hydraulic fracturing is related to the quality of nearby surface waters for several U.S. shales," says Christian Leuz, a co-author of the study and the Joseph Sondheimer Professor of International Economics, Finance and Accounting at the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business. "Though we estimated very small water impact, one has to consider that most measurements were taken in rivers or streams and that the average fracturing well in our dataset was not particularly close to the monitors in the watershed."

Leuz and his co-authors, Pietro Bonetti from the University of Navarra and Giovanna Michelon from the University of Bristol, combined surface water measurements with more than 46,000 hydraulic fracturing wells to examine whether new drilling and development activities are associated with elevated salt concentrations (bromide, chloride, barium and strontium) in 408 watersheds over an eleven-year period. They found a very small but consistent increase in barium, chloride and strontium, but not bromide, in watersheds with new hydraulic fracturing wells.

Several findings support the connection between the elevated salt levels and the nearby hydraulic fracturing activities. Along with the timing of when the highest levels occurred, the salt concentrations were also more pronounced for wells in areas where the deep formations exhibited higher levels of salinity. Additionally, they were highest when observed within a year at monitoring stations that were within 15 kilometers and (likely) downstream from a well.

"Better and more frequent water measurement is needed to fully understand the surface water impact of unconventional oil and gas development," says Bonetti, who notes that a lack of water quality data limited their analysis.

Hydraulic fracturing fluids contain chemical substances that are potentially more dangerous than salts. But they're not widely included in public databases, making a large-sample statistical analysis of these possibly hazardous substances infeasible. Also, many monitoring stations in a watershed are not located close to wells or may be upstream from the well, likely depressing the magnitude of the estimates.

"Policymakers could consider more targeted water measurement," Michelon says. "For instance, policymakers could place monitoring stations in locations where they can better track surface water impacts, increase the frequency of measurement around the time new wells are drilled, and more systematically track the other chemical substances found in fracking fluids."

Explore further Water used for hydraulic fracturing varies widely across United States

More information: Large-sample evidence on the impact of unconventional oil and gas development on surface waters, Science (2021). Journal information: Science Large-sample evidence on the impact of unconventional oil and gas development on surface waters,(2021). DOI: 10.1126/science.aaz2185
John Pendergast, professional-in-residence in the Cain Department of Chemical Engineering, and John Flake, chair of the Cain Department of Chemical Engineering. Credit: LSU College of Engineering

The LSU Cain Department of Chemical Engineering recently completed a journey of several years with the installation of its new distillation columns. The towering structure consumes two floors of Patrick F. Taylor Hall and offers students the opportunity to work on a true commercial analog of the same equipment they will be expected to operate when they enter the workforce as chemical engineers.

"This is the largest and most advanced distillation system that I have ever seen at a university," said John Flake, chair of the Cain Department of Chemical Engineering. "We have two 6-inch diameter, 20-foot-tall packed, glass-wall columns that may be arranged in advanced configurations. Students can certainly read about distillation in a textbook and work problems, but the experience of running a steam reboiler and separating products at this scale is a much more meaningful experience. The glass walls are also very important for visualizing what is happening inside the column."

Many of the precursors for common products come through distillation columnsplastic packaging, backpacks, detergents, refrigerants, even the precursors to make LED lights, to name a few examples. This is because chemical reactions typically produce more than one product, which then needs to be separated or purified, and distillation is the most common separation process.

Broadly speaking, the unitwhich is located in the Dow Unit Operations Laboratory in Patrick F. Taylor Hallseparates components, water and a series of glycols, into pure or near pure components by the differences in their vapor pressure. For example, if a mixture of 50 percent water and 50 percent glycol are fed into the unit, a stream of "very nearly" pure water is produced from the top of the tower and pure glycol from the bottom. This is accomplished by heating and vaporizing the material in the bottom of the tower and returning a portion of it back down the tower after it is cooled and condensed.

"This unit would not be out of place at a commercial pharmaceutical or specialty chemical facility that operates in the commercial world," said John Pendergast, professional-in-residence in the Cain Department of Chemical Engineering. "It is built to those specifications and design criteria. Very few students will have the ability to learn on, operate, and study the response of a facility [like the one we have here] that is very close to the unit operation of distillation that dominates the separation landscape of our industry."

Pendergast, who joined the college in 2018 following a 40-plus-year career at Dow Chemical, was the main designer of the distillation columns and put his years of expertise at Dow into this project. He previously served the company as project manager or lead process engineer on several world-scale processes and plants, and most of his career involved research into separation methods and the implementation of advanced separations that reduce energy consumption or capital consumption or both.

"The primary design criterion for the unit was/is the safety of the students and the inhabitants of PFT," Pendergast said. "The advanced features of this unit are that it can be used independently by two undergraduate groups at the same time, running realistic distillation experiments that would be seen in industry.

"In addition to that, this unit can be combined to advanced distillation sequences that are more energy efficient. The units can be used for research to study methods that improve our understanding of these advanced sequences and enable a better understanding and adoption of distillation methods that can reduce energy consumption in our industry."

The columns were fabricated overseas by the French company Pignat, which builds educational equipment, as well as larger-scale equipment for companies like L'Oreal and Michelin. They were originally scheduled to arrive at PFT for assembly in April of this year; however, the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to delays during different stages of the process. In the end, Pignat representatives Regis Rodriguez and Mathias Fragola, along with the company's U.S. representative Harold Sheppard, were able to make their way to campus and begin final work on the unit.

"Working with an international team has its challenges, especially during COVID," said Thomas Schroeder, who oversees the operation of the columns as research specialist in the Dow Unit Operations Laboratory. "Shipping equipment to them (i.e, computers, sensors, etc.) was especially difficult, as the lockdowns [began] as we were trying to get them the equipment we purchased for the project. We had to do the [Factory Acceptance Test] over Zoom instead of in person, due to travel restrictions. That said, we maintained communication and made sure the columns were made to our specifications."

Going forward, Pendergast said the plan for the unit is to utilize the equipment in undergraduate labs this fall; develop projects that can support undergraduate and graduate research work; and seek partners from industry, as well as other sources, to gather funding for graduate research that will support research and publications that advance students at the undergraduate and graduate level.

The distillation columns were made possible, in part, by the Bert S. Turner Endowment for Excellence in Engineering Education, Valero, and other donors and individuals.

Explore further How pure is your patchouli?
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

One of the most valuable forms of forensic evidence in cases of male-perpetrated sexual assault is the presence of semen, either in the form of stains left behind on items or on swabs collected from victims after an offense. To confirm that semen is present, suspected stains are examined under a microscope to see if any sperm cells are visible.

Forensic laboratories typically employ a series of different colored dyes to help stain the sperm cells, making them easier to detect. However, these stains are not very sensitive or specific, making the detection process complex and time consuming, in particular when stains are old or degraded.

New research, a collaboration between researchers from King's Forensics and the University of Warwick, aimed to develop aptamers, single-stranded DNA molecules, capable of selectively binding to a given target for the recognition of human sperm cells.

Published in the journal Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry, the research team identified several promising aptamer candidates and subsequently demonstrated that they were able to selectively bind to sperm cells over other cell types.

By adding a fluorescent tag to the aptamers produced, it is hoped that this method may be able to act as a highly specific and sensitive method of detecting sperm cells in forensic casework samples by making them "light up" under the microscope.

Lead author Dr. James Gooch from the School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences noted, "Such a technique would likely result in a drastic reduction in the cost and amount of time needed to screen items of evidence for semen in cases of sexual assault, as well as prevent the possibility of missed evidenceand therefore potential miscarriages of justice."

The aptamers raised as part of the work are being further optimized to make them even more specific. This work is being performed by Hayley Costanzo, Ph.D. student within the Forensic Biochemistry Group at King's, who is supervised by Dr. James Gooch and Dr. Nunzianda Frascione.

Dr. Gooch added, "These optimized sequences will then undergo an extensive validation procedure to allow them to be used within forensic casework laboratories."

More information: James Gooch et al, Generating aptamers towards human sperm cells using massively parallel sequencing, Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry (2021). Journal information: Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry James Gooch et al, Generating aptamers towards human sperm cells using massively parallel sequencing,(2021). DOI: 10.1007/s00216-021-03562-7
Credit: NASA

NASA is calling on all sixth through 12th-grade educators and students to submit experiments for possible suborbital flights as a way of gaining firsthand experience with the design and testing process used by NASA researchers.

The NASA TechRise Student Challenge invites students to design, build, and launch experiments on suborbital rockets and high-altitude balloons. The challenge aims to inspire a deeper understanding of Earth's atmosphere, space exploration, coding, electronics, and the value of test data.

"Central to NASA's mission is inspiring and educating the workforce of the future. The research areas students can explore through TechRise are endless, from technology to better understand our planet to innovative systems for deep space exploration, said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. "We hope to see entries from students across the country, showcasing the diverse talent and ideas of the next generation."

Guided by an educator, student teams affiliated with U.S. public, private, and charter schools can develop and submit creative experiment ideas. The entry period is open until Nov. 3, 2021.

Each winning team will receive $1,500 to build their experiment and an assigned spot to test it on a NASA-sponsored suborbital flight operated by Blue Origin, UP Aerospace, or Raven Aerostar.

Flying experiments on suborbital rockets and high-altitude balloons takes technologies from ground-based laboratories into relevant testing environments. The flights replicate microgravity, solar exposure, radiation, extreme temperatures, vacuum, and intense vibrations. Understanding how payloads respond to these conditions allows researchers to validate their designs and adjust or make improvements as needed.

To enter the competition, teams should submit their experiment ideas online using the TechRise proposal framework. NASA plans to announce the competition winners in January 2022. The selected student teams will build their experiments and watch them take flight in early 2023.

Credit: NASA

Take a virtual field trip

NASA and Future Engineers, the challenge administrator, will host a TechRise virtual field trip Friday, Sept. 24, to share more information about the challenge and inspire research questions and experiment ideas.

Educators and students can tune in to hear from NASA experts and special guest Dr. Raven Baxter, also known as Dr. Raven the Science Maven, and explore on-demand educational content at their own pace. Interested participants can register online. In addition, various resources on the challenge website aim to help students choose a vehicle and plan experiments on topics ranging from climate to remote sensing to microgravity research.

"It's an honor to be part of the virtual field trip, and I can't wait to work directly with students who will build and test designs that will explore microgravity," said Baxter. "Our goal is to inspire them, and I'm sure their ideas will inspire us."

Volunteer to judge

NASA is also seeking volunteers to help judge the entries. U.S. residents with expertise in engineering, space, and/or atmospheric research who are interested in reviewing NASA TechRise submissions can apply to be a judge here.

Explore further Student experiments to blast off from NASA Wallops

More information: For challenge details, see For challenge details, see www.futureengineers.org/nasatechrise
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Worldwide, the cost of bird collisions with planes has been estimated at $1.2 billion per year. But information on bird movements throughout the year can help avoid damage to aircraft and risk to passengers. Scientists from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and partners have been looking for patterns in bird strike data from three New York City area airports. Their findings were published today in the Journal of Applied Ecology.

"Out of all the bird strikes recorded at Kennedy, Newark, and LaGuardia airports during a six-year period, the highest number occurred during migration, especially during the fall, perhaps due to many inexperienced young birds born earlier in the year," explains lead author Cecilia Nilsson. "Ninety percent of the strikes involved a migratory species. Our model predicts that the risk for damaging strikes during periods with very high migration intensity increases by as much as 400 percent to 700percent." Nilsson led this study as a Rose Postdoctoral Fellow at the Cornell Lab, and is now at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark.

Study authors used weather surveillance radar from two nearby stations to learn when migration was the most intense at the airports studied. Data from the Lab's eBird online bird observation program helped define which species occurred near the airports throughout the year. A third source of information came from an invaluable dataset of detailed bird-strike records kept by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the three airports. Species that most often caused damage were assigned a hazard score.

"The damage caused by a bird strike very much depends on the weight of the bird struck and the tendency of that species to move in flocks," says Nilsson. "When large bodied birds are moving through, the risk for damaging strikes is the highest."

Species with high hazard scores include Canada geese, great blue herons, mallards, and turkey vultureswith Canada goose being the species most likely to cause damage. The greatest number of bird strikes at the three airports involved a familiar medium sized songbird, the American robin.

Commercial aircraft are most vulnerable to bird strikes during takeoff and landing where birds and planes share the airspace; military aircraft are also at risk at the lower altitudes, because they fly low and fast during training exercises. At cruising altitudes aircraft are generally too high to encounter most flying birds.

"It's important to realize that the timing and species composition of bird movements will differ for each location," Nilsson points out. "But both the eBird data and the radar data are continental datasets so the method used in our study can be applied to other airports to save time, money, and possibly lives."

More information: Cecilia Nilsson et al, Bird strikes at commercial airports explained by citizen science and weather radar data, Journal of Applied Ecology (2021). Journal information: Journal of Applied Ecology Cecilia Nilsson et al, Bird strikes at commercial airports explained by citizen science and weather radar data,(2021). DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13971
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Nearly 60 percent of people experiencing both homelessness and serious mental illness in Metro Vancouver have had a criminal conviction, according to a new study from Simon Fraser University.

The study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, found that some of the factors for criminal convictions were: Receiving an irregular frequency of income assistance payments, drug addiction, and psychiatric hospitalization. While there has been debate for decades about whether mental illness itself plays a key role in criminal justice involvement, the study found none of the mental disorders themselves (for example, schizophrenia) were related to convictions.

The findings highlight the need for recovery-oriented serviceslike housing and social servicesto support people long-term and prevent people from having to commit a crime, according to SFU health sciences researcher Milad Parpouchi.

"The finding that 60 percent of people who experience homelessness and serious mental illness have had a criminal conviction is quite high, but unfortunately not surprising, given previously published rates," says Parpouchi, lead author of the study. "This study looked at the potential risk factors. Based on our results, I think publicly-funded, recovery-oriented services would really help to bring down criminal convictions, but they would need to be available long-term."

The team of researchers from Simon Fraser University and the University of British Columbia interviewed and examined the provincial administrative records of 425 adults experiencing homelessness and serious mental illness as part of the study. Among the cohort, the study found that about 60 percent of participants had received a criminal conviction over a 10-year period.

Property offenses made up the largest proportion of criminal convictions.

Receiving an irregular frequency of income assistance payments was associated with a 74 percent higher rate of criminal convictions compared to receiving payments regularly. And researchers found that the likelihood of conviction increased as time passed, likely in the context of accumulating homelessness and as a means of survival.

Those who received no income assistance payments because they were likely employed had much lower rates of criminal convictions compared to those receiving them regularly.

Previous studies have established that people experiencing homelessness, including those with mental illness, are more likely to commit or be arrested for crimes of a more minor or non-violent nature, which may be related to visibility as well as survival and subsistence. This latest research adds to the growing body of evidence, which Parpouchi hopes will help inform solutions.

Parpouchi says the good news is that specific evidence-based solutions, like the Housing First program (created to provide people with immediate access to private-market housing combined with community-based health and social services) exist, but whether they get implemented is largely a matter of political will.

Explore further Unreliable witness testimony biggest cause of miscarriages of justice over the past 50 years

More information: Milad Parpouchi et al, Multivariable modelling of factors associated with criminal convictions among people experiencing homelessness and serious mental illness: a multi-year study, Scientific Reports (2021). Journal information: Scientific Reports Milad Parpouchi et al, Multivariable modelling of factors associated with criminal convictions among people experiencing homelessness and serious mental illness: a multi-year study,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-96186-x
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

An exceptionally large corala structure made up of small marine animals and calcium carbonatediscovered in the Great Barrier Reef is described in Scientific Reports this week. It is the widest and sixth tallest coral measured in the Great Barrier Reef.

The coral was discovered by snorkelers off the coast of Goolboodi (also known as Orpheus Island), part of the Palm Island Group in Queensland, Australia. It has been named Muga dhambi (Big coral) by the Manbarra people, the traditional custodians of the Palm Islands. Adam Smith and colleagues surveyed Muga dhambi and found that it is hemispherical, 5.3 meters tall and 10.4 meters wide, which makes it 2.4 meters wider than the next-widest coral measured in the Great Barrier Reef.

Using calculations based on coral growth rates and annual sea surface temperatures, the authors estimate that Muga dhambi is between 421 and 438 years old and predates European exploration and settlement of Australia. A review of the environmental events that have occurred in the past 450 years indicates that Muga dhambi may have survived up to 80 major cyclones and centuries of exposure to invasive species, coral bleaching events, low tides and human activity. The researchers report that Muga dhambi is in very good health with 70% consisting of live coral, the rest being covered with the green boring sponge, Cliona viridis, turf algae and green algae.

The authors recommend monitoring of this rare and unusually resilient large coral and comment that restoration may be needed in the future to minimize the potential negative impacts of climate change, declining water quality, overfishing and coastal development

More information: Field measurements of a massive Porites coral at Goolboodi (Orpheus Island), Great Barrier Reef, Scientific Reports (2021). www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-94818-w Journal information: Scientific Reports Field measurements of a massive Porites coral at Goolboodi (Orpheus Island), Great Barrier Reef,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-94818-w
COLONIE  Late Wednesday morning, the line of travelers waiting to pass through the security checkpoint at Albany International Airport stretched most of the way across the pedestrian bridge to the garage.

Backups at the checkpoint were common at the airport before COVID-19 limited air travel in 2020, and it has been happening more often in 2021.

Also Wednesday morning, nearly below the pedestrian bridge, a solution to the logjam was heralded:

Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., announced $28 million would be coming to the airport as part of the $1 trillion infrastructure spending bill he negotiated to Senate passage last week with significant Republican support.

Albany International Airport will use the money for a massive expansion of its second-story security check-in area, which was built before the Sept. 11 attacks; to expand the airports cargo area, which has proved lucrative during the pandemic, when e-commerce boomed; and to add an aircraft maintenance building for private aircraft, to increase a revenue stream that is capped now by lack of space.

Albany County Airport Authority CEO Philip Calderone said the price tag on the three projects hasnt been determined, but it will be significantly more than $28 million.
MOREAU  A proposal to construct a marijuana growing complex along Route 9 sparked concerns Monday among Planning Board members, who questioned whether such a facility should be built in a commercial corridor.

Cerrone Builders is seeking to construct a 30,000-square-foot single-story warehouse on a 43-acre parcel at 1588-1590 Route 9, across the road from its headquarters. The company has owned the property since 2005, according to Saratoga County property records.

The company would lease the building to a Massachusetts-based cannabis company that would use it for growing and processing cannabis for sale to local dispensaries, according to Joseph Dannible, an architect with Environmental Design Partnership, which is overseeing the project.

Its unclear if the operation would focus on medical or recreational cannabis.

Dannible said its likely half the space would be used to grow the plants and the rest to process and manufacture the product.

The project is expected to cost $4 million.

But Planning Board members expressed worries about allowing such a facility in the towns commercial corridor because it would be used to manufacture goods instead of retail sales.
Members of the wealthy family have long avoided the spotlight in the business world and welcomed it in philanthropy. But in recent years, museums, including the Louvre in Paris and universities, such as Tufts in Massachusetts, that theyve supported have cut ties over the opioid crisis.

Richard Sacklers testimony came a day after his son, David Sackler, testified.

The younger Sackler, who also served on Purdues board, reiterated something that has long been the familys position: They will agree to their part of the plan to restructure Purdue only if family members receive protection from lawsuits over opioids and other Purdue action.

If those provisions do not stay in the deal, David Sackler said, the family would instead face lawsuits. I believe we would litigate the claims to their final outcome, he said.

On Wednesday, Richard Sackler said the family would not agree if states that oppose the deal were not bound by it and allowed to move ahead with lawsuits against the company and family members.

Under the proposed settlement, members of the Sackler family would give up ownership of Purdue and contribute $4.5 billion over time in cash and control of charitable funds. Most of the money, along with Purdues future profits, would be used to abate the opioid crisis. Some would go to individual victims and their families.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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The incompetent method with which the Biden administration administered the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan is a military and moral fiasco.

On Sunday, a panicked evacuation of U.S. personnel took place amid the abandonment of many of the thousands of Afghans who helped Americans during the war, all while the Taliban raised a flag over the presidential palace in Kabul, reconquering the country nearly 20 years after the U.S. and NATO nations had ousted the extremists following the 9/11 attacks.

The impact on everyday Afghans will be incalculably bad, particularly for women and girls and those who aided Western efforts over the last two decades.

The impact on America will be lasting, too, especially if the Taliban once again allows a training haven for terrorist groups. At minimum the searing, Saigon-like images of helicopters ferrying U.S. envoys to Kabuls airport while Afghans scrambled on the tarmac, with some desperate enough to cling to departing military planes, will have a profound effect on U.S. foreign policy. At a time when Biden wants to pivot to the threats from a rising China and a revanchist Russia, both adversaries and allies will question Americas resolve.
The property will be managed by the DEPs Division of Fish & Wildlife as an important part of the Atlantic flyway, a major north-south route for migratory birds in North America, reads a statement from the DEP. The acquisition ensures the preservation of the property, supporting the goals of protecting against and adapting to climate change.

The DEP states that preserving the land will allow the plants and trees to continue to sequester carbon and reduce flooding.

Both the city and Testa described the site as being close to 100 acres, and previous descriptions put the total at 96 acres.

Nearly 100 acres of undeveloped land off Pittsburgh Avenue, near the Coast Guard Base, will now be preserved in perpetuity, marking a monumental day for the City of Cape May, reads a statement from the city.

The settlement closes the book on a lawsuit that has been underway since 1992. According to Testa, the outline of the settlement agreement has been in place since the beginning of 2021, but it took about six months for everything to be concluded. He described it as the longest possible real estate transaction.

The property has been in dispute for even longer.
Atlantic City police announce airspace restrictions for airshow ATLANTIC CITY  Police on Thursday reminded those planning to attend the Atlantic City Airsh

That is required viewing in our household, Juan said. Thats really what got me interested in airplanes in the first place.

While last years airshow couldnt take place, Chait said officials knew the show would return this year, when the state announced the end of outdoor gathering limits in May.

In an earlier interview, Chait said organizers were able to put this years event together so quickly because the show has been around for nearly two decades. The logistical framework is already there, so the only real variables were adjusting new performers to the operation and taking into account pandemic guidelines if needed.

Mother and daughter Abby and Debbie Bernhardt, of Egg Harbor Township, recalled airshows of years past.

Weve been coming for, gosh, I dont even know how long, Debbie said.

+6 South Jersey hosts three mega-events over the next 10 days Two multiday concerts and the Atlantic City Airshow will attract thousands of all ages to th

The two reminisced about Abbys collection of airshow memorabilia.

When I was younger, theyd give out spiral notebooks, pencils and erasers, Abby said. Now that Im soon starting my teaching career, Im bringing all of it with me to put in my classroom.
The law will apply the state's 6.625% sales tax to recreational cannabis sales. Seventy percent of the proceeds will go to areas disproportionately affected by marijuana-related arrests. Black residents were likelier  up to three times as much  to face marijuana charges than white residents.

Towns can levy a tax of up to 2% under the measure, though some four dozen towns have already opted to bar recreational marijuana establishments in their municipalities. New Jersey has more than 500 towns and cities.

Also under the bill, the Cannabis Regulatory Commission can levy an excise tax, the amount of which will depend on the cost per ounce of cannabis. There will be four levels of tax under the bill, so if cannabis is $350 or more, the tax per ounce will be $10. That rises to $60 per ounce if the retail price of the product is less than $250.

+7 Atlantic City develops a taste for Phish this weekend ATLANTIC CITY  Melissa Oliver and Harriet Nucci were not friends before they sat in the sha

The number of licenses for cultivators will be set at 37 for two years. The state Senate was pushing for no limits, but the Assembly wanted the caps.

The decriminalization measure is necessary because the states laws make possession a crime, despite the voter-approved amendment, according to lawmakers. The measure passed with broad bipartisan support.
It seems incredible to me that the government would not keep such statistics.

And if the government doesn't keep such statistics, why not? If not, how can any government make intelligent decisions without the answers to these 12 questions?

If a democracy is going to work, the citizens have to be given full and honest information. Voters can't intelligently vote if they are fed gobbledygook by their elected officials and the bureaucrats.

Do I blame Jerry Nowicki for writing an article that raises more questions than it answers? No. I blame government officials, the CDC and the Illinois Department of Public Health for failing to provide straight answers to really important questions that every American needs answered.

I understand viruses can mutate, and what was good advice yesterday may not be good advice as the virus mutates. But it is the height of irresponsibility for Biden to restrict travel to the U.S. from the U.K., Ireland and 26 countries in Europe, as well as South Africa, to slow transmission of COVID-19, while throwing our Southern border open to Covid-infected migrants, and releasing 1,500 Covid-infected migrants into McAllen, Texas, to infect anybody they come in contact with.
Gov. JB Pritzker supported Chicago Alderwoman Michelle Harris, a rival candidate, for the DPI chair position vacated by former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. But Kelly won the post in a narrow vote by county chairs in March.

Pritzker decided earlier this month that he would skip the IDCCA brunch, which was originally planned for the indoor ballroom of the Crowne Plaza hotel in Springfield, due to concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic.

But when the event was moved outdoors, Pritzker still didnt attend, citing private family plans he made in the meantime. Instead, he recorded a brief video message which followed closely to his remarks made less than two hours later and 10 miles away at the Governors Day event at the Illinois State Fair.

There's some people who try to write that people are boycotting or not going to something because they don't want to, they don't want to be there, Pritzker said when asked about the brunch at the Governors Day rally. The truth is that we're all very busy. As you know, every day I've had about 10 events that I've had to attend, whether it's here in the state fair or back up in Chicago, so I try to get to everything that I can. And I support every Democrat that was at the IDCCA event.
French is the first member of the department to be killed in the line of duty in nearly three years. She is the fifth female member of the department to die in the line of duty and the first since 1988  three years before French was born.

Though she is the first officer to be fatally shot in Chicago this year, she was just one of nearly 40 officers who have been fired upon  11 of whom have been struck by bullets.

The other officer who was shot, Carlos Yanez Jr., remains hospitalized. Though his condition, which was critical for several days, has improved, his father told the Chicago Sun-Times that doctors have thus far not removed two bullets lodged in his brain.

They cant, Carlos Yanez Sr., a retired Chicago police officer, told the paper.

Yanez Jr.s sister, Nicole Christina, a doctor who is coordinating her brothers medical team, told the Sun-Times that he lost an eye and has no movement on left side of his body or his right leg.

The shooting suspect, 21-year-old Monty Morgan, was shot in the abdomen by a third officer. He has been arrested and is charged with first-degree murder of a peace officer and attempted murder.
"What I am 100% laser focused on right now is getting all those Americans that are still in Afghanistan safety out," said Duckworth, D-Ill., on Tuesday night at the Illinois Department of Transportation Hanley Building. "... And then we have to get the Afghan interpreters and other brave Afghans who worked with Americans  put themselves in their families in harm's way  we have to get them out as well. We must as a nation keep our word with the people that worked with us, that helped us, that we said to them, 'Work with us, and we will take care of you. We will not leave you behind. We will take you too.' That's what we're doing now."
If there are more trees in the neighborhood, theres less crime, Berman said. If people visit parks outside their neighborhood, theres also less crime in their neighborhood, and thats about mobility and access. Its about making it easy. And if you can make it easily accessible, then youre going to see the benefits. If you can get people to interact with each other more, youre gonna get more innovation and youre gonna get less depression.

Next up for Bermans team, looking at different characteristics that may lead to more or less cases of depression in different Chicago neighborhoods. More transportation infrastructure, less depression since its easier to capitalize on the good opportunities the city has.

Its not about the person. Its about the environment, Berman said. You cant expect people living in a really stressful environment to be able to be their best selves, and the flip side is people who live in good environments, saying oh I worked hard and blah blah blah. But you had a lot of opportunities, its much easier to be successful in certain environments. Chicago has great opportunities but if in some neighborhoods you cant get hooked into that, its depressing and those neighborhoods wont be able to reap the benefits.

Thats why we put a huge emphasis on trying to do things to the environment that will allow people to reach their full capabilities. We have to think about cities as gigantic ecosystems, yes there are some negatives but there are also a lot of positives ... cities are really the only way that we can live sustainably with as many people that we have on the planet.

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There are signs of hope in recent legislation. The Biden administration has announced $3.5 billion in new funding to help communities in the United States increase resilience to climate impacts. In addition, the U.S. Senate passed an infrastructure bill that would include funding for Chesapeake Bay restoration. These are positive developments for those of us who live in Maryland and across the country. But this same type of investment needs to be made to help vulnerable communities overseas.

For example, the U.S. should significantly increase its support of the Green Climate Fund, which was set up as the primary way for countries to fund climate adaptation and mitigation efforts. A substantial portion of the Green Climate Fund gets directed toward countries most at risk. In August, before leaving for recess, the U.S. House passed its Fiscal Year 2022 State and Foreign Operations bill. Their bill provides $1.6 billion for the Green Climate Fund, in addition to other important climate-related investments, which in total equals $3 billion. We urge the Senate to follow suit and see these investments through.
Earlier this week, World Relief Quad-Cities displayed these words on its Facebook page: Please God, give us the courage not to look away.

We hope Quad-Citians will keep these words in their hearts and carry them out.

World Relief Quad-Cities, the Moline-based resettlement organization, is preparing to receive refugees from Afghanistan, as it has from other countries; however, as of this writing, we were not aware of any on the way yet. The non-profit works with the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement, and it has a long history in the Quad-Cities of helping those fleeing persecution, privation and war.

According to reports, the Biden administration has struggled to get other countries to accept Afghan refugees, and there has been bipartisan criticism in Congress over the governments lack of preparedness to deal with this problem. On Tuesday, however, the president authorized the use of up to $500 million to help pay for refugee needs, and the military is ramping up flights taking Afghans out of the country.

Still, there were reports Wednesday of continued chaos and Taliban crackdowns outside the Kabul airport.

In this country, we are happy to see there is some bipartisan acknowledgement in Congress that we need to play a role in resettling these refugees.
Smallpox was eradicated with a vaccine. My mom and dads generation eradicated polio by getting themselves and their children vaccinated. My generation eradicated measles, mumps and chickenpox by getting our children vaccinated. Its up to this generation to step up and get vaccinated as well as their families and spread the word to get vaccinated.

My generation, 65-74 years old, is at more than 90% vaccinated. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is calling for its members to get vaccinated and to wear masks. How about all our local churches stepping up and saying the same things. If the church is not going to speak the truth about Covid and wearing masks then how can I be expected to believe them when they preach from the pulpit about the Bible?

If you have had Covid and arent vaccinated, the CDC says you are twice as likely as the vaccinated to get Covid again.

Pandemic, according to a booking site, is high on the list of how mankind will go extinct. Weve had the Brazil, African, London and now the deadly Delta variant There will be, in all probability, a more deadly U.S. variant.
Twenty Chadron State College graduate students received their Master of Arts in Education degrees Aug. 3 in a special ceremony at the Anchorage School District Office. CSC President Dr. Randy Rhine, Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Jim Powell, and Education Department Chair Dr. Don King presented diplomas to graduates, while Vice Chancellor for Academic Planning and Partnerships Dr. Jodi Kupper represented the Nebraska State College System.

All of the CSC graduates are teachers in the Anchorage School District, and many have been hired as administrators since earning their masters degrees, according to Powell.

Former Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Charles Snare and Powell, who both had previous work experience in Alaska, worked to establish CSCs presence in Alaska after a university there lost its teaching accreditation status. Powell, King, and Dr. Patti Blundell, Education Professor, made subsequent recruiting trips to enroll students and work with CSC on-site coordinators Dr. Kersten Stumpler-Johnston, senior director of secondary education, and Dr. Jennifer Knutson, senior director of professional learning.

Although the courses were all online, students in the Anchorage cohort also met occasionally for discussion groups. The graduates represent a 100 percent completion rate of students enrolled between 2019 and 2021.
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Monument was caring for three to six hospitalized patients most days in July. On July 28, that increased to 10 patients, and it has been rising ever since, according to Daly.

Since Aug. 1, Monument Health has performed 3,307 RT-PCR diagnostic COVID-19 tests, with a positivity rate around 20%. A good positivity rate as defined by the World Health Organization is 5% or lower. Monument Health does not have the testing capabilities to specify whether the positive cases are of the Delta variant.

He clarified that the current patient count is much lower than at the peak of COVID infections in the state in November 2020, when Monument was treating 104 patients.

The number of youth COVID cases has risen nationwide, a reality that could come to South Dakota with schools opening next week and several districts with limited mitigation measures in place. Monument has not made any special preparations in its pediatrics department for the start of the school year, however, Daly said the system is confident it can meet the medical needs of youth patients if the need arises. Monument does not publicly track its pediatric COVID patients separately from adult patients.
Ron Moeller watched his son jump as a paratrooper last Tuesday. One week later, hes watching as news unfolds from Afghanistan and hoping his son comes back alive.

Of course I worry, but hes smart  both of my children are brilliant  but hes smart, he has good tactical sense which you need as a soldier, Moeller said.

The Taliban recently pushed into Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan as the United States works to evacuate Americans and others from the war-torn country.

Moeller, a retired CIA paramilitary operations officer who spent four to five years in Afghanistan, said there are about 4,000 U.S. soldiers on the ground with 3,000 there to secure the perimeter of the airport.

He said after the perimeter is secured, its just a matter of time to evacuate people. However, he said they face the challenge of locating 5,000 to 10,000 Americans who could be in the airport, around Kabul or just outside the area.

Nobody knows and theres no plan right now to go get them because they dont know where theyre at, he said.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP)  A Florida judge on Thursday refused to dismiss a lawsuit challenging the order by Gov. Ron DeSantis that parents should decide whether their children wear masks at school to combat the coronavirus.

The order by Leon County Circuit Judge John C. Cooper clears the way for a three-day hearing next week on whether to block enforcement of the governor's order.

The lawsuit was filed Aug. 6 by parents opposed to the DeSantis order banning schools from imposing mask mandates unless parents can opt out of the requirements. Cooper decided the parents have a legal right to sue, overruling the state's position.

I do believe they have a right to challenge the governor, the judge said after a three-hour hearing. I'm not deciding whether they are right or wrong. We'll have to see what the evidence shows.

Five Florida school districts  including four of the largest  are defying the governor's order by permitting mask opt-outs only for medical reasons rather than parental choice. An attorney in the lawsuit, Charles Gallagher, said such decisions should be left to local school boards, not imposed by the state.

They have a right to govern themselves. They can enact their own policies, Gallagher said.
Through the Coronavirus Relief Fund, DOE dedicated $72 million to K-12 schools, $35 million of which has been allocated to districts so far. The state received $41 million for education with ESSER I, $170 million with ESSER II, and $382 million with ESSER III. School districts with higher poverty rates received more money than more affluent districts.

The state is still working on the details of how remaining grants will be spent, but the federal guidelines dictate that for the third ESSER grant schools need to address learning loss with 20% of funds, the state has to address learning loss at the state level with 5% of funds, and 1% each should go toward summer programming and after school programming, respectively.

Because our schools were largely in person last school year, our real opportunity in South Dakota is the question of how do we emerge from the pandemic as a stronger education system than we were before? So thats really the focus at the Department and amongst schools about how do we invest all of these dollars so that three years from now when these one-time funds are gone, were a stronger system and we have legacy impacts in place, Sanderson said. We have three years, but we really have the opportunity to impact a generation of students, far beyond the life of these dollars.
Dee Strauss, executive director of The Village Health and Rehabilitation, said the facility received a health officers order on Aug. 3. (Strauss is married to Missoulian publisher Jim Strauss.)

We had one staff person who traveled out of the country and got COVID, she said. This resulted in the Aug. 3 health orders. We continue to screen all staff per CDC and health department guidelines and instruct staff to stay home if they are sick. We are testing all staff and residents per (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) guidelines. Staff are wearing appropriate personal protective equipment while at work.

Ty Harding, the owner of the Beehive Homes franchise in Missoula, said they have experienced COVID cases at two of their five licensed assisted living settings in Missoula.

All of the residents that tested positive had the vaccine and were asymptomatic, Harding said. Unfortunately, there was some confusion regarding whether to quarantine just the settings that had cases or all of the other settings. In the end, we have complied with all the health department's wishes and we are awaiting our last week of testing, with no positive cases to this point.

Harding said he is not aware of any staff or residents who have had to be hospitalized due to COVID in the last 90 days.
In honor of International Orangutan Day, the Metro Richmond Zoo has announced the birth of a male orangutan named Taavi.

Taavi was born to first-time parents Farley and Zoe on March 2. After being neglected by his mother, Taavi is being hand-raised by animal care specialists.

Hes incredible, just adorable, said Jim Andelin, director of the zoo in Chesterfield County.

Zoe failed to show maternal instincts and would not nurse her baby, according to Andelin. She held Taavi in her palm far away from herself instead of holding him close to her body to develop a bond.

One of Zoes caretakers tried to teach her how to hold and nurse a baby by demonstrating with a doll, but those efforts were unsuccessful. Zoo staff had to intervene. Zookeepers made several attempts to reintroduce Taavi to his mother, but all were unsuccessful.

The animal care team at the zoo has been hand-raising him since then. Taavi is receiving around-the-clock care by zoo staff. As a newborn, Taavi was fed a bottle every two hours. As he has gotten older, the interval between his feedings and the amount of formula has increased.

Taavi is now 5 months old and weighs 10 pounds. He is starting to eat some solid foods in addition to his regular bottles.
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Hospitals such as Henrico Doctors are also seeing a high number of patient transfers. If a person lives in a rural area with no gastrointestinal specialist or urology specialist, for example, the patient might be referred to a hospital in a larger metropolitan area, like Richmond. Sometimes, hospitals have no capacity and are unable to accept transfers for a period of time.

Transfers are extraordinarily difficult, Parker said.

To handle the flow, HCA, which owns Henrico Doctors and other hospitals in the Richmond area, will move staff from one hospital to another when the patient volume surges. HCA focuses on getting patients the treatment they need to be discharged quickly and safely, Szurkus said. Shifts have been added, and some longer shifts have been shortened to eight hours.

To liven spirits, hospital administrators have walked the buildings halls, handing out ice cream sandwiches or fruit bars to the staff.

But the pandemic has taken a toll on health care workers. There are high levels of stress and burnout, Baker said. It was especially taxing emotionally, because COVID patients often werent allowed visitors. Patients were sick and sometimes dying with only their health care workers to provide consolation.
The Invest in Education Act was backed by education advocates across Arizona and was an outgrowth of a 2018 teacher strike that resulted in educators getting a 20% pay raise but fell short of other major school funding boosts. Major funding for the campaign came from an Oregon group that advocates for public education.

The state is near the bottom nationally in spending on schools despite an increase in funding backed by Ducey.

Groups that worked to get Proposition 208 on the ballot issued a statement via Twitter slamming the high court and calling the decision politically motivated.

Joe Thomas, president of the state teacher's union and a member of the coalition backing the initiative, said the ruling makes it even more important for voters who backed the measure to sign petitions to block a massive income tax cut passed by the Legislature this year.

Theres funding in those tax cuts, to where the Legislature and governor could recreate Invest in Ed next year," Thomas said. "They have plenty of money to do that. So its not a lack of money, its that they dont want to invest in schools, and that's unfortunate.
MoneyOutVA has heard many concerns from lawmakers about doing campaign finance reform, and addressed them in the report with responses and options. The report examines how other states handled reforms and contribution limits.

The lawmaker subcommittee to study campaign finance reform was scheduled to meet Aug. 2, on the first day of a General Assembly special session, but Democratic leaders canceled it and held a fundraiser that morning.

Morgan said she expects some lawmakers will say they need more time to study the issues and want to continue next year. But she said they ought to work over the next few months to come up with real legislative proposals for next years session.

Del. Marcus Simon, D-Fairfax, the chairman of a House committee on elections, said the MoneyOutVA report was excellent and thorough, and he plans to analyze it and give copies to lawmakers on the study group.

But getting legislation passed is going to be challenging, he said, because many lawmakers fear they wont be competitive in elections with restraints on campaign money. One thing he wants to push for is a ban on personal use of campaign money.

Thats something I expect and hope will be addressed by the commission in the short term, he said. If he is chosen as chairman of the study group, he said, hed allow public comment at the meeting in addition to the availability of Zoom when the subcommittee meets at 1 p.m. Monday in the Pocahontas Building.
Only those with compromised immune systems are currently receiving boosters. The rest of us can safely wait, officials said.

The boosters will be free and given regardless of insurance or immigration status. The government intends to use the 80,000 locations in place to deliver the boosters. About 90% of Americans live within 5 miles of a vaccination site.

Some medical professionals worry that the dual track of persuading the unvaccinated to roll up their sleeves while providing boosters to the fully vaccinated might confuse the public. Some world leaders say the United States should not offer a third shot while many around the world have not had their first.

But the administration insists we have enough vaccines to inoculate those at home and abroad. The United States has donated more doses of COVID-19 vaccine than all the other countries in the world combined, Biden said, adding we have pledged to give away 600 million doses.

The threat of the delta virus remains real. But we are prepared. We have the tools. We can do this, Biden said.

At such a bleak time, its encouraging to see the government be straight about the latest data and adjust its plans based on changing circumstances. Doing so should help restore Americans trust in their government.

The government sets the strategy. Vaccinations, masks and boosters are our weapons. But each of us will need to take personal responsibility if we are to win the war on COVID-19.
After 20 years, a sad

truth in Afghanistan

Editor, Times-Dispatch:

American political and military leaders seem stunned at the remarkable speed with which the Afghan government collapsed, after 20 years of American blood and treasure propping up what Russia left behind after its 20-year futile efforts there.

Why?

The short answer is Afghan citizens have no vested interest in their corrupt and inept government. There is nothing in it for them to fight.

President Joe Biden said, like all other presidents before him, that we were not nation-building. But after 20 years, in fact, we were. And the younger generation, especially the girls and women, who grew up experiencing the difference between homegrown corruption and America's leadership also were poised to take over and make a difference.

We abandoned them and their efforts for lasting peace  something far more significant than a merely temporal military victory.

Biden boasted that we trained and supplied the best military for the Afghan people. Now it is in the hands of their, and our, enemy.
By Saturday, Henri is expected to be a hurricane and pass about 150 nautical miles due east of the Outer Banks. Thats far enough offshore to keep the heavy rain and hurricane winds over water, but well within reach of the longer swells.

Henri is most likely to come ashore in Long Island or southern New England sometime on Sunday.

As of Friday afternoon, hurricane warnings and storm surge warnings are posted around Long Island and the coasts of Connecticut and Rhode Island.

New forecast data increases the confidence that Henri makes landfall in that region, though it will be slowing down as it does so. Henri's wind and waves will spread out across those coastal areas regardless of a landfall or direct hit, though the storm surge details will be sensitive to the exact track, forward speed and point of landfall.

The amount of strengthening we see later today and Saturday will alter the storms path toward the Northeast: A bit stronger and it has a better chance of veering near New York City; a bit weaker and it could end up closer to Massachusetts.

Henri will soon move due north as it steers between the counterclockwise flow of a trough in the eastern United States and a clockwise ridge over the Atlantic, bypassing the Carolinas and Mid-Atlantic.
Members across this union and across the country are coming together in solidarity with our striking brothers and sisters to take a stand against Nabiscos shameful and destructive disregard for workers, their families and the communities in which they live, the union said in a statement.

The proposals to the contract, the union claims, include wanting a new alternative work schedule for employees, no premium pay for working weekends, and paying health care costs. It also wants the company to stop moving jobs to Mexico.

Mondelez said the union is wrong in its interpretations of the proposed contract. What this is is rhetoric. The idea that we are taking away overtime is just not true. Were proposing health care for workers and ... really a number of aspects of the offer that I think would be viewed by the employees as quite good for them.

Under the plan, the union claims that workers would be required to work 12-hour shifts  not the normal eight hours  and they would not be eligible for overtime pay.

By changing the work day to a 12-hour work day, the company is now able to consider that as all straight time, so that an eight-hour shift that we used to have, you get time and a half for anything over that, Bragg said.
Although the quote wasnt inaccurate, he added, for a while he believed hed never be able to live it down.

He asked me if my wife and I have wills.

Yes we do, I told him.

Then I wont give you my pitch, Cleary replied. I asked to hear it anyway, so he delivered.

Its not about you, Cleary said. Its about the people you leave behind. Youre going to make their lives a whole lot easier if you just take a few minutes now  and not too much money  to invest in preparing the plan for when youre no longer with us.

The same is true, he added, for advanced medical directives and powers of attorney. Often, by the time someone needs either or both, they arent of sound mind. And in that situation, those documents are hard to come by.

If they had planned ahead on whos going to take over, its so much easier, Cleary said.

Cleary said he sells all three documents as a package. For couples, the cost typically works out to a bit more than $1,000 per person, he said.

And although he still has an office, Wills on Wheels still shows up at clients doors if thats what they desire.
Rusty Nevians Sutphin was rolled into court handcuffed to his wheelchair Thursday, a week and a half after police said he held a knife to his wifes throat  and was shot by a Montgomery County sheriffs deputy.

Sutphin, 38, of the Willis community in Floyd County, was shot Aug. 7 during a late-night incident at a residence in Christiansburg.

At Thursdays hearing in Montgomery County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court, he was arraigned on charges of attempted first-degree murder, abduction and malicious assault.

Judge Robert Viar asked Sutphin if he understood that he was accused of attacking his wife, Melissa Sutphin.

After Rusty Sutphin said that he did understand, Viar appointed lawyer Dennis Nagel of Christiansburg to defend him. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Nov. 8, Viar said, but there could be a bond hearing before then if Sutphin and his attorney request one.

For now, Sutphin is being held without bond in the Montgomery County Jail.

According to statements from the Virginia State Police and search warrants filed in the case, the charges against Sutphin stem from events on the night of Aug. 7.
One week into the academic year, two students tested positive for COVID-19 and are in isolation, causing one staff member and 45 students to quarantine, said Superintendent Jeanette Warwick during a special board meeting Tuesday morning.

Our goals are to keep students and staff safe, keep our kids in school and to keep our schools open, Warwick said. We have several other students that are awaiting test results at this time.

During Tuesdays meeting, the board was briefed on Virginia Department of Health quarantine protocols by Director of Instruction Samuel Foster. Quarantined students might miss more than one full week of in-person learning.

If we had two students and they are 3 feet apart or more and they are both masked, then they do not have to quarantine if one of them contracts COVID-19, he said. They could stay in school. Thats the easiest way to keep our students in school, is by having them masked.

County Supervisor Kathi Toelke spoke during public comment to say the local government is dependent on the state for education funding, and defying mask orders could cause legal trouble.
More than 100,000 people were vaccinated at the Berglund Center between January and May. Lea said that statistic is a point of pride for the city, and coronavirus vaccines are not something to politicize.

Although were making progress in the fight against COVID, there is still much to be done, he said. It is my hope that this time next year, I will be sharing the success of our recovery.

Now in the second month of the 2022 financial year, other aspects of focus in Roanoke include citizen equity and empowerment, curbing gun violence and bolstering law enforcement staffing, Lea said.

As we go forward, in every decision we make we want to look at equity and empowerment, he said. Whether its transportation, whether thats education. Whatever we do.

Lea said special things are soon coming from the Roanoke Gun Violence Prevention Committee. He promised regular press conference updates on city efforts to prevent shootings, especially those caused by organized crime.

Its a societal problem. We have to tackle this hard, he said of gun violence. We have reward money now. Were putting everything on the table.
MOSCOW (AP)  Russia's top diplomat assured his Libyan counterpart Thursday that Moscow supports the withdrawal of all foreign fighters from the North African country and is prepared to help work out the details with other countries.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said after the talks in Moscow with Najla Mangoush that the Libyan leadership is forming a consultative mechanism ... to formulate the concrete parameters under which the foreign forces will leave.

Russia was among the foreign powers backing the warring sides in Libyas conflict, with some officials and media reports alleging that Russian private military contractors took part in the fighting.

"We will be prepared to constructively take part in this work alongside other countries, Lavrov told a press conference.

The Libyan foreign minister said her government considers the issue of withdrawing foreign fighters important and a priority, but stressed that it should be done gradually and in a synchronized manner."
Tuesday, 50 Virginia sheriffs joined the Virginia Police Benevolent Association in endorsing me for governor. These brave men and women understand that strong leadership and fresh thinking around how we protect our communities will allow us  as a commonwealth  to tackle our violent crime problem.

These sheriffs, local police officers, and state police had a choice when making their endorsements, but Terry McAuliffe made it a pretty easy decision.

He made it easy when he embraced the most radical elements of his party and celebrated endorsements from groups that advance a dangerous agenda aimed at defunding police, abolishing immigration enforcement agencies, and even closing prisons.

McAuliffe even turned his back on the Virginia PBA and refused to meet with them.

McAuliffe would end protections for law enforcement and will make it easier for individual police officers to be personally bankrupted, ensuring that agencies are incapable of retaining and recruiting the best and brightest to their departments.

During McAuliffes tenure as governor, both murder and rape rates increased. The murder rate alone increased 43%. He even made it easier for felons to get a gun.
But this vote effectively deprives the public of seeing something other than two obviously partisan maps. Thats not good, and goes against the spirit of what voters thought they were getting.

3. Legislators likely get protected.

The commission voted to include the home address of legislators in the mapmaking. In other words,mapmakers will be able to intentionally protect certain legislators of their party or perhaps intentionally draw districts disadvantageous to certain legislators on the other side.

This vote goes directly against what voters were expecting. The whole point of a redistricting commission is that voters are tired of legislators picking their own constituents and not the other way around. Pure redistricting pays no heed to where legislators live.

This 9-6 vote found all the Republicans and a minority of Democrats voting in favor of inclusion. Considering that Republicans are in the minority in the legislature, this seems an odd position for them to take. In any case, it raises the spectre that this Frankenstein monster of a commission will be in the incumbent protection business  for both parties.

The one good thing the commission did was vote to minimize the splitting of counties and cities between multiple districts.
This month the General Assembly convened for a special session to allocate funds received as part of the American Rescue Plan.

Families in the 8th District are still struggling to deal with the effects of the pandemic and the bill as passed includes crucial help, such as:

$11.5 million for teacher recruitment;

$250 million for Rebuild VA, to assist businesses impacted by the pandemic;

$75 million to support small businesses and tourism;

$41 million for bonuses to state police, sheriff's offices, and Department of Corrections staff.

Here in the 8th House District, Del. Joe McNamara, voted against the bill. He voted against teachers, against business owners, their employees, and families. He voted against Veterans and Law Enforcement. All of these are issues that, according to the delegates website, he supports.

Whats equally interesting, and disappointing to McNamaras supporters is that the Republicans candidate for attorney general, Jason Miyares, motioned to pass this bill and voted "yes," yet McNamara voted "no."
My first, second, third and fourth raw oyster were consumed with gusto one night at Brophy Brothers in Santa Barbara...
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WASHINGTON, D.C.  U.S. House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn and Congressman A. Donald McEachin of Virginia have urged Admiral Michelle Howard, chair of the Naming Commission at the U.S. Department of Defense, to rename Fort Lee in Central Virginia after Lt. General Arthur J. Gregg  a Florence native.

This recommendation follows an independent commission organized by the members, which agreed that the military base should be rededicated as Fort Gregg.

You have been tasked with the critical and long-overdue responsibility of beginning the process of renaming military installations honoring individuals who took up arms against the United States to preserve the institution of slavery. This change is long overdue, the members wrote in a letter. The Armed Forces of the United States exemplify the values, identity, and diversity of our nation, and it is imperative that the names of military installations, ships, buildings, and other property reflect that as well.
There will be three races, just as it was last spring, and even last fall, at Darlington. The Xfinity Series Sport Clips Haircuts VFW 200 is at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 4 on NBCSN. Then, at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 5, the Truck Series In It To Win It 200 will run and be televised on FS1. And that will be followed at 6 p.m. later that day by the Southern 500 (NBCSN).

Last year, after major sports were halted by the pandemic, Darlington was the site where NASCAR resumed in May with two Cup races and an Xfinity race, all in the same week.

I want to thank the governor for his continued support for Darlington Raceway and NASCAR, Tharp said. If it was not for Governor McMaster, NASCAR and Darlington, we would have not been able to bring live sports back to this country in May 2020."

Kurt Busch, who won the 2004 Cup Series points championship, was also in attendance Tuesday. He came close to winning NASCARs 2003 spring race at Darlington but was edged by the Ricky Craven. Busch has not won at Darlington, but his younger brother, Kyle, won the Southern 500 in 2008.

Kurt talked about the intrigue with Darlington Raceway.

Darlington is a crown-jewel event. Its as big as Daytona, its as big as the Charlotte 600-mile race, he said. It gives you that old sense of pride of the South in how NASCAR originated. So, when we go there, its a challenge because the track was built honestly as the first superspeedway, even before cars were supposed to go fast. And the track is still the same. Its as treacherous as ever.

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FLORENCE, S.C.  Few artists and educators can boast a career as long or as influential as the one Steven Gately has had. For the last 48 years he has taught painting, drawing, and design at Francis Marion University where he has worked with nearly every visual art student who has attended the school in its history.

Gately has also worked simultaneously in his Modernist studio, mastering a variety of media and styles, while at the same time consistently experimenting with new processes.

Gately was born in West Palm Beach, Florida. The proximity to the nearby Atlantic ocean shaped the artists early life and remains an influence for much of the work included in this exhibition.

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His images are sometimes literal, as in the realistic paintings he has made of automobiles, still-life arrangements, and sharks. Other series are meant to convey something else entirely, as he works in an abstract mode. With these works, the artist sometimes aims to simply reflect the feeling of a luminous, rhythmical environment achieved through color.

In some of the abstract works the brush strokes and hues may still refer to seascape; for example, yellow could allude to sunlight and blue areas could be perceived as sky or sea, but no recognizable features were intended.
 "Environmental Indifference" | Main | Federal district judge dismisses illegal reentry prosecution holding "Section 1326 violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fifth Amendment" 

August 18, 2021

Authors of provocative paper retract judge-specific claims about "most discriminatory" federal sentencing judges

I expressed concerns in this post last month about a new empirical paper making claims regarding the "most discriminatory" federal sentencing judges under the title "The Most Discriminatory Federal Judges Give Black and Hispanic Defendants At Least Double the Sentences of White Defendants." In addition to articulating some first-cut concerns in my initial post, I also solicited and published here an extended post by Prof. Jonah Gelbach about the work based on this Twitter thread criticizing the paper.

This new Twitter thread by one of the authors reports that the paper has now been revised to remove judge-specific claims as to the "most discriminatory" sentencing judges, and it is now re-titled "Racial Disparities in Criminal Sentencing Vary Considerably across Federal Judges." This new New Jersey Law Journal article, headlined "Backpedaling: Authors of Study on Racist Rulings Retract Their Claims Against Pennsylvania, New Jersey Judges," provides some more details:

The authors of a study that accused some federal judges of extreme racial and ethnic bias in sentencing have withdrawn their conclusions about specific jurists following criticism of their methodology. An earlier version of the study, published in July by the Institute for the Quantitative Study of Inclusion, Diversity and Equity, said two Eastern District of Pennsylvania judges and one from New Jersey give Black and Hispanic defendants sentences that are twice as long as those they give to whites. But a revised version of the study, posted Tuesday, asks readers to disregard the references to specific judges.... A previous version of this work included estimates on individually identified judges. Thanks to helpful feedback, we no longer place enough credence in judge-specific estimates to make sufficiently confident statements on any individual judge. We encourage others not to rely upon results from earlier versions of this work, the revised version of the study said. The studys lead author, Christian Michael Smith, explained on Twitter that, while our initial paper appreciated how random chance, systematic missing data patterns, and/or hidden structural factors for sentencing could affect judge rankings, we now regard the following possibility as less remote than we initially regarded it: that a judge who is actually unproblematic could end up on the extreme end of our discrimination estimates, due to random chance, systematic missing data patterns, and/or hidden structural factors for sentencing.... Gelbach, in an email, said of the retraction, I applaud the authors for removing the ranking of judges sentencing practices and for making clear that people should not rely on those rankings. Given the data limitations, that was the right decision for them to make.

Prior related posts:

August 18, 2021 at 09:14 PM | Permalink

Comments

A comment cross-posted from the 8/9/21 post on the same subject: I am puzzled that the authors of the study (none of whom appears to have any actual knowledge of or experience in federal sentencing practices) do not acknowledge in their retraction the unanimous reaction of practicing lawyers in the Districts of the (formerly) named "most discriminatory" judges, that these three judges are not by any means more racist in their decisions than other district judges. Such reactions by experienced private practitioners were quoted in the ALM stories, and were elaborated a couple of days later in a detailed statement by the public defender's office. I realize that subjective reactions could be disproven and shown to be fallacious by valid statistical analysis. But questionable statistics can be just as legitimately called into doubt by the unanimous reactions of those with actual, individualized experience appearing before those judges. I am no statistician, but I knew the minute I read about the study and its results that there had to be something deeply wrong with its methodology, given the plainly inapt names that rose to the "top" in its Hall of Shame.

Posted by: Peter Goldberger | Aug 18, 2021 11:01:48 PM

It might not hold but there was a major district court ruling

https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/nevada-judge-says-immigration-law-making-reentry-a-felony-is-unconstitutional-has-racist-origins





Posted by: Joe | Aug 19, 2021 7:59:33 AM

Post a comment
 Authors of provocative paper retract judge-specific claims about "most discriminatory" federal sentencing judges | Main | "Individualizing Criminal Laws Justice Judgments: Shortcomings in the Doctrines of Culpability, Mitigation, and Excuse" 

August 19, 2021

Federal district judge dismisses illegal reentry prosecution holding "Section 1326 violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fifth Amendment"

Though not exactly a sentencing ruling, late yesterday US Chief District Judge Miranda Du of Nevada issued a big decision in US v. Carrillo-Lopez, No. 3:20-cr-00026-MMD-WGC (D. Nev. Aug 18, 2021) (available here), concerning a statute that is the basis for tens of thousands of federal sentences every year. Here is the start of the 43-page opinion in Carrillo-Lopez and its substantive conclusions:

On June 25, 2020, Defendant Gustavo Carrillo-Lopez was indicted on one count of deported alien found in the United States in violation of 8 U.S.C.  1326(a) & (b) (Section 1326). Before the Court is Carrillo-Lopezs motion to dismiss the indictment (the Motion) on the grounds that Section 1326 violates the equal protection guarantee of the Fifth Amendment under the standard articulated in Village of Arlington Heights v. Metropolitan Housing Development Corp., 429 U.S. 252 (1977). On January 22, 2021, the Court heard oral argument on the Motion, and on February 2, 2021, the Court held an evidentiary hearing. Because Carrillo-Lopez has established that Section 1326 was enacted with a discriminatory purpose and that the law has a disparate impact on Latinx persons, and the government fails to show that Section 1326 would have been enacted absent racial animus  and as further discussed below  the Court will grant the Motion.... Carrillo-Lopez has established, and the government concedes, that the Act of 1929 was motivated by racial animus. The government does not assert the 1952 Congress addressed that history when it reenacted Section 1326. Moreover, the government fails to demonstrate how any subsequent amending Congress addressed either the racism that initially motivated the Act of 1929 or the discriminatory intent that was contemporaneous with the 1952 reenactment. The record before the Court reflects that at no point has Congress confronted the racist, nativist roots of Section 1326. Instead, the amendments to Section 1326 over the past ninety years have not changed its function but have simply made the provision more punitive and broadened its reach. Accordingly, the Court cannot find that subsequent amendments somehow cleansed the statute of its history while retaining the language and functional operation of the original statute. In conclusion, the government has failed to establish that a nondiscriminatory motivation existed in 1952 for reenacting Section 1326 that exists independently from the discriminatory motivations, in either 1929 or 1952. Moreover, the governments alternative arguments  that a nondiscriminatory motive was plain or that subsequent amendments somehow imply the racial taint was cleansed  are not supported by caselaw nor borne out by the evidentiary record. In sum, on the record before the Court, the Court can only conclude that the government has not met its burden. Because Section 1326 violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fifth Amendment, the Court will grant Carrillo-Lopezs Motion.

Scott Greenfield has an effective summary of the ruling in this new post at Simple Justice. He notes that it "seems almost inconceivable that the Ninth Circuit wont reverse this decision," but also highlights that "Judge Dus decision makes some very serious points about how laws were enacted a century ago, when racism was fairly open and routine." And here is some effective local media coverage:

This recent Quick Facts report from the US Sentencing Commission indicated that there were over 22,000 illegal reentry sentences imposed in Fiscal Year 2019, and nearly 20,000 such sentences in FY 2020. That means that, on average, in federal courts about 400 of these sentences are being imposed each and every week. Because Judge Du's opinion is not binding on other courts, this new decision will not likely disrupt this case flow dramatically. But I suspect it will be (and maybe already is) getting raised in new filings in district courts around the country.

August 19, 2021 at 10:30 AM | Permalink

Comments

I could see it squeaking through CA9 even, but SCOTUS? No way.

Posted by: kotodama | Aug 19, 2021 11:28:02 PM

So this highlights the problem with women judges: many become ideologues based on feelings instead of the law. This judge learned her nonsense in her classes at UC and has now carried them into the law as she has risen.

We can only hope that she is thoroughly rebuked, then disbarred, and even charged with criminal neglect. There will be no change of this tyranny of idiocy until those who bring it are made to suffer consequences.

She is a disgrace. This ruling is a stain on American and English jurisprudence.

It must not be allowed to stand.

Posted by: restless94110 | Aug 20, 2021 10:20:21 PM

Is restless someone who used to comment here under a different name or just possessed by that person's spirit?

I don't see it as squeaking past the CA9. After all, this is an old law and they have been allowing it to stand for decades.

The best scenario, and it's a longshot, is for the Biden Administration not to appeal.

Posted by: Joe | Aug 21, 2021 11:38:00 AM

Post a comment
 Is it problematic for sentencing judges to require the COVID vaccine as a probation condition? | Main | Another rounds of terrific new essays in Brennan Center's "Punitive Excess" series 

August 9, 2021

Guest post: another critical look at provocative paper claiming to identify the "most discriminatory" federal sentencing judges

I expressed concerns in this recent post about a new empirical paper making claims regarding the "most discriminatory" federal sentencing judges. Upon seeing this Twitter thread by Prof. Jonah Gelbach about the work, I asked the good professor if he might turn his thread into a guest post. He obliged with this impressive essay:

---------------

This post will comment on the preprint of The Most Discriminatory Federal Judges Give Black and Hispanic Defendants At Least Double the Sentences of White Defendants, by Christian Michael Smith, Nicholas Goldrosen, Maria-Veronica Ciocanel, Rebecca Santorella, Chad M. Topaz, and Shilad Sen. Doug Berman blogged about it here, and Im grateful to him for the opportunity to publish this post here.

As I explained in a Twitter thread over the weekend, I have serious concerns about the study. The most important concerns I raised in that thread fall into the following categories:

Incomplete data Endogeneity of included regressors Small numbers of observations per judge Use of most extreme judge-specific disparity estimates

Ill take these in turn.

(1) Incomplete Data. Its complicated to explain the data, whose construction involve merging multiple large data sets. In fact, a subset of the authors have a whole other paper about data construction. In brief, the data are constructed by linking US Sentencing Commission data files to those in the Federal Judicial Centers Integrated Data Base, which gives them enough to form docket numbers. They then use the Free Law Projects Juriscraper tool (https://free.law/projects/juriscraper/) to query PACER, which yields dockets with attached judges initials for most cases that merged earlier in the authors pipeline. The authors use those initials to identify the judge they believe handled sentencing, using public lists of judges by district.

As involved as the data construction is, my primary concern is simple: the share of cases included in the data set the authors use is very low. For 2001-2018, there were 1.27 million sentences in USSC data and 1.46 million in FJC data (these figures come from the data-construction paper, which is why they apply to the 2001-2018 period rather than the 2006-2019 period used in the estimation of Most Discriminatory judges). Of these records, the authors were able to match 860k sentences, of which they matched 809k to dockets via Juriscraper. After using initials to match judges, they have 596k cases they think are matched. Thats a match rate of less than 50% based on the USSC data and barely 40% based on the FJC data. The authors cant tell us much about the characteristics of missing cases, and its clear to me from reading the newer paper that the match rate varies substantially across districts.

I think this much alone is enough to make it irresponsible to report estimates that purport to measure individually named judges degrees of discrimination. As a thought experiment, suppose that (i) the authors have half the data, and (ii) if they were able to include the other half of the data they would find that there was no meaningful judge-level variation in estimated racial disparities in sentencing. By construction, that would render any discussion of the Most Discriminatory judges pointless. Because the authors cant explain why cases are missed, they have no way to rule out even such an extreme possibility. Nor do they determine what share of cases they miss for any judge in the data, because they have no measure of the denominator (perhaps they could do this with Westlaw or similar searches for some individual judges). Their approach to the issue of missing data is to simply assume that missing cases are missing at random:

One unknown potential source of error is that we cannot determine what percentage of each judges cases were matched in the JUSTFAIR database. If this missingness is as-if random with respect to sentencing variables of interest, that should not bias our results, but we have little way of determining this. (Pages 18-19, emphasis added.)

I believe it is irresponsible to name individual judges as The Most Discriminatory on the basis of data as incomplete as these.

(2) Endogeneity. The authors include as controls in their model each defendants guideline-minimum sentence, variables accounting for the type of charge, & various defendant characteristics. They argue that these variables are enough to deal not only with the enormous amount of missing data (with unknown selection mechanism; see above) but also any concerns that would arise even if all cases were available. As Doug Berman previously noted here, if prosecutors offer plea deals of differing generosity to defendants of different races, then the guideline minimum doesnt account for heterogeneity in cases. And note that if that happens in general, its a problem for all the models estimates. In other words, even if the particular mechanism Doug hypothesized (sweet plea deals for Black defendants in the EDPA) doesnt hold, the whole model is suspect if the guidelines variable is substantially endogenous.

There are other endogeneity concerns, e.g., the study includes as regressors variables that capture reasons why a sentence departed from the guidelines  an outcome that is itself partly a function of the sentence whose (transformed) value is on the left hand side of the model. And as a friend suggested to me after I posted my Twitter thread, the listed charges are often the result of plea bargains, whose consummation can be expected to depend on the expected sentence. So the guideline minimum variable, too, is potentially endogenous.

(3) Small numbers of observations per judge. The primary estimates on which the claim about particular judges putative discriminatory sentencing are based are what are known as random effect coefficients on race dummies. Its lengthy to explain all the machinery here, but Ill take a crack at a simplified description.

The key model output on which the authors make their Most Discriminatory designations are judge-level estimated Black-White disparities (the same type of analysis applies for Hispanic-White disparity). Very roughly speaking, you can think of the estimated disparity for Judge J as an average of two things: (i) the overall observed Black-White disparity across all judges  call this the overall disparity, and (ii) the average disparity in the subset of cases in which Judge J did the sentencing  call this the judge-specific raw disparity.

For example, suppose that over all defendants, the average (transformed) sentence is 9% longer among Black defendants than among White ones; then the overall disparity would be 9%. Now suppose that among defendants assigned to Judge J, average sentences were 20% longer for Black than White defendants; then the judge-specific raw disparity would be 20%.

The judge-level estimated disparity that results from the kind of model the authors use is a weighted average of the overall disparity and the judge-specific raw disparity. So in our example, the estimated disparity for Judge J would be a weighted average of 9% (overall disparity) and 20% (judge-specific raw disparity). What are the weights used to form this average? They depend on the variance across judges in the true judge-specific disparity and the residual variance of individual sentences  the variance that is unassociated with factors that the model indicates help explain variation in sentences.

The greater the residual variance, the less weight will be put on the judge-specific raw disparity. This is whats known as the shrinkage property of mixed models  they shrink the weight placed on judge-specific raw disparities in order to reduce the noisiness of the models estimated disparity for each judge. (I noted this property in a follow-up tweet to part of my thread.)

However, all else equal, greater residual variance also means that variation in judge-specific raw disparities will be more driven by randomness in the composition of judges caseload. Because these raw disparities contribute to the model-estimated disparity, residual variance creates a luck-of-the-draw effect in the mode estimates: a judge who happens to have been assigned 40 Black defendants convicted of very serious offenses and 40 White defendants convicted of less serious ones will have a high raw disparity due to this luck factor, and that will be transmitted to the models estimate disparity.

How important this effect of residual variance is context-sensitive. The key relevant factors are likely to be the numbers of cases assigned to each judge for each racial group and the size of residual variance relative to the size of variance across judges in true judge-level disparities.

As I wrote in my Twitter thread, I used the authors posted code and data to determine that Hon. C. Darnell Jones II, the judge named by the authors as the Most Discriminatory, had a total of 103 cases with Black (non-Hispanic) defendants, 37 cases with Hispanic defendants, and 67 with White defendants. Hon. Timothy J. Savage, the judge named as the second Most Discriminatory, sentenced 155 Black (non-Hispanic) defendants included in the estimation, 58 Hispanic defendants, and 93 White defendants. These dont strike me as very large numbers of observations, which is another way of saying that Im concerned residual variance may play a substantial role in driving the model-estimated disparities for these judges.

My replication of the authors model shows that true judge-specific disparities in the treatment of Blacks and Whites have an estimated variance of 0.055, whereas the estimated residual variance is nearly 30 times higher  1.59 for a single defendant. For a judge who sentenced 40 Black and 40 White defendants, this would mean that residual variance would be 2(1.59)/40~0.08  which is larger than the 0.055 estimated variance in true judge-level disparity. Its more complicated to assess the pattern for judges with different numbers of defendants by race, but I would not be surprised if the residual variance component is roughly the same size as the variance in judge-level effects.

In other words, even given the effect of shrinkage, I suspect that bad luck in terms of the draw of defendants might well be quite important in driving the judge-specific estimates the authors provide. Even leaving aside the missing-data problem, I think that makes the authors choice to name individual judges as Most Discriminatory problematic.

Another issue is that the judge-specific estimated disparity (remember, this is the models output, formed by taking the weighted average of overall and judge-specific raw disparities) is itself only an estimate, and thus a random variable. Thus if one picked a judge at random from the authors data, it would be inappropriate to assume that the estimated disparity for that judge was the true value. To compare the judge-specific estimated disparity to other judges estimated disparities, or to some absolute standard, would require one to take into account the randomness in estimated disparity. The authors do not report any such estimates. Nor does the replication code they posted along with their data indicate that they calculated standard errors of the judge-specific estimated disparities. There is no indication that I can find in either the code or the paper that they investigated this issue before posting their preprint.

(4) The many-draws problem. Consider a simple coin toss experiment. We take a fair coin and flip it 150 times. Roughly 98% of the time, this experiment will yield a heads share of 41.6% or greater (in other words, 41.6% is the approximate 2nd percentile for a fair coin flipped 150 times). So if we flipped a fair coin once, it would be quite surprising to observe a heads share of 41.6% or lower. But now imagine we take 760 fair coins and flip each of them 150 times. Common sense suggests it would be a lot less surprising to observe some really low heads shares, because were repeating the experiment many times.

To illustrate this point, I used a computer to do a simulation of exactly the just-described experiment  760 fair coins each flipped 150 times. In this single meta-experiment I found that there were 13 coins with heads shares of less than 41.6%, just under two percent of the 760 coins, roughly as expected. Given that we know all 760 coins are fair, it would make no sense to say that the most biased coin is coin number 561, even though in my meta-experiment it had the lowest heads share (36.7%, more than 3 standard deviations below the mean). We know the coin is fair; its just that we did 760 multi-toss experiments, and with that much randomness were going to see some things that would be very unlikely with only one experiment.

Leaving aside differences across judges in the number of cases heard, this is not that different from what the authors approach entails. If all judges had the same number of sentences, then theyd all have the same weights on their raw disparities, and so differences across judges would be entirely due to variation in those raw disparities. If the residual variance component of these raw disparities is substantial (see above), then computing judge-specific model-estimated disparities for each of 760 judges would involve an important component related to idiosyncratic variation. Taking the most extreme out of 760 model-estimated disparities is a lot like focusing on coin number 561 in my illustrative experiment above.

Another way to say this is that even if there were zero judge-specific disparity  even if all judges were perfectly fair  we might not be surprised to see substantial variation in the authors model-estimated disparities.

Now, its not really the case that all judges gave the same number of sentences, so theres definitely some heterogeneity due to shrinkage as discussed above, which complicates the simpler picture I just painted for illustrative purposes. But I suspect there is still a nontrivial many-tosses problem here. Note that this is really an instance of a problem sometimes referred to as multiple testing in various statistics literatures; as responders to my Twitter thread noted, one place it comes up is in attempts to measure teachers value added in education research, and another is in ranking hospitals and/or physicians. In other words, this isnt a problem Ive made up or newly discovered.

* * *

In sum, I think the paper has several serious problems. I do not think anyone should use its reported findings as a basis for deciding which judges are discriminatory, or how much. This is as true for people who lack confidence in the fairness of the system as for any people who doubt there is discrimination. In other words, the criticisms I offer do not require one to believe federal criminal sentencing is pure and fair. These criticisms are about the quality of the data and the analysis.

I want to make one final point, as I did in my Twitter thread. Like the authors of the study, I believe that PACER should be made available to researchers. Indeed, I recently have written a whole paper taking that position. But I am very concerned about the impact of their work on that prospect. The work involves problematic methods and choices and then calls out individual judges for shaming. In my experience theres nontrivial opposition to data openness within the federal judiciary, and I fear this paper will only harden it.

August 9, 2021 at 09:50 PM | Permalink

Comments

Apologies that I accidentally initially posted this on a closeby entry in this blog. Admitting that I am no econometrician, I am very confused about all this. So far as I could tell from the online discussion, the two counterfactuals various people have mentioned are (a) there's no bias in sentencing, and (b) all judges are equally biased. Option (a) seems to have been dispensed with already in the literature? So the "worst" case scenario (in the sense of this new paper being wrong) is that people want to argue that all judges are equally racially discriminatory? If that's the case, why are we not doing something about it? Or why isn't someone using a better method on this data to identify the discriminatory judges?



Posted by: Idont Thinkso | Aug 9, 2021 10:20:12 PM

No response yet I guess. I'll check back regularly to see when White Academia decides it wants to answer this one.

Posted by: Idont Thinkso | Aug 9, 2021 11:39:38 PM

Just checking in one more time to see if a white academic, especially any white academic whining about methodology, can reply with either (1) your unequivocal claim that there are not racially discriminatory judges, or (2) your admission that there might be or ARE, along with your accounting of what you are doing to address it. Yes, you.

Posted by: Idont Thinkso | Aug 10, 2021 12:55:19 AM

Ok my last word on this. Your stance, Mr Gelbart, is that theres not enough data to determine which judges are discriminatory and since people of color have waited forever and still dont have that data, we should keep waiting because any second judges will for sure make the data public and then everything will be fine. That sounds like the helpful suggestion of a white man with a nearly $400k public salary.

Posted by: Idont Thinkso | Aug 10, 2021 1:51:17 AM

What a lot of dense gabble.

Better: A Hall of Shame on the site. As the Marines say, "kick a-- and take names..." (per the late, brilliant F. Lee Bailey): Federal Judge Linda Reade of Iowa. The late Milton Shadur before whom, for some inexplicable reason, landed the case of his fellow Chicago committeeman from the distant past, Fast Eddy Vrdolyak, and who warranted a pat on the wrist and a sentence of next-to-nothing.Nice way to make millions and keep millions.



Surely each of our district courts has a share of these incandescently power- or sentence-mad judges, applying the "Guidelines (how rich!) irrespective of color...Jews, of course will suffer harsh punishment; they've got that Shylock legacy to live down. Label someone a "kingpin" (one who in reality resides in a shack in some pauperized rural community), or a black "gangbanger" and they're done for. Judges like labels to justify imposing near lifelong sentences then go home, get soused and contribute a few nickels to charitable institutions.

Who are these judges meting out sentences anyway? They're people in glass houses appointed via connections. Some family member had connection and made substantial donations. The appointer has little or no interest in whether the candidate is just plain dumb, meds-addicted, or crazy. For these latter three, I'll forego the naming.

Posted by: Brenda Rossini | Aug 10, 2021 9:05:43 AM

Idont Thinkso: I am not able to speak for Prof Gelbach, but I am able to say that lots of academics (of all colors) have been researching and writing about racial biases in sentencing for many, many decades. Many modern sentencing reform efforts --- from the creation of sentencing guidelines to the development and use of risk algorithms --- have been prompted or justified as a means to try to reduce or eliminate racial and other biases in sentencing. (Other biases of concern range from gender to socio-economic status to geography to other factors.) I could do literally thousands of blog posts on all the papers written about racial biases in sentencing.

The concern with this new paper is not that it seeks to explore which judges might sentence with the most racial disparity --- it is that the data and methods used to explore this question are opaque and questionable. By definition, there must be a set of legal academic among 10,000 lawprofs who are the "most stupidist" or "most racist in how they grade." If I were to announce I used a new data formula to determine that Prof. Thinkso and Prof Smyth and Prof Alexander were the "most stupidist" and "most racist," wouldn't you have some questions about my data formula? Should economists be trying to list the most discriminatory law professors without concern for how the list is created?

One reason this paper is getting attention is because there rightly is persistent concern about racial disparity in sentencing, but calling out certain persons for being "most discriminatory" using unclear data risks complicating efforts to address wisely this persistent problem. Indeed, I fear this kind of work risks reinforcing the view that this is a "bad apples" problem far more than structural --- e.g., this study uses the sentencing guidelines as a key factors in the analysis, but the racist crack-powder disparity (and many others) are baked into the guidelines. Similarly, racially-skewed work by prosecutors and defense attorneys are also a huge problem in our CJ system, but a focus on judges risks distorting our undertanding of all the sentencing decisions made before a judge gets to actually impose a sentence.

I appreciated your engagement, Idont Thinkso, but I would be interested to know if you think potentially statistically inaccurate identification of the "most discriminatory" judges helpfully advances the conversation. Perhaps problematic discussion of racial disparity is worse than no discussion at all, but getting this done accurately seems really important to me.

Posted by: Doug Berman | Aug 10, 2021 9:55:42 AM

Glad we now have it in writing that you are more comfortable accepting sentencing disparities than a potential false positive. (cf the multiple speculatory I suspects and whatnot in the post.

Posted by: Idont Thinkso | Aug 10, 2021 10:10:14 AM

And now it seems were back to your judges arent the problem. Ive got news for you: they are certainly part of the problem (the literature exists) but you are more willing to brush it aside because it threatens your comfort and your ivory tower. Would love to hear you say fair point but I suspect I wont get the satisfaction. Im done here.

Posted by: Idont Thinkso | Aug 10, 2021 10:16:02 AM

Last thing: thank you SO much for the lesson on the history of and loci of sentencing disparities. No possibly way that it could be a subject I also know something about.

Posted by: Idont Thinkso | Aug 10, 2021 10:26:44 AM

Working backward in response to your three latest comments, Idont Thinkso:

1. I do not know what you know because you have not indicated who you are. I welcome hearing more about your background on this important topic and about whatever work you have done to identify the sources of sentencing disparities.

2. I am not saying in any way judges are not "part of the problem," I am saying that we need to be clear and accurate when seeking to figure out which ones are the biggest problem AND also not forget all the other parts of the problems. Notably, I am hosting another professor (Christopher Slobogan) blogging about his new book based on his view that judges are such a big part of the problem that we ought to be comfortable relying a lot more on "just algorithms." Yet others say these algorithms are racially biased worse than judges. This is a critical topic worthy of extended debate with nothing brushed aside --- but we need to try to have our data (and semantics) clear and accurate along the way.

3. If Judges A, B and C are contributing to very worst racialized sentencing disparities, and a report comes out wrongly identifying Judges X, Y and Z are the "most discriminatory judges," it will be even harder to identify and correct the racial problems that Judges A, B and C are producing (and that X, Y and Z might also have some lesser role in). In other words, false positives can directly CONTRIBUTE to allowing key people to be "more comfortable accepting sentencing disparities." I get your eagerness to rail against anyone you think may be defending the "most discriminatory" federal sentencing judges, but I am first eager to make sure that were are accurately identifying the "most discriminatory" federal sentencing judges.

Posted by: Doug Berman | Aug 10, 2021 12:32:05 PM

Yup, got it. God forbid society tags the 50th most racist, or even the LEAST racist (but still biased). What really matters is if judges get their accurate racism rating. To hell with the people getting sentenced. Your null assumption seems to be "a judge is not racist" but why on God's Green Earth would that be? Thank you for demonstrating exactly how structural racism works.

Posted by: Idont Thinkso | Aug 10, 2021 12:38:43 PM

Well, Idont Thinkso, we could require that judges sentence everyone convicted of a felony to death with no discretion at all --- or abolish sentencing altogether --- if we think it inevitable that any and all exercises of judicial discretion will always be so racist that any and all other sentencing values and interests should be secondary to trying to identify and eliminate racial biased judges. Certainly some people seem to view policing and prisons and maybe all of criminal law as inherently so racists that we should abolish the enterprise altogether. If one views the sentencing enterprise as unavoidably coursing with racists judges whose racism eclipses all other sentencing concerns, I suppose I understand why you would not worry too much about the least racist judge being wrongly labeled the most racist (and/or the most racist being wrongly labeled the least racist). Are you making an abolish judicial sentencing pitch? Do you embrace Prof Slobogan's arguments that we'd do much better on this front with sentencing by algorithm?

I tend to think all discretionary decision-makers are subject to an array of conscious and subconscious biases -- that is, my null assumption is that everyone is somewhat racist (and somewhat sexist and natavist and anti-semetic and anti-LBGTQIA and so on). But even with that perspective, I think INACCURATE assessments of racism can readily undercut efforts to do better both for criminal defendants and the entire system. In this context, for example, defendants might look to recuse certain senior judges named as "most racist" by the paper --- if effective (and I do think senior judges may be likely to recuse if asked), the replacement active judge could prove to be, in fact, "more racist" than the senior judge pushed aside. And, of course, any claim that the new judge was actually more racist would be defeated by this possibly flawed study.

As a related follow-up question, I wonder if you think the 1000+ sentencing judges NOT singled out by the study as among the "most discriminatory" federal sentencing judges are likely to feel more or less confident about their current sentencing practices after seeing this study? I suspect they generally feel more confident thinking they are "the good guys" since they are not named on this list. But I doubt you would be eager to endorse nearly all federal judges now feeling emboldened about their existing sentencing practices if you think they are all somewhat racist and all should be working to do a lot better. It is one think to say we need to pay more attention to racial bias in sentencing, but strange to say we should do so by embracing and championing potentially inaccurate approaches to identifying the most biased judges (while reifying structural and personal racism elsewhere).

Posted by: Douglas Berman | Aug 10, 2021 2:51:56 PM

In light of Dr. Gelbach's helpful comments, the paper no longer reports judge-specific estimates. See a summary of the changes here: https://twitter.com/SmithChristianM/status/1427784600869171207

Posted by: Christian S | Aug 18, 2021 11:35:22 AM

I am puzzled that the authors of the study (none of whom appears to have any actual knowledge of or experience in federal sentencing practices) do not acknowledge in their retraction the unanimous reaction of practicing lawyers in the Districts of the (formerly) named "most discriminatory" judges, that these three judges are not by any means more racist in their decisions than other district judges. Such reactions by experienced private practitioners were quoted in the ALM stories, and were elaborated a couple of days later in a detailed statement by the public defender's office. I realize that subjective reactions could be disproven and shown to be fallacious by valid statistical analysis. But questionable statistics can be just as legitimately called into doubt by the unanimous reactions of those with actual, individualized experience appearing before those judges. I am no statistician, but I knew the minute I read about the study and its results that there had to be something deeply wrong with its methodology, given the plainly inapt names that rose to the "top" in its Hall of Shame.

Posted by: Peter Goldberger | Aug 18, 2021 8:52:13 PM

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LONDON (AP)  When global health officials created COVAX, a U.N.-backed effort to share coronavirus vaccines, it was supposed to guarantee the worlds most vulnerable people could get doses without being at the mercy of unreliable donations.
"The letters took about a week to get back and forth. We didn't know if we were every going to meet each other," Moss said. "I called over to the hospital and asked if they could have visitors, and, they said, 'Oh, yes.'"

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Moss traveled five or six miles to the hospital and spent part of the day with Stevens, who was touched that Moss took the time to visit him. He almost couldn't fathom the fact that he was face to face with someone from Sioux City, being that he was more than 8,000 miles from home.

"To have somebody from Sioux City, Iowa, come to visit you, it was almost like family," Stevens said.

Moss said he tried to make another trip to the hospital before Stevens was released, but he said the bridge was closed off, so he couldn't cross over. Stevens returned to the states. He said he received a steak dinner from the military, but no counseling services. He repressed his feelings and tried to forget the war.

"When I got back to the United States and I was laying on a bench in Denver, two policemen came up to me and, with their baton, hit the bottom of my feet, and said, 'Get the hell out of my airport.' That was my welcome home," Stevens recalled. "Nobody appreciated us, so, when I got home, I took off my uniform, never talked about it again and, basically, just tried to forget everything that took place."
Khalid and his family were unable to get inside the airport where the Taliban controlled the entrances. He was widely known because of his position as police chief in southern Afghanistans Helmand province and from television appearances, including one in which he challenged the Taliban to a fight, supporters said.

Green said he was incredibly happy ... elated, when he learned that Khalid and his family were safe, noting that some of his American rescuers had worked alongside Khalid, which he called serendipitous.

McCreary said multiple allies, including the British, helped, and that Khalid, his wife and their four sons, ages 3 to 12, were safe in an undisclosed location under the protection of the United States.

Officials said other Afghan partners, including police and military, also deserved to be saved and that more rescue efforts were in progress, but they could not discuss details.

Khalid's friends said he had no intention of leaving Afghanistan, and planned to stand with his countrymen to defend his homeland after U.S. forces were gone. But the government collapsed with stunning speed, and the president fled the country.
Today is Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021. Let's get caught up.

Here are today's top stories, celebrity birthdays and a look back at this date in history:

TOP STORIES

Biden: Troops will stay in Afghanistan to evacuate Americans

WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden said he is committed to keeping U.S. troops in Afghanistan until every American is evacuated, even if that means maintaining a military presence there beyond his Aug. 31 deadline for withdrawal.

Biden also pushed back against criticism that the U.S. should have done more to plan for the evacuation and withdrawal, which has been marked by scenes of violence and chaos as thousands attempted to flee while the Taliban advanced.

In an interview Wednesday with ABC News George Stephanopoulos, Biden said the U.S. will do everything in our power to evacuate Americans and U.S. allies from Afghanistan before the deadline.

***

EPA bans pesticide linked to health problems in children
BOISE, Idaho (AP)  County officials in Idaho have agreed to pay $350,000 to four former jail nurses to settle a lawsuit alleging they were discriminated against because they are women.

The women  Tracy Johnson, Toni Krieter, Rene Whitneck and Linda Ellis  were four of the five nurses working at the Canyon County Jail when they sued in U.S. District Court in 2019. The fifth nurse, a man, was paid more than all of them, according to the lawsuit.

In the lawsuit against Canyon County, county officials and jail healthcare contractor VitalCore Health Strategies LLC, the women said they were denied equal compensation based on their sex even though they had similar or more experience than their male counterpart and performed essentially the same jobs.

The male nurse had six years of experience and was making more than $31 an hour, according to the court document. The women were all making around $23 and $24 an hour, even though two of them had 15 years of experience and one of them had 20 years of experience.

Canyon County denied the allegations and asked a judge to reject the lawsuit, contending in part that the women failed to follow county policy in reporting discrimination.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP)  Hillsborough and Miami-Dade counties became the third and fourth school districts in Florida to adopt stricter mask mandates Wednesday, a day after school boards in Broward and Alachua counties faced threats of severe penalties for defying Gov. Ron DeSantis administration.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP)  Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds lashed out at President Joe Biden Thursday after he ordered his education secretary to explore possible legal action against states including Iowa that have blocked school mask mandates and other public health measures meant to protect students against COVID-19.

Reynolds in May signed a law that Republican legislators sent her that bans local school boards from implementing mask mandates. Several other Republican governors, including those in Arizona, Florida, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Utah, have similar policies that Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said could amount to discrimination if they lead to unsafe conditions that prevent students from attending school.

Cardona sent a letter to Reynolds on Wednesday that informed her that her actions may infringe upon a school districts authority to adopt policies to protect students and educators.

Reynolds, who was a Donald Trump supporter, reacted angrily toward Biden when asked about the letter by reporters on Thursday.
Rasmussen said Thursday that she and her clients are investigating how the testing contracts were signed, the validity of the testing and the unprecedented use of political connections and political power in pushing these projects forward.

Reynolds has said that she decided to copy Utahs drive-thru testing program after receiving a tip from Iowa-born actor Ashton Kutcher, who was friends with a software executive working on it.

Iowa signed an emergency $26 million contract with Nomi Health in April 2020 to obtain 540,000 coronavirus tests, which were produced by Utah-based Co-Diagnostics. Utah tech firms Domo and Qualtrics also worked on parts of the program, which has since changed to at-home testing and currently faces a backlog for kits.

Nomi Health has been paid more than $35 million in all, according to Iowas online checkbook.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP)  The economy continues to grow in rural parts of 10 Plains and Western states , according to a new monthly survey of bankers in the region, but some bankers in the region are worried that worsening drought could threaten their operations.

The overall Rural Mainstreet economic index dropped slightly in August to 65.3 from Julys 65.6. Any score above 50 suggests a growing economy, while a score below 50 suggests a shrinking economy.

The survey showed nearly 16% of bankers believe that continuing drought conditions are the greatest threat to their banking operations over the next year. More than 40% of bank CEOs see low farm loan demand  due to strong farm finances, according to the report  as their banks greatest challenge over the next year.

Bankers were less optimistic about the economy over the next six months than the previous month, with August's confidence index dropping to 59.7 from July's 65.6.
The department has the authority to investigate any state educational agency whose policies or actions may infringe on the rights of every student to access public education equally," Cardona said in a statement. He added that states banning mask mandates are needlessly placing students, families and educators at risk.

The agencys Office for Civil Rights can issue a range of sanctions up to a total loss of federal education funding in cases of civil rights violations.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has pressed ahead with a ban on school mask requirements, and the states education officials are now weighing whether to withhold salaries of some superintendents that have defied the order. Texas and at least six other states have instituted similar prohibitions.

The state policies run counter to guidance from the from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which recommends universal mask wearing for students and teachers in the classroom. In its guidance, the CDC cited the spread of the highly contagious delta variant.

Biden indicated last week that he believes he does not personally have the authority to overturn the policies, but he pleaded with Republican governors to reconsider their prohibitions. If they wont help, he urged them to at least get out of the way.
Five Norris school board members are facing a recall effort after the board voted to require masks for students from pre-kindergarten to sixth grade.

Conan Thomas, of Hickman, filed for recall petitions last week against Rhonda Burbach, Patty Bentzinger, Jim Craig, Jim Devine and Gary Kubicek, calling the district's mask mandate "unwarranted" and "in violation of (parents') freedoms."

The Norris board approved the new policy in a 4-1 vote at an emergency meeting Aug. 6, a day after the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department issued new guidance that said schools "shall require" students ages 2-12 to wear masks indoors.

Craig Gana, the lone member not targeted in the recall effort, was the only one to oppose requiring masks. Kubicek was not present at the meeting.

That decision drew many to the board's next meeting Aug. 11, where speakers criticized the mandate. The board, however, did not take up the policy and made no motions to reverse it.

Thomas argues that residents of the Norris school district, the campus of which lies about 12 miles south of Lincoln, do not vote for the mayor of Lincoln, who appoints the director of the county-city Health Department.
PIERRE, S.D. (AP)  The South Dakota Board of Regents says nothing but mandating curriculum is off the table when it comes to retooling diversity centers at state colleges.

The regents' general counsel, Nathan Lukkes, addressed questions from the Legislature's Joint Appropriations Committee.

The main goal of the Regents initiative is to rethink how the system addresses student success, Lukkes told committee members Wednesday.

I want to be very clear in saying that were not talking about ignoring student success or doing a disservice to the needs of various students that we have coming in, but rather that were going to approach things more holistically, look at every student as an individual, and address the individual needs or challenges of the student and not make assumptions or categorize based on generalities or membership in a particular class or group, Lukkes said.

Schools have until the board's October meeting to figure out a plan to implement the Opportunity for All initiative.
Tucked away in President Biden and the Democrats multi-trillion dollar tax-and-spend proposal are tax hikes that will have an adverse impact on our agriculture community.

For the past few months, I have been drawing attention to these tax hikes -- including proposals to cap stepped-up basis and like-kind exchanges. As a former chair of the Iowa Senate Ways and Means Committee, I have seen the incredible economic potential that comes with cutting taxes. Unfortunately, Bidens changes to stepped-up basis and like-kind exchanges would take us in the opposite direction. His plan would raise taxes on Iowa farmers and main street business owners, harming our rural economy at a time when we need to remain focused on recovery and revitalization.

Changing or repealing stepped-up basis is the equivalent of taking the death tax and slapping on a new coat of paint. If stepped-up basis provisions are changed or altogether eliminated, individuals would have to pay hefty capital gains taxes if, for example, a farmer passes away and wants to hand over their operation to a family member. This is one of the top concerns I hear about from folks as I travel the 4th District. At a recent Farm Bureau town hall I attended in Palo Alto County, I met a 6th generation farmer who is concerned he will not be able to take over the family farm due to Bidens plan to change stepped-up basis.
Back to the drunk tank

A Sioux City man was arrested Aug. 13 on charges that he drove with a blood alcohol content more than twice the legal limit, lied to police officers, had a barred driver's license and did not have a court-mandated ignition interlock device in his vehicle.

At around 11:35 p.m. Aug. 13, Sioux City Police officers conducted a traffic stop on a 2003 Chevrolet Suburban at the 1200 block of West 14th Street in Sioux City, for failure to dim its headlamps, according to a criminal complaint.

The driver of the vehicle, 47-year-old Valantine Hetiback of Sioux City, exhibited signs of impairment -- the odor of alcohol and red or watery eyes. He also admitted he'd been drinking. He subsequently failed field sobriety tests.

Hetiback lied to police officers "multiple times" when asked for his identity, according to the criminal complaint. He gave them names including Kaich Joseph and Kalisto Joseph.

Eventually his true identity was discovered, and officers found his driver's license was barred, with four withdrawals in effect.
David S. Saurman

Remembering Dave Saurman

In 2002, the Economics Department not only lost an esteemed colleague and dear friend, but students lost an inspirational teacher. Dave was a superior economist who taught his students solid positive economics not ideology. When he wasn't in the classroom demanding the most from his students, he was on a sunny bench entertaining all with anecdotes.

Dave was a consummate raconteur. Along with his students, he created the Barstool Economist group. The tradition of faculty, guest speakers, and students meeting at a local pub, continues to this day. In his memory, the Department dedicated the Provocative Lecture Series as a memorial. Dave was known for being an individualist: a man who didn't mold his choices to the will of the politically correct. He combined a provocative nature with good will and humor.

The Department also established the David S. Saurman, Most Valuable Player of the Department perpetual plaque. Each year, winners in the Faculty/Staff and Student categories receive an engraved glass beer stein. The award is not for professional scholarship or grade point average. It is for the contribution made to the quality of life in the department. As Dave liked to say, We maximize utility, not dollars.

A Short Biography

After graduating from Albion College in December, 1973, Dr. Saurman worked unloading railroad cars and loading trucks, as a roofer, and briefly as a stagehand/setup/gopher for Jimmy Buffett's (then largely unknown) Coral Reefer Band in New Orleans, Louisianna. Married in May, 1974 to Marcia L. Youngdahl, he entered graduate school in September, 1974, receiving a Ph.D. in Economics in May, 1979 with acceptance of his doctoral dissertation A Transactions Demand for Foreign Exchange, directed by Professor Thomas R. Saving.

In September, 1979 he accepted a position on the Economics faculty at Auburn University. In 1987, he joined the Economics faculty at San Jose State University where he was promoted to Professor of Economics in August, 1999 and was employed at the time of his death. Eight of his undergraduate students have progressed, or will progress, to earn a Ph.D. in Economics.

Dr. Saurman was published in such scholarly journals as the Journal of Law and Economics, The Review of Economics and Statistics, Economic Inquiry, Public Choice, Applied Economics, the Southern Economic Journal, the Journal of Forensic Economics, and the Journal of Money, Credit, and Banking. He has presented numerous research papers at the annual meetings of the American Economic Association, Southern Economic Association, and Western Economic Association International.

He said that he was influenced, both professionally and personally, in the most positive of fashions by fellow Economists and his colleagues in the Economics Department. However, he always claimed that he learned the most important things from Marcia Saurman.

Publications
More than two years have passed since the New York State Legislature approved congestion pricing for New York City, a policy to charge drivers entering the Manhattan core. Little has happened in the interim. Though many office workers have not returned, the streets are once again jammed with personal carsflustering local businesses, slowing ambulances, and filling the streets with exhaust.

Earlier this week, the Metropolitan Transportation Authoritythe agency that would run the congestion pricing program and direct its revenue toward mass transitannounced that the tolls would require another 16 months of environmental review. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio responded, Thats ridiculous. If they want to know the environmental impact, Ill tell them: It will reduce congestion, it will reduce pollution.

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The mayors logic will sound familiar to anyone who has followed the construction of an American mass transit project, where you practically have to pulp a California redwood just to print the environmental impact statement required by the National Environmental Policy Act. When Bay Area Rapid Transit General Manager Bob Powers said earlier this year that it would take a billion dollars to get through the environmental review to build a second subway tunnel beneath San Francisco Bay, that sounded sadly believable. BART board member Rebecca Saltzman clarified that figure includes all planning for the tunnel, but she said the point remains valid: When [these laws] were written, the focus was on water quality and wildlife habitat, and now we need to look at everything through the lens of climate change.

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Instead, on the eve of a once-in-a-generation federal investment in infrastructure, the environmental review process for big projects is totally unfit for the task at hand. Transportation is the countrys largest source of carbon emissions, but ideas that aim to reduce dependence on planes, cars, and trucks have even more trouble gaining environmental approval than highways. The result: delays and high costs that perpetuate the dominance of ice capmelting SUVs in American transportation policy.

In July, the Eno Center for Transportation published a study on the problems with American mass transit construction. The analysis of 180 projects here and abroad found that U.S. projects cost 50 percent more and take 18 months longer to conclude than similar projects abroad. (If you so much as include projects in the New York region, the nations largest transit ridership hub, the premium for underground building rises to 250 percent of our peers.)

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Environmental reviews are part of the problem, the report concludes. American transit builders use environmental reviews as an opportunity to plan routes and engage with the community, transforming what might be a cut-and-dried assessment into an interminable back-and-forth. In Seattle, for example, the final environmental impact statement for Sound Transits East Link light rail project included a study of what it would be like to build 24 alternative routes! Planning 24 projects to build one helps guard against lawsuits, but it is also an enormous waste of time, talent, and money.

A transit agency is designed to operate transit, not build transit projects, said Paul Lewis, the Eno Centers director of policy. And then once a decade we tell all the staff, Go ahead and build a $3 billion megaproject. Theres not necessarily the support or staff in that agency.

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Ideas that aim to reduce dependence on planes, cars, and trucks have even more trouble gaining environmental approval than highways.

In Northern Virginia, for example, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority is constructing the Silver Line extension, connecting D.C.s Metro to Dulles Airport and communities west of the city. The MWAA has never built a major capital project beyond the confines of the airports it controls. It has help from the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation, which has 65 professional staff. By contrast, the Virginia Department of Transportation, which builds the states highways, has more than 7,500 professional staff.

Engineers on highway projects, it was very methodical, Lewis summed up. In contrast, folks who work on transit projects talk about environmental review like they talk about a murder mystery. A twist lurks around every corner.

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Other countries have tried to correct for this imbalance by favoring ideas whose big-picture environmental benefits are self-evident. In 2008, for example, the Canadian province of Ontario created a faster environmental review for transit that doesnt require analyzing alternatives. That procedure assumes its up to the transit agency to pick the best route before the environmental analysis begins. After all, most transit projectsunlike highwaysrun through areas that are already densely settled and have a lot of drivers who can be converted into riders.

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In the U.S., theres no such special treatment. Instead, the big-picture environmental reason to invest in transitto reduce greenhouse gas emissionswas not even part of NEPA assessments until 2016 (before being watered down by President Donald Trump, and reinstated by President Joe Biden).

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Highway projects derive a few advantages from this arrangement beyond their supervisors superior technical expertise. For one thing, highways are so much a part of the status quo that their logic is seldom questioned. In Austin, Texas, for example, the citys planned transit expansion has a $300 million budget line to fight displacement that happens as an indirect consequence of construction. Theres no such obligation for the $5 billion state project to widen Interstate 35.

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Environmental reviews may dissuade state DOTs from trying to pave over pristine ecosystems, but they pose little challenge for typical highways. And the ease with which highways get funded and constructed, observes Joe Cortright at the think tank City Observatory in Portland, Oregon, makes it harder in turn for transit to prove its success.

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Consider Portlands own freeway expansion project, which would add lanes to Interstate 5 in the citys Rose Quarter neighborhood. The state says the project will lower local air pollution because cars will move faster through the neighborhood. But those models are predicated on the assumption that more and more people will drive regardlessin fact, this increased travel is the very outcome that freeway widening ensures.

Its not just transit that gets hurt by these faulty assumptions. For years, traffic engineers have been asked to weigh in on how, say, a new apartment building will affect level of service, or in laymans terms, traffic. New buildings in dense neighborhoods obviously score poorly on this metric, which favors low-density, greenfield constructioneven though sprawl certainly produces more driving, in the end, than apartments near downtown. This hyperlocal impact is often invoked by neighbors to block new housing under state environmental law, an approach that misses the forest for the trees, sometimes literally.

In 2020, California decided to exempt sustainable local transportation projects from undergoing analysis under the California Environmental Quality Act for the next four years. Federal NEPA rules still apply, but its not hard to imagine such a policy being established nationally. As the Eno report demonstrates, there are plenty of problems with the way this country builds transit, but clear-cutting forests, polluting waterways, and paving over sensitive bird habitats are not among them.
Pay Dirt is Slates money advice column. Have a question? Send it to Athena and Elizabeth here. (Its anonymous!)

Dear Pay Dirt,

My wife and I have been together since high school and have three kids. We both went to our own respective trade schools after high school back in 2008 and finished around the same timein a decimated economy and job market. She struggled to find work, and I had a job lined up before I even finished. From then on I held steady work and paid my bills, including paying off my student loans and car, and helping her pay off her two cars (one was totaled). My wife didnt work until 2011, before finally getting a professional job in 2014 that has nothing to do with her schooling. She didnt pay her student loanshe put it on deferment until she couldnt anymore, and as far as I was aware, she had started making payments in 2016.

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When we tried to get a car loan earlier this year, I found out she hasnt been paying her student loan and has severe delinquency remarks. When I confronted her, she said she believed Biden was going to pay it off and stopped making payments and also she feels like she doesnt have to pay it back because she never got a job in her field of study. She is now demanding I make her student loan payments for her! I am so confused at how careless and irresponsible she is acting. Ive never been selfish with my money: I pay the entire rent and the utilities, and she has full access to all my accounts and never questioned any of it. Now Im questioning if I should make a personal account and only give her what she needs. I dont want to be like that, but what would you do?

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Disappointed Husband

Dear Disappointed Husband,

There are millions of Americans stuck with loans they cant pay off for reasons that have nothing to do with irresponsibility, but that doesnt seem to be your wifes situation. If her student loans are government-issued and not private, lenders will generally work with borrowers to create payment plans that are affordable, given their income. So your wife should be able to make her own payments, since she presumably still has a job. Its possible that the Biden administration cancels her student debt, but thats not something she should be banking on in the meantime. A default can ruin her credit, and it will take a long time to build it back.

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Im also a little floored that shes putting this on you. Its not your debt, and not your responsibility. Its not clear from your letter whether this kind of thing is typical of your wife, so this could be a discussion about one issueher student loan debtor it could be a larger discussion about whether shes being responsible with the money you consider jointly yours. You should also discuss what your mutual expectations are regarding your ability and willingness to subsidize her expenses and financially support her, which is what youve been doing for a long time now. And thats really the larger issue here. She thinks shes entitled to having you pay off her loans, and you have to decide whether thats acceptable.

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Dear Pay Dirt,

Through lack of planning and likely not wanting to come to terms with her own mortality, my mothers life insurance was disbursed to my grandmother (her beneficiary), who was critically ill with Alzheimers. My mother had forgotten to change her beneficiary to her spouse or childrenincluding when she had my severely intellectually disabled sister, when she divorced my father, and when she was diagnosed with a critical illness herself. Having Alzheimers meant that my grandmothers financial affairs were trusted to her power of attorney, my aunt (my mothers sister). Everyone involved recognized that my mother had made a mistake by not changing her beneficiary and that her estate was intended to be passed on to her children. Due to estate laws, they were not able to distribute the funds to us until my grandmothers passing and placed the funds in a trust. My aunt and uncles made us a promise that the money would be distributed to my siblings and me when my grandmothers estate was settled.

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Now it appears that a large part of my mothers life insurance money has gone missing, and my aunt and uncles have reneged on their promise. My siblings and I received less than 10 percent of what we had been promised, and no one wants to give us any explanations other than to say that my mothers estate was legitimately distributed to my grandmother. My aunt ghosted me, and my unclewhom I considered a close friendhas blocked me on social media after my brother and me inquired about the estate. Im left heartbroken, not just at feeling abandoned by my aunt and uncle, but by the sudden loss of relationships with people I felt close to and who helped me grieve my mothers death. Its also bringing up complicated feelings related to my mothers passing that I thought I had resolved a long time ago. I feel sad, angry, and alone. I dont even need the money myself, but it would have significantly made a difference for my disabled sister. How do I get past this?

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Also, if anyone ever needed a reminder to keep their affairs in order, or a case study of the mess that is left behind in the wake of poor estate planning, here it is.

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Need Help Processing

Dear Need Help,

The worst part of conflicts around inheritance is that they usually arise when people are already dealing with a devastating situation and trying to process emotions that have nothing to do with the money. Your aunt and uncle are behaving terribly here, and they no doubt understand what your mothers intentions were, even if her life insurance policy doesnt reflect it, and its inexcusable that theyre compounding your grief in this way. But theyve clearly shown you who they really are, not only because they refuse to be transparent about what happened to the money, but because they dont value your relationship enough to be honest about it. Its unsurprising that you feel the way you do.

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In practical terms, if the money was held in a trust specifically designed to ensure that it was disbursed to you and your siblings, there should be some documentation of that detailing the beneficiaries and the scope of the trust. Presumably your aunt and uncles are trustees, and if you can prove that they misappropriated funds, you may be able to petition the court to remove them or order them to pay out whatever they owe you as a beneficiary. But you need to understand what the terms of the trust were. If they refuse to provide you with a copy, you may need to contact an estate attorney. State and local laws vary, but if the trust is irrevocable, you probably have a legal right to see it.

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It also wouldnt hurt to talk to a therapist. Youre grieving, not just for your mother, but for the loss of a relationship you valued with your aunt and uncle. Its perfectly normal to mourn that loss, even aside from the money.

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Dear Pay Dirt,

Should a parent leave both children 50/50 inheritance if one child is incredibly rich and the other child has nothing? The son has $30 million (in addition to $1 million interest yearly), and the daughter only has an IRA for $250,000 and a not-happy marriage. How should inheritance be divided?

Unsure

Dear Unsure,

I wouldnt call $250,000 in an IRA nothing, and I dont think any amount of money is going to fix the problem of your daughters unhappy marriage. Im generally in favor of equal divisions because it eliminates any conflict about whether one child has been favored over another.

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That said, if you feel you should give your daughter more of a financial cushion because she needs it more, its certainly your right to do so. I would, however, suggest that you discuss this proposition with both children and see how they feel about it. I know these are hard conversations to have, and they may not find a consensus about what should be done, but its also not something you want to spring on them after youre gone. If you choose an uneven distribution, you wont be around to explain your decision, and it could harm their relationship with each other. Its also possible that your son will agree that his sister needs the money more, and then you have no conflict or questions about fairness. Regardless, you dont have to just roll the dice here. You can get a sense of what everyone considers fair and reasonable right now.

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Dear Pay Dirt,

My partner and I recently bought a housewell, my partner did. I did all of the house planning, handled the open houses, found the agent, etc, but my partner paid for the house. I was not in a financial position to buy a homeand made that clearbut my partner very much was. (We made sure the mortgage was something my partner could handle financially all on his own in the event that we broke up.) As a result, my name is not on the title to this house. We intend to get married, and when we do, we will put my name on the title.

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I pay rent that contributes to the monthly mortgage, as well as half of the utilities. But we are finding that other house payments can be confusing. I am willing to pay for things that could be mine in the event that we ever arent together anymore, such as furniture. But other paymentswe need a new HVAC system! The plumber!I think he should pay for. After all this is not, in the eyes of the bank, my home. Once my name is on the title, I fully expect to start contributing to all house costs. For now, I think that I should only have to pay for things I would as a renter. How should we handle this financially?

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Not Technically Mine

Dear Not Technically Mine,

I dont blame you for not wanting to pay for things that a renter wouldnt when you dont own any part of the house and have no legal recourse to recoup these funds if your relationship goes south. But if you really do anticipate that youll be a part owner when you get married, and your partner feels you should be contributing to what are essentially investments in the property, he should be willing to hammer out an equity agreement that reflects that and ensures that you get reimbursed for what you put into it in the event that the relationship doesnt make it. Or he can choose to continue to treat you as a renter for financial purposes. In which case, any home improvements you bankroll can potentially be deducted from your rent.

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But your partner shouldnt be able to have it both ways. Either you invest in the house in the same way he does and you have the same potential return on that investment (or at least, the ability to recoup your expenses), or you both agree that it really is his house and not yours until your name is on the deed and if your partnership dissolves, so to speak, its both clear and fair that you walk away with nothing in terms of real estate.

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And think of this as good practice for talking through difficult long-term issues with your partner. If youre considering marriage, youll be having conversations like this anyway. Issues of fairness will come up in other contexts and learning how to navigate them now will be incredibly valuable in the future.

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Elizabeth

Classic Prudie

I recently found out that my husband of five years has been cheating on me for about two years. I kicked him out, got tested, and have started divorce proceedings. This should be pretty cut and dried, but theres a catch. Over the last two years, he has been taking pieces of my jewelry and giving them to his mistresses. Normally I would just call it a wash, since he bought most of the jewelry. But one of the items he swiped was an heirloom necklace passed down from my grandmother. I know which mistress has the necklace because my idiot ex posted pictures of her wearing it on Facebook. I am not sure if I should go confront them myself or call the police, as doing so might risk them destroying the necklaceor if I should instead just speak to my lawyer and hope he can make them bring the necklace back.
Care and Feeding is Slates parenting advice column. In addition to our traditional advice, every Thursday we feature an assortment of teachers from across the country answering your education questions. Have a question for our teachers? Email askateacher@slate.com or post it in the Slate Parenting Facebook group.

My son is going into the eighth grade. He attends a K-8 school where he has been in the same two-class grade with the same group of students for many years. He has never asked me to do this, but this year he wants me to request that he doesnt get put in the same class as Connor. Being in the same class as this student is really challenging for my son. This boy cannot sit still and is constantly talking, tapping his pencil on the table (or throwing it across the table), wiggling his leg up and down, and otherwise moving. My son cannot concentrate when they are assigned to the same table. Every year that he is in class with Connor, my son is insanely annoyed and angry. We have talked about Connor so many times over the years that I really dont want to have to go through another year of hearing about it either.

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When we do discuss Connor, we usually talk about constructive ways to deal with the situation. We have always taken the stance that part of life is finding ways to cope with challenging individuals. That said, I think we are all tired of the same dynamic with this student and my son just cannot imagine another year of being in the same classroom with him. I have never been comfortable asking a request like this from a school, and I believe they dont even take these types of requests. Is it crazy to ask that they dont put them together? I am out of ideas to help my son deal with the constant annoyances that this student brings to the table.

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Enough is Enough

Dear Enough,

Its not crazy to ask that the boys be put in separate classes. Connors behavior is affecting your son emotionally and academically. You should make the request.

You should do it as diplomatically as possible, of course. I would frame Connors behavior issues as struggles he needs to cope with, as in, Connor seems to struggle with sitting still and working quietly. Unfortunately, Connors struggles have had a negative impact on my sons emotional state and academic performance.

You may want to have the struggle conversation with your kid too. Im glad youve discussed constructive ways to cope, but have you taken an empathetic view? Connor has it rough. School is almost certainly extremely challenging for him.

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Anyway, make the request. The administration may or may not grant it, but its worth asking for.

Ms. Scott (high school teacher, North Carolina)

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I have a five-year-old whos ready in every way to start kindergarten this fall except one: He is not potty-trained. Weve been trying for years. Weve gotten overwhelmed, taken breaks, and tried again. Weve tried stickers, bribes, exciting underpants with his favorite characters that he refuses to wear, pretty much everything. Weve had him working on interoception with an occupational therapist, and have made small bits of excitedly celebrated progress that either doesnt stick or plateaus. School starts soon, and my husband and I dont know what to do. Can a kid go to kindergarten still wearing Pull-ups and unable to recognize when he needs to use the toilet? Kindergarten teachers dont change diapers, right? I started to email someone at the school to try to start this conversation, but I wasnt sure who to ask or what exactly I need to be asking for. Its a Title I school that has a lot of resources, but presumably it also has a lot of demand for those resources. Im also asking his pediatrician to see if we need a referral for another type of therapy and/or treatment for anxiety or ADHD (which I strongly suspect he has), but I dont know that anything on that front can happen soon enough.

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I want him in school. He can change wet Pull-ups himself, and we can try to work on having him deal with dirty ones himself, too. Would it be sufficient to work on those skills with him and send him to kindergarten with the stuff he needs to change himself during the day? Will other kids be mocking him later if they remember him starting kindergarten in diapers? Or will being around a class full of kids who use the toilet be a great way to encourage him to use it, too?

We have considered not starting our son in kindergarten (which is not mandatory in our state) until after he has been fully vaccinated against Covid, since my husband is immunocompromised. That would buy us at least a couple more months to work on the toilet issue, but would leave him without much interaction with other kids and limit his progress on the rest of the stuff he should be learning at this age. Any suggestions? Ideas of who to talk to and what to ask for?

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Potty Anxiety

Dear Potty Anxiety,

Good news: Your child is not the first child to enter kindergarten with potty training difficulties. Your child is likely not the only child in his kindergarten class with potty training difficulties. These situations are far more common than you might think.

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As a result, your kindergarten teacher, and likely your school nurse, are experts in this arena and will tell you exactly how to handle your sons needs in preparation for the school year. They want your child in school and will help your son move past these difficulties sooner than later.

Contact your sons teacher and/or the school nurse to alert them of the situation and request some guidance. They will help through the process and likely put your son on a path to glorious potty training excellence well before the end of his kindergarten year. Best of luck as he begins his first year!

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Mr. Dicks (fifth grade teacher, Connecticut)

Our little guy turns 5 seven weeks after the state kindergarten age cutoff. We attempted to waiver him in early through our district and he exceeded all the categories on the rubric except he sorted incorrectly so was denied.

He taught himself to read at 3.5. I promise you we arent pushy flashcard parents. Hes now reading at what I can guess is early second grade level. He also does at least kindergarten level math. He had great behavior in the district preschool program and is familiar and competent with non-academic school skills. He is social and funny and independent. He knows how to line up and wait his turn. He has good small and large motor skills.

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Our older kids principal let us know of a district policy that states that if he attends an accredited kindergarten successfully for 8 weeks he can then enroll in the district. We found an alternative school in a small district within the state, and theyll happily have him start on his fifth birthday. Well teach him at home and check in with a teacher once a week. The alternative school district had him take an assessment and he scored well above the minimum scores for 99th percentile. Hes ready for kindergarten!

With this timeline hell be able to start at local school after winter break. Its a big district, but I am worried the district is going to treat us differently because we are basically using a loophole to get what our kid needs. I already was very vocal when they announced a pre-vaccine return to in-person school when our area was at the height of a COVID surge, so the administration is already familiar with me and my unwillingness to take accept non-committal political answers.

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Do you think my fears are warranted: Will they somehow treat our son or us differently because we found a way around their policies? Do district higher ups holds grudges? Will this insubordination follow us through the rest of their school time?

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We understand early entrance has its positives and negatives. Weve done much research and talked to many teachers that know our kid. We did not waiver in his sister when we had the chance. This decision is right for this kid!

Jumping Through Loopholes

Dear Jumping,

Have no fear. For many reasons, you and your child will not be treated any differently.

Your primary and most important source of contact with the school will always be your childs teacher, and teachers do not care about these things one bit. Were in the business of keeping kids safe, happy, and engaged in learning, regardless of how they landed in our classrooms.

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Also, even if administrators in the school are annoyed with your insubordination, you are a decidedly small potato in the field of enormous spuds that your administrators face on a weekly basis. Your maneuvering to enroll your child in the school might annoy an administrator if they feel it was bending the rules too far, but it will be quickly forgotten.

Plus, teachers and administratorsalmost alwayscare deeply about children. No matter how difficult a parent might be, I cannot think of a single instance in my 23-year career where the aggravation, irritation, and annoyance that a teacher or administrator might feel toward a parent was directed at a student. Kids are never to blame for their parents behavior.

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Lastly, Ill add that there is nothing wrong with being the squeaky wheel. Over the course of my career, I have counseled some parents to squeak a little more often in order to ensure that their child is receiving all of the services available to them. Administrators and teachers are attuned to those squeaky wheels, and rather than making those wheels squeak more, we almost always work hard to reduce the squeaking by ensuring that they feel like their child is being treated fairly and well.

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Make your decision on the merits, absent any fear of retribution. It wont happen.

Mr. Dicks (fifth grade teacher, Connecticut)

Ive been steeling myself to write this letter for some time. When I was seven years old, I was repeatedly molested by a man who taught at a local school. I wasnt in his school system at the time, but he taught my age group. He was investigated for the sexual abuse of a younger child in special ed, but the courts did not find enough evidence to formally charge him with anything (likely due to the childs lack of ability to communicate); afterwards, he left the school system and found a new one in a different state.

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I unfortunately do not know the finer details of the court investigation because of how young I was at the time, and I havent been able to find any record of it due to its confidential nature. Eleven years have passed, and I guess coming of age has made me feel responsible that this man is still out in the world, and I want to do something. I know this man is a pedophile. I know that he is still teaching in a public school system. I know which school system that is, and I know how to contact it. Im certain that he is abusing other kids there.

When he was abusing me, this man threatened to retaliate if I ever told people about what he was doing. This makes me extremely hesitant to reach out to the authorities publicly; I believe that he was telling the truth when he made those threats, and besides, he is highly charismatic and seems to be well-liked by his community. Hes extremely active in social justice efforts (youth ones, that is) and community events.

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Im at a loss for how I can go about challenging this man. Is there any way youd suggest anonymously reaching out to the school system (or to proper law enforcement) to effectively advise that this individual be investigated? Would a fully anonymous tip even be enough to warrant law enforcement to look into this man? How would an investigation (formal or informal) even work in the public school system, with a tenured teacher? Im toeing the line between personal safety and effective actions here, so any insight into my situation would be greatly appreciated.

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Revisiting My Past

Dear RMP,

My heart goes out to you. I am so sorry this happened to you, and I am angry that this man has continued to abuse children with impunity for so many years. Unfortunately, my expertise is not in the law, and so I do not have the answers to your questions, but there are organizations out there who help survivors of abuse.

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RAINN operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline, which is free and confidential. They will connect you with mental health support if you need it and can also advise you about the process of reporting abuse. Additionally, their website has quite a bit of information about reporting sexual abuse and the criminal justice system.

I hope that you have received therapy to address the trauma you experienced. This process may cause that trauma to resurface; I advise you to seek out a mental health professional who can support you during this time. I encourage you to reach out to loved ones who can be there for you as well.

This man terrorized you into silence for many years, and I know that fear is real and palpable. You are brave for surviving, and you are brave for wanting to hold him accountable. You have a difficult decision to make, and I want you to know that I am in your corner.

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Ms. Holbrook (high school teacher, Texas)

More Advice From Slate

My third grade daughter is gifted and has continually come home from school this year with 100 percent on her tests. Its become such a regular thing that I am worried that she isnt challenged enough at school. They dont offer gifted programs in my area, so I inquired about having her skip a grade, and I was told that no one had ever asked about their child skipping a grade. I do not want to insult her teachers, but how do I approach them in a respectful way about my daughters special needs?
A widely retweeted article this week in the Intercept claims that the 20-year Afghanistan war, far from being a failure, was an extraordinary success for the top five U.S. defense contractors.

The article calculates that if you had invested an evenly divided $10,000 in those companies stocks on Sept. 18, 2001, the date President George W. Bush signed the Authorization for the Use of Military Force, those shares would be worth $97,795 today. By contrast, if youd put the same money in an S&P 500 index fund, youd have only $61,612. So the big five defense corporations outperformed the stock market by 56 percent.

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This is spurious, to say the least. Yes, there is a military-industrial complex, and yes, defense companies have performed better than many (but far from all) other sectors of the economy since the century began. But the growth of the five largest companiesBoeing, Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and General Dynamicshas had almost nothing to do with Afghanistan.

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Subscribe to the Slatest Newsletter A daily email update of the stories you need to read right now. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time.

Boeing has made most of its profits on commercial airliners. Its big-ticket defense contracts have come for its work on the B-1 bomber, C-17 cargo jet, V-22 Osprey vertical takeoff plane, and F-15 and F-18 fighters. (It recently sold 28 of the latter fighters to Kuwait for $1.45 billion.) None of these weapons played much of a role in Afghanistan.

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The same can be said for the other aerospace giants.

Raytheons big contracts have been for a new nuclear cruise missile, strategic missile defense systems, and a lot of projects dealing with sensors, satellites, electronics, and cyberwar.

Lockheed Martin has made some money from the Afghanistan war, especially in its subdivisions that manufacture Black Hawk helicopters and multiple-launch rocket systems. But the big bucks have come from contracts for the F-35 stealth fighter ($12 billion in the current budget alone), the combat systems for Aegis cruiser ships, and lots of electronics for command-control, cyberwar, and space communications.

General Dynamics has made a little money from Afghanistan with the Marines LAV-25 light-armored vehicle, but the multibillion contracts have been for nuclear submarines, Burke-class destroyer ships, andon the commercial sideGulfstream jets.

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Northrop Grummans big-ticket items have been missiles and combat planes, including the next-generation intercontinental ballistic missile and B-21 bomber (now in research and development), as well as the Webb Space Telescope, the orbiting observatory, and the Mars Ascent Propulsion System.

In other words, if the United States had never gone to war in Afghanistan, the profit sheets of these companies would be pretty much unchanged.

The surge in defense budgets over the past two decadesfrom $305 billion in 2001 to $754 billion in 2021, with a likely spurt to $777 billion next yearhas been propelled by many events, mainly by the renewed tensions with Russia and China, which have provided the U.S. Air Force and Navy with rationales for new and expensive fighter jets, bombers, missiles, ships, and submarines. (The war in Iraq also played a role, much more so than the war in Afghanistan, but even there, the big five contractors didnt make a lot of money from the fightingmost of which was conducted with drones, helicopters, armored vehicles, and rifles. Most of the money spent on the Iraq and Afghanistan wars were for personnel, training, and health care.)

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Over the 20-year war, the U.S. supplied the Afghan military with a total of $83 billion in supplies and weapons. That comes to a little more than $4 billion a year on averagea small fraction of the total U.S. defense budget.

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If it were otherwise, we should see a precipitous decline in defense stocks as the U.S. war in Afghanistan has screeched to a halt. But an article in this weeks Barrons argues that the withdrawal will benefit defense stocks. The fall of Kabul to the Taliban will mean less stability in the region, which will increase demand for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions as well as unmanned systems, missiles, and satellite capabilities. Thats where the major contractors are primed for growth. Theyve had very little to do with combat in Afghanistan, but they may play a role in what President Joe Biden has called over-the-horizon surveillance and targeting in the future (i.e., gathering intelligence and launching air or missile strikes from hundreds of miles away).

The war in Afghanistan was a misguided morass in many ways. But its an ideological clicheand a mistaken one, at thatto suggest that the military-industrial complex had anything to do with it.
Ahmadullah Sediqi fled Afghanistan years ago, after his work as a U.S. government translator resulted in death threats. He lives in Houston now and has American citizenship. But he cant stop thinking about the colleagues he left behind, as the situation in Afghanistan deteriorates. When the Taliban first took over in the 1990s, he says, people could easily escape or leave the country to neighboring countries. But now that all the borders are closed, the only way is to stay and die.

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The U.S. government estimates there are tens of thousands of Afghan nationals trying to leave their country. Many are stuck behind red tape, trying to get to safety. Sediqi gets messages from them, dozens each day, working with the nonprofit No One Left Behind. Hes also worried about his family, all seven siblings and his parents, still in Afghanistan. On Thursdays episode of What Next, I spoke to Sediqi about the obstacles Afghans are facing and what hed say to Joe Biden right now. Our conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.

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Ahmadullah Sediqi: I have my immediate family there, my siblings, my brothers. Theyre all younger than me. My mom and dad, theyre still in Afghanistan.

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Mary Harris: How are they doing now?

Well, theyre moving around. Theyre hiding. They cant go out because theyre scared of my work, my affiliation with the U.S. forces.

Have they thought about just going to the airport? Ive seen so many people doing that.

They wanted to, but I didnt let them, because if you dont have the proper documentationand what if you are caught by insurgent groups and Taliban? So thats why I stopped them. I said, OK, wait until you get documentation, then you can go and leave the country.

How long do you think the documentation will take?

Thats the problem. So we already let everybody know here how risky it is to live in that country right now. Im waiting. Im waiting for the paperwork to get out to me. And as soon as I get it, Ill let them know to get out of there.

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The right paperwork is key to getting out of Afghanistan. For some visas, like the Special Immigrant Visa, or SIV, for Afghans who assisted the U.S. government, the application can take months or even years to get approval. There are letters of recommendation applicants have to get from their U.S. supervisors, and interviews to go through. No One Left Behind estimates more than 300 interpreters have died while waiting for their applications to be processed.

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You need to have paperwork. You need to have something from the embassy. You need to have something from the National Visa Center, while you are waiting for your visa.

It took you a year, right?

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It took me a year, but still there are some people who are waiting for years only for their interviews. And they keep calling me, texting me. Right now, Im interviewing you. Im seeing a lot of text messages and emails are coming in. They are waiting for help. They said, what should we do? Paperwork. We dont know how long will it take.

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You cant believe [the Taliban], because we have witnessed from the past and they are the same people.  Ahmadullah Sediqi

The American government has said we want to evacuate people who worked with us, that is our plan.

If that is the plan, then why there are thousands of people waiting only for the approval? They send their paperwork and they are waiting for the approval. They dont get anything. They send the email to the embassy. They send email to the NVC, National Visa Center, but they dont get a reply back.

Reading accounts from people stuck inside Afghanistan, there are all these incredibly heartbreaking moments. This one woman who works for a Western NGO in Kabul, she wrote for the Guardian. She said, When we were evacuated from our office, some of my male Afghan colleagues joked saying, ah, its the last time we will ever see you again! Now, we will have to get permission from your brother to see you, and he will say no! They found it funny. And I didnt know what to make of that. Its just so harsh. But at the same time, of course, you understand gallows humor. I wonder if your family is telling you any stories like that.

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Well, thats true. I have friends, family down there. They were working. Then suddenly everything shut down. Some of them were locked. Some of them just left the offices. They are still at their homes. They cant even come out in fear of getting caught by Taliban. And because they have their paperwork, most of them, they just trashed or they just put their documents away.

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Because they dont want to be identified.

Of course. Yes. Even they removed and they cleared their phones, everything they had, all the documents. And thats true. Thats scary. It was kind of a joke with that woman. But thats a fact now. You never know what happens with these fundamentalists.

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Were they clearing documents that they might need to leave the country, but they just felt like it was a choice between having the documents and being alive?

They might have sent it to a friend, the documents, and then they cleared everything up. If they need them, they will get it. But at the moment, to stay there, you dont have to have those. Even though the Taliban announced that they wont say anything. But you cant believe them, because we have witnessed from the past and they are the same people.

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I heard one reporter call it a charm offensivethey seem to be coming out and saying, you know, women can still work. A Taliban member did an interview with a female journalist on television sort of giving these messages that its a new Taliban. Do you believe that?

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[Laughs.] Thats a joke, actually. Even in 1996, when they had control over the country, for the first few months, they were the nicest people on the Earth. And later onoh, my God, I cant explain what they did to the people. And they never change. The fundamentalist and extremist groups, they never change, because they dont believe in democracy. They dont believe in women empowerment. They dont believe in human rights. As I said before, 1996, after a few months, they took the control all over the country and then they came with their own sharia laws and the laws that they have. Most of them were actually nonsense. So they never change.

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Do you remember when they came into power last time?

I was a kid. I was around 6 or 7, so I dont remember a lot of stuff. But since then, I have watched everything. We were kids, but we were mentally, mentally tortured. You know, when you were a 7-year-old kid and you see all these things happen in front of your eyes, how can you ignore that? How can you forget those nightmares that they brought us?

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Nobody wants to leave their own country unless you have to.  Ahmadullah Sediqi

The women couldnt go to schools. We didnt have internet. We didnt have technology. Nothing at all. And now, in the past 20 years, girls were going to schools, universities. We had educated people, many masters, even Ph.D. Many women were working with NGOs. We had free speech media. Of course we had some problems, but overall it was good. Now we dont know.

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They are OK, they are the nicest people right now. But you dont know what will happen next. They need to show the people how good we are, how nice we are. But they have given their exam once.

This woman who wrote for the Guardian said, When we asked our foreign boss for assistance, she said that nothing will happen to us and she will stay here with us, and she refused to refer us for any visa.  I was worried for my family and me and so shared my concerns with a western womens rights activist in Afghanistan to get help. She said no, I cant help you. You can get a pretend husband, she said. And to me it seemed so dark, that people were turning away from each other at this moment. I guess it could be self-protection, but it surprised me. Are you hearing accounts like that?

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Its possible that somebody works with you and then you turn your back to that when they need you. So where is the humanity? Leave everything aside, where is the humanity? Everybody is talking about human rights, human rights, human rights. Where are that? If I work for you, I risked my life for you when you need me, now I need you. So its the time. You gotta help everybody as much as you can, help each other. Actually nobody wants to leave their own country unless you have to.

The number Ive heard from the American government is 18,000 people waiting to get out, somewhere in the process of getting a visa. But do you think that number actually reflects how many people are trying to get out of the country right now?

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Well, its more than that. Eighteen thousand is just on the paperwork, who got their approvals. There are more than that who are not even qualified for the visa program. But they have worked. Theyre trying to reach out to their supervisors, to the company they have worked with. But everything shuts down. Nobody answered them.

This woman wrote, In sadness I say my life is worth more than my sisters, because they didnt have a chance to work with the Western community. They dont have a pathway out. And I wonder if in your darker moments, thats something you wonder about yourself.

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Imagine or not, since the Taliban got in and they have the control, I havent slept well for nights. Just three, four hours a night, wake up and check my phone, whats going on. I check my phone even five to six times at night. No matter what time it is, I just wake up, three, four, six times. Its been days nowto see if something is at risk, to see if something is there, to see if my dad is OK, my mom is OK. Its not only me, its thousands of other people actually.

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Im wondering what stories youre hearing now about people who are trying to get out, who know theyre at risk, who are trying to maybe get through checkpoints.

The other day, two interpreters were killed by Taliban, and their pictures were shown on social media everywhere. And there are some people, they even cant come from the suburbs outside the country, they live far away in the other provinces. They even cannot come to Kabul to reach out to the embassy. I heard stories that people are being checked, being searched on the way to Kabul.

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The American government has said were committed to helping people get out of Kabul. But theres been less said about helping people get to Kabul to get out.

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So how can they help people to get out of even Kabul while thousands of people are waiting outside the embassy? Actually, there is no embassy right now, but theyre in the airport, the embassy is in the airport. Thousands of people are waiting outside in the sun, the kids. There should be a technique or a mechanism where they can easily get everybody in who are eligible.

There have been accounts that some Taliban are letting people with documentation leave the country. Do you trust that? Have you heard that?

How can you believe them? How can you believe the people who have killed interpreters and people who work with U.S. forces?

The Biden administration has set a deadline to end the evacuation mission by Aug. 31, which is very soon. Do you think thats enough time to get people out?

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I dont think so, because there are thousands of people waiting. How can you get them out? They said, OK, we will leave, they said Sept. 11. But there are thousands of people. How can they do that, if they just only bring those who got their visas or those who are waiting for their interviews? There are thousands of other people who still dont have their approval from the National Visa Center. They submitted all the paperwork. What will they do with them?

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It must be really hard to be in the U.S. by yourself, but then also fully embrace this country when you feel it so thoroughly letting you and people you love down. I dont know, maybe you see it differently.

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It really is, it really is. So you are here, you feel safe, but your mind is there. You are physically here, but you are mentally somewhere else. But thats why I want to ask everybody to listen to the SIVs. These are unsung heroes. These are hidden heroes. They work with us shoulder to shoulder in a battlefield. They were in the front line when they were on a mission. They were showing our troops the way, where to go, the communications. They were the culture adviser. They were multitasking.

Who do you hold responsible for the situation youre in now, with so many translators still in Afghanistan, your family still in Afghanistan, and all this paperwork seeming to hold things up?

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Where is government? The government should take action, honoring our nations promise to the interpreters who risked their lives for our country and our soldiers and for our democracy. Its a promise we have to fulfill right now.

What would you say to Joe Biden? He was asked point-blank, does the U.S. bear responsibility for people who are dying now? And he said no.

I want to see him for five minutes. Give me five minutes.

How would you use those five minutes?

I just want to talk about how I feel, as an Afghan, what I feel that I work with our forces in Afghanistan. And I will show him the facts, the examples, and tell him whats going on. How can you leave a country like that? Its OK, we really respect that decision from the bottom of our heart. But at the same point, we know that we have equipped them with everything. But again, we are a strong nation here. U.S. is one of the strongest nations, No. 1 in the world. So we got to stop them. We can stop them.

And some people would say its a quagmire, weve tried so hard for 20 years and we have to leave at a certain point, we have to go. What would you say to those people?

We had a mission there, we completed the mission, but if we dont stop them, the history will repeat. If we dont stop them, that will be the biggest threat to the world, to the United States, and to the international community.

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Its hard to know where precisely to start. The sun is shining, the fires are raging, and California is stumbling in a daze through a gubernatorial recall election that might change more than anyone wants to admit. You might already know the general outlines of the story: A small but passionate minority of voters, most of them Republican, are pumped to give Gov. Gavin Newsom the boot. They know better than anyone that the success of the scheme depends on keeping the Democratic majority complacent and unalarmed about what yet another recall election means. (After all, every governor since 1960 has faced one or more such attemptswhats the big deal?)

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And, as you may have heard, the plan so far seems to be working. Surveys of Democrats reveal them to be pretty unconcerned and potentially unmotivated to do much about whatevers going on: A late July Berkeley/Times poll found that Democrats by a whopping 70 percent to 8 percent margin expect Gavin Newsom to defeat the recall. There is dissonance everywhere you look. Newsom, a Democrat, has a 57 percent approval rating! But FiveThirtyEights polling average this week finds that among those likely to vote in the recall, keeping Newsom is barely leading, with 48.8 percent wanting to vote to keep and 47.6 percent wanting him removed.

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The good news is that for only the second time in the states history, every voter is getting a ballot mailed to their home. The first time that happened was last November. But everything else about this process is confusing, up to and including that ballot.

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Let me walk you through it. The ballot has two sides and asks voters to answer two questions. On one side voters are asked Shall GAVIN NEWSOM be recalled (removed) from the office of Governor? This questionthe essential one!is printed so immediately under the instructions that I found it easy to overlook. On the other side, which is much more recognizable as a conventional ballot, voters can choose one of 46 candidates to replace Newsom, or write in a candidate of their own. Forty-six.

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Because these are two separate questions that dont pit the current governor directly against his potential replacements, the winner gets decided using a bizarre rule. If Gavin Newsom does not receive a majority of the votes in response to the first question, he loses the governorship. Period. That part is decided first. If he loses, the candidate who gets the most votes of those running to replace him will become governor. Its a mathematically maddening system because of the startlingly undemocratic outcomes it can produce. In an op-ed for the New York Times, Erwin Chemerinsky and Aaron S. Edlin argue that the recall system is unconstitutional, sketching out a perfectly plausible scenario in which, even if nearly 5 million people vote to keep Newsom, he might be replaced by a candidate who receives a mere 1.8 million votes.

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The 110-year-old law governing recalls requires an unusually low number of signatures in order for a recall to make it to the ballot: Only 12 percent of the number of voters in the previous election. (Michigan, Minnesota, and Colorado require 25 percent.) The California law was designed to make it unusually easy for voters to recall elected leaders; it was one of 22 constitutional amendments Gov. Hiram Johnson managed to get passed in October 1911. He wanted to empower voters to recall leaders compromised or corrupted by larger forces (like the Southern Pacific Railroad). It was not, suffice to say, designed for a hyperpartisan moment.

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The law has not aroused enough outrage to get it changed because in the only other recall to make it to the ballotalso driven by Republicans against a Democratic governor in 2003voters delivered Arnold Schwarzenegger more votes than Gray Davis had received in the actual 2002 gubernatorial election. It seemed like Davis had effectively been outvoted by his replacement; the outcome felt small-d democratic even if the process was not. Unless the candidates running against Newsom get a lot more popular very soon, thats unlikely to happen again.

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Newsoms camp, meanwhile, has not hedged its bets. He successfully kept serious Democratic candidates off the ballot to forestall the possibility of his replacement. His strategy, and that of Democratic party leaders, has been to advise voters who oppose the recall not to answer the second question on the ballotthat is, not to vote for a replacement at all. Its a game of chicken: By making the vote more straightforward for Newsom supporters, they are (selfishly, some argue) significantly increasing the chance of a Republican governor should the recall prevail.

Newsom might also not be in this position at all were it not for a birthday party. Last November, Newsomin violation of his own administrations guidelines limiting gatherings to no more than three householdscelebrated a friends birthday at the French Laundry in Napa County at which at least 12 people (and more than three households) were present. It angered a lot of people (including Democrats!) and likely galvanized a flailing recall effort. Fans of irony will appreciate that on the very same day, a Schwarzenegger-appointed judge granted the recall effort an extra four months to gather signatures, citing the pandemic. So here we are.

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No tour of the California recall circus would be complete without at least surveying the oddball crowd of contenders. Though Caitlyn Jenner was the splashiest entrant, she is polling poorly. The front-runner is Larry Elder, a conservative radio host who has defended a minimum wage of zero, claimed the police are more likely to shoot white people than Black ones, defended employers who discriminate against pregnant women, and claimed in writing that women know less than men about political issues, economics, and current events. In one of his books, he attacked Republican governor of Massachusetts Jane Swift for continuing to lead her state after giving birth to twins. He was nearly left off the ballot because, per a letter sent by the secretary of state, incomplete redacted and/or unredacted income tax returns were filed. He sued, claiming that a 2019 law requiring candidates to release five years of tax returns should not apply to him because the law did not apply to recall elections. He won.

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Kevin Paffrath is polling as the next most popular candidate: a centrist running as a Democrat, hes a 29-year-old real estate developer and YouTube star. He tried to get listed on the ballot as Kevin Meet Kevin Paffrath. He says hes running as a Democratic option since the party didnt provide one. It was mind-blowing to us that they didnt put at least somebody in, so that way, worst case, they had a hail mary, hes said.

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Lagging behind but still ahead of the others is John Cox, a businessman and millionaire who ran against Newsom in 2018. At Tuesdays gubernatorial debate (which Elder refused to attend) Cox was served on stage while delivering his opening remarksfor failing to repay consultants he hired during his 2018 campaign. Former congressman Doug Ose dropped out of the race after having a heart attack, and former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, a moderate Republican who wanted his ballot designation to be retired San Diego Mayor rather than Businessman/Educator, does not seem to be gaining traction in the polls. Neither is Angelyne, the Los Angeles icon famous for her billboards and pink Corvette (party preference: none). The hefty voter guide is filled with memorable candidate statements like Can you dig it? from Green Party candidate Dan Kapelovitz, Search Youtube from Jeremiah Jeremy Marciniak, or Vote For Me The Peoples Governor from Chauncey Slim Killens.

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This feels like clownery and it is. But California is one of many places where clownery masks a crisis, and a lot of Californians still dont realize this recall election is one. Within the state, there are water shortages and fires to deal with. The delta variant is extending the pandemic and those opposed to masking measures are only doubling down. The recall could have massive national implications too: Should Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who is 88 years old, be unable to finish her term, the governor of California would appoint her replacement to what is now a 5050 Senate.*

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The partisan motivation gap is real: 78 percent of registered Republicans said they were very interested in voting in the recall, while only 47 percent of registered Democrats said the same. And while Newsom could theoretically take comfort in that 57 percent approval rating in the CBS News poll, that figure wont help him unless people vote who dont seem particularly inclined to. Per the Berkeley/Times poll, Newsom is actually slightly underwater among those likeliest to vote: 51 percent disapprove of his performance as governor.

This recall is costing taxpayers a quarter of a billion dollars. A little over three weeks out in the Golden State before the election is decided, the stakes are high, the situation dire, and what remedies exist to so peculiar a crisis are confusing enough that a lot of voters are tuning them out.
On Thursday, a man identified as 49-year-old Floyd Ray Roseberry of Grover, North Carolina, parked his pickup truck on a sidewalk near the Library of Congress at about 9 a.m. and threatened to set off an explosive device that he claimed was in the vehicle. Shortly after 2 p.m., he crawled out of his vehicle and surrendered. He is now in custody.

U.S. Capitol Police responded to the threat with assistance from D.C.s Metropolitan Police Department. Negotiators and bomb technicians from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were also at the scene, as were snipers. Police evacuated federal buildings in the area, including the Supreme Court and Congress Cannon and Longworth office buildings. (Congress is currently on recess, however, so most lawmakers and their staffs are not on Capitol Hill.)

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Roseberry was communicating with negotiators using a dry-erase board and told them that he was holding a detonator. Police also tried to send him a phone using a robot, but he refused to use it. According to NBC, he made anti-government statements while communicating with police. Law enforcement officials were reportedly unsure whether there actually was a bomb in the truck and whether it was set up to explode. A witness at the scene said that Roseberry was throwing dollar bills out of the truck. The truck reportedly had no license plate.

Roseberry was livestreaming the standoff on Facebook until the platform cut off the feed and removed his profile. Politico reports that he began streaming at 7:30 a.m. while he was driving to D.C. and had been live on Facebook for several hours by the time moderators stepped in. In the stream, Roseberry spoke of a revolution, identified himself as a patriot, and demanded to speak with President Joe Biden on the phone. He threatened to blow up 2 city blocks, claiming that there was ammonium nitrate in his truck and that hed placed bombs in other cars in the area. Roseberrys ex-wife told the AP that he was a firearms enthusiast, but she was unaware that he owned explosives.

According to Heavy, which reviewed Roseberrys Facebook profile before it was taken down, his account appeared to show that he supports former President Donald Trump and resents Biden, climate activist Greta Thunberg, and Democratic North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper. In his livestream, he charged that Biden had given weapons to the Taliban, accused Facebook of shadow-banning him, and complained of being unable to get medical treatment for his back.

A recent AP-NORC poll found that more Americans are worried about extremists based in the U.S. than are worried about extremists from abroad.
Fox News is inching closer to what its self-righteous viewers would likely describe as fascism, apartheid, Nazism, socialism, pick your ism, as the network is requiring its employees to disclose their vaccination status. In a memo to staff earlier this week reiterating some of its policies and updating others, Fox News Media informed its workforce that all employees must enter their status no later than today, August 17th. The network, which has been a beacon of anti-vax and anti-mask rhetoric, is not (as of yet) mandating vaccination for employees, just disclosure to HR, but it does require unvaccinated workers to wear masks in its New York City headquarters. Mask-wearing will also be required of everyone irrespective of vaccination status in certain in-office situations, such as control rooms, where quarters are tight and social distancing impossible.

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The move is a reasonable one and, more than anything, affirms once again how deeply cynical the networks prime-time broadcasts are, where its highest-wattage hosts, like Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity, and Laura Ingraham, like to whip their viewers into a frothy outrage about being asked to participate in a society by taking smallsometimes annoyingsteps like wearing a mask in crowded public spaces or getting vaccinated to halt a pandemic. Meanwhile, the very people who produce those poisonous pixels beamed nightly into Americas homes are taking the thoughtful, health- and safety-conscious steps that they disingenuously portray on air as undemocratic, un-American, unfair.

The reasoning behind Fox News enacting these health and safety measures is, of course, that employers have a responsibility to employees to create a workplace where they can reasonably expect not to die from contracting a contagious virus, even if its while producing an on-air news segment that questions whether the virus is really that big of a deal. It is the same measured reasoning that state and local governments, even school districts, are trying to employ to keep their own communities safe. That Fox News is generally aligned with just about everywhere else in the thinking world on health and safety protocols, but decries the anti-liberty tyranny of, say, a public school taking the same steps, showsfor the umpteenth timewhat a sham its anti-everything broadcasts really are.

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Its a ruse that has had real impact, giving cover and community to flat-earthers, which very closely resembles legitimacy. Its no surprise then that the summertime vaccination map of the U.S. resembles the electoral map, where blue states are getting vaccinated and red states are not due to concerns about elected Nazi overlords. Fox News headquarters, you may have heard, isnt in Kansas, its in Manhattan, which means its employees dont actually live among the red state folks that mainline their programming. At Fox News, it turns out, the struggle is not so real after all.
The fight for control over the House of Representatives is already a nightmare for the Democratic Party. Currently, Democrats hold a mere five-seat majority in the chamber, and Republican-controlled state legislatures are preparing to draw new gerrymanders that will entrench GOP power for a decade. But not all hope is lost. The 2020 census produced surprisingly decent results for Democrats, adding just a handful of new House seats to red states and tracking massive demographic decline in many Republican regions. As usual at the outset of a new decade, the battle for the House will likely come down to redistricting. And the redistricting process in just one state, Florida, may make or break Democrats majority.

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In theory, Democrats should face a relatively level playing field in Florida. Although the state Legislature is dominated by the Republicans, voters passed two constitutional amendments in 2010 that prohibit partisan gerrymandering of legislative and congressional districts. So, while the U.S. Supreme Court declined to curb this practice, Florida courts remain empowered to police redistricting under their state constitution. During the last decade, Republican lawmakers egregiously violated the fair district amendmentsleading the Florida Supreme Court to shoot down their maps. This time, however, that court looks very different: The progressive majority of last decade has departed, replaced by an ultraconservative 61 supermajority. This new bloc has repeatedly disregarded precedents, laws, and constitutional commands that conflict with its political agenda. There is, therefore, good reason for Democrats to fear that it will refuse to enforce the anti-gerrymandering amendments, allowing Republicans to draw themselves enough congressional districts to win the House.

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The saga of Floridas last redistricting cycle is sordid and, at this point, unsurprising. Despite GOP opposition, voters overwhelmingly passed the fair district amendments in 2010, barring lawmakers from drawing districts to favor or disfavor an incumbent or political party. Republican lawmakers paid lip service to the new rules, holding public hearings and feigning a nonpartisan process. All the while, these lawmakers were secretly colluding with GOP operatives, allowing them to manipulate district lines behind closed doors. These operatives even wrote scripts for ostensibly ordinary citizens to read at hearings.

Floridians should expect this new conservative majority to effectively repeal the fair district amendments.

When voting rights advocates sued, the operatives tried to conceal evidence of this collusion, but the Florida Supreme Court forced them to turn over the incriminating documents. Republican lawmakers destroyed many of their own communications with the operatives, but the remaining evidence still demonstrated that legislators staff regularly sent draft maps to operativesapparently for their approval. Circuit Court Judge Terry Lewis eventually ruled that these efforts made a mockery of the Legislatures proclaimed transparent and open process of redistricting and amounted to a conspiracy to influence and manipulate the Legislature into a violation of its constitutional duty. The Florida Supreme Court affirmed that conclusion and struck down eight gerrymandered congressional districts, forcing major revisions to the map and substantially more competitive elections.

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This redistricting story has a happy ending; the next one almost certainly wont. The only reason we have evidence of Republicans conspiracy is because the Florida Supreme Court rejected their efforts to shield compromising communications with a claim of privilege. This decision split 52, with both conservative justices dissenting. And the only reason the state got a fairer congressional map is because the Florida Supreme Court vigorously enforced the fair district amendments. This decision, too, split 52, with both conservative justices dissenting. Since those rulings, all but one member of the progressive majority have stepped down, replaced by far-right justices. Floridians should expect this new conservative majority to effectively repeal the fair district amendments by judicial fiat and hand total control over redistricting to Republican legislators.

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This expectation arises from the fact that the two conservative dissenters from last decades redistricting warsCharles Canady and Ricky Polstonhave taken control of the court. Canady, a former Republican member of the House of Representatives, is now chief justice. Former Republican Gov. Rick Scott replaced the progressive Justice James E.C. Perry with the conservative Alan Lawson. Scotts successor, Gov. Ron DeSantis, installed three more justices on the bench: Carlos G. Muniz, John D. Couriel, and Jamie Grosshans. All three are members of the Federalist Society, a network of conservative attorneys whose leaders helped DeSantis select justices. And all three have exhibited hostility toward state constitutional amendments that clash with their policy preferences.

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Perhaps the most egregious example of this habit arrived this spring, when the court struck down two proposed ballot initiatives that would have legalized recreational marijuana. In its first decision, the conservative majority relied on the risible reasoning that the initiative was misleading because it did not explicitly state that marijuana would remain illegal on the federal level. In its second decision, the same majority struck a ballot initiative that would have legalized marijuana for limited use. According to the court, the phrase limited use was misleading because the amendment itself did not expressly limit the amount of cannabis that an adult could personally consume. Under precedent, the Florida Supreme Court is only allowed to shoot down proposed ballot initiatives under the most extreme circumstances. But this court flyspecked the marijuana proposals in blatant bad faith. In 2020, it struck a proposed initiative banning assault weapons using a similarly nitpicky justification.

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If this is how the court treats proposed amendments, why should anyone expect it to give more deference to those that have already passed? Sure, the progressive rulings that settled last decades redistricting remain precedent. But the conservative justices have essentially abolished the doctrine of stare decisis, or respect for precedent, so it can ignore or overrule those earlier decisions. Moreover, DeSantis has suggested that he appointed justices who will trash their predecessors liberal legacy and toe the line on gerrymandering. Federalist Society judges, like the GOP, tend to despise judicial intervention in redistricting, seeing it as an affront to state legislatures constitutional authority. DeSantis seems to have done everything in his power to ensure that the Florida Supreme Courts far-right bloc shares this view. If his justices are as biased as he hopes, their court may let Florida Republicans draw as many gerrymandered districts as it takes to seize the House.
While many Western countries, including the U.S., have been hectically evacuating their embassy staffs from Afghanistan in the wake of the Talibans takeover, Russia seems surprisingly calm. The Russian embassy in Kabul, with more than 100 employees, continues its work as usual. The main reason why the Russian diplomats are not concerned is that they have received direct assurance from the Taliban that they will be safe. (The same guaranties were given to China and Pakistan.) Taliban members are already guarding our embassy.

The Taliban confirmed that no one would harm a hair on the heads of Russian diplomats said Dmitry Zhirnov, the Russian ambassador to Afghanistan, on Aug. 16. Speaking at the United Nations Security Council the same day, Russias U.N. ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said that there is no point in panicking. The next day Russian diplomats met with Taliban representatives and were reassured one again that they would be protected.

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How come Russia seems to get along so well with the movement, officially considered a terrorist organization in Russia? (Every time the Russian media mentions Taliban, they are obliged to note that it is outlawed). Zhirnov even praised the way the Taliban acted after taking power. According to him, Kabul now seems safer than was under the previous authorities.

The Russian government, which called ex-president Ashraf Ghani (who fled Afghanistan on Sunday with a helicopter full of cash) an American puppet, hasnt been hiding its willingness to engage with insurgents. Its not for nothing that weve been establishing contacts with the Taliban movement for the last seven years, said Zamir Kabulov, President Vladimir Putins special representative on Afghanistan. He added that Russia anticipated that the Taliban would play a leading role in the future of Afghanistan.

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Since 2017, delegations of Taliban officials have visited Russia several times for talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The most recent visit happened a month ago: representatives of the Islamist group gave a press conference in Moscow, where they promised not to threaten Russia or its allies in Central Asia and continue fighting against the Islamic State operating on the territory of Afghanistan. Many Russians criticized the authorities on social media for dealing with terrorists and giving them a platform to speak publicly. (Everyone is condemning the Foreign Ministry for meeting with the Taliban, but the Taliban also risks its reputation by meeting with the Russian Foreign Ministry, joked the Russian journalist Oleg Kashin on Twitter.)

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All jokes aside, the Taliban would love to see Russia as a partner. A new government, controlled by the Taliban, can find itself in the international isolation, so it is important for them to have the support of countries in the region, especially rivals of the U.S., says Omar Nessar, director of the Center for Contemporary Afghan Studies in Russia. So far, Russia seems to not be in a hurry to officially recognize Taliban regime or remove it from the list of banned organizations in Russia. However, the authorities have hinted that this might be possible in the future. Nessar suggests that the Russian attitude toward Afghanistans new rulers will depend on several factors: their ability to keep promises not to attack countries in the region, their connections with other terrorist organizations, and relations between U.S. and Russia.

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Decades ago, the idea of cooperation between Russia and the Taliban would seem unimaginable. The Taliban emerged from the mujahideen groups that the U.S.S.R fought against during its own Afgan war from 1979-1989. Fifteen thousand Soviet soldiers died before Moscow decided to pull out the troops. Though Russia doesn`t admit the military defeat of the Soviet army, the Taliban thinks the opposite: on Thursday the Islamist group published the statement, saying that over the course of 102 years they defeated Great Britain, U.S.S.R and the U.S. The animosity didnt end after the Soviet pull-out. In 1999, the last time the Taliban controlled Afghanistan, it supported jihadi rebels in Chechnya and declared jihad against Russia. After the U.S. invaded Afganistan and removed Taliban from power, the organization, according to BBC, reached out to Moscow in the hope of cooperating against Americans, but Kremlin turned down the offer. Now, with Russian-U.S.

relations are at the lowest point, officials are more open for dialogue with the Taliban. In 2017 then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson accused Russia of supplying arms to the Taliban, and in 2020 there were even reports in U.S. media about Russia paying a bounty to the Taliban to kill American troops. (Russia denied the accusations.) A year ago, the Pentagon released a report, saying that Russia works with the Taliban to gain increased influence in Afghanistan and expedite a U.S. military withdrawal. However, it looks like American officials cant really decide if Russia wins or loses from the U.S. exit from Afghanistan. As Biden said in a nationwide address on Monday: Our true strategic competitors China and Russia would love nothing more than the United States to continue to funnel billions of dollars in resources and attention in stabilizing Afghanistan indefinitely.

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Still, theres been some crowing over Americas hasty withdrawal. Russian state-run media, with pleasure, quoted American media outlets calling Bidens handling of the situation a failure, disaster, and catastrophe and compared it with pulling Soviet forces out of Afganistan after almost a decade of occupation. Other Russian media commentators pointed out that the Afghan government the U.S.S.R. left behind after withdrawing its troops lasted way longer, but neglecting to mention that the Soviet mission wasn`t exactly successful either.

Russias biggest concerns related to the latest events in Afghanistan are the potential spread of terrorism, drugs trafficking, and risks of instability in the Central Asia region. But no matter how bad things get, Azat Akhunov, a Russian expert in Islamic studies, thinks that Russia doesnt have resources to send troops into Afghanistan again: It would cost a lot of money, and given the economic problems in Russia, sanctions and expenses for Russian military operation in Syria [Russia reportedly spends at least $2.5 million on Syrian operations per day], it is impossible.

So Akhunov calls the current strategy of Russia in Afganistan calming the dragon. Once Russia makes sure that Taliban can provide stability, potential cooperation with the new leadership of Afganistan can open economic opportunities as well - from supplying oil and gas to fast-moving consumer goods, says Akhunov. Plus, having a new anti-American ally in the neighborhood could always be useful.
The irony is difficult to ignore. Greg Abbott, the Texas governor who is madly litigating various lawsuits to prohibit local governments and state agencies from mandating vaccines or masks, tested positive this week for COVID. In one of the nations hottest COVID hot spotsone man waited days to be treated for his gunshot wound because Texas hospitals are fullAbbott is currently receiving VIP monoclonal antibody treatment while the state runs out of ICU beds. Those who opted to receive the news of the governors diagnosished been mingling unmasked at a fundraiser the night beforewith a snide thoughts and prayers tweet might well be forgiven for the unseemly schadenfreude. (The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that even fully vaccinated people like Abbott wear masks indoors, guidance he immediately rejected.)

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But beyond the jokes about karma, what Abbott has put into motion in Texas, where COVID has killed 54,556 people (and counting), beggars ethical belief. His attorneys are pressing lawsuits that would preclude local school districts from imposing their own mask mandates, even for students too young to be vaccinated. His administration has been sued in federal court by disability rights groups representing students who cannot attend their schools because, without local mask mandates, they may die. Local school boards are facing a tsunami of impossible-to-reconcile legal rulings from various courts, as jurisdictions try to out-clever the clever governor by imposing mask mandates as part of their power to establish dress codes. In addition to outlawing mask and vaccine requirements on every level of Texas government, Abbott has threatened to revoke the liquor licenses of private businesses that demand proof of vaccination from customers. This may look at first like trolling as an end in itself, but the object here is to foster and foment confusion over well-established medical science, while dressing it up with claims of individual liberty.

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What makes the claims about the urgent and existential freedom to be unmasked and unvaccinated doubly laughable is not just that Abbott is playing with the lives of Texas children, but also that his administration is simultaneously making exactly the opposite arguments in abortion cases. On Wednesday evening, at his administrations urging, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Texas severe restrictions on the standard abortion method used after 15 weeks of pregnancydilation and evacuation. The measure requires abortion providers to ensure fetal demise by injecting the fetus with digoxin before terminating the pregnancy. As one dissenting judge noted, this injection is risky, painful, invasive, and untested. For any women who do not want to undergo this excruciating, experimental procedure, the law will amount to a ban on abortion after 15 weeks. Yet the 5th Circuits opinion, which is theoretically rooted in Chief Justice John Roberts deliberately incomprehensible opinion in an abortion case last year, upheld the ban, finding that Texas plaintiffs failed to show the measure imposes an undue burden on a large fraction of women in the relevant circumstances.

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Gone now is any solicitude for Texans and their liberty, for the right to be free from busybody legislators and their dubious claims about science. Indeed, in his concurrence in the abortion case, Judge James Hoone of the Trump-appointed judges most feverishly devoted to the principle that owning the libs is a stand-alone constitutional valuewrote gratuitously about the ambiguities and impossibilities of judicial comprehension of scientific fact.  Follow the science, its often said, Ho lectured. And rightly so. But what do we do when scientists disagree? The Supreme Courts abortion precedents are unequivocal: Judges have no business deciding which scientists are right and which ones are wrong. (This claim is just plain wrong: In cases ranging from abortion to capital punishment to environmental regulation, the Supreme Court has, in fact, declared that judges may identify and follow a scientific consensus despite dissent from a minority of scientists.)

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Both Abbott and Ho push a theory of liberty untethered from knowledge or civic responsibility.

Ho then moved on to discuss Ignac Semmelweis, who discovered the importance of handwashing to prevent infection, and could not stop himself from joining the Tucker Carlson cancel chorus by noting that Semmelweiss discovery saved lives. But instead of being praised or even accepted, he was ridiculed as an agitator.  More senior colleagues expressed alarm [at] the increasing influence of younger physicians like Semmelweis.  So, to use modern parlance, they cancelled him.

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The thrust of Hos tour of scientific history is that establishment scientists are hacks subject to ego and peer pressure and we shouldnt blindly follow their irrefutable conclusions about when life begins. In one passage obviously directed at COVID restrictions, Ho asserted that scientists are susceptible to peer pressure, careerism, ambition, and fear of cancel culture, subject to intimidation and politicization within the scientific community. He speculated that this politicization led to the gagging of scientists who endorsed the lab leak theory of COVIDs origin early on in the pandemic. And, for good measure, he mused further that politics may be driving doctors to push children into unnecessary gender transition because they are terribly afraid of not being seen as affirming or being supportive of these young people. (Again, this is a case about abortion.)

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Someday, Ho concluded, scientists may look back on todays abortion debates as shocking and barbaricjust as we look back in disbelief at those who ridiculed and ostracized proponents of handwashing and sterilizing surgical instruments to prevent disease and infection.

Has Ho even considered the possibility that scientists may someday look back on Texas laws banning mask and vaccine mandates as shocking and barbaric? Its a safe bet he has not. In one footnote, Ho approvingly cites an article in the conservative City Journal by John Tierney, a critic of COVID hysteria. Tierneys piece asserted that fearmongering journalists, scientists, and politicians consistently overstated the danger of the coronavirus. And Tierney scorned face maskswhich, he claimed, failed to stop the spread of the virus and served solely to assuage the neurotic fears of adults.

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Hos meandering anti-science concurrence thus pairs perfectly with Abbotts various tweets, speeches, and executive orders prohibiting any state or local official in Texas from implementing the most modest of COVID precautions. To both men, the beating heart of freedom is the freedom to make your own decisions, unbounded by the strictures of science, public health, or standards of medical care. Both Abbott and Ho push a theory of liberty untethered from knowledge or civic responsibility, a liberty that must be valued over life and health itselfunless you are a pregnant woman, or a school-aged child unable to attend class for fear of death, or a business trying to keep your employees safe.

This worldview, in a slightly milder form, has also taken hold at the Supreme Court. In case after case, the conservative majority has hobbled public COVID restrictions in the name of individual religious liberty. This approach is always couched in language about scientific uncertainty and overcautious public health scolds who seek to curb freedom. Meanwhile, the justices have taken up a direct assault on Roe v. Wade that seeks to abolish the constitutional right to abortion. This case was teed up by none other than James Ho in an opinion that was deeply concerned about pain to the unborn baby but completely unbothered by state interference in a womans reproductive autonomy.

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Its easy to see it as mere trolling for its own sake: Ho taking his potshots at science and doctors, Abbott benefiting from his special status to access health care Texans cannot get, as he downplays the virus as less urgent than freedom. But trolling has a way of muddying the waters of public discourse, and in Texas, people who stopped believing in the court system last week are being urged to give up on science today. These self-styled heroes of liberty seek to persuade Texans that true freedom encompasses the right to refuse an FDA-authorized vaccine, but not an experimental digoxin injection. In genuine crises of life and death, rejecting some science for some, and imposing junk science on others, is the freest freedom of all.
You could be getting another coronavirus vaccine in time to ring in 2022. Wednesday, the White House COVID task force recommended that all vaccinated adults receive a third booster dose of the Pfizer or Moderna mRNA vaccine eight months after their second shot. Assuming the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration sign off on the plan, boosters will begin on Sept. 20.

The urge to announce something is understandable. The delta-fueled surge is filling hospitals and setting back hard-won attempts at normalcy. Even among the vaccinated, it seems like everyone is back on the personal-risk-calculus roller coaster. However, its not clear that deploying boosters right now makes epidemiologicalor ethicalsense.

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Even given unsettling anecdotes of breakthrough infections, the vaccines at their regular, original dosing have worked incredibly well. They prevent serious disease and death for almost everyoneeven for those infected with the delta variant. At Wednesdays press briefing, the COVID task force didnt provide any data that substantially changes that. Although theres been a slight dip in protection for severe outcomeswhether due to the delta variant, increased exposure during socialization, or waning immunity isnt clearthe new data suggest vaccines remain 90 percent effective against hospitalization. Data from the U.K., where delta has been circulating for some time, and where hospitalizations among the vaccinated remain low, is also reassuring. Epidemiological data from Israel suggests protection against infection wanes significantly, but some experts are not convinced because of the small number of people in the study, among other factors. It might seem alarming that the CDCs new U.S. data suggests the vaccines are now only 55 percent effective at preventing infectionbut the near-term public health goal isnt to eliminate infections; its to eliminate death and serious disease.

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You might reasonably think that boosters would help with that. But the data the White House task force presented to support boosters, however, didnt really address whether theyd decrease the worse outcomes. They presented no clinical studies that tested whether a third shot decreased hospitalization or death. Instead, they showed off studies that looked at antibody levels. In a brief presentation, Anthony Fauci pointed to four lines of evidence that boosters were useful: that vaccine-induced antibody levels fall over time, that higher antibody levels correlate with higher levels of protection, that higher antibody levels may be required to fend off the delta variant, and that booster doses, well, boost antibody levels. This is all promising news, but its far from clear that tweaking antibody levels in healthy adults will keep people out of the hospital. Boosters might make sense for the elderly and seriously immunocompromisedwhich the FDA already greenlit last week.

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The real issue that America is facing with the pandemic right now isnt breakthrough infectionsits infections in unvaccinated people. Thats whats straining hospitals from Kentucky to Texas, and what caused the entire state of Alabama to run out of ICU beds this week. And boosters are definitely not the best strategy to deal with that. As Eleanor J. Murray and Ruby Barnard-Mayers pointed out in Slate, the mathematics of boosters just dont add up. In their line of thinking, fully vaccinating 30 million partially unvaccinated people would offer the same benefits to community transmission as boosting 180 million vaccinated people (which is an extremely tall order, logistically). In other words, youd need to reach six times as many Americans with boosters to have the same effect on transmission of the virus as just getting regular vaccination up. On a global scale, giving additional shots to already vaccinated Americans is profoundly questionable: Vaccination rates in wealthier countries are 100s or 1,000s of times higher than vaccination rates in less wealthy countries. Its also strategically dumb. Viruses dont pay attention to political borders, and the more the virus circulates worldwide, the more it will mutate, and the more likely everyone will encounter a variant that is deadlier, is more contagious, orworst of allrenders the vaccines useless.

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Still, a booster shot isnt worthlessparticularly if youre talking about a booster shot going into your own arm. Should you get infected, the extra dose might stave off what otherwise would have been a rough week in bed. This is especially meaningful to people whose jobs arent very forgiving with missed time, or parents who are juggling child care duties. Psychologically, it just feels good to have another tool to beat back the feeling of powerlessness. If youre offered a booster, by all means, get it. Youll probably get some benefit. And importantly, your dose would not have been rerouted to a health care worker in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where 0.1 percent of the population has been vaccinated.

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Ultimately, though, a slim extra layer of protection and assuaging individual anxiety might be about all a booster shot is going to do. In a world where cases are still high and some people are still vulnerable, simple measures such as masks in some public spaces may be merited in the near futureeven among those who have gotten three shots. Yes, Im sick of masks too. But boosters and masks are not mutually exclusive strategies. In fact, as Murrays math suggests, the best strategy to get rid of masks is to get cases down overall.

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What could actually help do that? There are two things that the FDA should actually be doing to protect Americansthings that would dramatically increase the number of unvaccinated people that get the jab. First, the FDA could fully approve the vaccine. All vaccines are still on the market under emergency use authorization, and up to 23 million Americans say theyll get the shot once its officially approved. And its expected that after full approval, businesses will be more inclined to require vaccination of their employees. Second, the FDA could authorize the vaccine for the 28 million kids aged 511 as soon as possible. According to the American Academy of Pediatricians, the safety data is already available for the FDA to decide. Instead, the FDA is requesting more data for reasons that make little sense. These two actions would be far more effective than boosters that top off the antibody gas tanks of healthy adults.

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Another announcement that the administration made Wednesday is far more consequential than boosters: The administration will withhold federal funding for nursing homes with unvaccinated workers and will compensate educators whose pay is cut by state or local governments if their schools mandate masks. These policies will be contentious, but at least they are addressing the problem collectively. Theyll also be more helpful than boosters in achieving the ultimate goal that many Americans have personallybeing able to cavort with friends and strangers indoors, in public, without masks, and without putting anyone else in danger.

The real issue with boosters is that, alone, they simply might not change muchgiving a false sense of individual accomplishment while letting the collective problem run amok. You might be right to feel excited or relived to have a tad extra protection. But you might also rightfully feel frustrated that its a major strategy America is pursuing, instead of focusing more energy on things that would actually help.

For more on why many doctors are skeptical about the need for widespread COVID booster shots, listen to this episode of What Next: TBD.
Earlier this summer, when it finally felt as if the pandemic had begun to recede in our city, we had to rush our toddler to the emergency room at 1 a.m. for sudden breathing troubles. We assumed it must have been a common respiratory infection, and a week later, his symptoms subsided. At the ER, our kid wasnt tested for COVID. It didnt even occur to us he could have been positive.

But then, I began hearing from friends whose 10-year-olds, 7-year-olds and even a 1-year-old had tested positive. Though well probably never know for sure, I began to wonder if my son had actually contracted a mild case of COVID. Something felt out of sync. While everyone else was celebrating being vaccinated, kids were getting sick.

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Now, its clear that the delta variant has turbocharged COVID case counts in many areas of the U.S. just as children are about to crowd into schools. One of the few silver linings of this pandemic is that children have been mercifully spared the worst COVID has to offer. But now, the proportion of COVID cases in children is increasing dramatically. During the last week of July, the number of infected children doubled compared with the previous week, with pediatric cases now making up about a fifth of total reported COVID cases. Hospitalizations among kids are at the highest at any point in the pandemic, and hospitals in multiple states are saying theyre seeing sicker kids (though whether these anecdotal reports prove Delta is more dangerous to kids is far from clear). In pediatrics, we were in a comfort zone before, but now things are changing, said Avinash Shetty, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Wake Forest School of Medicine.*

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Now, my toddler will be trundling off to preschool this fall, and Ive begun to wonder: Why cant young kids get vaccinated by now?

It once looked like theyd be able to. When Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna launched their vaccine clinical trials for kids under 12 in March, parents, teachers, and pediatricians hoped theyd be nearing emergency use authorization for COVID vaccines for children under 12 years old close to the start of this upcoming school year. However, the Food and Drug Administration recently requested that the pharmaceutical companies double the size of their clinical studies. For the youngest kids, they may also need to collect safety data for six months, rather than the customary two months for emergency authorization in adults. Although a Pfizer spokesperson said in an email that the company hadnt yet pushed back its timeline, many believe these requirements are likely to delay authorization until later this fall for ages 511, and possibly until 2022 for toddlers and babies.

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The FDAs justification is that it needs to determine whether a rare heart inflammation seen in teens and young adults after vaccination also occurs in younger children. But its not clear that the FDAs new data demands will actually help answer this question; instead, the delay may needlessly withhold a vaccine from millions of kids just as their exposure to COVID skyrockets.

The data so far suggests that COVID risks to children under 12 are small, though greater for the more vulnerable and marginalized children in our society. A study published in June revealed that about half of infected kids never have any symptoms, and those who do only suffer mild ones (think fever, headache, or cough lasting about one week). According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, nationally 1 in 100 infected children are hospitalized and fewer than 1 in 10,000 die. Disease can take a toll without being fatal, and kids too can get long COVID, where symptoms linger for weeks or months. In a small proportion of kidsonly about 4,400 or 0.1 percent of cases nationwide to datea rare but scary complication called MIS-C can arise a few weeks after infection, which can inflame organs and tissues throughout the body. These numbers will likely be higher for kids with preexisting conditions and lower for healthy children. They are also higher for Black and Latino children. So far, 354 kids in the U.S. have died, and although even a single child lost to COVID is heartbreaking, the risk is on the same order of magnitude as the risk of dying from drowning or poisoningthats to say, well within the bounds of risks parents accept every day.

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Most of this data is, of course, pre-delta. But Kawsar R. Talaat, a physician and co-director of clinical research at the Johns Hopkins Institute for Vaccine Safety, said, I dont know yet if we know if delta is more serious. But we do know the delta variant is generally more contagious, so its easier to spread it from person to person. That means youd expect that increased community transmission would lead to increased transmission among unvaccinated children, which would lead to a higher number of serious cases. Data from the U.K., where delta has been circulating for longer than in the U.S., is reassuring. The U.K. surge has subsided, and although more kids were infected, experts I spoke to emphasized theres no compelling evidence so far from the U.K. that delta infections are more severe in kids. Even if you spent the pandemic not super worried about the effects of COVID on your child, you may be reasonably eager for them to be protected against the odds that theyd catch (and spread) this new strain. In a vaccinated child, any COVID risks will be much, much lower and the more serious effects may disappear altogether.

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The concern for some parentsand the possibility that the FDA is guarding against, by asking for more datais that vaccines may come with their own special risks to kids. Its true that the immune systems of children differ in important ways from those of adults. As any parent can tell you, the common cold might cause a kid to be laid up for a weekwhile the adults in the household only get the sniffles. Because the young immune system has never encountered the pathogen before, it launches a full-fledged response. But when it comes to an entirely new pathogenlike the novel coronaviruskids might have an advantage, as Donna Farber, an immunologist at Columbia University, explained to me. Encountering new pathogens is exactly what a childs immune system is designed to do.

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Whether the dexterousness of pediatric immunity explains why kids so often evade COVIDs effects isnt settled science. But in instances when COVID does take a toll on kids, Farber told me, its possible that its a product not just of the virus itself but also an intensely active immune system that shifts recklessly into overdrive. Even for adults, many of the symptoms we associate with pathogensfevers, inflammation, runny nosesarent due to the pathogens themselves but to our bodys defenses. The very-rare-but-scary bodywide inflammation during MIS-C, for example, which only appears weeks after infection in some kids, could be an uncontrolled immune response to a pathogen that no longer poses a threat.

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Given childrens hyperactive immune systems, its possible that a vaccinewhich also triggers the immune system using a harmless molecular mimiccould provoke the same damaging over-responses as the actual virus in some small-but-worrisome portion of children. Myocarditisor inflammation of the heart musclemay be another unhappy accident of young peoples powerful immune systems. It would explain why the side effect has been observed more frequently in teens and young adults. Frequent is a relative term, however. Post-vaccine myocarditis is extremely rare: There are only 323 confirmed cases out of 52 million shots administered to teens and young adults, and it hasnt caused a single death. Myocarditis is generally more common in young males, and males aged 12 to 17 only had about a 1 in 15,000 chance of developing the condition after a jababout the same odds as being struck by lightning. If you are worried about myocarditis, the best thing to do is get vaccinated: COVID infections cause far more cases than COVID vaccinations do. In young males, myocarditis is about six times more common following a COVID infection than following a vaccine, according to a preprint study posted in July.

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So, while the myocarditis risk posed by the vaccine is one worth taking even for adolescents, it is absolutely worth asking whether the risk might be higher for younger kids. The FDA is right to want to sufficiently explore the question. But whats odd about the FDAs request for a safety follow-up period of six months is that myocarditis would typically show up within four weeks. When asked about the changes to study design in an email, an FDA spokesperson said it cannot comment on or confirm the existence of any clinical trials or its interactions with manufacturers about their investigational products. However, in an address to stakeholders from early July, Peter Marks, director of the FDAs Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said the pediatric studies will take a little longer to do because we are requiring longer follow-up to make sure that the safety is adequate.

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It doesnt seem like thats necessary, since the main side effect to worry about would show up within weeks, not months. And its highly unlikely that the vaccine would produce entirely new side effects in kids. Donna Farber, the Columbia immunologist, said, Theres just not evidence out there based on the vaccines we give to everybody that children are going to have bizarre adverse events that you dont see in adults. The American Academy of Pediatricians agrees. In a letter from early August, the organization of 67,000 physicians urged the FDA to authorize the vaccines for all children, citing no biological plausibility for serious adverse immunological or inflammatory events to occur more than two months after COVID-19 vaccine administration. By now, according to the AAP, the studies have already collected two months of post-vaccine data for the original group of 5- to 11-year-olds. Any unusual side effects would have almost certainly shown up by now, so requesting additional time would be pointless.

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As for myocarditis, there is one thing that might get the FDA some genuinely useful information: making the studies larger. The organizations request to double the study size makes sense, in principlethe more people in a study, the more likely youll detect rare side effects. But the rarer the side effect, the larger the study must be. Given that myocarditis is extremely rare, youd have to increase the study size dramatically. For this reason, Talaat, the Johns Hopkins vaccine researcher, whos also a site investigator for the Pfizer pediatric study, doesnt think the FDAs relatively modest expansion makes much sense. Doubling the size of a study from 4,000 to 8,000 isnt going to capture events like myocarditis, she explained. To capture super-rare events like that, what youd really need is to deploy a vaccine, she said.

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As uncomfortable as it may be to feel like unwitting test subjects in some giant experiment, this is the only way any medical treatment can reach the market. Its simply not possible to have a clinical study enrolling tens of millions of people, which would be required to detect super-rare events. Instead, the FDA carefully monitors adverse reactions as the vaccines are being widely administered. We are watching these vaccines incredibly carefully. I dont think theres any vaccine in the history of time that has been as studied or under scrutiny to the extent that the COVID-19 vaccines are, said Talaat. In other words, post-market surveillance is the best option; the new study size requirements, she said, will just slow things down.

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With the delta variant, more time means more sick kids, increasingly making the FDAs caution more harmful than good. And many parents are already eager to have their children vaccinated. Shetty, the Wake Forest pediatrician, said in his practice, As the delta variant surges, more parents are asking about the vaccine for kids under 12. We cannot leave children behind, and not just to protect them, he said, noting that unvaccinated kids may increasingly contribute to community spread of the virus. Vaccinating children is a strategy to get us out of the pandemic.

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The precautionary principle states that we should err on the side of caution in the face of uncertain data. In the end, the FDAs dilemma of whether to authorize the vaccine is a case of pitting two precautionary principles against each other. In terms of the delta variant, you could say, Lets vaccinate kids, just in case delta is more dangerous or kids worsen community spread. Or, you could say, Lets not vaccinate kids, just in case the vaccines have unexpected dangerous side effects. But not all data is equally uncertain. Its almost certain that deltas contagiousness will mean more kids getting seriously sick and more kids spreading the virus to others. Its wildly unlikely that the vaccines will cause unexpected, terrible harms to children. If the FDA were to drop its requests for more data and grant emergency authorization to the vaccine today, I wouldnt hesitate to make an appointment for my kid to get a shot.
On a slice of 1,392-year-old redwood trunk at Big Basin Redwoods State Park, generations of children traced tree rings through time. Small fingers passed markers for the Aztecs (1300s), the Magna Carta (1215), the Mayans (600s), then paused at the center: 544Tree Sprouted, Byzantine Empire (Emperor Justinian). After the August 2020 fires, those markers were found in a pile of ash.

The CZU Lightning Complex fires burned hot. Douglas firs burned to a crisp, but an estimated 90 to 98 percent of redwoods survived, according to Sempervirens Fund, which helped establish Big Basin back in 1902. A year later, with fire season already underway, Big Basin is deciding how to build back. Nearby, Sempervirens Fund is doubling down on redwoods.

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In February 2021, armed with a shovel, a hoedad, and Ikea bags full of 6-inch redwood seedlings, land steward Ian Rowbotham hiked through charred hills near Big Basin. He gazed up through dead branches. He later told me that he thought to himself, Ill definitely need more sunscreen this summer. He planted carefully, thinking ahead 200 years to design a less crowded, more drought-tolerant forest.

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But two centuries? Redwoods can live two millennia. Will this forest still be here in 4021 CE? Can Rowbothams seedlings become the ancient giants of the future? The short answer is probably not. The long answer pushes the boundaries of todays best climate modelsand it gets weird fast.

We are moving into conditions we dont have any analog for, says Anthony Ambrose, who studies ancient trees with the Marmot Society. He considered Rowbothams seedlings. I wouldnt be surprised if they were completely wiped out, except maybe for pockets in drainages and on north-facing slopes, he told me, thinking ahead 2,000 years.

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With long life spans and a narrow habitat, redwoods occupy something of a climate modeling blind spot.

Redwood tree rings contain human history; they may also hint at the trees own future. Miguel Fernandez, a scientist at biodiversity nonprofit NatureServe, recently used past climate to predict how redwoods may shift next. Eventually, he told me, data from tree rings could help clarify those predictions further.*

Millions of years ago, redwoods circled the globe. By the time humans appeared, they had settled into their current range: a temperate, foggy stretch of coast from southern Oregon to central California. Remarkably resilient, redwoods mostly dont mind heat, fire, and pests. But they do need lots of moisture.

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In a hotter, dryer California, Fernandezs model shows redwoods losing almost 80 percent of their land. In the short term, hot and dry is a safe bet. But long-term, Northern Californias climate is harder to predict. More humidity, and the range could expand.

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With long life spans and a narrow habitat, redwoods occupy something of a climate modeling blind spot. Even todays fastest supercomputers are too slow to simulate 2,000 years at a relevant scale.

Thats not to say todays climate models arent impressive. The August 2021 report from the U.N.s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change summarized what these models can now tell us with certainty: Humans are causing climate change, now. Weve already locked in some changes for decades and even millennia. To stabilize, we need to reduce net carbon emissions to zero, preferably in a few decades.

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To reach these conclusionsand get a 20,000-foot view of how the planet will respondresearchers build simulated worlds, set starting assumptions, like a keep it in the ground approach to oil and gas versus extensive new drilling, and press play.

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Models account for sun glinting off the tops of clouds, pollen billowing from prehistoric forests, and the wobble of the earth as it spins. Each uses slightly different math to represent processes on land, ice, sea, and sky, so modelers compare with other models, recent weather data, and the deep past to check their work.

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The most robust of these simulated worlds are called general circulation models, or GCMs. They can be 60 layers deep from the top of the atmosphere to the oceans inky depths. Complex equations represent processes within and between layers, connecting melting glaciers to ocean currents, car exhaust to the behavior of clouds.

For the first time, the IPCC released an interactive atlas so nonscientists can explore the futures these models predict. If you obsessed over flatten the curve graphics early in the pandemic, this may be a fun, soothing way to prepare for the apocalypse.

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Try looking closer, though, and you will be disappointed. GCMs still run at Pac-Man-scale resolution; zooming in worldwide wont be possible for decades. For any factor-of-10 increase in resolution, you need to factor in a 10,000 percent increase in computer performance, says Tapio Schneider, a climate modeler at Caltech. That, ultimately, is the killer. Most GCM pixels are 60 miles wide at best. The redwoods range is only 30 miles wideso in these models, it vanishes. Californias mountains flatten; the Coast Ranges, responsible for the redwoods current micro-climate, can be 68 and breezy on the Pacific side and a bone-dry 110 inland. GCMs average those extremes.

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Mountains arent the only things that disappear. So do rainstorms and eddies, as well as cities and even some countriesMonaco, the Maldivesfrustrating policymakers.

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To help, regional modelers are building zoomed-in maps one pixel at a time. They start with big-picture assumptions from a GCM, add local weather and topography a pixel at a time, then stitch continents back together from the bottom up. In recent years, regional modelers reached a 1-kilometer resolution, bringing California into clear focus.

But while regional climate models give more detail, they do so with less certainty. GCMs arent perfect, and regional models inherit their biases. Local data can also be incomplete: We have more weather stations in the foothills than on mountain peaks, for example. The net result is that regional models are not entirely reliable; two regional climate models in the same location could predict opposite trends for rainfall. While they can help policymakers consider different scenarios, they are not designed to explore millennium-scale changes.

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Simulating the life span of a redwood on a standard GCM takes millions of hours of computing time. So far, kilometer-scale regional models have only simulated decades; kilometer-scale GCM prototypes can only simulate a few months.

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Instead, to explore the deep past or far future, modelers turn to Earth system models of intermediate complexity, or EMICs. These minimalist models simplify to run fast, using a 2D atmosphere or ignoring vegetation completely.

At Oregon State University, Peter Clark recently used an EMIC to explore sea level rise over the next 10,000 years. California is planning for 3.5 feet of sea level rise by 2050. By 4021, Clark predicts seas 100 to 400 feet higher, depending on how much we lower emissions.

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It could be worse, it could be better, Clark says. Thats the main point in the next few decades. Its up to us. In either scenario, the takeaway for redwoods is similar: Coasts erode. Fertile riverbeds flood. Redwoods retreat uphill, halting at the snow line.

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In the worst case, chunks of California really do fall off the map; the Central Valley becomes an inland sea. For the redwoods, though, the big difference between do our best and emissions as usual is not just about flooding, but about fogand maybe an ice age.

The Pacific Oceans iconic fog rolls into coastal valleys like clockwork, giving many redwoods much of their moisture. Redwoods trap fog in a vast net of leavesmore than any other specieshydrating themselves and the ecosystems below.

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In addition to watering redwoods, marine layer fog shades the earth. Losing it could increase global temperatures 8 to 10 degrees Celsius. At Caltech, Schneider found that somewhere between our best mitigation efforts and the nightmare scenarios, coastal fog could disappear completely.

That would be terrible, Schneider said. Lets not get there. He doesnt think we will; the tipping point would require around three times our current atmospheric CO2.

Still, its a good reminder that modeling wild cards remain. One big source of uncertainty is cloudshow much different types of clouds amplify warming and how cloud cover might change in a changing climate, to be specific. In fact, cloud uncertainties are shaking our most reliable climate orthodoxy: the relationship between CO2 and temperature, which has seemed stable since the 1970s. That ratio helps scientists calculate how much carbon we can burn without overshooting Paris Agreement goals.

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This years IPCC report is more confident in the ratio than ever: It guesses 3 degrees warming every time atmospheric CO2 doubles. Thanks to unexpected cloud behavior in a few outlier GCMs, though, the IPCC can no longer rule out a ratio of 5 degrees or more.

That might mean our total emissions budget needs to shrink fast. Or it could mean cloud models have some bugs. The size of raindrops, the lifetime of clouds, the line between rain and snow are all under investigation.

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For redwoods, theres one silver lining to humanitys bumbling: We may have helped them dodge natures slowest bullet. While most climate modelers focus on global warming, the International Atomic Energy Agency is working on a less pressing existential threat: glaciers.

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New glaciers would threaten both redwoods and nuclear waste. To keep radioactive sludge politely buried, IAEA scientist Mike Thorne created a 200,000-year model to project the next ice age. Without the Industrial Revolution, it should have been due soonrelatively speaking. Id guess 50,000 years after present, but I wouldnt rule out 23,000, Thorne says.

By burning fossil fuels, though, humans likely pushed it off. 100,000 years is quite a good bet, Thorne says. In the highest [emissions] scenarios you can even push it beyond that: 200,000 or even 680,000 years after present.

Meaning: If redwoods survive the next 2,000 years, they may have a better shot at the next 200,000. Maybe the descendants of Rowbothams trees will thank us.

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society.
Spain backs reduction of vaccine wait for recovered Covid patients to two months



The reduction of the waiting time from six months to two could affect up to a million people in Spain

As the coronavirus vaccination campaign in Spain continues to make progress and spreads to those aged under 18, the Ministry of Health gave its backing on Wednesday to initiatives to reduce the length of time between recovering from infection and receiving jabs.

The nationwide protocol established when vaccination began in late December and early January established that those recovering from Covid-19 should wait for six months before being included in the vaccination program, but with Spain having failed to meet the target of immunizing 70 per cent of the population by August 18 efforts are being made to increase the rate at which doses are administered. In this context the regional health authorities of Aragon, the Basque Country, Catalunya, the Canaries and Navarra informed the Minister of Health, Carolina Darias, on Wednesday that they are reducing the gap between recovery and vaccination to two months for anyone aged under 65.

The backing given by the Ministry could affect between 500,000 and a million people in the whole of Spain, and the change in policy could result in a significant increase in the rate at which immunization is being provided, although priority will still be given to those who are not known to have suffered Covid.

A similar policy has already been adopted in the USA, where the CDC has fixed a waiting time of 90 days for recovered patients but considers that vaccination is safe after just 10 days have elapsed.

Meanwhile, the Ministry is expected to reach a decision on its policy regarding the administration of top-up third vaccine doses during the last week of August.

Image: @AsturSalud
Tragedy in the Atlantic as 47 migrants die en route to the Canaries



Only seven of the 54 people who set sail on August 3 were picked up alive by Mauritanian coastguards

Seldom have the topics of illegal immigration and refugees been so prominent in the Spanish press as they are at present, with attention focussed on the arrival on Thursday morning of the first evacuees from Kabul since the Taliban occupied the capital of Afghanistan and on Spains policy of repatriating unaccompanied minors who crossed into the north African enclave of Ceuta in May, and at the same time the flow of Africans attempting to travel on board small boats to the Canary Islands is continuing.

The Atlantic crossing from western Africa to the Canaries is a long and perilous one, and another tragedy has come to light this week with the news that 47 would-be migrants died of hunger and starvation on board their boat after drifting off the coast of Nuadibu in Mauritania for two weeks. Eventually, the boat was spotted and picked up by the Mauritanian coastguard, but by that time only seven of the people on board were still alive  six men and one woman, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

The survivors informed the authorities that a total of 54 people from Mali, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Mauritania and Guinea had set sail, including two infants and one adolescent, and it is believed that they did so from the region of El Aaiun in Western Sahara on August 3. However, the onboard motor broke down and they were left to drift until being spotted by the coastguards.

According to the IOM at least 370 people are known to have lost their lives while attempting to enter EU territory by undertaking journeys of this kind from western Africa to the Canaries so far this year, but the actual figure could be far higher as survivors usually dispose of the bodies of the deceased by throwing them overboard.

Image: Archive
Two dozen people evacuated from Afghanistan

Army plane with Slovak and Afghan passengers onboard, including a toddler, successfully landed in Slovakia on Wednesday night.

Slovakias special army plane, Spartan, landed in Slovakia on Wednesday night, bringing both Slovak citizens and citizens of Afghanistan onboard.

The mission was successful, PM Eduard Heger (OLaNO) told the press on August 19.

The entire operation started on Monday, and lasted some 55 hours, said Defence Minister Jaroslav Nad (OLaNO).

Afghan citizens requested asylum

There were altogether 20 people onboard the Slovak plane, including a 10-month-old baby. Sixteen were Slovak citizens and their families, and the remaining four were citizens of Afghanistan who had been cooperating with the Slovak armed forces. Another four Afghans were onboard the special Czech plane, arriving in Slovakia in the meantime.

All eight have asked for asylum and are currently inside a facility in Humenne, Foreign Affairs Minister Ivan Korcok (SaS nominee) said.

This does not include the 10 Afghans mentioned by several media outlets earlier this week. As Korcok explained, this figure concerned the group of people cooperating with NATO and the EU; both groups asked their allies if it was possible to take them. Slovakia has promised to take 10, but has not done so yet.

Slovakia ready to help more if necessary

Heger, Nad and Korcok thanked everybody who helped with the operation, including Permanent Representative of Slovakia to NATO Peter Bator and US Ambassador to Slovakia, Bridget Brink.

As Heger said, Slovakia remains in touch with its NATO and EU partners and will be ready to secure another transport, if needed.

19. Aug 2021 at 12:17 | Compiled by Spectator staff
Electricity may become 15 percent more expensive for households

Opposition calls on the government to take action, Economy Ministry says it is working on solutions.

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The price of electricity for households could rise by 15 percent in 2021.

The Regulatory Office for Network Industries (URSO) spokesperson Radoslav Igaz confirmed the information in reaction to Robert Fico, leader of the opposition party Smer.

Fico demanded earlier this week that the government take action to prevent what he called a brutal hike in energy prices. His party Smer will initiate an extraordinary parliamentary session next week to prompt the government to deal with the problem.

The Economy Ministry said they are working on a solution that could slow down the increase in energy prices.

Igaz of URSO declined to make comments about the political statements of the opposition leader.

We have already warned the Slovak public that the increasing costs of electricity at exchanges around the world will have an effect on the final price of electricity at the end of 2022, with an expected increase in costs of up to 15 percent for households, Igaz specified.

Regulator can influence some components

19. Aug 2021 at 15:22 | Compiled by Spectator staff
Former interior minister testified in Purgatory case. More districts will be in orange tier with stricter measures from Monday.

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Good evening. Catch up on the main news of the day in less than five minutes with the Thursday, August 19 edition of Today in Slovakia .We wish you a pleasant read.

Eight Afghans request asylum in Slovakia

Illustrative stock photo (Source: TASR)

Slovakias special army plane Spartan landed in Slovakia on Wednesday night, with both Slovak and Afghan citizens onboard.

Most of the people onboard were Slovak citizens; four were Afghan citizens while another four Afghan citizens were onboard the Czech special plane.

All eight have asked for asylum and are currently living in a facility in Humenne. They will undergo the standard asylum procedure.

The entire operation started on Monday and lasted some 55 hours, said Defence Minister Jaroslav Nad (OLaNO). He did not want to specify the work positions of the evacuated people.

More districts will be orange, some returned to green

The new map of districts from August 23, 2021 (Source: Health Ministry)

The daily coronavirus caseload is gradually increasing while the Delta variant prevails in positive samples.

The Health Ministry decided that 12 districts will switch to the stricter, orange tier of the Covid automat warning system from next Monday, August 23. These are the districts of Banska Stiavnica, Gelnica, Kezmarok, Kosice I-IV, Levoca, Poprad, Spisska Nova Ves, Stropkov, and Vranov nad Toplou.

Some of the districts that are in the orange tier this week, Kosice-okolie and Stara Lubovna, will return to the green tier.

This means that districts will have to follow stricter rules than those in the green, monitoring tier. Also, some entry limitations for the regimes enabling all people with a confirmation of a negative test result/recovery from Covid/vaccination are stricter, according to the new alert system known as the Covid automat.

Other coronavirus and vaccination news

(Source: Sme)

77 people were diagnosed as Covid positive out of 6,132 PCR tests performed on Wednesday. The number of people in hospitals has increased to 72 people. The vaccination rate is at 42.47 percent; 2,335,603 people have received the first dose of the vaccine. More stats on Covid-19 in Slovakia here.

as Covid positive out of 6,132 PCR tests performed on Wednesday. The number of people in hospitals has increased to 72 people. The vaccination rate is at 42.47 percent; 2,335,603 people have received the first dose of the vaccine. More stats on Covid-19 in Slovakia here. Companies have vaccinated a total of 5,576 inhabitants so far . Currently, 37 companies across Slovakia offer vaccination at their facilities. Companies most often opted for a mobile vaccination unit and employees viewed getting vaccinated directly in the company as a benefit, the Health Ministry said.

. Currently, 37 companies across Slovakia offer vaccination at their facilities. Companies most often opted for a mobile vaccination unit and employees viewed getting vaccinated directly in the company as a benefit, the Health Ministry said. By the end of July, the Labour Ministry had paid more than 2 billion to employers and the self-employed under the First Aid scheme. This follows from the commentary of the Institute of Social Policy on economic and social assistance during the pandemic.

under the First Aid scheme. This follows from the commentary of the Institute of Social Policy on economic and social assistance during the pandemic. People who have problems with Green Pass do not have to call the NCZI call centre for help. They can turn to NCZI via a form published on their Facebook.

Photo of the day

(Source: TASR)

Letanovsky mlyn, a popular spot for adventurous tourists, is located in the middle of the Hornad Gorge in the Slovak Paradise National Park. In the picture, tourists tread over the metal bridge above the gorge.

If you like what we are doing and want to support good journalism, buy our online subscription . Thank you.

Listen to our podcast

The Rajec Valley, situated in central Slovakia, houses an ancient Greek spa, the incredible Slovak Bethlehem and the special village of Cicmany. Learn more in our podcast.

Slovak valley full of divine encounters Read more

In other news

Former interior minister Robert Kalinak (Smer) testified at the Bratislava branch of the National Criminal Agency (NAKA) on Thursday. After he finished, he confirmed for the press that he testified as a witness for the Purgatory case.

Robert Kalinak (Source: TASR)

For the purchase of medical devices from the time of Kajetan Kicura (former head), the state material reserves received a fine of 70,000 . In three administrative proceedings, the Public Procurement Office found a violation of the Public Procurement Act.

. In three administrative proceedings, the Public Procurement Office found a violation of the Public Procurement Act. During the Pope's visit to Slovakia in September, about 1,200 to 1,300 volunteers will be needed in Bratislava and Sastin. Currently, about 800 are registered.

in September, in Bratislava and Sastin. Currently, about 800 are registered. In the Jasna - Nizke Tatry ski resort, the construction of a new 15-seat cable car has begun. It will connect the Biela Put and Priehyba and should be built by the following winter. The total investment will climb to 15 million.

15-seat has begun. It will connect the Biela Put and Priehyba and should be built by the following winter. The total investment will climb to 15 million. The prosecutor of the Special Prosecutor's Office filed a charge in the Fatima bar case against former State Secretary of the Justice Ministry Monika Jankovska and two other people for the crimes of extortion and obstruction of justice. The former head of the NAKA anti-corruption unit, Robert Krajmer, and Peter Vasko, a family member of the former state secretary, were charged alongside Jankovska.

in the Fatima bar case against former State Secretary of the Justice Ministry for the crimes of extortion and obstruction of justice. The former head of the NAKA anti-corruption unit, Robert Krajmer, and Peter Vasko, a family member of the former state secretary, were charged alongside Jankovska. Juraj Hips has resigned from the post of leader of the non-parliamentary Spolu party. Hips will remain in the post until the party congress. At the same time, he plans to negotiate the merger of the party with Progressive Slovakia (PS). With this vision, he plans to run as leader of Spolu once again in September.

party. Hips will remain in the post until the party congress. At the same time, he plans to negotiate the merger of the party with Progressive Slovakia (PS). With this vision, he plans to run as leader of Spolu once again in September. Starting at 21:00 on Thursday, Bratislava Castle will be lit up in purple, the international colour for the disabled in honour of the upcoming Paralympic Games in Tokyo.

Do not miss on Spectator.sk today

Lack of engine drivers leads to train cancellations in western Slovakia Read more

Six-year-old boy dies at summer camp, organisers did not react to storm warnings in time Read more

Ex-PM Pellegrinis party remains the most popular, but loses some support Read more

Electricity may become 15 percent more expensive for households Read more

Kosice Pride will return to the streets, spotlighting Roma LGBT+ people Read more

If you have suggestions on how this news overview can be improved, you can reach us at editorial@spectator.sk

19. Aug 2021 at 17:36 | Nina Hrabovska Francelova
Watch Me Dance was untouchable in Wednesday's (Aug. 18) Ontario Standardbred Adoption Societys 25th Anniversary race at Grand River Raceway.

Trevor Henry sent the four-year-old mare to the top well before the :27 opening quarter. She quickly rebuffed a challenge from Artistic Meadow and paced by the middle splits in :55.3 and 1:24.1 and was home with more than 11 lengths to spare in 1:54.3. Artistic Meadow was second with Howmacfiesty third.

A Price Edward Island-bred daughter of Ameripan Gigalo, Watch Me Dance was making her first start for new owner Les Ecuries GLD Inc. of Dundas, Ont., and trainer Gerard Demers, who claimed her last week at the Elora, Ont. track. It was the first win in 13 attempts this year for the distaffer who has won $68,000 in her career to date.

Making the winner's circle presentation were Jean and Tom Posthuma, longtime and much appreciated volunteers with OSAS.

This year, every harness track in Ontario is hosting a race celebrating OSASs significant milestone. The next track to do so is Leamington Raceway, with their OSAS event slated for this Sunday (Aug. 22) at 1 p.m.

To view Wednesday's complete results, click the following link: Wednesday Results  Grand River Raceway.

(OSAS)
With the Cross Fire, he said, erratic winds shifted the fire at least five times within a couple of hours About the time that crews would think they were in front of the blaze, he said, the winds would shift.

The cause of the Cross Fire still has not been determined, but Newman said that it was not naturally caused by lighting or some environmental cause. The originating spot has been determined, which occurred in Banner County, and the fire crossed into three fire districts before it was contained.

People can help prevent wildfire by being aware of fire dangers, he said.

Some things to keep in mind:

 Do not throw cigarettes or other flammables out the window of a moving vehicle.

 Be careful about the areas that you are driving. Some people arent aware, he said, that catalytic converters can be a source of fires.

If they are driving their vehicle, the catalytic converter is getting red hot all the time, he said. And, if they stopped in grass for any length of time, even a short time, they can start a fire with that. And, they may not even realize it.

 Other items such as chains that are dragging can also be a fire hazard because they can throw sparks.
In effect, the U.S. Supreme Courts Roe decision singlehandedly amended the U.S. Constitution to protect abortion. In doing so, the Court usurped the authority given to Congress and the states in Article V of the Constitution to decide on amendments to our countrys most important governing document. Because this decision circumvented the amendment process and usurped states rights, it has lacked legitimacy since it was decided.

Fast forward to the present: The State of Mississippi has taken legal action to challenge Roe v. Wade by asking the Supreme Court to review the authority of states to regulate abortion. In May, the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case, which is known as Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization. The question at hand in the Dobbs case is whether Mississippi law can prohibit abortion after 15 weeks of gestation. Both chambers of Mississippis legislature passed the bill with overwhelming majorities. After Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant signed it into law, an abortion clinicJackson Womens Health Organizationsought to have the law overturned. The Supreme Court is expected to hear the Dobbs case during its 2021-2022 term, which means it will likely be decided sometime next year.
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Amazon reportedly plans another push into physical retail in the United States, which would expand on its 2017 acquisition of Whole Foods Market.

Aiming for a bigger presence in US brick-and-mortar retail, Amazon plans to open "several" multipurpose shopping venues similar to department stores, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.

The stores will sell household items, electronics and apparel, showcasing Amazon's private-label merchandise, the newspaper said, citing people familiar with the matter.

Some of the first stores are expected in California and Ohio, according to the report.

An Amazon spokesperson said, "we do not comment on rumors and speculation."

The move would come on the heels of Amazon's 2017 acquisition of the Whole Foods Market grocery chain for $13.7 billion, which significantly expanded the e-commerce giant's presence in physical retail.

At around 30,000 square feet, the new shops would be far smaller than traditional department stores but bigger than most existing physical retailers in the company's network, which includes bookstores and smaller grocery shops.

Department stores were once prominent spaces in American retail, showcasing not only high-end fashion but also items such as toys, furniture and appliances.

But like other brick-and-mortar shops, department stores have lost market share to online vendors, as well as big-box stores including Walmart and Target.

Chains such as JC Penney and Macy's have closed dozens of outlets at US malls over the last few years, with the former company also shifting owners following a reorganization overseen by a bankruptcy court. Without those big anchor stores, malls too have been in steady decline.

Analysts pointed to a number of strategic reasons for Amazon's planned expansion into physical retail, including the desire to boost sales in apparel, home furnishings and other product lines and a recognition that the "future of retail is multichannel" rather than primarily online, GlobalData Retail's Neil Saunders said in a note.

"The move by Amazon will be experimental at first," Saunders said. "However, if it gets rolled out in a serious way, it is very bad news for traditional department stores."

Explore further Kindle with your kale? Amazon to open shops in Whole Foods

 2021 AFP
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Might smart grid technologies be used to monitor the spread of the coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, the pathogen that causes COVID-19? Researchers in Morocco, writing in the International Journal of Security and Networks put the case.

From the first identification of an emergent virus in late 2019, through the pronouncement of its pandemic status in March 2020, and on through lockdowns, social distancing, vaccination programs and beyond, technology has underpinned our response. Artificial intelligence, the internet, information & communications technology, big data, the internet of things, as well as the vast resources of medical science and healthcare have provided the tools to cope with the pandemic. Of course, there are huge inequalities within nations and internationally. As such, there is a need to find ways to redirect a given technology to the needy in those places where other technology may be wholly inaccessible.

The smart grid could see the implementation of communication technologies through millions of electrical connections to the conventional power grid. Essentially, the potential of the smart grid is to connect everybody in a region who has a smart meter with an added platform to extend its functionality. This connectivity could go way beyond internet connectivity, which despite the received wisdom is not yet ubiquitous.

El Yazid Dari of Abdelmalek Essaadi University, Ahmed Bendahmane of Abdelmalek Essaadi University, both in Tetuan, and Mohamed Essaaidi of Mohamed V University in Rabat, explain how smart grid technology might be used to identify new clusters of COVID-19 cases as the pandemic continues. Remote monitoring might allow us to predict the spread of the virus and so apply a more localized response to a given region. With such information to hand, we could help protect the people who live there and perhaps even preclude the wider spread of the virus from a given cluster.

"Major symptoms related to COVID-19 can be telemonitored using smart grid technology such as temperature, dry cough, dyspnea, and pneumonia that a person can test, measure and verify at home without traveling to the hospital," the team writes. The results could be sent via the smart grid to the healthcare authorities. Additionally, the results from home test kits for asymptomatic infection might also be shared with those authorities for even broader remote monitoring.

Explore further Mobile technology gives Bulgarian power grid a renewable energy boost

More information: El Yazid Dari et al, A novel approach for COVID-19 outbreak spread monitoring and control using smart grid technology, International Journal of Security and Networks (2021). Journal information: International Journal of Security and Networks El Yazid Dari et al, A novel approach for COVID-19 outbreak spread monitoring and control using smart grid technology,(2021). DOI: 10.1504/IJSN.2021.116776
A view of the steerable catheter, right, and how it navigates a brain blood vessel (insert on the left). Credit: University of California - San Diego

A team of engineers and physicians has developed a steerable catheter that for the first time will give neurosurgeons the ability to steer the device in any direction they want while navigating the brain's arteries and blood vessels. The device was inspired by nature, specifically insect legs and flagellatail-like structures that allow microscopic organisms such as bacteria to swim.

The team from the University of California San Diego describes the breakthrough in the Aug. 18 issue of Science Robotics.

The steerable catheter was successfully tested in pigs at the Center for the Future of Surgery at UC San Diego.

Approximately one in 50 people in the United States has an unruptured intracranial aneurysma thin-walled, blister-like lesion on a cerebral artery that is prone to rupture. These kinds of lesions affect over 160 million people worldwide, half of them under the age of 50. Of patients that suffer ruptured aneurysms, more than half die. Half of the survivors experience long-term disabilities. Studies show that a quarter of cases cannot be operated on because of how difficult the aneurysms are to reach.

"As a neurosurgeon, one of the challenges that we have is directing catheters to the delicate, deep recesses of the brain," said Dr. Alexander Khalessi, chair of the Department of Neurological Surgery at UC San Diego Health. "Today's results demonstrate proof of concept for a soft, easily steerable catheter that would significantly improve our ability to treat brain aneurysms and many other neurological conditions, and I look forward to advancing this innovation toward patient care."

Credit: University of California - San Diego

The current state of the art in aneurysm surgery involves neurosurgeons inserting guidewires into an artery near the groin to take catheters through the aorta and all the way up into the brain. Surgeons use curved-tip guidewires to navigate the brain's arteries and junctions. But these guidewires have to be removed before the catheter's tip can be used to provide treatment.

"Once the guidewire is retrieved the catheter will return to its native shape, often straight, resulting in loss of access to the pathology," said Dr. Jessica Wen, who was instrumental in serving as a bridge between clinicians and engineers, and coordinated work with the Center for the Future of Surgery at UC San Diego.

As a result, it is extremely difficult to place and keep it in the right position to release platinum coils that block blood flow to the aneurysm and prevent a brain bleed.

Steerable catheters are not available for neurosurgery because of how small the brain's blood vessels are. Specifically, devices need to be less than one millimeter in diameterthat's roughly the diameter of a few human hairsand about five feet long (160 cm). Industrial fabrication methods struggle at this scale. That's partially because gravity, electrostatics, and the van der Waals force are all similar at this size. So once you pick something up with tweezers, you cannot drop it. If you coax it from the tweezers, it may leap into the air from opposing forces and disappear, never to be found again.

"Unfortunately, many of the most important blood vessels we need to treat are among the most tortuous and fragile in the body," said James Friend, a professor at the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering and School of Medicine and the paper's corresponding author. "Although robotics is rising to the need in addressing many medical problems, deformable devices at the scales required for these kinds of surgeries simply do not exist."

A steerable catheter allows surgeons to deliver therapies, in this case platinum coils that block blood flow to an aneurysm, in the deepest recess of the brain. Credit: University of California - San Diego

Bioinspiration

To solve this problem, researchers turned to inspiration both from nature and from soft robotics.

"We were inspired by flagella and insect legs, as well as beetles mating, where microscale hydraulics and large aspect deformation are involved," said Gopesh Tilvawala, who recently earned a Ph.D. in Friend's research group and the paper's first author. "This led us to developing [a] hydraulically actuated soft robotic microcatheter."

Computer simulations and new fabrication methods

The team had to invent a whole new way of casting silicone in three dimensions that would work at those scales, by depositing concentric layers of silicone on top of one another with different stiffnesses. The result is a silicone rubber catheter with four holes inside its walls, each about one half the diameter of a human hair.

The team also conducted computer simulations to determine the configuration of the catheter; how many holes it should include; where these should be placed; and the amount of hydraulic pressure needed to actuate it. To guide the catheter, the surgeon compresses a handheld controller to pass saline fluid into the tip to steer it. Saline is used to protect the patient; if the device should fail, then saline harmlessly enters the bloodstream. The catheter's steerable tip is visible on X-rays.

A fluoroscopic image of the steerable catheter navigating a brain artery in a pig and deploying coils. Credit: University of California - San Diego

A new way of doing neurosurgery

The work is poised to make a significant difference in the way aneurysm surgery is conducted, physicians said. "This technology is ideal for situations when I need to make a 180 degree turn from the catheter position in the parent artery, and maintaining position and reducing kick-out is critical," said Dr. David Santiago-Dieppa, neurosurgeon at UC San Diego Health. "This advance may ultimately allow us to treat aneurysms, other brain pathologies and even strokes that we haven't been able to in the past."

"This type of precision can be realized with steerable tools and the successful deployment of these tools should move us forward in permitting improved access, decreased procedural time, better capacity utilization, decreased radiation exposure and other related and expected benefits," said Dr. Alexander Norbash, chair of the Department of Radiology at UC San Diego Health.

The next steps include a statistically significant number of animal trials and first in human trial.

Explore further The smallest steerable catheter

More information: Tilvawala Gopesh et al, Soft robotic steerable microcatheter for the endovascular treatment of cerebral disorders, Science Robotics (2021). Journal information: Science Robotics Tilvawala Gopesh et al, Soft robotic steerable microcatheter for the endovascular treatment of cerebral disorders,(2021). DOI: 10.1126/scirobotics.abf0601
Credit: Ziniu Chen, University Communications

A rude awakening came to thousands of Americans in early May. Many motorists who had never seen the effects of a devastating ransomware attack found themselves scrambling to find a flowing gas pump, and waiting in massive lines when they did.

This came after a suspected Russian-linked criminal group breached the computer network of the East Coast's largest oil supplier, Colonial Pipeline, shutting down its operations and threatening to leak stolen sensitive data if a $4.4 million ransom was not paid. Within days, pumps up and down the East Coast were taped off with "Out of Gas" signs.

It took an attack of this capacity, affecting lives so directly, for the average person to notice what can happen when data and software are held for ransom. The Colonial Pipeline attack was one of thousands each year, many of which go unnoticed despite the fact that millions of dollars are cumulatively spent in ransoms.

Between 2019 and 2020, ransomware attacks rose 158% in North America alone, and the collective cost of attacks reported to the FBI went up 200%, from $8.9 million to $29.1 million.

According to Don Brown, senior associate dean for research at the University of Virginia's School of Engineering, Quantitative Foundation Distinguished Professor in Data Science and W.S. Calcott Professor in the Department of Systems and Information Engineering, criminal acts of this nature are not going away anytime soon, especially if companies continue to pay ransoms.

As the looming threat plagues organizationsfrom national security agencies and Fortune 500 companies to schools and small businessesUVA Today asked Brown to explain the nature, commonality, protections and future of ransomware attacks.

Q. What are ransomware attacks? What do they do?

A. Ransomware attacks penetrate data management software and then encrypt access to the data using a key known only to the criminals. The original owners of the data can then no longer access it. Once the data is hijacked, the criminals then demand money to decrypt access to the data.

Q. Almost half of the East Coast's fuel supply was halted due to the Colonial Pipeline attack. How are perpetrators able to do this?

A. Ransomware attacks enter through a variety of methods, but the most common are through exploitation of simple passwords (e.g., "password"), through phishing attacks (i.e., posing as a legitimate site in order to obtain a password or log-in credentials), and through software (e.g., M.S. Windows) with known bugs that has not been updated.

Q. What other massive attacks has the United States seen?

A. The U.S. has seen a lot of attacks. There is the well-known attack on the Democratic National Committee in 2016, although that was a data breach, not ransomware. The same groups (they appear to be Russian) that attacked the Colonial Pipeline appear to have attacked many businesses worldwide over the last month through the exploitation of a security bug in the Kaseya software. Also, China is widely suspected of breaching the United States Office of Personnel Management in 2014 to obtain as many as 32 million records of government personnel and their families with security clearances.

Unfortunately, there are more than these.

Q. How often do smaller ransomware attacks go unnoticed by the public? Where do these take place?

A. Since not everyone reports attacks, we don't know the full scope. But recent attacks exploiting the Kaseya bug have likely affected thousands of businesses worldwide. These attacks are against supply chain companies, but they have also targeted manufacturers, hospitals and health care providers, and even schools, since they know these organizations often have weak security and are critically dependent on their data.

Q. What are governments, organizations and companies doing to protect themselves? What are they not doing, or what should they be doing?

A. The Biden administration is currently in discussions with [Russian leader Vladimir] Putin, as you can see in the news.

The U.S. needs to decide on an overall policy regarding cyberattacks. Are these nation-state attacks? For instance, the attack on the Colonial Pipeline by criminals in Russia was not necessarily by the Russian government, but Russia has done nothing to stop these attacks on other countries, particularly Western countries. Also, the U.S. has condoned payment for exploits in commonly used software such as Windows and IOS. This creates a worldwide market for potential exploitation.

Q. Why should individuals be concerned about ransomware attacks? Can individuals do anything to protect themselves?

A. Clearly these attacks affect all of us, as we saw with lines at gas stations following the Colonial Pipeline attack. Attacks on hospitals and schools may be local and not as visible or highly publicized, but could also have severe and rippling consequences.

The main thing individuals can do is to use strong passwords, be very cautious about opening email attachments or responding to emails that want personal information and keep software up to date.

Q. What does the future of ransomware attacks look like?

A. Unless governments agree to cooperate and go after the criminals, we're probably only going to see more ransomware attacks. Sadly, it could get much worse before it gets better.

Explore further New cybersecurity order issued for US pipeline operators
College of Coastal Georgia students are back on campus for their fall semester, and the college is continuing to encourage all on campus to get vaccinated and to wear face masks amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
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SAFETY IN NUMBERS: A class of 250 School Safety Agents will be added because of issues with attrition and recent retirements. The head of the union that represents the Agents recently cited concerns that they were understaffed thanks to the City Council's decision to scrap a proposed class of 475 School Safety Agents in response to backlash from proponents for police-free schools.
MAKING THEIR VOICES HEARD: Correction Officers' Benevolent Association President Benny Boscio (holding mic) accused Mayor de Blasio of consciously neglecting the city jail system to create 'a narrative that says we gotta close [Rikers Island] down,' but argued, 'We don't deserve to get treated the way we get treated.' Correction Captains Association President Pat Ferraiuolo (foreground) said the Mayor seemed indifferent to the lives of correction officers, at least 80 percent of whom are people of color.
Brazos County health officials reported 122 new cases of COVID-19 among county residents on Thursday.

Health officials have confirmed 25,686 cases of COVID-19 in the county since the pandemic began more than a year ago. Of those, 855 cases were active on Thursday, 66 more than the day before.

Officials with the Brazos County Health District said 24,564 cases were considered recovered on Thursday; health officials classify all cases older than two weeks as recovered.

Forty-two Brazos County residents were hospitalized Thursday for treatment of symptoms related to the virus, officials said, an increase of three from the day before.

The percentage of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in the states Trauma Service Area N  Brazos County and six surrounding counties  was 23.25% on Thursday. Other counties in the Brazos Valley region are Burleson, Robertson, Grimes, Madison, Washington and Leon counties.

There were 131 lab-confirmed COVID-19 patients hospitalized in the seven-county Brazos Valley region on Thursday and no intensive care unit beds were available, according to the Department of State Health Services. Of the 581 staffed hospital beds in the region, 41 were available Thursday, according to state figures.
Being a paramedic, Marrs said, allows the firefighter to conduct more invasive medical procedures than an EMT, such as starting an IV, intubating a patient who isnt breathing and administering necessary medications.

These resources will help our first responders do their jobs more safely and effectively, Fire Chief Richard Mann said of the grant funding in a recent press release. Additional paramedic training also enhances our ability to provide mutual aid, not only with an additional medic unit, but with more paramedics on fire apparatus that perform first responder services to the city of Bryan, Texas A&M and parts of Brazos County.

Firefighter/EMT Shannon Mauras said that she is interested in trying to become a paramedic in the near future. Mauras is one of the departments 10 new hires who just started on the job this week. As such, she is going through the CSFDs four-week orientation. For the first year of her time at CSFD she will be on a probationary period which will require quarterly reviews of performance.

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The new people are filling in vacancies in the department. Marrs said that the group is a bit larger than usual since there was a period throughout the pandemic when fewer people were retiring or searching for other jobs outside of the department.
I dont know that theyre gonna go to that level, Murphy said. At this point its more like a jury summons  a paper thats delivered, and thatll be another conversation down the line.

Law enforcement, Murphy added, is still out there talking to people, visiting homes and businesses, and then hopefully we get enough of them to come back. We dont need all of them to come back, just more.

The House is not publicly tallying attendance every day, but the last time the chamber took a vote that revealed who was there, on Aug. 10, there were 93 members present  seven short of a quorum.

Unlike Murphy, some GOP leaders outside the chamber have used stronger language about securing a quorum, raising expectations for a more aggressive effort. Gov. Greg Abbott said at the beginning of the first special session that the Democrats would be corralled and cabined in the Capitol, while U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz argued there is clear legal authority to handcuff and put [the quorum-breakers] in leg irons.

No such tactics have come to light so far. And if lawmakers were detained, they could only be brought back to the House chamber and would not face criminal charges or fines.
Seeing armed men lining the streets of Kabul and occupying the presidential palace offers no solace to the Afghan people, as evidenced by the desperate crowds at the Hamid Karzai International Airport trying to escape the country. What women potentially face freezes the veins of the warm-blooded.

Criticism of the withdrawal, meanwhile, has been fast and furious  from pundits to former president Donald Trump, who signed the withdrawal agreement before leaving office, to Afghans on the run. What this all means politically for Biden and the Democratic Party likely will trouble the political class through the holidays. But such obsession obscures the more compelling question of why we keep making such mistakes?

Do we lack the toughness of past generations? Has our national attention to sensitivity made us vulnerable to the not-so-sensitive? Has the cumulative effect of four consecutive baby-boomer presidents, companions to the peace-love-flower generation, been to pull the pin on the grenade in our own hand?

Biden, born in 1942, was seen as an antidote to his predecessors  the elder statesman with decades of experience. But his kinder-gentler iteration and his sometimes-faltering performance conveys someone who is grandfatherly rather than commanding, notwithstanding his steely-eyed reading of the teleprompter during his remarks on Monday.
Charles Kenyon, who was born in 1839, donated the land on which Boelus sits today.

His granddaughter, Anita Pedersen, is still alive today. Family and friends gathered to celebrate her 100th birthday Aug. 7 at the Boelus Civic Center.

Kenyon and his three brothers came to Nebraska from New York state. In Nebraska, he operated Kenyons Ferry, which carried soldiers and other passengers. He died in 1926.

Pedersen has had an interesting life, which she can look back on in great detail. Youre not likely to find a centenarian with a better memory than her.

Since September 2017, she has lived in senior housing at the Good Samaritan Societys Grand Island Village.

Before that, she lived in Boelus for about 75 years.

Shes not the first member of her family to hit the century mark. Her father, Thomas Hyde, lived to be 102.

Thomas and Pearl (Kenyon) Hyde were the parents of six children. Pedersen is the only one still alive.

She was only 10 when her mother died in 1931 at the age of 39.
The class will be closed for seven days.

Kleeman said the district is following the guidance of the Douglas County Health Department.

She could not say how many kids were in the class and quarantined, but most elementary classes typically have around 20 to 25 students.

The health department has said that if the quarantined children test negative on the fifth day, they can return to school on the eighth day, she said.

If they are not tested, the children may return after the 10th day, she said.

The health department is asking the children to wear a mask for the remainder of the 14-day incubation period, she said.

Whenever the district asks a full class to quarantine, the teacher will provide remote Zoom learning to the students, she said. If some students return before others, the teacher will resume normal in-class teaching for them, but students still out will learn at home with materials provided by the district, she said.

"We will get the work to them," Kleeman said.
If there is transmission occurring, additional measures will be provided, including the possibility of monitoring for symptoms at home, she said.

In Douglas County, like last year, school officials will handle the contact tracing with the assistance of the Health Department, said Phil Rooney, spokesman for the Douglas County Health Department.

Students who test positive will be asked to isolate at home, he said. Thats the case in Sarpy as well, and the same as last year.

Depending on what is happening in the schools, for the first case or so, the close contacts will likely be asked to monitor for symptoms and mask if unvaccinated, he said.

If transmission among students is occurring, additional measures will be recommended, which may include staying home and monitoring for symptoms, he said.

These recommendations will be specific to the scenario, he said.

Last year, schools started the year with explicit isolation and quarantine rules prescribed by the state. Test positive, or show symptoms, and a student would isolate. Have a close contact, and that meant quarantining.
ARPA funds then were awarded by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

The only other option for the city that we saw was to just do the project and absorb the costs and make the citys wastewater ratepayers pick up the tab, which seemed to me an option of last resort, he said.

On Tuesday, the city of Grand Island is scheduled to take action on the agreement at the councils 7 p.m. meeting, and the Hall County board will take action at 1 p.m. during a budget meeting.

Olson is optimistic about the city and countys support.

Were not across the finish line yet, but were up to the finish line, he said. When we talk about the value of the airport and what it brings to the city and the county, and to the region, with over $171 million worth of economic impact, this is a big deal.

Enplanements are up at CNRA, Olson reported Tuesday.

July had the second highest monthly boardings this year, with 5,010 enplanements total.

Of those, Allegiant Airlines had 2,528 boardings with an 89% load factor.

Las Vegas started doing a little bit better, and Phoenix has always been pretty steady, he said.
Grand Islands grandest fall tradition welcomes approximately 10,000 people into the community to shop, dine and fill the streets of downtown with melodies and memories.

In continual efforts to improve community and regional events, the Harvest of Harmony Committee has been working with area band directors to revitalize this historic event. The committee is eager to make an even greater impression of Grand Island on visitors, but needs passionate, enthusiastic volunteers to make the 79th annual Harvest of Harmony a success.

From band guides to staging to planning and implementation on the Harvest of Harmony Committee, available volunteer opportunities vary in level of commitment and involvement. Available positions are for the day of the parade and field competition on Oct. 2, and shifts typically will last three to five hours.

Harvest of Harmony dates back to 1938 when Grand Island Chamber of Commerce members decided to organize an event to promote goodwill among the area small towns. That first parade was a rousing success with eight bands and 13 floats, with an estimate 10,000 people watching from the streets.
HASTINGS  Two annual Hastings events will share the same location and same days this weekend.

The Oregon Trail Rodeo and Kool-Aid Days will both run Friday through Sunday a the Adams County Fairgrounds.

The rodeo takes place in the evenings of the three days; Kool-Aid days activities encompass the daytimes, pause for the rodeo, and, on Saturday, continue after the rodeo ends.

Its a sweet combination, said Marissa Sitzmore, organizer for Kool-Aid Days and president of the board of directors for the World Soft Drink Federation. Im excited to see the two events, side by side.

Kool-Aid Days and the rodeo are not combining forces, just sharing a location and dates, which both groups think will be beneficial.

Weve made a conscious effort to keep the festivals separate, to keep their individuality. Yet well be able to target an audience that may have never seen the other side, Sitzmore said. People from Chicago may come to see the Worlds Largest Kool-Aid stand, and they may never have seen a horse or a cow, let alone a rodeo.
Coming to the Plains: Latinx Stories of Immigration to Central Nebraska uses oral histories to explore the experiences of Latinx immigrants to central Nebraska.

Nebraskas complicated relationship with immigration inspired the team to look at the lived realities of Latinx immigrants who have settled in central Nebraska. University of Nebraska at Kearney faculty members Dr. Michelle Warren, Laurinda Weisse, and Jacob Rosdail, assisted by a number of students, worked with Latinx immigrants to capture oral histories.

Twenty members of the Latinx community shared their stories, discussing how and why they came to the area, what challenges theyve faced, and more. Participants came from Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, Colombia, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic, and currently live in a number of central Nebraska towns. The exhibit displays selections from the interviews in 8 themed banners and a video installation.

Coming to the Plains continues to develop relationships with Latinx community members and community organizations. Current work is focused on assessing the needs of the Latinx population through a community survey. More information on the project is available on the project website: https://comingtotheplains.org/.
He said 74% of the staff in the York General system is fully vaccinated.

The lay of the land is changing, Ulrich said. I thought it was going to be a normal Wednesday and then the president of the United States announced a vaccination mandate for nursing home staff -- we are assessing that now. That adds an additional challenge if employees would choose to leave. We are also assessing whether heavier restrictions will be needed for unvaccinated staff, and we already do that now. Im keeping in contact with other CEOs (of healthcare systems), we are all trying to stay on the same page. I may have a different tune next week, but we are looking at what that vaccination mandate will mean in September.

York County Development Corporation Director Lisa Hurley passed on information from York College, which said they are in the process of welcoming students back to campus  they are encouraging students to be vaccinated and wear masks, but neither is mandated at this time.
The neat thing about this village is we provided a restaurant, motel and a museum. You come over here, go through here, go have lunch and go back to the room and rest. ... We provided a really good facility, said board President Larry Wilcox.

The board along with a variety of community members came together in July for a strategic planning meeting.

All of our grants basically ask what is our strategic plan? We basically had to put that together  what we are doing and what is going on, said Wilcox. We put our plan together. Now we are on our first 90 days of saying, This is what we are doing. That is why we are painting, mowing or cleaning up or moving some stuff around.

The three primary objectives in the first 90 days is revenue production, community involvement and enhancing the look and feel of Pioneer Village.

We thought that those were things that had to happen in the first 90 days to start making a difference in the eyes of members of the community and to finance some of the things that needed to be done, Kershner said.

The foundation board has had 41 citizens express interest in volunteering at the museum. They hope to find groups who would be interested in adopting a building or part of the village and to help maintain it.
There was concern expressed at Tuesdays county board meeting about the possibility of Hall County not receiving the full $11.9 million in ARPA funding, but it has $5.5 million in hand and should seize this opportunity to use it for something that will reap benefits for decades to come.

The airport had 5,012 enplanements in May, its highest monthly total since February 2019. Before the pandemic, it had 71,207 passengers travel through Grand Island in 2019. This brings travelers to our community and provides a great service for local residents who can fly all over the world from right here at home.

Now there are efforts underway to find an airline to provide direct flights from Grand Island to Orlando, Fla., in addition to the current Allegiant flights to Mesa, Ariz., and Las Vegas and American Eagle flights to Dallas.

An interlocal agreement was approved by Hall County Airport Authority at its Wednesday meeting.

Our airport has become a major operation during the past decade. We must protect it for the future.

It is essential that the county board and Grand Island City Council work together to approve the funding so planning work can begin and the sewer system can be replaced as soon as possible.
Starting Sept. 1, Texans ages 21 and older will be allowed carry handguns without training or a license as long as they are not legally prevented from doing so. Gov. Greg Abbott said the law protects American gun rights. Some law enforcement officers worried the law may increase crime rates while putting officers and civilians in danger. Do you support Texas becoming a constitutional carry state?

You voted:
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A scary time

Carbondale hospital is full. Herrin hospital is full. Murphysboro hospital is full. Marion is full. Cape Girardeau hospitals are full. ER waits are 8-9 hours, Ripperda said. There arent enough nurses and there arent enough ICU beds to go around. Pretty well every hospital with an ICU within a 2 hour drive of southern Illinois is full. Not only do we not have space for critically ill people here, we have no place to send them. If you go to a hospital right now and you are not in immediate danger of dying, you will be sent away. If you are at immediate risk of dying, we cant guarantee that your care will be as good as it wouldve been two years ago, because resources are stretched incredibly thin. Doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, healthcare administrators, respiratory therapists, receptionists and everyone who works in healthcare locally is trying their best, but there are only so many of us and only so many hours in the day. Its a bit of a scary time.
Under the new action, both demands will be met. Starting in September, the Education Department will start erasing student debt for 323,000 Americans identified in Social Security records as being permanently disabled.

Borrowers will be notified once they have been approved for relief. All of the loans are expected to be discharged by the end of the year.

The department also plans to eliminate the programs three-year monitoring period, which was previously suspended during the pandemic. That change is expected to be cemented during a federal rulemaking process set to start in October, the agency said.

This is going to be a smooth process for our borrowers, Cardona said in a call with reporters. Theyre not going to have to be applying for it or getting bogged down by paperwork.

Advocates celebrated the change as a victory. Aaron Ament, president of the National Student Legal Defense Network, called it a life-changing step.

This is a huge moment for hundreds of thousands of borrowers with disabilities who can now move on with their lives and wont be trapped in a cycle of debt, he said.
PLYMOUTH, Ind.  An 11-month-old northern Indiana girl who had been reported missing was found dead in a wooded area after a man who had agreed to babysit the toddler for a few days led authorities to her body, a prosecutor said Thursday.

Marshall County Prosecutor Nelson Chipman Jr. said that man, Justin Miller, 37, would be formally charged Thursday with neglect of a dependent resulting in death. His initial hearing is expected Friday.

Chipman said Mercedes Lain's body was found after 9 p.m. Wednesday in a densely wooded area of Starke County near the Marshall County line after Miller led officers to the site.

"It's a tragedy," Chipman said, adding that officers who had searched for the Plymouth girl had hoped she would be found alive.

An autopsy had not been performed on the child's body as of Thursday morning, he said.

Chipman said the girl's father, Kenny Lain, left Mercedes with Miller on Friday at a Plymouth motel to babysit for the weekend so he and the girl's mother, Tiffany Coburn, could have "a few days break from their child."

But after Miller did not bring the toddler back as planned on Sunday her parents reported her missing to police, he said.
Im asking you to do the right thing here for the people in the community. ... Theyre not just going to sit and roll over and take that, said Lucie, a fifth generation farmer in the rural community nearly 300 miles southwest of Chicago.

The only school in the Chicago area that was disciplined by the state was Elmhurst private school Timothy Christian Schools, which had its status restored after agreeing to comply. Several public school districts put on probation have told the state they will comply with the recommendation, and once that is verified, they will be removed from the list, ISBE spokeswoman Jackie Matthews said Wednesday.

We will continue to act swiftly with both nonpublic and public schools that have confirmed they are not implementing universal indoor masking as required by (the executive order), Matthews said.

She said last week the board is reaching out to each district placed on probation to schedule a conference to discuss compliance, and the school districts will be required to submit a corrective plan to the regional superintendent of schools and Ayala within 60 days.
Praise for Frenchs police work has poured in from the community since her death, while the slaying ramped up tension between Lightfoot and rank-and-file police officers. In a widely reported incident, a group of officers turned their backs on Lightfoot when she visited the hospital on the night of the shooting.

Those animosities were reflected in an angry prayer offered by a Chicago Police chaplain at Edison Park Fest over the weekend. As a line of uniformed Chicago police officers stood in front of the stage, the Rev. Dan Brandt, a Catholic priest, cursed unnamed elected officials and blamed them for the death of French and others, according to a video later posted on Facebook.

Their lives were stolen by repeat offenders, people who should not be on the street, Brandt said. And damn our politicians. And damn our penalty system, our penal system. We need reform, friends.

Brandt seemingly excluded Ald. Anthony Napolitano, 41st, a frequent and prolific Lightfoot critic, from his condemnation as he thanked God for the Northwest Side neighborhoods great alderman. He also referred to Edison Park  which is overwhelmingly white and home to more than 1,000 police officers  as almost like a Utopian neighborhood.
She did say the Senate district, Koehler's 46th, made a "significant shift."

She argued the most important part of the new map and how it impacts Peoria was not the boundaries themselves, but who served within those boundaries. Given that she, Spain and Koehler are all from Peoria and "love Peoria," the city will not be impacted by the changes, she said.

Republicans are challenging the new map in court, making a case that the map should not have been drawn before census data was released, and that the release of census data last week shows unequal population in several districts.

"The maps that Democrats released were highly gerrymandered and written behind closed doors and without the appropriate data," Stoller said. "They're being challenged because of that."

While the new legislative map serves as a point of contention between the two sides of Peoria's delegation, in general Peoria's lawmakers are known for working well together.

All four legislators said they enjoy a strong working relationship that goes beyond party differences, rooted in a mutual care for Peoria.

Gordon-Booth and Spain work particularly closely for members of different parties.
"We were officially counting the electoral votes," Durbin said at the rally while reflecting on the insurrection. "(Trump) sent that mob up to disrupt Congress and to stop their constitutional responsibility.

"But he failed," Durbin continued. "The men and women of Congress came together and did their duty. In the hours of fear and concern with this insurrectionist mob in Washington, many of us were taken to a room where Democrats and Republicans spent several hours waiting for the safe return to the Senate. We got the news while we were waiting in that room that we had just won an election contest in the state of Georgia. ... The good news, of course, was about Jon Ossoff, an amazing individual ..."

Ossoff was not officially sworn into the Senate until weeks after the insurrection. He was at his home in Georgia that morning, he said, awaiting results from his runoff victory over then-incumbent and former U.S. Senator David Perdue, R-Georgia.

"It was the biggest Senate race in modern history, fought at a moment of profound crisis," Ossoff said. "And powered by that grassroots army rising to a historic obligation, Georgia voters voted like they've never voted before. Black voters, made to stand in line for six, eight, 10 hours, withstood the elements and defied the injustice that persists in our electoral system to demand new representation."
As for the four declared candidates  Chicago Ald. Pat Dowell, former state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, Chicago Ald. David Moore and Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia  seeking to replace him, White declined to offer his thoughts.

"I've got to make a decision sometime in January, not necessarily right now," he said regarding a potential endorsement. "I have a suspicion that there's more people getting into the race."

Secretary of State's race

Each of the candidates for secretary of state had the opportunity to speak at the brunch Wednesday morning, and many stuck around to chat with reporters afterward.

Dowell, a Chicago alderman since 2007, touted her experience with constituent services as a strength along with her lack of political ambition beyond the office.

"I think what sets me apart is that I'm truly a public servant that's looking to make this office a destination point for me," Dowell said. "It's not a stepping stone to a higher office."

Valencia said she was running on the principles of equity, access and modernization. She also touted her downstate roots and transferable skills she'd bring given some of the similar responsibilities she has in the clerk's office.
"President Biden understands history when it comes to Afghanistan. He made the difficult decision to not hand over this longest of American wars to a fifth president. And had he walked away from the withdraw agreement originally negotiated by President Trump, Taliban attacks on U.S. forces would have restarted and required yet another surge in U.S. troops. How long were Americans willing to continue this cycle, particularly if the Afghan government wasn't willing to fight for its own future?
Carlos Yanez Sr., a retired Chicago police officer, said he was speaking on behalf of his son, Carlos Yanez, Jr., French's partner, who remains hospitalized after the shooting that cost him an eye and left two bullets in his brain.

He made sure that I was here for him. I speak for him," said Yanez Sr.

He said his son asked that one of his shirts be buried with French. He said, 'Dad, where Ella goes ... I would like a a little bit of me to be with her.

Whenever an officer is killed in the line of duty, the funeral is typically attended by representatives from departments across the state and beyond. All in dress uniforms, they stood to attention as French's casket was taken into and out of the church.

Shadowing the funeral were the facts of the night the 29-year-old French was killed, when she and Yanez Jr. pulled over a vehicle for expired plates and a passenger in that vehicle and opened fire on them.

Cupich spoke briefly about the illegal guns that continue to flood the city. Prosecutors contend a man who bought the gun used to shoot French passed it illegally to the suspect in her death.
Blue ribbons were looped around the trees surrounding the property, and an American flag fluttered over Western Avenue, hanging from the ladder of a Chicago Fire Department truck.

The line grew as the afternoon wore on, with mourners sometimes carrying bouquets of flowers. In one case, an officer brought in a large, ceremonial CPD badge inscribed with Frenchs name.

Community members who never knew French were among those who waited in line.

Michael Gallagher, 64, walked toward the line with a book under his arm, as he expected a long wait. Gallagher is a retired teacher, and he said police officers sometimes helped him out in school.

Police sacrifice a lot, he said. They put their lives on the line.

Rolland Young, 69, came from Chinatown hoping to offer condolences. He has a sister who works in law enforcement, and wanted to pay his respects.

I felt bad she had to go so early, he said.
For decades now in Springfield, our school leadership across the state has fought one battle after another over state mandates, said Kyle Thompson, the regional superintendent for Region 11 in east-central Illinois. Our politicians at the state capitol are often well intentioned when they add to our daily demands over the curriculum we provide, the meals we serve, our dress codes and much more. However, too often they don't realize the costs that come from these more isolated decisions. Under COVID-19, mandates have become politically polarizing and our students are suffering as a result of it.

Shane Gordon, superintendent of Bluford USD 318 in southern Illinois, said the polarizing atmosphere surrounding mask mandates has been a challenge for all school officials in Illinois, and he said ISBEs strict enforcement of the mandate was adding to the challenge.

My district did choose to follow the mandate, by a 4-3 vote, he said. Quite honestly, this decision was one made out of fear of this organization and the consequences associated. I'm before you today to express that fear is no way to govern, and fear is no way to lead.
If traditionalists see themselves as seeking "the reinvigoration and realization of what are considered to be the very noblest ideals and achievements of civilization," progressivists hope for "the further emancipation of the human spirit and the creation of an inclusive and tolerant world."

Notice that Hunter does something we could use more of: He gives both sides their due by describing their respective ideals in positive terms. In so doing, Hunter underscored a truth that Alan Wolfe, a longtime political scientist at Boston College, later brought home in a 2006 dialogue with Hunter: The real cultural split is not "a division between red-state and blue-state America; it's a division inside every person." (Disclosure: I organized that dialogue as part of a Brookings Institution/Pew Charitable Trusts project.)

Wolfe's view, expressed in his book "One Nation, After All" is that most Americans "want the moral scales balanced without being loaded down to one side."

You might say that both Hunter and Wolfe are right: There is one heck of a cultural battle going on, but a lot of Americans want no part of it.

Which brings us back to vaccines. An August Monmouth University poll can serve as a kind of litmus test for whether to focus on culture wars or the possibility of a truce.
 At a Hooters restaurant in Illinois, police were called in recently when a customer got into a loud argument about the bill.

 At a Chilis Bar and Grill, a fight broke out between patrons and the hostess over coronavirus-related dining rules. The hostess received five stitches in the brawl.

These are just ordinary fights, but with only a little effort and Google, you can find more. Ebstein asks: Is this about mask mandates and alcohol consumption or something more?

Her guess, and ours, is that it is something more.

So what are we to do?

Ebstein states: To some extent, we can understand our growing meanness. Our world has been upended. School, work, travel, and simple pleasures like visiting granny have all changed, and not in a good way. Nothing illustrates our pain better than the image of a lone driver in his car, fully masked, windows up as he drives himself somewhere. He appears to be protecting himself from himself. Could anything feel more dystopian?
Job Title: Automotive Mechanic

Organisation: United States Embassy in Kampala

Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda

Series: 1020

Grade: FSN 5/FP-9

Salary: UGX 42,407,278

About US:

The United States Embassy in Kampala, Uganda has enjoyed diplomatic relations with Uganda for over 30 years. Ambassador Natalie E. Brown currently heads the U.S Mission to Uganda. The Mission is composed of several offices and organizations all working under the auspices of the Embassy and at the direction of the Ambassador.

Job Summary: Serves as a Maintenance Mechanic in General Services Office / Motor pool (GSO). Responsible for the daily operation of vehicle maintenance and automotive service scheduling. Provides quality control for major maintenance on vehicles and performing basic on-site maintenance on vehicles.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

The applicant for the United States Embassy Auto Mechanic job should have completed secondary school. Vocational automotive repair training, journeyman mechanic, or apprenticeship certification is required.

At least two (2) years of experience as an automotive mechanic is required

A good working knowledge of vehicle diagnostics and troubleshooting practices, commercial and local market costs for parts and supplies, local dealerships and maintenance facilities for specialized auto servicing and repairs.

A good working knowledge of USG regulations as it pertains to official vehicle preventative maintenance and repair.

Evaluations: (This may be tested)

English level II (Limited knowledge) Reading/Writing/Speaking is required.

Must hold a valid local drivers license and be able to operate different types of vehicles such as utility and passenger vehicles, medium trucks, and forklifts. Must be able to interpret shop manuals, parts catalogs and diagrams, and understand technical language of the trade.

Must be able to troubleshoot and determine the causes of a malfunction and be able to use diagnostic tools and software to troubleshoot vehicle problems.

Must have basic computer skills to use proprietary software and prepare simple reports.

All applicants under consideration will be required to pass medical and security certifications.

How to Apply:

All those interested in working with the US mission in Kampala should send their applications online at the link below.

Click Here

Deadline: 24th August 2021

For more of the latest jobs, please visit https://www.theugandanjobline.com or find us on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/UgandanJobline
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Rep. Liz Cheney introduced legislation Tuesday that has been lauded for safeguarding landowners rights  a key conservation sticking point in Wyoming  but would actually do much more.

The bill preemptively limits the federal governments ability to assume ownership of privately owned land under the Biden administrations 30 by 30 conservation initiative, which seeks to protect 30% of U.S. lands and waters by 2030.

The legislation Ive introduced will protect the private property rights of individuals across our state who need access to these lands to provide for themselves and their families, while also ensuring that the current Administrations political agenda will not undermine the interests of farmers and ranchers in Wyoming, Cheney said in a statement.

President Joe Bidens Jan. 27 executive order, Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, set 30 by 30 in motion. A 22-page report published in May rebranded it as the America the Beautiful initiative.
A climber was found dead Monday on Wyomings highest mountain after going missing two days earlier was killed in an apparent fall, the Sublette County Sheriffs Office reported Thursday.

A helicopter crew spotted the body of Thor Hallingbye, 41, of Cheyenne, shortly after noon Monday on Gannett Glacier, which sits at elevation of nearly 13,000 feet, the sheriffs office said.

This appears to be a tragic climbing accident, and our deepest condolences go out to the friends and family of Mr. Hallingbye, sheriffs office spokesman Sgt. Travis Bingham said in a statement.

Hallingbyes body was flown from the mountain to Lander Airport. His death is being investigated by the Fremont County Coroners Office.

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Hallingbye was last seen Saturday near Gannett Peak. He was reported missing that evening after failing to return to his base camp, which was situated near Three Forks Park in the Green River Lakes area of Sublette County, the sheriffs office said.

Climbing the glacier-flanked mountain requires a multi-day hike and crossing sometimes treacherous snowpack, the Associated Press reported.

A search failed to locate Hallingbye on Sunday. His body was found the next day.
The desert is thriving thanks to monsoon rains. Here are some spots where you can enjoy the greenery while getting your steps in.

Be sure to check weather conditions before you head out there.
Two Arizona doctors will have to pay a combined sum of over $500,000 to resolve claims that they took hundreds of thousands of dollars in exchange for prescribing a highly addictive opioid prescription drug that contains fentanyl, the Attorney Generals Office said.

The Attorney Generals Office claims Dr. Nikesh Seth, a Scottsdale-based pain management doctor, and Dr. Sheldon Gingerich, a Tucson-based pain management doctor, accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars in sham educational speaker fees from Chandler-based Insys Therapeutics in exchange for prescribing Subsys, an opioid prescription drug, a news release said.

People put a sacred trust in their doctors, especially when theyre prescribing opioids, Attorney General Mark Brnovich in the news release. We will hold accountable everyone who violated that trust and improperly profited from Arizonas opioid crisis.

Under the settlements, the doctors must forfeit all of the money they collected from Insys and make an additional payment to the state. Seth must forfeit more than $229,000 and pay an additional $145,000 to Arizona, the news release said. Gingerich must forfeit more than $80,000 and pay more than $50,000 to the state.
Karamargin was also dismissive of Cardona's letter: "The last thing we need is a bureaucrat in Washington, D.C., telling Arizona parents what's best for them."

Nor does the governor believe he is breaking any law by denying a share of those COVID relief dollars to schools that require faculty and students to wear marks.

The letter to Ducey comes the same day that U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., wrote to Cardona complaining that the governor is punishing schools that follow CDC guidelines. "Gov. Ducey is yet again pursuing reckless and inhumane proposals that will continue to exacerbate this public health crisis,'' Grijalva wrote. "In addition, it puts into question the legality around him restricting public health mitigation measures in the first place.''

Since July 20, Tucson schools have had 765 identified COVID-19 cases and 29 outbreaks, both numbers increasing exponentially by the day.

Tucson Unified, Amphitheater, Catalina Foothills and Flowing Wells school districts are all requiring universal masking indoors. Sunnyside and Tanque Verde school districts both have meetings this week to discuss whether to implement a mask mandate.

Grijalva said Ducey's financial incentives to schools that don't require masks is retribution against schools that defied him.
In the 328 years that have ensued, dozens of suspects officially were cleared, including Johnson's own mother, the daughter of a minister whose conviction eventually was reversed. But for some reason, Johnson's name wasn't included in various legislative attempts to set the record straight.

Johnson was 22 when she was caught up in the hysteria of the witch trials and sentenced to hang. It never happened: Then-Gov. William Phips threw out her punishment as the magnitude of the gross miscarriages of justice in Salem sank in.

But because she wasn't among those whose convictions were formally set aside, hers still technically stands.

It showed how superstitious people still were after the witch trials, said Artem Likhanov, 14, a rising high school freshman who participated in the school project. Its not like after it ended people didnt believe in witches anymore. They still thought she was a witch and they wouldnt exonerate her.

DiZoglio's bill would tweak 1957 legislation, amended in 2001, to include Johnson among others who were pardoned after being wrongly accused and convicted of witchcraft.
Fire managers were rushing resources to the fire growing on steep slopes in a forested region southwest of Lake Tahoe. More than 650 firefighters and 13 helicopters were assigned to the blaze, and air tankers from throughout the state were flying fire suppression missions there as conditions allowed, authorities said.

The hope is with the additional resources and personnel on scene, we can really start to build that box around this fire and start the containment," said Keith Wade of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Evacuees from the Caldor Fire found refuge in places like the Green Valley Community Church in Placerville, west of the fire, where they set up tents and trailers in a parking lot. Adrian Childress, 7, painted pictures to pass the time and a special tent was set up for people who wished to pray.

In Omo Ranch, close to where the fire started, a bulldozer ripped out trees to build a fire line and stop the blaze from spreading south.

While nearly the entire town evacuated, Thurman Conroy and his wife, Michele, stayed behind to protect their house and their business, Conroy General Store. But they were prepared to flee if the fire gets too close.
He noted that Congress was told repeatedly the Afghan forces were up to the task of securing the country. The American and Afghan people clearly have not been told the truth" and deserve answers, he said.

Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said he has invited Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to testify. A hearing could take place as soon as next week.

The situation in Afghanistan is rapidly changing and it is imperative that the administration provide the American people and Congress transparency about its Afghanistan strategy," Meeks said.

Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said he would work with other committees to ask tough questions about why we werent better prepared for a worst-case scenario."

We owe those answers to the American people and to all those who served and sacrificed so much," Warner said.

Images of panicked Afghans clinging to a departing U.S. military jet at the Kabul airport reinforced the fears that many lawmakers were voicing in recent months as they urged the administration to streamline the process for getting interpreters and others who had helped the United States out of the country.
A Justice Department official said Monacos directive is meant to create a uniform policy across the federal prison system and to ensure Bureau of Prisons officials are taking appropriate steps to monitor inmate accounts. The official said the Justice Department's new policies were aimed at ensuring that inmates arent using their accounts to avoid financial obligations or to break the law. The new procedure creates a clearer process for prison officials to report, track and investigate suspicious or criminal activity.

The official said the Bureau of Prisons has identified about 20 inmates  out of the more than 130,000 federal prisoners  who have more than $100,000 in their accounts.

But they cautioned there is nothing inherently wrong with an inmate holding large sums of money in their accounts, unless they are involved in illegal activity or are using the account to shield court-ordered debts like child support, alimony or restitution to be paid to victims. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the directive before it was formally distributed.

The accounts have long drawn scrutiny from other law enforcement officials who have warned that it was ripe for abuse and corruption.
According to the Democrat-Gazette, it appeared the two-page timeline depicting news events from 2020 and 2021, including the U.S. Capitol riot and the police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Daunte Wright, were ripped out by hand.

The spread outlined important world events that took place during the 2020-2021 academic year, including the 2020 election, the impact of COVID-19, the death of George Floyd, and more. The reason cited for the removal of the already-published content was that school officials were at the receiving end of community backlash over the yearbook spread, wrote Harris.

The yearbook adviser, Meghan Clarke Walton, resigned over the censorship issue. She also taught English and journalism at the school.

I did not authorize the removal of these pages, nor do I support it in any way," she said. "Deciding to resign was the most difficult decision I have ever made. However, I needed to stand up for myself and for the students who created that yearbook spread.

Walton said more than 100 distributed yearbooks had the pages removed. About 15 yearbooks that were sold during the first day of distribution are the only ones that have all the pages.
The family that owns Purdue Pharma had hoped a reformulated version of Oxycontin would help rein in the burgeoning opioid crisis a decade ago, a member of the Sackler family said Thursday in court testimony that once again stopped short of an apology or acceptance of responsibility for the epidemic.

Mortimer D.A. Sackler was the third member of the wealthy family to testify in a hearing, held by videoconference, on whether a judge should accept Purdues plan to reorganize into a new company no longer owned by family members.

Ive said and my family have said the fact that OxyContin, a product that was sold to help people and reduce pain, also went out and got diverted and hurt people, it is horrible. It got to me, it got to our family. It was not at all what was intended, Sackler said under questioning from Tad Robinson ONeill, assistant attorney general of Washington, one of the states suing Purdue.

I believe that if youre in a position to help, you have a responsibility to help," Sackler said. "Were here trying to get this settlement done so we can get these vast sums to these communities to these people to help them.

ONeill asked if that was an apology  something no Sackler relative has given amid the crisis.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP)  Three Albuquerque police officers were shot and another was injured while responding to a robbery Thursday, leaving law enforcement officials and elected leaders frustrated as New Mexico's largest city continues to grapple with a record-setting year of deadly violence.

Authorities said one of the officers was hit at the base of the neck, just above his bulletproof vest, and was listed in critical condition. One officer was shot in the forearm, and another was saved by his vest when he was struck in the chest by gunfire. The fourth officer was hit in the eye with shrapnel.

While the investigation is ongoing, Police Chief Harold Medina said multiple people were detained and the person believed to have fired at officers was in custody. That suspect was shot but is in stable condition, he said.

Medina called on the criminal justice system to come together to find ways to intervene and curb the violence, citing the revolving door that many residents have blamed for persistent crime problems and the latest rash of shootings. He also acknowledged that not all people can be saved.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP)  The remnants of tropical storm Fred closed roads and flooded basements Thursday in parts of upstate New York, and forecasters warned more flooding was possible.

As much as 4 inches of rain fell in parts of western and central New York, swelling creeks and rivers.

About 10 families evacuated their homes in the rural town of Western in central New York as waters rose.

Ive got three roads that are closed and 15 that have flooding, said Western town Supervisor Diane Butler, who noted the town is still recovering from a tornado last month that downed trees and damaged homes.

Butler said there were no injuries.

Tropical Depression Fred blew into the northeastern U.S. on Wednesday after closing highways and cutting power to thousands in the South.

Rain continued over parts of New York on Thursday.

Officials from the Cayuga County sheriffs office in the Finger Lakes tourist region said they were barricading roads as they warned on social media that flooded roads may be washed out or have heavy currents.
WASHINGTON (AP)  A man sitting in a black pickup truck parked on the sidewalk outside the Library of Congress told police he had a bomb Thursday, triggering a standoff in the heart of the nation's capital.

Officials evacuated a number of buildings around the Capitol and sent snipers to the area after officers saw the man holding what looked like a detonator inside the pickup, which had no license plates. Congress is in recess this week, but staffers were seen calmly walking out of the area at the direction of authorities.

Police negotiators were communicating with him as he wrote notes and showed them to authorities from inside the truck, according to three people who were not authorized to publicly discuss the matter and spoke on condition of anonymity. They were trying to determine whether it was an operable bomb, the officials said.

"My negotiators are hard at work trying to have a peaceful resolution to this incident," U.S. Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger said. "We're trying to get as much information as we can to find a way to peacefully resolve this."

The episode began about 9:15 a.m. when the truck drove up the sidewalk outside the library, Manger said. The driver told the responding officer that he had a bomb, and was holding what the officer believed to be a detonator, The truck had no license plates.
BULLHEAD CITY, Ariz. (AP)  Employees in a northwestern Arizona school district cannot discuss vaccination status or mask-wearing with students under a motion approved unanimously by the local school board.

The edict from the Colorado River Union High School District Governing Board carries no repercussions for administrators, staff, and teachers who violate it. That would be up to Superintendent Monte Silk, who supported the motion.

School districts across Arizona have taken varied approaches to mask mandates, with some defying state law to impose them and offering opt-out options. The Colorado River Union High School District's gag rule is rare.

Board member Ashley Gerich, who calls herself a non-vaxxer requested the item be put on the board's agenda this week. She said a couple of students, including her daughter, told her conversations about the vaccine made them feel uncomfortable, the Mohave Daily News reported.
BRUSSELS (AP)  Well before U.S. President Joe Biden took office early this year, the European Union's foreign policy chief sang his praises and hailed a new era in cooperation. So did almost all of Washington's Western allies.

The EU's Josep Borrell was glad to see the end of the Trump era, with its America First, and sometimes America Only policy, enthralled by Biden's assertion that he would lead, not merely by the example of our power, but by the power of our example.

Sunday's collapse of Kabul, triggered by Biden's decision to get out of Afghanistan and a U.S. military unable to contain the chaos since, certainly put a stop to that. Even some of his biggest fans are now churning out criticism.

Borrell was among them, this time aghast at Biden's contention that our mission in Afghanistan was never supposed to have been nation-building, coming in the wake of Western efforts over much of the past two decades to sow the seeds of the rule of law and assure protection for women and minorities.

"State-building was not the purpose? Well, this is arguable, a dejected Borrell said of Biden's stance, which has come under criticism in much of Europe.
Our concerns are deepened by the fact that Iran has significantly limited IAEA access through withdrawing from JCPOA-agreed monitoring arrangements, the joint statement added.

The U.S. unilaterally pulled out of the nuclear deal in 2018, with then-President Donald Trump saying it needed to be renegotiated.

Since then, Tehran has been steadily increasing its violations of the deal to put pressure on the other signatories to provide more incentives to Iran to offset crippling American sanctions re-imposed after the U.S. pullout.

The western Europeans, as well as Russia and China, have been working to try to preserve the accord.

U.S. President Joe Biden has said he is open to rejoining the pact, but that Iran needs to return to its restrictions, while Iran has insisted that the U.S. must drop all sanctions.

Months of talks have been held in Vienna with the remaining parties of the JCPOA shuttling between delegations from Iran and the U.S.

The last round of talks ended in June with no date set for their resumption.
WARSAW, Poland (AP)  Poland's prime minister vowed Thursday that his country would stand firm and block migrants, mostly from Iraq and Afghanistan, who have been seeking to enter from neighboring Belarus.

Poland accuses the authoritarian government of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko of sending the migrants across its border, creating a humanitarian crisis.

(The migrants) are people with whom I sincerely sympathize, but they are an instrument, a tool in the hands of Mr. Lukashenko, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, told a news conference.

He vowed that Poland would not succumb to this type of blackmail.

Hundreds of soldiers have been deployed to the border and at least 100 kilometers (60 miles) of barbed wire have been laid as Poland seeks to prevent the migrants from entering.

Several dozen people, mainly from Iraq and Afghanistan, have been wandering for several days in the border zone, near the town of Usnarz Gorny. Polish authorities do not want to let them in while Belarus doesn't want to let them back.

Fundacja Ocalenie (Salvation Foundation), a humanitarian group that sent activists to the border, said there were 32 people from Afghanistan there, among them women and sick people.
To Pat Moore who is grateful the Governor wants to leave the decision on mask wearing in schools to parents - really? You would rather people 
OPINION: "The "Tucson Fight For 15 is a bad bill for Tucson. Now is the time for us to take a hard look at our future. Will there be opportunities for our children? Grandchildren?" writes Tucson business owner Joshua Jacobsen.
Pompeo, though, said the collapse of Afghan government forces witnessed in the past few weeks would not have happened under a Trump administration because the Taliban was afraid of the former president.

(The Taliban) understood our administration was serious about protecting American interests, Pompeo said. This administration has not struck fear in the hearts of the Taliban.

Asked whether the Afghan governments collapse in a matter of weeks after the U.S. spent 20 years, $1 trillion and more than 6,000 military and civilian lives sustaining it said something about the mission itself, Pompeo replied, It says something about failed presidential leadership. It says (Biden) didnt have a plan.

Later, Lankford said, There is tremendous risk in being soft and were going to be nice guys on the world stage. The people of the world  want to see us live our values and to be strong and to say, We stand for us, and we stand for the rights (of others.)

Pompeo and Lankford talked at some length about threats from China and Iran, complained about the lifting of sanctions related to a natural gas pipeline from Russia to Germany and assured their fellow Republicans that the situation is worsening because of what they said is Bidens soft approach to foreign relations.
Nursing homes in Oklahoma and across the nation are in danger of losing staff or funding following pressure from the Biden administration spurred by a resurgence of COVID-19.

Nursing homes that refuse to mandate COVID-19 vaccines for their staff will lose Medicare and Medicaid funding.

Oklahoma has more than 600 long-term care facilities. Nearly 300 of those are nursing homes. Two nursing home industry officials contacted Wednesday expressed concern that the mandate could prompt resistant workers to trade their nursing home job for one at another facility that does not require the vaccine.

The move comes less than a month after the Department of Veterans Affairs began mandating vaccines for its health care workers following a spike in cases this summer. The Biden administration has also mandated vaccines for federal employees and contractors and National Guard members.

Kim Green, chief operating officer for the Diakonos Group, which employs more than 1,000 workers at 23 long-term care facilities across the state, said she supports a vaccine mandate  but only if the ultimatum applies to all facilities that receive federal health care dollars.
Oklahoma's COVID-19 hospitalization numbers are continuing their climb back toward the state's peak, which was reached in December, state data released Wednesday show.

Oklahoma hospitals are now treating approximately 1,385 COVID-19 inpatients, which is on par with late-January levels.

The number of COVID inpatients in the state had peaked at nearly 2,000 in late December and then declined drastically as vaccinations became available.

The numbers held relatively steady at a low of about 100 in May before rising again, a move that health officials largely attribute to the delta variants taking an unmitigated path through a still-largely unvaccinated population.

At this time in June, Oklahoma had about 1,200 active documented cases of COVID-19.

As of Wednesday, 19,704 documented cases were active in Oklahoma, with 4,394 vaccine-breakthrough infections, up from 3,269 a week earlier. About 885 of those originated since Aug. 1.

About 308 vaccinated people have been hospitalized with breakthrough infections, and 40 have died since tracking began, according to the states most recent epidemiology report.
This is not an issue of liberty, as they would have you believe; its an issue of public health (and courts have long upheld the right of government to make public health rules). This is not a question, solely, of control over ones own body  the health and safety of others are at risk. People who dont wear masks or wont get vaccinated enable the virus to spread and reproduce and increase the chance of new variants that will evade vaccines.

Yes, some vaguely confusing facts about vaccines may raise legitimate concerns for ordinary Americans. Its true, for instance, that the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines do not have full formal approval by the Food and Drug Administration; they have only been authorized for emergency use. That sends a discomfiting message. And indeed, breakthrough infections may allow fully vaccinated people to catch COVID.

But following the science is the best and only way to fight the disease. The overwhelming consensus of scientists, doctors and data is that the vaccines are not dangerous, that the breakthroughs are rare and that it is far safer to be immunized than not.

Its also true that there are some people who face real barriers to getting informed, finding the time or arranging for transportation to where the shots are. They need our assistance.
Feds tell state leaders it is within a local school district's discretion to use stimulus funds for implementing indoor masking policies aligned with CDC guidance. #oklaed

Read the letter U.S. Secretary of Education sent to OK governor, state superintendent

'Balancing the nerves and the joy': Suburban districts head back to school
Jin-hui, a cream-coloured Pomeranian, was buried alive and left for dead in 2018 in the South Korean port city of Busan.

No charges were filed against its owner at the time, but animal abusers and those who abandon pets will soon face harsher punishment as South Korea plans to amend its civil code to grant animals legal status, Choung Jae-min, the justice ministry's director-general of legal counsel, told Reuters in an interview.

The amendment, which must still be approved by parliament, likely during its next regular session in September, would make South Korea one of a handful of countries to recognise animals as beings, with a right to protection, enhanced welfare and respect for life.

Jin-hui, a five-year-old Pomeranian dog, who was rescued from under the ground, sits at an animal shelter in Anseong, South Korea, August 11, 2021. Photo: Reuters

The push for the amendment comes as the number of animal abuse cases increased to 914 in 2019 from 69 in 2010, data published by a lawmaker's office showed, and the pet-owning population grew to more than 10 million people in the country of 52 million.

South Korea's animal protection law states that anyone who abuses or is cruel to animals may be sentenced to a maximum of three years in prison or fined 30 million won ($25,494), but the standards to decide penalties have been low as the animals are treated as objects under the current legal system, Choung said.

Choung Jae-min, legal counsel at South Korea's justice ministry, speaks during an interview with Reuters in Gwacheon, South Korea, August 9, 2021. Photo: Reuters

Once the Civil Act declares animals are no longer simply things, judges and prosecutors will have more options when determining sentences, he said.

The proposal has met with scepticism from the Korea Pet Industry Retail Association, which pointed out there are already laws in place to protect animals.

"The revision will only call for means to regulate the industry by making it difficult to adopt pets, which will impact greatly not only the industry, but the society as a whole," said the association's director general, Kim Kyoung-seo.

Choung said the amended civil code will also pave the way for follow-up efforts such as life insurance packages for animals and the obligation to rescue and report roadkill.

It is likely the amendment will be passed, said lawmaker Park Hong-keun, who heads the animal welfare parliamentary forum, as there is widespread social consensus that animals should be protected and respected as living beings that coexist in harmony with people.

Animal rights groups welcomed the justice ministry's plan, while calling for stricter penalties for those who abandon or torture animals, as well as a ban on dog meat.

"Abuse, abandonment, and neglect for pets have not improved in our society," said Cheon Chin-kyung, head of Korea Animal Rights Advocates.

Cheon Chin-kyung, head of the Korea Animal Rights Advocates (KARA), shows a video of a dead dog found at a dog farm in Uijeongbu, in Seoul, South Korea, August 13, 2021. Photo: Reuters

Despite a slight drop last year, animal abandonment has risen to 130,401 in 2020 from 89,732 cases in 2016, the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency said. South Korea has an estimated 6 million pet dogs and 2.6 million cats.

Solemn with large, sad eyes, Jin-hui, which means "true light" in Korean, now enjoys spending time with other dogs at an animal shelter south of Seoul.

"Its owner lost his temper and told his kids to bury it alive. We barely managed to save it after a call, but the owner wasn't punished as the dog was recognised as an object owned by him," said Kim Gea-yeung, 55, manager of the shelter.

"Animals are certainly not objects."

Kim Gea-yeung, manager of an animal shelter for abandoned dogs and cats, holds Jin-hui, a five-year-old Pomeranian dog, who was rescued from under the ground, in Anseong, South Korea, August 11, 2021. Photo: Reuters

($1 = 1,176.76 won)
Vietnam's State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh have asked the European Union to donate and transfer more COVID-19 vaccine doses to help the Southeast Asian country fight the serious pandemic.

In a letter sent to President of the European Council Charles Michel on Wednesday, President Phuc thanked the EU for its previous support for Vietnam, including the donation of 2.4 million vaccine doses via the COVAX Facility.

Vietnam is facing hefty challenges in securing enough vaccines for its population of nearly 100 million people as well as medical equipment for COVID-19 prevention and control, the leader stated.

He called for the EUs maximum assistance for Vietnam through donating and sharing vaccines, transferring production technology, providing medical equipment for COVID-19 treatment, and sharing experience in COVID-19 response.

On the same day, PM Chinh also sent a letter to President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.

The premier spoke highly of the growth pace in the Vietnam-EU relations in the context of COVID-19.

He suggested the EU consider providing Vietnam with more vaccine shots and calling on the COVAX Facility to prioritize the allocation of vaccines to Vietnam and ASEAN member countries given the complicated developments of the pandemic.

Vietnam has so far received about 20 million COVID-19 vaccine doses through purchases, the COVAX Facility, and donations from other countries.

The nation sets a target of immunizing two-thirds of its population against COVID-19 by the first quarter of next year.

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Check out the news you should not miss today:

Society

 Ho Chi Minh City may report 182,408 cases of COVID-19 next month, as per a scenario construct by the citys health authorities.

 The European Chamber of Commerce (EuroCham) has launched a campaign called 'Breathe Again' to procure essential medical equipment for Vietnam to support the country during the fourth outbreak of COVID-19, the Embassy of Belgium in Vietnam announced on its verified Facebook page on Wednesday. EuroCham members are encouraged to donate to a new fund which will be used to buy much-needed medical equipment for Vietnams hard-pressed hospitals.

 The north-central province of Ha Tinh will spend VND2 billion (US$87,730) supporting its citizens who are struggling to remain in Ho Chi Minh City and other southern provinces amid the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.

 The People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City has requested functional forces at COVID-19 checkpoints across the city to create favorable conditions for commuters who have international air tickets to travel to Tan Son Nhat International Airport.

 The Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control on Wednesday night said the Ministry of Health had decided to allocate 30,000 vials of Remdesivir, a drug used in treating coronavirus patients, to the southern region which is treating many severe COVID-19 patients, including 13,000 bottles for the city alone.

 A local resident of Ho Chi Minh Citys District 8 on Wednesday handed over a 2.1kg great hornbill he caught to the local forest protection department after learning that the bird is listed as rare and endangered.

 Vietnam recorded more than 3,900 cyberattacks in January-July, the Vietnam News Agency cited the Authority of Information Security under the Ministry of Information and Communications as saying on Wednesday.

Business

 Vietnams importation of completely built-up (CBU) vehicles in January-July posted a year-on-year surge of 111.2 percent in volume despite COVID-19, the Vietnam News Agency reported on Wednesday.

World news

 Current data does not indicate that COVID-19 booster shots are needed, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday, adding that the most vulnerable people worldwide should be fully vaccinated before high-income countries deploy a top-up, Reuters reported.

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A blaze suddenly broke out at a grocery shop in Binh Duong Province, located in southern Vietnam, on Wednesday night, killing a family of four people and one relative of theirs, local sources reported.

The tragic accident occurred at a house in the provinces Di An City at around 10:20 pm, leaving three people dead on the spot while two others died later at hospital.

Covering around 120 square meters, the house doubled as both a residence and a grocery shop that contained numerous flammable commodities, which made the fire spread rapidly.

Five vehicles and more than 20 firefighters were called to the scene and they managed to stamp out the blaze quickly.

Rescuers brought all the five victims out of the flames, but the 44-year-old house owner, L.D.A., his wife, 43, and their niece, 20, died on the spot.

The couples son and daughter, aged 15 and 18 respectively, were taken to hospital immediately but could not make it later due to their severe conditions.

All the five victims died from smoke inhalation, according to authorities' initial conclusions.

Local police are investigating the cause of the fire as well as the property damage caused by the incident.

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A resident of District 8, Ho Chi Minh City on Wednesday handed over a 2.1-kilogram great hornbill he had previously caught to the local forest protection department after learning that the bird is listed as rare and endangered.

The great hornbill, whose scientific name is Buceros bicornis, is classified as an endangered, precious, and rare forest animal in Vietnam.

At the time of reception by Ho Chi Minh City forest rangers, the great hornbill was in a weakened state, with many of its tail feathers having fallen off.

The bird was then brought to the Cu Chi Wildlife Rescue Station in the namesake district for treatment and further care.

Besides this great hornbill, the Ho Chi Minh City forest protection department has received a stump-tailed macaque (Macaca aretoides), a giant Asian pond turtle (Heosemys grandis), and an Asian small-clawed otter (Aonyx cinereus) from local people since the beginning of August.

A giant Asian pond turtle is in the care of the Cu Chi Wildlife Rescue Station in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: A.X. / Tuoi Tre

The stump-tailed macaque, weighing about nine kilograms, was handed over by M.A.T., hailing from Nha Be District.

T. said he used a trap to catch the monkey, which often broke into his house and messed around with his furniture.

The giant Asian pond turtle, weighing 4.5 kilograms, was discovered by N.T.V. in Thu Duc City during a fishing trip.

A stump-tailed macaque is in the care of the Cu Chi Wildlife Rescue Station in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: A.X. / Tuoi Tre

The Asian small-clawed otter was transferred by another resident of Thu Duc City, who said he had purchased the 2.5-kilogram animal online.

All three of these rescued animals, which are also categorized as precious and rare species, are currently in the care of the Cu Chi Wildlife Rescue Station.

The wild animals are expected to be released into nature upon their recovery.

An Asian small-clawed otter is in the care of the Cu Chi Wildlife Rescue Station in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: A.X. / Tuoi Tre

A great hornbill is in the care of the Cu Chi Wildlife Rescue Station in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: A.X. / Tuoi Tre

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After a short police chase, a group of smugglers in An Giang Province, southern Vietnam purposely crashed their truck carrying almost 6,000 packs of contraband cigarettes into a canal and fled the scene.

The illicit operation was spotted by an anti-smuggling police team around 2:00 am on Wednesday while on patrol in Van Giao Commune, Tinh Bien District, An Giang.

The patrol team ordered the driver to pull over, but he refused and sped up to escape.

Containers of smuggled cigarettes are seized by police in An Giang Province, Vietnam, August 18, 2021. Photo: Tien Vu / Tuoi Tre

Police pursued the truck to Tra Su Canal, where the smugglers steered their vehicle down to the waterway and quickly escaped the scene.

Upon searching the truck, police officers found 5,960 packs of cigarettes, which are now in the custody of Tinh Bien District for further investigation.

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A six-year-old boy has survived serious bee stings thanks to blood donations from three police officers in Vietnam.

The child, M.T.T., from Nghia Dan District, north-central Nghe An Province, is being treated at Nghe An Obstetrics and Childrens Hospital after receiving blood donations, local authorities said on Wednesday.

T. innocently poked a bumblebee hive out of curiosity before he was swarmed by the bees, T.s mother said.

His family immediately took him to the hospital.

Doctors said he arrived in a critical condition with about 90 bee stings on his body.

T. received four blood transfusions at Nghe An Obstetrics and Childrens Hospital, but a shortage of blood donations due to the COVID-19 pandemic hindered the treatment.

After hearing about T., many local residents with the same type-O blood as the child patient visited the hospital to donate blood, including a group of local police officers -- Major Nguyen Quyet Thang, Captain Ho Ba Nhat, and Captain Le Ngoc.

Over the past month, Nghe An Obstetrics and Childrens Hospital has received and treated seven children with bee stings, including critically-ill patients suffering anaphylaxis and multi-organ failure.

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The Ministry of Health reported a record high of over 10,600 domestic coronavirus cases in Vietnam on Thursday, alongside 5,000 recoveries and 380 deaths.

Thirty-seven provinces and cities recorded 10,639 local cases, the largest-ever daily count, whereas another 15 infections were imported from abroad, the health ministry said.

The old record was set on August 13, when 9,710 locally-infected patients were logged across the country.

More than 6,400 of the latest local cases were found in the community while the remainder were detected in isolated areas or centralized quarantine facilities.

Ho Chi Minh City detected 4,425 of the new domestic infections, Binh Duong Province 3,255, Dong Nai Province 657, Long An Province 545, Tien Giang Province 478, Dong Thap Province 185, Da Nang 164, Khanh Hoa Province 151, Can Tho City 134, Tay Ninh Province 102, An Giang Province with 70, Vinh Long Province with 60, and Hanoi with 53.

Since the fourth COVID-19 wave began in Vietnam on April 27, the country has found 308,559 community transmissions in 62 out of its 63 provinces and cities.

Ho Chi Minh City is taking the lead with 164,342 patients, followed by Binh Duong Province with 55,601, Long An Province with 16,552, Dong Nai Province with 15,602, Bac Giang Province with 5,802, Tien Giang Province with 5,619, Dong Thap Province with 5,554, Khanh Hoa Province with 4,884, Tay Ninh Province with 3,819, Can Tho City with 3,146, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province with 2,666, Hanoi with 2,644, Da Nang with 2,547, and Phu Yen Province with 2,324.

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 5,000 recoveries on Thursday, taking the total to 120,059 recovered patients.

The death toll has ascended to 7,150 after the health ministry reported 380 fatalities the same day, including 307 registered in Ho Chi Minh City and 45 in Binh Duong Province.

The Southeast Asian country has detected an accumulation of 312,611 cases since the COVID-19 pandemic first hit it on January 23, 2020.

Health workers gave 398,031 COVID-19 vaccine doses on Wednesday.

About 16 million vaccine shots have been administered in Vietnam since the country rolled out vaccination on March 8, with over 1.56 million 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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Police in Vietnam have arrested 12 individuals linked to a newly uncovered forgery ring that sold fake coronavirus-negative certificates for workers and inter-provincial drivers to evade monitoring measures of COVID-19 prevention officials.

The Peoples Procuracy in northern Bac Ninh Province has pressed charges of forging official documents against Tran Tan Duong, 34, director of Thien Nhan Advertising Printing Design Co. Ltd., as well as 11 suspects allegedly involved in Duongs racket, the same agency stated on Thursday.

On August 11, Duong was caught red-handed selling six coronavirus test results with signatures and seals from Hoan My International Hospital to Vu Van Chien, 32, during a police raid targeting Thien Nhan headquarters in Bac Ninh City, the provincial capital.

The company director later admitted the seals were printed digital images, while Duong forged the technicians and hospital leaders signatures.

As many workers in Bac Ninh need coronavirus-free test results to start working at new firms, while inter-provincial drivers also need them to pass through COVID-19 checkpoints, Duong started taking orders via instant messaging app Zalo and forging result certificates at the price of VND150,000 (US$7) for quick test versions, or VND250,000 ($11) for the real-time RT-PCR version.

Tran Tan Duong, the kingpin of a COVID-19 test certificate forgery ring, is shown at the police station in Bac Ninh Province, Vietnam. Photo: Dang Hoa / Tuoi Tre

Several individuals were found sourcing test results from Duong.

Among them, Than Van T., Hoang Van H., Nguyen Van D., and Tran Viet B., who hail from northern provinces, purchased a multitude of test certificates to distribute to the inter-provincial drivers of a transport company in Lang Son Province, 130km north of Bac Ninh.

These certificates were on track to help their vehicles earn green lane status, which allows vehicles to pass through COVID-19 checkpoints when they are carrying essential commodities, transporting workers, or performing other duties.

Several workers and collaborators of job placement agencies Anbin Vina and HT Vina were also caught buying over 100 certificates from Duong.

They purchased testing service bills to help workers get into industrial zones in Bac Ninh Province, officers revealed.

Provincial police are expanding their investigation and collecting evidence to clear the case.

One of the gravest outbreak sites in Vietnam back in May and June, Bac Ninh has recently seen some success in quelling the disease, going three weeks without logging any new transmission in the community until an infection cluster was found in a delivery service office on August 14.

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Season 11 of Vera is in the pipeline, set to begin soon in the UK.

Two episodes were filmed during UK lockdown. A further four episodes began filming earlier this year and are expected to be released in 2022.

Star Brenda Blethyn has mixed feelings about the grind of shooting according to one interview.

At the end of filming every season I think, Oh, thank the Lord Im going home. Never again, she said. But its like having a lovely slap-up meal. Youve eaten too much. You couldnt eat another morsel. And youre shown the menu again. Take it away, take it away! But then a week later you get hungry again.

By the time I go back to Newcastle again Im always very much looking forward to it.

Asked about Vera Season 12, she said, It rather depends on the COVID situation and putting my priorities in order.

New dates for Australia are yet to be announced.

Source: Radio Times
Everybody on Nine Perfect Strangers has something to hide.

In its idyllic Tranquillum House setting, both guests and staff of this lush, Californian health retreat are searching for one-ness but how they get there is an unsettling 8 part journey.

There are 9 exclusive guests when the series, based on a book by Liane Moriarty, opens.

High school teacher Napoleon (Michael Shannon), wife Heather (Asher Keddie) and teen daughter Zoe (Grave Van Patten) are a family in pain; Lamborghini-driving Ben (Melvin Gregg) and his glam Insta Jessica (Samara Weaving); frazzled romance novelist Frances (Melissa McCarthy); newly-single gay man Lars (Luke Evans); divorcee Carmel (Regina Hall); and combative man-with-secret Tony (Bobby Cannavale). Okay, theyre not all strangers I guess

Drawing them for 10 days of transformation is Russian guru Masha (Nicole Kidman), whose soft but striking presence challenges them to look inward and reconnect -literally- with the Earth. Masha seemingly floats on air to her guests and peers into souls with precision. But she too has a mysterious past and thinks nothing of covert spying with closed circuit cameras.

Three Tranquillum staff include the peacefully present Yao (Manny Jacinto), the positive, smiling Delilah (Tiffany Boone) and Glory (Zoe Terakes).

Episode one written by David E. Kelley & John-Henry Butterworth has so much set-up its hard to grasp where this is headed, but the arrival of the guests separates them from their daily lives (and phones) and first impressions are deliberately jarring. Some are regretting committing, but for others such as Heather, its their one big hope.

This is going to be the best thing. I just know it. It has to be, says Heather.

But Masha makes big promises and her team revere their leader.

Were gonna get you well. it will be sometime unpleasant, she warns Frances, later telling her guests, In 10 days you will leave here, you will not be the person you are now.

Despite its exotic location, director Jonathan Levine ripples the story with an unsettling, even sinister, undertone. What is puppet-master Masha not telling her guests. is she who she says she is. what Lost-like past histories will unravel under the perfect state of Tranquillum and will the guests break-through or break down?

Similarities to the recent White Lotus may be quickly raised, but theres more layers here and less satire at work. Performances by Asher Keddie, Michael Shannon and Manny Jacinto are amongst the stand-outs while a towering-Kidman is driven by stillness and a Russian accent thats a bit distracting.

The other star is the serene Byron Bay location. At first glance Id tip this to do wonders for the local staycation industry. If youre in lockdown, its a rainforest escape, but your desire to live it for real may be directly related to the inherent costs and how truly twisted the story becomes at least you dont have to go to California to make it come true.

Whether the creative team can match the extraordinary success of Big Little Lies remains to be seen but from the safety of your couch be glad youre not one of these nine souls in need of a spiritual compass. Namaste.

Nine Perfect Strangers screens Friday August 20 on Amazon Prime Video.
Stan has extended its content partnership with WarnerMedia for a slew of new film and television content.

Amongst more than 180 films are the Harry Potter series (including the Fantastic Beasts films), The Lord of the Rings and The Hangover trilogies, Dunkirk and DC titles including Christopher Nolans Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, Wonder Woman, Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, Justice League, Suicide Squad, and more.

Also included are The Big Bang Theory, Two and a Half Men, The West Wing, The O.C., The Flash, Hart of Dixie, The Last Ship and The Following. These continue alongside current titles Gossip Girl, The Vampire Diaries, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Pretty Little Liars, The Originals, iZombie, Containment and more animation (see below).

Stans Acting CEO Martin Kugeler said: Stans longstanding partnership with WarnerMedia has seen us bring some of the worlds biggest film and television franchises directly into Australian living rooms. We look forward to continuing to work with one of Hollywoods most iconic studios to bring even more premium WarnerMedia content to our subscribers.

It isnt clear how long the deal is for.

Countless acclaimed animated DC series will soon arrive on Stan, including Batman: The Animated Series, Superman: The Animated Series, Justice League and more, alongside an enormous library of animated DC films, including: Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Parts 1 and 2, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, Batman: Bad Blood, Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman, Superman/Batman: Apocalypse, Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, Superman: Unbound, Superman: Doomsday, Justice League: Crisis On Two Earths, Justice League: Doom, Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, Justice League: War, Lego Justice League: Legion Of Doom!, Lego DC Super Hero Girls: Brain Drain, Lego DC Super Heroes: The Flash and many more.

Stan has also renewed its streaming rights for numerous Cartoon Network animated series, including Regular Show, Steven Universe, The Powerpuff Girls, Ben 10, We Bare Bears and more  with Animaniacs seasons one and two and Infinity Train seasons two and three also set to receive their Australian premieres exclusively on Stan.
"Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker."
An Ohio resident receives the COVID-19 vaccine in March. Stephen Zenner/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

On Wednesday, US officials recommended a booster shot eight months after a person's second jab.

Three COVID-19 experts said they weren't sure this was the right strategy to curb the pandemic.

Ultimately, they said, we need to vaccinate the unvaccinated.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

The federal government has recommended COVID-19 booster shots for all.

In a statement on Wednesday, US health officials said all Americans who received an mRNA vaccine from Pfizer or Moderna may get a boost eight months after their second shot. A booster is not yet recommended for people who received a J&J vaccine, which uses different vaccine technology.

"The current protection against severe disease, hospitalization, and death could diminish in the months ahead," the officials said, "especially among those who are at higher risk or were vaccinated during the earlier phases of the vaccination rollout."

Experts in the field weren't particularly surprised at the announcement. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, and pharmaceutical companies have anticipated that COVID-19 booster doses will eventually be necessary.

But there is some debate about the new plan - including whether it is the right approach to contain the pandemic at this juncture, and who really needs boosters.

John Moore, an immunologist from Weill Cornell Medical College, said he trusted that the Biden administration's recommendation was "science-driven." But like others interviewed for this story, he questioned how much boosting people who are already well protected from disease and death - i.e., fully vaccinated people under 60 who aren't immunocompromised - would affect the pandemic.

"The unvaccinated are the drivers of this pandemic," he said. "If we didn't have 100 million unvaccinated people, we wouldn't be having this kind of conversation because the pandemic would have been squelched in America several months ago."

Story continues

Why US officials recommend boosters at 8 months

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky at a news conference in December. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

In announcing the new recommendations on Wednesday, the CDC shared a few data sets that influenced its decision.

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky referenced data from Israel and New York, as well as a preprint from the Mayo Clinic, that showed protection from the vaccines waned slightly over time. One study found that the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines were 75% effective at preventing infection in nursing homes in the spring, but by summer, with Delta spreading, they were 53% effective. Another study found that the two vaccines protected very well against severe COVID-19 and hospitalization for up to six months.

Pfizer's research, meanwhile, suggested that its vaccine was highly protective (91.3% efficacy) against symptomatic COVID-19 for six months after the second dose. On Monday, Pfizer submitted data to the FDA recommending boosters six to 12 months after the second dose. The people in its study received boosters eight to nine months out.

Taken together, these findings suggest vaccine effectiveness does wane over time, especially in the face of the Delta variant. But it's not clear when the optimal time is for a booster shot.

"There's no question that a third dose does increase antibody response," Moore said. "The debate has been whether and when it was necessary to do this."

Walensky said staying ahead of the virus was the biggest motivation driving the eight-month booster recommendation. And vaccines have proved to be our best tool: The US-authorized shots, which were rolled out eight months ago, have protected Americans from symptomatic infection and severe illness and saved hundreds of thousands of lives.

"You don't want to find yourself behind, playing catch up," Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said in a press conference on Wednesday.

Boosters seem to protect vaccinated people from mild illness

Southampton, New York. KENA BETANCUR/AFP via Getty Images

Studies have shown that COVID-19 booster doses increase the antibody levels in vaccinated people's blood. Higher antibody levels in general are associated with greater immune protection.

Dr. Robert Atmar, who's leading a booster trial at Baylor College of Medicine, said he suspected boosters could even prevent some cases of long COVID-19 by protecting vaccinated people from mild illness.

"That's always a good thing," Atmar said. But "it may be a little bit of extrapolation to suggest that a booster is warranted," he added.

What is surely warranted right now, Atmar said, is curbing the soaring rate of hospitalizations among the 50% of Americans who remain unvaccinated or partially vaccinated. Boosters might not do much to address that.

"Will it keep more people out of the hospital? Maybe, but I don't know that," he said, adding: "Targeting the unvaccinated would have a greater effect, from a public-health standpoint, if those individuals could be persuaded to accept the vaccine."

Boosters do not solve the real problem: keeping unvaccinated people out of the hospital

Clinicians work on intubating a COVID-19 patient in the ICU at Lake Charles Memorial Hospital in Lake Charles, Louisiana, on August 10. Mario Tama/Getty Images

Dr. Paul Offit, a pediatrician at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and coinventor of the rotavirus vaccine, said the goal of these boosters should be the same as any vaccination: to eliminate "the worst things the virus can do."

Offit, like Moore and Atmar, said that aim would be better achieved by first vaccinating more people who haven't got their first dose, rather than bolstering protection for those who have.

"The real problem in this country is not that we need to boost the vaccinated - it's that we need to vaccinate the unvaccinated," Offit said. "That's the problem. Until we do that, we're going to suffer in this country."

Moore put it even more starkly: "There are 100,000 to 200,000 people walking around America today who will be dead by the end of the year, and mostly self-inflicted, by refusing vaccination," he said. "That's the bigger issue."

Read the original article on Business Insider
You only need a negative Covid test to get into Croatia (Shutterstock )

If you like pina coladas, and (not) getting caught in the rain, then you might be in need of a long-awaited holiday.

The good news is that seven countries are about to be added to the green list, making it much easier to hop on a plane and get your fix of sun.

Grant Shapps announced earlier this week that Austria, Germany, Latvia, Norway,Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia will be joining the list from August 8.

That being said, other countries still have their own guidelines in place, so being on the UK green list is not a guarantee that holidays will be completely straightforward.

With that in mind, here are eleven countries that dont require quarantine if youre double-jabbed. Pack those suitcases: your hassle-free holiday awaits.

Croatia

(Shutterstock)

The turquoise seas and sun-soaked cities of Croatia are enough to tempt anyone for a visit. Luckily, its now very easy to get there.

Regardless of vaccination status, Brits travelling to Croatia need only present a negative Covid test. This can be either a negative COVID-19 antigen test, which must not be older than 48 hours, or a negative PCR test, no older than 72 hours on arrival.

Find our Croatia travel guide here.

Germany

(Jan Bolz / Unsplash)

From sleek urban cool to chocolate-box prettiness, theres something for everyone in Germany.

As long as youre fully vaccinated, the entry requirements are straightforward. Those who are double-jabbed simply need to complete pre-departure digital registration, and present a negative Covid test with the same specifications as above.

Read our full guide to the best of Germany and Austria.

Iceland

(PA Archive)

For those in need of a change of scenery, landscapes dont come much more spectacular than Iceland.

If you can demonstrate either that youre fully vaccinated against Covid, or have recovered from a previous infection, youre allowed in. If not, travel is restricted to those with essential reasons for visiting.

Find our Iceland travel guide here.

Slovenia

(REUTERS)

An overlooked gem full of lush forests and wonderfully swim-able lakes, Slovenia is a welcome addition to the green list.

Story continues

Entry again extends to those who have proof of either full vaccination or recovery from a previous Covid infection.

Slovakia

Theres plenty to be discovered in Slovakia, a country known for its rich blend of history and nature.

If youre fully vaccinated, you need only fill in a form and present a negative test on arrival.

Malta

(Getty Images)

If you fancy a dip in a turquoise sea, or a stroll through an ancient city, youre in luck.

Travelling to Malta is as simple as having both vaccines, while accompanying children just need to present a negative Covid test.

Find our Malta travel guide here.

Gibraltar

(REUTERS)

Gibraltar is home to Europes only wild monkey population - and if thats not a good enough reason to visit, we dont know what is.

As the UK is also on Gibraltars green list, anyone double-jabbed need only show a negative lateral flow test to enter the country without quarantine.

Find our Gibraltar travel guide here.

Turks and Caicos

(Pixabay)

The only Caribbean destination on this list, Turks and Caicos will be a tempting option for anyone hoping to get a good dose of summer sun.

And if that wasnt already inviting enough, the only entry requirement is a negative Covid test.

Norway

Norway announced this week that they will now accept the NHS Covid Vaccine Passport as proof of immunity and British travellers can therefore visit free of restrictions or quarantine.

With Dramatic fjords, midnight sun, colourful coastal towns and a very good chance of spotting the Northern Lights, in a world beauty contest, Norway would have a very good shot at taking first place on the podium.

Read Kate Loughs full guide to why a trip to green list Norway is very worth your while.

Home to wide beaches and sprawling forests, youll just need a negative Covid test to enter Latvia.

Romania

For a country filled to the brim with history, Romania is another excellent option.

As long as you have proof of double vaccination or recovery from a previous Covid infection, you wont need to quarantine.
Armenia today faces no shortage of pressing issues. But just over two weeks into its tenure, the countrys new parliament is showing little inclination to take them on, consumed as it is instead with bickering. The parliament was seated on August 2 and, like the previous parliament, is dominated by allies of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan; his Civil Contract party has just under two-thirds of the seats in the body. But unlike the last parliament, elected at the end of 2018, the opposition this time is a radical one, unwilling from the outset to cede an inch to the ruling party.

Eurasianet reports that Seyran Ohanyan, a former defense minister and now the head in parliament of the largest opposition bloc, the Armenia Alliance, described their role after losing the June elections in martial terms, as if the ruling party was the enemy: "When you don't complete the mission during combat but occupy positions, you have to hold and strengthen them to prepare for the next attack."

The tone was set on the first day of parliament, when members of the Armenia Alliance showed up to the session wearing t-shirts depicting the faces of several recently arrested opposition figures and the caption political prisoners. Those on the t-shirts were local officials from the tense Syunik province, on the border with Azerbaijan, and who the opposition argues were arrested for their resistance to Pashinyan. Two of them would have been representing the Armenia Alliance in parliament had they not been in jail. (Officially they have been charged with crimes including embezzlement and abuse of power.)

The Armenia Alliance members interrupted the beginning of the session demanding that the jailed officials be freed. Our two colleagues, elected MPs, are behind bars, said Armen Rustamyan, an Armenia Alliance MP. We cant start this new parliament sitting overlooking the fact that the law is being violated  they have immunity, he said. (Civil Contract officials have argued that parliamentary immunity does not apply to the would-be MPs given that their alleged crimes took place before the parliament was seated.)

Is this a parliament or a circus? On the first day, the first session agenda is bickering, wrote one Armenian on Facebook. People, did you see the bastards you brought to parliament? The killers are talking all day about destroying Armenia, wrote one another social media user, referring to the opposition.

Since then, the parliament has managed to elect a speaker, deputy speakers, and heads of committees  and do little else. The highlight of its brief tenure so far has been a dispute over personal insults. The source of the argument was a new law, passed by the outgoing parliament on July 30, criminalizing grave insults of government officials. That gave rise to questions over what constitutes a grave insult.

In the August 11 session of parliament Anna Mkrtchyan, an MP from the other opposition bloc, I Have Honor, used the phrase capitulator Nikol to describe the prime minister. Speaker Alen Simonyan then asked her to turn off her microphone, and the newly elected deputy speaker from the Armenia Alliance, Ishkhan Saghatelyan, came to Mkrtchyans defense arguing that terms like land giver or capitulant  epithets that have been widely applied to Pashinyan since the defeat in last years war with Azerbaijan  do not count as insults but as political assessments.

One MP from Civil Contract, Narek Grigoryan, shot back that such language was unacceptable, and the verbal melee began. The quarrel escalated when speaker Alen Simonyan, of Civil Contract, called in security and ordered the livestream broadcasting the session online to be cut off. Journalists covering the session in person also were ordered to leave the press box.

The episode kicked off a debate about the freedom of the press in covering parliament. I have always been and will remain an advocate for journalists, an advocate of freedom of speech, another Civil Contract MP, Vladimir Vardanyan, told reporters after the session. However, he added, I do not think it is the function of the media to cover a fight.

The expulsion of the journalists drew a rebuke from the countrys ombudsman. Human rights advocate Nina Karapentyants said that journalists may have to appeal to international organizations. Journalists can apply to human rights activists, to the Prosecutor's Office, to all the other relevant bodies. I am sure that this issue will not be resolved inside Armenia, she told RFE/RL. But there are international structures for that. The European Court of Human Rights, for example.

The deeply hostile relations between the ruling party and the opposition are a significant change from the last parliament, when  at least at the beginning of its term  the two opposition forces were inclined to work with Pashinyan and his allies in the My Step bloc.

The conservative Prosperous Armenia party, led by oligarch Gagik Tsarukyan, played a key role in calling the early 2018 elections that brought My Step to power, and then his desire maintain his many business interests kept him on Pashinyans side  for a while. The relationship ultimately soured, however.

Similarly, the other opposition force in the last parliament, the relatively liberal Bright Armenia, was initially seen as roughly equivalent to My Step, though it later sharpened its opposition as Pashinyan blamed the party for working with the former regime.

That parliament, however, was formed in the wake of Pashinyans overwhelmingly popular Velvet Revolution in the spring of 2018. This parliament, by contrast, is the result of snap elections called as a result of a political crisis following the countrys catastrophic defeat in the war and what many Armenians saw as Pashinyans ineffectual leadership in the conflict. And the two new opposition forces are both tied to former presidents, leaders of the regime that Pashinyan toppled in 2018, and longtime political enemies of the prime minister.

The opposition is trying to take strong positions in parliament and is partially succeeding; there has likely never been such a large quantity of radical opposition forces in an Armenian parliament, wrote analyst Hrant Mikaelian in an early analysis of the parliaments work. But the quality of that work is yet to be seen. At the same time, the ruling party is returning the blows, criticizing the opposition in the same way. The opposition still needs to learn to withstand these attacks, which are a bit of a novelty in Armenian political culture, and also to appropriately react to them, and in general to bring some sort of agenda to the parliament. Its own political future, and the future tendencies of Armenian politics, depend on it.
Iraq is entering a new era with Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi. In the process that started with the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq, the country plans to take an active role in Saudi-Iranian relations, Daily Sabah writes.

On July 26th, a meeting was held between U.S. President Joe Biden and Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi in the White House. Biden announced that he would end the combat mission in Iraq this year. Currently, there are 2,500 troops in Iraq, and this withdrawal will not change the de facto influence of the U.S. The U.S. will shift its role to an advisory position in the Iraqi army. But this announcement signals the start of a new phase. While struggling with its internal problems, Iraq tries to undertake a new mission in regional politics. Its success in domestic politics will determine how suitable Iraq is for regional peacemaking.

Mediation efforts in the Middle East

Iraqs role in the Middle East is reshaping. Al-Kadhimi who came into office in May 2020 is an unusual figure for Iraqi politics since he doesnt have a political party or a militia force. He has a journalism background and was the director of the Iraqi National Intelligence Service. The al-Kadhimi government tries to protect the balance between its relations with the U.S. and Iran. The Iraqi government also benefits from this experience in the relations between Iran and Arab countries. Iraq is preparing to become a mediator between major powers in the Middle East.



Baghdad hosted Saudi-Iranian talks, and ongoing negotiations will be significant for regional peace and will be directly effective in some countries like Lebanon and Yemen. The Iraqi premiers office announced that there would be a regional summit in late August. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, French President Emmanuel Macron and King Salman of Saudi Arabia have been invited to this summit. The summit will be remarkable in shaping the regions future and may have some effect on Saudi-Iranian relations.



Turkeys impact on regional peace also deserves attention. Nearly all countries in the Middle East are influenced by Iran or Saudi Arabia except Turkey. Turkey stands as an independent player in the region. Thus, its role in peacemaking is also essential and will contribute to the summit.



Iraqs intermediation efforts are worthwhile. However, a proper mediator needs to be powerful in its domestic affairs and achieve political stability. For this intermediary role, Iraqs Arab identity over sectarianism is praised. Improving relations between Iraq and Arab countries help this process.



Iraqs relations with Arab countries

While putting efforts into being a mediator, Iraqs Arabic identity is coming to the forefront. Iraq does not stay indifferent to the problems of the countries in the region. Also, it has good relations with many countries in the Middle East, and the relations continue to improve. For instance, Saudi Arabia reopened its consulate in Baghdad in 2019 after almost 30 years. The sides reopened the Arab border, which had been closed after the Gulf War in 1991. Besides, the kingdom also made donations to Iraq and supported some of its development projects.

Also, a tripartite summit between Egypt, Jordan and Iran took place in late June. This summit showed that Iraq is strengthening friendly relations between allies of the U.S. in the Middle East, and the summit was evaluated as historic and an important step by the U.S. authorities. On the Lebanon side, a fuel agreement between Iraq and Lebanon was signed last month. According to the agreement, Iraq will provide 1 million tons of fuel oil, and Lebanon will pay for it with goods and services instead of cash. Iraq will collect its debt by exchanging medical services from Lebanon. When we consider that Iraq also has very strong relationships with Iran, we can see why it is the most suitable country for this intermediary position. But, it does not mean that it will be successful. Good relations are not enough to deal with the sides. Iraq has to be decisive in its internal and external affairs at the same time. Unfortunately, there are many variables in Iraqs internal affairs. A mediator without stability will not be helpful to ease the process.



The transition from war to peace in post-conflict states has always been difficult. With the new constitution, Iraqs power-sharing system is characterized by a lack of intercommunal cooperation, stalemate and dysfunction. The new system failed to provide good governance for its citizens. Informal consociationalism is at the centre of this problem, and it has increased corruption and exclusion. There is an increasing trend for moving away from sectarian politics and growing demand for an overarching Iraqi nationality. However, given Kurds and their durable identity, the applicability of an Iraqi identity will remain highly controversial. Within these conditions, Iraq will not be an effective mediator between the major powers easily. It should deal with its internal problems to focus more effectively on the international arena. A fully inclusive political system may help achieve functionality and political stability in Iraq, which will pave the way for Iraqs new role in the Middle East.
On August 20, German Chancellor Angela Merkel will pay a working visit to Moscow. This is Merkel's last trip to Moscow in this capacity. In September, Germany will hold elections to the Bundestag, after which Frau Kanzlerin will no longer head the German government. Before leaving, Merkel will hand over the reins to her successor. It is clear that the candidacy of the new chancellor depends on the results of the elections, and theoretically he could become a "green" politician, but Merkel hopes for the best, that is, that after the vote the CDU will win and the chairman of the ruling party Armin Laschet will be the chancellor.

Over the 16 years of her rule, Merkel has shaped a new trajectory of German foreign policy, where the priority is relations with the United States and European solidarity. With regard to Russia, the chancellor showed pragmatism and until recently tried to avoid open confrontation, both during the five-day war with Georgia in 2008, and after high-profile political assassinations and assassinations, in which the German media accused the Kremlin. If her predecessor from the SPD, Gerhard Schroeder, cultivated the national interests of Germany and was ready at times to go against NATO and the United States, as during the invasion of Iraq in 2003, Merkel acts with an eye on Brussels and Washington.

The reaction of the German press to the coming to power in the White House of Donald Trump is indicative. When the American began to question the future of NATO and demanded that Germany increase military spending in order to "relieve" the United States, the German media noted that from now on, the leader of the Western world is Merkel. The Chancellor has had a hard time over the four years of Trump's rule, including Bannon's support for the AfD and other rightists, sanctions against Nord Stream 2 in December 2019, and the partial withdrawal of American troops from Germany. At the same time, Merkel understood that with a sufficiently restrained and passive foreign policy, without the support of the United States, Berlin would not be able to become the leader of democracy and impose its will on North Africa, Asia, the Middle East, not to mention Russia and China. So Joe Biden's victory in the fall of 2020 was a salvation for the chancellor.

To a certain extent, pragmatism towards Russia made it possible to neutralize Berlin's pro-Atlantic course, which aroused mistrust and wariness on the part of Moscow. The language factor also added positive and calmness to Russian-German relations. It is known that Merkel speaks fluent Russian, and Putin speaks German. At least two politicians had an understanding of mutual interests. But everything was changed by Euromaidan in Ukraine in 2014. In the Russian expert community, there is a well-established idea that an American NGO and the American government are behind the coup d'etat in Ukraine, and Germany is hostage to the discord sown by Obama between Putin and Merkel. It is difficult to say whether it is true or not. The American presence in Germany is strong. These are not only military bases in Ramstein and other places, but also intelligence, NSA dossiers on German politicians, and much more. In fact, the EU's support for the revolution in Ukraine did not occur contrary to Germany's opinion, even if Joe Biden said that the United States forced Europe to impose sanctions on Russia.

One way or another, the change of the pro-Russian regime of Viktor Yanukovych to the anti-Russian one, the war in Donbass, the de facto separation of the DPR and LPR from Ukraine and the incorporation of Crimea into Russia brought Russian-German relations to the point of no return. The "red lines" for Merkel have been passed. The Chancellor found herself in a situation where she had no choice, and it was impossible not to react. Germany saw in what is happening in Crimea a gross violation of international law. Berlin was under tremendous moral pressure, both from Obama's influential ally and from the partners in the European Union - Poland and the Baltic states, who had a personal dislike for the Russian leader.

At the same time, we must pay tribute to the Chancellor for being able to defend Nord Stream 2 at a time when almost all NATO countries asked Berlin to block the construction of a gas pipeline from Russia to Germany. Even in the toughest days of the opposition's confrontation with the authorities in Russia, during the poisoning of Alexei Navalny - then, by the way, even members of the CDU and the German government were in favor of sanctions against Nord Stream 2, Merkel refrained from hasty actions. Probably, for this, Putin still respects Merkel and carefully chooses his words when it comes to the chancellor. In June 2021 - at that time Germany's sanctions over Crimea and criticism of Navalny's arrest were relevant - the Russian president called Merkel a "reliable partner."

Although the Ukrainian conflict undermined the Russian-German partnership, the dialogue between Berlin and Moscow has never been interrupted. The solution to the Ukrainian crisis still relies on the relationship between the Russian and German leaders. There is no US in the Normandy format. Merkel understands that Crimea cannot be returned, but expects that Ukraine will at least be able to regain control over two regions - the DPR and LPR. It is obvious that it is unrealistic to implement this plan until September. Indeed, even yesterday, in the spring of 2021, a full-scale conflict was planned in the east of Ukraine with the participation of the Russian Armed Forces. However, over time, if the ceasefire continues, there is a chance of progress. Perhaps Merkel in Moscow will make one last attempt to find common ground with Putin on Ukraine in order to accelerate the 7-year-long peace process. From there, she will go to Kiev, where she will convey her wishes to Vladimir Zelensky.

The visit to Moscow will also become a symbol of the remaining pragmatism between the FRG and the Russian Federation, which Merkel inherits from Lashet. And it is symbolic that the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline will be completed by this time, which will bring the economies of the two countries even closer. The partnership between the two countries does not end with the gas pipeline and Ukraine. Merkel will leave Lachet a legacy of the issues of the Iranian nuclear deal, climate, Palestine, Libya, Syria and much more, where Moscow and Berlin can find a common language.
Following a two-and-a-half-month vacancy, Armenia has a new foreign minister: former speaker of parliament Ararat Mirzoyan, who has no diplomatic experience but enjoys close ties to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. The post has been empty since May, after the entire ministry leadership resigned in frustration with the countrys foreign policymaking. Now it will be filled by a political loyalist, Ani Mejlumyan writes for Eurasianet.

The post has been empty since late May, when Ara Ayvazyan abruptly stepped down. Resignations of his top deputy and spokesperson followed close behind, amid reports that Pashinyan had been micromanaging foreign policy and making substantial decisions without consulting the ministry.

Ayvazyan was temporarily replaced by Armen Grigoryan, who slid into the post on an acting basis in mid-July after having served as head of the National Security Council. But Grigoryans appointment was mildly controversial, as he was an openly pro-Western figure, having worked for years for NGOs including Counterpart International and Transparency International and with a record of criticizing Russia, Armenias main strategic ally. Many saw him as dangerously pro-Western, raising concerns over Russia's reaction," Richard Giragosian, the head of the Yerevan think tank Regional Studies Center, told Eurasianet. "Mirzoyan seems to represent a more acceptable compromise candidate over others, with less controversy than Grigoryan." Grigoryan has now returned to his old position at the National Security Council.

The 41-year-old Mirzoyan has no prior diplomatic experience, and served as speaker of parliament from 2018 until this Junes snap elections. Immediately following the signing of a ceasefire agreement on November 10 following the war with Azerbaijan, an angry mob attacked him outside the parliament building. He was badly beaten and required hospitalization.

It became clear this summer that Mirzoyan was being prepared for some executive job given that he wasnt a candidate for the speaker position in the new parliament. "By this appointment, the prime minister is seeking a loyal foreign minister to implement, but not to initiate, foreign policy, Giragosian said.

Giragosian deemed Mirzoyans appointment the third in a series of major Armenian foreign policy surprises, following Ayvazyans resignation and Grigoryans appointment. One can only hope that this is the last of such surprises and await a new period of appointments based more on policy and professional competence and less on political or personal loyalty, he said. Thus, the only real conclusion is that Armenia needs to formulate a new post-war diplomatic strategy, and urgently, as any luxury of time is rapidly fading."
Uzbekistans Ministry of Energy announced on August 17 an update on the ten largest projects in the countrys energy sector, which cover milestones achieved during 2021, and other projects set to complete by year-end.

New Europe reports that according to Uzbekistans Energy Minister Alisher Sultanov, 2021 is a breakthrough year for Uzbekistan and its energy security: "Our electricity demand is expected to grow by over 100 TWh by 2030, a significant increase from 61 TWh in 2018. We have to satisfy this demand to fulfil our countrys economic potential, whilst also decarbonizing our electricity sector. We have a huge variety of projects underway, and already completed. It is my great pleasure to update audiences on our progress. Uzbekistan is committed to policy goals to improve energy efficiency and increase renewable energys share of the countrys energy mix.

According to the Uzbek Energy Ministry, the scale and rapidity of Uzbekistans energy projects have no comparison in the countrys history and covers a variety of activities: renewable energy, reconstruction work, the unique GTL project, metering systems and improved monitoring and online control.

1. In the last six months, ten contracts have been signed for the construction of thermal, solar and wind power plants in the electric power industry. The total capacity of 4,341 MW  a third of Uzbekistans current power plant capacity.

2. Two large solar power plants, each with a capacity of 100 MW, will be launched in the Navoi and Samarkand regions.

3. By the end of 2021, thermal & solar power plants with a total capacity of 1,800 MW will be operational.

4. In 2021, high-voltage transformers with a total capacity of 1,568 MVA will be installed at 17 electric substations. Three investment projects will also be launched by years-end: The reconstruction of the 500 KV Guzar-Regar high-voltage line; expansion of the open switchgear (ORU) at the Surkhan 500 KV substation; construction of a basic substation for power supply to external facilities at the Pop-Namangan-Andijan electrified railway line.

5. 15,000 km of low-voltage power lines will be reconstructed and updated  the first reconstruction of such scale in Uzbekistans electric power history

6. Modernization and reconstruction of 4,000 transformer substations, by the end of the year.

7. The largest investment project in the region, and the only one of its kind in the CIS region  Uzbekistan GTL project in the Kashkadarya region  will be [completed]

8. Installation of an automated electricity metering & control system (AMR) with all 7.3 million subscribers.

9. As part of the AMR, modern gas meters will be installed free of charge for over 3.5 million consumers.

10. Installation of bar codes on household gas cylinders across Uzbekistan will be completed. Control of liquefied gas cylinders will also be provided online.
Former speaker of the National Assembly Ararat Mirzoyan has been appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia by the decree of President Armen Sarkisyan, and based on the respective proposal by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

The post of Armenian Foreign Minister was vacant for more than 2.5 months after the resignation of Ara Ayvazyan on May 31

Earlier, Ararat Mirzoyan had served as the speaker of the National Assembly.
U.S. President Joe Biden has said US troops may stay past a 31 August deadline so as to evacuate all Americans from Afghanistan, and defended the withdrawal, saying there was no way for the U.S. to pull out without chaos ensuing.

As critics in the U.S. and abroad questioned his handling of the withdrawal, the president said in his first on-camera interview since the Taliban took Kabul that troops would stay in the country to get American citizens out.

If theres American citizens left, were going to stay until we get them all out, Biden told ABC News, implying that he would listen to US lawmakers who had pressed him to extend the 31 August deadline he had set for a final pullout.

Asked if he thought the handling of the crisis could have gone better, Biden said: No.

Were gonna go back in hindsight and look  but the idea that somehow, theres a way to have gotten out without chaos ensuing, I dont know how that happens, he told ABCs George Stephanopoulos.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that Ankara is willing to cooperate with the Taliban (outlawed in Russia) after the radical movement seized power in Afghanistan.

"We are ready for all kinds of cooperation to preserve peace for the Afghan people, [ensure] safety for Turkish nationals living in this country and protect interests of our state," Anadolu Agency quoted him as saying.

After the main part of the Western military contingent was pulled out of the country, the Taliban (outlawed in Russia) launched a large-scale offensive to establish control over the country. On August 15, Taliban militants entered Kabul without a fight and took over the city in a matter of hours. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani stepped down to avoid bloodshed, as he put it, and fled the country. Western states are currently evacuating their citizens and embassy staffers.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said Afghanistan will no longer be able to access the lender's resources.

The move follows the Taliban's takeover of the country last weekend.

An IMF spokesperson said it was due to "lack of clarity within the international community" over recognising a government in Afghanistan.

Resources of over $370m from the IMF had been set to arrive on 23 August. These funds were part of a global IMF response to the economic crisis.

Access to the IMF's reserves in Special Drawing Rights (SDR) assets, which can be converted to government-backed money, have also been blocked. SDRs are the IMF's unit of exchange based on sterling, dollars, euros, yen and yuan.

"As is always the case, the IMF is guided by the views of the international community," the spokesperson added.

It comes after an official from the Biden administration told the BBC that any central bank assets the Afghan government has in the U.S. will not be made available to the Taliban.

In a letter to the U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Congress members called for assurances that the Taliban would receive no U.S.-backed aid.

"The potential of the SDR allocation to provide nearly half a billion dollars in unconditional liquidity to a regime with a history of supporting terrorist actions against the United States and her allies is extremely concerning," 17 signatories wrote.
Kazakhstans authorities are calling on all parties concerned to ensure a peaceful transition of power in Afghanistan, the Kazakh Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

"Another defining moment in the history of that country is dawning. The long-standing conflict must be resolved by the Afghan people themselves. Kazakhstan is calling on all the parties concerned to ensure the peaceful transition of power as the basic premise for internal stabilization," TASS cited the ministry as saying.

We support the UN Security Councils statement on the creation of an inclusive and representative government, respect for the rights of ethnic minorities and women, the prevention of the presence of groups that pose a threat to other states and compliance with international law," the statement said.

According to the Foreign Ministry, the implementation of these provisions "should be an essential condition for the beginning of a dialogue with Afghanistans new authorities."
The son of a powerful Afghan resistance commander who once fought against the Taliban (banned in Russia) declared he is "ready to follow" in his father's footsteps and take up arms against the Islamist military organization now in control of his homeland.

Ahmad Massoud, who resides in one of the few remaining regions in Afghanistan not under Taliban control, pleaded for help from the West as he promised to oversee his own resistance mission nearly 20 years after his father, Ahmad Shah Massoud, was killed by assassins from al Qaeda.

"I write from the Panjshir Valley today, ready to follow in my fathers footsteps, with mujahideen fighters who are prepared to once again take on the Taliban," Massoud, leader of the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan, wrote in an op-ed published by the Washington Post. "We have stores of ammunition and arms that we have patiently collected since my fathers time, because we knew this day might come."

Panjshir, a province located northeast of Kabul where former Afghan vice president Amrullah Saleh fled in recent days, contains one of the only stretches of territory inside Afghanistan outside of Taliban control.

Massoud said his father gathered resistance fighters in the same region as a mujahideen commander when the Taliban controlled Afghanistan before the turn of the century.

The elder Massoud  who was assassinated on Sept. 9, 2001, two days before al Qaeda terrorists killed nearly 3,000 people in attacks within the United States  died "fighting for the fate of Afghanistan but also for the West," his son said.

Saleh, who joined anti-Taliban forces this week, declared himself the "legitimate caretaker president" on Tuesday after President Ashraf Ghani fled the country ahead of the Taliban's advance into Kabul on Sunday.

We have lost territory but not legitimacy, Saleh told the New York Times in an interview published Wednesday. I, as caretaker president, upholder of the Constitution, dont see the Taliban emirate either as legitimate or national.

Massoud said Afghans have already responded to his call for resistance in the Panjshir Valley, including members of the Afghan Special Forces and others from the Afghan army who "were disgusted by the surrender of their commanders and are now making their way to the hills of Panjshir with their equipment."
Russian President Vladimir Putin has held a telephone conversation with his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi to discuss the outlook for the resumption of compliance with the Iranian nuclear deal, the Kremlins press-service said on Wednesday.

"The outlook for resuming compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action for the Iranian Nuclear Program was discussed," the statement runs.

Both sides expressed satisfaction with the achieved level of bilateral relations.

Putin congratulated Raisi upon his victory in the recent presidential election and upon taking office.

"[They] focused attention on the current developments in Afghanistan and expressed their readiness to help in establishing peace and stability in that country," the statement says.

The phone call was the first between Putin and Raisi, who took office as Irans president in early August. The Kremlin pointed out that the presidents agreed in their phone conversation to continue personal contacts.
A court in Sevastopol has remanded in custody two of the five suspects in a case of the organization Hizb ut-Tahrir (outlawed in Russia) on Wednesday, a source in the law enforcement said.

"Two persons involved in the case were remanded in custody in Sevastopol," TASS cited the source as saying.

As the public relations center of the federal security service FSB said earlier on Wednesday, two ringleaders and three rank-and-file members of Hizb ut-Tahrir, outlawed in Russia, had been recruiting Crimeas Muslims. Their homes were searched and a large amount of propagandistic materials, means of communication and electronic storage devices seized.
The United States appeared to dismiss on Wednesday former President Ashraf Ghani's pledge to return to the country he fled amid the Taliban seizure of Kabul, saying he is "no longer a figure in Afghanistan."

Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman told reporters she has seen reports that Ghani arrived in the United Arab Emirates, saying "that is that."

But Sherman said that while the pledge has largely been upheld for US nationals, the hardline group appears to have violated its pledge vis-a-vis Afghans.

"We have seen reports that the Taliban, contrary to their public statements and their commitments to our government, are blocking Afghans who wish to leave the country from reaching the airport," she said.

"Our team in Doha, and our military partners on the ground in Kabul, are engaging directly with the Taliban to make clear that we expect them to allow all American citizens, all third-country nationals and all Afghans who wish to leave to do so safely and without harassment, Anadolu Agency cited her as saying.
The UAE has granted asylum to former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and his family who fled Afghanistan earlier, the national WAM news agency reported, citing the UAE Foreign Ministry.

"The UAE received President Ashraf Ghani and his family in the country out of humanitarian concerns," the statement reads.

On August 15, Ghani fled Afghanistan a few hours before the Taliban (outlawed in Russia) entered Kabul without a fight. He was accompanied by his wife, Rula Ghani, and two more people, including his advisor. There were no official reports about Ghanis location up until now.

The former Afghan leader wrote on Facebook that he had stepped down to avoid bloodshed. The Russian Embassy in Kabul said that Ghani was carrying a large amount of cash with him on his way out of the country. The amount was so large in fact that it could not fit in a helicopter.

Members of the coordination council established in Kabul for a peaceful transfer of power allegedly suggested that Ghani give up power in favor of the council so that the regime change can go ahead peacefully, although he refused to cooperate. Bloomberg claimed that the power transfer talks were launched in Doha a few weeks before the fall of Kabul. It was proposed that some representatives of Afghanistans former authorities could join new power institutions created together with the Taliban but Ghanis escape put an end to these hopes.
Uzbekistan has temporarily accommodated several hundred Afghan refugees, a source in the Termez city administration said.

"A group of about 150 people - children, women and men - have been accommodated in a tent camp near the checkpoint at the Uzbek-Afghan border. They are all provided with meals and personal protective equipment," the source said adding that all the refugees had undergone PCR tests, TASS reported.

"Another group of 650 people are at the Termez COVID center," he said pointing out that they are made up of troops, who were under the command of Afghan Marshal Abdul Rashid Dostum.

In the meantime, Uzbekistans Transport Ministry announced that the country has converted a terminal at Tashkents airport for flights arriving from Afghanistan, which are evacuating Afghan refugees and Europeans. The ministry noted that the decision was taken to implement the previous agreements of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev with German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who had agreed to carry on evacuating citizens of Germany, Afghanistan and the European Union through Tashkents airport.

On August 15, the Taliban movement (banned in Russia) swept into Kabul, meeting no resistance and taking complete control of the Afghan capital within hours. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani stepped down and left the country. Western nations are evacuating their citizens and diplomatic missions. The Taliban declared that the war was over in the country. It also announced an amnesty for public officials and guaranteed security for
Apple has put on hold its plans to relocate part of its production including iPad and MacBooks from China to Vietnam due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Apple has delayed plans to diversify supply chain from China to Vietnam.

A new report by Nikkei Asia says that AirPods 3 have entered into mass production in China instead of Vietnam as Apple originally hoped. Apple's plan to bring some MacBook and iPad production to Vietnam has also been put on hold due to a lack of engineering resources, an incomplete notebook computer supply chain, and the dynamic COVID-19 situation.

AirPods have been predominantly manufactured in Vietnam since the first model, thanks to Apple's cooperation with Inventec. However, it appears that the upcoming model will be made in China at first, with the possibility of adding Vietnam-based production in the future. According to Nikkei, around 20 per cent of new AirPods production will eventually come from Vietnam facilities.

As the trade war between the United States and China escalated under the Trump administration in 2018, several IT businesses began to diversify their supply chain and seek alternative manufacturing destinations. In late 2020, Apple is rumoured to have asked Foxconn to diversify iPad and MacBook production.

However, those plans have stalled due to an insufficient supply chain of components, a lack of workers, and ongoing COVID-19-related shutdowns. Some experts see that these delays are likely to be temporary as Vietnam has established itself as an alternative manufacturing destination to China.

Reza Akbari, senior programme manager and senior lecturer of Logistics and Supply Chain Management at RMIT University said, "Apples supply chain is in search to reduce its over-reliance on China in the aftermath of COVID-19 and Vietnam has significant potential for growth as a global centre for manufacturing with the opportunities brought by its new-generation free trade agreements.

Meanwhile, many leading electronic giants like Canon, Samsung, LG, Panasonic, and Intel have built high-tech electronic production bases in Vietnam, which have consecutively attracted other players.

Indeed, many suppliers of Apple have ramped up their presence in Vietnam over the past few years including Compal Electronics in Vinh Phuc province, GoerTek in Bac Ninh province, as well as Foxconn and Luxshare in Bac Giang province.

In June, Pegatron, another major Apple manufacturer, also got the nod from Taiwan to inject an additional $101 million into its investment in Vietnam. The move follows Pegatrons earlier announcement to invest up to $1 billion in Vietnam.

Therefore, it is a matter time for these suppliers to expand operations once Vietnam contains the pandemic. In this scenario, it is expected that Apple would accelerate its diversification plans to Vietnam.

Source: VIR
Many domestic and foreign financial institutions have raised the target price for Masan Groups share (MSN) by 20-29 per cent over the market price as this group reaps the initial successes of its "Point of Life" offline-to-online platform.

In its report released on August 10, Credit Suisse lifts MSNs target price to VND162,000 (US$7.04) and earnings per share (EPS) for 2021 by 57 per cent compared to its previous forecast.

According to a report on August 16, Viet Capital Securities (VCSC) rated MSN with a buy recommendation at a target price of VND172,000 ($7.48), 28.8 per cent higher than the current trading price of VND133,500 ($5.80) and 21 per cent higher than its previous buy recommendation of VND142,500 ($6.20).

VCSC affirmed its optimistic view that MSN will continue to capture Vietnam's long-term consumption growth. The group owns Vietnams leading large-scale consumer businesses in fast-moving consumer goods, branded meat, and grocery retail.

It is challenging to maintain retail chains and consumer goods production amidst the pandemic. Masan has strictly followed pandemic prevention measures to maintain production and supply chain while rolling out new initiatives to renovate its retail system to serve the benefits of consumers.

Securities firms have raised Masan's target price as its Point of Life strategy proved effective

In the first half of 2021, Masan has piloted 62 new-model VinMart+ stores in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, with more than 40 per cent of shelf space allocated for fresh products, improving foot traffic and store profitability.

To avoid goods disruption, Masan also piloted technology to automatically fill goods for VinMart+ and VinMart stores and supermarkets. This technology has been successfully tested and has led to a marked improvement in the availability of goods, reaching 96 per cent.

From July 26, customers who shop at VinMart+ and VinMart chain with an invoice of VND300,000 ($13.04) or more will receive a "Healthy during the pandemic" insurance package with a total benefit of up to VND40 million ($1,740).

To protect the supply chain of essential goods, Masan proposed the government and local authorities to allow the company to set up a buffer zone around its factory sites. This zone could be schools, warehouses, stadiums, and gymnasiums near its production sites that could be transformed into accommodation facilities for workers to live and rest. F1 and F0 workers can isolate themselves in the zone and return to work after recovering from the virus.

Integrating F&B chain, financial services into VinMart+

Beside improving the operational efficiency of VinCommerce, Masan has rolled out the store-in-store concept with the incorporation of Phuc Long kiosks into VinMart+ stores to lure in young customers with modern lifestyles.

As of July 21, 41 VinMart+ stores were serving Phuc Long's tea and coffee take-away products. VinCommerce is working with Phuc Long to replicate this model with a view to opening more than 1,000 kiosks this year.

MEATDelis meat products are put on shelves of a VinMart+ store.

In addition, Masan also integrated financial services of Techcombank into VinMart+ under the CVLife (Convenient Life) model, which was first launched in Hanoi. Through this, customers can quickly perform banking transactions such as transferring money, depositing and withdrawing cash, opening digital accounts and applying for cards, and even registering for e-banking services at VinMart+ stores.

When shopping at VinMart or VinMart+, consumers can participate in an ecosystem that integrates grocery products, food and beverage chains, and financial services. Customers registering for the loyalty program can earn points when using services and convert them to benefits flexibly. For example, during the opening of the first CVLife store in Hanoi, when using Techcombank Debit card to pay, customers received a discount of 50 per cent of their bill (up to VND99,000  $4.30) at VinMart+ or Phuc Long kiosk at the store.

Increasing number of VinMart+ stores to 3,001

In 2021, Masan plans to increase the number of VinMart+ stores to 3,001, meeting consumer demand for fresh food with clear origin, branded consumer goods, and other services. To develop its modern retail channels, VinMart+ stores and VinMart supermarkets also act as "distribution points" for online orders.

After the agreement with a consortium led by Alibaba Group (Alibaba) and Baring Private Equity Asia (BPEA) in May, Masan has actively promoted the VinMart online channel through cooperation with Lazada, tripling its online sales in June 2021 against the previous month.

Masan recorded surging online food delivery during the pandemic

In the first quarter of 2021, online sales contributed less than 1 per cent to VinMart sales, but the figure has reached 6.8 per cent by June 2021. At four supermarkets in Ho Chi Minh City, the online channel contributed more than 10 per cent to sales in July.

After only six months of launching, the online sales channel accounted for 0.5 per cent of VinCommerce's revenue in July 2021. Every day, 1,300 of nearly 3,000 orders are received online. To remove bottlenecks, VinCommerce is building a dark-store model with professionally trained staff as well as a dedicated online store at supermarkets. From there, Masan aims to process 10,000 online orders a day by December 2021.

Given the strong results and promising prospects, Bao Viet Securities Joint Stock Company (BVSC) has called OUTPERFORM on the MSN stock with sum-of-the-parts (SOTP) target price of VND160,000($6.96) per share. BVSC believes Masan Consumer Corporation (MCH) has benefitted from its strategy focusing on premiumization, diversification, and convenience as consumers while temporarily cutting spending, are paying more attention to health and are thus looking for quality convenience products to consume at home.

PV
The agricultural industry has promoted trade successfully despite difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, helping the country gain an impressive trade surplus of US$3.9 billion in the first seven months.

Vietnam gained an impressive trade surplus of US$3.9 billion in the first seven months of the year.

Among trade deals made by the agriculture industry in the period, the most notable was Vietnams lychee exports to Japan. With efforts in negotiation and commitments to comply with Japans regulations, Japan authorised Vietnam to supervise and approve Vietnamese quarantine treatment establishments.

According to Hoang Trung, director of the ministrys Plant Protection Department, the department had to continuously work online with Japanese authorities, even implementing online inspection, which created favourable conditions for enterprises to successfully export lychees in 2021.

Ngo Thi Thu Hong, director of Ameii Vietnam Joint Stock Company, said when Vietnam was allowed to monitor quarantine treatment establishments, the departments quarantine staff came to work with the establishments, which helped the lychee exports to be much more favourable than last year.

The department also negotiated with Malaysia on pesticide residues to restore chili exports. The department also broadly solved problems related to the export of fresh fruits and promoted the opening of Vietnam's agricultural products market to China, especially for lychees and sweet potatoes.

The ministrys Department of Animal Health (DAH) also supported more factories to export milk and dairy products, feathers, fishmeal and fish oil to China. It has also completed procedures on exporting processed chicken products to Russia and has so far gained approval from the country.

In addition, the DAH has also exchanged and negotiated with countries such as the United States, China and Russia to open the market for animal products.

According to Nguyen Quoc Toan, director of the Department of Agricultural Product Processing and Market Development, relevant agencies have negotiated to open more export markets and remove technical barriers to promote the export of agricultural, forestry and seafood produce.

The agencies have also coordinated and exchanged with Vietnamese embassies and trade offices in other countries to have timely analysts and forecasts on agricultural product consumption in key export markets such as Japan, South Korea, the US, the EU and China during and after the pandemic.

Agencies have focused on solving problems on food safety barriers to ease agricultural exports. In the first half, they successfully organised online inspections, which helped 13 enterprises export catfish to the US besides adding 18 and 13 seafood processing establishments for export to Russia and South Korea respectively.

According to Toan, the industry will continue to negotiate to remove importing countries trade and technical barriers imposed on Vietnamese agricultural produce.

It will also expand the agricultural product market to economies with complementary product structures with Vietnam, such as Japan, South Korea, India, the European Union or the Middle East, as well as introducing suitable products in potential markets such as Russia, the Middle East, Africa and ASEAN.

Source: Vietnam News
After many years of undergoing restructuring, joint stock banks have expanded operation scale and profits.

Analysts say that a new development stage exists for a group of banks, which have better financial capability and are carrying out digital transformation. This will cause big changes in shareholders, leaders, and strategies of banks.

Capital increase, digitization

In 2020, SHB had profit of VND3.5 trillion. This was considered a milestone of the bank in completing the restructuring process after admitting Habubank and entering the gear-up stage.

In H1 2021, as predicted, the bank reported profit of over VND3 trillion, an increase of 86 percent over the same period last year and it plans to obtain VND6 trillion in profit for the entire year of 2021.

The bank also targets settling all Vinashins debts and buying back all VAMC bonds before they are due in 2021. If so, SHB will clear all the debts challenging the bank over the last few years.

SHB has submitted to SBV a plan to increase charter capital to VND26.674 trillion in 2021. With the capital, it will stay firmly among the top five private banks.

Increasing capital is not new, but it brings higher efficiency and is part of the banks development strategies..

TP Bank recently got permission from the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) to increase its charter capital by another VND1 trillion to VND11.716 trillion. The central bank has also approved the LienVietPostBanks plan to increase capital by VND1.289 trillion to VND15.703 trillion.

The additional capital will help banks, especially those that have fulfilled all the three pillars of Basel II, improve their capital adequacy ratio.

This will improve financial capability and expansion in lending, investing in technology and human resources, and speeding up digital transformation.

SHB is investing trillions of dong to promote the use of digital technology so as to create a digital ecosystem.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM), digital branches, and key IT projects are being deployed by SHB at the same time.

Meanwhile, TP Bank has invested VND1.5 trillion to develop digital banking and it initially succeeded with the LiveBank model with 330 automatic transaction machines without officers nationwide.

Experts say that in the context of global integration and rapid development of technology, the competition is getting stiff, not only among banks, but also between banks and finance companies, and between banks with fintech and big tech.

The use of technologies and diversification of products are two key strategies chosen by banks to improve their competitiveness.

These changes are always associated with changes in high-ranking personnel. Commercial banks in recent years have witnessed a wave of changing generals.

A number of banks have announced changes in key personnel, from state-owned banks such as Vietcombank and VietinBank to joint stock banks such as SHB.

Analysts believe that human resources restructuring will continue for many reasons, including the banks reorientation of business strategies. New strategies need more suitable managers.

New deals expected

The major changes are believed to bring about big deals and reform in shareholder structuring. NCB recently announced both a new president and CEO and investors are awaiting the announcement about major deals with the bank.

NCB transactions were carried out soon after SBV agreed to let NCB to raise its charter capital to VND5.6 trillion.

Prior to that, investors also saw major deals when VPBank announced the sale of 49 percent of charter capital in FE Credit to Sumitomo Mitsui and collection of $1.4 billion.

With a plan to increase capital to VND26 trillion this year, investors are also expecting major deals with SHB. The deal to sell a finance company is expected to be completed this year, which will bring considerable capital surplus to the banks shareholders.

SHB has received permission to shift its listed shares to HOSE, which will create opportunities to call for investment, especially from foreign investors.

Not many commercial banks still have room for foreign investors. SHB is the only bank with the largest capitalization value which still has room for foreign investors. In May 2021, SHB shares were added to the MSCI Frontier Market Index.

SHB has received SSCs approval on setting the limit of 10 percent for foreign ownership ratio for the bank to choose foreign strategic investors.

SHB is being eyed by many finance groups, banks and investment funds. It wants to choose strategic investors who have powerful financial capability, use modern technology, have governance experience, and fit the banks development strategy.

Mai Minh

Stronger solutions needed to support businesses The State Bank of Vietnam and the Government must offer stronger solutions to resolve the current problems pertaining to debt structuring, interest rate reduction, and support to businesses facing crisis.
In order to make a contribution to the countrys fight against Covid-19, VietNamNet has launched the "Joining forces with VietNamNet to stamp out the pandemic" program.

Hundreds of people were persuaded to stay in HCM City

On August 15, when hearing that social distancing in HCMC would last one more month, many people packed their bags to leave the city for their hometown. Hundreds of motorbikes were then blocked at quarantine checkpoints. People who were rushing to home villages, however, were persuaded to return to the city.

Dinh Van Khuong, 21, was unaware of all of this, and got VND500,000 from his mother to use the money to have a Covid-19 test. He planned to go to Trang Bom in Dong Nai to stay with his cousin.

Having no motorbike, the young man, wearing a helmet and backpack, walked under the scorching sun. Khuong understood that going out on the street was a violation of Directive 16 and he could be fined. However, he had no other choice.

Khuong had moved to HCM City and worked there for two months when the pandemic broke out. He has been unemployed for three months.

Many people in HCM City have lost jobs and dont have enough meals or accommodations. Most of them are migrant workers from other cities and provinces.

As migrant workers cannot return to their home villages, they have unwillingly joined the community of homeless people. The increasingly high number of F0 cases in the community these days has put pressure on medical workers.

On August 17, HCM City asked the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Finance to give support of VND27,967,947 million and 142,200,000 kg of rice to the city to support poor workers amid social distancing, helping them cover rent and daily meals.

The number of poor workers expected to receive support is 4,740,330.

On August 17, the Tam long mua dich, san se yeu thuong (Sharing love, sympathy during pandemic) program was launched by the Ministry of Information and Communications, under which gifts are given to households in HCMC who have difficulties because of Covid-19.

It is expected that 533,000 households will receive gifts with total value of VND160 billion.

Provincial councils of compatriots have also supported local people living and working in HCM City. In addition, many charity groups have been set up to help unlucky lives.

However, there are still many people who need support. And VietNamNet has found that hospitals are lacking medical equipment that help cure severe cases.

Dr Pham Gia The from Field Hospital No 3 said the hospital needs Covid-19 testing, electrocardiogram, ultrasound, and blood pressure measurement machines. In addition, the hospital also needs protective clothing, standard protective masks, and walkie-talkies.

As for the Field Hospital No 8, Dr Nguyen Phuc Cam Hoang said the hospital lacks 390 dust bins (240L). Meanwhile, Cho Ray Hospital, the end-line hospital for Covid-19 patients, needs more ECMOs and breathing machines HFNC.



With a wish to join forces with the whole country to fight the pandemic, VietNamNet has launched the program Tiep suc day lui dai dich cung VietNamNet.

The program aims to give food and essential necessities to the poor, freelance workers and unemployed people affected by the Covid-19 epidemic, as well as to centers for social protection and those who still cannot access aid packages.

The program also aims to help equip hospitals, quarantine zones, and medical units with modern equipment.

Those who need support can call 19001081 (from 8 am to 8 pm), or send information to banbandoc@vietnamnet.vn

Benefactors can give support in two ways

Remitting money to VietNamNets account, or donating food, essentials, machines and medical equipment

In Vietnam: Account No 0011002643148 Vietcombank Exchange

Overseas: Bank account VIETNAMNET NEWSPAPER - The currency of bank account: 0011002643148 - BANK FOR FOREIGN TRADE OF VIETNAM - SWIFT code: BFTVVNV X

Remitting money from overseas: Vietnam Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Industry and Trade, Dong Da Branch

Address: No 183 Nguyen Luong Bang Street, Dong Da District

Swift code: ICBVVNVX126

VietNamNet Head Office:

Hanoi: 3rd Floor, CLand Building, No 156 Xa Dan 2 Street, Dong Da District

HCMC Office No 408 Dien Bien Phu Street, District 10

VietNamNet

Employees under more stress than in 2020 COVID outbreak: survey More than 53 per cent of all employees said they have been under more stress during the recent outbreak compared to last year, according to a national survey conducted by Adecco Vietnam.
Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, head of the newly-established government working group on vaccine diplomacy, talks with the media about the groups tasks and role.

Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son.

Minister Bui Thanh Son said that, with the appearance of new virus strains, the Covid-19 pandemic is very complicated and is spreading quickly. The fight against Covid-19 in Vietnam has entered a new phase. The vaccine is considered the key to control and repel the epidemic.

At a time when Vietnam has not yet produced a Covid-19 vaccine and the world's vaccine sources are scarce, vaccine diplomacy is a very important "front", because it is the first step that determines the successful implementation of the vaccine strategy.

According to Mr. Son, through vaccine diplomacy, Vietnam has so far received millions of vaccine doses from the support of the international community. This not only directly serves epidemic prevention, but also has very important significance in internal, external, political, national defense, security and socio-economic aspects.

On August 13, the Prime Minister signed a decision to establish the working group on vaccine diplomacy, which has very important meaning in the current context.

The establishment of this group affirms the Party and State's consistent and transparent policy of giving top priority to protecting people's health; and maximizing all domestic and international resources, including vaccines, to soon reverse the epidemic, bring socio-economic activities and people's lives back to normal as soon as possible.

It also confirms the Government's determination in implementing the vaccine strategy to expand vaccinations to the entire population. Besides creating favorable conditions to accelerate research and production of vaccines at home, it is necessary to promote vaccine diplomacy in the immediate future.

The working group on vaccine diplomacy is a mechanism to strengthen close, rhythmic and synchronous coordination among relevant ministries to improve the effectiveness of vaccine diplomacy, to promptly and better respond to the requirement of pandemic prevention and control.

Most recently, Poland announced it will cede 3 million doses of vaccine to Vietnam. Photo: Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh meets with Polish Ambassador to Vietnam Wojciech Gerwel on August 17.

The working group had the first meeting on August 16 and agreed on the motto of promoting the highest sense of responsibility to the Party and people; to be active, cooperative, innovative, and effective so that as many as vaccines as possible will arrive in Vietnam.

The Foreign Minister pointed out the three key tasks of the working group: promoting and mobilizing international partners and organizations to continue providing aid, cooperating in production and technology transfer of vaccines and drugs and medical items as soon as possible; urgently finding, approaching, connecting, promoting and urging foreign partners in negotiation, selling and delivery of vaccines, medicines and medical products to Vietnam as soon as possible; actively verifying foreign partners and information related to the ability to supply vaccines, drugs and medical products that Vietnam can import or cooperate with for production.

Thanh Nam

Government establishes working group on COVID-19 vaccine diplomacy A government working group on COVID-19 vaccine diplomacy, led by Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son, has been set up under a decision signed by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Close cooperation and sharing information with neighbouring countries are some of the most important weapons needed to fight the scourge of people trafficking.

Human traffickers in court in Vietnam. The highest sentence for human trafficking in Vietnam is death penalty in cases with serious consequences. Photo courtesy of Blue Dragon Children's Foundation

Thats why Vietnams law enforcement agencies work hand-in-hand with their counterparts in China, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand to catch those responsible for human trafficking.

And its not only neighbouring countries Vietnam works with. Two years ago, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Vietnam and the UK on human trafficking prevention.

This came after the tragic case of 39 Vietnamese citizens who perished in the back of a lorry as they attempted to gain illegal access into England.

The Department of Criminal Police under the Ministry of Public Security is tasked with protecting the countrys most vulnerable who are preyed on by cash-obsessed traffickers trading human beings like pieces of meat.

Lieutenant Colonel Khong Ngoc Oanh, head of Human Trafficking Prevention Section under the department, said: The Prime Minister has signed many decisions to approve anti-trafficking programmes every five years, mobilising the participation of the whole political system in this issue.

Based on the functions and tasks of each ministry and sector, in which the police is the core, the authorities have made great efforts in preventing and fighting human trafficking as well as protecting victims.

Ministries and sectors have closely coordinated with each other in facilitating legal policies to combat human trafficking crimes. Therefore, the issue of human trafficking has been clearly reduced and controlled over recent years.

Oanh said that in 2015 more than 400 people trafficking cases were detected involving 7,000 criminals trading around 1,000 victims.

Fast forward five years and those figures have been dramatically reduced.

In 2020 there was just a little more than 100 cases detected involving nearly 200 criminals and around 200 victims.

VNS Infographic Ollie Arci

But this is not the time to take the foot off the gas.

Human trafficking still poses many risks if functional forces relax in prevention and fighting, Oanh said.

We have signed bilateral agreements on human trafficking prevention with China, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand.

In 2019, the Ministry of Public Security advised the Prime Minister to sign an MoU on human trafficking prevention with the UK.

In addition, we also actively participate in other international cooperation mechanisms and projects on human trafficking prevention focusing on capacity building and law and policy development or human trafficking prevention and fighting, as well as supporting victims.

In June this year, the Ministry of Public Security released their own study, looking back at the previous nine years since the Law on Human Trafficking was implemented in 2011.

Their study concluded that China was the country most people were trafficked to (75 per cent) with Laos and Cambodia making up 11 per cent.

The remainder were illegally trafficked into Thailand, Malaysia and Russia.

Like the Blue Dragon Childrens Foundation study, the government findings also determined that those living in rural, mountainous, remote and border areas, and areas of ethnic minority, were the most at risk.

Almost all, 90 per cent, of victims were women and children.

In many cases there are many similarities between the criminals and the victims, Oanh said.

Firstly, they may be unemployed. Secondly, they both have limited awareness of the law, and the third is in many cases, especially those where the victims are ethnic minorities, the culprits are also ethnic minorities.

Coming from the same ethnic group, they know how to take advantage of the weaknesses and mentality of the victims to earn fake trust so that the victims are easily deceived.

Many traffickers employ very cunning and sophisticated tricks. They are those who are lazy but want to earn money quickly. Some traffickers are even very good at IT.

They go online to hunt for victims and then use social networks to deceive and seduce them. Some criminals that we have detained had already deceived dozens of victims.

The ministrys report revealed that in the past nine years, 7,356 victims have been rescued and are all receiving support to reintegrate back into the community.

This comes in the form of accommodation, psychosocial counselling, healthcare, transportation allowance to return to their families and eventually vocational training to help them gain employment in the future.

Currently, 57 State-run establishments at provincial levels are responsible for receiving and supporting victims.

A number of facilities have also been established under the cooperation between international organisations and provincial authorities to provide a safe haven for victims after being rescued, such as Benevolent House in Lao Cai and An Giang provinces, and Peaceful House under the Center for Women and Development.

Oanh added: The Government has issued a series of policies to support the return of trafficked people. First of all, their basic rights are protected, namely the right to privacy for personal and case information.

Eight protection measures are applied if the authorities deem it necessary. In addition, after being rescued or escaping by themselves, they are also supported by the authorities with essential needs.

They are provided with access to victim support centres or if they want to return to their hometowns, the authorities are responsible for providing support.

If the person is under 18 years old, the authorities must directly bring him/her back. They also have free access to psychological, legal and medical services.

When returning to the locality, they are also given chances to access loans for production, or priority to find a job or even being arranged for temporary shelter to work and study.

In addition, in recent years, the police force attaches great importance to the so-called friendly investigation, applying it to returning trafficked women.

This is to help them feel empathy and sympathy so that they do not get hurt again during the investigation and settlement of trafficking cases.

Source: Vietnam News
The 600-bed field hospital No. 14, which treats Covid-19 patients in a critical condition, was completed in HCM City, the countrys largest epidemic hotspot, on August 18.

The same day, the Tan Binh COVID-19 treatment hospital managed by Thong Nhat Hospital opened in HCM Citys Tan Binh district.

This is the first hospital for COVID-19 treatment in the city to provide treatment for all three kinds of COVID-19 patients  those with mild, medium or serious illness. Others of its kind in the city are usually specialised in one of the three patient groups.

With a total of 1,000 beds, the hospital arranged 50 beds for patients who need intensive care, 150 beds for patients who are in critical health conditions, 500 beds for patients with medium illness and 300 beds for patients with mild illness.

Some pictures taken by VietNamNet at the field hospital No.14:

The field hospital is located at No. 2 Truong Chinh Street, Tay Thanh Ward, Tan Phu District. It was handed over on August 18.

According to the field hospitals director, Prof. Dr. Pham Nhu Hiep, Director of the Hue City Central Hospital, the hospital was set up within only 18 days.

The field hospital covers a total area of 12,300 m2, with more than 600 beds, divided into 4 subdivisions (critically ill, seriously ill, after resuscitation, to be discharged).

Workers complete welding oxygen pipelines.

Health workers transport medical equipment into the hospital.

The hospital employs more than 300 medical staff from the Hue Central Hospital, Quy Hoa - Quy Nhon Dermatology Hospital, Da Nang Hospital C, and Vietnam - Cuba Dong Hoi Hospital.

A doctor checks equipment before it is put into use.

The oxygen system is connected to hospital beds.

The hospital has modern equipment such as high-functioning ventilators, monitors, defibrillators, 20m3 oxygen tanks, and an oxygen system connected to hospital beds.

Doctors check drugs that will be used to treat Covid-19 patients.







Medical staff prepare trash cans.

Doctor Hiep said that the hospital will have more health workers.

Doctors urgently do preparation to receive patients.

Medical staff of Hue Central Hospital clean hospital beds.

Workers complete the final stages outside the hospital before it is put into use.

Phong Anh

Inside a field hospital in HCM City More than 200 health workers are taking care of more than 4,000 infected people who have no symptoms or mild symptoms at the field hospital No. 6 in An Khanh ward, Thu Duc, HCM City.
To the Virginia Tech community,

With the start of the fall semester now just days away and our continued commitment to offer an in-person semester and full Hokie experience, I could not be prouder of the remarkable progress we have made. As of today, 94 percent of our students and 82 percent of our employees are fully vaccinated. This is an extraordinary accomplishment, and as we continue to analyze the emerging science and data from this ongoing global pandemic, we remain deeply committed to the health and safety of the Virginia Tech community and those around us, while preserving opportunities for in-person teaching, learning, research, and engagement.

In recent weeks, the delta variant of COVID-19 has become the dominant form of the disease and is about twice as infectious as the original virus. Many parts of the country are experiencing COVID-19 surges; cases and hospitalizations in the New River Health District are at levels not seen since April.

Given this landscape has changed in recent weeks, vaccinations will now be required for all university employees, with exemptions for medical reasons and sincerely held religious beliefs. As I noted in my June 8 message announcing the student vaccination requirement, we weathered significant surges in COVID-19 cases in Blacksburg last year through robust testing, self-quarantine, masking, and physical distancing. This year, data have shown that vaccination remains our best tool. In Virginia, 98 percent of cases, 97 percent of hospitalizations, and 98 percent of deaths are among those who have not been fully vaccinated. It is essential that every person in the Virginia Tech community who can be vaccinated, is vaccinated, ensuring that those who cannot be vaccinated are able to participate in campus life and in-person teaching, learning, research, and engagement.

COVID-19 has a proven ability to mutate and very likely will be with us in varying degrees for the foreseeable future. We will adapt and manage this challenge in a way that protects the health of our community and allows for the fullest Hokie experience.

Public health guidance has also evolved, leading to new vaccine requirements and other actions across the public and private sectors. At Virginia Tech, we recently announced a requirement for face coverings in public indoor spaces and a surveillance testing program. By expanding our vaccine requirement to all Virginia Tech employees, we can stay ahead of this virus and generate as much population immunity as possible.

With the issuance of Presidential Policy Memorandum 317, employees should visit the Ready site for more information about vaccination requirements, confirming vaccination status, and requesting an exemption. The deadline for employees to report that they have received the full course of vaccine doses (one or two, depending on the vaccine) or to seek an exemption is Oct. 1, 2021. Action will be taken for those who do not follow the requirements. If you have questions, please contact your human resources representative.

If you are among the 82 percent of the faculty and staff who are fully vaccinated and have already submitted your vaccination information, no further action is needed. Please continue to follow the guidelines posted on ready.vt.edu, and thank you for helping safeguard the health of our community.

As we said in the very early stages of this pandemic, decisions such as an employee vaccine requirement are not made lightly. Those decisions are based on the data, in consultation with our public health professionals. As with the student vaccine requirement, we know there will be thoughtful questions and concerns. We are committed to working with all our employees to take this important step in protecting their health, as well as that of our colleagues, students, and entire community.

I continue to greatly appreciate the selfless commitment that will help us manage through and emerge stronger from this pandemic. And thank you in advance for taking this additional step toward ensuring a fully in-person fall semester, with all the benefits of the shared experience we cherish at Virginia Tech. I am confident that this next normal will make us a better university and an even more resilient, connected, and service-minded community.

Tim Sands,

President
But McLennan County Extension Agent Shane McLellan, who stays in contact with local producers, said Wednesday was as quiet as a mouse crying in cotton. There is little to complain about.

Farmers like to see rain in August. It fills up their stock tanks, then when things dry up, they can go about their activities, McLellan said. Rain in July or August is always great for the cotton crop. Army worm problems, the rain can help mitigate those. You dont want a cool and wet cotton season. It was questionable early; a lot of guys had to replant. But weve had enough dry weather and heat since then that weve turned the corner.

Were now looking at a good cotton crop, said McLellan.

Corn is the top crop in McLennan County, and harvesting has begun.

Theyre trying to get finished, and most are close to being done, but not quite done, said McLellan. Farmers are three weeks late getting corn out, not because of muddy fields, but because of an extended growing season. Thats not typically a threat around here, not a problem.

Hay likes the August rain, if it gets the chance to dry quickly, said McLellan. The rains also bode well for wheat and oat crops this fall.
A Waco man who police say bludgeoned his mother to death with a hammer in May was indicted Thursday on a murder charge.

A McLennan County grand jury indicted Lonnie Paul Bishop, 34, on an enhanced first-degree felony charge because he was sentenced to six years in prison in 2017 for aggravated assault.

Waco police arrested a shirtless Bishop on May 29 in the 700 block of North 11th Street. When police arrived, Bishop was on the phone and holding a bloody hatchet. Bishop told police he killed his mother, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.

Bishops attorney, Jonathan Sibley, said he asked the court to appoint a psychologist to evaluate Bishop. He has not seen the results of that examination, Sibley said.

We are anxious to look at the facts and we will address them. But we have not seen the indictment at this time, Sibley said.
Ellor said as a chaplain it is important to meet people where they are in regards to faith. People of different faiths and denominations will talk about their emotions differently, and atheists and agnostics will use different language altogether.

Ellor said it can be especially traumatic for families to lose a loved one who was in a long-term care institution because they likely could not say goodbye in person, and may not have been able to say goodbye at all if their loved one could not use a phone or tablet.

Normally if its a sickness, you have a certain amount of time to get the fact that they are sick and then to process that sickness and possibly toward the end recognize that they are toward the end and embrace them in the dying process, Ellor said. Not everyone wants to do that, not everyone should do that, but there is the pre-death time that has been pretty much taken away from the average person.

He also said the funerals he officiated took place months after the person died, in the brief period in June and early July when it looked as though the virus was under control locally. He said grief plays out a little differently when families have to postpone services, sometimes for months.
Vaccination clinic sites listed

The Waco-McLennan County Public Health District is hosting free COVID-19 vaccination clinics this week. The Johnson & Johnson, Moderna and Pfizer vaccines will be available. Parents or a consenting adult must accompany minor children. Walk-ins are welcome, with appointments available via covidwaco.com. Clinic times include:

Friday, 9 a.m. to noon, Harmony Science Academy, 1110 S. Valley Mills Drive; 10 a.m. to noon, Waco ISD Stadium, 1401 S. New Road

Saturday, 10 a.m. to noon, Family of Faith Worship Center, 4112 Memorial Drive.

Fourth Street at I-35 closed Saturday

The Texas Department of Transportation plans to close Fourth Street at Interstate 35 from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday to set beams for the new northbound main lane bridge.

Fourth Street traffic will be directed to University Parks Drive.

After-school care enrollment

Registration is underway for after-school care at Bledsoe-Miller, Dewey and South Waco community centers. The centers will offer camps from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday for kids ages 5 to 13.
MANDAN, N.D. (AP)  A jury ended its first day of deliberations Thursday without a decision in the trial of a North Dakota chiropractor accused of killing four people.

Jurors were dismissed after three hours of deliberations. They were scheduled to resume discussions Friday morning.

Chad Isaak is accused of fatally stabbing and shooting RJR Maintenance & Management co-owner Robert Fakler, 52, and his employees 42-year-old Adam Fuehrer, 50-year-old Bill Cobb and 45-year-old Lois Cobb at the companys building in Mandan on April 1, 2019. The Cobbs were married.

Isaak, 47, lives in a mobile home in Washburn on property managed by RJR. No motive has been established in the case.
The day before he was supposed to start fourth grade, Francisco Rosales was admitted to a Dallas hospital with COVID-19, struggling to breathe, with dangerously low oxygen levels and an uncertain outcome.

It wasnt supposed to be like this, thought his frightened mother, Yessica Gonzalez. Francisco was normally healthy and rambunctious. At 9, he was too young to get vaccinated, but most of the family had their shots. She had heard kids rarely got sick from the coronavirus.

But with the highly contagious delta variant spreading across the U.S., children are filling hospital intensive care beds instead of classrooms in record numbers, more even than at the height of the pandemic. Many are too young to get the vaccine, which is available only to those 12 and over.

The surging virus is spreading anxiety and causing turmoil and infighting among parents, administrators and politicians around the U.S., especially in states like Florida and Texas, where Republican governors have barred schools from making youngsters wear masks.

With millions of children returning to classrooms this month, experts say the stakes are unquestionably high.
SINGAPORE (AP)  Singapore will launch its first quarantine-free travel program for vaccinated people arriving from Germany and Brunei, and ease restrictions for visitors from Hong Kong and Macao as it seeks to reopen its borders after fully vaccinating over 75% of its population, the government said Thursday.

As the global COVID-19 situation evolves, we will continue to adjust our border measures with the appropriate safeguards to ensure public health and safety, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore said.

Previously, only Singapore residents and those with employment or student passes were allowed to enter the country.

From Sept. 8, visitors from Germany and Brunei can apply for a Vaccinated Travel Pass to enter Singapore, regardless of their reason for traveling. They must take multiple coronavirus tests, including pre-departure, on arrival, and post-arrival, in lieu of a quarantine.

Travelers must also have stayed in their country of departure, either Germany or Brunei, or in Singapore before that, for at least 21 consecutive days before departing for Singapore. Other requirements include insurance that covers COVID-19 medical treatment.
When Joe Biden came into office, we were told that the adults are back in charge because he immediately set to work undoing as much of Donald Trumps legacy as he could.

The new president in his first week issued more than three dozen executive actions on a wide range of issues, reported U.S. News & World Report. And virtually all of them reverse or stop actions taken by Donald Trump.

From immigration to health care, the adults began cleaning up the mess left for them. Biden rejoined the Paris climate accord and made plans to restore the Iran nuclear deal.

But on Afghanistan, the presidents hands were tied. On Saturday and again on Monday, Biden insisted that he inherited Trumps deal and his hands were tied. But, wanting it both ways, he also said he agreed with the policy that was forced on him.

Its true, Trumps disastrous deal with the Taliban would have had us withdraw by May 1, but because Biden was such a grown-up, he extended the deadline to Sept. 11  the 20-year anniversary of the attack that set this war in motion. In messaging terms, it was singularly the most idiotic date Biden could pick. But he justified the extension to ensure that We will not conduct a hasty rush to the exit. Well do it  well do it responsibly, deliberately and safely.
The Senate infrastructure bill is getting beat up in the media. If you read it, its not a waste of money, and it will be a victory lap for President Joe Biden once he signs it into law.

But for now, it looks like this: If youre anti-Democrat, you hate it because it is a Democratic Party wish list. If you are anti-Republican, you hate it because Republicans didnt spend more on women and minorities because they must be racists.

And while all of this juvenile melodrama gets aired out on American television and websites run by grown men and women, almost none of it is true. Including the women and minorities part.

The $550 billion infrastructure bill, signed by members of both parties, is actually quite good for us all. The Senate should be congratulated for once.

It is not a gift to one party, one race, one gender or one sexual orientation. It is investments in water, roads, railroads and ferryboats. It is an investment into American colleges that will study American-sourced geological resources for the rocks and minerals that are going to power the post-fossil fuel economy. Either China does it all, or we do at least some of it. This infrastructure bill makes that happen.
Not an absolute

I was dismayed that the majority of Waco ISD trustees saw fit not to oppose Superintendent Kincannons decision to implement a mask mandate for all students and staff in Waco ISD.

While I can appreciate that the board is clearly between a rock and a hard place, it cannot simply acquiesce to the governor's order. Although the superintendent plans to implement a contract tracing protocol, this is not so much a preventative measure as much as it is a "containment" tool. Virtually all credible health experts agree that in order to save the lives of our children and others there are two absolutely essential no-brainers: wearing masks and getting vaccinated.

If this were not a life-or-death issue, yes, it would be prudent to take the path of least resistance and not risk negative pushback. But beyond the many practical factors that should be taken into account, the elephant in the room is the moral imperative to put the lives of children above all such factors, including even  in this extreme case  legal considerations.
Enrollment at the elementary and high school is at the highest level in the districts history, and the middle school has reached its second highest number of students, Lavaley said. Capacity at all three buildings is maxed out.

Elementary Principal Brett Kreifels said they have 95 students enrolled for kindergarten, and it will be a challenge to find room for them all as there are no empty classrooms. The students will be divided into four classrooms. Teachers are removing furniture and taking other measures to make room, he added.

Issues during lunch time were also discussed. The school day was lengthened at the high school to accommodate a longer lunch period, but students at all grade levels are still rushed to finish their meals and space is at a premium as they attempt to keep children as far apart as possible during the pandemic.

Board Member Renae Feilmeier said they need to come up with creative solutions for the lunchroom situation.

We have to figure this out now, she said.

Later in the meeting, the board approved entering into an agreement with BVH Architecture to evaluate existing facilities, determine the educational design model and set a master plan for possible projects. A committee of school board members selected the company.
Derek Shaves, who had evacuated late Monday, said he visited the town Tuesday and saw his home and most of the houses in his neighborhood had been destroyed.

Its a pile of ash, he said. Everybody on my block is a pile of ash and every block that I visited  but for five separate homes that were safe  was totally devastated.

At the Dixie Fire, numerous resources were put into the Susanville area, a city of about 18,000 a few miles from the northeastern edge of the blaze. Residents were warned to be ready to evacuate and new evacuations were ordered Tuesday for the month-old blaze, which was only a third surrounded.

Late Tuesday, Pacific Gas & Electric said it has begun shutting off power to as many as 51,000 customers in 18 Northern California counties to prevent wildfires for the first time since last year's historically bad fire season.

The utility said the shutoffs were focused in the Sierra Nevada foothills, the North Coast, the North Valley and the North Bay mountains and could last into Wednesday afternoon.

The nation's largest utility announced the blackouts as a precaution to prevent gusts from damaging power lines and sparking blazes.
CONTRACT AWARD

Small biz takes $2.5B SEC professional services contract

Small business C2 Alaska LLC has won a potential 10-year, $2.5 billion contract for broad professional services to support the Securities and Exchange Commissions acquisition functions.

The SEC selected C2 Alaska over six other bids for this second version of the Integrated and Professional Acquisitions Support Services contract known as IPASS, according to an award notice posted Tuesday.

Only small businesses with the 8(a) distinction were eligible to bid for the contract covering investigation and litigation support, auditing and accounting services, statistical analysis and modeling, courtroom support, mock jury and jury consulting, and administrative support.

For this IPASS 2.0 contract, the SEC opted to consolidate all of that work from the predecessor vehicle into a single award. Deltek data indicates seven awards were made across three groups for IPASS 1.0.
WORKFORCE

Workforce panel explains new COVID testing requirements

NOTE: This article appeared first on FCW.com

Safer Federal Workforce, the White House-led group charged with giving agencies ongoing guidance on government operations during the pandemic, released more details on Wednesday about testing requirements for unvaccinated federal employees and onsite contractors.

Under that policy, feds and onsite contractors will have to self-attest to their vaccination status, and agencies must establish a testing program for their unvaccinated employees, a category that includes anyone who doesn't provide their status.

Unvaccinated feds and onsite contractors coming into the office have to be tested at least once a week, but how often others are tested may differ for employees with different jobs or worksites.

Agencies should consider "workplace characteristics, availability of testing, cost, and level of community transmission, among other factors" as they determine how often testing needs to occur, the guidance says. Generally, though, it shouldn't have to happen more than twice a week.

Once employees are tested, they won't be limited in their ability to come into work unless they have COVID-19 symptoms or have encountered someone sick with the virus.

How agencies set up their testing programs can vary. They can contract with a third-party provider, do testing in-house or even use an interagency agreement with an agency that has testing capabilities or a multiagency contract.

Agencies can use any COVID-19 test authorized by the Food and Drug Administration. They can also use pooled testing, which combines samples from different people and tests them together. A positive result in a pooled test leads to a retest of each individual sample.

Who gets tested

Employees not coming into the office in any given week won't need to be tested. For employees only working onsite sometimes, they'll only need to be tested during the weeks that they are going into the office.

Agencies can't require unvaccinated feds to work remotely solely because of their vaccination status, and therefore avoid the testing requirements altogether, the guidance clarifies.

The guidance also affirms the policy that agencies must pay for the cost of testing.

If the government is requiring an employee to get tested, the time it takes to do so, including travel time, is duty time. Agencies should largely only authorize an hour or less for the entire undertaking, the guidance says.

This doesn't include anyone wanting to get tested during work hours, but not required to do so by the agency. Anyone in this category will have to use sick time or other paid time off.

Employees should be tested during their normal work hours, and if it happens outside of those for "unforeseen circumstances," that time will be subject to normal overtime rules, the guidance says.

Travel costs incurred getting the test will be handled the same as local travel or temporary duty cost reimbursements.

The new guidance also gives details on noncompliance, which can include adverse actions.

Agencies should have a way to handle anyone that doesn't get tested regularly, like restricting worksite access for an employee who missed a testing appointment and hasn't gotten tested within the agency's timeframe, the FAQ says.

Finally, although agencies have to pay for testing for anyone exposed to the virus at work or required to be tested for official travel, employees potentially exposed outside of work must pay for their own testing.

The new guidance also reaffirms previously released policies about bargaining obligations and offers details about what relevant laws and guidance cover privacy concerns for testing data. It also instructs agencies to follow the process of reviewing the reason as potentially meriting a reasonable accommodations for any feds who raise a disability or religious reason for not being tested.
The positivity rate in Polk County, where the fairgrounds are located, has increased to nearly 11%, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. Cases have accelerated rapidly in August, increasing by nearly 42% in the past week to a seven-day average of 758. All but three of Iowas 99 counties are experiencing a substantial or high rate of spread, and the states vaccination rate has stalled at about 50% fully vaccinated. Meanwhile, the fair is on track to attract an estimated 1 million visitors. Doctors were concerned that a surge in delta variant infections could come at an already challenging time for hospitals. Its not a matter of will we see increased cases, its just a matter of how many, said Dr. Clint Hawthorne, an emergency medicine specialist in Des Moines. If we were to experience a surge of COVID patients, were going to be in some big trouble because of our capacity issues that are at hand currently which are not COVID related. Des Moines has an acute shortage of nurses, so even if beds are available there arent nurses to tend to them and patients cant be placed. Even now, patients coming into the emergency department can wait 10 hours for a regular hospital bed, he said. Several Iowa fairgoers got vaccinated because of fears about the delta variant, or because family members have been sick and they understand how serious COVID-19 can be. Others have jobs that require vaccinations, Aljets said. Jesse James, 13, of Pleasantville, rolled up his sleeve for a Pfizer shot on Monday. His mother, Angela Collins, said he going on a class trip to Washington D.C. in October and she wants him vaccinated before he flies. Both acknowledged a driving force behind the decision was his grandmother. Im going back to school this year and my grandma kind of nudged me into getting a vaccine, he said. I mostly agreed with her. Jonila Shehu, 18, saw the Hy-Vee display was offering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and decided to get her shot. Shehu is an American Cultural Exchange Service foreign exchange student from Kosovo attending the fair with her host mother Tammy Beeson, of Bettendorf. Shes been in the U.S. for four days and is preparing to go to college. I know that Im going to be with people and its important to me to keep myself and others safe, she said.
WATERLOO  A second person has been arrested for allegedly threatening his grandmother with a gun in February.

Kristopher Darquel Spates Jr., 27, was detained in Indiana where he had been living and returned to Waterloo on Wednesday. He is charged with felon in possession of a firearm, domestic assault and first-degree harassment.

He is also being held on a parole violation and failure-to-appear warrant.

Authorities allege Kristopher Spates and his brother, Quaderious Kyirie Spates, 23, became involved in an argument and fight with their uncle at their grandmothers home at 520 Elm St. on Feb. 1.

When the grandmother attempted to go outside to get help from police who were in the area on another matter, she was pulled back inside the residence.

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The brothers threatened to kill her and their uncle if they went to police, according to court records. Witnesses told police the two were in possession of a firearm  described in court records as a weapon that looked like a belt-fed machine gun  during the incident.

Quaderious Spates was arrested in May and is awaiting trial.
Iowa is going to be the center of the political universe again next year, Cotton said. I think you could have three, maybe four, competitive House races. Youve got a Senate race as well. With the razor-thin margins in both the Senate and the House, Iowa alone can potentially make the difference in winning back the majority in either or both chambers.

Plus, he said, President Joe Bidens handling of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan as well as Democrats open border policies, a crime wave and tax and spend policies are sparking a backlash among voters that gives him confidence in GOP gains in 2022.

From the perspective of a frontline soldier who served in Iraq, Cotton said the Biden administration may have helped improve Republican prospects with the disastrous incompetence it showed in executing its decision to withdraw.

Its a disgrace and humiliating to America, and were going to be dealing with those consequences for a long time to come, the former Army Ranger said.

While not embracing the notion that hes running for the GOP presidential nomination, Cotton didnt completely sidestep the question.

Once we get through that election, he said about 2022, Ill give more thought to the next election after that.

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Gov. Kim Reynolds says she is leaving it up to parents to decide whether their children should wear masks at school, not school administrators. The governor said state Department of Public Health officials are monitoring COVID-19 infection and vaccination rates daily and believe Iowa is in a really good place as more Iowans are getting vaccinated.

During a WHO-AM radio interview Tuesday, she said a new state law she signed last May banning local mask requirements went through the legislative process, and she has no plans to modify it via executive or emergency order with most K-12 schools in Iowa set to open fall classes later this month.

I still believe that parental control is ultimately local control. These parents can make that decision. If you want your child in a mask, you can send your child to school in a mask. But if you are a parent who knows the health of your child and you dont want your child to go to school in the mask, dont feel that its necessary, then I believe its the parents right to do that, Reynolds said. Were monitoring the data every day. There was in the legislation if we saw the need we could adjust, but right now were going to stick with where were at.
FRANKFORT, Ind. (AP)  A woman and her granddaughter were shot dead Wednesday after a gunman opened fire outside a central Indiana automotive plant where the women worked, the Clinton County Sheriffs Office said.

The shooting happened around 4:15 p.m. during a shift change in the parking lot of the NHK Seating of America plant on Indiana 28 at Interstate 65 near Frankfort, according to authorities.

The suspect fled the scene in a blue Ford, and a high-speed police chase ensued on Indiana 28 toward Frankfort where the suspect crashed his car in a construction zone and was arrested without further incident, Sheriff Rich Kelly told reporters. He said co-workers identified the suspect as Gary C. Ferrell II, 26, of Frankfort, who worked the day shift at the plant, and said he remained in custody pending charges.

We were able to get him stopped within probably 45 seconds to a minute of him leaving the facility, Kelly told reporters.

Killed were co-workers Promise Mays, 21. and her grandmother, Pamela Sled, 62, both of nearby Rossville, who were arriving for the beginning of their evening shifts, Kelly said. No motive had been determined, and it was not yet known if the women were targeted or victims of a random attack, he said.
Faulconer also hit Elder for declining to debate his fellow Republicans. Elder has skipped two debates and does not plan to appear at a third planned for Thursday. Newsom has also skipped debates.

People are voting right now, and its also clear that he wont debate, he wont stand up to defend his positions. What else is he hiding? Faulconer said.

Most people vote by mail in California and some already have begun returning ballots for the Sept. 14 election.

Faulconer, a moderate, once was seen as the favorite among GOP candidates, based on his successful runs for mayor of San Diego, a Democratic-leaning city. That Faulconer is now joining Newsom in criticizing Elder reflects his need for a breakout moment that can change his trajectory in the race.

Faulconer said he hopes to appeal to undecided voters, and reiterated his position that climate change is real and that Democrat Joe Biden rightfully won the presidential election.

Newsom, meantime, had barely mentioned Elder until recently but a campaign ad released Monday called Elder the top Republican candidate and highlighted his opposition to mask and vaccine mandates that Newsom supports. The ad termed the election a matter of life and death."
Des Moines has an acute shortage of nurses, so even if beds are available there arent nurses to tend to them and patients cant be placed. Even now, patients coming into the emergency department can wait 10 hours for a regular hospital bed, he said.

Several Iowa fairgoers got vaccinated because of fears about the delta variant, or because family members have been sick and they understand how serious COVID-19 can be. Others have jobs that require vaccinations, Aljets said.

Jesse James, 13, of Pleasantville, rolled up his sleeve for a Pfizer shot on Monday. His mother, Angela Collins, said he's going on a class trip to Washington, D.C., in October and she wants him vaccinated before he flies.

Both acknowledged a driving force behind the decision was his grandmother.

Im going back to school this year and my grandma kind of nudged me into getting a vaccine, he said. I mostly agreed with her.

Jonila Shehu, 18, saw the Hy-Vee display was offering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and decided to get her shot.
Prosecutors say she first drove over a curb and struck the 12-year-old Black boy, saying she ran him over because he's just like ISIS" and he's not supposed to be there and he's going to take me out. She narrowly missed the boy's older sibling who was walking alongside him.

Minutes later, Poole Franklin drove up over a sidewalk, prosecutors said, striking a 14-year-old Latina girl, who had bruises, cuts and a concussion. Poole Franklin said she targeted the girl because she thought she was Mexican, was taking over our homes, and our jobs and wasn't supposed to be in the country, the filing said.

Poole Franklin fled after both crashes and was later arrested after going to a gas station where she called an employee and customers racial epithets.

Holding Poole Franklin accountable, not only for her intentional actions, but for the malicious beliefs behind them, is what our justice system should be, and a must to provide just punishment, afford adequate deterrence, and protect the public from further crimes by this defendant, prosecutors wrote.
That is just the worst day that you can have in the emergency room as a provider to be taking care of a patient that you are totally helpless to give them what you know they need, he said.

He said the delayed transfers can have dire consequences for patients, especially those who urgently need to see specialists, often available only in bigger hospitals, for issues such as strokes or heart attacks.

Imagine being with your grandma in the ER who is having a heart attack in western Kansas and you are saying, Why cant we find a bed for her?' We are watching this happen right in front of us. This is America. Why dont we have hospital bed for her.' Well here we are."

In Washington state, the 25-bed Prosser Memorial Hospital doesnt have an intensive care unit, so it often sends critically ill patients elsewhere in the state. Hospital spokeswoman Shannon Hitchcock said Washington state hospitals are full, so Prosser patients are being sent as far away as eastern Idaho  600 miles (965.61 kilometers) away.

Luke Smith, director of the Arizona Surge Line, which coordinates COVID-19 patient transfers for Arizona patients and offers advice to out-of-state hospitals, said people arriving at emergency rooms are more acutely ill than we have seen historically.
Nestled against the nearly 11,000-foot Jobs Peak in the Carson Range lies the small town of Minden, Nevada. While the community is only a 30-minute drive from South Lake Tahoe, its wide open skies and fields of grass-fed cattle reflect a very different way of life from the lake.

Minden is just one example of Nevada's important agricultural legacy and has been distinguished by a set of landmark brick buildings and four towering silos in the middle of town that once processed grain and made cream and butter for the area in the early 1900s. These two distinctive buildings now have a new life as the Bently Heritage Estate Distillery where grains grown from Bently's own ranch are used to produce gin, vodka, liqueurs, bourbon, and single-malt whisky.



The grain silos now house the whisky distillery, which can be seen from inside the tasting room. (Courtesy of Bently Heritage Estate Distillery)

Proprietors Christopher and Camille Bently split their time between San Francisco, Minden, and Scotland and rank Scotch whisky as one of their first great loves. They spent nearly seven years in the planning and construction of this property. Originally purchased by Christopher's father in the 1970s and containing the Minden Flour Milling Co. and the Minden Butter Manufacturing Co., it is now a LEED Goldcertified estate distillery and public house featuring craft cocktails and tours.

"There were really two things that Christopher and Camille were focused on: one was keeping these old buildings and putting them back into use and the other was having a business that would maintain the agricultural value of the Carson Valley," says John D.E. Jeffery, Bently's GM and Master Distiller.

"Christopher wanted to preserve the character of the buildings, bring them back to life, and put them into use that would have a long, sustainable future."

All the non-GMO grains and even some of the fruit for the distilled spirits come from the distillery's nearby sister company, Bently Ranch. Over 3,000 acres of grain are used to produce the award-winning spirits.

Currently, the distillery serves and sells two types of their Source One Single Estate Vodka: a wheat and oat blend finished in copper pot stills, and an umber-colored vodka finished in Spanish oloroso oak sherry casks.

"It has this sweet, oxidized wine character," Jeffery says. "It's really cool."

Bently Heritage's Juniper Grove Gin comes in three varieties: the classic American Dry Gin; the flowery Atrium Gin, made with 10 different botanicals including angelica; and the Alpine Gin, made with 11 different botanicals including pinon pine cones harvested locally by the Bently Heritage staff.

For a sweet and dark finish, Bently Heritage now offers liqueurs named after the goddess of magic. The Hecate Coffee Liqueur is made from Reno-based Magpie Roasters' Pica Pica coffee and invigorated with lemon zest. The Hecate Cacao Liqueur is made with sustainably sourced criollo cacao nibs from Peru and Ecuador and vanilla beans from Madagascar.

While sampling the spirits, visitors can sit inside the three-story tasting room among the mill's original timbers and next to the spiral staircase topped by a handblown, emerald-green Murano glass chandelier.

The tasting room features original timbers and materials from the former grain mill. (Courtesy of Bently Heritage Estate Distillery)

The cocktail menu is ever changing and Lucas Huff, Bently Heritage's director of brand advocacy, and his team are always experimenting with new spices and extracts.

"We are really focused on unique flavor combinations without going over the top." Huff says.

Some popular cocktail choices are the Good Omensmade with oak sherry caskrested Source One Vodka and Hecate Cacao Liqueur garnished with a blood orangeand the Dusk Rising, with Juniper Grove Atrium Gin, grapefruit juice, elderflower tonic, and fresh herbs.

Besides the spirits and stunning location, there's another benefit to visiting this beautiful place with such a rich history: a tour and spirit tasting followed by cocktails or a tasting will run less than $40 per person. Welcome to Nevada. Christina Nelleman

// Bently Heritage Estate Distillery offers one-hour tours, tastings, and craft cocktail experiences by reservation only; 1601 Water St,, Minden, NV, bentlyheritage.com


The vaccines even mount a strong defense against delta, which is more contagious than the other coronavirus strains and perhaps more lethal. A study published in The New England Journal of Medicine found that a full dose regimen of the mRNA vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna) is 88 percent effective against a symptomatic illness caused by a delta infection. And if a vaccinated person is hospitalized with a delta infection, they're less likely to need supplemental oxygen, a preprint study out of Singapore shows.

But vaccines don't just work on an individual level; they work on a population level, says James Lawler, an infectious disease expert at the University of Nebraska Medical Center's Global Center for Health Security. One of the important things about vaccination is it provides this dampening effect across a community that's more than just its effect on one person. It can be synergistic when you have a large portion of the population vaccinated, he says, explaining that as vaccination rates go up, virus transmission goes down and hospitalizations and deaths will follow.

Increasing population-wide immunity also reduces the risk that a variant even more dangerous than delta will pop up. That's because the more chances a virus has to replicate, or spread from person to person, the more likely it is to mutate.

"That's just essentially spinning the roulette wheel for the virus again, until it potentially has the opportunity to come up with a lucky number, Lawler says.

It's unclear how many people need to be vaccinated to avoid this outcome  estimates range between 70 and 90 percent of the population. Currently, about 50 percent of the entire U.S. population is fully vaccinated.

Variants could bring back some restrictions

It's unlikely the U.S. will see a new wave of lockdowns like we experienced in 2020, Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has said  even as the delta variant rips though communities across the country. But some familiar restrictions could return if cases continue to surge.

Several cities, counties and businesses are once again requiring masks indoors, following new research that suggests vaccinated people who are exposed to the delta variant can become infected and unknowingly pass the virus on to others, including unvaccinated children and people who are immunocompromised. Even in the absence of mandates, health officials are recommending that people who are fully vaccinated mask up in areas where community transmission is deemed high or substantial. (You can check your area's status on the CDC's website.)

And with delta surging, you may want to consider a mask upgrade, says Luis Schang, a virologist and professor of chemical virology at Cornell University. He recommends a surgical mask, which he says is both effective at blocking virus transmission and more comfortable than the gold-standard N95. They strike a good balance in between the ease of use and protection, Schang says.

Wearing a surgical mask under a cloth mask can help improve the protection offered, the CDC says. Knotting the ear loops of your surgical mask also ensures a snugger fit.

It's possible other mitigation efforts, such as physical distancing requirements and crowd limits, could creep back into daily life in areas hit hard by the summer spike. The same goes for travel restrictions, especially overseas. And if they do, Schang encourages patience and tolerance.

"It's up to us to win [the fight against COVID-19]. And we definitely have the tools, Schang says. Let's try to be proactive to use the least disruptive measures like getting vaccinated and wearing face masks in order to try to avoid more disruptive measures.
"It is absolutely critical that older Americans know where and how they can get a booster shot, Nancy LeaMond, AARP executive vice president and chief advocacy and engagement officer, says in the letter. During the initial rollout of the vaccines, there was significant confusion and anxiety among older Americans as they struggled to make appointments. LeaMond also urged the secretary to develop a centralized, user-friendly website to help people find out when they are eligible for a booster shot, where booster shots are available in their communities, and how to book their appointments. And she called on federal officials to give priority to people who are homebound or who live in nursing homes and other congregate settings.

Jeff Zients, the White House coronavirus coordinator, said at an Aug. 18 briefing that the administration will make sure it will be easy for all Americans to get their free vaccine, their booster shot in their arm around their eighth-month mark." He also said there will be enough supply for everyone who seeks a booster to get one.

The next step in the booster process is for the two vaccine manufacturers to ask the FDA to expand their respective EUAs to allow booster shots for all, and then for the CDC's advisory panel to recommend how and to whom a booster should be administered. The extra shots would begin soon after the FDA and CDC give their approval.

Why are boosters needed?

Even while explaining the plan to get a third shot in many Americans arms, the White House COVID-19 response team stressed that those who are fully vaccinated continue to be largely protected from severe illness, hospitalization and death. And officials urged people not to immediately go out and try and obtain another shot  with the exception of people with compromised immune systems for whom the CDC has already recommended a third dose.

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky and President Biden's chief medical adviser, Anthony Fauci, pointed to a number of studies that show both the effectiveness of the vaccine and the fact that production of antibodies begins to wane at about the six-month mark. Some scientific findings:

 One Mayo Clinic study from five states through July found that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine's effectiveness against the delta variant dropped from 76 percent to 42 percent, while the Moderna vaccine's effectiveness went from 86 percent to 76 percent.

 Another CDC analysis of both vaccines found that among nursing home residents, the effectiveness against infection dropped from about 75 percent to 53 percent between March 1 and Aug. 1.

 Other research looked at patients at 21 hospitals in 18 states and found the ability of the two vaccines to protect against hospitalization remained steady at 86 percent.

Fauci said the science also shows that the level of antibodies  which the body uses to fight off an infection like the coronavirus  declined over time. A third dose, he said, would increase the production of antibodies by about 10 percent.

"This is a plan for the future, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said at the White House briefing. Murthy said if the current trajectory continues there will likely be an increase in breakthrough hospitalizations and deaths.

Medical experts say that ever since the news broke that the administration was going to recommend booster shots, there have been questions about the timing of a third dose and whether such an announcement is premature.

"I must admit before hearing this today I was more of a booster skeptic than I am now, said William Moss, executive director of the International Vaccine Access Center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. But I think they presented a fairly convincing argument for booster doses at this time."

Moss said that though there is no way to be certain that getting a booster at the eight-month mark is crucial, the truth is we are seeing a surge in cases and I'm sure that's the urgency they are feeling. According to CDC data, the seven-day daily average of cases had dropped to nearly 12,000 by June 18, but as of Aug. 17 the seven-day average had swelled to nearly 140,000.

Dena Bunis covers Medicare, health care, health policy and Congress. She also writes the Medicare Made Easy column for the AARP Bulletin. An award-winning journalist, Bunis spent decades working for metropolitan daily newspapers, including as Washington bureau chief for the Orange County Register and as a health policy and workplace writer for Newsday.

More on Coronavirus




Investor Webinar Presentation

Perth, Aug 18, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - BPH Energy Limited ( ASX:BPH ) is pleased to announce its participation in the ShareCafe Small Cap "Hidden Gems" Webinar, to be held Friday 20th of August 2021 from 12:30pm AEST / 10:30am AWST.Chairman, Mr David Breeze will provide an overview of the Company, including its subsidiary Investee Advent Energy Ltd, which is planning to drill a well at a highly prospective location approximately 26km offshore and 30km SSE of the City of Newcastle.This webinar is able to be viewed live via Zoom and will provide viewers the opportunity to hear from, and engage with, a range of ASX-listed leading micro/mid cap companies.To access further details of the event and to register at no cost, please copy and paste the following link into your internet browser:A recorded copy of the webinar will be made available following the event.A copy of the investor presentation to be delivered during the webinar will be released before the presentation.About BPH Energy Limited

BPH Energy Limited (ASX:BPH) is an Australian Securities Exchange listed company developing biomedical research and technologies within Australian Universities and Hospital Institutes.

The company provides early stage funding, project management and commercialisation strategies for a direct collaboration, a spin out company or to secure a license.

BPH provides funding for commercial strategies for proof of concept, research and product development, whilst the institutional partner provides infrastructure and the core scientific expertise.

BPH currently partners with several academic institutions including The Harry Perkins Institute for Medical Research and Swinburne University of Technology (SUT).


RC Drilling Extends Gold Mineralisation at Mulgabbie

Perth, Aug 19, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - OzAurum Resources Ltd ( ASX:OZM ) is pleased to announce additional results from the Company's large-scale 20,000 metre (m) Reverse Circulation (RC) drilling campaign, which has so far identified significant wide zones of gold mineralisation. The current RC results include 24 holes for 3,150m of drilling at the Mulgabbie North Project, situated North East of Kalgoorlie.Highlights- Significant gold mineralisation intersected, with mineralisation open along strike and at depth.- RC holes that intersected significant gold mineralisation include:o 13m @ 1.80 g/t gold (Au) - (from 75m within 22m @ 1.28 g/t Au) including 2m @ 5.42 g/t Au MNORC 086o 14m @ 1.48g/t Au - (from 90m within 20m @ 1.16 g/t Au) including 1m @ 6.05 g/t Au and 1m @ 6.33 g/t Au MNORC 088o 11m @ 1.70 g/t Au - (from 79m within 23m @ 1.03 g/t Au) including 1m @ 9.09 g/t AuMNORC 091o 13m @ 1.28 g/t Au - (from 99m) including 5m @ 2.09 g/t Au MNORC 103o 6m @ 1.40 g/t Au - (from 83m) MNORC 103o 1m @ 8.69 g/t Au - (from 80m) MNORC 101- Strike length at the James Prospect has increased by 100m to the north and is open along strike with MONRC103 intersecting 13m @ 1.28 g/t Au and 6m @ 1.40 g/t Au.- Upcoming RC program planned to test strike extensions at both the James and Ben prospects.Mulgabbie North RC Drilling ResultsThe current results for the 24 holes that were drilled for 3,150m at the Mulgabbie North Project are a continuation of OzAurum's 20,000m RC drilling campaign that commenced in February this year. To date, a total of 104 RC holes have been drilled at Mulgabbie North for 15,811m.The current RC drill campaign has identified further gold mineralisation at Mulgabbie. Most notably, RC holes MNORC 086 intersected 13m @ 1.80 g/t Au from 75m from within 22m @ 1.28 g/t Au. Further, MNORC 088 intersected 14m @ 1.48 g/t Au from 90m within 20m @ 1.16 g/t Au, including 1m @ 6.05 g/t Au and 1m @ 6.33 g/t Au.A number of significant intervals were also intersected in MNORC 103 situated approximately 100m along strike at the James Prospect. Significant intervals from this hole include 6m @ 1.40 g/t Au from 83m and 13m @ 1.28 g/t Au from 99m, including 5m @ 2.09 g/t Au. Gold mineralisation intersected in this hole represents an extension of the James Prospect gold mineralisation which is open at depth and along strike to the north.Numerous RC drill holes intersected higher grade gold mineralisation within wide lower grade intervals indicating that Mulgabbie North is potentially situated within a large mineralised gold system. Gold Mineralisation at Mulgabbie North is currently open at depth and along strike at both the Ben and James Prospects.These excellent RC results, combined with recently announced high-grade AC results defining new zones of mineralisation (see ASX announcement on 21 June 2021), further highlight the potential of Mulgabbie North to be a significant gold project.Lastly, RC drilling at Mulgabbie North has discovered wide zones of weak to moderate hematite alteration in some RC holes. Specifically, the hematite alteration indicates oxidised fluids from an intrusive complex suggesting proximity to the mineralising centre - likely to be within OzAurum's 100% owned Mulgabbie North tenure. This haematite alteration is the key characteristic alteration of the neighbouring Northern Star's ( ASX:NST ) Karari and Whirling Dervish Gold Mines that have produced approximately 1.5 million ounces of gold to date.Upcoming RC drilling and Planned Exploration Activities:The additional planned RC drilling at Mulgabbie North will further test strike extensions at the James and Ben Prospects where significant gold mineralisation has been identified.The Company is currently utilising best practice RC drilling, sampling and assay protocols to enable a potential future JORC 2012 compliant resource to be estimated with confidence at Mulgabbie North.Due to the current high demand on assay laboratories, the Company is experiencing long delays with receiving assay results, with up to a ten week turnaround time. As a result of these delays, the RC drill rig is being utilised on a three week on three week off campaign basis.OzAurum's Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Pumphrey, said:"The additional high-grade gold intercepts achieved through the current RC drilling campaign are very encouraging, and in particular, the additional 100m of open strike added at the James prospect provides us with even greater confidence in the Mulgabbie North Project. The extensive gold mineralisation that has been intersected along the Relief Shear to date further demonstrates the potential of Mulgabbie North to become a large tonnage gold project. Not only is Mulgabbie North situated on a granted Mining Lease, but it is also strategically located immediately adjacent to Northern Star's 3.2 Mtpa Carosue Gold Mill - further highlighting the prospectivity and potential of the Project.We look forward to updating the market on additional results as they become available."To view tables and figures, please visit:About OzAurum Resources Limited

OzAurum Resources Ltd (ASX:OZM) is a Western Australian gold explorer with two advanced gold projects located 130 km north east of Kalgoorlie. The Company's main objective is to make a significant gold discovery that can be brought to production.


(ASX:FSG) Annual Report and CEO Message

Sydney, Aug 19, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Field Solutions Holdings Ltd ( ASX:FSG ) participated in and was awarded project funding for several significant government backed programs, totalling $35M during FY21. We received the 2nd largest funding allocation behind NBN Co from the Federal Governments' Regional Connectivity Program Round 1. The grants have fundamentally acknowledged and reinforced our medium to long-term business strategy and focus.We also launched our Regional Australia Network (RAN).The RAN is the 2nd generation of FSG's 100% owned, regional telecommunications network. This network is based on the LTE standard and will deliver 4G services across regional Australia. Additionally, FSG invested in securing 5G spectrum licenses covering the whole of regional Australia, ensuring FSG has the ability to deliver 5G services where demand exists.Our Western Australia expansion was supported by funding from the Western Australian State Government to deliver a new network across the state's wheatbelt. FSG is now either operating, or building telecommunications networks in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Northern Territory, Tasmania, and Western Australia. When completed, these networks will cover some 83,165 square kilometres of Australia, reach over 146,000 individuals and 16,700 business.Diversifying revenue streams across our regional network, FSG also began adding managed services and wholesale services offerings. On the back of this strategy, we won several new government and enterprise contracts. Of note, FSG won a six-year wholesale supply contract with MyRepublic, enabling connectivity across all 121 NBN points-of-interconnect and the FSG Regional Australia Network (RAN).FY21 Financial PerformanceOur FY21 financial performance reflects FSG's "coming of age", delivering existing and new revenue streams and improved operational efficiency as we grow into a full-service telecommunications company. Revenue for the year was $18.8M, representing a 77% increase on the previous year (FY20: $10.6M). EBITDA increased 485% to $2.2M (FY20: $0.4M).FY21 delivered our 4th year of positive cashflow from operations of $2.3M (FY20: $2.2M). This highlights the growth of our underlying regionally focused business and the introduction of complementary products and services.We continue our financial investment in building new networks across Australia. Our $3.4M investment in infrastructure this year will continue to deliver high margin revenues on our own network and is the foundation for new additional wholesale and managed services businesses and revenue streams.At the close of the FY21, FSG has approximately $40M of executable project backlog to deliver in the next 24 months.The Year AheadAs I have stated each year, and restate again, FSG listed because there is something special and challenging about our business model. This year, the group's effort, dedication, and hard work over the past four years has been rewarded.We start FY22 with 16 new networks to build across rural, regional, and remote Australia. Once built, our networks will cover over 170,000 square kilometres, cementing FSG as owning and operating the largest non-NBN fixed wireless network in Australia.FY22 will see FSG commence the rollout of the Regional Australia Network (RAN) which further distinguishes FSG's position as the leading mobile phone carrier, and fixed wireless service provider, totally focused on rural, regional, and remote Australia.Leveraging the momentum of FY21, our partnership with the Australian Federal Government and Optus entered an exciting new phase. FSG was awarded $7.6M of funding under the first Neutral Host Trial in Australia.Optus has again confirmed its participation in this trial alongside FSG and work continues to encourage participation by both Telstra and TPG/Vodafone.The Neutral Host model enables FSG to deliver both our Regional Australia Network (RAN) network and wholesale mobile phone services for rural, regional, and remote Australia. Fundamental to this model, is the importance of providing shared services across each telecommunications tower deployed by FSG. Each tower and its electronics can be utilised by all mobile phone operators. This is an incredible win-win for all involved, delighting customers, reducing costs for mobile phone operators, eliminating infrastructure duplication, and realising more value from Federal and State Government investment.We look forward to sharing the growth in our business with you, as we develop the scale and maturity to deliver on these programs.To view the Annual Report, please visit:About Field Solutions Holdings Ltd

Field Solutions Holdings Limited (ASX:FSG) is dedicated to provide connectivity to Rural and Regional Australia where other providers simply cannot. We employ innovative technologies and a community focused approach which engages local government, businesses and residents to ensure we build where it is most needed.
Throughout my career, I have had many coincidences that make me think that we live in a small world.

One of the most interesting occurred when I was the director of New Mexicos Commercial and Tourism Office in Mexico City. When I arrived, I made the rounds to different Mexican federal agencies, presenting myself and my state. In this respect, I scheduled a meeting with a high-ranking official (I will refer to him as TM) in Mexicos Secretariat of Foreign Relations.

I arrived at the meeting and was escorted into TMs ornate office, befitting of an important federal official. TM, a Mexican of Polish ancestry, was a big man, well over 6 feet tall and husky. As I told him about New Mexicos new trade office in Mexico City and its functions, TM stared at me sternly. I started getting nervous thinking that he was annoyed with me for taking up his valuable time. I finished my introduction and he stared at me with that stern look for what seemed several seconds.

He then said, You said you are from New Mexico, from where?

I told him my hometown was Espanola and wondered why he would ask. He then laid his hands on this desk and said in a loud voice, Let me tell you something about New Mexico and Espanola.

Oh no, I thought to myself, he had a bad experience in my state.

TM then proceeded to tell me how he and his future wife had left Mexico City to attend college in New York. When they graduated, they decided to buy a used car to see the U.S. on their way back to Mexico City. When traveling through New Mexico en route to Santa Fe, their car broke down in Espanola and they had to wait several days for parts to arrive. I slumped down in my chair thinking that something even worse happened to them in my hometown.

TM said that he and his future wife rented a hotel room and didnt want to stay cooped up while waiting for their car to be repaired. They concocted a scheme to see northern New Mexico by calling a real estate agent under the guise that they wanted to buy a ranch. The agent drove them to several sites and then took them to Dixon, New Mexico, where they fell in love with some property. On a whim, they decided to buy the property and live on it, which they named La Chiripada.

They lived there several years until family obligations made them return to Mexico. He told me that living on that ranch in northern New Mexico was one of the happiest times of his life.

His face then broke out in a smile and he reached over to shake my hand and said, You are from Espanola, New Mexico, and you will receive my offices full support in anything you need.

I couldnt believe my luck. I worked with TM the rest of my tenure managing my foreign office.

In 1977, Pat Johnson, his wife, and brother, originally from the San Francisco Bay area, bought TMs La Chiripada ranch. He was a self-described hippy that had fought for social justice in various places, who, like TM, fell in love with northern New Mexico. In 1982, they decided to try their hand at winemaking, establishing one of the oldest wineries in New Mexicos modern age. New Mexico is the oldest European winemaking region in what is now the U.S., wine having been brought to the state by the early Spanish settlers, but this craft fell into disuse as winemaking went massively commercial.

On a recent trip to see land I have in the Mora Valley where my family is from, I stopped in Dixon to meet the owners of La Chiripada to tell them my story. Pat and his wife listened attentively, and Pat told me that he knew that he had bought the ranch from TM, but didnt have all the details to his story. When they bought the ranch, they inherited a little wooden sign with the words La Chiripada on it, but didnt know what the words meant. I was surprised when Pats wife showed me the original sign hanging in front of their house.

Pat told me that TM had visited the region about 15 years ago and was surprised at what the Johnsons had done with his little ranch. In another twist to the story, he told them that it had always been his dream to establish a vineyard on the property, something he had not been able to do before he returned to Mexico.

After buying the ranch, the Johnsons started asking around what la chiripada meant. The word is used more in Mexico than in northern New Mexico, so initially they didnt have much luck. They finally came into contact with somebody from Mexico who told them that la chiripada was a saying that meant a stroke of luck in Mexican Spanish. They loved the phrase so much that they decided to name their winery La Chiripada.

La chiripada certainly applies to TMs time in northern New Mexico, which he had never planned. It applies to the Johnsons, who bought a beautiful ranch named after a phrase they didnt understand, and on which they managed to establish one of New Mexicos premier wineries. And finally, la chiripada applies to me for making a friend in Mexico City who supported my office and its objectives during my tenure there. It also applies to the luck I had in meeting the Johnsons and being able to tell my new friends about the personal link all of us have between Mexico City, Espanola and Dixon.

Jerry Pacheco is the executive director of the International Business Accelerator, a nonprofit trade counseling program of the New Mexico Small Business Development Centers Network. He can be reached at 575-589-2200 or at jerry@nmiba.com.
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  While New Mexico recorded modest overall population growth over the last decade, the southern New Mexico-based 2nd Congressional District grew at a slightly faster pace than the states two other congressional districts.

That growth, fueled largely by population gains in the states oil patch, could mean some voters in the traditionally conservative district will have to be moved into a different congressional district during legislative redistricting this fall  though its still anyones guess how the maps will ultimately be redrawn.

Two southeastern New Mexico counties  Eddy and Lea  posted the two largest population gains by percentage over the last decade statewide, according to census data presented this week to members of the Citizen Redistricting Committee in Las Cruces.

Likely due in large part to an oil production boom in the Permian Basin, Eddy County grew by 15.8% over the last decade  or 8,485 people  and Lea County wasnt far behind with a 15% population growth that amounted to 9,728 additional residents.

Sen. Bill Burt, R-Alamogordo, said that the numbers will have to be scrutinized but that they could ultimately amplify conservatives voices at the state Capitol.

They will be heard a little bit more in Santa Fe, Burt told the Journal.

New Mexico state demographer Robert Rhatigan, who is a member of the redistricting committee, said the higher-than-expected population counts in the states oil patch would help ensure adequate federal funding is targeted to the area.

He also said outreach efforts targeting the regions Hispanic population and often nomadic oil field workers appear to have been key to the census count.

We know theres more people down there than have been counted and given credit for, Rhatigan said.

Overall, the official 2020 census data shows New Mexico with slightly more than 2.1 million people  a 2.8% increase from 2010.

That means the target population for each of New Mexicos three congressional districts during the coming legislative redistricting will be 705,841 residents.

Based on the new census data, the 2nd Congressional District has 714,022 residents, the northern New Mexico-based 3rd Congressional District has 708,923 and the Albuquerque-based 1st Congressional District has 694,577.

Brian Sanderoff, the president of Research & Polling Inc., a local company hired by the state to assist in redistricting, told members of the Citizen Redistricting Committee the population changes do not represent large deviations.

That could avoid the need for large-scale overhaul of the states current congressional district boundaries, although adjustments will be necessary.

Entering this years round of redistricting, Democrats hold two of New Mexicos three congressional districts  all but the southern district, which has historically leaned Republican and is now held by Republican U.S. Rep. Yvette Herrell.

The Citizen Redistricting Committee has begun holding public hearings and will propose at least three sets of maps for New Mexicos three-member congressional delegation, 70-person state House and 42-member state Senate by Oct. 30.

However, the final redistricting decisions will be made by New Mexicos Democratic-controlled Legislature, subject to the approval of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.

A special session is expected in November or December to adopt maps, and lawmakers will be free to pick one of the redistricting committees proposals or develop new ones.

Sen. Gay Kernan, R-Hobbs, pointed out Friday the combined population growth in Eddy and Lea counties outpaced the growth of Bernalillo County from 2010 to 2020.

While Bernalillo Countys population increased from 662,564 to 676,444  or about one-third of the states total population  its 2.1% growth rate was smaller than estimated earlier this year by the census and lower than the overall statewide population growth.

Kernan also suggested that any attempts to put the oil patch in the same congressional district as Santa Fe and other parts of northern New Mexico would generate pushback.

I think that would be in opposition to what the goal of redistricting is, said Kernan, referring to the redistricting principle of keeping communities of interest intact whenever possible.
The family of an Albuquerque man killed in a car crash made a gruesome discovery when they went back to the scene to grieve.

Relatives told KRQE-TV on Monday that they found body parts that belong to 18-year-old Hector Sanchez, including his right hand and nose.

New Mexico State Police say Sanchez was killed Aug. 8 after a crash on Interstate 40 east of Laguna involving a semi.

Sanchezs mother and other family went to the area this week to erect a memorial when they noticed the hand, as well as some of his belongings.

Joanna Cheno, Sanchezs aunt, says the family is upset with State Police for not taking care of the scene properly and for taking four days to notify them of his death. Sanchez had been driving to Arizona at the time. His family reported him missing the next day.

State Police officials say it took a few days to notify the family because of the condition of Sanchezs body and because the SUV he was driving wasnt registered to him.

They have since sent the found hand to the medical investigators office to positively identify it as Sanchezs.
My husband and I accepted our former positions on CYFDs leadership team and moved to New Mexico in the spirit of public service to help strengthen support systems for children and families here. When the former secretary and deputy terminated us at the same time on the same day mere months after hire, we redoubled our commitment to that purpose.

We believe (former) Justice Barbara Vigil has the experience, empathy, intellect and integrity needed to revamp CYFD, so in that spirit of service grounded in nearly 30 years of experience  for me, in child and family welfare; for Cliff, leading public engagement teams and advising senior leaders  we offer her the following recommendations.

 Be wary of pressure to achieve quick wins. Repairing CYFDs dysfunction will be a yearslong project. Set concrete, measurable, achievable goals, then articulate and implement effective strategies to achieve them over time  but be leery of the narrative and data CYFD has presented. For example, the recent CYFD Progress & Impact Reports explicitly stated purpose was to make CYFD look good. We know  then-Secretary Brian Blalock originally tasked Cliff to write it  so it contains numerous inaccuracies. It states CYFD significantly increased placement of children with relatives in a relative short period, from 5.7% in fiscal 2019 to 42.4% in fiscal 21. Yet CYFDs most recent 360 Yearly SF21 Annual Report shows relative placement increased from 21.3% in fiscal 19 to 33.1% in fiscal 21, and in public testimony, Blalock asserted it increased from 4% in 2019 to 48% in 2021.

 Establish a culture of trust and transparency. Whether in person or by remote video, meet with every CYFD employee and declare every leaders door must be open to diverse perspectives, concerns, ideas and solutions. Upholding public trust means supporting all team members, setting and adhering to a clear mission and expectations, and encouraging innovation while accepting and owning mistakes, and ensuring fair and equitable processes and consequences for violations. Hold the leadership team accountable to this standard, starting with your deputy.

 Fill vacant and acting leader positions with qualified, competent, values-based people. With a new, mission-focused secretary in place, the director of Protective Services and deputy secretary will become focal points of CYFDs service failures and trust deficit. Get the right people on the bus to repair damage and build back better.

 Implement a policy of maximum disclosure, minimum delay for response to queries from the Legislature, the media and the general public. CYFD can no longer hide in the shadow created by the legitimate umbrellas of privacy afforded to children and families. CYFDs policies and practices must be aligned with claims of commitment to transparency. Hire and support a public information officer and records custodian who are committed to providing timely, thorough, accurate responses in keeping with the spirit and intent of democratic governance and the Inspection of Public Records Act. Let the public see the process.

 Finally, require and systematically review for strengths-based, fair, equitable decision-making processes. Review removals and placement moves of children for purpose, policy adherence and trauma minimization. Provide immediate outreach and support to CYFDs resource families, including those whose licenses were revoked for non-safety reasons or that CYFD unilaterally allowed to expire as a form of retaliatory action a practice we assume will halt under Justice Vigils executive leadership.

That will be a good start.
Two years ago, a small group of teenage girls worked, unsuccessfully, at the Roundhouse to pass a law to require secure storage of firearms in New Mexico. They argued lawmakers were slacking on protecting students like them who could someday face a school shooter.

Testimony in support of the bill by Maki Omori, then a senior at the New Mexico School for the Arts in Santa Fe, certainly resonates today, days after a 13-year-old at Albuquerques Washington Middle School was allegedly killed by a fellow student who brought his fathers gun to the campus.

Omori, who herself lost a friend who gained access to a household gun, told lawmakers in 2019 that young people are missing from me because a firearm was too easy to access because theres no standard or punishment for negligent storage.  It was too easy for them in a moment of weakness or an impulse to kill themselves or to harm others.

Her comments seem to apply all too well to what happened last Friday in Albuquerque.

Juan Saucedo Sr., 41, noticed his handgun was missing around noon. He called his wife, who said she hadnt taken the gun, and then drove by his sons school  Washington Middle School.

Saucedo Sr. got there in time to see police officers putting handcuffs on his son, Juan Saucedo Jr. Police say student Bennie Hargrove was trying to prevent friends from being bullied when Saucedo Jr., also 13, shot him multiple times with the missing handgun.

Another safe gun storage measure for New Mexico was introduced in the 2021 legislative session but went nowhere.

Its not just the tragic death of Hargrove that suggests now is the time for New Mexico to take a stand on securing guns away from kids and others who shouldnt have access.

A new study published in the journal Pediatrics says hospital visits by children injured by firearms rose by 40% in 2020. The soaring numbers coincided with record increases in gun sales during the pandemic, though there was no direct link between the two trends.

In 2019, the teen advocates in New Mexico emphasized that mandated safe storage of weapons isnt gun control that takes away weapons and instead is simply a safety measure. Supporters of their bill cited a 2004 study from the U.S. Department of Education that found almost 70% of attackers in school shootings acquired their weapons from their home or from a relatives home.

Opponents contend threatening prosecution if guns arent locked away amounts to criminalizing parenting. They said there are already laws on the books that can be used to help keep guns away from children.

So how did that work at Washington Middle?

The laws-already-on-the-books theory is being tested in the courts. In 2019, prosecutors charged the parents of a teenager accused of shooting a gun inside a Rio Rancho high school, saying they knew their son had threatened to shoot up the school and had a duty to secure their firearm but didnt. The husband and wife each were charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor, a fourth-degree felony.

The boys father has since died, but the mothers case is pending. District Judge Christopher Perez has denied a motion to dismiss her charge, saying N.M.s contributing to the delinquency of a minor law, as applied in this case, is not void for vagueness or overly broad.

But the judge added using the statute in this case was novel and his order denying dismissal of the charge involves a controlling question of law on which there is substantial ground for difference of opinion. A trial is set for November.

Whatever happens in the Rio Rancho case, New Mexico needs a statute that specifically spells out and puts the public on notice that safe and responsible storage of weapons is required.

Lawmakers now say they will ask Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to revive a safe-gun-storage bill for the 2022 legislative session. Sanctions for violations in previous bills ranged from misdemeanor counts and fines to referring reports of insufficiently secured firearms to the state Children, Youth and Families Department.

Without a felony charge at issue, violators could still buy guns in the future, unless that issue is somehow addressed in a new safe-storage proposal.

The Giffords Law Center, which tracks gun laws, says 28 states have child-access-prevention laws and 11 have specific safe-storage requirements.

Its time for our state to get on board with this responsible, common-sense gun safety reform that doesnt take away anybodys guns. It just helps keep them out of the wrong hands.

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.
In the 1980s, a young woman from Arroyo Hondo was in the running to be the Taos Fiesta Queen. Over the course of that summer, she visited the house of a renowned El Prado seamstress many times to get fitted for her elaborate, traditional outfit, always making sure to say hi to the womans 14-year-old son.

She graduated from high school and moved to Albuquerque, where she attended the University of New Mexico.

On June 22, 1988, 21-year-old Althea Oakeley was walking home from a party at a frat house after getting into a disagreement with her boyfriend. It was a Wednesday night around 8:15 when she crossed through the campus and down Buena Vista SE toward the home she shared with her brother.

She didnt make it.

Instead, police say, a man attacked her, stabbing her four times before running off. Oakeley collapsed on a neighbors doorstep. She was taken to the University of New Mexico Hospital, where she died.

On Monday, a little more than 33 years after Oakeleys death, Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina drove to Taos to tell her parents that detectives had solved the case.

Its not something a police chief typically does. But for Medina, the case is personal  he is the son of the seamstress Oakeley had visited.

And two years after Oakeleys death, Medina became the first recipient of a scholarship her parents set up in her name.

I always remembered her just the way she introduced herself to me and mom was just, like, somebody whos confident and full of joy, Medina said in an interview on Wednesday.  I mean, I saw this happen for my entire life  when (fiesta) candidates come in, I saw different personalities over the years. Without a doubt, I can say (hers) was the most bubbly, positive personality  I think my mom would say that, too.

Oakeleys parents did not respond to messages from the Journal.

Suspect a poster child

When Medina spoke with the Journal, the suspect in the cold case had not yet been formally charged.

Medina said investigators expect to do so Thursday, which would have been Oakeleys 55th birthday.

Until then, Medina said, he had to remain tight-lipped.

He and an Albuquerque Police Department spokesman did say the man, then in his 20s, was an apparent stranger to Oakeley and lived and worked in the area.

The suspect was arrested on an unrelated matter several weeks ago and is in custody.

Just during the course of an arrest, he started talking and we started interviewing him, Medina said.

He said the man has also confessed to other crimes, including homicides and sexual assaults, and is a typical poster child of a lifetime of interactions with the criminal justice system.

Although the case had gone cold, Medina said, it had stayed on his mind.

When he was promoted to commander in 2012, he asked investigators if there was anything they could do now that technology had advanced. He said he asked again when he was deputy chief in 2018.

Each time, he was told there were no new leads.

They had some stuff but there was nothing they could ever move forward on, Medina said.

He said that changed a couple of weeks ago when Kyle Hartsock, deputy commander of the Criminal Investigations Division, told him detectives were interviewing a suspect in another homicide who confessed to killing a young woman in the 1980s near UNM.

I told him, Kyle, you guys need to look at the Althea Oakeley case,  Medina said. And Kyle came back, and hes, like, Chief, its exactly that case. 

Sense of closure

In the aftermath of Oakeleys death, the Journal and the Daily Lobo published articles about the incident  describing the suspect as Hispanic, 22 to 24 years old, 5-foot-7 to 5-foot-9 and weighing about 140 pounds. A sketch was released and distributed around the area.

More than 100 friends and community members  mainly women  and Oakeleys parents attended a march to protest violence against women, demand better protections and express their anger and grief over her death. The group traveled the same path Oakeley had taken and distributed fliers with the sketch of the suspect.

In Taos, Oakeleys parents set up a scholarship in her name.

The first recipient? A 1990 Taos High School graduate named Harold Medina.

It really did help me, Medina said.  As a first-generation college graduate, it really helped me get through that first year. Namely, every penny helped back then.

He said the news of Oakeleys death had hit Taos and surrounding areas hard, and he and his parents would continue to see her parents occasionally around town.

When Medina traveled there Monday, flanked by a spokesman and Hartsock, Oakeleys parents expected to hear that the case had been closed, he said.

Right away, you know, they asked for my parents, how my mom and dad are doing, and I told them why were there, Medina said. And we told them that, you know, somebody is going to be charged in this, and they were just beyond words.

He said the meeting was emotional and bittersweet.

Its tough because its reopening old wounds, Medina said, adding that it also seemed to give the family a sense of closure. But at the same time, theres also that fear of, like, God, we got to get a conviction on this.  Theres a whole worry of the court proceedings.

Medina said he is reminded there are many other families seeking the same resolution, and he is looking for ways to improve how the department investigates cold cases. But it is also a case he feels good about crossing off his list.

I just always wanted that case solved, Medina said. Thats why Id asked people to keep looking at it. For me, its one of those things that Im able to cross off my bucket list.
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

Presbyterian Healthcare Services, New Mexicos largest private employer, is requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for its entire workforce totaling more than 13,000 people.

Presbyterians mandate takes a new state public health order announced this week covering hospital workers and other medical service providers one step further in an attempt to stem the rising wave of the new, more contagious delta variant COVID-19 cases hitting the state and the U.S., filling hospitals and stressing the medical system.

We take care of some of the most vulnerable people in the state of New Mexico, said Dale Maxwell, president and CEO of Presbyterian Healthcare Services, in a telephone interview Wednesday, and I believe  we should take every measure possible to deliver the safest environment. This is the right time to reduce risk to our patients, to our visitors and to each other.

The state Department of Health on Wednesday required vaccinations of all hospital workers and others in health care delivery settings in New Mexico. Under the state order, those still unvaccinated must get their first dose within 10 days unless they have a qualifying medical or religious exemption.

After that announcement by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Tuesday, Maxwell said, Presbyterian decided Wednesday morning to also include all other Presbyterian employees, including clinical, clerical and health plan employees. He said about 80% of company employees are already fully vaccinated.

We believe at Presbyterian that vaccines are the best way to combat this pandemic, he said. We know that vaccines reduce the spread of the infection and we know that vaccines reduce the illness of those that contract COVID-19. Any action to increase vaccines in our community, we support.

Presbyterian is following the same timeline set out in Tuesdays public health order, so the first dose of vaccine will be required by Aug. 27, with the second dose to be completed in 40 days.

A spokeswoman for Lovelace Health System told the Journal in an email that, per the public health order, all hospital employees, physicians, volunteers, vendors and consultants will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19, effective August 27. Limited exceptions may be granted for those with a qualifying medical conditions or religious/strongly held belief.

We will ensure our practices will align with the governors orders, said Whitney Marquez, communications manager for Lovelace.

Meanwhile, Public Service Company of New Mexico is asking its 1,663 employees in New Mexico and Texas to be vaccinated or provide a negative COVID-19 test on a weekly basis before entering any of its workplaces, beginning next month.

PNMs essential employees have been working on site this whole time and we appreciate all of their hard work, spokesman Eric Chavez said in a news release. Others have been allowed to work from home, although Chavez said employees who feel comfortable can go into the office to work.

That is set to change next month.

As of right now, we are expecting all of our employees to be returning to the workplace on Monday, Sept. 13, giving employees ample time to get vaccinated or tested, Chavez said. He declined, in response to an email question, to provide the number of employees currently vaccinated.

PNM is constantly surveying the situation regarding COVID-19 in our service territories, New Mexico and Texas, as well as across the country, the release stated. Our top priority is to keep our employees, customers and communities safe.

Earlier this month, Lujan Grisham joined members of New Mexicos congressional delegation, except for Republican Rep. Yvette Herrell, in urging the states business community to require employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or to undergo regular testing. The governor has implemented that policy for state workers, with testing to be done on the employees own time and at his or her expense.

The number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in New Mexico has increased exponentially, Lujan Grisham said during a COVID-19 update Tuesday with Dr. David Scrase, who is acting as secretary for the Department of Health and is Cabinet secretary of the state Human Services Department.

Im just very, very concerned about whats going to happen in hospitals in the next three to four weeks, and so are all the people who run them, Scrase said.

The governor also announced a renewed mandate for masks indoors in public places. Teachers and other school employees will also be required to be vaccinated or undergo weekly testing.

The mandates are aimed at reducing the number of unvaccinated people who become so sick they need hospitalization, thereby filling hospital beds that might otherwise go to extremely sick non-COVID patients who delayed seeking medical care during the pandemic.

The more people get vaccinated, the less we are transmitting COVID, Lujan Grisham said Tuesday. Its already too late to tell you we are not going to be in one of these contingency phases for hospitals to provide services. Were there.

The state reported 878 new confirmed cases Wednesday, with 353 hospitalizations  more than five times the numbers of just a few weeks ago. New Mexico has one of the lowest ratios of intensive care beds in the country.

Maxwell said Presbyterians main hospital downtown and Rust Medical Center in Rio Rancho are at or near capacity, but there are plans in place to surge additional beds if needed.
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  For the first time in more than a decade, New Mexicos state government has entered into a new collective bargaining agreement with one of the two main labor unions that represent more than 8,700 rank-and-file state workers.

The new labor contract comes after negotiations between former Gov. Susana Martinezs administration and union representatives broke down, eventually prompting the issue to be put on hold until Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham took office in January 2019.

A previous collective bargaining agreement from 2009 had remained in place during that time due to an evergreen provision, but both union leaders and current state officials say there was an emphasis on getting a new contract in place.

This trust rebuilding has been an ongoing priority for us, State Personnel Director Ricky Serna said during a recent interview.

He also said the changes under the new contract will apply to all 17,000 or so classified state employees, regardless of whether they are dues-paying union members.

The changes in the new collective bargaining agreement between the Lujan Grisham administration and the local chapter of the Communications Workers of America include a more generous sick leave accrual policy, an extra personal day each year and more available bereavement leave time.

In addition, the new contract allows union members to request alternative work schedules, though such changes are contingent on a supervisors approval, said Sandy Martinez, the director of labor relations for the State Personnel Office.

In all, the labor contract lays out work schedules, benefits, paid holidays and more for classified state employees who fall under the collective bargaining agreement. Political appointees, who often earn more money, are not covered by the contract.

Dan Secrist, the president of the local CWA union, said negotiations on the master agreement  there are also separate agency provisions for each state department  were nearly completed in 2019 but then slowed after the COVID-19 pandemic hit New Mexico in March 2020.

He said additional bargaining conducted via zoom was more time-consuming, but the two sides ultimately reached an agreement that more than 90% of CWA members voted to ratify. The contract took effect July 29 and runs through 2024.

Secrist, who was part of the negotiating team, said union leaders still have concerns about state worker pay and staffing levels throughout state government, but described the new collective bargaining agreement as an improvement.

Pay adjustments for classified state workers are set by the Legislature as part of the annual budget.

Were pleased with the new contract, Secrist told the Journal. Its not perfect, but its better.

Currently, about 53% of New Mexicos classified state government workforce is affiliated with either CWA or the states other primary labor union  the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

Separate negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement with AFSCME leaders are still ongoing, though Serna expressed optimism that a final agreement could be reached in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, one of the main sticking points during the Martinez administrations tenure was whether rank-and-file state workers who are subject to the contract should have to pay fair share fees, which are a calculated percentage of union dues, even if they are not union members.

However, the contract no longer requires such payments from non-union members since a 2018 U.S. Supreme Court decision struck down such mandatory payments in public sector workplaces as a condition of employment.

Overall, New Mexicos union membership level for 2020 was below the national average of 10.8% of all employees. A total of 7.1% of all workers statewide were union members while 8.6% of workers were represented by unions, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

New Mexico state law also bars public employee labor unions from going on strike under state law, which will not change under the new labor contract.
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  Mayor Alan Webbers campaign is accusing multiple local nonprofits of electioneering for his opponent, Santa Fe City Councilor JoAnne Vigil Coppler.

The complaint, filed with the city of Santa Fes Ethics and Campaign Review Board on Wednesday, accuses Union Protectiva de Santa Fe, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2951 and American Legion Post 1 of illegal political activity. The complaint accuses the groups of taking out political ads in the Santa Fe Reporter against Webber.

The complaint alleges that is illegal political activity and that the groups should be required to register with the city as political committees. None of the groups is registered as a political committee with the city.

The American Legion and VFW posts are military veteran organizations, and Union Protectiva is a Spanish heritage organization.

Mayor Webber is clearly retaliating against Hispanic, Catholic, veteran and military citizens and groups with this baseless and desperate complaint to create divisiveness, said James Hallinan, spokesman for Union Protectiva. Webber is a struggling mayor who is out of touch with Santa Fes history and culture.

VFW Cmdr. Gilbert Romero rebuffed the ethics complaint accusations. He said that the VFW isnt a political organization and that if he speaks out against Webber, hes doing so as an individual, not on behalf of the VFW.

American Legion Cmdr. David Lucero said he has no knowledge of the American Legion paying for an ad against Webber. He said that at the legions next meeting, he will try to get to find out whats going on.

The ads say they are paid advertisements from VFW Post 2951 and American Legion Post 1. The ad says Santa Feans are shocked that the Mayor Webber believes his made-up CHART, which the ad says stands for Canceling Hispanic arts, religion (and) traditions, apparently referring to a committee created after the destruction of the Santa Fe Plazas Obelisk.

The Culture, History, Art Reconciliation and Truth Committee was created by the city of Santa Fe.

The complaint is asking the review board to impose a $500 fine per campaign ethics violation, to require the groups to register as political committees so they are required to disclose their donors and to require the VFW and American Legion to remove yard signs in the community.

The complaint also asks the review board investigate an email Union Protectiva President Virgil Vigil sent to Vigil Coppler stating his support for her campaign.

However, Vigil Copplers campaign manager Sisto Abeyta said the email went to an account Vigil Coppler doesnt use anymore and was sent before she declared her candidacy.

Webber has also faced an ethics complaints. Alexis Martinez Johnson filed a complaint against Webber, accusing him of using city funds to support his mayoral campaign.

The complaint included ads with Webbers campaign logo advertising an event with the Santa Fe City Fire Department.

Martinez Johnson is also running for mayor, and this complaint is scheduled to be heard by the review board Thursday afternoon.
PHOENIX  Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey plans on keep Arizona National Guard members deployed to the Mexican border for another year.

The Republican governor announced Wednesday that troops that he sent to the border in April will remain deployed. He criticized the Biden Administration for failing to secure the border amid a surge of migrants that began after former President Donald Trump left office.

More than 150 Guard members were deployed to the border in April after Ducey declared a state of emergency due to the high number of migrants crossing into the state from Mexico. The troops are providing logistics and administrative support to local law enforcement, maintaining and monitoring surveillance cameras, doing data analysis and providing medical care at detention centers. year

The Legislature appropriated $25 million to help pay for the deployment in the budget it passed in June.

The governor sent members of the Guard to help the Border Patrol boost security in April 2018 after a request from then-President Donald Trump. The last troops on that mission left in November 2020, said Major Kyle Key, a Guard spokesman.

That mission was federally funded.
DENVER  The FBI said Wednesday its agents are joining a criminal investigation into an alleged security breach of a rural Colorado countys voting equipment.

The agents are working with Mesa County prosecutors to determine if there was a criminal violation, FBI spokeswoman Courtney Bernal said in a statement.

The federal probe comes after Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold alerted federal cyber security officials within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security of the suspected May breach.

No elections have occurred since, and the federal officials confirmed the alleged breach posed no significant risks at this point, Griswold said earlier this week.

The allegations involve images of election management software used by Mesa County elections equipment that were obtained by conspiracy theorists.

Griswolds office said it believes one of the images was taken on May 23 from a secure room where the equipment was stored and accessed by Peters, another county elections worker and a non-employee.

Griswolds office identified the non-employee but refused to say anything more about who he is or why he was there. The Associated Press isnt naming him until more information becomes available. He has not been charged with a crime.

Mesa County Clerk and Recorder Tina Peters condemned Griswolds inquiry into the alleged security breach at an event last week in South Dakota hosted by My Pillow chief executive Mike Lindell, who has become well-known for his unwavering support of former President Donald Trump and efforts to overturn the 2020 election because of widespread fraud. A range of election officials across the country, including Trumps former attorney general, William Barr, have confirmed that widespread fraud did not occur.

Peters said Griswolds investigation is an attempt at a takeover of Mesa Countys elections in one of Colorados last Republican strongholds. Peters also alleged the investigation is an attempt by Griswold and Colorados Democratic Gov. Jared Polis to control the way you vote, she told the South Dakota audience.

The dispute is the latest illustration of how the November 2020 election that is a distant memory for many remains front and center for some far-right Trump supporters. A Republican-led audit of Arizona ballots has been going on for months despite any evidence to support the review.

Accelerating the dispute on Wednesday, Griswolds office blasted the My Pillow chief executive as the chief misinformation spreader in a fundraising email and asked Colorado residents to donate to Griswolds reelection campaign to take action to show we stand with the truth, not with conspiracy theories created and spread by sore losers.

The federal inquiry adds yet another layer to the political brawl between Griswold, a Democrat and Peters, a Republican. The feud came to a head last week when Griswold accused Peters of assisting in the security breach by directing staff to turn off video surveillance of its voting equipment before a May 25 software update and allowing a non-employee into the elections office at that time.

Griswold appointed Mesa County Treasurer Sheila Reiner to supervise the countys upcoming elections and a three-person advisory committee to assist Reiner. Griswold also ordered Mesa County to replace its voting equipment due to the posting of the countys voting equipment passwords on a far-right blog.

Colorados voting system has been praised by officials, including former Trump-appointed Homeland Security Secretary Kristjen Nielsen, as one of the nations safest.

The states election procedures were developed under both Republican and Democrat-appointed secretary of states.

___

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.
DENVER  A man was shot and killed and another was wounded during a string of crimes that also included a carjacking and a robbery, Denver police said Wednesday.

Police said there are at least four male suspects, and they remain at large and are considered armed and dangerous.

Matt Clark, commander of the departments Major Crimes Division, said police initially responded to a report that the suspects were breaking into a vehicle in southwest Denver and that one of them brandished a handgun when bystanders approached. The suspects, who have not been identified, fled the scene in the stolen vehicle and drove to east Denver, where they carjacked a man at a business.

No injuries were reported in the first two confrontations.

Clark said the suspects then traveled a few blocks west and shot a pedestrian after ordering him to the ground during a robbery. The victim, whose name was not released, remains hospitalized in critical condition.

Another man was then shot and killed about half an hour later farther west of downtown near Yeshiva Toras Chaim, an Orthodox Jewish seminary. He was identified Wednesday as 18-year-old Shmuel Silverberg, a student at the school.

It appears that the victim was walking outside the school when the suspects approached and began firing, Clark said. We dont know if there was any interaction between the two at this point.

Police Chief Paul Pazen said during a news conference Wednesday it does not appear that the fatal shooting was bias-motivated, but investigators are not ruling out the possibility.

Following the shooting, the group is suspected of burglarizing a business in the Denver suburb of Lakewood and stealing another vehicle.

Police offered a reward of up to $2,000 for information leading to their arrests.

Authorities are looking for three vehicles that were involved in the crimes  a 2018 maroon Honda CRV, a 2020 dark blue Toyota Camry sedan and a 1998 black Toyota RAV 4 SUV.
PHOENIX  Abortion-rights advocates filed a lawsuit Tuesday seeking to overturn a new Arizona law that would ban abortions because of Down syndrome or other genetic abnormalities, the latest legal fight over reproductive rights under a judiciary that moved to the right during Donald Trumps presidency.

The lawsuit also challenges a personhood provision that confers all the rights of people on fertilized eggs, embryos and fetuses. The law is set to take effect Sept. 29 if its not blocked by a judge.

You have a constitutional right to an abortion, and that right does not take into account your reason for having an abortion, said Emily Nestler, senior counsel at the Center for Reproductive Rights. Politicians should not get to interrogate peoples reasons for seeking an abortion.

Emboldened by the U.S. Supreme Courts turn to the right during Trumps term, Republican-controlled legislatures around the country have embraced efforts to further restrict or outright ban abortion. States enacted more than 90 new restrictions on abortion this year, the most in decades, according to the Guttmacher Institute, which supports abortion rights.

The high court in May signaled its willingness to reconsider Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling establishing a nationwide right to abortion before a fetus could survive outside a mothers womb, generally around 24 weeks. The justices agreed to consider a Mississippi law that seeks to ban abortions after 15 weeks.

The Arizona lawsuit challenges key provisions of SB1457, which was signed by Republican Gov. Doug Ducey in April after it passed the GOP-controlled Legislature in party-line votes.

The measure allows prosecutors to seek felony charges against doctors who provide abortions when they know its solely because of a genetic abnormality in the fetus. Anyone who helps raise money or pay for such an abortion also could be charged. Doctors also can lose their medical license, and any medical or mental health professionals who fail to report such an abortion could be fined $10,000.

The lawsuit says the law will have a chilling effect on the communications between doctors and patients, preventing physicians from counseling women about a difficult decision. And it says the threat of criminal penalties will discourage abortions for any reason if the doctor has cause to suspect the fetus could have a genetic abnormality.

Abortion opponents say the bill ensures children diagnosed with disabilities before birth dont face discrimination. Cathi Herrod, president of the anti-abortion group Center for Arizona Policy, which lobbied for the bill, said she was confident it will be upheld in court.

As a society, within our laws we do not discriminate on born individuals due to genetic conditions, neither should we discriminate against unborn children solely because of genetic conditions, Herrod said. Arizona already bans abortions based on race and sex, so its not unprecedented to ban abortions based on the genetic abnormality reason, she added.

Down syndrome abortion bans have gained traction recently in several GOP-controlled states, most recently in Arizona and South Dakota. Though the laws are on hold in several states, the Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has allowed Ohio and Tennessee to enforce them.

Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper of North Carolina this year vetoed a Down syndrome abortion ban passed by the GOP-controlled Legislature.

The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Phoenix by the Center for Reproductive Rights and the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of two doctors who perform abortions, the National Council of Jewish Women, the National Organization for Women and the Arizona Medical Association.

___

This story was first published on August 17, 2021. It was updated on August 18, 2021, to correct the name of an anti-abortion group. It is the Center for Arizona Policy, not the Center for Arizona Progress.
MOSCOW  When the Taliban swept over Afghanistan, Russia was ready for the rapid developments after working methodically for years to lay the groundwork for relations with the group that it still officially considers a terrorist organization.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov emphasized this week that Moscow was in no rush to recognize the Taliban as the new rulers of Afghanistan, but he added there were encouraging signals of their readiness to let other political forces join the government and allow girls into schools.

The Taliban was added to the Russian list of terrorist organizations in 2003, and Moscow has not yet moved to remove the group from the list. Any contact with such groups is punishable under Russian law, but the Foreign Ministry has responded to questions about the seeming contradiction by saying that its exchanges with the Taliban are essential for international efforts to stabilize Afghanistan.

Unlike many other countries, Russia said it wouldnt evacuate its embassy in Kabul, and its ambassador quickly met with the Taliban for what he described as constructive talks after they took over the capital.

The Soviet Union fought a 10-year war in Afghanistan that ended with its troops withdrawing in 1989. Since then, Moscow has made a comeback as an influential power broker in international talks on Afghanistan. It has worked continuously to cultivate ties with the Taliban, hosting their representatives for a series of bilateral and multilateral meetings.

We have maintained contacts with the Taliban for the last seven years, discussing many issues, Kremlin envoy on Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov said earlier this week. We saw them as a force that will play a leading role in Afghanistan in the future even if it doesnt take all power. All those factors, along with guarantees given to us by the Talibans top leaders, give us reason for a calm view of the latest developments, although we remain vigilant.

A month before Taliban militants unleashed their offensive that ended with the seizure of Kabul, their delegation visited Moscow to offer assurances that they wouldnt threaten the interests of Russia and its ex-Soviet allies in Central Asia  a sign that they consider ties with Russia a priority.

Taliban spokesman Mohammad Sohail Shaheen said during a visit last month to the Russian capital that we wont allow anyone to use the Afghan territory to attack Russia or neighboring countries, noting that we have very good relations with Russia.

Russian diplomats say they trust the groups assurances, noting the Talibans focus on fighting the Islamic State group, which Moscow sees as the main threat from Afghanistan. Moscow also has hailed the Talibans pledge to combat drug trafficking and stem the flow of drugs from Afghanistan via Central Asia.

Russian ambassador to Kabul, Dmitry Zhirnov, praised the Taliban as reasonable guys following a positive and constructive meeting this week. He added that the Taliban guaranteed the embassys security.

Russian diplomats are doing all they can to consolidate the contacts they have established with the Taliban, Moscow-based analyst Alexei Makarkin said in a commentary. Russian representatives cast the Taliban as moderate and responsible, acting as their advocates in the public sphere.

He argued that the Taliban might not try to project their influence to the ex-Soviet Central Asian nations for now, but that could change later after securing a hold on Afghanistan.

The Talibans leaders will be unlikely to launch an expansion now, but that doesnt mean that they wont take such steps in the future, Makarkin observed, noting that multiple factions inside the Taliban may have varying goals.

Despite the Talibans assurances, Russia has held a series of joint war games with its allies in Central Asia in recent weeks to underline its pledge to help them fend off any possible security threats from Afghanistan. The latest of those drills began in Tajikistan this week.

While cultivating contacts with Taliban officials, Russia will be unlikely to move quickly to formally recognize their government, at least not until the group is removed from the United Nations list of terrorist organizations.

Its premature to say that we would make any unilateral political steps, Lavrov said this week.

Kabulov, the Kremlin envoy, emphasized that Moscows recognition of the Taliban will hinge on whether they will govern the country in a responsible way in the near future, and proceeding from that, the Russian leadership will make the necessary conclusions. He added that Russia would only take the Taliban off its list of terrorist organizations after the U.N. Security Council decides to remove it from its terror list.

Russian diplomats argued that the U.S.-led campaign in Afghanistan helped change Afghan perceptions of the Soviet invasion and made many local leaders willing to accept Moscows mediation.

When Washington went to war with the Taliban after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks for harboring Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida, Moscow offered a helping hand, welcoming U.S. bases in the Central Asian nations of the former Soviet Union to support operations in Afghanistan. But as U.S.-Russia relations have grown increasingly strained, Russia grew more critical.

Still, Moscow and Washington have continued to coordinate their diplomatic moves on Afghanistan, and Russian officials have angrily rejected the allegations last year that Moscow paid the Taliban to kill U.S. soldiers.

The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in December 1979, driven by fears that the U.S. was trying to establish a foothold there after losing Iran to the Islamic Revolution. The Soviet plans for a quick campaign bogged down in fierce resistance by the U.S.-backed guerrillas, known as mujahedeen, or holy warriors. The Soviet Union lost more than 15,000 troops, according to official count, while estimates of civilian casualties in that period have varied widely, from more than 500,000 up to 2 million.

Many in Russia gloated over the quick collapse of the U.S.-backed Afghan government, pointing out that President Mohammad Najibullahs communist government held on for three years after the Soviet withdrawal until Moscows aid completely halted following the 1991 collapse of the USSR.

The regime created by the Americans tumbled down even before they left, thats a principal difference, Kabulov said, adding that he and others in Russia didnt expect such a fast meltdown.

Franz Klintsevich, the first deputy head of the defense and security committee in the lower house of Russian parliament, told The Associated Press that the U.S. has left behind huge arsenals of weapons that fell into the Talibans hands.

Who would make such gifts to terrorists after fighting them for 20 years? said Klintsevich, a veteran of the Soviet war in Afghanistan.

___

Harriet Morris in Moscow contributed.
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

One night almost a month ago, University of New Mexico police picked up a man who they said was making statements regarding murders from a long time ago.

It wasnt long, police say, before 53-year-old Paul Apodaca began confessing.

One of the crimes police say he confessed to? The brutal stabbing death of a University of New Mexico student who was walking home from a party in 1988.

Althea Oakeley, a 21-year-old from Arroyo Hondo, collapsed on a nearby doorstep. She died at the hospital hours later.

After 33 years her case had long since gone cold.

But Monday, Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina  who had met Oakeley as a teenager and was the first recipient of a scholarship set up in her name in 1990  notified her parents that detectives had a suspect in custody.

Apodaca, who was being held in the Metropolitan Detention Center on a probation violation, was charged with murder Thursday. It would have been Oakeleys 55th birthday.

The Law Offices of the Public Defender is representing Apodaca on his probation violation case.

As the case proceeds tomorrow, we will check to determine if there are any conflicts of interest and either represent Mr. Apodaca directly or appoint a contractor to represent him, said LOPD spokeswoman Maggie Shepard.

According to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court, Apodaca told detectives he was working at the Technical Vocational Institute  now Central New Mexico Community College  as a security guard when he saw Oakeley walking home on the night of June 22, 1988.

He said he wanted to go talk to her but then she was gone so he decided to pursue her in his vehicle. Then, he said, he decided to hold her at knifepoint and rape her.

When she passed by, Apodaca said, she smiled at him and said, Hi. So, Apodaca said, he stabbed her in the shoulder blade and left side.

When I thought about it, what made me do it, what made me attack her, was all the hatred I had for women, Apodaca told investigators. Because growing up I seen men treating women bad and they, they go for the bad guys, and I try to be nice and be good and they just didnt want that.

Detectives looked through the case file and they say Apodaca provided details that were not in the media coverage at the time. They talked with neighbors, who still lived in the area, as well as his former boss, who corroborated when he would have been at work.

According to the complaint, he said he left his watch  one with a sun and a moon on it that his aunt had given him  at the scene, and a watch that matched that description was found near the blood trail.

Apodaca said he was living in the UNM area with his brother, Mark, at the time.

Several years after Oakeleys death, in 1995, the brothers made headlines after Mark Apodaca was convicted of murder and Paul Apodaca was convicted of raping a family member. Paul Apodaca told the judge hed raped the girl in order to be sent to prison with his younger brother. He was sentenced to 20 years but was sent to a different facility.

Paul Apodaca was also at the scene of the 1989 fatal shooting of Kaitlyn Arquette, an 18-year-old UNM student who was killed on Lomas near Downtown. Arquettes mother, Lois Duncan, wrote a book titled Who Killed My Daughter?, bringing the case to national attention, and she tirelessly searched for answers before her death a couple of years ago. Duncan was also the author of I Know What You Did Last Summer.

Medina told the Journal on Wednesday that the man who confessed to killing Oakeley had also confessed to other homicides and sexual assaults and was a typical poster child for a lifetime of interactions with the criminal justice system.

More recently Apodaca appears to have been homeless.

According to court records, he pleaded guilty to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in March and was sentenced to supervised probation for three years.

According to a probation violation report, he told his probation officer on July 16 that he was going to the West Side homeless shelter because he didnt have anywhere else to go. He was told he had to stay there until he was accepted into an inpatient program or a halfway house.

Then, on July 19, the officer received an alert that Apodaca failed to show up at the shelter. His electronic monitoring showed he was staying behind a Walgreens on Rio Grande and Central. He was arrested by UNMPD on the probation violation on July 20.

When a detective interviewed Apodaca in jail, she asked if anything in particular prompted him to confess now.

He said no, it was a shame that it took him so long to get to this point, the detective wrote in the complaint. Paul also said he realized what he had done was evil and dark. He said the word of God has helped him overcome this struggle.
WASHINGTON  A North Carolina man who claimed to have a bomb in a pickup truck near the U.S. Capitol surrendered to law enforcement after an hourslong standoff Thursday that prompted a massive police response and the evacuations of government buildings in the area.

Authorities were investigating what led the suspect, identified as 49-year-old Floyd Ray Roseberry, to drive onto the sidewalk outside the Library of Congress, make bomb threats to officers and profess a litany of antigovernment grievances as part of a bizarre episode that he live-streamed for a Facebook audience. Police later searched the vehicle and said they did not find a bomb but did collect possible bomb-making materials.

The standoff was resolved peacefully after roughly five hours of negotiations, ending when Roseberry crawled out of the truck and was taken into police custody. But even in a city with a long history of dramatic law enforcement encounters outside federal landmarks, this episode was notable for its timing  Washington remains on edge eight months after the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol  and for the way the suspect harnessed social media to draw attention to his actions in the hours before his arrest.

Authorities who spent hours negotiating with Roseberry  he held up handwritten signs through his driver-side window  were continuing to dig into his background Thursday evening. They did not reveal any details about a motive, and no charges were immediately announced.

Investigators had been speaking with members of Roseberrys family and learned that his mother had recently died, Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger said. There were other issues he was dealing with, the chief said, without providing specific details.

But social media appeared to offer its own clues.

As police continued negotiations, video surfaced of Roseberry on Facebook Live inside the truck, which was stuffed with coins and boxes. He threatened explosions, expressed hostility toward President Joe Biden, profanely warned of a revolution and laid bare a series of grievances related to U.S. positions on Afghanistan, health care and the military.

Roseberrys ex-wife, Crystal Roseberry, said she had seen images of the man in the standoff at the Capitol and confirmed to The Associated Press that it was her ex-husband. She said she had never known him to have explosives, but he was an avid collector of firearms.

Videos posted to Facebook before the page was taken down appear to show Roseberry at a Nov. 14 Washington rally attended by thousands of Trump supporters to protest what they claimed was a stolen election. One video appears to be filmed by Roseberry as hes marching with a crowd of hundreds of people carrying American flags and Trump flags and shouting stop the steal.

Thursdays incident began around 9:15 a.m. when a truck drove up the sidewalk outside the library. The driver told the responding officer he had a bomb, and he was holding what the officer believed to be a detonator. The truck had no license plates.

Kelsey Campbell, a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison visiting Washington as part of a class trip, said she and another student encountered Roseberry around 9:20 a.m. outside the nearby Supreme Court building. Campbell said he was with his truck, which was parked next to the sidewalk, and was holding a large stack of dollar bills.

He said, Hey, call the police, tell them to evacuate this street, and Ill give you all this money,' Campbell recounted to The AP. I said, No! and he threw the money at us and we started running.

Campbell said she and the other student saw some police officers standing nearby. They told the officers what happened, and the officers then went to confront Roseberry.

The standoff brought the area surrounding the Capitol to a virtual standstill as police emptied buildings and cordoned off streets as a precaution. Congress is in recess this week, but staffers were seen calmly walking out of the area at the direction of authorities.

By Thursday evening, authorities had finished searching the vehicle and determined the area to be safe after not finding an explosive.

The nations capital has been tense since the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol, when thousands of supporters of then-President Donald Trump stormed the building as Congress was gathered to certify the results of the presidential election.

A day before the riot at the Capitol, pipe bombs were left at the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee and the Republican National Committee in Washington. No one has been arrested yet for placing the bombs.

The RNC, not far from where the truck was parked Thursday, was also evacuated over the threat. A spokesman for the DNC said its headquarters, which is located farther away from the trucks location, was put under lockdown, but that lockdown has been lifted.

Thursdays incident marked the third time in as many weeks that federal and military law enforcement authorities had to respond to attacks or possible threats in the Washington area. Officials are also jittery over a planned rally in September.

___

Long reported from New Buffalo, Michigan. Associated Press writers Alanna Durkin Richer in Boston, Tom Foreman Jr. in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Zeke Miller, Nathan Ellgren, Ashraf Khalil and Alex Brandon in Washington contributed to this report.
BULLHEAD CITY, Ariz.  Employees in a northwestern Arizona school district cannot discuss vaccination status or mask-wearing with students under a motion approved unanimously by the local school board.

The edict from the Colorado River Union High School District Governing Board carries no repercussions for administrators, staff or teachers who violate it. That would be up to Superintendent Monte Silk, who supported the motion.

The debate over masks and vaccines in Arizona schools has been heated. At least 26 school districts in the state have enacted their own mask mandates, even as Republican Gov. Doug Ducey has tried to prevent them and threatened schools with a loss of funding.

Those districts account for nearly 300,000 students and 450 schools, mostly around Phoenix and Tucson.

The Colorado River Union High School Districts gag rule, however, is rare.

Board member Ashley Gerich, who calls herself a non-vaxxer requested the item be put on the boards agenda this week. She said a couple of students, including her daughter, told her conversations about the vaccine made them uncomfortable, the Mohave Daily News reported.

Regardless of your own personal views and beliefs, you shouldnt be forcing them on impressionable children or teenagers, adolescents, she said during a meeting Tuesday. I think thats their parents job and right to be able to say whether they want their child to be vaccinated or not.

Fellow board member Carey Fearing said neither vaccines nor masks should be discussed during school hours and suggested teachers talk with students about things that pertain only to classroom learning. The board oversees schools in Bullhead City and Mohave Valley. Its president is a local surgeon.

Ducey defended his decision to block federal COVID-19 relief funding for schools that require masks, saying he believes hes on solid legal ground and is empowering parents to make decisions.

I want parents to do what they think is the right thing to do. Anyone that wants to wear a mask is supported in wearing that mask, Ducey told reporters on Thursday.

Arizonas Department of Health Services reported 3,546 new confirmed COVID-19 cases and four more deaths Thursday, bringing the states total to 976,471 cases and 18,508 deaths since the pandemic began.

More than half of Arizonas population has received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine. Hospitalizations due to the virus continue to climb and were at 1,837 as of Wednesday. Thats the highest number since mid-February.
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

Jeff Mitchell was an adventurer  a word not always used to describe economists.

But, as friends, family and colleagues said, the former director of the University of New Mexicos Bureau of Business and Economic Research was not an average economist.

Mitchell died in his home Saturday, Aug. 7, less than a year after being diagnosed with lung cancer. He was 62.

Though Mitchells adult life was spent as an economist, as a young adult, he hitchhiked across the United States before moving to Central America to work with nonprofits on housing and energy projects in low-income communities.

He would go on to earn a doctorate in economic geography from Clark University before working his way to New Mexico, although his love of travel and adventure would remain, according to his former co-workers and friends.

During his tenure at BBER, which provides socioeconomic data and forecasting for New Mexico, Mitchell oversaw and co-authored numerous reports that touched on every facet of the states economy.

I think hell be remembered for basically doing what he could to make New Mexico a better place in the way that he could, and the way that he could was through his research, BBER acting director Michael Mo ODonnell said.

Some of his most prominent works included a report that examined the economic impact of arts and culture in New Mexico, which marked the first time that the states creative sector was examined as a fundamental economic driver, and a series of reports for the New Mexico MainStreet program.

ODonnell said Mitchells work, particularly for the MainStreet project, took him to every corner of the state, something that allowed him to broaden his perspective in terms of how he viewed New Mexicos economy.

Rich Williams, former New Mexico MainStreet director, said Mitchells reports helped many small towns implement programs that helped revitalize their downtowns.

Mitchell was also known for his eye to detail and his uncanny ability to spot inconsistencies in data and the stories the data showed.

He was always trying to get to the bottom of something, ODonnell said.

Gillian Joyce, a friend and former student of Mitchell, said he was meticulous in his work and would often edit his presentations up to the very moment he had to present them.

So many students and staff worked under him and benefited from his training and perspective and integrity and approach to research and policy development, she said.  His legacy lives beyond him in all the people that learned from his passion and curiosity and discipline and creativity.

In his personal life, Mitchell was an avid traveler, hiker and lover of IPAs from Bosque Brewing Co.

He was also a newlywed. He met his wife, Mae Lee Sun, just before the start of the pandemic. The two married weeks after his diagnosis in November. Sun said the two bonded over a shared love of the outdoors, newspaper articles and New Mexican scenery.

Jeff was a brilliant and profoundly compassionate, as well as adventurous person, and we connected immediately, she said.

Sun said that his compassion extended to all of his relationships.

He cared about the community deeply, and yet he always really wanted to make sure his friends and family were OK, she said.

There will be a private Buddhist memorial service for Mitchell held at the Albuquerque Zen Center at the end of the month.
Catches of the week

At Alumni Pond, Jesus Chacon, 11, of Las Cruces caught a 22-inch, 9-pound catfish using nightcrawler worms Aug. 14.  Brennan Orr, 8, of Fredericksburg, Virginia caught a 28.5-inch, 8.13-pound catfish using nightcrawler worms Aug. 13.

Eric Baros of Los Lunas caught a 40-inch tiger muskie at Bluewater Lake using a silver spoon Aug. 14.

Stacie Barreras Mohler of Albuquerque caught a 24-inch, 4-pound walleye at Cochiti Lake using a dark-colored deep-diving crankbait Aug. 14.

Adrian Garcia of Rio Rancho caught a 20-inch rainbow trout at Eagle Nest Lake using a Panther Martin spinner Aug. 11.

Jay Lopez, 13, of Albuquerque caught a 2-pound largemouth bass at Elephant Butte Lake using a curly tail grub Aug. 16.

Estrella Garcia, 7, of Mora caught a 19.5-inch, 4.5-pound smallmouth bass at El Vado Lake using a crawdad pattern crankbait July 30.

Maya Segovia and Chuck Youngquist caught an albino catfish at Greene Acres Lake using a red hotdog Aug. 5.

At Navajo Lake, Lisa Douglas of Albuquerque caught a 15-inch kokanee salmon trolling an orange squid and dodger Aug. 14.  Curtis Winner of Tom e caught a 4.6-pound largemouth bass using a plastic crawdad lure Aug. 14.  Suzie Rhodes of Bayfield, Colorado caught an 18-inch kokanee salmon trolling a pink spinner and dodger Aug. 11.

Diego Baca of Santa Fe caught and released an 18-inch brown trout on the Rio Grande using a nightcrawler worm Aug. 8.

Levi Weiss, 9, of Albuquerque caught an albino catfish and a 2.5-pound catfish at Tingley Beach using worms Aug. 15.

If you have a catch of the week story send it to funfishingnm@gmail.com.

NOTES from GAME & FISH

Northeast fishing report

Cabresto Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for trout was fair at Charette Lakes when using worms and yellow PowerBait.

Streamflow on the Cimarron River, near Cimarron, on Monday morning was 19.8 cubic feet per second. Fishing for trout was fair when using worms.

Fishing for trout was fair to good at Clayton Lake when using PowerBait. Fishing for catfish was fair to good when using chicken liver. Fishing for walleye was fair when using Wally Diver lures.

Conchas Lake State Park has closed access to all boat ramps due to dropping water levels. The boat ramps on the south side of the lake managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are open. Fishing for smallmouth bass was fair when using shad-colored crankbaits.

At Costilla Creek, fishing for trout was good when using caddis dry flies. The Department has implemented the final phase of a project to expand Rio Grande cutthroat trout in 120 miles of the Costilla watershed in northern New Mexico. The final phase involved removal of fish within a designated area (Rio Costilla from Costilla Dam downstream to the Valle Vidal Boundary including all tributaries and Comanche Creek from the road culvert crossing on Forest Road 1950 downstream to its confluence with Rio Costilla and all tributaries) with a tentative restocking of Rio Grande cutthroat in spring 2022. Places to fish nearby include Costilla Creek below the fish barrier, Upper Comanche Creek, Shuree Ponds, Middle Ponil Creek, Upper Powderhouse Creek, Little Costilla Creek, Vidal Creek and McCrystal Creek. The department anticipates completion of this final phase in the fall of 2021. Please check the department website for additional information on the project and to identify alternative angling opportunities in the interim.

Cowles Ponds had no reports from anglers this week.

Coyote Creek had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for trout at Eagle Nest Lake was slow to fair when using Panther Martin spinners and gold and black spoons. Fishing for pike was fair when using gold spoons.

Fishing for trout was good at Eagle Rock Lake when using salmon eggs and PowerBait.

Fishing for trout on the Gallinas River was good when using dry flies with dropper nymph rigs.

Fishing for trout was fair to good at Hopewell Lake when using black Pistol Pete spinner flies.

Lake Alice had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for trout was fair at Lake Maloya when using PowerBait, Pistol Pete spinner flies, nymph flies and dry flies in the mornings and evenings.

Los Pinos River had no reports from anglers this week.

Maxwell Lake 13 had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for trout at Monastery Lake was good when using green garlic PowerBait.

Fishing for trout at Morphy Lake was good when using streamer flies.

Streamflow on the Pecos River, near the town of Pecos, on Monday morning was 95.4 cfs. Fishing for trout was good when using gold spinners, worms and Woolly Bugger flies.

Streamflow on the Red River, below the hatchery, on Monday morning was 55.7 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair to good when using Panther Martin spinners and beadhead nymph flies.

Streamflow on the Rio Grande at the Taos Junction Bridge on Monday morning was 276 cfs. Fishing for trout was good when using dry fly with dropper nymph fly setups and nightcrawler worms.

Streamflow on the Rio Hondo on Monday morning, near Valdez, was 26.4 cfs. Fishing for trout was good when using grasshopper flies.

Streamflow on the Rio Mora on Monday morning near Tererro was 36.6 cfs.

Streamflow on the Rio Pueblo, near Penasco, on Monday morning was 22.7 cfs. Fishing for trout was good when using small dry flies with dropper beadhead nymph flies.

Fishing for trout at Santa Cruz Reservoir was slow when using PowerBait.

Fishing for trout at Shuree Ponds was good when using Berkley Power Worms and Parachute Adams dry flies.

Springer Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for catfish at Storrie Lake was fair when using chicken liver.

Fishing for catfish at Stubblefield Lake was fair when using chicken liver.

Fishing for white bass at Ute Lake was slow to fair when using Kastmaster lures and swimbaits. Fishing for walleye was slow when using nightcrawler harness rigs, bottom bouncing in 20 to 25 feet of water. Fishing for smallmouth bass was slow to fair when using soft plastics, Ned rigs and Carolina rigs in 8 to 12 feet of water. Fishing for catfish was fair to good when using punch bait. Fishing for crappie was slow. The water surface temperature was in the upper 70s and the main lake color was clear.

Northwest fishing report

Fishing for catfish at Abiquiu Lake was good when using cut bait, nightcrawler worms and shrimp.

Waterflow on the Animas River, below Aztec, on Monday morning was 159 cfs.

Albuquerque Area Drains had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for tiger muskie was good at Bluewater Lake when using silver spoons and swimbaits.

Fishing for trout on the Brazos River was fair to good when using worms and black and gold Panther Martin spinners.

Fishing for trout at Canjilon Lakes was good when using worms and Pistol Pete spinner flies.

o n the Chama River, Monday-morning flows below El Vado and Abiquiu were 99.5 cfs and 79.0 cfs, respectively. Fishing for trout below El Vado Lake was fair to good when using nightcrawlers and flashy nymph flies. Please remember, from the river-crossing bridge on U.S. Highway 84 at Abiquiu upstream 7 miles to the base of Abiquiu Dam is special trout waters with a bag limit of two trout only.

Fishing for catfish was fair to good at Cochiti Lake when using worms, cut bait and chicken liver. Fishing for walleye was fair to good when using dark-colored deep-diving crankbaits.

Fishing for smallmouth bass at El Vado Lake was good when using crawdad pattern crankbaits. Fishing for perch was good when using worms.

Fishing for trout was slow to fair at Fenton Lake using yellow PowerBait and green garlic PowerBait. Please remember, only two cutthroat trout are allowed to be harvested per day within the regular five-fish limit.

Willow, Sierra Vista and La Laja boat launches are closed at Heron Lake . The primitive boat launch is open. Shoreline fishing is available between Sierra Vista and the spillway or in Rincon. The Quality Waters of the Rio Chama can be accessed at the Rio Chama Trailhead. The stairs are closed so use the road to the dam release into the river. Non-quality waters can be accessed at the North El Vado Day Use Area located on NM-95, 13 miles west of U.S. Highway 84.

At the Jemez Waters, Streamflow on the Jemez near the town of Jemez Monday morning was 9.23 cfs. Fishing the Rio Cebolla for trout was good when using beadhead nymph flies.

Laguna del Campo had no reports from anglers this week.

Lagunitas Lakes had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for bass was good at Lake Farmington when using plastic crawdad and worm lures.

Due to extremely low water levels and unstable ground conditions, stocking efforts have been suspended at McGaffey Lake . Lake conditions will be monitored and stockings will resume once conditions improve.

Fishing for bass was fair to good at Navajo Lake when using plastic crawdad lures. Fishing for pike was fair to good when using crankbaits and jerkbaits. Fishing for kokanee salmon was good when using firetiger spinners, pink squid and orange spinners tipped with corn.

Fishing for catfish on the Rio Grande was fair to good when using worms and chicken liver near Albuquerque.

San Gregorio Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Streamflow on the San Juan River on Monday morning was 933 cfs. Fishing for trout in the quality waters was good when using red annelid flies, leech pattern flies and midge cluster pattern flies. Fishing for trout in the bait waters was good when using PowerBait and worms.

Seven Springs Brood Pond had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for catfish was fair to good at Tingley Beach when using hotdogs.

Trout Lakes had no reports from anglers this week.

Southwest fishing report

Fishing for catfish at Alumni Pond was fair to good when using nightcrawler worms.

Fishing for crappie was fair at Bear Canyon Lake when using gold beadhead nymph flies with salmon-colored bodies.

Fishing for largemouth bass was slow to fair at Bill Evans Lake when using brown poppers.

Fishing for white bass at Caballo Lake was fair to good when using live minnows and white swimbaits. Fishing for catfish was fair to good when using cut carp bait, beef liver and live shad.

Fishing for white bass was good at Elephant Butte Lake when using topwater lures, white and chartreuse swimbaits and white and chartreuse slab spoons. Fishing for largemouth bass was fair to good when using 6-inch floating shad imitation lures, curly rail grubs and stick baits. Fishing for walleye was slow when using bottom bouncers with nightcrawler harness rigs. Fishing for crappie was fair to good when using live minnows. Fishing for catfish was good when using cut carp, homemade dough bait and shad.

Fishing for catfish at Escondida Lake was fair to good when using hotdogs and nightcrawler worms.

Streamflow on the Gila River on Monday morning was 102 cfs. Fishing for catfish was fair to good when using cut bait.

Glenwood Pond had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for trout at Lake Roberts was slow to fair when using silver spinners. Fishing for catfish was slow to fair when using nightcrawlers.

Percha Dam had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for trout was fair to good at Quemado Lake when using worms.

Rancho Grande Ponds had no reports from anglers this week.

Streamflow on the Rio Grande, below Elephant Butte, on Monday morning was 0.0 cfs.

Snow Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for catfish was fair to good at Trees Lake when using live worms and dough bait.

Young Pond had no reports from anglers this week.

Southeast fishing report

Fishing for trout was fair at Alto Lake when using rainbow PowerBait and pink PowerBait. Fishing for catfish was fair when using nightcrawlers.

Bataan Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Please visit the Open Gate webpage for more information on Berrendo Creek . Fishing for bass was fair to good when using jigs.

Streamflow on the Black River, at Malaga, on Monday morning was 6.81 cfs.

Blue Hole Park Pond had no reports from anglers this week.

Bonito Lake is closed until further notice by the city of Alamogordo due to fire damage. It appears that the lake will be out of commission until 2022.

Bosque Redondo Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Bottomless Lakes had no reports from anglers this week.

Brantley Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for catfish was fair to good at Carlsbad Municipal Lake when using shrimp and hotdogs.

Chaparral Park Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Corona Pond had no reports from anglers this week.

Eunice Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for largemouth bass at Green Meadow Lake was good when using shad swimbaits.

Fishing for catfish was good at Greene Acres Lake when using red hotdogs and shrimp.

Fishing for trout was fair at Grindstone Reservoir when using green garlic PowerBait.

Jal Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Lake Van had no reports from anglers this week.

Oasis Park Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Streamflow on the Pecos River, below Sumner Lake, on Monday morning was 99.7 cfs. Fishing for catfish was fair to good when using nightcrawler worms near the town of Roswell.

Perch Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Streamflow on the Ruidoso River on Monday morning at Hollywood was 23.0 cfs.

The boat ramp at Santa Rosa Lake has opened as water levels have increased due to recent rains. Due to low lake levels, Santa Rosa Lake State Park will operate as a no-wake lake until conditions improve. Fishing for walleye was fair when using live minnows. Fishing for bass was fair when using crankbaits.

Sumner Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
WENN/Apega Movie

A huge fan of Jordan Peele's 2017 hit film, the 'Panic Room' star opens up on her own approach to filmmaking and reveals her guiding principles as a director.

Aug 16, 2021

AceShowbiz - Jodie Foster wants to direct a horror film after being inspired by movie "Get Out". The 58-year-old actress is a huge fan of Jordan Peele's 2017 hit "Get Out" and if an opportunity to make a similar movie presented itself to her, she'd jump at the chance.

Asked about her movie-making ambitions, she shared, "You never know, maybe one day I'll find a fabulous screenplay, 'Get Out', for example, that's an amazing film. It's exciting, it's so deep psychologically and socio-politically, and it's so well-acted. If it's like that, yes, that's the kind of thing I might do."

Jodie has also opened up on her own approach to filmmaking, admitting she has some guiding principles as a director.

The Hollywood star told U.S. OK! Magazine, "I want to feel that everything is absolutely real. Even if it's a fantasy of a ghost turns up, I want there to be a kind of a truth that is tangible."

"That's how I measure things and assess them. You find the truth in characters by questioning your emotions by seeing whether this really moves you - that's the sort of bell rings."

Earlier this year, Jodie admitted she missed being on film sets. The actress has cut down on her movie roles over the past decade but admits that while she isn't worried about taking a step back from performing, she misses the camaraderie of working on a movie together with other actors.

Jodie said, "The thing that I miss the most, strangely, is just being on sets, hanging out with all the people and making a movie together. The acting, I'm happy to do less often and only really do it when it's something that really feels meaningful to me, where I feel like I can make a major contribution."
Instagram Celebrity

As confirmed by his family members, the late Sydney-based New Zealand actor 'had been struggling with the resurfacing of old scars and trauma from high school.'

Aug 19, 2021

AceShowbiz - Francis "Frankie" Mossman has passed away. The actor, who was known for his role on "Spartacus: Blood and Sand", died after revealing that he endured "so much pain." He was 33 years old.

In his final post shared on his Instagram page on August 12, the "Shortland Street" actor wrote, "Who knew this boy would endure so much pain," alongside a throwback photo of him. Two days after divulging that he suffered from "pain" from a young age, the Sydney-based New Zealand star was found dead at his home in Sydney, Australia.

In a statement to Daily Mail, Francis' family said that he "had been struggling with the resurfacing of old scars and trauma from high school, which he acknowledged in his last [Instagram] post to the world was a pain he had endured from a young age." Mourning the death of the actor, his family members said, "Francis was overwhelmingly kind, enthusiastic and so very caring, making a positive impact on the lives of many who knew him."

"He had the most infectious smile along with the most brilliant sense of humor imaginable. He was forever a big kid and with that he had the warmest most generous loving heart that lit up wherever he went," they continued. "Forever, he will be loved dearly and equally missed."

Francis' passing was confirmed in a GoFundMe post put together by his brothers, Laurence and Jeremy Mossman, to raise money for the late actor's funeral. However, the cause of his death has not been disclosed.

"With heavy hearts and much sadness, we learned of Francis' passing last Saturday 14th August in Sydney, Australia," the post read. "Francis was an energetic force and much-loved brother and son. He was a well-respected member of the acting community and found a supportive and endearing family community in Sydney."

The statement continued, "His smile and energetic presence will be sorely missed by those lucky enough to have known him." Francis' brothers Laurence and Jeremy also added, "Francis' mother's final wish is to see her son one last time before he is laid to rest."

Some of his famous friends offered their condolences, including "RuPaul's Drag Race" star Courtney Act, who penned, "Oh gosh. Sweet Frankie. I'm so sorry to hear this news." In the meantime, TV personality Peter Oxford wrote, "I am so sorry to hear you have left us. I was only talking to you this week about going back to NZ."

Queer Screen, the organizers of the Mardi Gras Film Festival, also shared a heartfelt tribute to Francis, noting that he was "a well-known member of our LGBTIQ+ community." The post read, "Frankie was a great friend of Queer Screen, starring in our 'MGFF16' trailer and was always an enthusiastic audience member at our festivals. Our sincere condolences to all his friends and family. May he Rest In Peace."

Francis is survived by his longtime partner Lachlan, his mother May, his father Reginald and his brothers Jeremy and Laurence.
WENN/FayesVision Celebrity

The former 'Fantastic Beasts' star first filed his $50 million suit against the 'Aquaman' star back in 2018, after she published an op-ed in the Washington Post about surviving domestic abuse.

Aug 19, 2021

AceShowbiz - Johnny Depp is moving forward with his $50 million (36.4 million) defamation lawsuit against ex-wife Amber Heard.

The actor first filed his suit against the "Aquaman" star back in 2018, after she published an op-ed in the Washington Post about surviving domestic abuse.

Although Amber didn't named Johnny in the piece, she has accused him of domestic violence since their split.

And while she petitioned to have the case dismissed after Johnny lost his U.K. libel suit against The Sun newspaper, a Virginia judge has allowed Johnny to continue with his lawsuit, reports People.

"[Heard] argues she was in privity with The Sun because they both had the same interest in the case. However, for privity to exist, [Heard's] interest in the case must be so identical with The Sun's interest such that The Sun's representation of its interest is also a representation of [Heard's] legal right," Fairfax County Chief Judge Penney Azcarate wrote in her ruling on Tuesday, August 17.

"The Sun's interests were based on whether the statements the newspaper published were false. [Heard's] interests relate to whether the statements she published were false."

She added that "the libel laws of Virginia are starkly different than those of England. The Declaration of Independence and the First Amendment of the United States Constitution represent major departures from the English Common Law with respect to freedom of speech and freedom of the press."
Instagram Celebrity

When offering more details into how he got engaged to his actress wife, the 'Little Fires Everywhere' actor also shares his honest thought on the ignorance and ugliness that comes her way.

Aug 19, 2021

AceShowbiz - Joshua Jackson has hit back at critics of his engagement to Jodie Turner-Smith.

Last month (July 2021), the star revealed his actress wife proposed to him while on a romantic vacation in Nicaragua, but he's since been inundated with hate from "racist and misogynist" trolls.

"I accidentally threw my wife under the bus because that story was told quickly and it didn't give the full context," he told Refinery29.

"Yes, we were in Nicaragua on a beautiful moonlit night, it could not possibly have been more romantic. And yes, my wife did propose to me and yes, I did say yes."

Joshua added, "What I didn't say in that interview was there was a caveat, which is that I'm still old school enough that I said, 'This is a yes, but you have to give me the opportunity [to do it too].' "

"She has a biological father and a stepdad, who's the man who raised her. [I said], 'You have to give me the opportunity to ask both of those men for your hand in marriage.' And then, 'I would like the opportunity to re-propose those to you and do it the old fashioned way down on bended knee.' So, that's actually how the story ended up."

"So, there were two proposals. I do feel like that is important context."

Joshua also slammed those who thought it was foolish for the "Queen & Slim" actress to propose to him, insisting, "For anybody who is freaked out by a woman claiming her own space, shut the f**k up."

"Good God, you cannot believe the things people were leaving my wife on Instagram. She did it. I said 'yes.' We're happy. That's it. That's all you need to know."

"That has been a real education for me as a white man, truly. The way people get in her comments and the ignorance and ugliness that comes her way is truly shocking."

"It has been a necessary, but an unpleasant education in just the way people relate to Black bodies in general, but Black female bodies in specific. It is not okay. We have a long way to go."
WENN/FayesVision Celebrity

In a series of new tweets addressing the Tuesday event, the 'Charmed' alum confirms her uncle Mitch 'suffered a serious heart attack' while driving an SUV with her in the passenger seat.

Aug 19, 2021

AceShowbiz - Alyssa Milano has once again addressed a car accident that involved her and her uncle Mitch. Giving an update on her uncle's condition after he passed out while behind the wheel, the actress confirmed her uncle had "a serious heart attack" and she is "unsure" if he will recover from it.

"Yesterday, my family suffered a terrifying and traumatic event," she began her series of tweets addressing the accident on Wednesday, August 18. "I was a passenger in a car my Uncle Mitch was driving when he suffered a serious heart attack, resulting in a car crash."

Thanking the Good Samaritans who helped them, she continued, "I am grateful to the people who stopped to help us. I'll never be able to thank them enough for the care and attention they, along with the first responders, doctors, nurses, and staff at UCLA Medical Center paid to him and to me."

Alyssa said her "uncle Mitch is such an important part of our family." She divulged, "He's with us every day, spending time with my children and present in every meaningful part of our lives. He's still in the hospital, and we are unsure if he will recover." Asking for privacy, she added, "I hope that you-and especially you in the media-will afford him and my family the kindness of privacy as we move through this incredibly painful time."

Alyssa went on stressing the importance to learn how to do CPR. "Please, take this as your inspiration to get CPR certified," she said. "You don't know when you'll be called upon to save a life. The American Red Cross and many hospitals and other organizations offer regular classes. It's such a small effort and can have a huge impact."

Alyssa Milano addressed a car accident involving her and her uncle.

Alyssa and her uncle were involved in a car accident on early Tuesday morning, August 17 in Los Angeles. At the time, her uncle Mitch was driving a Ford Edge when he suffered a medical emergency and fell unconscious. This caused the SUV to drift to another lane and hit another vehicle. Alyssa, who sat in the passenger seat, quickly reached over him and used her hand to slam the brakes to stop the car.

Alyssa then performed CPR on her uncle until first responders took over. According to the California Highway Patrol's press release, "with the assistance of a good Samaritan, they were able to bring the Ford to a stop in between the #1 and #2 lane." Mitch was later transported to the hospital, while the 48-year-old actress was picked up by her husband, David Bugliari.

Later that night, Alyssa took to Twitter to remind people to protect each other by any means necessary, while not directly addressing the car accident. "We should all take every opportunity we have to protect the people we love. Get vaccinated. Wear masks. Lock up your guns. Learn CPR. Small, common-sense actions," so she posted on her Twitter page. She added, "It's not hard to take care of each other, but it is important."
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The 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' star and the Harvard Law professor reportedly have a screaming match when they bump into each other at Chilmark General Store in Martha's Vineyard.

Aug 19, 2021

AceShowbiz - When one thinks of Martha's Vineyard, what first comes in mind must be a relaxing scene. So it's every unexpected that a tense situation recently occurred at a grocery store in the island involving two respectable public figures.

Page Six reports that Larry David had a screaming match with Alan Dershowitz when they bumped into each other at the island's picturesque convenience store and community hub Chilmark General Store. A source, who witnessed their bizarre exchange, wrote down the conversation between the two men, during which the comedian allegedly dubbed the Harvard Law professor "disgusting" due to his ties to Donald Trump administration.

During the exchange, Dershowitz reportedly pled with David that they "can still talk," but David interjected, "No. No. We really can't. I saw you. I saw you with your arm around [Former Trump Secretary of State Mike] Pompeo! It's disgusting!"

Dershowitz tried to explain, "He's my former student [at Harvard Law]. I greet all of my former students that way. I can't greet my former students?" David, however, wasn't buying it as he responded, "It's disgusting. Your whole enclave - it's disgusting. You're disgusting!"

In the source's account, "Larry walks away. Alan takes off his T-shirt to reveal another T-shirt [underneath it] that says, 'It's The Constitution Stupid!' " Dershowitz later "drove off in an old, dirty Volvo."

Dershowitz has confirmed to Page Six that the exchange with David did happen. He said he and the "Curb Your Enthusiasm" creator had been friends for many years until he began working as part of Trump's legal team.

The lawyer said of the awkward exchange, "It wasn't funny at all," adding that the funnyman "screamed" and "yelled" at him and that the 74-year-old's face turned bright red. "I was worried that he was going to have a stroke," he said of his former friend.

Claiming that he's not a blind supporter of the Trump administration, the professor went on dissing David, "While he was writing bad jokes, I was helping to bring about peace in the Middle East. What has he done?"

"Larry is a knee-jerk radical," he continued. "He takes his politics from Hollywood. He doesn't read a lot. He doesn't think a lot," before adding of the bizarre encounter, "It's typical of what happens now on the Vineyard. People won't talk to each other if they don't agree with their politics."
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The 'Because of You' hitmaker's marriage with Brandon is reported to have been 'on the rocks for a long time' due to her ex-husband's jealousy of her 'wildly successful talk show.'

Aug 19, 2021

AceShowbiz - Kelly Clarkson is feeling "extremely confident" as she's close to seeing her divorce from Brandon Blackstock finalized. In a new report, her marriage was said to have broken down because her ex-husband was "extremely jealous" of her thriving career.

A source informed Us Weekly that the relationship "had been on the rocks for a long time." On the reason why, the insider went on to explain, "She was the high-income earner with a wildly successful talk show, and is the star of another hit show 'The Voice'. Brandon was extremely jealous of it and made her know it."

However, following their separation, Kelly "can finally enjoy her success without feeling ashamed," the source added. "Kelly doesn't take credit for her success but shares it with the team she works with. It's just who she is."

"The Kelly Clarkson Show" host earns nearly $2 million in monthly income. Before they called it quits, the insider claimed the Daytime Emmy winner was suspicious "that Brandon was just using her for her money and lifestyle."

"The marriage was really, really awful at the end. Kelly felt that she could no longer trust Brandon. She had a lot of questions that he just couldn't answer," said the so-called inside source, noting that there was "tremendous resentment" between the former couple. "She just wasn't willing to look the other way anymore."

The couple tied the knot in 2013 and announced their split in June 2020. She cited "irreconcilable differences" as the reason for their split. They share two children together, 7-year-old daughter River Rose Blackstock and 5-year-old son Remington Alexander Blackstock.

On August 12, the judge denied Brandon's request to split their properties, including their Montana ranch, as well as the income she earned during their marriage. Upon learning the judge's decision via email, Kelly "let out a scream, which then gave way to a celebration" while filming "The Voice" with Blake Shelton and the show's new judge Ariana Grande.

However, she agreed to pay 70% of the education fee for their kids to attend private school. She's also required to pay Brandon $150,000 per month in spousal support and an extra $45,601 per month for child support.
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Though admitting he has never really been a fan of the genre, the 'Batman Returns' star claims to have really come to appreciate the Caped Crusader's pop culture significance after filming 'The Flash'.

Aug 19, 2021

AceShowbiz - Michael Keaton hasn't watched a comic book movie in full since he played Batman in 1989, but he's still a huge fan of the character.

The actor is returning to play the Caped Crusader for the first time since 1992 for upcoming DC movie "The Flash", and he admits he has never really been a fan of the genre.

"After the first Batman, I'm not sure I've ever seen an entire [comic book] movie," he told The Hollywood Reporter, admitting he skipped watching himself in "Batman Returns" and as the villain in 2017's "Spider-Man: Homecoming".

"I just never got around to it. So you're talking to a guy who wasn't in the zeitgeist of that whole world."

However, he was happy to return to the role to star opposite fellow former Batman Ben Affleck and "Flash" star Ezra Miller in the Warner Bros. film.

"Frankly, in the back of my head, I always thought, 'I bet I could go back and nail that motherf**ker," Keaton joked. "And so I thought, 'Well, now that they're asking me, let me see if I can pull that off.' "

While he turned down the opportunity to appear in the third Batman film in the 1990s - Val Kilmer ultimately took over the role in "Batman Forever" - the star has really come to appreciate the character's pop culture significance after filming "The Flash".

"What's really interesting is how much more I got [Batman] when I went back and did him," he explained. "I get this on a whole other level now. I totally respect it. I respect what people are trying to make."

"It has become a giant thing, culturally. It's iconic. So I have even more respect for it because what do I know? This is a big deal in the world to people. You've got to honor that and be respectful of that. Even I go, 'Jesus, this is huge.' "
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Among the 12 acts that performed the night before, only 7 of them move forward to the next round while the other 5 acts are unfortunately sent home in eliminations.

Aug 19, 2021

AceShowbiz - "America's Got Talent" announced the results of the second round of the quarterfinals in the Wednesday, August 18 episode. Among the 12 acts that performed the night before, only 7 of them moved forward to the next round. Unfortunately, the other 5 acts were sent home in eliminations.

Kicking off the night, host Terry Crews revealed three acts who were up for the live Instant Save. They were Korean Soul, T.3 and Tory Vagasy. Terry then called Northwell Health Nurse Choir and Shuffolution to come up to the stage. Northwell Health Nurse Choir moved to the semi-finals!

Later, it was Victory Brinker and Aidan Bryant who were about to find out their fate on the competition. Thankfully, none of them were eliminated as they were both sent to the semi-finals.

Positive Impact Movement and Peter Antoniou were then called on before Terry announced that the one who stayed in the competition was mentalist Peter. Dokteuk Crew, Josh Blue and Johnny Showcase were the last 3 acts other than the Instant Save acts who had yet to find out their results.

Josh was named as the semi-finalist joining others. "You have a chance at winning this whole thing," judge Simon Cowell told Josh. The comedian responded, "I'm ready. Let's do this!"

Before going back to the Instant Save, season 11 runner-ups The Clairvoyants returned to the AGT stage for another mesmerizing performance. Season 14 winner Kodi Lee also hit the stage, joining forces with H.E.R. in a performance of her song "Hold On".

It was later time for the Instant Save. The judges had to chose only two of the three to move forward. The first act to be sent to the semifinals was Tory Vagasy. The judges then had to pick between T.3 and Korean Soul as there was only one spot left. Sofia Vergara and Heidi Klum chose T.3, while Simon wanted to save Korean Soul. It was tied because Howie also chose Korean Soul. The final decision would later be determined according to America's vote and the one who joined others in the semi-finals was Korean Soul!
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The 'Falcon and the Winter Soldier' star has reportedly closed a deal to star in the upcoming Disney/Marvel film, which will be his first superhero movie in a starring role.

Aug 19, 2021

AceShowbiz - Anthony Mackie will be taking the baton in the next Captain America film. The actor is reportedly set to return for "Captain America 4" after closing a deal with Marvel/Disney to land a starring role in his first superhero film.

Deadline was the first to report the news, but other details are currently still kept under wraps, including whether or not Sebastian Stan, who has been portraying Steve Rogers' old buddy Bucky Barnes a.k.a. Winter Soldier, will also return for the next installment.

In "Avengers: Endgame", Chris Evans' Steve Rogers appears to pass the torch to Mackie's Sam Wilson as he hands over his Captain America shield to the veteran United States Air Force Pararescueman. Mackie then stars on Disney+'s series "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier" alongside Stan.

On the show, Sam didn't immediately pick up Captain America's name and continued to use the Falcon moniker as he was questioning how "a black man [can] represent a country that does not represent him" and the series explores how the shield becomes a burden for him. In the last episode, Sam eventually takes up the shield.

Mackie has also starred in six Marvel films as Falcon, beginning with "Captain America: The Winter Soldier".

Back in April, The Hollywood Reporter stated that "Captain America 4" is in development with "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier" showrunner Malcolm Spellman as the screenwriter. Spellman will write the script of the upcoming movie with Dalan Musson, a staff writer who also worked on the Disney+ series.

No director is attached to the upcoming movie just yet. While a recent report said that Evans might be back in the MCU, this is not the top-secret project that is believed to bring back the actor into the fold.
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A few weeks after attending their first public event as a couple, the 'Wheeler Dealers' alum raves over the 'Bridget Jones's Diary' star as saying, 'She's super pro and she can weld.'

Aug 19, 2021

AceShowbiz - Ant Anstead has broken his silence on his relationship with Renee Zellweger. In a new interview, the host of "Celebrity IOU: Joyride" gushed over his girlfriend and admitted that they kept their romance "secret for a while."

When making an appearance on E! News' "Daily Pop" on Wednesday, August 18 along with his co-host Cristy Lee, the 42-year-old TV presenter opened up about his relationship with Renee after several PDA-packed photos of the two circulated online. "Look, everybody knows that Renee and I have become quite close, because we kept it secret for a while," he responded after being asked whether he and the Oscar-winning actress are "now dating."

Of their photos that surfaced online, Ant said, "Unfortunately, some pictures were taken and put out there." Now that the cat is out of the bag, the "Wheeler Dealers" alum did not hold back in singing praise for his girlfriend. "But it was a real pleasure to work with her. She's super pro and she can weld," he said of Renee's guest stint on his Discovery+ series.

On August 7, Ant and Renee attended their first public event as a couple when they stopped by the Radford Motors gala at the Lyon Air Museum in Santa Ana, California. At the time, the twosome was spotted enjoying each other's company.

For the night outing, the "Ant Anstead Master Mechanic" star sported a black-and-white tuxedo. In the meantime, Renee looked elegant in a flowy black gown that she paired with matching pumps.

Offering a glimpse at the event, Ant shared some photos on his Instagram Story. In the snaps, the lovebirds were all smiles as they posed with their friends, including "The Real Housewives of Orange County" alum Lydia McLaughlin and her husband Doug.

Of their budding relationship, a source claimed that the pair first bonded over shared interests. "Sometimes two people just meet and click, and the timing is right," the insider said at the time. "Renee is creative ... and often goes for guys who think out of the box. She's smart, thoughtful and always looking to expand horizons and nurture those around her."

"Both of them are private and dislike public scrutiny, so they have that in common," the source continued. "He's a creative guy with lots of interests, and she likes to write and produce, so they have things to talk about when together."

A separate source also said that Ant and Renee "are getting pretty serious about each other." The so-called inside source explained, "They're both busy with various projects and their careers, but they have a major attraction to each other," the source said. Another source added that the pair "do beach outings, go for ice cream and other child-friendly activities."
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The 'Nine Perfect Strangers' actress has landed in hot water after she's allowed by Hong Kong government to skip the quarantine when arriving from Australia for TV shoot.

Aug 20, 2021

AceShowbiz - Nicole Kidman has sparked a backlash in Hong Kong after skipping the country's strict COVID-19 quarantine to shoot the Amazon series "Expats".

According to reports, Kidman was exempted from the city's 7-day hotel quarantine for vaccinated people arriving from Australia, despite a surge in delta variant cases prompting a lockdown in Sydney, where she flew in from.

The actress reportedly took a private jet from Sydney to Hong Kong on 12 August (21) and after "mounting public pressure" to explain Kidman's preferential treatment, Hong Kong's Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, confirmed to The South China Morning Post, the Australian actress and other film crew had been granted an exemption "to carry out designated professional work."

The news comes as from Friday, vaccinated people arriving from Australia will have to quarantine in a hotel for 14 days as the country is reclassified from a low-risk to medium-risk country.

The Hong Kong Free Press reported Kidman has been seen out and about shopping and has been subject to criticism on social media.

One Twitter user wrote, "Dear #HongKong friends and family, While you are locked into a hotel room for three weeks, how does it feel to know that if you are from Hollywood, you are exempt from the barbaric quarantine rules HK residents are subjected to?"

"What the world needs at this juncture is a Prime Video series about the privileged lives of American expats in Hong Kong, with Nicole Kidman," tweeted another.

"Expats", starring and executive produced by Kidman, is based on Janice Y.K. Lee's book "The Expatriates" about a group of close-knit wealthy women expatriates in Hong Kong.

Australian writer Alice Bell ("The Beautiful Lie", "The Slap") penned the script for the series which is directed by "The Farewell" 's Lulu Wang and co-stars Jack Huston.

It's not the first quarantine controversy that Kidman has been embroiled in. Last June she hit headlines when she and her husband Keith Urban were exempted by the Australian state of New South Wales' hotel quarantine in favour of home quarantine after they flew into Sydney from the U.S. ahead of production of the mini-series "Nine Perfect Strangers".
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The bosses at East Hampton's Guild Hall blame 'miscommunication' on Laura Osnes' exit from their show following reports that she's fired for not getting vaccinated.

Aug 20, 2021

AceShowbiz - Bosses at East Hampton's Guild Hall insist there was a "miscommunication" of the venue's vaccine policy to actress Laura Osnes.

The star pulled out of the forthcoming one-night-only performance of director Susan Stroman's "Crazy for You" as she believed all cast members had to have received the COVID-19 vaccine.

Representatives from the venue later told the New York Post's Page Six gossip column Laura had "the option to provide proof of full vaccination or a recent negative COVID test result," claims she refuted.

"I would have tested in a heartbeat something I have been doing for months, and will continue to do, in order to keep working safely," said the Broadway star in an Instagram post.

Following the confusion, officials told the publication "there was a miscommunication of our policy, and Laura Osnes voluntarily opted out of the one-night-only performance."

"She was graciously doing this event as a charitable gesture to Guild Hall, and for this we are grateful. Laura is a talented artist and we look forward to working with her again in the future."

Of her decision not to get vaccinated, Laura added, "I stand by the decision my husband and I, with input from our physician, have made for ourselves, our family planning, and our future."

Laura Osnes was not the only star losing job for not getting vaccinated.

The Offspring were also forced to part ways with drummer Pete Parada after he opted not to get the injection.

Meanwhile, Kristin Cavallaris' former husband Jay Cutler was fired from an Uber upcoming commercial ad because of his anti-mask stance.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - On Wednesday, the California Department of Health set new requirements for indoor mega-events.

The CDPH announced a proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours before an event starts will be required to attend an indoor event with more than 1,000 people in attendance.

The new requirements will begin on Sept. 20.

Currently, proof of vaccination of a negative test before entry is required when 5,000 or more people attend an indoor event, public health said.

Included in dropping the attendance number to 1,000, self-attestation to verify a persons vaccination will not be accepted.

The changes will remain in place through Nov. 1.
BUTTE COUNTY, Calif. - On Wednesday the last of five persons convicted in a Nov. 2015 home invasion robbery that went terribly wrong was sentenced in Butte County Superior Court, Butte County District Attorney Michael Ramsey said.

Jeffery Stringer, 62, of Paradise, was sentenced to the upper term of nine years in prison for his role in the robbery in which Adam Wrangham, 31, was shot and killed, Ramsey said.

Stringer was one of five people who conspired to rob Wrangham at his home located on the 6400 block of Lucky John Rd. in Paradise.

The robbery was spurred by a debt Wrangham allegedly owed one of the robbers in relation to a marijuana growing operation, Ramsey said.

The robbers allegedly stole hundreds of pounds of marijuana from the home as part of the scheme.

Wrangham was fatally shot during the incident, though not by Stringer, Ramsey said.

Joshua Bush, 29, of Concow, who is currently serving a 25-year-to-life sentence, was the one who fatally shot Wrangham during the incident.

Bush pleaded guilty and was sentenced to state prison in 2018.

All other members of the group were from Paradise and were given various sentences.

Warwick Dinning, 40, for 19 years

Thomas Thornhill, for nine years

Renae Disney, 51, for nine years

Ramsey said the charges against Bush and others resulted when members of the group entered the home of Wrangham and his girlfriend near 10 p.m.

Wrangham told his girlfriend to run from the house and then struggled with Bush over a gun brought into the home by Bush. The gun fired and struck Wrangham in the chest. Wrangham died from the gunshot wound.

Stringer was the last of the five co-defendants to resolve his case with a guilty plea last month as he had previously been sent to the state mental hospital under a competency commitment, which severed him from the group for trial, Ramsey said.

Stringer was excluded from a life sentence due to legislature changing the law regarding the liability of accomplices to a robbery murder.

Stringer was scheduled to begin his jury trial this month after a series of delays caused by COVID-19.

Family members of Wrangham addressed the judge at the sentencing hearing today and said that they believed Stringer had unnecessarily delayed his sentence by trying every trick in the book to delay justice.

Wranghams mother said it had been 2096 days since her son was killed...and there is not a day that goes by that I dont think about my son and miss him greatly.

Other family members remembered Wrangham as a father, son, and husband, and now At every special occasion, celebration, birthday, holiday, family reunion or summer barbeque there will be an empty chair, an unfillable void there in our lives.

The Butte County District Attorneys Office was successful in insisting that Stringer waive or give up the credit he was entitled to for the time he has been in jail and the state hospital since 2015, Ramsey said.

Stringer will serve his nine years in state prison starting from today.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The man who claimed to have bomb in a pickup truck near the U.S. Capitol has surrendered to law enforcement, ending an hourslong standoff.

The man, identified by law enforcement officials as 49-year-old Floyd Ray Roseberry of North Carolina, crawled out of the vehicle and was being taken into custody shortly before 2:30 p.m.

He had pulled up outside the library earlier in the day and told police he had a bomb in his truck.

An officer saw what appeared to be a detonator in the man's hand.

The man had been negotiating with police during a standoff that lasted around five hours.
Aviva Life Insurance, Indias most trusted private life insurance company, has announced the appointment of Sonali Athalye as its Chief Financial Officer. She will be responsible for strategic planning, treasury, and financial performance management. In this position, Sonali will focus on accelerating the companys growth, financial strategy, managing investor relations, strategic business planning, and corporate governance.

Sonali is a seasoned professional with over two decades of rich experience in Finance, Compliance and Governance functions, primarily in the Life Insurance industry. She has been a founding member of two Life Insurance joint ventures from the start-up phase and comes with a deep domain expertise in Life Insurance as well as Fintech.

She has over two decades of rich experience in organizations like Pramerica Life Insurance, MetLife India Insurance Company and Tata AIA Life Insurance. She possesses experience in all finance functions including Controllership, FP&A, Taxation, M&A etc. Prior to joining Aviva, Sonali served as Chief Financial Officer at RenewBuy.com.

Mr. Amit Malik, Managing Director & CEO, Aviva India said, I am pleased to welcome Sonali to our team at this pivotal point in our growth trajectory. Her extensive background in Fintech will play an important role in Avivas transformation. She brings a strong track record of driving results and accelerating growth by leading finance and strategy transformations.

Ms. Sonali Athalye, Chief Financial Officer, Aviva India The life insurance industry currently is at a vital juncture with tremendous scope for growth and I am excited to step into the CFO role at Aviva India at this stage. I look forward to making a meaningful difference as we go forth and enable the company to realize its fullest potential.
Captech Technologies, an integrated construction tech company has assigned its complete marketing mandate to Branding Edge Strategic Communication and Advisory. As part of the mandate, the agency will be managing Creative, Digital and Reputation management duties for Captechs eFORCE platform which is Indias largest construction labour marketplace.

The agency's mandate will be predominantly to strengthen the brand's position in the market and will be managed from the companys Mumbai office.

eFORCE is a first-of-its-kind, integrated multi-lingual technology platform specifically for labour deployment and project management. The app is launched by Captech Technologies Private Limited is a new-age construction tech company in India. The mobile app acts as an 'Enabler' in the unorganized construction market and connects the developers to contracted labourers with the use of AI and analytics.

Commenting on the association, Mr Asutosh Katyal, CEO and Founder, Captech Technologies, said, We are delighted to have Rahul on board to handle the complete communication strategy for our eFORCE app. Construction is the second-largest employer in the country and with the quick revival happening in the real estate industry we thought Branding Edges creative and strategic capabilities will help eFORCE journey to reach out to maximum migrant labour and solve the labour problem in the country

Talking about the win, Mr Rahul Tekwani, Managing Partner, Branding Edge Strategic Communication and Advisory, said, We are delighted to work on Captech Technologies Atmanirbhar Bharat Mission, its always exciting to partner with a brand that wants to solve real-world problems. We are hoping that we can produce some quality and strategic work that reaches our target audience and helps eFORCE interact with the correct audience in the construction category.
Following the restructure of its creative and media businesses in India, dentsu has now announced the launch of a unified Merkle-led CXM proposition in the market. The announcement brings together Data Transformation, Digital Transformation, and CX Consulting into one unit to create the most specialised CX practice in India under brand Merkle.

SCREENXX Awards 2021 Early Bird Discount for nomination of Digital Video Content and OTT Platform.. - Tuesday, August 31, 2021 - ENTRIES OPEN

Part of the networks global organisational redesign, the dentsu India CXM business will now house the agencies  Sokrati, Fractal Ink Design Studio and Merkle B2B, under one umbrella. Anubhav Sonthalia will lead dentsu CXM in India as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in addition to serving his current role as CEO, Sokrati. He will continue to report into Anand Bhadkamkar, CEO, dentsu India, and Z Shen, CEO, dentsu CXM, APAC.

Sonthalia will be responsible for the integration, co-ordination, and implementation of dentsu CXMs overall strategy across the country. The CXM business will be aimed at building differentiated customer experiences through data, design & technology transformations, and will work with partners like Salesforce, Adobe, Google Cloud & AWS.

Speaking on the launch, Anand Bhadkamkar said, Keeping up with our #onedentsu strategy, the new CXM business will help us move closer towards our growth journey. CXM is growing rapidly, and it is soon expected to become 35% of our overall business in India. By 2025, we project that this growing field will have a 50% contribution to our business. With this new CXM line of business, our clients will see a host of benefits as it will be a one-stop solution for all their CXM needs. I have complete faith in Anubhavs leadership and in CXM to create numerous opportunities for clients as well as for the network.

Commenting on his new role, Anubhav Sonthalia added, I am looking forward to leading dentsu India CXM and to develop newer strategies to up our customer experience game. We aim to provide world-class services to our clients and prioritise data-driven experiences & personalisation of the entire end-to-end customer experience. Our key focus will be to create a holistic view for the clients, and a focused strategy for delivering personalised experiences that they demand.
In a country where 64.1% of senior citizens suffer from loneliness, most of the younger generation dismiss frequent, bulky messages from seniors as bothersome forwards. Putting the spotlight on the issue of elderly lonesomeness on World Senior Citizens Day (celebrated on August 21), Columbia Pacific Communities, India's largest senior living community operator, launched the initiative #ReplyDontReject with the critically acclaimed and celebrated senior Bollywood actor, Boman Irani.

The campaign #ReplyDontReject, featuring a video message from Boman Irani, calls out to the younger generations, by offering a unique perspective, and appeals to them to avoid treating video, photo, or good morning messages from senior citizens as mere forwards and view the mere act of frequent messaging as the desire to connect and share as well as the struggle to escape their solitude.

Speaking about the initiative, Piali Dasgupta, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Columbia Pacific Communities, said In our busy lives, we often tend to consider the frequent messages and shares from the seniors in our lives as just irritating forwards. Digging a bit deeper will tell you that it is a desperate effort from our seniors to break free from their solitude, and the desire to connect with those who they love. Through the #ReplyDontReject initiative we are trying to make people aware of loneliness amongst the elderly, take the pledge to be more responsive towards seniors, and change the statistics around elderly loneliness. We are delighted to spread this very important message through celebrated actor. We are confident this endeavour will play a significant part in countering loneliness amongst the elderly and senitising the youth to give them the gift of time.

Speaking about the initiative, celebrated actor Mr. Boman Irani, said, I am really honoured and thankful to Columbia Pacific Communities for making me a part of this noble initiative. The perspective of looking at the recurrent messages from the elderly is very simple, yet so nuanced, refreshing, and enlightening, that it amazes me that most of us just missed it. My message to all is simple: Let us give due attention to our seniors! Dont reject, but reply to their messages, and make them feel heard and connected.

Furthering the brand ethos of Positive Ageing, the #ReplyDontReject campaign aims to make everyone take the pledge to not reject but reply to the messages from seniors. A pledge form has been integrated in the microsite of the website of Columbia Pacific Communities www.columbiacommunities.in/toseniorswithlove, where people will be able to take a pledge - a promise to reply to every forward they receive from seniors and reach out to them to make them feel less alone.

The brand also launched a unique product for seniors, Cards Against Uncertainty on its website to sensitise people on the mental stress experienced by seniors amidst the pandemic as well as to promote mental health and wellbeing amongst the elderly. The pack of 52 cards contains a unique tip and mood enhancing suggestions on each card aimed at reducing stress, fear and feelings of despair. The tips range from simple suggestions such as listening to music or doing a yoga asana to something more unconventional like writing a letter to yourself or practising mirror meditation. Considering that not all seniors are tech-savvy, the pack of cards is available in both digital and physical formats and can be experienced or ordered from the microsite www.columbiacommunities.in/toseniorswithlove which will be live on August 21, 2021.

To further popularise the concept of positive ageing, veteran theatre artist Dolly Thakore will be joining an interactive Zoom session with seniors on August 21, 2021 to talk about how she wills herself to action and why she decided to author her debut book Regrets, None at 78. Thakore will touch upon the creative process and interesting experiences and learnings through her writing journey. She will also speak about her career in acting and theatre and what role has ageing played in her career.

The #ReplyDontReject and Cards Against Uncertainty initiatives have been launched on the side-lines of the ongoing third annual edition of Platform 2021, a 45-day long virtual talent festival and community engagement initiative for senior citizens, organised by Columbia Pacific Communities to promote positive ageing and build social connect amongst its senior residents. Supporting the flagship initiative, TATA1mg and Friends Adult Diapers have partnered with Platform 2021 as the official e-Healthcare Partner and Hygiene Partner for the event respectively.
ZestMoney, Indias largest and fastest growing Buy Now, Pay Later platform today announced that it has promoted Mandar Satpute to the role of Chief Banking Officer (CBO).

Prior to this, Mandar was Vice President, Banking partnerships. He has been with the company for more than 4 years and began his stint as Head of Partnerships in 2017.

This elevation comes at a crucial time for the company when it is doubling down on its partnership with banks and NBFCs as demand for BNPL has increased by 5X on its platform. The company now partners with close to 25 banks and NBFCs to power affordability for its 11 million registered customers.

Mandar is a career banker with more than 22 years of experience, having held senior positions at Citibank and TCS in diverse functions ranging from Relationships in Retail Banking, Corporate Banking, Sales & Business development to Financial Inclusion for PSU banks, Compliance and Audits. He has held leadership positions at Asian Paints and Philips Consumer Electronics.

Mandar will join Harshit Jain, Chief Strategy Officer and Natalia Lyarskaya, Chief Data Officer as part of the senior leadership team to further accelerate the adoption of BNPL in India.

Commenting on the announcement, Priya Sharma, CFO & COO, Co-founder, ZestMoney said, We are delighted to have a person of Mandar Satputes stature who brings solid leadership experience in building and managing large teams and setting up strong systems driven organisations, as we scale our Ops set up. He is one of the senior most members of the Zest leadership team and has been a strong pillar of support over the past four years. As we cater to the massive demand for BNPL, partnerships with banks/NBFCs will be key. ZestMoney has been a pioneer in driving collaborations, Mandar will fortify our position in the market.

Mandar Satpute, Chief Banking Officer, ZestMoney, said: I am honoured to be leading a team of enthusiastic professionals. I look forward to working together and supporting to develop new product lines to offer to our lenders, while unlocking long-term value for our customers. With increased adoption of the BNPL financing option and the role of being an enabler for financial inclusion, I am excited to explore the new partnership opportunities presented by these themes.

Mandar will lead the entire Lending Platform Operations, Lender Relationships, Business Operations and Collections going ahead. He continues to oversee Customer Operations, Collections and supply of Balance sheet to the platform.

He holds a bachelors degree in Engineering from College of Engineering, Pune and also has a Postgraduate Diploma in Management from the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta.

ZestMoney is a leader in the BNPL space with a merchant network of over 10,000 online partners and 75,000 store partners. The company helps increase the affordability of their products and enables them to facilitate frictionless sales at a higher conversion rate, targeting a larger base of customers.
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

Bern, 19.08.2021 - The toll of deaths and casualties from Saturday's earthquake in Haiti continues to rise. After the quake, Switzerland immediately mobilised specialised personnel and material to support the Haitian civil protection services. Switzerland is running its humanitarian aid operations from its embassy in Port-au-Prince, while a team from the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit has been dispatched from Bern to assist. Switzerland is providing CHF 1 million to support emergency operations.

A plane with members of the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit (SHA) on board took off from Bern-Belp airport on Thursday 19 August for Haiti. The team consists of a logistician, two water and sanitation specialists, two structural engineers, a disaster area adviser and a team leader.

The SHA is the operational arm of Swiss Humanitarian Aid, which comes under the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA).

The team has been sent to support humanitarian operations of the Swiss embassy in Port-au-Prince which are already under way. Haiti is a priority country for the SDC, which immediately mobilised its staff on the ground  including architects, emergency shelter and disaster risk reduction specialists  to support the Haitian civil protection services in assessing needs.

Currently located in Port-Salut, in the Cayes district near the epicentre, the Swiss teams are working to deploy 3,250 tarpaulins and two drinking water distribution points of 5,000 litres each in the affected areas. Equipment was already stored on site for deployment in the event of such a disaster.

The SDC plans to allocate a total of CHF 1 million for this emergency aid operation. CHF 500,000 will be earmarked for appeals launched by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and by the United Nations, and CHF 100,000 for the activities of the Swiss Red Cross. The FDFA also intends to make additional SHA specialists available to UN organisations for humanitarian aid operations.

The FDFA's Crisis Management Centre is not aware of any requests for support from Swiss citizens so far and is continuing to monitor the security situation closely for staff and Swiss citizens. FDFA travel advice for Haiti has been updated accordingly. Owing to the fraught situation, travel to Haiti for tourism or other non-urgent purposes has been advised against for several years.

Address for enquiries

FDFA Communication

Federal Palace West Wing

CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland

Tel. Communication service: +41 58 462 31 53

Tel. Press service: +41 58 460 55 55

E-mail: kommunikation@eda.admin.ch

Twitter: @SwissMFA

Publisher

Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

https://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home.html




Alton, IL (62002)

Today

Thunderstorms early, mainly cloudy overnight with a few showers. Low 67F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms early, mainly cloudy overnight with a few showers. Low 67F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%.
Alton, IL (62002)

Today

Thunderstorms this evening with a few showers possible late. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms this evening with a few showers possible late. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%.
So, what is going on in the Ahwatukee real estate market? Is the bubble going to burst?
Simone Biles has always been an uncontroversial and undeniably talented Olympic athlete, beloved and admired by the entire world. That is, until this summers 2021 Olympics in Japan. During the Olympics, she withdrew from some competitions and, after the Olympics, she strongly advocated in favor of abortion. The first act was a personal decision but the second act, because of her prominence, could have profound repercussions and needs to be addressed.

As we all know, Biles stepped down from some Olympic competitions this year due to mental health concerns. Some will speculate that she quit because she felt unfairly scored. Others will say a combination of intense pressure, an aching body, and unbelievably difficult routines led to legitimate safety concerns.

I wont pretend to understand what it feels like to be a 24-year-old internationally recognized athlete, often deemed the best in the world, competing on a worldwide stage. However, Biles and I are both type-A personalities. We are our worst critics, and were constantly competing with ourselves. With that in mind, I can only imagine the immense pressure Biles feels and how that affects her mental wellbeing.

But as a new advocate for mental health, Biles is doing an incredibly poor job of addressing one of the worst culprits of womens mental health issues today  abortion.

This week, Biles posted on her Instagram story a request asking for unpopular opinions. One Instagram user replied, abortion is wrong , to which Biles responded with a rant about how she is pro-choice, especially after experiencing the broken foster care system.

Biles first mistake is likening adoption to foster care. She rolls her eyes at the thought of adoption as a beautiful, life-affirming solution to an unexpected pregnancy. As the child of an adopted man, I can personally attest to the tremendous value of adoption. I would not exist without it. On top of that, foster care and adoption are not synonymous.

Foster care is a complicated and often broken system, but the ultimate goal of foster care is to remove children from toxic situations and return them to their families when that situation is rectified. Adoption, on the other hand, is a process in which a child is permanently placed with another family. With adoption, birth mothers have many options, ranging from open to closed adoption. Many adoptive families are even willing to pay for a variety of the mothers expenses during the pregnancy and birth. Does the foster system need to change? Absolutely. But that does not negate the beauty and necessity of adoption.

Biles second mistake is using her position of power and influence to deceive little girls into thinking abortion is okay. Young girls, especially those from minority communities, look up to Biles as a role model. We know the Spiderman quote  With great power comes great responsibility. And Simone Biles is, quite frankly, functioning as an irresponsible role model. Her advocacy for abortion  which intentionally kills an innocent preborn baby and harms mothers  could lead to irreparable harm for countless women and children whom Biles will never come to know.

Abortion has significant consequences, both physically and mentally. It can lead to severe cramping, heavy or persistent bleeding, internal organ damage, loss of fertility, breast cancer, infection, immune system inhibition, and even death. Additionally, there can be emotional and psychological repercussions associated with abortion including grief and regret, isolation, substance abuse, insomnia or nightmares, relationship issues, depression, anxiety, and even suicide.

The abortion industry has also victimized countless minority communities. Abortion kills more Black Americans than any other cause of death, including AIDs, cancer, violent crimes, accidents, and heart disease combined. In fact, Michael Novak, from the American Enterprise Institute, said, Americas black community would now number 41 million persons if not for abortion. That means the Black population would be 35% larger if abortion hadnt killed a significant number of Black babies.

Planned Parenthood was founded on the racist beliefs of known eugenicist Margaret Sanger, who even spoke at KKK events. She sought to purify the American population through birth control for the gradual suppression, elimination, and eventual extinction, of defective stocks  those human weeds which threaten the blooming of the finest flowers of American civilization.

Planned Parenthoods racist legacy even continues today, accepting donations to specifically kill Black babies and opposing legislation that would make race-based abortions illegal. Additionally, almost 80% of Planned Parenthood abortion facilities are placed within walking distance of minority communities.

As Toni McFadden, formerly Students for Life Actions Minority Outreach and Healthy Relationships Director said, The same harm of slavery continues today as another class of people are robbed of their human right to lifethe prebornand it is for them that I fight.

When Biles publicly advocated for abortion due to a challenging experience in the foster care system, she essentially told little girls worldwide that death is better than difficulty. That they need abortion to be independent and successful. That abortion is inconsequential.

As a mental health role model, Simone Biles does a grave injustice to the many women who will suffer and even die after an abortion.

Biles is undeniably a successful victor over a broken foster care system. Instead of justifying the deaths of millions of preborn children, she should be inspiring others to have hope and triumph beyond their circumstances. Biles should champion reform of the foster care system instead of expressing a defeatist attitude because many people will experience some form of suffering in their life. Despite the hardships, life is beautiful and worth living  just as it has been for Biles.

Brooke Paz is the Government Affairs Coordinator with Students for Life Action.

Image: Simone Biles by Agencia Brasil Fotografias. CC BY 2.0.

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It could be the most diabolical disclosure ever made. The lives of billions were wrecked for nothing.

Public health experts have conceded that COVID may be a permanent part of our lives. A pandemic has become endemic. They locked us up, to give the virus nowhere to spread  something never tried before.

We expected to get back our lives before too long. It didnt work out that way. The freedoms of movement and association and revealing the face  all fundaments of civilization  have not been fully returned, unless you live in some select part like the State of Texas or Florida or, who knows, in Timbuktu. We must now learn to live with a mutating virus for as long as we live. Many of the professors who experimented with protocols, who made a prison yard of the globe, have said it.

Yet these lords of lockdown are not contrite. Saying 'sorry' is not in their vocabulary. Collateral damage is not the remit of virologists or epidemiologists or public health officials. Of politicians, we dont even speak, because a politician who stoops to apologize has lost it.

All the devastation, paralysis, and permanent harm to the fabric of society havent tickled one conscience. Indeed the experts take comfort in believing that the experimental protocols gave valuable pointers for handling pandemics down the line. They tested the new protocols on human guinea pigs.

Heed for example South African Professor of virology, Barry Schoub, who effectively said here that eradication of the virus isnt a realistic probability, and containment would appear to be the most realistic vision for the future.

Containment. By means of? Schoub is cagey about when he and his COVID councilors and policymakers might leave the stage and allow the hoi polloi to get on with their lives. He omits bad omens about that when he scapegoats the virus for devastating the world. Of course hed do that, working alongside the most corrupt politicians on earth. A pandemic of mental illness, theyd have you believe, had nothing to do with their try-out interventions. It was the virus. People caught it and lost their minds.

The 19th-century pundit Dorothy Thompson could have warned us.

When liberty is taken away by force, it can be restored by force. When it is relinquished by default it can never be recovered.

The no regrets of COVID czars are more unforgivable because they turned a blind eye to the obvious catastrophe. Laymen like me saw the peril from the word go, yet the experts could not? A medical journal published a comparative study of how different pandemics were handled in different ages. The experts had only to learn lessons from it.

The big one, if not the difference accounting for the socio-economic meltdown, is the new role of unelected health officers.

In previous pandemics, there were no mandated closures: Not of schools, not of business, not of border posts. The reaction to COVID-19 was quite distinct from the leave it be approach in 1968, 1957, or even to some extent 1918. There was no praying to get back to normal because there was never a departure from it.

As a threat to public health, COVID is closer to the 1968 Hong Kong flu or the 1957 Asian flu, never mind the 1918 Spanish flu. According to data from the CDC and elsewhere, an American younger than 40 in 1918 was more than 100 times as likely to die of the Spanish flu than an American younger than 40 in 2020 was to die of COVID-19.

In the Wall Street Journal, the Hoover Institutions Niall Ferguson quotes someones recollection of pandemics in the 1900s.

There was nothing unusual about finding yourself threatened by contagious disease. Mumps, measles, chicken pox, and German measles swept through entire schools and towns; I had all four. We took the Asian flu in our stride.

So governments allowed the people to live with, and through, pandemics. Is it not exactly what the experts now concede: we must be prepared to live with COVID! Israels health minister was clear about it; COVID is here to stay. The government there is taking steps to allow us to live our daily lives with coronavirus in the background. So tell the 580 million (the UNs higher number of desperately poor people from the time lockdowns began): O.K., feel free to get back the lives you lost for an experiment that failed.

Socrates the Greek knew what he was about. In Platos Republic, he didnt want doctors to rule. Philosophers or poets would better govern society. They at least tried to understand politics and society. They also ministered to the human soul. How different from doctors, concerned with the physical body. And Greek philosophers celebrated courage in the face of death. Fear of the grave did not deter Platos Socrates and Homers Achilles from their noble missions. Todays officials and experts are wimps promoting risk-aversion behaviour. Theyve turned fear and hypochondria and cowardice into noble virtues.

They also corrupted science. If science wasnt already subservient to politics pre-COVID, it certainly is now. The same crowd claims the high ground: We follow the science. The Neanderthals who follow their human rights, electing not to get jabbed, are anti-science.

About this divide, we must observe some particularities. First, it is more a political divide than a medical one. The righteous followers of science tend to be progressives while the Neanderthals are liberal and conservative. The vaccination debate reeks with politics. In a debate, candidate Kamala Harris swore never to be jabbed with any vaccine that was associated with President Trump. If that one statement did not make for vaccine skepticism, nothing did.

Pouring fuel on this fire, a political card was played by Pfizer. After promising news of a breakthrough in late October, Pfizer fell silent on the eve of the Presidential election, The announcement came after the Nov. 3 election.

Incoming Joe Biden put his own political stamp on the vaccine issue. He lied on CNN that no one had been vaccinated before he entered the White House. In point of fact Biden had been vaccinated, live on TV, back in December. Not only that; the Biden crowd abused COVID protocols to rig the voting system.

So vaccines were merely the last of other remedies reducing medical science to political gamesmanship. The day after the CDC endorsed mask-wearing, President Trump announced, I wont be doing it personally. From that moment, the mask became a symbol of civic virtue; as a journalist put it, a sort of Black Lives Matter flag that could be hung from ones face. For many it conveyed a tripod of virtues: Im unselfish; Im pro-science; Im anti-Trump.

Fools step in where angels fear to tread. Fool medical scientists have been as oversupplied as the different vaccinations. They pressed those who already had the anti-bodies from catching COVID to get jabbed. That was because they were not sure how long natural immunity would last. Well, what about vaccine immunity: how long does that last? This too hadnt been proved.

But the mixed-up messaging got worse. Anyone who chose not to be vaccinated was derided as a Trump supporter, a deplorable, a white resistor, etc. When the Delta variant led to a new surge of infections, even among the vaccinated, who got the stick? The unvaxxed. They were super-spreaders, as if the over 100 million adults still not fully vaccinated were red-state rubes who packed honky-tonk bars and motorcycle rallies. in the phrasing of essayist Victor Davis Hanson. Yet the reality was quite different.

What was the reality? Two million illegal aliens will, courtesy of Joe Biden, will cross the southern border. Theyll have legal impunity, but not vaccinated immunity. They wont even be tested for COVID. A recent breakout of infections, among the vaccinated, in Princetown, Massachusetts, wasnt due to alt-right Neanderthals. The super-spreader event was the annual gay pride celebration where thousands swarmed clubs, bars, restaurants, and hotels.

To fall back on expert advice is to assume that public health is clean. It isnt. Public health is burdened with platforms and agendas, with party and personal power plays.

Experts got the world into the mess its in. Now theyve got their sights on mandatory vaccination. If they get their way a passport will divide people into first class and second class citizens. The one group will be allowed the rights which, by all the laws of God and man, they were born with. The second-class people will have the rights endowed on them confiscated.

Now heres the thing. The same crowd who want to jab you against your will, insists on a womans right to abortion. Its her body, they assert (Actually being the fetuss body, they are not following the science). Your body, however, they are prepared to violate with jabs.

The bad dont always slouch around in dark clothes and have tattoos. As often as not they wear white coats, and have professor on their business cards.

Steve Apfel is an economist and costing specialist, but most of all a prolific author of fiction and non-fiction. His blog, Balaams curse https://enemiesofzion.wordpress.com/ is followed in more than 15 countries

Image: Pixabay / Pixabay License

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Like most Cuban-Americans, I grew up hearing stories about the Bay of Pigs from April 1961. Back then, a president made a bad call, left a bunch of men on the beach, and the U.S. suffered a humiliating defeat. My fellow Cuban-American Victor Andres Triay wrote a great book about the whole thing.

Afghanistan may well be more deadly than the Bay of Pigs. No one cares anymore about the Bay of Pigs unless you are Cuban or a historian researching the Kennedy presidency. By the way, Soviet leader Khrushchev remembered the incident when he met with President Kennedy in Vienna. In many ways, that little episode on a Cuban beach set the table for Berlin, Laos, Vietnam, the Missile Crisis, and the turbulent 1960s in Latin America. It always happens when the U.S. is weak!

I was also reminded of the Bay of Pigs because of comments in the news, especially the one that Afghans did not fight. Cubans fought back, and so did Afghans now, as General Jack Keane reminded us:

"Since the Afghans have been fighting the ground war in Afghanistan since 2014, and we've been providing air support and intelligence and in other words enablers for them to do that, they have suffered over 50,000 casualties. And in every one of those seven years they have pushed back successfully on the Taliban offensive that's occurred every year, at a cost of themselves," he continued. "What happened this year is the United States said to the Afghan Security Forces and to their government that we are no longer willing to support your efforts. We are pulling away from you."

The reason for the colossal and now deadly failure, he argues, is the sudden absence of U.S. support, particularly air support.

Keane offered, "The Afghans have fought in the past. They are not a strong military by any means and anybody who's been in Afghanistan knows that. But with us enablers what we were able to achieve was a stalemate."

Afghans did not fight? There are 50,000 men dead that prove otherwise. President Biden should apologize for saying that.

At the Bay of Pigs, a couple of U.S. fighter jets would have done the trick. In Afghanistan, a residual force of 2,500 men would have sent the right message.

PS: You can listen to my show (Canto Talk).

Image: Rumlin.

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I recently had an experience that I'm having trouble getting my head around and causing me to wonder if morality is dead. I know it isn't. There are too many acts of kindness stories. Maybe morality is just eroding.

A tenant in a house I rented decided, without my knowledge, that it needed an air-conditioner. So he cut a hole in the walls and installed one. He moved out, and I put the house up for sale, pointing out one of the features: an air-conditioner.

The house didn't sell, so I pulled it from the market and put it up for rent. Upon inspection with a prospective tenant, I found the air conditioner missing and the hole patched with an ugly, unsightly pressboard panel. Turns out the former tenant arranged for a buddy to gain access and remove the air-conditioner.

Now, the law is that an appurtenance can be removed by a tenant only if the removal causes no damage to the property. Meaning once attached...permanently attached.

The former tenant was contacted and rattled on in all directions, essentially claiming unjust enrichment if he left the air-conditioner. Fair enough if, first, the property had been left in original condition. And if, second, I hadn't given the tenant a break on the rent, charging him less than the going rate (for familial reasons not essential here).

The reason I'm having trouble is that I personally would never do that to anyone. So I'm wondering: am I, and probably most of us, unaware of some new morality?

I'm starting to think so. You don't arrest shoplifters and looters anymore? And by what rationale? Those who condone and sanction shoplifting and looting must have had something in mind. Oh, I suppose they would drone on as my tenant did, but what about the part where they are signaling the acceptance of a new society where property rights don't count?

I remember studying various forms of government when I was in the eighth grade. Communism. It was a one-page discourse. I read down and got to the part where no one owns property. I thought, stop right there  no need to read anymore. Same with socialism, which holds that, yes, you get to own property but not the right to use the property. Seems simple enough. Same thing. I remember a few years back asking a young college student to define socialism. He thought and thought, and finally..."no right to vote?"

When we examine the state of various countries in the world, it's pretty clear. Countries that allow ownership of property prosper. Countries that don't allow ownership of property don't prosper.

How easily we morph from a law-abiding society to anarchy. How easily we morph from a property rights country to no property rights. For example, many countries have declared that no one can own a gun. Others in some countries are clamoring for a similar declaration. How easily we morph from property ownership to no property ownership.

I guess the answer to the seeming eroding of morality is that under the new morality, anarchy is good.

Image: Pixabay.

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As Afghanistan falls and tens of thousands of Americans remain trapped in Kabul, the U.S. military is sounding strange.





REPORTER: Do you have the capability to go out and collect Americans?



DEFENSE SECRETARY AUSTIN: We dont have the capability to go out and collect up large numbers of people. pic.twitter.com/VRb26qSYV9  Chad Gilmartin (@ChadGilmartinCA) August 18, 2021

Here's the account from National Review:

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said that the U.S. will continue to evacuate all the Americans "they can" from Afghanistan, although the U.S. is currently unable to "go out and collect large numbers of people" from outside the Kabul airport. "It's obvious we're not close to where we want to be," Austin said at a press conference at the Pentagon. "We're gonna get everyone that we can possibly evacuate evacuated, and I'll do that as long as we possibly can, until the clock runs out, or we run out of capability." Austin admitted that U.S. capabilities to venture outside the airport are already limited, however. "I don't have the capability to go out and extend operations currently into Kabul," explained the defense secretary.

It makes one wonder what they're doing there, then.

This whole thing sounds like the return of the "Five O'Clock Follies," the God-awful press briefings of the Vietnam War era described in books such as Arnaud de Borchgrave's and Robert Moss's The Spike.

Presumably, the military has always been about "leave no man behind." Now that they've gone woke and are no longer focused on victory, the military wokesters seem to have made an exception to the rules, and they're now more concerned with the Aug. 31 deadline than getting every last American to safety. On time and under budget? That sounds really weird coming from the Pentagon. With Americans abandoned to a terrorist regime full of criminal killers, it's almost sinister.

Obviously, the 7,000 troops sent by Joe Biden, pretty much tripling the pre-pullout mission, is not going to be enough. The Pentagon has a $700-billion budget, and the world's most powerful military, and suddenly it's become a can't-do operation when it comes to protecting some 10,000 Americans abandoned in a foreign hellhole overrun by barbarians.

And whose job is it to ask for more troops and cash if the number sent isn't enough to get the mission done? Whose job is to ask for an extension, loudly and publicly if need be? Is there a plan at all? Austin and Gen. Mark Milley make noises on the podium about wanting to get every American out, but like harried customer service reps or city planning officials confronting angry neighbors, or hush-puppied flak-catchers confronting Tiki canes, they're making no promises at all.

It's the classic bureaucratic "there's nothing we can do" and telling Americans in peril that they're on their own. It's unprecedented. And you can bet that the Taliban is noticing and making plans accordingly.

It's also consistent with the crap that's already been spewed by the White House when spokesweasel Jen Psaki refused to answer a reporter's question as to what to do about Americans who can't get to the airport by Aug. 31. She effectively said by implication that any American who can't get to the airport is on his own.

It's consistent with the message that trapped U.S. citizens got from the State Department, too.

BIDEN ADMIN: To American Citizens,

Thank you for registering your request to be evacuated from Afghanistan



Please make your way to Hamid Karzai International Airport at this time



PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT THE US GOVERNMENT CANNOT GUARANTEE YOUR SECURITY AS YOU MAKE THIS TRIP  Drew Hernandez (@DrewHLive) August 17, 2021

Now, for perspective, here's an ABC News screen shot of what the entry to the Kabul airport looks like as desperate people try to get in:

The latest reports say military-aged young men who couldn't pass U.S. vetting, often the criminals, have pushed their way in to get rides out, while helpless women with babies and families pushing old people in wheelchairs are left on the outside. Some women are throwing babies over the side to try to save them. The Taliban itself is going around with whips and beating the women and babies, as well as looking for U.S. collaborators. Should anyone have to push through this? See the Daily Mail pictures here.

The Mail also reports that traffic to the airport is so humongous on both sides that it can be seen from space. Again, it appears to be an impossible situation to get into the airport, particularly for an American, who's going to stick out in this crowd and be a target for the Taliban. Seriously, the military can't offer any help on that front, despite being in-country and reportedly having the Taliban's assurances of safe passage for all Americans? It doesn't sound as though this is going well.

And worse still, despite Joe Biden's thunder about retribution on the Taliban if they harm the repatriation effort, they've got no will to fight.

The British are willing to fight, and going around the city picking up expats, as well as allies and collaborators. They may be picking up Americans, too. But no such luck from the Americans, who tell their own citizens, after a monstrously botched pullout, that they're now on their own.

Image: Video screen shot from ABC News via YouTube.

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A few days ago, on Aug. 14, I wrote about CNN's sudden about-face on Joe Biden's performance in Afghanistan.

It was a shocking, stunning change; it wasn't half-hearted stuff. The Trump-hating news site ran a devastating  and insightful  analysis pinning the blame for the Afghanistan fiasco squarely on Joe Biden. Prior to that, the network had carried water for him, skewed the news, and engaged in sycophancy, to the point of ending up a target of James O'Keefe.

Now it's The Atlantic's turn.

Just this morning they ran three bam, bam, bam commentaries that also pinned the blame for the fiasco squarely where it belonged  not on President Trump, but on wretched Joe Biden.

They're all satisfactory reading, the first piece, somewhat liberal, by Russell Berman called:

The Deadly Cost of Biden's Delay Why was the administration so slow to evacuate U.S. allies in Afghanistan trying to flee the Taliban?

Which went into the string of mistakes, miscalculations, idiocies, and consequences of the unfolding Afghanistan fiasco. Biden, the piece said, was not only stupid and incompetent, but he was also politically motivated, and callous to boot.

The second, by Graeme Wood, was even more brutal:

This Is Not the Taliban 2.0 The group's claims of having changed are probably more reassuring to those unfamiliar with its history.

This one argued that the Taliban had never changed its stripes, and its tyranny was monstrous. Joe Biden was a patsy for believing them in negotiations, and like a total idiot, he still believed them. It's a hell of a takedown.

The third, by Peter Wehner, is the most hard-hitting of all:

Biden's Long Trail of Betrayals Why is the president so consistently wrong on major foreign-policy matters?

It gives a line-by-line bullet-point description of every last foreign policy blunder that Biden has been involved with, revealing a shockingly long list. And it's insightful:

What the Biden foreign-policy record shows, I think, is a man who behaves as if he knows much more than he does, who has far too much confidence in his own judgment in the face of contrary advice from experts. (My hunch is he's overcompensating for an intellectual inferiority complex, which has manifested itself in his history of plagiarism, lying about his academic achievements, and other embellishments.) On national-security matters, President Biden lacks some of the most important qualities needed in those who govern  discernment, wisdom, and prudence; the ability to anticipate unfolding events; the capacity to make the right decision based on incomplete information; and the willingness to adjust one's analysis in light of changing circumstances. To put it in simple terms, Joe Biden has bad judgment.

It's also spot-on, revealing the hollowness of the man.

The Atlantic up until now has been a big water-carrier for leftist causes, really bad ones, and suddenly it's gotten readable.

It's not the only one, either. ABC News has some sharp questioners in the press pool for the Defense Department's Five O'Clock Follies. NBC News has the impressive correspondent Richard Engel, whose knowledge of what's going on is not papered over at all. Even the New York Times and MSNBC have turned on Biden. It's almost as if some talking points have gone out, and the press is turning on a dime. The Mandate of Heaven Is Fallen?

But even as that seems to be the broader picture, CNN and the Atlantic stand out. Perhaps that's because these two have lost more money than the others, The Atlantic reportedly losing $10 million. Perhaps someone noticed that lies don't sell, so now they're deciding to report the hard truths.

Whatever it may be, it's noteworthy that the press has fallen away from Biden's side. They're not sounding like court eunuchs asking ice cream questions anymore. And Biden is beginning to run away from them. All that seems really obvious is that Biden no longer has the press doing his bidding. What that portends as the Afghan disaster unfolds is anyone's guess.

Image: Screen shot from ABC News video via shareable YouTube.

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Ole Joe says it's Trump's fault. Chuck Todd tells viewers that the debacle would have been worse under Trump. French president Emmanuel Macron talks about needing a "robust" response to the coming Afghan migration into Europe whatever that word, "robust," means. General David Petraeus describes the fall of Kabul as catastrophic. You think? Then there's that picture of a weary-looking George W. Bush. Poor George; he seems to regret that things have turned out this way.

These astonished elites should start doing Mike Lindellstyle commercials for the world's most comfortable armchairs as they are ensconced watching and commenting 'neath furrowed brow on Afghanistan going to hell in a handbasket. A million people lost here; a million people lost there. A human tragedy too big to comprehend? No problem. Chuck Todd can tell us about how world population growth is going to lead to an even more catastrophic global warming disaster anyway.

Buck up! History shows us there is always an upside to this kind of catastrophe. For example, Chairman Mao built Communist China's military-nuclear-industrial complex by exporting practically all of China's agricultural products to pay for it; thus, around fifty million Chinese people starved to death. But, hey, look at China now, going great  guns and all those wonderful iPhones  so it must have been worth it. Just imagine what kind of great phones we'll have once Xi Jinping fills the Afghanistan void and beyond and gets permanent hold of the Middle East.

My wife asked my grandson, who is a high school sophomore, about his classes. He said he wished he'd gone ahead and gotten world geography out of the way because everyone says it is "super boring." The results of a street corner poll of where Kabul is located probably doesn't point to anything optimistic.

In the grand scheme of world haphazardness, my guess is that nobody inside or outside the elites sincerely cares or knows much of anything about Kabul or Afghanistan. Such places are just bothersome, distant hot spots to be exploited for power, kind of like blighted inner-city neighborhoods around Chicago.

Years back, speaker of the House Tip O'Neil told us that all politics is local. I'm sure that's what those abandoned Afghans are thinking just before that machete makes contact. From the global messianic elite point of view, Afghanistan and places like it are merely backwater neighborhoods suffering from "ignorance deserts." Think of Biden and his elite ilk as the Lori Lightfoots for world peace.

Spruce Fontaine is an artist and retired college art instructor.

Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0.

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Having created one crisis after another  e.g., a broken economy; a broken border; a broken energy supply; and, now, a broken Afghanistan  you'd think Biden would at least step up and lead us into some brave new Progressive future. That, though, is not how Biden rolls. Instead, he's either played the blame game, hidden at Camp David or in Delaware, attacked Republican governors, dismissed as bagatelles the horrors in Afghanistan, and generally been weirdly disconnected.

I've already commented on Biden's dreadful statement on Monday, during which he created a straw man by contending that the main issue was whether withdrawing from Afghanistan was the right thing to do. Because few disagree with the decision to withdraw, the real issue was and is the utterly appalling mess the administration, whether in the White House, the Pentagon, or the State Department, made of the withdrawal.

However, Biden having presented his straw man knew where the fault lay: with Trump. It was Trump's fault that Biden, who has systematically reversed everything Trump did, was forced to fall in with Trump's planned withdrawal from Afghanistan. But having done so, he bravely took responsibility for that unremarkable decision.

As for the real issue  the debacle  Biden knew where responsibility for that one lay as well: the Afghans. It was all their fault, he said, that when the Americans slipped away overnight, the Taliban were able to roll through Afghanistan, enriching themselves with American weapons, vehicles, and planes along the way. After making that speech, Biden practically ran out of the room and headed back to Camp David.

If you thought that speech was as low as it was possible for an American president to go, you underestimated Biden. On Wednesday, Biden sat for an interview with George Stephanopoulos and insisted that the Afghanistan debacle was "old news" and couldn't have been avoided in any event:

President Joe Biden angrily defended his handling of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, saying on Wednesday that chaos was unavoidable and snapping when asked about horrific images of Afghans falling from planes. 'That was four days ago, five days ago,' he said, even though the images of people falling to their deaths emerged on Monday. [snip] And in a second excerpt shared ahead of the chat, Biden also insisted he'd been told by his intelligence officials that Kabul would likely avoid falling to the Taliban until the end of 2021  instead of the mere days it took. 'There was no consensus if you go back and look at intelligence reports,' the president said when asked if there had been intelligence failings. 'They said that it's more likely to be some time by the end of the year.'

Did you hear an echo of Hillary's "what difference, at this point, does it make?" when Biden said the collapse is old news?

Tom Cotton was incandescent over the claim that the chaos was inevitable:

No way to avoid this chaos? That's a bald-faced lie.



Joe Biden is as dishonest as he is impotent. https://t.co/cCkOs0n8Kb  Tom Cotton (@TomCottonAR) August 18, 2021

Biden also insisted that he'd get all Americans out...except he really meant only those the administration could get out by August 31. As for the others, "we'll determine at the time who's left," whatever that means. Currently, the State Department has made it clear that Americans are on their own getting to the airport, and Central Command refuses to allow troops to leave the airport to help them. No mention was made of the fact that the Biden administration deleted a comprehensive Trump-era plan for getting Americans home from emergency situations.

Also on Wednesday, Biden gave a speech  except it wasn't about Afghanistan, which is the most important issue for most people. Instead, it was about Republican governors who refuse to get with the COVID program. He was especially enraged that these governors are "banning masks in school." That is a complete lie. In Texas, Florida, and South Carolina, they've banned forced mask mandates. Those who wish to wear masks are free to do so. But Biden's going to use the power of the federal government to crack down on those states.

The real issue is that creating a sense of crisis about COVID is how the Democrats are consolidating their power. As long as people are kept in a perpetual state of fear, they will freely hand their liberty to the government.

It's not just that the speech was false and inappropriate. Look at Joe's affect. This is not a well man:

Biden is a zombie. pic.twitter.com/HenXVOlR84  Heather Champion (@winningatmylife) August 18, 2021

Having had his say and told his lies, Biden followed his instructions and vanished without taking questions:

Biden's teleprompter told him to "LEAVE NOW" when his speech was concluded pic.twitter.com/dVr63biN04  Zeno Calhoun (@zenoc_oshits) August 17, 2021

The whole grim situation was best summed up in the comment someone named "BooggieMan" left on a Facebook page: "This entire 'presidency' is like being tied to a chair and watching a toddler play with a loaded pistol."

Image: Biden dismissing events in Afghanistan as old news. Twitter screen grab.

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Thank goodness, America has finally hit bottom. In the fast downward spiral that is the last seven months, terrified citizens simply wait for the inevitable bad ending to end it all. The Executive Branch, as a collective, gripped the levers of societal destruction with such glee that no amount of public pressure can uncurl their vise on the ruinous. As examples:

Military humiliation in Afghanistan, complete with beheadings and soon-to-come atrocities too grisly to contemplate. The answer from the federal Executive Branch responsible for this? Ask the Taliban not to attack us while we are fleeing.

Unvetted and medically untested persons from all over the world invading our southern border. Lethal drugs by the tons pouring into the country thanks to criminal drug cartels. The answer by the federal Executive Branch responsible for this? Nothing.

Energy dependence when American energy independence, including clean natural gas, was finally achieved. The answer by the federal Executive Branch responsible for this? End American energy innovation, and ask that oil-producing nations, including those hostile to the United States, sell us more fossil fuel.

Has America gone insane? Have the illegal drugs reached the brains of the highest levels of federal authority? If the above does not inspire "an appeal to heaven," perhaps observing sociopaths roaming the streets randomly killing law officers and children will so inspire. Perhaps burning and looting buildings, businesses, and police precincts as justified will so inspire. Perhaps watching the latest video from Hunter Biden's laptop, complete with prostitute, discussing Russia's ability to blackmail the president of the United States will so inspire.

Or perhaps...if these seem normal and worthy, what may inspire us to pray for our country is the latest recommendations from the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine. Physicians of the Academy feel strongly that we should refer to breastfeeding as "chestfeeding." After all, "not all people who give birth and lactate identify as female."

Huh? The organ in female mammals that contains milk-producing glands  mamma  should now be referred to as the "mammasandthepappas"? The organ in male mammals that contains spermatozoa  testis  should now be referred to as "testhizandhirs"? If one affirms being neither female nor male but has a child and chestfeeds that child, would the child be a "h/hit"?

There is no lower rung. Perhaps everyone is just kidding, and we have all fallen for it. In 1692, a young girl fell ill in Salem, Massachusetts. A doctor found nothing physically wrong, so he decided that the child must be bewitched. Over a year later, with many hanged, imprisoned, and otherwise ruined, the mass hysteria stopped. Was the girl, and were the other girls who followed, just playing?

In 1978, Jim Jones led his religious flock to Jonestown, Guyana to form a utopia of racial harmony. After films of paradise were released and people came, there turned out to be no harmony or food  just jungle, disease, and finally mass suicide. It was later discovered that Jones looked to George Orwell's 1984 for his mind control techniques. One thousand people drank or were forced to drink the Kool-Aid.

So here we are again. In addition to the mental derangement called "wokeness," we are mesmerized by her twin sister Postmodernist Theory. This theory asserts that there is no meaning in anything. Reason is just a social construct. There are no fundamental principles; there is no knowledge, no biology; the only truth is that there is no truth. Postmodernism subverts everything in its path to open the door to something else that, in turn, has no meaning  two tight clamps on perfectly healthy minds that, when visited on large numbers of Americans, bruise our national soul and moral core.

It is hard for human beings to admit to being duped so easily. Again? Perhaps.

We can turn to philosophy for help. The American social order, including our governance structures, is based on rationalism, empiricism, and faith. The Founders put great emphasis on an individual human being's ability to draw logical conclusions from observable fact. Our state and federal constitutions and their interpretations require the highly developed reasoning skills of the rational mind.

The wisdom societies are looking for also comes from accumulated human experience. This is the empirical  knowledge from experience. It is housed in our Common Law, those legal decisions going back to the earliest English and colonial courts that guide statute-making in light of human inclination. Human nature has not changed over the centuries, no matter how many other societal and scientific "advancements" have been made.

Faith takes us beyond the reach of reason, though compatible with it according to St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274), and guides our Moral Law. St. Bonaventure (1217-1274) asserts that faith assists us in asking the right questions.

So what is the right question in this 2021 era of wokeness and postmodernism that has negated our social order, our rule of law, our common sense, and our personal sense of decency? Perhaps we are left with  how do we save the tatas?

M.E. Boyd's Apples of Gold  Voices From the Past that Speak to Us Now is available at Amazon.com using the title and subtitle.

Image: Mother and child by mcmurryjulie. Pixabay license.

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The first thing the Taliban did even before they had finished chasing U.S. troops out of Afghanistan was to confiscate privately owned guns. Because "because people no longer need them for personal protection," they said.

That's the first thing all despots do. It tends to reduce political opposition. Interestingly, it's what President Joe Biden and his Democrat cohorts say is needed in the U.S. as well.

The next thing the Taliban did was search for people who had "worked with" the Americans over the last 20 years. What do you think is in store for those folks? Particularly the ones who no longer have guns.

When world opinion unanimously feared out loud for the fate of Afghanis who were unable to hitch a ride out of town on a U.S. airplane, the Taliban graciously negotiated a way to let people flee for their lives at the airports. Sounds almost considerate, no?

Could the Taliban be achieving something other than just a P.R. coup of feigned benevolence? If the Taliban wants to identify U.S.-friendly, Taliban-hating Afghanis, what better way than see who fills the roads leading to the airport?

What do you think the odds are of dozens of checkpoints being set up to stop and question  and then arrest and torture and kill  those people trying to get to the airport? Who would risk going to the airport? Might as well hang a sandwich board on their shoulders to advertise whose side they aren't on.

How many on those roads do you really think the Taliban will allow to pass? Half? One out of 10? How many would be consistent with their bloodthirsty reputation? One out of 100,000? Who could possibly know, considering that freedom of the press has no doubt taken a massive step backward in the landlocked Asian crossroads?

What do you think the odds are of mass beheadings and gang rapes and forced marriages? Just asking. What are the odds we will ever know the body count, considering that the U.S. news contingent is pleading with the White House to get them out of Afghanistan where, they've been abandoned like so many others? Maybe the Taliban-controlled Afghan news coverage will inform us. Yes, that was sarcasm.

How many of those lives are on Joe Biden?

Why weren't female activists helped to get out months ago? No Afghans are more at risk then they. Why during Biden's seven months in office did the U.S. military not provide protection and assist in the exit of thousands who now face all but certain oppression, if not death?

Biden's moral compass apparently tells him it is compassionate to encourage a million illegal aliens to break the law and flood across America's southern border, unscreened for COVID, to burden taxpayers with huge costs for welfare, health care, and housing. But apparently his compassion doesn't extend even to planning in advance to protect countless Afghanis who risked their lives once by welcoming and cooperating for 20 years with U.S. troops, and now face very likely torturous deaths.

Well, at least "nice guy" Biden, who promised to return "competency" to government, doesn't send mean tweets.

Biden's competency took another hit this week after he begged OPEC to increase oil production, which is badly needed amid soaring gas prices thanks to his crippling of U.S. energy production. OPEC refused, apparently unpersuaded by Biden's argument from a position of weakness. Go figure.

How long before another huge Biden failure? Maybe not long.

Is anyone taking bets on how many weeks until the Chinese communists overwhelm Taiwan?

Chinese state media are predicting that once war breaks out with Taiwan, the U.S. will abandon its ally of 70-plus years. What could possibly give them such an idea?

Who knows? At this rate, the incompetent in the White House might just resort to some mean tweets. Or maybe he'll just take another vacation.

Mark Landsbaum is a Christian retired journalist, former investigative reporter, editorial writer, and columnist. He also is a husband, father, grandfather, and Dodgers fan. He can be reached at mark.landsbaum@gmail.com.

Image: National Archives.

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There will be serious consequences from our defeat in Afghanistan

If you tell a lie, it must be plausible; otherwise, you destroy your credibility with all but the most ideologically committed. The president and the members of his administration are either unaware of this or so confident in their power that their credibility means nothing to them. The Biden administration is involved in a historical disaster. It is better to remain silent than to spout an impossible story.

General Mark Milley claims, "There was nothing that I or anyone else saw that indicated a collapse in 11 days." This is undoubtedly a true statement from the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. However, did anyone indicate a collapse in 10 days or 12 days? It did not require a multi-billion-dollar intelligence agency to predict the fall of Afghanistan. From May 1 to June 29, the Taliban more than doubled the number of district centers it controlled. Their momentum was building, and considering the speed and ease of their advance, it was not unreasonable to believe they would be in Kabul by early August.

Perhaps Milley was being advised by Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf, popularly known as Baghdad Bob.

Intelligence reports are frequently used to back up a position and do not necessarily conform to reality. Perhaps he was distracted by his investigation of his own navel. That's navel, not naval. Did the intelligence gurus know that the Afghan army frequently surrendered without a fight? Did they know that the army was frequently not paid or supplied with ammunition? Reporting these facts might have exposed a level of corruption that was inexcusable. Afghan president Ashraf Ghani reportedly fled the country with $169 million.

A Taliban victory may not be as bad as people anticipate. CNN reports that "They're just chanting 'Death to America' but they seem friendly at the same time." This is all part of the Taliban charm offensive that will last at least as long as the U.S. remains at the airport. They have made it clear that they will be governed by sharia law. Sharia law imposes stoning as a punishment for certain crimes. Homosexuals will be sentenced to death as ruled by a Taliban judge last month. There may in fact be moderate Taliban. A party can contain both a Liz Cheney and a Marjorie Taylor Greene. The problem with the Taliban is that the extremists will dominate. The State Department has reports of the Taliban executing surrendering troops. A YouTube video shows 22 Afghan commandos massacred after surrendering.

This defeat will have global consequences. True or not, the U.S. will be perceived as a paper tiger. This will embolden opponents all over the world. Secretary Lloyd Austin and Gen. Milley held a press conference. Does anyone have confidence in the truth of what they said? They do not have a good record. Will our intelligence agencies be able to recruit sources? Who would want to work for the U.S. in any capacity? There will be continuing concerns with Afghanistan. An I.G. report claims that "the Taliban continued to maintain its relationship with al Qaida, providing safe haven for the terrorist group in Afghanistan."

John Dietrich is a freelance writer and the author of The Morgenthau Plan: Soviet Influence on American Postwar Policy (Algora Publishing). He has a Master of Arts degree in international relations from St. Mary's University. He is retired from the Defense Intelligence Agency and the Department of Homeland Security. He is featured on the BBC's program "Things We Forgot to Remember:" Morgenthau Plan and Post-War Germany.

Image: Twitter screen shot.

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At the end of March 2020, when COVID-19 was gripping the country, then-president Trump had the USNS Comfort retrofitted and sent to New York's harbor. With an approximate crew of 1,200 trained personnel and 1,000 beds, the ship's mission was to serve non-COVID-affected patients in order that New York's hospitals could administer to the more critical needs of the COVID-afflicted.

Although the remodeling was expected to take at least four weeks, it was completed in four days as a full-service hospital, replete with its own helicopter pad.

When regular patients didn't arrive about ten days after pulling into New York City, the ship was retrofitted once again to cordon off an area to treat COVID-19 patients. Still, not many patients showed up.

At the same time, an engineering feat occurred, when the cavernous Javits Center was deftly converted from a convention showroom space to a sophisticated hospital, complete with an intricate oxygen system servicing each bed. Here, only COVID-19 patients would be treated.

Governor Cuomo, incomprehensibly, opted not to utilize either facility. The USNS Comfort left New York a month after its arrival. Of its 1,000 beds, fewer than 200 were used. Similarly, the Javits Center, with a capacity of 2,500 beds, was shut down for lack of use.

Meanwhile, New York's hospitals were jammed with COVID patients. Since the specially reconfigured facilities were not utilized, the hospitals were vastly overcrowded. So Governor Cuomo, with an obvious intellectual

deficit, as well as lacking empathy and critical thinking skills, sent COVID patients willy-nilly to nursing facilities, where patients were elderly and disabled. Thus, Cuomo introduced COVID deliberately into a vulnerable population previously not affected or minimally so by COVID. The ensuing COVID infection and mortality rates were predictable. While Cuomo obfuscated the numbers, it is believed that approximately 15,000 people died at nursing homes in New York. The true number will probably never be ascertained, as Cuomo counted only deaths occurring at the nursing facilities while eliminating deaths that occurred when the patient was transferred from nursing home to hospital.

Fox Cable News's well-known weather reporter, Janice Dean, publicized the inanity and inhumanity of Cuomo's ill-advised policy  a policy that led to her in-laws' deaths.

But for all the negative commentary, and investigative negative results, Cuomo emerged from the scandal unmoved. "Who cares?" he defiantly bellowed. "Hospital...nursing home. They died."

The Democrats dared not react to Cuomo's rank callousness. How could they? Democrat governors in Pennsylvania, Illinois, Wisconsin, and New Jersey also sent COVID patients to nursing homes, where infections spread and deaths multiplied. Those deaths exceeded over 30% of all COVID deaths. Democrat governors who facilitated these deaths avoided consequences.

Yes, California's Governor Newsom is facing a recall election, but not for his handling of COVID. Newsom is being recalled for facilitating illegal immigration and weakening the criminal justice system. Michigan's Governor Whitmer has been loudly criticized for her draconian COVID shutdown rules and her hypocritically blatant violation of the tight rules she foisted on her constituents. But she is still in office. Governors Pritzker of Illinois and Wolf of Pennsylvania have rotten nursing home facility death rates but have remained relatively untouched by the gruesome numbers.

Now Governor Cuomo has resigned to avoid impeachment proceedings that he would have assuredly lost. Infuriatingly, he has even had the chutzpah to apply for his pension.

But Cuomo hasn't been hounded from office for killing multiple grannies. Instead, it was his gropings and multiple sexual improprieties while in office that caused his demise. The #MeToo warriors successfully attacked, forcing the death of one of the most powerful political dynasties in America today.

While neither crime is justifiable, one can't help but think murder should have been sufficient to end Cuomo's political life.

Image: Pat Arnow via Flickr.

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Biden closed Bagram Air Base on July 5, opening the way for the Taliban to take over Afghanistan.

The Taliban respect American airpower. They know all too well that a U.S. aircraft killed Qassem Soleimani, the "Shadow Commander" of Iranian forces in the Middle East, and also precipitated the fall of ISIS by decapitating its leadership. U.S. airpower in Afghanistan is projected from Bagram Air Base, located 40 miles north of Kabul. President Donald Trump had been using this strategic American asset as leverage during his negotiations with the Taliban.

Joe Biden did the opposite. He precipitously closed Bagram Air Base in the dead of night on July 5 and withdrew all U.S. forces, not even bothering to inform the Afghans that the U.S. was leaving. And of course, with Bagram and its deadly air power gone, the Taliban immediately began their offensive, taking over most of the country and causing the disaster we see today.

America must know who ordered the closing of Bagram Air Base, who supported the closing, and who signed off on the closing. They are responsible for untold deaths, destruction, and human misery in Afghanistan.

Image: SSgt Ricky A. Bloom, Picryl.

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The Google Pixel 6 will be made / manufactured in China after all, and COVID-19 is the reason, it seems. For those of you who dont know, the Pixel 6 series was supposed to be made in Vietnam, but that wont happen, based on a new report.

The Google Pixel 6 series will be made in China because of COVID-19, it seems

According to a report by Nikkei, COVID-19 in Asia are making it difficult for Google to move the production to Vietnam. Various new restrictions are taking place, which complicates things.

The Google Pixel 5 has seen similar problems last year. That device was also supposed to be made in Vietnam, but ended up being assembled in China. Why? Well, due to travel restrictions and limited engineering resources.

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It seems like Google will have to wait until 2022 in order to move the production of its phones to Vietnam, at the very least. Its not excluded that existing restrictions will be in effect next year as well.

The course of the pandemic is impossible to predict, at least not accurately. Weve been dealing with it for quite some time now, and even though many people got vaccinated, things are still not where they should be. COVID-19 is still a global issue, though hopefully not for long.

Google already announced both devices, well, kind of

The Google Pixel 6 and 6 Pro have already been announced, kind of. Google confirmed that the two phones are coming, while it also shared official renders, and some additional information about the two phones.

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That was not exactly a full-fledged announcement, though. Both phones will be properly announced this fall, confirmed the company. Those two devices will be premium offerings, with flagship-grade specs.

Both phones will be fueled by Googles first SoC, the Tensor. Theyll also arrive with new camera sensors, and the main one will be especially interesting. A rather interesting design will be implemented as well. You can read our Pixel 6 and 6 Pro previews if youd like to know more.
Samsung is launching a new feature for Samsung Pay called SMART Health Cards, which lets you store your COVID-19 vaccination cards within the app.

The feature is a collaboration between Samsung and CommonHealth. A company which helps people digitize their health data in case they ever need more readily accessible versions of it. More and more places and venues are requiring people to verify that theyve been vaccinated prior to being allowed entry.

So Samsung is making that process as easy as possible for users. The new feature does have a couple of caveats though. Most notably, the use of it is limited to Galaxy smartphones. Since it relies on the Samsung Pay app. But there are also a few steps to take before you can whip out your mobile device and verify your vaccination status.

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The Samsung Pay SMART Health Cards feature requires the CommonHealth app

Before you can use Samsung Pay for verification, youll need the CommonHealth app installed as well. As youll need to link the two accounts for data to be shared.

Youll also be using the CommonHealth app to do the actual digitizing of the COVID-19 vaccination card. The only role Samsung Pay really plays is storing that data inside of it so you can access it. Samsung Pay already lets you access most of your other cards in one easy to use location. Including your credit and debit cards, loyalty cards, rewards cards and more.

Once you have the CommonHealth app installed, finishing things up shouldnt take more than a few minutes. You simply follow the instructions within the app to access your vaccine information and once its digitized, you link the app to Samsung pay.

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There should be a button in the CommonHealth app specifically for linking the two accounts. You then open the Samsung Pay app and click on a dedicated COVID-19 vaccine pass if you ever need it for verification.

Samsung says this feature is rolling out to users over the next two weeks. So not everyone will have it right away. This is also a feature that is currently only available in the US.
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(ANSA) - VARESE, AUG 19 - An undocumented man attacked Italian police near the border with Switzerland with a knife on Thursday and was shot, suffering a severe wound to the abdomen, local sources said.

The man, who looked around 35, was shot at Lavena Ponte Tresa in the province of Varese north of Milan.

The man first attacked one policeman who fell to the ground in the scuffle, trying to grab the knife, and then another officer, who responded by shooting him.

The man was 'coptered to a Varese hospital in serious condition.

(ANSA).


(ANSA) - ROME, AUG 19 - Italy will bring back some 400 more Afghans threatened with Taliban reprisals from Afghanistan Thursday as an airlift from Kabul steps up pace.

Some 20 Afghan former assistants to Italy's 20-year mission in the Asian country were airlifted out Monday and a further 200 followed on Tuesday and Wednesday.

An Italian air force C130 left Kabul Thursday morning with 99 Afghan citizens aboard.

Another C130 had left during the night carrying 95 Afghans.

All of them will transfer to KC767s in Kuwait to be flown t Rome.

Meanwhile in Kabul Taliban checkpoints are stopping Afghans from reaching the airport.

US soldiers control the airport but all the roads leading to it are under the control of the Islamist militants.

Twelve people have died since Sunday at the airport.

Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio conferred on the phone with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken overnight and reiterated the importance of acting with the utmost unity, prioritising respect and safeguards for human rights.

The officials agreed that the US and Italy will work closely on the evacuation of Afghans and may set up joint flights. (ANSA).


NAPLES - One of Italy's most dangerous mafia fugitives, top Camorra narco trafficker Raffaele Imperiale, was arrested in Dubai in the UAE on August 4, sources said Thursday.



He has long been considered one of the leaders in international drug trafficking and money laundering.



The arrested occurred as part of an investigation coordinated by the Naples prosecutor's office.



Imperiale, 46, on the run since 2016, has reportedly been living a lavish life in the UAE capital.



Imperiale had an older brother who died in 1996 and left him a coffeeshop in Amsterdam from where he began his criminal career.



In his coffeeshop Imperiale sold soft drugs and was reportedly involved in large-scale cocaine trafficking with the Dutch drug trader Rick van de Bunt.



In the 1990s he was introduced by Antonio Orefice, a member of the Neapolitan mafia's Moccia clan, to Elio Amato, brother of Raffaele Amato, at the time one of the top drug traffickers of the Di Lauro clan. Imperiale began to earn millions of euros, becoming the pointman of the Di Lauro organization that dealt directly with the drug trafficking cartels in Peru, Ecuador and Colombia.



According to Italian authorities, Imperiale was living high on the hog in Dubai and spending 400,000 a month to maintain his lavish lifestyle.



In 2016, two Van Gogh paintings stolen from the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam in 2002 were recovered in a villa in Castellammare di Stabia, his hometown near Naples, owned by him.



DEA documents sent to Dutch police exposed an alleged super drug cartel headed by Imperiale, Ridouan Taghi (former Dutch most wanted criminal, now in jail), Daniel Kinahan (Irish reputed gang boss) and Edin Gacanin (Bosnian drug trafficker).



The group was observed by the DEA having meetings in the Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai, the base of the alleged cartel in 2017. The DEA regards this as one of the world's fifty largest drug cartels, with a virtually monopoly on Peruvian cocaine and controlling around a third of the cocaine trade in Europe.
VALLETTA - In Malta, the tycoon Yorgen Fenech was on Wednesday indicted on charges of being the one to order the murder of as well as the organizer of the plot to kill the journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, who was killed by a bomb placed under her vehicle on October 16, 2017.



The prosecutor has requested a life sentence for premeditated murder and another 30 years for criminal association.



The trial will have to be held within the next 30 months.
Booster coronavirus jabs will be needed for some people but more evidence is required before any decision is made on a wider rollout of third doses, an expert advising the Government has said.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is meeting on Thursday to discuss a potential booster campaign and people who might really need another jab.

Committee member Professor Adam Finn said a decision is imminent that those who are very unlikely to be well protected by those first two doses will need a third one.

(PA Graphics)

His comments on a wider rollout were echoed by another Government adviser, Professor Peter Openshaw, who said further evidence is needed on any benefits booster jabs might bring.

Prof Openshaw, a member of the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (Nervtag) which advises the Government, also said high case numbers and deaths are very worrying and warned that we just dont really know whats going to happen as winter approaches.

A further 111 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Wednesday, the Government said, while there were a further 33,904 lab-confirmed cases in the UK.

Asked about the figures, Prof Openshaw told Times Radio: I think its very worrying. This is a very large number. If you think, 34,000 people, thats a lot of people testing positive, and to be seeing over 100 deaths a day at this stage, you know before schools have gone back, while the weather is still relatively good, were not back into winter yet.

I think were all really anxious about whats going to happen once we return to normality.

He added: Were going into the winter with really very high levels of infection out there in the community and we just dont really know whats going to happen.

Prof Openshaw said he believes the Government would be loath to bring back restrictions for winter, and said the issue is one of increasing political polarisation, after scenes in Parliament showed a clear divide in opposition MPs wearing masks and most Conservatives not doing so.

The number of people testing positive for Covid-19 in England has risen, after a two-week period which had seen figures fall.

(PA Graphics)

The latest Test and Trace statistics showed 190,508 people tested positive for Covid-19 at least once in the week to August 11, up 6% on the previous week.

It comes as preliminary research suggests two doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine appears to have greater effectiveness initially against new Covid-19 infections associated with the Delta variant when compared with the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab, but its efficacy also declines faster.

Prof Finn, who is a professor of paediatrics at the University of Bristol, said the main takeaway from the study, by scientists from the University of Oxford, is that protection from vaccines is excellent but that their success in stopping transmission is not as good as they had wished.

He told BBC Breakfast: At this point I think the main message is that the direct protective effects of these vaccines is excellent, i.e. if you get the vaccination youre in a much better place in terms of getting sick.

(PA Graphics)

But the ability of the programme to actually stop the virus from circulating around in the population is less good than wed hoped.

Prof Finn urged people to ensure they take up their offer of a first and second dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, but said it is not clear whether a booster jab for all people over a certain age would make very much difference.

He said the JCVI will be meeting on Thursday morning, telling the programme: I think at this point we need to focus on individuals who are more likely, if you like, to get sick again if theyve not got a booster.

Prof Finn told BBC Radio 4s Today programme there is enough evidence and the committee will be imminently deciding that there will be some people who will need a third dose, particularly people who we know are very unlikely to be well protected by those first two doses.

(PA Graphics)

He added: But I think we do need more evidence before we can make a firm decision on a much broader booster programme.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid has previously said preparations for the booster campaign were ongoing and that it could begin in early September, but ministers were awaiting guidance from the clinical experts.

Prof Finn said it is hard to predict whether the general rollout of first and second doses will be extended to 12 to 15-year-olds, saying that because children rarely become seriously ill with the virus it could be a very marginal decision that they will benefit by being immunised.

As for vaccinating children to protect the more vulnerable, such as grandparents, he said it is a tricky one to decide as it is a much more comfortable and clear cut approach to immunise people where they themselves benefit.

Meanwhile, the latest data on the NHS Covid-19 app in England and Wales showed another fall in alerts and venue check-ins.

A total of 261,453 alerts were sent in the week to August 11, down 18% on the previous week, while there were 1.3 million venue check-ins, down from 1.8 million the previous week.

Check-ins have fallen sharply after running at more than 10 million a week throughout June and the first half of July.
An Olympic athlete from Poland auctioned her silver medal from the Tokyo Games to raise money for a life-saving operation for an infant boy, and then was told by the buyer that she could keep her prize.

Maria Andrejczyk, a 25-year-old javelin thrower who overcame bone cancer and a shoulder injury to compete at this years Olympics, said she decided to auction her medal to help the boy knowing how much she had to fight against adversity and pain.

The money is for Milosz Malysa, an infant with a heart defect whose family has been raising funds for him to be operated on in the United States.

Maria Andrejczyk (Matthias Schrader/AP)

Miloszs parents posted last week that the boy was at risk of dying soon without the surgery.

Zabka, a popular convenience store chain in Poland, bid 200,000 zlotys (51,000 US dollars) but said it would let the athlete keep her medal.

We were moved by the beautiful and extremely noble gesture of our Olympian, Zabka said.

Fans have contributed an additional 300,000 (76,500 US dollars) to help the boy.

Even before the winning bid was made, the authorities in Andrejczyks community in Poland said they were prepared to make her a replica of the medal.
It has long been believed that growing older leads to a decline in mental abilities, but new research suggests some abilities may actually improve.

The findings indicate two key brain functions, which allow people to attend to new information and to focus on what is important in a given situation, can get better in older individuals.

These functions are key to critical aspects of cognition such as memory, decision making and self-control, and even navigation, maths, language, and reading.

Senior investigator Michael Ullman is a professor in the department of neuroscience at Georgetown University Medical Centre, and director of Georgetowns Brain and Language Lab.

He said: These results are amazing, and have important consequences for how we should view ageing.

People have widely assumed that attention and executive functions decline with age, despite intriguing hints from some smaller-scale studies that raised questions about these assumptions.

But the results from our large study indicate that critical elements of these abilities actually improve during ageing, likely because we simply practice these skills throughout our life.

This is all the more important because of the rapidly aging population, both in the US and around the world.

He added that with further research it may be possible to deliberately improve these skills as protection against brain decline in healthy ageing and disorders.

Researchers looked at three separate components of attention and executive function in a group of 702 participants aged 58 to 98  the ages when cognition often changes the most during ageing.

The components they studied are the brain networks involved in alerting, orienting, and executive inhibition.

Each has different characteristics and relies on different brain areas and different neurochemicals and genes.

Alerting is characterised by a state of enhanced vigilance and preparedness in order to respond to incoming information.

Orienting involves shifting brain resources to a particular location in space.

While the executive network inhibits distracting or conflicting information, allowing people to focus on whats important.

First author Joao Verissimo, an assistant professor at the University of Lisbon, Portugal, said: We use all three processes constantly.

For example, when you are driving a car, alerting is your increased preparedness when you approach an intersection.

Orienting occurs when you shift your attention to an unexpected movement, such as a pedestrian.

And executive function allows you to inhibit distractions such as birds or billboards so you can stay focused on driving.

The study found that only alerting abilities declined with age, and both orienting and executive inhibition actually improved.

Prof Verissimo said: Because of the relatively large number of participants, and because we ruled out numerous alternative explanations, the findings should be reliable and so may apply quite broadly.

Prof Ullman added: The findings not only change our view of how ageing affects the mind, but may also lead to clinical improvements, including for patients with ageing disorders such as Alzheimers disease.

The findings are published in Nature Human Behaviour.
A Government minster has urged the public to cop on and leave Wally the Walrus in peace.

The Arctic walrus was first spotted in Ireland off the coast of Valentia Island in March, and has since travelled 4,000km along the coast of western Europe, being spotted in France, Spain and the UK.

He has made many appearances in Ireland throughout the summer, and on Wednesday was spotted in a Cork coastal town, where throngs of people turned out to catch a glimpse as he relaxed on a boat about 500 metres from the harbour.

But conservationists have urged the public to keep their distance, with Green party minister Malcolm Noonan now joining those calls.

Minister of State Malcolm Noonan (Brian Lawless/PA)

He said: While its understandable that many people are excited about the presence of a walrus on the Irish coast, we must remember that this is a wild animal and it should be respected.

Im appealing to everyone not to get close and only view it from a distance.

This is for the animals sake, but also for your own, as there may be risks from a water safety perspective where large numbers of people are congregating on the water.

Walruses are not a protected species under the Wildlife Act, its basically the same as a fox or rabbit under the law, so its up to people to cop on and have consideration for this poor wild animal, which is a long way from home.

Leave it alone and if you must go and see it, use binoculars.

Melanie Croce, executive director at Seal Rescue Ireland, has urged the public to behave responsibly when visiting Wally.

The biggest things are to maintain safe distance of at least 100 metres, and to observe quietly.

This is a huge animal, hes 800 kilos, she told the PA news agency.

And so he could hurt someone or he could hurt himself, if hes scared.

If people are startling him and stressing him, it could cause him to cause damage to property.

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Ms Croce also urged people not to share Wallys exact location, as this was drawing people to him and potentially disturbing him.

She said: All day, hes been surrounded by boats, paddleboarders, kayakers, people coming right up close to the boat and sticking cameras in his face.

We really need to put his welfare and his safety first.

So we really are just advising the public to keep a safe distance, to please keep from disclosing the location, and to report it Seal Rescue Irelands 24 hour hotline if you do see him.

He actually is showing signs of an injury on his flipper as well.

That could be because people were approaching him and startling him and thats caused him to repeatedly climb in and out of the boat, which puts him at risk and the boat at risk.

So just please, please respect him from a distance.
More than three centuries after a woman in the US was wrongly convicted of witchcraft and sentenced to death, she is finally on the verge of being exonerated  thanks to a class of curious school pupils.

State senator Diana DiZoglio, a Democrat from Methuen, Massachusetts, has introduced legislation to clear the name of Elizabeth Johnson Jr, who was condemned in 1693 at the height of the Salem Witch Trials but never executed.

Ms DiZoglio said she was inspired by sleuthing done by a group of 13 and 14-year-olds at North Andover Middle School.

Civics teacher Carrie LaPierres students painstakingly researched Johnson and the steps that would need to be taken to make sure she was formally pardoned.

It is important that we work to correct history, Ms DiZoglio said.

We will never be able to change what happened to these victims, but at the very least we can set the record straight.

If legislators approve the measure, Johnson will be the last accused witch to be cleared, according to Witches of Massachusetts Bay, a group devoted to the history and lore of the 17th-century witch hunts.

Twenty people from Salem and neighbouring towns were killed and hundreds of others accused during a frenzy of Puritan injustice that began in 1692, stoked by superstition, fear of disease and strangers, scapegoating and petty jealousies.

Nineteen were hanged, and one man was crushed to death by rocks.

In the 328 years that have ensued, dozens of suspects were officially cleared, including Johnsons own mother, the daughter of a minister whose conviction was eventually reversed.

But for some reason, Johnsons name was not included in various legislative attempts to set the record straight.

Johnson was 22 when she was caught up in the hysteria of the witch trials and sentenced to hang.

It never happened: then-governor William Phips threw out her punishment as the magnitude of the gross miscarriages of justice in Salem sank in.

But because she was not among those whose convictions were formally set aside, hers still technically stands.

Why Elizabeth was not exonerated is unclear but no action was ever taken on her behalf by the General Assembly or the courts, Ms DiZoglio said.

Possibly because she was neither a wife nor a mother, she was not considered worthy of having her name cleared. And because she never had children, there is no group of descendants acting on her behalf.

Her bill would tweak 1957 legislation, amended in 2001, to include Johnson among others who were pardoned after being wrongly accused and convicted of witchcraft.

In 2017, officials unveiled a semi-circular stone wall memorial inscribed with the names of people hanged at a site in Salem known as Proctors Ledge.

It was funded in part by donations from descendants of those accused of being witches.

Ms LaPierre said some of her students were initially ambivalent about the effort to exonerate Johnson because they launched it before the 2020 presidential election and at a time when the Covid-19 pandemic was raging.

Some of the conversation was, Why are we doing this? Shes dead. Isnt there more important stuff going on in the world? she said.

But they came around to the idea that its important that in some small way we could do this one thing.
A man being sought over the murder of his wife has been arrested in Scotland, police said.

Mark Barrott, 54, from Leeds, was detained by Police Scotland in the Elgin area at about 4.30am on Thursday.

He was arrested on suspicion of the murder of 50-year-old nurse Eileen Barrott, who was found dead at the couples home in Naburn Fold, Whinmoor, on Sunday.

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West Yorkshire Police said he will be brought back to the force area, where he will be interviewed by detectives from the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team.

Senior investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Vanessa Rolfe said: We would like to thank all the members of the public who contacted us with information, and also our colleagues in Police Scotland for their assistance and support with this investigation.

The force had previously urged Mr Barrott to hand himself in, and issued appeals after he was seen in Edinburgh and Aberdeen and was traced to an address in Elgin, but he had left.

Neighbours of the couple said they had lived in their terraced house for about 20 years and have two grown-up children  a son and a daughter.
The UK is launching a diplomatic push to encourage allies to join it in offering to take in Afghan refugees fleeing the Taliban regime.

The Government has announced Britain will take up to 20,000 people wanting to exit Afghanistan as part of its resettlement scheme, with 5,000 due to be accepted in the next 12 months.

Downing Street said the Government will be encouraging international partners to emulate one of the most generous asylum schemes in British history  but Labour said the offer was not bold enough.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab is due to speak with fellow G7 ministers on Thursday to discuss international co-operation before leaders of the group  which, as well as the UK, includes the US, Canada, Japan, Germany, France and Italy  hold a virtual meeting next week.

Mr Raab also held talks on Wednesday evening with his counterparts in India and the US  the second time he has spoken to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken this week.

The Cabinet minister faced further awkward headlines as it was reported help for Afghan interpreters who had supported British troops was delayed because Mr Raab was on holiday in Crete and unable to make a phone call.

The Daily Mail said Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office officials suggested Mr Raab call Afghan foreign minister Hanif Atmar on Friday  two days before the Taliban marched on Kabul  only for him to be unavailable while on holiday.

The paper claimed the Afghan foreign ministry then refused to arrange a call with a junior minister, pushing it back to the next day.

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The Foreign Office said: The Foreign Secretary was engaged on a range of other calls and this one was delegated to another minister.

Nick Thomas-Symonds, Labours shadow home secretary, said on Twitter Mr Raabs reported actions were a dereliction of duty.

He added: Failing to make a call has put the lives of brave interpreters at risk, after they served so bravely with our military. Utterly shameful.

The decision of the Prime Minister, who is said to have gone to Somerset, and Mr Raab to take holiday while the Taliban advanced came under scrutiny during a lively Commons debate on Wednesday as Parliament was recalled from its summer break for MPs and peers to debate the Afghanistan situation.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab was facing further criticism over his decision to go on holiday while the Taliban was advancing in Afghanistan (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer criticised the pair as he told MPs: You cannot co-ordinate an international response from the beach.

Downing Street said the Prime Minister would be turning his attention to international efforts to support the Afghan people, including the emerging refugee crisis.

A No 10 spokeswoman said: We are now asking our international partners to match the UKs commitments and work with us to offer a lifeline to Afghanistans most vulnerable people.

However, shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy was critical of the Governments offer during an appearance on the BBCs Question Time.

The senior Labour MP said it was absolutely clear that 5,000 is too small a number over the next 12 months and called for a more generous offer to be made.

The refugee debate comes after No 10 already announced an increase in humanitarian aid for Afghanistan, doubling it to 286 million.

The Prime Ministers official spokesman denied that the money would be given to the Taliban, telling reporters it would be distributed in conjunction with the United Nations (UN) and other NGOs (non-governmental organisations).

Mr Johnson and US President Joe Biden both came in for heavy criticism during the emergency debate in Parliament.

In a packed Commons chamber, the Prime Minister defended the final pull-out of British troops, saying it was an illusion to think the international military mission could have continued without US forces.

But predecessor Theresa May was among those to take aim at Mr Johnsons approach, accusing him of hoping on a wing and a prayer itd be all right on the night once the US and its allies had withdrawn from Afghanistan.

Mrs May also hit out at Mr Bidens decision to unilaterally pull out of Afghanistan, with senior MPs  including former foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt and former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith  directing their ire at the White House incumbent.

In Afghanistan, British efforts to repatriate British nationals and local Afghan backers is continuing to gather pace despite chaotic scenes at the airport, with Taliban fighters carrying out spot checks.

Mr Johnson, in his update to MPs, said the Government had so far secured the safe return of 306 UK nationals and 2,052 Afghans during its rescue efforts.

The British ambassador to Afghanistan, Sir Laurie Bristow, said Foreign Office personnel were hoping to get at least 1,000 people out of the country every day  but warned there were days, not weeks left to complete the mission.
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YEREVAN, AUGUST 19, ARMENPRESS. The Pashinyan administration has reiterated that it will continue unwavering fight against corruption.

In its 2021-2026 action plan unveiled recently, the government noted that corruption remains a challenge for the establishment of a lawful, safe, economically developed and democratic country.

The government is resolute in waging an unwavering fight against corruption with involvement of all stakeholders to once and for all eradicate all manifestations of corruption. It further noted that it has sufficient political will to succeed.

The Anti-Corruption Committee and Anti-Corruption court are expected to be launched as soon as possible.

The development of the procedures aimed at stolen asset recovery will also continue.

Education programs on anti-corruption will be introduced in all circles of education to develop a culture of intolerance towards corruption.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, AUGUST 19, ARMENPRESS. President Armen Sarkissian appointed former Speaker of Parliament Ararat Mirzoyan as Minister of Foreign Affairs, the presidency reported.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 19, ARMENPRESS. Three on-duty Armenian soldiers were found shot dead in the outpost of a military base of the Armenian Armed Forces in the south-eastern direction, the Ministry of Defense said.

The bodies of Private Murad Muradyan (b. 2002), Private Levon Harutyunyan (b.2002), and Private Gor Sahakyan (b. 2002) were found with gunshot wounds around 02:15, August 19.

The Ministry of Defense said they are investigating to determine the circumstances of the incident.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, AUGUST 19, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian military issued new details over the deaths of the three soldiers who were found shot dead in a military outpost on August 19.

In response to media rumors purporting that the soldiers were killed by an adversary raid, the Ministry of Defense told ARMENPRESS that full-scale actions are underway to completely reveal the circumstances of the incident. Nevertheless, according to the preliminary information of this moment, the incident isnt adversary-related, the Defense Ministry said, adding that it will issue additional information whenever it becomes available.

Three on-duty Armenian soldiers were found shot dead in the outpost of a military base of the Armenian Armed Forces in the south-eastern direction, the Ministry of Defense said.

The bodies of Private Murad Muradyan (b. 2002), Private Levon Harutyunyan (b.2002), and Private Gor Sahakyan (b. 2002) were found with gunshot wounds around 02:15, August 19.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 19, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan arrived to Kyrgyzstan to take part in the Eurasian Inter-governmental Council session in the town of Cholpon-Ata.

PM Pashinyan was greeted by Kyrgyzstans President Sadyr Japarov at the Cholpon-Ata State Complex where the two leaders held a meeting and delivered remarks.

Congratulating PM Pashinyan on the victory of his political party in the recent parliamentary election in Armenia, Kyrgyzstans President Sadyr Japarov mentioned that in 2021 both Armenia and Kyrgyzstan are marking 30 years of independence. I am glad to have this opportunity to congratulate you and in person of you the entire Armenian nation on this important holiday, President Japarov said.

In turn, PM Pashinyan said: Dear President Japarov, I am very happy to meet you in person. This is our first face-to-face meeting since your election as President of Kyrgyzstan. Id like to wholeheartedly congratulate you on this occasion and wish successes for the prosperity of the friendly Kyrgyzstan and the Kyrgyz people. Indeed, this year our countries are marking their 30th anniversaries of independence, and I also congratulate you on this occasion. We must think and work in the direction of further developing our countries. Especially because we are members of the Eurasian Economic Union, which opens new possibilities for the development of trade-economic relations. Of course, unfortunately, the volume of mutual trade turnover between our countries isnt big. We must work in this direction.

Prime Minister Pashinyan and President Japarov reiterated readiness to develop partnership, attached importance to high-level official mutual visits and activating inter-parliamentary partnership. The two leaders concurred that there is untapped potential for trade-economic cooperation and that economic ties must be boosted. The upcoming Armenian-Kyrgyz intergovernmental commission session due in autumn was highlighted in this context.

Pashinyan and Japarov also exchanged views on regional security and challenges and concurred that conflicts and existing problems must be resolved exclusively peacefully.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 19, ARMENPRESS. The Pashinyan administration says the deepening or normalization of relations with bordering countries is going to be one of the important directions of the governments foreign policy.

The 2021-2026 action plan of the government mentions that peace and stability of the region is the long-term strategy of the government.

The deepening of hostility is a threat for stability and peace of the region. Overcoming hostility could become the core of the regional foreign policy agenda. Unblocking must be one of the priorities of Armenias foreign policy. At the same time, this process cannot take place at the expense of the security and vital interests of Armenia and Artsakh, reads the 2021-2026 action plan.

It mentions that the governments foreign policy efforts aimed at regional unblocking, in case of other actors displaying constructive position, will lead to the development of an atmosphere of peaceful and mutually beneficial co-existence in the region, and that in this context the unconditional and complete implementation of the 2020 Nagorno Karabakh ceasefire terms and the 2021 January 11 Armenia-Russia-Azerbaijan statement is of key importance..

The Pashinyan administration is certain that establishment and/or development of normal relations with countries bordering Armenia are pivotal for lasting peace, stability, security and economic development in the region. Delimitation and demarcation of borders with Georgia and Azerbaijan will have significant importance for the development of a stable regional environment.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 19, ARMENPRESS. The Pashinyan administrations 2021-2026 action plans foreign policy section mentions the issue of normalization of relations with Turkey.

The Pashinyan Administration notes that just like before, Armenia is still ready to make efforts in the direction of normalizing relations with Turkey.

The absence of diplomatic relations between Armenia and Turkey, closed borders, as well as Turkeys overt involvement in the 44-day war are negatively impacting peace and stable development of the region. Armenia has always been ready to normalize relations with Turkey without preconditions, which is in the interests of regional stability, security and economic development. Today also the Republic of Armenia is ready to make efforts in the direction of normalizing relations with Turkey. Moving forward without preconditions, the sides must cooperate to develop an atmosphere of mutual trust with the purpose of gradually establishing normal relations, says the Pashinyan administrations 2021-2026 action plan.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 19, ARMENPRESS. Supplying Armenia with arms is the sovereign right of Russia, ARMENPRESS reports official representative of the Russian MFA Maria Zakharova said in a briefing, responding to the announcement of the Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev.

We often hear and read about that, but I would like to attract your attention to the fact that we have established respective relations with both Armenia and Azerbaijan. In this particular case, the Russian side takes into consideration the necessity of power balance in the region, Zakharova said.

Maria Zakharova added that Russia calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to eliminate the existing dividing lines in the humanitarian field as soon as possible, to exchange prisoners of war with the "all for all" principle, and maps of minefields.

In an interview with CNN Turk, Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev made another outrageous statement, accusing Russia of supplying arms to Armenia, its strategic ally.
Justice B.V. Nagarathna, if cleared, will go on to become first woman Chief Justice of India  though for a brief period

New Delhi: The Supreme Court collegium has recommended the names of four Chief Justices of High Courts and a practising senior lawyer of Supreme Court for elevation as judges of the top court.

The collegium has recommended the elevation of the Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court A.S. Oka, Chief Justice of Gujarat High Court Vikram Nath, Chief Justice of Sikkim High Court J.K. Maheshwari, and Chief Justice of Telangana High Court Hima Kohli.

Besides the Chief Justices of four High Courts, the collegium has recommended the names of Justice B.V. Nagarathna, Justice C.T. Ravikumar, Justice M.M. Sundresh and Justice Bela M. Trivedi  judges of Karnataka, Kerala, Madras and Gujarat High Court respectively.

The obvious casualty is the Chief Justice of Tripura High Court Akil Kureshi who is perceived to be at the receiving end of the ruling establishment. Justice B.V. Nagarathna, if cleared, will go on to become first woman Chief Justice of India  though for a brief period.

Incumbent Chief Justice N.V. Ramana will be succeeded by Justice Uday Umesh Lalit (tenure from Aug. 2022  Nov. 2022), Justice D.Y. Chandrachud (tenure from Nov. 2022  Nov. 2024), Justice Sanjiv Khanna (tenure from Nov. 2024  May 2025),Justice Sanjiv Khanna (tenure: May 2025 - Nov. 2025), Justice Surya Kant (tenure: Nov. 2025 - Feb. 2027), Justice Vikram Nath (tenure: Feb. 2027- Sept. 2027) and Justice B.V. Nagarathna (tenure: Sept. 2027 - Oct. 2027).

If all the names recommended by the top court collegium are cleared by the government, then the top court will have four women judges. At present the top court has just one woman judge, Justice Indira Banerjee. Other three judges will be Justice Hima Kohli, Justice B.V. Nagarathna, and Justice Bela M. Trivedi.

The collegium has also recommended the appointment of senior lawyer P.S. Narasimha as the top court judge. The recommendation of Narasimha for appointment as top court judges is continuation of initiative taken by former Chief Justice R.M. Lodha who had recommended the names of then senior lawyers Gopal Subramanium, L. Nageswara Rao, Rohinton Fali Nariman and Uday Umesh Lalit for appointment as top court judges.

While Modi government cleared the names of Nageswara Rao, Nariman and Lalit and they are now serving as top court judges, it stalled the name of Subramanium as he was amicus curiae in 2002 Gujarat riot cases and was perceived to be critical of then Modi led Gujarat government.

Another top court practising lawyer Indu Malhotra was appointed as judge of the top court. Besides her other judgments, Justice Malhotra is remembered for her dissenting judgment in the Sabrimala temple case relating to the entry of women.

If Narasimhas name is cleared by the government then he will be seventh judge to be appointed directly from the top court Bar. Before 2014 the green judge  Justice Kuldip Singh and Justice Santosh Hedge were appointed as top court judges directly from the Supreme Court Bar.

As per August 17, 2021, resolution of top court collegium, there will be elevation of two judges from the Karnataka High Court and two from Gujarat High Court.

Earlier in the morning, Chief Justice N.V. Ramana had expressed anguish over the speculative reports in a section of the media about the top court collegiums recommendations.

Venting his displeasure over the speculative media reports, CJI Ramana said, Todays reflections in some sections of the media, pending the process, even before formalising the resolution is counter-productive. There were instances of deserving career progression of bright talents getting marred because of such irresponsible reporting and speculation. This is very unfortunate and I am extremely upset about it.

CJI Ramanas disapproval of the reports in a section of media on the collegium recommendations came in the open court while he was presiding over a ceremonial bench on the last working day of Justice Navin Sinha in the top court.

Describing the process of judicial appointments as a sacrosanct function of collegium, and asking the media should refrain from denting the integrity and dignity of the process by resorting to speculation.

Imploring the media to be mature and circumspect in reporting collegium proceedings on the appointment of judges, CJI Ramana said, You are all aware we need to appoint judges to this court. The process is ongoing. Meetings will be held and decisions will be taken. The process of appointment of judges is sacrosanct and has certain dignity attached to it. My media friends must understand and recognise the sanctity of this process. As an institution, we hold the freedom of media and the rights of individuals in high esteem.

Urging all the stakeholders to uphold the integrity and dignity of the top court, CJI said, I must also place on record the tremendous amount of maturity and responsibility displayed by the majority of the senior journalists and media houses in showing restraint and not speculating on such a serious matter. Such professional journalists and ethical media are the real strength of the Supreme Court in particular and democracy in general.
Narendra Modis crudely named Partition Horrors remembrance Day is a very different thing

A remembrance day should be an occasion when people unite in recalling an event that should never be forgotten. That is the justification for Armistice Day in Britain, Holocaust Day in Israel and Anzac Day in Australia and New Zealand, or even  if youll let me stretch a point  to Thanksgiving Day in America. The intention is to bind people together with the bonds of shared memory or, in the case of the United States, shared thanks. Narendra Modis crudely named Partition Horrors remembrance Day is a very different thing. Worse still, I suspect its intended to be.

Put simply, the Partition of 1947 was the tearing apart of our undivided subcontinent. But the horrors was not just the physical separation. Not the division of land. Not even the creation of two separate nations. Its what that did to the people affected by it. And the truth is that though 75 years have passed, we dont have precise and agreed details. The numbers involved were so enormous and the two countries involved so ill-equipped to handle the trauma that well never know for sure.

Its estimated that perhaps one million  some say two million  people were killed and between 10-20 million displaced. They lost everything overnight. They were uprooted and forced to become penniless refugees, hundreds of miles from what had been home for generations. Wikipedia puts the figure at 14.5 million. Citing the 1951 census of both India and Pakistan  done four years after Partition  it says Pakistan identified 7,226,600 displaced persons, almost certainly all Muslim, whilst India counted 7,295,870 displaced people, undoubtedly all Sikh and Hindu.

About 11.2 million people, or 77.4 per cent of the displaced persons, were in the west. The majority were from Punjab  6.5 million Muslims moved from India to West Pakistan and 4.7 million Hindus and Sikhs moved the other way. The figure for the east was 3.3 million, which is 22.6 per cent of the total displaced persons  2.6 million moved from East Pakistan to India whilst 0.7 million moved from India to East Pakistan.

These facts  even if their precise accuracy is debatable  make one thing crystal clear. Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims all suffered equally. The net migration in the west from India to West Pakistan was 1.8 million, in the east from East Pakistan to India it was 1.9 million. And those figures prove my point  it was as horrible a time for Hindus and Sikhs as it was for Muslims. We must never deny that. And our politicians must never pretend to forget that.

Unfortunately, Prime Minister Narendra Modis Partition Horrors Remembrance Day only intends to recall half the horrors, the ones that affected Hindus and Sikhs. And Im pretty sure he wants to blame them on the Muslims. Or why else would he have chosen Pakistans Independence Day for this occasion? After all, he could have chosen June 3, the day Lord Louis Mountbatten announced Partition would happen and set in motion the unavoidable and ineluctable events that led to the horrors?

However, I have a deeper point to make. If his intention was really to remove the poison of social divisions, disharmony and further strengthen the spirit of oneness, social harmony and empowerment, as his tweet claims, then should this not be a day when the three countries of the subcontinent remember together the trauma they suffered and never want to repeat? Indeed, why did he not consult Bangladesh and Pakistan and jointly agree on a date that the three countries can share?

Instead, whatever his intentions  and he alone knows them though millions rightly have their suspicions  his Horrors Remembrance Day can only further polarise Indias population between Hindus and Muslims and, perhaps, Sikhs and Muslims. And that will further add to the sense of rejection and unwantedness that our Muslim brothers and sisters undeniably feel. But its actually potentially far worse than that. The already frayed fabric of our increasingly divided country cannot survive more deliberate tears. Yet Mr Modi keeps trying. If he doesnt stop soon all well be left with is the idea that was India. A memory, a longing and, yes, deep regret.

Let me, however, end differently. If its important we must never forget, then there are also some things we need to be reminded of. Im referring to what happened to Muslims in Jammu in 1947. Im not a historian and my research is certainly not comprehensive, but this is what I know.

At the time Jammu was a Muslim-majority city. Yet literally in weeks, the communal riots, mass killings and forced migration turned it into a Hindu-majority one. Both contemporary accounts and those of historians put the numbers killed or expelled in hundreds of thousands.

Writing in The Spectator in January 1948, Horace Alexander says: Hindus and Sikhs of the Jammu area apparently with at least the tacit consent of the state authorities, have driven many thousands of their Muslim neighbours from their homes. Citing Mahatma Gandhi, he asserts some two hundred thousand are not accounted for. Christopher Snedden, in Kashmir: The Unwritten History, estimates that between 70,000 and 237,000 Muslims were killed. Arjun Appaduri and Arien Mack in Indias World believe 200,000 could have been killed and a further 500,000 displaced.

Much higher figures were reported by the newspapers of the time. The Statesman suggested 500,000 Muslims were killed. The journalist Ved Bhasin and the scholar Ilyas Chattha claim that the RSS was involved, supported by Kashmirs Maharaja Hari Singh. In 2018 the columnist Swaminathan A. Aiyar wrote: In sheer scale this far exceeded the ethnic cleansing of pandits five decades later.

So why is a horror of this scale not remembered? Wajahat Habibullah, whos written about it in My Kashmir: The Dying of the Light, suggests two reasons. First, it occurred when communal riots and brutal massacres were happening right across northern India. In that bigger outrage, this smaller tragedy seems to have been forgotten.

His second reason is intriguing. Sheikh Abdullah, then the undisputed leader of the Kashmir Valley, who one would have expected to draw attention to this massacre, deliberately chose to ignore it because the Muslims of Jammu did not support his National Conference but inclined towards Jinnahs Muslim League. The Sheikhs politics seems to have silenced his conscience!

However, now that Prime Minister Modi wants to remember the horrors of Partition, is this one of them?
Buttress Pillow Review: A Bootyful Addition to Any Nighttime Routine

Sleeping on a Foam-Filled Fake Butt Is a Game Changer for Catching Zzzs

The AskMen editorial team thoroughly researches & reviews the best gear, services and staples for life. AskMen may get paid if you click a link in this article and buy a product or service.

Jai Yang loves butts. He always has and likely always will. Thats exactly why, upon inventing a pillow shaped in the exact likeness of an objectively delicious booty attached to a pair of luscious thighs, his friends and family werent exactly taken by surprise.

I started really noticing/obsessing with butts freshman year of high school when everyone was wearing yoga pants, starts Yang. I was homeless, did a million different things, traveled around the world, and trained at a Shaolin temple for a year instead of being a good little Asian boy on his way to becoming a doctor or engineer.

Youve probably seen the Buttress pillow floating around somewhere on the internet, showing up on your standard mens gift guide amongst whiskey stones, ball spray, and various razors. Its the gag gift without the gag, identified more as a novelty item that takes its appreciation of asses very, very seriously.

RELATED: Expert-Approved Glute Training Tactics for Your Best Butt

Buttress Pillow Review

My very own Buttress pillow came to me on average Wednesday afternoon in a medium-sized box with the curvy silhouette of an ass printed on the side. Made from 100% biodegradable latex, this five-pound behemoth booty has more body to it than I expected.

Its a hell of a lot bigger than one would assume from looking at the pictures (think Nicki Minaj if she grew up near a nuclear power plant). Available for $129 on its site, the Buttress pillow isnt cheap, nor does it feel cheap when it comes out of the box. Yangs butt-shaped invention is quite the departure from what I had in my head  I assumed itd be firmer  taking me on a comforting journey through my mattress, sheets, and subconscious in the name of science I think?

Placing it on the mattress, I knew Id have to sacrifice some of my decidedly less-ass-shaped-than-ever pillows to make way for this enormous ass.

It's the only magical pillow in the world, states Yang, especially when burying your face in the sweet spot between the thighs and cheeks.

But no amount of fangirling for the Buttress could compare to Yangs all-time favorite butt: the one of his longtime lover, Anna. Jia describes Anna as a self-made millionaire with a keen eye for business and an incredible derriere who found herself in the middle of a messy divorce when they met.

She was actually my boss, he tells AskMen. We started dating and her butt grew from cute to double bubble plus. After two-and-a-half years she got deported and I followed her to Singapore. It was there that Yang pitched his butt pillow idea to his soon-to-be-business-partner, promising he was going to make a million dollars off that butt.

A few months later, the two managed to make their way back to the U.S., launch a Kickstarter for their glorified booty bedding accessory, and get it all funded. While its only been three years since, the Buttress pillow has managed to find its way into thousands of beds across the country with celebrities like Craig Robinson, Daymond John, and Stephen Glickman singing its praises.

Taking Yang's sweet spot advice to heart, I spent my first night in my bed with my head buried between the girthy thighs of my cream-colored Buttress pillow. Simply put, I liked it a lot. As someone whose love language often manifests itself into nonstop physical touch, I appreciated having a butt truly just to myself. Dont get me wrong, Ive gotten to know a lot of fake asses in my career, but few were worthy of the type of physical attention as the Buttress.

Much like new lovers adjusting their bodies to one another during those first couple months of blissey bullshit, the longer you sleep with this pillow, the better you get to know it.

Our whole message isnt just about the sexiness of butts, says Yang. Its about the universalism of butts and that its OK to sleep on a butt. Its OK to love butts.

Ive known butts to be curvy, plush, and capable of so much with so little. But a few days into my foray into plush butt cuddling, I started to miss my wife. Sure, she was always nearby, but you cant replicate the warmth of a real butt; theres no room for a soul in a hypoallergenic let alone the minor imperfections that make snuggling up to a loved ones ass such a full-spectrum sensory experience.

All that said, its clear that Yang is onto something  not just with the butt pillow, but the message behind the butt pillow. We, as a society, re-embraced butts not that long ago as more than just a part of the body, but as a form of expression and body positivity. Lets always keep butts (and butt-adjacent bedroom accessories) in the national conversation to ensure a healthy love all asses never end.

Buy the Buttress Pillow: $109 at Amazon.com

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Bernard Wayne Taylor, 81, passed away Aug. 12, 2021. He is survived by his wife, Karen Taylor; brothers, Gerald, Harold (Loretta) and Charles (Marlena); mother-in-law, Thelma Brown; and numerous nieces and nephews. He worked as an educator at TVCC in Athens, Texas for many years before retir
As is natural when something special like this happens, all examples (the production quota references the LP 112 development designation for the original) have been sold before the official global public introduction during the Monterey Car Week events. So, there is no need to hang on to what if questions... unless you are a virtual artist.The pixel masters of the world have the power to change whatever they seem to think is wrong with any automobile model out there - although only in imagination land. And they usually do it wisely, and sensibly. But this time around the CGI guru Siim Parn, the virtual pen behind the spdesignsest account on social media, has managed to confuse us with his latest project.Its based on the 2022 Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4. That is clear since the accompanying description specifically mentions this. But this redesign kind of goes back to the future. Its a virtual take on the modern reincarnation of the Countach going for additional vintage vibes taken directly from the original. Wait, wasnt a Countach reinvention the whole official purpose of the arrival of the LPI 800-4 in the first place?So, why does anyone feel the need to revisit the original, take its cues and make it modern  while also blending in with the persona of its contemporary refresh? It doesnt make any sense. Well, the virtual deed is done, anyways, so we are kind of being rhetorical. Thus, let us check out the lines for this CGI impersonation of the Countach LPI 800-4. After all, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and anyone is free to fancy this one over the real deal.For us, the new Countach really doesnt need to be any closer to the source than it already is. But it is also true that we have seen a lot of chagrin over Lamborghinis decision to keep the LPI 800-4 lines devoid of the ubiquitous big rear wing...
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One does not have to take our word for that nor look at its predecessor , which is still a very fine machine, for the record, but check out the crazy aero.Spotted in the open in Europe, the latest prototype to have become the focus of our spy photographers camera lens wore less camo on the outside. As a result, the bad-boy styling is more visible, starting with the hood and front fender vents, and ending with that massive rear wing that appears to look a bit different than before.However, it still boasts active aerodynamics, our spies noted, as the upper part still closes during braking and opens at high speeds.In addition to the race car looks meant to improve downforce, the upcoming 911 GT3 RS will get a lighter and stiffer chassis, and uprated brakes. Expect it to retain the naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six engine of the latest 911 GT3, albeit with a bump in power.The exact output and torque is, as you can assume, a well-preserved secret, but it will produce more than 503and 347 pound-feet (470 Nm), which is what you get in the 911 GT3. Some believe that it might have between 530 and 570 brake horsepower, but wed take these numbers with the proverbial pinch of salt for now.Initially, it was thought that the new 911 GT3 RS would premiere sometime this year, but its unveiling date has presumably been postponed to 2022 over certain setbacks apparently, such as an engine certification issue. So, look for it no sooner than the first half of next year, with deliveries perhaps kicking off next summer.
EV

Now Ample, a San Francisco-basedsupport developer, has come up with a system capable of swappable electric vehicle batteries in just a few minutes.And it seems theyve found some believers in their concept and their system as the company has raised $160 million in a new round of funding.Amples battery for EVs is complemented with an automated process for quickly swapping out depleted batteries for their freshly charged packs, and founders Khaled Hassounah and John de Souza think theyve solved a problem few people have noticed that theyre sure to have with their EVs.The system uses computer vision and technology for secure wireless communication with the vehicle. The Ample station can then identify the exact location of each battery module in failure and swap it out. Once the failed battery modules are pulled from the car, the system places them on racks to be charged and ready for the next swap.The Ample EV system is made out of battery modules designed to accommodate any make, design, or model, and adapts to driving use for commuters, rideshares, last-mile delivery and can even handle autonomous vehicles.Ample say their compact stations require no construction and require a tiny footprint the size of just a pair of parking spots. The company says these facilities can be located at gas stations, grocery stores - even placed alongside the road. Ample says the ease of installation for their stations means they could have an entire city ready for EVs within weeks.This Series C round means the startup, now seven years old, has raised a total of brings to $230 million USD. Ample says this funding will be used to expand testing and station installs to New York City with projects to follow in Madrid and Singapore.Hassounah says.He adds that long charging times which are common to most available charging stations are causing consumer and fleet users to cool demand for electric vehicles.According to Hassounah and de Souza, their process can replace a depleted battery with a fully charged battery in under 10 minutes and their automated process is adaptable toAnd Ample's financial backers ( which include Shell and Repsol , Japans Eneos and Thailands PTT) seem to agree.
When the Zhurong rover touched down on Mars on March 15, the Chinese National Space Administration (CNSA) said it expects the rover to survive for just three months before it dies out. For what its worth, it seems Mars simply loves the human-made machines that land there, and tries as much as possible to keep them alive.For all intents and purposes, the Zhurong is now a few days past its expected demise date. But just a few days seem to be enough for the Chinese to dream about exploring Mars further, now that theyre there and have a working machine on the surface.In the time it spent on the planet, the rover recorded according to CNSA about 10 GB of data about the planet, and covered a distance of roughly 900 meters (2,953 feet), completing all of its tasks in the process. Those numbers will likely increase, as the things operators here on Earth will now point it at an ancient coastal area of Utopia Planitia.Come mid-September, the rover will be put to sleep until late October due to the anticipated disruption of its communications with Earth caused by solar electromagnetic radiation. After that, it is expected to resume normal operations.Since the exploration of the Red Planet began, humans landed six rovers on the planet, five of which belong to the United States. No matter how you feel about it, more nations achieving the same can do nothing but advance our common goals, which are in the mid-term the discovery of signs of life there, and in the longer term the colonization of the planet.
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The full-sizehas been masterfully imagined by Abdullah Fahad Al-Ghamdi with a different front grille and headlights, and based on spy photos of near-production test mules, the pixel artist is pretty much spot on. The C-shaped signature is obviously inspired by the pre-facelift Expedition.Based on the Ford T3 body-on-frame architecture introduced by the Blue Oval for the 2015 model year in the F-150 pickup. Manufactured at the Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville, the Expedition is getting a few upgrades on the inside as well. The center-stack design of the 2021 model year F-150 comes to mind, along with the digital instrument cluster, four-spoke steering wheel, 15.5-inch touchscreen, and the stowable gear shifter.Arguably the biggest improvement from the drivers perspective is the SYNC 4 infotainment system, which promises better connectivity, improved voice recognition, and fewer cords in the guise of wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. We also have to mention SiriusXM with 360L, over-the-air software updates, as well as machine learning capability.Theres quite a bit of hearsay in regard to a hybridized engine option, most likely the PowerBoost V6 from the F-150 pickup. As a brief refresher, total system output is rated at 430 horsepower and 570 pound-feet (773 Nm) of torque. The 35-electric motor is powered by a 1.5-battery, and the most economical F-150 PowerBoost on sale right now offers up to 25 miles to the gallon (9.4 liters per 100 kilometers) on the combined driving cycle.A new trim level called Timberline is also rumored, and the wildest of hearsay suggests a performance-oriented ST as well. I wouldnt bet on the latter, though, because it would overlap the Navigators Raptor-rivaling V6.
The Chinese search giant, basically Google's rival in China, is already planning to make a robotaxi , and those vehicles will drive themselves. Furthermore, Baidu wants to have these taxis ready for the 2022 Winter Olympics, which will be held in Beijing.The name of the chip comes from the Kunlun Chip Technology Company, which is a semiconductor design firm spun off from Baidu. It is supposed to be independent and has developed a second-generation AI processor. The new chip is made in 7 nm process technology, and its maximum consumption is 120W.Its predecessor was launched three years ago, and it was also designed for autonomous vehicle applications. The new unit promises to be up to three times faster than its predecessor, while being at least twice as fast.Baidu is not the only company involved in developing AI chips for self-driving vehicles and other applications. Until the launch of this new chip, Nvidia's A100 was considered to be the most powerful in the field. Until the Chinese company's microchip gets tested by an independent company, it is unclear just how powerful the new unit can be.Regardless, Baidu wants to use the new microchip in its self-driving vehicles, and it is also interested in selling it to other companies. According to Baidu's statement, the chip is good for biocomputing, cloud computing, and intelligent transportation.Earlier in 2021, Baidu announced starting a partnership with a local manufacturer to build electric vehicles . The partnership will mean that Geely will build the vehicles, while Baidu will provide their software and technology. However, Baidu also teamed up with BAIC's Arcfox to build 1,000 Robotaxis over the next three years.Until those electric vehicles from Baidu are ready, the first Robotaxi from Baidu is already moving along with its testing. The Chinese company fitted the crossover with a 360-degree camera on its roof and a radar.
The bike is the second in a line of three custom Chiefs Indian has commissioned not long ago. The first one, handled by Mayonaize , was shown back in July, and the third one, designed by Carlos Torres, will surface next month.But first, the elephant in the room. What youre looking at is not a real motorcycle, but a rendering released by Indian. The design you see here, as well as the other two in the series, will be applied to real Chiefs later this year, and will be shown for the first time in publicin early 2022.So, what we have here is an otherwise stock Chief wearing some very insane tattoos on the fenders and fuel tank. But whereas the fenders look like just mashups of colors, a closer look at the fuel tank reveals something scary-looking, yet soothing, if we are to trust Shige: and Oni demon.The artist says that in Japanese culture Oni demons, despite their name, are not something to be feared. They stand for strong will and protection and are believed to have powers to remove bad luck and protect against other, not-so-benign demons.Shige says he chose the fuel tank of the Chief because that would be the motorcycles belly, and an Oni on the belly shows ones determination to live in this harsh world with a strong heart. Told you, Japanese cultureYou can admire the Chief Oni both in the gallery and in the video attached to this piece. Like it or not, youll better get ready for more such builds: aside for the three bikes we talked about here, Indian will present another 40 in digital form, with an undisclosed number of them turning into real motorcycles later in the year.
This seems to be the case for owners of a waterfront home dubbed the Koda Float. As the name would imply, its a floating home at sea. However, as simple as the exterior looks, the interior of this beauty looks to be minimalism at its finest Most marine-worthy builds are usually the work of more than just one team. This seems to be the case for the Float as well. The first team, and the same one behind the Koda homes and products, is Kodasema, an Estonian architecture, design, and engineering firm with its eyes set on creating a new way for people to live.The second team, and one that is necessary, as Koda usually builds terrestrial homes, is Top Marine, another Estonian firm with over twenty years of experience in creating and managing floating marina solutions. Today, their docks can be found in several European countries. With specialist knowledge in building homes, and years of floating experience, the Koda Float began to take shape as a clearly feasible idea.At first glance, the Float seems to look very simple, nothing but a door, some windows, and a wooden exterior. No, it is not steel; just plain old wood, timber or plywood to be specific. The frame of the home uses timber as the base material too. In between inner and outer walls, flooring, and ceiling too, mineral wool insulation is used to help keep temperatures as constant as possible, and even offers year-round living according to the manufacturer's website As you would think, two separate structures exist here. The first is the platform or pontoon, and the second is the actual home. The platform is 6 meters (19.7 feet) by 12 meters (39.3 feet) and includes a two-piece float in which tanks for water and other needs are hidden. With a 31-ton weight, the platform can support up to 30-ton load weight.The home, on the other hand, is an existing Koda product, the Light, a construction used in quite a few of Koda design layouts. With a mass weight around 10 tons, the entire net area comes in with 25.8 square meters (277.7 square feet). Thats about the size of some European studio apartments, and although it doesnt seem like much space, an ingenious design yields a design similar to some RVs and mobile homes.Inside the Float, everything you need is in its assigned place as the design is completely premeditated . As you enter the home, youll walk right into the living room and social space. Straight ahead youll notice a kitchen with massive structures to the left and right. In these two structures lie appliances such as fridge, sink, possibly even a dishwashing machine, and even the bathroom with shower.Another neat feature of these two lateral structures is that they support a massive platform on top. Its here that the bedroom is found and can be accessed by a staircase that runs along one of the walls. Once upstairs, owners will have the pleasure of meeting a walk-around mattress and storage areas, and nightstands.This sort of layout is one found quite often in tiny homes, so it may seem like nothing new, but the fact that your lifestyle is based around water is good enough for most folks. Heck, I would be happy to receive an even smaller space than this, even fewer amenities.Happily, the Koda Float does include all the amenities of a full-blown home, just at sea. And with that, theres bound to be more and more smiles popping up around the world because, believe it or not, this home at sea is starting off with a price of just $55,000 (47,091 at current exchange rates). Thats less expensive than some travel trailers. Now, theres an investment to consider.I say investment as you can easily rent this puppy out and make your money back in around two years (including some maintenance and repair costs). if you rented out the space for $100 a night. After that, its all yours. How much would you be willing to spend a night in order to sleep in a Koda Float?
Last week, in a very bad (and in bad taste) move, Red Bull Ukraine openly defied local authorities and shot a commercial in a historic area that they had been specifically banned from. Red Bull is now so very sorry for that.

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This is also probably why the current highest bid stands a whisker away from a magical threshold. One that is probably going to make its current owner, a seller going by the Cruiserjunkie username on Bring a Trailer , very happy indeed. But let us not get ahead of ourselves.This 1990 Land Cruiser FJ62 was probably born with a 4.0-liter inline-six gasoline engine some 31 years ago. But right now, those 3F-E days are over. Hey, even the original FJ62 DNA has been altered to a more suspenseful FJZ80 paradigm. And it was all done at the behest of the current owner, who has decided to part ways with the LC, its clean Carfax report, and clean Washington title.So, lets talk highlights . Thats all we are going to do because there are no humble details with this one. Its an adventure vehicle through and through, and one can imagine some cool summer road trip memories are waiting just around the corner... or rather at the end of the auctions timer, which is still ticking for another day at the time of writing.Under the hood sits an LSA crate engine. Its the same mill that originally premiered inside the 2009 Cadillac CTS-V with the most powerful ever credentials. On this FJ62 occasion, the supercharged 6.2-liter was factory-rated at 580 horsepower. Its mated to a six-speed 6L80E automatic transmission, a dual-range transfer case, and locking differentials taken from an FJZ80 to make sure the power gets promptly delivered to all four wheels. No matter the conditions... or the terrain.And this is how we get to the second treat. During the complete body-off refurbishment that occurred back in 2017, the owner also commissioned certain modifications with FJZ80 parts. Such as the frame, transfer case, axles, and suspension from a 1997 Land Cruiser unit. But theres more, including a three-inch (7.62 cm) lift kit, and numerous aftermarket parts reading only the very best brands on the labels (Icon, ARB, Rigid, etc.).Thus, do we really need to wonder how come the current highest bid has reached no less than $99k?
The car in question aimed to hit 200 mph (322 kph) to celebrate 10 years of the go-fast logo (vRS), and managed a 227.080 mph (365.45 kph), thus becoming the fastest 2.0-liter turbocharged production car. The record, registered by Southern California Timing Association (SCTA), still stands to this day.Originally built for Skoda UKs press fleet, the Corrida Red Octavia vRS in question was requisitioned for the Bonneville project. Its 2.0-liter TSI gasoline unit was heavily tuned for the record attempt, yet only a certain number of modifications were permitted under the SCTA regulations.Key upgrades included a 10-liter radiator, altered injection system, and longer-geared transmission sourced from the Octavia GreenLine. As for the total output, this stood at 600 brake horsepower, which is actually more than what youd get in a Ferrari 458 Italia.Skoda says that the brake discs and calipers were scrapped, and a parachute was installed to make sure that the car stops safely on the salt surface . This can be deployed via a lever mounted in the cabin, and has several advantages over a traditional braking system, as it reduces the excess drag, unsprung weight, and friction.Reminding about the record-breaking run, journalist Richard Meaden, who put it through its paces at Bonneville, said: Driving the salt flats was a dream come true. It always felt like a privilege to be allowed to charge flat-out down the salt. Knowing how much passion and hard work went into getting the Octavia to Speed Week made that privilege all the greater. Im incredibly proud of what we all achieved and will never forget how it felt to break a record or to be part of such an exceptional group of people.To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the land speed record, Skoda UK has completed the restoration of the 2011 Octavia vRS , returning it to the same specification. The vehicle turned racer was demonstrated at the Millbrook Proving Ground by members of the media, together with some other hot Skodas from the brands past and present, and this is where some of the images shared in the gallery above were taken. As for the video, it highlights the record-breaking run from 10 years ago.
Automobili Pininfarina took this chance to reveal the unique exterior soundscape and the Pure Sound philosophy of the Battista to clients attending these events. The soundscape is said to be inspired by the work of Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi and has a core frequency of 54 Hz, meaning it should be easier on the ears than other frequencies.Before Monterey, Pininfarinas first production-spec Battista took to the roads of California featuring a Black Exposed Signature Carbon body, Impulso forged alloy wheels, plus a gorgeous interior with Pilota seats wrapped in sustainable black leather and quilted Iconica Blu Alcantara upholstery.The first production-specification Battista hit the ground running on its arrival in the US, not only with the overwhelmingly positive reactions from our clients, who were impressed by the exquisite and intricate detailing of the hyper GT, but quite literally as the car made its dynamic debut on the beautiful Californian roads, said Automobili Pininfarina CEO, Per Svantesson.However, if its exclusivity you crave, look no further than the Battista Anniversario , limited to just five units worldwide. It stands out thanks to its two-tone tinted Furiosa Pack, adding the front splitter, side blades and rear diffuser.The luxury EV-maker also announced a new partnership at Monterey, with Swiss timepiece manufacturer Bovet 1822, known for having also collaborated with the likes of Rolls-Royce.Regardless of which Battista version you get, power will be the same at 1,873 hp (1,900 ps) and 1,696 lb-ft (2,300 Nm) of torque, courtesy of four electric motors. The Battista hyper GT can rocket to 60 mph (97 kph) in under 2 seconds, while 0-186 mph (300 kph) takes less than 12 seconds. Its max range is a more-than-reasonable 311 miles (500 km).
VTOL

Based in San Clemente, California, Swift Tactical Systems is specialized in unmanned system technologies. Developed with a so-called X-blade technology, the Swift021UAS has already demonstrated innovative capabilities.The objective was to combine the take-off and landing capabilities of a multi-rotor, with the flight efficiency of an airplane. This fully electric UAS can take off and land in any 50'x50' space, and doesnt require additional launch and recovery systems.Plus, its built to meet military standards for durability and reliability, while also being versatile enough, thanks to the modular design. But whats even greater about this UAS is its remarkable performance at high-density altitude, which was recently demonstrated.The thing about unmanned aircraft is that performance typically decreases with altitude, temperature or humidity go up, and it gets even worse when all of these three factors have an impact on the UAS . The team at Swift managed to demonstrate that the UAS is able to take off, transition, perform and then land with no problem, reaching 10,000 feet (3,000 meters) altitude. During recent tests that were conducted at a specialized site in Colorado, Swift021 completed more than two dozen flights, adding up to a total of 40-mile (64 km) endurance flight.What this means is that even in hot and humid regions, with mountainous terrains and high elevation, this UAS will still perform with precision and accuracy. Plus, it features Silvus radios, that enable video streaming and data transmission to the ground control station, even in this type of challenging environment.Its precisely these innovative capabilities that landed the Californian startup with a $17 million contract awarded by the Bahamas Ministry of National Security, earlier in May. The U.S.-built drone will provide support for defense and police operations throughout the island chain.
In addition, Waze comes with multiple voice packs for navigation, therefore making sure the app always works just as youd expect it to work.But from time to time, Waze partners with various companies out there to release limited-time content that includes special-edition car icons, moods, and navigation voices.This time, for example, Waze users are provided with content inspired by PAW Patrol, the famous show that has millions of fans all over the world, so if youre traveling with kids, theres a chance theyre going to love the new navigation settings.Introduced ahead of the debut of PAW Patrol: The Movie, this update includes three moods, namely Chase, Marshall, and Skye, as well as a trio of car icons, such as a police cruiser, a fire truck, and a helicopter. The navigation voice is powered by Ryder, but on the other hand, Skye, Marshall, and Chase will also help with other alerts that youll hear as you drive with Waze on the screen.Needless to say, the new content is only available in English, and just like the other special-edition updates, its only offered for a limited time. Waze hasnt said when the PAW Patrol content is projected to be removed, but expect this to happen at the end of the month.The new moods and car icons are available not only on iPhone and Android but also on CarPlay and Android Auto if you enable the new experience on the mobile device. All you need to do is to launch Waze and tap on the option called PAW Patrol in the main Waze menu, as seen in our screenshots.
Copyright  2020 by Mountain Times Publications. Digital or printed dissemination of this content without prior written consent is a violation of federal law and may be subject to legal action.
Health Minister Anahit Avanesian said on Wednesday that 200,000 doses of Sinopharm vaccines designed for 100,000 people have been imported and will soon become available in polyclinics and at mobile vaccination sites across the country.

The Ministry of Health said the Sinopharm vaccine is approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) for emergency use. It added that data on the efficacy and safety of this vaccine are in line with WHO standards.

The new vaccine, like AstraZeneca, Sputnik V and another Chinese vaccine, Sinovac-CoronaVac, that have already been in use in Armenia, will be available to all citizens aged above 18 on a voluntary basis.

According to the latest data from the Ministry of Health, more than 200,000 people have already been vaccinated against COVID-19 in Armenia.

The purchase of the new vaccine comes amid a rise in the daily number of new coronavirus cases in Armenia.

According to the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 500 new coronavirus cases were identified in Armenia over the past 24 hours.

Since the beginning of the pandemic more than 236,000 coronavirus cases have been revealed in Armenia. Over 4,700 people have died from COVID-19.

The Armenian government held consultations on the coronavirus situation earlier this week, calling for a more active vaccination drive and tougher control over preventive measures to curb the spread of the deadly disease.

Avanesian said that beginning on October 1 employers in Armenia may be required to demand that their employees show their COVID-19 vaccination certificates or otherwise submit negative test results every two weeks. Earlier, health authorities said that the same restriction will also apply to students in universities.

Armenia ended its universal mask mandate in June and now citizens are only required to wear face masks in closed public spaces. Since then this requirement, however, has largely been neglected by both people and businesses.

On August 16, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian called on corresponding authorities to toughen control over anti-epidemic measures, including citizens wearing masks in closed public spaces.
The Armenian Defense Ministry said on Thursday morning that circumstances of the deaths of 19-year-old privates Murad Muradian, Levon Harutiunian and Gor Sahakian are being investigated.

It said the bodies of the three servicemen were found at about 2:15 am.

The Defense Ministry shares the grief of the loss and expresses support to the families, relatives and colleagues of the killed servicemen, the statement issued by the ministry reads.

The Defense Ministry said that at least based on the preliminary information available at this moment there is no indication that the incident is connected with any attack by the Azerbaijani military, in particular, a commando raid, as has been claimed by some local media.

In a further official statement issued today the ministry warned Armenian media against circulating information about the Syunik incident that does not correspondent to the facts.

The ministry urged all to follow only official information, not to spread false information about the causes of the incident and the injuries sustained by the killed servicemen.

The dissemination of such information is beneficial only to the adversary. An investigation is underway, which will fully clarify all the circumstances of the case, and relevant information will be provided to the public in due manner, the Defense Ministry said.

Later during the day the Investigative Committee reported that a soldier has been arrested on suspicion of killing his fellow servicemen.

The incident in Syunik comes amid tensions along the Armenian-Azerbaijani border where at least five Armenian soldiers were killed and six wounded in skirmishes at different sections since late July. Azerbaijan has confirmed at least one soldiers death, saying that two Azeri soldiers were wounded during the same period.

Armenia and Azerbaijan have blamed each other for the incidents along the border.

Long-running tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh region turned into a large-scale war last year in which nearly 7,000 people were killed in six weeks of fighting that ended in a Moscow-brokered cease-fire deal.

Under the accord, a chunk of Nagorno-Karabakh and all seven districts around it were placed under Azerbaijani administration.

The agreement also resulted in the deployment of around 2,000 Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh and along the Lachin corridor linking the Armenian-populated region with Armenia.
According to the Armenian prime ministers press office, on the eve of the main session of the EEU Intergovernmental Council that is scheduled for August 20, Pashinian participated in a narrow-format meeting of EEU member states prime ministers in Cholpon-Ata, a Kyrgyz resort town on the shore of Lake Issyk-Kul.

Pashinian and other leaders representing Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan were met by Chairman of Kyrgyzstans Cabinet of Ministers Ulukbek Maripov.

A number of issues related to the activities of the Union were discussed at the session. Insurance assistance measures for reciprocal trade between EEU Member States and foreign trade, future activities for developing common approaches to the implementation of the global climate agenda and other issues were addressed during the session, a government press release said.

The Armenian prime minister is expected to deliver a speech at tomorrows session of the Intergovernmental Council to be held in an expanded format, it added.

As part of his working visit to Kyrgyzstan Pashinian also met with this Central Asian countrys President Sadyr Japarov today.

According to an official report, the two leaders, in particular, discussed trade and other issues of the bilateral agenda, agreeing that a new impetus should be given to economic ties between the two countries.

Pashinian and Japarov also reportedly exchanged views on regional security issues and challenges. The two leaders agreed that conflicts and existing problems should be settled exclusively in a peaceful way.
They said all their applications to other instances, including the office of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian and the Defense Ministry, have so far been unanswered.

Their only answer is that we should wait while relevant work is being done. But 10 months have passed. We dont see any results of this work. Can anyone tell me where my son is? a disgruntled woman said.

Another woman whose son is among missing soldiers claimed that according to the information they had, all officers except one had deserted, leaving the rank and file alone.

Only one officer remained with his soldiers till the end and his fate today is also unknown. Weve tried to learn about what happened as much as possible. Preliminary investigation is currently underway, people have been interrogated as part of a criminal case, she said.

The parents of missing soldiers said that being dissatisfied with the work of government bodies they decided to make their own inquires, talk to other servicemen from the military unit where their sons served and collect other facts. They said that the bodies of nine of the 21 servicemen missing from that military unit were found after being spotted on videos disseminated by Azerbaijanis on social media  eight of the bodies were identified, while one could not be identified.

Now I pray and ask God for a no-match [in DNA] to have even a glimmer of hope that my son may still be alive, even if he is in captivity. Captivity is a very bad thing, but at least there is a hope that one day he may come back home and knock at my door, another woman said.

The parents of missing soldiers eventually were received by Director of the National Security Service Armen Abazian. After the meeting that lasted for about two hours they said that they had agreed that a more in-depth investigation would be conducted based on the additional information that they had provided and that reports on the work done would be presented to them on a regular basis through other meetings to be organized in the near future.

In June, the Armenian government said that the number of people who remained unaccounted for after the 2020 war in Nagorno-Karabakh stood at 275.
PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) -- For the third consecutive day, the Arizona Department of Health Services reported more than three thousand new cases of COVID-19. Two additional deaths were also recorded. The state, like much of the country, is seeing a resurgence of the virus, as more communities return to the work and in-person learning.

According to data from John Hopkins University, the seven-day rolling average of cases rose to 2,604 on Thursday. The average number of deaths has risen to 13.3 per day over the last two weeks. The state's coronavirus dashboard says, as of Thursday, approximately 1,601 people are hospitalized with COVID-19. Current case levels are beginning to approach the 2020 summer surges daily highs while remaining far below those of last winter. Health data shows hospitalizations have nearly tripled since the end of May.

The Salt-River Pima-Community Indian Community has reinstated a face covering mandate. Residents and visitors to the tribal areas must wear masks while visiting government buildings and businesses. Meanwhile, schools in Scottsdale are reporting that more than 600 students have been quarantined as mandated by the district's policies.
PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) -- Arizona Sec. of State Katie Hobbs (D) has released her 122-page report on the Arizona Senate's audit of the 2020 election. She says the audit was filled with "security lapses, delays, disorganization, and lack of transparency." It comes just one day after Maricopa County announced it will seek reimbursement for new voting machines.

[Click here to read the full Secretary of State's office report]

Hobbs' executive summary noted that Cyber Ninjas, the Florida-based contractor, "failed to meet industry standards for an audit, much less an election audit." The secretary of state claims the contractor clearly did not understand "election processes and procedures" at a state and county level, adding that the audit was more accurately described as a "partisan review" of the ballots.

Republican Senate President Karen Fann - who is spearheading the audit - has said her goal for this audit was not to overturn the 2020 election but to determine whether changes to state law would be needed going forward.

Lack of Security, Transparency

Hobbs says there was a lack of security at the audit site. No chain of custody procedures were demonstrated either, she said. Each computer at the audit site had a single login, shared passwords, and no multi-factor authentication.

[Reporter Morgan Loew exposes major security lapses]

The secretary of state cited a lack of transparency as another reason why she thinks the audit isn't credible. Hobbs says that no observers were allowed to watch a review of the voting system. She alleges that when the voting software and ballot data were sent to Montana, it compromised the integrity of the data. Hobbs says Cyber Ninjas never explained how the data was being secured or handled after it was shipped off.

No Clear Policies or Procedures

Hobbs' report details that there were no clear policies, practices, and procedures during the audit. And when documentation was made available following a court order, observers said they saw discrepancies and were often informed that such practices had changed, according to Hobbs.

The report also claims there was lack of compliance with federal law, as auditors failed to retain election materials for safekeeping. Other claims detail that if and when official observers were near Cyber Ninja auditors, they were to use "code words" to warn others.

County launches 'Just the Facts'

Last month, Maricopa County launched a website to address what it called misinformation about the election audit. It came amid a claim from Cyber Ninjas that more early ballots were counted than were requested by voters.

We have 74,243 mail-in ballots where there is no clear record of them being sent, Cyber Ninja's CEO Doug Logan said at a meeting at Arizonas Capitol on July 15. That could be something where documentation wasnt done right. Theres a clerical issue. Theres not proper things there, but I think when weve got 74,000, it merits knocking on a door and validating some of this information.

The Maricopa County Recorder refuted those claims, saying that 2.3 million early ballots were requested while only 1.9 million were returned. In a July 16 tweet, election officials said that "EV32" and "EV33" files are not proper files to account for all early ballots that were sent and received.

Former President Donald Trump lost Arizona by 10,457 votes.

Senate awaits Cyber Ninja's report

Next week, the state Senate is expected to receive Cyber Ninja's final report into the county's election results.
Bakersfield, CA (93308)

Today

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 69F. N winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 69F. N winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph.
Know of any other local dining or drinking discounts for educators? Send them to thedish@bakersfield.com. Stefani Dias can be reached at 661-395-7488. Follow her on Twitter: @realstefanidias.
Bluefield, WV (24701)

Today

Showers this evening becoming a steady rain overnight. Potential for flooding rains. Low 66F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Showers this evening becoming a steady rain overnight. Potential for flooding rains. Low 66F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.
TOKYO  Much of Japan kicked in its government state of emergency to curb COVID-19 infections Friday, as well as a less stringent quasi-emergency, although worries remained about their effectiveness.

Those requiring hospitalization grew to more than 168,000 people, and complaints have surfaced about hospitals turning patients away.

The emergency, which lasts through Sept. 12, requests restaurants and bars to close at 8 p.m. and not serve alcohol, and shopping malls to limit crowd size.

New daily COVID-19 cases totaled 25,146 people nationwide, averaging 20,307 a day this week, up from 14,729 last week, the Health Ministry said.

The government decided earlier this week to expand the emergency to 13 areas, up from six, including Tokyo and Okinawa. The quasi-emergency now covers 16 prefectures or areas, so about two-thirds of Japan is under some restrictive measure.

About 40% of adults are now fully vaccinated. About 15,500 people have died from COVID-19.

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MORE ON THE PANDEMIC:

 U.S. schools open amid record coronavirus delta wave

 Maine Sen. Angus King tests positive for virus

 Africa WHO official knocks nations that hoard vaccines

 4 of Floridas 5 largest school districts to require masks

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Find more AP coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine

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HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

SEOUL, South Korea  South Koreas daily increase in coronavirus infections exceeded 2,000 for the second straight day as officials extended the highest level of social distancing restrictions short of a lockdown in large population centers.

The 2,052 new cases reported on Friday marked the 45th consecutive day of over 1,000 and brought the countrys caseload to 232,859, including 2,197 deaths.

The viral spread, driven by increased travel and the highly contagious delta variant, is a worrisome development in a country where a slow vaccine rollout has left more than half of the population still waiting for a first shot.

More than 1,300 of the new cases came from capital Seoul and the surrounding metropolitan region, where officials on Friday decided to enforce the strongest Level 4 social distancing rules for at least another two weeks. The rules prohibit private social gatherings of three or more people after 6 p.m. and force nightclubs and churches to close.

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SYDNEY  Sydneys lockdown was extended throughout September on Friday and tougher pandemic restrictions were imposed, including a curfew and compulsory mask wearing outdoors.

New South Wales state reported 642 locally acquired COVID-19 infections in the latest 24-hour period, the fourth consecutive day of tallies exceeding 600.

Australias largest city has been locked down since June 26, 10 days after the delta variant was first detected in an unvaccinated limousine driver who became infected while transporting a U.S. cargo aircrew from Sydney Airport.

Since then, 65 people have died from coronavirus in New South Wales, included four overnight.

The Sydney lockdown was to end on Aug. 28, but the state government announced it will continue until Sept. 30.

A curfew will apply from 9 p.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday in the worst-effected Sydney suburbs.

Mask wearing will become compulsory across the state will outside homes. Masks havent been compulsory in all circumstances outdoors

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WELLINGTON, New Zealand  New Zealands first virus outbreak in six months has spread from the largest city of Auckland to the capital, Wellington.

Health authorities said Friday that three people in Wellington who recently visited Auckland had tested positive. They said the outbreak had grown to 31 cases, and that some patients were being diverted from an Auckland hospital after one patient may have unknowingly been infectious while being treated.

The government on Tuesday hurriedly put the entire nation into a strict lockdown after the first community case was found in Auckland. Genome testing has linked the outbreak to an infected traveler who returned from Sydney earlier this month and was quarantined, although health authorities say they dont yet know how the virus escaped quarantine.

New Zealand is continuing to pursue an elimination strategy aimed at wiping out the virus entirely.

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AUSTIN, Texas -- The Texas Supreme Court has declined to block restraining orders against Gov. Greg Abbotts mask mandate ban.

The justices remanded Attorney General Ken Paxtons appeal to the 3rd Texas Court of Appeal in Austin for a hearing. The court did not issue an opinion for its Thursday decision.

The move comes the same day as the Texas Education Agency dropped, for now, enforcement in the states public school systems of Abbotts mask mandate ban.

In a public health guidance letter issued Thursday, the TEA said enforcement was being dropped because of ongoing court challenges to the ban.

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska  More than 3,000 fake COVID-19 vaccination cards have been confiscated at cargo freight facilities at the Anchorage airport as they were being shipped from China.

Officers from U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized the cards in the last week as they arrived in small packages.

An agency spokesperson said there were between 135 to 150 packages found in Anchorage, all sent by the same person in China. Each package contained a small number of the fake cards, between 20 to 90 cards.

A high volume of counterfeit vaccination cards have been detected nationwide.

Another 3,600 fake cards were found recently at cargo facilities in Memphis. Federal law enforcement officers are investigating.

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HONOLULU -- Organizers of the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii said Thursday this years contest will be postponed to February because of increasing COVID-19 cases in the state.

On Thursday, the states seven-day average of new COVID-19 cases hit 713, up 56% from two weeks ago.

A statement on the groups website said COVID-19 in Hawaii is worse now than it has been at any point during the pandemic. The race had been scheduled for Oct. 9.

The Ironman competition is considered one of the most important Ironman triathlon events. Participants swim 2.4 miles (3.9 kilometers), ride bikes for 112 miles (180.3 kilometers) and then run a marathon, which goes for 26.2 miles (42.2 kilometers).

Organizers rescheduled the contest last year too, only to later cancel it completely because of ongoing coronavirus concerns and the risks of international travel. It was the first time in the triathlons four decade history that the event wasnt held.

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PORTLAND, Ore. -- Oregon Gov. Kate Brown says all teachers, educators, support staff and volunteers in K-12 schools must be vaccinated against COVID-19.

The announcement was made Thursday amid a surge in coronavirus cases in the state and as hospitals near capacity.

Teachers are the latest to be added to the growing statewide vaccine mandate, which also includes health care workers and state employees. They must be fully vaccinated by Oct. 18 or six weeks after a COVID-19 vaccine receives full approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, whichever is later.

There are those who will disagree with the actions Im taking today, Brown, a Democrat, said during Thursdays press conference. But school is starting across the state and COVID-19 poses a threat to our kids. Our kids need to be protected and they need to be in school. And thats why Im willing to take the heat for this decision.

In addition, Brown announced weekly testing for health care workers will no longer be an option for those who want to avoid vaccination. The only opt-out of the requirement is either a medical or religious exemption.

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ATLANTA  Georgias Republican governor issued an executive order Thursday banning cities from requiring businesses to enforce local pandemic restrictions.

But what impact, if any, the measure would have on new mask requirements in Atlanta, Savannah and other cities was not clear.

At a news conference, Gov. Brian Kemp said his order will prevent local governments from forcing businesses to be the citys mask and vaccine police. He said he was concerned about measures in Atlanta and Savannah. Both cities have mask requirements, but it was not immediately clear that either would be affected by the governors order.

The order comes amid an explosion in COVID cases in the state.

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TOPEKA, Kan.  Officials in some Kansas communities are battling a rise in COVID-19 cases by mandating masks for kids, issuing emergency orders and requiring vaccines.

The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Kansas has risen over the past two weeks from 605 new cases per day on Aug. 3 to 797 new cases per day on Tuesday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

In the Lawrence area, Douglas County leaders approved a health order Wednesday that will require children ages 2 to 12 to wear masks while in indoor public spaces. The decision followed four hours of public comment that included jeering and interruptions from a largely maskless crowd, the Lawrence Journal-World reports.

In the Wichita area, hospital status was changed to critical Wednesday, as about 150 COVID-19 patients fill beds there, The Wichita Eagle reports.

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DENVER -- Colorado U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper announced Thursday that he has tested positive for a breakthrough case of COVID-19.

The first-term Democrat issued a statement saying he tested positive after experiencing mild symptoms and is self-isolating at the direction of the attending physician for the U.S. Congress, Dr. Brian P. Monahan.

Infections and illnesses can happen even after being vaccinated. Experts say vaccination could help make any illnesses less severe. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that newer versions of the coronavirus could be a factor in breakthrough cases.

Hickenlooper, 69, is a former brewpub entrepreneur, Denver mayor and two-term governor who defeated incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner in the 2020 election.

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CLAYTON, Mo.  A judge on Thursday issued an order barring St. Louis County from enforcing a mask mandate while a lawsuit against it is litigated.

St. Louis County Executive Sam Page issued the mandate last month, prompting the County Council to vote to rescind it. Page maintained that the mask requirement nonetheless remained in effect.

Circuit Judge Ellen Nellie Ribaudo then issued a temporary restraining order, finding that the state was likely to prevail in its argument that current law gives the council the authority to terminate the mask requirement. That order was in effect only until a decision was made on a preliminary injunction.

Ribaudo was critical of some who had claimed victory after the temporary injunction was issued.

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NASHVILLE, Tenn.  Tennessee hospitals warned Thursday that the intensive care units are full in nearly every hospital in the states major metropolitan areas.

The Tennessee Hospital Association said in a statement that the hospitals with full ICUs are the same ones that normally accept transfers of sicker patients from smaller hospitals.

Hospital officials are pleading with Tennesseans to get vaccinated and wear masks.

Meanwhile, U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona warned Tennessee in a letter sent Wednesday that Gov. Bill Lees executive order allowing parents to opt their children out of mask mandates might violate federal law.

Separately, a Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Vanderbilt School of Medicine report released Thursday found that hospitalizations have increased more than tenfold in a little more than a month, the fastest rate of increase seen during the pandemic.

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COLUMBIA, S.C.  South Carolinas top prosecutor on Thursday sued the states capital city over a school mask mandate that officials allege violates state law.

The city of Columbias school mask order conflicts with a state budget requirement that went into effect July 1 and bans school districts from using appropriated funds to require face coverings, State Attorney General Alan Wilson said in a complaint filed with the South Carolina Supreme Court.

The lawsuit comes as average daily cases of COVID-19 have risen by more than 60% over the last two weeks, with hundreds of students across the state already required to quarantine for exposure to the virus.

Earlier this month, Columbias city council ratified an ordinance mandating the use of masks in the citys elementary and middle schools for at least the beginning of the school year.

The Republican attorney general said days later that the emergency ordinance should be rescinded or amended," but city leaders said the mandate doesnt violate state law because city, not state, funds are being used.

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ANKARA, Turkey  Turkey will require all teachers, school administrators and other staff who have not been vaccinated to produce twice-weekly negative COVID-19 tests once schools reopen and resume in-person classes on Sept. 6, the president said.

Speaking following a Cabinet meeting Thursday, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said universities would also demand regular PCR tests from unvaccinated students and teaching staff.

People who have not been vaccinated and want to travel on buses and planes or to go to concerts, theaters and cinemas will also face mandatory COVID-19 testing, Erdogan added.

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said the tests would be conducted free-of-charge at state-owned hospitals.

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RALEIGH, N.C.  The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill says unvaccinated students and those who dont disclose their COVID-19 vaccination status will be required to get tested for the coronavirus twice a week.

In a message to the community, the university says 87% of students have attested they are fully vaccinated. Those who become fully vaccinated and report their status to the university will no longer have to face twice-weekly testing.

The move comes as the state witnesses its worst levels of transmission of the virus in months.

North Carolina on Thursday registered more than 7,000 daily COVID-19 cases, the highest in seven months. More than 3,000 people are hospitalized in the state with COVID-19, the most since Jan. 28.
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Joe Morella, a former Variety reporter who became a biographer of numerous Hollywood stars, died Aug. 13 of Covid-related illness in San Diego, Calif. He was 81.

Morella wrote at least a dozen biographies  often co-authored by Edward Z. Epstein  of stars including Loretta Young, Lucille Ball, Lana Turner, Rita Hayworth, Judy Garland, Clark Gable and Bob Hope.

He also wrote books on Marlon Brando, Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward and Simon and Garfunkel. In 2012, his novel Murder on the Hearst Yacht, speculating about the death of 1920s silent film producer Thomas Ince, was published.

Morella founded the website ClassicMovieChat with Frank Segers, another Variety alum, which has since published more than 2,700 blog posts covering a wide array of topics relating to classic Hollywood.

The late Johnny Madden, another Variety colleague, bequeathed to Joe several shoe boxes full of informal unpublished movie star photographs taken by the late Donald Gordon (a former Hollywood actor and Maddens landlord) that ultimately became a regular staple on ClassicMovieChat.

Among the Gordon collection are candid shots of memorable Hollywood stars from Joan Crawford to Sydney Greenstreet.

Morella was born Nov. 19, 1939 in Nutley, N.J., and was a high school classmate of Martha Stewart. After attending Montclair State U., he gravitated toward showbiz journalism, and took a job in the late 1960s as a reporter for Variety.

At Variety, he became an indispensable administrative assistant to editor Abel Green.

Morella also worked for Universal as publicity-promotion agent for the studios productions in the 1960s, where he toured venues such as state fairs and regional sporting events to accompany stars pitching their latest products.

In his later years, Morella  along with his longtime companion and husband, Jim Bliss  developed real estate properties in Tucson, Arizona and in San Diego and enjoyed traveling and foreign cruises.

He is survived by Bliss and numerous nephews, nieces and cousins.

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A 64-year-old woman, who allegedly helped her son elude police for two years, has been indicted by a Jefferson County grand jury.

The grand jury on Wednesday indicted Mary Sanders Lock for hindering apprehension.

According to court documents submitted by the Port Arthur Police Department, a warrant to revoke probation because of the unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon was issued for Locks son  Charles Nicholas Lock, 33  in September 2019.

Police said the womans son also was a person of interest in a fatal hit and run incident that occurred on Savannah Avenue in September 2019.

But he wasnt arrested until last month. Court documents explain why police believe his mother played a key role in keeping him from being apprehended.

Related: Police say mother helped son elude police for two years

Not long after the warrant was issued in 2019, members of law enforcement attempted to locate Charles Lock at an address linked to him, where they ultimately spoke to his mother.

I explained to Mary that her son Charles Lock had a felony warrant for his arrest and he needed to be located, the detective said in the affidavit. Mary told me that she does not speak with her son Charles or her daughter.

She then asked police to leave her apartment.

The detective said he and the deputies warned the mother that she could be hindering her sons apprehension. Documents said several other family members were interviewed, including Charles Locks sister and niece.

In July 2020, authorities learned that Charles Lock was driving an Audi SUV that belonged to his mother and had been purchased in Houston in May 2021, according to the documents. He also learned she was renting and paying utilities at an apartment complex in Baytown.

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On July 26, members of law enforcement were told by the apartments management that the Audi SUV was parked in a discreet location within the complex, the documents said. The officer learned Mary Lock had been renting from the elderly assisted living complex since March 2021.

Having reason to believe that Charles Lock was possibly inside the apartment, we proceeded to make contact, said a detective involved with the investigation, according to the documents. Management advised that no other person should be there and provided me with a key to the apartment. After several knocks on the door, my partner advised that a subject was attempting to jump off the second story balcony.

I immediately breached the door and observed Charles Lock inside the apartment, he continued.

Charles Lock was arrested without incident. During a sweep of the apartment, the detective said there were no signs of a woman living there.

Related: PAPD arrest suspect in 2019 hit-and-run

There was a blow up mattress in the bedroom and nothing but male clothing inside the apartment, the detective said in the documents. This led me to believe that Mary Lock has never lived there and was fraudulently renting this apartment to hide her son Charles Lock from law enforcement.

Port Arthur police began looking for Charles Lock in mid-October 2019. At the time, police said he was driving a white Dodge truck when he allegedly hit and killed Jamica Thibo in the 3000 block of Savannah Avenue.

The detective said when Charles Lock was arrested in late July this year, he was in possession of the key to the SUV that was returned to his mother. He was taken to the Jefferson County Jail. His mother was arrested earlier this month.

I believe that Mary Lock did intentionally hinder the arrest of Charles by providing him with an apartment and a vehicle to continue to elude law enforcement, the detective said.

No further information was immediately available due to press time.

meagan.ellsworth@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/megzmagpie
MOSCOW (AP)  On the morning of Aug. 19, 1991, I woke up to a loud rumbling outside. It was the same sound I heard during an earlier showdown between Soviet troops and pro-democracy protesters in Lithuania.

It was the sound of battle tanks.

The ominous noise on that morning 30 years ago was coming from the main state TV headquarters, a 15-minute walk from my apartment building in northern Moscow. When I went outside, I saw troops encircling state broadcast facilities and the massive Ostankino TV tower.

The hundreds of tanks rolled into Moscow after a terse statement was broadcast declaring that Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who was on vacation at the Black Sea, was unfit to govern for health reasons. A group of hard-line Communist Party officials formed what they called the State Committee on the State of Emergency to save the country from chaos and anarchy.

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EDITOR'S NOTE: Associated Press photographer Alexander Zemlianichenko rushed into the streets of Moscow on the morning of Aug. 19, 1991, after a group of hard-line Communist Party officials seized power in a coup. The images of demonstrators standing up to the tanks and troops that Zemlianichenko and his AP colleagues made during the tumult and the subsequent collapse of the Soviet Union won the 1992 Pulitzer Prize for Spot News Photography.

___

That day, my wife and I were supposed to start our vacation in Cyprus  a long-coveted trip that was our first chance to visit the Mediterranean. Instead, I packed my gear and headed to The Associated Press office, located across the river from the government headquarters of the Russian Federation, one of 15 Soviet republics, which was headed by Boris Yeltsin.

Yeltsin was widely seen as the champion of democratic reforms, defying those hard-liners who were trying to preserve Communist Party rule. His offices in a towering riverside building, dubbed the White House by Muscovites, served as a rallying point for those who opposed the coup.

When I reached the building, crowds were swarming the tanks sent to surround the building. Some of the tank crews got out of their vehicles and declared that they would side with protesters.

Yeltsin arrived and climbed atop one of the tanks to make a passionate speech, urging people to stand up against the coup plotters.

I spent that chaotic day taking photos of protesters around Yeltsin's headquarters and running back the office to have my rolls of film developed.

Later in the day, the leaders of the coup defended their actions at a televised news conference, but they appeared nervous and indecisive. As state TV showed Yeltsin defying them, it became increasingly clear that their plot was doomed.

Tensions remained high, however, and three protesters were killed and several others were injured when a crowd tried to stop a convoy of armored vehicles that they believed was heading to storm Yeltsin's headquarters.

Hours later, on the morning of Aug. 21, Soviet Defense Minister Dmitry Yazov ordered troops to leave Moscow. The next day, Gorbachev flew back to Moscow, and the coup plotters were arrested. One died of a gunshot wound in an apparent suicide.

I was still out on the streets, taking photos of exultant crowds across the city. I caught the moment when demonstrators pulled down a large statue of Felix Dzerzhinsky, the founder of the Soviet secret police, in front of KGB headquarters on Lubyanka Square.

It was a watershed moment that symbolized the collapse of the repressive Soviet system.

The botched putsch dramatically weakened Gorbachev, making Yeltsin the No. 1 political figure and hastening the collapse of the Soviet Union four months later.
WASHINGTON (AP)  A North Carolina man who claimed to have a bomb in a pickup truck near the U.S. Capitol surrendered to law enforcement after an hourslong standoff Thursday that prompted a massive police response and the evacuations of government buildings in the area.

Authorities were investigating what led the suspect, identified as 49-year-old Floyd Ray Roseberry, to drive onto the sidewalk outside the Library of Congress, make bomb threats to officers and profess a litany of antigovernment grievances as part of a bizarre episode that he live-streamed for a Facebook audience. Police later searched the vehicle and said they did not find a bomb but did collect possible bomb-making materials.

The standoff was resolved peacefully after roughly five hours of negotiations, ending when Roseberry crawled out of the truck and was taken into police custody. But even in a city with a long history of dramatic law enforcement encounters outside federal landmarks, this episode was notable for its timing  Washington remains on edge eight months after the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol  and for the way the suspect harnessed social media to draw attention to his actions in the hours before his arrest.

Authorities who spent hours negotiating with Roseberry  he held up handwritten signs through his driver-side window  were continuing to dig into his background Thursday evening. They did not reveal any details about a motive, and no charges were immediately announced.

Investigators had been speaking with members of Roseberrys family and learned that his mother had recently died, Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger said. There were other issues he was dealing with, the chief said, without providing specific details.

But social media appeared to offer its own clues.

As police continued negotiations, video surfaced of Roseberry on Facebook Live inside the truck, which was stuffed with coins and boxes. He threatened explosions, expressed hostility toward President Joe Biden, profanely warned of a revolution and laid bare a series of grievances related to U.S. positions on Afghanistan, health care and the military.

Roseberrys ex-wife, Crystal Roseberry, said she had seen images of the man in the standoff at the Capitol and confirmed to The Associated Press that it was her ex-husband. She said she had never known him to have explosives, but he was an avid collector of firearms.

Videos posted to Facebook before the page was taken down appear to show Roseberry at a Nov. 14 Washington rally attended by thousands of Trump supporters to protest what they claimed was a stolen election. One video appears to be filmed by Roseberry as hes marching with a crowd of hundreds of people carrying American flags and Trump flags and shouting stop the steal.

Thursday's incident began around 9:15 a.m. when a truck drove up the sidewalk outside the library. The driver told the responding officer he had a bomb, and he was holding what the officer believed to be a detonator. The truck had no license plates.

Kelsey Campbell, a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison visiting Washington as part of a class trip, said she and another student encountered Roseberry around 9:20 a.m. outside the nearby Supreme Court building. Campbell said he was with his truck, which was parked next to the sidewalk, and was holding a large stack of dollar bills.

He said, Hey, call the police, tell them to evacuate this street, and Ill give you all this money, Campbell recounted to The AP. I said, No! and he threw the money at us and we started running.

Campbell said she and the other student saw some police officers standing nearby. They told the officers what happened, and the officers then went to confront Roseberry.

The standoff brought the area surrounding the Capitol to a virtual standstill as police emptied buildings and cordoned off streets as a precaution. Congress is in recess this week, but staffers were seen calmly walking out of the area at the direction of authorities.

By Thursday evening, authorities had finished searching the vehicle and determined the area to be safe after not finding an explosive.

The nation's capital has been tense since the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol, when thousands of supporters of then-President Donald Trump stormed the building as Congress was gathered to certify the results of the presidential election.

A day before the riot at the Capitol, pipe bombs were left at the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee and the Republican National Committee in Washington. No one has been arrested yet for placing the bombs.

The RNC, not far from where the truck was parked Thursday, was also evacuated over the threat. A spokesman for the DNC said its headquarters, which is located farther away from the trucks location, was put under lockdown, but that lockdown has been lifted.

Thursdays incident marked the third time in as many weeks that federal and military law enforcement authorities had to respond to attacks or possible threats in the Washington area. Officials are also jittery over a planned rally in September.

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Long reported from New Buffalo, Michigan. Associated Press writers Alanna Durkin Richer in Boston, Tom Foreman Jr. in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Zeke Miller, Nathan Ellgren, Ashraf Khalil and Alex Brandon in Washington contributed to this report.
In an escalating battle with Republican governors, President Joe Biden on Wednesday ordered his Education secretary to explore possible legal action against states that have blocked school mask mandates and other public health measures meant to protect students against COVID-19.

In response, the Education Department raised the possibility of using its civil rights arm to fight policies in Florida, Texas, Iowa and other Republican-led states that have barred public schools from requiring masks in the classroom.

Biden directed Education Secretary Miguel Cardona to assess all available tools that can be used against states that fail to protect students amid surging coronavirus cases.

Some state governments have adopted policies and laws that interfere with the ability of schools and districts to keep our children safe during in-person learning, Biden said in an executive order, adding that some states have gone so far as to try to block school officials from adopting safety measures.

It amounts to the sharpest threat yet against states that so far have ignored admonishments from the White House during the surging pandemic. The move also injects the federal government into mounting culture wars that have turned schools into battlegrounds in a debate over masks.

In an announcement on its website, the Education Department said policies that ban mask mandates could amount to discrimination if they lead to unsafe conditions that prevent students from attending school. The agency can launch its own investigations into potential violations, and it also responds to civil rights complaints from parents and the public.

The department has the authority to investigate any state educational agency whose policies or actions may infringe on the rights of every student to access public education equally," Cardona said in a statement. He added that states banning mask mandates are needlessly placing students, families and educators at risk.

The agencys Office for Civil Rights can issue a range of sanctions up to a total loss of federal education funding in cases of civil rights violations.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has pressed ahead with a ban on school mask requirements, and the states education officials are now weighing whether to withhold salaries of some superintendents that have defied the order. Texas and at least six other states have instituted similar prohibitions.

The state policies run counter to guidance from the from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which recommends universal mask wearing for students and teachers in the classroom. In its guidance, the CDC cited the spread of the highly contagious delta variant.

Biden indicated last week that he believes he does not personally have the authority to overturn the policies, but he pleaded with Republican governors to reconsider their prohibitions. If they wont help, he urged them to at least get out of the way.

While most states allow school districts to determine their own mask policies, some have fallen on either side of the debate. Some including California, Louisiana and Virginia have moved to require masks in schools for most students this fall. In other states that have barred mandates, leaders say it should be up to families to decide.

Protesters who oppose mask mandates have taken to state and local school board meetings in recent weeks, in some cases derailing the meetings.

In letters to Florida and Texas last week, Cardona said their prohibitions may violate the American Rescue Plan, which provided $123 billion to the nations schools to help them return to the classroom. The policies prevent schools from developing safe reopening plans, a requirement of the legislation, he said.

Similar letters are also being sent to Arizona, Iowa, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Utah, Cardona said on Wednesday.

Let me be clear, he wrote, this department will continue to use every tool in our toolbox to protect the health and safety of students and educators and to maximize in-person learning as the new school year begin.
Union Pacifics Big Boy No. 4014 may have steamed into Beaumont on a drizzly afternoon just as the sky was about to open up, but Southeast Texas didnt let it arrive without a welcoming party.

More than 100 people slogged through the mud and puddles to witness the worlds largest steam engine rest in Beaumont for the night after chugging in from Houston.

The Big Boy, named because its class was the largest set of steam engines ever created, is on a resurgent tour across the country  from Cheyenne, Wyoming to New Orleans, Louisiana and back.

On this trip, Ed Dickens, senior manager of Union Pacifics heritage operations and conductor on the journey, and the crew helping the Big Boy stay on the move are taking the 80-year-old train to parts of the country its never been before.

Its a team effort to keep this thing running perfectly, and its constant action, Dickens said. It may be big, but its delicate, and there is a lot of monitoring involved to make sure everything works smoothly.

In fact, it takes a crew of 10 people to operate the Big Boy on its odyssey and keep it in top shape. The Big Boy requires a lot of attention and materials to keep the steam rolling, consuming about 20 gallons of oil and 200 gallons of water per mile.

The large locomotive weighs 610 tons  some 100 tons heavier than any other running steam locomotive, making it the biggest in the world.

The Big Boy was built in 1941 to carry a massive amount of equipment over rough and steep terrain during World War II.

It was retired in 1961 after traveling a little over a million miles and reacquired by Union Pacific in 2013. It was restored and debuted again in 2019 on the 150th anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad.

After its original construction in New York, Dickens said it didnt travel back east again until after it was restored.

Now, in its second life, it is visiting parts of the Midwest and South for the first time, including Beaumont.

Shelly Helms and her crew of four  Grayson, Harrison, Branson and Jocelyn  braved the weather to welcome it to town, but it was more of a reunion than a first meeting.

Helms said the group had already seen the Big Boy in Houston the day before but Grayson, the family train enthusiast, wanted to visit it again.

Grayson said it was one of his favorite trains he had ever seen, and he was glad that it was as loud as he expected the giant engine to be.

Fans like Grayson will have another chance to catch the Big Boy before it leaves Southeast Texas, as it will be making another whistle stop in Orange at 9:30 a.m. at Holly Lane Crossing.

Dickens said seeing the reactions of the crowds that have gathered to see the train at each stop is the best a journey like this, and this trip has been no exception.

Its all worth it when you see the faces as you come rolling up, Dickens said.

jacob.dick@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/jd_journalism
GRIZZLY FLATS, Calif. (AP)  A wildfire raged through a small Northern California forest town Tuesday, burning dozens of homes as dangerously dry and windy weather also continued to fuel other massive blazes and prompted the nation's largest utility to begin shutting off power to 51,000 customers.

The Caldor fire in the northern Sierra Nevada had burned an estimated 50 homes in and around Grizzly Flats, a town of about 1,200 people, fire officials said at a community meeting.

Gov. Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency for El Dorado County because of the blaze, which tripled in size between Monday and Tuesday afternoon to nearly 50 square miles (129 square kilometers),

To the north the Dixie Fire  the largest of some 100 active wildfires in more than a dozen Western states  was advancing toward Susanville, population about 18,000.

Meanwhile, Pacific Gas & Electric announced it had begun shutting off power to some 51,000 customers in small portions of 18 northern counties to prevent winds from knocking down or fouling power lines and sparking new blazes.

The utility said the precautionary shutoffs were focused in the Sierra Nevada foothills, the North Coast, the North Valley and the North Bay mountains and could last into Wednesday afternoon.

Very few homes were left standing in Grizzly Flats, where streets were littered with downed power lines and poles. Houses were reduced to smoldering ash and twisted metal with only chimneys rising above the ruins. A post office and elementary school were also destroyed.

Two people with serious or severe injuries were airlifted to hospitals from the Grizzly Flats area, fire officials said.

Derek Shaves and Tracy Jackson were helping their friend salvage food and other supplies from the Grizzly Pub & Grub, a business in the evacuation zone that wasn't touched by the blaze.

Shaves said he visited Grizzly Flats Tuesday and saw his home and most of the houses in his neighborhood had been destroyed by the fire.

Its a pile of ash, he said. Everybody on my block is a pile of ash and every block that I visited  but for five separate homes that were safe  was totally devastated.

At the Dixie Fire, numerous resources were put into the Susanville area, where residents were warned to be ready to evacuate, said Mark Brunton, an operations section chief.

It's not out of play, and the next 24 hours are going to be crucial to watch as to what the fire is going to do there, he told an online briefing.

To the east, spot fires became established south of the small community of Janesville, which had been ordered evacuated. Some structures were lost there  images captured by The Associated Press showed a home consumed by flames  but a surge of firefighters was able to herd the fire around the majority of the town, Brunton said.

The Dixie Fire, which had burned some 600 homes, is the largest of the major wildfires burning in Western U.S. states that have seen historic drought and weeks of high temperatures and dry weather that have left trees, brush and grasslands as flammable as tinder. Climate change has made the U.S. West warmer and drier in the past 30 years and will continue to make the weather more extreme and wildfires more destructive, according to scientists.

Susanville is the seat of Lassen County and the largest city that the Dixie Fire, named for the road where it started, has approached since it broke out last month. The former Sierra Nevada logging and mining town has two state prisons, a nearby federal lockup and a casino.

Ash fell from the advancing fire, and a police statement urged residents to be alert and be ready to evacuate if the fire threatens the city.

The Dixie Fire has scorched more than 940 square miles (2,434 square kilometers) in the northern Sierra Nevada and southern Cascades since it ignited on July 13 and eventually merged with a smaller blaze. Its less than a third contained.

Investigations are continuing, but PG&E has notified utility regulators that the Dixie and Fly fires may have been caused by trees falling into its power lines. The Dixie Fire began near the town of Paradise, which was devastated by a 2018 wildfire ignited by PG&E equipment during strong winds. Eighty-five people died.

Ongoing damage surveys have counted more than 1,100 buildings destroyed, including 630 homes, and more than 16,000 structures remained threatened. Numerous evacuation orders were in effect.

Near the Caldor Fire, people were offering assistance to evacuees, including the four-footed kind. Susan Collins of Placerville used her horse trailer to help move two horses Tuesday after offering help on an El Dorado County Facebook page.

I know not everybody is prepared when something like this happens, and my purpose in life is to be there to help people, she said.

Across the state line in Nevada, school administrators delayed start times in the Reno-Sparks because of a cloak of wildfire smoke from the Dixie Fire blanketing the region. Smoke plumes from the Caldor Fire were also visible from northern Nevada.

Two dozen fires were burning in Montana and nearly 50 more in Idaho, Washington and Oregon, according to the National Fire Interagency Center.

In Montana, authorities ordered evacuations on Tuesday for several remote communities in north- central Montana as strong winds propelled a large wildfire toward inhabited areas.

The mandatory evacuation covered Lodge Pole, a town of about 300 people on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, and the former mining town of Zortman, which has about two dozen people, KOJM reported.

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John Antczak reported from Los Angeles. Associated Press writers Olga R. Rodriguez in San Francisco, Amy Taxin in Orange County, Samuel Metz in Carson City, Nevada, and Matthew Brown in Billings, Montana, contributed to this report.
The Port Arthur Police Department has stopped thieves from stealing metal catalytic converters.

Officers received a call shortly after 4:30 a.m. to report a metal theft in progress in the 7200 block of Lake Arthur Drive.

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Officers arrived in the area and vehicle pursuit ensued, a PAPD news release said. Officers followed and subjects were taken into custody. The Metal Catalytic Converters were recovered.

The incident remains under investigation by the police department. No further information was provided.

meagan.ellsworth@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/megzmagpie
The San Antonio Zoo surprised full-time employees on Wednesday by paying them back the money they lost during COVID-19 setbacks and scale backs.

CEO Tim Morrow said the zoo made it through the pandemic-related pauses and visitation slowdowns without having to lay off staff. Morrow said he vowed to keep his team intact at the start of the crisis. Over the past 18 months, part-time employees were furloughed and brought back, while full-time staff faced reduction of hours and salaried members took a pay cut.

The CEO notes that one of the key factors of the San Antonio Zoo's survival was invention of the drive-thru experience. Last summer, the team found a workaround by inviting guests to remain in their vehicles and tour the animal exhibits from the safety of their cars. The idea became a national, maybe even worldwide hit, and the three days Morrow anticipated on hosting the event sold out. It was eventually expanded to a larger schedule.

Through funds recouped by the drive-thru zoo, philanthropy, federal aid, and some creativity to its operations, Morrow was able to hand out bonuses to employees went without during the trying period. Leadership invited about 100 employees to a workplace event called "Tacos with Tim" on Wednesday morning. His employees didn't know they'd be unwrapping more than free tacos.

"It just put us in a position where we really felt like we owed it to our employees to pay them back for that sacrifice they made," Morrow says. "It was all of us, from me down, that went through that. So we didn't want to forget that and we really, really wanted to show our appreciation for what they did to really save the zoo."

"Since I've gotten here, we really talked about being a family at the zoo, we treat each other like family first," he adds. "Our philosophy is: we treat each other and our employees like family, and they will, in turn pass that on to the guests."
The Biden administration on Wednesday announced it recommends Americans who are fully vaccinated receive a third COVID-19 shot starting in the fall.

Officials state this means the booster shots will soon be available for the more than 155 million people in the U.S. who have been fully vaccinated from Pfizer Inc. and partner BioNTech SE, or from Moderna Inc. Additional data is expected soon to guide decision-making around boosters for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

The booster shot is to be administered about eight months after the second dose of the vaccine. The government said it plans to offer them beginning the week of September 20 after the Food and Drug Administration authorizes it. Regulators last week cleared booster shots for people with compromised immune systems, according to the Wall Street Journal.

What is the booster shot?

Dr. Jan Patterson, an infectious disease specialist with the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, tells MySA the booster shot is given to increase antibody levels. Data shows individuals who received their full vaccine eight months ago have decreasing levels, which could lead to what is known as breakthrough infections.

"The Pfizer company has shown that a third dose really boosts the antibody levels, and suggests that it could prevent more infections," Patterson says. "It's very common to have booster doses of vaccines. It's simply a way of boosting immunity and boosting antibody levels after the levels go down several months after the initial administration."

When can we expect the shots to arrive in San Antonio?

Patterson says it's interesting the White House announced the booster shot information before the FDA authorized it and before receiving a recommendation from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Both gave the OK for booster shots to people with compromised immune systems.

"Those two things are things that we typically have before we initiate new vaccine practices," she says. "We were anticipating it was coming at some point, but it was kind of a surprise to see it coming right now. But, I think it'll be a good move. We're looking forward to it."

Once approved by both organizations, Patterson says she expects it to arrive by late September, as the White House anticipates.

Who's getting it first?

The booster shots will be rolled out in a similar way as the vaccines were, Patterson says. People 65 and older and individuals in chronic-care facilities are expected to get boosters initially, along with health workers and anyone else who was vaccinated first.

However, the urgency of receiving the booster will be different, meaning not everyone will need to receive it at once.

"People who are fully vaccinated  there's still evidence that they have good protection against severe disease," Patterson says. "I anticipate it will be more of a gradual rollout or more extended rollout than the initial vaccine needed to be."

Do you need to get it?

More than likely. Patterson says evidence shows that a third dose does increase antibody levels. However, she says UT Health is still waiting on the FDA and ACIP to give their OK before the department gives out formal recommendations.

"But it looks like it will be beneficial in terms of boosting people's antibodies," Patterson says. "I anticipate that we will be recommending it, but we have to wait for authorizations first."

Will there be a different booster for each vaccine?

Patterson says they don't have those guidelines yet. However, the FDA and CDC recommend persons with compromised immune systems to get the third dose in the same brand the individual initially had for the vaccine. If not available, either one will work.

Patterson says she anticipates the guidance will be the same for all Americans.

Will there be any symptoms after the booster shot?

Though it is too soon to tell, Patterson says early data shows side effects were similar to what one would experience after a two-dose series. The CDC said the most common side effects were fatigue and pain at the injection site. Overall, most symptoms were mild to moderate, according to the CDC.

More information about the COVID-19 booster is expected to be released soon.
Bedford, PA (15522)

Today

Periods of rain. Rain becoming heavy at times overnight. Potential for flooding rains. Low around 65F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected..

Tonight

Periods of rain. Rain becoming heavy at times overnight. Potential for flooding rains. Low around 65F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected.
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Students welcomed back to Illinois schools

Debra Jensen-De Hart/Beloit Daily News Nicole McCorkle gives her son, Killian, 4, a hug as he gets ready to enter Clark Elementary Schools pre-school program on the first day schools opened in Illinois. Debra Jensen-De Hart/Beloit Daily News Nicole McCorkle gives her son, Killian, 4, a big smile as he gets ready to go to the pre-school program at Clark Elementary School on Wednesday as his dad, Steve McCorkle stands by. Wednesday marked the first day Illinois schools opened for the new school year. Debra Jensen-De Hart/Beloit Daily News Steve and Nicole McCorkle give their son, Killian, a hug before he enters the pre-school program at Clark Elementary School on the first day Illinois welcomed students back on Wednesday.

SOUTH BELOIT  A little nervous, a little excited describes both parents and their offspring at Clark Elementary School in South Beloit as Illinois opened for the first day back to school on Wednesday.

As students were walked to the front doors of Clark, there were many hugs given and a few tears shed. But the staff and administration offered plenty of help and enthusiasm as they welcomed the students back and assisted them down the corridors.

Parents had mixed feelings about their children being in school as opposed to remote learning.

Megan King, mother of three, said she was glad students were back in the classroom.

I am ready for the first day of school. I have a kindergartner, a fourth grader and an eighth grader, she said.

King said she did not like the remote learning experience last year.

I am a single mother of three and I work and Im not a teacher, she said.

Arnulfo Casique, father of two children at Clark, said he was excited but a little apprehensive about kids being back in school because the concern about COVID-19 is still present.

But I think it will be alright, he said.

Principal Matt Roer said he was pleased with the return of the students and how things went on Wednesday.

It went very smoothly, he said.

The new parking lot, and added lane options for parents and buses to drop kids off, helped immensely, he said.

As for the friendly demeanor of the staff, We have a good school culture, theyre here because they want to be here, Roer said.

Whats different this year is that all of the students are in the classroom unless they have a medical reason not to be there, Roer said. Last year, some opted to do remote classroom learning at home.

Per the Winnebago County Health Department, the State of Illinois and the Centers for Disease and Control Prevention (CDC), everyone inside the school building is required to wear masks, they can remove them outside or to eat, Roer said. Students also are placed 3 feet apart in the classroom, he said. Clark has an enrollment of 220 pupils in pre-school, kindergarten and first grade.

At Riverview Elementary School, It was great to see all the kids come back. There were a lot of smiling faces, said Principal Tim Doherty.

Enrollment at the second through fourth grade school is 185, he said.

Besides an improved parking lot, the school also added a new walking path around the playground area for the students, Doherty said.

At Prairie Hill School, in South Beloit which is in a separate District, the first day of school will be (today) Thursday, said Principal Kevin Finnegan.

We are really excited; we are returning to our pre-Covid19 schedule, he said. That means students will attend from 8:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. instead of the shorter day they had last year.

Its a good news story for us, no remote learning this year and kids will be able to move around in the building, he said.

However, all will still need to wear a mask inside the building and practice social distancing.

Prairie Hill has an enrollment of 446 students this year in Pre-school through fourth grades.
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'Sister Sorry' brings the story of an unusual art project to life
While the Massachusetts Medical Society and the Massachusetts Academy of Family Pediatricians have recently urged Gov. Charlie Baker to require that students and adults wear masks in schools regardless of their vaccination status, there has been no official statewide mandate handed down to Massachusetts schools.

State officials have recommended, but not required, that students in kindergarten through sixth grade wear masks. They're also recommending older students and adults who are unvaccinated wear masks indoors at school. Baker has stood by that approach, pointing to the state's high vaccination rates and saying local officials are best positioned to make decisions for their districts.

As the start of the school year approaches, Berkshire County school districts have begun to decide what their students, faculty and staff are required to do. Here is what we know so far:

Pittsfield Public Schools to have mask mandate in place for upcoming school year Superintendent Joe Curtis told the School Committee on Wednesday night that he would be enacting a mask mandate, social distancing requirements and rules for school sporting events in order to reduce the spread of coronavirus in the district.

BART mandates masks for students, faculty, staff and visitors on buses and in buildings All students, faculty, staff and visitors will be required to wear a mask at all times inside the Berkshire Arts and Technology Charter School building. In addition, according to Federal mandate, each student must wear a mask at all times on school buses and in the office of the School Nurse.

Lenox School Committee backs universal masking mandate The policy guideline adopted Monday night applies to everyone inside Lenox public school buildings and on school transportation.

Catholic schools in region will leave mask choice to parents, for now at least Last year, the parochial system in the four western counties reopened to in-person learning, while public schools remained largely remote-only or on hybrid schedules.

Berkshire Community College adopts indoor masking rule starting Wednesday PITTSFIELD  Starting Wednesday, anyone visiting indoor spaces at Berkshire Community College will be required to wear a face mask, regardless
As the remnants of Tropical Storm Fred raced out of western New England on Thursday, leaving an inch of rain at Pittsfield Municipal Airport, forecasters acknowledged a tricky outlook as potential Hurricane Henri could threaten the New England coast on Sunday.

Quote Coastal areas, including the Cape and the Islands, could see Category 1 hurricane-force winds above 75 mph. Also, 2 to 5 inches of rain could fall over southeastern New England Sunday into Monday, with isolated maximum totals near 8 inches.

As of Thursday evening, the National Weather Service forecast for the Berkshires called for chance of rain Sunday and Monday, followed by fair weather through mid-week, along with late summer warmth and humidity by day and mild, muggy nights.

However, Tropical Storm Henri, lurking in the western Atlantic about 800 miles south of Nantucket with top winds of 65 mph, was gaining strength as it moved westward at 10 mph. It is forecast to intensify into a hurricane by Friday night with additional strengthening over the weekend, according to advisories from the National Hurricane Center.

The forecast track indicates Henri will remain well offshore through Friday, but is expected to approach southern New England late Saturday.

The storm is forecast to be near the Northeast coast on Sunday and Monday, and the risks of storm surge, wind, and torrential rain are increasing for southern New England and eastern Long Island, N.Y.

Coastal areas, including the Cape and the Islands, could see Category 1 hurricane-force winds above 75 mph. Also, 2 to 5 inches of rain could fall over southeastern New England Sunday into Monday, with isolated maximum totals near 8 inches. Heavy rainfall may result in areas of flash, urban, and small stream flooding.

In the Berkshires, top winds could reach 20 to 30 mph on Sunday.

The center of Henri, probably downgraded to a tropical storm, is expected to be over Nantucket and Marthas Vineyard on Sunday night before moving further offshore toward Nova Scotia.

Beachgoers and other vacationers were advised to beware of heavy surf and rip currents, which have killed more people year-by-year since 2010 than lightning strikes and impacts from extreme cold combined, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Travelers planning weekend jaunts to New England coastal destinations are urged to keep a wary eye on the forecast as its adjusted to reflect Henris most likely track.
A growing list of groups is calling on town officials to terminate the employment of a police officer over the fact that he had a photograph of Adolf Hitler hanging in his locker at the station for years. But the officer claims it was hung as a practical joke over a fellow officer who looked a bit like him.
WILLIAMSTOWN  A growing list of groups is calling on town officials to terminate the employment of a police officer over the fact that, for years, a photograph of Adolf Hitler hung in his locker at the station.

During the past two weeks, interim Town Manager Charles Blanchard has received two letters requesting that he terminate Officer Craig Eichhammer because of the photo, which was removed from the locker and disposed of a couple of years ago, when staff moved into the new police station.

Quote "I stuck the photograph on the locker wall just as one would of possibly hanging a comic strip or picture they thought was funny.  Craig Eichhammer, Williamstown Police officer, in a statement to town management last year about a photo of Adolf Hitler that had been in his locker

Blanchard said the Select Board will be drafting a letter in response to the two written requests for Eichhammers termination.

According to a statement that Eichhammer submitted to town management last year, the photo was hung in the locker about 21 years ago as a humorous nudge at a former officer who bore a passing resemblance to the man who tried to take over Europe during World War II and caused the deaths of 6 million Jews and millions of others.

It was not a testament or sign of fealty to the man who is a symbol of fascism around the world, according to the statement.

In his statement to the town manager last year, Eichhammer wrote that his former partner on the night shift in 1999 or 2000 was a point of humor in the station because of his resemblance to the former German chancellor.

I stuck the photograph on the locker wall just as one would of possibly hanging a comic strip or picture they thought was funny, he wrote.

Williamstown officer at center of Hitler photo controversy, a Medal of Valor recipient, called 'good for this town' Amid calls for his resignation, little is publicly known about Williamstown Police Officer Craig Eichhammer, or his performance on the force. And under a nearly daily barrage of negative news coverage, his friends are concerned for his well-being.

The photo was out of view and could not be seen even with the locker door open. The photograph was put up for no other reason than a laugh factor poking fun at [his former partner]. The photo was left there and basically forgotten about. It stayed in the same spot for 20 years and no one knew it was there.

Eichhammer also asserted that it was not meant as a reflection of his political beliefs.

At no time was it my belief that the picture was nothing more than a figure from a history book, he noted. I had no ideologies of Nazi Germany, swastikas or anything terrible that happened during WW2. Again, the photo was simply just to get a laugh of the likeness of [his former partner].

One letter seeking the officers dismissal, addressed to the town manager and Select Board, from the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, equated the existence of the photo in the locker with antisemitism.

To flaunt Hitlers image is to echo neo-Nazis and other hate groups that revere Hitler as a symbol of white supremacy, the committee wrote. It is impossible to expect the community to turn to the WPD in the wake of a hate crime  whether that be a school vandalized with a swastika, or bias-motivated violence such as Massachusetts has recently seen  when there is a perception that WPD officers may hold the same white supremacist or bigoted beliefs as the perpetrators of those crimes.

Another letter, from the Legal Redress and Race Relations committees of the NAACP Berkshire County branch, reenforced the notion that the trustworthiness of the Williamstown Police Department is in question as a result of the photo and other events that were raised in a lawsuit brought by Williamstown Police Sgt. Scott.

Such behavior is abhorrent and reprehensible, in addition to being in direct violation of written (Williamstown Police) Department policy, the NAACP letter reads. Any public servant who engages in such behavior does not deserve employment with a public agency.

Quote To flaunt Hitlers image is to echo neo-Nazis and other hate groups that revere Hitler as a symbol of white supremacy." Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, referring to conduct by Williamstown officer Craig Eichhammer

The NAACP letter also notes that there are other incidents involving Officer Eichhammer which reinforce the (Berkshire County branch) NAACPs demand for his termination. These include his sexual assault of a Williamstown resident in 2011 and his subsequent placement on the Berkshire DAs do-not-call list, which consists of officers whose credibility is so compromised that they are disqualified from testifying on behalf of the state.

The NAACP previously had expressed concerns to town management, last November, and noted in the letter that it had not heard any response from the town.

We are writing to demand that the Town of Williamstown terminate the employment of Craig Eichhammer from the Williamstown Police Department for conduct unbecoming of an officer of the law, the NAACP letter states.

Andy Hogeland, chairman of the Williamstown Select Board, told The Eagle that he cannot discuss personnel or discipline issues surrounding any individual employed by the town. But, he added a thought about having Hitler photos posted in a workplace.

Having such a picture inside a police locker is highly offensive to the community, Hogeland wrote in an email. Even though the officer has explained the photo was never meant to represent his beliefs, his horrible judgment has caused significant pain among our residents. This has been a terrible chapter for our town, and I hope we can work our way through this.

Sergeant filed suit over racist language. Officers say he was prime offender. WILLIAMSTOWN  After filing a civil lawsuit in August, Sgt. Scott E. McGowan was hailed by some in Williamstown as a whistleblower unafraid to

For over a year, Williamstown has been struggling with issues of race and policing as a result of the Black Lives Matter movement and the revelation that incidents of racial and sexual harassment have occurred at the Police Department in the past.

The allegations came out as part of a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in August 2020 by McGowan. The suit maintains that McGowan was retaliated against for decrying racial and sexual harassment in the Police Department by the police chief.

The harassment charges refer to incidents more than a decade ago in which McGowan charges that former Police Chief Kyle Johnson, on occasion, rubbed his groin on the arms or hands of employees, that he made jokes at the expense of a Black officer, and that a dispatcher used a racist epithet in the presence of that officer, who was giving a tour of the station to a Black college student.

The suit also alleged that a Hitler photo was hanging in one of the officers lockers, and included a photograph documenting its presence in the station.

Shortly thereafter, a Brady list was released by Berkshire District Attorney Andrea Harrington. The list provides the names of police officers who should not be considered credible courtroom witnesses in criminal trails because of documented wrongdoing or misconduct, and it included Eichhammer.

In a complaint to the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, McGowan said Eichhammer had been disciplined, but not terminated, for sexual aggression toward a female resident of the town in 2011.

In his statement to town management, Eichhammer wondered why McGowan didnt take down the Hitler photo.

At some point in the recent years Sgt. McGowan was able to see the Hitler photo and take a picture of it, Eichhammer wrote. At no point did he mention he was disturbed by it. It would have been my wish as a Sergeant he would have taken the photo down himself or told me to take it down because he was offended. I sincerely apologize for any problems this chain of events have caused.

McGowans attorney, David Russcol, noted that McGowan was not Eichhammers supervisor in the chain of command at the time.

Officer Eichhammer reported to a different sergeant, Russcol wrote in an email to The Eagle.

In his federal complaint, Sgt. McGowan discussed how he brought this issue to the attention of his commanding officer, then-Chief Johnson, in 2016, although the picture was visible to others in the station and he believes that everybody knew it was there. After Sgt. McGowan took the matter to a higher level of command, Chief Johnson chose not to take any action.

As a result of the turmoil of the past year, Johnson and former Town Manager Jason Hoch resigned their posts. After Johnson resigned, McGowan dropped his lawsuit against the town in December.
The author says that a research firm hired by opponents of new rules about hog facilities predicts that a pound of bacon at retail will soar from about $6 to nearly $10. If you can find one. A bummer, to be sure, but would it really be a porktastrophe?
Donovan Lynch, Pharrell Williams' 25-year-old cousin, was shot and killed by Virginia Beach Police on March 27. His death has now been ruled a homicide.

According to the autopsy exclusively obtained by the New York Post, Lynchs death was a homicide, no criminal charges have been filed in the case to date.

Additionally, a state grand jury investigation is underway and the grand jury will meet in September. The autopsy also revealed Lynch was shot twice and pronounced dead at the scene.

A $50 million wrongful death lawsuit filed by Wayne Lynch, Donovans father, claims the police officer, who has been identified as Solomon D. Simmons in the suit but not by police, was responding to a separate shooting incident at a club on March 26. Lynch and his friend, Darrion Marsh were leaving the area when they crossed paths with the officer.

The suit alleges Simmons immediately, unlawfully, and without warning fired his gun at Lynch.

Court documents, according to The New York Daily News, said, Mr. Lynch posed no threat to Officer Simmons or anyone else.

Simmons is accused of using excessive force and acting with gross negligence.

Homicide detective findings claimed Lynch was brandishing a handgun at the time of the shooting. Wayne Lynch told The Washington Post that his son, who sometimes worked security, had a legal firearm but was not brandishing.

RELATED: Bad Girls Club Star Deshayla Harris Killed In Virginia Beach Shooting

On March 27, Pharrell Williams posted a tribute to his cousin on Instagram, which read, The loss of these lives is a tragedy beyond measure. My cousin Donovon was killed during the shootings. He was a bright light and someone who always showed up for others. It is critical my family and the other victims families get the transparency, honesty and justice they deserve.

Pharrell has not spoken out about his cousins death being ruled a homicide.
Hip hop superstar Nelly will be the centerpiece of an upcoming episode of CMT Crossroads with the help of some of his famous friends.

CMT announced Tuesday (August 17), the Grammy-winning rapper is slated to be the first Hip Hop artist to headline an episode and will be joined by collaborators Florida Georgia Line, Kane Brown, Blanco Brown, and BRELAND.

"I'm excited to celebrate my music with my friends and fellow artists on Crossroads," Nelly, 46, said in a statement, according to PEOPLE. "When people talk about me crossing lines and genres, I think about it more that music brings folks together."

RELATED: Nelly And Kelly Rowlands Dilemma Video Hits 1 Billion YouTube Views

The episode promises a few surprises while celebrating the 20th anniversary of Country Grammar, Nellys debut studio album.

Nelly is slated to release his first album since 2013 with Heartland on August 27. PEOPLE reports that tracks on the project were recorded alongside the artists the rapper will work with on CMT Crossroads, including the first single Lil Bit (with Florida Georgia Line) and its second High Horse (featuring Blanco Brown and BRELAND).

CMT Crossroads: Nelly & Friends, will premiere on September 1 at 10 p.m. EST on CMT.
U.S. Census population data released Thursday (August 12) reports that the number of Black residents in Detroit fell while the hispanic, white and Asian populations grew over the past 10 years.

Detroits overall population dropped 10.5 percent in the last decades, according to the latest results. While the city remains majority-Black, the African American population fell to 493,212 in 2020, from 586,573 in 2010.

The numbers are causing city leaders to contest the 2020 census. In a Thursday statement, Mayor Mike Duggan said he plans to challenge the results by "legal remedies to get Detroit an accurate count," the Detroit Free Press reports.

RELATED: 2020 Census Reveals Unprecedented Multiracial Growth, White Population Decline

The mayor and Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib said last year they would challenge the results amid concerns about how the Census Bureau completed its count.

"This is exactly what Rep. Tlaib and I predicted on Oct. 28th when we were joined by census workers who shared their stories about how Detroit neighborhoods were being undercounted and were upset that the count was shut down a month before originally planned," Duggan said.

"The Census data released today says Detroit has only 254,000 occupied households. DTE reports there are nearly 280,000 residential households currently paying electric bills, he continued. At a minimum, the Census somehow failed to count 25,000 occupied houses with running electricity.

Theres already precedent in challenging census results in the Motor City. In 2010, then-Mayor Dave Bing vowed to fight the results, however the count of 713,777 still stood.

Overall, Detroits population declined to 639,111 in 2020, from 713,777, but there was growth among some groups. The Free Press reports that results show an uptick in the non-Hispanic white population to 9.5 percent from 7.8 percent in 2010; an increase in the Hispanic or Latino population to 8 percent from 6.8 percent; and growth in the non-Hispanic Asian population to 1.6 percent, from 1 percent.
DJ and producer Squeak, a member of Chicagos Pivot Gang, was shot and killed on Monday (Aug. 16). He was 26.

The Chicago police said an unknown offender fatally shot the producer, born Javunte Wheeler, and his uncle, Derion S. Hood, 27, striking both men in the head, PEOPLE reported.

Both were taken to a hospital but died from their injuries.

We are heartbroken to share the news of the passing of one of our own, Squeak Pivot, tweeted Pivot Gang, a hip hop artist collective based out the west side of Chicago. We appreciate the support from the community at this time and ask that you keep Squeaks family and friends in your prayers.
News

More than 1,700 WCPS students in quarantine

More than 1,700 Warren County Public Schools students were quarantined at home as of Monday after being exposed to COVID-19, WCPS Superintendent Rob Clayton told the Daily News.

This comes as the district also struggles with a shortage of school bus drivers, Clayton said. There are 34 unfilled bus routes, he said Tuesday. The school district started the school year with two dozen driver vacancies.

The high number of quarantines, coupled with parent reports of busing delays and cancellations, raises questions about how much longer the school district can remain open for in-person classes  especially given the fast-spreading delta coronavirus variant that has placed Warren County in the red with virus incidence.

Right now were doing everything we can to keep our students in-person five days a week, Clayton said.

Asked about the extent of the quarantines in a call, Clayton in turn asked why the Daily News was making the inquiry. Clayton said the district doesnt differentiate between school, household and community contacts, contending that many exposures could have occurred outside school settings.

Asked why the district hasnt reported quarantines via its online COVID-19 dashboard, Clayton said were not aware of any purpose in providing that information to the general public.

For students who must quarantine at home and monitor their health after exposure, Clayton said those students are receiving instruction from a classroom teacher.

Our staff are working individually to minimize any negative impact of being home, he said.

Still, he acknowledged the high level of quarantines the school district is experiencing has created a staffing challenge.

We are certainly at a critical point in terms of staff availability, Clayton said.

On Wednesday, WCPS Transportation Director Chip Jenkins met with local media to promote the districts incentives for new bus drivers. Like school districts across the state, WCPS struggles each year to meet a shortage of bus drivers, but the pandemic has only exacerbated the problem.

It is a known fact that there is a nationwide shortage of bus drivers and Warren County Public Schools Transportation is no exception, Jenkins said. We have several route openings and we are actively seeking good men and women who want to be part of the Warren County school family, dedicated to providing safe transportation of the children in our community.

WCPS is hoping to entice new drivers by introducing a $500 sign-on bonus for applicants who successfully complete the necessary licensure, background checks and training all WCPS bus drivers must undergo. Additionally, WCPS is also offering another $500 bonus for anyone who refers an applicant who successfully completes the program.

Applicants can be considered full-time employees with just part-time hours, provided they work a minimum of 20 hours per week. The position comes with medical benefits, and employees accrue sick and personal days as well.

Jenkins said the department is willing to work with anyone who wants work during the school year but weekends, holidays and summers off.

Many current employees say it is the best part-time job they have ever had, Jenkins said.

Still, Jenkins said the district is having trouble retaining older drivers because they are concerned for their health amid the pandemic. With retirees often serving as bus drivers, thats had an impact on transportation, he said.

All of this comes after both local school systems opted to begin the school year without a mask mandate in place.

The Bowling Green Independent School District reported 244 quarantines through its COVID-19 dashboard as of Tuesday afternoon.

Speaking to the Daily News on Wednesday, BGISD Superintendent Gary Fields said he doesnt anticipate a pivot to virtual learning. Still, he acknowledged the level of virus spread the district is seeing at its elementary schools.

We have more elementary positives than we had for months at a time last year, Fields said, adding that city and county school numbers reflect what public health experts have said about the contagiousness of the delta variant.

After 700 students were required to quarantine in the days after the WCPS reopening Aug. 4, Clayton announced a mask mandate shortly before Gov. Andy Beshear announced one of his own  requiring public schools to implement universal masking for at least 30 days.

The Kentucky Department of Education has implemented its own K-12 mask mandate through an emergency regulation. On Tuesday, when state lawmakers on the General Assemblys Administrative Regulation Review Subcommittee convened to review that regulation, the group ultimately found it deficient.

It was then forwarded for additional review to the governor, who quickly upheld the regulation  which could extend a mask mandate for K-12 well into 2022.

Asked why the district decided to open without masks, Clayton noted that the district made that decision mid-summer and that some parents were pressuring district leadership to do away with mask mandates. He also said the district was caught off-guard by the fast-spreading delta variant, adding delta variant numbers shifted dramatically in the lead-up to the school year.

Were prepared to go virtual, Clayton said when asked about the districts contingency plans on that front.

Again, were doing everything we can to remain open, he said.

 Follow education reporter Aaron Mudd on Twitter @NewsByAaron or visit bgdailynews.com.
Call ahead to confirm events. Due to COVID-19, many events have been canceled but hosting organizations might not have updated their entries.

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FILE - In this April. 27, 2021, file photo, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear speaks with reporters following his tour of the UPS Worldport facility in Louisville, Ky. Kentucky hospitals have reached a critical point in finding enough space and staff to treat an influx of COVID-19 patients, Gov. Andy Beshear said Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021. The governor pleaded with the unvaccinated to get inoculated and pushed back aggressively against vaccine and masking skeptics on social media.
State labor officials are warning that unemployment benefits are scheduled to come to a close for about 50,000 New Mexico residents in early September, as the federal government ends supplemental payments to people who lost jobs or self-employment income during the pandemic
Spearfish, SD (57783)

Today

Clear this evening then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low 66F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Clear this evening then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low 66F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph.
BOISE - The U.S. Department of Agriculture is once again offering free meals to all children in eligible schools running USDA meal programs for the 2021-22 school year. This Seamless Summer Option also was offered last year because of the pandemic.

However, each year the USDA sets new income guidelines for the free and reduced-price meals provided through the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs, and for free milk in schools operating the Special Milk Program. Parents can submit applications even if all meals are being provided for free, the Idaho State Department of Education Child Nutrition Programs announced.

During school year 2021-22, all Idaho schools running USDA school meal programs are eligible to operate the Seamless Summer Option (SSO) providing free meals to all children in eligible schools. If a school chooses to operate as a closed enrolled site, the meals are available only to enrolled children. If a school chooses to operate as an open site the meals are available to all area children. Families should check with their districts to see which option will be offered.

The Lewiston School District No.1 is operating as a "closed enrolled site" and offer free school breakfast and lunch meals to enrolled students of the school district through the end of school year 2021-2022.

Extra items such as an additional entree, a second meal, or milk only must be covered by household funds applied to the students meal account. Milk only is $.40.

Families must have the option to complete an application for free or reduced-price meals even though their school is providing free meals to all children. Households will be notified by the district if their school chooses to operate the National School Breakfast and/or Lunch program and will be collecting applications and charging the children for meals based on their reduced-price or paid status.

Households will be notified of any childs eligibility for free meals if the individual child is known to be receiving educational support through migrant, homeless or runaway education, Head Start or court-ordered foster care. Children in households receiving Food Stamps or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance to Families in Idaho (TAFI) or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) are eligible for free meals. No other application or verification of eligibility is required for students directly certified.

The 2021-22 income guidelines can be viewed below, or by clicking HERE.
Kooskia - At approximately 5:40 p.m. on Wednesday, multiple agencies responded to a two vehicle crash on US12 at milepost 84.3, east of Kooskia.

According to police, 33-year-old Nicholas J. Burkenbine, of Grangeville, was westbound on US12 in a black 2010 Toyota Tacoma pickup. Burkenbine was negotiating a curve in the road and for an unknown reason crossed into the eastbound lanes of travel. 60-year-old Peter J. Talbot, of St. Augustine, Florida was eastbound in a white 2015 Dodge Durango and was struck by Burkenbine.

Talbot was wearing a seatbelt but succumbed to his injuries at the scene of the crash.

Burkenbine was airlifted to St. Joseph's Regional Medical in Lewiston. It is unknown if he was wearing his seatbelt.

The roadway was completely blocked for approximately 3.5 hours. Next of kin has been notified. The investigation is ongoing. Idaho State Police, Idaho County Sheriff's Office, Lewis County Sheriff's Office, Kooskia Ambulance, Kooskia Fire, Lowell Quick Response Unit and the Idaho Transportation Department all responded to the crash.

**Story Update (10:05am)** On Thursday, August 19, 2021, Nicholas Burkenbine, 33 years old, of Grangeville, Idaho, succumbed to his injuries at Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane, WA. Next of kin has been notified.
Spark Media, a division of Caxton/CTP, in collaboration with Dr Azar Jammine from Econometrix, will be hosting a free unmissable webinar on Thursday, 26 August 2021, 10-11am. By gathering and analysing comprehensive quantitative data, Dr Azar Jammine will unpack local media spending habits and the opportunities that have emerged in these challenging times.

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The webinar will focus on the ongoing economic challenges facing South African businesses and highlight media opportunities that will in turn stimulate local economies and generate healthier communities and businesses alike. The Chief Economist will outline some key insights on where and how to spend media money effectively during an economic downturn, the Covid-19 pandemic and politically volatile times.Academically, Dr Jammine obtained a BSc (Hons) in Mathematical Statistics and a BA (Hons) in Economics at Wits, followed by an M.Sc in Economics from the LSE and a PhD at the London Business School.Dr Jammine has conducted over 5,000 presentations to leading client corporations and other institutions as well as at conferences dealing with the local and international economic environment. Dr Jammine has been quoted over the years in more than 4,000 newspaper and magazine articles in South Africa and abroad (includingmagazine,and other national newspapers) and has been interviewed hundreds of times on local and international radio and television, (including different channels of the SABC, radio 702, M-Net, e.tv, Kyknet, eNCA, CNBC, CCTV, ANN7, Business Day TV, Skye News, BBC, ITN, CNN, ABC, Reuters, Al Jazeera, National Public Broadcasting Radio (USA), National Public Broadcasting TV (USA), Radio France Internationale, Canadian and Swiss Broadcasting Corporations), in three languages.Register now >>> https://bit.ly/3xQkajR
South African scientists have detected a new coronavirus variant with multiple mutations but are yet to establish whether it is more contagious or able to overcome the immunity provided by vaccines or prior infection.
The 21-year-old was sentenced to two years probation for fentanyl possession by Judge Christopher Wagner of Hamilton County, Ohio on August 4, but his sentence came with a twist: he was ordered to get a COVID vaccine as a condition of his probation.

Should Rutherford fail to comply, he could be sent to jail for up to 18 months.

Im just a judge, not a doctor, but I think the vaccines a lot safer than fentanyl, which is what you had in your pocket, Wagner told Rutherford.

Wagner gave Rutherford 60 days to get vaxxed and said, Youre going to maintain employment. Youre not going to be around a firearm. Im going to order you, within the next two months, to get a vaccine and show that to the probation office.

The judge only knew Rutherfords vaccination status in the first place because he questioned him when he arrived in court wearing a maska rule Wagner put in place for any unvaccinated people in his courtroom.

Rutherford was outraged by the mandate.

Because I dont take a shot they can send me to jail? I dont agree with that, he said. Im just trying to do what I can to get off this as quickly as possible, like finding a job and everything else. But that little thing (COVID vaccine) can set me back.

The judges order created a stir, prompting Wagner to issue a response.

Judges make decisions regularly regarding a defendants physical and mental health, such as ordering drug, alcohol, and mental health treatment, he wrote in a statement. He also said it was his responsibility to rehabilitate the defendant and protect the community.

Wagner is not the only Ohio judge to take such actions. He joined judges in Franklin and Cuyahoga counties who made similar demands.

Bodily Autonomy

As Rutherfords case vividly demonstrates, in the wake of COVID-19, the world is grappling with the question of how much control an individual should have over their own body.

Bodily integrity, also commonly referred to as bodily autonomy, is a longstanding principle of human rights and individual liberty. In recent years, discussion on this topic has centered around the #MeToo movement regarding sexual harassment and abuse in many of our institutions. It is obvious that violating another persons body is inherently wrong; no one questions this premise when discussing matters of sexual violence.

Yet, for too many those clear-cut lines become blurred with other issues, especially when the conversation turns to medical bodily autonomy. And history shows there is a long, troubling tradition in the US of violating the bodily integrity of Americans, particularly the marginalized and disadvantaged.

As an example, a Tennessee judge and sheriff launched a forced-sterilization program for inmates around 2017. They allowed people in jail to shorten their sentences by 30 days if they agreed to the medical procedures. They were, thankfully, sued over this and the program was overturned on constitutional grounds. The attorney who obtained justice in this case, Daniel Horwitz, said at the time, Inmate sterilization is despicable, it is morally indefensible, and it is illegal.

Forced sterilization among inmates isnt the only medical crime against bodily autonomy in our past either. In 1932, the Tuskegee Experiment was launched and ran for decades. The United States Public Health Service and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted the study, during which they lied to the 600 black male participants about their syphilis status and told them they were receiving free healthcare. In reality, they were given placebos, ineffective treatments, and denied penicillineven as it became widely available as a treatment for syphilis. The particular case elevated the issue of informed consent in medical procedures and highlighted how far the country still had to go in respecting inalienable rights, including "The right of the people to be secure in their persons," as articulated in the US Constitution.

Globally, human rights advocates have fought a long and uphill battle to assert these basic principles of bodily autonomy and informed consent in society.

In 1948, the United Nations passed its Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Article 3 of this Declaration states, Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.

The timing of this Declaration is key as it came at the heels of World War II, a period during which arguably the greatest violations of human rights in modern history were committed, including forced scientific and medical experimentation on human beings on a mass scale. The subsequent Nuremberg Trialsheld between 1945 and 1949resulted in the Nuremberg Code of 1947, a set of 10 standards that confronted questions of medical experimentation on humans. The Nuremberg Code established a new global standard for ethical medical behavior. Within its requirements? Voluntary informed consent of the human subject.

Then, in 1966, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights declared in its Article 7: "No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. In particular, no one shall be subjected without his free consent to medical or scientific experimentation."

Forced medical procedures are an especially monstrous violation of the fundamental right of bodily integrity and autonomy. This lesson was hard-learned through the course of the 20th Century. But it seems to have been unlearned amid the panic over COVID-19.

Double Violation

The cases in Ohio are especially troubling because they involve defendants whose bodily autonomy is being violated not only once, but twice by their government.

Our justice system routinely puts bodies in cages over what the owners of those bodies choose to put in themwhether an actual crime results from that consumption or not. Thats thanks in large part to the immoral and unjust War on Drugs, as well as the wide range of non-violent offenses we currently criminalize in our country. Now, on top of arresting the defendants for choosing to put a substance in their bodies, we have judges threatening further incarceration to coerce those same people into putting a different substance in their bodies.

In both instances, this is an egregious violation of an individuals bodily autonomy. But many progressives who regularly express outrage over mass incarceration and the War on Drugs are noticeably either silent on vaccine mandates or advocating for them.

Prescient Philosophers

The economist Ludwig von Mises (1881-1973) had a lot to say about governments interfering in what individuals choose to consume. In his book Human Action he wrote the following:

Opium and morphine are certainly dangerous, habit-forming drugs. But once the principle is admitted that it is the duty of government to protect the individual against his own foolishness, no serious objections can be advanced against further encroachments.

This is applicable to the War on Drugs, which was gaining steam around the time of Mises death, but it is also relevant to the current pandemic policy. Whether or not it is prudent for a person to get vaccinated for their own health is not the correct question. It is not the governments duty to protect individuals against their own folly. Mises went on to write:

A good case could be made out in favor of the prohibition of alcohol and nicotine. And why limit the government's benevolent providence to the protection of the individual's body only? Is not the harm a man can inflict on his mind and soul even more disastrous than any bodily evils? Why not prevent him from reading bad books and seeing bad plays, from looking at bad paintings and statues and from hearing bad music? The mischief done by bad ideologies, surely, is much more pernicious, both for the individual and for the whole society, than that done by narcotic drugs.

Why indeed.

As is the case most of the time, when liberty advocates object to a public policy that big-government advocates believe to be common sense, we are not doing so simply over the immediate implications but rather because we know where such policies can lead. If the government can force me to get a vaccine for my own good, what else can it force me to do? The proverbial can of worms is open, the legal precedent set, and any student of history knows it only goes downhill from there. Mises continued:

These fears are not merely imaginary specters terrifying secluded doctrinaires. It is a fact that no paternal government, whether ancient or modern, ever shrank from regimenting its subjects' minds, beliefs, and opinions. If one abolishes man's freedom to determine his own consumption, one takes all freedoms away. The naive advocates of government interference with consumption delude themselves when they neglect what they disdainfully call the philosophical aspect of the problem. They unwittingly support the case of censorship, inquisition, religious intolerance, and the persecution of dissenters.

Strong words, but earned ones. And highly relevant today, as governments are rapidly progressing from we must mandate public health measures to we must censor and persecute those who defy and speak out against our public health measures.

Those who advocate for the governments ability to deprive humans of their freedom on the basis of consumption in effect promote a wide array of injustices and human rights violations. There is simply no gray area here.

Human Action wasnt the only place Mises appears to be writing from the grave for our modern times. In his work, Liberalism he says the following:

We see that as soon as we surrender the principle that the state should not interfere in any questions touching on the individual's mode of life, we end by regulating and restricting the latter down to the smallest detail. The personal freedom of the individual is abrogated. He becomes a slave of the community, bound to obey the dictates of the majority.

Think how this applies to the increasingly intolerant conformity culture we see mounting in the age of COVID. He continues:

It is hardly necessary to expatiate on the ways in which such powers could be abused by malevolent persons in authority. The wielding, of powers of this kind even by men imbued with the best of intentions must needs reduce the world to a graveyard of the spirit. All mankind's progress has been achieved as a result of the initiative of a small minority that began to deviate from the ideas and customs of the majority until their example finally moved the others to accept the innovation themselves. To give the majority the right to dictate to the minority what it is to think, to read, and to do is to put a stop to progress once and for all.

It is interesting that those who fancy themselves progressives are pushing for the world to come to an abrupt stop and for all individuals to bend their will to the national narrative they have chosen in this time.

Finally, from Mises:

Let no one object that the struggle against morphinism and the struggle against evil literature are two quite different things.The propensity of our contemporaries to demand authoritarian prohibition as soon as something does not please them, and their readiness to submit to such prohibitions even when what is prohibited is quite agreeable to them shows how deeply ingrained the spirit of servility still remains within them. It will require many long years of self-education until the subject can turn himself into the citizen. A free man must be able to endure it when his fellow men act and live otherwise than he considers proper. He must free himself from the habit, just as soon as something does not please him, of calling for the police.

His writings are so spot-on and prescient, its almost eerie.

We do not have to like or condone another persons actions. We dont have to associate with them. But we must endure other humans acting and living as they see fit without going full Karen and calling the cops. When you argue for government force to violate an individuals bodily autonomy in any manner, you stand on the side of gross injustice and human rights violationsjust ask Brandon Rutherford who now faces jail time over his decisions about what he will or will not put in his body.

Im not taking the vaccine, Rutherford told CNN. And he ought to have every right to make that decision.
Bridges, a 39-year-old registered nurse, responded absolutely not when asked if she was vaccinated or had made an effort to get vaccinated. She was terminated on the spot.

We all knew we were getting fired, Bridges, 39, told CBS News. We knew unless we took that shot to come back, we were getting fired today. There was no ifs, ands or buts.

Bridges was one of more than 150 hospital workers fired by Houston Methodist hospital.

All last year, through the COVID pandemic, we came to work and did our jobs, said Kara Shepherd, a labor and delivery nurse who joined Bridges and other workers in an unsuccessful lawsuit. We did what we were asked. This year, were basically told were disposable.

Please Send Help Now

Shepherd and her colleagues may be disposable in the eyes of hospital administrators, but they are perhaps not as easily replaced as she or Houston Methodist thought.

Two months after firing unvaccinated hospital staff, Houston Methodist is one of several area hospitals experiencing a severe shortage of medical personnel. Media reports say hospitals have reached a breaking point because of a flood of COVID-19 cases.

In an editorial published Tuesday, the Houston Chronicle said the 25-county hospital area that includes Houston had more patients in hospital bedsmore than 2,700than at any point in 2021. News reports make it clear that hospitals are struggling to keep up.

KHOU-11, a local news station, says medical tents have been erected outside of Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital but are vacant because of a shortage of nurses.

Please send help now, said Dr. George Williams (depicted in main photo), chief ICU medical officer for LBJ Hospital.

While most media reports focus on LBJ Hospital, reports also make it clear other hospitals, including Houston Methodist, are experiencing similar struggles. The Houston Chronicle says Harris Health System (which includes LBJ) is short some 250 nurses, while the University of Texas Medical Branch has requested an additional 100 nurses to help address staff shortages at four hospitals.

Baylor St. Lukes Medical Center, a private Houston hospital jointly owned by Baylor College and a local healthcare system, said the hospital is definitely being impacted by the nurse shortage.

As for Houston Methodist, the hospital is reportedly struggling as wellalthough theyve yet to admit it publicly.

An internal memo at Houston Methodist Hospital said it is struggling with staffing as the numbers of our COVID-19 patients rise, the Chronicle reports.

Public officials are scrambling to address the shortage, which has created a massive patient backlog throughout the Houston area. More than a week ago, Tex Gov. Greg Abbott requested out of state assistance for the statewide crisis, including 2,500 out of state nurses. LBJ Hospital officials said those nurses have not yet arrived.

The metro-wide shortage of nurses reportedly came to light when an ER doctor emailed a state senator about the dire situation in hospitals.

The combined increase in volume from (COVID and) existing normal volume (and) nursing shortage has made this a terrible disaster at every ER and hospital in the city of Houston, the physician wrote, according to the Chronicle.

Cobra Effects

Its unclear to what extent Houston Methodists decision to fire 150 unvaccinated medical workers exacerbated the nursing crisis. For perhaps obvious reasons, hospital officials have been mum on the issue.

What we know is that Houston hospitals that did not abruptly fire 150 employees struggled to deal with the COVID spike, and in some cases people died as a result. So its safe to presume that Houston Methodists decision to fire 150 employees a few weeks before the Delta variant arrived in force didnt make the situation any better and probably made it much worse.

Some may be tempted to think Houston Methodist was able to quickly replace the workers they lost, but evidence suggests this is unlikely. Apart from the broader shortage, front line nurses are burned out, they say.

We are all tired of this; nurses are tired of this, Texas Nurses Association CEO Cindy Zolnierek wrote in a recent public letter.

That Houston Methodist hospital didnt intend to exacerbate its shortage of hospital staff goes without saying, but its also an important reminder about what economists call the Cobra Effect.

Every human decision brings about consequences, intended ones and unintended ones. Unintended consequences are so common economists often call them Cobra Problems, after an interesting historical event in India that occurred when the British Empire tried to eradicate cobras by putting out a bounty on them. (Can you guess what happened?)
Less than a week after the Department of Homeland Security issued a bulletin saying that anti-government extremists angry at COVID measures could be preparing attacks, DC and New York were both hit with bomb scares.

Last Friday, the DHS warned that there was a heightened risk of attacks carried out by domestic extremists motivated by their opposition to lockdown measures and anti-government sentiment.

Earlier today, a man from North Carolina parked a truck outside the Library of Congress on Capitol Hill and began telling authorities that the vehicle contained an explosive device.

The truck was seen outside the Library of Congress on Capitol Hill on Thursday morning and police say they reason to believe it may be carrying an explosive device. The Supreme Court building, along with several other nearby buildings, have also been evacuated as officers swarm. pic.twitter.com/5QaCv7n3Uw  Rasta Redpill (@RastaRedpill) August 19, 2021

The man began filming a Facebook livestream explaining how he was a an ex-serviceman, but the social media site quickly removed the video.

In a video of the mans statements posted to Twitter, the suspect rambles about wanting to speak to Joe Biden while threatening, If you shoot me, 2 and a half blocks are going with me.

 | BREAKING: Man claiming to have explosive device in a truck on the sidewalk in front of the Library of Congress says "only Joe Biden" can detonate the claimed explosive he has. "If you shoot me, 2 and a half blocks are going with me" pic.twitter.com/EGKXBkPwej  News For All (@NewsForAllUK) August 19, 2021

Police apparently know the identity of the suspect but dont know his motive, although he reportedly said he is ready to die for the cause.

According to Andrea Mitchell, the man has a criminal history and has expressed anti-government views.

On bomb threat near Library of Congress, @PeteWilliamsNBC: "He is from North Carolina, and they say he is expressing anti-government views. My understanding is they looked into his history, and he does have some criminal violations in his past" (1/3) #AMRstaff  Andrea Mitchell (@mitchellreports) August 19, 2021

Meanwhile, New Yorks Times Square has also been evacuated after an object resembling a cookie tin was thrown at people in Father Duffy Square.

#BREAKING

Watch out: At this hour cordoned off Times Square in NYC for suspicious package threat. Authorities are trying to rule out the presence of explosives. Bystanders evacuated from the area . #NewYorkCity #TimesSquare  Ricardo Ospina pic.twitter.com/J31cfgLxTr  Fra  (@FrancescComito) August 19, 2021

In light of the bomb threat in DC, authorities chose to lock down the area and told people to stay away.

Although the bomb threat in New York looks likely to be harmless, the situation in DC is precarious and ongoing.



               (  )

pic.twitter.com/E6wb5JJHbG  California (@OldPrague) August 19, 2021

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Members of the John Howard Society of Brandon gave away 60,000 pounds of frozen french fries to members of the public on Wednesday, not wanting this surplus food from Simplot to go to waste.

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Members of the John Howard Society of Brandon gave away 60,000 pounds of frozen french fries to members of the public on Wednesday, not wanting this surplus food from Simplot to go to waste.

This massive food giveaway kicked off at 11 a.m. in the citys downtown core, with John Howard Society volunteers parking a roughly 50-foot trailer in a vacant lot across from Komfort Kitchen.

For the first hour and a half, boxes of frozen french fries were given out exclusively to representatives from social agencies, including Helping Hands Centre of Brandon, the Hartney food bank and the Brandon Friendship Centre.

At 12:30 p.m., members of the public were then invited to grab as many frozen french fries as they could carry, alongside some fresh carrots and cucumbers that were also being distributed for free at the same site.

According to John Howard Society executive director Ross Robinson, the trailer was completely empty by 4 p.m.

KYLE DARBYSON/THE BRANDON SUN John Howard Society of Brandon volunteers hand out bags of fresh carrots to local residents on Wednesday afternoon. These vegetables were supplied through Peak of the Market.

"Were really, really grateful with the amount of people who came forward, the amount of organizations that came forward, people picking up for their neighbours and their friends," he told the Sun afterwards.

"It was just a real community event."

Robinson said the John Howard Society got hold of these surplus french fries through the group Second Harvest, which bills itself as the largest food rescue organization in Canada.

Second Harvest has been supplying the John Howard Society with food for over a year now, which has helped keep local meal programs like Everyone Eats fully stocked.

"And by continuing to be good partners with Second Harvest, we know that were going to get more of these events in the future," Robinson said.

For more information on the John Howard Societys Everyone Eats program, visit everyoneeatsbrandon.ca.

 The Brandon Sun
Both of Brandons major post-secondary institutions will require most staff and students to be vaccinated for the upcoming academic year, according to a pair of news releases sent out on Thursday morning.

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Dignitaries from local Indigenous groups, the Manitoba and Canadian governments and Brandon University raise six flags in front of the university along 18th Street in mid-June. (Matt Goerzen/The Brandon Sun)

Both of Brandons major post-secondary institutions will require most staff and students to be vaccinated for the upcoming academic year, according to a pair of news releases sent out on Thursday morning.

While representatives from Brandon University and Assiniboine Community College told the Sun earlier this week that they would not be implementing any kind of vaccine policy, their respective positions have changed alongside that of other Manitoba schools.

Around the same time on Thursday, the University of Manitoba, the University of Winnipeg, Red River College and the University College of the North all sent out similar news releases about their own vaccine mandates.

"Our college believes that requiring individuals to be vaccinated in order to be on campus could be one added layer of protection to complement other safety measures adopted throughout the pandemic," ACCs news release reads.

"Assiniboine was the first institution in Manitoba to adopt a face mask mandate and is maintaining that mandate through the fall term."

BUs news release adopts a slightly different tone, making some concessions about when this vaccine policy will come into effect for staff and students.

Masked post-secondary students walk the halls of Assiniboine Community College this past August in Brandon. (Submitted)

"The university will not require vaccines before the start of fall term, which is just three weeks away, but vaccination as soon as possible is strongly encouraged," the statement reads.

"Through the coming year, the university will move towards being a campus that is as fully-vaccinated as possible."

However, BU officials maintain that their previously announced plan for in-person learning this fall will remain the same, where only classes that contain 25 people or less will be allowed on campus. All other classes will take place online.

In-person classes at BU this fall will also require the use of masks, physical distancing and enhanced cleaning protocols.

Both statements from BU and ACC admit that their respective vaccine policies probably wont be applied across the board, with accommodations having to be made for those who cannot get their shots in time or at all. This includes people with certain medical conditions and international students who may not have access to vaccines in their country of origin.

Both statements were also short on specific details, with BU officials admitting that they will be using the next couple weeks to find answers to questions such as: when is the most appropriate deadline to begin requiring a vaccine? Can people opt for regular testing if they prefer not to get a vaccine? What requirements are appropriate for campus visitors, contract workers and similar groups on campus?

Similarly, ACC representatives revealed that their vaccine mandate hasnt been approved by their Board of Governors yet, with Thursdays statement being designed to give staff and students a heads up before the fall semester begins.

Brandon University Faculty Association president Gautam Srivastava praised the BU administration for their about-face on Thursday.

After all, this decision comes after BUFA released their own statement on Monday morning, calling on the BU administration to adopt a vaccine policy to maintain the overall safety of the university community.

"Our members are quite happy to have our association take this position and for Brandon University to listen clearly to our advocacy in this instance, which will protect faculty, staff and students on campus," Srivastava said.

This update from BU and ACC comes at a time when many other high profile universities in Canada have adopted similar vaccine policies for the 2021-2022 academic year.

At the beginning of the month, only a few post-secondary schools in Canada had established vaccine requirements for the upcoming fall semester, with Seneca College in Ontario being one of the most high-profile examples.

However, within the last two weeks, a number of institutions have since followed Senecas lead, including the University of Regina, Queens University, Western University, the University of Waterloo, Carleton University, the University of Ottawa and the University of Saskatchewan.

While schools like BU, ACC, U of W and U of M held out until this week, Manitoba Organization of Faculty Associations president Scott Forbes credits his affiliate organizations, including BUFA, for causing this widespread change of heart through their public advocacy.

"This would not have happened if not for pressure from faculty and their representatives," he said. "And we are delighted that a strong, clear message from faculty was heard by university administrators who eventually reached the correct decision."

 kdarbyson@brandonsun.com

 Twitter:@KyleDarbyson
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Tim Goddard doesnt believe his daughter died in vain.

Capt. Nichola Goddard was the first Canadian female to die in combat. Her death occurred in 2006 while she was deployed to Afghanistan. She was with the 1st Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery based in CFB Shilo. In total, 158 Canadian soldiers and seven civilians died in the 12-year conflict.

POSTMEDIA Capt. Nichola Goddard

By 2011, 191 Canadian soldiers suffering from the psychological wounds from that war took their own lives.

"I think that her death was the most awful thing that happened in my life and my familys lives," Goddard told The Sun in a telephone interview from his home in Charlottetown, P.E.I.

"At the time, when she died, she was doing what she felt was the right thing to do. She believed in the mission."

The two Goddards would have spirited discussions before she left for Afghanistan.

SUBMITTED The Canadian wall at the British cemetery in Kabul, has the name of Tim Goddard's daughter, Capt. Nichola Goddard, on it. She died in 2006 while serving with the Canadian Armed Forces in the Afghanistan war.

"But I always felt she believed in what she was doing and she believed in her team," he said.

Goddard was a forward observation officer with the Orion Task Force, and was supporting a rifle company at the time of her death.

"I think that everybody who was there, they were all doing something that they believed was right, and that I believe had an impact," her father said.

With some former Canadian soldiers who served in Afghanistan weighing in on the recent events occurring in that country and the Talibans takeover, the general air is one where they feel their sacrifices were for naught.

Goddard does believe the Afghan people have been abandoned by the international community and he believes his daughter would share the same sentiment.

"I think she would say how disappointed she is and angry that people were being left behind unnecessarily. Not being able to break that bureaucracy. These people are in need."

In a Canadian Press story on Wednesday, Justin Trudeau blamed Taliban checkpoints rather than government bureaucracy and delays for what many see as the slow pace of Canadas effort to save former Afghan interpreters and their families.

SUBMITTED Tim Goddard on the old city walls of Balkh, Afghanistan.

The Liberal leader made the comments during an election campaign event in Vancouver Wednesday as fears and frustrations mount over the fate of hundreds of Afghans at risk of Taliban retribution for their links to Canada.

A former dean of education at the University of Prince Edward Island, Tim Goddard took time from his role to work for a non-profit organization, World University Services of Canada (WUSC), which saw him working in Afghanistan after his daughters death in project development as a volunteer to develop programming for potential teachers in the country.

"One of the things Nichola used to say a couple of times, when we talked about her deployment to Afghanistan and the issues around that was I do what I do so you can do what you do," Goddard recalled. "Because without having a fairly stable civil society, its very hard for people like me to go in and do development work.

"She was a very smart woman. It made absolute sense to me."

Over the 12 years the Canadian military was in Afghanistan, Tim Goddard believes life improved to such a degree that there is no going back to the way it was before the Canadians came.

"The genie is out of the bottle to do with literacy, with gender equality, with womens rights, with general life in a civil society. People got used to that," he said.

Going back to the way life was prior to the Taliban wont be an option any longer.

"I think there are people who have tasted those freedoms our soldiers were able to bring to them. And they arent willing to give them up."

But he does worry about the people he left behind after the project was done.

The knarl of paperwork for Afghan residents applying for refugee status, which typically would be served in a peace time environment with access to the Canadian embassy, is not longer available, Goddard said. In his opinion, it is the bureaucracy that is the biggest stumbling block to getting people out of Afghanistan and into a safe environment.

"They (the Canadian government) have to understand that as Canadians, whether we are directly related to someone there, or not, we do not think it is right that people who helped us, are being abandoned."

With a federal election just over a month away, Goddard is imploring people to get organized, talk to the government, and "get our people out! The only way to do this is through public pressure."

"People have to keep bringing it up."

 kkielley@brandonsun.com, with files from The Canadian Press
EDMONTON - The federal election isn't expected to produce much change in the Prairies provinces, but some political experts say if there are ridings to watch, they are in urban areas.

Liberal candidate Ralph Goodale marks his voter card at Marion McVeety Elementary School in his Wascana Constituency on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2008 in Regina. The federal election isnt expected to produce much change in the Prairies provinces, but some academics in political science say if there are ridings to watch, they are in urban areas.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Troy Fleece

EDMONTON - The federal election isn't expected to produce much change in the Prairies provinces, but some political experts say if there are ridings to watch, they are in urban areas.

The 2019 federal vote saw the Conservatives take over all 14 ridings in Saskatchewan. The Tories also won all but one seat in Alberta and half of the ridings in Manitoba.

One of the biggest upsets was longtime Liberal Ralph Goodale, then public safety minister, losing his Regina-Wascana seat to the Conservatives.

Christopher Adams, an adjunct political studies professor at the University of Manitoba, says he expects the big changes that happened in the West two years ago will mostly remain in place.

But he says the shrinking popularity of Progressive Conservative Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister due to his governments response to the COVID-19 pandemic might play to the Liberal party's advantage.

"The provincial Progressive Conservative  its brand is somewhat tarnished right now, much like the United Conservative Party for (Premier) Jason Kenney in Alberta," Adams says.

"That might have an impact on the Conservative vote in the federal ridings in this election in Winnipeg specifically."

He says ridings to watch are in the provincial capital, particularly Winnipeg South and Charleswood-St. James-Assiniboia-Headingley.

"As Winnipeg South goes, so goes the nation," Adams says.

Last election, Liberal Doug Eyolfson lost his Charleswood-St. James-Assiniboia-Headingley seat to Conservative Marty Morantz. The two face each other again this year.

Howard Leeson, professor emeritus at the University of Regina's department of politics and international studies, says the urban riding Goodale lost in 2019 is worth watching, but he doesn't think the Liberals can take it back.

"Broadly speaking, they have almost no organization in Saskatchewan," Leeson says of the Liberals. "(The party) has been in serious decline here for several decades and they've really done nothing on the ground to recover that."

He says a non-urban constituency in northern Saskatchewan is also of interest.

The Liberals have recruited Buckley Belanger to run in Desnethe-Missinippi-Churchill River. Belanger recently stepped down as legislature member there for the Saskatchewan NDP.

"Politics up there is very, very local. It's a very big constituency, which is heavily Indigenous, and the politics is quite different from that in the south," Leeson says.

Belanger has a good chance of winning, he says, and could be in a Liberal cabinet.

"I think that would be a good thing for Indigenous people, in terms of the kinds of services they need up there."

Although the NDP is the official Opposition in each Prairie province, Leeson says it's a different party federally.

"There has always been a fair gulf between the federal leadership and provincial leaderships on questions of natural resources in particular.

"But in Saskatchewan it's even gotten worse with the present leader (Jagmeet Singh), who has not paid much attention to Saskatchewan at all."

The rift has also played out in Alberta. In the last election, NDP leader and former premier Rachel Notley said she would not support Singh because of his opposition to the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion.

Lisa Young, a political science professor at the University of Calgary, says she doesn't expect any major gains for the party in Alberta.

The only NDP riding is Edmonton Strathcona, a stronghold for the party for more than a decade.

"The Alberta provincial NDP is a pretty centrist party on a lot of issues, particularly around the environment and development of energy resources," she says.

"Even if people might be saying that they are going to vote for the federal NDP in Alberta  outside of a few places in Edmonton  that may not happen once they take a closer look at the difference between the federal NDP and the provincial NDP."

Young says the ridings to watch are in Calgary and Edmonton, where the Liberals could win seats.

The Liberals, including former natural resources minister Amarjeet Sohi, lost every riding they held in 2019 to the Conservatives.

Young says there could be a tight race in Edmonton Centre, where Liberal Randy Boissonnault is looking to take his seat back from Conservative James Cumming.

She also says the Liberals have good chances in Calgary Skyview, Calgary Confederation and Calgary Centre.

While the true battleground in Canada will be in Ontario and parts of Quebec, Young says the Liberals are expected to use the Alberta premier's unpopularity outside the province against the Conservatives.

"We've seen some signals that the federal Liberals are going to run against Premier Jason Kenney in some ways, especially in how they have been criticizing the way the pandemic has been dealt with," she says, referring to Alberta lifting most of its COVID-19 restrictions.

"They might be trying to say, 'Look, Canada, you don't want to be governed in the way Alberta is being governed.'"

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 19, 2021.
YELLOWKNIFE - A long-term care home in the Northwest Territories declared a COVID-19 outbreak Wednesday and a hard-hit community asked for policing help as cases in the territory rise steeply.

Cases of COVID-19 have more than doubled in the Northwest Territories, going from 34 cases Monday to 74 cases Tuesday night. Specimens to be tested for COVID-19 are seen at LifeLabs after being logged upon receipt at the company's lab, in Surrey, B.C., on Thursday, March 26, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

YELLOWKNIFE - A long-term care home in the Northwest Territories declared a COVID-19 outbreak Wednesday and a hard-hit community asked for policing help as cases in the territory rise steeply.

The N.W.T. recorded another 52 new cases Wednesday for a total of 129. That's after posting new 74 cases Tuesday night -- up from 34 a day earlier.

Two cases in Norman Wells were linked to the long-term care home, but the N.W.T.'s chief public health officer did not say whether the infections were in staff or residents.

An outbreak is declared when one or more people who live or work in a facility develop COVID-19, Dr. Kami Kandola said.

Most of the cases were in the Sahtu region in the territory's northwest  including 44 in Fort Good Hope where about 500 people live.

Another 19 cases were in the capital of Yellowknife farther south.

In an interview, Fort Good Hope Chief Tommy Kakfwi said the community had asked the N.W.T. government for help with policing to ensure residents comply with COVID-19 measures. He also said Fort Good Hope requested GPS spot devices for people isolating out at their camps and in isolation spaces in town.

"We're limited here in the community. We need workers to deliver food. We need food for the elders in isolation," he said.

A school in the community was being used as an isolation centre, as were some bed and breakfast lodgings, he added.

Kakfwi declared a local state of emergency on Monday after cases started to climb.

Kandola said earlier this week that because of wide community spread, every Fort Good Hope resident is considered to have been exposed to COVID-19.

"We're just assuming that everybody has contact with one another, so it's just a matter of monitoring each other," Kakfwi said.

A rapid response team was also on the ground in the community. Tests were being done on site and confirmed in Yellowknife.

Kakfwi said two people from Fort Good Hope with COVID-19 had been medevaced out, but he wasn't sure if they were sent to Yellowknife or to a southern hospital.

"In a situation like this, we do what we can with what we have," he said. "We will get through this."

The N.W.T. has issued notices of potential exposure for several flights in the territory, and says anyone who took a cab in Yellowknife since Aug. 9 needs to self-monitor for symptoms and wear a mask.

Kandola said testing is being triaged for unvaccinated people, essential workers entering the territory and people with symptoms.

Fort Good Hope and Colville Lake, another Sahtu community, are both under 10-day lockdowns to try to help stop the spread of the virus

The territory had not seen cases of COVID-19 since an outbreak at a Yellowknife school in June.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 18, 2021.

 By Emma Tranter in Iqaluit

___

This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook-Canadian Press News Fellowship
OTTAWA - One day after Erin O'Toole tried to differentiate himself from his predecessor, who was dogged by questions about abortion during the last federal election, the Conservative leader found himself in the same spot.

Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole speaks to the media Wednesday, August 18, 2021 in Quebec City. O'Toole is promising to protect the conscience rights of health care professionals  a measure championed by social conservatives to allow doctors and nurses to refuse to provide or even refer patients for services like abortion, assisted dying or gender re-assignment surgery if they have moral or religious objections. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

OTTAWA - One day after Erin O'Toole tried to differentiate himself from his predecessor, who was dogged by questions about abortion during the last federal election, the Conservative leader found himself in the same spot.

O'Toole was under pressure Thursday to clarify a platform promise to protect health professionals' conscience rights  a measure championed by social conservatives who maintain doctors and nurses with moral or religious objections should not have to refer patients for medical services like abortion, assistance in dying or procedures for transgender people.

In a section on human rights, the platform simply states: "We will protect the conscience rights of health-care professionals."

It offers no details, but suggests the measure is needed to prevent doctors who object to assisted dying from quitting the profession or leaving Canada, as some have threatened to do.

The Liberal government has previously said these health professionals rights are already protected because nothing in its legislation forces someone to "provide or help to provide" a medically assisted death if it conflicts with their personal beliefs.

In his leadership platform last year, O'Toole courted social conservatives' support by promising explicitly to protect "the conscience rights of all health care professionals whose beliefs, religious or otherwise, prevent them from carrying out or referring patients for services that violate their conscience."

But he refused Thursday to directly answer whether he thought conscience rights should apply to abortion, and didn't say whether it would be acceptable for a doctor or nurse to refuse to refer a patient elsewhere.

He only repeated his personal stance on abortion rights.

"We can get the balance right, but let me be perfectly clear: As a pro-choice leader of this party, I will make sure that we defend the rights of women to make the choice for themselves with respect to their own health," O'Toole said during a campaign stop in Ottawa.

Without saying his name, O'Toole has been trying to separate himself from his predecessor, Andrew Scheer, whose socially conservative views on abortion and LGBTQ rights contributed to the Conservative loss of the 2019 election.

"The Conservative party has not always been clear about its position on social issues," O'Toole acknowledged in French in a speech Wednesday evening in Quebec, where suspicion of social conservatism runs high.

"I want to be very clear with you. I am pro-choice and I've always been pro-choice."

O'Toole insisted Thursday there's no contradiction between his Quebec speech and the party's platform.

"I have a pro-choice record and that's how I will be. I think it's also possible to show respect for our nurses, our health-care professionals with respect particularly to the expansion of medical assistance in dying."

Social conservatives have been clear they see protection of conscience rights applying to a broad range of medical services.

During a 2019 Ontario court case, services to which various doctors' groups and individual physicians said they would object included abortion, contraception, tubal ligations, vasectomies, infertility treatment, prescription of erectile dysfunction medication and sex reassignment surgery, as well as assisted dying.

The provinces Court of Appeal unanimously ruled that allowing doctors to refuse to provide referrals would stigmatize already vulnerable patients, leave them to navigate the complex health system on their own and restrict their access to medical services.

The Conservative platform promise on conscience rights reflects the circle O'Toole is attempting to square as he tries to broaden his party's appeal without losing the support of social conservatives, who were crucial to his winning leadership bid and who make up a significant chunk of his caucus and his party's base.

It led to familiar attacks from Liberals, who seized Thursday on a video in which former leadership rival turned Ontario Conservative candidate Leslyn Lewis said she supports health-care providers not having to provide referrals for services like abortion.

"Pro-choice doesn't mean the freedom of doctors to choose, it means the freedom of women to choose. Leaders have to be unequivocal on that and once again Erin O'Toole is not," Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau said at a campaign stop in Victoria.

Conservatives countered by circulating quotes, including from Justice Minister David Lametti during his defence of assisted dying legislation, that they said prove Liberals also believe in protecting conscience rights and are being hypocritical in now attacking O'Toole.

Lametti acknowledged that various pieces of legislation, including assisted dying legislation, include references to protecting conscience rights. But he said in an interview that ensuring no one has to participate in providing a medical service against their conscience is "way different" than supporting their right to refuse to provide effective referrals.

He said Liberals believe doctors who object to a procedure have a "moral obligation" to refer patients to someone else  a policy adhered to by "virtually every college of physicians and surgeons" across the country.

O'Toole's position would mean patients "will have more difficulty getting access to abortion, more difficulty getting access to MAID, they may not be able to be served as an LGBTQ person, for example," Lametti said.

He said the Conservative platform is deliberately less explicit about referrals than O'Tooles leadership platform.

"They're being opaque and vague for a reason. They're trying to satisfy their social conservative base  without telling the rest of Canadians what they're really up to."

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said the policy shows "Conservatives are just missing the plot" and health-care providers have a responsibility to ensure women can access abortion services.

O'Toole's platform also promises that a Conservative government "will not support any legislation to regulate abortion."

However, he has been clear that he won't try to stop Conservative MPs from proposing their own private member's bills to restrict abortion and can vote as they please on them. In June, a majority of his caucus supported such a bill to ban sex-selective abortions.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 19, 2021.
Harrisonburg, VA (22807)

Today

Showers and thunderstorms. Potential for heavy rainfall. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall possibly over one inch..

Tonight

Showers and thunderstorms. Potential for heavy rainfall. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall possibly over one inch.
Last month Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena, the worlds oldest bank, acquired another distinction: Europes weakest lender.

The bank performed worse than any other in a test of its financial health by European regulators, the latest gloomy chapter in a long-running saga of ill-fated deals, financial shenanigans, criminal wrongdoing and even a mysterious death.

Founded in 1472, Monte dei Paschi di Siena is set to be swallowed by UniCredit. Credit:Bloomberg

The stress test by regulators, which showed that a severe recession would wipe out the banks capital, has forced the Italian government to face an unpleasant truth: Monte dei Paschis 549-year run is coming to an end. With prodding from Rome, UniCredit, one of Italys largest banks, said last month that it was in talks to buy Monte dei Paschi on the condition that the government keep all the bad loans.

Monte dei Paschi, founded in 1472, will probably live on as a brand name on bank branches in central Italy, and customers probably will not notice much difference, at least at first. But the bank will cease to be a stand-alone entity and a living reminder that Italian merchants during the Renaissance basically invented modern banking. The banks operations will be managed from UniCredits headquarters in Milan rather than Monte dei Paschis fortress-like home office in Sienas old quarter. The title of oldest bank will probably pass to Berenberg Bank, founded in Hamburg, Germany, in 1590.
CSL boss Paul Perreault says the company is taking a full-court press approach as it lobbies for the relaxation of new restrictions stopping Mexican citizens from crossing the border into the US to donate plasma.

The biotech giant and its competitors have hundreds of collection centres across the United States, where individuals get paid typically $US50 or more for donating their plasma to be turned into speciality medicines. ASX-listed CSL, valued at over $137 billion, has six centres close to the US/Mexico border and a further seven within reasonable proximity, and the company regularly accepts donations from Mexican citizens who have visitor cards or other visas.

A centrifuge at CSLs new plasma fractionation facility at Broadmeadows, which will increase the companys plasma processing capacity in Australia to 9 million litres a year, from 1.2 million. Credit:Eddie Jim

However, US customs and border protection made a surprise decision in mid-June to tighten regulations so that Mexican citizens could not enter the country on temporary visas to give blood plasma.

The decision provided another complication for CSL and other companies in the plasma industry as the sector tries desperately to make up for shortfalls in collections caused by COVID-19 disruption.
The Star Entertainment Groups boss Matt Bekier says he is still interested in taking over rival casino outfit Crown Resorts and will consider buying just its new Sydney casino if Victorias royal commission into the group orders it to break apart its business.

The Star withdrew its $12 billion merger offer to the James Packer-backed Crown last month, citing uncertainty about the future of its operations and licences in light of the royal commissions underway in Victoria and WA.

The Star boss Matt Bekier says the fundamental premise of its merger with Crown still stacks up. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer

After releasing its full-year results on Thursday, Mr Bekier said a major cause of concern was that Victorian commissioner Ray Finkelstein unexpectedly raised the prospect of splitting up Crown to ensure its Melbourne casino was run by Victorians for Victoria.

I dont know what requirement will be imposed on Crown out of Victoria; with that uncertainty I dont know what we can and cant do, he said in an interview.
Have you heard of the northern gastric-brooding frog?

It wasnt as well known as the enigmatic Tasmanian tiger, or the widely mourned Bramble Cay melomys, believed to be the first Australian mammal to become extinct as a result of climate change.

The northern gastric-brooding frog Credit:Hal Cogger

But, like them, this little ground-dwelling frog was an evolutionary marvel.

It was the only animal species  anywhere in the world  where the female swallowed fertilised embryos, hatched and grew the tadpoles in her stomach, and later regurgitated the baby froglets.
Dozens of Australians are still downloading vision of the Christchurch terrorists attack and manifesto along with other far-right extremist material, according to a counter-terror probe.

A confidential federal police online tracking project examining right wing radicalisation and peer-to-peer websites estimated that almost three quarters of the most popular extremist files shared involved abhorrent right-wing content.

Most of those were linked to the Christchurch terrorist attack in March 2019.

Members of the Australian neo-Nazi group National Socialist Network. Credit:

The findings support remarks this week by ASIO director-general Mike Burgess that Australias neo-Nazi cells and other ideologically inspired groups are growing, fuelled by online propaganda about race and COVID-19.
About 100 Australian citizens and Afghan visa holders landed in Perth in the early hours of Friday morning on board the first evacuation flight out of Kabul.

West Australian authorities dressed in full personal protective equipment greeted the evacuees at Perth Airport and escorted them onto buses headed for the Hyatt Regency Perth hotel.

People arriving from Afghanistan are transported on a bus arriving at the Hyatt Hotel in Perth. Credit:Getty Images

Authorities cleared several floors of the inner-city hotel to accommodate the arrivals, who will need to spend two weeks in quarantine before bring released into the community.

Among the evacuees were Australian customs and immigration personnel, consular and foreign service officers, and Afghan interpreters and contractors who assisted Australian Defence Force troops.
A controversial $40 billion rail corporation set up by the NSW government six years ago to artificially inflate the state budget is in turmoil amid revelations it has appointed its third chief executive in just over a year.

The leadership fiasco at the Transport Asset Holding Entity comes as the NSW Auditor-General announced it will conduct a deep-dive audit into its affairs which will be released in a separate report to Parliament.

The Herald revealed this week that the government seriously considered commercialising the entire public transport and road networks as part of its plans for TAHE, which were designed to boost the budget by shifting billions of dollars of costs into the state-owned corporation.

About $40 billion of rail assets including trains are owned by the governments Transport Asset Holding Entity. Credit:Kate Geraghty

A revolving door of CEOs at TAHE since July last year has raised further questions about its future, as internal documents show the government has considered winding up the entity.
A 75-year-old Melbourne man has made no application for bail after being extradited to NSW and charged with the murder of Raymond Keam, which police allege was committed based on a perception of his sexual orientation during a string of gay hate crimes in Sydney.

The body of Mr Keam, 43, was found in grass at Alison Park in Randwick, in the citys eastern suburbs, in January 1987. He was a martial arts expert and a father.

A man has been charged with murder over the death of Raymond Keam in 1987.

In June, more than 34 years after his death, the state government and NSW Police announced a $1 million reward for information.

As part of ongoing inquiries, strike force detectives obtained an arrest warrant for a 75-year-old man, believed to be interstate, police said on Thursday.
Eight-year-old Mee Mee Myat would love her own bed one day. She thinks it would be cool if she could hang out in the kitchen without hearing the shower run or toilet flush, too.

But her home of the last few years  an old pool house at the back of a property in Blacktown  isnt big enough to fit two mattresses, so hers sits propped against the fence outside. And she and mother, Su, make meals in what they call the shower-kitchen.

Su Myat and her daughter Mee Mee, in their shared bedroom in Blacktown. They also eat in that room. Credit:Janie Barrett

Crowded housing is at its worst in Sydneys west and south-west  the parts of the city hit hardest by COVID-19  and advocates say the pandemic demonstrates the regions dire need for more affordable housing.

Mee Mee and Ms Myat dont have much room to move. To the left of the foyer is the room where they share a bed and eat. To the right is a room that combines the shower, toilet and kitchen, with a curtain separating them.
A man allegedly involved in the kidnapping of former Test spin bowler Stuart MacGill has been granted bail after his family offered a $430,000 deposit to secure his release and a court heard the mans trial might not take place until the end of 2022.

In April, Mr MacGill was allegedly abducted, assaulted and threatened at gunpoint by a group of men  including the brother of his partner Maria OMeagher  in an ordeal linked to a dispute over a drug exchange.

One of the men allegedly involved in Stuart MacGills kidnapping has been granted bail. Credit:AP

Son Minh Nguyen, 42, is one of six men charged in relation to the alleged kidnapping of the former Australian Test legspinner. Mr Nguyen was charged with directing the activities of a criminal group, detaining a person intending to get advantage, and being an accessory after the fact.

In the Supreme Court on Thursday, the mans barrister Hament Dhanji, SC, said Mr Nguyen had a family to take care of and argued the prosecution case was weak.
The sound of childrens laughter and loud chatter spills onto Duntroon Street most days of the week during lockdown from a dance studio in Hurlstone Park.

The noise has sparked a flurry of complaints to police about a suspected breach of public health orders.

Ballet teacher Mel Coady runs an online class while her daughters Ella, 15, and Indi, 19, dance along at their studio in Hurlstone Park. Credit: Brook Mitchell

What passers-by cant see is the dance classes are being run online and the sound of children is being amplified through speakers.

Mel Coady, who runs the CDC Studios, has taken to social media to try to allay community concerns, which she understands. She also wants to try to save the police from wasting time making more unnecessary visits.
The Brisbane schools involved in the recent outbreak of COVID-19 should honour the students who caught the disease, Queenslands Chief Health Officer says.

More than 1800 people remain in home quarantine across Queensland, the majority of them linked to the Indooroopilly schools cluster.

Queensland Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young says the students who have had COVID-19 should be honoured, not bullied. Credit:Matt Dennien

At a media conference on Thursday, the state CHO Jeannette Young was asked about reports some students who had returned to school after spending at least 14 days in home quarantine were being bullied.

Dr Young said she wasnt aware of specific cases, but urged schools to actively honour students and their families who had undertaken quarantine.
Seismic testing is a dark, dirty and destructive secret happening beneath Australian waters, out of sight and mind. Were the same amount of unaccountable devastation happening on terrestrial Australia there would be riots in the street.

It is the process of locating gas and oil deposits deep beneath the ocean floor. This is done by trailing an air gun off the back of a ship, which sends out sonic blasts every 10 seconds, 24 hours a day, at 256 decibels, for up to two months at a time.

A group of environmental activists paddle out into Corio Bay to protest a seismic testing ship en route to Otway Basin off King Island.

To give perspective, a jet engine at 50 metres is 140 decibels. Therefore, seismic blasts are a type of energy so powerful that humans have to stay five kilometres away to avoid permanent harm. To the acoustic ocean world it is diabolical.

Seismic blasts destroy zooplankton floating near the oceans surface, they disorient crustaceans, making them vulnerable to predators, and they muck up the echolocation abilities of mammals such as dolphins and whales.
For our free coronavirus pandemic coverage, learn more here.

Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Humans evolved under attack. Not just from ancient predators such as saber-toothed tigers and cave lions but from tiny microscopic invaders too  the bacteria, fungi and viruses that surround us. Over millennia, a molecular arms race between pathogen and immune system has sharpened our bodys defences and most of these foreign agents are killed before they can get very far at all. But COVID-19 emerged in people only in late 2019 and so modern medicine has swung into action to shortcut evolution and manufacture immunity in a bottle instead. Within a year of the pandemic beginning, a number of vaccines had already passed clinical trials, safe and more effective than most scientists dared hope. Now, in August, we are about a quarter of the way through the largest vaccination campaign in history. At the National Centre of Immunisation Research and Surveillance, Professor Nicholas Wood still finds it extraordinary. [Already, weve] been able to roll out vaccines to billions of people. But what do we know about how the COVID shots affect the body? And what are the side effects? People queue for COVID vaccines in regional Victoria. Credit:Scott McNaughton Why do vaccines cause side effects? When your body spots an intruder, such as a virus, it has two main lines of defence. The first is its generic attack, known as your innate immunity, that springs into action at the first sign of trouble. Often thats enough. But, while this battle rages, the rest of the immune system develops a specialised second wave of attackers, just in case. This is your adaptive immunity  antibodies made to fit the exact shape of the virus and gum it up so it cant hack into cells, and T-cells to kill those cells already infected. Some will remember that shape so theyre primed to attack next time, explains ANU immunological researcher Professor David Tscharke.

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Vaccines work by training your body to mount this adaptive defence without you actually having to catch the virus. In the case of COVID-19, they introduce your body to a tiny piece of the virus (the signature spike protein it uses to break into our cells). This wont make you sick but, like a mugshot, it helps your body hunt the real virus fast if it ever arrives on the scene. Of course, that only works if your body actually thinks its under attack, Tscharke says. Imagine vaccines as a kind of reverse Trojan horse, harmless but dressed up to look dangerous. When the immune system is tripped, white blood cells are immediately called to the injection site to investigate, causing inflammation. Thats why just about everyone gets a sore arm, Tscharke says. In fact, many symptoms of viruses are caused by our immune system launching into attack mode, which is why many viruses feel similar  and why vaccine side effects often do, too. Turning up the heat with a fever, for example, can make it harder for viruses and bacteria to replicate in your body. The COVID vaccines do come with a higher chance of these mild effects than your standard flu shot. But they also have impressively high efficacy rates compared to many of the inoculations already out there  not quite as effective as polio and measles but generally better than shots for chickenpox, mumps and the flu. That means they are great at activating your immune system. Side effects are a good sign that the immune system is responding to the vaccine, says paediatric immunologist Professor Peter Richmond. They are usually mild, though he says roughly one in five people will feel ill enough to need a day off work. For the AstraZeneca vaccine [they tend to come] after the first dose, whereas from Pfizer it tends to be after the second, he says. Common side effects for COVID vaccines (including AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Moderna): Injection-site pain

Fatigue

Headache

Nausea

Muscle ache and joint pain

Dizziness

Fever

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So if I dont get side effects, does that mean the vaccine hasnt worked? No. In trials of the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines, more than 90 per cent of people developed protective immunity against a symptomatic case of COVID but only half reported side effects, most of which were mild. And further testing has shown that people vaccinated without side effects have still developed the virus-killing antibodies they need. As Tscharke explains, these common vaccine side effects are generally associated with the bodys innate immune response but we dont necessarily need a huge innate response to wake up the second, adaptive, response. (That takes about two weeks to develop after being vaccinated.) Theres a threshold, and for some people that local response, the sore arm, might be enough to start the second. Tscharke suggests we think of our innate immune defences as a nightclub bouncer. Everyones is a little different but they all have the same job: to kick out any viral invaders sneaking through the door. Some bouncers are very discreet, they dont make a commotion while others let everyone know theyre throwing someone out. Its the same reason some people might shrug off a cold that floors others. So far, young people, whose immune systems tend to be particularly robust, and those who have already had COVID, somewhat more mysteriously, seem the most likely to get these common effects from the vaccines. What are health experts doing about side effects? Health authorities across the country are collecting and analysing global data on any negative reactions that occur after people are vaccinated. Officially, these are all called adverse events, not side effects, because they are not always directly linked to the immunisation itself.

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Richmond, who is head of the vaccine trials group at the Telethon Kids Institute and has been helping to analyse vaccine data from Western Australia, says its vital to understand which are linked to the vaccine and which wed expect to see normally in the community anyway. We have a lot of information now about both common but also rare side effects, he says. And weve had hundreds of thousands of people filling out surveys. So far, a survey of almost 2 million vaccinated Australians run by AusVax Safety shows that, up to three days after vaccination, 54 per cent reported no side effects, 45 per cent reported experiencing an effect and 0.9 per cent said they visited a doctor or hospital. The Pfizer vaccine is prepared by a nurse at the Canberra Hospital as more under 40s became eligible for vaccination in August. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Australias medical regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), receives about 2000 reports a week of post-vaccination events, from the mild to the serious, but not all will be caused by the vaccine. The scale of this vaccination campaign means more people are being included in the data than usual, so theres more chance of things that would have gone wrong anyway appearing in the statistics. With vaccines being closely surveilled in the community, at least in the developed world, theres also a higher chance that rare complications linked to the shots will be picked up. All complications are significant, though they have been vanishingly rare, says virologist Professor Gary Grohmann, who used to run vaccine testing at the TGA and now consults for the World Health Organisation. But its good were finding them. Tscharke adds: That risk of something happening is there for all vaccines and all pharmaceuticals, any new food you put in your mouth really. The COVID vaccines came along at record speed because the world saw a record investment and focus on their development  not because safety standards were cut. And while the mRNA vaccines are new to the market, for example, public health physician Professor Nathan Grills at the University of Melbourne says their technology has been researched and developed for the past 20 years.

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We know more about [the new COVID vaccines] than many vaccines, says Professor Nigel Curtis from the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute. Millions, getting up to billions, of doses have been given. So, we now know about even the rarest of side effects. And in a way, its like too much information that can scare people sometimes. What are some of the more serious side effects? Some side effects do require medical attention, and Wood says its important to know what to look out for. The most high-profile complication to emerge is thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome or TTS. Its linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine and, in smaller numbers, to the Johnson & Johnson shot, which both use the same platform (a harmless adenovirus) to deliver the spike needed for immunity. TTS causes blood clots to develop alongside a low platelet count. In these rare cases, the immune system sends out antibodies that not only recognise COVID but also platelets (blood cells controlling bleeding). This sends the platelets into overdrive, dropping their overall count as they clump together in clots. Loading Its not linked to the usual clotting risk factors like being on the pill, being a stroke risk, or a history of deep vein thrombosis, says Burnet Institute epidemiologist Professor Michael Toole. Its a different clotting mechanism. They cant seem to find any major predictor except age and a gender [skew] to women. It just happens sometimes. Symptoms of TTS usually start between four and 30 days after vaccination but are most common two weeks after the first dose. They include a severe or persistent headache, blurred vision, confusion, seizures, shortness of breath, chest pain, leg swelling or persistent abdominal pain; and unusual bruising or round spots developing beyond the injection site.

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That leaves the issue live. All that most business and workers can go on are the general principles in employment law. Employers are allowed to issue lawful and reasonable directions to their workers. They have to take reasonably practicable steps to keep staff safe. Both of those could be used to mandate vaccines but it all hinges on just what is reasonable for a particular business, in a particular place, at a particular time. All the guidance from the industrial regulators, ultimately, comes back to that. The concept of reasonableness seems key. What does it mean? No more than it says on the tin. The advantage is that it allows courts and tribunals to tailor rulings to an individual business so that office workers who are perfectly productive at home in Adelaide dont have to be treated the same way as miners operating in close quarters in the Hunter.

The downside is that legal minds can do no more than make an educated guess about how the test will apply to a given situation. Loading When the courts are looking to see whether a businesss decision to mandate a vaccine complies with the law, they will look at things such as how easily staff can socially distance (harder in a childcare centre) and where the business is located (safer in Perth than Melbourne). Vulnerabilities among the firms customers (aged care providers are a prime case) matter, too, as does the availability of vaccines. Its on the basis of such factors that the Fair Work Ombudsman has broken down businesses into these four tiers, from those most likely to be able to mandate vaccines: Tier 1 work , where employees are required as part of their duties to interact with people with an increased risk of being infected with coronavirus (for example, employees working in hotel quarantine or border control).

, where employees are required as part of their duties to interact with people with an increased risk of being infected with coronavirus (for example, employees working in hotel quarantine or border control). Tier 2 work , where employees are required to have close contact with people who are particularly vulnerable to the health impacts of coronavirus (for example, employees working in health care or aged care).

, where employees are required to have close contact with people who are particularly vulnerable to the health impacts of coronavirus (for example, employees working in health care or aged care). Tier 3 work , where there is interaction or likely interaction between employees and other people such as customers, other employees or the public in the normal course of employment (for example, stores providing essential goods and services).

, where there is interaction or likely interaction between employees and other people such as customers, other employees or the public in the normal course of employment (for example, stores providing essential goods and services). Tier 4 work, where employees have minimal face-to-face interaction as part of their normal employment duties (for example, where they are working from home).

Are there ways of cutting through this legal thicket? Yes. Public health orders mandating vaccines, which have so far been used only very sparingly  such as for construction workers from a small number of council areas in Sydney, and aged care workers  generally trump industrial law. On August 20, the NSW government revealed it planned to use a public health order to require jabs for all health workers, with first jabs from September 30. But even public health order mandates are easier said than done. Despite agreement by national cabinet in June to require aged care workers  a priority group for jabs since the start of the rollout  to be vaccinated by September 17, less than half have been fully vaccinated so far. Some states have not yet put in place the actual orders requiring vaccinations and the federal Department of Health has flagged that there could be exemptions for regions where vaccine supply is thin. As well as public health orders (yes, public health orders are also used for lockdowns) employers and unions can include rules on vaccinations in the collective pay deals that cover about 2 million workers, or in individual contracts. Its also much easier for firms to require that new hires be vaccinated than existing staff because they dont have the same protections that employees do at that stage.

What about discrimination? Privacy? Human rights? These could all be issues, especially if employers dont offer exceptions to staff with legitimate complaints. Advice from the solicitor-general, Stephen Donaghue, QC, provided to Prime Minister Scott Morrison indicates that requiring staff to be vaccinated is unlikely to be discriminatory because state and federal law protects only certain characteristics, such as sex and race. Vaccination status itself is not directly protected. But discrimination doesnt have to be direct. If a person is disadvantaged by a vaccination mandate in a way that can be traced back to a protected characteristic they may be able to make a complaint. But that isnt the end of the matter. Emily Howie, legal director at the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights commission, said in mid-August that there are additional thresholds. For discrimination, the test is whether its reasonably necessary to keep the workplace safe, Howie said. And for the [Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities], if its a human rights issue, whether its necessary and proportionate to impose that vaccine requirements on employees.

Businesses, though generally only those with more than $3 million in annual revenue, are also limited by privacy laws if they want to ask for vaccination status. Employees have a choice about freely consenting, and the collection of the information has to be reasonably necessary too. What are governments doing about it? Loading Not much so far, though as the NSW government decision to require jabs in hospital staff showed, that could change quickly. The Prime Minister and his minister for industrial relations, Michaelia Cash, have both been adamant: the government will not generally mandate vaccines. Were not suggesting that businesses should be mandating vaccines to their employees, Morrison said on August 13. Were not suggesting that.

Instead, they have left the political hot potato up to individual businesses, on the basis that the law as it stands is robust enough to let the businesses that have a good case to mandate jabs do so already. With unionists opposed to mandatory vaccinations outside what health professionals deem absolutely necessary, and conservative Coalition MPs raising concerns about religious and general freedom objections, state governments and Labor have also been wary of entering the debate. For instance, when asked by a journalist on August 17 whether Labor supported mandatory vaccinations, party leader Anthony Albanese did not answer directly, instead repeating his concerns about supply. So if the government isnt getting involved, who will sort out disputes? That will likely fall to the Fair Work Commission. Its not the same as the Fair Work Ombudsman; the ombudsman brings matters such as underpayment cases to court, whereas the commission is a tribunal that decides employment disputes. Workers sacked for refusing a jab may be able to bring an unfair dismissal case to the commission, but things arent likely to end there, or even only start there. The Federal Court might end up hearing disputes and Human Rights Commissions might have a role in helping resolve disputes, too.
What were seeking to achieve is cases minimised as far as possible, preferably to zero, that are infectious in the community, he said. The national cabinet agreement, announced on August 6, holds that a state can start to ease restrictions once it reaches 70 per cent vaccination and when the national average reaches 70 per cent. The deal suggests an end to lockdowns unless absolutely necessary once the twin target hits 80 per cent. Asked if that applied even if NSW case numbers remained at 600 each day or half that number, Mr Morrison said he wanted the number to be as low as possible but did not put a measure on what that would mean. The federal government expects NSW to reach the 70 per cent target in the middle of October if vaccine supplies increase as scheduled, with the national average reaching the target a few weeks later. Mr Morrison said lockdowns were necessary but that the Delta strain of COVID-19 meant it was very difficult to eliminate the virus.

That doesnt mean you stop trying. That doesnt mean you give up, he said. It means you keep going and you keep going as hard as you can to keep it suppressed for as long as you can until were in that position where were hitting those higher targets. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews, who reported 57 case numbers on Thursday compared to 681 in NSW, held out the prospect of cutting the number to zero using the same lockdown regime that achieved that result last year. It took us from more than 700 cases a day to zero and it will work again, he said. Ms Berejiklian warned on Thursday morning that every state and territory leader had to accept they could not live in a bubble forever because it was no longer possible to achieve zero cases.

To assume that forevermore there will be zero cases around Australia is, I think, an assumption that nobody can really make, she said. We know that once you open up, once borders come down, once theres the prospect of international travel, something were all looking forward to, we do need to co-exist with Delta. While Mr Morrison said that was a realistic assessment, WA Premier Mark McGowan argued that elimination was part of the objective. Whats happening with NSW is theyre deviating from the national plan, he said.

Loading The national plan at the moment is you minimise or eliminate the spread of Delta. That is where we are at. And thats what NSW should be doing. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said on Tuesday the national deal was based on research from the Doherty Institute that not only suggested the 70 per cent target but was premised on a situation with very little COVID in the community. Thats not the situation at the moment ... We are not at 70 per cent or 80 per cent yet, she said. Noting the 70 per cent target only meant lockdowns would be minimised, Ms Palaszczuk promised fewer restrictions rather than an end to them after the vaccination targets were reached.

Mr Frydenberg issued a blunt assessment on Thursday night about living with COVID-19 even when it led to deaths in the community. Its a fallacy to talk about the elimination of COVID, he told the ABC. Based on the medical advice today and what we know about the efficacy of the vaccines but also the transmissibility of the virus, we are going to be living with COVID for a number of years to come, with cases and of course with deaths and serious illness. And the idea is to get as many people vaccinated as possible to reduce and to mitigate that threat. We need to learn to live with COVID and we will do so once we start to hit those 70 and 80 per cent targets. The restrictions will ease, the economy will open back up and people will be able to have hope about the future.
Australias gender pay gap worsened in the first half of 2021 as wages surged in the male-dominated construction industry ahead of the latest lockdowns.

The Workplace Gender Equality Agency has estimated the new national gender pay gap at 14.2 per cent, an increase of 0.8 percentage points over the past six months, based on biannual Australian Bureau of Statistics average weekly earnings data.

The pay gap was previously 13.4 per cent.

The gap between what men and women earn is growing. Credit:Louie Douvis

Women working full-time earn $261.50 a week less than their male counterparts on this measure. The ABS records womens average weekly full-time earnings at $1575.50 and mens at $1837. The calculation does not compare like-for-like roles and instead looks at womens collective position in the paid workforce.
There was no doubting their common sincerity as the Afghan-Australian human rights campaigner and the Victoria Cross recipient spoke to their respective communities. But that was where the common ground ended in a gripping exchange on Q+A. And at the end of the debate over Australias plans to take 3000 refugees from Afghanistan, only the soldier had won the public support of the Immigration Minister.

Victoria Cross recipient Daniel Keighran went first. To start with, let me first say that as a veteran myself, I know theres a lot of hurt in the veteran community right now, Keighran said. Let me say that your service absolutely was worthwhile in Afghanistan.

Daniel Keighran and Diana Sayed in a debate on Q+A. Credit:ABC

Diana Sayed, chief executive of the Australian Muslim Womens Centre for Human Rights, started the same way. I want to say: Afghans, I see you, I hear you, I am one of you, Sayed said. And Id also like to say there is palpable fear right now for those here in Australia for loved ones back at home, and for the rest of us who are reliving past traumas for our parents and our families and their experiences of war.

Asked by host David Speers whether Australias initial commitment to accept 3000 Afghan refugees after the rapid collapse of the Afghan government and seizure of power by the Taliban was enough, Sayed was adamant it was not nearly enough.
NSW will make coronavirus vaccinations mandatory for all health workers, with a proposal to require first doses by September 30.

Health Minister Brad Hazzard will sign a public health order in the coming days requiring compulsory vaccination after reaching an agreement with the states peak medical groups representing hundreds of thousands of workers.

Health Minister Brad Hazzard will make it mandatory for health workers to be vaccinated. Credit:James Brickwood

The decision to introduce the mandate comes after the state recorded a COVID-19 transmission event in a hospital every day for the past two weeks.

Under the order, health care workers will be required to receive their first dose of a vaccine by September 30 and their second dose by November 30.
South-east Queensland will not have enough drinking water to support its rapidly growing population amid fears the regions dams will struggle to supply millions of extra residents.

The revelation comes as residents could be forced to endure mandatory water restrictions in less than four months.

Climate change is expected to exacerbate the need for new water sources in south-east Queensland. Pictured is Brisbane in 2009 during severe dust storms. Credit:Glenn Hunt

A stark warning about the need for new water sources  such as a dam or desalination plant  was emailed to Water Minister Glenn Butchers office in December, with a report revealing demand for water would increase as the south-east Queensland population grew by more than two million people over the next 25 years.

Current water sources are not sufficient to serve future populations, the report warned.
Islamabad: The Talibans top political leader, who made a triumphal return to Afghanistan this week, battled the US and its allies for decades but then signed a landmark peace agreement with the Trump administration.

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar is now expected to play a key role in negotiations between the Taliban and officials from the Afghan government that the militant group deposed in its blitz across the country. The Taliban say they seek an inclusive, Islamic government and claim they have become more moderate since they last held power.

Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, arrives with other members of the Taliban delegation for an international peace conference in Moscow, Russia. The Taliban is illegal in Russia. Credit:AP

But many remain sceptical, and all eyes are now on Baradar, who has said little about how the group will govern but has proven pragmatic in the past.

Baradars biography charts the arc of the Talibans journey from an Islamic militia that battled warlords during the civil war in the 1990s, ruled the country in accordance with a strict interpretation of Islamic law and then waged a two-decade insurgency against the US. His experience also sheds light on the Talibans complicated relationship with neighbouring Pakistan.
Washington: The honeymoon is well and truly over for President Joe Biden.

Bidens approval rating had already begun tapering off in recent weeks as coronavirus cases surged, inflation rose and Donald Trumps turbulent presidency began to fade into the past.

But the haphazard withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan and the rapid Taliban takeover of the country have dealt the biggest blow yet to Bidens popularity.

Hundreds of people run alongside a US Air Force C-17 transport plane at Kabul airport on Monday. Credit:AP

His approval rating is now below 50 per cent for the first time in his presidency according to the FiveThirtyEight polling average. At the end of May he had a net approval rating of +14 percentage points; thats now down to just +5 points.
Lansdale, PA (19446)

Today

Rain showers this evening becoming steadier and heavier overnight. Potential for heavy rainfall. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch..

Tonight

Rain showers this evening becoming steadier and heavier overnight. Potential for heavy rainfall. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch.
The (DoT) is in the process of issuing a show-cause notice to (Vi) for delaying the payment of licence fee.

pay 8 per cent of their adjusted gross revenue as licence fee. This also includes a universal service obligation levy. The fee is collected from each of the 22 telecom circles in the country on a quarterly basis. The department issues notice, even if there is a single days delay in payment.

Vi has paid its licence fee dues for the first quarter of 2021-22, a spokesperson for the company said, without divulging further.

This is the second consecutive quarter when Vi has failed to make timely payment in full, prompting DoT to seek an explanation. A notice will be issued in a day or two, said a government official.

These challenges come as the debt-ridden company battles intense competition and low tariffs. Vi has a debt of around Rs 1.9 trillion. Rating agency CARE Ratings has downgraded the rating on long-term bank facilities and non-convertible debentures. According to reports, banks, too, are asking for additional collaterals and higher interest in view of the downgrade.

While analysts have raised concerns over the deteriorating financial health of the company in view of increased losses and market-share erosion, industry body Cellular Operators Association of India has petitioned the government to cut taxes and introduce relief measures for the telecom sector. The proposal includes recommendations on doubling the tenure of auctioned radiowave holdings, along with a 7-10-year moratorium for spectrum payments to address viability concerns.

"Ensure reasonable reserve prices, easier payment terms, in the form of doubling the tenure of all auctioned spectrum holdings - both existing and future from 20 years to 40 years -without any additional amounts, and also consider 7-10-year moratorium for present and future spectrum payments, said the association, whose members include Vi, Bharti Airtel, and

With inputs from PTI
E-commerce giant has crossed a new milestone in its  Plus programme, which is a reward-based loyalty programme. With over 20 million users, Plus has become one of the most successful loyalty programmes in India today. Around 30 per cent of monthly active customers on Flipkart are now Plus members. The loyalty programme has achieved more than 100 per cent year-on-year growth.

Flipkart Plus is an earned loyalty program, with no subscription fee, and is designed to delight a very diverse set of Flipkart customers. Benefits include access to special marketplace launch previews, availing free and fast delivery. The other benefits include getting priority customer support, gaining unique Flipkart Pay Later options and curated benefits from ecosystem partners (across travel, OTT, F&B, lifestyle, and health and fitness). In turn, the programme has driven significant engagement among Flipkart users. Plus members on average transact 5X more and have 7X higher spends compared to the rest of the shopper base.

At Flipkart, we have consistently innovated to make e-commerce more inclusive and democratise access for all, said Prakash Sikaria, senior vice president, growth and monetisation at Flipkart. Our loyalty programme Flipkart Plus was created with this vision to nurture customer relationships and deliver increased value to them.

Shoppers on Flipkart earn additional rewards in the form of SuperCoins. Today, Flipkart issues more than 1 billion SuperCoins per month. SuperCoins can be used to avail benefits across an array of offerings. After establishing the programme last year, throughout 2021, Flipkart has been working on taking SuperCoins to a larger ecosystem. The launch of SuperCoin Pay and SuperCoin Exchange earlier this year was a step in this direction.

Our research shows that for Indians, shopping is an emotional decision, said Sikaria. Rewarding shopping unconditionally invokes a positive emotional bond with the brand.

This was a key insight that led to the creation of the Flipkart Plus programme. This phenomenon is more pronounced in heartland cities across Tier 2+ regions (Bharat) in India. Today, 75 per cent of our Flipkart Plus members come from a base that has not been part of any loyalty program, credit card, reward program before, said Sikaria.

The rewards program was externalized with 5000 partner stores in late 2020, with SuperCoin Pay and SuperCoin Exchange. This enabled customers to earn and redeem rewards across partner platforms. All benefits are consolidated under a single rewards program that is easily accessible on the Flipkart app.

Rival company Amazon also runs Amazon Prime in India, which is a subscription membership that offers customers premium services for a yearly or monthly fee. In July this year, Amazon witnessed the biggest response for its flagship event Prime Day this year in India. Prime Day 2021 marked the most Small-Medium Businesses (SMBs) selling on Amazon.in ever, as they saw an overwhelming response from Prime members.

The customers from over 96 per cent pincodes of India placed orders. The month leading up to Prime Day became Prime Videos best ever viewership period. Also there were the highest number of listeners for Prime Music.

During lead up and on Prime Day, Prime members shopped from 126,003 sellers including artisans, weavers, women entrepreneurs, start-ups and brands, local offline neighbourhood stores. This included sellers from all over India including those from tier 2-3-4 cities like Barnala (Punjab), Champhai (Mizoram) and Virudhunagar (Tamil Nadu). The other such places include Guntur (Andhra Pradesh), Valsad (Gujarat), and Shajapur (Madhya Pradesh).
in collaboration with Society for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (SINE)-IIT Bombay, on Thursday launched Plugin Alliance, a first-of-its-kind industry-technology grouping with a focus on accelerating Industry 4.0 transformation in India.

Plugin Alliances members represent large enterprises, small and medium enterprises, technology solution providers, systems integrators, startups, the startup ecosystem including funding partners, relevant incubators, government, and industry bodies.

The Alliance is designed to evolve into a community with the participation of these members, representing all facets of the Industry 4.0 ecosystem.

The Alliance will enable the formation of special interest groups for its industry members to drive innovation and potential adoption of emerging technologies.

One of the focus areas would be to curate Industry 4.0 startups for the Alliance members based on their area of interest and priorities.

Once aligned, members define the success criteria and provide an immersive environment for the startup to do their pilots. The Alliance aims to build a community that shares and collaborates on ideas and on promoting India as a brand for Industry 4.0 solutions.

The Alliances roadmap includes collaborating with other global bodies focused on Industry 4.0.

With digitalisation taking center stage across industries and businesses, Intel remains committed to partnering with the India ecosystem to drive digital transformation. Plugin Alliance brings together the key constituents of the ecosystem on one platform to find, innovate, build, adopt and scale smart industrial solutions, said Nivruti Rai, country head, Intel India, and vice president, Intel Foundry Services.

Plugin Alliance aims to advance and scale emerging technology solutions like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Vision, Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality (AR/VR), Robotics, Cyber Security, 5G & Edge, Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) & Mobility and other future emerging technologies to help accelerate digital transformation.

With Making Industries Intelligent as its motto, Plugin Alliances key components include increasing awareness about and enabling adoption of Industry 4.0 among larger enterprises and SMEs; identifying and exploring current and future Industry 4.0 solutions; accelerating startups to develop market ready solutions; building India as a brand for Industry 4.0 solutions; and enhancing the attractiveness of Indian manufacturing.

The Plugin Accelerator program, which is now a part of the Plugin Alliance, will be available to startups who are members of the Alliance.

The Accelerator will draw on domain, technical and business mentors from within the Alliance member community and look at external mentors based on need.

The Plugin Accelerator will now evolve to have a rolling admission process for early and growth stage startups that offer emerging and disruptive use cases to cater to the needs of the ecosystem for Industry 4.0 acceleration. The Alliance currently has 53 members including 25 startups.

The idea of Plugin Alliance could not have come at a better time when the businesses across various verticals are adopting digitisation on priority basis. has several high impact initiatives going on its campus where the focus is to provide smart solutions leveraging innovations. By bringing industry, academia and startups on the same platform, the process will accelerate for the mutual benefits of the businesses and startups, said Professor Subhasis Chaudhuri, director of
State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) on Thursday invited bids from private for handing over operations of 43 small and marginal oil and gas fields with a view to raising production.

The 43 onland fields have been clustered into 11 contract areas that will be bid out to offering the highest oil and gas output on top of a pre-decided baseline, the company said in a statement.

had in June 2019 invited similar bids for 64 fields that were clustered into 17 contract areas. The bid round did not evoke much interest and failed.

" announces Notice Inviting Offer (NIO) seeking partners for enhancement of production from its marginal nomination fields in line with its goal of maximizing recovery from its producing fields," the statement said.

The fields on offer have a total in-place oil and oil equivalent gas volume of about 160 million tonne.

"These contract areas are spread across the states of Gujarat, Assam, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh," it said.

The 64 fields offered in 2019 held a cumulative 300 million tonne of oil and oil equivalent natural gas reserves.

The oil ministry has been unhappy with the near stagnant oil and gas production and believes giving out the discovered fields to private firms would help raise output as they can bring in technology and capital.

It has been tasked by the Prime Minister to cut dependence on oil imports by 10 per cent by 2022 from the over 77 per cent dependence in 2014-15. But the dependence has only increased and is now over 83 per cent.

"Eligible (Indian or foreign), either alone or in consortium with other companies, may bid for one or more contract areas," the statement said adding the bidders are required to fulfill the requisite technical and financial criteria.

The last date for bidding is December 3.

A pre-bid conference will be held on October 20, 2021.

"Bidders interested in studying the data can purchase field information docket and data packages. Upon request, the interested companies shall be able to access the data viewing facility at IRS, Ahmedabad and visit the fields, if required," it said.

said operators will have complete marketing and pricing freedom to sell hydrocarbons on an arm's length basis through competitive bidding.

"Partner will be selected on a revenue-sharing basis. The revenue will be shared on incremental production over and above the baseline production under business-as-usual (BAU) scenario," it said.

The contract period will be for 15 years with an option to extend by 5 years.

"A reduction of 10 per cent in the royalty rate for incremental production of natural gas over and above BAU scenario" will be offered, it said.

Continuous exploration is permitted during the contract period including the right to explore all kinds of hydrocarbon.

Also, no past investment/ expenditure incurred by ONGC is to be shared or paid by the contractor.

While ease of entry/ exit will be provided, an incentive will also be given to enhance production beyond committed incremental production, ONGC added.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The on Thursday ordered a court-monitored Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the incidents of post-poll violence in West Bengal.

The High Court also ordered to set up Special Investigation Teams (SIT) for investigation and senior officers from West Bengal cadre will be a part of the team. On July 15, the Human Rights Commission (NHRC) team probing the alleged post-poll violence in West Bengal had submitted its final report to

The NHRC in its report on the alleged post-election violence in West Bengal submitted to stated that "Spatio-temporal expanse of violent incidents in the state reflects appalling apathy of the state government towards the plight of victims".

In the report, the committee said, "This was retributive violence by supporters of the ruling party against supporters of the main Opposition party. It resulted in disruption of life and livelihood of thousands of people and their economic strangulation."

Later, the NHRC refuted allegations in a section of the media regarding the leakage of the report relating to the post-poll violence in West Bengal. In a statement, the rights body said it has shared copies of the said report with the advocates of the parties concerned in this matter in accordance with the directions of the Calcutta High Court.

"The Human Rights Commission constituted a Committee to enquire into the post-poll violence in West Bengal, as per the directions of the Calcutta High Court. The Committee submitted its report to the Court on July 13, 2021."

"On the further directions of the Court, the Committee provided a copy of the said report to its Advocate in Calcutta, who shared with the Advocates of all the concerned parties in the related multiple writ petitions," the statement read.

Several incidents of violence have been reported at various places after the announcement of the Assembly poll results on May 2, after which a four-member team deputed by the Ministry of Home Affairs also visited the post-poll violence-affected 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.)
Vaccines against Covid-19 are less effective against the delta variant, a large U.K. study showed in results that may fuel a push for booster shots for fully vaccinated people.

Inc. and BioNTech SEs messenger RNA vaccine lost effectiveness in the first 90 days after full vaccination, though that shot and the one made by AstraZeneca Plc still staved off a majority of Covid infections. When vaccinated people did get infected with delta, they had similar levels of virus in their bodies as those who hadnt had their shots, backing up a recent assessment by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The results are likely to fuel calls to give booster shots to the fully vaccinated even as countries around the world still lack enough supply for first immunizations. The U.S. on Wednesday said Americans who got both doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna Inc. mRNA vaccine will be able to get a third one after eight months. U.K. authorities are still deciding how broadly boosters should be given. In Israel, which started giving third doses of Pfizer-BioNTech this month, initial results show they have been 86% effective for people over the age of 60.

The U.K. survey, run by the University of Oxford and the Office for National Statistics and published Thursday in a preprint, analyzed more than 3 million PCR tests from a random sample of people for a detailed picture of infection patterns as delta became the dominant variant this year.

Were seeing here the real-world data of how two vaccines are performing, rather than clinical trial data, and the data sets all show how the delta variant has blunted the effectiveness of both the and AstraZeneca jabs, said Simon Clarke, an associate professor in cellular microbiology at the University of Reading.



By roughly four and a half months after the second dose, Pfizers shot will probably be about on par with Astras at preventing infections with a high viral burden, said Koen Pouwels, an Oxford senior researcher who helped lead the study. There wasnt a statistically significant difference in the Astra shots effectiveness over time.

The results cast further doubt on the possibility of achieving herd immunity via vaccination, said Sarah Walker, a professor of medical statistics and epidemiology at Oxford, who helped lead the study.

The hope was that unvaccinated people could be protected by vaccinating lots of people, Walker said. The higher levels of virus that were seeing in these infections in vaccinated people are consistent with the fact that unvaccinated people are just going to be at higher risk, Im afraid.

One important piece of the puzzle thats still missing is data showing how much the vaccines continue to protect against hospitalizations and severe cases of Covid over time, said Penny Ward, a visiting professor in pharmaceutical medicine at Kings College London, who wasnt involved with the study. The findings may also support giving a booster dose of mRNA vaccine to people who got the Astra shot, which uses a different technology, Ward said in a statement. They also drive home the need for better Covid treatments, she said.

No vaccine is completely protective against infection with the delta variant, Ward said. The low incidence of hospitalization seen to date suggests that in this respect, at least, the vaccines are protecting individuals from developing severe Covid.
India on Thursday reported a net decrease of 3,286 in active cases to take its count to 364,129. Indias share of global active cases now stands at 2.08 per cent (one in 48). The country is tenth among the most affected countries by active cases. On Wednesday, it added 36,401 cases to take its total caseload to 32,322,258 from 32,285,857  an increase of 0.1%. And, with 530 new fatalities, its Covid-19 reached 433,049, or 1.34 per cent of total confirmed infections.

With 5,636,336 more Covid-19 vaccine doses being administered on Wednesday, Indias total count of vaccine shots so far reached 566,488,433. The count of recovered cases across India, meanwhile, reached 31,525,080  or 97.53 per cent of total caseload  with 39,157 new cured cases being reported on Thursday.

Now the tenth-most-affected country by active cases, third by deaths, second by total cases, and first by recoveries, India has added 244,552 cases in the past 7 days.

India now accounts for 2.08% of all active cases globally (one in every 48 active cases), and 9.83% of all deaths (one in every 10 deaths).

India has so far administered 566,488,433 vaccine doses. That is 1752.62 per cent of its total caseload, and 40.6 per cent of its population.

Among Indian states, the top 5 in terms of number of vaccine shots administered are Uttar Pradesh (66256743), Maharashtra (55962059), Gujarat (45252602), Rajasthan (43281385), and Madhya Pradesh (41830690).

Among states with more than 10 million population, the top 5 in number of vaccine shots per one million population are Kerala (779981), Uttarakhand (717560), Gujarat (708484), Delhi (695072), and J&K (584305).

Backwards from here, the last 1 million cases for India have come in 27 days.

The count of active cases across India on Thursday saw a net reduction of 3,286, compared with 2,431 on Wednesday. States and UTs hat have seen the biggest daily net increase in active cases are Kerala (2517), Odisha (83), Puducherry (77), Tripura (67), and Himachal Pradesh (28).

With 39,157 new daily recoveries, Indias recovery rate stands at 97.53%, while fatality rate remained unchanged at 1.34%.

The Indian states and UTs with the worst case fatality rates at present are Punjab (2.72%), Uttarakhand (2.15%), and Maharashtra (2.11%). The rate in as many as 14 is higher than the national average.

Indias new daily closed cases stand at 39,687  530 deaths and 39,157 recoveries. The share of deaths in total closed cases stands at 1.33%.

Indias 5-day moving average of daily rate of addition to total cases stands at 0.1%.

Indias doubling time for total cases stands at 615.1 days, and for deaths at 566 days.

Overall, five states with the biggest 24-hour jump in total cases are Kerala (21427), Maharashtra (5132), Tamil Nadu (1797), Andhra Pradesh (1433), and Karnataka (1365).

Among states with more than 100,000 cases, the five with worst recovery rates at present are Kerala (94.73%).

India on Wednesday conducted 1,873,757 to take the total count of tests conducted so far in the country to 500,300,840. The test positivity rate recorded was 1.9%.

Five states with the highest test positivity rate (TPR)  percentage of tested people turning out to be positive for Covid-19 infection (by cumulative data for tests and cases  are Goa (15.1%), Dadra & Nagar Haveli-Daman & Diu (14.72%), Sikkim (12.86%), Kerala (12.59%), and Maharashtra (12.44%).

Five states with the highest TPR by daily numbers for tests and cases added  are, Kerala (15.5%), Sikkim (12.19%), Manipur (9.97%), Meghalaya (6.25%), and Mizoram (5.64%).

Among states and UTs with more than 10 million population, five that have carried out the highest number of tests (per million population) are Delhi (1327250), J&K (934307), Kerala (833484), Karnataka (611758), and Telangana (600988).

The five most affected states by total cases are Maharashtra (6406345), Kerala (3745457), Karnataka (2933192), Tamil Nadu (2594233), and Andhra Pradesh (1997102).

Maharashtra, the most affected state overall, has reported 5132 new cases to take its tally to 6406345.

Kerala, the second-most-affected state by total tally, has added 21427 cases to take its tally to 3745457.

Karnataka, the third-most-affected state, has reported 1365 cases to take its tally to 2933192.

Tamil Nadu has added 1797 cases to take its tally to 2594233.

Andhra Pradesh has seen its tally going up by 1433 to 1997102.

Uttar Pradesh has added 34 cases to take its tally to 1709025.

Delhi has added 36 cases to take its tally to 1437192.
Water Minister on Thursday said the (DJB) is making rigorous efforts to ensure that the city has complete infrastructure for round-the-clock water supply by the summer next year.

Jain, who is also the DJB chairman, visited a Ranney well on Vikas Marg, East Delhi, and examined a 1 MGD ammonia removal plant.

"DJB is making rigorous efforts to ensure that we have the complete infrastructure for providing 24/7 water supply by the next summer season," he tweeted.

This Ranney well is sufficient for 7,000 families as it adds clean water directly to the underground reservoir for supply, the minister said.

More ammonia removal plants are being added to augment the water availability in the capital, 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.)
In a swipe at China, India told the on Thursday that countries should not place blocks and holds without any reason on requests to designate terrorists, warning that any double standards and distinctions between terrorists would be made only at our own peril.

The international community holds a collective view that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations must be condemned. There cannot be any exception or justification for any act of terrorism, regardless of motivations behind such acts, External Affairs Minister told the

Jaishankar, President of the UN Security Council, chaired the UNSC Briefing on Threats to International Peace and Security Caused by Terrorist Acts.

Speaking in his capacity, Jaishankar alluded to his remarks to the Council made in January this year when he had proposed an eight-point action plan aimed at collectively eliminating the scourge of terrorism.

Summon the political will: don't justify terrorism, don't glorify terrorists; No double standards. Terrorists are terrorists; distinctions are made only at our own peril; Don't place blocks and holds on listing requests without any reason, he said. This was in reference to China, a permanent member of the UNSC, repeatedly placing technical holds on bids by India and other nations to designate head of Pakistan-based militant group Jaish-e-Mohammed Masood Azhar.

On Pakistan



Jaishankar also said terror groups like the LeT and JeM continue to operate with both impunity and encouragement.

In our own immediate neighbourhood, ISIL-Khorasan (ISIL-K) has become more energetic and is constantly seeking to expand its footprint. Events unfolding in Afghanistan have naturally enhanced global concerns about their implications for both regional and international security, he said.

Whether it is in Afghanistan or against India, groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) continue to operate with both impunity and encouragement, Jaishankar said.

We, in India, have of course had more than our fair share of challenges and casualties. The 2008 Mumbai terror attack is imprinted in our memories. The 2016 Pathankot air base attack and the 2019 suicide bombing of our policemen at Pulwama are even more recent, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
External Affairs Minister said that India is following the events in "very carefully" and the focus is on ensuring the security and safe return of its nationals who are still in the war-torn country.

"At this point of time, we are looking at the evolving situation in Kabul... as Taliban and its representatives have come to Kabul and I think we need to take it from there," he said at a press conference after attending the UNSC meeting in New York on Wednesday (local time).

Being asked whether India will continue its investments and engagement in Afghanistan, the minister said the "historical relationship with the Afghan people continues."

"That will guide our approach in the coming days. I think at this time, these are early days and our focus on safety and security of the Indian nationals who are there," he said.

He also said that the situation in is "really what has been very much the focus of my own engagements here, talking to the UN Secretary General, the US Secretary of State and other colleagues who are here."

"At the moment we are, like everybody else, very carefully following developments in I think our focus is on ensuring the security in Afghanistan and the safe return of Indian nationals who are there," he added.

India is the president of the Security Council for the month of August.

(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.)
An inquiry commission headed by a retired high court judge has imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on former commissioner Param Bir Singh for not appearing before it.

The Maharashtra government in March this year formed a one-member commission of Justice (retd) Kailash Uttamchand Chandiwal to conduct a probe into corruption allegations levelled by Singh against the then state home minister Anil Deshmukh.

As Singh failed to appear before the commission on Wednesday, a fine of Rs 25,000 was imposed on him, a government lawyer said on Thursday.

During the previous hearing, the probe panel had given Singh the "last chance" to appear before it.

This is the second instance of fine being imposed on Singh.

In June, the commission had asked the senior IPS officer to pay a fine Rs 5,000 for not appearing before it despite a summons. The amount was to be deposited in the Chief Minister's COVID-19 Relief Fund.

Days after he was shunted out as commissioner and transferred to the Home Guards in March, Singh claimed in a letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray that Deshmukh used to ask police officers to collect money from restaurant and bar owners in Mumbai.

Deshmukh, an NCP leader, has denied the allegations.

The Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate are probing the allegations made against Deshmukh by the senior IPS officer.

(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 Collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana, has recommended six additional judges of Karnataka High Court be made its permanent judges, and also proposed names of six judicial officers and one Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) member as judges of Telangana High Court.

According to a statement published on the top court's website, the Collegium, in its meeting held on August 17, has approved the proposal for making of Karnataka High Court additional judges Justice Neranahalli Srinivasan Sanjay Gowda, Justice Jyoti Mulimani, Justice Nataraj Rangaswamy, Justice Hemant Chandangoudar, Justice Pradeep Singh Yerur, and Justice Maheshan Nagaprasanna, its permanent judges.

The top court collegium has also approved the proposal for the elevation of judicial officers P. Sree Sudha, C. Sumalatha, Dr G Radha Rani, M. Laxman, N. Tukaramji, A. Venkateshwara Reddy and ITAT member P. Madhavi Devi as judges of the Telangana High Court.

In another statement, the collegium, in its meeting held on August 17, also approved the proposal for appointment of the Calcutta High Court's additional judge, Justice Kausik Chanda, as permanent judge of that high court.

--IANS

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Radhakishan S Damani, promoter of the DMart supermarket chain, has broken into the elite club of the top 100 global billionaires. In a move to encourage private hospitals to take part in Ayushman Bharat-Jan Arogya Yojana (JAY), the government is planning to rationalise the rates of health benefit packages under the scheme and also resolve issues with payments



More on those stories in our top headlines.



Shareholders of Tata Sons Private Ltd, the holding company of the Tata group, may vote on September 14 on giving a second term to as chairman. The online annual general meeting (AGM) comes at a time when the group is undergoing a transformation, carrying out a slew of acquisitions with a focus on digital businesses. Read more...

D-Mart owner enters top 100 global billionaires' club

Radhakishan S Damani, investor and promoter of the DMart supermarket chain, has broken into the elite club of the top 100 global billionaires. Damani, who grew up in a single-room apartment in Mumbai, is now ranked 98th on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index with $19.2 billion as his net worth. The index is a daily ranking of the worlds richest people. Read more...

Railways may scrap first private train operations tender over viability

The Indian Railways may end up cancelling the first round of bids they had called for private train operations. According to officials in the know, there is a rethink going on in the Railway Ministry about the viability of these operations after getting just two bidders for the ambitious private train programme. The evaluation of these bids is on. As of now, the process is still on, a Railway Ministry spokesperson told Business Standard. Read more...

Govt to rationalise rates of health benefit packages under Ayushman Bharat

In a move to encourage private hospitals to take part in Ayushman Bharat-Jan Arogya Yojana (JAY), the government is planning to rationalise the rates of health benefit packages under the scheme and also resolve issues with payments, officials said on Wednesday. Read more...

An $8.8 bn IPO wave sweeps across India as investors bet on startups

The amount of money raised in this year has reached $8.8 billion, already surpassing the totals of the past three years though its only August. At the current pace, 2021 would exceed the all-time record of $11.8 billion. Founders, bankers, lawyers and advisers are racing to cash in on fervent demand for fresh public offerings. Read more...
The Union on Thursday approved inclusion of the ambitious Atal Progress-Way project of Madhya Pradesh in the Bharatmala Pariyojana (BMP) phase 1, a state government official said.

The new expressway will be 404km in length in Madhya Pradesh and pass through Bhind, Morena and Sheopur districts of the Chambal region and connect Jhansi (Uttar Pradesh) in the east and Kota (Rajasthan) in the west, MP Public Works Department Principal Secretary Neeraj Mandloi said. The Rs 7,000-crore expressway is expected to boost development of Gwalior and Chambal divisions of the state. The Bharatmala Pariyojana is a new umbrella programme of the Centre for the sector. It focuses on optimising efficiency of freight and passenger movement across the country by bridging critical infrastructure gaps through effective interventions like development of economic corridors, border and international connectivity roads, and greenfield expressways. Meanwhile, an official release said Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister of Road Transport & Nitin Gadkari for the inclusion of Atal Progress-Way in phase-1 of BMP.

Chouhan said, Atal Progress-Way would prove to be a lifeline for development of Gwalior and Chambal divisions. An industrial corridor will be constructed around this 404km length expressway which will become an important link in the economic development of the region. The new route from Jhansi to Kota will benefit three districts of Madhya Pradesh. The distance between these two points will also save about 50 km and the travel time will be reduced from 11 hours to 6 hours, the release said. Industrial areas will be developed along the expressway, it said. The Madhya Pradesh government has made preparations to invite investment in industrial, commercial, and various activities for the expressway to be built on the banks of the Chambal river, the release said. The land to be used in the expressway has been made available by the state government at its own expense, it said. MP PWD Minister Goptal Bhargava said, Tenders for this project which is worth Rs 7,000 crore would be floated very soon. The project is being constructed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and its detailed project report was prepared by the state government in four months and presented to the Centre, the release said.

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The Centre on Thursday announced an incentive for in the form of an additional domestic sales quota to those that export sugar and divert the commodity towards making, in the new 2021-22 season starting October.

have also been asked to take advantage of firm global sugar prices and plan export of raw sugar in advance in the new season (October-September), it said.

This indicates that the government is unlikely to extend the export subsidy from the new season, as it would be easier for domestic mills to sell sugar abroad in view of firm global prices.

India, the world's second-largest sugar-producing country, had to offer export subsidies in the past two years, to reduce surplus stocks and help cash-starved clear cane payment to growers.

In a statement, the food ministry said, "Sugar mills which will export sugar and divert sugar to would also be given incentive in the form of additional monthly domestic quota for sale in the domestic market."



Currently, the government fixes a monthly quota for the sale of sugar in the domestic market. On an average, about 21 lakh tonne quota is fixed for a monthly sale for mills.

According to the ministry, some sugar mills have also signed forward contracts for exports in the new season.

The global sugar prices have increased substantially in the past one month, and there is a huge demand for Indian raw sugar, it said.

Accordingly, the ministry said it has asked domestic sugar mills to plan production of raw sugar for export purposes in the new season from the beginning.

The ministry also asked mills to "sign forward contracts with the importers to take advantage of high international prices of sugar and global deficit".

Export of sugar and diversion to would help in improving the liquidity of mills, enabling them to make timely payment of cane dues of farmers. It will also stabilise ex-mill price of sugar in the domestic market, which in turn will further improve mills' revenue realisation and address the problem of surplus sugar, it said.

With an increase in blending levels, the ministry said the dependence on imported fossil fuel will decrease and will also reduce the air pollution besides boosting agricultural economy, it added.

On exports undertaken so far in the current 2020-21 season, the ministry said mills have contracted for export of seven million tonnes, against the mandatory quota of six million tonnes fixed for the current season ending next month.

Out of this, more than 5.5 million tonne of sugar was exported till August 16, it said.

Exports stood at 5.96 million tonnes in 2019-20, 3.8 million tonnes in 2018-19, and 6,20,000 tonnes in 2017-18 season.

Due to the improvement in liquidity of mills following government measures, the ministry said Rs 75,703 crore cane dues of the 2019-20 season were cleared by mills and only Rs 142 crore arrears are pending now.

In the ongoing 2020-21 season, mills purchased a record sugarcane worth about Rs 9,07,872 crore, against which about Rs 81,963 crore cane dues have already been paid to farmers, it said.

According to the ministry, sugar mills made a revenue of Rs 22,000 crore from the sale of ethanol in the past three seasons.

In the ongoing 2020-21 season, about Rs 15,000 crore revenue is being generated by sugar mills from the sale of ethanol which has helped mills in making timely payment of cane dues to farmers, it said.

For ethanol making, mills had diverted 9,26,000 tonne of sugar in 2019-20 and 3,37,000 tonne in 2018-19. And, in the current season, more than 20 lakh tonnes is likely to be diverted.

In the new season, about 35 lakh tonnes of sugar is estimated to be diverted; and by 2024-25, about 60 lakh of sugar is targeted to be diverted to ethanol, which would address the problem of excess sugarcane/ sugar as well as delayed payment issue, the ministry said.

"However, as the adequate ethanol distillation capacities would be added by 2024-25, export of sugar will continue for another 2-3 years," the ministry added.

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has revised its projections for economic growth during the current financial year to 9.4 per cent against its earlier forecast of 9.1-9.6 per cent. It would be 15.3 per cent in the first quarter, 8.3 per cent in the second quarter and 7.8 per cent in each of the remaining two quarters of the year.

In June, the rating agency had said that the gross domestic product (GDP) would grow by 9.6 per cent if the country is able to vaccinate its entire adult population by December 31 this year, but economic expansion might slip to 9.1 per cent if that could not be done.

"Going by the pace of vaccination, it is now almost certain that India will not be able to vaccinate its entire adult population by December 31 this year," India Ratings' Chief Economist Devendra Pant said.

The agencys estimate suggests that 5.2 million daily doses would have to be administered from now on to fully vaccinate more than 88 per cent of the adult population as well as to administer single doses to the rest by March in the current financial year.

Even then, the growth is now not projected to fall to 9.1 per cent as was expected earlier because there are certain positive developments in the economy, its principal economist Sunil Kumar Sinha said.

He said with the ebbing of Covid 2.0, several high frequency indicators are showing a faster rebound than expected, kharif sowing is indicating a significant pick-up with the revival of south-west monsoon and exports volume and growth showed a surprise turnaround in the first quarter of the current financial year.





The growth projected now is sharply lower than 10.1 per cent projected in April. Sinha said nobody could anticipate the spread of Covid 2.0 in April.

He said the gross domestic product during the current financial year will be 10.9 per cent lower than the trend value.

Sinha said of the four demand-side growth drivers -- private final consumption expenditure (PFCE), government final consumption expenditure (GFCE), gross fixed capital formation (GFCF) and exports -- only GFCE has shown somewhat decent growth, averaging 5.7 per cent during FY'19-FY'21. PFCE, GFCF and exports during this period grew 1.3 per cent, 1.5 per cent and 1.5 per cent, respectively.

Of the demand-side drivers, PFCE, proxy for consumption demand, is the largest component accounting for 58.6 per cent of the GDP in FY21, followed by GFCF accounting for 27.1 per cent, exports 18.1 per cent and GFCE 12.5 per cent, he said.
India is in positive momentum with respect to signing trade deals with the UK, Australia, Canada, Bangladesh, the European Union (EU), and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations, Commerce and Industry Minister said on Thursday.

While the government is working towards early harvest agreements with the UK and Australia as part of a larger trade pact, the US has indicated that it is not considering a new trade agreement with India, Goyal said. India, he said, would look at working with the US on market access issues to promote bilateral trade.

India has had extensive discussions with the US on a limited trade deal, but it didn't go through.

UK is progressing well. Teams are talking to each other. Line ministries are identifying areas in which we can quickly close the deal in terms of early harvest, if possible. Instead of trying to address 11,000 (tariff) lines, we can look at their and our areas of interest and close an early harvest agreement and (then) negotiate on the rest of the agreement, Goyal said while addressing export promotion councils.

Similarly, Australia has shown the highest level of engagement and significant interest to do an early harvest agreement, he said.



An early harvest deal is a precursor to a (FTA), in which trading partners reduce tariff barriers on limited goods to promote trade.

Finalising a trade deal between India and the EU may not be a smooth ride, considering there are 27 nations in the trade bloc and talks have restarted after a gap of eight years. We will work very hard to speed it up, Goyal said.

Considering the past experiences, India has revamped its strategy towards inking trade deals and will not allow the same mistakes of the past.

We are engaging with industry to ensure that FTAs are fairly and equitably crafted. At the same time, FTAs cannot be one-way traffic. We also need to open our markets if we want a larger share in foreign markets. So, we need to identify areas where we can withstand competition. We can sort out FTAs fairly quickly if areas where we have the ability to compete internationally can be identified as part of a collective effort, Goyal said.

Our effort is to ensure focus on countries where we have significant potential, where we can compete better, and where market size is significant, Goyal said.





ALSO READ: Welcome rethink on FTAs

Had it not been for the outbreak of the pandemic and elections in Canada, a trade agreement with the country would have been at a more advanced stage, the minister said.

His remarks assume significance, with India walking away from the China-backed Asian trade bloc Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which signed an agreement last year to create the world's biggest free trade bloc.

Last week, the commerce secretary had said that signing FTAs was crucial as India was not part of any local or regional arrangement.

If an FTA with the UAE happens, FTAs with (other) GCC countries too will get expedited, the minister said, urging export promotion councils to study FTAs and see if there were hidden opportunities in them.

On the new export boosting scheme  Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP)  Goyal said sectors such as steel, pharma, and chemicals were not brought under its ambit due to lack of adequate budget. But we have an open mind to consider concerns and rectify mistakes that might have crept in, if anyone feels it is detrimental to their industry, he said.





ALSO READ: Govt will support establishing semiconductor industry in India: Goyal

He also informed exporters that the ministry was setting up two separate divisions that would focus entirely on the services sector.

EEPC India Chairman Mahesh Desai said that the government should relook refund rates under RoDTEP and ensure full rebate on the taxes in the export production chain, failing which Indian engineering goods exporters could lose some of the markets.

In addition to this, dues on account of the MEIS scheme should be cleared. The working capital limits should be increased by banks as steel prices have increased by double and freight rates by 3 to 4 times. These supports are needed to meet the $107 billion exports target for the sector in FY22, he said.
By Rajendra Jadhav

MUMBAI (Reuters) - India's trade with has dried up as borders and banks have closed since the took over the country, but industry officials said that the disruption was temporary and that it would be business as usual soon.

New Delhi is one of the leading suppliers of essential commodities to Afghanistan, which exports mainly dry fruits to India.

Shipments between the two countries were delayed or disrupted after insurgents started making military advances earlier this month, leading to the fall of the capital Kabul on Sunday, industry officials said.

"There is a temporary glitch in trade as is witnessing a transition of power. But within a few days trade will restart," said Rahil Shaikh, managing director of Mumbai-based MEIR Commodities, which exports sugar to

India's exports to Afghanistan came to $826 million in the financial year that ended on March 31, consisting mainly of sugar, cereals, tea, spices, pharmaceutical and textile products.

In the same year, New Delhi's imports from Kabul came to $509 million, consisting mainly of figs, raisins and apples.

Afghanistan has been the second-biggest buyer of Indian sugar in the 2020/21 marketing year ending on Sept. 30, purchasing a record 624,000 tonnes, according to the All India Sugar Trade Association.

Indian shipments for Afghanistan usually land at Pakistan's Karachi port and from there are moved to Afghanistan through road.

Demand for sugar and other essential commodities is robust from Afghanistan and imports could rise once banks start operations, said Tayyab Balagamwala, director at Karachi-based Seatrade Group.

" has slashed import taxes on many commodities. This will lead to more imports," Balagamwala said.

India was importing and exporting commodities from Afghanistan even during the previous Taliban rule during 1996 to 2001, said a Mumbai-based exporter, who declined to be named.

The United States or European Union might impose sanctions on Taliban but even those sanctions would exclude trade of essential commodities, he said.

The Federation of Indian Export Organisation told Reuters partner ANI on Thursday that the Taliban have stopped all imports and exports from India through transit routes of Pakistan.

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid denied this in a Tweet saying "The Islamic Emirate wants better diplomatic and trade relations with all countries."

(Reporting by Rajendra Jadhav; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani and Hugh Lawson)

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The Appointment Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) has appointed Shanti Lal Jain as the Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of lndian Bank for a period of three years.

Jain is presently the Executive Director of His tenure of three years would start from Sep 1, and will be extendable for another two years or until attaining the age of superannuation, whichever is earlier.

Jain will replace Padmaja Chunduru whose term at the public sector bank would end on August 31.

The Board Bureau (BBB), after interviewing nine candidates, had recommended Jain as the MD of The BBBautonomous body for improving governance and boards of public sector financial institutions had suggested Soma Sankara Prasad as the top candidate in the reserve list for the same position.
The rapid collapse of Afghanistans government to the fueled fears of a humanitarian disaster, sparked a political crisis for President Joe Biden and caused scenes of desperation at Kabuls airport.

Its also raised questions about what happened to more than $1 trillion the U.S. spent trying to bring peace and stability to a country wracked by decades of war.

While most of that money went to the U.S. military, billions of dollars got wasted along the way, in some cases aggravating efforts to build ties with the Afghan people Americans meant to be helping.





ALSO READ: Taliban marks Afghan independence Day as challenges to rule rise

A special watchdog set up by Congress spent the past 13 years documenting the successes and failures of Americas efforts in Afghanistan. While wars are always wasteful, the misspent American funds stand out because the U.S. had 20 years to shift course.

Here are 10 projects that the U.S. watchdog--the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, or Sigar--identified as wasted effort:

$549 million planes sold as scrap

Broken-down G222 transport planes parked next to the runway at Kabul International Airport before they were scrapped.

An effort to build up an Afghan air force included spending at least $549 million for 20 refurbished Italian-made G222 twin-turboprop aircraft. But 16 of the planes were left languishing in the weeds of Kabuls international airport after persistent maintenance issues made them unflyable.

They were eventually sold as scrap for 6 cents a pound, or $32,000. The Justice Department in May 2020 told the watchdog that it was not going to prosecute the criminal and civil cases related to the failed G222 aircraft program so as a result, no one will be held accountable.

Road to nowhere

The U.S. Agency for International Development spent $176 million to build a 101-kilometer (63 mile) road between Gardez city and Khost Province. Less than a month after it was finished, Sigar inspectors found that five segments were destroyed and portions of two other segments had washed away, according to an October 2016 audit.

Woodland camouflage

The U.S. spent as much as $28 million buying uniforms for the Afghan military with camouflage patterns that didnt match the environment. But Pentagon officials said the design was chosen because Afghanistans minister of defense at the time thought it looked good.

He liked the woodland, urban, and temperate patterns, according to a June 2017 assessment.

In a memo to the force that year, then-Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said rather than minimize this report or excuse wasteful decisions, I expect all DOD organizations to use this error as a catalyst to bring to light wasteful practices.

Melting buildings

The U.S. spent $500,000 with an Afghan contractor in May 2012 to construct a training range for the Afghan Special Police Training Center in Logar Province. It was designed to replicate a typical Afghan village and be used for conducting simulated search and clearance exercises.



ALSO READ: Afghanistan LIVE: Taliban hold talks to form govt; US defends pullout

But inspectors found that water had begun penetrating the walls within four months of the U.S. taking control of the training range. Bricks used in the construction had too much sand, and too little clay, and began to erode. A January 2015 audit referred to the structures as melting buildings.

War on drugs

Afghanistan has long been the worlds top producer of opium poppies. Besides its human toll, the Afghan drug trade was seen as undermining reconstruction and security goals by financing insurgent groups, fueling government corruption and eroding state legitimacy.

Over a 15-year period, the U.S. spent about $8.6 billion on Afghan counternarcotics efforts. Still, by 2017, poppy cultivation and opium production reached record highs and drug production and trafficking remain entrenched, Sigar wrote.

Power transmission failure

Inspectors found that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers mismanaged a $116 million contract with an Afghan company to build a power station to provide electricity to more than one million Afghans.

The mismanagement resulted in the U.S. spending almost $60 million on a project that wasnt operational because land-acquisition and right-of-way issues have not been resolved, and there was no contract provision to permanently connect the system to a power source, Sigar reported in March 2018.

Sigar auditors found the system might also be structurally unsound and pose a risk to Afghans who live near transmission towers and lines, or worked in a nearby substation.

Empty headquarters

The U.S. military spent $36 million on a 64,000-square foot (5,950 square meter) command-and-control facility at Camp Leatherneck in Helmand Province that had a war room, a briefing theater and enough office space for 1,500 people.

It appears to be the best constructed building I have seen in my travels in Afghanistan, a Sigar inspector wrote in July 2013. Unfortunately, it is unused, unoccupied, and presumably will never be used for its intended purpose.

Hotel shell

Sigar found serious deficiencies in the management and oversight of $85 million in loans made by the Overseas Private Investment Corporation for the construction of a 209-room hotel and adjacent 150-room Kabul Grand Residences apartment building, directly across from the U.S. Embassy in Kabul.

A November 2016 review found both the hotel and the apartment building were incomplete, abandoned empty shells, and both loans were in default.

Unused military camp

The Pentagon spent $3.7 million to construct a camp near the Turkmenistan border for the Afghan National Army. Despite being partially ready for use at the time of the Sigar assessment in 2013, it remained unused with all essential areas -- such as the administration building, latrines, and firing ranges -- empty.

A Pentagon official told investigators the camp was not used because it lacked a dining facility.

Afghanistans military?

The U.S. spent about $83 billion over nearly 20 years trying to stand up a force that could fight the and guarantee Afghanistans stability. But the rebuilt strength and the Afghan military collapsed in weeks as the U.S. pulled out. Even U.S. military leaders seemed stunned by the militants advance.

There are not reports that I am aware of that predicted a security force of 300,000 would evaporate in 11 days, General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Wednesday.

The U.S. shipped out hundreds of tons of equipment, but as they closed in on Kabul, Taliban fighters seized American-provided planes, helicopters, weapons and ammunition meant for the Afghan military.

John Sopko, who oversaw the Sigar audits, was asked last month, before the Afghan collapse, whether the military spending was wasted.

Thats a tough one and its hard to say everything was wasted, Sopko replied. And even though there are serious problems, and I have serious concerns and I think our military does and most observers have serious concerns, the story isnt over. The last act hasnt played. They could still turn it around.
Flag-waving protesters took to the streets of more Afghan cities on Thursday as popular opposition to the spread, and a witness said several people were killed when the militants fired on a crowd in Asadabad in the east.

Our flag, our identity, a crowd of men and women waving black, red and green national flags shouted in the capital Kabul, a video clip posted on social media showed, on the day Afghanistan celebrates independence from British control in 1919. A witness reported gunshots fired near the rally, but they appeared to be armed shooting in the air. One woman walked wearing an Afghan flag around her shoulders, and those marching chanted "God is greatest". At some protests elsewhere, media have reported people tearing down the white flag of the A Taliban spokesman was not immediately available for comment.

Some of the demonstrations are small, but combined with the ongoing scramble by thousands of people to get to airport and flee the country, they underline the challenge the Taliban face to govern the country.

Since seizing on Sunday, the Taliban have presented a more moderate face to the world, saying they want peace, will not take revenge against old enemies and will respect the rights of women within the framework of Islamic law.

In Asadabad, capital of the eastern province of Kunar, several people were killed during a rally, but it was not clear if the casualties resulted from Taliban firing or from a stampede that it triggered, witness Mohammed Salim said.

Hundreds of people came out on the streets, Salim said. "At first I was scared and didn't want to go but when I saw one of my neighbours joined in, I took out the flag I have at home. Several people were killed and injured in the stampede and firing by the Taliban. Protests also flared up in the city of Jalalabad and a district of Paktia province, both also in the east.

Meanwhile, according to news agency ANI, the leader of the Taliban Hibatullah Akhundzada, has ordered the release of political detainees from all prisons in Afghanistan, a spokesman for the outfit said on Thursday.

The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Emirate... Hibatullah Akhundzada ordered the release of political prisoners from all jails. The provincial governors will unconditionally release all political prisoners of low and high ranks from the country's prisons and will hand them over to their families tomorrow, Sputnik reported quoting Qari Yousuf Ahmadi.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
When the swept over Afghanistan, was ready for the rapid developments after working methodically for years to lay the groundwork for relations with the group that it still officially considers a terrorist organisation.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov emphasised this week that Moscow was in no rush to recognize the as the new rulers of Afghanistan, but he added there were encouraging signals of their readiness to let other political forces join the government and allow girls into schools.

The was added to the Russian list of terrorist organizations in 2003, and Moscow has not yet moved to remove the group from the list. Any contact with such groups is punishable under Russian law, but the Foreign Ministry has responded to questions about the seeming contradiction by saying that its exchanges with the Taliban are essential for efforts to stabilize

Unlike many other countries, said it wouldn't evacuate its embassy in Kabul, and its ambassador quickly met with the Taliban for what he described as constructive" talks after they took over the capital.

The Soviet Union fought a 10-year war in that ended with its troops withdrawing in 1989. Since then, Moscow has made a comeback as an influential power broker in talks on It has worked continuously to cultivate ties with the Taliban, hosting their representatives for a series of bilateral and multilateral meetings.

We have maintained contacts with the Taliban for the last seven years, discussing many issues, Kremlin envoy on Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov said earlier this week. We saw them as a force that will play a leading role in Afghanistan in the future even if it doesn't take all power. All those factors, along with guarantees given to us by the Taliban's top leaders, give us reason for a calm view of the latest developments, although we remain vigilant.

A month before Taliban militants unleashed their offensive that ended with the seizure of Kabul, their delegation visited Moscow to offer assurances that they wouldn't threaten the interests of and its ex-Soviet allies in Central Asia a sign that they consider ties with Russia a priority.

Taliban spokesman Mohammad Sohail Shaheen said during a visit last month to the Russian capital that "we won't allow anyone to use the Afghan territory to attack Russia or neighboring countries, noting that we have very good relations with Russia.

Russian diplomats say they trust the group's assurances, noting the Taliban's focus on fighting the Islamic State group, which Moscow sees as the main threat from Afghanistan. Moscow also has hailed the Taliban's pledge to combat drug trafficking and stem the flow of drugs from Afghanistan via Central Asia.

Russian ambassador to Kabul, Dmitry Zhirnov, praised the Taliban as reasonable guys following a positive and constructive meeting" this week. He added that the Taliban guaranteed the embassy's security.

Russian diplomats are doing all they can to consolidate the contacts they have established with the Taliban, Moscow-based analyst Alexei Makarkin said in a commentary. Russian representatives cast the Taliban as moderate and responsible, acting as their advocates in the public sphere.

He argued that the Taliban might not try to project their influence to the ex-Soviet Central Asian nations for now, but that could change later after securing a hold on Afghanistan.

The Taliban's leaders will be unlikely to launch an expansion now, but that doesn't mean that they won't take such steps in the future, Makarkin observed, noting that multiple factions inside the Taliban may have varying goals.

Despite the Taliban's assurances, Russia has held a series of joint war games with its allies in Central Asia in recent weeks to underline its pledge to help them fend off any possible security threats from Afghanistan. The latest of those drills began in Tajikistan this week.

While cultivating contacts with Taliban officials, Russia will be unlikely to move quickly to formally recognize their government, at least not until the group is removed from the United Nations list of terrorist organizations.

It's premature to say that we would make any unilateral political steps, Lavrov said this week.

Kabulov, the Kremlin envoy, emphasized that Moscow's recognition of the Taliban will hinge on whether they will govern the country in a responsible way in the near future, and proceeding from that, the Russian leadership will make the necessary conclusions. He added that Russia would only take the Taliban off its list of terrorist organizations after the U.N. Security Council decides to remove it from its terror list.

Russian diplomats argued that the U.S.-led campaign in Afghanistan helped change Afghan perceptions of the Soviet invasion and made many local leaders willing to accept Moscow's mediation.

When Washington went to war with the Taliban after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks for harboring Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida, Moscow offered a helping hand, welcoming U.S. bases in the Central Asian nations of the former Soviet Union to support operations in Afghanistan. But as U.S.-Russia relations have grown increasingly strained, Russia grew more critical.

Still, Moscow and Washington have continued to coordinate their diplomatic moves on Afghanistan, and Russian officials have angrily rejected the allegations last year that Moscow paid the Taliban to kill U.S. soldiers.

The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in December 1979, driven by fears that the U.S. was trying to establish a foothold there after losing Iran to the Islamic Revolution. The Soviet plans for a quick campaign bogged down in fierce resistance by the U.S.-backed guerrillas, known as mujahedeen, or holy warriors. The Soviet Union lost more than 15,000 troops, according to official count, while estimates of civilian casualties in that period have varied widely, from more than 500,000 up to 2 million.

Many in Russia gloated over the quick collapse of the U.S.-backed Afghan government, pointing out that President Mohammad Najibullah's communist government held on for three years after the Soviet withdrawal until Moscow's aid completely halted following the 1991 collapse of the USSR.

"The regime created by the Americans tumbled down even before they left, that's a principal difference, Kabulov said, adding that he and others in Russia didn't expect such a fast meltdown.

Franz Klintsevich, the first deputy head of the defense and security committee in the lower house of Russian parliament, told The Associated Press that the U.S. has left behind huge arsenals of weapons that fell into the Taliban's hands.

Who would make such gifts to terrorists after fighting them for 20 years? said Klintsevich, a veteran of the Soviet war in Afghanistan.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As the took control of the Afghan capital of Kabul on Sunday, a spokesman for the group uploaded five videos to his official page. The videos, each between two and three minutes long, showed leaders congratulating fighters on their victories.

Now is the time to serve the nation and to give them peace and security, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, a co-founder of the Taliban, said in one video in Pashtun as he sat in front of senior officials in a curtained office.

Dozens of pro- accounts that had sprung up on in recent days then shared the five videos. Within 24 hours, they had together racked up more than half a million views.

The videos were part of an effort by the Taliban to establish their authority and legitimize their rule across through the use of social media, researchers said. But by publishing on and YouTube, the Taliban defied longtime bans by the platforms. The social media companies, following government guidelines, have largely designated the Taliban as a terrorist organization and dont allow Taliban content on their sites.





ALSO READ: Afghanistan LIVE: In talks to return home, says Ashraf Ghani after fleeing

The groups renewed presence on social media has put Facebook, and in a tricky position. With governments around the world trying to figure out whether to officially recognize the Taliban as Afghanistans rulers, the companies have no easy answers as to whether to continue barring the group online.

That has drawn criticism as the tech companies have in recent months suspended the accounts of some Republican lawmakers and others, seemingly with more ease. and removed the accounts of a Taliban spokesman, Mohammad Naeem, on Tuesday only after The New York Times requested comment on the accounts. The companies did not address why the accounts, which were formed in September, had been on their platforms even with the ban on the group.

So far, the approach of the tech companies is not very effective, said Ayman Aziz, an independent researcher who has studied and Pakistan for over a decade. The Taliban is establishing a new presence, with their new regime, online.

Representatives for YouTube and said they forbade Taliban accounts and removed them when they were found. Twitter, which said this week that it prohibits glorification of violence on its platform, didnt respond to a request for comment.

The question of what to allow online with the Taliban is only likely to grow for the social media companies. More than 100 new accounts and pages, either claiming to belong to the Taliban or supporting their mission, have been introduced since Aug. 9 on and Facebook, according to an analysis by The Times. The Times also found dozens of pro-Taliban accounts, including from senior Taliban officials, that had existed for months or years on the sites and lain dormant before becoming more active in the past week.

Many of the accounts are now working in concert to post videos, images and slogans about Taliban rule. Often, they copy one anothers messaging, spreading discussion about the administration of local townships and amplifying assurances that the Taliban brought peace to Afghans. The common thread in all of the activity: praising the Taliban as Afghanistans rightful rulers.

The Talibans use of social media is intentional, said Graham Brookie, director of the Atlantic Councils Digital Forensic Research Lab, which studies the online spread of information. They know that on the world stage, they need to present a responsible public face in order to gain more legitimacy.



ALSO READ: Not just Afghanistan; you can find Taliban wherever people reject modernity

The Talibans tactics on social media increasingly resemble those of other terror groups that have tried to revamp their reputation, researchers said. Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, and Hezbollah, in Lebanon, have used social media to show their softer side, with videos showing them celebrating popular holidays or giving to the poor.

The Talibans posts have quickly found a growing audience. Followers of their official Facebook pages jumped 120 percent to more than 49,000 users as of Wednesday. On YouTube, the groups videos have started getting tens of thousands of views, up from an average of fewer than 1,000 views previously.

Mr. Brookie said the optics were likely to be difficult for Facebook, YouTube and Twitter no matter what they did because of the Talibans reputation of extremist ideology.

There is a very real debate to be had about the values of allowing the Taliban to remain on social media as they move to close down the rights of the groups they govern, he said.

Inside the companies, Facebook has in recent days activated an emergency response team to follow the situation in and assess the Talibans use of its products, including its messaging app WhatsApp, according to employees at the social network. Twitter and YouTube have tried to read between the lines of diplomatic cables from world leaders on whether the U.S. government would form a de facto relationship with the Taliban, employees participating in discussions at the companies said.

Yet even when the companies have removed Taliban accounts, the bans have been porous. When Facebook this week blocked the WhatsApp account of Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, he distributed a new, still active WhatsApp account of another Taliban leader to journalists.

The Taliban were also easily evading being found by changing the spellings within their hashtags or key terms, and using encrypted apps, such as Telegram and WhatsApp, to seed their messaging and ask for volunteers to translate social media posts into multiple languages, said Ms. Aziz, the independent researcher.

Any dragnet also appears to be mistakenly entangling who have posted content pushing back against the Taliban. After the news site HumSub published an article this month to counter a local newspaper column praising another Taliban founder, Mullah Muhammad Omar, Facebook removed the article, said Adnan Kakar, an editor at HumSub.

Immediately, we got a message that your article is removed because of standards on dangerous individuals and organizations, he said. Mr. Kakar said his personal account and HumSubs Facebook page were also suspended for 24 hours and blocked from livestreaming and advertising for 60 days. When he challenged Facebook, he said, he got no response.

Compounding the difficulties facing the platforms, many of the new pro-Taliban accounts have been careful to post content that does not openly espouse violence or hate speech, which would violate the companies rules.





ALSO READ: Samajwadi MP booked for sedition after remarks defending Taliban

On Twitter, a new account named for the Talibans unrecognized state, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, surfaced on Aug. 8. The account, with more than 400 followers, has posted two videos showing military maneuvers by the Taliban. But neither video featured violent or graphic images or directly called for violence.

Similarly, a Facebook page that was created six days ago, and that listed itself as a grocery store but has exclusively posted content about the Taliban, has largely praised Mr. Mujahid, the Taliban spokesman.

He is honest. God Bless the Taliban, read one post on the page. We will hear their voices here, too.

In a news conference in Kabul on Tuesday, Mr. Mujahid was asked about freedom of speech. He accused Facebook of hypocrisy for promoting freedom of speech while censoring the group by removing the accounts of Taliban members.

This question should be asked of those who claim to be promoters of freedom of speech who do not allow publication of foreign information, Mr. Mujahid said.
Its as if a sudden natural disaster has just struck

The scenes from the capital Kabul reflect the kind of panic that comes when a Category 5 hurricane makes landfall, when the waters rise and the levees are breached, when a forest fire jumps over a fuel break to spread out of control.

The victory this past weekend was not a complete surprise. The news had been full of warnings of their territorial advance, and pundits had worked hard to out-Cassandra one another with their pronouncements of impending doom.

And yet no one expected the sky to fall quite so quickly.

The Biden administration had been expecting at best some kind of power-sharing agreement and at worst a few months to prepare for the fall of Kabul. In the end, the needed only a few days to go from seizing the last provincial capitals to marching into the Afghan capital and occupying the presidential palace this weekend. Also unexpected was their method. They accomplished this blitzkrieg as much with political persuasion as military forceby negotiating surrender agreements with Afghan army and government officials in the areas where they were advancing.

The Biden administration has tried to reassure the American people that it is presiding over an orderly response. The media, however, has depicted a street-level reality of chaos. The airport in Kabul, where the United States is making its last stand, has been the last hope for many Afghans who fear that their collaboration with the Americans, their support for human rights, or even just their style of dress will earn them a jail sentence or worse. They are desperate to get on the last flights out, even to the point of clinging to the fuselage of a departing U.S. plane.

Until we get full eyewitness reports, the best description of the catastrophe in Kabul comes from Viet Thanh Nguyens novel The Sympathizer, which has a harrowing section on the last-minute scramble of South Vietnamese to get on American transport planes as Saigon was falling in 1975.

The plane was a garbage truck with wings attached, and like a garbage truck deposits were made from the rear, where its big flat cargo ramp dropped down to receive us, Nguyen writes of the C-130 Hercules and its open compartment.

Adults squatted on the floor or sat on bags, children perched on their knees. Lucky passengers had a bulkhead berth where they could cling to a cargo strap. The contours of skin and flesh separating one individual from another merged, everyone forced into the mandatory intimacy required of those less human than the ones leaving the country in reserved seating.

From the Western perspective, this exodus is the result of an unnatural disaster, an armed band of religious fundamentalists that have seized and are determined to drag it back to the Middle Ages. They have little professed interest in democracy, human rights, or pluralism. The last time they were in charge in Kabul, they presided over a theater of cruelty: stoning, floggings, amputations, executions. This last week, in the territories they grabbed on their way to taking power, the enlisted child soldiers, rolled back the rights of women, and restricted free expression, showing little sign that theyd updated their style of governance.

The velocity with which the relatively modest number of Taliban (75,000) swept aside the Afghan national army (300,000) is reminiscent of the sudden expansion of the Islamic State throughout Syria and Iraq in 2014. Then, too, U.S. allies in the region proved no match for a highly mobile and fiercely dedicated group of insurgents. The United States and its allies, deeming this so-called caliphate a risk to the region and the global order, conducted an all-out war that culminated in the Islamic States defeat.

As the presumed linchpin in the war on terror, once commanded similar attention from Washington. But that was 20 years ago, and the United States is now leading the charge for the exit. In recent months, the Biden administration downplayed the risk of the Taliban taking over the countryon July 8, the president said that the likelihood theres going to be the Taliban overrunning everything and owning the whole country is highly unlikely. The Pentagon, meanwhile, was arguing back in June that the risk of the country again playing host to terrorist organizations was only a medium risk, with Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin maintaining that it would take possibly two years for them to develop that capability. The Pentagon is now in the process of reassessment.

The Taliban are now more firmly control of the entire country than they were back in the late 1990s. Its not just the Afghan national army that has given up. It seems like the countrys entire civil society is trying to get out as soon as possible. But that also demonstrates how different the country has become. When the Taliban were last in charge, there was barely any civil society.

The images from Kabul might seem horrifying, but you reassure yourself by saying that all of this is very far away. Also, the Taliban dont have global ambitions. What happens in Afghanistan, stays in Afghanistan.

Dont kid yourself.

Next Steps for Afghanistan

Stalin once complained that imposing the Soviet model on the Poles was like saddling a cow. The Catholic Church remained a powerful force in communist Poland, and Polish farmers put up so much resistance to collectivization that the land remained largely in private hands. It took more than 40 years, but the cow eventually threw off its saddle.

Surely Western efforts to liberalize Afghan society cant be compared to the attempted Stalinization of Poland: different times, different ideologies. But the Soviets, too, thought that they were bringing modern civilization to the benighted Poles. Similarly, the United States believed that it could drag Afghanistan kicking and screaming into the twenty-first century. It found willing partners: a government, an army, a lot of NGOs.

The Taliban represented everyone else. Much of the country resented the intrusions of outsiders. Afghanistan had been combating such pushy foreigners for centuries. Much of the country remained effectively pre-modern, a constituency that the Taliban have actively courted.

Consider just one indicator of modernity: the rate of literacy. In Afghanistan, less than 20 percent of the population could read in 1979. By 2018, that rate had grown to 43 percent. On the one hand, thats a big jump. On the other hand, Afghanistan continues to have one of the worst literacy rates in the world, well below Sudan and Yemen. Compare Afghanistans current literacy rate to that of Iraq (86 percent), Iran (86 percent), and Syria (81 percent) and you can understand the utter presumptuousness of U.S. efforts to modernize the country.

A thin layer of human rights activists did manage to do some extraordinary work in Afghanistan. But if you listen to this interview on the new podcast Strength & Solidarity with Shaharzad Akbar, the chairperson of Afghanistans Independent Human Rights Commission, you can hear the frustration in her voice as she talks about dealing with the entrenched interests and the outright corruption in her country. She has continued to do her work up to the last minute, reporting on the Talibans human rights abuses in the territories it was capturing. She tweets on latest developments here.

Anyone like Akbar who might form a domestic opposition to the Taliban has emigrated, is trying to leave, or is lying very low. Protests have broken out, including one in Jalalabad that the Taliban shut down by firing into the crowd of demonstrators, killing three. Pushback will come in other forms as well. Relying primarily on support from the Pashtun community, the Taliban will face resistance from other ethnic groups. It may also have to deal with doctrinal disagreements with other Islamic forces in the country. But the Taliban can make up for any deficit in popularity with its capacity for total ruthlessness.

At the same time, this is not the same Taliban that ruled 25 years ago. A number of the current leaders have negotiated with U.S. representatives in Doha, and theyve met with numerous foreign leaders. In late July, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi welcomed a delegation of Taliban officials in Tianjin, which suggests that both sides are willing to compromise after some significant disagreements over what constitutes religious extremism. With the United States blocking the Taliban from accessing billions of dollars in Afghan reserves held in U.S. banks, Kabul will increasingly rely on China for capital and technical expertise. Beijing will be happy to provide that capital without the pesky political strings that the West attaches, though it will likely demand other quid pro quos, like access to the riches that lie beneath Afghan soil.

Some form of rapprochement with the West is not impossible. The Taliban, after all, have learned how to craft messages that resonate in Western capitals. We are committed to working with other parties in a consultative manner of genuine respect to agree on a new, inclusive political system in which the voice of every Afghan is reflected and where no Afghan feels excluded, wrote Sirajuddin Haqqani, a deputy leader of the Taliban, in The New York Times last year.

I am confident that, liberated from foreign domination and interference, we together will find a way to build an Islamic system in which all Afghans have equal rights, where the rights of women that are granted by Islamfrom the right to education to the right to workare protected, and where merit is the basis for equal opportunity.

Taliban spokesmen have echoed these same phrases in some of their recent statements as well. There is no consensus on political and economic issues within the Taliban leadership. Ousting the foreign powers will soon seem easy in comparison to running a country where the citizens, even if mostly illiterate, have different expectations of the state than they did 25 years ago.

Those within the leadership who favor rapprochement with the West will only prosper politically if they can point to some reciprocal interest. The Biden administration should not, in Afghanistan, repeat its mistake of letting reformists twist in the wind, as it has done in Iran.

Will the Taliban Take Over the World?

The Taliban represent a powerful strand in Afghan society: fiercely anti-colonial and distrustful of the West. They are not alone. These sentiments can be found throughout the region. The mullahs in Iran and the crown princes in Saudi Arabia, despite their many mutual disagreements, have their own versions of this ideology. Given their historical experiences, who can blame them.

We also make a fatal category error when we assume that fundamentalism is somehow a Middle Eastern or Islamic character flaw. Outside the region, you can find the Taliban wherever people gather in the name of rejecting modern in favor of tribal affiliations, decrying the permissiveness of liberal culture, and elevating religious dogma to the single principle governing society.

When anti-vaxxers gather, the Taliban is there.

When homophobes decry gay marriage and family values activists complain about gender fluidity, the Taliban is there.

When Christian fundamentalists launch their own jihad against abortion, the Taliban is there.

When right-wing extremists devise conspiracy theories about globalists, the Taliban is there.

So, lets stop all the hand-wringing about the barbarians massing at the gates of the West. Whether its Steve Bannon, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., or Jim Dobson, the barbarians have been inside the gates all along.

The U.S. war in Afghanistan is over. Lets now focus on the fight against these homegrown extremists.
By Elizabeth Culliford

(Reuters) - Inc has chosen 25 local independent to be paid out of a $5 million pot to write for its newsletter site Bulletin through multiyear deals, the company told Reuters on Thursday.

launched Bulletin in June as a standalone newsletter subscription service with free and paid articles and podcasts. It is the social media giant's attempt to compete in the booming email newsletter trend led by like Substack.

has previously announced about 40 writers on Bulletin and says there will be more than 100 on the platform "by the fall." A spokeswoman declined to say how many subscribers Bulletin has at present.

The company, which announced in April that its local news investment for Bulletin would prioritize reporters working in news deserts and covering communities of color, said the selected writers https://bit.ly/3gjbKvo include those covering immigrant communities in Atlanta, climate issues in North Carolina's Coastal Plain and insights from Latino business leaders in Florida.

See the full list: (https://bit.ly/3gjbKvo)

The Facebook spokeswoman said Bulletin's new local writers, who report on areas in more than a dozen U.S. states, include some of the first to monetize their Bulletin content through pay walls. She said the writers would keep all of their subscription revenue from these partnerships.

High-profile reporters and writers have left major media in the last year to publish their work on sites like Substack and Medium, which have thousands of content creators and paying subscribers.

Twitter Inc, which like Facebook has been rolling out new features for creators to build audiences and make money on its social media site, acquired newsletter platform Revue in January. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey on Thursday announced the start of a test where users can click to subscribe to Revue newsletters directly from people's Twitter profiles.

The local for Bulletin were chosen in an application process in which Facebook partnered with the Center for and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. Facebook said the writers will have access to an intensive course for journalists aiming to build a sustainable independent business.

The world's largest social network has long had a strained relationship with the news industry. The company says it has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in the sector in recent years, though critics argue these contributions hardly compensate for the revenue lost by publishers as big tech gobbled up the digital ad market.

In February, following a showdown with the Australian government over paying news outlets for content, Facebook pledged to invest $1 billion in the news industry globally over the next three years.

(Reporting by Elizabeth Culliford in LondonEditing by Matthew Lewis)

(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.)
Germany is set to provide 10 million euros (USD 11.7 million) for a program to support people in Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said.

The German Foreign Ministry will provide 10 million euros ($11.7 million) for a program to support people in Afghanistan, Sputnik quoted Foreign Minister Heiko Maas as saying on Wednesday.

"We are looking into the period after the evacuation, I spoke about this with representatives of German human rights organizations... These days, many representatives of NGOs, science and culture addressed us. In recent years, they have maintained a close partnership with civil society (in Afghanistan) which they would like to continue to support," Maas said.

"To ensure this, we are creating a support fund for those who campaigned for human rights, freedom of science and culture, we want to expand specific protection programs for .. and we are allocating immediately 10 million euros for this," he added.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday described the Taliban's takeover as "bitter, dramatic and terrible".

During a televised news conference Merkel said, "This is a particularly bitter development. Bitter, dramatic and terrible...it is terrible for the millions of Afghans who have worked for the freedom of a society," CNN reported.

On Sunday, the completed their takeover of by entering Kabul. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani left the country to prevent what he described as bloodshed that would occur if militants had to fight for the city. Most countries have reduced or evacuated their diplomatic missions in the Central Asian country following the events.

(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.)
Group Inc. agreed to buy the asset-management arm of Dutch insurer NN Group NV as the bank grabs a toehold in the fast-growing sustainable-investing industry and boosts its European ties.



The US lender will pay about 1.6 billion euros ($1.9 billion) for NN Investment Partners, according to a statement Thursday. The unit has around $355 billion of assets under supervision, with about three-quarters of its investments backed by environmental, social and governance criteria.

NNs sustainability effort mirrors our own level of ambition to put responsible investing and stewardship at the heart of our business, Chief Executive Officer David Solomon said in the statement. This acquisition allows us to accelerate our growth strategy and broaden our asset-management platform.

Asset management is experiencing a wave of consolidation across the globe as scale becomes ever more important in an industry facing growing margin pressures. Most players are increasingly seeking more exposure to growth markets such as ESG investing, passive funds and private assets.

The deal also marks the latest expansion of Goldmans European operations. Post-Brexit, the Wall Street firm has shifted billions of dollars of assets and hundreds of staff from London into offices across the European Union including in Paris, Frankfurt, Milan and Madrid, though its London operations still dwarf those on the continent.

Early Interest



The acquisition is further proof that the financial industry can no longer afford to treat ESG as an afterthought. The market for products claiming to support social justice and a greener planet is already estimated at $35 trillion globally, and is likely to exceed $50 trillion by 2025, according to Bloomberg Intelligence.

Still, a lot of whats sold under an ESG tag is vague and hard to measure: In Europe, stricter regulations forced the industry to strip the label from $2 trillion in assets between 2018 and 2020.

NNs investment arm was put up for sale following a strategic review in April, and was said to draw early interest from firms including UBS Asset Management, Assicurazioni Generali SpA and Allianz SE. The deal comes after activist investor Elliott Management Corp. heaped pressure on the Dutch insurer to unlock more value for shareholders, calling on the firm to increase its holdings of private assets, cut costs and boost capital through asset sales.

Several other asset managers have changed hands recently, as banks and insurers sell dedicated units that arent able to compete on fees with the largest fund houses. The biggest European asset manager, Frances Amundi SA, bought Societe Generale SAs Lyxor unit in April to expand in exchange-traded products. In June, Pimco parent Allianz said it wanted to play an active role in the consolidation of the industry.

Dutch Boost



Goldman said in its statement that the transaction will see the Netherlands become a significant location in our European business. Thats another boost to Amsterdams financial center, which became the key hub for share trading in the region after the U.K. left the EU at the start of the year.

Under the agreement, NN Group and Asset Management will enter into a 10-year partnership whereby the combined company will continue to provide asset-management services to NN Group. Satish Bapat, chief executive officer of the insurers investment arm, will step down from NNs management board with immediate effect and continue to lead NN Investment Partners.

Following the closing of this transaction, NN Group expects to have excess capital which will be available for additional returns to shareholders over time unless used for value-creating opportunities, the Dutch company said.

The deal is expected to complete by the first quarter of next year.

--With assistance from Tasneem Hanfi Brogger and Jeff Black.
President said the are in the midst of an existential crisis about their role on the stage but that he didnt believe the group had fundamentally changed its course.



Let me put it this way: I think theyre going through sort of an existential crisis about do they want to be recognized by the community as being a legitimate government, Biden told George Stephanopoulos of ABC News in an interview that aired Thursday morning. Im not sure they do.

Bidens comments point to a looming question of whether the U.S. will recognize the as Afghanistans government after they swiftly took control of the country, including the capital city of Kabul. The U.S. has already taken steps to block money from flowing to the and could opt to negotiate relief from economic sanctions if they agree to block terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda and protect the rights of women and minorities.

But any dealings with the Taliban will be politically fraught for Biden, who has already faced widespread criticism on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers from both parties are calling for more information about the crisis. The House Intelligence Committee is to receive a classified briefing on on Monday from representatives of several intelligence agencies, according to an official familiar with the plans.

Biden this week has been defending his high-stakes bet that U.S. voters want to end Americans 20-year war in and will forgive him for the searing images of desperate Afghans looking to flee. In earlier excerpts from the interview that aired Wednesday, Biden said U.S. troops would remain in until all Americans are able to leave the country -- even if it takes longer than his Aug. 31 deadline to withdraw.

Biden and Pentagon leaders said that American intelligence assessments didnt foresee such a rapid advance by the Taliban and collapse of the Afghan military, prompting the U.S. to race to evacuate its citizens and Afghans who aided U.S. troops.





Many Americans were shocked by the drama that unfolded this week in Kabul, where desperate Afghans tried to cling to the side of a U.S. military plane as it taxied down a runway, with some plunging to their deaths as it took flight minutes later.

Biden, speaking in the interview, said there had been no consensus in the intelligence community that the Taliban would take over, and no prediction it would happen so fast. He also said he may not have forseen that the Taliban would allow American citizens to evacuate the country safely, citing that as an example of how unpredictable the group could be.

Biden has also faced criticism from European allies, who have expressed frustration over not being consulted as the situation deteriorated. In the interview, Biden said he had since spoken with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and added that he would be speaking with French President Emmanuel Macron.

In the earlier excerpts, Biden repeated that he stood by his decision to withdraw, and said he faced a decision of whether to put more U.S. troops lives at risk or pull out.

--With assistance from Josh Wingrove.
Many among the at least 30,000 Afghan headed to the US to escape the in are expected to be resettled in different cities in Texas state, the agency for refugee services has said.

An anticipated at least 30,000 Afghans could be resettled in the US in the coming weeks as they desperately flee control. Many Afghan will be placed in Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and Austin cities of Texas.

Afghan nationals and their families, who aided the US military, are in grave danger and are seeking refuge in the US, Russell Smith, CEO of Refugee Services of Texas (RST) said in a statement.

So far, 107 families are confirmed to relocate to Austin in the next few weeks. Over the weekend, the Austin office ofT resettled a family of seven, and is gearing up to welcome four additional families this week. We know that this is just the beginning of this wave, andT stands ready to do our part in this crisis, Smith said.

He said that a staff member in their Dallas office is answering the call to deploy to Fort Lee and help with the newly arrived individuals and families.

Currently,T has been assured that it will settle 324 Afghans in the next few weeks across in Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and Austin, Smith said.

Refugee Services of Texas Area Director Mark Hagar told media that they are expecting across Texas to receive over 300 individuals in the next several weeks.

El Paso's Fort Bliss will provide temporary housing for the Afghans who have applied for a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV), given to those who've in some way helped the military effort the past 20 years.

"The term SIV gets tossed around a lot. But essentially, they are veterans because they did support our coalition forces," Hagar said.

Hagar said that the focus is trying to remove the obstacles for those who will be resettled through what must be an immediate humanitarian response to meet the needs of people looking for help and hope coming to America.

"We're getting cases announced basically every day right now. It's been a quick turnaround," he said.

Some of the will stay in Texas, but others will be able to go to any state or city where they have maybe a family member or a friend.

RST is working with national refugee resettlement partners and the US government to offer protection and resettlement opportunities to these brave Afghans and their families.

We have an obligation as Americans to support those who gave everything to help our nation, and we must act now to ensure these refugees are evacuated and transported to safety, the statement said.

Reports suggest that at least 30,000 Afghans may be resettled in the US in the coming weeks, and many will be temporarily housed at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas.

The incoming Afghans have applied for SIVs, which will qualify them to be resettled byT and other resettlement agencies across the nation.

The US has previously resettled thousands of SIV holders to keep its promise to protect those who have given everything to help our nation, and we must make good on those promises once again.

Every year, SIV recipients represent a large percentage of the forcibly displaced individuals.

RST has welcomed over 2,400 SIV's from and Iraq since 2010.

Each year, we assist 35-40 per cent of the SIVs who resettle in Texas, and 4-6 per cent of all SIVs who come to the US, theT said in the statement.

Guided by the principles of human compassion and dignity,T, founded in 1978, welcomes refugees, immigrants, and other displaced people and supports them in integrating and thriving in their new communities.

Originating in Dallas,T now has service centers in Amarillo, Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and Rio Grande Valley.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Michael Kahn

PRAGUE (Reuters) - Having hunkered down at home and clung on to his job through the 2020 lockdowns, Dutch IT worker Benito Castillion is now on the hunt for a career-enhancing move - and it's a shift of perspective he shares with millions of white-collar staff worldwide.

Based in Prague, the 46-year-old had updated his LinkedIn profile and started attending virtual job fairs.

"If the pay is right and there is a good opportunity to switch I'd be willing to take the risk," he told Reuters. "Now I see are willing to pay a bit more. That is important now."

That mindset is driving what one U.S. management professor has dubbed the "Great Resignation" and a U.S. recruiter the biggest movement of human capital for decades, as skilled workers start to re-evaluate careers and life choices.

Having spent more than a year living with the stresses of the pandemic, many now find themselves able to call the shots on pay and conditions as compete for staff amid labour shortages created by fast vaccine-led recoveries in rich-world economies.

In Europe's largest, Germany, more than a third of complained of staff shortages last month, the highest rate for three years, an Ifo institute survey showed.

Lockdowns have meanwhile shone a harsh light on employers who failed to support and motivate staff working remotely for the first time in their careers, often under difficult conditions.

The Microsoft 2021 Work Trend Index showed 41% of the global workforce are considering resigning this year - a near doubling of job-switching intent on the two years before the pandemic.

"I've spoken with around 20-30 companies who all say the attrition of candidates leaving is skyrocketing," said Blake Wittman, European Business Director of recruiter GoodCall, which lists L'Oreal and Nestle as clients.

"It feels like the world is not going to implode and therefore candidates finally have this confidence (to say) 'I'll go see what's out there'," he told Reuters of a surge in activity dating back to the second quarter of this year.

Arran Stewart, co-founder of U.S. recruitment portal com, said what he called the "largest shift in human capital in our lifetime" had potential major repercussions for both workers and companies.

THE LURE OF FLEXIBILITY

Jon Hill, who specializes in IT and digital recruitment across Europe, said a backlog of 18 months of resignation intentions was coming onto the market at once.

"People are actively applying and looking for opportunities. They are a lot braver about being more direct," said Hill.

Employers are racing to keep up.

Second quarter revenues at Randstad jumped at least 20% year on year as lockdowns were eased across the globe, the global staffing group said last month.

Also in July, Christoph Catoir, president of competitor Adecco told Reuters that some U.S. sectors were seeing one-off wage increases in excess of 5%, with Europe close at around 3-5%.

But while recruiters agree that wage increases remain the best way to attract and keep staff, the flexibility offered by hybrid working is turning into a major lure.

"In terms of interesting perks the coolest one is probably access to 'an office' almost anywhere'," said Wittman of moves by some companies to set up satellite working spaces for employees outside major cities

"This way the employee doesn't have to work from home, but also doesn't need to spend valuable time stuck on a highway."

Other efforts to directly enhance employees' well-being include the "collective break" that German e-commerce firm Zalando offered staff in the first week of August by shutting its offices completely.

"First feedback from our colleagues  has been very positive," said a spokesperson. "Especially the fact that the teams were not immediately greeted by an overflowing email inbox.."

Remote working has prompted some companies to replace luncheon vouchers with equivalent benefits for home food delivery, Catoir said, with other perks aimed at responding to employees' wider interests.

"Climate change is one topic to attract or retain people. They used to offer company cars in the past, but now there are more and more company bicycles," he said.

Job.com's Stewart said many workers now were only searching for they could do remotely. "If they don't have the option to work from home in their current company, they will leave."

It seems too early to say whether the dynamic between workers and employers is undergoing a permanent shift. Current tight market conditions will ease over time, and some employers - notably in the financial sector - are fundamentally resistant to hybrid working.

But, with the pandemic still raging, one sector showing a longer term commitment to enhancing pay, working conditions and training for staff is healthcare, where - with Job.com's Stewart reported signing-on bonuses of as much as $1,000 - demand for services is set to grow as populations age in many economies.

Health sector employers "are conscious they have no other choice, and have good visibility because demographics are with them," added Catoir.

"And we know this virus may not be the last one."

(Additional reporting by John Revill in Zurich, Emma Thomasson in Berlin and Bart Meijer in Amsterdam; writing by Mark John; editing by John Stonestreet)

(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.)
will pilot quarantine-free travel lanes for vaccinated passengers next month from and Brunei and open up to visitors from Hong Kong and Macau in its first big move yet to lift border restrictions that have been in place since early in the pandemic.



In what are the highly anticipated first steps of the citys reopening, travelers from and Brunei can enter from Sept. 8 without the need to have a purpose for visiting and controlled itinerary or sponsor requirements, officials said during a press briefing in the city-state Thursday. Restrictions will be eased for visitors from Hong Kong and Macau from Aug. 21, where risk of virus importation is low.

and Brunei were chosen as places where could test its confidence in vaccinated travel lanes, with Covid infections in both places at manageable levels. Travelers from Singapore were already allowed to enter Germany with minimal restrictions, while Brunei generally limits foreign tourists.

As the saying goes, we are feeling the stones as we cross the river, said Lawrence Wong, the finance minister and a co-chair of the nations Covid task force. Each time we make a move we will monitor the data, we will look at the evidence and ensure that our hospital system is able to cope with the infection situation before we take the next step.

Singapore is the first among the group of places with a zero-tolerance approach to Covid-19 to start pivoting its approach from strict containment to treating the pathogen as endemic. While the reopening comes as a relief to residents and businesses, the highly limited nature of the first steps indicates that the process will move more slowly than some hoped.

Singapore Airlines welcomed the easing, calling the move an important step in the safe and calibrated reopening of the Singapore air hub, on the back of robust vaccination rates in Singapore. The airline plans to operate vaccinated travel lane (VTL) flights from Frankfurt and Munich to Singapore from Sept. 7.

Elise Becker, vice president Asia-Pacific for Lufthansa Group, said in a statement that the airline was delighted by the easing to Germany. It will not only help people reunite safely with family, friends and loved ones but may also be a role model for other Asia-Pacific countries to follow.

Vaccination next steps



The travel lane underscores Singapores plan to differentiate between those who get vaccinated and those who dont. Short-term visitors arent allowed from Germany and Brunei if theyre not fully vaccinated. And the travel lane wont extend to children too young for the jabs, even if their parents are vaccinated.

Singapore is eyeing a third round of vaccine as booster shots for some fully-vaccinated individuals, especially the severely immunocompromised. Recommendations are expected shortly.

Singapore also expects to begin vaccinating children under age 12 sometime in early 2022, after safety and efficacy have been sufficiently studied.

The travel easing decision comes days after Trade Minister Gan Kim Yong told Bloomberg News in an interview that Singapore was considering such travel lanes based on a countrys infection and vaccination rates, and their ability to control outbreaks.

While business and leisure travel is essential to Singapores trade-dependent economy, the government to date has restricted movement and applied constrictive domestic measures as a means to control infections. However with nearly 80% of its population now fully vaccinated -- one of the highest rates in the world -- its begun shifting to an approach that tries to treat the disease more like influenza.

No herd immunity



In addition to the travel pilot, Singapore on Thursday also eased strict work-from-home rules, allowing as many as 50% of employees who are otherwise able to work at home to return to the office. It also increased the capacity of spaces that see large numbers of patrons, such as malls and cinemas, and ended temperature screenings that have been required to enter public places since early in the pandemic.

Yet even with all the easing, Singapore continues to have stiffer social-distancing rules than most western financial capitals, according to data on local restrictions compiled by Bloomberg. And that may not end anytime soon.

We should be under no illusion that the road ahead will be an easy one, Wong said, reiterating that Singapore may need to pause or pull back some measures if clusters grow to the point it strains the city-states hospital system.

The path toward being a COVID resilient nation is going to be long and hard slog, he said. Even at very high vaccination rates we are not going to reach herd immunity where the outbreak just fizzles out.
The Monetary Fund said that the new government in is cut off from using fund reserve assets days before the nation was set to receive almost $500 million, depriving the of key resources.

The country has been in line to automatically receive new reserves, known as special drawing rights or SDRs, on Monday as part of a recently approved plan to inject $650 billion of liquidity into the troubled global economy. While will still receive the assets, it wont be able to use them because the new regime lacks recognition, the said.

As is always the case, the is guided by the views of the community, an IMF spokesperson said by email Wednesday. There is currently a lack of clarity within the international community regarding recognition of a government in Afghanistan, as a consequence of which the country cannot access SDRs or other IMF resources.



By the IMFs rules, all 190 members get the assets allocated on their balance sheets, with the total divided roughly proportionately based on their share of global economic output. For Afghanistan, thats 0.07 per cent of the total, or $455 million. The vast majority of nations will be allowed to exchange the reserves for cash to pay debt or provide fund pandemic health spending.

Meanwhile,the Biden administration has suspended all arms sales to the government of following the takeover of the country. In a notice to defence contractors posted Wednesday, the State Department's Political/Military Affairs Bureau said pending or undelivered arms transfers to Afghanistan had been put under review.

In light of rapidly evolving circumstances in Afghanistan, the Directorate of Defense Sales Controls is reviewing all pending and issued export licenses and other approvals to determine their suitability in furthering world peace, national security and the foreign policy of the United States, it said.
US President has committed to keeping US troops in until every American is evacuated, even if that means maintaining a military presence there beyond his August 31 deadline for withdrawal.

"US is committed to getting every American out of -- even if it means potentially extending the mission beyond his August 31 deadline for a total withdrawal," Biden said in an exclusive interview with American Broadcasting Company (ABC).

Biden's pledge came as 5,000 people were evacuated from Kabul's airport and armed members of the kept some Afghans desperate to leave the country from reaching the airfield.

On Sunday, the declared victory after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled abroad and his government collapsed.

Like many other countries, the US started evacuating its nationals and some Afghans with links to foreign governments and organisations.

The US government has said that thousands of American citizens, locals embassy staff and their families, as well as other "vulnerable Afghan nationals" will be airlifted in the coming days.

US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley outlined the dangerous situation on the ground in Afghanistan, saying US troops are "at-risk" and that they need to be the nation's main focus.

He, however, said that the security situation at the airport is currently stable, but there are threats and they are being monitored.

(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 US is urging the more than 150 countries planning to send their leader or a government minister to New York to speak in person at the next month to consider giving a video address instead to prevent the annual high-level week from becoming "a super-spreader event".

A note from the US Mission sent to the 192 other UN member nations also called for all other UN-hosted meetings and side events to be virtual, saying these parallel meetings that draw travelers to New York "needlessly increase risk to our community, New Yorkers and the other travellers".

The US note, obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press, said the Biden administration is particularly concerned about Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the incoming General Assembly President Abdulla Shahid hosting high-level in-person events on climate change, vaccines, the 20th anniversary of the U.N. World Conference Against Racism, food systems and energy.

"The United States is willing to make every effort to make these important events on shared priorities successful in a virtual format, the note said.

The UN decided in late July to let world leaders attend their annual gathering, known as the General Debate, from Sept. 21-27 in person or to deliver prerecorded speeches if COVID-19 restrictions prevent them from travelling.

A provisional list of speakers obtained by AP has 127 heads of state and government planning to attend in person including US President Joe Biden, France's Emmanuel Macron, Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro, as well as prime ministers Boris Johnson of Britain, Israel's Naftali Bennett and Narendra Modi of India, and 26 other government ministers, including Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and China's Deputy Premier Han Zheng.

Among the 38 leaders planning prerecorded statements are the presidents of Iran, Egypt and Indonesia. The list has Afghanistan's president, Ashraf Ghani, coming to New York, but it is dated August 13 just before his government was ousted by the Taliban and he fled the country.

The US said it feels strongly that the General Debate should be the only event held with in-person participation during high-level week".

"In light of current health concerns, heads of delegation should consider delivering their statements to the UN General Assembly's General Debate by video, it said.

"If delegations choose to travel to New York for the General Debate, the United States requests delegations bring the minimum number of travellers necessary."



The US said the COVID-19 pandemic continues to pose a significant health risk around the world, with the virulence of the delta variant affecting both vaccinated and unvaccinated people and hospitalizations increasing significantly in the United States.

"All counties in New York City are currently rated as having the highest level of community transmission, the US note said.

For people coming to UN headquarters, it said the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended mandatory mask wearing at all times, six feet of social distancing, fixed seating, confirmed negative COVID-19 status to enter the building, and if possible vaccination".

Contact tracing for UN meetings will also be needed, it said.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said late Wednesday that the UN already put in place a number of measures to deal with the delta variant, including mandatory mask-wearing at UN headquarters and reporting of vaccination status and positive COVID-19 tests.

It also has mandatory vaccination requirements for some personnel, including those servicing intergovernmental meetings prior to the high-level week, he said.

Dujarric said no in-person side events will take place in the UN complex during high-level week, but he made no mention of the high-level events on climate change, food systems, racism and other issues.

We are obviously in continuous discussion with member states, who will have to make decisions, and the host country, Dujarric said.

"The secretary-general will continue to focus on keeping everyone in the U.N. community safe.

(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.)
appears to be eyeing to clinch lucrative projects to exploit mineral-rich Afghanistan, especially the trillions of dollars worth of rare-earth metals, as it calibrated its policy to recognise the government.

Rare-earth metals in were estimated to be worth anywhere between USD one trillion to USD three trillion in 2020, a CNBC report this week quoted Ahmad Shah Katawazai, a former diplomat at the Afghan Embassy in Washington.

Rare-earth metals are a key component for a host of advanced technologies like IPhones and hi-tech missile guidance systems.

On Wednesday, said it will decide on extending diplomatic recognition to the in after the formation of the government in the country, which it hoped would be "open, inclusive and broadly representative".

The rare-earth metals are used in rechargeable batteries for electric and hybrid cars, advanced ceramics, computers, DVD players, wind turbines, catalysts in cars and oil refineries, monitors, televisions, lighting, lasers, fibre optics, superconductors and glass polishing.

According to a report by the Centre for Strategic and Studies (CSIS), provides more than 85 per cent of the world's rare earths and it is home to about two-thirds of the global supply of rare metals and minerals like antimony and barite. At the height of the trade war with the US in 2019, China threatened to regulate the metals exports which could cause serious shortages of raw materials for the American high-tech industry.

Shamaila Khan, director of emerging market debt at AllianceBernstein, said the insurgents have emerged with resources that are a very dangerous proposition for the world, with minerals in that can be exploited.

"It should be an initiative to make sure that if any country is agreeing to exploit its minerals on behalf of the Taliban, to only do it under strict humanitarian conditions where human rights, and rights for women are preserved in the situation, Khan told CNBC on Tuesday.

So there should be pressure on China if they are going to do alliances with the Taliban in order to generate economic aid for them that they do it on terms, said Khan.

The CNBC report drew a sharp reaction in the Chinese official media.

While the US' bungled and embarrassing withdrawal from Afghanistan is still shocking the world, the American media has already started to worry about possible cooperation between the Afghan Taliban and China, especially when it comes to Afghanistan's rare-earth resources, a report in the state-run Global Times said on Thursday.

The US troops' withdrawal and the drastic change in Afghanistan's situation is undoubtedly a heavy blow to US economic interests in Afghanistan and the wider region, it said.

The rare-earth sector is one in which China has a strong advantage and it is a sector that plays a critical role in the development of strategic emerging industries, it said, adding that China is involved in several projects in Afghanistan.

China and Afghanistan inked an MOU in 2019 on mining industry cooperation. Current projects include a copper mine in Aynak which launched in the same year. Later in 2011, an oilfield project in Afghanistan invested by China National Petroleum Corporation was officially signed, it said.

An early statement addressing the copper mine project showed that with a budget of USD 4.2 billion, the project, upon completion, was expected to see an annual output value of USD 1.2 billion. The project was estimated to create about 10,000 local jobs, it said.

As of the end of 2020, China's accumulated non-financial direct investment in Afghanistan totalled USD 630 million, mainly focused on mining, communications and road construction.

Total bilateral trade in 2020 was USD 550 million. In addition, China has helped build hospitals, water conservancy projects and provide training for various professionals across the country, the Global Times report said.

China is also aggressively pushing for the extension of the USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to Afghanistan and it was expected to pick up pace after the consolidation of Taliban rule in the war-torn 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.)
Future Leaders Fund II announced its first close with aggregate commitments of Rs 584 crore. The fund, a category-II AIF registered with Sebi, is targeting to raise Rs 750 crore with a green shoe option of another Rs 500 crore.

The fund has a 5-year tenure with an option to extend it by another two years. It is focused on investing in privately held, scaled up market leaders/emerging leaders.

The Fund aims to invest in companies in the digital, consumption and segments. It seeks to leverage Avendus industry expertise, network, relationships and market leadership to invest behind best in breed companies.

Ritesh Chandra, managing partner, Future Leaders Fund said,  is at the forefront of working with emerging leaders that are creating great businesses in India. The Fund seeks to invest behind market leaders and emerging leaders in the digital, consumption and segments. We are thankful to all investors who continue to repose their confidence in us, and we look forward to partnering with some great businesses going forward.

The first series of the Fund  Avendus Future Leaders Fund I, was launched in 2019 and has investments in  Lenskart Solutions, Delhivery, VerSe Innovation, Bikaji Foods, National Stock Exchange and Ujjivan Small Finance Bank.

In terms of investor profile, the company said that a majority of the large first fund investors have investment in Fund II, and have upsized their investments. The Fund has also received a very enthusiastic response from several large family offices, said the statement.
Bain Capital-backed Emcure Pharmaceuticals has filed preliminary papers with capital regulator Sebi to raise funds through an initial share sale.

The initial public offering (IPO) comprises fresh issuance of equity shares worth Rs 1,100 crore and an offer of sale of 18,168,356 shares by promoters and existing shareholders, according to the draft red herring prospectus (DRHP).

As a part of the OFS, promoters Satish Mehta and Sunil Mehta will offload 20.30 lakh and 2.5 lakh shares, respectively. Investor BC Investments IV Ltd will divest 99.5 lakh shares.

Currently, Satish Mehta and Sunil Mehta hold 41.92 per cent and 6.13 per cent stake, respectively, in the company, while BC Investments owns 13.09 per cent.

The company is considering a pre-IPO placement aggregating up to Rs 200 crore. If such placement is completed, the fresh issue size will be reduced.

Proceeds of the fresh issue will be used towards the payment of debt and for general corporate purposes.

Emcure Pharmaceuticals is engaged in developing, manufacturing and globally marketing a broad range of pharmaceutical products across several major therapeutic areas. The company has a presence in 70 globally.

The Pune-based company is currently developing an RNA vaccine for COVID-19 through its subsidiary Gennova Biopharmaceuticals.

Axis Capital, JM Financial, BOB Capital Markets, BofA Securities India Limited, Credit Suisse Securities (India) Private Limited have been appointed as merchant bankers to advise the company on the IPO.

The equity shares of the company will be listed on the BSE and NSE.

(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.)
European shares fall 2% on Fed taper fears; commodities slump hits miners

European shares fell 2% on Thursday as fears built that tapering in global monetary policy would happen sooner than previously expected, while a slump in commodity prices dragged mining stocks lower.

The pan-European STOXX 600 was down 1.9% at a two-week low, with mining stocks sliding 4.6% on track for their worst day in in more than year. Read more

Nitin Chugh resigns as MD & CEO of Ujjivan Small Finance Bank

Nitin Chugh, the managing director and chief executive officer (MD & CEO) of Ujjivan Small Finance Bank, has resigned from his position citing personal reasons, effective September 30, 2021.

Further, Chugh will cease to be a director of the bank from the same date. And, he will also cease to be key managerial personnel of the bank. Read more

staff unions challenge resolution plan, file appeal in NCLAT

employees have rejected the Kalrock-Jalan consortiums offer under the resolution plan and have challenged the plan in the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal.

Bharatiya Kamgar Sena (BKS) and Cabin Crew Association, on Wednesday, filed an appeal against the National Company Law Tribunals June 22 order approving the resolution plan. Read more

Aiming to raise $700 mn in debt over next 2 yrs: CEO Suhail Sameer

Financial services startup said it has raised Rs 100 crore each as debt from IIFL Wealth & Asset Management, one of Indias leading wealth and asset management companies and Northern Arc Capital, one of Indias leading debt platforms.

shared that with this seventh round of debt fundraise of Rs 200 crore, it has raised a total of over Rs 500 crore in debt at competitive rates in 2021. The company added that it plans to raise $ 250 million in debt by the end of FY22. Read more
Japan stock market finished session at lowest level in seven-month on Thursday, 19 August 2021, as risk aversion selloff triggered amid uncertainty over Federal Reserve policy moves and concerns that the fast-spreading Delta variant of COVID-19 could delay an economic recovery, with report that Toyota Motor plans to slash its global output by 40% next month due to chip shortages intensified selloff in the market.

At closing bell, the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average fell 304.74 points, or 1.1%, to 27,281.17. The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange dropped 26.78 points, or 1.39%, to 1,897.19.

Trading volume turnover in the 1st section increased to 1076 million shares from 946 million shares in previous session. Trading value turnover increased to 2384.10 billion yen from 2180.84 billion yen in previous session.

Total 31 of 33 sectors sub-indexes on the Tokyo exchange ended down, with bottom performing sectors were Iron & Steel (down 5.3%), Marine Transportation (down 4.1%), Mining (down 3.5%),Transportation Equipment (down 3.5%), Oil & Coal Products (down 3.4%), and Nonferrous Metals (down 3.1%), while top performing sector was Pharmaceutical (up 1.4%).

Tokyo stocks commenced trading with a back-foot after the U. S. Federal Reserve's July min'utes released overnight showed most officials expect stimulus tapering can be started this year, earlier than market expectations.

Meanwhile, selloff pressure fuelled further on concerns that the fast-spreading Delta variant of COVID-19 could delay an economic recovery.

Tokyo confirmed 5,534 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, topping the 5,000 mark for the second straight day as infections continue to rise across the nation due to the spread of the highly transmissible delta variant. The daily number of new COVID-19 cases in Japan topped 23,000 for the first time on Wednesday with 23,918 cases, eclipsing its previous record of 20,361 marked Friday.

Also weighing on the sentiments was a report that Toyota Motor plans to slash its global output by 40% next month due to chip shortages. Microchips have been in short supply since the end of the last year due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. When the pandemic hit in early 2020, automobile manufacturers had scaled back orders, while the chipmakers had focused their output on consumer electronics as people needed more devices to deal with staying at home during lockdowns. This left automobile manufacturers in a tight spot as demand for vehicles picked up again. The outbreak of the Delta variant of the coronavirus across Southeast Asia has also impacted the automaker's procurement process for auto parts.

CURRENCY NEWS: The Japanese yen traded at 109.63 per dollar, still weaker than levels below 109.5 seen against the greenback earlier this week.

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Reliance Industries (RIL) has taken shutdown of its manufacturing units at Nagothane, Maharashtra to assure reliability and integrity of operations.

"Product supplies to customers will continue through available stocks and diverting from other manufacturing sites," it said in a statement.

The complex is expected to be back into normal operation from 25 August 2021, it added.

RIL reported a 7.3% fall in consolidated net profit to Rs 12,273 crore on a 58.6% rise in net sales to Rs 1,39,949 crore in Q1 FY22 over Q1 FY21.

RIL is the largest private sector corporation in India. Its activities span hydrocarbon exploration and production, petroleum refining and marketing, petrochemicals, retail and digital services.

The RIL scrip rose 0.35% to settle at Rs 2,171.55 on Wednesday, 18 August 2021. The domestic equity market is shut today, 19 August 2021, on account of Muharram.

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Digital Editor
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister is likely to reach capital on Thursday evening to meet central leadership.

Sources said that the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister is likely to meet chief J.P. Nadda and Union Home Minister to discuss party's poll preparedness in the state. It is learnt that Uttar Pradesh president Swatantra Dev Singh and state unit general secretary Sunil Bansal have reached the capital.

Sources said that BJP poll preparedness for next year's assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh will be the main agenda of the meeting.

"Chief Minister Adityanath is likely to discuss poll preparation and upcoming programs till the election with Nadda and Shah," sources said.

It is also learnt that public response to the ongoing 'Jan Ashirvad Yatra' will also be discussed.

Newly inducted ministers of the union cabinet are seeking blessings from people during 'Jan Ashirvad Yatra'. And with an eye on next year's assembly polls, seven ministers from Uttar Pradesh are inducted in the union cabinet. Of the newly inducted ministers from UP, except Anupriya Patel of Apna Dal all are from the BJP.

"Public response collected during the Yatra of union ministers in the state will be discussed to understand the situation on the ground. During the yatra, ministers interacted with people and collected their feedback," a party leader said.

During the course of yatra union ministers have visited places of religious importance, addressed public meetings, oversaw the implementation of centrally sponsored programmes and vaccination drives, and they have interacted with people.

This is the third visit of to Delhi since June. Amid speculation of a change of guard in Uttar Pradesh, Adityanath visited the capital for two days and met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Nadda and Shah. Last month during the monsoon session of parliament, he was present in the Nadda meeting with MPs from the state.

--IANS

ssb/skp/

(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.)
has changed the way default apps are assigned in the upcoming Windows 11, make it extremely difficult for users to switch default browsers if they miss the first and only prompt. The move has left rivals like Google, Mozilla Firefox and Opera fuming.

According to a report in The Verge, if you forget to set your default browser at first launch of Windows 11, the experience for switching defaults is now very confusing compared to Windows 10.

"The default app prompt in Windows 11 that you'll only see once," the report said on Wednesday.

In Windows 11, there's a prompt that appears when you install a new browser and open a web link for the first time.

It's the only opportunity to easily switch browsers in Windows 11 which, once missed, will ask you to set defaults by file or link type instead of a single switch.

"Chrome and many other rival browsers will often prompt users to set them as default and will throw Windows users into the default apps part of settings to enable this," the report noted.

The move has received criticism from other browser players.

"We have been increasingly worried about the trend on Windows. Since Windows 10, users have had to take additional and unnecessary steps to set and retain their default browser settings. These barriers are confusing at best and seem designed to undermine a user's choice for a non- browser," Selena Deckelmann, senior vice president of Firefox, told The Verge.

Hiroshi Lockheimer, Google's head of Android, Chrome and Chrome OS added: "This from the company that claims to be the most open, with 'the most choice'."

"I hope this is just a developer preview thing, and the shipping version of Windows 11 lives up to their claims. This is far from 'choice,'" he was quoted as saying.

Opera, another rival to Microsoft Edge, said that its is "very unfortunate when a platform vendor is obscurifying a common use case to improve the standing of their own product".

Microsoft was yet to comment on the report.

The tech giant has started testing its new Office Office UI, which is designed to complement Windows 11, with rounded corners and subtle changes.

The main changes are a rounded look to the Office ribbon bar, with subtle tweaks to some of the buttons throughout Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

--IANS

na/

(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.)
Some students at primary and middle schools are returning to classes for the new semester, after the latest delta outbreak has been brought under control in provinces like Jiangsu and Anhui. In some places, students must take Covid-19 tests before returning to school, while many campuses have disinfected classrooms and canteens. Besides, Beijing city has adjusted class times in response to new regulations on easing students' pressure, a local government spokesperson said Tuesday

Aug 31, 2021 05:31 PM
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In this photo provided by the French Defense Ministry, French soldiers prepare to board a military Airbus A400M to evacuate French citizens from Afghanistan, Monday, Aug.16, 2021 in Orleans, central France. France is relocating its embassy in Kabul to the airport to evacuate all citizens still in Afghanistan, initially transferring them to Abu Dhabi. Evacuations have been in progress for weeks and a charter flight put in place by France in mid-July. (Etat-Major des Armees via AP)
A forecast track on a National Hurricane Center map shows Tropical Storm Henri is expected to strengthen to a hurricane, but to remain offshore of North Carolina. (NHC graphic)
Haverhill - Beverly E. Scott of Haverhill, MA, died in February 2021 after a long illness. Born in 1935 in Haverhill, she was the daughter of Glen and Stella (Lamb) Blackden. She attended Merrimac, MA schools and graduated from Merrimac High School and Lowell Hospital School of Nursing. Beve
From a concerned Canadian living in the United States of America



I am very concerned about what is happening in Kelowna. I was raised in the beautiful Okanagan and remain very invested in what is going on within the community, as I have many close friends and family in the region. I love the beautiful city of Kelowna and surrounding area, and how open and accepting the community is. Or at least I think it is accepting

I have been following the issue involving the former MP Tracy Gray (who is seeking re-election) and the LGBTQ community. I am a mother of three children, and I strive to raise them to be loving and accepting of everyone in society.

For those who are understandably confused by the spat between MP Tracy Gray and members of the LBGTQ community, here is a brief explanation of what happened and why it happened. Members of strict fundamentalist Christian churches, including some in Kelowna, support conversion therapy as a last desperate tool to jolt children raised in their faith from adopting a gay, lesbian or transgender lifestyle, which they strongly believe is un-Christian and will inevitably lead to eternal damnation.

Members of the LBGTQ community, especially those who have been forced into conversion therapy, regard the practice as a serious violation of their human rights in that the therapy exerts extreme mental and sometimes physical pressure and pain attempting to turn the gay individual into a straight normal person. However, the success rate of Conversion Therapy is extremely low, but frequently leaves victims with lasting mental distress. Many governments have already banned its use.

Before the election writ was dropped the then Liberal Governments legislation to ban the practice of Conversion Therapy received the support of all parties in Parliament, except some members of the Conservative Party who sought to follow their usual practice of killing bills through procedural delays, including endless amendments allegedly intended to improve and clarify the intent of the Bill. Those most active in these stall tactics inevitably represented constituencies, such as Kelowna-Lake Country, with substantial numbers of fundamentalist Churches whose members form an important element of the support base of the Conservative MP at the time who is now seeking election.

Go back when it was clear toward the end of the last session that the bill was about to pass, Conservative leader OToole decided that Conservative members could have a free vote i.e. be permitted to vote according to their wishes rather than follow the party position. It very much appears that Ms. Gray saw this free vote as an opportunity to deliver for her fundamentalist base, by voting against banning Conversion Therapy. Like everyone else, she was certain that, regardless of her vote, the Bill would pass, given that it had the strong support of most members, including a number of Conservatives such as neighbouring riding MP Dan Albas.

Ms. Grays big mistake was in believing that she could have her cake and eat it too. She thought the cheering of her for her principled stance from her fundamentalist base would drown out any minor grumbles from the local LGBTQ community who would be mollified by her allegation that the bill was flawed and her claim to be personally opposed to Conversion Therapy. Her own intention was to join her leader, Erin OToole, in changing the anti-Pride stance of the two previous Conservative leaders by participating in local Pride marches and events. But after her vote, the LGBTQ community here has clearly stated that it does not need her support.

Shocked by the strength of the LGBTQ push back, Ms. Gray then fell back on the standard Conservative tactic of blaming the Liberals for their own missteps. Her suggestion that the LGBTQ community also ban her Liberal opponent if the Bill dies Senate is particularly disingenuous as it has been Conservatives, first in the Commons, and now in the Senate, who have used every tactic they know to delay passage of the Bill to ban Conversion Therapy.

Living in the US, I am not politically motivated and do not have any party affiliation, however, I feel this position taken by the then Conservative MP takes a dangerous step towards destroying core values Canadians hold dear, that is, the protection and preservation of our Human Rights. Like me, many Canadians love our free and opened minded country and want to keep it that way.

My family and I also love Kelowna and want to keep it open and inclusive. The kind of attitude Ms. Gray has displayed will permeate into other minority groups if we do not stand against it. This is about human rights. Please lets stand up against such a draconian school of thought. We need to move forward as a society, not backwards.

I stand with the LGBTQIA2S+ community now and always.

Thank you for letting me express my views.

Sara Conybeer, Proud Canadian currently living in the US
Tracy Grays vote against a bill banning conversion therapy is a principled decision?



Really?



Lets look again at how Gray voted on two hot button topics: providing medical assistance in dying or MAiD( Bill C-7)) and banning conversion therapy (Bill C-6). On the second readings, she voted for both C-7 and C-6. But on the third (and final) readings, she voted against both bills.



Why did she change her vote? Because shed had a sudden change of heart. In fact, shed had two sudden changes of heart on the two bills that could be counted on to rally her socially-conservative base. Why so late? She says that she suddenly saw the bills in a new light. When pressed to explain what new information had come into play, she fell back on citing objections that had been made all along and very vociferously  by the bills opponents.



What was the outcome? She had managed to lull her constituents into thinking that shed vote Yea for C-7 and C-6  and thereby avoided raising red flags. It looked like she supported Canadians right to die with dignity. It looked like she wanted to protect the 2S-LGBTQIA+ community from the harm done by conversion therapy.



But in the end, she kept her socially conservative base among her staunchest supporters  firmly in her corner. Shed had last-minute epiphanies. The bills were suddenly revealed to be flawed. And she voted Nay on both bills.



Grays repeated pattern of Yea/Nay voting looks a lot like a calculated  and perhaps even cynical  game of political bait-and-switch.

Diane Eaton


Photo: The Canadian Press

A significant majority of Americans doubt that the war in Afghanistan was worthwhile, even as the United States is more divided over President Joe Biden's handling of foreign policy and national security, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Roughly two-thirds said they did not think Americas longest war was worth fighting, the poll shows. Meanwhile, 47% approve of Bidens management of international affairs, while 52% approve of Biden on national security.

The poll was conducted Aug. 12-16 as the two-decade war in Afghanistan ended with the Taliban returning to power and capturing the capital of Kabul. Biden has faced bipartisan condemnation in Washington for sparking a humanitarian crisis by being ill-prepared for the speed of the Taliban's advance.

The president has stood by his decision to exit the country, insisting that he will not allow the war to continue indefinitely and betting that Americans agree with him.

Mark Sohl is among those who do. The 62-year-old Democrat from Topeka, Kansas, said it wasnt worth losing more American lives over a mess.

Sohl added: After 20 years, you got to cut loose."

Others felt more conflicted after seeing grim scenes in Afghanistan even if they opposed the war overall. In one image likely to endure, Afghans clung to U.S. military planes in a desperate bid to flee the country

I dont believe we should have been in there to begin with, said Sebastian Garcia, a 23-year-old Biden voter from Lubbock, Texas, who said he had three cousins serve in Afghanistan. But now that were leaving, I do feel we probably should stay after seeing, I guess youd say, the trouble weve caused.

Roughly two-thirds also suggest the Iraq War that coincided with Afghanistan was a mistake. Republicans are somewhat more likely than Democrats to say the wars in both countries were worth fighting. About 4 in 10 Republicans do, compared with about 3 in 10 Democrats.

Deborah Fulkerson of Pueblo, Colorado, believes it would be wise for the U.S. to remain in Afghanistan.

I feel like us having a presence there just keeps things more neutral and safer there for those people and for us, said the 62-year-old, who describes herself as more conservative, particularly on social issues.

Fulkerson acknowledged that she does not follow Afghanistan that closely, saying she is more concerned with gas prices and local news.

Im a Christian and I know where my future lies, and all of this stuff thats going on that I have no control over except through prayer, I just cant watch it all the time, she said. I would be negative all the time.

About half of Americans say they are extremely or very concerned about the threat to the U.S. posed by extremist groups based outside of the United States; about another one-third are moderately concerned. Only about 1 in 10 say they are not concerned.

But nearly 20 years after the Sept. 11 attacks that spurred the Afghanistan war, more Americans say they perceive the major national security threats as being internal.

Roughly two-thirds say they are extremely or very concerned about the threat of extremist groups based inside the United States. About one-quarter are somewhat concerned, and about 1 in 10 are not concerned.

Republicans and Democrats see the threat of extremist groups based outside of the U.S. similarly: about half across party lines are extremely or very concerned. But Democrats are more likely than Republicans to be strongly concerned about the threat of extremist groups based in the U.S., 75% to 57%.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Since 2005, 35 sawmills in B.C.s Interior and nine on the coast have permanently shuttered, along with about half of the coastal shake and shingle mills, according to a new socioeconomic analysis of forestry in B.C.

According to Statistic Canada, forestry in B.C. sustained more than 200,000 jobs (direct and indirect) in 2001. That has since been cut in half to about 100,000 jobs today, 50,000 of which are direct jobs.

In the Interior, the annual allowable cut (AAC) has been dramatically reduced by a mountain pine beetle infestation. On the coast, a sizable chunk of the coastal AAC has been lost to new parks and protected areas.

B.C. can expect to see another four sawmills on the coast and five in the Interior permanently shut down, if the policy reforms demanded by environmentalists and the federal government are fully implemented.

That estimate comes from a new socio-economic impact study conducted by independent forestry consultants Jim Girvan and Rob Schuetz on behalf of a number of forest industry clients. Their outlook is not a worst-case scenario  which would be a total ban on all old-growth logging.

The study was intended to show the public and government just what its in for, if the government concedes to environmental demands.

The public and environmentalists dont understand what theyre actually asking for here, Girvan said. Theyre asking to collapse an industry in British Columbia that supports 100,000 jobs.

Girvan has a track record for accurately predicting mill closures in B.C. In 2010, he predicted 16 Interior lumber, veneer and plywood mills would shut down in B.C. by 2019  which is how many did.

In 2018, we said theres another 13 mills that are going to close, Girvan said. The next day, they started going down.

Six mills were permanently shuttered in 2019 alone.

Girvan now warns of another wave of mill closures, should the B.C. government accept all the recommendations made by environmentalists, including bans on logging in old-growth forests. If implemented, the policy changes being considered could result in a one-million-cubic-metre decrease in the coastal AAC and three-million-cubic-metre decrease for the Interior, according to the calculations of Girvan and Schuetz.

Add on all the rest of the issues, and the reality is were looking at five to 10 more mills, Girvan said.

Once that many sawmills shut down, pulp mills could be the next, because they rely on sawmill waste. In communities like Powell River, Port Alberni and Nanaimo, pulp and paper mills are major employers and taxpayers, and the economic impact of their closure can be severe.

A 1% reduction in the cut, thats a sawmill somewhere in the province, Girvan said. You start doing six and eight and 10 of those, now pulp mills are at risk. Theres probably pellet plants that are going to be at risk and [bioenergy] power plants that are going to be at risk because they all rely on the existing stable of sawmills that operate in this province.

While the protests on Vancouver Island against the logging of old-growth forests have received most of the media attention, there are also ongoing blockades and protests against logging in the Revelstoke, Nelson and Prince George regions.

Bans on logging in old-growth forests would have the most impact for the coastal industry, although it would also affect the Interior. Meanwhile, caribou protection mandates, which are coming mainly from the federal government, would also reduce the AAC for the Interior forest industry.

These plans are intended to protect dwindling caribou herds, many of which are deemed to be at risk. A plan to protect the southern mountain caribou in the Peace region is already in place.

That plan is being extended to all the other herds, Girvan said.

If the Peace region plan is repeated for all other caribou herds, Girvan estimates it will remove 10% of the Interior AAC.

We reviewed it with government, Girvan said. We said we think the impacts about 10% of the Interior cut, and they said, Yeah, thats about what we think, too. So we kind of got some checkmarks when we reviewed this stuff with government that it was reasonable.

Girvan said the industry accepts that it will lose some timber to things like caribou habitat protection. He said some trade-offs could be made that would mitigate the impact of an ever-shrinking timber supply, one of which would be allowing commercial thinning, which might at least save pulp mills.

Commercial thinning is when loggers go into younger, dense stands of forest that are not yet ready for conventional harvest, and weed out some of damaged or deformed trees for pulp wood.

Commercial thinning is a big hitter, Girvan said. It could probably offset 10% or 20% of what the downfall might be. The industry has been pushing for larger-scale commercial thinning, like they do in most other jurisdictions in the world, but for whatever reason, government just doesnt want to go down this path.

The provincial government recently struck an old-growth review panel to try to come up with a plan to protect the most at-risk old-growth trees. Whatever the panel ends up recommending, Girvan does not expect it will satisfy environmentalists.

Will the Sierra Club or WC squared (Western Canada Wilderness Committee) or Stand, are they all going to accept that  if we protect some of them but not all of them  the protests will end? Ill bet my pension no way.

Asked to comment on the socio-economic study, the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resources confirmed it had received the report.

Ministry staff have received a presentation from Jim Girvan on his report and are in the process of reviewing its methodology for accuracy, the ministry said in an email.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Justin Trudeau says Canadian Armed Forces assets and personnel have arrived on the ground in Afghanistan to co-ordinate at the tactical level with the United States and other allied partners.

The prime minister and Liberal leader says this will help get Canadians, Afghans and their families to safety.

Trudeau says two CAF C-17s will make regular flights into Kabul to support evacuation efforts.

More coming
Photo: The Canadian Press NDP leader Jagmeet Singh and his wife Gurkiran Kaur Sidhu greet a woman while campaigning in Burnaby, B.C. on Wednesday, August 18, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh campaigned in Alberta on Thursday, with double-barrelled attacks on Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau and Premier Jason Kenney.

Singh stood near the East Edmonton Health Centre to speak about health care while trying to capitalize on Premier Jason Kenney's declining popularity amid the pandemic.

The 42-year-old NDP leader also addressed the multiple violent attacks against Black Muslim women in the province all while attempting to paint Kenney and Trudeau with the same brush.

"We're seeing cut after cut that is driving health care workers out of the province," Singh told reporters as cars honked at him while he stood next to a busy Edmonton road.

"These cuts at the provincial level are only made worse because for years and years federal governments have been cutting health care as well. The Conservatives cut health care, and then Trudeau kept in those same cuts."

Throughout the pandemic, Kenney has been grappling with a public outcry over temporary bed closures and reports of dozens of nurses and doctors leaving the province due to wage cuts and other rollbacks.

Singh said unlike his counterparts, he wants to actively work with any province or territory that wants to invest in health care.

Singh also addressed the rising rate of hate crimes across the country.

Over the last eight months, several Muslim and Black women who wear a hijab in Alberta have been targeted, violently assaulted, threatened and harassed while walking down the street or waiting for a light rail train.

Singh took a shot at Trudeau again, saying the root cause of the attacks is online radicalization, which the prime minister has talked a lot about but hasn't done much to make any changes.

"Tackling online hate is a way to get at some of the root causes. A lot of misinformation and some of the conspiracy theories comes from social media posts that radicalized people with misinformation," Singh said.

"The other piece is making sure we use hate laws appropriately. Absolutely there's problems around making sure when a crime is identified as a hate crime, that it's prosecuted that way  that's something that absolutely needs to happen."

During the announcement, Singh stood next to Heather McPherson, the MP for the only NDP riding in Alberta, Edmonton Strathcona, while he insisted his relationship was solid with former New Democrat premier Rachel Notley.

She looms large in the federal NDP's quest to retain its Alberta seat and perhaps expand into other ridings.

The two hold opposing views on the Trans Mountain pipeline and Notley has been vocal about their disagreement on it, but Singh says the two chat regularly and have far more in common.
Photo: The Canadian Press Green Party Leader Annamie Paul canvasses a neighbourhood after launching her election campaign in the riding of Toronto Centre, on Sunday, Aug. 15, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov

The Green Party of Canada has elected a fresh group of officials to its top spots, with staunch supporters of leader Annamie Paul comprising much of the new crop and shoring up her perch atop the party  at least temporarily.

The results of the internal vote were posted today and grant Paul a little breathing room after a months-long clash between her and some party executives who sought to oust her in the lead-up to a federal election, which is set for Sept. 20.

While the fresh makeup of the 18-member federal council also includes some who have been less gung-ho about Paul, three sources who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter say the chance of a non-confidence vote against the leader is now drastically reduced.

Party executives  several of them no longer on board the council  aimed to dethrone Paul this summer in a non-confidence vote and a membership suspension, though both were halted by an independent arbitrator.

The new crew includes Matthew Piggott  who volunteered on Pauls leadership campaign in October and went on to serve as the party's national field director before being fired against the leader's wishes  as well as Clement Badra, who Paul named to her shadow cabinet last month.

The Green party mandates a vote on the leader within six months of an election, rendering her current spot precarious post-vote, particularly if she fails to win the riding of Toronto Centre, a Liberal stronghold she has lost twice in the past two years.
Food Insecurity in Delaware: A Triangulation of Spatial Data Sources

Cecelia Harrison, MPH1; Madeline Brooks, MPH1; Jennifer N. Goldstein, MD, MSc1; Mia Papas, PhD, MS1 (View author affiliations)

Suggested citation for this article: Harrison C, Brooks M, Goldstein JN, Papas M. Food Insecurity in Delaware: A Triangulation of Spatial Data Sources. Prev Chronic Dis 2021;18:200555. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5888/pcd18.200555external icon.

PEER REVIEWED





High-resolution JPG for printimage icon

Distribution of food insecurity summary scores (Map A) and food pantries (Map B) in New Castle County, Delaware, by zip code. Inset shows the location of New Castle County. The burden of food insecurity is highest in three zip codes (19801, 19802, and 19805) in northeastern New Castle County that also have relatively high numbers of food pantries. Food insecurity burden was estimated by using a summary score that combined patient screening data and American Community Survey data for household poverty and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participation. Data sources: ChristianaCare, 20182019 (1); US Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 20132017 (2); 2-1-1 Delaware, 2019 (3). [A text version of this figure is available.]

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Background

Medical care accounts for a small fraction of the variability in preventable mortality in the US (4). Health promotion and disease prevention can be achieved primarily through a focus on social determinants. Food insecurity, defined as limited or uncertain access to food, is a social determinant of health that should be accounted for in population health strategies. Eleven percent of the US population and 12.6% of Delawareans are food insecure (5), with a higher prevalence evident among racial minorities, low-income households, and people with chronic disease (68). Identification of food insecurity can trigger the delivery of interventions that can prevent chronic disease and improve health. To be effective, interventions must consider where patients reside, because previous work has shown that screening for food insecurity does not necessarily facilitate access to food resources (9). Few studies have examined the spatial distribution of food insecurity at local levels (10). We sought to identify zip codes with high burdens of food insecurity and relatively few food resources.

We conducted a food insecurity screening survey in ChristianaCare primary care clinics in New Castle County, Delaware, from 20182019. Because the screening data from the survey may not be representative of the spatial distribution of the general population, incorporating other data sources can triangulate or corroborate spatial patterns of health outcomes or need. This approach is especially useful where small-area data for outcomes such as food insecurity are not available. We demonstrate an approach in which providers can employ multiple spatial data sources to identify where needs are prevalent and connect patients in those areas to services.

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Data and Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional survey of adult patients from 4 ChristianaCare primary care clinics in New Castle County, Delaware, from 2018 through 2019 (1). Research assistants read survey questions to participants in examination rooms and collected data. The prevalence of household food insecurity was determined according to the 18-item USDA Household Food Insecurity Scale (11). Food insecurity was treated as a binary variable with a raw score of 3 indicating food insecurity; raw scores range from 0 (high food security) to 18 (very low food security) (11). Demographic and clinical data were also collected. Screened patients were aggregated to their home zip codes to create ratios of food insecure to food secure patients, adjusting for geographic variation based on where patients resided. Zip code data were obtained from the US Census Bureaus American Community Survey for the percentage of households below federal poverty level and the percentage of households receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits (2,12), These measures were chosen as population-level indicators of food insecurity because poverty has been associated with food insecurity and many SNAP recipients remain food insecure despite this assistance (8,12,13). A summary score (ranging from 03) was created to identify zip codes in the top quartiles for food insecurity ratios, household poverty levels, and household SNAP participation. A score of 3 indicates a zip code with the highest rank in all categories, representing high expected levels of food insecurity. A directory of food pantries was created and mapped to examine the zip code distribution of community-based nutrition resources. This directory included state service centers, nonprofit organizations, and houses of worship that provide emergency food support (3). Because these institutions vary in the number of people they serve, they were used not to indicate need but to describe their spatial distribution in relation to the zip code score, indicating a need for food resources. We used ArcGIS 10.6 (Esri) for data integration and mapping.

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Highlights

Approximately 18% of patients (52/295) were food insecure. Of 29 county zip codes, 10 zip code summary scores (34%) ranked in the top quartile for either food insecurity, household poverty, or household SNAP participation. Three zip codes  19801, 19802, and 19805  located in the city of Wilmington were in the top quartiles for all 3 indicators. More than a third of food pantries (38%) were located in only 2 zip codes (19801 and 19802), which contained about 8% of the county population. Fewer food resources were present in many zip code areas with higher levels of food insecurity, such as 19706, as measured by having 1 or 2 indicators of food insecurity burden.

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Action

Approximately 18% of the population screened in our sample was affected by food insecurity, and 30% of those affected lived in zip codes 19801 and 19802. The co-location of food pantries in areas with high levels of food insecurity raises questions about how health care systems can facilitate access to nutrition resources for their food-insecure patients. Although it has been shown that food pantry use can be infrequent and serve as a temporary solution for supplementary nutrition, emergency food aid is often one of the only reliable sources of nutrition for food-insecure people (1416). Therefore, it is imperative that health care systems employ strategies to facilitate access to nutritional resources (14). Common strategies include integrating universal screenings into clinical workflows, involving social workers or case managers in patient care for connection to community and federal resources, referring patients to food resources, and giving referrals to food pantries (14).

As health care systems collect patient-level data on social needs, they must consider the context of social and built environments by using relevant population-level data on socioeconomic status and geographic access to services. Using multiple data sources to conduct small area analyses, such as at the zip code level, allows health care systems to better identify where specific needs are prevalent and refer patients to nearby resources to ensure that distance is not a barrier. Systems are then better equipped to offer patients local interventions while identifying areas of high need that warrant further investment in social resources, such as nutrition support. In these ways, health care systems can leverage spatial data to address patient needs while increasing their capacity to serve the needs of the greater population.

Food insecurity is a social determinant of health that needs to be understood within the greater social and environmental context. Using multiple spatial data sources supports health care systems in partnering with community-based organizations and designing interventions tailored to their populations. These strategies will help to ameliorate the effects of food insecurity, prevent chronic disease, and enhance the health of populations.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the research assistants and the clinical staff whose patients were screened. The authors received no financial support for this study and have no financial disclosures to report. The authors have no conflicts of interest. No copyrighted material or tools were used in this article.

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Author Information

Corresponding Author: Cecelia Harrison, MPH, 3567 Lafayette Street Philadelphia PA, 19129. Telephone: 201-841 6861. Email: ceceh93@gmail.com.

Author Affiliations: 1ChristianaCare, Value Institute, Newark, Delaware.

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References

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Peru sees demand up 26% in July 2021

19 August 2021

Perus cement market grew 26 per cent YoY to 1.135Mt in July 2021, compared with 0.904Mt in the year-ago period, according to the countrys cement association, Asocem.



Cement production also advanced 29 per cent to 1.063Mt in July 2021 against 0.821Mt in the same month of 2020. Compared to July 2019, production climbed 24 per cent from 0.858Mt.



Cement exports rose 171 per cent YoY to 18,200t, while clinker exports reached 66,200t (-26 per cent from June 2021).



Elsewhere, cement imports rose 38 per cent YoY to 68,100t in July 2021, with 76 per cent of the volume coming from Vietnam.

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About Mary Kale, Full Circle Realty

I am Mary Kale, Broker Associate with Full Circle Realty, your premier resource for all real estate information and services in Buena Vista, Colorado and surrounding areas. I hope you enjoy your visit and explore everything our stunning mountain valley has to offer! I am happy to assist you with your property search and any questions you may have.




Madonna's deal with Warner Music Group will see her curate deluxe editions of her past albums.
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The Tennessee Department of Education on Wednesday highlighted an opportunity this fall for all high school seniors to boost their scores on the ACT college entrance exam after taking the test the first time as a junior during the COVID-19 pandemic. While a recent ACT, Inc. study found that the 2020-21 ACT results indicated an anticipated decline in ACT scores nationwide, Tennessee is the first and only state to offer this free retake opportunity to every Tennessee high school senior this fall.

The ACT is a comprehensive college entrance exam covering a wide range of subjects that assess students' mathematical skills, grammar usage, science interpretation, and reading comprehension. Because results from college readiness tests like ACT are often used to determine eligibility for scholarships, including the Tennessee HOPE scholarship, ACT re-take opportunities empower students to fulfill requirements for college admission and demonstrate readiness.

This year, the department is urging all Tennessee high school seniors to take advantage of the fall ACT retake opportunity and has expanded the state testing windows to provide additional options. ACT Inc.s research shows that students who take the ACT more than once increase their score by an average of 1 point. Students who improve their scores in one or more subject areas tested will have their super-score composite available to send to postsecondary institutions and scholarship programs.

While the fall ACT retake has always been available to our seniors, this years retake opportunities offer our seniors one more chance to potentially boost their scores and demonstrate readiness for college and career, said Commissioner Penny Schwinn. ACT Inc.s research shows that by participating in these opportunities, students are more likely to increase their ACT scores, and we want all our students to achieve their highest potential. I encourage our districts, schools, and families to help us ensure all Tennessee high school seniors can take advantage of this opportunity.

Districts across the state will be able to offer the free fall ACT retake opportunities during one of the following three-day windows:

Oct. 5-7

Oct. 19-21

Nov. 2-4

ACT is proud to partner with Tennessee as we encourage all student to take advantage of Tennessees ACT Senior Retake to improve students composite scores," said Catherine Hoffman, ACT's vice president of State and Federal Programs. "Last year, over 89 percent of Tennessee seniors participated in the ACT Senior Retake. ACT data shows that when a student tests more than once, their ACT composite score increases by about 1 point. In many cases, this score increase provided scholarship funds and many students were not required to take remedial classes. This resulted in dollars back into Tennessee families pockets and impacts that will last for generations. Tennessee continues to put students first and make lasting change for students.

Aligned with the departments Best for All strategic plan, the ACT provides essential data and context for state and district leaders on student readiness for postsecondary opportunities. Students who score a 21 or higher on the ACT also meet criteria for Ready Graduate, the states indicator to reward schools and districts whose high school graduates demonstrate postsecondary readiness.

Fifty percent of students who participated in the Fall Senior Retake in 2019 increased their composite score from their junior year in 2018. Additionally, 3,825 seniors raised their composite score to a 21 or higher, allowing them to access more than $61 million in HOPE Scholarship funds.

The department recognized the impending impact the global pandemic would have on K-12 education in Tennessee and has proactively and strategically committed investments to prioritize meeting the needs of all Tennessee students through the states ARP ESSER plan, which lays out the states spending strategy for its portion of federal COVID-19 relief and stimulus funding to benefit K-12 education in Tennessee, including supports for success on the ACT.

The department has partnered with the University of Tennessee at Martin to provide all Tennessee high school students and teachers with access to free, virtual workshops, office hours, and classes on how to succeed on the ACT.

Throughout the summer, the ACT Success Tactics Workshops and Mastery Classes were available for free via Zoom to all Tennessee high school teachers and students, designed for rising 11th and 12th graders, to gain knowledge and skills to prepare for and be successful on the ACT. The workshops and classes are being held through the fall and are available to register for here.

District leaders and higher education partners commented on the importance of providing these ACT retake opportunities to ensure our students are prepared for college and postsecondary success.

Thank you to the department for providing these free opportunities to high schoolers across the state to boost ACT scores as they prepare for graduation later this year, said Clint Baker, director of Schools, Meigs County Schools. We know the ACT is an essential benchmark for understanding a students postsecondary readiness and we will continue to encourage our students to take every opportunity to boost scores and become prepared for college and career.

The ACT remains an important factor in a students ability to pursue a post-secondary education and attend their college or university of choice, said Dr. Adrienne Battle, director of Schools, Metro Nashville Public Schools. As we continue to focus on preparing all of our students for college and career, it is more important than ever that we maximize a students chance of success by offering these ACT re-take opportunities.

We are thankful to have partners like the Tennessee Department of Education that are dedicated to preparing Tennessee students for postsecondary and career success, said, Dr. Keith Carver, UT Martin chancellor. From allowing every senior the chance to retake the ACT at no cost, to providing free ACT prep statewide, to increasing dual enrollment opportunities, they are always willing to go the extra mile for our students to be college-ready.

In Benton County Schools, we recognize the importance of ensuring our students are prepared for postsecondary success and able to select the university or college of their choice upon leaving our doors, said Mark Florence, director of Schools, Benton County Schools. These free ACT retake opportunities are essential as they ensure our students have every opportunity to boost their scores, and we will encourage all our high school seniors to partake.

"We encourage our students to take rigorous coursework throughout their high school career that will prepare them for the ACT and lead to post-secondary success, said Bill Spurlock, director of Schools, Rutherford County Schools. Thank you to the department for offering these opportunities for free to ensure our students have ample amounts of opportunities to become college and career ready.

"The ACT is a critical step in a students academic journey to pursue postsecondary opportunities, said Eddie Pruett, director of Schools, Gibson County Special School District. We thank the department for providing this opportunity to our high schools seniors in Gibson County and across the state for free as they prepare to leave our classrooms and enter into their next chapters."

To learn more about the states college readiness testing program, including the ACT and SAT, visit the College Readiness Testing webpage.
Two men were arrested in Bradley County for burglary on Sunday.

Deputies of the 300 shift with the Bradley County Sheriffs Office responded to Benton Pike NE in reference to a residential burglary in progress.

Upon arrival, the deputy advised he had an unsecured door, heard movement inside, and was waiting on additional units before entering the residence.

Upon entry, deputies cleared the residence and made contact with two male suspects, later identified as Darrell Farrow and Nathan Hullender.

Deputies discovered the men were in possession of several items from the residence, which have since been returned to the property owner. Farrow and Hullender also admitted to entering the residence through the front door, with intentions to take belongings from inside the home.

Farrow and Hullender were charged with aggravated burglary and transported to the Bradley County Justice Center.
At the Wednesday meeting of the Hamilton County Commission, Sheriff Jim Hammonds request for an estimated $14,000 raise in this last year of a 30-year career with the sheriffs department was met as cruelly as anything I can imagine. The Commission, most good friends of mine, granted a $25,000 raise for the sheriff but only to go into effect when Hammonds term ends. I cant imagine any human being holding another public servant up to such ridicule. This isnt who the people of Hamilton County are.



In the next story on Chattanoogan.com I read where interim schools superintendent Nakia Towns has named Justin Robertson as the interim deputy superintendent in an equally embarrassing hypocrisy. Dr. Robertson has the majority of votes on the school board right now to be appointed, as he most rightly should. Dr. Towns  who has applied for a number of jobs in recent years -- is certainly feathering her nest, isnt she? Nakia can stand on her own two feet as a beautifully-qualified educator but to sully water with a central office appointment so transparent is regrettable. People well educated hardly need to act like carnival barkers.



I have no idea what courses through the County Commissions circle but, again, it is beyond my understanding. Everybody at the meeting noticed County Mayor Jim Coppinger, who has worked with the sheriff in tandem for years, did not come to his defense during the harangue, and the fact octogenarian Jesse Jackson is to appear here in September to lambast the sheriff is duly noted but he is an innocent as driven snow.



Nonetheless, we do not have to act this way in Hamilton County. And the taxpayer/voters should condemn scurrilous behavior at every level.



Now, for what its worth 



* * *



SCIENCE ON MASK USAGE INDICATES SCANT BENEFIT



(note: This story on student mask usage appeared yesterday  Aug. 18, 2021  on the highly-informational website, Tennesseestar.com, a news website originating every day in Nashville).



Witten by Brad Vasoli



The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended that all schools require mask-wearing indoors by teachers and students, vaccinated or unvaccinated against COVID-19.

And many school districts are adopting that requirement, to the dismay of many parents. But how well do masks protect children?



For starters, data gathered throughout the pandemic indicate that the chances of a child experiencing serious illness as a result of the novel coronavirus are extremely low. The CDCs own numbers show a higher death rate for American kids and teenagers from influenza during the moderately severe 2018-19 flu season than from COVID. That same institution reports that one out of every 1,738 deaths resulting from the virus since the onset of the pandemic was a child or teenage fatality.



Still, there has been a rise in COVID infections among children. From July 29th through August 5th, 93,824 child COVID-19 cases were reported in the U.S. Thats up from 71,726 new child and teen infections during the prior week. And 38,654 were reported the week prior to that.



But according to statistician Jeffrey H. Anderson, the evidence that masks will provide much protection even to populations that are particularly vulnerable to COVID is slim. The problem, he writes in a review of relevant research in the Manhattan Institutes City Journal, is that governmental organizations like the CDC and the World Health Organization have relied too little on randomized controlled trials (RCTs). In such tests, subjects are selected on a random basis to mask or not mask, and the rates of infection can be objectively compared between the two.



Its striking how much the CDC, in marshaling evidence to justify its revised mask guidance, studiously avoids mentioning randomized controlled trials, Anderson observes.



Two RCTs to date have specifically tested the effectiveness of masking in preventing those around the mask wearer from getting a respiratory infection. One, conducted in Beijing in 2016, didnt produce results that Anderson found very illuminating, as only two individuals in the entire study  one masked and the other unmasked  developed a flu-like infection. A French study conducted in 2010, however, found about 16 percent of individuals in the experiment who were selected to mask contracted flu-like illnesses and about 16 percent who were selected to go unmasked also contracted them. Other RTCs similarly showed masking made little to no difference.



Only one RCT to date has tested mask-wearings utility for the mask wearer against COVID-19.

This Danish study, involving 4,862 participants last year, found that 1.8 percent of those wearing masks and 2.1 percent of those not wearing masks became infected with the coronavirus  i.e., a very slim difference.



Andersons examination of the results of all 14 RTCs conducted to date that have investigated the usefulness of masks in protecting against respiratory ailments concludes that eleven of those studies indicate masks are either useless  or actually counterproductive.



  



Bradley Vasoli is a reporter at The Michigan Star and The Star News Network. Follow Brad on

Twitter at @BVasoli.



* * *



Informed minds make wiser decisions.



royexum@aol.com






The controversy over the proposed removal of Confederate officer statues was preceded many years ago by the controversy over whether Dade County, Georgia had in 1860 seceded from not only the Union at the beginning of the Civil War but had also seceded from the State of Georgia? The rumors circulating about Dade Countys historical movement has become known as the Independent State of Dade controversy. Is it fact or fiction?



The origin of said alleged move was the dissatisfaction of the residents of Dade County with the State of Georgias indecision as to whether it was or was not going to leave the union. Even though the issue still remains as to whether it did secede there doesnt still exist any doubt that Dade County did rejoin the state on July 4, 1945. The Atlanta radio station WAGA broadcast the proceedings and included, a fictitious re-enactment of the Dade Countys state senator allegedly re-creating the withdrawal from the State of Georgia.



Thus we come to the role of the Honorable Judge John Murphy Clagett Red Townsend played in the festivities on the Fourth of July, 1945 that re-emphasized the controversy. Judge Red Townsend (as he was popularly known) has been credited or blamed with creating the scenario that gained tiny Dade County, national publicity in 1945.



Although the question of secession or not remains a topic of discussion, there is no dispute about the fact that on July 4, 1945 the community noisily proclaimed its loyalty to the Union. With an estimated crowd of over 4,000 citizens in attendance a military band played patriotic tunes, and a letter from President Harry S. Truman congratulating Dade County on its reentry to the Union with the concluding message from the president of Welcome Home Pilgrims was read.



In an effort to orchestrate the clever publicity event that was the countys separation to put Dade on the map, Judge Red Townsend speaking on national radio stated, This is the Fourth of July! That hasnt meant anything to Dade for more than 85 long years. And in all that time, weve never raised a flag except for the one of a lost, however gallant, cause. Any reference to the Lost Cause would automatically cause controversy (and publicity).



John Murphy Clagett Townsend was born at Wildwood on November 30, 1899 but because of his flaming red hair was always called Red. He was related to most of the old families in Dade and because of those connections in some peoples minds rose to be the countys most famous and influential son. After attending schools in Dade County he graduated from the Chattanooga College of Law in 1923 and would later receive a Masters degree in Law.



He practiced law in Chattanooga and Dade County with E. B. Baker for about 15 years. Baker was once recognized as Chattanoogas finest trial lawyer. Red was active in the Methodist Church and numerous civic organizations. He engaged in local politics and served as a member of the Georgia House of Representatives from 1931-1936. In his law practice he also served as an Assistant Attorney General during 1937-1943. In 1947 he became a member of the Georgia Court of Appeals and served until 1961.



Upon his death on October 6, 1961 a memorial tribute in 105 Georgia Appeal Report, pages XXIII  LIV described him as a Great Georgian and that he proclaimed the fundamental promise that the Bill or Rights is for every man. It further stated: He was dedicated to the preservation of the constitutional rights of each prisoner before the Bar, whether he be rich or poor, guilty or innocent.



Prior to his death he testified as a character witness in the disbarment suit against former Hamilton County Criminal Court Judge Raulston Schoolfield in June 1960 brought by the Chattanooga and Tennessee Bar Associations. Judge Townsend stated that if Schoolfield applied to the Georgia Bar for admission to practice in the state, he would sponsor him and sign a character certificate for him.

To the lawyers who knew Red Townsend during his lifetime he was an original character, knowledgeable lawyer and judge and the perfect individual to promote his believed county of Dade with his July 4, 1945 remarks.



When he died, he was credited with applying the rule of John Wesley: Do all the good you canTo all the people you can, as long as ever you can.

* * *

Jerry Summers



(If you have additional information about one of Mr. Summers' articles or have suggestions or ideas about a future Chattanooga area historical piece, please contact Mr. Summers at jsummers@summersfirm.com)




Dr. James McClintock poses during while working in the field in Antarctica. A professor of polar and marine biology, Dr. McClintock is regarded as an expert on the ecology of the worlds southernmost continent. - photo by Courtesy of Dr. James McClintock

The Weddell Seal is the most southerly living species of mammal on the planet. It grinds back the ice to keep its breathing hole open. - photo by Espen Rekdal

Below the sea ice in the Ross Sea, frigid water is home to creatures like starfish and Sea Spiders that grow slowly but to large size and old age. This rarely seen ecosystem is perhaps one of the most pristine left on earth. - photo by Espen Rekdal

A Gentoo Penguin comes face to face with its main predator  the Leopard Seal. - photo by BBC NHU

A Fin Whale feeds on krill in Antarctica. Measuring up to 26 meters in length (about 85 feet), this species is second in size only to Blue Whales. - photo by BBC NHU

King Penguins stand silhouetted against the Antarctic sky on St. Andrews Bay, South Georgia. The bay is home to a huge penguin colony - photo by Fredi Davis

Cameraman Mark MacEwen captures a battle between two four-ton bull Elephant Seals. When the loser decides to retreat, it does so as fast as it can, and the film team had to make sure to get out of the way to avoid being trampled. - photo by Fredi Devas

A Weddell Seal pup and mother. Pups feed on extremely rich milk and double their weight in the first two weeks of their life. - photo by BBC NHU

The coldest place on Earth. The windiest. The driest. The kind of home only a penguin could love.

There is a tendency to think of Antarctica as a mysterious landscape of endless superlatives  a kind of geographic caricature. By international agreement, nobody resides permanently on the planets southernmost continent. As a consequence, only a handful of scientists and support staff have personally experienced Antarcticas extreme landscapes and bountiful wildlife for any length of time since its discovery in 1820.

Beginning Friday, Sept. 3, however, audiences will have the opportunity to embark on a cinematic journey to one of Earths wildest, most misunderstood locales when Antarctica 3D begins screening at the Tennessee Aquarium IMAX 3D Theater.

Narrated by Academy Award nominee Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange, Sherlock), this gorgeous Antarctic epic was produced by the giant-screen experts at BBC Earth and SK Films. For 45 minutes, the IMAX 3D Theaters six-story screen will serve as a portal to unspoiled vistas and incredible animal life above and below the ice, from vast swarms of Krill and massive colonies of penguins to breaching Humpback Whales and the brutal majesty of a Leopard Seal on the hunt.

Given the many assumptions about Antarcticas rugged inhospitality, filmmakers say it was paramount to show how diverse, abundant and fragile an ecosystem it really is.

You look out from the side of the boat and there are Killer Whales, Minke Whales, Humpback Whales, Sei Whale and then pods of penguins swimming as well, says producer Jonny Keeling, recalling the film crews arrival in Antarctic waters. It was a constant stream of animals.

"What I loved is  that they arent afraid of us at all, he adds. Its great for the giant screen because you can get really nice and close, and it makes it feel intimate, like youre actually there.

The extraordinary scenes in Antarctica 3D will be an eye-opening introduction to the continent for most audience members. However, for Dr. James McClintock, the film offers familiar  albeit stunningly captured  views of a place thats almost a second home.

An endowed university professor of polar and marine biology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Dr. McClintock first visited Antarctica in 1982. That three-month visit to the French sub-Antarctic island of Kerguelen left him irreparably hooked on Antarcticas marine biology.

Now regarded as a world-renowned expert on Antarctic marine ecology, McClintock has returned to the southernmost continent 30 times. There, he has researched the rich and diverse life on the Antarctic seafloor and, later, how rapid climate change is impacting those communities.

Over the years and my many visits to the ice, my relationship to Antarctica has deepened, he says. I have great respect for its beauty and the paradox of its apparent might and its deep ecological fragility.

Dr. McClintock and a team of researchers are racing against time to document the remarkable sea life thriving in the frigid waters surrounding Palmer Research Station, perched on an island along the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula. While studying marine invertebrates, they have discovered a chemical compound in a sea squirt that holds promise to fight the most deadly form of skin cancer.

This compound reduces the activity of a key enzyme that is involved in triggering melanoma skin cancer, said Dr. McClintock. The compound is very potent. Only a small amount is needed, sparing healthy cells from being destroyed.

Dr. McClintock and his colleagues have also found a red algae that produces a potent compound which works against several different flu viruses. It prevents several different strains, such as the H1N1 virus, from attaching to human cells, said Dr. McClintock.

In 2012, Dr. McClintock published his second book, Lost Antarctica: Adventures in a Disappearing Land. In it, he offers a first-hand account of his time and experiences in Antarctica and how it is responding to climate shifts. Dr. McClintock will be at the Chattanooga premiere of Antarctica 3D on Thursday, Sept. 2, at 6:30 p.m. to discuss his work in Antarctica after the premiere screening.

Although he has spent more time there than almost anyone on the planet, Dr. McClintock says the filmmakers have managed to capture Antarcticas beauty in ways that still manage to take his breath away.

The film provides a masterful painting and interpretation of the continents biodiversity, natural wonders and surprising fragility, he says. One of the opening scenes is a diver swimming along filming the seafloor near McMurdo Station, the U.S. station where I worked for ten years and also swam under the sea ice. Captured on film, it is as if one was there  a breathtaking, unearthly experience.

After their cinematic voyage to the Antarctic wilds concludes, guests can build upon their newfound love and appreciation of the southernmost continent by visiting the Tennessee Aquarium. In conditions far less challenging than those faced by the Antarctica 3D film crew, theyll be able to observe the impressive underwater agility of a colony of Gentoo and Macaroni Penguins rocketing through 42-degree water in the Penguins Rock gallery.

Tickets to see Antarctica 3D are $8 for all ages. The film is presented locally by CHI Memorial and has a runtime of about 45 minutes.

More info about Antarctica 3D and a screening schedule is available at tnaqua.org/imax/antarctica-3d/.

For more information about Dr. McClintock, visit his university faculty page at uab.edu/cas/biology/people/faculty/james-b-mcclintock.

Check out an always-online live video feed from the Tennessee Aquariums Penguins Rock gallery at https://tnaqua.org/live/penguins-rock/




A Hamilton County General Sessions Court judge is unable to hear cases for the time being after he was suspended due to not completing Continuing Legal Education (CLE) requirements.

Judge Gerald Webb was not in court on Thursday morning, though he had a full docket for morning and afternoon sessions.

Judge Christie Sell, the senior General Sessions judge, said she was alerted to the situation on Wednesday night.

The suspension is from the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC).

Judge Sell said Judge Alex McVeigh stepped in and heard a few of the Webb cases on Thursday morning. She said she did not know what happened to the rest of the cases.

She said an attorney sat in the judge's seat for the afternoon docket. Judge Sell said it is preferable for an elected judge to sit, but at times when a fill-in judge is needed none is available.

It is the second time that Judge Webb has been suspended for failure to complete CLE requirements. It happened last year, and he was able to get reinstated soon afterward.

Most judges fulfill the requirements by attending judicial conferences in the Spring and Fall. The last conferences were virtual due to COVID-19 concerns.
The lines were packed at 10 a.m. on the last day of Alice Neels exhibit at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Just the day before, The New York Times indicated the inclusive exhibit places Neel solidly among the greatest masters of the 19th and 20th centuries. The show does indeed facilitate a stunning experience of Neels oeuvre dating from 1925 to 2012 - and includes a multitude of portraits, landscapes, interiors, and even graphics.



A stark, expressionistic portrait of Margaret Evans opens the show. Evans sits nude, expecting, her gaze charged. Her body is almost surreal in its examined late pregnancy, even humorous. Behind me, facing Evans, Neels artistic beginnings rest serenely as an anonymous model swathed in browns, French Girl (1925). Neels sense of abstraction and quality of light are on the edge. She could easily have become an abstract expressionist. But for her entire career she remained rooted in the figure, and in portraiture. Evans portrait may be where Neel began to enter the depth of her talent but behind me, facing Evans, French Girl is where Alice Neel began. The awareness of light on form, the sitters tender chin, the slope of shoulder and arm angled inside cloth take the early portrait study into the terrain of pathos and the sublime.

Neel painted neighbors and friends in Spanish Harlem, where she lived. She drew and painted expectant women - an unprecedented subject at the time, activists and children, including her own, and artistic contemporaries. She possessed a powerful gift for conveying the indomitable human spirit. In the second room two incredible paintings hang side by side: Georgie Arce No. 2 (1955) and Two Girls, Spanish Harlem (1959) gaze back to a standing audience and it takes me some time to get close to them.

In the next rooms, life-sized - and larger - portraits of her fellows hold viewers in thrall. Unflinching portraits hang close and share the rooms atmosphere as though physical space is of little consequence. Each painting is a door to a persons world, and to an alchemy that defies the actual space available for the works. Her focus is daunting. Skillful with paint, she is also sensitive to a more difficult endeavor: the painter as editor, selecting moves that illumine the resonant truth of person and place. I know she looked at and absorbed an enormous amount of technique. Knowledge of Van Goghs tilted space is here, Schieles hands and gaze, Ben Shahns tilted postures, Gaugins dark lines. But Neels technique with line is more sparingly employed than Gaugin, even more compositionally sensitive. In her hand the hard line is but one instrument in an enormous orchestral toolbox.

Her portraits hold clarity, not sentimentality. Working city life calls from worn hands and countenances of many origins. Her subjects, painted with dignity and humor, are not characters, but intriguing people navigating the turbulent 20s, the 30s, the 40s and beyond. Their strengths and vulnerabilities are rendered with a mostly gritty palette, an urgency in the brushwork and compositional boldness that resonate profoundly. Sometimes her subjects look away, toward another figure in the composition as in the poignant rendering of a Harlem couple, entitled Rita and Hubert (1958).

Near the collections mid-point, specific Neel paintings hang beside similar compositions from masters such as Henri, Soutine, Valodon, and Lawrence. The life-long learning and synthesis that artists do is clear. One moves between masters, following paint as one might follow speech across oceans - an extremely alive narrative looping backward and forward through time.

The portraits of artists, writers and activists of her mature years show reductive moves, leaving canvas bare, shortening the length or angle of a figures core to force the subject and viewer to share space. Her portrait, Warhol (1970) is masterful, conveying attitude and delicacy at once. As I walk, I hear shadows of conversations. Museum-goers crane, not wanting to move.

In every painting, Neel illumines her subjects as unforgettable. One encounters a Neel more than looks at it. Standing before her portraits, one is pulled inside each paintings moment. The paintings belong to her personal and political life and to the people she encountered in all their fullness. Her initial talent, the respect she accumulated as an artists artist over decades, and her continued growth as a draftswoman and painter converge on one thing: she never let up. There was true, deep personal tragedy from which she recovered, but once she left Greenwich Village and planted herself way uptown, she painted with energy and focus and she nourished her personal values with her art. She continuously expanded her sensibility, becoming more reductive with certain subjects, or gentler, harsher, more exacting and humorous, sometimes telling more with less, always painting with fierce energy and clarity what she saw and felt. Alice Neels magnificently curated retrospective leaves me with no doubt: people do come first.
Chef Mathew Shea says that being a Below Deck yacht chef is a lot harder than it looks. Add a global pandemic to the mix, and its no wonder he experienced anxiety on the job. He originally applied to be on Below Deck Sailing Yacht, but when that gig fell through, he became the chef on Below Deck Mediterranean. Shea opened up to Showbiz Cheat Sheet about his love of sailing, why he applied to be on the show, and the anxiety he encountered this season.

Chef Mathew applied for Below Deck because it was the safest job he could get

Shea said coronavirus (COVID-19) pushed him to seek employment where he could continue with his craft in a safe environment. We were in a pandemic and it seemed like the safest job I could get that year, he admitted. I knew it was going to be in a bubble. The world was shut down, so why not?

Chef Mathew Shea from Below Deck Mediterranean prepares dessert | Laurent Basset/Bravo

Thats when revealed he originally went for the yacht chef position on Below Deck Sailing Yacht. It started with applying for Sailing Yacht, he explained. Because my first job and second job was on a sailing yacht. And that was always really exciting. And I didnt get that and they called me back for this.

I feel like I could really excel, he said about working on a sailing yacht. Because I know what you need to do and prepping in advance and for dinner service.

Chef Mathew shares why the Below Deck chef job is so challenging

Shea was certainly up to the task but said cooking on the show is far more challenging than real life. Plus, COVID also threw him a curveball. Because of COVID I couldnt even go out and go to the local markets and go shopping or like choose my product, he recalled. You know, right here Im freelancing on yachts for the summer out of Rhode Island. I get to go to the farmers markets and choose all the best ingredients.

Laughing to keep from crying is our MO, too. #BelowDeckMed pic.twitter.com/b4pfFmwCYX  Bravo (@BravoTV) August 4, 2021

RELATED: Below Deck Mediterranean: How Much Do Charter Guests Pay on the Show Versus Real Life?

I get the preference sheets like a week or two before [charter], he continued. Also, I am able to spend more time making a menu plan. And yet provisions never arrive three hours before the guests on any job Ive ever had. Unless its a rare 24-hour turnaround. But back to back all season like that, it was very different in that sense than any other yacht job Ive ever had.

What made Chef Mathews anxiety worse on Below Deck Mediterranean?

Other Below Deck chefs shared that the series job is far more intense than what theyve experienced in the field. Anastasia Surmava, who was a chef for a portion of Below Deck Mediterranean Season 4 said Below Deck chefs work double time. I think its hard for people to grasp how much work it is for one person, she said. That on top of working 16 to 18 hours every day. By the end, youre just a broken human being.

Alexa, play "Birthday Cake" by @rihanna  and set a reminder for us to watch #BelowDeckMed Mondays at 9/8c or catch-up on @peacockTV pic.twitter.com/1Q983E2M5E  Bravo (@BravoTV) August 15, 2021

RELATED: Below Decks Hannah Ferrier Reveals Her Season 3 Anxiety Was Not Because She Fell for Conrad Empson

Sheas been open about dealing with anxiety. He said being quarantined for two weeks likely made it more pronounced on the show. I think if I hadnt had to quarantine for two weeks before filming, it would have helped a lot, he remarked. Having two weeks to sit alone and think about everything that could go wrong. I was like so worked up in my head.

Below Deck Mediterranean airs on Mondays at 9 p.m. ET/PT. New episodes are available on Peacock one week early on Mondays.
Nicki Minaj has sold millions of records worldwide and opened doors for female rappers like her to follow in her footsteps. Her marriage to Kenneth Zoo Petty, however, has been the subject of criticism in recent years. In August 2021, it finally amounted to a lawsuit against both Petty and Minaj herself.

Nicki Minaj and Kenneth Petty | Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Marc Jacobs

Nicki Minaj and Kenneth Zoo Pettys relationship started when they were teenagers

Minaj and Pettys relationship dates back decades. They grew up together in Queens, New York, and dated when they were teenagers. But after they broke up, several years passed and Minaj became a world-renowned rapper.

Minaj and Petty rekindled their relationship in 2018, and they were married the following year. In September 2020, Minaj gave birth to her first child, a son, whom she had with Petty.

From the beginning of their relationship in 2018, Minaj has been lambasted for dating Petty, who has a criminal record dating back to the 1990s.

Kenneth Zoo Petty (L) and Nicki Minaj | Johnny Nunez/Getty Images

RELATED: Nicki Minaj Was Implicated in Her Husband Kenneth Pettys Sexual Assault Case

Kenneth Zoo Pettys criminal past

Court documents obtained by The Blast in 2018 showed that Petty was charged with attempted rape in September 1994. According to court records, a woman named Jennifer Hough was walking to school when Petty walked up behind her, pressed an object against her back and told her to keep walking to his house, then allegedly began to rape her at knifepoint. She escaped after hitting him with a bottle.

Petty denied the rape allegation upon his arrest, while Hough immediately reported the incident. Hough alleged in court documents that Pettys parents responded to her claims by telling her adoptive family that the two were dating, when Hough claimed they werent a couple.

According to Newsweek, Petty was arrested again in March 2020 for failing to register as a sex offender in California where he currently lives. Petty pled guilty, and the court simply ordered him to wear an ankle monitor and abide by a curfew.

Nicki Minaj and Kenneth Zoo Petty are being sued by Jennifer Hough

In August 2021, both Petty and Minaj herself were sued by Hough in civil court. Hough felt it was necessary after the treatment she received from Minaj and her team.

Hough alleged in the lawsuit that Minaj and several of her associates offered her money to change her story after Petty was arrested in 2020. She declined their offer, and within days, she and her family suffered an onslaught of harassing calls and unsolicited visits. Hough alleged that Minaj had lawyers reach out to her brother shortly after that and offered a $500,000 payment in exchange for her taking back her story.

Hough was allegedly offered one more bribe of $20,000 and received another alleged threat to her safety, which she again declined. Hough believes Minaj and Petty are guilty of intentional infliction of emotional distress, as well as harassment and witness intimidation.

According to Hough, Minaj continued to send lawyers to her home and pressure her into recanting her story. Hough no longer felt safe in her own home, and was forced to move in August 2020.
It will be hard to forget the images of Afghans mobbing outgoing aircraft, some clinging on to planes with their bare hands, in their desperation to leave their country following the Talibans takeover of Kabul.

President Joe Bidens follow-through on former President Donald Trumps planned withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Talibans prompt takeover, and the seeming lack of coordination and planning to evacuate translators and others at risk of persecution have sparked intense outrage and sadness worldwide.

Christians both inside and outside the United States disagree on what the US government and military should have done. But they are trying to apply their faith to help them understand how to best advocate for justice in the aftermath.

CT surveyed 15 leaders on what they are lamenting about the American withdrawal and Taliban takeover; how theyre praying for Afghanistans future; what they think American Christians can learn from the war; how they see the long-term impact on the mission field; and whether the decades of investment by Americans troops and foreign Christian workers were worthwhile or wasted.





Chris Seiple is president emeritus of the Institute for Global Engagement and author of The US Military/NGO Relationship in Humanitarian Interventions.



Paul Miller is professor of the practice of international affairs at Georgetown Universitys School of Foreign Service. He previously served as director for Afghanistan and Pakistan on the National Security Council.



Mariya Dostzadah Goodbrake and her family were once Afghan refugees. She now serves as the executive director of Global FC, an organization that serves refugees in the Kansas City area.



Eugene, a Christian worker who served in Afghanistan and Pakistan for decades and requested anonymity due to ongoing ministry.



Jenny Yang is vice president for advocacy and policy at World Relief, the humanitarian arm of the National Association of Evangelicals and one of the USs nine refugee resettlement agencies.



Mark Tooley is the editor of Providence: Journal of Christianity & American Foreign Policy and the president of the Institute on Religion and Democracy.



Humphrey Peters is primate of the Church of Pakistan and bishop of the Diocese of Peshawar, which extends to Kabul.



Ryan Brasher spent seven years (20142021) as a political science professor at Forman Christian College in Lahore, Pakistan.



Mark Morris is the director of RefugeeMemphis.com and urban theological studies professor at Union University.



Mansour Borji is advocacy director for Article 18, an organization which supports persecuted Christians in Iran.



Josh Manley is senior pastor of the Ras Al Khaimah church plant in the United Arab Emirates who has



Fouad Masri is president and CEO of Crescent Project and a Lebanese American pastor.



Hurunnessa Fariad is an Afghan American Muslim and the director of outreach for Multi-Faith Neighbors Network, which builds relationships among religious communities in order to reduce suspicion or antagonism.



Another contributor is a veteranmissions leader from Southeast Asia, who requested anonymity because he is still active in the affected region.



A final contributor is a US-based Afghan married to an Afghan pastor, who requested anonymity due to personal connections in Afghanistan. Our contributors is president emeritus of the Institute for Global Engagement and author of The US Military/NGO Relationship in Humanitarian Interventions.is professor of the practice of international affairs at Georgetown Universitys School of Foreign Service. He previously served as director for Afghanistan and Pakistan on the National Security Council.and her family were once Afghan refugees. She now serves as the executive director of Global FC, an organization that serves refugees in the Kansas City area., a Christian worker who served in Afghanistan and Pakistan for decades and requested anonymity due to ongoing ministry.is vice president for advocacy and policy at World Relief, the humanitarian arm of the National Association of Evangelicals and one of the USs nine refugee resettlement agencies.is the editor of Providence: Journal of Christianity & American Foreign Policy and the president of the Institute on Religion and Democracy.is primate of the Church of Pakistan and bishop of the Diocese of Peshawar, which extends to Kabul.spent seven years (20142021) as a political science professor at Forman Christian College in Lahore, Pakistan.is the director of RefugeeMemphis.com and urban theological studies professor at Union University.is advocacy director for Article 18, an organization which supports persecuted Christians in Iran.is senior pastor of the Ras Al Khaimah church plant in the United Arab Emirates who has built relationships with Afghan pastors.is president and CEO of Crescent Project and a Lebanese American pastor.is an Afghan American Muslim and the director of outreach for Multi-Faith Neighbors Network, which builds relationships among religious communities in order to reduce suspicion or antagonism.Another contributor is a veteranmissions leader from Southeast Asia, who requested anonymity because he is still active in the affected region.A final contributor is a US-based Afghan married to an Afghan pastor, who requested anonymity due to personal connections in Afghanistan.

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Afghan pastors wife: It happened so quick and no one was ready. It was said September would be the date but they left so soon. My single sister could not escape.

Hurunnessa Fariad: First is knowing that a nation full of resilient and tenacious people is going to continue to suffer. More than 40 years of bloodshed and fear is too much and it shouldnt be happening in todays society. Afghanistan has gone back to the dark age, literally overnight.

Second, how cowardly President Ghani abandoned his responsibility to serve the people of Afghanistan.  He sold and left Afghanistan for the wolves. Third, the American withdrawal was so poorly planned and executed. The panic and rush which ensued at the airport in Kabul could have been avoided. What happens to the over 80,000 SIV (Special Immigrant Visa) applicants who were promised protection by the US government yet are stuck in Kabul, fearing for their life as the Taliban take inventory?

Third, the violence and control which will be placed on the women of Afghanistan. The idea of women being forced to wear the burqa again, not be allowed to leave their homes without a lawful male escort, not be allowed to go to school and work, forced into marriages with Taliban members, just makes my blood boil and my heart bleed for my people.

Paul Miller: I hardly know where to begin. I lament lost lives, lost freedoms, rampant injustice, the victory of tyranny and terror. The bad guys won. We live in a world where a coalition of the richest and most powerful nations in history collectively persuaded themselves that they were powerless to stop the descent of a nation into anarchy and barbarismand, since they were powerless, they told themselves the comforting myth that it was inevitable, that there was nothing to be done. I lament the lies we tell ourselves and the myths we weave to help us feel better about the morally callous and cowardly decisions we make.

Jenny Yang: Im concerned about the humanitarian fallout from the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and the lack of planning that has put many vulnerable Afghans in a very difficult situation and limited options for those who need to be evacuated. There are many groups of people who are fearful of what the Talibans return to power will mean: those associated with the US military, Christians and other religious minorities, and women and girlsparticularly those who have taken up the opportunity to pursue education. Were grieving with them and asking that the US and other countries push the Taliban to expand as many protections for them as possible.

Mansour Borji: Hard-gained values of human rights and democracy being further tarnished because of the lack of long-term vision and commitment by Western powers that give so much lip service to these values, and thereby giving ammunition to despotic regimes and ideologies to exploit countries and denigrate their peoples dignity.

Josh Manley: While I lament many realities about the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, I lament most the perilous situation in which this places dear brothers and sisters in the Afghan church. For some time, they had known (relatively speaking) a degree of stability and safety. I lament what the new circumstances could mean for their future. I lament the fear and concern they suddenly know right now.

Mark Tooley: This war like all wars reflects human depravity. Its inevitable and inescapable. And yet we can admire the sacrifice and courage of allAmerican, Afghan, and various NATO personnel, along with many NGOswho labored and sacrificed that Afghanistan might escape the ravages of the past. There were many successes: longer lives, greater health, more education, more freedomsacross 20 years. These victories will not be entirely smothered by the Taliban. And we can assume that the church in Afghanistan, however small, has planted seeds whose fruit will be harvested across future generations in ways we cannot imagine.

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Afghan pastors wife: For womens freedom.

Chris Seiple: My prayer is that new ways of being equipped and serving will be revealed to the church in Afghanistan, and the rest of Central Asia. I especially hope that churches throughout Afghanistan, and the region, as well as the Middle East/North Africa region, will become places of trauma careand thus internal and external reconciliationthat serve all of society.

Mark Morris: Praying for the salvation of Taliban leaders. Praying for God to hide those most at risk from the wicked hands of evil men. Praying for the gospel to advance and Christ to refine his church in Afghanistan.

Mansour Borji: That peoples lives be spared, especially those with a faith and/or convictions that intolerant groups like the Taliban find dangerous and undermining their totalitarian rule. That Afghanistan would rise up like a phoenix from the ashes, this time stronger and wiser. Last time the Taliban ruled, the Afghan people realized the emptiness of the promises made by Islamist revolutionaries. A new generation is going to relive that experience.

Paul Miller: I pray for the victory of Gods kingdom, for peace and justice, when it is clearly humanly impossible for those things to come about for the foreseeable future.

Bishop Peters: We are praying that the Holy Spirit touches the Taliban and they remain softhearted and recognize the human rights of all the people. The global body of Christ needs to express Christian love and compassion to the Taliban and share the blessing and joy that God has given us. If prior to the withdrawal we were praying once a day for Afghanistan, now we should pray 10 times.

Jenny Yang: Im praying most urgently for those desperate to escape, that God would preserve their lives and make a waywhether through the US government or otherwiseto find refuge in a safe place where their rights and dignity are fully respected. Beyond that, Im praying for the flourishing of Afghanistans people, especially those who are particularly vulnerable, that they would experience freedoms and joys in the midst of a challenging environment. And I pray that the international community would continue to push the Taliban to promote the rights and freedoms of women and children, of religious and ethnic minorities, and others who often disagree with and may suffer under their rule.

Hurunnessa Fariad: Im praying for Afghan children to never have to go to sleep under the sounds of bombs and gunfire. Im praying for a nation which will be thriving in all areas of lifeeducation, business, tourismpromoting and protecting women and human rights for all ethnicities which make up Afghanistan. Im praying for Afghanistan to be recognized as a nation of strength, dignity, and perseverance as it was before the Soviet invasion.

Eugene: That the Afghan people begin the process of deciding their future without other countries militaries in their country controlling and talking about nation-building when this is what any states people have the right to do themselves. That the Taliban stick to their promises of a freer society with women participating in all aspects of life and girls/women in schools. That followers of Jesus grow in number and maturity and bless the country with transforming deeds and words.

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Fouad Masri: Praying for protection and multiplication of secret believers. Praying that the Afghans will see that a jihadi group cannot be a legitimate leader of all the diversity of the Afghan people. Praying for Afghan neighbors in America to meet Christian friends who will comfort them.

Mariya Dostzadah Goodbrake: I am specifically praying for a generation of courage, resilience, and determination to rise up. I believe that the generation that received a taste of liberation and basic dignity will not forget. We serve a God that constantly reminds us to not forget, to remember, to ponder the path we have ventured. My deep prayer is that this generation will not forget the fragrance of democracy but will rise up with courage to defeat the enemy. I pray for supernatural intervention in the hearts of the Afghan people, that kingdom values and principles are miraculously planted as seeds in the soil of Afghanistan, to grow as trees and bear fruit beyond our comprehension. No democracy is built in 20 years. Nothing is wasted.

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Ryan Brasher: American Christians should a) be thankful for that period of openness in Afghan history; b) be wise and discerning, rather than uncritically patriotic, when the US government proposes foreign military operations (which may well be justified, but there are very few examples, post-World War II, of successful (and ethical) military interventions, particularly in the Global South); c) be open to accepting refugees from Afghanistan and other war-torn countriesincluding into their own neighborhoods.

Chris Seiple: The phrasing of the question begs another: Are we Americans who happen to be Christian, or Christians who happen to be American? Either way, there are secular and ecclesial ways to reflect on the war, recognizing that God is sovereign overand that the Holy Spirit actively works withinboth.

On the spiritual side, it is fair to ask whether a Christian should even care about such things, especially since the victory is already won. I think sounequivocallyas we are called to build Gods kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.

But we need some more work on a theology of citizenship, as well as a theology of engagement and a theology of suffering, all of which must inform and form the secular theory of positive change that explains how the operationalization of our beliefs serves the common good. To do so, we must be credible Christians, and credible Americans. And to be credible, we must be equipped with the skills of engagement. Remember: God does not need us to do his will. But he longs for us to come alongside what he is already doing, precisely because we engage the world not to change it but because he has changed us.

Mansour Borji: Americans paid for this war with their sweat and blood. Their taxes were invested in the war effort and their young died in the battlefields. This war was to uproot an ideology that gave birth to 9/11; and that is not like going on a picnic! American Christians should hold their governments accountable so that they demonstrate the values Americans want to be known by, and not repeat the same foreign policy disasters that only embolden their enemies.

Asian missions leader: American Christians will not (and should not!) feel proud at all about this war and even worse, about the way the US withdrawal was conducted. They will have to be humble whenever they meet any Afghan person and be prepared to let the Afghan speak and just listen. They should not try to argue or justify the US actions, but be empathetic and show love to their Afghan neighbor.

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Hurunnessa Fariad: War and invasion shouldnt be the first answer. Diplomacy and engaging others should be sought out till the very end. We are all inhabitants of this Earth and a war in one place will affect everyone everywhere else. As a Muslim, I can say that we have to stand up and fight for whats right and morally sound, which is huge in the Christian faith as well. I just feel as Americans, we left most of our sacred tenets when we decided to leave Afghanistan to the reign of the Taliban.

Paul Miller: Just war is supposed to aim at a better peace, for lasting conditions of shalom not only for ourselves but for our enemies and for those in whose country we fight. We should think long and hard about how we, the electorate, allowed and enabled our elected officials to ignore those requirements of justice through our passivity, neglect, and apathy. We waged a war of convenience, an endless campaign of whack-a-mole against terrorists without regard for building lasting conditions of peace in Afghanistan or for ourselvesbecause we told ourselves it was too hard and too expensive. We are, of course, witnessing just how expensive the alternative is. And the worst thing is this: Building lasting conditions of peace would not be simple charity; it would be prudent strategy that would have been ultimately more effective than what we ended up doing.

Bishop Peters: Millions of Pakistanis are celebrating the Taliban rule as the victory of Islam over the infidel America. The Pakistani Christian minority (1.2 percent of the population) has been apprehensive, careful in their response. They fear spillover of the Taliban into Pakistan.

The global church cannot be critical and negative all the time. There is high illiteracy and unemployment in this region and British, Russian, and the American superpowers have not been successful in establishing their rule here. Given this volatility, we need to accept the Taliban rule. This further becomes important when we compare the way Taliban had atrocities and bloodshed back in 1995, but this timeso farthey have behaved in a much humane way and this can be attributed to the 20 years of American presence in Afghanistan.

Eugene: I am American and Swiss and have lived among Afghans for 25 years and related with them for about 40 years. In any war, and especially this one, as Americans we have to bear a terrible responsibility for not allowing the people to be free. In the first instance, we provided enough ammunition to the Afghans to defeat the Russians but not enough support to replace the war culture with support for a robust civil society to replace that and replace it with good. We are now in the position of not being able to say we have behaved as a godly people in that country.

Now it is imperative we pray that the Afghan peoples find a way forward to establish their own civil society and give generously of our prayers, time, and energy to support that growth. Being humbly bold about the fact we are followers of Jesus and that it breaks our hearts what our country has contributed to in the destruction of Afghanistan. Then to share and practice the love of Christ and to respect the peoples of Afghanistan as they find their way forward for their country.

Mariya Dostzadah Goodbrake: In our reflection, we want to stay encouraged and to say the right Christian things: God will prevail, This is a broken world, Justice is not on this side of life, or We already have victory.

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Yes, these comments remind us that we have a God that has already prevailed, but can we just grieve for a moment and not say the right Christian thing to say. Can we stand in righteous anger? Can we say that for this moment, evil prevailed? Can we just sit in the hurt and injustice for a moment?

Why? Because only this way can we even feel an ounce of the pain and turmoil of the Afghan people and those who lost and sacrificed for the war. Then, when we have done this, aligned ourselves with the sorrow, we remember that tomorrow we continue the fight.

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Afghan pastors wife: It was a bad decision to leave so fast, but they ultimately had to leave. But not this way.

Mark Morris: Respectfully, thats really not even a helpful question. We can all speculate and recalibrate the past, to no end. We cannot go back. Yes, the usual egocentric, culturally ignorant, and self-serving foreign policy blunders have been repeated by both parties when each held the reigns of power in our country. I dont hold my breath for the US to repent. Rather, we will watch our leaders point at one another and blame the other party. Each leader, each party will be held accountable by God for the decisions they have made and the damage or the good done to humanity by those policy decisions. Now we must decide how we are to respond now.

Ryan Brasher: I am a bit hesitant to speak of repentance when it comes to US foreign or military policy. The US government is not the representative of the church or a Christian body. Furthermore it was not clear in 2001 that things would end up the way they did. It does seem to have been wise to end US engagement in Afghanistan, although perhaps unwise in the speed in which it was done.

Jenny Yang: Im not able to comment on the question of the US military role in Afghanistan, but whats clear to meand to many Christiansis that we have an obligation to prepare for and assist those who will be vulnerable as we leave. When we do leave, we should have done so in such a way that protects the individuals who have risked their lives to stand with the United States. To abandon our allies now, after promising them for decades that we would have their backs, would be a moral stain on our nation with reverberations that will last for decades. The way we leave Afghanistan will be an enduring mark on our nations history.

Fouad Masri: This question is misleading. I think we are confusing the role of the church and the role of the government. The role of the government is to protect the country and to stop evil against its citizens. The role of the church is to be about mercy and justice. As a Christian minister, I believe that war does not solve anything. Jesus wants us to be peacemakers. Jesus also wants us to speak up for the least of these. The killing of Hazara, Uzbek, and Tajik women by the Taliban must be stopped. Islamic sharia law is directly opposite to the commandments of God. This is an ideological war and we are fighting it with the wrong weapons.

Asian missions leader: If the US military had entered an unwise war, then they should have withdrawn only when they could do so without causing more repercussions and damage. That means they should have stayed on longer to help develop the country and ensured that when they left, the Afghan army and government were strong enough and had the infrastructure and strength to hold out on their own without any foreign support. That could possibly have taken years, but it would be the costly price the US had to pay for entering the war unwisely.

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Mariya Dostzadah Goodbrake: America went into Iraq and Afghanistan as mavericks. There was no turning back, no matter the cause. The war was not unwise, it was miscalculated. The US did not enter this war with the sole purpose to revenge the perpetrators of 9/11 as stated by President Biden. President George W. Bush captured the hearts of Afghans and Americans with a bigger narrative to bring dignity, safety, and security to the Afghan people. This justification for war was far more enduring and sustainable. American soldiers did not stay in Afghanistan for 20 years for revenge on terrorists, they stayed to free the hearts of Afghans to new hope. For Biden to minimize the war to [only] revenge is a slap across the face to those who lost their lives in the war, and the families of soldiers who must ask themselves now, Was the sacrifice for nothing?

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Afghan pastors wife: If there are people who are weak in their faith, some will fall away. Social media will be destroyed by the Taliban and this will make it difficult for the believers to get encouraged from outside.

Mark Morris: One question that there is no good answer to is: Where are the missionaries? Where are the international charities? Afghans feel abandoned as expats post on Facebook expressing their gratitude to the military transport that brought them out. Afghan Christians have been talking today about how insensitive that is. You celebrate your escape, but you dont even mention those that you left behind to suffer. There is a need for much prudence in the words we share right now, because the West is not appreciated right now for the nature of our departure. A better plan could have demonstrated our humanity and concern in a more tangible way.

Mansour Borji: Just yesterday I was informed of how some Afghan Christians are now burning literature and other Christian materials in their homes which could expose them to Taliban who are now searching house to house to identity their targets. Many of these believers desperate to find safety and security outside Afghanistan were fruits of many years of prayer, discipleship, and faithful ministry in a harsh environment. Of course their impact on their communities can still continue, but perhaps not as effectively as before. Additionally, the Iranian regime now feels more secure as they dont have US forces on either side of their soil. They feel that they can continue their reign of terror which has already hurt the church not only in Iran, but also in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and Lebanon.

Paul Miller: Afghanistan will be a closed country to missions, as it was prior to 2001. Western and Southern Pakistan are likely to be effectively closed as well. Missions will be extremely dangerous and difficult.

Eugene: It has always been challenging to win the right to share the gospel holistically with Afghans or other peoples from this background. We can talk freely but humbly about Christ and his wondrous transforming power; but now we have a number of huge hurdles to overcome because of our disempowering technology-driven intervention and subsequent hasty withdrawal.

Bishop Peters: China has expressed interest in having diplomatic relations with Afghanistan. So if the situation develops in this direction, we expect that Pakistani and Chinese churches can play a pivotal role in making inroads based on Islamic teachings. Muslims hold Jesus and Mary in great respect and awe. This is the bridge to reach out to these people.

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Asian missions leader: Local Afghans and the surrounding regions will not trust Westerners so easily and especially Americans due to the feeling of betrayal by the US. They probably may be more receptive or open to people coming from the non-Western countries. China will likely take advantage of the One Belt One Road initiative to establish trade ties and business with Afghanistan, and this will provide opportunities for Chinese missionaries to go in as business people.

But in the longer term, the spread of the gospel will have to be done mainly by the local Afghan believers, with help from the diaspora believers as well as Iranian believers whose language is close to Dari. Satellite TV and digital and multimedia technologies will also be very important tools to help reach the Afghan peopleincluding those who are displaced.

Jenny Yang: According to the Center for the Study of Global Christianity, less than 3 percent of people in Afghanistan personally know a Christiannot just that almost no one has heard the gospel or read the Bible or visited a church, but almost no one knows a Christian. Sadly, with the Taliban in power, that situation is not likely to change for the better.

However, while we lament and grieve a horrifically unjust situation that forces people to flee their country, I also have seen how God has worked through the movement of people to draw people to himself, which Acts 17:2627 makes clear is part of Gods sovereign purpose in history, that men and women would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. There is a unique opportunity for Christians in neighboring countries to welcome Afghan refugees, and even in the United States as well. If the global church is welcoming of Afghan refugees, I believe it will lead many Afghan refugees to understand and feel the love of Christ.

Mark Tooley: The Taliban win is a huge blow against any approximation of religious tolerance in a region already very hostile to non-Islamic voices. There will be greater persecution. But the torments of the Taliban regime will ultimately discredit its brand of Islam, just as Irans theocrats have created generations of agnostics and religious skeptics with a still very small but growing church in Iran.

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Afghan pastors wife: It has been worth it because in 2001 so many received Christ and are practicing their faith because they heard the gospel from foreigners.

Chris Seiple: If your lens is a spiritual one, and your definition of success is not secular metrics, just obedience, the practical ministry of presence exercised by the followers of Christ in Afghanistan will yield fruit in ways that we cannot yet imagine. That said, such times are always good for Christian ministries to reconsider and reevaluate their theology of engagement, as well as their theology of suffering, in reflecting on what presence now looks like. Accordingly, organizational approaches to leadership and (board) governance should also be revisited, ensuring that engagement strategies are rooted in Scripture and the culture (not necessarily the sending country and its own cultural approaches).

Put differently, the church always grows when it has compassion on the local peoplewhen it suffers with them. The New Testament is replete with stories of Christians who did not complain about their situation, or flee from it, but saw each difficult situation as an opportunity to share the love of Christ, practically, serving those who were unable to flee war, famine, and pestilence. May we be worthy of the example of our spiritual forebears.

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Paul Miller: There were no international terrorist attacks emanating from South Asia for 20 years. Thats a victory we shouldnt take for granted. Second, we gave a generation of Afghans a taste of a better lifea memory that I hope they will use as inspiration to work for a better future. Beyond that, it is hard not to feel like all our efforts were turned to ash this week by the Talibans victory, aided and abetted by the US governments decision to abandon our allies, betray our purpose, and make vain the sacrifice and hardship of countless thousands who worked and served there.

Ryan Brasher: The investment of foreign Christian workers was definitely worth it. The work of Christ does not depend on politics and political events, and is always worth it. As for the investment of the US government and military, I am sure the Taliban appreciate the massive infrastructural development of the country since they were kicked out. It will make it easier for them to govern, for better or worse! Afghanistan is another example of good intentions gone awry, when development is not driven by local conditions, local demands, local partnership, and local ownership, but by foreign interests and the short-term funding cycle demands of international donors. Strong and effective states cant be imported; they have to develop from local conditions.

Eugene: This is a two-edged sword. The work of a number of like-minded NGO workers and groups will last a long time because of all that has been established across a wide variety of life transforming programs, such as eye care, community development, work among persons and communities relating to persons with disabilities, medical, agricultural, economic, and other areas. Also that there are a growing number of followers of Jesus in the country and the Afghan diaspora is wonderful to behold as these individuals and families are growing in their faith in Christ. These things cannot be taken away.

Fouad Masri: It is always worth it when people get freedom to study, go to school, be creative, and hear the teachings of Jesus. What a joy to meet Afghan believers. What a joy to see Malala go to school. It is always worth it to sacrifice for freedom. I think of all my Afghan friends who have had opportunities to study, travel, excel, and hear the good news of Jesus. What you see is a lack of long-term thinking on the part of the nations, Afghanistan, the US, and the international community.

Asian missions leader: There has been spiritual fruits as evidenced by the growing number of underground Afghan believers in recent years. Those believers who have stayed behind will become the nucleus of the underground church that will carry on the work of evangelism in the future. But looking at the amount of money spent by the US government, one wonders what could have been the outcome if a large portion of the expenditures were spent on infrastructural development like more building schools and hospitals, creating businesses and jobs, and improving the lives of the people.

Mariya Dostzadah Goodbrake: The seeds of democracy were planted in the hearts of the people. Christian workers have left footprints in the country that cannot be erased. Feeling hopeless right now does not equal defeat. The blood of Christians and fallen soldiers cannot be washed away. Nothing is ever wasted  what we cannot understand right now still has the potential for so much more. Was it all worth it? I am not sure, but what I hold on to is that the story of Afghanistan is not over. We may not see democracy regained in the country in our lifetime, which simply reminds us and humbles us that we are merely a small role in a much larger story. There is a famous Afghan saying that my father reminds me during this time: Dika Dika, Darya Maysha, which translates to drop by drop, a river is made. Right now, it feels like this river has dried up or gone empty; but drop by drop, progress will be made.

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Mark Morris: Our Afghan followers of Jesus tell me that it was worth it.

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Afghan pastors wife: Remember Afghan Christians. Pray for them. Encourage them. The believers feel abandoned and are confused. Please pray for us.

Chris Seiple: Afghanistan is but one troubling issues among manye.g., the pandemic, race, our politics, etc.that should challenge Christians about how they organize to testify to their hope within. Christian organizations, local and global, should be asking themselves if their strategy, structure, and staffing are appropriate to the times we live in, and whether its personnel have been sufficiently equipped to engage in a manner worthy of the gospel.

Asian missions leader: One can draw several similarities or parallels between the rapid church growth of Iran in the 1980s and 1990s after the Islamic Revolution and that of China in the post-Cultural Revolution. It would be interesting to see if Afghanistan will also see a parallel rapid church growth in the next 1020 years after this Taliban invasion. They all had many similarities: the existence of strong anti-Western and anti-Christian backgrounds; long history of suffering and poverty; extremely authoritarian and harsh government regimes; a large number of disenchanted young people due to the lack of social freedoms; and people have been losing faith in their own religion or ideology (e.g., communism, Islam), just to name a few.

Josh Manley: At present, our Afghan brothers and sisters are in hiding. Consider the costs they are counting for holding fast to the gospel. While politics are important and certainly have real importance and their appropriate place, consider whether we should learn from our brothers and sisters in Afghanistan if we have placed too much hope in politics.

Have American Christians lost sight of the churchs mission by looking too much to American politics to fulfill our mission? Does the present acrimony, breakdowns of unity, and evident conflict among American Christians who profess the same gospel not evidence that we perhaps have?

Access and the ability to participate in the political process is a great blessing for us as American Christians, but could we also learn from our Afghan brothers and sisters who have no access to political power? Our brothers and sisters there are in no way confused how they will advance the mission of the church and who they are dependent on to advance that mission.

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Christians in India are seeking to square conflicting research on communal tensions in their country.

About 100 Christian leaders from across the subcontinent attended an online consultation last month hosted by the Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI) to discuss the findings and ramifications of a recent landmark report by the Pew Research Center, entitled Religion in India: Tolerance and Segregation.

A panel of seven leaders convened by EFI, which represents 65,000 churches and hundreds of Christian organizations across India, discussed the strengths and weaknesses of the reports methodology and engaged attendees in Q&A on Pews findings on tolerance, segregation, religious beliefs, identity, nationalism, and more. Indian Christian sources previously told CT the report offered quantitative validation of their lived experience.

While the report surveyed about 30,000 Indians nationwide across six faiths and 17 languages, including about 1,000 Christians, the EFI panel wished the sample size had been even largergiven their nations 1.38 billion people and its size and diversityand thus better able to examine regional differences in complex issues.

Their biggest area of disagreement: the level of communal tensions between Indias majority Hindus and its Christians, Muslims, and other religious minorities.

Pew found 9 in 10 Indian adults say they feel very free to practice their religion, while 8 in 10 say respecting other religions is very important to their own faith as well as to being truly Indian. Yet Pew also found a fair amount of support for religious segregation. For example, a third of Hindus in India would not be willing to accept a Christian as a neighbor, and neither would a quarter of Indian Muslims or Sikhs.

Indians, then, simultaneously express enthusiasm for religious tolerance and a consistent preference for keeping their religious communities in segregated spheres, wrote Pew researchers. They live together separately.

It was generally agreed that the [Pew] report, although unsurprising in some respects, does not adequately reflect the ground reality in Indiaparticularly the narrative of hate and polarization, said Vijayesh Lal, EFIs general secretary and a panelist during the consultation.

As CT previously noted, tensions over increasing Hindu nationalism in India have caused the nation to climb the ranks of persecution watchdogs in recent years. Open Doors ranks India at No. 10 on its 2021 World Watch List of the 50 countries where its hardest to be a Christian. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom recommends India be added to the State Departments list of Countries of Particular Concern. Pew itself calculates that India has the highest level of social hostilities regarding religion among the worlds 25 most-populous countries, as well as one of the higher levels of government restrictions.

Pew found that only 1 in 10 Indian Christians reported being discriminated against in the past 12 months because of their faith. Yet this ranged regionally from 19 percent of Christians in the East and 12 percent in the Northeast to 6 percent in the South. (Pew could not break out Christian responses regionally in the North, Central, or West due to sample sizes.)

Days after EFIs panel assessed the Pew report, its Religious Liberty Commission (RLC) released its latest report on hate and violence against Christians in India, concluding the number of incidents targeting Christians in the first six months of 2021 has increased compared to the same time period last yeareven despite a brutal second wave of COVID-19.

The commission recorded 145 incidents targeting Christians from January to June 2021. Researchers stated the violence was vicious, widespread, and ranged from murder to attacks on church, false cases, police immunity and connivance, and the now normalized social exclusion or boycott which is becoming viral.

The analysis documents three murders, 22 cases of physical violence, 22 instances of attacks on churches or places of worship or their vandalization, and 20 cases of ostracizing or social boycotting in rural areas of families which had refused to renege on their Christian faith and had stood up to mobs and political leaders from the local majority community.

The most alarming development has been the expansion and scope of the notorious Freedom of Religion Acts, which are popularly known as the anti-conversion laws, earlier enforced in 7 states, to more states ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party, stated RLC researchers. Once targeting only Christians, they are now armed also against Muslims in the guise of curbing Love Jihad. This is an Islamophobic term coined some years ago to demonize marriages between Muslim men and non-Muslim women, particularly those belonging to the Hindu upper castes.

The laws ostensibly punish forced or fraudulent religious conversions, the researchers stated. But in practice, they are used to criminalize all conversions, especially in non-urban settings.

For example, a mob of religious extremists forcefully barged into a church and assaulted 25 Christians, including women worshipers, on February 7 in the Alirajpur district of Madhya Pradesh, according to the report. The attackers also lodged a complaint against the Christians at the Udaygarh police station alleging conversions. This resulted in the police detaining and interrogating the two dozen Christians and filing charges against their pastor Dilip Vasunia under the states Freedom of Religion ordinance. The pastor was imprisoned and finally made bail after a few days, while no action was taken against the attackers who assaulted the Christians.

The report also narrates how on June 28, police in Uttar Pradesh arrested pastor Shivkumar Verma and another Christian on trumped up charges of religious conversions. Local sources alleged that since there was no evidence corroborating the accusations, police demanded bribes to release the two Christians. Verma spent a month in prison before finally being released at the end of July.

The EFI commission made it clear that its report is indicative of current events, not an exhaustive tally, and the actual number of sectarian incidents may be much larger.

Madhya Pradesh, the central state of India, and Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state, led the tally of incidents against Christians, followed by Chhattisgarh and Karnataka.

Violence against Christians by non-state actors in India stems from an environment of targeted hate, stated researchers. The translation of the hate into violence is sparked by a sense of impunity generated in Indias administrative apparatus.

The RLC report offered recommendations to the government of India. Chief among them: enacting a comprehensive national legislation against targeted and communal (sectarian) violence; advising the various state governments to repeal anti-conversion laws that limit religious freedom and are being misused against religious minorities; the enaction of laws to check hate speech and propaganda; and amending paragraph 3 of the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order of 1950 to include Christians and Muslims.

The sad reality is that minorities are targeted, and these incidents occur and despite the pandemic have increased over last years figures, said Lal. This appears to be in contrast with the Pew report that would like us to believe that tolerance runs high in present-day India. While there are examples of tolerance historically, the dividing of people driven by narrow political interest is real as well and too often makes use of religion for polarizing people and carrying out sectarian violence.

Panelist John Dayal, a Delhi-based Christian political analyst and cofounder and past secretary general of the All India Christian Council, said the report could mislead global thought leaders, the media, and fellow Christians into a dipstick understanding of religion in India and miss the extreme polarization in recent years.

Pews research found that 53 percent of all Indians and 44 percent of Indian Christians think religious diversity benefits India, while 24 percent of all Indians and 26 percent of Indian Christians think it harms the country. Christians were the least likely of any religious group to say that religious diversity benefits India.

The EFI panel concluded with recommendations for the Indian church.

The first was for Indian believers to go beyond the segregations of the denominationalism that exists within the church in India, and to examine how a more inclusive Christian spirituality could be developed.

Failure to do this may destroy our ability to be a witness in the nation, warned panelist C. B. Samuel, a respected Bible teacher and former executive director of EFICOR (formerly the Evangelical Fellowship of India Commission on Relief).

The divides of regionalism and caste in Indian society exist also within the church, thus a noticeable difference in the response of south Indian Christians vs. their brethren in the north or northeast. Therefore, a conscious modeling of church which breaks the barriers is very important, said Samuel.

Both panelists and participants stressed the themes of common humanity and the intentional visibility of good deeds. It was also shared that the church must be intentional about critiquing power issues.

The report speaks about segregation, but the core issue is the misuse of power that leads to segregation which eventually destroys common humanity and leads to silos, said panelist Richard Howell, principal at the Caleb Institute of Theology and past general secretary of EFI.

Howell also stressed the primacy of theological identity rather than cultural identity. We have forgotten our theological identity. If we only major on cultural identity, there is no critique of power left, he said. Our critique comes from a transcendence. We must never forget this.

Panelist Ashish Alexander, head of the English department at Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology, and Sciences in Allahabad, pointed out that during the survey Christians were asked if Muslims were discriminated against in India and only 16 percent agreed. When Muslims were asked the same about Christians, only 8 percent agreed. Hence, Indian Christians need to be sensitized about Indian Muslims and vice versa, and a bridge needs to be built.

The consultation ended with a call for deeper research into themes both explored in the Pew study and beyond it, such as polarization, hate campaigns against minorities, and Islamophobia in India.

I also wish that Pew would have dissected Indian Christianity, said Dayal, to find out what are our strengths and soft spots.

We do need more studies, more understanding among ourselves, said panelist Vinay Samuel, founder of the Oxford Center for Mission Studies and the Oxford Centre for Religion and Public Life. Identities have boundaries as well. So, we do need to look at how different groups are constructing their identities, i.e. South Indian Christians, North Indian Christians, Punjabi Christians, etc.

There is a need to devise institutions to bring Indias religious communities onto common platforms to discuss issues and diffuse tensions, said Lal in summary at the end of the consultation.

In India, religion has to be experienced. Experience comes first, then relationship and thirdly conceptuality, said Howell. Where Christians have taken time to build bridges, things are better. We [Christians] must take time to build bridges with all communities.
National Abortion Federation will stop supporting clinics that violate Texas' heartbeat law

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As a law banning abortions as early as six weeks gestation is scheduled to take effect in Texas next month, a professional coalition of abortion providers has announced that it will no longer financially support clinics that defy the legislation.

The National Abortion Federation, a professional association heavily engaged in pro-abortion advocacy, has announced that it would stop providing financial support to clinics that defy a law passed in May by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott.

The law, Senate Bill 8, also known as the heartbeat bill, will ban abortions after a fetal heartbeat can be detected and will go into effect on Sept. 1.

The Houston Chronicle reported that the NAF alerted Texas clinics that it would remove support if they defy the law but would fund up to the total cost of abortions within the guidelines.

NAF Chief Executive Katherine Hancock Ragsdale said in an interview that her organization is working to create a concierge team to help Texas women obtain abortions.

We, along with our members, are preparing for all scenarios in Texas," the federation elaborated in a Twitter post. "If this law moves forward, we will have to comply but that doesnt mean we will stop helping folks access the abortion care that they need. We will never stop fighting. #TXDeservesBetter.

We, along with our members, are preparing for all scenarios in Texas. If this law moves forward, we will have to comply but that doesnt mean we will stop helping folks access the abortion care that they need. We will never stop fighting. #TXDeservesBetterhttps://t.co/TrX8R0VQsl  NAF (@NatAbortionFed) August 13, 2021

Senate Bill 8 will also enable private citizens to sue those who perform abortions and those who help women obtain abortions that violate the law.

Critics have characterized the provision of the law as an encouragement for people to put bounties on women who have had abortions.

Ragsdale agreed with that analysis, telling NBC News that its bounty hunting. She also characterized the law as incentivized vigilantism, adding its part of a growing level and climate of vigilantism and violence that large chunks of the country feel is justified.

This kind of incentivized vigilantism isnt just about abortion issuesIts part of a growing level and climate of vigilantism and violence that large chunks of the country feel is justified. -NAF President and CEO, @KatherineRagsdahttps://t.co/aGgSwjM91j  NAF (@NatAbortionFed) July 26, 2021

While pro-abortion groups have indicated that they plan to comply with the new law, Senate Bill 8 has already faced a court challenge. Texas Right to Life reports that a hearing is scheduled for Aug. 30, two days before the law is expected to take effect.

Multiple federal judges have ruled heartbeat bills passed in other states unconstitutional. Even though judges in Mississippi, Georgia, Missouri and Iowa have struck down heartbeat bills, that has not stopped additional states from passing similar measures.

Earlier this year, Oklahoma and South Carolina passed bills banning abortions after six weeks gestation.

The passage of Senate Bill 8 and the resulting litigation to stop it from taking effect comes as the U.S. Supreme Court is slated to rule on the constitutionality of Mississippis 15-week abortion ban. Pro-life advocacy groups see the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization as a landmark opportunity to chip away at the precedent set by Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision establishing that women have the right to obtain an abortion.

The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments for the case in its upcoming October term, which will begin this fall. A decision is expected at some point next spring. The Texas heartbeat bill is just one of several pro-life laws enacted at the state level in 2021, which the pro-abortion Guttmacher Institute described as the most devastating antiabortion state legislative session in decades.

A report from the Guttmacher Institute found that in the first four months of 2021, over 500 pro-life bills were introduced in state legislatures across the U.S. An updated report from the abortion advocacy group found that by the middle of 2021, the number of pro-life laws passed at the state level this year had increased to 90.
Former Satanist says he converted to Christianity after having out-of-body experience in Hell

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Worshipping the devil, practicing witchcraft and delving into the occult world for decades alongside family members who were practicing witches are all memories ex-Satanist John Ramirez has of the life he lived for 35 years before turning to God.

Ramirez, who is now 57 and an evangelist, said he will never forget the night 22 years ago when he made the decision to walk with the Lord Jesus Christ.

On that evening in 1999, Ramirez said that God gave him a "life-altering, out-of-body experience" in which he transcended from his bodily form and went on a train that he knew was traveling to "Hell rapidly.

In a recent interview, Ramirez told The Christian Post that during his out-of-body experience, he remembers sitting on the train, going faster than anything on the planet.

"There also were people on the train and I could see the terror of fear on them, but I couldnt see their faces," he said. "They knew they were going somewhere and they knew they were not coming back."

"Also, Jezebel was on the train, which is a demon principality, yelling from across the aisle, calling me a traitor in demonic tongues. The train made an explosion right into Hell and the doors were opened," he added.

"When I came off the train in Hell, I stepped onto the ground and the ground was breathing like a human being. I encountered people in Hell that were in the occult that were still alive on the earth. God told me sometime later that these individuals were not going to repent.

He said what he experienced was life-transforming, similar to the transformation of Apostle Paul. Today, he is an evangelist for Jesus Christ, seeking to win souls around the world and setting the captives free by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Following that night in 1999, Ramirez has devoted the past two decades to preaching the holy Gospel and sharing his testimony globally of Gods goodness in His life.

He has also authored several books, including Out of the Devil's Cauldron: A Journey from Darkness to Light. He is set to release his new book on Oct. 12, Conquer Your Deliverance: How to Live a Life of Total Freedom.

His ministry, John Ramirez Ministries, offers multiple programs, books and courses on spiritual warfare available online. He said his mission in Christ is to fight the good fight against the kingdom of darkness and point people to the cross of Jesus Christ. Ramirez has made appearances in various regions to share his testimony.

The evangelist was first introduced to the occult at the age of 8 by his Puerto Rican parents, who practiced Santeria. The belief system blends spirit worship and animal sacrifice with aspects of Roman Catholic teaching.

Ramirez often shares with others how he was once trained to be part of a satanic cult by witches and warlocks and how he became a high-ranking warlock in the highest level of the occult  casting powerful witchcraft spells and "controlling entire regions and astro projecting and cursing regions under the name of Satan and his kingdom."

Eventually, Ramirez said he sold his soul to the devil in a diabolical, blood-soaked ritual."

In his testimony, Ramirez shares how he would actively recruit souls into this unholy kingdom by haunting the bars and clubs of New York City by night to find his next victims.

The love of Jesus Christ is in my heart and what He has done in my life is truly supernatural, Ramirez told CP. There are a lot of people who have been hurt by witchcraft and demonic forces, and I am here now to set others free because God freed me."

"I am free in Christ," he added. "I know my purpose and my destiny today in Christ.

Ramirez said one of the greatest tricks of the enemy is to pretend to make life easier and let people play into the great deception. People dont know these consequences lead them straight to Hell.

People want a microwave-effect," he detailed. "When I was in the devil's kingdom, it was like a microwave: You get it fast and you lose it fast. But the devil comes to collect later."

For Ramirez, it is a special and worthy experience to put his faith in God. He stressed that "when [people] sell their souls to the devil, they are giving away their purpose and their destiny.

Everyones soul belongs to God, and no one truly sells their soul to the devil because their soul will always belong to God, their Creator," he said. "But, selling your soul to the devil is another way of saying you are devoting your focus, allegiance and time to the devil. You are making a commitment to something that isnt worthy and that is not a good return in the end."

But even people who sell their soul to the devil, Ramirez added, will have to "face God at the end of time in the final judgment."

"God has the final say," he said.

Ramirez recently made a guest appearance in California. He shared a sermon, his testimony and participated in a Q&A for an audience at the Explosive Spiritual Warfare & The Prophetic event livestreamed on YouTube on July 17.

At the event, Ramirez told viewers that God is calling him for East Coast and West Coast ministries and ministries around the world. He said God has plans for California and the world for Jesus Christ.

Theres a spirit of pride and religion that are running Hollywood, and the altar of Satan is [located] in Hollywood, he said as a response to an audience members question. We are going to take Hollywood back from California.

"Gods going to give an eviction notice to the enemy and around the world," he said.

He advised churches to never leave your post because God never created anyone to run [from where He is calling them to go].

Coming from a past lifestyle where he attended church in the daytime and practiced witchcraft at night, Ramirez told the crowd that they could be a generation of people who know how to fight, shake, dismantle and uproot the demonic assignment of their lives.

Truthfully, a religious spirit is a demonic spirit. That is the same spirit that killed Jesus. The spirit of religion is a spirit that is a cancer that is killing the Church within, and the devil is into religion, he contends. The only way you can have Jesus is when you have a real encounter. ... The fight has been won at the cross. Jesus said, It is finished, which means [He] did everything to fight your fight. Jesus did everything to equip the saints to fight the good fight.

He believes "many Christians run from where God is calling them to go by sweeping their assignment from God under the rug. Many, he preached, have been running away and not confronting the enemy who is in front of them."

"It is time to stop talking about the enemy and its time to confront," he concluded. "The battle has been won through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Hobby Lobby ordered to pay $220K for not allowing trans employee to use women's restroom

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A state court has ordered the Christian-owned craft store chain Hobby Lobby to pay over $200,000 in fines for refusing to allow one of its trans-identified employees to use the womens bathroom.

A three-judge Illinois appellate court panel unanimously ruled Friday that Hobby Lobby violated the Illinois Human Rights Act by declining to allow one of its employees to use the bathroom that corresponds with the person's gender identity instead of biological sex.

Fridays ruling reinforces an earlier conclusion of the Illinois Human Rights Commission. The company was ordered to pay its longtime employee $220,000 in attorneys fees for emotional distress. The company argued the fine was excessive. However, the court did not find Hobby Lobby's arguments persuasive.

The retail chain, owned by the Green family, has become known for its adherence to Christian principles.

As explained in the decision, the employee, a biological male who now identifies as Meggan Sommerville, began working for Hobby Lobby in 1998.

In 2007, while working as an employee of the Hobby Lobby in East Aurora, Sommerville began to transition from male to female.

The transition became official in 2010 when Sommerville formally informed Hobby Lobby of her transition and her intent to begin using the womens bathroom at the store. Sommerville presented the store with an updated drivers license, Social Security card and name change court order.

Although Hobby Lobby changed Sommervilles personnel records and benefits information to reflect a "female identity, the store never allowed the employee to use the womens restroom over the past decade.

Sommerville has faced disciplinary action for using the womens bathroom.

The East Aurora store did install a unisex restroom in 2013, enabling store employees and customers to use either the bathroom corresponding to their [biological sex] or the unisex bathroom.

Sommerville contended, however, that being forced to use the unisex bathroom made it seem as if they were segregating me, adding, I felt as though there were the guys, the gals, and then me.

Hobby Lobbys provision of a unisex bathroom available to all employees and customers cannot cure its unequal treatment of Sommerville with respect to the womens bathroom," the court maintained. "If every employee and customer except Sommerville may use either the unisex bathroom or the bathroom corresponding to their sex, but Sommervilles choices are limited to the unisex bathroom or a bathroom that does not correspond to her sex, Hobby Lobby is still discriminating unlawfully."

Sommerville alleged that the inability to use the womens restroom led to severe mental anguish, and the court agreed. It ruled that Hobby Lobbys actions violated a law barring discrimination against any individual because of his or her ... [sex], or sexual orientation ... in connection with employment ... and the ability of public accommodations.

Additionally, the law makes it illegal for any employer to ... segregate, or act with respect to ... discipline ... or terms, privileges or conditions of employment on the basis of unlawful discrimination and for places of public accommodation to deny or refuse to another the full and equal enjoyment of the facilities.

The court emphasized that discrimination against a person because of his or her actual perceived ... sex ... [or] sexual orientation constitutes unlawful discrimination.

Hobby Lobbys conduct thus falls squarely within the definition of unlawful discrimination under the Act, as it treats Sommerville differently from all other women who work or shop at its store, solely on the basis that her gender identity is not traditionally associated with her designated sex at birth, the court argued. The Commission did not err in finding that Hobby Lobbys conduct of denying Sommerville access to its womens bathroom violated her civil rights under articles 2 and 5 of the Act.

While the courts opinion never discussed Hobby Lobbys Christian faith or religious beliefs, it did mention that the arts-and-crafts chain sees an individuals sex  the status of being male or female as an immutable condition.

Hobby Lobby gained national recognition for citing its religious beliefs when objecting to the contraceptive mandate in the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. The mandate forced employers to cover their employees birth control in employer-sponsored healthcare packages.

Hobby Lobby asserted that providing its employees with contraception coverage, including abortion-inducing drugs, would violate the companys sincerely held religious beliefs.

In 2014, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Hobby Lobby v. Burwell that companies could refuse to provide contraception for their employees if doing so violated their religious beliefs.

The Illinois appellate courts ruling against Hobby Lobby comes as congressional Democrats are pushing for the passage of the Equality Act, which would enshrine nondiscrimination protections for the LGBT community into federal law. The language of the Equality Act is similar to that of the Illinois Human Rights Act. Many conservatives have expressed concern about its implications for religious liberty.
Trump slams Biden's Afghanistan pullout: 'I don't think our country has ever been so humiliated'

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Former President Donald Trump castigated his successors handling of the withdrawal of remaining Americans from Afghanistan, characterizing it as the greatest embarrassment in the history of our country.

Trump appeared on Fox News Hannity Tuesday where he discussed the instability in the country following the pullout of U.S. troops and the Taliban's successful seizure of Kabul. I dont think in all of the years our country has ever been so humiliated, he said. Theres never been anything like whats happened here.

The former president reiterated his longstanding support for withdrawing U.S. troops from Afghanistan while slamming the Biden administrations execution of that mission: Its a great thing that were getting out but nobody has ever handled a withdrawal worse than Joe Biden. This is the greatest embarrassment, I believe, in the history of our country.

As Trump noted, thousands of Americans are stranded in Afghanistan because the Taliban has circled the airport.

While the former president noted that he's heard "as many as 40,000 Americans are stranded in the country, CBS News reported that a congressional aide told the news outlet that there are between 10,000 to 15,000 Americans stuck in Afghanistan.

A congressional aide tells @CBSNews we have no partners left in Afghanistan to safely get Americans in-country to Kabul. There are 10-15k AmCits who still need to get out, and that obviously doesnt include the tens of thousands of SIVs or P2 applicants trying to get out of Afg https://t.co/SKw1FvXBCV  Sara Cook (@saraecook) August 17, 2021

According to Fox News, members of the Biden administration have given differing figures when asked how many American civilians remain in Afghanistan. While White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said that at least 11,000 Americans remain in Afghanistan, Department of Defense Press Secretary John Kirby estimated that between 5,000 and 10,000 Americans remain in the war-torn country.

Psaki says there are at least 11,000 Americans still in Afghanistan.



Earlier today, John Kirby said there are between 5,000 and 10,000.  Lucas Tomlinson (@LucasFoxNews) August 17, 2021

While much of Trumps interview with Hannity focused on the dangers Americans face as the Taliban takes control of Afghanistan, and how Biden's exit differed from his administration's plans, faith leaders are also warning about the repercussions for the nations Christian community.

One Afghan Christian, who spoke with CBN News anonymously, predicted that the Taliban are going to eliminate the Christian population of Afghanistan.

Host Sean Hannity noted that Biden blamed Trump for causing the situation in Afghanistan. In his speech to the nation Monday, the president specifically criticized the deal his predecessor struck with the Taliban before leaving office. The former president devoted part of his appearance on the Fox News program to defending the deal. We had a great deal. We worked on it very hard, he recalled.

I spoke on numerous occasions to the head of the Taliban and we had [a] very strong conversation. I told him up front, I said, Look, before we start, let me just tell you right now that if anything bad happens to Americans or anybody else or if you ever come over to our land, we will hit you with a force that no country has ever been hit with before, a force so great that you wont even believe it.

In addition to criticizing the Biden administrations actions over the past week, the former president illustrated how he would have handled the pullout of Afghanistan. Lamenting that we [took] the military out before we took our civilians out, he said that under his plan for withdrawal, We were going to take the military out last.

The people come out first, then I was going to take all of the military equipment, we have billions and billions of dollars worth of new black hawk helicopters, brand new, that Russia now will be examining, and so will China and so will everybody else, he added. He should have gotten the civilians out first. Then, he should have taken the military equipment. We have billions of dollars of brand new beautiful equipment. Take the equipment out and then take the soldiers out.

Trump warned that forts that the U.S. had built were being now used by the enemy. He maintained that he would have ordered the military to blow up all the forts before they left.

Tuesdays appearance on Hannity was not the first time the former president has spoken out forcefully against his successor in the midst of the turmoil in Afghanistan. Over the weekend, Trump released a statement calling on Biden to resign: It is time for Joe Biden to resign in disgrace for what he has allowed to happen to Afghanistan, along with the tremendous surge in COVID, the Border catastrophe, the destruction of energy independence, and our crippled economy.

Trump isn't the only former member of the Executive Branch to rip Bidens Afghanistan withdrawal. In an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal, former Vice President Mike Pence, who served alongside Trump for four years, elaborated on the deal that the Trump administration struck with the Taliban.

In February 2020, the Trump administration reached an agreement that required the Taliban to end all attacks on U.S. military personnel, to refuse terrorists safe harbor, and to negotiate with Afghan leaders on creating a new government. As long as these conditions were met, the U.S. would conduct a gradual and orderly withdrawal of military forces, he wrote.

Alleging that Biden broke our deal by keeping troops in Afghanistan past the agreed pullout date, Pence slammed the manner in which Mr. Biden executed this withdrawal as a disgrace, unworthy of the courageous American service men and women whose blood still stains the soil of Afghanistan.

Public opinion polling indicates that the American public overwhelmingly disapproves of Bidens management of the Afghanistan exit. A poll released Monday by the Trafalgar Group found that 69.3% of Americans disapproved of Bidens handling of the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan compared to just 23.1% who approved. In addition to majorities of Republicans and independents, a plurality of Democrats (48.2%) also expressed some level of disapproval with the administrations recent foreign policy moves related to Afghanistan.
Twitter under fire for allowing Taliban propaganda while banning Trump

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A Republican congressman has sent a letter to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey denouncing the social media giant's troubling double standard for banning the former president from its platform but allowing the Taliban.

Rep. Doug Lamborn of Colorado sent the letter to Dorsey on Tuesday, with Lamborn posting a copy of it on his Twitter and Facebook accounts on the same day.

Lamborn accused Twitter of not enforcing any of its fact-checking efforts on the Taliban accounts, or banning them in light of the social media sites prohibition on violent organizations.

It is clear that the Taliban is a violent organization, wrote the congressman, noting that he did not find a single fact check on any of their tweets, nor any warnings for false or misleading content.

It is impossible to see how the accounts of [Taliban members] Zabihullah Mujahid and Yousef Ahmadi do not violate your policies.

Lamborn added that he believed it was clear that Twitter has political bias in its algorithms and a troubling double standard. The congressman requested a prompt reply on why a former United States President is banned while two Taliban spokesmen are allowed to remain.

For their part, Twitter told Newsweek on Tuesday that they will hold the Taliban accounts to content standards and "continue to proactively enforce our rules and review content that may violate Twitter rules, specifically policies against glorification of violence, platform manipulation and spam.

By contrast, other social media sites such as Facebook have reaffirmed their commitment to ban content that promoted the Taliban, which has been in effect for several years.

The Taliban is sanctioned as a terrorist organization under U.S. law and we have banned them from our services under our Dangerous Organization policies, a Facebook spokesperson told CNBC on Tuesday.

In January, two days after hundreds of pro-Trump protesters stormed the U.S. Capitol, Twitter announced that they were banning then President Trump from their platform.

In a statement released Jan. 8, Twitter argued that Trump should be permanently suspended following the protests due to the risk of further incitement of violence.

Our public interest framework exists to enable the public to hear from elected officials and world leaders directly. It is built on a principle that the people have a right to hold power to account in the open, stated Twitter.

However, we made it clear going back years that these accounts are not above our rules entirely and cannot use Twitter to incite violence, among other things. We will continue to be transparent around our policies and their enforcement.

In July, Trump filed a lawsuit against Twitter, Facebook and other social media outlets that had banned him, stating that their actions constituted unlawful censorship.
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After seeing the images out of Kabul in recent days, Maajid Nawaz, a former radical Muslim, said, Barefoot Taliban conquered a palace. They believed in something and fought for nothing. I have lived with men like this in prison. It is difficult to describe just how seriously they take their cause. There is a lesson here for us in the West, if we are humble enough to see it.

We hear the terror from Afghan women who now wonder what the lives of their daughters will be like, worried that 20 years of progress in womens rights have disappeared overnight. We see the desperation of men so afraid of what might come next that theyre literally clinging to the wheels of American aircraft as they depart. Yet, we struggle to have a category for what they actually fear. Many Westerners dont have the categories to understand the realities of Islamic fundamentalism.

Much of the world has long struggled to understand the worldview that is driving the Taliban conquerors today, or the ISIS fanatics from a few years ago, or the al Qaeda terrorists that struck on 9/11. These groups are driven by their own internal logic, their own worldview.

Im not going to try to explain the entirety of radical Islam. However, there are a few key points about this worldview that can give us clarity in understanding whats happening in Afghanistan and what we might expect in the days ahead.

First, for radical Islam, this isnt about this particular American president or the last American president or any particular foreign policy decision. This is seen as part of a war thats been going on for over 1,000 years.

In the wake of 9/11, Ayman Al-Zawahiri, the second in command of al Qaeda, and in many ways the strategic planner for Osama bin Laden, spoke about his groups goals for this war with the West. In repeated statements to the press, he referred to waging war until all Muslim lands were restored, connecting the conflict in Afghanistan and the battle for Palestine to a worldwide conflict that spans from Iraq to Spain. Yes, Spain.

To American ears, it doesnt make any sense. Iraq, Israel, we can follow. Palestine, sure. Spain? You see, what he knew and what many Westerners have forgotten is that the mostly Catholic country of Spain was once the heartland of the Muslim world. Centuries before the Turks or Indonesians followed Islam, Spain was the base of operations for a potential invasion of Europe. It wasnt until 1492 that Spain was retaken for the Cross.

For radical Islam, once lands have come under the sway of Islam, it is vital that good Muslims do whatever it takes to return those regions to the House of Islam; places where Islamic law and teaching is practiced. Whether were talking about Catholics in Spain or Israelis in Palestine, these people are merely occupying whats rightfully a Muslim land.

This connects to another element of this worldview that we often miss. For Islamists, the West is not the primary enemy. Were merely in the way of where historys headed. What they seek is the overthrow of false Muslim rulers who have been corrupted by the wiles of Western influence. These are, as Al-Zawahiri put it, the "near enemy," and they must be cast down. Only then can true Muslims take control and implement the fullness of Sharia.

In other words, what weve seen on the ground in Afghanistan and what weve seen in the Middle East for a long time is the working out of a worldview. None of the happenings of the last 20 years, or the last 20 days, can be understood without understanding the worldview.

Now, every worldview answers questions. Among these questions are those that ask, what is wrong with the world, and what must be done to make it right? For Christians, the problem is sin and all of its myriad manifestations. The solution is conversion: the conversions of individuals, as well as the restoration of culture through the grace and work of Christ, and through His Church, the restoration of the goodness of His creation.

For secularists and much of contemporary Western culture, the problem is ignorance. Through education and science, and by becoming aware of the perspectives of others, we can hope to improve the structural failings that have plagued our world.

But the problem is seen differently in radical Islam. The problem is seen as the internal corruption of the Islamic states and the unwillingness of the rest of the world to bow to what is ultimately true.

Heres how Islamic scholar Bernard Lewis described it:

For Usama bin Laden and those who share in his views, and there are many of them, the object of the struggle is the elimination of the intrusive Western power and corrupting Western influence from all the lands of Islam, and the restoration of Islamic authority in these lands. When this has been accomplished, the stage will be set for the final struggle to bring Gods message to all mankind in all the world.

Now, I hope one of the things that you notice is that for a true Muslim, Islam is not a point of personal and private belief. Islam describes the actual condition of the world. It describes whats happening and where history is going. And for radicals, whatever needs to be done to accomplish that mission is justified. Whatever atrocities are committed along the way will find their purpose in this overriding goal.

For this goal, they are willing to sacrifice themselves by the thousands. Radical Islamic leaders are willing to be incredibly patient to see this goal accomplished, because they are fully assured that one day their work will indeed bear fruit. The brutality, the absolutism, and the unyielding determination that we see in radical Islam are driven by a worldview. Without a true and accurate understanding of the world, theyll continue to pursue their ends by any means necessary.

We are right to oppose these ideals because lives are at stake. Ideas have consequences. Bad ideas, like the bad ideas of radical Islam, have victims. How we push back on these forces will take many different forms, sometimes even force, but heres whats clear. We will never make headway if we fail to understand the worldview that animates the whole thing in the first place.

Originally published at BreakPoint.
'A kingdom issue': Christian leaders share how believers should pray for Afghanistan

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Christian leaders are asking believers everywhere to unite in prayer as the Taliban has taken over large portions of Afghanistan, leaving the Christians and other minorities in the country susceptible to severe persecution.

Taliban fighters infiltrated the Afghan presidential palace after President Ashraf Ghani fled the country. The takeover came as the United States pulled troops out of the country after having forces in the Middle East country for nearly 20 years.

Although the Taliban has vowed to impose a more reformed approach to governing, many are fearful that the Taliban, which refers to itself as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, could institute a form of shariah law.

A Church leader in Afghanistan says the extremist group will eliminate the Christian population in the country.

"Right now we fear elimination. The Taliban are going to eliminate the Christian population of Afghanistan," a leader who disguised his identity told CBN News in a recent interview.

The leader is among thousands who have come to faith in Jesus Christ over the past two decades.

"There weren't a lot of Christians 20 years ago during the Taliban time but today we are talking about 5,000 to 8,000 local Christians and they live all over Afghanistan," he said.

Following the Taliban takeover of Afghanistans capital, Kabul, Christain leaders worldwide are sending instructions on how Christ's followers should pray for those at risk.
Christian MP urges Boris Johnson to rescue over 200 missionaries from Afghanistan

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A member of the U.K. Parliament has implored Prime Minister Boris Johnson to rescue 228 Christian missionaries who need to evacuate Afghanistan.

As the Taliban has taken control of Afghanistan, over 10,000 American citizens and Afghanis fearful of the Taliban are also desperately trying to flee the country.

Ian Paisley, a member of the Democratic Unionist Party in Northern Ireland, spoke before the House of Commons on Wednesday, stressing the need to get missionaries to safety in light of the Taliban takeover.

"He [Johnson] will be aware that there are 228 missionaries in Afghanistan currently under sentence of death, those missionaries need to be taken out of Afghanistan, said Paisley, as reported by the Belfast Telegraph.

Will the prime minister assure the house every effort will be made to bring back to safe haven, people whose lives are under threat as a result of the catastrophe and foreign policy episode that has gone on in that country?

For his part, Johnson responded that the government would do everything we can to successfully evacuate people from Afghanistan, pledging to resettle at least 5,000 Afghans, possibly as many as 20,000 altogether.

"I'm sure that colleagues across the house, literally every member I imagine, has received messages from people who know someone who needs to get out of Afghanistan, and I can tell the right honorable gentleman that we are doing everything we can to help out of that country, those people to whom we owe a debt of obligation."

Johnson added, "I can tell the House that we have so far secured the safe return of 306 U.K. nationals and 2,052 Afghan nationals as part of our resettlement program, with a further 2,000 Afghan applications completed and many more being processed."

On the same day, First Minister Paul Givan and deputy First Minister Michelle ONeill of the Northern Ireland Executive released statements expressing their support to help Afghan refugees.

Givan remarked that the pain and suffering we see in Afghanistan among those desperately trying to escape Taliban rule is truly profound.

Northern Ireland has not been found wanting when it comes to those seeking refuge or fleeing persecution. In the wake of the Syrian conflict, Northern Ireland took in more than 1,800 people  a higher proportional share than anywhere else in the U.K., stated Givan.

And yet, we have all been moved once again by the scenes in Afghanistan. I am pleased to see a collective will across political parties to address the current situation. We are determined to work with our many partners across society and fellow administrations to offer what sanctuary we can.

Open Doors USA, a U.S.-based Christian persecution watchdog group, ranks Afghanistan at No. 2 on its list of the worst countries for Christians to live.

It is impossible to live openly as a Christian in Afghanistan. Leaving Islam is considered shameful, and Christian converts face dire consequences if their new faith is discovered, stated Open Doors earlier this year.

All Christians in Afghanistan are extremely vulnerable to persecution. Areas controlled by the Taliban are particularly oppressive, but there is no safe way to express any form of Christian faith in the country.
Now is not the time to run away

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Only about thirty percent of our people have returned.

The normally upbeat pastor sagged as he described the before and after impact of COVID-19 shutdowns on his churchs attendance.

He confirmed findings by George Barna. As noted in The Christian Post,Barna reported: One in three practicing Christians is still and only attending their pre-COVID church. Some secular observers gloat over statistics indicating that professing Christians have abandoned churches, and even the faith.

There is a sad irony in this phenomenon.

Reading Barnas reports and those of others brought back to my mind an interview I did more than 50 years ago with one of that eras most famous authors.

William Bradford Huie had penned The Execution of Private Slovik. It would be hailed as one of the top investigative books of the 1960s, and I talked with Huie about the book and Slovik at Huies home in north Alabama.

In 1944, as the Allies Normandy invasions advanced against the Nazis, Eddie Slovik became the first American soldier since the War Between the States to be executed for desertion.

Huie sought to understand why this young Detroit native had run away from the battle in France. Huie discovered that Slovik, terrified, had asked his commanding officer to transfer him to the rear of the unit of attack. Sloviks superior refused, and Slovik told him bluntly that he would run away any way. If caught and sent to the front, Ill run away again ...

And thats exactly what happened.

The dates of the Slovik tragedy reveal the irony. Sloviks desertion occurred in the fall of 1944, when Allied armies were headed, with great cost, but much determination, to victory in Europe. Sloviks execution was on January 31, 1945, five months before VE (Victory in Europe) Day.

Slovik had made it that close to triumph and the end of the war in Europe.

That brings us to the tragic irony of those who are deserting their faith and churches at this point in history. To understand, we must travel much farther back in time, to ancient Jerusalem.

Jesus of Nazareth, after a night of weeping over the city and its rejection of prophets sent by God and their message, walks toward the Temple compound. Some of His followers join Him, and they head in the direction of the Mount of Olives.

As they pass the imposing Temple structure, someone calls Jesus attention to its massive stones. Do you see all these buildings? Jesus replies. I tell you the truth, they will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another! (Matthew 24:2)

Later, up the slope of the Mount, a smaller group of Jesus disciples huddle around Him. Tell us, when will all of this happen? What sign will signal Your return and the end of the world?

Jesus provides detail: false Christs and false prophets will abound, wars will singe the world, people group will arise against people group, Christs followers will increasingly be hated and persecuted, lawlessness in the form of antinomianismthe sheer hatred of law and orderwill explode, and apostasy, falling away from doctrinal truth, will increase as many of His followers in that future period lose their passion for Him and His teaching.

But positively, This gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached to the whole (inhabited) world as a testimony to all the nations (ethnesin, people groups), and then the end (telos, purpose) will come. (Matthew 24:14)

Therefore, the whole purpose of time and history is the atonement of Jesus Christ for the sins of all humanity, and the announcement of that good news to every people group in the world.

There are many other things that will characterize the end-times, but the proclamation to the whole world is the major marker.

Jesus stresses that the one who endures (literally, 'keeps standing firm') to the fulfillment of the telos-purpose will be saved (Matthew 24:13).

So the big question on many minds today is this: Are we in the End Times? And, if so, where are we? How close to the "end are we?)

Times grand fulfillment is the totality of the Christ event: Jesus coming into the world to redeem it, His proclamation, His crucifixion and resurrection, His ascension, and the creation and empowerment of His Church to continue His incarnational ministry in the world as His Body.

The events prior to the Christ event were in the age leading to His first coming. Everything after that  including our era  is leading to the Lords Second Coming.

A fragment in one of the Apostle Pauls letters provides a tantalizing clue. He writes Christs followers in Corinth to heed well the lessons Moses and the Hebrews learned in the Sinai wilderness. These are written for the people on whom the culmination of the ages has come (1 Corinthians 10:6).

If the Corinthian believers 2,000 years ago lived in the culmination (or end-goal) of the purpose of time and history, surely we must.

Whatever the case, we live in the period when for the first time ever certain End Times prophecies can be fulfilled  like the collapse of the global economy in one hour (Revelation 18:10-11), and the proclamation, or announcement of the Gospel of the Kingdom to the whole Earth (Matthew 24:14).

Private Slovik deserted when the Allies at last had the upper hand and were moving fast toward victory  which he missed.

With respect to Christ, the moment He was conceived in the womb of Mary, the beachhead  the seed  of the Kingdom of Heaven was present in the fallen creation, and the world began moving toward His second coming.

Now is not the time to run away.
Mainline denominations, faith groups call on Biden to lift sanctions on Cuba

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Nearly two dozen Christian denominations and faith groups have sent an open letter to President Joe Biden, calling on him to lift certain sanctions imposed on Cuba amid the ongoing protests against the communist regime.

Cuba has been rocked by multiple large-scale protests this summer centered on a mixture of issues, including poor economic conditions, human rights abuses committed by the communist regime in Havana, as well as the government's response to the pandemic.

Sent to the president last Wednesday, the letter specifically urges the Biden administration to lift restrictions on sending medical supplies and food, to re-staff the United States Embassy in Cuba, and to remove all restrictions on banking and financial transactions related to humanitarian aid as well as restrictions on the percentage of U.S.-made material used in foreign-produced medical supplies that inhibit the purchase or distribution of humanitarian aid internationally.

Our partners in the Cuban churches  congregants, ministers, and their communities  have expressed their distress concerning the severe shortages of basic medicines, food, and other vital materials amidst the COVID-19 battle, stated the letter.

As faith-based denominations, organizations and partners, many of whom have a long history of work on the ground in Cuba, we are writing to ask you to prioritize the well-being of the Cuban people, irrespective of political considerations, it continued.

While noting that the economic crisis in Cuba derives from numerous factors, the letter argued that it is clear that the U.S. economic embargo  intensified by the Trump administration  is contributing to the worsening humanitarian situation the island is facing.

We believe your administration should take the necessary steps to remove all obstacles preventing families and communities in the U.S. from helping families in Cuba, it continued.

Entities that have signed on to the letter include the Alliance of Baptists, Church World Service, the Cuba Partners Network of Presbyterian Church (USA), The Episcopal Church, Friends Committee on National Legislation, The National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA, United Church of Christs Justice and Witness Ministries, and The United Methodist Churchs General Board of Church and Society.

The drive of mainline denominations and other faith groups to have the U.S. end sanctions on Cuba has not been without its critics, among them Mark Tooley, president of the Institute on Religion & Democracy.

In a July piece regarding a different letter that had the support of the NCC and other mainline faith groups, Tooley asserted that the effort often ignores or downplays the repression of the Cuban government.

The NCC, United Methodist and mainline Protestant agencies have for 50 years apologized for Cubas dictatorship. During the 1970s and 1980s mainline agencies were enmeshed in Liberation Theology and saw Castros revolution supposedly on behalf of the poor and oppressed as an expression of Gods Kingdom, wrote Tooley last month.

They hailed Cubas supposedly high quality free health care while ignoring Castros totalitarianism, which included persecution of religion, no free speech, and incarceration if not death for tens of thousands of dissenters, not to mention the poverty enforced by corrupt state ownership of property.

As a contrast, Tooley pointed to a recent statement released by The Methodist Church in Cuba, which among other things, denounced the repression exercised against the people who were protesting.

We declare that the people must have freedom of speech. The peoples voice must be heard when they claim for their rights, stated the Cuba-based church.

Cuba ought to be a free and sovereign country, where all their children are respected, both those who support the revolution, as those who do not sympathize with the sociopolitical system.

In 2014, President Barack Obama announced an easing of sanctions on Cuba, ending various economic measures the U.S. had long taken against the communist island nation.

However, in 2017, these efforts on the part of the Obama administration were rolled back by President Donald Trump, who labeled them terrible and misguided.

We will not be silent in the face of communist oppression any longer, said Trump at the time. We do not want U.S. dollars to prop up a military monopoly that exploits and abuses the citizens of Cuba.
Nearly 70% of Americans disapprove of Biden's handling of Afghanistan exit: poll

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Nearly 70% of likely American voters disapprove of how President Joe Biden is handling the situation in Afghanistan as the Taliban takes control of the country, according to a recently released poll.

The Trafalgar Group released a poll on Monday which found that 59.5% of respondents strongly disapproved of Bidens handling of Afghanistan while 9.8% disapproved, for a combined 69.3% disapproval.

By contrast, 12.4% of respondents approved of Bidens handling of Afghanistan, 10.7% strongly approve, and 7.5% responded that they have no opinion on the issue.

The poll was conducted Aug. 14-15 and had a sample of 1,084 likely general election voters, which had a reported margin of error of 2.98%.

Another finding of the poll was that Democrat respondents were also largely critical of Bidens handling of Afghanistan, with 48.2% saying they either strongly disapprove or disapprove, while 39.8% saying they either approve or strongly approve.

Harrowing footage shows dozens of Afghans clambering to enter the cabin of a plane at the Kabul airport during a chaotic rush to flee the country. Live updates: https://t.co/bDE47puNc5pic.twitter.com/PIOZPEqGVI  NPR (@NPR) August 16, 2021

Mark Meckler, president of conservative group Convention of States Action, which partnered with the Trafalgar Group to release the poll, said in a statement released Monday that the poll showed evidence that the American people are not buying the lies on Afghanistan.

This is Saigon, and its far worse. Our nation has watched the same group of leaders in Washington, D.C., flounder and blunder on foreign policy, on COVID-19, on the border, and on the economy, stated Meckler.

After spending more than $1 trillion dollars and enduring wounded and dead soldiers, we are confronted with a basecamp for terror, a foreign policy nightmare, and are now less safe here at home. Time for new leadership.

Over the past several years, the United States has been slowly reducing troop numbers in Afghanistan; although they had toppled the Taliban regime in 2001 for their connection to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Islamic extremist group maintained a longstanding insurgency.

In February 2020, at a speech before the Conservative Political Action Conference in Oxon Hill, Maryland, then President Donald Trump announced an agreement with the Taliban and the Afghan government as a means of ending the war in Afghanistan.

In a distressing video, Afghans can be seen attempting to hold onto a U.S. military plane as it takes off from Kabul airport. According to reports, at least three people died after falling from the aircraft. pic.twitter.com/WvrO0FIIyv  euronews (@euronews) August 16, 2021

Today, the United States signed a deal with the Taliban, so that we can hopefully begin the immediate process of finally bringing our troops back home, Trump told CPAC.

I want to just thank our military because weve been really a police force there for the last long time. Were not supposed to be a police force, were supposed to be fighting soldiers.

Earlier this year, Biden announced that he planned to withdraw the last of the U.S. forces by the beginning of September, reportedly against the wishes of his military advisors.

Recently, with the American withdrawal largely complete, the Taliban went on the offensive, retaking large parts of Afghanistan, including the capital Kabul, with surprising speed.

The result has been a rushed evacuation of Western sympathizers and others from the country, which many have compared to when the U.S. hastily evacuated Saigon in 1975 at the close of the Vietnam War.

In response to the situation, Biden announced that 5,000 U.S. troops would be deployed to evacuate Americans. The Pentagon announced Sunday that an additional 1,000 troops would be deployed to provide security for evacuations after the U.S. State Department reported gunfire at the Kabul international airport and told Americans to "shelter in place."

Biden also ordered our Armed Forces and our Intelligence Community to ensure that we will maintain the capability and the vigilance to address future terrorist threats from Afghanistan.

America went to Afghanistan 20 years ago to defeat the forces that attacked this country on September 11th. That mission resulted in the death of Osama bin Laden over a decade ago and the degradation of al Qaeda, Biden said in a statement on Saturday.

I was the fourth President to preside over an American troop presence in Afghanistantwo Republicans, two Democrats. I would not, and will not, pass this war onto a fifth.
Pastors beaten, jailed after comforting grieving Hindu widower in India: report

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Two pastors and one of their wives were reportedly beaten up and arrested on charges of forced conversion while they were consoling and praying for a Hindu man who had lost his wife, son and daughter-in-law to COVID-19 in northern India.

Pastor Neel Durai, Pastor Vijay Kumar Patel and his wife, Kiran Devi, are in jail after being physically assaulted by Hindu nationalist neighbors of 62-year-old Lalji Vishwakarma in the Phoolpur area of Uttar Pradesh state, Morning Star News reported.

A mob of Hindu extremist neighbors from the Thakurcommunity barged inside the house and falsely accused me and the pastors visiting my house of forced conversions, Vishwakarma was quoted as saying. They have no pity that I have been grieving my familys death.

He told the nonprofit persecution news outlet that he lost his son, daughter-in-law and wife to COVID "one after the other."

"My young granddaughters, ages 10 and 12, and I were longing for Gods servants to visit us, pray for us and comfort us," Vishwakarma said.

The incident took place on Aug. 3 but came to light last week.

Vishwakarma is in a lower caste within India's caste system, which is used in Hindu societies. Some in the lower Dalit caste are labeled as impure or untouchables. The attackers are from an upper caste.

The situation began after a shopkeeper near the house heard the visitors praying, knocked on the door and asked Vishwakarma what was going on inside.

He peeked inside and saw us holding Bibles in our hands," Vishwakarma said. "I told him that he should not be mistaken, and that we are only praying for peace in our hearts since we lost our family members. But he went and brought the mob of upper-caste neighbors.

Soon after that, about 20 people stormed into his home while others surrounded the house, he added.

They started shouting, raising their voices to high pitches. I tried hard to explain to them that it was a prayer for peace, but they did not pay heed to my words," Vishwakarma detailed. "Soon, they started accusing us of forced conversions and started beating the pastors, my grandchildren and me. I was crying, pleading for them to stop, but they would not hear a word.

At an Aug. 5 hearing, a local judge rejected bail for the three Christians. A subsequent bail plea filed before a district judge is yet to come up for hearing.

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 stated in a report that it documented 145 cases of atrocities against Christians  three murders, 22 attacks on churches and 20 instances 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.

Open Doors USA warns that since the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party took power in 2014, persecution against Christians and other religious minorities has increased.

The group reports that "Hindu radicals often attack Christians with little to no consequences."

"Hindu extremists believe that all Indians should be Hindus and that the country should be rid of Christianity and Islam," an Open Doors fact sheet on India explains. "They use extensive violence to achieve this goal, particularly targeting Christians from a Hindu background. Christians are accused of following a 'foreign faith' and blamed for bad luck in their communities."
US takes control of Kabul airport for evacuations amid chaos; Republicans blast 'botched' pullout

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U.S. troops took control of the international airport in Kabul and fired warning shots on Monday, leading to chaos that killed five people as thousands of Afghans and foreign nationals sought to force their way onto planes after the Taliban seized the capital.

A U.S. official told Reuters Monday that troops fired in the air to prevent people from getting onto a military flight on the runway to evacuate U.S. diplomats and embassy staff. However, its not clear whether the five were shot or died in a stampede, a witness was quoted as saying.

The evacuations are taking place in a separate area of the airport that is meant for military use.

Videos emerging on social media showed people clinging to a U.S. military transport plane while it was taxying on the runway.

The U.S. Embassy has been evacuated, and diplomats have been relocated to the airport to aid with the evacuation, ABC News reported.

The U.S. military took over security of the Kabul airport to evacuate foreign diplomats and citizens after President Ashraf Ghani fled the country following the collapse of the government Sunday.

Drawing comparisons to the U.S. pullout in Vietnam in 1975, The Wall Street Journal reported that American commandos in Kabul destroyed hard drives carrying classified material.

Taliban militants held a press conference Monday, the day after taking the capital within days and with little resistance  contrary to the prediction by a U.S. military assessment that it would take them months to seize the capital of Afghanistan.

Today is a great day for the Afghan people and the mujahideen (Taliban), Taliban spokesman Mohammad Naeem told Al Jazeera. They have witnessed the fruits of their efforts and their sacrifices for 20 years. Thanks to God, the war is over in the country.

On Sunday, the Biden administration admitted that the fall of Kabul was much quicker than anticipated. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on CNNs State of the Union" that Afghanistans national security forces were "unable to defend the country."

And that has happened more quickly than we anticipated," he said.

Members of Congress are seeking more information from the administration on how its intelligence misjudged the situation on the ground and why effective contingency plans for evacuation hadn't been put in place.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., called the pullout "botched" and said, "the frantic evacuation of Americans and vulnerable Afghans from Kabul is a shameful failure of American leadership."

"The rapid advance of the Taliban was expected after the US abandonment of Afghan security forces. The plight of innocent Afghans was predicted, and the challenges of safely evacuating U.S. personnel and innocent Afghans have been magnified by our inexplicable withdrawal from Bagram Air Base," McConnell said in a statement. "And the likelihood that Al Qaeda will return to plot attacks from Afghanistan is growing."

Everyone saw this coming except the President, who publicly and confidently dismissed these threats just a few weeks ago," he continued. "The strategic, humanitarian, and moral consequences of this self-inflicted wound will hurt our country and distract from other challenges for years to come."

CNN reports that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., told Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark Milley, during a briefing for lawmakers on Sunday that We didnt give them air cover."

"You say you had this plan. No one would plan out this outcome," McCarthy was quoted as saying. "The ramifications of this for America will go on for decades and it won't just be in Afghanistan."

Former President Trump, who also favored pulling troops from Afghanistan, said the Biden administration did not follow "the plan our Administration left for him." In a statement, Trump said his administration's plan would have "protected our people and our property, and ensured the Taliban would never dream of taking our Embassy or providing a base for new attacks against America."

"The withdrawal would be guided by facts on the ground, Trump said, according to The Hill.

On Sunday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned that Afghanistan must not once again become a breeding ground for terror.

He called on the West collectively to not establish ties with the Taliban as the new government. Johnson said, Nobody wants Afghanistan once again to be a breeding ground for terror and we dont think that its in the interests of the people of Afghanistan that it should lapse back into that pre-2001 state, according to The Times.

More than 2,400 U.S. military personnel have been killed, and more than 20,700 have been wounded in Afghanistan  the highest number of foreign fatalities in that country since 2001, AFP noted. A Pentagon officially estimated the cost of U.S. operations in Afghanistan at $776 billion since 2001until Sept. 30, 2019.
As the Taliban negotiates with senior politicians and government leaders following its lighting-fast takeover of Afghanistan, U.S. social media companies are reckoning with how to deal with a violent extremist group that is poised to rule a country of 40 million people.

Should the Taliban be allowed on social platforms if they don't break any rules, such as a ban on inciting violence, but instead use it to spread a narrative that they're newly reformed and are handing out soap and medication in the streets? If the Taliban runs Afghanistan, should they also run the country's official government accounts?

And should tech companies in Silicon Valley decide what is  and isn't  a legitimate government? They certainly don't want to. But as the situation unfolds, uncomfortable decisions lie ahead.

DOES THE TALIBAN USE SOCIAL MEDIA?

The Taliban quickly seized power in Afghanistan two weeks before the U.S. was set to complete its troop withdrawal after a two-decade war. The insurgents stormed across the country, capturing all major cities in a matter of days, as Afghan security forces trained and equipped by the U.S. and its allies melted away.

The last time the Taliban was in power in Afghanistan, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube did not exist. Neither did MySpace, for that matter. Internet use in the country was virtually nonexistent with just 0.01% of the population online, according to the World Bank.

In recent years, that number has vastly increased. The Taliban have also increased their online presence, producing slick videos and maintaining official social media accounts. Despite bans, they have found ways to evade restrictions on YouTube, Facebook and WhatsApp. Last year, for instance, they used WhatsApp groups to share pictures of local health officials in white gowns and masks handing out protective masks and bars of soap to locals.

On Twitter, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid has been posting regular updates to more than 300,000 followers, including international media. Twitter suspended another account, @AfghPresident, which has served as the nation's de facto official presidential account, pending verification of the account holder's identity.

Theres a realization that winning the war is as much a function of a nonmilitary tool like social media as it is about the bullets," said Sarah Kreps, a law professor at Cornell University who focuses on international politics, technology and national security. Maybe these groups, even from just an instrumental perspective, have realized that beheading people is not a way to win the hearts and minds of the country."

WAIT, THE TALIBAN WERE ALLOWED ON TWITTER?

Facebook and YouTube consider the Taliban a terrorist organization and prohibit it from operating accounts. Twitter has not explicitly banned the group, though the company said Tuesday that it will continue to enforce its rules, in particular policies than bar glorification of violence, platform manipulation and spam."

This essentially means that until the accounts violate Twitter's rules  for instance, by inciting violence  they are allowed to operate.

While the Taliban is not on the U.S. list of foreign terrorist organizations, the U.S. has imposed sanctions on it. Facebook said Tuesday that the group is banned from its platform under its dangerous organization" policies. which also bars praise, support and representation of the group and accounts run on its behalf. The company emphasized in a statement that it has a dedicated team of Afghanistan experts that are native speakers of Dari and Pashto, Afghanistan's official languages, to help provide local context and to alert the company of emerging issues.

Facebook has a spotty record when it comes to enforcing its rules. Doing so on WhatsApp, also owned by Facebook, could prove more difficult given that the service encrypts messages so that no one but senders and recipients can read them.

Twitter said it is seeing people in Afghanistan using its platform to seek help and that its top priority is "keeping people safe." Critics immediately questioned why the company continues to ban former President Donald Trump even as it allows Mujahid to post.

They certainly decided to silence a former U.S. president, said Alex Triantafilou, chairman of the Hamilton County Republican Party in Cincinnati, Ohio, who called Twitters decision preposterous.

Twitter permanently suspended Trump following the deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, saying his posts glorified and could lead to more violence. The company has long insisted that it suspends accounts based on behavior and whether they violate its rules on the service, and not on offline actions and affiliation.

While he understands that social media companies operate in a global economy, Triantafilou said, it seems to me that supporting America and our own interest would make more sense for a U.S. company.

WHAT HAPPENS NOW?

As the situation unfolds, the major companies are grappling with how to respond. It's not an entirely unique situation  they have had to deal with groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah, for instance, which hold considerable political power but are also violent and have carried out acts of terrorism.

For the past decade, Hamas has used social media to gain attention, and convey their messages to international audiences in multiple languages," wrote Devorah Margolin, senior research fellow at the Program on Extremism at The George Washington University, in a July report. For example, she wrote, both the political and military wings of Hamas operated official accounts on Twitter.

Despite attempts to use its English-language account to make its case to the international community, Margolin said the group still used Twitter to call for violence. In 2019, Twitter closed the official accounts, @HamasInfo and @HamasInfoEn, for violating its rules, saying there is no place on Twitter for illegal terrorist organizations and violent extremist groups.

Facebook declined to say specifically if it would hand over Afghanistan's official government accounts to the Taliban if it is recognized as the country's government. The company pointed to an earlier statement saying it does not make decisions about the recognized government in any particular country but instead respects the authority of the international community in making these determinations."

Twitter declined to answer questions beyond its statement. YouTube, meanwhile, provided a boilerplate statement saying it complies with all applicable sanctions and trade compliance laws" and bans the incitement of violence.

All that effectively leaves the door open for the social platforms to eventually hand over control of the official accounts, assuming the Taliban behave and U.S. sanctions are lifted. That seems like a reasonable approach, because I think the social media platforms dont necessarily want to be adjudicating is which groups are legitimate themselves," said Kreps, who served in the U.S. Air Force from 1999 to 2003, partly in Afghanistan.

At the same time, she noted, the companies, especially Facebook, have learned a great deal  and paid a price  for the way the way social media helped incite genocidal behavior in Myanmar. And they're unlikely to want a repeat of those horrors.
Midland Memorial Hospital officials reported nearly 100 COVID-19 patients on Wednesday, the highest number since January. Here are the other main takeaways from Wednesdays Unified Command Team briefing.

--There were 223 patients total in the hospital and 98 COVID-19 patients; 15 of those COVID-19 patients are in critical care.

--Seventy percent of COVID-19 patients are under 60 years old.

--Eighty-eight percent of coronavirus patients are unvaccinated. Thirteen people have died from COVID-19 at the hospital in the last month, all of whom were unvaccinated, officials said.

--About 14 percent of patients in the hospital are from outside Midland County. CEO and President Russell Meyers said those patients are from other Texas cities or southeast New Mexico.

--Chief Medical Officer Dr. Larry Wilson reported there have been 745 new coronavirus infections in Midland County from the beginning of the month through Aug. 8. He estimated there would be about 3,000 new cases this month.

--Wilson emphasized again that residents should not come to the emergency room for coronavirus testing. He said children especially should not come to the ER unless theyre severely ill, because attending school makes children more likely to be carriers and at risk of infecting others in the ER. Officials recommended calling 68Nurse to schedule an appointment for a free test.

--Officials said coronavirus infections are on a bleak trajectory and rising almost straight up. Wilson said infections will not decrease for at least the next week or longer even if we did everything perfectly today, because it can take several days for someone to realize theyre sick after exposure.

--Hospital staff held a town hall with about 50 community physicians Tuesday night to discuss how to reach residents who are skeptical of getting vaccinated.

--Meyers said an additional 21 nurses and 10 respiratory therapists who were sent by the state arrived at the hospital on Wednesday. Theyre expected to be on-boarded and working by Thursday.

--If someone with COVID-19 is having trouble breathing and self-monitoring their oxygen level, officials said they should wait until that level falls below 94 percent before coming to the emergency room.

--Midland ISD Superintendent Angelica Ramsey reported there were 306 active student cases and 44 staff cases in MISD. She said they are strongly encouraging students and staff to wear masks although not requiring it.
Late-night talk show host Seth Meyers had some choice words for Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday, August 18.

The comedian brought up the Texas Governor's recent COVID-19 diagnosis during his news segment.

"I would never wish ill on the governor, but since he never wore a mask, I don't have to," Meyers quickly says before moving on to another subject.

Abbott's team announced the news on Tuesday, August 17. The governor is fully vaccinated and is experiencing no symptoms. The announcement came after Abbott attended a packed event in Collin County on Monday, August 16, where there was little social distancing and almost no one wore a mask.

The talk show host tweeted about the Abbott COVID-19 news as well, sending best wishes to Texas and not to Abbott.

"So sorry to hear that Greg Abbott was elected governor," Meyers tweeted. "Best wishes to the state of Texas for a speedy recovery!"

You can watch the full monologue below:
Disney announced Wednesday that the much-loved free Fast Passes are no longer available at Disneyland and Walt Disney World.

They're instead being "reimagined," via a new app called Disney Genie, with Genie from "Aladdin" as the mascot.

How it works is: You can pay $20 per ticket per day for a service called Disney Genie+ so that you get to "choose the next available time to arrive at a variety of attractions and experiences using the Lightning Lane entrance."

You also get "audio experiences and photo features" with this premium plan. But you'll also have to pay extra, on top of the $20, for the more "highly demanded attractions"  Disney provides Radiator Springs Racers as an example. So, if your kid (understandably) refuses to wait hours to hop onto the "Cars"-themed ride, you'll need to pay $40.

"Built right into the My Disney Experience and Disneyland apps, Disney Genie service will maximize your park time, so you can have more fun," a press release from Disney Parks promises.

The move is the latest manifestation of how Disney Parks has implemented an aggressive financial strategy that is targeted toward a more affluent consumer who would be willing to pay more for premium experiences. That includes adding more fees for experiences that were previously free, like Fast Passes.

But even as fans deride the nickel-and-dime strategy, it appears to be working: Disney announced during its Q3 earnings call last week that the company's per capita spending at its parks is "exceptionally strong."

"Even though Walt Disney World has been open now for over a year, were still seeing extremely strong per cap growth continue at that park," said Disney CFO Christine McCarthy during the call.

Still, there are concerns that this could price out the less-affluent Disney consumer, which is where much of Disney Parks' most ardent fan base lies. Those who make incomes below $75,000 are the most likely to visit the parks, while those with income of over $150,000 are the least likely to visit, Business Insider reported.
A North Carolina man claiming to have a bomb near the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. has surrendered to law enforcement.

Floyd Ray Roseberry drove his black pick-up truck onto a sidewalk near the Library of Congress around 9:15 a.m. on Thursday morning and told police that he had a bomb. One officer said that Roseberry appeared to be holding an object that looked like a detonator.

That kicked off hours of negotiations, during which Roseberry was live streaming on Facebook as he sat in his truck. Meanwhile, workers evacuated from two nearby office buildings for the Library of Congress as well as the Cannon House Office Building and the Supreme Court. Technicians from the F.B.I. and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive also responded to the scene, as did Metropolitan Police.

The revolution is on. Its here Im ready to die for the cause, Roseberry told viewers on Facebook. He also said on the stream that he wanted President Joe Biden to call him.

Addressing Biden, Roseberry said, Its your call. Youve got an option. You can shoot me, kill me right here and blow up two-and-a-half city blocks I aint here to hurt nobody. If I was, I wouldnt have told them to tell people to leave. I would have gunned this motherfucker and rode it right up in your front door.

After approximately 90 minutes of streaming, Facebook deactivated Roseberrys live stream and his Facebook profile. Not only deactivated the live stream, but we also removed his profile from Facebook and are continuing to investigate, Andy Stone, director of policy communications at Facebook, said on Twitter.

NEW: The revolution is on. Its here Im ready to die for the cause. Heres video from the man who said hes got a bomb outside the Capitol. Follow @huffpost and @sara_bee for more as the situation develops. pic.twitter.com/aRx1hES7Vl  Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) August 19, 2021
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas

SpongeBob Squarepants has a better chance of getting his boating license than this Houston pop-up has of getting away with knocking off the franchise.

Houston's own The Rusty Krab Experience has been slapped with a copyright infringement lawsuit from Viacom, the media corporation that owns Nickelodeon and the under-the-sea cartoon. The company wants upwards of $250,000 from Kefi HTX and Sanju Chand, the company and owner behind the experience.

The pop-up, located at 711 Main Street in downtown, bills itself as an "artistic adaptation recreation" of the beloved kids series that offers slightly altered references to the show. Of course, Krusty Krab is changed to "Rusty Krab."

SpongeBob is instead called "The Big Sponge," Patrick is now "Pinky," and Bikini Bottom is called "Bottom of the Bikini." Squidward is "Octoward," Mrs. Puff is "Professor Pufferfish" and Plankton is "Tiny Cyclops."

Worst of all? Fictional Texas native Sandy Cheeks was changed to the "Cheeky Texan."

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas

The pop-up even has this disclaimer (or admission of guilt, depending on who you ask) at the bottom of its website:

"We are not affiliated, associated, authorized, endorsed by, or in any way officially connected with NICKELODEON, or the SPONGEBOB BRAND DIRECTLY, or any of its subsidiaries or its affiliates. This is Kefi HTX's artistic adaptation recreation of an amazing series that added value to our childhood! Enjoy the story telling from OUR eyes in the most FUN WAY!"

Charging for someone's child to have a knock-off experience sure sounds like a "fun way" to make a quick buck. The rest of the website is a treasure trove of red flags.

Viacom caught wind of the pop-up and filed a federal lawsuit alleging that Kefi HTX violated the law and Viacom's own licensing guidelines, particularly by associating the brand with alcoholic drinks, according to a copy of the lawsuit obtained by Chron.

Viacom has a strict policy against using its SpongeBob Squarepants brand, marketed to kids six and up, to sell alcohol. It also said the name and logo design of Rusty Krab was "confusingly similar" to the actual Krusty Krab name.

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas

Attorneys tried to settle things out of court by sending the company a cease and desist letter in May 2021, but the company didn't comply.

Chand, the owner being sued, instead reached out to Viacom to "partner up," according to the lawsuit. Viacom declined.

It's unclear who exactly the experience is marketed to. Its drink menu is just as large as its food menu, but tickets for kids are discounted.

Parents complained in online reviews, one saying that her child was "verbally and then physically assaulted" by a large group of adults who were apparently intoxicated, according to the lawsuit.

Other reviews on Facebook were just as negative:

Kefi HTX has yet to formally respond to the lawsuit, and an employee at The Rusty Krab Experience told Chron the pop-up had no comment when reached by phone. Viacom is seeking a $250,000 payout from the company, a transfer of all assets and all of the profits the pop-up has made so far.

What do you think? Is this good parody or blatant infringement? Let me know on Twitter: @jayrjordan
WASHINGTON (AP)  The United States struggled Thursday to pick up the pace of American and Afghan evacuations at Kabul airport, constrained by obstacles ranging from armed Taliban checkpoints to paperwork problems. With an Aug. 31 deadline looming, tens of thousands remained to be airlifted from the chaotic country.

Taliban fighters and their checkpoints ringed the airport  major barriers for Afghans who fear that their past work with Westerners makes them prime targets for retribution. Hundreds of Afghans who lacked any papers or clearance for evacuation also congregated outside the airport, adding to the chaos that has prevented even some Afghans who do have papers and promises of flights from getting through.

It didnt help that many of the Taliban fighters could not read the documents.

In a hopeful sign, State Department spokesman Ned Price said in Washington that 6,000 people were cleared for evacuation Thursday and were expected to board military flights in coming hours. That would mark a major increase from recent days. About 2,000 passengers were flown out on each of the past two days, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said.

Kirby said the military has aircraft available to evacuate 5,000 to 9,000 people per day, but until Thursday far fewer designated evacuees had been able to reach, and then enter, the airport.

Kirby told reporters the limiting factor has been available evacuees, not aircraft. He said efforts were underway to speed processing, including adding State Department consular officers to verify paperwork of Americans and Afghans who managed to get to the airport. Additional entry gates had been opened, he said.

And yet, at the current rate it would be difficult for the U.S. to evacuate all of the Americans and Afghans who are qualified for and seeking evacuation by Aug. 31. President Joe Biden said Wednesday he would ensure no American was left behind, even if that meant staying beyond August, an arbitrary deadline that he set weeks before the Taliban climaxed a stunning military victory by taking Kabul last weekend. It was not clear if Biden might consider extending the deadline for evacuees who aren't American citizens.

At the airport, military evacuation flights continued, but access remained difficult for many. On Thursday, Taliban militants fired into the air to try to control the crowds gathered at the airports blast walls. Men, women and children fled. U.S. Navy fighter jets flew overhead, a standard military precaution but also a reminder to the Taliban that the U.S. has firepower to respond to a combat crisis.

There is no accurate figure of the number of people  Americans, Afghans or others  who are in need of evacuation as the process is almost entirely self-selecting. For example, the State Department says that when it ordered its nonessential embassy staff to leave Kabul in April after Bidens withdrawal announcement, fewer than 4,000 Americans had registered for security updates. The actual number, including dual U.S.-Afghan citizens along with family members, is likely much higher, with estimates ranging from 11,000 to 15,000. Tens of thousands of Afghans may also be in need of escape.

Compounding the uncertainty, the U.S. government has no way to track how many registered Americans may have left Afghanistan already. Some may have returned to the United States but others may have gone to third countries.

At the Pentagon, Kirby declined to say whether Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had recommended to Biden that he extend the Aug. 31 deadline. Given the Taliban's takeover of the country, staying beyond that date would require at least the Taliban's acquiescence, he said. He said he knew of no such talks yet between U.S. and Taliban commanders, who have been in regular touch for days to limit conflict at the airport as part of what the White House has termed a safe passage agreement worked out on Sunday.

I think it is just a fundamental fact of the reality of where we are, that communications and a certain measure of agreement with the Taliban on what we're trying to accomplish has to occur, Kirby said.

Of the approximately 2,000 people airlifted from the airport in the 24 hours ended Wednesday morning, nearly 300 were Americans, Kirby said. U.S. lawmakers were briefed Thursday morning that 6,741 people had been evacuated since Aug. 14, including 1,762 American citizens and Green Card holders, according to two congressional aides.

Although Afghanistan had been a hotspot for the coronavirus pandemic, the State Department said Thursday that evacuees are not required to get negative COVID-19 results.

A blanket humanitarian waiver has been implemented for COVID-19 testing for all persons the U.S. government is relocating from Afghanistan, the department said. Medical exams, including COVID-19 tests, had been required for evacuees prior to the Talibans takeover of Kabul, which added extra urgency to efforts to get at-risk Afghans out.

Additional American troops continued to arrive at the airport. As of Thursday there were about 5,200, including Marines who specialize in evacuation coordination and an Air Force unit that specializes in emergency airport operations. Biden has authorized a total deployment of about 6,000.

Hoping to secure evacuation seats are American citizens and other foreigners, Afghan allies of the Western forces, and women, journalists, activists and others most at risk from the fundamentalist Taliban.

Will U.S. troops go beyond the airport perimeter to collect and escort people? Austin suggested on Wednesday that this was not currently feasible. We don't have the capability to go out and collect large numbers of people, he told reporters.

Austin added that evacuations would continue until the clock runs out or we run out of capability.

Afghans in danger because of their work with the U.S. military or U.S organizations, and Americans scrambling to get them out, also pleaded with Washington to cut the red tape that has complicated matters.

If we dont sort this out, well literally be condemning people to death, said Marina Kielpinski LeGree, the American head of a nonprofit, Ascend. The organization's young Afghan female colleagues were in the mass of people waiting for flights at the airport in the wake of days of mayhem, tear gas and gunshots.
(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

Ahana Aurora Fernandez, Museum fur Naturkunde, Berlin

(THE CONVERSATION) Mamama, dadada, bababa  parents usually welcome with enthusiasm the sounds of a babys babble. Babbling is the first milestone when learning to speak. All typically developing infants babble, no matter which language theyre learning.

Speech, the oral output of language, requires precise control over the lips, tongue and jaw to produce one of the basic speech subunits: the syllable, like ba, da, ma. Babbling is characterized by universal features  for example, repetition of syllables and use of rhythm. It lets an infant practice and playfully learn how to control their vocal apparatus to correctly produce the desired syllables.

More than anything else, language defines human nature. But its evolutionary origins have puzzled scientists for decades. Investigating the biological foundations of language across species  as I do in bats  is a promising way to gain insights into key features of human language.

Im a behavioral biologist who has spent many months of 10-hour days sitting in front of bat colonies in Panama and Costa Rica recording the animals vocalizations. My colleagues and I have found striking parallels between the babbling produced by these bat pups and that by human infants. Identifying a mammal that shares similar brain structure with human beings and is also capable of vocal imitation may help us understand the cognitive and neuromolecular foundations of vocal learning.

Vocal learning in other animals

Scientists learned a great deal about vocal imitation and vocal development by studying songbirds. They are among the best-known vocal learners, and the learning process of young male songbirds shows interesting parallels to human speech development. Young male songbirds also practice their notes in a practice phase reminiscent of human infant babbling.

However, songbirds and people possess different vocal apparatus  birds vocalize by using a syrinx, humans use a larynx  and their brain architecture differs. So drawing direct conclusions from songbird research for humans is limited.

Luckily, in Central Americas tropical jungle, theres a mammal that engages in a very conspicuous vocal practice behavior that is strongly reminiscent of human infant babbling: the neotropical greater sac-winged bat, Saccopteryx bilineata. The pups of this small bat, dark-furred with two prominent white wavy stripes on the back, engage in daily babbling behavior during large parts of their development.

Greater sac-winged bats possess a large vocal repertoire that includes 25distinct syllable types. A syllable is the smallest acoustic unit, defined as a sound surrounded by silence. These adult bats create multisyllabic vocalizations and two song types. The territorial song warns potential rivals that the owner is ready to defend their home turf, while the courtship song lets female bats know about a male bats fitness as a potential mate.

Of particular interest to me and my colleagues, the greater sac-winged bat is capable of vocal imitation  the ability to learn a previously unknown sound from scratch by ear. It requires acoustic input, like human parents talking to their infants, or in the case of the greater sac-winged bat, adult males that sing.

The only other non-human mammal that scientists have documented babbling is the pygmy marmoset, a small South American primate species that is not capable of vocal imitation. The greater sac-winged bat offered the first possibility to study pup babbling in detail in a species that can imitate the vocalizations of others. But just how similar is bat babbling to human infant babbling?

Hundreds of hours of bat babbling

To answer that question, I monitored the vocal development of wild pups in eight colonies. During the day, S. bilineata find shelter and protection in tree crevices and outer walls of buildings. Theyre very light-tolerant, and adults like to stay several centimeters apart from one another, making it easier for us to observe and record particular individuals.

To be able to recognize specific bats, I marked their forearms with colored plastic bands. I followed 20 pups from birth until weaning. Starting around 2.5 weeks of age, and continuing until weaning around 10 weeks old, pups babble away between sunrise and sunset in the day roost. Its very loud, audible even to the human ear because some babbled syllables are within our hearing range (others are too high for us to hear). For each pup, I recorded babbling bouts  some of which lasted as long as 43 minutes  and the accompanying behaviors throughout their entire development. In contrast, adult bats produce vocalizations that last no more than a few minutes.

Scientists have known for a while that pups learn how to sing byvocally imitating adult tutors while babbling. But our new study provides the first formal analysis that their babbling really does share many of the features that characterize babbling in human infants: duplication of syllables, use of rhythm and an early onset of the babbling phase during development.

Just as human infants produce sounds that are recognizable as what are called canonical adult syllables  those with mature features that sound like what an adult speaker produces  bat pups babbling consists of syllable precursors that are part of the adult vocal repertoire.

And just as human babbling includes what are probably playful sounds produced as the infant explores their voice, bat babbling includes so-called protosyllables that are only produced by pups.

Moreover, pup babbling is universal. Each pup, regardless of sex and regional origin, babbled during its development.

Baby talk, from mom to pup

During my first field season, I noticed that during babble sequences, mothers and pups interacted behaviorally and vocally. Mothers produced a distinct call type directed at pups while babbling.

We humans alter our speech depending on whether we are addressing infants or adults. This infant-directed speech  also known as motherese  is a special form of social feedback for the vocalizing infant. Its characterized by universal features, including higher pitch, slower tempo and exaggerated intonation contours. The timbre  the voice color  also changes when people speak motherese compared to when talking to other adults. Timbre is what makes a voice sound a bit cold and harsh or warm and cozy. Could it be that female bats also changed their timbre, depending on whom they directed their calls to?

The results were clear: For the first time, wed found a non-human mammal that changes the color of voice depending on the addressee. Bats also use baby talk!

[Over 100,000 readers rely on The Conversations newsletter to understand the world. Sign up today.]

Our results introduce the greater sac-winged bat as a promising candidate for cross-species comparisons about the evolution of human language. Babbling is like a behavioral readout of the ongoing vocal learning happening in the brain. When pups babble, they imitate the adult song  and provide us with insight about when learning is taking place. It offers the unique possibility to study the genes that are involved in vocal imitation.

And since bats share their basic brain architecture with people, we can translate our research findings from bats to humans. Im fascinated that two mammal species that are so different share striking parallels in how they reach the same goal: to acquire a complex adult vocal repertoire  namely, language.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/bat-pups-babble-and-bat-moms-use-baby-talk-hinting-at-the-evolution-of-human-language-166243.
PLYMOUTH, Ind. (AP)  An 11-month-old northern Indiana girl who had been reported missing was found dead in a wooded area after a man who had agreed to babysit the toddler for a few days led authorities to her body, a prosecutor said Thursday.

Marshall County Prosecutor Nelson Chipman Jr. said that man, Justin Miller, 37, would be formally charged Thursday with neglect of a dependent resulting in death. His initial hearing is expected Friday.

Chipman said Mercedes Lain's body was found after 9 p.m. Wednesday in a densely wooded area of Starke County near the Marshall County line after Miller led officers to the site.

It's a tragedy," Chipman said, adding that officers who had searched for the Plymouth girl had hoped she would be found alive.

An autopsy had not been performed on the child's body as of Thursday morning, he said.

Chipman said the girls father, Kenny Lain, left Mercedes with Miller on Friday at a Plymouth motel to babysit for the weekend so he and the girl's mother, Tiffany Coburn. could have a few days break from their child."

But after Miller did not bring the toddler back as planned on Sunday her parents reported her missing to police, he said.

According to a probable cause affidavit, Miller told police Wednesday that he woke up on Saturday at a residence in Mishawaka, a St. Joseph County city just east of South Bend, and found the child dead. He told police he then moved her body to the wooded area in adjacent Starke County.

Miller, who the affidavit describes as a relative of the parents, told officers he had used synthetic marijuana several times during the time he had Mercedes in his care.

Kenny Lain and Tiffany Coburn both face one count each of neglect of a dependent for allegedly giving their child to Miller to care for, Chipman said. They also are expected to appear for initial hearings on Friday, he said.

Online court documents do no list attorneys for Miller or for the girl's parents.

Authorities said the search for the girl involved FBI agents, Indiana State Police, Marshall County deputies and Plymouth police officers.
BEIJING (AP)  A top Chinese official said Thursday that all-round efforts are needed to ensure Tibetans speak standard spoken and written Chinese and share the cultural symbols and images of the Chinese nation.

Wang Yang made the remarks before a handpicked audience in front of the Potala Palace in Lhasa, the home of Tibets traditional Buddhist leaders, at a ceremony marking the 70th anniversary of the Chinese invasion of the vast Himalayan region.

China's ruling Communist Party says it peacefully liberated" Tibetan peasants from an oppressive theocracy and restored Chinese rule over a region under threat from outside powers.

Critics say such moves toward cultural assimilation spell the demise of Tibets traditional Buddhist culture and that Tibet was effectively independent for most of its history.

China has highlighted its efforts to boost the economy in the region and condemned the exiled Dalai Lama as a separatist.

Wang, who is a member of the Politburo Standing Committee  the apex of party power  and who oversees policy toward ethnic minorities, said separatist and sabotage activities committed by the Dalai (Lama) group and hostile external forces have been crushed.

Since 1951, Tibet has embarked on a path from darkness to brightness, from backwardness to progress, from poverty to prosperity, from autocracy to democracy, and from closeness to openness, Wang said.

Wang said Tibetans had been included in representative bodies. The region hosted close to 160 million tourists last year, according to the official Xinhua News Agency. Even before the coronavirus pandemic, China limited entrance to Tibet by foreigners.

Only by following the CPC leadership and pursuing the path of socialism, can Tibet achieve development and prosperity, Wang was quoted by Xinhua as saying.

The Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959 following an abortive uprising against Chinese rule and his supporters have documented human rights abuses in Tibet related to an ongoing security crackdown.

Judging by developments in Tibet over the past 70 years, the Tibetan people have no cause for jubilation, as Chinese policies have turned Tibet itself into an open-air prison with restrictions on all aspects of Tibetan life," the U.S.-based International Campaign for Tibet said in a statement.

After 70 years of oppression, the only thing the Tibetan people need peaceful liberation from today is Chinas brutality," the group said.

As China tightens its hold over Tibet, questions are arising over the future of its diaspora community. China has refused any contact with the self-declared Tibetan government in exile and the Dalai Lama has long separated himself from politics.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP)  The daughter of a South Florida commissioner who is running for Congress is facing federal charges for receiving a $300,000 loan from the Paycheck Protection Program to pay employees who did not exist at a consulting firm.

Damara Holness, 28, was charged Tuesday with one count of conspiring to commit wire fraud and was released on bond following a first appearance hearing Wednesday. She is the daughter of Broward County Commissioner Dale Holness.

According to an indictment, Damara Holness lied on her coronavirus relief loan application, and sent fraudulent payroll tax forms to cover 18 employees at Holness Consulting Inc. in Plantation to justify the money. The state had no record of the employees.

The loan was approved in July 2020 and, the indictment said, she spent time creating a paper trail to make it look as if the company was spending the loan money on legitimate expenses.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said Holness then began issuing checks to people who agreed to help  for a fee  with the fraud. They were directed to endorse the checks and return the money to her, according to the indictments. Officials said she kept $1,000 of the remaining amount for herself from each check.

Dale Holness told the South Florida SunSentinel on Wednesday that he and his daughter have been estranged for many years.

I have always offered guidance and counsel to my daughter Damara to do what is right, he said. I have no details as to how she conducted her business or what she did with her business entities.

Dale Holness said his daughter had no access to his real estate business or office since 2018 and said she did not have his permission to use his office address or to conduct business on behalf of the Holness family name nor myself, the newspaper reported.

If she has done wrong, I hope she learns from this and uses this as a lesson to better conduct her life in the future, he said.

Damara Holness defense attorney, Sue-Ann Robinson, told the Miami Herald she was going to issue a statement on her clients behalf, but she did not by late Wednesday.
ANKARA, Turkey (AP)  Faced with a potential new migration wave from Afghanistan, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on European nations Thursday to shoulder the responsibility for Afghans fleeing the Taliban and warned that his country wont become Europes refugee warehouse.

In a televised address following a Cabinet meeting, Erdogan also said his government would if necessary engage in talks with a government that could be formed by the Taliban  for the stability and security of this country.

Erdogans comments come amid an increase in recent weeks in the number of Afghans making their way into Turkey across the border from Iran. Anti-migrant sentiment is running high in Turkey as it grapples with economic woes  including high unemployment  that have been exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic, and there is little appetite in the country to take in more people.

We need to remind our European friends of this fact: Europe  which has become the center of attraction for millions of people  cannot stay out of (the refugee) problem by harshly sealing its borders to protect the safety and well-being of its citizens, Erdogan said.

Turkey has no duty, responsibility or obligation to be Europes refugee warehouse, Erdogan said.

Erdogan said his country is home to 5 million foreign nationals  including 3.6 million Syrians who fled the civil war in the neighboring country and 300,000 Afghans. Around 1.1 million are foreigners with residence permits, he said.

In 2016, Turkey and the European Union signed a deal for Turkey to stem the flow of hundreds of thousands of migrants and refugees towards Europe, in return for visa-free travel for Turkish citizens and substantial EU financial support. Erdogan has frequently accused the EU of not keeping its side of the bargain.

The president said he was aware of the Turkish public's unease about refugees. He reiterated that the country had reinforced its border with Iran with military, gendarmerie and police and that a wall being erected along the frontier is nearing completion.

Our state is primarily responsible for the safety and well-being of its 84 million citizens. On the other hand, we are not a society that lacks character, thinks only about itself and turns its back on those who come to our door, Erdogan said.

In reference to the millions of Syrians in Turkey, Erdogan said that those who have learnt Turkish, acquired professional skills and adapted to the country would remain in Turkey, while others would have to return to Syria once conditions in the war-torn country improve.

It is our responsibility toward our own citizens to help those who do not succeed to return to their homes in parallel with an improvement of the situation in their own country, Erdogan said.

Around 450,000 Syrians have already returned to Syria, he added.
BERLIN (AP)  The foreign ministries of Germany, France and Britain on Thursday expressed grave concern over the latest report by the UN's nuclear watchdog that said Iran continues to produce uranium metal, which can be used in the production of a nuclear bomb.

The International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna confirmed earlier this week that Iran has produced uranium metal enriched up to 20% for the first time, and has significantly increased its production capacity of uranium enriched up to 60%.

The production of uranium metal is prohibited by the 2015 nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, which promises Iran economic incentives in exchange for limits on its nuclear program, and is meant to prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear bomb.

Germany, France and Britain  the western European members of the JCPOA  called the moves by Iran serious violations of its commitment under the JCPOA. They said that both are key steps in the development of a nuclear weapon and Iran has no credible civilian need for either measure.

Iran insists it is not interested in developing a bomb, and that the uranium metal is for its civilian nuclear program.

Our concerns are deepened by the fact that Iran has significantly limited IAEA access through withdrawing from JCPOA-agreed monitoring arrangements, the joint statement added.

The U.S. unilaterally pulled out of the nuclear deal in 2018, with then-President Donald Trump saying it needed to be renegotiated.

Since then, Tehran has been steadily increasing its violations of the deal to put pressure on the other signatories to provide more incentives to Iran to offset crippling American sanctions re-imposed after the U.S. pullout.

The western Europeans, as well as Russia and China, have been working to try to preserve the accord.

U.S. President Joe Biden has said he is open to rejoining the pact, but that Iran needs to return to its restrictions, while Iran has insisted that the U.S. must drop all sanctions.

Months of talks have been held in Vienna with the remaining parties of the JCPOA shuttling between delegations from Iran and the U.S.

The last round of talks ended in June with no date set for their resumption.

Following the latest IAEA report on the increase in uranium metal production, U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said earlier this week that the move was unconstructive and inconsistent with a return to mutual compliance.

In Thursday's statement the three western European powers said that Irans activities are all the more troubling given the fact talks in Vienna have been interrupted upon Tehrans request for two months now and that Iran has not yet committed to a date for their resumption.

While refusing to negotiate, Iran is instead establishing facts on the ground which make a return to the JCPOA more complicated, the statement said.
TOKYO (AP)  Nearly three years later, former Nissan executive Greg Kelly is still wondering why the questions that led to his arrest and trial in Japan werent simply taken up in the automaker's corporate boardroom.

Kelly, an American lawyer who worked for three decades for Nissan Motor Co., is awaiting a verdict in his trial on charges of financial misconduct in the case of Carlos Ghosn. The embattled former chairman of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance jumped bail and fled to Lebanon in late 2019, leaving Kelly in Japan alone to face charges of Ghosns under-reported Nissan compensation. Kelly has denied the allegations.

I dont think any of us were involved in a crime, or a criminal activity," Kelly told The Associated Press in an interview Wednesday in his Tokyo apartment, where he is out on bail.

We were involved in trying to solve a business problem, which was: What actions do you take that are lawful to retain a very valuable executive who was underpaid? Kelly added, referring to Ghosn.

It should have been resolved at the corporate level at Nissan. Its not a criminal matter, said Kelly, who faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted and is forbidden from leaving Japan as he awaits his fate. A verdict is not expected until March. More than 99% of Japanese criminal trials result in convictions.

Behind him, the walls of the apartment Kelly shares with his wife, Dee, were plastered with photos of his two grandsons, including a 20-month-old baby he has never held. Family is most important, the 64-year-old Kelly said, especially this late in life.

When you get into your 60s, youre not looking at a long horizon, Kelly said.

Every day that you miss with your family, you know, that to me is the stress. To spend 33 months without my family. For a corporate matter, it just doesnt make a lot of sense.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Kelly was working for Nissan but living in the Nashville area of Tennessee when he was asked to come to Japan for a meeting in November 2018. Since he was scheduled for neck fusion surgery to address a painful spinal condition he suggested a video conference. But Nissan booked a corporate jet for him, promising he would be back within the week.

After landing in Japan, he got in a van. The driver asked if he could pull over and make a call. Suddenly the van door opened, and several men rushed in, identifying themselves as prosecutors and a translator.

Kelly was taken to a detention center, handcuffed and searched, then led to an interrogation room, and questioned by prosecutors, initially without a lawyer present.

It was a shock, he said.

He was kept in solitary confinement for 35 days and interrogated daily. He was confused. He could not call his wife. He pleaded to be allowed to get help from Nissan. Little did he know, he said, that Nissan was behind the arrest.

LIFE ON BAIL

To pass the time as he awaits a verdict, Kelly takes long walks with his wife, who moved to Japan in January 2019 on a student visa, taking Japanese language courses to be near her husband.

Kelly says he is lucky to have Dee, his college sweetheart from their days at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois.

She was at his trial, giving her husband a thumbs-up as he walked into the courtroom with his lawyers. Sitting in the front row, she took copious notes since court transcripts are only in Japanese.

Dee Kelly said she was taking a walk near the couple's home in November 2018, when she heard a radio report about the arrest of Ghosn and an American executive.

You feel like you cant breathe, she said, not knowing what could have happened to her husband while on a business trip. At home, Japanese reporters were already showing up at her door.

You work all your life so you can have time during retirement to spend with your kids, and we really wanted to play a big part in our grandkids lives, and that was taken, she said of the events that have unfolded since. What was done to him is beyond terrible.

Kelly dedicated his life to Nissan, she said. To have him treated like this, especially by people that were your friends. Thats really hard.

THE CASE

Unknown except to several top Nissan officials, Ghosns salary was slashed from about 2 billion yen ($20 million) to 1 billion yen ($10 million) in fiscal 2009, when the disclosure of individual executive pay became required in Japan.

Prosecutors contend there was an elaborate plan to make up for the pay cut, which should have been documented in Nissans annual securities report.

At trial, they presented as evidence tables on Ghosns unpaid salary, kept meticulously by another Nissan official. Kelly says he didnt know about the tables.

From Ghosn's native Lebanon, the auto magnate-turned-international fugitive has denied accusations of underreporting his compensation and misusing company funds, contending he was the victim of a corporate coup linked to a decline in Nissans financial performance as the Japanese automaker resisted losing autonomy to French partner Renault.

In an AP interview in May, Ghosn mounted a robust defense of Kelly, saying: Obviously he is innocent.

Some observers think that Kelly may be a bit of a pawn in the (Japanese) governments effort to salvage its reputation after Ghosn escaped," said Carl Tobias, Williams Chair in Law at the University of Richmond. In the end, there may be no winners in this sordid story.

THE ALLIANCE BACKDROP

Yoichi Kitamura, Kellys chief attorney, says that in his 43 years as a defense lawyer, he has never encountered a case like the one against Kelly.

There is absolutely no evidence, Kitamura said, adding there was no motive either. Nissan and the prosecutors got together and concocted this into a criminal case.

Kelly was just trying to do what he thought was best for Nissan, Kitamura added.

Hari Nada, who worked with Kelly in Nissan human resources, went to prosecutors about Ghosns unpaid compensation, according to Nadas testimony in Kellys trial. Nada is one of two Nissan officials who got a plea bargain to avoid prosecution.

Kelly says he may have been singled out because he, like Ghosn, supported a merger for Nissan and Renault, to strengthen the alliance in a way he thought would make the companies more equal yet remain competitive.

Nada, former Nissan Chief Executive Hiroto Saikawa and several other Japanese executives opposed the merger, according to court testimony.

It was a small group that put together this scenario, Kelly said of his and Ghosns arrests.

KELLYS BROTHERS

John and Dave Kelly, Greg Kellys brothers, were at the Chicago Auto Show last month, with cousins, spouses and friends all wearing Free Greg Kelly hats and T-shirts, to picket and hand out leaflets.

To commit a crime, you have to have a motive. Greg didnt get anything. He was trying to help Nissan, Dave Kelly, a petroleum engineer who lives in Lafayette, Louisiana, said in a telephone interview.

He was just doing his job.

The brothers grew up playing baseball and football in their backyard together.

He was always an honest guy. He was always someone you could trust and talk to, said John Kelly, a general surgeon in Oneida, New York.

I know my brother. I know he will never be involved in anything dishonest.

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Follow Yuri Kageyama on Twitter at https://twitter.com/yurikageyama
BEIRUT (AP)  Syrian government forces shelled a village in the country's rebel-held northwest on Thursday, killing five people, most of them children, opposition activists said.

Northwestern Syria has been witnessing sporadic military activities since a cease-fire there was brokered last year in March by Turkey and Russia, which support opposing sides in Syria's civil war. The deal ended a crushing Russian-backed government offensive on Idlib province, the last major rebel stronghold in the war-torn country.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Federal regulators have sharpened their antitrust attack against Facebook, alleging in a revised complaint Thursday that the social network giant pursued a laser-focused strategy to buy or bury" rivals to suppress competition.

It is the Federal Trade Commission's second antitrust run at the company. A federal judge in June dismissed antitrust lawsuits brought against Facebook by the agency and a broad coalition of state attorneys general that were among multiplying efforts by federal and state regulators to rein in tech titans market power.

The FTC again is seeking remedies that could include a forced spinoff of Facebook's popular Instagram and WhatsApp messaging services, or a restructuring of the company.

The agency's lawsuit last December alleged Facebook engaged in a systematic strategy to eliminate its competition, including by purchasing smaller up-and-coming rivals like Instagram in 2012 and WhatsApp in 2014.

Facebook said the FTC was attempting to revive a meritless lawsuit and said it will vigorously defend itself against what it said is an effort to rewrite antitrust laws.

There was no valid claim that Facebook was a monopolist  and that has not changed," the company based in Menlo Park, California, said in a prepared statement. Our acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp were reviewed and cleared many years ago, and our platform policies were lawful.

The company has until Oct. 4 to formally respond.

The new FTC complaint lays out a detailed history of Facebook's conduct, particularly since the arrival of mobile devices like smartphones in the 2010s, and the rise of innovative rivals.

Paul Swanson, an antitrust litigator at law firm Holland & Hart in Denver, said the new complaint addresses the courts concerns head-on."

"Facebook will need new arguments to beat back the FTCs case, Swanson said.

Separately, the agency dismissed a request from Facebook that FTC Chair Lina Khan  an outspoken critic of Big Tech appointed in June by President Joe Biden  step aside in this case because of her past public statements. Facebook says Khans criticism of its market power when she was an academic and the legal director of an anti-monopoly think tank, and her more recent work on a congressional investigation, make it impossible for her to be impartial.

The FTC's general counsel's office reviewed the petition and dismissed the request on grounds that the company's due-process rights will be fully protected in the federal court proceeding.

Without Khan's vote, the FTCs case against Facebook could have stalled by splitting the vote between the four other commissioners  two Democrats and two Republicans. The vote to file the amended complaint was 3-2, with the two Republicans voting against it.

Consumer advocates applauded the FTC's decision to refile the antitrust complaint against the social media company with nearly 3 billion global users that they have long accused of wielding monopoly power and undertaking anticompetitive acquisitions. Facebook's market value recently topped $1 trillion; its revenue last year reached about $85 billion.

"Facebook is one of the worst offenders, and its long past time for this company to be broken up, Alex Harmon, competition policy advocate for Public Citizen, said in a statement.

Harmon and other advocates said, however, that the regulators need support from Congress to update antitrust laws that have been weakened and make cases like the FTC's against Facebook difficult.

An ambitious, bipartisan package of legislation to overhaul the antitrust laws, which could point toward breaking up Facebook as well as Google, Amazon and Apple, was approved by the House Judiciary Committee in June and sent to the full House.

U.S. District Judge James Boasberg ruled in June that the FTC's original lawsuit was legally insufficient and didnt provide enough evidence to prove that Facebook was a monopoly. He dismissed the states separate complaint outright.

But his ruling only dismissed the FTCs complaint but not the case, giving the agency a chance to file a revised complaint.

In the new filing, the FTC laid out a detailed analysis to substantiate its monopoly power claim.

Direct evidence, including historical events and market realities" confirms the allegation, the complaint says. The harm to consumers from the lack of competition is particularly severe," it says.

Some of the material meant to show dominant market share is redacted in the public version of the filing, including internal Facebook emails.

The agency made its case anew Thursday as Facebook, Google, Amazon and Apple fall under extreme scrutiny and legislative pressure from the FTC, the Justice Department, European regulators, lawmakers in Congress and state legislatures. Most recently, Biden last month issued a sweeping executive order to stanch anticompetitive conduct in U.S. industry, including a call for federal regulators to give closer scrutiny to mergers proposed by the tech giants.

Last October the Trump Justice Department, joined by about a dozen states, brought a landmark antitrust suit against Google, accusing the company of using its dominance in online search to stifle competition and innovation at the expense of consumers. As it stands, the case isnt scheduled to go to trial in federal court for nearly three years.

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Follow Marcy Gordon at https://twitter.com/mgordonap
CHICAGO (AP)  A Chicago police officer who was fatally shot during a routine traffic stop was remembered Thursday for a brief career marked by compassion; for her fellow officers, a one-year-old gunshot victim she sped to a hospital, and the stray dogs she ferried to an animal shelter in her squad car.

On the city's South Side, hundreds of police officers in their dress uniforms and other mourners sat in a packed church while an overflow crowd of hundreds more watched the funeral Mass of Officer Ella French on monitors outside the building.

Top department officials, Mayor Lori Lightfoot and former Mayor Richard M. Daley were among the mourners at St. Rita of Cascia Shrine.

I have two children ... they are my heart, Elizabeth French said to the congregation, recounting the day she first saw the 8-month-old girl, Ella, whom she would adopt. Today I am here with half of my heart.

The leader of Chicagos Roman Catholic Archdiocese, Cardinal Blase Cupich, spoke during the 90-minute service of French's three years on the police force, and the acts of kindness that punctuated her career. He told of how she saved the baby who was shot  demonstrating the kind of officer she had started to become  and spoke of how she took cinnamon rolls to the station for her fellow officers.

She took the time to know others, to connect with them, he said.

Carlos Yanez Sr., a retired Chicago police officer, said he was speaking on behalf of his son, Carlos Yanez, Jr., French's partner, who remains hospitalized after the shooting that cost him an eye and left two bullets in his brain.

He made sure that I was here for him. I speak for him," said Yanez Sr.

He said his son asked that one of his shirts be buried with French. He said, 'Dad, where Ella goes ... I would like a a little bit of me to be with her.

Whenever an officer is killed in the line of duty, the funeral is typically attended by representatives from departments across the state and beyond. All in dress uniforms, they stood to attention as French's casket was taken into and out of the church.

Shadowing the funeral were the facts of the night the 29-year-old French was killed, when she and Yanez Jr. pulled over a vehicle for expired plates and a passenger in that vehicle and opened fire on them.

Cupich spoke briefly about the illegal guns that continue to flood the city. Prosecutors contend a man who bought the gun used to shoot French passed it illegally to the suspect in her death.

French is the first member of the department to be killed in the line of duty in nearly three years. She is the fifth female member of the department to die in the line of duty, and the first since 1988  three years before French was born.

Though she is the first officer to be fatally shot in Chicago this year, she was just one of nearly 40 officers who have been fired upon  11 of whom have been struck by bullets.

Among the most seriously injured is Yanez. On Thursday, the Chicago Sun-Times quoted reported that his sister, Nicole Christina, a doctor who is coordinating his medical team, said her brother had lost an eye. And, while he has some sensation, there has been no movement on left side of his body or right leg, she said.

The shooting suspect, 21-year-old Monty Morgan, was shot in the abdomen by a third officer. He has been arrested and is charged with first-degree murder of a peace officer and attempted murder.

His brother, 22-year-old Eric Morgan, who prosecutors say was driving the vehicle, was also arrested. He faces gun charges and an obstruction of justice charge. Both were being held in Cook County Jail without bail.

A third man accused of acting as a straw purchaser to buy the gun used in the shooting faces federal gun charges.
TULUM, Mexico (AP)  Mexico's Caribbean coast readied for the arrival of Hurricane Grace on Wednesday, evacuating some smaller hotels, opening shelters and suspending ferry service to Cozumel as the Category 1 storm drove toward the heart of the country's tourism industry.

Grace was expected to make landfall before dawn Thursday between Tulum, known for its low-rise hotels and hip nightlife, and the island of Cozumel. Gov. Carlos Joaquin said that authorities had evacuated hotels that were not made to withstand hurricanes and he called a halt to alcohol sales in the region at 5 p.m.

On Wednesday evening, Grace had maximum sustained winds of 80 mph (130 kph) and was moving west at 18 mph (30 kph), according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. The storms center was located about 125 miles (205 kilometers) east-southeast of Tulum.

On Tulum's main drag, tourists in plastic ponchos splashed through puddles as the wind picked up. On the beach side, the surf grew and beachgoers took shelter from the blowing sand.

Armed soldiers and sailors patrolled Tulums streets in trucks.

Businesses began taping and boarding up windows and lines formed at grocery stores as families stocked up on essentials.

Were taking precautions, buying milk, sugar, water and cookies because we dont know how long well be shut in, said 21-year-old homemaker Adamaris Garcia, standing in a line of dozens of people at a small store.

Meanwhile, some tourists fretted over a lost day at the beach during their vacations while others prepared for their first hurricane experience.

Johanna Geys, of Munich, Germany, was having a beer in Tulum Wednesday afternoon. It was her first time in Mexico and Grace will be her first hurricane.

"We dont know how it is (in hurricanes),  said Geys, a 28-year-old waitress. People have been telling her it won't be bad.

Leaving a store with some supplies, 25-year-old California law student Sarah Lynch said she wasn't too worried.

"We have extra water. We prepared for the hurricane and were just going to roll with the storm and see what happens, Lynch said. Its a little scary because its unknown, but besides that were okay. We made it through COVID.

Up the coast in Cancun, fishermen dragged their boats away from the water's edge in preparation.

Last year it caught us like that (unprepared) because the information we get sometimes is not correct and sometimes we can endure them (the storms.)," said fisherman Carlos Canche Gonzalez. "But I dont think it will strengthen, and from the experience we have from last year, well, if it does or it doesnt, we have to protect our equipment. Thats what we live off, weve been fishermen for years.

For a tourist, this hurricane is really bad because we all have activities scheduled for certain days and if you cancel it impacts our vacation, said Keny Sifuentes, a 19-year-old from Colombia, in Cancun with his family.

State authorities said that as of last week, the region was hosting about 130,000 tourists and hotels were more than half full despite the pandemic.

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AP journalist Dan Christian Rojas in Cancun contributed to this report.
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP)  Indonesian police said Thursday they have arrested at least 53 suspected militants in recent weeks believed to have links to banned extremist groups, in a nationwide crackdown on a new cell of Jemaah Islamiyah, blamed for a string of past bombings.

The arrests were made in 11 provinces in the past two weeks, including five men who were arrested on Thursday, National Police spokesperson Ahmad Ramadhan said. Those arrested are mostly suspected of being members of Jemaah Islamiyah, an al-Qaida-linked group responsible for 2002 bombings in Bali that killed 202 people, mostly foreign tourists, and other attacks.

It was banned by a court in 2008 and has been weakened by a sustained crackdown on militants by counterterrorism police with U.S. and Australian support.

The arrests followed tips that convicted leaders and veteran fighters in Afghanistan were recruiting and training new members, Ramadhan said.

We are still searching for other members and continue to hunt them down, Ramadhan said, There will be no place for JI in Indonesia.

He did not elaborate on what the group was planning. Three suspects linked to a banned local affiliate of the Islamic State group known as Jemaah Anshorut Daulah were also among those arrested last week.

In March, the police elite counterterrorism squad, known as Densus 88, arrested 22 suspected militants in East Java province, including Usman bin Sef, also known as Fahim, a JI member and veteran fighter in Afghanistan who was sentenced to 3 1/2 years in jail in 2005 over a plot to attack police.

East Java vice police chief Slamet Hadi Suprapto said the JI cell led by Fahim had recruited at least 50 new members in the province in the past five years.

He said Fahim had established a training ground to create a jihadist group and was recruiting and training new JI members. The suspects created a bunker for weapons and bomb making and conducted military-style training in East Javas Malang district, he said.

In December, authorities arrested two dozen alleged JI members in Lampung province on Sumatra island, including the group's suspected military leader, Zulkarnaen, who had been wanted for more than 18 years.

Militant attacks on foreigners have been largely replaced in recent years by smaller, less deadly strikes targeting the government, mainly police and anti-terrorism forces and local infidels, inspired by Islamic State group attacks abroad.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP)  Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds lashed out at President Joe Biden Thursday after he ordered his education secretary to explore possible legal action against states including Iowa that have blocked school mask mandates and other public health measures meant to protect students against COVID-19.

Reynolds in May signed a law that Republican legislators sent her that bans local school boards from implementing mask mandates. Several other Republican governors, including those in Arizona, Florida, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Utah, have similar policies that Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said could amount to discrimination if they lead to unsafe conditions that prevent students from attending school.

Cardona sent a letter to Reynolds on Wednesday that informed her that her actions may infringe upon a school districts authority to adopt policies to protect students and educators.

Reynolds, who was a Donald Trump supporter, reacted angrily toward Biden when asked about the letter by reporters on Thursday.

I think its incredible that hes coming after me when we led the country in getting our kids back in school, doing it safely and responsibly. Weve done that from the beginning where he just basically paid lip service to children all across this country while kowtowing to the teachers union.

Reynolds has frequently questioned the effectiveness of masks and again Thursday asked, Wheres the data that the CDC is using to justify the mask mandate?

The CDC offers numerous studies on its website that it says confirm the benefit of universal masking to slow the spread of coronavirus.

Reynolds' anti-mask policy was also challenged by the Trump administration last October when the White House Coronavirus Task Force warned her that Iowans were suffering many preventable deaths because she refused to impose mask requirements.

She said she will fight the federal government in court if need be.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says masks should be worn in public indoor settings even by people who are vaccinated the slow the spread of the coronavirus delta variant.

Senate Democratic Leader Zach Wahls blamed Republicans for politicizing mask wearing, saying it has contributed to the unabated spread of the delta variant in Iowa.

Governor Reynolds  forcing unvaccinated children back to school isnt a plan. Continuing to ignore COVID isnt a plan. Hoping that the Delta variant just goes away isnt a plan. Its reckless, its dangerous, and its putting untold numbers of children, parents, educators, and other staff at severe risk, he said.

Iowa school officials are struggling with a spreading virus and the inability to fight it with masks or in many cases social distancing in classrooms.

The Des Moines school district on Wednesday closed its administrative building and a training center due to a number of people testing positive for COVID a week before the school year starts.

State public health officials said Wednesday in the weekly coronavirus update that 16 additional deaths in the past week for a total of 6,226 confirmed deaths in Iowa. Nearly 5,700 new cases were reported in the past week and the seven-day moving average of cases is 813, the highest number since early February. All but one of Iowa's 99 counties now has either a high or substantial rate of spread, the CDC said.

Iowa has slipped to 23rd in the nation for percentage of the population fully vaccinated at 50.7%.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP)  A white Iowa woman who said she drove her SUV into two children in 2019 to try to kill them because of their race was sentenced Thursday to 25 years in prison on federal hate crimes charges.

Nicole Poole Franklin had already been sentenced to up to 25 years, including a mandatory minimum of 17 1/2, on state attempted murder charges in the Dec. 9, 2019, attacks in Des Moines.

In a separate federal proceeding, U.S. District Judge Stephanie Rose sentenced Poole Franklin on Thursday to 304 months in prison, or 25 years and four months. Poole Franklin, 43, pleaded guilty to two federal hate crimes charges in May.

The sentence will run concurrently with the state punishment but ensure she will be incarcerated for longer, since the federal system does not have parole.

Prosecutors asked for a 27-year sentence in a filing last week, saying Poole Franklin targeted a 12-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl because of their race and ethnicity. Both were walking down the street near their schools.

Federal sentencing guidelines had recommended a term of 30 years to life.

Prosecutors say she first drove over a curb and struck the 12-year-old Black boy, saying she ran him over because he's just like ISIS" and he's not supposed to be there and he's going to take me out. She narrowly missed the boy's older sibling who was walking alongside him.

Minutes later, Poole Franklin drove up over a sidewalk, prosecutors said, striking a 14-year-old Latina girl, who had bruises, cuts and a concussion. Poole Franklin said she targeted the girl because she thought she was Mexican, was taking over our homes, and our jobs and wasn't supposed to be in the country, the filing said.

Poole Franklin fled after both crashes and was later arrested after going to a gas station where she called an employee and customers racial epithets.

Holding Poole Franklin accountable, not only for her intentional actions, but for the malicious beliefs behind them, is what our justice system should be, and a must to provide just punishment, afford adequate deterrence, and protect the public from further crimes by this defendant, prosecutors wrote.

Poole Franklin's public defender asked Rose for nothing longer than a 27-year term. He argued in a filing that she was suffering from severe pre-existing mental illnesses that were exacerbated by methamphetamine use, numerous extremely difficult life events hitting at nearly the same time, and with some of the worst aspects of the culture acting behind the scenes and further poisoning her mental state.

Before the hate crimes, Poole Franklin had received a series of breaks from the legal system, including after she allegedly stabbed a boyfriend in the chest in 2017 and threatened another with a butcher's knife months later.
JERUSALEM (AP)  Israel on Thursday announced it reached an agreement with Qatar for the Gulf Arab country to resume aid payments to thousands of families in the Gaza Strip, a step aimed at easing tensions with the Hamas-ruled Palestinian territory in the wake of an 11-day war in May.

Qatar has provided hundreds of millions of dollars to Gaza's poorest families in recent years. The funds have been a key source of stability for the impoverished territory, where unemployment is hovering at around 50%.

But since the May war, Israel has blocked the payments, insisting on safeguards that none of the money will reach Hamas. Under the system before the war, some $30 million in cash was delivered in suitcases to Gaza each month through an Israeli-controlled crossing.

Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz said that under the new arrangement, funds would be transferred by the United Nations directly to the bank accounts of Gaza families. Israel, he said, would maintain oversight over the list of recipients. The payments are expected to begin in the coming weeks.

I have been in contact with Qatari officials to establish a mechanism that ensures the money reaches those in need, while maintaining Israels security needs, Gantz said. He said Israel also was in touch with Hamas' rival, the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority, to look at possible alternatives for transferring the funds under its supervision.

Hamas has complained about the delays in resuming the payments and threatened to resume fighting if the funds did not begin flowing again. Earlier this week, Palestinian militants fired a rocket into Israel for the first time since the war.

Israel did not respond to the rocket attack, indicating that diplomatic efforts were making progress.

The announcement came a day after Egypts intelligence chief, a key mediator between Israel and Hamas, made a rare visit to Israel to work on bolstering a cease-fire that ended the fighting in May.

Israel and Hamas, an Islamic militant group sworn to Israel's destruction, are bitter enemies that have fought four wars and numerous skirmishes since Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007, a year after winning Palestinian legislative elections.

Israel and Egypt have maintained a tight blockade on the territory since the Hamas takeover. The blockade, which restricts the movement of people and goods in and out of Gaza, has crushed the area's economy.
ATLANTA (AP)  Jimmy Carter is sometimes called a better former president than he was president.

Nodding to Carter's decades of work as a globe-trotting humanitarian but with a glaring reminder of his landslide defeat in 1980, the backhanded compliment rankles Carter allies and, they say, the former president himself.

Yet now, 40 years removed from the White House, the most famous resident of Plains, Georgia, is riding a new wave of attention as biographers, filmmakers, climate activists and Carters fellow Democrats push to recast his presidential legacy, even as Republicans sometimes try to remind voters of the volatile economy and international affairs that doomed Carter to one term.

The renewed spotlight is especially significant for the broad swath of Americans too young to remember a presidency that spanned from 1977 to 1981. Sandwiched between the Watergate era of Richard Nixon and two terms of Ronald Reagan, Carter's tenure came before Millennials or Generation Z voters were born and earlier than most of Generation X reached political awareness.

People have always come up to tell me how much, my grandfather and my grandmother meant to them, Jason Carter, 46, said in an interview. They used to be my parents age or older. Now theyre younger than I am, sometimes much younger. Its a remarkable thing.

Many of those fans have known Carter, now 96 and largely confined to his home, only as the aging humanitarian occasionally in the news for building Habitat for Humanity houses, a critique of a successor or his latest health challenge.

In the past year, however, CNN released a documentary titled: Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President and independent documentarists Jim Pattiz and Will Pattiz debuted Carterland at the Atlanta Film Festival. Two new books hit shelves in the same span: one a comprehensive biography, the other a narrower look at Carters time in Washington. In the preceding two years, new books included an explanation of how Carters 1976 victory rewrote the rules of modern presidential campaigns and an in-depth analysis of Carters White House years by his then-domestic policy adviser.

Altogether, the new works depict not a failed president but an ambitious, far-reaching one who is getting a more nuanced assessment from history than he got from his contemporaries.

The Pattiz brothers, documentary filmmakers born a decade after Carter left the White House, emerged from producing Carterland to see the 39th president as a visionary on environmental issues, especially.

Carter had these very farsighted views of how he wanted to solve the energy crisis, and it involved conservation, but also involved turning away from fossil fuels and turning toward renewable energy, things like solar power and other renewables, said Jim Pattiz, 29.

Carter put solar panels on the White House, and he called for shared sacrifice to confront energy shortages. But he couldnt overcome voters frustrations with fuel prices and availability. The solar panels were removed during Reagans presidency. But Will Pattiz, 30, said time vindicated Carter. If President Carter had gotten an extra term in office, he said, we likely wouldnt be having a climate crisis right now.

Carter likely wouldn't go that far. In 2019, the former president used his last annual presentation at The Carter Center in Atlanta to blame himself for his post-presidential center being basically mute on the subject of global warming.

In his new book, The Outlier, historian Kai Bird writes that Carters domestic and foreign policy ledgers are lengthy and fulsome. Carters brokerage of the Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt remain his most undisputed success. But Bird also highlights Carter policies sometimes associated more with others. Carter negotiated SALT II nuclear arms treaty with the Soviet Union, leaving Reagan a firm foundation for his dealings with the Kremlin.

The Iran hostage crises cemented Carter's defeat. But Bird and Stuart Eizenstat, Carter's domestic policy adviser, detail in their books how Carter and his administration won the hostages' release, even if Tehran held them until Reagan's inauguration.

On the domestic front, it was Carter, not Reagan, who started the widespread deregulation of industries including airlines, natural gas, railroads and trucking. Carter came as close to a major health care overhaul as any president did until President Barack Obama's 2010 Affordable Care Act. And for all the political damage Carter suffered for inflation it was Carters appointee as Federal Reserve chairman, Paul Volcker, whose monetary policies curbed the spikes of the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Jason Carter said the new wave of analyses look beyond the political failure of not getting reelected as the defining factor of Carter's presidency.

Beyond policy details, Amber Roessner, a 41-year-old University of Tennessee professor who wrote Jimmy Carter and the Birth of the Marathon Media Campaign, said Carter's broader political identity from the 1970s has regained some saliency.

Carter, she said, ran and governed with a message of moral reform, emphasizing competence and moderation. He espoused his born-again Christianity and called in his nomination acceptance for love to be aggressively translated into simple justice.

In 1976, that was the antidote to the Watergate scandal, Nixon's resignation and the dynamics that lingered from Vietnam and the civil rights era. Now, it translates to the 21st century's hyperpartisan politics, the nation's latest reckoning with racism and former President Donald Trump's turbulent tenure and serial mistruths.

There are so many parallels, Roessner said.

It was enough to draw multiple Democratic presidential candidates to Plains during the 2020 presidential campaign, something that hadn't happened in the previous four decades.

There was so much distrust in government (and) he had a message of truth and honesty, Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar told The Associated Press, explaining after one of her visits why she sometimes invoked Carter as she campaigned.

Biden, who as a young Delaware politician became the first U.S. senator to endorse Carter's 1976 bid, capped the pilgrimage parade in April, as he and first lady Jill Biden visited privately with Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter at their home.

We talked about old times, Biden told reporters afterward.

If anything, two presidents huddling in small-town south Georgia carried a weightier message: Old is new again.

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Associated Press writer Alex Sanz contributed to this report.
OXFORD, Miss. (AP)  A federal judge in Mississippi has recused himself from presiding over a lawsuit filed by the family of a woman who was shot and killed by an Oxford police officer while she slept.

U.S. District Judge Neal Biggers, who lives in Oxford, wrote in an order filed last week that he is stepping away from the case because he is personally acquainted with some of the parties and witnesses and potential parties and witnesses, including people in the city administration and the police department, the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reported.
While most districts in the Capital Region plan to implement universal mask policies when school starts up again, several local school boards, facing strong opposition from parents, have floated plans to make the face coverings optional.

Now that COVID-19 cases are ramping up across the state, those same officials are proposing a compromise: Masks will likely be required in September, but the mandate may be eased once surveillance testing indicates a low in-school infection rate.

Gloversville school officials, who previously proposed making masks optional, on Monday said the mask requirement would be adjusted based on county infection rates. Superintendent David Halloran encouraged all parents to opt into school-level pool testing, which he said would help drive down infection rates in Fulton County.

"It's important to know what the virus is doing in our schools so we can act accordingly," Halloran said. "The more parents who give permission for their children to be tested, the more information we will have and hopefully it will show that the infection rate is really low. That will drive infection rates lower and hopefully, that means masks will be an option."

Children who are medically fragile will be referred to a virtual school operated by the Capital Region BOCES, he said. Teachers will be prepared to teach remotely if the entire class is quarantined due to an outbreak. The district enrolls about 2,600 students.

"Let's hope, a month, a month and a half into the school year, infection rates are low," and masks can be optional, Halloran said.

Every county in New York is classified as having a "high" or "very high" risk of transmission based on daily COVID-19 counts and average test positivity rates, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Due to the circulating delta variant, the CDC currently recommends universal indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status. The federal government has provided county health departments with funds earmarked specifically for in-school testing.

Last year, state health officials dictated COVID-19 protocols in K-12 schools, which created some uniformity across the region.

With the Cuomo administration embroiled in scandal, the state Department of Health announced this month that it would not release anticipated health guidance, leaving decisions on masking, social distancing, testing, and other safety protocols up to individual schools.

With the end of the state disaster emergency on June 25, 2021, school districts are reestablished as the controlling entity for schools," state Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said. "Schools and school districts should develop plans to open in-person in the fall as safely as possible, and I recommend following guidance from the CDC and local health departments.

Without state guidance, the debate over whether children should wear face coverings has led to tense confrontations at school board meetings across the region. The state Education Department has published non-binding back-to-school guidelines that advise a "layered" approach and restate the CDC recommendations.

"I've received hundreds of emails, letters in the mail. More letters than I've gotten in a long time," Burnt Hills Ballston Lake Superintendent Patrick M. McGrath said at a board meeting this week.

The district enrolls 3,000 students and overlaps Saratoga and Schenectady counties, which have seen climbing infection rates in recent weeks.

School officials will take into consideration town-level and building-level data when determining whether to require masks, McGrath said. Voluntary saliva tests will help determine infection rates in each building.

"The counties are big, but if you drill down and look at our towns of Ballston, Glenville, Charlton, and Clifton Park ... if you look at those numbers over the last six days, we have been relatively steady, with a total of 74 cases in our four towns," McGrath said.

Critics of mask mandates have argued that the protective coverings restrict breathing and make it harder for young children to learn social cues.

Supporters see masks as the best way to protect unvaccinated children against the virus when school resumes. They point to a striking number of pediatric hospitalizations in Texas, a state that has banned mask mandates.

Some school leaders say they are holding off on making a decision on the masks to avoid backtracking on the issue, including in Mechanicville where board members have expressed opposition to mask mandates.

Kathy Hochul, who in a week will become governor, has signaled that she supports universal masking in schools.

"Effective today, it's local control, but the state can change its mind at any point," Mechanicville Superintendent Bruce Potter said.

Provided no further mandates come from state or federal government, Mechanicville officials say they will make a decision based on district-level data in consultation with local health departments.

Mohonasen school board members are divided on the issue. On Monday, the board met in a large auditorium to hear arguments from Rotterdam-area parents for and against the mask mandate.

"I think there is an intelligent way forward. I think there is a way forward that involves compromise. There is no way that will please everyone," Superintendent Shannon Shine said.

Most districts in Albany County have announced that masks will be required indoors by all students and staff this fall. In most districts, the school year begins Sept. 9.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article misattributed a position about the efficacy of children wearing masks to Burnt Hills Ballston Lake Superintendent Patrick M. McGrath. The statements were made by Gloversville Superintendent David Halloran.
Long-awaited good news was announced during Wednesdays COVID-19 media briefing as Fire Chief and Emergency Coordinator Guillermo Heard said additional staff at both Laredo Medical Center and Doctors Hospital have allowed for an additional 22 rooms to open between both health facilities despite the number of staff members not being asked for.

He also said there is an incoming wave of staff members slated for next week that will result in an additional 30 to 40 beds, totaling between 110 to 130 in the community.

Heard added that a pediatric overflow has also been planned in anticipation of an expected surge after students returned to school. This overflow will be a product of multiple community partners as transfers continue to happen for pediatric patients.

However, Health Authority Dr. Victor Trevino said the pediatric overflow holding area will be available in the case where transfers are unavailable. He explained that it will not be a pediatric ICU as the city does not have the proper equipment or specialized staff for that operation.

This pediatric holding area is an option of last resort, and if we get to this point, God help us, Trevino said.

With a rise to the hospitalization rate from 19.50% to 20.75%, hospitals are still working to manage patient overflow as hospitals continue 15 days without ICU beds. The hospitalization rate is dire in Texas as 12,200 people are hospitalized with approximately 300 beds available for the entire state.

To help combat the spread, the regional infusion center is expected to be operational by Friday at the Haynes Wellness Center. Heard estimates the center can administer approximately 60 infusions per day for those with positive PCR tests.

Another means to help combat the pandemic involves COVID tests being distributed to school districts as the beginning of school started this Monday to allow for more testing.

Richard Chamberlain, Laredo Health Department Director, provided more information on the recently discussed booster shots for individuals with moderate or severely compromised immune systems. He said that the new shot is heavily encouraged eight months after receiving the original Moderna/Pfizer two vaccine shots.

Chamberlain explained that the third booster shot program will start on Sept. 20 and the FDA is conducting an independent investigation revolving around the safety of the third dose. Recommendations for those who received the Johnson and Johnson vaccine are still to come, but it is still important to discuss with ones physician the viability of receiving a booster shot.

Trevino said the booster shot is only available for the immunocompromised with further information becomes available. He added that the immunocompromised make up approximately 44% of breakthrough cases with more definitive numbers to come.

Citing CDC articles, Richard read that vaccine effectiveness against infection is decreasing over time, effectiveness against hospitalization, severe disease and death continues to be high, and decreased effectiveness in the vaccine has been a result of the Delta variant.

Variants are a result of unvaccinated populations and the spread of the virus within them. As the virus spreads, it has higher chances of mutation which leads to variants that may end up with higher transmission rates like the Delta variant.

However, Chamberlain explained that the vaccinated population is still protected from infection, severe disease, hospitalization and death.

Trevino said the hospital environment is still saturated with pediatric cases still present. Nationwide, there were 124,000 pediatric cases last week, he emphasized.

A 7-year-old child was recently transferred for higher level of care, and with this age group we are seeing that school-age children are beginning to start getting affected.

As for the recent school year start, on Monday Trevino said that new infections are expected as most infections are believed to be community acquired. Thus, he continues to encourage vaccines and for masks to be worn at all times in the school settings to reduce transmission. He emphasized the cafeteria setting is still a major exposure area in which some schools have been shown online to see a crowd of students in the one room.

Aside from children, older generations in nursing homes are also being impacted with an increase of COVID cases. Booster shots for this population are highly recommended and encouraged, compounding the high percentage of vaccinated individuals. In some cases, transfers have been made available to reduce the spread in nursing homes.

cocampo@lmtonline.com
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP)  The chief medical examiner in North Carolina says a man visiting the Great Smoky Mountains National Park last year was likely killed by a bear, the National Park Service said Thursday.

A park service statement said the death of Patrick Madura, 43, of Elgin, Illinois, was the second bear-related fatality in the history of the park.
SEDALIA, Mo. (AP)  Missouri political hopefuls, including a long list of candidates vying for a U.S. Senate seat, gathered Thursday at the State Fair to bolster support.

The annual Governor's Ham Breakfast is a political rite of passage in Missouri and a rare event that brings both Republican and Democratic candidates under the same pavilion to mingle.
PORTLAND, Maine (AP)  Several music venues are going to require vaccinations for concertgoers.

State Theater, Thompson's Point and Portland House of Music are among those requiring vaccinations, or a negative test for COVID-19, in Portland. Elsewhere, the Opera House at Boothbay Harbor and Stone Mountain Arts Center in Brownfield are also requiring proof of vaccination.

The marquee sign above State Theater says, Vaccines are a gateway drug to concerts.

We hope we can keep our doors open, and we need your support and understanding to do so, the Portland House of Music said.

The announcements come amid a surge in the delta variant of the coronavirus, which now accounts for virtually all infections in Maine.

In other pandemic-related news:

UMS STUDENTS

The University of Maine System is requiring all students, faculty, staff and visitors to wear wear face coverings inside its buildings.

The new policy applies to all, regardless of vaccination status, as the delta variant causes a surge of infections in Maine.

With our classrooms and other indoor spaces no longer set up to impose social distancing, face coverings are an important strategy we can employ to effectively control the transmission of COVID, regardless of an individuals vaccination status and testing participation, Chancellor Dannel Malloy wrote.

The announcement on Wednesday came after Bates College adopted similar requirement at its Lewiston campus.
CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP)  Nevada Lt. Gov. Kate Marshall said Thursday she has accepted a position in President Joe Biden's administration and will resign from her job as lieutenant governor.

In many ways, I will work on the same issues I have during my time in elected office: to ensure that the American Dream can be reached by all who seek it in Nevada and our country, Marshall said in a statement.

Marshall will serve as senior advisor to governors in the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and will continue as lieutenant governor until transitioning in late fall, according to her office.

Her experience as a leader during Nevadas response to the COVID-19 pandemic will bolster the administrations continued efforts to fight the pandemic and get as many Americans vaccinated as possible, said Julie Rodriguez, the federal office's director.

The move, first reported by the Nevada Independent, allows Gov. Steve Sisolak to appoint a new lieutenant governor to serve until the 2022 election or leave the position vacant. Sisolak told the Las Vegas Review-Journal on Tuesday that he was excited for Marshall and did not know if or when he would appoint a successor.

Marshall is not the first Nevada politician to be appointed to a Biden administration position. Both she and former state Sen. Yvanna Cancela endorsed Biden ahead of the 2020 Nevada caucuses. Cancela was appointed to a position in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services but later resigned to return as Sisolaks chief of staff.

Marshall served two terms as state treasurer before being elected lieutenant governor in 2018, defeating former state Senate Majority Leader, Republican Michael Roberson. She ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. House in a 2011 special election and for secretary of state in 2014.

The lieutenant governor presides over the state Senate and chairs the state commission on tourism, but does not have as well defined a purview as other state-level officers. During her three-year tenure, Marshall has worked on initiatives to provide aid to small businesses and encourage residents to participate in the 2020 U.S. Census. She also pushed a bill through the Legislature to recognize dark sky places and support stargazing tourism in rural Nevada.

Christina Lopez, the lieutenant governors chief of staff, said Marshall was the consummate public servant.

Its impossible to convince her to put a file in the drawer and give up because, to her, she knows that behind every project theres a community or person waiting for a solution, Lopez said.

___

Sam Metz is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
HONOLULU (AP)  The project director of a new solar telescope in Hawaii that will be the most powerful of its kind hopes scientists will be able to start observations at the facility in three months.

The Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope, at the summit of Haleakala volcano on Maui, was supposed to open last fall. But Thomas Rimmele told Hawaii Public Radio on Wednesday that COVID-19 travel restrictions set back construction on its critical systems.

He hopes the current schedule wont be affected by newly surging coronavirus cases and any additional restrictions. Rimmele was expecting to return to Maui as early as this week.

November 15 is what were shooting for. We just had a big review, the final construction review that was conducted by the National Science Foundation, Rimmele said. (The scientists) are getting really anxious to get their observations and data done.

The telescope has received about 100 proposals from researchers for an initial observing window of two-and-a-half months. Picking which scientists get to go first depends heavily on atmospheric conditions and what objects are visible on a given day.

He said one quarter or even a fifth of the proposals may be approved for the first cycle.

We are highly oversubscribed and people will have to submit proposals again for the next cycle, he said. Thats just how it works.

The telescope is to be the largest and most powerful of its kind in the world. The National Solar Observatory said the Inouye telescope will be able to reveal features three times smaller than anything scientists are able to currently see on the Sun.

The Hawaii Supreme Court in 2016 affirmed a permit for the solar telescopes construction.

The next year, more than 100 protesters tried to block a construction convoy heading to the telescope site, citing the sacredness of Haleakalas summit. Maui police arrested six people.

Protests against another telescope planned for a different mountain and island  the Thirty Meter Telescope at the summit of Mauna Kea on the Big Island  have prevented construction crews from working on that project.
NEW ORLEANS (AP)  Louisianas largest hospital system, Ochsner Health, delayed more than 1,160 surgeries and medical procedures across the system over the past week because the hospitals are swamped with COVID-19 patients, system CEO Warner Thomas said Thursday.

The hospitals had too few beds and health care staff amid record-breaking number of COVID-19 hospitalizations across Louisiana.

That is a significant disruption for other patients that we could not take care, Thomas said in a Thursday briefing with reporters.

Louisiana's daily statewide hospital count stood at 3,013 in numbers released at midday Thursday. The number was down by nine from the previous day  the first time since Aug. 2 that the hospitalization numbers didn't set a record. But the number continues to hover over 3,000, far surpassing hospitalizations during three previous coronavirus surges in Louisiana that topped at or near 2,000.

The Ochsner system also turned down 150 patient transfer requests from other health care facilities, for people who had medical issues requiring more specialized care than they were currently receiving, officials said Thursday.

The state Health Department reported 5,550 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 infections Thursday, with 58 newly reported deaths. The department said 89% of cases reported from Aug. 5 to Aug. 11 involved unvaccinated people, while 80% of deaths in that period involved the unvaccinated. Unvaccinated patients account for 91% of those currently hospitalized, according to the state figures.

Vaccination rates in the state continue to rise, but the percentages remain well below national rates. The Health Department reported Thursday that more than 2.2 million people or more than 47% of the state's population had gotten an initial shot of vaccine; more than 1.8 million, more than 39%, are fully vaccinated. A week ago the figures were about 45% and 38%, respectively.

Earlier this week, the Beauregard Health System Hospital in DeRidder temporarily halted all elective surgeries and procedures amid the hospitals battle against COVID-19.

Chief Medical Officer David Jones told the American Press in Lake Charles that all available physicians and nurses have been moving from the surgical unit to the emergency department to assist with the overwhelming number of patients seeking medical attention for COVID-19 symptoms.

It is literally an all-hands-on-deck situation right now. Every day is about adapting and working as hard as we can to take care of our sickest, which right now is our COVID patients, Jones said.
Sue Ogrocki/AP

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)  Oklahomas school districts should have the autonomy to enact mask requirements, which are banned by state law, according to the state's superintendent of schools.

School districts deserve the autonomy to enact policies that protect our schoolchildren and staff from COVID exposure and infection, Superintendent Joy Hofmeister said in a statement Wednesday.
CLEAR LAKE, Iowa (AP)  A bicyclist has died after being hit by a pickup truck in north-central Iowa, according to the Iowa Department of Public Safety.

The crash happened around 11:15 a.m. Wednesday, when a 94-year-old man driving the pickup truck southbound on a city street hit a bicyclist who traveling in the southbound lane, police reported.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP)  Three Albuquerque police officers were shot and another was injured while responding to a robbery Thursday, leaving law enforcement officials and elected leaders frustrated as New Mexico's largest city continues to grapple with a record-setting year of deadly violence.

Authorities said one of the officers was hit at the base of the neck, just above his bulletproof vest, and was listed in critical condition. One officer was shot in the forearm, and another was saved by his vest when he was struck in the chest by gunfire. The fourth officer was hit in the eye with shrapnel.

While the investigation is ongoing, Police Chief Harold Medina said multiple people were detained and the person believed to have fired at officers was in custody. That suspect was shot but is in stable condition, he said.

Medina called on the criminal justice system to come together to find ways to intervene and curb the violence, citing the revolving door that many residents have blamed for persistent crime problems and the latest rash of shootings. He also acknowledged that not all people can be saved.

People need to want to get help, but some people need to stay in jail," he said. And that is something we can't be afraid of saying. It needs to be said. Our courts need to hear it. Our prosecutors need to hear it, and our community needs to voice their frustration and ensure that we start making the changes to keep bad people in jail.

He said frustration among law enforcement and the community has been mounting, but Thursday marked a pinnacle.

The officers were responding to reports of a robbery Thursday morning when they were fired upon. Authorities initially closed roads and nearby schools were put on lockdown after the shooting as officers swarmed an area near a coffee shop in a commercial district on the city's northeast side.

Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller called it a horrible scene and asked for residents to pull together for the officers and their families.

The city has been struggling with a record number of homicides this year, and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham just this week announced she would reassign more state police officers to New Mexicos largest city in an effort to help ease the burden.

Republican lawmakers have asked for the Democratic governor to call a special legislative session to address what they have described as a public emergency, saying the state needs tougher criminal statutes and that repeat offenders need to remain behind bars.

Albuquerque officials acknowledged recent tragedies, including a school shooting last week that left a 13-year-old student dead. The police chief also noted it was nearly 16 years ago to the day that the city lost two veteran police officers in a deadly shooting rampage committed by a man with a mental illness.

It's a very emotional time, Medina said.

Lujan Grisham's office said the governor was horrified by Thursday's events. Spokeswoman Nora Meyers Sackett said the administration is keenly aware of the public safety issues facing the Albuquerque area and that the additional state police officers began working with local law enforcement Tuesday.

The governor has committed to substantial public safety investments, including an effort to fund and support 1,000 new police officers statewide over the next decade, in the coming legislative session, Sackett said, adding Lujan Grisham looks forward to Republican support of initiatives aimed at helping local jurisdictions combat violent crime and keeping repeat violent offenders locked up.

Dr. Steven McLaughlin, an official at University of New Mexico Hospital, was among those who briefed reporters Thursday afternoon. In his two decades working at the hospital, he said he has seen violence in the city escalate. He said the emergency room sees gunshot victims every day.

Gun violence is a public health emergency that we're facing, he said, adding that investments need to be made in research to better understand the causes.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)  A Portland, Oregon, firefighter denies kidnapping a man last weekend and looks forward to proving his innocence, his lawyer said Wednesday.

Douglas Lee Bourland was arraigned in Multnomah County Circuit Court Wednesday on three counts of first-degree kidnapping, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported.

He was ordered to have no contact with his two co-defendants as well as the man whom they are charged with forcing at gunpoint into a black Range Rover from outside a restaurant in downtown Portland.

According to a probable cause affidavit, the men are accused of abducting the man because they thought he burglarized the Oregon Hemp House, a marijuana business Bourland opened last year. Bourlands girlfriend is listed as the owner and court records say she posted $75,000 of his $750,000 bond.

Bourland and his alleged accomplices took the victim to a marijuana farm in Estacada and left him in a storage unit, Deputy District Attorney Kate Molina said in the affidavit.

A driver for Uber called police and reported seeing a man later identified as Hong Dieu Lee holding a gun to force a man into the SUV, the affidavit said.

Police stopped the Range Rover and arrested Bourland, Lee, 42, and Edward Sherman Simmons, 24. Lee and Simmons also have posted bail. It wasn't immediately known if they have lawyers to comment on their cases.

Lee told detectives, according to the affidavit, that he and Bourland hatched the plan to teach the burglar a lesson, according to the affidavit. Police found the man Sunday after Lee told them the location, the affidavit said.

Bourland, a 14-year member of Portland Fire & Rescue Bureau, was on leave at the time of his arrest. Officials won't say why he was on leave.
MOSCOW (AP)  Russia's top diplomat assured his Libyan counterpart Thursday that Moscow supports the withdrawal of all foreign fighters from the North African country and is prepared to help work out the details with other countries.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said after the talks in Moscow with Najla Mangoush that the Libyan leadership is forming a consultative mechanism ... to formulate the concrete parameters under which the foreign forces will leave.

Russia was among the foreign powers backing the warring sides in Libyas conflict, with some officials and media reports alleging that Russian private military contractors took part in the fighting.

"We will be prepared to constructively take part in this work alongside other countries, Lavrov told a press conference.

The Libyan foreign minister said her government considers the issue of withdrawing foreign fighters important and a priority, but stressed that it should be done gradually and in a synchronized manner."

That's why working out implementation mechanisms is necessary," Mangoush said. "Such decisions are aimed to avoid repeating (the) negative lessons of some of our neighbors, to avoid an ill-considered withdrawal of troops and to avoid sliding into chaos, so that the national security of Libya doesn't suffer in the end.

Libya has been wracked by chaos since a NATO-backed uprising toppled longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi in 2011, and split the country between a U.N.-supported government in the capital, Tripoli, and rival authorities loyal to commander Khalifa Hifter in the east. Each were backed by different armed groups and foreign governments.

In April 2019, Hifter launched a military offensive to capture the capital. His campaign was backed by Egypt, the UAE, Russia and France, while his rivals had the support of Turkey, Qatar and Italy.

Hifters march on Tripoli ultimately failed in June 2020. Subsequent U.N.-sponsored peace talks brought about a cease-fire and installed an interim government thats expected to lead the country into general elections in December.

The U.N. estimated in December that there were at least 20,000 foreign fighters and mercenaries in Libya, including Syrians, Russians, Sudanese and Chadians.

Last month, U.N. Special Envoy to Libya Jan Kubis said that factions starting the withdrawal of all foreign fighters from the country would be a major step for Libya.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP)  Two Springfield school employees are suing the district over its mandatory racial equity training, which they contend violates their rights and is an unconstitutional condition of employment.

The federal lawsuit was filed Wednesday by Jennifer Lumley, a records secretary for the special services department, and Brooke Henderson, who works on plans for students with disabilities. Henderson is a member of Back on Track America and has frequently accused the district of inserting critical race theory into its training.
With a 26-year-old son living at home  an organ transplant recipient who is currently battling lymphatic cancer  Ian Yeoh and Lezah Hancock-Yeoh are vigilant about protecting him from COVID-19.

That's why they asked their school district in Fairfield, Connecticut, to allow his 16-year-old brother to take classes online, just like he did last year during the height of the pandemic.

The doctors are very adamant. When they blew us away with the diagnosis of Mitchells cancer, they also said on the same day, Your other son, Mason, he cant go back to school," Lezah Hancock-Yeoh said.

While the family is hoping for a medical exemption, the school system has denied the request for a continuation of remote learning. It comes as educators, politicians and parents are eager to get as many students as possible back into the classroom after whats been described as a lost year for many young people. Some families say school systems are not being flexible enough.

Connecticut is among states taking a harder line. Several other states are expanding virtual offerings in part to accommodate families with concerns about the virus.

A state law in Connecticut prohibits districts from providing a long-term remote learning option instead of in-person instruction, Fairfield Superintendent of Schools Mike Cummings said.

We think theres no substitute for teachers being with their students, both in terms of academic learning and their social emotional learning needs, and were prioritizing that and really trying to make that our focus this year," explained Nathan Quesnel, a superintendent of schools in East Hartford. In his district, virtual learning will be available short-term to accommodate individual students, classrooms or schools that need to quarantine or if there's a surge in cases.

Families have to make choices, he said. Some families have chosen to homeschool as an option. That's certainly not something we recommend, that's certainly not something we're promoting, but that is an option for families.

Connecticut attorney Andrew Feinstein, who represents an immunocompromised mother from Fairfield who is challenging her town's denial of remote learning for her child to the state Department of Education, said the state has thoroughly abdicated its responsibility when it comes to these families. Feinstein said the state released entirely ambiguous statements which he contends have led some superintendents to wrongly believe they can't offer them remote learning.

When I talk to folks at the state Department of Education, they tell me, No, no, no, this is something that local districts can do,' he said. They refuse to put in writing essentially what theyre telling me.

Fran Rabinowitz, executive director of the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents, said while districts are unable to offer remote learning for a full 180-day school year, the rules for short-term remote learning are unclear.

It is up to the individual district where they will go with that. But it is very confusing because, how long are we talking here? Are we talking a week or two weeks or a month of remote instruction? Because the legislature has said not a separate track this year, she said.

State Department of Education guidance provided to schools says districts are not authorized by legislation to provide a remote learning program except for high school students starting in the 2022-2023 school year, with several exceptions. Those include the need to quarantine individual students, classes and schools and in rare and individualized circumstances, for students with elevated risks from COVID-19 exposure due to co-habiting family members with documented vulnerability to COVID-19.

Eric Scoville, the department's spokesperson, said the agency is not aware of a single school district that has asked to provide school or district-wide remote learning" so far.

State Sen. Doug McCrory, D-Hartford, co-chair of General Assemblys Education Committee, acknowledged there isnt a statewide virtual learning policy for students with family members at greater risk of contracting COVID-19. But he said school districts should be working on a case-by-case basis to help these families.

I dont know how large the population is, but I think theres resources available because of the CARES Act and all the other funding that we got from the federal government to make sure that child is properly educated, he said.

On Thursday, Charlene Russell-Tucker, Gov. Ned Lamont's newly nominated education commissioner, said districts are being encouraged to work with families individually. She said some are providing these students tutors and some kind of asynchronous learning," but she acknowledged they're not required to do so. Lamont said districts can also access online learning modules the state is making available, but he stressed that if you can, go to class.

Connecticut isn't alone in this debate. New York City has no plans to offer a fully remote learning option, to the dismay of some teachers and parents whove begun petition campaigns.

Katrice Bryson, a single mother in Manhattan, has two autoimmune diseases and suffers from other medical conditions as well. While she understands the desire to have students return to the classroom, Bryson said a one-size-fits-all approach is not the answer.

The politicians are not taking into account kids living situations, because every students living situation is unique, she said. You have students who live in multigenerational households. You have students who live with relatives who are at high risk.

Danielle Filson, a spokesperson for the citys public schools, said the departments multi-layered approach to safety has made schools among the safest places to be in New York City and students cannot lose another year of in-person learning.

Elizabeth Vienneau and her husband Roger Schulman specifically chose Fairfield, Connecticut, for its school system when they moved from Los Angeles three years ago. Vienneau, who has Type 1 diabetes and relies on an insulin pump, said shes dismayed the district left them with no options other than homeschooling their daughter or signing up for some expensive, private, online high school.

The thing that hurts the most is that we came here for these teachers and this community and we pay our taxes for those things and support and volunteer in the community for those things, Schulman said. It doesnt make sense to us. Shes going to be sitting in a room with some online school based in Texas, surrounded by one of the countrys best public school systems. Why?
PHOENIX (AP)  A police officer has filed a lawsuit seeking to bar the city of Phoenix from continuing its internal investigation of him for allegedly possessing a law enforcement souvenir that depicted a protester getting shot in the groin outside a 2017 rally held by then-President Donald Trump.

Officer Christopher Turiano, who fired the pepper ball that struck the protester and was found in a separate inquiry to have possessed a rubber patch portraying the protesters injury, has refused to turn over his personal cellphone data to internal investigators.

The lawsuit, filed Wednesday, alleges his Fourth Amendment right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures was being violated. He is seeking a court order that bars the investigation from continuing until a judge examines his legal claims.

The internal investigation centers on special challenge coins and patches that are circulated among officers to commemorate police operations. Phoenix officers passed around coins and patches that portrayed a demonstrator wearing a gas mask getting shot with a pepper ball and contained a vulgar comment about his injury.

The image on the souvenirs closely resembled a protester who was shot during a 2017 protest outside a Trump rally in downtown Phoenix. Video of the encounter, which also showed the protester kicking a smoke canister back at police officers, became viral on social media.

A spokesman for the city of Phoenix didnt respond to a request for comment on the lawsuit.

Last week, Police Chief Jeri Williams received a written reprimanded for leadership lapses stemming from the souvenirs depicting the injured protester. A law firm hired by the city to conduct a separate investigation couldnt determine who created the coin, but noted it was circulated among officers in late 2017, while they were on city property and on the clock. The lawyers said Turiano had received a patch from a detective.

The police chief didnt know of the offensive souvenirs existence until August 2019, right before her deposition in a lawsuit that alleged police used excessive force and violated the free-speech rights of protesters outside the Trump rally.

As part of that lawsuit, Turiano agreed to give access to his phone data, but the information was to be kept confidential and could be used only in the litigation. He has since declined requests for the data in other inquiries, according to Turrianos lawsuit.

His lawsuit said Turiano has been told by investigators that he could face discipline, including being fired, for his refusal to provide his cellphone data.

The protester who was shot in the groin received probation for his misdemeanor disorderly conduct conviction stemming from his actions at the protest.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Justice announced a widespread investigation of the Phoenix Police Department to examine whether officers have been using excessive force and abusing people experiencing homelessness.

The investigation also will seek to determine if officers have retaliated against people engaged in protected First Amendment activities.
BEIRUT (AP)  Loud explosions shook the Syrian capital late on Thursday as state media reported Israeli airstrikes around Damascus.

The state-news agency SANA said Syrian air defenses confronted the Israeli planes, while the pro-Syrian government Cham FM Radio reported airstrikes in the Damascus countryside and in the central province of Homs.

Damascus residents reported hearing at least five loud explosions that shook apartment buildings over a 15 minute time span. The missiles appeared to have been fired from over Lebanon, jolting residents who heard them streak across the sky before striking targets in Syria.

There was no immediate comment from Israel, which rarely comments on its military operations in Syria. There were also no immediate reports of any casualties.

Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes inside Syria in the course of Syrias civil war, against what it says are suspected arms shipments believed to be bound for Lebanons Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group, which is fighting alongside Syrian government forces. It rarely acknowledges or discusses such operations.

Earlier this week, Syrian state media reported that Israel carried out a missile attack on southern Syria late on Tuesday, targeting an unspecified military position.
WATERBURY, Vt. (AP)  A company that provides information technology consulting for state and local governments plans to hire as many as 250 workers over the next five years in Waterbury, officials announced.

MTX Group created Vermonts Pandemic Unemployment Assistance system and offers contact tracing and vaccine management systems to other states. It employs about 11,000 people around the globe.
ANKARA, Turkey (AP)  Turkish President President Tayyip Erdogan hosted a top security official from the United Arab Emirates and said the Gulf state was looking at investing in Turkey, signaling that years of tense relations between the two nations may be on their way to easing.

The trip by UAE national security advisor Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Wednesday appears to be the highest-level public visit by an Emirati official to Turkey in years. The two countries have seen their ties affected by regional tensions, including the conflict in Libya, where the UAE and Turkey have backed opposing sides in recent years.

Sheikh Tahnoun's meeting with Erdogan reflects a wider recalibration by the UAE of its foreign policy stances following an unsuccessful attempt at isolating fellow Gulf state Qatar. Turkey rushed to support Qatar during an embargo by the UAE and three other Arab states, and Ankara deepened its military footprint in Qatar during the diplomatic dispute.

The Arab quartet at the time demanded a series of reversals by Qatar, including the expulsion of Turkish troops, but Qatar rejected the demands as violations of its sovereignty. The dispute was resolved earlier this year with an agreement signed in Saudi Arabia.

The meeting with the Emirati official is also part of a wider effort by an increasingly isolated Turkey to mend frayed ties with regional powers, including Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

A brief statement from Erdogans office after the meeting said he and Sheikh Tahnoun two discussed bilateral relations and regional issues. Erdogan said in a late night interview with Turkeys Kanal 7 TV that they discussed possible investments from the UAE in Turkey.

They have serious investment targets, investment plans, the president said. I believe that in a short period of time, the UAE will enter our country with serious investments.

The UAEs state-run news agency released a brief report on the meeting, saying the two sides discussed investment opportunities in the fields of transportation, health and energy.

Asked whether the visit marked the start of a thaw, Erdogan said: It is natural for there to be ups and downs in relations...We have reached a certain stage (thanks to) our intelligence service especially, which has been holding some meetings for some months.

He said there was a possibility he would meet with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed in the future. The crown prince is seen as the de-facto leader and the force behind the UAE's foreign policy posture.

Abu Dhabi palace advisor Anwar Gargash wrote on Twitter after the meeting that the UAE was in the process of building and restoring bridges, and strengthening relations with all.

Differences in points of views on some issues will not stand in the way of outreach and enhancing opportunities for stability, prosperity and development, Gargash said.

He also shared an image of Erdogan standing with Sheikh Tahnoun with his 1.3 million followers, writing that the meeting was historic and positive.

___

Batrawy reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates
UNITED NATIONS (AP)  The outgoing head of the U.N. womens agency is hoping that in five years the $40 billion recently pledged to promote gender equality will lead to many more women in leadership positions, a reduction of violence against women, and the more than 40 million women who fell into extreme poverty because of the COVID-19 pandemic -- and more -- escape the poverty trap.

Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka said in an interview before stepping down this week as executive director of UN Women after eight years that the pledges by world leaders, the private sector, philanthropists, and organizations at the Generation Equality Forum in Paris that ended July 2 represent a historic and positive shift to broad-based investment in a wide range of womens issues.

She said one of the major challenges she faced was not having adequate resources equal to the size of the problem, and realizing that governments alone could not solve the problem. So bringing together a much broader representation of society, those who can put money on the table, and getting them to invest in gender equality was significant progress, she said.

At the Paris forum, UN Women said governments and public sector institutions made $21 billion in commitments to gender equality programs, the private sector made $13 billion, philanthropies $4.5 billion, and organizations $1.3 billion. In addition, 440 civil society organizations and 94 youth-led organizations made policy and program commitments, the U.N. agency said.

Mlambo-Ngcuka stressed that the money doesnt go to UN Women.

It goes to the women and girls of the world, but it goes to the issues that we have pointed out to governments and other stakeholders as the critical issues that are impacting on women, she said.

All the governments, companies, organizations and others who pledged money have to now work themselves and implement the womens agenda, wherever they are.

Mlambo-Ngcuka said the three issues that got the most money were combating gender-based violence, promoting womens leadership and supporting the feminist movement. Ensuring womens sexual and reproductive health and rights got support though not as much as we wanted, she said, and funders also gave money to grassroots organizations.

But she said much more funding is needed to tackle the impact of climate change on women, which the U.N. agency will be calling for at the November climate conference in Glasgow, Scotland.

In addition, Mlambo-Ngcuka said, groups of countries got together and put money on the table to advance new issues including unpaid care and how to reduce and redistribute the burden, promoting gender responsive policing not only to focus on bringing perpetrators to justice but to prevent crimes from happening, and promoting womens access to digital finance including enabling them to be procurement suppliers to governments which she will be working on when she returns to her home in South Africa.

We still have more work to do, but the fact that we now have this coalition of stakeholders, who are working outside the U.N. is extremely important, Mlambo-Ngcuka said.

She said there will be monitoring of whats being done annually at the U.N. General Assembly and at the Commission on the Status of Women, the U.N. organ promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women.

Looking back at her eight years at UN Women, Mlambo-Ngcuka said there have been difficult, exciting and challenging times.

In addition to constantly having to do fundraising, she said we have also had pushback against the womens agenda including under former U.S. President Donald Trump and other conservative governments in Poland and elsewhere which destabilized rights. She also pointed to difficult situations in countries like Congo which remain unstable.

On the positive side, she said working with Gambia to remove discriminatory laws against women was a joy, helping Lebanon remove its marry your rapist law was also a big win, as is seeing women in their thousands participating in local governments in India.

Mlambo-Ngcuka said she has been heartened and encouraged by the rise of girls and youth who are standing up on climate issues, fighting for girls education and fighting to end child marriage in Kenya and elsewhere.

All of this is going to enable us to accelerate the agenda, she said in Tuesday's interview.

In five years, she hopes to see the global average of 25% womens representation in many forums rise toward gender parity which is 50%, to see much greater implementation of laws on violence against women, and to significantly reduce extreme poverty which hit women under age 30 hardest during the pandemic.

Im happier as I leave about how far we have come, she said, but its also a difficult time because the COVID-19 pandemic is ongoing, lies and disinformation" abound, and the vaccination situation is so messed up that weve got countries that have not even reached 1% of vaccinated people.

What would she like her legacy to be?

I just hope that we have changed the debate, Mlambo-Ngcuka said. This is not a struggle for women by women. This is a struggle for everybody.
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (AP)  A Virginia school board has voted to ignore state guidelines on protecting transgender students rather than change its policies as the law requires before the school year starts.

The Newport News School Board voted 5-1 against the change with one member abstaining at a crowded meeting Tuesday, The Daily Press reported.
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP)  Charlene Russell-Tucker was nominated Thursday as Connecticut's education commissioner, a job she has held on an interim basis since Miguel Cardona left in March to become the U.S. education secretary.

Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont made the nomination following a unanimous vote earlier in the day by the state Board of Education.
In late July, the Biden administration announced that it will reinstate expedited removal or fast-track deportation for families. This means that within 72 hours, with no opportunity to apply for asylum or any other legal remedy, families will be deposited in dangerous conditions in Mexican border towns.

Families have been met with extortion, kidnapping, rape and even murder by criminal gangs and cartels while waiting to re-enter. Shelters set up by nonprofit groups are inadequate for the number of people waiting in Mexico.

Under Trumps remain in Mexico policy, families resorted to sending their children across the border as unaccompanied minors to protect them from harm. Up until Julys policy shift, while almost all single adult migrants have been returned to Mexico under Title 42, many families, especially vulnerable families, received humanitarian protection. Some were allowed to apply for asylum and were able to travel to be with family members already in the U.S. while awaiting a determination in immigration court.

Title 42 is an obscure health law that was used by the Trump administration to halt processing of asylum cases at the Southwest border, purportedly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Beginning in March 2020, Title 42 virtually closed the door to most immigrants and asylum-seekers. In total, 875,000 people seeking asylum have been blocked from entering the United States and denied the right to apply for asylum. Although families received some protections, Title 42 caused family separation and detention  and extending it will routinely place families in grave danger.

The Biden administration had been expected to end Title 42 expulsions on July 31. The administration has pledged to end family separation and detention and institute a more humane response to those fleeing harm and seeking safety in the United States.

Seven months into the Biden administration, however, vulnerable families are not faring well. Caught at the border, they have less access to medical care and protective measures against COVID-19. Rather than expanding COVID-19 testing for families and children at the border and providing vaccinations, the Biden administrations immigration policy is increasing the risk of COVID-19 for these families and for people in this country by creating unsafe conditions at the border.

Meanwhile, Title 42 does not apply to international commerce, those who cross the border to work, or tourists  all of whom are allowed to cross without evoking panic about COVID-19. The border is closed only to asylum seekers and immigrants  many of them people of color.

As the Biden administration advocates for an end to COVID-19 restrictions that prevent America from restarting the economy and resuming normal life, and promotes testing, masks and vaccination as the path forward, why are asylum seekers left behind? Why are vulnerable families being put in further danger because the delta variant rages?

We must return to understanding asylum as a safeguard of our democracy. When terror and violence compel people to flee their homelands in search of safety and refuge, we are called to respond. Our very humanity is at stake.

Karen Beetle is a family therapist and co-coordinator of Capital District Border Watch. She is a former human rights defender in Guatemala and El Salvador.
In Texas, one of the nation's most restrictive laws will take effect in September, banning abortions at as early as six weeks of pregnancy and allowing any private citizen to sue doctors, health providers, insurance companies and anyone else appearing to help a woman obtain an abortion.

This law has been hailed by proponents as one with novel legal provisions. But bans on abortion are nothing new, and in targeting people who aid women in getting them, these 21st-century laws circle back to an ominous past when abortion providers were subjected to religious witch hunts - the first in recorded history.

Five hundred years ago in Europe, witchcraft was a front-and-center topic. Once dismissed as an unsavory pagan holdover from primitive peoples, by 1480, witches were branded as heretics for making deliberate pacts with the Devil. As the most fatal pandemic in history, the Black Death, was finally ending and married people were expected to claim God's favor by multiplying and replenishing the Earth with children, abortion providers became accused witches. They died at the stake after being sentenced by local judges working in tandem with religious tribunals.

Aborting was not an issue of liberty or necessarily a private matter in Early Modern Europe. It was considered a blasphemous act performed by witches who wanted to deliberately offend God. While a woman whose pregnancy did not end in full-term birth was pegged as spiritually weak - a victim of someone else's sorcery - her midwife, her husband's lover, a widowed neighbor or an uncouth kitchen maid could become suddenly suspect and trigger a witch hunt. Witches were seen as handmaidens of the devil engaged in a worldwide conspiracy to end human life, and they had to be rooted out.

In the 1480s, the idea that abortion was an affront to God's plan, but should be stopped in civil court proceedings, began to take hold through the work of German inquisitor Heirich Kramer. Kramer faced skepticism from theologians who argued that abortion was a spiritual issue, not one for consideration by secular judges. Still, he plowed forward, eventually earning the support of Pope Innocent VIII, who ensured that anyone opposing witch hunts was excommunicated and tried for heresy.

In 1486, as state judicial systems in continental Europe gained power while working intimately with the Catholic Church, Kramer published his ecclesiastical manual, "The Malleus Maleficarum." The handbook was meant to streamline legal and investigative procedures for witch hunters. It covered not only abortion, but also infertility, male impotence, stillbirth and other situations involving botched or delayed human procreation.

Any attempt to interrupt live births, "The Malleus" explained, was the Devil's work, with witches doing his bidding in the human world. Any neighbor, acquaintance or spouse could approach a cleric and open a case against anyone else. Kramer urged priests to investigate accusations all the way to capital punishment in state courts - which religious courts could not mete out. The practicality of "The Malleus" made it influential across Europe for more than 200 years.

In 1692, religious witch-hunting crossed the Atlantic. During the Salem witch trials - which ended with 20 people prosecuted and hanged as witches, in a town of 550 - neighbors randomly accused each other of making pacts with devils.

Yet the hysteria was unrelated to abortion. The "Malleus Maleficarum" had not been published in English and the Puritans did not hold procreation as especially sacred. They believed Satan targeted the free will of the faithful, not their fecundity. Early New England midwives freely prescribed cures for "the obstruction of menstruation" and early terminations of pregnancy did not raise any flags.

By the Enlightenment, religious witch-hunting let up on both sides of the Atlantic. The dawn of science brought fresh explanations of how the universe worked, as rational thinking prevailed in Europe and the United States. Witchcraft was left to the superstitious past.

Abortion became legal until a woman felt the first fetal movement, a moment known as quickening. Herbal abortifacients such as savin, pennyroyal and ergot continued to be commonly used to restore menstruation after conception, and no jurisdiction enacted antiabortion statutes in the United States before 1821.

But as the birthrate of White Protestant middle-class women plummeted by the late 19th century, abortion came under new scrutiny. Nativists warned that the birthrates of German peasants, Irish Catholic immigrants, newly emancipated Black Southerners, Indigenous peoples and former Mexicans and Chinese immigrants would soon outpace that of White Protestants.

To prevent that from happening, Horatio Robinson Storer, a physician, launched a campaign to criminalize abortion for the first time in the United States. He wanted to force White Protestants to compete with "alien" population growth. Storer teamed up with a fervent moralist, Postmaster General Anthony Comstock, to help pass the Comstock Act in 1873, which criminalized the transportation, selling, lending or gifting of contraceptive or abortifacient herbal concoctions, as well as devices such as pessaries. Even doctors educating patients on family planning could be found to violate federal obscenity laws.

The Comstock Law set the stage for two very different legal landscapes regarding abortion in Europe vs. the United States. In parts of Europe - Poland, Denmark, Sweden and Iceland - abortion was legalized in the 1930s as it became harder to raise children during the global Great Depression. But by the 1940s in the United States, as the economy experienced a wartime boom, the use of any medium - other than the rhythm method or abstinence - to curtail fertility was prohibited in many states for being immoral. Physicians became the new "witches," hunted out and prosecuted for aiding and abetting the crime. In Illinois, clinics providing abortions were raided and upended by police. Women having abortions and the doctors who performed them were indicted.

In 1960, Connecticut still banned doctors from prescribing and talking to women about contraception.

Yet moral prudery and state encroachment on pregnancy were losing favor in the United States when, in 1965, in Griswold v. Connecticut, the Supreme Court affirmed the right to privacy within marriage as "older than the Bill of Rights." Soon after, even the most reticent states gave physicians the right to prescribe popular new birth control pills or other safe and legal methods of stopping conception for married women.

As European states continued to liberalize their abortion laws, and the United Kingdom passed the Abortion Act of 1967, American feminists argued for women's right to decide whether to bear a child free from government intrusion. In 1973, the landmark Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade affirmed that the right to privacy was "broad enough to encompass a woman's decision whether to terminate her pregnancy." The court extended the right to choose abortion until the fetus was viable outside of the womb in the third trimester, and providers were free to practice medicine to help them. Nineteen years later, the court reaffirmed the basic right to an abortion in Planned Parenthood v. Casey, adding that defining "one's own concept of existence, of meaning, of the universe, and the mystery of life" is at the heart of freedom and had to be protected.

Yet a more organized antiabortion movement sprung up in the wake of Roe and has continually labored to limit abortion rights and to persuade the court to limit or overturn Roe and Casey. These antiabortion crusaders, usually inspired by their religious beliefs, see life beginning at conception.

Today, abortion providers are again being targeted for interfering with God's blessing of fertility. Starting in September, the new Texas law deputizes ordinary citizens - ex-boyfriends, pastors, religious or political activists - to walk into secular courts and sue providers suspected of performing abortions. Best friends, parents and even Uber drivers could also be hauled into civil courts as suspected accomplices, just as those accused of witchcraft were in 15th-century Europe. When Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott signed this law that could trigger a modern-day witch hunt, he cited a religious reason for doing so: "Our creator endowed us with the right to life."

In October, when the Supreme Court reconsiders a women's right to choose in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, the justices will weigh the validity of laws like that in Texas. Ten states - Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Tennessee - have trigger laws in place to immediately outlaw all abortions and prosecute those who help women obtain them if the court overturns Roe and Casey. These legal provisions would resurrect the wretched past of witch hunts in court, all in the name of religious belief and political gain.

- - -

Joana Galarza Johnson teaches History at La Sierra University, in Riverside, Calif.
Florida, FL (34429)

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Partly cloudy skies this evening. Thunderstorms likely late. Low near 75F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%..

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FILE - This July 21, 2012, file photo photo, shows the exterior of the U.S. Courthouse for the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta. A surge of COVID-19 cases sparked by the delta variant is prompting federal courts to impose new restrictions and requirements for mask-wearing and vaccinations.
A DUI can make it difficult to come to Canada, however, there are options to overcome criminal inadmissibility.

Driving into Canada with a past DUI? Here is how you can apply for a waiver

Driving into Canada with a past DUI? Here is how you can apply for a waiver A DUI can make it difficult to come to Canada, however, there are options to overcome criminal inadmissibility.

Driving into Canada with a past DUI? Here is how you can apply for a waiver A DUI can make it difficult to come to Canada, however, there are options to overcome criminal inadmissibility.

Driving into Canada with a past DUI? Here is how you can apply for a waiver A DUI can make it difficult to come to Canada, however, there are options to overcome criminal inadmissibility. Matt Hendler Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif

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Fully-vaccinated tourists from the United States have been able to travel to Canada as of August 9, 2021.

Since many of the popular Canadian tourist destinations are a stones throw from the U.S., most of these tourists will be entering by vehicle at one of Canadas ports of entry.

If you are planning to drive to Canada, you need to keep in mind that there are strict rules in place if you have a criminal record. It is important to understand these rules and what they mean so you are not denied entry. Criminal inadmissibility can prevent someone from coming to Canada, whether the stay is short term or long term, work or study, family or leisure.

Click here to get a free consultation with the Law Firm of Campbell Cohen: +1 (888) 940-4612

When Canadians attempt to enter the United States, their passport is linked to their RCMP criminal record. A similar linkage occurs for U.S. residents trying to enter Canada from the United States. Upon entry to Canada, a U.S. citizen is required to present a U.S passport or travel document to an immigration officer for screening purposes. This persons passport has a direct link to an FBI background record, where recent or past criminal history can appear. Even if your charge or conviction is from several decades ago, it can still appear on this criminal record and be held against your desire to enter the country.

If you believe you are inadmissible to Canada or fear you may be denied entry to the country, it Is important to know that you still have options.

The Canadian government offers potential short- and long-term solutions to travelers with a criminal history. The first, a temporary fix, is called the Temporary Resident Permit (TRP). The second, a permanent solution, is known as Criminal Rehabilitation. The third, a legal opinion letter, can be helpful in unique situations such as traveling with a pending criminal charge.

Click here to get a free consultation with the Law Firm of Campbell Cohen: +1 (888) 940-4612

Temporary Resident Permit (TRP)

A Temporary Resident Permit is designed for people who need temporary access into Canada. TRPs are typically granted to individuals who demonstrate compelling reasons for entry. That means they must show that the benefits of their visit to Canada outweigh any risks. Individuals who wish to travel to Canada for leisure purposes are typically advised to apply for criminal rehabilitation if they meet the requirements.

Criminal Rehabilitation

A criminal rehabilitation application is for permanent clearance of criminal history. To apply for rehabilitation, it must be at least five years since you completed your sentence(s). The term sentence here refers to any judicial result of your case which could include prison or probation time, payment of fines and community service or classes. Once an applicant is approved for Criminal Rehabilitation, they no longer require a Temporary Resident Permit.

If it has been less than five years since you finished your sentence, you are not eligible to apply for criminal rehabilitation. But, you may be eligible for a TRP.

Legal Opinion Letter

Legal advice can be beneficial to you even if you have not yet been convicted of a crime. Anyone who has been charged with an offence but has not yet been convicted can take steps to avoid becoming inadmissible to Canada. If you have been charged with an offence in another country, you may want to have a legal opinion letter prepared by a Canadian immigration lawyer.

This is a report with details concerning your criminal charge, the lawyers legal conclusions and explanation as to how a potential sentence will impact your ability to enter Canada. It can be a helpful tool in deciding how to plead your case.

Click here to get a free consultation with the Law Firm of Campbell Cohen: +1 (888) 940-4612

 CIC News All Rights Reserved. Discover your Canadian immigration options at CanadaVisa.com.
Wilkes-Barre, PA (18701)

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Beachwood, OH (44122)

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Partly cloudy skies during the evening giving way to a few showers after midnight. Low 64F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

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Any notion that the worst days of Islamist terrorism are long behind us was brutally shattered at Kabul Airport Aug. 26 as twin bombs ripped indiscriminately through Afghan civilians and U.S. and other foreign servicemen trying to complete the desperate evacuation of thousands of people for whom Taliban rule represents the most terrible fate.
COFFEY, Mo. [mdash]John Nelson Eacret, 73, Coffey, MO passed away Tuesday, August 24, 2021 at his home. He was born on September 16, 1947 in Portland, Oregon the son of Earnest and Rachel (Stone) Eacret. On July 7, 2007, he married Joan A. Hughes in Tracy, Missouri. She survives of the home.
Autumn Courtney, Chris Medrano and Austin Silcox taught and mentored more than 70 participants through workshops covering drone flight, safety and build basics.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 18)  Amid calls for a COVID-19 vaccine booster, a health expert said authorities will have to address breakthrough infections first before deciding if another coronavirus shot is necessary.

"We think about breakthrough infections, and so someone is vaccinated. They get tested for some reason and that test comes back positive, they are surprised," CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta said in an interview with CNN Philippines' The Final Word.

"Should that be considered a vaccine failure or is that a vaccine success because if it was a failure then that means that person got the infection despite being vaccinated. On other hand, they may have gotten a lot sicker had they not been vaccinated. These are the sorts of issues that need to be addressed before determining boosters right now," he added.

Gupta said currently available vaccines remain effective - even against the highly contagious Delta variant - in preventing severe illness, hospitalization, and death.

However, breakthrough infections among the vaccinated can still be expected.

READ: FDA: Only 0.001% of 9M fully vaccinated Filipinos had breakthrough infections

On Wednesday, US health officials issued a recommendation for Americans to receive their booster shot as an added protection against the feared Delta variant, which now accounts for about 99% of COVID-19 cases in the US.

"We are prepared to offer booster shots for all Americans beginning the week of September 20 and starting 8 months after an individual's second dose," the health officials said in a joint statement.

In the Philippines, there's no clear decision yet on whether boosters will be offered in the future.

Local health experts have also pointed out that vaccines remain "highly effective" against the coronavirus.

READ: Gov't urged to order boosters, vaccine shots for kids ASAP

On vaccinating kids aged 12 and below, Gupta said this may not happen soon in the US since experts still need to make sure about two things: the vaccines' side effects as there are concerns they may cause heart inflammation, and the dosing, since children may require lower doses.

Vaccine experts in the Philippines earlier rejected the proposal to immunize children and teenagers due to the unstable global supply and lack of efficacy and safety data for this age group.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 19)  The Chinese government is giving the Philippines an additional donation of one million doses of COVID-19 vaccines developed by state-owned Sinopharm.

Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian on Thursday said the shipment will arrive in the country on Friday and Saturday.

The Philippines' first supply of COVID-19 vaccine was donated by China. The Asian giant previously sent one million doses of Sinovac and 10,000 shots of Sinopharm to the Philippines.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday said China has not asked for anything in return when it donated COVID-19 vaccines to the Philippines. "Except that their boats are there," he added, referring to the West Philippine Sea.

The emergency use authorization granted to the batch Sinopharm vaccines donated in June will still apply to the arriving shipment, Food and Drug Administration Eric Domingo said.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 19)  State auditors questioned the move of the Home Development Mutual Fund, also known as Pag-IBIG Fund, to acquire 21 cars for its officials last year despite the absence of approval from the Office of the President (OP).

In a report of the Commission on Audit, it said Pag-IBIG Fund purchased 21 cars amounting to 34.298 million.

A total of 2.057 million was also coughed up for other expenses of the car plan, including repairs and maintenance, insurance and registration of the vehicles.

These cars were allotted to 21 Pag-IBIG Fund officials composed of area heads, department managers, and vice presidents.

However, the COA said these were carried out without the Office of the President's approval.

"This condition affects the legality and propriety of the grant of the said benefit," it said.

Section 5 of Presidential Decree No. 1597 reads "honoraria and other fringe benefits which may be granted to government employees, whether payable by their respective offices or by other agencies of government, shall be subject to the approval of the President upon recommendation of the Commissioner of the Budget."

Pag-IBIG firm: No need for OP approval

Sought for reaction, Kalin Franco-Garcia, Pag-IBIG Fund vice president for public relations, said the agency implemented "a reduction in the car plan benefits."

Garcia argued that the laws presented by the state auditors only demand for an OP approval if there are new or increase in benefits.

"In our case, the car plan is not a new benefit," Garcia explained. "It has been in place since 1983. It is also not an increase in benefits. On the contrary, it is a reduction in benefits that we implemented following COAs recommendation in 2014."

"We continue to work with COA so we can reach a resolution," she added. "We recognize them as a partner in our drive for good governance."

"In fact, we must also emphasize that in the very same COA Report, COA awarded us their highest audit rating. This makes it nine (9) straight years that Pag-IBIG Fund has received the highest rating from COA," Garcia said.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 19)  The Department of Health and the Department of Budget and Management point fingers on the delayed release of special risk allowance for health workers.

During the Senate hearing on Wednesday, DOH Assistant Secretary Maylene Beltran said that the DBM only released the Special Allotment Release Order for the 9.7-billion special risk allowance for health workers on June 25, giving the DOH only five days to disburse the funds as the Bayanihan to Recover As One Act, or Bayanihan 2 law, was set to expire on June 30.

"Ilang araw lang po iyon, may mga kailangan ho kaming i-settle na mga MOA (memorandum of agreement), kailangan po naming kausapin iyong private sector. Kailangan po naming kausapin ang iba't ibang LGU (local government unit) hospitals," she told the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.

[Translation: With only a few days left, we need to settle MOAs and talk to the private sector. We need to talk to LGU hospitals.]

Senator Richard Gordon, committee chairman, then asked Beltran and Health Secretary Francisco Duque III if the DBM caused the delay. Health officials said "yes".

Beltran explained that because June 25 was a Friday, the DOH was obligated to complete all tasks during the weekend to ensure that all funds will be spent as stated under the law.

"So inefficiency is within intra-government. Hindi nabibigay ng DBM on time tapos pipilitin kayo na tapusin niyo on a weekend pa. Gagastusin niyo at i-obligate niyo in five days na may weekend pa," Gordon said.

[Translation: The DBM was unable to deliver on time and then they would force you to finish it even on a weekend. You had to spend and obligate in five days, including a weekend.]

DBM Undersecretary Tina Rose Canda defended the agency. She said it was the DOH that caused the delay, noting that the latter took 13 days to sign the joint circular containing the guidelines on the granting of special risk allowance.

Canda explained that the DBM received the administrative order from the Office of the President on June 3, which was immediately signed by former Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado. However, the DOH only signed the document on June 16.

"Pagkatapos po noon ang submission ng request is June 23. Hindi naman po kami mag-release without the request," she said.

[Translation: After that the submission of request is June 23. We cannot release funds without the request.]

"Nililinaw ko lang ho iyon kasi iyon ang kulang sa pagsasaad ng kwento ng taga DOH that they submitted the request on June 23. Being a holiday, June 24, we released the document, but it was ante-dated to June 25," she added.

[Translation: I am just clarifying because this was excluded from the storytelling by the DOH that they submitted the request on June 23.]

Senator Joel Villanueva then pointed out that the Bayanihan 2 was passed in September last year. If officials were really ready to implement the law, then the incident would not happen.

"If we are ready about it, nagawa na natin ito, naayos na natinHindi naman totoo na parang five days lang iyong preparation...I don't agree to that," he said.

[Translation: If we are ready about it, then we can implement itIt is not true that there were only five days to prepare for the implementation.]

Gordon agreed, saying that it is "mission impossible" to disburse billions of funds in only five days. He also pointed out that both the DBM and DOH lack vision.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 19) State auditors cited that 557.6 million worth of expenses by operation units of the Department of Health were irregular, unnecessary, and excessive.

In its 2020 report, the Commission on Audit said the flagged disbursements do not comply with existing rules and guidelines.

The apparent disregard of existing laws and regulation affected the validity and propriety of covered transactions," auditors said. "Government funds and property were exposed to the risks of loss or misuse.

Among the questioned transactions was the payment of over 1 million to catering services for virtual meetings of the health center in Western Visayas.

The report said the catering services were not essential since the participants were in their respective work stations and performed their usual functions.

The COA also questioned the payment of food allowance to Bureau of Quarantine personnel in Metro Manila amounting to 11.6 million.

Another flagged transaction was the more than 2 million hazard pay given to employees of the Davao Regional Medical Center  even though they did not physically report to work.

The SOH (secretary of health) agreed to direct the operating units to comply fully with established rules, regulations, policies, principles, or practices and avoid irregular, unnecessary, and excessive expenditures to prevent disallowance in audit, COA noted.

Aside from these expenses, the COA in its annual report had also flagged the more than 67 billion worth of deficiencies in the DOHs handling of funds allotted for the COVID-19 pandemic response. Auditors also called out the agency for not spending over 59 billion from its 2020 budget.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 19) - The government is planning to enlist medical students to assist in the country's vaccination program, Testing czar Vince Dizon said in a Palace briefing Thursday.

He added that the plan will be discussed with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

"Meron tayong meeting sa mga susunod na araw kay CHED chairman [Prospero] De Vera para mapagusapan kung pwede natin i-deploy ang ating mga medical students para mag-serve as vaccinators lalo na sa mga areas na nagsu-surge," Dizon said.

[Translation: We have a meeting in the next few days with CHED chairman De Vera to discuss the possibility of deploying our medical students as vaccinators to areas with surges.]

"Sa mga areas na nagsu-surge tulad ng NCR (National Capital Region), Region 4-A, Iloilo, Cagayan de Oro, at iba pa, hindi po madali ang sitwasyon ngayon, lalo na sa mga healthcare personnel natin," he noted.

[Translation: In areas where there are surges like NCR, Region 4-A, Iloilo, Cagayan de Oro, and others, our healthcare personnel are facing a difficult situation.]

According to government data, the country has so far administered 29.12 million vaccine doses.

Nearly 13 million Filipinos have already been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 while more than 16 million have received their first dose.

Vice President Leni Robredo earlier said her office is exploring the idea of partnering with medical schools to enlist their students as vaccinators.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 19)  The government will try to purchase booster doses earlier if needed, especially for those who were vaccinated during the first rollout of COVID-19 vaccines in the country.

This was the response of Malacanang following reports that antibodies from COVID-19 vaccines by Sinovac decline after six months and may require a third shot for booster effect.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Thursday said the government has earmarked 45.37 billion for the procurement of booster doses under unprogrammed appropriations in the proposed 2022 budget.

In the 2022 budget, we have a budget entry for booster shots for all Filipinos, said Roque in a Palace briefing.

Titingnan po natin dahil itong procurement natin ay sisipa as early as January, but pwede naman nating bilhin na earlier if we need to [] So titingnan po natin kung meron talagang science that will require it, gagawan talaga ng paraan, he also said.

[Translation: We will see because the procurement will kick-off as early as January, but we can already buy earlier if we need to [] So we will see if there is really science that will require it, we will make a way.]

The Department of Budget and Management defines unprogrammed appropriations as those which provide standby authority to incur additional agency obligations for priority programs or projects when revenue collections exceed targets, and when additional grants or foreign funds are generated.

The budget for the booster doses is part of the proposed 240.75 billion allocation for the countrys COVID-19 pandemic response.

In a separate briefing, Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje said that experts are still studying whether a booster shot is necessary.

We are really studying the events," Cabotaje said. "The experts may be considering booster for specific population."

"Uunahin nila iyong mga immunocompromised, 'yung ating mga health workers kasi sila ang palaging na-e-expose (Those who are immunocompromised and health workers will be prioritized if ever), she added.

The World Health Organization does not see the need for booster shots for now as the most vulnerable people worldwide are yet to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 19)  The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration on Thursday stood by what state auditors tagged as questionable purchases in a dubious location, noting that the agency will explain their side on the issue as soon as possible.

OWWA Administrator Hans Cacdac told CNN Philippines' The Source that the agency has given Deputy Administrator Faustino Sabarez III time to respond to the allegations since has was the one who headed the agency's ground operations during the enhanced community quarantine last year.

"So far he says he stands by the purchase of supplies. At the time it was a national emergency. He did all the best that he could to gather all the supplies from the different parts of the city," Cacdac said, citing his conversation with Sabarez.

Cacdac said an internal investigation on the matter is already ongoing and they will submit their recommendations next week, following the directive of Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III.

The Commission on Audit said in its 2020 report that OWWA purchased hygiene kits and sanitary napkins worth 822,420 from MRCJP Construction and Trading in Pasay City "which cannot be found on the address stated." Meanwhile, the procured hygiene kits, which were not itemized, were priced at 160, while the sanitary napkins were priced at up to 35 per pad.

RELATED: COA flags OWWA for buying sanitary napkins from unlocated hardware store; chief answers

Cacdac said he himself asked Sabarez whether such items were indeed bought from the construction and trading firm. He said he directed Sabarez to make a thorough explanation on the matter and submit his appeal to the state auditors "as soon as possible."

"His response was he stands by the purchase of hygiene kits. But of course, the matter of whether or not that hardware store really exists and as to why he invoked that particular hardware store in the liquidation process is something he will have to explain at the COA submission process," he said.

Cacdac did not provide further details on the matter, but he noted that the agency is "not necessarily caught by surprise" by the issue because the agency's finance teams actively participate in audit discussions with COA.

"When our finance teams participate with the COA, these matters are taken up. So we were not necessarily caught by surprise by these matters or by these items in the liquidation because precisely we put this forward for the COA to analyze and evaluate for themselves," Cacdac added.

Aside from OWWA, the COA also recently pointed out budget deficiencies in other agencies like the Health Department, the Education Department, the Department of Information and Communications Technology, and the Philippine Ports Authority, among others.

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri previously told The Source that COA's audit reports will be used by Congress in next month's deliberation on the agencies' proposed 2022 budgets.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 19)  As several agencies continue to draw flak over preliminary observations by state auditors on their budget utilization, Malacanang is asking the public to calm down and wait for the final findings first.

Sa ngayon po, ang aking advice: cool muna po tayo," Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in his virtual briefing on Thursday. "Dahil itong puntong ito, pwede pa pong sagutin. Antayin natin ang final reports.

[Translation: For now, my advice is: lets keep our cool. Because at this point, (the agencies) can still respond. Lets wait for the final reports.]

The spokesman also reiterated President Rodrigo Dutertes decision of waiting for the Commission on Audits final reports first, before taking action.

Siguro po kapag may final report na, yan po ang ikukonsidera ng ating Presidente dahil abogado naman po ang Presidente, alam niyang bumasa ng COA report, said Roque. Pero sa ngayon po talaga ha, 'yung mga preliminary observations wala pa pong ibig sabihin 'yan.

[Translation: Perhaps once the final report is out, thats when our President will consider specific actions because he is after all a lawyer, he knows how to read a COA report. But for now, these preliminary observations mean nothing yet.]

Roque also urged the concerned agencies to provide COAs findings a swift and detailed response.

Among those earlier flagged by state auditors is the Department of Health, which had been the subject of probes in both chambers of Congress.

Other agencies include the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Information and Communications Technology, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, and Philippine Ports Authority.

Duterte earlier blasted COA for its audit report on the DOH and asked his Cabinet members to ignore its audits.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 19)  With the Taliban recapturing the seat of power in Afghanistan, world superpowers are watching carefully and making their stance on the issue.

In an online forum on Thursday, security analyst Rommel Banlaoi, chief of the Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence and Terrorism Research (PIPVTR), said should the Philippines make an official stand -- whether to support the new government or not -- it will be a test on the so-called independent foreign policy of President Rodrigo Dutertes administration.

Banlaoi said the situation in Kabul will be a geopolitical showdown between the United States and China.

The United States has withdrawn its forces in Afghanistan after participating in the more than 20-year war in the country. It has also frozen the assets of the Afghanistan Central Bank worth $9.5 billion.

On the other hand, China, while expressing security concerns following Talibans victory, has made known its intent to help in rebuilding Afghanistan and developing its economy.

It will be major arena of US-China rivalry," Banlaoi said. "Because China promised the Taliban government that if the Taliban government will refuse to support international terrorist activities, China promised to cooperate with the Taliban government.

The Philippines has a long-standing alliance with the U.S. under a 70-year old Mutual Defense Treaty. The Duterte administration has also restored the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with Washington just last month.

But under Duterte, the Philippines is tilting toward Beijing, as he repeatedly described China as a friend and partner for peace and development.

Remember, we already disappointed the United States many times," Banlaoi pointed out. "Because their expectation as an ally is we will follow the decision of our ally."

"But things have changed," he also said. "Our decision on Afghanistan will be a test to Dutertes independent foreign policy We already had a position in the past that defied our ally when we recognized the state of Palestine.

Give Taliban a chance

Bobby Tuazon, director for policy studies at the Center for People Empowerment in Governance (CenPEG), said since the Taliban declared that the war is over, they deserve to be given a chance to govern.

They indeed deserve international support because many countries are already talking with theTaliban," Tuazon explained. "From China, to Russia, India, Pakistan, Turkey, even the United Nations They are sick and tired of foreign invasion.

As for terrorist links, Tuazon said the Taliban is not a terrorist organization. And currently, they cannot afford to support atrocities in a global scale, he added.

The war is over as far as the Taliban is concerned," he said. "They want peace. They want to develop Afghanistan because thats the only way by which Afghanistan will continue to exist"

"If they continue to war, they will lose," Tuazon added. "They know that. Eventually they will lose. Terrorism will not win.

But he suggested a wait-and-see attitude toward the Taliban and the direction it will take in governance just like what China and Russia are doing.

That includes the formation of an inclusive government and ensuring the protection of rights of women, he said.

Terror link between Philippines and Afghanistan

But Banlaoi warned of the terror links between Afghanistan and the Philippines.

He said that a certain Saifullah, an Indonesian terrorist affiliated with the Islamic State (IS), is now based in Afghanistan. Saifullah is said to be the leader of Islamic State East Asia.

Banlaoi claimed Saifullah helped finance the Marawi Siege through Dr. Mahmud Ahmad of Malaysia and Isnilon Hapilon, Islamic States anointed emir in Southeast Asia. Government forces killed Mahmud and Hapilon during the five-month war in Marawi.

Saifullah helped Mahmud facilitate the transfer of funds from ISIS in Syria through Afghanistan and Indonesia then to the Philippines," said Banlaoi. "Saifullah channeled $600,000 through Mahmud who used it to finance the Marawi siege. Money was transferred through the secure messaging app of Telegram and wire transfer services.

He also said that Saifullah may have a hand in the 2019 Jolo Cathedral bombings. He added that intelligence information revealed that alleged Indonesian terrorist Andi Baso was in direct contact with Saifullah.

Over the years, Banlaoi said some members of the Taliban had connections with Al Qaeda and the Islamic State. And if theTaliban government will get recognition from the United Nations, they need to implement the global counter terrorism strategy.

If the Taliban will commit itself in the implementation of the global counter-terrorism strategy, then it has to fight the Islamic State, then it has to fight Al Qaeda, and it has to fight other armed groups in Afghanistan committing terrorist activities," Banlaoi explained.

"And that will be difficult for the Taliban because they will be fighting their own brothers, he added.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 19)  A Quezon City court has quashed the search warrants issued in July 2019 against two peace talks consultants of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), as it cited inconsistencies in the statements made by a primary witness.

In a resolution dated Aug. 13 and released to the media on Thursday, Judge Ferdinand Baylon of the QC Regional Trial Court Branch 77 declared invalid the warrants served by Judge Cecilyn Burgos-Villavert against Alexander and Winona Birondo.

The Birondos were part of the peace process between the government and the NDFP from 2016 to 2017. They were arrested in July 2019, charged with illegal possession of firearms and explosives, and have since been in jail.

The court ruling states that the pieces of evidence against the two, which were recovered in their apartment unit during the search operations, are considered to be inadmissible.

It also marks the latest in the series of now voided warrants served by Burgos-Villavert, whom activists have called a factory of baseless search warrants and have accused of aiding state forces in targeting those tagged as enemies of the state.

Puzzling dissonance in statements

In his decision to quash the warrant, Baylon noted that the claims of the witness, Brian Reyes, had a number of inconsistencies.

For one, Reyes  who introduced himself as a garbage collector  initially said in his sworn statement that he saw a firearm and what looked like a grenade in the apartment unit where the Birondos were staying. However, the judge pointed out that in later paragraphs, Reyes only made mention of a firearm, seemingly having "forgotten about the existence of any grenade.

His testimony in court was also questionable and appears to have been spoon fed to him, the judge said. Reyes once again merely said he saw a gun, only later confirming there was an explosive device when he was reminded of what he said in his sworn statement.

This is puzzling, Baylon said, noting that "between a firearm and a grenade, the latter would ordinarily command more attention and focus, since it is the deadlier of the two."

The judge added there was insufficient evidence to establish probable cause that the firearm belonged to or were in the possession of the accused. In fact, he added, Reyes never stated that he saw either of the Birondos being in possession of the item.

Sudden appearance of witness

The court also cast doubt on the credibility of Reyes as a witness.

It appears that this witness only started collecting garbage in the month of July, the same month when the accused were arrested and then the search warrants were applied for and implemented, Baylon said. His history and identity was not sufficiently established.

It was also not made clear who hired him to do the job, the judge added.

In his testimony in court, the witness said he was being paid by the tenants and was not an employee of the apartment. Reyes claimed he was referred by friends who live in the building. However, these friends were not identified.

The questions left unanswered and the inconsistencies not clarified belies the existence of probable cause which justify the issuance of the search warrants, the resolution read. For this reason, the warrants should be quashed.

Burgos-Villavert had also issued search warrants against tens of other members of progressive groups, some of which were likewise eventually voided by her colleagues.

Last year, opposition lawmakers filed a resolution seeking a probe into her "irregular" issuance of search warrants which were served simultaneously on several locations. According to the resolution, the pattern also covers charging arrested activists with illegal possession of firearms, ammunitions, and explosives "based on planted evidence."

Police, meanwhile, maintained that the arrests were legitimate and based on "credible information."
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 19)  The COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Metro Manila sped up amid the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine, a Department of Health official said on Thursday.

Before the start of the hard lockdown, the number of doses administered per day in the region was averaging 151,924, but that went up to 168,063 during ECQ, Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje said.

However, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Benhur Abalos earlier said the target was to vaccinate 250,000 people daily during the ECQ period, which started on Aug. 6 and will end on Friday unless extended by the government.

Metro Manila shifted to the strictest enhanced community quarantine for the third time since the pandemic started due to a spike in case counts.

Cabotaje, who is head of the National Vaccine Operations Center, said 1.8 million doses have been injected in the capital region since the start of the hard lockdown.

She said a number of factors contributed to the faster vaccine rollout.

"Unang una, nag improve nang husto iyong ating acceptance," she pointed out in an online briefing. "Natakot sila sa Delta variant so mas dumami ang gustong magpabakuna."

[Translation: First of all, vaccine acceptance among Filipinos improved. People got scared of catching the Delta variant, so they were convinced to get vaccinated].

The health official added this was the result of local officials' efforts to urge more people to get the life-saving vaccines.

As of Tuesday, 29.1 million vaccine doses have been administered, Cabotaje said.

There are now 12.8 million fully vaccinated people in the country -- still far from the target of 70 million. There are now 12.8 million fully vaccinated people in the country -- still far from the target of 70 million.
Staff Reporter

Kerin majored in journalism at Ohio University and has worked as an editor and reporter for monthly, daily and weekly publications in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Delaware since 1983. A native of Baltimore, Md., she has lived in Ocean View since 1996.
Lisa Difebo and Jeff Osias carry food and groceries to their employees at DiFebo's restaurant during COVID-19 shut-downs in March 2020. This Friday, DiFebo's Market in Bethany Beach will offer a free meal to members of the public who get vaccinated against COVID-19, with those in need who need food assistance able to get a free bag of groceries when they return for their second dose.
Immigrants are ubiquitous in the United States. They are neighbors, colleagues, friends and members of communities across the commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

In 2018, 7% of Pennsylvanias total population of 12,809,078 were immigrants, amounting to more than 922,500 people, according to the American Immigration Council.

Among the counties of Pennsylvania, Centre County has just over the statewide percentage, with 8.69% of its 161,953 residents born overseas.

And since navigating a mercurial obstacle course of applications, screenings and waitlists has become an essential part of the immigration process, quality legal counsel is in high demand.

Clinical law professor Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia has always held a mission-oriented approach to her career as an immigration attorney, so when she began teaching at Penn State Law in 2008, she founded the Center for Immigrants Rights Clinic.

CIRC is one of the many clinics offered by Penn State Law that allows five to eight, second- or third-year students to take a deep dive into a specific legal subject area each semester.

Since its inception, CIRC has taught students and supported the statewide immigrant community through a combination of educational outreach, pro bono legal counsel and organizational policy work.

The mission of our entire clinical program is to teach students to learn the practice of law, so they learn by doing, Wadhia, associate dean for diversity, equity, and inclusion for Penn State Law, said. They do actual cases and projects that have significant impact on individuals or the community, so they earn credit for the time that they spend with the clinic.

Unlike their first year of law school, where students primarily study notable legal cases and participate in socratic method discussions, CIRCs students spend the majority of their semester doing intensive, hands-on work, according to third-year law student Eli Fields.

With [former President Donald Trumps] administration, I told students that [it would be] like lawyering in a fire, since every week [there was] to be some new immigration policy or executive order, Wadhia said.

She said this can include holding town hall meetings on new Supreme Court decisions, writing fact sheets on emerging trends in immigration law or providing pro bono counsel to asylum seekers in court.

Twice, CIRC students have visited the Berks Family Residential Center, a detention center located in Leesport, Pennsylvania, to help families who are detained at the facility prepare for credible fear screenings, which Wadhia said she believes is an essential part of the legal process for asylum seekers.

So in those instances, students will do all the initial work to understand and screen families and to prepare them for screenings and to assist them in these screenings, Wadhia said.

MORE CAMPUS COVERAGE

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Beyond the tangible benefits for these families who would not have otherwise had access to legal counsel, she said these cases can be an invaluable educational experience for CIRC students.

Fields (graduate-law) was able to work with two clients  including an asylum seeker  during their semester with CIRC.

I had the good fortune to work on [the asylum seeker case], Fields said. It was really trying because it was hard to read the record on that, but its nice to know I can help make a difference in someones life like that.

Fields said they joined CIRC to learn more about human rights law and plans to use their knowledge to further help clients who have intersectional identities, such as people of color, queer individuals and individuals with disabilities.

Im here because I think that the world can be a very cruel place, and Im hoping that by entering the legal profession I can help to make it a bit kinder, they said.

For Fields, making the inhospitable world of law more navigable for the general public is paramount to this goal.

I spent four months learning about immigration law, and I only know the very basics of it, Fields said. A lot of it is worded in a way that isnt very accessible to the average person so trying to do that on your own, especially if you dont speak English very well  I cant even imagine.

While these asylum cases are a major focus of CIRCs students, work outside of the courtroom is no less valuable, Wadhia said.

CIRC has partnered with the borough of State College since 2014, according to Wadhia, where it collaborates on immigration policy setting.

This partnership has even led to the State College Police Department enacting a policy of refraining from asking individuals about their immigration status during traffic stops or detainments, according to Wadhia.

Thats a pretty important policy to... reduce the chilling effect the police may have on immigrant communities, and [it] may in fact encourage victims and witnesses to come forward when they are a survivor of crime without fear of deportation, Wadhia said.

In an expansion of this already beneficial relationship, CIRC recently began working with the State College Area School District.

Third-year law student Jenna Ebersbacher was intimately involved in this effort during her time with CIRC and helped develop a professional training program for district staff to better address the needs of immigrant students and their families.

It was really great doing that because I was thinking about my hometown and how it would be better if we had something like that [in my school district], Ebersbacher (graduate-law) said.

After her initial positive experience with CIRC, Ebersbacher came back for a second semester, whereas, she said most students only stay for one.

It's more hands-on learning than just sitting in a classroom, so I really enjoyed it. I realized this is the work I want to do, she said.

After her school year and time with CIRC concluded, Ebersbacher spent her summer as an intern for Kurzban Kurzban Tetzeli and Pratt P.A. in Miami focusing on immigration law through an introduction from Wadhia.

I think [CIRC] really shaped a lot of peoples future careers, Ebersbacher said. Its given them more perspective on what they want to do, and obviously Dean Wadhia has been a huge part of that.

Over 100 students have come through CIRC since 2008, and many are now practicing law at firms across the country, according to Wadhia.

Its not just about what students are learning in law school, while also helping an individual or even a whole community, its taking those skills and then bringing that impact wherever they go, Wadhia said. Theres something very rewarding and hopeful about training and seeing the next generation of immigration attorneys.

MORE CAMPUS COVERAGE
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This year our dine and drink business locations throughout the Gorge have suffered with closures. You can help support your favorites by purchasing take out and gift cards. Many of these business will offer curb-side delivery and some will deliver to your home. Lets keep the Gorge going strong!
The Missourians Opinion section is a public forum for the discussion of ideas. The views presented in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Missourian or the University of Missouri. If you would like to contribute to the Opinion page with a response or an original topic of your own, visit our submission form
passed away on August 26, 2021 at OSF Scared Heart Medical Center in Danville. A celebration of Phyllis's life will be held at a later date. Sunset Funeral Home and Cremation Center, Danville assisted her family with arrangements.
After months of leaking, seeking, and geeking, Google's latest and greatest Pixel phone is finally here.

No, not that one. I'm talking about the Pixel 5a  or "Google Pixel 5a with 5G," if you want to use its comically awkward full name. (I, ahem, do not.)

The Pixel 5a, as we'll refer to it henceforth, made its way into the world via a fittingly low-key announcement earlier this week. The phone will start shipping in the U.S. and Japan a week from today, on August 26th.

Now, I know: This isn't the 2021 Pixel everyone's really excited about. That's the Pixel 6, which is the two-model beaut with a striking new design, a host of fresh camera capabilities, and a homemade Google processor that could introduce some incredibly interesting new elements into the equation. This Pixel, in comparison, is pretty ho-hum. It's understated and unexciting. And strange as it may sound, that's all very much part of what makes it appealing.

Google The Pixel 5a, in all of its understated glory.

With its $449 price tag, the Pixel 5a is one hell of a value. I've been using a loaner review unit of the device for the past several days, and it really is as solid of an all-around Android experience as you could possibly ask for. It's pretty much everything anyone has ever asked for in a phone of this price, in fact  impressive performance, an exceptional screen, better-than-ever battery life, and a best-in-class camera setup paired with pure Google software and an unmatched guarantee of timely and reliable operating system updates. Plus, it even has a premium-feeling body (ooh, baby), with a sleek metal casing, and the rare gem of a headphone jack, to boot.

[Got a Pixel? Check out my free Pixel Academy e-course to uncover all the advanced intelligence lurking within your phone!]

When you look at the Pixel 5a from a holistic all-around-experience and value perspective, it's painfully clear that nothing else in this price range even comes close. And there's not much negative to be said about the thing beyond the fact that it lacks some of the higher-priced niceties its flashier flagship-level cousins can offer.

But you don't need me to tell you all of that. This mossy ol' internoot of ours is filled with pages upon pages of thoughtful reviews. There's not a heck of a lot more I can add to that discussion that hasn't already been said.

Instead, what I want to focus on here is the bigger-picture Pixel puzzle and a couple of thought-provoking questions the Pixel 5a raises about Google's plans for the future. As we ponder the latest dizzying shift in what the Pixel brand represents and where it fits into the greater Android ecosystem, these questions will get us mulling over some important points about what's next and where things go from here.

So put on your pondering hat, grab your favorite mulling beverage, and let's start a-thinkin'.

Pixel question No. 1: What will next year's Pixel 'a' model be like?

This may seem like a simple question, but it's one I find myself coming back to every time I think about this current crop of Pixel phones. And its answer is impossibly important when it comes to the future of the Pixel program.

Remember: The flagship Pixels may be the most exciting devices to drool over and the subject of all of our Googley geek lust, but out in the real world, the Pixel "a" phones are the ones most phone-seeking mammals are actually buying. Year after year, signs consistently suggest that the more modest, lower-priced Pixel "a" options are moving at a pretty nice pace while the higher-priced Pixel flagships remain mostly niche products.

Well, this year, the Pixel 5a follows an awkward season where we saw two Pixel "a" phones  seemingly the result of a last-minute pandemic-caused shuffle. And consequently, this year's Pixel "a" phone looks and feels like a subtle hop forward from last year's eerily similar Pixel 4a 5G (gesundheit!).

The upcoming Pixel 6, meanwhile, has a whole new visual language and feels like a(nother) reinvention of what the Pixel brand represents. Perhaps most critically, it also has that homemade Google chip (the processor, not the tortilla variety)  which should go a long way in setting the phone apart in both its capability and its capacity for long-term support.

So with this fresh reset behind it and all the new Pixel 6 elements in place, what will Google see fit to do with the Pixel 6a next summer? Will that phone keep the current Pixel "a"-line visual identity and framework, or will it end up being a year-later scale-down of the Pixel 6 setup? Will we see a new midrange-level Google-made processor that powers it and potentially brings an extended software support window into the midrange tier as well?

One way or another, the Pixel "a" domain will definitely be a place worth watching as the current Pixel evolution continues.

And that brings us to our second big Pixel question...

Pixel question No. 2: How long 'til we get the Pixel 'b' line?

Up until this year, the Pixel "a" phone had been on the upper-end of the budget level. The original Pixel "a" model, 2019's Pixel 3a, sold for $399 at the time of its launch. Last year's regular Pixel 4a follow-up brought that price down to $349.

Both of those phones were built to be affordable, with lower-end internals and a pleasant but noticeably plastic build in place of the glass or aluminum exteriors higher-end phones tend to have. And let's be honest: That positioning was a huge part of their appeal and their relative sales successes.

The Pixel 5a, meanwhile, essentially takes the place of last year's Pixel 4a 5G, with its higher-end internals, aluminum build, and more midrange-level price tag to match. Now, $449 may not seem like a gigantic leap from $349 or especially $399, but something about veering into that $400 range makes a phone feel significantly less affordable. It's admittedly a matter of interpretation, but in my mind, once you cross that $400 threshold, you're out of the budget realm and into midrange territory.

So if the Pixel 5a is more of a midranger  the 2021 equivalent of last year's in-betweener 4a 5G offering  is Google gonna supplement that spot with a firmly budget-level alternative in 2022?

If you ask me, it sure seems like less of a question of if and more of a question of when. Google's made no secret of the fact that it wants the Pixel to become a significant player in terms of its overall market share. And both Google's own past stats and the general smartphone market trends make it undeniable that the low-priced level is where those gains are most easily made. Just ask OnePlus.

Way back when we first heard rumblings about plans for a midrange Pixel, I said it seemed inevitable that such a move would be just the tip of the iceberg. Go, go, gadget quoting machine:

The question we should be asking isn't if a midrange Pixel phone will really come to fruition. It's how long it'll take for that device to become available everywhere  and how long it'll take for the next new model, either at another price point or with some other sort of form-oriented distinction, to show up after.

It's been three years since that point, and we're now staring at a lineup in which we have a top-tier, likely-$1,000+ flagship and a middle-of-the-road but still-premium $449 step-down alternative.

For now, Google has said it "hopes" to continue selling last year's Pixel 4a for as long as it can secure all of the necessary parts. But that's clearly not a long-term solution, and it comes with the caveat for potential purchasers that the phone's already a full year into its life and thus down to less than two years of remaining support.

One obvious piece is still missing from this puzzle. And if I were a gambling man, I'd say it's only a matter of time until we see a lower-end Pixel "b" phone come along to complete the Pixel picture and fill in that last remaining void.

Things sure are getting interesting here in the land o' Googley matters, and all signs suggest what we're seeing right now is still only the start of the story.

Don't let yourself miss an ounce of Pixel magic. Sign up for my new Pixel Academy e-course to discover tons of hidden features and time-saving tricks for your favorite Pixel phone.
Betty Louise Baker of Lewisville, Texas passed away at the age of 80 on August 14, 2021 at her daughter's home in Farmers Branch, Texas. She was born in Corsicana, Texas on April 17, 1941 to Samuel Alfred and Helen Louise McAllister Baker. She is preceded in death by her parents, step-father
There is a rich literature on the question of the gender gap in the legal profession, with wonderful work by scholars such as Elizabeth Gorman, Ronit Dinotvitzer, Fiona Kay, Joyce Sperling and others. One of the gaps in this literature that I've found over the years though is the lack of in-depth analyses of particular practice areas or individual firms. Many of the analyses look at the gender gaps in the fractions of law students, junior associates and partners and stop there (I am guilty as charged on this). But, of course, we know (or at least suspect) that there is likely tremendous variation across fields. Understanding that variation might help us better understand what causes the gender gap and how to remedy it.

"Women and M&A", by Afra Afsharipour, a leading expert in the Mergers and Acquisition field, takes some steps towards showing us the benefits of a deep dive into a the study of the gender gaps in particular practice areas. In Afra's case, the deep dive is into M&A deals, one of the most prestigious and remunerative practice areas in most elite law firms. One of my favorite aspects of this article is how Afra handles the always difficult gender gap measurement problem. She comes up with an original measure of lawyer success (whether one gets designated as the "leader" on the deal for purposes of 8-K and other public filings) and then takes a cut at showing us the numbers. Turns out that the gender gap at the top of the pyramid (if status and money count as being at the top) is a lot bigger than elsewhere. Lots of food for thought. The paper is available here, and I've reproduced the abstract below. (For those interested, Afra has a prior paper on this general topic as well, in the 2020 Wisconsin Law Review and she also did an appearance on the Business Scholarship podcast hosted by Andrew Jennings to talk about this topic).

The abstract, from ssrn.com, reads:

Corporations, law firms and investment banks all state that diversity matters. This Article shows that there is a chasm between discourse and action. For the most important decisions undertaken by companieslarge merger and acquisition (M&A) transactionsa gender gap persists. This Article provides a holistic examination of the entire network of lead actors involved in M&A, revealing that womens leadership opportunities continue to be vastly unequal. Using hand-collected data from 700 transactions, this Article reveals that thirty years after women began to account for almost half of all law students, gender parity in M&A leadership lags far behind. To illustrate, over a 7-year period, women make up on average 10.5% of lead legal advisors for buyers in M&A. Moreover, this Article documents the lack of transparency on leadership data for other players in M&A. This Article argues that understanding, documenting, and disclosing the gender gap in M&A leadership is critical for increasing accountability and for determining the solutions that may work to reduce such disparities.
Wiley Franklin Smith Sr., 88, of Crossville, passed away Aug. 24, 2021, at his home in Crossville. He was born March 22, 1933, in Crossville, son of Virgil Smith and Bessie (Emery) Smith. Wiley worked as a merchant for a retail sales business and was of the Baptist faith. He is survived by h
University of Tennessee President Randy Boyd, right, thanks members of the McClanahan family for hosting a Everywhere You Look, UT mural on their farm, visible from Interstate 40. On hand for the meeting with Boyd were, from left, Ethan Hadley, president of the Crossville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce; Crossville Mayor James Mayberry; Lauren McClanahan; Matthew McClanahan; and Nancy McClanahan.
Throughout the Bible, there is talk about a remnant. The simple question we are addressing today is what does remnant mean in the Bible? The best way to understand this is to see the different ways it is used in scripture so lets take a look.

What Does Remnant Mean?

Here is how the Lexham Bible Dictionary defines the word remnant:

A portion of people left after a disaster, especially a disaster identified with divine judgment. Especially in the Prophets, this term describes those who remain faithful to God despite suffering and who ultimately experience restoration (The Lexham Bible Dictionary).

Typically what remnant means in the Bible is a reference to those who are leftover. It is most often a reference to the people of Israel however there are instances where this has been used while alluding to other nations. Here is an example of the remnant as it refers to another nation.

The fortified city will disappear from Ephraim,

and royal power from Damascus;

the remnant of Aram will be

like the glory of the Israelites,

declares the Lord Almighty. Isaiah 17:3

One of the things to note about this word is that it can have both a positive and negative connotation. In the negative sense, a remnant can be the people left after God has executed judgment. However, most often in the Bible the remnant is seen in a positive light. These are the ones who carry hope of restoration or a return to God or godly ways.

The first example of a remnant in the Bible happens in Genesis with Noah and his family.

Every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out; people and animals and the creatures that move along the ground and the birds were wiped from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those with him in the ark. Genesis 7:23

What you see hear is that combination of despair and hope that is represented by the remnant. The despair is a result of the judgment of God upon the earth, but the hope comes because Noah and his family were left. The word remnant does not appear here but this is an example of what remnant means in the Bible. God took Noah and his family and rescued them, and he then used them to reset and repopulate the earth.

Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. Genesis 9:1

Why Does God Preserve a Remnant?

You might wonder why does God preserve a remnant? The answer is simple it is because God chooses to fulfill his purpose in the earth through ordinary men and women like you and me. Because he desires to fulfill his plan in this manner, he seeks out and preserves a people who are ready and willing to follow him regardless of the direction that everyone else is going.

These people who make up the remnant are instrumental in preserving Gods character, Gods purpose, and Gods will in the earth. Therefore those who make up the remnant represent hope along with the promise and possibility of restoration.

What Does Remnant Mean: Another Use of the Word

Another great example of what the word remnant means in the Bible is seen in the life of Joseph. Consider these verses.

And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. Genesis 45:5-7

Notice again that out of a disaster, Josephs brothers selling him into slavery and the eventual famine in Egypt, Gods used that to preserve a remnant. Who knows what would have happened had Joseph not been in Egypt during the famine? So again you see the remnant though they are the ones left, they are also the reason for the hope of restoration.

Remnant and Israel

As I mentioned earlier, many times in the Bible when it talks about a remnant it is used in relationship to the people of Israel. Through various trials and tribulations in the Old Testament God consistently had a remnant of people in Israel whose hearts were fully committed to him. This remnant in Israel was important because it was through the nation of Israel that Jesus would come.

Also, it was through the nation of Israel that Gods word and Gods law was passed down and preserved in the earth. There were always a people who would reflect Gods character in the earth and in the Old Testament this was the nation of Israel. Regardless of how sinful and rebellious the nations of Israel and Judah became; God always had a group within this group, who would remain faithful to him.

Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israelall whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him. 1 Kings 19:18

What Does Remnant Mean in the New Testament?

The beautiful thing about Gods plan and the reality of the remnant is that his desire will be accomplished despite everything that we see happening. Gods purpose for Israel remains and Gods purpose for humanity still remains. Here is a New Testament reference to the remnant and Israel.

I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Dont you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijahhow he appealed to God against Israel: Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me? And what was Gods answer to him? I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal. So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace. Romans 11:1-6

The Remnant and You

One of the things we must be aware of is that if you are in Christ you are part of the present day remnant. Jesus calls you salt and one of the functions of salt is to preserve, which is what the remnant does. We are called to preserve Gods standard in the earth regardless of what we see happening in our society. We are also here to represent the hope of restoration and salvation in the earth.

Though it can get tempting when you see what is happening around you, dont get discouraged. Keep shining light, being salt and being the remnant that God needs in the earth. While we know everyone wont come to Christ, lets be the difference that God desires so we can bring restoration to as many as possible. I leave you with this scripture even though it does not specifically talk about being the remnant it sums up our responsibility.

We are therefore Christs ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christs behalf: Be reconciled to God. 2 Corinthians 5:20

Photo Credit: GettyImages/Jupiterimages
"He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately." Acts 18:26-27

Aquila and Priscilla are some of the most well-known married ministry partners in the Bible. If you and your spouse are looking to step into ministry, this couple has some great wisdom for you!

1. God Will Call You Right Where You Are!

Sometimes we think we need to leave everything to serve God. Sometimes, He does indeed call us to this, but most often, even if He calls us to leave everything we've previously known, the calling happens in the midst of our very normal, everyday lives.

"After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them." Acts 18:1-3

Aquila was a tentmaker, and Paul was too! They crossed paths as the two were settling in at Corinth. Aquila was on the move because politics had pushed him from one town to another. Paul was on the move with his missionary journeys. The two teamed up for work and then later for ministry.

"Each person should remain in the situation they were in when God called them." 1 Corinthians 7:20

This verse is an excerpt from a greater portion of Scripture dealing with the common urge we have to throw off our current life in search of another "better" one to serve God through. In it, Paul explains that whatever season or station of life we find ourselves in is right where God would have us serve Him! I've known couples that felt like they needed a bigger house to serve the Lord. And I've known couples that felt like they needed a smaller house with less upkeep to serve the Lord. This sentiment can be applied across every facet of our lives. Serve the Lord where you are with what you have!

2. Through Changes in Your Circumstance, Trust God with His Call on Your Life

Priscilla and Aquila served the Lord with Paul by their side and without him.

"Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sisters and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchreae because of a vow he had taken. They arrived at Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila." Acts 18:18-19

God calls us to serve Him with and without certain, very dear people in our lives. This point is a deeply personal one for me at the moment.

My husband is a pastor, and we recently lost our very precious associate pastor. We had served together for 15 years. We'd been through major fires together. His faith was pure, sweet, and oh so contagious. In a world where great men and women dramatically fall away from God or into deep pits of sin, where they fight and devour one another for petty church politics, it was a gift to serve alongside this beautiful brother who so loved God's word and His people.

For my husband, the church ministry leaders, and our congregation, this has been a season of "how do we go on without him?" He had lymphoma of the spine and was paralyzed in his last days. Despite this, he never stopped praising God and sharing Jesus with everyone he had the opportunity to. My husband asked him what he wanted for the church, and he said to keep loving each other and God's word. So, we keep doing apart what we did together. And while it hurts all of us to feel the great absence of him in our midst, we know we have work to do. So we do our best to run the race well, just as he exampled for us.

On a much less profound note, we live in an area of the country where people constantly come in for work and then move on. Many years back, we went through a season for three years where every six months, our newest ministry partners would surprisingly move out of state for work. I was flabbergasted! Not only was it pretty impossible to develop the leadership structure that was on our hearts, but we loved these people, and it was a major heartbreak to see them go. When you answer God's call to serve Him as a couple, undoubtedly, you will go through seasons of great people-grief. Whether you serve with someone who crashes and burns, leaving you and so many others reeling from shock and hurt. They get job transfers and leave the state. Or you serve with someone indescribably precious that is called to heaven. You will grieve. And God's call to serve won't change. Even when the pain is so great, we feel our heart is too broken to serve with; our call from the Lord isn't dependent on other people or even on us. It is HIS work through us. It is dependent on God. As people come in and go out of your serving journey, trust God's plans and His calling for you. (And yes, sometimes we need breaks to heal and recoup, but that is another topic for another article! Tuck into your heart the promise that you aren't alone in your people-grief, and God will see you to the other side of it, serving Him along the way.)

Paul's words shortly after he had served with Priscilla and Aquila:

"Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I have not coveted anyone's silver or gold or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship." Acts 20:32-38 (emphasis added)

3. Use Your Strengths as God has Chosen to Give Them

My grandma was famous for saying she was "behind the door" when God passed out talents. It wasn't a bit true, but her talents were less flashy than some people's. They were, however, quite practical. As we strive to serve God, we can fall into comparison traps and struggle to find the best way to use what God has given us. Serving as a couple can cause unique moments of tension as we learn to work together, but we don't need to stay there in our serving journey. Aquila and Priscilla had learned this secret!

"Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately." Acts 18:24-26

Priscilla and Aquila were a team, and God used them as such. Bible scholars have debated as to why the order of their names is sometimes hers before his; maybe she was more outgoing and dynamic than her husband, etc. It doesn't really matter. God used them together and gifted them just right for that purpose. I tend to be more outgoing than my husband, and I've wrestled with finding the right "speed" alongside him. It's pretty common for couples to have one member with one gift and the other to have what's lacking. I think we do best when we allow God to hand out the gifts, and we just make sure we are faithful with them!

4. Open Your Home for Ministry

In my experience, one of the most powerful ways a couple can serve together is by opening up their home. The families that have opened their homes to the church and to me have been special gifts to all of us!

Here are some practical ways you can open your home to bless your church family:

-Know any college kids or people without laundry facilities in their home? Offer yours! It's a big blessing when you don't have a washer/dryer in your house to come over for a couple of hours of hanging out and laundry!

-Offer your home for a weekly Bible study, a youth/college/seniors event, or an annual gathering. In the summer, we've had people open their home for families to use the pool or another that had a great country home for a harvest festival. It doesn't have to be that you open your home forever; it can be a once in a while thing and still be a real joy for everyone!

-Invite families to your home for lunch after church. This is a HUGE blessing! We live in an arm's-length culture where we like to know people through the internet. Church fellowship can so easily fall into the "hi how are you" category and never progress into a relationship that helps anyone grow. Inviting someone to have lunch at your home after church pushes those social boundaries and helps to foster a real atmosphere of growth in your church family!

Hospitality isn't just for in your home! We've gone through seasons where our home wasn't hospitable. If your baby is colicky, you are going through home renovations, living in a super cramped space, or just working so hard that tidying is a super low priority, don't feel like hospitality has eluded you!

"We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth." 3 John 8

-Invite someone out for lunch after church! This is great, especially if you don't know the person well!

-Invite people to a public space, like a park or lake, for a BBQ dinner. We've really enjoyed doing this with young families. Sometimes it's hard to have lots of people in your home, but a picnic at the park is enjoyable and easy. For Summer evening hangouts at the bay, I like to buy a big pack of glow sticks. The kids love playing with them, and as it gets darker, we can all keep a good eye on the kids.

-Invite someone to share a fun or refreshing experience with you. We went through a hard time some years back. We were super tight on funds, working really hard through a lot of disappointments, and someone invited me out of lunch and a pedicure. I still cherish that gift. It was 16 years ago. And before that, I remember the women who invited me to retreats and conferences I couldn't have paid to attend. Major blessings that twenty years in the future still bring sweetness to my soul.

Remember, hospitality means making people feel welcome. You can welcome people into your life in all kinds of ways! And the blessing of embracing someone doesn't quickly fade! Serving the Lord together is absolutely a calling every married couple has on their marriage. Your marriage is a reflection of Christ's love and relationship with His people. In a world where marriage has been so often broken, tending your marriage and then serving from it is a powerful and vital witness to those who don't know Jesus yet. For those who do know Christ, the ministry God pours out through your marriage can be a fountain of refreshing!

"For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you." Philemon 1:7

Photo credit: GettyImages/Shironosov
What is the CCSP certification?

CCSP is a cloud-focused security certification for experienced security pros offered by the International Information System Security Certification Consortium, or (ISC)2. CCSP stands for Certified Cloud Security Professional, and it's one of a suite of certs offered by (ISC)2, a nonprofit focused on training and certifying cybersecurity professionals.

While (ISC)2 has been offering certifications since the 1980s, CCSP is a relatively new cert on the scene: it was rolled out at the RSA Conference in 2015 and has grown more popular since as more and more enterprises aim to securely move storage, infrastructure, and applications to the cloud. (ISC)2 says that CCSP certification demonstrates that "you have the advanced technical skills and knowledge to design, manage and secure data, applications and infrastructure in the cloud using best practices, policies, and procedures."

Following are some answers to frequently asked questions about this security certification built for the cloud.

Who should get CCSP certified?

As Daniel Carter, author of CCSP Cloud Security Professional All-in-One Exam Guide, said an interview, "The best candidates are more experienced IT architect and security types, including engineers. For people whose companies are moving into the cloud, it's important. It's also a good way to expand your marketability to employers. Since the cloud is so new, the CCSP gives employers a way to see that potential employees have gone through the rigor of the exam."

A CCSP certification signals both that you have demonstrated domain knowledge and that you possess relevant experience. We'll dig into what a CCSP cert can mean for your career later in this article; but first, let's look how you can go about getting certified.

What is covered on the CCSP exam?

Let's start with the part of CCSP certification most people are most focused on: the exam. The CCSP contains questions that draw from what (ISC)2 calls the common body of knowledge, or CBK, for cloud security professionals  a "peer-developed compendium of what a competent professional in their respective field must know, including the skills, techniques, and practices that are routinely employed." The CBK is in turn broken down into domains, or topic areas. The different CCSP domains and the portion of the exam you can expect each to take up are as follows:

Cloud concepts, architecture, and design: 17%

Cloud data security: 19%

Cloud platform and infrastructure security:17%

Cloud application security: 17%

Cloud security operations: 17%

Legal, risk and, compliance: 13%

You'll take the exam on a computer terminal at your local Pearson VUE test center. You have three hours to take the test, which consists of 100 to 150 questions; the length varies because it's an "adaptive" test, meaning that if you answer enough questions within a domain correctly to show competence for that domain, your computer terminal will stop asking you those types of questions. (There's a lively discussion thread in the (ISC)2 community forums where test-takers talk about how many questions they saw when they took it.)

The questions are multiple-choice, but you may encounter "scenario-based" questions, where you have to answer several multiple-choice questions about an example scenario. In addition, 25 questions on each test are "pre-test" questions: they're included for research purposes as (ISC)2 assesses them for possible inclusion on future tests. They don't count towards your score, but they also aren't marked, so you won't know which ones they are.

The CCSP exam is available in English and Japanese. You can find more details on (ISC)2's website.

How much does the CCSP exam cost?

The CCSP exam costs $599 in the United States, with comparable costs in local currencies in the EU and the UK.

This is a not insignificant outlay of cashand it's important to keep in mind that this isn't the only cost involved in CCSP certification. There are more requirements (and associated payments) as well.

What are the CCSP requirements?

Passing the CCSP exam is only one step of the CCSP certification process. Because this isn't a certification for those at the beginning of their careers, candidates must also demonstrate industry career experience.

In a nutshell, to get CCSP certified, you must have:

At least five years of paid work experience in IT;

At least three years of which must be in information security;

And at least one year of which must be in one or more of the six CCSP CBK domains we listed above.

(ISC)2's website has more details, including ways alternate experience like part-time or unpaid work can be counted towards these requirements. If you already have the Cloud Security Alliance's Certificate of Cloud Security Knowledge, (ISC)2 considers that equivalent to a year of professional experience. (ISC)2's CISSP security certification has its own extensive professional experience requirements, and if you already have that cert, that experience also qualifies you for CCSP. (CSO has more info on CISSP here.)

In addition, (ISC)2 requires an endorsement from another (ISC)2-certified professional that attests to your work experience, although you can make arrangement with (ISC)2 itself to provide an endorser if you don't know anyone who can serve the role.

One last note on this topic: even if you don't have all the experience needed to achieve certification yet, you can still take the CCSP exam. If you pass, you can receive Associate of (ISC)2 status, with access to (ISC)2 training resources as you work towards your ultimate certification goal, which you have six years to achieve.

How much does CCSP certification cost?

In addition to the cost of the exam, candidates aiming to be fully certified must pay (ISC)2 $125 in Annual Maintenance Fees. (For Associates, these fees are only $50 a year.) Because these fees are for membership in the organization, they are the same no matter how many (ISC)2 certs you're maintaining. You'll also need to fulfill continuing education requirements, which may have associated costs as well.

CCSP vs CISSP: Is CCSP harder than CISSP?

As we noted above, (ISC)2 has another certification for upper-level security pros with a fair amount of industry experience: Certified Information Systems Security Professional, or CISSP. The biggest difference between them is that the CISSP exam draws from a much broader and more general pool of security knowledge: it's meant to show that you can design, implement, and manage a cybersecurity program at the enterprise level. CCSP, by contrast, is entirely cloud focused. It covers less ground than CISSPand indeed, the CISSP exam is twice as long as CCSPs. But CCSP is also more in-depth on cloud topics.

A thread on the (ISC)2 community forums offers some interesting insight into how different people who have taken, or are considering taking, both exams approach the question of which is harderand in what order you should take the two exams.

What CCSP training is available?

If you dive into that thread, you'll also see discussion of how much time and effort those forum users put into studying for the exam  and it some cases it was many, many hours. Even if you think you're cloud security savvy, you're still going to want study resources to help you prepare. (ISC)2 provides its own official material for this purpose, including a study guide and a collection of practice tests.

Of course, there are third-party books available as well. We've mentioned Daniel Carter above; his book is considered the gold standard. You also might want to check out Gwen Bettwy's CCSP Cloud Guardians.

If you want to go beyond books, there are a variety of more fully featured and interactive training courses available to you. (ISC)2 offers a self-paced training course that comes bundled with the exam itself, which can save you a bit of money. The Infosec Institute offers a CCSP boot camp that comes with an exam pass guarantee (basically, if you fail the exam after taking their training course, they'll pay for you to take it again).

As is the case with most certs, there are plenty more training courses out there. Here's a great list of open online CCSP courses, ranked by enrolled students and reviews, to give you a sense of the most popular.

What salary can I get with CCSP certification?

We're going to end with the question that's probably been lurking in your mind as you made your way through this article: Can a CCSP certification help you make more money?

This is much easier to ask than to answer. Obviously, it's in the best interest of (ISC)2 to tell you that you a CCSP will boost your earning power. The org's website references a couple of salary surveys that show that CCSP holders make good moneymore than $115,000 in North America, and on par with that elsewhere.

Of course, it's very difficult to tell whether this is a matter of correlation or causation. After all, in order to achieve CCSP certification, you need to have five or more years of industry experience under your belt, and that alone will boost your value in the job market. You should be wary of anyone who tries to guarantee you that a certification will provide a specific salary boost. That said, in an in-demand domain like cloud security, a certification can only make you stand out moreand CCSP and (ISC)2 are well respected in the industry.
Elected officials in 22 towns and boroughs are asking Gov. Ned Lamont to enact a statewide indoor mask mandate, the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments said in a statement Wednesday.

The council said most of its members already require masks inside municipal buildings, and they were strongly recommending people wear masks indoors.

Lamont has repeatedly said he does not plan to issue a statewide mask mandate despite rising cases of COVID-19. Earlier this month, Lamont gave municipal leaders the authority to issue indoor mask mandates within the borders of their towns or cities.

Five of Connecticuts eight counties are now considered to have high transmission rates, including Fairfield, Hartford, Middlesex, New Haven and New London counties, according to data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. That means these five counties have seen 100 or more cases per 100,000 people in the past week.

In late July, the CDC and the state Department of Public Health encouraged people in high transmission communities, regardless of if theyre vaccinated or not, to wear masks inside public spaces.

The Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments is also encouraging private businesses to also implement indoor mask policies.

SCCOG Chairman and Ledyard Mayor Fred Allyn is urging residents to comply with this minor inconvenience during this unprecedented public health crisis.

While wearing a mask indoors might be inconvenient or uncomfortable, it can prevent the transmission of this coronavirus and thus save lives, Allyn said.
WASHINGTON (AP)  A significant majority of Americans doubt that the war in Afghanistan was worthwhile, even as the United States is more divided over President Joe Biden's handling of foreign policy and national security, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Roughly two-thirds said they did not think Americas longest war was worth fighting, the poll shows. Meanwhile, 47% approve of Bidens management of international affairs, while 52% approve of Biden on national security.

The poll was conducted Aug. 12-16 as the two-decade war in Afghanistan ended with the Taliban returning to power and capturing the capital of Kabul. Biden has faced bipartisan condemnation in Washington for sparking a humanitarian crisis by being ill-prepared for the speed of the Taliban's advance.

The president has stood by his decision to exit the country, insisting that he will not allow the war to continue indefinitely and betting that Americans agree with him.

Mark Sohl is among those who do. The 62-year-old Democrat from Topeka, Kansas, said it wasnt worth losing more American lives over a mess.

Sohl added: After 20 years, you got to cut loose."

Others felt more conflicted after seeing grim scenes in Afghanistan even if they opposed the war overall. In one image likely to endure, Afghans clung to U.S. military planes in a desperate bid to flee the country

I dont believe we should have been in there to begin with, said Sebastian Garcia, a 23-year-old Biden voter from Lubbock, Texas, who said he had three cousins serve in Afghanistan. But now that were leaving, I do feel we probably should stay after seeing, I guess youd say, the trouble weve caused.

Roughly two-thirds also suggest the Iraq War that coincided with Afghanistan was a mistake. Republicans are somewhat more likely than Democrats to say the wars in both countries were worth fighting. About 4 in 10 Republicans do, compared with about 3 in 10 Democrats.

Deborah Fulkerson of Pueblo, Colorado, believes it would be wise for the U.S. to remain in Afghanistan.

I feel like us having a presence there just keeps things more neutral and safer there for those people and for us, said the 62-year-old, who describes herself as more conservative, particularly on social issues.

Fulkerson acknowledged that she does not follow Afghanistan that closely, saying she is more concerned with gas prices and local news.

Im a Christian and I know where my future lies, and all of this stuff thats going on that I have no control over except through prayer, I just cant watch it all the time, she said. I would be negative all the time.

About half of Americans say they are extremely or very concerned about the threat to the U.S. posed by extremist groups based outside of the United States; about another one-third are moderately concerned. Only about 1 in 10 say they are not concerned.

But nearly 20 years after the Sept. 11 attacks that spurred the Afghanistan war, more Americans say they perceive the major national security threats as being internal.

Roughly two-thirds say they are extremely or very concerned about the threat of extremist groups based inside the United States. About one-quarter are somewhat concerned, and about 1 in 10 are not concerned.

Republicans and Democrats see the threat of extremist groups based outside of the U.S. similarly: about half across party lines are extremely or very concerned. But Democrats are more likely than Republicans to be strongly concerned about the threat of extremist groups based in the U.S., 75% to 57%.

Biden has largely focused his policy agenda on domestic issues such as rebuilding the U.S. economy after the coronavirus pandemic. That appears to be resonating with some Americans who see Afghanistan as a distant war but the costs of food, housing and transportation as inescapable.

Michael Lee Bettger, 47, said he voted for Donald Trump, but has been impressed by the economy under Biden and that is his priority. Bettger lives in Austin, Arkansas, and has never been this busy working industrial maintenance.

Jobs are just overflowing, Bettger said. Theres not enough of me to go around.

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The AP-NORC poll of 1,729 adults was conducted Aug. 12-16 using a sample drawn from NORCs probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 3.2 percentage points.
Ned Gerard / Hearst Connecticut Media

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday that Fairfield County is now considered a high transmission area for COVID-19, one day after the states daily positivity rate reached its highest in four months.

Fairfield County makes the fifth county in the state to be upgraded to the high transmission category, joining New Haven, Hartford, New London and Middlesex counties. The states three remaining counties remain classified by the CDC as having substantial transmission.
CHICAGO (AP)  Michael Williams wife pleaded with him to remember their fishing trips with the grandchildren, how he used to braid her hair, anything to jar him back to his world outside the concrete walls of Cook County Jail.

His three daily calls to her had become a lifeline, but when they dwindled to two, then one, then only a few a week, the 65-year-old Williams felt he couldnt go on. He made plans to take his life with a stash of pills he had stockpiled in his dormitory.

Williams was jailed last August, accused of killing a young man from the neighborhood who asked him for a ride during a night of unrest over police brutality in May. But the key evidence against Williams didnt come from an eyewitness or an informant; it came from a clip of noiseless security video showing a car driving through an intersection, and a loud bang picked up by a network of surveillance microphones. Prosecutors said technology powered by a secret algorithm that analyzed noises detected by the sensors indicated Williams shot and killed the man.

I kept trying to figure out, how can they get away with using the technology like that against me? said Williams, speaking publicly for the first time about his ordeal. Thats not fair.

Williams sat behind bars for nearly a year before a judge dismissed the case against him last month at the request of prosecutors, who said they had insufficient evidence.

Williams experience highlights the real-world impacts of societys growing reliance on algorithms to help make consequential decisions about many aspects of public life. Nowhere is this more apparent than in law enforcement, which has turned to technology companies like gunshot detection firm ShotSpotter to battle crime. ShotSpotter evidence has increasingly been admitted in court cases around the country, now totaling some 200. ShotSpotters website says its a leader in precision policing technology solutions that helps stop gun violence by using sensors, algorithms and artificial intelligence to classify 14 million sounds in its proprietary database as gunshots or something else.

But an Associated Press investigation, based on a review of thousands of internal documents, emails, presentations and confidential contracts, along with interviews with dozens of public defenders in communities where ShotSpotter has been deployed, has identified a number of serious flaws in using ShotSpotter as evidentiary support for prosecutors.

APs investigation found the system can miss live gunfire right under its microphones, or misclassify the sounds of fireworks or cars backfiring as gunshots. Forensic reports prepared by ShotSpotters employees have been used in court to improperly claim that a defendant shot at police, or provide questionable counts of the number of shots allegedly fired by defendants. Judges in a number of cases have thrown out the evidence.

ShotSpotters proprietary algorithms are the companys primary selling point, and it frequently touts the technology in marketing materials as virtually foolproof. But the company guards how its closed system works as a trade secret, a black box largely inscrutable to the public, jurors and police oversight boards.

The companys methods for identifying gunshots arent always guided solely by the technology. ShotSpotter employees can, and often do, change the source of sounds picked up by its sensors after listening to audio recordings, introducing the possibility of human bias into the gunshot detection algorithm. Employees can and do modify the location or number of shots fired at the request of police, according to court records. And in the past, city dispatchers or police themselves could also make some of these changes.

Amid a nationwide debate over racial bias in policing, privacy and civil rights advocates say ShotSpotters system and other algorithm-based technologies used to set everything from prison sentences to probation rules lack transparency and oversight and show why the criminal justice system shouldnt outsource some of societys weightiest decisions to computer code.

When pressed about potential errors from the companys algorithm, ShotSpotter CEO Ralph Clark declined to discuss specifics about their use of artificial intelligence, saying its not really relevant.

The point is anything that ultimately gets produced as a gunshot has to have eyes and ears on it, said Clark in an interview. Human eyes and ears, OK?

____

This story, supported by the Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting, is part of an ongoing Associated Press series, Tracked, that investigates the power and consequences of decisions driven by algorithms on peoples everyday lives.

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A GAME CHANGER

Police chiefs call ShotSpotter a game-changer. The technology, which has been installed in about 110 American cities, large and small, can cost up to $95,000 per square mile per year. The system is usually placed at the request of local officials in neighborhoods deemed to be the highest risk for gun violence, which are often disproportionately Black and Latino communities. Law enforcement officials say it helps get officers to crime scenes quicker and helps cash-strapped public safety agencies better deploy their resources.

ShotSpotter has turned into one of the most important cogs in our wheel of addressing gun violence, said Toledo, Ohio Police Chief George Kral during a 2019 International Association of Chiefs of Police conference in Chicago.

Researchers who took a look at ShotSpotters impacts in communities where it is used came to a different conclusion. One study published in April in the peer-reviewed Journal of Urban Health examined ShotSpotter in 68 large, metropolitan counties from 1999 to 2016, the largest review to date. It found that the technology didnt reduce gun violence or increase community safety.

The evidence that weve produced suggests that the technology does not reduce firearm violence in the long-term, and the implementation of the technology does not lead to increased murder or weapons related arrests, said lead author Mitch Doucette.

ShotSpotter installs its acoustic sensors on buildings, telephone poles and street lights. Employees in a dark, restricted-access room study hundreds of thousands of gunfire alerts on multiple computer screens at the companys headquarters about 35 miles (56 kilometers) south of San Francisco or a newer office in Washington.

Forensic tools such as DNA and ballistics evidence used by prosecutors have had their methodologies examined in painstaking detail for decades, but ShotSpotter claims its software is proprietary, and wont release its algorithm. The companys privacy policy says sensor locations arent divulged to police departments, although community members can see them on their street lamps. The company has shielded internal data and records revealing the systems inner workings, leaving defense attorneys no way of interrogating the technology to understand the specifics of how it works.

We have a constitutional right to confront all witnesses and evidence against us, but in this case the ShotSpotter system is the accuser, and there is no way to determine if its accurate, monitored, calibrated or if someones added something, said Katie Higgins, a defense attorney who has successfully fought ShotSpotter evidence. The most serious consequence is being convicted of a crime you didnt commit using this as evidence.

The Silicon Valley startup launched 25 years ago backed by venture capitalist Gary Lauder, heir to Estee Lauders makeup fortune. Today, the billionaire remains the companys largest investor.

ShotSpotters profile has grown in recent years.

The U.S. government has spent more than $6.9 million on gunshot detection systems, including ShotSpotter, in discretionary grants and earmarked funds, the Justice Department said in response to questions from AP. States and local governments have spent millions more, from a separate pool of federal tax dollars, to purchase the system.

The companys share price has more than doubled since it went public in 2017 and it posted revenue of nearly $30 million in the first half of 2021. Its hardly ubiquitous, however. ShotSpotter's website lists 119 communities in the U.S., the Caribbean and South Africa where it operates. The company says it has deployed 18,000 sensors covering 810 square miles (2,100 square kilometers).

In 2018, it acquired a predictive policing company called HunchLab, which integrates its AI models with ShotSpotters gunshot detection data to purportedly predict crime before it happens.

That system can forecast when and where crimes are likely to emerge and recommends specific patrols and tactics that can deter these events, according to the companys 2020 annual report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company said it plans to expand in Latin America and other regions of the world. It recently appointed Roberta Jacobson, the former U.S. ambassador to Mexico, to its board.

Late last year, a Trump administration commission on law enforcement urged increased funding for systems like ShotSpotter to combat firearm crime and violence.

And amid rising homicides, this spring, the Biden administration nominated David Chipman, a former ShotSpotter executive, to head the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

In June, President Joe Biden encouraged mayors to use American Rescue Plan funds  aimed at speeding up the U.S. pandemic recovery  to buy gunshot detection systems, to better see and stop gun violence in their communities.

SOMETHING IN ME HAD JUST DIED

On a balmy Sunday evening in May 2020, Williams and his wife Jacqueline Anderson settled in at their apartment building on Chicagos South Side. They fed their Rottweiler Lily and German shepherd Shibey. Anderson fell asleep. Williams said he left the house to buy cigarettes at a gas station.

Looters had beaten him to it. Six days before in Minneapolis, George Floyd had been killed by police Officer Derek Chauvin. Four hundred miles away (640 kilometers), in Williams neighborhood, outrage boiled over. Shops were torn up, store windows broken, fires burned.

Williams found the gas station destroyed, so he said he made a U-turn to head home on South Stony Island Avenue. Before he reached East 63rd Street, Williams said Safarian Herring, a 25-year-old he said he had seen around the neighborhood, waved him down for a ride.

I didnt feel threatened or anything because Ive seen him before, around. So, I said yes. And he got in the front seat, and we took off, Williams said.

According to documents AP obtained through an open records request, Williams told police that as he approached an intersection another vehicle pulled up beside his car. A man in the front passenger seat fired a shot. The bullet missed Williams, but hit his passenger.

It shocked me so badly, the only thing I can do was slump down in my car, he said. As Herring bled all over the seat from wounds to the side of his head, Williams ran a red light to escape.

I was hollering to my passenger Are you ok? said Williams. He didnt respond.

Williams drove his passenger to St. Bernard Hospital, where medical workers rushed Herring into the emergency room and doctors fought to save his life.

Two weeks before being picked up by Williams, Samona Nicholson, Herrings mother, said the aspiring chef had survived a shooting at a bus stop. Nicholson, who called her son Pook, arranged for him to stay with a relative where she thought hed be safe.

Doctors pronounced Herring dead on June 2, 2020, at 2:53 p.m.

For days after the shooting Williams wife said he curled up on his bed, having flashbacks and praying for his passenger.

Three months after Herrings death, the police showed up. Williams recalls officers told him they wanted to take him to the station to talk and assured him he did nothing wrong.

He had a criminal history and spent three different stints behind bars, for attempted murder, robbery and discharging a firearm, records show.

That was all when he was a younger man. Williams said he had moved on with life, avoiding legal trouble since his last release more than 15 years ago and working numerous jobs.

At the police station, detectives interrogated him about the night Herring was shot, then took him to a holding cell.

They just said that they were charging me with first-degree murder, Williams said. When he told me that, it was just like something in me had just died.

ITS NOT PERFECT

On the night Williams stepped out for cigarettes, ShotSpotter sensors triangulated a loud noise the system initially assigned to 5700 S. Lake Shore Dr. near Chicagos historic Museum of Science and Industry alongside Lake Michigan, according to an alert the company sent to police.

That material anchored the prosecutors theory that Williams shot Herring inside his car, even though the case supplementary report from police did not cite a motive, nor did it mention any eyewitnesses. There was no gun found at the scene of the crime.

Prosecutors also leaned on a surveillance video viewed by AP showing that Williams car ran a red light, as did another car that appeared to have its windows up. This detail ruled out the possibility that the shot came from the other cars passenger window, they said.

Chicago police did not respond to APs request for comment. The Cook County States Attorneys Office said in a statement that after careful review prosecutors concluded that the totality of the evidence was insufficient to meet our burden of proof," but did not answer specific questions about the case.

As ShotSpotters gunshot detection systems expand around the country, so has its use as forensic evidence in the courtroom  some 200 times in 20 states since 2010, with 91 of those cases in the past three years, the company said.

Our data compiled with our expert analysis help prosecutors make convictions, said a recent ShotSpotter press release. Even during the pandemic, ShotSpotter participated in 18 court cases, some over Zoom, according to a recent company presentation to investors.

But even as its use has expanded in court, ShotSpotters technology has drawn scrutiny.

For one, the algorithm that analyzes sounds to distinguish gunshots from other noises has never been peer reviewed by outside academics or experts.

The concern about ShotSpotter being used as direct evidence is that there are simply no studies out there to establish the validity or the reliability of the technology. Nothing, said Tania Brief, a staff attorney at The Innocence Project, a nonprofit that seeks to reverse wrongful convictions.

A 2011 study commissioned by the company found that dumpsters, trucks, motorcycles, helicopters, fireworks, construction, trash pickup and church bells have all triggered false positive alerts, mistaking these sounds for gunshots. Clark said the company is constantly improving its audio classifications, but the system still logs a small percentage of false positives.

In the past, these false alerts  and lack of alerts  have prompted cities from Charlotte, North Carolina, to San Antonio, Texas, to end their ShotSpotter contracts, the AP found.

In Fall River, Massachusetts, police said ShotSpotter worked less than 50% of the time and missed all seven shots in a downtown murder in 2018. The results didnt improve over time, and later that year ShotSpotter turned off its system.

The public school district in Fresno, California, ended its ShotSpotter contract last year, after paying $1.25 million over four years and finding it too costly. Also, parents and board members were concerned that district funds meant to help high-needs students were used to pay for ShotSpotter, said school board trustee Genoveva Islas.

We were at the point where George Floyd had been murdered and there was a lot of push around racism and discrimination in the district. There was this mounting questioning about that investment in particular, Islas said.

Some courts, too, have been less than impressed with the ShotSpotter system. In 2014, a judge in Richmond, California, didnt allow ShotSpotter evidence to be used during a gang murder conspiracy case, although the accused man, Todd Gillard, was still convicted of being involved in a drive-by shooting.

The expert testimony that a gun was fired at a particular location at a given time, based on the ShotSpotter technology, is not presently admissible in court, because it has not, at this point, reached general acceptance in the relevant scientific community, ruled Contra Costa Superior Court Judge John Kennedy.

In a Chicago case, prosecutors had surveillance videos of gang member Ernesto Godinez in a neighborhood where an ATF agent was shot after dark  but none showing him actually shooting a gun. At a 2019 trial, they entered ShotSpotter data to show gunshots originated from the location where video evidence indicated Godinez was when shots rang out. This month, a federal appeals court ruled that a trial judge erred by not vetting the reliability of ShotSpotter data before letting jurors hear it. Nonetheless, the split three-judge panel concluded that other evidence prosecutors presented was enough to uphold Godinezs conviction.

ShotSpotter says its constantly fine-tuning its machine learning model to recognize what is and isnt a gunshot sound by getting detectives and investigators to add crime scene observations to its system. As a part of that process, which they call ground truth, ShotSpotter asks patrol officers to add and notate shell casings, bullet holes, gather witness testimony and other evidence of gunfire using its software.

We have the opportunity to make the machine classification better and better and better because we get real-world feedback loops from humans, Clark said.

Several experts warned that training an algorithm based on a set of observations submitted by police risks contaminating the model if harried officers  perhaps inadvertently  feed it incomplete or incorrect data.

Im kind of aghast, said Clare Garvie, a senior associate with the Center on Privacy & Technology at Georgetown Law. You are building an inherent uncertainty into that system, and you are telling that system its fine. You are contaminating the reliability of your system.

ShotSpotter said the more data it receives from police, the more accurate its model becomes. The company says their system is accurate 97% of the time.

In the small number of cases where ShotSpotter is incorrect, providing feedback to the algorithm can improve accuracy, the company said.

Beyond the ShotSpotter algorithm, other questions have been raised about how the company operates.

Court records show that in some cases, employees have changed sounds detected by the system to say that they are gunshots.

During 2016 testimony in a Rochester, New York, officer-involved shooting trial, ShotSpotters engineer Paul Greene was pressed to explain why one of its employees reclassified sounds from a helicopter to a bullet. The reason? He said its customer, in this case the Rochester Police Department, told them to.

The defense attorney in that case was dumbfounded: Is that something that occurs in the regular course of business at ShotSpotter? he asked.

Yes, it is. It happens all the time, said Greene. Typically, you know, we trust our law enforcement customers to be really upfront and honest with us.

Testifying in a 2017 San Francisco murder trial, Greene gave similar testimony that an analyst had moved the location of its initial alert a block away, suddenly matching the scene of the crime.

Its not perfect. The dot on the map is simply a starting point, he said.

In the Williams case, evidence in pretrial hearings shows that ShotSpotter initially said the noise the sensor picked up was a firecracker, a classification the companys algorithm made with 98% confidence. But a ShotSpotter employee relabeled the noise as a gunshot.

Later, ShotSpotter senior technical support engineer Walter Collier changed the reported Chicago address of the sound to the street where Williams was driving, about 1 miles (1.6 kilometers) away, according to court documents. ShotSpotter said Collier corrected the report to match the actual location that the sensors had identified.

Collier worked for the Chicago Police Department for more than two decades before joining ShotSpotter, according to his LinkedIn profile. After Williams was sent to jail, his attorney requested more information about Colliers training. The attorney, Brendan Max, said he was shocked by the companys response.

In court filings, ShotSpotter acknowledged: Our experts are trained using a variety of on the job training sessions, and transfer of knowledge from our scientists and other experienced employees. As such no official or formal training materials exist for our forensic experts.

Law enforcement officials in Chicago continue to stand by their use of ShotSpotter. Chicagos three-year, $33 million contract, signed in 2018, makes the city ShotSpotters largest customer. ShotSpotter has been at the heart of the police departments intelligence-action cycle for predictive policing that uses gunshot alerts to identify areas of risk, according to a presentation obtained by AP.

Late last month, on July 22, Attorney General Merrick Garland flew to Chicago to announce a new initiative to combat gun violence and toured a police precinct, looking on as officials showed him how they use ShotSpotter.

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

The next day, Williams hobbled into Courtroom 500 leaning on his wooden cane, dressed in tan jail garb and sandals, as a sheriffs deputy towered over him. He had been locked up for 11 months.

Williams lifted his head to the famously irascible Judge Vincent Gaughan. The 79-year-old Vietnam veteran looked back from high on his bench and told Williams his case was dismissed. The reason: insufficient evidence.

ShotSpotter maintains it had warned prosecutors not to rely on its technology to detect gunshots fired inside vehicles or buildings. The company said the disclaimer can be found in the small print embedded in its contract with Chicago police.

But the company declined to say at what point during Williams nearly yearlong incarceration it got in touch with prosecutors, or why it prepared a forensic report for a gunshot that allegedly was fired in Williams vehicle, given the fact that the system had trouble identifying gunshots in enclosed spaces. The report itself contained contradictory information suggesting the technology did, in fact, work inside cars. Clark, the companys CEO, declined to comment on the case, but in a follow-up statement, the company equivocated, telling AP that under certain conditions, the system can actually pick up gunshots inside vehicles.

Max, Williams attorney, said prosecutors never disclosed any of this information to him, and instead dropped charges two months after he subpoenaed ShotSpotter for the companys correspondence with states attorneys.

The judge agreed to schedule a hearing in the coming weeks about whether to release ShotSpotters operating protocol and other documents the company wants to keep secret. Max, who requested it, said such material could be used to cast doubt on the validity and reliability of ShotSpotter evidence in cases nationwide.

My client did not deserve to have his liberty taken away based on unscientific, unproven evidence, Max said. Given the history of flawed forensic evidence in our courts, we cant let ShotSpotter be the next thing that racks up wrongful convictions.

On the evening of July 23, Williams walked out of Cook County Jail into the hot Chicago night.

He was picked up by his attorney, and Anderson, his wife of 20 years, was waiting at home. When her husband stepped out of his attorneys car, she took him in her arms and cried.

That first night at home, Anderson made ribs and chicken, cornbread and macaroni and cheese.

But Williams couldnt eat on his own. Hed beat COVID-19 twice while in jail, but had developed an uncontrollable tremor in his hand that kept him from holding a spoon. So Anderson fed him. And as they sat together on the couch, she held onto his arm to try and stop the shaking.

For her part, Herrings mother believes police had the right suspect in Williams. She blames ShotSpotter for botching the case by passing on, then withdrawing what she called flimsy data.

Williams remains shaken by his ordeal. He said he doesnt feel safe in his hometown anymore. When he walks through the neighborhood he scans for the little microphones that almost sent him to prison for life.

The only places these devices are installed are in poor Black communities, nowhere else, he said. How many of us will end up in this same situation?"

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Mendoza reported from Newark, California. Associated Press Writer Roselyn Romero in San Luis Obispo, California, contributed to this report.

Contact APs global investigative team at Investigative@ap.org

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Click here for statements provided by ShotSpotter in response to questions submitted by The Associated Press for this article.
U.S. health officials announced plans Wednesday to offer a COVID-19 booster shot to Americans amid the ongoing delta variant surge and possible signs that coronavirus immunity may be decreasing over time.

These non-medical masks are $2 for a 50-pack on Amazon

Outlined by the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the plan calls for an extra dose eight months after people received their second shot of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines. The plan is subject to a Food and Drug Administration evaluation of the safety and effectiveness of a third dose and a review by a CDC advisory panel. Doses could be distributed the week of Sept. 20.

People who received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine will also probably need an extra shot, health officials said. But they said they are waiting for more data.

The announcement comes as federal health officials recommended last week "third shots" for immunocompromised individuals who received a Pfizer or Moderna series.

Here's what you need to know about third doses and booster shots:

Are the available COVID vaccines still effective?

"The good news is vaccines are working," said Desi Kotis, UCSF's chief pharmacy executive. "All three vaccine brands, they have very strong efficacy against severe disease, hospitalization and mortality."

The concern is over waning immunity over time, not general vaccine efficacy.

How long after my second shot do I need to wait to get a booster?

To get a booster shot, you must be fully vaccinated for at least 8 months. A person is considered fully vaccinated if they received both Moderna or Pfizer shots or one J&J dose.

What's the difference between third doses and booster shots?

According to Kotis, the shots recently approved for immunocompromised individuals are called "third doses" not "booster shots." A booster shot traditionally refers to an extra dose after initial vaccination.

Who can receive a third shot right now, as approved by the FDA?

The following individuals are currently eligible for a third shot:

People who have been receiving active cancer treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood

Those who received an organ transplant and are taking medicine to suppress the immune system

Those who received a stem cell transplant within the last 2 years or are taking medicine to suppress the immune system

Those with moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (such as DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome)

Those with advanced or untreated HIV infection

People undergoing active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids or other drugs that may suppress your immune response

Why might vaccinated people need booster shots?

Officials said it is very clear that the vaccines protection against infection wanes over time, and they noted that Israel has begun seeing a worsening of infections among vaccinated people. They said the U.S. needs to get out ahead of the problem before it takes a more lethal turn here and starts leading to hospitalizations and deaths among the vaccinated.

On Wednesday, the CDC released three separate studies all demonstrating the waning efficacy of the vaccines over time.

Can I mix and match vaccines?

"It's not recommended at this time to mix the brand," Kotis said. "If there was no way you could keep with your brand, they're still very, very similar. It's same mechanism of action, but thats not the recommendation."

Why do some officials object to booster shots in the U.S. at this time?

Top scientists at the World Health Organization object to the U.S. plan announced Wednesday, noting that less affluent countries are not getting enough vaccine for their initial rounds of shots.

Were planning to hand out extra life jackets to people who already have life jackets, while were leaving other people to drown without a single life jacket," said Dr. Michael Ryan, the WHOs emergencies chief.

Will the booster shot have side effects?

Kotis said it is "very highly likely that there would be similar side effects to either a first or second dose of mRNA."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
In response to well circulated tweet from political commentator and Connecticut native Candace Owens, the University of Connecticut said it has no plans to fine or block internet access to unvaccinated students this fall.

Those are provisions of a private institution that is in (Connecticut), but is not affiliated with UConn., the University of Connecticut said its own tweet. UConn does not have those sanctions in place, nor are they under consideration.

The statement came after conservative commentator and author tweeted that the University of Connecticut is going to fine and block internet access to students that do not get the vaccine, Wednesday evening.

Ownes continued: If you do not understand that there is something purely evil involved right now in terms of these vaccines you will never understand. It will NEVER enter my arm.

Attached to Owens tweet was a screenshot of a news article stating students at Quinnipiac University in Hamden could lose internet access and be fined up to $2,275 if they dont submit proof of vaccination.

Quinnipiac University announced the decision to fine unvaccinated students and their limit internet access earlier this week.

The University of Connecticut is requiring students to be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus and report their vaccination compliance to the school.

RELATED: Stamford's Candace Owens faces backlash over Harry Styles comments

Students who have an exemption from the vaccine policy must be tested three to five days before arriving on campus. Unvaccinated students are required to participate in a modified quarantine for their first five to seven days on campus before being tested again. Unvaccinated students are also require to wear a mask in all indoor settings, according to the universitys website.

Students at the Storrs and Stamford campuses must participate in weekly surveillance testing, the universitys website states.

The universitys vaccine policy states that students who fail to comply or get an exemption will see their student accounts temporarily frozen, limiting their access to housing and course information, according to University of Connecticut spokesperson Stephanie Reitz.

The hold on students accounts will be lifted as soon as they contact university officials to notify them of which option they are choosing. Any students who havent notified the university will already receive several messages before their account is put on hold, Reitz said.
This photo gallery highlights some of the most compelling images made or published by Associated Press photographers in the Middle East, Afghanistan & Pakistan Region between Aug. 12-18, 2021.

This weeks selection includes scenes from across the region, where the Talibans swift advance on Afghanistan followed the American retreat from the country two decades after their invasion.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Yogananda Pittman, the Capitol Police official who led intelligence operations for the agency when thousands of Donald Trump loyalists descended on the building last January, is back in charge of intelligence as officials prepare for whats expected to be a massive rally at the Capitol to support those who took part in the insurrection.

Pittman  elevated to acting chief after then-Chief Steven Sund was forced to resign in the aftermath of the deadly insurrection  was passed over last month for the role of permanent chief. The Capitol Police Board, which oversees the force, instead picked J. Thomas Manger, the former chief of the police departments in Fairfax County, Virginia and Montgomery County, Maryland.

Pittman's tenure as assistant chief was marred by a vote of no-confidence from rank-and-file officers on the force and questions about intelligence and leadership failures  specifically, why the agency wasnt prepared to fend off a mob of insurrectionists, even though officials had compiled intelligence showing white supremacists and other extremists were likely to assemble in Washington on Jan. 6 and that violent disruptions were possible.

Supporters of the current president see Jan. 6, 2021, as the last opportunity to overturn the results of the presidential election, said a Jan. 3 Capitol Police intelligence assessment. This sense of desperation and disappointment may lead to more of an incentive to become violent.

Unlike past events, when pro-Trump supporters clashed violently with counterdemonstrators, Congress itself is the target on the 6th, the assessment added.

The deadly riot at the Capitol quickly overwhelmed the police force and has resulted in hundreds of federal criminal prosecutions and internal reviews about why law enforcement agencies weren't better prepared.

Now, months later, Pittman has been put back in charge as assistant chief of the agencys intelligence operations and will be supervising officers who protect top congressional leaders.

Police officials in Washington are increasingly concerned about a rally planned for Sept. 18 on federal land next to the Capitol that organizers have said is meant to demand justice for the hundreds of people already charged in connection with Januarys insurrection.

Organizers of the event, known as Justice for J6, have said it will be peaceful but law enforcement officials fear such a gathering with thousands of people could devolve quickly into violence.

That Pittman remains in a position overseeing intelligence is notable given the internal leadership upheaval that followed the riot  Sund, the House and Senate sergeants at arms and the only other assistant police chief all resigned after January's attack. On the other hand, removing her from the job could also represent a concession by the department that there was an intelligence failure on its part.

Capitol Police officials say Pittman was given the additional responsibility of being the acting police chief on a temporary basis and never left her old job, though an organization chart obtained by The Associated Press shows that the position of assistant chief overseeing intelligence was held by a different official, Sean Gallagher. He is now temporarily in charge of the department's uniformed officers.

In that temporary position, Chief Pittman led the Department through numerous reviews. She also directed and led improvements to pivot the USCP towards an intelligence based protective agency, the agency said of Pittman's time as police chief.

As the temporary public face of the department, Pittman conceded to Congress at a February hearing that multiple levels of failures allowed rioters to storm the building. But she disputed the notion that law enforcement had failed to take the threat seriously, noting how Capitol Police several days before the riot had distributed an internal document warning that extremists were poised for violence.

The police department had compiled numerous intelligence documents suggesting the crowd could turn violent and even target Congress.

The Associated Press has obtained full versions of four separate Capitol Police intelligence assessments in December and January that warned crowds could number in the tens of thousands and include members of extremist groups like the Proud Boys.

A Jan. 3 memo, for instance, warned of a significantly dangerous situation for law enforcement and the general public alike.

But none of the assessments envisioned the deadly violence that actually happened when huge crowds of Trump loyalists overran the building as Congress was gathered to certify the results of the presidential election. Police officials have repeatedly said they had no intelligence to suggest that would happen.

Arguably the most detailed Capitol Police document was a Dec. 21 intelligence assessment that showed how people had been researching and discussing the tunnels under the Capitol  typically used by members of Congress and staff  on public websites. A Jan. 5 FBI memo from its Norfolk field office contained a similarly ominous warning.

Pittman told congressional officials that she had distributed that Dec. 21 assessment to her command staff, including the chief, the other assistant chief and deputy chiefs, but one recently retired deputy chief, Jeffrey Pickett, told AP that he had not received the document and was unaware of other senior officials who had.

In a statement, Capitol Police officials said the department had enhanced its security posture because of the intelligence indicating increased interest in the tunnels." A law enforcement official told the AP that Pittman had emailed Sund and the other assistant chief, Chad Thomas, about the tunnel information. The department did not say whether Pittman sent the actual intelligence assessment to other chiefs, as she testified.

What the intelligence didnt reveal was the large-scale demonstration would become a large-scale attack on the Capitol Building as there was no specific, credible intelligence about such an attack, the department said in a statement.
Eighty small businesses in Fairfield have received money as part of the towns Micro Enterprise Assistance program through the towns Office of Community and Economic Development. The programs grant money totals $322,000, 99 percent of which has been expended to date.

Half of the businesses assisted through the program had no meaningful support from federal or state programs at the time, according to First Selectwoman Brenda L. Kupchicks office.

A variety of businesses have been helped, though all of the businesses have five or fewer full-time employees. The town was able to retain more than 145 jobs and create another 21 jobs with it. About 67 percent of the money went to businesses where either the owner, or the majority of the businesss employees, were low/moderate income, thus satisfying a requirement of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which is funding the program.

The town has a balance of roughly $21,000 available and continues to accept applications for the program.

Rotary Club raising funds through Paddle Fest

The Fairfield Rotary Club is hosting its family friendly Paddle Fest at 9:30 a.m. on Sept. 11 at Jennings Beach to raise money to honor the memory and the legacy of people who dies in the terrorist attack on Sept. 11, 2001.

Proceeds will benefit the nonprofit organizations Tunnels to Towers Foundation, and Homes for the Brave to honor the veterans, who took on the fight after the attack.

The event features three opportunities for stand up paddlers and kayakers to compete, or enjoy time paddling on Long Island Sound. There will be a six-mile competitive race for elite paddlers to test their skills. There will be a three-mile course for recreational paddlers, and a half-mile course for youth to try out their paddling skills, and have fun.

Visit https://paddleguru.com/races/FairfieldPaddleFest to register and for more information. Also visit fairfieldrotary.org to find out more.

Fourth annual Overdose Awareness Vigil happening

The Fairfield Health Department, police department and the nonprofit organization Fairfield CARES are having the towns 4th annual Time to Remember, Time to Act, Overdose Awareness Vigil at 7 p.m. on Aug. 31 on the Sherman Green. The event marks International Overdose Awareness Day.

People who attend the event are encouraged to participate in it as much as possible and are invited to share their stories. There will also be a candle lighting. All of the information about the vigil and additional resources are available at fairfieldct.org. Contact the Health Department at 203-256-3150 for questions about the event.

All are welcome to attend.

Registration for senior citizens activities opening

Registration for the fall programs and classes at the Bigelow Center for Senior Activities opens for Fairfield residents only at 9 a.m. on Aug. 23. Registration for out-of-town members begins 9 a.m. on Aug. 30.

The semester will then run Sept. 7 through Nov. 30. New members, who have not received their myseniorcenter ID number and tag, need to call the center to get those items so they can set up an account and register.

The center is located at 100 Mona Terrace.

Fairfield Food Truck Festival returning

The town has announced the return of the Fairfield Food Truck Festival to Jennings Beach after it was canceled last year due to COVID-19.

It will be from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Oct. 3. The rain date is Oct. 10.

The festival has previously raised tens of thousands of dollars for the library since it debuted in 2017. All proceeds are used to fund community facing programs, and initiatives at the library. Proceeds from the 2021 festival will be used to improve the childrens library at the Fairfield Woods Branch Library.

The festival will also adhere to some coronavirus pandemic related restrictions with attendance being capped at half of the attendance the previous time the festival was held in 2019. Attendees can also expect a few less food trucks, but the return of many festival favorites including: Lobster Craft, DrewbaQ, Bubble & Brew Tea and Rice & Beans.

Email fairfieldfoodtruckfestival@gmail.com if you are interested in having your food truck participate in the festival.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP)  A federal judge on Wednesday threw out Trump administration approvals for a large planned oil project on Alaskas North Slope, saying the federal review was flawed and didn't include mitigation measures for polar bears.

U.S. District Court Judge Sharon Gleason in Anchorage vacated permits for ConocoPhillips Willow Project in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska in a 110-page ruling.

The Trump administration approved the project in late 2020, and the Biden administration defended the project in court.

Rebecca Boys, a ConocoPhillips spokesperson, said the company would review Gleason's decision and evaluate the options available regarding this project.

Spokespersons for the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and the Interior Department said their agencies had no comment. The Bureau of Land Management conducted the environmental review of the project that Gleason found flawed.

Conservation groups and Sovereign Inupiat for a Living Arctic, described as a grassroots organization, had challenged the adequacy of the review process.

Karlin Itchoak, Alaska director for The Wilderness Society, in a statement called the ruling "a step toward protecting public lands and the people who would be most negatively impacted by the BLMs haphazard greenlighting of the Willow project.

In October 2020, then-U.S. Interior Secretary David Bernhardt signed the governments record of decision that called for allowing ConocoPhillips to establish up to three drill sites, associated processing facilities and gravel roads and pipelines on the North Slope.

Two more drill sites and additional roads and pipelines proposed by ConocoPhillips could be considered later, the Interior Department said at the time.

Bernhardt had said the decision would make a significant contribution to keeping oil flowing through the trans-Alaska pipeline system decades into the future and provide revenues. The Bureau of Land Management said the project could produce up to 160,000 barrels of oil a day with about 590 million barrels over 30 years.

More than 1,000 jobs were expected during peak construction and more than 400 jobs during operations, the agency's then-state director said.

Gleason said the land management agencys exclusion of foreign greenhouse gas emissions in its environment review was arbitrary and capricious.

She also ruled the agency acted contrary to law to the extent it developed its alternatives analysis based on the view that ConocoPhillips has the right to extract all possible oil and gas on its leases.

Gleason voided a report by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for lacking specifics around mitigation measures for polar bears. The agency had concluded that the project was not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of polar bears and not likely to result in the adverse modification of polar bear critical habitat, according to the ruling.

The Bureau of Land Managements reliance on that report was also flawed, Gleason said in sending the case back to the appropriate agencies for further action.

Nicole Whittington-Evans, Alaska program director for the Defenders of Wildlife, called the decision a win for our climate, for imperiled species like polar bears, and for the local residents whose concerns have been ignored. She urged the Biden administration to examine alternatives to the project.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy, in a statement, said the ruling from a federal judge trying to shelve a major oil project on American soil does one thing: outsources production to dictatorships & terrorist organizations."

He called the decision horrible.

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Bohrer reported from Juneau, Alaska.
All teachers in kindergarten through grade 12 must be vaccinated by Sept. 27 or agree to weekly testing under an order Gov. Ned Lamont announced Thursday, as the number of people covered by the mandate continued to expand.

Look, Im not eager to do this. Were doing everything we can to keep Connecticut safe, Lamont said in a briefing Thursday. Weve got over 80 percent of our adults vaccinated. Lets build on that.

The mandatory vaccine requirement applies to teachers in public and private schools under an order Lamont said he would sign. Also covered under the mandate rolled out Thursday are all state employees, as reported by Hearst CTInsider Wednesday.

The University of Connecticut on Tuesday ordered vaccinations or mandatory testing for all faculty and staff, after an order that students must be vaccinated to attend classes. On Thursday, the state colleges and universities system joined UConn in the vaccine requirement.

Connecticut State Colleges and Universities announced Thursday it is eyeing a similar policy to UConns for its employees, which could come as soon as Friday. Students who participate in on-campus activities at CSCU institutions are already required to be vaccinated against the virus.

Also Thursday, Lamont tightened an existing vaccine mandate for state employees who work in hospitals. They will not have an option to avert the vaccinations by agreeing to weekly COVID testing. That rule is also in force for all nursing home and other long-term care employees and volunteers, under an agreement with the industry, effective Sept. 7.

The mandates allow for an affected person to claim a medical exemption as authorized by a health professional; or a sincerely held religious objection under federal civil rights law.

Reaction from the unions to Thursdays announcement was mixed, with the largest teachers union expressing support. The coalition of more than 30 state employee unions issued a statement saying it recognizes the governors right to require vaccinations but that the state must negotiate over details of how it would work.

The governor also issued an order Thursday night allowing individuals, their doctors, and local health directors to access digital COVID-19 vaccine records from Connecticuts immunization information system, which will allow people to more easily provide proof of vaccination, a growing requirement in workplaces and at private establishments. At least 37 other states, including New York, New Jersey and Rhode Island, have similar databases in place, according to the governors office.

Executive powers

The latest requirement for teachers and state employees goes into effect three days before Lamonts pandemic-related executive authority is set to expire.

Asked whether the new order was a sign he intends to request another extension of his powers, the governor said, this is something I want to do in collaboration with the legislature and right now weve got it in place until Sept. 30.

But, he added, I think its easiest if you give the governors office some flexibility within narrowly defined health care protocols so we can react to the delta variant because you see how much has changed in the last 30 days.

Democratic leaders in both the House and Senate said given latest COVID-19 surge, they would be open to a continuation of Lamonts powers if the situation does not improve. Republican House leader Vincent Candelora said Thursday that lawmakers need to begin the conversation of what things look like after Sept. 30.

Candelora said its reasonable to require employees to be vaccinated or get tested weekly, especially if they work in a health care setting. Im not sure why we need it for workers who might be telecommuting or isolated, he said.

Candelora later issued a joint statement with Senate Republican leader Kevin Kelly saying Lamonts order will surely trigger many immediately unanswerable questions from workers and entities impacted by it  from how much it will cost employees who instead choose weekly testing to the scope of disciplinary action faced by those who fail to comply with this mandate altogether.

They said they hope the Lamont administration, during negotiations with union leaders, will remain firm if talks extend beyond subjects such as disciplinary options and access to testing and vaccines.

Must negotiate details

The Connecticut Education Association, the states largest teachers union, said in a written statement that Lamonts order is a reasonable accommodation and should result in greater safety and almost everyone being vaccinated.

But the statement added, We want to ensure that the state assists school districts in providing the time and resources necessary to meet the vaccine mandate and testing requirements...That means a deadline that can be met by all districts, and the clinics and supplies necessary to get the job done. We cannot afford to risk staffing shortages that could cause shutdowns and disruption as the school year begins.

The State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition, which negotiates alongside more than 30 state employee unions, issued a statement that stopped short of support for the new requirements.

Courts have upheld employer rights to mandate vaccination, SEBAC said on its website. The state of Connecticut is required to negotiate with their employees unions over the details and impacts of the EO and the Lamont Administration has acknowledged its obligation to do so. Our demand to bargain is effective immediately.

Asked what those details might be, aides to Lamont said they were issues such as discipline and record-keeping, including documenting one of the two exemptions, not the order itself.

The weekly testing requirement also will need to be ironed out as unionized employees will have to negotiate with their employers how that process will work. Depending on their health plan, some employees could have to pay out of pocket for testing.

The SEBAC statement, similar to a statement earlier this week by the largest nursing home workers union, supported public safety broadly. SEBAC is a strong advocate of doing all we can to protect the safety of members and the public in these unprecedented times.

How many unvaccinated?

The state does not know how many employees are vaccinated and has not asked. Providers are not allowed to inform employers that someone has been vaccinated. With the mandate, the state will now be able to track this data.

Lamont estimated Thursday that 75 percent of teachers are vaccinated. The average vaccination rate for nursing home staff was 74 percent, as of Aug. 8, the latest state data available, up from 72 percent the week prior.

Prison staff, who are already required to submit to regular testing if they arent vaccinated, are one group of employees where rates are lagging, Josh Geballe, the states chief operating officer, said Thursday. The vast majority of Connecticut adults are vaccinated, a sign Geballe said indicates rates are likely high among state workers.

Connecticut ranks second in the nation for its vaccination rate. Of people 12 and older who are eligible to get the shot, 74 percent are fully vaccinated, according to Thursdays data.

Older age groups, those who are 55 and up, have full vaccination rates above 80 percent. The rate of fully inoculated people ages 45 to 54 is 73 percent, followed by 69 percent for 35- to 44- year-olds and 60 percent for those 25-34.

Youth rates continue to lag behind adults. Fifty-seven percent of 16- and 17- year-olds have received the two-dose series from Pfizer-BioNTech, the only vaccine currently available to them, compared to 49 percent of 12- to 15-year-olds.

Hearst Staff Writer Cayla Bamberger contributed to this report.

julia.bergman@hearstmediact.com
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP)  Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds' office is illegally delaying the release of public records related to its $26 million, no-bid coronavirus testing contract, a pair of new lawsuits contend.

Reynolds and her offices public records custodian, attorney Michael Boal, are the latest officials to be accused of violating open records laws by a Utah-based company investigating testing programs in several states.

Paul Huntsman, chairman of the board of the Salt Lake Tribune newspaper, launched Jittai to seek public records related to Test Utah and similar programs in Nebraska, Iowa and Tennessee. He is funding the requests and vowing to make public the findings, saying he wants to know how well the programs worked and whether public funds were used for private gain.

Suzette Rasmussen, an attorney for Jittai who previously served as chief records officer for former Utah Gov. Gary Herbert, filed two nearly identical lawsuits this week in Polk County against Reynolds and Boal. They allege that Reynolds office for more than five months has refused to timely and meaningfully respond to records requests related to the Test Iowa program.

In two separate requests, Rasmussen in March asked the governor's office for correspondence related to Nomi Health, a Utah startup that was selected to run the program.

The lawsuits say Boal requested on July 20 that she provide particular search terms to look for records electronically, and Rasmussen responded the same day.

Governor Reynolds and Boal have knowingly refused to make the records available for Rasmussen for examination and copying," the petitions state.

The lawsuits ask a judge to order the pair to comply with the open records law, enjoin them from future violations for one year, assess damages and award attorneys fees.

The lawsuits also ask the court to order Reynolds' and Boal's removal from office if they are found to have engaged in a prior open records law violation for which damages are assessed.

Iowa law says courts shall issue an order removing a person from office for a second such violation, but it's unclear whether that would apply to Reynolds. The Iowa Constitution gives lawmakers, not the courts, the power to impeach and remove the governor for misconduct.

The governor's spokesman had no immediate comment.

Rasmussen has filed other lawsuits seeking records from Utah Gov. Spencer Coxs office, Nebraska's state epidemiologist and the Iowa Department of Public Health.

Rasmussen said Thursday that she and her clients are investigating how the testing contracts were signed, the validity of the testing and the unprecedented use of political connections and political power in pushing these projects forward.

Reynolds has said that she decided to copy Utahs drive-thru testing program after receiving a tip from Iowa-born actor Ashton Kutcher, who was friends with a software executive working on it.

Iowa signed an emergency $26 million contract with Nomi Health in April 2020 to obtain 540,000 coronavirus tests, which were produced by Utah-based Co-Diagnostics. Utah tech firms Domo and Qualtrics also worked on parts of the program, which has since changed to at-home testing and currently faces a backlog for kits.

Nomi Health has been paid more than $35 million in all, according to Iowas online checkbook.

The lawsuits against Reynolds comes as the governors office has faced increasing criticism for tightly controlling information during the pandemic and refusing to acknowledge or fulfill many open records requests. Randy Evans, director of the Iowa Freedom of Information Council, said recently the states compliance with the law is the worst he has seen in 50 years as an Iowa journalist.

The case Rasmussen filed last month against Iowas health department and records custodian Sarah Ekstrand seeks correspondence between department director Kelly Garcia and officials in Utah, Nebraska and Tennessee related to the testing programs.

Ekstrand told Rasmussen in April that she anticipated having the requested fulfilled in five days, but no records had been released by late July, according to the lawsuit.

The health departments former longtime spokeswoman, Polly Carver Kimm, has filed a wrongful termination lawsuit alleging that the governors office pushed her out for releasing public information and data requested by news outlets. State lawyers representing the governor and her spokesman have argued in that case that the open records law is not a well-recognized public policy and therefore gives no legal protections to at-will employees who fulfill requests.
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP)  Malaysia's longest-governing political party appeared set to reclaim the premiership it lost in a shock 2018 election defeat, with its lawmakers summoned to the palace Thursday to verify their candidate has enough support to take office.

The choice of former Deputy Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob would essentially restore the ruling alliance of Muhyiddin Yassin, who resigned as prime minister on Monday after infighting in the coalition cost him majority support.

Ismail's appointment would also see the return of the United Malays National Organization, which ruled Malaysia since independence from Britain in 1957 before it was ousted in 2018 over a multibillion-dollar financial scandal.

Ismail, 61, an UMNO vice president, appeared to have majority support in Parliament. UMNO Secretary-General Ahmad Maslan told reporters at the palace that 114 lawmakers from UMNO and other parties in the former governing alliance were summoned. He said they were asked to confirm their support for Ismail during a brief audience with the king, Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah.

The 114 votes surpass the 111 needed for a simple majority but the new government may not be stable since this is similar to the backing Muhyiddin had before 15 UMNO lawmakers pulled their support for him, causing his government to collapse.

With Ismail Sabri poised to become Malaysias next prime minister under the same alliance, many Malaysians will view it as nothing more than a game of musical chairs" with the baton passed from Muhyiddin's Bersatu party to UMNO, said Ei Sun Oh, a senior fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs.

Muhyiddin departed after less than 18 months in office amid internal squabbling and mounting public anger over what was widely perceived as his governments poor handling of the pandemic. Malaysia has one of the worlds highest infection rates and deaths per capita, despite a seven-month state of emergency and a lockdown since June.

The country reported 22,928 new infections on Thursday, a record for a second straight day, bringing its total to nearly 1.5 million cases. Deaths have surged to above 13,000.

The kings role is largely ceremonial in Malaysia, but he appoints the person he believes has majority support in Parliament as prime minister.

Angry Malaysians launched an online petition overnight to protest Ismail's leadership, with more than 230,000 signatures collected so far.

A lawyer before he joined politics, Ismail held several ministerial posts in UMNO governments. In 2015 as trade minister, Ismail courted controversy when he urged Malay consumers to boycott profiteering Chinese businesses. He was also slammed for supporting the vaping industry, which is dominated by Malays, despite health warnings from the health ministry.

In 2018 polls, Ismail waved the racial card, warning that every vote for the opposition was akin to eliminating special privileges given to Malays under a decades-old affirmative action program.

Ismail was named defense minister when Muhyiddin took power in March 2020, and became the governments public face through daily briefings on security issues related to the pandemic. He was promoted to deputy prime minister in July as Muhyiddin sought to woo support from UMNO, which was unhappy at playing second fiddle to Muhyiddins smaller party.

Muhyiddin, who was among lawmakers at the palace Thursday, said in a statement his party decided to back Ismail for the sake of political stability until it is safe to hold a general election during the pandemic.

The other contender in the race, Anwar Ibrahim, leads a three-party alliance that is the biggest opposition bloc with 88 votes. Even if all opposition parties support him, he would still fall short with only 105 votes.

Anwar was due to succeed then-Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad before their reformist alliance collapsed in February 2020, sparked by the withdrawal of Muhyiddins party. Muhyiddin then formed a new government with corruption-tainted UMNO and several other parties.

Some analysts said Ismail would be a poor choice as he is associated with the failings of Muhyiddins government and that his government is likely to remain shaky.

His Cabinet appointees are likely to be familiar faces and it is more than likely that similar policies that failed to arrest the pandemic advances or spur economic growth will be continued with minor tweaks," Oh said.

Other analysts warned it may also set the stage for increased politicking in UMNO as Ismail may later mount a challenge against the party president, who is fighting multiple criminal charges.
Ned Gerard / Hearst Connecticut Media

BRIDGEPORT  Detectives continue to investigate after an individual was shot in the leg Wednesday night, officials said.

Police responded to an area of East Main Street around 7:30 p.m. after a ShotSpotter gunfire activation, according to Scott Appleby, the citys director of emergency communications and emergency management.
TRUMBULL  Dozens of parents attended Tuesdays Board of Education meeting to voice their opposition to teaching critical race theory in town schools.

The topic was not on the agenda and is not something taught in Trumbull schools, according to Superintendent Martin Semmel. Last month, a presentation on educational equity by the State Education Resource Center, a state agency that provides professional education and resources to teachers, was postponed after parents opposed to critical race theory continually interrupted the speakers.

SERC, on its website, states that critical race theory is a theory, not a curriculum taught to students. The theory is a controversial academic framework through which to view systems of racism and oppression in America.

SERC has acknowledged that conversations about race are not easy.

According to SERC, We know how confusing and disruptive some of these concepts can seem  because we felt it too. But it became impossible to ignore the legacy of racism and its impact on our educational system. We could not discount students lived experience with race and because of their race. These are their stories, and they have gone untold for so long.

Semmel said he had hoped to have SERC resume its presentation, but it had been postponed due to safety concerns.

We certainly tried to bring them to be physically present in the building today. But they are actually working on developing safety protocols for their in-person meetings, given that they have received threats, Semmel said.

Jeremy Bond, a spokesperson for the agency, said the threats were not particularly concerning and had not come from Trumbull. But the July Trumbull school board meeting was a factor in the groups safety revisions.

This wasnt a response to what happened in Trumbull. But its certainly based on what transpired, he said. It just was another example of OK, this is why were being careful.

Bond was not sure if SERC would attend a Trumbull school board meeting in person  the COVID-19 resurgence also is a factor. But he said the agency would be available for an online presentation.

During the public comment portion of the meeting, parents held signs opposing critical race theory and mask mandates, and cheered when critics of CRT spoke.

David Steeves was one of the audience members who spoke at the public comment section and equated SERC with critical race theory. He singled out Semmel for criticism after he said Semmel had responded to his wifes email saying that CRT was not being taught at the schools.

Steeves also said he would send his child to school without a mask when school reopens for the fall. Gov. Ned Lamont, while stopping short of issuing a universal indoor mask mandate in Connecticut, confirmed Tuesday that masks will be required in schools when they reopen.

Semmel had his defenders at the meeting, too. Challa Flemming, a Black Trumbull resident, laid out the racism her daughter and son faced at school. She said she expected her children to have a hard time because of it, but the incidents still took their toll.

We were prepared for this reality, it didnt make it any easier for us as parents to help our kindergartner process why another child had made a disparaging comment about her hair, or help our son process another student telling him that no one wanted to play with him because he was Black, Flemming said.

Despite these incidents, Flemming commended the superintendent and the board for working with SERC on diversity and equity initiatives.

Flemming said that the schools could improve on a crucial aspect of their diversity and inclusion initiatives by working to include a diverse group of new teachers as the district fills vacancies.

Please fill the 49 vacancies with teachers that look like my children, she said.
STRATFORD  Mayor Laura Hoydick ordered masks to be worn inside all public buildings Thursday as the town entered red zone status for COVID-19.

The order expands on the mayors mask mandate for Town Hall, which she issued last week after two employees tested positive for the coronavirus.

But it stops short of a townwide indoor mask mandate that would include private businesses, which some Connecticut municipalities have adopted and Town Council member Kaitlyn Shake, D-2, has called on the mayor to impose.

The mayor said businesses that wish to require masks on their premises may do so.

The town has a case rate of 19.3 per 100,000, according to data from the state Department of Public Health, jumping from 13.4 last week and pushing the town well over the red zone threshold of 15 cases per 100,000 and the second highest in Fairfield County.

According to DPH, 62.86 percent of the towns population has received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine  the third lowest rate in Fairfield County.

As Stratford and our bordering communities continue to have increasing case rates and are now classified in the red zone, we are taking this added precaution, Hoydick said in a prepared statement Thursday announcing the mandate, which will go into effect Friday.

She urged residents to get vaccinated.

We continue to have open vaccine clinics in Stratford, and residents who have been hesitant to get the vaccine should take the recent increases in spread as an indication of how important it is to be vaccinated, she said.

Shake, a registered nurse, reiterated her call for a townwide indoor mask mandate on her Facebook page Wednesday and shared information about a vaccination clinic from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday during a back-to-school event at Sterling House Community Center.

The clinic info, re-posted from the town Health Departments Facebook page, was shared by the mayor and other Town Council members hours later.

Saving lives, preventing illness and protecting our children with easy public health mitigation actions shouldnt be a hard decision for those in positions of authority and oversight, Shake said in her post. With the ongoing rapid increase in cases of COVID-19 in the state over the last 14 days due to the spread of the delta variant, the Connecticut Department of Public Health strongly recommends that ALL CONNECTICUT residents over age two years, whether vaccinated or unvaccinated, return to wearing masks when in indoor public spaces.

Shake said Thursday she never got a response from the mayor to an email she sent asking what percentage of town employees had been vaccinated. Hearst Connecticut Media asked for the information Aug. 13. Hoydicks chief of staff said he requested the info from the human resources department.

Immacula Cann, the Democratic nominee for mayor and also a registered nurse, agreed with Shakes request for an expanded mask mandate.

I fully support 2nd District Councilwoman Shake and call for action from the mayor, Cann wrote in a Facebook post of her own.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been 4,838 confirmed cases and 722 probable cases in town, for a total of 5,560, and 156 deaths from COVID-19, according to the state.
WASHINGTON  Amid the chaos and confusion at the airport, the United States said it had taken at least one step to ease requirements for those seeking to leave: COVID-19 tests.

Although Afghanistan had been a hotspot for the coronavirus pandemic, the State Department said Thursday that evacuees are not required to get a negative COVID-19 result to travel.

A blanket humanitarian waiver has been implemented for COVID testing for all persons the U.S. government is relocating from Afghanistan, the department said.

It referred questions about how the matter would be handled once evacuees arrive in the United States to the Department of Health and Human Services. Medical exams, including coronavirus tests, had been required for evacuees prior to Talibans weekend takeover of Kabul, which added extra urgency to efforts to get at-risk Afghans out of the country.

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MORE ON THE CRISIS IN AFGHANISTAN:

 Taliban suppress more dissen t as economic challenges loom

 Afghan president latest leader on the run to turn up in UAE

 US struggling to speed Kabul airlift amid hurdles, glitches

 Afghanistan war unpopular amid chaotic pullout: AP-NORC poll

 Afghan officer who fought with US forces rescued from Kabul

 Misread warnings helped lead to chaotic Afghan evacuation

 Afghans plead for faster US evacuation from Taliban rule

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 Find more AP coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/afghanistan

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HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

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BERLIN  German public broadcaster Deutsche Welle says the Taliban shot and killed a family member of one of their reporters in Afghanistan and severely injured a second family member.

The broadcaster said in a statement on Thursday that Taliban fighters were looking for the Deutsche Welle reporter and searching homes in western Afghanistan. It said other family members managed to escape.

Deutsche Well says the reporter himself, whose identity was not revealed, is already based in Germany where he is also working. Deutsche Welle didnt give further details on the killed and injured family members or say where and when exactly in Afghanistan the killing took place.

The director of Deutsche Welle, Peter Limbourg, sharply condemned the killing saying that, the killing of a close family member of one of our journalists by the Taliban is incredible tragic and a proof for the imminent danger that all of our workers and their families are exposed to in Afghanistan.

He added: The Taliban are obviously conducting organized searches for journalists in Kabul and the provinces. Time is running out.

Limbourg added that the homes of at least three other Deutsche Welle reporters were searched by the Taliban in Afghanistan in recent days and weeks.

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UNITED NATIONS  The head of the Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies is calling on the U.N. Security Council to seriously and urgently consider declaring Kabul a safe zone and sending a U.N. peacekeeping force to protect it.

Davood Moradian said in a briefing to the council on Thursday that this would allow Afghanistans rival factions to come to an inclusive political settlement while working to mitigate the unfolding catastrophe.

He told members by video from an undisclosed location outside Afghanistan that he was at Kabul airport 48 hours ago watching the chaos and the unfolding catastrophe as he and others tried to get flights out of Afghanistan and people were racing down the runway trying to get on a U.S. military plane.

It was shared human desperation, helplessness and fear, Moradian said. He said one passenger who fell to the ground from the plane was reportedly a member of Afghanistans national football team.

Moradian said the Taliban takeover is not the end of the military and political crisis in Afghanistan. The past four decades have shown, he said, that a military solution is just a brief pause to the next phase of the war.

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VICTORIA, Canada  Canada's prime minister says Canadian Armed Forces assets and personnel have arrived on the ground in Afghanistan to co-ordinate at the tactical level with the United States and other allied partners.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Thursday that this will help get Canadians, Afghans and their families to safety. Trudeau says two CAF C-17s will make regular flights into Kabul to support evacuation efforts.

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WASHINGTON  Federal officials will allow U.S. airlines and other aircraft operators to make evacuation flights into Kabul if they get permission in advance from the Pentagon.

The Federal Aviation Administration issued a notice to pilots that spelled out details on Thursday.

Due to a lack of high altitude air traffic control services, U.S. operators and pilots must receive authorization from the FAA to overfly Afghanistan, the FAA said in a statement. Any U.S. or foreign operator flying into Hamid Karzai International Airport must obtain prior permission from the U.S. Department of Defense.

The main U.S. airlines that fly long-haul international flights did not immediately comment on whether they planned to operate evacuation flights.

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UNITED NATIONS -- The U.N. counterterrorism chief is urging the Security Council to use all tools at its disposal to prevent Afghanistan from being used as a platform or safe haven for terrorism.

He also notes that a recent U.N. report says the extremist Islamic State group has expanded its presence in Afghanistan.

Undersecretary-General Vladimir Voronkov reminded the 15-member council on Thursday that several members of the Taliban, which took over the country last weekend, remain on the U.N. sanctions blacklist as designated terrorists. He also noted concerns by some council nations at the Talibans release of prisoners affiliated with al-Qaida and IS, also known by its Arabic acronym Daesh.

The counterterrorism chief said IS militants remain focused on reconstituting their former control in Iraq and Syria, waging an insurgency against security forces.

However, it is the lack of a comprehensive solution to the situation of thousands of individuals with alleged links to Daesh who remain stranded in Iraq and Syria that could shape the future terrorist threat landscape over the medium to long term, not just locally but globally, Voronkov said.

He said the pace of repatriations by member states is too slow considering the scale of this humanitarian, human rights and strategic security priority, which only grows more complex as time passes.

And I think because of this development in Afghanistan, it could create even more dangerous environment in these camps with unpredictable consequences, Voronkov warned.

___

WASHINGTON  The Pentagon says the U.S. military is ramping up evacuations out of Afghanistan, and that 7,000 civilians have been taken out of the country since August 14.

Army Maj. Gen. Hank Taylor told reporters that 12 C-17 aircraft departed with 2,000 evacuees over the past 24 hours. Speaking at a Pentagon briefing Thursday, Taylor said the military now has enough aircraft to get 5,000-9,000 people out a day, depending on how many have been processed and other factors, such as weather.

There are now about 5,200 U.S. troops at the airport, a number that has been steadily increasing in recent days.

We are ready to increase throughout, said Taylor. His comments came amid ongoing chaos at the Kabul airport as Afghans and other civilians desperately try to get on flights out of the country in the wake of the Taliban takeover on Sunday.

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said there has been no Taliban violence against U.S. personnel, and that the U.S. hasnt seen the group obstruct American citizens trying to leave. There have been widespread reports of Taliban violence against Afghans, including efforts to prevent them from getting to the airport.

He declined to say whether Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin believes it will be necessary to continue the operation beyond August 31. And he said there have been no discussions with the Taliban for an extension.

President Joe Biden has said he will continue military evacuations of Americans until all those who want to leave are evacuated.

___

LONDON  Police say a five-year-old boy who fell to his death from a hotel in the north England city of Sheffield was an Afghan refugee.

South Yorkshire Police have appealed for information following the boys death in what was reported to be a fall from the ninth floor of Sheffields Metropolitan Hotel at around 2.30pm on Wednesday.

According to local media, the boy arrived in the U.K. with his family a few weeks ago, before arriving in Sheffield earlier this week.

The boys father is reported to have worked in the British Embassy in Kabul.

Local media said the other eight to 10 Afghan families staying at the hotel were being moved to another.

Like others, Britain is trying to evacuate its own nationals as well as Afghan allies after the Taliban seized control 20 years after being driven from power by a U.S.-led international force following the 9/11 attacks.

Following the tragedy, the Refugee Council has called for a review of accommodation offered to those fleeing the Taliban.

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ROME  Italian Premier Mario Draghi and Russian President Vladimir Putin have together analyzed the situation on the ground in Afghanistan as well as its regional implications, Draghis office said.

During Thursdays phone call, the two leaders also assessed guidelines that could inspire action of the international community in various contexts with the aim to restore Afghanistans stability, fight terrorism and illegal trafficking and protect womens rights, a statement from the office said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is due to meet with Draghi and with his Italian counterpart next week in Rome, with Afghanistan high on the geo-political matters on the agenda.

Draghi on Thursday also discussed the Afghan crisis with French President Emmanuel Macron, including management of the migration flows and the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the country.

___

PARIS  French non-governmental groups, lawyers and activists are asking President Emmanuel Macron take bold action to welcome Afghan migrants fleeing their Taliban-run country.

We demand simplification of the immigration procedure, a faster reunion of families, a broad and long-term resettling of Afghan families seeking asylum, and the end of all expulsions toward Afghanistan, Henry Masson, the president of La Cimade, a French NGO advocating for undocumented people, told The Associated Press on Thursday.

La Cimade is among six NGOs and unions circulating a petition to make those demands heard. It has been signed by more than 11,000 people so far.

France, which withdrew its military from Afghanistan in 2014, has brought out about 400 people from Kabul on three evacuation flights this week, primarily Afghans who worked with the French government or French groups in Afghanistan. But many more are trying to flee, fearing reprisals from the Taliban for their work with Western organizations.

Macron said Monday that France would do its duty to protect those who are most at risk, but also said Europeans must protect ourselves against significant irregular migratory flows.

___

ISLAMABAD  A delegation of prominent Afghan leaders and officials has warned that a Taliban government will not survive for long if it repeats past mistakes.

The delegation, headed by Afghan parliament speaker, Mir Rehman Rehmani, spoke to reporters in Islamabad on Thursday, after meeting Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and other government and military officials this week. The Afghans arrived in the Pakistani capital on Monday, a day after the Taliban swept into Kabul and took over Afghanistan.

A former Afghan vice president, Mohammad Younis Qanooni, said the future government in Afghanistan should be inclusive, with the participation of all ethnic groups.

We oppose a rule by one party or group, he said.

Khalid Noor, a prominent politician, said the Taliban cannot rule by force in Afghanistan. He says they have taken power by force, but warned their rule would be short-lived if they didnt respect the rights of the people.

Other members of the Afghan delegation include Salahud-din-Rabbani, Ahmad Zia Massoud and Ahmad Wali Massoud.

___

MOSCOW  Russia has blamed Afghanistans president for precipitating the Taliban takeover of the country by dragging his feet on negotiating a comprehensive peace deal.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday that Afghan President Ashraf Ghani had every opportunity over the past three years to ensure the success of an inter-Afghan peace process and help a gradual formation of an inclusive government involving all ethnic and political factions.

She added that Ghani, who fled the country just as the Taliban swept into Kabul on Sunday in a lightning offensive, had missed the chance for a peaceful settlement and bears responsibility for what happened.

Moscow long has been critical of Ghani, accusing him of stonewalling proposals for an inclusive government during the protracted talks with the Taliban and other Afghan factions in the past.

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COPENHAGEN, Denmark  Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod said on Thursday that more than 300 locally hired people, interpreters, employees of non-governmental organizations and family members have been evacuated from Afghanistan.

The 320 people have been flown to Islamabad, Pakistan, from where they will fly in two planes to Denmark on Friday. He declined to say what nationalities they were.

Earlier in the day, a plane with 84 people evacuated from Afghanistan landed in Copenhagen. Danish media said that those aboard the plane reportedly were locally hired people and interpreters who had worked for Denmark. No further details were available.

___

WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden says the Taliban have not changed but are going through an existential crisis about whether they want legitimacy on the global stage as theyve taken over Afghanistan.

In an interview on ABCs Good Morning America, Biden said that hes not sure the Taliban want to be recognized by the international community as being a legitimate government.

He also said that the threat from al-Qaida and their affiliate organizations is greater in other parts of the world than it is in Afghanistan, adding that its not rational to ignore the looming problems posed by al-Qaida affiliates in Syria or East Africa, where he said the threat to the U.S. is significantly greater.

We should be focusing on where the threat is the greatest, Biden said, in defense of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Biden also pushed back against concerns about the treatment of women and girls in the country, arguing that its not rational to try to protect womens rights around the globe through military force. Instead, it should be done through diplomatic and international pressure on human rights abusers to change their behavior.

___

MOSCOW  Russia has offered to provide its aircraft to fly Afghans willing to leave the country to any nations willing to host them.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday that Moscow would be ready to offer its planes to airlift any number of Afghan citizens, including women and children to any foreign countries that would be interested in accommodating them.

Zakharovas statement came as thousands of Afghans are desperate to flee the country fearing that the Taliban will reimpose a brutal rule after taking over Kabul on Sunday.

Afghans and aid organizations have said that people desperate to leave are having a hard time getting past the Taliban and into Kabuls international airport. Military evacuation flights have continued at the airport, but Taliban militants fired shots in the air on Thursday to try to control the crowds.

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WARSAW, Poland  The Polish government says it has evacuated its last citizens from Afghanistan.

Marcin Przydacz, a deputy foreign minister, said on Thursday that at the moment, all Poles with whom we had contact have left Afghanistan. However, he also said he couldnt exclude the possibility that others might still appear.

The evacuations being carried out so far by Polish authorities have included Poles and people who actively worked for a democratic Afghanistan in cooperation with Poland, Przydacz said.

___

PRAGUE  The Czech leaders declared the countrys effort to evacuate the Czech nationals and the Afghans who have worked with them a mission accomplished.

Three Czech evacuation flights in three days transported almost 200 people from Kabul to Prague by Wednesday night.

Foreign Minister Jakub Kulhanek says 170 Afghan nationals were among them, including all the local staffers at the Czech Embassy in Kabul and interpreters who helped the Czech armed forces during NATO missions and their families. Also, the Afghans who have a permanent residency in the Czech Republic were included.

Four Afghans were transported at the request of another European Union member state Slovakia. Czech embassy staff and two Polish nationals were also evacuated.

Weve saved everyone we wanted to, Prime Minister Andrej Babis said on Thursday. The mission has been accomplished.

A Czech NGO that helps army veterans says several interpreters with families who have helped the Czechs still need to be rescued.

Foreign Minister Jakub Kulhanek says that a possible transport in such cases will be coordinated with the allies.

Kulhanek said the successful rescue operation was a big miracle. He described the situation in Afghanistan as a total and unexpected collapse... a tragedy that nobody could be ready for.

___

ISTANBUL  A top Afghan official says he and other top officials left Kabul on Monday on board a Turkish Airlines flight to Istanbul with the help of the Turkish Embassy.

Babur Farahmand, deputy chief of Afghanistan High Council for National Reconciliation, told The Associated Press in Istanbul that other senior officials on board the flight included Second Vice President Sarwar Danish, Foreign Minister Hanif Atmar, intelligence chief Ahmad Zia Saraj, former foreign minister and politician Rangin Dadfar Spanta.

Farahmand said he and some other officials reached the Hamid Karzai International Airports military airfield in Kabul on Sunday evening. They spent the night inside the military compound waiting for the flight. Various countries facilitated the Afghan officials entry into airport but Turkish government facilitated the flight, he said.

Earlier, Turkeys Hurriyet newspaper reported that as many as 40 Afghan officials arrived in Istanbul on Monday on board a Turkish Airlines flight. The plane with 324 passengers on board, took off from Kabul with several hours of delay due to the chaos at the airport.

___

MOSCOW  Russias top diplomat on Thursday reiterated a call for a broad dialogue between all political forces in Afghanistan, noting that the Taliban do not control the entire territory of Afghanistan yet.

Speaking at a news conference in Moscow, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov pointed to reports ... about the situation in the Panjshir Valley, where the resistance forces of Afghan Vice President (Amrullah) Saleh and Ahman Massod have been gathering.

He said that it makes Moscows stance on the necessity of a dialogue between all rival forces and groups even more consistent. Russia has been calling for one when all of Afghanistan was engulfed in a civil war, and continues to urge it now, when the Taliban have taken power in Kabul, in the majority of other cities, in the majority of Afghanistans provinces.

We support the same thing  a nationwide dialogue that will lead to a representative government, Lavrov said. This, with the support of Afghan citizens, will work out agreements on the final make-up of this long-suffering country.

Earlier this week, the minister stressed that Moscow was in no rush to recognize the Taliban as the new rulers of Afghanistan. Russia had labeled the Taliban a terrorist organization in 2003, but has since hosted several rounds of talks in Afghanistan, most recently in March, that involved the group.

Moscow, which fought a 10-year war in Afghanistan that ended with Soviet troops withdrawal in 1989, has made a diplomatic comeback as a mediator, reaching out to feuding Afghan factions and cultivating ties with the Taliban as it has jockeyed with the U.S. for influence in the country.

___

ROME  A plane carrying some 202 Afghans, including an activist and medical researchers affiliated with an Italian think-tank, have arrived in Rome in the latest airlift fleeing the country overtaken by the Taliban.

The Italian foreign ministry said Italy was committed to evacuating those who collaborated with Italy and who are threatened, such as women and children.

One of the passengers was Zahra Ahmadi, whose brother lives in Venice and apparently helped rally diplomatic efforts to get her out. Other passengers were affiliated with the Veronesi Foundation, which supports medical research, especially for women, and hosted Afghan doctors in the past.

Italy has been flying groups of Afghans out at a clip of two or more flights a day, transferring them to a plane in Kuwait and then onto Rome. The new arrivals are then tested for the coronavirus and placed in mandatory quarantine, as called for by current Italian health regulations.

Italy had one of the largest military contingents during the two-decade NATO and U.S.-led operation in Afghanistan.

___

BUDAPEST, Hungary  More than two dozen Hungarian nationals evacuated from Kabul arrived in Frankfurt, Germany early Thursday, and will likely be transported to Hungary later in the day, deputy foreign minister Levente Magyar told reporters.

The air evacuation of the 26 Hungarians was carried out by Hungarys military allies with a stopover in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan. The evacuees had worked as private security contractors at the Dutch embassy in Kabul before the citys takeover by the Taliban. Magyar did not say which allies were involved in the operation.

A separate evacuation mission was launched from Hungary early Thursday, which will attempt to recover other Hungarians still in Afghanistan and some Afghan citizens who assisted Hungarian military forces, Magyar said. Not all of the Hungarian citizens awaiting evacuation have yet made it to Kabul airport, he added.

___

LONDON -- Britains foreign secretary is rejecting calls to resign for not interrupting his holiday on the Greek island of Crete to make a call to help translators flee Afghanistan.

According to the Daily Mail newspaper, Dominic Raab did not call his Afghan counterpart Hanif Atmar on Friday after officials suggested he urgently do so in order to arrange help for those who supported British troops.

Two days later, the Taliban captured Kabul and Raab cut short his holiday and headed back to the U.K. to deal with the crisis.

Defense Secretary Ben Wallace told BBC radio that the suggested phone call would not have made any difference whatsoever given the Afghan government was melting away quicker than ice.

Keir Starmer, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, said on Twitter: Who wouldnt make a phone call if they were told it could save somebodys life?

Lisa Nandy, Labours foreign affairs spokesperson, was one of many to call for Raabs resignation after what she described as yet another catastrophic failure of judgment.

On entering 10 Downing Street, Prime Minister Boris Johnsons office, Raab was asked if he would resign. In response, he said no.

___

BEIRUT  An al-Qaida-linked group in Syria is congratulating the people of Afghanistan for the dear victory achieved by the Taliban.

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or the Levant Liberation Committee, compared the Talibans control of much of Afghanistan with the early Muslim conquests.

The group, also known as HTS, is the most powerful faction in rebel-held parts of northwest Syria. Over the past months it has been working on improving its image by distancing itself from extremist ideology.

Some of the founding members of the group  which used to be known as the Nusra Front  include Arab commanders who were close to Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan. Many of them were killed in U.S. drone attacks in Syria over the past years.

In 2017, Brett McGurk, then top U.S. envoy for the coalition battling the Islamic State group, said that Syrias northwestern province of Idlib had become the largest al-Qaida haven since Afghanistan in bin Ladens days.

In a statement released late Wednesday, HTS said no matter how long it takes, righteousness will end up victorious. It added: Occupiers dont last on usurped lands no matter how much they harm its people.

HTS said it hopes that insurgents in Syria will be also victorious by learning from the experience of the Taliban to remove the government of President Bashar Assad, its adversary in the countrys 10-year conflict.

___

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia  The first evacuation flight from Kabul organized by the Slovak government has landed in Slovakia.

Foreign Minister Ivan Korcok says a total of 20 passengers were onboard, 16 Slovak nationals and four Afghans among them, including a 10-month old baby. It was the full capacity of the military transport plane.

Four other Afghan nationals who were working with the Slovak armed forces were transported onboard of a Czech evacuation flight and flown to Slovakia overnight.

Defense Minister Jaroslav Nad said the members of Slovak armys special forces had to use weapons to secure the passengers safe transport to the plane. He cited a deteriorating situation at the airport but declined to give details.

Prime Minister Eduard Heger says his country is coordinating further steps with allies.

___

WARSAW, Poland -- A second airplane carrying people evacuated from Afghanistan has landed in Warsaw.

The plane landed on Thursday morning, following one that brought people late Wednesday.

Poland has deployed 100 soldiers to Afghanistan to help with the evacuations of Polish and Afghan citizens. Those evacuated are first transported to Uzbekistan by military transport and then brought to Poland on civilian airliners.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has shared images on Facebook of some of those being evacuated.

___

ROME  Two more Italian C130s have brought nearly 200 Afghan citizens out of Kabul, as Italy continues its evacuation of people who worked with Italian forces and their families following the Taliban takeover of the country.

The Defense Ministry said the passengers aboard the two flights were transferring Thursday to other aircraft in Kuwait, and from there would continue onto Rome.

Italy has vowed to evacuate as many Afghans as it can, particularly those who worked with Italian forces during the nearly two-decade long NATO and U.S.-led operation in the country.

With the arrival in Rome later Thursday of the latest evacuees Italy says it will have airlifted out some 500 Afghans.

___

KABUL, Afghanistan  Afghanistans steel factories association is concerned scrap metal smuggling abroad has increased and exhausted supplies, putting thousands of workers at risk of losing their jobs.

Abdul Nasir Reshtia, chief executive of the association says that with borders reopening, Afghanistans scrap metal is being smuggled once again to neighboring countries.

Reshtia warns that in next ten days, the smuggling will push factories to close as they cannot operate without scrap metal.

Former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani had banned the export of scrap metal to support Afghan steel factories so they could compete with imported steel from neighboring countries.

Reshtia says that he has not been able to reach the Taliban leadership to share his concerns.

___

BUCHAREST, Romania  Romanias foreign ministry says that a military aircraft has evacuated a single Romanian citizen from Kabul airport to Islamabad.

It said in a statement that the particularly difficult security conditions in Kabul meant that the access of other groups of Romanian citizens to the airport could not be achieved.

The C-130 Hercules aircraft, which evacuated a NATO employee on Wednesday evening, had military personnel and a mobile consular team onboard ready to provide specialized assistance. It is set to return to Kabul airport to continue evacuating Romanian citizens, officials said.

Authorities said that at the time of the operation there were 33 Romanian citizens registered as present in Afghanistan.

___

THE HAGUE, Netherlands  A Dutch military transport plane has arrived in Amsterdam carrying people evacuated from Kabul.

The Ministry of Defense says that a C-17 plane landed late Wednesday night at Schiphol airport. On board were 35 Dutch nationals along with citizens from Belgium, Germany and the United Kingdom.

The government says it has now airlifted 50 Dutch nationals out of Kabul. A Dutch consular crisis team along with dozens of troops to protect the personnel flew into the Afghan capital on Wednesday.

___

BRUSSELS  The European Union said Thursday that 106 staff members of EU delegations and their families had safely left Afghanistan but said that some 300 still remained behind.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Thursday that the first plane with EU staff had landed in Madrid, from where they will be relocated among the 27 EU member states.

There are still 300 more Afghani staff of European Union delegations blocked on the streets of Kabul trying to reach the airport and trying to have a seat on some of the European Union member state flights, Borrell told a EU parliament committee.

He insisted that these people have loyally promoted and defended the unions interests and values in Afghanistan over many years, adding that it was the EUs moral duty to protect them and to have to save as many people as possible.

___

MADRID  Spain has evacuated 53 people from Afghanistan on its first flight to airlift Spanish citizens and Afghan workers and their families from Kabul.

The military cargo plane landed at an airport near Madrid on Thursday morning with five Spaniards and 48 Afghans on board. An unspecified number of children were included.

Spain has two more planes prepared to continue with the evacuation of Afghan workers and their families.

All the passengers received a COVID-19 test on arrival and were attended by police so that they could ask for international protection, the government said in a statement.

The airport also received a flight from the European Union External Action service with five Afghan families on board. Spains government has offered to take in additional evacuees from EU partners and care for them until they can be distributed to other countries of the bloc.

We are still working to evacuate those Afghans who worked with Spain in the quickest manner possible and guarantee their security along with those people who have worked with the EU, said Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Albares.

___

COPENHAGEN, Denmark  Denmark says that a plane with 84 people who had been evacuated from Afghanistan has landed in Copenhagen and were now on safe ground in Denmark.

On Twitter, Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod wrote Thursday that the evacuation is still in full swing and we are working hard to evacuate the last local staff, interpreters and other groups from Kabul.

Danish media said that those aboard the plane reportedly were locally hired people and interpreters who had worked for Denmark. No further details were available.

___

WARSAW, Poland  Polands president has approved the deployment of a 100-person military contingent to Afghanistan to help secure the evacuation of Polish citizens and the citizens of other countries in coordination with allies.

President Andrzej Duda signed the order late Wednesday for the mission, and which is to last until Sept. 16.

Meanwhile, a first plane carrying a group of people who were evacuated from Afghanistan landed at Warsaws military airport late Wednesday, said Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak. The group was first taken from Kabul by military plane to Uzbekistan and from there was transported on to Warsaw.

Since Tuesday, Polish forces have been carrying out an operation to evacuate Poles and Afghans who previously cooperated with the Polish military or diplomatic mission or who helped otherwise with western groups.

Those who arrived in Warsaw will have to go into quarantine.

___

WASHINGTON  The Biden administration has suspended all arms sales to the government of Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover of the country.

In a notice to defense contractors posted Wednesday, the State Departments Political/Military Affairs Bureau said pending or undelivered arms transfers to Afghanistan had been put under review.

In light of rapidly evolving circumstances in Afghanistan, the Directorate of Defense Sales Controls is reviewing all pending and issued export licenses and other approvals to determine their suitability in furthering world peace, national security and the foreign policy of the United States, it said.

The notice said it would issue updates for defense equipment exporters in the coming days.

___

WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden says hes committed to keeping U.S. troops in Afghanistan until every American is evacuated, even if that means maintaining a military presence there beyond his Aug. 31 deadline for withdrawal.

In an interview with ABC News George Stephanopoulos on Wednesday, Biden said that the U.S. will do everything in our power to get Americans and U.S. allies in the nation out before the deadline. Pressed repeatedly on how the administration would help Americans left in the nation after Aug. 31, Biden finally affirmed, if theres American citizens left, were gonna stay till we get them all out.

Up to 15,000 Americans remain in Afghanistan after the Taliban took full control of the nation. The Biden administration has received criticism for the scenes of violence and disorder in recent days as thousands attempted to flee while the Taliban advanced.

But during the same interview, Biden suggested there wasnt anything the administration couldve done to avoid such chaos. The idea that somehow, theres a way to have gotten out without chaos ensuing, I dont know how that happens, he said.

___

WASHINGTON  The International Monetary Fund says that the new Taliban government in Afghanistan will not at the current time be allowed to access loans or other resources from the 190-nation lending organization.

In a statement Wednesday, the IMF said it would be guided by the views of the international community.

The statement said, There is currently a lack of clarity within the international community regarding recognition of a government in Afghanistan, as a consequence of which the country cannot access SDRs or other IMF resources.

SDRs are special drawing rights which serve as a reserve that IMF member countries can tap into to meet payment obligations.
As I write this, were deep into preparations for our 2022 business plan and budget. Were in the mood to look forward and say, yesterdays numbers are yesterdays numbers. And, as of June 30, yesterdays numbers are spectacular.

I could wax on about all of the effort, the good luck, and the wonderful contributions of everyone involved. Credit unions put forward the capital and embrace our alliance; we go about our day-to-day business; and the results are great.

But I have a nagging feeling about the future. We all have the sense that were making money by hunkering down, by avoiding aggressive investment, by just riding the wave of a national COVID approach that will leave us hanging in the future.

American citizens will all have to wake up and face the day after all the free money expires. As American businesses, that means we are going to wake up to consumers being resentful about how hard life is, the day after the COVID relief funding ends.
The ability to tell your organizations story from the inside-out is the secret to successful branding and marketing.

Allow me to divulge a few more secrets:

Video did not kill the radio star

Social media did not kill traditional advertising

Credit unions have a treasure trove of marketing strategies that can be excavated cost-effectively

PR is not dead. Likewise, neither radio nor other legacy media are dead; some might be on life support because of poor decisions but two decades after the invasion of internet marketing, traditional media outlets are improving efforts to meld with new media. As a radio veteran, Im partial to one-on-one communication. It is direct, intimate, and effective, not unlike social media. While tens of thousands may be listening or following simultaneously, both media are usually consumed privately, and both are great outlets for positioning, branding, and messaging.

Lets focus on the third bullet. Every organization is sitting on a wealth of interesting, relatable, and edifying stories that are fodder for brilliant marketing campaigns, especially credit unions. The credit union difference is its advantage. For readers who may not be aware, credit unions are comprised of members, not customers. These financial institutions are formed by and for the members they serve. Because of this, members tend to have an affinity for their credit union, and most members have a credit union story. There is an emotional connection, as well as nostalgia and loyalty. Credit unions tend to have as members multiple generations of families, employees, and community members, or the FI is the common denominator among groups of people, including its employees. Credit unions have a tremendous reservoir of stories to tell.

There is no better place from which to originate branding, promotions, and all marketing than from within. It is a matter of seeing the forest for the trees, a concept illustrated well in Paulo Coelhos The Alchemist. Santiago, the protagonist, is a shepherd boy with great ambition. He travels from Spain through the Egyptian desert in search of exquisite treasures. Through Santiagos journey, the reader is engaged with a wealth of life lessons. Despite learning much along the way, Santiago arrives home forlorn, initially, because he did not find the treasure he sought. Spoiler alert: in the final pages, Santiago realizes the treasure was in his hometown all along.

The point is you do not need to look in the desert for great marketing ideas. Identifying and integrating into your marketing strategy the stories of those who constitute your organizationemployees, members, customers, vendors, the communityis highly effective and cost-efficient.

I have the honor of helping to plan and emcee The Dakota Credit Union Associations 2021 New Ideas Conference, which will focus on Storytelling. My presentation PR Lives! Telling Your Story from the Inside Out, is an expansion of this article. While the October conference is limited to DakCu members, attendees will be encouraged to share with their respective networks information as it unfolds; therefore, takeaways will be widely available. I will also share on this platform a synopsis of event presentations, including details of the workshop I will lead, where attendees will be broken into teams to create a communication campaign strategy.

The whos who of keynote presenters and topics include:

Lee Wojnar, VP of Marketing, O Bee Financial  eMotion: Storytelling from Guerrilla Marketing to the Digital Divide

Ashish Garg, CEO and co-founder of Eltropy  The Value of Reputation Management

Eric Steinhoff, Credit Risk Leader, Scienaptic AI  Unlocking growth in the post-vaccine world using AI

Larry Pruss, Senior Vice President, SRM  Decrypting Crypto | What Credit Unions Cant Afford to Ignore about Blockchain in 2021

Chris Lorence, CUNA, Chief Credit Union Awareness Officer

Jeff Olson, DakCU President and CEO

It is imperative to tell your brands story from the inside out because the line between external and internal communication has become increasingly narrow. Organizational culture is no longer an internal affair; it is right there for all to see. Culture is part of an organizations brand, and its most valuable asset, people, have an enormous influence on the perception of that brand. They are brand ambassadors and conduits for messaging.

Sure, the art of storytelling within marketing is not new but the technology for identifying, engaging, and responding to audiences is always evolving.
Cullman, AL (35055)

Today

Evening clouds will give way to clearing overnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 66F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Evening clouds will give way to clearing overnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 66F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.
Local

Rock Autism: Festival brings together bands, music lovers for good cause

rponder / Reggie Ponder/The Daily Advance Backwoods Co. performs during the Rock Autism Music Festival at the Crawfish Shack in Hertford, Saturday afternoon. The event raised money for the N.C. Autism Society. rponder / Reggie Ponder/The Perquimans Weekly/ Folks attending the Rock Autism Music Festival enjoy a dip in the lake at the Crawfish Shack in Hertford, Saturday afternoon.

HERTFORD  The North Carolina Rock Autism Music Festival in Perquimans County Saturday had two purposes and delivered on both:

It raised money for the N.C. Autism Society and gave fans of Southern rock an opportunity to enjoy live music and sunshine in a festive atmosphere.

Daniel Jordan and his wife DiAnna started the festival in 2017. Their own son is on the autism spectrum and they wanted to do something to benefit the N.C. Autism Society and its work with people who experience autism.

This years festival, held at the Crawfish Shack, was the fourth. It didnt happen last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fans of live music were excited to see the festival return this year.

Nicky Winslow of Belvidere was enjoying his second time at the festival.

The music is great, Winslow said. Theyre playing anything from Prince to Lynyrd Skynyrd to Eric Church.

The music leaned mostly toward country, country rock and Southern rock.

Robert Rabbit Stallings, also of Belvidere, was listening to the music with Winslow and a group of other festival-goers. He said this years event was the first he had attended.

All of the bands have been good, Stallings said. I love it.

He said there was great camping and good food in addition to the music.

And its all for a good cause, Stallings added. Thats the best part.

This year 700 tickets were distributed for the festival, according to DiAnna Jordan.

It has definitely grown, she said.

Daniel Jordan has his own band and went to work putting together a music festival with other bands he knows.

DiAnna Jordan said the festival has been a lot of work but also a lot of fun. Since its inception the festival has raised nearly $60,000 for the N.C. Autism Society.

She said the total amount raised this year wont become clear for about a week.

The festival took place because of many wonderful volunteers, she said.

Eric Dunlow, lead singer of the Eric Dunlow Band, said the band sometimes plays in bars but his favorite thing to do is family-oriented charitable events such as Rock Autism.

I love doing stuff like this, Dunlow said. This is a great thing. Im glad to be part of it and the rest of my guys are as well.

Dunlow said Saturdays crowd seemed to enjoy the songs and that made the whole thing even more fun for the band.

I loved it, Dunlow said. It was great. We had a great time and all the people seemed to really enjoy it.

Outdoor music festivals give the band a chance to meet new people and also introduces new listeners to the group, he said.

Dunlow said his son died last year and Daniel Jordan did a benefit for the family. So Dunlow said he and his band were eager to help with this festival.

Dunlow said the band enjoys playing country and Southern rock, including some original songs that he writes. He said his debut single Ride to the Country has been out about three years and is still getting airplay on Dixie 105.7, a country station that serves northeastern North Carolina.

He said he feels good about how the bands direction.

Johnny Wayne Singleton, who plays lead guitar in Dunlows band, shared that sentiment.

Singleton has been with the group about four years. He has played with other bands over the years including Hired Guns and Southern Fantasy, and has been a guest guitarist with various bands.

Performing with the Eric Dunlow Band has been a good experience, he said.

I enjoy these guys, Singleton said. We have fun.

All the members of the band have day jobs but they all take the music seriously, he said.

We try to get together at least once a week and rehearse, Singleton said. I love these guys. Were like brothers.

The members of the Eric Dunlow Band are from Hertford and Gates counties.

The bands rhythm guitarist, Floyd Wilkins, said he has been in various bands ever since high school but has an especially good feeling about this group.

Everybody tries real hard and we like to do benefits like this, trying to help people out, Wilkins said.
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Ashland, KY (41101)

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Cloudy with rain developing after midnight. Potential for flooding rains. Low 67F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch..

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Sunbury, PA (17801)

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Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain overnight. Potential for heavy rainfall. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch..

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WEST CHESTER  After nearly two months of an exhaustive investigation, authorities have arrested two men in connection with what they called the ambush slaying of a Chester County man outside his Sadsbury home, in apparent retaliation for an earlier domestic dispute involving the victims sister.

Attention was focused on one of the men early on in the investigation, when the victims father pointed him out as the only person who would want to harm his son, according to a criminal complaint.

State police investigators were then able to track the suspects movements the night of the murder through phone records and camera video that captured the track of the luxury automobile used to take the two men from Philadelphia to rural Pomeroy, where the shooting occurred in the middle of the night.

Charged on Tuesday were Lynelle Unique Flowers, 26, and Zahir Yusef Randall, 21, both of Philadelphia, for the murder of 22-year-old Tariq Scott Jr., that occurred in June. Both men are charged with criminal homicide, murder of the first degree, aggravated assault, conspiracy, and related offenses. Both are being held without bail at Chester County Prison awaiting their preliminary hearings later this month.

Flowers was identified as the alleged gunman in the case, while Randall was an accomplice who drove the getaway car.

Said District Attorney Deb Ryan, who along with state police announced the arrests on Thursday: The defendants lay in wait under cover of darkness to execute an innocent man while his girlfriend and her one-year-old child were inside the car with him. This cold-blooded and premeditated murder is another senseless crime. My condolences go out to the victims family for the heartbreaking loss of their loved one.

Scott was shot multiple times and was pronounced dead at the scene. A member of a large family with roots in western Chester County and known as Rico, he was a 2017 graduate of Coatesville Area Senior High and was known for his winning smile and devotion to his family.

According to a criminal complaint filed by state Trooper Tyler Albee, Scott was targeted because of his relationship to Danaeja Buchanan, his sister and Flowers ex-girlfriend. The two men, however, had had an earlier confrontation when Scott accused Flowers of stealing money from him while Flowers lived with the family in Coatesville in early 2021.

According to a press release from the D.A.s Office and Albees criminal complaint, Scott, his girlfriend, and her one-year-old child were sitting in the girlfriends car outside the Valley Road home he shared with his father, step-mother, and sister around 2 a.m. on June 22. The family had allegedly been on the lookout for Flowers during the day because of threats he had made to kill Scotts father, Travis Scott Sr. The victim was seen checking outside the window through closed curtains in the hours before his death.

Investigators learned that Flowers is the father of Buchanans two children. Two days earlier, on June 20, Flowers is believed to have physically assaulted Buchanan during an argument in the home they shared on South Alden Street in West Philadelphia after she said she was leaving him and taking the children.

According to authorities, Flowers punched and choked Buchanan and then slammed her against the floor. She sustained a concussion and bruising to her left eye socket. He also threatened to kill her father and stepfather.

That same day, Buchanans mother and aunt traveled to Philadelphia to take custody of the children, but Flowers and his family members assaulted them. While Buchanan was at their house to take her belongings, she saw Flowers was seen retrieving what is believed to be a 9mm handgun he kept on top of a kitchen cabinet.

Buchanan told others, including Scott, about the threats Flowers made. His father also told investigators that Flowers called him numerous times between June 20 and June 21, asking for his address so he could fight him. The victims father eventually blocked his harassing phone calls.

After the rest of the household had gone to bed the night of June 21, Scott, who worked late hours, and his girlfriend went out for a trip to Wawa. When they returned around 1:45 a.m., they sat in her car talking with her young child in the rear seat. Unbeknownst to them, Flowers and Randall had arrived at the scene about 45 minutes before and were waiting nearby in the dark for them to return.

According to the release, Flowers approached the car the couple was sitting in and fired five shots into it at point blank range, striking Scott in the neck and killing him. His girlfriend dove into the backseat to protect her child and called 911. Both men immediately fled from the area. Fired cartridge casings and two projectiles were found there.

In an interview with state Trooper Aaron Botts later that morning, Travis Scott Sr. allegedly told him that he already knew who had killed his son, naming Flowers and describing the previous days events.

With that information, police investigators were able to obtain Flowers cellphone information and learn through tracking that he had traveled from West Philadelphia to Pomeroy the night of the shooting. They also used license plate visual equipment to follow the Mercedes-Benz C-400 Randall owned from there to Chester County, even spotting Randall getting out of the car at a Wawa, and then back again after the shooting.

In her release, Ryan thanked investigators for their work in the dogged pursuit and apprehension of the two defendants  the first step towards bringing justice to the victims family. The residents of Chester County and Philadelphia are safer today with these criminals off the streets.

Deputy District Attorney Bill Judge is the assigned prosecutor.

If you have information about this case, please call PSP-Embreeville at 610-486- 6280.

To contact staff writer Michael P. Rellahan call 610-696-1544.
With a few noble exceptions, the House of Commons yesterday was narrow, insular and deluded.

Its worst tendency was to blame Boris Johnson for the debacle in Afghanistan, and the shameful spectacle of desperate Afghans trying to get onto planes at Kabul airport.

God knows, the Prime Minister has made his fair share of mistakes, as many including me haven't been slow to point out. But the disintegration of Afghanistan can't be pinned on him.

The heart-rending developments of the past few days had their roots in decisions either made before he entered No. 10, or else arrived at unilaterally in Washington without the Government being consulted.

And yet to hear many MPs speak, you'd think he was the sole author of the fiasco. In a point-scoring speech, Sir Keir Starmer idiotically accused the Government of 'staggering complacency' about the 'Taliban threat', and of 'betraying the Afghan people'.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson should not be blamed for the situation in Afghanistan writes Stephen Glover

Ian Blackford, leader of the Scots Nats in the Commons, pompously declared that 'the failures rest on the shoulders of the Prime Minister and his Foreign Secretary', without enlightening us as to what they should have done.

Former Prime Minister Theresa May also took leave of her senses. She criticised the Government for its 'incomprehensible' failure to bring together an alternative alliance to prevent the collapse of Afghanistan.

Actually, in recent weeks Defence Secretary Ben Wallace did attempt to cobble together a coalition of Nato members to go it alone without the United States, but no country had the heart for it.

Is Mrs May seriously suggesting the UK could have defended Afghanistan by itself?

How easy to fire arrows at the PM after Kabul has fallen into the hands of the Taliban. Why wasn't Mrs May warning the Government months ago, in April, when President Biden announced the withdrawal of all U.S. troops by September 11?

I claim no special insight for writing in these pages on April 15: 'It seems possible, even likely, that despite all the hundreds of lives lost and billions spent in fighting the Taliban, these pitiless fanatics will end up occupying the capital, Kabul, and running the country.'

Taliban fighters patrol in the Wazir Akbar Khan neighborhood in the city of Kabul, Afghanistan

FALL OF KABUL: A TIMELINE OF THE TALIBAN'S FAST ADVANCE AFTER 40 YEARS OF CONFLICT Feb. 29, 2020 Trump negotiates deal with the Taliban setting U.S. withdrawal date for May 1, 2021 Nov. 17, 2020 Pentagon announces it will reduce troop levels to 2500 in Afghanistan Jan. 15, 2020 Inspector general reveals 'hubris and mendacity' of U.S. efforts in Afghanistan Feb 3. 2021 Afghan Study Group report warns against withdrawing 'irresponsibly' March Military command makes last-ditch effort to talk Biden out of withdrawal April 14 Biden announces withdrawal will be completed by Sept. 11 May 4 - Taliban fighters launch a major offensive on Afghan forces in southern Helmand province. They also attack in at least six other provinces May 11 - The Taliban capture Nerkh district just outside the capital Kabul as violence intensifies across the country June 7 - Senior government officials say more than 150 Afghan soldiers are killed in 24 hours as fighting worsens. They add that fighting is raging in 26 of the country's 34 provinces June 22 - Taliban fighters launch a series of attacks in the north of the country, far from their traditional strongholds in the south. The UN envoy for Afghanistan says they have taken more than 50 of 370 districts July 2 - The U.S. evacuates Bagram Airfield in the middle of the night July 5 - The Taliban say they could present a written peace proposal to the Afghan government as soon as August July 21 - Taliban insurgents control about a half of the country's districts, according to the senior U.S. general, underlining the scale and speed of their advance July 25 - The United States vows to continue to support Afghan troops "in the coming weeks" with intensified airstrikes to help them counter Taliban attacks July 26 - The United Nations says nearly 2,400 Afghan civilians were killed or wounded in May and June in escalating violence, the highest number for those months since records started in 2009 Aug. 6 - Zaranj in the south of the country becomes the first provincial capital to fall to the Taliban in years. Many more are to follow in the ensuing days, including the prized city of Kunduz in the north Aug. 13 - Pentagon insists Kabul is not under imminent threat Aug. 14 - The Taliban take the major northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif and, with little resistance, Pul-e-Alam, capital of Logar province just 70 km (40 miles) south of Kabul. The United States sends more troops to help evacuate its civilians from Kabul as Afghan President Ashraf Ghani says he is consulting with local and international partners on next steps Aug. 15 - The Taliban take the key eastern city of Jalalabad without a fight, effectively surrounding Kabul Taliban insurgents enter Kabul, an interior ministry official says, as the United States evacuate diplomats from its embassy by helicopter Advertisement

The danger was obvious  and yet Mrs May (who did not make a single major parliamentary speech about Afghanistan during her prime ministership) remained silent. Nor did Messrs Starmer and Blackford show the remotest interest in what should be done.

As for Labour's Shadow Foreign Secretary Lisa Nandy, over the weekend she robustly criticised the withdrawal of U.S. and UK troops from Afghanistan on the BBC.

And yet last month on Times Radio she opined that Britain's military presence in Afghanistan had 'outlived its usefulness'.

What hypocrisy! Needless to say, I don't wholly exonerate the Government. It has been disgracefully slow to expedite the exodus of Afghans who worked for the British, with the result (as Mr Wallace tearfully admitted on Monday) that some to whom we are indebted are being deserted.

This is a cause which the Mail has championed for at least six years in innumerable pieces. Did Sir Keir Starmer add his weight to it? Not until the very last minute.

So, yes, the Government is at fault in this case, even if, as the PM noted yesterday, Afghanistan fell apart faster than anyone including the Taliban predicted.

But it is silly to blame Boris Johnson for the strategic disaster of Afghanistan, and I despair of those grandstanding and hypocritical MPs who lambast him even though they have had nothing useful to say in the recent past.

The truth is that the PM inherited a hopeless situation. President Trump was determined to bring American troops home. In February 2020 his administration and the Taliban signed a peace agreement.

America undertook to reduce its troop numbers drastically from about 12,000. The beginning of May 2021 was set as the date for the final withdrawal.

Joe Biden could have countermanded this process but chose not to. He merely postponed the day of the pull-out of the last troops to September 11, exactly 20 years after the attack on the World Trade Centre that precipitated the American-led invasion of Afghanistan.

My argument is not that Trump and Biden had no right to withdraw U.S. soldiers. But it is surely incontestable that it has been executed with an abruptness that left Afghanistan at the mercy of the Taliban, and risks undoing the good work done by the U.S., Britain and other Nato allies.

The crucial point is that, despite the deaths of 457 British servicemen and women in Afghanistan and the expenditure of tens of billions of pounds, the British Government was barely consulted. President Biden made the decision as though Boris Johnson didn't exist.

Indeed, in his self-serving speech on Tuesday he didn't mention the enormous British contribution. Nor did his Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, in an equally America-centric address on Sunday. Britain was only cited as having invaded Afghanistan in the 19th century.

Doesn't that say it all? As far as the Biden and previous administrations are concerned, Afghanistan has been an American venture in which countries such as Britain were welcome to offer a helping hand as long as they didn't presume to have a major strategic say.

That is why it is so wrong-headed to blame Boris Johnson for what has happened. The decision to capitulate ignominiously was made in Washington, and there was nothing our Government could do about it.

The lesson, which most MPs were reluctant to draw yesterday, is that the U.S. is an overbearing and unreliable ally. Our ruling class should remember that before we join any of America's future wars.

Our lack of clarity about American conduct goes back further than Biden or Trump. Tony Blair embroiled this country in Afghanistan, having stated after the attack on the World Trade Centre that 'we are all Americans now', and gabbled on apocalyptically about 'the kaleidoscope' having been 'shaken'.

He wasn't clear why we should become involved in Afghanistan. In 2001 he emotionally invoked the death of a woman from an overdose of Afghan heroin, and vowed to extirpate opium cultivation. It has multiplied enormously in two decades.

US President Joe Biden deliver remarks on Afghanistan in the East Room of the White House

What mattered to Blair was that we should be at one with the Americans, and the justifications could come later.

Twenty years on, we should at last wake up to the truth that, although the U.S. is our closest ally, we are at best taken for granted, at worst ignored.

The most moving speech in the Commons yesterday was made by Tory MP Tom Tugendhat, who served with the British Army in Afghanistan. Unlike me, he apparently believes it was worth the sacrifice of lives.

Here is a man who fought for his country and should be listened to. He rightly criticised President Biden for impugning the courage of Afghan soldiers, and said that the shocking outcome 'damn well feels like' a defeat.

With a few noble exceptions, the House of Commons yesterday was narrow, insular and deluded writes Stephen Glover

So it does  a defeat for the West, and therefore for Britain. Tony Blair bears much responsibility for bogging us down in Afghanistan. Successive prime ministers and presidents, culminating with Trump and Biden, are also culpable.

But not Boris Johnson. He can be blamed for many things but not for the legacy he inherited. The petty politicians who opportunistically train their guns on him refuse to understand what really happened.
Karl Marx said history repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce. As anyone who has read George MacDonald Fraser's brilliant Flashman novels would realise, British involvement in Afghanistan is always destined to end in tears.

The slaughter of 16,000 British troops and civilians during the 1842 retreat from Kabul in the first Anglo-Afghan war was the tragedy.

The siege of Kabul airport 2021 is the farce, a remake of Carry On Up The Khyber, the wonderful satire on the last days of the Raj.

In the seminal 1968 movie, the British contingent, led by Sid James as Sir Sidney Ruff-Diamond, maintain a stiff upper lip as the governor's residence is bombarded by an Afghan horde under the command of the Khazi of Khalibar, played by Kenneth Williams.

Sir Sid's compound is defended by troops from the 3rd Foot and Mouth brigade, the so-called Devils In Skirts, rumoured to wear nothing under their kilts.

The siege of Kabul airport 2021 is the farce, a remake of Carry On Up The Khyber, the wonderful satire on the last days of the Raj

Today's chaotic retreat from Kabul is guarded by special forces and paratroopers, while back home politicians give a passable impression not of the unflappable diplomat Ruff-Diamond but Corporal Jones, from Dad's Army.

This is not just a Very British Farce, however. It is also a global disaster. What we are witnessing is far more serious than the last days of the Raj. It's the collapse of the Anglosphere, Churchill's celebrated alliance of the English speaking peoples, which until now has kept the world safe from tyranny.

Under President Joe Biden, America has abdicated its role as the world's policeman. Without the U.S., Britain can't credibly step up and pretend it's the 19th century all over again. We don't have the manpower, the money, nor the inclination to assume a leading role in keeping the peace.

Our other main allies, the Canadians, the Australians and the Kiwis, all have their own preoccupations. Canada, under the milquetoast liberal Justin Trudeau, is engaged in a bout of navel-gazing.

Despite vaccinating seven out of ten people, Canada is still running scared of Covid.

Under President Joe Biden, America has abdicated its role as the world's policeman. Without the U.S., Britain can't credibly step up and pretend it's the 19th century all over again

Trudeau has just called a snap general election for September in an attempt to shore up his ailing government in advance of an anticipated fourth wave of the virus. Australia and New Zealand are in a blue funk over Covid and have resorted to extreme isolationism.

Both have closed their borders, and curled up in hiding behind the sofa, with no end in sight. The overpraised Kiwi prime minister Jacinda Ardern has just ordered another lockdown on the basis of one  yes, just one  new case.

Don't panic!

If the leaders of the Anzac nations had bothered reading Nevil Shute's 1957 nuclear winter novel On The Beach, subsequently made into a film starring Gregory Peck and Ava Gardner, they might realise that no nation, however remote, can hide forever from a global apocalypse. In Britain, the political class has exploited the shameful defeat in Afghanistan as yet another excuse to score partisan political points.

As the Mail's Henry Deedes reported, the dismal performance of MPs in the Commons on Wednesday  with a few honourable exceptions, such as former soldier Tom Tugendhat  was a disgrace.

As the Mail's Henry Deedes reported, the dismal performance of MPs in the Commons on Wednesday  with a few honourable exceptions  was a disgrace

Mother Theresa, arguably the worst Prime Minister in living memory, spouted pure sour grapes yet again. She's turning into a parody of her equally disastrous and graceless Tory predecessor Edward Heath. Meet the Incredible Sulk, Mark II.

Labour leader Keir Starmer is an irrelevance. The Left of his party, incredibly, want Britain to pay reparations to the Taliban.

You couldn't make it up.

But however farcical the Westminster pantomime, what should concern the free world most of all is the humbling of America. Having dug himself into a hole on Monday, Biden kept on digging. In an interview with ABC News, he doubled down on his lame excuses for abandoning Afghanistan to the Taliban. As I observed on Tuesday, even his Democratic cheerleaders in the media are exasperated by his duplicity and evasion.

Yesterday, it was the turn of ABC anchorman George Stephanopoulos  a former White House adviser to Bill Clinton  to shake his head in disbelief.

The siege of Kabul airport 2021 is the farce, a remake of Carry On Up The Khyber, the wonderful satire starring Sid James (left) as Sir Sidney Ruff-Diamond

The withdrawal of the Americans from the fray is a catastrophe. Biden's bluster has stripped the U.S. of any moral authority.

Without America, Nato is a busted flush, as Britain's Defence Secretary Ben Wallace discovered when he attempted to cobble together a small multinational force from our European 'partners' to maintain a token Western military presence in Afghanistan.

Apart from the Poles, the Europeans always go missing when push comes to shove.

The only nations we can rely upon have been Australia, New Zealand, Canada and, primarily, the U.S.  our four firm allies in the Five Eyes intelligence alliance. If that's no longer the case after Kabul, the world has suddenly become a more dangerous place.

Don't think that Russia, China and Iran haven't noticed. Biden has signalled to smaller nations that the U.S. will no longer send in the cavalry if they are threatened.

The Five Eyes have blinked. And, like the 3rd Foot and Mouth in Carry On Up The Khyber, the world has spotted that we've got nothing on under our kilts. And that is a real tragedy.

Now that the Taliban have retaken Afghanistan without encountering any serious resistance, they've embarked on a public relations offensive.

We are asked to believe in Taliban 2.0, a new caring, sharing, cuddly version. Out go stonings and beheadings, in come women's rights.

Having once banned singing and dancing, the mad mullahs are now embracing fun. Photos have emerged of Taliban fighters driving dodgems, with their rifles on the passenger seat, and frolicking on a merry-go-round.

Ride a painted pony . . .

There was another snap of a Taliban warrior working out in a gym  with a rocket launcher over his shoulder. Feel the burn!

So despite reports that they've already started murdering Afghans who collaborated with the Americans and British, and dragged girls as young as 12 from their homes to be forcibly 'married', the Taliban want the world to think they've reformed.

How long before their flag features a smiley face emoji?

The soft-headed Hard Left, particularly in Britain, are willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.

If you swallow that moonshine, you're a better man than I am, Gunga Din.

Supporters of Geronimo, the alpaca on death row, say he should be reprieved because tests for bovine tuberculosis produce too many false positives.

They may be right. But if we can't trust tests for alpacas, then why should we take any notice of false positives for humans alleged to have Covid?

Hate preacher Ram Jam Choudary is out of jail and posting sermons online via a smartphone app. The real scandal is that, like the Streatham terrorist killed by police, he only served half of his 78-month sentence before being freed on licence. Meanwhile a devout Christian has been absolved by a judge of preaching violence towards gays outside Finsbury Park tube station in North London.

There was no evidence against her, but the police were determined to drag her to court so charged her anyway under the Public Order Act. Pity they weren't so zealous when they were giving a police escort for years to Ram Jam's oppo Abu Hamza  aka Captain Hook  to preach hatred outside Finsbury Park mosque.

Don't send Watson to the Lords, Keir

Nonce Finder General Tom Watson is said to be pestering Labour leader Keir Starmer to nominate him for a peerage.

Last year he was rejected by the House of Lords appointments commission, after being put forward by Jeremy Corbyn. Quite right, too.

Watson abused Parliamentary privilege, and his position as Labour's deputy leader, to falsely accuse prominent Conservatives of child abuse and murder. He took the word of a known fantasist and put pressure on the police and the Crown Prosecution Service, in the process destroying the lives of blameless men and their families.

Where the hell does he get his sense of entitlement? This disgusting smearmonger has no place in public life, let along a lucrative sinecure in the Lords.

Shamefully, he is still being paid around 70,000 a year to be the part-time chairman of UK Music, in the face of fierce protests from performers, composers and industry executives. Yet he has failed miserably to solve outstanding problems over streaming rights and live performances, despite boasting about his political connections.

Now he wants to trouser 323 tax free a day as an unelected member of the Upper House. Starmer, if he has a shred of decency, must say no.

Watson should crawl back under his stone and stay there.
Now we know why his handlers do everything they can to keep him off TV and away from journalists. When Joe Biden finally took questions about his disastrous Afghanistan retreat and sat down for an interview with ABC News, it immediately became clear that the chaos inside Kabul airport was nothing compared to the chaos inside the US Presidents head.

Defiant and defensive, he struggled to marshal basic facts, dates and previous statements hes made in a car-crash exchange, which seemed equal parts incompetence and dishonesty.

The interview was conducted on Wednesday by George Stephanopoulos, an ex-Democrat adviser and former White House communications chief for Bill Clinton.

So its fair to say the President wasnt exactly facing the Spanish Inquisition. Stephanopoulos might have seemed the obvious choice for a president who has relied heavily on the favour of a largely pro-Democrat US media, anxious to help him convince Americans hes a huge improvement over Donald Trump. But Biden quickly became visibly annoyed by the pointed questioning of his decisions.

Its clear the honeymoon is over  the US media is turning on the man it had lionised as the political saint after he delivered them from Trump. The romance has been killed off by Afghanistan and  to some degree  the Biden presidency in general.

When Joe Biden (pictured in March) finally took questions about his disastrous Afghanistan retreat, it immediately became clear that the chaos inside Kabul airport was nothing compared to the chaos inside the US Presidents head, writes Tom Leonard

As Left-of-centre cable news network CNN, previously unable to say a bad word about Uncle Joe, damningly put it about Afghanistan: Each attempt the administration makes to quell a furore thats tarnishing Americas image only provokes more questions about its failures of planning and execution.

Other vocal former Biden cheerleaders are falling into line behind CNN, as the scales fall from their eyes about a man whose political nous, mental competence and basic credibility are increasingly being called into question.

In his ABC News chat  only his ninth interview since taking office, lagging far behind Trump or Barack Obama  78-year-old Biden more than justified his tumbling popularity ratings.

Foreign policy, we had always been assured, was the strong point of the politician who was chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for 12 years.

Wed also been told  not least by Biden  that, after four years of Trump, his presidency would be marked by proficient and trustworthy government.

There was little of that in his interview, as he made another cack-handed attempt to absolve himself of any blame over Afghanistan.

In fact, he didnt think it had been a failure at all.

Bidens propensity for making gaffes has dogged his career, but his slip-ups in the broadcast were of a different nature, especially when he dismissively waved away mention of Afghans falling from US cargo planes, as five days ago when it was actually two.

Hundreds of people run alongside a US Air Force C-17 transport plane, some climbing onto it, as it moves down a runway of the international airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Monday

One was reminded of Trumps comment, made after taking a Montreal Cognitive Assessment for dementia last year, that: Joe should take that test, because somethings going on We cant have somebody thats not 100 percent.

Yet Biden still has not agreed to take the MOCA test. His position hasnt changed since his outburst back then in 2020, during which he angrily demanded to know, Why the hell would I take a test? Mental acuity and competence are one thing; honesty another.

Mr Biden, who has long supported pulling out of Afghanistan, has repeatedly promised it would be orderly and secure.

But now, he insists he had always known it would be chaotic. Likewise, he claimed in July that a Taliban takeover was highly unlikely. Now he maintains that what he really meant was a Taliban takeover that would take just days was highly unlikely. Nobody, he adds, ever predicted that. Even this isnt correct.

According to the New York Times, once so loyal to him, US intelligence agencies warned over the summer that the Afghan military would very rapidly crumble.

Civilians are pictured preparing to board a plane during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul on Wednesday

When he wasnt dissembling, Biden was just talking gobbledegook, making even the grammar-murdering Trump look like the model of precision and clarity.

On this sort of performance, its no wonder Americans are losing faith in him.

His approval ratings have slipped below 50 per cent for the first time in his presidency and theres highly likely to be worse news to come from Central Asia, as he battles what CNN calls the most significant self-inflicted drama of his presidency. The war had to end. But it didnt have to end in such chaos, says the NYT.

While the Washington Post, which endorsed Biden as exceptionally well-qualified for the White House, on Wednesday published an opinion piece headlined: Biden is wrong. There was nothing inevitable about the disaster in Afghanistan.

Its hardly surprising, then, that more than a little irritation crept into the Presidents demeanour with ABC News.

Cuddly Uncle Joe isnt used to feeling the sharp end of being leader of the free world.

And its as painful for him as it is worrying for everyone else.
Recent history suggests that Boris Johnson hates sacking ministers, so it is unlikely he will heed demands from Labour and the Lib Dems to get rid of the Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab.

But there is no doubt that Mr Raab has fouled up in a major way. He comes across as a rather arrogant and icy man, and is probably not much given to self-examination. He should take a hard look at himself.

Yesterday's Mail revealed that when he was enjoying a luxurious holiday in the Greek island of Crete last Friday, the Foreign Secretary failed to make a crucial phone call to seek help to airlift translators out of Afghanistan.

He had been advised by senior Foreign Office officials that he should make immediate contact with the Afghan foreign minister, Haneef Atmar, as the Taliban closed in on the capital, Kabul.

I doubt Mr Raab will be asked to make many more important calls in his lifetime. The lives of many former interpreters who worked for the British were in jeopardy (and remain so), and he had a duty to ask the Afghan government to do whatever it could to look after them. But he didn't pick up the phone.

Why? Why couldn't Mr Raab get off his sunbed and make a call that just might have saved a few lives?

Mr Raab (pictured) had been advised by senior Foreign Office officials that he should make immediate contact with the Afghan foreign minister, Haneef Atmar, as the Taliban closed in on the capital, Kabul.

Despite being told by Foreign Office officials that both U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin had already spoken to Mr Atmar, Mr Raab declined to do so.

He instead asked a junior Foreign Office minister, Lord Goldsmith, to telephone Mr Atmar. Evidently Mr Atmar refused to speak to someone whom he  somewhat vainly  regarded as being of inferior status, so there was a delay.

We learnt yesterday that the call never took place because the Afghan regime collapsed.

Does Mr Raab feel a twinge of guilt? Or is he perfectly satisfied that he behaved exactly as Her Britannic Majesty's Secretary of State  that's how he is described in our passports  is expected to?

It's hard to be sure because, more than any other senior minister, this buttoned-up man appears to occupy another dimension in which common human attributes such as regret or humility or compassion are seldom discernible.

Is there any conceivable defence of his actions? One came yesterday from an unlikely source, with whom he is said not to be on the best of terms  Defence Secretary Ben Wallace.

Mr Wallace, who appears to be a more sympathetic soul, made the brave but not entirely convincing suggestion that Mr Raab's failure to ring the Afghan foreign minister didn't make 'any difference whatsoever', given that the Afghan government was 'melting away quicker than ice'.

It's true that it was. But did Mr Raab know on Friday, while he was at the five-star Amirandes Hotel with his family, that the Taliban would conquer Kabul two days later, on Sunday?

If he did, he should have got on a plane to London immediately to resume his official duties, and help cope with a huge international political crisis. He didn't arrive back at Heathrow until the very early hours of Monday morning.

In fact, he should have come home earlier whether or not he feared the Afghan government's impending downfall.

And in either case he should have contacted its foreign minister in the hope that he might be able protect the lives of translators who have risked their lives by serving the British cause.

I suspect that, like everyone else, Mr Raab had no idea that Kabul was about to be overrun. Only last Tuesday, the Washington Post had reported what was presented as the scary view of U.S. intelligence sources that Kabul could fall within 90 days. It took just five.

Another defence of Mr Raab was made by the Foreign Office, which offered this explanation: 'The Foreign Secretary was engaged on a range of other calls and this one was delegated to another minister.'

This is pretty risible. I don't know what those other calls were, but it is hard to imagine that they were more pressing than the one he didn't make to the Afghan foreign minister.

On Christmas Day 1944, Winston Churchill made a last-minute dash by air to Athens in perilous conditions  and ruined his family Christmas  in a largely successful attempt to save Greece from communism (Pictured: Churchill in Athens in 1944)

Is Dominic Raab really asking us to believe that he couldn't find five minutes on Friday to speak to Mr Atmar?

It's not as if he had to get through to the man himself. That sort of thing is done for foreign secretaries by functionaries. He only had to talk, but couldn't find the time for that.

I'm afraid that the only conclusion I can draw is that Mr Raab simply did not care enough about Afghan translators to make that call. What other interpretation is there?

This, of course, is part of a pattern. For at least six years this newspaper has campaigned on behalf of these translators, without whom the British Army could not have operated in Afghanistan.

Bit by bit, and painfully slowly, the Government and the Foreign Office have glimpsed the light, so that increasing numbers of translators were gradually allowed to come to Britain.

But not enough. Despite all the warnings and pleadings, rigid and unimaginative bureaucracy has continued to thwart the justifiable claims of hundreds of Afghans who remain in their country. Which is why we learn every day of their terrible misfortunes.

Dominic Raab was given a last-minute chance to do something. He might not have been able to achieve much at the eleventh hour, since the Afghan regime was on the verge of collapse, but he could at least have shown that he, and the British Government, have a heart. He failed.

I don't at all resent his luxurious holiday, or even the fact that he took it abroad after some ministers appeared to discourage us from doing so.

I expect he works hard and he deserved a break. However, people who accept great responsibilities shouldn't turn their backs on duty even when they are relaxing.

On Christmas Day 1944, Winston Churchill made a last-minute dash by air to Athens in perilous conditions  and ruined his family Christmas  in a largely successful attempt to save Greece from communism. There's duty for you.

In the infinitely more agreeable surroundings of a lovely Cretan hotel in a wholly different Greece, our present Foreign Secretary wouldn't make a last-ditch attempt to try to save brave Afghans who have served this country.

Sir Keir Starmer and Labour are howling for his resignation, as oppositions are almost bound to do. They are being at least partly opportunistic. I wonder how much they really care about the Afghan translators. They certainly haven't given much sign of doing so in the past.

I don't imagine Boris Johnson will sack Mr Raab, but I hope that, come the next Cabinet re-shuffle, he will move him into a role where his apparent lack of human empathy will be less of a disadvantage, and his obvious intellectual gifts may be of some use.

Walking into Downing Street yesterday morning, the Foreign Secretary was asked whether he would resign. 'No,' he replied, trenchantly. We can be sure we won't be getting any apology from Dominic Raab, and almost as certain that this haughty man is not troubled by shame.
The mother of a missing teen whose disappearance exposed an incestuous child sex ring in Alabama has opened up about her ongoing search for her daughter in a new true crime docuseries, saying the children in her family 'would have been more safe at the crack house.'

Premiering on Peacock on August 26, Monster in the Shadows explores the theories surrounding the disappearance of Brittney Wood, 19, who went missing after she went to see her uncle Donnie Holland in 2012.

Two days later, Donnie killed himself using a gun that Brittney owned. The teen's disappearance and her uncle's death led law enforcement to uncover a twisted sex ring that was led by Donnie and involved three generations of his family.

True crime: The new docuseries Monster in the Shadows focuses on the disappearance of Brittney Wood, 19, who went missing after she went to see her uncle Donnie Holland in 2012

Mystery: Two days after Brittney went missing, Donnie was found in the woods with a bullet in the back of the head. His death was ruled a suicide

'If you can't trust your family who can you trust?' Brittney's mother, Chessie, asks in the trailer for the three-part series.

Brittney, who left behind a two-year-old daughter, hasn't been seen since she went to visit Donnie in the Styx River area on May 31, 2012. She was last spotted in a car with her uncle at Tillman's Corner.

Crime: The case led law enforcement to uncover a twisted child sex ring that was led by Donnie and involved three generations of his family

Donnie's body was found in the woods with a gunshot in the back of his head a few days later. The death was ruled a suicide.

In the wake of Brittney's disappearance, eleven people were arrested on charges including rape, sex abuse with children under 12, incest, and sodomy.

The suspects were either members of Brittney's family or directly associated with them, including her mother, Chessie; her brother, Derek Wood; Nelton 'Butch' Morgan; her uncle Dustin Kent; Dustin's wife, Mendy Kent; her uncle Donnie's wife, Wendy Holland; James Cumbaa; Randall Scott Wood; and Jennifer Moore.

Detectives believe that Brittney may have gone to visit her uncle to confront him about the sex abuse, but what happened to her on that day remains a mystery.

Brittney's mother has always maintained her innocence, and for years she has accused her deceased brother-in-law Donnie of killing her daughter.

Missing: Brittney, who left behind a two-year-old daughter, hasn't been seen since she went to see Donnie in the Styx River area on May 31, 2012

Chessie was charged with two counts of sodomy and sex abuse of a child less than 12, but she pleaded guilty to a lesser charge and left court with a misdemeanor.

The upcoming docuseries focuses on the theories surrounding Brittney's disappearance, including the speculation that she was abused by her family and about to expose the child sex ring.

'Now, looking back, they would have been more safe at the crack house,' Chessie says in the trailer for the docuseries, presumably speaking about the child victims of the sex ring.

It is widely thought that Donnie killed Brittney and then himself, but there has also been speculation that she was kidnapped and sold into sex trafficking.

Heartbreaking: Brittney left behind a two-year-old daughter when she disappeared

Crimes: In the wake of Brittney's disappearance, eleven people were arrested on charges including rape, sex abuse with children under 12, incest, and sodomy

Looking back: In the trailer for the three-part series, Brittney's mother, Chessie (back, center) say the children in her family 'would have been more safe at the crack house'

Police were investigating the abuse before Brittney's disappearance.

Detectives said at the time that Brittney and one of the alleged victims exchanged Facebook messages in which abuse was discussed on May 27, 2012.

After Brittney asked, 'How are you? Tell me what's going on. I don't know what's true and what you said,' the victim alleged that they had been raped by Randall, Dustin, and Donnie.

'I love you, Im sorry, Brittney replied.

The alleged victim wrote more messages to Brittney on May 28 and May 30, but did not receive a response.

Monsters: Donnie ran the child sex ring with his wife, Wendy Holland, before he killed himself

Life behind bars: Wendy was sentenced to 219 years in prison after being convicted of sodomy, sex abuse, and child torture in 2015

Maintaining innocence: Chessie was charged with two counts of sodomy and sex abuse of a child less than 12, but she pleaded guilty to a lesser charge and left court with a misdemeanor

Family: Brittney's brother, Derek Wood (left), was was granted youthful offender status after being charged with second-degree rape and second-degree sodomy. Her uncle Dustin Kent (right) received two separate 17-year prison sentences for sex crimes

In October 2012, a police detective testified in the case against Dustin. The court heard that he raped a relative at the age of 13 in 2008 while her father watched.

According to the detective, the father took the young girl out in his truck claiming they were going to buy a hamster from a pet store.

Instead, they picked up Dustin and drove to an industrial park.

When the car pulled over, Dustin took off her clothes and performed a sex act on her before raping her as her father watched, Sgt. Scott Congleton testified.

'She kept telling him to stop. He did not,' the detective said.

Mystery: Detectives believe that Brittney may have gone to visit her uncle to confront him about the sex abuse

Dustin was sentenced to 17 years in prison in November 2015 after already being sentenced to 17 years in another county for sex crimes.

Abuse: It was reported that Brittney (pictured as a child) was sexually abused by her grandmother's boyfriend when she was a girl

In 2013, AL.com reported that there were at least four victims of the alleged abuse. Officers claimed some of the victims were under the age of 12 when the attacks took place and were related to those arrested.

Lead prosecutor Mobile County Assistant District Attorney Nicki Patterson told the news outlet that suspected victims had been placed in foster care where necessary.

'Pretty much everyone in this extended family was having sex with one another and having sex with the children,' Patterson said to WKRG.com at the time.

The case took another turn in 2014 when it was reported that Brittney was raped and abused by her grandmother's boyfriend when she was a young girl.

The sexual abuse went on for two years until an 11-year-old Brittney accused him of attacking her in 2003.

In the years that followed, a number of Britney's relatives were sentenced to prison for their involvement in the child sex abuse ring.

Candid: Chessie has opened up about her search for Brittney and her family's child sex ring in the docuseries that premieres on Peacock on August 26

Plea: 'My goal has always been to find Brittney Wood,' Chessie says in the trailer

While her mother left court with a misdemeanor, her brother, Derek, was granted youthful offender status, meaning that his sentencing was withheld from the public.

Derek was initially charged with second-degree rape and second-degree sodomy.

As one of the leaders of the sex ring, Donnie's wife, Wendy Holland, was sentenced to 219 years in prison after being convicted of sodomy, sex abuse, and child torture in 2015.

It's been almost a decade since Brittney disappeared, and Chessie is still holding out hope that she will be found.

'I'd like to find my child,' she says in the series. 'My goal has always been to find Brittney Wood.'
A mother with Long Covid says her chronic fatigue means every move she makes feels like 'walking through treacle' in a heartbreaking video.

Katy Egerton, 36, from Knaresborough, North Yorkshire contracted Covid-19 in March 2020 and thought she had recovered after 10 days of battling the virus, but her condition worsened.

She was hospitalised three months after falling ill, when her hair started falling out, and has been suffering with chronic fatigue ever since as a result of Long Covid. It is not thought she had underlying health issues before contracting the virus.

In an interview with BBC News, the mother struggled to breathe and teared up as she admitted she is 'grieving her old life' and now has to limit the number of times she climbs the stairs every day.

Katy Egerton, 36, from Knaresborough, North Yorkshire contracted Covid-19 in March 2020 and thought she had recovered after 10 days of suffering with the virus, but her condition worsened. She is pictured with her partner and daughter Eva

'Chronic fatigue is like walking through treacle,' she said. 'I used to dance from the age of two. I would walk miles with my daughter.

'I now I have to plan to go up the stairs to make sure I don't go up too many times because I just have to lie down getting dressed.'

There is no universally agreed definition of Long Covid, but the ONS defines it as symptoms people suffer from for more than four weeks after they caught the virus that could not be explained by something else.

Earlier this month research from The Office for National Statistics said that almost 400,000 people in the UK say they have been suffering from Long Covid for more than a year.

She was hospitalised three months after falling ill, when her hair started falling out, and since being released has been suffering with chronic fatigue as a result of Long Covid

In an interview with BBC News, the mother struggled to breathe and teared up as she said that she was 'grieving her old life', and revealed that she has to limit the number of times she climbs the stairs a day

Among those, 40 per cent say they've been left battling symptoms such as tiredness and muscle pain for at least 12 months.

Katy said she has seen 'minimal' improvement in the 17 months since she was diagnosed and that she feels 'sad' she is no longer able to keep up with her three-year-old daughter Eva.

WHAT ARE THE PROLONGED SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19? Most coronavirus patients will recover within a fortnight, suffering a fever, cough and losing their sense of smell or taste for several days. However, evidence is beginning to show that the tell-tale symptoms of the virus can persist for weeks on end in 'long haulers'  the term for patients plagued by lasting complications. Data from the Covid Symptom Study app, by King's College London and health company Zoe, suggests one in ten people may still have symptoms after three weeks, and some may suffer for months. Long term symptoms include: Chronic tiredness

Breathlessness

Raised heart rate

Delusions

Strokes

Insomnia

Loss of taste/smell

Kidney disease

Mobility issues

Headaches

Muscle pains

Fevers Source: NHS Advertisement

'Before Covid, I was unstoppable, full of energy, just made the most out of every minute of my life,' she recalled.

'I feel so sad that I can't be that energetic mummy she had for the first two years of her life.

'But she's great, she says, "Mummy lie down your legs are poorly" and gets all her doctor Eva things out and she helps me. She's fabulous, but you worry that you miss out on so much.'

Katy says sees 'glimmers of hope' about the future but 'strongly advises' people to get vaccinated against the virus.

'I like to always keep positive and see glimmers of hope; as fast as we're suffering the specialists are learning and it's a very rare situation', she said.

'I have good days and bad days, but more bad days. I would say keeping a positive mindset really helps on your recovery journey.

'I loved my life before this and you do grieve for your old life, but you can't because you've got to accept now and move forward and that is the only way you can help with recovery.'

The ONS surveyed 313,602 people in the four weeks up to July 4. Not everyone who was asked ever tested positive for Covid.

Of those who had Long Covid, 88.4 per cent had symptoms for more than 12 weeks  equating to an estimated 834,000 people in the UK.

Some 64.7 per cent said their symptoms hampered their daily activities.

And around one in five people reported their ability to engaged in daily activities had been 'limited a lot'.

Tiredness was the most commonly reported symptom, with the ONS calculating that 528,000 Brits were suffering from it.

Shortness of breath (388,000), muscle ache (296,000) and a loss of smell (285,000) were the next complained about symptoms.

Self-reported Long Covid was highest in people aged between 35 and 69, with two per cent of that group estimated to have the condition.

Women, people living in deprived areas, healthcare workers and those with underlying conditions were also more likely to report ongoing Covid symptoms.
Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis will have a 'much less royal experience' when their grandfather Prince Charles takes the throne, a royal expert has claimed.

While the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's eldest son Prince George, seven, is destined to one day be king, his younger siblings are highly unlikely to ever be called upon, unless he quit his duties or tragedy struck.

And according to Ingrid Seward, author of Prince Philip Revealed, Prince Charles' plans for a 'slimmed down' monarchy will see Charlotte, six, and Louis, three, have 'even more freedom' and little involvement in the Royal Family - after he 'learned from the mistakes he made with Prince Harry, 36'.

The full details of Charles's plan to limit the number of royals have never been revealed, but it has been speculated that only heirs to the throne and their immediate families will receive full titles, financial support from the public purse through the Sovereign Grant and police protection funded by the taxpayer.

Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis will have a 'much less royal experience' when their grandfather Prince Charles (pictured in July) takes the throne, a royal expert has claimed

Ingrid told Newsweek: 'It is quite possible that [Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis] are not even going to be involved very much.

'When they're growing up their grandfather will be on the throne for a bit and he's talked about this slimmed-down monarchy. I think they will have to be given more freedom.'

She added that Charles, 72, is 'right in the firing line' with Prince Harry, 36, and can 'see the mistakes he made'.

'Harry just did what he wanted basically. So did William up to a point. But I think that Charlotte and Louis will have a very much less royal existence,' Ingrid went on.

While the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's eldest son Prince George, seven, is destined to one day be king, his younger siblings are highly unlikely to ever be called upon, unless he quit his duties or tragedy struck. Pictured: the Cambridge family in April 2020

The royal expert suggested nothing much will change until the Queen, 95, passes away, at which point the the throne will go to her eldest son.

The existing rules for royal titles were established in Letters Patent dated November 20, 1917.

In these, King George V, the Queen's grandfather, allowed the title of Prince and Princess to be given to the children of the sovereign, the children of the sovereign's sons and the eldest living son of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales  in this case, Prince George.

Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis received their titles not by right but as gifts of the Queen, who issued new Letters Patent to that effect in 2013. Similarly, when King, Charles will have the power to change George V's Letters Patent how he sees fit  and so streamline The Firm.

An insider said previously: 'Charles has never made any secret of the fact that he wants a slimmed-down monarchy when he becomes King.

'He realises that the public don't want to pay for a huge Monarchy and, as he said, the balcony at Buckingham Palace would probably collapse.'

According to Ingrid Seward, Prince Charles' plans for a 'slimmed down' monarchy will see Charlotte, six, and Louis, three, have 'even more freedom' and little involvement in the Royal Family - after he 'learned from the mistakes he made with Prince Harry' (pictured with brother William in July)

Even now, not all grandchildren of the Queen are titled Prince or Princess. Because she is a daughter, not a son, of the sovereign, Princess Anne's children had no automatic right to the title but out of choice she also declined lesser titles for her children Peter and Zara.

The Queen's youngest son, Prince Edward, thought it prudent not to name his daughter and son as Princess and Prince. Instead, they are titled Lady and Viscount respectively.

The Prince of Wales and his younger brother Prince Andrew have already been at loggerheads about what security the Duke of York's daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, should receive in future.

Charles has also made it clear that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's son Archie, two, will have no place among frontline royals - a revelation made by royal biographer Robert Lacey in his recently revised book Battle Of The Brothers.

In it, he wrote of the Prince of Wales' plan: 'This was Prince Charles' special crusade. In an age of slimming, the future monarch wanted to slim down the House of Windsor.

Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis (pictured with their mother Kate earlier this year) received their titles not by right but as gifts of the Queen, who issued new Letters Patent to that effect in 2013

'Charles' idea was to reduce the public face of the monarchy to just the sovereign and their consort, plus those children and grandchildren who were directly in the senior bloodline - with no more uncles and cousins to be reckoned up by the dozen, no more aunts.'

He added: 'Charles felt that his brothers Andrew and Edward should step back as part of the slimming process,' - an argument he lost.

The decision to deny Archie his Prince title is believed to have incensed the Sussexes and potentially prompted the series of bitter accusations the couple levelled at him and the Firm from across the Atlantic earlier this year.

A grandchild of the sovereign has long had the right to be a Prince, but Charles is determined to limit the number of key Royals, believing the public does not wish to pay for an ever-expanding Monarchy.

Charles has told the Sussexes that he will change key legal documents to ensure that Archie cannot get the title he would once have inherited by right, according to a source close to the couple.

The decision to deny Archie his Prince title is believed to have incensed the Sussexes and potentially prompted the series of bitter accusations the couple levelled at him and the Firm from across the Atlantic earlier this year

The loss will be all the more galling as the Sussexes have made a point of refusing to use another, lesser title for their son, who is technically the Earl of Dumbarton. They took that decision safe in the knowledge that Archie would become a Prince in due course. Or so they thought.

Earlier this year, a source close to the Sussexes confirmed they did indeed expect Archie to be named a Prince when Charles, Archie's grandfather, acceded to the throne. Their spokesman at the time was even instructed to remind journalists of that 'fact'.

The Sussexes finally learned that would not be the case just before sitting down with Oprah Winfrey for their first bombshell interview in March.

Insiders suggested the issue was still raw at the time of the recording  which might help account for the devastating criticisms they unleashed on the show, including the damaging implication that an unnamed senior member of the Royal Family had referred to Archie in a racist way.

The Sussexes finally learned that would not be the case just before sitting down with Oprah Winfrey for their first bombshell interview in March (pictured)

It also threw a spotlight on one section of the interview which had raised eyebrows at the time. Speaking to Oprah, Meghan recalled how, when she had been pregnant, 'They [the Royal Family] were saying they didn't want him to be a Prince or a Princess'.

She continued: 'You know, the other piece of that convention is, there's a convention  I forget if it was George V or George VI convention  that when you're the grandchild of the monarch, so when Harry's dad becomes King, automatically Archie and our next baby would become Prince or Princess, or whatever they were going to be But also it's not their right to take it away.'

This puzzled Royal watchers, who reminded the Sussexes they had very publicly declared that they didn't want a title for their son, who would be known as Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.

Some pointed out that a son of Prince Harry's  a great-grandchild of the Queen  had no automatic right to be titled a Prince, or receive a security allowance. But that was to ignore the real drama taking place behind the scenes. Because Meghan was actually referring to the secret news that Archie would never become a Prince, not even when Charles was King.

A source said: 'This is what nobody realised from the interview. The real thing was that Charles was going to take active steps to strip Archie of his ultimate birthright.'
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A historic house inspired by the work of iconic Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi hides a spectacular renovation that many are calling the best they've ever seen.

When Mark and Jenelle Tough bought their Federation-style house in Potts Point, 3.5 kilometres east of Sydney CBD, for $2.75million (AUD) in 2012, it bore all the hallmarks of its original early 1900s design - both inside and out.

Nine years later, the traditional facade remains, but behind the front door is a modern masterpiece completed over two years by some of Australia's most highly regarded architects, Fox Johnston and Bennett Murada, and acclaimed interior designer, David Flack.

A historic house inspired by the work of iconic Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi hides a spectacular renovation that many are calling the best they've ever seen

The award-winning renovation, said to have cost in the region of $4million, features a sunken indoor swimming pool, a cavernous wine cellar, two marble bathrooms and a rooftop terrace that offers a glimpse of the Harbour Bridge.

But the centrepiece is undoubtedly the striking Gaudi-inspired staircase, with a handcrafted balustrade that spirals upwards between the four floors.

Born in Reus in the Catalonian part of Spain in 1852. Gaudi became a pioneer of 'art nouveau' or 'modernist' architecture thanks to his intricate works including the famous Basilica de la Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, now one of Europe's most popular tourist destinations.

The centrepiece is undoubtedly the striking Gaudi-inspired staircase, with a handcrafted balustrade that spirals upwards between the four floors

The award-winning renovation, said to have cost in the region of $4million, features a sunken indoor swimming pool (left) and a cavernous wine cellar (right)

The rooftop terrace offers a glimpse of the Harbour Bridge

The four-storey house contains three bedrooms and marble bathrooms with freestanding bathtubs

There are two kitchens - one on the ground floor and a smaller on the roof (pictured)

He was known for his use of curved and fluid lines, bright colours and contrasting textures that mimicked what he saw in nature, concepts seen throughout the Potts Point house.

The house also contains a lavish formal lounge, a luxury kitchen joined to an open-plan dining space, a home office and a double car garage - a rare find in a property so close the centre of the Harbour City.

Listing agent Jason Boon, who is overseeing the sale of the property for real estate agency Richardson and Wrench, called it a 'masterpiece' and the best renovation he has seen in the area.

The house also contains a lavish formal lounge

The house is on the market with a $12million price guide - more than $9million more than the Toughs paid for it nine years ago

Traditional Federation-style houses are hard to come by in Potts Point, one of Sydney's most sought-after waterfront suburbs, so it's likely to be snapped up soon

The house includes a double car garage - a rare find in a property so close to the centre of the Harbour City

The house is on the market with a $12million price guide, according to realestate.com.au, more than $9million more than the Toughs paid for it nine years ago.

Traditional Federation-style houses are hard to come by in Potts Point, one of Sydney's most sought-after waterfront suburbs, so it's likely to be snapped up soon.

Mr Boon is now accepting expressions of interest, with no closing date yet disclosed.
A University of Alabama alumna has lifted the lid on who is really managing all of that sorority money, claiming she had access to millions of dollars and would help throw $80,000 parties when she was just 19 years old.

At the height of Bama Rush TikTok, Christy Sasso, 26, from New Hampshire, stunned viewers when she opened up about the financial responsibility she took on as the vice president of finance at the school's Pi Beta Phi chapter, saying it was 'truly insane.'

'I haven't seen anybody talk about who manages this money. Because if you do some quick math, the dues for the year when I was there were like just under $6,000. There's over 400 girls in the sorority, like 420. That's $2.5 million a year,' she explained in her viral video.

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Managing millions: Christy Sasso, 26, from New Hampshire, stunned TikTok viewers when she opened up about the financial responsibility she took on as a 19-year-old sorority sister

Crazy money: As the vice president of finance at the University of Alabama's Pi Beta Phi chapter (pictured), she said she had 'access to several bank accounts with millions of dollars'

'You would assume like some adult handles all this, but that's where you're wrong. When I was 19 years old, I was given access to several bank accounts with millions of dollars in them.'

Christy said she only had about $200 in her bank account, but she was in charge of paying utility bills, hiring caterers, and collecting W9 forms from vendors while throwing expensive parties.

'Obviously we had "alumni supervision,' she added. 'But I used to literally write checks and be like, "Can you sign this?" and they would be like, "Looks good," and sign it.

'I remember bringing checks to a bar and having the president  who is also my age  sign the check and like that was all we needed.'

Christy said the amount of money the sorority spent was 'just so nonchalant.'

Lots of cash: Christy explained that there were over 400 girls in her sorority and each of them paid nearly $6,000 in dues, which totaled roughly $2.5 million a year

'We would throw an $80,000 party on a Tuesday. Like, not a problem,' she recalled. 'I used to walk around campus with checks for like half a million dollars in my backpack. Like, I'm just bopping around the quad with half a million dollars in my backpack.'

People were blown away by the cost of the sorority's parties, and Christy filmed a follow-up video explaining why they were so expensive.

She said the $80,000 party she spoke of in her first TikTok was in reference to her sorority's annual formal, which is their 'big event.' Normal parties ranged from $30,000 to $40,000 because of the sheer number of attendees.

According to Christy, the 400 plus girls in her sorority chapter were all granted plus-ones to events, meaning they would have over 800 people attend each party.

Sorority guidelines stated they had to provide food and transportation at every event, costs that added up quickly. Every party also had a theme, which required a decor budget as well.

Say what? While a majority of the dues covered the rent on their sorority house and their meals, they also threw massive parties, including an $80,000 formal each year

Paid off! Christy said managing her sorority's money was an invaluable experience that led her to change her major and become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA)

The nearly $6,000 that Christy paid in sorority dues was another source of interest among viewers, and while she agreed that they were required to pay more for Greek Life than students at other schools, she felt it was worth it.

In her most recent video, she detailed why the dues were so much, explaining that they had full-time chefs prepare them breakfast, lunch, and dinner five days a week at the sorority house.

Their individual dues were only about $1,000 more than the cost of a yearly meal plan at the university, which they no longer needed. She said they also had access to tutors and special events such as private movie screenings.

'The majority of the budget goes to pay for the house. The chapters themselves don't actually own the houses,' she said. 'There's a group called House Corporation, and they own the house and we pay them rent.

'So we would just pay them quarterly. I think we paid them a million dollars a year in rent, so that was a big chunk of the budget.'

New trend: UA has had the largest Greek community in the U.S. for the past decade, and this year, #BamaRush went viral on TikTok. Sorority members are pictured on Bid Day in 2014

Rush week: Potential new members shared videos of themselves singing, dancing, and detailing their outfits of the day (#OOTD for short) as millions of TikTokers tuned in

Popular: UA freshman Ella Brooke has become somewhat of a style star on TikTok after showing off her dress 'from a boutique in Georgia' in one of her videos

Christy justified the cost, saying her sorority covered her food and sorority housing, which she would have had to pay for anyway.

She added that managing her sorority's money was an invaluable experience that led her to change her major to accounting and become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

'I accepted a full-time job offer more than a year before I had even graduated,' she said. 'So, yes, this is a very valuable experience to have in college.'

DailyMail.com has reached out to the University of Alabama for comment.

Christy's videos followed last week's explosion of sorority rush videos documenting the recruitment process at the University of Alabama.

In 2020, UA had the largest Greek community in the U.S. for the tenth year in the row, Teen Vogue reported, and this year, rush went viral.

Fan favorites: TikTokers celebrated when best friends Emma Lou and Haylee Golden joined Alpha Delta Pi after taking on rush week together

Feeling the love: Critics used the hashtag #justiceformakayla to defend Makayla Culpepper after she was dropped from every sorority

Potential new members shared videos of themselves singing, dancing, and detailing their outfits of the day (#OOTD for short) as millions of TikTokers tuned in.

The hashtag #bamarush has earned more than 333 million views, and a number of the sorority hopefuls became fan favorites.

UA freshman Ella Brooke has become somewhat of a style star on TikTok after showing off her dress 'from a boutique in Georgia' and her Kendra Scott butterfly necklace in one of her rush week clips.

Fans celebrated when best friends Emma Lou and Haylee Golden joined Alpha Delta Pi after taking on rush week together, and they shared their disappointment after Makayla Culpepper was dropped from every sorority.

Critics used the hashtag #justiceformakayla to defend the college student, who thanked everyone for their support in a recent video.

'Its fine that I didnt get into a sorority,' she said. 'Im going to be better off.'
Australian shoppers can now get their hands on iconic treats from Marks & Spencer for the first time ever.

The upmarket retailer, which is one of the UK's oldest department stores, struck a deal with grocery website British Corner Shop to deliver hundreds of its most popular lollies and snacks to doors anywhere in Australia.

Customers can choose from best-selling products including Percy Pigs, Colin the Caterpillars, Scottish shortbread, M&S jams and marmalades and a range of premium chips.

Australian shoppers can now get their hands on iconic Marks & Spencer treats such as Percy Pigs (left) and chocolate cookies (right) for the first time ever

And the good news is not limited to Australia, with more than 800 products available to order across 150 countries around the world.

The launch comes at a time of great homesickness for millions of expats living Down Under, who are unable to travel home due to the country's international border closure.

British Corner Shop managing director Mark Callaghan says the website is proud to connect iconic British brands with expats in Australia at a time when they cannot visit home without an exemption.

The upmarket retailer struck a deal with grocery website British Corner Shop to deliver hundreds of its most popular lollies and snacks to doors anywhere in Australia

Customers can choose from best-selling products including M&S jams and marmalades

An estimated 1.2 million British immigrants are currently living in Australia while 10.7 million Australian citizens identify themselves has having British heritage.

Mr Callaghan described the new partnership with Marks & Spencer - one of the UK's most historic and iconic retailers - as a 'perfect fit' for both parties.

He added that the news would likely be welcomed by customers from all backgrounds, not only Britain.

Marks & Spencer's best-selling products through the years M&S opened as a market stall in Leeds, UK, in 1884. Over the years their best-selling products have changed significantly. Here are some of their most popular snacks, 1930s: Sandwiches 1960s: Fresh chilled chicken 1970s: Boil-in-the-bag and foil-wrapped convenience foods 1980s: Chicken Kiev 1990s: Percy Pigs and Colin the Caterpillar chocolate cake 2000: Melt in the middle chocolate pots Advertisement

The launch comes at a time of great homesickness for millions of expats living Down Under, who are unable to travel home due to the country's international border closure

Shoppers can place orders via the British Corner Shop website

'Our customers are not just British expats but other nationals who appreciate the quality assurance they get from buying British-made products,' Mr Callaghan said.

'Not only will our expat customers be overjoyed they can now reunite with their most missed M&S foods, but our non-expat customers will no doubt rejoice as well.'

Shoppers can place orders via the British Corner Shop website.
An American expat living in Melbourne has revealed the names he had never heard of before moving to Australia - including Georgia and Lachlan.

Adam Foskey, who hails from Georgia, US, shared a now-viral TikTok video listing the common names he stumbled across Down Under.

'First up, we have the name Georgia which is definitely a name I can get behind because it's the state that I come from,' he said in the video.

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American expat Adam Foskey (pictured) living in Melbourne has revealed the names he had never heard of before moving to Australia - including Georgia and Lachlan

'Next we have the name Rhys, which is specifically spelt like this which is so cool. When I first saw this name after moving here, I had no clue how to pronounce it.'

Another name he mentioned was Lochlan, which can also be spelt as Lachlan or Locklan - or Locky, Lachie or Lachie for short.

'Whatever way it's spelt, I had never heard of Lochlan before. But I can imagine they're someone who's really into sports,' he said.

Finally, there's Callum, or 'Cal for short'.

'I imagine they're a person who's very down the earth and goes with the flow,' Adam added.

Among the common names he stumbled across were Georgia and Lochlan. Pictured left of Australian model Georgia Gibbs and right of former Bachelor star Locklan Gilbert, aka, Locky

His video has since been viewed more than 740,000 times, with some American agreeing with him about the name Georgia.

'I've never met any Georgias in my 23 years of living in the States. But in Australia, it's as common as Sarah and Hannah. I met like four Georgias in my first month of living in Australia so I find that so crazy,' one US woman said.

While another added: 'Georgia is such a common name in Australia.'

However one woman questioned him, asking: 'I'm sorry but no way you haven't heard of Georgia before? That feels like a very American name.'

Other Aussies responded to his video, with one woman joking: 'Every boy in Australia is called either Callum or Lachy/Lachie and that's a fact.'

But another man explained: 'Nah your name is only Lachlan if you were born from 2000 to 2003 before or after that, never heard of again.'

While one woman added: 'I always forget Lachlan is an Australian name because I know so many of them.'
Royal experts have slammed 'resentful' Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's 'disgusting' attempts to 'provoke the Queen' into making a public response to their claims about life in The Firm.

In a new chapter of Finding Freedom featured in People magazine, authors Omid Scobie - a trusted contact of the Sussexes - and Carolyn Durand say the Duke, 36, and Duchess, 40, believe the Queen has failed to act over incendiary allegations of racism made during their explosive Oprah Winfrey interview.

In an extract of the new chapter, Mr Scobie and Ms Durand write: 'The Queen's 'recollections may vary' comment 'did not go unnoticed by the couple, who a close source said were 'not surprised' that full ownership was not taken. 'Months later and little accountability has been taken', a pal of Meghan added. 'How can you move forward with that?''

Speaking on Good Morning Britain, royal expert Victoria Arbiter explained: 'The Queen does not perform on command and she is not going to respond to any attempts at provocation.'

And appearing on TalkRadio, Prince Harry's biographer Angela Levin called the latest allegations 'beyond disgusting', saying: 'I do hope the Queen doesn't listen to a couple like that who only think about themselves and try to make sure they're victims.'

She added: 'This is two people who are so resentful they want to bring down the royal family, and particularly the Queen, who is vulnerable at her age.'

The Queen, 95, will not respond publicly to Prince Harry, 36, and Meghan Markle's, 39, latest 'provocation' because she 'does not perform on command', a royal expert has claimed

Angela said: 'They've said Harry is not willing to move on until this is sorted. Quite frankly, he should have sorted it out himself.

'If his wife is feeling mentally unwell, why didn't he pick up the phone? Why is it the Queen's responsibility?'

Speaking about the suggestion 'no accountability has been taken' by the Queen following the explosive Oprah interview, Angela said: 'This is Meghan speak. It sounds like Meghan speak.

'What I want to say - is that some people, I'm not saying names, get a buzz if they're attacking someone else and if it's dangerous.

'They get a high, their adrenaline goes and they feel they're really powerful and strong. What they are doing now is outrageous.'

Angela added that Prince Harry has 'moved on' from life in the royal family, saying: 'He's written another book, the work is pouring in for him, he managed to say yesterday how he and Meghan were so hurt in all that is going on in this fragile world.

Speaking on Good Morning Britain today, Victoria Arbiter said the Queen believes the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's concerns are 'a personal, private matter'

'He has moved forward so that's a nonsense as well.'

Appearing on Good Morning Britain today, Juliet Dunlop said: 'Previously Harry and Meghan have avoided any direct criticism of the Queen.

'But this latest chapter in this unauthorised biography would certainly suggest they are very unhappy with the Queen and her response to the allegations made by the couple.

'Certainly the source of this unhappiness was the statement the Palace issued following their pretty explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey and the wording of one phrase in particular, "recollections may vary".

'According to sources close to the couple, they were really disappointed by that. They felt it lacked a degree of accountability and questioned how they could move forward.

'She is in Scotland at the moment, holidaying in Balmoral. The palace and the Queen highly unlikely to want to comment any further on this.

Victoria added the monarch is not going to address 'whatever is bothering' Prince Harry and Meghan in a 'public forum' (pictured together in 2018)

'This latest chapter in a story of Harry and Meghan really underlying the rift between the couple, the royal family and the Queen.'

Victoria added: 'The Queen told the public, and she did release a statement following the interview with Oprah, that these matters would be dealt with privately - this is a personal, private family matter.

'She is not going to address whatever is bothering the Sussexes in a public forum.'

During the Oprah interview, the couple - who live in an 11million mansion in California - reeled off a string of allegations, including conversations between Harry and a 'family' member about their then unborn son Archie and what colour his skin might be - and 'what that would mean or look like'.

Meghan also alleged that she was left feeling suicidal after joining the Royal Family, but did not receive help. The Queen responded with a statement 36 hours after the extraordinary interview, saying she was 'saddened by the claims' but that 'some recollections may vary'.

But in an extract of the new chapter, Mr Scobie and Ms Durand say the comment did not go down well.

Buckingham Palace has not issued any update beyond its initial statement on the matter. They said at the time: 'The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan.

'The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. Whilst some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately. Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved family members.'

Mr Scobie also revealed that Harry and Meghan are entering the 'era of visibility' and 'seem to be existing in a different place'.

He said the couple, who have been on parenting leave since the birth of their second child Lilibet Diana on June 4, 'now in the thrive chapter' of their life as they plan to restart more in-person charity work with their Archewell Foundation.

He also told how they are 'really excited' about a busy autumn and winter of public engagements in the US. The author's comments come one day after the Sussexes issued an extraordinary statement in response to the Afghanistan crisis, declaring themselves speechless.

Mr Scobie, who wrote the book alongside Carolyn Durand, told People magazine today: 'They're a couple who do very well in those moments of human interaction.

'They need to be on the ground. They say that the proof is in the pudding, and what we are about to see is that pudding.'

Speaking about how the Sussexes are trying to prioritise their mental health and stay away from 'some of the toxicity' towards them, Mr Scobie said: 'They seem to be existing in a different place, and that place is much healthier.

'Meghan famously spoke about that it was not enough to survive - we are now in the thrive chapter.'

Mr Scobie was referring to Meghan's interview with ITV in October 2019, in which she said: 'I've said for a long time to H - that's what I call him - it's not enough to just survive something, right? That's not the point of life. You've got to thrive, you've got to feel happy.'

It was announced last month that Harry and Meghan's 'heartbreak' following Prince Philip's death will feature in a new epilogue to Finding Freedom.

The section will also recount 'Meghan's emotional healing journey from losing a child to the birth of their daughter' and detail the couple's move to California, according to publisher Harper Collins.

The Duke and Duchess have long denied personally co-operating with Mr Scobie and Ms Durand. But the two writers have boasted of having 'unique access and the participation of those closest to the couple'  which is unlikely to have been given without Harry and Meghan's knowledge or permission.
The Swedish royal family have released adorable pictures of Prince Julian's christening.

Princess Sofia and Prince Carl Philip's third son, Prince Julian of Sweden, stole the show during his christening at Drottningholm Palace Chapel, just outside Stockholm on Saturday.

Born in March and aged just four months, the young royal gave the camera cheeky smile after cheeky smile during the official family portrait, which took place in one of the palace's lavish rooms.

His parents Sofia. 36, and Carl Philip, 42, beamed in the snaps, surrounded by their two eldest sons, Prince Alexander, Duke of Sodermanland, five, and Prince Gabriel, Duke of Dalarna, three.

The Swedish royal family have released the official pictures of Prince Julian's christening which took place near Stockholm on Saturday. Pictured from the left: the godparents in the backrow: Jacob Hoegfeldt, Frida Vesterberg and Patrick Sommerlath, Stina Andersson and Johan Andersson. Front row: Prince Alexander, five, next to Princess Sofia, 36, holding Prince Julian, four months, Prince Carl Philip, 42 and Prince Gabriel, three

The family-of-five looked picture perfect for Julian's big day, with his brothers sporting long hair and playful smiles during the event.

Prince Julian was dressed in the christening gown worn by his father to his own baptism in 1979, with the family heirloom dating back to Prince Gustaf Adolf's christening in 1906.

It's been worn by royal babies ever since, and features elegant lace detailing and ruffled sleeves.

Doting mother Princess Sofia, who held her baby during the ceremony, looked the epitome of glamour in a floral V-neck long puff-sleeve maxi dress by Italian fashion house Etro.

The happy family with Julian, Gabriel and Alexander's grandparents, Erik Hellqvist, Marie Hellqvist, Queen Silvia and Carl XVI Gustaf

Her husband appeared charming in his military uniform. The parents-of-three were also joined at the christening by their eldest sons Prince Alexander and Prince Gabriel.

They looked adorable in matching navy shorts, white shirts and cream blazers while sitting at the front of the chapel.

Among the guests were Carl Philip's parents, King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia, and his siblings and their spouses; Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel, Princess Madeleine and Christopher O'Neill.

The newborn's older cousins were also at the event, including Crown Princess Victoria's children, Princess Estelle, nine, and Prince Oscar, five.

Flanked by his two brothers, Prince Julian delighted the camera with playful smiles in the official pictures of his Christening

They were joined by Princess Madeleine's children, Princess Leonore, seven, Prince Nicolas, six, and Princess Adrienne, three.

Prince Julian's grandfather King Carl Gustaf revealed his name and dukedom at a cabinet meeting at the Royal Palace in Stockholm days after his birth, both of which are touching tributes to royal family members.

Prince Julian is the Duke of Halland, the former duchy of King Carl's beloved uncle Prince Bertil, whose former home Carl and Sofia currently live in with their children.

Meanwhile, Folke is one of the Kings middle names and was the name of the grandson of King Oscar II, who negotiated the release of around 31,000 prisoners from German concentration camps during the Second World War.

Sweden's royal family have stepped out to celebrate the christening of Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia's baby son Prince Julian (pictured)

The glamorous couple, already parents to Prince Alexander, five, and Prince Gabriel, three, added third son Prince Julian (pictured) to their brood on March 26 at Danderyds hospital in Greater Stockholm

Unlike his older brothers, Prince Julian will not receive Royal Highness status after King Gustaf revoked the HRH style from the children of Sofia and Carl in October 2019.

While the children lost their positions in the Royal House and won't be expected to carry out senior royal duties, they will remain in the line of succession.

Prince Julian is the eighth grandchild of King Carl XVI Gustaf. Carl Philip is the only son and second child of Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia.

Surrounded by his family, including Carl Philip's sisters heir-to-the-throne Crown Princess Victoria (pictured with her family) and Princess Madeleine, the little one was christened at Drottningholm Palace Chapel, just outside Stockholm

Sweden's Queen Silvia and King Carl Gustaf (pictured left) leave after the christening ceremony. Pictured right, Princess Madeleine and Princess Adrienne arrive at the event

Sweden's Princess Sofia holds Prince Julian, next to Prince Gabriel, Prince Alexander and Prince Carl Philip after the christening ceremony

His older sister Princess Victoria, 43, is the heir to the Swedish throne and he is currently fifth in the line of succession.

Last month, the members of Sweden's Royal Family were all finally reunited 'after a long time in different places' due to the coronavirus pandemic.

King Carl XVI Gustaf, 75, and Queen Silvia, 77, were joined by their three children and their spouses, as well as their eight grandchildren and pet dogs at Solliden Palace on Oland island, off the southeast coast of Sweden.

A sweet picture of the reunion, taken that month, was shared to the Swedish Royal Family's Instagram account, alongside the caption: 'Together on Oland again! A long-awaited reunion for the King.

'The family, which after a long time in different places, can now once again gather on the "island of the sun and the winds". A continued happy summer is wished to all.'

Sweden's Princess Sofia holds Prince Julian, next to Prince Gabriel, Prince Alexander and Prince Carl Philip after the christening ceremony

Prince Gabriel looks at his little brother Prince Julian, who is held in his mother's arms, during the ceremony

Godparents Jacob Hoegfeldt, Frida Vesterberg and Patrick Sommerlath, Sweden's Princess Sofia holding Prince Julian, Prince Gabriel, Prince Alexander and Prince Carl Philip and Stina Andersson and Johan Andersson pose together

The parents-of-three were also joined at the christening by their eldest sons Prince Alexander and Prince Gabriel (pictured)
A mother who was told she might never have children reveals how she conceived her twin sons several days apart.

Kimberley Tripp, 35, from Brisbane, Australia, who has polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), which can affect fertility, conceived sons Patrick and Leo, now 15 months, in the same week, with one baby conceived through IVF and the other naturally.

The office manager only discovered she was expecting two babies when she went for her six-week scan to check the progress of the IVF embryo, only to be told there was a second embryo, too.

Kimberley says there is no way to know for certain, and she does not want to know, which baby was conceived first. However, she has speculated that Patrick may have been conceived first (whether naturally or through IVF) as he is a little bigger.

Kimberley Tripp thought she may never be able to have children, but babies Patrick (left) and Leo were conceived within the same week due to a medical phenomenon called superfetation. They were born on the same day in March 2020

The proud mother shows off her boys Patrick and Leo. Despite being diagnosed with PCOS aged 15, the Australian said she always held onto the hope that she'd have kids one day

The 35-year-old shows off her pregnant stomach while carrying two her two babies conceived within a week. Kimberley learnt during her first scan that she'd conceived two babies not one

Kimberley, who is married to husband Adrian, 35, said: 'The IVF specialist explained to me that due to all the medication I was taking for the IVF, it must have kick started my fertility. This meant I was able to ovulate and conceive naturally at the same time.

'My husband and I didn't think to use protection during the IVF process, because I don't ovulate - which was the reason for the IVF in the first place. We were so overjoyed to be having twins. I feared I'd never have one baby, let alone two.'

Kimberley explained she has dreamed of being a mother since childhood.

'I wanted to get married and have a family and would have loved at least two children. Growing up with two older brothers, I knew I wanted a big family,' she said.

DOUBLE TROUBLE: After spending thousand on IVF, Kimberley fell pregnant with one baby - only to conceive naturally just a few days later. She says she didn't know this was possible

The babies; Patrick was born first followed by Leo, weighing in at 2.7kg and 1.9kg respectively. Although they were conceived on different days, they are technically considered to be twins because they were born on the same day

Kimberley - who did not realise it was possible to fall pregnant twice within a short timeframe - is now sharing her incredible story to give hope to others who are struggling with fertility

'When I was 15 years old, I was diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), which can make it nearly impossible to have kids. I was told I might never have children, and if I did, I would definitely need help.

'I was devastated to think that I may never had my own family, but part of me thought that I would never give up trying.'

Kimberley and Adrian spent thousands of dollars on four rounds of IVF before one embryo was successfully transferred.

'It was something we thought might never happen,' she said. 'Then at our first ultrasound at six weeks along, we discovered that there was not just one baby, but two. I was in total shock.

According to Kimberley, the IVF specialist explained all the medication she was taking for IVF must have kick started her fertility - leading to the conception of babies Patrick (left) and Leo

Proud parents Adrian and Kimberley Tripp with their two boys. The couple tried to conceive naturally for years before opting for the IVF route

Adrian and Kimberley Tripp (pictured) are 'so happy' after having their two sons Patrick and Leo. The pair spent thousands on IVF in a bid to have a family

'We only transferred one embryo, so I couldn't understand what happened. But my doctor explained one twin was conceived naturally and the other was through IVF.

'We couldn't believe it. I never knew something like that was even possible.'

The phenomenon of a woman becoming pregnant twice during a short period of time is known medically as superfetation - which is when a second, new pregnancy occurs during an initial pregnancy.

Babies born from superfetation are most often considered twins, since they are usually born during the same birth on the same day.

Patrick and Leo were born in March 2020, weighing 2.7kg and 1.9kg, respectively.

The Brisbane-based office manager, who documented her pregnancy by taking photos of her bump, said she had been 'devastated' when told she may be unable to have children

Kimberley says her world is 'now complete' after having her two sons Patrick and Leo, after thinking for many years that she may never become a mothe

The 35-year-old said 'miracles do happen' after conceiving one baby through IVF, and falling pregnant the same week with a second. The two boys (Leo and Patrick) are considered twins

Kimberley is now sharing her incredible story to give hope to others who are struggling with fertility.

She added: 'Patrick was born first and is the bigger twin. He is cheeky, mischievous, very determined and the bossy one.

'Leo is the smaller twin. He is so affectionate and giggly and always smiling, and is the jokester of the two. I never expected this to happen to us and for a long time thought I might never become a mum.

'But miracles do happen, and I now feel like my world is complete. We're so happy.'
A former prisoner who took up painting in prison has revealed how he was inspired to change his life after he saw a painting by William Turner which reminded him of an LSD trip he had as a 13-year-old.

Jack Murton, 63, from London, was in and out of prison from the age of 12 and spent three years in the late 1980s locked up after he was convicted of armed robbery.

Appearing on This Morning today, he said his life felt hopeless until his cellmate showed him The Fighting Temeraire by William Turner and he became obsessed with the painting's colours.

The artist vowed to transform his life, taking up painting while in Blantyre House prison, and now sells his work for between 500-2,000.

He credits the institution with saving his life, saying: 'Without that place, there's a very strong possibility I'd still be banged up or dead.'

Jack Murton, 63, from London, has revealed how he was inspired to change his life after he saw a painting by William Turner which reminded him of an LSD trip he had as a 13-year-old

Appearing on This Morning, he described how he transformed his life when he took up painting while in prison, and now sells his work for up to 2,000

Jack's offences ranged from arson to grievous bodily harm and by the time he was in his late 20s, he said he felt as though he was 'disappearing as a person.'

In 1984 he was jailed for 12 years for an armed robbery of a Securior van and was sent to Maidstone prison.

It was then his interest in art was peaked, with Jack explaining: 'I was sitting in a cell with two friends, older than me and they were getting all these catalogues from Christie's and Sotheby's.

'They were sophisticated guys. One was friends with Lucien Freud.'

His offences ranged from arson to grievous bodily harm and by the time he was in his late 20s, he said he felt as though he was 'disappearing as a person' (pictured in 1999)

He began looking through the catalogues and came across the 'wonderful' painting The Fighting Temeraire by William Turner.

He said: 'I'll be honest with you, the colours reminded me of when I was 13, I took an LSD tablet and saw all these wonderful colours.'

Jack said he 'couldn't get the painting out of his mind' and began looking at other kinds of artwork.

He vowed if he 'ever get out of this place' he would start painting.

The artist said his life felt hopeless until his cellmate showed him The Fighting Temeraire by William Turner and he became obsessed with the painting's colours (pictured)

Jack was taken to Blantyre house in 1988, where he said the ethos was 'You're lucky to be here. What you mustn't do is do nothing. Use your time. Use this place, use us.'

Calling the prison 'remarkable', he said: 'There was very little structure there. The criteria to get there was you weren't kicking off all the time, you were very civilized.'

The inmates weren't locked up at night and were allowed to wonder around the house and have cars, so they could leave the prison for their jobs.

In Blantyre, Jack developed his art skills, first copying others and then composing his own.

His first painting sold to a Tunbridge Wells couple for 130 while in prison, and now his work can fetch up to 2,000

He told Kent Online: 'Every day and every night I used to paint in the art room in there. I fell in love with art.'

His first painting sold to a Tunbridge Wells couple for 130 while in prison, and now his work can fetch up to 2,000.
The royal family have marked World Photography Day by celebrating some of Britain's youngest photographers.

Kate Middleton and Prince Willian, both 39, took to social media to highlight the pictures taken by Hold Still's youngest finalists to mark today's event.

The Duchess, who is a keen amateur photographer, launched the Hold Still initiative during lockdown and asked the public to submit their images which captured the period for a digital exhibition.

She was then joined by a panel of five judges to select the best photos from more than 31,000 submitted for the nation-wide contest and said she was 'overwhelmed' by the response and that it was 'so hard' to whittle the images down to a top 100.

Meanwhile the Queen, 95, also marked the special day by posting several throwback photographs, including one image taken at Balmoral in 1952 as she showed a young Prince Charles and Princess Anne how to use a camera.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have celebrated World Photography Day by sharing snaps taken by the Hold Still Project's youngest finalists. Pictured: a dance lesson at home during lockdown

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge pictured hosting a drive-in cinema screening of Disney's 'Cruella' for Scottish NHS workers at The Palace of Holyroodhouse in May

Three images were shared in a tweet on the Royal Family's official social media page, with the post reading: 'This #WorldPhotographyDay, here are a few moments where The Queen has been pictured behind the lens.'

The snap of Prince Charles and Princess Anne at Balmoral is perhaps particularly poignant given that the monarch is currently holidaying at her Scottish home.

Meanwhile the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were also keen to celebrate the day.

Sharing a tweet on their official page today, they penned: 'Photography has an amazing ability to create a lasting record of what we have all experienced and are experiencing.

The Queen, 95, also marked the special day by posting several throwback photographs (pictured left, and right)

The snap of Prince Charles and Princess Anne at Balmoral is perhaps particularly poignant given that the monarch is currently holidaying at her Scottish home

Three images were shared in a tweet on the Royal Family's official social media page, with the post reading: 'This #WorldPhotographyDay, here are a few moments where The Queen has been pictured behind the lens.'

'Thats why this #WorldPhotographyDay we wanted to celebrate the youth of the #HoldStill2020 photography project and share images from the youngest finalists.'

She continued: 'There is so much talent, creativity and curiosity displayed in each and every one.'

The youngest Hold Still finalist was four-year-old Coni, from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, who took a picture of their mother cutting her partner's hair without them noticing.

Primrose, a 12-year-old from South Brent said photography club was one of her favourite parts of lockdown.

Meanwhile, 17-year-old Marcella took an intimate picture of her mother home-schooling her little brother when schools were closed.

Pictured: Kate Ainger and her partner as she gave him a haircut during lockdown in a portrait that was taken - and edited - by her four-year-old Coni in Cheltenham, Gloucetershire

Teen Primrose, aged 12, from South Brent, in Devon, pictured experimenting with shadows at home during lockdown for her photography club

The couple shared the pictures on both Instagram and Twitter, celebrating the 'talent creativity and curiosity' present in each picture, and the stories they told

Earlier this year, Kate released a new book, Hold Still: A Portrait of Our Nation in 2020, which features 100 final 'poignant and personal' portraits selected from 31,000 entrants. It topped the bestseller list on its first day of release.

The book includes an introduction from Kate, in which she explains why launching Hold Still was so important to her.

She writes: 'When we look back at the COVID-19 pandemic in decades to come, we will think of the challenges we all faced  the loved ones we lost, the extended isolation from our families and friends and the strain placed on our key workers.

Marcela, a 17-year-old from Dagenham, took this heartwarming picture of her mother schooling her brother

'But we will also remember the positives: the incredible acts of kindness, the helpers and heroes who emerged from all walks of life, and how together we adapted to a new normal.

'Through Hold Still, I wanted to use the power of photography to create a lasting record of what we were all experiencing  to capture individuals' stories and document significant moments for families and communities as we lived through the pandemic.'

She goes on: 'For me, the power of the images is in the poignant and personal stories that sit behind them. I was delighted to have the opportunity to speak to some of the photographers and sitters, to hear their stories first-hand - from moments of joy, love and community spirit, to deep sadness, pain, isolation and loss.

'A common theme of those conversations was how lockdown reminded us about the importance of human connection and the huge value we place on the relationships we have with the people around us.

'Although we were physically apart, these images remind us that, as families, communities and as a nation, we need each other more than we had ever realised.'

Over the rainbow. A little girl was photographed with a rainbow - which was used to support the NHS during the pandemic and still resonates today - across her face, called Rainbow reflection, by H. De Klerk, 14, from Hertfordshire

A socially distanced family gathering taken by Roshni Haque in Stoke-on-Trent during Eid celebrations in 2020

She concludes by thanking everyone who took the time to submit an image, adding: 'Your stories are the most crucial part of this project.

'I hope that the final 100 photographs showcase the experiences and emotions borne during this time in history, pay tribute to the awe-inspiring efforts of all who have worked to protect those around them, and provide a space for us to pause and reflect upon this unparalleled period.'

Over the course of the project the Duchess shared a number of her favourite images on the Kensington Royal Instagram page, including a Black Lives Matter protester holding a sign reading: 'Be on the right side of history.'

Another of the snaps was a black and white image showing a man embracing his daughter, while one shows a child kissing their godmother through a window.

Joy, a 15-year-old from Nottingham, took this portrait of her sister, saying she was inspired by the fact she became a opt-in student nurse during the pandemic
Khloe Kardashian is facing fierce backlash for teaming up with the fast-fashion brand Shein, as critics point out that the Chinese retailer has been accused of piracy and mass pollution.

The 37-year-old, who founded the Good American clothing brand, announced her collaboration with Shein on Instagram Wednesday, saying she will be a guest judge on the brand's upcoming Shein X 100K Challenge series.

Posting a glamorous photo of herself, Kardashian wrote: 'I am so excited to have teamed up with @sheinofficial to judge the #SHEINx100Kchallenge. The SHEIN X Designer Incubator Program gives talented fashion designers the ability to design a collection for SHEIN that will be seen by fashionistas all around the world!'

Under fire: Khloe Kardashian, 37, is facing backlash for teaming up with the Chinese fast-fashion brand Shein

Promotion: The reality star announced her partnership with Shein on Instagram Wednesday, saying she'll be a judge on the brand's upcoming Shein X 100K Challenge series

'In order to fully support the SHEIN X designers, SHEIN produces, markets, and promotes the collections!' she added, urging fans to tune into the four-part series when it premieres on the Shein app on Sunday.

Kardashian also offered her 175 million followers a discount code to get 20 percent off Shein's entire site while promoting the partnership.

The brand launched the competition in April as part of its Shein X incubator program, The Business of Fashion reported.

The series will follow 30 budding designers as they compete to win $100,000 and a chance to have their designs sold on the company's website. The winner's looks will also be featured in Shein's upcoming Fall/Winter 2021 virtual fashion show.

Kardashian is one of five celebrity judges, which include designer Christian Siriano, stylist Law Roach, and former J.Crew creative director Jenna Lyons.

Fashion crew: Kardashian is one of five celebrity judges, which include designer Christian Siriano, stylist Law Roach, and former J.Crew creative director Jenna Lyons

How could you? Critics lambasted her for promoting a company that has long been accused of copying other designers and destroying the environment

While the reality star is only serving as a judge on the show, critics lambasted her for promoting a company that has long been accused of copying other designers in its rush to release new products.

'Shein is one of the most unethical fast fashion brands,' one person commented, while another asked: 'Is this a joke???? After Shein knocks off small designers.'

'Lmaoooo Shein supporting designers?!' someone else wrote. 'All they do is rip off small independent designs to make fast fashion.'

Shein  which ships to 220 countries  has had a pandemic-busting year that in June led to it toppling Amazon as the most downloaded shopping app on iOS and Android in the U.S.

The Chinese brand targets social media-savvy Gen Zers with its never-ending rollout of trendy pieces sold for incredibly low prices. A halter top sells for as little as $6 on the site, while a summer dress goes for $15.

Fast fashion: The Chinese brand targets social media-savvy Gen Zers with its never-ending rollout of trendy pieces sold for incredibly low prices

Proof? Elexiay recently accused Shein of copying its sweater. The brand shared a photo of its $330 design (L) next to Shein's remarkably similar version (R), which was being sold for $17

The retailer has long been accused of copying other designers, but many of those who claim to be victims of piracy are small, independent labels without the resources to challenge an international giant.

Last month, Nigerian brand Elexiay called out Shein on Instagram for copying its pink and green hand-crocheted sweater. The company shared a photo of its $330 design next to Shein's remarkably similar version, which was being sold for just $17.

The sweater appears to have been taken down from Shein's site.

Another gripe with Kardashian's critics is that Shein is contributing to mass pollution. Roughly 350,000 tons of clothing are dumped in landfills each year, and some claim fashion is the world's second-biggest polluting industry after fossil fuels.

Many Shein items are made of polyester, a synthetic fabric usually derived from petroleum. When washed, they produce microfiber, which contributes to the huge volumes of plastic pollution in the seas.

'Fashion fashion is bad for the environment  not cute,' one person commented on Kardashian's post about her Shein collaboration.

There were also unfounded criticisms about Shein's labor practices, which have been subject to speculation.

Fashion business: Kardashian founded her Good American clothing brand in 2016 and has seen great success

Moving on: Kardashian has yet to respond to the criticism, and, instead, she posted a throwback photo of herself at the University of Arizona with her old sisters Kim and Kourtney

While there isn't any evidence that the brand employs children or facilitates unsafe working conditions, some have found it suspect that the company hasn't disclosed its workers' wages or hours.

Siriano, Roach, and Lyons have also faced criticism online after they promoted the show on their own social media pages.

While Siriano announced that his team was deleting negative comments, Roach asked his fans to give the show a chance.

'My Tribe please just watch this when it airs and you will see why I choose to do this!!! I promise you will be proud of me,' he wrote.

Lyons said she was also considering taking down negative comments out of respect for the young designers she met.

'The reason I participated  if you are interested  is because the ENTIRE PROCESS was designed to support young designers, and all of the contestants were incredibly talented, passionate, and deserving of a chance at winning 100k,' she explained.

Kardashian, who is no stranger to public backlash, has yet to respond. A few hours after she promoted Shein's new series, she shared a throwback photo of herself at the University of Arizona with her older sisters Kim and Kourtney.
An American man has become a viral sensation for trying and rating British snacks - including beans on toast, Yorkshire tea, Galaxy ripple bars and jacket potatoes.

AJ Slambino, from Atlanta, Georgia first found fame with British TikTok users after trying popular British staple beans on toast and loving it.

Since, he's tried dozens more British treats, and observed the difference between UK and US food racking up more than a million likes in the mean time.

In one clip, he reveals that British KitKats are 'much better' than their American counterparts as they taste 'less chemically' and like they're made with real chocolate.

While in another he says British chocolate is 'out of this world' and that Americans have been missing out on it.

An American man has become a viral sensation for trying and rating British snacks - including beans on toast, Yorkshire tea, Galaxy ripple bars and jacket potatoes. AJ Slambino, from Atlanta, Georgia first found fame with British TikTok users after trying popular British staple beans on toast and loving it (left). Right: AJ is pictured trying Fruit Pastilles

The single dad and self-declared foodie, first went viral for making beans on toast.

He used Heinz baked beans, on a toasted bread which he topped with parmesan cheese.

'Alright, moment of truth,' he says before taking a bite.

'Oh my god, why is that so good,' he adds.

'It's so good. How have we been missing out on that in the United States.

'This is amazing, amazing, so good,' he continues.

However, many British followers said he didn't put enough beans on the bread - and that he should be using cheddar cheese.

On a second attempt of making it and eating it with a knife and fork, he said it taste even better.

AJ also tried a jacket potato with beans and cheese (left) and a Lucozade (right) - both of which he loved

The video now has more than 400,000 views and has spurned dozens more clips.

Clearly inspired by the baked beans, jacket potato with beans and cheese - really really really good. i could eat this

Testing various flavours of chocolate, AJ said he loved Star Bars as they are 'good', 'really chewy' and 'almost like a Milky Way'.

'It tastes way better than any US bar,' he added.

He also tried a Boost Bar, which he said was 'absolutely amazing and better than a Twix'.

'The chocolate is out of this world, everything I eat gets better and better,' he said upon trying the caramel treat.

He also tasted a Kinder Bueno, which caused him to exclaim: 'Wow, wow, this just climbed up my list as one of my favourite things I've tried so far'.

He also tried a Boost Bar, which he said was 'absolutely amazing and better than a Twix' (left). On the savoury side, he also tasted Pickled Onion Monster Munch (right) which he called 'really really good' as well as baked beans on a pizza

After a suggestion from a follower, he also tastes Ferraro Rocher which he said was 'amazing amazing' and 'tasted like love'.

AJ also taste tested chocolate hobnobs which he loved but said were '100 per cent better dipped in tea' and Penguin bars, which he compared to Australian Tim Tams.

Other sweet treats included a Galaxy Ripple which he said was 'not what he expected' and 'really light and fluffy'.

On the savoury side, he also tasted Pickled Onion Monster Munch which he called 'really really good' as well as baked beans on a pizza.

The single dad and podcaster has also tasted popular British drinks, including Lucozade, 'great' Robinson's orange squash, 'pretty good' Iron Bru, and even Yorkshire Tea - which he described as delicious and super refreshing.

However, not even snack venture was successful as he described Wine Gums as 'awful' and 'too chewy' and Terry's Chocolate Orange as 'gross'.

He also tried Fruit Pastilles, which he said were 'way softer' than Wine Gums and that they 'taste way better' as they were filled with 'sugary goodness'.

AJ's least favourite British snack was Branston's Pickle - which he spat out after trying it in a cheese sandwich.
Shoppers are loving a new mac & cheese 'crispbake' from Aldi - complete with a gooey cheese sauce and coated in golden breadcrumbs.

The new product has landed in stores across Australia - and it's the perfect snack or as a side dish that's ready in just 18 minutes.

The crispbakes, which comes in a pack of two for $4.99, are filled with macaroni pasta and cheese, and can be baked in the oven or air fryer until golden and crunchy.

Shoppers are loving a new mac & cheese 'crispbake' from Aldi - complete with a gooey cheese sauce and coated in golden breadcrumbs

Customers who got their hands on crispbakes have been raving about the product on social media, with many declaring: 'These are next level amazing.'

'Got the last packet at my store... Did them in the oven and oh my god yummy,' another said, while another added: 'They are the bomb.'

And one wrote: 'These are so good! I normally don't like mac and cheese but these are something else.'

The crispbakes, which comes in a pack of two for $4.99, are filled with macaroni pasta and cheese, and can be baked in the oven or air fryer until golden and crunchy

Many described the crispbakes as 'delicious' and 'the best things ever' while others said they couldn't get enough of it.

'These were a part of my dinner. I cooked mine for 13 minutes at 185C in the air fryer. They were lovely,' one woman wrote.

Another added: 'Yes got them twice now, did it in the air fryer with some sweet chilli sauce on top - so yum and nice for lunch.'
They concluded mental stimulation as an adult could prevent dementia

Researchers spotted more cases in people who had undemanding tasks at work

A study found lower dementia rates among those with interesting work

Having an interesting job in your forties may slash your risk of getting dementia in old age, a study has suggested.

Researchers claim mental stimulation may stave off the onslaught of the memory-robbing condition by around 18 months.

Academics examined more than 100,000 participants and tracked them for nearly two decades.

They spotted a third fewer cases of dementia among people who had engaging jobs which involved demanding tasks and more control  such as solicitors, doctors and chief executives, compared to adults in 'passive' roles  such as cashiers.

And those who found their own work interesting also had lower levels of proteins in their blood that have been linked with dementia.

Keeping the brain active by challenging yourself regularly likely reduces the risk of dementia by building up its ability to cope with disease, experts say.

Alzheimer's Society estimates 850,000 Brits have dementia  the umbrella term for a group of symptoms caused by damage to the brain, such as memory loss.

Dementia is the second biggest killer in the UK behind heart disease, according to the UK Government agency, the Office for National Statistics.

In the US, around 5million people have the condition. Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia, causing up to 70 per cent of cases.

Dementia is a group of symptoms - like memory loss, problems thinking and feeling confused - that are caused by damage to the brain. It mainly affects over-65s and can also cause difficulty understanding and moving

The researchers found the risk of dementia was highest in people who had the least interesting jobs (purple line), while the rates were lowest in those who had the most interesting jobs (pink lines)

Having someone to talk to could help stave off Alzheimer's in middle-aged people, study claims Suffering from widespread pain has been linked to a heightened risk of dementia and stroke, a study has found. People who regularly experience pain across several areas of their body are 47 per cent more likely to develop Alzheimer's and 29 per cent more likely to have a stroke, researchers said. Scientists from Chongqing Medical University in China drew on data from almost 2,500 Americans who were given physical exams, lab tests and detailed pain assessments between 1990 and 1994. Participants were divided into different groups based on how much pain they experienced during that time. Around one in seven were found to have widespread pain, defined as experiencing pain, aching or stiffness above and below the waist, on both sides of the body, in the skull, the backbone and ribs all at the same time. The participants were then continuously monitored for the signs of cognitive decline or clinical dementia, or a first stroke. Results found people with widespread pain were 43 per cent more likely to have or develop any type of dementia, 47 per cent more likely to have Alzheimer's and 29 per cent more likely to have a stroke compared to those who did not have widespread pain. The researchers said widespread pain may reflect musculoskeletal disorders which affect the joints, bones and muscles. They concluded: 'These findings provide convincing evidence that widespread pain may be a risk factor for all-cause dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and stroke. 'This increased risk is independent of age, sex, multiple sociodemographic factors, and health status and behaviours.' The findings were published in the journal Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine. Advertisement

A plethora of studies have already suggested mental stimulation could prevent or postpone the onset of dementia.

But none found that mentally demanding hobbies, which may include reading, doing puzzles or going to museums, cut the risk.

The new study looked at jobs, which the academic said involved more engagement than hobbies, which often last less than an hour.

It was carried out by researchers from University College London, the University of Helsinki and Johns Hopkins University.

They looked into the cognitive stimulation and dementia risk in 107,896 volunteers, who were regularly quizzed about their job.

Volunteers jobs included interesting roles such as government officers, directors, physicians, dentists and solicitors.

Jobs with low brain stimulation included supermarket cashiers, vehicle drivers and machine operators.

The volunteers  who had an average age of around 45  were tracked for between 14 and 40 years.

Jobs were classed as cognitively stimulating if they included demanding tasks and came with high job control.

Non-stimulating 'passive' occupations included those with low demands and little decision-making power.

Experts spotted 4.8 cases of dementia per 10,000 person years among those with interesting jobs, equating to 0.8 per cent of the group.

Meanwhile, there were 7.3 cases per 10,000 person years among those with boring careers (1.2 per cent).

Among people with jobs that were in the middle of these two categories, there were 6.8 cases per 10,000 person years (1.12 per cent).

The link between how interesting a person's work was and rates of dementia did not change for different genders or ages.

Lead researcher Professor Mika Kivimaki, from UCL, said: 'Our findings support the hypothesis that mental stimulation in adulthood may postpone the onset of dementia.

'The levels of dementia at age 80 seen in people who experienced high levels of mental stimulation was observed at age 78.3 in those who had experienced low mental stimulation.

'This suggests the average delay in disease onset is about one and half years, but there is probably considerable variation in the effect between people.'

The study, published today in the British Medical Journal, also looked at protein levels in the blood among another group of volunteers.

These proteins are thought to stop the brain forming new connections, increasing the risk of dementia.

People with interesting jobs had lower levels of three proteins considered to be tell-tale signs of the condition.

Scientists said it provided 'possible clues' for the underlying biological mechanisms at play.

The researchers noted the study was only observational, meaning it cannot establish cause and that other factors could be at play.

However, they insisted it was large and well-designed, so the findings can be applied to different populations.
Antibody drugs from Regeneron, Eli Lilly and others remained largely unused for months, but have now been adopted to fight the latest surge of COVID-19 brought on by the Indian 'Delta' variant in an effort to keep hospitals from being overwhelmed.

Regeneron Pharmaceutical Inc, predicts that as early as June, less than five percent of high-risk patients were receiving treatment, chief executive Leonard Schlieffer told The Wall Street Journal in an interview.

However, in the last few weeks, that number has increased to 30 percent.

The drugs, which have proved to be effective at preventing hospitalizations, are given to patients free of charge.

The biotech company delivered more than 135,000 drug doses to nationwide healthcare providers just last week, nine times greater from mid-July, according to data shared by the company with The Journal.

The increase in demand is correlated with new waves in cases of the Covid Delta Variant, especially in southern states, where vaccination rates are relatively low, including Florida and Texas.

Doctors are increasingly turning to antibody drugs in a bid to keep hospitals from being overwhelmed by a surge of COVID-19 patients. Pictured: A box and vial of the Regeneron monoclonal antibody is seen at a new COVID-19 treatment site in Florida

Until recently, Eli Lilly said that a revised agreement with the U.S. government for its COVID-19 antibody drug, bamlanivimab, was sold in combination with another therapy

Those two states in particular have dramatically increased its numbers of antibody-drug infusion centers and, in some cases, have allowed high-risk patients to receive treatment without the normally-required consultation from a doctor.

Last week, the Biden administration pledged it would work with state governments to increase access to these drugs, after agreeing to pay $2.63 billion for 1.25 million doses in January of this year.

That's about $2,100 per dose of Regeneron's drug. In July 2020, the U.S. paid $450 million for 300,000 doses.

The adoption of these drugs is also increasing due to greater public awareness and a looser grip on who can qualify for them under the FDA's emergency-use authorizations.

Monoclonal antibodies are molecules produced in a lab that imitate the immune system's antibodies that fight viruses and bacteria like the new Delta variant.

For the sickest patients, there aren't many alternatives as effective as Regeneron's drug, Vicki Brownewell, chief nursing officer at Houston Methodist West Hospital in Texas, told The Journal.

Antibody drugs, if quickly provided after infection, are a way to lower the number of hospitalizations for COVID-19, she said.

'Once a patient is hospitalized with Covid there's very little we can do except support them. There are no magic-bullet drugs that work,' Brownewell told the newspaper.

The FDA authorized the first antibody drugs from Regeneron and Eli Lilly & Co.= in November 2020 for people whose health were likely to develop severe cases.

Former President Donald Trump credited Regeneron for coming up with the first drug last October, but most doctors were slow to use the treatments until now.

Texas has seen it's number of COVID-19 cases rise since Independence Day celebrations on July 4

Florida's number of COVID-19 cases also increased since the beginning of July

Some hospitals struggled with the supply of the drugs as it required patients to go to get infusions or a series of shots before being closely watched for an hour for possible allergic reactions.

Others have been hesitant at reassigning their strained employees from treating ill-health patients to providing drugs to patients with mild cases.

Regeneron's Dr Schleifer said the drugs weren't being given out due to a lack of support from public-health leaders, such as the National Institutes of Health, which didn't recommend them until early this year.

'Without the voice of the NIH endorsing these in a major way, the word just didn't get out there,' he said.

A representative for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, a division of the NIH, said the agency 'has never downplayed the effectiveness of the available monoclonal-antibody COVID-19 treatments in any way.'

In June, the Department of Health and Human Services halted Eli Lilly's supply of the drugs due to its weaker effectiveness against variants.

A Eli Lilly spokeswoman said the interruption is still in effect and that the company is developing a new antibody drug designed to fight most variants of the coronavirus.

Other pharmaceuticals, such as Vir Biotechnology Inc. and GlaxoSmithKline PLC, have released antibody drugs in May, which have been approved by the FDA.

However, the federal government has yet to purchase them.

Emergency room nurses tend to a patient in a hallway at the Houston Methodist hospital in Texas. COVID-19 anti-body drugs would help hospitals reduce the number of COVID-19 patients

A Glaxo spokeswoman told the Journal the drugs are commercially accessible in the E.U. but no deal has been struck for them to be sold in the U.S.

In May, the FDA revised its qualifications for patients who could be considered as high-risk for serious complications of Covid-19, growing the pool of patients doctors can prescribe the medicine to.

The new criteria significantly lowered the threshold for when someone is considered overweight enough to be at high risk. Race or ethnicity can also now be considered a high-risk factor.

As many as 75% of adults in the U.S. could qualify for treatment under the new criteria, said David Wohl, an infectious-diseases doctor at UNC Health in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

'With the criteria expanded, we have so many more people now who are eligible at the same time we're having a surge,' he said.
President Joe Biden said on Thursday that he and First Lady Jill Biden plan on receiving COVID-19 vaccine booster shots when available in September.

At 78 years old, Biden was eligible for the vaccine as early as December 2020, and received his first shot on December 21, he told Good Morning America's George Stephanopoulos.

The third doses will be rolled out starting September 20, and any American who received either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine is eligible for the third shot eight months after receiving the second.

Because Biden received his final dose on on January 11, he will be eligible for a booster when they become available.

Health experts believe booster shots are necessary due to the waning immunity of the vaccines and the ability for the Indian 'Delta' variant to cause breakthrough cases.

President Joe Biden (pictured) said during an interview with Good Morning America on Thursday that he and his wife, Jill, plan to receive vaccine boosters when they become available

Both the President and the first lady will be eligible to received third doses when they roll out on September 20. Pictured: Joe Biden and Jill Biden walk from Marine One as they return from Camp David, July 2021

EXCLUSIVE: When asked by @GStephanopoulos if he and the first lady had received booster shots, Pres. Biden says: Were gonna get the booster shots  We got our shots all the way back in, I think, December. So its past time. https://t.co/NYCZ0NgZH8 pic.twitter.com/WWuXqTdobF  ABC News (@ABC) August 19, 2021

'We're gonna get the booster shots. And it's something that I think - you know, because we got our shots all the way back in I think December,' Biden told Good Morning America.

'So it's past time...Yes, we will get the booster shots.'

The White House announced that booster shots will soon roll out across the United States on Wednesday after studies showed that protection against mild and moderate disease decreased over time.

One study found that vaccines' effectiveness against COVID-19 diagnoses dropped from 96 percent to 80 percent in New York state between May 2021 and July 2021.

Another study found the effectiveness of the shots against infections in nursing home residents was 75 percent. Post-Delta, this had fallen to 53 percent.

'The Delta variant is twice as transmissible as the Alpha variant, it's dangerous, and it continues to spread' Biden said during a news conference on Wednesday,

'Vaccines are the key to stopping it from making progress.'

While the shot's ability to defend a person from contracting the virus decreases over time, fully vaccinated people are still very unlikely to suffer hospitalization or death from COVID-19.

However, White House officials said at the press conference that they have concerns the decline of the vaccines' effectiveness will continue.

Declining efficacy is common among vaccines.

The flu shot is required every year due to how quickly the efficacy declines, and even some longer term vaccines like the tetanus shots require boosters every year.

The new booster shot directives will effect over 150 million Americans who are fully vaccinated with either the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine.

Almost 14 million Americans have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, and they remain in limbo, with no plan for boosters for them in place yet.

While there are no plans yet laid out, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says they plan to eventually approve booster shots for J&J recipients, but cannot yet do so due to a lack of data.

'We...anticipate booster shots will likely be needed for people who received the J&J vaccine,' a joint statement from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and public health experts said on Wednesday.

'Administration of the J&J vaccine did not begin in the U.S. until March 2021, and we expect more data on J&J in the next few weeks. With those data in hand, we will keep the public informed with a timely plan for J&J booster shots as well.'

Nearly 200 million Americans - 60 percent of the population, have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Just over 50 percent of Americans are fully vaccinated.
Data behind the White House's decision to approve COVID-19 vaccine boosters for all Americans show the effectiveness against infection declined over the summer for both the Pfizer-BioNTech and the Moderna shots.

On Wednesday, health officials said adults over age 18 of either vaccine will be eligible to received a third dose eight months after their final shot starting the week of September 20.

Three studies, published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on the same day, looked at nursing homes, hospitals and individuals in New York - the nation's first epicenter of the pandemic.

Researchers found that as the Indian 'Delta' variant became dominant, the vaccines protected against severe disease, hospitalization and death.

However, against mild and moderate cases, the effectiveness of the inoculations fell to as low as 42 percent.

At a press conference held on Wednesday, Biden administration officials said the data had them concerned that the decline of the vaccines' efficacy would only continue - and led to their decision on boosters.

CDC released studies behind the decision to make boosters shots available for those who received two shots of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines starting September 20. Pictured: Joseph Simmons gets vaccinated in New Orleans, Louisiana, August 2021

One study from New York found the shots were 91.7% effective against infection in early May, but fell to 79.8% by late July (left, solid blue line). Effectiveness against hospitalization remained steady at 95.3% over the same time period (right, solid blue line)

The biggest drop in COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness against infection was experienced in the age 18-to-49 age group from 90.6% in early May to 74.6% in late July (dark blue solid line)

'Examining numerous cohorts through the end of July and early August, three points are now very clear,' CDC director Dr Rochelle Walensky said at the press conference.

'First, vaccine-induced protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection begins to decrease over time.

'Second, vaccine effectiveness against severe disease, hospitalization and death remains relatively high. And third, vaccine effectiveness is generally decreased against the Delta variant.'

In one of the study, researchers looked at cases and hospitalizations in New York between May 3 and July 25.

On the week of May 3, the effectiveness of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines was 91.7 percent effective against infection.

Of the 8,087 people who tested positive for the virus that week, 7,387 were unvaccinated and just 700 were fully vaccinated.

Against hospitalization, the vaccines were 95.3 percent effective with just 154 of the 1,632 hospitalized with COVID-19 that week occurring among the fully vaccinated.

However, by the week of July 19, the effectiveness against infection had fallen to 79.8 percent with 2,793 of the 8,293 COVID-19 cases that week occurring among those who had completed their vaccine series.

Declines were seen across all age groups falling from 93.5 percent to 83.4 percent for those age 50 to 64 and from 92.3 percent of 88.9 percent for over-65s.

The biggest drop was experienced in the age 18-to-49 age group 90.6 percent in early May to 74.6 percent in late July.

Effectiveness against hospitalization held steady at 86% between March and July, a third study found (far left) but was lower at 63% among immunocompromised people (second from right)

The study shows that vaccine effectiveness fell as the Delta variant (dark blue) become more prevalent and the Alpha variant became less prevalent (light blue)

Effectiveness against hospitalization remained steady at 95.3 percent, echoing health officials' claims that the shots are highly effective against Covid complications.

For all age groups, hospitalizations remained low over the nearly three-month period.

The researchers note in the study that over this time period, the prevalence of the Delta variant rose from two percent of all new infections to more than 80 percent.

The second analysis looked at nursing home residents before and after Delta became the dominant variant

They found that vaccine effectiveness dropped from 74.7 percent in the pre-Delta era (March to May) to 53.1 percent in the Delta era (June to July).

For the third study, researchers looked at effectiveness of the two vaccines against hospitalization among adults between March and July 2021 at 21 hospital in 18 states.

A total of 1,129 patients received both doses and were then observed for 24 weeks.

Over the study period, vaccine effectiveness stood at 86 percent, including 90 percent among non-immunocompromised patients.

Among those with weakened immune systems, efficacy did fall to 63 percent, which is why the FDA has already approved boosters for this subgroup of patients.

'Our goal has been to determine when that time might come for the COVID-19 vaccines,' Dr Vivek Murthy, U.S. Surgeon General, said during a news conference on Wednesday.

'...Recent data makes clear that protection against mild and moderate disease has decreased over time.

'This is likely due to both waning immunity and the strength of the widespread Delta variant.'
Several parents are pulling their kids out of school due to what they consider to be 'lax' COVID-19 guidelines.

Mothers and fathers in Cobb County, Georgia, say schools are going against mask recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and there is no social distancing in classrooms or cafeterias.

'Every day, there's a chaotic event - entire grades sent home,' Jessica Zeigler, who has decided to remove her three children, including two with health issues, out of public county schools, told CNN.

'Every day seems like a series of terrible decisions that we have to make.'

Another parent, Sara Cavorley, took all of her five kids, including a 13-year-old who fended of leukemia as a younger child, out of school this week.

'I shouldn't have to choose between my children's life and school. That's a no-brainer. I choose my kids,' she said.

Schools have begun reopening in the U.S. with most states leaving it up to local schools to decide whether to require masks. Pictured: A student raises her hand in a classroom at Tussahaw Elementary school in McDonough, Georgia

Pictured: Pro-mask wearing demonstrators stage a protest at the Cobb County School Board Headquarters Thursday

Parents say in the spring, the county school district was taking precautions such as masks, social distancing and plexiglass dividers.

But, after they decided to bring their children to the classroom, school leaders retracting on the protocols.

Parents told CNN they are frustrated, as a result of the county's lack of transparency.

Those who are in favor of masks plan to protest before the Cobb County Board of Education's monthly meeting on Thursday.

To make things worse, the meeting's agenda doesn't mention anything on talks about Covid-19 protocols.

Last week, a demonstration, which took place the day after East Side Elementary's sent its entire fifth-grade class home due to a surge in Covid-19 cases.

'I feel like they're catering to a minority because they're louder and they're meaner and they're not rational,' Amber O'Bot told CNN.

O'Bot said she is considering to keep her 5-year-old at home until next year to start kindergarten unless the county ass more guidelines.

Pictured: Pro-mask and non-mask wearing demonstrators face off at the Cobb County School Board Headquarters in Marietta, Georgia

As of last week, Cobb County disclosed 551 positive results in its schools.

CNN reported that East Cobb Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine informed parents on Tuesday that it had reached a breaking point, with a 'dramatic rise in pediatric infections.'

The practice is cancelling wellness checks in the next couple of weeks to focus on sick children, its letter to parents revealed.

More than 88,000 cases have been reported in Cobb County and 1,144 deaths since the start of the pandemic, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Almost every hospital bed is taken and most intensive care unit are filled up in the Cobb County region, northwest of Atlanta.

Six out of the seven members at Cobb County's school district did not respond to CNN's request for comment, including Superintendent Chris Ragsdale.

However, Vice Chairman David Banks, sent an email to the news network, which began with: 'Are masks useless?'

Like most states in the country, Georgia has seen it's number of COVID-19 cases rise since Independence Day celebrations on July 4 to more than 9,000 per day

'Those pushing the use of masks DO NOT KNOW what they are talking about,' the email said claiming mask don't prevent the virus from spreading.

The email ends with sources mentioned as a 'Summary from official publications of Mask Facts by Emery Leonard-July 23,2020,' along with a 'study' in an online publication that only consist of tweets posted by a Texas entrepreneur in 2020.

According to CNN, one mother confronted Banks about his series of emails, saying he was sharing debunked information.

She described it as 'deeply disturbing, terrifying and embarrassing' that he occupies a job position involving to make decisions concerning her children.

'Nothing has been debunked. This is in your head! Be safe,' Banks replied with no elaboration.

More parents also shared emails sent by Banks citing Emery L. as the main source.

Banks, a retired information technology consultant, attached long-discredited videos from doctors with arguable credentials and makes a series of deplorable false claims.

Parents say they're irked but not surprised by Banks' action.

He has already come under fire before for dubious claims, including labelling COVID-19 as the 'China virus' and telling local media he was against a board resolution on systemic racism.

According to a letter to Superintended Ragsdale and the Cobb County school signed by more than 200 doctors asking the district to re-impose a mask mandate, 493 cases per 100,000 have been recorded on August 13.

Five days later, it was 694 per 100,000, according to the county health department.

COVID-19 cases in Cobb County continued to surge this week due to the Delta variant. The infection rate has peaked to 63 percent as of August 6.'

'It's unabated and it's just rolling along right now,' Dr Janet Memark, District Health Director of Cobb & Douglas Public Health, told CNN.
Anna Durbin (pictured), of Johns Hopkins University, believes the decision to start rolling out boosters next month is not based on any data

Several scientists are arguing against the White House's decision to make COVID-19 vaccine booster shots available to all Americans.

On Wednesday, health officials said that, starting September 20, adults over age 18 who received either Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines will be eligible for the third shot eight months after receiving their second and final dose.

But some experts say this move is a misuse of resources and not based on data.

Dr Anna Durbin, an international Health professor at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, told DailyMail.com she believes the approval was not based in scientific evidence but rather on panic and fear.

She added that some medical professionals themselves may be contributing to panic about breakthrough cases and the Indian 'Delta' variant.

Last week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved vaccine boosters only for immunocompromised Americans.

President Joe Biden told Good Morning America on Thursday morning that 'it's past time' that the booster shots become available for all adults, but not all experts agree.

'I don't think the data indicates that booster shots are needed,' Durbin said.

President Joe Biden (pictured) said that 'it's past time' that the COVID-19 booster shots become available. The While House announced Wednesday that the third shots will begin rolling out on September 20

'Booster shots are not going to stop the spread of Delta. Vaccinating unvaccinated people is going to stop the spread of Delta, and giving booster shots to people in the U.S. is not going to stop the development of new variants around the world.

'They have to vaccinate everyone in the world.'

She believes that resources would be better used distributing some vaccines to other countries outside of the United States.

In America, more than 70 percent of adults have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

There are 18 countries that have vaccinated two percent of their populations or less, including Haiti, only 800 miles away off the coast of Florida.

People remaining unvaccinated in other nations increases the likelihood of more variants emerging, that could eventually cause spikes in cases stateside.

The Delta variant, for example, wrecked havoc in India - where it originated - before making its way across the world and doing the same in the U.S.

Dr Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, even said he fears a vaccine-resistant variant could form in the near future if unmitigated spread of the virus continues.

Some see vaccine boosters as a way to prevent these types of variants from taking hold.

While breakthrough cases became more common in July, the rate of hospitalization remained low, with both being more than 75 percent effective

Durbin also believes that the current crop of vaccines is sufficient, and boosters will not be needed as long as they continue to prevent serious cases of Covid.

'It's important to understand that vaccines are not designed to prevent infection. They're designed to prevent you from getting seriously ill,' she said.

While the efficacy of the vaccines has decreased over time, data show that they are not losing their effectiveness in preventing hospitalizations and deaths, according to data from the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota.

Durbin also has doubts about the Delta variant's ability to cause breakthrough cases.

With the vaccines losing efficacy over time, the highly contagious variant may actually just be taking advantage of arriving in the U.S. months after many Americans received their jabs.

The variant is very contagious, and is just benefitting from people's antibody levels waning over time.

As long as hospitalizations remain low among the vaccinated, according to Durbin, booster shots are not needed.

Panic over the Delta variant has struck the United State's in recent weeks, though, and has had many making rash decisions.

Some medical professionals are even recommending patients to receive unauthorized COVID-19 booster shots, for which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports one million have been distributed.

Durbin thinks the physicians and health experts pushing boosters are playing into this panic, and that they are often just misinformed.

'I think they don't understand the science of vaccines,' Durbin said of some experts pushing booster shots.

'I think it's easier to say, "Yes, give a booster" than it is to try to reassure a person who's very nervous.'

She thinks what ever decision is made regarding boosters should be data-driven, and that the available data just do not seem to back up what officials are doing.
BOOK OF THE WEEK

HOUSE OF JAIPUR

by John Zubrzycki (C Hurst 25, 288 pp)

When it comes to early 20th-century India, the statistics of wealth and pageantry always astonish.

After reading this saga of the upheavals that have rocked the House of Jaipur over the past 100 years, my head is full of 90-strong processions of jewelled elephants, streets lined with 300 emerald-bedecked nobles, palaces with 500 servants, and maharajas arriving at polo grounds bringing 60 ponies, each with its own uniformed groom.

At Mayo College, the elite Indian boarding school attended by Jai Singh, the handsome young Maharaja of Jaipur in the 1930s, one fledgling maharaja arrived for his first term with 200 servants for whom a special village had to be built.

John Zubrzycki has penned a new book exploring the House of Jaipur over the past 100 years. Pictured: Ayesha, Maharani of Jaipur

Jai himself came with an army of servants. Hed been married off to wife number one aged 11 and was allowed a conjugal visit once a fortnight in his final year.

In 1971, the royal family of Jaipur had to deal with the trauma of losing their status, when all titles, privileges and privy purses associated with the princely states were abolished by the 26th Amendment to the Constitution of India.

Disastrous family mismanagement meant they also faced fathers dying intestate, unclear wills, early deaths from alcohol and seething jealousy among multiple wives and children, plus fighting among grandchildren and decades-long legal battles over inheritance and property, some of which are still being fought.

It needs a skilful author to clarify the ugly mess of it all, and John Zubrzycki does an impressive job of it here, building up a memorable picture of a glittering family brought to its knees.

Long before the downfall, into that princely 1930s world came a 12-year-old girl called Ayesha, daughter of the Maharaja of Cooch Behar in the east.

She fell madly in love with Jai after watching him play polo in Calcutta. He proposed to her in 1936. She was 16 and staying at The Dorchester in London; he was in England winning polo matches, flirting with Joan Eyres Monsell, having an affair with Virginia Cherrill (who was still married to Cary Grant), and befriending Louis Mountbatten.

Ayesha escaped her minders and made secret calls to Jai from a phone box in Pont Street.

The royal family of Jaipur had to deal with the trauma of losing their status in 1971, when all titles, privileges and privy purses associated with the princely states were abolished by the 26th Amendment to the Constitution of India. Pictured: The last Maharaja of Jaipur and palace guards

She became Jais wife number three, and spent the first year of marriage in purdah along with his other two wives. She was shocked to find a store room packed with crates of specially imported Evian water for the governesss dogs, but that was nothing compared with Jais fleet of Cadillacs, Bentleys, Buicks and Rolls-Royces.

Ayesha is really the central character of this fascinating book: a woman of great beauty who treasured Indias traditions while also embracing the modern. She smoked and wore slacks instead of a sari, and she and Jai were great friends with Truman Capote, Frank Sinatra and later the Kennedys.

953 Number of windows in Jaipurs Palace of Winds Advertisement

On August 12, 1947, Jai was obliged to sign the Instrument of Accession, handing over control of his states external affairs to the Dominion of India. The more he lost status, the more Jai plunged into the world of polo, pleasure and foreign travel.

He became Indias Ambassador in Spain but was rather lazy. Ayesha entered Indian politics, campaigning from village to village in the heat and dust as a candidate for the anti-Congress Swatantra Party in 1962.

She won by a landslide of 175,000 votes  a majority so vast it got into the Guinness Book of Records.

Jai died in 1970 after falling off his horse on the polo field in Cirencester. Cue a 5 km-long funeral procession in Jaipur.

Ayesha was a terribly lax mother, and that didnt do her and Jais only son Jagat (born 1949) any good. He was sent to Ludgrove and Harrow and became friends with Mick Jagger, Imran Khan and Mark Shand, but he drank and was kicked off a plane for carrying a knife and getting into an altercation with an air hostess. He went straight to the family flat in Cadogan Square, drank too much in a Chelsea pub, got into a fight with locals, was found unconscious the next morning, and died in a coma in hospital aged 47, in 1997. Hed married and divorced a Thai princess called Priya, who would soon enter the murky fray of family disputes.

HOUSE OF JAIPUR by John Zubrzycki (C Hurst 25, 288 pp)

The question was: did Jais estate belong to the whole of his family, or to Bubbles, his eldest son by an earlier wife, alone?

Jais dying intestate caused decades of nightmares for the family. Who was now the Leading Lady  Bubbless wife Padmini, a woman of steely determination who vowed to defend the rights of her daughter and grandchildren, or the dowager Ayesha? Ayesha and Bubbles, whod been close in the 1970s, now found themselves on opposite sides in a bitter family battle for inheritance.

Jagats children Devraj and Lalitya were also horrified to discover that he had left everything he owned not to them but to Ayesha, their grandmother.

Before her death in 2009, Ayesha did sign a settlement dividing everything equally between the three of them.

But to their dismay, they realised that her will lacked detail about exactly what the estate comprised. Even now, the authority of Ayeshas will is being challenged by the district judge in Jaipur, and the ownership of the Jai Mahal Palace is up before Indias Supreme Court.

The moral of the story: declare your assets and dont die intestate.
BOOK OF THE WEEK

THE TURNING POINT

by Robert Douglas-Fairhurst (Cape, 25, 368 pp)

London in 1851: a city of dense and persistent fog, of foul smells and, for a large swathe of its population, of extreme poverty and deprivation.

The capital was also a place that pulsed with energy and opportunity and a growing sense of its own importance.

One topic dominated conversation that year: the opening of the Great Exhibition, masterminded by Prince Albert to highlight Britains dominant position in the industrial world.

Robert Douglas-Fairhurst explores key moments from 1851, including the losses Charles Dickens (pictured) experienced, in a fascinating new book

Through this vibrant, crowded, malodorous city strode Charles Dickens, the most famous writer in the English-speaking world. At 38, he had already written eight hugely successful novels including The Pickwick Papers, Oliver Twist and Nicholas Nickleby, yet for all his professional success, his private life was about to enter choppy waters.

This engrossing book, subtitled The Year That Changed Dickens And The World, shows how, by 1851, Dickens was more than just a novelist. He was also one of the busiest men in London . . . playwright, actor, social campaigner, journalist, editor, philanthropist.

Much of Dickenss boundless energy was inspired by the city. Although he called it vile and would sometimes go to quieter places like Broadstairs, Kent to write, he couldnt bear to be away too long, saying: A day in London sets me up again and starts me.

Dickens was a father of nine in 1851, albeit a rather semi-detached one. His relationship with his shy, sweet-natured wife, Kate, was increasingly shaky. After giving birth to so many children in the space of 13 years she was, hardly surprisingly, permanently exhausted and often depressed.

That spring, the family suffered a double blow. Two weeks after the death of Dickenss father John, their youngest child, eight-month-old Dora, died suddenly after suffering convulsions. Dickens was overwhelmed with grief and worried about breaking the news to his fragile wife, who was undergoing a rest cure in Malvern.

Although he wrote sympathetically and lovingly to Kate, he remarked to a friend that this shock might even do her good: a chilling foreshadowing of his later attempt, when their marriage broke down, to have Kate sent to a lunatic asylum.

Doras death did nothing to slow down Dickenss prodigious work output and, like most Londoners, he was intrigued by the Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations which opened in May in Hyde Park. The huge glass building itself was a source of wonder, the brainchild of Joseph Paxton.

Queen Victoria opened the Great Exhibition (pictured) in London, which was crammed with 133,000 exhibits

The atmosphere before the opening of the Great Exhibition sounds like that of London before the 2012 Olympics  intense excitement, and dread that it would go horribly wrong.

When it was finally opened by Queen Victoria, the Crystal Palace was revealed to be crammed with 133,000 exhibits including the enormous Koh-i-Noor diamond, a steam-powered envelope-making machine, collapsible pianos and a can of boiled mutton, designed to be taken on a polar exhibition.

Dickenss work was also represented, with statues of two of his most famous characters, Oliver Twist and Little Nell from The Old Curiosity Shop, but they couldnt compete with the popularity of the exciting new flushing toilets in the retiring rooms. Eager visitors paid a penny to use them, giving rise to the expression to spend a penny.

Not everyone was entranced by it, including Dickens. He grumbled that I dont say theres nothing in it  theres too much. The future textile designer, 17-year-old William Morris, was so appalled by the vulgarity of it all that he staggered from the building and was sick in the bushes.

THE TURNING POINT by Robert Douglas-Fairhurst (Cape, 25, 368 pp)

But the Great Exhibition was a triumph and crowds poured in from all over Britain. The profits from it went to purchase 87 acres of land in South Kensington on which were built the Victoria and Albert, the Natural History and Science Museums, Imperial College and the Royal Albert Hall. Above all, it was the event that cemented Britains position as the worlds leading industrial economy: the national equivalent of Clark Kent entering a phone booth and exiting as Superman, Douglas-Fairhurst writes drolly.

As it wound down, Dickens was edging towards writing a new book, Bleak House.

With its twisty plot, pointed social commentary and not one but two unreliable narrators, Bleak House was, says Douglas-Fairhurst, the greatest fictional experiment of his career . . . which offered a window onto the future of the novel as whole. It is also one of the earliest examples of a detective story.

The book is full of nuggets. 1851 was the first time young women were recorded wearing trousers (or bloomers)  in Harrogate of all places. It was also the first time terms such as carbohydrate, police state and science fiction were widely used.

Although the author focuses on just one year of the writers life, Charles Dickens comes over as a deeply complex character: warm, generous and compassionate yet also overbearing, pompous and selfish. His life was so crammed with incident that you could argue that almost any year was some sort of turning point for him, but that is a very minor quibble about a splendidly enjoyable book.
Special forces soldiers who faced the sack following the Brereton inquiry into alleged war crimes in Afghanistan have been told they can stay in their jobs.

Thirteen soldiers from the Special Air Service Regiment were sent show cause notices late last year asking why they should not have their employment terminated.

The notices were based solely on supposedly 'credible information' of war crimes contained within the multi-million dollar Brereton report.

All the soldiers were long-serving SAS members - some of them decorated for bravery - and the unproven allegations against them included taking part in unlawful killings.

In another backdown on the response to the Brereton inquiry, those soldiers still in the regiment threatened with termination have now been told no further action will be taken against them.

The move means soldiers recently considered potentially unsuitable for the Australian Defence Force - and according to the Brereton report, possible war criminals - are once again recognised as fit to serve their country.

One of those whose termination was withdrawn is understood to have been deployed this week to help evacuate Australians from Kabul as it falls to the Taliban.

Special forces soldiers who faced the sack following the Brereton inquiry into alleged war crimes in Afghanistan have been told they can stay in their jobs. Special Operations Task Group soldiers are pictured mission in northern Kandahar province in 2013

One of the SAS soldiers whose termination was withdrawn is understood to have been deployed this week to help evacuate Australians from Kabul as it falls to the Taliban. Pictured is an Australian rescue flight out of Kabul on Wednesday

Following the withdrawal of United States troops after 20 years of war, the Taliban has in recent weeks re-taken most of Afghanistan, including the capital Kabul. The first Australian evacuation flight out of Kabul on Wednesday is pictured

A source close to some of the SAS members who were informed they no longer had to justify their continued employment said the show cause notices had been another 'knee-jerk' response by Defence.

A decision to revoke a unit citation awarded to 3,000 special forces members, including those killed in action, has already been reversed by the federal government.

'The reality is our defence force can't possibly consider these people to be war criminals because otherwise you wouldn't arm them with a weapon and send them back in,' the SAS source said.

The decision comes as questions are being raised about the military hierarchy's handling of Australia's withdrawal of Afghanistan and a royal commission into shockingly high rates of veteran suicides has been announced.

The show cause notices threatened imminent 'administrative action' and were issued in November after the release earlier that month of the Brereton report.

'Usually, once you've been issued with a notice to show cause it doesn't really matter what you say in response, you just get terminated,' the SAS source said.

At least 13 soldiers from the SAS were sent show cause notices late last year asking why they should not be sanctioned or have their employment terminated. An Australian soldier from the Special Operations Task Group is pictured during the Shah Wali Kot offensive in May 2013

Members of the SAS Regiment's 2 Squadron pose for a photograph at their Tarin Kowt base at the end of their 2009 deployment to Afghanistan. Chief of the Defence Force General Angus Campbell said 2 Squadron would be disbanded but that has not formally been done

NSW Supreme Court judge Paul Brereton conducted a four-year inquiry into alleged war crimes in Afghanistan for the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force.

No one has been charged with any war crimes, prosecutions are unlikely for years and much of the evidence given before Justice Brereton would not be admissible in court.

Retired major Heston Russell, who served in Afghanistan with the 2nd Commando Regiment, has warned former colleagues were struggling with ongoing uncertainty in the wake of the Brereton report.

'Some of the families have been involved with this inquiry since it started four years ago and still haven't had any resolution,' he told Network Seven in February.

More than 500 Afghanistan war veterans have taken their lives and 25 reportedly committed suicide in only two months after the release of the Brereton report.

Justice Brereton found 'credible information' that 25 Australian special forces personnel had been responsible for 39 unlawful killings in Afghanistan, along with cover-ups and other misconduct.

Those killings including cases where new SAS patrol members were allegedly told to shoot a prisoner to achieve their first kill in an 'appalling practice' known as 'blooding'.

The ABC Four Corners program aired footage in 2020 of this Afghan man being shot dead by an Australian SAS member in the village of Deh Jawz-e Hasanza. Daily Mail understands the Afghan was a Taliban target on the Coalition Forces Joint Priority Effects List

The 465-page, heavily-redacted Brereton report blamed the alleged killings of unarmed Afghans by Australians in part on a 'warrior' culture among special forces soldiers

There was also evidence of 'body count competitions' and troops covering up unlawful killings by staging skirmishes, planting weapons and retrospectively adding names to lists of Taliban targets, Justice Brereton found.

The heavily-redacted 465-page Brereton report blamed the alleged killings in part on a 'warrior' culture among special forces soldiers.

Key findings from the Brereton report: Special forces were responsible for 39 unlawful killings, most were prisoners, and were deliberately covered up. Thirty-nine Afghans were allegedly unlawfully killed in 23 incidents, either by special forces or at the instruction of special forces. None of the alleged killings took place in the heat of battle. All the alleged killings occurred in circumstances which, if accepted by a jury, would constitute the war crime of murder. There have been 25 alleged perpetrators identified either as principals or accessories. Some are still serving in the ADF. Advertisement

Australian Defence Force chief Angus Campbell said some SAS patrols had 'taken the law into their own hands', adding that 'rules were broken, stories concocted, lies told and prisoners killed'.

General Campbell said 'none of the alleged unlawful killings were described as being in the heat of battle.'

One of the killings was labelled in the report as 'possibly the most disgraceful episode in Australia's military history' but details were completely redacted.

General Campbell apologised for any unlawful killings of prisoners, farmers and other civilians, adding the troops allegedly involved had left a 'stain' on Australia.

'To the people of Afghanistan on behalf of the Australian Defence Force I sincerely and unreservedly apologise for any wrongdoing by Australian soldiers,' he said.

'And to the people of Australia, I am sincerely sorry for any wrongdoing by members of the Australian Defence Force.'

General Campbell went on to outline how the 'self-centred warrior culture' had led to 'cutting corners, ignoring and bending rules'.

The Brereton report suggested 19 serving or former soldiers could face prosecution for war crimes and the findings were being reviewed by a special investigator for the Australian Federal Police.

The Chief of Army, Lieutenant General Rick Burr, subsequently said Defence officials had begun a process that could lead to the sacking of 13 SAS soldiers.

It is understood most of those 13 soldiers were among the 19 who Justice Brereton recommended for prosecution.

The soldiers issued show cause notices were mostly from the SAS Regiment's 2 Squadron, with a smaller number from 3 Squadron.

Some were identified by Justice Brereton as being 'trigger pullers' in unlawful killings, or accessories in alleged murders carried out by other SAS members.

Some were accused of giving false evidence to the Brereton inquiry investigators.

Despite all the claims of war crimes against the soldiers, their versions of events have ultimately been preferred over what was found in the Brereton report.

Witnesses who appeared before the inquiry were compelled to answer questions, even if they incriminated themselves, and were forbidden from discussing their evidence with their comrades.

Information obtained by the inquiry under compulsion and any evidence derived from it will be inadmissible in any criminal proceedings against those individuals.

Billionaire Seven West Media chairman Kerry Stokes offered to bankroll the legal costs of all special forces soldiers accused of war crimes and misconduct.

More than 500 Afghanistan war veterans have taken their lives and 25 reportedly committed suicide in only two months after the release of the Brereton report. Stock image of Australian soldiers

In January, the SAS members who were subject to adverse findings by Justice Brereton provided written responses to the show cause notices through their lawyers.

In March, some of the soldiers were told they would have medical discharges approved rather than have their employment terminated.

Others heard nothing more until several weeks ago when they were told no further action would be taken against them.

The SAS source said soldiers had been condemned without proper evidence and Defence was now backtracking on their decision to sack them.

'They were so quick to announce their action against these "potential war criminals" but they haven't been quick to announce their inaction.'

Serving and former SAS members feel the entire regiment is being punished for unproven allegations against a few of their number.

They complain that non-commissioned officers such as sergeants and corporals are being singled out for blame rather than those further up the chain of the command.

No action has been taken against any of the senior members of the ADF responsible for overseeing the work of the Special Operations Task Group in Afghanistan.

A number of those whose show cause notices were revoked were leaving the regiment anyway after becoming disgruntled by their treatment, the source said.

General Campbell announced in November that 2 Squadron would be disbanded but Daily Mail Australia understands that in the interim rather than taking formal action all its members have been moved out to other squadrons.

General Campbell had also said the Meritorious Unit Citation awarded to about 3,000 members of the Special Operations Task Group who served in Afghanistan between 2007 and 2013 would be revoked.

Defence Minister Peter Dutton overturned that decision in April, saying only those soldiers who had a formal finding of inappropriate behaviour made against them would lose their citation.

More than 26,000 Australian personnel served in Afghanistan between 2001 and 2014 and 41 were killed.

Following the withdrawal of United States troops after 20 years of war, the Taliban has in recent weeks re-taken most of Afghanistan, including the capital Kabul.

Defence has been contacted for comment.

Any serving or former member of the Australian Defence Force or their families in distress can contact the Defence All-Hours Support Line on 1800 628 036.

Defence Family Helpline: 1800 624 608. Open Arms - Veterans & Families Counselling: 1800 011 046. A list of welfare support services is available here.


It styles itself as a sparkling boutique resort for the privileged and perceptive.

But after Dominic Raab admitted being caught off-guard by the Taliban rampage, the luxury Crete hotel where he apparently stayed last week may wish to rethink the final word of its boast.

Mr Raab was spotted on Sunday at the five-star Amirandes Hotel, just before he jetted back into Britain to help deal with what has been described as the biggest foreign policy disaster since Suez.

The Foreign Secretary yesterday conceded he would not have left the UK had he known what would unfold in Afghanistan.

Mr Raab (pictured) was spotted on Sunday at the five-star Amirandes Hotel in Crete

But he insisted that he did not spend all day lounging on the beach as militants swept through Kabul.

He said that he took part in a series of meetings from his hotel and only went outside to see his family episodically.

The Amirandes, which is situated on its own private beach, says it has a first-class dining scene and one of the biggest pools youll ever see  and is said to be inspired by the palaces of Minoan kings.

The Amirandes is situated on its own private beach in Crete

The hotel claims it has a first-class dining scene and one of the biggest pools youll ever see

Mr Raab told Sky News that he returned as soon as the situation deteriorated and demanded it, adding: Everyone was caught off-guard by the pace, scale of the Taliban takeover.

The Mail revealed yesterday that he only got a flight back late on Sunday, arriving at Gatwick looking stressed at 1.40am on Monday.
Prince Andrew has been offered $100 million to take a live televised lie detector test about the child sex abuse allegations leveled against him.

New York Times bestselling author and documentary filmmaker Ian Halperin has made the offer to the embattled 61-year-old royal, who was sued by Virginia Roberts Giuffre this month alleging he sexually abused her at least three times when she was 17.

In her civil lawsuit, Giuffre claims she was a victim of late billionaire pedophile Jeffrey Epstein and that he introduced her to the Duke of York.

In an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com, Halperin said his staggering live TV offer is backed by an investment group and several media companies, and would deliver on the payout for the prince whether he passed the test or not.

Prince Andrew has been offered $100 million by Canadian filmmaker Ian Halperin to take a live televised lie detector test about child sex abuse allegations, DailyMail.com can reveal

Halperin, author of the book Controversy: Sex, Lies and Dirty Money By The World's Powerful Elite, in which he described Andrew's controversial friendship with Epstein.

Halperin says he is the only journalist to have interviewed the late pedophile in depth and Epstein told him he was very close to Prince Andrew. He said they were like 'brothers'.

Halperin says the proposed polygraph test would give the prince a chance to clear his name.

The Canadian producer says that Giuffre has offered to also take a lie detector test for free to 'prove her truth' should Andrew not accept the sensational deal.

Halperin says that Andrew would be part of the 'biggest ever pay per view' event, taking home $2.2 million per 60 seconds for a 45 minute appearance.

The TV interview would see Andrew, connected to a lie detector, answer questions posed by Halperin about his relations with late convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, interactions with Giuffre and others within Epstein's circle, including alleged madam Ghislaine Maxwell.

The event would be Andrew's first on-camera probe over the legal case, following his disastrous BBC Newsnight interview with presenter Emily Maitlis in November 2019.

'It will be a pay per view event, hopefully the biggest pay per view in history, where Andrew gets $100million for just turning up and taking the test,' Halperin said.

'If he is as innocent as he says he is, he passes and it clears his name. It is a great way for him to vindicate himself in 45 minutes.

'So it is a win-win for him and he would be able to make a donation to victims of child sex trafficking. It would make him look great. If he is hiding nothing then he should do it.

'Nobody has ever made that amount of money for 45 minutes work,' he added. 'And we will provide him with hair and make-up!'

Halperin has made movies and documentaries in the past using certified polygraph tests to try to establish the credibility of witnesses.

'I have specialized in doing broadcast polygraphs for years, working with some of the world's leading polygraph examiners,' he said.

'I am open-minded about the result. I leave the door open for him to clear his name. I am bypassing this 'he says, she says' and cutting to the chase. A polygraph test will be 99.999 per cent accurate. I want to give him the best shot possible to clear his name and make it worthwhile  pass or fail. I am giving him a chance in front of the whole world to clear his name once and for all.'

Virginia Giuffre claims she was a victim of late billionaire pedophile Jeffrey Epstein and that he introduced her to the Duke of York. Pictured are a 17-year-old Giuffre with Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein's alleged madam Ghislaine Maxwell

Halperin says that Giuffre reached out to him too, offering to take the test for a TV special

The American Polygraph Association, the industry body dedicated to the use of evidence-based scientific methods for credibility assessment, has estimated the accuracy of the polygraph to be 87%.

A 2003 National Academy of Sciences study of the lie detector tests found them to be less accurate, with some scientists estimating 75%.

Halperin says that Giuffre reached out to him too, offering to take the test for a TV special.

'Roberts said 'If he does not do it I will do it for free.' I have it in writing.

'My team is intent on moving forward. We will position this as the most important polygraph ever.

'I am giving him this last chance. Once it hits the courts and he is in the dock and stuff is flying about, he is toast.

'If he does this test and passes,' Halperin claims, 'it is admissible in court. There is nothing she can do. I have the answer for Prince Andrew. Rather than spending $50million on lawyers, with this offer he is making money rather than spending it.

'I have the best recipe for him; $100m is a great deal for him. And if he really cares about the monarchy and his name, there is no other way to clear his name. Why the hell would he not do this?'

Despite Halperin's confidence that his proposed lie detector test could affect Giuffre's New York federal lawsuit against the prince, generally polygraph results are inadmissible as evidence in federal courts. But they are admissible in civil courts at the discretion of the judge.

The TV interview would see Andrew, connected to a lie detector, answer questions posed by Halperin about his relations with late convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, interactions with Giuffre and others within the circles of Epstein's alleged madam Ghislaine Maxwell

Halperin told DailyMail.com that he would welcome the Duke's ex-wife Sarah Ferguson to join him too for the test. 'Fergie took money from Epstein and I am offering her $12million if she takes a polygraph too. She knows a lot,' he said

Halperin says he would welcome the Duke's ex-wife Sarah Ferguson to join him too for the test.

'Fergie took money from Epstein and I am offering her $12million if she takes a polygraph too. She knows a lot. We'd ask what her relationship with Epstein was like, and why she met with him as he was a convicted sex offender.'

Ferguson admitted in 2017 to letting the convicted pedophile pay off a $24,000 debt to her personal assistant, and publicly apologized in a letter to London's Evening Standard newspaper.

'I abhor pedophilia and any sexual abuse of children and know that this was a gigantic error of judgment on my behalf,' she wrote. 'I am just so contrite I cannot say. Whenever I can, I will repay the money and will have nothing ever to do with Jeffrey Epstein ever again.'

Halperin claims the capital for his offer was raised from 'an investment group' who have backed his work over recent years.

'One of the guys is a multi-millionaire, whose daughter was raped aged 14. He believes Andrew is guilty and is intent on putting up the money. Since then I have had interest from media outlets saying if you can get him to do it, we will do a pay per view event. The money is not an issue. The money we have. It is now a case of getting him to the table.'

Halperin highlighted Andrew's controversial friendship with Epstein in his recent book, Controversy: Sex Lies And Dirty Money.

He says he is the only journalist to have interviewed the late pedophile in depth, and describes him as a 'sociopath'.

'What he said was unreal,' the documentary producer said. 'He said he wished he would have lived a hundred years ago, because there were no laws and he could have dated 12-year-olds. Absolutely he said those words. And he went much further.

'He did tell me he was very close to Prince Andrew. He said they were like 'brothers'. He said that Andrew was his 'main man'. I never really understood what he meant until much later.

'Andrew was his conduit to credibility getting all these rich people and celebrities in his camp.

'I am not saying he is guilty, but I do have new people in the book, who come out against him and make accusations,' he told DailyMail.com.

'It is obvious the truth hurts and that is why they are having a problem with it. I leave the door open in the book even though new victims came forward. I leave the door open to clear his name, and he has refused.'

Halperin said he believes that Giuffre filing a lawsuit against Andrew shook the Royal household to its core, drawing international attention back to Andrew and away from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's row with the family

'When Oprah did the interview with Meghan and Harry, Buckingham Palace was popping champagne. I kid you not,' Halperin said. 'It was the biggest misdirection event since Houdini. They made Meghan a scapegoat and she did not know she was being played'

Halperin said he believes that Giuffre filing a lawsuit against Andrew shook the Royal household to its core, drawing international attention back to Andrew and away from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's row with the family.

The bombastic author claims he has an insight into the family through 'well-placed sources', and even lived with a member of royal family household staff.

'When Oprah did the interview with Meghan and Harry, Buckingham Palace was popping champagne. I kid you not,' he said.

'It was the biggest misdirection event since Houdini. They made Meghan a scapegoat and she did not know she was being played.

'They wanted Meghan in the spotlight to let her complain, because the Andrew allegations could potentially take down Buckingham Palace and the monarchy if proven true.

'Charles is really furious behind the scenes with Andrew.

Halperin says that his legal team have urged him to keep quiet about its dealings with Andrew and palace staff directly.

'I am not allowed to comment on the communication I have had with them, because my lawyer has advised me not to.'
Record numbers of children and young people are waiting for treatment for eating disorders amid the coronavirus pandemic, official figures show.

There were 207 under-19s in England waiting for 'urgent' care for conditions such as bulimia and anorexia by the end of June.

It is the highest number since NHS records began in 2016 and more than triple the amount at the same time last year.

Nearly a third (31 per cent) had been waiting for up to three months for care, while a smaller proportion (11 per cent) has been waiting even longer.

A further 1,832 young Britons were on waiting lists for routine care for eating disorders by June, up from just 441 a year ago and the most ever.

Experts warned the pandemic and lockdowns had fuelled a rise in the conditions, by disrupting their schooling and social lives.

It comes amid growing evidence that the Covid crisis has triggered a silent mental health epidemic, particularly in the young.

Separate data last month showed twice as many children and young adults were referred to mental health services in England last year as cases hit a record high.

Record numbers of children and young people are waiting for treatment for eating disorders. There were 207 under-19s in England waiting for 'urgent' care for conditions including bulimia and anorexia by the end of June - the highest number since records began in 2016 and more than triple the amount at the same time last year (shown)

The Government has committed to treating 95 per cent of under-19s within one week for urgent cases and within four weeks for routine cases by the end of this year.

Yet the NHS England data shows that just 60 per cent of youngsters with eating disorders are currently being seen in that time, down from 87 per cent last June.

The Royal College of Psychiatrists said services were struggling to provide timely treatment for youngsters with eating disorders due to 'overwhelming' demand.

Limited capacity due to social distancing is said to be partly to blame, as well as reduced services during lockdowns.

Dr Agnes Ayton, chair of its faculty of eating disorders psychiatry, added: 'The pandemic has had a huge impact on children and young people with disruption to their schooling, social lives and home lives.

Mental health referrals spiked by a fifth during lockdowns Mental health referrals in the UK have spiked by nearly a fifth on the back of the coronavirus crisis, analysis suggests. Around 300,000 Britons were recommended for treatment in March this year, a rise of 18 per cent compared to February 2020 - a month before the first lockdown. Referrals more than doubled in hardest-hit areas in England, including Leeds, Redbridge and Greater Preston, according to the analysis by the BBC. Urgent referrals to crisis care teams - which include suicidal patients - have also risen 15 per cent in the same time period, nationally. However, the impact of the pandemic on mental health referrals in England seems less clear when looking at the entire year. There were roughly 3million in the 12 months to March 2021, about the same as the previous year. Charities fear patients have suffered in silence and put off coming forward for care during the pandemic, and warn there could be huge increases in referrals to come. Despite the spike in referrals this March, the number of patients actually receiving care was 9 per cent below pre-pandemic levels. Limited capacity due to social distancing is said to be partly to blame, as well as reduced services during lockdowns. One suicidal mother who tried to take her own life last spring said she felt 'abandoned' by the NHS when it shut down services to focus on Covid in the first wave. Advertisement

'Many young people have not received support early enough, causing their eating disorders to become much worse and harder to treat.

'Delays to treatment can put lives at risk. Services are struggling with soaring demand, fewer beds because of social distancing, and an ongoing shortage of specialist doctors.'

An estimated 1.25 million people have an eating disorder in the UK, with other behaviours including binge eating, purging and excessive fasting or exercising.

The NHS England figures also show that while the number of patients waiting for care has reached record levels, more are being treated than ever before.

The number of patients starting urgent eating disorder treatment between April and June was 852, compared to 328 during the same period of 2020.

But the proportion of children and young people starting urgent treatment within one week fell to 61 per cent, down from a record high of 88 per cent in the same period last year.

The number of children and young people starting routine treatment for eating disorders rose to its highest level on record at 2,600 between April and June, compared to 1,347 during the same period in 2020.

And while 73 per cent of patients started routine treatment within four weeks between April and June, this was down from 87 per cent in the same period of 2020.

Dr Ayton added: 'The Government made an ambitious commitment on waiting times, but the pandemic has set us back years.

'Urgent action is needed to ensure children and young people with eating disorders get the help they need, when they need it.'

NHS England said the health service is treating more children and young people with eating disorders than ever and during the pandemic the data has shown a surge in demand.

Community eating disorder services over the last year have continued to offer treatment using remote ways working to deliver individual and family interventions alongside face-to-face appointments, it added.

Claire Murdoch, national director for mental health in England, said: 'The pandemic has taken its toll on the country's mental health and staff have responded rapidly to treat children and young people with eating disorders.

'Thanks to additional funding of 79 million this year on top of dedicated services already rolled out in every part of the country, the NHS has treated more people with an eating disorder than ever before.'
Double-jabbed people who catch the Indian variant are just as likely to develop symptoms and spread Covid as the unvaccinated, a major study has found.

The Oxford University research suggests herd immunity is 'unachievable' because vaccines do not significantly reduce transmission of the virus.

Although fully vaccinated people are significantly less likely to be infected, those who do get Covid have a similar peak 'viral load' as the unvaccinated.

This means infected people 'shed' the same amount of virus when they cough or sneeze, regardless of whether or not they have been jabbed.

Experts said the findings strengthened the argument for a 'booster' Covid jab programme this autumn. However, the study stressed that two doses remain remarkably effective at preventing death and hospitalisation.

And even though the viral load may peak at similar levels in the vaccinated and unvaccinated, scientists say it's possible jabbed people clear the infection quicker.

It follows similar findings by Public Health England and the US' Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which earlier this month released figures showing unvaccinated and double-jabbed have very similar viral loads.

The Oxford study, based on data from 700,000 Britons, is the largest yet to evaluate vaccine effectiveness against the Delta variant, which has been dominant in the UK since May.

Researchers concluded two doses reduce the chance of getting Covid by about 82 per cent for Pfizer and 67 per cent for AstraZeneca.

Although Pfizer initially has greater effectiveness against Delta, this declines more quickly and after four to five months both vaccines offer similar levels of protection, the researchers claimed. They did not say what level of protection this amounted to.

The study found that people who catch the Indian variant are just as likely to develop symptoms and spread Covid as the unvaccinated. But those who are doubled jabbed are still significantly less likely to catch it in the first place. The chart above shows how Pfizer's (in red) reduces the risk by about 80 per cent - shown as an odds ratio of 0.2 - and AstraZeneca's cuts the risk by more than 65 per cent, shown as an odds ratio of around 0.4

The risk of catching the virus is broken down by age group and vaccine type, with red and green showing Pfizer and blue and purple representing AstraZeneca. Note: The figures will be slightly skewed by the fact Astrazeneca's jab has not been given to adults under 40 because of blood clot fears. The charts show the vaccines work better on younger people than older people

Marko Maric, aged 27, receives a Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at an NHS Vaccination Clinic at Tottenham Hotspur's stadium in north London

Pfizer's vaccine had 84 per cent effectiveness against symptomatic infection two weeks after the second dose, compared with Oxford-AstraZeneca's 71 per cent.

Over time, however, Pfizer's efficacy dropped and both jabs provided largely the same level of effectiveness against illness.

The vaccines work better on younger people than older people. People who were vaccinated after previously being infected also have extra protection.

The study was based on more than 3 million swab tests of 700,000 people conducted as part of the Office for National Statistics Covid-19 survey.

It looked at people's vaccination status, their 'viral load' and any reported symptoms.

Researchers used cycle threshold (Ct) scores, which attempt to quantify viral load  the amount of virus someone is infected with.

Infected people with lower viral loads are less likely to become ill and spread the virus, multiple studies have shown.

The Ct value represents the number of times a Covid sample has to be amplified before it is spotted by laboratory PCR tests.

A low score represents a high viral load because it was spotted easily. But Ct values can vary over the course of infection and a single figure may not provide the most accurate picture.

The researchers compared results from December 2020 to May 2021, when the Alpha variant was dominant, with those from May to August 2021, after the Indian variant drove a summer wave.

The Delta variant has blunted the efficacy of vaccines as fully vaccinated people who do get Covid now have a similar peak 'viral load' as the unvaccinated.

UK's Covid cases rise again to 33,904 after 15% week-on-week jump Britain's daily Covid cases are not showing any signs of slowing down yet, official figures suggested today. Department of Health bosses posted another 33,904 positive tests, up 14.5 per cent on last Wednesday's figure of 29,612  despite swabbing levels remaining flat. It is the third consecutive day that the rolling seven-day average  which offers a more accurate picture over the true state of the crisis because daily counts can fluctuate heavily  has risen. Meanwhile, hospitalisations and deaths are still creeping upwards. Both measures lag several weeks behind cases because of how long it can take for the infected to become severely ill. Another 111 fatalities were recorded today, up 6.7 per cent on last week. The average daily toll, which hasn't stood in triple figures since March, is now around 94. And 773 Covid-infected patients were admitted to NHS hospitals on August 14, the most recent day UK-wide data is available for  up 8.6 per cent on the previous Saturday. Advertisement

This means they are just as likely to spread the virus onwards, and to develop mild symptoms such as a cough or temperature.

In contrast, vaccinated people who were infected with the Alpha variant had a much lower viral load and rarely got symptoms.

The authors said the Indian variant probably means 'herd immunity is unachievable' because vaccines do not stop people passing Covid-19 onto the unvaccinated.

However vaccinated people are still much less likely to end up in hospital.

Lead author Professor Sarah Walker said: 'During the Alpha period if you got COVID having had two vaccinations, your viral load was incredibly low and virtually no one had symptoms.

'When Delta started to come in these virus levels went up a lot You are still less likely to get infected if you have two doses, but if you do you will have similar levels of virus [as the unvaccinated].

'While our results are important, it's really important to remember that vaccines are super effective at preventing hospitalisation and death.' The findings suggest the Delta variant has made it impossible to reach herd immunity- which when enough people are vaccinated that the virus stops circulating.

Professor Walker added: 'The hope was the unvaccinated people could be protected by vaccinating lots of people [but] the higher levels of virus that we're seeing in these infections with vaccinated people means unvaccinated people are going to be at higher risk.

'We don't yet know how much transmission can happen from people who get Covid-19 after being vaccinated - for example, they may have high levels of virus for shorter periods of time.

'But the fact that they can have high levels of virus suggests that people who aren't yet vaccinated may not be as protected from the Delta variant as we hoped.

'This means it is essential for as many people as possible to get vaccinated - both in the UK and worldwide.'

The UK Government is waiting on formal advice from its scientific advisers before pressing ahead with an autumn Covid jab programme.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) will make its decision in the coming weeks.

Officials have already got plans in motion for the booster scheme, which would run alongside a flu vaccination rollout.

Dr Simon Clarke, a microbiologist from the University of Reading, said: 'The Pfizer jab provided greater initial protection than the AstraZeneca one, but then after around five months the level of immunity dropped to about the same level seen for both of the vaccines looked at.

'On this evidence, it certainly supports the case for third "booster" jabs for vulnerable individuals, as is now happening in Israel.'

Professor Paul Hunter, professor in medicine at the University of East Anglia, said: 'There is now quite a lot of evidence that all vaccines are much better at reducing the risk of severe disease than they are at reducing the risk from infection.

'We now know that vaccination will not stop infection and transmission, although they do reduce the risk.'
The White House has signed onto a joint statement calling on Afghan officials to 'guarantee' the safety and freedoms of Afghan women and girls amid concerns they are poised to endure yet more harsh treatment under the Taliban.

The statement comes after White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said his 'heart goes out' to Afghan women and girls, and warned of the Taliban: 'We've seen what they've done before.'

Gains by Afghan women, and thousands of Afghan women who were allowed to go to school under the U.S.-backed government, were one of the reasons policy makers cited for retaining a U.S. military presence.

The U.S. and 19 other nations, along with the European Union, called on Afghanistan in a joint statement to 'guarantee' rights for women and girls

The Taliban has made assurances that women will have a role in the new government, but that has not alleviated concerns that stonings, 'honor killings,' and general repression of a public role for women will resume.

'We are deeply worried about Afghan women and girls, their rights to education, work and freedom of movement. We call on those in positions of power and authority across Afghanistan to guarantee their protection,' according to the joint statement, released by the U.S. State Department and the White House.

'Afghan women and girls, as all Afghan people, deserve to live in safety, security and dignity. Any form of discrimination and abuse should be prevented. We in the international community stand ready to assist them with humanitarian aid and support, to ensure that their voices can be heard,' it continues.

The nations vow that 'We will monitor closely how any future government ensures rights and freedoms that have become an integral part of the life of women and girls in Afghanistan during the last twenty years.'

The warning comes amid fears thousands of Afghan girls who gained schooling opportunities will be forced to relinquish them

'We are guaranteeing all their rights within the limits of Islam,' a Taliban spokesman said Tuesday

Afghan female students wait in line to walk out after classes at the Zarghoona high school on July 25, 2021 in Kabul, Afghanistan. The Zarghoona girls high school is the largest in Kabul with 8,500 female students attending classes

Malala, the Pakistan-born human rights activist, tweeted about her fears for the fate of Afghan women and girls

Absent from the statement is a threat to impose military or economic consequences should the Taliban impose harsh treatment of women.

Signing on to the statement were a range of countries including Albania, Argentina, Guatemala, New Zealand, Norway, and the United Kingdom, as well as the European Union.

Malala, the Pakistan-born human rights activist and Nobel Prize winner, tweeted after the fall of Kabul: 'We watch in complete shock as Taliban takes control of Afghanistan. I am deeply worried about women, minorities and human rights advocates. Global, regional and local powers must call for an immediate ceasefire, provide urgent humanitarian aid and protect refugees and civilians.'

A Taliban spokesman said at a press conference Tuesday that: 'Women will be afforded all their rights, whether it is in work or other activities, because women are a key part of society'

'We are guaranteeing all their rights within the limits of Islam,' said the spokesman, ABC News reported  a statement that includes a possible reference to Sharia law.

Another Taliban spokesman vouched that women would be allowed to maintain a role in society  then added: 'If they continue to live according to Sharia, we will be happy, they will be happy.'
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley said Wednesday there was 'nothing' defense officials saw that would indicate Kabul would fall to the Taliban in such a short time.

'Intelligence clearly indicated multiple scenarios,' Milley said, adding that some estimates predicted a matter of weeks, months or years before the Taliban would take control of the nation's capital.

'There's nothing that I or anyone saw indicated a collapse of this army and this government in 11 days,' Milley added, further reflecting the Biden administration's frustration with Afghan security forces they believe were unwilling to fight.



'This comes down to an issue of will and leadership. And no, I did not, nor did anyone else, see a collapse of an army of that size in 11 days,' Milley underscored again.

'They had the training, the size, the capability to defend their country,' the Joint Chiefs chair said.

The two defense officials struck a different tone when asked if they had any 'regrets' about not evacuating people sooner

In this image released by the US Central Command Public Affairs, US Embassy personnel from Afghanistan board a Qatar Airways flight to Kuwait as part of Operation Allies Refuge on August 17, 2021, at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar

Biden has authorized up to 6,000 US troops to deploy to assist with evacuating Americans and allies amid the Taliban takeover

Milley said 'this is personal' for him and Defense Sec. Lloyd Austin, and they remain 'laser focused' on securing the airfield at Hamid Karzai International airport in Kabul to get Americans and allies out of the country.

Austin said that so far the US had evacuated about 5,000 since the Taliban took over and would work to evacuate thousands more.

Asked whether they had any 'regrets' about not getting more Americans and Afghani interpreters out of the region before the situation deteriorated, the two defense officials had differing answers.

'In terms of doing everything we could at the right time, I think we have been pretty prudent,' Austin told reporters.

Milley bypassed the question. 'There will be plenty of time for AARs [After-Action Reviews]. Right now the focus is on the mission ... there will be plenty of time to talk about regrets.'

US forces have been planning for a withdrawal from Afghanistan since President Trump signed a peace deal with the Taliban in February 2020.

Milley said the security situation at the airport remains 'stable,' and the Taliban were not interfering with evacuations, but that could change at any moment.

But Taliban forces have formed a wall around the airport and are keeping many from even entering the grounds.

'We have heard reports of people getting turned away by checkpoints. We have reinforced to the Taliban if they have credentials they need to be allowed through.'

Austin said that the US would keep working to evacuate the tens of thousands of Americans and American allies who still remain stuck in Afghanistan 'as long as we can, until the clock runs out or we run out of capability.'

Austin didn't say whether the clock would run out on Aug. 31 when Biden had promised to have all US troops out of Afghanistan.

Taliban patrol in Herat city after took control in Herat, Afghanistan, on August 18, 2021 as Taliban take control of Afghanistan after 20 years

Taliban fighter patrols the streets in Herat

Taliban patrol in Herat city on Aug. 18, days after they captured Kabul and ousted the Afghani government

Afghan armed men supporting the Afghan security forces against Taliban carries a weapon as he walks along a road in Panjshir province on August 18

US military forces quickly deployed to Afghanistan to help stranded Americans and Afghani interpreters who helped them

Afghan security forces personnel are pictured along a road in Panjshir province on August 18

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., expressed outrage at Austin's timeline for evacuation.

'Just can't believe I heard the Secretary of Defense say that we will get American citizens and our Afghan allies out of Afghanistan until the clock runs out or we run out of capability,' he wrote on Twitter.

'When it comes to evacuating American citizens and our Afghan allies who fought bravely by our side, there should not be a clock nor a question of capability. We have the capability and there should be no time limit  the only question is, do we have the will?'

Milley and Austin gave their first joint presser following the recent chaos unfolding in Afghanistan hours after they went to the White House to brief President Biden.

The president returned to the White House Tuesday evening, cutting short a trip to Camp David amid the rush to evacuate Americans and foreign nationals from the airport in Kabul.

In his campaign to sell his Afghan strategy amid images the White House called 'heartbreaking', Biden sits down with ABC's George Stephanopoulos for an interview set to air Thursday morning on 'Good Morning America,' after speaking to the nation from the White House on Monday.

Biden's face time with Milley comes after the Wall Street Journal reported that Biden had cast aside Milley's request to maintain a force of 2,500 U.S. troops in Afghanistan, amid warnings by Milley and Austin about the potential risks. Biden went ahead with his plan to remove all U.S. troops anyway  in a move that many officials now say undermined the position of the Afghan government.

Biden stayed firm with his decision, the Journal reported, because he believed the U.S. was propping up an Afghan government on life support, which the president viewed as corrupt and blamed for wasting billions of dollars of U.S. aid.

He and his advisers had hoped President Ashraf Ghani and the Afghan government would pull itself together once the U.S. laid out an exit date, the Journal said, however some military advisers warned that Ghani wasn't up to the task.

The Taliban entered Kabul on Sunday, the same day Ghani fled Afghanistan.

Milley had argued that the U.S. should keep a small fighting force in the country. There were about 2,500 U.S. troops in Afghanistan when Biden took over the drawdown from former President Donald Trump.

Austin, who previously served as military commander in the region, warned that a full withdrawal wouldn't provide any insurance of stability.

Biden had argued that by reneging on the agreement Trump made with the Taliban, American forces and U.S. allies could be exposed to more violence.

Biden's team was blindsided by the pace in which the Taliban took over Afghanistan and miscalculated the Afghan army's willingness to fight.

Meanwhile, U.S. intelligence agencies predicted Kabul might fall within 30 to 90 days, the Journal said.

On July 8, Biden told reporters that the Afghan army could call on 300,000 fighters compared with 75,000 Taliban and that the fall of Kabul was 'not inevitable.'
The school resource officer accused of hiding during the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida broke down outside of court Wednesday saying: 'I did the best I could'.

Scot Peterson, 58, is charged with multiple counts of child neglect for allegedly failing to protect students as gunman Nikolas Cruz made his way through the school on February 14, 2018, ultimately killing 17 students and staff. Seventeen others were wounded.

He was in court Wednesday as his lawyer argued to dismiss the child negligence charges filed against him.

'I didn't do anything there to try to hurt any child there on the scene,' Peterson told the South Florida SunSentinel Wednesday in a Broward County courthouse hallway, fighting back tears.

'I did the best that I could with the information. I did the best ... I'll never forget that day. You know, not only kids died, I have friends that died. And never for a second would I sit there and allow anyone to die, knowing that animal was up in that building! Never!'

The former resource officer's comments were reportedly made in response to an attempted complaint about the speed of the case from the family of shooting survivor Anthony Borges.

Ex-cop Scot Peterson broke down outside of court Wednesday and defended his actions on the day of the Parkland high school mass shooting. He said: 'I did the best I could'

Peterson's comments came in response to an attempted complaint from the family of shooting survivor Anthony Borges (pictured above showing his injuries to reporters on Aug. 9, 2019)

While Broward Circuit Judge Martin Fein did not allow the Borges family to make a statement in court, Peterson acknowledged their concerns.

'I don't want anyone to think I don't want him to say how he feels,' he said. The newspaper claims Peterson did not want to 'appear insensitive to the family's plight'.

The former deputy is accused of breaking a law that specifically applies to caregivers. There is debate amongst lawyers about whether or not a school resource officer falls under the legal definition of the term.

His lawyer, Mark Eiglarsh, says there is not a 'single case in the history of our criminal justice system where a school resource officer was charged under this statute'.

Eiglarsh, who read several Florida laws defining who is considered to be as caregiver during Wednesday's hearing, said there is one statute broad enough to include the former officer and another that specifically excluded him.

Peterson was in court Wednesday (pictured) as his lawyer argued to dismiss the child negligence charges filed against him

'This definition does not include the following persons when they are acting in an official capacity: Law enforcement officers,' Eiglarsh read aloud.

However, prosecutor Chris Killoran argued: 'School resource officers are inherently different from other law enforcement officers. This is a novel area. There is no specific case law on this.'

Peterson (pictured) is accused of breaking a law that specifically applies to caregivers. His lawyer says there is not a 'single case in the history of our criminal justice system where a school resource officer was charged under this statute'

The prosecution also argued that, under certain circumstances, courts have included teachers, landlords, baby sitters and even a kidnapper in the definition of caregiver.

'We said as a matter of law he should never have been charged under a neglect statute which holds responsible parents, teachers, kidnappers, babysitters  but not resource officers. It's very clear in the statute that law enforcement officers do not apply,' Eiglarsh told WPLG.

Fein has not indicated when he will rule on the case.

Meanwhile, gunman Nikolas Cruz, 22, faces the death penalty if convicted in the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Seventeen people were slain and 17 others wounded in that shooting.

Cruz's lawyers have said he would plead guilty in exchange for a life prison sentence, but prosecutors are insisting that his fate be decided by a jury trial.

A trial date has not yet been scheduled amid delays caused by the coronavirus pandemic and the sheer scale of the case, which includes interviews by lawyers of several hundred potential witnesses.

Broward County Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer set a series of hearings beginning next week for defense and prosecution motions to be considered. She also said Cruz's attorneys should disclose soon whether they intend to pursue an insanity defense.

Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz (pictured at a July 14 pre-trial hearing) faces the death penalty if convicted in the massacre. On Tuesday, a judge rejected a motion by his lawyers claiming that intense media coverage jeopardizes his right to a fair trial

Seventeen people were slain and 17 others wounded in the February 14, 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida (Pictured: Students being evacuated from the school building on Feb. 14, 2018)

Defense lawyers said all but one of their mental health experts has examined Cruz but no announcement was made on the insanity issue. Cruz, a former Stoneman Douglas student, had a well-documented history of mental problems prior to the shooting.

Additionally, on Tuesday Scherer rejected a motion by defendant Nikolas Cruz's lawyers claiming that intense media coverage jeopardizes his right to a fair trial.

Scherer did not elaborate on her reasons for denial, saying she would detail them in a written order later.

Cruz's lawyers contended that open hearings might publicly reveal inadmissible evidence that will never be heard at trial and that news coverage could otherwise create bias among jurors.

The Florida Supreme Court ruled in 1982 that pretrial hearings are presumed to be open in most circumstances and can be closed only when there are no alternatives available except moving the trial elsewhere in the state. Prosecutors insist the trial must take place in Broward County.
At least 30 people remain missing Wednesday after flash flooding devastated parts of rural North Carolina as Tropical Depression Fred made its way through the state, leaving behind a wave of tornadoes and mudslides.

Many roads remained impassable, or completely washed away in the western part of the state Wednesday morning, as emergency officials in Haywood County were traveling by foot and ATVs to search for 30 people who are unaccounted for.

In each case, officials said in a news conference Wednesday morning, the individuals had not been heard from since the storm came through on Tuesday afternoon.

Emergency rescue crews were out Wednesday morning looking for survivors of Tropical Depression Fred, which ravaged North Carolina Tuesday night

They used rafts to float up to people's houses, many of which were still submerged

By the end of the night, state and local crews rescued nearly 100 people

As of Wednesday morning though, county officials announced 30 people were still unaccounted for as roads remained impassable

Sheriff Greg Christopher also said his department is investigating reports of fatalities. He said the department first started receiving reports of 'high water' on Tuesday afternoon.

'As the water level began to rise - a whole lot faster than I have ever saw it rise here in our county - we soon started to have to rescue people from their homes and provide additional assistance to our residents and to our fire departments,' he said, according to Newsweek.

'With the help from water rescue units from throughout the state of North Carolina, we have been searching abandoned vehicles, homes, buildings for survivors and we will continue to search to ensure that every community member is located or at least accounted for.'

Crews were seen Wednesday floating on rafts in front of people's homes in the county, looking for people to rescue. They were able to save 13 adults and two children in that operation, according to WRAL.

The State Department of Transportation also reported that more than 500 employees 'are working around the clock to help citizens get to and from home, work and school,' the Raleigh News and Observer reports.

In total, ABC 11 reports, 98 people were rescued overnight.

Roads throughout the state were flooded, with vehicles stuck in the mud

Some roads have washed away completely, making it impossible to transverse

Homes in the area, though, were 'completely destroyed,' vehicles were damaged, multiple roads and bridges were washed out and servers were offline in the area, the News and Observer reports, and Canton Mayor Zeb Smathers said he saw businesses and homes completely submerged on Tuesday night.

Kasey Riddle, who owns a farm in nearby Cruso, said she watched as people were swept away by the floodwaters.

'Our friend saw someone clinging to a bush and disappeared,' she said.

Transylvania County, south of Asheville, declared a state of emergency after 10 inches fell Monday, causing landslides, flooding and destroying at least one home, according to FOX 8.

In Grovemont, east of Asheville, USA Today reports, residents were told to shelter in place as roads became impassable.

Transylvania Chairman Jason Chappell said it was the most intense flooding he's seen in the last 20 years, as flood waters destroyed a local factory on Monday.

'It really caught everyone off-guard,' he said. 'No one was forecasting that much rain.'

Some communities even had to be evacuated, WRAL reports, with emergency shelters open for residents who were warned to expect 'widespread water outages' due to water line breaks and the Canton Water Plant going offline.

Cell phone service was also down as of Wednesday morning, with more than 18,000 North Carolinians without power.

Meanwhile, a local soup kitchen that had been in operation for the past 12 years, lost about 200,000 pounds of food in the storm.

'This is obviously nasty,' County Chairman Chris Jennings said. 'I'm sure there's sewage in it and everything else.

'I know people lost their homes last night,' he added. 'I know people lost everything they have, so for us to be down, it's not a real good time for us to be down.'

Several rivers flooded nearby towns in the storm

A road could be seen here lifted up from the ground as tornadoes passed through the area

Cell phone service was down Wednesday morning, with more than 18,000 North Carolinians without electricity

Remnants of the tropical storm - which was downgraded to a tropical depression as it moved across North Carolina, dumped about 12 inches of rain in some areas of the state, according to the North Carolina Weather Authority and prompted 'nearly 45 tornado warnings.'

It blew through the area with more than 30 mile per hour winds, with the risk for flash flooding Tuesday night 'as high as it gets,' according to meteorologist Kat Campbell.

The storm also caused a rockslide on Interstate 40, creating a major traffic back-up, and the Swannanoa River breached Highway 70 and was rushing into the street.

Life-threatening floods were moving down the Pigeon River at around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday night, with people advised to evacuate to higher ground immediately.

It also spawned at least two tornadoes north of Charlottesville.

The first was reported at 11:45 a.m. in Alexander County, causing 'numerous trees' to collapse, but no injuries or damages to homes or buildings reported, according to the Charlotte Observer.

Then at 12:36 p.m., a second tornado was confirmed 13 miles south of Statesville, near the rural community of Harmony, according to the National Weather Service in Greer, South Carolina.

'To repeat, a tornado is on the ground,' an alert said. 'TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an anterior room on the lowest floor of a study building. Avoid windows.

'If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris.

'Heavy rainfall may hide this tornado. Do not wait to hear the tornado. TAKE COVER NOW.'

The tornado moved north at 25 miles per hour before dissipating, the Observer reports. No injuries or damage were immediately reported.

Then at 3 p.m., there was another unconfirmed report of a tornado near Drexel.

The storm downgraded as it passed through North Carolina

States on the eastern seaboard stretching to New York remained under flash flood warnings

The storm is now losing steam as it moves up the eastern seaboard, with flash flood warnings extending into New York State.

It has caused one death in Florida.

Meanwhile, meteorologists are also keeping watch on Tropical Storm Henri and Hurricane Grace, which lashed Haiti - a country already suffering from an earthquake - dumping up to 10 inches of rain on people huddling under make-shift shelters.

Sustained winds grew to 65 miles per hour on Wednesday, with a hurricane warning in effect for Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula.
Small stable featuring words 'Go Big Or Go Home' appeared at site on August 6

A Banksy artwork left at a model village in Norfolk could be moved to a museum and replaced by a replica over fears it could be stolen.

Frank Newsome, who owns Merrivale Model Village in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, has been moving the miniature building to a 'safe location' every night.

He is now considering taking the original off-site completely, potentially housing it in a museum and putting a replica in its place.

The small stable popped up at the attraction on August 6 and features the words 'Go Big Or Go Home' scrawled across the side.

It came amid a string of new street art pieces which appeared across Suffolk and Norfolk as part of the elusive artist's 'Great British Spraycation' last week.

But one piece showing a rat sitting on a deckchair with a cocktail has already been defaced - less than 48 hours after it was confirmed to be Banksy's work.

The small stable (pictured above) appeared at Merrivale Model Village in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, on August 6 and features the words 'Go Big Or Go Home' scrawled across the side

It came amid a string of new street art pieces which popped up across Suffolk and Norfolk as part of the elusive artist's 'Great British Spraycation' last week

Mr Newsome told the BBC: 'Either we might be forced to take it off-site because of the cost of security and having it transported to and from a safe location nightly, whereas a replica - that could be there forever.

'Some people will be disappointed that it's not the Banksy, but it's as close as you're going to get to a Banksy.'

He added: 'We are looking at a few alternatives - one of those is possibly site it in a museum where it can be on public show, but we've got to think long and hard and make the correct decision both for ourselves and the model.'

The owner also said that it has been a 'bit manic' at the model village since the artwork's appearance, with a '50 per cent increase in footfall'.

Currently, he is not considering selling the artwork and wants to leave it on display for as long as possible, but admits it is a 'balancing act'.

Professor Paul Gough, principal and vice chancellor of Arts University Bournemouth, said model-making students could create a replica or the piece, which he described as a 'gift with conditions'.

Frank Newsome (pictured above), who owns the attraction, has been moving the miniature building to a 'safe location' every night

He also revealed that Banksy's team have contacted Mr Newsome, expressing their wish for the artwork to be kept on display for as long as possible.

The anonymous artist, believed to be from Bristol, was seen working on eight pieces in a video entitled 'A Great British Spraycation' which was uploaded to his Instagram account on Friday.

The three-minute clip shows Banksy driving around in a camper van while donning a hoodie as he works on the new pieces, inspired by the summer of so-called 'staycations', which has seen Brits opt to holiday at home owing to strict Covid restrictions on foreign travel.

In the video, shared with his 10.9million followers, residents can be seen reacting to the artworks, seemingly unaware that they were created by the iconic artist. Upon seeing one image of a child holding what appears to be a crowbar next to a sandcastle, a woman says: 'That looks like mindless vandalism, doesn't it?'

At the end of the video a woman comments on one of the pieces: 'It looks a lot better from far away than it does when you get this close.'

Among the new works are a rat sitting on a deckchair with a cocktail under an umbrella, which has now been covered with white paint by vandals.

Other works include a grabbing machine situated above a bench in Gorleston and one of a seagull on the side of a building stealing 'chips' from a skip in Lowestoft.

One piece in Cromer shows a gang of feisty hermit crabs.

One piece showing a rat sitting on a deckchair with a cocktail has already been defaced - less than 48 hours after it was confirmed to be Banksy's work

Banksy uploaded the video to his Instagram account on Friday, confirming he was behind eight new works (pictured: grabbing machine artwork situated above a bench)

'Mindless vandalism': One woman's verdict of this Banksy piece, showing a child with a crowbar, spray-painted on a wall behind a sandcastle

Another, in Nicholas Everitt Park, shows three children standing in a boat which appears to have been fashioned out of a piece of scrap metal.

He also worked on a statue in King's Lynn, putting an ice cream in its hand while making a tongue appear from its mouth.

The artist confirmed another work spotted on a wall outside the former Lowestoft Electrical shop on London Road North, which appears to show a child holding a crowbar next to a sandcastle.

He also depicted a musician playing an instrument above a bus stop in Great Yarmouth, while two people dance beside him.

Some locals suspect the new Spraycation series could have been Banksy's way of helping the areas secure their City of Culture bids.

It comes after the councils of the Great Yarmouth borough and East Suffolk submitted a joint proposal in July to become the 2025 UK City of Culture.
A newspaper editor friend of Jared Kushner was hit Wednesday with state cyberstalking charges in New York, seven months after then-President Donald Trump pardoned him in a similar federal case just before leaving office.

Manhattan prosecutors accused Kenneth Kurson, the New York Observer's editor when it was owned by Kushner, of hacking his wife's online accounts and sending threatening, harassing messages to several people amid heated divorce proceedings in 2015.

Kurson, 52, of South Orange, New Jersey, is charged with eavesdropping and computer trespass, both felonies carrying a maximum four-year prison term.

At times, prosecutors said, Kurson was monitoring his now ex-wife's computer activity from his desk at the Observer's Manhattan offices.

Jared Kushner's friend Ken Kurson is arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court on Wednesday, seven months after he was pardoned by Donald Trump for cyberstalking and harassment

Kurson did not enter a plea at his arraignment Wednesday. He was released on his own recognizance.

The allegations mirror federal charges filed last October against Kurson - a case that went away when Trump pardoned him in January in the final hours of his single White House term.

Presidential pardons apply only to federal crimes, not state offenses.

'We will not accept presidential pardons as get-out-of-jail-free cards for the well-connected in New York,' Vance said in a statement.

Speaking about the federal charges last year, Kurson lawyer Marc Mukasey said: 'The conduct alleged is hardly worthy of a federal criminal prosecution. Ken will get past it.'

Kurson is the first person in Trump's orbit to be charged by local prosecutors after being pardoned by the former president, though it is not the first time Manhattan prosecutors have tangled with a Trump ally.

District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. charged former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort with state crimes in 2019 as a hedge against a possible pardon after he was convicted in federal court over similar mortgage fraud allegations.

New York Observer publisher Jared Kushner, center, and CEO Joseph Meyer, left, and editor Ken Kurson attend The New York Observer's 25th anniversary party at The Four Seasons Restaurant on Thursday March 14, 2013 in New York

Manafort challenged Vances case on double jeopardy grounds and won, with a final decision coming in February, less than two months after Trump pardoned him in the federal case.

Last month, Vance brought tax fraud charges against Trump's company, the Trump Organization and its longtime chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg. A court hearing in that matter is scheduled for September 20. Neither Weisselberg nor the company had been charged with those crimes previously.

New York eased double jeopardy protections in 2019 to ensure state prosecutors could pursue charges against anyone granted a presidential pardon for similar federal crimes.

Another pardon recipient, former 2016 Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, was separately charged by Vance with mortgage fraud and other crimes, but that case was dismissed in February on double jeopardy grounds.

In Kurson's case, double jeopardy wouldn't necessarily be an issue because his federal case ended before a conviction or acquittal.

The federal case against Kurson, who now works in the cryptocurrency industry, arose from a background check after the Trump administration offered Kurson a seat in 2018 on the board of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Kurson, a former speechwriter for Rudy Giuliani, was accused of cyberstalking harassing three people, one of whom he blamed for the breakdown of his marriage. He used the online aliases 'Jayden Wagner' and 'Eddie Train.'

One victim was an employee of a news media outlet, and the other two were believed to work at Manhattan's Mt. Sinai Hospital, based on previously reported details.

According to a complaint, Kurson filed false complaints about two of the victims with their employer, posted false negative reviews about one victim's professional conduct on crowd-sourced review websites and made unsolicited contact with two of the victims.

One victim initially tried to smooth things over, insisting in an email that he had nothing to do with Kurson and his wife's breakup, the complaint says.

'Unfortunately, you have no one to blame but yourself,' the message read. 'It is a bitter pill to swallow, but true.'

In response, Kurson allegedly called the friend a 'completely full of s**t phony who lies through [their] teeth and is also stupid.'

Kurson (center), New York Observer's editor when it was owned by Kushner (right), was accused of hacking his ex-wife's online accounts and sending harassing messages during a bitter divorce

Kurson, pictured with Kushner in 2013, was pardoned by Trump in the final hours of his administration

Manhattan prosecutors started investigating Kurson for possible violations of state law once Trump pardoned him.

In explaining the pardon, the Trump White House cited a letter from Kurson's ex-wife in which she said she never wanted him investigated or arrested and, 'repeatedly asked for the FBI to drop it.'

It wasn't clear from the criminal complaint filed Wednesday whether she's cooperating with the state case. In the document, prosecutors cited interviews she and Kurson gave to police in New Jersey in 2015, as well as computer records and an interview with a person who worked with Kurson's ex-wife.

Kurson was the Observer's editor in chief from 2013 to 2017. The newspaper endorsed Trump for president in 2016.

According to Manhattan prosecutors, Kurson monitored his now ex-wife's computer keystrokes in 2015 and 2016 using spyware, obtaining passwords and accessing her Gmail and Facebook accounts.

In October 2015, prosecutors said, he accessed and then anonymously disseminated his now ex-wife's Facebook messages.

According to Wednesday's criminal complaint, Kurson's now ex-wife told South Orange police he was 'terrorizing her through email and social media, causing her problems at work and in her social life.'
Celebrated author Joshua Wolf Shenk - who resigned from a prestigious posting at the University of Nevada after flashing his genitals during a Zoom call - has been hit by fresh allegations of sleazy behavior, according to news reports.

He is said to have pestered colleagues to go to dinner with him up to 10 times, invaded their space, and even asked them to engage in a bizarre handshake involving his pinky finger and theirs.

Shenk, who served as editor-in-chief at Believer magazine and artistic and executive director of the university's Black Mountain Institute, called it quits in February after exposing himself to about a dozen colleagues during an online meeting.

He had been employed at the BMI, an international literary hub at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, since 2015.

Although Shenk left his old gig behind, scandals continue to plague him.

The embattled essayist has been the subject of numerous inappropriate behavior complaints since joining Black Mountain Institute in 2015. The Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday that it interviewed more than 20 people, including employees and students, who indicated Shenk's tenure at the university was at times unseemly.

Female staffers at the university have lodged complains to the facility at least four times, The Times reported, while three others complained about a hostile atmosphere.

Shenk made headlines for all the wrong reasons after exposing himself to colleagues during a Zoom conference call

He resigned shortly after the awkward incident, but insisted he did not intentionally flash fellow Zoom attendees

A woman who met Shenk through the University of Nevada's Las Vegas campus said she agreed to join him for lunch in 2016, and later agreed to a dinner date, the Times detailed. She turned down a later invitation, and was subsequently hounded more than 10 times to meet up with Shenk again.

She told the Times he would occasionally wrap his arm around her, and once touched her neck.

According to the woman's account, his behavior became more aggressive during a 2018 event, when Shenk approached her from behind and caressed her shoulders. She told the times she grabbed his hands and pushed them away.

Lorinda Toledo says she was pressured into exchanging weird, single-finger handshakes with Shenk

Al Hastings, a master of fine arts student who identifies as nonbinary, told the times they met Shenk during a 2016 party, where he slung his arm around Hastings should and posed really person questions.

That same year, Lorinda Toledo, a UNLV PhD student and BMI fellow, told a faculty member about Shenk's 'strange' handshakes. He would approach her with an extended pinky or pointer finger and wouldn't put it down until she gave him a pinky handshake or touched his pointer finger with hers.

Others spoke to the Times in support of Shenk, saying he was socially awkward and was diagnosed by his therapist with autism spectrum disorder.

Shenk's work has been published in The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Atlantic, Harper's Magazine, and more. His first book, Lincoln's Melancholy, which examined former president Abraham Lincoln's depression, was listed as a New York Times notable book. He later penned The Powers of Two, which argues that creativity best flourishes in pairs, and the book became a national bestseller.

Literary agent Ira Silverberg says Shenk didn't mean to give his colleagues a shock when he stepped out of the bath, naked from the waist down, to recharge his computer

The award-winning writer has received prizes from The Abraham Lincoln Institute, the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, and the National Mental Health Association.

Although his work has been highly praised, his personal life continues to be a source of concern.

In February, Shenk stood up during a Zoom call and exposed himself to about a dozen staffers from Believer magazine and the Black Mountain Institute, the Los Angeles Times reported. He later resigned from the position.

Shenk's literary agent, Ira Silverberg, told the Los Angeles Times that he was soaking in a bath to relieve nerve pain related to fibromyalgia during the Zoom call.

Symptoms of fibromyalgia include muscle pain and tenderness, as well as fatigue, memory, and mood issues.

Silverberg said Shenk hadn't meant to flash his colleagues, but did so inadvertently when he rose from the bathtub to charge his computer without turning the camera off or grabbing a towel. He was wearing a mesh shirt, Silverberg said, and had been a virtual backdrop to his location.

Shortly after the now-infamous bathtub incident, both current and former staffers of Shenk came forward with unflattering accounts of his behavior.

Months after that incident, Shenk's employees came forward to say Shenk had a reputation for 'making women uncomfortable.' Both current and former staffers told Vice that the writer had a reputation for troublesome behavior, and that the flashing incident was no 'random accident.'

Four current staffers told Vice that he made female staffers deeply uncomfortable, but none said he had sexually harassed them.

'He doesn't seem to be aware of his body or of other people's comfort or reality,' one staffer told Vice.

Before the bathtub scandal, Shenk was editor-and-chief of The Believer, a magazine containing interviews, essays, and reviews

Shenk responded to the accusations in an emailed statement to Vice that said that he needs to work on boundaries around both men and women.

'I'm often awkward around folks regardless of their gender, and I own that,' he said. 'In imaginative spaces, you've got to balance deep appreciation for people's boundaries with openness and creative risks. For any times I got that balance wrong, though, I want to learn from them and make amends.'

Shenk did not respond to a Mail Online request for comment by deadline.
There seemed to be something almost heaven-sent in the coincidence, and former Detective Chief Inspector Clive Driscoll recalls it with his customary mix of reverence and humour.

It was the 15th anniversary of Stephen Lawrences murder and the great and good had gathered at St Martin-in-the-Fields, central London, to mark the day in April 1993 when the black teenager was murdered; stabbed by racist thugs simply because of his skin colour as he waited for a bus home in south-east London.

Alongside Prime Minister Gordon Brown were Opposition leaders, the Home Secretary and police chiefs, as well as Stephens parents Doreen and Neville Lawrence  two of the loveliest, bravest human beings Ive ever had the pleasure to meet, says Clive.

Stephen Lawrence was stabbed by racist thugs simply because of his skin colour as he waited for a bus home in south-east London in April 1993

He sat next to his boss Cressida Dick, then a Deputy Assistant Commissioner at Scotland Yard, since elevated to Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.

And I was belting out All Things Bright And Beautiful and looking at this giant poster of young Stephen  handsome, innocent, full of hope  in that black and white shirt of his, at the front of the church, he remembers.

As the service ended, Clive took a call from the head of the forensic team he had commissioned to search for vital new evidence into Stephens murder.

No one had been convicted of the crime, which had become a cause celebre: arguably the most high-profile unsolved racially-motivated murder of all time.

Now Clive, who in 2006 was brought in as Senior Investigating Officer (SIO) of a new inquiry into Stephens killing, had news of an explosive breakthrough.

Forensic scientists had found Stephens blood on a jacket belonging to one of the murder suspects, Gary Dobson.

I looked up at Stephens picture and I said to him, It aint going to be long now, son, I promise, then I told Maam [Dick]. I leant down to her  shes tiny  and it must have looked as if I was nibbling her ear. I said: Weve just found Stephens blood on Gary Dobsons jacket, and she said, Gosh.

I thought she could have tried a bit harder than gosh. He laughs. It was A1, Rolls-Royce, cherry-on-top evidence. It proved pivotal.

Former Detective Chief Inspector Clive Driscoll was brought in as Senior Investigating Officer (SIO) of a new inquiry into Stephens killing in 2006

Fibres from Stephens garments were also found on Dobsons jacket and on trousers belonging to another suspect, David Norris.

Stephens murder had been the subject of ten investigations, two failed court cases, an inquest and an inquiry that had found the Metropolitan Police to be institutionally racist.

Then, thanks to an earlier Daily Mail campaign, Justice For Stephen launched in February 1997 with a seminal front page which had branded five suspects MURDERERS  there was an opportunity for justice.

Our campaign had resulted in the repeal of the double jeopardy law which had prevented a suspect previously acquitted of murder  such as Dobson  from being tried again.

Now the story of DCI Driscolls investigation is being serialised in a three-part ITV drama, Stephen, featuring Steve Coogan as Clive, Sharlene Whyte as Doreen Lawrence and Hugh Quarshie as her ex-husband Neville.

Now the story of DCI Driscolls investigation is being serialised in a three-part ITV drama, Stephen, featuring Steve Coogan as Clive (pictured)

I find it quite humbling and surreal if Im honest, says Clive. But Im a bit of a side-show really.

I hope when people watch it theyll understand its a tribute to Baroness Lawrence, Dr Neville Lawrence and Mr Duwayne Brooks [Stephens friend and witness to his murder] who were all so helpful to me.

There is a searing irony in Coogans role in the drama given that the actor harbours a visceral hatred of the Daily Mail  the very newspaper that campaigned relentlessly for justice for Stephen Lawrence. If [the Mail] went to the wall tomorrow, Id be delighted, he once said.

And it may be no coincidence that the Daily Mail is barely mentioned. This is an omission recognised by Julian Knight MP, chairman of the Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, who this week said it was an extraordinary oversight.

It seems bizarre that a drama depicting the horrific events and pursuit of justice doesnt take account of one of the most effective and worthy campaigns in Fleet Street history, he said.

Clive, too, is keen to give credit where it is due. If people dont understand the importance of what the Daily Mail did, they are living on Mars, he says. Im extremely grateful for its campaign.

Thanks in no small part to this newspapers input, Dobson and Norris stood trial and are now serving 15 years and two months and 14 years, three months respectively.

Meanwhile, three other men who were identified as suspects at the time  Jamie and Neil Acourt and Luke Knight  did not face further charges.

Clive, 70, an old-school officer in the best tradition, can take credit for the convictions although he insists hes just the figurehead for an outstanding team.

Yet incredibly, in 2013, after 32 exemplary years service to the Met, he was forced to retire. Then aged 62, and over the limit on age and service, it was within the Mets power to request that he stay on for a few more years.

However, the directive, from Dame Cressida Dick  who is certainly portrayed in an unsympathetic light in the drama  was unequivocal.

I was asked to say I wanted to retire, so that was what I could tell Baroness Lawrence, Clive says.

The Daily Mail campaign, Justice For Stephen launched in February 1997 with a seminal front page which had branded five suspects MURDERERS  there was an opportunity for justice

But Ive never lied to the Lawrence family so I refused to say it. It wasnt just me. Our whole team was being disbanded. Id have stayed but I felt [the Met] didnt want me to. I genuinely dont know why.

We can hypothesise endlessly about the reasons. But could it simply be that DCI Clive Driscoll and his team had shown up, too starkly for comfort, the many shortcomings in the previous investigations?

Clive is too loyal to speculate. He says: I sent an email to Maam saying, You can phone me any time you like.

'I still feel a moral responsibility to the investigation and it was within the Mets power to let me stay on for a few more years to advise on the case.

'If theyd asked me to Id have done so with pleasure. Instead I was told a new SIO would be recruited for Stephens case and Id be let go in June the following year.

I honestly didnt expect it. You must assume they were happy with their decision, but it put the investigation back a pace.

Baroness Lawrence was appalled that Clive  the one officer she trusted; the policeman who, in her eyes, had redeemed the Met, secured two convictions and was ready to continue the investigation  had been summarily let go.

She went to war in the Press, saying the decision was a backdoor way of slamming the door on her sons case. She would have spoken to the then Home Secretary, Theresa May, on my behalf. But I felt if we forced her arm it would be difficult and I didnt want that for the investigation or my team, he says.

In fact, last year the Met announced that its investigation into the Stephen Lawrence case was now closed and although Clive says he is still at their disposal his phone hasnt rung.

He remains friends with the Lawrence family and is protective of Doreen, who has been vilified, racially abused; even subject to a car-jacking. There are still people who are beastly to Baroness Lawrence, he says, And theres no way Ill see her hurt.

Clive was granted an honorary doctorate from De Montfort University, Leicester, as recognition of his contributions to law and justice in the UK, but the OBE or Queens Police Medal, customarily awarded to officers of his standing, have eluded him. Should he have been honoured? Thats for others to decide, not me, he says. Im just proud and privileged to have served in the Met.

The man who succeeded where so many had shamefully failed is both tough and genial; approachable and irreproachable.

Although utterly dedicated to The Job, he was never too busy to share a doughnut and a chat with a witness. Its very hard for people to think youre a member of Hitlers Third Reich if youve got sugar round your face, he laughs.

He is keenly aware  and quietly amused  that he cracked a case that had eluded the Mets finest for years. The big-time Johnnies know that this wooden top  and a team of outstanding, can-do detectives  had solved the crime they couldnt.

The cast of a TV drama about the Stephen Lawrence murder investigation has been shown in character for the first time. Pictured: Sharlene Whyte as Doreen Lawrence (left), Jorden Myrie as Stuart Lawrence (middle) and Hugh Quarshie as Neville Lawrence (right)

There was resentment, which I find daft. Were all in the Met and they should have rejoiced, not undermined us.

It wasnt about embarrassing anyone, it was about solving a murder and giving at least partial justice to the Lawrence family.

He had volunteered to re-open Stephens case in 2006 after finding a roomful of files from the original investigation while clearing out the old Deptford Police Station in south-east London.

Doreen Lawrence had been routinely dismissed as uppity and unhelpful during the first bungled inquiry; her input ignored.

Yet Detective Superintendent Brian Weeden, SIO of the first murder investigation, explained to an incredulous public inquiry in 1998 that the reason no arrests had been made four days after the killing was because he did not know the law permitted arrest on reasonable suspicion  a basic tenet of criminal law.

False rumours that Stephen was in a gang or dealing drugs were circulating within hours of his murder. In fact he was a lovely normal lad from a lovely normal family who happened to be black, says Clive.

Then 18 and an A-level student intent on becoming an architect, he was waiting for a bus with his friend Duwayne when he was subjected to a sustained and horrific stabbing. And no one had been successfully prosecuted for his murder.

When Clive took over the case, he was intent on righting the heinous wrongs perpetrated against the family who had even taken out a private, but unsuccessful, prosecution against the suspects because the Met had failed them so grievously.

The family: Stuart Lawrence (left), Doreen Lawrence (middle) and Neville Lawrence (right)

If Id had a pound for every time Id heard the expression Doreen Lawrence doesnt tell us what to do Id have been able to buy a new centre forward for Fulham FC, says Clive (hes an ardent fan). But I encouraged the Lawrences to talk to us.

As SIO you ignore information at your peril. And I always felt a family whod lost a son in such awful circumstances deserved our utmost respect.

You didnt dismiss anything. If anyone had the right to tell us what to do, to criticise us, to put us in our place, it was the Lawrence family. They suffered, not only the loss of a much-loved son, but at the hands of the police.

And I felt our team deserved credit for getting everyone pulling in the same direction.

We changed the emphasis, to involve the family and witnesses, to bring everyone with us.

And one of my sadnesses is that in 2014 the Met went back to the old ways and alienated the Lawrence family and Mr Brooks. Ive always felt that the Met didnt want the type of policing I offer. If they did, theyd carry on with it, wouldnt they?

Countering the prevailing hostility towards the family at the time, he praises the Daily Mail for its incredible kindness to Baroness Lawrence and singles out our senior crime writer Stephen Wright for his outstanding investigation into the case.

Humanity is at the heart of the policing Clive advocates and that demands close contact with communities. Id like to see more police walking their beat, having responsibility for their area.

'If I was a member of the public Id feel let down. People want someone they can call and ask, Whats going on with my crime? and thats not happening. Is it that hard to listen and be supportive?

The killers: David Norris, played by Rob Witcomb (left) and Gary Dobson, played by Stephen Patten (right)

Hes keen that new recruits learn the value of grassroots policing, immersing themselves in the communities they serve.

Impatient with paper qualifications  he says he entered the police with a C grade in woodwork  he wants to restore the status of the bobby on the beat.

Lets make it that being a PC isnt a punishment posting. The walking police officer shouldnt be considered lowly.

'We have 43 chief constables poncing about in their little principalities but the public own the police  you pay for them  and you should decide what sort of service you want.

Humanity, rigour and integrity remain his touchstones.

Im at my happiest when Im talking to people, he says.

His home life remains the bedrock of his contentment. He and wife Annie, 61, a retired police officer, have five grown-up children and nine grandchildren; all  even the estate agent, he jokes  a source of pride.

He says his mum taught him to see the best in people and her last words to him were a plea to help the Lawrences: Youve got to do something for this family.

Clive heeded this appeal but his one regret is that he was not even permitted properly to brief Chris Le Pere, the SIO who succeeded him, on Stephens case.

Instead, he was summoned to a meeting with Dick just an hour into the hand-over meeting. I didnt want anyone to think, Oh look at Clive, hes walked out of the meeting, and it was a nagging doubt: was that done on purpose? I didnt want to leave feeling angry but that little bit I feel sad about.

On the steps of the Old Bailey, when the convictions of Norris and Dobson were announced, it was Met Superintendent Gill Bailey who took the credit for the success of Clive and his team.

The scene is recreated in the TV drama. Coogan, alias Clive, is unceremoniously pushed aside while the female officer addresses the waiting Press.

That scene is spot-on true, says Clive. The Superintendent took the glory. Bernard Hogan-Howe [then Met Commissioner] actually said to me at the time: I thought you were SIO, and I replied, Only if it had gone wrong.

Only one person, it seems, recognised Clives contribution.

Mr Justice Treacy, presiding over the case, congratulated him on achieving a measure of justice. And I could not have been happier, says Clive.

Judge Treacy went on to express his hope that DCI Driscoll would bring Norris and Dobsons associates to trial too.

But  much as Clive had hoped otherwise  he was not permitted to do so. However he will not allow resentment to sour him.

I dont want to be bitter, he says. I dont want to hate anyone  although I came close to it with those 15 Italians who beat us in the [Euros] final, he laughs.

Id always rather think nice things about people.

I consider it a great privilege to have worked on young Stephens case. Ive been the luckiest bloke in the universe.
Britney Spears' Iranian boyfriend has denounced her father Jamie as a 'total d**k'  but DailyMail.com can revealed that the hunky fitness model has daddy issues of his own.

Sam Asghari, 27, often talks proudly about his mother Fatima, and siblings Maddie, Fay and Ellie, but he seldom speaks of his father.

'My sisters love her, my family loves her,' he gushed in a recent interview about Britney. 'My mom lives in another country [but] when she was here, she met her.'

DailyMail.com can reveal that Sam's father Mahmond Asghari, 58, abandoned the family in Tehran, moved to California with the promise of establishing a new life for them, but instead ran off to marry another woman.

Britney Spears' boyfriend Sam Asghari has a strained history with his father, but their relationship has remained a mystery until a DailyMail.com investigation uncovered the truth

Last year Asghari posted a photo of him as a child with his father, writing: 'Haven't seen my paps for about 12 years now, that's basically half my life, it's about time I reunite with the man that made me into who I'am today' but he didn't go into detail about their strained relationship

In an emotional post on Instagram last year, Asghari admitted: 'Haven't seen my paps for about 12 years now, that's basically half my life, it's about time I reunite with the man that made me into who I am today  thank you for teaching me that you don't have to be a perfect man to be a perfect father.'

The post doesn't name his father nor does it explain why his son believed he was imperfect.

According to public records obtained by DailyMail.com, his father is Mahmond 'Mike' Asghari.

He left his wife Fatima behind with Sam and his sisters in Tehran when he emigrated to California in the mid-1990s, telling them he was 'working very hard' to establish a new life for them.

But the documents state that he married another woman, Janice Wilson, in Nevada in October 1999.

They moved into a federally-subsidized low-income housing project, the Pierce Park Apartments, in Pacoima, a grim Los Angeles suburb.

The sprawling complex has a history of drug-dealing and gang violence.

According to public records obtained by DailyMail.com, his father is Mahmond Asghari, 58, moved to the U.S. and married another woman, Janice Wilson, in 1999. The marriage ended in September 2004

Sam often talks proudly about his mother, Fatima, and sisters, Maddie, Fay, and Ellie (pictured) but rarely mentions his own father

Sam sister Maddie is seen posing for a photo with their father celebrating Father's Day in Istanbul

Sam's sisters Maddie (left) and Fay (right) are seen posing with their father Mahmond. The photos were taken in Istanbul but Sam hasn't given any clues as to whether Mahmond is living in Turkey or was just on holiday

The marriage ended in September 2004. Janice died earlier this year at the age of 67.

Two years after the divorce, 12-year-old Sam was put on a plane to America to join his dad.

But two years later 'Mike' Asghari  as he was known  vanished from the US and his teenage son's life.

Mahmond had been employed as a tow truck driver in the southern California town of Camarillo.

The firm's president, Bill Paymard, told DailyMail.com that he has no idea why he left the country or where he now lives.

'Mike worked for us 15 years ago. I haven't seen or heard from him since 2008,' he said.

He added, 'I met his son one time. That's the kid dating Britney Spears.'

Sam has spoken out about Britney's conservatorship and denounced her father Jamie's right to control his pop star daughter

Sam insists that he sees marriage in his future with Britney and insists he can give her stability. 'We are a family,' he said

Records show that Sam's sisters, who are several years older than him, emigrated to the US from Iran.

Two of them, Maddie and Fay, are nurses, and Fay is also a model.

The sisters have posted pictures of themselves with Fatima and their other sister on Instagram and appear separately in snaps with Mahmond in 2019 and 2020.

But Sam isn't seen in any of the photos.

The photos were taken in Istanbul but Sam hasn't given any clues as to whether Mahmond is living in Turkey or was just on holiday.

And he still hasn't explained why he's remained estranged from his father.

He stresses, however, that he sees marriage in his future with Britney  and insists he can give her stability.

'This is something that every couple should do. That's the whole point of a relationship - we are a family,' he's said.
On Thursday morning, ABC released the full transcript of President Biden's Good Morning America interview with George Stephanopoulos.

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Mr. President, thank you for doing this.

PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: Thank you for doin' it.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Let's get right to it. Back in July, you said a Taliban takeover was highly unlikely. Was the intelligence wrong, or did you downplay it?

BIDEN: I think -- there was no consensus. If you go back and look at the intelligence reports, they said that it's more likely to be sometime by the end of the year. The idea that the tal -- and then it goes further on, even as late as August. I think you're gonna see -- the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and others speaking about this later today.

STEPHANOPOULOS: But you didn't put a timeline on it when you said it was highly unlikely. You just said flat out, 'It's highly unlikely the Taliban would take over.'

BIDEN: Yeah. Well, the question was whether or not it w-- the idea that the Taliban would take over was premised on the notion that the -- that somehow, the 300,000 troops we had trained and equipped was gonna just collapse, they were gonna give up. I don't think anybody anticipated that.

STEPHANOPOULOS: But you know that Senator McConnell, others say this was not only predictable, it was predicted, including by him, based on intelligence briefings he was getting.

BIDEN: What -- what did he say was predicted?

STEPHANOPOULOS: Senator McConnell said it was predictable that the Taliban was gonna take over.

BIDEN: Well, by the end of the year, I said that's that was -- that was a real possibility. But no one said it was gonna take over then when it was bein' asked.

STEPHANOPOULOS: So when you look at what's happened over the last week, was it a failure of intelligence, planning, execution or judgment?

BIDEN: Look, I don't think it was a fa-- look, it was a simple choice, George. When the-- when the Taliban -- let me back -- put it another way. When you had the government of Afghanistan, the leader of that government get in a plane and taking off and going to another country, when you saw the significant collapse of the ta-- of the-- Afghan troops we had trained -- up to 300,000 of them just leaving their equipment and taking off, that was -- you know, I'm not-- this -- that -- that's what happened.

That's simply what happened. So the question was in the beginning the-- the threshold question was, do we commit to leave within the timeframe we've set? We extended it to September 1st. Or do we put significantly more troops in? I hear people say, 'Well, you had 2,500 folks in there and nothin' was happening. You know, there wasn't any war.'

But guess what? The fact was that the reason it wasn't happening is the last president negotiated a year earlier that he'd be out by May 1st and that-- in return, there'd be no attack on American forces. That's what was done. That's why nothing was happening. But the idea if I had said -- I had a simple choice. If I had said, 'We're gonna stay,' then we'd better prepare to put a whole hell of a lot more troops in --

President Joe Biden speaks with ABC News' George Stephanopoulos, Aug. 18, 2021, in Washington, D.C.

STEPHANOPOULOS: But your top military advisors warned against withdrawing on this timeline. They wanted you to keep about 2,500 troops.

BIDEN: No, they didn't. It was split. Tha-- that wasn't true. That wasn't true.

STEPHANOPOULOS: They didn't tell you that they wanted troops to stay?

BIDEN: No. Not at -- not in terms of whether we were going to get out in a timeframe all troops. They didn't argue against that.

STEPHANOPOULOS: So no one told -- your military advisors did not tell you, 'No, we should just keep 2,500 troops. It's been a stable situation for the last several years. We can do that. We can continue to do that'?

BIDEN: No. No one said that to me that I can recall. Look, George, the reason why it's been stable for a year is because the last president said, 'We're leaving. And here's the deal I wanna make with you, Taliban. We're agreeing to leave if you agree not to attack us between now and the time we leave on May the 1st.'

I got into office, George. Less than two months after I elected to office, I was sworn in, all of a sudden, I have a May 1 deadline. I have a May 1 deadline. I got one of two choices. Do I say we're staying? And do you think we would not have to put a hell of a lot more troops? B-- you know, we had hundreds-- we had tens of thousands of troops there before. Tens of thousands.

Do you think we woulda -- that we would've just said, 'No problem. Don't worry about it, we're not gonna attack anybody. We're okay'? In the meantime, the Taliban was takin' territory all throughout the country in the north and down in the south, in the Pasthtun area.

STEPHANOPOULOS: So would you have withdrawn troops like this even if President Trump had not made that deal with the Taliban?

BIDEN: I would've tried to figure out how to withdraw those troops, yes, because look, George. There is no good time to leave Afghanistan. Fifteen years ago would've been a problem, 15 years from now. The basic choice is am I gonna send your sons and your daughters to war in Afghanistan in perpetuity?

STEPHANOPOULOS: That's--

BIDEN: No one can name for me a time when this would end. And what-- wha-- wha-- what-- what constitutes defeat of the Taliban? What constitutes defeat? Would we have left then? Let's say they surrender like before. OK. Do we leave then? Do you think anybody-- the same people who think we should stay would've said, 'No, good time to go'? We spent over $1 trillion, George, 20 years. There was no good time to leave.

STEPHANOPOULOS: But if there's no good time, if you know you're gonna have to leave eventually, why not have th-- everything in place to make sure Americans could get out, to make sure our Afghan allies get out, so we don't have these chaotic scenes in Kabul?

BIDEN: Number one, as you know, the intelligence community did not say back in June or July that, in fact, this was gonna collapse like it did. Number one.

STEPHANOPOULOS: They thought the Taliban would take over, but not this quickly?

BIDEN: But not this quickly. Not even close. We had already issued several thousand passports to the-- the SIVs, the people-- the-- the-- the translators when I came into office before we had negotiated getting out at the end of s-- August.

Secondly, we're in a position where what we did was took precautions. That's why I authorized that there be 6,000 American troops to flow in to accommodate this exit, number one. And number two, provided all that aircraft in the Gulf to get people out. We pre-positioned all that, anticipated that. Now, granted, it took two days to take control of the airport. We have control of the airport now.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Still a lotta pandemonium outside the airport.

BIDEN: Oh, there is. But, look, b-- but no one's being killed right now, God forgive me if I'm wrong about that, but no one's being killed right now. People are-- we got 1,000-somewhat, 1,200 out, yesterday, a couple thousand today. And it's increasing. We're gonna get those people out.

STEPHANOPOULOS: But we've all seen the pictures. We've seen those hundreds of people packed into a C-17. You've seen Afghans falling--

BIDEN: That was four days ago, five days ago.

STEPHANOPOULOS: What did you think when you first saw those pictures?

BIDEN: What I thought was we ha-- we have to gain control of this. We have to move this more quickly. We have to move in a way in which we can take control of that airport. And we did.

STEPHANOPOULOS: I-- I think a lot of-- a lot of Americans, and a l-- even a lot of veterans who served in Afghanistan agree with you on the big, strategic picture. They believe we had to get out. But I wonder how you respond to an Army Special Forces officer, Javier McKay (PH). He did seven tours. He was shot twice. He agrees with you. He says, 'We have to cut our losses in Afghanistan.' But he adds, 'I just wish we could've left with honor.'

BIDEN: Look, that's like askin' my deceased son Beau, who spent six months in Kosovo and a year in Iraq as a Navy captain and then major-- I mean, as an Army major. And, you know, I'm sure h-- he had regrets comin' out of Afganista-- I mean, out of Iraq.

He had regrets to what's-- how-- how it's going. But the idea-- what's the alternative? The alternative is why are we staying in Afghanistan? Why are we there? Don't you think that the one-- you know who's most disappointed in us getting out? Russia and China. They'd love us to continue to have to--

STEPHANOPOULOS: So you don't think this could've been handled, this exit could've been handled better in any way? No mistakes?

BIDEN: No. I-- I don't think it could've been handled in a way that there-- we-- we're gonna go back in hindsight and look, but the idea that somehow there's a way to have gotten out without chaos ensuing, I don't know how that happens. I don't know how that happened.

STEPHANOPOULOS: So for you, that was always priced into the decision?

BIDEN: Yes. Now, exactly what happened-- is not priced in. But I knew that they're gonna have an enormous, enorm-- look, one of the things we didn't know is what the Taliban would do in terms of trying to keep people from getting out, what they would do.What are they doing now? They're cooperating, letting American citizens get out, American personnel get out, embassies get out, et cetera. But they're having-- we're having some more difficulty in having those who helped us when we were in there--

STEPHANOPOULOS: And we don't really know what's happening outside of Kabul.

BIDEN: Pardon me?

STEPHANOPOULOS: We don't really know what's happening outside of Kabul.

BIDEN: Well-- we do know generically and in some specificity what's happening outside of Kabul. We don't know it in great detail. But we do know. And guess what? The Taliban knows if they take on American citizens or American military, we will strike them back like hell won't have it.

STEPHANOPOULOS: All troops are supposed to be out by August 31st. Even if Americans and our Afghan allies are still trying to get out, they're gonna leave?

BIDEN: We're gonna do everything in our power to get all Americans out and our allies out.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Does that mean troops will stay beyond August 31st if necessary?

BIDEN: It depends on where we are and whether we can get-- ramp these numbers up to 5,000 to 7,000 a day coming out. If that's the case, we'll be-- they'll all be out.

STEPHANOPOULOS: 'Cause we've got, like, 10,000 to 15,000 Americans in the country right now, right? And are you committed to making sure that the troops stay until every American who wants to be out--

BIDEN: Yes.

STEPHANOPOULOS: -- is out?

BIDEN: Yes.

STEPHANOPOULOS: How about our Afghan allies? We have about 80,000 people--

BIDEN: Well, that's not the s--

STEPHANOPOULOS: Is that too high?

BIDEN: That's too high.

STEPHANOPOULOS: How many--

BIDEN: The estimate we're giving is somewhere between 50,000 and 65,000 folks total, counting their families.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Does the commitment hold for them as well?

BIDEN: The commitment holds to get everyone out that, in fact, we can get out and everyone that should come out. And that's the objective. That's what we're doing now, that's the path we're on. And I think we'll get there.

STEPHANOPOULOS: So Americans should understand that troops might have to be there beyond August 31st?

BIDEN: No. Americans should understand that we're gonna try to get it done before August 31st.

STEPHANOPOULOS: But if we don't, the troops will stay--

BIDEN: If -- if we don't, we'll determine at the time who's left.

STEPHANOPOULOS: And?

BIDEN: And if you're American force -- if there's American citizens left, we're gonna stay to get them all out.

STEPHANOPOULOS: You talked about our adversaries, China and Russia. You already see China telling Taiwan, 'See? You can't count on the Americans.' (LAUGH)

BIDEN: Sh-- why wouldn't China say that? Look, George, the idea that w-- there's a fundamental difference between-- between Taiwan, South Korea, NATO. We are in a situation where they are in-- entities we've made agreements with based on not a civil war they're having on that island or in South Korea, but on an agreement where they have a unity government that, in fact, is trying to keep bad guys from doin' bad things to them.

We have made-- kept every commitment. We made a sacred commitment to Article Five that if in fact anyone were to invade or take action against our NATO allies, we would respond. Same with Japan, same with South Korea, same with-- Taiwan. It's not even comparable to talk about that.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Yeah, but those--

BIDEN: It's not comparable to t--

STEPHANOPOULOS: --who say, 'Look, America cannot be trusted now, America does not keep its promises--'

BIDEN: Who-- who's gonna say that? Look, before I made this decision, I met with all our allies, our NATO allies in Europe. They agreed. We should be getting out.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Did they have a choice?

BIDEN: Sure, they had a choice. Look, the one thing I promise you in private, NATO allies are not quiet. You remember from your old days. They're not gonna be quiet. And so-- and by the way, you know, what we're gonna be doing is we're gonna be putting together a group of the G-7, the folks that we work with the most-- to-- I was on the phone with-- with Angela Merkel today. I was on the phone with the British prime minister. I'm gonna be talking to Macron in France to make sure we have a coherent view of how we're gonna deal from this point on.

STEPHANOPOULOS: What happens now in Afghanistan? Do you believe the Taliban have changed?

BIDEN: No. I think-- let me put it this way. I think they're going through sort of an existential crisis about do they want to be recognized by the international community as being a legitimate government. I'm not sure they do. But look, they have--

STEPHANOPOULOS: They care about their beliefs more?

BIDEN: Well, they do. But they also care about whether they have food to eat, whether they have an income that they can provide for their f-- that they can make any money and run an economy. They care about whether or not they can hold together the society that they in fact say they care so much about.

I'm not counting on any of that. I'm not cou-- but that is part of what I think is going on right now in terms of I-- I'm not sure I would've predicted, George, nor would you or anyone else, that when we decided to leave, that they'd provide safe passage for Americans to get out.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Beyond Americans, what do we owe the Afghans who are left behind, particularly Afghan women who are facing the prospect of subjugation again?

BIDEN: As many as we can get out, we should. For example, I had a meeting today for a couple hours in the Situation Room just below here. There are Afghan women outside the gate. I told 'em, 'Get 'em on the planes. Get them out. Get them out. Get their families out if you can.'

But here's the deal, George. The idea that we're able to deal with the rights of women around the world by military force is not rational. Not rational. Look what's happened to the Uighurs in western China. Look what's happening in other parts of the world.

Look what's happenin' in, you know, in-- in the Congo. I mean, there are a lotta places where women are being subjugated. The way to deal with that is not with a military invasion. The way to deal with that is putting economic, diplomatic, and national pre-- international pressure on them to change their behavior.

STEPHANOPOULOS: How about the threat to the United States? Most intelligence analysis has predicted that Al Qaeda would come back 18 to 24 months after a withdrawal of American troops. Is that analysis now being revised? Could it be sooner?

BIDEN: It could be. But George, look, here's the deal. Al Qaeda, ISIS, they metastasize. There's a significantly greater threat to the United States from Syria. There's a significantly greater threat from East Africa. There's significant greater threat to other places in the world than it is from the mountains of Afghanistan. And we have maintained the ability to have an over-the-horizon capability to take them out. We're-- we don't have military in Syria to make sure that we're gonna be protected--

STEPHANOPOULOS: And you're confident we're gonna have that in Afghanistan?

BIDEN: Yeah. I'm confident we're gonna have the overriding capability, yes. Look, George, it's like asking me, you know, am I confident that people are gonna act even remotely rationally. Here's the deal. The deal is the threat from Al Qaeda and their associate organizations is greater in other parts of the world to the United States than it is from Afghanistan.

STEPHANOPOULOS: And th-- that tells you that you're-- it's safe to leave?

BIDEN: No. That tells me that-- my dad used to have an expression, George. If everything's equally important to you, nothing's important to you. We should be focusing on where the threat is the greatest. And the threat-- the idea-- we can continue to spend $1 trillion and have tens of thousands of American forces in Afghanistan when we have what's going on around the world, in the Middle East and North Africa and west-- I mean, excuse me-- yeah, North Africa and Western Africa. The idea we can do that and ignore those-- those looming problems, growing problems, is not-- not rational.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Final question on this. You know, in a couple weeks, we're all gonna commemorate the 20th anniversary of 9/11. The Taliban are gonna be ruling Afghanistan, just l-- like they were when our country was attacked. How do you explain that to the American people?

BIDEN: Not true. It's not true. They're not gonna look just like they were we were attacked. There was a guy named Osama bin Laden that was still alive and well. They were organized in a big way, that they had significant help from arou-- from other parts of the world.

We went there for two reasons, George. Two reasons. One, to get Bin Laden, and two, to wipe out as best we could, and we did, the Al Qaeda in Afghanistan. We did it. Then what happened? Began to morph into the notion that, instead of having a counterterrorism capability to have small forces there in-- or in the region to be able to take on Al Qaeda if it tried to reconstitute, we decided to engage in nation building. In nation building. That never made any sense to me.

STEPHANOPOULOS: It sounds like you think we shoulda gotten out a long time ago--

BIDEN: We should've.

STEPHANOPOULOS: --and-- and accept the idea that it was gonna be messy no matter what.

BIDEN: Well, by the-- what would be messy?

STEPHANOPOULOS: The exit--

BIDEN: If we had gotten out a long time ago-- getting out would be messy no matter when it occurred. I ask you, you want me to stay, you want us to stay and send your kids back to Afghanistan? How about it? Are you g-- if you had a son or daughter, would you send them in Afghanistan now? Or later?

STEPHANOPOULOS: Would be hard, but a lot of families have done it.

BIDEN: They've done it because, in fact, there was a circumstance that was different when we started. We were there for two reasons, George. And we accomplished both ten years ago. We got Osama bin Laden. As I said and got criticized for saying at the time, we're gonna follow him to the gates of hell. Hell, we did--

STEPHANOPOULOS: How will history judge the United States' experience in Afghanistan?

BIDEN: One that we overextended what we needed to do to deal with our national interest. That's like my sayin' they-- they're-- they-- they b-- b-- the border of Tajikistan-- and-- other-- what-- does it matter? Are we gonna go to war because of what's goin' on in Tajikistan? What do you think?

Tell me what-- where in that isolated country that has never, never, never in all of history been united, all the way back to Alexander the Great, straight through the British Empire and the Russians, what is the idea? Are we gonna s-- continue to lose thousands of Americans to injury and death to try to unite that country? What do you think? I think not.

I think the American people are with me. And when you unite that country, what do you have? They're surrounded by Russia in the north or the Stans in the north. You have-- to the west, they have Iran. To the south, they have Pakistan, who's supporting them. And to the-- and-- actually, the east, they have Pakistan and China. Tell me. Tell me. Is that worth our national interest to continue to spend another $1 trillion and lose thousands more American lives? For what?

STEPHANOPOULOS: I know we're outta time. I have two quick questions on COVID. I know you're gonna make-- be makin' an announcement on booster shots today. Have you and the first lady gotten your booster shots yet?

BIDEN: We're gonna get the booster shots. And-- it's somethin' that I think-- you know, because we g-- w-- we got our shots all the way back in I think December. So it's-- it's-- it's past time. And so the idea (NOISE) that the recommendation-- that's my wife calling. (LAUGH) No. (LAUGH) But all kiddin' aside, yes, we will get the booster shots.

STEPHANOPOULOS: And-- and finally-- are you comfortable with Americans getting a third shot when so many millions around the world haven't had their first?

BIDEN: Absolutely because we're providing more to the rest of the world than all the rest of the world combined. We got enough for everybody American, plus before this year is-- before we get to the middle of next year, we're gonna provide a half a billion shots to the rest of the world. We're keepin' our part of the bargain. We're doin' more than anybody.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Mr. President, thanks for your time.

BIDEN: Thank you.
President Joe Biden ignored shouted questions about the situation in Afghanistan after he made his first public comments since Monday  and threatened to use legal pressure to try to maintain COVID masking in schools.

Biden spoke from the East Room Wednesday afternoon amid a new policy recommendation on vaccine booster shots  at a time when top officials are being pressed to respond to the chaotic events on the ground in Afghanistan.

But with the amid the turmoil there after the Afghan government capitulated to the Taliban, Biden picked a fight with an opponent closer to home: GOP governors who have been using the power of their offices to prevent schools from requiring students to wear masks to ward off spread of the virus.

'If you aren't going to fight COVID-19, at least get out of the way of everyone else who's trying,' President Joe Biden said Wednesday, as he picked a fight with GOP governors who have used their power to try to prevent local districts from requiring mask usage in schools

'Today I'm directing the Secretary of Education, an educator himself, to take additional steps to protect our children. This includes using all of his oversights authorities and legal action if appropriate, against governors who are trying to block and intimidate local school officials and educators.'

'I've said as I said before, if you aren't going to fight COVID-19, at least get out of the way of everyone else who's trying,' he said, in another missive aimed at GOP governors.

'You know, we're not going to sit by as governors try to block and intimidate educators protecting our children.'

HIs shots came as several GOP governors, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, have tried to prevent local authorities from requiring masks in schools  despite the Centers for Disease Control guidance on universal masking in schools even for vaccinated people.

Biden issued his latest broadside against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, whom he did not name specifically, by going after governors who are trying to use their authority to prevent local mask mandates in schools

'You know, we're not going to sit by as governors try to block and intimidate educators protecting our children,' said Biden

Some GOP governors are defying Centers for Disease recommendations of universal masking in schools

Biden did not respond to shouted questions about Afghanistan

He then alluded to a DeSantis move to cut the pay of local officials who try to defy him. Biden said he would make up the money from the taxpayer-funded coronavirus relief law.

'For example, a governor wants to cut the pay for hardworking education leader who requires masks in the classroom. The money from the American rescue plan can be used to pay that person's salary 100 per cent,' Biden said.

DeSantis, a potential GOP presidential candidate, has been in a war of words with Biden, as he resists coronavirus mandates even as infections skyrocket in his state.

He signed an executive order asserting the state would have the authority to withhold funds from districts that refuse to follow his lede and impose mask mandates.

DeSantis' office later tried to soften the threat, saying 'only the salaries of superintendents and school board members who intentionally defy' the order would get hit.

State educators resisted the pressure from DeSantis. 'I guess Ill go to my community to set up a GoFundMe or work at McDonalds. At least Ill be able to have a moral conscience and know I didnt put someones life at risk,' said Broward County School Board Chair Rosalind Osgood, the Miami Herald reported.

Biden tore into the idea of governors snatching away local control.

'Some politicians are trying to turn public safety measures  that is children wearing masks in school  into political disputes, for their own political gain,' Biden said.

'Some are even trying to take power away from local educators by banning masks in school. They are setting a dangerous tone,' Biden said.

'I made it clear, and I'll stand with those who are trying to do the right thing,' Biden continued. He said he called school superintendents in Florida and Arizona to 'thank them for doing the right thing and requiring masks in their schools. One of them said, "We teach science. So we follow the science." The other said they have a guiding principle: students first ... I just couldn't agree more with what they both said,' Biden said.

DeSantis has accused government experts of 'medical authoritarianism.' He tore into mandates in an appearance last week on Fox News host Tucker Carlson's show.

'It's probably the most significant threat to freedom in my lifetime. Certainly since the fall of the Berlin Wall,' he said.

'Taking it to its logical conclusion, you end up with Australia where they are forcing lockdowns at the point of bayonet,' he added.

'Our view is that you shouldn't have government forcing kindergartners to wear masks for eight hours a day,' he said.

After Biden's last dig intended for DeSantis, the Floridian replied that he did not want to 'hear a blip about COVID from you, thank you,' adding: 'Why don't you do your job?'
Radio star Gus Worland has claimed more Australians are taking their own lives than dying of coronavirus in a scathing rant about the impact of lockdowns on mental health.

The Triple M host appeared on Today on Thursday morning to discuss ongoing lockdowns and Sydney's growing Covid crisis.

Worland, who founded mental health foundation GOTCHA4LIFE, says the battle to control Covid-19 is resulting in more suicides than the virus is taking lives and demanded leaders get harder on enforcement.

'Do you have any idea... how many people are taking their own lives? How many people who are depressed and anxious?' he said.

'Their numbers are bigger than the numbers that are dying through COVID.

'At what stage are we going to turn that narrative around and really find out what the real numbers are, which is Australians dying in a lot of other ways because of the lockdowns?'

New South Wales obliterated its record with 681 new cases announced on Thursday (pictured - a man exercises on Bondi Beach during lockdown)

Radio star Gus Worland has claimed more Australians are taking their own lives than dying of the coronavirus and accused the government of hiding the real numbers

According to Lifeline, nine Australians take their own lives every day, with suicide the leading cause of death in people aged 15 to 44.

There have been 61 deaths as a result of the latest Delta outbreak in Sydney, which started in late June, and a total of 970 deaths since the first Covid case in Australia in January 2020.

There were eight deaths on Monday, the highest figure in a day in the latest outbreak - below the average number of daily suicides.

Worland said the government should be putting more focus on 'mental fitness' and demanded they determine a timeline for getting out of lockdown.

'That 1 1 o'clock press conference is such a bore. Same words over and over again. They just change the numbers,' he said of the daily Covid press conferences.

'At what stage are we going to turnaround and go: "We will come up with a plan at this date if we go with the vaccination numbers. That is the date we many allowed to get out and back to normal".'

He also accused state leaders of withholding information as they battle to contain the latest outbreak.

'They are reducing the amount of exposure sites they are putting on the websites and I think at this point, the whole idea of government is to be transparent,' Worland told Today.

'They seem to be hiding that for some reason.

Worland, who founded foundation GOTCHA4LIFE, says the ongoing situation is resulting in more suicides than the virus is taking lives and demanded leaders get harder on enforcement

'They are reducing the amount of exposure sites they are putting on the websites and I think at this point, the whole idea of government is to be transparent,' Worland told Today

He said crime is through the roof under the current lockdown procedures and said the violent assault that hospitalised Wallabies legend Toutai Kefu could have been avoided.

'Crime problems, burgularies up 20 per cent, along with home invasions. A number of the criminals are kids, right? Sent in by gangs who know magistrates will go soft on them.

'They are slapped over the wrist and back on the streets to reoffend within days. I mean, look at what happened with Toutai Kefu. This is a massive problem, for Queensland, but it is happening around Australia.

'Magistrates need to toughen up because, again, hard- working innocent families are being targeted?'
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has requested soldiers be sent to the border with NSW to help enforce tighter restrictions, as she warned the Gold Coast would go into lockdown if a positive case was discovered in the city.

For the fourth consecutive day, Queensland recorded zero new cases of community transmission.

Ms Palaszczuk had repeatedly expressed fears about the incursion of NSW's growing outbreak into Queensland over the past few days.

On Wednesday night the Premier made a request to the Federal government for 100 soldiers to be deployed along the border with NSW .

Most will head to the Gold Coast to help police and SES volunteers at border vehicle checks.

'It only takes one person with that virus to bring it into Queensland and all bets are off,' she said.

'If the virus comes into the southern parts of the Gold Coast, there will be a lockdown there, and I dont think businesses would want to see that.'

Up to 100 military personnel will be sent to the Queensland-NSW border to help police and SES volunteers do vehicle checks as Queensland tightened entry restrictions for NSW residents

Queensland Deputy Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said traffic congestion was beginning to ease at the Tweed Heads-Coolangatta checkpoints as people understood the new restrictions

The announcement restrictions on essential workers entering Queensland from NSW would be tightened came as the Queensland Premier said some restrictions would ease from 4pm Friday, including the wearing of masks outdoors

Ms Palaszczuk said a revised list of who qualifies as an essential worker would be 'very narrow'.

'The more people who cross the border, the more there is a danger to Queenslanders,' she said.

The classification of essential workers allowed to cross from NSW to Queensland would be further examined to further restrict movement, Dr Young said.

'[Authorities will] go through all the people who may need to cross and work out if they are absolutely essential,' she said.

The director-general of the premier's department will conduct the review and new restrictions will come into effect next week.

The border with NSW was tightened after that state's new infections jumped to 633 new locally acquired cases on Wednesday and 681 on Thursday.

'The situation in NSW is a real and present threat to Queensland,' Ms Palaszczuk said on Wednesday.

'We want to put tighter restrictions on our border at the moment there are too many people crossing our border.'

The announcements came as Queensland said a number of Covid restrictions would ease from 4pm this Friday, including the return of community sport this Saturday.

A man shows his border pass at the Gold Coast Highway checkpoint as Queensland Police said it would take a 'rigid approach' to enforcing public health directions

The classification of essential workers allowed to cross from NSW to Queensland would be further examined, chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young said

Ms Palaszczuk said Queensland now had a 'magic window' of opportunity to increase vaccination rates in the state, but that additional supplies from the Commonwealth were still required.

'As soon as we get more supply from the Commonwealth, we will put those supplies into the arms of Queenslanders,' she said.

Deputy Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said police would continue the 'very rigid application' of public health orders at border checkpoints.

At today's update, he said the number of people trying to cross rose to 6,478 vehicles yesterday, up from 5700 on Tuesday. Vehicle turnarounds fell from 513 on Tuesday to 317 on Wednesday. Four on-the-spot fines were handed out for border breaches.

'Please question whether you really need to make that trip, even if you're authorised to do so,' he said.

'We're hearing lots of sad stories around how this impacts on people, I'm terribly sorry about that, we are going to continue to do that.'

Only essential workers such as police, health workers and certain construction workers who have had one dose of a vaccine will be allowed to cross into Queensland from 1am on Saturday.

In the state's north, a police investigation had started into how a family travelled from Sydney to Townsville without entering quarantine.

The investigation was sparked after a boy told his school teacher he had come from a hotspot.

Authorities were alerted when a student at Pimlico State High School was sent home after sharing the news.

'The situation in NSW is a real and present threat to Queensland,' Ms Palaszczuk said on Wednesday

A man argues with a border official when trying to cross from NSW into Queensland this week

The boy did not show any symptoms, but will be tested for COVID-19. Authorities believe the risk of infection is low.

Police say they are investigating the validity of the family's border declaration form and how they were able to pass through Queensland's hard border without notice.

'The border restrictions were well in place and the issue has got to be the accuracy and validity of the border pass,' Townsville Chief Superintendent Craig Hanlon said on Wednesday.

'It's really important for us to make sure that all the allegations of the breach of the chief health officer's directions is investigated.'

The Townsville Public Health Unit says the school is expected to remain open on Thursday.

Meanwhile, concern about the spread of the Delta variant has led the state to shut its border with New Zealand and tighten its already-closed border with NSW.

From 1am on Thursday, inbound passengers from NZ will go into 14-day hotel quarantine after four new Delta cases emerged there.

Dr Young says border closures and lockdowns remain the best health responses to outbreaks until 70 per cent of the population is vaccinated.

'Then people will be able to go about their lives,' she said.

'Otherwise, I can see in the future that the people who aren't vaccinated are going to have to minimise their lives to protect their own health and safety.'

Tweed South MP Justine Elliot had now gained around 4,000 signatures on her petition for the border zone to be moved as far south as Ballina.

She has called on NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian to allow people in northern NSW access to south-east Queensland through creation of the extended zone but Ms Berejiklian had to date dismissed the idea.

On Thursday Ms Palaszczuk said her government was waiting to hear back from NSW on the suggestion but she thought that it was already 'too late'.

'Time is ticking, were seeing an escalation of cases in NSW and thats very concerning,' she said.
A lawyer who sent Gladys Berejiklian flowers as she battles Sydney's Covid outbreak has shared her delight after the premier responded with a handwritten thankyou note - but not everyone was impressed with the personal response.

Tania Waterhouse, a partner at Waterhouse Lawyers, sent a bouquet to the embattled leader earlier this month to thank her for her service to the state.

While the gift did not include her contact details, Ms Waterhouse was chuffed when a personal letter from the premier arrived at her law firm days later.

'My dad used to send to send flowers to the prime minister at The Lodge whenever he thought they were doing a great job,' Ms Waterhouse wrote on LinkedIn.

Tania Waterhouse has shared her correspondence with Gladys Berejiklian after she sent the premier flowers to thank the leader for her service to New South Wales

'I sent flowers to Glad because I think she is copping a lot of flak and is doing a wonderful job, particularly the singles bubble. And that she needed our support.

'I didn't give my contact details on the card so she wouldn't have to bother replying. Her staff must have contacted the florist and Gladys actually wrote a personal message.'

Ms Waterhouse said she was 'tickled pink' to receive a reply, sharing a photo of the note, dated August 3.

'Dear Tania,' the letter begins.

'Thank you for the beautiful flowers and for taking the time to write to me with your kind message.

'Your support means so much and will inspire me to work even harder for the people of NSW. Your best wishes are really appreciated.

'Yours faithfully, Gladys Berejiklian MP Premier.'

The note appeared to be typed by Ms Berejiklian's administrative team before the premier amended it with a pen, changing the address to 'Dear Tania'.

'I hope you won't need the singles bubble for too long,' the premier added.

A photo of the letter (pictured) the premier sent to Ms Waterhouse has gone viral, leaving Australians divided over Ms Berejiklian's handling of the Covid crisis

Ms Berejiklian tracked down Ms Waterhouse to thank her for the flowers, adding that she hoped the lawyer wouldn't need the single's bubble for too long

Ms Waterhouse's post went viral online, with hundreds of people praising both women for their kind gestures.

'Wow. Massive fan girl here too, gives me yet another reason to believe she is the best premier we've had in forever,' one person wrote.

'With all that is going on, it says something about her that she takes the time to acknowledge and write back,' another added.

'I love this. Great gesture and shows how great she is that even though she is the busiest person ever she took the time to reply,' a third said.

But others were unimpressed.

'She has a very strange idea of what constitutes ''doing a wonderful job'',' one man tweeted.

'Plague spreading in western Sydney, compromising people's lives and livelihoods but.. Great singles bubble premier!' another wrote.

'This is the most deranged thing I've ever seen and it has ruined my week,' another declared.

'Can we get a welfare check on everyone involved please?' someone else wrote.

Ms Berejiklian has come under fire over whether she should have locked down faster and harder when the outbreak of the Delta variant began in June.

After eight weeks of lockdown NSW reported 681 new locally acquired cases on Thursday, breaking the record set on Wednesday.

One person praised the women as 'inspiring' for their kind gestures towards one another

However, others were angered by the pair's correspondence - with one calling it 'deranged'

The worrying figures come as leading epidemiologist has warned the state's daily Covid case numbers could spiral to more than 2200.

Professor James McCaw - who specialises in infectious disease dynamics - says daily infection numbers could skyrocket in the next month.

'Our models show the possibility of increases and decreases, but I think it's more likely to be well over 1000 and up to 2000 within a month or so,' he told Nine newspapers on Thursday.

NSW Opposition Leader Chris Minns said no-one wanted a stricter lockdown 'but the alternative is too grim to bear at this point'.

'We can't face a prospect of 2000 daily cases. It would be too much of a stretch on our health system,' he told the ABC on Thursday.
Giusy Pappalardo, a snail farmer in the Sicilian town of Floridia, realised that the summer heat was far more intense than normal when her charges began to boil alive inside their shells.

First, their feet would be burned by the soaring temperature of the soil and then, unable to move out of the blazing sunshine, their body temperature would rapidly rise to the point where they sizzled to death.

As Sicily experienced a temperature of 48.8 c (120 f) last week  the highest ever recorded in Europe  Pappalardo said of her snails: They stop, and they die.

An extreme weather phenomenon called a heat dome has sparked widespread destruction across southern Europe, causing wildfires (pictured)

She doubts even the snails that burrowed beneath the soil in a desperate bid to escape the killer heat will have survived.

And snails are not the only casualties. When her neighbour, Francesco Romano, a lemon grower, checked his fruit, he found that beneath the peel the flesh had been stewed into mush.

These crop failures have been caused by an extreme weather phenomenon called a heat dome, which has sparked widespread destruction across southern Europe.

The heat dome has been named Lucifer  the fire bringer  and for good reason. Apart from the devastation it has wreaked on the farmers of Floridia, it has ignited catastrophic wildfires, destroyed crops and livestock, and claimed untold thousands of heatstroke victims across the continent.

At one time, people could have taken consolation from the fact that such meteorological events were few and far between.

Indeed, heat domes have formerly been so rare that scientists habitually called them once in 1,000 years events.

But experts now predict that climate change will make them much more frequent. For heat domes are caused by soaring temperatures occurring in an area of high atmospheric pressure, called an anticyclone.

The anticyclone makes the hot air sink instead of rise. As it descends, it becomes compressed, making it hotter still.

The heat dome has been named Lucifer and has claimed untold thousands of heatstroke victims across the continent (pictured, people trying to cool down in Rome, Italy)

The intense heat increases the airs ability to hold in moisture and, because of this, no sheltering clouds form.

The broilingly humid air is trapped within the dome, bringing blistering temperatures to the area below.

While anticyclones are not unusual for this time of year, the Met Office warns that global warming will make them more frequent and more vicious.

With climate change, we are expecting, and are already seeing, more frequent and severe events, and will continue to do so in the future, says Met Office meteorologist Chris Almond.

In June, a heat dome over North America baked the Pacific Northwest and caused the highest temperature ever measured in Canada: 49.6 c (121.3 f).

The astounding heat is believed to have killed hundreds of people, and Christopher Harley, a marine biologist at the University of British Columbia, estimated that more than a billion sea creatures, including the molluscs and clams that are so vital to filtering the sea and maintaining water quality, were also lost.

Oxford University climate experts warned in the online World Weather Attribution journal that global-warming trends mean that in two decades, heat domes will have multiplied from occurring once every 1,000 years to about every five to ten years.

Temperatures under heat domes are set to rise even higher, too, warns Professor Peter Stott, the Met Office lead on climate attribution.

Europe will need to prepare for the eventuality of further records being broken, with temperatures above 50 c [122 f] being possible, he predicts.

Thats halfway to the temperature needed to boil water and well above that required to injure humans severely.

Under extreme heat, our bodies struggle desperately to cool themselves, resulting in heat cramps, heat exhaustion and, ultimately, heatstroke  which can cause permanent and even lethal damage to vital organs.

We lose excess heat mainly by sweating. But, often, that wont work under a heat dome, because in high humidity our ability to lose heat by evaporation  sweating  plummets.

Experts now predict that climate change will make them much more frequent, and as temperatures rise they may injure humans severely (pictured, people trying to cool down in Rome, Italy)

In high humidity, temperatures as low as 35 c (95 f) can kill even the fittest people. Temperatures of 40 c (104 f) can be dangerous even in low humidity. And at 50 c (122 f) blood thickens and human cells start to cook.

Our lungs become constricted and, as they lose function, our brains become starved of oxygen.

Last year, scientists at the University of New South Wales in Australia measured heatwaves around the world from 1950 to 2000 and found that their frequency, duration, and cumulative heat had increased significantly.

The researchers report, published in the journal Nature Communications, says that in the Middle East and much of Africa, the number of heatwaves, and their intensity, has increased by 50 per cent every decade.

Lucifer, the heat dome that has had such a dramatic impact on southern Europe this month, was born over the deserts of North Africa before heading north. The heat forced the citizens of Floridia to spend the day sheltering indoors for fear of death.

To cope, they turned their air-conditioning systems up to full. Unfortunately, this had the effect of causing the local electricity supply to fail, sending indoor temperatures spiralling perilously.

Of course, the irony of everyone having their air-con at full blast is that the strain this puts on electricity-generating plants will only further increase global warming. As indeed will the many wildfires that Lucifer has ignited.

As temperatures in southern Europe continued to spiral, wildfires in Italy torched woodlands in the southern region of Calabria, destroyed pastures across Sicily and reduced forests in Sardinia to charcoal. Meanwhile, Greece is still smouldering from its worst wildfires in decades.

On Evia, a large island near Athens, two fire fronts have destroyed thousands of hectares of land, along with a large number of houses and businesses.

More than 2,000 people had to be evacuated, with elderly residents carried on to ferries. The wildfires there and elsewhere add up to the nations worst ecological disaster in decades.

And things will only get worse, according to Costas Kadis, environment minister of nearby Cyprus. As farmers abandon the unequal struggle to grow crops on scorched land, unworked pasture is being overrun by wild growth, making it tinder for fires.

Longer, more regular heatwaves are making these fires ever more intense, destructive and frequent, he said last week.

In Floridia, meanwhile, farmers such as Francesco Romano are considering planting avocados and other crops that can better withstand the heat.

Even in the sea, there is no refuge. Ecologists warn that the fish that provide a vital link in our food chain are at risk of suffocating in these temperatures.

As seawater grows warmer, fish need to consume more oxygen to survive. However, warm water holds less oxygen. In a massive artificial lake in northern France, nearly ten tons of fish were found dead last week after the water level fell from one metre to 80cm, and the water temperature spiralled to 29c (84f).

We would do well not to dismiss this Lucifer visitation as a meteorological quirk  it may well be an alarming vision of the future that is rapidly heading our way.
Three former Netflix employees and two others have been hit with insider trading charges, accused of profiting off of confidential data on subscriber growth at the streaming giant as part of a multimillion-dollar scheme.

The Securities and Exchange Commission said the group generated $3.1million in total earnings by trading on the insider information from three former Netflix software engineers.

'We allege that a Netflix employee and his close associates engaged in a long-running, multimillion dollar scheme to profit from valuable, misappropriated company information,' said Erin Schneider, director of the SEC's San Francisco regional office.

Former Netflix employees Sung Mo 'Jay' Jun, Ayden Lee and Jae Hyeon Bae have been charged with insider trading along with two close associates

The SEC said in a complaint the five suspects generated $3.1million in profit by trading on confidential data on subscriber growth at Netflix

Joseph Sansone, of the SEC's Market Abuse Unit, said the group tried to evade detection by using encrypted messaging applications and paying cash kickbacks.

'This case reflects our continued use of sophisticated analytical tools to detect, unravel and halt pernicious insider trading schemes that involve multiple tippers, traders, and market events,' Sansone said in a statement.

According to the SEC's complaint, Sung Mo 'Jay' Jun, 45, was at the center of a long-running scheme to illegally trade on non-public information while employed at Netflix in 2016 and 2017.

Jun revealed this information to his brother, Joon Mo Jun, 45, and a close friend, Junwoo Chon, 49, who both used it to trade in advance of more than a dozen Netflix earnings announcements.

'Joon Jun and Chon profitably traded Netflix securities based on that information, and Chon paid Sung Mo Jun $60,000 in cash from the profits he made by trading in Netflix securities,' according to the 11-page complaint.

After Jun left Netflix in 2017, he obtained confidential Netflix subscriber growth information from another Netflix employee, Ayden Lee, 33, who considered Jun to be his mentor, according to the SEC.

The SEC alleged that Sung Mo Jun's former Netflix colleague Jae Hyeon Bae, 42, another Netflix engineer, provided the insider subscriber growth information via a messaging channel called 'Rage Against the Market' in advance of Netflix's July 2019 earnings announcement.

The SEC said the five men have agreed to a court settlement, which would bar them from further violations and impose civil penalties

'Just prior to Netflixs quarterly earnings announcement in July 2019, Joon Jun used the Messaging Channel to ask Bae for his opinion about Netflixs performance,' the complaint states. 'Bae understood this request related to trading in Netflix securities, and told Joon Jun that he should sell Netflix shares.

'Bae did so based on his knowledge of Netflixs confidential subscriber information, which he understood to be below analysts then-current expectations.'

The SEC said the five have agreed to a court settlement, which would bar them from further violations and impose undetermined civil penalties.

Separate criminal charges were filed by the US Attorney's Office against Sung Mo Jun, Joon Jun, Chon and Lee, officials said.
Covid-ravaged Sydney is set to stay in a hard lockdown until Christmas with NSW on track to record as many as 3,000 cases a day, a leading health expert has warned.

After eight weeks of stay-at-home restrictions the state reported 633 new locally acquired cases on Wednesday, smashing the previous daily record by 155 infections.

Burnet Institute Director Professor Brendan Crabb said it was clear the state's 'piecemeal' approach to locking down the city had not been effective.

Professor Crabb called for Premier Gladys Berejiklian to enforce a uniform lockdown for the whole of NSW by introducing a state-wide curfew, 5km travel restrictions for all residents and stricter rules around who is classed as an essential worker.

Pictured is a queue for Covid-19 vaccinations in Sydney on Wednesday. Burnet Institute Director Professor Brendan Crabb has called for Premier Gladys Berejiklian to introduce a uniform lockdown for the entire state to stop the spread of the Delta strain

'We are now at 600 cases a day. If we speak again in 30 days, it will be 3,000 to 4,000 cases,' he told the Today show.

Professor Crabb urged Ms Berejiklian to stop locking down some areas of Sydney harder than others and make the rules the same for everyone to stop transmission.

His plea was supported by the show's host, Karl Stefanovic, who said, 'I just want this to go away.'

'I think we need to draw a line and reset around a program of uniformity, where everything is the same for every person,' Professor Crabb said.

However, one of Australia's top virus experts, James McCaw, says the state's vaccination rate will be much higher in four weeks, which will help to drive down the rate of transmission in Sydney.

'My expectation is that the NSW situation will be far more stable and the government will be able to look at a relaxation of measures because of the high vaccination coverage,' he told ABC's AM show.

Professor Crab says confusion over the differing levels of lockdown is hurting NSW's fight against the virus.

'The incremental, frankly piecemeal, approach hasn't worked. We have lockdowns scattered into different LGAs and then scattered by region - people are confused.

'[The premier should enforce] a 5km travel restriction from home, mandate masks for every person in the state and make very strict rules around what an authorised worker is.'

He added a curfew was needed 'to bed this [harder lockdown] down for the first few weeks'.

'I think we need to draw a line and reset around a program of uniformity, where everything is the same for every person,' Professor Crabb said

Even if case numbers then start to stabilise, Professor Crabb said it may be Christmas before Sydney is in a position to come out of lockdown.

'Let's assume by some miracle things turnaround, we at least keep the numbers level each day,' he said.

'The best outcome is lockdown until Christmas.'

The R-rate is now 1.3, meaning every 10 people who catch the devastating respiratory illness will pass it on to another 13.

Fifty three per cent of NSW residents have had a single dose and at the current rate the state is expected to fully vaccinate 80 per cent of its eligible population by November 18.

Two pedestrians holding takeaway coffees at Bronte Beach in Sydney's eastern suburbs on Wednesday. Professor Crabb urged Ms Berejiklian to stop locking down some areas of Sydney harder than others and make the rules the same for everyone

The University of Melbourne professor, who advises the federal government on its coronavirus response, said the rate at which infections are picking up pace is 'deeply concerning'.

'It could go lower too. Our models show the possibility of increases and decreases, but I think it's more likely to be well over 1,000 and up to 2,000 within a month or so,' he told the Sydney Morning Herald.

Using the 1.3 reproduction figure, NSW will see 2,278 daily cases on average by September 17, with more than 1,000 expected by September 2.

If the R-rate were to drop slightly to 1.2, a five-day rolling average by September 17 would be a slightly healthier 1,409.

An R-rate of 1.1 would see the average daily cases by the same date reach a far more manageable 836.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Wednesday batted away questions about the need for a harsher lockdown, saying lack of compliance was the problem.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the worst was yet to come for Sydneysiders as the state recorded by far the highest daily rise in cases during the Covid-19 pandemic to date

She warned 'we haven't seen the worst of it' because every infected person was passing on the virus to 1.3 others.

Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant also issued a sombre warning as she urged residents to stay home.

'I can't express enough my level of concern at these rising numbers of cases,' she said.

NSW Opposition Leader Chris Minns said no-one wanted a stricter lockdown 'but the alternative is too grim to bear at this point'.

'We can't face a prospect of 2,000 daily cases. It would be too much of a stretch on our health system,' he told the ABC on Thursday.

Meanwhile, elective surgeries at nearly 30 private hospitals have been suspended so staff can be re-deployed to plug gaps in the public system and administer vaccines.

The state also recorded a record number of vaccinations in a single day.

Some 109,550 NSW residents received a jab on Tuesday, taking the vaccine coverage for people over 16 to 54 per cent (with at least one dose).

At the moment the R-rate is now 1.3, meaning every 10 people who catch the devastating respiratory illness will pass it on to another 13 (pictured, Bronte Beach in Sydney's east)

Vaccination hubs are popping up across western and southwest Sydney, as authorities try to get 530,000 Pfizer doses into the arms of under-40s in those areas in under three weeks.

Meanwhile, the virus has continued its spread in regional NSW, with the government undecided if the one week snap lockdown for the whole state will be extended.

Seventeen of the 23 new cases recorded in western NSW on Wednesday were in Dubbo, with the remainder in Mudgee, Narromine and Gilgandra.

There are now four others in the state's far west, with three in Wilcannia and one in Bourke.

The Dharriwaa Elders Group in Walgett - which Ms Berejiklian has said is 'of enormous concern' - is calling for more data on rates of vaccination of Indigenous people.
A brave man has undertaken what could be the world's most difficult workout by doing the same number of push ups as the NSW Covid cases announced each day - and it's all for a good cause.

Regan Campbell started the challenge on July 27 to raise $1,000 for the Black Dog Institute while in Sydney's lockdown and has so far completed a grand total of 7,133 push ups.

Mr Campbell is so set on meeting his targets for the mental health charity because his mother committed suicide.

'Because of this mental health awareness has been something I'm a huge advocate for, and in a time where we are all self-isolating, mental health awareness should be at the front of everyone's mind,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

Regan Campbell (pictured with fiance Bronte) is hoping to raise $1000 for the Black Dog Institution by challenging himself to do the same number of push ups as daily Covid cases

Mr Campbell explained that he is proud his message is being conveyed to the public, even though it has been difficult to complete the push ups because the Covid cases have sharply increased. On Thursday NSW recorded 681 cases.

'I guess in terms of experience, I literally went from doing zero push ups before this and being overweight to straight away doing 172 push ups which absolutely killed me,' he said.

'The first few days were the hardest, as I was adjusting to going from zero exercise to what I felt like was extreme exercise.

Regan Campbell (pictured) is doing the same number of push ups as there are daily Covid cases in NSW to raise money for charity

'I actually could barely do knee push ups for days two and three, that's how sore I was after the first day.'

Despite the difficulty of his initial starting place Mr Campbell said he is in a good mental health place because of the challenge.

'I feel like the physical exercise and the cause behind it has actually made me happier than pre-lockdown which I know is extremely odd to say,' he said.

Mr Campbell won't stop until cases in NSW reach zero again.

This is Regan's second time doing a challenge to raise money for the organisation. Last year, he undertook another push up challenge, doing a 20 day, 25 push up fundraiser

He completed a similar challenge in 2020, doing a 20 day, 25 push up challenge, also raising money for the Black Dog Institute.

The blurb on his donation site this year reads: 'Mental illness affects one in five Australians every year, with the most common being depression and anxiety. Mental illness doesn't discriminate. It affects people from all walks of life - individuals, families, workplaces and communities.'

To donate and support Mr Campbell in his challenge, visit his donation site here.
Australia will only take in 3,000 Afghan refugees this year because it doesn't want more and is struggling to get people out of the country, Alex Hawke said.

The Immigration Minister was grilled on humanitarian visas after Amnesty International said Australia's offering following the Taliban takeover was 'wholly insufficient'.

The UK and Canada have each vowed to take 20,000 Afghans and the US is expected to resettle 30,000.

Women were filmed pleading with US troops that the 'Taliban are coming' in footage that appeared to have been taken at Kabul Airport

Australian Defence Force personnel process the first evacuees from Kabul at Australia's main base in the Middle East region

A young boy appears to be one of the lucky ones who was on the flight out

Poll Should Australia take more than 3,000 Afghan refugees escaping the Taliban? Yes No Should Australia take more than 3,000 Afghan refugees escaping the Taliban? Yes 67 votes

No 128 votes Now share your opinion





In an interview on ABC radio on Thursday morning, Mr Hawke was asked: 'Is the issue that we don't want to take more people or that we can't get people out of the country?'

The minister replied replied: 'There's an element of both.'

On Wednesday the first Australian evacuation flight from Kabul landed at an airbase in the UAE with only 26 people on board a plane that can comfortably hold 100.

Mr Hawke said the situation was chaotic and admitted it was difficult to get evacuees to US-secured Kabul Airport through Taliban controlled-territory.

'There are plenty of factors on the ground. It is not a normal airport terminal, it is a chaotic environment, it is uncontrolled,' he said.

Mr Hawke said some people refused to board the plane because not all their family members had made it past Taliban checkpoints.

But he insisted that the first flight was successful and there would be more to come.

'There'll be many more flights, we've got them scheduled... that first mission was an absolute success,' he said.

Earlier Amnesty International Australia Refugee Advisor Dr Graham Thom slammed Australia for only taking 3,000 Afghan refugees.

'This is a huge crisis which has only just begun - 3,000 places is a start but it's wholly insufficient when we have so many people in urgent, desperate need,' he said.

There are particular fears for the safety of women and girls as the Taliban imposes hardline Islamic rule on Afghanistan.

The Prime Minister warned the evacuation process would be difficult. Pictured: Troops guarding the C-130 alongside passengers

This is the first picture of the Australian Defence Force evacuation flight which departed Kabul with 26 on board

Mr Hawke defended the intake, pointing out that Australia's total intake of Afghans since 2013 would be up to 14,000.

He said Australia has been welcoming Afghans every year unlike some other countries.

In 2015, the Abbott government granted 12,000 humanitarian visas to people in Syria on top of Australia's regular humanitarian program.

Mr Hawke said that crisis involved millions of people crossing into Europe and so comparison to Afghanistan - a nation of 38million - was not fair.

The 3,000 humanitarian places will focus on family members of Australians, persecuted minorities such as women and girls, children, the Hazara and other vulnerable groups.

It comes after incredible pictures emerged of the first RAAF flight from Kabul including Australian citizens, Afghan nationals with visas and one foreign official working in an international agency.

One image shows them waiting to board the C-130 Hercules plane on the tarmac at Kabul Airport, which was secured by US and UK forces on Tuesday.

The RAAF C-130 Hercules which successfully evacuated 26 people from Kabul airport

Officials help process arrivals at the arrivals who touched down at an airbase in the UAE

Another shows a young Afghan boy and his father by being greeted by Australian health officials in a hangar.

The first evacuation flight touched down in the UAE at 10.45am eastern time with 26 people on board.

'This was the first of what will be many flights subject to clearance and weather,' Mr Morrison said.

The Prime Minister warned the evacuation process would be difficult as the situation on the ground worsens and did not say how many people he aimed to rescue.

'This is not a simple process. It is very difficult for any Australian to imagine the sense of chaos and uncertainty existing right across this country. The breakdown in formal communications, the ability to reach people,' he said.

Mr Morrison said legitimate Afghan refugees but would be welcome but anyone who arrived illegally by boat would be turned away.

'We will only be resettling people through our official humanitarian program going through official channels,' he said.

The C-130 Hercules plane (pictured) touched down in the UAE at 10.45am eastern time with 26 people on board

Australia's 3,000 humanitarian visa places will focus on family members of Australians, persecuted minorities such as women and girls. Pictured: The first evacuation flight

'We will not be allowing people to enter Australia illegally, even at this time. Our policy has not changed.

'We will be supporting Afghans who have legitimate claims through our official and legitimate processes. We will not be providing that pathway to those who would seek to come any other way. That is a very important message. The government's policy has not changed, will not change,' he said.

Mr Morrison said one additional C1-30 and two C-17s will soon join the existing C-130 to make regular flights out of Kabul in the coming days.

On Monday thousands of Afghans stormed Kabul Airport in a desperate bid to escape the country.

A video showed desperate Afghans clinging to the sides of a U.S. military plane as it tried to leave the city's airport.

Another showed people plunging to their deaths from a C-17 transport aircraft.

Australia joined the war in Afghanistan in November 2001. Pictured: An Australian Platoon from Combat Team Tusk in Afghanistan

Australia joined the war in Afghanistan in November 2001 after the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York, the worst terror attack in history.

The US-led coalition swiftly deposed the Taliban government before year's end, but western troops had stayed for 20 years since, dealing with lingering pockets of resistance and trying to train the local army.

At the peak of the war, Australia had 1,500 troops in Afghanistan and in total 39,000 Australian Defence Force personnel have been deployed on Operations SLIPPER and HIGHROAD.

Since the end of 2013, Australia has only maintained a small training force in Afghanistan rather than active combat troops.

In February the US said it would withdraw by May. The Taliban reclaimed control from the Afghan government over the weekend.
Former President Donald Trump on Wednesday condemned Twitter for allowing the Taliban to publish messages while he remained banned by the social media.

'It's disgraceful when you think that you have killers and muggers and dictators and horrible ... some horrible dictators and countries, and they're all on but the president of the United States, who had hundreds of millions of people, by the way, he gets taken off,' Trump told Newsmax in a telephone interview.

In contrast, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid has been allowed to post updates on the jihadist movement's advance, describing how military units had captured Kabul.

Other platforms, such as Facebook, ban posts that glorify violence including sanctioned terrorist organizations such as the Taliban.

But by Wednesday, Mujahid's account remained active with more than 322,000 followers.

A spokesman for Twitter said: 'The situation in Afghanistan is rapidly evolving, and we're witnessing people in the country using Twitter to seek help and assistance.

'Twitter's top priority is keeping people safe, and we remain vigilant.'

'We will continue to proactively enforce our rules and review content that may violate Twitter Rules, specifically policies against glorification of violence and platform manipulation and spam.'

Twitter announced it was banning Trump on Jan. 8, permanently suspending an account with more than 80 million followers.

Former President Trump was banned by Twitter in January while Zabihullah Mujahid, chief spokesman for the Taliban, has 322,000 followers

The account of the Taliban spokesman has kept up a steady stream of commentary as the Islamist movement took over Afghanistan

Taliban fighters patrol Wazir Akbar Khan neighborhood in Kabul. The Taliban declared an 'amnesty' across Afghanistan and urged women to join their government Tuesday, seeking to convince a wary population that they have changed

Hundreds of people remain around Hamid Karzai Airport in Kabul complicating U.S. efforts to bring home nationals and rescue Afghan allies

It said it took the decision because of the risk of 'further incitement of violence' after Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol.

But all platforms face awkward decisions as they decide whether to allow a Taliban government to use social media.

However, Trump said his flurry of emailed statements and appearance on channels such as Newsmax meant he could continue to get his message out.

In recent days he has kept up a running commentary on President Biden's foreign policy and handling of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Again on Wednesday, he condemned Biden for the chaotic scenes at Kabul airport where U.S. troops have been deployed to protect an emergency evacuation.

'Well it's inconceivable that anybody could be so incompetent, stupid ... use any word you want to use ... to imagine that you take out your military before you take out your US citizens and civilians and others that may be helped us,' he said.

Biden is under pressure to explain how his administration could have failed to forecast the rapid Taliban takeover. Trump claimed he had seen it coming.

These are great fighters,' he said. 'They've been fighting for 2000 years. That's what they do is they fight.'

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid answers press members questions as he holds a press conference in Kabul, Afghanistan on August 17, 2021

Taliban fighters sit at the table inside the presidential office at the palace in Kabul on Sunday after claiming victory

The result was a huge embarrassment for the U.S.

'They don't know what they're doing and whether you think in terms of Dunkirk, or whether you think in terms of so many other bad thoughts. You know we have 1000s of potential hostages sitting there, our military left and now we're trying to get our military back there,' he said.

Earlier in the day he complained at the sight of 640 refugees packed onto a U.S. Air Force C-17 arguing the plane should have been filled with Americans fleeing Afghanistan instead.

'This plane should have been full of Americans. America First!' Trump said in a statement, sharing a tweet from CBS News that featured the photograph, that has gone viral since the Sunday flight.

Trump previously hammered President Joe Biden for not rescuing civilians who had aided the American war effort.

'Can anyone even imagine taking out our Military before evacuating civilians and others who have been good to our Country and who should be allowed to seek refuge?' Trump said in a statement Monday.

'In addition, these people left topflight and highly sophisticated equipment. Who can believe such incompetence? Under my Administration, all civilians and equipment would have been removed,' the former president added.

Former President Donald Trump complained Wednesday at the sight of 640 refugees packed onto a U.S. Air Force C-17 arguing the plane should have been filled with Americans fleeing Afghanistan instead

Trump sent out a statement Wednesday afternoon that said, 'This plane should have been full of Americans. America First!' He then shared a tweet that showed the viral image of 640 Afghan refugees packed into a C-17

Trump shared the viral photo of 640 Afghans crammed into a Air Force C-17 fleeing Taliban rule

Trump's change of tune came as some of his allies started fear-mongering about Afghan refugees flooding into the U.S.

Steve Cortes, a senior adviser to Trump's 2020 campaign, reacted to the Afghan refugee photo Tuesday by tweeting, 'Raise your hand if you want this plane landing in your town?'

'America paid unimaginable costs in Afghanistan because of uniparty globalists who dominated the Bush & Obama administrations. No more,' he said.

The Center for Renewing America, which is led by former Trump Office of Management and Budget official Russ Vought, sent out a statement Tuesday cautioning that the U.S. shouldn't bring in too many Afghan refugees.

The statement was co-authored by Ken Cuccinelli, who served as the Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security under Trump.

It was shared on Twitter by top Trump aide Stephen Miller.

'[W]e must keep in mind that most of the fleeing Afghans will not have directly aided the United States or directly fought against the Taliban. And it is not in our national interest to accept refugees merely because they are refugees,' the statement said.

'Already U.S. governors are rushing to resettle refugees from Afghanistan with no thought as to how it will impact the security or cohesion of their communities,' the statement continued.

'Americans understandably want to protect Afghans who risked their lives to fight w U.S. against the Taliban & Al Qaeda,' it said.

'However, we must be careful that we do not allow the attitude behind the self-destructive open border policies & enforcement failures happening on our southern border to be repeated with the importation & resettlement of tens of thousands of Afghans who we cannot properly vet and who may very well pose a security risk to our communities, and may be unable or unwilling to assimilate into our country.'

During his four years in office, Trump was an immigration hardliner who vastly diminished the U.S.'s refugee program.

He also put in place a so-called 'Muslim ban,' which aimed to suspend travel and immigration from a handful of Muslim-majority countries.

He first announced his plans for a ban in December 2015, weeks before the beginning of the Republican primary.

Trump pushed to have the U.S. leave Afghanistan and signed a deal with the Taliban to remove all U.S. troops by May of this year.

Biden extended the deployment, with the aim to remove U.S. boots on the ground by August 31, less than two weeks before the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks, which prompted U.S. involvement in Afghanistan.
A meth-addicted mother had her four youngest kids taken away when authorities discovered the family home was riddled with faeces and didn't have enough beds.

Glenys Kupfer, 34, a mother of six, pleaded guilty to four counts of failing to provide adequate food, clothing and accommodation to a child in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

Ms Kupfer acknowledged she wasn't coping as a single parent, had a serious drug habit and was also traumatised by the death of her brother, reported NCA Newswire.

Police prosecutor Scott Mesecke told the court officers and Department of Child Protection staff first attended Ms Kupfer's Blair Athol home, in Adelaide's north, on March 1 in 2019.

Glenys Kupfer, 34, a mother of six, pleaded guilty to four counts of failing to provide adequate food, clothing and accommodation to a child in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Wednesday

After losing custody of her four kids, Adelaide mother Glenys Kupfer (pictured) overcame some life demons and is now drug free

They were confronted with faeces clearly visible on the floor in the lounge room, bathroom and kitchen, the court heard.

Mr Mesecke told the court a filthy mattress was also spotted on top of some lounge chairs and food was left rotting in the fridge.

When police again visited the home on June 27, the house was tidy - but the children had already been removed from Ms Kupfer's care, the court heard.

Defence lawyer Edward Stratton-Smith told the court his client turned to drugs as a coping mechanism after the 'violent' death of her brother - and she accepted she had failed to prioritise her children at the time.

He added Ms Kupfer was drug-free for a number of years and also had completed a parenting course.

'She accepted her neglect and didn't shy away from it,' Mr Stratton-Smith told the court.

'In the two years since her children have left, she's a very different person her singular focus is her children.'

Ms Kupfer will reappear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court in September to be sentenced.
The Washington Post was condemned over a story calling the Talibans use of social media strikingly sophisticated, while claiming that the group's internet presence did less to incite violence than Donald Trump did.

In a story published Wednesday, reporters Craig Timberg and Christiano Lima praised the Taliban's online tactics - including a regularly-updated Twitter feed, as showing 'such a high degree of skill,' that they believed a PR firm had been drafted in to help them get their extremist message across, just like regular politicians in democracies.

The Washington Post has received immense backlash over a recent story arguing the Taliban had become 'strikingly sophisticated' when using social media to build political momentum than former President Donald Trump

In a story published Wednesday, (pictured) reporters Craig Timberg and Christiano Lima praised the Taliban's online tactics - including a regularly-updated Twitter feed, as showing 'such a high degree of skill,'

Timberg and Lima wrote the Taliban's believe a PR firm had been drafted in to help them get their extremist message across, just like regular politicians in democracies

'In accounts swelling across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram  and in group chats on apps such as WhatsApp and Telegram  the messaging from Taliban supporters typically challenges the West's dominant image of the group as intolerant, vicious and bent on revenge, while staying within the evolving boundaries of taste and content that tech companies use to police user behavior,' the article continued.

The most well-known Taliban Twitter 'spokesman' is Suhail Shaheen, who provides updates on the hardline Islamic group's progress to 360,000 followers. His continued presence on the social media site has sparked fury amid reports of extreme violence being meted out by the group in Afghanistan, while Donald Trump was banned after being blamed for inciting the US Capitol riots.

Other Twitter users were quick to criticize the publication for the claim.

'This is an example of a democracy dying in darkness!' wrote one user in reference to the Washington Post's famed slogan, 'Democracy Dies in Darkness.'

'An article in WaPo explaining why Trump is banned from social media and the Taliban isn't, argues that the Taliban follows the rules and is "A movement rooted in traditional moral codes" and I'm sorry but everybody has lost their bloody minds,' another wrote.

The most well-known Taliban Twitter 'spokesman' is Suhail Shaheen, (pictured) who provides updates on the hardline Islamic group's progress to 360,000 followers

The article goes on to highlight a specific video online as evidence of the group's skill at portraying themselves positively. It shows Taliban fighters are dressed in camouflage, brandishing machine guns in an eastern province of Afghanistan, amidst a picturesque pink and blue sky.

The text below, in Pashto and English, reads, 'IN AN ATMOSPHERE OF FREEDOM.'

Timberg and Lima explained Twitter is among the only platform that permits the Taliban to uphold an active presence online, while Facebook and Instagram have actively banned the terrorist group from promoting its message.

Numerous U.S. conservatives are confused why Trump was banned from Twitter after he was accused of inciting rioters to storm the U.S Capitol on January 6., while various Taliban figures have not.

Pakistan and Taliban flags flutter on their respective sides while people walk through a security barrier to cross border at a border crossing point between Pakistan and Afghanistan, in Chaman, Pakistan, Wednesday, Aug. 18

Reporters Craig Timberg and Christiano Lima explained Twitter is among the only platform that permits the Taliban to uphold an active presence online, while Facebook and Instagram have actively banned the terrorist group from promoting its message

'The answer, analysts said, may simply be that Trump's posts for years challenged platform rules against hate speech and inciting violence. Today's Taliban, by and large, does not,' Timberg and Lima wrote.

'The Taliban is clearly threading the needle regarding social media content policies and is not yet crossing the very distinct policy-violating lines that Trump crossed,' Rita Katz, executive director of the SITE Intelligence Group, told the paper Wednesday.

Katz continued by saying, 'This doesn't mean at all that the Taliban shouldn't be removed from social media, because the waves of propaganda and messaging it is spreading  permissible as it may seem by some content policy standards  is fueling a newly emboldened and extremely dangerous global Islamist militant movement.'

Stranded Afghan nationals arrive to return back to Afghanistan at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border crossing point in Chaman on August 16, 2021

A man cries as he watches fellow Afghans get wounded after Taliban fighters use gunfire, whips, sticks and sharp objects to maintain crowd control over thousands of Afghans who continue to wait outside Kabul airport for a way out

Although the State Department has classified the Pakistani Taliban a foreign terrorist organization, it has not designated the Afghan Taliban as one.

Under rulings from the Treasury Departments Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the Afghan Taliban is listed as a sanctioned entity.

The jihadists have been dubbed 'Taliban 2.0' for their media charm offensive in trying to persuade the world that they have moderated compared to the Taliban of 20 years ago.

However, the Taliban's new 'moderate' facade has already crumbled with images emerging today of alleged thieves being tarred and strapped to trucks, and reports of a journalist shot dead for raising a flag and of a woman killed for refusing to wear a burqa.

The terror group's 'Angels of Salvation' are going from door-to-door and dragging political opponents from their homes at gunpoint. One suspect's neighbor reported that the Taliban said he would be hanged tomorrow.

A journalist who raised the Afghan national flag in defiance at a protest in the northern city of Jalalabad on Wednesday was shot dead by the jihadists, along with two other protesters.

According to local reports. Zahidullah Nazirzada had joined defiant crowds in raising the tricolour, now outlawed and replaced by the Taliban's white banner.

Footage from Kabul showed a car thief on Tuesday with his face covered in tar, tied to the back of a truck and his hands behind his back as people gathered around to gawp. A traffic cop stood nearby apparently powerless.

A young woman was shot dead for allegedly refusing to wear a burqa by marauding jihadists when they captured the northern town of Taloqan in Takhar province last week, according to a post widely shared on social media.

She is seen lying in a pool of blood as her distraught parents crouch beside her body in the image which was shared by the Afghan Ambassador to Poland, Tahir Qadry, who denounced the 'butchering of civilians.'

Other footage shows Taliban fighters outside Kabul airport on Tuesday wielding AK-47s and rocket launchers, marching towards the terrified crowds and firing warning shots into the air.
Fifty volunteers are being sought to take part in a global trial of a new Covid-19 vaccine in Queensland.

Mater Research is helping a trial of a new protein-based vaccine on behalf of a large, unnamed US pharmaceutical firm.

Mater Hospital director of infectious diseases Associate Professor Paul Griffin is calling for 50 volunteers who are yet to be vaccinated to take part in the study in Brisbane.

Mater Research have called on 50 Queenslanders to trial a new protein-based vaccine on behalf of a large, unnamed US pharmaceutical firm

He says a new vaccine will add to the global arsenal against Covid-19, which continues to evolve.

'It's vital we advance new vaccines. The SARS-CoV-2 virus continues to evolve and if we want to get the better of it, our vaccines and treatments will also need to evolve and keep pace,' Prof Griffin said in a statement.

'The trial will assess the level of immune response the investigational new vaccine generates in trial participants.'

Mater Hospital director of infectious diseases Associate Professor Paul Griffin said the trial will assess the level of immune response the vaccine generates in participants

He said that while more traditional protein-based vaccines take longer to develop than mRNA or viral vectors vaccines, they offer a number of benefits.

Prof Griffin said unlike the Pfizer vaccine, they don't require cold-chain storage and they're cheaper and easier to produce locally.

He said protein vaccines are having early success against Covid-19 in overseas trials and, if developed, they could make it easier to boost vaccine supply across Australia.

'Most of the Covid-19 vaccines already licensed in Australia don't use this technology but studies with this investigational vaccine, as well as other protein-based vaccines, have shown very promising results elsewhere,' Prof Griffin said.

'We're hoping an additional platform should boost the available vaccine supply, which has been one of the biggest hurdles in getting more of the population better protected from Covid-19.'

Prof Griffin said the protein-based vaccines don't require cold-chain storage and are cheaper and easier to produce locally

Prof Griffin said Mater Research is seeking healthy, unvaccinated adults over the age of 18 for the trials.

Each participant will receive either one or two doses of the new vaccine and will undergo diagnostic and laboratory tests for up to a year.

CMAX Clinical Research in Adelaide will also be taking part in the global trials of the protein-based vaccines.

Mater Research is currently conducting a trial of a new mRNA vaccine on behalf of a global pharmaceutical company.

'Given the ongoing impacts of Covid-19, our vaccine research has potential for major global implications in our fight against the pandemic,' Prof Griffin said.

'The current lockdowns affecting most of our country demonstrate this virus will continue to claim lives, cause serious illness and cause disruptions until we get most of the population vaccinated. Hopefully new vaccines will help us do that.'
A young woman has revealed she is 'running away from Australia' to live in Sweden after the lack of financial support during the pandemic left her 'homeless'.

Mabel, 23, announced she is leaving her home country behind and does not plan to return in a TikTok video she filmed while sitting on a plane this week.

'I'm currently running away from Australia to Sweden because these past two years made me hate my country,' she captioned the video, which has been viewed more than 138,000 times.

The young woman explained that when the Covid-19 pandemic hit she was renting and working casually.

Mabel, 23, from Australia revealed she has fled the country to Sweden due to the lack of financial support offered from the government

'The Australian government turned me from a worker paying rent to homeless in a week, I think I'll pass on that type of government,' she said.

She said while Australia is beautiful, she'd rather 'skip the aesthetic' and move somewhere she could be financially supported, adding Sweden had superior benefits and Covid payments for casual workers.

Mabel, who is vaccinated, said she was able to receive an exemption to leave Australia because she had a 'compelling reason' and stated she wasn't planning to return.

The 23-year-old said the past two years of living through the Covid crisis had been devastating for her as a casual worker, saying 'not everyone received JobKeeper', which ended on March 28.

Australians experiencing a loss of income or reduced hours as a result of coronavirus restrictions are still eligible to apply for JobSeeker or the Covid Disaster Payment.

Those living in lockdown can be eligible for $375 a week if they lose less than 20 hours of work and $600 if they lose more than 20 hours under the Covid Disaster Payment.

Mabel's video was flooded with comments, with some saying the government 'didn't owe casual workers anything' while others said they would also leave if they could.

'The casualisation of the workplace in this country has been catastrophic,' one wrote.

The 23-year-old said she was renting and working casually when the outbreak happened and was left 'homeless' within a week

'I agree, this country is falling apart,' wrote another.

'Australia is a beautiful country and regardless of what's going on we are so lucky to be here,' said one.

Mabel's departure comes at a time where millions around Australia are under harsh lockdowns.

New South Wales is experiencing its highest case numbers since the pandemic began with Greater Sydney under stay-at-home orders for eight weeks.

Melbourne is also enduring its sixth lockdown with 57 new infections recorded on Thursday as residents tally up their 200th day stuck at home since the first outbreak.

New South Wales is experiencing its highest case numbers ever since the pandemic began with Greater Sydney nearing eight weeks under stay-at-home orders (pictured police patrol on Bondi Beach)

Workers have been hit the hardest with businesses forced to close or reduce hours for their staff significantly.

Sweden controversially chose not to plunge its residents into lockdown so it could use herd immunity to control the virus.

As a result the country recorded more than 14,000 deaths while Australia has had fewer than 1,000.

Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf in December said his country had 'failed'.

'I think we have failed. We have a large number who have died and that is terrible,' he said.
Headteachers have reacted with fury after the Government suggested they move classes outdoors to prevent the spread of Covid.

The Department for Education said it was an extra measure to think about if schools see a cluster of cases, in official guidance published this week.

The document also suggested assemblies and exercise could be held outdoors to reduce transmission.

Head teachers union ASCL said yesterday it would soon be too cold to make children learn outside.

The Department for Education said moving classes outdoors was an extra measure to think about if schools see a cluster of cases, in official guidance published this week (pictured: a teacher during an outdoor class at Watlington Primary School in June last year)

Geoff Barton, the unions general secretary, said: The suggestion that schools could realistically consider holding assemblies and lessons outdoors during the autumn term, as temperatures plummet, is a total fudge. What is needed is ventilation equipment in school buildings as soon as possible.

The National Education Union agreed that measures such as outside lessons will be difficult in winter. General secretary Kevin Courtney described the lack of plans in place for September as concerning.

A DfE spokesman said: As we learn to live with the virus across society, we must strike the right balance of measures so that our children can continue with their lives and education in the best possible way.

The guidance is contained in the Governments updated Covid contingency framework on what to do if five closely-interacting people  or 10 per cent of the school  test positive in a ten-day period.

It suggests thinking about whether any activities could take place outdoors, including exercise, assemblies or classes and ways to improve ventilation indoors, where this would not significantly impact thermal comfort.

It also suggests one-off enhanced cleaning focusing on touch points and any shared equipment.

The document also suggested assemblies and exercise could be held outdoors to reduce transmission. But head teachers union ASCL said it would soon be too cold to make children learn outside (file photo taken in Kidsgrove in February this year)

Mr Barton also expressed concern about the timing of the new guidance  while teachers are away and schools are closed.

He told the Times Educational Supplement: We are concerned that the contingency framework is growing during the summer holidays and with very little time for schools and colleges to update their planning.

Teachers and school leaders have also reacted strongly to the update on social media.

One primary teacher said: Soon it will be autumn . . . And then winter. Im not sure outdoor lessons are going to be suitable for students or teachers.

Another said: Outdoor lessons  in this English climate?
Charlie Teo is fighting to clear his name amid a string of complaints including that he allegedly performed brain surgery on patients whose conditions were inoperable.

The celebrated neurosurgeon will face a NSW Medical Council 'immediate action panel' on Thursday, where he will strongly deny allegations levelled against him by other doctors.

Dr Teo is understood to be representing himself when he fronts the council, which confirmed to Daily Mail Australia the 63-year-old had been called before the 'immediate action panel' - which has the power to suspend him.

It is not known who made the complaints against him.

The council said no further details would be released 'while it is in discussions with Dr Teo and any potential regulatory action is being considered'.

Celebrated brain surgeon Charlie Teo today begins a fight to clear his name after being hauled before an urgent panel of medical experts. He is pictured with WA teen Milli Lucas, who he operated on and helped live for another two years after operating on her in 2019

Charlie Teo is understood to be defending himself at today's NSW Medical Council panel hearing. He is pictured with his daughter Nicole Teo.

'This is to protect the integrity of the processes that the Council applies in all cases and to ensure procedural fairness is extended to Dr Teo,' it said.

The urgent three-person panel hearing, which will include another neurosurgeon, will grill Dr Teo over several complaints, including what he allegedly told dying patients as well as performing operations that could not succeed, the Daily Telegraph reported.

A self-described 'maverick', Dr Teo has built an international following over 30 years by providing hope to cancer sufferers through expensive, so-called 'last-chance' keyhole neurosurgery.

'As a neurosurgeon I offer surgery to patients from all around the world who have been given no hope,' a message on his website reads.

Dr Charlie Teo and his model girlfriend and former patient Traci Griffiths, 46, attended the Rebel Ball Reimagined at Doltone House in Sydney on May 2

Dr Teo, a self-described 'maverick' has gained an international following for his work and also a celebrity status

The hearing will be conducted in line with the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law.

The panel has the power to immediately 'suspend or impose conditions on the practitioner's registration as a temporary measure'.

It cannot remove his licence to practice, but that could be done by another authority.

'Only the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal has the legal power to cancel a medical practitioners registration,' a NSW Medical Council spokesperson said.

This could following prosecution of a complaint investigated by the Health Care Complaints Commission.

Dr Teo was threatened with disciplinary action by the NSW Health Complaints Commission in 2019.

He read a letter at a medical conference from the HCCC that warned not to make 'comments which may undermine confidence in colleagues' directive decisions relating to patients'.

He works with the Centre for Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery at Randwick and is the director of the Charlie Teo Foundation, a cancer research charity.

Daily Mail Australia understand some of his peers are unhappy with aspects of his work, including his costs, the private fundraisers prospective patients use, his willingness to operate on 'inoperable' patients - and even his celebrity status.

Dr Teo works with the Centre for Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery at Randwick and is the icon director of the Charlie Teo Foundation, a cancer research charity

Dr Teo's peers have criticised praise of him as a 'miracle worker'.

'Something must be seriously wrong if a terminally ill girl with a brain tumour has to raise $120,000 to have surgery Dr Charlie Teo has offered do for $60-80K. If it was valid surgery, it could/should be performed in the public system under Medicare,' urologist Henry Woo wrote on social media in 2019.

The same year spinal surgeon Mike Selby said: 'Teo charges massively excessive fees'.

But patients and their families have been kinder. Monica Smirk, the mother of teen Milli Lucas called him, 'a genius'.

Milli Lucas died in January 2021.

'I was pretty devastated, I sort of stopped in my tracks when I heard the news, I just couldn't continue with what I was doing at the time, it really had a deep impact on me,' Dr Teo said on 6PR radio.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Dr Teo for comment ahead of the hearing.
Joe Rogan launched an attack against Dr. Anthony Fauci's credibility, saying he has been '100 percent wrong' and blamed his shifting guidance for the mistrust in the COVID vaccine.

Rogan went after Dr. Fauci, Chief Medical Advisor to president Biden, on his Podcast 'The Joe Rogan Experience' on Tuesday.

The podcast host and his guest, artificial intelligence researcher Lex Fridman, said Fauci has lost public trust after not being transparent about so called 'gain-of-function' research at the Wuhan Institute.

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Rogan (pictured) went after Dr. Fauci, Chief Medical Advisor to president Biden, on his Podcast 'The Joe Rogan Experience' on Tuesday

Dr. Fauci (pictured) has been criticized for 'flip flopping' on COVID guidance in the past

Gain of Function Research (GOF) is a controversial practice that involves altering a virus or pathogen in order to study the development of new diseases and their transmission. The research can ultimately make the virus more contagious or more deadly in a lab.

According to an NIH definition, GOF includes studying and altering viruses in animals to make them transmissible to humans  and potentially more contagious and deadly.

Rogan said the media has ignored 'all the things (Fauci's) done to lead people to distrust him,' specifically his handing of the National Institutes of Health grant to EcoHealth Alliance.

The organization has been in the spotlight because of their collaborations with the Wuhan Institute of Virology, which is where some people theorize the coronavirus originated and escaped from.

Fridman also put the blame on Fauci and 'shady greedy a**holes' for public mistrust of science and Rogan attacked Fauci for his shifting guidance against COVID, while dismissing Fauci's prior claims that scientists must react to the evolving virus in real time.

Rogan honed in on Fauci's shifting guidance on masks, which he initially said were ineffective, and when he told American's there was no asymptomatic transmission of the virus.

The COVID tsar later claimed he had made the remarks on masks to stop them running out at the start of the crisis, when supplies for medics were very low.

'There's also a problem with people like him where they make these statements that you're led to believe they have an understanding of the situationbut then it turns out they're 100 percent wrong,' he said. 'But then they come up with a new statement and you're supposed to believe that.'

'When they don't know, they never say ''We don't know,'' Rogan added. 'They don't say ''this is very confusing and we're trying to figure it out as we go along."'

Rogan said Fauci has lost public trust after not being transparent about so called 'gain-of-function' research at the Wuhan Institute (pictured)

AI researcher Lex Fridman (pictured) said part of the issue with Fauci is communication and that he and many other scientist 'talk down' to people because of ego and it makes them less trustworthy

Fridman and Rogan said part of the issue with Fauci is communication and that he and many other scientist 'talk down' to people because of ego and it makes them less trustworthy.

Fauci has been criticized for 'flip flopping' on COVID guidance in the past.

He initially told Americans not to worry about wearing face masks early in the COVID crisis in spring 2020. He later became a huge supporter of public masking, and claimed his early dismissal of face coverings had been to try and conserve then-tight supplies for medical staff.

The veteran immunologist - who has served as director of the National Institutes of Health since 1984 - has also faced criticism for initially steering conversation away from claims that COVID may have leaked from the Wuhan virus lab, insisting the virus had almost certainly leapt into people from an animal.

He now says he is open to that theory.

Fauci has previously defended his contradicting advice, saying that people who criticize him for his COVID-19 'flip-flopping' are actually condemning science itself.

He claimed any changes in his recommendations were solely based on evolving data as the COVID crisis continued.
Mike Spann, 32, felt compelled to join the global war on terrorism after attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. He flew Afghanistan to support the American military soon after

The father and widow of the first American soldier to be killed in Afghanistan have slammed the chaotic US withdrawal as 'shameful'.

Johnny Spann said as he watched America's withdrawal from Afghanistan unfold on TV, with people desperately clinging to departing jets as they tried to escape the Taliban takeover a sense of nausea swept over him.

The sight of Afghans falling from the plane to their deaths reminded him of those who plunged off the World Trade Center after planes crashed into the towers September 11, 2001.

The irony wasn't lost on Spann, whose son, Mike Spann, felt obliged to serve his country in Afghanistan following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The 32-year-old CIA paramilitary officer was killed in the war torn country November 25, 2001, during a prisoner uprising at the fortress where he was questioning extreme terrorists. The Winfield, Alabama native was the first of 2,448 American services members to be killed in American combat.

In one of his last phone calls home to check on his children, he told his father he was hopeful they would gather information to locate the mastermind of the attacks, Osama bin Laden, his father recalled.

In an interview on Fox News, Shannon Spann, widow of Mike Spann, expressed disdain for Biden's actions.

'I'm deeply disappointed in President Biden's defiant stance in his address to the nation,' Spann told Fox News. 'In times of conflict, excellent leaders keep people bigger than the problem.

'We utterly failed at keeping people bigger than the problem.'

Spann, a 32-year-old CIA paramilitary officer, (right) was killed in the war torn country November 25, 2001, during a prisoner uprising at the fortress where he was questioning extreme terrorists. The Winfield, Alabama native was the first of 2,448 American services members to be killed in American combat

Shannon Spann, widow of Mike Spann, says the Biden administration failed at keeping Afghan women and children safe from the Taliban takeover

Spann's father said he was disgusted by images of America's chaotic withdrawal Monday showing people, desperate to escape the Taliban takeover, clinging to the side of a departing U.S. military jet. 'It makes me sick to my stomach when I see it. Its disheartening. It's shameful, I think. I think its shameful that we would do this,' Johnny Spann said

Spann's father said he was disgusted by images of Americas chaotic withdrawal Monday showing people, desperate to escape the Taliban takeover, clinging to the side of a departing U.S. military jet.

'It makes me sick to my stomach when I see it. Its disheartening. Its shameful, I think. I think its shameful that we would do this,' Johnny Spann said.

President Joe Biden addressed the international disaster Monday, telling the public who stood behind his decision to pull troops from the Middle Eastern country as the Taliban seized caches of powerful U.S. weapons meant for the Afghan army.

Johnny Spann had just dropped off his granddaughter in Birmingham when he had to pull over and look at the images on his cellphone after hearing them described.

Spann said he is not opposed to Americans leaving Afghanistan but disagrees with the timing and how it was done. With the Taliban takeover, his mind goes immediately to the Afghans who helped his son and other Americans.

'They are going to die. They are going to kill them. And how can someone stomach that when we know we made them promises? There is no telling how many people we would have lost if those people hadnt helped us,' he said.

Despite the Taliban taking a softer tone, Shannon Spann says she doesn't buy its promise to maintain the rights of women and girls

Shannon Spann, wife of CIA officer Johnny Michael 'Mike' Spann, follows her husband's casket to the grave site, holding her 6-month old son Jake, at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington

Shannon Spann said she doesn't believe the Taliban's promise of a peaceful takeover, and added she's concerned about how children and women will be the Taliban's takeover of the troubled country.

'You don't have to look further than the airport in Kabul to see that local Afghans don't believe [the Taliban's] story of 'we're going to be peaceful, we're not going to do reprisals, we're going to invite participation from women,'' she told Fox News. 'People literally clinging to the landing gear of aircraft to try to get away from the story that they know is about to be written.'

Thousands of desperate Afghans have been camped outside the Kabul airport for days, anxious to flee the Taliban-controlled country.

Mike Spann always seemed destined for the military.

As a teenager, he had Marine flags plastered on his ceiling and walls. During family trips, he would always want to go by military battlefields and landmarks. Near his graduation from Auburn University, he announced he was joining the Marines, a decision some questioned because he was a young husband.

'Dad, Ive always wanted to be a Marine. If I dont do it now, Ill never have another opportunity,' his father recalled him saying.

After the Sept. 11 attacks, Mike Spann felt a duty to go to Afghanistan even though the decision would mean leaving his two daughters, infant son and wife.

The span of the war can be measured in Spanns three children, just youngsters when their father died but now grown.

In the years since his sons death, Johnny Spann has become obsessed with learning the details - tracking down the autopsy report, photos and speaking to people who worked with his son in his last days. He is also sharply critical of President Joe Bidens withdrawal decision.

Much of the work his son and others did has been undone, he said, but that doesn't make their contributions meaningless.

'They helped us keep America safe, and thats what they were doing for 20 years. They did their job. They did what they were supposed to do. They did what they were told to do. But they didnt die in vain,' he said.

His son, he said, went to find bin Laden: 'He died before we found Osama bin Laden, but I think that maybe some of the things he did helped us get to that point.'

The elder Spann cautioned people not to think that the threat to America has ended with the withdrawal from Afghanistan.

'This war is not over. Weve just conceded territory that we took,' he said.

Johnny Spann, father of slain CIA officer Mike Spann of Alabama, who was the first American to die in Afghanistan, pauses at his son's gravesite at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington
A young couple have filmed the moment a Covid-denying husband and wife fight with them over a table with the best view at a Byron Bay cafe.

The video, which was posted to TikTok, shows an older man and woman from Britain demanding they give up the table at the Cape Byron Lighthouse Cafe because they had 'reserved' it.

The British pair refuse to leave and repeatedly ask the young couple to get up before claiming Covid-19 is 'rubbish' and 'false media'.

'Have you heard of the term Karen? Because you're acting like a Karen,' the young man filming the confrontation asks the older woman.

'Well, that's my name actually,' she replies.

'Your name's Karen? Well, that's very ironic that you don't believe in Covid and your name's Karen, you tick all the boxes,' he says.

A young couple have filmed a British Covid-denying man and woman fighting with them over a table at a Byron Bay cafe

'Have you heard of the term Karen? Because you're acting like a Karen,' the young man filming the confrontation asks. 'Well, that's my name actually,' the English woman replies

The video shows the British husband and wife telling a couple to move from a table at the Cape Byron Lighthouse Cafe (pictured) because they had 'reserved' the table

The video was taken prior to the current Covid outbreak in regional NSW, which has thrown the beachside town into lockdown.

The clip begins with the British couple approaching the Aussie pair at their table on the edge of the lookout.

'We've reserved the spot, so we'd like to ask you very nicely if you can move,' the woman says as she stands over the young couple with her partner.

'You shouldn't be filming either, why are you filming? For protection? Like I'm going to take you out?'

'Well, apparently these guys here have reserved the table,' the young man replies before the woman cuts him off.

'We have reserved the table. It's not apparently, we have,' the British woman says.

'Apparently reserved the table to this good spot in Byron Bay. Apparently this is their table but we were here first,' the man continues.

'There was no reservation sign on the table whatsoever.'

The British man then says the young Aussie couple took the reserved sign off, even though he and his wife arrived at the cafe after them.

'We've asked the people in the canteen and they said we could sit here. [We reserved it] a minute ago, before you got here,' Karen says.

'We've asked the people in the canteen and they said we could sit here. [We reserved it] a minute ago, before you got here,' Karen says

'There's plenty of other seats, there's people not bothering us over there,' the young woman says.

'No, we want to sit here. It's called social distancing,' the man replies, before the woman tells him to stand back as he's within 1.5metres from her and 'could have Covid'.

'Don't be silly, there's no such thing as Covid,' Karen replies.

'Did you say there's no such thing as Covid?' The young man asks, before Karen doubles down.

'There's no such thing as Covid, that's a load of rubbish, it's all rubbish, it's all fixed,' she says.

The young couple ask where the older pair are from, suggesting they might have skipped quarantine in coming to Australia.

'We haven't travelled here, we live here. We haven't got Covid,' Karen objects.

'We're asking nicely if we can take this table off you. We are asking nicely but you're being quite vicious.'

The British man then sits down at the table and places his coffee cup in the middle, saying 'it's our table'.

The British man then sits down at the table and places his coffee cup in the middle, saying 'it's our table'

'Can you get your coffee cup off our table, I don't know if you've got Covid or not,' the young woman says as his cup blows over in the wind.

The British couple repeatedly say they 'don't have Covid' before Karen storms off saying she's going to speak to management.

'I'm going to go get the lady because I spoke to her before and she said we could sit here,' she says.

'I'm going to get her because this is not on, this is despicable.'

Commenters on the video were quick to note that patrons at the cafe can't reserve tables.

'Probably from Sydney, came up to inspect a property,' one person joked, referencing Sydney man Zoran Radovanovic, who plunged Byron into a snap lockdown when he brought Covid-19 to the town in early August.

'As if you would admit to being called Karen in this situation,' another said.

Under current health orders regional NSW will remain in lockdown until at least August 28 after an extension was confirmed on Thursday morning by Premier Gladys Berejiklian.
Frustrated Sydneysiders have unleashed their fury at the NSW premier by sending her a death threat on the side of a city train, as tensions hit a breaking point in Sydney's Covid-hit western suburbs.

The hateful words 'Kill Gladys Hazzard' offer a worrying insight into rising discontent felt by residents in the 12 local councils enduring an ultra-hard lockdown.

The train arrived from Bankstown, meaning the carriage would have been graffitied in the ground zero areas of Campbeltown or Liverpool, where it spent the night.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Health Minister Brad Hazzard, the targets of the vandalism, are held responsible for the punishing conditions in the west.

The angry resident behind the graffiti is believed to reside in Sydney's Covid-hit south or southwest as the city train arrived from Bankstown

Gladys Berejiklian (pictured) has been targeted by an angry Sydneysider who spray-painted cruel death threat to the NSW Premier on the side of a city train

12 LGA'S OF CONCERN Bayside Blacktown Burwood Campbelltown Canterbury-Bankstown Cumberland Fairfield Georges River Liverpool Parramatta Penrith Strathfield Advertisement

People who live in the western suburbs must abide by stricter rules than the rest of Sydney, with masks to be worn at all times outdoors, and authorised workers the only people permitted to leave their homes.

A heavy police presence has been deployed in these Covid-ravaged areas of Sydney to ensure residents are complying with the strict health orders.

Police blockades and congregations of military officials are in stark contrast to enforcement in other areas of the city, where daily case numbers are substantially lower and there is less community transmission.

Residents in western Sydney told Daily Mail Australia they were frustrated at journalists who live outside the area constantly demanding 'tougher' restrictions.

'They need to come here and have a look at what's happening here before demand even tougher restrictions,' a father-of-two from Granville said.

'It's very tough here already - kids can't even play at the park. I'll bet their kids are running free and doing whatever they want.

'If we get tougher restrictions - they need them as well. After all, this outbreak started in Sydney's eastern suburbs, everyone knows that.'

The words 'Kill Gladys Hazzard' were written in red spray paint across the city train

A heavy police presence in Sydney's western suburbs has been deployed to ensure residents are complying with strict lockdown orders (pictured, a resident and police in Bankstown)

On the busy Hume Highway in Guildford, one of the areas of significant concern, locals claim police checkpoints were stopping cars trying to leave the area.

NSW Police said there were several checkpoints set up throughout Sydney in a desperate attempt to keep residents in their local government areas and stem the spread of the Delta outbreak.

It comes after a respiratory physician in one of western Sydney's biggest hospitals revealed the six reasons why he believed transmission of the virus was running rampant in the west and southwest.

The top doctor argued the current outbreak had been triggered by a combination of language barriers, convoluted messaging from health officials and a general reluctance to get tested due to the consequences of a positive result.

This is because so many workers in the city's south-west and west rely on daily income to keep their families afloat and often work in critical industries that can't work from home.

He added an underlying distrust of police and the government, the amount of occupants in homes and a lack of messaging from trusted local leaders had intensified the rapid spread of the virus in the city's ground-zero areas.

Police blockades and congregations of military officials in Sydney's west and southwest are in stark contrast to enforcement in other areas of the city, where daily case numbers are substantially lower and there is less community transmission (pictured, a couple in Seven Hills)

Earlier this month, the NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard (pictured) said people from 'other backgrounds' did not think it necessary to comply with the law

Earlier this month, the NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said people from 'other backgrounds' were not obeying public health orders.

When asked about whether residents of south-west and western Sydney were complying with the strict stay-at-home orders, Mr Hazzard said there were pockets of Sydney that still were not.

'Probably something in order of 95 per cent, a high percentage, of people are complying,' Mr Hazzard said on Tuesday.

'There are other communities and people from other backgrounds who don't seem to think that it is necessary to comply with the law and who don't really give great consideration to what they do in terms of its impact on the rest of the community.

'I do say to them, you need to because otherwise the forces of the law are coming after you.'

Mr Hazzard said it was scofflaws in Sydney's southwest and west who are keeping case numbers high, resulting in a lockdown across Sydney.

'No matter what legal order or what legal requirements are in place you just can't legislate against stupidity, arrogance and entitlement,' Mr Hazzard said.

'If they complied with the rule and the law and they applied an element of common sense and a modicum of decency to the rest of the community, we would be fine.

On Wednesday, Premier Gladys Berejiklian warned the worst was yet to come for the city after almost eight weeks spent in lockdown (pictured, police and ADF are seen in Bankstown)

Bankstown residents flocked to Covid testing centres on Wednesday after Premier Gladys Berejiklian revealed a record 633 new Covid cases (pictured, people in Bankstown)

Meanwhile the state recorded a pandemic-record of 681 new cases of coronavirus on Thursday - including 59 who were infectious in the community.

On Wednesday, Premier Gladys Berejiklian warned the worst was yet to come for the city after almost eight weeks spent in lockdown.

'What the data is telling us in the last few days is that we haven't seen the worst of it,' she said.

Of the 633 new cases recorded on Wednesday, about 550 are young people and workers in Sydney's areas of concern in the west and southwestern suburbs.

The transmission of the virus to household contacts remains the leading cause of infection in these areas.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian specifically called out residents in Merrylands, Guildford, Auburn, Greenacre, Yagoona, St Marys and Strathfield, urging them to 'stay at home' and not visit other households.

Police and soldiers are also assisting residents seeking a vaccination or Covid test, and are stationed at hospitals and clinics to direct people to where they need to be (pictured, ADF personnel assist people as they check into the Qudos Bank Arena vaccination clinic)

Military personnel and police are stationed at checkpoints throughout the city, with a particular focus on suburbs where Covid is spreading faster (pictured, a woman shopping in Blacktown)

'Stay at home. Don't break the rules, everybody knows what they mean. Just a small number of people are choosing to ignore what the rules are,' she said.

Ms Berejiklian is also hoping a vaccination blitz inside Covid ground zero will help to reduce transmission and contribute to lowering case numbers - though immunity won't take hold for at least another two weeks.

Some 530,000 Pfizer jabs have been allocated to the 12 LGA's of concern in an effort to drive down the rate of infection in those areas.

Those eligible for the jab must be aged between 16-39 years of age and live in Bayside, Blacktown, Burwood, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Liverpool, Parramatta or Strathfield.

Residents in the locked down suburbs of the Penrith LGA are also eligible.
Recriminations from Sunday's fall of Kabul were spreading throughout Washington DC on Wednesday, as government officials all the way up to President Biden himself began finger pointing.

Joe Biden on Monday blamed the Afghan army and Donald Trump; Trump told Fox News on Tuesday that Biden had messed up his plan; the U.S. army blamed the intelligence agencies on Wednesday; and intelligence sources were making it known that they had warned of the chaos.

The blame game started as it was revealed the US evacuated 1,800 people on Wednesday, on 10 C-17 jets.

The American public has long wanted to end a conflict which has cost $300 million a day for the last 20 years, and caused the loss of 2,300 American lives.

In an April poll, Morning Consult found 69 per cent of Americans supported withdrawing all troops from Afghanistan.

Yet the voters did not imagine the immediate collapse of the Afghan government, the fleeing of President Ashraf Ghani, and the Taliban taking control.

Taliban fighters are pictured on patrol in Kandahar on Tuesday - their spiritual heartland

Militants flying the white flag of the Taliban roam the streets of Kandahar on Tuesday

Desperate Afghans climb on to a plane as they flock to Kabul airport on Monday, trying to flee

Pandemonium unfolded at Kabul airport on Monday as thousands of people ran on to the runway in a desperate attempt to escape Taliban rule, fearing bloody reprisals by the Islamists

The Taliban turned on the crowd at Kabul airport on Tuesday, driving the hundreds back from the airport perimeter as they pushed to flee the country

A child covered in blood is carried away with his father after the Taliban used whips on the crowd trying to get in to Kabul airport on Tuesday

An Afghan woman is seen lying on the ground after the Taliban used whips and sharp objects to drive people from the airport

A man cries as he watches fellow Afghans get wounded after Taliban fighters use gunfire, whips, sticks and sharp objects to maintain crowd control over thousands of Afghans who continue to wait outside Kabul airport for a way out

Biden on Sunday admitted that the withdrawal had been 'hard and messy  and yes, far from perfect'.

But, he said, the Afghans had to accept responsibility for events.

'Afghanistan political leaders gave up and fled the country. The Afghan military collapsed, sometimes without trying to fight,' Biden said.

'If anything, the developments of the past week reinforced that ending U.S. military involvement in Afghanistan now was the right decision.

'American troops cannot and should not be fighting in a war and dying in a war that Afghan forces are not willing to fight for themselves.

'We gave them every chance to determine their own future. What we could not provide them was the will to fight for that future.'

Joe Biden on Monday told the United States people that he stood by his decision to withdraw, and blamed the Afghan army and Donald Trump for the plan he 'inherited'

Trump, pictured in September 2019 welcoming new Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Army General Mark Milley, on Tuesday night said that Biden had failed to correctly implement his plan

Lloyd Austin, Biden's defense secretary, agreed, telling Congress on Sunday that the Afghan troops had abandoned their country to the Taliban, saying: 'you can't buy willpower.'

Biden also blamed Donald Trump for the debacle, after Trump in February 2020 set out a timetable for the U.S. withdrawal, and a May deadline. Biden extended the deadline to August 31, but otherwise kept to Trump's plan.

'I inherited a deal that President Trump negotiated with the Taliban,' said Biden.

'Under his agreement, U.S. forces would be out of Afghanistan by May 1, 2021  just a little over three months after I took office.

U.S. forces had already drawn down during the Trump administration from roughly 15,500 American forces to 2,500 troops in country, and the Taliban was at its strongest militarily since 2001.'

Taliban fighters patrol in Wazir Akbar Khan neighborhood in Kabul on Wednesday

A Taliban fighter walks past a beauty saloon with images of women defaced using a spray paint in Shar-e-Naw, Kabul, on Wednesday

Yet Biden, having blamed others for the chaos, insisted 'the buck stops with me.'

Trump blamed Biden, telling Fox News host Sean Hannity on Tuesday night that, although he wanted a withdrawal, he would not have permitted the chaos.

'It is a terrible time for our country,' said Trump.

'I don't think in all of the years our country has ever been so humiliated.

'I don't know what you call it  a military defeat or a psychological defeat, there has never been anything like what's happened here: You can go back to Jimmy Carter with the hostages.'

Trump was referring to former President Carter's handling of the 1979-1981 hostage crisis in Iran, which included a botched rescue mission that ended in a helicopter crash that killed eight American servicemen.

Trump insisted that his agreement with the Taliban was conditional, and that the Taliban would have known to have stayed out of Kabul until the U.S. had left.

The U.S. military, meanwhile, blamed the intelligence agencies.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley on Wednesday said the intelligence agencies never predicted the Taliban could take over the country as rapidly as it did.

General Mark Milley, the Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, said on Wednesday that there had been an intelligence failure in Afghanistan

'I have previously said from this podium and in sworn testimony before Congress that the intelligence indicated multiple scenarios were possible,' he said.

'However, the timeline of a rapid collapse that was widely estimated ranged from weeks to months and even years following our departure.

'There was nothing that I or anyone else saw that indicated a collapse of this army and this government in 11 days.'

The intelligence agencies hit back, insisting that they had warned of a potential collapse.

While the CIA director, William Burns, has not commented publicly, sources told The New York Times on Wednesday that the intelligence community provided somber, increasingly pessimistic assessments.

William Burns, the CIA director, has not commented on accusations of an intelligence failure. But intelligence sources have told The New York Times that they were well aware of the risks, and warning the U.S. government

Taliban fighters man a checkpoint in Kabul on Tuesday - one of many now in effect around the city

Reports this summer, the paper said, questioned 'in stark terms the will of Afghan security forces to fight and the ability of the Kabul government to hold power.'

U.S. intelligence officials provided updates on mass desertions, with the Afghan government looking increasingly precarious.

In July, a C.I.A. report noted that the security forces and central government had lost control of the roads leading into Kabul and assessed that the viability of the central government was in serious jeopardy.

'The business of intelligence is not to say you know on Aug. 15 the Afghan government's going to fall,' said Timothy S. Bergreen, a former staff director for the House Intelligence Committee.

He told the paper: 'But what everybody knew is that without the stiffening of the international forces and specifically our forces, the Afghans were incapable of defending or governing themselves.'

Within the White House and State Department, questions were also being asked.

Tracey Jacobson, the director of the Afghanistan task force within the State Department, was singled out for criticism, with one colleague telling Politico: 'She obviously did a heck of a job. She has a lot of questions to answer.'

Others criticized Russ Travers, who takes the lead on 'vulnerable Afghans' at the National Security Council, and was tasked with coordinating the inter-agency process on providing emergency visas for Afghans.

His boss, Homeland Security Adviser Liz Sherwood-Randall, who covers embassy security.

A NSC spokesperson told Politico that the president still has confidence in Travers, Sherwood-Randall, and his team.

Others in the administration said that the White House was slow to arrange the evacuations of Afghan translators and aides, because they were too concerned about the Republican response.

'It's like they want the credit from liberals for ending the Trump cruelty to immigrants and refugees but they also don't want the political backlash that comes from actual refugees arriving in America in any sort of large numbers,' an official told Politico.
A bureau set up by Mike Pompeo under President Trump to help Americans abroad was discontinued after a memo was passed and signed in June by the Biden administration.

The Contingency and Crisis Response Bureau, or CCR, was created during the Trump presidency by former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in October 2020.

It was meant to provide 'aviation, logistics, and medical support capabilities for the Department's operational bureaus, thereby enhancing the secretary's ability to protect American citizens overseas in connection with overseas evacuations in the aftermath of a natural or man-made disaster,' according to Fox 11 News.

The decision to discontinue this bureau came in June, before the Taliban took over Afghanistan where 15,000 American citizens and refugees are currently trapped.

The Contingency and Crisis Response Bureau (CCR) was created by former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during the Trump presidency which was designed to provide emergency services to Americans abroad

The memo that planned to discontinue the CCR was signed by Deputy Secretary of State Brian McKeon, pictured, on June 11

The memo in question was signed by Deputy Secretary of State Brian McKeon, and approved the 'discontinuation of the establishment, and termination of, the Contingency and Crisis Response Bureau (CCR).'

President Joe Biden's administration has been continuously criticized for their handling of the situation in Afghanistan.

On Monday, Biden said: 'We had put in place to respond to every  contingencyincluding the rapid collapse we're seeing now.'

Biden also claims that withdrawing American citizens from Afghanistan would not be possible without 'chaos ensuing.'

Up to 15,000 Americans currently stuck in Afghanistan have been told by the US State Department to make their way to Kabul Airport - although they have been warned that the journey there is at their own risk.

President Joe Biden and his administration have been continuously criticized for his method of handling affairs in Afghanistan

A States Department official claimed that a bureau was not abolished by the Biden administration and that it was never created during Trump's presidency.

The official told the Washington Free Beacon: 'On top of that, the proposed Bureau would not have introduced any new capabilities to the Department.

'Every requirement the department delivered on last year, and since the proposed establishment of the bureau, can be delivered today in the same manner.'

However, the State Department told Fox News that the ideas in the bureau can still be enacted and that it was discontinued in the early stages of it's conception.

The CCR was listed as a functioning bureau in January according to the Foreign Affairs Manual.

Secretary of State Anthony Blinken reportedly requested a copy of the bureau earlier this year

It was also reported that Secretary of State Anthony Blinken requested a review of the bureau earlier this year.

American citizens continue to remain trapped in Kabul as Afghan airports have been surrounded by members of the Taliban.

A security alert from the State Department said on Wednesday that 'The United States Government could not 'ensure safe passage to the Hamid Karzai International Airport.'

Afghan refugees have been attempting to leave the country since the takeover, with some going as far as to attach themselves to jets on runways.

They were promised visas to move to the US in return for helping American forces during the war, mainly as translators.

But many are now said to be too scared to go to Kabul airport - whose perimeter is controlled by the Taliban - and they face certain death if they stay in the country and are exposed as former US operatives.

Refugees are planned to be held in U.S. military garrisons in Texas and Wisconsin upon arrival.
A mother has praised a stranger for performing a touching act of kindness during Melbourne's lockdown by leaving a note and $20 note on her parked car while she was picking up groceries.

Melonie Santos was picking up food at her local supermarket on Thursday morning when she returned to the car park and saw what she thought was a fine on the windshield of her car.

Posting the 'fine' in The Kindness Project, Ms Santos wrote: 'I looked at the parking sign which was 1.5 hours and I knew that I was less than an hour.'

The note left inside the envelope has been seen as crucial for someone going through a hard time in lockdown to receive

Melonie Santos had been shopping for groceries Thursday morning in Melbourne when she returned to her car to find an envelope left on the windshield

'I picked up the envelope and looked inside to find the most beautiful act of kindness.'

Along with $20, a heartfelt note was left inside the envelope that read: 'Times are tough right now. Please treat yourself to something small to help with you or your children's mental health. You're not alone. Lifeline: 13 11 14.'

'Whoever you are out there: You made my day! Thank you #somuchgratitude,' Ms Santos said.

Melbourne is currently in its sixth lockdown since the Covid pandemic began, with new restrictions added to the city on August 5.

The city has reached a grim milestone of 200 days with stay-at-home orders, with Victoria more broadly recording 57 locally acquired cases on Thursday.

Melbourne is currently in its sixth lockdown as the city reaches 200 days of living under the restrictions on Thursday morning

The random act of kindness has lifted the spirits of many individuals within the Facebook group.

One individual wrote: 'Thank you to whoever did that! Kindness is wonderful not only for the receiver and giver but for those of us who read about such kindness and it makes us smile!'

Another wrote: 'Angels do walk amongst us'.

The note inside the envelope, which shed light on mental health, particularly touched the heart of one person who believed the envelope could be vital for someone going through a hard time.

'Thank you to whoever put the note this could save someone's life'.
A group of university students have been expelled from campus after they were busted partying in their dorm rooms with as many as 20 people during lockdown.

Students staying in Campus East at the University of Wollongong, south of Sydney, ignored health orders at the start of the lockdown which has now been in place for close to eight weeks.

A student blamed the lack of enforcement from the dorms' management for stopping several parties from going ahead.

A handful of students staying in Campus East at the University of Wollongong, south of Sydney, have been expelled from the accomodation after they were caught throwing parties during lockdown

'They [Campus East management] didn't really give us many rules to go by so there were heaps of parties at the start in people's dorms,' the student told the ABC.

He said eventually the hammer was brought down after two parties received noise complaints.

'There was one incident where there were 20 people in a room and the night clerks came along and everyone got written up for it,' he said.

Soon after, the police were called in and 11 students were fined. A small handful were later expelled from the campus accommodation by the university.

UoW student and accommodation services director Theresa Hoynes said the university would not tolerate students breaching lockdown and warned police would be called if they did.

Sydney residents are seen in Campsie on Thursday while police and ADF carry out compliance checks. There were 681 new cases in NSW on Thursday

She was 'disappointed' by the deliberate breaches and said many in the area were worried about a potential outbreak on the scale of Sydney's.

'They are making deliberate decisions to breach public health orders and we can't tolerate that,' she said.

Wollongong is under the same stay-at-home orders as Sydney which has seen the highest number of cases recorded amid the current outbreak.

Another 681 infections were recorded around the state on Thursday.

The NSW lockdown is due to end on August 28, but with daily case numbers getting higher, residents fear they will be confined to their homes for much longer.
Auckland's backdated Covid-19 exposure sites worryingly show the virus has been circulating in the country for more than two weeks as the city records 11 new cases.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern confirmed all cases were identified as the Delta variant strain, after it was linked to New South Wales with contact tracers scrambling to work out how and when the virus made its way into New Zealand.

The Ministry of Health have identified 75 potential exposure sites with more than 60 locations of interest identified in Auckland alone, with the oldest case detected at Sumthin Dumplin eatery on August 3.

New Zealand's Covid-19 cases have now jumped to 21 with 11 positive cases recorded on Thursday - all located in Auckland

There are currently 21 positive cases of Covid-19 including two in hospital, with health officials concerned over the likelihood a majority were infectious while out and about in the community.

Twelve of the 21 cases were confirmed to be part of the same Auckland cluster while an additional eight infections are still being investigated.

Overnight two people were hospitalised, one is in their 20s and one in their 40s, while both were reported to be in a stable condition.

Over 60 Covid-19 exposure sites of interest were identified in Auckland on Thursday - including a Devonport Pharmacy visited by a Covid-19 infected man in his 50s

Director general of health Ashley Bloomfield expected over 1,000 people to be contacted after authorities investigate 362 individuals categorised as close contacts of positive infections.

Mr Bloomfield said the numbers were not unexpected and anticipated community cases will continue to increase.

Concerns grow as contact tracers investigate a large number of venues ranging from North Shore malls and supermarkets including bus routes to and from Auckland City.

Locations of interest include popular venues such as Bar 101, Dennys, Event Cinemas, The Warehouse and Starbucks.

New Zealand's first case reported during its Delta variant outbreak was identified in a 58-year-old man from Devonport in Auckland on Tuesday.

The man had travelled to Coromandel Peninsula over the weekend and returned to Auckland on Sunday - with eight infections linked to the case so far.

Bar 101 in Auckland's CBD has been identified as a location of interest by NZ health officials

As a result New Zealand was placed under level four restrictions on Tuesday as it entered a three day lockdown with restrictions in Auckland and the Coromandel likely to be extended to seven days.

It was confirmed on Wednesday all cases in New Zealand were linked to the NSW outbreak, but health officials are yet to determine how.

NSW has recorded its worst day since the start of the Covid pandemic with 681 new infections on Thursday with Premier Gladys Berejiklian extending lockdown measures in the regions.

The premier said all of NSW would remain under stay-at-home orders until at least August 28 after announcing 48 more cases than the previous day's record tally - and another death.
Shane Fitzsimmons, one of the heroes of Australia's horrific 2019-20 summer bushfires, wants the term 'social distancing' to be replaced - as NSW hit a record high 681 Covid cases.

Mr Fitzsimmons - who took on the post as chief of Resilience NSW after his role as Commissioner of the NSW Rural Fire Service - said he wants people to be more 'socially connected' while physical distancing.

'More than ever we need to be reaching out, checking in on one another, making sure that we are looking after our own welfare and those of loved ones and families. But we do it virtually,' Mr Fitzsimmons said at Thursday's state update.

'We need to maintain a physical distance. We need to stay at home. We need to follow the rules, but ... those text messages and phone calls and video chats, they are so important. We need to lift our spirits and focus on the fact that we will get through this'.

Mr Fitzsimmons gave his assurance the government was putting forward an 'extraordinary' effort to ensure goods and support services were delivered to those in need.

Through Resilience NSW and other agencies more than 6,100 tonnes of food products, hampers and personal care packs have been delivered in recent weeks.

Mr Fitzsimmons (pictured) lead NSW through the 2019-20 summer bushfires and is now chief of Resilience NSW

'Yes, there has been an extraordinary high proportion and focus on the LGAs (of concern) but it is also occurring across the state.'

The father-of-two adult daughters was praised for his calmness and empathy as he lead NSW through the 2019-20 summer bushfires.

He was named NSW Australian of the Year in 2020 and is also the patron of childrens mental health charity KidsXpress.

NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian added at Thursday's update she was pleased that 53 per cent of the population have had at least one dose of a vaccination and 28 per cent are now fully vaccinated.

The state recorded another 681 Covid cases on Thursday, as a leading epidemiologist warned daily COVID-19 case numbers could spiral to more than 2200.

Professor James McCaw - who specialises in infectious disease dynamics - says daily infection numbers could skyrocket in the next month.

'Our models show the possibility of increases and decreases, but I think it's more likely to be well over 1000 and up to 2000 within a month or so,' he told Nine newspapers on Thursday.

The thousands of unlinked cases mean the situation was likely to deteriorate, he said.

Mr Fitzsimmons said the term 'social distancing' should be replaced (pictured with NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian at Thursday's NSW Covid press conference)

Sydney is in the midst of a strict lockdown (pictured on Thursday) which is expected to last until at least August 28 to battle a delta outbreak of Covid

NSW Opposition Leader Chris Minns said no one wanted a stricter lockdown 'but the alternative is too grim to bear at this point'.

'We can't face a prospect of 2000 daily cases. It would be too much of a stretch on our health system,' he told the ABC on Thursday.

Meanwhile, elective surgeries at nearly 30 private hospitals have been suspended so staff can be redeployed to plug gaps in the public system and administer vaccines.

The state also recorded a record number of vaccinations in a single day.

Mr Fitzsimmons (centre) with daughters Lauren (left) and Sarah (right) has said people should be more socially connected while physical distancing

Some 109,550 NSW residents received a jab on Tuesday, taking the vaccine coverage for people over 16 to 54 per cent (with at least one dose).

Vaccine hubs are popping up across western and southwest Sydney, as authorities try to get 530,000 Pfizer doses into the arms of under-40s in those areas in under three weeks.

Meanwhile, the virus has continued its spread in regional NSW.

The Dharriwaa Elders Group in Walgett - which Ms Berejiklian has said is 'of enormous concern' - is calling for more data on rates of vaccination of Indigenous people.

Australia's 2019-20 bushfires (pictured) were some of the largest the country has experienced
Gladys Berejiklian has dismayed millions of lockdown-weary NSW residents by declaring 'greater freedoms' will only come once 80 per cent of the population is vaccinated - after previously saying the target to start lifting restrictions would come when 50 per cent had been jabbed.

While NSW reported a record 681 Covid cases on Thursday as the state's highly infectious Delta outbreak continues, the good news was vaccinations were well ahead of targets.

The premier stressed high vaccination rates are key to ending lockdowns and curbing surging infections, announcing 5.5million jabs have been administered to date. She had previously said restrictions would start to lift when 50 per cent - or six million residents - were jabbed. The target date was August 28th, when NSW's lockdown was previously supposed to end.

However, her comments on Thursday suggested the goal posts have moved once again, with the premier declaring she now wants 80 per cent of the population to be fully vaccinated - which won't come until mid-November.

'It gives enormous opportunities for greater freedoms than we do today,' Ms Berejiklian said on Thursday.

'It will depend on the case numbers, but life will be much freer than what it is now.'

Gladys has promised 'greater freedoms' for NSW residents once Sydney's vaccination rate hits 80 per cent as the state reports a record breaking 681 new Covid cases

But a reporter accused the premier of 'keeping residents in the dark' after she failed to offer firm details about when restrictions will be eased.

'You have made these made promises for weeks about when we might be able to enjoy it [freedom]. You say that you can see light at the end of the tunnel. Why are you keeping everybody else in the dark?' the reporter asked.

Ms Berejiklian said it was difficult to provide clarity because 'there is no rulebook' for fighting the Delta strain.

However, she said when the vaccination rate hits 80 per cent, as forecast by the Doherty Institute, the focus will shift from managing case numbers to keeping people out of hospital.

'Things that worked previously do not necessarily work now,' she responded.

'But the higher vaccination rates we are seeing around the world, those communities are living life more freely.'

'We don't want to see more people in the hospital, we don't want to see more people getting sick. And certainly what we want to see is greater freedom come back.

It comes after the premier was grilled on breakfast radio about the exact services vaccinated Sydneysiders could look forward to.

She said a team of health experts were drawing up plans for when vaccination rates hit the 80 per cent point, including greenlighting beauticians and hairdressers.

'The next few weeks are going to be really hard,' she told the Kyle and Jackie O show on KIIS FM on Wednesday.

'The best news we have is how many people are getting vaccinated. The purpose is to have everybody safe, and then get back to normal as soon as we can.

'But I think that the shining light at the moment is everybody's coming forward and being vaccinated. And that's what we need.'

Ms Berejiklian ruled out Tinder dates but said personal care services and cleaners could return under relaxed restrictions once double vaccination rates hit the target.

While new freedoms could be on the cards of Sydneysiders by September, restrictions such as mask wearing and scanning QR codes will remain

The NSW government is hopeful that six million residents will be fully vaccinated by the end of August (pictured police on horseback in Bondi Beach)

As of Thursday, 53 per cent of NSW's eligible residents have received at least one dose of the Covid jab and 28 per cent are fully vaccinated.

Ms Berejiklian said that even at 80 per cent of the population being jabbed, there would still be restrictions that remain such as mask wearing and mandatory QR scanning codes.

'There will always be a level of protection we need to have, but life will be much freer than what it is today and that is the key point,' she said.

'We won't have to live with the harsh restrictions that we're living with today.'

From the new infections announced on Thursday, 59 were contagious in the community and the isolation status of 459 infections is still a mystery to contact tracers.

The source of infection for 511 cases is still under investigation.

A man in his 80s from southeast Sydney died at St George Hospital, bringing the number of COVID-related deaths to 61 since the outbreak began on June 16.

There are 474 Covid patients in hospital, with 82 people in intensive care, 25 of whom require ventilation.

Seventy-five per cent of Tuesday's new cases were found in people under the age of 40, underlining the need to get jabs into the arms of the state's younger generation

Southwest and western Sydney continue to be the epicentre of the outbreak and 70 per cent of cases in NSW are people under 40.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said all of the state would remain in lockdown until at least August 28, after announcing 48 more cases than the previous day's record tally.

'Given the outbreak in western NSW and a few cases elsewhere throughout the regions, the lockdown in regional NSW will align with the rest of NSW until at least August 28,' she said.

The premier said the relentless spread of the outbreak in NSW had reached the point where she now assumed transmission rates would continue to climb.

'I say that only as a realist because when you have cumulative days with high cases, there is a tipping point where the numbers keep going up,' she said.

She urged residents in seven suburbs in Sydney's west and south-west where the virus was spreading most rapidly to increase their vaccination rates and to stay home unless they had an absolutely essential reason to leave.

Those suburbs are Blacktown, Seven Hills, Merrylands, Guildford, Auburn, Bankstown and Greenacre.

NSW recorded 452 new Covid-19 infections on Tuesday. The entire state is now in the midst of a lockdown

Ms Berejiklian said a 'vaccination blitz' in Sydney's worst-affected suburbs would aim to immunise 500,000 16 to 39-year-olds over the next three weeks.

A 21-day police blitz came into effect on Monday to enforce new regulations across the state with almost 18,000 police officers supported by 800 members of the Australian Defence Force.

NSW police issued nearly 600 infringement notices to people flouting tough new health orders.

Deputy Police Commissioner Gary Worboys said 'the time was over for cautions and warnings'.

Police also conducted 3800 welfare checks to see if people were following stay-at-home orders.

One Covid positive man from the hotspot of Fairfield in Sydney's southwest wasn't home when police arrived and was later unable to provide an excuse for his actions.

Non-compliance fines of up to $5000 are now in place with people confined to within five kilometres of their homes.

Pictured is a massive queue at one of Sydney's vaccination hubs

People flouting the two-person outdoor exercise rule or travelling into regional NSW without a travel permit could be fined $3000.

Meanwhile, Sydney hospitals are dealing with staff shortages as COVID clusters send workers into isolation at Nepean and St George Hospitals.

Health Minister Brad Hazzard said there was no question the hospital system was under enormous pressure.

He said the case of a long-term cancer patient who contracted Covid-19 at St George Hospital had snowballed into 80 health staff out of action for their mandatory 14-day quarantine.

Four patients and two staff members have tested positive at that hospital while 21 patients in the ward remain in isolation following their test, NSW Health's Jeremy McAnulty said.

There are now 116 cases in western NSW, including two in Bourke as well as one person confirmed overnight in far western Broken Hill.
Three Honolulu police officers fired multiple shots at the back of a stolen white Honda Civic, striking Iremamber Sykap, 16, (pictured) eight times, killing him

A Hawaii judge on Wednesday rejected murder and attempted murder charges against three Honolulu police officers in the fatal shooting of a teenager, preventing the case from going to trial.

District Court Judge William Domingo said there was no probable cause that the officers committed the crimes.

He noted the teenager, 16-year-old Iremamber Sykap, led the officers on a high-speed chase immediately before the April 5 shooting, refusing commands to stop. He said the incident only ended after Sykap was shot eight times and the car fell into a canal.

Honolulu prosecutors filed charges against the three officers after a grand jury did not indict, arguing a trial should be held regardless.

It's the first time in more than 40 years that a Honolulu police officer has been charged in a fatal shooting.

Officer Geoffrey Thom was charged with murder. Prosecutors said he fired 10 rounds at Sykap through the rear window of the car after it stopped at an intersection. Officers Zackary Ah Nee and Christopher Fredeluces, who also opened fire, were charged with second-degree attempted murder.

'If there was no pursuit in the beginning, and there were just people in the car and officers just came up and started shooting from behind without any type of provocation - but thats not what we have here,' Domingo said.

As officers attempt to approach the Honda once more, it accelerates forward, plunging into the Kalakaua Stream nearby

Honolulu Police officer Geoffrey Thom after Judge William Domingo rejected murder and attempted murder charges against Thom and two fellow officers in the fatal shooting of a teen

The officers silently hugged their attorneys and supporters after Domingo spoke. A few supporters of the officers gasped in delight in courtroom, where spectators were required to sit 6 feet apart to observe pandemic social distancing guidelines.

The shots were fired after Sykap weaved in and out of traffic while traveling up to 80 mph as he led police on a high-speed chase along highways and city streets. His brother was injured in the shooting.

The car came to a stop after being surrounded by police vehicles on a city street. The officers stood near the car, ordering the occupants to get out.

'The reasonable person would think, well, you know, is it over? And it's not over at that point,' Domingo said. The judge said the car started moving again, putting the officers in danger, and that's when Thom fired his weapon.

Police say the Honda was stolen and linked to an escalating series of crimes in the days prior, including a purse snatching, a burglary and an armed robbery.

Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Christopher Van Marter had argued in court that the officers weren't in danger at the time of the shooting. He said Thom displayed a breakdown in judgment, restraint and discipline, and there was no reason for him 'to start blasting 10 rounds into that car.'

Photos from the Honolulu Police Department shows the trajectories of eight bullets that entered the drivers seat of the white Honda driven by Sykap on April 5

Police were pursuing this stolen white Honda Civic when officers opened five on the fleeing vehicle, which was carrying Sykap and his brother

'We're talking about taking a person's life with a gun. A government employee. He's supposed to be disciplined, exercise restraint, only do something if necessary,' Van Marter said.

Domingo's ruling came after a preliminary hearing held to determine whether there was probable cause for the charges.

Malcolm Lutu, the president of State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers, said in a statement that the police union was pleased that the legal system ruled in favor of the officers for a second time.

'Today isn't a day of celebration, rather, it proves that the officers' decision making was justified. It does not take away from the tragedy of what happened and the impact that it has on many families,' he said.

The Honolulu prosecutor's office said it was 'very disappointed' by the ruling. It said Prosecutor Steve Alm would hold a news conference on Monday to discuss the case.

Judge William Domingo (pictured) declined to pursue murder and attempted murder charges against the officers, preventing the case from going to trial

Honolulu Police Officers Zackary Ah Nee, left, Geoffrey Thom, and Christopher Fredaluces leave the district courtroom after a preliminary hearing for the officers on Tuesday

Last month, a police evidence specialist testified that a pellet gun that looked like a firearm was found in the car Sykap was driving. Police said they also found two magazines, one with real ammunition and one that was empty. But they did not find real firearms in the car.

Police also testified that officers found a backpack several blocks away from the shooting that came from a suspect who fled the vehicle. The backpack contained an inoperable blank-firing revolver, which is similar to devices used as movie props or at track-and-field events.

Honolulu's chief medical examiner testified that Sykap was hit by eight shots, including one to the back of the head and a fatal wound in the upper back, which tore his aorta. The medical examiner said toxicology results showed methamphetamine in Sykap's blood.

The case comes a year after nationwide protests over racial injustice and police brutality in other parts of the US.

Sykap was born in Guam, a US territory, to parents who were from Chuuk in the Federated States of Micronesia. Some in the Micronesian community say Sykap's shooting highlights the racism they face in Hawaii.
The family of murdered Australian teacher Shanae Brooke Edwards have broken their silence as her friends embark on a campaign to help repatriate her body from Georgia - in the former USSR.

The 31-year-old Melbourne 'free spirit' was reportedly found with stab wounds near the ferris wheel attraction in Mtatsminda Park, in a ravine near a narrow pedestrian trail, on July 31.

On Thursday, a GoFundMe page was created to help the family of Ms Brooke Edwards return her body back to Australia.

Tributes for the kind and adventurous Shanae Brooke Edwards have flooded social media since her brutal murder

A young Shanae Brooke Edwards (right) with her family

The ferris wheel attraction in Mtatsminda Park would have been in view of Shanae Brooke Edwards when she was brutally murdered

Ms Brooke Edwards' final Instagram post, of her on a motorbike on July 29, was captioned 'Joy'

The family of Ms Brooke Edwards had remained silent until now, with her brother Tyson Edwards paying tribute to his dead sister.

'Shanae was like a free flying beautiful butterfly, touching the hearts of those wherever she landed,' he wrote.

'We are devastated, our hearts shattered at the senseless loss of our beautiful Shanae.'

'Shanae was an example for all of us. Her priorities were in people, genuine connections, helping others, personal growth, pursuing self fulfilment, loving fully and doing the right thing.

'She had a toughness, resilience and fearlessness that we all admired. Nothing got in her way. She decided what she wanted and went about making it happen, collecting an abundance of loyal friends along the way.'

The fundraiser hopes to collect about $15,000 dollars and has already raised a little over $4000 since going live.

The body of Ms Brooke Edwards was found discarded under bushes in the shadow of a popular amusement park in what is now believed to be a robbery-gone-wrong.

The state of the investigation into her murder by Georgian authorities remains unclear, with detectives failing to respond to Daily Mail Australia's questions.

Meanwhile her killer remains at large.

Ms Brooke Edwards had been working as an English teacher in the capital city of Tbilisi when her life was tragically cut short.

Shanae Brooke Edwards and her brother Tyson in happier times

Police in Georgia search for Shanae Brooke Edwards in Mtatsminda Park. Her body was found a day after she went missing

Shanae Brooke Edwards, 31, (left) was murdered in what could have been a robbery gone wrong

The much-loved 'free spirit' was on a call to a friend in the US while trekking when she was heard shouting 'take your hands off me' - before the call cut out

LAST MOMENTS CAPTURED ON CCTV CCTV footage of Ms Brooke Edwards captured her final moments alive as she took off on her fateful hiking trip on July 30. Dressed in tight black yoga pants and a dark top, she was last seen leaving the Church of Mikhail of Tver for a hike up along Mtatsminda. Images clearly captured her carrying a green bag, which reportedly remains missing. It is understood Ms Brooke Edwards' mobile phone was found dumped in nearby bushland close to where her body had been found a day after she went missing. Police sources have told local media that contrary to earlier reports, no signs of sexual assault were found on her body. Her killer remains at large. Advertisement

Mr Edwards described his sister as happy, kind and caring.

'An uplifting adventurous soul who dearly loved her many friends and they loved her back. She laughed out loud, loved to learn, loved to discover and loved the outdoors,' he stated.

'She was natures gift to those less fortunate. She truly made the most of her short time. She knew how to live life.'

Mr Edwards said his sister had fallen in love with her new home in the former Soviet Union.

'Shanae loved Georgia. For her nature, her scars, her culture and her people. We have seen firsthand the tears, sorrow and sense of responsibility felt by the Georgian people, and to them our family holds no hard feelings. Shanae was happy and where she wanted to be,' he stated.

He paid tribute to her friends, who had gathered in the hundreds to search for her upon hearing of her disappearance.

'To Shanaes loyal friends in Tbilisi who so quickly raised the alarm and coordinated a tireless search effort, rallying volunteers and police in an effort to find our sweet girl  we are so deeply grateful and indebted. Thank you one and all.'

'Rest peacefully our gorgeous girl, you are safe now. Love you deeply Shanae, forever and always. Mum, Tyson, Dad and Marg XXX,' he wrote.

The touching tribute was accompanied by a photograph of a young Ms Brooke Edwards with her family.

Searchers found this old and rusty shovel in the bushes in the area where Ms Brooke Edwards went missing. A man was also seen having 'aggressive' sex with a woman about 50m away - the day before her disappearance

Shanae Brooke Edwards, 31, was hiking Mount Mtatsminda alone above Tbiilsi, Georgia, when she was ambushed on Friday and her body found the next day

Shanae Brooke Edwards had been a seasoned traveller when she was murdered abroad. Her killer remains at large

Friend Stephanie Scott, who organised the fundraiser, said she had started it to help ease the burden on her friend's family.

'As we are sure you can imagine, a situation like this is unthinkable to deal with, let alone in the midst of a pandemic. Unable to be together or travel due to border closures and government restrictions, Shanaes loved ones are having to process this from different corners of the world,' she wrote.

'This page has been set up for anyone who does wish to help. The costs will continue to mount for a family who are going through an unimaginable grief, and while we may not be able to ease it all, hopefully we can assist somewhat with the financial one.'

Donations to the page will go towards Ms Brooke Edwards' repatriation to Australia, funeral, legal procedures, travel and logistical necessities of the family.




Australians are set to receive Covid-19 vaccine booster shots a year after their second doses despite reports immunity from the Pfizer vaccine declines well before 12 months.

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation does not currently recommend booster shots but ministers are expecting this advice to change and have ordered millions of extra doses.

In the face of an 'alarming' fourth wave of the Delta variant, Israel has already started offering third Pfizer shots to people over 60, and will soon include over 50s.

The US will also roll out booster shots from September 20 after its top doctors warned waning immunity would lead to 'reduced protection against severe disease, hospitalisation and death'.

It comes as Scott Morrison announced Pfizer would soon be rolled out to those aged 16 - 39, with young Australians able to start booking appointments within a week - though slots for the jab are already booked out at many centres until October at the earliest.

Young Australians wait in line for a Pfizer jab at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney on Thursday

Australian Defence Force personnel assist people as they check into the Qudos Bank Arena vaccination centre in Sydney

Overseas data shows Pfizer's effectiveness against the Delta strain wanes over time - but the extent of the decline varies due to the 'immense' challenge of making accurate estimates.

However, the latest data from Israel, which has vaccinated 78 per cent of its population with Pfizer, shows that a third dose is 86 per cent effective at stopping infection in people aged over 60.

The study compared results from 149,144 people aged over 60 who received their third dose at least a week ago against 675,630 who had received only two doses between January and February.

Some 37 people tested positive for coronavirus after their third jab, compared with 1,064 positive cases among those who had received only two doses. The comparison groups had similar demographic profiles, Israel's Maccabi Health Maintenance Organisation said.

Data from Israel's health ministry also showed that the Pfizer vaccine protected 64 per cent of those immunised against the Delta strain between June 6 and early July, down from an earlier 94 per cent.

In the face of an 'alarming' fourth wave of the Delta variant, Israel has already started offering third Pfizer shots to people over 60, and will soon include over 50s

Israel's government has conceded that Pfizer's vaccine appears to be less effective in stopping the spread of the Delta strain but is continuing to shield against severe illness.

'Reality has proven it - the vaccines are safe - they are proven to protect against serious illness and death,' Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said this week.

'As with the flu vaccine, which needs to be re-administered from time to time, so too is the case here.'

Pfizer CEO Albert Boula confirmed in July that the effectiveness of the vaccine does steadily diminish, but said it reaches about 84 per cent effectiveness at six months.

His comments were based on a company-funded study of 44,000 people across the United States and other countries which found effectiveness of the vaccine eroded an average of six per cent every two months.

'The good news is that we are very, very confident that a third dose, a booster, will take up the immune response to levels that will be enough to protect against the Delta variant,' Mr Bourla told CNBC on July 28.

He added it was not uncommon for vaccines to decline in effectiveness and that third-dose vaccines were already used against other diseases.

In the likely event that booster shots are recommended in Australia - where 28.2 per cent are fully vaccinated so far - the Prime Minister has ordered 85 million doses of Pfizer to arrive in 2022 and 2023.

The first batch will enter the country in the first three months of next year, allowing the first vaccinated Australians - who had their second doses in March 2021 - to take a booster shot a year later.

HOW LONG DO THE VACCINES LAST? Pfizer Pfizer CEO Albert Boula confirmed in July that the effectiveness of the vaccine does steadily diminish, but said it reaches about 84 per cent effectiveness at six months. The jab is most effective between one week and two months after the second dose, and drops by an average of 6 per cent every two months. Moderna Meanwhile, studies of the Moderna vaccine show 94 per cent effectiveness six months after the second dose. AstraZeneca Studies on AstraZeneca indicate that a single dose induced immunity for at least one year, with an even stronger immune response after either a late second dose or a third dose. A delay of up to 45 weeks between the first and second jab was found to produce a very strong response, or a third jab after six months. Source: AstraZeneca, Gavi Vaccine Alliance, The Lancet Advertisement

The booster shot is expected to work on top of two doses of either AstraZeneca or Pfizer.

The Government has also ordered 51 million doses of the American Novavax vaccine - which is expected to be approved and rolled out in the second half of this year - and 15 million doses of booster or variant-specific versions of the Moderna vaccine.

Both could act as booster shots.

Health Minister Greg Hunt told 2GB radio last week: 'The supplies are very deep and strong. The expectation is that if a booster were required  and frankly, it's far more likely than not on all the advice we have  it would be about a year after you had your vaccination.

'So, no decision yet, but the preliminary medical advice is that it will be in the order of 12 months after your first jab. But it's not a final decision.'

Emirates flight EK414 arrives at Kingsford Smith International Airport from Dubai with its cargo of one million Pfizer vaccines from Poland on August 15

Health department's full statement on booster shots 'The Government has accepted the medical advice of the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) that additional or booster doses beyond the two-dose course are not currently recommended. 'The Government is actively monitoring this evidence and has strong working relationships with a wide range of international agencies to discuss the development of COVID-19 vaccines. 'Australia is well prepared for booster vaccines if they are required. This has been taken into account in the purchase agreements already in place. 'The Australian Government has secured 60 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine for 2022 and 25 million doses for 2023. This is in addition to the 40 million Pfizer doses being delivered in 2021. 'The Government has also secured 25 million doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, including 15 million doses of booster or variant-specific versions of the vaccine. 'The Government also has an Advance Purchased Agreement with Novavax for 51 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine. The Novavax protein-subunit based COVID-19 vaccine could be used as a booster dose.' Advertisement

Health experts around Australia have said booster shots will be needed.

University of Melbourne epidemiologist Tony Blakely expects the third shots to roll out at early next year.

'Let's think ahead a bit more. We want to get everybody fully dosed, or as many people as possible with AstraZeneca or Pfizer,' he told 3AW radio on Monday.

'But then we are going to need to boost. This Delta virus is really quite something. We are going to want to boost first of all those people who have had AstraZeneca and top them up with mRNA, and we are also going to want to vaccinate the children.

'Those two things would be happening, I hope, early next year so we are in good shape then for opening up to the rest of the world somewhere around March or Easter next year.'

When Mr Morrison announced his deal to buy 85million Pfizer booster shots last month, he said: 'Every Australian will have access to a booster shot if it is needed.'

'This will ensure individuals, families and communities have certainty about their continued protection against the evolving threat of Covid-19 over the next two years.

'We have turned the corner in Australia's vaccine program and this is another milestone on our pathway back to a normal life.'

The Labor Opposition says the American decision to roll out booster shots shows how far Australia is behind other Western nations in its vaccine program.

Leader Anthony Albanese said on Thursday: 'President Biden in the United States today has announced booster shots from next month. So a third shot for Americans will be rolled out from September. Here we are still struggling to get to half of Australians having their first shot. '

Health spokesman Mark Butler similarly showed little confidence in Mr Morrison's ability to roll out timely booster shots.

'With Scott Morrison's vaccine rollout it's always too little too late,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

A spokesman for the Department of Health said: 'Australia is well prepared for booster vaccines if they are required.'
Five members of a notorious NYC gang said to be behind the shootings of 12 people were busted during a dawn raid.

Jasier Mitchel, 20, his brother Jamique Mitchell, 19, and Melvin Williams, 20, were all arrested at their homes in Harlem at dawn Wednesday over their alleged membership of the Chico Gang.

It is named after 16 year-old Juwan 'Chico' Tavarez, who was shot dead in March 2016.

The trio's arrests were caught on camera by a CBS New York crew. Williams was filmed saying 'I'm innocent' as he was led away.

A DailyMail.com cameraman later filmed Williams, Jasier Mitchel and another gang member - Dakotah Campbell - who was also arrested Sunday, with all four indicted Wednesday.

Nine other members of the same gang were previously indicted, and face charges including attempted murder, attempted assault and weapons possession.

The Chico Gang is accused of carrying out 12 shootings to avenge Tavarez's death which included four innocent bystanders - one of them being a 12-year-old boy.

Alleged Chico Gang member Melvin Williams, 20, is filmed being arrested in Harlem Wednesday morning

Jasier Mitchel is arrested. His brother Jamique was also brought into custody during the same bust.

The NYPDs Violent Crimes Squad strapped on their bulletproof vests, gearing up for the gang takedown, as reported by CBS2.

NYPD Commissioner Dermot McShea said: 'The arrests of these gang members were specifically targeted to remove the drivers of this gang violence from our streets.'

The nine members involved have been indicted and are in custody with the other three being arraigned in court.

One member, Issac Rivera, has been charged, but has yet to be taken into custody.

Juwan 'Chico' Tavarez inspired the name for the gang after he was shot and killed in March 2016

A firearm, two 30-round capacity magazines, a bat of synthetic marijuana and a bag of heroin were found at the scene

The gang's headquarters was located Wagner Houses in Harlem where the takedown occurred.

The violence that occurred was believed to be mostly directed at a rival gang in nearby Jefferson Homes.

According to CBS News, a firearm, two 30-round capacity magazines, a bat of synthetic marijuana and a bag of heroin were found at the scene.

This investigation was reportedly being built since January 2020.

The gang used texts and online apps to plan crimes, according to prosecutors.

Deputy Brian McGee told CBS News: 'They comb through a lot of social media.

'When people get arrested, we take their cell phones, do search warrants on their cell phone. Were able to see whats going on with their phone connectivity.'

One instance involved gang member Melvin Williams posting a Snapchat video of him holding a gun to another person's head back in July, according to the NY Post.

Manhattan DA Cyrus Vance Jr said: 'This indictment is one part of our work to break the cycle of violence gripping East Harlem, as teens are recruited to take the place of older gang members and continue their bloody rivalries.'

Jasier Mitchel, Dakotah Campbell, and Melvin Williams were the three among the gang members that were arraigned. The other nine remain in custody, with one still at large

Williams, along with other gang members Jasier Mitchell and Dakotah Campbell, were the arraigned members present in court.

The members have been charged with conspiracy, attempted murder, attempted assault and weapons possession, according to the Manhattan District Attorney's Office.

The other indicted members include Jabari Albright, Devon Branton, Sahii Butler, Jasan Crockett, Jayden Golden, Kamren Hudson, Joseph Lee, Jamel Williams, Mikell Pettaford and Isaac Rivera.

This is not the first time the 'Chico Gang' has been in trouble.

In 2019, another 12 members of the gang were indicted on charges of conspiracy to commit murder, assault and weapons possession after they were found responsible for a total of 17 shootings.

NYPD Commissioner James O'Neill told Daily News NY: 'It is our obligation to ensure that New Yorkers in every neighborhood not only are safe, but that they feel safe at all times, too.'

'To that end, our work identifying and dismantling gangs and crews, and preventing the violence so often associated with their activities, continues to be of paramount importance to the NYPD and all our law enforcement partners.'

When asked about youth being involved in gangs, McGee responded to CBS News: 'The answer is I dont know. I think if a kid had an outlet to go get a job and have a good education and good family structure, I think that would help a lot. Its unfortunate.

'Do I think this is going to end a 13-year-old from becoming a gang member? I cant say that, and I dont think thatll happen. Do I think this and with the help of everyone here in this room do I think that will help?

'Yeah, I think there may be several other kids from the Wagner Houses saying theres no way I want part of that.'

Shootings in New York have increased 10.7% in the last year as 983 shootings occurred in 2021 as compared to 888 shootings in 2020, according to NYPD.
A couple who hosted the lockdown engagement party that shocked Melbourne have been fined along with their parents.

Nine of the 69 guests at the get-together to celebrate the upcoming marriage of Michal Franck and Yoni Rubin have now tested positive to the virus.

A video of the event showed dozens of maskless people gathered in Caulfield North in Melbourne's south-east and Mr Rubin joking it was a 'group therapy session'.

The couple and Michal's skin cancer expert father Dr Mark Franck, 52, and his photographer wife Chana, 49, have been fined $5,452 each, Victoria Police said on Thursday.

Michal Franck (left) and Yoni Rubin (right) sparked outrage after hosting an engagement party for 69 people inside a Melbourne home in direct breach of the city's lockdown rules. Nine people who attended have since tested positive to Covid-19

Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton said attendees had been helping police with their investigation but the handing out of further fines had been delayed.

'That investigation is still ongoing. It's obviously hampered to a degree by the fact that they're in isolation,' he said.

Investigators are planning to organise interviews with the other guests over Zoom to expedite the process, Mr Patton said.

Police intend to fine every adult who attended the engagement party for breaching the chief health officer's directions, to an expected total of more than $350,000.

Video of the party shows the fathers of the Melbourne couple, who are from prominent Jewish families, packed inside a narrow room.

Law student Mr Rubin's father Kalman Rubin, 68, is Victoria Legal Aid chairman and celebrated psychologist, Daily Mail Australia previously revealed.

The couple and their families were bombarded with abuse after Victorian Premier Dan Andrews slammed them for their 'selfish choices' during his Covid press conference on Monday, and have now 'gone to ground' according to family friends.

The party was also condemned by St Kilda Rabbi Ronnie Figdor, who said the couple 'should have known better' and his community was upset and disappointed.

Law student Yoni's father is Kalman Rubin, 68, a Victoria Legal Aid chairman and celebrated psychologist while his mother Timmy (together left, and right at engagement party) runs a ritual bathhouse for married Jewish women

The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency has launched an investigation, with the power to suspend the licences of negligent medics.

'We are aware that Victoria Police have stated that they intend to take action with respect to individuals who attended the event,' said an APHRA spokesperson.

'We will liaise with them in relation to any registered health practitioners who were present.'

In video footage from the night, guests can be seen crammed into a small room as Yoni Rubin mocked the lockdown laws they were flouting.

The groom-to-be is seen in the clip bragging about the party's status.

The groom-to-be mocked Victoria's lockdown laws, saying: 'Clearly this is legal because this is a group therapy session'. He then pointed out his father, who is a psychologist, as another reveller jeered 'he's a mental health clinician'

'Clearly this is legal because this is a group therapy session,' the part-time teacher jokes, standing next to his bride-to-be as the packed room erupts in laughter.

'That's why my father's here!'

One of the revellers shouts: 'He's a mental health clinician!'

Dr Franck stands nearby leaning against a wall during the wisecracks, before the camera swings round to show Mr Rubin and his wife Tamara, known as Timmy, 65, laughing along with other guests.

Ms Rubin is a prison chaplain and runs Melbourne's main mikvah, a ritual bathhouse for married Jewish women.

The families are said to be distraught over the backlash from the public over the party.

Michal's father Dr Mark Franck (above), 52, is a skin cancer expert. He laughed as his future son-in-law made a joke about Victoria's lockdown

'We did wrong but the hate coming our way is just so mean,' Ms Rubin begged, according to the Herald Sun.

'Look into your heart and try to find forgiveness.'

Victorian Premier Dan Andrews said the families had made 'selfish, s***ty choices' to host the celebration in lockdown, but slammed anti-Semitic attacks directed at them.

'Anti-Semitism is unacceptable and evil,' he said. 'We have a zero tolerance approach to that in our state.

'There's no sense that anyone needs to be harassing anybody and there is never, ever, a place in Victoria for anti-Semitic behaviour or language, it's simply evil.

'We called out some bad behaviour yesterday, we didn't call out a community, because that would be simply unfair and wrong.'

St Kilda Rabbi Ronnie Figdor admitted the couple 'should have known better'

Rabbi Ronnie Figdor, CEO of the nearby St Kilda Hebrew Congregation, said his offices had also received furious phone calls about the party.

'This unfortunately has a big impact and that's what upsets me and many others,' he said.

'They should have known better.

'Dr Franck is no doubt a very good doctor. but I'm not sure I would ask his advice about Covid.

'We are one big Jewish family, so we're embarrassed when something like this happens, whether we personally know them or not.

'Are we disappointed? Yes. This was a wake up call. People become a bit cavalier because you think it's not going to affect you. Well, good morning, it does.'

He said he always warned people to behave as if their actions could end up on the front page of a newspaper.

'Unfortunately in this case, it is on the front page of the paper,' he said.

'I'm one of these goody two shoes - if I'm told to do something I just do it.
AstraZeneca and other COVID-19 vaccines including Moderna could prove to have longer lasting protection against the virus amid signs the Pfizer jab may start to lose effectiveness six to eight months after the second jab.

Israel was the first country in the world to reopen after securing early access to Pfizer and fully vaccinating 70 per cent of residents, but it's now experiencing a fourth wave of infections.

Other nations including Australia are watching closely as the Middle Eastern nation rushes to administer Pfizer booster jabs as the Delta strain sees infections surge to the highest level in six months.

New data reveals the Pfizer vaccine's effectiveness against the Delta strain begins to fall six to eight months after the second jab (pictured: people line up at Olympic Park in Sydney to get vaccinated)

Israel is offering a third Pfizer booster jab after experiencing a fourth wave of the virus (stock image)

Elderly residents' protection levels from the Pfizer vaccination against the Delta strain are significantly dropping, Israel's health ministry found.

Unvaccinated people remain at most risk, being five to six times more likely to get seriously ill from Covid, but the majority of new infections in Israel are fully vaccinated people over 50.

The Financial Times reported that over-65s who received their second Pfizer shot in January are now experiencing protection rates as low as 55 per cent - although some health experts are questioning this figure.

As a result, Israel has begun offering a third Pfizer jab for over 60s and soon over-50s.

A Pfizer vaccination blitz is underway for Sydneysiders between 16-39 years who are believed to be driving the spread of the virus through the city's west and south west due to their mobility in the community (pictured, health care workers at Perth Airport on Monday)

Pfizer CEO Albert Boula confirmed in July that the effectiveness of the vaccine does steadily diminish, reaching about 84 per cent at six months.

His comments were based on a company-funded study of 44,000 people across the United States and other countries which found effectiveness of the vaccine eroded an average of 6 per cent every two months.

'The good news is that we are very, very confident that a third dose, a booster, will take up the immune response to levels that will be enough to protect against the Delta variant,' Mr Bourla told CNBC on July 28.

He added it was not uncommon for vaccines to decline in effectiveness and that third-dose vaccines were already used against other diseases.

Thousands of Year 12 HSC students can get a vaccine at the new vaccination hub at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney (pictured)

The situation in Israel does show that large-scale booster programs for the Pfizer vaccine might be needed, at least in the short term.

After reviewing Israeli data, the United States has decided to recommend boosters eight months after citizens receive the second Pfizer jab.

This has also prompted calls for vaccine production to be ramped up and raised questions about whether current vaccines should go to developing countries with little supply or be held onto for long-term immunity programs.

The Pfizer vaccine uses mRNA technology and with no Australian facilities capable of manufacturing the jab, the Morrison Government is forced rely on overseas delivery.

Australia secured about 1 million additional doses of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine from Poland.

The doses are being used to support a vaccination push for Australians under 39 years old, particularly in Sydney's west and south-west where transmission numbers have spiked to record highs.

On July 25 the Federal Government announced it had secured an additional 60million doses of the Pfizer vaccine in 2022 and 25 million in 2023 to be used as booster shots.

'This is a significant shot in the arm for Australia's vaccine supply. Every Australian will have access to a booster shot if it is needed,' the Prime Minister said when he announced the agreement.

'This will ensure individuals, families and communities have certainty about their continued protection against the evolving threat of COVID-19 over the next two years.'

About 350 stood-down Qantas workers have been called on to help staff at the Qudos vaccination hub (pictured)

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt has also promised millions of doses of Moderna - another mRNA vaccine - will be available in coming months, as hundreds of Sydneysiders continue to be infected by Covid.

Mr Hunt expects the first million doses will arrive in Australia in September 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 Pfizer vaccines to two million per week, as well as AstraZeneca which is manufactured in Australia by CSL.

CSL wants to begin manufacturing mRNA vaccines, however, and intends to start trials of a flu vaccine made with the technology next year.

This increased supply comes as vaccination rates in Australia doubled from 700,000 per week a month-and-a-half ago to currently more than 1.4million each week.
An Australian soldier who fought in Afghanistan has described the Taliban as blank-eyed, emotionless robots 'hypnotised' to kill - and says that's the reason they have been able to take over the country.

The ADF fighter, known only as John, told Triple M he spent nine months deployed in the war-torn country fighting the organisation after Australia joined America's war on terror in the years following the September 11 attacks.

John said he was angry watching the Taliban 'parading around like they've won' and described the group as remorseless killers.

'When you come face to face with them it's just blank. Their eyes are blank. There is no emotion there, no humanity,' he said.

'There's no compassion, no humanity, no nothing. It's like they've been hypnotised, it's like they're robots who have been programmed with what to do.'

An Australian soldier who fought in Afghanistan has described the Taliban as blank-eyed, emotionless robots - and says that's the reason they have been able to take over the country

John said he's spoken to his friends, both current and former soldiers, who agree the mission was a success despite the speed in which the Taliban reclaimed the country.

'People are asking if it was worth it,' he said.

'We have to believe it was, how else do we look at the families of the boys we lost over there?'

The soldier said he is deeply concerned for the residents of Afghanistan and the people who worked alongside the ADF.

He said he particularly fears for interpreters, having seen the family of a man working alongside the Australian army brutally murdered as a result.

'I'm absolutely worried. I worked with guys who fought the Russians, grandfathers who fought the British. That's all they've ever known,' John said.

'We had an interpreter working with us. When the Taliban found out he was working with us they beheaded his brother as a warning.

'Couldn't find him but could find his family so they beheaded his brother. But he kept working and supporting us.'

John said he's spoken to his friends, both current and former soldiers, who agree the mission was a success despite the speed in which the Taliban reclaimed the country

A desperate father who worked as a security guard at the Australian embassy in Kabul (pictured) is hiding inside his house with his family in fear of being executed by the Taliban

He said Australia and its allies were right to hold back the Taliban for two decades because if they hadn't, the fight could have been closer to home.

'We knew if we weren't willing to fight them there then we would have to be willing to fight them here [at home],' the digger told Triple M.

The Australian Defence Force lost 41 troops over the 20 years it was stationed in Afghanistan, but John said he 'guarantees the boys would be ready to do it again'.

'There is an anger seeing them parading around but we have to believe it was worth it. No soldier ever died in vain,' he said.

Australia will offer safe passage for 3,000 fleeing Afghanis as part of its humanitarian visa program.

They will prioritise people who have worked alongside Australian representatives, as well as people with family already in the country and persecuted minorities including the Persian-speaking Hazaras people.

Ismail says he won't answer knocks at his door after locals told him the Taliban are urging residents to dob in anyone who worked for foreign countries

A desperate father who claims to have worked as a security guard at the Australian embassy in Kabul is hiding inside his house with his family in fear of being executed by the Taliban.

The man, known as Ismail, told ABC News he worked in Australia's Afghanistan embassy for seven years until the terrorist organisation reclaimed the city.

Ismail says he won't answer knocks at his door after locals told him the Taliban had lists and were urging residents to dob in anyone who worked for foreign countries.

'Our lives are in danger. We have to be a priority of the Australian Government,' he told ABC National Radio.

Ismail, who is bunkered down inside his home with his wife and four children and is too frightened to even step into his yard, says he doesn't care what happens to him but wants protection for his family.

'I don't care if the Taliban find me, if they cut me, I don't care,' he said.

'But if they do something with my wife, that will be a bad shame for me and my family.'

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said in a press conference earlier this week that Australia would assist in the evacuation of officials, translators and fleeing Afghanis but admitted rescue efforts would be limited.

'I want you to know that we will continue to do everything we can for those who have stood with us, as we have to this day,' he said on Tuesday.

He called on Mr Morrison and other world leaders to stop talking about supporting war-torn nations and start acting with mass rescue efforts

Scott Morrison said in a press conference that Australia would assist in the evacuation of officials, translators and fleeing Afghanis but admitted his rescue efforts will be limited

'But despite our best efforts, I know that support won't reach all that it should.

'On-the-ground events have overtaken many efforts. We wish it were different.'

Ismail said Mr Morrison's comments left him 'very disappointed' and is pleading for the Government to help the people who have risked their lives for Australian government officials.

'It breaks my heart into many pieces and left me very disappointed,' he said.

'As a human he has to think first. People who worked on the front line and put themselves in danger to protect your mission.

'To support your mission in Afghanistan. To support your property, to support your kind.'

He called on Mr Morrison and other world leaders to stop talking about supporting war-torn nations and start acting with mass rescue efforts.

'If the Australian Government doesn't speak for human rights and doesn't help us in Kabul, tragedy and very bad things will happen here at the hands of the Taliban,' Ismail said.

Australia has deployed 250 troops on three aircrafts to evacuate workers from the Australian embassy and other officials.
NSW Police are investigating a possible vaccine booking fraud after money was exchanged for jab appointments at a major hospital in Sydney.

AAP understands people on the Chinese language social media app WeChat were asked to pay $300 to secure a quick turnaround booking for Pfizer at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney's inner west.

Police were called in over the weekend and the state's cyber crime unit set up a strike force.

NSW Police are investigating a possible vaccine booking fraud after money was exchanged for jab appointments at a major hospital in Sydney

A police spokesperson said that members of the public had attended Royal Prince Alfred Hospital for 'fraudulent vaccination bookings'. Pictured: vaccination queue at RPAH

It is understood users of the Chinese social media app WeChat paid $300 to book priority vaccination at RPAH

A police spokesperson told AAP that members of the public had attended the hospital for 'fraudulent vaccination bookings'.

'Police have been told the fraudulent bookings were made through an online vaccination booking service under allocations for essential healthcare workers,' the spokesperson said.

About 60 people booked vaccines that were meant for health care workers over the weekend, NSW Police say.

They were ineligible for priority bookings.

Police Minister David Elliott is expected to address the media on the issue on Thursday afternoon.

AAP has approached NSW Health for comment.
An Australian Zoo has been busy welcoming newborn twin Tasmanian Devil Joeys into the world.

Australian Reptile Park, located at Somersby in NSW, are homing the new arrivals born part of Aussie Ark's insurance population for the endangered species.

The twin brothers are yet to be named but the park is now calling on the public to offer up their most creative suggestions.

The Twin Tasmanian Devil Joeys were born as part of Aussie Ark's insurance population for the endangered species

Until September 20, each person who adopts a Tasmanian devil from Aussie Ark will go into the running to name the duo along with the chance for a special meet-and-greet at the Australian Reptile Park.

The furry bundles of joy were born at Aussie Ark but have been calling the park home while they're raised by keeper Hewin Hochkins.

'I'm lacking a little sleep at the moment, feeding these guys every few hours is hard work, but I wouldn't change a thing,' Hewin said.

The tiny twins are calling Australian Reptile Park in Somersby, NSW, home for now

'They're already showing off their personalities and I'm excited to watch them grow.'

Hewin will raise the tiny twins until they're grown up enough to live independently at Aussie Ark but for now the joeys require round the clock care - involving snuggles and bottle feeds of up to five times a day.

The pair are due to eventually be released into a wild but protected sanctuary after they return to Aussie Ark in eight months time.

The duo are yet to be named with Australian Reptile Park offering members of the public a chance to name them

Every person who adopts a Tasmanian Devil until September 20th will go into the draw to name and meet the twins

Tasmanian Devils were once found across mainland Australia, but are now exclusive to Tasmania.

The protected species are prone to a cancerous facial tumour disease that has wiped out almost 90% of the wild population since 1996.

Aussie Ark's program has successfully bred a Devil population free from the devastating tumour disease, which once brought the species to near extinction.

Last year Aussie Ark and Australian Reptile Park welcomed a pair of newborn Devil Joeys' called Itchy and Scratchy.

The park said picking out monikers was an easy task due to their cheeky personality traits, naming them after the iconic feisty cartoon characters from The Simpsons.
A homeless father whose car was vandalised has been gifted a new vehicle thanks to the generosity of a local community.

Last month Edward Jacques, who has fallen on hard times and is living in his car on the Gold Coast, was shattered after a heartless thug destroyed his temporary 'home' during the middle of winter.

Concerned Labrador resident Merv Cassidy, who is now firm friends with Mr Jacques, stepped in to help.

He started a fundraiser online, with a number of kind-hearted locals chipping in to raise over $4500.

Gold Coast man Edward Jacques was shattered after a vandal senselessly wrecked his car (pictured) recently

Mr Jacques has fallen on hard times and was living in his car at the time his vehicle was targeted (pictured, his new Ford Falcon wagon)

Other items passed on to Mr Jacques included clothes, blankets and a suitcase.

Mechanic Jason Wilson also volunteered his time to fix up the new car, a Ford Falcon wagon.

'The community has been so wonderful and helpful. It sets the standard for what being an Aussie really is about,' Mr Jacques told the Gold Coast Bulletin.

'I can now live properly. This car allows me to travel up to Brisbane to see my young children. 'It's so exciting for me.'

Mr Cassidy said he was happy to help, and the generosity of many fellow locals left him feeling proud.

The vandal - who police are still on the hunt for on the Glitter Strip - damaged Jacques' old Ford in late July.

The motive remains unknown.

Jacques' vehicle was destroyed when he using a public computer at the Southport library.

Mr Jacques old car was damaged beyond repair (pictured) by a vandal on the Gold Coast in July - the motive is unknown
Wildlife groups are in uproar after a brush turkey was found with pink spray-paint coating its entire body - and it had to be euthanised as a result of the toxins.

The sickly bird was spotted in Cotton Tree on the Sunshine Coast on Wednesday morning by a member of the public who notified Queensland's wildlife rescue organisation Wilvos.

Volunteer Keith Porteous responded to the call and found the juvenile bird hiding in the bushes, explaining in a later social media post that he was appalled by the attack carried out on the defenceless turkey.

Mr Porteous captured the bird and transported it to Australia Zoo, where the brush turkey was thoroughly checked over.

Volunteer Keith Porteous took the bird to Australia Zoo for assessments, but it had to be euthanised due to the severity of the injuries

It had suffered a broken wing and leg and ultimately had to be euthanised because the toxic spray had interfered with its beak, face and feathers.

Australia Zoo wildlife vet Dr Ludo Valenza told the ABC: 'The spray-paint was on the entirety of the feathers including the head as well, so it looks like someone's gone in and intentionally grabbed this animal and spray-painted it and unfortunately caused some severe injuries to it as well.'

Dr Valenza said the bird wouldn't have been able to live with its injuries in the wild.

Mr Porteous believes that the bird had been spray-painted the day before it was found as the paint was very dry.

The brush turkey was seen by members of the public on Wednesday on the Sunshine Coast and reported it to Wilvos

'It's extremely heartbreaking to think that someone has gone out of their way to injure an animal that really can't fend for itself,' said Dr Valenza.

Mr Porteous, who also assists Wildlife Noosa in capturing brush turkeys, said he hadn't seen many shameful and senseless acts like this 'thankfully' and reported the incident to the RSPCA.

An RSPCA Queensland spokesperson told the Daily Mail Australia: 'Our Inspectorates have received a report about this case and are investigating. Anyone that has information about how the turkey came to be in this state is urged to contact RSPCA.'

PETA, an animal rights group, has announced a reward of up to $2,000 'for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons who allegedly covered a juvenile brush turkey with bright pink spray paint and left the bird for dead.'

A PETA spokesperson said: 'Someone in the area must have seen or heard something related to this horrific incident.

'A person capable of deliberately causing such suffering to a helpless animal demonstrates a deeply worrying psychological state and must be found.'
A suspect who authorities believed ambushed a Southern California sheriff's deputy earlier this week was killed in a 'gun battle' Wednesday following a shooting that injured two San Bernardino police officers.

Ervin Olikong, 34, was shot around 3:30 p.m, in Highland, 66 miles east of Los Angeles, after SWAT officers attempted to arrest him in connection with the investigation into the deputy's shooting, which happened on Tuesday.

SWAT officers had been surveilling Olikong for hours before Wednesday's shooting occurred, which left two officers injured in gunfire and Olikong dead, Chief Eric McBride said during a news conference Wednesday evening.

A suspect who authorities believed ambushed a Southern California sheriff's deputy earlier this week was killed in a 'gun battle' Wednesday following a shooting that injured two San Bernardino police officers

Ervin Olikong, 34, (not pictured) was shot around 3:30 p.m, in Highland, 66 miles east of Los Angeles

Both officers are expected to survive after being transported to Loma Linda University Medical Center.

Police recovered a handgun used in Wednesday's shooting, in addition to a rifle believed to have been used in the ambush during Tuesday's shooting.

According to police, Olikong was a gang member from San Bernardino who had an extensive criminal history.

McBride said Olikong was previously arrested on suspicion of violent robbery and assault with a deadly weapon, and had a $200,000 warrant out for his arrest.

'Obviously this is someone who we don't want out on the streets, who has been on the run at least since 2019,' McBride stated.

The incident occurred one day after a 27-year-old deputy was wounded in a shooting.

Officials said the deputy was was trying to stop a vehicle in the area of 10th Street and Waterman Avenue before engaging in a short pursuit.

After making a turn, the gunman existed his vehicle, took out a rifle and 'laid in wait' for the deputy, officials said Wednesday.

Officials have referred to the incident as 'an ambush situation.'

The gunman fired multiple rounds as the deputy caught up with him.

The deputy was transported to the hospital is expected to make a full recovery, officials said.
A petition has been launched by a Queensland MP to move the NSW border further south so residents are able to access the south-eastern towns and northern rivers region with ease.

The petition, launched on Monday by Member for Richmond Justine Elliot, calls on NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian to allow for a border zone she is hoping will stretch as far down as Ballina.

Northern NSW residents are safer in Queensland according to Ms Elliot, who has had mass support for her petition so far with over 8000 signatures.

Queensland MP Justine Elliot has launched a petition to move the NSW border checkpoints further south to allow border residents to move between states

'The incompetence and failures of the Liberal-Nationals' Governments is putting lives, jobs and businesses at risk on the north coast,' she commented to 9 News.

The border zone will effectively lock northern NSW away from the regions of the state that are affected by the Indian delta strain of Covid.

It also allows NSW residents to move into south-east Queensland to work when they live so close to the border.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says that the strict border lock will remain in place while parts of NSW are overtaken by the infectious strain of the virus.

MP Justine Elliot says that while she would like the bubble to stretch down as far as Ballina, she would accept a proposal to move it south of the Tweed River (pictured)

Because of this decision tourism industries on the Gold Coast are struggling to build revenue for their businesses, with half of their usual clients unable to get into the state.

'We've already seen in July and August over half a billion dollars lost to tourism revenues,' commented Patricia O'Callaghan from Destination Gold Coast.

'Further support and partnership with government will be crucial to the survival of our industry.'

With Queensland's tourism mecca running out of resilience, local business owners say that they need more support from the government in order to keep afloat while the border lockdowns remain so tight.

'What we need is a Jobkeeper 3.0 until things get back to a point in time where the borders are consistently open,' said Gordon Kerr from Duffy Down Under Boat Hire.

Residents living in the Tweed Shire Council are also feeling the struggle, unable to navigate students and teachers who would normally attend classes face-to-face in Queensland.

The tourism industry in Queensland's tourist mecca, the Gold Coast (pictured) is struggling as a large portion of their clients are unable to make it into the Sunshine State

'The seniors... their minds should be focusing on their end of year exams. Not about this stuff,' commented one resident.

Some workers deemed non-essential are completely out of work as they are unable to cross the border, leaving many families without an income.

Despite the thousands of signatures on the petition, the NSW cross border commissioner says the move may not even be possible.

Commissioner James McTavish commented that he was not approached by either government regarding this proposal to move the checkpoints between borders south of the Tweed river.

Commissioner James McTavish said that the move may not even be possible and that he was not approached by either government in regards to the proposal to move the border checkpoints (stock image)

'I have not been canvassed for my views officially by Queensland or New South Wales authorities,' Mr McTavish said to The Daily Telegraph.

'It is a similar proposal to what was pitched in 2020 and was not endorsed due to the very complex legal issues associated with resourcing.

'The best thing we could all do now is abide by the directions,' he remarked.

NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro commented that he had not seen the topic of moving the border checkpoints discussed by the crisis cabinet.

'I'm always happy to consider those options in relation to moving the border through a border bubble, to give those communities greater opportunity, but wherever you move that line, there is always going to be a cliff edge, there will always be a community that will then be shut out,' Mr Barilaro said.

'I have not, as a member of crisis cabinet, been given that information.'
A desperate search is underway for a 13-year-old-girl who suddenly vanished from home just after midnight.

Alia Sakr was last seen at her home at Fairfax Street, The Ponds in Sydney's north-west around 12.20am on Thursday.

Police from the Riverstone area command were 'immediately notified' and a search began.

Police have appealed for help finding Alia Sakr, 13, who vanished from her home in Sydney's north-west around 12.20am on Thursday

It is not known what she was wearing when she disappeared.

She is known to regularly visit the Schofields, Castle Hill and Lalor Park areas.

Her family and police hold concerns due to her young age.

Alia is described as being of Mediterranean/Middle Eastern appearance, with a thin build.

She is 155cm tall, with long brown curly hair and has brown eyes.

Police appealed for helping finding the girl and urged anyone who has seen her, or knows where she is, to contact Riverstone Police Station or Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000.
An innocent Chicago man held in jail for a year after the police department's ShotSpotter program incorrectly identified him as the gunman in a 2020 murder case said he caught COVID twice while in lockup and contemplated taking his own life before being released last month.

Michael Williams, 65, was arrested last August, accused of murdering Safarian Herring, 25, who asked Williams for a ride during a night of unrest over police brutality.

The Chicago Police Department said ShotSpotter - an artificial intelligence-powered hidden-microphone system that detects gunshots - indicated Williams had shot and killed the man inside his car.

Despite the lack of a motive, weapon or eye-witnesses, Williams was held in Cook County Jail, where he caught COVID twice and made plans to take his own life with a stockpiled stash of pills, he said.

But after a year, prosecutors found that Williams was in fact just driving Herring to the hospital after the young man was shot by unknown assailants, and that the ShotSpotter recording was tampered with to transform the car's backfiring into gunshot sounds.

Last month, they asked the judge to dismiss the case and free Williams.

'I kept trying to figure out, how can they get away with using the technology like that against me?' said Williams. 'Thats not fair.'

Michael Williams was behind bars for nearly a year before a judge dismissed the murder case against him in July at the request of prosecutors, who said they had insufficient evidence. He sat for a portrait in his South Side Chicago home on July 27, 2021.

Michael Williams was reunited with his wife, Jacqueline Anderson. On his first night at home, Williams couldn't eat on his own, so Anderson fed him

ShotSpotter equipment overlooking the intersection of South Stony Island Avenue and East 63rd Street in Chicago. The ShotSpotter recording was tampered with to implicate Williams in the 2020 murder of Safarian Herring

Williams remains shaken. When he walks through the neighborhood, he scans for the acoustic sensors that almost sent him to prison for life.

'The only places these devices are installed are in poor black communities, nowhere else,' he said. 'How many of us will end up in this same situation?'

His wife, Jacqueline Anderson, has remained by his side throughout the entire ordeal. She said Williams suffered from sleepless nights after driving the wounded Herring to the hospital.

She said their lives came apart when Williams was arrested last August, but the two kept sending each other letters and called each other every day.

She would help him reminisce of happier times together with their grandchildren to get him through the day.

Williams said he used to be able to call her three times a day in the beginning, but when that fell into only a few times a week, his mind started going to dark places.

After being freed, Anderson said she initially had to feed her husband because he was too traumatized to do so himself.

She added that she holds his hands to calm him when they begin to shake.

His experience highlights the real-world impacts of society's growing reliance on algorithms to help make consequential decisions about public life.

This is especially apparent in law enforcement, which has embraced ShotSpotter despite its faults.

Prosecutors in Chicago have withdrawn the technology's findings in a number of cases due to tampered evidence by police and reports have shown that its sensors are disproportionately placed in minority communities.

ShotSpotter, says its evidence has increasingly been admitted in courtrooms, now some 200. ShotSpotters website says its a leader in policing technology solutions that helps stop gun violence by using algorithms to classify 14 million sounds as gunshots or something else.

But an Associated Press investigation, based on thousands of internal documents, emails and confidential contracts, along with dozens of interviews, has identified serious flaws in using ShotSpotter evidence in court.

APs investigation found the system can miss live gunfire right under its microphones, or misclassify sounds of fireworks or cars backfiring as gunshots. ShotSpotter's forensic reports have been used in court to improperly claim that a defendant shot at police, or provide questionable counts of the number of shots fired.

Activists in Chicago are demand the city's police department end its contract with ShotSpotter, an AI-powered hidden-microphone system used to detect gunshots

Police departments in cities across the country and some oversees have relied on the technology to increase their response times

There were also cases of tampering due to police interference.

During 2016 testimony in a Rochester, New York officer-involved shooting trial, ShotSpotters engineer Paul Greene said an employee reclassified sounds from a helicopter to a bullet because Rochester police told them to.

In the Williams case, evidence in pre-trial hearings shows ShotSpotter first said the noise the sensor picked up was a firecracker but a ShotSpotter employee relabeled it a gunshot.

Later, a ShotSpotter engineer changed the reported Chicago address of the sound to the street where Williams was driving, about 1 mile away, court documents show. ShotSpotter said the report was corrected to match the actual location that the sensors had identified.

It was never made clear why the changes were made and who ordered them to be changed.

ShotSpotter insists it warned prosecutors not to rely on its technology to detect gunshots inside vehicles or buildings, citing language in its $33 million Chicago police department contract.

Jacqueline Anderson watches as her husband, Michael Williams, takes their dogs, Lily and Shibey, out in the backyard of their home

This undated photo provided by the family in August 2021 shows shooting victim Safarian Herring of Chicago. Two weeks before being fatally shot in May 2020, he had survived a shooting at a bus stop

A man walks past one of the many closed business along East 79th Street in Chicago on Friday, Aug. 13, 2021, in a neighborhood on the South Side near where Herring was shot

Williams attorney Brendan Max said prosecutors never shared this critical information.

Williams has always maintained that on the day of incident, Herring had waved him down for a ride. Williams told police that a vehicle pulled up beside him and someone shot Herring.

'I was hollering to my passenger `Are you ok?' said Williams. 'He didnt respond.'

He sped to the emergency room. Herring died a few days later.

Three months later, police showed up, and after an interrogation they charged Williams with first-degree murder.

'When he told me that, it was just like something in me had just died,' said Williams.

On the night of the shooting, ShotSpotters sensors identified a loud noise the system initially assigned to 5700 S. Lake Shore Dr., according to an alert the company sent police. That material anchored prosecutors theory that Williams shot Herring inside his car, even though the supplementary police report didnt cite a motive, mention eyewitnesses, or a recovered gun.

Prosecutors also leaned on a surveillance video showing that Williams car ran a red light, as did another car that appeared to have its windows up, ruling out that the shot came from the other cars passenger window, they said.

Chicago police did not respond to AP's request for comment. The Cook County State's Attorney's Office said in a statement that after careful review prosecutors 'concluded that the totality of the evidence was insufficient to meet our burden of proof.'

Michael Williams remains shaken over his experience and continues to question the validity of the ShotSpotter program that led to his wrongful incarceration

Jacqueline Anderson said she did her best to keep her husband's mind at ease while he was in prison, telling him to remember all the joy he's experience with his family

Letters written by Michael Williams to his wife, Jacqueline Anderson, and a card she sent him and sealed with a lipstick kiss are just a few samples of the correspondence between the two

Family photos sit on a mantle in the South Side Chicago home of the reunited couple

ShotSpotter touts its algorithm-backed technology as virtually foolproof. But its algorithms are a trade secret, largely inscrutable to the public, jurors and police oversight boards.

The company identifies possible gunshots with the acoustic sensors. Then ShotSpotter employees listen to audio recordings of those sounds, and confirms or changes the source of sounds, introducing the possibility of human bias. Employees can and do modify the location or number of shots fired at the request of police, according to court records. And in the past, city dispatchers or police themselves could make some of these changes.

Amid a nationwide debate over racial bias in policing, civil rights advocates say the criminal justice system shouldnt outsource some of societys weightiest decisions to computer code.

ShotSpotter CEO Ralph Clark said details about artificial intelligence are 'not really relevant.'

'The point is anything that ultimately gets produced as a gunshot has to have eyes and ears on it,' said Clark. 'Human eyes and ears, ok?'

ShotSpotter CEO Ralph Clark says the company is constantly improving its system, but it still logs a small percentage of false positives. He is pictured at his office in Newark, California

As ShotSpotters gunshot detection systems expand around the country, so has its use as courtroom evidence - including 91 cases in the past 4 years.

'Our data compiled with our expert analysis help prosecutors make convictions,' said a recent ShotSpotter press release.

Police chiefs call ShotSpotter a game-changer. The technology has been installed in about 110 American cities, often disproportionately placed in Black and Latino communities. Law enforcement officials say it helps get officers to crime scenes quicker making their neighborhoods safer.

But academic researchers who reviewed 68 large, metropolitan counties from 1999 to 2016 found that the technology didnt reduce gun violence or increase community safety.
A woman convicted of witchcraft and sentenced to death more than three centuries ago is on the verge of being formally pardoned thanks to a class of eighth-graders.

State Senator Diana DiZoglio, a Democrat from Methuen, has introduced legislation to clear the name of Elizabeth Johnson Jr., who was condemned in 1693 at the height of the Salem Witch Trials but never executed.

DiZoglio's action was inspired by a group of eigth-graders at North Andover Middle School in Massachusetts.

The work of the 13 and 14-year-olds was so meticulous that it warranted the introduction of legislation to pardon the woman.

'It is important that we work to correct history,' said DiZoglio.

'We will never be able to change what happened to these victims, but at the very least, we can set the record straight.'

Elizabeth Johnson Jr., who was condemned in 1693 at the height of the Salem Witch Trials but never executed (File image: artist depiction of Salem Witch Trials)

The work of the 13 and 14-year-olds from North Andover Middle School, MA, was so meticulous that a state senator was inspired to introduction of legislation to pardon the woman

Civics teacher Carrie LaPierre's students painstakingly researched Johnson and the steps that would need to be taken to make sure she was formally pardoned.

'They spent most of the year working on getting this set for the Legislature  actually writing a bill, writing letters to legislators, creating presentations, doing all the research,' said LaPierre.

DiZoglio is sponsoring Senate Bill 1016, which would see Johnson added to the list of peopled formally exonerated 328 years after she was condemned.

If lawmakers approve the measure, Johnson will be the last accused witch to be cleared, according to Witches of Massachusetts Bay, a group devoted to the history and lore of the 17th-century witch hunts.

Johnson, then aged 22, was one of dozens sentenced to death in the Salem Witch Trials of 1692, during which 19 were hanged and hundreds of others accused.

But while dozens of suspects had their convictions thrown out and were officially cleared, including Johnson's own mother, Johnson's name wasn't included in various legislative attempts to set the record straight.

'Why Elizabeth was not exonerated is unclear but no action was ever taken on her behalf by the General Assembly or the courts,' DiZoglio said.

'Possibly because she was neither a wife nor a mother, she was not considered worthy of having her name cleared. And because she never had children, there is no group of descendants acting on her behalf.'

Dozens of suspects officially were cleared, including Johnson's own mother, the daughter of a minister whose conviction eventually was reversed. But for some reason, Johnson's name wasn't included in various legislative attempts to set the record straight.

File photograph: Karla Hailer, a fifth-grade teacher from Massachusetts, shoots a video where a memorial stands at the site in Salem where five women were hanged as witches in 1693

In 2017, officials unveiled a semi-circular stone wall memorial inscribed with the names of people hanged at a site in Salem known as Proctors Ledge. It was funded in part by donations from descendants of those accused of being witches.

LaPierre said some of her students initially were ambivalent about the effort to exonerate Johnson because they launched it before the 2020 presidential election and at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic was raging.

'Some of the conversation was, 'why are we doing this? Shes dead. Isnt there more important stuff going on in the world?'' she said.

'But they came around to the idea that it's important that in some small way we could do this one thing.'
KFC has run out of Zinger and Tower burgers as the shortage of chicken continues to hit stores.

Frustrated customers using the app in Kent could not order the meals, with a message simply reading: 'Unavailable.'

It comes as one of its outlets in Hull appeared to have posted a message in its window explaining it was low on stock.

The notice, topped with an image of Colonel Sanders, asked for visitors to 'be kind to staff' because 'it's not their fault'.

Meanwhile there are also fears the shortage could ruin Christmas, with the lack of workers hitting the supply of turkeys.

Traditional Norfolk Poultry revealed they 'simply cannot find people to run our farms and run our factory', branding it 'hugely serious'.

Earlier experts warned pubs will start running out of chicken because of staff shortages at suppliers and the 'pingdemic'.

The British Poultry Council said it had seen production slashed by up to 10 per cent among its members due to issues at farms and processing plants.

Insiders called on the government to make urgent changes to the rules on overseas workers to plug the gap.

Consumers were also being warned there could be empty shelves in shops after a union said HGV drivers would go on strike over a pay discrepancy.

Up to 1,500 small stores across London and the South East could face delivery shortages after Tesco handed some drivers a 5 pay rise, but less for others.

Frustrated customers using the app in Kent could not order the meals, with a message simply reading: 'Unavailable' (pictured)

It comes as one of its outlets in Hull appeared to have posted a message in its window explaining it was low on stock (pictured)

This week Nando's revealed it had been forced to shut almost 75 restaurants due to a lack of chicken.

It blamed the closures on the national shortage of HGV drivers, a staffing crisis and the impact of the 'pingdemic' - but sent 70 staff to help suppliers.

A message in the KFC store in Hull said: 'If you planned to order one of everything you might be out of luck.

'Some recent disruption means we might not have your favourite on the menu today. But rest assured we still have plenty of Finger Lickin' Good options available.

'In the meantime, thanks for bearing with us, and please be kind to our team. It's not their fault.'

Traditional Norfolk Poultry revealed the threat Britons may have to their Christmases as turkey numbers dwindle.

Managing Director Mark Gorton told ITV: 'The big problem we've got at the moment is labour, we simply cannot find people to run our farms and run our factory, this is hugely serious, we are committed to growing these chickens to supply our customers and of course once the birds are on the ground they're growing.. they have to be processed through the factory, so to be short of people to help us do that has had a major impact.'

Paul Kelly, from Kelly Bronze Turkeys near Chelmsford, added: 'We're okay as a small family business, we only need a relatively small number of people but the bigger guys that need thousands of people to come and make sure the turkeys get delivered, they're not taking the risk because they're not getting any support from the government in terms of 'you will be allowed to bring your usual workforce in from Europe'.

'That's not happening at this point in time so they're not taking the risk to put the turkeys on the farm, because if they can't get them processed at Christmas, they can't risk putting them on the farm.'

Experts earlier raised fears chicken could also be slashed at pubs as well as restaurants.

A sign on the doors of a branch of Nando's in White City, Manchester, telling customers that the store is temporarily closed

A source told the Sun the industry was seeing shortages of 10 to 20 per cent and called on the government to change the rules on overseas workers to help.

Lynx Purchasing - which workers with 60 suppliers - said the issue would soon spread from eateries to boozers.



Boss Rachel Dobson said: 'A fast food brand dependent on a specific product such as chicken sees the impact more quickly  but most pubs and restaurants have chicken dishes on the menu.'

Young's pubs and Wetherspoon said it had not experienced any chicken shortages yet.

But supplier Avara Foods said it was concerned about getting products to sites due to filling jobs after Brexit.

A spokesman said: 'Our concern is recruitment and filling vacancies when the UK workforce has been severely depleted as a result of Brexit; this is causing stress on UK supply chains in multiple sectors.

'Labour availability is an issue totally separate to the pandemic, and one which has the potential to affect UK foods manufacturing for a lot longer  a similar story can be seen in the hospitality industry where vacancies are outstripping the available workforce.

'We're monitoring the situation closely and are putting in place measures to mitigate the strain on our supply chain, but this can only go so far.

'It looks increasingly like this is a structural change in the UK labour market, which shows no obvious signs of being resolved quickly.'

Meanwhile consumers are being warned there could be empty shelves in convenience stores after a union said HGV drivers would go on strike over a pay row.

Up to 1,500 small shops across London and the south east could face delivery shortages after Tesco handed some lorry drivers a 5 pay rise, but not others.

Unite the Union said yesterday bosses from the supermarket's wholesale division Booker were 'missing in action' after failing to engage in talks.

As many as 1,500 convenience stores across London and the south east could face delivery shortages over pay disparities caused by HGV bonuses handed out by Tesco (file photo)

Consumers have already faced barren supermarket shelves while shopping in major UK retailers, but could see more in London and the South east if the industrial action goes ahead

Drivers will now be balloted on whether to take strike action unless bosses match bonuses paid to drivers in other parts of the country.

Tesco implemented a 5-an-hour pay rise for drivers at its Booker Wholesale depot in Hemel Hempstead but refused to pay a similar increase to HGV drivers at its Thamesmead site, Unite said.

Booker drivers deliver products under the Budgens and Londis brands, with a fallout expected to hit those 1,500 convenience stores in the south east region hardest.

Unite accused the company of 'burying its head in the sand' as the HGV driver shortage across the country escalates due to an ageing workforce who are retiring.

The so-called 'pingdemic', a backlog of HGV driving tests and driver shortages as EU drivers returned home are all impacting the delivery sector.

The Road Haulage Association warned in July there was a shortage of 100,000 lorry drivers in the UK, which has been hampering deliveries from warehouses to shops.

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.

Booker drivers deliver products under the Budgens and Londis brands, with any fallout expected to hit those 1,500 convenience stores in the south east region hardest

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)

The problem has been exacerbated by Covid, with drivers having to go into self-isolation amid the so-called 'pingdemic'.

That led to major supermarket retailers including Tesco, M&S and Aldi to all offer pay rises or bonuses to drivers in the hope of filling gaps in supply and on shelves.

Unite regional officer Paul Travers said: 'Despite the company indicating that it wanted to get pay talks started early to address the issue, the top managers have gone ''missing in action''.

'We understand the general manager is on holiday and another senior manager has just disappeared from the scene.

'At a time when country faces the worst HGV driver shortage in modern times with an estimated 100,000 vacancies in the industry, it is the height of irresponsibility that there is no executive for Unite to negotiate with, it is worthy of a Fawlty Towers episode.

'Our Thamesmead members are outraged at the disrespect the management and the company as a whole have shown them, they are very angry as they ballot for industrial action.

'We are gaining new members from other employees disgusted at the company's contemptuous attitude.'

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)

Food supply chains have been placed under intense stress because of a shortage of around 100,000 HGV drivers.

Consumers have already been warned to expect to see empty shelves in supermarket aisles, and supply chain issues have already crippled fast food outlets KFC and Nando's.

According to their website, almost 75 Nando's venues were forced to close this week as a result of the supply chain issues.

The firm told customers online its shortages were caused by staff 'isolation periods' and suppliers 'struggling to keep up with demand'.

It was just days after KFC bosses issued a nationwide supply warning after blaming 'disruption' for causing a lack of availability for some of its menu items.

Other retailers also warned they are facing 'increased pressure' to keep shelves fully stocked during a national shortage of approximately 100,000 HGV drivers.
Former friends Larry David and Alan Dershowitz got into a screaming match over the attorney's support for former president Trump during a run-in at a grocery store.

The New York Post reported that the confrontation recently took place on the porch of the Chilmark General Store in Martha's Vineyard.

Deshowitz told the comedian 'We can still talk, Larry' to which David replied 'No,no. We really can't. I saw you. I saw you with your arm around Pompeo! It's disgusting!'

Alan Dershowitz (pictured) told the Post he and David were close friends until he served as Trump's impeachment defense lawyer

Dershowitz told David 'We can still talk, Larry' to which David (pictured) replied 'No,no. We really can't. I saw you. I saw you with your arm around Pompeo! It's disgusting!'

David was referring to Trump's former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, one of Dershowitz' students at Harvard Law School.

'I can't greet my former students?' the attorney reportedly asked.

'It's disgusting,' David retorted. 'You're whole enclave  it's disgusting. You're disgusting!'

A source for the Post who witnessed the spat said David took off and afterwards Deshowitz took off his T-shirt to reveal another T-shirt underneath that read, 'It's The Constitution Stupid!' before driving away in a Volvo.

While the fight seems a scene out of David's HBO comedy 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' Dershowitz confirmed it actually went down.

The New York Post reported that the confrontation recently took place on the porch of the Chilmark General Store in Martha's Vineyard (pictured)

Trump's former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (pictured) was one of Dershowitz' students at Harvard Law School

Dershowitz told the Post the two were close friends until he served as Trump's defense lawyer during his first impeachment hearing in January 2020.

He said they were so close back in the day he even helped get one of David's daughters into college and once represented the comedian pro bono.

Dershowitz told the Post he was not a 'blind supporter' of the Trump Administration, but he admired Pompeo's work on peace in the Middle East and he worked with the former Secretary of State on his department's policy regarding Israel and Palestine.

But according to Dershowitz David was not willing to mend fences over their political differences and that he just 'screamed' and 'yelled' at him when he tried to talk.

'I was worried he was going to have a stroke,' Dershowitz told the Post.

'Larry is a knee-jerk radical,' he added, 'He takes his politics from Hollywood. He doesn't read a lot. He doesn't think a lot.'

'I'm a liberal Democrat and I voted for Biden just as enthusiastically as Larry did,' he said.

Dershowitz doesn't seem too fazed by the spat and said he is still willing to 'extend a hand of friendship' to David despite the incident but said that it would have to be civil.

'I won't get into a screaming match with him. If he wants to scream, he'll have to scream alone,' he said.
The U.S. Air Force evacuated 1,800 people from Afghanistan on Wednesday in passenger planes and in ten cargo planes which can hold 600 people each - leading to questions as to why the C-17s are flying so empty.

The updated tally means that 6,000 American citizens have been evacuated so far.

President Joe Biden on Wednesday said that 15,000 were in Afghanistan when his crisis began - plus 50-65,000 Afghans and their families that he wants to grant passage to the U.S.

Biden said that the task may see the U.S. remaining in the country beyond their August 31 deadline - and unless the pace is significantly stepped up, they will be well beyond their time frame.

Afghans at risk from the Taliban, and their international supporters, are pleading with the U.S. government to step up the pace.

A cargo plane is pictured on the tarmac in Kabul on Wednesday, as evacuations continued - slowly

Staff from the U.S. Embassy in Kabul board a flight out of Afghanistan, in a photo provided by the U.S. military on Wednesday. A total of 1,800 Americans left the country on Wednesday

A U.S. soldier bumps fists with a man departing Afghanistan in a photo from Wednesday

But Lloyd Austin, the Secretary of Defense, said on Wednesday: 'We don't have the capability to go out and collect large numbers of people.'

He said that evacuations would continue 'until the clock runs out or we run out of capability.'

Activists said that that was not good enough.

'If we don't sort this out, we'll literally be condemning people to death,' said Marina Kielpinski LeGree, the American head of a nonprofit, Ascend.

The organization's young Afghan female colleagues were in the mass of people waiting for flights at the airport in the wake of days of mayhem, tear gas and gunshots.

'People are going to die,' said Air Force veteran Sam Lerman.

He said he was working to help a former Afghan military contractor who received an email from the State Department telling him to go to the airport. But U.S. troops at the entry to the airport turned back the Afghan man Wednesday, telling him he lacked the right document, Lerman said.

Evacuees from Afghanistan airlifted to safety by the Australian government are pictured on Wednesday

Taliban fighters have now encircled the airport in Kabul and are deciding who gets to come in and who has to stay out. Checkpoints have been set up on both the civilian south side of the airport and the military north side, with gunshots fired in both locations to keep crowds back

Hundreds of Afghans who lacked any papers or promises of flights also congregated at the airport, adding to the chaos. It didn't help that many of the Taliban fighters were illiterate, and cannot read the documents.

On Tuesday the C-17s left Kabul with just 100 on board, in another shocking display of incompetence from Western governments who have promised to save tens of thousands of people from the increasingly threatening Taliban in Afghanistan.

One of them that was filmed by a CBS journalist on board was carrying around 300 people including translators, women and children. It leaves 1,700 that were removed Tuesday on the remaining 17 jets - an average of 100 per flight.

The planes are fitted to take 150 soldiers and heavy cargo loads but in disaster situations like the one unfolding in Afghanistan, they can be used take 600 people without surpassing weight limits.

On Sunday, one of the jets took 640 Afghans out of Kabul and in 2013, a different ones as used to remove 670 people from a typhoon in the Philippines.

And while the near-empty flights took off on Sunday, thousands of people were at the gates of the airport in Kabul, screaming, crying and begging to be saved from the Taliban.

Flights bound for Germany, Australia, the Netherlands, France and Italy also took off on Wednesday with just a few dozen people on board despite having capacity to take hundreds.

In one shocking case, a German plane with room for 150 departed Kabul on Tuesday with just seven on board.

A CBS reporter was on board one of the US jets that took off on Tuesday night. She said there were 300 people on board - half the number that were removed on the same type of jet on Sunday

One of the flights had some 300 Afghans on board. All brought luggage and there was enough room for people to lie down, stretch out and stand-up

One of the reasons for the woefully low passenger counts is that no one can get to the airport and through processing to board them.

Taliban is controlling all of the streets surrounding the airport and the US - and other countries - are relying on its fighters to let people through, including westerners who could become hostages if caught, and Afghan interpreters, translators or diplomats who could face persecution if the Taliban finds out who they are.

Already, the the terrorist group - which had vowed peace as part of a revamped image - has abandoned its promise by parading thieves with ropes round their necks, beating children and firing in the air.

The White House is offering no assurances on how long troops will stay in the region to help.

We joined around 300 #Afghans last night, as the US airlifted them out of #Afghanistan, two days after the #Taliban took the capital. heres a glimpse of their journey. @CBSThisMorning @CBSNews @HaggisCamera AgnesReau https://t.co/zM1ATSSfIg  Roxana Saberi (@roxanasaberi) August 18, 2021

FLASHBACK - On Sunday, a single C-17 was used to get 640 Afghans out (left). In 2013 (right), 670 were removed from a typhoon in the Philippines

This is the scene at the city entrance to the airport in Kabul. It is being controlled by the Taliban and US forces are on the inside but the people waiting to fly out can't get through the fighters at the front, and are being given no help by the State Department

In scenes of utter desperation at Kabul airport, people began passing babies to guards at the northern entrance hoping they will be put on flights out of the country and escape Taliban rule

Women were filmed pleading with US troops that the 'Taliban are coming' in footage that appeared to have been taken at Kabul airport this morning as thousands of desperate Afghans try to flee Islamist rule

Taliban fighters patrol in the Wazir Akbar Khan neighborhood in the city of Kabul, Afghanistan, on Wednesday. The group is becoming increasingly violent, abandoning promises to be peaceful, and their cooperation is what the evacuation mission is relying on

The Taliban turned on the crowd at Kabul airport on Tuesday, driving the hundreds back from the airport perimeter as they pushed to flee the country. They had promised to be peaceful but have already given up on it

A young woman was shot dead for allegedly refusing to wear a hijab by marauding jihadists when they captured the northern town of Taloqan in Takhar province last week. She is seen lying in a pool of blood as her distraught parents crouch beside her body in an image shared by the Afghan Ambassador to Poland Tahir Qadry, who denounced the 'butchering of civilians'

A man cries as he watches fellow Afghans get wounded after Taliban fighters use gunfire, whips, sticks and sharp objects to maintain crowd control over thousands of Afghans who continue to wait outside Kabul airport for a way out

A Taliban fighter patrols in Wazir Akbar Khan in the city of Kabul on Wednesday

Taliban fighters stand guard at a checkpoint in the Wazir Akbar Khan neighborhood in Kabul on Wednesday

At a press briefing on Wednesday afternoon, Dept. Secretary of State Wendy Ruth Sherman suggested that Americans shouldn't have a problem getting to the airport, because so many Afghans have managed to make their way there.

'The Taliban has said that the roads are open, that people can move. We've heard all of the stories about checkpoints, harassment, difficulties, jammed traffic, we're trying to work through those issues.

'I will say, in spite of the obstacles, many, many Afghans in all of the categories are finding their way to the airport,' she said.

She said the US has processed 4,800 Americans to get them out, but it's unclear if that number includes people who have already left before. Another 800 Afghans have been processed to be removed.

'Our focus is on getting the people out of Afghanistan to safety.'

Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby briefed reporters over the phone on Wednesday and admitted he hoped getting people to the airport would go more 'smoothly'

At a conference call briefing with journalists on Wednesday, Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby talked about the ongoing 'processing' issues and delays in getting people their necessary paperwork.

He admitted that he didn't know how many Americans were still stuck in Kabul and said he 'couldn't predict' how many would leave overnight.

'I cant tell you the numbers of people coming and going. Our force flow gets smaller as we get more troops on the field. I can't predict how many people will be evacuated,' he said.

'We're still working on the processing here...We're not unaware that there has been issues out in town and harassment of individuals, that's one of the reasons we're in touch with the Taliban to try to make sure that doesn't happen.

'I don't have a specific next step. We are in communication with the Taliban. We want to see this go more smoothly, we want to see this go faster,' he said.

THE EMPTIEST FLIGHTS OUT OF KABUL Germany: Airbus A-400M with space for 150 people, departed Tuesday with 7 on board Australia: Hercules C-130 with space for 120 people, departed Wednesday with 26 on board Netherlands: Boeing C-17 with space for 150 people, departed Tuesday with 40 on board France: Airbus A400M with space for 150 people, departed Tuesday with 41 on board Italy: Boeing KC767 with space for up to 200 people, departed Monday with 70 on board Spain: Airbus A-400M with space for 150 people, departed Wednesday with unknown number on board - though officials earlier said just 25 embassy staff had made it to the airport Advertisement

U.S. Marine Corps General Frank McKenzie, the commander of U.S. Central Command, arrives at Hamid Karzai International Airport on Tuesday. He is in charge of negotiating with the Taliban to let people through to the airport

Inside the airport, soldiers are helping those who have been able to get through and are putting them on flights but outside, it is total chaos run by the Taliban

An Australian Hercules C-130 plane with room for 120 people takes off from Kabul airport with just 26 passengers early on Wednesday - one of several aircraft to depart half-full
Geronimo the alpaca has been granted another 24-houe reprieve, his owner said as she vowed to form a 'ring of steel' around him with her supporters.

Helen Macdonald, 50, says she has been told by the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) that officials would not attempt to enforce the destruction warrant at her farm in Wickwar, Gloucestershire before 5pm on Friday.

Geronimo has twice tested positive for bovine tuberculosis and his owner believes the tests are returning false positives, but has been refused permission to have him tested a third time.

Ms Macdonald has insisted she will stand firm and 'not put a healthy animal down' because 'my code of conduct will not allow it', adding she was at 'all out war' with Defra - and her supporters would surround the animal if vets arrived.

'We will form a ring of steel around Geronimo,' Ms Macdonald vowed.

Webcams are currently trained on the creature, meaning any potential slaying could be viewed by millions.

She warned officials who are set to come and kill the eight-year-old alpaca: 'The whole planet will be watching.'

Ms Macdonald added: 'People have tuned in from all over the world - Boris Johnson and George Eustace will have blood on their hands if they kill Geronimo.'

Geronimo twice tested positive for bovine tuberculosis and Defra ordered his destruction. Defra can use a bolt gun to kill the alpaca.

Geronimo the alpaca at Shepherds Close Farm in Wooton Under Edge, Gloucestershire, is pictured today

Helen Macdonald said vets could arrive at her farm in Wickwar, Gloucestershire, to put down the animal (pictured today) from this evening

Ms Macdonald, who imported the beast from New Zealand, believes the tests are false positives, but was refused permission to have him tested a third time. Pictured: Supporters of Geronimo the alpaca outside Shepherds Close Farm

Ms Macdonald, who imported the beast from New Zealand, believes the tests are false positives, but was refused permission to have him tested a third time.

She said it was 'mental torture' waiting for a marksman to turn up before the execution deadline of September 4.

Earlier this month she lost her final appeal to save her beloved pet at the High Court in London and a warrant was signed for his destruction.

An urgent application for a temporary injunction was considered on Tuesday by Mrs Justice Stacey at the High Court in London.

But the judge yesterday refused the urgent application and concluded there was 'no prospect' of Ms Macdonald succeeding in her bid to reopen a previous ruling.

Meanwhile, Ms Macdonald's legal bills have now 100,000 and she reckons that figure can be doubled to take in her lost earnings during the fight to save Geronimo.

She had to borrow money to pay Defra's legal costs of 30,000 which she said are the tip of the iceberg.

But help is on its way - more than 7,000 has been aired worldwide by sympathisers hoping Geronimo can be saved. 'What price do you put on someone's life?' Ms Mcdonald asked.

She has vowed never to give up despite a High Court judge refusing to grant a temporary injunction to give Geronimo and the battle to save him more time.

She was given 24 hours to kill the creature herself but she told MailOnline: 'I'm not going to do that, no way. They would say I consented if I did that.

'If they want to do it they will have to do it themselves in front of the whole planet. Everyone watching will know that Boris and Eustace are accountable.'

The farmer told GMB this morning: 'We know that he's okay until about 4.30pm but then after that we don't know anything.

'We haven't heard anything from government at all no one will pick up the phone. So we're back to where we were before this application to the court.'

She continued: 'We understand we can't appeal the decision from yesterday, we'll have a look today and see if there are any other options.

'But it really does now fall on Boris Johnson, George Eustice and Christine Middlemiss the chief veterinary officer to do the right thing.

'I'm standing firm, I can't put a healthy animal down. My code of conduct will not allow it.

'We will stand firm and do whatever we can to make sure the warrant isn't executed and he is not executed.'

She said she has not heard anything from the government and issued a final plea with ministers and the PM to save him (pictured today)

She added: 'People have woken up to this and they are angry. The outrage from people yesterday after Geronimo's treatment was palpable and there is an army willing to fight for his survival.

'We will do whatever we need to do to defend ourselves. I am not a criminal but I am being made to feel like one.

'This is just so wrong. If someone walks in here their face is going to be seen on a live cam around the world as they try to shoot my alpaca.

'It is just horrific. All they need to do is come back to the table and start to act like grown ups.

'They accept he is not a risk where he is. There is no need to be doing this and putting me through this trauma.

'They need to look again. This is a needless slaughter and the whole planet knows it.

'It is a ridiculous farce. I am not going to kill a healthy animal. I will not do that. For them to say I consented is just disgusting.'

She added: 'They seem to think I will roll over after four years. That is not going to happen.'

Ned Westaway, representing the Defra executive agency the Animal and Plant Health Agency (Apha), told the court yesterday it would not kill Geronimo immediately.

He said the agency would give Ms Macdonald the opportunity to make her own arrangements.

WHAT IS BOVINE TB? Bovine tuberculosis is a disease of cattle that can also infect badgers, deer, goats, pigs, dogs and cats. The disease is caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium bovis. This is related to the microbe that causes tuberculosis in humans. Bovine tuberculosis is typically transmitted aerially through coughs and sneezes. It causes fever, coughing, weight loss, pain, diarrhoea and ultimately death. Badgers are the most significant wildlife reservoir for the bacterium. In the United Kingdom, most bovine tuberculosis outbreaks occur in the South West and the West Midlands. Advertisement

Ms Macdonald's lawyers told the court Geronimo first tested positive for bovine tuberculosis in September 2017 and has been in isolation since.

Catrin McGahey QC said that although Defra argued in previous hearings there was a 'residual risk' to other animals, it said the bio-security bubble was 'impeccable'.

She said it had come to light following the publicity resulting from Ms Macdonald's case that other animals who have been subjected to the same testing regime as Geronimo have later showed no signs of the disease after being euthanised.

Ms McGahey said: 'The only issue is whether the defendants should have disclosed the fact that they had in their possession evidence that other camelids who had been subjected to repeated priming had gone on to test positive in Enferplex tests, and that there had been no sign of bovine tuberculosis on post-mortem examination.'

The barrister said the publicity had led the Daily Mail to find the owners of nine other camelids who were tested under the same regime, whose animals showed no signs of the disease after slaughter.

But after an adjournment to allow Ms Macdonald's lawyers to decide what evidence they wish Defra to produce and a time estimate of how long that may take, the judge refused to grant injunctions to spare Geronimo pending a further hearing and for disclosure.

Mrs Justice Stacey said on the evidence before her, Ms Macdonald had not succeeded in showing there was any prospect of her reopening the litigation.

She said the farmer's complaint about non-disclosure did not give rise to an arguable case, but was a 'disingenuous and backdoor way of seeking a further route to appeal' when there was none left.

Last week the Government insisted all the evidence on the animal's condition had been 'looked at very carefully'.

But she add she will stand firm and 'not put a healthy animal down' because 'my code of conduct will not allow it'. Pictured today

A Defra spokesman said on Wednesday: 'There are no plans to execute the warrant today.

'We are sympathetic to Ms Macdonald's situation, just as we are with everyone with animals affected by this terrible disease.

'It is for this reason that the testing results and options for Geronimo have been very carefully considered by Defra, the Animal and Plant Health Agency and its veterinary experts, as well as passing several stages of thorough legal scrutiny.

'Bovine tuberculosis is one of the greatest animal health threats we face today and causes devastation and distress for farming families and rural communities across the country, while costing the taxpayer around 100 million every year.

'Therefore, while nobody wants to cull infected animals, we need to do everything we can to tackle this disease to stop it spreading and to protect the livelihoods of those affected.'

The law firm representing Geronimo's owner Helen Macdonald said they were 'deeply disappointed' with the outcome of the hearing on Wednesday.

Olephant Solicitors said: 'Mrs Justice Stacey did not grant the injunction we were seeking, the result of which is that the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) can enforce the warrant to execute Geronimo at any time after 4.30pm on Thursday 19th August 2021.

'Further, the judge did not order the disclosure we had sought regarding nine other camelids that had previously tested positive for bovine TB after multiple priming yet showed no signs of bovine TB post-mortem.

'Unfortunately, Mrs Justice Stacey has taken at face value the statements by Defra that they, and specifically the Secretary of State, have complied with their duty of candour in bringing before the court all relevant information in applying for the warrant.

'We are surprised and concerned by that approach, given the information that has come to light in recent weeks regarding the nine other camelids.'
More Australian citizens and visa holders have been evacuated from Afghanistan on a second rescue flight.

The flight by a UK plane - which dropped 40 Australian soldiers in Kabul to help secure the ongoing evacuation effort - carried 76 people to Australia's airbase in Al Minhad in the UAE.

The Australian government has also scheduled a flight to leave Al Minhad for Perth to bring the first refugees to Australia since Kabul fell to the Taliban.

'We anticipate that it should leave in the course of the next few hours and will find its way to Australia and I thank the arrangements we have with WA government to provide for those quarantine facilities over and above the cap,' Prime Minister Scott Morrison said.

Australia has evacuated 76 more people from Afghanistan on a second rescue flight. Pictured: The first flight which landed on Wednesday

Mr Morrison said the situation in Afghanistan was 'extremely dangerous and extremely complex'.

He warned evacuation flights may not be able to continue for long due to adverse weather.

'The weather is closing in and that's going to present some challenges over the next few days,' Mr Morrison said.

Some of the people evacuated to the UAE are being treated for injuries in hospital in Dubai.

Earlier Immigration Minister Alex Hawke said was grilled on humanitarian visas after Amnesty International said Australia's offer to take 3,000 Afghan refugees was 'wholly insufficient'.

The UK and Canada have each vowed to take 20,000 Afghans and the US is expected to resettle 30,000.

Women were filmed pleading with US troops that the 'Taliban are coming' in footage that appeared to have been taken at Kabul Airport

Australian Defence Force personnel process the first evacuees from Kabul at Australia's main base in the Middle East region

A young boy appears to be one of the lucky ones who was on the flight out

Poll Should Australia take more than 3,000 Afghan refugees escaping the Taliban? Yes No Should Australia take more than 3,000 Afghan refugees escaping the Taliban? Yes 67 votes

No 128 votes Now share your opinion





In an interview on ABC radio on Thursday morning, Mr Hawke was asked: 'Is the issue that we don't want to take more people or that we can't get people out of the country?'

The minister replied replied: 'There's an element of both.'

On Wednesday the first Australian evacuation flight from Kabul landed at an airbase in the UAE with only 26 people on board a plane that can comfortably hold 100.

Mr Hawke said the situation was chaotic and admitted it was difficult to get evacuees to US-secured Kabul Airport through Taliban controlled-territory.

'There are plenty of factors on the ground. It is not a normal airport terminal, it is a chaotic environment, it is uncontrolled,' he said.

Mr Hawke said some people refused to board the plane because not all their family members had made it past Taliban checkpoints.

But he insisted that the first flight was successful and there would be more to come.

'There'll be many more flights, we've got them scheduled... that first mission was an absolute success,' he said.

Earlier Amnesty International Australia Refugee Advisor Dr Graham Thom slammed Australia for only taking 3,000 Afghan refugees.

'This is a huge crisis which has only just begun - 3,000 places is a start but it's wholly insufficient when we have so many people in urgent, desperate need,' he said.

There are particular fears for the safety of women and girls as the Taliban imposes hardline Islamic rule on Afghanistan.

The Prime Minister warned the evacuation process would be difficult. Pictured: Troops guarding the C-130 alongside passengers

This is the first picture of the Australian Defence Force evacuation flight which departed Kabul with 26 on board

Mr Hawke defended the intake, pointing out that Australia's total intake of Afghans since 2013 would be up to 14,000.

He said Australia has been welcoming Afghans every year unlike some other countries.

In 2015, the Abbott government granted 12,000 humanitarian visas to people in Syria on top of Australia's regular humanitarian program.

Mr Hawke said that crisis involved millions of people crossing into Europe and so comparison to Afghanistan - a nation of 38million - was not fair.

The 3,000 humanitarian places will focus on family members of Australians, persecuted minorities such as women and girls, children, the Hazara and other vulnerable groups.

It comes after incredible pictures emerged of the first RAAF flight from Kabul including Australian citizens, Afghan nationals with visas and one foreign official working in an international agency.

One image shows them waiting to board the C-130 Hercules plane on the tarmac at Kabul Airport, which was secured by US and UK forces on Tuesday.

The RAAF C-130 Hercules which successfully evacuated 26 people from Kabul airport

Officials help process arrivals at the arrivals who touched down at an airbase in the UAE

Another shows a young Afghan boy and his father by being greeted by Australian health officials in a hangar.

The first evacuation flight touched down in the UAE at 10.45am eastern time with 26 people on board.

'This was the first of what will be many flights subject to clearance and weather,' Mr Morrison said.

The Prime Minister warned the evacuation process would be difficult as the situation on the ground worsens and did not say how many people he aimed to rescue.

'This is not a simple process. It is very difficult for any Australian to imagine the sense of chaos and uncertainty existing right across this country. The breakdown in formal communications, the ability to reach people,' he said.

Mr Morrison said legitimate Afghan refugees but would be welcome but anyone who arrived illegally by boat would be turned away.

'We will only be resettling people through our official humanitarian program going through official channels,' he said.

The C-130 Hercules plane (pictured) touched down in the UAE at 10.45am eastern time with 26 people on board

Australia's 3,000 humanitarian visa places will focus on family members of Australians, persecuted minorities such as women and girls. Pictured: The first evacuation flight

'We will not be allowing people to enter Australia illegally, even at this time. Our policy has not changed.

'We will be supporting Afghans who have legitimate claims through our official and legitimate processes. We will not be providing that pathway to those who would seek to come any other way. That is a very important message. The government's policy has not changed, will not change,' he said.

Mr Morrison said one additional C1-30 and two C-17s will soon join the existing C-130 to make regular flights out of Kabul in the coming days.

On Monday thousands of Afghans stormed Kabul Airport in a desperate bid to escape the country.

A video showed desperate Afghans clinging to the sides of a U.S. military plane as it tried to leave the city's airport.

Another showed people plunging to their deaths from a C-17 transport aircraft.

Australia joined the war in Afghanistan in November 2001. Pictured: An Australian Platoon from Combat Team Tusk in Afghanistan

Australia joined the war in Afghanistan in November 2001 after the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York, the worst terror attack in history.

The US-led coalition swiftly deposed the Taliban government before year's end, but western troops had stayed for 20 years since, dealing with lingering pockets of resistance and trying to train the local army.

At the peak of the war, Australia had 1,500 troops in Afghanistan and in total 39,000 Australian Defence Force personnel have been deployed on Operations SLIPPER and HIGHROAD.

Since the end of 2013, Australia has only maintained a small training force in Afghanistan rather than active combat troops.

In February the US said it would withdraw by May. The Taliban reclaimed control from the Afghan government over the weekend.
Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell slammed President Joe Biden on CBS Evening News on Wednesday for withdrawing U.S. troops from Afghanistan.

In an ABC interview on Wednesday, Biden said that he 'didn't see a way to withdraw from Afghanistan without chaos.'

But that cut little ice with McConnell, who told 'CBS Evening News' anchor Norah O'Donnell hours later: 'We shouldn't have made this decision in the first place. We only had 2,500 troops there, light touch, no chaos, not a single American soldier killed in a year in combat.

'We've now left 10,000 to 15,000 American citizens behind enemy lines with no plan to get them to the airport to get out. And ironically, we have more troops in Afghanistan now trying to rescue our people than we had before this unbelievably bad decision to precipitously withdraw.'

Republican Senate Minority Leader criticized Joe Biden on a CBS Evening News with Norah O'Donnell

McConnell slammed the idea of Biden doubling the amount of troops overseas in Afghanistan after the Taliban took over Afghanistan leaving 15,000 Americans stranded

Around 2,500 US service personnel were stationed in Afghanistan prior to the withdrawal earlier this month. But 6,000 have now been deployed to Kabul's Hamid Karzai Airport to try and safely evacuate Americans trapped there, as well as Afghan refugees granted visas to live in the U.S.

O'Donnell said in the beginning of the interview with McConnell that Biden planned to have U.S. troops remain in Afghanistan until all Americans have left the country.

'The president should leave no American behind. I'll leave it up to him to figure out how to correct the mistake that he made,' McConnell said.

'He took this enormous risk in order to pursue basically a poll-tested line that we've ended the longest war and we're bringing everybody home  a political decision that produced catastrophic consequences.'

According to CBS News, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin also mentioned that the process to move U.S. citizens and Afghan allies needs to move faster due to the current circumstances.

President Biden initially intended to withdraw troops from Afghanistan. Ex-president Trump initially planned to withdraw U.S. troops as well before the end of his presidency

In response to O'Donnell's questions about whether former President Trump should accept responsibility after calling for a withdrawal by May 1 this year, McConnell responded with: 'President Biden didn't have to make this decision based upon what a previous president decided to do. He should have done the right thing for the country. This was entirely predictable.'

'Afghanistan will shortly return to exactly why we went there in the first place.'

The US invaded the country in the wake of the 9/11 attacks in 2001 after discovering the terror attack had been plotted there.

But they let mastermind Osama bin Laden slip away, and he wasn't assassinated til 2011.

Despite Biden's defense, the Taliban has overtaken Afghanistan in which they fell 11 days after withdrawal, with the president admitting there were up to 65,000 Afghans and their families eligible for US visas.

A total of 15,000 American citizens and allies were left stranded in Afghanistan with no signs of a safe passage home according to the U.S. Government.

On Wednesday, 1,800 Americans were evacuated on 10 C-17s. A total of 6,000 have so far been evacuated, with the US government claiming they'll leave the country once and for all on August 21.
A father who violently shook his 10-month old baby to death before posing in a family photograph tenderly kissing the brain-dead infant has pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

Martin Saunders, 26, critically injured his son Ryan Kennedy at his Bidwill home in Sydney's west in 2019, leaving the baby boy on life support in hospital.

At the time Saunders' loved ones, including his ex-partner Rochelle Kennedy, were not aware the drug and alcohol dependent dad was the one responsible for the baby's horrific injuries.

Saunders and Ms Kennedy waited beside little Ryan's hospital bed and snapped a heartbreaking photo of them kissing their son on both checks, as he lay motionless with a breathing tube attached.

Two days later baby Ryan's life support was turned off and Saunders eventually confessed to police.

Martin Saunders, 26, critically injured his son Ryan Kennedy at his Bidwill home in Sydney's west in 2019, leaving the baby boy on life support in hospital. Pictured: Downing Centre Court, Sydney

He told Downing Centre District Court on Thursday via video link that he was sorry for the attack, the Daily Telegraph reported.

'I do definitely apologise with everything that I can, I can never pay this back, it's why we're here today, I apologise to everyone involved,' he said.

'Anyone who had to deal with this is because of my actions, it's pretty horrifying.'

Saunders said he felt 'horrible and disgusted' knowing he was the one responsible for his son's death.

The court heard that at the time Saunders had been struggling with alcohol and cannabis addiction and found it difficult to look after children, having no access to child care.

He has remained behind bars since being charged and served time at some of the state's most notorious prisons.

Saunders was repeatedly bashed during his time in Long Bay and Goulburn jails and had to be put into segregation for his own safety.

Defence barrister Paul Coady said his client is now going to church and has also begun a TAFE course while in custody.

But Ms Kennedy, 29, says she will never forgive Saunders for stealing her son's life.

However she revealed that for the sake of her other children, she still maintains contact with Saunders.

'I can't sit there and hold it against him, because we've got other children together, it wouldn't be fair to my other children if I just sat there and spoke negatively about him and constantly put him down,' she said.

Saunders will be sentenced on August 26.
Police are searching for a 13-year-old Queensland girl who has been missing for two days.

She was last seen in the South Ripley area of Ipswich by her family at about 5pm on August 17.

Ipswich Police believe she may be with other teenagers who have travelled to the Gold Coast region.

Ipswich police are searching for a 13-year-old Queensland girl (pictured) who has been missing for two days who was last seen in the South Ripley area by her family at about 5pm on August 17

The young girl has made contact with family members via social media in the last two days.

The missing teenager is Caucasian and approximately 157cm tall, with a fair complexion, thin build with brown hair and blue eyes.

Police are appealing for anyone who has anyone information regarding her whereabouts to contact them immediately.
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Professor Adam Finn, a JCVV member, warned that a decision on booster Covid jabs is 'imminent', but only some will need a third dose

No10's top vaccine advisory group met today to discuss whether or not all Britons should be offered booster Covid vaccines this autumn.

Health chiefs claimed a final decision was expected 'imminently'. But no official announcement has been made yet.

One adviser on the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which guides ministers on the roll-out, this morning hinted only a fraction of the population  the most vulnerable  will be offered boosters.

Professor Adam Finn warned more evidence was needed before the panel can make a 'firm decision on a much broader booster programme'.

He said giving third doses to entire age groups won't 'make very much difference' in the fight against the virus.

Meanwhile, the US yesterday confirmed that top-up jabs will be available for all over-18s from September 20.

The UK Government wants to follow suit, and has already laid out plans to dish out boosters at the same time as the flu vaccine at the start of next month.

But ministers won't press ahead with any move until they receive formal advice from the JCVI.

Scientists have questioned whether top-ups are even needed yet, saying there is no concrete evidence that protection given by two doses has started to wane.

This is despite a major study today showing double-jabbed Brits who catch the Delta Covid variant are just as likely to spread the virus as the unvaccinated.

A World Health Organization boss yesterday compared booster roll-outs to giving life jackets to people who already have them, while others drown.

The same argument  that extra doses should be given to third-world countries  was also used to argue against vaccinating children.

Just one per cent of the population in some countries - such as Mali, Chad and Papau New Guinea - have received a single dose of the vaccine, according to Our World in Data

Meanwhile, more than 60 per cent of the entire population in other countries Portugal, Canada, Spain and the UK - are fully immunised, statistics show

The study found that people who catch the Indian variant are just as likely to develop symptoms and spread Covid as the unvaccinated. But those who are doubled jabbed are still significantly less likely to catch it in the first place. The chart above shows how Pfizer's (in red) reduces the risk by about 80 per cent - shown as an odds ratio of 0.2 - and AstraZeneca's cuts the risk by more than 65 per cent, shown as an odds ratio of around 0.4

The UK and US are currently experiencing similar infection levels, with the more infectious Delta strain the dominant variant. And 433 positive tests per million people were recorded yesterday in the UK, while the equivalent figure in the US is 416

White House announces Covid Pfizer and Moderna booster shots will be available from September 20 Covid vaccine booster shots will soon be made available to recipients of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines starting the week of September 20, the White House announced on Wednesday. Americans over 18-years-olds who received the vaccines will be eligible for the third shot eight months after their second dose. The decision is pending approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and a recommendation made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) advisory committee. There is currently no plan in place for Americans who received the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine. US Surgeon General said at a news conference on Wednesday: 'Our goal has been to determine when that time might come for the Covid vaccines. 'Recent data makes clear that protection against mild and moderate disease has decreased over time. 'This is likely due to both waning immunity and the strength of the widespread Delta variant.' The announcement comes after the FDA approved vaccine booster shots for immunocompromised Americans last week. Officials cited the waning immunity the current crop of Covid vaccines have, combined with the Indian 'Delta' variant's ability to cause breakthrough cases as the reason why boosters are needed. The CDC released three studies on Wednesday, which director Dr Rochelle Walensky said shows that 'vaccine protection begins to decrease over time.' One study from the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota found the Pfizer vaccine is only 42 percent effective against the Delta variant, and the Moderna vaccine is only 76 percent effective. A second study found that vaccines' effectiveness against Covid diagnoses dropped from 96 percent to 80 percent in New York state between May 2021 and July 2021. The third study found the effectiveness of the shots against infections in nursing home residents was 75 percent. Post-Delta, this had fallen to 53 percent. While the shot's ability to defend a person from contracting the virus decreases over time, fully vaccinated people are still very unlikely to suffer hospitalization or death from Covid. However, White House officials said at the press conference that they have concerns the decline of the vaccines' effectiveness will continue. Advertisement

Vaccinating all over-12s is not off the cards, as top expert warns of 'tricky' decision ahead Expanding the Covid vaccine rollout to all over-12s has not been ruled out, one of the Governments scientific advisers said. Asked if the vaccination programme in the UK might soon include 12 to 15-year-olds, Professor Adam Finn, a JCVI member, said: 'Hard to predict the answer on that. We're very focused on what's happening elsewhere. 'We are concerned about the safety signal, the myocarditis signal. 'And we are recognising increasingly that actually children, even adolescents, really very seldom get seriously ill with Covid, so that it makes it a very marginal decision that they will benefit by being immunised. 'So we are obviously looking at that very carefully and continuously, but hard to predict really which way that's going to go.' He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that vaccinating children to protect the more vulnerable, for example grandparents, is 'a tricky one'. Professor Finn, who is also an expert in paediatrics at the University of Bristol, said: 'To immunise a child for the benefit of other family members who themselves can be protected by being immunised, you know, that begins to become slightly tricky to decide.' Advertisement

Asked about the booster drive plans, Professor Finn told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'I think there's enough evidence, and I think we'll be imminently deciding, that there will be some people who will need a third dose, particularly people who we know are very unlikely to be well protected by those first two doses.

'But I think we do need more evidence before we can make a firm decision on a much broader booster programme.'

Discussing the potential of expanding the inoculation rollout to all over-12s, he said it is 'hard to predict really which way that's going to go'.

It comes as the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency yesterday approved the Moderna vaccine for children aged 12 to 17.

The UK's medicines watchdog approved the Pfizer jab for the same group in June.

But those aged 12 to 15 can only get the jab if they are clinically vulnerable, or live with someone who is.

Professor Finn said the JCVI was looking at data from other countries such as the US, where children have been invited for jabs for several months.

Health chiefs have concerns about very rare cases of myocarditis  heart inflammation  in young people. Cases appear to be mild, however.

Young people 'very seldom get seriously ill' with the virus, so it is unclear whether they will benefit from a vaccine, Professor Finn said.

He also warned earlier this morning that routinely dishing out boosters for all people over a certain age group would not 'make very much difference' in the fight against the virus.

He told BBC Breakfast: 'I think at this point we need to focus on individuals who are more likely, if you like, to get sick again if they've not got a booster.

'And in fact we'll be having a JCVI meeting this morning to discuss exactly that.

'So, trying to identify the people who are really at risk and really need that third dose.

'I think it's less clear really whether a third dose in a more general way, for sort of all people above a certain age, is really going to make very much difference.

'But at this point I think the main message is that the direct protective effects of these vaccines is excellent i.e. if you get the vaccination you're in a much better place in terms of getting sick.

'But the ability of the programme to actually stop the virus from circulating around in the population is less good than we'd hoped.'

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said last week that the UK 'will be able to start the booster programme' from next month, if the Government is given the green light.

It comes as the White House revealed yesterday that booster Pfizer and Moderna shots will be available to all adults in just over a month.

The decision is pending approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and a recommendation made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's advisory committee.

US Surgeon General Dr Vivek Murthy said at a news conference yesterday that recent data 'makes clear that protection against mild and moderate disease has decreased over time'.

He added: 'This is likely due to both waning immunity and the strength of the widespread Delta variant.'

Pfizer, which has raked in 24.5billion in sales from the vaccine this year alone, has also insisted boosters are needed due to waning immunity.

Meanwhile, experts involved in making the AstraZeneca jab, which is making the vaccine at-cost, say there is no evidence yet that third doses of its jab are required.

The UK has bought 60million Pfizer doses for this winter and has pledged to donate spare vaccines.

Data shows the UK and US are currently experiencing similar infection levels, with the more infectious Delta strain the dominant variant.

Dr Michael Ryan, executive director of the World Health Organization's health emergencies programme, said boosters are equivalent to giving life jackets to people who already have them, while others drown.

He said: 'The reality is right now today, if we think about this in terms of an analogy, we're planning to hand out extra life jackets to people who already have life jackets, while we're leaving other people to drown without a single life jacket.

'That's the reality. Science is not certain on this, there are clearly more data to collect.

'But the fundamental ethical reality is we're handing out second life jackets while leaving millions and millions of people without anything to protect them.'

And Professor Sir Andrew Pollard, one of the scientists behind the Oxford AstraZeneca jab, also said vaccines should be sent abroad before healthy adults receive a booster.

He told The Times: 'The greatest priority for vaccines in the world is for those who remain without protection but are at high risk of dying from Covid, including older adults, those with health conditions and health care workers, wherever they live.

'Those with zero doses have a lot to gain from receiving a vaccine today and so should be ahead of those who are already two doses up.'

Double-jabbed Britons who catch Delta Covid variant are just as likely to spread virus as the unvaccinated, major study finds  but they're still far less likely to get infected in first place Double-jabbed people who catch the Indian variant are just as likely to develop symptoms and spread Covid as the unvaccinated, a major study has found. The Oxford University research suggests herd immunity is 'unachievable' because vaccines do not significantly reduce transmission of the virus. Although fully vaccinated people are significantly less likely to be infected, those who do get Covid have a similar peak 'viral load' as the unvaccinated. This means infected people 'shed' the same amount of virus when they cough or sneeze, regardless of whether or not they have been jabbed. Experts said the findings strengthened the argument for a 'booster' Covid jab programme this autumn. However, the study stressed that two doses remain remarkably effective at preventing death and hospitalisation. And even though the viral load may peak at similar levels in the vaccinated and unvaccinated, scientists say it's possible jabbed people clear the infection quicker. The study, based on data from 700,000 Britons, is the largest yet to evaluate vaccine effectiveness against the Delta variant, which has been dominant in the UK since May. Researchers concluded two doses reduce the chance of getting the Covid-19 by about 82 per cent for Pfizer and 67 per cent for AstraZeneca. It follows similar findings by Public Health England and the US' Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which earlier this month released figures showing unvaccinated and double-jabbed have very similar viral loads. Although Pfizer initially has greater effectiveness, this declines more quickly and after four to five months both vaccines offer similar levels of protection. Advertisement

Discussing the US decision, Dr Muge Cevik, a clinical lecturer in infectious disease and medical virology at the University of St Andrews, said: 'I'm truly disappointed. This decision is not justifiable at all looking at this data.

'We are going to use up millions of doses to reduce the small risk of mild infections in fully protected [people with] a tiny risk of hospitalisation, while most of the world waits for a first dose.'

And Dr Jake Dunning, a senior research fellow in the Epidemic Diseases Research Group Oxford (ERGO) at the University of Oxford, replied on Twitter: 'Me too. There's no reasonable defence for booster for all policy currently.

'The reality seems to be that lives in rich countries are believed to be worth more than the lives of fellow humans in poorer countries.

'Even considering obligations of states to their own, it's immoral.'

And WHO chief scientist Dr Soumya Swaminathan said that if all high-income countries decide to give boosters to those in their population who are aged over 50 that will amount to 'close to a billion doses'.

She said the 'right thing to do' is to 'wait for the science to tell us' which groups of people might need boosters and when.

There is a distinction to be made about people who are immunocompromised needing a third dose but this is a small number of people who 'should be protected', she said.

Of the idea of everyone in high-income countries getting a booster jab, she said: 'This is an impossible situation and I'm afraid this will only lead to more variants, to more escape variants, and perhaps we are heading into even more dire situations.'

Just one per cent of the population in some countries - such as Mali, Chad and Papau New Guinea - have received a single dose of the vaccine, according to Our World in Data.

Meanwhile, more than 60 per cent of the entire population in other countries Portugal, Canada, Spain and the UK - are fully immunised.

Professor Peter Openshaw, a member of the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (Nervtag) which advises the Government, said more evidence is needed on the benefits that booster jabs might bring.

Professor Openshaw, who is also an expert in experimental medicine at Imperial College London, told Times Radio: 'In terms of boosters, we need more evidence really about what benefits those boosters will bring, because we can't just look at the antibody levels and think that that equates to levels of protection.

'It still seems that you get a lot of protection from these vaccines, even if the antibody levels have drifted down to some sort of stable level.'

But he warned the UK's high infection levels and death numbers are 'very worrying' and warned 'we just don't really know what's going to happen' as winter approaches.

A further 111 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Wednesday, the Government said, while there were a further 33,904 lab-confirmed cases in the UK.

Asked about the figures, Professor Openshaw told Times Radio: 'I think it's very worrying. This is a very large number.

'If you think, 34,000 people, that's a lot of people testing positive, and to be seeing over 100 deaths a day at this stage, you know before schools have gone back, while the weather is still relatively good, we're not back into winter yet.

'I think we're all really anxious about what's going to happen once we return to normality.'

He added: 'We're going into the winter with really very high levels of infection out there in the community and we just don't really know what's going to happen.'

The study found that people who catch the Indian variant are just as likely to develop symptoms and spread Covid as the unvaccinated. But those who are doubled jabbed are still significantly less likely to catch it in the first place. The chart above shows how Pfizer's (in red) reduces the risk by about 80 per cent - shown as an odds ratio of 0.2 - and AstraZeneca's cuts the risk by more than 65 per cent

The risk of catching the virus is broken down by age group and vaccine type, with red and green showing Pfizer and blue and purple representing AstraZeneca. Note: The figures will be slightly skewed by the fact AstraZeneca's jab has not been given to adults under 40 because of blood clot fears. The charts show the vaccines work better on younger people than older people

It comes as researchers at the University of Oxford revealed yesterday that double-jabbed people who catch the Delta variant are just as likely to spread the virus as unvaccinated people.

The study, based on data from 700,000 Britons, is the largest yet to evaluate vaccine effectiveness against the Delta variant, which has been dominant in the UK since May.

The scientists found fully immunised people are 82 per cent less likely to be infected than the un-jabbed.

But those who who do get infected have a the same amount of the virus in their nose and throat as those who have not been vaccinated, meaning they 'shed' the same amount of virus when they cough or sneeze.

Experts said the findings strengthened the argument for a booster Covid jab programme this autumn.

However, the study stressed that two doses remain remarkably effective at preventing death and hospitalisation.

And even though the viral load may peak at similar levels in the vaccinated and unvaccinated, scientists say it's possible jabbed people clear the infection quicker.
An entire Sydney apartment block is in lockdown after nine residents tested positive to coronavirus.

Police are now guarding the complex of 12 units in Hill Street, Campsie in Sydney's Covid-riddled south-west, where nine residents from five apartments have caught the virus.

All residents have been deemed close contacts and were tested at a pop-up clinic set up in the garden at the complex.

They cannot leave their home for any reason for the next 14 days.

Health workers dressed in PPE were seen entering the complex as residents in lockdown watched on from their balconies.

NSW Police and NSW Health workers wearing PPE enter the Campsie apartment complex where nine residents have tested positive to Covid-19 (pictured on Thursday)

Residents at the complex (pictured on Thursday) have been deemed as close contacts and can't leave for 14 days

Some infected residents have already been transferred to hotels designated to isolate Covid-19 patients.

The local health district says the situation at the complex continues to be assessed.

'Sydney LHD is working with residents and building management to assess the situation and, in collaboration with other agencies including NSW Police, is implementing measures to support the health and welfare of residents,' a spokeswoman said.

It comes as NSW recorded a record 681 new cases on Thursday, the state's highest number of daily infections yet again as Sydney endured day 55 of lockdown.

Worryingly, the source of infection for 511 cases is still under investigation.

Campsie is in the Canterbury-Bankstown LGA, which remains one of the biggest areas of concern for health officials with 141 new cases.

Health workers spent Thursday testing residents at the Hill Street complex in lockdown

A resident in lockdown at the apartment building watches on from his balcony

A man aged in his 80s died at St George Hospital, bringing the number of Covid death toll since June 16 to 61.

Almost 500 cases are being treated in hospital with 82 people in intensive care, while 25 of require ventilation.

A record 110,000 vaccinations were administered across NSW in the last 24 hours.

NSW premier Gladys Berejikilian said the state was on target to fully immunise 70 per cent of its population by the end of October.

'Once we get to the end of October we expect 70 per cent of the population to be fully vaccinated,' she said.

'Once we get to mid November we expect that figure to reach 80 per cent.

'It gives enormous opportunities for greater freedoms than we do today.'

Health workers spent the day testing and speaking to residents at the complex (pictured on Thursday)

The complex was surrounded by dozens of health workers and police on Thursday

She said though NSW's eight million residents 'need to learn to live with Delta' and accept Australia may never fully eradicate the highly-contagious strain of the virus.

'We need to come to terms with the fact that when you get to a certain level of vaccination and open up, Delta will creep in,' Ms Berejiklian said.

'We can't pretend that we will ever have zero cases again in Australia.'

NSW Opposition Leader Chris Minns said no one wanted a stricter lockdown 'but the alternative is too grim to bear at this point'.

'We can't face a prospect of 2000 daily cases. It would be too much of a stretch on our health system,' he told the ABC on Thursday.
Ben Wallace today insisted the UK has not flown any empty planes out of Kabul despite carnage at the airport and fears the Taliban are blocking access.

The Defence Secretary said Western forces were working together to ensure that 'not a single seat is wasted' on the evacuation flights.

He said 'the Taliban are letting through our people' with 120 families being airlifted today, and another 138 families to follow later.

Mr Wallace stressed the desperate efforts to get people out will continue as long as US forces are in charge of the airport - with Joe Biden suggesting he could keep troops in place beyond his previous August 31 deadline.

Responding to reports that evacuation flights to other countries had left with only a handful of people on board, Mr Wallace told Times Radio: 'Our people are getting through, we haven't sent a single empty plane home.

'And I don't think many other nations have. I can't speak for other nations, obviously, but fundamentally, the key here is when we have a plane if we have a single empty seat, we will offer it to other nations.

'We've taken out interpreters who work for Nato, for example, we've taken out fellow European or other we took some Japanese people out recently who were in need, so we will use every space on our planes possible.'

Ben Wallace today insisted the UK has not flown any empty planes out of Kabul despite fears the Taliban are blocking access to the airport

There have been scenes of utter chaos around Kabul airport as people scramble to get out of the country

Troops board a Voyager plane at RAF Brize Norton, bound to help with the operation in the Afghan capital

Thousands of British nationals and Afghan allies have been trying to get out of the country after the government dramatically collapsed and the Taliban took charge.

There have been grim scenes of women pleading to be let through the gates at the airport, and even reports of babies being passed over the railings by mothers.

UK ambassador Laurie Bristow, who has stayed in Kabul to process applications, has warned that there could only be 'days' left to evacuate people, with the extremists now controlling all access points.

Around 10,000 Afghan staff who helped the Western forces over the past year are now expected to come to the UK.

The Government has also announced Britain will take 20,000 Afghans under a resettlement scheme, with 5,000 due to be accepted in the next 12 months. Women and girls as well as religious minorities and others facing persecution will be prioritised.

Downing Street said the Government will be encouraging international partners to emulate 'one of the most generous asylum schemes in British history'  but Labour said the offer was not bold enough.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab is facing a huge backlash today after it emerged help for Afghan interpreters might have been delayed because he was on holiday in Crete last week.

The Daily Mail revealed that Foreign Office officials urged Mr Raab to call Afghan foreign minister Hanif Atmar on Friday  two days before the Taliban marched on Kabul  only for him to be 'unavailable' while on holiday.

The Afghan foreign ministry then apparently refused to arrange a call with a junior minister, pushing it back to the next day.

The Foreign Office said: 'The Foreign Secretary was engaged on a range of other calls and this one was delegated to another minister.'

Nick Thomas-Symonds, Labour's shadow home secretary, accused Mr Raab of a 'dereliction of duty'.

He added: 'Failing to make a call has put the lives of brave interpreters at risk, after they served so bravely with our military. Utterly shameful.'

As he scrambles to shore up his position with a flurry of activity, Mr Raab is due to speak with fellow G7 ministers today to discuss international co-operation before leaders of the group  which, as well as the UK, includes the US, Canada, Japan, Germany, France and Italy  hold a virtual meeting next week.

Mr Raab also held talks last night with his counterparts in India and the US  the second time he has spoken to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken this week.

The decision of the Prime Minister, who is said to have gone to Somerset, and Mr Raab to take holiday while the Taliban advanced came under scrutiny during a lively Commons debate on Wednesday as Parliament was recalled from its summer break for MPs and peers to debate the Afghanistan situation.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer criticised the pair as he told MPs: 'You cannot co-ordinate an international response from the beach.'

Downing Street said the Prime Minister would be turning his attention to international efforts to support the Afghan people, including the emerging refugee crisis.

A No 10 spokeswoman said: 'We are now asking our international partners to match the UK's commitments and work with us to offer a lifeline to Afghanistan's most vulnerable people.'

However, shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy was critical of the Government's offer during an appearance on the BBC's Question Time.

The senior Labour MP said it was 'absolutely clear that 5,000 is too small a number over the next 12 months' and called for a 'more generous offer' to be made.

The refugee debate comes after No 10 already announced an increase in humanitarian aid for Afghanistan, doubling it to 286 million.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman denied that the money would be given to the Taliban, telling reporters it would be distributed in conjunction with the United Nations (UN) and other NGOs (non-governmental organisations).

Mr Johnson and US President Joe Biden both came in for heavy criticism during the emergency debate in Parliament.

In a packed Commons chamber, the Prime Minister defended the final pull-out of British troops, saying it was an 'illusion' to think the international military mission could have continued without US forces.

Troops fired gunshots and let off stun grenades at the entrance to the northern military side of the airport overnight in a vain bid to keep crowds of thousands from rushing the gates

But predecessor Theresa May was among those to take aim at Mr Johnson's approach, accusing him of hoping 'on a wing and a prayer it'd be all right on the night' once the US and its allies had withdrawn from Afghanistan.

Mrs May also hit out at Mr Biden's decision to 'unilaterally' pull out of Afghanistan, with senior MPs  including former foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt and former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith  directing their ire at the White House incumbent.

In Afghanistan, British efforts to repatriate British nationals and local Afghan backers is continuing to gather pace despite chaotic scenes at the airport, with Taliban fighters carrying out spot checks.

Mr Johnson, in his update to MPs, said the Government had so far secured the safe return of 306 UK nationals and 2,052 Afghans during its rescue efforts.

The British ambassador to Afghanistan, Sir Laurie Bristow, said Foreign Office personnel were hoping to get 'at least' 1,000 people out of the country every day  but warned there were 'days, not weeks' left to complete the mission.
Covid queue jumpers have been busted paying $300 to get priority Pfizer vaccinations that were set aside for front line health workers, in a 'sickening and selfish' scam.

Detectives from New South Wales Cybercrime Squad said about 60 people used the Chinese social media platform WeChat to make the payment and secure the dose through NSW Health's official booking site.

Investigators suspect an insider circulated a booking link on the Mandarin-language app, which victims of the scam could access in exchange for the $300 fee.

Police could not confirmed with Daily Mail Australia if any of the people who booked the priority placements actually received the jab.

Pictured: People who booked their Covid jab legitimately wait in a long line at vaccine clinic in Sydney, after queue jumpers were caught trying to pay for priority bookings meant for essential workers

NSW Police are investigating the vaccine booking fraud after money was exchanged for jab appointments at a major hospital in Sydney

It is understood users of the Chinese social media app WeChat paid $300 to book priority vaccination at RPAH

Cybercrime Squad Commander Detective Superintendent Matthew Craft said many who signed up may not have known they weren't eligible

'Somebody within the system has changed their employment status to reflect that they are essential healthcare workers,' he said.

Police have now launched a Strike Force Alioth to track down those responsible for the con job.

NSW Police Minister David Elliott called it 'the most sickening and selfish fraud case that could occur during a pandemic'.

'I find it breathtaking how heartless and soulless this kind of scam is: it targets those who are the most fearful of the current pandemic and exploits their fears,' he said.

'I condemn those who think up these scams and hope the community will work with police to identify those responsible.'

Police have now launched a Strike Force Alioth to track down those responsible for the con job. Pictured: People wait in a queue for their Covid-19 coronavirus vaccination in Sydney

A police spokesperson said that members of the public had attended Royal Prince Alfred Hospital for 'fraudulent vaccination bookings'. Pictured: Vaccination queue at RPAH

He reiterated that in Australia, you do not pay for a Covid vaccine shot.

Police uncovered the scam on Saturday after several members of the public attended the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney's inner west, with priority vaccine bookings purportedly made by essential healthcare workers.

Investigators fear many more people may have also fallen victim the scam and are now urging them to come forward.

It is not the first time that in-demand Pfizer vaccines, meant for the most at-risk members of the population have been misappropriated.

Health officials in July admitted 163 students at one of Australia's most elite private schools, were given the Pfizer shots which were supposed to go to members of the Indigenous community.

St Joseph's College at Sydney's affluent Hunter's Hill confirmed to Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday that the Year 12 students were vaccinated June, as millions of other less fortunate Aussies were forced to wait.

St Joseph's College at Hunter's Hill, Australia's largest boarding school for boys, confirmed to Daily Mail Australia that 160 of its Year 12 students received the vaccine in May - despite the vaccine not being officially available to under-40s

With community outrage surging over why students at the $50,000-a-year boarding school were given their first shot of the Pfizer vaccine despite the jab not yet being available to under 40s, health bosses blamed an 'error'.

Dr Teresa Anderson, Chief Executive of Sydney Local Health District which falls under NSW Health, said the jabs had been intended to vaccinate only Aboriginal students at the school.

Under eligibility guidelines, Indigenous Australians aged 16 to 49 are eligible for the jab which is in short supply nationwide.

'It was agreed that the Aboriginal students would be vaccinated through the state health system at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital's vaccination hub,' Dr Anderson said in a statement.

'Through an error, the wider group of boarders in Year 12, a total of 163 students, were also vaccinated. Sydney Local Health District apologises for this error.'

When grilled over the outrageous stuff up, NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard brushed aside the criticism after being asked by a reporter if his department should be embarrassed.

'What I find more embarrassing is that you would make that sort of question and accusation against frontline health staff who work their butts off and will have tomorrow achieved one million vaccinations in arms,' he told reporters.
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Graphic photos have captured scenes in as Shiite Muslims cut themselves using swords to commemorate the holy day of Ashura.

The Muslims carried out the flagellation earlier today at the Imam Ali shrine in Iraq's central holy shrine city of Najaf, to mark Ashura, the ninth day of Muharram in the first month of the Islamic calendar.

For the Shiite Muslims, Ashura is also a major religious event where followers of the faith commemorate the martyrdom of Husayn Ibn Ali al-Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, who died at the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD.

The act of self-flagellation and bloodletting is seen as an act of washing away sins by those who carry out the ritual.

The pictures, taken in Najaf, Iraq, show a group of Shiite Muslims wearing all-white outfits, cutting their heads and allowing blood to run down themselves.

People dressed in all-black can also be seen stood to the side of the large group of Shiite Muslims, ready to help those participating in the ritual , should they need it.

A couple of pictures even show the helpers walking around with bottles of water and cloths, in order to assist those who have cut themselves.

While another image captured the moment a man wearing blue protective overalls and a face mask attended to a participant, by wrapping a bandage around his head and dabbing away at the blood.

Other ceremonies celebrating Ashura were also held in other parts of the world, including in Afghanistan where the Taliban have taken control.

After seizing power, the group sent representatives to a ceremony in Kabul's Dasht-e-Barchi Hazara neighbourhood marking Ashura, one of the most important periods of the year for Shia Muslims - considered heretics by many hardline Sunnis, such as the Taliban.

Graphic photos have captured the scenes in Iraq as Shiite Muslims cut themselves using swords

The Muslims carried out the flagellation earlier today at the Imam Ali shrine in Iraq's central holy shrine city of Najaf, to mark Ashura, the ninth day of Muharram in the first month of the Islamic calendar

Pictured: A Shiite Muslim lies on his back on a stretcher as he is treated after having flagellated himself during a ceremony to mark Ashura

For the Shiite Muslims, Ashura is also a major religious event where followers of the faith commemorate the martyrdom of H usayn Ibn Ali al-Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, who died at the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD

The act of self-flagellation is seen as an act of washing away sins by those who carry out the ritual

A group of Shiite Muslims at the Imam Ali shrine kneel on the floor, with their heads bowed, as they cut their scalps with large knives and swords

One man could be seen jumping in the air and yelling out as he took part in the self-flagellation

The pictures, taken in Najaf, Iraq, show a group of Shiite Muslims wearing all-white outfits, cutting their heads and allowing blood to run down themselves

A man can be seen holding a large blade up to the top of his head as he took part in the annual mourning ceremony

With his head bowed, this man can be seen with a blade held up to his head and blood pouring down his white outfit

One man, kneeling on the floor, is assisted by another man stood in front of him who carefully cuts at the kneeling man's head

Huge numbers of people participated in the self-flagellation ritual this year. Pictured: A crowd of Shiite monks gathered in the holy city of Kerbala in Iraq this morning

A man can be seen at the annual ritual ceremony as blood pours down his head from the cuts on his scalp

People dressed in all-black can also be seen stood to the side of the large group of Shiite Muslims, ready to help those participating in the ritual , should they need it
Tucker Carlson has ruthlessly criticised the US war in Afghanistan and the government's plans to resettle Afghan refugees, before ensuring all American citizens are safely evacuated.

On Wednesday's edition of 'Tucker Carlson Tonight', the host railed against the war, calling it a 'betrayal of the American public' and the hasty US withdrawal 'a betrayal of the Afghan people.'

'Our leaders made promises to them they knew they couldn't keep. Honorable countries don't do that. It's shameful.'

The host went on to say that the US government is eager to 'change the demographic balance of this country' by 'letting in millions of refugees.'

'Millions is not a handful of loyal Afghan interpreters. That's not even a fleet of cargo planes full of loyal Afghan interpreters.

'Millions is a good chunk of the entire population of Afghanistan, brought to our country at our expense to live in your neighborhood at the very moment our national fabric is fraying.'

Carlson also said that such a decision cannot be questioned because to do so would be simply labelled as 'racist'.

Carlson ruthlessly criticised the US war in Afghanistan as a 'betrayal of the American public and the Afghan people'

The host went on to say that the US government is eager to 'change the demographic balance of this country' by 'letting in millions of refugees', and that such a decision can't be questioned because to do so would simply be labelled as 'racist'

US operations have evacuated roughly 6,000 people since August 14, many of them diplomats and Afghan civilians, but around 15,000 American and allies citizens stranded in the country

President Biden has said he aims to resettle 65,000 Afghan refugees and pull out every American citizen from Afghanistan, but this will see American troops remain in the country well beyond the August 31 deadline previously set

Desperate Afghans have been filmed clinging to departing US aircraft in an attempt to flee, but reports suggest that some of the evacuation aircraft have left with empty seats

'At this point, fighting racism is the universal justification for every bad idea. They know that calling you a racist is the fastest way to make you obey,' he said.

US operations in Kabul have seen roughly 6,000 people evacuated since August 14, much of them US military personnel, diplomats and Afghan refugees.

But a total of 15,000 American citizens and allies are currently stranded in Afghanistan, and the US has deployed another 6,000 troops to secure the hasty evacuation operations.

Carlson slammed the chaotic rescue mission: 'American citizens remain trapped.

'Reporter Phil Wegmann from Real Clear Politics says he just got off the phone with Senator Bill Hagerty's office, who is getting reports of Americans and safe houses near the Karzai airport who are, 'trying to figure out when they can run for it.'

'Run for it. That's what Americans have been left to do. Afghans are certainly doing that.'

President Joe Biden on Wednesday defended his handling of the US withdrawal on ABC news, saying the chaos was unavoidable while declaring the government intends to resettle up to 65,000 Afghan refugees.

His comments were quickly descended upon by critics who said there was no excuse for his poor handling of the situation, particularly given the president's decision to remain at his presidential retreat of Camp David over the weekend rather than taking charge of the crisis from the White House situation room.

He returned briefly to Washington on Monday to deliver a speech again blaming Afghan leaders and former President Trump for the collapse of Afghanistan - but left minutes later to return to Camp David.

On Tuesday, it emerged he had not telephoned any other world leaders as the Taliban advance unfolded and evacuations began.

Biden said initially the evacuation operation would be concluded by August 31, but the current pace of evacuations suggests that US personnel will have to remain in the country for weeks beyond that date.

Many evacuation transports have also left Kabul with empty spaces. Eighteen C-17 US Air Force jets have been committed to remove US citizens, Afghan refugees and others, but on Wednesday only 2,000 people were evacuated in total including 365 Americans.

President Biden insisted in a Wednesday interview with ABC that there is no way the US withdrawal from Afghanistan could have been handled better

In the interview, Biden snapped at ABC host George Stephanopoulos for mentioning Afghans falling out of planes in Kabul chaos, dismissing the comments and saying 'that was four or five days ago.'

Taliban fighters have surrounded the airport in Kabul and are controlling the flow of American, allied and Afghan citizens to the US controlled part of the airport

On Wednesday afternoon, the State Department updated its guidance to tell all remaining US citizens to make their way to the airport but it couldn't guarantee anyone's safety on the journey.

At a Pentagon press briefing a short time afterwards, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin confirmed troops would not go to collect anyone, saying: 'We don't have the capability to go out and collect up large numbers of people.'

The Taliban - which has promised 'amnesty' and that it won't interfere with any country trying to evacuate its people - has already abandoned its revamped image and is reverting to medieval punishment in the streets.

There are now thought to be around 50,000 people - mostly Afghans - gathered outside two entrances to Hamid Karzai airport - the civilian south side and military north side, both of which are under Taliban control.

The entrance to Kabul airport is being controlled by the Taliban, with US personnel relying on the Taliban soldiers allowing people through to access the evacuation transports

Members of Taliban forces sit at a checkpoint in Kabul, Afghanistan following their takeover of the city
A British ex-pat jailed in Singapore for refusing to wear a face mask was released on Thursday and will be deported, the country's prison department said.

Benjamin Glynn, 40, was convicted on Wednesday and sentenced to six weeks in jail but was released due to time served while remanded in detention, which included two weeks in a mental health institution, the Singapore Prison Service (SPS) said.

Glynn - a father of two originally from Helmsley, Yorkshire - was found guilty on four charges over his failure to wear a mask on a train in May and at a subsequent court appearance in July, as well as causing a public nuisance and using threatening words towards public servants.

Benjamin Glynn, 40, a father of two from Yorkshire was sentenced to six weeks' jail in Singapore for not wearing a mask and harassing police

In a statement seen by Reuters, SPS said Glynn was being processed by Singapore's immigration authority, which would make arrangements for his deportation.

The judge had sent Glynn for psychiatric assessment due to his conduct and remarks made in court.

On Wednesday he asked the court to drop what he called "unlawful charges" and for his passport to be returned so he could leave Singapore, according to media outlet CNA.

It quoted the judge as telling Glynn that he was "completely misguided" in is belief that he was exempt from Singapore's laws on wearing masks.

Mr Glynn believes masks are pointless and do not protect people from contracting Covid-19, so didn't wear one while taking the train home from work.

A fellow commuter secretly filmed him without a mask and put the clip on social media, prompting officers to arrest him hours later. After 28 hours in a cell, he was charged with a public nuisance offence.

Glynn did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday.

The Asian business hub is well-known for its enforcement of strict rules and has jailed and fined others for breaking COVID-19 regulations. Some foreigners have had their work permits revoked for rule breaches.

The city-state has kept its coronavirus outbreaks under control, in part due to its strict enforcement or measures.

In February, a Singapore court sentenced a British man to two weeks in jail after he broke strict Covid protocols by sneaked out of his hotel room to meet his then fiancee while in quarantine.
A touching moment between a young boy and police officers has been captured during a home visit for families with special needs children affected by a Covid outbreak.

Eight-year-old Jamie is a student at Giant Steps Sydney, a school in Gladesville for children with autism which has been closed after a dozen students, staff and family tested positive.

While in lockdown, NSW Police Covid-19 welfare and compliance response officers have been visiting the affected families - and brought joy to little Jamie as he spends his days locked inside.

Jamie (pictured) is seen peering out at NSW police officers, as they waved from a safe distance to him and his family during their isolation period after the Giant Steps school in Sydney had a Covid outbreak

The young boy was said to be thrilled by the visit from two officers (pictured), and asked a lot of questions about the officers jobs, even cheekily asking if they liked eating donuts

Jamie was pictured peering out at the officers, as they waved from a safe distance.

The young boy was said to be thrilled by the visit, and asked a lot of questions about their job, even cheekily asking if they liked eating donuts.

Autism Awareness Australia chief executive Nicole Rogerson previously spoke out about the outbreak, saying the school takes care of a number of students with severe autism.

Ms Rogerson told the Daily Telegraph she had spent hours consoling 'devastated' parents over the phone after the outbreak occurred.

The Giant Steps Sydney school in Gladesville is currently closed due to a Covid-19 outbreak which saw a dozen students and several staff members test positive to the virus

'A lot of these children, a lot of the students, wouldn't understand what Covid is, the pandemic is, or social distancing,' Ms Rogerson explained.

She added many parents were concerned about how their child would react to isolation, as many students found the concept difficult to understand.

'They need to keep them safe from themselves and keep their families safe when they don't understand and they don't understand what happened,' Ms Rogerson said.

But moments like these from NSW Police are making their isolations periods a little bit easier for families and kids like Jamie.

Autism Awareness Australia chief executive Nicole Rogerson said that many parents were concerned about how their child would react to isolation, as many students found the concept difficult to understand

The photos were shared to the NSW Police Force Facebook page, and users in the comments section praised the kind gesture from police.

'Awwwww! This is amazing you guys. Thank-you for trying to bring light in the lives of children who are so confused with the current circumstances,' one user wrote.

While another added: 'Never thought police would ever bring me to tears. Thank-you for your generosity and caring it is a great thing you are doing for these beautiful kids'.
The partner of murdered Chicago cop Ella French, who was paralyzed in the shooting, has released a moving video from his hospital bed thanking supporters.

Police officer Carlos Yanez was shot in the line of duty while performing a routine traffic stop for expired plates in West Englewood on August 7.

Yanez, 40, was severely wounded but survived his injuries, while French, 29, succumbed to hers.

He has thanked his supporters for 'your donations and your prayers' in an emotional video which shows him recuperating in a hospital bed.

'I love you all', he says. 'To my son CJ and my wife Brenda, I do this all for you', he adds before blowing air kisses towards the camera.

Police officer Carlos Yanez, 40, has released a moving video thanking supporters and donors as he recuperates after being shot and paralyzed in the line of duty in Chicago on August 7

'I love you all', Yanez says. 'To my son CJ and my wife Brenda, I do this all for you', he adds before blowing air kisses towards the camera

Officers Carlos Yanez is seen paralyzed in a hospital bed after he was shot during a traffic stop

Yanez and his partner, 29-year-old Ella French, (pictured) were shot in the West Englewood neighborhood on August 7, after performing a routine traffic stop for expired plates.

Yanez was shot multiple times in the face and shoulder after he and partner French approached a car during a routine traffic stop.

The situation reportedly spiraled out of control when one of the people in the car did not to cooperate and refused to place his drink and cell phone on the ground.

'Monte Morgan exited that vehicle with a drink in one hand and a cell phone in the other. He refused repeated instructions to set those items down,' said Risa Lanier, Interim First Assistant State's Attorney, Fox 32 reported.

'He began physically jerking his arms away from those officers.'

Morgan then pulled a .22 caliber handgun on the officers and fired several shots towards the pair, hitting French in the head and Yanez in the right eye and shoulder.

'Defendant Monte Morgan fired multiple shots, striking both Officer French and Victim 2. After being fired upon and struck, Officer French and Victim 2 both fell to the ground between the stopped car and the curb,' Lanier said.

The shooter was later neutralized by officers who arrived on the scene as back up.

French ad Yanez had their guns holstered the 'entire time' of of the incident, prosecutors said.

Yanez is seen in a photo on the GoFundMe page which revealed he is facing a 'potentially lifelong disability'

Yanez received 'multiple gunshot wounds to the eye, brain, and shoulder, all causing a potentially lifelong disability', according to a GoFundMe campaign set up for him.

'In turn, we suspect home modifications, accommodations, and transportation needs to increase accessibility and quality of life,' it states.

Yanez had much of his face and eye socket fractured during the shooting, but received surgical treatment to repair it.

'We remain hopeful for a miraculous recovery but have to prepare for what's to come,' the page said.

Brothers Emonte, 21, and Eric Morgan, 22, were arrested and charged with French's murder, but an ABC 7 report found that Emonte was actually supposed to be behind bars that day.

Emonte was charged with first-degree murder of a police officer, two counts of attempted first-degree murder, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, and unlawful use of a weapon by a felon.

His brother was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, and obstruction of justice.

Emonte has been connected to a hit-and-run case from April in which a walker was struck in a crosswalk and sent flying against a stop sign.

According to ABC 7, Morgan didn't stop driving until he struck a parked car nearly a mile and a half away.

He was freed on a personal recognizance bond in the wake of the hit and run - despite being on probation for a 2019 robbery conviction at the time.

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.

She was one of 10 people killed and 64 wounded by gun violence throughout the city last weekend as the city continues to suffer from high crime rates.

The Morgan brothers were said to have been driving with expired license plates, prompting police to pull them over

Chicago police union boss John Catanzara told Fox News that Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot had to shoulder some of the blame for French's death due to the city's soft stance on crime.

Lightfoot had also been criticized for incorrectly referring to French as 'Ella Franks' and siding with First Deputy Police Supt. Eric Carter in dismissing a traditional bagpipe service for French outside the medical examiner's office.

Carter allegedly said 'We don't have 20 minutes for this s**t.'

Data from August showed murders in the city were nearly the same as the number reported last year, but shootings increased by 15% and the number of people shot in the city rose by nearly 10 per cent year-over-year.

Chicago Police Department said that there were 105 homicides recorded in the month of July.
The husband of a mother-of-two NHS nurse found dead at her family home was today arrested on suspicion of murder.

Eileen Barrott, 50, was found dead at her home in the Whinmoor area of Leeds, West Yorkshire, on Sunday.

Her husband, Mark Barrott, 54, was arrested in the Elgin area of Scotland in the early hours of this morning.

Police had earlier released an appeal after he was seen taking a train from Leeds to Edinburgh on Sunday.

He will be brought back to West Yorkshire to be interviewed by detectives from the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, police say.

Eileen Barrott (pictured left), 50, was found dead at the couple's home in the Whinmoor area of Leeds, West Yorkshire, on Sunday. Her husband, Mark Barrott (pictured right), 54, was arrested in the Elgin area of Scotland in the early hours of this morning.

The suspected murder victim was yesterday named as Eileen Barrott, 50, after emergency services were called to a property in Leeds, West Yorks., at around 6.30pm. Pictured: Police and forensics teams at the scene on Monday

Detective Chief Inspector Vanessa Rolfe said: 'We would like to thank all the members of the public who contacted us with information, and also our colleagues in Police Scotland for their assistance and support with this investigation.'

Emergency services were called to a property in Naburn Fold at around 6.30pm on August 15 after a woman suffered 'serious injuries'.

She was later pronounced dead at the scene.

Tragic Eileen was a 'devoted' NHS nurse at a hospital in Leeds. Eileen was said to be a 'kind-hearted' mum-of-two in a touching tribute from a friend of 25 years.

Her husband, Mark Barrott, 54, was arrested in the Elgin area of Scotland in the early hours of this morning. Police had earlier released an appeal after he was seen taking a train from Leeds to Edinburgh on Sunday

The friend, who did not wish to be named, said: 'She was so kind and she had such a lovely smile.

'But you could tell she was always nervous. She was the nicest person, but she was very shy.

'She was a nurse and worked 24 hours a day, she was so devoted.'
An environmental scientist who was jailed for his role in Britain's biggest ever tax fraud has had 10 years added onto his prison sentence after failing to pay back millions of pounds.

Michael Richards, one of five businessmen involved, was ordered to pay back 11million of his ill-gotten gains from the fake 'green' investment scheme which saw celebrities, including comedians, sports stars and relatives of politicians, swindled out of 107million.

The 59-year-old, who was described as the leader of the fraudulent scheme, was originally convicted of cheating the public revenue and sentenced to 11 years in prison in 2017.

When sentenced, Richards was described by the judge as a 'fraudster to his core' who was in control of the scheme in partnership with Gold and splashed his share on a 2.7m house and splashed out 32,000 on a diamond engagement ring for his girlfriend from luxury Mayfair jewellers Boodles.

Two years later, the CPS Proceeds of Crime Division successfully applied to the court for Richards to pay back 9,999,999 of his ill-gotten gains which has now risen to 11.1 million with interest.

After paying back just over 30,000, the CPS took him to Westminster Magistrates' Court this week for non-payment of the full amount and requested an additional prison sentence be activated instead.

Michael Richards (pictured at an earlier hearing) led the fraud and was jailed for 11 years. He was ordered to repay almost 10million but has now been handed a further 10 years in prison

As a result, Richards' prison sentence, which he is currently serving, has been increased by 10 years.

As part of their complex scheme, the five fraudsters told investors their money would be spent on research and development into carbon credits.

They assured their celebrity investors they would be eligible for tax relief and encouraged them to make claims to HMRC for a total of 107.92m.

Eton educated Jonathan Anwyl, 46, pictured outside Southwark Crown Court, was warned he faced an additional two years in prison if he failed to pay back almost 254,000

Using their professional reputations to convince super-rich investors, they attracted more than 65 million in subscribed cash to be invested in the 'green' scheme but only 16 million of this was spent on planting trees.

Instead the group stole 20 million of the investors' money and laundered it via bank accounts and secret trusts.

The group spent the cash on luxury properties in London, Australia, and Dubai as well as hidden offshore investments and they also failed to pay around 6.5million in tax.

Richards bought a 2.7m home in Sussex using some of his share of the proceeds before selling it to fund the purchase of another property in Dubai.

Richards also splashed out 32,000 on a diamond engagement ring for his girlfriend from luxury jewellers Boodles.

Oxford and Eton-educated Jonathan Anwyl had used some of the proceeds to pay 788,000 off the mortgage of a house he owned in Australia with his French wife Anne.

His mother Shirley Anwyl, QC, was a circuit judge for 13 years and resident judge at Woolwich Crown Court until her retirement in 2008.

His late father Robin Hamilton Corson Anwyl is a descendant of the aristocratic Anwyl of Tywyn family, which dates back to the 12th century Welsh king, Owain Gwynedd.

Rodney Whiston-Dew, 68, (left) was jailed for 10 years while Eudoros Demetiou (right) was jailed for six years but had nine years added in July after failing to pay back 4.6million

Anwyl, of Yeomans, Ringmer, East Sussex, was jailed for five-and-a-half years in November 2017 after he was convicted of conspiracy to cheat the public revenue.

Adrian Foster, Head of the CPS Proceeds of Crime Division, said: 'Michael Richards failed to pay back the 11million he owed the public so the CPS had to take him back to court and now he's had 10 years added onto his current sentence.

'We worked with HMRC to make sure he did not benefit from the proceeds of his crime, but he has only paid back a paltry amount.

'Even when fraudsters are convicted and sentenced the CPS will continue to pursue them for the money they owe, or they risk remaining in prison for many more years.'

Former music industry executive and fellow fraudster Evdoros Demetriou, 82, had nine years added onto his six-year prison sentence in July, after failing to pay back 4.6 million.

The CPS appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court (pictured) to request additional time was added to Richards' sentence after he failed to pay back 11million of his ill-gotten gains

In total, all five offenders were told to repay 20.6 million.

Robert Gold was sentenced to 11 years' imprisonment and disqualified from being a company director. The courts ordered him to repay 2,643,677 or face further time in prison.

Rodney Whiston-Dew was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment and disqualified from being a company director. He was ordered to repay 3 million.

Oxford and Eton-educated Jonathan Anwyl was sentenced to five-and-a-half years' imprisonment and was ordered to pay back 253,934.47.

Sentencing the fraudsters in 2017, Mr Justice Edis had blasted their 'utter dishonesty, sophisticated planning and astonishing greed hidden behind a mask of concern for the environment'.

That added 'an element of hypocrisy and cynicism to this case which is deeply distasteful', he said.

Gill Hilton, Assistant Director, Fraud Investigation Service, HMRC, said: 'Richards was convicted of one of the UK's biggest tax frauds and owed the taxpayer almost 10 million.

'At the confiscation hearing in 2019 the judge gave him a choice of paying the money or facing another decade in prison. After only paying back 30,000, he now faces the consequences.

'This outcome is a warning to anyone involved in tax fraud. Our work doesn't stop at conviction and together with our partner agencies we will pursue the proceeds of crime.

'If anyone has information about tax fraud, please report it to HMRC online or call our Fraud Hotline on 0800 788 887.'
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have no regrets about leaving Britain and making bombshell claims accusing the Royal Family of racism - despite the suffering it has caused, an updated biography of the couple has claimed.

According to the new edition of Finding Freedom, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex also believe the Queen has failed to act over their allegation that a senior royal expressed 'concern' about their unborn child's skin colour.

The book now covers Harry's return to the UK in April for his grandfather Prince Philip's funeral - and says he bought a one-way ticket as he hoped he might be able to speak to his family directly, without staff being involved.

It claims Harry spoke to his brother Prince William three times in all during the visit, as well as briefly chatting to his father, Prince Charles, after the service. He also enjoyed 'precious moments' with his grandmother, the Queen.

The biography, which was a glowing portrait of the Sussexes by Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand first published in August 2020, concludes that the trip 'broke the ice' and that the door to a rapprochement is now 'slightly ajar'.

Stating that Harry and Meghan have no regrets about their actions, despite the toll on their family, the book says: 'What started [as a] fairytale romance became a story that reinvented the genre  a self-made, independent woman playing an equal role alongside her knight.'

It says the Sussexes believe the Queen has failed to act over their accusations of racism, and took exception to a carefully worded statement from the monarch in the wake of their explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey.

Harry and Meghan spoke to Oprah Winfrey in a bombshell interview in March in which they accused a senior royal of racism

The Queen during a military inspection at the gates at Balmoral on August 9, as she took up summer residence at the castle

Prince Harry speaks to Kate Middleton as he walks out of Prince Philip's funeral at Windsor Castle with Prince William in April

The statement expressed concern for the couple but insisted that 'some recollections may vary'. It followed a series of highly damaging claims from the couple, including the allegation that a member of the Royal Family expressed 'concern' about their unborn child's skin colour.

Days later, Prince William told reporters that the royals were 'very much not a racist family' and admitted he was yet to speak to his estranged brother following the Oprah interview.

The new version of Finding Freedom will be out on August 31

Now, the updated edition of Finding Freedom claims the couple were far from happy at the Palace's official response.

An excerpt due to be published in People magazine in the US tomorrow states that the couple believe senior royals have not taken 'accountability'  preventing a major thaw in relations.

The extract reads: 'Those three words, 'recollections may vary', did not go unnoticed by the couple, who a close source said were 'not surprised' that full ownership was not taken. 'Months later and little accountability has been taken,' a pal of Meghan's added. 'How can you move forward without that?' '

The excerpt to be published in People also claims the couple felt nervous sitting down with chat show host Oprah but had decided that they needed to speak up now, or never.

'There were so many things they were unable to say [before stepping back from their royal roles],' it reads.

Although the Sussexes have insisted they did not co-operate directly with the book's authors, the level of detail  and claims by both the writers and publisher, Harper Collins, that they had access to the couple's close circle of friends and associates  has led some to claim that indirect help was provided.

The book's authors have said, however, that Finding Freedom is 'independent and unauthorised' and that the couple did not speak to them about it.

The new version is set to be published on August 31  the anniversary of Princess Diana's death. It contains an updated epilogue covering the Oprah interview, the death of Prince Philip, and the Sussexes' plans for the future.

Royal author Omid Scobie is a trusted media contact of the Sussexes and co-wrote their biography Finding Freedom

Harry joined his brother William at Kensington Palace on July 1 to unveil a statue they commissioned of their mother Diana

In an interview with People magazine, co-author Mr Scobie appears to suggest that Harry is not keen to 'move on' unless there is 'accountability' from 'a number of individuals involved'  including members of staff from 'the institution' as well as some relatives themselves.

Omid Scobie spoke to People magazine ahead of the re-release of Finding Freedom in paperback this month

Describing the situation as 'complicated', Mr Scobie said: 'There are people within the family who [the Sussexes] are much closer to today than they were a year ago.

'But in terms of Harry's relationship with his father and brother, that progress has been very little. I think he is quite willing to own his part in everything, but I have been told that he is waiting to see some of that on the other side  and as of now there hasn't been that.'

Mr Scobie adds that the California-based couple have learned to 'prioritise their mental health' and keep 'some of the toxicity' at an arm's - and ocean's - length away.'

He also claims they plan to enter a new 'era of visibility' this autumn, with a more 'intentionally public' life. 'They're a couple who do very well in those moments of human interaction,' Mr Scobie said.

'They need to be on the ground... they say that the proof is in the pudding, and what we are about to see is that pudding.'

After a period of parental leave following the birth of their daughter, Lilibet, the couple are apparently gearing up for a busy few months and were 'really excited' about the next chapter of their lives.

Mr Scobie author added: 'They seem to be existing in a different place, and that place is much healthier. Meghan famously spoke about that it was not enough to survive - we are now in the thrive chapter.'

He was referring to the duchess's infamous interview with ITV news anchor Tom Bradby in which complained about the difficulties of living in the royal spotlight, saying: 'It's not enough to just survive something. You've got to thrive.'

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex volunteer with Baby2Baby at a school in Los Angeles, California, in August 2020

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex attend an engagement in London in March 2020 before they stood down as senior royals

He also said that the couple had been afraid of 'the consequences of stepping away and challenging the system', but the birth of their son, Archie, 'gave them that energy to stand up for what was right for them'.

Mr Scobie said the couple were planning to expand their charity work through the not for profit arm of their organisation, Archewell, which is also the vehicle for their lucrative Netflix and Spotify deals.

Buckingham Palace did not comment on the book's content last year. A spokesman declined to comment last night on the latest claims.

On Tuesday, Harry and Meghan issued an extraordinary statement in response to events in Afghanistan and other global crises, declaring: 'The world is exceptionally fragile right now.'

Declaring themselves 'speechless' at recent humanitarian disasters, the couple also managed to pontificate at length on their website about how they had been left 'heartbroken' and 'scared' about the earthquake in Haiti, new Covid variants and the continuing global health crisis.
A stepmother diagnosed with fertility issues has been denied IVF treatment from the NHS - because her partner already has a child.

Sarah Barker, 26, has been trying for a baby with her partner Chris Curtiss, 31, for four years but was told by doctors when she was just 17 she had polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and that she would struggle to have her own children.

The condition is caused by a hormonal imbalance in the body which affects one in three women in the UK.

Sarah said having her own baby was the 'missing puzzle piece' from her life and had hoped she could try IVF after a number of drugs to help ovulation failed to work.

But she was dealt a devastating blow when she was told she wasn't eligible for the treatment if either partner had a child from a previous relationship.

Following an FOI request made to her local clinical commissioning group (CCG) in Lincolnshire, it was revealed that this was due to budget constraints.

Sarah blasted the 'postcode lottery' as other CCGs have different rules.

She said if she was from Manchester where she would have been able to receive the 'life-changing' NHS fertility treatment.

Sarah Barker, 26, has been trying for a baby with her partner Chris Curtiss, 31, for four years but has been unsuccessful due to fertility issues

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, the condition that affects one in three women in the UK Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common condition that affects how a woman's ovaries work. The three main features of PCOS are: Irregular periods  which means the ovaries don't regularly release eggs (ovulation). This can affect a woman's ability to get pregnant.

Excess androgen  high levels of 'male hormones' in the body, which may cause physical signs such as excess facial or body hair.

Polycystic ovaries  the ovaries become enlarged and contain many fluid-filled sacs (follicles) which surround the eggs (it's important to note that, despite the name, if you have PCOS you don't actually have cysts). Source: NHS Choices Advertisement

Sarah said: 'I should be eligible for IVF. I should be allowed to be a mother.

'It's a postcode lottery which decides if you can have a child. It's not right.

'Going through this whole process has been devastating, and it was horrible to learn I couldn't even have IVF.

'It's been so hard, and there's so much pressure.

'It's meant to be a happy process but it's tainted by how we have to go about it.'

Sarah is a stepmother to an eight-year-old girl, who they wished not to name, from her partner's previous relationship who lives with the couple for half of the week.

She said that it would be 'unfair' to her if they chose to move away from their home in Lincoln.

She added: 'She lives with us for half of the time, and half the time wit her mum so it wouldn't be fair on her for us to move away and try to have our own family.'

Sarah said she has a 'wonderful relationship' with her step daughter, but felt she and other families 'deserve a chance' to try for their own.

She said she had dreamed of being a mother herself since she was a child, and that thousands of other women were deprived of this joy due to outdated rules.

Sarah, who works in communications, said: 'When I was 17 all they said I'd have difficulty having children, but it was heart-breaking to hear.

'To know in the future, it could be a struggle, it's every girl's dream to be a mum.

'I remember playing with dolls and I knew it's something I wanted, to be a mum and have a family.

Sarah is a stepmother to an eight-year-old girl, who they wished not to name, from her partner's previous relationship who lives with the couple for half of the week

'They need to rethink these outdated rules, and think about modern day blended families and how it affects the family dynamics.

'It's not just about us, it's about so many families who are affected by his.

'They are stopping thousands of women from being a mum. They're stopping women from these dreams. We deserve the chance, to at least have the closure.'

Sarah said her mental health has been affected by the process, as well as her relationship with her partner of six years Chris.

She said seeing friends on Facebook announcing their pregnancy or gender reveal leaves her heartbroken every time as she wonders 'why not me?'.

She added: 'It's been a rollercoaster, you have good and bad days.

'Some days you find someone on Facebook have announced their pregnancy or gender reveal and it's devastating.'

Sarah has been campaigning for a change in the rules alongside The Stepmum Collective, a support group for step mums.

She said couples shouldn't have to choose between 'going in debt or having a family'.

She said: 'I just want to make a difference. It might be too late for me, but if families in the future don't go through what I've gone through that would be amazing.

'It's not about the money, it's about the principle of it. Everyone should have the chance.

'Some families need to choose between being in debt or having a family. And it's not right.'

Guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommend that IVF should be offered to women under the age of 43 who have failed to get pregnant after two years of trying, or who have had 12 cycles of artificial insemination.

But the final decision is made by the local CCGs who can impose their own, stricter criteria.

Responding to the FOI request, Lincolnshire CCG said: 'The costs of adopting the NICE policy in full cannot be justified at this time.

'It would have involved moving investments from other areas of service such as mental health and health prevention into IVF services.'
An ex-soldier has been caught on camera slashing a pub-goer's face with a wine glass in an unprovoked attack on New Year's Eve.

Christopher Darcy, 27, left Declan McLaughlin scarred for life after suddenly turning on him at The Commercial Hotel in Mossley, Greater Manchester, when his then partner collapsed in her seat claiming her drink had been spiked.

Mr McLaughlin, who is in his 20s, had simply asked Darcy if his girlfriend was ok but suffered a 6cm cut to his left cheek and a 7cm cut to his neck during the savage assault

And he required at least four stitches after his skin was left 'hanging down' from his face and neck.

Christopher Darcy, 27, left Declan McLaughlin scarred for life after suddenly turning on him at The Commercial Hotel in Mossley, Greater Manchester

Mr McLaughlin, who is in his 20s, had simply asked Darcy (pictured) if his girlfriend was ok but suffered a 6cm cut to his left cheek and a 7cm cut to his neck during the savage assault

Mr McLaughlin still has scars from the attack and suffers from tearful panic attacks when recalling the incident

Almost three years since the attack on December 31, 2018, the scarring has not yet healed and he is still suffers from tearful panic attacks when recalling the incident.

Darcy, who served six years in the army and saw action in the Afghanistan conflict before being discharged in 2016 due to mental health issues, blamed the attack on him failing to get help for his PTSD and said he was like a 'powder keg waiting to explode.'

He has since undergone cognitive behavioural therapy.

Footage of the horrific assault emerged after Darcy, of Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, was jailed for three-and-a-half years after he admitted wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester heard Mr McLaughlin of Mossley, had been out in Manchester city centre with friends before returning to his hometown to see in the new year.

Prosecutor Paul Dockery said: 'He plainly was affected by drink but able to hold conversations and walk from place to place, finally ending up in The Commercial pub spending some time there.'

Darcy, who served six years in the army and saw action in the Afghanistan conflict before being discharged in 2016 due to mental health issues, blamed the attack on him failing to get help for his PTSD

Footage shows Darcy picking up the wine glass and smashing it into the face of Mr McLaughlin

The court heard the victim entered the room at which point Darcy's then partner mysteriously sank to the floor.

There was then an exchange of words between the two men before Darcy picked up the wine glass and thrust it into the victim's face.

The court heard the woman was unable to explain why she collapsed at the table. Mr McLaughlin later claimed Darcy and his girlfriend had simply 'fallen out' and Darcy and told him to move away in the moments before the attack.

In mitigation for Darcy, who now works as a steel erector defence counsel, Brian Williams said: 'From a very early age, the defendant has had a lot of unresolved anger issues and this has been added to by experiences in active service in Afghanistan.

'He has seen the kind of things that no one should see. His unresolved issues have been added to by this troubling experience on active service.

There was then an exchange of words between the two men before Darcy picked up the wine glass and thrust it into the victim's face

'By the time he left the army, he was a powder keg but he did seek help from the army. This is no criticism, but there was very little help. He was effectively told to ''man up'' for a number of years.

'He tried to self-medicate. He used alcohol and drugs to block out the terrible things that had happened, to try to feel normal. As we all know, that doesn't work. During the incident itself, something was said, and the powder keg exploded.

'This defendant then realized that he had to do something, had to sort out the situation. Since this incident, he has been doing a lot of growing up. He managed to steel himself and go and seek help. It's something he didn't do before. He sought help from an organization called Future for Heroes and an organization called Project Nova.

'He apologises to the complainant. Having experienced trauma himself, he knows what it's like. The thought of a sentence of immediate custody terrifies him.'

Pictured: Mr McLaughlin after the unprovoked attack

Sentencing Judge Maurice Greene told Darcy: 'You were sat at a table with your then-girlfriend, and she sank to the floor - whether from drink or a drink being spiked, it's not clear. The complainant came past you and there were clearly words between you.

'You say in the report you were telling him to go away, and he wouldn't go away but he was certainly not making any aggressive moves towards you.

'You deliberately picked up a wine glass and struck him in the face with it.. Mr McLaughlin is still now, nearly three years later, suffering panic attacks. He still has some scarring to his face as well. He lost his job for some amount of time and it's had a somewhat significant impact on him.'

The judge added: 'There have been diagnoses of depression, alcohol dependency, ADHD and PTSD, a lot of which is due to the six years where you served your country in the army and in Afghanistan. You were discharged in 2016 because of your mental health.

'But the fact that you have PTSD does not explain why you acted in the way you did, without consequence.'

After the case Mr McLaughlin said: 'I'm still traumatised, it still doesn't feel real. I have got counselling as it has affected me. It's not left me, I'm not the same person I was.'

He added: ' We were just having a conversation, then he just picked the glass up for no reason. It was all of a sudden, it was that first hit and then he was gone. He will just do just 17 months or so yet I have suffered.'
'Dangerous fake ecstasy' - likely to have been shipped from China - is flooding into UK clubs and music events, sparking warnings from drug advice charities.

The knock-off 'MDMA' - which users have likened to the potent drug meth - is being sold in place of, or within, real ecstasy pills and powders.

Some users say the substance - known as 4-CMC - causes memory loss and terrifying hallucinations of 'shadow creatures'.

It is feared the drug might be related to two deaths in Bristol and London, while drug-testing and advice and information service The Loop have warned about an 'uptick' in MDMA mis-sales in the last six to eight weeks.

Border issues arising in the wake of Brexit, Covid lockdowns, and a huge drugs bust in Holland - where much of the UK's ecstasy supply comes from - has slowed supply of genuine MDMA into the UK, experts say.

And this has led dodgy dealers to sell off the synthetic stimulant to keep up with demand as more people return to clubs and raves, experts warn.

Manchester Drug and Research Exchange (MANDRAKE) recently discovered the presence of 4-CMC in pills tested in the city.

Dr Oliver Sutcliffe, director of the research group, said: 'These compounds are potentially more harmful, but the fact is they're not fully understood therefore people don't really understand what doses of things to take or what happens if they are taken in combination.

'Dangerous fake ecstasy' - likely to have been shipped from China - is flooding into UK clubs, sparking warnings from drug advice charities

The knock-off 'MDMA' - which users have likened to the potent drug Meth - is being sold in place of or within real ecstasy pills and powders. Some users say the Class A substance - known as 4-CMC - causes memory loss and terrifying hallucinations of 'shadow creatures'

Dr Oliver Sutcliffe (pictured), director of the research group Manchester Drug and Research Exchange (MANDRAKE) said: 'These compounds are potentially more harmful, but the fact is they're not fully understood therefore people don't really understand what doses of things to take or what happens if they are taken in combination.'

What is 4-CMC? And why is it considered dangerous? 4-Chloromethcathinone - known as 4-CMC - is a stimulant drug in a group known as the 'cathinone' class. Other cathinone drugs include the medically used obesity treatment drug Amfepramone - which acts as an appetite suppressant - while the banned party drug mephedrone - also known as MCAT - is also a cathinone. Sold in its illegal form, cathinones usually comes in highly pure white or brown powders. They are usually produced as a synthetic chemical. However, cathinones also appear naturally in the Khat or qat plant - which is native to Africa. Among communities from the areas where the plant is native, khat chewing has a history as a social custom dating back thousands of years. However the emergence of the man-made cathinones for recreational use is relatively new. The detection of 4-CMC was first reported in 2011. A 2019 report from WHO suggested most synthetic cathinones seized in 2015 were shipped from China. Seizures of the drug were also reported in the Czech Republic in 2015 and in Indonesia in 2017. Derivatives of man-made cathinones are claimed to have effects similar to cocaine, amphetamines and MDMA. However synthetic cathinones, the umbrella term for drugs like 4-CMC, have also been linked to psychosis. In some cases the psychoses has proved fatal, due to accidental injuries resulting from the delirium, scientists say. Yet there is still little known about the substances - which in part is what makes them so dangerous. According to experts in the UK, 4-CMC has been found in pills and powder sold as ecstasy. It is feared the drug might be related to two deaths in Bristol and London, although toxicology reports have not been completed yet. Drug support groups in Manchester also say they have detected 4-CMC while testing ecstasy pills and powder. Drug-testing and advice and information service The Loop said there had been an 'uptick' in MDMA mis-sales in the last six to eight weeks. Dr Oliver Sutcliffe, director of the research group Manchester Drug and Research Exchange (MANDRAKE) said: 'These compounds are potentially more harmful, but the fact is they're not fully understood therefore people don't really understand what doses of things to take or what happens if they are taken in combination.' Advertisement

'What's more dangerous is when they're being mis-sold as another product.

'The stuff we found on the recreational market was worrying because it was actually mixed in a tablet with MDMA, and the user would assume that it was MDMA but you don't know how these compounds will react in the body.

'We have been analysing samples over the last 16 months, but we didn't see anything like this before Freedom Day.'

The drug, also known as 4-Chloromethcathinone, replicates a similar high to ecstasy. It also has similar side-effects such as decreased appetite, weight loss, and sweating.

But it can also cause scary side-effects like disturbed sleep patterns, visual and auditory hallucinations, itchiness, aggressiveness and moodiness.

One 4CMC user said: 'I used to think someone is talking in the woods and walking the path.

'It got to the point where in the middle of the night I opened the front door and jumped back because I thought a "shadow guy" wanted to come inside.'

Another user posted to the forum complaining of memory loss.

A third said: 'My brain is getting slower and my memory is not there any more, I can forget a conversation I just had five minutes ago.'

One said they 'literally can't even tell the difference' between 4CMC and methamphetamine, a horrifically addictive drug that has ravaged parts of the US.

And synthetic cathinones, the umbrella term for drugs like 4-CMC, have also been linked to psychosis.

In some cases the psychoses has proved fatal, due to accidental injuries resulting from the delirium, scientists say.

A report in the Side Effects of Drugs Annual 42 by Hannah R. Fudin and Sidhartha D Ray in 2018 said: 'Drug-induced psychosis has been reported for many cathinones, sometimes with death subsequently resulting from consequent accidental injuries, but sometimes resulting from the end course of excited delirium i.e., cardiorespiratory collapse.'

And the World Health Organsiation (WHO) also released a report on the drug in 2019 stating: 'Potent synthetic analogs of methcathinone continue to emerge on the illicit market and one of the more recent compounds appearing is 4-chloromethcathinone or 4-CMC.

'The adverse effects resemble patterns observed for other cathinones such as toxicity of the sympathomimetic system such as hypertension, pains in the chest, tachycardia.

'CNS effects include fear, aggression, agitation, psychoses, hallucinations, and sleeplessness.'

A 2019 report from WHO suggested most synthetic cathinones seized in 2015 were shipped from China.

Seizures of the drug were also reported in the Czech Republic in 2015 and in Indonesia in 2017.

Because so little is known about the new synthetic substance that some dealers thought to be warning punters off the powder and pills containing it.

Footage obtained by Vice News shows one Bristol-based drug lord destroying a kilogram of the stuff - that he had been mis-sold as MDMA crystals with a street value of 3.5K - with bleach.

The substance was most recently spotted in Manchester, being mis-sold as MDMA.

Figures from another drug-testing charity, WEDINOS, show at least 11 samples were found to contain 4-CMC that had been sent in since August, although figures from their website show the drug has been in circulation to some extent since 2015.

Adam Waugh said there are 'lots of different factors' contributing to the spike in 4-CMC on British streets.

He explained: 'A lot of the MDMA we get in Britain comes from Holland, and Dutch police recently busted an encrypted communication system as well as arresting a number of organised crime gangs.

'Then there is also a combination of Brexit and Covid causing supply line issues, and now, as we come out of lockdown the demand for MDMA has massively increased

'And because it's an illegal market it's unregulated and you might get drug dealers thinking they will just buy a chemical from China and try to pass it off as MDMA because they need to sell something.'

Fiona Spargo-Mabs, whose son Daniel tragically died after taking a super-strength MDMA pill at an illegal rave in London in 2014, said she found the flooding of streets with the new chemical toxin 'concerning'.

Fiona Spargo-Mabs (pictured right), whose son Daniel (pictured left) tragically died after taking a super-strength MDMA pill at an illegal rave in London in 2014, said she found the flooding of streets with the new chemical toxin 'concerning'. Fiona, 54, who runs drug education charity The Daniel Spargo-Mabbs Foundation, said: 'The range of contaminants now is just enormous, and that's part of the reason we started the drug re-education charity because it is getting so hard to identify which chemicals are actually in things.'

Fiona, 54, who runs drug education charity The Daniel Spargo-Mabbs Foundation, said: 'The range of contaminants now is just enormous, and that's part of the reason we started the drug re-education charity because it is getting so hard to identify which chemicals are actually in things.

'What is really important to know with illegal drugs is that you've got that unknown quantity and it's so important that young people are really aware of that.

'There isn't a way that you can take drugs safety, but having some information, starting low and going slow and getting things tested obviously helps.'

She added: 'I am really concerned about young people this summer, and the kids that go off to university in the autumn - everything we do at The DSM Foundation is driven by wanting to stop any more harm happening to anyone else, and anyone else's child.

'It's just so avoidable, and so unnecessary.'

It comes as figures from the Office for National Statistics released earlier this month showed drug deaths relating to MDMA were the highest on record, with 92 deaths in 2020 alone.

The ONS figures also showed an 84 per cent jump in MDMA deaths since 2014.
A high performing mortgage advisor has won a 23,000 payout after her bosses sacked her for 'always moaning'.

Helen McMahon complained about how hard she worked and how long her hours were at Heron Financial Limited in Rickmansworth, an employment tribunal heard.

She told her bosses she was 'stressed' because she was working more than 48 hours a week, leading them to sack her two working days later.

The mortgage and insurance brokers claimed she was fired for poor performance, despite them earlier rewarding her work with a bottle of champagne.

A judge ruled she was unfairly dismissed for being a 'moaner' and has awarded her 23,000 in compensation, unpaid sick pay and owed commission.

The panel heard Mrs McMahon - who was entitled to commission payments to boost her 27,000-a-year salary - could often work 12 hours a day without a lunch break at the Hertfordshire firm.

Helen McMahon (pictured) complained about how hard she worked and how long her hours were, an employment tribunal heard

The tribunal, held in Cambridge, heard Mrs McMahon worked for the company for two years from June 2017 as a 'New Build and Mortgage Protection Advisor'.

The role included going to housing sites to meet clients viewing show homes on new developments across the Chilterns.

In May 2019 she emailed bosses regarding unpaid commission, which she felt was not reflected in her latest pay slips.

She then had two weeks off work due to sickness. When she returned to work on May 30 2019 she went into the office where she had a meeting with her boss Robin Thomas at her request.

The tribunal heard she raised several matters including her working hours which she felt were long, the salary and commission she received in her May 2019 payslip and her sick pay.

Mrs McMahon told the tribunal: 'I said to Mr Thomas that I was working more than 48 hours a week, that it was stressing me out and that I wanted somehow to reduce my hours.'

She added this stress 'made her ill' and she believed it was her statutory right not to work more than 48 hours a week.

Two working days later, on June 4, Mrs McMahon was asked to go into the office and was met by company founder Warren Harrocks who told her she was being let go, without any explanation.

Mrs McMahon then sued, bringing claims of unfair and wrongful dismissal on the basis she was not sacked for performance issues but because she had raised concerns about working 48 hours a week.

Heron Financial told the tribunal Mrs McMahon was sacked due to performance concerns, despite them giving her a bottle of champagne as reward for her work that year.

Mrs McMahon claimed it was recognition she had 'one of the highest conversion rates in the company'.

The tribunal, held in Cambridge, heard Mrs McMahon worked for Heron Financial Limited (pictured, its offices in Rickmansworth) for two years from June 2017 as a 'New Build and Mortgage Protection Advisor'

Mr Harrocks told the tribunal he was unaware Mrs McMahon had raised the issue of working hours with Mr Thomas.

But Judge Sarah King said 'this was a small business and the directors discussed matters regularly between them'.

A text from Mr Thomas to one of his colleagues about his dealings with Mrs McMahon read: 'From memory nothing formal was made but if it was a quick chat I cannot be 100% certain as she was always moaning.

'In all aspects if she wasn't happy I did point her in yourself or Matt's direction.'

Judge King said: 'If anything this supports the fact that Mr Thomas would have referred to the directors on these issues.

'Mr Harrocks' own evidence was that... [Mrs McMahon] was very money driven and unhappy about her pay.

'This combined with Mr Thomas' comments gives the impression [Mrs McMahon] was seen as someone who complained a lot.

'In light of my findings it is the clear that during the meeting on 30th May 2019 [Mrs McMahon] asserted a number of statutory rights. Mr Thomas felt she was 'moaning' as she was 'always moaning'.

'It is clear to me that [Heron Financial] considered [Mrs McMahon] was a 'moaner' - someone who complained.

'[Heron Financial] is not going to admit it dismissed [Mrs McMahon] for inadmissible reasons but... in the absence of any other credible reason... her dismissal was because she was 'moaning'.

'I believe Mr Harrocks was aware of these matters and this was the reason or principal reason for [Mrs McMahon's] dismissal.

'I am satisfied [Mrs McMahon] was dismissed for assertion of a statutory right. That dismissal was unfair as no process was followed and there was no fair reason to dismiss [her].'

Mrs McMahon was awarded 19,552.33 for unfair dismissal and 2,736.38 for unlawful deduction from wages.

She was also awarded 586.81 for unpaid commission and sick pay and 252.41 for wrongful dismissal.
Scott Morrison remains hopeful the worst of Australia's coronavirus outbreak will be over in time for families to celebrate Christmas and Easter together.

But the Prime Minister stressed lockdowns need to work before Australians can look forward to the prospect of sitting down to Christmas lunch with their loved ones at the end of the year.

As the latest Covid outbreak worsens, he urged Australians to roll up their sleeves and get any Covid-19 vaccine they can access as soon as possible, hours after announcing Pfizer would soon be available to anyone over-16.

Vaccination efforts will ramped up around the country following the Prime Minister's announcement, but fears are already growing it will put young people off from getting AstraZeneca jabs, which are abundant and ready to go into arms.

With large swathes of the nation currently in lockdown and no end in sight, Mr Morrison hopes they'll be lifted in time for families to enjoy Christmas lunch together, along with Easter egg hunts in 2022.

He added vaccinations will play a key factor.

The Prime Minister is hopeful Australians will be able to celebrate Christmas with their loved ones of lockdowns work and people get vaccinated . Pictured is a young woman in the queue at Sydney's Qudos Bank vaccination centre

'I'm very much looking forward to that and making sure we have everybody around that table too, by doing it in the safest way possible, and I I suspect and I hope that we can achieve it a lot more before then,' Mr Morrison told A Current Affair on Thursday night.

'But that, you know, just requires us all to keep doing what we have been doing, you know, stay home if you're in a lockdown area. I mean, vaccines really make a big difference.'

"But if you're in a lockdown, the lockdown also has to work.'

He reiterated his promise of more freedom and less lockdowns once vaccination levels reach 80 per cent.

'We get to the next stage, then those who have been vaccinated, well, of course, it only makes sense - they're less of a risk to themselves and others - and so they should be exempt from certain things that may continue to apply, because they've been vaccinated,' Mr Morrison said.

'They've taken the step to protect themselves and their community. And then we get to the next level where we can start really saying goodbye to those lockdowns, because at that level, at 80 per cent vaccination, the research shows very clearly that you can do a lot of things that you can't do now and you can do it safely and you can manage COVID in the community without having to have these terrible lockdowns'

The Prime Minister reiterated calls for those in lockdown areas to stay at home to have any hope of celebrating Christmas with loved ones later this year. Pictured are shoppers in Campsie on Thursday

NSW recorded 681 new cases on day 55 of Sydney lockdown. Pictured is a heavy police presence on Woodville Road in Sydney's south-west

More than 8.6 million Australians aged between 16 and 39 will be able to book an appointment at some point in the next week for Pfizer, but with appointments already sparse for those currently eligible, there are fears many won't be able to get a slot for months.

The Prime Minister tried to dodge the question when asked whether there will be enough Pfizer to go around.

Instead, he implored Australians to not to wait for their preferred vaccine if another jab is available sooner, namely AstraZeneca, which thousands of young Aussies have had in the past few weeks in an attempt to get the nation out of lockdowns.

'Well it's not just Pfizer. There's the AstraZeneca vaccine and starting next month also the Moderna vaccine,' he told the program.

'The Moderna vaccine, which is like the Pfizer vaccine, that starts next month. There's a million doses at least there next month.'

'The most important vaccine you can get is the one you can get today and those vaccines are available today.'

He stressed all the vaccines are effective as he reiterated his message for everyone to get whatever jab accessible to them as soon as possible.

'The vaccine you can get today is the vaccine you should get,' Scott Morrison (pictured) told A Current Affair viewers

'They all do the job that they need to do, and that is stop you getting it as much as possible, stop you transmitting it, stop you from getting a very serious illness and indeed stopping you from being hospitalised and the worst extreme, a fatality,' Mr Morrison added.

'So all those vaccines do the job so my encouragement is everybody, get the vaccine available today.

'The vaccine you can get today is the vaccine you should get.'

Mr Morrison has no regrets about comments made earlier this year that the vaccination rollout wasn't a race.

NSW recorded 681 cases in the 24 hours to 8pm Wednesday, its highest number of daily new infections since the pandemic began in early 2020.

The state also administered a record 132,439 vaccinations that same day, which may have been broken today with 300,00 doses administered across Australia on Thursday.

Mr Morrison insists the rollout is now really hitting its marks with 2,500 pharmacies and thousands of GPs now on board getting jabs in arms.

'It's not how you start the race, it's how you finish it and we're finishing it very well,' he told acting ACA host Deborah Knight.

'I mean we, as you just said, over 300,000 doses in one day.'

'That's three times the size of the MCG in just one day. There are more people now eligible for the vaccine whove had their first dose than haven't had their first dose.'

Sydneysiders have answered the call to get vaccinated with long queues at vaccination hubs this week (pictured, Macquarie Fields)

The Prime Minister will wait for more advice from immunisation experts before opening up the vaccine to under-12s, despite a spike of cases in children.

Almost 750 NSW youngsters under the age of nine have been diagnosed with Covid-19 in the last fortnight alone.

'I want to stress is this. The advice we got from the Doherty Institute, the Institute, one of the best in the world that can advise on these issues, says that the best way for your child to avoid getting the virus is to ensure that you are vaccinated,' Mr Morrison said

'And that's why it's so important that we're vaccinating those in those younger age groups now, the parents age groups, and to ensure that they're vaccinated because they are most likely to contract that virus from an adult in a household.'

He was tight-lipped regarding plans to secure more supplies similar to the one million Pfozer doses from Poland but said he's leaving no stone unturned,

'When I'm in a position to announce anything further then I will, but we'll, we're working at it every single day,' Mr Morrison said.

But let's also know that in September, we've already got those Moderna doses coming. In October, we've also got far more Pfizer and the other doses available.

'It really ramps up now over the next few months. But we're already achieving rates, as I said, three times the number of people you could put in the MCG vaccinated in one day. That's what we've achieved today. Now, that's an extraordinary outcome.

'I hope it's just saying to people, look, let's keep going. We're getting there, each day we're getting closer.'

Australians who want the Pfizer vaccine are urged to consider AstraZeneca or Moderna if they can book an earlier appointment. Pictured are queues at the Macquarie Fields vaccination hub

Mr Morrison insists there will more freedoms once 80 per cent of the Australian adult population are vaccinated, despite some states such as Western Australia setting their own vaccine targets and lockdown rules.

'All the states and territories have agreed to those 70 and 80 per cent targets, and there's a good reason for that, because when you reach those levels, with some basic protections in the community, then you can manage COVID-19 in the community,' Mr Morrison said.

'That commitment is made by all the states and territories.'

'When in your own state, if there's seven, eight out of 10 people whove been vaccinated who are less of a risk to themselves of contracting the virus, of transmitting it, getting a serious illness, all of these things, they've done the right thing, they've adhered by the lockdowns, they've done all the hard work, well, when they get to that level, it's a very reasonable expectation that their leaders will follow through on the commitments theyve made.'

Young Australians wait in line for a Pfizer jab at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney on Thursday

Australia's top scientists have advised Australians over 18 in places with Covid-19 outbreaks to get the AstraZeneca vaccine, which carries an extremely low risk of blood clotting as a side effect.

Tens of thousands have taken up the offer but many have decided to wait for Pfizer, which is not as strongly linked to blood clots in young people.

Mr Morrison said young Australians would be able to book their Pfizer appointments at some point in the next week.

'I want to stress, do not make a booking yet. We will advise when bookings can be made,' he announced earlier in the afternoon.

'It isn't today. Not today. We will advise when the time will come over the course of the next week.'

Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory are already offering Pfizer to people under 40 in their state-run clinics.

The expansion announced today means Pfizer will be available for young people in GPs which are regulated by the Commonwealth.

Over the last 24 hours, 309,010 Australians stepped forward to be vaccinated. As of Thursday 28.2 per cent of Australians over 16 have been fully jabbed.

Half of the nation has received at least one dose, which Mr Morrison described as a major milestone.
A growing proportion of NSW residents with COVID-19 are waiting more than a day to be interviewed by contact tracers.

About a quarter (24 per cent) of the 3134 cases detected last week were not interviewed within a day.

That's up from 10 per cent a fortnight earlier when daily case totals were averaging about 215.

About half of all cases last week remain unlinked to known clusters.

24 per cent of the 3134 cases detected last week were not interviewed within a day, as the toll of NSW's Covid cases is becoming more evident (pictured, testing in Sydney's Double Bay)

Results from pathology have also slowed with nearly one-third of positive cases last week (32 per cent) being notified of their positive status after more than 24 hours, up from 23 per cent two weeks earlier.

The data was released by NSW Health hours before it revealed the state had found a record 681 cases in a single day.

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Marianne Gale said the state had 'absolutely' surged its efforts in contact tracing.

'We have redeployed staff and grown that capacity. As and when needed, we'll call on assistance from other states, as has happened to date,' she told reporters on Thursday.

Epidemiologist Catherine Bennett said all tracing systems reached a point where the sheer number of cases were overwhelming.

Results from pathology have also slowed with nearly one-third of positive cases last week (32 per cent) being notified of their positive status after more than 24 hours (pictured, shoppers in Burwood)

'It's a truism that the quality of your contact tracing reaches a point where sheer case numbers challenges it,' Deakin University's Chair in Epidemiology told AAP on Thursday.

'Even if you scale up your response, it still challenges you.'

This situation was a different dynamic to Victoria's well-known contact tracing issues during its major 2020 outbreak, Professor Bennett said.

In Victoria, tracers' computer systems weren't up to scratch and a high proportion of cases were in aged care facilities.

'While there is a very big job in trying to manage those outbreaks in aged care, it's not the same as someone who has come in with symptoms who might have been an essential worker, at home and doing other things that you have to follow up,' Prof Bennett said.

But the NSW community had done an amazing job of keeping the reproductive rate at 1.3 for a month, she said.

Delta unrestrained has a natural reproduction rate in the realm of five or six new cases per infection.

Epidemiologist Catherine Bennett said all tracing systems reached a point where the sheer number of cases were overwhelming (pictured, a woman queues for a Covid vaccine at the Qudos Bank centre on Thursday)

'That's an extraordinary effort - and that's everyone's effort, not just the health department,' she said.

'Melbourne at the moment hasn't got it down to 1.3.'

Restrictive measures were working but people just had to hold on and ensure they took no chances, such as having dinner at another home, she said.

'If people are hearing that contact tracing can't keep up, then know that's exactly why lockdown is so important and why that's going to carry more of the weight ... of containing this virus,' Prof Bennett said.

'The contact tracing can't work in the same way when you get to these numbers.

'It's still there, it's still important but it's just not going to be quite the same.'
Lisa Wilkinson has ruthlessly slammed Gladys Berejiklian for letting the state's Covid crisis spiral out of control, calling the New South Wales Premier's leadership a 'bin fire' and demanding she step down.

The Project host said the situation in Sydney is 'completely farcical' after a record 681 new cases were reported on Thursday, along with yet another death as the city prepares for its ninth-straight week in lockdown.

'The whole state needs a complete reset and if Gladys Berejiklian isn't up to the job, then she needs to step aside and make room for somebody who is up to the job, because she's stuffed this up,' Wilkinson said.

The Project's Lisa Wilkinson said Sydney's Covid crisis has become 'completely farcical' as she slammed Gladys Berejiklian

She took aim at the embattled leader's 'unwatchable' daily press conferences where the same confusing public health messaging is being repeated.

The TV star also doubled down on criticism that the premier has been 'soft' with restrictions, slowly easing the state into tough rules since June while the virus spreads out of control.

'On a day when NSW is recording its highest numbers of the pandemic, another family is grieving a loved one, Gladys Berejiklian makes no new restrictions,' Wilkinson said.

'She's doing nothing, the soft lockdown continues and we're all scratching our heads trying to work out if she's not going to do anything more, why is she continuing with this same rhetoric?'

Ms Berejiklian, instead of cracking down, told the state's residents to remain hopeful insisting that she 'can see the light at the end of the tunnel' despite the pandemic-high case numbers.

'NSW is up to 5.5 million jabs. When we get to six million jabs, those that are vaccinated will have the opportunity to do something that they can't do now,' she said.

'Once we get to mid-November we expect 80 per cent of the population to be fully vaccinated. It gives enormous opportunities for greater freedoms than we do today.

'I know these are challenging times, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.'

Sydneysiders lounging on Bondi Beach are approached by mounted police enforcing lockdown restrictions - with Sydneysiders having spent nearly two months in lockdown

Lisa Wilkinson (right) ruthlessly slammed Gladys Berejiklian (left) for letting the state's Covid crisis spiral out of control, calling the NSW Premier's leadership a 'bin fire' and demanding she step down

Members of the public sit on benches at Bronte Beach in Sydney as millions endure nearly two months in lockdown - with no end in sight

Wilkinson took aim at the Premier's flowery rhetoric complaining that she is not giving the public 'granular information' about why the case numbers are so high.

'That light she can see at the end of the tunnel, we can all see it too - it's a complete bin fire. And somebody else needs to step in,' she quipped.

Fellow host Waleed Aly said he still can't figure out why there are varying levels of lockdown restrictions across Sydney, as the rules are creating a divide in the community.

'I get they're not all in the same place but if you want to keep a city together, if you want to be going through it together, and you don't want to be catching up to where the cases are going, you need to be stopping cases getting there in the first place,' Aly said.

NSW recorded its worst day since the start of the Covid pandemic with 681 new infections, prompting Ms Berejiklian to announce the extension of lockdown measures in the regions and said 'we cant pretend' the state will ever get back to zero cases.

The premier said all of NSW would remain under stay-at-home orders likely far beyond August 28 after announcing 48 more cases than the previous day's record tally - and another death.

The man in his 80s from Sydney's south-east died at St George Hospital on Wednesday.

Of the new cases, 59 were contagious in the community and the isolation status of 459 infections is still a mystery to contact tracers.

The source of infection for 511 cases is still under investigation.

A record 110,000 vaccinations were administered across NSW in the last 24 hours  and Ms Berejikilian said the state was on target to fully immunise 70 per cent of its population by the end of October.

Hundreds of people wait in line for their Covid-19 vaccine at the South Western Sydney vaccination centre at Macquarie Fields on Thursday

A record 110,000 vaccinations were administered across NSW in the last 24 hours  and Ms Berejikilian said the state was on target to fully immunise 70 per cent of its population by the end of October. Pictured: The South Western Sydney vaccination centre at Macquarie Fields

'Once we get to the end of October we expect 70 per cent of the population to be fully vaccinated,' she said.

'Once we get to mid November we expect that figure to reach 80 per cent.

'It gives enormous opportunities for greater freedoms than we do today.'

She said NSW's eight million residents 'need to learn to live with Delta' and accept Australia may never fully eradicate the highly-contagious strain of the virus.

'We need to come to terms with the fact that when you get to a certain level of vaccination and open up, Delta will creep in,' she said.

'We can't pretend that we will ever have zero cases again in Australia.'

The 681 cases recorded on Thursday is the highest daily increase in infections since the pandemic began in NSW

Police and ADF personnel are pictured patrolling the Bankstown LGA in Sydney's south-west on Thursday. A man in his 80s has died from Covid-19 in Sydney as NSW's Delta outbreak grew by a record 681 cases on Thursday

Authorities extended regional NSW's lockdown - in line with the expiry date for Greater Sydney's stay-at-home restrictions - after another 25 cases were found in the state's west.

'There are vast areas of regional NSW where there are not any cases but we have the opportunity to get down to zero cases in the regions,' she said.

'That is what we want to achieve, and therefore we need to take that precaution.'

The state has now administered 5.5 million Covid-19 jabs - only 500,000 doses short of the premier's target of six million vaccines in arms across NSW by the end of August.

Ms Berejiklian has flagged easing lockdown in areas with high vaccination rates once that figure is reached.

But she refused to say what life could look like beyond September 1 other than saying vaccinated residents would have freedoms 'better than what we are experiencing today'.

Police officers wearing face masks man a Covid-19 compliance road block in the suburb of Guildford on Thursday as cops ramp up patrols

Members of the public exercise at Bronte Beach in Sydney on Thursday with lockdown rules likely to drag on for months

'I know everybody is waiting to know what life looks like after we had 6 million jabs - and more importantly, what September and October looks like,' she said.

'We are working on those proposals as we speak.'

The premier reiterated that high vaccination rates are key to ending lockdowns and curbing surging infections.

'When we are at 80 per cent vaccination, decisions will need to be made as to how freely we can live,' Ms Berejiklian said.

'It will depend on the case numbers, but life will be much freer than what it is now.'

NSW Health said 463 of the new cases were found in west and south-west Sydney.

The vast majority of the new infections were found in Merrylands, Guildford, Auburn, Granville, Lidcombe, Greenacre and Blacktown.

Another 74 cases were found in the Nepean Blue Mountains region and 63 were detected in the central Sydney local health district.

NSW Police issued 671 fines across the state in the last 24 hours - including 393 to residents who left home without a reasonable excuse.
The meltdown in Afghanistan will 'inspire' terrorists and represents an 'opportunity' for al Qaida, Ben Wallace warned today.

The Defence Secretary said the Taliban taking power will be seen as a 'victory' by extremists around the world.

And he cautioned that the West will now have to 'tool up' to counter a potential resurgence from the group founded by Osama bin Laden.

The grim message came as the fallout from the US withdrawal and collapse of the Afghan government continues. Thousands of foreign citizens and Afghan allies are desperately trying to evacuate the country from the airport at Kabul.

In interviews today, Ben Wallace said the Taliban taking power will be seen as a 'victory' by extremists around the world

Taliban fighters patrolling the streets of Kabul yesterday after the government collapsed

Theresa May was among the senior MPs warning during a Commons debate yesterday that Afghanistan could again become a 'breeding ground for terrorism' - the reason for the original invasion in 2001.

In a round of interviews this morning, Mr Wallace repeated his view that the US decision to withdraw abruptly from the country had been misguided.

And he suggested that the consequences will be felt for a long time to come.

'Around the world Islamists will see what they will view as a victory. That will inspire other terrorists,' Mr Wallace told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

Mr Wallace said 'cyber geography' was now more important that territory, as extremists organise online. He also insisted he hoped that the Taliban would be unwilling to host terrorist groups as they try to rebuild links with the rest of the world.

But he said: 'I don't think anyone's denied that al Qaida is potentially going to look on this as an opportunity.

'We will have to, obviously, gear up, tool up; we already have capabilities to deal with some of that.'

Thousands of British nationals and Afghan allies have been trying to get out of the country after the government dramatically collapsed and the Taliban took charge.

There have been grim scenes of women pleading to be let through the gates at the airport, and even reports of babies being passed over the railings by mothers.

UK ambassador Laurie Bristow, who has stayed in Kabul to process applications, has warned that there could only be 'days' left to evacuate people, with the extremists now controlling all access points.

Around 10,000 Afghan staff who helped the Western forces over the past year are now expected to come to the UK.

Theresa May was among the senior MPs warning during a Commons debate yesterday that Afghanistan could again become a 'breeding ground for terrorism'

Troops board a Voyager plane at RAF Brize Norton yesterday, bound to help with the operation in the Afghan capital

The Government has also announced Britain will take 20,000 Afghans under a resettlement scheme, with 5,000 due to be accepted in the next 12 months. Women and girls as well as religious minorities and others facing persecution will be prioritised.

Downing Street said the Government will be encouraging international partners to emulate 'one of the most generous asylum schemes in British history'  but Labour said the offer was not bold enough.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab is facing a huge backlash today after it emerged help for Afghan interpreters might have been delayed because he was on holiday in Crete last week.

The Daily Mail revealed that Foreign Office officials urged Mr Raab to call Afghan foreign minister Hanif Atmar on Friday  two days before the Taliban marched on Kabul  only for him to be 'unavailable' while on holiday.

The Afghan foreign ministry then apparently refused to arrange a call with a junior minister, pushing it back to the next day.

The Foreign Office said: 'The Foreign Secretary was engaged on a range of other calls and this one was delegated to another minister.'
Professor Adam Finn said the JCVI 'carefully and continuously' looking at safety data from other countries on jabbing youngsters, JCVI member Professor Adam Finn said.

Expanding Britain's Covid vaccine roll-out to include everyone over the age of 12 has not been ruled out, one of No10's scientific advisers said today.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is 'carefully and continuously' looking at data emerging on vaccinating youngsters from other countries, such as the US and Israel.

The expert panel, which guides ministers on the inoculation drive, has already U-turned to say that all 16 and 17 year olds should get jabbed.

But JCVI member Professor Adam Finn said it is 'hard to predict' whether the group will also recommend it to 12 to 15-year-olds. He admitted the decision was a 'tricky one'.

Just two months ago, the JCVI insisted there was no evidence to say the benefits of vaccinating children outweighed the risks, given that youngsters face such a low risk of dying or falling seriously ill.

The major safety concern centres on a heart condition called myocarditis, which is a known complication with Pfizer's vaccine.

The side effect, a type of heart inflammation that appears to strike after the second dose, is more common in teenage boys and affects up to one in 20,000 youngsters given the jab. However, most cases are mild, health chiefs insist.

With Pfizer's vaccine currently being the only one British children are eligible to get, experts have raised concerns about the risks.

UK officials have also yet to make firm plans for children to get top-ups. They want to wait for more safety data about myocarditis before pressing ahead.

But health chiefs have hinted that it is more likely than not all over-12s will be offered a coronavirus vaccine in the coming months.

It comes as the UK's medicines watchdog approved the Moderna jab for over-12s this week, after approving Pfizer for use in the same group in June. But officials have yet to formally recommend it for use in the current roll-out.

The Government has not yet given a timeline on when 16 and 17-year-olds can start coming forward for jabs. But even if the roll-out out to older teenagers begin straight away, there will only be time to give them one dose by the time the school year begins on September 6

Decision on Britain's Covid booster vaccine programme could be made TODAY No10's top vaccine advisory group will meet today to discuss whether or not all Britons should be offered booster Covid vaccines this autumn. Health chiefs say a decision is expected 'imminently', with experts now trying to agree on exactly who will need a top-up jab. But one adviser on the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which guides ministers on the roll-out, today hinted only a fraction of the population - the most vulnerable - will be offered boosters. Professor Adam Finn warned more evidence was needed before the panel can make a 'firm decision on a much broader booster programme'. He said giving third doses to entire age groups won't 'make very much difference' in the fight against the virus. Meanwhile, the US yesterday confirmed that top-up jabs will be available for all over-18s from September 20. The British Government wants to follow suit, and has laid out plans to dish out boosters at the same time as the flu vaccine at the start of next month. But ministers won't press ahead with any move until they receive the advice from the JCVI. Experts have questioned whether top-ups are even needed yet, saying there is no concrete evidence that protection given by two doses has started to wane. This is despite a major study today showing double-jabbed Brits who catch the Delta Covid variant are just as likely to spread the virus as the unvaccinated. A World Health Organization boss yesterday compared booster roll-outs to giving life jackets to people who already have them, while others drown. The same argument  that extra doses should be given to third-world countries  was used to argue against vaccinating children. Advertisement

Asked if the vaccination programme in the UK might soon include 12 to 15-year-olds, Professor Finn told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'Hard to predict the answer on that. We're very focused on what's happening elsewhere.

'We are concerned about the safety signal, the myocarditis signal.

'And we are recognising increasingly that actually children, even adolescents, really very seldom get seriously ill with Covid, so that it makes it a very marginal decision that they will benefit by being immunised.

'So we are obviously looking at that very carefully and continuously, but hard to predict really which way that's going to go.'

He said vaccinating children to protect more vulnerable groups, such as their grandparents, is 'a tricky one'.

Professor Finn, who is also an expert in paediatrics at the University of Bristol, said: 'To immunise a child for the benefit of other family members who themselves can be protected by being immunised, you know, that begins to become slightly tricky to decide.

'I think we're all much more comfortable immunising people where they actually themselves benefit from the immunisation and that that's clear cut.'

Health chiefs have already hinted 12 to 15-year-olds could be offered the jab in the future.

Professor Van-Tam, England's Deputy Chief Medical Officer said at a news conference earlier this month that 'it is more likely rather than less likely that that list will broaden over time as data becomes available' as the JCVI continues to review emerging evidence.

As it stands, children aged 12 to 15 are only eligible if they have a severe neurodisability, Down's syndrome, underlying conditions resulting in immunosuppression, profound or multiple learning disabilities, severe learning disabilities, or those who are on the learning disability register.

The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency approved the Pfizer jabs for over-12s in June and on Tuesday said the Moderna vaccine is also 'safe and effective' in the new age groups.

Several countries around the world are already vaccinating over-12s  including the US, Israel, France, Spain and Germany  making the UK the outlier for picking the over-16s age group.

Studies found the jabs to be safe and effective for over-12s, leading Pfizer and Modern to trial their jabs in under-11s.

And University of Oxford scientists are testing the AstraZeneca jab on children as young as six.

But some have pushed back on younger groups being jabbed, because they tend to have no or mild symptoms.

Fewer than 30 under-18s have died of Covid in the UK since the pandemic began  which scientists say is the equivalent of around one in 500,000 who get infected.

But scientists say immunising children will slow the spread of the virus, reduce numbers having to take time off school to isolate and build up immunity across the population.

But UK health chiefs are being cautious due to reports of rare heart inflammation conditions.

Data from the US shows those aged 12-17 are at the most risk of developing the heart problem after a Covid jab, compared to other age groups.

In that group, 10 cases of myocarditis were reported per million first doses given. This rises to 67 per million after the second dose. Most people recovered quickly.

There are no specific causes of the conditions but they are usually triggered by a virus.

The British Heart Foundation says in some cases, myocarditis can affect the heart's electrical system, stopping it from pumping properly. 'This can cause an abnormal heart rhythm, known as an arrhythmia,' it claims.

But British regulators insist the 250 cases seen among Pfizer recipients are 'typically mild'. Affected patients recover 'within a short time with standard treatment'.
The family of a 14-year-old girl killed in a stampede at Kabul Airport have released this shocking photograph of her shrouded body to draw attention to the plight of the Afghans desperate to leave the country.

High school student Marzia Rahmati dreamt of a new life outside Afghanistan with her parents and younger siblings and the family had secured visas to travel to nearby Tajikistan, where they had relatives.

Marzia is believed to be one of the youngest of the 12 victims who have died in the disorder at Kabul Airport since the Taliban took over.

But when the crowd panicked at the sound of gunfire on Monday, just hours after the Taliban seized Kabul, Marzia became separated from her parents and fell to the ground, suffering multiple internal injuries as she was trampled to death.

Her aunt, Zakia Ahmadi, 28, said the family were 'devastated' by her death but added: 'We want people to see what is really happening here right now, a little girl is dead because the world turned away from us.

High school student Marzia Rahmati, 14, was killed in a stampede as gunfire rang out at Kabul airport on Monday

Footage shared by Marzia's family shows crowds at the airport panicking as gunshots are heard and a US soldier can be heard shouting: 'Get the f*** down'

People chasing after a USAF C-17 cargo jet at Kabul airport on Monday, when thousands poured onto the runway for a chance to flee the Taliban

'My sister Fatima, Marzia's mother, and her family wanted their daughter to continue her education, and were worried that wouldn't be possible under the Taliban?

'They had all the right documents to leave the country, but in all the chaos at the airport, they didn't have a chance. The crowd was rushing all over the place and then there was gunfire and everyone panicked.

'Marzia's father Mustafa and her mother were protecting their two younger children, a boy and a girl when the people started running and Marzia became separated from them and was knocked down in the rush.

'When her father got to her she was barely alive and he carried her for a long time before they were able to get medical help.

'She received a lot of bruises all over her and there was internal bleeding, and in hospital they put cotton wool to absorb the blood coming from her nose and mouth, but she died soon after arriving there.'

Marzia's mother Fatima, 32, was also injured in the crush, but later released from hospital.

Zakia said her niece, a gifted student, was a year 9 pupil at a girls' school and dreamed of being a teacher. Her father Mustafa, 38, worked for a local NGO as a programme coordinator.

She added: 'The family were so desperate to get out of the country that they took Marzia out of school, missing exams, because they thought this might be their last chance to leave. Now they are broken. '

U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to the 10th Mountain Division stand security at Hamid Karzai International Airport, in Kabul, on Monday

Hundreds of people gather near a U.S. Air Force C-17 transport plane at the perimeter of the international airport in Kabul on Monday

Marzia's parents had secured visas for the family to travel to nearby Tajikistan, where they had relatives

A total of at least 12 people have been killed in and around Kabul airport since Sunday, according to a Taliban official today.

The official, quoted anonymously by Reuters, said the deaths were either caused by gunshots or stampedes.

He urged the crowds at the gates to go home if they did not have the right to travel and said the Taliban 'don't want to hurt' anyone at the airport.

Shocking scenes of chaos have been seen each day as thousands clamour to leave the country.

The airport itself remains under US control but the Taliban have set up a ring of steel around the surrounding roads, controlling all access. Witnesses have reported armed members of the jihadist group preventing people  even those with travel documents  from entering the compound.
The European Union has condemned what it called Belarus' 'aggressive behaviour' in organising illegal border crossings with migrants into Latvia, Lithuania and Poland with the aim of destabilising the 27-nation bloc.

So far this year, more than 4,100 asylum-seekers, most of them from Iraq, have illegally crossed from Belarus into Lithuania.

That's 50 times more than during all of 2020 and they're being sheltered in temporary camps across the Baltic EU member.

It comes after the Lithuanian border force released video footage in which it claims Belarusian police officers in riot gear illegally pushed migrants over their border.

The European Union has condemned what it called Belarus' 'aggressive behaviour' in organising illegal border crossings with migrants into Latvia, Lithuania and Poland with the aim of destabilising the 27-nation bloc. Pictured: Lithuanian border force released footage in which they claim Belarus police in riot gear illegally pushed migrants over their border

Poland said Wednesday it had deployed nearly 1,000 troops to its border with Belarus to help border guards cope with a surge of migrants - again mostly from Iraq - who were trying to enter the country.

'This aggressive behaviour is unacceptable and amounts to a direct attack aimed at destabilising and pressurising the EU,' said a statement by Slovenia, which holds the bloc's rotating presidency until the end of the year, after emergency talks among the bloc's interior ministers.

'The European Union will need to further consider its response to these situations in order to increase its effectiveness and to deter any future attempts to instrumentalise illegal migration in this manner,' the statement said.

The migrant movements spiked dramatically after the EU slapped sanctions on Belarus officials.

In the footage, a line of migrants could be seen being directed by a large group of police personnel

The migrant movements spiked dramatically after the EU slapped sanctions on Belarus officials. The measures were imposed after President Alexander Lukashenko (pictured) ordered a crackdown on opponents and protesters after claiming victory in a vote last year that the West denounced as rigged

The measures were imposed after President Alexander Lukashenko ordered a crackdown on opponents and protesters after claiming victory in a vote last year that the West denounced as rigged. His main election challenger fled to Lithuania.

Slovenia said EU nations are 'determined to take all necessary measures to effectively protect all the EU external borders, by counteracting Belarus' aggression.'

The issue has become more acute in the light of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan that was completed on Sunday, with many Afghans trying to flee the country, fearing reprisals.

EU member states are nervous about a replay of Europe's 2015/16 migration crisis when the chaotic arrival of more than a million people from the Middle East stretched security and welfare systems and fuelled support for far-right groups.

A long row of police officers, donning riot gear and holding shields could be seen in formation in the footage

After talks with Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte on Wednesday, EU Parliament President David Sassoli (pictured) accused Lukashenko of 'exploiting these poor people, men and women'

The ministers, without direct reference to Afghanistan, said there was 'a need to strengthen the entire external border' of the EU to prevent illegal crossings in the future.

No details about how that might happen were provided.

Many of the migrants were believed to have arrived in Belarus by plane on commercial flights from Iraq. Those flights have stopped for now, perhaps in part due to the EU's threat to impose visa restrictions on Iraqi citizens and officials.

Still, Lithuania's border guard released video footage on Wednesday which it said reveals that migrants are being pushed across the border into EU territory by Belarus riot police.

Another video showed several people cross into Lithuania and immediately return to Belarus to be filmed by Belarus officials.

After talks with Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte on Wednesday, EU Parliament President David Sassoli accused Lukashenko of 'exploiting these poor people, men and women.'

On Tuesday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel (pictured) and Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas accused Lukashenko of launching a 'hybrid attack' against the bloc by channelling migrants to Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Poland in retaliation for the EU's sanctions

Poland said Wednesday it had deployed nearly 1,000 troops to its border with Belarus to help border guards cope with a surge of migrants. Pictured: File image of Lithuanian army soldiers installing razer wire on its border with Belarus on July 9, 2021

'I have seen these outrageous actions when officials push people across the border. It is both an issue of human rights, and also a question of protecting the border of the EU,' Sassoli said. 'It is an organized activity of the Lukashenko regime.'

On Tuesday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas accused Lukashenko of launching a 'hybrid attack' against the bloc by channelling migrants to Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Poland in retaliation for the EU's sanctions.

Kallas said 'this is no refugee crisis, but this is a hybrid attack on the European Union.'

Merkel said she would raise the issue with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Friday.

Belarus depends heavily on Russian energy supplies and Moscow has authorized loans to prop up the country's beleaguered economy.
Elderly locals have succeeded in foiling plans for a home for vulnerable children because they say it would 'spoil their quiet village'.

The OAPs said the proposal would lower the tone of the area and the children would 'get bored, shout and get up to mischief' if the plans were to go ahead.

The proposal was put forward by Envisage Children's Care Ltd who have since withdrawn the plans after more than 20 neighbouring residents complained to Stafford Borough Council.

The company had hoped to create a home for up to three vulnerable teens at a time in the three-bedroom detached house in Longton Road, Barlaston.

But the community objected, claiming 'youngsters are noisy by their very nature' and even suggesting the local train tracks may encourage the youngsters to commit suicide.

One Longton Road resident said: 'I am very concerned about the whole situation. I have lived in Barlaston for 43 years and would like to end my days here.

'This is predominantly a retired community with few children living locally with very little infrastructure for them, so the potential for boredom is high with all the things that can follow and have done in the same situations elsewhere. There is nothing round here for them to do except get up to mischief.

Neighbouring Elderly locals from Longton Road, in Barlaston (pictured), have succeeded in foiling plans for a vulnerable children's home because they say it would 'spoil the quiet village'

'I have difficulty getting in and out of my drive as it is and if more cars become used we will have extra noise and disruption and parking of cars. I will also have to increase my security such as locked gates and cameras. I have become very nervous of the situation.'

Another Longton Road resident added: 'This is a very quiet village. Youngsters are noisy by their very nature, they shout at each other and listen to loud music and are generally disruptive.

'I do not feel that this proposal is sensible and does not meet the complex needs of the young people who are intended to live in this home.

'There are a few shops in walking distance, accessed across a railway line, which has a history of having suicides taking place there, therefore it is not a place suitable for unsupervised troubled teenagers.'

Other concerns raised included lack of Saturday job opportunities and that the plans would attract more cars to the area.

The objections attracted accusations of snobbery and 'NIMBY-ism' on social media with one person writing: 'What horrible people to refuse it. I hope when they end their days it's alone.'

But BA BarryNorman replied: 'My wife works in one of these homes and the kids are a nightmare, they attract bad behaviour and always find the local wrong ones to mix with.

'All those talking about snobbery would be singing a different tune if the council/agency bought a property next door to their house and believe me that's what happens with the small group homes and you would not know anything about it until it was too late.'

Longton Road is just a five-minute drive from Barlaston Hall (pictured), a country mansion dating from 1756, which was bought by the Wedgewood Pottery company in the 1930s

A statement detailing the plans submitted as part of the application said the home would help youngsters 'integrate properly into the community', and enable them to 'build strong relationships with their carers'.

None of the children would have behavioural disorders or learning difficulties, the document adds.

Longton Road is just a five-minute drive from Barlaston Hall, a country mansion dating from 1756 and overlooking the River Trent, which was bought by the Wedgewood Pottery company in the 1930s and was restored by Save Britain's Heritage in the 1980s.

World-famous Wedgwood Pottery had built a factory and opened a museum tracing the firm's history in another part of the village - which has about 2,800 residents - in 1938.
A brave mother who threw her baby out of the path of an oncoming car moments before it ploughed into her was left with life changing injuries that forced doctors to amputate her leg.

Ruby Flanagan, 24, from Wallasey, Merseyside, was carrying her five-month-old son Leon over a zebra crossing towards an Aldi store when she spotted the approaching Mercedes and threw her baby out of harm's way at around 2.20pm on August 16.

The nurse, who was crushed between the Mercedes and a Volkswagen, was airlifted to Aintree University Hospital after the crash and had to have her right leg amputated and the other leg put into a stabilising cage.

Sister-in-law Chelsea Clarke said Ms Flanagan was 'traumatised' when she woke up and found her right leg had been amputated.

She added there are now fears that she could still lose her other leg due to multiple fractures.

Ruby Flanagan (pictured with her partner Leon and their baby who is also called Leon), 24, from Wallasey, Merseyside, was carrying her five-month-old son when she spotted the approaching Mercedes and threw her baby out of harm's way

Ms Clarke told the Liverpool Echo: 'The way she threw baby Leon out the way of danger was amazing and heroic.

'It just shows the type of person she is, always putting other people before herself.'

She added: 'It's so sad because she was so excited to go to Aldi and get avocados, broccoli and all the foods to blend together and wean baby Leon.

'She went there so excited and was involved in such a traumatic and tragic accident.'

Immediately after the incident, workers from shops in the retail park leapt to Ms Flanagan's aid before the emergency services arrived.

One staff member wrapped her legs up and ripped open bedding quilts to make her feel more comfortable while police officers ran to get baby Leon blankets and dummies.

Ms Clarke said her sister-in-law will now have to undergo a long rehabilitation process with more surgeries.

She said: 'She was worrying about how she would be able to pay the mortgage, bills and look after her baby.

'She was due to go back to work next month after being on maternity and unfortunately the injury will mean she won't be able to return to work.

'Her partner Leon Clarke will also be unable to work as he will need to care for their little boy while she stays In hospital and even when she's home recovering.

'It's going to be a long rehabilitation process with more surgeries, physio and prosthetics.'

Merseyside Police said the driver of the silver Mercedes stopped at the scene and is assisting police with enquiries.

Ms Flanagan (pictured with her partner and their baby Leon) had to have her right leg amputated after the crash

Sister-in-law Chelsea Clarke (pictured) and her sister Carly, 27, decided to set up a GoFundMe page for Ms Flanagan

In a statement they said: 'At around 2.20pm on August 16, we received a report of a road traffic collision in Bidston Moss Retail Park.

'It was reported that a pedestrian was hit by a car, a silver Mercedes, which also collided with the car in front, a blue Volkswagen.

'Emergency services attended and the pedestrian, a woman in her 20s, was taken to hospital for life-changing injuries. She remains in hospital in a condition described as critical but stable.

'The pedestrian was reported to be carrying her infant child at the time of the incident. The child did not suffer any injuries.

'The driver of the silver Mercedes stopped at the scene and is assisting police with enquiries. CCTV and witness enquiries into the incident are ongoing.'

Roads Policing Sergeant Amy Murray said: 'We're asking anyone who was in Bidston Moss Retail Park who may have witnessed the collision yesterday evening to contact us.

'If you captured mobile phone or dashcam footage of the incident then please get in touch as any information you have could prove vital to our investigation.

'Whether you choose to get information to us directly or anonymously, through Crimestoppers, any information you provide will be acted upon.'

The mother was airlifted to Aintree University Hospital after the crash on August 16

Ms Clarke and her sister Carly, 27, decided to set up a GoFundMe page for the family as the specialist medical care Ms Flanagan will need could incur high private medical bills, multiple therapies and prosthetics.

She continued: 'Ruby's home also needs adjustments made to ensure she has the best possible recovery and the smoothest transition back home when she can eventually return.

'I know money doesn't solve everything, but in this situation it really will as it will give the family the best possible chance.

'Ruby adores her partner and baby and is the kindest person you would ever meet, she would do anything for anyone.

'We're heartbroken after the crash and just want to put her at ease.'

To donate to the GoFundMe page, click here.
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The Plymouth gunman shot dead five people following a row with his mother, an inquest heard today.

Jake Davison, 22, killed his mother Maxine Davison, 51, at her home in the Keyham area of the Devon city before going outside and shooting dead four others in the 12-minute attack on the evening of August 12.

Three-year-old Sophie Martyn and her father Lee, 43, were shot dead in front of horrified onlookers as they walked their pet dog. Davison then shot Stephen Washington, 59, in a nearby park, before shooting Kate Shepherd, 66.

The apprentice crane operator - who was obsessed with 'incel' culture, meaning 'involuntary celibate', as well as having an interest in guns and the US - then turned the gun on himself before armed officers reached him.

The senior investigating officer in the case said today that Mrs Davidson 'sustained fatal gunshot wounds following an argument with her son' - but did not specify what the row was about.

Jake Davison, 22, killed five people in Plymouth, Devon, last Thursday evening before turning the gun on himself

Davison killed his mother Maxine Davison, 51, at a house at the start of his murderous rampage through Keyham, Plymouth

During a 10-minute hearing today, Ian Arrow, senior coroner for Plymouth, Torbay and South Devon, formally opened the inquests into Davison's victims.

He also received evidence from police of identification and the brief circumstances of their deaths.

Pope sends message of 'closeness and blessing' to families of victims The Pope has sent a message of 'spiritual closeness and blessing' to the families of the victims of the Plymouth shooting. The killings have shocked the community to the core, with many places of worship and other neighbourhood hubs opening their doors to offer support. A letter to the Catholic Bishop of Plymouth, Mark O'Toole, on Tuesday, sent via Cardinal Pietro Parolin, read: 'Saddened to learn of last Thursday's shooting in Plymouth, his Holiness Pope Francis asks you kindly to convey to those affected the assurance of his spiritual closeness. 'He joins you in commending the souls of those who died to Almighty God's loving mercy and he implores the divine gifts of healing and consolation upon the injured and bereaved.' The letter continued: 'With prayers that Christ the Redeemer will grant to all the strength to renounce violence and to overcome every evil with good. His Holiness cordially imparts his apostolic blessing.' Pope Francis's letter comes in the wake of a service led by the Anglican Bishop of Plymouth, Right Reverend Nick McKinnel, in which he urged people to 'rise above' the need to find someone to blame. Among those attending were Shaun Sawyer, chief constable of Devon and Cornwall Police, Councillor Terri Beer, the Lord Mayor of Plymouth, council leader, Nick Kelly, and local MP, Luke Pollard. The bishop praised the emergency services for rushing to the scene not knowing what they faced. 'We appreciate and admire the calm leadership of the chief constable and the professionalism of those who serve under him,' Bishop McKinnel said. 'And I hope we can rise above the apparent need to always point the finger, always to find someone to blame, which is such an unattractive aspect of our culture. 'There should be anger, but let us direct it at those who disseminate hate and feed on the insecurities, isolation and bitterness of confused and sick people.' Advertisement

Detective Steve Hambly, the senior investigating officer, told the hearing all five had died from shotgun wounds and the results of histology and toxicology tests were pending.

He said Mrs Davison, a former trawler woman, had died at her home address in Biddick Drive, in the Keyham area of the city.

'The circumstances of her death are that Maxine sustained fatal gunshot wounds following an argument with her son,' he told the court.

'Police are not looking for any other persons in connection with Maxine's death. On present evidence the medical cause of death has been ascertained as shotgun wounds to the torso and head.'

Mr Hambly said Mr Martyn, a married carpenter, was shot dead in Biddick Drive.

'The circumstances of his death was while walking with his daughter Sophie and the family dog, Lee was fatally shot by an assailant who was not known to him,' the officer said.

'The police are not looking for any other persons in connection with Lee's death. By present evidence the medical cause of death has been ascertained as gunshot wounds to the torso and head.'

Referring to Mr Martyn's daughter, the detective went on: 'Sophie died on Biddick Drive on August 12 and the circumstances of her death are while out walking with her father Lee and the family dog, Sophie was fatally shot by an assailant who was not known to her.

'Police are not looking for any other person in connection with this evidence. On present evidence the medical cause of death has been ascertained as shotgun wounds to her head.'

The hearing was told Mr Washington, who was a carer for his wife, was shot while out walking his dogs in parkland close to Biddick Drive.

Mr Hambly said: 'Whilst out walking his dogs, Stephen was fatally shot by an assailant not known to him. Police are not looking for any other persons in connection with Stephen's death.

'On present evidence the medical cause of death has been ascertained as shotgun wounds to the chest.'

The final victim of Davison's rampage was married artist Katherine Shepherd, a married artist, who was fatally shot on Henderson Close.

Mrs Shepherd, who was known as Kate, was taken to Derriford Hospital where she died that evening, the inquest heard.

'The circumstances of her death are that Katherine was shot by an assailant not known to her while walking along Henderson Place,' the detective said.

'Katherine received immediate medical attention and was conveyed to Derriford Hospital. Despite best efforts of medical staff Katherine sadly passed away.

'The police are not looking for any other persons in connection with Katherine's death. On present evidence the medical cause of death has been ascertained as shotgun wounds to the abdomen.'

Davison went into the street and shot dead Sophie Martyn, three, and her father, Lee Martyn, 43

Davison also shot and murdered dog walker Stephen Washington, 59, last Thursday evening

Kate Shepherd, 66, was Davison's final victim and was shot dead near a hair salon in Plymouth

The coroner adjourned all inquests and fixed a provisional date for pre-inquest reviews on December 9. An inquest into Davison will be opened and adjourned later.

As well as the coroner's investigation, two other inquiries are already under way into the shootings.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is examining the decision by the Devon and Cornwall force to return Davison's shotgun certificate and weapon to him just weeks before the killings after they were seized following an allegation of assault.

The National Police Chiefs Council is also leading an investigation, in conjunction with the local police and crime commissioner, into the force's firearms policies and procedures.

Meanwhile, the Government will be introducing new statutory guidance, including asking doctors to undertake medical checks on anyone applying for a licence, as well as inquiries into social media usage.

People at a civic service led by the Bishop of Plymouth at Minister Church Of St Andrew yesterday to remember the victims

Police forensic officers in Biddick Drive in the Keyham area of Plymouth on August 13 following the gunman's rampage

Home Secretary Priti Patel and Devon and Cornwall Police chief Shaun Sawyer look at the tributes in Plymouth last Saturday

The Home Office has previously asked all police forces in England and Wales to review their current firearm application processes, as well as assess whether they need to revisit any existing licences.

Davison received mental health support during the coronavirus lockdown and had been in contact with a telephone helpline service in Plymouth run by the Livewell Southwest organisation.

Social media usage by Davison suggested an obsession with 'incel' culture, meaning 'involuntary celibate', as well as an interest in guns and America.

Reports have suggested Davison's mother had been struggling to get help for her son, having become concerned about his mental health.
It's a beautiful church founded 900 years ago set next to the even more famous Whitby Abbey - and is very popular with Dracula fans from around the world.

But while St Mary's Church in the North Yorkshire town was mentioned in Bram Stoker's novel, not everyone seems to think that the Count was a work of fiction.

Now, staff at the Grade I-listed Anglican church have put up a sign telling tourists: 'Please do not ask staff where Dracula's grave is as there isn't one. Thank you.'

Parts of Stoker's classic 1897 horror novel are set in Whitby after Count Dracula ends up there when the ship he is travelling on gets into trouble off the seaside town.

This brings thousands of tourists to the town each year with many attending the famous Whitby Goth Weekend and walking among the gravestones at the church.

A photo of the notice on St Mary's Church in Whitby was spotted by author Kevin Meagher

St Mary's Church dates back to 1100 although its interior is mostly from the 18th century

Claes Bang portrayed Dracula in last year's BBC series. The horror novel was written in 1897

The church, which dates back to 1100 although its interior is mostly from the 18th century, is set on the East Cliff headlands next to the 7th century Whitby Abbey.

Stoker is said to have been inspired to use Whitby in his book after being impressed by the headland and dramatic abbey ruins while staying in the town in 1890.

What Bram Stoker's Dracula says about St Mary's Church, Whitby There was a bright full moon, with heavy black, driving clouds, which threw the whole scene into a fleeting diorama of light and shade as they sailed across. For a moment or two I could see nothing, as the shadow of a cloud obscured St Mary's Church and all around it. Then as the cloud passed I could see the ruins of the abbey coming into view, and as the edge of a narrow band of light as sharp as a sword-cut moved along, the church and churchyard became gradually visible. Whatever my expectation was, it was not disappointed, for there, on our favourite seat, the silver light of the moon struck a half-reclining figure, snowy white. The coming of the cloud was too quick for me to see much, for shadow shut down on light almost immediately, but it seemed to me as though something dark stood behind the seat where the white figure shone, and bent over it. What it was, whether man or beast, I could not tell. Advertisement

St Mary's Church is mentioned in chapter eight of Dracula, which states: 'There was a bright full moon, with heavy black, driving clouds, which threw the whole scene into a fleeting diorama of light and shade as they sailed across.

'For a moment or two I could see nothing, as the shadow of a cloud obscured St Mary's Church and all around it.

'Then as the cloud passed I could see the ruins of the abbey coming into view, and as the edge of a narrow band of light as sharp as a sword-cut moved along, the church and churchyard became gradually visible.

'Whatever my expectation was, it was not disappointed, for there, on our favourite seat, the silver light of the moon struck a half-reclining figure, snowy white.

'The coming of the cloud was too quick for me to see much, for shadow shut down on light almost immediately, but it seemed to me as though something dark stood behind the seat where the white figure shone, and bent over it. What it was, whether man or beast, I could not tell.'

A photograph of the notice on the church was spotted by author Kevin Meagher who tweeted it on Sunday.

He said: 'Posted without a hint of irony on the door of the Church of St Mary the Virgin, adjacent to Whitby Abbey.'

However, there is a grave related to the story of Dracula at St Mary's Church - that of a man named 'Mr Swales'.

Stokes noted the name during his stay - and Swales appears in the novel, becoming Dracula's first victim in Whitby.

Dracula was of course a fictional character, although Stoker is thought to have found inspiration for the Count in the 15th-century Romanian ruler Vlad III, a blood-thirsty prince also known as 'Vlad the Impaler' or 'Vlad Dracula'.

A person attending Whitby Goth Weekend sits on a grave at St Mary's church in October 2019

Whitby Abbey is pictured in the background of the St Mary's Church graveyard in the town

The Whitby Goth Weekend is a hugely popular event - pictured at St Mary's Church in 2011

Mr Meagher's tweet has since received 18,000 likes and 2,500 retweets, with one Twitter user saying of the grave: 'Why would there be? He died in Transylvania!'

Another added: 'We sniggered at this the other day. I used to work at Whitby Abbey and people asked ALL the time!'

A third said: 'I recall hearing visitors to the Sherlock Holmes Museum in Baker Street, London, being gently informed by staff that Sherlock Holmes was a fictional character.'

And a fourth tweeted: ''Fair enough. Can I see Frankenstein's grave instead?'

St Mary's Church have been contacted for comment by MailOnline today.
Health chiefs warned lockdowns will be required if the measures do not work

The country is in the midst of a third wave, with deaths rise as well as cases

have been expanded from over-12s to over-threes

Covid restrictions have been extended to three-year-olds in Israel, with the country now 'at war' with the Delta variant.

From today, everyone over the age of three in the country must show evidence of being vaccinated or a negative test before entering restaurants, cafes, gyms and other indoor spaces.

The country  praised for its world-leading vaccination drive, which has seen two-thirds of adults get double-jabbed  is in the midst of a third wave that shows no signs of slowing.

Health chiefs have warned the nation faces another draconian lockdown unless the situation improves.

The situation will leave Britain, the US and other countries relying on vaccines to thwart the virus nervous.

Daily coronavirus infections reached a six-month high of 8,752 on Monday, before falling slightly on Tuesday. Deaths are also rising, with 120 people dying in the last week  similar to levels seen in September, when Israel was in lockdown.

Cases started to spiral at the end of July, when health chiefs announced all over-60s would be offered a booster dose five months after getting their second.

Israel only uses Pfizer's jab and insists immunity has already began to fade, echoing concerns raised by the drug company itself.

It dishes out jabs three weeks apart, just like the US  which will offer top-ups to all adults. Britain separates dose by around eight weeks but has yet to confirm that any booster jabs will be needed.

Experts told MailOnline the UK and America could be heading down a similar path due to waning immunity from the vaccines.

Israel has began testing all over-threes in an attempt to control the spread of the virus. Pictured: An Israeli nurse yesterday testing a child at the entrance in Jerusalem

The UK could be facing a similar crisis to Israel in the coming weeks or months, experts warn Israel is in the midst of a third wave that shows no signs of slowing. And despite its world-leading vaccination drive  which has seen two-thirds of adults get double-jabbed  deaths are also rising exponentially. Experts told MailOnline the UK could be heading down a similar path due to waning immunity from the vaccines. Dr Simon Clarke, an associate professor in cellular microbiology at the University of Reading, warned the UK will have to rely on boosters in an attempt to avoid a similar crisis. He told MailOnline: 'I think we should pay close attention to the situation in Israel. 'People's commentary - both from Government and experts - in this country has been deliberately optimistic when perhaps the evidence is not suggesting that. 'One difference is Israel are only using Pfizer and we have used a lot of different vaccines, but mainly AstraZeneca. There may be differences due to this. 'But we know the protection offered by the vaccines decreases over time and arguments that the three-week gap between doses in Israel's seems to be scooped by studies. 'So, we need to be aware we could see something similar happening in the coming weeks or months, but that is very much a "could". 'There are some differences between societies in the UK and Israel, with people moving around in different ways. With students going back to universities and schools, infections could trickle down to vulnerable populations.' He added: 'We need to be ready and boosters are all we have got. 'People always mention lockdowns, but they were to protect the NHS and stop it from being overrun. 'My feeling is we are just looking boosters and any delays to the programmed could cost us, because we would be too slow to protect the vulnerable, as we cannot just vaccinated everyone in a few days. 'It took months last time, from December to April. We should be starting the programme in September along with flu jabs. 'With the flu, people get vaccinated in September, but then you do not see cases get bad until January. But this might not be the case with Covid and we could see more cases and deaths sooner than that. 'Andrew Pollard, chair of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, is lobbying quite hard against boosters and he could influence opinion within the committee or cause a delay to the rollout.' Advertisement

Dr Simon Clarke, a microbiologist at the University of Reading, warned the UK will have to rely on boosters in an attempt to avoid a similar crisis.

He told MailOnline: 'I think we should pay close attention to the situation in Israel.

'People's commentary - both from Government and experts - in this country has been deliberately optimistic when perhaps the evidence is not suggesting that.

'One difference is Israel are only using Pfizer and we have used a lot of different vaccines, but mainly AstraZeneca. There may be differences due to this.

'But we know the protection offered by the vaccines decreases over time and arguments that the three-week gap between doses in Israel's seems to be scooped by studies.

'So, we need to be aware we could see something similar happening in the coming weeks or months, but that is very much a "could".'

Now the country has brought in stringent restrictions for youngsters in an attempt to control the third wave.

Until today, only over-12s were required to show proof they were double-jabbed two weeks earlier, or a negative Covid test from the last 24 hours before entering public indoor spaces.

The Government is paying for tests of those three to 11-year-olds who are not eligible for the vaccine.

But the 1million people in the country who have not been jabbed and are eligible have to buy their own.

Some 62.8 per cent of people in the country are fully-vaccinated, official statistics show.

But Israel's inoculation drive went much quicker, with the nation hitting the 50 per cent threshold by mid-March.

Britain and the US didn't follow suit until July.

Meanwhile, daily cases in Israel are now close to levels seen during the darkest spell of the country's second wave in January.

Vaccines have blunted the virus, with deaths just a fraction of what they were in previous outbreaks.

But no jab is perfect and fatalities are still rising, in line with cases.

Experts have pinned the concerning trend on the three-week gap between the Pfizer jabs dished out in Israel.

In the UK, people are invited to book a second vaccine appointment eight weeks after the first dose, which studies have found to be the 'sweet spot' that provide the most protection.

The Jerusalem Post reported that Professor Salman Zarka, Israel's coronavirus commissioner, told a parliamentary committee: 'Our morbidity is rising day by day.

'Looking at the data from this morning we cannot just say "maybe". This "maybe" is worth the lives of the citizens of Israel.'

But he said no one who is in a critically ill condition has received a third booster Covid vaccine, he said.

Professor Zarka said the run up to the Jewish New Year festival Rosh Hashanah is the 'critical time'.

And if infection and death rates do not begin to drop, 'we will get to a lockdown like the first and second ones, where we do not go farther than 100 meters from our houses', he said.

But Israel's inoculation drive went much quicker, with the nation hitting the 50 per cent threshold by mid-March. Britain and the US didn't follow suit until July

Dr Raghib Ali, a senior clinical research associate in epidemiology at the University of Cambridge, tweeted that despite Israel's vaccination levels being similar to the UK, they used a three to four week gap between doses.

He said real world data has suggested this gap is 'less effective' against the Delta variant.
The Taliban are now in total control of who is allowed to access Kabul airport

The US Embassy was closed and evacuated from the roof by helicopter Sunday

here's going to be no circumstance where people would be lifted off the US Embassy roof'

But six weeks ago on July 8, he said it was 'highly unlikely' the Taliban would own the country' and 't

The President declared he could see no way of leaving without 'chaos ensuing'

Biden answered questions for the first time since Taliban took Kabul on Sunday August 15

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President Biden claimed on Wednesday that chaos in Kabul was always on the cards, despite saying in a White House briefing just six weeks ago that a Taliban takeover was NOT inevitable.

In an interview with ABC, the president declared that the pandemonium in the Afghan capital was unavoidable and said 'there's no way to have gotten out without chaos ensuing, I don't know how that happens.'

Yet in his July 8 briefing, Biden assured the press: 'It is not inevitable. The likelihood of the Taliban overrunning everything and owning the whole country is highly unlikely.'

Meanwhile, it has been widely reported that US intelligence, including information provided by the CIA, warned the Afghan army's resistance to the Taliban would likely collapse 'within days' if US forces withdrew too quickly.

The Taliban now control the majority of the country, including the territory surrounding Kabul airport where they are in total control of who is allowed to access the airport for evacuation - including thousands of American citizens.

Biden had also claimed that US Embassy staff would not be 'lifted from the roof' in scenes reminiscent of the evacuation of Saigon in 1975, yet on Sunday August 15 the Embassy was hastily evacuated via Chinook helicopter as the Taliban descended on the capital.

In a damning interview with ABC on Wednesday August 18, Biden contradicted several of his statements made in a White House press briefing just six weeks earlier

Biden claimed Wednesday that chaos in Kabul was always on the cards despite saying on July 8 he was confident in the Afghan government and military to combat the Taliban

In his July 8 briefing, Biden assured the press: 'It is not inevitable. The likelihood of the Taliban overrunning everything and owning the whole country is highly unlikely.'

On troop withdrawal and the Taliban taking over Afghanistan:

August 18: 'The idea that somehow, there's a way to have gotten out without chaos ensuing, I don't know how that happens'.

Biden also insisted it 'wasn't true' that his top military advisers wanted him to keep around 2,500 troops and warned him against pulling out so quickly.

July 8: 'The likelihood there's going to be the Taliban overrunning everything and owning the whole country is highly unlikely.'

'You have the Afghan troops at 300,000  well equipped, as well as any army in the world  and an Air Force, against something like 75,000 Taliban. It is not inevitable.'

According to a report by the Washington Post, the presidents top generals, including Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army General Mark Milley, urged Biden to keep a force of about 2,500 troops to help maintain stability.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who previously served as a military commander in the region, said a full withdrawal wouldnt provide any insurance against instability.

On August 8, the Taliban took the city of Zaranj - the first provincial capital to fall in years - and by Sunday August 15 had taken the city of Jalalabad and surrounded Kabul.

They entered the capital later that day and seized the presidential palace unopposed, effectively solidifying their control of the country in just ten days after they launched their offensive for Zaranj.

There have been multiple reports of US intelligence warning the president that the Afghan army's resistance to the Taliban would likely collapse 'within days' if US forces withdrew too quickly.

Taliban fighters patrol in Wazir Akbar Khan neighborhood in the city of Kabul which is now under their control with the exception of parts of Kabul airport

The Taliban turned on the crowd at Kabul airport on Tuesday, driving the hundreds back from the airport perimeter as they pushed to flee the country. They had promised to be peaceful but have already broken their offers of amnesty

An Afghan woman is seen lying on the ground after the Taliban used whips and sharp objects to drive people from the airport

On the evacuation

August 18: 'Americans should understand that we're going to try to get [the evacuation] done before August 31.'

'If we don't, we'll determine at the time who's left. And if you're American force  if there's American citizens left, we're going to stay to get them all out'

'It depends on where we are and whether we can get -- ramp these numbers up to five to five - 7,000 a day coming out' (per day).

July 8: 'When I announced our drawdown in April, I said we would be out by September, and we're on track to meet that target.'

'Our military mission in Afghanistan will conclude on August 31st. The drawdown is proceeding in a secure and orderly way, prioritizing the safety of our troops as they depart.'

There are still around 15,000 Americans and allied citizens stranded in Afghanistan. The State Department updated its guidance to tell all remaining US citizens to make their way to the airport but it couldn't guarantee anyone's safety on the journey.

Taliban forces have surrounded the airport and set up checkpoints. They are in control of who is allowed to enter the airport.

Thousands of Afghan civilians are attempting to climb the walls of the airport to be evacuated but are being shot and beaten by Taliban forces as US and western countries continue to fly rescue operations out of Kabul

Only 6,000 people have been evacuated since August 14 despite US and allied aircraft operating dozens of flights. 50,000 people are thought to be outside the airport perimeter attempting to enter, but are being beaten back by the Taliban

Hundreds of Afghan civilians squeezed into a C-17 US air force plane over the weekend to be evacuated, while hundreds more attempted to cling to planes in an attempt to be lifted out of the country

Several people were killed on Monday attempting to hold onto the fuselage or landing gear of an American C-17 aircraft as it departed. Three fell to their deaths, while others were ran over by the taxiing plane and one man was crushed in the landing gear as it was retracted

On the Embassy

July 8: 'There's going to be no circumstance when you're going to see people being lifted off the roof of an Embassy. It's not at all comparable [with Saigon].

'I intend to maintain our diplomatic presedence [presence] in Afghanistan.'

The US Embassy was closed with ambassadors, diplomats and the Embassy flag hastily evacuated from the roof by Chinook helicopter on Sunday August 15, as Taliban forces entered the capital.

Taliban fighters now control checkpoints outside the embassy which were previously manned by US troops as recently as last week

A Chinook helicopter was filmed flying above the US Embassy in Kabul to evacuate ambassadors and diplomats in scenes reminiscent of the evacuation of Saigon in 1975 as the North Vietnamese Army closed in

A forlorn soldier clutches the hastily rolled American embassy flag as it is loaded onto US air force transport and flown out of Afghanistan

Taliban fighters are now standing guard at a checkpoints outside the US Embassy that were manned by American troops as recently as last week

On the Afghan Army

August 18: 'When you saw the significant collapse of the Afghan troops we had trained, that was -- you know I'm not -- that's what happened. That's simply what happened.'

Biden also said on August 16: 'The Afghan military collapsed, sometimes without trying to fight. American troops cannot and should not be fighting in a war and dying in a war that Afghan forces are not willing to fight for themselves.'

'Do I trust the Taliban? No. But I trust the capacity of the Afghan military, who is better trained, better equipped, and more re-  more competent in terms of conducting war.'

July 8: 'We have trained and equipped nearly 300,000 current serving members of the military - of the Afghan National Security Force, and many beyond that who are no longer serving.'

'Add to that, hundreds of thousands more Afghan National Defense and Security Forces trained over the last two decades. 'We provided our Afghan partners with all the tools  let me emphasize: all the tools, training, and equipment of any modern military. We provided advanced weaponry. And we're going to continue to provide funding and equipment.'

The Afghan army collapsed under the onslaught of the Taliban, with much of the 300,000-strong force abandoning their weapons to flee.

The Afghan army crumbled under the Taliban offensive with many of the 300,000-strong US-trained force abandoning their weapons and fleeing. Reports say the Taliban faced little resistance in their surge to power which took less than two weeks

On Afghan allies:

August 18: When asked how many Afghan allies the US is aiming to evacuate, Biden said: 'The estimate we're giving is somewhere between 50,000 and 65,000 folks total, counting their families.

'The commitment holds to get everyone out that in fact we can get out and everyone that should come out.'

July 8: 'We can guarantee their safety.

'We're going to continue to make sure that we take on the Afghan nationals who work side-by-side with U.S. forces, including interpreters and translators, so their families are not exposed to danger as well.'

65,000 is more than four times the number of American citizens that are stranded in Afghanistan, none of whom have been guaranteed safe passage out of the country, and there are many reports of Afghan allies who say they cannot gain access to the airport without being confronted by the Taliban.

Ex-US soldiers have said the lives of Afghans who helped the US are in grave danger.

Former soldier James Garafalo said yesterday that his Afghan interpreter, nicknamed Rambo, will likely be executed by the Taliban before he can be evacuated.

Ex-US soldier James Garafalo pictured with his Afghan interpreter, nicknamed 'Rambo', who Garafalo fears will be executed by the Taliban before he can be rescued

Garafalo labelled the US' handling of the withdrawal from Afghanistan 'a failure' and said 'when the US left Afghanistan, they left him to fend for himself. If the Taliban or ISIS find out that he has been working for Americans, he's dead.'

On the Afghan government

August 18: 'You had the government of Afghanistan, the leader of that government, get in a plane and taking off and going to another country.'

July 8: 'The Afghan government and leadership has to come together. They clearly have the capacity to sustain the government in place. It's not a question of whether they have the capacity. They have the capacity. They have the forces. They have the equipment.

'And I want to make clear what I made clear to Ghani: that we are not going just sus-  walk away and not sustain their ability to maintain that force.'

President Ghani fled the country last week, reportedly with millions of dollars stuffed into his plane.

Taliban co-founder Abdul Ghani Baradar has declared victory and an end to the decades-long war in Afghanistan after his fighters occupied the presidential palace in Kabul, while Ghani seeks refuge in Abu Dhabi according to the United Arab Emirates government.

President Ashraf Ghani (pictured March 2021) reportedly fled the country in a plane with millions of dollars and is currently in Abu Dhabi according to the UAE authorities
The first picture has emerged of the five-year-old Afghan refugee who fell 70 feet to his death from a hotel window in Sheffield as his mother shouted 'save my son!'

Mohammed Monib Majeedi was peering down from his ninth floor bedroom in the OYO Metropolitan Hotel, in South Yorkshire, when he fell and plunged to his death at 2.30pm yesterday.

The boy had been staying at the hotel with his mother Shekiba, father Omar Majeedi, two brothers and two sisters since arriving in the UK after fleeing the Taliban in Afghanistan a few weeks ago.

His mother witnessed the horror fall and shouted 'save my son please'.

The window, which should only open about 5cm, appears to have been faulty and opened wide enough for Mohammed to fall through.

The youngster, who is understood to have arrived in the UK with his family this summer, fell on to a car park behind the hotel.

South Yorkshire Police confirmed the boy was from Afghanistan and referred reporters to the Home Office for more details.

Mohammed Monib Majeedi was peering down from his ninth floor bedroom in the OYO Metropolitan Hotel, in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, when he fell and plunged to his death at 2.30pm yesterday

The boy fell out from a window and suffered fatal injuries (file photo of OYO Sheffield Metropolitan Hotel)

Emergency services were called to the OYO Sheffield Metropolitan Hotel on Blonk Street in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, at around 2.30pm yesterday (scene pictured above)

It said in a statement: 'His family have now formally identified him and they are being supported by our family liaison officers. We would ask that their privacy is respected at this time.

'Officers are appealing for anyone with information relating to the incident to come forward.'

How will the new resettlement scheme work and who will get priority? The resettlement programme is a new initiative to help Afghans forced to flee their country as refugees. It is separate from the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP), which grants haven to former interpreters and others who helped Western forces over the past 20 years. The two schemes are explained below: Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy: This is available to any current or former locally-employed staff who worked for the British forces who are assessed to be at a 'serious risk' of being killed. Successful applicants will be offered priority entry into the UK regardless of their employment status, rank or role, or length of time served. Local staff who work or worked in the public eye and who could be at risk as the security situation evolves will be relocated to the UK on a routine basis, and those not eligible to move will be offered other support such as security advice and relocation within Afghanistan. Some 10,000 former Afghan staff and their family members are expected to be relocated to the UK under ARAP. Afghan citizens' resettlement scheme: The government is aiming for the new Afghanistan citizens' resettlement scheme to resettle 5,000 Afghan nationals who are at risk due to the current crisis in its first year, and a total of 20,000 in the long term. Priority will be given to women and girls, and religious and other minorities. There will be a particular focus on whether people are at risk of human rights abuses and dehumanising treatment by the Taliban. The UK can reject cases on 'security, war crimes or other grounds'. The initiative will be modelled on the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme which launched in 2014 in conjunction with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. The UNHCR identifies potential cases for the UK to consider and applicants are then vetted by British officials. The government has insisted that the new route will not compromise on national security and any person arriving on the route will have to pass the same strict security checks as those resettled through other schemes. Advertisement

The Refugee Council has called for a review of accommodation offered to those fleeing the Taliban following the tragedy.

Witnesses said the boy's father had worked in the British Embassy in Kabul.

One hotel resident, also an interpreter for the British in Afghanistan, said: 'I was in my room. I heard a sound, like I heard the body fall.

'His mother was in the room with him.

'She was screaming, ''My son, my son.''

'When I came here (outside) I saw the ambulance and police here.'

He said the family came to the UK three or four weeks ago, landing at Birmingham Airport, then staying in Manchester during quarantine for Covid.

The family, including the parents and three boys and two girls, then moved to the hotel in Sheffield only three or four days ago and the father was regarded as, 'the new guy' among Afghans staying there.

The interpreter added: 'If the dad is working for the Americans or the English then their lives are in danger in Afghanistan.

'They came here to save their lives, they came for a new life here, but unfortunately...'

He said in his own room the windows will only open a few inches.

The eight to 10 Afghan families staying at the hotel were being moved to another hotel on Thursday afternoon, he said.

The interpreter said he and his own family, a wife and children, were hoping to be rehoused in the UK, after working for the British forces and escaping Afghanistan in July.

His friend, also an Afghan but who came to the UK in 2008, said they could not give their names as their families in Afghanistan could be killed or held to ransom.

Health and Safety Inspectors could be seen opening a number of the hotel windows following Wednesday afternoon's tragedy revealing that more than one window left a 1ft 6in gap.

The OYO hotel is temporary home to around 11 Afghan families, who had helped the British Army and Government.

It comes after it was announced 30,000 Afghans will be resettled in the UK but just 2,000 have been evacuated so far in a new scheme.

Meanwhile, a separate programme designed to protect Afghan translators and other workers who were employed by British forces is now expected to cover around 10,000, up from the 5,000 previously suggested.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson revealed in the Commons this morning that just 2,052 Afghan nationals had been extracted so far - with thousands more still waiting.

Mohammed had to come Britain only a few weeks ago with his mother and father - a senior humanitarian worker who had worked for the British Embassy in Kabul.

On Wednesday afternoon at around 2.30pm Mr Majeedi was at work in Sheffield whilst Mohammed and his wife were in the top floor bedroom.

Afghan interpreter Jawed Jamal Akhtar, 35, who is also staying in the hotel with his wife and six children, said:'Mohammed was looking down through the window. He was leaning out of the window and he had fallen through.

'I went with his mother to hospital, but you could see Mohammed was dead. Omar came to the hospital, he was crying.

'The last time I saw the mother she was not good.'

He added: 'After the boy fell his mother was shouting ''save my son please'' just after it happened.

Families are seen leaving the Metropolitan Hotel in Blonk Street, Sheffield, where the five-year-old boy fell

'Just the day before Mohammed was playing with my children at the front of the hotel, they were playing cops and robbers.'

He said he has checked the windows and his room and they all only open 5cm.

'Last night my children would not go to bed, they were really scared.'

Mohammed's father had worked in the role as a projects manager handling Afghan migrants returning to the country since December, 2020.

Another resident Qahar Haqjo, 32, served as an interpreter with the British Army in Afghanistan for two years, and arrived in the UK with his family on 27 July.

He said: 'The boy is from Afghanistan. His father was not inside but he was living with his mother.

'It happened at around 2pm and he fell from the ninth floor at the back of the hotel. He can't have been in England very many weeks.

Families hug as they leave the Metropolitan Hotel in Sheffield, South Yorkshire

A woman is seen leaving the hotel where the five-year-old refugee fell and died yesterday

'We spent two weeks in quarantine in Manchester and moved into this hotel five days ago.'

A fellow refugee staying at the hotel told YorkshireLive the boy arrived in Sheffield four days ago after escaping the advances of the Taliban in his homeland.

'They came here to save their lives and now this has happened,' he said. 'It is so sad.'

'I heard a big loud noise and then a couple of seconds later I heard the mother screaming, ''my boy!''' said one of the guests.

A member of the city's Afghan Community Association, named only as Zabi, said: 'It is very sad.

'We are looking to go to see the family to help them.'

Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said: 'This a terrible tragedy and our thoughts are with the family who have gone through so much trauma and suffering to reach the UK.

'It is vital the Home Office carry out an urgent investigation into what has happened so steps can be taken to quickly learn lessons.

'We don't know the details of the incident but it is imperative that families who come from Afghanistan are given all the support they need and housed in appropriate accommodation. They are vulnerable and often very traumatised.'

South Yorkshire Police at the scene of the death of a young boy outside the OYO Metropolitan Hotel in Sheffield

Police vehicles were still in situ and security guards in hi vis jackets were turning people away at the main entrance and patrolling the stairwell today

It is believed the boy fell about 70ft from the top floor window into an NCP car park.

Sheffield City Council health and safety officers were last night seen inspecting the several more hotel windows which they were able to open leaving a 1ft 6in gap at the bottom when they pivot open.

Police vehicles were still in situ and security guards in hi vis jackets were turning people away at the main entrance and patrolling the stairwell today.

The boy's family are being supported by specially trained officers.

Officers are appealing for anyone with information to come forward. Any witnesses, or anyone who has information, should call 101.
A man who was seriously wounded by a hatchet-wielding attacker at an ATM in Manhattan has told how he begged people in the street outside for help - as horrifying photos emerged of the bloody aftermath of Sunday's attack.

Miguel Solorzano, 50, had just gotten off his shift cooking meals at a luxury getaway on Governor's Island and went to deposit his check at a Chase Bank ATM on Broadway in Manhattan's Financial District when a man started swinging a hatchet at him.

'He didn't even rob me,' Solorzano told the New York Daily News in Spanish on Wednesday. 'He took nothing. Nothing. He was crazy.'

He added: 'There were a lot of people in the street. I yelled "Help, help, help!" Another person talked to the police and another doctor came.'

Photos emerged on Thursday of the immediate aftermath of the assault as Solorzano sat, covered in blood, on the sidewalk while medics tended to him before he was put on a gurney and taken to hospital.

Police arrested 37-year-old military veteran Aaron Garcia in the attack late Tuesday night, when they found him smashing car and storefront windows with a hammer.

He underwent psychiatric evaluation at Bellevue Hospital, before being charged with attempted murder and assault.

Authorities said on Wednesday that Garcia was already wanted by Yonkers Police, who have an active arrest warrant out on him for a February 15 assault, and four active bench warrants for failure to appear in court.

Authorities wrapped Solorzano's head in bandages as blood dripped down his face following the assault on Sunday night

Solorzano, 50, was transported to Bellevue Hospital, where he is still recovering

City police officers responded to the scene, speaking to Solorzano who sat bleeding on the sidewalk outside of the Chase Bank in lower Manhattan

New York City police have charged Aaron Garcia, 37, of Yonkers with attempted murder and assault in connection to a Sunday evening hatchet attack caught on video at a bank in lower Manhattan. He is pictured in a previous mugshot.

Garcia had three prior arrests in 2020 stemming from charges of harassment, aggravated harassment, stalking and criminal contempt, Yonkers police said.

A close relative, who asked not to be named, said Garcia had previously served in the Army, and was not the same after his return from deployment to Iraq, the New York Daily News reported.

'He was a little off-center. He was in combat. All he would say is "I saw dead bodies,"' the relative told the outlet.

Surveillance footage of the incident Sunday night shows Solorzano at the ATM at around 5.20 pm, when the suspect - later identified by police as Garcia - pulled out a hatchet from a dark bag and walks up behind him.

Garcia, of Yonkers, then repeatedly hits Solorzano with the hatchet as the victim desperately tries to defend himself.

Once the assailant is finished attacking Solorzano, he proceeds to smash the ATM screens before walking away, but not before leaving the hatchet and his backpack behind, police said.

Video captured the shocking moment Solorazano is slashed with a hatchet while using an ATM at a Chase Bank in downtown Manhattan at 5.30pm Sunday

The attacker - later identified as Aaron Garcia - then suddenly walks up behind Solorzano and begins swinging his weapon in the violent attack

Terrified and bloodied, Solorzano desperately tries to grab the weapon away from his attacker

Eventually, Solorazano, severely bloodied, flees, and his attacker does not follow. Police say they have the charged Garcia with assault and attempted murder in connection to the attack

After Solorzana been driven off, the attacker proceeds to smash the ATM screens one by one before walking away. He was reportedly caught Tuesday night

Solorzano said he had noticed Garcia - an Iraq War veteran who has reportedly struggled with mental illness - sitting outside the bank when he entered, but did not pay him any attention.

'I saw him,' he told the Daily News. 'I didn't know, I didn't know.

'I went to put the check in - one check,' he recalled. 'I was going to get more money, but the man hit me.'

'It was so bloody,' Solorzano said. 'He hit me so many times, like this,' he said, as he held up his arms to show how he tried to fight off the attacker.

'There were a lot of people in the street,' he recounted. 'I yelled "Help, help, help!" Another person talked to the police and another doctor came.'

Photos obtained by DailyMail.com of the aftermath of the incident show Solorzano with blood streaming down his face and staining his previously white shirt red.

Authorities on the scene could be seen wrapping his head in bandages and loading him onto a stretcher, as he appears to try to tell police what had happened.

Solorzano, who lives in Corona, suffered three slash wounds to the head and another to his right leg, New York City police officials reported.

He was rushed to Bellevue Hospital, where he remains after undergoing two surgeries.

He said he has been feeling better every day since the incident, but the Daily News reports, he still seemed to be in a great deal of pain, and his friend, Carlos, said he wasn't himself yet.

'He's not OK,' Carlos said. 'He has some problems speaking and hearing.'

'He works a lot,' Carlos added. 'He's very hardworking - doesn't drink, doesn't smoke.'

They bandaged him up and put him in a stretcher for his injuries to his head and leg

Solorzano said he moved to the United States from Mexico 12 years ago to earn money for his children's education. He said he speaks to them every day and was looking forward to his wife coming to visit once he was feeling better.

'The wife, she's not well,' Carlos said, adding her response to the news of the attack 'was terrible.'

Solorzano remains in stable condition, police said.

Meanwhile, Garcia, was arrested at around 9.20pm Tuesday in Chelsea, where police said he went on a rampage starting at around 8pm.

As he walked past Elmo's restaurant on 7th Avenue near 20th Street, he allegedly ran into a 54-year-old man, and raised the hammer as if to hit him, but ran off, the New York Daily News reported.

Chelsea cops said Garcia then smashed a window at Rebar Chelsea, a gay bar on 7th Avenue and West 19th Street and a nearby bus stop before he was finally apprehended around the corner, according to the outlet.

Garcia is also suspected of another assault in Lower Manhattan earlier this month, when he allegedly kicked someone on South Street on August 3, around 6.20pm, the New York Post reported.

Earlier that day at around noon, he is alleged to have pointed a knife at a bystander on Pine Street, who had yelled at him for urinating in public.

Garcia was allegedly seen on surveillance footage stabbing Solorzano. His mother said he had been suffering from mental health issues since he returned from Iraq in 2009

His mother, Sarah Garcia, 64, said he has been having mental health issues since he returned from Iraq in 2009.

'A few years after he came back, he started showing signs of decline,' she told the New York Post, noting that he received some mental health treatment from a Veterans' Affairs hospital, but it did not help.

'I would bring it up saying, "What is it the doctor told you?" He'd say: "They think they're evaluating me, but I'm evaluating them."'

'You know, pure madness,' she told the Post. 'But he was always articulate that way.'

She said she wanted Aaron to go to college, but 'the recruiters were banging on the doors at his school, and he was one of the ones who was interested.

'We tried to talk him out of it, but he insisted.'

He enlisted in 2002, and after he returned from a tour in Iraq, Sarah said, he started believing there was a looming natural disaster.

'For a while, he was talking about some volcano that was going to erupt in Yellowstone, and he wanted me to pack along with the good people I have around me and go some place safe,' she recounted.

'He was telling me, "Ma, you've got to pack, you've got to go." He was getting agitated. I said, "No boy, you're crazy," and the word "crazy" didn't go well. He skipped out from being around me.'

Sarah claims she has not seen Aaron in about a year, and 'at this stage, I don't know what will become of him.

'I kept praying and praying that he would knock on the door and I would beg him to get help,' she said, adding that Aaron was never 'a street kid. He used to be the guy who'd get some excitement going in the house because we're boring.'

She also said the crime ' doesn't reflect the son that I raised, the person that I knew.'

'I can't say the Army is the reason, but I know that he was having trouble,' she said, telling the Post: 'He was supposed to be on his way to doing good in school, and I was really rooting for him to make the grade and go out and be the man I wanted him to be, but somewhere along the way, he started losing it.

'I wanted to help him, but I couldn't so he's been on his own,' she said. 'And I see now, this is where we are.'

Sarah called the attack Sunday 'tragic,' saying she could not make an excuse for her son. 'No human being would want to see this happen to a dog, much less a human being,' she said. 'I'm truly saddened, and troubled, of course.'

'This cant be true,' another relative told the Daily News. 'If you knew what kind of people we are, you would understand why Im reacting this way.'

'I cant imagine hes gone that far. Nobody told us anything . . . I cant imagine that would be linked to us. I dont understand.'

Chase released a statement on the incident, saying it had assisted with the investigation.

'We shared the video of this senseless attack with police and continue to work with them on their investigation,' a spokeswoman said.

'Weve reached out to our customer and his family, and share their hopes for continued recovery.'

The smashed ATMs (pictured) seen in the aftermath of the brutal attack

Chase officials have said they are cooperating with the authorities in the investigation

The attack comes amid a growing crime wave in the Big Apple, with more and more assaults happening in broad daylight.

On Friday, an aspiring actor who once appeared as an extra on Law & Order was shot dead in a Bronx deli.

Jayquan Lewis, 21, was standing at the cashier counter at BH gourmet Deli in Fordham at 4pm when another man collapsed to the floor, in a 14-second clip published by the New York Post.

Another person standing next to Lewis at the counter on his phone is seen fleeing out of frame.

After fatally shooting Lewis the gunman appears to casually walk out of the deli.

Lewis was shot three times in the chest, three times in the arm and one time in the stomach. He was pronounced dead at St Barnabas Hospital.

Police are still looking for the killer, whose motive is unknown.

And just one week before, two people died with one victim severely injured in two separate but 'likely connected' shootings in Brooklyn.

Crime rates throughout New York City have been increasing over last year

The gunman shot three men sitting in a car that the NYPD said was damaged in a car accident on August 8 around 12.30am, and then opened fire at a party of 100 to 150 people at an event space down the block.

Two of the men in the car died - Bronx resident Nicholas Palmer and Queens resident Novada Bailey, both 36. A third unidentified man was critically injured.

At least two other people were also shot and injured during the incident, with one person rushed to the hospital and another driving himself to a hospital about 24 miles away in Westchester County.

According to NYPD data, felony assaults are up 5.3 percent from last year, as of August 15, with misdemeanor assaults up 2.1 percent.

Murders have also increased, from 275 reported during the same time frame in 2020 to 277 reported thus far in 2021.

There have also been 10.7 percent more shooting incidents, with 7 percent more victims.

And grand larcenies have also increased 1.6 percent, with grand larcenies from automobiles skyrocketing 20.2 percent.

Rapes have increased 8.6 percent and hate crimes have nearly doubled.

Despite these staggering statistics, Mayor Bill de Blasio proudly proclaimed that the 'Safe Summer' program has been effective and said in July the NYPD curved violent crime

Despite these staggering statistics, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced earlier this month that his 'Safe Summer' program has driven down murder and gun attacks in the city.

The mayor debuted the Safe Summer program in April as a way to end gun violence by creating disincentives for young people looking to turn to guns by offering them positive alternatives.

At a press briefing on August 5, de Blasio proudly proclaimed that the program has been effective and said in the month of July the NYPD saw 'extraordinary successes' to curve violent crime.

Listing statistics from July, de Blasio noted that the NYPD made 383 gun arrests in July alone, up 133.5 percent compared to last July, the mayor said, while gun arrests in general have gone up 44.5 percent in 2021.

According to the mayor, the summer month of July is usually one of the most violent in the city but the NYPD 'rose to the challenge' and was able to suppress gun violence and executed an impressive number of gang takedowns.

'The gang takedowns mean taking a lot of bad guys off of the streets and at the same time a lot of shooters off the streets, this is crucial,' de Blasio noted.

Overall since the safe summer program was launched in May, murders have gone down 26 percent, shootings decreased 10 percent and shooting victims are down 11 percent.

'There is more to do,' he said, 'but the NYPD is moving and making an impact.'
Tributes have been paid today to the inventor of the Pornstar Martini after he died at the age of 51.

Douglas Ankrah, who also co-founded the groundbreaking London cocktail bar 'Lab', was dubbed an industry 'pioneer'.

His family shared the news on social media as tributes poured in from across the industry.

His cause of death has not been confirmed though the trade outlet Master of Malt reports Ankrah had a history of heart problems and 'went peacefully in his sleep'.

The Ghanaian-born entrepreneur invented the Pornstar Martini in 2003 while he was working at his cocktail bar Townhouse, in Knightsbridge, west London. The cocktail features a mix of vanilla vodka, fresh passion fruit, passion fruit liqueur, vanilla syrup and lime juice, plus a shot of Prosecco on the side.

Since its creation, the Pornstar Martini has regularly featured in top cocktail lists and was this month revealed as the World's most popular cocktail, based on Google search data.

Ankrah is said to have come up with the name after a trip to a gentlemen's club in Cape Town, telling Master of Malt in 2019: 'The cocktail was so sexy and looked like what a pornstar would drink.'

He added: 'When I first made it, I had no idea it was going to be neo classic', but he later created a bottled version, because he was fed up of tasting badly-made versions of his tipple.

Tributes have been paid to entrepreneur Douglas Ankrah (pictured), inventor of the Pornstar Martini and influential figure in the London cocktail scene, who died unexpectedly this week

Ankrah invented the Pornstar Martini (pictured) in 2003 - a combination of passion fruit liquor, passion fruit juice, vanilla vodka and a prosecco chaser

How to make a Pornstar Martini Pornstar Martini Ingredients Vanilla Vodka - 30ml

Passoa - 30ml

Passionfruit Juice - 10ml

Lime Juice - 10ml

Half a Passion Fruit and a shot of Prosecco Recipe With a Cocktail Shaker: Add Ice, Vanilla Vodka, Passoa, Passionfruit Juice, and Lime Juice to your cocktail shaker Shake well Strain into a Cocktail Glass Garnish with Half a Passion Fruit and a shot of Prosecco Without: Add Ice, Vanilla Vodka, Passoa, Passionfruit Juice, and Lime Juice to a Cocktail Glass Garnish with Half a Passion Fruit and a shot of Prosecco Advertisement

Ankrah told the publication: 'It's like writing a great song that's being covered very badly. It's one of the reasons I bottled my creation. At least I have done it justice.'

A post from his family shared online reads: 'The Legendary Douglas Ankrah of #PornstarMartini fame is no more. The mighty oak [...] has indeed fallen. Our family is heartbroken. Our mum is inconsolable.'

'Dee left us without saying goodbye. We will let you know when we have further details.

'Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers from the Ankrah, Engmann, Azu, Buckle and extended families.'

The entrepreneur said of his creation in 2018: 'At Townhouse, the Pornstar Martini became our anthem.

'It became a lifeline for Townhouse and for a lot of other bars in London.'

The drink became so popular that Ankrah decided to bottle his creation and sell a pre-mixed version, in part because he said he was tired of tasting poor attempts at the cocktail.

He said: 'It's like writing a great song that's being covered very badly. It's one of the reasons I bottled my creation. At least I have done it justice.'

Ankrah was also well-known for co-founding Soho-based London Academy of Bartenders (Lab).

Lab was opened in 1999 and was originally a training school for bartenders but became one of the most popular cocktail spots in London and a training ground for some of the industry's leading bartenders.

The bar closed in 2016 and went on to become the site of the award-winning bar Swift.

Tributes have been paid to the influential entrepreneur from industry experts worldwide.

Ben Reed, from Cocktail Credentials, described Douglas as a 'pioneer of the modern cocktail renaissance.

He told Master of Malt: 'I still remember his drinks at the LAB when it first opened: most had more than five ingredients, tasted like delicious candy and were to define a decade.

'Whilst he'll most likely be commemorated for, and with, the Porn Star Martini, it will be Doug's warmth, charm, quick laugh and easy smile that will be remembered and missed by myself and his countless other friends around the world.'

Google search data this month revealed there were more than 18.4million searches worldwide for Pornstar Martini, with the Pina Colada - top in America  ranking second with 10.5million searches and the Aperol Spritz in third with more than 8.2million registered searches.

The Pornstar Martini was, earlier this month, revealed as the World's most popular cocktail, based on Google search data with 18.4 million searches worldwide and was top in the UK

Tributes describe Ankrah as a 'pioneer' who was 'generous with his time and friendship'

The top-ranked tipple was invented by Ankrah who dreamt up the name 'Pornstar Martini' after a trip to a gentlemen's club in Cape Town.

Data showed the UK is one of many countries where the Pornstar Martini is the most searched for and is the most sought-after cocktail in Africa.

Dawn Davies from the Whisky Exchange said: 'My first memory of Douglas was 20 years ago in Townhouse. He was this person who was so full of life and fun and so generous with his time and friendship.

'The Townhouse was my first true experience of a great cocktail bar and set me on my journey in the world of cocktails and spirits for which I will be eternally grateful. We have lost a bright light and we will all miss him and his beautiful smile.'
His best friend William Adams, 21, described the pub chef as 'one in a million'

His best friend William Adams, 21, described the pub chef as 'one in a million'

He died at Colchester Hospital and had no underlying health conditions

A 'healthy and bubbly' 21-year-old man who had no underlying health conditions died just two weeks after catching Covid-19.

Paul Stubbings passed away on August 16 after spending a fortnight battling the virus at Colchester Hospital in Essex.

It is not clear if Mr Stubbings, from Colchester, was vaccinated against Covid.

Today, best friend William Adams, 21, who described the popular pub chef as 'one in a million', described his shock at Mr Stubbings' death and said it 'should not have happened.'

Mr Adams said: 'He was healthy so it's really scary. He managed to fight for two weeks then he just couldn't any longer.

'If someone like Paul with no health conditions can get Covid and pass away then anyone can. It is so, so worrying.'

Paul Stubbings (right with his partner Rose Benton), 21, from Colchester, Essex, died two weeks after he was diagnosed with Covid-19

Mr Stubbings, who had worked at the Hare and Hounds pub near his home in Birch, loved car meet-ups and was in a long-term relationship with his partner Rose Benton, 19, who Mr Adams said was left heartbroken by his death.

Mr Adams said: 'It was coming up to their two year anniversary. She was his first proper girlfriend and he was such a gentleman.

'He really loved her. She is absolutely devastated.'

The chef's best friend went on to describe his friend as a 'pillar of the community' who 'always knew how to brighten up your day'.

He added: 'Paul was a very much-loved pillar of the community. He was a bubbly person and he would go into any room and he'd light it up.

'He had an infectious laugh and he always knew how to brighten up your day. He was my best friend and like a brother to me.

'Everyone loved him and he really was one of a kind. It should not have happened.'

Earlier today, family and friends took to social media to pay tribute to Mr Stubbings.

One person wrote: 'Paul Stubbings you were the biggest friendliness person I know im proud to have met you and you will always be in my heart forever I miss you so much already it just does not feel true that you are gone.'

Elsewhere another said: 'Paul Stubbings you will be hugely missed by so many people.'

The 21-year-old passed away on August 16 after spending a fortnight battling the virus at Colchester Hospital in Essex

Mr Adams has now set up a Gofundme fundraiser for Mr Stubbings' family and hopes to raise at least 4,000 to cover the costs of the funeral.

To donate visit here.

Yesterday, Britain's daily Covid cases showed no signs of slowing down after Department of Health bosses posted another 33,904 positive tests, up 14.5 per cent on last Wednesday's figure of 29,612.

It is the third consecutive day that the rolling seven-day average  which offers a more accurate picture over the true state of the crisis because daily counts can fluctuate heavily  has risen.

Meanwhile another 111 fatalities were recorded yesterday, up 6.7 per cent on last week. The average daily toll, which hasn't stood in triple figures since March, is now around 94.

And 773 Covid-infected patients were admitted to NHS hospitals on August 14, the most recent day UK-wide data is available for  up 8.6 per cent on the previous Saturday.
A wayward Artic walrus called Wally has been given his own floating couch to help calm him down after he sank two boats in two days.

Wally the Walrus has caused thousands of pounds in damage after relaxing on a series of small boats off West Cork in Ireland, and has sunk at least two so far.

It led to an appeal from Seal Rescue Ireland for the donation of an unused rib or large pontoon to allow him to rest.

Locals went as near as they dared to try to coax the artic walrus from taking a rest on a speedboat in favour of a less expensive rib craft, but he seemed quite at home in the lap of luxury.

Wally was spotted relaxing on a speed boat in the latest part of his European tour which has taken him across Ireland, England, Wales, and to the coasts of France and Spain

The lonely walrus is believed to be from Svalbard, north of Norway, and has been on a 4,000km solo trip for months

The four-year-old whiskery gentleman started out on his tour in March, and when he fancied a pit-stop, he'd haul his 800kg bulk onto the nearest motorboat and take a nap. Sometimes for several days

Efforts are now being made to lure Wally onto a specially modified rib in a bid to prevent further damage to more.

SRI executive director Melanie Croce said they had received advice from British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) in the UK which put in place a floating pontoon for Wally while he was in the Isles of Scilly for six weeks in July.

She revealed a sturdy pontoon, with three raised sides, had been snapped up for the animal, that looked like a floating couch.

Walruses tend to rest up on either land or floating objects to chill out and the sofa will be placed into the harbour if Wally is again spotted in the area.

Local went as near as they dared to try to coax the artic walrus from taking a rest on a speedboat in favour of a less expensive rib craft, but he seemed quite at home in the lap of luxury

Efforts are now being made to lure Wally onto a specially modified rib in a bid to prevent further damage to more boats.

The walrus is believed to be from Svalbard, north of Norway, and has been on a 4,000km solo trip for months. Pictured: Wally takes an interest in a boat off the coast of Ardmore

Seal Rescue Ireland issued a warning to locals to leave Wally alone as he's 'stressed and agitated.'

A statement yesterday said: 'Observers have noted he has been quite stressed and agitated from the repeated disturbances caused by boats, kayaks and paddleboards, and has a potential injury from being forced off and on the boat repeatedly.

'A designated rib has been set out since which will hopefully lure him away from other boats to reduce property damage, and we are working with the local community to monitor him there until he has rested enough to continue on his long journey.

'We want to thank the many stakeholders who have collaborated on this effort!

'If you spot the walrus, we ask you to:

Alaskan walrus expert Lori Quakenbush said Wally will only be able to move on if the has the energy to make the 3,200km journey home

Wally resting on the Slipway to the Lifeboat house on May 17, 2021 in Tenby, Wales. The Walrus stayed at Tenby in March making the slipway of the RNLI lifeboat house his regular resting place

The moment Wally the Walrus greeted holidaymakers in a surprise visit to the Isles of Scilly

'Please avoid approaching him within 100m (this includes boats, kayaks, swimming or on foot). This is a sensitive species that is easily disturbed and he must be able to rest for his long journey back to Arctic waters.

'Please resist the urge to share his exact location publicly until there is a system in place for him to be monitored throughout the day, with a safe, designated haul-out site for him to rest on undisturbed.

'Report sightings to SRI's 24/7 Hotline at: 087 195 5393 so we can track his whereabouts and assist him by keeping him safe while he visits Irish waters.'

The lonely walrus has been on a 4,000km solo trip for months and spent more than six weeks off Cornwall.

The walrus is believed to be from Svalbard, north of Norway, and to have travelled by himself between Wales, Cornwall and France.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has said that social media is not to blame for lagging COVID-19 vaccination rates in the US, insisting that 'political leaders' and the media are responsible.

In an interview with CBS This Morning host Gayle King on Thursday, Zuckerberg rejected the notion that Facebook plays a significant role in discouraging vaccine uptake.

It follows a war of words between Facebook and the White House, with President Joe Biden saying last month that the company is 'killing people' with misinformation, drawing a furious response from Facebook execs.

'If you look around the world in different countries - different countries are doing better or worse on getting their citizens vaccinated. And the US has a specific issue on this,' Zuckerberg argued.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has said that social media is not to blame for lagging COVID-19 vaccination rates in the US, insisting that 'political leaders' and the media are responsible

The US lags behind a number of nations in COVID vaccinations, with 51% fully vaccinated

About 51 percent of the US population is fully vaccinated against COVID, lagging behind the UK at 60 percent, Canada at 64 percent, and Denmark at 67 percent, according to data gathered by the University of Oxford.

'People use Facebook and social media all across the world so if this was primarily a question about social media I think you would see that being the effect in all the countries that use it,' said Zuckerberg.

'I think there's something unique in our ecosystem here, whether it's some of the political leaders or some of the media figures which I think is different than what we're seeing across a lot of Europe or across a lot of other countries that are leading to higher levels of this. So I don't think pinning this on social media primarily is accurate,' he added.

His interview with King came as he promoted Facebook's latest innovation - a virtual reality remote working app.

Facebook launched a test of the new app, where users of the company's Oculus Quest 2 headsets can hold meetings as avatar versions of themselves.

Zuckerberg unveiled the new technology in a demonstration with King, calling it an early step toward building his futuristic 'metaverse'.

'I think of the metaverse as the next generation of the internet,' Zuckerberg said, using the app to speak with King remotely, their avatars seated next to each other in a virtual conference room.

'So you can kind of think about it as, instead of being an internet that we look at, right, on our mobile phones or our computer screens, it's an internet that we are a part of, or that we can be inside of.'

Zuckerberg also unveiled new VR remote working technology in a demonstration with King, calling it an early step toward building his futuristic 'metaverse'

King reacted with glee to her first experience with the technology, calling it 'pretty amazing'

'I think of the metaverse as the next generation of the internet,' Zuckerberg said, using the app to speak with King remotely

King reacted with glee to her first experience with the new technology, calling it 'pretty amazing'.

The beta test of Facebook's app, dubbed Horizon Workrooms, comes as many companies continue to work from home after the COVID-19 pandemic shut down physical workspaces and as a new variant is sweeping across the globe.

'In five years, people are going to be able to live where they want and work where they want, but get together with a sense of presence,' Zuckerberg said.

The app, free through the Quest 2 headsets which cost about $300, allows up to 16 people together in VR and up to 50 total including video conference participants.

The technology allows users to synch their computers and keyboards in order to see and use them in virtual reality, and includes a virtual whiteboard that collaborators can use together in VR.

'It basically gives you the opportunity to, you know, sit around a table with people and work, and brainstorm and whiteboard ideas,' Zuckerberg told King.

'For people who can't be there through virtual reality, they could just video conference in. So you can include everyone. But it's this pretty amazing experience where, you know, you feel like you're really right there with your colleagues,' he said.

The beta test of Facebook's app, dubbed Horizon Workrooms, comes as many companies continue to work from home after the COVID-19 pandemic shut down physical workspaces

Facebook said it would not use people's work conversations and materials in Workrooms to target ads on Facebook

It also said users must follow its VR community standards, which include bans on bullying, sexual gestures or inappropriate virtual touching, and supporting hateful ideologies

Facebook said it would not use people's work conversations and materials in Workrooms to target ads on Facebook.

It also said users must follow its VR community standards, which include bans on bullying, sexual gestures or inappropriate virtual touching, and supporting hateful ideologies. Rule-breaking behavior can be reported to Oculus.

The world's largest social network has invested heavily in virtual and augmented reality, developing hardware such as its Oculus VR headsets, working on AR glasses and wristband technologies and buying a bevy of VR gaming studios, including BigBox VR.

Gaining dominance in this space, which Facebook bets will be the next big computing platform, will allow it to be less reliant in the future on other hardware makers, such as Apple, the company has said.

Facebook's vice president of its Reality Labs group, Andrew 'Boz' Bosworth, said the new Workrooms app gives 'a good sense' of how the company envisions elements of the metaverse.

'This is kind of one of those foundational steps in that direction,' Bosworth told reporters during a VR news conference.

In its first full VR news briefing, the company showed how Workrooms users can design avatar versions of themselves with detailed customization

The technology allows users to synch their computers and keyboards in order to see and use them in virtual reality

The term 'metaverse,' coined in the 1992 dystopian novel 'Snow Crash,' is used to describe immersive, shared spaces accessed across different platforms where the physical and digital converge. Zuckerberg has described it as an 'embodied internet.'

It has been referenced in several recent earnings calls by tech CEOs including Zuckerberg, Microsoft's Satya Nadella, gaming company Roblox Corp's David Baszucki and Match Group's Shar Dubey, who have talked about how their companies could shape aspects of this futuristic realm.

In July, Facebook said it was creating a product team to work on the metaverse, which would be part of its AR and VR group Facebook Reality Labs.

In its first full VR news briefing, the company showed how Workrooms users can design avatar versions of themselves to meet in virtual reality conference rooms and collaborate on shared whiteboards or documents, still interacting with their own physical desk and computer keyboard.

Facebook recently halted sales of its Oculus Quest 2 headsets and recalled the foam face-liners due to reports of skin irritation in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The recall notice said it affected about 4 million units in the United States, providing an estimate of Quest 2 headset sales which have not yet been officially announced by the company.

Facebook reported non-advertising revenue, which comes from the AR and VR part of the business as well as e-commerce, of $497 million in the second quarter of 2021.

King also pressed Zuckerberg on how many people had viewed pandemic misinformation on Facebook, a topic the White House has slammed the company over

Earlier in the interview, King pressed Zuckerberg on how many people had viewed pandemic misinformation on Facebook.

'One of the things that the White House has asked for repeatedly and still hasn't gotten a number, is how many people have viewed and shared, do you have that number?' asked King.

'Well, if we see harmful misinformation on the platform then we take it down. It's against our policy. So the 18 million number that I shared is the number, of pieces of content that we've seen on the platform that we've taken down,' Zuckerberg responded.

He continued: 'Now do we catch everything? Of course there are mistakes that we make or areas where we need to improve, but that's the best number that we have in terms of what we've seen and what our systems have been able to detect.'

King pressed him further: 'Those are two separate issues. You've taken down 18 million pieces of misinformation, but how many people have viewed the misinformation?'

'The White House has said at one point that Facebook is killing people. That was very bold and very blunt and provocative, and I think at one point the president walked that back,' she added.

'I understand what you're saying,' replied Zuckerberg. 'The number that I have off the top of my head that I can share is the number of pieces of misinformation that we've taken action against.'

Zuckerberg also insisted that millions have used Facebook's vaccine finder to locate appoints for shots, and that hundreds of millions had visited the site's coronavirus hub to get authoritative misinformation.
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US troops used teargas and fired shots into the air on Wednesday night to control the increasingly desperate crowds of Afghans at the airport, while Taliban fighters blocked Westerners from getting to evacuation planes in a fifth day of chaos in Kabul.

US Air Force fighter jets are now on standby in Kabul and are performing overwatch flights as the shambolic rush to get tens of thousands of Westerners and Afghan allies out of the region continues.

It is the latest development in an increasingly tense situation on the ground in Kabul where the Taliban, which had promised peace, appears to be tightening its grip. Its fighters on the street are stopping people from getting to the airport, where jets are waiting to fly them to safety, and there are no troops there on the ground to retrieve them because they are all at the airport defending it from a stampede of frightened natives.

Overnight, 12 US Air Force C-17 cargo jets removed 2,000 people from the region - an average of just 160 people per flight, despite the planes being able to carry 600 people - six fewer aircraft than in the previous 24 hours. Since August 14, the US has only removed 7,000 people in total from the region.

Only 300 of those who flew out were American and officials can't give a breakdown of who else was on the planes or whether or not they had the right paperwork to be there.

Those on the ground say it's a lottery who gets through and that some people with tickets are being crushed or turned away, while Afghans with no paperwork are getting on through sheer luck and pushing their way to the front.

The Air Force promised to lift between 5,000 and 9,000 out per day and there are at least 50,000 waiting to be taken to safety but people are not being processed quickly enough because of manic crowds at the airport's gates and on the roads, which are being blocked by the Taliban.

US troops clash with desperate Afghans at Kabul airport as the struggle to contain crowds of thousands of desperate nationals continues. The troops have resorted to using tear gas and firing warning shots to stop the crowds from scaling walls

US troops at Kabul airport are using tear gas to control crowds of frantic Afghans who are trying to climb over to be put on evacuation flights. Footage shows shots being fired into the air in the darkness to disperse crowds

A half empty C-17 flies out of Kabul with Afghan refugees on board on Thursday. Overnight, 2,000 people were removed on the jets - an average of 160 per flight - when they can take 600

A fuller C-17 that took off from Kabul carrying Afghan refugees on Thursday. Of the 2,000 removed overnight, only 300 were American

US troops at the airport continue to control crowds. At night, they are using teargas and firing their weapons to stop people from trying to scale fences

President Biden has promised not to withdraw the military entirely while Americans remain on the ground. So far, the deadline for removal is August 31 - 12 days from now.

At a Pentagon briefing on Thursday morning, Army Major. Gen. Hank Taylor and Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said they didn't know how many Americans were still left in Afghanistan. Only 300 were removed overnight. They claimed another entry gate at the airport has been opened that should quicken the process, but admitted they do not know how long it will take to get everyone out.

'The ability to provide close air support is something that needs to be immediate if a condition required that,' Gen. Taylor said of the F-18 jets. Kirby called it the 'prudent thing to do' but claimed the situation in Kabul is not hostile.

The logistical nightmare on the ground is becoming more dangerous by the minute for those who are trapped; Westerns face the possibility of becoming hostages and Afghan natives who helped in the war by serving as translators or interpreters face near certain death if the Taliban finds out who they are.

Then there are the tens of thousands of women and girls who are petrified of what will happen to them once the Western forces leave for good and they are left to live under Sharia law.

On Wednesday, Afghan mothers who can't get through handed their babies over the wall to Western soldiers to be put on flights without them. American troops have been seen helping some women over the barbed wire, while shouting at others to stand back.

'The US military footprint in Kabul is we have 5,200 troops on the ground. Kabul airport remains secure and open.

'There are multiple gates that are now open and have entry which will help expedite processing,' Army Major. Gen. Hank Taylor said at a briefing on Thursday morning.

The Taliban, which is controlling all of the city's streets, has promised foreign governments that they will let through all Westerners and civilians who want to board flights.

One of the F-18 Super Hornet jets that performed an overwatch flight on Kabul on Wednesday night is shown taking off from USS Ronald Reagan. The jets are on standby to provide support should the on-the-ground commander order it

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby (left) and Army. Gen. Major. Hank Taylor (right) said on Thursday morning they didn't know how many Americans were left in Kabul and that they are working as quickly as they can to get people out. There are thousands waiting to be processed for evacuation flights but a combination of chaotic crowds at the airport and Taliban road blocks are halting the process

Crowds of Afghans at the airport on Thursday were exposed to teargas from US troops trying to control the thousands waiting to be put on evacuation flights

ABC journalists were blocked from even getting to the airport on Thursday despite having paperwork proving who they were. The Taliban's leaders say they are letting people through but the fighters on the ground aren't following the orders strictly and are blocking many of those trying to gain access

The Taliban fighters didn't let the journalists through and shots started ringing out in the background

The ABC team tried to reason with the Taliban fighters, saying they had permission to get to the airport, but the fighters became increasingly agitated

The journalists were forced back into their cars and are still stuck in Kabul, along with other Westerners who can't get to the airport because the Taliban is blocking them, despite repeated promises from foreign governments that they will be allowed through

On Wednesday, ABC journalists were among those who were blocked from getting to the airport by two armed Taliban fighters who questioned their credentials then forced them back into their vehicles. It was caught on camera and aired on Good Morning America on Thursday.

Paul 'Pen' Farthing, a former Marine who now lives in Kabul with his wife, described the scene as a 'clusterf***', telling DailyMail.com: 'Two ex-pats - one British and one Norwegian - have already been forced to turn back this morning because they can't get through.

'And last night a UN convoy carrying various foreign nationals, who had been working in Afghanistan for NGOs, had to turn round because of the sheer volume of people on the street.'

An Afghan-Australian trying to leave the country also told the ABC that it is 'not possible' to get to the airport today because there is 'lots of firing' and 'too many people' while Max Sangeen, a Canadian interpreter, said his wife and children - including a 20-day-old baby - are trapped in Kabul despite having proper documents.

It is not clear what, if anything, western troops can do to help.

The New York Times has been able to get 28 of its journalists and their families out and a CBS reporter was able to get out on Tuesday on a plane with Afghan refugees.

Between Tuesday and Wednesday, US forces only removed 2,000 people on 18 jets that could have taken 10,000.

US troops stand guard on the wall at Kabul airport as desperate women, children and men try to climb over in a bid for freedom. It's unclear if this child was lifted over. Some have been, while others with paperwork can't even get to the gate

A young girl is passed to US soldiers guarding Hamid Karzai airport amid a desperate scramble to get out of the country by tens of thousands of Afghans who don't want to be ruled by the Taliban

Babies were thrown over barbed wire towards troops at Kabul airport in a desperate bid to get them out of the country as the west's ignominious exit from Afghanistan continued

A British soldier carries an Afghan girl away from crowds at the gate, as Defence Secretary Ben Wallace today urged people not to pass their children to troops because they will not get a seat on flights out

President Joe Biden is shrugging off criticism of his handling of the crisis and said in an interview that aired Thursday that there was no way out of the region without 'chaos'.

He has been universally condemned for not ensuring that American citizens and Afghan allies were safely removed from the region before fully winding down the military's presence there after 20 years.

Both he and Pentagon bosses say they were stunned by how quickly the Taliban moved through the country and seized control of the capital after American troops withdrew.

Biden's justification for it is that Afghan troops, who the US propped up for decades, should have fought for their country themselves.

Paul 'Pen' Farthing, a former Marine who now lives in Kabul with his wife, described the scene as a 'clusterf***', telling MailOnline: 'Two ex-pats - one British and one Norwegian - have already been forced to turn back this morning because they can't get through.

On the other side of the airport's walls are US cargo jets and military planes belonging to other countries that are there to evacuate people but are leaving half-full because people cannot get through to board them

Satellite images have revealed the extent of the crisis at Kabul airport, with cars crammed up against the southern civilian entrance and northern military entrance that can be seen from satellites

Taliban fighters have now encircled the airport in Kabul and are deciding who gets to come in and who has to stay out. Checkpoints have been set up on both the civilian south side of the airport and the military north side, with gunshots fired in both locations to keep crowds back

'And last night a UN convoy carrying various foreign nationals, who had been working in Afghanistan for NGOs, had to turn round because of the sheer volume of people on the street.'

US troops will stay until evacuation is over, Biden pledges President Joe Biden said when pressed Wednesday that U.S. troops were 'going to stay' in Afghanistan until they get American citizens out, even if it means running through an August 31 deadline order. He made the statement despite his own order that U.S. troops will leave by an August 31 deadline, acknowledging the effort could run over if American citizens are still stuck in Afghanistan amid security and bureaucratic hurdles. 'We've got like 10 to 15,000 Americans in the country right now. Right? And are you committed to making sure that the troops stay until every American who wants to be out is out?' George Stephanopoulos of ABC News asked Biden in an interview airing Wednesday and Thursday. 'Yes,' Biden replied. 'So Americans should understand that troops might have to be there beyond Aug. 31st?' the Good Morning America host asked him. 'No,' Biden dodged. 'Americans should understand that we're going to try to get it done before Aug. 31st.' Stephanopoulos pressed him. 'But if we don't,' Stephanopoulos said, 'the troops will stay? he asked. 'If we don't, we'll determine at the time who's left,' Biden responded, prompting his interviewer to make one more stab at an answer. 'And?' Stephanopoulos asked him 'And if you're American force  if there's American citizens left, we're going to stay to get them all out,' Biden responded. Advertisement

Such is the desperation among crowds at the airport that women have resorted to passing babies over barbed wire to soldiers in a vain attempt to get them out of the country.

An Afghan-Australian trying to leave the country also told the ABC that it is 'not possible' to get to the airport today because there is 'lots of firing' and 'too many people' while Max Sangeen, a Canadian interpreter, said his wife and children - including a 20-day-old baby - are trapped in Kabul despite having proper documents.

But it is not clear what, if anything, western troops can do to help.

There are 4,500 American troops on the ground in Kabul but they are guarding the airport and cannot go beyond its walls to extract US citizens from the city or intervene with the Taliban's reign.

On Wednesday night, the State Department updated its guidance to tell all remaining Americans in the city to get to the airport now, but the guidance said the government couldn't be responsible for their safety getting there.

There are grave concerns for the safety of women and girls, and many are afraid to leave their homes to even attempt to get to the airport for fear of being snatched by the Taliban first.

Despite the fears, Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Ruth Sherman claimed on Wednesday that Americans were being able to get to the airport.

Farthing slammed the comments as naive, saying: 'Nobody can actually reach [the processing centre] because of the crowds and the chaos surrounding it.

'It's a lottery whether you get picked to get through the security. At the moment people who have seats booked on flights out of the airport are being turned back while others who storm fencing or are picked completely at random are getting on planes.

'I'm livid at the Government's mishandling of this, they need to take a moment, get their heads together, and work out a way with the Americans to help fly out ex-pats and those who need safety- like those who work for me - because otherwise we are looking at the worst humanitarian disaster in Afghanistan for a generation.'

Fawad Ahmadzai, another Canadian interpreter, said he and his family - a wife and four children - had been forced to 'fight' their way through guards to get to the airport terminal - saying they ignored his Canadian travel documents, beat him, and shot at him.

'I was waving at them that I am a Canadian citizen,' he said. 'They didn't even care about which passport I carry, they would only push us and hit us, and shooting ahead of us, scaring us so that we would leave.'

German national Vanessa Faizi, who had become trapped in Kabul after going to Afghanistan to visit family, spoke of violence at the airport before she managed to get a flight out.

'We saw children being trampled on,' she told journalists at an airport back in Germany.

British officials have urged Afghan women not to pass babies to soldiers, saying unaccompanied children will not be put on flights.

UK defence secretary Ben Wallace said Taliban guards are allowing people with travel documents through checkpoints and that British flights are not leaving the country empty - insisting that 'not a single seat is wasted'.

He then revealed that 120 people were evacuated from Afghanistan this morning with another 138 due to follow later - but with military transports able to carry up to 150, it means there will have been empty seats.

He did not say where the children will end up instead.

Biden says NO military advisers 'that I can recall' told him to keep troops in Afghanistan and would have still pulled out even if Trump hadn't made his deal with the Taliban

Joe Biden said he would have still pulled troops from Afghanistan without Donald Trump's deal and said he doesn't 'recall' military advisers telling him to keep a presence there

Joe Biden said he would have still pulled troops from Afghanistan without Donald Trump's deal and said he doesn't 'recall' military advisers telling him to keep a presence there.

'Your top military advisers warned against withdrawing on this timeline  they wanted you to keep about 2,500 troops,' ABC's George Stephanopoulos said to Biden in an interview that aired Thursday morning.

'No, they didn't,' the president pushed back. 'It was split. That wasn't true. That wasn't true.'

'They didn't tell you they wanted troops to stay?' Stephanopoulos asked.

'No, not in terms of whether we were going to get out in a time frame  all troops, they didn't argue against that,' Biden reiterated.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, however, that Biden knew the risks of a total troop pull out  including a possible Taliban take over  and went forward with it anyway.

The president also said during his interview, which was taped at the White House on Wednesday, that he would have still withdrawn troops from Afghanistan without the deal Trump reached for a total withdrawal by May 1.

'I would have tried to figure out how to withdraw those troops, yes,' he said.

The comment is a stunning reversal of Biden playing the blame game and insisting he didn't have a choice but to withdraw because of the last administration's negotiations.

The Journal reported the president ignored Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley's request to keep 2,500 troops in Afghanistan and did not yield Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's warning about the stability of the country without a U.S. troop presence.

Biden pushed back against that report in his first interview since the Taliban overtook the country and chaotic scenes emerged from Kabul where hundreds of Afghan citizens overran the Hamid Karzai International Airport in an attempt to get on evacuation flights.

Stephanopoulos pressed the president on the report: 'Your military advisers did not tell you, 'No, we should just keep 2,500 troops, it's been a stable situation for the last several years, we can do that, we can continue to do that?'

'No, no one said that to me that I can recall,' Biden said.

A top general who was put in charge of withdrawing all 2,500 remaining American troops from Afghanistan warned earlier this summer that the Taliban's push to take parts of the country were 'concerning' and warned the withdrawal could lead to a civil war.

'I think what you're seeing -- just if you look at the security situation -- it's not good,' General Austin Scott Miller told ABC News in an interview in June. 'The Afghans have recognized it's not good. The Taliban are on the move.'

'If you go back to what the Taliban's objectives are, they want to take over and so at some point that implies that at some point they are in Kabul,' he warned at the time. 'And certainly some of them remember what it was like the last time under with the Taliban regime.'

Miller said the U.S. was 'creating conditions' that could contribute to a Taliban take over.

Biden explained in his interview that the recent 'stability' ahead of the withdrawal was not due to a military presence, but because there was a promise that U.S. troops would leave within a certain time frame.

'The reason why it's been stable for a year is because the last president said, 'We're leaving and here's the deal I want to make with you, Taliban. We're agreeing to leave if you agree not to attack us between now and the time we leave on May the 1st,' Biden detailed.

'Less than two months after I elected to office, I was sworn in, all of a sudden, I have a May 1 deadline,' he continued.

Biden said 'there is no good time to leave Afghanistan.'

'Fifteen years ago it would have been a problem, 15 years from now,' he said. 'The basic choice is, am I going to send your sons and your daughters to war in Afghanistan in perpetuity?

'No one can name for me a time when this would end. And what constitutes defeat of the Taliban? What constitutes defeat? Would we have left then?' the president questioned the ABC News host.

'Let's say they surrender like before  OK. Do we leave then? Do you think anybody  the same people who think we should stay would've said, 'No, good time to go'? We spent over $1 trillion, George, 20 years. There was no good time to leave.'

Biden said that there was 'no consensus' in intelligence reports or military recommendations that the Taliban would overrun the government  referencing his July comments were he said the Islamic militant group's total take over was 'highly unlikely.'

'The idea that the Taliban would take over was premised on the notion that the  that somehow, the 300,000 troops we had trained and equipped was gonna just collapse, they were gonna give up. I don't think anybody anticipated that,' he said.
A woman has been charged with murder over the death of a 22-year-old woman at a holiday and caravan park in Perth's Swan Valley.

Police say they were called to a disturbance at the park in Caversham, 30 minutes northeast of Perth, on Monday night.

Officers found the alleged victim, who was taken to Royal Perth Hospital with life-threatening injuries, and a 51-year-old man who had minor injuries.

A woman has been charged with murder over the death of a 22-year-old woman at a holiday and caravan park in Perth's Swan Valley, and the accused woman is set to face court on Friday (stock image)

WA Police on Thursday said the 22-year-old woman had died from her injuries in hospital overnight (pictured, The Royal Perth Hospital)

A 31-year-old Armadale woman faced court on Tuesday charged with attempt to unlawfully kill and wounding with circumstances of aggravation.

WA Police on Thursday said the 22-year-old woman had died from her injuries in hospital overnight.

The accused woman has since been charged with murder and will face Midland Magistrates Court on Friday.

Homicide detectives are continuing to investigate.
The family of a Briton who was found dead with his wife and their one-year-old daughter in a remote Californian hiking region are 'heartbroken' over their deaths and still have no idea how they died.

Jonathan Gerrish, 45, his wife Ellen Chung and their daughter Muji were found by search teams on Tuesday in area of the Sierra National Forest known as Devil's Gulch.

A spokesperson for the sheriff's office of Mariposa County said the family of three were found out on a hiking trail and not in a tent. The family dog was also found mysteriously dead, prompting authorities to treat the isolated site as a hazmat scene.

Police say they are working on the theory that they could have been poisoned by carbon monoxide from old mines in the area. But experts have already cast doubt on that line of investigation. Another is that they may have been exposed to toxic algae.

Detectives said there were no signs of trauma on the bodies and no suicide note was found.

Mr Gerrish is a software developer for Snapchat, had previously worked for Google and is originally from Lancashire.

Speaking from his home in Bamber Bridge, Lancashire, his father Peter, 70, said: 'The family are just in shock - heartbroken.'

But asked whether he had received any further updates or was in contact with US authorities, the grandfather added: 'We haven't heard anything more.'

Jonathan Gerrish, his partner Ellen Chung and their one-year-old daughter were found dead near an area called Devil's Gulch in a remote part of Northern California on Tuesday

The family's dog was found dead along with its owners by search teams

Kristie Mitchell, a spokeswoman for the sheriff's office has said investigators are still working to determine the cause of their deaths.

'It could be a carbon monoxide situation. Thats one of the reasons why were treating it as a hazmat situation,' she said.

There are several abandoned mines up in the area and in an abundance of caution or recovery team is taking precautions for any poisonous gases, particles in the area,' Mitchell added. So far, there has been no measurable poisons registered.

Mitchell also did not rule out possible exposure to toxic algae. She noted that the bodies of the deceased showed no signs of trauma, and no suicide note was found.

'It is a very bizarre situation,' she said.

According to a Reuters article published in 2013, two gold and silver miners died in Colorado after being exposed to fatal levels of carbon monoxide, and 19 others fell ill.

Dr Mike Nelson, professor of mining engineering at University of Utah, cast doubt on the theory that carbon monoxide emissions from an old gold mine were possibly to blame for the deaths.

During a phone interview with the DailyMail.com on Wednesday, Nelson explained that gold mines are not known to produce carbon monoxide, and even if the gas were present, it would have gone up into the air.

He also noted that the family were found outdoors and not in an enclosed space where exposure to carbon monoxide could be lethal.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the bodies of the family remained in the canyon, about 2 miles from the trailhead where their vehicle was found.

The area is so remote the workers have to leave the area just to get a signal to communicate back to headquarters,' Mitchell said.

The bodies will be transported to the medical examiner's office sometime today and will undergo autopsies tomorrow.

This map shows the remote are in Mariposa County, California, where the bodies were discovered on Tuesday

The bodies were located near the Hite Cove trail, known particularly in springtime to have spectacular wildflower displays

Gerrish, a native of England, had worked as a software engineer at Google. Chung was from Orange, California, but was of Korean descent

If the medical examiner decides to conduct toxicology tests, results could take up to six weeks.

A friend had reported the family missing at 11pm on Monday evening after Gerrish and Chung failed to show up for work that day, reported Fox 26 News.

Gerrish and Chung, from Orange, California, were last heard from early Sunday, when they uploaded a photo of a backpack. Rosanna Heaslett, the family friend, said they hiked on weekends.

The familys gray Ford Raptor was located near the Sierra National Forest gate early Tuesday. The bodies of the couple, their daughter and pet dog were found between 9.30am and 10am.

'This is never the outcome we want or the news we want to deliver, my heart breaks for their family. Our Sheriffs Chaplains and staff are working with their family and will continue to support them during this heartbreaking time,' said Sheriff Jeremy Briese.

The sheriffs office is investigating the deaths along with the California Department of Justice.

The remote area where the bodies were found had no cellphone service, Mitchell said. It was close to the Hite Cove trail, known particularly in springtime to have spectacular wildflower displays.
A special education teacher was killed in the crossfire of a Chicago expressway shootout Tuesday evening as gun crime in the city continues to soar.

Denise M. Huguelet, 67, was shot at around 10pm on the city's Dan Ryan Expressway, while she and her husband were on their way home from a White Sox game.

The mother of five and grandmother of 11 was later pronounced dead at a hospital from a gunshot wound to the back.

Her death came as shootings in the city have increased 12 percent this year, with 2198 reported as of August 17 compared to 1968 during the same period last year, according to city crime statistics.

On Wednesday a seven-year-old boy was shot in the stomach while sitting with his mother in a parked vehicle at 8.20pm Wednesday in the Chicago's East Ukrainian Village, Chicago police reported.

He was listed as in stable condition.

Meanwhile Mayor Lori Lightfoot has remained largely silent on the latest shootings.

Denise Huguelet with her Husband Michael. She was shot and killed after getting caught in the crossfire of a shootout on a Chicago expressway Tuesday evening while the two were on their way back from a White Sox game

The mayor tweeted a tribute to killed Chicago Police officer Ella French on Thursday morning, shortly before her funeral. French was shot and killed in the line of duty last Saturday during a routine traffic stop.

Huguelet's was the was the 156th such shooting to take place on Chicago's expressways this year, outstripping last year's total of 128 in the same period, and tripling the 52 reported in 2019, according to the Chicago-Sun Times.

There have been 50 shootings this year on the Dan Ryan Expressway alone.

An Illinois State trooper on Tuesday evening had reportedly heard the gunshots from the expressway and pursued one of the vehicles believed to have been involved in the shootout.

After a chase involving a police helicopter, two suspects in the vehicle were apprehended along with a handgun.

Another car was hit in the shootout as well, and the passenger suffered a graze wound, according to police.

No charges had been filed as of Wednesday evening, the Chicago-Sun Times reported.

Huguelet's husband, Michael, had just announced on August 7 the couple's 44th wedding anniversary, as well as the birth of their 11th grandchild and 6th granddaughter.

Huguelet had worked as a special education teacher in the Evergreen Park School District for 24 years

The Huguelets had just celebrated their 44th wedding anniversary and the birth of their 11th grandchild

Lightfoot's office did not respond to a request for comment.

Huguelet had worked as a special education teacher for 24 years at Central Middle School, according to a statement from the Evergreen Park Elementary School District.

Former student Walter Melancon, 22, said she had made a big impact on his life.

'Growing up I had anger issues. I had trouble focusing and she changed that for me. She helped me get through all that,' Melancon told WGN9.

'She was like everyones mom. You didnt have your lunch, she made sure you eat lunch. You need help, she made sure you got help. You were sad, she didnt let you go home till you were in a better mood.'

Her death came as gun crime has continued to spike in Chicago, increasing 12 percent over the same period last year

Meanwhile Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has remained silent on the latest shooting incidents, only just tweeting Thursday morning on the death of slain Chicago police officer Ella French

'Our Evergreen Park family mourns the loss of Denise Huguelet. Mrs. Huguelet worked in the district for 24 years as a special education teacher at Central Middle School, serving students with the most significant disabilities. Her passion for students and her dedication to the community showed in all aspects of her work,' the district announced in a Facebook post.

'Mrs. Huguelets nature with kids was kind, yet firm, to ensure that students were taught the independent skills they needed to be successful in their futures.'

The White Sox, also released a statement following Huguelet's killing.

'She dedicated her career to making a difference in the lives of so many young students,' the team said.

'The entire White Sox organization is deeply pained by the news of her passing and the loss of her warm, caring spirit that her friends, family and community remember well about Denise.'

Meanwhile the father of the Chicago cop shot alongside French on August 7, ripped the Lightfoot's police reforms that prohibit cops from drawing their weapons unless absolutely needing to for his son's paralysis and Ella French's death.

Yanez Sr. spoke during Ella French's wake on August 18 and said people in attendance 'will never forget Ella or the other officers who came before her or my son. But the people will because they don't feel the pain we feel'

'I love you all', Yanez says. 'To my son CJ and my wife Brenda, I do this all for you', he adds before blowing air kisses towards the camera

During the incident, two brothers allegedly opened fired, killing French and seriously wounding partner Carlos Yanez Jr., who is paralyzed with two bullets still lodged in his brain.

Carlos Yanez Sr., a retired Chicago cop, told The Chicago-Sun Times, 'There wasn't a day that I didn't draw my weapon, have it behind my leg or behind my thigh.'

'She wants police to fight crime with a hand tied behind their backs, and you can't fight evil crime, brute force, with one hand tied behind their backs,' he said.

Evidence from prosecutors showed both French and Yanez Jr.'s weapons were still holstered when they were shot at during the August 7 traffic stop.

French, 29, was killed by a single shot to the head and Yanez Jr., 40, who released a video from the hospital, was struck in the brain, eye and shoulder.

Yanez Sr. told The Chicago Sun Times that his son doesn't want to see the mayor because Junior is 'no fan' to 'put it mildly.'

It was the latest example of feuds between Lightfoot, who has previously supported efforts to defund the police, and officers in the city over the past week in the aftermath of French's killing.

Last Thursday night Lightfoot mispronounced French's name, with the mayor mistakenly calling her 'Ella Franks.'

Chicago Police Department Superintendent David Brown (left) and Mayor Lori Lightfoot referred to slain police officer Ella French as 'Ella Fitzgerald' and 'Ella Franks', respectively

That came in addition to gaffes by Chicago Police Department Superintendent David Brown, who called her 'Ella Fitzgerald' twice earlier last week.

That's on top of Lightfoot denying French an honor guard bagpipe procession from the hospital to the morgue, a customary and symbolic act of respect for an officer killed in the line of duty.

French, 29, was gunned down in a shootout while conducting what seemed like a routine traffic stop on Saturday.

Her partner, who has not been named, was wounded but survived.

After French was pronounced dead at the hospital last Saturday night, French's body was transported by ambulance to the medical examiner's office, and fellow officers were prepared to line the streets and play the bagpipes.

Chicago Police Officer Ella French, pictured, was shot dead last Saturday in the line of duty

Two hundred cops turned out to honor French at a prayer vigil last Tuesday after being 'banned' from holding the procession

But First Deputy Police Supt. Eric Carter banned it.

He told the EMTs driving the ambulance to carry on straight to the medical examiner's office for the autopsy to be carried out, saying: 'We don't have 20 minutes for this s**t.'

That same night, Lightfoot showed up at the hospital to offer her support to the families of French and her wounded partner.

Cops who were still there turned their backs on her when she arrived and there were reports that the mayor forced her way into the facility.

'There was  let me choose my words carefully  well-meaning but not well-organized group that wanted to hijack the procession, which would have meant that the family would have been delayed exponentially in getting to the morgue

On Wednesday, Lightfoot held a press conference to deny that claim and to also accuse the cops who wanted to perform the honor guard of 'hijacking' the night and depriving French's family of a crucial window of time to see her body before the autopsy was carried out.

She also railed against the journalists present, accusing them of asking her 'offensive' questions about forcing her way into the hospital and accusing them of 'mining from the bottom of the chum barrel' and producing 'sickening' reports that criticized her.

'There was no official honor guard that night.

'There was  let me choose my words carefully  well-meaning but not well-organized group that wanted to hijack the procession, which would have meant that the family would have been delayed exponentially in getting to the morgue.

'And again, given the new restrictions that the new coroner has put in place, that wouldn't have been fair to them and they may have lost an important window of time

'So the call was made, under those circumstances, to focus on the family.

'Eric Carter made the right call. I support what he did and I'm horrified that in this moment people are trying to savage him for whatever agenda or purpose,' Lightfoot said.

She then fumed at the media and told them they were using unreliable sources.

'I would just caution you all. Be careful. Be careful. Check your sources. Make sure they're accurate. Get the right context. Because I know firsthand, it's really hard when the media becomes ferocious in propagating a story that's just not true.'

Lightfoot then got angry when a journalist asked her if she'd forced her way into the hospital.

'I don't force my way anywhere. And that's offensive, frankly, that you would ask me that question.

'I just sat here and talked about the fact that we've got to be really careful and you have to be really careful in your reporting and be responsible. And you just keep lobbing this nonsense that's offensive and insulting and really does a disservice to the moment that we're in.'

She questioned why it's acceptable 'for people to engage in such nasty, vicious talk' and then have it 'repeated by media as if it is fact and true.'

'People feel like it is their right to spew hatred at everyone that they don't agree with or make fun and mock, usually anonymously and cowardly from social media.

Eric Morgan is pictured during the traffic stop in the new body worn camera footage

The Morgan brothers were said to have been driving with expired license plates, prompting police to pull them over. They were charged in connection to French's killing

'I think our media plays a very important role in our democracy, but you lose me, you lose me when it's a race to the bottom and it's all about the fight and it's all about the conflict.

'I've got to tell you, some of the reporting I've seen this week is just sickening.

'We all need to ask ourselves what we can do better to show our people everywhere that we have the capacity to be human beings again.'

'Give me a break. What else are you going to mine from the bottom of the chum barrel? Come on. You're better than that. You're better than that. You're better than that,' she said.

Chicago police union boss John Catanzara told Fox News that Lightfoot had to shoulder some of the blame for French's death.

Two brothers - Emonte Morgan, 21, and his brother Eric, 22, have been arrested and charged after French, 29, was shot dead and her partner was critically injured during a routine traffic stop on Saturday.

Lightfoot arrived at the University of Chicago Medical Center shortly after the shooting, where dozens of police officers turned their backs when she greeted them. French's partner remains in critical condition at the hospital.

The father of the injured officer, who has not been named, reportedly told Lightfoot when she went to the hospital that 'there's blood on her hands.'

On Wednesday, Lightfoot held a press conference to deny that claim and to also accuse the cops who wanted to perform the honor guard of 'hijacking' the night

A former top police official has slammed the Chicago Police Department after it was revealed that a 'sacred' ritual was skipped after the shooting death of Ella French over time concerns.

Garry McCarthy, the department's former superintendent, told Fox News that officers 'feel under attack by politicians' after French's body was taken directly to the medical examiner's office for her autopsy without a guard of honor.

He claimed they avoided drawing their weapons to honor their fallen colleague - as is tradition - over fears they'd have to file a report for doing so, as part of new police reform laws.

The Emerald Society, an Irish-American fraternal organization for members who most often come from law enforcement, had gathered outside the medical examiner's office to play ceremonial bagpipes for her final send-off.

Garry McCarthy, the department's former superintendent, said Chicago cops 'feel under attack' from politicians like Lightfoot, who wanted to defund the police last summer despite soaring gun crime in the city

Chicago police and other officials worked swiftly to arrest three suspects after French's death, though charges have not yet been filed.

French was the first Windy City officer to be fatally shot in the line of duty in almost two years, and the first female cop shot to death in the line of duty since 1988.

Still, McCarthy blasted the department for skipping the procession - which he called an 'inexcusable' affront to cops in the city, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

'The officers here in CPD and probably across the country  feel under attack by politicians and the public. Most of them feel like they're not being supported by their leadership Garry McCarthy, the department's former superintendent

'The officers here in CPD and probably across the country  feel under attack by politicians and the public. Most of them feel like they're not being supported by their leadership,' he said.

He added: 'It's so important, the sacred nature of rituals, certainly within policing.'

'If there's an excuse for what happened, then maybe, you know, Eric should talk about it publicly himself,' he said.

McCarthy said that officers also did not draw their weapons, as traditionally practiced after the death of a colleague. He blamed the skipping of that tradition on possible police reform measures.

'That's probably the result of a policy that was put in place for every time you draw your weapon, you have to do a report about it. Policing is entirely under attack, and that's why we have a 100% increase in the murder rate,' McCarthy said.

'There's always enough time. Let's put it that way. If we had to wait two or three days, I would have done it,' he said.
Carol Yanez Sr., the father of cop who survived shooting that killed Ella French, speaks during her wake on August 18 and said people in attendance 'will never forget Ella or the other officers who came before her or my son. But the people will because they don't feel the pain we feel'

The father of the Chicago cop left partially paralyzed in last week's shooting that killed his partner blamed the tragedy on embattled mayor Lori Lightfoot, saying her police reforms prohibit cops from drawing their weapons until it's too late.

'She wants police to fight crime with a hand tied behind their backs, and you can't fight evil crime, brute force, with one hand tied behind their backs,' said the dad of Carlos Yanez Jr., also named Carlos, who retired from the force.

During an August 7 traffic stop, two brothers allegedly opened fired, killing French and seriously wounding his son, who is paralyzed with two bullets still lodged in his brain.

Evidence from prosecutors showed both French and Yanez Jr. did not draw their weapons before they were shot.

Yanez Sr. said his son had little choice but to keep his weapon holstered, calling it one of many policy changes that embolden criminals and rendering police sitting ducks, according to the The Chicago-Sun Times.

'There wasn't a day that I didn't draw my weapon, have it behind my leg or behind my thigh,' Yanez Sr. told the paper.

The controversial mayor's police reforms haven't made a dent in the WIndy CIty's skyrocketing crime numbers.

Data from August showed murders in the city were nearly the same as the number reported last year, but shootings increased by 15 percent and the number of people shot in the city rose by nearly 10 percent year-over-year.

Chicago Police Department said that there were 105 homicides recorded in the month of July.

Carlos Yanez Jr. (left) with his mother and father - Carlos Yanez Sr., a retired Chicago police officer (right)

Carlos Yanez Jr. released video from hospital bed, saying 'I love you all. To my son CJ and my wife Brenda, I do this all for you', before blowing air kisses towards the camera

Eric Morgan (left) and Emonte 'Monty' Morgan were said to have been driving with expired license plates, prompting police to pull them over

Yanez and his partner, 29-year-old Ella French, (pictured) were shot in the West Englewood neighborhood on August 7

DailyMail.com reached out to Yanez Sr. on social media on Thursday morning, but French's funeral was scheduled for 10am local time.

French, 29, was killed by a single shot to the head and Yanez Jr., 40, who released a video from the hospital, was struck in the head, eye and shoulder.

Yanez Sr. told The Chicago Sun Times that his son doesn't want to see the mayor because Junior is 'no fan' to 'put it mildly.'

Yanez Jr.'s sister Nicole Christina, a doctor, is coordinating her brother's medical care team and sending written updates.

According to her latest messages, she said her brother lost an eye, is out of the intensive care unit and has some 'sensation,' but 'no movement on left side of his body or right leg.'

The father of one has made 'some intentional twitches of movement in three limbs he is not able to move,' she wrote.

'Junior's sentences are getting longer. Sometimes, his voice gets a little louder. Mood improves when he can twitch a leg muscle. There was a twitch in his left shoulder,' Christina wrote in her 11th update.

On Wednesday, his family put out a video of him moving from his hospital bed to thank supporters for 'your donations and your prayers' in an emotional video which shows him recuperating in a hospital bed.

'I love you all', he says. 'To my son CJ and my wife Brenda, I do this all for you', he adds before blowing air kisses towards the camera.

His family set up a GoFundMe to help cover medical costs.

Police officer Carlos Yanez, 40, has released a moving video thanking supporters and donors as he recuperates after being shot and paralyzed in the line of duty in Chicago on August 7

Chicago crime wave's latest victim: Retired special ed teacher, 67, is killed in cross-fire on her way home from White Sox game A special education teacher was killed in the crossfire of a Chicago expressway shootout Tuesday evening as gun crime in the city continues to soar. Denise M. Huguelet, 67, was shot at around 10pm on the city's Dan Ryan Expressway, while she and her husband were on their way home from a White Sox game. The mother of five and grandmother of 11 was later pronounced dead at a hospital from a gunshot wound to the back. Her death came as shootings in the city have increased 12 percent this year, with 2198 reported as of August 17 compared to 1968 during the same period last year, according to city crime statistics. Meanwhile Mayor Lori Lightfoot has remained largely silent on the latest shootings. Huguelet's was the was the 156th such shooting to take place on Chicago's expressways this year, outstripping last year's total of 128 in the same period, and tripling the 52 reported in 2019, according to the Chicago-Sun Times. Advertisement

Yanez was shot multiple times in the face and shoulder after he and partner French approached a car during a what-appeared-to-be a routine traffic stop.

The situation reportedly spiraled out of control when one of the people in the car did not to cooperate and refused to place his drink and cell phone on the ground.

'Monte Morgan exited that vehicle with a drink in one hand and a cell phone in the other. He refused repeated instructions to set those items down,' said Risa Lanier, Interim First Assistant State's Attorney, Fox 32 reported.

'He began physically jerking his arms away from those officers.'

Morgan then pulled a .22 caliber handgun on the officers and fired several shots towards the pair, hitting French in the head and Yanez in the right eye and shoulder.

'Defendant Monte Morgan fired multiple shots, striking both Officer French and Victim 2. After being fired upon and struck, Officer French and Victim 2 both fell to the ground between the stopped car and the curb,' Lanier said.

The shooter was later neutralized by officers who arrived on the scene as back up.

French ad Yanez had their guns holstered the 'entire time' of of the incident, prosecutors said.

Most of Yanez Jr.'s face and eye socket were fractured during the shooting. He received surgical treatment to repair it.

'We remain hopeful for a miraculous recovery but have to prepare for what's to come,' the GoFundMe said.

Meanwhile, over a thousand people - including first responders and civilians from all over the state - walked into St. Rita Cascia Shrine Chapel Wednesday to pay respects to French.

Yanez Sr. spoke during the wake and said people in attendance 'will never forget Ella or the other officers who came before her or my son.'

Yanez is seen in a photo on the GoFundMe page which revealed he is facing a 'potentially lifelong disability'

'But the people will because they don't feel the pain we feel.'

Mario Ponce and Abel Mercado, who both worked with French when she was a Cook County sheriff's correctional officer, told The Chicago Sun Times that were heartbroken to have to visit one of their own at such a young age.

'You could feel the energy from her just looking down on law enforcement and other first responders,' Ponce told the paper.

'It was a sad moment, but it was good to see everyone come together as one to support not only her, but her family.'

The two brothers allegedly responsible for killing French and paralyzing Yanez Jr. were arrested.

Emonte Morgan was charged with first-degree murder of a police officer, two counts of attempted first-degree murder, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, and unlawful use of a weapon by a felon.

Over a thousand people attended Ella French's wake on August 18, which included first responders, civilians and fellow officers from around the state

Chicago police officers gather to remember Ella French, who was shot and killed in the line of duty, during her wake on August 18

Eric Morgan was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful use of a weapon by a felon and obstruction of justice.

But an ABC 7 report found that Emonte was actually supposed to be behind bars that day.

Emonte has been connected to a hit-and-run case from April in which a walker was struck in a crosswalk and sent flying against a stop sign.

According to ABC 7, Morgan didn't stop driving until he struck a parked car nearly a mile and a half away.

He was freed on a personal recognizance bond in the wake of the hit and run - despite being on probation for a 2019 robbery conviction at the time.

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.

She was one of 10 people killed and 64 wounded by gun violence throughout the city last weekend as the city continues to suffer from high crime rates.

Chicago police union boss John Catanzara told Fox News that Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot had to shoulder some of the blame for French's death due to the city's soft stance on crime.

Lightfoot had also been criticized for incorrectly referring to French as 'Ella Franks' and siding with First Deputy Police Supt. Eric Carter in dismissing a traditional bagpipe service for French outside the medical examiner's office.

Carter allegedly said 'We don't have 20 minutes for this s**t.'
Under the ruling, Elmendorf must pay $500 each to nine protesters he harassed, for a total of $4,500

His attorney said that the allegations were 'categorically false' and that his client's name was being smeared

Elmendorf also was accused of calling 911 to falsely report that armed protesters were threatening to shoot him, referring to black protesters as 'savages'

The suit alleged that Elmendorf wielded a baton and air rifle and shouted slurs at protesters after racist text messages he allegedly wrote circulated online

David Elmendorf will pay nine protesters $500 each for violating their civil rights during the June 30, 2020 incident where they peacefully protested outside Bumpy's Polar Freeze in Schenectady

The former owner of an Upstate New York ice cream shop has been ordered to pay $4,500 after falsely calling police on Black Lives Matter protests and claiming they were threatening him.

David Elmendorf will pay nine protesters $500 each for violating their civil rights in the June 30, 2020 incident where they peacefully protested outside Bumpy's Polar Freeze in Schenectady after racist text messages he allegedly wrote circulated on social media.

After the incident, he was sued by New York State Attorney General Letitia James under a law, dubbed the so-called 'Central Park Karen' law, which aims to stop false, race-based police reports. It's the first time the law has been used.

The law was enacted after a high-profile case in which a white woman, Amy Cooper, called police and falsely told them a black birdwatcher in New York City's Central Park was threatening her.

Cooper was dubbed 'Central Park Karen' after video of her calling the cops last May went viral.

'There is zero tolerance for harassment, intimidation, or violence of any kind against anyone in New York,' James said in a statement.

Elmendorf also was accused of calling 911 to falsely report that armed protesters were threatening to shoot him, referring to Black protesters as 'savages'

The suit also accused Elmendorf of targeting the protesters with racist threats while brandishing an air rifle, as seen in the video grab above

BLM protesters peacefully protested outside Bumpy's Polar Freeze in Schenectady after racist text messages he allegedly wrote circulated on social media

Elmendorf's ice cream shop became the target of sustained protests last summer after racist text messages allegedly sent by him were circulated on social media, according to the lawsuit.

The unrest came to a head on June 30, when Elmendorf approached a group protesters standing peacefully on the porch of a private house near Bumpy's', the suit stated.

The owner allegedly spent 15 minutes spewing racial slurs , including the n-word and 'monkeys'.

'If you come over here I'm going to shoot you. I'll kill all you f**king n****rs,' Elmendorf is quoted saying in the suit.

New York Attorney General Letitia James (pictured) filed her lawsuit against Elmendorf on Wednesday

He allegedly threatened the demonstrators with a baton and told them he was going to grab his rifle.

The group fled in fear before Elmendorf called 911 and claimed that there were '20 armed protesters who were threatening to shoot him' at his store, prosecutors said.

He also allegedly described the protesters as 'savages hanging out in Section 8 housing'.

Later in the day 50 protesters showed up at the store again, at which point Elmendorf came out with a .22-caliber air rifle pellet gun, prosecutors said.

'I'll run you n****rs over with my truck,' he allegedly told the crowd.

Elmendorf was stopped by police as he drove away from the shop. Officers found a pellet gun, a can of ammunition and a rifle scope in his vehicle.

He was ultimately arrested on two misdemeanor charges for menacing in connection with the protest confrontation. He pleaded not guilty.

The suit alleged that David Elmendorf wielded a baton and air rifle and shouted racial epithets at protesters who came to Bumpy's Polar Freeze in Schenectady to protest on June 30, 2020 after racist text messages he allegedly wrote circulated on social media

Elmendorf is also facing assault charges for a separate incident in October, in which he allegedly used a pen to stab a private investigator serving court documents at Bumpy's.

Bumpy's was shuttered last fall after Elmendorf allegedly failed to correct a health code violation and to enforce coronavirus-related restrictions. It has since been purchased by new owners and given a new name.

Elmendorf's attorney, James Mermigis, said that the allegations were 'categorically false' and that his client's name was being smeared.

It's the first time a law stemming from the infamous 'Central Park Karen' incident has been used against a New York resident which aims to stop false, race-based police reports, according to Attorney General Letitia James' office

The 'Central Park Karen' incident happened the same day as the arrest and murder of George Floyd in Minnesota in May 2020.

Amy Cooper was also charged with filing a false police report after a video of the calling 911 where she claimed she was being threatened by a black bird watcher.

Christian Cooper, however, said he would not cooperate with the investigation, telling the New York Times that 'bringing her more misery just seems like piling on.' The charges were dropped in February after she completed an educational course.

Cooper was fired by her employers at Franklin Templeton and temporarily surrendered her dog for evaluation by veterinarians. She eventually sued for wrongful termination. Franklin Templeton has asked the lawsuit be dismissed.

The so-called 'Central Park Karen' bill was originally introduced in 2018 but in the wake of the incident, was re-introduced, quickly passed and signed into law by Gov. Andrew Cuomo on June 12, 2020.
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Lawyers for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle today denied the couple had 'reignited a rift' with the Queen after an updated biography claimed they believe she has failed to act over their accusations of racism.

The new edition of Finding Freedom suggests the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were 'not surprised' at a perceived lack of action over their claim that a senior royal expressed 'concern' about their unborn child's skin colour.

It says they took exception to a carefully-worded statement from the Queen, following their interview with Oprah Winfrey in March, in which she expressed concern for the couple but insisted that 'some recollections may vary'.

Days later, Prince William told reporters that the royals were 'very much not a racist family' and admitted he was yet to speak to his estranged brother following the Oprah interview. Now, the updated edition of Finding Freedom has claimed that the Sussexes were far from happy at Buckingham Palace's official response.

But their legal team at Schillings told MailOnline today that it was false and defamatory to claim the couple have 'reignited a rift' with the Queen - or to suggest or imply that they have made any statements to that effect.

Their lawyers insisted there were no new developments on the topic and that the claims were from the authors of the book, Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, who do not speak for the Sussexes and rely on unnamed sources.

Mr Scobie also tried to clarify the situation, tweeting: 'Back at this rodeo and, predictably, words are already being twisted. The comments made by a SOURCE (a detail some outlets have purposefully ignored) was about a lack of ownership from the royal institution as a whole. There's no 'attack' against the Queen anywhere in the book.'

An excerpt from the new version of Finding Freedom due to be published in People magazine in the US tomorrow states that the couple believe senior royals have not taken 'accountability'  preventing a major thaw in relations.

The extract reads: 'Those three words, 'recollections may vary', did not go unnoticed by the couple, who a close source said were 'not surprised' that full ownership was not taken. 'Months later and little accountability has been taken,' a pal of Meghan's added. 'How can you move forward without that?' '

Harry and Meghan spoke to Oprah Winfrey in a bombshell interview in March in which they accused a senior royal of racism

The Queen during a military inspection at the gates at Balmoral on August 9, as she took up summer residence at the castle

Prince Harry speaks to Kate Middleton as he walks out of Prince Philip's funeral at Windsor Castle with Prince William in April

Earlier today, MailOnline also reported on how the updated version of Finding Freedom said Harry and Meghan have no regrets about leaving Britain and making bombshell claims accusing the Royal Family of racism.

The book now covers Harry's return to the UK in April for his grandfather Prince Philip's funeral - and says he bought a one-way ticket as he hoped he might be able to speak to his family directly, without staff being involved.

The new version of Finding Freedom will be out on August 31

It claims Harry spoke to his brother Prince William three times in all during the visit, as well as briefly chatting to his father, Prince Charles, after the service. He also enjoyed 'precious moments' with his grandmother, the Queen.

The biography, which was a glowing portrait of the Sussexes by Mr Scobie and Ms Durand first published in August 2020, concludes that the trip 'broke the ice' and that the door to a rapprochement is now 'slightly ajar'.

Stating that Harry and Meghan have no regrets about their actions, despite the toll on their family, the book says: 'What started [as a] fairytale romance became a story that reinvented the genre  a self-made, independent woman playing an equal role alongside her knight.'

The excerpt to be published in People also claims the couple felt nervous sitting down with chat show host Oprah but had decided that they needed to speak up now, or never.

'There were so many things they were unable to say [before stepping back from their royal roles],' it reads.

Although the Sussexes have insisted they did not co-operate directly with the book's authors, the level of detail  and claims by both the writers and publisher, Harper Collins, that they had access to the couple's close circle of friends and associates  has led some to claim that indirect help was provided.

The book's authors have said, however, that Finding Freedom is 'independent and unauthorised' and that the couple did not speak to them about it.

The new version is set to be published on August 31  the anniversary of Princess Diana's death. It contains an updated epilogue covering the Oprah interview, the death of Prince Philip, and the Sussexes' plans for the future.

Royal author Omid Scobie is a trusted media contact of the Sussexes and co-wrote their biography Finding Freedom

Mr Scobie attempted to clarify the situation in a tweet today, following his comments published in People online yesterday

Harry joined his brother William at Kensington Palace on July 1 to unveil a statue they commissioned of their mother Diana

In an interview with People magazine, co-author Mr Scobie appears to suggest that Harry is not keen to 'move on' unless there is 'accountability' from 'a number of individuals involved'  including members of staff from 'the institution' as well as some relatives themselves.

Omid Scobie spoke to People magazine ahead of the re-release of Finding Freedom in paperback this month

Describing the situation as 'complicated', Mr Scobie said: 'There are people within the family who [the Sussexes] are much closer to today than they were a year ago.

'But in terms of Harry's relationship with his father and brother, that progress has been very little. I think he is quite willing to own his part in everything, but I have been told that he is waiting to see some of that on the other side  and as of now there hasn't been that.'

Mr Scobie adds that the California-based couple have learned to 'prioritise their mental health' and keep 'some of the toxicity' at an arm's - and ocean's - length away.'

He also claims they plan to enter a new 'era of visibility' this autumn, with a more 'intentionally public' life. 'They're a couple who do very well in those moments of human interaction,' Mr Scobie said.

'They need to be on the ground... they say that the proof is in the pudding, and what we are about to see is that pudding.'

After a period of parental leave following the birth of their daughter, Lilibet, the couple are apparently gearing up for a busy few months and were 'really excited' about the next chapter of their lives.

Mr Scobie added: 'They seem to be existing in a different place, and that place is much healthier. Meghan famously spoke about that it was not enough to survive - we are now in the thrive chapter.'

He was referring to the duchess's infamous interview with ITV news anchor Tom Bradby in which complained about the difficulties of living in the royal spotlight, saying: 'It's not enough to just survive something. You've got to thrive.'

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex volunteer with Baby2Baby at a school in Los Angeles, California, in August 2020

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex attend an engagement in London in March 2020 before they stood down as senior royals

He also said that the couple had been afraid of 'the consequences of stepping away and challenging the system', but the birth of their son, Archie, 'gave them that energy to stand up for what was right for them'.

Mr Scobie said the couple were planning to expand their charity work through the not for profit arm of their organisation, Archewell, which is also the vehicle for their lucrative Netflix and Spotify deals.

Buckingham Palace did not comment on the book's content last year. A spokesman declined to comment last night on the latest claims.

On Tuesday, Harry and Meghan issued an extraordinary statement in response to events in Afghanistan and other global crises, declaring: 'The world is exceptionally fragile right now.'

Declaring themselves 'speechless' at recent humanitarian disasters, the couple also managed to pontificate at length on their website about how they had been left 'heartbroken' and 'scared' about the earthquake in Haiti, new Covid variants and the continuing global health crisis.
The family of hiker Esther Dingley have announced funeral plans with her ashes being scattered in places 'close to her heart.'

A private cremation will be held close to the Pyrenees where her body was found after nine months.

Messages from her friends will be read out at the service with the family setting up an account for friends and well wishers to leave their thoughts.

Her parents Ria and Terry and boyfriend Dan Colegate, who found her body on the French side of the Pyrenees, spoke of their 'nine months of uncertainty' but added she had been found among the 'mountains she loved so much.'

They said her ashes would be scattered in 'places close to her heart' with the area where she died likely to be among them.

French investigators have said Esther Dingley (pictured) plunged almost 100ft to her death after losing her footing on the northern slope of the Pic de la Glere

The statement said: 'Dan, Ria and Terry are saddened by the passing of their beloved Esther who, after nine painful months of uncertainty, has now been found among the mountains she loved so much.

'Once Esther is returned to the family, a small, private cremation will be held close to the Pyrenees before Esther's ashes are scattered in a number of places closest to her heart.

'In lieu of cards and flowers, the family asks that people consider a donation to the charity Sightsavers who work to tackle preventable blindness around the world.

'This is a charity Esther long supported in line with her commitment to sharing the beauty of our planet.'

French investigators have said Esther plunged almost 100ft to her death after losing her footing on the northern slope of the Pic de la Glere.

The remains of her body were found 400m from the peak with her possession scattered around her.

Bone fragments from her skull were found last month having been dragged from the body by wolves of bears that roam in the area.

An autopsy found that Esther died instantly from the fall suffering multiple fractures.

The experienced hiker had gone missing last November while on a solo hike while her boyfriend Dan stayed at a rented farmhouse 100 miles away in France.

He raised the alarm after he failed to hear from her in three days.

Her parents Ria and Terry (pictured with their daughter) and boyfriend Dan Colegate, who found her body on the French side of the Pyrenees, spoke of their 'nine months of uncertainty' but added she had been found among the 'mountains she loved so much'

French and Spanish teams searched an area covering over 700 miles but the onset of winter and snowfall in the high mountain area meant they couldn't continue.

The search resumed in the Spring and Dan, 28, took a leading role in retracing Esther's steps.

Helicopters and drones were used in the search which intensified after skull fragments were found in July.

Two weeks ago Dan found the remains and alerted French search teams who removed the body. It was taken to Toulouse for an autopsy.

In preparation for the cremation and service the family have set up a fund raising page 'Remembering Esther'.

Messages to be read out at the private service and can be left with a donation or sent directly to remembering@estheranddan.com

In their statement the family said they wanted to reiterate their gratitude for the work of the charity LBT Global who have assisted them in the last nine months.
Leah Kinyon was recorded going on a liberal rant during her high school chemistry class

A chemistry teacher no longer works at a Utah high school after a video of her liberal rant bashing anti-vaxxers, former President Trump, parents and some of the students went viral.

The Alpine School District confirmed that former Lehi High School teacher Leah Kinyon was put on administrative leave Tuesday when the video surfaced -the same day it occurred.

On Wednesday, a school official confirmed that Kinyon wasn't a district employee anymore after an investigation into her mid-class rant, which included a series of controversial comments. It is unclear whether she was fired or resigned from her position.

Alpine School District has confirmed that Kinyon is no longer an employee of the district

The 4-minute rant included the teachers calling a student 'pathetic' saying 'You're the problem with the world if you think that' when mentioning climate change

A school district official commented on the video saying, 'We expect all our teachers to teach the core curriculum and stick to the core curriculum'

Student Zane Storms has said that his teacher was aware that she being recorded and that rants like this are commonplace in her classroom

Stacy Bateman, the Lehi Representative for Alpine School District Board of Education, released the statement below on Facebook:

'Alpine School District has concluded our investigation of the incident that occurred on August 17, 2021, at Lehi High School. Although the details of a personnel investigation are confidential, the teacher involved is no longer an employee of Alpine School District.'

The nearly 4-minute rant was recorded by student Zane Storms Jr., and shared online and with FOX 13 by his mother, Judy Storms. Zane has said that his teacher was aware she being recorded and that rants like this were commonplace in her class.

'Go tattle on me to the freakin admin': Former Lehi High School teacher Leah Kinyon's goes on job-ending rant to students 'I'll straight up call it out. I'm like so over it. Okay well I would be super proud of you if you chose to get the vaccine. We'll just keep getting Delta. We'll just keep getting variants over and over and over until people get vaccinated. It's never going to end. It could end in five seconds if people would get vaccinated. I hate Donald Trump. I'm gonna say it. I don't care what y'all think. Trump sucks. He is a sexual predator. He's a literal moron. Go tattle on me to the freakin admin. They don't give a crap. No, he's not. Turn off the Fox News. Do your parents listen to Fox News? So, what, this is my classroom and if you guys are gonna put me at risk you're gonna hear about it because I have to be here. I don't have to be happy about the fact that there's kids coming in here with their variants that could possible get me or my family sick. That's rude. And I'm not going to pretend like it's not so don't ask me to. That's damn right. I'm not pretend. I'm not gonna lie. If you ask me a legit question I'm not going to lie. I'm not going to sugarcoat it either cause y'all need to hear the truth. Most of y'all parents are dumber than you. I'm gonna say that out loud. My parents are freaking dumb. And the minute I figured that out, the world opens up. You don't have to do everything your parents say and you don't have to believe everything your parents believe because most likely you're smarter than them. You can believe what you wanna believe but keep it quiet in here cause I'm probably gonna make fun of ya. Okay I'll just say this, here are the topics you probably wanna avoid politics- which you went into, you asked me- Oh I can go off on it the whole entire class period if you want me to but I'm not going to. If you don't believe in climate change, get the hell out. That's pathetic that you think that. You're the problem with the world if you think that. If you're a homophob, get out. Cause I am the GSA faculty advisor. I love gay people. All LGBTQAI+ motherf***ers. If you don't like it, get out. If I hear you say a damn word against any of them, I will open a can and I will make your life a living hell and they know it. If you say shiz to any LGBTQ kid in this school and I will hear about it and you will be in trouble.' Advertisement

It takes places in her classroom during one of her chemistry classes. Kinyon is seen on the recording taking questions and addressing her students as she stands in the front of the room maskless.

Zane told Fox 13 that it all started when a fellow student asked a question about pronouns and the LGBTQ community.

Kinyon seems to get very fired up and begins by telling her high school students that she would be 'super proud of you if you chose to get the vaccine' and explained its importance in stopping the spread of COVID-19 and its different variants.

After a student asks a question, which cannot be heard in the video, she replies 'I hate Donald Trump. I'm gonna say it. I don't care what y'all think. Trump sucks. He is a sexual predator. He's a literal moron.'

The school is in the city of Lehi, population 64,000, in Utah County. In Utah County, 89% of voters came out for the 2020 presidential election with 66.2% re-electing former President Trump.

'Turn off the Fox News. Do your parents listen to Fox News?' she asks on the video.

When one student seems to be uncomfortable with her rant she continues, 'So, what? This is my classroom and if you guys are gonna put me at risk you're gonna hear about it because I have to be here.'

'I don't have to be happy about the fact that there's kids coming in here with their variants that could possible get me or my family sick. That's rude. And I'm not going to pretend like it's not so don't ask me to.'

Utah County is currently experiencing a spike in COVID cases and has not yet reached the CDC's ideal vaccination rate of 70%. COVID cases have risen 14.06% just in the last week as only 38% of the population is fully vaccinated.

Kinyon then switches subjects: 'Most of y'all parents are dumber than you.'

She goes on, insisting, 'You don't have to do everything your parents say and you don't have to believe everything your parents believe because most likely you're smarter than them.'

The former teacher goes on to list topics that her students should not discuss with her including climate change and homophobia.

Kinyon, the LGBT rep for the school, warns, 'You can believe what you wanna believe but keep it quiet in here cause I'm probably gonna make fun of ya.'

When a student seems to make a comment about climate change she tells him, 'That's pathetic that you think that. You're the problem with the world if you think that.'

When the school district was first made aware of Kinyon's comments it released a statement condemning her conduct, 'This behavior is inappropriate, not reflective of the professional conduct and decorum we expect of our teachers, and will not be tolerated.'

Storms and her son spoke with Fox 13 about the situation. 'My son signed up for a chemistry class, he didn't sign up for the teacher's personal feelings and political feelings class,' she said.

Zane explained, 'I don't feel like that would be a safe environment for me.In a way she's trying to persuade or trying to tell me what to believe or what to do. I feel that the people that should be doing that is my mom and my dad. That should be it.'

A school official stated that teachers are expected 'to teach the core curriculum and stick to the core curriculum. 'Obviously we were upset as anyone when we saw the video. Simply won't be tolerated.'

During the 2020 presidential election , 89% of voters came out to vote in Utah County with 66.2% of residents voting to re-elect former President Trump

Cases of covid have been spiking across the country and in Utah County since the highly contagious Delta variant has spread

While residents of Utah County have continued to get vaccinated they are at 37.6% of the population being fully vaccinated which falls behind the CDC's goal of 70%

This isn't the first time a teacher's recorded rant has led to her departure. In March, a white teacher was recorded making racist comments about her student and his mother when she failed to end a Zoom call.

The mother of a black sixth-grader filed a damage claim against a California school district after a white teacher was caught making racist remarks on a Zoom call.

Katura Stokes filed the claim against the Palmdale School District in March about comments made January 20.

The damage claim is likely to lead to a lawsuit, according to The Orange County Register, which obtained video of the rant in which educator, Kimberly Newman, claimed black people lie and fail to take accountability for their actions.

According to Stokes' attorneys, the mom reached out to teachers at Desert Willow Fine Arts, Science and Technology Magnet Academy back in January because her 12-year-old son was struggling to adjust to online learning.

Newman, a science instructor, called Stokes and her son via Zoom on January 20 to help. Afterward, Newman failed to exit the call and was heard making racist comments on her computer's microphone.

In a video recording of the call, Newman tells another person - purportedly her husband - that she believes Stokes has avoided making contact with the school and actually had no interest in helping her son with his classwork.

She then states: 'She [Stokes] answered her phone for the first time the entire year. I mean, these parents, that's what kind of pieces of s**t they are. They're black. She's black. They're a black family.'

In a video of the call, Newman tells another person - purportedly her husband - that she believes Stokes had been avoiding making contact with the school and actually had no interest in helping her son with his classwork

Stokes says she recorded the incident on her phone because the remarks were so outrageous that she was concerned no one would believe they were real

Later in the clip, Newman states that the 12-year-old boy has 'learned to lie and make excuses that nothing is his fault'.

'This what black people do,' Newman proclaims. 'White people do it too, but black people do it way more.'

Newman has since resigned from Desert Willow Fine Arts, Science and Technology Magnet Academy.

Stokes said she recorded the incident on her phone because the remarks were so outrageous that she was concerned no one would believe they were real.

Stokes is now being represented by Neil Gehlawat and John Taylor of Ring Taylor attorneys. 'The horrible comments the teacher made in the video are truly heartbreaking for a mother to hear and for her young son to hear,' Taylor told The Orange County Register.

'It's unthinkable that an educator would mock and belittle this family, and there is no doubt that this incident has scarred them.

'All children are entitled to receive an educational experience free of discrimination, and this video has demonstrated what minority students often face behind the scenes today.'
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Former Gurkha soldiers who fought for Britain have brought their 13-day hunger strike outside Downing Street to an end after Defence Secretary Ben Wallace finally agreed to enter talks with the Nepalese Embassy over equal pensions for veterans.

The hunger strikers were part of a group of 150 protesters calling for equal pensions for Gurkhas who retired before 1997 and are not eligible for a full UK armed forces pension.

They had not eaten for almost a fortnight, with a spokesman for the group saying Dhan Gurung, a diabetic 60-year-old veteran, was admitted to hospital with heart problems early on Wednesday and had less than a week before his condition became really serious.

But this afternoon, the Ministry of Defence announced it would open talks with the Nepalese Embassy about the matter. A spokeswoman for Mr Wallace said: 'We are happy the Satyagraha (non-violent resistance) group have agreed to break their fast.

'Our primary concern is always the health and welfare of our serving personnel and veterans and this strike was not a course of action we encouraged. We look forward to meeting with the group next month alongside the Nepali Ambassador to move forward together.'

Around 200,000 fought in both world wars, also serving in places such as Hong Kong, Malaysia, Borneo, Cyprus, the Falklands, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan. Those who served from 1948 to 2007 were members of the Gurkha Pension Scheme until the differences between Gurkhas' terms and conditions of service and those of their British counterparts were removed.

The Gurkha Pension Scheme was based on Indian Army rates for those with at least 15 years' service. The Government says that it was designed for retirement in Nepal, where the cost of living is significantly lower than in the UK.

In 2007, pension rules were changed to give serving Gurkha soldiers equal pension rights. But the British Gurkha Welfare Society said 25,000 men who had retired before July 1, 1997 were denied the opportunity to transfer into UK armed forces pension schemes.

Dhan Gurung has his blood pressure checked by a medic as he continues a hunger strike during a demonstration for equal pensions outside Downing Street on August 18, 2021

Former British Gurkha soldiers and their families protest outside parliament in London

Dhan Gurung on day 12 of a hunger strike opposite Downing Street in London

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace arrives at the Prime Minister's official residence

The Royal Gurkha Rifles perform a Khukuri fighting demonstration at their base in Folkestone, Kent in 2007

Around 200,000 fought in both world wars. Pictured: British colonial Gurkhas in France during the First World War

What was the Gurkha hunger strike about? Support our Gurkhas protester Dhan Gurung (C) gestures as he continues a hunger strike during a demonstration for equal pensions More than 200,000 Gurkhas fought for Britain in the two world wars, and for the past five decades they have served in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Borneo, Cyprus, the Falklands, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan. Yet Gurkhas who retired before 1997 receive a fraction of the pension the rest of the British Army receive. The Gurkha Pension Scheme was based on Indian Army rates for those with at least 15 years' service. The Government says that it was designed for retirement in Nepal, where the cost of living is significantly lower than in the UK. In 2007, pension rules were changed to give serving Gurkha soldiers equal pension rights. But the British Gurkha Welfare Society said 25,000 men who had retired before July 1, 1997 were denied the opportunity to transfer into UK armed forces pension schemes. Advertisement

The Gurkha men, recruited from Nepal, have a reputation as hard and loyal fighters, and are known for the trademark curved kukri blades they carry sheathed on their belts.

The Gurkha Equal Rights campaign group tweeted on Thursday afternoon: 'BREAKING NEWS ! Government has a struck a deal with the Nepal Embassy for a government to government dialogue.

'13 days of fast unto death, the hunger strike has now been called off ! Thank you everyone for your support and love!'

Speaking previously about the protest, Mr Gurung - was taken to hospital with heart problems shortly after 1.30am on Wednesday before being discharged - said: 'We will keep coming back here, we want to continue our hunger (strike) until death. We don't care about sacrificing our life.'

Laxmi Ghising, speaking on behalf of the group, said Mr Gurung - who has problems with diabetes - was taken to hospital yesterday after his body turned cold and his blood pressure became too high.

Mr Ghising said: 'He's comfortable now, if he had refused to go to hospital there would have been very bad consequences- he might have collapsed.

'Fortunately he agreed to go to hospital for the treatment and once he came back he's now okay, but he's not comfortable to talk.'

He went on to say that Mr Gurung continues to feel cold and tired, while his tongue has become inflamed.

However, he said the veteran would remain in his wheelchair opposite Downing Street without eating until the Government agrees to address the Gurkhas' issues.

Asked how long it will be before his health situation becomes serious, Mr Ghising added: 'Maybe less than a week. All the general public, all our campaigners are panicking - we are really rushed.

'Come on Government, come on, we just need your black and white letter saying the date and time for the dialogue meeting. Once we receive that letter we will immediately cease this hunger strike.'

An MoD spokesperson previously said: 'We greatly value the huge contribution Gurkhas make to the British Army and ensure they are supported with a generous pension and medical care during retirement in Nepal.

'We are committed to ensuring the Gurkha Pension Scheme is sustainable and fair alongside other UK public sector pensions.'

Boris Johnson was seen leaving Downing Street and heading to Parliament at around 9.20am on Wednesday. The Gurkha protesters, along with other protesters campaigning on separate issues, began shouting at the Prime Minister as he drove past.

Shortly after 11am, hundreds of Gurkhas marched past Parliament.

They were chanting 'No justice, no peace' and 'What do we want? Justice' as they walked past the House of Commons. The Gurkhas later looped back round and walked to Parliament Square.

Later on, the Gurkhas sat on the grass where they listened to speeches and applauded. They also watched a performance of a traditional masked dance.

Dhan Gurung receives a shoulder massage as he continues a hunger strike during a demonstration for equal pensions outside Downing Street on August 18, 2021

Pushpa Rana Ghale has a foot massage as she continues a hunger strike

Former British Gurkha soldiers and their families protest outside parliament in London

Support our Gurkhas protester Gyanraj Rai gestures as he continues a hunger strike during a demonstration for equal pensions

The Gurkhas were first recruited by Britain in 1815 to ensure that they did not fight for Nepal, with which the British East India Company was then at war.

A hasty peace deal had just been signed after the Company suffered heavy casualties during the invasion of Nepal. This allowed it to recruit from the ranks of the former enemy.

When the East India Company's forces mutinied in 1857 the loyalty of the Gurkhas made them central to British rule. They policed India's northern hills with their tactical skills and were expected to continue serving for India when the country secured its independence in 1947.

It made religious sense because Nepal was officially Hindu and would also have allowed Nepalis to easily return home on leave.

However, following the partition of India, an agreement between Nepal, India and Britain meant four Gurkha regiments from the Indian army were transferred to the British Army, eventually becoming the Gurkha Brigade.

The name 'Gurkha' comes from the hill town of Gorkha from which the Nepalese kingdom had expanded.

The brigade has always been dominated by four ethnic groups - the Gurungs and Magars from central Nepal, the Rais from the north-east and Limbus from the east. The latter live in villages of impoverished hill farmers.
A Melbourne kindergarten teacher has refused to be tested for Covid-19, causing dozens of families to endure another two weeks of isolation.

An outbreak with several cases at Glenroy West Primary School also plunged 50 families and staff from York St kindergarten, which is on the same site, into isolation.

The kindergarten was listed as a close contact exposure site for seven days from August 6.

But now the potentially exposed families will be forced to repeat their 14 days in isolation after a teacher refused to be tested, according to The Herald Sun.

The teacher was at the school from August 6 to August 12.

An outbreak with several cases at Glenroy West Primary School (pictured) also plunged 50 families and staff from York St kindergarten, which is on the same site, into isolation

The individual will face no consequences for refusing the test as there is now law surrounding mandatory testing, even though premier Dan Andrews suggested it was the sensible thing to do.

'If you're asked to test because there's a sense you may have the virus, and we want to rule you out  but also look after the safety of people you've been with, some of whom might be little kids, I don't think that's such a big ask,' Mr Andrews said.

On Thursday, Victoria recorded 57 new Covid-19 cases, doubling the previous days recording of 24.

The spike to 57 is the biggest jump in daily cases since 76 infections were recorded on September 9 last year.

Families will be forced to repeat their 14 days in isolation after an exposed teacher refused to be tested - and the individual will not face any consequences for the refusal

13 of the cases were infectious in the community, and authorities were unable to find the source of three infections.

44 of the cases were in isolation during their infectious period, with a total of 297 positive cases active in Victoria.

The spike in cases coincides with day 13 testing of those in isolation from Al-Taqwa college, which has experienced two outbreaks since the pandemic began.

Of the 44 cases who were in isolation during their infectious period, 38 are associated with students and households at Al-Taqwa College.

In a sliver of good news, all students and staff were in isolation while potentially infectious.

'Fifty-seven seems a very big number, but when the vast majority of those have been in isolation for their infectious period, that's exactly what we want,' Mr Andrews said.

On Thursday Victoria recorded 57 new Covid-19 cases, doubling the previous days recording of 24 and the spike to 57 is the biggest jump in daily cases since 76 infections were recorded on September 9 last year

The premier said the testing numbers across the state were high enough to be confident most of the cases were being detected.

'That's a significant uplift from some of the numbers that were a bit low, only a few days ago,' the premier said.

Mr Andrews also addressed the controversy surrounding his decision to close playgrounds and pointed to claimed new evidence of outdoor transmission.

'This thing moves rapidly and we're about trying to stop any more transmission. We're about trying to stop any more kids getting this,' the premier said.

'But the best thing we can do is stick together and get through the next few weeks and hopefully drive down the numbers so low so kids can be back at playgrounds and schools and we can all be doing things differently.'

On Wednesday, it was announced over 110 of Victoria's 246 active cases were detected in children under the age of 19, with 56 aged nine or younger and 55 aged between ten and 19.

With the state's active cases skyrocketing, Mr Andrews said he expected the number of infected children to rise accordingly.
All 16 and 17 year olds are now being invited by the NHS to come forward for their Covid jabs.

Letters will land on doorsteps from today and follow up text messages will be sent tomorrow.

Health bosses gave older teenagers the green light to get vaccinated at the start of August.

Around 125,000 teens who are within three months of turning 18 have been jabbed since the decision was made.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid praised the enthusiasm of youngsters, claiming it was helping to 'build up our wall of defence'.

He said: 'I urge you to join the hundreds of thousands of 16-17 year olds who have already taken up the offer of vaccine as quickly as possible to ensure you get vital protection before returning to college or sixth form.

'Please dont delay  vaccines are allowing us to live safely with this virus without restrictions and enjoy our freedoms.'

It comes after one of No10's scientific advisers today admitted Britain's roll-out may still be expanded to all over-12s.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which advises ministers, is 'carefully and continuously' looking at data from countries which already offer jabs to youngsters, such as the US and Israel.

The Government has not yet given a timeline on when 16 and 17-year-olds can start coming forward for jabs. But even if the roll-out out to older teenagers begin straight away, there will only be time to give them one dose by the time the school year begins on September 6

Professor Adam Finn said the JCVI 'carefully and continuously' looking at safety data from other countries on jabbing youngsters, JCVI member Professor Adam Finn said.

Just two months ago, the JCVI insisted there was no evidence to say the benefits of vaccinating children outweighed the risks, given that youngsters face such a low risk of dying or falling seriously ill.

But the expert panel has already U-turned to say that all 16 and 17 year olds should get jabbed.

JCVI member Professor Adam Finn said it is 'hard to predict' whether the group will also recommend it to 12-15 year olds. He admitted the decision was a 'tricky one'.

The major safety concern centres on a heart condition called myocarditis, which is a known complication with Pfizer's vaccine.

The side effect, a type of heart inflammation that appears to strike after the second dose, is more common in teenage boys and affects up to one in 20,000 youngsters given the jab. However, most cases are mild, health chiefs insist.

Decision on Britain's Covid booster vaccine programme could be made TODAY No10's top vaccine advisory group will meet today to discuss whether or not all Britons should be offered booster Covid vaccines this autumn. Health chiefs say a decision is expected 'imminently', with experts now trying to agree on exactly who will need a top-up jab. But one adviser on the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which guides ministers on the roll-out, today hinted only a fraction of the population - the most vulnerable - will be offered boosters. Professor Adam Finn warned more evidence was needed before the panel can make a 'firm decision on a much broader booster programme'. He said giving third doses to entire age groups won't 'make very much difference' in the fight against the virus. Meanwhile, the US yesterday confirmed that top-up jabs will be available for all over-18s from September 20. The British Government wants to follow suit, and has laid out plans to dish out boosters at the same time as the flu vaccine at the start of next month. But ministers won't press ahead with any move until they receive the advice from the JCVI. Experts have questioned whether top-ups are even needed yet, saying there is no concrete evidence that protection given by two doses has started to wane. This is despite a major study today showing double-jabbed Brits who catch the Delta Covid variant are just as likely to spread the virus as the unvaccinated. A World Health Organization boss yesterday compared booster roll-outs to giving life jackets to people who already have them, while others drown. The same argument  that extra doses should be given to third-world countries  was used to argue against vaccinating children. Advertisement

With Pfizer's vaccine currently being the only one British children are eligible to get, experts have raised concerns about the risks.

UK officials have also yet to make firm plans for children to get top-ups. They want to wait for more safety data about myocarditis before pressing ahead.

But health chiefs have hinted that it is more likely than not all over-12s will be offered a coronavirus vaccine in the coming months.

It comes as the UK's medicines watchdog approved the Moderna jab for over-12s this week, after approving Pfizer for use in the same group in June. But officials have yet to formally recommend it for use in the current roll-out.

Asked if the vaccination programme in the UK might soon include 12 to 15-year-olds, Professor Finn told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'Hard to predict the answer on that. We're very focused on what's happening elsewhere.

'We are concerned about the safety signal, the myocarditis signal.

'And we are recognising increasingly that actually children, even adolescents, really very seldom get seriously ill with Covid, so that it makes it a very marginal decision that they will benefit by being immunised.

'So we are obviously looking at that very carefully and continuously, but hard to predict really which way that's going to go.'

He said vaccinating children to protect more vulnerable groups, such as their grandparents, is 'a tricky one'.

Professor Finn, who is also an expert in paediatrics at the University of Bristol, said: 'To immunise a child for the benefit of other family members who themselves can be protected by being immunised, you know, that begins to become slightly tricky to decide.

'I think we're all much more comfortable immunising people where they actually themselves benefit from the immunisation and that that's clear cut.'

Health chiefs have already hinted 12 to 15-year-olds could be offered the jab in the future.

Professor Van-Tam, England's Deputy Chief Medical Officer said at a news conference earlier this month that 'it is more likely rather than less likely that that list will broaden over time as data becomes available' as the JCVI continues to review emerging evidence.

As it stands, children aged 12 to 15 are only eligible if they have a severe neurodisability, Down's syndrome, underlying conditions resulting in immunosuppression, profound or multiple learning disabilities, severe learning disabilities, or those who are on the learning disability register.

The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency approved the Pfizer jabs for over-12s in June and on Tuesday said the Moderna vaccine is also 'safe and effective' in the new age groups.

Number of pregnant women getting jabbed rises by a fifth in past fortnight, data shows The number of pregnant women getting a Covid vaccination has risen by a fifth in recent weeks. It follows a concerted effort by health officials to reassure expectant mothers about the safety of getting a jab. A total of 62,311 women, who reported they were pregnant or could be pregnant at the time of receiving the vaccine, had come forward and received their first dose by the end of July, Public Health England said. The number is up by 10,587 from July 18, when data released for the first time suggested only around one in 10 pregnant women might have had a first dose. PHE said that, of the latest total figure, 43,737 pregnant women had received their second dose. Separate research last month revealed the vast majority of pregnant women admitted to hospital with Covid-19 are unvaccinated and there has been a drive to encourage more to get a jab, with Englands chief midwife writing to GPs and fellow midwives to spread the message. Research by a team at St Georges, University of London, published this month, showed similar birth outcomes between those who have had a Covid-19 vaccine and those who have not. Experts said pregnant women should feel reassured by the paper, which concluded there were no statistically significant differences in the data, with no increase in stillbirths or premature births, no abnormalities with development, and no evidence of babies being smaller or bigger. A study is continuing to determine the best gap between coronavirus vaccine doses for pregnant women. Researchers are aiming to recruit more than 600 pregnant women for the trial, which will monitor the vaccines effectiveness and follow the development of children up to one year old. In the UK, pregnant women are offered the Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna vaccines where available, as officials say there is more safety data on these jabs in pregnancy. Advertisement

Several countries around the world are already vaccinating over-12s  including the US, Israel, France, Spain and Germany  making the UK the outlier for picking the over-16s age group.

Studies found the jabs to be safe and effective for over-12s, leading Pfizer and Modern to trial their jabs in under-11s.

And University of Oxford scientists are testing the AstraZeneca jab on children as young as six.

But some have pushed back on younger groups being jabbed, because they tend to have no or mild symptoms.

Fewer than 30 under-18s have died of Covid in the UK since the pandemic began  which scientists say is the equivalent of around one in 500,000 who get infected.

But scientists say immunising children will slow the spread of the virus, reduce numbers having to take time off school to isolate and build up immunity across the population.

But UK health chiefs are being cautious due to reports of rare heart inflammation conditions.

Data from the US shows those aged 12-17 are at the most risk of developing the heart problem after a Covid jab, compared to other age groups.

In that group, 10 cases of myocarditis were reported per million first doses given. This rises to 67 per million after the second dose. Most people recovered quickly.

There are no specific causes of the conditions but they are usually triggered by a virus.

The British Heart Foundation says in some cases, myocarditis can affect the heart's electrical system, stopping it from pumping properly. 'This can cause an abnormal heart rhythm, known as an arrhythmia,' it claims.

But British regulators insist the 250 cases seen among Pfizer recipients are 'typically mild'. Affected patients recover 'within a short time with standard treatment'.

Meanwhile, data showed the number of pregnant women getting a Covid vaccination has risen by a fifth in recent weeks.

It follows a concerted effort by health officials to reassure expectant mothers about the safety of getting a jab.

A total of 62,311 women, who reported they were pregnant or could be pregnant at the time of receiving the vaccine, had come forward and received their first dose by the end of July, Public Health England said.

The number is up by 10,587 from July 18, when data released for the first time suggested only around one in 10 pregnant women might have had a first dose.

PHE said that, of the latest total figure, 43,737 pregnant women had received their second dose.

Separate research last month revealed the vast majority of pregnant women admitted to hospital with Covid-19 are unvaccinated and there has been a drive to encourage more to get a jab, with Englands chief midwife writing to GPs and fellow midwives to spread the message.
President Joe Biden angrily defended his handling of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, saying on Wednesday that chaos was unavoidable and snapping when asked about horrific images of Afghans falling from planes.

'That was four days ago, five days ago,' he said, even though the images of people falling to their deaths emerged on Monday.

The combative moment came during an interview with former Clinton White House official George Stephanopoulos for ABC News.

Biden has avoided taking questions on the Afghanistan crisis for more than a week.

The White House has been on the defensive for weeks as Taliban fighters raced across the country.

And officials have struggled to explain how they failed to forecast the rapid fall of Kabul and to account for chaotic scenes at the city's airport as the embassy was evacuated.

President Biden defended his handling of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan during an interview on Wednesday, saying it was difficult to see how chaos could have been avoided

Biden answered questions about his Afghan withdrawal for the first time in more than a week during an interview with George Stephanopoulos for ABC News

Video captured bodies falling from a plane as it flew out of Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport on Monday. Hundreds of Afghans tried to hitch rides on departing planes

Scenes of civilians swamping planes on the runway at the Kabul airport, desperate for escape, have triggered bipartisan criticism that the Biden administration should have been better prepared.

'What did you think when you first saw those pictures?' Stephanopoulos asked.

'What I thought was, we have to gain control of this,' said Biden.

'We have to move this more quickly. We have to move in a way in which we can take control of that airport. And we did.'

By late Tuesday, U.S. officials said they had rescued 3,200 people from Afghanistan, including all embassy personnel, except for a core group of diplomats who remained at Kabul airport.

But commanders admit they are unable to leave Hamid Karzai International Airport to help other Americans - and their Afghan allies - to safety.

Stephanopoulos asked whether the exit could have been better handled.

'No, I don't think it could have been handled in a way that, we're gonna go back in hindsight and look - but the idea that somehow, there's a way to have gotten out without chaos ensuing, I don't know how that happens. I don't know how that happened,' said Biden.

The world watched in horror as desperate Afghans ran alongside departing U.S. Air Force planes. Some tried to cling to the undercarriage as they sought to escape the Taliban

Some of the lucky ones managed to rush aboard a C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft. The crew decided to fly them to Qatar and safety despite having some 640 people aboard

Critics expressed belief at the idea that chaos could not have been avoided after Biden defended his handling of the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan

Dealing with the Taliban was an unpredictable business, he added.

'Look, one of the things we didn't know is what the Taliban would do in terms of trying to keep people from getting out. What they would do,' he said.

'What are they doing now? They're cooperating, letting American citizens get out, American personnel get out, embassies get out, et cetera, but they're having - we're having some more difficulty having those who helped us when we were in there.'

Critics reacted with disbelief.

Republican Senator Tom Cotton said it was impossible to see how everything went according to plan with thousands of Americans stuck behind Taliban lines.

'No way to avoid this chaos? That's a bald-faced lie,' he tweeted.

A month ago, Biden told reporters at the White House that the Afghan army was better equipped and more numerous than the Taliban.

A Kabul takeover was 'not inevitable' and he scoffed at the idea that it would prove to be his fall of Saigon moment.

Those words have been used against him by Republicans and Democrats who say they suggest an epic failure of intelligence or decision-making.

Security experts told DailyMail.com that abandoning Bagram air base last month deprived military planners of a crucial evacuation hub, suggesting the absence of a proper plan to rescue Americans in the worst case scenario.

As a result diplomats, foreign citizens and Afghans trying to flee face crowds and Taliban checkpoints on the way to Kabul airport.

Biden said the only failure was the failure of Afghan leadership.

Taliban fighters patrol Wazir Akbar Khan neighborhood in Kabul. The Taliban declared an 'amnesty' across Afghanistan and urged women to join their government Tuesday, seeking to convince a wary population that they have changed

Hundreds of people remain around Hamid Karzai Airport in Kabul complicating U.S. efforts to bring home nationals and rescue Afghan allies

'When you had the government of Afghanistan, the leader of that government, get in a plane and taking off and going to another country; when you saw the significant collapse of the Afghan troops we had trained, up to 300,000 of them, just leaving their equipment and taking off ... that's what happened,' he said.

'That's simply what happened.

'And so the question was, in the beginning, the threshold question was, do we commit to leave within the timeframe we set, do we extend it to Sept. 1, or do we put significantly more troops in?'

And Biden again said his hands were tied by a deal he inherited from the Trump administration, committing the U.S. to leave by May 1.

'I had a simple choice,' he said.

'If I said, "we're gonna stay," then we'd better be prepared to put a whole lot hell of a lot more troops in.'

Despite his protestations, Biden's approval rating plunged to its lowest point this week.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll taken on Monday, as those chaotic images were beamed around the world, found that only 46 percent of American voters supported Biden's performance - a drop of seven points from the previous week.

Biden was roundly criticized for staying at the presidential retreat of Camp David for the weekend rather than taking charge of the crisis from the White House situation room.

He returned briefly to Washington on Monday to deliver a speech again blaming Afghan leaders and former President Trump for the collapse of Afghanistan - but left minutes later to return to Camp David.

On Tuesday, it emerged he had not telephoned any other world leaders as the Taliban advance unfolded and evacuations began.

But by Wednesday he was back again at the White House, and had spoken with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

The White House said Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris discussed ways to accelerate the Kabul evacuation with his national security team on Wednesday.
New York City police have charged Aaron Garcia, 37, of Yonkers with attempted murder and assault in connection to a Sunday evening hatchet attack caught on video at a bank in lower Manhattan. He is pictured in previous mugshot

The Iraq War veteran who allegedly bludgeoned a man with a hatchet at a Chase bank ATM in New York City Sunday, spent six months living in Yonkers terrorizing his housemates who repeatedly had to call police for help, DailyMail.com has learned.

But the state's eviction moratorium prevented suspect Aaron Garcia from being kicked out of the apartment building.

The 37-year-old, who is charged with assault and attempted murder, was living in squalor at the home where he would light candles that would burn the walls, and once set his mattress on fire, neighbors and tenants say.

Tenants said he would also sneak into a female tenant's bedroom, curl up on her bed nude while playing with her clothes.

When his landlord came for the rent one month, Garcia allegedly chased him from the building while naked, causing the landlord to stumble to the ground.

But that still wasn't enough to get him evicted.

Following his arrest, NYPD sources gave an address for him on McLean Avenue in Yonkers, which turned out to be a UPS store. DailyMail.com, however, learned he was living elsewhere in Yonkers and spoke with three of his former housemates, who described him as maniac

DailyMail.com has learned Garcia was living in squalor at a Yonkers apartment building, where he allegedly terrorized tenants for six months last year. Pictured: A broken door jam at Garcia's former home

A toilet clogged with feces at Garcia's former apartment. A male neighbor who lived downstairs claimed Garcia would always block the toilet with waste, and often burn candles

The landlord and his wife hired a lawyer who gathered evidence to support their case, but were later told the state still wouldn't allow an eviction.

'They were trying to evict him, but COVID got in the way,' said Crystal Sosa, 29, who lives in the three-story house in a run-down neighborhood in Northwest Yonkers.

Her father was the landlord, who died from COVID-19 in January.

DailyMail.com learned Garcia finally did vanish one day last November, leaving three candles lit in each of the eight windows he left open, after detectives confronted him.

Police in Yonkers had outstanding warrants for his arrest last Sunday, when he attacked Queens resident Miguel Solorzano, 50, at an ATM in lower Manhattan, repeatedly striking him with a hatchet.

Surveillance footage from the Chase bank showed Solorzano standing at an ATM when Garcia suddenly pulled a hatchet from a bag and started swinging it at the unsuspecting victim.

He then proceeded to smash the ATM screens before walking away, but not before leaving the hatchet and his backpack behind.

Burnt moldings from candles lit at the home. Neighbors say Garcia would light candles that would burn the walls, and once set his mattress on fire

Burnt papers and debris found at the home. DailyMail.com learned Garcia finally did vanish one day last November, leaving three lit candles in each of the eight windows

Solorzano, who lives in Corona, suffered three slash wounds to the head and another to his right leg, New York City police officials reported.

He was rushed to Bellevue Hospital, where he remains after undergoing two surgeries.

'He didn't even rob me,' Solorzano told the New York Daily News in Spanish. 'He took nothing. Nothing. He was crazy.'

Photos emerged on Thursday of the immediate aftermath of the assault as Solorzano sat, covered in blood, on the sidewalk while medics tended to him before he was put on a gurney and taken to hospital.

Garcia was arrested Tuesday night after he threatened a man with a hammer in Chelsea then smashed the windows of several parked cars.

According to police sources, Garcia was not on the NYPD's radar at the time of the vicious attack, having never been arrested in the city.

Following his arrest, NYPD sources gave an address for him on McLean Avenue in Yonkers, which turned out to be a UPS store.

DailyMail.com, however, learned he was living elsewhere in Yonkers and spoke with three of his former housemates, who described him as a maniac.

City police officers responded to the scene Sunday night, speaking to Solorzano who sat bleeding on the sidewalk outside of the bank

Authorities wrapped Solorzano's head in bandages as blood dripped down his face

They bandaged him up and put him in a stretcher for his injuries to his head and leg

He told neighbors that he fought in Iraq and was still suffering from the experience.

A male neighbor who lived downstairs said Garcia would always clog up the toilet with waste, and often burn candles.

'He had some ritual and he burned the wall, leaving it black,' the man said.

'This guy was out of control. He has a psychiatric condition. Tenants left because he freaked them out.

'I was telling the super the police won't get him before he does some crazy s**t,' he said.

Neighbors said a woman would stay with him at times, and he would sometimes be seen with a child.

According to Crystal, Garcia had a girlfriend and child.

The child would apparently stay with him when school was out and the woman was working.

'Oh my god, the man was crazy,' she said.

She said Garcia moved into the house in April 2020, as a tenant paying $650 a month rent.

Video captured the shocking moment Queens man Miguel Solorazano, 50, is slashed with a hatchet while using an ATM at a Chase Bank in downtown Manhattan at 5.30pm Sunday. It begins with the attacker walking into the ATM room with the hatchet in hand

The unknown assailant starts with slashes to the back of the surprised victim's knees

The landlord's widow, Georgina Sosa, told DailyMail.com that the entire experience with Garcia was a nightmare.

'We rented him a room, but he took the whole apartment,' she said. 'And he attacked my husband.'

'We put a lawyer on him to evict him, but it never worked because of the pandemic,' she added. 'The lawyer told us we can't do nothing because of the pandemic.'

'He'd [Garcia] tell us he went to war to fight for us in Iraq and that he became crazy because he'd see people dying.

'He is sick. He didn't stop because he's crazy.'

According to Crystal, Garcia lived in a downstairs bedroom, but started sneaking into a female's unit across the hall.

'He would go into her room, lay in her bed naked and play with her clothing,' she said. 'Freaky stuff. She ended up putting cameras up to monitor him.'

'It was like a weekly thing,' she added. 'He'd walk in on other tenants too. One tenant moved out because he was afraid of the guy.'

The landlord moved him up to the top floor to try and isolate him from other tenants, but it still didn't help the situation.

During a recent ATM visit at a Lower Manhattan Chase bank, a 51-year-old man was brutally attacked by a hatchet-wielding lunatic, surveillance footage shows

The smashed ATMs (pictured) seen in the aftermath of the brutal attack

'One day he chased after my dad naked, went downstairs and ran outside after him,' Crystal said. 'My dad had a bad foot, so it was hard for him to run. And he fell hard.

'The police were here constantly,' she added. 'But would come, but they never took him away.'

She said Garcia wouldn't keeping up with rent, but would sometimes sporadically send some money via a cash app.

'My dad would always tell me - something's going to happen with him hurting somebody, and now look what's happened.'

Authorities revealed Wednesday that Garcia was already wanted by Yonkers Police, who have an active arrest warrant out on him for a February 15 assault, and four active bench warrants for failure to appear in court.

He had three prior arrests in 2020 stemming from charges of harassment, aggravated harassment, stalking and criminal contempt, according to officials.

Police said Garcia was arrested after being held at Bellevue Hospital to undergo psychiatric evaluation Wednesday.
Six universities are demanding students continue to wear masks on campus in September despite social distancing measures being removed.

London Metropolitan University, University College London (UCL), and the universities of East London, Bolton, Glasgow, and Birmingham City say face coverings will be mandatory for students when they arrive on the campus for the new academic year.

A total of 65 universities say they will be 'encouraging' or 'requesting' students to wear masks on campus in the autumn term, according to the Times Higher Education (THE) guide.

The Government scrapped rules for mandatory face mask wearing in public as part of its July 19 'Freedom Day' changes.

However, it recommends people wear a face covering in crowded and enclosed spaces, and organisations such as Transport for London (TfL) have continued to make masks mandatory.

London Metropolitan University, in north London, said it would make mask mandatory for staff and students moving around buildings.

The London Metropolitan University (pictured), in north London, said it would make mask mandatory for staff and students moving around buildings

University College London (UCL) said staff, students and visitors would be expected to wear a mask in all areas of the campus 'unless you are alone in a room'

The University of Greenwich (pictured) recommends face coverings should continue to be worn inside buildings

The University of East London (pictured) said it was asking students to commit to wearing a mask in enclosed and crowded spaces

Bolton, Glasgow and Birmingham City (pictured) universities all told THE that masks would be mandatory on campus

The University of Bolton (pictured) said masks would be mandatory on campus when students return in September

Glasgow University (pictured) and Birmingham City specified that this only applied when moving around campus, rather than when seated

It told THE that its decision reflected its significant number of black, Asian and ethnic minority students, 'groups that have been disproportionately affected by the Covid pandemic'.

UCL said staff, students and visitors would be expected to wear a mask in all areas of the campus 'unless you are alone in a room'.

The great political divide... on face masks! Tory benches opt against own guidance on wearing coverings in packed Commons debate over Afghanistan  but opposition masks-up Most Tory MPs refused to wear a face covering yesterday as Parliament returned to full capacity for the first time since Covid struck  but the opposition benches masked-up in a sign of how politically divisive masks have become. Government guidance recommends masks are worn in 'crowded and enclosed spaces'. Yet all but two front bench ministers  Michael Gove and security minister Damian Hinds  declined to wear one in the packed Chamber. Boris Johnson led those on the Government's front benches who declined to wear a covering. Health Secretary Sajid Javid, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab and Home Secretary Priti Patel also went maskless. MPs were crammed shoulder-to-shoulder into the House for the first time since March last year to debate the situation in Afghanistan and were not required to socially distance or wear a face covering. By contrast, virtually everyone on the opposition benches opted to wear one, including Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and his deputy Angela Rayner. The Tory backbenches were almost entirely mask-less, too, with former Prime Minister Theresa May and ex-Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt among a small number of outliers. Advertisement

The University of East London said it was asking students to commit to wearing a mask in enclosed and crowded spaces.

Bolton, Glasgow and Birmingham City universities all told THE that masks would be mandatory on campus.

However, Glasgow and Birmingham City specified that this only applied when moving around campus, rather than when seated.

Meanwhile, Imperial College London said it expects staff and students to wear masks in indoor settings when working 'within two metres' of one another.

The University of Greenwich said: `Our expectation and strong recommendation is that face coverings should continue to be worn inside our buildings. This is consistent with the governments recommendation that face coverings should be worn in crowded indoor spaces. There are some exceptions which are set out in our guidance, for example you can remove your face covering when seated at a workstation and you are 2m or more away from other people.'

It comes as the University and College Union (UCU) last month wrote to education secretary Gavin Williamson demanding the full vaccination of all students by September.

The union, which represents over 120,000 academics and support staff, also demanded compulsory face masks on campus to stop the Delta variant from ripping through universities in the new academic year.

The letter to the education secretary, seen by the Guardian, said: 'Last year, ministers green-lit the mass movement of students across the country and failed to recognise the effect this would have on infections, on those working and studying in the sector, and on the wider communities of which they become a part.

'As the Westminster government removes all restrictions and the associated public health guidance, there is a real danger that unless we learn key lessons from last year, our education settings become incubators for Covid-19 all over again.'

Currently all 18-year-olds in the UK are entitled to a Covid jab as part of the Government's vaccine roll-out.

However, the UCU say students and prospective students should be treated as a priority group to ensure they are fully vaccinated in time for the start of term.

It comes as today, in a blow to calls to rush through vaccinations for students, a major study found that double-jabbed people who catch the Indian variant are just as likely to develop symptoms and spread Covid as the unvaccinated, a major study has found.

The Oxford University research suggests herd immunity is 'unachievable' because vaccines do not significantly reduce transmission of the virus.

Although fully vaccinated people are significantly less likely to be infected, those who do get Covid have a similar peak 'viral load' as the unvaccinated.

This means infected people 'shed' the same amount of virus when they cough or sneeze, regardless of whether or not they have been jabbed.

Experts said the findings strengthened the argument for a 'booster' Covid jab programme this autumn. However, the study stressed that two doses remain remarkably effective at preventing death and hospitalisation.

And even though the viral load may peak at similar levels in the vaccinated and unvaccinated, scientists say it's possible jabbed people clear the infection quicker.

It follows similar findings by Public Health England and the US' Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which earlier this month released figures showing unvaccinated and double-jabbed have very similar viral loads.

The study found that people who catch the Indian variant are just as likely to develop symptoms and spread Covid as the unvaccinated. But those who are doubled jabbed are still significantly less likely to catch it in the first place. The chart above shows how Pfizer's (in red) reduces the risk by about 80 per cent - shown as an odds ratio of 0.2 - and AstraZeneca's cuts the risk by more than 65 per cent, shown as an odds ratio of around 0.4

The risk of catching the virus is broken down by age group and vaccine type, with red and green showing Pfizer and blue and purple representing AstraZeneca. Note: The figures will be slightly skewed by the fact Astrazeneca's jab has not been given to adults under 40 because of blood clot fears. The charts show the vaccines work better on younger people than older people

Marko Maric, aged 27, receives a Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at an NHS Vaccination Clinic at Tottenham Hotspur's stadium in north London

The Oxford study, based on data from 700,000 Britons, is the largest yet to evaluate vaccine effectiveness against the Delta variant, which has been dominant in the UK since May.

Researchers concluded two doses reduce the chance of getting Covid by about 82 per cent for Pfizer and 67 per cent for AstraZeneca.

Although Pfizer initially has greater effectiveness against Delta, this declines more quickly and after four to five months both vaccines offer similar levels of protection, the researchers claimed. They did not say what level of protection this amounted to.

Pfizer's vaccine had 84 per cent effectiveness against symptomatic infection two weeks after the second dose, compared with Oxford-AstraZeneca's 71 per cent.

Over time, however, Pfizer's efficacy dropped and both jabs provided largely the same level of effectiveness against illness.

The vaccines work better on younger people than older people. People who were vaccinated after previously being infected also have extra protection.

The study was based on more than 3 million swab tests of 700,000 people conducted as part of the Office for National Statistics Covid-19 survey.

It looked at people's vaccination status, their 'viral load' and any reported symptoms.

Researchers used cycle threshold (Ct) scores, which attempt to quantify viral load  the amount of virus someone is infected with.

Infected people with lower viral loads are less likely to become ill and spread the virus, multiple studies have shown.

The Ct value represents the number of times a Covid sample has to be amplified before it is spotted by laboratory PCR tests.

A low score represents a high viral load because it was spotted easily. But Ct values can vary over the course of infection and a single figure may not provide the most accurate picture.

The researchers compared results from December 2020 to May 2021, when the Alpha variant was dominant, with those from May to August 2021, after the Indian variant drove a summer wave.

The Delta variant has blunted the efficacy of vaccines as fully vaccinated people who do get Covid now have a similar peak 'viral load' as the unvaccinated.

UK's Covid cases rise again to 33,904 after 15% week-on-week jump Britain's daily Covid cases are not showing any signs of slowing down yet, official figures suggested today. Department of Health bosses posted another 33,904 positive tests, up 14.5 per cent on last Wednesday's figure of 29,612  despite swabbing levels remaining flat. It is the third consecutive day that the rolling seven-day average  which offers a more accurate picture over the true state of the crisis because daily counts can fluctuate heavily  has risen. Meanwhile, hospitalisations and deaths are still creeping upwards. Both measures lag several weeks behind cases because of how long it can take for the infected to become severely ill. Another 111 fatalities were recorded today, up 6.7 per cent on last week. The average daily toll, which hasn't stood in triple figures since March, is now around 94. And 773 Covid-infected patients were admitted to NHS hospitals on August 14, the most recent day UK-wide data is available for  up 8.6 per cent on the previous Saturday. Advertisement

This means they are just as likely to spread the virus onwards, and to develop mild symptoms such as a cough or temperature.

In contrast, vaccinated people who were infected with the Alpha variant had a much lower viral load and rarely got symptoms.

The authors said the Indian variant probably means 'herd immunity is unachievable' because vaccines do not stop people passing Covid-19 onto the unvaccinated.

However vaccinated people are still much less likely to end up in hospital.

Lead author Professor Sarah Walker said: 'During the Alpha period if you got COVID having had two vaccinations, your viral load was incredibly low and virtually no one had symptoms.

'When Delta started to come in these virus levels went up a lot You are still less likely to get infected if you have two doses, but if you do you will have similar levels of virus [as the unvaccinated].

'While our results are important, it's really important to remember that vaccines are super effective at preventing hospitalisation and death.' The findings suggest the Delta variant has made it impossible to reach herd immunity- which when enough people are vaccinated that the virus stops circulating.

Professor Walker added: 'The hope was the unvaccinated people could be protected by vaccinating lots of people [but] the higher levels of virus that we're seeing in these infections with vaccinated people means unvaccinated people are going to be at higher risk.

'We don't yet know how much transmission can happen from people who get Covid-19 after being vaccinated - for example, they may have high levels of virus for shorter periods of time.

'But the fact that they can have high levels of virus suggests that people who aren't yet vaccinated may not be as protected from the Delta variant as we hoped.

'This means it is essential for as many people as possible to get vaccinated - both in the UK and worldwide.'

The UK Government is waiting on formal advice from its scientific advisers before pressing ahead with an autumn Covid jab programme.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) will make its decision in the coming weeks.
Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, a GOP favorite for a potential 2024 presidential run, is catching flak for tweeting that negotiating with the Taliban is like 'dealing with the devil' after she helped the Trump administration to do exactly that.

'To have our Generals say that they are depending on diplomacy with the Taliban is an unbelievable scenario. Negotiating with the Taliban is like dealing with the devil,' Haley wrote on Twitter on Wednesday. The tweet was savagely ratio'ed, where the ambassador received more replies than likes or retweets.

Haley resigned as ambassador to the United Nations in October 2018, long before President Trump signed a peace deal with the Taliban in February 2020, but she till had a key hand in negotiations with the Taliban.

Nikki Haley's tweet was savagely ratio'ed, where the ambassador received more replies than likes or retweets.

Haley resigned as Trump's UN ambassador in 2018, but by that time had already helped with peace talks between the Afghanis and the Taliban

Many are calling attention to this September 12, 2020 photo where then State Sec. Mike Pompeo met with Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, co-founder of the Taliban and now one of its most visible leaders

In 2018, the US released Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, one of the co-founders of the Taliban and now one of the group's most visible leaders, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, on the understanding that it could help broker peace.

'The U.S. policy on Afghanistan is working,' Haley said in January 2018. 'We are seeing that we are closer to talks with the Taliban and the peace process than we've seen before.'

Only weeks later, Trump reversed course from the diplomatic strategy after a series of Taliban attacks on Kabul.

'I don't see any talking taking place,' Trump said at the time. 'I don't think we're prepared to talk right now. It's a whole different fight over there. They're killing people left and right. Innocent people are being killed left and right.'

That came after a suicide bomber detonated an ambulance filled with explosives, killing 100 and wounding 235. That was after a violent Taliban assault on the Intercontinental Hotel that left a number of Americans dead and other acts of violence.

'When you see what they're doing and the atrocities that they're committing, and killing their own people, and those people are women and children ... it is horrible,' Trump said.

'We don't want to talk to the Taliban. We're going to finish what we have to finish, what nobody else has been able to finish, we're going to be able to do it,' Trump said.

US officials were surprised at the time at Trump's remarks and said the president would not be able to take talks off the table and decrease the military presence in Afghanistan.

But two years later Trump signed a peace deal with the Taliban, where the US would withdraw all troops from Afghanistan and free 5,000 prisoners in exchange for the Taliban promising not to harbor terrorists or attack the US or its allies.

The former ambassador and South Carolina governor has said she would support Trump if he decided to run again in 2024 and not mount a bid against him.

As the Taliban overtook Kabul and ousted the Afghani government, Haley said she wasn't against withdrawing from Afghanistan, but rather the 'pathetic' way President Biden went about it.

'In April, President Biden announced we would withdraw the remainder of our forces without any pre-conditions on Taliban conduct. No one should have been surprised at whats happened since and everyone should be honest about what will happen next: The Taliban will enslave the Afghan people once again,' she wrote on Substack.

Haley did not respond to requests for comment on the apparent flip-flop.

'I realize she presents well as some sort of reasonable and likable political figures but, at least when it comes to foreign policy, Nikki Haley is a warmongering neocon and one of the most obscene jokes in US politics, and if you have doubts about that, look at this,' rabble-rousing journalist Glenn Greenwald wrote on Twitter, along with screenshots of Haley's tweet and her 2018 comments on the Taliban peace process.

Many replies to Haley's tweet included a photo catching a lot of attention, where former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is pictured standing next to Baradar.

'Where were you for this one?' Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., wrote along with the Pompeo photo.

'There is this attempt to memory hole the last four years,' CNN's Jake Tapper said of the ambassador's tweet. 'You don't make peace with your friends, you make peace with your enemies. That's how peace deals work.'

'Have you checked in with Mike Pompeo lately?' wrote TV host Mehdi Hasan.

I realize she presents well as some sort of reasonable and likable political figures but, at least when it comes to foreign policy, Nikki Haley is a warmongering neocon and one of the most obscene jokes in US politics, and if you have doubts about that, look at this: https://t.co/uBBmYAWsuX  Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) August 19, 2021

Nikki Haley blasts Taliban talks, despite praising Trump for the same @jaketapper: There is an attempted memory hole that is just insulting to everyone... pic.twitter.com/PZbGLEjqdf  Brianna Keilar (@brikeilarcnn) August 19, 2021

Where were you for this one? pic.twitter.com/onJsKLIHxZ  Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) August 19, 2021

Have you checked in with Mike Pompeo lately?https://t.co/YmmdxGs77L https://t.co/huaI2CmCvQ  Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) August 19, 2021
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Covid cases among teenagers and young adults fell in England last week despite the country's outbreak ticking upwards slightly, official data revealed today.

Public Health England's weekly surveillance report showed infection rates, the number of positive tests for every 100,000 people, was highest among twenty-somethings. But the figure dropped by 11 per cent to 610.3 for the seven-day spell ending August 15.

Case rates also fell on the week before among adults in their thirties (by 2.9 per cent, to 388.5) and 10-19 year olds (by 1.3 per cent, to 460.7).

Figures rose in every other age group, with the biggest jump seen among adults in their seventies and eighties  the age groups most vulnerable to the virus.

Separate PHE statistics today revealed that Covid outbreaks grew in almost half of England's 149 local authorities.

The Isle of Wight saw the biggest jump in cases (by 157.5 per cent, to 412.5), followed by Herefordshire (by 109.8 per cent, to 288.2) and Shropshire (by 49.1 per cent, to 315.3).

Meanwhile, data showed rates fell the quickest in Middlesbrough, Bournemouth, Plymouth, Stockton-on-Tees and Sheffield.

But separate surveillance data  published by a major symptom-tracking app  suggested the number of people falling ill with Covid across Britain has fallen slightly in the past week.

There were nearly 44,000 new daily symptomatic cases of the virus in the UK on average by August 14, King's College London estimates, which was down about 5 per cent on the previous week.

Professor Tim Spector, an epidemiologist and lead scientist on the study, said cases were still 'stubbornly high' and warned of a further spike when schools go back in the coming weeks. He said that, depending on how big that spike is, it will likely reignite the debate about whether to vaccinate more children.

Data from the NHS Test and Trace, meanwhile, found the opposite trend, noting a 6 per cent rise in infections in the week to August 11 in England.

This is more in line with the national picture. The Government's Covid dashboard shows there are about 30,000 new positive tests every day across the UK currently and cases are rising by 7 per cent every week.

Cases have remained high  helped by the ultra-infectious Delta variant blunting vaccines' effect on transmission  but hospital admissions and deaths remain low thanks to the roll-out.

 Slide me  Separate PHE statistics today revealed that Covid outbreaks grew in almost half of England's 149 local authorities. The Isle of Wight saw the biggest jump in cases (by 157.5 per cent, to 412.5), followed by Herefordshire (by 109.8 per cent, to 288.2) and Shropshire (by 49.1 per cent, to 315.3)

Public Health England's weekly surveillance report showed infection rates, the number of positive tests for every 100,000 people, was highest among twenty-somethings. But the figure dropped by 11 per cent to 610.3 for the seven-day spell ending August 15. Case rates also fell among adults in their thirties (by 2.9 per cent, to 388.5) and 10-19 year olds (by 1.3 per cent, to 460.7)

There were nearly 44,000 new daily symptomatic cases of the virus in the UK on average by August 14, King's College London estimates, which was down about 5 per cent on the previous week

Data from the NHS Test and Trace found almost the exact opposite trend, noting a 6 per cent rise in Covid infections in the past week with about 190,000 in the week to August 11 in England

Meanwhile, data today laid bare how people have started to delete the NHS Covid app following the 'pingdemic' chaos. The number of people 'pinged' was down nearly a fifth by the same date  even though cases had risen in the same seven-day spell and that Test and Trace was given more contacts to chase. In the week to August 11, there were 753,791 people isolating in England. Broken down 255,474 were isolating after being 'pinged' by the NHS app, 307,809 were contacted by NHS Test and Trace and 190,508 were the result of a positive test

Dr William Welfare, PHE's Covid incident director, said: 'Case rates remain high across the country.

'The pandemic is not over but vaccination is weakening the link between infection and serious illness. 16 and 17 year olds can now join the millions whove already received their vaccine  we encourage young people to take up this offer as soon as they are able.

'If you are a contact of a confirmed case and have had both doses of the vaccine, you no longer need to isolate unless you have symptoms.

'However, you should still get a PCR test, and consider limiting socialising, wearing a mask in crowded places, limiting contact with vulnerable people and continue regular LFD testing.'

PHE's report is based on positive tests, meaning it only reflects people coming forward for swabs. Not everyone who is infected wants to get tested.

The symptom-tracking study, however, relies on people self-reporting Covid symptoms. Some experts argue it's becoming a less reliable method now that the Delta strain has become dominant.

Unlike earlier versions of the virus, the variant causes illness similar to other respiratory infections, making it increasingly difficult to distinguish.

Professor Spector said: 'Daily cases of Covid remain stubbornly high but it's reassuring to see that unlike in previous waves, these rates aren't yet translating into high numbers of hospitalisations and deaths. However, seeing what is happening with increasing deaths in Israel we need to be vigilant.

Israel ushers in Covid passports as country 'wars' with Delta variant Covid restrictions have been extended to three-year-olds in Israel, where Covid cases and deaths are surging. From today, everyone aged over three in the country must show evidence of vaccination or a negative test before entering places such as restaurants, cafes, gyms and museums. The country is in the midst of a third wave despite high vaccination uptake, with one of the country's top coronavirus experts warning Israel is 'at war' with the dominant Delta variant. Cases reached a six-month high of 8,752 on Monday before falling slightly on Tuesday. And fatalities are also rising exponentially, with 120 people dying with the virus in the last week - more double the number of people who died in July. Now the country has brought in stringent Covid restrictions for youngsters in an attempt to control the third wave. Until today, only over-12s were required to show proof they were double-jabbed two weeks earlier, or a negative Covid test from the last 24 hours before entering public indoor spaces. Advertisement

'Whilst vaccines have helped to reduce the severity of the disease, this stalling in cases suggests that we're starting to see the protection provided by vaccines waning, meaning more fully vaccinated people could be infected in the future.

'With children in Scotland heading back to the classrooms this week, and cases starting to rise again there, we'll be keeping a close eye on the numbers. As in the past, steep rises in cases have been closely associated with the return to school.

'Now many more young people have been infected by Covid. We're hoping this immunity will lead to a lower spike in cases following the summer holidays than in the past.

'If there is another big wave of infections, it will raise the hotly debated topic of whether we vaccinate more children to try and achieve herd immunity or re-vaccinate older adults whose immunity is waning.'

King's College London estimated more than 13,000 of the daily symptomatic cases were among fully vaccinated people. The proportion of jabbed people getting Covid will continue to rise as more of the country gets vaccinated.

This is because the vaccines are not perfect and some immunised people still catch the virus. A smaller number fall ill and need hospital care and a tiny proportion die.

Meanwhile, the daily coronavirus updates from the Department of Health do not suggest any slowing down of the crisis yet.

There were another 33,904 positive tests recorded yesterday, up 14.5 per cent on last Wednesday's figure of 29,612  despite swabbing levels remaining flat.

It is the third consecutive day that the rolling seven-day average  which offers a more accurate picture over the true state of the crisis because daily counts can fluctuate heavily  has risen.

Meanwhile, hospitalisations and deaths are still creeping upwards. Both measures lag several weeks behind cases because of how long it can take for the infected to become severely ill.

Another 111 fatalities were recorded on Wednesday, up 6.7 per cent on last week. The average daily toll, which hasn't stood in triple figures since March, is now around 94.

And 773 Covid-infected patients were admitted to NHS hospitals on August 14, the most recent day UK-wide data is available for  up 8.6 per cent on the previous Saturday.

The Government's weekly Test and Trace report showed a total of 89.2 per cent of people who were tested for Covid-19 in England in the week ending August 11 at a regional site, local site or mobile testing unit received their result within 24 hours. This is up from 84.9 per cent in the previous week.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson had pledged last year for the results of all in-person tests would be back within 24 hours.

He told the House of Commons on June 3 2020 he would get 'all tests turned around within 24 hours by the end of June, except for difficulties with postal tests or insuperable problems like that'.

Some 13.6 per cent of people  nearly one in seven  who were transferred to Test and Trace in England in the week to August 11 were not reached, meaning they were not able to provide details of recent close contacts.

This is up slightly from 13.2 per cent in the previous week. The percentage of people not reached through Test and Trace has not dropped below 13 per cent since the end of June.

Anybody in England who tests positive for Covid-19, either through a rapid (LFD) test or a PCR test processed in a laboratory, is transferred to Test and Trace so their contacts can be identified and alerted.

It comes after a major study found double-jabbed people who catch the Indian variant are just as likely to develop symptoms and spread Covid as the unvaccinated.

The Oxford University research suggests herd immunity is 'unachievable' because vaccines do not significantly reduce transmission of the virus.

Although fully vaccinated people are significantly less likely to be infected, those who do get Covid have a similar peak 'viral load' as the unvaccinated.

This means infected people 'shed' the same amount of virus when they cough or sneeze, regardless of whether or not they have been jabbed.

Experts said the findings strengthened the argument for a 'booster' Covid jab programme this autumn. However, the study stressed that two doses remain remarkably effective at preventing death and hospitalisation.

And even though the viral load may peak at similar levels in the vaccinated and unvaccinated, scientists say it's possible jabbed people clear the infection quicker.

The study found that people who catch the Indian variant are just as likely to develop symptoms and spread Covid as the unvaccinated. But those who are doubled jabbed are still significantly less likely to catch it in the first place. The chart above shows how Pfizer's (in red) reduces the risk by about 80 per cent - shown as an odds ratio of 0.2 - and AstraZeneca's cuts the risk by more than 65 per cent, shown as an odds ratio of around 0.4

The risk of catching the virus is broken down by age group and vaccine type, with red and green showing Pfizer and blue and purple representing AstraZeneca. Note: The figures will be slightly skewed by the fact AstraZeneca's jab has not been given to adults under 40 because of blood clot fears. The charts show the vaccines work better on younger people than older people

It follows similar findings by Public Health England and the US' Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which earlier this month released figures showing unvaccinated and double-jabbed have very similar viral loads.

The Oxford study, based on data from 700,000 Britons, is the largest yet to evaluate vaccine effectiveness against the Delta variant, which has been dominant in the UK since May.

Researchers concluded two doses reduce the chance of getting Covid by about 82 per cent for Pfizer and 67 per cent for AstraZeneca.

Although Pfizer initially has greater effectiveness against Delta, this declines more quickly and after four to five months both vaccines offer similar levels of protection, the researchers claimed. They did not say what level of protection this amounted to.
The Biden administration was warned by U.S. intelligence agencies that Afghan forces could crumble 'within days' after foreign troops left, according to a former CIA counter-terrorism chief who also advised the president's campaign.

But in an interview released on Thursday morning, President Biden claimed that he was never told that such a rapid collapse was possible.

And a day earlier, Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he never saw any intelligence warning that the Afghan government could fall in 11 days.

Their claims were disputed in a detailed account describing the state of understanding at the CIA written by Douglas London, the agency's former counter-terrorism chief for south and south-west Asia, offered a very different assessment.

He said the rapid collapse was one of a number of possible scenarios.

'Ultimately, it was assessed, Afghan forces might capitulate under the circumstances we witnessed, in projections highlighted to Trump officials and future Biden officials alike,' he wrote on the Just Security website.

Former CIA analyst Douglas London (left) disputed President Biden's claim that he was not warned Afghan forces could collapse within days of U.S. withdrawal. London said it was among a range of assessments briefed to Biden and Trump officials

Taliban gunmen police a crowd of protesters trying to raise the flag of the Islamic Republican of Afghanistan during an Independence Day rally at Pashtunistan Square in Kabul

London, who also served as a volunteer adviser to the Biden campaign after leaving the CIA in 2019, scoffed at the president's claim that events in Afghanistan unfolded more rapidly than expected.

'Thats misleading at best,' he said. 'The CIA anticipated it as a possible scenario.'

The Biden administration remains under intense pressure to explain what it did and did not know as it pushed ahead with the president's order to bring home troops by Sept. 11.

Allies have said they were blindsided by the rapid pace and were not kept abreast of decision-making.

Britain's most senior general said on Wednesday that the decision to abruptly leave Bagram air base, about 25 miles north of Kabul, on July 1 shattered Afghan morale.

London's account says Trump and Biden teams were given different estimates of how long President Ashraf Ghani and his security forces could resist a Taliban retreat, depending on the speed of withdrawal.

'So, was it 30 days from withdrawal to collapse? 60? 18 months? Actually, it was all of the above, the projections aligning with the various "what ifs,"' he wrote.

Taliban gunmen patrol Kabul after their rapid advance across Afghanistan. Foreign forces are focused on evacuating civilians from the city's airport

Biden has repeatedly said the speed of the Taliban advance, and the collapse of Afghan government forces, surprised his administration

'There was nothing that I or anyone else saw it indicated a collapse of this army in this government in 11 days,' said Gen. Mark Milley

But both presidents, he said, were motivated by seeking a political win in bringing home troops and ending the country's 'forever wars.'

'For the candidate, who had long advocated withdrawal, the outcome was, as it had been with Trump, a foregone conclusion despite what many among his counterterrorism advisors counselled,' he wrote.

'President Biden himself has said as much in terms of his mind being made up.'

During the past week, Biden has shifted blame to the intelligence community, insisting that the rapid advance of the Taliban had taken the administration by surprise.

'The truth is: This did unfold more quickly than we had anticipated,' he said last week.

And in an interview with George Stephanopoulos of ABC News, Biden said there was no warning of such a precipitous fall.

'Number one, as you know, the intelligence community did not say back in June or July that, in fact, this was gonna collapse like it did,' he said.

Stephanopoulos proved for more detail. He asked: 'They thought the Taliban would take over, but not this quickly?'

Biden replied: 'But not this quickly. Not even close.'

In another part of the interview he said he could not remember ever being advised by senior Pentagon figures to maintain a military presence in the country.

Reports suggest that his generals urged him to leave 2,500 troops to support and train the Afghan force.

'No, no one said that to me that I can recall,' Biden said.

Milley echoed his commander-in-chief's words during an earlier briefing when he said he had seen a range of forecasts.

'The timeframe of a potential collapse was widely estimated and ranged from weeks to months and even years following our departure,' he said.

'There was nothing that I or anyone else saw it indicated a collapse of this army in this government in 11 days.'

After Kabul fell, regional experts have pointed out that anyone with an understanding of Afghanistan should have expected a possible cascade of surrenders or negotiations as commanders sensed the switch of momentum from government to Taliban.

London said those assessments were part of the briefings.

'Switching sides for a better deal or to fight another day is a hallmark of Afghan history,' he wrote. 'And US policy to impose an American blueprint for a strong central government and integrated national army served only to enable Ghanis disastrous and uncompromising stewardship.'
A rural blogger who branded a 'townie' couple who moved into her Lake District hamlet 'thieves and bullies' in a row over the village green has been hit with an 80,000 bill after losing a court fight with them.

Bridget Kelly and Richard Wozniak retired from their professional lives in the south to the 50-strong village of Rosgill in 2015, transforming their three-bedroom cottage Abbott House from a ramshackle wreck into their 'dream home'.

Dr Wozniak, a former dentist, developed his passion for wildlife photography, while Ms Kelly, an ex-accountant, took up bell-ringing at a local church and became involved in staging a nearby village pantomime as the couple toiled away on their house revamp.

But within two years of moving into their new home, they were at the centre of a local row over the public's right to park and drive around a small triangular patch of grass and track in front of their house.

Neighbour Chloe Randall insisted the patch of grass - which the incoming couple say they own - is a 'village green' which residents of Rosgill and surrounding villages had been 'accustomed to using...for hundreds of years.'

She went on to set up an online blog titled 'Concerned of Rosgill', on which the couple said she branded them 'townies' and accused them of being 'bullies, thieves and liars' in the row over the green.

The retired couple went on to sue Ms Randall for libel over the posts in London's High Court and today were awarded damages and costs of up to 81,000 from their neighbour by Mr Justice Soole.

'All we wanted - and still want - is to be left in peace to enjoy our property,' Ms Kelly told the judge.

She added that the blog campaign 'made me feel like a prisoner in my own house'.

HM Land Registry documents show the couple does not own the 'village green' and the legal status of the 'green' is still in question, with a local landowning estate disputing that Dr Wozniak and Ms Kelly own it, the court heard.

Former accountant Bridget Kelly (left), who moved in with her partner Richard Wozniak six years ago, has won her libel battle against neighbour Chloe Randall (right)

The so-called 'Townie' couple have won libel damages after being branded 'thieves and bullies' in a row over the village green, pictured

Ms Randall, an administrator and woollen tie maker, denied libel, accusing the couple in court of 'years of harassment of members of the village and beyond' in what she termed 'The Battle for Rosgill Green'.

But the couple were awarded 15,000 in libel damages, plus up to 66,000 in legal costs, after the judge found Ms Randall had libelled them as 'liars, thieves and bullies' in a blog post from April 2019.

The court heard that Ms Kelly and Dr Wozniak previously lived in Hampshire, where Dr Wozniak had his private dental practice, before setting himself up as a wildlife photographer, venturing to remote areas of Africa to snap exotic animals.

Following his retirement and with Ms Kelly, who had worked for Price Waterhouse Cooper before qualifying as an accountant, working part time, they sold up and eventually moved to Rosgill in 2015 to pursue their country dreams.

Ms Kelly told the court that they had only been in the north for a matter of months when friction began with campaigners over public use of the land the couple claim is theirs.

They were accused of having 'colonised' the 'green' and endured a number of incidents including people mowing the patch, blocking their access, and driving a 4x4 over it, she told Mr Justice Soole.

Ms Kelly added that she and her partner were also told they 'would be dealt with by 'community law' and that we would not be made welcome in the community'.

The bad feeling over the 'green' came to a head with Ms Randall's online blog, set up in 2017, on which the couple claimed she posted a series of nine libelous posts in 2019.

One posting referred to 'townies' turning the countryside into a 'retirement park' and suggested that the couple did not understand the alleged long use of the patch as a community space.

Dr Wozniak and Ms Kelly complained that they had been accused online of stealing land, 'brainwashing' a vulnerable local into their camp, acting like 'liars, thieves and bullies' and 'spitefully' attempting to block the track.

'The defamatory statements posted by Ms Randall have made me personally feel humiliated, embarrassed and harassed to the extent that they have actually ruined my life,' said Ms Kelly.

'Abbott House was very much our 'dream home' but the activities of Ms Randall have made me feel like a prisoner in my own house.

'At times I have been too frightened to go outside for fear that Ms Randall or one of her supporters might be there.

'Whereas I was once eager to engage in community activities, I now think twice before joining in for fear that other attendees have seen the comments made about us, and view us in a negative light.'

Neighbour and campaigner Ms Randall insists the patch of grass (pictured) - which the incoming couple say they own - is a 'village green' which residents of Rosgill and surrounding villages have been 'accustomed to using...for hundreds of years. Pictured: A screenshot from Ms Randall's blog

The land in dispute is the triangle of grass at the centre of this picture which villagers say has been used as common land for 'hundreds of years', but Kelly and Wozniak believe they own

Ms Kelly, described as a 'gentler personality' than her forthright partner, had set her heart on immersing herself in community life, said the judge - including 'throwing herself' into the local Brampton Pantomime.

Ms Kelly said she felt her life was 'ruined' after being targeted online, with her rural dream ending up a nightmare.

'Her distress at the course of events in this dispute and its effect on their enjoyment of their retirement home was evident and sincere,' he said.

Dr Wozniak added that he became depressed, lost weight and couldn't sleep due to the effects of the online campaign, Mr Justice Soole said.

The campaign left him and his partner 'isolated, shunned and excluded by a number of people who were formerly friendly neighbours and tradespeople'.

The judge accepted that Ms Randall's website had only extended to an audience of around 50, but added: 'I weigh the very fact of its locality and the likely consequent intensity of its effect on the publishees and the claimants.

'This is then magnified by Ms Randall's persistence in pursuing these allegations through the trial.'

He described all three involved in the case as honest witnesses but said Ms Randall had allowed her 'passion' for rural affairs to get the better of her.

'On the central issues of this case I have concluded that her passion for Rosgill and its perceived rights and traditions has on occasions overtaken her judgment and thus allowed her to make statements about the integrity of the claimants which cannot be sustained.'

The judge gave judgment in the couple's favour in relation to six of nine blog posts they had complained about, including the central post which branded them 'thieves, liars and bullies' who had 'spitefully' run a campaign to 'steal' land.

He added that the case had been especially hard to unravel due to the bitterness of the dispute, the sheer number of the incidents involved and in many cases 'their relative triviality'.

'It is evident that on each side these incidents have been turned over and discussed remorselessly both before and during the litigation and that accounts have unsurprisingly become confused and coloured.'

In her defence, Ms Randall said the 'Concerned of Rosgill' blog developed in tandem with her efforts to have the track alongside the green designated a public bridleway and to boost the campaign in 'the battle for Rosgill Green'.

She said the area has been used by the whole community for generations and 'is widely known as Rosgill Village Green', telling the judge: 'The village has for hundreds of years been accustomed to using this piece of ground...for access, farming, leisure and commercial purposes.'

HM Land Registry documents show the couple does not own the 'village green' (pictured). Records show Ms Kelly and her partner own land to the left and right of the disputed land

At the time the blog was set up, she was pursuing a right of way application with the local council, which ultimately led to the track alongside the green being declared a bridleway, she said.

She had intended the blog to 'remind the community of the lengths to which the claimants have demonstrated that they are prepared to go in pursuit of their determination to have exclusive use of the disputed ground.'

And she said the couple's exclusion from parts of village life - including not being invited to a local councillor's Christmas party - were nothing to do with the blog posts.

She defended the libel claim on the basis of 'truth', that the couple were 'liars' and 'thieves' in their repeated assertions that they had exclusive possession of the land.

But the judge rejected the defence, finding that there was no dishonesty involved in the couple's claims to the land, which he said were based on their honest belief that it is theirs.

'There is simply no basis for the contention that the claimants have stolen or tried to steal any part of the disputed area,' he said.

'On all the evidence I have heard and seen there is no basis to conclude that the claimants or either of them have bullied anyone in this matter.

'On each side, the conduct is explained by strong and honestly held views as to ownership and rights.

'As the evidence vividly demonstrates, this all makes for a very unpleasant state of affairs in the village and by the green in particular.

'However I see no basis to conclude that the claimants have sought to harm, intimidate or coerce or that their conduct has had that effect.'

Ms Randall must now pay a total of 15,000 libel damages to Dr Wozniak and Ms Kelly - on top of picking up a legal costs' bill of around 66,000, with 50,000 to pay up front.
e deleted the 30 May 2020 post and apologised to his colleagues

A police custody sergeant who sent a meme depicting the arrest of George Floyd has kept his job.

Sergeant Geraint Jones, 47, admitted gross misconduct but has been given a final written warning by a police disciplinary panel.

The Devon and Cornwall Police officer was found to have breached professional standards of authority, respect and courtesy and discreditable conduct.

But yesterday, Jones had his 23-year career saved when the panel's chair handed him a final written warning.

Sergeant Geraint Jones, 47, of Devon and Cornwall Police, admitted gross misconduct for sending the message but was only given a final written warning by a disciplinary panel

Sgt Jones, of Torquay, had sent the altered image of a naked adult porn actor in the place of a police officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd.

Mr Floyd was murdered by Minnesota police officer Derek Chauvin during an arrest in May last year.

Jones sent the doctored image of porn star Wardy Joubert III to a WhatsApp group that included six other police officers and two civilian staff.

He was charged with sending a grossly offensive image but was cleared after a trial at Plymouth magistrates court.

Giving evidence in court, Jones said memes were designed to be 'humorous'.

George Floyd, 46, pictured, was killed in Minneapolis, Minnesota while being arrested by a police officer who knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes

He described how the image of Mr Joubert had featured in many other memes, including scenes showing former US president Donald Trump and the late Captain Sir Tom Moore.

'I knew that meme was going viral at the time and they had seen it in various shapes and forms,' Jones told the court.

'I saw the comedy of it because I found the character amusing and where he turns up.

'Maybe I was after a cheap laugh or trying to raise a smile. I didn't think about it deeply and I didn't look at the image in detail.'

He deleted the 30 May 2020 post and apologised to his colleagues.

Jones, a custody sergeant, sent the meme which featured Mr Floyd's arrest in Minneapolis in the US on May 25, 2020, with an image of American man Wardy Joubert III naked superimposed on it

The Independent Office for Police Conduct who investigated the case said yesterday that Jones's final written warning will remain in place for five years.

IOPC regional director Catrin Evans said: 'The image was bound to cause significant offence, not least without our Black communities.

'It is encouraging that the matter was swiftly reported by a work colleague who rightly called out the behaviour.'

She said it is a reminder that any serving police officer sharing offensive material is unacceptable and that they will be held accountable.

Assistant Chief Constable Glen Mayhew said of the outcome: 'Devon & Cornwall Police expect all officers and staff to abide by high standards of ethical behaviour, both on and off duty.

'In this instance, the behaviour of Sgt Jones fell below those expected standards  something that was acknowledged by both the officer and the panel. The officer admitted gross misconduct and accepted that he had sent an image that was deemed to be grossly offensive. He apologised for his conduct at the hearing.

'The panel, led by the independent legally qualified chair, has concluded, based on the information presented to them, the most appropriate outcome was a final written warning.

'All processes are now complete and the officer will be supported to a return to the workplace in due course.'

The police force added that it has already acted upon recommendations from the IOPC concerning guidance to officers and staff on their use of social media and messaging apps.
The Federal Aviation Administration has issued a total of $1 million in fines this year against unruly passengers after receiving nearly 3,900 reports of incidents since January.

The FAA has proposed fines against 80 passengers so far, including one JetBlue customer who was hit with the heaviest fine of $45,000 for hurling objects at passengers and putting his head up a flight attendant's skirt on May 24.

Of the incidents, which were detailed by federal investigators for the first time, nearly two-thirds involved passengers accused of violating the federal transportation-wide mask mandate.

Unruly passengers aboard flights have made big headlines, including that of Maxwell Berry, pictured tapped to his seat after allegedly groping and punching flight attendants in July

Maxwell Berry, 22, was duct-taped to his seat and arrested on three counts of battery

Louts and loudmouths slapped in incidents involving cocaine use, attacks on flight attendants and fights with other passengers The FAA proposed a zero-tolerance policy in 2021 A man aboard a JetBlue flight from New York to Orlando allegedly threw objects at passengers, blocked the aisles and put his head up a flight attendants skirt. The plane made an emergency landing and he was handcuffed and fined $45,000

A man aboard a JetBlue flight from New York to San Francisco allegedly snorted cocaine, kept removing his facemask, made non-consensual contact with another passenger, threatened to harm and stab other passengers. The man was arrested and fined $42,000

A man aboard a Southwest Airlines flight from Orlando to Kansas City allegedly assaulted passengers around him because someone had refused to change seats to accommodate the man's partner. The man was arrested and fined $32,500

A man aboard a Frontier Airlines flight from Atlanta to New York allegedly assaulted two flight attendants after the plane landed, threatening to kill one of them. He was arrested and fined $30,000

A woman aboard a Frontier Airlines flight from Orlando to Providence, Rhode Island, allegedly kept kicking the plane's bulkhead, screaming obscenities at fellow passengers and flight attendants, locking herself in the bathroom and throwing nuts at people. She was arrested and fined $25,500 Advertisement

Federal documents also show that half of the 34 new incidents that resulted in fines involved fights on planes heading to or from Florida. Nine passengers were accused of touching or hitting someone else, and eight passengers are accused of illegally drinking alcohol they snuck on board, CNN reports.

Unruly passengers aboard flights have made headlines recently and even spurred United Airlines to send out a company-wide memo, instructing its flight attendants not to duct tape passengers to their seat following previous incidents aboard competing airlines.

This year, the FAA imposed a zero-tolerance policy for interfering with or assaulting flight attendants that carries a fine of up to $35,000 and possible jail time.

Of the 3,900 cases reported, the FAA has opened 682 investigations into possible violations of federal laws.

The number of cases under investigation are about three times the number the agency has had to deal with in the last 15 years.

The FAA does not have the authority to file criminal charges, but instead proposes civil fines that the accused violators may pay or dispute.

House Transportation Chairman Peter DeFazio, of Oregon, told CNN that he would like to see steeper punishments for those accused of in-flight violence facing prison time.

'The first time we take one of these jerks who is assaulting flight attendants or attempting to take an aircraft down - and they go away for a few years and they get a massive fine - I think that will send a message,' he said.

The largest flight attendant union, the Association of Flight Attendants, has also called for more prosecutions.

'If you interfere with a crew member's duties and put the rest of the plane in jeopardy, or assault the crew member, you're facing $35,000 in fines for each incident and up to 20 years in prison,' association President Sara Nelson told CNN. 'People need to understand there are severe consequences here.'

In July, Maxwell Berry, 22, was allegedly drunk on a Frontier Airlines flight between Philadelphia and Miami on July 21.

Police said Berry groped two female flight attendants and punched a male flight attendant before the staff restrained him in the seat with duct tape.

Videos showed Berry on the flight shouting 'Help me' and trying to wring free from the duct tape, which also covered his mouth.

Sara Nelson released a scathing statement saying this was 'one of the worst examples' of unruly passengers flight attendants had ever faced.

'A drunk and irate passenger verbally, physically and sexually assaulted multiple members of the crew. When he refused to comply after multiple attempts to de-escalate, the crew was forced to restrain the passenger with the tools available to them onboard. We are supporting the crew,' Nelson said.

Berry was arrested on three counts of battery following the incident.

There was another incident on July 6 incident, where an unidentified woman aboard an American Airline flight allegedly tried to open a plane door and bit a flight attendant.

The FAA has received nearly 3,900 reports of unruly passengers so far this year. It has opened 682 investigations into possible violations of federal laws, a huge spike from recent years

The woman, who was believed to be suffering from a 'mental health episode,' was restrained to her seat with tape nearing the end of a three-hour flight, with video of the incident shared on TikTok.

Yet another incident occurred on American Airlines earlier this month when an 11-year-old boy with autism was duct-taped to his seat after suffering a meltdown.

He had been fighting with his mom, who is disabled and had a difficult time getting her son to calm down, a source told DailyMail.com.

The chaotic scene stressed out the autistic boy's brother, whose age is unknown, and he panicked and tried to break the plane window while the they were in the air, according to the source.

The flight diverted to Honolulu, where the family and other customers were 're-accommodated on other flights or provided hotel accommodations,' an American Airlines spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

A female passenger ended up having 'a mental health episode' on a flight from Dallas to Charlotte and was duct taped to her seat along with having tape placed over her mouth

House Transportation Chair Pete DeFrazio, of Oregon, said he wanted to see stricter punishments against unruly passengers aboard flights to curb the number of incidents

These types of unruly passenger behavior has become a common problem for flight attendants in 2021, according to a study released by the flight attendants union on July 29.

It included nearly 5,000 responses from flight attendants across 30 airlines between June 25 to July 14.

The online study said 85 percent of flight attendants have dealt with unruly passengers; nearly 1 in 5 have experienced physical incidents in 2021; and 71 percent of flight attendants who filed incident reports to management received no follow up.

Duct taping passengers can be common practice, with United Airlines reporting such incidents aboard their own flight in 2003, 2008 and 2018, The Washington Post reported.

The International Air Transport Association said in a statement that passengers are only ever restrained as a last result if other efforts to get a situation under control have not worked.

Cabin crew are trained in de-escalation and restraint techniques and equipment (if carried) by their airline, the statement said. There is no industry standard restraint equipment, so it is up to the individual airline. Some airlines may equip their cabins with kits that include restraint devices.
Hundreds of West Australians have heeded a call to return from coronavirus-plagued NSW ahead of restrictions being further tightened.

Premier Mark McGowan has confirmed NSW will be reclassified as 'extreme risk' within WA's controlled border regime in coming days.

This means ordinary citizens will be banned from entering their own state, with no exemptions even for compassionate reasons.

Entry is restricted to only Commonwealth, state and specialist officials, who will be forced to enter hotel quarantine for 14 days.

NSW on Thursday recorded 681 new local cases and one death, with the virus continuing its spread through regional areas.

Premier Mark McGowan (pictured) has confirmed NSW will be reclassified as 'extreme risk' shutting the WA border to anyone who has been in the state within days

Arrivals from NSW are already required to prove they have had at least one vaccine dose under the rejigged 'high risk' category.

There will be no exemptions under compassionate grounds for returning West Australians once the extreme risk threshold is reached, even those who are double vaccinated, with no option even to enter hotel quarantine.

Meanwhile, international arrivals from countries with substantially higher risks of Covid are still allowed to fly in and enter isolation.

Mr McGowan says at least 400 West Australians have returned home from NSW in recent days.

'The trajectory that NSW is now on is dire. It's a crisis,' he said.

'We had the case come in (from NSW) when they had very low numbers back in June ... we had to lock down to crush and kill it and that cost our state tens, if not hundreds, of millions of dollars.

'I don't want that to happen again. That's why we're doing what we're doing.'

Mr McGowan says at least 400 West Australians have returned home from NSW in recent days before his tough border rule comes into force (pictured, arrivals from Sydney at Perth Airport on August 16)

There will be no exemptions under compassionate grounds for returning West Australians currently in NSW (pictured, a Sydneysiders queues for a vaccine)

The trigger point for jurisdictions to enter the extreme risk category is an average of more than 500 daily local cases over a period of between five and 14 days.

Victoria could soon enter the high risk category, which is triggered by states recording an average of more than 50 daily community cases.

Mr McGowan said other states and territories were paying the price for inaction by the NSW government with the virus leaking beyond borders.

'It's frustrating as hell to me that we're going through this,' he told parliament.

'We are all paying the price, the entire country is paying the price because the NSW government didn't do what they should have done back in June and refused to do it for two months despite so many people telling them what to do.

'Because they were divided and they weren't showing the strength of leadership they had to at their moment of truth.

'It is one of the greatest public policy failures I've seen in my lifetime of any government in Australia. It's just appalling.'

Mark McGowan has continuously made it clear he's aiming for a 'Covid-zero' state (pictured, Perth under a previous lockdown)

More than 100 evacuees from Afghanistan are set to arrive in Perth on Friday following the Taliban takeover of Kabul.

They will enter quarantine at the Hyatt hotel in Perth, where floors have been cleared to host the Australians and Afghan visa-holders.

One in four West Australian adults are now fully vaccinated, but the figure is just 7.9 per cent for those in WA's remote communities.

'That is alarmingly low. We have to increase our efforts to make sure that we can improve it,' Health Minister Roger Cook told parliament.

WA is monitoring three active cases, all in hotel quarantine.
They need to get Joe Biden on here because this baby. Its awful. Im not hurting nobody Joe. Im not pulling the trigger on this thing. I cant. theres no way for me to blow this up. Only you can by shooting a bullet through my window.

Youre the only one who can do it Joe.

I love this land.

Weve got a few options here Joe. You shoot me. Two and a half blocks going with me, and youre talking about a revolution. The revolutions on. Its here. Its today.

I told my wife Id be home by Sunday, and Im looking for all my other patriots to come out and help me because I got it standing. I got the foundation built, people. Im here.

They know Im here, and Ive done told them to clear the blocks.

Theyve cut off healthcare. I cant get the damn shots for my back no more, but yeah theyll give them to the superstar athletes. Theyll give it to them.

Dave and Hanson, Im up here at Washington DC, theres a capitol over there, theres another capitol over here, and Ive got the police coming and Im trying to get Joe Biden on the phone.

Im parked up here on the sidewalk right beside this pretty stuff and they dont realize I cant set this thing off.

When that bullet hits these windows, its going off and it aint my fault. Theyve got the roads blocked. They know Im here. I see the snipers over on the building. They better listen before they shoot. They better listen before they shoot.

God knows theres a change shortage for a reason. I got it all. I got loads of it. Loads of it Biden, and it dont take but a half a roll of nickels to eat through a 50 caliber bullet.

But Im telling them, them snipers come in, they start shooting this window out, this bombs going off because it was built by yalls people, by the people yall had in the military, yall were the ones who trained to man the build it. He blowed his legs off building them.

So this things right and when he tells me when the decibels hit a certain peak, its gonna go? Its gonna go.

Dont do it Biden, dont pull that trigger because if you do, four more are going off.

Four more, and I aint got hands on none of them, they sitting in cars all over this f***ing place around here because you thought the south wasnt coming, well Joe Biden the souths come.

The roads are blocked and Im waiting on your phone call. Its your call. You got an option. You can shoot me or kill me right here, and blow up two and half city blocks and let all the patriots out in the country know.

Cause aint here to blow nobody up. I aint here to hurt nobody. If I was, I wouldnt have told them to tell people to leave, I would have gunned this motherf***er and rode it right up into your front door. But Im here for a reason Joe Biden. Im here for a reason, Im here for the American people. If you wanna take me out. Take me out, and when the patriots come, your a** is in trouble.

Five of us are already here, and Im the little man. Im the speaker so if you blow my truck up, man, hey, its on you Joe, Im ready to die for a cause, and brother if you could do anything to save one life, youd said youd do it, well you got a chance I wanna go home Sunday.

I wanna go home and see my wife.

Were living in a free country Joe, the choice is yours. If you wanna shoot me, and take the chance of blowing up two and a half city blocks, cause that tool box is full. Ammonium nitrate, its full. I dont wanna die Joe, I wanna go home. Just like the people in Afghanistan wanna go home. Them peoples lives are on your hands. All them dead peoples are on your hands. Afghanistan Im standing for you strong too. The motherf***ers should have bombed our asses and made sure you was alright before we left. So if they blow me up Afghanistan, I hope somebody takes revenge on that because Im a patriot. I love this land, and Ill die for this land.

Because my grandbabys gonna have the rights I had, and any of you f***ers out there you patriots, yall you motherfuckers sitting at home sitting at out there fishing and playing golf.

I dont wanna see any of those videos because its time, because motherf***er, the revolutions on.

And I dont stand here alone Joe. If you take me out, you wont know where the other four are until they go off. Its going to be a chain reaction.

Dont break my windows, send somebody out here to talk to me, because I didnt even carry a gun, I didnt even carry a gun, I aint carrying nothing.

All I done was carry my change and brought what the American people give me.

They said Ray were tired, and I told them I was tired too. Joe I love you man, I love Nancy, I love all yall. I love the man whos getting ready to put a bullet in my head. The only thing I say to that, Joe Biden, is that you better hope hes a Democrat and not a Republican because this revolution aint gonna stop, its on. Its on.

You better get your NATO out from November Jean and bring em on down here because youre gonna need eem. Youre gonna need em Joe because this revolutions on, brother there aint no more talk about it

I dont wanna die. I wanna go home. I wanna watch my grandbaby live, but shes gonna live in peace even if I dont get to see it.

This bloods on your hands Joe Biden. We can make a deal, we can make a deal because I cant make this bomb go off. I have no way whatsoever to make this bomb go off.

But yall motherf***ers out there are getting ready to set the decibels up.

Stack them up all around me. Thats fine Joe, but Im telling you brother when they pull that trigger this trucks gone. Your military expertise built this. Your military expertise Joe. All by decibels.

Im glad you got them sirens out from around here. Its kinda making me nervous because I dont wanna die, but I aint scared to die.

Send somebody to talk to me Joe.

But you dont wanna shoot these windows out Im telling you. Your boys over out on the top of that roof you dont wanna shoot these windows out. When you shoot these windows out the revolutions gonna be on even harder. Theres gonna be four more going off across this town. It aint my fault.

I wanted all the buildings around me evacuated that way if you do decide to kill somebody, Joe, its only me. It aint nobody else. We can talk about it. I dont wanna die. I didnt wanna come. But I had to.

American people sent me. I love this world.

All I wanna do is set this bomb down, and go home.

They told me how to deactivate it, Joe.

That little blue light right there works off decibels.

You come up with your little billy jacks, bust up my windows and its going to go boom brother and I dont want your people hurt.

If youre gonna blow me up Joe, if youre gonna shoot me please make sure there aint nobody else around please because I dont wanna take no lives.

I dont Im a good man, but youve taken it too far. Its time to take a stand Joe, and I love you man. I love Nancy. I love everybody.

I said, hell, if I ever run over a cat I gotta turn around and go back and get it out of the road just so the kids dont come outside and see it laying there.

Im a good American patriot Joe. Joe you just dont know.

Im gonna tell you what though, if you crack these windows it aint on me, the bloods on your hands because I cant set this bomb off Joe, only you can, only your word.

Only your word. Your word to fire will set this bomb off, and when this bomb goes off theres gonna be four more right behind it, and then the patriots are gonna come because you dont know where them four are sitting

One of them might be sitting right at your back door.

Better talk to me Joe. You need to send someone out here to talk to me because Im not going to hurt nobody I promised to my God I would not hurt nobody. I promised to my wife I would not hurt nobody. I would not kill myself. Im gonna keep that promise Joe.

But the American peoples watching and they coming.

Four mores already here. If I was you man Id go ahead and lower all these flags at half staff because they dont deserve to be standing this high. They dont even deserve to be standing with them Democrats up there doing what theyre doing.

Yall know what your doing Democrats youre killing america, you're killing America you're making people wanna leave america. This is supposed to be a place people wanna come. Let em come. Black, white, lesbian, gay, LGBT it dont matter. Were americans.

This is our land Joe. You cant set up here and tell us what to do. This is your option now. You got the option Joe. Shoot me, crack these windows and blow up two city blocks or send up somebody down here to talk to me because I aint gonna hurt em.

Ill clear em out a seat beside all this money. Beside all them, and all that. Look behind me Joe Im surrounded by nickel, copper and some of that zinc ass s** yall call pennies. You're robbing people on that too.

Joe biden your pennies rot, and everytime a penny rots yall making money, well I got your coins. I got em all over the place. Nickels hard.

I love America Joe.

And I know your snipers are good, they could take me out any way they want to I was gonna throw me up some blinds around, but, hell, we hunt in the south too, we know what heat radars are, we know how to kill a d*** hog at night we know how to tell the d*** heat. Come on Joe.

I just wanna talk to somebody Joe, send somebody here to talk to me. I cant set this bomb off. Joe youre the only one

You're the only one in America that can set this bomb off. Tell them to pull the trigger Joe. Tell them theres four more sitting out here Joe. Tell them to pull the trigger. Im ready.

Or send somebody out here to talk to me. Cause I aint going anywhere Joe. I wanna go home by sunday.

Hope all American people dont make a liar out of me. Told my wife I lied to her twice. Told her I was going fishing today, took off before she got up. And I dont wanna lie to her again. I wanna be home sunday

Either home its gonna be, but Joe its up to you. This is your option. Im not moving from this spot. Im not putting nobody in harm. I pulled up here and throwed out about $3,000 and you wouldnt believe what a man done he raked up a big old handful and handed it to another man that needed it

Your money ain't no good. You got dirty money. Its up to you Joe biden. Im ready.

American peoples ready. Shoot me. Get their revolution started Joe. I told you theres four more sitting around this town and I have no idea really where they at.

We all came in different ways but we all came from the same place.

You can shoot me Joe, blood will be on your hands.

Its not gonna be on mine.

This thing won't go off unless these windows break. Works off decibels. This little round thing I know youre watching me. This little round thing here is speakers, these little wires out the side right here they run down to these wires. This is tannerite, Im sure they know what it is.

Just come out here and talk to me, Joe. Americas tired of it. And Im not setting this bomb off Joe. You are. Yourre gonna be the one setting it off not me. And Im gonna make it clear to the American people that I cannot set this bomb off.

I cannot set this bomb off. The only thing that can set this bomb off is enough decibels. The shatter of the glass on this truck is enough decibels. Start the revolution. Joe, you can send them in man, but Im telling you, you're the man that's gonna set the bomb off. I aint. I cant do it. I cant kill nobody, I cant kill myself, hurt myself. I'm just here to give yall options unlike what you give us.

But right now this place is only ok for people who, I guess wanna watch me die. Bomb squads here. Joe dont shoot. If you shoot, youre the one setting this bomb off, not me becauseIi have no control. I have none.

No control over it. Your military expertise. the ones that was trained to send in the military. The one that trained the people to send to the military now. He didnt have two legs, but he says he knows it works

He says hes used it many a time.

Dont shoot me Joe, because if you shoot me youre setting this bomb off and youre setting the other four off and the other four might be sitting in the middle of a million people and itd be on you, it wouldnt be on us. It won't be on us. It's your game Joe.

Im calling your bluff, shoot me, two city blocks gone.

Let your people do the calculation.

Shoot me Joe. I cant set the bomb off. Joe biden, the man you tell to pull the trigger the man that pulls that trigger he's the man that's going to set it off because I don't wanna die Joe. I love everybody.

Youve got options. I dont, but you do Joe. You got an optiona. I'll step out of this truck and walk away. Whats your option?

And you just gotta remember Joe, theres four more here. Theres four more in the capital of DC, sitting there just like me but I had to be the one chosen to do the dirty work and talk.

Always get the s*** end of the deal Joe.

Love all yall people out here. I know what youre doing. Youre protecting the capital, but you dont have to worry about it. Im not gonna blow it up. Joe Biden is. Nancy Pelosi, 52 democrats.

And Joes screaming right now pull the trigger, pull the trigger, pull the trigger but Joe you dont wanna do that brother. You think if I got the balls to come out here you think these little balls here are hung? You got some home stringers out here. I just got chose for the job. Unlike you. This aint about politics.

This aint got nothing to do with politics. I dont care if Donald Trump ever becomes president again. It dont matter to me. I think yall Democrats need to step down.

Yall need to understand the people dont want you there. Yall got a life you could live. Wouldnt have to worry about a thing.

I did too Joe I had it all. Best thing I had was a wife, a kid, a grandbaby, a daughter in law another daughter, another son in law. Yeah Joe I got two kids. Son in law, daughter in law, Grandbaby. Im not naming their names because They don't even know im here.

But its on you Joe. I cant set the bomb off, only you can.

I cant set it off. I cant make a loud enough noise.

Talk about this revolution people, got the foundation started. We just don't wanna hurt nobody.

Were not like the Democrats.

Send somebody over to talk to me Joe. This is my land, this is your land. Were the people, taking a stand Joe.

Got all them people dying in Afghanistan all of them kids being raped. Just let the Taliban run right through.

I get some people do somethings some times, but look here you little b*** some people are doing some things now. And its the f***ing south. Thank you Georgia. Thank you North Carolina, South Carolina for allowing me to make it through. Im not hurting nobody, Joe. I wanna go home.

But they chose me to do this s***. I was the one chosen and you know what? I dont mind a bit.

If America needs a voice Ill give it to them, but I tell you Joe if you pop those windows out its over and its gonna be a chain reaction. You didnt believe nobody ever come out here in the first place, Why would you believe theres four more sitting around town. This was just the start.

I dont wanna sit here when it blows up. I dont wanna sit here and die in this truck. Ill die in federal prison. You step down out of office, Ill step down out of this truck. You go home. Ill go to federal prison.

Nobody deserves to die Joe. Don't do it man. You pull that trigger this truck goes up and there ain't nothing I can do about it. It means you killed me. I aint setting this bomb off. Peoples tired Joe just send somebody out to talk to me. First thing they want is airstrikes in Afghanistan. Kick the Taliban's a** and stop them from killing people.
Moderate Democratic Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema are reportedly throwing support behind nine House lawmakers threatening to derail President Biden's $3.5 trillion infrastructure deal if Speaker Nancy Pelosi doesn't first schedule a vote on a smaller bipartisan compromise bill.

The two senators are privately advising and encouraging the group of centrist Democrats, nicknamed the 'unbreakable nine,' on negotiations with Pelosi and White House officials.

They're supporting the group's attempt to leverage passage of the Democrat-backed reconciliation bill by vowing to tank the measure in the House if a $1.2 trillion infrastructure deal that passed the Senate isn't sent to Biden's desk for a signature.

Those conversations are emboldening the lawmakers to stand against the heftier bill, Axios reports.

By joining forced with ideological counterparts in the lower chamber Manchin and Sinema, who both voted in favor of a fiscal blueprint of the $3.5 trillion bill earlier this month, are signaling that their priority is with them more modest measure.

Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona have been privately encouraging and advising the nine House Democrats threatening to tank Biden's $3.5 trillion infrastructure agenda

Manchin and Sinema's backing is setting up a civil war between moderates and Nancy Pelosi, who is backed by the White House

An ad campaign by nonpartisan group No Labels is also looking to give the nine lawmakers some clout

The House vote would be for advancing the hefty legislation through to committees, not final passage.

Pelosi dismissed the holdouts' threats as 'amateur hour' earlier this week, Politico reports.

One source told the outlet that Pelosi is standing firm on the sequence of votes and will likely call moderates' bluff.

'For the first time, Americas children have leverage. I will not surrender that leverage,' she said according to one Democrat.

But the stand-off could also end with Pelosi promising the nine lawmakers a vote on the bipartisan deal by the end of next month.

Nine moderate Democrats threatening mutiny with Pelosi The nine moderate Democrats who wrote to Speaker Pelosi to say they won't vote for budget deal unless House passes infrastructure first: Rep. Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey Rep. Vicente Gonzalez of Texas Rep. Filemon Vela of Texas Rep. Jared Golden of Maine Rep. Ed Case of Hawaii Rep. Kurt Schrader of Oregon Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas Rep. Jim Costa of California Rep. Carolyn Bourdeaux of Georgia Advertisement

A nonpartisan group called No Labels is rolling out an ad campaign to bolster and support the 'unbreakable nine.'

Pelosi scheduled a vote for the $3.5 trillion bill when the House returns from recess next week.

After threats from progressive representatives to vote down the bipartisan bill, the speaker promised to bring the larger bill to a vote first.

The White House issued a statement publicly supporting Pelosi's plan of action on Tuesday. If passed the $3.5 trillion measure will allow Biden to reshape the federal government's spending priorities in time for the 2022 election.

White House officials have also reportedly been contacting lawmakers to ramp up pressure in favor of Pelosi's timeline.

If both bills fail, it could leave Democrats in vulnerable seats in 2022 wide open.

Democrats can only afford to lose three votes in the House for any legislation to pass. Pelosi's hands are tied by both factions having the ability to kill the bills.

In a letter addressed to her 'Democratic Colleagues' on Tuesday Pelosi called on lawmakers to pass the $3.5 trillion budget 'immediately' upon returning from recess on August 23rd.

'Any delay in passing the budget resolution could threaten our ability to pass this essential legislation through reconciliation. This jeopardizes the once-in-a-generation opportunity we face to enact initiatives that meet the needs of working families at this crucial time,' Pelosi wrote.

'While the bipartisan infrastructure bill offers important progress, it is not reflective of the totality of Democrats vision.'

But last week nine moderate Democrats lauded the smaller bill as 'a bipartisan victory for our nation' that will 'create millions of good paying jobs.'

Referring to the progressive wing urging Pelosi to hold the $1.2 trillion measure up, they wrote: 'Some have suggested that we hold off on considering the Senate infrastructure bill for months until the reconciliation process is completed. We disagree.'

With the livelihoods of hardworking American families at stake, we simply can't afford months of unnecessary delays.'

Passage of the two infrastructure bills - which total nearly $5 trillion - would be a big win for Biden ahead of the 2022 midterm elections

Pelosi dismissed centrist Democrats' holdout tactics as 'amateur hour'

They vowed to 'not consider' Biden's reconciliation package until the bipartisan bill is signed into law.

That's led to some infighting among House Democrats, with the larger progressive wing launching public attacks against the moderates to pressure them to change course.

More progressive Democrats have held Manchin and Sinema responsible for stalling and curbing the passage of Biden's massive infrastructure agenda.

With a razor-thin majority in the Senate, the two lawmakers scored invites to the White House where Biden and senior officials attempted to woo them into supporting the president's agenda.

Sinema publicly opposed the $3.5 trillion measure for weeks ahead of the vote.

Manchin was murkier about his position on it, but indicated at times he was unhappy with the amount of money Biden was looking to spend.

Both wound up voting to advance the budget framework, which will need support from all 50 Democrats to pass through budget reconciliation.

Republican support for the Democratic wish list is virtually nonexistent.
A billionaire software company CEO has given a former hermit a personal check $180,000 after the cabin where he'd been squatting for nearly 30 years burnt down in Canterbury, New Hampshire on August 4.

Alexander Karp, the 53-year-old head of Palantir Technologies, gave David Lidstone, 81, a personal check last week, Lidstone's friend Jodie Gedeon wrote on Facebook.

A spokesperson for the data analytics software company confirmed the donation to the Concord Monitor.

'How can I express myself and my gratitude towards something like that? I start to tear up whenever I think about it,' Lidstone told the Monitor.

'For an old logger who always had to work, for anyone to give you that type of money, its incredibly difficult for me to get my head around.'

David Lidstone, known to locals as 'River Dave', received a $180,000 check from a billionaire software CEO after the cabin where he'd been squatting for nearly three decades burned down

Alexander Karp (pictured), CEO of Palantir Technologies, gave Lidstone a check for $180,000

There has been an outpouring of support for Lidstone since he was jailed on July 15 and accused of squatting for nearly 30 years on the Merrimack River property owned by Leonard Giles.

Giles, 86, wanted Lidstone off the property even though a prior owner in the family told the squatter that he could live there, but nothing was found in writing.

The same family owned the undeveloped property since 1963.

Lidstone was released on the condition that he would agree to leave the cabin following a five-year property dispute that started in 2016.

His cabin burned down on August 4 shortly before his release but he recently secured temporary housing through the winter.

Canterbury Fire Chief Michael Gamache said the fire was likely caused by an accident as a representative of Giles was working to disable the cabin on the day of the fire, which was noticed at around 3.15pm.

Lidstone was released from custody on the condition that he would leave the cabin following a five-year dispute

Lidstone's cabin burned on August 4 after a representative of Giles began damaging Lidstone's home, allegedly causing an accidental fire in the process

Gamache claimed that four solar panels were disabled that had electrical charge in them and a power saw was also used to cut into metal supports that held up the panels on the roof, which both could have caused things to spark and smoke.

The location is being kept secret to protect Lidstone's privacy, according to Gedeon.

Supporters will have a chance to meet Lidstone at a 'thank you' event in Warner, New Hampshire on August 21.

Lidstone said he doesn't think he can go back to the solitary lifestyle of being a hermit.

'I don't see how I can go back to being a hermit because society is not going to allow it,' David Lidstone said in an interview with The Associated Press on August 10.

Lidstone also stated that he has grown apart from his family.

In a previous interview he said: 'Maybe the things I've been trying to avoid are the things that I really need in life. I grew up never being hugged or kissed, or any close contact.

'I had somebody ask me once, about my wife: `Did you really love her? And the question kind of shocked me for a second. I... Ive never loved anybody in my life. And I shocked myself because I hadnt realized that. And thats why I was a hermit. Now I can see love being expressed that I never had before.'
The boss of socialist magazine Current Affairs has fired the majority of his staff because he feared losing his grip on power as they attempted to form a socialist worker cooperative.

Distraught former staffers announced the shakeup in a lengthy statement on Wednesday, saying founder and editor Nathan J. Robinson 'has effectively fired us for organizing for better working conditions.'

'Yes, we were fired by the editor-in-chief of a socialist magazine for trying to start a worker co-op,' the plaintive 'Dear comrades' letter read.

Robinson, an outspoken socialist with an allegedly fake British accent and a taste for boutonnieres and brightly colored suits, apologized in a public statement, saying: 'I screwed up badly and did not live up to my values.'

However, he maintained that 'the truth is more complex than the "fired the staff for wanting democracy" narrative' and insisted 'I've done many egalitarian things with Current Affairs.'

Current Affairs founder and editor Nathan J. Robinson, an outspoken socialist, has fired most of his staff after they tried to organize a worker cooperative

Robinson founded Current Affairs in 2015, and the leftist magazine has grown hugely popular

Robinson pointed to an equal pay policy, where all staff including himself make $45,000 per year, but admitted that his political ideal of a worker-controlled utopia crumbled in the face of harsh reality when it came to his own magazine.

'I think that it's easy to talk about a belief in power sharing but when it comes down to actually sharing power over this thing I have poured my heart and soul into, it felt very very difficult to do,' he said.

'I found it easy to impose good working conditions and equal pay. Giving up control over running CA was a far harder thing for me to accept. This is a personal weakness that ran up against my principle,' added Robinson.

Robinson said that the freewheeling workplace at Current Affairs had led to an 'inefficient' situation where the organization was 'adrift'.

'Everyone works when they like. I've hardly ever exerted authority over it internally at all. Partly as a result, the organization developed a kind of messy structurelessness where it wasn't clear who had power to do what and there was not much accountability for getting work done,' said Robinson in the statement.

'The organization had become very inefficient, I wasn't exercising any oversight, and we were adrift. I did feel that it badly needed reorganizing,' he said.

Robinson, a graduate student at Harvard in his early 30s, founded the magazine in 2015

A prolific contributor to Current Affairs, Robinson's latest article for the magazine argues: 'The lives of manatees show that it is possible to live without violence or the state'

'Our subscription numbers had not been doing well lately and I felt I needed to exert some control over the org to get it back on track, asking some people to leave and moving others to different positions,' added Robinson.

'Unfortunately, I went about this in a horrible way that made people feel very disrespected, asking for a bunch of resignations at once and making people feel like I did not appreciate their work for the organization,' the magazine boss confessed.

Robinson, a sociology graduate student at Harvard in his early 30s, founded the magazine in 2015. He describes himself as a libertarian socialist and calls Noam Chomsky his greatest political influence.

Born near Cambridge, England, he moved to Florida with his family at the age of five, but has retained a quasi-British accent mixed with American inflections.

He told the Ringer in 2017 that the accent stems from 'a stubborn fear of sounding American that began the moment I first arrived here. It's far more unconscious than conscious, because I can't speak in an American accent even if I want to.'

A prolific contributor to Current Affairs, Robinson's latest article for the magazine argues: 'The lives of manatees show that it is possible to live without violence or the state.'

In their statement on Wednesday, the five former Current Affairs staffers expressed their fury at Robinson after being let go from the magazine

Born near Cambridge, England, Robinson moved to Florida with his family at the age of five, but has retained a quasi-British accent mixed with American inflections

In their statement, the five former Current Affairs staffers expressed their fury at Robinson after being let go from the magazine.

'We are sad, aghast, betrayed, and of course, angry to realize that this person we trusted has been lying to us for years,' they said.

'We, a small staff composed entirely of women and non-binary people, have faithfully worked to make Current Affairs the beautiful, engaging leftist magazine and podcast that it is,' they added.

'Nathan J. Robinson can write articles and give speeches, but when it comes to running an organization, he simply isn't up to the task,' the staffers said.

The statement shared an excerpt of an email purportedly sent by Robinson to staff on August 8, in which he wrote: 'I am not good at running an organization. I freely admit this.'

'I think you saw yesterday that ultimately I just felt Current Affairs slipping slowly away from me and I took an insane course of action to do what I thought would get it back,' the email stated.

Lyta Gold, Current Affairs' former managing and amusements editor, took to Twitter to air her grievances.

Gold wrote that Robinson had admitted in an email 'that he had realized that he wanted to remain in control of the organization.'

'I think I should be on top of the org chart,' he wrote, according to Gold, 'with everyone else selected by me and reporting to me.'

'[H]e told me in particular that he wanted a managing editor who did what he said rather than pushing back. nathan and I always had a good working relationship; I thought he valued me as a partner in the enterprise. turns out he thought I should be his servant,' tweeted Gold.

The magazine will now go on a one month hiatus, with all fired staff being paid through the end of September.

Robinson in his statement confessed that the future of the magazine was now in doubt.

'I'm not sure if CA will survive, as subscribers rightly feel betrayed and we're getting cancelations,' he said.

'I don't blame people who cancel, all I can say is that I tried hard for five years to do right by people who worked for us and I'm really sad that I undid it in a single week.'
The top Congressional Republicans - House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell - are demanding that the Biden administration give the so-called 'Gang of Eight' a briefing on the situation in Afghanistan.

'It is of the utmost importance that the U.S. Government account for all U.S. citizens in Afghanistan and provide the necessary information and means of departure to all those Americans who desire to leave the country,' the Republican leaders said in a letter Thursday, obtained by Fox News.

McConnell and McCarthy said they wanted to be briefed on the number and location of all Americans still on the ground in Afghanistan.

On Thursday, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby answered 'I don't know' when asked how many Americans remained there.

In Wednesday's interview with George Stephanopoulos, Biden didn't object to the ABC News anchor's estimate of 10,000 to 15,000 Americans in Afghanistan.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (left) and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (right) are demanding that the Biden administration give the so-called 'Gang of Eight' a briefing on the situation in Afghanistan

The Republicans want to be briefed on the situation at Kabul's airport and how Americans are getting through Taliban checkpoints. On Monday droves of Afghans were seen running alongside a C-17 Air Force plane departing Kabul

The Republicans wanted the 'Gang of Eight' - consisting of House and Senate leadership and leaders of the Intelligence committees - to be briefed on the U.S.'s communications with the Taliban

Biden also estimated that there were between 50,000 and 65,000 Afghans that were eligible to be airlifted out of the countrzy.

The Republican leaders said they also wanted to know about the ability of Americans to get to the Hamid Karzai International Airport from inside Kabul - and what the U.S. government's plan was for Americans living outside Afghanistan's capital city.

They asked to be updated on communications with both the Taliban and Americans currently in Afghanistan.

And they wanted to know how many Americans were unaccounted for and why they hadn't been reached.

The GOP leaders didn't mention the evacuation of Afghans as a top meeting topic in their letter.

The 'Gang of Eight' includes McCarthy, McConnell, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, as well as the chair and ranking member of both the House and Senate Intelligence committees.

Reporting from the ground showed westerners and Afghans having difficulty getting to Kabul's airport, with Taliban fighters standing in their way.

On Wednesday, CNN's Clarissa Ward stated, 'I've covered all sorts of crazy situations. This was mayhem. This was nuts.'

'This was impossible for an ordinary civilian - even if they have their paperwork. No way they're running that gauntlet, no way they're going to be able to navigate that,' Ward said. 'It's very dicey, it's very dangerous, it's completely unpredictable. There's no order, there's no coherent system for processing people.'

ABC News' Ian Pannell reported Wednesday that he and his crew were stopped en route to the airport, despite showing fighters Taliban-issued paperwork. They were made to get back in their vehicles.
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Almost 100,000 coronavirus deaths have already been prevented by England's landmark vaccine roll-out, health chiefs say.

Public Health England also estimates the jabs have stopped tens of thousands of hospitalisations and millions of infections.

The Government-run agency said the figures  based on modelling by academics  are evidence of just how well the vaccines really work.

While Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: 'The UK's phenomenal vaccination programme has made a life-changing difference to tens of millions of people across the country.'

Britain is now gearing up to dish out Covid booster jabs at the start of September, in hopes of keeping immunity high in the face of future flare-ups this autumn and winter. One SAGE expert today warned the high case numbers were 'very worrying' and warned 'we just don't really know what's going to happen' in the coming months.

The US yesterday confirmed all over-18s would be eligible for top-up doses, and Israel  which is currently being battered by a third wave  is already offering over-60s a third jab. There are fears that the vaccines lose potency over time, which some experts have said is part of the reason why Israel is being battered currently.

But No10's top advisers  who met today to discuss the controversial topic  have yet to make a final decision on whether the programme should even go ahead, sources say.

One member of the expert panel the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) told The Guardian: 'The jury is still very much out on what happens.'

Another today hinted the programme would only be open to the most vulnerable adults, and said the inoculation drive could still be expanded to all over-12s.

Meanwhile, all 16 and 17 year olds are now being invited by the NHS to come forward for their Covid jabs. Letters will land on doorsteps from today and follow up text messages will be sent tomorrow.

Health bosses gave older teenagers the green light to get vaccinated at the start of August. Around 125,000 teens who are within three months of turning 18 have been jabbed since the decision was made.

The roll-out is estimated to have averted between 91,700 and 98,700 deaths, according to the latest estimates from PHE and Cambridge University modellers

The latest estimates also indicate that the vaccination programme, which kicked off last December, has directly averted more than 82,100 hospital admissions among over-65s

The roll-out is estimated to have averted between 91,700 and 98,700 deaths, according to the latest estimates from PHE and Cambridge University modellers.

The latest estimates also indicate that the vaccination programme, which kicked off last December, has directly averted more than 82,100 hospital admissions among over-65s.

And between 23.6million and 24.4million actual infections are thought to have been prevented, the PHE weekly vaccine surveillance report claimed.

But experts have accused the modellers to be 'away with the fairies' for making the claim on infections, saying it appeared mathematically impossible.

Praising the updated estimates today, Mr Javid said the figures show that the vaccines are 'continuing to keep all of us safe'.

He said: 'We're quickly closing in on 100,000 lives being saved in England alone.

'With 82,100 hospitalisations prevented in over-65s and almost 24million infections prevented across England, the vaccines are continuing to keep all of us safe.'

Data also showed the number of pregnant women getting a vaccine has risen by a fifth in recent weeks, following a concerted effort by health officials to reassure expectant mothers.

Mr Javid said: 'It's also hugely encouraging to see over 62,000 pregnant women taking up the offer and ensuring they and their babies are protected from this dangerous disease.

'The vaccines are free and available at hundreds of locations around the UK  please get your jabs to secure this protection for yourself and your loved ones and help us reclaim our lost freedoms.'

It comes after one of No10's scientific advisers today admitted Britain's roll-out may still be expanded to all over-12s.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which advises ministers, is 'carefully and continuously' looking at data from countries which already offer jabs to youngsters, such as the US and Israel.

The Government has not yet given a timeline on when 16 and 17-year-olds can start coming forward for jabs. But even if the roll-out out to older teenagers begin straight away, there will only be time to give them one dose by the time the school year begins on September 6

Professor Adam Finn said the JCVI 'carefully and continuously' looking at safety data from other countries on jabbing youngsters, JCVI member Professor Adam Finn said.

Just two months ago, the JCVI insisted there was no evidence to say the benefits of vaccinating children outweighed the risks, given that youngsters face such a low risk of dying or falling seriously ill.

But the expert panel has already U-turned to say that all 16 and 17 year olds should get jabbed.

JCVI member Professor Adam Finn said it is 'hard to predict' whether the group will also recommend it to 12-15 year olds. He admitted the decision was a 'tricky one'.

The major safety concern centres on a heart condition called myocarditis, which is a known complication with Pfizer's vaccine.

The side effect, a type of heart inflammation that appears to strike after the second dose, is more common in teenage boys and affects up to one in 20,000 youngsters given the jab. However, most cases are mild, health chiefs insist.

With Pfizer's vaccine currently being the only one British children are eligible to get, experts have raised concerns about the risks.

UK officials have also yet to make firm plans for children to get top-ups. They want to wait for more safety data about myocarditis before pressing ahead.

But health chiefs have hinted that it is more likely than not all over-12s will be offered a coronavirus vaccine in the coming months.

It comes as the UK's medicines watchdog approved the Moderna jab for over-12s this week, after approving Pfizer for use in the same group in June. But officials have yet to formally recommend it for use in the current roll-out.

Asked if the vaccination programme in the UK might soon include 12 to 15-year-olds, Professor Finn told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'Hard to predict the answer on that. We're very focused on what's happening elsewhere.

'We are concerned about the safety signal, the myocarditis signal.

'And we are recognising increasingly that actually children, even adolescents, really very seldom get seriously ill with Covid, so that it makes it a very marginal decision that they will benefit by being immunised.

'So we are obviously looking at that very carefully and continuously, but hard to predict really which way that's going to go.'

He said vaccinating children to protect more vulnerable groups, such as their grandparents, is 'a tricky one'.

Professor Finn, who is also an expert in paediatrics at the University of Bristol, said: 'To immunise a child for the benefit of other family members who themselves can be protected by being immunised, you know, that begins to become slightly tricky to decide.

'I think we're all much more comfortable immunising people where they actually themselves benefit from the immunisation and that that's clear cut.'

Health chiefs have already hinted 12 to 15-year-olds could be offered the jab in the future.

Professor Van-Tam, England's Deputy Chief Medical Officer said at a news conference earlier this month that 'it is more likely rather than less likely that that list will broaden over time as data becomes available' as the JCVI continues to review emerging evidence.

As it stands, children aged 12 to 15 are only eligible if they have a severe neurodisability, Down's syndrome, underlying conditions resulting in immunosuppression, profound or multiple learning disabilities, severe learning disabilities, or those who are on the learning disability register.

The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency approved the Pfizer jabs for over-12s in June and on Tuesday said the Moderna vaccine is also 'safe and effective' in the new age groups.

Number of pregnant women getting jabbed rises by a fifth in past fortnight, data shows The number of pregnant women getting a Covid vaccination has risen by a fifth in recent weeks. It follows a concerted effort by health officials to reassure expectant mothers about the safety of getting a jab. A total of 62,311 women, who reported they were pregnant or could be pregnant at the time of receiving the vaccine, had come forward and received their first dose by the end of July, Public Health England said. The number is up by 10,587 from July 18, when data released for the first time suggested only around one in 10 pregnant women might have had a first dose. PHE said that, of the latest total figure, 43,737 pregnant women had received their second dose. Separate research last month revealed the vast majority of pregnant women admitted to hospital with Covid-19 are unvaccinated and there has been a drive to encourage more to get a jab, with Englands chief midwife writing to GPs and fellow midwives to spread the message. Research by a team at St Georges, University of London, published this month, showed similar birth outcomes between those who have had a Covid-19 vaccine and those who have not. Experts said pregnant women should feel reassured by the paper, which concluded there were no statistically significant differences in the data, with no increase in stillbirths or premature births, no abnormalities with development, and no evidence of babies being smaller or bigger. A study is continuing to determine the best gap between coronavirus vaccine doses for pregnant women. Researchers are aiming to recruit more than 600 pregnant women for the trial, which will monitor the vaccines effectiveness and follow the development of children up to one year old. In the UK, pregnant women are offered the Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna vaccines where available, as officials say there is more safety data on these jabs in pregnancy. Advertisement

Several countries around the world are already vaccinating over-12s  including the US, Israel, France, Spain and Germany  making the UK the outlier for picking the over-16s age group.

Studies found the jabs to be safe and effective for over-12s, leading Pfizer and Modern to trial their jabs in under-11s.

And University of Oxford scientists are testing the AstraZeneca jab on children as young as six.

But some have pushed back on younger groups being jabbed, because they tend to have no or mild symptoms.

Fewer than 30 under-18s have died of Covid in the UK since the pandemic began  which scientists say is the equivalent of around one in 500,000 who get infected.

But scientists say immunising children will slow the spread of the virus, reduce numbers having to take time off school to isolate and build up immunity across the population.

But UK health chiefs are being cautious due to reports of rare heart inflammation conditions.

Data from the US shows those aged 12-17 are at the most risk of developing the heart problem after a Covid jab, compared to other age groups.

In that group, 10 cases of myocarditis were reported per million first doses given. This rises to 67 per million after the second dose. Most people recovered quickly.

There are no specific causes of the conditions but they are usually triggered by a virus.

The British Heart Foundation says in some cases, myocarditis can affect the heart's electrical system, stopping it from pumping properly. 'This can cause an abnormal heart rhythm, known as an arrhythmia,' it claims.

But British regulators insist the 250 cases seen among Pfizer recipients are 'typically mild'. Affected patients recover 'within a short time with standard treatment'.

Meanwhile, data showed the number of pregnant women getting a Covid vaccination has risen by a fifth in recent weeks.

It follows a concerted effort by health officials to reassure expectant mothers about the safety of getting a jab.

A total of 62,311 women, who reported they were pregnant or could be pregnant at the time of receiving the vaccine, had come forward and received their first dose by the end of July, Public Health England said.

The number is up by 10,587 from July 18, when data released for the first time suggested only around one in 10 pregnant women might have had a first dose.

PHE said that, of the latest total figure, 43,737 pregnant women had received their second dose.

Separate research last month revealed the vast majority of pregnant women admitted to hospital with Covid-19 are unvaccinated and there has been a drive to encourage more to get a jab, with Englands chief midwife writing to GPs and fellow midwives to spread the message.
Taliban militants are intensifying their hunt for people who worked with UK, US and Nato forces in Afghanistan, according to a confidential report to the UN.

Jihadists are going door-to-door to threaten relatives of civil servants, interpreters and other consular staff, while other militants are even stopping people outside Kabul airport.

Despite the Taliban's claims of an 'amnesty', terrifying video today showed fighters spraying assault rifle bullets just yards away from women and children gathered at the airport's perimeter.

The UN dossier leaked to The New York Times says the Taliban are 'arresting and/or threatening to kill or arrest family members of target individuals unless they surrender themselves to the Taliban.'

It was filed to the UN by the Norwegian Center for Global Analyses, a group which provides intelligence on global conflicts.

Taliban fighters display their flag on patrol in Kabul on Thursday as UN report warns they are going door-to-door to threaten relatives of those who worked for US and UK

A Taliban fighter walks past a defaced poster of a woman outside a closed shop in Kabul

It contained a letter dated August 16 from the Taliban to a senior counter-terror official in Afghanistan who had worked alongside the US and British officials.

The letter ordered the man to report to the Military and Intelligence Commission of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in Kabul. If he failed to do so, it warned that his family 'will be treated based on Shariah law.'

Senior Afghan officials told The Telegraph they have been forced into 'deep hiding' to avoid the marauding fighters who they suspect have gained access to government employee databases.

Earlier this week, former British Army officers told the same paper that hundreds of elite Afghan soldiers had gone into hiding and were trying to flee the country.

The units were made up of the Taliban's most feared enemies and there are fears that they are intent on exacting revenge.

Already, harrowing footage has emerged of the jihadists carrying out brutal executions of former government officials who surrendered.

A video circulating on social media purports to show the chief of security for Baghis province, Haji Mullah Achakzai, being slaughtered by machine gun fire.

The militants continue to fire rounds into his head even when it is clear that he is dead.

Mr Achakzai had reportedly surrendered to their commander a few days ago.

Another senior figure in the former government, who spoke to The Telegraph anonymously, said that he had been targeted for his view that women and girls should be educated.

When Kabul fell on Sunday, militants visited his home and he was questioned without threats.

Taliban gunmen open fire at crowds outside Kabul airport today as westerners and visa holders say they cannot get inside because of 'huge crowds' of 'terrified locals'

But since Tuesday, when the Taliban gave a press conference proclaiming an amnesty, he became aware that the opposite was true and chose to go into hiding.

Since then, he has learned that the jihadists have visited his house more than a dozen times in the last three days, asking his family for information.

'My house [has] now become probably their hourly point of search and my kids are deeply terrified,' he told the paper. 'The moment they knock at the door all kids start crying. They think they will be killed.'

He said he did not qualify for the UK's Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) because he had not been formally employed by the British government.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has confirmed that an armed resistance to the Taliban, which includes SAS-trained forces, in Afghanistan is forming in the Panjshir Valley.

Speaking today, the Russian official also confirmed that the resistance force was being led by deposed Vice-President Amrullah Saleh and Ahmad Massoud, the son of a slain anti-Taliban fighter.

Reports claim that among the fighters headed to the region are members of the SAS-trained Afghan special forces, believed to be the best of the best that the Afghan military has to offer.

'The Taliban doesn't control the whole territory of Afghanistan,' Lavrov told reporters at a press conference in Moscow following a meeting with his Libyan counterpart.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has confirmed that the armed resistance to the Taliban in Afghanistan is forming in the Panjshir Valley

Speaking today, the Russian official also confirmed that the resistance force was being led by deposed Vice-President Amrullah Saleh and Ahmad Massoud, the son of a slain anti-Taliban fighter

Pictured: An Afghan man supporting the Afghan security forces against the Taliban stands with his weapon slung over his shoulder in front of a line of armoured vehicles

'There are reports of the situation in the Panjshir Valley where the resistance of Afghanistan's vice president Mr Saleh and Ahmad Massoud is concentrated,' he said.

Lavrov also reiterated his call for an inclusive dialogue involving all political players in Afghanistan for the formation of a 'representative government'.

The Panjshir Valley northeast of Kabul is Afghanistan's last remaining holdout, known for its natural mountainous defences.

According to images shared on social media, Saleh and Massoud, the son of slain Northern Alliance leader Ahmed Shah Massoud, are pulling together a guerrilla movement to take on the Taliban.

Ahmad Massoud, the son of Afghanistan's most famed anti-Taliban fighter, on Thursday said he was 'ready to follow in his father's footsteps', as he rallied his forces in the Panjshir Valley northeast of Kabul - the country's last holdout.

Massoud is the son of Ahmed Shah Massoud, the famed anti-Soviet and anti-Taliban resistance leader assassinated in 2001, two days before the September 11 attacks on the US.

'The Taliban doesn't control the whole territory of Afghanistan,' Lavrov told reporters at a press conference in Moscow following a meeting with his Libyan counterpart

The Panjshir Valley northeast of Kabul is Afghanistan's last remaining holdout, known for its natural defences

Pictured: A group of men in the Panjshir province work together to examine a weapon

Also reportedly headed for the Panjshir Valley to join up with the resistance are a group of Afghan special forces soldiers.

The troops, who are believed to have been trained by the SAS, are thought to be the best fighters available in the country and had been trying to hold the line against the Taliban, The Sun reports.

The commandos and special forces soldiers, who are now being hunted by the Taliban, are believed to be making their way to the Panjshir region to join up with the resistance group forming there.

A source told The Sun Online that thousands of fighters are headed to the region - which boasts strong natural defences - as well as groups of local people who want to join the fight.

Also reportedly headed for the Panjshir Valley are a group of Afghan special forces soldiers (stock image)

The troops, who are believed to have been trained by the SAS, are thought to be the best fighters available in the country and had been trying to hold the line against the Taliban (stock image)

The source said: 'It is not ordinary resistance. It is the resistance of thousands of trained forces who are familiar with every inch of the soil and who has excellent experience in fighting the terrorists for the past 20 years.

'I am not going to die before destroying Taliban. We will fight till the last bullet.'

Moscow has been cautiously optimistic about the new leadership in Kabul and is seeking contact with the militants in an effort to avoid instability spilling over to neighbouring ex-Soviet states.

While the United States and other countries rushed to evacuate their citizens from Kabul, Russia said its embassy will continue to function.

Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters on Thursday that the Taliban are 'actively restoring order' and have demonstrated their 'intent to dialogue'.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (pictured) was speaking earlier today when he revealed that the resistance had started forming together

Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters on Thursday that the Taliban are 'actively restoring order' and have demonstrated their 'intent to dialogue'

Pictured: Armed Afghan men sit on top of an armoured vehicle in the Panjshir Valley

She said at her weekly press briefing that the militant group - known for its severe treatment of women - is 'ready to take into account the interest of citizens, including... women's rights'.

Earlier this week, Russia's ambassador to Afghanistan Dmitry Zhirnov met with the Taliban in Kabul, hailing on state television a 'positive and constructive' meeting.

The Kremlin has in recent years reached out to the Taliban - which is banned as an 'extremist' group in Russia - and hosted its representatives in Moscow several times, most recently last month.
But No10's top scientific advisers are yet to confirm if the jabs are needed and who should get them

Health Secretary Sajid Javid is 'confident' booster Covid doses will be offered in the UK next month

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Health Secretary Sajid Javid claimed today he was 'confident' the booster Covid vaccine programme will go ahead next month.

Ministers are still waiting on a decision from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) before green-lighting the rollout, which would see millions offered third doses.

The expert panel has been deliberating since June and the programme is supposed to be up and running by September. The hold-up is believed to be due to conflicting evidence about the value of top-up doses.

Mr Javid said he expects the programme to at least include vulnerable groups, which would include the elderly and those with underlying health conditions, as well as frontline health and care workers.

The unfolding coronavirus crisis in Israel  the world-leader in vaccinations  has raised fears about waning immunity and provided fresh impetus for a booster programme in Britain.

While the JCVI is yet to make a ruling either way, the group set out the framework for how it should run in interim guidance issued back in June.

It said the scheme should start in September and should consider 23million over-50s, vulnerable Britons, NHS staff and care home workers for a dose.

The advice also called for it to run alongside a flu vaccination programme, amid fears that a lack of immunity against influenza due to lockdowns could result in a bad bout this winter.

Two doses of the vaccines significantly cut the chances of being admitted to hospital or dying from the virus, but no jab is perfect and they provide less protection against infection and transmission.

The Delta variant has made the jabs significantly less effective at stopping infections, which raises the risk of a large third wave.

Speaking to broadcasters on a visit to North Cumbria today, he said: 'We are going to have a booster scheme, it will start sometime in September.

Who could be first in line for a third jab? How will the vaccines be dished out? Millions of Britons could be offered a third Covid vaccine in September. A decision from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation's (JCVI) about who should get a third dose is imminent. In interim guidance published in June, it set out framework for who should be considered: Who could be offered a third Covid vaccine? All over-50s

Frontline health and social care workers

People who are vulnerable to the virus

Adults living with vulnerable people How might the booster programme work? Should the 'booster' programme go ahead, it will see third doses dished out in two stages. In stage one third jabs will be offered to: All over-70s

Over-16s who are vulnerable to the virus

People living in care homes for older adults

Frontline health and social care workers Professor Adam Finn, a JCVV member, warned that a decision on booster Covid jabs is 'imminent', but only some will need a third dose And in stage two third jabs will be offered to: All over-50s

Adults aged 16 to 49 who are vulnerable to flu

Adults living with suppressed individuals such as those receiving cancer treatment Advertisement

'I couldn't tell you exactly when because before we start it, as people would expect, we need to get the final advice from our group of experts, our independent scientific and medical advisers - the JCVI.

'So, we're waiting for their final opinion and, looking at everything and the timing of that, I'm confident that we can start in September when we will start with the most vulnerable cohorts and start offering that third jab.'

It comes as the JCVI met today to discuss the booster rollout.

Professor Adam Finn said a final decision was expected 'imminently' and hinted only a fraction of the population  the most vulnerable  will be offered boosters.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'I think there's enough evidence, and I think we'll be imminently deciding, that there will be some people who will need a third dose, particularly people who we know are very unlikely to be well protected by those first two doses.

'But I think we do need more evidence before we can make a firm decision on a much broader booster programme.'

Meanwhile, the US yesterday confirmed that top-up jabs will be available for all over-18s from September 20.

Scientists have questioned whether top-ups are even needed yet, saying there is no concrete evidence that protection given by two doses has started to wane.

This is despite a major study today showing double-jabbed Brits who catch the Delta Covid variant are just as likely to spread the virus as the unvaccinated.

A World Health Organization boss yesterday compared booster roll-outs to giving life jackets to people who already have them, while others drown.

The same argument  that extra doses should be given to third-world countries  was also used to argue against vaccinating children.

It comes as the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency yesterday approved the Moderna vaccine for children aged 12 to 17.

The UK's medicines watchdog approved the Pfizer jab for the same group in June.

But those aged 12 to 15 can only get the jab if they are clinically vulnerable, or live with someone who is.

Professor Finn said the JCVI was looking at data from other countries such as the US, where children have been invited for jabs for several months.

Health chiefs have concerns about very rare cases of myocarditis  heart inflammation  in young people. Cases appear to be mild, however.

Young people 'very seldom get seriously ill' with the virus, so it is unclear whether they will benefit from a vaccine, Professor Finn said.

He also warned earlier this morning that routinely dishing out boosters for all people over a certain age group would not 'make very much difference' in the fight against the virus.

He told BBC Breakfast: 'I think at this point we need to focus on individuals who are more likely, if you like, to get sick again if they've not got a booster.

'And in fact we'll be having a JCVI meeting this morning to discuss exactly that.

'So, trying to identify the people who are really at risk and really need that third dose.

'I think it's less clear really whether a third dose in a more general way, for sort of all people above a certain age, is really going to make very much difference.

'But at this point I think the main message is that the direct protective effects of these vaccines is excellent i.e. if you get the vaccination you're in a much better place in terms of getting sick.

Just one per cent of the population in some countries - such as Mali, Chad and Papau New Guinea - have received a single dose of the vaccine, according to Our World in Data

Meanwhile, more than 60 per cent of the entire population in other countries Portugal, Canada, Spain and the UK - are fully immunised, statistics show

The study found that people who catch the Indian variant are just as likely to develop symptoms and spread Covid as the unvaccinated. But those who are doubled jabbed are still significantly less likely to catch it in the first place. The chart above shows how Pfizer's (in red) reduces the risk by about 80 per cent - shown as an odds ratio of 0.2 - and AstraZeneca's cuts the risk by more than 65 per cent, shown as an odds ratio of around 0.4

The UK and US are currently experiencing similar infection levels, with the more infectious Delta strain the dominant variant. And 433 positive tests per million people were recorded yesterday in the UK, while the equivalent figure in the US is 416

White House announces Covid Pfizer and Moderna booster shots will be available from September 20 Covid vaccine booster shots will soon be made available to recipients of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines starting the week of September 20, the White House announced on Wednesday. Americans over 18-years-olds who received the vaccines will be eligible for the third shot eight months after their second dose. The decision is pending approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and a recommendation made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) advisory committee. There is currently no plan in place for Americans who received the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine. US Surgeon General said at a news conference on Wednesday: 'Our goal has been to determine when that time might come for the Covid vaccines. 'Recent data makes clear that protection against mild and moderate disease has decreased over time. 'This is likely due to both waning immunity and the strength of the widespread Delta variant.' The announcement comes after the FDA approved vaccine booster shots for immunocompromised Americans last week. Officials cited the waning immunity the current crop of Covid vaccines have, combined with the Indian 'Delta' variant's ability to cause breakthrough cases as the reason why boosters are needed. The CDC released three studies on Wednesday, which director Dr Rochelle Walensky said shows that 'vaccine protection begins to decrease over time.' One study from the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota found the Pfizer vaccine is only 42 percent effective against the Delta variant, and the Moderna vaccine is only 76 percent effective. A second study found that vaccines' effectiveness against Covid diagnoses dropped from 96 percent to 80 percent in New York state between May 2021 and July 2021. The third study found the effectiveness of the shots against infections in nursing home residents was 75 percent. Post-Delta, this had fallen to 53 percent. While the shot's ability to defend a person from contracting the virus decreases over time, fully vaccinated people are still very unlikely to suffer hospitalization or death from Covid. However, White House officials said at the press conference that they have concerns the decline of the vaccines' effectiveness will continue. Advertisement

'But the ability of the programme to actually stop the virus from circulating around in the population is less good than we'd hoped.'

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said last week that the UK 'will be able to start the booster programme' from next month, if the Government is given the green light.

It comes as the White House revealed yesterday that booster Pfizer and Moderna shots will be available to all adults in just over a month.

The decision is pending approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and a recommendation made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's advisory committee.

US Surgeon General Dr Vivek Murthy said at a news conference yesterday that recent data 'makes clear that protection against mild and moderate disease has decreased over time'.

He added: 'This is likely due to both waning immunity and the strength of the widespread Delta variant.'

Pfizer, which has raked in 24.5billion in sales from the vaccine this year alone, has also insisted boosters are needed due to waning immunity.

Meanwhile, experts involved in making the AstraZeneca jab, which is making the vaccine at-cost, say there is no evidence yet that third doses of its jab are required.

The UK has bought 60million Pfizer doses for this winter and has pledged to donate spare vaccines.

Data shows the UK and US are currently experiencing similar infection levels, with the more infectious Delta strain the dominant variant.

Dr Michael Ryan, executive director of the World Health Organization's health emergencies programme, said boosters are equivalent to giving life jackets to people who already have them, while others drown.

He said: 'The reality is right now today, if we think about this in terms of an analogy, we're planning to hand out extra life jackets to people who already have life jackets, while we're leaving other people to drown without a single life jacket.

'That's the reality. Science is not certain on this, there are clearly more data to collect.

'But the fundamental ethical reality is we're handing out second life jackets while leaving millions and millions of people without anything to protect them.'

And Professor Sir Andrew Pollard, one of the scientists behind the Oxford AstraZeneca jab, also said vaccines should be sent abroad before healthy adults receive a booster.

He told The Times: 'The greatest priority for vaccines in the world is for those who remain without protection but are at high risk of dying from Covid, including older adults, those with health conditions and health care workers, wherever they live.

'Those with zero doses have a lot to gain from receiving a vaccine today and so should be ahead of those who are already two doses up.'

Discussing the US decision, Dr Muge Cevik, a clinical lecturer in infectious disease and medical virology at the University of St Andrews, said: 'I'm truly disappointed. This decision is not justifiable at all looking at this data.

'We are going to use up millions of doses to reduce the small risk of mild infections in fully protected [people with] a tiny risk of hospitalisation, while most of the world waits for a first dose.'

'Double-jabbed Britons who catch Delta Covid variant are just as likely to spread virus as the unvaccinated, major study finds  but they're still far less likely to get infected in first place Double-jabbed people who catch the Indian variant are just as likely to develop symptoms and spread Covid as the unvaccinated, a major study has found. The Oxford University research suggests herd immunity is 'unachievable' because vaccines do not significantly reduce transmission of the virus. Although fully vaccinated people are significantly less likely to be infected, those who do get Covid have a similar peak 'viral load' as the unvaccinated. This means infected people 'shed' the same amount of virus when they cough or sneeze, regardless of whether or not they have been jabbed. Experts said the findings strengthened the argument for a 'booster' Covid jab programme this autumn. However, the study stressed that two doses remain remarkably effective at preventing death and hospitalisation. And even though the viral load may peak at similar levels in the vaccinated and unvaccinated, scientists say it's possible jabbed people clear the infection quicker. The study, based on data from 700,000 Britons, is the largest yet to evaluate vaccine effectiveness against the Delta variant, which has been dominant in the UK since May. Researchers concluded two doses reduce the chance of getting the Covid-19 by about 82 per cent for Pfizer and 67 per cent for AstraZeneca. It follows similar findings by Public Health England and the US' Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which earlier this month released figures showing unvaccinated and double-jabbed have very similar viral loads. Although Pfizer initially has greater effectiveness, this declines more quickly and after four to five months both vaccines offer similar levels of protection. Advertisement

And Dr Jake Dunning, a senior research fellow in the Epidemic Diseases Research Group Oxford (ERGO) at the University of Oxford, replied on Twitter: 'Me too. There's no reasonable defence for booster for all policy currently.

'The reality seems to be that lives in rich countries are believed to be worth more than the lives of fellow humans in poorer countries.

'Even considering obligations of states to their own, it's immoral.'

And WHO chief scientist Dr Soumya Swaminathan said that if all high-income countries decide to give boosters to those in their population who are aged over 50 that will amount to 'close to a billion doses'.

She said the 'right thing to do' is to 'wait for the science to tell us' which groups of people might need boosters and when.

There is a distinction to be made about people who are immunocompromised needing a third dose but this is a small number of people who 'should be protected', she said.

Of the idea of everyone in high-income countries getting a booster jab, she said: 'This is an impossible situation and I'm afraid this will only lead to more variants, to more escape variants, and perhaps we are heading into even more dire situations.'

Just one per cent of the population in some countries - such as Mali, Chad and Papau New Guinea - have received a single dose of the vaccine, according to Our World in Data.

Meanwhile, more than 60 per cent of the entire population in other countries Portugal, Canada, Spain and the UK - are fully immunised.

Professor Peter Openshaw, a member of the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (Nervtag) which advises the Government, said more evidence is needed on the benefits that booster jabs might bring.

Professor Openshaw, who is also an expert in experimental medicine at Imperial College London, told Times Radio: 'In terms of boosters, we need more evidence really about what benefits those boosters will bring, because we can't just look at the antibody levels and think that that equates to levels of protection.

'It still seems that you get a lot of protection from these vaccines, even if the antibody levels have drifted down to some sort of stable level.'

But he warned the UK's high infection levels and death numbers are 'very worrying' and warned 'we just don't really know what's going to happen' as winter approaches.

A further 111 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Wednesday, the Government said, while there were a further 33,904 lab-confirmed cases in the UK.

Asked about the figures, Professor Openshaw told Times Radio: 'I think it's very worrying. This is a very large number.

'If you think, 34,000 people, that's a lot of people testing positive, and to be seeing over 100 deaths a day at this stage, you know before schools have gone back, while the weather is still relatively good, we're not back into winter yet.

'I think we're all really anxious about what's going to happen once we return to normality.'

He added: 'We're going into the winter with really very high levels of infection out there in the community and we just don't really know what's going to happen.'

The study found that people who catch the Indian variant are just as likely to develop symptoms and spread Covid as the unvaccinated. But those who are doubled jabbed are still significantly less likely to catch it in the first place. The chart above shows how Pfizer's (in red) reduces the risk by about 80 per cent - shown as an odds ratio of 0.2 - and AstraZeneca's cuts the risk by more than 65 per cent

The risk of catching the virus is broken down by age group and vaccine type, with red and green showing Pfizer and blue and purple representing AstraZeneca. Note: The figures will be slightly skewed by the fact AstraZeneca's jab has not been given to adults under 40 because of blood clot fears. The charts show the vaccines work better on younger people than older people

It comes as researchers at the University of Oxford revealed yesterday that double-jabbed people who catch the Delta variant are just as likely to spread the virus as unvaccinated people.

The study, based on data from 700,000 Britons, is the largest yet to evaluate vaccine effectiveness against the Delta variant, which has been dominant in the UK since May.

The scientists found fully immunised people are 82 per cent less likely to be infected than the un-jabbed.

But those who who do get infected have a the same amount of the virus in their nose and throat as those who have not been vaccinated, meaning they 'shed' the same amount of virus when they cough or sneeze.

Experts said the findings strengthened the argument for a booster Covid jab programme this autumn.

However, the study stressed that two doses remain remarkably effective at preventing death and hospitalisation.

And even though the viral load may peak at similar levels in the vaccinated and unvaccinated, scientists say it's possible jabbed people clear the infection quicker.
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Britain's daily Covid cases have hit their highest level for a month as hospitalisations and deaths continue to tick upwards, official figures revealed today.

Department of Health bosses posted another 36,572 positive tests  up 10.6 per cent on last week's figure. It was the biggest 24-hour count since July 22 (39,906).

Meanwhile, both hospitalisations and deaths  which lag several weeks behind cases because of how long it can take for infected patients to become severely ill  are still creping upwards.

Some 113 victims were added to the Government's official death toll today, up by a fifth on last Thursday. And 804 patients were admitted to hospital on August 15, the most recent day figures are available for  up 9 per cent on the previous Sunday.

It comes as health chiefs today estimated almost 100,000 coronavirus deaths have already been prevented by England's landmark vaccine roll-out. Public Health England also believes the jabs have stopped tens of thousands of hospitalisations and millions of infections.

The Government-run agency said the figures  based on modelling by academics  are evidence of just how well the vaccines really work. Health Secretary Sajid Javid hailed the 'phenomenal vaccination programme' for making a 'life-changing difference to tens of millions of people across the country'.

Britain is now gearing up to dish out Covid booster jabs at the start of September, in hopes of keeping immunity high in the face of future flare-ups this autumn and winter. One SAGE expert today warned the high case numbers were 'very worrying' and warned 'we just don't really know what's going to happen' in the coming months.

The US yesterday confirmed all over-18s would be eligible for top-up doses, and Israel  which is currently being battered by a third wave  is already offering over-60s a third jab. There are fears that the vaccines lose potency over time, which some experts have said is part of the reason why Israel is being battered currently.

But No10's top advisers  who met today to discuss the controversial topic  have yet to make a final decision on who should get the jabs, sources say. However, Mr Javid today insisted the UK was going to have a programme and it 'will start sometime in September'.

One member of the expert panel the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) told The Guardian: 'The jury is still very much out on what happens.' Another today hinted the programme would only be open to the most vulnerable adults, and said the inoculation drive could still be expanded to all over-12s.

The roll-out is estimated to have averted between 91,700 and 98,700 deaths, according to the latest estimates from PHE and Cambridge University modellers

The latest estimates also indicate that the vaccination programme, which kicked off last December, has directly averted more than 82,100 hospital admissions among over-65s

Almost 100,000 Covid deaths have already been prevented by England's vaccine roll-out, health chiefs estimate Almost 100,000 coronavirus deaths have already been prevented by England's landmark vaccine roll-out, health chiefs say. Public Health England also estimates the jabs have stopped tens of thousands of hospitalisations and millions of infections. The Government-run agency said the figures  based on modelling by academics  are evidence of just how well the vaccines really work. While Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: 'The UK's phenomenal vaccination programme has made a life-changing difference to tens of millions of people across the country.' Advertisement

In other developments today:

Covid cases among teenagers and young adults fell in England last week despite the country's outbreak ticking upwards slightly, according to official data;

All 16 and 17 year olds are now being invited by the NHS to come forward for their Covid jabs;

New Zealand's growing Covid outbreak which has sparked a nationwide lockdown was caused by a traveller returning from Australia who had been in hotel quarantine, it was revealed;

Australia is sending soldiers to guard its state borders in a bid to stop Covid outbreaks from Sydney spilling over, as the Delta variant shows no sign of coming under control;

Covid restrictions have been extended to three-year-olds in Israel, with the country now 'at war' with the Delta variant.

Meanwhile, Professor Peter Openshaw, a member of the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (Nervtag) which advises the Government, said high case numbers and deaths are 'very worrying'.

And he warned that 'we just don't really know what's going to happen' as winter approaches.

Asked about the current outbreak, Professor Openshaw told Times Radio: 'I think it's very worrying. This is a very large number.

'If you think, 34,000 people, that's a lot of people testing positive, and to be seeing over 100 deaths a day at this stage, you know before schools have gone back, while the weather is still relatively good, we're not back into winter yet.

'I think we're all really anxious about what's going to happen once we return to normality.'

He added: 'We're going into the winter with really very high levels of infection out there in the community and we just don't really know what's going to happen.'

The roll-out is estimated to have averted between 91,700 and 98,700 deaths, according to the latest estimates from PHE and Cambridge University modellers.

The latest estimates also indicate that the vaccination programme, which kicked off last December, has directly averted more than 82,100 hospital admissions among over-65s.

And between 23.6million and 24.4million actual infections are thought to have been prevented, the PHE weekly vaccine surveillance report claimed.

But experts have accused the modellers to be 'away with the fairies' for making the claim on infections, saying it appeared mathematically impossible.

Praising the updated estimates today, Mr Javid said the figures show that the vaccines are 'continuing to keep all of us safe'.

He said: 'We're quickly closing in on 100,000 lives being saved in England alone.

'With 82,100 hospitalisations prevented in over-65s and almost 24million infections prevented across England, the vaccines are continuing to keep all of us safe.'

Data also showed the number of pregnant women getting a vaccine has risen by a fifth in recent weeks, following a concerted effort by health officials to reassure expectant mothers.

Mr Javid said: 'It's also hugely encouraging to see over 62,000 pregnant women taking up the offer and ensuring they and their babies are protected from this dangerous disease.

'The vaccines are free and available at hundreds of locations around the UK  please get your jabs to secure this protection for yourself and your loved ones and help us reclaim our lost freedoms.'

 Slide me  Separate PHE statistics today revealed that Covid outbreaks grew in almost half of England's 149 local authorities. The Isle of Wight saw the biggest jump in cases (by 157.5 per cent, to 412.5), followed by Herefordshire (by 109.8 per cent, to 288.2) and Shropshire (by 49.1 per cent, to 315.3)

Public Health England's weekly surveillance report showed infection rates, the number of positive tests for every 100,000 people, was highest among twenty-somethings. But the figure dropped by 11 per cent to 610.3 for the seven-day spell ending August 15. Case rates also fell among adults in their thirties (by 2.9 per cent, to 388.5) and 10-19 year olds (by 1.3 per cent, to 460.7)

There were nearly 44,000 new daily symptomatic cases of the virus in the UK on average by August 14, King's College London estimates, which was down about 5 per cent on the previous week

Covid cases 'fell last week in adults in their 20s and 30s as well as 10-19 year olds but rose in every other age group' Covid cases among teenagers and young adults fell in England last week despite the country's outbreak ticking upwards slightly, official data revealed today. Public Health England's weekly surveillance report showed infection rates, the number of positive tests for every 100,000 people, was highest among twenty-somethings. But the figure dropped by 11 per cent to 610.3 for the seven-day spell ending August 15. Case rates also fell on the week before among adults in their thirties (by 2.9 per cent, to 388.5) and 10-19 year olds (by 1.3 per cent, to 460.7). Figures rose in every other age group, with the biggest jump seen among adults in their seventies and eighties  the age groups most vulnerable to the virus. Separate PHE statistics today revealed that Covid outbreaks grew in almost half of England's 149 local authorities. The Isle of Wight saw the biggest jump in cases (by 157.5 per cent, to 412.5), followed by Herefordshire (by 109.8 per cent, to 288.2) and Shropshire (by 49.1 per cent, to 315.3). Meanwhile, data showed rates fell the quickest in Middlesbrough, Bournemouth, Plymouth, Stockton-on-Tees and Sheffield. Advertisement

It comes after one of No10's scientific advisers today admitted Britain's roll-out may still be expanded to all over-12s.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which advises ministers, is 'carefully and continuously' looking at data from countries which already offer jabs to youngsters, such as the US and Israel.

Just two months ago, the JCVI insisted there was no evidence to say the benefits of vaccinating children outweighed the risks, given that youngsters face such a low risk of dying or falling seriously ill.

But the expert panel has already U-turned to say that all 16 and 17 year olds should get jabbed.

JCVI member Professor Adam Finn said it is 'hard to predict' whether the group will also recommend it to 12-15 year olds. He admitted the decision was a 'tricky one'.

The major safety concern centres on a heart condition called myocarditis, which is a known complication with Pfizer's vaccine.

The side effect, a type of heart inflammation that appears to strike after the second dose, is more common in teenage boys and affects up to one in 20,000 youngsters given the jab. However, most cases are mild, health chiefs insist.

With Pfizer's vaccine currently being the only one British children are eligible to get, experts have raised concerns about the risks.

UK officials have also yet to make firm plans for children to get top-ups. They want to wait for more safety data about myocarditis before pressing ahead.

But health chiefs have hinted that it is more likely than not all over-12s will be offered a coronavirus vaccine in the coming months.

It comes as the UK's medicines watchdog approved the Moderna jab for over-12s this week, after approving Pfizer for use in the same group in June. But officials have yet to formally recommend it for use in the current roll-out.

Asked if the vaccination programme in the UK might soon include 12 to 15-year-olds, Professor Finn told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'Hard to predict the answer on that. We're very focused on what's happening elsewhere.

Meanwhile, data today laid bare how people have started to delete the NHS Covid app following the 'pingdemic' chaos. The number of people 'pinged' was down nearly a fifth by the same date  even though cases had risen in the same seven-day spell and that Test and Trace was given more contacts to chase. In the week to August 11, there were 753,791 people isolating in England. Broken down 255,474 were isolating after being 'pinged' by the NHS app, 307,809 were contacted by NHS Test and Trace and 190,508 were the result of a positive test

The study found that people who catch the Indian variant are just as likely to develop symptoms and spread Covid as the unvaccinated. But those who are doubled jabbed are still significantly less likely to catch it in the first place. The chart above shows how Pfizer's (in red) reduces the risk by about 80 per cent - shown as an odds ratio of 0.2 - and AstraZeneca's cuts the risk by more than 65 per cent, shown as an odds ratio of around 0.4

Israel now requires everyone over the age of THREE to show proof of Covid vaccination or a negative test before being let into restaurants and other indoor spaces - with country now 'at war' with Delta variant Covid restrictions have been extended to three-year-olds in Israel, with the country now 'at war' with the Delta variant. From today, everyone over the age of three in the country must show evidence of being vaccinated or a negative test before entering restaurants, cafes, gyms and other indoor spaces. The country  praised for its world-leading vaccination drive, which has seen two-thirds of adults get double-jabbed  is in the midst of a third wave that shows no signs of slowing. Health chiefs have warned the nation faces another draconian lockdown unless the situation improves. The situation will leave Britain, the US and other countries relying on vaccines to thwart the virus nervous. Daily coronavirus infections reached a six-month high of 8,752 on Monday, before falling slightly on Tuesday. Deaths are also rising, with 120 people dying in the last week  similar to levels seen in September, when Israel was in lockdown. Cases started to spiral at the end of July, when health chiefs announced all over-60s would be offered a booster dose five months after getting their second. Israel only uses Pfizer's jab and insists immunity has already began to fade, echoing concerns raised by the drug company itself. It dishes out jabs three weeks apart, just like the US  which will offer top-ups to all adults. Britain separates dose by around eight weeks but has yet to confirm that any booster jabs will be needed. Experts told MailOnline the UK and America could be heading down a similar path due to waning immunity from the vaccines. Advertisement

'We are concerned about the safety signal, the myocarditis signal.

'And we are recognising increasingly that actually children, even adolescents, really very seldom get seriously ill with Covid, so that it makes it a very marginal decision that they will benefit by being immunised.

'So we are obviously looking at that very carefully and continuously, but hard to predict really which way that's going to go.'

He said vaccinating children to protect more vulnerable groups, such as their grandparents, is 'a tricky one'.

Professor Finn, who is also an expert in paediatrics at the University of Bristol, said: 'To immunise a child for the benefit of other family members who themselves can be protected by being immunised, you know, that begins to become slightly tricky to decide.

'I think we're all much more comfortable immunising people where they actually themselves benefit from the immunisation and that that's clear cut.'

Health chiefs have already hinted 12 to 15-year-olds could be offered the jab in the future.

Professor Van-Tam, England's Deputy Chief Medical Officer said at a news conference earlier this month that 'it is more likely rather than less likely that that list will broaden over time as data becomes available' as the JCVI continues to review emerging evidence.

As it stands, children aged 12 to 15 are only eligible if they have a severe neurodisability, Down's syndrome, underlying conditions resulting in immunosuppression, profound or multiple learning disabilities, severe learning disabilities, or those who are on the learning disability register.

The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency approved the Pfizer jabs for over-12s in June and on Tuesday said the Moderna vaccine is also 'safe and effective' in the new age groups.

Several countries around the world are already vaccinating over-12s  including the US, Israel, France, Spain and Germany  making the UK the outlier for picking the over-16s age group.

Studies found the jabs to be safe and effective for over-12s, leading Pfizer and Modern to trial their jabs in under-11s.

And University of Oxford scientists are testing the AstraZeneca jab on children as young as six.

But some have pushed back on younger groups being jabbed, because they tend to have no or mild symptoms.

Fewer than 30 under-18s have died of Covid in the UK since the pandemic began  which scientists say is the equivalent of around one in 500,000 who get infected.

But scientists say immunising children will slow the spread of the virus, reduce numbers having to take time off school to isolate and build up immunity across the population.

But UK health chiefs are being cautious due to reports of rare heart inflammation conditions.
His mother Laura Heath is charged with manslaughter by breaching duty of care

A mother has denied killing her seven-year-old son through gross negligence after she was accused of failing to manage his asthma.

Schoolboy Hakeem Hussain was found dead by paramedics at a house in Birmingham, on 26 November 2017.

The youngster, who was found inside the property, had suffered a cardiac arrest and could not be saved.

Mother Laura Heath, of Nechells, Birmingham, pleaded not guilty to gross negligence manslaughter and four counts of child cruelty when she appeared at Birmingham Crown Court today by video link from HMP Peterborough.

The mother of schoolboy Hakeem Hussain has denied negligence manslaughter and child cruelty in court after the seven-year-old was found dead at a house in Birmingham

The 39-year-old is alleged to have unlawfully killed Hakeem by breaching her duty of care.

In particulars of the manslaughter charge read out in court, she is alleged to have 'failed to manage his asthma' by 'failing to administer medication, twice daily, failure to ensure an adequate supply of medication'.

The charge says she failed 'by exposing him to known asthma triggers; smoke, dust and low temperature, and impairing your own ability, by smoking heroin and crack cocaine, and failing to seek medical help when clear his asthma symptoms were not under control'.

Laura Heath, of Nechells, is alleged to have 'failed to manage his asthma' by 'failing to administer medication, twice daily, failure to ensure an adequate supply of medication'

The child cruelty allegations date to between either April 12 and August 23, 2017, or September 8 and November 26, 2017.

A date for her trial, which will take place before a High Court judge, was set for March 12, 2022.

Heath was remanded to appear back at the Birmingham court for a pre-trial hearing next year.

Hakeem attended nearby Nechells Primary Academy, where pupils have been offered counselling.

Heath was remanded to appear back at the Birmingham court for a pre-trial hearing next year. Pictured: The scene of the schoolboy's death in November 2017

Head Julie Wright wrote to parents in the wake of the death. She said: 'This loss to our academy community is sure to raise many emotions and concerns for our staff and pupils.

'We currently cannot provide any further information, however we would like to reassure you that there will be dedicated support in place at this difficult time.

'We are working with Birmingham City Council to ensure that staff and pupils have access to grief and bereavement counsellors.

'We are saddened by the loss to our academy community and will make every effort to support you and your child as you need.'
Ehsan Abdi-Jalebi, 40, was caught with 100,000 in cash in a Thornton's Continental chocolate box

A Cambridge don who pocketed more than 2million in a green-energy swindle was today ordered to pay back 1.3million - or serve another eight and a half years in jail.

Ehsan Abdi-Jalebi, 40, was caught with 100,000 in cash in a Thornton's Continental chocolate box as he boarded a flight to Tehran from Heathrow airport.

Abdi-Jalebi, who won international acclaim for his work on wind turbines and set up his technology firm in 2006, had been developing a property in Iran worth 900,000.

He dishonestly received project funding to the value of 2.5m in grant money from Innovate UK and The Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC), as they would not have paid out the grant money had they known that invoices were being forged.

Wind Technologies Ltd was entitled to grants for part of the costs incurred but not for the total amount.

Abdi-Jalebi altered the invoices, increasing Wind Technologies costs to make up for the costs that were not covered by the partial grants. The company would therefore receive de facto 100 per cent grants instead of partial grants.

Abdi-Jalebi had admitted altering the invoices but claimed the money had been spent on a secret cutting-edge 1.5 Megawatt wind turbine in Iran. But after he failed to produce any evidence of the mysterious project which he claimed had since been destroyed, he was jailed for four years at Southwark Crown Court in 2018.

Judge Martin Beddoe dismissed Adbi-Jalebi's claims that the money was used to build the machine in Iran as 'simply fiction' following a confiscation hearing today.

Abdi-Jalebi was caught with 100,000 in cash in a Thorntons Continental chocolate box trying to fly to Tehran

Abdi-Jalebi won international acclaim for his work on wind turbines and set up his technology firm in 2006 [File photo]

'The defendant denies he has any other resources and denies the prosecution's assertion that if the monies sent to Dubai or taken to Iran were not spent by the defendant in the way he has claimed then he must have other assets, whether cash or other property, which he has deliberately chosen not to disclose.

'That he has hidden assets I have no doubt. Whether it is still represented in cash, in particular that taken as such directly to Iran, or is now represented in property, whether real or personal, I have no way of knowing because the defendant has again told me a lot of lies,' said judge Beddoe.

Judge Beddoe found that Abdi-Jalebi had profited by more than 2m and ordered him to pay back 1.334.929 or serve another eight and a half years in jail.

Abdi-Jalebi buried his head in his hands as the judge read out the amounts.

Jonathan Polnay, prosecuting, earlier said the fraud was 'a long running course of conduct.'

'The Department of Energy and Climate Change and Innovate UK were submitted forged invoices which resulted in 2.5 million being handed over,' he said.

Following his arrest, Abdi-Jalebi lost his fellowship at Churchill College in Cambridge as the National Crime Agency spent 18 months examining his financial history.

His company, Wind Technologies, received more than 1.3million in renewable energy grants from the Government and the European Union.

Three linked firms were handed a further 1.5million.

Abdi-Jalebi, of Trumpington, Cambridge, admitted 13 counts of forgery and was jailed for four years in December 2018.

He was ordered to pay 1,334,929.78 to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy within three months or have another eight and a half years added to his sentence.
A pensioner and another man have been charged after allegedly being found in possession of 'important' Viking coins worth almost 1 million.

A 73-year-old, from Loveclough, Lancashire and a 44-year-old, of Bishop Auckland, are accused of hoarding the ancient money and of planning to sell it on to the highest bidder.

It comes after Durham Constabulary officers seized a large number of coins and a silver ingot from properties in County Durham and Lancashire in 2019.

The items come from a Viking hoard and are said to be of major historical significance.

Both men have been charged with conspiracy to convert criminal property and possession of criminal property between September 2018 and May 2019.

A 73-year-old, from Loveclough, Lancashire and a 44-year-old, of Bishop Auckland, are accused of hoarding the ancient money (pictured) in an attempt to sell it on

The 73-year-old man has also been charged with possession of criminal property.

The haul contains coins of Alfred the Great of Wessex and his lesser well-known contemporary Ceolwulf II of Mercia.

King Alfred inflicted a major defeat on the Vikings in AD 878 and experts from the British Museum believe the coins belong to an undeclared hoard consistent with the location of the Viking army at that time.

The hoard is important because it fills a gap in the understanding of history at this time.

Until now accounts have suggested Ceolwulf of Mercia as a 'puppet' of the Vikings and a minor nobleman rather than a proper King.

However, the coins tell a very different historical story and show two rulers standing side by side as allies.

Dr Gareth Williams, curator of early medieval coins and Viking collections at the British Museum, previously described the collection as a 'nationally important hoard' which could 'add significantly' to the understanding of the history of England.

The front of one of the coins show Ceolwulf (top) and the back (bottom) shows King Alfred and Ceolwulf standing side-by-side, demonstrating their alliance

The haul of coins and a silver ingot, dating back to the 9th Century reign of King Alfred the Great, were recovered by police at homes in County Durham and Lancashire in 2019 and show images of Alfred the Great (pictured) and Ceolwulf, King of Mercia

Some of the coins show Alfred the Great (pictured) while others show a minor historical figure which experts say suggest that he was in fact a powerful King who could have played a major role the defeats

While Alfred became known as a national hero who defeated the Vikings, Ceolwulf was written off as insignificant and disappeared without trace, with experts now suggesting the Mercia King was later airbrushed out of history by Alfred.

The haul was handed over to the British Museum by police.

It was recovered as part of Operation Fantail, a complex police operation targeting people who deal in culturally tainted objects.

The two charged men are on unconditional bail and will appear at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates' Court on September 7.

Speaking to the MailOnline in 2019, Dr Williams said of the coins: 'I think that the coins show that Ceolwulf II was in an alliance with Alfred of Wessex, and not a puppet of the Vikings as suggested in sources written at Alfred's court a few years later, by which time Ceolwulf had disappeared without trace from history and Alfred had taken over his kingdom.

'Sources from Alfred's court, writing more than fifteen years later, describe as 'a foolish king's thegn', who was only made king by the Vikings.

'However, the coins show a working relationship with Alfred which the sources 'forgot' to mention, and his name suggests that he may well have been a legitimate descendant of earlier kings of Mercia.

'Some of the coins show the name of Ceolwulf and the images on their back show two emperors standing side by side, and was almost certainly a deliberate choice to symbolise their alliance.'

'This isn't a completely new idea, but until recently coins of this period were too rare to prove the idea.

'The discovery of this hoard strengthens the case that Ceolwulf and Alfred were allies, and that Alfred's spin-doctors later re-wrote history to suit the political situation of the time.'

The British Museum believe the coins were in circulation at the time of King Alfred when he won a number of major battles in AD 878 that led to the defeat of the Vikings.

More than 200 pieces of Viking silver including coins, ingots and jewellery were discovered buried in a field in Oxfordshire in 2015.
The late Sen. John McCain's 2014 floor speech against the nomination of Secretary of State Antony Blinken to serve as deputy secretary of State has resurfaced amid the U.S.'s chaotic pull-out from Afghanistan.

The Arizona Republican came to the Senate floor on December 16, 2014 and told colleagues that he rarely spoke out publicly against a president's nominee, but he considered Blinken 'unqualified' and 'one of the worst selections of a very bad lot.'

'In this case, this individual has actually been dangerous to America and to the young men and women who are fighting and serving it,' McCain said, citing Blinken's ideas about Afghanistan as a prime example.

The late Sen. John McCain's December 2014 floor speech against the nomination of Secretary of State Antony Blinken to serve as deputy secretary of State has resurfaced amid the U.S.'s chaotic pull-out from Afghanistan

McCain warned that Blinken backed President Barack Obama's plan to pull the U.S. fully out of Afghanistan.

Just days later, on December 29, 2014, Obama announced that the combat mission in Afghanistan was ending.

On the Senate floor McCain warned against there being a withdrawal from Afghanistan on a timetable.

'This is why I'm so worried about him being in the position that he's in,' McCain said of Blinken.

'Because if they stick to that timetable I am telling my colleagues that we will see the replay of Iraq all over again,' McCain warned. 'We must leave a stabilizing force behind of a few thousands troops, or we will see, again, what we saw in Iraq.'

McCain's speech didn't do enough to derail the nomination, with Blinken receiving Senate confirmation - in a vote of 55 to 38 - later that day.

Blinken was confirmed as deputy secretary of State the same day McCain made the floor speech. He went on to become President Joe Biden's secretary of State

Obama, however, did leave troops in Afghanistan.

In the December 29 release the Obama White House described the force as one that would 'train, advise and assist Afghan forces and to conduct counterterrorism operations against the remnants of al Qaeda.'

Obama passed the Afghanistan war onto former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden.

Biden is being hammered for the rapid collapse of the Afghan government to the Taliban - the speed at which the president claims was unexpected - and for the mess at Kabul's airport as westerners and Afghans have been trying to escape.

Among those bashing the strategy: McCain's daughter Meghan, previously a co-host on The View.

'Even if you thought leaving Afghanistan was the right decision -this is a reckless, dangerous, blundering, and embarrassing withdrawal,' she tweeted Friday. 'We left our translators, women, children, people who helped us for 20 years to be slaughtered & our president just called a lid until Wednesday.'

Biden was originally supposed to stay at Camp David until Wednesday, but came back to the White House several hours on Monday to address Afghanistan and then arrived fully back from his trip Tuesday night, a day early.

John McCain's tough critique of Blinken isn't surprising, however the Republican - who was on the presidential ballot against Obama in 2008 - has been lionized by the left since his August 2018 death.

McCain was the loudest 'never Trumper' on Capitol Hill and famously thumbed down the GOP's bill that would repeal Obamacare, long a goal for Republicans.

McCain's widow Cindy backed Biden's election over Trump and was nominated to serve as the ambassador to the U.N.'s food program.
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The father of the man found dead in Michael Barrymore's swimming pool said he would 'die of a broken heart'  as police revealed yesterday they would not be charging a suspect.

Terry Lubbock, who has terminal cancer and only months to live, has been fighting for justice for more than 20 years following his son Stuart's death at a party in the former Strike It Lucky host's 2million Essex mansion.

A man in his 50s was detained on suspicion of murder and sexual assault in March in the North of England after Essex Police said 'significant new information' had come to light.

But the force has now admitted there is 'insufficient evidence to reach the level where there is a realistic chance of a successful prosecution' over the death in March 2001.

Mr Lubbock senior, 76, released a harrowing statement laying bare his devastation at the lack of resolution.

The message on Twitter, which was accompanied by a photo of the gaunt pensioner lying on his care home bed, said: 'Someone knows who killed Stuart Lubbock?

'I will die of a broken heart. Stuart was murdered at the former home of Michael Barrymore in Roydon, Essex.'

The dying father of Stuart Lubbock (pictured) is seeking a police review into the decision to release a man arrested on suspicion of indecently assaulting and murdering his 31-year-old son at Michael Barrymore's luxury Essex mansion without charge

Mr Lubbock's death shocked Britain and ended Barrymore's TV career overnight. The star, who made millions as one of the UK's top TV personalities of the 1980s and 1990s, has always denied playing any part in his suspected murder

Earlier this year, Mr Lubbock (right on Sunday) has said he wanted a coroner to oversee a new inquest into the death of his son (left) and welcomes the arrest as he fights for justice

Mr Lubbock issued the tweet last week, but it is likely he was aware at the time from the police that the investigation was not leading to a charge. Senior investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Stephen Jennings, who took over the case in 2018, insisted the investigation was not closed.

But he added there was 'huge personal disappointment' among his team.

He said: 'We have explored all possible lines of inquiry and sometimes, regrettably, the evidence is not yet there to issue charges. I know that this may be of little comfort to Stuart's father and his family. At every stage, it is the Lubbock family and our search for justice for them that dominates our thoughts and our actions.

'We have tried our best. We will continue to try our best.'

A post-mortem examination found Mr Lubbock suffered internal injuries suggesting he had been raped.

Barrymore's career imploded in the aftermath of the death, which happened after he and his then partner, Jonathan Kenney, spent the night out in Harlow. They went home with a small group of people they met in a club including butcher Mr Lubbock, 31, a divorced father of two.

Mr Lubbock had been attending a party at Barrymore's luxury home in Roydon with eight other people on March 31, 2001

Barrymore (pictured walking his dog with a friend in West London) was one of Britain's best known stars

Police believe Mr Lubbock was sexually assaulted and murdered with his body possibly moved from a jacuzzi to make it look like he had accidentally drowned

Barrymore, now 69  who later apologised after fleeing before police arrived, saying that he had 'panicked'  has always denied any knowledge of what happened.

He, Mr Kenney, 51, and another guest at the party, former dustman Justin Merritt, 47, were arrested in 2007 but later released without charge.

The latest arrest came after police renewed their appeal for information last year and offered a 20,000 reward, later increased to 40,000.

It coincided with a Channel 4 documentary about the case.

DCI Jennings said at the time that one or more of the eight other people at the property were involved and others might know what happened.

Mr Lubbock's death was initially assumed to be an accident by officers, who failed to secure the crime scene.

A coroner recorded an open verdict in 2002 after failing to confirm the cause of death. Alcohol, ecstasy and cocaine were found in his bloodstream.

Barrymore, now a recovering alcoholic who lives in west London, has tried to rekindle his career without success, including a stint on Celebrity Big Brother in 2006.

An Essex Police spokesman said: 'The individual arrested in March has been released without further action.'
A thug who admitted manslaughter after kicking a man to death when he defended his wife from racist abuse has had his jail term increased by appeal court judges.

Jamie Taylor, 23, of Birmingham, had been given a four-year prison sentence by a judge at Nottingham Crown Court in June, following the death of 23-year-old Amaan Momand.

But three appeal judges on Thursday increased the term to five years and three months after Solicitor General Lucy Frazer mounted a challenge.

Lord Justice Males, Mrs Justice O'Farrell and Sir Roderick Evans, who considered the case at a Court of Appeal hearing in London, concluded that Judge Stuart Rafferty had not given enough weight to the racial element of Taylor's crime when passing sentence.

Mr Momand and his wife Halima Hussain had been crossing a road near their home in Kings Heath, Birmingham, in September 2019 when a confrontation took place.

Halima told police the attack started shortly after Taylor called her a 'p*** c***,' as she crossed the road.

Jamie Taylor, 23, of Birmingham, admitted manslaughter after kicking a man to death when he defended his wife from racist abuse has had his jail term increased by appeal court judges

Amaan Momand, 23, was kicked in the head by Taylor after he defended his wife

Taylor, joined by 18-year-old Taylor Pountney, returned and attacked Amaan, after he tried to intervene in the row.

Judges heard that Taylor had shouted racist abuse before launching a high kick at Mr Momand.

Mr Momand died from serious head injuries, three days after he was attacked in the Maypole area of Birmingham.

A trial at Coventry Crown Court in September 2020 heard statements from an interview Ms Hussain gave to police following the attack, which happened near an Iceland supermarket at around 4.40pm on September 19.

In her statement, she said her husband was 'literally beaten to death'.

Mrs Hussain said: 'As I walked into the centre of the road, a car came up and a boy shouted 'you p*** c***'.

'I shouted back: 'You white c**t,' the car carried on driving.

'I carried on walking, me and my partner were saying stuff like' 'It's racist, it's not nice, why do people do these things?'

'The car went around the corner and stopped. The boys left the car and started walking towards us.'

Mrs Hussain then described the confrontation which followed.

Mrs Hussain said: 'The boy came towards us and said: 'What the f*** did you say?'

'I said: 'You called me a p*** c*** so I called you a white c***'. I said I can't walk, I have sciatica. The boy said: 'I don't give a f***'.'

Mrs Hussain told police that her husband then tried to intervene saying: 'Why did you try and run her over? She's a woman, she's my wife'.

'The boy said 'I'll smash you you m***********'.'

Taylor, joined by 18-year-old Taylor Pountney (pictured), returned and attacked Amaan, after he tried to intervene in the row

Mrs Hussain said she told her husband to 'leave the boy alone, he's just a kid'. Mrs Hussain told police: 'The boy said: 'I'm not young I'm 22 I'll knock him out', then the second boy threw a punch at my partner. At my partner's face. My husband's cap fell off.

'Then he went to pick it up but before he got up the other boy kicked him in the side of head.'

Mrs Hussain said the pair then ran off into a car that drove away.

Mrs Hussain tearfully told police: 'I was screaming and crying, there was blood everywhere on the floor.'

She added that as Mr Momand was taken away she was 'so scared because I wanted to be with him'.

Mrs Hussain explained to the interviewing police officer how upset it made her feel to be racially abused.

Mrs Hussain said: 'We were just going shopping. Why do we have to get attacked? I don't feel safe in my house anymore.'

Tributes to Amaan Momand, 23, who died on September 22, 2019, three days after he was attacked in Maypole, Birmingham

The officer asked if there was any 'warning' the two defendants were going to be violent towards them.

Mrs Hussain replied: 'He just kept saying: 'I'll f****** smash you' to my husband.'

When the officer asked what Mr Momand had done, Mrs Hussain said: 'Nothing he was just asking: 'Why are you saying that to my wife?''

She then broke off in tears before saying: 'They literally beat him to death.'

'Put bluntly this was a case of disgusting racial abuse, followed up by completely unnecessary violence and confrontation in which a man was killed solely because of the colour of his skin,' said Lord Justice Males.

'This was a nasty racist attack with catastrophic consequences.'

He said the four-year sentence had been unduly lenient.

Pountney, who was 17 at the time of the attack and had punched Mr Momand, was found guilty of manslaughter, and given a three-year custodial term.

The Solicitor General had not mounted any appeal against the sentence handed to Pountney, who is also from Birmingham.
Mrs Keane-Simmons, a teaching assistant whose mother was married to the Electric Avenue musician's brother, was found on her bedroom floor

The estranged husband of Eddy Grant's niece sent her a WhatsApp message saying 'I hope you suffer and die' hours before he killed her in an arson attack, a court has heard.

Damion Simmons, 45, allegedly poured petrol on Denise Keane-Simmons and set her on fire in the bedroom of her home in Harlesden, north London, on April 16 last year.

Mrs Keane-Simmons, 36, died in hospital, having suffered extensive burns and smoke inhalation.

On Thursday, jurors were played an eight-second voice note allegedly sent to the victim by Simmons via WhatsApp earlier on the night of the blaze.

It said: 'I hope you suffer and die just like how I suffer and die before I go. I really hope you suffer and die.'

The court has heard police had visited Mrs Keane-Simmons's home several times over complaints about the defendant's behaviour since they split up.

On the evening of April 15, officers had responded to a report she made that Simmons had posted a naked picture of her on Instagram.

The officers left around 40 minutes before the teaching assistant's home was engulfed in flames.

Police went on to find two other photographs on Simmons's phone allegedly taken using a spy camera inside the victim's home.

Today a firefighter told how he battled through smoke and flames to try and save the life of Eddy Grant's niece after her husband set her home on fire.

Forensics at the scene of the fire in Brent, North West London, in April 2020

Nathan Harriot, based at Willesden fire station, said he entered the house with colleague Paul Hunt.

'The whole of the downstairs appeared to be alight. We went upstairs and I led with the hose reel,' he said. 'Firefighter Hunt was behind me with the thermal imaging camera.'

The smoke was thick and they had to crouch because 'you could not stand up for fear of melting your helmet,' said Mr Harriot. The front bedroom was locked and they had to kick the door down to get in, the court heard.

'The visibility was very poor. It was black with heavy smoke so I was relying on feeling my way around,' he said. 'Firefighter Hunt was relying on the thermal imaging camera to find any heat sources to help us.

The Old Bailey heard Simmons broke into her home, poured petrol over her before setting it alight. Pictured, a charred building with a broken front door following the fire

'I was concerned because I had not found anybody and told Hunt this. He said there must be someone because that was what he had been told.

'At this point I put my hand out towards the floor between the bed and the wall.

'I felt that the wall had items on it. But on the floor between these items and the bed there was a very small space. I reached my hand between and felt what I thought could be a human foot.

'I realised I had to move the bed out of the way and reach forward to confirm whether it was a person or not. I pulled the right hand bottom corner of the bed away towards the centre of the room.

'I only saw the person and the outline of their shape thanks to the torches on my helmet and chest when I was very close, within arms reach of the person. The person was lying on their right hand side, facing towards the bed in a foetal position.

'I think one of their legs was stretched out a bit was because that was the foot I had grabbed.'

The firefighter thought that Mrs Keane-Simmons was a child because she was so small.

'The person wasn't moving and I didn't know if they were alive or dead. I did not see any signs of life,' he said.

'The person was limp to the touch, like a rag doll and I assumed that due to the smoke and fire damage they were unconscious at the very least.

'I thought perhaps the person may have placed themselves between the wall and he bed in a foetal position whilst panicking about the fire.

'The room was hot as it was directly above the fire at the front of the house.

'I thought perhaps the person had tried to cover themselves and get to a position as far away from the door as possible.

Eddy Grant was a founding member of The Equals and had a successful solo career with the hit single Electric Avenue

'I thought it was strange that the bedroom door upstairs had been locked from the inside.

'I knew that I had to get this person out of the house as soon as possible.

'I stood up and picked the person up around the middle of their chest so their back was against my chest.'

The firefighter then dragged Mrs Keane-Simmons from the house which was still on fire and paramedics treated her in the parking bay in the front of the house.

The two firefighters then went back into the house to put out the blaze on the ground floor.

Simmons has admitted manslaughter and disclosing private and sexual photographs with intent to cause distress. He denies murder, arson with intent to endanger life and voyeurism.

The trial was adjourned until Friday following the conclusion of the prosecution case.
Federal regulators sharpened their case against Facebook on Thursday, filing a revised complaint accusing the social media giant of abusing its market position to stamp out competition.

And the Federal Trade Commission also announced that its head, Lina Khan, would not be recusing herself from the case despite her longstanding complaints against Internet giants.

President Biden has made clear that he wants to bring Big Tech to heel and the case against Facebook could upend the social media landscape.

A previous complaint was rejected by a Washington, D.C., court for lack of evidence.

The amended complaint cites user data to accuse Facebook of breaking antitrust laws with its acquisition of Instagram and WhatsApp.

'Facebook lacked the business acumen and technical talent to survive the transition to mobile,' said Holly Vedova, director of the Federal Trade Commission's bureau of competition.

'After failing to compete with new innovators, Facebook illegally bought or buried them when their popularity became an existential threat.'

Mark Zuckerberg's Facebook is in regulators' sights as the Biden administration looks to rein in the power of Big Tech. Lina Khan, who heads the Federal Trade Commission, has a long history of criticizing Facebook and other big social media platforms

The FTC filed its amended complaint against Facebook in Washington's federal court. It alleges the company was struggling to adjust to the rise of mobile apps and ran a 'buy or bury' scheme to stifle competition that allowed it to remain a dominant force

The complaint says the numbers show Facebook has had a dominant share of the market since 2011 and alleges it used illegal practises.

'Central to Facebooks efforts to derisk the transition to mobile was its strategy to buy or bury innovators threatening to out-compete Facebook in the new mobile environment,' it said.

Facebook has until October 4th to respond to the complaint.

In a statement posted on Twitter, the company accused the FTC of trying to rewrite antitrust laws.

'It is unfortunate that despite the court's dismissal of the complaint and conclusion that it lacked the basis for a claim, the FTC has chosen to continue this meritless lawsuit,' it said.

'There was no valid claim that Facebook was a monopolist  and that has not changed. Our acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp were reviewed and cleared many years ago, and our platform policies were lawful.'

The Biden administration is under pressure from the left to rein in the power of big business in general and Big Tech in particular.

Biden reportedly plans to nominate Google foe Jonathan Kanter as head of the Justice Department's antitrust division.

And he appointed Khan to head the FTC despite objections from online giants that her history of campaigning against them made her unsuitable for the role.

Facebook demanded that she be removed from its antitrust case against it, citing her history of accusing the social media giant of behaving unlawfully.

'Chair Khan has consistently made public statements not only accusing Facebook of conduct that merits disapproval but specifically expressing her belief that the conduct meets the elements of an antitrust offense,' it said in a formal filing last month.

Facebook responded angrily, saying the case was 'meritless' and accusing the FTC of trying to rewrite antitrust laws

Facebook claims to have more than three million users, making it 'the world's dominant online social network,' according to the FTC complaint

But on Thursday, the FTC said Khan would not step away from the case

'As the case will be prosecuted before a federal judge, the appropriate constitutional due process protections will be provided to the company,' it said in a statement.

Khan has a history of taking on internet giants, including working for a congressional antitrust panel that reported last year that lawmakers should take steps against vast online platforms.

In one of the interviews cited in Facebook's petition, she told the New York Times that Facebook was making 'killer acquisitions,' which could fall foul of rules designed to protect competition.

'So a killer acquisition is when these firms acquire a company for the purpose of shutting it down, for the purpose of killing it because they recognize that a product could be a threat to them,' she said.

'So thats something that the report identifies that Facebook did in several cases.'
Newquay has become the country's Covid capital following a major music festival attended by 50,000 people.

Latest data shows the Cornish town was recording up to 1,100 cases per 100,000 people in the week ending August 14  nearly quadruple the average in England.

The five-day Boardmasters Festival ran from August 11 to 15, which means the full impact of the event on transmission won't be felt until later this week.

All ticket holders had to show proof of double vaccination, natural immunity or a recent negative lateral flow test to enter the festival site.

Unvaccinated revellers who were eligible to attend were also urged to attend a walk-in vaccine clinic, which was set up in the festival car park.

But public health officials say they are 'monitoring the data' after a large number of people claimed they tested positive for Covid after attending.

Coventry councillor Nathan Griffiths was one of the people who claimed he caught coronavirus at the event.

But Newquay, and more widely Cornwall, was already on its way to becoming a hotbed for the virus before the event. An increase staycations is thought to be behind the rise.

Newquay was already on its way to becoming a hotbed for the virus before the festival. Holiday-makers on Fistral Beach today

An increase staycations is thought to be behind the rise  punters queue up for Cornish pasties today

Newquay East had the highest infection rate of any authority in England by August 14, according to the Government's Covid dashboard.

It was recording 1,174 cases per 100,000 people by that date, slightly above Yarborough in Lincolnshire (1,124).

Newquay West had the eighth highest rate in the country at 864.5 per 100,000.

Rounding out the top five worst-hit authorities were Bridgwater North in Sedgemoor (1,030), Cowes Central on the Isle of Wight (938.5) and Bridgwater South (936).

Councillor Nathan Griffiths claimed he caught the virus at the surf festival in Newquay over the weekend.

He tweeted: 'Like many, I caught Covid at Boardmasters despite the mandated day 1 + 3 lat-flows [rapid lateral flow tests].

Four of the top 10 parts of England areas with the biggest outbreaks are in Cornwall, according to MailOnline analysis

public health officials say they are 'monitoring the data' after a large number of people claimed they tested positive for Covid after attending Boardmasters Festival, which ran from August 11 to 15

'No complaints as I knew the risks, however, means either lat-flows aren't reliable for such events, or Covid-positive people faked negative results. A lot to learn here for gov/event organisers.'

Another attendee said: 'Went to Boardmasters and got Covid, everyone I know has it too. Not fun, hope everyone else with it recovers soon.'

A third tweeted: '100 per cent of the people we know who attended Boardmasters have come home and tested positive for Covid. Not even from the same groups of friends.'

Cornwall was already seeing a sharp and sustained rise in cases prior to the event, which experts have blamed on a staycation boom.

Local health chiefs warned that Cornwall attracts a lot of young holidaymakers, many of whom have had one or no vaccines.

Britain's daily Covid cases hit highest level for a month Britain's daily Covid cases have hit their highest level for a month as hospitalisations and deaths continue to tick upwards, official figures revealed today. Department of Health bosses posted another 36,572 positive tests  up 10.6 per cent on last week's figure. It was the biggest 24-hour count since July 22 (39,906). Meanwhile, both hospitalisations and deaths  which lag several weeks behind cases because of how long it can take for infected patients to become severely ill  are still creping upwards. Some 113 victims were added to the Government's official death toll today, up by a fifth on last Thursday. And 804 patients were admitted to hospital on August 15, the most recent day figures are available for  up 9 per cent on the previous Sunday. Advertisement

Experts told MailOnline the G7 summit in June likely 'seeded' the outbreak, which has since been amplified by staycationers during the school break.

More Britons than usual are opting to holiday in the UK due to extortionate PCR tests required to go abroad, as well as concerns about the virus.

Professor Gary McLean, a molecular immunologist at London Metropolitan University, told MailOnline: 'Cornwall, during the pandemic had usually fared much better than other areas, perhaps due to its relative isolation geographically and lower population density.

'However since the G7 summit in early June, case numbers have been increasing at a rate that is amongst the highest in England.

'This was likely seeded by the summit and influx of people at that time and has potentially been amplified by continued 'staycation' tourism to the region during the school holidays.

'This is of great concern for the region and for those returning home from holidays in Cornwall - it will need to be monitored very carefully over the next few weeks.'

Professor Paul Hunter, an infectious disease expert at the University of East Anglia, told MailOnline he suspects low levels of natural immunity was a factor.

He said: 'Cornwall and The Isles of Scilly, along with Devon, have had the lowest total cases to date up to the August 16 in England so a lot of people not immune.

'But cases started to surge from early June before a lot of holiday makers started to descend and that was probably associated with the G7 meeting.'

Professor Hunter added: 'There is a general trend in the UK that those local authorities that have had most infections to date over the whole epidemic are not seeing as big percentage increases week on week and are more likely to be seeing falling case numbers.

'So is the epidemic in Cornwall because of low population immunity because of low past infection rates with the trigger being G7 or is it due to holiday makers? It is probably a bit of both.'

Liberal Democrat MP Andrew George, who was elected to Cornwall Council in May, told MailOnline: 'Resort areas of Cornwall appear to have the highest and still growing levels of Covid.

'I don't think it is primarily caused by holiday makers themselves, but by poor infection control rules.

'If we had a Government which followed the science rather than chased headlines it would create a safer environment in which people could safely enjoy themselves and protect the vulnerable.

'Death rates are still unacceptably high. But you wouldn't think it from the lax attitude promoted by Government ministers.'
A regional police chief who fought the Taliban has been executed in cold blood by the jihadist group, according to reports.

Shocking video footage being circulated on the internet apparently shows the kneeling handcuffed and blindfolded figure of General Haji Mullah Achakzai, chief of Badghis Province near Herat, being gunned down in a hail of bullets.

The grey-haired commander was reported to have been arrested by the Taliban after they seized the area, near the Turkmenistan border, in their lightning advance late last week.

Shocking video footage being circulated on the internet apparently shows the kneeling handcuffed and blindfolded figure of General Haji Mullah Achakzai, chief of Badghis Province near Herat, being gunned down in a hail of bullets

General Haji Mullah Achakzai, chief of Badghis Province near Herat

The disturbing clip was re-tweeted by former BBC Persia journalist Nasrin Nawa after it emerged on the feed of an apparent resistance group to the Taliban called @PanjshirProvince.

After a content warning, Ms Nawa added: Haji Mullah, Police chief of Badghis province executed by #Taliban. This is their public amnesty!

The Taliban had promised that there would be no acts of vengeance against former enemies following their takeover of Afghanistan on Saturday.

The Taliban had promised that there would be no acts of vengeance against former enemies following their takeover of Afghanistan on Saturday. Pictured: Taliban fighters display their flag on patrol in Kabul on Thursday

Gen. Achakzai, in his early 60s, was an avowed enemy of the Taliban and known as a seasoned fighter in the long-running conflict between the group and the forces of the Afghan civil government, which fell at the weekend.

According to reports, the governor and police chief of Laghman Province near Jalalabad in eastern Afghanistan have also been detained, with their fate to be decided by the Taliban high command.

The brutal execution follows numerous reports of Taliban patrols going door-to-door in some areas and taking men of fighting age into detention.
A portion of New York City's Times Square was evacuated on Thursday afternoon after police discovered a suspicious package that was allegedly thrown at people sitting on a landmark known as the 'red steps.'

Law enforcement sources said a man riding a bicycle hurled an item that was believed to be a cookie tin toward people sitting by the iconic TKTS booth in Father Duffy Square, sending them fleeing in fear, reported NBC 4.

Police descended on the area and inspected the suspicious item with the aid of bomb-sniffing dogs.

A portion of Times Square in New York City was evacuated on Thursday afternoon after the discovery of a suspicious package

An officer carries what appears to be a cookie tin, which may have sparked the evacuation

Police cleared the area between 45th and 48th Streets along Seventh Avenue as the investigated the incident

The incident trigged a large police response. Pictured: NYPD vehicles are parked beneath Times Square's iconic billboards on Thursday

Pedestrians look on as police search Times Square during the suspicious package incident

The incident prompted the evacuation of three blocks, from 45th to 48th Street along Seventh Avenue.

NYPD spokesperson Sgt Jessica McRorie told DailyMail.com in an email that 'the package has been determined to be non-suspicious.'

The NYPD issued an all-clear at around 1pm and reopened Times Square to pedestrians.

Police took extra precautions amid an ongoing lockdown at the US Capitol in Washington DC involving a man who claimed to have a bomb in his pickup truck.

Floyd Ray Roseberry, 49, a supporter of former President Donald Trump from North Carolina, surrendered to police after a tense five-hour standoff.

Bomb-sniffing dogs were deployed as part of Thursday's investigation in Times Square

Witnesses uploaded video on the Citizen app showing police searching the square. The all-clear was given at 1pm

The evacuation took place two day after someone opened fire in Times Square, striking the rear window of the TKTS booth beneath the red steps, which sells discounted Broadway tickets.

The bullet shattered the glass in the 20-foot-long window, but no one was injured. The booth has been closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, reported the New York Post.

Times Square, known as the Crossroads of the World, has been the site of several recent shootings.

Earlier this week, 20-year-old Elijah Quamina has been accused of firing at a man riding a dirt bike on Seventh Avenue after his friend got into an argument with the victim. No injuries were reported in connection with that shooting.

Times Square has been the site on multiple shooting incidents in recent days, weeks and months, leaving severa people injured

In late June, Samuel Poulin, a 21-year-old US Marine visiting the city from upstate New York, was struck by a ricocheting bullet.

Back in May, a four-year-old girl and two women were wounded when a suspect identified as Farrakhan Muhammad allegedly opened fire.

The shootings in Times Square have happened against a background of soaring crime throughout New York City.

According to NYPD data, felony assaults are up 5.3 percent from last year, as of August 15, with misdemeanor assaults up 2.1 percent.

Murders have also increased, from 275 reported during the same time frame in 2020 to 277 reported thus far in 2021.

There have also been 10.7 percent more shooting incidents, with 7 percent more victims.

And grand larcenies have also increased 1.6 percent, with grand larcenies from automobiles skyrocketing 20.2 percent.

Rapes have increased 8.6 percent and hate crimes have nearly doubled.
Kamala Harris's standing among likely voters is falling as 55 per cent reveal they do not think the vice president is qualified to run the nation as she spoke publicly for the first time in six days in pre-recorded remarks for a black journalism conference.

When likely voters were asked in a Rasmussen Reports poll released Thursday if Harris is ready to be U.S. president, 47 per cent said she is 'not at all qualified' while 8 per cent said she's 'not qualified.'

Only 14 per cent of the 1,000 polled between August 12-15 said she is 'qualified' and another 29 per cent said she is 'very qualified' to run the nation.

The latest is down from her April standing, when 49 per cent of respondents said the vice president was qualified to become president.

It also comes as questions emerged over Harris' role in the chaotic and bungled U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, which has garnered massive criticism from Democrats and Republicans.

Harris boasted she was the 'last one in the room' with President Joe Biden before he made his announcement in the spring of a total withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan.

Since the Taliban takeover of the nation in just over a week, however, the vice president has been mostly absent from any public events. While she has been at several briefings on the situation with the president, she did not stand next to Biden on Monday during his address on the developing situation.

A new poll shows 55 per cent of likely voters believe Vice President Kamala Harris is 'not qualified' or 'not at all qualified' to run the nation. There was a 6 per cent drop in those who feel she is qualified from April to August

Harris made her first public appearance in six days when she made pre-recorded remarks to the National Association of Black Journalists conference on Thursday

'This morning, the President and Vice President met with their national security team to discuss security, diplomatic, and intelligence updates in Afghanistan,' according to a White House official. 'They discussed the status of operations at Hamid Karzai International Airport (HKIA)... our efforts to evacuate U.S. citizens, Embassy personnel, SIV applicants and their families, and vulnerable Afghans as quickly as possible; and that every day we operate troops on the ground are at risk.'

'The President, Vice President, and their team also discussed their focus on monitoring for any potential terrorist threats in Afghanistan, including from ISIS-K,' the statement continued.

It was also noticed by Americans when Harris did not join Biden for his remarks on COVID-19 and vaccinations on Thursday  despite usually standing behind the president's right shoulder when he speaks.

She has not held any public events since August 12, has had a relatively empty public schedule over the last seven days and has rarely been seen publicly in that time span.

The vice president was pictured in three images released from the White House  two on Zoom calls with Biden over the weekend as he was briefed on Afghanistan while at Camp David and a third with the president and his top military brass in the Situation Room on Wednesday.

Harris also made her first public appearance in six days when she spoke in pre-recorded remarks to the National Association of Black Journalists conference on Thursday and said: 'A free press is essential to any democracy.'

'You turn the light of truth on some of the most consequential issues of our time,' she told the conference focused on journalism in the black community. 'You are keeping the American people informed about all of the issues that impact their lives every day.'

Harris is the first female and minority vice president.

Just this fact has led to some criticism that Harris should be more vocal about helping women and children fleeing Afghanistan as the Taliban is historically bad for women's rights.

The Islamic militant group has vowed to respect women amid their takeover, despite a history of oppression.

Tennessee Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn asked 'where's Kamala?' to stand up for women in Afghanistan.

'Where is she, defending women and girls, standing up for human rights, standing up for these women and girls who we know are going to be pushed into sex slavery?' she questioned in an interview with conservative network Newsmax on Thursday.

She has been pictured a few times in meetings with President Joe Biden and his top Defense and military advisers as the situation in Afghanistan continues to deteriorate

'We know that they are going to be brutalized,' Blackburn continued. 'We know the women who have worked with us with our Secretary of State's program for women and girls, these are women that are going to be murdered.'

'I even said where is the Squad on this? They're always about women and defending women in human rights. But where are they?' she added in referencing the so-called 'squad' of progressive lawmakers, which includes Representatives Alexandrioa Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib, Ayanna Pressey and Ilahn Omar  who once was a refugee fleeing Somalia for the U.S.

Biden told ABC News' George Stephanopoulos in an interview taped Wednesday that he would not use military force to address women's rights issues in Afghanistan if they begin to deteriorate under Taliban rule.

'Beyond Americans, what do we owe the Afghans who are left behind, particularly Afghan women who are facing the prospect of subjugation again?' the ABC host asked in the president's first chat with media following the chaotic withdrawal.

'As many as we can get out, we should. For example, I had a meeting today for a couple hours in the Situation Room just below here. There are Afghan women outside the gate. I told 'em, 'Get 'em on the planes. Get them out. Get them out. Get their families out if you can,' Biden said.

'But here's the deal, George,' he leveled. 'The idea that we're able to deal with the rights of women around the world by military force is not rational. Not rational. Look what's happened to the Uighurs in western China. Look what's happening in other parts of the world. Look what's happening in, you know, in  in the Congo.'

'I mean, there are a lot of places where women are being subjugated,' the president continued. 'The way to deal with that is not with a military invasion.'

'The way to deal with that is putting economic, diplomatic, and national pre-- international pressure on them to change their behavior,' Biden concluded.

The vice president's office confirmed on Wednesday Harris still plans to depart on Friday for her second foreign trip in office to Singapore and Vietnam despite the ongoing chaos and the comparisons between the fall of Saigon in 1975 and the toppling of Kabul by the Taliban over the weekend.

Before the Thursday reports to the journalism conference, Harris' previous public event was held on August 12 when she met with CEOs to discuss the so-called care economy.

In a gaggle before the event, a reporter asked Harris if 'Afghanistan is lost to the Taliban?'. She did not answer the question, but said she would be leaving for a briefing on the situation after the roundtable last Thursday.

The vice president was pictured in a Zoom meeting on Sunday with the president and other intelligence and global entities and in another image with the president in person during a Situation Room meeting.

'This morning, the President and Vice President were briefed by their national security team on the evolving situation in Afghanistan,' reads the tweet included with the image from the White House account. 'They discussed the evacuations of U.S. citizens, SIV applicants, and vulnerable Afghans, and the monitoring of any potential terrorist threats.'

On Tuesday she tweeted her support for the withdrawal and said the mission was now to get Americans, allies and Afghans out of the country safely  but has not made any other public remarks on the situation.

'We went to Afghanistan almost 20 years ago. Now, our mission is to get our people, our allies, and vulnerable Afghans to safety outside of the country,' she wrote earlier this week.

Harris was pictured (center) on a Zoom call with Biden on Sunday as they discussed the chaos in Afghanistan after the Taliban overran capital city of Kabul after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled the country

Harris campaigned on the bid to get US troops out of Afghanistan during her Democratic primary run in 2020  though it was not part of her stump speech.

Biden was bashed for remaining silent on the unfolding situation in Afghanistan for six days, which has seen a dozen confirmed deaths as of Thursday.

He finally addressed the country in a White House speech on Monday, which the vice president was absent from, before promptly returning to Camp David.

Harris, a White House official said Monday, watched the speech 'from the Green Room.'

During the remarks, Biden doubled-down that the withdrawal was the right move despite almost the whole of Afghanistan falling to the Taliban in just over a week and U.S. troops questioning what the two-decade war was for.
The Biden administration will not be extending a $300 weekly unemployment boost that's set to expire on September 6th and is encouraging states that want to continue them to dip into their existing COVID relief funds, Biden Cabinet officials revealed Thursday.

'As President Biden has said, the boost was always intended to be temporary and it is appropriate for that benefit boost to expire,' Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Labor Secretary Marty Walsh said in a letter to Congress.

More than two dozen states have already ended the benefit. Indiana had tried to become the 26th state to do so but the move was overruled by a court order.

They opened the letter lauding the federal funds as 'a critical lifeline for millions of Americans' during the pandemic.

Biden is urging Congress to look into reforming US unemployment insurance programs in the same letter where he is announcing the end of COVID unemployment relief

The letter was written by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Labor Secretary Marty Walsh

The US unemployment rate is down to 5.4 percent. That's nearly half what it was last July during the height of COVID when it was 10.2 percent.

'We still have more work to do, but the trend is clear: thanks to the grit and ingenuity of the American people and with the federal government executing on a plan to bring our economy back, our nation is getting back to work,' the Biden officials write.

The government first passed a $600-per-week boost to unemployment funds under the CARES Act, signed by former President Donald Trump in March 2020.

The boost was extended twice and since cut in half to $300. It was last renewed in March 2021 under Biden's American Rescue Plan.

The letter comes after some moderate Democrats in Congress signaled they wouldn't support another extension.

Republican lawmakers and governors have criticized the funding and said low-wage workers who make more money with the unemployment boost are discouraged from going back to work.

States that ended federal COVID unemployment boost Alaska Missouri Mississippi Iowa Alabama Idaho Nebraska New Hampshire North Dakota West Virginia Wyoming Arkansas Florida Georgia Montana Ohio Oklahoma South Carolina South Dakota Texas Utah Maryland Tennessee Arizona Louisiana Advertisement

'It has become clear to me that we cannot have a full economic recovery until we get the thousands of available jobs in our state filled,' Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves announced when he withdrew his state from the program.

Across the country there are roughly 8.7 million Americans out of work and about 10 million job openings, according to Department of Labor data from last week.

'At the same time, even as the economy continues to recover and robust job growth continues, there are some states where it may make sense for unemployed workers to continue receiving additional assistance for a longer period of time,' the letter addressed to Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden and House Ways and Means Chair Richard Neal reads.

It also acknowledges the highly contagious Delta variant 'may also pose short-term challenges to local economies and labor markets.'

Yellen and Walsh go on to explain how states still hit hard by the pandemic could use their existing COVID relief money allocated within the $350 billion American Rescue Plan State and Local Fiscal Relief Funds to enact 'a more gradual wind down of income support.'

But some of those states where COVID is the worst right now - including Florida, Texas and Alabama - are led by Republican governors who have already withdrawn the unemployment benefits along with pandemic health restrictions.

The Biden officials also announced an extra $47 million in grants aimed at supporting 'a pathway back to employment' in addition to an existing $43 million announced earlier this year.

In the letter Biden also called on Congress to 'take up the issue' of unemployment insurance (UI) reform after the September 6th deadline expires, adding he 'believes that the pandemic has exposed serious problems' in the current system.

'The President has already laid out his principles for such reform: he believes a 21st century UI system should prevent fraud, promote equitable access, ensure timeliness of benefits, provide adequate support to the unemployed, and automatically expand benefits in a recession.'
A Florida couple have been arrested after allegedly presenting fake COVID vaccination cards to airport staff when they arrived for a vacation in Hawaii.

Enzo Dalmazzo, 43, and Daniela Dalmazzo, 31, were arrested on August 11 - shortly after they arrived in Honolulu with their two children.

Hawaii state law requires visitors to either provide proof of vaccination or proof of a negative COVID test taken no more than 72 hours before arriving in the state.

The couple allegedly gave officials vaccination cards for themselves and their two children.

But a TSA agent became suspicious about the children's vaccination cards because they would have been too young to get the shot.

One was born in 2016 and the other was born in 2017, while COVID vaccines have not yet been approved for children under the age of 12.

'The screener at the airport when they came through noticed an anomaly about the age of the children and the vaccines,' Special Agent Joe Logan with the Hawaii Attorney General's Office told NBC Miami. 'And that's how we got involved.'

Enzo Dalmazzo, 43, and Daniela Dalmazzo, 31, were arrested on August 11 - shortly after they arrived in Honolulu, when a TSA agent became suspicious of their children's vaccination cards

According to court documents obtained by NBC Miami, Enzo has been charged with one count of presenting false documents and Daniela has been charged with three counts - two of which relate to the children.

It is unclear why the mother received more charges than the father.

They were released on a combined $8,000 bail - a $2,000 bail for Enzo and a $6,000 bail for Daniela.

Their arrest marks the second known case of visitors using fake vaccine cards to enter the state in just the past week.

On Sunday, police also arrested Norbert Chung, 57 and Trevor Chung, 19, after they allegedly used fake vaccine cards to evade the travel restrictions and fly from California to Hawaii without being vaccinated.

Under Hawaii state law, visitors must either submit a vaccination card (pictured) or a negative COVID test no more than 72 hours before arriving in the state

Travelers to Hawaii do not necessarily have to be vaccinated.

Under Hawaii state law, visitors must either submit a vaccination card or a negative COVID test no more than 72 hours before arriving in the state.

Falsifying a vaccine card in the state is a misdemeanor that can result in a fine of up to $5,000 or up to a year in prison - or both.

The FBI also warns that making or using a fake vaccination card is a federal offense.

'Airport screeners are constantly on guard for falsified test results or vaccination documentation, screening thousands of travelers arriving daily through Hawaiis airports,' Gary Yamashiroya, special assistant to the attorney general, said in a statement to the Honolulu Civil Beat.

'The Department of the Attorney General works collaboratively with other governmental partners to keep Hawaii safe from COVID and will investigate and prosecute those attempting to dishonestly bypass the Safe Travels program.'

Requiring proof of vaccination is a growing part of Hawaiis efforts to stop the spread of the virus.

Governor David Ige announced last week that anyone who would like to throw large events must present mitigation plans to stop the spread - including possibly requiring a proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test to attend - in order to receive a permit.

The state is facing an uptick in COVID cases, with a 7.6 percent positivity rate.

There were 752 new cases reported across the islands on Wednesday, mainly among those 18 to 44 years old, according to the state's Disease Outbreak Control Division, and over the past two weeks, there have been 8,662 new cases.

On August 11, when the couple was arrested, 743 cases were related to community spread, according to state data, with five non-resident cases and 393 of an unknown origin.

By August 17, there were 632 cases of unknown origin, with 47 related to community spread.

Meanwhile, 61.6 percent of the state has completed their COVID vaccine, higher than the percentage of all Americans who have received a full COVID vaccine dose, at 51.1 percent on Wednesday, per the CDC.

About 60 percent of all Americans have received at least one dose, as the country faces an uptick in cases, with 157,694 new cases reported throughout the nation Wednesday and 37 million new cases reported over the course of the past month.

The death rate, though, appears to remain relatively low - with 1,054 new deaths reported on Wednesday and just over 600,000 deaths over the past month, as the CDC warns community transmission is still relatively high.

On August 13, US Border Patrol agents in Memphis, Tennessee announced they had confiscated 121 packages containing more than 3,000 fake vaccine cards that were sent throughout the country from Shenzen, China

But still, authorities report, people are buying fake vaccination cards for anywhere between $25 to $200 to evade state and local laws.

The cards are given free to people when they get the COVID vaccination, which is also free.

On August 13, officials with the U.S. Border Control announced they seized thousands of fake vaccination cards printed with the CDC logo on them passing through Memphis.

They said they had confiscated 121 packages originating from Shenzen, China with destinations all over the country, containing more than 3,000 of these fake cards.

Sometimes the manifests would describe the shipments as 'Paper Greeting Cards/Use for-Greeting Card' and sometimes they were described as 'PAPER PAPER CARD,' but, agents said, they were always from China and came in packs of 20, 51, or 100.

The agents realized the cards were fake, they said, because they were not sent from the CDC or another medical organization - and included misspellings, unfinished words, and incorrect Spanish translations.

'These vaccinations are free and available everywhere,' Michael Neipert, the director of the CBP Port in Memphis, said in a statement.

'If you do not wish to receive a vaccine, that is your decision. But don't order a counterfeit, waste my [officers'] time, break the law and misrepresent yourself.'

He added that his office will 'remain committed to stopping counterfeit smuggling and helping to protect our communities.

'But just know that when you order a fake vax card, you are using my [officers'] time as they also seize fentanyl and methamphetamines.'
The rapid collapse of Afghanistan's armed forces may have surprised President Biden but dozens of reports from a federal watchdog revealed how the U.S. bungled efforts to shore up the country.

From millions spent on military planes left rotting at Kabul's international airport to the billions of dollars wasted trying and failing to eradicate the country's opium crops, the dispatches from the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction Illustrated the fraud and abuse that derailed a $145 billion effort.

'If the goal was to rebuild and leave behind a country that could sustain itself and pose little threat to U.S. national security interests, the overall picture in Afghanistan is bleak,' John Sopko concluded in his most report published this week.

For nine years he has detailed the flaws and frauds in U.S. reconstruction efforts. And in more than 50 appearances before Congress he has set out some bewildering examples of botched projects.

$549 million spent on unreliable transport planes

This year he documented how the U.S. Air Force wasted $549 million on faulty cargo planes.

The Pentagon bought 20 refurbished G222 aircraft in 2008 for the Afghan government but they proved unreliable. Spare parts were difficult to find and their crews complained about their safety.

They were put up for sale but eventually sold for scrap at a price of $40,257.

'Unfortunately, no one involved in the program was held accountable for the failure of the G222 program,' Sopko's report said drily, describing how an U.S. Air Force general involved in the acquisition became the primary contact for the company that supplied them after retiring from active service.

In his latest report to Congress, Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction John Sopko warned that the Afghan government faced an 'existential crisis' if Taliban advances could not be reversed. He painted a bleak picture of the U.S. effort in the country

In all, the U.S. spent some $145 billion on Afghan reconstruction, rebuilding the government's armed forces, shoring up the economy and training a new generation of leaders

Military transport planes bought for the Afghan air force were abandoned in a field after crews complained they were dangerous. They were bought for $549 million and sold for scrap

$500,000 for 'melting' buildings

Then there was the case of the 'melting' buildings, a half-million dollar training center that began collapsing because of shoddy construction.

'Although this project may have been well intentioned, the fact that the Afghans had to demolish and rebuild the dry fire range is not only an embarrassment, but, more significantly, a waste of U.S. taxpayers money,' Sopko wrote in a 2015 report.

The dry fire range was built to look like a typical Afghan village where police could train.

Sopko's report said American officials overseeing the project did not keep track of the work and the contractor cut corners. Roofs did not slope to allow rainwater to run off and sub-par materials were used.

The whole thing had to be demolished after four months, according to a 2015 report.

$28 million for the wrong camouflage

Perhaps the most embarrassing example came in the shape of new camouflage fatigues for the Afghan army. U.S. taxpayers ended up paying for the most expensive and least effective option.

'Id hate to be an Afghan soldier wearing that uniform,' Sopko told USA Today at the time. 'Its like having "shoot me" written on the back.'

The Pentagon wasted as much as $28 million on uniforms with a woodland camouflage pattern in a country where tree cover counts for about two percent of the landscape.

$28 million was spent on a new camoflage uniform that was deemed inappropriate for Afghan conditions. 'Its like having "shoot me" written on the back,' said Sopko

A forest design was used for the new uniforms but SIGAR reported that only two per cent of the country was covered by trees, making the design unsuitable

Sopko's report said Department of Defense officials stated that they 'ran across' a supplier's website and the then Afghan Minster of Defense 'liked what he saw.'

New uniforms were needed because the existing ones used a non-proprietary design. That meant insurgents could easily buy clothing with the same pattern.

But Sopko said the U.S. Army had spare designs that could have been more suitable for Afghan terrain at a much lower cost.

$36 million for an unused command center

There are dozens of examples of mismanagement among construction projects.

For example, some $36 million was spent on a vast command-and-control facility at Camp Leatherneck in Helmand Province. It included office space for 1500 people as well as a war room, a briefing theater and enough office space for 1,500 people.

It was commissioned for the 2010 surge of U.S. troops.

'It appears to be the best constructed building I have seen in my travels in Afghanistan,' Sopko wrote in July 2013. 'Unfortunately, it is unused, unoccupied, and presumably will never be used for its intended purpose.'

Its furniture was still in plastic when he visited as the facility was completed after the surge ended. Its electricity supply was built to U.S. specifications - making it useless to the Afghan government.

$176 million for a road that did not last a month

Or there was the $176 million road to nowhere. Funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development, the 63-mile route linked Gardez city and Khost province.

Until it didn't.

A 2016 audit by SIGAR inspectors found that five sections had been destroyed and two had washed away within a month of completion, according to Bloomberg News.

The Khost-Gardez Highway cuts through a high pass near Gardez, Paktia Province, southeast Afghanistan, on September 9, 2007. USAID spent $176 million rebuilding the crucial link only for sections to be destroyed or washed away within weeks

An Afghan man works on a poppy field in Nangarhar province in 2016. The U.S. spent $9 billion on trying to eradicate the cultivation of opium poppies but production only went up

The trade in poppies finances insurgent groups and fuels government corruption. Efforts to encourage famers to grow other crops could never match the profits available from opium

$9 billion spent on a futile war on drugs

And then there was the neverending war on drugs. The U.S. spent about $9 billion during the conflict trying to eradicate Afghanistan's fields of poppies that bankrolled the Taliban and made the country's the world's top producer of opium and all its illegal products.

'Despite the investment, the cultivation of opium poppy in Afghanistan has trended upward for two decades, and insecurity has made it difficult to reverse the growth,' said Sopko in his most recent report.

In one project, U.S. money was used to build irrigation channels for hundreds of square miles of arable land in the hope that it would turn farmers on to legal crops.

It simply led to increased poppy production - more than doubling in one area studies, according to Sopko.

Taken together, the reports paint a damning picture of U.S. efforts to rebuild a nation wracked by decades of conflict.

As Sopko's commentary makes clear, such work is difficult in a war zone. But he also raises flags about repeated claims made by American generals and officials that they were making progress in their work.

Often monitoring programs created conditions for box ticking and what he called 'doing the wrong thing perfectly.'

'That is, programs could be deemed successful even if they had not achieved or contributed to broader, more important goals - such as creating an effective Afghan security force and a stable Afghanistan,' he said in a July 2021 report.

'Closely related to this finding is one of the reports central themes: the pervasiveness of overoptimism.'
Teachers, bus drivers and other school workers in Washington and Oregon have two months to get fully vaccinated or lose their jobs, the governors of the Pacific Northwest states said.

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee said the vaccine mandate will apply to 155,000 educators, leaders and staff at private, public and charter schools statewide. They won't be able use negative tests in lieu of the vaccine.

'This will be a condition of employment,' Inslee said at a press conference Wednesday.

On Thursday, Oregon Gov. Kate Porter followed suit by requiring all teachers, educators, support staff and volunteers in K-12 schools to get vaccinated.

Teachers are the latest to be added to Oregon's growing statewide vaccine mandate  which also includes health care workers and state employees  that requires them to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 18 or six weeks after a COVID-19 vaccine receives full approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, whichever is later.

In Washington, more than 70 percent of 'certificated' school staff - which includes teachers, principals, librarians, and others - are already vaccinated, said Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal.

Gov. Jay Inslee announced a new mask mandate and vaccination requirements for all public, private and charter school staff at a press conference Wednesday

Washington school superintendent Chris Reykdal estimates that 70 percent of 'certificated' staff, which includes teachers, librarians and principals, are already vaccinated

The rest have until October 18 to get two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines or one dose of Johnson & Johnson.

Students are not required to get jabbed.

'We won't gamble with the health of our children, our educators and school staff, nor the health of the communities they serve,' Inslee said.

Inslee warned those who quit their jobs because of the mandate will not be eligible for state help.

'If you leave, the vast majority of people will not be eligible for unemployment compensation either,' Inslee said.

The governor's office said there are limited exceptions for which employees can request a waiver, including legitimate medical reasons and sincerely held religious beliefs.

The mandate won't apply to students, but it will apply to bus drivers and other non-teaching staff. Above, children leave the Thurgood Marshal Elementary school in Seattle in March 2020

Inslee also ordered that everyone in the state wear a mask at restaurants, grocery stores, malls and public-facing offices, regardless of whether they've been jabbed or not.

Washington was the site of the country's first confirmed case of coronavirus on January 21, 2020, when the CDC said that a man who returned from visiting family in Wuhan, China, days earlier was infected with the virus. He eventually recovered.

Brown's increased health and safety measures come as Oregon's health system is clobbered by COVID cases.

On Wednesday there were just 41 intensive care unit beds available in the state. Oregon's hospitalization records have been shattered day after day as the highly transmissible delta variant spreads across the state.

As of Wednesday, 850 coronavirus patients were hospitalized in Oregon  surpassing the state's record, which was set the previous day. Before this month, the hospitalization record was 622 in November, during a winter surge and when vaccines were not yet available.

More than a third of the state's 652 adult ICU beds are being used for COVID-19 patients. Health officials say that the overwhelming majority of hospitalized virus patients are unvaccinated.

For weeks Oregon health officials have warned that COVID-19 cases, fueled by the highly transmissible delta variant, would fill hospitals by September if infection rates didn't slow significantly. Now, a little more than halfway through the month of August, 94% of the state's hospital beds for adults and 93% of ICU beds are full.

On Friday 500 National Guard members will be deployed to serve as equipment runners in the most stricken hospitals and help with testing.

In an attempt keep hospital beds open, health systems across Oregon have opted to postpone elective procedures, nurses and physicians say they are overwhelmed and health officials are desperately urging people to get vaccinated and wear masks.

Republican state leaders in Wasahington immediately condemned Inslee's decision.

GOP Senate Minority Leader John Braun said that, 'No other governor has gone so far to take deeply personal health-care choices away from people and force them to inject something into their bodies,' according to The Seattle Times.

State Rep. Alex Ybarra said vaccinations should be 'a personal health-care choice.'

'It is wrong for the governor to force caring, experienced, and dedicated educators to get a vaccination, or have their jobs, livelihoods, and dreams ripped away from them,' he said.

Cases in Washington continue to rise as the more aggressive Delta variant spreads across the country.

Senate Minority Leader John Braun (left) and Rep. Alex Ybarra, both Republicans, have criticized Inslee's new vaccine mandate for teachers and staff

The state's COVID cases are up seven-fold, according to the state Department of Health. Above, school bus driver Richard Anderson (right) gets the vaccine in Seattle on March 13

On Tuesday, the state reported more than 3,500 new cases of COVID-19, up seven-fold from just 503 two months earlier, on June 17.

The governor's office cited case numbers for the mandate, along with the fact that every county in the state falls within the CDC's designation of 'substantial or high transmission.'

Vaccination in Washington state far outpace the national average.

More than 71 percent of people aged 12 and up have at least one dose, according to the Washington State Department of Health.

Inslee seemed to suggest they are not the problem.

'More than 95 percent of the COVID hospitalizations we see today are among the unvaccinated,' he said.

'And it is heart-rending for us to see losing our neighbors, our co-workers, our students to a preventable disease.'

Washington state's hospitals are filling up, but the culprit isn't COVID patients, it's finding a place to discharge patients who no longer need care.

'The COVID waves have come and gone, but our facilities have stayed full despite that,' said Dr. David Carlson, chief physician officer of MultiCare, according to The Seattle Times.

COVID patients took up 11 percent of the states hospital beds in the week ending August 10, the highest level since January, when it was at 16 percent.

Reykdal, the school superintendent, hinged the state's ability to educate children on protection from COVID.

'Our ability to maintain continued in-person learning without major COVID-related disruptions will depend on low virus transmission within our schools,' Reykdal said.

Last week, California announced a mandate that covers both public and private schools, but allows testing instead of vaccination. Earlier this month, Hawaii required all Department of Education staffers to disclose their vaccination status or face weekly testing.
The man suspected of slashing a bank customer in his head and legs as he tried to deposit a check at a Manhattan ATM has appeared in court.

Wearing a blue jumpsuit, Aaron Garcia, 37, of Yonkers, was arraigned on attempted murder and assault charges in Manhattan Criminal Court on Thursday.

Surveillance footage from the Chase bank shows a man, alleged to be Garcia, approaching Miguel Solorzano, 50, from behind and striking him in the leg with a hatchet.

He then hits him three times in the head as Solorzano tried to fight back.

The footage shows Solorzano eventually scrambling away, at which point Garcia smashed the ATM screens and fled the scene - leaving the hatchet behind.

Photos of the aftermath, obtained by DailyMail.com Thursday, shows Solorzano was left bleeding on the sidewalk until medics were able to bandage his head and transport him to Bellevue Hospital for his injuries.

He has since undergone two surgeries, and is listed in stable condition.

Police arrested Garcia over the attack late Tuesday night, when they allegedly found him smashing car and storefront windows with a hammer.

He underwent psychiatric evaluation at Bellevue Hospital.

His family says he is an Army veteran and has suffered from mental illness since returning from a tour in Iraq in 2009.

Aaron Garcia, 37, appeared in Manhattan Criminal Court wearing a blue jumpsuit on Thursday

He is facing assault and attempted murder charges in connection with an unprovoked attack on a man trying to deposit a check at a Chase Bank ATM in lower Manhattan Sunday

Authorities said on Wednesday that Garcia was already wanted by Yonkers Police, who have an active arrest warrant out on him for a February 15 assault, and four active bench warrants for failure to appear in court.

Garcia had three prior arrests in 2020 stemming from charges of harassment, aggravated harassment, stalking and criminal contempt, Yonkers police said.

A close relative, who asked not to be named, said Garcia had previously served in the Army, and was not the same after his return from deployment to Iraq, the New York Daily News reported.

New York City police arrested Garcia Tuesday night in connection to a Sunday evening hatchet attack caught on video at a bank in lower Manhattan. He is pictured in a previous mugshot.

'He was a little off-center. He was in combat. All he would say is "I saw dead bodies,"' the relative told the outlet.

Surveillance footage of the incident Sunday night shows Solorzano at the ATM at around 5.20 pm, when the suspect - later identified by police as Garcia - pulled out a hatchet from a dark bag and walks up behind him.

Garcia then repeatedly hits Solorzano with the hatchet as the victim desperately tries to defend himself.

Once the assailant is finished attacking Solorzano, he proceeds to smash the ATM screens before walking away, but not before leaving the hatchet and his backpack behind, police said.

He was arrested at around 9.20pm Tuesday in Chelsea, where police said he went on a rampage starting at around 8pm.

As he walked past Elmo's restaurant on 7th Avenue near 20th Street, he allegedly ran into a 54-year-old man, and raised the hammer as if to hit him, but ran off, the New York Daily News reported.

Chelsea cops said Garcia then smashed a window at Rebar Chelsea, a gay bar on 7th Avenue and West 19th Street and a nearby bus stop before he was finally apprehended around the corner, according to the outlet.

Garcia is also suspected of another assault in Lower Manhattan earlier this month, when he allegedly kicked someone on South Street on August 3, around 6.20pm, the New York Post reported.

Earlier that day at around noon, he is alleged to have pointed a knife at a bystander on Pine Street, who had yelled at him for urinating in public.

Authorities wrapped Solorzano's head in bandages as blood dripped down his face following the assault on Sunday night

Solorzano, 50, was transported to Bellevue Hospital, where he is still recovering

City police officers responded to the scene, speaking to Solorzano who sat bleeding on the sidewalk outside of the Chase Bank in lower Manhattan

His mother, Sarah Garcia, 64, said he has been having mental health issues since he returned from Iraq in 2009.

'A few years after he came back, he started showing signs of decline,' she told the New York Post, noting that he received some mental health treatment from a Veterans' Affairs hospital, but it did not help.

'I would bring it up saying, "What is it the doctor told you?" He'd say: "They think they're evaluating me, but I'm evaluating them."'

'You know, pure madness,' she told the Post. 'But he was always articulate that way.'

She said she wanted Aaron to go to college, but 'the recruiters were banging on the doors at his school, and he was one of the ones who was interested.

'We tried to talk him out of it, but he insisted.'

He enlisted in 2002, and after he returned from a tour in Iraq, Sarah said, he started believing there was a looming natural disaster.

'For a while, he was talking about some volcano that was going to erupt in Yellowstone, and he wanted me to pack along with the good people I have around me and go some place safe,' she recounted.

'He was telling me, "Ma, you've got to pack, you've got to go." He was getting agitated. I said, "No boy, you're crazy," and the word "crazy" didn't go well. He skipped out from being around me.'

Sarah claims she has not seen Aaron in about a year, and 'at this stage, I don't know what will become of him.

'I kept praying and praying that he would knock on the door and I would beg him to get help,' she said, adding that Aaron was never 'a street kid. He used to be the guy who'd get some excitement going in the house because we're boring.'

She also said the crime ' doesn't reflect the son that I raised, the person that I knew.'

'I can't say the Army is the reason, but I know that he was having trouble,' she said, telling the Post: 'He was supposed to be on his way to doing good in school, and I was really rooting for him to make the grade and go out and be the man I wanted him to be, but somewhere along the way, he started losing it.

'I wanted to help him, but I couldn't so he's been on his own,' she said. 'And I see now, this is where we are.'

Sarah called the attack Sunday 'tragic,' saying she could not make an excuse for her son. 'No human being would want to see this happen to a dog, much less a human being,' she said. 'I'm truly saddened, and troubled, of course.'

'This cant be true,' another relative told the Daily News. 'If you knew what kind of people we are, you would understand why Im reacting this way.'

'I cant imagine hes gone that far. Nobody told us anything . . . I cant imagine that would be linked to us. I dont understand.'

Video captured the shocking moment Solorazano is slashed with a hatchet while using an ATM at a Chase Bank in downtown Manhattan at 5.30pm Sunday

The attacker - later identified as Aaron Garcia - then suddenly walks up behind Solorzano and begins swinging his weapon in the violent attack

Terrified and bloodied, Solorzano desperately tries to grab the weapon away from his attacker

Eventually, Solorazano, severely bloodied, flees, and his attacker does not follow. Police say they have the charged Garcia with assault and attempted murder in connection to the attack

After Solorzana been driven off, the attacker proceeds to smash the ATM screens one by one before walking away. He was reportedly caught Tuesday night

Solorzano had reportedly just gotten off his shift cooking meals at a luxury getaway on Governor's Island and went to deposit his check at a Chase Bank ATM on Broadway in Manhattan's Financial District when Garcia started swinging a hatchet at him.

'He didn't even rob me,' Solorzano told the New York Daily News in Spanish on Wednesday. 'He took nothing. Nothing. He was crazy.'

He added: 'There were a lot of people in the street. I yelled "Help, help, help!" Another person talked to the police and another doctor came.'

Solorzano said he had noticed Garcia - an Iraq War veteran who has reportedly struggled with mental illness - sitting outside the bank when he entered, but did not pay him any attention.

'I saw him,' he told the Daily News. 'I didn't know, I didn't know.

'I went to put the check in - one check,' he recalled. 'I was going to get more money, but the man hit me.'

'It was so bloody,' Solorzano said. 'He hit me so many times, like this,' he said, as he held up his arms to show how he tried to fight off the attacker.

'There were a lot of people in the street,' he recounted. 'I yelled "Help, help, help!" Another person talked to the police and another doctor came.'

Photos obtained by DailyMail.com of the aftermath of the incident show Solorzano with blood streaming down his face and staining his previously white shirt red.

Authorities on the scene could be seen wrapping his head in bandages and loading him onto a stretcher, as he appears to try to tell police what had happened.

He was rushed to Bellevue Hospital, where he remains after undergoing two surgeries.

Garcia was allegedly seen on surveillance footage stabbing Solorzano. His mother said he had been suffering from mental health issues since he returned from Iraq in 2009

Solorzano has remained at Bellevue Hospital, where he is recovering from his injuries

He said he has been feeling better every day since the incident, but the Daily News reports, he still seemed to be in a great deal of pain, and his friend, Carlos, said he wasn't himself yet.

'He's not OK,' Carlos said. 'He has some problems speaking and hearing.'

'He works a lot,' Carlos added. 'He's very hardworking - doesn't drink, doesn't smoke.'

Solorzano said he moved to the United States from Mexico 12 years ago to earn money for his children's education. He said he speaks to them every day and was looking forward to his wife coming to visit once he was feeling better.

'The wife, she's not well,' Carlos said, adding her response to the news of the attack 'was terrible.'

Chase released a statement on the incident, saying it had assisted with the investigation.

'We shared the video of this senseless attack with police and continue to work with them on their investigation,' a spokeswoman said.

'Weve reached out to our customer and his family, and share their hopes for continued recovery.'

Meanwhile, Democratic Mayoral Candidate Eric Adams, a former police captain, blamed the attack on 'multiple failures in a dysfunctional government'

'Protecting innocent New Yorkers and preventing these incidents  not just reacting to them  must be the immediate goal of law enforcement and our mental health services,' he wrote in a statement on Twitter Wednesday.

Curtis Sliwa, the Republican nominee, also held a news conference Wednesday morning outside the bank. He angrily accused Mayor Bill de Blasio of not being tough enough on crime and failing to address the problem of mental illness.

'He is not dealing with the number one issue today,' Sliwa said, according to the New York Times, 'and that is the explosion of emotionally disturbed persons who roam the streets, the subway, live in the parks, are a danger to themselves, but most importantly, a danger to all.'

Chase Bank also released a statement on the incident, saying it had assisted with the investigation.

'We shared the video of this senseless attack with police and continue to work with them on their investigation,' a spokeswoman said.

'Weve reached out to our customer and his family, and share their hopes for continued recovery.'

The smashed ATMs (pictured) seen in the aftermath of the brutal attack

Chase officials have said they are cooperating with the authorities in the investigation

The attack comes amid a growing crime wave in the Big Apple, with more and more assaults happening in broad daylight.

On Friday, an aspiring actor who once appeared as an extra on Law & Order was shot dead in a Bronx deli.

Jayquan Lewis, 21, was standing at the cashier counter at BH gourmet Deli in Fordham at 4pm when another man collapsed to the floor, in a 14-second clip published by the New York Post.

Another person standing next to Lewis at the counter on his phone is seen fleeing out of frame.

After fatally shooting Lewis the gunman appears to casually walk out of the deli.

Lewis was shot three times in the chest, three times in the arm and one time in the stomach. He was pronounced dead at St Barnabas Hospital.

Police are still looking for the killer, whose motive is unknown.

And just one week before, two people died with one victim severely injured in two separate but 'likely connected' shootings in Brooklyn.

Crime rates throughout New York City have been increasing over last year

The gunman shot three men sitting in a car that the NYPD said was damaged in a car accident on August 8 around 12.30am, and then opened fire at a party of 100 to 150 people at an event space down the block.

Two of the men in the car died - Bronx resident Nicholas Palmer and Queens resident Novada Bailey, both 36. A third unidentified man was critically injured.

At least two other people were also shot and injured during the incident, with one person rushed to the hospital and another driving himself to a hospital about 24 miles away in Westchester County.

According to NYPD data, felony assaults are up 5.3 percent from last year, as of August 15, with misdemeanor assaults up 2.1 percent.

Murders have also increased, from 275 reported during the same time frame in 2020 to 277 reported thus far in 2021.

There have also been 10.7 percent more shooting incidents, with 7 percent more victims.

And grand larcenies have also increased 1.6 percent, with grand larcenies from automobiles skyrocketing 20.2 percent.

Rapes have increased 8.6 percent and hate crimes have nearly doubled.

Despite these staggering statistics, Mayor Bill de Blasio proudly proclaimed that the 'Safe Summer' program has been effective and said in July the NYPD curved violent crime

Despite these staggering statistics, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced earlier this month that his 'Safe Summer' program has driven down murder and gun attacks in the city.

The mayor debuted the Safe Summer program in April as a way to end gun violence by creating disincentives for young people looking to turn to guns by offering them positive alternatives.

At a press briefing on August 5, de Blasio proudly proclaimed that the program has been effective and said in the month of July the NYPD saw 'extraordinary successes' to curve violent crime.

Listing statistics from July, de Blasio noted that the NYPD made 383 gun arrests in July alone, up 133.5 percent compared to last July, the mayor said, while gun arrests in general have gone up 44.5 percent in 2021.

According to the mayor, the summer month of July is usually one of the most violent in the city but the NYPD 'rose to the challenge' and was able to suppress gun violence and executed an impressive number of gang takedowns.

'The gang takedowns mean taking a lot of bad guys off of the streets and at the same time a lot of shooters off the streets, this is crucial,' de Blasio noted.

Overall since the safe summer program was launched in May, murders have gone down 26 percent, shootings decreased 10 percent and shooting victims are down 11 percent.

'There is more to do,' he said, 'but the NYPD is moving and making an impact.'
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Yanez and his partner, 29-year-old Ella French, (pictured) were shot in the West Englewood neighborhood on August 7

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who police turned their backs on after she reportedly forcing her way into the hospital where slain cop Ella French's family was grieving, joined thousands of uniformed officers at French's funeral Thursday.

The embattled mayor attended St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel, where police from all over the state gathered to mourn the loss of a fellow officer and support French's mom and brother.

Lightfoot didn't speak during the funeral but expressed her condolences on Twitter. She wrote: 'The City of Chicago mourns the loss of one of our finest. My heart hurts for the family, friends and colleagues of Officer Ella French, as we lay her to rest today. May the memories of how she lived carry her loved ones during this difficult time.'

Lightfoot took a seat a few rows in front of French's heartbroken mother Elizabeth French who rose to address the sea of officers there to pay tribute to her slain daughter.

'I'm a mom of two, but I'm here with half my heart,' Elizabeth French, wearing a white blouse, said during the eulogy, which received a standing ovation.

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Elizabeth French, in white, and her son Andrew, left, follow the casket of her daughter, Chicago police officer Ella French, after a funeral service at the St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel. French was killed and her partner was seriously wounded during a traffic stop on the city's South Side

Elizabeth French, center, and her son Andrew, left, and other family members wait for the arrival of the body of her daughter, Chicago police officer Ella French, who was killed and her partner was seriously wounded during an August 7 traffic stop on the city's South Side

Chicago police officers salute during the playing of Taps after the funeral service for fellow officer Ella French at the St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel. French was killed and her partner was seriously wounded during an August 7 traffic stop on the city's South Side

Officer Ella French's mom Elizabeth - flanked by Ella's first partner Joshua Blas (left) and last partner's father Carlos Yanez Sr., a former Chicago cop who took his son's place while he recovers in the hospital - gave an emotional eulogy to a standing ovation

Elizabeth, Yanez Sr. and Blas hug each each after delivering tear-jerking eulogies

Elizabeth French (center in white) and her son Andrew (left) follow the casket Ella's casket after the funeral service

A photograph of fallen Chicago police Officer Ella French is held at the funeral mass for French in St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel on Thursday

Elizabeth French, in white, and her son Andrew, left, watch as the body of her daughter, Chicago police officer Ella French, arrives at the St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel for a funeral service Thursday

Hundreds of policemen from various departments attended the funeral for Chicago Police Officer Ella French

Chicago Police officers salute as they attend the funeral for Ella French

Lightfoot, who less than a week earlier referred to Ella French as 'Ella Franks,' has been sparring with Chicago PD for months as the number of homicides and rampant gun violence continue to soar.

Data from August showed murders in the city were nearly the same as the number reported last year, but shootings increased by 15 percent and the number of people shot in the city rose by nearly 10 percent year-over-year.

Her soft-on-crime policies that prohibit cops from drawing their weapons and chasing suspects have been blamed for the crime spike and for turning French and her partner 'into sitting ducks' when gunfire erupted during an August 7 traffic stop.

French was killed during the shooting, and her partner Carlos Yanez Jr. was left partially paralyzed with two bullets still lodged in his brain.

Evidence from prosecutors showed both French and Yanez Jr. did not draw their weapons before they were shot.

Two brothers were arrested in the cold-blooded shooting.

Emonte Morgan was charged with first-degree murder of a police officer, two counts of attempted first-degree murder, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, and unlawful use of a weapon by a felon.

Eric Morgan was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful use of a weapon by a felon and obstruction of justice.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Chicago police officers appear to stare each other down outside of slain officer Ella French's funeral at St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel

This has been the mayor's only public statement since the funeral. She declined to talk to reporters before or after

Police supporters and Lightfoot critics ripped the Chicago mayor for not supporting police and sparring with the police department while the city's crime rate surges

After the shooting, Lightfoot reportedly forced her way into the hospital where officers and French's family were. Cops reportedly turned their backs on her in protest.

In a press conference the next day, she was asked about the incident and denied the claim that she forced her way in while blasting journalists for the 'offensive' questions.

Lightfoot also took heat for not allowing the honor guard to play the bagpipes in a procession that would take French's body from the hospital to the morgue, a police tradition all over the country.

She said the the police who wanted to perform the honor guard were 'hijacking' the night and depriving French's family of a crucial window of time to see her body before the autopsy was carried o

'There was no official honor guard that night', Lightfoot said.

'There was  let me choose my words carefully  well-meaning but not a well-organized group that wanted to hijack the procession, which would have meant that the family would have been delayed exponentially in getting to the morgue.

'And again, given the new restrictions that the new coroner has put in place, that wouldn't have been fair to them and they may have lost an important window of time.'

Chicago police union boss John Catanzara told Fox News that Lightfoot had to shoulder some of the blame for French's death.

Months before this incident - at the end of May - Catanzara announced a vote of no confidence in the mayor, which she responded to by saying, she'll 'proudly wear the no-confidence vote as a badge of honor.'

The relationship has only eroded from there.

Her tweet and presence fired up police supporters and Lightfoot critics, who ripped her in hundreds of tweets venting their disgust and rage when they saw her enter St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel.

Chicago Alderman Raymond Lopez, who serves on the public safety committee among other responsibilities, tweeted a picture of Lightfoot walking into the church.

'Our brave men and women still saw you. They didnt disrespect you but certainly could have lived this moment without you. A person of integrity knows when its appropriate to show up or when its best to stay home. #NeverForget #EllaFrench,' he tweeted.

Stu Bishop, a Lawrence, Indiana police officer who gained fame during the cable show 'Live PD' and has over 48,000 followers, retweeted Alderman Lopez's tweet saying, '.@chicagosmayor you had no business showing up to this heros service! After your continued lack of respect for that department and police in general, a fallen officers funeral is the last place you should show up! #StayAway.'

Wicho_Solis tweeted at Lightfoot and said, 'You have some f*****g nerve showing up at officer Ella French's Memorial Service. You are a complete disgrace.'

'Mark T' on Twitter said, 'Mayor @lorilightfoot should be recalled for the total lack of competence. This is what happens when you don't support our people in blue.'

Under the tweet he posted an aerial view of saluting officers and French's casket being loaded into a hearse.

Former Chicago mayor Richard M. Daley (left) and Mayor Lori Lightfoot (right) leave the funeral service for Chicago police officer Ella French at the St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel on August 19

The casket of Chicago Police Officer Ella French is brought through the vestibule before the funeral service for French on August 19

Eric Morgan (left) and Emonte 'Monty' Morgan were said to have been driving with expired license plates, prompting police to pull them over

Stu Bishop, an Indiana police officer with a large social media following because of his role in the reality show 'Live PD,' retweeted the Chicago politician's tweet with his own harsh words of '#StayAway'

People took to Twitter to vent their frustration and anger that Lightfoot attended French's funeral
An Alabama doctor who says he's tired of watching people die from coronavirus and is now refusing to treat patients who haven't been vaccinated.

Dr. Jason Valentine, who has practiced medicine at the Diagnostic and Medical Clinic Infirmary Health in Mobile since 2008, posted a photo on Facebook this week where he points to a sign taped to a door informing patients of his new policy coming, set to begin October 1.

The statement, made in a Facebook post that has since been made private but grabbed by the Washington Post and AL.com, has drawn praise and outrage from some online.

'Dr. Valentine will no longer see patients that are not vaccinated against Covid-19,' the post reads.

'If they asked why, I told them covid is a miserable way to die and I cant watch them die like that,' he writes.

Dr. Jason Valentine , who has practiced medicine at the Diagnostic and Medical Clinic Infirmary Health in Mobile since 2008, posted a photo on Facebook this week where he points to a sign taped to a door informing patients of his new policy coming, set to begin October 1

The statement, made in a Facebook post that has since been made private but grabbed by the Washington Post and AL.com , has drawn praise and outrage from some online

He adds that there are 'no conspiracy theories, no excuses' stopping people from being vaccinated and that three unvaccinated patients have asked him where they could get a vaccine since he posted the photo but added that he understands if patients wish to no longer see him.

'I cannot and will not force anyone to take the vaccine, but I also cannot continue to watch my patients suffer and die from an eminently preventable disease,' Valentine said

'I cannot and will not force anyone to take the vaccine, but I also cannot continue to watch my patients suffer and die from an eminently preventable disease,' he finished.

Celebrities like actress Mia Farrow and Big Bang Theory creator Bill Prady were among those who shared the story approvingly on Twitter.

However, Health Freedom Alabama, a conservative group with over 1,600 followers that claims to defend citizens against having their medical choices taken away, called Valentine's decision 'insanity' in a Facebook post of their own.

'This is not only a flagrant disregard for the law but is an ethical violation of his Hippocratic oath to do no harm. SHAME on Dr. Valentine! We need to shut his illegal behavior down - NOW!'

Health Freedom Alabama , a conservative group with over 1,600 followers that claims to defend citizens against having their medical choices taken away, called Valentine's decision 'insanity' in a Facebook post

They cited a law that prohibits a business from refusing goods or services base on immunization status.

According to the state's health department, 1,674,411 Alabamians have been fully vaccinated, with just over 2.1 million receiving at least one shot. The state's population is just over 4 million people.

As of Thursday, 649,741 people in the state have tested positive for the virus and while there has been a significant recent uptick due to the delta variant, cases have been down for the past few days.

According to the state's health department , 1,674,411 Alabamians have been fully vaccinated, with just over 2.1 million receiving at least one shot

In 2021, 4,736 people in the state have been confirmed dead from the virus and a total of 11,914 since the pandemic began in March 2020.

Alabama is about to hit a record number of COVID hospitalizations, according to AL.com, with a reported 2,723 people in state hospitals as of Tuesday afternoon. Thats just shy of the record of 3,084 virus patients set on January 11.

Alabama's Republican Governor Kay Ivey has said that 'it's time to start blaming' the unvaccinated' for the continued spread of the virus.

'It's the unvaccinated folks that are letting us down,' she added.

Much like in other states, benefits have been offered to those in Alabama willing to get vaccinated, including a car dealer who offered $100,000 in prizes; the University of South Alabama, Dr. Valentine's alma mater, has offered $25 in on campus cash and a premium parking prize; and several local businesses are offering cash for employees.

This comes as the effort to increase vaccinations in America continues, in addition to the encouragement for some to get a third shot of the vaccine.

Much like in other states, benefits have been offered to those in Alabama willing to get vaccinated, including a car dealer who offered $100,000 in prizes

As of Thursday, 649,741 people in Alabama have tested positive for the virus of the over 37 million nationwide and while there has been a significant recent uptick due to the Indian 'Delta' variant, cases have been down in the state for the past few days.

In 2021, 4,736 people in Alabama have been confirmed dead from the virus and a total of 11,914 since the pandemic began in March 2020. In the US, more than 624,000 people have been died COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic

U.S. health officials Wednesday announced plans to dispense booster shots to all Americans to shore up their protection amid the surging delta variant and signs that the vaccines effectiveness is slipping.

President Joe Biden has recently put various public employees under vaccine mandates.

In the past three weeks, Biden has put federal workers, military members and nurses to vaccinated or face new requirements.

Biden has also praised businesses who mandate vaccines for their own workers and encouraged others to follow, as well as highlighting local vaccine mandates as a condition for daily activities, like indoor dining.
Russian President Vladimir Putin scoffed at President Biden's plans to establish a military presence in Central Asian countries that neighbor Afghanistan during their June summit, according to a new report.

Russia's objections, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, complicate the Biden administration's plans to establish a counter-terrorism network of drone and surveillance capabilities in countries that border land-locked Afghanistan.

With the swift fall of Kabul to the Taliban, Biden admitted Wednesday that al-Qaeda could reestablish a dominant presence in Afghanistan even sooner than what intelligence had initially predicted, 18 months.

Putin told Biden at their Geneva meeting that China would reject a US military presence in the Central Asian region as well, according to US and Russian officials.

'We do not see how any form of U.S. military presence in Central Asia might enhance the security of the countries involved and/or of their neighbors. It would definitely NOT be in the interests of Russia,' Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told the Journal. 'This position has not changed against the backdrop of what is transpiring in Afghanistan these days.'

Biden was criticized at the time for meeting with Putin at the time of a deeply strained relationship between the US and Russia, after a spate of cyber attacks. Putin was the first adversary to sit down with the US president in international territory.

President Biden was criticized for his June summit with Vladimir Putin, right, at the time of a deeply strained relationship between the US and Russia, after a spate of cyber attacks

Putin was the first adversary to sit down with the US president in international territory

Their opposition confirms suspicions that the two nations are looking to flex their muscle over the Middle East.

The US' withdrawal from Afghanistan could give fresh opportunity to do just that. Amid the violent coup that left the US scrambling to evacuate Afghanistan this week and last, China and Russia kept their embassy doors open.

Without access to Afghanistan's neighbors - Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan or Tajikistan - the US would be forced to operate out of bases in Qatar, other Arab Gulf states and Navy aircraft carriers in the Indian Ocean to launch aircraft toward Afghanistan

One former senior military official said that drones could spend up to 60% of their mission flying to and from Afghanistan, limiting time for reconnaissance or carrying out strikes over the country.

The US had bases in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan in the early 2000s, the early days of the Afghanistan intervention, but phased out operations there as the relationship with Russia soured and both Russia and China pressured those countries to stop working with the US military.

In July, the White House sent Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall, Homeland Security Advisor, to Uzbekistan to discuss counterterrorism. At the same time, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met in Washington with Uzbekistan Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov and Tajikistan Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin.

While Russia has considerable sway in the region, former US officials say that favor from the US still matters to countries there.

'Moscow has some leverage, but the leverage is not absolute, ' said Paul Goble, a former State Department expert on Eurasia. 'If you ask me, would Tashkent like to cooperate with the United States, the answer is "yes." Would Moscow like the United States and Tashkent to be cooperative, the answer I think is "no."'
The deposition of Harry Dunn's alleged killer has been postponed just days before it was due to take place.

In a statement released on Thursday, the spokesman for the teenager's family said the decision had been reached by 'mutual agreement' but could not comment any further.

Anne Sacoolas, 43, and her husband Jonathan were due to give evidence under oath on Tuesday and Wednesday as part of a civil claim for damages brought by the Dunn family in the US state of Virginia.

Harry was killed when a car crashed into his motorbike outside US military base RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire on August 27, 2019

Sacoolas had diplomatic immunity asserted on her behalf following a road crash which killed Harry outside RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire on August 27, 2019.

She was charged with causing death by dangerous driving but an extradition request submitted by the Home Office was rejected by the US State Department in January last year.

Issuing a short statement about the postponement, the Dunn family's spokesman Radd Seiger told the PA news agency: 'By mutual agreement, the depositions of Mr and Mrs Sacoolas scheduled for next Tuesday and Wednesday have been postponed.

'The family accordingly are now remaining in the UK and in the meantime they are once again focusing their attention on securing justice in the criminal case.

'We are unable to go into any further detail at this time.'

Anne Sacoolas, 43, and her husband Jonathan were due to give evidence under oath on Tuesday and Wednesday

It comes after Harry's parents said they were preparing for 'the most difficult day of their lives' as they come face to face with their son's alleged killer at the now delayed deposition.

Mrs Charles says she and Harry's father will 'walk into the room with our heads held high' before Sacoolas is cross-examined under oath.

She told The Mirror: 'As hard as it's going to be for us she will need a lot more courage. I will be looking her in the eyes.

'It's not going to be easy but I want to hear what happened to Harry from her mouth  not second or third hand. I need to hear the truth, the whole story of that evening.

'What happened and why did she come to be on that road?

'It's going to be the hardest thing I have done since driving away from the hospital the night Harry died. But I will face it full-on.'

Sacoolas had diplomatic immunity asserted on her behalf following a road crash which killed Harry outside RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire on August 27, 2019

Mrs Charles and Mr Dunn said the deposition by their son's alleged killer is their 'chance to hear from her in detail about the crash', adding: 'It is important for our mental health to have the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle put together.'

They travelled to the US just over a month ago for their own depositions and described the process as 'arduous and difficult', but said giving evidence helped them to 'stand up and speak for him as he cannot speak for himself now'.

Speaking ahead of Sacoolas's deposition, Mrs Charles said: 'It's almost two years since we lost Harry, and to this day we still do not know the full extent of what happened to him.

'We were told by the police in the weeks after Harry died that we had less than 1 per cent chance of having anyone held accountable for his loss. That was not nor ever will be acceptable to us.'

The depositions are part of the 'discovery' process in the Dunn family's damages claim, in which correspondence and documentation relevant to the case will be handed over ahead of a trial at the end of the year.

Mrs Charles (pictured) says she and Harry's father will 'walk into the room with our heads held high' before Sacoolas is cross-examined under oath

The damages claim, brought against Sacoolas and her husband Jonathan, has unearthed a great deal of previously unheard material, such as the State Department roles held by the couple at the time of the crash.

Alexandria District Court in the US state of Virginia heard the pair's work in intelligence was a 'factor' in their departure from the UK, as they left for 'security reasons'.

Mrs Charles continued: 'Our lawyers in Washington have told us that the deposition of Mrs Sacoolas is our chance to hear from her in detail about the crash and it is important for our mental health to have the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle put together.

'Without that, our minds swirl around with uncertainty every day and I cannot put the image of Harry lying in the ditch by the side of the road dying out of my mind.

'We know it's going to be the most difficult day of our lives other than having to leave Harry after he died in hospital, but we are determined to see this through and we are ready for it.'

Harry's father said the deposition was an opportunity to 'get our answers'.

Mr Dunn said: 'We are really grateful to Judge Ellis for allowing us to bring the civil claim against Mrs Sacoolas in the US, where she decided to base herself after leaving the UK.

'As a family, we all felt it was important to do and we followed legal advice.

'Having to travel to the US, particularly in the middle of a pandemic which appears to be hitting the US harder than ever at the moment, is not easy.

'But this is about Harry and our rights as human beings, and nothing will keep us away from doing what we have to do to get to the bottom of things and secure our rights.

'I don't care how hard this will be. Charlotte and I will sit in the same room with Mrs Sacoolas and get our answers.'
More than half of the entire US Senate is calling on President Joe Biden to 'immediately evacuate' thousands of Afghan nationals who applied for Special Immigrant Visas (SIV) because of the 'increased danger at the hands of the Taliban' after they took over Afghanistan.

A group of 55 senators signed onto a letter to the president Thursday urging the 'immediate and full implementation' of legislation recently passed by Congress aimed at widening the path for Afghans who worked with US entities to flee the country.

'The Taliban's rapid ascendancy across Afghanistan and takeover of Kabul should not cause is to break our promise to the Afghans,' lawmakers write.

'American inaction would ensure they become refugees or prime targets for Taliban retribution.'

The bipartisan letter is spearheaded by Democrat Senator Jeanne Shaheen and Republican Senator Joni Ernst.

The letter, spearheaded by Senators Joni Ernst and Jeanne Shaheen, has 55 bipartisan signatures that also include Lindsey Graham and Raphael Warnock

Others who have signed on include Sens Mitt Romney, Tammy Duckworth, Raphael Warnock, Susan Collins, Lindsey Graham, Cory Booker, Joe Manchin, Elizabeth Warren, John Cornyn, Dianne Feinstein and Bernie Sanders.

Measures expanding the number of SIVs available and lowering requirements for who can apply passed both houses of Congress in late July.

At the time the Taliban was steadily gaining ground as the US military presence was winding down for Biden's August 31st deadline for a full withdrawal. However the Taliban took Kabul on Sunday, surprising US intelligence and sending American and NATO forces into a hasty and chaotic withdrawal.

The Taliban's lightning offensive spanned roughly a week after 20 years of US occupation and $83 billion spent.

'At every step of the way, our mission was supported by Afghans who fought alongside us for a better future for their country,' the letter states.

'With the departure of US forces and Taliban rule in place, the safety and security of our Afghan allies who put their lives on the line to help our service members and diplomats must be a top priority.'

The senators credit Biden for evacuating 2,000 Afghans under Operation Allies Refuge but urge him to do more amid the worsening situation

Since 2014 the US allocated 34,500 special immigrant visas, including the 8,000 recent authorized by Congress.

There were 18,000 Afghan translators and 53,000 family members in the visa backlog earlier this year, according to the Migration Policy Institute. The application process takes roughly two years.

More than 300 interpreters and their families have been killed since 2001, according to No One Left Behind, and recent reports out of parts of Afghanistan reflect brutal treatment for some identified as having worked with the US.

The State Department approved less than 2,000 SIVs in fiscal year 2020, down from roughly 9,700 the year before.

The letter lauds Biden for launching Operation Allies Refuge, which brought 2,000 Afghans including translators and their families to the US last month.

Afghan people sit inside a US military aircraft to leave Afghanistan, at the military airport in Kabul on August 19th

Afghans wait to board a US military evacuation flight. The bipartisan letter to Biden urges him to concentrate Defense and State Department efforts to coordinate flights out of Kabul

However the senators are asking him to go further, namely on coordinating efforts between the Defense and State Departments to ramp up evacuations with existing military flights and the resumption of commercial and charter flights as well.

They also ask Biden to consider Afghans who had to flee under such dire circumstances that they left crucial documents behind.

'We also urge your Administration to assist with the passage of individuals to the airport to safety,' the lawmakers state.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Wednesday that US troops won't leave the airport to go get American citizens or others trapped elsewhere, stating the military doesn't have the 'capability to go out and collect up large numbers of people.'

The situation outside of Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul has been rapidly deteriorating.

The last NATO stronghold in the country, Taliban leaders promised the international community they would allow safe passage for anyone trying to flee.

Taliban patrol as nation celebrate the 102nd Independence Day in Kandahar, Afghanistan on August 19th

A group of Taliban fighters patrols in Kandahar as the US and NATO scramble to evacuate their forces

But fighters guarding the streets around the airport have been reportedly turning westerners away in some cases and used violence to disperse Afghan civilians attempting to get in.

Suggestions to speed up the process from the bipartisan lawmakers include updating 'internal and external guidance' to reduce the employment requirement from two years with US entities to just one.

They also call on the administration to bypass the application's federally mandated medical exam, allow a straightforward appeal process for denied applicants and prioritize applications based on date.

Bearing in mind that many Afghans in a critical situation won't have access to legal aid to navigate the extensive application, the senators ask that all changes that impact visa applicants 'must be communicated directly' to them.

'Anything short of full implementation results in grave security implications,' the senators warn. 'You have the strong support of both chambers of Congress to ensure that no additional Afghan lives are needlessly lost.'
State Department spokesman Ned Price said the U.S. was aware of 'congestion' at the airport in Kabul amid the push to evacuate Americans and allied Afghans, as resisted pressure to account for the precise number of evacuees.

'We are aware of congestion around the airport,' Price said at the top of his briefing on the Afghanistan crisis on Thursday, a day after media reports of Taliban guarding military checkpoints using whips and firing in the air to maintain order.

Price also provided new data on the number of people State says are ready for evacuation  but would not provide a breakdown on how many of them are Americans.

State Department spokesman Ned Price referenced 'congestion' at the airport in Kabul during his press briefing Thursday

He said 6,000 people were at the airport and ready to board up to 20 flight heading out of Kabul per day.

'Since Aug. 14 weve airlifted 7,000 total evacuees. I can also confirm there are 6,000 people at the airport who have been fully processed by our consular team and will soon board planes,' he said.

The Pentagon has cited a capability of moving 5,000-9,000 people out per day, but indicated it will time to ramp up operations.

Afghan people queue up to board a U S military aircraft to leave Afghanistan, at the military airport in Kabul on August 19, 2021 after Taliban's military takeover of Afghanistan

Price said there were about 6,000 people awaiting flights at the airport

A Royal Air Force Airbus A400M Atlas military cargo aircraft, carrying evacuees from Afghanistan, departs from Al-Maktoum International Airport in the United Arab Emirates on August 19, 2021. Britain's operation to evacuate its nationals and protected individuals stepped up on August 19, with planes landing in Dubai before passengers travel on to the UK

'At this point, I'm not in a position to break that down much further,' Price said when asked how many of the 7,000 were Afghans with special immigrant visas or other documents.

Price said the group consists of American citizens, local Afghan staff, and third-country nationals, as well as 'vulnerable Afghans.'

'So right now, I'm not in a position to break that down further,' he added.

Price said didn't have 'access' on the real-time data on the 6,000 people at the airport.

He said the government had seen reports of people having difficulty reaching the airport, and said it was something 'we take very seriously.'

'No country has more capability inside Afghanistan than the United States,' said Price, although British and other special forces have been evacuating some of their citizens who were unable to reach the airport

'At this time, our main mission continues to be to secure HKIA, to allow those American citizens and other SIVs to come in and be processed at the airfield,' said Maj. Gen. Hank Taylor,

Price also fended off a question why the military couldn't move operations outside the airport to extract people who needed to leave the country.

'No country has more capability inside Afghanistan than the United States,' said Price.

The Pentagon was pressed Thursday on the same topic.

"General Taylor, British paratroopers are leaving the airport, going into Kabul to rescue and evacuate some of their citizens who are trapped [and] can't get to the airport because of the Taliban. Why isn't the U.S. doing that?' asked Fox News correspondent Jennifer Griffin at a Pentagon briefing.

'At this time, our main mission continues to be to secure HKIA, to allow those American citizens and other SIVs to come in and be processed at the airfield,' responded Maj. Gen. Hank Taylor,

He said the U.S. 'focus was on securing Hamid Karzai International Airport (HKIA).'
Around 40 migrants are feared dead after rescuers recovered a lone woman clinging to an overturned dinghy off the Canary Islands, Spain's Coastguard said Thursday.

The 30-year-old woman, who was found lying next to two bodies, was reported to be 'in a bad state', a coastguard spokesman said.

She told her rescuers she had begun the crossing from the African continent with 'about 40 people'.

The woman, who was suffering from severe dehydration, was airlifted to hospital in Las Palmas on the island of Gran Canaria.

The people beside the woman are believed to have died of dehydration, while the dinghy was carrying around 40 more migrants when it overturned and they are believed to have drowned.

The woman, who was suffering from severe dehydration, was airlifted to hospital in Las Palmas on the island of Gran Canaria

The coastguard had been alerted by another boat which had spotted the woman about 250 kilometres from the Spanish archipelago off the northwest coast of Africa.

The two bodies found next to her on the overturned boat were also recovered and brought ashore, the spokesman said.

Weather conditions were reported to be bad at the time. It was not immediately clear where the boat had embarked from.

Last year, more than 23,000 migrants reached the Canary Islands, eight times more than the previous year, according to the Spanish Interior Ministry.

In the first seven months of 2021, 7,531 migrants have arrived in the Canaries, more than twice as many as in the same period in 2020.

The coastguard had been alerted by another boat which had spotted the woman about 250 kilometres from the Spanish archipelago off the northwest coast of Africa

According to the International Organisation for Migration, 850 migrants died or disappeared on the route to the Canary Islands in 2020.

Arrivals of migrants in the Canaries, after a perilous crossing from North Africa, have increased dramatically since late 2019 after checks on Mediterranean routes were tightened.

The Spanish NGO Caminando Fronteras says at least 1,851 people lost their lives last year while attempting the crossing.

In April, 17 migrants were found dead in a boat drifting off the coast of Tenerife with three survivors airlifted to hospital.

The victims - all sub-Saharan Africans - were found drifting off El Hierro in Spain's Canary Islands, officials confirmed.

Seventeen migrants have been found dead in a boat drifting off the coast of Tenerife with three survivors airlifted to hospital. A Spanish military helicopter (pictured) airlifted three survivors - two men and a woman - to a hospital on the island of Tenerife

A Spanish military helicopter airlifted three survivors - two men and a woman - to a hospital on the island of Tenerife.

One of the men was in serious condition with 'severe dehydration'.

It comes as migrant arrivals to the archipelago surge despite the deadly dangers of the crossing.

A Spanish air force plane first spotted the boat some 265 nautical miles southeast of El Hierro.

It comes as migrant arrivals to the archipelago surge despite the deadly dangers of the crossing. Pictured: Migrants rescued in Gran Canaria in April

In the same month, four people were found dead in a makeshift boat that was found south of El Hierro, with 23 migrants on board.

At its shortest, the sea crossing to the Atlantic islands from the Moroccan coast is around 60 miles.

But it is a notoriously dangerous route because of strong currents. Vessels are also typically overcrowded and in poor condition.
A mass booster jab campaign for the over-50s is now unlikely to begin next month, it emerged yesterday.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said vulnerable adults with suppressed immune systems will still receive third doses.

But officials are dithering over a broader booster programme for all over-50s.

Earlier in the summer, the Government drew up plans for the NHS to re-vaccinate 32million people from September 6.

The Joint Committee of Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), which advises the Government, met yesterday to review evidence on booster jabs but failed to come to a decision. Sources stressed that 'nothing is off the table' and their recommendation could take weeks.

Mr Javid said last night: 'We are going to have a booster scheme, it will start sometime in September.

'I couldn't tell you exactly when because before we start it, as people would expect, we need to get the final advice from our group of experts, our independent scientific and medical advisers  the JCVI.'

He added: I'm confident that we can start in September when we will start with the most vulnerable cohorts.'

It comes as Britain's daily Covid cases hit their highest level for a month as hospitalisations and deaths continue to tick upwards, official figures revealed on Thursday.

Department of Health bosses posted another 36,572 positive tests  up 10.6 per cent on last week's figure. It was the biggest 24-hour count since July 22 (39,906).

Meanwhile, both hospitalisations and deaths  which lag several weeks behind cases because of how long it can take for infected patients to become severely ill  are still creping upwards.

Some 113 victims were added to the Government's official death toll today, up by a fifth on last Thursday. And 804 patients were admitted to hospital on August 15, the most recent day figures are available for  up 9 per cent on the previous Sunday.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said vulnerable adults with suppressed immune systems will still receive third doses

The roll-out is estimated to have averted between 91,700 and 98,700 deaths, according to the latest estimates from PHE and Cambridge University modellers

The NHS had been instructed to administer top-up doses at the same time as the flu jab, with one shot given in each arm.

The boosters will almost certainly be offered to the 3.7million Britons classified as 'clinically extremely vulnerable', with diseases such as cancer.

Older adults could also be offered third injections, as evidence shows their immunity wanes more quickly than younger adults. However, experts on the JCVI want more time to review evidence before deciding if a mass programme is necessary.

They are also uncertain on 'mixing and matching' jabs  offering a different vaccine to the first two doses.

Professor Adam Finn, who sits on the JCVI, said experts were 'trying to identify the people who are really at risk and really need that third dose'.

He told the BBC yesterday that it was unclear if a third dose would make much difference to other groups.

The JCVI has previously been criticised for deciding against vaccinating teenagers before making a U-turn, putting the UK behind many nations.

There were nearly 44,000 new daily symptomatic cases of the virus in the UK on average by August 14, King's College London estimates, which was down about 5 per cent on the previous week

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium hosted its third mass COVID-19 vaccination clinic today, in partnership with the NHS and Haringey Council

The US and Israel have already announced booster schemes in a bid to halt the spread of the Delta variant.

Yesterday, US President Joe Biden said he and his wife will get third jabs after American health officials said it was 'very clear' that protection wanes over time. An Oxford University study of 700,000 Britons published online yesterday came to the same conclusion.

Results showed that two weeks after the second Pfizer dose, people are 85 per cent protected against infection, but this falls to 75 per cent after three months.

Protection from the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab fell from 68 per cent to 61 per cent.

Meanwhile, data from the Office for National Statistics yesterday showed that antibody levels may be dropping among older groups, who were the first to be vaccinated.

But any booster programme will remain controversial while poorer countries struggle to get their hands on first doses.

Dr Michael Ryan of the World Health Organisation said: 'We're planning to hand out extra life jackets to people who already have life jackets, while we're leaving other people to drown without a single life jacket.'

From Israeli scientist on front line of new surge: Don't make our costly mistake, Britain

Commentary by Professor Eran Segal

There is no question that Israel  the country that led the way with a Covid vaccine roll out for its nine million population  is now experiencing a fourth wave of infections.

And, as is the case in several other countries such as France and Iran, it is deadlier than anyone predicted.

We are seeing the effectiveness of the double Pfizer/BioNTech jab  the vaccine most widely used in my country  waning six months after the second jabs were administered.

That fact, and the spread of the much more infectious Delta variant, is the reason for a sharp rise in infections and hospitalisations especially among the elderly and vulnerable.

Israel is responding with a vigorous programme of booster jabs and I believe our experience may have several implications for Britain and other countries.

My message is two-fold. Firstly, countries must redouble their efforts to persuade vaccine-refuseniks to get their inoculations. Secondly, a policy of booster jabs must be considered for the elderly and those with underlying health conditions. It would be wise to act now to prevent a deadly wave in the UK.

Many scientists and clinicians in Israel were calling for renewed public efforts to persuade the 'vaccine-resistant' in the population to have the jab weeks ago. This could have prevented our fourth wave but unfortunately it did not happen.

Now infection rates are rapidly climbing towards the peak last seen in January. At the worst point of the third wave, we were seeing up to 10,000 new cases a day. On Monday there were nearly 9,000. Tragically, that is causing an increasing number of deaths.

Just a few months ago, we were cautiously hopeful that our stringent policy of vaccination was going to beat the virus. But now we are seeing that the combination of a highly transmittable variant, reduced vaccine effectiveness and the 15 per cent of those eligible for the vaccine who remain unvaccinated has changed the course of the pandemic.

We're only just waking up to these consequences in Israel where, as the first country in the world to vaccinate most of our population, we are also the first to see the impact of the waning effect. Other nations have to take notice and act now.

There's another unknown in the mix. When we began vaccinating, the Delta variant had not yet surfaced.

Other variants are constantly evolving around the world. What we have yet to find out is whether there will be even more aggressive new variants. That's the bad news. But the situation is far from hopeless. After a slow start, Israel's booster jab programme is now operating at maximum capacity. Within two weeks, all the over-60s and over-50s will have been offered the booster.

I'm cautiously hopeful by the time you read this, almost all the over-40s will have been be offered it too.

However, this is not a clinical trial under controlled conditions. It is happening in the real world which means there could be many other factors at play.

Even so, there is growing confidence that the boosters are already having a positive effect. Some commentators are worrying that we will be locked into a cycle of top-up jabs for years to come but that might not be the case: it could be that the immunity effect is cumulative and lasts longer with each new vaccination.

We still don't know and will need more time. One thing is certain: even if booster jabs are good, first vaccinations are better  both for the individual and for the country, since they increase a person's immunity from zero to being full vaccinated.

In Israel, there are 1.1million people aged 12 and over who have not been vaccinated. More than half of them are under 30.

I don't believe that all these people are committed anti-vaxxers. Most just haven't bothered. But that attitude is hitting the whole country hard now and we must redouble efforts to encourage people to accept their responsibility and get jabbed.

Many people are worried that another lockdown is coming. While it is too early to tell, I believe that, thanks to the boosters, we should be over the worst by mid-September and without a lockdown though this is not yet certain.

What is certain is that Britain has a chance to learn from our mistakes and avoid the pain of a fourth wave. And the time to start a campaign of booster jabs may be now.
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The first evacuees from Afghanistan have arrived in Perth as Australia continues a complex rescue operation in the wake of the Taliban takeover of Kabul.

The flight from Dubai arrived in the early hours of Friday and around 90 evacuees on board were loaded onto buses for transfer to hotel quarantine.

A large contingent of federal and state police were on hand to greet the group.

'These evacuees are a mix of Australians and visa holders, obviously mainly the interpreters and the like that assisted our defence forces in Afghanistan,' West Australian Premier Mark McGowan told state parliament.

'We've been working on this arrangement since Saturday.'

A little girl in traditional dress walks off the bus from the airport after landing in Australia after being airlifted from Kabul as part of Australia's rescue operation in the wake of the Taliban takeover of Kabul

The group of Afghan nationals were taken to Hyatt Hotel in Perth where they will undergo two weeks of hotel quarantine before being settled by the federal government

The government has defended offering 3000 humanitarian places to Afghans fleeing the Taliban

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said federal officials were working with the WA government to ensure the evacuees received medical and mental health support.

'This has been a difficult and distressing ordeal for many of the evacuees and we will help them through completing the mandatory 14 day quarantine,' Mr Morrison said.

WA has agreed to take in the passengers above the state's weekly quarantine arrivals cap.

Federal and state police were on hand when the evacuation flight landed in Perth overnight, The West Australian newspaper reported.

Other states will also be asked to help as the evacuation program continues.

On Thursday a further 76 Australian citizens and Afghans with protection visas were airlifted out of the Afghan capital to a base in the United Arab Emirates.

Another flight took 60 people on Friday. 'That means that over 160 now in total - 162 - have now been evacuated through the various flights that we've been able to run and the support of the UK government as well,' Mr Morrison said.

The Prime Minister said weather and security issues were presenting challenges.

'We are moving as quickly as we can.'

The flight was carrying a mixture of Australian citizens and Afghan interpreters

The group will be forced to undergo strict quarantine at the Hotel Wyatt in Perth

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said federal officials were working with the WA government to ensure the evacuees received medical and mental health support

Australia is working to establish its own staging area at Hamid Karzai International Airport.

The government has defended offering 3000 humanitarian places to Afghans fleeing the Taliban despite other nations pledging intakes more than six times that figure.

Immigration Minister Alex Hawke expects the initial commitment could rise to 5000 as the situation unfolds in Afghanistan.

World Vision is among groups calling on Australia to create an additional 20,000 humanitarian visas for people fleeing Afghanistan.

More than 300 organisations have signed an open letter saying the government has a moral duty to the Afghan people.

Red Cross has launched a public appeal for funds to provide health care and other humanitarian aid in Afghanistan, as well as support communities in Australia to locate and reconnect with missing family in Afghanistan caught up in the crisis.

'Afghanistan is one of the world's most fragile states. We know that humanitarian needs will remain high and are likely to increase,' Australian Red Cross' Adrian Prouse said.

WA has agreed to take in the passengers above the state's weekly quarantine arrivals cap
Heroic Afghan translators last night told how they feared for their lives  as a UN report warned the Taliban are secretly plotting revenge against those who worked with the West.

The interpreters blasted Dominic Raab's failure to make a critical phone call before the fall of Kabul as a 'betrayal'. They said the danger they faced was 'critical'.

The Mail can reveal that at least six translators, who have already been granted sanctuary in the UK but had recently returned to bring their families to join them, are now stranded in Kabul in a red tape nightmare.

Interpreters blasted Dominic Raab's failure to make a critical phone call before the fall of Kabul as a 'betrayal'

Mr Raab rejected advice from his senior officials to call the Afghan foreign minister Haneef Atmar last Friday. He was in Greece on holiday, and within two days Kabul fell to the Taliban.

One former translator, Rafi Hottak, 35, who is now in the UK, said: 'I'm shocked. How could somebody do something like that in this chaotic situation?

'The interpreters and their families could be killed at any time. I'm a British citizen. Was he too busy to look after the families of British citizens in Afghanistan? If he was too busy during his holidays to help, shame on him.'

Waheed, who spent three years with UK forces and is waiting with his wife and two children for a flight out of Afghanistan, said: 'The situation was critical. He would have known that. Was his holiday too important?

'Each flight has carried around 200 people. It is an emergency. Anything to make things move quicker must be worth trying. Every minute lost could cost a life.'

Abdul, a father of four and veteran of the front lines, who is also waiting to fly to the UK, said: 'It is hard to explain why a politician would not pick up a telephone if there is the smallest chance it would make a difference. It is disappointing.'

The UN dossier warned that Taliban commanders were instructing their gunmen to arrest Afghans who worked with the fallen government and the West  and should they resist, to 'kill or arrest' their wives, children and other family members. It shatters Taliban promises that they will recognise the civil liberties which have been enjoyed by Afghans in recent years.

Raab rejected advice from his senior officials to call the Afghan foreign minister Haneef Atmar (pictured) last Friday

Christian Nelleman, head of the group providing intelligence to the UN, said that a Taliban door-to-door hunt was under way for people on their wanted list and warned it could lead to mass executions.

100 embassy guards 'abandoned' More than 100 guards at the British embassy in Kabul have been told they will not get protection from the UK Government. Many of the security staff have reportedly been told they are being let go from their jobs. Since they were hired via an outsourced contractor, rather than the Government directly, most have been told they will not be eligible for protection. In contrast, more than 100 guards doing the same work for the American embassy, under a separate contract with the same global security firm  GardaWorld  have been evacuated and others were receiving support from the US embassy, a source at the company told the Guardian. Nick Thomas-Symonds, the Shadow Home Secretary, hit out at Dominic Raab, saying: 'Yet again the Foreign Secretary has made a dangerous blunder.' The MoD said guards were welcome to reapply for the relocation scheme. A Foreign Office spokesman added: 'We are monitoring the situation with GardaWorld closely.' Advertisement

He said: 'They have lists of individuals and even within the very first hours of moving into Kabul they began a search of former government employees  especially in intelligence services and the special forces units.'

Among the translators trapped in Kabul are six who are now British citizens after being flown to sanctuary several years ago. But they had returned to bring their wives and children to join them in the UK. The men are not being offered places on the 'Freedom Flights'  even though their families are.

They have had to wait for visas for their wives and children  and that can take several years.

Several families' visas were granted earlier this year. As is customary, their husbands flew out to Kabul to help process their passports at the British Embassy and accompany them back to the UK.

But the men were stranded when the Taliban swept across the country and into Kabul. They now control the roads to the international airport, the only escape route. In the confusion around flights rescuing UK citizens and Afghans, emails granting permission to travel are being sent for wives but not for their husbands. The wives cannot get through Taliban lines if unaccompanied by the men.

One of them, former translator Amir, said: 'It is a very difficult situation. I received an email for my wife and kids but nothing for me and they are unable to travel without me being there.' The 28-year-old, from Glasgow, said he, his wife, their five-year-old son and daughter, two, spent 18 hours trying to reach the airport.

He said that so many people were besieging the airport that the US forces unleashed tear gas, terrifying his wife and children.

'It is very dangerous for us in the city with militant Taliban and it is becoming worse,' he said. 'It seems impossible to reach anyone to try and put my name on the list.'

He and another translator Ahmad spoke to the Mail's award-winning Betrayal of the Brave campaign, which has highlighted the plight of Afghans who helped our forces, to try to 'alert the Government before it is too late, the flights stop and we are found by the Taliban'.

Ahmad, 30, who spent four years with UK forces in Helmand before relocating to Manchester in 2015, said: 'There is no one we can reach. It is critical. We have to return to hiding and we are stuck. I don't know what to do.'

Ed Aitken, a founding member of the Sulha Alliance, which campaigns for the rights of interpreters, warned: 'These brave and deserving men cannot be left behind.'
Joe Biden on Thursday made no public appearances after a widely-panned interview in which he claimed the Afghanistan chaos was inevitable.

The president had a closed-door Afghanistan briefing, according to his schedule.

But no public events were held following Wednesday night's sit-down with ABC News's George Stephanopoulos.

Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, also failed to hold a press briefing on Thursday - sparking accusations that the White House had retreated to a 'bunker' amid the Afghanistan chaos.

Joe Biden on Wednesday night spoke to George Stephanopoulos for an interview with ABC News. He claimed that the chaos in Afghanistan was inevitable, and defended his actions - which saw the Taliban capture Kabul on Sunday

Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, is seen on Tuesday at a press briefing. On Thursday she failed to hold a briefing, despite fast-moving events in Afghanistan

The administration sent the deputy National Security Adviser, Jonathan Finer, as their envoy to news networks, while his more senior colleagues remained out of sight.

His boss, Jake Sullivan, the National Security Adviser, has become in the eyes of many 'the face' of the crisis - and, amid calls for his resignation over the debacle, he was absent on Thursday.

The Pentagon did hold a press conference, with their spokesman John Kirby admitting that he did not know how many Americans remained in Afghanistan.

Ned Price, the State Department spokesman, also held his usual daily briefing.

Kayleigh McEnany, who served as Donald Trump's White House spokesperson from April 2020 to January 2021, on Thursday took Psaki to task over her failure to hold daily briefings during the crisis.

'Jen Psaki promised us a daily White House press briefing,' McEnany said.

'There isn't one today. There wasn't one Monday. When the going gets tough, the daily press briefing that she promised goes out the window.'

Kayleigh McEnany, who served as White House press secretary from April 2020 until January 2021, and is now a Fox News host, criticized Jen Psaki for not holding a daily briefing

The Trump administration was strongly criticized for abolishing the tradition of regular briefings, and went 300 days without holding one.

Stephanie Grisham, in her nine months on the job from July 2019 until her firing in April 2020, never held a White House press briefing - a unique and ignominious distinction.

A crime writer, Don Winslow, said he would donate $100,000 to a children's hospital if Grisham did a briefing - then Stephen King doubled the bounty.

She did not take the bait and rarely conducted the smaller informal briefings known as 'gaggles' and almost never appeared on TV, unless it was Fox News.

Furthermore, Trump himself held less than half as many press conferences as the previous two administrations during their first three years in office.

Biden has only granted nine sit-down interviews in his first seven months in office, a number far below that of his Trump and Barack Obama, who held 50 interviews and 113 interviews, respectively, at this time in their presidency.

Zabihullah Mujahid, chief spokesman for the Taliban, speaks during a press conference in Kabul on Tuesday. For years, Mujahid had been a shadowy figure issuing statements on behalf of the militants, and Tuesday's press conference was his first

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid answers press members questions as he holds a press conference in Kabul, Afghanistan

Pandemonium unfolded at Kabul airport on Monday as thousands of people ran on to the runway in a desperate attempt to escape Taliban rule, fearing bloody reprisals by the Islamists

A child covered in blood is carried away with his father after the Taliban used whips on the crowd trying to get in to Kabul airport on Tuesday

An Afghan woman is seen lying on the ground after the Taliban used whips and sharp objects to drive people from the airport

A man cries as he watches fellow Afghans get wounded after Taliban fighters use gunfire, whips, sticks and sharp objects to maintain crowd control over thousands of Afghans who continue to wait outside Kabul airport for a way out

McEnany said that Kirby's failure to find out how many Americans remained in Afghanistan compounded the mistake made by Psaki in not appearing.

'When you are a press secretary at any entity, you anticipate whatever the questions will be,' McEnany said.

'One of the most obvious questions is how many Americans are on the ground.

'He didn't take up the time to pick up the phone and call Secretary of State Antony Blinken and get that number for us when you are the one place we are getting information from today, when there are nearly 15,000 American hostages on the ground?

'And the Pentagon spokesperson could not pick up the phone and Jen Psaki won't go to the podium to give us these very basic answers we deserve.'
Geronimo's owner has warned ministers that the 'whole planet' believes he should be saved.

The doomed alpaca can count on an 'army willing to fight for his survival', Helen Macdonald added.

'We will form a ring of steel around Geronimo. It is now all-out war,' the 50-year-old said from her farm in Wickwar, Gloucestershire, yesterday.

Miss Macdonald made her defiant comments after the High Court threw out a legal challenge to prevent the eight-year-old's execution.

As of 4.30pm yesterday, officials from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) could enter the farm and put him down.

However, officials told Miss Macdonald last night they would not carry out their execution warrant before 5pm today.

Miss Macdonald said: 'People have woken up to this and they are angry.

The doomed alpaca Geronimo can count on an 'army willing to fight for his survival', owner Helen Macdonald said (pictured together on farm in Wickwar, Gloucestershire)

Standing firm: Supporters of Geronimo at the gates to Ms Macdonald's farm, with signs reading: 'Alpaca Lives Matter' and 'Science not Stupidity'

'The outrage from people yesterday after Geronimo's treatment was palpable and there is an army willing to fight for his survival.

'We will do whatever we need to do to defend ourselves.'

Geronimo's four-year fight for clemency came after he twice tested positive for bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in 2017.

The High Court judge's decision means Defra will not be compelled to investigate whether it holds data that suggests bTB tests can be unreliable in alpacas.

Veterinary nurse Miss Macdonald said: 'There is no need to be doing this. This is a needless slaughter and the whole planet knows it.'

A Defra spokesman said: 'We are sympathetic to Miss Macdonald's situation  just as we are with everyone with animals affected by this terrible disease.'
Mopane had a reputation as a magnificent but elusive lion  sights of the imposing 12-year-old male with the gorgeous black mane were a particularly prized photo opportunity for the visitors who flock to the Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe to see its bountiful wildlife.

But, sadly, he wasn't elusive enough for the last American tourist who came after him, not with a camera but a bow and arrow.

The big game hunter  named online as Phillip Smith, a 46-year-old physical therapist from Missouri  paid tens of thousands of dollars to kill Mopane, who lived in the same park as Cecil the lion, whose death from another U.S. hunter's arrows six years ago caused an international outcry.

Mopane's appalling demise threatens to do the same. He reportedly died in the same miserable manner as Cecil: lured out of the park (where he was protected), using an elephant carcass as bait, to a neighbouring farm which allows hunting.

He was then hit during a night shoot on August 5 but was only wounded and had to be finished off the following day after suffering many hours of agony.

A growing number of big game hunters prefer to use a hunting bow rather than a gun as it poses a greater challenge.

Unfortunately for the quarry, that greater challenge entails a greater chance of being wounded rather than killed outright by a weapon blamed for causing unnecessary suffering.

Mopane (pictured) was hit during a night shoot in Zimbabwe on August 5 but was only wounded and had to be finished off the following day after suffering many hours of agony

Mopane may eventually have been dispatched by a gun carried by the hunter's team of guides and helpers, their presence always making a mockery of any pretence that the high-paying thrill-seeker is risking life and limb in a single-handed battle against the king of the jungle.

A 15-day big game bow-hunting safari typically costs $30,000 to $40,000 (22,000 to 30,000) with extras depending on the type of animal killed (Cecil's killer paid his outfitters and guides 32,000).

Hannes Wessels, a former professional hunter who was in the area at the time, said Mopane was first shot only yards from where Cecil was hit.

Mopane's killer and another tourist had reportedly shot a leopard earlier in their trip.

The hunts for both Mopane and Cecil were licensed and perfectly legal, but cash-strapped and ethically challenged Zimbabwe has an invidious reputation with animal welfare groups.

Despite the huge furore over Cecil, it remains a mecca for big game hunters, especially those seeking 'dangerous' quarry such as elephants and lions.

Nearly all bow-hunting of elephants, for instance, takes place in Zimbabwe.

Defenders of big game hunting insist the practice performs a valuable role in encouraging local people to protect wildlife from poachers, while the income from selling hunting licences goes towards strengthening the country's conservation efforts.

The big game hunter  named online as Phillip Smith, a 46-year-old physical therapist from Missouri (pictured)  paid tens of thousands of dollars to kill Mopane, who lived in the same park as Cecil the lion, whose death from another U.S. hunter's arrows six years ago caused an international outcry

However, wildlife campaigners complain that Zimbabwe's conservation programme, under which lions aged six and over can be hunted, is opaque, unscientific and ineffectual.

Critics accuse the U.S. government of glorifying big game hunting by allowing parts of lions and elephants to be imported as trophies into America from Zimbabwe.

More than 1.26 million wildlife trophies were imported into the U.S. between 2005 and 2014, says the World Wide Fund for Nature.

Although he had a troublesome reputation in his youth, Mopane had settled down, become a father and formed a pride with a subordinate male named Sidhule, two adult females and six young lions.

After Cecil died, locals were worried the two male lions might be targeted by trophy hunters, and started a petition to protect them.

It was to no avail. Sidhule was killed, allegedly by a Texan recreational bowhunter, two years ago. Now Mopane has gone, too.

Wildlife experts fear that without Mopane, the pride will be vulnerable to being taken over by other adult males who, in order to make the females want to mate with them, will kill the cubs.

It's not clear whether Mopane was specifically targeted by his killers or just happened to take the bait.

However, a local big game hunting safari company was reportedly advertising the chance to specifically kill 'the mighty Mopane' in December last year, describing him as one of the 'oldest and definitely the most aggressive lion in our hunting block', and urging would-be hunters: 'Do you want the chance to take a big free-roaming lion? Book a hunt with us!'

The founders of the Cecil the Lion campaign group said the loss of another 'apex alpha male' lion  the fourth black-maned lion with a pride killed in recent years in the same area outside the park  was 'devastating'.

They added: 'The biggest breeding males are being snuffed for rug material.'

Of 62 Hwange lions tagged by Oxford University researchers during a five-year project that ended in 2004, 24 have since been killed by trophy hunters.

Kitty Block, president of the Humane Society of the United States, said: 'Another trophy hunter spending tens of thousands of dollars on a globe-trotting, thrill-to-kill escapade shows humanity at its worst.'

Cecil was shot by Walter Palmer, a dentist from suburban Minnesota, and Mopane has reportedly been killed by another innocuous-sounding Midwesterner who, like Palmer, makes his livelihood protecting people's health.

Walter Palmer (pictured) went into hiding after he faced worldwide revulsion following Cecil the lion's death, so it's not surprising that Smith has yet to comment on Mopane

Phillip Smith was educated at a private Christian university affiliated with the evangelical Southern Baptist Convention.

He is the founder and chief executive of PEAK Sport and Spine, Missouri's largest private outpatient physical therapy company, with some 30 clinics and more than 200 staff.

Smith, a former welder, is an avid hunter  as is his wife  holding 82 hunting licences across the U.S. He also owns a duck hunting club.

Walter Palmer went into hiding after he faced worldwide revulsion following Cecil the lion's death, so it's not surprising that Smith has yet to comment on Mopane.

It isn't only Americans who go big game hunting, as former Bank of England director Sir David Scholey proved in 2015 when he was shown posing with a lion he'd killed in Zambia. It's also increasingly popular with rich Russians and Mexicans.

The English ended their love affair with the longbow during Elizabeth I's reign as firearms were starting to prove far more effective on the battlefield.

And it's that relative ineffectiveness that is the bow's chief attraction to modern hunters. A bowman needs to get far closer to a target and shoot far more accurately than a rifleman.

According to the British Bowhunters Association, hunting with a bow is not only more physically challenging but more 'ethical'.

It claims on its website: 'Bowhunting is about fair chase. Putting yourself on a level with your quarry in terrain and in a situation of your quarry's own choosing, where it can use all of its senses against you.

'A hunter will not get to within 20 yards of his quarry without determination and having shown his quarry due respect.'

Badly wounded by a part-time bowman whose gun-toting lackeys were there to step in if there was any chance of danger, Mopane hardly got anything approaching 'due respect'.
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The daughter of exiled Afghan president Ashraf Ghani was photographed going for a stroll in New York City after her father was forced to seek asylum in Dubai while Afghanistan is left in chaos in the hands of the Taliban.

Mariam Ghani, 42, was pictured during a leisurely walk with a friend on Thursday after her father was given asylum in Dubai on 'humanitarian grounds' after fleeing Afghanistan in a helicopter that was allegedly filled with $169million in cash.

Ghani has been living in New York City for years, settling in a loft in a luxury co-op in Brooklyn's Clinton Hill neighborhood, the New York Post reported.

The visual artist and filmmaker, who was born and raised in America, is said to practice a bohemian lifestyle much different than that of women in Afghanistan.

When interviewed in 2015, the New York Times described her loft as a 'map to her layered identity,' featuring floor-to-ceiling shelves filled with books, embroidered pillows made by a collective in Aleppo, Syria, and a Turkmenistan rug gifted to her by her father. Her refrigerator was decorated with magnets touting motivational sayings and her kitchen shelves lined with green tomatoes she pickled herself.

'I'm a Brooklyn cliche,' she said at the time, commenting on her way of living.

Mariam Ghani, 42, (pictured) daughter of exiled Afghan president Ashraf Ghani, was pictured during a leisurely walk with a friend on Thursday in New York City

The 42-year-old lives a bohemian artist life in a loft in a luxury co-op in Brooklyn's Clinton Hill neighborhood

Mariam Ghani (pictured in her apartment in 2015), daughter of exiled Afghan president Ashraf Ghani, continues to live her luxurious New York City lifestyle as her father remains in hiding after fleeing Afghanistan in a helicopter filled with cash

Ghani lives in a loft in a luxury co-op in Brooklyn's Clinton Hill neighborhood (left). In 2015, her loft featured floor-to-ceiling shelves filled with books, embroidered pillows made by a collective in Aleppo, Syria, and a Turkmenistan rug gifted to her by her father

Ghani, who has refused to speak with reporters about the ongoing takeover of Afghanistan, is encouraging Americans to advocate for the Afghans whose lives have and continue to be impacted by the Taliban's insurgence in the country.

She posted on social media Tuesday answering the question: 'What can we do to help Afghans right now?'

Ghani, who says she is 'angry, grieving and terribly afraid for [her] family, friends and colleagues left behind in Afghanistan,' encourages US citizens to contact their elected officials asking to halt deportations of Afghan refugees and expedite Special Immigrant Visas.

'To everyone who has checked in and reached out in solidarity over the past days: thank you. It has meant a lot,' she wrote, noting that she is 'working feverishly to do anything [she] can on their behalf'.

She says that, in addition to contacting elected officials, individuals can donate to or volunteer with several organizations who help refugees and displaced people.

Ghani (pictured in her apartment in 2015) has refused to speak with reporters about the ongoing takeover of Afghanistan and is encouraging Americans to advocate for the Afghans whose lives have been impacted by the Taliban's insurgence

Rula (second from right) and Ashraf Ghani (second from left) with their children (Mariam Ghani on right), her late mother and brother Riad in 2012

Ghani (pictured) was born in Brooklyn, raised in suburban Maryland and has spent her adult life launching an art and teaching career

Art institutions and coalitions can publicly advocate for cultural workers to be recognized as 'urgently at risk under a Taliban regime,' Ghani stated. She also urged foundations, art institutions and academic facilities to sponsor migration of at-risk artists, journalists and activists.

Ghani was born in Brooklyn, raised in suburban Maryland and has spent her adult life launching an art and teaching career.

Her work has been showcased in museums around the world, including the Tate Modern in London and the Guggenheim and MOMA in New York.

She studied at New York University and the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan. In 2018 she became a faculty member at Bennington College in Vermont.

Ghani grew up in exile and was unable to travel to Afghanistan until 2002 when she was 24 years old, according to her Guggenheim biography. However, her art was often inspired by the her family's homeland and her multicultural upbringing.

Her father, who began working for the Afghan government in 2002, recently fled Afghanistan in secret as the Taliban took the capital city of Kabul.

Russia's embassy in Kabul said on Monday that Ashraf Ghani had fled the country with four cars and $169million in his cash-stuffed helicopter. He reportedly had to leave some money behind as it would not all fit.

Ashraf on Wednesday denied reports he took large sums of money with him as he departed the presidential palace.

He said the allegations that he left with the large sum of money were 'baseless' and 'lies'.

He has been given asylum in Dubai on 'humanitarian grounds', it has emerged.

Ghani, who has refused to speak with reporters about the ongoing takeover of Afghanistan, took to Instagram (above) encouraging Americans to advocate for the Afghans whose lives have and continue to be impacted by the Taliban's insurgence in the country

Ghani (pictured) said she is 'angry, grieving and terribly afraid for [her] family, friends and colleagues left behind in Afghanistan' and encourages US citizens to contact their elected officials asking to halt deportations of Afghan refugees and expedite Special Immigrant Visas

Nikita Ishchenko, a spokesman for the Russian embassy in Kabul, described the scene of Ashraf's flee: 'Four cars were full of money, they tried to stuff another part of the money into a helicopter, but not all of it fit. And some of the money was left lying on the tarmac.'

'As for the collapse of the (outgoing) regime, it is most eloquently characterized by the way [Ashraf] fled Afghanistan,' Ishchenko continued.

Ashraf escaped Afghanistan on Sunday night as the insurgents encircled the capital - saying he wanted to avoid bloodshed - capping a military victory that saw them capture all cities in just 10 days.

Earlier reports said Ghani had fled to Uzbekistan, citing Russian Embassy sources. It was also claimed to former president had flown to Tajikistan, but diverted to Oman when officials in Dushanbe refused him permission to land.



But the United Arab Emirates has since confirmed that it was hosting Afghan president Ashraf Ghani in Dubai 'on humanitarian grounds'.

Speaking from exile in the United Arab Emirates Wednesday, Ghani said in a video streamed on Facebook: 'If I had stayed, I would be witnessing bloodshed in Kabul.'

The address is his first public comment since it was confirmed he was in the UAE.

He left on the advice of government officials, he added.

Ghani said that he had been attempting to stop Afghanistan turning 'into another Yemen of Syria', and he said that allegations he had left the country with a large amount of money were 'baseless' and 'lies'.

He insisted was no truth to allegations that he escaped with 'suitcases of cash', saying it was all part of a 'personality assassination'.

Ousted Afghan president Ghani confirmed he was in the United Arab Emirates but said he was in 'consultation' to return to Afghanistan.

Ashraf Ghani (pictured) had fled Afghanistan on Sunday with four cars and a helicopter full of cash. Officials said he had to leave some money behind as it would not all fit in the chopper

Pictured: Taliban fighters take control of Afghan presidential palace after the Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled the country, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, August 15, 2021

His message Wednesday echoed a Facebook post he shared on Sunday, where he also stated that he left Afghanistan because he wanted to avoid bloodshed and clashes with the Taliban that would endanger millions of Kabul residents.

'Dear countrymen!' he wrote. 'Today, I came across a hard choice; I should stand to face the armed Taliban who wanted to enter the palace or leave the dear country that I dedicated my life to protecting and protecting the past twenty years.

'If there were still countless countrymen martyred and they would face the destruction and destruction of Kabul city, the result would have been a big human disaster in this six million city.

'The Taliban have made it to remove me, they are here to attack all Kabul and the people of Kabul. In order to avoid the bleeding flood, I thought it was best to get out.'

Taliban officials have since said they have received no reports of any clashes anywhere in the country: 'The situation is peaceful,' one official said. The Taliban controlled 90 percent of state buildings and fighters had been told to prevent any damage, the official added.

In a Facebook post on Sunday (pictured), Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani said he fled the country because wanted to avoid bloodshed

New York Post reporters confronted Ghani at her Brooklyn home, asking for comment on the ongoing situation overseas. She refused to answer their questions, leaving it unclear if she has heard from her father or knows where he is.

However, when asked about her father in 2015  refusing to comment on anything that could compromise his political position  she referred to him as a 'remarkable person'.

'He is a remarkable person,' she said. 'And he's always been a remarkable person.'

Ghani, who claims she 'grew up very much in between cultures' and uses that as the position she works from artistically.

One of her most recent works, a documentary film titled What We Left Unfinished, explored five Afghan motion pictures that were started and abandoned during the nation's Communist era. The documentary is currently playing in select theaters nationwide.

Ghani (right) is described as a 'feminist, archivist and activist'. She recently released a documentary film (picture above from film's Instagram account) exploring five Afghan motion pictures that were started and abandoned during the nation's Communist era

Ghani's documentary film, What We Left Unfinished (film poster pictured above), is currently playing in select theaters nationwide

In the 2015 New York Times profile piece, Ghani is described as a 'feminist, archivist and activist' who was 'as well-versed in the politics of extraordinary rendition as she is in the very Brooklyn pursuit of homemade chile-passion-fruit sorbet'.

'One of the reasons I wanted to be an artist is because I saw that by being an artist I could be so many other things as well,' she said at the time.

She taught classes in Kabul and hired women to work on her sets and serve as research assistants for her projects.

'I think things in Afghanistan have to change for the better for everyone in order for them to change for the better for women,' Ghani told the newspaper. 'Women's rights can't be detached from human rights and economic justice and structural inequities.'

Now, as the Taliban becomes the recognized ruler of Afghanistan, women say they fear what's next to come.

Under the Taliban, which ruled in accordance with a harsh interpretation of Islamic law, women were largely confined to their homes.

Older generations of Afghans remember their ultra-conservative Islamic views, which included stonings, amputations and public executions during their rule before the US-led invasion that followed the September 11, 2001 terror attacks.

The Taliban is now the recognized ruler of the Afghanistan. Pictured: Taliban fighters posed for a photograph in the Wazir Akbar Khan neighborhood of Kabul on Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021

'The Islamic Emirate doesn't want women to be victims,' Enamullah Samangani, a member of the Taliban's cultural commission, said Tuesday.

'They should be in government structure according to Shariah law.'

He added: 'The structure of government is not fully clear, but based on experience, there should be a fully Islamic leadership and all sides should join.'

Samangani remained vague on other details, however, implying people already knew the rules of Islamic law the Taliban expected them to follow.

'Our people are Muslims and we are not here to force them to Islam,' he said.

The insurgents have sought to project greater moderation in recent years, but many Afghans remain skeptical.

One Afghan resident, whose identity remains anonymous, wrote an article published in The Guardian outlining her fears.

'As a woman, I feel like I am the victim of this political war that men started,' she said.

'I [feel] like I can no longer laugh out loud, I can no longer listen to my favorite songs, I can no longer meet my friends in our favorite cafe, I can no longer wear my favorite yellow dress or pink lipstick. And I can no longer go to my job or finish the university degree that I worked for years to achieve.'

She explains that she is concerned for that women will once again 'be deprived of all basic rights'.

'When I heard that the Taliban had reached Kabul, I felt I was going to be a slave. They can play with my life any way they want,' she wrote.

'I did not expect that...after 20 years of fighting for our rights and freedom, we should be hunting for burqas and hiding our identity.'

Afghan women say they fear what's next to come amid the Taliban insurgence. Pictured: Afghan women, holding placards, gather to demand the protection of women's rights in front of the Presidential Palace in Kabul, Afghanistan on August 17, 2021

The previous Taliban rule  from 1996 to 2001  was a 'bleak period for Afghan women,' according to the New York Times.

Women were under extreme restrictions regarding behavior, dress and movement. Those who did not adhere to the rules were whipped and publicly humiliated.

If a woman was accused of adultery she would be stoned to death. Homosexuality was considered a crime and punishable by death.

Girls were not permitted to receive an education so women teachers would set up secret schools in their homes.

Women in the medical field did continue to work but had to do so in establishments segregated by sex.

'I am a journalist and I am not allowed to work,' said television Khadija Amin who claims the Taliban had indefinitely suspended her and other female employees.

'What will I do next? The next generation will have nothing, everything we have achieved for 20 years will be gone. The Taliban is the Taliban. They have not changed.'

At this time it is unclear what life will look like for Afghan women under the new Taliban rule, however, some say they will fight before allowing the new government to take away the rights earned over the past two decades.

'The Taliban has never seen or experienced women going to work and going to school in large numbers,' argued Afghan women's rights activist Wida Saghary. 'We must resist them and go to work and go to school. Women can't cave in.'


Twitter said on Tuesday it is introducing the option to report misleading tweets for some users in the US, Australia and South Korea.

It is the social platform's latest attempt to fight misinformation. Twitter has chosen a test group of users in the aforementioned countries who can already use the new feature, before making it available to its almost 200 million users worldwide.

The company said it is still trying to navigate an 'effective approach' to the upcoming option.

'We're testing a feature for you to report Tweets that seem misleading - as you see them,' the Jack Dorsey-led company tweeted, unveiling the test. 'Starting today, some people in the US, South Korea, and Australia will find the option to flag a Tweet as 'It's misleading' after clicking on Report Tweet.'

'We may not take action on and cannot respond to each report in the experiment, but your input will help us identify trends so that we can improve the speed and scale of our broader misinformation work.'

Twitter announced it is introducing an 'it's misleading' feature to report tweets

A test group is already able to flag tweets as misleading. The feature will be available in the US, Australia and South Korea

It is Twitter's latest attempt to fight misinformation, having introduced tweet warnings in 2020

Twitter did not disclose how many people are in the test group. DailyMail.com has reached out to Twitter with a request for comment.

To report a misleading tweet, those who have been chosen can click on the three dots on the right side of a tweet, where the option 'It's misleading' will appear.

It's not Twitter's first effort to moderate disputed claims made by users on the highly politicized platform.

In January, Twitter launched Birdwatch, another approach to fight misinformation.

Through Birdwatch, users can make comments on tweets they deem misleading, but the comments are not directly shown in the tweet.

Linked below the tweet will be the notes and sources added by users.

'I think ultimately over time, [misinformation] is a problem best solved by the people using Twitter itself,' said CEO Jack Dorsey on the company's 2020 fourth-quarter earnings call, held in February.

In the aftermath of 2020's controversial US presidential election, Twitter made another move against inaccurate facts by flagging tweets about election fraud claims.

'Officials sources stated that this is false and misleading,' read a warning.

The company's CEO admitted that Twitter had a role in the Capital riot in a congressional testimony

Twitter created three categories of misinformation- misleading information, disputed claim and unverified claim

A misleading warning below a tweet from Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene

'Official sources may not have called the race when this was tweeted'

'I think ultimately over time, [misinformation] is a problem best solved by the people using Twitter itself,' said CEO Jack Dorsey

The initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic and the uncertainty that came with it exacerbated the dangers of misleading content in the platform.

In response, Twitter created three categories in May 2020 to take action on reviewing potentially harmful tweets- misleading information, disputed claims and unverified claims.'

Warnings reading 'Some or all of the content shared in this tweet conflicts with guidance from public health experts regarding COVID-19,' or 'Get the facts about COVID-19,' appeared under tweets suspected of spreading misinformation.

Other social media platforms are also stepping up in the fight against false claims.

Facebook launched 'fake news' labels in October 2019, while Google has worked along third-party fact-checkers to prevent misinformation since 2016.

On March 25, Dorsey, along with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Google CEO Sundar Pichai, faced questions in Congress about their platforms' role in the current spread of misinformation.

Dorsey admitted that Twitter had played a role in the January 6 Capital riot, after rioters used the platform to organize and plan their insurrection.

Lawmakers subsequently pleaded with the tech companies to introduce stricter and more effective ways to fact-check information in social media.
Waymo Via, Waymo's autonomous truck unit, announced on Wednesday the construction of a hub for its fleet of autonomous trucks in Dallas, and a partnership with trucking company Ryder.

The double announcement came as Waymo prepares to grow its delivery operations across Texas, California and Arizona.

After raising $2.5 billion from outside investors in June, the Alphabet-owned company said today that its new primary operations center will be in a nine-acre site in South Dallas, and the company will move into it in the first half of 2022.

Th self-driving truck company has started testing on the fifth generation of its Driver on the Class 8 trucks fleet as it continues freight hauling for JB Hunt.

Waymo Via has announced the construction of a trucking hub in Dallas, Texas

The hub will accommodate hundreds of trucks and personnel. It will also allow Waymo to expand in Texas beyond the I-10, I-20, and I-45 and will connect with the operation center in Phoenix

Waymo also announced a partnership with transportation and logistics company Ryder. Ryder will overlook Waymo's operations and run scheduled preventative maintenance and as-needed incidental maintenance

Waymo had previously teamed up with Daimler Trucks to launch a vehicle fleet with autonomous SAE level 4 technology, meaning the vehicles will self drive but just in predefined areas, TechCrunch reported.

The trucking hub's location in the Dallas-Fort Worth area is extremely strategic as it will allow Waymo to expand in Texas beyond the I-10, I-20, and I-45 and will connect with the operation center in Phoenix.

'It will be our primary operations center in Texas designed for commercial use with our carrier partners and be able to accommodate hundreds of trucks and personnel as we scale our presence in the region and enable increasingly large and complex testing needs on our path to fully autonomous operations,' Rocky Garff, Waymo's Head of Trucking Operations, said in a statement.

Waymo plans to move into the fleet in the first half of 2022. Waymo's mutually beneficial partnership with Ryder, could magnify even further the scale of its operations

At the hub, Waymo will test its fully autonomous Waymo Driver on Class 8 trucks, the highest classification of heavy duty trucks, with a weight of over 33,000 pounds.

The transfer hub model, a technology that is part manual and part automated and ensures the Wayno Driver sticks to the road, will also be tested at the hub. Human drivers will still be in charge of the first and last steps of the delivery process.

Waymo's partnership with Ryder could magnify further the scale of its operations and create an unprecedented design model for autonomous truck maintenance and efficiency.

Waymo said it's working together with Ryder to refine and evolve practices.

In the partnership, inspections and roadside assistance are also included across all the testing sites. Ryder runs scheduled preventative maintenance and as-needed incidental maintenance and its staple organization skills are crucial for Waymo's plans to become a reality.

'Ryder brings nearly 90 years of fleet management experience and has a national network of 500+ facilities that will offer access to standardized fleet maintenance across one network and enable us to scale efficiently,' Graff said.

'There are many synergies between our Waymo Via vision and operations and Ryders expertise and resources, and we look forward to working with the Ryder team to continue driving innovation in the trucking industry,' Graff added.
A baby smooth-hound shark has been dubbed a 'miracle' by aquarium staff after being born in a tank full of females.

Experts believe this could be the first case of 'asexual reproduction' in the species - where a baby is born to to just a single parent, with no fertilisation.

When this happens, the offspring is a clone of the mother, as they are genetically identical.

The unique baby was born to one of the two females that spent a decade in the tank at the Acquario Cala Gonone in Sardinia, Italy without a single male present.

The female pup has been named 'Ispera' by the aquarium staff, and if DNA tests show she is identical to one of the females, it will be the first case of asexual reproduction in this particular species of shark.

It was likely she was the result of parthenogenesis, where the genetic material from a particular cell in the mother is able to fertilise an egg to form an embryo.

A baby smooth-hound shark has been dubbed a 'miracle' by aquarium staff after being born in a tank full of females, in what could be a case of asexual reproduction

Asexual reproduction is where a baby is born to to just a single parent, with no fertilisation. When it happens, the offspring is a clone of the mother as they are genetically identical

Smooth-hound shark (Mustelus mustelus) Smooth-hound shark (Mustelus mustelus) is a type of houndshark in the family Triakidae. They are found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean from the UK to South Africa. It is also found in the Mediterranean Sea, Madeira and the Canary Islands. It swims at depths of five to 625 metres below the surface, but usually doesn't go lower than 50m. The species can reach about 200cm in length and are 35cm when born. It is regarded as vulnerable on the IUCN red list of endangered species. It has a grey-brown back with a white underside, two dorsal fins, an anal fin, a pair of pectoral fins, a pair of pelvic fins and a tail to stabilise it. In males the pelvic fins are modified to form claspers for mating. They aggregate in large numbers, like a pack of dogs and reproduce sexually, with the embryo growing inside the mother. However, a recent discovery found evidence of asexual reproduction in a tank in Italy where no males had been present for a decade. Advertisement

It currently isn't a confirmed case of parthenogenesis, but the team says no other explanation is possible.

They explained that asexual reproduction may be favoured by certain shark species living in low density populations, particularly when females have little chance of encountering a male to reproduce with.

The staff at the Cala Gonone Aquarium have sent two DNA samples from the two female sharks to a specialised laboratory, as this is the only way the hypothesis can be confirmed.

Unfortunately, COVID-19 research has shifted focus away from other fields of research in Italy, meaning the DNA analysis is likely to take a while to be completed.

Parthenogenesis is a process that essentially forms 'clones' of the parent, since the embryo receives genetic material from only one individual.

One of the most typical processes for this form of reproduction is for the egg to be fertilised by a still immature egg cell that behaves almost like a sperm.

Usually, parthenogenesis occurs in lower plants and invertebrate animals like ants, wasps, or bees.

However it has also been noticed in some species like reptiles, fish and even birds who would normally reproduce sexually.

Proving that this type of reproduction is also possible among smooth-hound sharks would be a significant scientific breakthrough.

Experts say it could pave the path for study into whether parthenogenesis is a natural process used by this type of marine animal.

In 2017, a captive zebra shark named Leonie laid eggs that hatched into three viable pups, despite not being near a male for three years prior to the 'virgin birth'.

What made this one unusual is that it wasn't the first time Leonie had given birth. It had previously only been seen in 'virgin sharks'.

The unique baby was born to one of the two females that spent a decade in the tank at the Acquario Cala Gonone in Sardinia, Italy without a single male present

The female pup has been named 'Ispera' by the aquarium staff, and if DNA tests show she is identical to one of the females, it will be the first case of asexual reproduction in this particularly species of shark, the staff explained

There have been very few reports of asexual reproduction in females with previous sexual history, and in the case of Leonie it may have been that she was 'storing sperm,' rather than true asexual reproduction.

Christine Dudgeon at the University of Queensland, who was involved in studying Leonie's case, said asexual reproduction in sharks can happen when the egg is fertilised by an adjacent cell known as a polar body.

However, over time this can lead to 'extreme inbreeding', she told New Scientist in 2017, adding that it was 'not a strategy for surviving many generations because it reduces genetic diversity and adaptability.'
Blue Origin's New Shepard suborbital rocket will be sent to the edge of space with 11 NASA payloads on board, despite the firm suing the US space agency.

The mission will be uncrewed, unlike the last flight that saw Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos head to the edge of space with his brother Mark, flight pioneer Wally Funk and teenager Oliver Daemen, who was the first official customer of the firm.

It is scheduled to lift off from Blue Origin's West Texas launch site at 14:34 BST (09:35 EDT) On Wednesday, August 25 and will be broadcast live by the space firm.

The payload deal with NASA was stuck before Blue Origin launched its latest lawsuit against NASA over not being awarded the lunar lander contract.

SpaceX won the $2.9 billion (2.1 billion) project to put the first woman and next man on the moon, but Blue Origin lodged a complaint which was rejected and has now opted to take legal action in a bid to have NASA award the contract to both firms.

The mission will be uncrewed, unlike the last flight that saw Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos head to the edge of space with his brother Mark, flight pioneer Wally Funk and teenager Oliver Daemen, who was the first official customer of the firm

EXPERIMENTS ON THE NS-17 FLIGHT Carthage College: The Modal Propellant Gauging Experiment The Modal Propellant Gauging experiment demonstrates a new approach to measuring propellant levels in spacecraft propellant tanks in the microgravity of space. NASA Kennedy Space Center: The Orbital Syngas / Commodity Augmentation Reactor (OSCAR) The Orbital Syngas / Commodity Augmentation Reactor (OSCAR) aims to help transform common spaceflight waste products into useful resources, such as water and propellants. The system includes a steam generation stage and an oxygen supply stage that help process trash samples into useful gases. Southwest Research Institute: Liquid Acquisition Device (LAD-3) The Liquid Acquisition Device (LAD-3) demonstrates how liquid/vapour interfaces behave in microgravity. Applications include cryogenic propellant storage and management for in-space propulsion systems. University of Florida: Biological Imaging in Support of Suborbital Science IBy further calibrating and enhancing the way data is collected, the FLEX fluorescence imaging system experiment enables increasingly precise and dynamic biological research on suborbital missions. Advertisement

When it launches, the New Shepard flight, known as NS-17, will be the 17th overall for Blue Origin and will have a total of 18 payloads and thousands of postcards on board.

The postcards were submitted by children to the Blue Origin nonprofit 'Club for the Future' which was launched in 2019 to inspire the next generation to work in the fields of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM).

The suborbital flight will also include NASA's Deorbit, Descent and Landing Sensor Demonstration experiment strapped to the exterior of the capsule.

This is a suite of technologies that have been designed to help spacecraft land more accurately on the moon and other planetary bodies such as Mars.

'Knowledge gained from the first flight on October 13, 2020 informed a series of critical improvements to further the capabilities of the Navigation Doppler Lidar and the Descent Landing Computer,' said Blue Origin in a report on the mission.

'The technologies could allow future missionsboth crewed and roboticto target landing sites that weren't possible during the Apollo missions, such as regions with varied terrain near craters.'

It isn't clear whether this equipment will be used on the human lander system being developed by SpaceX for NASA's Artemis moon landing missions.

Bezos, who founded Amazon and Blue Origin, said there were 'fundamental issues' with the deal NASA struck with SpaceX to build their lunar lander.

Blue Origin was among three firms vying for a contract to land NASA's first astronauts on the moon since 1972.

The space agency originally indicated it would pick two of the three firms, SpaceX, Blue Origin and Dynetics, but a funding shortfall in the NASA budget meant they went with SpaceX alone.

In a court filing, Blue Origin said it still believes two providers are needed to build the landing system to ensure redundancies in the process.

When it launches, the New Shepard flight, known as NS-17, will be the 17th overall for Blue Origin and will have a total of 18 payloads and thousands of postcards on board

Bezos, who founded Amazon and Blue Origin, said there were 'fundamental issues' with the deal NASA struck with SpaceX to build their lunar lander

Bezos' firm has accused NASA of 'unlawful and improper evaluation' of its proposals during the bidding process. When he lost the deal, Bezos offered to pay 1.4bn of Nasa's costs to be reconsidered for the contract  but was rebuffed.

After NASA awarded the sole contract to SpaceX in April, Blue Origin and Alabama-based Dynetics filed a 50-page protest with the Government Accountability Office (GAO), a congressional watchdog.

In response, Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX, trolled his fellow multibillionaire Bezos, tweeting he 'can't get it up (to orbit),' with a joke about the shape of New Shepard.

In July, the GAO rejected Blue Origin and Dynetics' protest, finding 'NASA did not violate procurement law or regulation when it decided to make only one award,' striking down Blue Origin's main argument.

Bezos's firm has accused NASA of 'unlawful and improper evaluation' of its proposals during the bidding process. When he lost the deal, Bezos offered to pay 1.4bn of Nasa's costs to be reconsidered for the contract  but was rebuffed

This prompted the new lawsuit, but the suborbital payload deal was in place before this or the lawsuit began.

The New Shepard flight will also feature an art installation in the form of Amoako Boafo's 'Suborbital Tryptych,' consisting of three portraits painted on the top of the crew capsule on the parachute covers.

Future New Shepard flights will either carry a full payload, like this one, crew, or a combination of both crew and payload.

The main competition for Blue Origin in the suborbital flight sector is Virgin Galactic, who also have a contract with NASA to send payloads to the edge of space.

To date, New Shepard has flown more than 100 payloads to space across 11 flights.
When the sea snake bites your thigh, and you then wonder why  that's amore!

That's the conclusion of experts led from Australia's Macquarie University, who think the serpents, whose vision isn't great underwater, mistake divers for sexual partners.

Charging at, biting, and coiling around divers, which is commonly reported, may represent misdirected courtship behaviours, rather than an actual attack.

While sea snakes are highly venomous  often more so than their terrestrial counterparts  bites on humans that actually see any toxin injected are rare.

In Australia, for example, the death of a fisherman in 2018 was reportedly the first sea snake fatality on record since an unfortunate pearl diver was killed back in 1935.

However, in cases where venom is delivered, the bite itself is usually painless but symptoms can include muscle pains, weakness, vomiting and paralysis.

When the sea snake bites your thigh, and you then wonder why  that's amore! That's the conclusion of experts led from Australia's Macquarie University, who think the serpents, whose vision isn't great underwater, mistake divers for sexual partners. Pictured: a sea snake

'Divers that flee from snakes may inadvertently mimic the responses of female snakes to courtship, encouraging males to give chase, the researchers explained in their paper

ATTACK OF THE AMOROUS SEA SNAKE According to the researchers, the best thing for divers to do when confronted with a sea snake is to stay motionless. 'Divers that flee from snakes may inadvertently mimic the responses of female snakes to courtship, encouraging males to give chase, the researchers explained in their paper. 'To prevent escalation of encounters, divers should keep still and avoid retaliation.' By letting a sea snake investigate them with their tongue, divers may allow the creatures to resolve their problem of mistaken identity  thereby not escalating the situation and increasing the risk of a bite, the team added. Advertisement

'Scuba-divers on tropical coral-reefs often report unprovoked "attacks" by highly venomous olive sea snakes,' the researchers wrote in their paper.

'Snakes swim directly towards divers, sometimes wrapping coils around the diver's limbs and biting.

'Based on a focal animal observation study of free-ranging Olive sea snakes in the southern Great Barrier Reef, we suggest that these "attacks" are misdirected courtship responses.'

In their study, the researchers analysed data collected by biologist and paper author Tim Lynch  who presently works at CSIRO, the Australian research organisation  during the time from 199495 when he was a diver on the Great Barrier Reef.

They team noted that out of 158 encounters with the olive sea snake, Aipysurus laevis, the serpents approached Dr Lynch 47 per cent of the time.

Approaches, which typically saw the creatures flicking their tongues at the biologist, were found to occur more frequently during the mating season that runs from MayAugust, and were more common among male sea snakes than females.

Interactions involving the sea snakes 'rapidly charging' at Dr Lynch occurred 13 times  all of which took place during the mating season.

When males charged, this was always in the wake of them unsuccessfully chasing a female sea snake or having an interaction with a rival male.

In contrast, female sea snakes charged Dr Lynch either following pursuit by males, or after having first lost sight of, and then re-approached, the diving researcher.

On three occasions, male sea snakes were seen coiling around one of Dr Lynch's fins  a behaviour that is normally observed during the animal's courtship rituals.

While sea snakes are highly venomous  often more so than their terrestrial counterparts  bites on humans the actually see any toxin injected are rare

'Snakes swim directly towards divers, sometimes wrapping coils around the diver's limbs and biting,' the team explained. Pictured: a curious sea snake approaches a diver with a camera

The study builds on previous research, which suggested that sea snakes may struggle to distinguish different shapes underwater.

Given this, the team argue that apparent sea snake 'attacks' may occur when males of the species mistake a diver for a potential mate or rival, while female sea snakes may think that divers represent a potential hiding place from unwanted suitors.

The full findings of the study were published in the journal Scientific Reports.

In their study, the researchers analysed data collected by biologist and paper author Tim Lynch  who presently works at CSIRO, the Australian research organisation  during the time from 199495 when he was a diver on the Great Barrier Reef
Climate change has long been thought to cause all animals like birds, fish and even insects to shrink, but urban animals may be getting bigger and fatter than their rural counterparts due to all the free food from humans, a new study suggests.

Researchers looked at the records of more than 140,000 body sizes among 100 North American mammal species over 80 years and found urban animals are getting bigger. This is in spite of the fact that temperatures are rising from climate change, putting a kink into a long-held belief known as Bergmann's Rule.

Bergmann's Rule states that animals in warmer climates are smaller than those in colder climates.

'In theory, animals in cities should be getting smaller because of these heat island effects, but we didn't find evidence for this happening in mammals,' said study lead author Maggie Hantak, a Florida Museum postdoctoral researcher, in a statement.

'This paper is a good argument for why we can't assume Bergmann's Rule or climate alone is important in determining the size of animals.'

Urban animals may be getting bigger and fatter from free food from humans, a new study suggests

Researchers analyzed ~140,000 body sizes from 100 mammal species over 80 years. Mammals in cities tended to grow larger, regardless of temperatures, experts found

The aforementioned 'heat island effect' is due to buildings and roads in urban areas trapping heat, while also emitting more heat, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Daytime temperatures are between 1-7F higher than outlying areas and nighttime temperatures are between 2-5F higher.

Earlier this month, a report from the United Nations said the planet will heat up by 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit by 2040, a decade earlier than forecast.

The researchers created a model to show how climate and the density of people in an area impacted the size of mammals.

Mammals in cities (those with the densest population figures) tended to grow larger, regardless of temperatures, suggesting that there may be some advantages to living in cities, including more food, water and shelter

As temperatures dropped, the body length and mass of most species increased.

However, mammals in cities (those with the densest population figures) tended to grow larger, regardless of temperatures, suggesting that there may be some advantages to living in cities, including more food, water and shelter, even if there are challenges as well.

Animals that hibernate shrank more significantly from rising temperatures than those that did not

Some animals that use hibernation or torpor, a temporary way to slow their metabolism and lower body temperatures, shrank more significantly when experiencing rising temperatures than those that did not have these traits

Urban animals may enjoy a 'selective advantage' over their rural counterparts, as the climate heats up

'That wasn't what we expected to find at all,' study co-author and Florida Museum curator of biodiversity informatics Robert Guralnick said in the statement.

'But urbanization represents this new disturbance of the natural landscape that didn't exist thousands of years ago. It's important to recognize that it's having a huge impact.'

He continued: 'When we think about what's going to happen to mammalian body size over the next 100 years, a lot of people frame that as global warming causing animals to get smaller. What if that isn't the biggest effect? What if it's that urbanization is going to lead to fatter mammals?'

Though the findings are surprising, not all animals responded to environmental changes stemming from humans in the same way.

It's unclear at this point what the implications are for urban mammals eating human food and more research is needed at this point

Some that use hibernation or torpor, a temporary way to slow their metabolism and lower body temperatures, shrank more significantly when experiencing rising temperatures than those that did not have these traits.

'We thought species that use torpor or hibernation would be able to hide from the effects of unfavorable temperatures, but it seems they're actually more sensitive,' Hantak said.

It's also possible that urban animals may enjoy a 'selective advantage' over their rural counterparts, as the climate continues to heat up, Guralnick added.

'This is relevant to how we think about managing suburban and urban areas and our wildlands in 100 years.'

It's unclear at this point what the implications are for urban mammals eating human food and more research is needed at this point.

'When you change size, it could change your whole lifestyle,' Hantak explained.

The research was published in Communications Biology earlier this week.
Scientists have captured the sharpest radio image of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way that sits 158,000 light-years from Earth, revealing thousands of never-before-seen radio sources, including galaxies.

Radio sources are various cosmic objects in the universe that emit large amounts of radio waves and can include nebulas and stars, as well as galaxies.

The research, led by Keele University in the UK, used the Australian Square Kilometer Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) telescope to 'photograph' LMC at radio wavelengths, allowing scientists to measure nearby stars and distant galaxies.

Most of the radio sources come from galaxies 'millions and billions of light years beyond the Large Magellanic Cloud,' lead author Clara Peennock from Keele University said in a statement.

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Scientists have captured the sharpest radio images (pictured) of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way that sits 158,000 light years from Earth, revealing thousands of never-before-seen radio sources

'We typically see them because of the supermassive black holes in their centers which can be detected at all wavelengths, especially radio,' Peennock continued.

'But we now also start finding many galaxies in which stars are forming at a tremendous rate.

'Combining this data with previous observations from X-ray, optical and infrared telescopes will allow us to explore these galaxies in extraordinary detail.'

The Large Magellanic Cloud is one of the closest galaxies to the Milky Way.

Most of the radio sources come from galaxies 'millions and billions of light years beyond the Large Magellanic Cloud,' lead author Clara Peennock from Keele University said in a statement. Pictured are various objects emitting radio waves

The very first recorded mention of the Large Magellanic Cloud was by Persian astronomer Shirazi, in his Book of Fixed Stars around 964 AD.

MAGELLANIC CLOUDS: SATELLITE GALAXIES FOR THE MILKY WAY The Magellanic Clouds can be seen in the night sky with the naked eye and have been observed by ancient cultures for thousands of years. The Large Magellanic Cloud is a relatively small 160,000 light years away from us, while the Small Magellanic Cloud is around 200,000 light years away. They orbit the Milky Way once every 1,500 million years and each other once every 900 million years. They were the closest known galaxies to the Milky Way until recently, when the Sagittarius and Canis Major dwarf galaxies were discovered and found to be even closer. Advertisement

Along with capturing the sharpest radio images of the Cloud, researchers were able to look deep into the Tarantula Nebula, the most active star-formation region in the Local Group.

The Tarantula Nebula is a massive ionized-hydrogen region that is made up of a cloud of interstellar gas, which is lit from within by young, hot stars that ionize the gas around them, according to Britannica,

The nebula is located about 160,000 light years from Earth, located in the the constellation of Dorado (The Dolphinfish) in the far southern sky.

Dr. Jacco van Loon, Reader in Astrophysics at Keele University said in a statement: 'With so many stars and nebulae packed together, the increased sharpness of the image has been instrumental in discovering radio emitting stars and compact nebulae in the LMC.

'We see all sorts of radio sources, from individual fledgling stars to planetary nebulae that result from the death of stars like the Sun.'

This study, published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, is part of the Evolutionary Map of the Universe (EMU) Early Science Project, which will observe the entire southern sky and is predicted to detect around 40 million galaxies.

This data will give researchers a clearer picture of how galaxies, and their stars, have evolved throughout time and hopefully reveal secrets of our early universe.

Co-author Professor Andrew Hopkins, from Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, and leader of the EMU survey, added: 'It's gratifying to see these exciting results coming from the early EMU observations.

Along with capturing the sharpest radio images of the Cloud, researchers were able to look deep into the Tarantula Nebula, the most active star-formation region in the Local Group

'EMU is an incredibly ambitious project with scientific goals that range from understanding star and galaxy evolution to cosmological measurements of dark matter and dark energy, and much more.

'The discoveries from this early work demonstrate the power of the ASKAP telescope to deliver sensitive images over wide areas of sky, offering a tantalizing glimpse of what the full EMU survey may reveal.

'This investigation has been critical in allowing us to design the main survey, which we expect will start in early 2022.'
Over half of all close encounters in orbit between objects are caused by SpaceX Starlink satellites - even with just 1,500 of a planned 12,000 launched so far, data shows.

Satellite operators such as SpaceX are constantly forced to make adjustments to avoid encounters with other spacecraft and pieces of debris.

With hundreds of Starlink satellites in orbit, the number of dangerous approaches will continue to grow, according to a study by the University of Southampton.

Researchers found that Starlink satellites are involved in an average of 1,600 close encounters with other spacecraft every week, including some where the two objects come within about half a mile of each other, according to a Space.com report.

If two spacecraft do crash in orbit then they would generate a cloud of debris that would in turn threaten other satellites operating in the same region of space.

Over half of all close encounters in orbit between objects are caused by SpaceX Starlink satellites, with just 1,500 of a planned 12,000 launched so far, study shows

HOW MANY ITEMS ARE THERE IN ORBIT? Rocket launches since 1957: 5450

5450 Number of satellites in orbit: 8950

8950 Number still in space: 5000

5000 Number still functioning: 1950

1950 Number of debris objects: 22300

22300 Break-ups, explosions etc: 500

500 Mass of objects in orbit: 8400 tonnes

8400 tonnes Prediction of the amount of debris in orbit using statistical models Over 10cm: 34 000

34 000 1cm to 10cm: 900 000

900 000 1mm to 1cm: 128 million Source: European Space Agency Advertisement

Hugh Lewis, from the Astronautics Research Group at the University of Southampton analysed data on close encounter reports for space debris and satellites.

He uses the Socrates database (Satellite Orbital Conjunction Reports Assessing Threatening Encounters in Space) that includes information on current satellite orbits and models of future trajectories.

Lewis says he has noticed a worrying trend within the database that started with the deployment of the Starlink constellation.

'I have looked at the data going back to May 2019 when Starlink was first launched to understand the burden of these megaconstellations,' Lewis told Space.com.

'Since then, the number of encounters picked up by the Socrates database has more than doubled and now we are in a situation where Starlink accounts for half of all encounters.'

It wasn't just close encounters with other satellite operators - one of the encounters was between two Starlink satellites.

The data showed that on an average week Starlink satellites came close to other operators' spacecraft 500 times, and in comparison British-owned OneWeb's 250 satellites came close to 80 other operators' satellites.

Pieces of unwanted debris left by humans in low-Earth orbit have become the equivalent of a 'new drifting island of plastic' in outer space, an expert has warned (artist's impression)

Lewis says this problem will 'only get worse' with just 1,500 of tens of thousands of proposed Starlink satellites launched to do.

The firm has previously said it hopes to launch 12,000 in the constellation, and has permission for over 40,000.

If the full constellation is launched, then up to 90 per cent of all close approaches will involve Starlink satellites, according to Lewis.

Kayhan Space, developer of a commercial autonomous space traffic management system, says on average an operator managing 50 satellites will receive up to 300 official 'close encounter' alerts per week.

Only about ten of these require the operator to make changes to their orbit and most are the result of encounters with pieces of debris.

'This problem is really getting out of control,' Siemak Heser, CEO of Kayhan told Space.com, adding that current processes are very manual and not scalable.

He said there is also 'not enough information sharing between parties that might be affected if a collision happens.'

Heser compared the problem of space collisions to driving on a major road and not knowing that there has been a crash miles ahead of you.

If two spacecraft do crash in orbit then they would generate a cloud of debris that would in turn threaten other satellites operating in the same region of space.

'You want to have that situational awareness for the other actors that are flying in the neighbourhood,' Hesar said in an interview with Space.com.

Availability is subject to regulatory approval in countries Starlink operates its beta in 11 countries, Shotwell said, including the US, Australia, New Zealand and parts of Europe

SPACEX TO BRING BROADBAND TO THE WORLD WITH ITS STARLINK SATELLITES Starlink is a constellation of thousands of satellites, designed to provide low-cost broadband internet service. While satellite internet has been around for a while, it has suffered from high latency and unreliable connections. Starlink is different. SpaceX says a 'constellation' of satellites in low earth orbit would provide high-speed, cable-like internet all over the world. Musk previously said the venture could give three billion people who currently do not have access to the internet a cheap way of getting online. Musk compared the project to 'rebuilding the internet in space', as it would reduce reliance on the existing network of undersea fibre-optic cables which criss-cross the planet. In the US, the FCC welcomed the scheme as a way to provide internet connections to more people. Advertisement

The amount of debris generated from a crash can be significant, and even a small fleck of paint orbiting the Earth at thousands of miles per hour can prove highly destructive.

The worst known collision ever recorded in space was in February 2009 when a US telecom satellite collided with. defunct Russian military satellite, generating 1,000 pieces of space junk larger than four inches.

Experts say that many of these 1,000 pieces went on to be involved in further incidents, potentially creating a cascade effect that could make low Earth orbit inaccessible, cutting humanity off from space.

Lewis told Space.com that with the number of different operators launching satellites, and the increase in satellites, the risk of a 'wrong decision' increases, which could lead to further destruction.

He said that avoidance costs fuel, time and effort, so moving isn't always the most prudent decision if predictions suggest it won't be too close, but things can change from predicted models.

'In a situation when you are receiving alerts on a daily basis, you can't manoeuvre for everything,' Lewis said.

'The manoeuvres use propellant, the satellite cannot provide service. So there must be some threshold. But that means you are accepting a certain amount of risk. The problem is that at some point, you are likely to make a wrong decision.'

He said SpaceX was a risk in itself, in part due to its growing monopoly due to the dramatic rise in satellites sent into orbit, and the fact they have a completely autonomous hazard avoidance system.

In May this year, a robotic arm attached to the outside of the International Space Station was hit with space junk and visibly damaged, according to the Canadian Space Agency

'We place trust in a single company, to do the right thing,' Lewis told Space.com, adding 'we are in a situation where most of the manoeuvres will involve Starlink.'

'They were a launch provider before, now they are the world's biggest satellite operator, but they have only been doing that for two years so there is a certain amount of inexperience,' he said.

'Starlink doesn't publicise all the manoeuvres that they're making, but it is believed that they are making a lot of small corrections and adjustments all the time.

'But that causes problems for everybody else because no one knows where the satellite is going to be and what it is going to do in the next few days.'
An ancient coin minted by Jewish rebels revolting against the Romans 1,900 years ago will accompany former Israeli pilot Etan Stibbe to the International Space Station (ISS) next year.

Stibbe, 63, is one of three men who paid $55 million each to launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket for Axiom's first privately crewed mission.

The coin comes from the Bar Kokhba revolt, which took place from 132 to 136 AD and was the final of three Jewish-Roman wars that first began when Romans took control of Jerusalem in 63 AD.

It bears etchings of a palm tree on one side and a vine leaf with the inscription 'Year Two of the liberty of Israel' on the other.'

'I saw the coin, minted with the palm tree and vines leave, that for me represent the connection to the land, the love of the country, and the desire of the population of Israel in those years for independence,' Stibbe said in a statement, according to The Jerusalem Post.

'The palm tree particularly touched me, as it is the symbol of the Agricultural Research Organization, at Volcani Center, where my father spent his life conducting research on the country's soil.'

WHO IS THE GUY ON THE LEFT IN THE PIC?

An ancient coin minted by Jewish rebels revolting against the Romans 1,900 years ago will accompany former Israeli pilot Etan Stibbe (right) to the International Space Station next year. Pictured right is Eli Eskosido, Director of the Israel Antiquities Authority, presenting the coin

Stibbe flew combat missions for the Israeli Air Force and later went on to found investment firm Vital Capital.

He will also be just the second Israeli to every fly to space  Ilan Roman was the first in 2003.

Roman was a space shuttle payload specialist aboard the Columbia, which tragically disintegrated during re-entry and killed all seven crew members.

Nonetheless, Stibbe is hopeful about the Axiom and SpaceX mission early next year.

The coin comes from the Bar Kokhba revolt, which took place from 132 to 136 AD and was the final of three Jewish-Roman wars that first began when Romans took control of Jerusalem in 63 AD. It bears etchings of a palm tree on one side

A vine leaf with the inscription 'Year Two of the liberty of Israel' is seen on the other side of the coin

'Obviously there's some fear, and this is definitely extreme. And then there are risks, and I'm aware of the risks,' Stibbe told the Washington Post in January.

Along with a bag of filled with items that have a special meaning, Stibbe will also carry the sacred Jewish coin that was recently uncovered in the Cave of Horror during the challenging Judean Desert Survey and Excavations Project carried out by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA).

IAA director Eli Eskosido said in a statement: 'The fact that Eytan chose to take with him to space an ancient item bearing symbolic significance is very exciting and meaningful.

'This is a historic meeting between the ancient world and the height of human innovation.

'The Jewish rebels who struck this coin 1,900 years ago while fighting for their lives and independence could not have imagined in their wildest dreams that after many centuries, this item will make its way to outer space with a Jewish astronaut who lives in an independent Jewish state.'

Stibbe (left) will be joined by Larry Connor (right) and Mark Pathy (second right), and led by retired NASA astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria (second left), who has traveled to space four times and is now the vice president of Aximo Space

The coin bears the name of Shimon Bar Kokhba, who led the final revolt against the Romans.

The revolts initially started over religious restrictions imposed on the Jews, along with the Romans building a city on top of ruins in Jerusalem  including a pagan temple where a sacred Jewish temple once stood.

Three major wars were fought between the Jews and Romans over the span of 70 years.

The First Jewish-Roman War was from 66 to 70 AD, which was followed by the Kitos War in 115 through 117 AD and finally, the Bar Kokhba revolt that took place from 132 to 136 AD.

Dr Gabriela Bijovsky, a coin specialist at the IAA, said in a statement: 'Interestingly, the rebels used existing Roman coins and re-struck them with their own themes and messages.

'Such an act was an outrageous affront to the Roman rulers. These coins had first and foremost a symbolic meaning as Jewish propaganda, as they could be used for commerce only among the rebels themselves.'

Stibbe will be joined by Larry Connor and Mark Pathy, and led by retired NASA astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria, who has traveled to space four times and is now the vice president of Axiom Space.

Connor, 70, is the managing partner of a real estate investment firm based in Ohio and Pathy, 51, is the chief executive of Canadian investment firm Mavrik Corp.

Axiom CEO Michael Suffredini said the flight is a 'watershed moment in the march toward universal and routine access to space.'

'These guys are all very involved and doing it for kind of for the betterment of their communities and countries, and so we couldn't be happier with this makeup of the first crew because of their drive and their interest,' Suffredini said.

Each of these first paying customers intends to perform science research in orbit, he said, along with educational outreach.

Lopez-Alegria, a former space station resident and spacewalking leader, called the group a 'collection of pioneers.'
It may be a crucial way for babies to practise making sounds, but babbling is a rare skill in the animal kingdom.

The phenomenon has been described almost exclusively in songbirds, but now scientists have discovered that bats can also imitate noises by their parents.

This similarity to human infants represents 'the first formal analysis of bat pup babbling,' the researchers said.

Scientists have found that bat pups imitate noises and babble like human infants (pictured)

They studied the behaviour of 20 greater sac-winged bat pups in their natural habitat in Panama and Costa Rica, making acoustic and video recordings from birth until the mothers stop nursing them.

These showed that the pup babbling is characterised by the same features as human babies  for example the repetition of syllables.

In humans, speech requires precise control over the vocal apparatus, which enables people to make all the sounds necessary for communication.

Babbling allows infants and toddlers to practise speech sounds by gaining motor control over the vocal apparatus and making sounds that imitate the vowels  cooing and gooing; consonants  ba and ga; and rhythmicity  da da da, that define human language.

The research was carried out by a team of scientists from the Natural History Museum in Berlin.

Mirjam Knornschild, co-author of the study, said: 'It is fascinating to see these compelling parallels between the two vocal learning mammals.'

She added that the research would contribute to the study of the biological foundations of human language.

Ahana Fernandez, another one of the experts involved in the study, said: 'Working with wild bat pups is a unique opportunity because it allows observing and recording a complex behaviour in a completely natural, undisturbed setting.'

Researchers discovered that during their development the pups spent on average seven weeks engaging in daily babbling behaviour.

The babbling is characterised by long multisyllabic vocal sequences which include syllable types of the adult vocal repertoire, the study found.

Fellow researcher Martina Nagy said: 'Pup babbling is a very conspicuous vocal behaviour, it is audible at a considerable distance from the roost and babbling bouts have a duration of up to 43 minutes.

'And while babbling, pups learn the song of the adult males.'

The findings are published in the journal Science.
Scientists in Australia have uncovered the widest and one of the tallest coral in the Great Barrier Reef, a 34-foot wide structure nicknamed 'Muga dhamb,' after the indigenous residents of Palm Islands.

The structure, made up of small marine animals and calcium carbonate, is just over 17 feet tall, the sixth largest in the Great Barrier Reef, researchers said.

They estimate it is anywhere between 421 and 438 years old, which predates the colonization of Australia itself, which started in 1788.

It was discovered by snorkelers off Goolboodi (also known as Orpheus Island), part of the Palm Island Group in Queensland, Australia.

Scientists found the widest coral in the Great Barrier Reef, a 34-foot wide structure nicknamed 'Muga dhamb.' It's just over 17' tall and believed to be between 421 and 438 years old, predating Australia's colonization

It was found by snorkelers off Goolboodi, part of the Palm Island Group in Queensland, Australia

It's part of the Porites genus and 70% of it is live, having survived 80 cyclones, coral bleaching and other events

The coral is part of the Porites genus and stunned researchers, not only for its good health (70 percent of it is 'live'), but it has survived a number of various events, including 80 cyclones, coral bleaching and other instances that could damage its health.

'The large Porites coral ... is unusually rare and resilient,' researchers wrote in the study.

'It has survived coral bleaching, invasive species, cyclones, severely low tides and human activities for almost 500 years.'

In October 2020, researchers said that more than half of the Great Barrier Reef's corals had been lost to bleaching over the last 25 years.

When ocean temperatures are too high, corals expel their colorful symbiotic algae that provide them with food  turning them a bleached white.

In the language of the Manbarra people, 'Muga ghambi' means 'big coral'

In the language of the Manbarra people, who live on Palm Islands, 'Muga ghambi' means 'big coral,' according to Live Science.

One of the study's co-authors, Nathan Cook, told the news outlet the structure is 'probably one of the oldest' on the reef, adding he is surprised by how intact it is, thanks to its skeleton.

'These massive colonies grow in a hemispherical shape, likely prioritizing width over height for stability,' Cook said.

'It is difficult for any hard coral species to grow really tall without breaking.'

Coral are anthozoans, a type of organism related to hydroids, jellyfish and sea anemones that help comprise the coral reef, such as the Great Barrier Reef.

In July, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee said it would not list the Great Barrier Reef as endangered following two days of deliberations.

Other Porites coral are also larger, including one 30 kilometers east of Taiwan at Green Island, one that is 57ft wide and 39.4ft tall in American Samoa and one 36ft wide at Sesoko Island, Okinawa, Japan, the study's authors wrote.

Though corals are sensitive to climate change - a study published in April said 99 percent of it could be gone by 2025 - the researchers are hopeful that resilient colonies, such as Muga dhambi, can survive.

'Due to the increasing severity and intensity of disturbances to ecosystems worldwide, corals like this are becoming increasingly rare,' Cook told Live Science.

'As optimists, we hope that Muga dhambi will survive for many more years, but it will require a big change in human impacts.'

The study was published today in the journal Scientific Reports.
NASA has issued a temporarily halt work on the $2.9 billion lunar lander contract that it awarded to Elon Musk's SpaceX after Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin sued the US government.

A US judge set an October 14 hearing on the case. NASA has voluntarily agreed to halt work on the contract until November 1, according to court documents.

NASA told DailyMail.com: 'NASA has voluntarily paused work with SpaceX for the human landing system (HLS) Option A contract effective Aug. 19 through Nov. 1. In exchange for this temporary stay of work, all parties agreed to an expedited litigation schedule that concludes on Nov. 1.

'NASA officials are continuing to work with the Department of Justice to review the details of the case and look forward to a timely resolution of this matter.

'NASA is committed to Artemis and to maintaining the nations global leadership in space exploration. With our partners, we will go to the Moon and stay to enable science investigations, develop new technology, and create high paying jobs for the greater good and in preparation to send astronauts to Mars.'

NASA has voluntarily agreed to halt work on the contract until November 1, according to court documents

Blue Origin recently filed a lawsuit against NASA, claiming a $2.9 billion lunar lander contract was unfairly awarded to rival Elon Musk's SpaceX earlier this year.

The suit, filed in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims on Monday, is sealed, but according to another filing, it 'challenges NASAs unlawful and improper evaluation of proposals.'

The Bezos founded company said its suit was 'an attempt to remedy the flaws in the acquisition process found in NASAs Human Landing System.'

Blue Origin was originally in competition with SpaceX and a third firm called Dynetics for what was expected to be two NASA contracts.

After Congress trimmed the space agency's budget, NASA announced in April 2021 that SpaceX's Human Landing System (HLS) would be the sole contractor.

That month, Blue Origin and Alabama-based Dynetics filed a 50-page protest with the Government Accountability Office (GAO), a congressional watchdog.

In response, Elon Musk rolled his fellow multibillionaire Bezos, tweeting he 'can't get it up (to orbit).'

In July, the GAO rejected Blue Origin and Dynetics' protest, finding 'NASA did not violate procurement law or regulation when it decided to make only one award,' striking down Blue Origin's main argument.

Pictured: Billionaire Jeff Bezos, founder of Blue Origin.The space company has filed suit against NASA in the US Court of Federal Claims for awarding Elon Musk's SpaceX the sole contract for a lunar lander for the upcoming Artemis mission

'The announcement reserved the right to make multiple awards, a single award, or no award at all,' GAO stated in a press release.

'In reaching its award decision, NASA concluded that it only had sufficient funding for one contract award.'

Blue Origin has been working on its moon landing system, known as Blue Moon, since 2017.

In 2019, Bezos unveiled a rendering of Blue Moon during a Blue Origin event in Washington, DC.

Though Blue Origin claims NASA had indicated it would award several contracts, in April gave Elon Musk (pictured) and his Space X the lone $2.91 billion contract to develop a lunar lander

After NASA announced Space X would be the sole contractor, Elon Musk tweeted that rival Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin 'can't get it up (to orbit)'

The same month the GAO rejected the protest, Bezos became the first billionaire in space, joining his brother, Mark, 82-year-old space pioneer Wally Funk, and an 18-year-old student aboard the New Shepard rocket ship.

After the GAO decision, a Blue Origin spokesperson told DailyMail.com hat the company stood firm 'in our belief that there were fundamental issues with NASA's decision, but the GAO wasn't able to address them due to their limited jurisdiction.'

They added Blue Origin would 'continue to advocate for two immediate providers, as we believe it is the right solution,' but did not suggest outright legal action.

'The Human Landing System [HLS] program needs to have competition now instead of later, the rep said, 'that's the best solution for NASA and the best solution for our country.'

An illustration of the SpaceX Starship human lander design that will carry the first NASA astronauts to the surface of the Moon under the Artemis program in 2024

Days after Blue Origin and Dynetics filed their protest, NASA told SpaceX to halt building the HLM until the GAO made its ruling.

The July decision meant Musk could restart work on the lander, part of the larger project to land the first woman and next man on the moon.

Musk responded to the ruling by posting 'GAO' with the 'strong arm' emoji on Twitter.

NASA initially made the announcement about the lunar lander contracts in April 2020, awarding Blue Origin $579 million, Dynetics team $253 million and SpaceX $135 million to develop a model for a lander.

According to Blue Origin, the space agency was expected to name two winning teams this year, with both companies receiving lucrative contracts to turn their designs into working spacecrafts.

In July, Musk also responded to the General Accounting Office's rejection of a protest filed by Blue Origin and Dynetics by tweeting the strong arm emoji and 'GAO'

However, on April 16, 2021, NASA announced SpaceX was going to be the sole company to construct a lunar lander, with a $2.91 billion contract that was reportedly much lower than Blue Origin's $5.99 billion bid.

A rendering of Blue Moon, the lunar landing vehicle Blue Horizon intended to develop for NASA

'NASA had indicated an overriding intention to make two awards but due to perceived shortfalls in currently available and anticipated future budget appropriations, it made only the award to SpaceX, eliminating HLS competition, and effectively locking down immediate and future lunar landing system development and launch and lunar landing opportunities,' lawyers for Blue Origin told AL.com.

On April 16, SpaceX revealed plans for its lander, which will include the company's tested Raptor engines, along with new tech pulling inspiration from the Falcon and Dragon vehicles' designs.

The lander will feature a spacious cabin and two airlocks for astronaut moonwalks.

'The Starship architecture is intended to evolve to a fully reusable launch and landing system designed for travel to the Moon, Mars, and other destinations,' NASA shared in the April announcement.

In July, Blue Origin claimed NASA had 'moved the goalposts at the last minute' and, 'in NASA's own words... made a 'high risk' selection.'

Blue Origin has questioned whether SpaceX is up to the challenge of developing the 'unprecedented number of technologies, developments, and operations that have never been done before ' in order for Starship to land on the Moon'

'Their decision eliminates opportunities for competition, significantly narrows the supply base, and not only delays, but also endangers America's return to the Moon,' the company added.

Since then Blue Origin has been taking potshots at Space X on social media, posting several infographics underscoring the 'unprecedented number of technologies, developments, and operations that have never been done before for Starship to land on the Moon.'

The suit, filed in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims earlier this month, is sealed, but according to another filing it 'challenges NASAs unlawful and improper evaluation of proposals'

Last week, it released an infographic that added that Starship is 'a launch vehicle that has never flown to orbit and is still being designed,'

Space X has launched more than 100 successful orbital launches with its Falcon 9 rockets, CNBC reported, while Bezos' company has yet to reach orbit.

In response to the infographic Musk tweeted, 'The sad thing is that even if Santa Claus suddenly made their hardware real for free, the first thing you'd want to do is cancel it.'
Toni Kroos has claimed Paris Saint-Germain's signing of Lionel Messi could bring a huge double boost for Real Madrid: a weakened Barcelona and the arrival of Kylian Mbappe.

The German midfielder believes the move could open up a route for Mbappe to join Los Blancos, who the Frenchman supported as a youngster, at long last.

Kroos dropped the transfer hint while discussing how Messi's Barcelona exit could weaken Real's LaLiga rivals to his side's advantage.

Toni Kroos says PSG signing Lionel Messi could help Real Madrid sign Kylian Mbappe (right)

The Real Madrid star teased Barcelona on his podcast over losing their best player

'We'll see how it all works out (Messi to PSG). Maybe the move is good for us because our biggest competitor has lost their best player,' the German said while talking to his brother on their joint podcast Einfach mal luppen.

'And maybe even more good things will come out of it as a result. Maybe [a player] from Paris joins us If that (Mbappe joining Madrid) should actually happen - I don't know - this whole Messi deal would certainly not be a disadvantage for us.'

Messi's 21-year career at the Nou Camp came to a shock end earlier this month after the Ballon d'Or winner made the switch to the Parc des Princes on a free transfer.

Messi's (right) 21-year career at the Nou Camp ended due to financial problems at the club

PSG may have seen a blockbuster name arrive at the Parc des Princes this summer but another could be on the verge of a departure.

While the coup of Messi's signature will surely rally PSG's efforts to regain their Ligue 1 crown, the French side could suffer a blow with the loss of Mbappe.

The 22-year-old has yet to commit to an extension on his contract that expires 10 months from now, leaving the possibility of him leaving for free next summer looming over PSG.

And speculation surrounding Mbappe's future in Paris only increased following Messi's arrival.

Mbappe (right) is irked by the arrival of Messi (left) fearing he will become overshadowed

Mbappe is reportedly 'concerned' over the arrival of Messi as he fears he will be thrust into the shadow of the Argentine and illustrious partner Neymar.

Real have long been courting the idea of bringing Mbappe to the Bernabeu and ramped up their efforts this week.

PSG and Real were reported to be set to enter crunch transfer talks over the Frenchman.

According to El Chiringuito via Diario AS, PSG have given up the fight to keep Mbappe and are willing to discuss terms of a move away, even considering replacing him with Juventus' Cristiano Ronaldo if he leaves.

The Ballon d'Or winner has reunited with former Barcelona team-mate Neymar (right) at PSG

Ronaldo's future has been in the spotlight recently among reports that the former Real Madrid star has also been triggered by Messi's move.

The Portuguese forward reportedly wants to leave Juventus after his former LaLiga rival's transfer upset his self-esteem and left him fearful of another season in Turin.

Reports from Italian media claimed the 36-year-old's agent, Jorge Mendes, has offered him to Manchester City for just 25million, as an alternative option to Tottenham's Harry Kane, who will cost Pep Guardiola's side well over 100m.

The report added that PSG are not completely out of the race for Ronaldo, as they dream of combining him with Messi in attack.

Cristiano Ronaldo is angered over Messi's headline-grabbing move to the Parc des Princes

Meanwhile, El Chiringuito hasn't ruled out a return to the Bernabeu for the five-time Ballon d'Or winner.

Ronaldo quashed the transfer speculation in a 286-word statement on social media on Tuesday evening, labelling the links to PSG, Manchester City and Real Madrid 'disrespectful' and claiming his name was being 'played around' with.

Despite Messi grabbing the headlines this summer, Kroos, who played alongside Ronaldo at Real from 2014 until 2018, claimed the Portugal international was in fact the better of the two legends.

Kroos (left) claimed his former Real Madrid team-mate was the best player of all time

'From my playing days, it's Cristiano Ronaldo (best player of all time),' said Kroos. 'Of course I'm biased because he made a decisive contribution to us winning a lot of titles. It was exciting and impressive (to play alongside Ronaldo).

'We were not only team-mates, but also neighbours in the dressing room and neighbours in private. He lived right next to me. Seeing what a perfectionist he is was impressive.

'That is why it is forbidden for me to name Messi (as the best player of all time).'
Tottenham are reportedly ready to move for long-term Arsenal target Houssem Aouar.

New Spurs boss Nuno Espirito Santo wants to strengthen his attacking options by signing the Lyon playmaker, according to the Daily Mirror.

And the Gunners' 30million swoop for Real Madrid midfielder Martin Odegaard has opened the door for their north London rivals to sign the Frenchman.

Tottenham are reportedly ready to move for long-term Arsenal target Houssem Aouar (right)

Spurs boss Nuno Espirito Santo (L) reportedly wants to strengthen his attack with Aouar

Aouar scored eight goals and provided four assists in 33 appearances for the Ligue 1 side last season.

But the 23-year-old is among several Lyon stars placed on the transfer list by Lyon sporting director Juninho.

Reports in France claim the Brazilian is so keen to sell Aouar that the club are willing to lower his 25m price tag.

Aouar was a top target for the Gunners last summer, but club chiefs failed to thrash out a deal with the French side.

Aouar is among several Lyon stars placed on the transfer list by sporting director Juninho

Martin Odegaard is set to return to Arsenal from Real Madrid, this time on a permanent deal

Arsenal hope to reach an agreement with Real Madrid this week for the transfer of Norwegian ace Odegaard.

The Gunners had opened a dialogue with the Spanish giants earlier in the summer over a permanent deal, after the Norway captain impressed on loan during the second half of last season.

Boss Mikel Arteta has remained determined to bring in a playmaker and now Sportsmail understands hands are about to be shaken on a deal worth in the region of 30m (35m).

On Wednesday, Odegaard was absent from Real Madrid's training session, while the fine print of the deal was being discussed.
A plastic surgery-obsessed Australian woman with E-cup breasts has failed in her quest for bigger implants after being turned down due to her weight.

Tara Jayne McConachy, a 32-year-old nurse from Melbourne, made her debut on E! reality show Botched recently in the hope of convincing Drs Paul Nassif and Terry Dubrow to give her bigger implants.

'Everything is tiny on me except for my tatas [breasts]... I'm on a quest for a bigger chest!' she told producers.

'I'm on a quest for a bigger chest': Tara Jayne McConachy, (pictured) a 32-year-old nurse from Melbourne, made her debut on E! reality show Botched recently in the hope of convincing Drs Nassif and Dubrow to give her bigger implants

'I currently have 540 CCs [of breast implant silicone], and I'm just not happy with them at all,' she said.

Tara, who compares herself to a 'plastic doll', said she'd noticed a 'rippling effect' on the skin on her breasts and hoped 'filling out the space more' would fix the issue.

'Basically, the part that I don't like about them is that they're not big enough,' she explained.

'I'm just not happy': Tara, who compares herself to a 'plastic doll', said she'd noticed a 'rippling effect' on the skin on her breasts and hoped 'filling out the space more' would fix the issue

Larger-than-life Tara said she 'loves attention' and that plastic surgery gives her confidence.

'I just thought getting plastic surgery and having bigger boobs, that's going to be the wow factor and exactly what I need,' she said.

But Tara was left disappointed after the doctors said her weight was 'dangerously low' at 45kg, making her far too slim to carry larger implants.

'Im really concerned about Tara's overall wellbeing': Tara was left disappointed after the doctors said her weight was 'dangerously low' at 45kg, making her far too slim to carry larger implants. Pictured: Botched stars Dr Paul Nassif and Dr Terry Dubrow

'Im really concerned about Tara's overall wellbeing', Dr Nassif said.

'Not just as it relates to surgery, but she really needs to get both physically and mentally healthy.'

After examining her breasts, Dr Dubrow explained the 'rippling effect' was due to the large size of her implants putting pressure on her body, causing the surrounding skin to become thin and overly stretched.

At the end of the consultation, the doctors told Tara they may be able to give her larger breasts if she put on at least 10-15 per cent of her body weight.

Before: Tara has had countless procedures including six nose jobs, five breast augmentations and a seemingly endless amount of Botox and filler. Tara is pictured here before surgery

'If I have to appeal to her desire for larger implants in order to get her to allow herself to be that healthier person, that's what I'm going to do,' Dr Dubrow said after the consultation.

Tara has spent about $200,000 on her plastic surgery transformation, including six nose jobs, five breast augmentations and countless injections of Botox and filler.

'I think in this day and age, it's very important for a woman to be able to express the way they feel and just express everything about beauty,' she told The Morning Show last year.

'Plastic surgery is how I do that and that's what makes me happy. It gives me the confidence to be the best version of myself.'

Brand new Botched is now streaming on hayu, plus relive every episode ever - only on hayu in Australia.
Supernatural actor Jared Padalecki opened up about his issues with Jensen Ackles, after Padalecki in June claimed he was 'gutted' after he was caught by surprise with news a prequel show titled The Winchesters was in the works without him.

Padalecki, 39, chat with The New York Times on Wednesday about the course of events that amounted to something of a misunderstanding between the longtime colleagues.

'I hadn't heard of it, and then he and I chatted,' said the San Antonio native, who portrayed the character Sam Winchester on The CW series, told the newspaper of his interactions with Ackles, 43, who made clear to him he felt the project was not cemented enough to let him know about.

The latest: Supernatural actor Jared Padalecki, 39, opened up about his issues with Jensen Ackles, after Padalecki in June claimed he was 'gutted' after he was caught by surprise with news a prequel show titled The Winchesters was in the works without him. He was snapped earlier this month in Houston

'He just kind of explained: "Man, it's not picked up yet. It's not even written yet,"' Padalecki said of his exchange with Ackles, who is a narrator and executive producer on the show (with his wife Danneel).

'He knows and I know how much Supernatural means to both of us, and it wasn't a secret he was trying to keep, necessarily,' Padalecki said.

He continued: 'It was just something that he didn't feel really even existed yet. But he has been like: "Hey, I'll let you know what's going on."'

Padalecki told the outlet he's very fond of Ackles, who he appeared alongside on The CW series from 2005 thru 2020.

Out and about: The costars were seen at the NYC Upfronts for The CW in 2019

Colleagues: Padalecki and Ackles appeared alongside on The CW series from 2005 thru 2020

'I love Jensen deeply,' Padalecki said. 'He's my brother - he has been for many years, and he always will be, no matter what. He's spent more time with me on camera than anybody probably ever will, so he knows my strengths and weaknesses more than I do, and vice versa. I respect his opinion.'

Padalecki said that news about the prequel was something fans had assumed he was involved in, once reports surfaced online in a Deadline report.

'People were assuming I was part of it, I really wanted to just say: "Hey, I'm not keeping a secret from you guys. I just don't know about this,"' Padalecki said. 'And I should be old enough to know better than to put something out there and expect that people will understand.

Padalecki in June tweeted his ire over the situation after the new show was announced

Padalecki said that 'it's hard to tweet a specific tone,' as 'if you write it online, it's like, "Oh, he doesn't know! They're going to kill each other! The world is ending!" And I'm like, "No, no, no." I try to avoid social media as much as possible because of that.'

Padalecki initially reacted with a series of tweets that seemingly made clear his disappointment with the turn of events, writing, 'Dude. Happy for you. Wish I heard about this some way other than Twitter. I'm excited to watch, but bummed that Sam Winchester had no involvement whatsoever.'

In response to a follower, Padalecki said he was 'gutted' not to be involved with the prequel, noting, 'This is the first I've heard about it.'
Creators of Netflix's The Crown are reportedly 'set to infuriate royals' as the upcoming season explores the relationship between Prince Philip and aristocrat Penny Knatchbull, who was 30 years his junior.

Actress Natascha McElhone will portray 68-year-old Penny, with Jonathan Pryce playing The Queen's husband Prince Philip - who died in April aged 99 - while Imelda Staunton steps into Her Majesty's shoes.

According to reports, the exploration of Philip and Penny's relationship is 'unlikely to be welcomed by the royal family'.

Oh dear: The Crown is 'set to infuriate royals' as it explores the relationship between Prince Philip and aristocrat Penny Knatchbull (pictured together in 2009)

A source told The Sun: 'This is a relationship which naturally raised a few eyebrows and sparked quite a few whispers, but Philip and Penny maintained they were just friends.

'The makers of The Crown believe it is a relationship worthy of exploring and casting a veteran actor like Natascha is a reflection of how high profile the role is.'

They added: 'But the highly personal relationship is unlikely to be welcomed as a storyline by Her Majesty or the rest of the Royal Family.'

A Buckingham Palace representative declined to comment. MailOnline has reached out to representatives for Netflix for comment.

Playing a prince: Jonathan Pryce will play The Queen's husband Prince Philip - who died in April aged 99

Stepping into her shoes: Actress Natascha McElhone will portray 68-year-old Penny in the upcoming season

Penny was considered a constant confidante of Prince Philip's, loyal companion and 'keeper of secrets'.

While much has been made of their shared passion for the sport of carriage driving, their ties were deep and went back decades.

Penny is thought to have met Philip in 1974 when she was dating Norton Knatchbull, now the 3rd Earl Mountbatten of Burma, one of Prince Charles's closest friends at Gordonstoun School in Scotland.

The only daughter of Reginald Eastwood, a butcher-turned-businessman, she was educated in Switzerland before taking a business degree at the London School of Economics.

HRH: Imelda Staunton (pictured in character) steps into Her Majesty's shoes, taking over the role from Olivia Coleman

Earl Mountbatten, 73, whose family seat is Broadlands in Hampshire, where the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh spent their honeymoon, is the grandson of Lord Louis Mountbatten, Prince Philip's beloved uncle.

When he married Penny in 1979  with Prince Charles as best man  it was just two months after Lord Mountbatten had been murdered by the IRA. The Earl also lost his brother Nicholas and grandmother, Lady Brabourne, when a bomb, planted on the family's fishing boat, exploded in County Sligo.

Until 2005, the Countess was known as Lady Romsey and later Lady Brabourne until assuming her current title on the death of her husband's mother in 2017.

The Knatchbulls were always close members of the Royal circle but tragedy bonded Penny and Philip when, in 1991, her youngest daughter Leonora died of kidney cancer at the age of five.

Meeting: Penny first met the Duke at a polo match when she was 20 and in a relationship with Lord Romsey, Earl Mountbatten's grandson Norton Knatchbull (pictured the trio together in 2009)

Confidante: Prince Philip with Penny Romsey at The Royal Windsor Horse Show in 2007 in Berkshire

Riding: Prince Philip and Lady Penny Romsey riding an 'Easy Rider' Monkey bike at Windsor Horse show in 2005 (pictured left) and in 2009, pictured right

After Leonora's death, Philip began to invite Penny on carriage rides and she became passionate about carriage driving, a sport one aide described as 'one of the big loves of his life after the Queen'.

The Duke and Penny were often together at events such as the Royal Windsor Horse Show, sometimes on matching mini-motorbikes as they rode around the course they would later follow in their carriages.

In 2010, Earl Mountbatten left Penny to live with his mistress in the Bahamas, but within a couple of years had returned to a cottage on the Broadlands estate.

Penny took over the running of the 18th Century, 60-room mansion during her husband's absence and continues to run the house and estate today.

She allowed her errant husband to move back into the 'big house' after he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. The Earl has not been seen in public for several years.

Their daughter Leonora is buried within the 86-acre grounds of Broadlands and Penny has devoted her life to raising money for a charity in her name.

The final two series of The Crown will cover the Royal Family's history throughout the 1990s and into 2003, however it is not yet known which moments will be seen.
The 6million show opened to a full-capacity crowd for the first time last night

Cinderella, Andrew Lloyd Webbers new West End musical that has been plagued by Covid delays, finally went to the ball last night.

A month later than planned, the 6million show opened to a full-capacity crowd for the first time.

On July 19, Lord Lloyd-Webber was forced to cancel the opening night just hours before curtains up after only one cast member tested positive for coronavirus.

But last night, the 73-year-old producer was joined at the premiere by the shows writer, Emerald Fennell.

Curtain call: Andrew Lloyd Webber with Ivano Turco and Carrie Hope Fletcher during the press night performance of Cinderella at the Gillian Lynne Theatre last night

The Oscar-winning writer and actress, 35, who played the Duchess of Cornwall in The Crown, said it had been a relief to work on something unashamedly joyful during the pandemic.

She added: Lets face it, no one wants a harrowing, modernist Cinderella with an interpretive dance about loneliness at the end.

Lord Lloyd-Webber blamed closing the show on ministers illogical and damaging isolation rules.

The impossible conditions created by the isolation guidance mean that we cannot continue, he said.

Hope Fletcher, Laura Baldwin, Victoria Hamilton-Barritt and Georgina Castle on stage during a scene of Cinderella at the Gillian Lynne Theatre last night

My sadness for our cast and crew, our loyal audience and the industry I have been fighting for is impossible to put into words.

Cinderella opened to a 50 per cent capacity crowd at the Gillian Lynne Theatre in June.

Other West End shows that had to postpone performances include Hairspray and The Prince Of Egypt.

PATRICK MARMION: It's a glitterball hit, with all the joy of a panto out of season!

By Patrick Marmion for the Daily Mail

CINDERELLA

by Emerald Fennell, Gillian Lynne Theatre, London

Rating:

The trials of Cinderella are as nothing compared with those of Andrew Lloyd Webber.

The opening of his latest musical last night should have happened last summer, but was repeatedly scuppered ... first by the pandemic and then by the pingdemic.

The good Lord even threatened to join the jailbirds at Her Majestys Prisons rather than carry on running his theatres at reduced capacity.

But now, at last, it is Cinderella who takes centre stage, in the form of leading lady Carrie Hope Fletcher, giving a sharp poke in the eye to the Disney idea of feminine virtue.

Cast member Carrie Hope Fletcher bows at the curtain call during the press night performance of Cinderella at the Gillian Lynne Theatre on Wednesday night

She gives us a sarky, surly, gothic Cinderella whos more into black lipstick and DMs than pumpkin carriages and glass slippers.

Thanks to a scorched earth re-write of the fairy tale by Emerald Fennell, who won an Oscar for the screenplay of her revenge movie Promising Young Woman, shes a heroine for our merry age of Gogglebox, Love Island and #MeToo feminism. From start to finish, this is basically a panto out of season.

Joyously vulgar. Endlessly camp. Fabulously catty  especially in the feuds between the shows two glorious divas: the Queen of Belleville (a gleefully giddy Rebecca Trehearn) and Cinderellas stepmother (played by Victoria Hamilton-Barritt as a husky drag queen firing volleys of devastating put-downs).

Hunky Prince Charming, incidentally, has gone missing; and its his little brother Sebastian (Ivano Turco) whos Cinderellas best friend and beloved ... until his mother demands he make a suitable marriage.

Ivano Turco, pictured centre, bows at the curtain call during the press night performance of Cinderella at the Gillian Lynne Theatre on August 18

Cast members including Georgina Castle, director Laurence Connor, Hope Fletcher, Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber, Victoria Hamilton-Barritt, Laura Baldwin and Caleb Roberts (pictured left to right) bow at the curtain call last night

Were treated to a glittering parade of glorious kitsch, with wobbly cartoon sets for the chocolate box of Belleville.

But its Lloyd Webbers music that does the heavy lifting, with one of his most varied scores.

The first big tune is Hope Fletchers rocky anthem of mock self-reproach, Bad Cinderella. But her acoustic duets, riffing with Sebastian, afford some of the sweetest moments.

Seb gets to bawl his eyes out with a typically lush Only You. Then Cinders unleashes the shows biggest, string-drenched, swoony number, Far Too Late (To Sing A Love Song).

Connor, Hope Fletcher, Ivano Turco, Emerald Fennell and Lord Lloyd Webber (left to right) pose backstage following the press night performance of Cinderella

For all their earnest romance, though, and talk about authentic love, the real fun is (as usual) to be had with the baddies.

The Queen and the Stepmother scratch each others eyes out in the comic blackmail song I Know You. (The Stepmother demands a deal for her daughters and reveals that she knew the Queen when she worked upstairs ... at a house of ill repute.)

Theres also a Chippendales set piece (for hen parties), executed by the Queens guard: a troop of bare-chested, leather-bottomed toy boys. Its still a family musical, though; and my 11-year-old certainly took it all in her stride.

After so much time waiting for this to finally happen, Lloyd Webber can be sure of one other thing, too. And that is that the earth literally moved for us all ... as the front of the stalls rotated with the stage after the interval for the company waltz at the palace ball.

A glitterball hit!
Today show host Karl Stefanovic shared some serious personal news on Thursday.

He revealed his wife, Jasmine Yarbrough, had travelled to Brisbane with their one-year-old daughter, Harper May, to be with her 'really sick' grandmother.

Karl, 47, explained that Jasmine's grandmother, who is in her nineties and to whom she is 'incredibly close', is very unwell.

Serious: Today host Karl Stefanovic (left, with Allison Langdon) revealed on Thursday his wife, Jasmine Yarbrough, had travelled to Brisbane with their daughter to be with her sick grandma

Jasmine and Harper are in hotel quarantine, and the Today show aired a photo of mother and daughter in their suite watching The Wiggles on an iPad.

'I want to talk about this because this is really big, where Jasmine and Harper are right now and what they're doing,' Karl began.

'So she's had to go to Brisbane because her very dear, dear Nan, who she's incredibly close with, is really, really, really sick.'

Getting through it: Jasmine and Harper are in hotel quarantine, and the Today show aired a photo of mother and daughter in their suite watching The Wiggles on an iPad

'It's not easy': Karl, 47, explained that Jasmine's grandmother (right), who is in her nineties and to whom she is 'incredibly close', is very unwell

Jasmine received a special exemption from Queensland Health to travel from Covid-stricken Sydney to the Sunshine State to care for her grandmother.

'This is going on with families right around the country,' Karl said. 'It's not easy.'

The Nine presenter added that getting the exemption had been a lengthy process for Jasmine, but praised the state's health department as 'fantastic'.

Struggles: Jasmine (right) received a special exemption from Queensland Health to travel from Covid-stricken Sydney to the Sunshine State to care for her grandmother

'She's at the Marriott in Brisbane now. It's fine, she's there,' said Karl. 'She has two weeks to go there before she can see her Nan.

'I know families are making these decisions because these are special times and they're hard times for loved ones who are sick.'

Sydney recorded a record 681 new Covid-19 cases on Thursday.
Edwina Bartholomew announced that she and her husband Neil Varcoe are expecting their second child while hosting Sunrise on Thursday morning.

And weather presenter Sam Mac couldn't resist making a cheeky comment about the news, leaving Edwina, 38, cringing as he congratulated her on her off-screen lockdown antics live on-air.

Through a smile, Sam said to the pregnant journalist: '...and it's good to see that you and Neil have been productive during lockdown!'

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Cheeky swipe: Sunrise weather presenter Sam Mac (R) couldn't help but praise a red-faced Edwina Bartholomew (L) for being 'productive in lockdown' as she announced her pregnancy live on-air on Thursday morning

Edwina was immediately left red-faced at Sam's insinuation, looking down at the desk before hilariously responding: '...Just once!'

Sam had earlier said that one of his fans had predicted Edwina was pregnant before she announced the happy news on Thursday.

'I had one of our viewers write to me last week saying 'Is Eddie pregnant? She seems more emotional...' he said.

'I said, "I'm not brave enough to ask her that! She will announce it in her own time." So well spotted to our viewer Kelly, who was on the money.'

Moments before, Edwina had made the exciting announcement after reading the news, confirming she is three months into her pregnancy.

Loved-up: Edwina is pictured with her husband Neil Varcoe. The pair married on April 21, 2018 at their restored farmhouse in Lithgow, New South Wales

'In developing news, news that will be developing news, news that will be developing for the next six months, we will be having another baby,' she said.

Neil and Edwina already share daughter Molly, one, and she joked that their little one was totally disinterested in the news.

'Due in February, and I tried to tell Molly and she was not terribly interested. I showed her the photo when she scrunched up and threw on the floor,' she said.

Edwina told her Sunrise colleagues she will be keeping mum on the sex of the baby.

'Yes, we know what it is. I will keep that one a secret for now,' she said.

She added that her co-hosts had started to cotton on to her happy news 'because I've been eating Jatz biscuits for the last three weeks during the Olympics just to get through.'

'I am five per cent baby, and 95 per cent Jatz!' she laughed.

Wedding day: Edwina stunned during the ceremony in a restored ornate white gown which featured lace detail in front of a star-studded guest list including Sam Armytage and David Koch

When asked if she was suffering with any morning sickness, Edwina added: 'I feel a bit nauseous. Nat [Barr] cottoned on quite quickly, there was a lot of peanut butter toast going around in the early hours...'

David 'Kochie' Koch jested: 'I just thought you didn't like my comments sometimes,' before pretending to heave behind the news desk.

'I think that might explain the inappropriate laughing and crying at some stories and general emotions!' Edwina smiled.

'I've been very emotional right throughout the Olympics.'

The whole team then congratulated Edwina on her happy news, as she beamed at the camera in joy.

Edwina also announced she was pregnant with Molly on Sunrise back in June 2019.

'We're having a baby, due in December,' she told her colleagues live on the show.

She added at the time: 'We're super stoked and our family is really excited. Mum has been bursting at the seams to tell everyone - so mum, you can tell everyone!'

The presenter married Neil, a digital media executive, on April 21, 2018 at their restored farmhouse in Lithgow, New South Wales.

Cute: Neil and Edwina already share daughter Molly, one, and she joked that their little one was totally disinterested in the news

Edwina stunned during the ceremony in a restored ornate white gown which featured lace detail in front of a star-studded guest list, including Sam Armytage and David Koch.

In April last year, Edwina shared a heartwarming tribute to the love of her life in celebration of their second wedding anniversary.

'Two years since our amazing three day wedding/festival/camping extravaganza,' Edwina begun, happy to share her cherished memories.

She went on to praise her journalist husband, saying: 'Every day you excel at being a husband and a dad.

'Your OCD, annoying at other times, has really come into its own during this global pandemic, as has your love of basic food groups and frozen goods.'

She then joked about how the husband and wife are opposite to each other in almost every way, which makes for perfect balance.

'I worry. You don't. I'm impatient. You're patient. I make mess. You clean up. I get cold. You build a fire,' she wrote.

'We are opposites in many respects but we are both extremely lucky to have each other and all the wonderful people in our lives.'

Edwina, who welcomed Molly after a total of 36 hours in the hospital, recently spoke candidly about the trials of motherhood.

Christmas came early! Edwina debuted daughter Molly on Instagram on December 20 2019, two days after giving birth

In her interview with The Herald Sun, Edwina admitted she broke down in tears due to exhaustion less than 24 hours after giving birth.

'I couldn't sit down, I couldn't feel comfortable standing up and you're walking around like a zombie and you also have to care for and feed this tiny human,' she said.

Molly arrived a week after her due date, with Edwina taking to Instagram on December 20 to make the happy announcement.

Edwina and Neil, who now live in a $1.6 million heritage home in Sydney's inner-west, met when they were working together on radio station 2GB a decade ago.

But the presenter admitted in 2017 it wasn't smooth sailing at the beginning, with Neil apparently rejecting her advances when she first asked him out.

'I asked him out on a date and he said no, which he maintains was a miscommunication', she told OK! magazine.

'I thought, "Well, you're a bloody idiot, aren't you?" A girl asks you out for a drink and you say no?"

Love story: Edwina and Neil, who now live in a $1.6 million heritage home in Sydney's inner-west, met when they were working together on radio station 2GB a decade ago

'Anyway, we eventually did go out on a date and we've been together ever since. I literally went home that night after that date and said: "I'm going to marry him".'

Edwina has previously spoken about the sneaky preparations taken by Neil before he popped the question.

'He's not a down on one knee-type guy, but he'd spoken to my dad - he did it the traditional way,' she previously told Whimn.

Edwina went on to say her busy career and lifestyle was constantly getting in Neil's way when he wanted to propose.

'He actually tried to propose a number of times before, but I would have something on that got in the way,' she explained.

Neil's method of finding out Edwina's ring size involved secretly asking her Channel Seven colleagues for help.

Edwina said: 'My boss, Michael (Pell), was in on it. He had gone down to the jeweller to get the ring and the girls in wardrobe had secretly measured my finger - the deploy being I needed jewellery for the Logies.'
Sunrise newsreader Edwina Bartholomew finally delivered some good news on Thursday - she was pregnant with her second child.

And the 38-year-old was met with plenty of well wishes from friends and colleagues after reposting her on-air announcement on Instagram.

She wrote in the caption of the clip: 'Some nice news to deliver on @sunriseon7. We are having another baby. Due in Feb. We are all very thrilled xx.'

Finally, some GOOD news! Sylvia Jeffreys and Allison Langdon have congratulated Edwina Bartholomew after the Sunrise star announced she is pregnant with her second child on the morning breakfast show on Thursday

Allison Langdon, from rival breakfast show Today, was among the first to congratulate Eddy on her baby joy, writing: 'Congratulations gorgeous girl'.

'Such exciting news!!! Love Mollys reax,' she added of Edwina's one-year-old daughter Molly.

Today Extra host Sylvia Jeffreys, who is currently on maternity leave after welcoming her second son this year, wrote: 'Hoorayyyyyy for happy news! Big congrats to you and Neil and TG for Jatz. Big love.'

'Big love': Today Extra host Sylvia Jeffreys, who is currently on maternity leave after welcoming her second son this year, wrote: 'Hoorayyyyyy for happy news! Big congrats to you and Neil and TG for Jatz. Big love'

Baby joy: Allison Langdon and Tim Davies, from rival breakfast show Today, also congratulated Eddy on her second pregnancy

Tim Davies, the Today show's weatherman, also commented: 'How lovely! Well done to you both'.

Meanwhile, Weekend Today Extra host and Australian Ninja Warrior presenter Rebecca Maddern said: 'Eddy!!!!!! Wow!!!!! Congratulations xxxx.'

Former Channel 10 newsreader Natarsha Belling wrote: 'Such wonderful news @edwina_b Congratulations xxx.'

Happy news: Weekend Today Extra host presenter Rebecca Maddern, former Channel 10 newsreader Natarsha Belling, stylist Donny Galella and comedian Tanya Hennessy also wished the Sunrise star well

Seven News' US correspondent Ash Mullany added: 'Just the news we needed today Eddy!! How exciting. Big congrats to you, Neil and Molly x.'

Stylist Donny Galella wrote: 'Congratulations!!!! Such gorgeous news!' as comedian Tanya Hennessy added: 'Yay!!!!! So exciting xxx'

Edwina made the exciting announcement after reading the news and revealed she is three months into her pregnancy.

'I showed her the photo, she scrunched it up': Edwina made the exciting announcement after reading the news on Thursday. She joked that her daughter Molly, one, was totally disinterested in the prospect of having a brother or a sister

'In developing news, news that will be developing news, news that will be developing for the next six months, we will be having another baby,' she said.

Neil and Edwina already share daughter Molly, one, and she joked that their little one was totally disinterested in the news.

'Due in February, and I tried to tell Molly and she was not terribly interested. I showed her the photo when she scrunched up and threw on the floor,' she said.

'Yes, we know what it is': Edwina told her Sunrise colleagues she will be keeping mum on the sex of the baby, saying: 'I will keep that one a secret for now'. Pictured is Edwina's husband Neil with their daughter Molly

Edwina, who also shared a picture of her baby scan, told her Sunrise colleagues she will be keeping mum on the sex of the baby.

'Yes, we know what it is. I will keep that one a secret for now,' she said.

She added that her co-hosts had started to cotton on to her happy news 'because I've been eating Jatz biscuits for the last three weeks during the Olympics just to get through.'

'I am five per cent baby, and 95 per cent Jatz!' she laughed.

Family: Edwina announced she was pregnant with Molly on Sunrise back in June 2019

Edwina also announced she was pregnant with Molly on Sunrise back in June 2019.

The presenter married Neil, a digital media executive, on April 21, 2018 at their restored farmhouse in Lithgow, New South Wales.

Edwina stunned during the ceremony in a restored ornate white gown which featured lace detail in front of a star-studded guest list including Sam Armytage and David Koch.
Amber Rose accused boyfriend Alexander 'AE' Edwards of cheating on her with no less than 12 different women in explosive social media posts on Wednesday.

Without ever mentioning his name, the model and television personality blasted the Def Jam record executive on her Instagram Stories, before seemingly ending the nearly three-year relationship, which resulted in their 22-month-old son Slash.

She wrote: 'I'm tired of getting cheated on and being embarrassed behind the scenes. All 12 of y'all bums (The ones that I know of there's probably more) can have him,' she began in the emotional post.

Airing dirty laundry: Amber Rose accused boyfriend Alexander 'AE' Edwards of cheating on her with no less than 12 different women in explosive social media posts on Wednesday; they are pictured in Los Angeles in December 2018

'Y'all very much knew he was in a relationship with a baby and y'all decided to to f**k him anyway I saw all the texts and DM's.'

The 37-year-old star continued, 'Y'all were well aware but y'all but y'all don't owe me any loyalty so it's whatever. I can't be the only one fighting for my family anymore. I've been so loyal and transparent but I haven't gotten the same energy in return.'

Rose went on to explain that she wouldn't publicly name the women she accused of being with Edwards 'because I'm not in the business of ruining lives but y'all know who y'all are.'

She ended the post by implying that the couple has split up by writing, 'As for him The lack of loyalty and the disrespect is ridiculous and I'm done.'

Emotional: The model and television personality explained that she wouldn't publicly name the women she accused of being with Edwards because she's not in the business of ruining lives

Music man: Edwards, 34, is a music executive with Def Jam Recordings (pictured 2019)

Another call out: Not long after her emotional post, the School Dance star called out her mother, calling her a raging narcissistic 'who can get the f**k out of my life too'

Her reasons: The Pennsylvania native gave her 21 million Instagram fans and followers an explanation as to why she decided to go public with intimate details from her personal life

Not long after, the School Dance star called out her mother Dorothy Rose, when she shared, 'My raging narcissistic mom can get the f**k out of my life too. On my kids.'

The reason for the pair's feud is unknown. Dorothy and Amber have been close in the past, with the former joining her daughter on the annual SlutWalk event in 2018.

In 2013 she got a portrait of her mother as a young woman tattooed on her arm, tweeting: 'New tatt - Throwback to my Mommy Ms Dottie thx @bobby_serna.'

Heartbreaking: Rose confessed she's 'a shell of who I used to be but I refuse to let anyone damage me anymore. Family or not' on Instagram; the couple are seen in June 2019, four months before she gave birth to their son Slash

Proud mother: Rose shares her 22-month-old son, Slash, with Edwards

She would go on to give her 21 million Instagram fans and followers an explanation as to why she decided to go public with details from her personal life.

'I'm tired of being mentally and emotionally abused by people that I love I've been suffering in silence for a long time and I can't take it anymore. That's why I've been so quiet,' she wrote.

'I've been a shell of who I used to be but I refuse to let anyone damage me anymore. Family or not.'

No response yet: Edwards has not publicly addressed Rose's cheating accusations but did take to Instagram two hours later to share snaps of himself with Tyga

What's happened? Dorothy and Amber have been close in the past, with the former joining her daughter on the annual SlutWalk event in 2017

In a move that suggests she wanted to get rid of any image of Edwards, Rose deleted every single Instagram post from her main feed, with the exception of a video that was shared back on July 10, 2020.

Edwards has not publicly addressed Rose's cheating accusations but did take to Instagram two hours later to share snaps of himself with Tyga and a clip of himself playing with the couple's son.

MailOnline has contacted representatives for the couple for comment.

The Amber Rose Show star also has an eight-year-old son Sebastian Taylor Tomasz with ex-husband and rapper Wiz Khalifa, 33. They announced their separation in September 2014 after just over a year of marriage, and finalized the divorce in 2016.

Son: He also shared a clip of himself playing with the couple's son Slash
Heavily pregnant Georgia Fowler is counting down the weeks until she welcomes her first child with partner, Nathan Dalah.

And on Thursday she found a quirky new use for her bump - a table for her tea cup.

The makeup free 29-year-old shared a video of herself sitting back and relaxing on her bed.

That's genius! On Thursday, pregnant model Georgia Fowler found a genius new use for her bump - a table for her tea cup

She wrote in the caption of her Instagram video: 'New bedhead, new table' as she took a sip of her tea and rested the cup on her belly.

'That's the tea,' the Victoria's Secret model added.

She also shared a short video of herself flaunting her baby bump in a tiny black bikini.

Almost there! The model also shared a short video of herself flaunting her baby bump in a tiny black bikini

Georgia announced she is expecting her baby with her first child with her Fishbowl co-founder boyfriend Nathan, 26, back in April.

At the time, she sweetly shared the news by writing: 'We can't wait to meet you little one.'

'It's been hard to keep this one quiet, but now it's pretty hard to hide,' Georgia continued.

Bumping along nicely! The Auckland-born beauty has shared several photos of herself in bikinis by the beach in recent weeks

'Nathan and I couldn't be happier to share our exciting news with you. We cannot wait to meet you little one and begin our next adventure together. The best is yet to come,' she added.

Nathan, a co-founder of the Fishbowl restaurant group, also shared the sweet baby news on his respective Instagram account and revealed they're having a daughter.

The couple had confirmed their romance in February last year, and already share a puppy together, called Chilli.
While many Australians are stuck in lockdown, Georgia Fairweather is enjoying a leisurely holiday on Hayman Island in The Whitsundays.

The Married at First Sight star shared a series of pictures from her sun-soaked adventures at the popular Queensland holiday spot in the lead up to her birthday.

The 25-year-old posed for the camera in a pink bikini while standing in the crystal-blue sea with the lush mountain tops in the background.

What pandemic? MAFS star Georgia Fairweather, 25, soaked up the sun in a pink bikini on picturesque Hayman Island this week

'Feeling so incredibly grateful to be able to have experiences like this,' she wrote.

'With all of lifes uncertainties, appreciate the good moments,' the reality TV star added.

The bubbly blonde uploaded more clips of the scenery in her Instagram Stories as she relaxed by the hotel pool.

Paradise: The Married at First Sight star shared a series of pictures from her sun-soaked adventures at the popular Queensland holiday spot in the lead up to her birthday

'Feeling so incredibly grateful to be able to have experiences like this': The bubbly blonde uploaded clips of the scenery as she relaxed by a hotel pool

Georgia was a fan-favourite on the latest season of Married at First Sight, where she was paired with Liam Cooper, 30, who was bisexual.

Liam revealed in an interview with SBS Insight last month that his sexual orientation caused issues between the 'married' pair on the show.

The prison officer explained that Georgia asked if he secretly 'craved d**k,' which he explains was hurtful as it implied he could never be fully satisfied with a woman.

Missing him? Georgia was a fan-favourite on the latest season of Married at First Sight, where she was paired with Liam Cooper, who was bisexual

'To be honest, it was a kick in the guts to hear it from my partner at the time,' said Liam.

'It was a lack of understanding but I thought she knew so much because we had conversations and we spoke about it.'

Liam is now in a relationship with influencer Samuel Levi, who coincidentally was on the New Zealand version of Married At First Sight, while Georgia is reportedly single.
Jodhi Meares celebrated turning 50 back in March.

And on Thursday, the ex-wife of billionaire James Packer proved she's never looked better.

The age-defying former model took to Instagram to share a sizzling snap of herself in a pink bikini top.

Sensational: Jodhi Meares [pictured] sizzled in the sun as she flaunted her age-defying physique in a bikini on Thursday - after turning 50 in March

In the image, Jodhi appeared makeup free, as her brunette tresses fell delicately passed her shoulders.

The buxom bombshell accessorised her selfie shoot with two simple cross necklaces as she offered the camera a sultry half-smile.

Jodhi is no stranger to setting pulses racing with her steamy bikini shots.

In May last year, she once again put her ample assets on display in a skimpy bikini top.

Still got it! Jodhi is no stranger to setting pulses racing with her steamy bikini shots. In May last year, she once again put her ample assets on display in a skimpy bikini top

Clearly enjoying Sydney's good weather, the designer wrote in the caption: 'Sunshiny days in May.'

The former model is the founder of the activewear and swimwear brand, The Upside.

She hit headlines last year following her split from Dominic Purcell.

Split: She hit headlines last year following her split from Dominic Purcell (pictured). The pair are thought to have ended their romance in January

The pair are thought to have ended their romance in January, 2020.

It is believed the couple initially called it quits in September 2019, less than three months after they had debuted their relationship.

They appeared to rekindle their romance in December that year over the holidays, only to breakup again the following month.
Richard Bacon applauded his Good Morning Britain co-host Kate Garraway on Thursday after learning that her documentary, Finding Derek, has been shortlisted for a National Television Award.

Kate, 54, worked with ITV to create a 60-minute programme earlier this year, detailing her husband Derek Draper's ongoing battle with Covid-19 which has been nominated for Best Authored Documentary.

And her fellow presenter, 45, acknowledged that the documentary was about an 'awful personal tragedy' while commending it as a 'beautiful piece of television'.

Speaking from the GMB desk, Richard said to Kate: 'For you, that documentary is about something awful and is about a personal tragedy.

'But it's something else, it's a very beautiful piece of television and human piece of television. And it's not a positive thing, but it is a very good documentary and I think an important documentary and I think you thoroughly deserve it [NTA award].'

'I'm really chuffed for the production company involved in it,' Kate responded.

'And for Derek as well, because I think what we hoped to do was touch people and represent people that are still very heavily impacted by Covid-19, and there are millions of them.'

Real: And her fellow presenter, 45, acknowledged the documentary (pictured still of Derek) was about an 'awful personal tragedy' while commending it as a 'beautiful piece of television'

Comment: Speaking from the GMB desk, Richard said to Kate: 'For you, that documentary is about something awful and is about a personal tragedy'

Kate's husband Derek, 53, was released from the hospital in March this year after being first diagnosed in March 2020.

The virus wreaked havoc throughout his entire body, resulting in kidney failure, liver and pancreatic damage.

On more than one occasion his heart stopped beating, he battled bacterial pneumonia and fought multiple infections which punctured holes in his lungs.

He is considered to be the longest surviving Covid-19 patient in the country. The former lobbyist continues to recover from the illness at their London home.

And on Tuesday, Kate revealed she is hoping her husband Derek can attend the National Television Awards next month, as he continues his lengthy recovery.

Thoughtful: He added: 'But it's something else, it's a very beautiful piece of television and human piece of television. And it's not a positive thing, but it is a very good documentary'

Journey: Covid-19 wreaked havoc throughout Derek's entire body, resulting in kidney failure, liver and pancreatic damage, and on more than one occasion, his heart stopped beating

The presenter said she is already 'figuring out the logistics' so he could join her at the ceremony, as it would be 'lovely' to attend it together.

On GMB, Kate's co-host Charlotte Hawkins acknowledged her nomination, saying: 'You've obviously got experience of dealing with the aftermath of coronavirus and what that can mean to Derek and the family.

'And congratulations to you because your authored documentary Kate Garraway: Finding Derek has been shortlisted for a National Television Award, so very well done to that.'

A visibly emotional Kate then said: 'I didn't know until I read the papers this morning. It's wonderful for the production company and for Derek.

'I was just looking and the ceremony - is it the 9th September? I was just thinking, wouldn't it be wonderful if Derek was well enough to come. Wouldn't it be wonderful.

'I was trying to look at the dates and work out the logistics of how that might work.

'There's some brilliant people in the category, there's some brilliant documentaries, I don't think for the moment we'll win. But it would be lovely for him to be there.'

It comes after last week, Kate admitted she feels like she has 'failed' her children as she struggled to juggle homeschooling and looking after Derek.

The star - who shares children Darcey, 15, and Billy, 12, with her husband - said she found it 'very challenging' due to dealing with her 'very specific set of circumstances' at the time.

Hard: It comes after last week, Kate admitted she feels like she has 'failed' her children as she struggled to juggle homeschooling and looking after Derek

During a chat about the recent A-Level results on Wednesday's Good Morning Britain, she said: 'We all know that it's been almost impossible for youngsters to deal with this.

'I know that I have frankly failed my children in supporting them in their homeschooling.

'I know I had very specific set of circumstances going on for the bulk of the time, but I found it very difficult to get online and help them to work their way through the system.

'And, you know, it was very, very challenging.'

Family: The star - who shares children Darcey, 15, and Billy, 12, with her husband - said she found it 'very challenging' due to dealing with a 'very specific set of circumstances' at the time
She's the PR dynamo who's forged a living representing brands.

And on Thursday, Roxy Jacenko used her social media reach for good, encouraging her 263,000 followers to get vaccinated against Covid-19

Posting to her Instagram, the 41-year-old shared a photograph of herself in Sydney following her jab.

'What are you waiting for?' Roxy Jacenko encouraged her followers to get vaccinated against Covid-19 on Thursday, amid Sydney's lockdown

Alongside the image taken in front of Double Bay Doctors in Sydney, Roxy urged her followers to do the same, writing: 'What are you waiting for? Get vaccinated everyone.'

While many praised Roxy for her decision to get the jab, she was also inundated with negative comments from anti-vaxxers.

'Vaccinated people act like they died on the cross for our sins,' one wrote.

Meanwhile, a second protested: 'You don't need to push it on people. You do you and mind your own.'

Roxy hits back! While many praised Roxy for her decision to get the jab, she was also inundated with negative comments from anti-vaxxers. As a result, Roxy fired off an emotional response

Mum's support: Roxy's mother Doreen was also quick to come to support her daughter

As a result, Roxy fired off an emotional response, commenting, 'No I did it to protect myself, the community and my family. F*** off and wake up to whats happening around you.'

Roxy's mother Doreen was also quick to come to the support of her daughter.

'Well done Roxy its important to ignore the anti-vaxxers their opinion has no basis, and is dangerous to our children and the wider community,' she Tweeted.

Had enough: In July, the businesswoman offered a crude response to the pandemic after being visited by police following anonymous complaints her business allegedly breached Covid-19 restrictions

In July, the businesswoman offered a crude response to the pandemic after being visited by police following anonymous complaints her business allegedly breached Covid-19 restrictions.

At the time, Roxy shared a photo to Instagram of herself flipping the bird and carrying a cake with the message 'F**k Covid'.

Roxy is losing an estimated $65,000 every week that the city stays in lockdown, and says that she, like any other small business owner with their head screwed on, is doing everything she can to comply so Sydney recovers as soon as possible.
She recently returned from a sun-soaked getaway to Crete.

And Amber Turner, 28, took to Instagram on Wednesday to share a sizzling throwback shot where she showcased her ample assets and enviable physique.

Donning a blue O-ring cutout mini dress, the TOWIE star struck her best poses for the camera while modelling the blue-and-white marbled number.

Sizzling: Amber Turner set temperatures soaring as she showcased her ample assets in a blue cutout mini dress in a Wednesday throwback Instagram post from her recent Crete getaway

Looking ever-flawless, she seductively bent down to flash her bronzed pins, while rubbing her watch-clad arm over her hips.

While putting her toned waist on display, the sun-kissed beauty donned a pair of transparent heels, which exhibited her white-painted toenails.

The blonde bombshell had styled her bleached tresses into a sleek middle parting, which flowed over her right shoulder and behind her left.

Hot stuff: Sporting a full face of flawlessly applied makeup, complete with raspberry lips and full eyebrows, the Essex native swept her hands over her midriff in another sexy shot

Reminiscing: The Essex native penned this caption to accompany her dazzling post

Sporting a full face of flawlessly applied makeup, complete with raspberry lips and full eyebrows, the Essex native swept her hands over her midriff in another sexy shot.

'Holiday brights,' she wrote in her caption, along with a personalised Shein discount treat for her followers.

The showstopping post is Amber's second throwback since jetting back home to the UK following her paradisiacal holiday.

In a Tuesday snap, she looked sensational in a cleavage-revealing low cut crochet dress.

Stunning: The TOWIE star glowed in a sun-soaked throwback snap on Instagram on Tuesday wearing a very revealing crochet dress and holding a Louis Vuitton clutch bag

Showing off her pearly whites as she looked off-camera in the shot, she posed with a Louis Vuitton clutch bag in her hand.

The reality TV star had styled her platinum blonde tresses into a middle parting with curls cascading over her shoulders.

By way of accessories, she kept it simple with touches of gold wearing a bangle, watch and shell choker.

Amber complained about the English weather in the caption, writing: 'Why oh whyyyy is majority of the British summer so blahhh [cloud emoji] I just wanna spend my days in cute coverups & bikini,' followed by a sun and palm tree emoji.
She is currently expecting her second child.

And Millie Mackintosh shared a delightful snap of her husband Hugo Taylor with their toddler Sienna in Greece on Thursday as she candidly discussed struggling with their daughter's tantrums.

The former Made In Chelsea star, 32, shared the sweet photo of her partner, 35, and their 15-month-old on Instagram, while penning a lengthy caption about her development since birth.

'Please tell me they stop': Millie Mackintosh shared an Instagram snap of her husband Hugo Taylor and toddler Sienna in Greece on Thursday as she discussed struggling with their daughter's tantrums

Hugo appeared shirtless and in swimming trunks as he cuddled Sienna who looked adorable in a floral one-piece and matching hat.

Millie wrote alongside the post: 'Ive noticed Sienna change so much over the last few weeks.

'At times she is much more a toddler than she is a baby which makes me a little sad but I also feel so proud witnessing her developments. Heres whats new at 15 months

'Some days everything and everyone is Daddy but you pronounce is Diddy. You are definitely a Daddys girl, your eyes light up when Hugo walks into the room, but its also a little tricky when you wants something and asks for "Daddy" but I know you dont mean Hugo.

Glow: The former Made In Chelsea star, 42, who is currently expecting her second child, shared the sweet photo of her partner, 35, and 15-month-old child alongside a lengthy caption

'You love dogs (especially pugs) and now when were at the park and you spot a dog you say woof woof, its absolutely adorable. Were working on other animal noises, but dogs are your favourite.' [sic]

Millie revealed their eldest child has become adventurous after learning to walk by herself.

She continued: 'There is no stopping you walking now, you want to walk everywhere, youre so independent I get pushed away if I attempt to hold your hand but Ill keep trying in case you change your mind.

'You climb everything from the sofa to the bed to the stairs. You have no fear which is great but its terrifying for me to watch.

'There's no stopping you': Millie revealed their eldest child has become adventurous after learning to walk by herself and described the developments in her personality

'One of my favourite things is that youll sit and play independently now, youll entertain yourself whilst Im pottering and Ill hear you happily chatting away to yourself and your toys.

'Youre picking up new words to say all the time, flowers, bubbles, peppa and woof are your favourites. We are definitely more mindful of the words we use around you now!' [sic]

The star went on: 'Youre still in a fussy phase with your food, not eating some of your favourite things which is frustrating as one minute you love something and the next you dont!

'Were also going through a stage of having tantrums, full lie on the floor, face down tantrums!

'They are an experience, Im sure a lot of it is frustration because you cant communicate properly, so Im hoping as you pick up more words these will stop - please tell me they stop? [heart emoji]'. [sic]

Millie is currently in Greece on holiday with her growing family. The star tied the knot with Hugo in 2018 and she gave birth to Sienna via C-section in 2020.
Owen Wilson has credited his brother Andrew for helping his life become 'manageable' after he attempted suicide.

The actor, 52, who has struggled with depression in the past, said his older sibling moved into his house and helped him learn how to plan his life after the harrowing incident in 2007.

Speaking to Esquire, Owen said he was 'pretty grateful' that Andrew stepped in to help because he has now learned that his life can be 'good.'

Difficult: Owen Wilson, 52, has credited his brother Andrew (far left) for helping his life become 'manageable' after he attempted suicide (pictured with Andrew in 2007)

Owen, who was rushed to hospital after he was found by his brother Luke following his suicide attempt, told the publication that Andrew 'stayed in the house with him.'

He added that he after that he would 'rise with him each morning and write up little schedules for each day so that life seemed at first manageable and then, at some point, a long time later, actually good.'

The Marley and Me star added that he is now in a good place and 'feeling pretty grateful.'

'I've been in sort of a lucky place of feeling pretty appreciative of things,' he said.

Important: The actor who has struggled with depression in the past, said his older sibling moved into his house and helped him learn how to plan his life after the incident in 2007

'I know everything's kind of up and down, but when you get on one of these waves, you've gotta ride it as long as you can Feeling pretty grateful. Well, grateful's one of those words that get used all the time. Appreciative. Of, you know, stuff.'

Owen has rarely discussed in 2007 suicide attempt, which happened at a time when the star was believed to be struggling with addictions to heroin and cocaine.

The star was rushed to St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica before being taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after being found by his brother Luke, who called an ambulance.

In a statement released to TMZ at the time Owen said: 'I respectfully ask that the media allow me to receive care and heal in private during this difficult time.'

Tough: Speaking to Esquire, Owen said he was 'pretty grateful' that Andrew stepped in to help because he has now learned that his life can be 'good'

Family: 'I know everything's kind of up and down, but when you get on one of these waves, you've gotta ride it as long as you can Feeling pretty grateful,' he said

In recent weeks Owen has been starring in the Disney+ spin-off series Loki, and he is also set to appear in the Wes Anderson film The French Dispatch.

The French Dispatch marks the Independent Spirit Award winner's 10th big-screen collaboration with the 50-year-old filmmaker dating back to his 1993 directorial debut Bottle Rocket co-starring his younger brother Luke.

The actor has two sons, Robert, 10, with ex Jade Duell, and Finn, seven, with Caroline Lindqvist.

Owen also has daughter Lyla Aranya, two, with Varunie Vongsvirates, who has never met, but he does financially support his youngest child.

For confidential support in the UK - call Samaritans for free on 116 123 or visit www.samaritans.org. In the US call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 1-800-273-8255.
Charlotte Crosby has confirmed she has split from her boyfriend Liam Beaumont.

Reports surfaced on Wednesday that the Geordie Shore star, 31, had broken up with the hunk, who she started dating in February last year, following a slew of furious arguments and claims before she booted him out of her Newcastle home.

Now, speaking exclusively to MailOnline, Charlotte has dismissed these claims and insisted their relationship ended on good terms.

She said: 'Me and Liam shared some amazing memories together and the split is amicable. We have just realised we are both two very different people. I have learnt so much in this relationship and am thankful that it happened.'

Her love: Charlotte Crosby has confirmed she has split from her boyfriend Liam Beaumont

On Wednesday, it was reported that the couple had split when they became engaged in a furious row leading to her booting him out of her mansion.

Charlotte defiantly maintains the split is on friendly terms and told MailOnline that she wanted to 'take back the narrative' surrounding their split.

She said in full: 'Its disappointing to wake up to the news coverage about our breakup. Things like this never get easier to read. My relationship has ended yes.

'Were there furious rows? No. Did I kick him out of the house? No. Its sad to see this negativity put on what was a good relationship. So Id like to take back some control of the narrative, get some truth out there and draw a line under this...

The happy couple: Reports surfaced on Wednesday that the Geordie Shore star, 31, had broken up with the hunk, who she started dating in February last year, following a slew of furious arguments (Liam and Charlotte, pictured in May)

'Me and Liam shared some amazing memories together and the split is amicable. We have just realised we are both two very different people. I have learnt so much in this relationship and am thankful that it happened. I truly wish him nothing but the best.

Suspicions were first sparked among fans over the weekend, when Charlotte removed all images of Liam from her Instagram account.

It was then that reports surfaced regarding the row, with insiders telling publications that a row had descended into chaos and she had ejected him from her home.

Charlotte and Liam started dating in early 2020 after meeting in Dubai during their respective vacations.

Tough: Charlotte and Liam started dating in early 2020 after meeting in Dubai during their respective vacations (Liam pictured last year)

Last month, Charlotte admitted that lockdown had impacted her 'wild' sex life with her videographer beau.

The former Geordie Shore star said that they used to have 'fireworks' in the bedroom but now they struggle to make the effort to be intimate after spending so much time together.

Speaking on her podcast, Values & Vibrators, with fellow reality stars Sophie and Holly Hagan, she said: 'Me and Liam, when we first met and had sex, we were wild. Oh my god, there was fireworks honestly.

'There was all sorts going on. But now mine and Liam's sex in a relationship is okay when we can be bothered. But it's very much just bleurgh.'

An impact: Last month, Charlotte admitted that lockdown had impacted her 'wild' sex life with her videographer beau

Holly, 28, who is engaged to Jacob Blyth, agreed as she responded: 'When you spend so much time together, you've got to think that we've been in lockdown for so long together now.

'At the beginning of mine and Jacob's relationship, we had all of the toys out all the time in the front room.'

Charlotte's boyfriend moved in with her earlier in lockdown, which she confirmed has negatively impacted their bedroom antics.

Pals: Holly Hagan, 28, who is engaged to Jacob Blyth, also spoke about lockdown sex lives

She responded: 'Ive got to agree with you, once you see each other every single day and youre just stuck together, there is no reason to have sex.

'Before we moved in together we would have sex every time we saw each other because we hadnt seen each other for a little while but that doesnt happen anymore.'

Charlotte also dropped the bombshell that she has never 'made love' with Liam. She explained: 'Ive never made love with Liam I dont think. Weve never had slow sex where we go "I love you, I love you".
Famed Nineties model Fabio - who appeared on the cover of romance novels before popping up in movies and becoming a household name - took aim at the late fashion legend Gianni Versace this week.

The Italian-born star, 62, told People in the '90s podcast that designer Gianni, who was shot dead in 1997, never paid him in full for the Mediterraneum fragrance campaign in the early Nineties.

Fabio alleges the contract was worth several millions of dollars but the Zoolander actor received only part of his fee and he should have gotten nearly $1million extra.

'You know, unfortunately Versace wasn't a very honest man, God bless his soul, but the truth is the truth. He wasn't a very honest person,' Fabio said.

Opening up: Famed model Fabio, pictured here in 2017, discussed his career and relationship with father on a new episode of the podcast People in the 90s

Not an honest man: Gianni Versace, pictured here with his sister Donatella, allegedly owed Fabio about a million dollars but never paid, and the model said he 'wasn't a very honest man'

The star added: 'It was a multi-multi-million dollar contract, plus 6% of the growth, of sell. When I started advertising, all of a sudden it became one of the best colognes out there. I was doing appearances: 15,000, 18,000, 20,000 people were showing up outside of Saks Fifth Avenue.'

But he alleges the money did not follow as he was not fully paid. 'Big time. A million. You know, unfortunately Versace wasn't a very honest man, God bless his soul, but the truth is the truth. He wasn't a very honest person,' he shared.

Representatives for the Versace brand had no comment when asked contacted by People.

Fabio says he has a clear memory of the shoot. 'The Versace campaign was extremely successful at that time,' he shared, 'because it was the biggest contract a model not just a male model, a model  ever got. So I got a contract even bigger than Cindy Crawford and the rest of the female models.'

He had the look: The star in Versace's Mediterraneum fragrance in the early Nineties

The pop culture icon also talked about his tumultuous relationship with his father who ran a factory in Italy and did not support his son's dreams of becoming a model.

He said his father once asked him, 'You want to be a mannequin? And not a man?'

But the young Italian, who had found some limited modeling success in his home country, was set on becoming a household name, so he went to New York City because, 'If you're famous in the United States, you're famous all over.'

On his first day in the United States, Fabio secured an agent from Ford Models. The next day, he booked a campaign for Gap worth $175,000.

A sad end: Gianni was shot dead in Miami in 1997; seen here in 1985

When he tried to call his dad to tell him the good news, the older Lanzoni told him he wouldn't give him money, assuming his son had called to beg, and hung up.

The Sharknado 5 actor was everywhere by 1993. His face was on hundreds of romance novels and advertisements, and he even appeared on television. That's when his father finally accepted his profession.

'That's when my dad finally said, "I am proud of you,"' Fabio said. The words meant, 'more than anything, more than becoming famous, more than money, more than anything.'

Daddy issues: The pop culture icon, pictured here in 2018 also talked about his tumultuous relationship with his father who ran a factory in Italy and didn't support his son's dreams of becoming a model

A proud papa: The face of romance in the 90s, Fabio was world famous by the time this photo was taken in 1994. But he said his father saying he was proud of his son meant more to the model than anything else

The star revealed what he is looking for in a partner in an interview with People earlier this week

He said he wants a woman who is funny, doesn't obsess over social media and enjoys nature. Despite his advanced age, he is still hoping to have a child one day as well.

He also opened up about his own heartbreak. The actor said he dated a woman, another model, who now has a family. He refused to go into any more detail than that.

'I treated her badly. She wanted to settle down, and I was just too wild.'

No toxins: The icon, pictured here in 2018, works out a ton, doesn't drink, do drugs or eat sweets

Fabio still works out quite a bit, and does not use alcohol or drugs because he saw his friend overdose from heroin when he was 16. He also stays away from sweets.

The most notable difference in today's Fabio from the one many fans were first introduced to is his choice of bed.

Instead of a mattress, Fabio sleeps in a hyperbaric chamber which he said, 'reverses the aging process.'
Amber Rose emerged in Los Angeles for the first time on Wednesday after publicly dumping her ex-boyfriend, Alexander Edwards whom she accused of cheating with 12 women.

The social media personality, 37, was seen picking up an order from a local In-N-Out restaurant and paced around the parking lot while looking at her phone and having a smoke break.

That same day Edwards, 34, responded to her cheating claims on an Instagram Live show as he said he loved the model but it is his 'true nature' to not be faithful and he doesn't want to keep hurting the beauty so he thinks it's better that they part.

Sighted: Amber Rose was seen emerging for the first time in Los Angeles on Wednesday afternoon after publicly calling out her ex, Alexander Edwards, for allegedly cheating on her with 12 separate women

He does not want to stop playing around: That same day Edwards responded to her cheating claims on an Instagram Live show as he said he loved the model but it's in his 'true nature' to not be faithful and he doesn't want to keep hurting the beauty who used to date Kanye West; she is pictured with Edwards in Los Angeles in December 2018

The music executive at Def Jam Recordings made these comments during Big Vons Instagram Live post.

'I mean, she texted me like, if I apologize publicly and all this sh*t, you know, she love me but I dont want to keep doing that to her,' he said.

And Alexander suggested that if they got back together, he would just cheat again down the road.

'I know that I could stop. I could give her a good, solid six months and just really like, deprive myself of my true nature for as long as I can take it but I dont want to live like that,' he added.

Staying comfortable: The social media personality sported a light gray zip-up hoodie and a black Nike cap during the outing

Amber had accused her former partner for allegedly cheating on her with 12 different women in a post that was made to her Instagram account.

Without ever mentioning his name, the model and television personality blasted the Def Jam record executive on her Instagram Stories, before seemingly ending the nearly three-year relationship, which resulted in their 22-month-old son Slash.

She wrote: 'I'm tired of getting cheated on and being embarrassed behind the scenes. All 12 of y'all bums (The ones that I know of there's probably more) can have him,' she began in the emotional post.

'Y'all very much knew he was in a relationship with a baby and y'all decided to to f**k him anyway I saw all the texts and DM's.'

Smoke break: The model was seen smoking a cigarette and looking at her phone while pacing around the eatery's parking lot

She continued, 'Y'all were well aware but y'all but y'all don't owe me any loyalty so it's whatever. I can't be the only one fighting for my family anymore. I've been so loyal and transparent but I haven't gotten the same energy in return.'

Rose went on to explain that she wouldn't publicly name the women she accused of being with Edwards 'because I'm not in the business of ruining lives but y'all know who y'all are.'

She ended the post by implying that the couple has split up by writing, 'As for him The lack of loyalty and the disrespect is ridiculous and I'm done.'

Emotional: The model and television personality explained that she wouldn't publicly name the women she accused of being with Edwards because she's not in the business of ruining lives

Music man: Edwards, 34, is a music executive with Def Jam Recordings (pictured 2019)

Another call out: Not long after her emotional post, the School Dance star called out her mother, calling her a raging narcissistic 'who can get the f**k out of my life too'

Her reasons: The Pennsylvania native gave her 21 million Instagram fans and followers an explanation as to why she decided to go public with intimate details from her personal life

Not long after, the School Dance star called out her mother Dorothy Rose, when she shared, 'My raging narcissistic mom can get the f**k out of my life too. On my kids.'

The reason for the pair's feud is unknown. Dorothy and Amber have been close in the past, with the former joining her daughter on the annual SlutWalk event in 2018.

In 2013 she got a portrait of her mother as a young woman tattooed on her arm, tweeting: 'New tatt - Throwback to my Mommy Ms Dottie thx @bobby_serna.'

Proud mother: Rose shares her 22-month-old son, Slash, with Edwards

She would go on to give her 21 million Instagram fans and followers an explanation as to why she decided to go public with details from her personal life.

'I'm tired of being mentally and emotionally abused by people that I love I've been suffering in silence for a long time and I can't take it anymore. That's why I've been so quiet,' she wrote.

'I've been a shell of who I used to be but I refuse to let anyone damage me anymore. Family or not.'

In a move that suggests she wanted to get rid of any image of Edwards, Rose deleted every single Instagram post from her main feed, with the exception of a video that was shared back on July 10, 2020.

He took to Instagram two hours later to share snaps of himself with Tyga and a clip of himself playing with the couple's son.

MailOnline has contacted representatives for the couple for comment.

The Amber Rose Show star also has an eight-year-old son Sebastian Taylor Tomasz with ex-husband and rapper Wiz Khalifa, 33. They announced their separation in September 2014 after just over a year of marriage, and finalized the divorce in 2016.
Pregnant Malin Andersson, 28, left little to the imagination as she took to Instagram on Thursday to share a very stripped-down shot.

Cupping her ample assets with her tattoo-covered hands, the former Love Islander proudly displayed her growing bump in nothing but a pair of peach bottoms.

Her new post comes after she revealed she is expecting a girl with boyfriend Jared, after her first child, Consy, tragically passed away at four weeks old in 2019.

Beauty: Pregnant Malin Andersson, 28, left little to the imagination as she took to Instagram on Thursday to share a very stripped-down shot

Confident: The former Love Islander wrote this caption to accompany her sizzling post

Possibly teasing an upcoming shoot, the brunette beauty struck up a pose from within a photography studio.

Her full-face of makeup had been applied flawlessly and her beautiful dark brown tresses cascaded down to her shoulders in curls.

'PREGNANT & SEXY,' the model captioned the stunning snap.

It comes after Malin hosted a gender reveal party over the weekend for 80 friends at her Cambridgeshire home, with a plane flying overhead releasing pink smoke to reveal that she is carrying a girl.

Exciting: She recently revealed she is expecting a baby girl with boyfriend Jared, after her first child, Consy, tragically passed away at four weeks old in 2019

Malin told OK!: 'From the get-go I knew it was a girl, I had this gut feeling. So I was super happy. It just made sense to me.'

'Even though I knew what the gender was, because I went to the scan myself, when I saw the smoke it brought up loads of emotions.

'It made me feel really emotional. It confirmed it was real, in a weird way. It was like a little miracle and a blessing.

'To make it even more special, my new baby shares the same due date as my daughter Consy.'

Last week, Malin shared a nude photo of herself in the bathtub as she wrote a passionate message about domestic abuse.

Radiant: Last week, Malin shared a nude photo of herself in the bathtub as she wrote a passionate message about domestic abuse

Malin explained how she was living through domestic abuse at the hands of her ex Tom Kemp when she was pregnant with her first child, who sadly passed away.

She wrote: 'It isn't until you are amongst peace that you realise what your life used to be like.

'Sometimes my life right now feels too good to be true. I don't like delving into my past unless it's to make a point & help you all to understand transition and strength - and this time I would like to compare how different my pregnancies are.

'Firstly, I have never been with anyone so loving and attentive.. that makes my soul shine and brings out only the best in me.

Candid: The influencer encouraged any of her followers who may be experiencing domestic abuse to go and seek help

'I know this sounds so cringe as I write it - but when something so pure lands into your life, it almost feels alien if you've never experienced it before.

'My pregnancy so far has been stress free, calm and peaceful.. and a lot of that is down to me having a loving and stable relationship. One that has great communication and understanding - and most of all patience.

'I look back 3 years ago to when I was pregnant with Consy, and how volatile my relationship was then; and how I would wake up each day with severe anxiety, panic attacks and stress.

'With every argument and attack would come the tensing of my stomach and the knowing that my little girl could feel all the pain I felt too.

Speaking out: Malin explained how she was living through domestic abuse at the hands of her ex Tom Kemp when she was pregnant for the first time

'It saddens me to think that I thought that was 'love' - and it breaks my heart knowing I let myself endure the emotional and physical pain whilst carrying something so precious - but this is what you call domestic abuse.'

The influencer encouraged any of her followers who may be experiencing domestic abuse to go and seek help.

She wrote: 'Domestic abuse does not discriminate. If you are pregnant it can actually get worse.

'Domestic abuse during pregnancy puts a pregnant woman and her unborn child in danger. It increases the risk of miscarriage, infection, premature birth, low birth weight, foetal injury and foetal death.

'If you are pregnant and being abused, there is help. Your abusive partner is not only potentially endangering your life, but also the life of your unborn baby.

Tragic: Her daughter Consy was born seven weeks premature in December 2018 and was treated at London's Great Ormond Street hospital, but sadly passed away on 22 January 2019

'With this, I am sending you all so much love. The transition my life has endured has been surreal - I never thought I would make it through the heartache and agony.

'But I'm here. I'm thriving. I'm smiling. And I've survived it.'

Malin revealed she was expecting a baby earlier this month when she a snap of her baby bump, with her hands and her boyfriend Jared's hands resting on it.

Consy was born seven weeks premature in December 2018 and was being treated at Great Ormond Street hospital, but sadly passed away aged four weeks on 22 January 2019.

Since then the brunette beauty has struggled with further strife, reportedly left terrified after her violent ex recently broke his license conditions meaning he has been sent back to prison.

Scary: The former Love Islander has struggled with strife, reportedly left terrified after her violent ex Tom Kemp recently broke his license conditions meaning he has been sent back to prison (pictured together in 2019)

Tom Kemp, 28, was jailed at Aylesbury Crown Court in September after admitting to actual bodily harm, which left the reality star 'black and blue' but was released three months later in January.

The Sun recently reported that Tom - who was serving the remaining term on Home Detention Curfew - recently visited the area that the Love Island star lives.

He was then reportedly sent back to prison after failing to comply with the rules he was set as he continued to serve part of his sentence in the community.

A source told the publication: 'Malin was really shocked when she heard he had been in her area.

'She had really hoped his prison sentence would mark the end of having to think about him ever again.

Awful: Malin previously accused the 'narcissist' of being abusive in Instagram posts in 2019 and shared pictures of herself with a cut cheek and bloodied nose

'The whole thing has been incredibly stressful, but Malin is very strong and just hopes he's learnt his lesson now.'

A source also told MailOnline: 'Malin was glad to hear that Tom had been sent back to prison for breaching his license conditions, but to learn that he only returned for a week due to his sentence coming to an end concerns her.

'She feels that far too often the justice system fails survivors of domestic violence and ultimately believes that this contributes to the reason why perpetrators continue to abuse.'

Tom, was jailed at last year after following an attack in which he broke her hand.

Reality star Malin previously accused the 'narcissist' of being abusive in Instagram posts in 2019 and shared pictures of herself with a cut cheek and bloodied nose.

Injuries: Tom left Malin with broken bones and bruises in a violent tirade

But Tom, from Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, denied the claims at the time, branding her a 'liar with mental health issues'.

The former couple had an on-off romance, splitting briefly during her pregnancy, amid claims Tom had been unfaithful to her, but reconciling shortly before the birth.

In March they split again, with Malin admitting it was better to end things between them as she and her partner struggled with their grief.

In October, Malin told how she believes the physical abuse Tom subjected her to while she was pregnant was a factor behind her daughter's death at just one month old.

She revealed Kemp 'slapped and punched' her while she was six months pregnant, causing her to fall on her back and her stomach to hit the side of a bed.

Shocking: Tom, was jailed at last year after following an attack in which he broke her hand (pictured are the injuries to her face)

Speaking to The Sun, Malin said she is convinced the incident contributed to Consy's death as after a few days, she noticed she wasn't moving around as much.

A month later, the movements reduced again and Malin insisted Kemp drive her to the hospital where doctors discovered Consy's irregular heartbeat, leading her to have an emergency cesarean that day at Great Ormond Street Hospital.

She said: 'When Tom threw me about, I'd tense my stomach so much, I could feel her pausing inside me. The doctors didn't understand what happened to her, but I know in my heart.'

If you are a victim of domestic abuse, call Refuge's freephone, 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247

If you have been affected by the death of a baby please call Sands on 0808 164 3332 or email helpline@sands.org.uk
She turned 63 on Monday.

But Madonna proved to her 16.4million Instagram followers on Thursday that the celebrations were far from over, taking to her profile to share a montage from a fun-filled evening in Italy.

The Queen Of Pop looked in great spirits, wearing a dark blue ruffled dress and a splash of red lipstick for the evening as she cosied up to beau Ahlamalik Williams, 27.

Birthday girl: Madonna, 63, gave fans a peek at her lively birthday celebrations in Italy on Thursday as she marked the occasion with her 'famiglia' (pictured on Instagram)

She captioned the post: 'La Famiglia#ostuni #borgoegnazi #pugliaautoclassica #casasangiacomo #terraross #deanmartin'.

Also in attendance were her six children: Lourdes, 24, Rocco, 21, David Banda, 15, Mercy James, 15, and twins Estere and Stella Ciccone, eight.

The montage began with a vintage car experience, the Hung Up songstress riding in a Puglia Auto Classica with Ahlamalik before snippets showed the birthday guests also piling out of vintage cars.

Special outing: The Queen Of Pop looked in great spirits, wearing a dark blue ruffled dress and a splash of red lipstick for the evening as she cosied up to beau Ahlamalik Williams, 27

Family event: Also in attendance were her six children: Lourdes, 24, Rocco, 21, David Banda, 15, Mercy James, 15, and twins Estere and Stella Ciccone, eight (pictured above: the twins with Mercy)

Party! Casa San Giacomo is where the party spent the remainder of the evening - and from Madonna's video, it looked as if it was a night to remember

Dancer and choreographer Ahlamalik appeared smitten with the popstar, who is 36 years his junior, as he gave her a piggy-back into Italian and Mediterranean restaurant Casa San Giacomo.

The vibrant eatery is where the party spent the remainder of the evening and from the lively video, it looked as if it was a night to remember.

Madonna lead her birthday gang in celebrating with tambourines as they sang and danced around the table.

Iconic: Madonna lead her birthday gang in celebrating with tambourines as they sang and danced around the table

Celebrations: A friend was heard shouting 'happy birthday queen!' as the group all clapped and cheered

Fun-filled evening: It appeared that the drinks were flowing, as everyone gathered to celebrate the iconic popstar's birthday

It appeared that the drinks were flowing, as everyone gathered to celebrate the iconic star's birthday.

A friend was heard shouting 'happy birthday queen!' as the group all clapped and cheered.

Madonna ended the peek into her birthday celebrations with a snippet of her receiving yet another piggy-back, her heeled boots still intact.
Tyson Fury's wife Paris shared a sweet snap of her holding her 11-day-old daughter at home for the first time on Thursday, after leaving intensive care.

The couple welcomed their sixth child, Athena, on Sunday August 8, but their newborn baby was placed into intensive care and needed a ventilator at one point.

And the family looked delighted to welcome Athena home as Paris, 31, Tyson, 33, and their five other children beamed for the camera.

She's home! Tyson Fury 's wife Paris shared a sweet snap of her holding her 11-day-old daughter at home on Thursday, after returning home from hospital following a stay in ICU

In the image, Paris glowed as she held baby Athena in her arms, with Venezuela, 10, Prince John James, eight, Prince Tyson II, four, Valencia, three, and Prince Adonis Amaziah, 16 months, looking very happy for her to finally be home.

The couple pulled out all the stops for the homecoming, with a huge display of decorations complete with balloons, flowers, and gifts in the background.

Later on in Paris' stories she filmed her baby in her cot, as she captioned the sweet footage: 'can't believe we're home, dad off to training camp so just me and me girl in the room tonight. She so tiny in her bedroom cot.'

In the video, Athena wore a very cute pink baby grow and Paris gushed over her while she hiccups.

On the mend: Tyson Fury's wife Paris shared a sweet video to Instagram Stories on Tuesday of their newborn daughter Athena (pictured) after leaving intensive care

How cute! Later on in Paris' stories she filmed her baby in her cot, as she captioned the sweet footage: 'can't believe we're home' while Athena hiccups

Paris has been keeping her social media followers updated with how Athena has been doing, with a video on Monday showing her laying on a pink blanket and wearing a white onesie and headband to her Instagram Stories.

Athena had been in and out of the ICU since she was born on Sunday August 8, and at one point needed a ventilator to help with her breathing. Paris and Tyson have shared no further details on the cause.

Earlier on Tuesday, Paris shared another sweet video to Instagram Stories of Athena sleeping soundly on her lap, wearing a floral onesie and with tubes attached.

Proud parents: The couple have been updating their fans on the tot's health, with father Tyson (pictured with Paris) revealing in an Instagram Stories post on Monday that she's 'on the mend'

Proud father Tyson revealed in an Instagram Story on Monday that she's 'on the mend'.

Speaking to the camera as he fed Athena a bottle, he said: 'Just feeding my little girl, off the ICU, on the mend. Should be going home soon!

'Thank you to God, thank you to all the doctors and nurses who's helped her.'

Precious: Paris posted the adorable clip of Athena laying on a pink blanket and wearing a white onesie and headband

Health: Athena had been in and out of the ICU since she was born on Sunday August 8, and at one point needed a ventilator to help with her breathing

Alongside the video was a snap of Athena, who gazed into the camera as she snuggled in her parent's arms.

It was revealed on Friday, Athena was dead for three minutes before being resuscitated by 'miracle workers' at Liverpool children's hospital.

Tyson's father John revealed that things had been touch and go earlier in the week.

Good news: In an Instagram Stories post on Monday, Tyson, 33, fed Athena a bottle and said: 'Just feeding my little girl, off the ICU, on the mend. Should be going home soon!'

'It's been a bit of a white knuckle ride, we've had a lot to deal with,' John told BT Sport.

'But we've come out on the other side due to professionalism of Alder Hey Hospital in Liverpool, they're the best children's hospital in the country if not the world.

'They've been really magnificent, they've really saved her life because she was dead for three minutes and they brought her back, it's onwards and upwards from today.'

Update: Meanwhile, Tyson also uploaded a clip of himself and his dad John (pictured), where he revealed that he hoped Athena would be out of hospital by Wednesday

Earlier that day, Tyson shared an update on Athena's condition, saying she has had a 'stable day' without using a breathing ventilator.

Tyson said that she was 'doing well' but is still in intensive care 'for now'.

Athena was born on August 8, with Tyson revealing she was in intensive care as he announced the birth.

He said: 'Please can everyone pray for my baby girl who was born this morning. Athena Fury born 8/8/21.'

The birth of their baby girl comes after Paris endured a lengthy two-day labour.

Family: Paris saw her five children for the first time in a week on Friday as they visited her in hospital

Shocking: Earlier on Friday it was revealed that Athena was dead for three minutes before being resuscitated by 'miracle workers' at Liverpool children's hospital

Meanwhile, Tyson also uploaded a clip of himself and his dad John, where he revealed that he hoped Athena would be out of hospital by Wednesday, leaving him free to train for his upcoming fight against Deontay Wilder.

He said: 'Four mile run there with my dad in the park here in Liverpool.

'Hope to God that the baby gets out of the hospital on Wednesday and I can start training for the big dosser Deontay Wilder which gives me about seven and a half weeks, which is plenty of time for a mug like that.'
Sir Michael Caine and his wife Shakira looked in good spirits on Thursday as they arrived in the Czech Republic ahead of the 55th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

The actor, 88, donned a dark raincoat over a spruce shirt and trousers, and clutched onto his trusty walking stick to help guide him.

Michael has been using a walking stick since he suffered from an unfortunate ankle injury when he slipped on some ice in February 2018.

Travels: Sir Michael Caine and his wife Shakira looked in good spirits on Thursday as they arrived in the Czech Republic for the 55th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival

His fashion model wife Shakira, 74, meanwhile, cut a smart figure in a white blouse and black blazer set as she stopped to sign autographs for fans.

Shakira wore a glam face of makeup for her travels and also carried a large black handbag.

The former actress slicked back her raven tresses into a bun and wore a dainty pair of ruby earrings.

Glam: The actor's fashion model wife, 74, cut a smart figure in a white blouse and black blazer set as she stopped to sign autographs for fans

Michael, who has over forty commendations including two Oscars, is this year's special guest at the 55th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

At the film's opening ceremony, the iconic British actor will be presented with a Crystal Globe for Outstanding Artistic Contribution to World Cinema.

His romance with Shakira has proved to be one of the longest marriages in showbiz, after tying the knot in Las Vegas in 1973.

Airport: The 88-year-old donned a dark raincoat over a spruce shirt and trousers, a walking stick in hand to help guide him

Arrivals: Michael and Shakira arrived at Karlovy Vary Airport on Thursday

In 2019, the veteran British actor revealed how he met the love of his life after seeing her star in a coffee commercial.

'I was at home and this commercial came on, for Maxwell House coffee. And there was this beautiful Brazilian girl,' he told Andrew Denton's Interview.

'I said to my mate "we're going to Brazil tomorrow - I have plenty of money, we're going to find her.''

Award winner: Michael, who has over forty commendations including two Oscars, is this year's special guest at the 55th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival

Legend: At the film's opening ceremony, the iconic British actor will be presented with a Crystal Globe for Outstanding Artistic Contribution to World Cinema

Love at first sight: In 2019, the veteran British actor revealed how he met the love of his life after seeing her star in a coffee commercial

Much to his surprise, his dream woman was not on the other side of the world, but instead a stone's throw away from where he was living.

The thespian reportedly called his future wife every day for ten days until she finally agreed to go out with him.

The couple have one daughter together, Natasha, 48, while the Alfie star has another daughter Dominique, 65, from his previous marriage with actress Patricia Haines.
Chloe Meadows and Courtney Green put on a glamorous display as they attended The Walking Dead premiere in London, which was hosted by Disney Plus, on Thursday evening.

The TOWIE stars looked sensational as they walked down the red carpet, following their shock axing from the reality show.

Chloe, 28, flaunted her amazing abs in a white cropped shirt paired with bright blue drawstring trousers and opted for comfort with casual white trainers.

Wow: Chloe Meadows, 28, and Courtney Green, 26, put on a glamorous display as they attended The Walking Dead premiere in London on Thursday evening

Courtney, 26, looked equally as stunning as she opted for a milk maid top which tied up at the bust with high waisted jeans with a split hem which covered white heels.

She carried her belongings in a black handbag as she posed up a storm for the cameras at the screening.

The pair both wore their long luscious locks in soft waves which tumbled over their shoulders.

Stunning: The TOWIE stars looked sensational as they walked down the red carpet, following their shock axing from the reality show

Sensational: Chloe (L) flaunted her amazing abs in a white cropped shirt, while Courtney (R) opted for a milk maid top which tied up at the bust with high waisted jeans

Their outing comes as The Only Way Is Essex was affected by cast cuts, including Courtney and Chloe - who both joined in 2016 and appeared in more than 140 episodes of the reality series.

Also pipped to leave the show are Harry Derbidge and Tom McDonnell.

Sources told The Sun that it was 'difficult' to break the news to the longstanding cast members.

Beauties: The pair both wore their long luscious locks in soft waves which tumbled over their shoulders

Gorgeous: Elsewhere at the premiere, Lara Fraser was looking sensational as she donned a striped Whyte Studio blazer dress

A source said: 'A lot of difficult conversations have been had in the last 24 hours. Its never nice to tell someone their services are no longer needed but the producers have to do what is right for the show.'

'They want more time focussing on fewer, and unfortunately some of those who havent had full, proper storylines had to go. They wish them all the best and are always here if they need the support', the source continued.

Elsewhere at the premiere, many famous faces were in attendance including DJ Lara Fraser, television presenter Hayley Palmer, and Bake Off's Liam Charles.

Flattering: Television presenter Hayley Palmer was glamorous wearing a Little Black Dress which hugged her enviable curves

Looking great: Liam Charles cut a dapper figure as he wore an open pink shirt paired with a white T-shirt and black jeans, finished with black Doctor Martens

Laura looked sensational as she donned a striped Whyte Studio blazer dress, and slicked her hair from the face to show off her amazing facial structure.

Hayley was glamorous wearing a Little Black Dress which hugged her enviable curves.

Liam cut a dapper figure as he wore an open pink shirt paired with a white T-shirt and black jeans, finished with black Doctor Martens.

Legs eleven: Television and radio presenter Olivia Cox looked leggy as she donned a blue frilly mini dress paired with snake print heeled Mary Jane's

Television and radio presenter Olivia Cox looked leggy as she donned a blue frilly mini dress paired with snake print heeled Mary Jane's.

Amel Rachedi also oozed glamour as she donned a figure hugging skin tight white midi dress with cut out detailing across the bust.

She tied her hair up into a slicked back ponytail, revealing a flawlessly made up face complete with black eyeliner and purple lipstick.

Glamorous: Amel Rachedi also oozed glamour as she donned a figure hugging skin tight white midi dress with cut out detailing across the bust

TOWIE's Kelsey Stratford flashed her abs in a cropped white top and high waisted pink jeans.

Chloe Ross, also a star of the reality show, looked stylish in a monochromatic black outfit.

Chloe looked chic in the ensemble which boated white leg tailored trousers and a black blazer which she shrugged over her shoulders.

Amazing: TOWIE's Kelsey Stratford flashed her abs in a cropped white top and high waisted pink jeans

Stylish: TOWIE's Chloe Ross looked chic in the ensemble which boated white leg tailored trousers and a black blazer which she shrugged over her shoulders

The famous faces were attending the premiere of the final season of The Walking Dead and is set to be released in the UK on August 23rd.

The 11th season will have 24 episodes and has come not long after season 10 was released earlier this year.

Although The Walking Dead is coming to an end, but spin off show Fear The Walking Dead is coming into its seventh season.

The finale will be available to watch on Star on Disney Plus, so anyone with a subscription to the streaming service will be able to watch from Monday.
Emily Ratajkowski looked stunning while walking down the street in Los Angeles.

The 30-year-old actress wore a gray crop top and tan pants by LSKD, black shoes and sunglasses while strolling around the City of Angels.

The I Feel Pretty actress added sunglasses and gold jewelry as she was not seen with her child Sylvester or husband Sebastian Bear- McClard.

Stunning as always: Emily Ratajkowski looked stunning in a gray crop top, tan pants, black shoes and sunglasses while walking in Los Angeles

The star enjoyed a long vacation in Italy in late July with her family. Often she posed in bikinis from her Inamorata Woman company as she held her child.

She seems to have taken a bit of a break from making movies. The supermodel's last acting credit came from the 2019 film Lying and Stealing which received mixed reviews from critics.

However, the star recently finished filming for the television movie Bright Futures which is currently in post-production with no current release date.

Bright Futures will revolve around a group of young friends as they find their way in the world. Friends actress Lisa Kudrow will narrate the movie, and Jimmy Tatro will star opposite Ratajkowski.

'Shame on you all': The model fired back at the trolls for their comments about how she was holding her baby

The Gone Girl actress' personal life has been stable recently as well. She married boyfriend Sebastian Bear-McClard, a movie producer, in 2018 and the two are still together.

She had her first child just a few months ago, Sylvester Apollo Bear. The family was recently spotted vacationing in Italy where the new mother showed off her form in a very cheeky bikini.

The star also opened up about social media trolls commenting on her parenting style by referencing how people treated Britney when she had her child in her 20s.

Fun on the water: The star enjoyed a long vacation in Italy in late July with her family. Often she posed in bikinis from her Inamorata Woman company as she held her child

'We are all reflecting back on shaming Britney and calling her a bad mom when she drove with her baby in her lap.

'We talk about how we have to "do better" as a culture. Meanwhile my comments are filled with awful remarks about how I don't deserve to be a mom. Shame on you all.'

The supermodel received backlash for holding her baby in an awkward way in a picture she posted to Instagram.

Baby Sly: She recently had her first child just a few months ago, Sylvester Apollo Bear
Jennifer Garner was rumored to have quietly rekindled her romance with Cali Group chairman John Miller in May, and the coy couple were spotted together for the first time in Manhattan on Sunday.

The 48-year-old mother-of-three began dating the 43-year-old attorney-turned-CEO in May 2018 before supposedly ending their relationship 'before LA went into lockdown' in March 2020.

Jennifer made sure to mask up before entering the building just ahead of John due to the fast-spreading coronavirus delta variant.

Definitely back together! Jennifer Garner (R) was believed to have rekindled her romance with Cali Group chairman John Miller (L) in May, and the coy couple were spotted together for the first time in Manhattan on Sunday

On/off flames: The 48-year-old mother-of-three began dating the 43-year-old attorney-turned-CEO in May 2018 before supposedly ending their relationship 'before LA went into lockdown' in March 2020

Garner's arm could be seen holding the door open for Miller, who was not wearing a face mask.

And while the Yes Day producer-star's ex-husband #2 Ben Affleck has been packing on the PDA with his ex-fiance Jennifer Lopez everywhere, she is clearly taking a more low-key approach.

For her day in the Big Apple, Jennifer dressed down in a b&w-patterned sweater, her signature blue skinny jeans, and black sandals.

Garner was beaming while wearing glasses over her make-up free complexion.

Better safe than sorry: Jennifer made sure to mask up before entering the building just ahead of John due to the fast-spreading coronavirus delta variant

Low key: Garner's arm could be seen holding the door open for Miller

Ducking in a building: And while the Yes Day producer-star's ex-husband #2 Ben Affleck has been packing on the PDA with his ex-fiance Jennifer Lopez everywhere, she is clearly taking a quieter approach

Casually clad: For her day in the Big Apple, Jennifer dressed down in a b&w-patterned sweater, her signature blue skinny jeans, and black sandals

Intimate: Garner was beaming while wearing glasses over her make-up free complexion

On Wednesday, John's 14-year-old son Quest donned a necktie to attend his ninth grade orientation at Loyola High School.

Miller is also father to 13-year-old daughter Violet from his six-year marriage to Caroline Campbell, whom he divorced in 2019 after an eight-year legal separation.

Earlier this month, the 41-year-old violinist married former professional runner Christopher Estwanik in Bermuda.

Meanwhile, the Texan-born, West Virginia-raised star has three children - Violet, 15; Samuel, 9; and Seraphina, 12 - from her decade-long marriage to the 49-year-old Oscar-winning filmmaker, which officially ended in 2018.

Affleck told to The New York Times in 2017 that the divorce was 'the biggest regret of my life.'

Ben and Jennifer met while working on set of Pearl Harbor in 2000. They starred together in Daredevil two years later, but Ben was dating JLo and Jennifer was married to Scott Foley at the time.

Foley blamed their divorce in 2003 on Jennifer's rising fame, saying: 'Nobody else was involved. Jennifer became a huge celebrity. She became a huge star, and she deserved everything she got. There was no other relationship, there was no infidelity, nothing. People get divorced, you know?'

'Neither of us knew how to tie a tie!' On Wednesday, John's 14-year-old son Quest donned a necktie to attend his ninth grade orientation at Loyola High School

Professional violinist: Miller is also father to 13-year-old daughter Violet (R, pictured January 4) from his six-year marriage to Caroline Campbell (M), whom he divorced in 2019 after an eight-year legal separation

Daddy duty: Meanwhile, the Texan-born, West Virginia-raised star has three children - Violet, 15; Samuel, 9; and Seraphina, 12 - from her decade-long marriage to the 49-year-old Oscar-winning filmmaker, which ended in 2018 (pictured Wednesday)

Lopez and Affleck called off their engagement in 2004, and Ben and Jennifer were spotted getting cozy at a World Series game months later, only to reveal they were engaged and then married in 2005.

Ten years later, Ben and Jen announced their intent to divorce as reports surfaced that he had an illicit affair with the family nanny, though Garner claimed in an interview with Vanity Fair that 'she had nothing to with our decision to divorce. She was not a part of the equation.'

Speculation arose that the couple rekindled their romance after Affleck went to treatment for an alcohol addiction, but their divorce became official in 2018.

Ben has since reunited with Lopez after her engagement to Alex Rodriguez ended in May, and the couple has been spotted house hunting in Los Angeles for Jennifer to set up roots for her Miami-based twins, Max and Emme, 13.

Her kids, whom she shares with ex-husband Marc Anthony, are 'onboard with starting fresh in Los Angeles,' according to a People source.

'They are slowly getting to know Ben. Everything seems to be running smoothly. It's very obvious that Jennifer is serious about Ben. She hasn't looked this happy for a long time,' the insider noted.

On July 28, Jennifer signed a partnership with Netflix in which she'll produce and star in projects include a sequel to Miguel Arteta's dismally-reviewed family flick, Yes Day.

Garner will next reunite with her 13 Going on 30 leading man Mark Ruffalo in Shawn Levy's time-traveling flick The Adam Project, which premieres next year on Netflix.

'It was wonderful! We were playing a married couple and we just have this instant comfort,' the Alias alum gushed on Good Morning America back on March 9.

'Obviously, there's just such a connection and a warmth. It was actually a really beautiful experience to revisit that relationship.'

The sci-fi action adventure also stars Ryan Reynolds, Walker Scobell, Zoe Saldana, and Catherine Keener.
Plaque unveiled on Tanna to mark VPs Golden Jubilee. Seen here are VP President Bob Loughman (far left) and Vice President Ronald Warsal (second right) and Secretary General Johnny Koanapo (far right) listening to a statement from veteran party member, Willie Saute. Photo: Stan Lee / VP 50 Years Golden Jubilee Facebook
Treading lightly on Tanna We go on a new ecotourism adventure tour in North Tanna
Students NOT willing to take COVID-19 vaccines will result in the termination their award, says NSTB
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP)  U.S. officials launched a review Thursday of climate damage and other impacts from coal mining on public lands as the Biden administration expands its scrutiny of government fossil fuel sales that contribute to greenhouse gas emissions.

The review also will consider if companies are paying fair value for coal extracted from public reserves in Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, Utah and other states, according to a federal register notice outlining the administration's intents.

Coal combustion for electricity remains one of the top sources of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, even after many power plants shut down over the past decade because of concerns over pollution.

Almost half the nation's annual coal production  some 250 million tons last fiscal year  is mined by private companies from leases on federal land, primarily in Western states.

Coal lease sales were temporarily shut down under President Barack Obama because of climate concerns, then revived under President Donald Trump as he sought to bolster the declining industry.

Among President Joe Biden's first actions in his first week in office was to suspend oil and gas lease sales  a move later blocked by a federal judge  and he faced pressure from environmental groups to take similar action against coal.

Few leases have been sold in recent years as coal demand shrank drastically, but the industrys opponents want to ensure it cant make a comeback as wildfires, drought, rising sea levels and other effects of climate change worsen, according to a report last week from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

The Interior Department review will consider the effects of coal mining on air quality and the local environment, whether leasing decisions should consider if the fuel will be exported, and how coal supports the nation's energy needs.

The agency said it will take 30 days of public comment and plans to announce its next steps by November.

The coal program brought in $387 million for federal and state coffers through royalties and other payments last year, according to government data. It supports thousands of jobs and has been fiercely defended by industry representatives, Republicans in Congress and officials in coal producing states.

Our public lands are intended for multiple uses, including the production of affordable, reliable energy for all Americans, and we look forward to providing comment throughout the governments review, said Ashley Burke with the National Mining Association, an industry lobbying group.

California, New York, New Mexico and Washington state sued after then-Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke revived coal lease sales in 2017. The Northern Cheyenne Tribe, joined by the Sierra Club and other environmental groups, also filed a legal challenge, while state officials from Wyoming and Montana argued against reviving the moratorium.

The Biden administration had sought to delay the legal challenges, but a federal judge said in June that the states and environmentalists faced potential damage if the case got stalled. U.S. District Judge Brian Morris cited pending lease applications for thousands of acres of federal land holding at least 1 billion tons of coal.

Interior officials said the review would not impact pending lease sales and modifications, or permits to dig existing leases. They also pledged to hold direct talks with Native American tribes that could be affected. A small number of tribes have coal, while others historically have opposed development.

Thursday's action was referred to as a good first step by Earthjustice attorney Jenny Harbine, who represents environmental groups and the Northern Cheyenne in the legal dispute. But she and others said they'll keep pressing Biden to end all coal, oil and gas extractions from U.S. lands.

We're sitting here in record heat and choking wildfires, Harbine said. There couldn't be a more important time of the administration to take action to end fossil fuel production from our federal lands.

In 2017 and 2018, the government sold leases for 134 million tons of coal on public land in six states, according to figures provided by the Interior Department. Thats a relatively small amount compared with previous years, for example 2011 and 2012, when more than 2 billion tons were sold in Wyoming alone.

Growing concerns over climate change have put a new spotlight on the coal program, which had operated largely in obscurity since the major environmental reviews in the 1970s and 1980s, including a 1983 Government Accountability Office report that the government received about $100 million less than it should have in one large lease sale.

Extracting and burning fossil fuels from federal land generates the equivalent of 1.4 billion tons (1.3 billion metric tons) annually of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, according to a 2018 report from the U.S. Geological Survey. Thats equivalent to almost one-quarter of total U.S. carbon dioxide emissions.

Over the past decade, oil and gas have eclipsed coal to become the biggest human source of greenhouse gas emissions from public lands and waters, federal production data indicates.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Longtime American foreign correspondent Joseph L. Galloway, best known for his book recounting a pivotal battle in the Vietnam War that was made into a Hollywood movie, has died. He was 79.

A native of Refugio, Texas, Galloway spent 22 years as a war correspondent and bureau chief for United Press International, including serving four tours in Vietnam. He then worked for U.S. News & World Report magazine and Knight Ridder newspapers in a series of overseas roles, including reporting from the Persian Gulf War in 1991.

Galloway died Wednesday morning, his wife, Grace Galloway, told The Associated Press, after being hospitalized near their home in Concord, North Carolina. He is also survived by two sons and a stepdaughter.

He was the kindest, most gentle and loving man, Grace Galloway said. He loved the boys and girls of the U.S. military. He loved his country.

With co-author retired U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Hal Moore, Galloway wrote We Were Soldiers Once ... And Young, which recounted his and Moore's experience during a bloody 1965 battle with the North Vietnamese in the Ia Drang Valley. The book became a national bestseller and was made into the 2002 movie We Were Soldiers," starring Mel Gibson as Moore and Barry Pepper as Galloway.

Joe has my respect and admiration  a combat reporter in the field who willingly flew into hot spots and, when things got tough, was not afraid to take up arms to fight for his country and his brothers, Gibson said Wednesday.

Galloway was decorated with a Bronze Star Medal with V in 1998 for rescuing wounded soldiers under fire during the la Drang battle. He is the only civilian awarded a medal of valor by the U.S. Army for actions in combat during the Vietnam War.

Galloway also served as a consultant for the 2016 PBS documentary The Vietnam War, directed by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick. They said he will be missed.

Joe was a very brave and courageous reporter and phenomenal storyteller the likes of which they dont make anymore," Burns and Novick said in a joint statement. We were lucky he came into our lives and made our understanding of the Vietnam War that much more vivid.

After reporting from the front lines during Operation Desert Storm, Galloway co-authored Triumph With Victory: The Unreported History of the Persian Gulf War." As he approached age 50, that was Galloways last combat assignment, but not the end of his career covering the U.S. military.

In 2002, Knight Ridder asked Galloway to return to reporting after a stint as an adviser to Secretary of State Colin Powell to bolster its Washington bureaus coverage of the Bush administrations case for ousting Saddam Hussein.

Galloway did that by contributing, often anonymously, to his colleagues stories and by writing a column that often was critical of Vice President Dick Cheney and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who were bent on invading Iraq.

John Walcott, Galloways longtime editor and friend, recounted how an exasperated Rumsfeld finally asked Joe to meet with him alone in his office. When Joe arrived, he was greeted by Rumsfeld  and a group of other high-ranking Pentagon officials.

Good, Galloway reported when he returned to the Knight Ridder office. "I had em surrounded.

According to Walcott, Galloway then described how after Rumsfeld accused him of relying on retired officers and officials, he had told the group that most of his sources were on active duty, and that some of them might even be in this room."

Asked by his colleagues if that was true, Galloway replied, No, but it was fun watching em sweat like whores in church.

Galloway's critical coverage of the Bush administrations case for invading Iraq was later portrayed in Shock and Awe, with fellow Texan Tommy Lee Jones playing Galloway.

The thing about Joe is that there wasnt a dishonest bone in his body, Rob Reiner, the movie's director, told the AP by phone. He spoke truth to power.  We will miss him, theres very few people who hold his level of integrity.

Clark Hoyt, former Washington editor for Knight Ridder, said it was a privilege to work with Galloway, who he called one of the great war correspondents of all time.

"He earned the trust and respect of those he was covering but never lost his ear for false notes, as shown by his contributions to Knight Ridders skeptical reporting on the run up to the Iraq war, Hoyt said.

Walcott said he was an exemplar of what journalism should be. From the Peoples Army of Vietnam to Rumsfeld, no one ever intimidated Galloway other than his wife, Gracie, Walcott said.

He never went to college, but he was one of, if not the, most gifted writers in our profession, in which his death will leave an enormous hole at a time when our country desperately needs more like him, Walcott said. He never sought fame nor tried to make himself the star of his stories. As sources, he valued sergeants more than brand name generals and political appointees.

__

Associated Press writers James LaPorta in Delray Beach, Florida, and Hillel Italie in New York City contributed to this report.
GREELEY, Colo. (AP)  "Go West, young man,'' Horace Greeley famously urged.

The problem for the northern Colorado town that bears the 19th-century newspaper editor's name: Too many people have heeded his advice.

By the tens of thousands newcomers have been streaming into Greeley  so much so that the city and surrounding Weld County grew by more than 30% from 2010 to 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, making it one of the fastest-growing regions in the country.

And it's not just Greeley.

Figures released this month show that population growth continues unabated in the South and West, even as temperatures rise and droughts become more common. That in turn has set off a scramble of growing intensity in places like Greeley to find water for the current population, let alone those expected to arrive in coming years.

Anything we can do to protect our safe water supply is so important, said Dick Maxfield, who has lived in Greeley for nearly 60 years and watched the population nearly quadruple to nearly 110,000, as new arrivals attracted to relatively low housing prices flock to the city 55 miles (85 kilometers) north of Denver and its mix of jobs in energy, health care and agriculture, including a major meat-packing plant.

The dual challenges of population growth and water scarcity are made worse by climate change, said Lisa Dilling, an environmental studies professor at the University of Colorado and director of the Western Water Assessment research program.

Everybody looks at the population growth and says, Where is the water going to come from? Dilling said. We can still have growth, but we have to make sure were thinking ahead. We need to manage the water efficiently and mindfully.

As a climate change-fueled megadrought engulfs the American West, some communities are going to extremes to protect their water supplies.

In Oakley, Utah, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) east of Salt Lake City, officials imposed a construction moratorium on new homes that would connect to the towns overburdened water system.

Thornton, Colorado, meanwhile, is fighting legal challenges as it builds a 72-mile pipeline to bring water from a river near Fort Collins to the suburb north of Denver. Crews have started work in northern Colorado with no assurance it will ever be finished.

If anything stops that burgeoning growth, it will be the lack of water. Its a limited resource, said Dick Jefferies, leader of a northern Colorado chapter of the conservation group Trout Unlimited.

Water has long been a source of pride for Greeley, which was founded in 1870 at the confluence of two rivers, the Cache la Poudre and South Platte. The New York Tribune, Horace Greeleys newspaper, played a key role in forming what was intended as a utopian, agrarian colony.

The city established its water rights in 1904 and completed its first water treatment facility near the Poudre River three years later, a system still largely in place.

Like other cities in Colorado's highly populated Front Range, Greeley gets its water in part from the Colorado River and other rivers that are drying up amid the prolonged drought. This week, federal officials declared the first-ever water shortage on the Colorado, triggering mandatory cuts from a river that serves 40 million people in the West.

In Greeley, the cost of new taps, or connections, to the city's water supply is rising exponentially. "It's like bitcoin,'' one official jokes  the city believes it has ensured its water supply for decades to come.

The City Council unanimously approved a deal this spring to acquire an aquifer 40 miles (64 kilometers) to the northwest, providing 1.2 million acre-feet of water. That's enough to meet the city's needs for generations, while offering storage opportunities for dry years. The water from the Terry Ranch aquifer near the Wyoming border will not become the primary source of drinking water, but will be a backup source in dry years.

In exchange for the aquifer  and a $125 million payment to the city for infrastructure  Greeley will issue the site's former owner, Wingfoot Water Resources, raw water credits that the firm can sell to developers to connect new homes to the city's water supply.

In essence, Greeley is trading future revenue for water supplies today,'' Adam Jokerst, deputy director of the citys Water and Sewer Department, said in an interview.

Wingfoot Vice President Kevin Ross called the deal a great answer for the city of Greeley to combat drought and ensure long-term water supply.

But opponents call the deal a giveaway to a local investment firm and charge that naturally occurring uranium in the aquifer poses a safety hazard. Save Greeleys Water, a citizens group opposing the purchase, said uranium levels in the aquifer are significantly above federal safety standards.

The city counters that tests show it can remove uranium and other contaminants to levels well below federal drinking water standards. While he understands the concerns, Jokerst said uranium is commonly found  and removed  in water throughout the West.

"Greeley would never deliver unsafe drinking water to its residents, including any water that had detectable uranium,'' he said.

John Gauthiere, a former city water engineer who leads the citizens group opposed to the aquifer, is skeptical. Maybe theyre as wrong as Flint, Michigan, he said.

Gauthiere also worries that higher costs will be passed on to residents. You should never sell water rights that belong to the people, he said.

The citizens' group is petitioning for a ballot initiative that would require a citywide vote before a sale, exchange or use of municipal water resources. The city clerks office has until Aug. 23 to validate the 4,200 signatures submitted and force an election in November. While the ballot measure would not block the Terry Ranch deal, it could limit the citys ability to use the ranch water or other groundwater resources, city officials said.

City residents are split on the project.

Aimee Hutson, owner of Aunt Helens Coffee House in downtown Greeley, favors the deal.

Why would anybody on the water board do something that was dangerous for the citizens of Greeley? she asked. They live here, too. Theyre raising their families here, too.''

But Greeley resident Sandi Cummings said city officials had not done enough testing. This is so upsetting that we are even considering this, she said.

The city had little choice but to pursue the aquifer deal after a long-planned expansion of its existing reservoir was abandoned several years ago, Jokerst and other officials said. The expansion would have required a new dam costing up to $500 million, and federal permits were difficult to obtain, in part because of concerns it would damage the habitat of the Prebles meadow jumping mouse, which lives in the area and is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

After spending $19 million over more than a decade, we were basically told we would not be able to get the reservoir (expansion) permitted. It was just not going to be a viable option, said Roy Otto, Greeleys longtime city manager until his retirement this month.

"I believe that providing a secure, safe drinking water source will be the key, not only to Greeley, but to Northern Colorado's future,'' Otto said.

We know people are going to be coming to Greeley, Jokerst said. We have a supply of land. Now we have water. We have all the ingredients for developers to build here.

Jeff Lukas, a water and climate analyst in nearby Boulder County, said municipalities rarely use an underground water source so far from city limits. While confident that officials have "done their homework,'' Lukas said the project still poses a risk because of the distance from Greeley and possible contaminants in the aquifer, which extends 1,200 feet underground.

"Any aquifer estimate is an inexact science,'' Lukas said.

River hydrologist Jeff Crane is skeptical the aquifer will be the long-term solution Greeley expects. Having worked on water projects throughout Colorado, a state that has doubled in population since 1980 and tripled since 1960, he sees the prospects for meeting new water needs diminishing rapidly.

They're trying to figure out how to continue to grow on the Front Range without more water,'' he said. Something's gotta give.''

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EDITOR'S NOTE  This is the first story in an occasional series looking at the impact of population growth on climate change.
DOVER, Del. (AP)  A bankruptcy judge on Thursday approved a proposal by the Boy Scouts of America to enter into an agreement that includes an $850 million fund to compensate tens of thousands of men who say they were sexually abused as youngsters by Scout leaders and others.

But the judge also rejected two key provisions of the deal, potentially jeopardizing the agreement that the organization had been hoping to use as a springboard to emerge from bankruptcy later this year.

Following three days of testimony and arguments, Judge Laura Selber Silverstein granted the BSAs request to enter into an agreement involving the national Boy Scouts organization, roughly 250 local Boy Scout councils, and attorneys representing some 70,000 men who say they were sexually abused as youngsters decades ago while engaged in Boy Scout-related activities.

The agreement was opposed by insurers who issued policies to the Boy Scouts and local councils, attorneys representing thousands of other abuse victims, and various church denominations that have sponsored local Boy Scout troops.

It was not immediately clear how Thursday's ruling will affect the future of the bankruptcy case, given that she rejected two significant provisions in the restructuring support agreement.

Basically, everybodys going to have to go back to the drawing board, said Paul Mones, an attorney representing hundreds of abuse claimants. I think this is going to cause a reset.

While ruling that BSA officials exercised proper business judgment as required under the law in entering into the agreement, the judge refused to grant a request that the Boy Scouts be allowed to pay millions in legal fees and expenses of attorneys hired by law firms that represent tens of thousands of abuse claimants.

Silverstein said she had several concerns about the fee request, including whether the ad hoc group called the Coalition of Abused Scouts for Justice is duplicating efforts by the official victims committee appointed by the U.S. bankruptcy trustee, and whether the coalition is making a substantial contribution to the case.

The judge also noted that coalition attorneys had emphasized last year that their legal fees would be paid by individual law firms they were representing, and that abuse claimants would not be responsible for those costs.

Silverstein said any payment of legal fees by the Boys Scouts, or by the victims fund, which was also contemplated in the agreement, comes directly or indirectly out of their clients pockets, and indeed the pockets of all abuse victims."

Any funds diverted from abuse victims, especially to pay an obligation of their lawyers, needs to be closely examined, she said.

David Molton, an attorney for the coalition, said the group was pleased that Silverstein approved the agreement. He said it enables the coalition and its partners to procure settlements from insurers and sponsoring organizations that will bring in additional billions of dollars to compensate survivors.

Molton did not address Silverstein's denial of the fee arrangement with the Boy Scouts, which he described at a hearing earlier this week as part and parcel" of the agreement.

Silverstein also denied the BSAs request under the agreement for permission to withdraw from an April agreement in which insurance company The Hartford would pay $650 million into the fund for abuse claimants in exchange for being released from any further liability.

Silverstein said the Hartford settlement was a separate issue from the agreement, and that the BSAs attempt to use the agreement as a vehicle to back out of that deal was improper.

You cant just roll up any relief you want and put it in a request to approve an (agreement), she said. ... The request to determine debtors obligations or, conversely, Hartfords damages, is not appropriate in this context.

A spokesperson for The Hartford said the company declined to comment.

Irwin Zalkin, an attorney for abuse claimants who opposed the agreement, said the judge gutted key conditions that supporters were hoping to box her into.

"In my view the (agreement) has been rendered toothless, Zalkin said.

The Boy Scouts of America issued a statement describing the ruling as an important development in the case. The BSA also indicated that it would be submitting a court filing regarding the timing of a hearing that was scheduled to start Wednesday. The hearing is to determine whether the judge approves a disclosure statement that explains the Boy Scouts' reorganization plan to creditors. Approval of the disclosure statement is required before ballots can be sent to abuse claimants to vote on a plan.

The Boy Scouts, based in Irving, Texas, sought bankruptcy protection in February 2020 in an effort to halt hundreds of individual lawsuits and create a huge compensation fund for thousands of men who were molested as youngsters by scoutmasters or other leaders. Although the organization was facing 275 lawsuits at the time of the filing, it is now facing some 82,500 sexual abuse claims in the bankruptcy case.

Under the agreement, the Boy Scouts would contribute up to $250 million in cash and property to a fund for victims of child sexual abuse. The local councils, which run day-to-day operations for Boy Scout troops, would contribute $600 million. In addition, the national organization and local councils would transfer their rights to Boy Scout insurance policies to the victims fund. In return, they would be released from future liability for abuse claims.

Opponents of the deal argued that BSA officials failed to fully inform themselves or exercise proper business judgment in entering into the agreement. They noted that the Boy Scouts board of directors never adopted a resolution approving the agreement, and that decision-making authority was delegated to an executive committee and a handful of people on a bankruptcy task force.

Having reviewed the evidence, I conclude that debtors were sufficiently informed to make this decision, Silverstein said. And while a specific (board) resolution would have been preferable, the evidence is clear that debtors approved the transaction.

A court is particularly ill-suited to address strategic business decisions such as this one, the judge added. Debtors may ultimately may be wrong in their assessment, but that is not the test of business judgment.
Evan Mitchell graduated nursing school in May, as the second COVID wave began to abate in Connecticut. When the pandemic hit in March of 2020, he was already in his third year of nursing school, which meant he was working in a clinical setting.

I remember, we were still at school, because we were about to be sent home for spring break, he said. They had anticipated us coming back two weeks later, so they had extended our spring break by one week.

At that point, little to nothing was known about the coronavirus. Mitchell said he was pretty sure everything would be back to normal in due time.

I wasn't really sold on the whole idea that this would turn into anything longer than two weeks, he said. Fast forward a few months, I didn't get back to campus until August.

Still, he graduated in May, and though he still expresses pride in his chosen profession, Mitchell said nobody really signed up for this..

Nurses in Connecticut say that an existing, long-term shortage of nurses in patient-facing roles is being exacerbated by the pandemic, specifically difficult working conditions made more challenging by new infections and not enough supplies.

Mitchell is an emergency room nurse, and the routine he describes is difficult. The process of dealing with a COVID patient involves what he called donning and doffing.

That's that the act and the art of putting on the respirator, the face mask, the gowns, the gloves, sometimes you use pappers, which are these big robot-looking machines that go over your face to create circulation and protect you and the patient from any unwanted air particles, he said.

It takes a few minutes to go in and out of any individual room, Mitchell said. The rooms themselves are negative pressure rooms, meaning theres no airflow into the rooms themselves.

So it's hot and youre in these gowns and youre in these rooms, giving care to this patient for a long amount of time because you want to bundle your care because, unfortunately, it's not safe to run in and out of COVID positive rooms, he said.

As an emergency room nurse, Mitchell said he has about seven patients at any given time, and about 40 patients over a standard 12-hour shift.

Mitchell said he couldnt imagine being an older nurse trying to keep up with this pace, physically, let alone the mental task that emergency nursing has. Hes not surprised nurses are leaving the bedside, looking for support roles or changing professions altogether.

You cannot blame these nurses for just wanting to go on to do something else, he said. Everybody goes into nursing to help other people. But there comes a time where youve got to help yourself. And I definitely can understand that.

A longtime shortage

There are a total of 52,265 professionals holding nursing licenses in the state of Connecticut, according to 2018 data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Stephanie Paulmeno, president of the Connecticut Nursing Association, puts that number closer to 86,000, but she said its not enough. With the pandemic now in its third wave, shes seeing more and more nurses with experience choose administrative or support roles, jobs that she said are less intense.

People are exhausted. Its unending. To have made such progress and then fall back, she said. What Im hearing from a lot of nurses is that they just dont feel they can go a whole round again.

The problem is felt in hospitals across the state.

We are significantly short nurses in all departments, said Amisha Parekh De Campos, an assistant clinical professor at UConn and a hospice nurse at Middlesex Hospital.

Not enough nurses to go around is a challenge Parekh De Campos said nurses have always dealt with. The pay is not great, she said, and its demanding work.

But it has gotten worse since the pandemic. There's a lot of burnout, she said. I remember being in the middle of the first wave of the pandemic, and they pulled people from everywhere to work. And I think with the possibility of a new surge coming, everyone's really hesitant about it. It just took a toll on a lot of nurses.

The pandemic has not discouraged prospective nursing students. In 2020, there were about 2,000 applicants to the UConn nursing schools four-year program, which prepares students to become registered nurses. Spokesperson Mikala Kane said: Thats pretty typical for the program.

In 2021, there were around 2,300 applicants to the same program.

Those students may or may not know what they are getting into. One of Parekh De Campos colleagues at the UConn School of Nursing, Christine Dileone, said shes seen nursing students graduate in the midst of the pandemic, and be thrust into a situation they were unprepared for.

"They graduated last year, in 2020, and literally started their careers in the pandemic and started taking care of COVID patients, and yeah, it's a lot, she said.

One of Dileones students, now working toward her masters degree, graduated last year and was immediately responsible for a surge of COVID patients. This student is now seeing that happen again.

They're tired. You know, she's like, Here we are again. Now my floor is a COVID floor again, Dileone said. They're just worn down. There's no other word that I can describe it. They're just worn down.

Mitchell said there was no way to prepare newly graduated nurses for the pandemic, but hes not seeing younger nurses shy away from the profession, despite being overwhelmed.

You go in for a 12-hour shift, and you come back, you drive home and you're like, I don't know how I'm going to wake up in eight hours and go do the same thing. But you do, he said.

The root causes

When asked if there were support structures in place for nurses dealing with inevitable mental health challenges, both Dileone and Parekh De Campos said that nursing supervisors do what they can to support their employees.

There's only so much supervisors can do. The supervisors are burned out too, Parekh De Campos said. Speaking for my department and our health care system, all around, everyone is just fatigued.

There has been a shortage of nurses for years, both Parekh De Campos and Dileone said, but the seemingly never-ending pandemic has exacerbated the problem.

I remember being in the middle of the first wave of the pandemic, they pulled people from everywhere to work, Parekh De Campos said. I think with the possibility of a new surge coming, everyone's really hesitant about it.

In fact, the pandemic, Dileone said, has brought to light the issues that resulted in a nursing shortage long before the pandemic began.

The most obvious problem, perhaps, is salary. The average starting salary for a registered nurse is close to $50,000, with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics putting the median salary at $75,330.

Pay does increase as a nurse gets more training, more degrees and more experience. Parekh De Campos said the starting salary for a registered nurse is 30-something bucks an hour, but that home health aides might make barely minimum wage.

Another issue is the patient-to-nurse ratio. Mitchell and other emergency room nurses may work with seven patients at a time but they cycle through rather quickly, moving either to other departments or unfortunately passing away, he said.

Parekh De Campos, in the hospice at Middlesex Hospital, said those rations are often higher in practice than they are on paper.

In theory for our health system, and we're very generous, it's supposed to be four to one, and that's on paper. It's a lot more than that, generally, six to one, she said. I worked at another health system. I would have nine patients at one point. At night, you get more.

And that ratio can get significantly worse depending on the day.

You might have call-outs during your shifts, too, so then you pick up more, she said. So the ratios that a system may say is happening, because of the shortage is definitely not. People are taking on a lot more than they normally would.

For Mitchell, its not a question of if he will stay on in a patient-facing role, but he knows hes still learning. Hes been on the job for three months.

The question is whether or not the more experienced nurses from whom he is learning will stay where they are.

Now that we're seeing cases start to increase, it's just, strap in. But I know there's a lot of nurses that are further on in their careers, he said. I can imagine how much of a mental predicament that would be to say, Am I gonna put myself through another potential year-and-a -half of unhealthy working conditions and just beat myself up to try to help others? Or am I going to look elsewhere? And it's, it's such a valid, and such a fair thought, because it was a very stressful year for everybody.


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Hollywood star Scarlett Johansson and Saturday Night Live scribe Colin Jost are set to welcome their first child together. Johansson, the star of Marvels Avengers film franchise, first sparked pregnancy rumours in June after skipping out on several Black Widow events. While performing at a stand-up comedy gig at the Ridgefield Playhouse in Connecticut over the weekend, Jost said, Were having a baby, its exciting, according to a source in the audience as quoted by Page Six.

Johansson, 36, is already a mother to her six-year-old daughter Rose whom she shares with French journalist Romain Dauriac. She and Jost, 39, quietly got married last October after three years of dating. Their wedding was attended by immediate family and loved ones following the COVID-19 safety precautions.

Johansson is currently suing Disney Studios, parent company of Marvel, alleging that her contract was breached when Black Widow was released on their streaming platform Disney Plus.

She was recently cast in Wes Andersons latest film, which also stars Margot Robbie and Tom Hanks as well as the acclaimed auteurs old favourites. PTI
Hyderabad: Students who are attending online classes are not attentive to what is being taught and this is adversely impacting their learning. This was the finding of a survey conducted by Telangana Recognized School Managements Association (TRSMA), which also found out that close to 80 per cent of students were inattentive. Based on these findings, the association has urged the government to start physical classes so as to stop further damage. In Hyderabad there are 1,800 budget private schools and around 200 corporate institutions.

According to TRSMA, when it comes to budget schools, students who are attending online classes are being promoted to the next level even though their learning has been poor. This will impact their grasping power in the next class, the association said.

President of the Association for Hyderabad, Konathala Umamaheswara Rao, said Many parents are also not bothered that their wards have been promoted to higher classes, without any evaluation.

Malladi Satya Prasad, working president of the association, said there have been reports that some students have shown 100 per cent learning loss. The percentage varies from student to student. The government has to look into these ground-realities before it is too late and start physical classes at the earliest. he added.
Harish Bangera, who was arrested on December 20, 2019 arrived at the Bengaluru international airport where he was welcomed by his wife Sumana, daughter Hanishka and friends. (ANI Photo)

Bengaluru: A man who was lodged in a Saudi Arabia prison on charges of blasphemy and for posting derogatory messages about Mecca and the king of Saudi Arabia on Facebook returned to India after 20 months.

Harish Bangera, who was arrested on December 20, 2019 arrived at the Bengaluru international airport where he was welcomed by his wife Sumana, daughter Hanishka and friends and later proceeded to Kundapur in Udupi.

Sumana, Bangera's wife, who works as an Anganwadi teacher thanked all the people who helped her to bring her husband back. She also said that she hopes that her husband will not go back to Saudi Arabia now, and is looking for help to lead future.

Suman said that she was faced with a trying time after she gave birth. "I gave up my job after my daughter's birth but had to lead the family following Harish's arrest, so I resumed job. I feel more confident now that my husband is back home," she said.

Bangera had been working in Saudi Arabia almost for 6 years and had visited his home in 2019 last.

The resident of Goyadibettu in Beejadi village, Kundapur, who worked as an air-conditioning technician for a company in Dammam was arrested for posting a derogatory post on Facebook against Saudi Arabia's crown prince Mohammad bin Salman and the community.

The Udupi district police last year filed a charge sheet in connection with the arrest of two men for hacking the social media account of Harish. Using the details of the investigation, Bangera's family managed to get him released.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court collegium has recommended the names of four Chief Justices of High Courts and a practising senior lawyer of Supreme Court for elevation as judges of the top court.

The collegium has recommended the elevation of the Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court A.S. Oka, Chief Justice of Gujarat High Court Vikram Nath, Chief Justice of Sikkim High Court J.K. Maheshwari, and Chief Justice of Telangana High Court Hima Kohli.

Besides the Chief Justices of four High Courts, the collegium has recommended the names of Justice B.V. Nagarathna, Justice C.T. Ravikumar, Justice M.M. Sundresh and Justice Bela M. Trivedi  judges of Karnataka, Kerala, Madras and Gujarat High Court respectively.

The obvious casualty is the Chief Justice of Tripura High Court Akil Kureshi who is perceived to be at the receiving end of the ruling establishment. Justice B.V. Nagarathna, if cleared, will go on to become first woman Chief Justice of India  though for a brief period.

Incumbent Chief Justice N.V. Ramana will be succeeded by Justice Uday Umesh Lalit (tenure from Aug. 2022  Nov. 2022), Justice D.Y. Chandrachud (tenure from Nov. 2022  Nov. 2024), Justice Sanjiv Khanna (tenure from Nov. 2024  May 2025),Justice Sanjiv Khanna (tenure: May 2025 - Nov. 2025), Justice Surya Kant (tenure: Nov. 2025 - Feb. 2027), Justice Vikram Nath (tenure: Feb. 2027- Sept. 2027) and Justice B.V. Nagarathna (tenure: Sept. 2027 - Oct. 2027).

If all the names recommended by the top court collegium are cleared by the government, then the top court will have four women judges. At present the top court has just one woman judge, Justice Indira Banerjee. Other three judges will be Justice Hima Kohli, Justice B.V. Nagarathna, and Justice Bela M. Trivedi.

The collegium has also recommended the appointment of senior lawyer P.S. Narasimha as the top court judge. The recommendation of Narasimha for appointment as top court judges is continuation of initiative taken by former Chief Justice R.M. Lodha who had recommended the names of then senior lawyers Gopal Subramanium, L. Nageswara Rao, Rohinton Fali Nariman and Uday Umesh Lalit for appointment as top court judges.

While Modi government cleared the names of Nageswara Rao, Nariman and Lalit and they are now serving as top court judges, it stalled the name of Subramanium as he was amicus curiae in 2002 Gujarat riot cases and was perceived to be critical of then Modi led Gujarat government.

Another top court practising lawyer Indu Malhotra was appointed as judge of the top court. Besides her other judgments, Justice Malhotra is remembered for her dissenting judgment in the Sabrimala temple case relating to the entry of women.

If Narasimhas name is cleared by the government then he will be seventh judge to be appointed directly from the top court Bar. Before 2014 the green judge  Justice Kuldip Singh and Justice Santosh Hedge were appointed as top court judges directly from the Supreme Court Bar.

As per August 17, 2021, resolution of top court collegium, there will be elevation of two judges from the Karnataka High Court and two from Gujarat High Court.

Earlier in the morning, Chief Justice N.V. Ramana had expressed anguish over the speculative reports in a section of the media about the top court collegiums recommendations.

Venting his displeasure over the speculative media reports, CJI Ramana said, Todays reflections in some sections of the media, pending the process, even before formalising the resolution is counter-productive. There were instances of deserving career progression of bright talents getting marred because of such irresponsible reporting and speculation. This is very unfortunate and I am extremely upset about it.

CJI Ramanas disapproval of the reports in a section of media on the collegium recommendations came in the open court while he was presiding over a ceremonial bench on the last working day of Justice Navin Sinha in the top court.

Describing the process of judicial appointments as a sacrosanct function of collegium, and asking the media should refrain from denting the integrity and dignity of the process by resorting to speculation.

Imploring the media to be mature and circumspect in reporting collegium proceedings on the appointment of judges, CJI Ramana said, You are all aware we need to appoint judges to this court. The process is ongoing. Meetings will be held and decisions will be taken. The process of appointment of judges is sacrosanct and has certain dignity attached to it. My media friends must understand and recognise the sanctity of this process. As an institution, we hold the freedom of media and the rights of individuals in high esteem.

Urging all the stakeholders to uphold the integrity and dignity of the top court, CJI said, I must also place on record the tremendous amount of maturity and responsibility displayed by the majority of the senior journalists and media houses in showing restraint and not speculating on such a serious matter. Such professional journalists and ethical media are the real strength of the Supreme Court in particular and democracy in general.
Indian Air Force authorities, who devised the plans for the runways, inspected the two stretches recently. (Representational Photo: DC)

NELLORE: National Highways Authority of India completed the runway works related to emergency landing facilities on National Highway No 16 at two places between Chilakaluripeta and Nellore.

A 4.1 km long 33 metres wide cement airstrip has been readied at Muppavaram near Addanki and another strip measuring 3.6 km long and 33 metres width is nearing completion at Singarayakonda in Prakasam district.

Indian Air Force authorities, who devised the plans for the runways, inspected the two stretches recently.

According to officials, the highway stretches will be blocked in case of an emergency and will be put to use exclusively for aircraft landing. The big advantage with the airstrips is that they can be used for strategic purposes as well as during calamities for rescue and relief operations.

In fact, the Chennai-Kolkata NH 16 is running parallel to Bay of Bengal and the airstrips located in Prakasam district are close to SPSR Nellore and Guntur districts, which are prone to cyclones and natural calamities.

NHAI has been constructing airstrips for emergency landing in more than 25 locations across the country. In order to shift men and material, a large area has been earmarked for parking close to the airstrip at Singarayakonda.

The cement runways are almost completed and the balance work is related to Air Traffic Control towers at both places. The median will be removed on the runway and fencing will be arranged on both sides to prevent people or animals from straying into the airstrip, officials said.
Union Minister of Development of North Eastern Region G Kishan Reddy greets BJP leaders at the Jana Aaseervada Yatra meeting at Venue convention hall in Vijayawada on Thursday. (Photo:DC)

VIJAYAWADA: Union minister for tourism and culture G. Kishan Reddy went down the memory lane while recalling his association with the city during his youthful days by saying that he was an ordinary party worker since 1980 and used to visit the party office in a rickshaw and stayed there for months.

He was accorded a rousing reception when he arrived for the Jana Ashirvad Yatra here on Thursday.

Addressing party leaders and supporters on his maiden visit since becoming a Cabinet minister, he said that all those who secured a place in the Union Cabinet were taking out Jana Ashirvad Yatra in their respective states.

He said Having worked as an in-charge of Krishna district, I personally know our activists and I have come here to meet all our leaders and supporters. I only chant two slogans-Bharat Mata Ki Jai and Kashmir Hindustan Ka Nahi Tho Kiske Baap Ka hai.

The Union minister said that scrapping Article 370 was a major incident in his life as the party could not do so earlier for want of majority in Parliament.

He dwelt at length about a series of welfare and developmental programmes being initiated by the Union Government. He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for helping India become one of only four nations to develop Covid vaccine and that too before the US, Germany or Japan could.

Reddy opined that political parties, which depended on one family or an individual, would never be accountable to the people, whereas the BJP was a party whose strength was the activists.

Maintaining that the Centre was making all efforts to further develop Andhra Pradesh, he slammed some political parties for misguiding people against the BJP government at the Centre.

The minister assured the intervention of the Centre in bringing an end to differences between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana on water sharing.

He criticized the state government for targetting BJP activists when they question the corrupt administration.
Vietnam will open its first Indian consul office in Bengaluru, Ambassador of Vietnam to India Phan Sanh Chau said on Wednesday. Industrialist N S Srinivasa Murthy has been named the honorary consul of Vietnam for Karnataka.

The consul will help improve investment ties between the two countries. Pharmaceuticals, automobile spare parts manufacturing and IT are potential sectors for collaboration, Ambassador Chau said.

As part of his visit, Chau met Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Industries Minister Murugesh Nirani took part in the 76th National Day reception of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in the city.
Pakistani human smugglers operating in areas bordering Afghanistan are raking in money as thousands of Afghans try to exit their country by clandestine means following the fall of Kabul to the Taliban.

Thousands of Afghans are fleeing Afghanistan to escape the new Taliban regime and seek asylum in different nations, including the US and many European nations, in quest of a better living environment.

Business has been booming even before the Taliban entered Kabul. We have smuggled in around 1,000 people from across the border since last week and business is booming, Hameed Gul, who operates from a small town near the Chaman-Spin Boldak border with Afghanistan, told PTI over telephone.

He was reluctant to divulge how much they charge for smuggling the Afghani people into Pakistan, but Hameed was also the only one willing to speak to this correspondent but he also confirmed that there were others like him operating from near border towns.

These people are afraid of what will happen under the Taliban rule and just want to get out of Afghanistan in whatever way possible and for that they are willing to pay whatever we demand and also be smuggled into Pakistan, he said.

He said the human smugglers operate clandestinely from border areas and use their own transport to smuggle the Afghanis into Pakistan.

A source, who is aware of this human smuggling racket, said they mostly operate from border areas like Chaman, Chaghi and Badani in the restive Balochistan province.

The source said most of the unofficial refugees tend to move onto Quetta or other Pakistani cities once they are safely in Pakistan and some of them already have relatives working in Karachi or Quetta who are there to support them.

Also read: Pakistan is rejoicing, but its joy may be short-lived

Dr Shah Muhammad Marri, who runs a literary magazine out of Quetta, said that the smuggling of Afghans have been taking place even before the Taliban took over.

This influx of people from Afghanistan has been going on even before the Taliban takeover of Kabul, he said.

I think this year alone some 55,000 Afghanis have already entered Pakistan via Balochistan, mostly children and women, as they just want to flee the war and conflict there, he said.

Marri said most of the Afghans who have entered Pakistan through Balochistan belong to the ethnic Hazara Shia Muslim community or Tajiks.

An official, who works with the Sindh Police Counter Terrorism Department and did not wished to be named, said they were aware of a large number of Afghans making their way into Karachi over the last few days after feeling from Afghanistan.

These are the unofficial refugees who are smuggled into Pakistan from via Balochistan and they tend to mix very quickly with the Afghan population on the outskirts of Karachi, he said.

For the last many years a proper Afghan village has existed near the National highway linking Karachi to the rest of Pakistan while there are also other smaller Afghan settlements near Sohrab Goth from where the highway starts to exit Karachi.

Taj Wali, a Afghan cloth trader who has been living in Karachi for the last 25 years and is now legally registered as a Pakistan citizen, said he is not surprised at the influx of his countrymen as they just want security and peace which has been missing in Afghanistan since the Russian invasion.

Like so many other refugees around the world they just want to live a normal peaceful life, he said.
China's central bank said it summoned executives of the country's most indebted property developer, China Evergrande Group, on Thursday and issued a rare warning that the company ought to reduce its debt risks and prioritise stability.

Evergrande has been scrambling for cash as it seeks to meet new debt-ratio caps. The scale of its debts has authorities and investors concerned that a collapse or default could trigger a far broader financial crisis.

Evergrande must "actively diffuse debt risk and maintain real estate and financial markets stability," said the People's Bank of China and China's banking regulator, the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission, in a joint statement.

"Evergrande, as a top real estate company, must earnestly implement strategic arrangements made by the central government to ensure the stable and healthy development of the real estate market, and strive to keep operations stable," they said.

Also read: Debt-laden Evergrande says in sale talks for certain assets; shares jump

The high-profile warning comes just days after a leaders' meeting chaired by President Xi Jinping called for efforts to defuse systemic financial risks. It also comes as a flurry of regulatory crackdowns in China dent foreign investors' confidence.

The statement said senior Evergrande executives were summoned for "talks" on Thursday. Such public summons' are unusual, though have been issued to Ant Financial in recent months, both before and after its ultimately scuppered stock market listing.

The regulators urged Evergrande to disclose information on major events by the rules and clarify market rumours on time.

Evergrande did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The statement was issued after market hours. Evergrande stocks and bonds have been heavily sold for months amid fears it may not be able to meet repayments, with its share price hitting an almost five-year low in Hong Kong on Thursday.
Animals known as carriers of coronaviruses were sold at local wet markets for years, finds a new study supporting the theory that Covid-19 is the result of virus jumping from animals to humans.

Researchers from the Chinese government's Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation, the University of Oxford in the UK and the University of British Columbia in Canada collected data from several markets in Wuhan and photographs from the Huanan seafood market, the Daily Mail reported.

The study that remained unpublished for more than a year has now been published in the journal Scientific Reports.

Read more: Facts, fears and evolution: Masking debates through the Covid-19 pandemic

The researchers reported 47,381 transactions of 38 species, from Wuhan's markets. This included 31 protected species sold between May 2017 and November 2019.The species include civets, dogs, minks, raccoons and more -- infected with different types of coronaviruses.

The team found that the animals were kept in poor conditions prior to sale and pangolins were also found absent.

"We note that no pangolins (or bats) were traded, supporting reformed opinion that pangolins were not likely the spillover host at the source of the current coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic," said the team including Zhao-Min Zhou, from Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education), China.

"While we caution against the misattribution of Covid-19's origins, the wild animals on sale in Wuhan suffered poor welfare and hygiene conditions and we detail a range of other zoonotic infections they can potentially vector," the researchers said.

Further, the team cautioned not to be "complacent, because the original source of Covid-19 does not seem to have been established. This is doubly important because false attribution can lead to extreme and irresponsible animal persecution".

As a precautionary response to Covid-19, China temporarily banned all wildlife trade in January 2020 until the Covid-19 pandemic concludes. It also permanently banned eating and trading terrestrial wild (non-livestock) animals for food in February last year.

"These interventions, intended to protect human health, redress previous trading and enforcement inconsistencies, and will have collateral benefits for global biodiversity conservation and animal welfare," the researchers said.
Israel has lifted restrictions on blood donations by gay men, saying the longstanding limitation was discriminatory and denigrating, Israel's health minister said Thursday.

Earlier this year the UK eased restrictions on blood donations from gay and bisexual men, following a similar decision by the US last year because of a drop in the nation's blood supply.

Until Thursday, men seeking to donate blood in Israel were asked whether they had same-sex relations in the past 12 months, a category that would disqualify them from giving.

Now the questionnaire inquires whether a prospective donor has had high risk sexual relations with a new partner or partners in the past three months, using gender neutral wording.

Nitzan Horowitz, Israel's health minister, who himself is openly gay, wrote in a Facebook post that the Health Ministry had removed the denigrating and irrelevant questions in questionnaires for blood donors, and that everyone would be treated equally regardless of sexual orientation.

There's no difference between one blood and the other, he said. Discrimination against gays in donating blood is over.

Israeli LGBTQ rights groups hailed the move as an important step for equality in Israel. Gal Wagner Kolasko, head of the Israeli LGBT Medical Associations, took to Twitter to thank Horowitz for the historical correction.

Now there are safe blood doses for all without discrimination or harming human rights. Because discrimination also causes serious damage to health," he said.
Kuwait will resume commercial flights with India and Egypt, among other countries, while adhering to the Covid-19 measures set by a ministerial committee, a cabinet statement said on Wednesday.

The decision also includes resuming flights with Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Nepal, the government said.
As the Taliban wrest power in Afghanistan, only one voice of resistance amid its former leadership has so far stood out.

"I will never, ever, and under no circumstances bow to the Talib terrorists (sic)," Afghanistan's First Vice-President (FVP) Amrullah Saleh said on August 15.

After incumbent President Ashraf Ghani's exit in the face of Taliban's sweep into Kabul, the toppled government's vice president claimed that he was the country's legitimate caretaker president.

Amrullah Saleh made the comment on Twitter on Tuesday. He cited the Afghan constitution was empowering him to declare this.

Clarity: As per d constitution of Afg, in absence, escape, resignation or death of the President the FVP becomes the caretaker President. I am currently inside my country & am the legitimate care taker President. Am reaching out to all leaders to secure their support & consensus.  Amrullah Saleh (@AmrullahSaleh2) August 17, 2021

He wrote that he was reaching out to all leaders to secure their support & consensus. However, it was not clear who he was looking to for support or how he would garner it.

As of now, Afghan leaders, including former President Hamid Karzai and peace council chief Abdullah Abdullah, have been negotiating with the Taliban since the fall of Kabul.

A former spy, a strong voice against Taliban

Saleh, born in 1972 in Panjshir, said he would take up the fight in his northern province.

Famed for its natural defences, the Panjshir valley never fell to the Taliban during the civil war of the 1990s, nor was it ever conquered by the Soviets a decade earlier.

Saleh said that unlike the United States and NATO "we haven't lost spirit & see enormous opportunities ahead. Useless caveats are finished JOIN THE RESISTANCE."

Saleh, whose whereabouts were unknown, said that he would never "under no circumstances bow" to "the Talib terrorists." He said he would "never betray" Ahmad Shah Massoud, the leader of the Northern Alliance who was assassinated by two al Qaeda operatives just before the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.

Saleh and Massoud's son, who commands a militia force, appear to be putting together the first pieces of a guerilla movement to take on the victorious Taliban, as fighters regroup in Panjshir.

Read | 'Afghan crisis due to US policy failure to deal with 'duplicitous' Pakistan'

Such a battle would be the latest in Saleh's long struggle against the Taliban as a onetime insurgent turned spy chief and later vice premier.

Orphaned at a young age, Saleh first fought alongside guerilla commander Massoud in the 1990s.

He went on to serve in his government before being chased out of Kabul when the Taliban captured it in 1996.

The hardliners then tortured his sister in their bid to hunt him down, Saleh has said.

"My view of the Taliban changed forever because of what happened in 1996," Saleh wrote in a Time magazine editorial last year.

Also Read | The Taliban: A new face, or buying time to consolidate?

After the September 11, 2001 attacks, Saleh  then a part of the anti-Taliban resistance  became a key asset for the CIA.

The relationship paved the way for him to lead the newly formed Afghanistan intelligence agency, the National Security Directorate (NDS), in 2004.

As NDS chief, Saleh is believed to have amassed a vast network of informants and spies inside the insurgency and across the border in Pakistan, where Pashto-speaking agents kept track on Taliban leaders.

The intelligence Saleh gathered provided what he alleged was proof the Pakistani military continued to back the Taliban.

Saleh's rise however has not been without its share of dramatic stumbles.

Read | Taliban destroy statue of Afghan civil war foe, stoking fear over their rule

In 2010, he was sacked as Afghanistan's spy chief following a humiliating attack on a Kabul peace conference.

Exiled into the political wilderness, Saleh maintained his fight against the Taliban and Islamabad on Twitter, where he fired off daily tweets taking aim at his longtime foes.

A return to favour came in 2018 when he briefly oversaw the interior ministry after sealing an alliance with President Ashraf Ghani, who has now fled to the United Arab Emirates.

Saleh went on to become the former leader's vice premier.

His most recent political revival came as the United States was preparing to exit Afghanistan and coincided with a series of assassination attempts on Saleh by the Taliban.

(Compiled using agency inputs)
US President Joe Biden said in an interview that American troops may stay in Kabul even after the August 31 deadline to aid the evacuation of remaining Americans in Afghanistan. The IMF will block the Taliban-led Afghan government from accessing $460 million in reserve funds. Meanwhile, late Wednesday evening, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in a video said that he fled Kabul as he did not want to be the second head of state to be hung in public. Stay tuned for more updates...
At least three people were killed in anti-Taliban protests in the Afghan city of Jalalabad on Wednesday, witnesses said, as the Islamist group moved to consolidate power and Western countries ramped up evacuations from a chaotic Kabul airport.

Thousands of people are trying to flee the country, fearing a return to the austere interpretation of Islamic law imposed during the previous Taliban rule that ended 20 years ago.

Witnesses said armed members of the Taliban were preventing people from getting into the airport compound, including those with the necessary documents to travel.

"It's a complete disaster. The Taliban were firing into the air, pushing people, beating them with AK47s," said one person who was trying to get through.

A Taliban official said commanders and soldiers had fired into the air to disperse crowds outside Kabul airport, but told Reuters: "We have no intention to injure anyone."

Read | Taliban violently disperse rare protest days after takeover

US officials have told the Taliban "that we expect them to allow all American citizens, all third-country nationals, and all Afghans who wish to leave to do so safely and without harassment," US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman told reporters in Washington.

But the 4,500 US troops in Kabul cannot help bring people to the airport for evacuation because they are focused on securing the airfield, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told a Washington news conference, acknowledging that evacuations had not reached targets.

General Mark Milley, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, said security at the Kabul airport was stable and the Taliban were not interfering with US military operations.

Foreign ministers of the Group of Seven nations are due to discuss the evacuation effort and seek to coordinate flights at a virtual meeting on Thursday, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said.

Some 150 km (90 miles) east of the capital in Jalalabad, protests against the Taliban provided an early test of the group's promise of peaceful rule.

After seizing power over the weekend, the Taliban said they would not take revenge against old enemies and would respect the rights of women within the framework of Islamic law.

Two witnesses and a former police official told Reuters that Taliban fighters opened fire when residents tried to install Afghanistan's national flag at a square in the city, killing three and injuring more than a dozen.

Taliban spokespeople could not be reached for comment.

Read | Taliban ramp up presence on social media, defying bans by the platforms

Not a democracy

A new government to replace that of President Ashraf Ghani, who is in exile in the United Arab Emirates, may take the form of a ruling council, with Taliban supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada in overall charge, a senior member of the group said.

But Afghanistan would not be a democracy. "It is sharia law and that is it," Waheedullah Hashimi told Reuters.

Ghani, who has been bitterly criticised by former ministers for leaving Afghanistan as Taliban forces swept into Kabul on Sunday, said he had followed the advice of government officials. He denied reports he took large sums of money with him.

"If I had stayed, I would be witnessing bloodshed in Kabul," Ghani said in a video streamed on Facebook, his first public comments since it was confirmed he was in the UAE.

About 5,000 diplomats, security staff, aid workers and Afghans have been evacuated from Kabul in the past 24 hours and military flights will continue around the clock, a Western official told Reuters.

"Everyone wants out," said a member of an Afghan family after they arrived in Germany. "Every day is worse than the day before. We saved ourselves but we couldn't rescue our families."

The Taliban have suggested they will impose their laws less severely than during their former rule, and a senior official said on Wednesday that the group's leaders would be less reclusive than in the past.

"Slowly, gradually, the world will see all our leaders," the senior Taliban official told Reuters.

Read | Had I been in Kabul, another Afghan president would've been hanged in public: Ghani

'Deeds Not Words'

Hashimi, who has access to the Taliban's decision-making, said the role of women, including their right to work and education and how they should dress, would ultimately be decided by a council of Islamic scholars.

"They will decide whether they should wear hijab, burqa, or only (a) veil plus abaya or something, or not. That is up to them," he told Reuters.

Under the Taliban's 1996-2001 rule, women were prevented from working, girls were not allowed to go to school and women had to wear all-enveloping burqas to go out.

Echoing comments by world leaders, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the Taliban would be judged "by its actions rather than by its words".

Many Afghans are sceptical of the Taliban promises.

"My family lived under the Taliban and maybe they really want to change or have changed, but only time will tell and it's going to become clear very soon," said Ferishta Karimi, who runs a tailoring shop for women.

The Taliban seized Kabul on Sunday as Western forces withdrew under a deal that included a Taliban promise not to attack them as they leave.

US President Joe Biden has faced a barrage of criticism about the withdrawal, including from British lawmakers on Wednesday who called Afghanistan's collapse into Taliban hands a failure of intelligence, leadership and moral duty.

Biden has said he had to decide between asking US forces to fight endlessly or follow through on the withdrawal deal of his predecessor, Donald Trump.

US Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, during an appearance in his home state of Kentucky, pledged to keep the "heat" on Biden to rescue US allies in Afghanistan and said Congress would consider allocating more money to help if needed.

He also dismissed the idea of a "new" Taliban, calling the militants "barbarians".
Jin-hui, a cream-coloured Pomeranian, was buried alive and left for dead in 2018 in the South Korean port city of Busan.

No charges were filed against its owner at the time, but animal abusers and those who abandon pets will soon face harsher punishment as South Korea plans to amend its civil code to grant animals legal status, Choung Jae-min, the justice ministry's director-general of legal counsel, told Reuters in an interview.

The amendment, which must still be approved by parliament, likely during its next regular session in September, would make South Korea one of a handful of countries to recognise animals as beings, with a right to protection, enhanced welfare and respect for life.

The push for the amendment comes as the number of animal abuse cases increased to 914 in 2019 from 69 in 2010, data published by a lawmaker's office showed, and the pet-owning population grew to more than 10 million people in the country of 52 million.

South Korea's animal protection law states that anyone who abuses or is cruel to animals may be sentenced to a maximum of three years in prison or fined 30 million won ($25,494), but the standards to decide penalties have been low as the animals are treated as objects under the current legal system, Choung said.

Also Read | The dog breeding industry thrives on cruelty, abuse

Once the Civil Act declares animals are no longer simply things, judges and prosecutors will have more options when determining sentences, he said.

The proposal has met with scepticism from the Korea Pet Industry Retail Association, which pointed out there are already laws in place to protect animals.

"The revision will only call for means to regulate the industry by making it difficult to adopt pets, which will impact greatly not only the industry, but the society as a whole," said the association's director general, Kim Kyoung-seo.

Choung said the amended civil code will also pave the way for follow-up efforts such as life insurance packages for animals and the obligation to rescue and report roadkill.

It is likely the amendment will be passed, said lawmaker Park Hong-keun, who heads the animal welfare parliamentary forum, as there is widespread social consensus that animals should be protected and respected as living beings that coexist in harmony with people.

Animal rights groups welcomed the justice ministry's plan, while calling for stricter penalties for those who abandon or torture animals, as well as a ban on dog meat.

"Abuse, abandonment, and neglect for pets have not improved in our society," said Cheon Chin-kyung, head of Korea Animal Rights Advocates.

Despite a slight drop last year, animal abandonment has risen to 130,401 in 2020 from 89,732 cases in 2016, the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency said. South Korea has an estimated 6 million pet dogs and 2.6 million cats.

Solemn with large, sad eyes, Jin-hui, which means "true light" in Korean, now enjoys spending time with other dogs at an animal shelter south of Seoul.

"Its owner lost his temper and told his kids to bury it alive. We barely managed to save it after a call, but the owner wasn't punished as the dog was recognised as an object owned by him," said Kim Gea-yeung, 55, manager of the shelter.

"Animals are certainly not objects."
Former Afghan president Ashraf Ghani said Wednesday he supports talks between the Taliban and top former officials, and denied allegations that he transferred large sums of money out of the country before fleeing to the United Arab Emirates.

Ghani  making his first appearance since leaving Kabul on Sunday as the Taliban encircled the capital, a departure that ultimately resulted in their full takeover  reiterated that he had left in order to spare the country more bloodshed.

He said in the recorded video message, broadcast on his Facebook page, that he had no intention of remaining in exile in the Gulf nation and was "in talks" to return home.

He also said he was making efforts to "safeguard the rule of Afghans over our country", without offering details.

"For now, I am in the Emirates so that bloodshed and chaos is stopped," Ghani said from the UAE, which confirmed Wednesday he was being hosted there on "humanitarian grounds".

Read | Taliban meet with ex-Afghanistan President Karzai and Abdullah, Ghani says he backs talks

He voiced support for talks held Wednesday between senior members of the Taliban movement, Ghani's predecessor Hamid Karzai, and Abdullah Abdullah, who headed the ultimately failed peace process.

"I want the success of this process," he said.

It was Abdullah  a long-time rival of Ghani  who announced the president had left the country on Sunday, suggesting he would be judged harshly.

But Ghani insisted he had left for the good of the country, and not his own wellbeing.

"Do not believe whoever tells you that your president sold you out and fled for his own advantage and to save his own life," he said. "These accusations are baseless... and I strongly reject them."

Also Read | Who is Afghanistan's 'caretaker-VP' Amrullah Saleh?

"I was expelled from Afghanistan in such a way that I didn't even get the chance to take my slippers off my feet and pull on my boots," he added, noting that he had arrived in the Emirates "empty-handed".

He claimed that the Taliban had entered Kabul despite an agreement not to do so.

"Had I stayed there, an elected president of Afghanistan would have been hanged again right before the Afghans' own eyes," he said.

The first time the Taliban seized Kabul, when they established their regime in 1996, they dragged former communist president Mohammed Najibullah from a United Nations office where he had been sheltering, and hanged him in a public street after torturing him.
The Taliban movement's inner workings and leadership have always been largely shrouded in secrecy, even during their rule of Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001. One of their mysterious leaders is Haibatullah Akhundzada, the outfit's supreme power, who will probably become the head of the ruling council of Afghanistan.

Akhundzada was appointed leader of the Taliban in a swift power transition after a US drone strike killed his predecessor, Mullah Mansour Akhtar, in 2016.

Before ascending the movement's ranks, Akhundzada was a low-profile religious figure. He is widely believed to have been selected to serve more as a spiritual figurehead than a military commander.

Read more: Taliban: Monster Pakistan created in Afghanistan may turn against its master

After being appointed leader, Akhundzada secured a pledge of loyalty from al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri, who showered the religious scholar with praise -- calling him "the emir of the faithful".

This helped seal his jihadi credentials with the group's long-time allies.

Akhundzada was tasked with the enormous challenge of unifying a militant movement that briefly fractured during a bitter power struggle following the assassination of his predecessor, and the revelation that the leadership had hidden the death of Taliban founder Mullah Omar for years.

The leader's public profile has been largely limited to the release of annual messages during Islamic holidays.

Believed to be a 60-year-old, Akhundzada is known to have hardline religious views. In the 1980s, he was involved in the Islamist resistance against the Soviet military campaign in Afghanistan.

One of the Taliban's main spokesmen stated on July 20, 2017, that Akhundzada's son Abdur Rahman was killed while carrying out a suicide attack on an Afghan military base in Gereshk in Helmand Province. An Afghan government official said that they were investigating the incident but could not confirm if Rahman was killed.

In May 2021, Akhundzada invited Afghan people for the withdrawal of the United States forces and for the development of an Islamic state. After the withdrawal of the US forces, the Taliban began to capture one important region after another in Afghanistan and finally gained control of Kabul.
The International Monetary Fund said on Wednesday that it will block Afghanistan from accessing emergency reserves in the aftermath of the Talibans swift takeover of the country.

The decision came as the fund was scheduled to disburse about $460 million in emergency currency reserves to Afghanistan next week and followed pressure from the Biden administration to ensure that the reserves  known as Special Drawing Rights, or SDRs  did not reach the Taliban.

There is currently a lack of clarity within the international community regarding recognition of a government in Afghanistan, as a consequence of which the country cannot access SDRs or other IMF resources, Gerry Rice, an IMF spokesman, said in a statement, adding that its decisions are guided by the views of the international community.

Earlier Wednesday, the Biden administration was working to prevent the Taliban from getting the reserves, a Treasury Department official said.

The IMF is funded with contributions by its 190 member nations, and the United States is the largest shareholder. So its opposition to the Taliban obtaining access to the reserve assets carries significant weight.

Read | Afghan diplomat claims Ghani stole $169 million from state funds

The IMF, which was established after World War II to help stabilize the global economy, approved a $650 billion allocation of currency reserves earlier this month as part of an effort to help developing countries cope with the coronavirus pandemic. The reserve assets, which can be exchanged for dollars or other currencies, are divided among countries, and Afghanistan was set to receive its share next week.

The swift toppling of Afghanistans government by the Taliban put the IMF in a difficult position. The agency is guided by its member countries, and if a government is not recognised as legitimate then it cannot gain access to existing or new SDRs, according to a person familiar with the matter who was not authorised to speak publicly.

Canada, the European Union and Russia have said publicly that they are not ready to recognise the Taliban as the government in Afghanistan.

Jake Sullivan, the White Houses National Security Adviser, said Tuesday that it was too soon to address whether the United States will recognise the Taliban as the legitimate power in Afghanistan.

Ultimately, its going to be up to the Taliban to show the rest of the world who they are and how they intend to proceed, Sullivan said. The track record has not been good, but its premature to address that question at this point.

Also Read | Taliban will not get access to Afghan reserves held in US: Official

The United States remains engaged with the Taliban over the transfer of power in Afghanistan but has been careful not to let go of any leverage it has over the group.

The Treasury Department moved over the weekend to block access to $9.4 billion of international reserves held by Afghanistans central bank, most of which is stashed in accounts at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

There is precedent for the IMF to block countries from their currency reserves. Earlier this year, the fund said that Venezuela would not have access to the $5 billion of SDRs that it would have received because of a dispute over the governments legitimacy.

The Biden administration backed the allocation of new SDRs this year over the opposition of some Republican lawmakers who argued that the United States was giving money to adversaries such as Russia, China and Iran. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has dismissed that idea, arguing that the United States would not agree to exchange dollars for SDRs with a country it considers to be a bad actor.

A group of lawmakers sent a letter to Yellen on Tuesday, urging her to intervene in the scheduled release of $650 billion in IMF emergency reserves.

The potential of the SDR allocation to provide nearly half a billion dollars in unconditional liquidity to a regime with a history of supporting terrorist actions against the United States and her allies is extremely concerning, they wrote.
Indias historical relationship with people of Afghanistan will guide its approach on the future course of its engagement between the two nations, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said.

At this point of time, we are looking at what is the evolving situation in Kabul. Obviously, the Taliban and its representatives have come to Kabul. So, I think we need to take it from there, the External Affairs Minister told journalists at the headquarters of the United Nations in New York. His reply to a query on New Delhis engagement with the Taliban indicated that India had taken note of the reality of the recent fast-paced developments in Afghanistan.

New Delhi evacuated its envoy and diplomats from Kabul on Tuesday  less than 48 hours after the Taliban militants entered the capital city after occupying many provincial capitals across Afghanistan and the President Ashraf Ghani escaped from the country marking the collapse of his Government.

Read | India should have publicly engaged with Taliban earlier: Natwar Singh

India, however, did not formally shut down its embassy in the capital of Afghanistan, as it would have meant severance of diplomatic relations between the two nations.

New Delhi already signalled that it might recognize a new regime in Kabul with participation from the Taliban, if it was an inclusive dispensation with representation of all communities of Afghanistan, respected the aspirations of the children and voices and rights of women and promised not to allow anyone to use the country to export terror to other countries in the region and beyond.

Well, look, I think you used the word investment. For us, it reflected the historical relationship with the Afghan people, External Affairs Minister said, when a journalist referred to the development projects India funded in Afghanistan over the past 20 years and asked if the bilateral engagements would continue even after the imminent take over by a Taliban or a Taliban-dominated Government in Kabul. I think that (the) relationship with the Afghan people obviously continues and that will guide our approach to Afghanistan in the coming days. At this time, I think, as I said, these are early days. Our focus right now is on ensuring the safety and security of Indian nationals, who are there.

Also Read | UN peacekeepers continue to operate in challenging settings involving terrorists: Jaishankar at UNSC

Rudrendra Tandon, New Delhis envoy to Kabul, had also said immediately after being evacuated on Tuesday that India had not abandoned the people of Afghanistan.

The Taliban over the past few days sought to send out the message that its new incarnation in power would be different from the previous one, which had between 1996 and 2001 enforced an austere version of Shariah, banning TV, denying womens rights to education and work, punishing and executing women and other offenders in public.

New Delhi had shut down the Embassy of India in Kabul when the Taliban had taken over power in Afghanistan in 1996. Indias then acting envoy to Afghanistan, Azad Singh Toor, and other officials had left Kabul by a special aircraft of Ariana Airlines on September 26, 1996  just before the Taliban had entered the capital city and taken over power. The Taliban militants had not found any Indian, when they had raided and ransacked the Embassy of India in Kabul after executing the former Afghan President Mohammad Nazibullah and hanging his body from a traffic light pole.

At the moment, we are, like everybody else, very carefully following developments in Afghanistan. I think our focus is on the security in Afghanistan and the safe return of Indian nationals, who are there, Jaishankar told journalists in New York. So that is really what has been very much of the focus of my own engagements here, talking to the UN Secretary General (Antonio Guterres), to other colleagues, who are here, as well as the US Secretary of State (Antony Blinken) a few days ago.
The Pentagons top two leaders said Wednesday that the US government is committed to evacuating all Americans who want to leave Afghanistan, as well as Afghans who helped the war effort and who are cleared to enter the United States.

Provided, that is, these people can get past Taliban checkpoints to Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, the Afghan capital.

We intend to evacuate those who have been supporting us for years, and we are not going to leave them behind, Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters. And we will get out as many as possible.

Speaking at a Pentagon news conference, Milley and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin stopped short of assuring safe passage to the tens of thousands of Afghan allies who have been blocked by the Taliban from reaching the airport. So far, US Marines and other troops have not been sent into Kabul to extract evacuees, the men said.

Get all the live updates of Afghanistan crisis here

The forces that we have are focused on security of the airfield, said Austin, who added that the military would work with the Taliban to allow Afghans with proper paperwork to pass through. I dont have the capability to go out and extend operations currently into Kabul.

Milley said the State Department was in communication with the Taliban to ensure that passengers could make their way to the airport. But there have been numerous reports of Taliban fighters beating and harassing Afghans trying to get there, despite the Pentagons warnings not to interfere with the evacuation.

Neither Austin nor Milley would commit to extending the operation, which has evacuated 5,000 people since it started over the weekend, beyond the Aug. 31 deadline the White House has set for ending the militarys mission in Afghanistan.

In an interview broadcast later Wednesday with ABCs George Stephanopoulos, President Joe Biden said the United States was committed to evacuating every American out of Afghanistan, even if that meant extending the deadline.

If theres American citizens left, were going to stay to get them all out, Biden said.

Americans should understand that were going to try to get it done before Aug. 31, he said. But he added, If we dont, well determine at the time whos left.

But Afghans must make it through a gauntlet of Taliban checkpoints to get the airport.

Its obvious were not close to where we want to be in terms of getting the numbers through, Austin acknowledged. So were going to work that 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and were going to get everyone that we can possibly evacuate evacuated.

He added, As long as we possibly can until the clock runs out, or we run out of capability.

It was the first news conference by the Pentagons senior leadership since the extraordinary fall of Kabul over the weekend. The disintegration of the Afghan military has been deeply painful for the Pentagon, which spent 20 years and $83 billion building up Afghanistans security forces. Beyond that, the collapse of the Afghan government has left the Pentagon facing questions from veterans of the war and active-duty service members, who have wondered what the point was of the sacrifice.

Both men tried to put some of those feelings into words. All of this is very personal to me, Austin said. This is a war that I fought in and led. I know the country, I know the people, and I know those who fought alongside me.

Milley sought to address US service members who took part in the endeavor directly: For more than 20 years, we have prevented an attack on the US homeland, he said, adding that 2,448 troops lost their lives, and 20,722 were wounded in action, and many others suffered the unseen wounds of war.

Marine Corps leaders, in a letter Wednesday, also tried to reassure the corps, which has carried much of the Afghan fight, saying they believe  without question  that your service was meaningful, powerful and important.

But many at the Pentagon remain concerned about what will happen to the tens of thousands of Afghans who helped US troops, the embassy and US institutions in Afghanistan. The Biden administrations strategy to get these people to safety appears focused on holding talks with the Taliban and asking them to allow people to get to the airport.

Milley also pushed back on reports in the news media that there were warnings of a rapid collapse of the Afghan military.

I am very familiar with the intelligence, and in war nothing is ever certain, but I can tell you that there are not reports that I am aware of that predicted a security force of 300,000 would evaporate in 11 days, he said.

Milley said 5,000 Marines and soldiers were to be on the ground by late Wednesday to secure the airport, as military and commercial flights carrying people out of the Afghan capital continued apace.

In the previous 24 hours, 18 Air Force C-17 transport planes departed Kabul, with 2,000 passengers, including 325 US citizens, John Kirby, the chief Pentagon spokesperson, told reporters Wednesday. The others were Afghan civilians and NATO personnel, he said.

That total is well short of the 5,000 to 9,000 passengers a day the military is aiming to fly out of the country once the evacuation process is at full throttle, Kirby said.

The goal is to get as many people out as quickly as we can, he said.

About the same number of military flights were expected to leave Kabul in the next 24 hours, but Kirby said he could not predict how many passengers those planes would carry.

The Pentagon said 1,000 personnel have been sent to Qatar to help State Department officials speed the processing of visa applications for the Afghans who worked for the US war effort. Evacuation flights from Kabul are mostly flying to Qatar, where Afghan visa applicants are being screened before they board flights to the United States.
Malaysian king Al-Sultan Abdullah's efforts to end the country's long-running political instability could transform the traditionally ceremonial monarchy revered for being above politics in the Southeast Asian nation, say analysts.

Malaysian monarchs play a figurehead role in the Muslim-majority country and rarely intervene in politics.

But Al-Sultan Abdullah - who this week could end months of political turmoil by naming a new prime minister - has wielded his constitutional powers and influence like no other to chart the nation's political course.

Also Read | Malaysia king urges halt to bickering as he picks new PM

Over the last 18 months, the king named Muhyiddin Yassin as prime minister, propped him up in key moments during a power struggle and - as public sentiment soured over the premier's handling of Covid-19 - reprimanded the administration, leaving its future hanging in the balance. Muhyiddin resigned on Monday.

Constitutional lawyer New Sin Yew said the constitutional monarch's powers had been stretched to their limits during the ongoing crisis, raising concern that it could lead to overreach by future monarchs.

"A precedent has definitely been set, but it's being set in abnormal times. There is a danger simply because of this precedent, which I hope doesn't repeat itself," New said.

The palace did not respond to a request for comment.

Malaysia has grappled with political uncertainty since 2018 when Mahathir Mohamad led an opposition coalition to election victory over the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), which had governed the country through a stable coalition for more than six decades.

Mahathir's administration, however, collapsed from infighting last year, as Muhyiddin's did.

Also Read | Malaysia PM Muhyiddin Yassin quits after just 17 months in office

The king was thrust into the spotlight after Mahathir's abrupt resignation in February 2020. He met with all 222 lawmakers to decide which of them had the majority to form the next government.

The constitution says the king can appoint a premier he believes has the majority, a power never utilised before as the premier is picked through an election.

The king appointed Muhyiddin who formed a government with parties defeated in the polls, including UMNO, even as Mahathir said he had regained a majority.

When UMNO threatened to withdraw support for Muhyiddin amid tensions in late 2020, the king repeatedly urged lawmakers to quit politicking and support the premier in a budget vote to prevent the government from collapsing during the pandemic.

Mirroring public mood

Oh Ei Sun, a senior fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, said the king had a good understanding of the populace and his actions mirrored popular sentiment.

The king refused an October request from Muhyiddin to declare emergency rule, a move critics said would have allowed the premier to suspend parliament and stymie efforts to remove him. He did grant a seven-month emergency later in January as Covid-19 cases rose.

But last month the king admonished Muhyiddin's administration over its handling of emergency laws, saying they had been revoked without his consent and went against the constitution. That rare rebuke gave fresh impetus for Muhyiddin's rivals and the premier quit less than three weeks after.

Also Read | The rise and fall of Malaysia's Muhyiddin Yassin

Royal historian Kobkua Suwannathat-Pian said the king had not acted beyond the scope of his constitutional powers.

"This king seems to be very careful on what he can and cannot do," she said.

Malaysia has a unique system, with nine Malay sultans taking turns to assume the role of king every five years.

It is a largely ceremonial role, with the monarch bound to act upon the advice of the prime minister and cabinet with few exceptions.

The monarch and the country's other sultans are held in deep respect by Malays and the non-Muslim Indian and Chinese minority communities.

The king, whose term ends in 2024, will be picking Muhyiddin's successor this week, after he ruled out elections during the pandemic and asked all parliamentarians to nominate a candidate.

"Of course in a parliamentary democracy, the best would be to hold elections," said Nik Ahmad Kamal Nik Mahmod of the International Islamic University of Malaysia.

"But if elections fail, or if we cannot arrive at a consensus on who should be the prime minister, then it has to be the king who decides."
Several people were killed on Thursday in the Afghan city of Asadabad on Thursday when Taliban fighters fired on people waving the national flag at an Independence Day rally, a witness said, a day after three people were killed in a similar protest.

The protests by people waving the Afghan flag, in some cases after tearing down white Taliban flags according to media, are the first signs of popular opposition to the Taliban since their stunning advance across the country and capture of the capital, Kabul, on Sunday.

It was unclear if the casualties in Asadabad resulted from the firing or from the stampede that it triggered, witness Mohammed Salim said from the eastern city, the capital of Kunar province.

Also Read | Taliban urge people to leave airport in Kabul after 12 killed since Sunday

"Hundreds of people came out on the streets," Salim said. "At first I was scared and didn't want to go but when I saw one of my neighbours joined in I took out the flag I have at home."

"Several people were killed and injured in the stampede and firing by the Taliban."

A Taliban spokesman was not immediately available for comment.

There were also protests but no reports of serious violence in the eastern city of Jalalabad and a district of Paktia province, media reported.

Afghanistan celebrates its 1919 independence from British control on Aug. 19.

On Wednesday, Taliban fighters fired at protesters waving the black, red and green national flag in Jalalabad, killing three, witnesses and media reported.

Media reported similar scenes in Asadabad and another eastern city, Khost, on Wednesday with protesters in some places tearing down the white Islamic banner of the Taliban.

Also Read | Military to work with Taliban to ensure evacuations: Pentagon

Call for end to airport crowds

The crackdown on protests will raise new doubts about Taliban assurances they have changed since their 1996-2001 rule when they severely restricted women, staged public executions and blew up ancient Buddhist statues.

They now say they want peace, will not take revenge against old enemies and would respect the rights of women within the framework of Islamic law.

While Kabul has been generally calm since Taliban forces entered on Sunday, the airport has been in chaos as people rushed for a way out of the country.

Twelve people have been killed in and around the airport since then, a NATO and a Taliban official said. The deaths were caused either by gun shots or by stampedes, the Taliban official said.

He urged people who do not have the legal right to travel to go home. "We don't want to hurt anyone at the airport," said the Taliban official, who declined to be identified.

The United States and other Western powers pressed on with the evacuation of their nationals and some of their Afghan staff from the capital's airport, from where about 8,000 people have been flown out since Sunday, a Western security official said.

Under a pact negotiated last year by former President Donald Trump's administration, the United States agreed to withdraw its forces in exchange for a Taliban guarantee they would not let Afghanistan be used to launch terrorist attacks.

The Taliban also agreed not to attack foreign forces as they left.

President Joe Biden said U.S. forces would remain until the evacuation of Americans was finished, even if that meant staying past a Aug. 31 U.S. deadline for withdrawal.
As the Taliban took control of the Afghan capital of Kabul on Sunday, a spokesperson for the group uploaded five videos to his official YouTube page. The videos, each between two and three minutes long, showed Taliban leaders congratulating fighters on their victories.

Now is the time to serve the nation and to give them peace and security, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, a co-founder of the Taliban, said in one video in Pashtun as he sat in front of senior officials in a curtained office.

Dozens of new pro-Taliban accounts that had sprung up on Twitter in recent days then shared the five videos. Within 24 hours, they had together racked up more than 500,000 views.

The videos were part of an effort by the Taliban to establish their authority and legitimise their rule across Afghanistan through the use of social media, researchers said. But by publishing on Facebook and YouTube, the Taliban defied what have been longtime bans by the platforms. The social media companies, following government guidelines, have largely designated the Taliban as a terrorist organidation and do not allow Taliban content on their sites.

The groups renewed presence on social media has put Facebook, Twitter and YouTube in a tricky position. With governments around the world trying to figure out whether to officially recognide the Taliban as Afghanistans rulers, the companies have no easy answers as to whether to continue banning the group online.

Read | Facebook may not lift ban on Taliban even if US softens its view

That has drawn criticism, as the tech companies have in recent months suspended the accounts of some Republican lawmakers and others  seemingly with more ease. Facebook and YouTube removed the accounts of a Taliban spokesperson, Mohammad Naeem, Tuesday only after The New York Times requested comment on the accounts. The companies did not address why the accounts, which were formed in September, had been on their platforms even with the ban on the group.

So far, the approach of the tech companies is not very effective, said Ayman Aziz, an independent researcher who has studied Afghanistan and Pakistan for more than a decade. The Taliban is establishing a new presence, with their new regime, online.

Representatives for YouTube and Facebook said they forbade Taliban accounts and removed them when they were found. Twitter, which said this week that it prohibits glorification of violence on its platform, did not respond to a request for comment.

The question of what to allow online with the Taliban is only likely to grow for the social media companies. More than 100 new accounts and pages, either claiming to belong to the Taliban or supporting their mission, have been introduced since Aug. 9 on Twitter and Facebook, according to an analysis by the Times. The Times also found dozens of pro-Taliban accounts, including from senior Taliban officials, that had existed for months or years on the sites and lain dormant before becoming more active in the past week.

Many of the accounts are now working in concert to post videos, images and slogans about Taliban rule. Often, they copy one anothers messaging, spreading discussion about the administration of local townships and amplifying assurances that the Taliban brought peace to Afghans. The common thread in all of the activity: praising the Taliban as Afghanistans rightful rulers.

Also Read | Taliban's Afghanistan takeover presents fresh challenge for social media companies

The Talibans use of social media is intentional, said Graham Brookie, director of the Atlantic Councils Digital Forensic Research Lab, which studies the online spread of information. They know that on the world stage, they need to present a responsible public face in order to gain more legitimacy.

The Talibans tactics on social media increasingly resemble those of other terror groups that have tried to revamp their reputation, researchers said. Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, and Hezbollah, in Lebanon, have used social media to show their softer side, with videos showing them celebrating popular holidays or giving to the poor.

The Talibans posts have quickly found a growing audience. Followers of its official Facebook pages jumped 120 per cent to more than 49,000 users as of Wednesday. On YouTube, the groups videos have started getting tens of thousands of views, up from an average of less than 1,000 views previously.

Brookie said the optics were likely to be difficult for Facebook, YouTube and Twitter no matter what they do because of the Talibans reputation for extremist ideology.

There is a very real debate to be had about the values of allowing the Taliban to remain on social media as they move to close down the rights of the groups they govern, he said.

Inside the companies, Facebook has in recent days activated an emergency response team to follow the situation in Afghanistan and assess the Talibans use of its products, including its messaging app WhatsApp, according to employees at the social network. Twitter and YouTube have tried to read between the lines of diplomatic cables from world leaders on whether the US government would form a de facto relationship with the Taliban, employees participating in discussions at the companies said.

Yet even when the companies have removed Taliban accounts, the bans have been porous. When Facebook this week blocked the WhatsApp account of Zabiullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesperson, he distributed a new, still-active WhatsApp account of another Taliban leader to journalists.

The Taliban was also easily evading being found by changing the spellings within their hashtags or key terms and using encrypted apps, such as Telegram and WhatsApp, to seed their messaging and ask for volunteers to translate social media posts into multiple languages, said Aziz.

Any dragnet also appears to be mistakenly entangling others who have posted content pushing back against the Taliban. After the news site HumSub published an article this month to counter a local newspaper column praising another Taliban founder, Mullah Muhammad Omar, Facebook removed the article, said Adnan Kakar, an editor at HumSub.

Immediately, we got a message that, Your article is removed because of standards on dangerous individuals and organisations, he said. Kakar said his personal account and HumSubs Facebook page were also suspended for 24 hours and blocked from livestreaming and advertising for 60 days. When he challenged Facebook, he said he got no response.

Compounding the difficulties facing the platforms, many of the new pro-Taliban accounts have been careful to post content that does not openly espouse violence or hate speech, which would violate the companies rules.

On Twitter, a new account named for the Talibans unrecognised state, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, surfaced Aug. 8. The account, with more than 400 followers, has posted two videos showing military maneuvers by the Taliban. But neither video featured violent or graphic images or directly called for violence.

Similarly, a Facebook page that was created six days ago, which listed itself as a grocery store but has exclusively posted content about the Taliban, has largely praised Mujahid.

He is honest. God Bless the Taliban, read one post on the page. We will hear their voices here too.

In a news conference in Kabul on Tuesday, Mujahid was asked about freedom of speech. He accused Facebook of hypocrisy for promoting freedom of speech while censoring the group by removing the accounts of Taliban members.

This question should be asked of those who claim to be promoters of freedom of speech who do not allow publication of foreign information, Mujahid said.
By Daniel Flatley and Sophia Cai,

President Joe Bidens rapid pullout from Afghanistan has left thousands of Afghans who worked as translators and guides for the US military in a desperate race to escape the country to avoid being targeted by the Taliban.

Amid the chaotic US withdrawal, Afghan allies are having to navigate complicated logistics and an overburdened bureaucracy to get visa paperwork in front of US officials. Those same documents are both a ticket out of their war-torn homeland but also potentially incriminating if the Taliban discovers them.

The Taliban are knocking on our door, said an Afghan national who worked as an interpreter alongside US forces during some of the bloodiest years of the Afghanistan war. His name is being withheld to protect his safety. My three daughters are always crying. We are very scared.

Read more: India out in the cold in Afghanistan

With some 3,500 US troops currently on the ground securing the airport in Kabul and more expected to arrive in the coming days, the Pentagon said it expects to be capable of evacuating 5,000 to 9,000 people a day. But they have to be able to make their way past Taliban checkpoints to get there.

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby on Tuesday said it was the militarys sacred obligation to assist Afghans who worked for US forces in evacuating the country. But the militarys focus, Kirby said, is on securing the Kabul airport -- not on transporting Afghans to the airport.

Also read: Was Biden handcuffed by Trump's Taliban deal in Doha?

Youve got to understand the limited, tailored mission were trying to conduct right now, Kirby told reporters.

The interpreter is in the same predicament as many Afghans who are caught in that limbo. He said he believed the Americans would never abandon him on the battlefield.

We had a good relationship, the interpreter said of his American friends, many of whom are still in regular contact with him. We were like brothers.

The interpreter said in a telephone conversation that he and his family have been trying to get to the airport for the last three days. When he arrived at the east gate on Wednesday he was told only those with green cards or visas would be allowed through. He said that when he tried to show proof of his work for the US using his smart phone, it was pushed away.

Bloomberg News has reviewed the interpreters employment paperwork, Afghan passport, I.D. and US visa application and spoken with his former military supervisor to verify his identity. Bloomberg has spoken with the interpreter on multiple occasions since Sunday.

Recent military veterans in Congress say they have watched the fall of Kabul with sadness and anger. Many have said the US is leaving friends and allies behind to the threat of retribution by the Taliban if they are discovered with paperwork identifying them as having helped the US

Its a death sentence for them if theyre caught moving with that documentation, said Representative Michael Waltz, a Florida Republican and former Green Beret who served in Afghanistan.

Waltz and his colleagues, including Representatives Jason Crow and Seth Moulton, two Democrats who also served in the military, have been pressing the administration to do more.

Moulton, a Massachusetts Democrat who served as a Marine in Iraq, said its within Americas power to save these lives. But, he added, it requires securing the airport and eliminating onerous paperwork requirements.

We need to save lives and then worry about immigration status, Moulton said in an interview.

Jeffery Trammell, a US Army infantry platoon leader who worked with the interpreter, said the most pressing issue is getting Afghan allies safely to the airport, a journey that is becoming more perilous by the day.

The major issue is getting everyone out and everyone is talking about everything else, Trammell said.

Many who qualify for special immigration visas are growing increasingly desperate as they remain in hiding, hopelessly mired in the 14-step process of getting their visas approved.

The 1980 Refugee Act was passed precisely to stop the last-minute scrambling, said Mark Hetfield, chief executive of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, which has been resettling Afghan refugees. But its been so laden with bureaucracy and red tape that it just doesnt move.

Resettlement Funds

Members of Congress have pressed the administration to expedite visa processing, increase the cap on the number of applicants and waive some requirements. Congress also passed an emergency security supplemental that included more than $1 billion to help get people out of Afghanistan. Biden also has approved spending as much as $500 million from the Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund to assist those fleeing Afghanistan.

The Biden administrations first flight of Afghan refugees arrived in the US at the end of July when a plane carrying more than 200 people landed at Dulles International Airport. The refugees were brought to Fort Lee in Virginia, where there were to undergo health screenings and further processing of their visas. To date, Operation Allies Refuge has brought to the United States nearly 2,000 Afghan SIV applicants, according to the State Department.

Lawmakers have said that is nowhere near enough and have urged the administration to drop many of the most onerous requirements and focus on simply getting people out of the country. Images from the Kabul airport of desperate Afghans clinging to the side of an American transport plane has added additional urgency to the push.

We can debate for a long time whether or not it was the right decision to pull out of Afghanistan, Moulton said. But today on the ground we can still save lives. And its up to the administration to do so.
US regulators Thursday refiled a lawsuit accusing Facebook of maintaining an illegal monopoly in social networking, two months after the case was dismissed by a judge.

In the amended complaint, the Federal Trade Commission said Facebook's dominance "is protected by high barriers to entry," and that "even an entrant with a superior product cannot succeed against the overwhelming network effects enjoyed by an incumbent personal social network."

The new complaint alleges that Facebook has cemented its dominant position by acquiring potential rivals such as Instagram and WhatsApp.

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The US is urging the more than 150 countries planning to send their leader or a government minister to New York to speak in person at the UN General Assembly next month to consider giving a video address instead to prevent the annual high-level week from becoming "a super-spreader event".

A note from the US Mission sent to the 192 other UN member nations also called for all other UN-hosted meetings and side events to be virtual, saying these parallel meetings that draw travellers to New York "needlessly increase the risk to our community, New Yorkers and the other travellers".

The US note, obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press, said the Biden administration is particularly concerned about Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the incoming General Assembly President Abdulla Shahid hosting high-level in-person events on climate change, vaccines, the 20th anniversary of the U.N. World Conference Against Racism, food systems and energy.

"The United States is willing to make every effort to make these important events on shared priorities successful in a virtual format, the note said.

The UN decided in late July to let world leaders attend their annual gathering, known as the General Debate, from Sept. 21-27 in person  or to deliver prerecorded speeches if COVID-19 restrictions prevent them from travelling.

A provisional list of speakers obtained by AP has 127 heads of state and government planning to attend in person including US President Joe Biden, France's Emmanuel Macron, Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro, as well as prime ministers Boris Johnson of Britain, Israel's Naftali Bennett and Narendra Modi of India, and 26 other government ministers, including Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and China's Deputy Premier Han Zheng.

Among the 38 leaders planning prerecorded statements are the presidents of Iran, Egypt and Indonesia. The list has Afghanistan's president, Ashraf Ghani, coming to New York, but it is dated August 13  just before his government was ousted by the Taliban and he fled the country.

The US said it feels strongly that the General Debate should be the only event held with in-person participation during high-level week".

"In light of current health concerns, heads of delegation should consider delivering their statements to the UN General Assembly's General Debate by video, it said.

"If delegations choose to travel to New York for the General Debate, the United States requests delegations bring the minimum number of travellers necessary."

The US said the COVID-19 pandemic continues to pose a significant health risk around the world, with the virulence of the delta variant affecting both vaccinated and unvaccinated people and hospitalizations increasing significantly in the United States.

"All counties in New York City are currently rated as having the highest level of community transmission, the US note said.

For people coming to UN headquarters, it said the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended mandatory mask wearing at all times, six feet of social distancing, fixed seating, confirmed negative COVID-19 status to enter the building, and if possible vaccination".

Contact tracing for UN meetings will also be needed, it said.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said late Wednesday that the UN already put in place a number of measures to deal with the delta variant, including mandatory mask-wearing at UN headquarters and reporting of vaccination status and positive COVID-19 tests.

It also has mandatory vaccination requirements for some personnel, including those servicing intergovernmental meetings prior to the high-level week, he said.

Dujarric said no in-person side events will take place in the UN complex during high-level week, but he made no mention of the high-level events on climate change, food systems, racism and other issues.

We are obviously in continuous discussion with member states, who will have to make decisions, and the host country, Dujarric said.

"The secretary-general will continue to focus on keeping everyone in the U.N. community safe."
At least 28 youths from different districts in the eastern Uttar Pradesh region were stuck in Afghanistan, where the Taliban have captured power.

According to the reports, youths, who hailed from Azamgarh, Gorakhpur, Deoria, Ballia, Mau and some other districts, were locked in a steel factory on Bagram Road near Kabul.

''The youths have been locked inside a room in the factory...they are not being allowed to leave...their passports are also with the owner of the company,'' said the father of a youth, who was a resident of Azamgarh district.

He said that his son had spoken to him soon after the Taliban had stormed into Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, and told him that the situation was tense and that the owner of the company had assured them that they would be allowed to leave once the situation improved.

Also read: Several killed amid firing by Taliban and stampede during rally in Afghan city

The brother of one Ranjit Maurya, who was also stuck inside the factory, said that attempts to speak to him proved futile. ''I had spoken to him a few days back....he was worried and wanted to return home,'' he said.

He said that the trapped youths were unable to contact the Indian embassy in Kabul. According to the reports, all Indian embassy personnel have been evacuated from Kabul and brought back to the country.

The parents of the youths appealed to the government to bring them back. ''The government must bring all of them back,'' said Harkhu Chauhan, whose son was among the youths stranded in Afghanistan.

Union Minister Ajai Kumar Mishra said on Thursday that the government would bring back all the Indians who were stuck in Afghanistan.


The Centre has recommended a preliminary enquiry by the CBI into procurement of 1,000 low-floor buses by the Delhi government, setting a new flashpoint with the AAP dispensation in the national capital.

The recommendation for a CBI probe by the Ministry of Home Affairs came after the matter was referred to it by Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal.

A three-member committee formed by the Lt Governor in June had found procedural flaws in the annual maintenance contract of the bus procurement by the Delhi Transport Corporation.

In a statement, the Delhi government rejected the allegations and insisted that a committee to investigate the matter thoroughly, had given it a clean chit.

The Delhi government also accused the Modi government of harassing it by using the CBI.

It is a politically motivated conspiracy against the Aam Aadmi Party. The BJP wants to prevent the people of Delhi from getting new buses, the Delhi government said.

Delhi BJP MLA Vijender Gupta, who had raised the matter in the Assembly, alleged there was a scam of thousands of crores of rupees in the bus procurement.

The CBI enquiry has begun in the DTC bus procurement scam. The Delhi transport minister should be immediately removed and arrested, Gupta said in a video message.

The DTC had last year floated two separate tenders for procurement of 1,000 low floor buses, and their AMC. The procurement contract was for Rs 850 crore, while the AMC for 12 year was worth Rs 3,412 crore.

The bus procurement contract was awarded to JBM Auto and Tata Motors on a 70:30 ratio. JBM Auto was the lowest bidder in the AMC tender.
A special court has allowed "restoration" of properties worth Rs 440 crore of fugitive jeweller Nirav Modi, confiscated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), to the Punjab National Bank (PNB).

Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi are accused of committing a Rs 14,000 crore scam by obtaining credit facilities fraudulently from the PNB, a public sector bank.

The order was passed by V C Barde, special judge for Prevention of Money Laundering Act, last week. The detailed order became available on Thursday.

The PNB in July 2021 had filed multiple applications seeking release of the properties mortgaged with the bank against the credit facilities extended to Nirav Modi's two firms, Firestar Diamond International Private Ltd (FDIPL) and Firestar International (FIL).

The applications were filed by PNB as an individual claimant and also as lead bank of the PNB consortium and authorized representative of the UBI consortium.

The court allowed two pleas seeking the release of properties of FIL worth Rs 108.3 crore and those of FDIPL worth Rs 331.6 crore.

"The claimants' (banks) quantifiable loss has been recognised by the DRT (Debt Recovery Tribunal) who has passed judgments in their favour," the court noted.

Also read: India, UK review permission granted to Nirav Modi to appeal against extradition

During its probe, the ED attached several properties owned by Nirav Modi though his family members and these companies. Several of the properties were confiscated after he was declared a "fugitive economic offender" in December 2019.

The bank and lenders' consortium had objected to the confiscation, as the properties had been mortgaged with them when Modi and Choksi availed of Letters of Undertaking (LOUs).

The court has now also directed the PNB to give an undertaking to return the properties or their value if directed in future.

Nirav Modi and Choksi along with some bank officials are accused of cheating the Punjab National Bank of Rs 14,000 crore by obtaining LoUs fraudulently.

LoUs are issued as a guarantee for the applicant to seek loans from overseas Indian banks. Nirav Modi is currently lodged in a UK jail and is fighting extradition to India.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his British counterpart Dominic Raab have exchanged views on the developments in Afghanistan and agreed to work together to tackle shared security threats, support refugees and ease the humanitarian plight of ordinary Afghans.

Jaishankar arrived in New York on Monday to chair meetings in the UN Security Council on technology and peacekeeping and on counter-terrorism under Indias current presidency of the Council.

During his visit, he held bilateral meetings and discussions with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and other foreign ministers, focusing on the situation in Afghanistan.

"Welcome the conversation today with UK Foreign Secretary @DominicRaab. Exchanged views on the Afghanistan developments and the immediate challenges," Jaishankar tweeted after his meeting with his British counterpart on Wednesday.

Raab said he spoke to Jaishankar about the situation in Afghanistan.

"The UK & India will work together to tackle shared security threats, support refugees, and ease the humanitarian plight of ordinary Afghans," Raab tweeted.

On Wednesday, after chairing the UNSC open debate on peacekeeping, Jaishankar, speaking to reporters at the Security Council stakeout said India is closely following the developments in Afghanistan.

At the moment we are, like everybody else, very carefully following developments in Afghanistan. I think our focus is on ensuring the security in Afghanistan and the safe return of Indian nationals who are there, Jaishankar said.

"That is really what has been very much the focus of my own engagements here, talking to the UN Secretary-General and other colleagues who are here as well as the US Secretary of State.

India has said that the main challenge for travel to and from Afghanistan is the operational status of Kabul airport.

"The Government of India is committed to the safe return of all Indian nationals and will institute flight arrangements once Kabul airport is open for commercial operations," the Ministry of External Affairs said in New Delhi on Tuesday.

Jaishankar also discussed the "latest developments in Afghanistan with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and underlined the urgency of restoring airport operations in Kabul.

India on Tuesday rushed back home its ambassador Rudrendra Tandon and staff from the embassy in Kabul in a military transport aircraft following escalating tension, fear and uncertainty gripping the Afghan capital after the Taliban insurgents seized the Afghan capital on Sunday.
Two bomb blasts since July, killing of a former insurgent leader and the subsequent violent protests on August 15 in Meghalaya capital Shillong seems to have brought the troubled days back to the hilly Northeastern state.

Meghalaya police raided the house of Chesterfield Thangkhiew, the former founder leader of Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC), an insurgent group on August 13. Thangkhiew was shot dead after he allegedly tried to attack the policemen with a knife.

Thangkhiew, who was a founder leader of HNLC had surrendered in October 2018, and his family members alleged that he was killed by police in 'cold blood.' As his funeral march was going on August 15, trouble broke out with young boys, many masked, pelting stones on Shillong streets in which a police van was attacked.

The police team fled, leaving their weapons and the vehicle behind. The masked youths drove the car away, with some brandishing the police weapons in public view. Hours later they set the vehicle on fire but took away the police weapons.

Read | Meghalaya orders probe into ex-rebel's killing

The situation deteriorated as the protestors lobbed a petrol bomb on the house of Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma and the home minister Lahkman Rymbui quit hours later as demanded by the protestors including activists. Curfew was clamped and a ban on mobile internet was imposed till Wednesday. Stones were also pelted on the carcade of Governor, Satya Pal Malik on Wednesday.

Although Chief Minister Sangma said investigation suggested Thangkiew's involvement in the bomb blast plan, Agnes Kharsiang, an activist based in Shillong said, "If the government had strong evidence, they should have followed the procedure. The SP, Shillong city was on leave when the incident happened. Killing of a person in this way is not acceptable. At the same time, we also condemn the bomb blasts."

Militancy in Meghalaya

HNLC was formed in 1997 as an off-shoot of Hynniewtrep Achik Liberation Council, Meghalaya's first militant group, which came into being in 1987 and was later disbanded. The HNLC demands a "sovereign geography" for the Khasi and Jaintia communities. Strength of the outfit, which reportedly still has camps in neighbouring Bangladesh, decreased due to counter-insurgency operations since 2000. But the outfit resumed violence in 2019, when it was declared an unlawful by the Centre.

Peace process

The outfit has expressed its willingness for talks several times but the government asked them to surrender first. "We will not give up arms before a concrete decision is taken. We want an interlocutor to be appointed first," general secretary of HNLC, Seinkupar Nongtraw said in a statement emailed to DH on July 26.

CM Sangma on Monday said the Centre rejected some of the conditions put forward by HNLC and they were asked to rework on their demands for initiating talks.

"The outfit should make their demands public," Kharsiang said.

Another militant group, Achik National Volunteers Council (ANVC), which seeks a seperate state for the Garo community, another major tribe, however, is in ceasefire since 2004. CM Sangma belongs to Garo community.

'Return the weapons'

Sangma on Wednesday suspended the policemen who fled and left behind their weapons on August 15 and issued an appeal for return of the weapons. "We have decided to keep their identity secret keeping in mind the present situation," he said. Interestingly, no one has been arrested so far.

Sangma also formed a judicial inquiry committee to probe Thangkhiew's killing, as demanded by the protestors.

Congress spokesperson, Randeep Surjewala on Wednesday asked why the Centre was silent over the situation in Meghalaya.
Curfew, which was clamped here following unrest, was lifted for 12 hours from 5 am on Thursday as the law and order situation improved in the last 24 hours, an official said. The restriction, however, will be in place at night, he said. East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner I Laloo has issued an order, relaxing the curfew in Shillong urban agglomeration for 12 hours till 5 pm on August 19, the official said.

Shops involved in selling essential items have been allowed to open till 4 pm and transactions at banks permitted till 3 pm. State and central government offices, private establishments and post offices have been allowed to operate till 4 pm with a 30 per cent workforce, according to the order. The district administration had on Wednesday lifted the curfew in the state capital for 11 hours till 4 pm.

Mobile internet services were also withdrawn since the evening of August 15 in at least four districts after vandalism and arson rocked the state capital and nearby areas on Independence Day during the funeral procession of a former militant, who was killed in a recent police encounter.

Also Read | Shillong still tense, judicial inquiry ordered into ex-rebel's killing

The mobile data services were restored on Wednesday night, the official said. Violence erupted in Mawlai and Jaiaw areas of Shillong following the death of Cheristerfield Thangkhiew, the former self-styled general secretary of the outlawed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC), in an encounter when the police raided his home in the early hours of August 13.

Thangkhiew, who had surrendered in 2018, was shot dead when he allegedly tried to attack a police team with a knife during the raid in connection with a series of IED blasts in the state. Unidentified miscreants hurled petrol bombs at the private residence of Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma late on Sunday. A vehicle carrying CRPF personnel was attacked by protesters in Mawlai area here during the curfew hours.

Meghalaya Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui had resigned on Sunday amid violence in the city over the police shooting of the former militant. Sangma had on Monday announced a judicial investigation into the death of 54-year-old Thangkhiew and Meghalaya Human Rights Commission chairperson Justice T Vaiphei will conduct the probe. A group of people from Mawlai had met Sangma and Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong on Wednesday and demanded suspension of police officers involved in the encounter.

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Former external affairs minister Yashwant Sinha said India should be "open-minded" about dealing with the Taliban and suggested that it should open its embassy in Kabul and send back the ambassador.

Noting that the people of Afghanistan have great love for India while Pakistan is not popular among them, Sinha told PTI in an interview that the Indian government should not conclude that the Taliban will place itself "in Pakistan's lap" as every country furthers its own interests.

As a big country, India should approach the issues of the Taliban with a degree of confidence and should not indulge in a "widow's wail" as if Pakistan has taken over Afghanistan or has an advantage over it, he added.

That the Taliban now controls most of Afghanistan is a reality, Sinha said, adding that India should adopt "wait and watch" mode and be in no hurry either to recognise or to dismiss its regime.

Read | The Taliban in Kabul: Time India fortifies the guardrails

The Taliban swept across Afghanistan this month, seizing control of almost all key Afghan towns and cities in the country following the withdrawal of the US forces from the country. Kabul also fell to the Taliban on Sunday after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani left the country for an unknown destination.

"It appears on the face of it that the Taliban of 2021 is not the same Taliban of 2001. There appears to be some difference. They are making mature statements. That is something we have to take note of," Sinha said.

"I am not saying that take their statements at face value but I will also suggest that they should not be dismissed off-hand because of their past behaviour. We have to look at present and future," he added.

Sinha was the foreign minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government but became a critic of the Modi government and quit the BJP. He is currently vice president in the Trinamool Congress.

He said India should have waited instead of immediately closing its embassy and evacuating its people after the extremist Islamist organisation captured Kabul.

Read | India out in the cold in Afghanistan

India on Tuesday rushed back home its ambassador Rudrendra Tandon and staff from the embassy in Kabul in a military transport aircraft following escalating tension, fear and uncertainty gripping the Afghan capital after the Taliban insurgents seized the Afghan capital on Sunday.

This policy needs to have a second look, Sinha said, noting that the Taliban is holding talks with former Afghanistan president Hamid Karzai, who took office after the US-led forces had toppled the previous Taliban regime after the 9/11 terror attack, and its former CEO Abdullah Abdullah.

It could not have been imagined earlier, Sinha said.

He added, "India should immediately open its embassy in Kabul and send back the ambassador."

"We must remember that the people of Afghanistan have great love for India. Pakistan is not popular with the people of Afghanistan, India is. That we must remember. Our development works have also been appreciated," he said.

Organisations dubbed as terror groups have occupied the highest offices in the past and have changed, he noted, saying that India should wait to see how the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan pans out.

To dismiss always is to turn your face from reality, he said.
11 days after Congress leader from G-23, Kapil Sibal, held a dinner meeting attended by a number of senior Opposition leaders, Congress President Sonia Gandhi will hold interactions with party chiefs and Chief Ministers from the Opposition camp on Friday to give teeth to a common Opposition strategy against the government.

The virtual meeting by Gandhi is likely to be attended by top Opposition leaders including West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee from Trinamool Congress, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray (Shiv Sena), Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin (DMK) and NCP boss Sharad Pawar, besides leaders from other in the Opposition ranks.

The meeting on August 20, coinciding with the birth anniversary of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, is taking place at a time when all Opposition parties have upped the ante against the government on issues like snooping, unemployment, price rise and farm bills and were able to present a united face in the recently concluded Monsoon Session.

With BJP in power in six of seven states going to polls next month, some of the recent meetings of Opposition have seen the clamour for putting up a united fight against the ruling party--particularly in Uttar Pradesh, which sends 80 Lok Sabha MPs to Parliament.

Holding a meeting with leaders of 15 Opposition parties on August 3 in Parliament, Rahul Gandhi had said, "Within the foundations of unity, we can have a few discussions and arguments but I think it is important for us to come up with the principles of the foundations of our unity."

Sonia Gandhi's Friday meeting is likely to explore the commonalities of the themes on which the Opposition parties can put up a joint show against the government.

Congress seeks to build a campaign to find loopholes in BJP's key plank of national security, raises questions about Chinese aggression, turmoil in North East and the events in Afghanistan. Other Opposition parties have also attacked the government on these issues.

"The Chinese threat continues to jeopardise our territorial integrity but Modi is silent, Is this nationalism, India you decide," asked Congress on Thursday. It also attacked the ruling party over the situation in North-East states.

"North East under BJP, No law, No order..fake nationalism can only bring violence, destruction and disharmony in its wake," the Opposition party said.

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The Uttar Pradesh government, which has decided to open schools for physical classes, on Thursday said the attendance for students will not be compulsory and schools may be closed again if the Covid situation worsens.

Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma told this to the state legislative council while replying to a question by teacher constituency member Dhruv Kumar Tripathi.

"In basic education, attendance is not compulsory. We have also not made attendance mandatory for classes from 9 to 12," Sharma said.

"Guardians, teachers and political organisations have also said the offline education should be started even if it is for a shorter period, he said.

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In UP, the present atmosphere is sufficiently secure but if there is any indication of any concern (regarding Covid), we can also close schools," he added.

Tripathi also asked Health Minister Jai Pratap Singh if there was any arrangement for vaccination of teachers and students below 18 years of age. In a supplementary question, SP member Shatrudra Prakash asked the minister if it is safe for little children to go to school without vaccination.

The minister replied that the vaccine for children below 18 is not yet available but it is expected to be available by September. He said after the vaccine is available, a campaign will be launched to inoculate children.

The state government has opened schools from August 16 for classes 9 to 12. For classes six to eight, they will be opened from August 23 and for classes one to five from September 1.
Close on the heels of appointing non-Brahmin priests in temples managed by the HR & CE department, the DMK government in Tamil Nadu has decided to revive six Archakar Payirchi Palli (Training School for Priests) in the next two months to admit interested students from all communities for training.

The training schools will also open their doors to women for the first time, highly placed sources told DH, adding that women who are interested in getting trained as priests can also apply for the one-year course for which admission is likely to begin in a month.

Tamil Nadu will probably be the first state to train women as priests -- the HR & CE minister had in June said the government will find ways to train interested women.

Also read: Meet Suhanjana, the only female odhuvar in Tamil Nadu

The sources also said the Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments department has been asked to bring in changes to the curriculum in the year-long course to ensure that the to-be priests are given practical training for a few hours every day on ways to perform poojas and exercise their duties.

The then DMK Government established six training schools  four for Shaivite tradition and two for Vaishnavite tradition  in 2007 to end caste discrimination in the appointment of priests and ensuring social justice, a core principle of the Dravidian movement. Due to a slew of court cases and a regime change in 2011, the training centres became non-functional.

All the six Archakar Payirchi Palli will be revived in two months. We want to start the admission process in a month and begin classes in October. Now that trained people from all communities have been appointed as priests in temples, we hope many students will join the course, a senior government official told DH.

He said the revised curriculum will include practical training for the students in temples inside the campus or near the institute to ensure that abhishegams are performed as per tradition.

On whether women can apply for the course, the official said anyone irrespective of gender who fulfils the basic qualification criteria is welcome to send in their applications.

We have already said we will train interested women as priests. The archakar course is open to anyone, and if female students apply for the course, they will be trained. There shall be no doubt about this, the official explained.

The decision to revive the training schools after about 13 years comes on the heels of CM Stalin handing over orders of appointments to 24 trained persons from different communities as priests in temples. Earlier, only two priests from non-Brahmin communities were working in HR & CE temples.

The new governments move was hailed as historic and was projected as one of the achievements of the DMK dispensation in the first 100 days in office. The move also landed in a row with reports that existing priests were removed to make way for the trained ones, a charge stoutly denied by Stalin himself in the state Assembly.

Also read: Non-Brahmins appointed as temple priests only in vacant posts: Stalin

The official said the Archakar Payirchi Palli in Palani in Dindigul district is being spruced up to welcome students, while work on reviving buildings of the remaining five schools will begin soon. Most of these schools still have a headmaster and an agama teacher and there is no problem in admitting students, the official added.

Another senior official said the government will fast-track the process of filing 500 vacant posts, including that of priests, in temples. He added that the process is transparent and anyone who has undergone training at a government or institutes run by religious mutts and private individuals can apply for the jobs.

What matters is merit. That is how the 200-odd appointments for which were orders were given last week took place. Experienced priests sit on the panel and interview the applicants, he said.
A day after the Talibans gun-toting militants entered Kabul and President Ashraf Ghanis government collapsed, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan could not hide his glee. He was launching a government education programme in Islamabad on August 16, where he referred to the Talibans return to power as Afghans breaking the shackles of slavery.

For the Talibans cheerleaders in Islamabad and at the headquarters of the Pakistan Army in Rawalpindi, its indeed time for celebration. Pakistan finally defeated America in Afghanistan with the help of America, just as Hamid Gul, the former chief of its military spy agency InterServices Intelligence (ISI), had boastfully predicted in 2014. Pakistan perhaps thinks its now on the cusp of gaining in Afghanistan Islamabads long-cherished strategic depth.

Pakistans signature is well etched in the blood-soaked history of Afghanistan, dating back to the 1970s, when it started supporting the Islamists opposed to the Mohammad Daud Khan government in Kabul  a dispensation that was backed by the Soviet Union. Pakistan helped the US Central Intelligence Agency arm the Afghan Mujahideen to fight the Soviet army, which had marched into Afghanistan in 1979. The Mujahideen continued to receive support from Pakistan and the US even after the Soviet army withdrew from Afghanistan in 1989. Though the Mujahideen came to power in Kabul through an accord signed at Peshawar in Pakistan in April 1992, the ISI was unhappy as the new regime, led by Burhanuddin Rabbani and Ahmad Shah Massoud, was friendly to India. It supported Gulbuddin Hekmatyars offensive against the Rabbani government, leading to a fierce conflict that resulted in the death of about 50,000 people in Kabul.

It was in the early 1990s that Pakistans Internal Security Minister Naseerullah Babar, a former military officer, asked the ISI to look for new assets in Afghanistan. The ISI mid-wifed the Taliban, which was born with Pashtun Talib or students of the seminaries set up for refugees from Afghanistan in northern Pakistan. It soon spread its influence across southern and eastern Afghanistan. The Taliban occupied Kandahar in November 1994 and, with militants recruited, trained and armed by the ISI in Pakistan swelling its ranks, it took over Kabul in September 1996.

Pakistan was among the few nations that continued diplomatic relations with the Talibans Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, which, led by its Amir al-Muminin, Mullah Omar, ran a medieval rule, enforcing a strict version of Shariah, banning TV, denying women the right to education and work, carrying out summary executions in public. The Talibans collusion with anti-India terror outfits based in Pakistan became evident during the hijacking of Indian Airlines flight IC-814 in December 1999.

The US and its NATO allies invaded Afghanistan in 2001 after Mullah Omars guest Osama bin Laden led Al Qaedas 9/11 terror attacks. Omar fled to Quetta in Pakistan, where the ISI hosted him till his death in 2013  two years after US Navy SEALs hunted down bin Laden at his lair close to the Pakistan Military Academy in Abbottabad.

Pakistan helped the Taliban to not only survive over the past two decades but also to regroup, even as it maintained the charade of supporting the US and NATO forces in its war on terror in Afghanistan and of facilitating the talks between the US and the Taliban. The ISI was so desperate to control the Afghan peace process that it arrested Omars successor Mullah Baradar in Pakistan when he started talks with Hamid Karzais government in Afghanistan on his own initiative. Baradar eventually fell in line and, when he returned to negotiate with the US and Afghan governments in Doha, it was with the blessings of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, which meticulously set the stage for his ascent to power in Kabul.

The Taliban regaining control of Kabul will give Rawalpindis planners strategic depth in Afghanistan in case of an Indian military advance against Pakistan. Indias development projects in Afghanistan and its popularity among the people of the war-ravaged country had given Rawalpindi the jitters. Even if New Delhi does not sever its diplomatic relations with Kabul, the ISI will now try to make the Taliban restrict Indias presence in Afghanistan and hit its strategic interests in Central Asia. The weapons and ammunitions the US supplied to the Afghan National Security and Defence Forces have fallen into the hands of the Taliban over the past few weeks, and a part of the booty may soon find its way to anti-India terrorist groups based in Pakistan, such as the Lashkar-e-Tayyiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad. New Delhi has reasons to worry about the cascading effects of the Talibans return to power on the security scenario in Kashmir. Islamabad will also try to scuttle Indias plans for connectivity through Afghanistan to Central Asia and Europe.

The celebrations in Rawalpindi and Islamabad are unlikely to last forever, though. Pakistan may soon have to deal with a new wave of refugees from Afghanistan. The Taliban may be ensconced in Kabul, but Northern Alliance veterans Abdul Rashid Dostum and Ata Muhammad Noor have not yet given up. Ghanis Vice-President Amrullah Saleh has declared himself caretaker president and is trying to mount a resistance against the Taliban. A new civil war may again break out in Afghanistan and the revival of the Covid-hit economy of Pakistan could be stymied by such uncertainty and instability in its western neighbourhood. The Taliban in Afghanistan has ideological links with the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which had carried out the terrorist attack at the Army Public School in Peshawar in December 2014, killing 149 people, including 132 children. The TTP congratulated the Taliban after its militants entered Kabul on August 15. The possibility of collusion between the two cannot be ruled out.

Monsters often turn against their own masters eventually, not only in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein, but in the real world, too.
A day after the Talibans gun-toting militants entered Kabul and President Ashraf Ghanis government collapsed, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan could not hide his glee. He was launching a government education programme in Islamabad on August 16 and ended up referring to the Talibans return to power in Afghanistan as people breaking shackles of slavery.

For the Talibans cheerleaders in Islamabad and at the headquarters of the Pakistan Army in Rawalpindi, its indeed the time for celebration. Pakistan finally defeated America in Afghanistan with the help of America, just as Hamid Gul, the former chief of its military spy agency Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), had boastfully predicted way back in 2014. Its now on the cusp of gaining in Afghanistan the long-cherished strategic edge against India.

Read more: How will we believe Taliban? Afghan student in Bengaluru says he will live through what he witnessed as a child

Pakistans signature is well etched in the blood-soaked history of Afghanistan, dating back to the 1970s when it started supporting the Islamists opposed to the Mohammad Daud Khans Government in Kabul  a dispensation that was backed by the Soviet Union. It helped the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States support the Afghan Mujahideens to fight the Soviet Army, which had marched into Afghanistan in 1979. The mujahideens continued to receive support from Pakistan and the US even after the Soviet Army withdrew from Afghanistan in 1989. Though the mujahideens came to power in Kabul through an accord signed at Peshawar in Pakistan in April 1992, the ISI was unhappy, as the new regime led by Burhanuddin Rabbani and Ahmad Shah Massaoud was friendly to India. So it supported Gulbuddin Hekmatyars offensive against the new Afghan Government, leading to a fierce conflict, which resulted in the death of about 50000 people in Kabul.

Also read: The Taliban in Kabul: Time India fortifies the guardrails

It was in mid-1990s that Pakistans Internal Security Minister Naseerullah Babar, a former military officer, asked the ISI to look for new assets in Afghanistan. So the ISI midwifed the Taliban, which was born with Pashtun Talibs or students of the seminaries set up for the refugees from Afghanistan in northern Pakistan. It soon spread its influence across southern and eastern Afghanistan. It occupied Kandahar in November 1994 and, with militants recruited, trained and armed by the ISI in Pakistan swelling its ranks, it took over Kabul in September 1996. Pakistan is among the few nations that continued diplomatic relations with the Talibans Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, which, led by its Amir al-Muminin, Mullah Omar, ran a medieval rule, enforcing a strict version of Shariah, banning TV, denying womens rights to education and work, carrying out summary executions in public. The Talibans collusion with anti-India terror outfits based in Pakistan was evident during the hijacking of Indian Airlines flight IC-814 in December 1999.

The US and its NATO allies invaded Afghanistan in 2001 after Mullah Omars guest Osama Bin Laden coordinated the Al Qaedas 9/11 terror attacks. Omar fled to Quetta in Pakistan, where the ISI hosted him till his death in 2013  two years after US NAVY SEALs hunted down Laden near Pakistan Military Academy in Abbottabad.

Pakistan helped the Taliban, not only to survive over the past two decades, but also to regroup, even as it maintained the charade of supporting the NATO forces in its war on terror in Afghanistan and of facilitating the peace talks between the US and the militant organization. The ISI was so desperate to control the pace process that it had once got Omars successor Mullah Baradar arrested in Pakistan, only because he had started talks with Hamid Karzais government in Afghanistan without taking its approval. Baradar eventually fell in line and, when he returned to negotiation with the US and Afghan Government in Doha, he had the blessings from Rawalpindi and Islamabad, which meticulously set the stage for his ascent to power in Kabul.

The Talibans imminent return to power in Kabul will give Pakistan its long-cherished strategic depth in Afghanistan. Indias development projects in Afghanistan and its popularity among people of the conflict-ravaged country has been giving jitters to Pakistan. Even if New Delhi does not severe its diplomatic relations with Kabul, the ISI will now try to make Taliban restrict Indias presence in Afghanistan and hit its strategic interests in Central Asia. The weapons and ammunitions the US supplied to the Afghan National Security and Defence Forces fell in the hands of the Taliban over the past few weeks and a part of the booty may soon find its way to the anti-India terrorist groups based in Pakistan, like the Lashkar-e-Tayyiba and the Jaish-e-Mohammad. New Delhi has reasons to worry about the cascading effect of Talibans return to power on the security scenario in Kashmir. Islamabad will also try to scuttle Indias plans for connectivity through Afghanistan to Central Asia and Europe.

The celebrations in Rawalpindi and Islamabad are unlikely to last forever though. Pakistan may soon have to deal with a new wave of refugees from Afghanistan. The Talibans military offensives have brought it back to power in Kabul, but the warlords like Northern Alliance veterans, Abdul Rashid Dostum and Ata Muhammad Noor, have not yet given up. Ghanis Vice-President Amrullah Saleh has declared himself the caretaker president and is trying to mount a resistance against the Taliban. So, a new civil war may again break out in Afghanistan and the revival of the Covid-19-hit economy of Pakistan could be stymied by such uncertainty and instability in its western neighbourhood. The Taliban in Afghanistan has ideological links with the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which had carried out the terrorist attack at the Army Public School at Peshawar in Pakistan on December 13, 2014  killing 149 people, including 132 children. The TTP congratulated the Taliban after its militants entered Kabul on August 15 and the possibility of collusion between the two cannot be ruled out.

The monsters often turn against their masters, not only in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein, but in the real world too.
For the past three days, since August 15, the world's attention is riveted on the developments unfolding in Afghanistan. The scorching pace of events left the world community of strategic analysts caught in a breathless cycle attempting to interpret the emerging scenario as most of them read the tea leaves wrong.

The world is still soaking in the unedifying spectacle of swarms of people scurrying across Hamid Karzai airport in Kabul to save lives amid fears of impending enforcement of strict Sharia laws by the Taliban, especially against the rights of women and girl children. The US and countries in Europe promised to evacuate Afghans who assisted the ISAF in Afghanistan.

On its part, the Taliban came out in the public offering its vision of governance, portraying its 2.0 version that will be more accommodative, respect boundaries, not offer its soil to launch militant activities against another country while quietly reminding women in the country will be accorded respect in tune with what Sharia permits.

Get all the updates on the Afghanistan crisis here

These are early days for the world to come to any conclusion on the nature of policies that the Taliban, which seeks to establish the Islamic Emirate in the war-torn country, would pursue conforming to the contours drawn at the first-ever press conference on Tuesday.

Reams have been written, and thousands of words spoken attempting to decode the capitulation of the Ashraf Ghani government and the surrender of the Afghan National Army as the Taliban arrived at the gates of Kabul.

Read: 3 killed as Afghan protests test Taliban's promise of peaceful rule

The new narrative ranges from charges of an intelligence failure in estimating the resistance capacity of the nearly three-lakh Afghan forces trained and equipped by the United States, the world's most powerful military, to a major miscalculation by the American President Joe Biden.

Yet, the harsh truth is the exit of the United States and its NATO forces from Afghanistan is a done deal. The Taliban is set to take over the reins of governance amid a signal shout from a section led by Amrullah Saleh, the first vice president under former President Ghani, offering resistance. Is there the possibility of a civil war?

Today's landscape is different from when the Northern Alliance of Ahmed Shah Masood put up resistance during the 1996-2001 phase of the Taliban in control of the war-torn country. The ground situation has altered rapidly over the past few months as the Taliban advanced to capture provinces even as the Americans began pulling out troops from the country.

The vacuum created by reduced strategic space for the United States and the loss of its leverage with the Taliban is now being filled by China and Russia. Pakistan finds itself in another unique position as the pieces of the geopolitical chessboard are rearranged with Iran, too, making its presence felt.

China stays invested in Afghanistan under both the Belt and Road Initiative projects and mining for rare materials. Besides commercial engagement, Beijing also seeks the Taliban's assistance to break its ties with the East Turkistan Islamic Movement, the Uyghur Muslim militant group from Xinjiang province in China. Russia today can find solace that the mighty Americans beat an inglorious retreat than it did in the "Graveyard of Empires" in the mid-1990s.

India now finds itself in a different position. Having invested in building upon the reservoir of goodwill among the people of Afghanistan, New Delhi spent US$ 3 billion in infrastructure projects, education, drinking water and health sectors. It now awaits the policies when a new regime takes over governance in Kabul.

The scars of the 1999 hijack of an Indian Airlines plane are a grim reminder of the difficult times. The aircraft parked at Kandhar under the watch of the Taliban and the ignominy of trading three prisoners incarcerated in Indian jails for terror acts in exchange for passengers' safety continues to haunt.

The transition of power in Afghanistan will bring about a significant change in the regional security situation. Kabul is part of the extended neighbourhood and shares borders with Pakistan, whose proximity with the Taliban and patronage by the Pakistan Army is well known.

As the world was preparing for a change of guard, there were reports that New Delhi opened communication channels with the Taliban, though there was no official confirmation. Yet, in a recent interview with a news magazine, a spokesman for the Taliban took a dim view of support in the form of military assistance extended by New Delhi to Kabul, which was deployed against it.

In such a scenario, the options before India remain limited. Besides the wait and watch approach, New Delhi should explore alternate channels to reach out to a new dispensation that would assume governance. It is here that traditional friendly ties with countries like Russia and Iran should provide a pathway.

The manner in which the Taliban came out to announce its approach is an indicator that its leaders are more sensitive to changed realities. The declarations made on Tuesday were politically correct. The Taliban may now want greater acceptance, unlike two decades ago when only a few countries like Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE recognised it.

While quiet diplomacy should be efficacious, the evolving situation will be the one on which security planners will keep a close watch. Reports that militants from the Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed are reaching and mingling with the Taliban underlines the possibility of blowback in Jammu and Kashmir. This accentuates when Pakistan's ISI plays a role in drafting such elements to create trouble in India. The guardrails need to be fortified.

(The writer is a Delhi-based journalist)
Over the years, on my only visit to the Pakistan side of Punjab or interactions on the Indian side, I have found bitterness for the horrors of the partition has dissipated. One memorable meeting from my visit to Pakistan in October 2011 was with a frail old man in Lahore. His eyes lit up as I told him that I hailed from Shimla. "You see my broken tooth. I broke it near the tunnel at the Cemetery," he said. The Cemetery is a locality four km from The Mall, Shimla.

He gave me a tight embrace when I told him I, too, had lived in that area for the first seven years of my life. "Accha, you know there was one Patwariji?" he asked. The man went quiet and had tears in his eyes when I told him the Patwari died in 1978. "Patwarji's wife gave us food that lasted us five days till we reached Lahore a little before the partition was announced. He was like a father to me," he reminisced.

On the lookout for a story, the journalist in me started to quiz him if he had any bad memories from those days. He said, "No memories but a wish that I could live in Shimla forever. To relive those days, I still come to the Shimla Hills (another name for the Press Club in Lahore). But I don't want to recall any horrors. I am old, and I don't want to die of depression."

The Hindus and Sikhs who migrated from Pakistan have their third or fourth generations living in India. They have heard tales of horror from their grandparents or great-grandparents. Those stories had urgency and immediacy way back in the 1950s and 60s. But not anymore.

Jamna Devi, who came from across the border onto the Indian side in 1947, says, "There were tales of horror, courage, bravery but remembering them now is like rubbing salt on the wounds. The younger generations in my family don't relate to our stories. A child may listen to his grandparents' stories but not the stories related to great-grandparents. There is no connection. Even otherwise, why would one wish to remember tales of horror," she says.

For the Sikhs of Punjab and Haryana, who migrated from lehnda Punjab (Punjab of Pakistan) to charda Punjab (of India), Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to observe August 14 as the "partition remembrance horror day" has no appeal. Indeed, the partition of the subcontinent happened on religious lines - Muslims against Hindus and Sikhs and vice versa. But today, since both the communities are minorities in India, the Sikhs see a reflection of themselves in the lot of the Indian Muslims. So in the suffering of a Muslim, Sikhs see their suffering.

"We have to reflect on the state of affairs today rather than what happened 75 years ago. Why do they want to divide us," says Professor Jagmohan Singh, nephew of Shaheed Bhagat Singh. "Communal people on both sides were responsible for the horror of the partition," he says.

This brings me to the call by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for observing the Partition Horror Remembrance Day. Most of those who witnessed partition have either died or are in the last stages of their lives. It could have made some sense had people started commemorating it a year after the partition. But 74 years later, it smacks of craftiness in purpose.

Another octogenarian, a family friend who passed away a couple of years back, would narrate umpteen tales from the days of the partition. But his stories were always about the pre-partition days and fond memories of the bungalow his father owned in Pakistan. He seldom narrated sad stories. Not that there were none, but they were too terrible to recount and unbearable to sit through. On the rare occasions that he would, his listeners would soon make themselves scarce unwilling to lend their ears to the expletives and violence in his words. While I would try to sit through it, it wasn't easy - a rape followed by a murder, kids having gone mission, found several years later as beggars.

Some years back, during the filming of his biopic, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, I met the legendary athlete Milkha Singh. I egged him to recall the day when he saw his family butchered to death, his subsequent barefoot run for his life and what went on in his mind then. He put a hand on my shoulder and requested in his somewhat baritone voice, "Son, I want to forget it. You should remember happy moments, not horror. From Pakistan, I only want to remember that I outraced Abdul Khaliq and got the sobriquet of The Flying Sikh."

After 74-years, we cannot undo the horrors of the partition. We cannot punish the perpetrators of those horrors as they are no longer in this world. We can, however, fold our hands to pay our homage to those moments of sorrow. We can also resolve to cleanse our hearts of the hatred that had led to those events. Better still, as that frail old man from Lahore told me when I had bid goodbye to him those many years back, "Had I known you from before, I would have asked you to bring some soil from Shimla."

(The writer is a Chandigarh-based journalist)
In a breakthrough genetic study, scientists were able to completely reshape leaves in trees and plants, and even increase their biomass. Besides providing insights into plant development, the findings could initiate innovations in the food industry.

The study, conducted by scientists at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and Shodhaka Life Sciences, Bengaluru, was published in the journal Nature Plants.

One could use this technique to alter the shape of the salad leaves as one chooses, or increase their biomass, said Krishna Reddy Challa, a former PhD student at IIScs Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology (MCB) and co-lead author of the study.

Associate Professor Utpal Nath of MCB and senior author of the paper said that the application of the research clears the way to change the shape of a spinach leaf to look like lettuce or coriander, for example. However, the true value of the research is that we have discovered some basic and elemental facts about how leaves grow, he added.

Leaf types

Plants have either simple leaves or compound leaves. A mango tree, for example, possesses simple leaves because they have a single, intact leaf blade. However, a Gulmohar tree has compound leaves where the leaf blade is dissected into multiple leaflets.

Both simple and compound leaves start out as rod-like structures budding out from the meristem, the tip of the stem where stem cells are present. How these rod-like structures give rise to simple or compound leaves has been a subject of much investigation in the past years.

The scientists discovered that two gene families, CIN-TCP and KNOX-II, play a role in how leaves shape up. Their test subject was a plant called Arabidopsis thaliana  a popular model organism in plant biology.

The two gene families encode protein transcription factors that suppress the formation of new leaflets at the margin, thereby giving rise to simple leaves. When the researchers simultaneously suppressed multiple members of the two gene families, this caused simple leaves to become super-compound leaves. Suppressing the two gene families independently did not trigger a change. IISc scientists said that this suggests that the genes work in concert.

Also, while scientists have been previously able to convert compound leaves to simple leaves by manipulating the expression of certain genes, Professor Nath said their work is the first to go the other way around. One of the key findings is that we can cause leaves to grow and grow without a set limit, much like mathematical fractals which can constantly multiply. It is an exciting discovery, he said.

In addition, he pointed out that the mutant leaves were found to stay younger and grow for as long as they had the necessary growing conditions.

While Arabidopsis leaves typically mature in around 30 days and wither by 60 days, the leaves of these mutant plants grew for as long as the researchers followed them (175 days)  and could potentially go on for months or years given the necessary conditions.

The researchers found that the leaves of the plants in which the two gene families were suppressed, in contrast to normal Arabidopsis leaves, displayed RNA signatures of young immature leaves and actively dividing cells even beyond their typical maturation period. RNA is a chemical messenger which carries instructions from the genes required to synthesise proteins.

Since the leaves dont mature once the genes are suppressed, you can control the longevity of the plant and thereby extend its shelf-life, added Monalisha Rath, a PhD student at MCB and co-lead author of the study.

Addressing food shortage

The breakthrough means that agriculturists growing leafy crops can increase their yields. However, Associate Professor Nath pointed out that there are always tradeoffs, in that the plants could take longer to grow. In the case of our Arabidopsis test subject, flowering took much longer because it became delayed. In other studies, an attempt to increase the size of rice grains resulted in a fewer number of grains, he said.
Americans who received the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna coronavirus vaccines should get a booster shot eight months after their second vaccine dose, federal health officials said Wednesday.

The boosters will be available beginning September 20, if the Food and Drug Administration agrees to the plan. They will go first to health care workers, nursing home residents and older adults, who were the first to receive the initial round of vaccinations after they were authorized in December.

But the recommendation does not apply to the nearly 14 million Americans who received the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Read more: What is being done to distribute Covid-19 vaccines globally?

For people who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, we anticipate vaccine boosters will likely be needed, Dr. Vivek Murthy, the surgeon general, said at a White House news briefing Wednesday.

We expect more data on J&J in the coming weeks," he added. "With those data in hand, we will keep the public informed of a timely plan for J&J booster shots.

In the meantime, here are answers to some common questions.

Why didnt officials recommend boosters for people who got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine?

All of the vaccines authorized in the United States provide strong protection against severe disease and death from Covid-19. But the booster recommendation was based on data suggesting that the protection provided by the mRNA vaccines against infection and mild disease has been waning over time, officials said Wednesday.

Also read: Reduced mortality among Delta-infected vaccinated people: ICMR study

Even though this new data affirms that vaccine protection remains high against the worst outcomes of Covid, Murthy said at the briefing, we are concerned that this pattern of decline we are seeing will continue in the months ahead, which could lead to reduced protection against severe disease, hospitalization and death.

Less data is available on the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which was not authorized until the end of February, two months after the mRNA vaccines. (The Johnson & Johnson vaccine uses a modified adenovirus to deliver its instructions to human cells.) In addition, Johnson & Johnson vaccinations were temporarily paused while health officials investigated reports that a very small number of people had developed a rare blood-clotting condition after receiving the vaccine.

More than 150 million Americans have gotten mRNA vaccines, far exceeding the 14 million who have received the Johnson & Johnson shot, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Without robust data on the long-term effectiveness of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, it is hard for health officials to recommend boosters, said John Moore, a virologist at Weill Cornell Medicine. If youre doing data-driven decisions and you dont have the data, what can you do? he said. This is sort of the dilemma. Public confidence in vaccines generally depends on seeing how the sausage is made, seeing that it is a data-driven, transparent process.

How effective is the Johnson & Johnson vaccine?

Clinical trials, conducted before the delta variant was widespread, found that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine had 72% efficacy overall in the United States, lower than the roughly 95% efficacy of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. However, it is hard to make direct comparisons between the vaccines, which were tested in different locations and at different times.

All of the available vaccines appear to lose some effectiveness against delta, which may be able to dodge some of the immune systems antibodies. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is no exception. You would expect there to be a degree of resistance against delta, because there always is, Moore said.

Small laboratory studies have turned up contradictory results on how well the Johnson & Johnson vaccine protects against delta. Last month, Johnson & Johnson said that a single dose of its vaccine prompted a strong immune response against delta and that the response lasted at least eight months.

But data from another recent laboratory study suggested that a single dose of the vaccine elicited a relatively weak antibody response against delta, which could make boosters more essential.

The first real-world data on the vaccines efficacy against the variant was released this month. The data, which are preliminary results from clinical trial of nearly 500,000 health care workers in South Africa, suggested that a single dose of the vaccine had efficacy of up to 96% against death and 71% against hospitalization from infections caused by delta.

It was a very large analysis and very clear results showing that the single-shot J&J vaccine provided substantial protection against the delta variant, said Dr. Dan Barouch, a virus expert at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston who has conducted studies for Johnson & Johnson but was not involved in the South Africa trial.

When will we know more?

Soon, the company said. We are engaging with the FDA, CDC and other health authorities and will share new data shortly regarding boosting with the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine, Johnson & Johnson said in an emailed statement.

A large clinical trial of the safety and efficacy of two doses of the vaccine is underway, and data will be available in the coming weeks, Johnson & Johnson said.

Will I eventually need a booster?

Federal health officials and outside experts said that they expected that boosters would ultimately be recommended for people who had received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Given the hyperinfectious delta variant, it is likely that people who received the J&J vaccine will be recommended for a booster shot at some point in time, Barouch said.

Moore agreed, adding that he expected that recommendation to come sooner rather than later.

I would be very, very surprised if that did not happen in the reasonably near future, Moore said. He added, I cant pluck a date out of the air, but I know its on the radar screen.

When will I need a booster?

Its not clear yet. The timeline for boosters will be determined in part by data that I expect to come out over the next several weeks, Barouch said.

The first Johnson & Johnson vaccines were not given until early March. If federal officials recommend the same eight-month timeline between vaccination and booster shots, the first Johnson & Johnson boosters would most likely start in November, Barouch said.

Will the booster be another Johnson & Johnson shot?

Some scientists have suggested that mixing and matching vaccines may provide better protection than getting two doses of the same shot. And research suggests that people who follow a single dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which uses technology similar to the Johnson & Johnson shot, with the Pfizer vaccine have a more robust immune response than those who get a second dose of AstraZeneca.

Some people who have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine are seeking mRNA boosters on their own. San Francisco health officials have said that they will accommodate these requests as long as people consult with their doctors first.

Although Barouch said he could not predict what kind of booster federal officials might ultimately recommend for people who had gotten the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the data he expects to be released soon is from studies of two doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, rather than an mRNA booster.

Indeed, Moore anticipated that if the government recommended a booster in the near future for people who had received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, it would be for a second dose of the same vaccine. There wont be any data on J&J first, mRNA second, he said.

What should I do in the meantime?

Sit tight, experts said. The federal government is well aware of the J&J situation, Moore said. Its not being overlooked.

Barouch agreed. I do expect a substantial amount of data to come out in the next few weeks, he said. So, I understand that people who received the J&J vaccine want more information, and that information will be coming.
Karnataka Social Welfare and Backward Classes Welfare Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary on Thursday said the state government had an open mind on making public findings of the contentious Social and Educational Survey, or the caste census.

Only a small step is left, which is for the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes to submit the report to the government. The Commission has told us that there are some technical issues. We will discuss with the Commission on the status of the report and decide the next steps, Poojary told reporters.

The caste census was commissioned by the then Siddaramaiah-led Congress government, the first since 1931. Ahead of the 2018 Assembly elections, a part of the report was leaked. The alleged findings threatened to overthrow the traditional perception of the numerical strength of various castes, making the report a political hot potato.

Poojary specified that all files pertaining to the caste census were with the Commission chairperson K Jayaprakash Hegde.

About Rs 170 crore was spent on the survey during previous Commission chairperson H Kantharajus tenure. We hoped that the Siddaramaiah government would release the report, but it did not, he said.

Once the Commission hands over the report to the government, its as good as the report being released.

Earlier in the day, the Extremely Backward Classes Awareness Forum held a brainstorming session where they discussed the current 32% reservation for OBCs. The forum lamented that only dominant castes were availing the reservation benefits and that there was a need to reorganise the quota. But to do that, the findings of the caste census should be made public, they said and decided to mount pressure on the government.

The Forums honorary advisor CS Dwarakanath, honorary president Mukhyamantri Chandru, president MC Venugopal, MLC PR Ramesh and former MLA NL Narendra Babu among others met Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.

They urged Bommai not to include dominant castes under Category 2A of the OBC reservation in the state and have the caste census report tabled. Specifically, the Forum is against the numerically strong Panchamasali Lingayats demanding a shift from Category 3B (5% quota) to Category 2A (15% quota).

Based on their caste and capability, Panchamasalis dont fit the criteria. The criteria are that they shouldnt own land, they should lack financial security and have socio-economic backwardness. But Panchamasalis have several ministers, theyve had a chief minister, there are so many mutts... they are well represented, Chandru said.
The BJP government in Karnataka will provide financial assistance of up to 1 lakh to Muslim women suffering from major health ailments.

This assistance will be provided through the Karnataka State Wakf Foundation for Women Development.

Muslim women suffering from cancer, heart problems and other major health issues that require operation will get up to 1 lakh assistance, Muzrai, Haj & Wakf Minister Shashikala Jolle said.

The state government has set aside 1.74 crore funds in the current financial year for this.

This scheme needs more awareness, Jolle said. As a legislator, I didnt know about it until I took charge as the minister. All legislators should know about it. We will write to all of them detailing programmes being offered by our department, she said.

Asked about encroachment of Wakf properties, Jolle said there were 1,600 cases pertaining to 8,480 acres pending in court.

She also noted that a report prepared by former Karnataka State Minorities Commission chairperson Anwar Manippady on encroachment of Wakf properties had been tabled in the Assembly. The report, tabled last year after being in cold storage since 2012, names several Congress leaders for the alleged misappropriation of Wakf properties.

Jolle said he was not unhappy with her new portfolio; she was the women & child development minister in the previous B S Yediyurappas government. I am fond of this portfolio since Im a spiritual person. I will travel around the state and spread awareness on the schemes and programmes, she said.

For her swearing-in ceremony earlier this month, Jolle drew flak for getting zero traffic facility to reach Raj Bhavan from the airport. The High Court also took note of this. I didnt know there was zero traffic. I got to know only after boarding the vehicle. I hadnt asked for it, she said.

She declined to answer questions on the corruption allegations against her. I havent done anything wrong, she said.
WHERES THE VEEP?

Where has Kamala Harris been? She hasnt been seen from or heard from in weeks. She is vice president of the United States. Maybe shes home making brownies for her husband because she is nowhere to be seen or heard from as the United States is crumbling into the ground.

LIVING HISTORY

Kudos to Chris Freind for another insightful column on the right decision to exit Afghanistan! Apparently, the Intelligence Department did inform the Biden Administration regarding the rapid takeover of entire Afghanistan of the Taliban, but I guess Biden listened to the former president Ghanis assurance that his army would fight back  consequently, the chaos and mayhem. As Mr. Freind correctly stated, the evacuation of Americans and Afghan translators could have been done prior to the complete withdrawal of troops. Oh well.

USE YOUR HEAD

JB, who wrote Free to Die on 8/18: You must have brain damage to think that the people who choose to not vaccinate is because of a former president. There are religious aspects to this vaccination amongst other things that would deter a human being not to vaccinate. Male aborted lung tissue is in one of the three vaccinations if not all. I dont know about you, JB, but I dont want some innocent childs aborted genes injected in me. Weird that when it comes to abortion, the saying, Your body your choice gets thrown around like a cheap suit. When it comes to being vaccinated, people like JB make the most absurd allegations that leave me to believe that either brain damage or being uneducated is the culprit to ignorance.

JFK, WALLINGFORD

WHY OH WHY

Fighting in the Taliban must be working together. Why else would Biden pull out our troops so fast with no back-up plans? Why did he allow all our weapons ammo tanks and helicopters to remain there for the Taliban? to use Joe Biden is really stupid. He put America in danger, but he doesnt care if we are under attack. I hope Joe is the first to go off. We are better without him, but then were stuck with Harris and shes dumber than dumb. Maybe shell just give up and run away.

DOPES IN CHARGE

We have eight states in this country that have mask mandate bans, all run by Republican governors. All these governors are blithering idiots. How they got into power is a testament of the stupidity of the American voter, specifically Republicans. They put people in office who are going against science, and going against the medical evidence because of political winds. These people are that dumbest people this country could ever have and theyre running states. Its a sad statement about America.

PARTY ON

I just saw on the news that Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas was diagnosed with COVID-19 after getting two shots. It shows him the night before at a huge gala. Everyone at the party was maskless. And I heard that he is getting the Regeneron group of medications, which is supposed to be given if you show systems. He is asymptomatic now. He is against mandating against masks for school children. There are out of beds in the ICU and pediatric and regular ICU beds and yet hes getting a top-shelf treatment, which the president received. Why is he special? Does this not show the difference between the privileged and wealthy and the average American public? Why cant every American get Regeneron, not just of the politicians

MOANA FROM

BOOTHWYN

BONE SPURS SPEAKS

I was watching former President Donald Trump on the television and he was talking about some generals that we have. Now they are a disgrace and should not really be generals. Well for a guy that got six departments for bone spurs for the Vietnam War, Id like to know by what authority does he criticize our generals in our military.

VIETNAM VETERAN IN VILLANOVA

WHATS NEXT

How are you Biden voters feeling now? Are you legitimate Biden voters? How do you feel now about Joey now? Hes going to be gone soon, and thats going to be bad for us. And then we get her. God bless America
Three young boys made a discovery of a lifetime while on holiday.

Brothers Oisin ODoherty, Eoghan ODoherty from Greencastle along Odhran OSullivan discovered a message in a bottle while holidaying in Co. Kerry.

The Greencastle boys were in the 'Kingdom' while visiting family, when they made the eventful trip to The Glen Pier.

The boys noticed the bottle lodged into the rocks along the coastline, after help from a relative the bottle was eventually recovered and the message inside was found.

The message inside the bottle was written by Canadian fisherman Craig Drover while he was at sea off the coast of Newfoundland onboard his vessel The Artic Eagle.

The message reads: This bottle was tossed over the side of the Artic Eagle on the grand banks of Newfoundland, Canada while fishing for snow crabs.

He also wrote the co-ordinates of the vessel at the time of throwing the bottle over board.

The boys grandmother Catherine McGeoghegan said the were thrilled and absolutely delighted to find the message.

The message also contained Mr Drover's email address.

Following an email from the Inishowen family, the Canadian fisherman responded saying he regularly throws messages overboard and loves to hear from people who find them.

Glad to hear of the boys finding my message in a bottle. I'd say they were a little excited, to say the least. A nice way to end a vacation. It is a mazing how far those bottles travel, he wrote.
Four men and a teenage boy were today charged in connection with a violent clash in Derry this week which has been linked to a 'feud' between two Traveller families.

The five appeared at Derry Magistrates Court in connection with the incident at Buncrana Road on Tuesday afternoon.

A sixth man arrested on Tuesday is in hospital recovering from injuries sustained during the incident.

Video footage of the incident shared on social media showed a car crashing into other vehicles outside a filling station.

A number of men are also seen in the footage carrying weapons, including a crossbow and a pitch fork.

The court was told today that the violence was linked to a dispute between members of the 'Derry Stokes' family and the 'Longford Stokes' family.

It was alleged in court by one of the defence barristers that the 'Longford Stokes' had been living in Derry for the past 20 months but had recently received threats from the 'Derry Stokes'.

As a result of the threats, the barrister claimed, the 'Longford Stokes' had decided to leave Derry and were 'fleeing' from the city on Tuesday when they were 'ambushed' by members of the other family at the Buncrana Road filling station.

The barrister alleged that the 'Longford Stokes' had made police aware of the threats made to them and had asked the PSNI for an escort out of the city.

However, the barrister claimed police had declined to provide such an escort.

He said the 'ambush' happened as four vehicles in the 'Longford Stokes' 'convoy' stopped at the filling station to get fuel.

The court was told that a member of the public who was driving a car which was struck by one of the vehicles linked to the accused suffered a fractured sternum.

Three members of the 'Longford Stokes' family  28-year-old Kevin Stokes, 23-year-old Dylan Stokes and a 14-year-old boy  were charged today.

All three have current addresses in Derry.

Kevin Stokes is charged with a number of offences including affray; possession of a crossbow in a public place; and grievous bodily harm with intent.

Dylan Stokes is charged with a number of driving offences including dangerous driving.

The 14-year-old boy, who cannot be named because of his age, is charged with a number of offences including possession of a pitch fork in a public place and possession of an article with a blade or point in a public place.

Two men linked to the other family allegedly involved in the feud also appeared before the court today.

Charles McDonagh, 19, from Silverwood in Ballybofey, County Donegal, is accused of dangerous driving and possession of a number of offensive weapons.

Martin Mongan, 25, of Ballyarnett camp in Derry, is charged with possession of an article with a blade or point in a public place.

A police officer objected to bail applications for all five of the accused.

The officer said the 'tensions' between the two families 'remains unresolved' and there were concerns that there could be further violence.

In response to questioning from one of the defence barristers, the police confirmed that two caravans owned by the 'Longford Stokes' which had been left behind at Ballyarnett Traveller camp in their 'haste' to leave Derry had been destroyed in an arson attack yesterday (pictured below).

However, despite the police objections, all five were released on bail to appear again before the local court on September 16.
Donegal County Council has announced that E Quinn Civils Ltd has won the contract to construct the Muff section of the Derry-Muff greenway.

This is the first section of the EU-funded greenway project to be built in the county, and forms the opening section of the Inishowen greenway, which is a long-term objective of Donegal County Councils greenway strategy.

The contractor is scheduled to commence work on September 9 and the route is scheduled to be completed in early 2022.

Ronan Gallagher, the greenway projects communication officer, said: "This is a fantastic day for Inishowen and Donegal in general, and a tangible sign of the Councils commitment to active travel and encouraging people to interact with their community in a more environmentally-friendly way."

He concluded: "This section has been made possible by the Councils vision and the funding secured from INTERREG VA, administered by SEUPB.

"The project team would like to acknowledge the support of those funders, as well as the support of the Members of the Inishowen Municipal District, and not least the people of Muff who have been enthusiastic about the project since its inception in September 2017."
It's Pooja Hegde versus Pooja Hegde on Pongal 2022? Thalapathy Vijay's Beast & Prabhas starrer Radhe Shyam likely to clash

The Thalapathy Vijay and Pan-India beauty, Pooja Hegde starrer, Beast may have a release date in mind which if true, will prove to be super special for their leading lady, giving her a double release in 2 different languages.

A source close to the film shares, "The makers of Beast are looking at the start of Pongal next year for the film's release, which will be on the 14th of January, 2022 so hopefully theatres will be open and functioning by then."

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Pooja Hegde (@hegdepooja)

If this is true, that will mean that Pooja Hegde will have a double release on the date as her romantic period drama, Radhe Shyam is also slated for a Pan-India release on the same date!

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Prabhas (@actorprabhas)

Looks like even the next year is going to be further packed for the Cirkus actress. She has other language films in the pipeline too, including, Cirkus, Bhaijaan, Acharyaa, Most Eligible Bachelor and SSMB28 besides Radhe Shyam and Beast.

Thalapathy Vijay and Pooja are currently in Chennai shooting for this highly anticipated, action flick, Beast.
Kiara Advani calls Sidharth Malhotra 'Shershaah of Bollywood' in a heartfelt thank you note: 'I am so proud of you Sid'

Shershaah starring Sidharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani has been a massive success. While the social media is buzzing with praises for the film, Kiara who played Captain Vikram Batras girlfriend Dimple Cheema in the film expressed gratitude to the makers and co-stars of the film in a moving note.

The actress channeled her emotions into a beautiful note and thanked the Kargil War martyr for his life and bravery. She said she was proud to have been part of his story while also thanking Dimple Cheema for making her believe that true love exists.

So many emotions right now To Captain Vikram Batra, Thank you for moving us with the life you lived, and for Inspiring us with your personality and your bravery. We are all so proud to be a part of your story. To Dimple, I am honoured to know you and to portray a woman so courageous and committed; thankyou for sharing your personal story only because of your love for Captain Vikram Batra. Thank you for making us believe that pure and true love exist. My respect and admiration for you is boundless, Kiara strted off her note writing.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by KIARA (@kiaraaliaadvani)

Shershaah was years in the making and was one of the films that hit a snag during the pandemic. The film finally got a release on Amazon Prime Video ahead of Independence Day. The actress summed up her Shershaah journey in a video montage that featured pictures with memories from the making of the film.

Apart from thanking the makers and passionate storytellers including Karan Johar, director Vishnu Vardhan, writer Sandeep Shrivastava, Kiara also expressed pride in co-star Sidharth Malhotras performance in the film.

Giving Sidharth a special mention in her note, the actress wrote, To the Shershaah of Bollywood @sidmalhotra. where do I even begin, I am so proud of you Sid for such a Stellar performance, this film wouldnt have been possible without you. 

Further expressing gratitude to her other co-stars and technicians and Kiara concluded the note saying, This film and our journey together will always stay with me  special forever.
Raj Kundra Case: HC grants Shilpa Shetty's husband interim protection from arrest

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday granted interim protection from arrest to businessman Raj Kundra in connection with a porn films racket case registered by the city police in 2020. A single bench of Justice S K Shinde directed the police to respond on August 25 to the pre-arrest bail plea filed by Kundra.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Raj Kundra (@rajkundra9)

"Interim protection granted till then," Justice Shinde said.

Kundra, the husband of actor Shilpa Shetty, is currently in jail after being arrested in July in another case related to the production and distribution of pornographic clips on some mobile apps. He filed the anticipatory bail plea in the HC last week in connection with the 2020 case after a sessions court rejected his application seeking pre-arrest bail. In his plea, Kundra claimed that another accused in the case was granted bail and hence, he too should be given bail on parity.

Opposing the plea in the HC on Wednesday, Additional Public Prosecutor Prajakta Shinde submitted that Kundra's role in the case was different from the other accused in the case. She sought time to take more instructions on the application. Granting her time, Justice Shinde directed for an interim order protecting Kundra from arrest till the next hearing date -August 25.

The FIR against Kundra was registered in October 2020 by the Mumbai police's cyber crime cell for alleged broadcasting of nude erotic content on an OTT platform.

Kundra in his plea submitted that he was falsely implicated in the case. He claimed there was not a single iota of evidence with the prosecution to connect the 'Hotshot' app with the offences alleged, as none of the actresses arraigned as accused in the case had raised any grievance.
200- Halla Ho actor Amol Palekar: "Hindi cinema still prefers to maintain a conspicuous silence about caste issues"

Caste as an issue is rarely commented on in Hindi cinema as it is not conventionally entertaining, believes veteran actor Amol Palekar, who is returning to films after a considerable gap of 12 years with 200 - Halla Ho, a true story of Dalit women who attacked a rapist in an open court.

The film, directed by Sarthak Dasgupta and co-written by Dasgupta and Gaurav Sharma, touches upon the issues of sexual violence, caste oppression, corruption, and legal loopholes through the eyes of 200 Dalit women. Palekar, known for 1970s Hindi films like Rajnigandha , Chitchor , Chhoti Si Baat , Gol Maal , said producers usually shy away from such "disturbing" topics.

"The script of this film dealt with caste issues which have remained invisible in Indian cinema. Such themes are disturbing and not conventionally 'entertaining'. Producers have shied away from backing such projects all through our cinematic journey," Palekar told PTI in an email interview.

Caste issues have successfully featured in Marathi and Tamil cinema with films such as Nagraj Manjule's "Fandri" and "Sairat" and Pa Ranjith's "Kaala" and "Sarpatta Parambarai", respectively. In Hindi mainstream cinema, caste has largely stayed invisible, barring Neeraj Ghaywan's "Masaan" and "Geeli Pucchi", a short in the Netflix anthology film "Ajeeb Daastaans". Palekar said the Hindi film industry still refuses to come out of "Brahminical aesthetics".

"Hindi cinema still prefers to maintain a conspicuous silence about caste issues. Our film industry refuses to come out of the Brahminical aesthetics. Themes of the caste divide used to get introduced through a love story. Though oppression was shown the relief used to appease the majority," he said. "Plight of women used to be a sub-text. With the advent of OTT (over-the-top) platforms, female-centric themes are being handled; female characters are getting meaningful, lead roles. All this is a very heartening change," he added.

Citing the example of films such as Aamir Khan-starrer Lagaan, Taapsee Pannu's Pink and Thappad, the 76-year-old actor, who has straddled theatre, films, TV and art, believes cinema as a medium has stupendous power to appeal to the masses.

"We saw how Lagaan' was loved by all, we saw how Pink' or Thappad' addressed misogyny. Such films addressed issues which made all of us face our hypocrisy," he said.

Palekar said as a director he has often made films with strong female characters that have challenged the conventional dictates of patriarchy but stressed that there was a need for more such subversive content to be made. The actor is hopeful that 200 - Halla Ho which is about the fight of women against oppression, will certainly impress the audience.

"My film 'Anaahat' dealt with issues of female sexuality, yet another banned theme. We need more and more subversive content. Depiction of collective strength and the power it yields will certainly inspire the audience. Small ripples will also be very effective," he said. "200 - Halla Ho' gives that strong sense of empowerment that will inspire the audience. The projection of an assurance that injustice can be ended through collective protest' will bring constructive change in our lives, I hope. We as filmmakers ought to transcend objectification of victimhood... we as artistes ought to offer constructive resolves," he added.

Palekar is making a comeback to acting after a decade with the film. The key reason behind his absence from the big screen, the actor said, is a dearth of challenging roles.

"As an actor, I am a comet who surfaces once in a decade. Most roles offered to older actors are insignificant in terms of the theme of the film. I always accepted roles only if those challenged me as an actor or if it contributes to the scheme of the film. Acting just for the sake of earning money was never my pursuit. What fun is playing a superfluous role of someone's father or a grandfather? I prefer to hide than to get overexposed," the actor, whose last release was the 2009 Marathi film Samaantar which he also directed, said.

When Palekar was approached for 200 - Halla Ho , the actor said he was pleasantly surprised and even suggested the makers to cast an actor from the Bahujan samaj for the role of a retired Dalit judge but they were keen on having him.

"I am never a part of anything which is regressive. I liked the role for multiple reasons. The film celebrates the protest of 200 women against patriarchy and caste atrocities. They were the heroes and I was just a supporting character who supported their protest rather than merely remain as a bystander," he said.

200 - Halla Ho also features Sairat star Rinku Rajguru, "Asur" actor Barun Sobti, "Jogwa" actor Upendra Limaye, "Abhay" actor Indraneil Sengupta, "Soni" actor Saloni Batra and Sahil Khattar, a popular YouTuber and host, who plays the rape accused.

The film is said to be based on the aftermath of the killing of the gangster and mass rapist Bharat Kalicharan aka Akku Yadav by 200 Dalit women in 2004.

200 - Halla Ho releases on the streaming platform ZEE5 on Friday.
Jump to specific COVID-19 chart on this page:

The COVID-19 vaccines are extremely effective at preventing serious illness, hospitalization, and death. Fully vaccinated people who test positive for COVID-19 more than 2 weeks after their completed vaccine dose series are called "breakthrough infections." No vaccine is 100 percent effective, and as such we expect to see some fully vaccinated people test positive for COVID-19. Breakthrough cases typically report mild illness or no symptoms.

Your likelihood of being infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 is determined by many factors, which include vaccinations, but also include the level of transmission and vaccine coverage in your community, whether you or others wear masks as recommended, the number of people you have close contact with, and more. On average, fully vaccinated individuals are less likely to be infected, hospitalized, and die from COVID-19 compared to unvaccinated individuals.

DHS plans to update this data by the 15th of every month. This data is updated on a monthly basis, halfway through the following month, to account for the 2-week data lag in receiving COVID-19 reports and to ensure the most complete data is presented for the previous, full month.

Understanding our data: What does this chart mean? This visualization is not supported by Internet Explorer. Please use the latest version of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, or Apple Safari to view this visualization. This visualization shows the rate of confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths per 100,000 people among fully vaccinated people in Wisconsin for the last full month. Viewing case, death, and hospitalization rates allows the two groups to be compared directly while accounting for differences in population size across groups. The population denominator used to calculate rates is adjusted monthly based on the number of residents who completed the COVID-19 vaccine series. Please note: Data on whether or not a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 is hospitalized is not always complete in WEDSS. As such, the true rate of hospitalization among the fully vaccinated and not fully vaccinated groups may differ slightly from what is presented here.

About our data: How do we measure this? Data source: The Wisconsin Immunization Registry (WIR) and Wisconsin Electronic Disease Surveillance System (WEDSS). Read our Frequently Asked Questions for more information on how cases of COVID-19 are reported in WEDSS. Fully vaccinated people who test positive for COVID-19 more than 2 weeks after their completed vaccine dose series are called breakthrough infections. Breakthrough infections shown in the data only include those that meet the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) vaccine breakthrough infection definition. We identify vaccine breakthrough infections by comparing immunization records in WIR to confirmed and probable case records in WEDSS. This allows us to match person records between COVID-19 cases and vaccination status. The non-fully-vaccinated population includes individuals who: Have no COVID-19 vaccine doses reported in WIR.

Have an incomplete COVID-19 vaccine series reported in WIR.

Are within the two-week window after completing their COVID-19 vaccine series required to build full immunity. We plan to update our data by the 15th of each month.

Back to a list of charts on this page.
The Bookmonger is Barbara Lloyd McMichael, who writes this weekly column focusing on the books, authors and publishers of the Pacific Northwest. Contact her at barbaralmcm@gmail.com.
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Also, indoor masking returns on Monday for everyone.



By RACHEL LA CORTE

Associated Press

OLYMPIA  Washington state is expanding its COVID-19 vaccine mandate to include all public, charter and private school teachers and staff  plus those working at the state's colleges and universities.

Those who are not fully vaccinated by Oct. 18 risk losing their jobs, Gov. Jay Inslee announced Wednesday.





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OLYMPIA (AP)  A state appeals court has overturned a 2019 ruling that found Bellevue-headquartered thrift chain TVI Inc., which operates Value Village and Savers, had misled customers by deceptively marketing itself as a charity.

Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson, whose office sued TVI in 2017 over alleged violations of the state's Consumer Protection Act, will appeal the decision, spokesperson Brionna Aho said in an email to the Seattle Times.





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State-news

Rep. Dana Criswell calls Tupelo School Board 'arrogant and uncaring'

Adam Robison | BUY AT PHOTOS.DJOURNAL.COM In this file photo from Aug. 10, 2021, a group of supporters advocating for the Tupelo Public School District to end its mask mandate  including State Rep. Dana Criswell, R-Olive Branch and State Rep. Brady Williamson, R-Oxford attend the districts board meeting.

TUPELO  State Rep. Dana Criswell, R-Olive Branch, has decried the Tupelo Public School District Board of Trustees as "arrogant and uncaring" and urged Tupelo parents to get their students "as far away from these people as possible."

The Republican lawmaker from DeSoto County made the comments in a post on the Mississippi Freedom Caucus website following an Aug. 10 School Board meeting at which a group of community members demanded the district rescind its mask mandate for K-12 students.

Criswell and fellow Rep. Brady Williams, R-Oxford, were in attendance, despite neither of the men representing Tupelo citizens in the Legislature. Criswell wrote that "local parents asked the Mississippi Freedom Caucus for help and support as they fight for their right to make healthcare decisions for their own children."

SAM R. HALL: Rep. Dana Criswell should take his own advice On Aug. 10, the Tupelo Public School District Board of Trustees met to discuss a mask mandate it had implemented in all schools. Everyone knew this could be a contentious meeting with a vocal group opposed to the mask mandate showing up to speak.

Criswell is vice chairman and Williams secretary of the small legislative caucus that often interjects itself into hot-button issues.

Criswell wrote that he "observed a school board who was the most arrogant and uncaring group of people" he'd seen in some time.

"This board showed that they cared nothing about hearing facts or all sides of an issue before making a decision," Criswell said. "They were also extremely disrespectful of the parents, who are the very people for whom they work."

State Sen. Chad McMahan, R-Guntown, who also attended the meeting, disagreed with the way Criswell described the meeting and questioned why a lawmaker was criticizing local leaders outside his district.

"I think the board was respectful, and I think they followed their policies and procedures, and they have my full support," McMahan said.

McMahan added that he doesn't think representatives from other districts "should've even been in our area" criticizing duly appointed officials that are doing their best to lead in a very difficult situation.

McMahan said he's grateful to have professionals in the Tupelo area who are willing to invest their own private time in governing the public school system.

Olive Branch lawmaker tells parents to flee Tupelo schools

In his post, Criswell encouraged parents to remove their children from the Tupelo Public School District, saying, "my recommendation is get them as far away from these people as possible."

He said the school board members "do not care about your child, they do not care about you and should never be allowed to make decisions that affect your child."

McMahan said he "absolutely disagree(s) with that statement."

"These, for the most part, are volunteers. These are men and women who have their own professional careers and put aside their own time to volunteer to run our public school systems ... and try to make good decisions based on data, to find good policy for the public school system," McMahan said.

McMahan also said the school board was following the lead of Gov. Tate Reeves, who has said it should be up to local governing boards to decide what COVID-19 precautions should be taken.

"Gov. Reeves is allowing every school board to make the best decisions for their own school districts," McMahan said. "That's Republicanism, and that's what I support. I represent four great public school systems, and all four are doing a little bit different things."

During a press conference Friday, Reeves also defended school boards' rights to choose what is best for their district.

"Our school boards and superintendents are our most local government officials in the state," Reeves said. "They are uniquely positioned to deal with the rapidly evolving situation on the ground."

The Tupelo Board has already said their decision to mandate masks is not permanent.

School district followed advice of medical professionals

Criswell said the mask mandate for K-12 students was "implemented without regard for the health and safety of individuals."

A spokesperson for Tupelo schools says the mandate was put in place to precisely for the health and safety of students and staff.

"Our priority is to keep all students and staff safe in an effort to keep our schools open during this pandemic," Gregg Ellis, TPSD director of marketing and communications, said. "The TPSD Board of Trustees is following the latest recommendations of the states top medical experts, including the Mississippi Department of Health, in regards to requiring masks in a school setting."

The Board passed the mandate during a special called meeting Aug. 2, just two days before the first day of school, at the request of Dr. Mindy Prewitt, an infectious disease specialist at North Mississippi Medical Center. Prewitt was speaking on behalf of the medical center.

The TPSD school board followed the recommendations of Prewitt and Tupelo Superintendent Dr. Rob Picou and opted to temporarily require face masks for all students and staff, regardless of vaccination status.

Criswell defends 'parent' speaker who isn't a parent

Criswell inaccurately described a situation that unfolded involving the speaker whose allotted six minutes to speak expired.

"Each parent was given three minutes to make their comments, unless representing a group of people, and then they were given six minutes," Criswell wrote. "The first parent to present came to the end of her six minutes but had not completed her comments. When the buzzer sounded the parent to follow offered to give up her three minutes so the first parent could finish her comments. The Board refused to allow that simple act, proving they didnt care about what the parents were saying."

The speaker in question, Melanie Riley, represented the group "Parents for Mask Choice." However, despite Criswell's claims, she does not have children or grandchildren in Tupelo schools. Riley's connection to Tupelo Schools, she told the Daily Journal, is that she trains some Tupelo students at her gym.

Criswell's statement that the board "refused to allow that simple act" is incorrect. Although the board did not make a motion or approve the request for the next speaker to yield her time to Riley, the speaker merely stood beside Riley, who was allowed to speak anyway. The board allowed Riley to speak for those three minutes on top of the six she had been allotted.

McMahan helps parents with alternatives as Board decides mandate's future

While supporting the school board, McMahan also sympathizes with parents campaigning for mask choice.

"I do think that some children have medical reasons that they should not be masked, and that maybe a policy should be created to look at those particular situations," McMahan said.

McMahan said he has worked with parents of children who have medical problems and aren't old enough to qualify for the COVID-19 vaccine to help temporarily transfer them to other districts where virtual learning is an option.

The district's School Safety Action Committee meets regularly to determine criteria for lifting the mask mandate. Their recommendations will be presented to board members at the next regular meeting Sept. 14.

"As soon as the number of positive cases, which have been rising at unprecedented levels, reduces to the point that it is safe to rescind the mask mandate, the board has committed to do so," Ellis said.
Converse County and Douglas officials welcomed 13 congressional staff members from around the country to a tour of several energy sites in the area last week.

What were trying to do, Converse County Commissioner Jim Willox said, is give them context of (what) a wind farm looks like, (what) a rig looks like, (what) multiple use looks like in Wyoming.

The county, city and several other municipalities and counties in the state have invited staffers for these week-long tours since 2011, with the exception of last year due to COVID.

Communications Director to U.S. Rep. Richie Torres, D-NY Raymond Rodriguez said he and the other staff members work directly on writing legislation and policies, which is why its important for them to learn about the energy field first hand.

So the trip is giving us an inside view into how regulations impact energy production, he said en route to the Bucking Horse Power Plant outside Douglas Aug. 12. And how energy is distributed and consumed throughout the country, its really interesting.

The congressional advisers and assistants to five Democratic and eight Republican leaders started their tour of northeast Wyoming Monday night in Buffalo.

From there, they travelled to the Strata Energy Uranium Mine outside Moorcroft Tuesday, Cordero Rojo Mine outside Hulett Wednesday before going to Dry Fork Station and Atlas Carbon outside of Gillette Wednesday.

They departed to Converse County to see the Cedar Springs Wind Farm, an Anschutz drill rig and the Bucking Horse Gas Plant.

Along the way, they toured and stayed at several ranches and attractions, including Devils Tower and Barlow Ranch.

Douglas Mayor Rene Kemper and councilmembers Kim Pexton and Ron McNare tagged along for the Cedar Springs and rig tour, when they shared facts about the city with the congressional staff members.

Pexton even handed out several Jackalope stickers and told the group about the mythical animal.

Kemper said it was important for her to attend the tours for two reasons. One: she wanted to educate herself on the local energy industry and two: to see what the staffers takeaway was.

The decisions they make in Washington affect individuals, and it seemed they were aware of that, she said.

Willox rode with the staffers in their tour bus throughout Converse County, sharing trivia about the county and about its reliance on energy.

Throughout the week, congressional staff members asked pertinent questions about the energy industry and its current status. Employees at the various energy companies were more than eager to give answers and shed light on the industry.

Douglas contributed about $5,000 toward the tour and Converse County gave about $8,000. The tour, which cost about $57,000 last year, is split among members of the Northeast Municipal Leaders Group.

The congressional staff members ended their tour with a dinner at Douglas Community Club, which featured several key speakers from Crestwood, Chesapeake and Continental Resources.

Converse County Commissioner Robert Short, who attended the dinner, said he hoped the staffers understood the balance between national and environmental needs for which Wyoming strives.

We dont leave a wake of destruction in everything that we do, he said. We really do a great job of trying to preserve the natural landscape to the extent possible.
A pair of engineering firms contracted by the state warn that cracks in the 112-year-old concrete LaPrele dam, along with deterioration in its geologic foundation, could result in catastrophic failure.

Such an event would threaten people and infrastructure downstream, including the town of Douglas, and likely destroy the Ayres Natural Bridge Park directly below the dam, as well as two Interstate 25 bridges, the Wyoming Water Development office said during a tour last week.

This is more than an irrigation district matter, Water Development Office Director Brandon Gebhart said. Its a hazard.

Rehabilitating the dam might be impossible, according to Gebhart. Instead, the office and its governing citizen commission is considering building a new dam directly below the existing structure. The commission will consider seeking funds to develop a complete engineering study for a project that could exceed $50 million.

Such an effort may qualify, in part, under several provisions in the $1 trillion infrastructure bill passed by the U.S. Senate this month, buttressing a Wyoming policy ambition to impound more water for use before it leaves the headwaters state, according to state officials. Meantime, the state is examining multiple other funding sources due to the potential for loss of life and property if the dam were to fail.

The matter is urgent, officials say.

Its not a slow failure with this dam design, Gebhart said. It would be very abrupt.

The water office organized a public tour of the dam Aug. 12 to better inform the public of the risks and potential solutions under consideration.

rumble and warning

When a magnitude 3.7 earthquake rumbled the towns of Glenrock and Casper on the night of Aug. 1, personnel at the nearby Ayres Natural Bridge Park said it felt like a sonic boom. They sprang into action, caretaker Dee McDonald said.

Dee and her husband Doug McDonald have served as caretakers for six years.

The natural arch was still intact. But their minds were on a more pressing danger still looming: water. So they evacuated the handful of campers in the park that night.

Anybody with any sense would do that, McDonald said.

The park is situated in a small geologic bowl filled with old boxelder and tall cottonwood trees, along with manicured grass and picnic areas surrounded by high sandstone cliffs carved out over millennia by LaPrele Creek. The creek runs directly under the natural bridge. The rare high-plains oasis was a retreat for European settlers traveling the Oregon Trail. Today it remains a popular leisure destination for locals and travelers alike.

Visitors from around the world packed into the park on Aug. 21, 2017 to experience the totality of the solar eclipse that swept across central Wyoming.

Less than two miles upstream, however, is a not-so-natural wonder: the LaPrele dam. Completed in 1909, the concrete structure today presents a danger to an area far beyond the Ayres Natural Bridge Park, state officials and engineering teams say.

Aging, patchwork infrastructure

The Ambursen-style-designed LaPrele dam consists of a series of concrete buttresses supporting an angled, flat slab on the reservoir side. It is 130 feet high and 325 feet wide, and serves late-season water to about 100 irrigators via 94 miles of irrigation infrastructure, according to the state. The dam is anchored into a fractured Madison limestone formation on both sides.

Construction was funded via the federal Carey Act of 1894, a measure pushed by Wyoming U.S. Sens. Francis E. Warren and Joseph M. Carey to help arid western states develop more water for irrigation.

In the 1970s, the LaPrele dam was determined to have reached the end of its useful life. But dozens of irrigators downstream still depended on late-season releases from the reservoir to help them eke out a living on the plains along the North Platte. Neither the state nor federal government were eager to pay for refurbishing the dam, so the Panhandle Eastern Pipeline Co. agreed to fund the repair effort in return for a share of water for a coal-gasification project.

Crews grouted cracks and added new layers of concrete to the dam. Panhandle Eastern Pipeline Co., along with the lead engineering company that oversaw the project, received the Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement of 1979 award from the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Panhandle Easterns coal gasification project never came to fruition. Grateful for the investment and newfound confidence in the dam, however, members of the LaPrele Irrigation District went about their business of relying on the patched up dam for late-season water.

Then, in 2016, a boulder in the west limestone wall behind the dam fell. The event was listed as a mere notation in records reviewed a couple years later by a team commissioned to assess water and water infrastructure along the North Platte.

Discovered

by accident

When the team of engineers examined the rockfall behind the LaPrele dam, it alarmed them.

Peter Rausch of the engineering firm RESPEC said that during the initial inspection it appeared that if another large boulder in the same strata were to fall it might roll into one or more of the dams concrete fins. Then, looking at the potential targets, they noticed what looked like a large, unrepaired crack in one of the boulder-zone concrete structures.

RESPEC called another firm, HDR, which specializes in dams, to assess the structure itself. Apart from the potential of damage via rockfall, developing cracks in the dam pose a risk of catastrophic failure, according to the company.

In November 2019, the Wyoming Water Development Office ordered the LaPrele Reservoir be maintained at a lower level to avoid stress on the dam. Consequently, the LaPrele Irrigation District receives about 55% of its normal appropriation of water, according to the state.

Thats concerning enough for eastern plains irrigators facing a warming, drier Wyoming where late-season irrigation is becoming increasingly vital in the face of a global climate crisis. But the risk of a dam failure, and the catastrophes that might result, add to anxieties  even if it might move a new dam construction project higher up the list of infrastructure priorities.

This is a classic example of aging infrastructure, Gebhart said. We were lucky to find this  it was happenstance that we found the deficiencies in this.

I think theres probably a lot of infrastructure in the state, not just irrigation but also municipal, that is maybe at or near the end of its useful life, Gebhart said. Some of it may not even be known. Its an example of a significant problem I see in the state.
Join the over 300 volunteers from County Louth who have already registered for the Big Beach Clean.

Over 200 clean-ups have already been planned across Ireland for the third weekend of September and Clean Coasts is calling more people to join this international weekend of citizen science

Registrations for the Big Beach Clean only opened a couple of weeks ago and 5,000 volunteers from all over Ireland have already registered to receive free clean-up kits to tackle litter in over 200 different locations.

In County Louth, over 300 volunteers have already signed up to carry out clean-ups in more than 10 different locations across the county.

The Big Beach Clean is an annual call-to-action organized by Clean Coasts that calls volunteers from communities all over Ireland getting involved to remove litter from our beautiful coast at the end of the bathing season, as part of the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC), operated internationally by Ocean Conservancy.

This year, the initiative will run between 17th-19th September, which is also the same weekend as World Clean-up Day.

Communities and volunteers across the country are invited to register their own clean-ups in any location in Ireland, no matter how far from the coast.

Alternatively, Clean Coasts will be facilitating a number of clean-ups in several counties, for people who wish to join them.

Places will be limited, so make sure you check the calendar of events and register your interest through Clean Coasts website or social media.

The Big Beach Clean is also an opportunity for volunteers to get involved in a worldwide citizen science project, which entails collecting the amount and types of litter on Irish beaches and filling in Clean Coasts Marine Litter Data Cards.

This will help heighten awareness about the issue of marine litter serving as an indicator of the magnitude of the problem.

Public participation through Citizen Science is the key concept in which everyone does their small part to increase knowledge and provides a lifeline to scientists that would not have the capacity to carry out this research alone and the data collected contributes to a growing body of knowledge, helping to reveal patterns and trends, identify areas for further research and even inform policy.

The benefits of citizen science, however, are not only confined to the scientific community.

Taking part in these collaborative efforts also promotes active citizenship, increases environmental awareness, and enables people to be part of a bigger picture.

Statistics show that the number one cause of marine litter is litter dropped in towns and cities.

This is why the Big Beach Clean will once more be open to all residents of Ireland, no matter how far from the coast they are based, thanks to the involvement of the National Spring Clean Programme.

Getting involved in the Big Beach Clean is a way for residents of non-coastal counties to help prevent litter entering our waterways and seas by holding a clean-up no matter where they are in the country and tackling the problem at source.

Finally, Cully and Sully will support the initiative again, by providing registered volunteers with the Big Beach Clean kits.

Cullen Allen (Cully) said Cully & Sully are proud to be partners with the Big Beach Clean again for 2021.

The work carried out by the teams across the Island of Ireland is amazing and unfortunately very much needed during these times. We all use our local beaches and have spent time on many of the beautiful beaches and waterways across Ireland and are so thankful for the work that the groups and organisations do.

Highlighting the importance of taking your rubbish home with you and encouraging everyone to do their part really is critical in the world we are living in.

"We would urge everyone to get out during the Big Beach Clean 2021. Why not get together with your family, friends, work colleagues or even your classmates and make a fun day of it whilst also helping this amazing initiative.

"We need maintain our clean beaches and waterways and protect them for future generations.
Claremont, NH (03743)

Today

Considerable cloudiness. Occasional rain showers in the afternoon. High near 70F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Cloudy with periods of rain. Potential for heavy rainfall. Low around 55F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall may reach one inch.
North Andover, MA (01845)

Today

Considerable cloudiness. Occasional rain showers in the afternoon. High 74F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Cloudy with periods of rain. Potential for heavy rainfall. Low 58F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 2 to 3 inches of rain expected.
A Government minister has urged the public to "cop on" and to show consideration for Wally the Walrus, following reports of people getting too close to the Arctic mammal.

Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform Malcolm Noonan has joined the calls of Seal Rescue Ireland (SRI) in asking the public to observe Wally the Walrus from a distance.

The Arctic walrus was first spotted in Ireland off the coast of Valentia Island in March, and following sightings along the coast of Western Europe has recently returned to the southern coast of Ireland.

Minister Noonan said while it is understandable that many people are excited about the presence of a walrus on the Irish coast, people must remember that Wally is "a wild animal" and "should be respected".

"Im appealing to everyone not to get close and only view it from a distance.

"This is for the animals sake, but also for your own, as there may be risks from a water safety perspective where large numbers of people are congregating on the water.

"Walruses are not a protected species under the Wildlife Act, its basically the same as a fox or rabbit under the law, so its up to people to cop on and have consideration for this poor wild animal, which is a long way from home.

"Leave it alone and if you must go and see it, use binoculars," he continued.

His comments follow a renewed appeal from SRI yesterday who asked the public to avoid approaching Wally within 100m.

In a Facebook post yesterday evening the charity stated that observers have noted Wally has been "quite stressed and agitated" from the repeated disturbances caused by boats, kayaks and paddleboards, and has "a potential injury from being forced off and on the boat repeatedly".


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Online consumers have voted with their fingers what they think of e-commerce websites that provide a poor experience. In exchange for a less than satisfactory buying experience, shoppers are abandoning their digital shopping carts to show their displeasure.

Fast -- a shopping and checkout platform for e-commerce sites -- released survey results in June that found consumers want a better online shopping process and are abandoning their shopping carts at record levels.

Eighty-six percent of more than 1,000 U.S. shoppers ages 18 and older who responded to the survey taken June 2 to 4 said they had added an item to their online shopping cart, only to abandon it before checking out.

Abandoned shopping carts might well be the canary in the coal mine for e-commerce sites losing sales because they failed to provide online shoppers with an efficient shopping experience.

Analysts expect e-commerce revenue to reach $930 billion this year. They also predict 2022 will be the first trillion-dollar year for online shopping.

Yet, the new Fast data found consumers report multiple obstacles that lead to abandoned shopping carts. Aside from addressing existing CX issues voiced by consumers, e-tailers might find providing their customers with better shopping experiences comes easier with new technology based on headless checkout, suggests Allison Barr Allen, COO and co-founder of Fast.

"By using a headless checkout solution, retailers are able to convert any digital screen into an opportunity to buy products and engage with shoppers. The future opportunity created with headless checkout is untapped," she told the E-Commerce Times.

Makes Shopping, Paying Easier

While working out or watching a shopping event, consumers can easily buy the outfit the instructor is wearing, or buy the products their favorite influencer is promoting. That is what the headless checkout experience is creating.

Fast's headless e-commerce system is different than other payment methods for quite a few reasons. Most payment methods today only appear on the cart page after a shopper added everything to the cart. Typically, those payment systems are just processing the payment.

Fast's platform is a full checkout solution that integrates with websites and e-commerce. This process brings in shipping information right away to create a better end-to-end experience.

"We are in the early days of building this data center repository and the much more granular-based purchasing process across the internet to a level that will help us provide better and different e-commerce experiences over time," Allen explained.

In its simplest form, Fast provides the answer most anticipated by e-tailers. That is, how do you put a checkout button on any page on the website, even if it is not directly on the e-commerce store?

Without this new technology, retailers who want to set up a store must buy into a complete e-commerce platform or set up a web page with third-party payment links. Fast works on an e-commerce stack that enables people to buy from other outlets on the internet and increase the top of funnel experience, she said.

To ensure that consumers enjoy a seamless and integrated customer experience across every shopping channel, major players need to focus on an omnichannel approach, noted Jodie Kelley, CEO of Electronic Transactions Association (ETA), in discussing online payments in general. That approach fits whether the shopping is online from a mobile device or laptop, or in a brick-and-mortar store.

"The old segments of viewing customers in one vertical -- physical store, at home/online, and on your phone -- are gone. Customers are now shopping across all three channels and must be met where they are," she told the E-Commerce Times. "The greatest challenges these players face are tying all these verticals together and getting the back-end tech right."

Unfulfilled Promises Met

Over the past 10-plus years, there have been all these promises of click-to-buy advertising. The display advertising started first. Developers all said that over time they were going to build a system on which consumers could click an ad to buy that product directly from store.

"No one has actually been able to do that in reality, partially because of the problem that we are solving. Merchants really need to not just have the payment information but all the order information seamlessly integrated," noted Allen.

The first version is what Fast calls a headless checkout widget. The company puts the widget code on participating buying outlets on the internet.

When a consumer clicks the buy button, he or she will have a full cart experience on that web page, explained Allen. The consumer sees more information about the item along with the payment information as opposed to being directed to another website to add the purchase to the cart and enter all that information.

In essence, Fast is trying to recreate an Amazon-like buying experience that people love on all websites on the internet. Fast says the integrated platform will give the appearance that everything is right there on the website.

"You click and you buy. Purchasing is done all in one smooth, easy motion. It is the next step beyond what Amazon has put together," said Allen.

How It Works

One of the unspoken truths about shopping on Amazon is its full-service experience, Allen noted. Amazon knows who you are. It has your payment information. It has your address. You do not have to log in. You are already logged in.

"To do that, we do integrations with the web store to make possible a fast checkout experience. The first time, you will click on the buy button. You will see an optimized checkout form where you enter your name, email address, shipment information, and credit card number. Then any time after that if you click on another item to buy you just click the checkout button," detailed Allen.

First-time users supply Fast Checkout with their information once (shown above), to save time and effort making future purchases (shown below).

It takes Fast's specialists about one day to integrate the software with the adopting store's website. Consumers can go to the Fast Store to shop and buy directly from the partner merchants already integrated into Fast's own digital marketplace offering.

Merchants who integrate the Fast shopping technology see between 30 and 165 percent increase in overall checkout conversion, according to Allen.

Not unlike other e-commerce platforms, Fast charges websites a transaction fee. Fast's rate is 9 percent of the sale plus 30 cents, she said. That fee varies by country.

"With that, we include a fraud chargeback guarantee, which most other payment providers would charge a lot extra for," she noted.

More From the Survey

The lengthy checkout process that shoppers often face on e-commerce sites is part of what draws shoppers to Amazon repeatedly, according to Fast in announcing the consumer survey results on abandoning digital shopping carts when they encounter poor shopping experiences. Fast is addressing this opportunity with its headless checkout.

When a web store does not offer expedited shipping, more than three-quarters (77 percent) of survey respondents said they are more inclined to buy something on Amazon because of the easy checkout process.

Among the top reasons consumers gave for abandoning online shopping purchases are:

The checkout process took too long or was too complicated

(18 percent)

(18 percent) Didn't want to create another online account (18 percent)

Couldn't remember their login information (15 percent)

Their credit card information wasn't easily accessible (14 percent)

The Fast survey showed that most shoppers (55 percent) would be more likely to make an online purchase if there was a quicker, easier way to buy directly from the channel where they learned about that product, like a social media post, digital ad, or online review.

Additional Findings

The survey revealed that influencers and consumer age groups play a key role in how they respond to online inconveniences and product selections. For instance, 72 percent of respondents said they have been influenced to purchase products based on media, advertising, and social media consumption.

Millennials (ages 25-40) are 71 percent more likely to purchase a product if there is an easier way to buy directly from these channels. That response was the highest of all age groups. Gen Zers (ages 18-24) are three times more likely than the Baby Boomer generation (ages 57-75) to be loyal to a company when they purchase online versus in-person.

Even in an e-commerce boom, many retailers are still struggling to deliver amazing checkout experiences. Sellers devote a lot of resources to reach shoppers on social media or through digital advertising, only to lose them because of cumbersome checkout options, according to Fast vice president of partnerships Calanthia Mei.

"Buyers are clearly demanding better checkout experiences. Smart sellers are not just embracing one-click checkout. They are making it lightning fast everywhere their customers are with headless checkout," she told the E-Commerce Times.

Jack M. Germain has been an ECT News Network reporter since 2003. His main areas of focus are enterprise IT, Linux and open-source technologies. He is an esteemed reviewer of Linux distros and other open-source software. In addition, Jack extensively covers business technology and privacy issues, as well as developments in e-commerce and consumer electronics. Email Jack.


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Charity urges Isle of Man to accept Afghan refugees

A charity has called for the Isle of Man to consider housing refugees from Afghanistan.



The Taliban's rapid takeover of the country since Western forces began to leave has caused thousands of people to flee.

Previously the Manx Government ruled out housing Syrian refugees but has not revealed its position on accepting refugees from Afghanistan.

Christian Aid campaigner Louise Whitelegg says a 'proper converstation' is needed.

"I don't dismiss that at all, but we have charities and government structures to help people in need on the island," she said.

The charity will be holding a vigil today at the Trinity Methodist Church in Douglas between 4pm and 8pm.
Boot dispute caught on camera



By Chris Cave - Local Democracy Reporter

A candidate in next months general election has been recorded having a dispute with constituents.

Geoffrey Boot can be heard shouting go back to Ireland to a couple as he left their property.

Its not known what prompted the exchange but the DEFA minister says the footage lacks context.

Posting the three-second clip on Facebook, Oona Mairead Campbell alleges the outburst came after she pressed Mr Boot on his achievements during the last administration.

She wrote: Is Go back to Ireland the same as saying theres a boat in the morning?

Geoffrey Boot canvassing for votes on our doorstep and not liking my questioning [sic] around: what has he achieved in the last 5 years.

However, Mr Boot said his wife had been subjected to verbal abuse.

He said: The three second clip has no context and was the culmination of a five-plus-minute exchange that my wife described as verbal abuse, not from me!

Whatever I say will not put a lid on it, consequently I know what really happened and Id prefer to let sleeping dogs lie and concentrate on the real issue.

Mr Boot is standing the in the Glenfaba and Peel constituency, along with Trevor Cowin, Tim Crookall, Leo Cussons, Ray Harmer, Michael Lee and Kate Lord-Brennan.
Bobby Leo Dean, 78, of Athens passed away August 26, 2021, at his residence. A celebration of life service will be held 3 p.m. Sunday, September 5, 2021, at the Elk River Mills Memorial Cemetery, with Bro. Jim Clutter officiating. The family asks that you please wear a mask if you are in clo
Athens, AL (35611)

Today

Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low around 65F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low around 65F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.
Amazon is preparing to increase its brick and mortar footprint in a big way. The retailer plans to open several large physical locations in the US akin to department stores, according to anonymous sources cited by The Wall Street Journal. The new stores  the first of which will come to Ohio and California  will sell clothing, household items and electronics from "top consumer brands." Obviously, shoppers can also expect to run into Amazon's own-brand products, too.

While the sites are tipped to be around the third of the size of a typical department store at 30,000 square feet, they'll still be much larger than Amazon's other physical locations. The move sees the company expanding into an area it originally disrupted as it grew into an all-in-one online shopping destination.

With their sales already plummeting, the pandemic sealed the fate of several high-profile department stores. The likes of J.C. Penney and Neiman Marcus Group have filed for bankruptcy along with other big names in the sector. Though some were thrown a lifeline when they managed to attract new owners.

Amazon, on the other hand, has seen its fortunes skyrocket during the pandemic as it profited from an increasing shift toward e-commerce. Its booming business even helping to bankroll founder Jeff Bezos' trip into space.

Amazon's move into physical retail predates the virus, however. The company started with brick and mortar bookstores back in 2015, later acquiring Whole Foods for $13.4 billion in 2017. More recently, it opened cashierless Amazon Go stores in the US and UK. Not to mention its highly-curated Amazon 4-star stores and Amazon Pop-Ups inside malls.

The larger stores are apparently viewed as a way of letting shoppers try before they buy, which is particularly useful for things like apparel. That's an area where Amazon has historically struggled. As the WSJ notes, the only high-fashion label on its online store is Oscar de la Renta. It also lost a major seller in Nike in 2019, which decided to go it alone in e-commerce  a move that has paid off for the sneaker company.

Amazon's department stores would also allow it to showcase its range of electronics, from its Fire TVs and tablets to Echo speakers to its Ring home security range, and even its Luna cloud gaming service. Notably, big box retailers have shown that emboldened shoppers are returning to stores. Both Walmart and Target recently smashed estimates in their respective second quarters as sales rose across most categories.
Dell is back with a variety of new monitors that range from its first 14-inch portable to a trio of 27-inch displays. At its thinnest, the former is just 4.95mm thick  making it slimmer than an iPad Air, but slightly heavier at 1.3 pounds. The portable display is essentially a second screen that you can slot in your bag or purse when you leave your home office to go to work. In terms of design, the $350 monitor is attached to a tilt stand that beefs up its overall dimensions and weight. But, it also allows you to bend the display up to 90 degrees. It will be available worldwide on August 31st.

Dell

The 27-inch monitors include a 4K model with a 60Hz refresh rate that is the priciest of the lot at $620. There's also AMD FreeSync for tear-free, low-latency gaming. Like several of the other newcomers, the S2722QC comes with a USB-C port that can receive a display and data signal plus deliver enough power (up to 65W) to charge your laptop.

Dell

If you're on a tighter budget, there's also a $500 27-inch display dubbed the S2722DC, which essentially swaps 4K for QHD visuals with a higher 75Hz refresh rate. Both screens arrive August 19th. For $100 more, you can grab some neat extras for video calls on the 27-inch S2722DZ, including a pop-up 5-megapixel camera, noise-cancelling mics and dual 5W speakers. If you don't mind settling with full HD instead of QHD, then the 24-inch S2422HZ offers similar specs for $440. The two displays will come to North America first on September 7th followed by the rest of the world from October 12th.
Sean Lock's agent confirmed that the comedian passed away at the age of 58 after a lengthy battle with cancer.

A statement from Off The Kerb Productions, reported by this article, said: "It is with great sadness that we have to announce the death of Sean Lock. He died at home from cancer, surrounded by his family."

The message continued as it read, "Sean was one of Britain's finest comedians, his boundless creativity, lightning wit and the absurdist brilliance of his work, marked him out as a unique voice in British comedy."

Sean Lock began his TV career in 1993 as he starred with Rob Newman and David Baddiel on their show "Newman And Baddiel In Pieces."

Sean Lock's Health Diagnosis

In 1990, Lock was diagnosed with skin cancer. He attributed the condition to overexposure to the sun when he worked as a laborer on a building site in the early 1980s.

He became aware of his disease after spending a night with a woman who noticed a mark on his back. By 2010, in an interview with Daily Mail, Lock admitted, "She said there was something weird on my back."

"I asked her what it looked like, and she said it was a patch of skin which was black, misshapen, with a crusty texture and about the size of a 10p piece," he also stated.

READ ALSO:

Nathalie Maillet Shot Dead with Her Alleged 'Mistress' by Husband: New Disturbing Details on Spa-Francorchamps CEO's Death

Sean Lock As An Iconic Comedian

The British comedian was also known for his impressive humor on numerous shows, including "Have I Got News For You," "Would I Lie To You?," "15 Storeys High," and "QI."

Independent also reported that he was one of the team captains for ten years on Channel 4 series "8 Out of 10 Cats," hosted by Jimmy Carr. By 2016, Lock was replaced by Rob Beckett.

Sean Lock was a brilliant writer, a phenomenal stand-up, a comedy genius. Our thoughts are with his family after this devastating news. We will miss him greatly. There was no-one like him. pic.twitter.com/qhji79K5V1  8 Out of 10 Cats (@8Outof10Cats) August 18, 2021

Lock was still a team captain with Jon Richardson for the 2012 show spinoff called "8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown." Richardson said in a tweet that he "idolised" Lock long before he came to work for the comedy industry himself.

I idolised Sean as a comic long before I became a comedian myself and ten years working alongside him didnt diminish that in the least. An incredible comic brain and a truly unique voice. pic.twitter.com/4ZH8HRQrIU  Jon Richardson (@RonJichardson) August 18, 2021



Lee Mack, a close friend of Lock, also commented that he hailed him as "a true original both in comedy and life."

As the news reached the Twitter community, numerous fans who have been watching Lock sent their tributes, as well as iconic moments of him on TV.

Sean Lock & Jon Richardson doing Carrot in a Box has got to be one of my favourite clips ever pic.twitter.com/3gYcJC8Frn  Lara Hopwood (@larahopwood) August 18, 2021

sean lock was the heart of catsdown alongside jon richardson and I will always be grateful for how he has never failed to make me laugh and brighten my day whenever I have watched that show  beth  (@raggedyjodie) August 18, 2021



READ MORE: John 'Strop' Cornell Dead at 80, Tragic Cause of Death Revealed
Monica Lewinsky previously made headlines for her scandal with former President Bill Clinton in the 90s, but there is still more that the public didn't know about her.

The activist recently spoke to Vanity Fair to give a glimpse of her scandalous yet private life. Lewinsky was not afraid to answer the questions given to her by the outlet, even though some of them may have crossed the line.

When asked bout her biggest regret in life, she mentioned that some of her choices have caused others suffering. However, she didn't give further context behind it.

Lewinsky also revealed the occasion that she lied about; her answer is simply "see: 1998," which is the year when her scandal with the former leader broke.

According to Fox News, the former White House intern hinted at her scandal when she was asked what she values the most in her loved ones. The activist said, "Compassion. Wisdom. Wit."

"The delicate balance of knowing when I need tough love and when I need support." She added.

Her take on the question seemingly hinted at her relationship with Linda Tripp, a former White House employee.

The two met at work when Lewinsky needed someone to confide her affair with Clinton. The activist said she felt desperate and deflated; that's why she talked to Tripp about the whole issue.

However, Tripp secretly recorded their conversations, which she turned over to independent counsel Kenneth Starr for further investigation. The scandalous tape resulted in Bill Clinton's impeachment.

READ NOW: Kim Kardashian Bids Goodbye To Iconic Butt? New Photos Spark Rumors 'KUWTK' Star Had Major Surgery

Monica Lewinsky, Bill Clinton's Affair

The activist was 21 years old when she worked as an intern at the White House. It was reported that Lewinsky and the former President had months of "flirtatious encounters" before the unthinkable happened.

Her affair with the former leader was one of the reasons why he got impeached in the house and was later acquitted in the Senate.

Despite the scandal, Bill Clinton remained married to his wife, Hillary Clinton.

Monica Lewinsky To Produce 'American Crime Story

Lewinsky is the producer of the third season of "American Crime Story," which revolves around Bill Clinton's impeachment scandals. Her affair with Clinton will also be tackled on the show.

Per Deadline, the A-list cast includes Mira Sorvino, Dan Bakkedahl, Joseph Mazzello, Blair Underwood, Patrick Fischer, and more.

The story is based on "A Vast Conspiracy: The Real Story of the Sex Scandal That Nearly Brought Down a President," written by Jeffrey Toobin.

READ ALSO: R. Kelly's Ex-Wife Aaliyah Could've Been Star Witness Against Disgraced Singer; Late Musician Also a Victim?
2021-08-19

Maeci

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Luigi Di Maio, will participate, connected from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Crisis Unit, in the G7 Ministers of Foreign Affairs meeting on the situation in Afghanistan.

Click here to read the press statement
The BooktoScreen. From past to future. Six books, six screens project is the result of the collaboration between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Turin International Book Fair, in particular thanks to the industry experience of the International Book Forum (IBF), encouraging and promoting a coming together of and mutual understanding between the Italian publishing industry and the global audiovisual production industry. This project takes its name from the IBF department dedicated to the sale and acquisition of publishing rights and connects the world of film and television (and more) with that of publishing.

In a pandemic-struck year, the Turin International Book Fair, like so many other events, has had to shift its activities online. Working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, BooktoScreen has gone digital, transforming into a series of three short documentaries about the innovative experience of adapting successful Italian novels  the saga of Inspector Montalbano by Andrea Camilleri, Gomorrah by Roberto Saviano and My brilliant friend by Elena Ferrante  into world-famous television series. With a narrative style and a backstage vibe, BooktoScreen uses interviews with authors, editors, directors, actors, producers, and the director of the Turin Book Fair, the Strega award-winning writer (2015) Nicola Lagioia, to present all the ingredients required to transform a book into a TV series or film and how the various players have to work together in order to successfully move from the written word to the big or small screen.

With regard to My brilliant friend, the director Saverio Costanzo and producers Lorenzo Mieli from Wildside and Domenico Procacci from Fandango take us through the process from book to screen, together with the screenwriters Francesco Piccolo and Laura Paolucci , with comments from the Deputy Director of editorial coordination at RAI Fiction, Francesco Nardella, and from Sandra Ozzola from the E / O publishing house, who is responsible fro the success of this novel by Elena Ferrante.

For Gomorrah, we meet Roberto Saviano, author of this global bestseller, the producer from Cattleya, Riccardo Tozzi, the screenwriter Maddalena Ravagli, the editor from Mondadori, Edoardo Brugnatelli, and the director of original productions at Sky, Nils Hartmann.

The story of how Andrea Camilleris novels dedicated to Inspector Montalbano were adapted is told by producer Carlo degli Esposti from Palomar, the screenwriter Francesco Bruni, the actor Peppino Mazzotta, the director of Rai Fiction, Maria Pia Ammirati, and the publisher Antonio Sellerio.

Each past  and current  success story is then linked to a story regarding the future, with short interviews with authors of novels that are soon to become TV series or films. Were talking about Viola Ardone with The Childrens Train (Einaudi), Flavia Piccini and Carmine Gazzanni with Sarah. The girl from Avetrana (Fandango) and Luca Trapanese and Luca Mercadante with Born for you (Einaudi).

The BooktoScreen project is being curated by the Turin Book Fair on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, under the coordination of Francesca Mancini, authored by Fosco dAmelio and directed by Tommaso Caroni. Production: ActingOut Creative Agency.
Afghan girls wearing white hijabs and black tunics returned to class in Herat, days after the Taliban's rapid conquest of the country.
Baum Hedlund Lawyers in The Best Lawyers in America and Ones To Watch

Best Lawyers selected nine attorneys at Baum Hedlund Aristei & Goldman as listees in either The Best Lawyers in America or Ones to Watch 2022 for their advocacy in Los Angeles, California:

Best Lawyers develops both The Best Lawyers in America and Ones to Watch through a meticulous peer review process. Top-rated attorneys from every corner of the country are asked to consider Best Lawyers candidates within their geographic region and legal practice area. Best Lawyers fact-checks and analyzes all peer feedback, selecting only the top 6% of the nation's private practice attorneys for The Best Lawyers in America and outstanding early career attorneys for Ones to Watch.

The Baum Hedlund Aristei & Goldman attorneys who earn Best Lawyers honors have the respect of their peers. Some of the firm's top cases include the first three Monsanto (now part of Bayer) Roundup cancer trials, which resulted in billions of dollars in compensation for their clients, and a $63 million class action settlement for those harmed by the mismarketing of Paxil to children and parents.

Baum Hedlund Aristei & Goldman is an award-winning national personal injury trial law firm. Headquartered in Los Angeles, it has an additional office in the Bay Area and satellite offices throughout California and Washington, D.C. From prescription drug injuries to aviation, truck accidents, and more, the firm's acclaimed attorneys work tirelessly to win justice for plaintiffs. To schedule a free consultation, visit baumhedlundlaw.com. For more information about Best Lawyers, please go to bestlawyers.com.

Legal Advertisement. Our past performance, verdicts or settlements, do not constitute a guarantee, warranty, or prediction regarding the outcome of future cases.

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The ornate Aurora Apartments in Tobin Hill may be getting a $31.7 million makeover.

Fairstead, a national real estate company specializing in affordable, workforce and mixed-income housing, is seeking to buy and rehabilitate the aging 10-story buildings 105 units and add a sprinkler system.

The Aurora, at 509 Howard St., was built between 1928 and 1930, according to a nomination for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Today, it houses elderly, low-income residents.

The board of the Las Varas Public Facility Corp., a nonprofit managed by the San Antonio Housing Authority, gave the go-ahead Thursday to issue up to $20 million in tax-exempt bonds for the renovations.

The project would keep residents in their homes and preserve affordable housing at the Aurora, which is in much need of modernization, said Lorraine Robles, SAHAs director of development services and neighborhood revitalization.

About nine in 10 of the buildings residents earn 30 percent of the area median income or less, she said.

Roughly $65,000 will be invested in each apartment. Fairstead anticipates residents being able to stay in their homes during construction and would provide temporary housing if not, Jordan Capellino, vice president of acquisitions and development, said during the meeting.

The company also plans to use tax credits to finance the project.

The building is currently owned by local developer Mitch Meyer, who operates it under a contract with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The apartments are designated for people aged 62 or older. Residents pay 30 percent of their adjusted income toward rent with the rest covered by HUD. Fairstead would enter into a new contract with the agency, Capellino said.

New York-based Fairstead was founded in 2014 and owns more than 14,500 units in 18 states, according to information on its website. It has offices in Dallas as well as Maryland, Florida and California.

Renovations are expected to start in about a year and Meyer would remain involved during the buildings redevelopment, a spokesperson said. Meyer did not respond to messages seeking comment.

The Aurora was built as an apartment hotel, according to the nomination for listing on the National Register.

South Texas most lavish residential high-rise cost $2 million to build, a whopping price tag at the time. Offering apartment living with hotel perks was novel and the Aurora drew tourists and residents.

But the buildings owner ran into trouble during the Great Depression and, facing foreclosure, sold it to bondholders.

It has changed hands and undergone several renovations over the decades. Plans to sell it to an investor who wanted to add condominiums and office space fell through in the 1970s. About the same time, a religious organization moved in.

On ExpressNews.com: Plans for Cosmopolitan Apartments in Tobin Hill inch forward

The Aurora had been abandoned by 1977, according to the nomination. It was converted to senior housing in 1982 using HUD funding and Meyer purchased it in 2007.

The building does not have a sprinkler system because it was grandfathered out of regulations initiated in 1982.

The death of five residents in a 2014 fire at the Wedgwood senior complex, which has sprinklers only in the basement, prompted a local ordinance requiring building owners to retrofit old high-rises with sprinklers by January 2028.

Meyer said last spring that it would be expensive and difficult to install sprinklers at the Aurora and that he wanted to redevelop it, potentially for apartments or a hotel.

He proposed building a new apartment complex a block away at 311 W. Laurel St. for residents and transferring his HUD contract, but plans to get tax credits to finance the project did not pan out.

Last spring he sought to partner with the San Antonio Housing Trust Public Facility Corp., a nonprofit overseen by five City Council members, to build the new complex but ultimately decided not to move forward, a trust spokesperson said.

madison.iszler@express-news.net
U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar said Wednesday hes looking to steer more federal funding to natural gas-fueled electricity generation in the $3.5 trillion spending bill thats moving through Congress.

As emissions billowed from CPS Energys Calaveras gas-fired plant in the background, the Laredo Democrat said at a news conference that Democratic lawmakers efforts to expand renewable energy sources in the U.S. shouldnt hobble the oil and gas industry. Energy companies provide an estimated 347,000 jobs in Texas.

We definitely need to look at clean energy, but you cant do it to disadvantage or attack oil and gas while it still creates thousands of jobs in our area, said Cuellar. He represents Congressional District 28, which reaches from Laredo to San Antonio and covers a large swath of the Eagle Ford Shale oil and gas field.

When we do the big reconciliation bill and we look at clean energy, Im hoping that natural gas can be part of the clean energy, he said.

On ExpressNews.com: Progressive Cisneros blasts Rep. Cuellar over immigration in second primary challenge

Cuellar was referring to the budget reconciliation bill thats being crafted by congressional Democrats. Much of the spending in the bill would go to progressive priorities such as expanding Medicare, extending child-care tax credits and clean-energy initiatives.

Cuellar didnt say how much funding hed seek in the budget bill to bolster gas-fired power generation.

His comments came a week after the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change published a nearly 4,000-page report that found extreme weather has become more common and reiterated that humans are causing climate change.

The new warning from the UN, from the IPCC, is actually Code Red, said Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., a leading advocate in Congress for climate initiatives. This budget resolution is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to save our people and our planet.

JESSICA LUTZ /NYT

Cuellar said prioritizing natural gas over coal  as a fuel for power generation  could help continue reducing emissions while reliably producing electricity and preserving jobs. Natural gas emits between 50 to 60 percent the amount of carbon dioxide that burning coal does, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Supporting natural gas also would have political benefits for Democrats, said Cuellar, who received $219,000 in campaign donations from the oil and gas industry ahead of the 2020 election, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

We saw what happened in South Texas with this last election, he said. The Trump campaign did a great job at saying that Democrats were against oil and gas.

In 2016, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton garnered 72 percent of the vote in four South Texas border counties within Cuellars district: Hidalgo, Starr, Webb and Zapata. Last year, Democrat Joe Biden lost ground in the region, winning 55 percent of the vote across the four counties. Then-President Donald Trump beat Biden in Zapata County.

CPS Flex plan

City-owned CPS Energy, one of the largest municipally-owned utilities in the country, is currently developing its FlexPower Bundle initiative, the aim of which is to replace the utilitys aging natural gas plants with new generation.

A new gas-fired plant is one possibility. CPS has floated the idea of converting the Spruce 2 coal-fired unit to run on natural gas.

The utility is also soliciting proposals to build 900 megawatts of solar power generation and 50 megawatts of battery storage, which could help shore up electricity supply in San Antonio when the wind isnt blowing or the sun isnt shining.

CPS expects to award contracts for the FlexPower Bundle plan before the end of this year.

On ExpressNews.com: 2020 brings largest one-year drop in U.S. carbon dioxide emissions

Texas power generators cut their annual carbon emissions by a combined 10 percent between 2015 and 2019, even as consumption of electricity statewide increased by nearly 10 percent in the same period, according to the EIA.

Part of the industrys reduction stemmed from renewable energy.

So far this year, wind turbines and solar panels have generated 28 percent of the states electricity, according to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas. Thats up from 15 percent in 2016.

The shutdown of coal plants and the states heavier reliance on natural gas for electricity also have helped reduce emissions, according to a report published Tuesday by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.

But Texas is approaching the limits of the current generating mix, Garrett Golding, a business economist at the Dallas Fed, said in the report. Aging gas and coal power plants have gone offline for maintenance more than grid operators had expected, and renewable power isnt available on-demand.

Boosting the amount of battery storage in Texas could help provide emissions-free power when demand is high. The cost of industrial-scale batteries is falling quickly.

And tweaking the states grid to pay power plants for electricity they produce, whether its used or not, could make the states power system more reliable, according to the report.

Continuing (reducing emissions) and providing reliable electricity are not incompatible goals with prudent planning and incentives, Golding said.

diego.mendoza-moyers@express-news.net
Join the San Antonio Express-News Editorial Board in conversation with coronavirus expert Dr. Peter J. Hotez and Dr. Barbara Taylor, an associate professor of infectious diseases and the assistant dean for the MD/MPH program at UT Health San Antonio.

ALSO READ: When and where Texans can get the COVID vaccine
As the delta variant of the coronavirus infects more than 10,000 Texans a day and strains the resources of hospitals, state officials must now look toward the final stage of the third COVID wave: fatalities.

While hospitalization numbers are nearing the heights they reached during the states most fatal surge in January, public health projections indicate that the latest wave will result in fewer deaths  mostly because senior citizens are widely vaccinated and hospital patients are now much younger. Still, state health officials are preparing for the worst, preemptively ordering a fleet of five mortuary trailers from the federal government in case infections spiral.

Public health experts still expect at least some increase in coronavirus deaths over the coming weeks, as fatalities are a lagging indicator  cases rise first, then hospitalizations, then intensive care usage, then deaths.

Now, the state is averaging about 100 daily deaths, a number not expected to exceed 150 over the next month before tapering off. Thats nowhere near the 350 COVID deaths per day that the state saw in January.

Well go up some, but again, not to the levels that we saw back in January, said Dr. David Lakey, the vice chancellor for health affairs and chief medical officer at the University of Texas system, referencing the forecasts.

Still, the precipitous rise in hospitalizations is a cause for concern. More than 12,000 Texans were in the hospital with the virus on Wednesday, with dozens of Texas hospitals running out of ICU beds (during the winter surge, hospitalizations peaked at just over 14,000). Patients are younger than they were in the first two waves of the virus, and almost everyone facing severe illness is unvaccinated.

In total, nearly 54,000 Texans have died of the virus since the beginning of the pandemic.

TEXAS TAKE: Get the latest news on Texas politics sent directly to your inbox every weekday

Earlier this month, the state health department asked the federal government to send the mortuary trailers as a precaution for an anticipated rise in deaths. The vehicles will be located in San Antonio and can be deployed to any jurisdiction that needs them, though no locality has requested one so far, officials said.

Data critical to watch is hospitalizations, and with an increase in these we can expect to see an increase in fatalities, health department spokesman Douglas Loveday said. That is the main reason we wanted to be prepared and have a few of these trailers in Texas in the event they may be needed in the future.

The trailers take weeks to arrive, he added, which is why the state decided to ask for them now.

Projection models following Texas daily COVID case and hospitalization counts anticipate a rise in deaths in the near future. By mid-September, a model offered by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the Lone Star State will see about 790 deaths per week, or roughly 113 per day.

Another model, produced by researchers at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, projects about 125 deaths per day by mid-September in a worst-case scenario. In both forecasts, it appears that the state has already seen the brunt of its COVID deaths.

Thats largely because the vast majority of Texas over-65 population  those most vulnerable to the coronavirus  have received at least one dose of the vaccine, experts said.

Those that were most at risk of having severe disease have some protection, and thats good protection because of the vaccine, Lakey said.

While a spike in hospitalizations and ICU bed usage does portend fatalities, the relationship between those data points will be less linear during the third wave, he said. It remains to be seen whether young patients will have other, long-term side effects of the virus  what some are calling long COVID.

Deaths will also decrease as more people become vaccinated or recover from the illness, said Dr. Ali Mokdad, a professor of health metric science at the University of Washingtons Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. The institutes researchers estimate that about 74 percent of Texans will be immune to the delta variant, either through infection or vaccination, by Dec. 1.

The virus is running out of people to infect, he said.

The forecasts should not be interpreted as an assured outcome, though. Public buy-in on safety precautions, including mask-wearing, will ultimately determine the trajectory of the third wave.

Overall, Texas still needs to encourage vaccinations  the best way to prevent hospitalization or death, Lakey said. But it takes about five to six weeks for someone to be fully immunized with the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, and there is an immediate need to slow the spread of the virus, he said.

Thats where mask usage and social distancing comes in.

That vaccine alone will have some impact but isnt the cure-all, so to speak, of whats going on, he said. We need to move a little bit upstream and prevent the spread of the virus from one person to another.

cayla.harris@express-news.net

Twitter: @caylajharris
As a third COVID wave coincides with the back-to-school season, more Texas teenagers are getting the vaccine  but health experts say they need to see shots increase in even larger numbers to protect children from the delta variant.

Vaccinations have gone up recently among all Texas age groups, especially for those under 50, and theyve more than doubled over the past six weeks for 12- to 17-year-olds.

In the last week of June, about 36,000 Texans under 18 got a shot  the lowest point to date  but that number shot up to 86,000 two weeks ago and remained there last week, according to new data from the state health department.

The jump is promising for public health experts, who stress that vaccines are the best way to avoid severe illness and slow the spread of the coronavirus. Still, youth vaccination rates are the lowest of all age groups in Texas, with just 49 percent of those under 18 getting at least one shot, compared to much higher rates for their elders.

The percent of adolescents that are eligible for vaccination and have been vaccinated, certainly in Houston and in Texas, is still quite low, said Dr. Stan Spinner, the vice president and chief medical officer for Texas Childrens Pediatrics and Texas Childrens Urgent Care in Houston. Yes, the numbers are going up. Thats encouraging. But theyre not going up fast enough.

About 46 percent of 12- to 15-year-olds, who have been eligible for the Pfizer vaccine since May, have received a shot. Roughly 55 percent of 16- and 17-year-olds have gotten the shot, according to the health department data.

A RECIPE FOR DISASTER: Texas Medical Center president says 18% of new COVID cases are kids

Meanwhile, the number of pediatric COVID cases and hospitalizations has exploded  more than 500 children are currently hospitalized with the virus in Texas. Children account for about 20 percent of all positive COVID tests at Texas Medical Center, Spinner said.

They are the major component of the population thats vulnerable, he said. They have not been able to get vaccinated, and we know kids get it. Were seeing it. Its not a myth. Were seeing it in larger numbers than ever.

Youth vaccinations are crucial at this point in the pandemic, Spinner said, especially as children head back to classrooms, many of them without masks. Some districts have openly defied Gov. Greg Abbotts order by enacting local mask mandates, but many are still debating how to enforce them..

But for some children, the shot is not even an option  the Pfizer vaccine, the only brand approved for use in Americans under 18, is only authorized for those 12 and up. The children who are not eligible yet, especially toddlers, are most likely to spread the illness  increasing the need for buy-in from those who can get the shot, said Dr. Ali Mokdad, a professor of health metric science at the University of Washingtons Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation.

If we dont increase the level of vaccination to put a very strong fence around our children, children will be infected because theyre not vaccinated, he said. They will bring it back to their family members with the delta variant. Even the vaccinated could be infected and could spread the virus and then bring it up to their grandparents during major holidays when we get together.

This virus is not over, Mokdad added. But we can contain it, and we can bring it down to the level that we can manage it.

Some school districts have already had to close down because of COVID outbreaks this year. Spinner said thats just the tip of the iceberg.

TEXAS TAKE: Get the latest news on Texas politics sent directly to your inbox every weekday

Youth vaccination rates could be lower than other age groups for several reasons, including the shorter length of time that the shots have been available for 12- to 15-year-olds. Parents may also be more hesitant to vaccinate their children than themselves, Spinner said.

Parents want to protect their kids, Spinner said. The irony is, the way you protect your child is to get them vaccinated, not to not-get them vaccinated.

Unvaccinated Texans make up the vast majority of current hospitalizations. About 84 percent of Texans over age 65 have received at least one shot, alongside 76 percent of Texans between ages 50 and 64. Roughly 59 percent of 18- to 49-year-olds have gotten their vaccine, according to the state health data.

Still, it takes about five weeks for a patient to receive the full benefits of the Pfizer vaccine, and there is an immediate need to slow the spread of the virus in classrooms and elsewhere.

What we can do right now, in addition to trying to get people to get their kids and themselves vaccinated, is to wear masks, Spinner said. This is a real political juggernaut. It shouldn't be. There is absolutely no doubt scientifically that people wearing masks reduces the spread of infection.

cayla.harris@express-news.net
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)  Country star Garth Brooks is canceling his remaining stadium tour dates in five cities due to rising COVID-19 cases.

Brooks had said weeks ago that he would be reassessing the tour in light of the surge in cases. Tickets will be refunded for shows scheduled in Cincinnati; Charlotte, North Carolina; Baltimore; Foxborough, Massachusetts, and Nashville, Tennessee. He had also planned to play in Seattle but declined to put tickets on sale.

In July, I sincerely thought the pandemic was falling behind us," Brooks said in a statement on Wednesday. Now, watching this new wave, I realize we are still in the fight and I must do my part.

Brooks, one of the biggest selling entertainers in music, restarted touring in July and regularly performs in front of 60,000-70,000 people per stadium. Many of his shows sell out well in advance.

Brooks said he is hopeful that he can resume touring before the end of the year and reschedule those tour dates.
Kin Man Hui /Staff photographer

In a Facebook post on Thursday, the Rotary Club of San Antonio said it expects to open its popular ice rink on Nov. 19 at Travis Park in downtown.

The rink was a big hit in 2019 when it first opened and attracted 20,000 skaters during its first month. The organization did not open the rink in 2020 due to the pandemic.
Associated Press

Seth Meyers had a lot to catch up on Wednesday night, from the U.S. promotion of the booster shot against COVID-19 to the announcement that anyone attending a large event in Los Angeles must wear a mask.



The Late Night host also took a jab at Texas Gov. Greg Abbotts recent COVID-19 diagnosis and his decision not to wear a mask.



I would never wish ill on the governor, but since he never wore a mask, I dont have to, Meyers said during the segment.



Abbott tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, an announcement that came less than a day after the governor appeared at a crowded indoor political event hosted by a Republican club in a suburb north of Dallas.

On ExpressNews.com: 'Must be nice': Twitter reacts to Gov. Abbott's immediate treatment after COVID-19 diagnosis



An ardent opponent of masks and vaccine mandates, Abbott has taken his opposition to such requirements all the way to the Texas Supreme Court.



Abbott is fully vaccinated and has been isolated in the Governors Mansion while receiving monoclonal antibody treatment, which can help patients who are at risk of getting very sick.
THEA, Greece (AP)  A major wildfire that has ravaged a pine forest for four days, burnt homes and led to the evacuation of villages northwest of Athens is on the wane, but not yet under control, Greece's minister in charge of public order said Thursday.

Hundreds of Greek and Polish firefighters, backed by more than two dozen helicopters and planes, have been battling the fire near the village of Vilia, about 60 kilometers (37 miles) from the Greek capital.

Citizens' Protection Minister Michalis Chrisochoidis said the greatest part of the fire had been contained, but the blaze was still not under control.

Firefighters had been facing particularly tough conditions, including lack of access roads into the dense forest, high temperatures, dry conditions and constantly changing winds, he said.

Across the country, the fire department said 55 new forest fires had broken out in the 24 hours between Wednesday evening and Thursday evening, with most tackled in their early stages.

Reinforcements were sent to Vilia, with 22 helicopters, including two from Russia and one from the United Arab Emirates, and 11 planes providing air support to 451 firefighters and 166 vehicles.

The ground forces include 143 Polish firefighters sent as assistance to Greece, which has been battling hundreds of wildfires across the country this month. The Polish firefighters would remain in the country for another two weeks, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Twitter.

Chrisochoidis said Greece had accepted an offer of help from Romania, which would be sending firefighters and vehicles. He did not specify when they would be arriving. More than 100 Romanian firefighters were deployed earlier this month to a massive fire on the island of Evia which burned for more than a week.

The Vilia blaze burned several houses and summer homes in and near the nearby village of Thea, including the home of local resident Nikolaos Loanas.

This house that burned to the ground is mine. Ive had it for about 40 to 45 years and it was built through hardship, with a lot of effort, sweat and stress, he said. It was 45 years' worth of memories. .... My wife and I moved here when we were young, my two children grew up here, played here, had fun here, my three granddaughters liked it here.

Greece's wildfires come in the wake of a heat wave  the countrys most severe in about three decades  that left shrubland and forests parched. The causes of the fires have not been officially established, although more than a dozen people have been arrested on suspicion of arson.

The blazes have stretched the countrys firefighting capabilities to the limit, leading the government to appeal for international help, including through a European Union emergency response system. About 24 European and Middle Eastern countries responded, sending planes, helicopters, vehicles and hundreds of firefighters. Most have since returned home.

The situation we are facing is unprecedented for the country, government spokesman Giannis Oikonomou said during a press briefing. The fight we are waging on this front is threefold: extinguishing the fires, preventing new outbreaks, and repairing damage and compensating those affected.

Chrisochoidis said the army, police and fire department were patrolling forests around the clock to prevent any threat and immediately deal with any incident.

Intense heat and wildfires have also struck other Mediterranean countries. Firefighters in France worked to contain a forest fire along the French Riviera on Tuesday, and recent wildfires have killed at least 75 people in Algeria and 16 in Turkey. Worsening drought and heat have also fueled wildfires in the western United States and in Russias northern Siberia region.

Scientists say there is little doubt that climate change from the burning of coal, oil and natural gas is driving more extreme events.

___

Becatoros reported from Athens, Greece.

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Follow APs coverage of climate issues at https://apnews.com/hub/climate-change
JERUSALEM (AP)  Israel has lifted restrictions on blood donations by gay men, saying the longstanding limitation was discriminatory and denigrating, Israels health minister said Thursday.

Earlier this year the U.K. eased restrictions on blood donations from gay and bisexual men, following a similar decision by the U.S. last year because of a drop in the nations blood supply.
Larry W. Smith/Getty Images

A San Antonio man is accused of posing as a teenage boy in an attempt to get an Illinois girl to send him sexually explicit photos and texts, the Department of Justice said in a news release.

Corbett Eugene Hayes, 40, was indicted by a federal grand jury Monday and charged with the sexual exploitation of a minor.
Larry W. Smith/Getty Images

A San Antonio woman pleaded guilty Wednesday to smuggling 17 kilograms of cocaine into the United States from Mexico, the Department of Justice said in a news release.

Alessandra Olivares was arrested on May 20 as she attempted to enter the United States in her SUV at the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge in Laredo. An alert from a K-9 unit prompted an X-ray inspection, which uncovered 15 bundles of cocaine worth more than $400,000, the news release said.
BERLIN (AP)  Germany's highest court has rejected the appeals of three people who were convicted in one of the country's most high-profile murder trials involving a far-right group.

The decision announced Thursday by the Federal Court of Justice confirms the life sentence given three years ago to Beate Zschaepe, the only known survivor of the National Socialist Underground.

A Munich regional court found Zschaepe guilty in 2018 of 10 counts of murder for her role in the killing of nine men  eight of Turkish origin and one of Greek  and a police officer between 2000 and 2007.

She was also convicted of membership in a terrorist organization, participating in two bomb attacks and more than a dozen bank robberies, and of attempted murder for setting fire to the groups hideout after its existence came to light.

Although Zschaepe denied having been present for any of the killings, the court concluded she was involved in planning each one. Her two accomplices, Uwe Mundlos and Uwe Boehnhardt, were found dead in an apparent murder-suicide in 2011 following a botched robbery.

The federal court this week also upheld the convictions of two men who had helped the group: Ralf Wohlleben, who was found guilty of accessory to murder for helping supply the trio with a handgun and silencer he knew they planned to use for the killings; and Holger Gerlach, who was convicted of supporting a terrorist organization for providing the NSU group with a firearm and forged identity papers while its members were on the run.

Anti-racism campaigners have accused German authorities of numerous failings during their investigation of the killings.

Gamze Kubasik, whose father, Mehmet Kubasik, was killed by the NSU in 2006, welcomed Thursday's court decision and called on Zschaepe to reveal the names of others who helped the group.

The appeal of a fourth man convicted in the case is expected to be heard later this year. A fifth defendant withdrew his appeal.
U.S. Army North said Wednesday it had restarted a mission to send military medical teams to hospitals across the United States that have been overwhelmed with COVID patients.

The San Antonio-based command said it is sending around 20 U.S. Navy medical personnel to Lafayette, La., at the request of the Federal Emergency Management Agency as part of the Pentagons COVID-19 response.

The team includes nurses, respiratory therapists and doctors who will support the Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center.

Army North, a nationwide command headquartered at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, had ended 18 months of similar missions on June 21 after dispatching thousands of medical teams to assist overworked doctors and nurses, and to help with vaccinations as the pandemic eased.

This is the second time Department of Defense medical assets have deployed to support Louisiana during the pandemic, said Army Norths commander, Lt. Gen. Laura J. Richardson, who soon will become a four-star general and command U.S. Southern Command, one of 11 Pentagon combatant commands.

While COVID-19 continues to challenge the community here and elsewhere in the U.S, we remain steadfast in our support of our local, state and federal partners.

On ExpressNews.com: Lt. Gen Richardson, who leads San Antonio-based Army North, will get her fourth star

At one point in November, Army North had around 560 military medical personnel working alongside civilian health care providers treating patients sickened by the virus in six states and the Navajo Nation.

Shifting to federal vaccination efforts starting Feb. 4, its teams administered around 5 million doses.

A joint force under the U.S. Northern Command consisting of units from all the armed services, Army North has responded to hurricanes and has supported firefighters in California.

It works closely with FEMA and state and local officials to meet an array of incidents requiring federal assistance, including terrorist attacks.

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio-based U.S. Army North ends its long COVID mission

Defending the nation, which includes defeating COVID-19, is truly a joint effort, Richardson said, who said the command remains prepared for potential, future all-hazards response and homeland defense.

sigc@express-news.net
New Braunfels is now the third-fastest-growing city in the United States and that has caught the eye of The New York Times.



The newspaper declared in a Thursday morning online headline: How a Remote Town in Texas Became One of Americas Fastest-growing.



The Times has since made two revisions after taking heat on Twitter from New Braunfels local newspaper, area journalists and residents. Critics took issue with the Times remote characterization of the city sandwiched between San Antonio and Austin.

On ExpressNews.com: Texas and Bexar County post big gains in population since 2010

South Texas-based national reporter Edgar Sandoval, who penned the piece, describes how the once quaint town known for its German roots and the Schlitterbahn water park, had been transformed with clusters of sleek apartments, gated communities and big-box stores.

In the lengthy feature, Sandoval traced New Braunfels' humble beginnings and its steady building boom. He quoted the citys mayor, prominent officials and one former resident who said New Braunfels was losing its small-town vibe.

Sandoval also examines how the city is among the fastest-growing places in the nation. Using Census Bureau data released last week, the reporter illustrated how in-demand New Braunfels had become, noting that the city grew by about 56 percent between 2010-2020. The piece also showed how the changing demographics are making the city more diverse and more liberal.

For a short time Thursday afternoon, the city trended locally on Twitter, with scores of users weighing in.

The New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung tweeted: Remote? Were like 20 minutes from the seventh largest city in the country and maybe 40 minutes the other direction from the 11th. Its not like you have to dog sled across the tundra or hack through a jungle to get here.

Whether you call it remote like the New York Times or simply home, theres lots to do in New Braunfels, a Main Street community between Austin & San Antonio thats one of the US' fastest-growing cities.



See the history & heritage that draws people in: https://t.co/9CLU88aqys pic.twitter.com/uBVvLGDVZZ  Texas Historical Commission (@TxHistComm) August 19, 2021

Twitter user Gearis Herdon put it: I hate when I want to go to New Braunfels because its so remote you can only reach it by steam engine.



Michael Board, who works for San Antonios news radio 1200 WOAI, tweeted: Calling New Braunfels remote is exactly what I expect from the same knuckleheads who want to put peas in guac. Do better, @nytimes.

By 11 a.m., the Times had changed its headline from "remote" to "outlying." It's now just "Texas town."

Jamie Stockwell, who was the Express-News managing editor in 2018, is now the Times deputy national editor overseeing Texas and the South. Although she did not address the criticism, she did describe what it was like growing up in South Texas in a Twitter post.



Some of my favorite childhood memories were made in New Braunfels, and specifically summers at Schlitterbahn with my parents and brother, Stockwell said in the tweet. The quaint town with German roots is now the third-fastest-growing city in the country.

Timothy.Fanning@express-news.net

New York Times

This story was been updated to show that Stockwell's comments are from her Twitter feed.
Bexar County officials urged a judge to expedite the retrial of a man accused of murdering a Trinity University student, weeks after the defendant asked the judge to bar a new trial under the principle of double jeopardy.

David Lunan, an assistant district attorney, said the judge should deny the request from Mark Howerton  whose first trial for the 2017 murder of Cayley Mandadi ended with a hung jury  because double jeopardy doesnt apply.

That principle prevents a suspect from being tried multiple times on the same or similar charges following an acquittal, while Howertons trial in December 2019 was declared a mistrial because the jury of seven men and five women was deadlocked.

Its clear that the defendant is not entitled to relief, Lunan wrote in a filing last week.

A hearing is scheduled in Howertons case on Sept. 2.

Lunans response comes nearly two weeks after defense attorney John Hunter alleged that prosecutors committed prosecutorial overreach when they called a witness during the first trial who they knew had lied in two police reports and in prior sworn testimony before a grand jury.

Hunter said that overreach hurt Howertons chances for acquittal. He argued that such circumstances provide a basis for the judge to bar Howertons retrial, which had been scheduled to occur this month.

On ExpressNews.com: Murder suspect accuses prosecutors of misconduct after hung jury; asks judge to bar new trial

But Lunan said Hunters allegations are completely false and have no merit.

To characterize this as an extreme variety of intentional prosecutorial overreach, one that was intended to unlawfully deprive the defendant his right to win an acquittal at trial is clearly hyperbole and irresponsible, Lunan wrote.

When Mandadi died, she was a 19-year-old sophomore from League City majoring in communications, and a well-liked member of Trinitys cheer team and Chi Beta Epsilon sorority.

HO /Staff Photographer

Prosecutors allege Howerton, who had been dating Mandadi for about six weeks, fatally assaulted her in a jealous rage over a former boyfriend, with whom she had an on-and-off-again relationship, after attending a music festival in San Antonio.

Howerton, 25, has maintained his innocence, saying Mandadi agreed to go to Houston with him after the festival. He said they stopped at a gas station to have rough makeup sex before continuing to Houston.

On ExpressNews.com: Other causes could explain death of Trinity University student, defense witness says

Howerton said Mandadi had been drinking heavily before the festival and taking MDMA, a mood-altering drug commonly known as ecstasy or molly.

At some point, Howerton said, she stopped breathing so he drove to a hospital in Luling. When they arrived there, she was covered in bruises, and she was not wearing pants. Hunter said its possible that Mandadi had not been assaulted, but rather fell and hit her head.

But officials have said Mandadis injuries, including bruises on her stomach and legs, were inconsistent with Howertons explanation of rough sex. They said Howerton had a history of abuse and that there was no evidence of her injuring her head in a fall.

One witness in the first trial, Mandadis ex-boyfriend Jett Birchum, is at the center of the defenses argument for double jeorpady based on alleged false statements.

Birchum, a former Trinity University student who dated Mandadi for about nine months, testified that she told him she planned to break up with Howerton the evening of the music festival. Birchum said he saw Howerton put his arm around her at the festival before pulling her away aggressively.

On ExpressNews.com: Slain Trinity University student had plans to break up with boyfriend to go back to her ex

But Hunter said Birchums testimony wasnt reliable, presenting GPS and cell tower records that, according to him, shows the defendant and Mandadi drove by the music festival but never went inside.

He said Birchum could not have seen Howerton and Mandadi at the festival at the time he claims to have done so, given that GPS data.

Prosecutors, however, argued that there were gaps in the GPS data, making it less conclusive than the defense contended.

Lunan said the only thing Birchum might have been untruthful about was the time he saw Howerton and Mandadi at the festival.

Even if a witness makes a mistake of memory regarding the time he observed something that occurred months, if not years beforehand, it does not mean its a lie, Lunan wrote. And the fact that a prosecutor was asking him questions, does not mean there was an intent to deceive.

eeaton@express-news.net
The results of the 2020 census werent surprising, not in the least. Yet their impact on politics, congressional representation and the nations psyche will be extraordinary and troubling.

Those who defend and study Latino voting rights, for example, will use census data to fuel court challenges. Similar lawsuits will be mounted over discriminatory redistricting lines that will undermine fair congressional representation.

Those who study white supremacist groups in the United States also say the results of the census will have an impact on hate groups. Its likely to fuel recruitment, which may be further spurred by the harrowing photos of the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban this week.

When Saigon fell, recruitment in such hate groups rose, too, experts say.

Thats how wide-ranging the impact of a simple accounting of all those residing in the United States has become in a nation affected, at every level, by race and racism.

Yet all this isnt keeping perennial optimists from hoping that continued diversity will spur understanding and fair access to resources.

As expected, 2020 Census data shows that though whites still outnumber all other groups at 204 million, theyve declined by 8.6 percent since 2010.

People of color, on the other hand, grew exponentially  Asians by 35 percent (24 million), Latinos by 23 percent (62 million) and Blacks by 5.6 percent (47 million).

Asians represent a smaller group than Latinos but have become the nations fastest-growing ethnic group in the United States. Latinos are second.

For business and industry, such population growth has been celebrated as a consumer gold mine. Its what has put actors of color in all kinds of commercials for products and services.

So, theres ways of seeing the data as opportunities for growth in our minds and outlook; in our communities, small and large; in our social circles as well as our pocketbooks.

Ramiro Cavazos, president and CEO of the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, used the occasion of the Census Bureaus release of new data to showcase the groups ethos that Latinos and Latinas are driving the nations economic future and are worthy of parity in business investment.

A pitch for support of the chambers work included boasts of a U.S. Latino population expanding about six times faster than non-Latinos and a call for parity in federal and corporate business opportunities.

Also, this week, three UT Health San Antonio leaders wrote a piece in the Journal of the American Medical Association asking for a different kind of parity  one in which public health officials uplift the Latino population from obscurity to the forefront of health care, public health intervention and social presence.

Co-written by Dr. Rita Lepe, Dr. Francisco G. Cigarroa and Amelie G. Ramirez, Ph.D., the piece points to systemic health inequalities that created disparities among Latinos long before the coronavirus laid them bare.

Only 26 percent of Latinos have been fully vaccinated, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The article pointed at that sorry fact, too.

Yet on the same day Texas Gov. Greg Abbott revealed his COVID-19 diagnosis, he tweeted that, Texas leads all states in population growth, adding nearly 4M new Texans since 2010 & growing at a far faster rate than CA & NY.

That kind of enthusiasm toward growth and diversity is really what Cavazos, Lepe, Cigarroa and Ramirez are asking for. They want the new census data to be studied and embraced.

Instead of securing the voting rights of minority groups, Abbotts party has been on the side of diminishing them.

Theyll gerrymander themselves to re-election, avoiding what the numbers tell them. That theirs isnt a good long-term political strategy.

I get Republicans and their supporters are terrified of a population shift that will diminish their power. Theyre as apparent as the growth of Mexican and Asian restaurants from here to Dallas and from El Paso to Waco.

Theyre afraid of the down side of being a member of a minority group in the United States of America, because in their hands, minority groups have not fared well.

But theres one hope: That when minorities take power in 2050 and beyond, they will have learned the lessons that history teaches.

And that the people in power then wont behave as white leaders have throughout U.S. history.

eayala@express-news.net
During a Thursday visit with the Express-News editorial board, Dr. Peter Hotez reflected on how remarkable it is that some people continue to rebel against the use of masks to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Hotez, the co-director of the Center for Vaccine Development at Texas Childrens Hospital, chalked it up to a lack of situational awareness.

Its beyond frustrating to see this attitude play out in our communities. But its thoroughly infuriating to see it enabled by the one person with the power to mitigate it: the governor of Texas.

Greg Abbott lacks political courage, empathy and sound judgment, but he doesnt lack for intelligence. Unlike many of his followers, he possesses situational awareness. He simply chooses not to use it.

He knows, he has to know, that the virus highly contagious delta variant is raging across the communities of this state, overwhelming our hospitals intensive care units and putting our schoolchildren  particularly those under 12, who are too young to get vaccinated  in extreme danger.

As of Thursday, this state had nearly 13,000 people hospitalized with COVID-19, the highest total weve seen in nearly seven months. Yet Abbott not only refuses to institute a mask mandate, he has banned cities, counties and school districts from requiring masks at the local level.

Look at the facts and see if you can make sense of Abbotts thinking.

On July 2, 2020, Abbott issued an executive order requiring all Texans living in counties with 20 or more coronavirus cases to wear protective face coverings in public settings. At that time, case numbers were rising and there were 7,881 COVID patients in Texas hospitals.

We are now at a point where the virus is spreading so fast there is little margin for error, Abbott said at the time.

Texas COVID hospitalizations are nearly twice that high right now, yet Abbott shows no sign of concern. Weve barely got a hospital bed to spare, but apparently, in Abbotts eyes, weve got plenty of margin for error.

Abbott has not only used his executive authority to prevent mask mandates, he has modeled willfully reckless behavior, participating in maskless indoor events with large groups.

This week, the governor tested positive for COVID-19. Thankfully, Abbott was vaccinated and began receiving monoclonal antibody treatment after contracting the virus. Hopefully, hell make a quick recovery.

There is no sign, however, that Abbotts own brush with the virus is causing him to rethink his stubborn stance on masks.

He spelled out his position in this July 27 tweet: The time for mask mandates is over  now is the time for personal responsibility. He added: Every Texan has the right to choose whether they will wear a mask or have their children wear masks.

What is his basis for declaring that the time for mask mandates is over? It surely cant be the data.

It looks like Abbott simply decided that he was done with the pandemic, even if the pandemic wasnt done with Texas (or the rest of the United States).

Imagine if Franklin Roosevelt had unilaterally declared in early 1943 that the time for fighting Nazis was over, simply because he was tired of the struggle.

Its easy to trumpet the principle of personal responsibility, but things get complicated when your personal public health choices have the potential to kill other people.

For one thing, nearly half of all eligible Texans are not yet fully vaccinated, which not only puts them at greater risk of serious illness from the delta variant, it also increases the likelihood that theyll pass COVID on to other people, because without the antibodies produced by the vaccine, it takes longer for the body to clear the virus.

Also, children under the age of 12 arent eligible for vaccination and are being placed in crowded classrooms with other kids, including some whose parents have spurned the vaccine.

Were in a time of shared danger and shared responsibility. Its a lot to ask of parents that they send their young children to school without any assurance that theyll be provided with some basic protection from this potentially deadly virus.

Unlike some of his supporters, Abbott understands the value of a mask mandate. Thats why he implemented such an order last year and kept it in place for eight months.

He described his mask mandate as our last best effort to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Those words apply now more than ever, but Abbott acts as though the delta variant will go away if he just averts his eyes.

More than 50 school districts and eight counties have elected to defy Abbott by instituting their own mask mandates.

Its sad that Abbott has shown a greater determination to fight those local entities than he has to fight the pandemic. But thats what happens when you have a governor with selective situational awareness.

ggarcia@express-news.net | Twitter: @gilgamesh470
A tweet by a teacher named Emily went viral Saturday: Yesterday at active shooter training, we were told that if there was a shooting at our school, we could use our masks from the pandemic to stuff the bullet wounds of the children.

A paramedic named Mark schooled her in packing a wound, then he apologized: Crap, didnt realize you were a middle schooler when I saw this. Sorry if my tone was a bit off. The advice remains the same, but Im so sorry youre having to learn any of this ; (

Shes not a student. Shes a young middle school teacher. Hopefully, she wont ever need to use her skills from active shooter training, but COVID-19 is an invisible threat she faces every day.

Even before seeing her tweet, I couldnt stop thinking of teachers. In their first-day-of-school photos, teachers smiles are wide, their eyes are full of hope, and their hearts are clearly ready to teach and love children. Teachers often post their photos to social media with captions about how many years they have taught.

Each school year is vital  but the pandemic has magnified the importance of school. And never have teachers and school staff needed our support more. I left teaching to take this job in February, but many of my family and friends are teachers. I see their struggles and feel their love for students.

Much of our focus has understandably been on student safety during the pandemic, but we must not forget about teachers and other school staff  many of whom are at high risk for severe COVID-19. Without them, there is no school.

How do we support and protect teachers and staff? First, consider their sacrifice. Teaching has always required more work hours than salaries cover. Teachers serve classrooms full of students with different learning styles and mental health needs. They must adapt to changes in curriculum, pedagogy and learning platforms. And in a pandemic, all of that is multiplied. They have been on the front lines, risking their own health and safety.

Texas State Teachers Association, or TSTA, advocates for decision-making at the local district level and for mask mandates, and strongly encourages vaccines for eligible employees and students.

Ovidia Molina, TSTA president, said she often thinks of when COVID-19 began and how teachers were considered heroes.

And they are the same people now as back then, yet they are not being treated that way, she said. Its become a political fight, but it isnt about politics. Its about keeping everyone as safe as possible for as long as possible.

We are in another stunning COVID-19 surge so severe mortuary trucks have been ordered and hospitals are full of patients, including younger adults and children. We know many people are choosing not to get a vaccine, even though vaccines prevent hospitalizations and death for most people. Data for COVID-19 cases is underreported and skewed, and deaths among school employees arent tracked, but we know there have been cases and deaths of both school employees and students.

The virus is already invading schools. According to Texas Department of State Health Services data, there were 829 positive student cases during the first week of August and 872 positive staff cases  and school hadnt even started for many districts.

Molina urges all leaders and the community to listen to school employees, and she encourages teachers and staff to speak up: We need to hear from parents and community members who truly support teachers. They cant be silent anymore. Go to school board meetings and events. Its time.

Leaders must mandate masks and vaccines, and the community must also step up before there are more teacher deaths. Last year, there were more than 500 nationwide. Its already happening in Florida, with four teachers dying in 24 hours.

We have some hope. On Tuesday, Texas health officials reported a recent overall increase in vaccinations, with a seven-day average of 90,000 vaccinations daily and more Texas parents deciding to fully vaccinate their children. One-third of Texans ages 12 to 17 are now fully vaccinated, and nearly half have had at least one dose.

Speak up. Get the vaccine. Wear the mask. Do it for the students  and the teachers.

Nancy.Preyor-Johnson@express-news.net
A global pandemic cant be fought with an isolationist approach that ignores how connected all nations and people are to each other.

An observation repeated frequently since COVID descended on the United States is that the virus magnified the nations inequities. Differences in race, class, and access to opportunities and health care, which existed pre-pandemic, have become more glaring. The inequities have been no less magnified globally, accenting the wide chasm between wealthy and low-income countries.

This is especially true when it comes to access to vaccines. The effort to inoculate everyone in the world against COVID is the largest vaccination campaign in history. Nearly 5 billion doses have been administered in 183 countries.

According to Our World in Data, an online science journal that tracks vaccinations across the globe, 31.7 percent of the worlds population has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 23.7 percent are fully vaccinated. But only 1.3 percent of people in low-income countries have received at least one dose. Less than 2 percent of Africas 1.3 billion people have been vaccinated.

To date, the U.S. has delivered 110 million doses to 65 countries and acquired 500 million doses that it will donate by the end of this month. As impressive as those numbers are, they represent a small percentage of the 11 billion vaccines the World Health Organization estimates is needed to vaccinate 70 percent of the worlds population to rein in COVID.

For all that the U.S. and other wealthier nations are doing to distribute vaccines to poorer nations, the speed with which the delta variant is raging across the planet means the development and distribution of vaccines must be accelerated by a U.S.-led multilateral effort. As long as people around the world are unvaccinated, virus mutations will develop, threatening all.

In announcing that it would support waiving intellectual-property protections on vaccines, the Biden administration has freed some countries to make vaccines. Still, only a few nations can manufacture vaccines, and they would require significant investments and training to scale up production.

Last week, more than 175 public health experts, scientists and activists delivered a letter to President Joe Biden demanding such an accelerated and concentrated fight. With the goal of vaccinating 4 billion people by the end of 2021, they demanded three specific actions by his administration:

Commit to establishing 8 billion doses per year of messenger RNA vaccine capacity within six months using existing federal resources.

They write that while the other vaccines are effective and will play important roles in global vaccination efforts, mRNA vaccines have proven to be faster and more reliable to produce than the others and are more effective against current variants.

Simultaneously, develop and implement training and technology transfer for the development and manufacture of mRNA and other vaccines in hubs around the world.

Begin immediate export of vaccine doses  within one week  of at least 10 million per week through international distribution agencies.

Stressing the urgency of the moment, the letter ended this way: We urge you to act now. Announcing within the next 30 days an ambitious global vaccine manufacturing program is the only way to control this pandemic, protect the precious gains made to date, and build vaccine infrastructure for the future.

In August 2020, the world waited anxiously for the arrival of vaccines to combat this relentless virus. One year later, the virus remains relentless and much of the world continues to wait for vaccines.

The United States must take the lead in erasing this vaccine inequity between us and those with who we share this world. All our lives depend on it.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton joined conservative host Chris Salcedo on his Newsmax show Aug. 7 to sound off against the Biden administration and its immigration policies as the COVID-19 delta variant fuels another nationwide wave.

"As you know, Biden and NGOs are releasing illegal aliens into Texas with the China virus ... and they are losing control as the infected are wandering off inside of Texas cities with free reign inside those cities and towns," Salcedo said.

"This is exactly what we filed our lawsuit about several months ago," Paxton replied, referring to an April suit that accuses the Biden administration of encouraging COVID-19 spread in border communities. "And it relates to the president just letting people in."

"Theyre not even testing these people," Paxton said.

Paxtons first claim that the Biden administration is "just letting people in" is a claim that has been widely repeated and roundly debunked. PolitiFact has found that, although tens of thousands of people cross the border undetected, the vast majority of migrants encountered by Border Patrol are sent back to Mexico under Title 42  a Trump-era policy designed to curb COVID-19 spread that the Biden administration has left in place.

Rather, this fact check focuses on Paxtons claim that the administration is "not even testing these people" being released into the U.S. We found that while there are testing protocols in place, there are examples of cracks in the system through which some untested migrants slip through.

Migrants who are being tested

COVID-19 testing protocols have existed at the border under both the present and former administrations. Testing is done via a patchwork of federal agencies, local governments, organizations and contractors at various stages of the immigration process.

In April, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security told PolitiFact that it works with state authorities, local authorities and non-governmental organizations to ensure that "100% of noncitizens" are tested for COVID-19 "at some point during their immigration journey." The agency also has told PolitiFact that a negative coronavirus test is required by the federal government before entry to the U.S.

"CBP takes its responsibility to prevent the spread of communicable diseases very seriously," a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol spokesperson told PolitiFact in a statement. "We value our partners in local communities whose work is critical to moving individuals safely out of CBP/USBP custody and through the appropriate immigration pathway."

While local governments and non-governmental organizations test migrants released from Border Patrol custody, the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement test those released in areas without local testing capability. U.S. Health and Human Services is responsible for testing unaccompanied children.

The agencies did not provide a list of the third-party non-governmental organizations or contractors performing tests. Nonetheless, we do know of some examples of local testing being performed.

In Brownsville, for instance, the city conducts a rapid test to each person Border Patrol drops off at the citys bus terminal. As of Tuesday, the city had tested 13,443 migrants for COVID-19, with 1,249 testing positive and quarantining in the U.S.  a positivity rate of 9.3%. (As of Aug. 6, Texas' positivity rate was 17.3%, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.)

In Laredo, the Holding Institute, a nonprofit, tests migrants released by Border Patrol and quarantines those who test positive, although the nonprofit did not respond to a request for testing numbers Friday.

The agencies also didnt provide comprehensive testing numbers for migrants released into the U.S. However, a federal document obtained this month by NBC News shows that, over the previous two to three weeks, more than 18% of migrant families and 20% of unaccompanied minors tested positive for COVID-19 before leaving Border Patrol custody. Migrants who test positive before being released are given hotel rooms in which to quarantine.

Federal officials attribute the high COVID positivity rate among undocumented migrants to "the highly transmissible Delta variant combined with lengthier stays in crowded facilities," NBC News reported.

Paxtons office did not respond to a request for comment.

Migrants who are not being tested

Its unclear how many migrants may be bypassing COVID testing screens as they wind their way through the immigration system and are released by Border Patrol. But the El Paso Times revealed Thursday one such example in Laredo.

The Times reported about an agreement between Border Patrol and the city of Laredo in which migrants released by the agency would be put on buses bound for Austin, Dallas and Houston without being tested. A city spokesperson told the Times that the agreement was a result of strained testing capacity.

"If these migrants do test positive, or if any one of them needs care at the hospital, we cant. We dont have capacity at the hospital," spokesperson Noraida Negron told the newspaper. "Our NGOs were literally busting at the seams."

Our ruling

During a Newsmax interview, Paxton claimed that federal officials are "not even testing" migrants who are released by Border Patrol into U.S. communities.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has said that "100% of noncitizens" are tested for COVID-19 "at some point during their immigration journey," and that this testing is performed by a mix of federal agencies, local governments and non-governmental organizations.

While there are numerous clear examples of testing happening before migrants are released into the U.S., we know of one recent example in which strained testing capabilities led to untested migrants being released. However, the full scope of untested migrants is unknown.

We rate this claim Mostly False.
The City Council approved a $200,000 agreement Thursday with a nonprofit that helps migrants arriving at the San Antonio airport after being released from federal custody, despite criticism that the new arrivals are not all being tested for COVID-19.

A lively exchange on the council centered on a contract with Catholic Charities that runs through Dec. 31. The nonprofit provides migrant services primarily at San Antonio International, which daily serves 300-500 migrants released from U.S. border facilities in Eagle Pass or Del Rio and traveling to connect with relatives, jobs or places to stay elsewhere in the United States. Councilman Clayton Perry said the city should be pressing federal authorities to test all migrants for the virus since the city is prohibited by law from treating them differently than U.S. citizens.

We dont know if theyve been tested. We dont know if theyre positive. And it just seems like theres no concern at all about that, Perry said.

On ExpressNews.com: About 2,400 migrant children coming to Freeman Coliseum

Once individuals have applied for asylum and been granted access to the United States, they typically are offered a ride to an airport by Catholic Charities or another nonprofit, which often assists them with travel arrangements and sometimes tests them for COVID-19. Some are tested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

But not all migrants passing briefly through San Antonio at the airport and downtown Greyhound bus station are tested, and city officials did not have a percentage breakdown. All travelers are required under federal rules to wear masks at the airport, and migrants who test positive for the virus are taken to a hotel for a two-week quarantine, with expenses reimbursed by the federal government.

But the city cant demand they be tested.

They have as many rights as anybody else in this country, City Manager Erik Walsh told the council. We cant test everybody that shows up at the airport right now.

Councilwoman Ana Sandoval said she took tremendous issue and offense to Perrys line of questioning.

I believe that calling this item out for discussion is calling it out because the people who are receiving these services are people of color and because they have a different national origin than some of the people sitting on this dais, Sandoval said.

Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez, seizing on Perrys suggestion that the city send teams to test migrants at the border, jested, I never thought Id see Councilman Perry advocating for big government.

Theres room in the socialist caucus for you, Councilman Perry, McKee-Rodriguez said. On a more serious note, I did want to say that, on the record, no human being is illegal; no human being is an alien. And so thats rhetoric that Im very disgusted by. And quite frankly, I view it as a slur.

Perry said his remarks, insisting the federal government require testing of everyone entering the country, were being twisted.

It has nothing to do about race. And I, too, take great offense that we always play the race card on something like this. Thats preposterous, Perry said.

His fellow North Side councilmen backed him up as having legitimate concerns about public health. Councilman Manny Pelaez, though participating in the meeting virtually, said anyone suggesting Perry was bigoted  fightin words  could meet me in the parking lot.

Councilman John Courage said he was worried Perrys questions would be misinterpreted as causing fear and anger and could have been better posed privately to staff rather than at a public meeting. Nearly half of Texans who drive all over this state havent been vaccinated, and many of the 1.5 million visitors monthly in San Antonio havent been tested, Courage said.

Im just afraid that what my friend has said is going to cause unnecessary alarm and enhance some prejudice and racial tendencies that some people have, which really is uncalled for, he added.

Mayor Ron Nirenberg, the last council member to weigh in before the contract was unanimously approved, said it was in keeping with a commitment the city took on when he assumed the mayors office in 2017 to be a compassionate community. Nirenberg said hes grateful for nonprofits that help the city in that role amid a decades-old migrant crisis that has intensified during the pandemic.

On ExpressNews.com: Bexar County officials dispute Abbotts charges of abuse at Freeman

Our job is not to ask for your papers. Its to ask how we can help, Nirenberg said.

In a release, Perry said he supported the contract because he understands and is sympathetic to the plight of the migrant people who continue to take great risks to seek asylum in the United States.

This is a humanitarian and a health issue, and as a compassionate city, our leaders should allow everyone space to express their concerns, rather than discarding them as racist, Perry said. For many years, our federal government has failed on issues of immigration, and this is an extension of that failure.

The contract will be paid through city funds, but it is eligible for reimbursement through the federal American Rescue Plan Act.

shuddleston@express-news.net
Jon Shapley, Staff / Houston Chronicle

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz said at an event Wednesday night that he will vote for Gov. Greg Abbott over at least two notable challengers in next years Republican primary, prompting boos from a conservative activist crowd.

Abbott, who served as attorney general before moving into the governors mansion, appointed Cruz as solicitor general  the states top appellate lawyer  shortly after taking office in 2003. Cruz credited Abbott for launching his political career with that appointment, while also citing the governors endorsement of his 2016 presidential campaign.
As Gov. Greg Abbott fights county governments and school districts in court over mask mandates, one Republican lawmaker has proposed making Abbotts ban on local mask orders the law of the land.

State Rep. Jeff Leachs bill was yet another reason Democrats said they were wary of returning to the Capitol after their six-week standoff away from the Legislature, and it remains a key concern now as they return.

The initial goal of the walkout was to block GOP priority election legislation, which Democrats have said will disenfranchise minority voters and voters with disabilities. But that purpose morphed and expanded, Democratic lawmakers said, and the Leach bill was top of mind.

Heroes leading our school districts have defied Greg Abbotts order and set local policy to protect millions of children and their families from COVID, but those brave efforts are now at risk if the Republican legislative majority has its way, a group of 34 Democrats said in a statement Friday, as they expressed their disappointment in colleagues who had returned to restore the quorum.

While mask mandates and COVID-19 in schools are not on Abbotts agenda for the special session, the governor can always add an item.

Its very possible, House GOP Caucus Chair Rep. Jim Murphy told reporters Thursday. I know there have been a lot of conversations about that. Theres only one person that gets to make that decision and I am not that person.

State Rep. Rafael Anchia, D-Dallas, said the items on Abbotts 17-point agenda as of now are really partisan, red-meat issues that are designed to not only get Greg Abbott re-elected as governor but set him up to run for the presidency, pointing to bills aimed at transgender athletes, stopping abortion and dictating how teachers can instruct on current events and the history of racism in America.

Those are hallmarks of his agenda, Anchia said. We dont want to be complicit in this really sort of craven political exercise because we take our responsibility as a co-equal branch of government very seriously.

IN-DEPTH: COVID outbreaks in rural Texas districts signal a troubled back-to-school season

Republicans have pointed to more moderate measures on the special session agenda, such as allocation of federal COVID-19 dollars, foster care system improvements and an effort to give retired teachers a pension bonus, known as a 13th check. Murphy said he believes most of those have bipartisan support and will pass fairly quickly.

Leachs bill, House Bill 141, would essentially codify Abbotts executive order that blocked local jurisdictions from enacting mask mandates to curb the spread of COVID-19. The Republican governor has characterized it as a matter of defending Texans liberty to choose whether or not they mask up.

Under the bill, a student cannot be compelled to wear a mask as a condition of the students admission to, continued enrollment in, or attendance at any public school in this state.

That contradicts the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance that all teachers, staff, students and visitors to K-12 schools wear masks, regardless of vaccination status.

Neither Leach nor Abbott could be reached for comment Thursday. Leach has defended the bill as being about freedom. The governor has not made any public statements about the bill or his willingness to expand the special session agenda to include COVID-19 and schools.

Already, hundreds of COVID cases have been reported at Houston-area school districts with Abbotts order in place. The Texas Supreme Court last week allowed the policy to stay in place while it deliberates.

TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

A recent Ipsos poll found that two-thirds of Americans oppose state prohibitions on mask mandates. The issue split down partisan lines, however, with 57 percent of Republicans in support compared with just 16 percent of Democrats.

Its just dangerous, Anchia said about Leachs bill. And its going to lead to unnecessary deaths of Texans.

State Rep. Gina Hinojosa, D-Austin, echoed those sentiments on Twitter last week, saying: Dont be fooled. A Texas Special Session under the Republican majority will only wreak more havoc on our communities.

Leach shot back in response with a photo of maskless Texas Democratic lawmakers on a private airplane during their July walkout to Washington, D.C.

My children should be allowed to live their lives like you, Gina, with the freedom to wear a mask or not wear a mask, Leach responded. If you can do it on a plane, certainly my 6-year-old should be able to do it in his classroom.

At least six Democrats, all of whom were vaccinated, contracted COVID-19 within a week of arriving in Washington, causing the group to quarantine in their hotel rooms.

Rep. Shawn Thierry, D-Houston, said Leachs bill could have catastrophic results.

If we codified that, children will die, Thierry said. These are real peoples lives. They should not be political pawns.

Thierry said there are other options even if the state-level suits fail, such as suing in federal court.

Passing Leachs bill into law, she said, would close those options off for at least the next two years when lawmakers meet for the next biennial legislative session.

An attorney and a mother of a third-grader herself, Thierry said she has struggled with what to do with all the uncertainty around COVID-19 precautions in schools. On Thursday morning, she told the Houston Chronicle she made the difficult decision to pull her daughter out of the Houston Independent School District and enroll her in private school.

While the district has said its mandate will remain in place and classes for her daughter have not started yet, Thierry said she worried about its ability to enforce the mask rule.

I had to go somewhere where I know (COVID-19 rules) will be abided by, she said. Im a product of public schools; I support them. My daughter was in a magnet program. To have to pull her out now  shes been there since kinder  is just devastating to us, but even she had the maturity at 8 years of age to say she could accept it.  I cant play Russian roulette with my daughter.

taylor.goldenstein@chron.com

twitter.com/taygoldenstein


The President of the Air Transport Association at the Croatian Chamber of Commerce and the General Manager of Brac Airport, Tonci Peovic, has expressed his uncertainty over Ryanairs growing operations at Zagreb Airport, warning it will destabilise the national carrier Croatia Airlines. Mr Peovic, who previously served as both the General Manager of Zagreb Airport and Dubrovnik Airport, said, Low cost airlines bring less revenue to airports, therefore, I am not sure how good it is that Ryanair has opened a base in Zagreb. It will bring great uncertainty to Croatia Airlines. It is different in Split and Dubrovnik, where Ryanair pays the same fees as all other carriers. Mr Peovic added, In addition, we have new airlines being established without the burden of prior debt. Trade Air recently acquired a new aircraft and now has four Airbus A320s in its fleet, as well as several Fokkers, while another small Croatian carrier, ETF Airways, already has three jets in its fleet. Based on capacity, these two airlines are already almost the size of Croatia Airlines. The President of the Air Transport Association at the Croatian Chamber of Commerce and the General Manager of Brac Airport, Tonci Peovic, has expressed his uncertainty over Ryanairs growing operations at Zagreb Airport, warning it will destabilise the national carrier Croatia Airlines. Mr Peovic, who previously served as both the General Manager of Zagreb Airport and Dubrovnik Airport, said, Low cost airlines bring less revenue to airports, therefore, I am not sure how good it is that Ryanair has opened a base in Zagreb. It will bring great uncertainty to Croatia Airlines. It is different in Split and Dubrovnik, where Ryanair pays the same fees as all other carriers. Mr Peovic added, In addition, we have new airlines being established without the burden of prior debt. Trade Air recently acquired a new aircraft and now has four Airbus A320s in its fleet, as well as several Fokkers, while another small Croatian carrier, ETF Airways, already has three jets in its fleet. Based on capacity, these two airlines are already almost the size of Croatia Airlines.





Ryanair will be operating 24 routes out of the Croatian capital by the end of the year, just six months after commencing operations to the city. At this point, over the course of the winter season, Ryanair will maintain 2.370 flight operations to and from Zagreb compared to Croatia Airlines 7.142, which also includes its domestic network. The budget airline has 427.158 seats on sale to and from the Croatian capital, while Croatia Airlines has 785.140. Ryanairs CEO, Eddie Wilson, previously said there would be enough room for the budget carrier and the national airline to coexist in Zagreb. It will just mean that everyone will become more efficient, and everyone will be paying less. There is room for everyone, he noted.





Ryanairs CEO said his airline is launching flights to Zagreb because it sees opportunities but also because of the airports incentive policy. We dont get any subsidies. What you have here is that an airport needs passengers and they put an incentive in. Thats a published scheme, its not a secret deal and any airline can access it, Croatia Airlines included, he noted. Unlike Mr Peovic, Ryanairs CEO believes his airline will generate more revenue for Zagreb Airport. We are all for transparency because the airport here has invested in fantastic facilities. The only way they are going to get a return on that is not by putting up prices but by generating more passengers to spread it across their fixed costs. So, the more passengers they get, the more efficient they get and the more revenue streams they get. Its the way everything works. Constraining that is the wrong way to do it, Mr Wilson said.








Sterling, VA (20165)

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LONDON (AP)  Sandra Oh has been dancing with death and serial killer Villanelle on Killing Eve since 2018, so she could do with a laugh.

That's one of the reasons the Canadian-American actor took on the role of Professor Ji-Yoon Kim, the newly appointed head of a prestigious but struggling college's English department in Netflix's comedy-drama series The Chair.

As rewarding as she finds Killing Eve, Oh said, its darker elements make it "hard for me to shoot the show.... I feel like Ive wanted to live in a comedy space.

The six-episode The Chair, out Friday on the streaming service, blends humor with the daunting challenges that Ji-Yoon faces at a school beset by financial woes and generational clashes.

Enrollment in the English department is down and most of the professors are older, white and stuck in their ways  which doesnt go down well with the politically correct students of Pembroke University.

Ji-Yoon's relationship with her headstrong, grade-school daughter Ju-Hee (Everly Carganilla) is rocky as well. The series from actor-turned-showrunner Amanda Peet attempts to show family relationships in a realistic and complex way.

I moved into the mother part of my career, and usually its kind of been a death knell for actresses, Oh said. I realize its because the parts for the mother arent that great. But the ones that I am playing are very full, multidimensional and rich to play."

While most of the shows cast, which includes Jay Duplass, Holland Taylor, Nana Mensah and Bob Balaban, have been to college, Oh didnt attend.

Indeed, the shows focus on academia was not a pull for the Canadian-born daughter of South Korean immigrants. It was her character's name that she noticed first.

I can, very slowly over my career, note the change that has happened, to be actually able to put a Korean name and have all the characters say your name. It really appealed to me," she said. "It says something because it normalizes things that you dont realize that in everyday life (are) normal. So it needs to be normalized on screen.

The Chair was filming in Pittsburgh in March when a series of shootings in the Atlanta-area left eight people dead, six of whom were women of Asian descent. Oh felt compelled to make her voice heard at an anti-violence rally on a Pittsburgh street corner.

I just knew I didnt want to be alone. I wanted to gather with other Asian people," she said. She discussed it with the cast and crew, "who really responded so beautifully because these things are important to them as well. So even though it was a tricky time during Covid, because we still need to do our jobs and continue shooting, it was very important to all of us to be in (the) community and to hear each other.

Oh said she hopes her screen portrayals make a difference when it comes to representing people of Asian ethnicity.

I feel like what I can do in my work far outweighs anything that I could possibly say in a rally or a tweet or even in an essay, because thats not the medium that I am at my best, that I feel I can communicate the most in."

Oh has been in London filming the final season of Killing Eve, which in 2018 earned her a best drama series actress Emmy nomination  the first for an Asian actor in the category. She's had two other nominations in the category since. She's hoping to tie up the twisted relationship between her character, Eve Polastri, and serial killer Villanelle (Jodie Comer), while remaining "truthful'' to the characters.

Theres another role of Ohs that has touched audiences: her portrayal of Dr. Cristina Yang in the long-running hospital drama Greys Anatomy. Oh left the hit show in 2014. Early in the pandemic, people stuck at home tuned in to  or discovered  the show and gathered on social media to discuss plotlines from recent and older seasons.

I do think the show was a real comfort to a lot of people during the pandemic," she said. Its amazing to be a part of a show that gives that type of comfort or familiarity to people. Its a great, great privilege. Im happy if people rediscovered it or discover for the first time.
DENVER (AP)  Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert's husband made $478,000 last year working as a consultant for an energy firm, information that was not disclosed during Boebert's congressional campaign and only reported in her financial disclosure forms filed this week.

In paperwork filed with the House of Representatives on Tuesday, the Republican congresswoman reported that her husband, Jayson Boebert, received the money as a consultant to Terra Energy Productions in 2020, and earned $460,000 as a consultant for the firm in 2019.

Boebert did not report the income last year, when she stunned the political world by ousting incumbent Rep. Scott Tipton during the GOP primary in Colorado's sprawling 3rd district, which stretches from ski resorts to energy-rich basins in the state's west. Boebert went on to win the general election in the Republican-leaning district.

Ethics and campaign finance laws require candidates and members of Congress to disclose sources of their immediate family's income, along with major investments and assets, to let voters evaluate potential conflicts of interest. Boebert has been a defender of the energy industry, which is very active in her district.

Boebert's disclosure of additional household income came as the Federal Elections Commission this week asked her campaign for information about a series of campaign transactions. The FEC sought explanation of why the campaign sent Boebert $6,000 via Venmo in four separate transactions on May 3 and June 3. The campaign told the FEC the transactions were errors and have been refunded.

In her previous filing, Boebert reported her income as coming from a gun-themed restaurant she and her husband run in Rifle, Colorado, and an affiliated smokehouse. Boebert also listed Boebert Consulting  spouse on the candidate form, but listed her husband's income source as "N/A."

Kedric Payne, a former deputy chief counsel in the Office of Congressional Ethics who now works at the Campaign Legal Center, said Boebert should have fully disclosed the sources of her husbands income last year.

The spouse is supposed to disclose the source of all earned income and this doesnt add up with what was in the prior filing, Payne said,

Mr. Boebert has worked in energy production for 18 years and has had Boebert Consulting since 2012, Ben Stout, the congresswomans deputy chief of staff, said in an email. For any other questions regarding the congresswomans finances, Id refer you to the disclosure she filed.

There is no company called Terra Energy Productions registered with the state. But Terra Energy Partners, a Houston-based firm that boasts it is one of the largest producers of natural gas in Colorado," has a heavy presence in Boebert's district. The company did not return a call for comment.

Boebert has become a partisan lightning rod during her brief time in Congress, insisting on her right to bring a gun onto the floor of the House, voting to overturn President Joe Biden's victory in two states and maintaining a fiery presence on social media.

Her disclosure form reports that her restaurant, Shooters Grill, lost $143,000 in 2019 and $226,000 in 2020. Her candidacy was partly driven by her protest against lockdowns during the start of the pandemic last year, which she argued threatened businesses like hers.
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP)  Kentucky hospitals have reached a critical point in finding enough space and staff to treat an influx of COVID-19 patients, Gov. Andy Beshear said Thursday.

The governor pleaded with the unvaccinated to get inoculated and pushed back aggressively against vaccine and masking skeptics on social media.

The highly contagious delta variant is burning through our population, Beshear said, pointing to a record number of coronavirus patients being treated in intensive care units. At least 21 hospitals across Kentucky are facing critical staffing shortages, he said.

Our hospital capacity, really the capacity that we have based on the staffing that we have, is reaching a critical point, Beshear said at a news conference.

At this rate, we are going to be out of hospital capacity, very, very soon, he added.

Beshear said he received a text message Wednesday from a close friend who is a doctor. The friend asked him to pray for his staff as they continue treating COVID patients, the governor said.

The governor again pleaded with the unvaccinated to get the COVID-19 shots, backed by video testimonials from frontline health care professionals who spoke of rising hospitalizations.

I hope that seeing that hospitals are to a point where they might not be able to help you if you are in a car wreck, or otherwise harmed, will somehow get through and lead to more people getting that vaccine that helps protect us all, Beshear said.

At Baptist Health Hardin in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, 91 patients were battling COVID-19 on Thursday, compared to a daily high of 56 during a previous virus surge last December, Beshear said. Of the hospital's 20 ICU or critical care unit beds, 18 were filled with COVID patients on Thursday, and most are unvaccinated, the governor said.

Were using high-flow oxygen and ventilators at rates that weve really never seen before at this hospital, Dr. John Godfrey, vice president and chief medical officer of Baptist Health Hardin, said in a video message. What's going on with COVID right now in the community is significantly straining our health care system.

Kentucky reported 4,836 coronavirus cases and nine deaths Thursday. Some 1,708 Kentuckians are hospitalized with the virus. The state's test positivity rate is 12.75%, up from 11.57% on the same day, last week.

With Kentucky in the midst of its worst COVID resurgence, the state's Democratic governor forcefully pushed back against social media messages that criticize the use of masks and question the vaccines and other health guidelines to combat the virus.

One of the most difficult things that we face in our fight against this virus is folks either putting out information that is blatantly false or sometimes intentionally lying, he said.

Beshear was asked whether the criticism applied to two Republican Kentucky lawmakers  U.S. Sen. Rand Paul and U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie. Twitter feeds of both libertarian-leaning lawmakers include posts casting doubt on public health experts consensus on how to fight COVID-19.

I believe those two individuals are misleading people on Twitter, the governor said.

The lawmakers' offices didn't immediately respond to emails seeking comment.

The governor praised Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., for doing the right thing. McConnell consistently urges people to get the COVID-19 vaccinations as he travels the state.

The governor signed an executive order last week requiring people to mask up when in K-12 schools. Without masks, children too young to receive the vaccine would be defenseless, he says. Children under age 12 arent eligible for the coronavirus vaccine. The state school board followed up with an emergency regulation requiring masking up in public schools.

Beshear said Thursday that the mask mandate in schools was the absolute right call in trying to keep schools open amid the COVID surge.

Beshear also is urging people to mask up when indoors, away from home.

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Follow APs coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic.
FAIRFIELD  Tempers flared Tuesday night between school officials and unmasked residents during a Fairfield Board of Education meeting , prompting district staff to call the police to settle the dispute.

The tense exchange is just the latest incident in the long-lasting debate over the need to wear masks.

The Board of Education Policy Committee held a special meeting to discuss a slew of items, including the school districts approach to mask breaks for the upcoming school year, which is set to start Aug. 30.

The meeting was held at the school district offices and while officials required masks be worn at the event, there was no signage saying they were required, sparking the heated altercation, according to the Fairfield Police Department.

Committee chairwoman Jennifer Maxon-Kennelly could not be reached for comment.

School officials from the meeting called police because certain attendees who showed up for public comment in the conference room were allegedly getting unruly, as there was a dispute regarding whether or not masks were required to attend the meeting, Capt. Antonio Granata said. Police assisted in sorting out the dispute, noting where the mask mandate was made clear and where it was not.

According to the police report, the policy committee special meeting was posted (on the agenda) and clearly states Masks are required in BOE Central Office, despite no mask requirements posted throughout the second floor or the main entrance of the building.

During the initial part of the meeting, the committee gathered in a small conference room, but, the public was asked to listen to audio of the meeting in a larger room. After having some trouble hearing the audio in the other room, a few residents, some who were masked and some who were not, knocked on the conference room door where the debate started whether masks were required or not, police said.

Granata said one attendee was permitted to briefly speak without a mask before leaving the meeting and subsequently left without incident.

The meeting continued with the mask mandate having been made clear from that point on, Granata said. There were no actionable violations and the police concluded their assistance.

The meeting continued after a near 30-minute break to settle the tempers from both the board and public.

School officials confirmed that elementary students would have two mask breaks in addition to lunch, middle school students would have one and high school students would take breaks during passing time.

The mask mandate in school has been an important and controversial discussion in Fairfield lately. Gov. Ned Lamont has said that there is no immediate end to his executive order on requiring masks in school. The order is set to remain in effect through Sept. 30.

The school board had sent a letter in June calling on the state to remove the mask mandate, but that was before the recent uptick in cases.
TOKYO (AP)  Toyota is scaling back production in North America and Japan as the surging coronavirus pandemic in Southeast Asia and elsewhere crimps supplies.

Japans top automaker said Thursday that it will cut back production at home by 40%, affecting 14 auto assembly plants in the country.

In North America, Toyota said it expects August production to be slashed by 60,000 to 90,000 vehicles. A representative from Toyota said that output fluctuates month to month, but that it would equate to a production cut of between 40% and 60%.

Due to COVID-19 and unexpected events with our supply chain, Toyota is experiencing additional shortages that will affect production at most of our North American plants," the company said in a prepared statement Thursday. While the situation remains fluid and complex, our manufacturing and supply chain teams have worked diligently to develop countermeasures to minimize the impact on production.

The company said production cuts in North America are not expected to have an impact on staffing levels.

In Japan, production will halt completely next month at some plants and partly at others, affecting a wide range of models, including the Corolla subcompact, Prius hybrid and Land Cruiser sport utility vehicle.

Global production for September will decline by 360,000 vehicles, according to Toyota Motor Corp. But it stuck to its annual forecast to produce 9.3 million vehicles, as coronavirus risks were figured in.

Of the lost production out of Japan, 140,000 vehicles are for Japan and 220,000 for overseas, with 80,000 in the U.S., 40,000 in Europe, 80,000 in China, 8,000 in the rest of Asia and about 10,000 in other regions.

Toyota had already announced smaller production cuts for July and August in Japan.

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused to our customers and suppliers due to these changes, Toyota said.

A shortage of the computer chips used widely in vehicles has been problematic for months as the world appeared to emerge from the pandemic and demand surged. Toyota had not been hit as hard as some other major automakers, and now the spread of the delta variant has introduced new complications.

David Leggett, auto analyst at GlobalData, said auto demand is now down in Vietnam, and sales have already been hurt in some markets for all manufacturers.

The pandemic is clearly far from over and appears, as far as the auto industrys recovery path is concerned, to have a sting in the tail, he said.

Toyota has held up relatively well amid the pandemic, racking up a record profit for the April-June quarter at about $8 billion, an increase of more than fivefold from the same period the previous year.

___

Auto Writer Tom Krisher and AP Business Writer Michelle Chapman contributed to this report.

Yuri Kageyama is on Twitter at https://twitter.com/yurikageyama
Timothy Keiderlings decision to enroll in the Princeton Theological Seminary reflected his commitment to give my life to work for justice and to live out the values of the Kingdom of God. In a letter to the seminarys president, Craig Barnes, he wrote that he would sacrifice anything to make sure that my brothers and sisters see relief from their oppression.

But the seminarys concept of justice clashed with Keiderlings conscience when PTS required him to attend anti-racism training sessions that he considered a form of indoctrination. He refused to participate in the sessions even after being reminded that they were mandatory. And then  early this year, with the potent support of the newly founded Academic Freedom Alliance (AFA)  he convinced the seminary to exempt him from the training.

It was a real victory which can advance the academic freedom cause substantially, says Princeton Professor Robert George, a leader of the AFA who acted as an adviser to Keiderling, and whom the latter credits with making his victory possible. Instead of a victim, we have a victor  one who stuck to his guns and persuaded his institution not only to respect his right of conscience, but to acknowledge the difference between education and indoctrination.

As universities across the country careen more and more to the left  amid attacks not only on conservative and moderate students and faculty but also on liberals targeted for not being radical enough  mandatory instruction in far-left views on race, gender, and sexuality is on the rise. Students and faculty are told what they must think and say while submitting to trainings that require them to confess to, or otherwise accept guilt for, the taint of whiteness, or to defer to nonwhite and LGBTQ students or both.

Keiderlings case matters because  at a time when critical race theory and anti-racism training are routinely described in the media as benign ways to encourage meaningful conversations  his experience opens a window into the often coercive and radical nature of those efforts. His willingness to push back against being told what he must think and to hint at a possible lawsuit to protect his right to think for himself may presage something like the broad pushback that has taken place in the courts against unfair procedures in campus sexual assault cases, suggested George.

Keiderling, who hails from the New Paltz, N.Y., area, said he entered PTS in August 2019, at the age of 24, hoping to learn the variety of opinions on the big questions about the New Testament, including nondenominational, outside-the-box perspectives.

He enjoyed most of his first year at PTS and his roughly 360 fellow graduate students and other friends in Princeton. But that year was a turbulent time, as the seminary was in the midst of an intensive, multi-year analysis of its ties to slavery, its ongoing legacy of racism since its founding in 1812, and its need for confession and repentance. And in Keiderlings second year  after police killings of George Floyd and others had rocked the school along with the rest of the country  the seminary became focused on race, gender, and causes including social justice and a serious overhaul in the nations approach to policing. Beginning in August 2020, he said, he and his classmates were required to submit to direction by PTS in how they must think and speak about matters of race, gender and sexuality.

We were given guided readings and videos and told that there is only one possible response, he recalls. In other words, we were told what to think. I considered it indoctrination.

He is not alone in that concern, according to Samantha Harris, a Philadelphia-area lawyer and former student of Georges who specializes in advising students and faculty, and whom Keiderling retained at Georges suggestion.

Students and faculty of all races and ethnicities have increasingly been objecting to diversity trainings that label people as oppressors or oppressed based on their group identity rather than focusing on the importance of treating every individual with equal worth and dignity, Harris said. And increasingly, these students and parents have been paying a steep price for challenging the official orthodoxy of the educational elite.

Most students choose, however reluctantly, to go along with this sort of training rather than challenge it as Keiderling did. Indeed, he says, he might have gone along too, but for the help he got from the Academic Freedom Alliance.

As Keiderling now knows, but many well-educated people do not know, being ordered to say something that one does not believe has been held by the Supreme Court to violate the First Amendment guarantee of free speech since a 1943 decision barred public schools from requiring children to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Private institutions such as PTS are not bound by the First Amendment. But courts have construed the assurances of freedom of thought and speech that most private universities (and seminaries) provide in their promotional literature and handbooks as contractually binding commitments to students who choose to attend. Keiderling saw that the PTS Handbook, for example, said that the Seminary encourages frank and candid discussion of matters under debate in society and church [and] deplores efforts to suppress views contrary to ones own.

Nevertheless, Keiderling attended the first training session in August 2020. He was troubled when the trainers asked participants to choose readings about racism to complete based on the race with which we identify. PTS required that students be separated into three Zoom meeting groups: a white-only group, which students were told creates a space where we can really grapple with our Whiteness and how weve been socialized without harm[ing] our colleagues and co-students of color; a group of students who identify as Black, Indigenous, or a person of color; and a racially integrated group for those uncomfortable with segregation.

(These passages, from videos related to the training, were leaked to the conservative Young Americas Foundation, which posted them on its website.)

Barnes said in an email interview that if students chose to initially self-select to participate in [racial] affinity groups, they were required to engage in broader, racially diverse, community discussions later in the process.

Many of the meetings were led by paid consultants from companies that are in the business of conducting such training.

Keiderling was troubled when the trainers suggested that being white was something to repent for. In his view, followers of Jesus should not treat one another differently based on race and that kind of training would divide us.

A Report From the Antiracism Task Force sent to students and faculty by groups chairperson, the Rev. Dr. Victor Aloyo Jr., said: It is imperative to offer white and white-passing constituents opportunities to grow in their understanding of white privilege and white supremacy and their responsibility to dismantle it, both in their individual lives and within the Seminary. ... Faculty, administration, students, and staff will be required to attend seminars on antiracism conducted by an external trainer. The seminars will include Implicit Bias assessment and training as a first step in creating an Equity Lens, which is essential to begin the difficult work of developing antiracism philosophy and practice.

Students were also told that the centering principle of Princeton Seminarys training and growth efforts is around the wants and needs of the faculty, staff, and People of Color; that these efforts should fall primarily on members of the majority culture; and that the Seminary, and all its constituency together will continually identify and unpack systems of oppression present within the seminary culture.

Keiderling said this approach was in conflict with the Seminarys stated principles.

The institution markets itself as a place that values free inquiry and the freedom of conscience, he said. Yet in a situation of momentous national importance, when it seemed like the foundation on which our country was built was cracking, that freedom of thought and inquiry was essentially taken away.

Aside from indoctrinating students on how they must think and speak about matters of race, PTS policies and teachings contained multiple racial and other double standards unfavorable to white students. In a report titled Princeton Seminary and Slavery, the PTS leadership made assertions such as: Whiteness is a form of structural sin that white people are embedded into, a system they did not choose but nevertheless benefit from. Barnes, the PTS president, announced that any student who identified as a person of color could have free counseling sessions with a licensed psychologist for trauma. (Barnes said in the interview: Counseling resources are available to all of our students, and the announcement you reference was in response to a specific request from students in a specific context.)

Even as it pressed these views, the seminary worked to keep them hidden. Barnes sent an email to the Seminary Community on March 18, 2021, complaining that the antiracism formational materials and videos that were created for our community were recently shared widely on a website that distorted the materials to discredit this important work. He denounced as a breach of trust the leaking of them to the Young Americas Foundation and said that the seminary is pursuing claims with YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook to remove this proprietary content.

Barnes said in the interview: We did not seek to hide our materials as you suggest, but they were designed to be used within a specific context. He said the leak violated participants privacy, and the distribution of the unauthorized recording without the permission of participants is not only disrespectful but threatens the effectiveness of the initiative, which requires ... trust and good faith.

Telling Students How to Think

In addition to instructing students on race, Keiderling said, the seminarys training session tried to tell students how to think about transsexualism, transgenderism, and gender ideology  including preferred pronouns that differ from a persons birth sex. Every time someone's name appeared in the training, their pronouns were given, he recalls. The fairly clear message was, he said: Not only are we going to train you about how to be anti-racist, we are going to make it crystal clear, over and over again, that we think gender is something we can choose, and it is independent of who each person is physically and biologically. Submitting to such training would, he felt, conflict with his religious beliefs.

My faith does not allow me to give my assent to the idea that gender is something one can choose, or is constituted as a kind of psyche that is or may be distinct from a persons bodily reality, Keiderling explained. He and the Bruderhof community, a communal Christian denomination to which he has belonged since childhood, do not accept that cornerstone of trans thinking. I respect the choices that my friends and classmates make, he added. But in this situation, it felt like more than simple mutual respect was being asked of me. If I submit the required writing assignments for this training without at least noting my personal objections, am I giving my silent assent to the idea of gender fluidity? It sure felt that way.

The Bruderhof is an international Anabaptist Christian movement founded about a century ago in Germany with communal practices, Keiderling said, like those of Jewish kibbutzes.

Some fellow students shared his concerns about the training, Keiderling said. While about 40% of the faculty very strongly supported it and the whiteness is a form of structural sin approach, the rest were afraid not to voice support, he said. He added that he considers many of the PTS people involved in these trainings to be friends in spite of serious disagreement.

Keiderling did not provide the written responses required by the training that August or in the next round of trainings. But over time, the trainers, including two consultants from companies called Reverb DEI and Majors Leadership Group, and PTSs administration made it clear that Keiderling, like his classmates, must submit to the seminarys new dogmas.

He did not submit. And it soon became clear that PTSs leaders did not know who they were dealing with. It didnt surprise me that Timothy took a personal stand, says George, a Princeton University professor of jurisprudence and a Roman Catholic. The Bruderhof, where Timothy comes from, are simply fearless. Gentle and fearless. Ive never seen anything like it.

George said he came to know the international Bruderhof community in 2014, when he was chairman of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. He recalls: Leaders of the Bruderhof reached out to me to ask how they could help refugees and others in the Middle East, whether Christian of not, who were suffering religious persecution. The Bruderhof also have a long and well-documented history of supporting African American and other civil rights causes.

As Keiderling was trying to decide what to do, he sought advice from George, a leader of 30 or so Princeton faculty members who have strongly supported freedom of speech and conscience. (While the seminary is independent of Princeton University, the two institutions have historical ties. The universitys president, Christopher Eisgruber, declared in September 2020 that racial and cultural "training" would not be mandatory even though he supported educational programs to fight racism and promote sensitivity.)

George was also deeply involved in the creation of the AFA, a high-powered group of some 400 faculty members across the nation, chaired by another prominent Princeton constitutional law scholar, Keith Whittington. It was founded to provide moral, practical, and legal support  including help with legal fees, when necessary  to faculty members nationwide whose rights to free speech, freedom of conscience, or academic freedom are being threatened or violated.

While the AFA focuses mainly on helping faculty members, not students, George says that we decided that this case had broad implications  not only for students but also for faculty  concerning the threat to academic freedom and the integrity of education posed by indoctrination in the form of mandatory trainings.

In an Oct. 23, 2020, email to Keiderling, George wrote that he and his AFA colleagues at Princeton were eager to support and help you in every way we can, including by making fully available financial resources to ensure that your contractual or other academic freedom rights are strictly respected by PTS. Although it is a private institution, any representations in any of its literature regarding freedom of thought, conscience, inquiry, expression, etc. are legally enforceable.

George also arranged a consultation for Keiderling with Samantha Harris. With advice from George and Harris, Keiderling sent Barnes a 1,200-word email, dated Dec. 10, 2020, that requested an exemption from all upcoming trainings, about which he expressed deep concern. He explained that they are antithetical to PTSs mission and vision, are divisive, will impinge upon our freedom of thought, and ... present a profound threat to freedom of conscience.

'Not the Way to Right the Wrongs'

He added: As fellow followers of Jesus, we have no business treating each other differently based on our race. Dont we remember that in Christ, these distinctions have no place anymore? Or what else did the Apostle mean when he wrote that in Christ, there is neither Jew nor Greek, neither slave nor free? The problem of racial injustice cries to heaven. But dividing us from each other is not the way to right the wrongs.

Worse, he said, [T]hese trainings present a serious threat to freedom of thought, to the point where it seems like we are being indoctrinated. We are only given one possible answer to every question about race, only one race among our student body has to do any learning, growing, or changing, the identity of one group of people is condemned as something that needs to be dismantled even in individual lives, and [white people] are told in no uncertain terms that their very identity should be something to repent for.

Keiderlings email also stressed that PTSs approach to anti-racism has stifled any opportunity to have the kind of frank and candid discussion about questions surrounding race promised in its Handbook  a hint at a possible lawsuit.

Then he turned to the frequent use of pronouns of choice in the training sessions, which he said express the notion that gender is something that one can choose or something that is independent of ones bodily reality as male or female, an idea to which I cannot in good conscience assent. ... If I complete this training as it stands, I would be giving my yes to not just a problematic understanding of race, but also ideas about gender that go directly against my conscience and my faith.

The answer from Craig Barnes came the next day. It was unyielding. Stressing PTSs efforts to be proactive in becoming antiracist in our policies, he asserted that we are requiring that every member of the PTS community participate in the trainings while allowing members to add comments at the end. He suggested that Keiderling discuss his concerns with the Rev. Dr. John White, the PTS dean of student life.

On Dec. 16, Keiderling emailed Barnes to reiterate his concerns, including my point that the training to which I object violates representations of academic freedom made by PTS on which I relied in accepting admission, and which I believe represent legally enforceable terms of the contractual relationship between PTS and me.

Barnes responded on Dec. 17, more conciliatory than before. It might be possible, he suggested, for Keiderling and Dean White to develop a creative way forward that meets the seminarys goals in antiracism training while honoring the dictates of your conscience.

[T]hey have now blinked, Samantha Harris declared half an hour later in an email to Keiderling and George: This is a victory. Remember, the first response was  this training is still mandatory. George agreed: Yes. I know a blink when I see it. They blinked. Harris suggested looking for a way to allow them to save face, such as Keiderling offering to read books or materials that they consider important ... and write a response to them of your choosing.

On Dec. 22, Keiderling emailed Dean White and proposed an agreement: He would read Ibram Kendis How to Be an Anti-Racist and other works by thought leaders of the anti-racist movement and then write a long essay by Feb. 26 with an emphasis on how I might apply the lessons ... to my own work and ministry while still upholding the values and beliefs I cherish.

Keiderling met with White on Feb. 5, after the holidays. It went quite well, he emailed his advisers. He listened to my concerns and made it clear that ... he respects and understands my position. The two men agreed that they would both read and then discuss the Kendi book, about which Keiderling could be as critical as he liked, and then White would exempt Keiderling from the rest of the training. Im quite happy with this result, Keiderling concluded. So were George, Samantha Harris, and the AFA, to whom Keiderling has expressed great gratitude. George sees Keiderlings victory as a model for other students and faculty who face pressure to submit to indoctrination.

Keiderling graduated from PTS in May with a masters degree in New Testament Studies. He accepted a position teaching hermeneutics and Greek at Nyack College, the New York City Bible college from which he had graduated summa cum laude in December 2018 (when it was in Nyack, N.Y.), and at which he taught New Testament Greek as an adjunct instructor during his two years at PTS.

This September, Keiderling will move to Jerusalem for doctoral studies at the Hebrew University there. He will be studying the foundations of early Christianity within Judaism, in a joint program with a professor from Hebrew University and one from the University of Munich supervising his doctorate. He relishes the prospect of living and learning in the land of the life of Jesus, where all this stuff actually happened, and experiencing the language of the Bible as a living language. This, he hopes, will help him bring it to life in his future work.

Stuart Taylor Jr. is a Washington journalist and author
Farmers abstracting water from the environment - including boreholes - could face changes to the amount they are charged following the launch of a consultation.

The Environment Agency will review and update the way businesses are charged for water abstraction licences with the aim to help manage and protect water resources.

Currently, all farming businesses are required to have an abstraction licence to take more than 20 cubic metres a day from a river, stream, canal or groundwater.

The new proposed charges  which have not changed for the past 10 years  will be based on the volume of water taken from the environment, where the water is taken from and how much is returned to the environment.

Under the Environment Agency's proposals, around 45 percent of abstractors will see their annual charges decrease and 55 percent will see an increase.

Overall, three quarters (75 percent) of all abstractors will see either a decrease or an increase of less than 100 in their charges.

New applicants will also see a higher initial application fee, in line with those charged for other permitting regimes.

The Environment Agency said the changes would allow them to invest more in upgrading infrastructure assets to move water around the country.

The EA added it would use data to improve local management of water resources and protect water-stressed catchments such as chalk streams. Farmers affected should receive a letter from the agency this week.

Responding, the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers (RABDF) explained that any increased cost in abstraction shouldn't be vast.

Vice chairman Robert Craig said: Many dairy farmers will have a borehole or a private water supply, so if they are abstracting more than 20 cubic metres they will be affected.

The changes being proposed look to make things fairer by making the cost proportionate to the amount being abstracted.

"This could see the cost for some farmers dropping, whilst for others, it may increase depending on the amount being taken."

The Environment Agency's chief executive Sir James Bevan added: We need to protect our environment; and ensure that those who rely on water for their business or public supply can continue to do so into the future.

The proposed changes to the Environment Agencys water abstraction licence charges are designed to do that."

The consultation runs until 10 November with the new charging scheme implemented from 1 April 2022.
Geronimo the alpaca will be euthanised after a last-ditch attempt to save the animal was rejected by London's High Court.

A judge has rejected owner Helen Macdonald's application for an injunction to stop the destruction order.

Her eight-year-old alpaca, imported from New Zealand, had twice tested positive for bovine TB using the Enferplex blood test, meaning he has to be euthanised under government guidelines.

According to Defra figures, 28,356 animals - the vast majority cattle - were slaughtered due to a bTB incident in England in the 12 months to March 2021, while 205 camelids were culled in 2020.

But it is Geronimo's case which has received significant media attention. Ms Macdonald, who farms in Gloucestershire, believes the two TB tests were false positives, and she has also been refused permission to have a third test.

Ms Macdonald said after Wednesday's High Court session: "It's not over. They seem to want to make it my decision, and make me put my animal to sleep, to get the blood off their hands. I'm not doing it."

Asked what she will do if officials turn up at her Wickwar farm, she said: "Well, we'll just obstruct. I don't want to break the law. I'm not a criminal.

"They're trying to make me into one but I'm not a criminal. I will obstruct anyone who comes on to my farm."

Last week, campaigners staged a protest outside Downing Street over the issue, while more than 100,000 people have signed a petition calling for the Prime Minister to intervene.

Elsewhere, around 30 people, including fellow alpaca farmers, recently gathered outside Defras headquarters in Smith Square, Westminster.

But a Defra spokesperson insisted the testing results and options for the alpaca had been carefully considered.

"Bovine tuberculosis is one of the greatest animal health threats we face today and causes devastation and distress for farming families and rural communities," the spokesperson added.

"Therefore, while nobody wants to cull infected animals, we need to do everything we can to tackle this disease to stop it spreading and to protect the livelihoods of those affected."
UK exports of dairy products plummeted in the first half of 2021 compared to the year before as a result of Brexit trade disruption and the impact of the pandemic.

The latest trade figures show UK exports of dairy products were 11% lower in the first half of 2021 than in Jan-Jun 2020, and imports were 12% lower in the same period.

For the 2021 period, imports and exports of all major categories were down year-on-year, with the exception of the milk and cream category.

This category was up 2% year on year for exports, while imports were up 17% on the year. This is mainly driven by milk crossing the Irish border.

The AHDB explained that the fall in exports was primarily driven by trade disruption following the new trade regulations brought in by Brexit.

It also said exports were well down due to the lingering effects of pandemic lockdowns on import demand and supply chain disruption.

Figures by the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) show that UK food and drink exports to the European Union fell 47% in Q1 2021 compared to the same period last year.

The trade body said the loss of 2 billion of exports to the EU was a 'disaster' for the food and drink industry.

Non-EU food and drink exports exceeded the EU's share in Q1 2021, with sales around the rest of the world accounting for 55%.

Dominic Goudie, head of international trade, the FDF, said: "[It is a] very clear indication of the scale of losses that UK manufacturers face in the longer-term due to new trade barriers with the EU.

We set out a plan to mitigate these impacts by boosting support for exporters, and this was backed by the Trade and Agriculture Commission.

"The government must stop prevaricating and get behind these proposals to help exporters that have been shut out of trading with the EU.
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Oak Hill, WV (25901)

Today

Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain overnight. Potential for flooding rains. Low 67F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch..

Tonight

Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain overnight. Potential for flooding rains. Low 67F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch.
Onam, the harvest festival of southern India, is usually celebrated in August. On this occasion, like most festivals in the country, people dress up in exquisite, traditional apparel and even deck up their homes. There is an air of excitement, as enticing delicacies are being prepared in the kitchen, homes are embellished with pookalam and yellow flowers.







The fervour of the occasion is over a Vaishnava mythological story revolving around King Mahabali, who had defeated the Gods and had taken over all three worlds. Mahabali was unlike other asuras as he was kind and was widely loved by his people. It is said, that out of insecurity, the Gods probed Lord Vishnu to take his kingdom back from him. Appearing as a Brahmin dwarf in front of Mahabali, Lord Vishnu asked for three pieces of land', when he was offered a wish. Upon regaining control over the three worlds, the latter began to increase the land in size. As he was about to touch heaven, Mahabali offered his head to God. Impressed by his benevolence, Vishnu granted Mahabalis wish of visiting his kingdom during the period that is now celebrated as Onam.





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Celebrating the return of the much-loved king, this festival is celebrated over the span of 10 days. With each days significance retained as time passes, the pookalam, or indoor rangoli, increases in size every day, along with the magnitude of the festival.Encapsulating the grandeur and festive spirit of the festival, Fabindias Rimjhim collection is synonymous with showers of hope, happiness and respite. On offer are skillfully crafted white and gold cot/silk work kurtas as well as jacquard woven sarees. It also carries dresses, saris, dupattas and stoles, which are great presents to gift your loved ones. Along with this, Rimjhim offers jewellery pieces in pearl and gold-plated silver, elegantly designed just for you and your loved ones. Carrying a variety of styles, Fabindia's Rimjhim assures to bring a smile to the faces of every person, be it the young or the elderly.You can also deck your homes as beautifully as you with Fabindia's Pre Festive Home collection. Within the collection lies the Alba capsule- ideal for the occasion. Shop traditional rich bedspreads, table linens, runners table covers in appliques, floral accents, intricate embroideries, prints, and a befitting theme of white and gold. Find glimpses and traces of flowers like Champa, Lotus and Banana leaves embedded within the pieces.And even if your Onam gifts are sorted for the year, the festive season is just starting. After all, we still have Navratri, Ganesh Chaturti, Diwali and Dussehra, to name a few, coming up. As the anticipation of reminiscing, laughing, eating and being with loved ones returns, elevate your spirits in celebration, with Fabindias pre-festive collections!



Also Read: Celebrate Onam With These 2 Traditional Recipes From The Heart Of Kerala
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When it comes to the horror genre, we all can agree that Hollywood knows the best and they produce the best. Some people just love the feeling of unexplained scary mysteries and honestly who doesnt love to gain more knowledge or make perceptions about ghosts and dark unraveled secrets. So get your blankets and popcorn ready as we list down the Best English horror movies. And if you think that nothing can scare you, then you should definitely binge watch the films listed below.

1. The Ring (2002)

The Ring, directed by Gore Verbinski, starring Naomi Watts, Martin Henderson, David Dorfman and Brian Cox, revolves around Rachel Keller (Naomi Watts) a newspaper reporter who is skeptical of a story that suggests that people die in exactly seven days after watching a video tape, until four teenagers die after watching the same tape. Out of curiosity Rachel tracks down the video and watches it. What follows is the mystery behind the cursed tape. If you want a big scare then, The Ring is the one for you. It will surely be worth your time and trust us when we say this, the screenplay of this film is so brilliant that you can actually feel what the character is going through.

2. IT (2017)

Starring Bill Skarsgard, Sophia Lillis, Finn Wolfhard, Jaeden Martell, Jack Dylan Grazer, Wyatt Oleff, Jeremy Ray Taylor and Chosen Jacobs, IT revolves around seven outcast children who are bullied and are about to face their worst nightmares, when Pennywise (Bill Skarsgard) a shape-shifting evil clown emerges from the sewer to prey on the towns children. As the story continues the children have to face their own fears in order to fight the murderous clown. This film is quite extraordinary in terms of the detailing and cinematography. Bill Skarsgards character Pennywise really creeps you out, which means that he did an amazing job portraying the character.

3. The Nun (2018)

The Nun, starring Taissa Farmiga, Bonnie Aarons and Demian Bichir, is one of the scariest films till date. The story revolves around a young nun in Romania who kills herself, upon knowing about the incident the Vatican sends a priest with a haunted past to investigate along with Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga) who was present during the incident. Together the duo discover the orders unholy secret, and by risking their lives and their own souls they confront the demonic nun. The Nun is one of the darkest and one of the best chapters in the Conjuring series. What stood out for us was the great performance by the cast and effects which made everything in the film look so realistic.

4. The Conjuring (2013)

Directed by James Wan featuring Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Lili Taylor and Ron Livingston, the film revolves around Carolyn (Lili Taylor) and Roger Perron (Ron Livingston) who move into an island farm with their family and soon strange things happen to them, along with escalating nightmare terrors. In order to see what is happening Carolyn contacts paranormal investigators Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) to examine their house. The Warrens then discover that an evil power is targeting the Perron family wherever they go. The story then follows on how Warrens use their skills to defeat the enemy. This film doesnt spare the audience at all, and is by far one of the best english horror films ever made.

5. Annabelle (2014)

Starring Annabelle Wallis, Patrick Wilson, Ward Horton and Alfre Woodard, the story revolves around John Form (Ward Horton) who gifts his pregnant wife Mia (Annabelle Wallis), a beautiful vintage doll in a white wedding dress. But things change as soon as devil worshippers invade their home and attack the couple. The cultists then try to summon a demon and drip blood on Mias doll, turning the doll into an evil. The story then follows on how John and Mia fight the evil spirit. This film will make you jump out of your seats and it really keeps up the scares. If you love watching horror movies then youll surely have a good time watching this.

6. Dead Silence (2007)

Starring Ryan Kwanten, Amber Valletta, Donnie Wahlberg and Judith Anna Roberts, Dead Silence revolves around Jamie Ashen (Ryan Kwanten) who returns to his hometown Ravens Fair to unravel his wifes murder. On investigating he discovers that the spirit of Mary Shaw (Joan Heney), a murdered ventriloquist, still roams in the town. Putting his own life at risk, Jamie then goes on to find the answers for the curse that killed his wife. This film is the scariest film youll ever see and will surely give you nightmares. Dont trust us? Watch it yourself and see.





7. Sinister (2012)

Starring Ethan Hawke, the film revolves around crime writer Ellison Oswald (Ethan Hawke), who is desperate to have a hit novel as he hasnt had a best seller in more than ten years. He then discovers a film, based on a real story of a familys mysterious death. He then decides to solve the mystery by moving into the victims house. The film continues as Ellison discovers clues that hint at the presence of an evil power. From the soundtracks to the graphics, this film is very well directed and surely delivers the scares. If you want to have a great horror night then Sinister is the one for you.

8. The Witch (2015)

Starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Michael Ineson, Kate Dickie, Harvey Scrimshaw, Sarah Elizabeth Stephens and Ellie Grainger, The Witch is set in the 1630s in New England, where a farmer and his family start leading a Christian life, in a huge remote forest where no other family lives. The story unfolds when their newborn son mysteriously vanishes and the familys crops fail. Soon each family member starts turning on one another. This is one of the best psychological horrors we have ever seen. And it is so intense and gripping from the beginning till the end and you should watch it if you havent already.





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One of the first films to release in the theatres is Akshay Kumar, Lara Dutta, Vaani Kapoor and Huma Qureshi starrer Bell Bottom. The film was supposed to be released earlier but the pandemic and the more recent second wave caused the delay in release.

Right before the film hit the theatres, the producers held a special screening in Surat, followed by a press conference for the media. Akshay Kumar, who is currently in London too joined in via a video call. During the question and answer round with the media, Akshay was asked about a potential sequel to the film, to which he said that the climax does have scope for a second instalment. He further added that a sequel is only possible if the writers come up with a script that will live upto the first film.

The filmmakers specifically chose the Rakshabandhan weekend for release as its a family film and will attract audiences to the theatre during the festival.



Read More - Tahira Kashyap Announces Her Debut Film And This Is What Ayushmann Khurrana Has To Say
Akshay Kumar starrer Bell Bottom is all set for a theatrical release. The film finally marks the reopening of the theatres and a new film releasing on the big screen post the second-wave of the pandemic. While moviegoers are excited to have normalcy back in theatres, masses in Maharashtra will not be able to witness this.





The Maharashtra government has still not reopened the theatres due to the uncertainty the pandemic has brought in the last couple of months. Ranjit Tewari who has directed Bell Bottom spoke to Times Of India and shared his thoughts about his film skipping the release in Maharashtra, Im disappointed; we would have loved the theatres to have opened in Maharashtra. But, at the same time, I understand the need of the government to keep them shut for some time; they know the situation better than all of us, because they're monitoring it from the top. You have to respect their decision too. But, from my end, of course, it's disappointing. I would have loved for people of Maharashtra to see the film too and I hope theatres here open soon so that they can also view the film. Said the director to TOI.







The director is all praise for the producers  Vashu and Jackky Bhagnani and how they all together pulled this film together amidst the pandemic. It was even the first Hindi film to start shooting last year post the lockdown. The director further praised his leading man Akshay Kumar and how he was always his first choice, Akshay was absolutely the first choice, and directing him was a dream come true. To direct him so early in my career... I couldn't have asked for more.

Bell Bottom is an espionage thriller, set in 1984 and based on true events. Bell Bottom also stars Lara Dutta and Huma Qureshi.



Read More - Shilpa Shetty Is Back On Sets And As Enthusiastic As Ever








Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 18, 2021) - Alpha Gold North Inc. (the "Company" or "AGN") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a non-binding letter of intent dated August 17, 2021 (the "LOI") with Miramis Mining Corp. ("Miramis") in respect of a proposed reverse takeover transaction (the "Proposed Transaction") pursuant to which Miramis will acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares in the capital of AGN.

Miramis Mining Corp.

Miramis is a reporting issuer in British Columbia and Alberta and has no significant assets other than cash and proposes to identify and evaluate potential acquisitions or businesses with a view to completing a qualifying transaction.

Transaction Structure

The Proposed Transaction is expected to be completed by way of a three-cornered amalgamation which will result in AGN becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of Miramis (the "Resulting Issuer"). Upon completion of the Proposed Transaction, it is expected that the Resulting Issuer will carry on the business previously carried on by AGN.

Pursuant to the Proposed Transaction, Miramis will acquire 100% of the issued and outstanding shares of AGN on a share exchange ratio of one Miramis common share for one AGN common share (each, an "AGN Share"). Upon completion of the Proposed Transaction, the board of directors of the Resulting Issuer will be comprised of five directors, two nominated by the Miramis and three nominated by AGN.

Completion of the Proposed Transaction will be subject to a number of conditions precedent set forth in the LOI, including, but not limited to: (i) satisfactory completion of due diligence investigations by each of AGN and Miramis on or before October 16, 2021; (ii) the negotiation and execution of a definitive agreement (the "Definitive Agreement") on or before October 16, 2021; (iii) approval of the shareholders of AGN and, if applicable, of Miramis; (iv) completion of the Financing (as described below); (v) Miramis applying to list its shares for trading on the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "Exchange"); (vi) receipt of all requisite regulatory and third party approvals; (vii) immediately prior to closing, Miramis having cash of not less than C$350,000; and (viii) the completion and delivery of a current technical report prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101-Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, in respect of the Mine Brook Property located in Newfoundland and Labrador. There can be no assurance that the Proposed Transaction will be completed on the terms proposed in the LOI or at all.

AGN and Miramis intend to apply to list the common shares of the Resulting Issuer on the Exchange, but there can be no assurances that the Proposed Transaction will be completed or that the common shares of the Resulting Issuer will begin trading either on the Exchange, or at all, and neither AGN nor Miramis makes any representations that the Proposed Transaction will be completed as contemplated or that trading on any stock exchange of the securities of AGN or Miramis will occur.

When a Definitive Agreement between AGN and Miramis is executed, AGN will issue a subsequent press release containing the details of the Definitive Agreement and additional terms of the Proposed Transaction.

AGN Financing

In connection with the Proposed Transaction, AGN will undertake one or more private placements (collectively, the "Financing") for gross proceeds of at least $5,000,000 consisting of: (a) a minimum of $3,000,000 worth of AGN Shares (each, an "Offered Share"); and (ii) a minimum of $2,000,000 worth of AGN Shares issued on a flow-through basis (each, a "FT Common Share"), with each such FT Common Share qualifying as a "flow-through share" within the meaning of subsection 66(15) of the Income Tax Act (Canada).

About Alpha Gold North

AGN is a mineral exploration and development company incorporated under the laws of the Province of Ontario. AGN's emphasis is on the exploration and development of its flagship project, the Mine Brook Property, situated in the Electoral District of Baie Verte - Green Bay of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements and information within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the expressions "seeks", "expects", "believes", "estimates", "will", "target" and similar expressions. The forward-looking statements are not historical facts but reflect the current expectations of the Company regarding future results or events and are based on information currently available to them. Certain material factors and assumptions were applied in providing these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements discussed in this release include, but are not limited to, statements relating to the Proposed Transaction and its structure, the terms of the Financing and the composition of the board of directors of the Resulting Issuer. All forward-looking statements in this news release are qualified by these cautionary statements. The Company believes that the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions; however, the Company can give no assurance that the actual results or developments will be realized by certain specified dates or at all. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations. Readers, therefore, should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. Further, a forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any such statement or to reflect new information or the occurrence of future events or circumstances except as required by securities laws. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release.

This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities, in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

This news release is not, and under no circumstances is it to be construed as, a prospectus or an advertisement and the communication of this release is not, and under no circumstances is it to be construed as, an offer to sell or an offer to purchase any securities in the Company or in any fund or other investment vehicle. This news release is not intended for U.S. persons. The Company's shares are not and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933 and the Company is not and will not be registered under the U.S. Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "1940 Act"). U.S. persons are not permitted to purchase the Company's shares absent an applicable exemption from registration under each of these Acts. In addition, the number of investors in the United States, or which are U.S. persons or purchasing for the account or benefit of U.S. persons, will be limited to such number as is required to comply with an available exemption from the registration requirements of the 1940 Act.

For additional information, contact:

Trumbull Fisher

Chief Executive Officer

Tf@alphagoldnorth.com

416-917-5847

Alpha Gold North Inc.

365 Bay Street, Suite 800

Toronto, ON M5H 2V1

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/93692
Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
LONDON, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Commonwealth of Dominica has come out on top once again in the ranking for best Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme for the year 2021. On August 18th, the Financial Times' Professional Wealth Management magazine released its fifth annual CBI Index, an in-depth report that examines and evaluates CBI programmes offered by various countries in the Caribbean, Europe and Asia.

"For Dominica, first place has been a consistent result for five consecutive years. Maintaining a perfect score in six out of the nine pillars assessed," researcher James McKay said in the report. 'Pillars' are measurement factors that assess the performance and appeal of each CBI programme. "Dominica once again promises, among other things, an affordable minimum investment outlay, a streamlined application process, and certainty to investors," he added.

Other areas the index appointed Dominica a perfect score were pillars of Mandatory Travel and Residence, Due Diligence, and Family - a pillar added last year. The researcher noted changes to the definition of dependants and post-citizenship additions under Dominica's CBI Programme in 2020, which let applicants add newborns, children aged 30 and under, new spouses, siblings, parents and grandparents. "Family inclusiveness seems to have reached an apex," the report said.

Prime Minister Dr the Hon Roosevelt Skerrit welcomed the index and said that "those who become Dominican citizens are considered a part of our family. They help build our roads, hospitals and schools through investment in our CBI Programme." The Prime Minister also thanked those working at the Citizenship by Investment Unit on the island for their hard work.

Applicants can choose to either make a one-time non-refundable investment of 100,000 into the Economic Diversification Fund (EDF) or purchase pre-approved real estate options. Those who pass the necessary due diligence checks receive Dominica's citizenship and can apply for the country's passport, which grants global mobility to over 140 destinations across the seven continents. Being a citizen of Dominica also means living, working, and travelling to the Caribbean island whenever you want and passing the citizenship on for generations to come.

Dominica's CBI programme is legally entrenched in law, and since local law does not contain any restrictions on holding dual nationality, obtaining second citizenship through investment in the country is a confidential process. In addition to having no physical residency obligation, Dominica's CBI programme has no language, age, business experience, or educational requirements, and there is no mandatory interview.

Contact: +447867942505, pr@csglobalpartners.com, www.csglobalpartners.com
Rio Tinto is partnering with the Western Australian Government to launch a COVID-19 vaccination blitz targeting communities in the Pilbara and the fly-in fly-out workforce.

Following positive discussions between Rio Tinto and the WA Department of Health, vaccination hubs will be established in the Pilbara and at a trial clinic at Perth Airport to make vaccinations more accessible.

Starting with Tom Price, planning is underway for hubs at several locations in the Pilbara, with vaccines available to members of the local community, Indigenous communities, Rio Tinto employees, contractors and their families.

Rio Tinto is working with the Department of Health and the Shire of Ashburton and is close to finalising a location for the proposed Tom Price hub. The facility could potentially offer vaccines to the entire adult population of Tom Price and surrounding communities.

Rio Tinto's COVID-19 screening facilities at Perth Airport (T2 and T3) will also be modified to include 'pop-up' vaccination hubs to target workers returning to Perth. The hubs will initially be available to Rio Tinto's FIFO workforce, who regularly travel to and from the Pilbara, with the option to expand the vaccination service to the wider FIFO community.

The initial vaccination blitz is expected to commence in September, subject to availability of vaccines. Rio Tinto will work with the WA Government to finalise details in the coming weeks.

Rio Tinto Iron Ore chief executive Simon Trott said the company stood ready to support the WA Government's vaccination rollout in any way it can.

"We are pleased to work in partnership with the WA Government on this industry-first vaccination blitz, which we expect will help boost vaccination rates in the Pilbara.

"This is an important development in our state's effort to combat COVID-19. We know vaccinations are our best way out of this pandemic and we are very happy to convert our existing screening facilities, which have helped keep COVID-19 out of our operations and vulnerable communities for almost 18 months, to include vaccination hubs.

"Given Rio Tinto's large operational footprint in the Pilbara, we are well positioned to support the WA Government's vaccination rollout in the region,ensuring the vaccine is more accessible to remote and vulnerable communities.

"Plans are being developed to establish additional hubs in places like Paraburdoo, Pannawonica and Dampier, following the Tom Price vaccine blitz.

"While the initial vaccine blitz at Perth Airport will target Rio Tinto's FIFO workforce, we will work with the WA Government to make our facilities available to others in the industry and community.

"Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the resources sector has worked hard to continue to operate in a COVID-safe way. The next step in is to play our part in making the vaccine accessible to as many Western Australians as possible."

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210818005863/en/

Contacts:

Please direct all enquiries to

Media.enquiries@riotinto.com

Media Relations, Australia

Jonathan Rose

M +61 447 028 913

Matt Chambers

M +61 433 525 739

Jesse Riseborough

M +61 436 653 412

Jamie Macdonald

M +61 467 725 517

Rio Tinto plc

6 St James's Square

London SW1Y 4AD

United Kingdom

T +44 20 7781 2000

Registered in England

No. 719885

Rio Tinto Limited

Level 7, 360 Collins Street

Melbourne 3000

Australia

T +61 3 9283 3333

Registered in Australia

ABN 96 004 458 404

riotinto.com

Category: General


LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto Plc (RTNTF, RIO, RIO.L, RTPPF) Thursday said it is partnering with the Western Australian Government to launch an industry-first COVID-19 vaccination blitz targeting communities in the Pilbara and the fly-in fly-out workforce.



Following positive talks with between the company and the WA Department of Health, vaccination hubs will be established in the Pilbara and at a trial clinic at Perth Airport.



The initial vaccination blitz is expected to commence in September, subject to availability of vaccines. Rio Tinto will work with the WA Government to finalise details in the coming weeks.



Rio Tinto is working with the Department of Health to establish hubs at several locations in the Pilbara, starting with Tom Price. Vaccines will be available to members of the local community, Indigenous communities, Rio Tinto employees, contractors and their families.



The company, the Department of Health and the Shire of Ashburton are close to finalising a location for the proposed Tom Price hub. The facility could potentially offer vaccines to the entire adult population of Tom Price and surrounding communities.



Following the Tom Price vaccine blitz, plans are being developed to establish additional hubs in places like Paraburdoo, Pannawonica and Dampier.



Further, the company said its COVID-19 screening facilities at Perth Airport will be modified to include 'pop-up' vaccination hubs to target workers returning to Perth. The hubs will initially be available to Rio Tinto's FIFO workforce, who regularly travel to and from the Pilbara. There will be the option to expand the vaccination service to the wider FIFO community.



In Australia, Rio Tinto shares were trading at A$107.38, down 5.55 percent.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

RIO TINTO-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de
BERMUDA, 19 August 2021 - Avance Gas Holding Ltd (OSE: AGAS) today reported unaudited results for the second quarter 2021.



HIGHLIGHTS

The average time charter equivalent (TCE) rate was $28,774 on a discharge-to-discharge basis and $27,730/day on a load-to-discharge (IFRS 15 accounting principles), compared to $36,754/day and $42,552/day in Q1 2021 respectively.

Daily operating expenses (OPEX) were $9,311/day, compared to $9,440/day in Q1 2021. OPEX was impacted by Covid-19 crew and freight cost of $800/day, repair, and maintenance of approximately $360/day. A&G expenses were $1,357/day, up from $1,191/day in Q1 2021.

In July, the Company signed a $104 million sustainability-linked financing agreement for the two first dual fuel newbuildings. The transaction will secure financing of the two first dual fuel newbuildings, Avance Polaris and Avance Capella, scheduled for delivery in Q4 2021 and Q1 2022.

The board declared a dividend of $0.02 per share for Q2 2021 corresponding to 100% of net profit or $1.5 million.

For the third quarter of 2021, we estimate TCE rate on a discharge-to discharge basis of approximately $28,000/day contracted for 77% of vessel days.





The VLGC freight market rebounded from the extreme cold in the US in Q1 supported by increased US LPG production and lower domestic demand allowing export volumes to flow to the Far East. During Q2 the number of US liftings have been on historical high levels driven by terminal expansions. Despite a record high number of liftings out of the US, the VLGC freight market has been impacted by low US inventories and a narrow US-Asia price arbitrage. Middle East export continued to follow the OPEC+ production cuts remaining at same levels as previous quarter further increasing the US market share of global LPG exports.

US Gulf and USEC VLGC exports increased to 78 cargoes on monthly average for the second quarter compared to 67 cargoes in Q1. The increase reflects the terminal expansions in Targa, Nederland and Markus Hook. In Q2, Middle East VLGC exports were slightly down recording 48 cargoes (excluding Iran) on a monthly average, compared to 50 cargoes per month in Q1 2021.

PRESENTATION AND WEBCAST

Avance Gas will host an audio webcast and conference call to discuss the Company's results for the period ended 30 June 2021 on Thursday, 19 August 2021, at 15:00 CEST. There will be a Q&A session following the presentation.



The presentation and webcast will be hosted by:



* Mr. Kristian Srensen - CEO

* Mrs. Randi Navdal Bekkelund - CFO



The presentation will also be available via audio webcast, which can be accessed at Avance Gas' website www.avancegas.com (http://www.avancegas.com). Dial in details are +44 (0)2071 928 338 (UK and International), +1 646-741-3167 (US) or +47 21 56 30 15 (Norway). Please quote the passcode: 9893329. Phone lines will open 10 minutes before the conference call.



For further queries, please contact:

Kristian Srensen, CEO

Tel: +47 22 00 48 10

Email: kristian.sorensen@avancegas.com



Randi Navdal Bekkelund, CFO

Tel: +47 22 00 48 29

Email: randi.navdal@avancegas.com



ABOUT AVANCE GAS

Avance Gas operates in the global market for transportation of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). The Company is one of the world's leading owners and operators of very large gas carrier (VLGC) and operates a fleet of thirteen modern ships and six Dual Fuel LPG newbuildings due for delivery in Q4 2021, Q1 2022, Q4 2022 and Q1-Q4 2023. For more information about Avance Gas, please visit www.avancegas.com.



This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.

Attachment


Figure 1. Conformance Test System incorporating interoperability verification technologies.



Figure 2. E2E Test System incorporating interoperability verification technologies.

TOKYO, Aug 19, 2021 - (JCN Newswire) - Fujitsu Limited (TSE 6702) and NEC Corporation (TSE 6701) have begun developing technologies for interoperability testing(1) between 5G base station equipment conforming to O-RAN specifications at Fujitsu's U.S. laboratories and NEC's U.K. laboratories. This initiative will be implemented as part of the 'Post 5G Infrastructure Enhancement R&D Project' under the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) of Japan. Both companies are scheduled to build a verification environment using these technologies in their respective laboratories from August of this year, then will begin interoperability testing. Leveraging this verification environment offers the potential to significantly streamline interoperability verification between base station equipment from different vendors.Through this initiative, Fujitsu, NEC, and NEDO will accelerate the global reach of base station equipment that conforms to O-RAN specifications, and contribute to stimulating growth and innovation in the open 5G market.1. SummaryWith the start of 5G commercial services in various countries, post 5G(2) with enhanced functions such as ultra-low latency and multiple simultaneous connections is expected to be used in a variety of industries, such as automobile factories. It is expected that the technologies that realize these functions will serve as the core of Japan's competitiveness.In recent years, base station equipment has become more open due to O-RAN fronthaul interface specifications(3) formulated by the O-RAN Alliance(4), and it is becoming possible to connect to RUs (radio units) and CUs / DUs (central units / distributed units) from a variety of vendors. However, in order to quickly verify interoperability between different vendors' equipment, it is necessary to establish a verification process, develop tools that can be used in common, and to develop a verification environment.Under these circumstances, NEDO commissioned Fujitsu and NEC to conduct R&D on assessment and verification technologies for interoperability between base station equipment in the "Post 5G Infrastructure Enhancement R&D Project," which is scheduled to run from FY2020 to FY2023. In response, Fujitsu and NEC are building an environment and developing technologies to assess and verify the interoperability of different vendors' equipment and the impact of such connections on the entire network.Fujitsu and NEC have begun developing technologies to verify base station equipment interoperability at their respective facilities in the U.S. and the U.K.. Fujitsu is conducting trials at its Open RAN laboratory hosted at Fujitsu Network Communications, Inc., a Fujitsu group company in the United States, while NEC is doing so at its laboratory in NEC Europe Ltd., London, U.K..2. Characteristics of technology for interoperability verification and establishment of a verification environment1) Significantly improve the efficiency of interoperability verificationFujitsu and NEC will combine their many years of experience and know-how in developing base station equipment compliant with O-RAN fronthaul interface specifications. The two companies will develop technologies to verify the interoperability of various vendors' equipment for O-RAN fronthaul. The technologies include FHA(5), P-DU(6), test scenario extraction tools(7), test parameter change tools(8), and validation result determination tools(9). Introducing these technologies into the verification environments of both companies' laboratories, will make it possible to significantly improve the efficiency of interoperability verification for different vendors' equipment.2) Verification under conditions close to commercial environmentsIn this project, Fujitsu's lab in the U.S. and NEC's lab in the U.K. will make it possible to implement a Conformance Test System that can perform standard tests in accordance with O-RAN specifications and to implement an End-to-End (E2E) Test System that can verify the connection from the core network to the terminal. In addition, by incorporating the newly developed technologies into the interoperability test systems, it will be possible to efficiently conduct system-wide normality verification and performance verification under conditions that are close to the commercial environments of each country and business.3. Future plansFujitsu and NEC will establish a verification environment using new technologies in their respective laboratories from August of this year, and will begin interoperability testing. The two companies will collaborate with carriers, equipment vendors, and governments in various countries and regions, aiming to significantly reduce the time required to conduct interoperability testing for base station equipment. The companies will also work with NEDO to support the global adoption and development of equipment that conforms to O-RAN specifications through this project, thereby contributing to the stimulation and growth of the open 5G market.(1) Interoperability Testing: Evaluates and verifies the connectivity between base station equipment, whether maximum throughput can be achieved, and whether required throughput can be achieved even when multiple user devices are connected.(2) Post 5G: 5G with enhanced functions such as ultra-low latency and multiple simultaneous connections.(3) O-RAN Fronthaul interface: An open interface that connects CU/DU and RU formulated by O-RAN Alliance.(4) O-RAN Alliance (Open Radio Access Network Alliance): An industry-wide organization that promotes standardization with the aim of realizing an open and scalable next-generation wireless access network, incl 5G.(5) FHA (FrontHaul Analyzer): The technology for verifying the normality of fronthaul protocols (M-Plane, CUS-Plane) in accordance with O-RAN specifications.(6) P-DU (Pseudo-DU): The technology verifying the normality of the RU itself.(7) Test scenario extraction tool: A tool that automatically extracts the best test scenario for each 5G network.(8) Test parameter change tool: A tool that automatically extracts and changes test parameters for more efficient verification.(9) Verification result determination tool: A tool that automatically checks pass or fail status of verification results.About FujitsuFujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company offering a full range of technology products, solutions and services. Approximately 126,000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with our customers. Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) reported consolidated revenues of 3.6 trillion yen (US$34 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021. For more information, please see www.fujitsu.com.About NEC CorporationNEC Corporation has established itself as a leader in the integration of IT and network technologies while promoting the brand statement of "Orchestrating a brighter world." NEC enables businesses and communities to adapt to rapid changes taking place in both society and the market as it provides for the social values of safety, security, fairness and efficiency to promote a more sustainable world where everyone has the chance to reach their full potential. For more information, visit NEC at https://www.nec.com.Press ContactsFujitsu LimitedPublic and Investor Relations Divisionhttps://www.fujitsu.com/global/contact/NEC CorporationCorporate Communications Divisionhttps://www.facebook.com/nec.globalSource: NEC CorporationFujitsu LtdCopyright 2021 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
SINGAPORE, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Matrixport, Asia's fastest growing digital assets financial services platform, has expanded its management team with recent appointments of Justin Buitendam and Omid Zadeh as Directors of Business Development & Sales. These senior hires are part of a wider talent acquisition programme to scale-up capabilities in support of Matrixport's global expansion.

Based in Australia, Justin is a senior addition to the business development team in Asia, while Omid will lead business development in EMEA, based in the United Kingdom.

Having held senior trading and portfolio management roles with companies including Macquarie Bank, Transmarket Group, RKR Capital and Refco, Justin has over two decades of derivatives experience. He brings with him a wealth of experience driving business development and will collaborate across Matrixport's global network to shape business development strategy and engagements.

With over 15 years of experience in electronic trading and multi-asset sales across FX, equities, fixed income and futures, and options derivatives, Omid has held senior sales positions at ICAP and the London Stock Exchange and will drive Matrixport's institutional client strategy and engagement in EMEA.

Commenting on these appointments, John Ge, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Matrixport said: "We are excited to welcome Justin and Omid. Strengthening our international management bench strength is key as we deliver on our vision of being the one-stop digital assets platform of choice. With their combined experience, they will play important roles in onboarding the next global wave of cryptocurrency users."

Following its successful Series C fundraising round and a valuation of over $1 billion, Matrixport plans to continue its global expansion and to secure licenses to operate in more jurisdictions. The company's exponential growth has been driven by robust technology capabilities and innovative product offerings, such as the world's first crypto dual currency product.

Most recently, Matrixport launched its "Lite" version interface on the Matrixport App that is aimed at enhancing the customer experience for those who have recently embarked on their crypto investing journey.

About Matrixport

Matrixport is Asia's fastest growing digital asset financial services platforms. With $10 billion in assets under management and custody, it provides one-stop crypto financial services with over $5 billion in monthly trading volumes. The offerings include Cactus CustodyTM, spot OTC, fixed income, structured products, lending as well as asset management.

Headquartered in Singapore, Matrixport's mission is to make crypto easy for everyone and its motto is "Get more from your crypto". The company holds licenses in Hong Kong and Switzerland with over 220 employees serving both institutions and retail customers across Asia and Europe. For more information, visit www.matrixport.com

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1560145/matrixport_logo_blue_white_Logo.jpg
News summary:

Operators need to migrate from proprietary hardware architectures towards open and scalable virtualized solutions

Lanner's NCA-4025 is the latest certified Intel Select Solution for uCPE preinstalled with Ensemble Connector

Partnership provides secure turnkey offerings built on Lanner product range with ADVA operating system and VNF hosting platform

ADVA (FSE: ADV) and Lanner Electronics today announced that the Lanner NCA-4025 is now verified with Intel Select Solution for uCPE with ADVA Ensemble Connector, giving communication service providers (CSPs) and enterprises a simple and cost-efficient route to virtualization at the network edge. In addition, ADVA's Ensemble Connector is available preinstalled on a variety of Lanner's leading network appliances, so customers can select from a range of workload-optimized solutions that deliver the full benefits of network functions virtualization (NFV). Lanner's NCA-4025 and ADVA's Ensemble Connector will power uCPE deployments with advanced encryption performance, secure SD-WAN services and robust network protection for operators rolling out uCPE at scale.

"We're excited that Lanner's NCA-4025 is now a certified Intel Select Solution for uCPE preinstalled with Ensemble Connector. The new plug-and-play offering delivers the highest levels of performance while running multiple virtual network functions. It reduces the effort and complexity of testing and validation and accelerates time-to-market for new services," said Mike Heffner, GM, Edge Cloud, ADVA. "The carrier-class capabilities of our Ensemble Connector combined with Lanner's high-performance network appliances provide customers with a choice of highly scalable and secure hardware-software solutions that are pre-integrated and ready to deploy."

The partnership between ADVA and Lanner gives businesses and CSPs an open and flexible solution guaranteed to meet the performance needs of the most demanding uCPE applications. It delivers improved networking through the Ensemble Connector operating system and virtual network function hosting environment. This features advanced applications at Layer 2 and 3, including LTE access and Carrier Ethernet 2.0 functionality, as well as zero-touch provisioning for ultimate simplicity and scale. The uCPE offering also enables access to the Ensemble Harmony Ecosystem, the industry's largest set of onboarded virtualized applications and supported servers.

"Together with ADVA and Intel, we're setting a new benchmark for performance, scale and security. Our platform powered by the Intel Xeon D2100 multi-core processor and running ADVA's carrier-grade software gives network operators a highly versatile uCPE solution that supports agile service provisioning straight out of the box," commented Sven Freudenfeld, CTO, Telecom Application, Lanner. "Not only does our NCA-4025 remove the headache of hardware and software integration, but it also accelerates time-to-market for SD-WAN, SD-Security and other NFV applications. Now our customers can be free to innovate and respond in an instant to new business opportunities."

About ADVA

ADVA is a company founded on innovation and focused on helping our customers succeed. Our technology forms the building blocks of a shared digital future and empowers networks across the globe. We're continually developing breakthrough hardware and software that leads the networking industry and creates new business opportunities. It's these open connectivity solutions that enable our customers to deliver the cloud and mobile services that are vital to today's society and for imagining new tomorrows. Together, we're building a truly connected and sustainable future. For more information on how we can help you, please visit us at www.adva.com.

Published by:

ADVA Optical Networking SE, Munich, Germany

www.adva.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210819005045/en/

Contacts:

For press:

Gareth Spence

t +44 1904 699 358

public-relations@adva.com



For investors:

Stephan Rettenberger

t +49 89 890 665 854

investor-relations@adva.com
Vow ASA will release its report for the first half year of 2021 on Thursday 26 August at around 08:00 Central European Summer Timeand on the company's web site www.vowasa.com.

At 09:00 CEST on the same day, the company's CEO Henrik Badin will host an online presentation and answer questions from the audience in a following Q&A session. He will be joined by the newly appointed CEO of Vow Green Metals, Cecilie Jonassen. The session will be held in English. A replay of the presentation and Q&A will be made available on www.vowasa.comshortly after.

To register and join, please copy and paste the following link into your browser and fill in the required information: https://www.vhgo.no/vow/firsthalf-2021/

You can also sign up via following the link in the news section at www.vowasa.com.

Once you have registered you will receive an email with further details about how to join the online session on Thursday 26 August at 09:00 CEST.





For further information, please contact:

Erik Magelssen, CFO

Vow ASA

Tel: +47 928 88 728

Email: erik.magelssen@vowasa.com





About Vow ASA

In Vow and our subsidiaries Scanship and Etia we are passionate about preventing pollution. Our world leading solutions convert biomass and waste into valuable resources and generate clean energy for a wide range of industries.

Cruise ships on every ocean have Vow technology inside which processes waste and purifies wastewater. Fish farmers are adopting similar solutions, and public utilities and industries use our solutions for sludge processing, waste management and biogas production on land.

Our ambitions go further than this. With our advanced technologies and solutions, we turn waste into biogenetic fuels to help decarbonize industry and convert plastic waste into fuel, clean energy and high-value pyro carbon.

Our solutions are scalable, standardized, patented and thoroughly documented, and our capability to deliver is well proven. They are key to end waste and stop pollution.

Located in Oslo, the parent company Vow ASA is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange (ticker VOW from 13 January 2020). The Vow group has 120 employees in Norway, France, Poland and the US.

This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.
Enthusiastic staff more than double their gift towards the life-changing surgeries and training the charity provides in Africa

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, Aug. 19, 2021announced this week that what began as a $100K fundraising goal to benefit their corporate charity of choice has now exceeded $250K raised to help the life-changing work of Mercy Ships.



Announced last February , the company's goal was to allow its members, supporters, and employees to be inspired to give and engage in a matching fund opportunity that would double their impact on the charity's healthcare services to those without other access in sub-Saharan Africa. The inCruises community surpassed the initial $100,000 goal a few weeks into the campaign and raised a total of $261K by August 12, 2021.

Inspired by inCruises partner Javier Cardona, inCruises and Mercy Ships galvanized their connection in 2021. "As a parent of a child born with a congenital malformation, my family's dream was to get involved with an organization that could help special children in need like ours. Many families do not have the resources for the treatment and surgeries their children need; some of these conditions are even life-threatening. For these reasons, I became a believer in the mission of Mercy Ships, and I hope our inCruises family will do the same."

Mercy Ships is a non-profit organization and works with nations in sub-Saharan Africa to strengthen local healthcare systems and provide national medical professionals training opportunities. The Africa Mercy, a former Danish rail ferry, is currently preparing to return to West Africa in 2022. The organization is also outfitting their newest purpose-built vessel, the Global Mercy, in Belgium until the new year. Built with the benefit of more than 30 years of offering surgical care, the new vessel will be the world's largest non-governmental hospital ship.

"The excellent work Mercy Ships does serves as a role model of possibility and positivity for some of the world's most needy. Their healing work has empowered our team to give back and support areas of the world that need medical resources the most. We are incredibly grateful to support the life-changing medical solutions Mercy Ships provides," states inCruises CEO Michael Hutchison.

"To provide access to critical surgical expertise in localities where this is simply unavailable to the general population, Mercy Ships relies on the partnership of volunteers and supporters around the world," said Robert Corley, Chief Operating Officer of Mercy Ships. "The incredible commitment from generous corporate partners and donors like inCruises makes it possible to provide these services at no cost to the recipients."

About inCruises International

Since launching its flagship membership in 2015, inCruises International has grown to become the premier cruise membership club with Members and Partners in over 200 countries worldwide. inCruises is making a measurable difference in its Members' lives and is committed to ethically providing a business ownership opportunity to its growing Partner team. The company is also committed to positive global corporate citizenship by supporting Mercy Ships and the Make-a-Wish Foundation. To share in the experience, please visit our Business and Membership opportunity at https://www.incruises.com .

For More Information Contact:

Beatriz Diaz

Beatriz.Diaz@incruises.com

+1 939 475-0930

ABOUT MERCY SHIPS:

Mercy Ships uses hospital ships to deliver free, world-class healthcare services, capacity building, and sustainable development to those with little access in the developing world. Founded in 1978 by Don and Deyon Stephens, Mercy Ships has worked in more than 55 developing countries, providing services valued at more than $1.7 billion and directly benefitting more than 2.8 million people. Our ships are crewed by volunteers from over 60 nations, with an average of over 1200 volunteers each year. Professionals including surgeons, dentists, nurses, healthcare trainers, teachers, cooks, seamen, engineers, and agriculturalists donate their time and skills. With 16 national offices and an Africa Bureau, Mercy Ships seeks to transform individuals and serve nations one at a time. For more information, click on www.mercyships.org .

For More Information Contact:

Laura Rebouche

U.S. National Media Relations Director

Mercy Ships

Office: +1 903.939.7000

Direct: +1 903.939.7137

Email: laura.rebouche@mercyships.org (mailto:laura.rebouche@mercyships.org)

www.mercyships.org (http://www.mercyships.org) For Int'l: Diane Rickard

International Media Relations Manager

Mercy Ships

diane.rickard@mercyships.org (mailto:diane.rickard@mercyships.org)

www.mercyships.org/press (http://www.mercyships.org/press)

Hi-res photos and general Mercy Ships B-Roll video footage are available upon request.

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4b7d04fb-8bcb-44b5-a8a3-6cce20d15d1f

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/365f4730-0340-473c-8a65-e60016e06fa1
STOCKHOLM, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- SciBase Holding AB ("SciBase") (STO:SCIB), a leading developer of augmented intelligence-based solutions for skin disorders, announced today that the Nominating Committee proposes the election of Dr. Jvalini Dwarkasing as a new Board member at an extraordinary general meeting to be proposed by the Board of Directors of SciBase.

The nominating committee, consisting of Christer Jonsson (appointed by FourierTransorm), Iraj Arastoupour, Peter Elmvik and Tord Lendau Chairman of the Board, hereby proposes the election of Dr. Jvalini Dwarkasing as a new member of the Board to an EGM to be held later in 2021.

Dr Dwarkasing, proposed to the nominating committee by Van Herk Investments, is currently the Chief Scientific Officer at SkylineDx. She has over 10 years of life science experience with an international track record within oncology having held both research and management positions. Dr Dwarkasing has a strong academic background and a PhD in medical nutrition and pharmacology. Her driver for doing research is patient focus and how to bring science from bench to bedside. Her geographical areas of focus are the US, Europe and Australia.

The nominating committee believes that her knowledge and experience within the fields of Dermatology/Pathology, the international Dermatology industry and Dermatology networks are aligned with the future competence needs for the SciBase Board of Directors.

For more information please contact:

Tord Lendau, Chairman of the Board

Tel: +46 708 10 01 67

Email: tordlendau@hotmail.com

Certified Advisor:

Avanza

Tel: +46 8 409 421 20

Email: ca@avanza.se

The information was submitted, through the agency of the contact person set out above, for publication at the time stated by Scibase's news distributor Cision upon publication of this press release.

About SciBase and Nevisense

SciBase AB is a global medical technology company based in Stockholm, Sweden that develops unique point-of-care devices for the evaluation of skin disorders such as skin cancer and atopic dermatitis. SciBase's first product, Nevisense, helps clinicians detect melanoma, the most dangerous type of skin cancer. Further development has led to Nevisense also being used as a tool to assess the skin barrier and non-melanoma skin cancer. Nevisense is based on substantial research and has achieved excellent results in the largest clinical study ever conducted on the detection of malignant melanoma. Nevisense is CE marked in Europe, has TGA approval in Australia and an FDA approval (PMA) in the United States. SciBase technology is based Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) combined with Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms that interpret the varying electrical properties of human tissue to detect malignancies and abnormalities. SciBase Holding AB is listed on First North Growth Market ("SCIB"). Further information is available at www.scibase.com.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/scibase/r/scibase-nominating-committee-proposes-the-election-of-dr-jvalini-dwarkasing-as-a-new-board-member,c3399215

The following files are available for download:
NEW YORK CITY (dpa-AFX) - The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (GS) has agreed to acquire NN Investment Partners, an European asset manager based in The Hague, Netherlands, from NN Group N.V. (NNGPF.PK) for approximately 1.6 billion euros. Goldman Sachs said the partnership will establish the firm as the largest non-affiliated insurance asset manager globally, with over $550 billion in assets under supervision. NN Investment Partners is the asset manager of NN Group N.V. It manages approximately $355 billion in assets for institutions and individual investors worldwide. NN Investment Partners' employees will join Goldman Sachs Asset Management. As part of the agreement, Goldman Sachs Asset Management will enter into a long-term agreement with NN Group to manage an approximately $190 billion portfolio of assets. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Talenom Plc, Press release 19 August 2021 at 10:30 EEST

Talenom welcomes new franchise entrepreneurs in Kamppi, Helsinki

Talenom Plc has concluded new franchise agreements and welcomes Olli Bogdanoff ja Milja Tarppinen as the company's new franchise entrepreneurs in Kamppi, Helsinki starting 1 September 2021. The agreements bring Talenom's total number of franchisees to 25.

In the franchise model, independent franchisees offer the same accounting services to their customers locally as Talenom's other offices and acquire new customers for Talenom. The bookkeeping activities are concentrated in Talenom's highly automated units in Oulu and Tampere, which utilize scalable production processes. The franchising model allows for expanding the business efficiently also to smaller market areas in Finland.

"It is great to see that our franchise concept attracts new entrepreneurs to our network. We welcome Olli and Milja to grow together in our entrepreneur network and wish success to their franchising career!" say Otto-Pekka Huhtala, CEO of Talenom, and Jouni Harkonen, Head of Franchising.

Talenom is a growth company that generates new accounts through active sales efforts. Expanding the franchise model supports the company's organic growth strategy. The company intends to continue expanding its franchise chain to new locations also in the future.

TALENOM PLC

Further information:

Otto-Pekka Huhtala

CEO, Talenom Plc

+358 40 7038 554

otto-pekka.huhtala@talenom.fi

Talenom is an agile and progressive accounting firm established in 1972. Our business idea is to make day-to-day life easier for entrepreneurs with the easiest-to-use digital tools on the market and highly automated services. In addition to comprehensive accounting services, we support our customers' business with a wide range of expert services as well as financing and banking services. Our vision is to provide unbeatable accounting and banking services for SMEs.

Talenom has a history of strong growth - the average annual increase in net sales was approximately 15.5% between 2005 and 2020. At the end of 2020, Talenom had 912 employees in Finland and Sweden at a total of 47 locations. Talenom's share is quoted on the main list of the Helsinki Stock Exchange.

DISTRIBUTION:

Main media

www.talenom.fi
CORK, Ireland, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As online marketing becomes a primary source of income for an increasing population, global digital marketing firm HillTopBazaar publishes data regarding activity in the past few months, since its establishment. Interestingly, in the summer months, a significant volume of the campaigns created were from mobile and tablet devices, when compared to other brands providing the same services.

"We've put a lot of effort into our infrastructure and platform, in order to make it as friendly as possible to all types of browsers and devices," explained Michael Ross, Business Development Director for HillTopBazaar. "We know that during the summer months, when the children are not in school, people find themselves out of the house for many hours during the day. We also know that effective digital marketing must come in hand with a constant 'feeling of the pulse'. That's why being suitable for mobile devices was key to us when we designed our platform - and the results show that we did something right."

Marketing suited for 2021

Aside from mobile usage, HillTopBazaar's data also shows steady activity volume at all hours, showing that the platform has become popular throughout the world. This is mainly thanks to the fact that digital marketing is facilitated in over 140 different languages. Additionally, the company's experts also assist in suiting content to different regions throughout the globe, at no extra cost.

"We believe in service, not just a cliche, but as a base to our strategy as a company," added Ross. "Our platform's users know that they can put their minds at ease when working with us, because we turn every stone in order to give them the optimal experience and working conditions. It has been our way from day one, and I promise that it is not going to change."

About HillTopBazaar
LONDON, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Axia Spirit, the world's first extra dry spirit strength mastiha, announced three new distribution agreements for its launch in the UK, US and Greece. Axia is now available in the UK and US markets in premium trade-outlets and across select retail, as well as online in 30 states and the UK.

The strategic partnerships with notable distributors, Cask Liquid Marketing (UK), Twenty-one (XXI) wine & spirits (US) and Beverage World (Greece), allow Axia to represent its new mastiha spirit in premier outlets following its launch in July 2021.

"We are very excited to be working with Cask Liquid Marketing, Twenty-one (XXI) wine & spirits, and Beverage World," says Tony Chvala, CEO of Axia Spirit. "Each of these distributors are highly connected and reliable in their respected markets and are fully aligned with our brand's philosophy and ethos for twisting the rules. We look forward to working closely with these best-in-class distributors to bring the bold Axia spirit to the UK, US and Greece."

Axia Spirit is a new brand, born out of thousands of years of Greek tradition. It's the world's first extra dry mastiha brand, at spirit strength of 40% ABV. Distilled from the resin crystals of the Mastic tree that only grow on the Greek island of Chios. It's exceptionally versatile and has a distinctive and complex flavour that can be enjoyed neat or in a wide range of mixed drinks and cocktails.

ABOUT AXIA SPIRIT:

Axia?is the world's first extra dry spirit strength?mastiha?(pronounced Mas Tik aa).? Produced from?mastic trees that originate and grow in the southern part of the Greek Island of Chios.? Cultivating mastic is an age old and sustainable practice that is both time and labor intensive.? The tree is "milked" and left to dry in the wind, which forms mastic crystals that are collected, cleaned and graded by hand.? Axia production includes maceration, distillation and "ageing" as parts of the unique recipe, with the total process lasting over a month. The end result is a premium, unsweetened 40% ABV spirit with velvety flavour notes of bergamot, cedar, cypress, mint, grass and pepper and a fragrant, rose aroma. Follow us on Instagram @axiaspirit or visit our website -? axiaspirit.com

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LONDON, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Business Worldwide Magazine (BWM) this week revealed the winners of its strongly-contested CEO Awards 2021.

Now in its seventh year, it is clear that news of the Awards contest is gathering momentum, considering it has attracted nominations for talented individuals from all around the globe.

Asia, Scandinavia, Europe and South America were all represented, many times over.

So too were a variety of industries. The Panel found that nominations for CEOs of Life Sciences companies were particularly prevalent this year. So too were entries for Artificial Intelligence. And yet, traditional industries such as Retail and Manufacturing still put forward an impressive list of short-listed individuals.

The BWM judging panel chose winners based on personal characteristics such as the ability to inspire and enthuse. CEO's who were also outward looking in terms of the community in which the company was located, were also rated highly. But internally, CEOs who regularly engaged with staff and committed to their training and well-being were also noted.

Robert Weinberg, spokesman for BWM sent his congratulations to the winners and added that, once again, the Panel were impressed by the calibre of those nominated for the CEO Awards.

"This year many CEOs were praised for their commitment to staff well-being and innovative practices in managing to bring staff together online and maintain the company ethos," he said. "And that was no mean feat considering the physical restrictions and emotional turmoil for many individuals wrought by the pandemic.

"We are continually heartened to see that there will always be CEOs out there who have the best interests of their staff at heart and who will continually go the extra mile and beyond to protect both the business and individuals working in it."

Further information on the individuals and companies which picked up titles in the CEO Awards 2021 can be found at https://www.bwmonline.com/ceo-awards-winners-2021/

About Business Worldwide Magazine

Business Worldwide Magazine is the leading source of business and dealmaker intelligence throughout the world. Our quarterly magazine and online news portal enables an established audience of corporate dealmakers to track the latest news, stories and developments affecting the international markets, corporate finance, business strategy and changes in legislation. This readership includes of CEO/CFO - Banks, Corporate Lawyers and Venture Capital/Private Equity Companies to name a few.

http://www.bwmonline.com

Contact

David Jones

Awards Department

E: david@bwmonline.com

W: http://www.bwmonline.com
- AWS customers can now access SUSE consulting, training and premium support services alongside SUSE software to simplify and enhance digital business

- SUSE is one of the first Linux OS providers to offer premium support and deployment services directly in AWS Marketplace

NUREMBERG, Germany, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- SUSE, a global leader in innovative, reliable and enterprise-grade open source solutions, today announced the availability of SUSE Professional Services - including consulting, training and premium support services - in AWS Marketplace. Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS) customers can now access SUSE professional services alongside already-available SUSE software, simplifying their business processes and enhancing their ability to meet the demands of the digital economy.

SUSE is one of the first Linux operating system providers to offer premium support and consulting services directly in AWS Marketplace.

"Over the past couple of years, SUSE has seen significant movement by our customers to public cloud providers such as AWS," said Kenny Stewart, head of SUSE Global Services and Support. "We've always been committed to going where our customers need to go, so we've worked with AWS to ensure customers can obtain the consulting, training and premium support services they need, right in AWS Marketplace with their SUSE technology solutions. It's another way to help ensure they can innovate everywhere."

Chris Grusz, director of Business Development, AWS Marketplace, Service Catalog, and AWS Control Tower at AWS, said, "We are delighted SUSE's offerings are now available in AWS Marketplace, giving our shared customers more options and greater confidence as they run their applications on the cloud."

By working with AWS, SUSE now offers cloud users complete solutions that include both software and related professional services, customizing each offer to meet unique customer needs. As mission-critical applications are increasingly moving to the cloud, SUSE services help ensure they run optimally in the cloud, minimizing downtime and boosting customers' businesses in their respective markets.

"The ability to purchase in AWS Marketplace is very beneficial as it standardizes the license terms and cuts down on contract execution time, while still providing flexibility through private offers," said Abhi Shanmugan, director, Enterprise Architecture - Apps and Integration at Phillips 66. "We are pleased that SUSE is providing their different products in AWS Marketplace."

SUSE Global Services help simplify, accelerate and modernize customer infrastructure with fixed-cost offerings designed to help enterprises discover the right open source solutions to achieve business outcomes, design solutions that will speed implementation, deploy solutions confidently to realize rapid ROI, and optimize solutions and reduce business disruption through direct relationships with SUSE professionals. For more information, see www.suse.com/services.

About SUSE

SUSE is a global leader in innovative, reliable and enterprise-grade open source solutions, relied upon by more than 60% of the Fortune 500 to power their mission-critical workloads. We specialize in Enterprise Linux, Kubernetes Management, and Edge solutions, and collaborate with partners and communities to empower our customers to innovate everywhere - from the data center, to the cloud, to the edge and beyond. SUSE puts the "open" back in open source, giving customers the agility to tackle innovation challenges today and the freedom to evolve their strategy and solutions tomorrow. The company employs nearly 2000 people globally and is listed in the regulated market (Prime Standard) of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. For more information, visit www.suse.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Any statements in this press release about future expectations, plans and prospects for the company, including statements containing the words "aims," "targets," "will," "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "expects," and similar expressions, may constitute forward-looking statements and should be read with caution. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including competitive landscape, development of customer deals, reliance upon customer relationships, management of growth and acquisitions, the possibility of undetected software issues, the risks of impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and economic downturns, pricing pressures and the viability of the Internet. In addition, any forward-looking statements included herein represent views as of the date of this press release and these views could change. The Company does not have any obligation to update its forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to change and should not be relied upon as representing the Company's views as of any date other than the date of this press release.

Copyright 2021 SUSE LLC. All rights reserved. SUSE and the SUSE logo are registered trademarks of SUSE LLC in the United States and other countries. All third-party trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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Enterprises are becoming growingly impatient and starting to look at technology alternatives to solve their connectivity pain points

LONDON, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- There are more than 290 fully publicly disclosed private network deployments worldwide, according to new research published by global tech advisory firm ABI Research. In China, the industry assumes there are several hundred private network deployments, but only 40 are fully publicly disclosed. Germany reports a total of 146 licenses granted to enterprises for the deployment of a mobile private network, with other European countries lagging far behind. Germany's interest in private networks is fading, however. While the Bundesnetzagentur counted more than 80 new applications for local licenses in the second half of 2020, there were only 20 more applications in the second quarter of 2021. The fact that interest in private network is slowing down indicates that the telco industry needs to radically rethink their approach to enterprise 5G or miss out on the opportunity entirely.

Looking at the motivations behind the existing private network deployments confirms this alarming observation. In China, for example, almost all private network deployments are for real-life enterprise use-cases, motivated by demand. On the contrary, in Germany, most private networks are constituted by System Integrators or factory automation solution vendors, aiming to showcase 5G capabilities and test solutions to integrate into their product offerings. "Most private network deployments in Germany are essentially sales-driven and only a few deployments are really used to enhance enterprise workflows and operations. The fact that these sales-driven activities dominate the number of private networks in Germany is yet another warning sign that enterprise 5G still has a long way to go," explains Leo Gergs, Senior Analyst for Private Networks and Enterprise Connectivity at ABI Research.

The slow growth of private networks shows there is critical need to act now, as the window of opportunity for enterprise 5G is closing. Enterprises are eagerly waiting for the 5G capabilities that they have been promised for more than 3 years. "As these enterprises realize that full support for URLLc and time-sensitive networking will still take years to mature, they are becoming growingly impatient and starting to look at technology alternatives," Gergs says.

To successfully target the immense enterprise private network opportunity, the telco industry needs to radically rethink their approach. The industry needs to embrace spectrum liberalization initiatives and consider flexible business models that can be adjusted to address heterogenous enterprise requirements. According to Gergs, "The telco industry must realize that the value proposition for enterprise 5G does not lie in the technology as such, but in the applications it enables. After all, no enterprise cares about whether they deploy 4G or 5G on their premises, as long as the technology solves their pain points."

Spectrum liberalization initiatives, which allow enterprises access to license or share mobile network spectrum without having to go through a traditional mobile network operator, can act as an important enabler in this context and the fact that more and more of these initiatives are being implemented shows regulators' willingness to create favorable conditions. "However, regulators can only do part of the job. It is now up to CSPs, infrastructure vendors, chipset manufacturers, and System Integrators to accept their responsibility and deliver on what enterprises have been promised from the beginning," Gergs concludes.

These findings are from ABI Research's Shared Spectrum and Private Networks Tracker market data report. This report is part of the company's 5G Markets research service, which includes research, data, and analyst insights. Market Data spreadsheets are composed of deep data, market share analysis, and highly segmented, service-specific forecasts to provide detailed insight where opportunities lie.

About ABI Research

ABI Research provides strategic guidance to visionaries, delivering actionable intelligence on the transformative technologies that are dramatically reshaping industries, economies, and workforces across the world. ABI Research's global team of analysts publish groundbreaking studies often years ahead of other technology advisory firms, empowering our clients to stay ahead of their markets and their competitors.

ABI Research?????????????,?????????????? ?1990???,????????????????,????,?????????????????????????? ????????????????



For more information about ABI Research's services, contact us at +1.516.624.2500 in the Americas, +44.203.326.0140 in Europe, +65.6592.0290 in Asia-Pacific or visit www.abiresearch.com.

Contact Info:

Global

Deborah Petrara

Tel: +1.516.624.2558

pr@abiresearch.com

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- Accelerating development of Alloplex's lead program, SUPLEXA Therapeutic Cells, the next generation tumor agnostic cellular therapy for treating solid and liquid tumors.

SEOUL, South Korea, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Daewoong Pharmaceutical and Hanall Biopharma of South Korea are expanding their global open collaboration initiative by investing in Alloplex Biotherapeutics, an emerging Boston-based biotechnology company.

Daewoong Pharmaceutical (CEO: Sengho Jeon) and Hanall Biopharma (Co-CEO: Seung Kook Park & Seungwon Jeong) have announced on August 19th, their investment in Alloplex Biotherapeutics by purchasing to support a potential long term collaboration for developing new cancer cell therapies. Daewoong Pharmaceutical and Hanall Biopharma aim to collaborate with Alloplex to develop global networks and communication with experts in this domain.

This investment will allow Alloplex to advance their first generation SUPLEXA therapeutic cell program into the clinic by the first half of 2022. SUPLEXA Therapeutic Cells are a differentiated and non-engineered autologous therapy made from activated and reprogrammed peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) - derived from patient whole blood. SUPLEXA cells are generated in rapidly and in abundance through a robust ex vivo manufacturing procedure during which they acquire the capacity to kill all tumor cells tested without affecting normal cells. SUPLEXA cells are comprised of a heterogenous mixture of cells of both innate and adaptive phenotypes known for their anti-tumor activity, including NK, NKT, CD8+ CTL and gd T cells. As such SUPLEXA cells employ a multi-modal anti-tumor strategy comprised entirely of normal activated immune cells with a capacity to kill all tumor cells tested. It is postulated that by using the patient's own cells rather than external substances that this therapy may have a very benign safety profile while maximizing anti-cancer effects.

Alloplex was founded in 2016 and is led by its scientific founder and CEO, Dr. Frank Borriello MD, PhD - a Harvard-trained immunologist with over 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry. Prior to Alloplex he led the Search and Evaluation function in multiple pharmaceutical companies.

Seungwon Jeong, co-CEO of Hanall Biopharma said, "It is with great pleasure and anticipation that we invest in Alloplex as they develop their unique anti-tumor immune cell treatment in the hopes of improving the quality of life of cancer patients through a joint investment."

Frank Borriello, CEO of Alloplex Biotherapeutics said, "We are very appreciative of the confidence displayed by Daewoong and Hanall through their investment in Alloplex. We hope this will be the beginning of a rewarding collaboration whereby we may be able to develop SUPLEXA Therapeutic cells in the Asia-Pacific region following a successful first-in human trial soon to start in Australia."

Daewoong Pharmaceutical Homepage: https://www.daewoong.co.kr/en/

Hanall Biopharma Homepage: https://www.hanall.com/

Alloplex Homepage: https://www.alloplexbio.com/

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DUBAI, UAE and NEW YORK, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- GITEX Technology Week 2021, the biggest technology event will take place in Dubai between 17th October to 21st October, 2021. GITEX is one of the biggest shows in the annual tech calendar, with over 4,500 exhibitors from around the globe, with over 1,00,000 visitors from the MEASA region and over 18,000 pre-rearranged meetings. Moreover, 800+ government entities from the MEASA region create the most significant public/private sector MOU signing platform. The international and local audience visit one event per year, and among them, they have selected GITEX as their primary platform to network and do business.

GITEX is hosted alongside the Dubai Expo for the biggest gathering of the tech community to transform the future of the digital economy. It is one of the undisputed tech event for the last 41 years, where global industry leaders, startups, and game-changers meet to uncover the top, as it happens. The latest in AI, 5G, Cloud, Big Data, Cybersecurity, Blockchain, Quantum Computing, Immersive Marketing, and Fintech-the only event to spotlight global tech visions at the international scale.

Hyperlink InfoSystem, a leading custom software development company, will exhibit again in GITEX technology week - GITEX2021 and showcase the services and solutions using the latest technologies like AI, IoT, Blockchain, AR/VR, and Big Data for startups to enterprise-level businesses. Hyperlink InfoSystem is very well known for developing the best quality with the latest technology, which eases earning a large amount of profit for all types of businesses. After successfully participating in GITEX for many years, Hyperlink InfoSystem continues to showcase smart solutions worldwide by GITEX 2021.

The CEO of Hyperlink InfoSystem, Mr. Harnil Oza, says, "It is the fifth time we are going to exhibit our services at GITEX. We are happy to showcase our innovations, creativity and share knowledge in diverse areas, including mobility, web, IoT, Big Data, Salesforce, Cloud and AI. No matter how advanced they may be, technologies offer no value to us unless they can create experiences. And I, too, believe the same. Hyperlink InfoSystem has been creating experiences to help businesses increase their reach and thrive. Schedule a meeting with our team at GITEX and discuss the next-gen tech solution idea."

If anyone has an innovative idea, Hyperlink InfoSystem can help them take the digital world by passion. They can directly interact with the Hyperlink InfoSystem's team at GITEX 2021 at H7-11 at Dubai World Trade Center from 17th October to 21st October, 2021. One can also enquire at +18057441224 or email at info@hyperlinkinfosystem.com

To schedule a meeting with us at GITEX Technology Week 2021, visit:

https://www.hyperlinkinfosystem.com/gitex-technology-week.html

About Hyperlink InfoSystem:



Hyperlink InfoSystem is an established and popular top web & mobile app development company based in USA, UK, UAE, France, Canada with its development center in India. The company's talented team of 450+ developers offers world-class services in the areas of Custom Software Development, Mobile app & Web Development, Blockchain Development, AR & VR App Development, Game App Development, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Salesforce & much more. Since 2011, the company has successfully built 4,000+ mobile apps for more than 2,400 clients around the world.

Contact Details:

Hyperlink InfoSystem

Harnil Oza

+1-805-744-1224

info@hyperlinkinfosystem.com

New York Address:

One World Trade Center

285 Fulton Street suite 8500,

New York, NY 10007,

United States

Mumbai Address:

Level 8, Vibgyor Towers C 62,

G Block Bandra Kurla Complex,

Mumbai, Maharashtra 400098

London Address:

Level 30, The Leadenhall Building,

122 Leadenhall Street,

London EC3V 4AB

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/708610/Hyperlink_Infosystem_Logo.jpg
BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - U.K. stocks plunged on Thursday as miners and energy companies slumped amid worries about a slowdown in global growth in the second half of the year. Uncertainties about Fed's tapering plans also dented sentiment. The benchmark FTSE 100 tumbled 163 points, or 2.3 percent, to 7,005 after ending down 0.2 percent on Wednesday. Miner Anglo American plummeted 11 percent, Antofagasta fell over 5 percent and Glencore declined 3 percent. BP Plc and Royal Dutch Shell plunged 4-5 percent as oil extended losses on data showing a surprise build in U.S. gasoline inventories. Shares of McBride plummeted as much as 10 percent. The manufacturer of private label and contract manufactured products said it now expects fiscal 2022 adjusted profit before tax to be 55- 65 percent lower than current market consensus for full year 2021. Travel and leisure stocks fell amid a surge in cases of the Delta variant of the coronavirus. EasyJet dropped 1.4 percent, TUI AG gave up 1.7 percent and IAG, the owner of British Airways, declined 2.4 percent. Drug maker AstraZeneca fell 1.1 percent after its chief executive Pascal Soriot, was named Britain's highest paid company boss in 2020. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - European stocks fell sharply on Thursday as miners and energy companies slumped amid worries about a slowdown in global growth in the second half of the year. Uncertainties about Fed's tapering plans also dented sentiment after minutes of the Fed's July meeting showed there was broad consensus among policymakers to reduce their monthly bond buying later this year. The pan European Stoxx 600 tumbled 2.2 percent to 464.05 after closing 0.1 percent higher in the previous session. The German DAX lost 2 percent, France's CAC 40 index gave up 2.9 percent and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 was down 2.2 percent. Swiss building materials supplier Geberit declined 3.2 percent. The producer and supplier of sanitary ware and bathroom ceramics has warned about rising raw materials prices after reporting higher-than-expected first-half earnings. Miner Anglo American plummeted 11 percent, Antofagasta fell over 5 percent and Glencore declined 3 percent. TotalEnergies, BP Plc and Royal Dutch Shell plunged 4-5 percent as oil extended losses on data showing a surprise build in U.S. gasoline inventories. Shares of McBride plummeted as much as 10 percent. The manufacturer of private label and contract manufactured products said it now expects fiscal 2022 adjusted profit before tax to be 55- 65 percent lower than current market consensus for full year 2021. Travel and leisure stocks fell amid a surge in cases of the Delta variant of the coronavirus. EasyJet dropped 1.4 percent, TUI AG gave up 1.7 percent and IAG, the owner of British Airways, declined 2.4 percent. Lufthansa and Air France KLM both fell over 1 percent. Drug maker AstraZeneca fell 1.1 percent after its chief executive Pascal Soriot, was named Britain's highest paid company boss in 2020. Volkswagen lost 2.9 percent after the German carmaker said it may need to cut production further due to a semiconductor supply crunch. BMW and Daimler both were down around 2.5 percent. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
DGAP-News: Gungnir Resources Inc. / Key word(s): Drilling Result

Gungnir Resources Inc.: Gungnir Hits Massive Sulphides at Lappvattnet Nickel Deposit



19.08.2021 / 12:00

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.





Gungnir Hits Massive Sulphides at Lappvattnet Nickel Deposit



Surrey, BC - August 19, 2021 - Gungnir Resources Inc. (GUG: TSX-V, ASWRF: OTCPK) ("Gungnir" or the "Company") is pleased to report that on-going drilling at the Company's Lappvattnet nickel deposit in Sweden continues to intersect sulphide mineralization including a 10-metre core interval containing several narrow sections of massive and semi-massive sulphides in hole LAP21-02. Please click link for drill core photo ( core photo ).

Jari Paakki, CEO commented, "we are off to a great start at Lappvattnet which is highlighted so far by hole LAP21-02. We have submitted samples from this hole for priority assaying for nickel and PGEs and expect assay results in the next couple of weeks."

To date, the Company has completed four short drill holes (totaling 350 metes) along two sections spaced about 40 metres apart at the western part of the Lappvattnet deposit. LAP21-01 and LAP21-02 were drilled on Section 8E up-dip of previous drilling including hole 2007-02 which returned 3.21% Nickel over 4.97 metres (from 76.43 metres) and Gungnir re-sampling within this interval returned 50.91 g/t PGEs (39.0 g/t Platinum, 11.8 g/t Palladium, 0.11 g/t Gold) over 0.45 metres. Holes LAP21-03 and LAP21-04 were drilled 40 metres east of LAP21-01 and LAP21-02 on Section 9E. Core logging has been completed for the first three holes which have all encountered variable amounts of sulphides (mainly pyrrhotite, local chalcopyrite and possible pentlandite, a nickel sulphide mineral) hosted in both peridotite and enclosing sedimentary gneisses. Drill co-ordinates and cross sections will be provided once assays are received.

On-going drilling is planned to continue to focus on the shallow, western part of the Lappvattnet deposit. The work plan consists of 10 or more holes, for approximately 1,200 metres, along six to seven sections spaced about 40 metres apart. Along sections, planned hole intercepts are positioned roughly 20 to 70 metres from historic intersections of massive sulphide. In addition to assaying for nickel, copper and cobalt, all mineralized sections will importantly be analyzed for PGEs which were not assayed in most of the drilling at the Lappvattnet deposit. New drilling and assays are expected to be incorporated into future resource upgrades.

Lappvattnet is one of two nickel sulphide deposits held by Gungnir in Sweden, the other deposit named Rormyrberget. In 2020, the Company updated both resources which collectively total 177 million pounds of nickel (see Technical Report with an effective date of November 17, 2020):

- Lappvattnet: Inferred Resource of 780,000 tonnes grading 1.35% nickel for 23.1 million lbs (10.5 million kg) of nickel.

- Rormyrberget: Inferred Resource of 36,800,000 tonnes grading 0.19% nickel for 154 million lbs (70 million kg) of nickel.

The technical information in this news release has been prepared and approved by Jari Paakki, P.Geo., CEO and a director of the Company. Mr. Paakki is a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101.

About Gungnir Resources

Gungnir Resources Inc. is a Canadian-based TSX-V listed mineral exploration company (GUG: TSX-V) with gold and base metal projects in northern Sweden. Gungnir's assets include the Knaften project which hosts a developing intrusion-hosted gold system, and VMS (zinc-copper) and copper-nickel targets, all of which are open for expansion and further discovery. East of Knaften, the Company holds two nickel-copper-cobalt deposits, Lappvattnet and Rormyrberget, with updated nickel resources. Further information about the Company and its properties may be found at www.gungnirresources.com or at www.sedar.com.

On behalf of the Board,

Jari Paakki, CEO and Director

For further information contact:

Head Office/Investor Relations

Phone: +1-604-683-0484

Jari Paakki, CEO

Email: jpaakki@eastlink.ca

Chris Robbins, CFO

Email: robbinscr@shaw.ca



Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Information

Certain statements in this news release may constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws (also known as forward-looking statements). Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, and may cause actual results, performance or achievements or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements or industry results expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward-looking information generally can be identified by the use of terms and phrases such as "anticipate", "believe", "could", "estimate", "expect", "feel", "intend", "may", "plan", "predict", "project", "subject to", "will", "would", and similar terms and phrases, including references to assumptions. Some of the specific forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to: the expectations that further nickel and PGE assays will be comparable to prior drill results; planned drilling activities and the expected timing thereof; expectations of future resource upgrades and that new drilling and assays will be incorporated into any resource upgrade, and Gungnir's plan for development of its properties and the timing thereof.

Forward-looking information is based on a number of key expectations and assumptions made by Gungnir, including, without limitation: the COVID-19 pandemic impact on the Canadian and global economy and Gungnir's business, and the extent and duration of such impact; no change to laws or regulations that negatively affect Gungnir's business; there will be a demand for Gungnir's services and products in the future; Gungnir will be able to operate its business as planned; and Gungnir's plans for future exploration and development of its properties is reasonable and will be possible within the anticipated timelines. Although the forward-looking information contained in this news release is based upon what Gungnir believes to be reasonable assumptions, it cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with such information.

Forward-looking information is provided for the purpose of presenting information about management's current expectations and plans relating to the future and readers are cautioned that such statements may not be appropriate for other purposes. Forward-looking information involves significant risks and uncertainties and should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results as actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking information. Those risks and uncertainties include, among other things, risks related to: no certainty that any economically viable mineral deposit will be located on Gungnir's properties; that Gungnir may not be able to complete its planned drilling as anticipated; the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic; ability to access capital markets; environmental matters; changes in legislation or regulations; receipt of required licenses, permits and approvals; and resource estimates may not be accurate and may differ significantly from actual mineral resources. Management believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information contained herein are based upon reasonable assumptions and information currently available; however, management can give no assurance that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking information. The forward-looking information contained this news release is expressly qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement. Forward-looking information reflects management's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to Gungnir. The forward-looking information is stated as of the date of this news release and Gungnir assumes no obligation to update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required by applicable law.
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / August 19, 2021 / Vanadium One Iron Corp. (the "Company") (TSXV:VONE), is pleased to announce that it has signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding ("MOU") with the Port of Saguenay to mutually advance the development of the Mont Sorcier project and the planned use of the port to export iron ore concentrates.

The MOU outlines the intent of the parties to work collaboratively to develop a strategic plan for future ore-handling, yard setup, lay-down and ship loading facilities at the Port of Saguenay to support the future requirements of the Mont Sorcier iron and vanadium project. As such, the parties will work towards completion of a Definitive Agreement as the Project development requires setting out more specific details such as a land lease agreement, common/multi-user infrastructure, operational costs for ship loading and other costs related to ship berthing, and other activities related to the Project's development timeline.

The signing of the MOU follows the August 12, 2021 announcement by the Port of Saguenay of a planned $33 million investment by the Federal Government of Canada and a $33 million investment by the Provincial Government of Quebec towards the development of infrastructure at the Port of Saguenay. The funds are to be used for the construction of a multi-user conveyor system to connect the industrial zone and railway installations to the maritime terminal for ship loading/unloading. Construction is expected to take approximately 2.5 years.

Cliff Hale-Sanders, CEO of Vanadium One Iron, stated, "We are extremely pleased to be signing this MOU with the Port of Saguenay which greatly enhances the ongoing development of the Mont Sorcier project. We see the recent investment commitment by both the Federal and Provincial governments in the port infrastructure as showing the strong regional assistance to support the development of new projects. The Company believes it will significantly boost the development of the Mont Sorcier project in the future."

About Vanadium One Iron Corp.:

Vanadium One Iron Corp. is a mineral exploration company headquartered in Toronto, Canada. The Company is focused on advancing its Mont Sorcier, Vanadium-rich, Magnetite Iron Ore Project, in Chibougamau, Quebec. The project has demonstrated compelling economics as shown in our 2020 Preliminary Economic Assessment and is ideally located near to key rail, port and electrical infrastructure to support rapid development.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF VANADIUM ONE IRON CORP.

Cliff Hale-Sanders, President & CEO

Tel: 416-819-8558

info@vanadiumone.com

www.vanadiumone.com

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release contains "forward-looking information" including statements with respect to the future exploration performance of the Company. This forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements of the Company, expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks, as well as others, are disclosed within the Company's filing on SEDAR, which investors are encouraged to review prior to any transaction involving the securities of the Company. Forward-looking information contained herein is provided as of the date of this news release and the Company disclaims any obligation, other than as required by law, to update any forward-looking information for any reason. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate and the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking information.

SOURCE: Vanadium One Iron Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/660385/Vanadium-One-Iron-Corp-Signs-Memorandum-of-Understanding-with-the-Port-of-Saguenay-to-Support-Development-of-the-Mont-Sorcier-Iron-Project
HICKSVILLE, NY / ACCESSWIRE / August 19, 2021 / Can B Corp. (OTCQB:CANB) ('CAN B' or the 'Company'), a diversified health and wellness company specializing in the development, production, and sale of products containing hemp-derived cannabinoids, is pleased to announce its acquisition of assets, including equipment, inventory and intellectual property, from Music City Botanicals LLC ('MCB'), based in Mcminville, Tennessee. The lab and equipment will be used for isomer (Delta-8- CBD- CBG) operations. The assets have been placed in CANB's newest wholly-owned subsidiary TN Botanicals, LLC, and expects to begin operations immediately.

This acquisition, along with the previously announced TWS Pharma acquisition, will make CAN B a contender to become among the leading producers of hemp-based cannabinoid products in America. The addition of Music City Botanicals assets adds additional volume in extraction, isomer lab production, and R&D into the evolving isomer market with such products a Delta-10, CBG, CBN, and CBDA. New retail products will include pharmaceutical-grade CBD and related manufactured goods. In-house labeling and packaging now available to the Company will create a chain of custody and compliance process that is uncommon in the industry.

With this acquisition, TN Botanicals is now a complete producer of high-quality CBD products using in-house extraction, distillation, isolate production, and final product fulfillment to complete a vertical chain of custody in all its products. The former MCB executive staff has over one hundred years of combined hemp processing experience in a world-class team of operators, scientist, and salespeople, many of which CAN B intends to engage. Products are manufactured under Good Management Practices, ISO 9000 compliance, and FDA inspected practices inspected. All products are tested by primary and independent third-party labs.

The transaction is valued at well over a million dollars for processing and extraction assets encompassing equipment, inventory, and intellectual property, including all of MCB's product offerings and trademarks. The Company also intends to lease MCB's current facility in Mcminville, Tennessee, and hire its seasoned and professional employees to produce and sell products under the TN Botanicals LLC division of CANB. The lab is twice the size of Can B's Miami operation and has the capacity to produce six hundred liters of quality Delta 8 and other isomers per week.

Marco Alfonsi, Can B's Chief Executive Officer, commented, "This acquisition brings us additional complementary assets that enable us to control our supply chain from biomass through end products for both retail and wholesale customers. Our previously announced acquisition of TWS Pharma assets will feed this isomer operation and provide us cost synergies and scale. CAN B is now a full-service hemp-derived cannabinoid company that can facilitate servicing the large box types as well as the boutique vape and smoke store."

As part of the asset acquisition, CAN B retains all of the intellectual property including the branding name and retail product lines of MCB. Additionally, CAN B is acquiring a talent pool of seasoned professionals with strong national sales experience in isomer products. The pharmaceutical space will be an important part of the unique formulations that are available within the experienced laboratory staff. The resolute and knowledgeable employee base covers operations in Miami, Tennessee, Colorado, New York, and Washington.

About Can B Corp.

Can B Corp. (OTCQB:CANB) is a health & wellness company providing the highest quality hemp-derived cannabinoid products, including under its own brands of Canbiola, Seven Chakras, NuWellness, Pure Leaf Oil, and Duramed. Can B utilizes multi-channel distribution to reach consumers, including medical facilities, doctor offices, retailers, online and direct. Can B Corp. operates R&D and production facilities in Lacey, WA, and Florida. To learn more about Can B Corp. and our comprehensive line of high-quality products, please visit:Canbiola.com and www.CanBCorp.com, follow Can B Corp on Instagram and Facebook , or visit one of the 1,000+ retail outlets that carry Can B Corp. products.

For more information about Can B Corp., please visit: CanBCorp.com

Twitter @CanBCorp

Instagram @canbcorp

Facebook @ Can B Corp

YouTube

Forward-Looking Statements

Forward-looking statements and risks and uncertainties discussed in this release contain forward-looking statements. The words 'anticipate,' 'believe,' 'estimate,' 'may,' 'intend,' 'expect,' and similar expressions identify such forward-looking statements. Expected, actual results, performance, or achievements could differ materially from those contemplated, expressed, or implied by the forward-looking statements contained herein. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to, risks and uncertainties associated with, among other things, the impact of economic, competitive, and other factors affecting our operations, markets, products, and performance. The matters discussed herein should not be construed in any way, shape or manner of our future financial condition or stock price. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of added information, future events or otherwise, after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

Investors and Media:

IR@canbiola.com

(917) 658-7878

SOURCE: Can B Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/660452/Can-B-Corp-Closes-Acquisition-of-Assets-from-Music-City-Botanicals-to-Strengthen-its-Vertical-Processing-Capabilities
- Establishes Full Year 2021 Guidance -

Stevanato Group S.p.A. (NYSE: STVN), a leading global provider of drug containment, drug delivery, and diagnostic solutions to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and life sciences industries, today announced its financial results for the second quarter 2021 and established full-year 2021 guidance.

Second Quarter 2021 Highlights (compared to the same period last year) and Guidance

Revenue grew 26% to 204.0 million; all growth was organic

Gross margins increased to 31.2%

Net profit totaled 34.5 million; or 0.14 of diluted earnings per share (EPS) and included a non-recurring benefit of 4.4 million net profit, or 0.02 diluted EPS

Excluding the one-time benefit, adjusted diluted EPS was 0.12

EBITDA increased 52% to 61.0 million; adjusted EBITDA grew 30% to 52.4 million

Backlog totaled 738.9 million

The Company is establishing fiscal-year 2021 guidance and currently expects revenue in the range of 820 million to 830 million; adjusted EPS in the range of 0.43 to 0.47; and adjusted EBITDA in the range of 212 million to 217 million

Subsequent to June 30, the Company raised net proceeds of approximately $453.5 million from its initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange, including a partial exercise of the underwriters' over-allotment option.

Franco Moro, Chief Executive Officer, stated, "Strong second quarter operational results reflect the demand for our integrated, end-to-end portfolio of products, processes and services that address customer needs across the entire drug life cycle at each of the development, clinical and commercial stages. We achieved double-digit revenue growth in both segments and across all geographies. Our financial results reflect solid demand in our core products and, to a lesser extent, the ongoing need for our drug containment solutions that play a vital role in the global rollout of the Covid-19 vaccines. We estimate that approximately 15% of second quarter 2021 revenue was attributable to Covid-19. Our strategic shift in prioritizing our high value solutions helped boost gross margins by 100 basis points over the prior-year period. For the second quarter of 2021, high value solutions accounted for approximately 24% of revenue, compared to 23% for the prior year."

"The past few months have marked an exciting and important time for Stevanato Group," said Franco Stevanato, Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors. "We are pleased to have successfully completed our initial public offering and, as a listed company, we look forward to continuing to drive long-term value for all of our stakeholders, including customers, patients, employees, partners and our shareholders."

Biopharmaceutical and Diagnostic Segment (BDS)

The Biopharmaceutical and Diagnostic Segment delivers a broad range of proprietary products, processes, and services for the containment and delivery of pharmaceutical and biotechnology drugs, reagents, and diagnostic consumables.

The segment benefitted from rising demand in the second quarter. As a result, second quarter revenue grew 23% to 174.8 million compared to the same period last year. Revenue growth was attributable to a 27% increase in the sale of high value solutions, the Company's proprietary products including EZ-Fill vials and cartridges, as well as a 21% increase in traditional containment and delivery partly due to the ongoing demand from the continuing impact of Covid-19 on our industry. In the second quarter, high value solutions accounted for 28% of BDS Segment revenue, compared to 27% the prior year.

Gross margin and operating margin expansion in the second quarter was due, in part, to an increase in more accretive high value solutions and business optimization efforts compared to the same period last year.

Engineering Segment

The Engineering Segment develops equipment and technology for assembly, visual inspection, packaging, serialization, glass conversion, as well as comprehensive after-sales support to provide end-to-end solutions to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and diagnostic manufacturing processes.

For the second quarter, Engineering Segment (third parties) revenue grew by 50% to 29.1 million compared to the prior year. The segment benefitted from growth across all business lines including glass conversion machines, visual inspection systems, as well as assembly and packaging machines.

Margin expansion, compared to the prior-year period, was driven by an increase in after-sales activities to support customers and improved synergies across the Company's manufacturing network.

Liquidity and Balance Sheet

As of June 30, 2021, cash and cash equivalents totaled 100.8 million. For the second quarter, cash from operating activities increased to 54.1 million. Capital expenditures totaled 23.7 million in the second quarter, as the Company continued to invest in increasing capacity for its high value solutions to meet growing customer demand. As a result, free cash flow (defined as cash from operating activities excluding interests paid and received, less property, plant, and equipment and intangible assets on a cash basis) was 31.3 million.

The Company believes that its cash and cash equivalents, cash generated from operating activities together with availability under its existing debt facilities and net proceeds of approximately $453.5 million raised in its IPO, will be adequate to address liquidity needs based on its current expectations of business operations, capital expenditures and scheduled payments under its debt obligations.

On July 20, 2021, we completed our initial public offering, at completion of which we received aggregate net proceeds of approximately $439.2 million, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses. On August 18, the underwriters further purchased 712,796 additional newly issued shares from the Company to cover over-allotments driving the total net proceeds of the offering to approximately $453.5 million.

Full Year 2021 Guidance

Stevanato Group continues to expand its role in the pharmaceutical value chain. The Company has established full year 2021 guidance that demonstrates a sharp focus on executing against its long-term strategic plan.

The Company currently estimates that it has visibility of approximately 94% of full year forecasted revenue for fiscal 2021, comprised of first half 2021 revenue contributions plus currently estimated backlog for the second half.

The Company currently expects:

revenue in the range of 820 million to 830 million, which represents year-over-year growth between 24% and 25% compared to revenue of 662.0 million for fiscal year 2020,

adjusted diluted EPS in the range of 0.43 to 0.47 (assumes weighted average shares outstanding of approximately 252.7 million),

adjusted EBITDA in the range of 212 million to 217 million, which represents growth between 33% and 35% compared to fiscal year 2020, and,

high value solutions to range between 25% and 26% of revenue for 2021.

Mr. Moro concluded, "Our overall approach of increasing capacity in the fastest growing markets, embedding scientific and technological advancements in our portfolio and broadening our services and geographic reach is the cornerstone of driving value to our customers. We are a mission critical partner in the pharmaceutical value chain, and we are responding to an ever-growing demand from customers across the pharmaceutical, bio-tech and life sciences industries."

Conference Call and Webcast

The Company will host a conference call to discuss the results and business expectations at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time today (14:30 CET). Management will refer to a slide presentation during the call, which will be made available on the day of the call. To view the presentation, please visit the "Financial Results" page, under the Financial Information tab of the Company's Investor Relations section of its website.

To participate on the call please dial

United States: +1 855 979 6654

Italy: +39 800 684 570

International: +44 20 3936 2999

Access Code: 627926

Preregistration:

Listeners are encouraged to preregister for the call via the following link: www.incommglobalevents.com/registration/client/8297/stevanatoearnings-call/, whereupon you will be provided with a unique dial-in number and access code.

For Participants that do not preregister:

A live broadcast of the conference call will also be available online at the following link: www.incommuk.com/customers/online (access code 627926).

Replay:

An online archive of the broadcast will be available at the website shortly after the live call and will be available through Thursday 2 September 2021. The recording will be accessible via the following link: www.incommglobalevents.com/replay/6516/stevanato-earnings-call/ (access code 776594).

About Stevanato Group

Founded in 1949, Stevanato Group is a leading global provider of drug containment, drug delivery and diagnostic solutions to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and life sciences industries. The Group delivers an integrated, end-to-end portfolio of products, processes and services that address customer needs across the entire drug life cycle at each of the development, clinical and commercial stages. Stevanato Group's core capabilities in scientific research and development, its commitment to technical innovation and its engineering excellence are central to its ability to offer value added solutions to clients.

For more information, please visit www.stevanatogroup.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements which include, or may include, words such as "raising", "believe", "potential", "increased", "future", "remain", "growing", "expect", "foreseeable", "expected", "to be", "includes", "estimated", "assumes", "would provide", and other similar terminology. Forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus include, but are not limited to, statements about: our future financial performance, including our revenue, operating expenses, and our ability to maintain profitability and operational and commercial capabilities; our expectations regarding the development of our industry and the competitive environment in which we operate; and our goals and strategies. The following are some of the factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or underlying our forward-looking statements: (i) our product offerings are highly complex, and, if our products do not satisfy applicable quality criteria, specifications and performance standards, we could experience lost sales, delayed or reduced market acceptance of our products, increased costs and damage to our reputation; (ii) we must develop new products and enhance existing products, adapt to significant technological and innovative changes and respond to introductions of new products by competitors to remain competitive; (iii) our backlog might not accurately predict our future revenue, and we might not realize all or any part of the anticipated revenue reflected in our backlog; (iv) if we fail to maintain and enhance our brand and reputation, our business, results of operations and prospects may be materially and adversely affected; (v) we are highly dependent on our management and employees. Competition for our employees is intense, and we may not be able to attract and retain the highly skilled employees that we need to support our business and our intended future growth; (vi) our business, financial condition and results of operations depend upon maintaining our relationships with suppliers and service providers; (vii) our business, financial condition and results of operations depend upon the availability and price of high-quality materials and energy supply and our ability to contain production costs; (viii) significant interruptions in our operations could harm our business, financial condition and results of operations; (ix) our manufacturing facilities are subject to operating hazards which may lead to production curtailments or shutdowns and have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition or cash flows; and (x) our business may be harmed if our customers discontinue or spend less on research, development, production or other scientific endeavors; (xi) we may face significant competition in implementing our strategies for revenue growth in light of actions taken by our competitors. This list is not exhaustive.

These forward-looking statements speak only as at their dates. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement or statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible to predict all of these factors. Further, the Company cannot assess the impact of each such factor on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to be materially different from those contained in any forward-looking statements. This press release also contains certain estimates regarding the Company's future prospects and performance, including, but not limited to, future revenues and earnings per share, capital deployment. All such statements and projections are based upon current expectations of the Company and involve a number of business risks and uncertainties. The Company disclaimers any current intention to update such guidance, except as required by law.

For a description of certain additional factors that could cause the Company's future results to differ from those expressed in any such forward-looking statements, see Part II, Item 1A. entitled "Risk Factors" in the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 6-K for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2021 and "Risk Factors" in our registration statement on Form F-1, dated July 16, 2021 and which was filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in accordance with Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, on July 16, 2021.

Consolidated Income Statement (Amounts in millions, except per share data) (Unaudited) For the three months ended June 30, For the six months ended June 30, 2021 2020 2021 2020 Revenue 204.0 100.0% 161.8 100.0% 396.8 100.0% 298.2 100.0% Costs of sales 140.3 68.8% 113.0 69.8% 267.7 67.5% 209.9 70.4% Gross Profit 63.7 31.2% 48.9 30.2% 129.1 32.5% 88.4 29.6% Other operating Income 2.3 1.1% 1.8 1.1% 5.5 1.4% 2.1 0.7% Selling and Marketing Expenses 5.4 2.7% 5.1 3.1% 11.3 2.8% 11.3 3.8% Research and Development Expenses 6.9 3.4% 3.8 2.4% 12.7 3.2% 7.8 2.6% General and Administrative Expenses 6.0 3.0% 14.6 9.0% 20.0 5.0% 28.8 9.7% Operating Profit 47.6 23.3% 27.1 16.8% 90.5 22.8% 42.5 14.3% Finance Income 2.3 1.1% 3.8 2.4% 4.3 1.1% 9.5 3.2% Finance Expense 2.4 1.2% 3.4 2.1% 5.6 1.4% 13.6 4.6% Share of Profit of an Associate 0.4 0.2% 0.2 0.1% 0.4 0.1% 0.2 0.1% Profit Before Tax 47.9 23.5% 27.8 17.2% 89.6 22.6% 38.6 12.9% Income Taxes 13.4 6.6% 7.1 4.4% 18.6 4.7% 10.6 3.6% Net Profit 34.5 16.9% 20.7 12.8% 71.0 17.9% 27.9 9.4% Earnings per share Basic earnings per common share 0.14 0.09 0.29 0.12 Diluted earnings per common share 0.14 0.09 0.29 0.12 Average common shares outstanding 241.0 240.5 240.8 240.5 Average shares assuming dilution 241.0 240.5 240.8 240.5

Report Segment Information (Amounts in millions, except per share data) (Unaudited) For the three months For the six months ended June 30, ended June 30, 2021 2020 2021 2020 Revenue Biopharmaceutical and Diagnostic Solutions 175.1 142.6 335.9 263.2 Engineering 43.0 31.5 83.0 63.2 Adjustments, eliminations, and unallocated items (14.1) (12.3) (22.1) (28.2) Consolidated Total 204.0 161.8 396.8 298.2 Gross Profit Biopharmaceutical and Diagnostic Solutions 57.6 44.4 114.8 79.8 Engineering 7.7 4.6 16.5 10.7 Adjustments, eliminations, and unallocated items (1.6) (0.2) (2.2) (2.1) Consolidated Total 63.7 48.8 129.1 88.4 Gross Profit Margin 31.2% 30.2% 32.5% 29.6% Operating Profit Biopharmaceutical and Diagnostic Solutions 39.5 28.9 79.9 46.3 Engineering 3.4 0.9 7.8 3.2 Adjustments, eliminations, and unallocated items 4.7 (2.7) 2.9 (7.0) Consolidated Total 47.6 27.1 90.5 42.5 Operating Profit Margin 23.3% 16.8% 22.8% 14.3%

Consolidated Statement of financial position (Unaudited) (Amounts in millions) (Amounts in millions) As of June

30, 2021 As of December

31, 2020 Intangible assets 79,7 81,1 Right of use assets 24,1 25,4 Property, plant, and equipment 341,7 313,7 Other non-current financial assets 4,5 8,1 Deferred tax assets 45,1 45,6 Non-current assets 495,2 473,9 Inventories 149,7 139,4 Contract Assets 48,5 39,4 Trade receivables 135,8 127,8 Trade payables (100,6) (118,7) Advances from customers (46,7) (48,4) Contract Liabilities (6,5) (5,0) Trade working capital 180,3 134,5 Other liabilities (net of receivables) (48,5) (33,8) Net working capital 131,8 100,7 Deferred tax liabilities (13,8) (11,6) Employees benefits (10,5) (29,7) Provisions (4,1) (4,4) Other non-current liabilities (1,8) (1,8) Total non-current liabilities and provisions (30,3) (47,5) Capital employed 596,6 527,0 Net debt (215,2) (216,9) Equity (381,5) (310,1) Total equity and net debt (596,6) (527,0)

Non-GAAP Financial Information

This press release contains non-GAAP measures. Please refer to the tables included in this press release for a reconciliation of non-GAAP measures.

Management monitors and evaluates our operating and financial performance using several non-GAAP financial measures, including Constant Currency Revenue, EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA Margin, Adjusted Operating Profit, Adjusted Operating Profit Margin, CAPEX, Adjusted Diluted EPS, Net Debt1, and Free Cash Flow. We believe that these non-GAAP financial measures provide useful and relevant information regarding our performance and improve our ability to assess our financial condition. While similar measures are widely used in the industry in which we operate, the financial measures we use may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures used by other companies, nor are they intended to be substitutes for measures of financial performance or financial position as prepared in accordance with IFRS.

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Measures (Unaudited) Reconciliation of Net Debt (Amounts in millions) (Amounts in millions) As of June 30, As of December 31, 2021 2020 Non-current financial liabilities 264.6 294.1 Current financial liabilities 80.7 81.2 Financial Receivables from associate (1) (1.3) (1.3) Other current financial assets (27.9) (41.5) Cash and cash equivalents (100.8) (115.6) Net Debt 215.2 216.9

(1) The Financial Receivable granted to the associate Swissfillon AG is included in line "Other non-current financial assets" of the Interim condensed consolidated statements of financial position.

Reconciliation of EBITDA (Amounts in millions) (Amounts in millions, except as indicated otherwise) For the three

months ended

June, 30 Change For the six

months ended

June, 30 Change 2021 2020 2021 2020 Net Profit 34.5 20.7 66.7 71.0 27.9 154.5 Income Taxes 13.4 7.1 88.7 18.6 10.6 75.5 Finance Income (2.3) (3.8) (39.5) (4.3) (9.5) (54.7) Finance Expenses 2.4 3.4 (29.4) 5.6 13.6 (58.8) Share of Profit of an Associate (0.4) (0.2) 100.0 (0.4) (0.2) 100.0 Operating Profit 47.6 27.1 75.6 90.5 42.5 112.9 Depreciation and Amortization 13.4 13.1 2.3 26.4 25.7 2.7 EBITDA 61.0 40.2 51.7 116.9 68.2 71.4

Reconciliation of Reported and Adjusted EBITDA, Operating Profit, Income Taxes, Net Profit and Diluted EPS (Amounts in millions, except per share data) Three months ended June 30, 2021 EBITDA Operating

Profit Income

Taxes Net Profit Diluted EPS Reported 61.0 47.6 13.4 34.5 0.14 Adjusting items: Restructuring and related charges (2) 0.7 0.7 0.2 0.5 0.00 Incentive Plans Settlement (3) (7.8) (7.8) (4.0) (3.8) (0.02) IPO costs reversed (booked as at March, 31 2021)(4) (1.5) (1.5) (0.4) (1.1) (0.00) Adjusted 52.4 39.0 9.2 30.1 0.12 Adjusted Margin 25.7% 19.1% Six months ended June 30, 2021 EBITDA Operating

Profit Income

Taxes Net Profit Diluted EPS Reported 116.9 90.5 18.6 71.0 0.29 Adjusting items: Restructuring and related charges (2) 1.0 1.0 0.3 0.7 0.00 Incentive Plans Settlement (3) (9.9) (9.9) (4.8) (5.1) (0.02) Tax Incentive Patent Box(5) 5.5 (5.5) (0.02) Adjusted 108.0 81.6 19.6 61.1 0.25 Adjusted Margin 27.2% 20.6% Three months ended June 30, 2020 EBITDA Operating

Profit Income

Taxes Net Profit Diluted EPS Reported 40.2 27.1 7.1 20.7 0.09 Adjusting items: Adjusted 40.2 27.1 7.1 20.7 0.09 Adjusted Margin 24.8% 16.7% Six months ended June 30, 2020 EBITDA Operating

Profit Income

Taxes Net Profit Diluted EPS Reported 68.2 42.5 10.6 27.9 0.12 Adjusting items: Adjusted 68.2 42.5 10.6 27.9 0.12 Adjusted Margin 22.9% 14.2%

(2) During the three and the six months ended June 30, 2021, the Group recorded 0.7 million and 1.0 million respectively in restructuring and related charges for the consolidation of Balda plants in the U.S. (3) During the three and the six months ended June 30, 2021, the Group recorded 7.8 million and 9.9 million respectively, within general and administrative expenses, as accrual reversal related to the early termination of incentive plans aimed at a limited number of key managers. (4) During the three months ended June 30, 2021, the Group reversed the IPO project costs prudentially accrued at P&L as of March 31, 2021. (5) During the first quarter 2021, the Group reached an agreement with Italian Tax Agency regarding the so-called "Patent box regime", resulting in a retroactive 5.5 million tax saving for the financial years 2016-2020.

Reconciliation of Revenue to Constant Currency Revenue (6) (Amounts in millions) Three months ended June 30, 2021 Biopharmaceutical and

Diagnostic Solutions Engineering Reported Revenue 174.9 29.1 Effect of changes in currency translation rates 4.0 Constant Currency Revenue 178.9 29.1

Six months ended June 30, 2021 Biopharmaceutical and

Diagnostic Solutions Engineering Reported Revenue 335.4 61.4 Effect of changes in currency translation rates 9.8 (0.1) Constant Currency Revenue 345.2 61.3

(6) Constant currency revenue translates the current-period reported revenue of subsidiaries whose functional currency is other than the Euro at the applicable foreign exchange rates in effect during the comparable prior-year period. In the second quarter 2021, revenue on a constant currency basis grew by 25.5% and by 50.2% in the Biopharmaceutical and Diagnostic Solutions segment and in the Engineering segment respectively. In the first half 2021, revenue on a constant currency basis grew by 31.3% and by 73.0% in the Biopharmaceutical and Diagnostic Solutions segment and in the Engineering segment respectively.

Reconciliation of 2021 Guidance for Operating Profit, EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted Net Profit and Adjusted Diluted (Unaudited) (Amounts in millions, except per share data) 2021 Guidance Operating

Profit Depreciation

and

Amortization EBITDA Net Profit Diluted EPS Reported 155.5 160.5 58.5 214.0 219.0 113.0 122.8 0.45 0.49 Adjusting items Restructuring and Related Charges 1.6 1.6 1.1 0.00 Incentive Plans Settlement (9.9) (9.9) (5.1) (0.02) Tax Incentive Patent Box (5.5) (0.02) One-time Bonus to Employees 6.5 6.5 4.9 0.02 Adjusted 153.5 158.5 58.5 212.0 217.0 109.0 118.8 0.43 0.47

Cash Flow Items (Unaudited) (Amounts in millions) For the six months

ended June 30, For the six months

ended June 30, 2021 2020 Cash flow from operating activities 60.0 44.6 Cash flow used in investing activities (46.7) (43.5) Cash flow from/ (used in) financing activities (29.8) 20.4 Net change in cash and cash equivalents (16.6) 21.6

Free Cash Flow (Unaudited) (Amounts in millions) (Amounts in millions) For the three months

ended June 30, For the six months

ended June 30, 2021 2020 2021 2020 Cash Flow from Operating Activities 54.1 53.9 60.0 44.6 Interest paid 1.1 1.3 2.3 2.4 Interest received (0.2) (0.1) (0.3) (0.4) Purchase of property, plant, and equipment (22.3) (17.3) (44.1) (41.4) Purchase of intangible assets (1.4) (1.5) (2.1) (2.1) Free Cash Flow 31.3 36.3 15.8 3.1

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210819005323/en/

Contacts:

Media

Stevanato Group

media@stevanatogroup.com



Investor Relations

Lisa Miles

lisa.miles@stevanatogroup.com
LONDON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / August 19, 2021 / MBH Corporation plc (MBH), a diversified investment holding company, today has announced it agreed to the terms for the acquisition of Vista Care Solutions Limited (Vista Care) as the latest step in its extensive acquisition drive. The completion of this acquisition is subject to regulatory approval for the proposed change of ownership from UK city councils. Upon receiving approval, Vista Care will become part of MBH's health vertical, joining Samuel Hobson House.

MBH added four new industry verticals alone in 2020 as part of a concerted acquisition drive which is continuing in 2021 with Vista care becoming the 26th company in the Group portfolio.



MBH is adding to its portfolio today and driving further diversification with the acquisition of Vista Care. As a result, the MBH portfolio now stands at 26 companies across eight industry sectors and five countries.

Vista Care was launched in 2018 as a home care agency provider across the UK registered to provide personal care to people with a learning disability, autism spectrum disorder, sensory impairment, people with an eating disorder, mental health and people who face issues with drug and alcohol misuse. Vista Care trades as 'Sunlight Care Group' and operates Sunlight Care Newham and Sunlight Care (Park View) where it operates a specialist residential care home for individuals with learning disabilities.

Their unaudited revenues for the financial year ended 31 May 2021 totalled GBP3.3 million from contracts with city councils in Nottingham, Newham and Redbridge who make up the company's list of customers.

Vista Care has a clear set of growth targets that it is looking to achieve organically by increasing bed count, in implementing their growth plans they have also set out a clear ESG policy covering their environmental impact, the design and technology of their services and the recording and reviewing of their progress.

The total consideration for the acquisition of Vista Care will be approximately GBP3.3m to GBP 4.0m which will be settled by way of convertible notes which will convert into MBH shares at the lower of the 30 day volume weighted price preceding the conversion date or EUR0.80c per share.

Ali & Shakar Sharif, Owners, Vista Care Solutions, commented: "As a team we couldn't have hoped to find a better group than MBH to join. Their agglomeration model allows us to retain full control of Vista and grow our business organically whilst collaborating with and learning from some truly inspirational leaders across a whole range of sectors within the group. We look forward to seeing what we can achieve as part of the MBH family."

Callum Laing, CEO, MBH Corporation Plc, said: 'Care homes are integral to the British service economy and Vista Care represents the best of the sector with a future facing and innovative offering that gives the people it cares for the best possible experience. We're proud to welcome the team on board and look forward to taking the next steps to growth alongside them.'

Bond Programme and Number of Shares on Issue

MBH have utilised approximately EUR37m of its bond programme leaving a balance of EUR13m to be utilised if required.

The number of shares issued at the date of this release is 73 million.

Approximately 70% of MBH shares are owned by the Principals in the Group. To further support the company, it is estimated that at least 40% of the Principals are engaged in repeat monthly purchases of shares on-market.

The Board is currently reviewing Executive Share Ownership Guidelines to ensure that executive board members now and in the future are also fully aligned with all other shareholders.

About Vista Care Solutions

Vista Care provides the following services;

Care at Home: helping people live independently in their own home

Mental Health Services

Youth, Children and Young People Services

Parental Support Services

Supported Living Services

Residential Care - Park View

Vista Care operates on strict quality assurance standards including; ISO9001 Quality Assurance, ISO14001 Environmental, ISO45001 Health and Safety, and ISO 27001 Information Security.

Website : https://www.sunlightgroup.co.uk/

About MBH

MBH Corporation plc (M8H:GR) is a diversified investment holding company, listed on the Frankfurt and Dusseldorf Stock Exchanges and the OTCQX in New York (MBHCF). The company acquires small to medium enterprises across multiple geographies and sectors that are well established, profitable and looking to scale. By leveraging the Agglomeration strategy, MBH Corporation plc is able to create substantial shareholder value through the consistent and accretive acquisition of excellent companies.

www.mbhcorporation.com

Contacts for IR and media enquiries:

MBH Corporation plc, Charlotte Williams, charlotte@unity-group.com, +44 (0)770 396 3953

Perception A, Phil Anderson & Charlie Nelson, phil@perceptiona.com , +44 (0)776 749 1519

SOURCE: MBH Corporation Plc

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/660475/MBH-Corporation-Plc-Grows-Its-Health-Vertical-with-The-Acquisition-of-Home-Care-Agency-Vista-Care
The only Canadian company, and one of ten globally, chosen for prestigious Tech For Our Planet program at COP26, designed to spark environmental change and help the world reach its net zero targets

MONTREAL, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- BrainBox AI, a pioneer in predictive and self-adaptive commercial building technology, is proud to announce its participation in the Tech For Our Planet challenge program, an initiative at the upcoming 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) empowering new technology that is accelerating the global goal of carbon neutrality. BrainBox AI has been selected by the UK Government to display its technology in Challenge 3 - Thinking Smart, which is dedicated to solutions that can capture and share data to better predict and manage energy consumption. In the three months leading into COP26, which will be held in November in Glasgow, BrainBox AI will demonstrate the benefits of grid-interactive buildings to achieve net zero objectives for the electrical grid.

A market leader in the cleantech and proptech sectors for its commercial building technology, BrainBox AI is one of just ten start-up companies chosen to participate in the program, which is run by the UK Government and PUBLIC, a leading govtech company dedicated to helping solve public sector issues.

"BrainBox AI is excited to present our groundbreaking artificial intelligence technology as part of COP26's showcase of some of the top companies helping to save our planet for future generations," says Sam Ramadori, President of BrainBox AI. "The recent IPCC Report laid out in stark terms how the Earth is transforming in unprecedented ways. Reducing carbon emissions and other greenhouse gases may be our only chance to limit destruction to our climate. By implementing technologies like BrainBox AI in one of the world's greatest energy consumers, buildings, we can turn the tide and help the real estate industry play its part in stopping the effects of climate change."

BrainBox AI offers artificial intelligence (AI) to combat climate change by making commercial buildings smarter and more efficient. Its flagship product, currently installed in over 100,000,000 sq. ft. of real estate across 17 countries, combines AI and cloud computing to create a fully autonomous commercial heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) solution. Through seamless communication with building management systems (BMS), the technology optimizes HVAC systems in real-time, permitting the existing infrastructure to become predictive and self-adaptive, while significantly reducing energy consumption and emissions.

BrainBox AI's deep learning and cloud-based computing algorithms produce a saving in total energy costs of up to 25%, a 20 - 40% reduction in carbon footprint and a 60% increase in occupant comfort. Building operators can also see up to 50% extension in the service life of the HVAC equipment. This month, BrainBox AI activated its global monitoring network, which provides 24/7 support and HVAC system analysis to its customers around the world. In 2020, BrainBox AI was recognized by TIME as one of the Top 100 best inventions and by CB Insights as one of the Top 100 AI start-ups redefining industries in 2021. The company is also a member of the MaRS Discovery District, the largest urban innovation hub in North America.

About BrainBox AI

BrainBox AI was created in 2017 with the goal of redefining building automation through artificial intelligence to be at the forefront of a green building revolution. Headquartered in Montreal, a global AI hub, BrainBox AI has a workforce of over 100 employees and supports real estate clients in numerous sectors, including office buildings, airports, hotels, multi-residential, long-term care facilities, grocery stores and commercial retail.

BrainBox AI works in collaboration with research partners including the US Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the Institute for Data Valorization (IVADO) as well as educational institutions including Montreal's Ecole de technologie superieure (ETS) and McGill University.

Learn more about BrainBox AI.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1598075/BrainBox_AI_BrainBox_AI_to_Showcase_Its_Innovative_Technology_at.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1598083/BrainBox_AI_BrainBox_AI_to_Showcase_Its_Innovative_Technology_at.jpg

For media inquiries: Perry Goldman, Montieth & Company, pgoldman@montiethco.com; Source BrainBox AI Inc., Bradley Grill, Director of Public Relations, b.grill@brainboxai.com
Carbon Streaming Corporation (NEO: NETZ) (FSE: M2QA) ("Carbon Streaming" or the "Company") is pleased to confirm that it has been accepted as a member of the International Emissions Trading Association ("IETA"), whose mission is to be the trusted business voice on market-based climate solutions.

Carbon Streaming's President and CEO Justin Cochrane said: "We are thrilled to be accepted as a member of IETA. It is an organization for which we have enormous respect, and we are excited to count ourselves among such a distinguished membership with a shared mission to provide innovative, effective, and sustainable market-based climate solutions. We look forward to working in collaboration with IETA to move the global business community towards a net-zero climate goal."

As more organizations around the world commit to the Paris Agreement and recognize the need to drastically curtail greenhouse gas emissions, the need for companies to share ideas and work through bodies such as IETA has never been more pressing. With its preeminent position in the carbon market, acceptance to IETA provides members with direct access to industry intelligence, participation in international discussion and insight into policy. As an IETA member, Carbon Streaming will be part of an expert collective that ensures carbon markets function fairly and transparently as they continue to scale.

About IETA

The International Emissions Trading Association (IETA) is a non-profit business organization created in June 1999 to establish a functional international framework for trading in greenhouse gas emission reductions. Membership includes leading international companies from across the carbon trading cycle. IETA members seek to develop an emissions trading regime that results in real and verifiable greenhouse gas emission reductions while balancing economic efficiency with environmental integrity and social equity.

About Carbon Streaming Corporation

Carbon Streaming is a unique ESG principled investment vehicle offering investors exposure to carbon credits, a key instrument used by both governments and corporations to achieve their carbon neutral and net-zero climate goals. Our business model is focused on acquiring, managing and growing a high-quality and diversified portfolio of investments in projects and/or companies that generate or are actively involved, directly or indirectly, with voluntary and/or compliance carbon credits.

The Company invests capital through carbon credit streaming arrangements with project developers and owners to accelerate the creation of carbon offset projects by bringing capital to projects that might not otherwise be developed. Many of these projects will have significant social and economic co-benefits in addition to their carbon reduction or removal potential.

If you would like to receive corporate updates via e-mail as soon as they are published, please subscribe here.

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Contacts:

ON BEHALF OF THE COMPANY:



Justin Cochrane, President and CEO

Tel: 647.846.7765

info@carbonstreaming.com

www.carbonstreaming.com

INVESTOR INQUIRIES:

investors@carbonstreaming.com
Regulatory News:

FOCUS HOME INTERACTIVE (Paris:ALFOC) (FR0012419307 ALFOC), one of Europe's leading publishers, distributors and developers of video games, announced today the wish of Mr. Denis Thebaud not to see his mandate as a member of the Supervisory Board renewed at the General Meeting of September 23. He renewed his confidence in Neology Holding of which he remained a shareholder. Mr. Denis Thebaud was co-founder and main financier of Focus Home Interactive during the first 20 years of its history from 1995 to 2015, before its listing on the Euronext Growth Paris market. He was Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Group from 2015 to 2020.

On this occasion, Mr. Denis Thebaud declared: "I had the great privilege to participate in the development of this Group surrounded by teams and managers of great talent. Today, at the dawn of my 74th birthday, I continue this commitment through my investment in NEOLOGY, the Group's reference shareholder. In this new adventure, I am at the side of Mr. Fabrice Larue and I fully share the great ambitions he has for the future of Focus Home Interactive".

Fabrice Larue, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, said: "On behalf of the Supervisory Board of Focus Home Interactive, we would like to thank Mr. Denis Thebaud for creating, transforming and growing our company throughout these years. Our ambition is to continue this adventure with as much success

Christophe Nobileau, Chairman of the Management Board, added: It is with deep emotion that the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee and all Focus Home Interactive employees have welcomed the wish of Mr. Denis Thebaud to retire. For more than 25 years, he has created and developed one of the French leaders in the video game sector, capable of finding games with strong potential and transforming them into worldwide commercial successes. He also knew how to structure our Group to support its continued profitable growth. We are very proud to continue his creation and his work by taking Focus Home Interactive to a new dimension

Mr. Denis Thebaud will be replaced on the Company's Supervisory Board in the coming months.

About Focus Home Interactive

FOCUS HOME INTERACTIVE is one of Europe's leading video game publishers and developers. Its vocation is to support leading international studios in the development, production monitoring, marketing, sales and financing of their projects. As a publisher of strong brands such as The Surge, Vampyr, and A Plague Tale: Innocence, the Group generated revenues of 171 million in 2020/21, up 20% compared to the previous comparable period. FOCUS HOME INTERACTIVE generates 95% of its sales internationally. For additional information, visit www.focus-home.com

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Contacts:

Investor Relations FTI Consulting

Cosme Julien-Madoni Arnaud de Cheffontaines

Tel: 33 (0) 1 47 03 68 10

Mail: fhi@fticonsulting.com

Press Relations FTI Consulting

Emily Oliver Remi Salvador

Tel: 33 (0) 1 47 03 68 10

Mail: fhi@fticonsulting.com
Notice of Half-Year 2021 Financial Results and Conference Call

SINGAPORE / ACCESSWIRE / August 19, 2021 / Jadestone Energy plc (the 'Company'), an independent oil and gas production company focused on the Asia Pacific region, will issue its consolidated unaudited interim financial statements for the six-month period ending 30 June 2021 on Thursday, 9 September 2021.

The management team will host an investor and analyst conference call at 4:00 p.m. (Singapore), 9:00 a.m. (London) on the same day, Thursday 9 September 2021, including a question and answer session.

A live webcast of the presentation will be available at the below link. Dial-in details are provided below. Please register approximately 15 minutes prior to the start of the call. The results for the six-month period ended 30 June 2021 will be available on the Company's web site at: www.jadestone-energy.com/investor-relations/.

Webcast link: https://produceredition.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1485258&tp_key=efaeb2a81e

Event title: Jadestone Energy Half Year 2021 Results

Time: 9:00 a.m. (UK time) / 4:00 p.m. (Singapore time)

Date: 9 September 2021

Conference ID: 24719928

Dial-in number details:

Country Dial-In Numbers Australia 1800076068 Canada (Toronto) 416-764-8688 Canada (Toll free) 888-390-0546 France 0800916834 Germany 08007240293 Germany (Mobile) 08007240293 Hong Kong 800962712 Indonesia 0078030208221 Ireland 1800939111 Ireland (Mobile) 1800939111 Japan 006633812569 Malaysia 1800817426 New Zealand 0800453421 Singapore 8001013217 Switzerland 0800312635 Switzerland (Mobile) 0800312635 United Kingdom 08006522435 United States (Toll free) 888-390-0546

For further information, please contact:

Jadestone Energy plc +65 6324 0359 (Singapore) Paul Blakeley, President and CEO Dan Young, CFO Phil Corbett, Investor Relations Manager +44 7713 687467 (UK) ir@jadestone-energy.com Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited (Nomad, Joint Broker) +44 (0) 20 7710 7600 (UK) Callum Stewart Jason Grossman Ashton Clanfield Jefferies International Limited (Joint Broker) +44 (0) 20 7029 8000 (UK) Tony White Will Soutar Camarco (Public Relations Advisor) +44 (0) 203 757 4980 (UK) Billy Clegg jse@camarco.co.uk James Crothers

About Jadestone Energy

Jadestone Energy plc is an independent oil and gas company focused on the Asia Pacific region. It has a balanced, low risk, full cycle portfolio of development, production and exploration assets in Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines.

The Company has a 100% operated working interest in the Montara project and in the Stag oilfield, both offshore Australia. Both the Montara and Stag assets include oil producing fields, with further development and exploration potential. The Company also has interests in four oil producing licences offshore Peninsula Malaysia; two operated and two non-operated positions. Further, the Company has a 100% operated working interest in two gas development blocks in Southwest Vietnam, and a 90% operated working interest in the Lemang PSC, onshore Sumatra, Indonesia, which includes the Akatara gas field.

In addition, the Company has executed a sale and purchase agreement to acquire a 69% operated working interest in the Maari Project, shallow water offshore New Zealand, and is working with the seller to obtain final New Zealand government approvals.

Led by an experienced management team with a track record of delivery, who were core to the successful growth of Talisman's business in Asia, the Company is pursuing an acquisition strategy focused on growth and creating value through identifying, acquiring, developing and operating assets in the Asia Pacific region.

Jadestone Energy plc is listed on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange. The Company is headquartered in Singapore. For further information on the Company please visit www.jadestone-energy.com.

This announcement does not contain inside information.

This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com.

SOURCE: Jadestone Energy PLC

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/660478/Jadestone-Energy-PLC-Announces-Notice-of-Half-Year-2021-Financial-Results
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 19, 2021) - Moneta Porcupine Mines Inc. (TSX: ME) (OTCQX: MEAUF) (XETRA: MOP) ("Moneta" or the "Company") is pleased to announce new partial results from six (6) additional drill holes and initial results from fourteen (14) previously released holes drilled to test the resource extension potential of the Westaway underground gold resources within the Golden Highway area of the Tower Gold project. The drill holes were drilled as part of the expanded 2020/2021 drill program on the Tower Gold project located 100 kms east of Timmins, Ontario.

Highlights:

Drilling has continued to intersect significant gold mineralization in step out drill holes at Westaway beyond the current resource estimate:

MGH21-208, located to test the western and depth extensions of the resource:

Intersected 21.00 metres "m" @ 2.66 grams per tonne "g/t" gold "Au" including 4.00 m @ 5.19 g/t Au, including 1.00 m @ 9.00 g/t Au, and 5.50 m @ 5.43 g/t Au including 1.00 m @ 10.70 g/t Au Intersected 20.00 m @ 1.40 g/t Au including 2.70 m @ 3.22 g/t Au, and 0.70 m @ 4.11 g/t Au Intersected 25.00 m @ 1.75 g/t Au, including 7.40 m @ 2.93 g/t Au, including 1.00 m @ 10.60 g/t Au, and 2.00 m @ 5.52 g/t Au including 1.00 m @ 6.48 g/t Au

MGH21-188, located within the West Block area extended gold mineralization to the south and to depth: Intersected 4.00 m @ 6.37 g/t Au, including 1.00 m @ 18.20 g/t Au Intersected 2.45 m @ 2.36 g/t Au, including 0.35 m @ 11.20 g/t Au

MGH21-190, located on the western and depth extensions of the Westaway resource: Intersected 5.00 m @ 3.15 g/t Au, including 2.00 m @ 4.06 g/t Au Intersected 7.75 m @ 2.00 g/t Au including 4.00 m @ 3.30 g/t Au, including 1.00 m @ 7.58 g/t Au Intersected 2.60 m @ 3.60 g/t Au including 0.75 m @ 8.78 g/t Au Intersected 29.10 m @ 1.47 g/t Au including 0.85 m @ 4.29 g/t Au, 0.80 m @ 5.17 g/t Au and 0.80 m @ 5.46 g/t Au

MGH21-198, located south of the gabbro and BIF C units: Intersected 4.25 m @ 2.20 g/t Au including 1.15 m @ 5.08 including 0.50 m @ 10.50 g/t Au Intersected 1.20 m @ 4.50 g/t Au including 0.60 m @ 8.55 g/t Au

MGH21-199, located south of the gabbro and BIF C units: Intersected 2.70 m @ 2.07 g/t Au including 0.70 m @ 7.27 g/t Au



Gary O'Connor, CEO, commented, "We are pleased to continue to intersect significant gold mineralization from our resource expansion drilling at the new Westaway underground deposit. The drill results have again confirmed significant gold mineralization in large step-outs to the south, to the west and at depth as we look to continue to expand the underground gold resource at Westaway. Additional holes and additional assays from the reported holes are still pending from the current drill program. Resource expansion drilling is ongoing on the South West, Windjammer South and 55 resource areas as well as the new Halfway discovery. Upon completion of the current resource expansion drill program on the Golden Highway property, the drill rigs will move to test for new resources on the Garrison property. The Westaway underground resource currently consists of 662,000 ounces gold inferred resources at a 3.00 g/t Au cut-off within a total Tower Gold project resource of 4.00 Moz gold indicated and 4.40 Moz gold inferred."

The latest assay results are from initial partial results from six (6) new drill holes for a total of 3,456.00 m and additional new results from fourteen (14) previously partially announced drill holes for a total of 9,518.0 m of drilling (press release ME-PR 12-2012 dated July 15, 2021: Moneta continues to extent gold mineralization on the Westaway Deposit with up to 8.00 m @ 5.34 g/t Au and 19.30 m @ 3.94 g/t Au), completed as part of the current 70,000 m 2020/2021 drill program. The reported holes were targeting the extensions of the new Westaway underground resource to the south, west and at depth. Additional assays for the nineteen holes and results from additional drilling, notably to the west and at depth, are still pending. The current drilling was mostly focussed on testing clastic Timiskaming age sediment host rocks to the immediate south of the regional banded iron formation ("BIF") C unit and the gabbro intrusion, in a new geological setting on the Tower Gold project.

Table 1: Selected Significant Drill Results

Hole From To Length Au Vein (#) (m) (m) (m) (g/t) Name MGH21-188 455.00 459.00 4.00 6.37 WB-8 includes 455.00 456.00 1.00 18.20 WB-8 MGH21-188 696.55 699.00 2.45 2.36 WB-2 includes 696.55 698.00 1.45 3.67 WB-2 includes 697.65 698.00 0.35 11.20 WB-2 MGH21-188 722.00 728.00 6.00 1.65 WB-2 includes 724.00 728.00 4.00 2.26 WB-2 MGH21-190 231.00 236.00 5.00 3.15 WA-8 includes 231.00 233.00 2.00 4.06 WA-8 includes 231.00 232.00 1.00 4.81 WA-8 MGH21-190 265.25 273.00 7.75 2.00 WA-7 includes 269.00 273.00 4.00 3.30 WA-7 includes 271.00 272.00 1.00 7.58 WA-7 MGH21-190 345.40 348.00 2.60 3.60 New includes 345.40 346.15 0.75 8.78 New MGH21-190 415.00 444.10 29.10 1.47 WA-3 includes 421.15 425.45 4.30 2.20 WA-3 includes 421.15 422.00 0.85 4.29 WA-3 and 424.65 425.45 0.80 5.17 WA-3 includes 431.20 435.00 3.80 2.46 WA-3 and 439.70 444.10 4.40 2.24 WA-3 and 443.30 444.10 0.80 5.46 WA-3 MGH21-190 455.00 458.00 3.00 1.74 WA-2 includes 455.00 456.00 1.00 2.35 WA-2 MGH21-198 46.00 48.20 2.20 2.20 WA-7A includes 47.00 48.20 1.20 3.01 WA-7A MGH21-198 52.90 57.15 4.25 1.51 WA-7 includes 52.90 54.05 1.15 5.08 WA-7 includes 53.55 54.05 0.50 10.50 WA-7 MGH21-198 193.00 194.20 1.20 4.50 WA-3 includes 193.60 194.20 0.60 8.55 WA-3 MGH21-198 236.65 247.50 10.85 1.06 WA-2 includes 240.00 241.60 1.60 3.13 WA-2 MGH21-199 161.00 163.70 2.70 2.07 WB-11 includes 163.00 163.70 0.70 7.27 WB-11 MGH21-208 177.00 198.00 21.00 2.66 New includes 178.00 182.00 4.00 5.19 New includes 180.00 181.00 1.00 9.00 New and 189.70 195.20 5.50 5.43 New includes 192.00 193.50 1.50 9.51 New includes 192.00 193.00 1.00 10.70 New MGH21-208 203.40 223.40 20.00 1.40 WA-15 includes 204.60 207.30 2.70 3.22 WA-15 includes 204.60 205.50 0.90 4.14 WA-15 and 216.70 217.40 0.70 4.11 WA-15 MGH21-208 227.00 252.00 25.00 1.75 WA-15 includes 231.60 239.00 7.40 2.93 WA-15 includes 234.20 239.00 4.80 3.77 WA-15 includes 235.00 236.00 1.00 10.60 WA-15 and 242.00 244.00 2.00 5.52 WA-15 includes 243.00 244.00 1.00 6.48 WA-15 and 249.00 250.00 1.00 4.05 WA-15 MGH21-208 272.50 275.65 3.15 1.78 WA-15 includes 274.75 275.65 0.90 3.51 WA-15 MGH21-208 392.45 395.30 2.85 1.84 WA-12 includes 393.50 394.40 0.90 2.46 WA-12

Intercepts are calculated using geological boundaries, a maximum of 3m internal dilution and no top cap applied. Drill intercepts are not true widths, are reported as drill widths, and are estimated to be 75% to 95% of true width.

Discussion of Drill Results

The six (6) new drill holes for 3,456.0m (Table 2) and previously partially fourteen (14) drill holes for 9,518.0 m (press release ME-PR 12-2012 dated July 15, 2021: Moneta continues to extent gold mineralization on the Westaway Deposit with up to 8.00 m @ 5.34 g/t Au and 19.30 m @ 3.94 g/t Au) were drilled to test extensions and gaps of the new Westaway underground resource. Drilling was targeting clastic sediment hosted gold mineralized stacked quartz veins south of the BIF C unit and south of the gabbro intrusion as well as extensions of the resource to the west. The latest assay results confirmed extensions of gold mineralization to the south of the post-mineral gabbro, as well as at depth and to the west. Additional assay results from the current drill holes and additional drill holes are still pending from the Westaway resource expansion drill program.

Drill results from the current program at Westaway confirmed the occurrence of the same style of steep west dipping higher grade stacked quartz veins sets and associated ankerite-albite-sericite-pyrite alteration haloes. Mineralization has been extended up to 300 m to the west in hole MGH21-208 and to the east within the West Block of the current gold resource. The Westaway underground resource currently consists of 662,000 ounces gold inferred resources at a 3.00 g/t Au cut-off within a total Tower Gold project resource of 4.00 Moz gold indicated and 4.40 Moz gold inferred.

West Block Area

Drill hole MGH21-188 was drilled to extend gold mineralization south of the BIF C and gabbro intrusion in the West Block zone and intersected up to 4.00 m @ 6.37 g/t Au, including 1.00 m @ 18.20 g/t Au from the WB-8 vein and 2.45 m @ 2.36 g/t Au including 0.35 m @ 11.20 g/t Au from the WB-2 vein. The hole was drilled over 200 m south of the gabbro.

Western Extensions

Drill holes MGH21-190, MGH21-206 and MGH21-208 were drilled to test the western and down dip extensions of the Westaway mineralization north of the BIF C and gabbro units towards the 55 open pit gold deposit. New results from MGH21-190 intersected up to 29.10 m @ 1.47 g/t Au, including 0.85 m @ 4.29 g/t Au, 0.80 m @ 5.17 g/t Au and 0.80 m @ 5.46 g/t Au from the WA-3 structure. Drill hole MGH21-190 also intersected 7.75 m @ 2.00 g/t Au including 4.00 m @ 3.94 g/t Au, including 1.00 m @ 7.58 g/t Au from WA-7 and 2.60 m @ 3.60 g/t Au including 0.75 m @ 8.78 g/t Au in resource expansion step-out drilling to the west. MGH21-190 was drilled immediately to the north of the gabbro and BIF units. Drill hole MGH21-208 intersected new veining of up to 21.00 m @ 2.66 g/t Au, including 4.00 m @ 5.19 g/t Au, including 1.00 m @ 9.00 g/t Au, and 5.50 m @ 5.43 g/t Au including 1.00 m @ 10.70 g/t Au, extending the veins by up to 200 m to the west. MGH21-208 also intersected 20.00 m @ 1.40 g/t Au including 2.70 m @ 3.22 g/t Au, and 0.70 m @ 4.11 g/t Au on western step-outs of veining, as well as 25.00 m @ 1.74 g/t Au including 4.80 m @ 3.77 g/t Au, including 1.00 m @ 10.60 g/t Au, and 1.00 m @ 6.48 g/t Au on western extensions of veins.







Figure 1: Westaway Drill Program: Drill hole Location Map

To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4852/93635_db75dcbb34c479d1_002full.jpg







Figure 2: Westaway Drill Program: Drill hole Location Map

To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4852/93635_db75dcbb34c479d1_003full.jpg







Figure 3: Westaway Resource Drilling- Cross Section

To view an enhanced version of Figure 3, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4852/93635_db75dcbb34c479d1_004full.jpg

Table 2: New Drill Hole Details*

Hole Easting Northing Elevation Azimuth Inclination Depth (#) (mE) (mN) (masl) () () (m) MGH21-194 570519 5369130 324 60 -60 567.0 MGH21-185 571076 5368910 326 55 -65 762.0 MGH21-198 570337 5368930 321 65 -60 507.0 MGH21-199 570531 5368961 323 50 -60 372.0 MGH21-206 569708 5368832 327 55 -60 498.0 MGH21-208 569707 5368831 322 70 -60 750.0

*Assay results for the reported holes are not complete. Additional assay results from drill holes will be released upon receipt. All intercepts are not reported as true widths but as drill widths.

QA/QC Procedures

Drill core is oriented and cut with half sent to AGAT Laboratories Inc. (AGAT) for drying and crushing to -2 mm, with a 1.00 kg split pulverized to -75 m (200#). AGAT is an ISO 17025 accredited laboratory. A 50 g charge is Fire Assayed and analyzed using an AAS finish for Gold. Samples above 10.00 g/t Au are analyzed by Fire Assay with a gravimetric finish and selected samples with visible gold or high-grade mineralization are assayed by Metallic Screen Fire Assay on a 1.00 kg sample. Moneta inserts independent certified reference material and blanks with the samples and assays routine pulp repeats and coarse reject sample duplicates, as well as completing routine third-party check assays at Activation Laboratories Ltd. Kevin Montgomery, P.Geo. is a qualified person under NI 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical contents of this press release.

About Moneta

Moneta is a TSX-listed Canadian based gold exploration company focussed on the development of gold resources in the Timmins Gold Camp, Ontario. Moneta is focussed on developing its flagship gold project, the multi-million ounce Tower Gold project created by the combination of the adjacent Golden Highway and Garrison deposits.

Moneta is well financed and owns a 100% interest in all its gold resources in Ontario. Moneta trades on the main TSX exchange (TSX: ME) and OTC markets (OTCQX: MEAUF). Moneta is focussed on delivering value to shareholders and long-term benefits to all stakeholders.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Gary V. O'Connor, CEO

416-357-3319

Linda Armstrong, Investor Relations

647-456-9223

The Company's public documents may be accessed at www.sedar.com. For further information on the Company, please visit our website at www.monetaporcupine.com or email us at info@monetaporcupine.com.

This news release includes certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements, collectively "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements are frequently identified by such words as "may", "will", "plan", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "intend" and similar words referring to future events and results. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to information with respect to the future performance of the business, its operations and financial performance and condition such as the Company's drilling program and the timing and results thereof; further steps that might be taken to mitigate the spread of COVID-19; the impact of COVID-19 related disruptions in relation to the Corporation's business operations including upon its employees, suppliers, facilities and other stakeholders; uncertainties and risk that have arisen and may arise in relation to travel, and other financial market and social impacts from COVID-19 and responses to COVID 19. and the ability of the Company to finance and carry out its anticipated goals and objectives.

Forward-looking statements are based on the current opinions and expectations of management. All forward-looking information is inherently uncertain and subject to a variety of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, including the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, fluctuating commodity prices, competitive risks and the availability of financing, as described in more detail in our recent securities filings available at www.sedar.com. Actual events or results may differ materially from those projected in the forward looking-statements and we caution against placing undue reliance thereon. We assume no obligation to revise or update these forward-looking statements.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/93635
HIGHLIGHTS:

Vibe has completed the purchase of 10 acres of F40 zoned agricultural land in Monterey County, California

USD $5.1 million purchase price

Vibe has commenced Phase 1 development: Permit application submitted 66,000 square feet of mixed light greenhouse cannabis cultivation footprint 13,000 pounds of high potency cannabis flower per annum in Phase 1 Estimated construction cost of $3.3 million Estimated 12 month return on capital Future full potential 254,000 square feet of greenhouse cultivation



Sacramento, California--(Newsfile Corp. - August 19, 2021) - Vibe Growth Corporation (CSE: VIBE) (OTC: VBSCF) (FSE: A061) (the "Company" or "Vibe"), a leading vertically integrated multi-state cannabis enterprise, announces the closing of its previously announced purchase agreement for the acquisition of a 10-acre parcel of land in Monterey County, California for 254,000 square feet of potential greenhouse cannabis cultivation (the "Greenhouse").

"Vibe continues to deploy capital prudently in the highest growth and margin areas of the California cannabis market. Our strategy in California has been focused on vertical integration, cultivation, and retail sales. The Monterey greenhouse acquisition allows us to scale and grow our cultivation and production, meet the demand for our branded products, and grow margins significantly," stated Mark Waldron, CEO of Vibe Growth Corporation.

DETAILS OF ACQUISITION

Vibe Growth announces it has acquired 10 acres of land previously having 254,000+/- square feet of greenhouses in Monterey County, California for a total consideration of USD $5.1 million in cash. Vibe's Monterey acquisition will serve as its flagship greenhouse cultivation facility. The Company has commenced its 66,000 square foot Phase 1, with the future potential to develop 188,000 additional square feet in future Phases 2 and 3.

The Company anticipates the construction cost of Monterey Phase 1 to be $3.3 million for 66,000 square foot of greenhouse cultivation, including building and site costs. The appraisal value of the land exceeds the acquisition price, and Vibe will fund the $3.3 million construction cost with a mixture of working capital and mortgage financing. The Company has a strong balance sheet and healthy cash position of $12.99 million (end of Q2 2021).

ABOUT VIBE GROWTH CORPORATION

Vibe Growth Corporation and its cannabis retail brand, Vibe By California, is a trusted, California focused, multistate (MSO) cannabis enterprise with retail dispensaries; cannabis greenhouse cultivation; premium indoor cultivation; commercial cannabis distribution; brand sales and marketing; e-commerce platform; home delivery; and Hype Cannabis Co. marijuana and Vibe CBD products. In California, Vibe is focused on maximizing shareholder value through accelerating organic growth, opportunistic acquisitions, distressed workouts, and new license applications. The Company operates retail and e-commerce under its iconic Vibe by California brand.

To learn more about Vibe, please visit: www.vibebycalifornia.com

Cautionary Note Regarding Product & Forward-Looking Information

Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "anticipate", "could", "intend", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "estimated" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the parties' current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events, and may be impacted as a result of general economic conditions or the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In this news release, forward-looking statements relate to, among other things, the Company's expectations of revenue, EBITDA profitability and adjusted funds flow, higher sales volumes, and the company's retail operations. Actual future results may differ materially.

The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof and the parties are not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties, and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein. Risk factors related to the Company are described in the Company's Management Discussion and Analysis, a copy of which is available under the Company's profile on SEDAR.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any State securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. Not for distribution to U.S. Newswire Services or dissemination in the United States. Any failure to comply with this restriction may constitute a violation of U.S. securities laws.

Unlike in Canada which has Federal legislation uniformly governing the cultivation, distribution, sale, and possession of medical cannabis under the Cannabis Act (Federal), readers are cautioned that in the U.S., cannabis is largely regulated at the State level. To the knowledge of Vibe Growth Corporation, there are to date a total of 33 states, plus the District of Columbia, that have legalized cannabis in some form. Notwithstanding the permissive regulatory environment of medical cannabis at the State level, cannabis continues to be categorized as a controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act in the U.S. and as such, cannabis related practices or activities, including without limitation, the manufacture, importation, possession, use or distribution of cannabis are illegal under U.S. federal law. Strict compliance with state laws concerning cannabis will neither absolve Vibe of liability under the U.S. Federal law nor will it provide a defense to any Federal proceeding, which may be brought against Vibe Growth Corporation. Any such proceedings brought against Vibe may adversely affect its operations and financial performance.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

Company Contact

Bill Mitoulas

Phone: +1 416.479.9547

Email: ir@vibebycalifornia.com

Website: www.vibebycalifornia.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/93679
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 19, 2021) - Riverside Resources Inc. (TSXV: RRI) (OTCQB: RVSDF) (FSE: 5YY) ("Riverside" or the "Company"), is pleased to provide an update on the work program progressing at the High Lake Greenstone Belt in Northwestern Ontario. The company has successfully delineated three (3) projects which are expected to move ahead with more detailed exploration.

Last year Riverside staked a commanding land position of 230 square kilometers within the High Lake-Shoal Lake Greenstone Belt, containing at least two gold mineralization systems with Riverside controlling the structural geologic and intrusion boundary projections of some exploration projects historically defined. This gold-bearing belt is located immediately east of the Ontario-Manitoba border and has good highway infrastructure and extensive favorable age and types of geology. The region hosts multiple discoveries, such as the Shoal Lake deposit which contains over 347,000 ounces of gold (Inferred and Indicated; 2010, NI 43-101[1] of the KPM total). Riverside's interest in this belt has been triggered by the positive geological settings and extensive occurrences of mineralization found in the area. Recent and past production in Northwestern Ontario includes mines in the Red Lake, Rainy River and Hemlo gold districts, which collectively total over 130Moz gold. All of these active areas are located in similar greenstone belts in western Ontario. New mines and the resurgence of operations in these three gold camps is part of an overall renaissance for new development and integration of the past knowledge with new interpretations and work in this favorable mining Canadian province.

Riverside's 3 projects in the High Lake - Shoal Lake Greenstone Belt:

Electrum Project: 1,800 hectares

Royal Project: 6,150 hectares

Canoe Project: 4,260 hectares





Figure 1: Riverside's claim block within the High Lake - Shoal Lake greenstone belt. Highlights of the three defined projects.



To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6101/93680_3250903d047ce870_002full.jpg

Riverside's President and CEO, John-Mark Staude: "In addition to our active exploration group in Mexico, Riverside is moving forward in Canada not only with the recent deal with iMetal Resources but also with new High Lake Greenstone portfolio of projects that present strong potential for new gold discoveries. Ontario's greenstone belts have been producing world-class size gold resources and continue to deliver new discoveries like in Red Lake with the Great Bear and Pure Gold companies among a host of others. We are glad to be part of this momentum in northwestern Ontario and to be able to bring three additional 100%-Riverside owned projects with strong discovery potential into our portfolio."

Electrum Project:

This project has many documented occurrences of gold, copper, and silver at surface, primarily structurally related and hosted within granitoids and at contact with meta-volcanics similar to features in the Manitoba and western Ontario orogenic gold greenstone gold camps. Riverside's mineral tenure has been previously explored with 4 core drill holes, including an intercept of 0.9 m of 8.99 g/t Au (Internal technical reporting, 2005). Historical soil and rock sampling have reported anomalous grade in gold, copper, molybdenum and silver all of which can be used for vectoring of mineralization and on which Riverside is putting more to. The mineralization on Riverside's 100% owned property is adjacent and follows the same structures and lithology of the drilled mineralization body found adjacent on the internal concession known as the High Lake Property not on Riverside's concessions (see Figure 2 below), bringing interest on testing the high-grade targets and system for finding new discoveries associated with this area.





Figure 2: Map Area of Riverside's Electrum project, showing geology and historical findings across the properties and the adjacent non-compliant Au resource.



To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6101/93680_3250903d047ce870_003full.jpg

Royal Project:

Historical exploration of the Royal Project has defined many base metals occurrences with characteristics suggestive of volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) mineralization. This project, which lies to the east of the Electrum Project shows variation in geology, including alternating meta-volcanics and meta-sedimentary units folded along a primary E-W axis. Historical data highlights anomalies in base metals and VMS style mineralization at surface and some geophysics surveys by different companies and particularly by Noranda Exploration Company Ltd (1990), which highlighted several strong conductors that have yet to be drill tested. This style of environment has proven favorable in many deposits in Ontario, including the Rainy River Gold deposit located approximately 100 km to the south of the Project.





Figure 3: Focused map for Riverside's Royal project, showing geology and historical findings across the properties with geological features similar to that of the Rainy River mining area.



To view an enhanced version of Figure 3, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6101/93680_3250903d047ce870_004full.jpg

Canoe Project:

The Canoe project is located along the edge of the main pluton bounding the known Shoal Lake gold deposit to the north which host over 347,000 ounces of gold. The area shows noted anomalies at surface and in drill holes of Cu-Zn-Au especially at the contact between the pluton and the meta-volcanics. As with the other two projects, the Canoe project is located along a key structural feature which is oriented NE and merging into EW to the north of the property. Historical work includes drill holes by Teeshin Resources Ltd., (1988), trenching, surface sampling and EM geophysics. Presence of gold to the southwest of the property is particularly abundant and can be traced into Riverside's property (see Figure 4 below).





Figure 4: Geologic map of Riverside's Canoe project, showing geology and historical findings across the properties. This is a portion of the full High Lake Greenstone Area controlled by Riverside Resources.



To view an enhanced version of Figure 4, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6101/93680_3250903d047ce870_005full.jpg

Moving forward, Riverside will be focusing attention on these three projects that all display excellent locations and have the potential to host the geological and structural settings favourable for future discoveries. Field work to date has been positive and the accessibility, favorable geology and presence of large-scale structures makes the High Lake Greenstone Area a key new opportunity for the Company.

Qualified Person & QA/QC:

The scientific and technical data contained in this news release was reviewed and approved by Freeman Smith, P.Geo, a non-independent qualified person to Riverside Resources, who is responsible for ensuring that the geologic information provided this news release is accurate and who acts as a "qualified person" under National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

All data represented here from historical reporting, including but not limited to, drill results and resource estimates are historical in nature and require caution readers as the vintage work.

About Riverside Resources Inc.:

Riverside is a well-funded exploration company driven by value generation and discovery. The Company has over $4M in cash, no debt and less than 72M shares outstanding with a strong portfolio of gold-silver and copper assets and royalties in North America. Riverside has extensive experience and knowledge operating in Mexico and Canada and leverages its large database to generate a portfolio of prospective mineral properties. In addition to Riverside's own exploration spending, the Company also strives to diversify risk by securing joint-venture and spin-out partnerships to advance multiple assets simultaneously and create more chances for discovery. Riverside has properties available for option, with information available on the Company's website at www.rivres.com.

ON BEHALF OF RIVERSIDE RESOURCES INC.

"John-Mark Staude"



Dr. John-Mark Staude, President & CEO

For additional information contact:

John-Mark Staude

President, CEO

Riverside Resources Inc.

info@rivres.com

Phone: (778) 327-6671

Fax: (778) 327-6675

Web: www.rivres.com

Raffi Elmajian

Corporate Communications

Riverside Resources Inc.

relmajian@rivres.com

Phone: (778) 327-6671

TF: (877) RIV-RES1

Web: www.rivres.com

Certain statements in this press release may be considered forward-looking information. These statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology (e.g., "expect"," estimates", "intends", "anticipates", "believes", "plans"). Such information involves known and unknown risks -- including the availability of funds, the results of financing and exploration activities, the interpretation of exploration results and other geological data, or unanticipated costs and expenses and other risks identified by Riverside in its public securities filings that may cause actual events to differ materially from current expectations. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

[1] Publication - Technical Report on the Shoal Lake West Project, Northwestern Ontario, Canada Publication Number: 2008 43-101Date: 2008 Author: Valliant, W.W. and Chamois, P., Publisher Name: Scott Wilson Mining for Hays Lake Gold Inc., Reference Location: SEDAR

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/93680
Victoria, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 19, 2021) - Plurilock Security Inc. (TSXV: PLUR) (OTCQB: PLCKF) and related subsidiaries ("Plurilock" or the "Company"), an identity-centric cybersecurity solutions provider for workforces, has received a US$794,000 purchase order from a California state healthcare agency under the NASPO ValuePoint program.

This order is the latest in a series of new business for Plurilock's Solutions Division, as the Company continues its growth within the government, healthcare, and financial verticals. All contracts and orders signed by Plurilock since April 2021, including the latest order, represent a combined total of US$9.1 million in sales.

According to the purchase order, the agency will receive a one-year renewal on a software subscription for a suite of Symantec products, including maintenance support. The Company secured the contract award under the NASPO ValuePoint program.

As the cyber threat continues to grow, healthcare organizations have become a significant target. 93% of healthcare organizations have experienced a data breach over the last three years, and more than 2,100 healthcare data breaches have been reported in the U.S. since 2009.1,2 These attacks have turned into a $13.2 billion industry, highlighting the need for support from experience cybersecurity solutions providers like Plurilock.3

About NASPO ValuePoint

NASPO ValuePoint is the cooperative purchasing arm of the National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO).4 NASPO is a non-profit organization that provides state chief procurement officers with procurement resources and access to competitive vendors for public procurement solicitations and agreements.5 Being a vendor through the NASPO ValuePoint program gives Plurilock access to directors of central purchasing offices in all 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and all U.S. territories.

About Plurilock

Plurilock provides identity-centric cybersecurity for today's workforces. The Plurilock family of companies enables organizations to operate safely and securely while reducing cybersecurity friction. Plurilock offers world-class IT and cybersecurity solutions through its Solutions Division, paired with proprietary, AI-driven and cloud-friendly security through its Technology Division. Together, the Plurilock family of companies delivers persistent identity assurance with unmatched ease of use.

For more information, visit https://www.plurilock.com or contact:

Ian L. Paterson

Chief Executive Officer

ian@plurilock.com

416.800.1566

Roland Sartorius

Chief Financial Officer

roland.sartorius@plurilock.com

Prit Singh

Investor Relations

prit.singh@plurilock.com

905.510.7636

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") related to future events or Plurilock's future business, operations, and financial performance and condition. Forward-looking statements normally contain words like "will", "intend", "anticipate", "could", "should", "may", "might", "expect", "estimate", "forecast", "plan", "potential", "project", "assume", "contemplate", "believe", "shall", "scheduled", and similar terms. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, actions, or developments and are based on expectations, assumptions, and other factors that management currently believes are relevant, reasonable, and appropriate in the circumstances. Although management believes that the forward-looking statements herein are reasonable, actual results could be substantially different due to the risks and uncertainties associated with and inherent to Plurilock's business. Additional material risks and uncertainties applicable to the forward-looking statements herein include, without limitation, the impact of general economic conditions, the success of the Company in obtaining new or extended contracts or orders; the Company's ability to maintain existing customers or develop new customers; the Company's ability to successfully integrate acquisitions of other businesses and/or companies or to realize on the anticipated benefits thereof; and unforeseen events, developments, or factors causing any of the aforesaid expectations, assumptions, and other factors ultimately being inaccurate or irrelevant. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect the Company's forward-looking statements. Many of these factors are beyond the control of Plurilock. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as at the date hereof, and Plurilock undertakes no obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. Risks and uncertainties about the Company's business are more fully discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in its most recent Annual Information Form. They are otherwise disclosed in its filings with securities regulatory authorities available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

https://1c7fab3im83f5gqiow2qqs2k-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/HG-Healthcare-Cybersecurity-Report-2021.pdf https://techjury.net/blog/healthcare-data-breaches-statistics/gref https://www.cpomagazine.com/cyber-security/healthcare-cyber-attacks-rise-by-55-over-26-million-in-the-u-s-impacted/ https://www.naspovaluepoint.org/cooperative-contracts/ https://www.naspovaluepoint.org/cooperative-contracts/

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/93688
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / August 19, 2021 / Silver Range Resources Ltd. (TSXV:SNG) ("Silver Range" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has optioned the South Kitikmeot Gold Project ("Project") to Viridis Mining and Minerals Limited ("Viridis"), an Australian company.

South Kitikmeot Gold Project

The South Kitikmeot Gold Project covers known gold occurrences along a 200 km long package of metasedimentary rocks which host the Lupin Mine (3.4 M oz gold (production to date)) and the Back River Project (5.3 M oz gold (Measured and Indicated Resources)) currently being advanced to production by Sabina Gold & Silver Ltd. [TSX:SBB] ("Sabina"). The South Kitikmeot Gold Project includes the following Properties:

Esker Lake: Iron-formation hosted gold in three settings at Brandon Hill, Sheit Lake and Wasp Lake. Surface grab samples have assayed up to 61 g/t Au and drill intersections up to 3.0 m @ 11.7 g/t Au .

Iron-formation hosted gold in three settings at Brandon Hill, Sheit Lake and Wasp Lake. Surface grab samples have assayed up to and drill intersections up to . Gold Bugs: Three high gold showings with surface grab samples returning up to 33.2 g/t Au embedded within a 7 km long section of thick folded iron formation.

Three high gold showings with surface grab samples returning up to embedded within a 7 km long section of thick folded iron formation. Qannituq : Covers prospective Beechey Lake metasediments, northeast of Sabina's Back River Project main claim block and 3.4 km along strike with its Llama Deposit. Reconnaissance prospecting during 2017 located auriferous iron formation hosted quartz veining on the Qannituq claims; a significant finding given 98% of the property is till-covered.

: Covers prospective Beechey Lake metasediments, northeast of Sabina's Back River Project main claim block and 3.4 km along strike with its Llama Deposit. Reconnaissance prospecting during 2017 located auriferous iron formation hosted quartz veining on the Qannituq claims; a significant finding given 98% of the property is till-covered. Uist: Regional scale folded iron formation hosting three high grade gold zones returning grab samples assaying up to 156.28 g/t Au . Drill targets have been defined by total magnetic field and horizontal loop electromagnetic field surveys at the Billie and Holiday Showings.

Regional scale folded iron formation hosting three high grade gold zones returning grab samples assaying up to . Drill targets have been defined by total magnetic field and horizontal loop electromagnetic field surveys at the Billie and Holiday Showings. Ujaraq: Covers iron formation immediately east of the Finn Property and the Lupin Mine leases. Boulder sampling has returned up to 28.11 g/t Au and the best of 9 holes intersecting iron formation returned 6.27 m @ 2.13 g/t Au.

Covers iron formation immediately east of the Finn Property and the Lupin Mine leases. Boulder sampling has returned up to and the best of 9 holes intersecting iron formation returned 6.27 m @ 2.13 g/t Au. Hiqiniq: Covers iron formation immediately west of the Lupin Mine leases. Surface samples have been collected assaying up to 11.16 g/t Au.

Covers iron formation immediately west of the Lupin Mine leases. Surface samples have been collected assaying up to Bling: Arsenopyrite-rich iron formation, associated with a 700 m long EM conductor along a volcanic-sediment contact, returned grab sample assays up to 47.1 g/t Au and trench sampling results of 2.0 m @ 16 g/t Au.

Agreement terms

Silver Range has entered into an Agreement with Viridis by means of a binding term sheet. Following the completion of a successful IPO, receiving the required approvals to list on the ASX and paying Silver Range A$25,000, Viridis may earn an initial 51% interest in the Project by incurring exploration expenditures of not less than A$1,5000,000 by December 31, 2024 (Stage 1). Viridis may then earn an additional 15% interest by spending an additional A$2,000,000 by December 31, 2027 (Stage 2), and earn a further 24% interest (total 90%) by completing a preliminary feasibility study on one of the Properties comprising the Project before December 31, 2037 (Stage 3). If Viridis elects to cease funding exploration at any time following the completion of the Stage 1 option a Joint Venture will be formed and Viridis will forfeit its rights to earn further interest in the Project. Any time following the completion of Stage 3 Viridis will have the option to acquire Silver Range's remaining 10% interest in the Project at fair market value, to be determined by an independent qualified valuator. After completion of Stage 3, Silver Range will retain a 2% Net Smelter Return ("NSR") Royalty, half of which may be re-purchased for A$1,500,000 in cash or shares. In addition, Defined Resource Payments ("DRP") of A$200,000 are payable to Silver Range within 5 days of definition of a JORC compliant Inferred Resource on any of the Properties of at least 500,000 ounces at an average grade of 1.8 g/t gold with a cut-off grade of at least 1.8 g/t gold, and a further A$200,000 within 5 days of definition of a JORC compliant Inferred Resource on any of the Properties of at least 1 million ounces gold at an average grade of 1.6 g/t with a cut-off grade of at least 1.6 g/t gold.

Technical information in this news release has been approved by Mike Power, M.Sc., P.Geo., President and CEO of Silver Range Resources Ltd. and a Qualified Person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101. Historical information cited in this news release was obtained from assessment reports compiled by the Nunavut Geoscience Office. This information cannot be independently verified by Silver Range.

About Silver Range Resources Ltd.

Silver Range is a precious metals prospect generator working in Nevada and Northern Canada. It has assembled a portfolio of 45 properties, of which 16 are currently under option to others. In addition, three former Silver Range properties have been converted to retained royalty interests. Silver Range is actively seeking other joint venture partners to explore the high-grade precious metals targets in its portfolio.

ON BEHALF OF SILVER RANGE RESOURCES LTD.

"Michael A. Power"

President and Chief Executive Officer

For further information concerning Silver Range or its exploration projects, please contact:

Investor Inquiries

Richard Drechsler

Vice-President, Communications

Tel: (604) 687-2522

NA Toll-Free: (888) 688-2522

rdrechsler@silverrangeresources.com

http://www.silverrangeresources.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release may contain forward looking statements based on assumptions and judgments of management regarding future events or results that may prove to be inaccurate as a result of exploration and other risk factors beyond its control, and actual results may differ materially from the expected results.

SOURCE: Silver Range Resources Ltd.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/660427/Silver-Range-Resources-Ltd-Options-the-South-Kitikmeot-Gold-Project-Nunavut
TOKYO (dpa-AFX) - Toyota Motor Corp. (TYT.L, TM) announced adjustments for production operations in August and September of plants for completed vehicles in Japan. The announced reduction will reportedly reduce the company's global production for the month of September by 40%. Toyota Motor is adjusting domestic production due to parts shortage resulting from the spread of COVID-19 in Southeast Asia. The company noted that this is in addition to the previously announced adjustment of domestic production operations in August. Shares of Toyota Motor Corp. were down 2% in pre-market trade on Thursday. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Press Release

Nokia addresses network security as part of its 5G certification program

Mission critical networks supported by 5G require comprehensive end-to-end security solutions

New course addresses the challenges faced by all industries, governments, and individuals in securing 5G systems

19 August 2021

Espoo, Finland - Nokia today announced a new professional level 5G course and certification aimed at network security. The Nokia Bell Labs 5G Secured Networks course is part of Nokia's program to train and certify industry professionals on 5G technology, from network access to application management.



The newly launched Nokia Bell Labs 5G Secured Networks course addresses the vulnerabilities faced by all industries, governments and individuals to secure 5G systems. Given that 5G is becoming a key element of emerging mission-critical Industry 4.0 solutions, securing 5G networks has moved to the forefront as an industry imperative, for which comprehensive end-to-end solutions are needed.

Geert Van Wauwe, Chief Security Officer at Nokia, said: "5G will empower new services and applications beyond our imagination. However, user acceptance will be based on trust that information has not been breached and services cannot be compromised. Therefore, the Nokia Bell Labs 5G Secured Networks course and certification are essential for educating professionals to a high level of understanding on how to build and operate secure 5G networks."

Sergio Fasce, Head of People Services at Nokia, said: "With security breaches dominating news headlines at an alarming rate, the Nokia Bell Labs 5G Secured Networks Certification Program brings a greater awareness to network susceptibility and safeguards, along with the means to address them. We are pleased to have partnered with our colleagues at Nokia Bell Labs to deliver a training program addressing arguably the most timely and impactful issue facing the communications industry today."

The 8-hour web-based course, which can be completed at the learner's own pace, covers the processes, tools, technologies and resources needed to implement an effective program that proactively prevents and resolves threats to network security. Course participants will examine the role of 5G security in network, software and cloud environments, and they will apply an understanding of security threats, protections and potential responses through a series of real-world case study exercises.

The Nokia Bell Labs 5G Certification Program is a first-of-its-kind program that offers professionals across the information and communications technology (ICT) industry two levels of certification - Associate and Professional - that deliver essential knowledge covering everything from the basics of 5G networks to professional level planning and design. This course is the fourth of the Nokia Bell Labs 5G Professional Level Certification Program, and nearly 30,000 individuals across many industries have registered for 5G certification courses since its February 2020 launch.

As a leader in cellular technology R&D and standardization, Nokia is in a unique position to address network security challenges in the 5G world. Nokia has implemented more than 500 security projects worldwide over the past 15 years, and plays an active role in more than five standardization bodies that are shaping the latest in security standards and best practices. It is also number one in granted essential 5G patents, with more than 3,500 5G patent families declared essential for 5G. Driven by world-class innovations from across the organization, including the renowned Nokia Bell Labs, it has played a leading role in contributing technologies to 5G, working with 3GPP to establish 5G standards and enabling the rollout of 5G networks.

Resources

Website: Nokia Bell Labs Certification P rogram

Video: Nokia Bell Labs Secured Networks (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHDVIyLMOxk)

About Nokia

At Nokia, we create technology that helps the world act together.

As a trusted partner for critical networks, we are committed to innovation and technology leadership across mobile, fixed and cloud networks. We create value with intellectual property and long-term research, led by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs.

Adhering to the highest standards of integrity and security, we help build the capabilities needed for a more productive, sustainable and inclusive world.

Media Inquiries:

Nokia

Communications

Phone: +358 10 448 4900

Email: press.services@nokia.com
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / August 19, 2021 / Magna Terra Minerals Inc. (the "Company" or "Magna Terra") (TSXV:MTT) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a Letter of Intent (the "Agreement") to sell its minority interest in the Verneuil Project ("Verneuil") to SOQUEM Inc. ("SOQUEM"). Verneuil has been governed by an Option and Joint Venture Agreement signed in 1997 between SOQUEM and Normabec Mining Resources Ltd ("Normabec"). Subsequently, in 2009, Brionor Resources Inc. (a predecessor company to Magna Terra) assumed the Verneuil option, pursuant to an asset purchase agreement with Normabec. Verneuil is a non-core asset in Magna Terra's exploration property portfolio, and thus the Company did not participate in recent exploration programs conducted by SOQUEM, resulting in its ownership position in the joint venture being diluted down to its current 32.778% undivided interest.

Transaction Highlights

Magna Terra will receive a $100,000 cash payment on closing;

The Company will also receive a Net Smelter Royalty ("NSR") on the project of 0.5%, that is purchasable at any time for a cash payment of $250,000; and,

Closing is subject to the execution of a Definitive Purchase and Sale Agreement, and is expected to close on or before September 10, 2021.

"We are pleased to monetize this non-core piece of our extensive exploration portfolio, and it allows SOQUEM the maximum flexibility to advance Verneuil going forward, which is an ideal outcome for both parties. This transaction continues to allow Magna Terra to focus on its high-potential projects in Atlantic Canada while also providing continued value for shareholders through vending or partnering non-core assets. The proceeds of the sale of these non-core assets will be utilized to partially pay for our interest in core property assets."

~ Lew Lawrick, President and CEO, Magna Terra Minerals

Payments for Exploration Option Agreements

Magna Terra continues to focus on projects in Atlantic Canada and accordingly has elected to continue to earn into several option agreements that it holds on the Cape Spencer and Great Northern Projects for 2021 and 2022.

Under the terms of the Cape Spencer option agreement, the Company can earn a 100% interest in the Cape Spencer Property by paying the Optionors a total of $300,000 in cash and $145,000 in milestone payments based on certain exploration activities in cash or equivalent value shares over a five-year period ending August 9, 2023. The Company has paid the third anniversary cash payment of $50,000 and will issue a total of 150,376 common shares of the Company in relation to the $20,000 milestone payment due upon the completion of 2,000 metres of diamond drilling at the Cape Spencer Property (subject to regulatory approval).

Under the terms of the Rattling Brook option agreement, the Company can earn a 100% interest in the Rattling Brook Property by paying the Optionor a total of $45,000 (comprised of $30,000 in cash and $15,000 in cash and/or equivalent value shares) over a two-year period (refer to the press release dated August 31, 2020). The Company has paid $11,794 in cash and will issue a total of 21,505 common shares of the Company in relation to the payments due on the first anniversary of the agreement.

Under the terms of the Armstrong option agreement, the Company can earn a 100% interest in the Armstrong Property by paying the Optionor a total of $90,000 (comprised of $45,000 in cash and $45,000 in cash and/or equivalent value shares) over a three-year period (refer to the press release dated August 31, 2020). The Company has paid $6,806 in cash and will issue a total of 21,505 common shares of the Company in relation to the payments due on the first anniversary of the agreement.

Under the terms of the Marigold option agreement, the Company can earn a 100% interest in the Marigold Property by paying the Optionor a total of $200,000 (comprised of $95,000 in cash and $105,000 in cash and/or equivalent value shares over a four-year period (refer to the press release dated August 31, 2020). The Company has paid $15,181 in cash and will issue a total of 64,516 common shares of the Company in relation to the payments due on the first anniversary of the agreement.

All share issuances contemplated above will be based on the 20-day volume weighted average price on the date a payment is due under the above-mentioned agreements and the Company elects to make such payment in common shares. Furthermore, the common shares which may be issued under the above-mentioned agreements will be subject to a regulatory 4 month hold period from their date of issuance.

About Magna Terra

Magna Terra Minerals Inc. is a precious metals focused exploration company, headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Magna Terra owns three district-scale, advanced gold exploration projects in the world class mining jurisdictions of New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador. Further, the Company maintains a significant exploration portfolio in the province of Santa Cruz, Argentina which includes its precious metals discovery on its Luna Roja Project, as well as an extensive portfolio of district-scale drill ready projects available for option or joint venture.

About SOQUEM

SOQUEM, a subsidiary of Investissement Quebec, is dedicated to promoting the exploration, discovery, and development of mining properties in Quebec. SOQUEM also contributes to maintaining strong local economies. A proud partner and ambassador for the development of Quebec's mineral wealth, SOQUEM relies on innovation, research, and strategic minerals to be well-positioned for the future.

Forward-Looking Statements

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information

Some statements in this release may contain forward-looking information. All statements, other than of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future (including, without limitation, statements regarding potential mineralization) are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by use of the words "may", "will", "should", "continue", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "believe", "intend", "plan" or "project" or the negative of these words or other variations on these words or comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's ability to control or predict, that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, without limitation, failure to establish estimated mineral resources, the possibility that future exploration results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations, changes in world gold markets or markets for other commodities, and other risks disclosed in the Company's public disclosure record on file with the relevant securities regulatory authorities. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Magna Terra Minerals Inc.

Lewis Lawrick

President and CEO, Director

647-478-5307

Email: info@magnaterraminerals.com

Website: www.magnaterraminerals.com

SOURCE: Magna Terra Minerals Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/660441/Magna-Terra-Agrees-To-Sell-Minority-Interest-in-Verneuil-Project-to-SOQUEM-As-the-Company-Continues-To-Focus-on-Its-Atlantic-Canada-Gold-Projects
RICHMOND HILL, ON / ACCESSWIRE / August 19, 2021 / Helix BioPharma Corp. (TSX:HBP) ('Helix' or the 'Company'), an immuno-oncology company developing innovative drug candidates for the prevention and treatment of cancer, today announced that Dr. Krzysztof Saczek has been appointed as a member of the Board of Directors of the Company effective immediately.

Dr. Saczek is a Paediatric Surgeon, experienced in treating solid tumors, including malignancies in children. He has trained and practiced in several prominent medical centers in North America, Europe and South Africa. His area of expertise includes gastro-intestinal oncology. Dr. Saczek's professional designations include being a member of the Saskatchewan Medical Association and the CPSS (College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan). Currently, Dr. Saczek is the Head of Paediatric Surgery Department at the Regina General Hospital in Regina, Saskatchewan.

Prof. Majewski said: "We are excited to have Dr. Saczek join the Helix Board of Directors. Dr. Saczek brings a wealth of experience to the Company and we look forward to having the opportunity to work with him in further developing the Company's immunotherapy treatments strategy going forward."

About Helix BioPharma Corp.

Helix BioPharma Corp. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing unique therapies in the field of immune-oncology for the prevention and treatment of cancer based on our proprietary technological platform DOS47. Helix is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "HBP".

For more information, please contact:

Helix BioPharma Corp.

9120 Leslie Street, Suite 205

Richmond Hill, Ontario, L4B 3J9

Tel: 905-841-2300 x 233

Frank Michalargias, Chief Financial Officer

ir@helixbiopharma.com

Investor Relations

Alpha Bronze, LLC

Mr. Pascal Nigen

Phone: + 1 (917) 385-2160

helix@alphabronze.net

Forward-Looking Statements and Risks and Uncertainties

This news release contains forward-looking statements and information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements are statements and information that are not historical facts but instead include financial projections and estimates, statements regarding plans, goals, objectives, intentions and expectations with respect to the Company's future business, operations, research and development, including the Company's activities relating to DOS47, and other information in future periods. Forward-looking statements can further be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "ongoing", "estimates", "expects", or the negative thereof or any other variations thereon or comparable terminology referring to future events or results, or that events or conditions "will", "may", "could", or "should" occur or be achieved, or comparable terminology referring to future events or results.

Forward-looking statements are statements about the future and are inherently uncertain, and are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that are also uncertain. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, such statements involve risks and uncertainties, and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. Forward-looking statements, including financial outlooks, are intended to provide information about management's current plans and expectations regarding future operations, including without limitation, future financing requirements, and may not be appropriate for other purposes. Certain material factors, estimates or assumptions have been applied in making forward-looking statements in this news release, including, but not limited to, the safety and efficacy of L-DOS47; that sufficient financing will be obtained in a timely manner to allow the Company to continue operations and implement its clinical trials in the manner and on the timelines anticipated; the timely provision of services and supplies or other performance of contracts by third parties; future costs; the absence of any material changes in business strategy or plans; and the timely receipt of required regulatory approvals and strategic partner support.

The Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements contained in this news release as a result of numerous known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including without limitation, the risk that the Company's assumptions may prove to be incorrect; the risk that additional financing may not be obtainable in a timely manner, or at all, and that clinical trials may not commence or complete within anticipated timelines or the anticipated budget or may fail; third party suppliers of necessary services or of drug product and other materials may fail to perform or be unwilling or unable to supply the Company, which could cause delay or cancellation of the Company's research and development activities; necessary regulatory approvals may not be granted or may be withdrawn; the Company may not be able to secure necessary strategic partner support; general economic conditions, intellectual property and insurance risks; changes in business strategy or plans; and other risks and uncertainties referred to elsewhere in this news release, any of which could cause actual results to vary materially from current results or the Company's anticipated future results. Certain of these risks and uncertainties, and others affecting the Company, are more fully described in the Company's annual management's discussion and analysis for the year ended July 31, 2020 under the heading "Risks and Uncertainties" and Helix's Annual Information Form, in particular under the headings "Forward-looking Statements" and "Risk Factors", and other reports filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com from time to time. Forward-looking statements and information are based on the beliefs, assumptions, opinions and expectations of Helix's management on the date of this new release, and the Company does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statement or information should those beliefs, assumptions, opinions or expectations, or other circumstances change, except as required by law.

SOURCE: Helix BioPharma Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/660436/Helix-BioPharma-CorpAnnounces-Appointment-of-New-Director
MOSCOW, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Financial literacy rates differ enormously between the major advanced and emerging economies in the world. According to a recent World Bank Report, on average, 55 percent of adults in the major advanced economies-Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States-are financially literate.

In contrast, the major emerging economies-the so-called BRICS (Brazil, the Russian Federation, India, China, and South Africa)-on average, 28 percent of adults are financially literate. Financial literacy was based on correctly answering 3-out-of-4 finance-related questions.

"Our educational systems are outdated and not built to keep up with the fast-paced world of finances and banking not to mention cryptocurrencies. As a financial mentor, I see the importance of helping people understand the basics and benefits of investing as well as the potential of emerging technologies such as blockchain and cryptos," said financial and investment expert and visionary, Andrey Khovratov.

Khovratov, an internationally recognized investor and mentor, has launched an ambitious project to raise the level of financial literacy in the existing BRICS countries. Starting in his homeland of Russia, he's working with the Interagency Coordination Commission to implement its Strategy for the Improvement of Financial Literacy in the Russian Federation in 2021-2023. This first step was taken to focus on improving the financial understanding and wellbeing of Russian individuals and families.

"Financial freedom is not magic or rocket science. It is a fundamental human right. The problem is that people don't have the tools. They lack information, how to reach it. That's the real problem that we need to fix. For the 1.7 billion people who are unbanked globally and those lacking financial literacy, cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology could be a direct path to financial freedom," said Khovratov.

As a dedicated mentor and successful investor, Khovratov says that sharing his knowledge about finances is a very fulfilling activity. He is committed to helping as many individuals and families as he can to achieve financial freedom by giving them the right tools, training, and mentorship to ensure their success.

The first meeting of the Academy of a Private Investor course was recorded on the Zoom platform in 12 different languages. The topics covered include the basics of investing, finance, blockchain technology and history, types of tokens and incomes, and more. For more information about attending this training, click HERE.

Editor's notes

Academy of a Private Investor is the most effective training system for preparing private investors. The company's goal is to give members full understanding of the science of investing. The sooner you learn everything related to this term, the faster you will obtain absolute freedom.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1598152/Andrey_Khovratov.jpg
(Potential for Cobalt Recovery as a By-Product Credit)

Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - August 19, 2021) - Braveheart Resources Inc. (TSXV: BHT) (OTCQB: RIINF) (FSE: 2ZR) ("Braveheart" or the "Company") has received additional metallurgical results from the recent drilling program at the Bull River Mine project. To-date the Company has received results for four of six holes in the H1 2021 diamond drill program (see press release dated July 8, 2021, on SEDAR). In addition to copper, gold and silver the Company has now received assays for cobalt. Cobalt mineralization was encountered in each of the four drill holes for which assays have been received to-date. Cobalt grade ranged from 0.015% to 0.033%. The results from the remaining two holes are not expected to be received until late September 2021 due to a backlog at the lab.

Ian Berzins, President and CEO, commented, "We are pleased with the initial results from this year's drill program which has not only validated the presence of copper, gold and silver mineralization at depth but also the presence of cobalt mineralization. Historically previous operators did not assay for cobalt so there is no recognition of cobalt in the current NI 43-101 Resource which was completed in January 2019 by Sue Bird of Moose Mountain Minerals. The Company has not yet determined that a saleable cobalt concentrate can be produced. However, with cobalt now being added to the list of critical metals in Ontario and the United States and with cobalt prices increasing to over US$53,000 per tonne, the potential for adding cobalt by-product credits at the Bull River Mine project is encouraging and desires more investigation".This could result in an increase in the total metal values at the Bull River Mine.

In June 2018, Braveheart began an analysis of the potential for economic extraction of cobalt at the Bull River Mine. The purpose of the testing was to determine whether cobalt could be recovered to a pyrite concentrate through a secondary flotation process. Cobalt is visually apparent in the underground workings that are currently being maintained in a dewatered condition. Chip samples were taken from the walls of the workings under the supervision of Ian Berzins, P.Eng. of Braveheart (see press release dated January 28, 2019, on SEDAR). Chain of custody was maintained by Braveheart and a 9 kg sample was shipped to SGS Mineral Services ("SGS") in Vancouver, British Columbia for analysis. The head grade for the sample was 0.13% Cu, 1.4 g/t Ag, 0.09 g/t Au and 0.05% Co representing mineralized material on the hanging-wall and footwall of the mineralized material. Secondary flotation testing produced a cleaner concentrate of pyrite and cobalt with a recovery of 74.8% cobalt at a grade of 0.66% Co.

Subsequently in July 2019, the Company completed metallurgical testing at SGS on a sample of mineralized material from a surface stockpile. The head grade for the surface material was 1.4% Cu, 0.32 g/t Au, 9.6 g/t Ag and 0.02% Co representing diluted mineralized material from the current underground workings. Secondary flotation testing produced a cleaner concentrate with a recovery of 74.2% cobalt at a grade of 0.37% Co. The Company believes that these latter results are more representative of what should be achievable, should a secondary flotation circuit be installed focused on recovery of pyrite and cobalt following the primary concentrate with copper, gold and silver. This study demonstrated that cobalt can be recovered to a pyrite concentrate but further testing is required to achieve a product with sufficiently high cobalt content to forward to cobalt extraction and purification.

Summary of 2021 Bull River Mine Drilling Program To-date

Hole ID Azimuth Dip From To Length Cu Ag Au Co (m) (m) (m) (%) (g/t) (g/t) (%) BRU 21-01 55 -26 171.4 174.8 3.4 5.12 28.6 0.63 0.018 Including 173.8 174.4 0.6 19.79 98.6 0.17 0.020 BRU 21-02 55 -37 184.1 186.1 2 1.52 8.1 0.17 0.033 BRU 21-03 55 -48 190.9 194.4 3.5 2.39 12.5 0.29 0.015 Including 55 192.5 193.5 1 5.6 29.3 0.49 0.015 BRU 21-04 55 -59 205.5 208 2.5 0.34 1.9 0.05 0.026

Qualified person

Braveheart's disclosure of a technical or scientific nature in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Ian Berzins P.Eng., who serves as President, Chief Executive Officer and a director of the Company and is a Qualified Person under the definition of National Instrument 43-101.

About Braveheart Resources Inc.

Braveheart is a mining company primarily focused on two near-term copper production assets in Canada. Braveheart's main asset is the 100% owned Bull River Mine project (>85MM lbs of copper) near Cranbrook, British Columbia which has a Mineral Resource containing copper, gold and silver. Braveheart's newest acquisition is the 100% owned Thierry Mine project (>860MM lbs of copper) near Pickle Lake, Ontario which has a Mineral Resource containing copper, nickel, silver, palladium, platinum and gold.

Contact Information

Braveheart Resources Inc.

Ian Berzins

President & Chief Executive Officer

M: +1-403-512-8202

E: iberzins@braveheartresources.com

Website: www.braveheartresources.com

For more investor information, please contact Braveheart at:

Manish Grigo

Director, Corporate Development

M: +1-416-569-3292

E: mgrigo@braveheartresources.com

Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release includes certain information that may constitute "forward-looking information" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements about strategic plans, future work programs and objectives and expected results from such work programs. Forward-looking information necessarily involve known and unknown risks, including, without limitation, risks associated with general economic conditions; inability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources, and/or inability to access sufficient capital on favourable terms; and other risks.

Forward-looking information is necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information and the risks identified in the Company's continuous disclosure record. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. All forward-looking information contained in this news release is given as of the date hereof and is based upon the opinions and estimates of management and information available to management as at the date hereof. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this new release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/93681
JAKARTA, Aug 19, 2021 - (ACN Newswire) - PT Wintermar Offshore Marine Tbk (WINS:JK) held its Annual General Meeting of Shareholders ("AGM") on 19th August 2021, attended by a quorum of more than 84% of shareholders. This was the first time the Company conducted a hybrid AGM, utilizing the new eASY.KSEI platform for virtual AGM, which also provided an electronic system for shareholders to register their votes. The meeting also met the quorum of attendance by a majority of independent shareholders, which was necessary for the approval of the share issuance without pre-emptive rights, according to OJK regulations.All agenda items were approved, including the issuance of 415 million shares without pre-emptive rights, in which only independent shareholders were allowed to vote.Apart from receiving and approving the Annual Report for FY2020, the Meeting also approved the appointment of Mr Sim Idrus Munandar as an Independent Commissioner. Mr Sim holds several positions as Commissioner and Independent Director in listed companies on the IDX and Singapore Stock Exchange. At the meeting, Mr Johnson Williang Sutjipto, who has been a Commissioner since Wintermar was listed on the Indonesian Stock Exchange in 2010, stepped down from his position. Mr Sugiman Layanto, Managing Director, thanked Mr Johnson W. Sutjipto for his very significant contribution to Wintermar Group, especially for his wisdom and guidance in steering the Company through the challenging period of the past few years.During the AGM, Finance Director Janto Lili reported on the results for FY2020 where the Company made a gross profit despite being affected by postponement and cancellation of contracts due to the COVID-19 pandemic.Looking forward, Managing Director Sugiman Layanto outlined the positive business outlook for the offshore support vessel industry now that the oil price has recovered to above US$70 per barrel and several large oil and gas projects are planned for the next few years in Asia, with Indonesia's SKK Migas also setting an ambitious production target to reach 1 million barrels per day of oil equivalent by 2030.With gearing below 30% by end June 2021, after streamlining the fleet and reducing overhead costs, Wintermar is now ready to start investing again. Management has been pursuing several potential opportunities to invest in assets to grow the profitability of the Company and the new share issuance provides access to funding when needed.As at end of June 2021, the Company's Contracts on hand amounted to US$69 million.About Wintermar Offshore Marine GroupWintermar Offshore Marine Group (WINS.JK), developed over nearly 50 years with a track record of quality that is both a source of pride and responsibility that we are dedicated to upholding, and sails a fleet of more than 48 Offshore Support Vessels ready for long term as well as spot charters. All vessels are operated by an experienced Indonesian crew, tracked by satellite systems and monitored in real-time by shore-based Vessel Teams.Wintermar is the first shipping company in Indonesia to be certified with an Integrated Management System by Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance, and is currently certified with ISO 9001:2015 (Quality), ISO14001:2015 (Environment) and OHSAS 18001:2007 (Occupational Health and Safety). For more information, please visit www.wintermar.com.For further information, please contact:Ms. Pek Swan Layanto, CFAInvestor RelationsPT Wintermar Offshore Marine TbkTel: +62-21 530 5201 Ext 401Email: investor_relations@wintermar.comSource: Wintermar Offshore Marine GroupCopyright 2021 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
DXC Technology (NYSE: DXC) today announced that Chris Drumgoole has been named Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (COO), reporting to Mike Salvino, DXC President and CEO, effective immediately. Drumgoole joined DXC as Chief Information Officer (CIO) in March of 2020.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210819005458/en/

Chris Drumgoole, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, DXC Technology (Photo: Business Wire)

As COO, Drumgoole will have primary accountability for driving DXC's day-to-day business operations, while supporting change management aligned with the company's overall transformation journey. He will assume responsibility for DXC's business and administrative operations including global supply chain, integrating the full procure-to-pay lifecycle to improve our partner ecosystem, while maintaining oversight for DXC's IT strategy, operations, and infrastructure.

"In a short amount of time, Chris and his team have made a significant impact at DXC, from simplifying our IT infrastructure to enabling our global workforce to be fully operational and work virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic," Salvino said. "In his new role, Chris will drive efficiency in our operations, deliver better employee experiences to drive up our employee Net Promoter Scores, and ensure that we deliver on our cost reduction and margin expansion targets. As Chris expands his leadership of our day-to-day company operations, I look forward to spending even more time with our customers and colleagues on our growth agenda."

"As a team, we have accomplished a great deal," Drumgoole stated. "Going forward as COO, my focus will be to further enhance the productivity of our workforce, simplify and streamline operations and processes, and ensure clarity and accountability while meeting our margin objectives."

Drumgoole has more than 20 years of experience in the digital and information technology industry. As CIO at GE, Drumgoole led the company's global technology operations, including applications, infrastructure, and related shared services. Drumgoole joined GE from Verizon, where he served as Chief Operating Officer of Verizon's Terremark subsidiary, a cloud, hosting, and data center provider. He joined Verizon through its acquisition of Terremark, where he served as a member of the executive leadership team.

Drumgoole serves on the board of directors of PetSmart, where he is a member of the audit committee; on the advisory board of Florida International University's College of Engineering Computing; and as a member of the board of directors of ONUG, a forum for IT business leaders interested in exchanging ideas and best practices for open technologies. He studied management information systems (MIS) at Pace University in New York. Drumgoole is a volunteer with Year Up, an organization that provides mentorship and job opportunities to young people in urban areas.

About DXC Technology

DXC Technology (NYSE: DXC) helps global companies run their mission critical systems and operations while modernizing IT, optimizing data architectures, and ensuring security and scalability across public, private and hybrid clouds. The world's largest companies and public sector organizations trust DXC to deploy services across the Enterprise Technology Stack to drive new levels of performance, competitiveness, and customer experience. Learn more about how we deliver excellence for our customers and colleagues at DXC.com.

Source: DXC Technology

Category: Investor Relations

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210819005458/en/

Contacts:

Richard Adamonis, Corporate Media Relations, +1-862-228-3481, radamonis@dxc.com

John Sweeney, Investor Relations, 1-980-315-3665, john.sweeney@dxc.com
- Rising number of hospital-acquired infections and surgeries across the globe is projected to offer several opportunities in the medical device cleaning market

- New product development, early adoption of technological advanced products, and presence of key players have resulted in the emergence of North America as a dominant region in the global market

ALBANY, N.Y, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Medical device cleaning is considered one of the important parts of surgical procedures carried out in the global healthcare industry. Generally, a wide range of medical devices such as scissors, scalpels, forceps, endoscopes, and retractors are reused for surgical procedures after their proper cleaning and sterilization, which help in the prevention of cross contamination and infections among patients and healthcare professionals.

Cleaning, pre-cleaning, sterilization, and disinfection are some of the key processes of medical device cleaning.

A new study by Transparency Market Research (TMR) highlights that the global medical device cleaning market to expand at a CAGR of 5.2% during the forecast period to cross valuation of US$ 4.53 Bn by 2027. The market was valued at US$ 2.8 Bn in 2018.

Medical Device Cleaning Market: Key Findings

Increased Use of Aldehydes Expected to Make Chemicals as Potential Leading Market Segment

Aldehydes are one of the important products gaining traction, owing to their increased utilization in different medical activities as antiseptics and disinfectants against fungi, viruses, and bacteria, and their spores. Thus, there is an increase in use of aldehyde to perform disinfection of different surgical instruments. Owing to this scenario, the chemicals segment is foreseen to witness expansion opportunities, thus leading the medical device cleaning market during the forecast period of 2019-2027.

Strong expertise with attention to detail makes our market research reports stand apart, Request a Report Sample here - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=30965

Various Advantages of Automatic Cleaning Fuel Its Adoption

Several healthcare organizations are adopting the automatic cleaning technique due to varied advantages it offers. Decreased turnaround time, superior levels of medical device cleaning, high sterility levels, and improved personnel safety are some key advantages of the automatic cleaning technique that are attracting organizations in the healthcare industry. Thus, increased acceptance of this advanced cleaning technology will help in making automatic cleaning significant in the global medical device cleaning market.

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Medical Device Cleaning Market: Growth Boosters

In the past few years, there has been an extensive rise in the number of various hospital-acquired infections such as catheter-associated urinary tract infection, post-operative sepsis, blood stream infections, and pneumonia across the globe. As a result, various organizations in the healthcare sector, including surgical centers, hospitals, and ambulatory clinics are focused on discovering varied advanced solutions to address the issues pertaining to hospital-acquired infections. This factor is working as one of the key drivers of the global medical device cleaning market.

Increase in the number of minimally invasive cosmetic procedures across major parts of the globe may translate into sales opportunities in the years to come

The medical device cleaning market is projected to offer expansion opportunities in the Asia Pacific region during the forecast period 2019 to 2027. This growth can be attributed to high number of people with cancer and severe burn injuries in countries such as China , India , New Zealand , and Australia . In addition, the regional market will develop on the back of improved per capita healthcare expenditure and easy access to the healthcare services in Asia Pacific .

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Medical Device Cleaning Market: Key Players

The report profiles key players operating in the medical device cleaning market. It includes vital data on major facets such as the company overview, treatment types, financial overview, recent developments, and business strategies of companies operating in this market.

Some of the key players in the global medical device cleaning market are:

Getinge AB

3M

STERIS plc.

Cantel Medical Corp.

Oro Clean Chemie AG

Fortive Corporation

Ecolab Inc

Ruhof Corporation

Weigert

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Global Medical Device Cleaning Market: Segmentation

Medical Device Cleaning Market, by Product

Detergents

Chemicals

Aldehydes



Hydrogen Peroxide



Alcohol



Chlorine-based Disinfectant



Peracetic Acid



Quaternary Ammonium Compound

Medical Device Cleaning Market, by Process

Manual Cleaning

Automatic Cleaning

Medical Device Cleaning Market, by Application

Surgical Instruments

Ultrasound Probes

Endoscopes

Others

Medical Device Cleaning Market, by Region

North America

U.S.



Canada

Europe

Germany



France



U.K.



Italy



Spain



Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific

China



Japan



India



Australia & New Zealand

&

Rest of Asia Pacific

Latin America

Brazil



Mexico



Rest of Latin America

Middle East & Africa

GCC Countries



South Africa



Rest of Middle East & Africa

Modernization of healthcare in terms of both infrastructure and services have pushed the healthcare industry to new heights, Stay Updated with Latest Healthcare Industry Research Reports by Transparency Market Research:

Implantable Medical Devices Market: According to Transparency Market Research's the global Implantable Medical Devices market for the historical period 2017-2018 and forecast period 2019-2027. Increase in prevalence of coronary arterial diseases (CADs), rise in demand for minimally invasive procedures and rise in geriatric population are projected to drive the global market during the forecast period.

Wearable Medical Devices Market: The global wearable medical devices market is driven by the rise in prevalence of chronic pain, increase in diabetic population, increase in the geriatric population, and a surge in the rate of adoption of technologically advanced wearable medical products.

Portable Medical Devices Market: Some of the top growth strategies that are being noted in the portable medical devices market landscape include collaborations and mergers and effective product development, acquisitions and innovations in solutions. Additionally, it is worth noting here that a number of top tier player, some which are mentioned below, are looking to expand operations geographically.

About Us

Transparency Market Research is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. Our experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information.

Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.

Contact Us

Transparency Market Research

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WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Kohl's Corp. (KSS) said its second-quarter net sales and earnings exceeded expectations. Based on the results, the company increased its full year 2021 guidance, which positions it to achieve many of the 2023 strategic goals in the current year, well ahead of plan.



While reporting strong second-quarter results, Macy's, Inc. (M) increased its full-year and back-half guidance on both the top and bottom lines. Macy's board has authorized a $500 million share repurchase program. The company also reinstated its regular quarterly dividend.



Kohl's Corp. reported second-quarter adjusted earnings per share of $2.48 compared to a loss of $0.25, prior year. On average, 15 analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected the company to report profit per share of $1.16, for the quarter. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items. Net income increased to $382 million from $47 million. Earnings per share was $2.48 compared to $0.30.



Kohl's Corp.'s second-quarter net sales increased to $4.22 billon from $3.21 billion, last year. Total revenue was $4.45 billion compared to $3.41 billion. Analysts expected revenue of $3.99 billion, for the quarter.



For fiscal 2021, Kohl's Corp. now projects adjusted earnings per share to be in the range of $5.80 to $6.10, excluding any non-recurring charges, revised from the previous expectation of $3.80 to $4.20. Net sales are now expected to increase in the low-twenties percentage range compared to the previous expectation of mid-to-high teens percentage range increase. Analysts expect the company to report profit per share of $4.35.



Shares of Kohl's Corp. were up 3.8% in pre-market trade on Thursday.



Macy's reported second-quarter adjusted earnings per share of $1.29 compared to a loss of $0.81, previous year. On average, 12 analysts expected the company to report profit per share of $0.14, for the quarter. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items. Net income was $345 million compared to a loss of $431 million, last year. Profit per share was $1.08 compared to a loss of $1.39.



Macy's reported that its second-quarter net sales increased to $5.65 billion from $3.56 billion, previous year. Analysts expected revenue of $4.98 billion, for the quarter. Comparable sales were up 61.2% on an owned basis and up 62.2% on an owned plus licensed basis from 2020.



For fiscal 2021, Macy's now projects adjusted earnings per share in a range of $3.41 - $3.75, revised from prior guidance of $1.71 - $2.12. Net sales are anticipated in a range of $23.55 billion - $23.95 billion, updated from prior guidance of $21.73 billion - $22.23 billion. Analysts expect the company to report profit per share of $2.24 on revenue of $22.12 billion. Adjusted EBITDA as a percent of sales is now estimated to be 11% - 11.5%, revised from prior outlook of 9% - 9.5%.



For the third-quarter, Macy's projects adjusted earnings per share of approximately $0.17 to $0.26; and net sales of $5.04 billion to $5.19 billion. Analysts expect the company to report profit per share of $0.01 on revenue of $4.73 billion.



Macy's increased its long-term adjusted EBITDA margin target to remain in the low-double digits beginning next year. Over the next couple of years, Macy's expects capital expenditures to increase to approximately $1 billion, annually.



Macy's is reinstating regular quarterly dividend at 15 cents per share. The dividend is payable on October 1, to shareholders of record at the close of business on September 15.



Shares of Macy's were up 5% in pre-market trade on Thursday.



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Audio innovation specialist, Noveto, today introduces its proprietary new chipset developed to drive its revolutionary SmartBeaming technology

TEL AVIV, Israel, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Noveto is the first company to successfully develop SmartBeaming technology, which dynamically beams audio to outside the user's ears, creating a first of its kind immersive 3D stereo experience, without the need for headphones and without disturbing people around you.

Noveto's flagship product, available from December 2021 with further details to be announced shortly, is the first to use the ground-breaking technology. The product resembles a small speaker but makes no sound. Instead, ultrasonic waves are sent towards the user using a built-in 3D camera to locate their position in real time, at which point the waves converge into small pockets of sound around their ears. At these energy points the ultrasonic waves emit normal acoustic waves that can be heard by the user. If they move their head, the sound pockets follow, allowing them to hear sound.

The acoustic sound waves are generated using Noveto-developed DSP algorithms and are pushed into the air via two custom-designed panels populated by numerous miniature sized ultrasonic speakers. Individually the waves are totally silent, and with the help of the built-in 3D camera and AI based dynamic ear-tracking algorithms, creates the never before achieved magical immersive 3D audio experience without having to wear headphones, and with nearby listeners only hearing a fraction of the sound.

To deliver the magical experience requires control of a high number of audio channels made possible by the custom-made proprietary chipset incorporating the Analog multi-channel D1 chip and Digital C1 smart controller. The D1 chip concurrently and dynamically controls 64 ultrasonic audio channels. The C1 controller orchestrates the overall behaviour of all the ultrasonic speakers to generate the unique sound beaming experience.

This is another significant milestone for the company which recently announced a successful Kickstarter campaign and a $10 million Series A investment by noted venture capitalist, Adit Ventures.

About Noveto:

Noveto was co-founded by Tomer Shani and Noam Babayoff and is led by Dr. Christophe Ramstein (previously heading global engineering for Logitech). The Noveto Audio Technology and first product is an outcome of years of extensive R&D protected by multiple patent families with over 45 patents (registered and pending). The N1 is scheduled for distribution by the end of 2021 with assistance from Noveto's strategic partner, Foxconn.

Visit www.noveto.com for more info, all other inquiries may be directed to info@noveto.com.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1598168/Noveto_SoundBeaming_technology.jpg

Contact:

noveto@thecircuitboard.net
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 19, 2021) - RIWI Corp. (TSXV: RIWI) (OTC Pink: RWCRF) (the "Company" or "RIWI"), a global trend-tracking and prediction technology firm, is pleased to announce that Greg Wong, a technology and information management leader, will serve as CEO of RIWI, effective September 13, 2021.

"It has always been my vision to select the ideal growth-focused, passionate chief executive with proven public company leadership skills to work with our team to build new, sustained value for our customers, our shareholders, and for our community," said Neil Seeman, RIWI's Founder, CEO, and Chairman.

"Since 2015, RIWI has won increasingly strong scientific credibility, revenue growth, and customer loyalty," added Mr. Seeman. "Our team's tenacity and commitment to innovation, data ethics and integrity has allowed us to build a firm foundation of strong and scalable year-over-year revenue growth. Greg Wong is a leader who can help position the RIWI platform as a critical data provider for any customer that cares about understanding fast-moving events and citizen sentiment in any region of the world, including in parts of the world facing violent conflict."

From 2008 to 2013, Mr. Wong served as President and CEO of a product information management company where he was responsible for changing the sales model from a direct sales model to a partner sales model and for overseeing the global organization's growth strategy.

From 2013 to 2017, Mr. Wong served as Senior Vice President of Stibo Systems, a data management company. Since 2017, Mr. Wong has served as Chief Revenue Officer of an ecommerce company. Mr. Wong graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce degree from McGill University in 1996.

The appointment of Greg Wong as CEO follows a thorough recruitment process overseen by a special Search Committee of the Board in partnership with global search firm Korn Ferry.

About RIWI

RIWI is a global trend-tracking and prediction technology firm. On a monthly or annual subscription basis, RIWI offers its clients tracking surveys, continuous risk monitoring, predictive analytics and ad effectiveness tests in all countries - without collecting any personally identifiable data. https://riwi.com

RIWI CORP.

Signed: "Neil Seeman"

Neil Seeman, Chief Executive Officer

For more information, please contact:

Andrew Barwicki

Barwicki Investor Relations Inc.

Andrew@Barwicki.com

1-516-662-9461

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

CAUTION REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION:

Information and statements contained in this news release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation that involves risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking information included herein is made as of the date of this news release and RIWI does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update forward-looking information unless required by applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information relates to future events or future performance and reflects management of the Company's expectations or beliefs regarding future events. This forward-looking information is based, in part, on assumptions and factors that may change or prove to be incorrect, thus causing actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by forward-looking information.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/93709
Subscribers benefit from new, easy-to-use myMaintenance App to visualize crucial aircraft data from any personal electronic device

New App marks yet another milestone in Bombardier's digital transformation

Smart Link Plus subscribers can make data-driven decisions, maximizing operational efficiency

Demonstrations of new App available both on demand and at NBAA-BACE (https://nbaa.org/events/2021-nbaa-business-aviation-convention-exhibition-nbaa-bace/)



MONTREAL, Aug. 19, 2021, an exclusive tool to support customers subscribed to the Smart Link Plus connected aircraft program. Smart Link Plus subscribers now have the unique ability to make real-time in-flight data-driven decisions to effectively track, troubleshoot, and manage their aircraft service needs.

Thanks to the new, user-friendly myMaintenance App, aircraft data is easily accessible, enabling flight and maintenance crews to quickly and efficiently prioritize and proactively troubleshoot aircraft in-flight fault notifications, increasing an aircraft's operational efficiency. Aircraft data displayed in the intuitive myMaintenance App is available anytime, anywhere on any personal electronic device.

"Bombardier business jet operators expect the most expedient resolutions to their operating issues-and the new myMaintenance App, available exclusively to Smart Link Plus subscribers, is there to provide that peace of mind," said Jean-Christophe Gallagher, Executive Vice President, Services and Support, and Corporate Strategy, Bombardier. "The new application is part of our commitment to digital innovations that will benefit our customers as they deserve to experience the time and money savings that big data can provide."

Bookings and installations for Challenger 300 and Challenger 350 aircraft are available now with other aircraft models in development. Operators of Challenger 300 and Challenger 350 aircraft who receive their free-of-charge* Smart Link Plus box installed at a Bombardier Service Centre can also connect to their aircraft at their fingertips through the myMaintenance App.

The Smart Link Plus box was recently certified by the FAA for both Challenger 300 and Challenger 350 aircraft. The box, free-of-charge* to customers, is an aircraft Health Monitoring Unit that records crucial aircraft data. This was developed in collaboration with GE Aviation exclusively for Bombardier aircraft as part of GE's connected aircraft solutions. As a result of the certification, Challenger 300 and Challenger 350 customers will begin their installations of the Smart Link Plus box throughout the month of August. Certification of Smart Link Plus for Challenger 604, Challenger 605, Challenger 650 and Global aircraft is expected in the coming months.

The Smart Link Plus connected aircraft program, including the Smart Link Plus box, was first introduced on the Bombardier flagship Global 7500 aircraft and customers continue to benefit from its advanced data-driven capabilities. More than 98% of current Global 7500 aircraft customers have enrolled in Smart Link Plus services, and the early-adopters of the new myMaintenance App have already begun to discover the benefits described above. To learn more about the service, prospective subscribers can schedule a private demonstrationof the myMaintenance App or watch a demonstration at NBAA-BACEin Las Vegas, NV from October 12-14, 2021.



About Bombardier

Bombardier is a global leader in aviation, creating innovative and game-changing planes. Our products and services provide world-class experiences that set new standards in passenger comfort, energy efficiency, reliability and safety.

Headquartered in Montreal, Canada, Bombardier is present in more than 12 countries including its production/engineering sites and its customer support network. The Corporation supports a worldwide fleet of more than 4,900 aircraft in service with a wide variety of multinational corporations, charter and fractional ownership providers, governments and private individuals.

News and information is available at bombardier.comor follow us on Twitter @Bombardier.

Visit the Bombardier Business Aircraft websitefor more information on our industry-leading products and services.

*Smart Link Plus is under development and subject to change. Certain conditions apply for Smart Link Plus program enrollment and to obtain the free Smart Link Plus box. Installation costs apply. For aircraft eligibility or other considerations, customers can contact Bombardier.

Bombardier, Global, Global 7500, Challenger, Challenger 300, Challenger 350, Smart Link Plus, and Smart Parts are registered or unregistered trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries.

For information

Matthew Nicholls

Bombardier

+ 1 514-243-8214

matthew.nicholls@aero.bombardier.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7d2cb56a-1bd3-4c50-8100-da64b6be3fad
Two Unique Product lines offering Solutions for Consumers:

Stink Genie Ozone Surface/Air Disinfectant and Balanced2Day (B2D) for Health and Wellness

LAS VEGAS, NV / ACCESSWIRE / August 19, 2021 / Megola, Inc. (OTC PINK:MGON) (the "Company"), a Consortium Group of Health Technologies and Services Company is pleased to offer product lines to help combat the impact of the Covid -19 pandemic . The company offers both a portable multi-purpose ozone generator for Surface Disinfecting/Deodorizing/Sanitizing and Air Quality control and a CBD product line " Balanced2Day (B2D)" for Health and Wellness that can help alleviate potential long-term effects of Covid-19 infection.

"In keeping with recent studies and news about the benefits of Ozone and CBD, and the benefits of these products to assist in combating COVID-19, we are excited to offer our two unique products; The Stink Genie and Balanced2Day CBD extracts. Offering consumers opportunities to stay safe and achieve mental wellness is important and our brands are designed to reduce the risk of contracting Covid-19 through disinfecting solutions and to improve mental health of consumers by offering the wellness benefits of CBD during their recovery. We offer best in class products at affordable prices ." states Megola CEO Robert Gardiner. "Our products are available now at GenieBrands.com and Balanced2Day.com ."

CBD and COVID-19

In recent months, several CBD-focused companies have begun studies to determine if CBDs can be used to treat symptoms of COVID-19, which has infected nearly 21M worldwide. In the last two months alone:

A study by Augusta University (GA) have completed animal studies suggesting CBDs could provide positive results for acute respiratory distress syndrome 1

A preclinical study by the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada indicates a number of CBD strains could impact COVID-19 infections 2

The University of Nebraska and Texas Biomedical Research Institute have stated CBDs could treat lung infections in COVID-19 patients 3

The University of Maryland School of Medicine has established a lab specifically to study the effect of CBDs on COVID-19 as an anti-inflammatory 4

OZONE and COVID-19

National Ozone Association (NOAI) released:

On March 12, 2020, the National Ozone Association (NOAI) released the following statement regarding ozone as an agent for killing the current strain of coronavirus: "[O]zone has been proven to kill numerous types of viruses. This includes previous versions of the coronavirus. Admittedly, treating the COVID-19 is yet to be proven for nearly every sanitizing product on the market. So, we are relying on the several past versions of SARS, Bird Flu, and MERS to support the belief that previous sanitizing methods will also sanitize the COVID-19 virus.  Unlike treating mold, pest, or heavy odors; killing pathogens does not require a strong dose of ozone. Treatments of about an hour or two should be enough to kill bacteria and viruses on surfaces." 5

NOAI advises that "short ozone treatments are therefore easy to apply. Set the timer for an hour and spend a little time outside the house or building. Combine routine ozone treatments with proper cleaning and sanitizing already in place, handwashing, and controlling infection hotspots for maximum effect. " 5

The Stink Genie is a portable, multi-purpose product that compliments existing disinfectant protocols with the help of ozone, is made in the United States and is simple to use only requiring the user to: Plug In, Set Timer, Walk Away

1 Augusta University - CBD may help avert lung destruction in COVID-19

2 Preclinical study by the University of Lethbridge in Alberta - CBD strains could impact COVID-19 infections

3 University of Nebraska and Texas Biomedical Research Institute - CBDs could treat lung infections in COVID-19 patients

4 University of Maryland School of Medicine - Effect of CBDs on COVID-19 as an anti-inflammatory

5 National Ozone Association https://noai.org/node/611

Recent Megola News

Update: Megola Inc CEO Issues Letter to Shareholders

For more information on Balanced2Day: Balanced2Day.com

For more information on The Stink Genie: GenieBrands.com

Outstanding Shares 254,595,060 08/01/2021 Float 196,072,533 08/01/2021

For more information Contact:

Megola, Inc.

Attn: John MacLeod

http://megolacorp.com

http://twitter.com/megolacorp

megola2020@gmail.com

1-888-587-1698

Stock information here: https://www.otcmarkets.com/stock/MGON/overview

Disclaimer: This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements are based largely on the expectations or forecasts of future events, can be affected by inaccurate assumptions, and are subject to various business risks and known and unknown uncertainties, a number of which are beyond the control of management. Therefore, actual results could differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Additional information respecting the factors that could materially affect the Company and its operations are contained in its annual report on Form 10K and Form 10-Q as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement.

SOURCE: Megola, Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/660453/Megola-Product-Lines-Continue-to-Help-Combat-COVID-19-Virus-and-Boost-Mental-Health
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / August 19, 2021 / Rockhaven Resources Ltd. (TSXV:RK) ("Rockhaven" or "the Company") is pleased to announce changes to the Company's Board of Directors, management and technical team, with the addition of a new Director, a new Chief Operating Officer ("COO") and two Technical Advisors. These changes greatly enhance Rockhaven's engineering and operational expertise and reflect a realignment of priorities as its flagship Klaza Project transitions to pre-feasibility. In order to facilitate these changes, Rockhaven also announces the resignation of Mr. Allan Doherty, Mr. David Skoglund and Mr. Randy Turner as Directors and Mr. Ian Talbot as Chief Operating Officer.

"Designing a robust, permittable and long-lived mining operation takes skilled and experienced professionals and this corporate restructuring gives Rockhaven the expertise needed to advance Klaza to the next level," stated Matthew Turner, Rockhaven's CEO. "As we welcome the new members of the Rockhaven team, we would like to sincerely thank Messrs. Doherty, Skoglund, Turner and Talbot for their many years of service with Rockhaven and their help in the success and growth of the Company. We wish them the very best in their future endeavors."

Board of Directors

The Rockhaven Board of Directors now consists of incumbent members Robert Carne, Bradley Shisler, Matthew Turner, Bruce Youngman, Glenn Yeadon and the new member Doug Eaton. Bruce Youngman will succeed Rob Carne as Chairman of the Board.

Doug Eaton

Mr. Eaton brings over 50 years of exploration experience and 40 years of public company involvement to Rockhaven. He has gained exceptional knowledge of Yukon geology and has contributed to several important discoveries throughout his career. Recently, Mr. Eaton was one of three members on an independent panel tasked with assessing the state of Yukon's mining and exploration industry and to provide recommendations for legislation related to future mineral development. Mr. Eaton is the President and CEO of Strategic Metals Ltd., which currently holds a 33% interest in Rockhaven. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology from the University of British Columbia and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Alberta.

Management

Manuel Estrada

Mr. Estrada joins Rockhaven as its new Chief Operating Officer. He is a Mining Executive with extensive experience in mining operations spanning the Americas. Mr. Estrada worked for Capstone Mining Corp. for 14 years at the Cozamin and Pinto Valley Mines. He is the founder and owner of Eleven Mercantile and Technical Solutions LLC and holds a B.Sc. in Civil Engineering from the Tecnologico de Durango and has taken other certifications on Risk, Safety, Leadership, Maintenance and Process Management, Cut-Off Grade and Mine Strategy Optimization in several institutions.

Technical Advisors

Stephen Quin

Mr. Quin is a mining geologist with over 40 years' experience in the mining and exploration industry, including finance, development, and the operation of producing companies. Over his career he has held upper management positions with numerous mining and exploration companies, including President and CEO of Midas Gold Corp. (now Perpetua) and Sherwood Copper Corp., President and COO of Capstone Mining Corp. and Executive VP of Miramar Mining Corporation. At Sherwood Copper, he led the advancement of the Minto Mine, which is located 60 km north of Rockhaven's Klaza Deposit, through feasibility, construction and production. Through this work, Mr. Quin acquired extensive experience with Yukon's permitting and regulatory processes.

Randall Thompson

Mr. Thompson has spent the last three decades building and operating open pit and underground mines in Canada, Australia and the Middle East. He has supervised large development projects including the $450 million construction of the Jabal Sayid mine in Saudi Arabia for Equinox Minerals and the $100 million expansion of the Huckleberry Mine in BC for Huckleberry Mines Ltd. Mr. Thompson has also worked on northern operations as the former General Manager at the Minto Mine and as the COO at JDS Silver which operated the Silvertip Mine in Northern BC.

Technical Committee

The Rockhaven Technical Committee mining expertise is greatly enhanced by the additions of Stephen Quin, Randall Thompson and Manuel Estrada who will join incumbent members Robert Carne and Matthew Turner.

Incentive Stock Option Grant

Rockhaven has granted incentive stock options to Directors, Officers, employees and consultants, entitling those persons to purchase up to a total of 4,500,000 common shares at a price of $0.15 for a period of five years. All options will vest on a quarterly basis commencing three months from the date of granting.

Qualified Persons

Technical information in this news release has been approved by Matthew R. Dumala, P.Eng., a geological engineer with Archer, Cathro & Associates (1981) Limited and qualified person for the purpose of National Instrument 43-101.

About Rockhaven

Rockhaven Resources Ltd. is a well-funded explorer focused on the exploration and development of its 100%-owned, camp-scale Klaza Property, which hosts the Klaza Deposit and numerous lightly explored exploration targets. Rockhaven has completed a mineral resource estimate and a preliminary economic assessment on the Klaza deposit (see Klaza Property Technical Report with an effective date of July 10, 2020 and titled, "Technical Report and Preliminary Economic Assessment Update for the Klaza Property, Yukon, Canada." which can be viewed at www.sedar.com under the Rockhaven profile or on the Rockhaven website at www.rockhavenresources.com).

Matthew Turner

President, CEO and Director

Rockhaven Resources Ltd.

T:604-687-2522

mturner@rockhavenresources.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Information contained in this news release contains forward-looking statements. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations; they are not guarantees of future performance. Rockhaven cautions that all forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, many of which are beyond the control of Rockhaven. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to exploration and development and the results thereof, the ability of Rockhaven to obtain additional financing, the need to comply with environmental and governmental regulations, fluctuations in the prices of commodities, operating hazards and risks, competition and other risks and uncertainties, including those described in Rockhaven's financial statements available under the Rockhaven profile at www.sedar.com. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, Rockhaven undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information.

SOURCE: Rockhaven Resources Ltd.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/660465/Rockhaven-Strengthens-Engineering-and-Operational-Capacity
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / August 19, 2021 / (CSE:JNC)(OTC PINK:JNCCF)(Frankfurt:5VH) - Further to the March 02, 2021 and April 26, 2021 news releases, JNC Resources Inc. ("JNC" or the "Company") and Southern Precious Metals Ltd. ("SPML") are pleased to announce that New South Wales ministerial approval ("Ministerial Approval") of the change in control of SPML has been received and accordingly the parties have closed the Definitive Agreement in which JNC has effectively acquired a 100% interest in SPML, and its subsidiary which hold 100% interests in the Malebo and Solomons Properties in New South Wales (NSW) Australia. The Company issued six million (6,000,000) common shares (the "Purchase Shares") to the shareholders ("Shareholders") of SPML in exchange for all of the issued and outstanding shares of SPML. The SPML Shareholders have entered into voluntary lockup undertakings wherein the Purchase Shares, which are otherwise free-trading, have been released as to 25% of such Purchase Shares immediately, 25% on October 23, 2021, an additional 25% on April 23, 2022 and the balance on October 23, 2022.

As previously announced in its July 08, 2021 news release, the Company will carry out a two-for-one consolidation ("Consolidation") of its issued and outstanding shares and has also commenced a non-brokered private placement of up to $5 million at $0.125 per unit (the "Financing"), each unit consisting of a pre-Consolidation share and a half share purchase warrant, with each whole warrant exercisable at $0.20 per pre-Consolidation share for 2 years from closing of the financing subject to an accelerator clause allowing the Company to shorten the exercise window if the Company's share price trades above $0.25 for 30 consecutive trading days (adjusted for the prospective Consolidation).The Company is now pleased to announce that subscriptions have been received for a substantial portion and JNC fully expects to close the Financing in September 2021.

"We have made significant strides over the last couple of months in executing on our Australian consolidation and exploration strategy" stated CEO, Michael Mulberry. "The closing of the transaction with SPML and the advances that we have already made in our Financing is a clear testament to the strength of our advisors and key shareholders and the confidence that the Canadian capital markets continues to place on our Company."

About JNC Resources Inc.

JNC is a Canada-based junior venture mineral exploration company which is uniquely positioned to be a dominant player in New South Wales, Australia (NSW) through a growth strategy focused on the consolidation and exploration of highly mineralized precious metals properties in this prolific region of Australia. Through its acquisition of Southern Precious Metals Ltd, RooGold Ltd and Aussie Precious Metals Corp properties, it will command a portfolio of 13 high-grade potential gold (9) and silver (4) concessions covering 1,380 km2 and that is home to 137 historic mines and prospects.

For further information please contact:

Michael Mulberry

T: 778-855-5001

info@jncresources.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur.

Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in applicable forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in such statements.

NEITHER THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

SOURCE: JNC Resources Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/660378/JNC-Resources-Closes-Definitive-Agreement-with-Southern-Precious-Metals-Ltd-and-Provides-Updates-on-Financing
Partnership comprises two parts:

Strategic research agreement (SRA) where Sensyne will receive de-identified Sentara patient data for analysis in AI-driven life sciences research

Collaboration agreement to co-design, validate, and deploy new clinical algorithms in the areas of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)

Sensyne Health plc (LSE: SENS) ("Sensyne" or the "Company" or the "Group"), the ethical clinical AI company, today announces that it has signed a Strategic Research Agreement (SRA) and a Collaboration Agreement with Sentara Healthcare ("Sentara"), a leading healthcare system serving patients in Virginia and northeastern North Carolina through 12 acute hospitals with more than 300 sites of care.

Sentara will join 11 UK NHS Trusts and U.S. Health Systems who are partners and shareholders in Sensyne Health. The new agreement is Sensyne's third U.S. partnership since launching in the U.S. in December 2020. The addition of Sentara's 3.6 million patients brings Sensyne's combined total of de-identified patient data for medical research to 21.7 million patients.

The partnership combines both life sciences research and healthcare algorithm development that will deliver value back to Sentara and its patients. The agreement will enable the ethical application of clinical AI research by Sensyne through analyzing Sentara's patient dataset to improve patient care and accelerate medical research. As part of a collaboration agreement, Sentara also becomes the first of several U.S. health systems that will partner with Sensyne to implement new clinical algorithms to support patients with CKD and CHF.

Jordan Asher, Executive Vice President and Chief Physician Executive of Sentara Healthcare, said:

"The combination of data and clinical expertise has the power to drive innovation, further advance research and enhance our ability to deliver complex and high-specialized clinical care to the communities we serve. The Sensyne partnership has the potential to help our organization continue our mission of improving health every day in critical areas of healthcare, including health equity."

Tim Skeen, Chief Information Officer of Sentara Healthcare, said:

"One of our top priorities at Sentara is protecting our patients' healthcare information, and via our partnership with Sensyne and its ethically designed AI, we are able to do just that. Sensyne is aligned with our vision of advancing clinical research, especially in critical medical areas like CKD and CHF. It is exciting to be able to leverage Sensyne's ground-breaking technologies and unique algorithms to truly move the needle on treatment development, ultimately improving our patients' outcomes."

Derek Baird, President, North America of Sensyne Health, said:

"This Sentara relationship expands our model in the U.S, where we want to be working with our partners not only in using data for life science research, but also to deliver clinical insights back into the health system itself. This clinical co-design work is a really important aspect of our model. We expect the work we are doing with Sentara on CKD and CHF will yield powerful algorithms to manage these disease areas."

Consistent with Sensyne's approach in all its health systems' relationships, all research will be undertaken to the highest standards of information governance and data security and in accordance with The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the U.S. legislation that protects sensitive patient information. All data supplied to Sensyne for research will be de-identified by Sentara and will remain in the U.S., and the provision of the data will operate under an agreed set of data processing procedures.

Notes to editors:

About Sensyne Health: www.sensynehealth.com

Sensyne Health plc (LSE: SENS) is a clinical artificial intelligence company operating a unique business model a for-profit plc making a positive social impact, sharing the financial returns it makes with health systems. The company applies clinical AI in the healthcare and life science industries. In healthcare, Sensyne delivers remote patient monitoring and real-time decision-making systems for healthcare organizations and their patients. In life sciences, Sensyne analyses large complex anonymized data sets to help life sciences companies accelerate the development of new medicines.

About Sentara: www.sentara.com

Sentara Healthcare celebrates more than 130 years in pursuit of its mission "we improve health every day." Named to IBM Watson Health's "Top 15 Health Systems" in 2018 and 2021, Sentara is an integrated, not-for-profit system of 12 hospitals in Virginia and Northeastern North Carolina, including a Level I trauma center, the Sentara Heart Hospital and the Sentara Healthcare Cardiovascular Research Institute, the Sentara Brock Cancer Center and the accredited Sentara Cancer Network, two orthopedic hospitals, and the Sentara Neurosciences Institute. The Sentara family also includes four medical groups, Nightingale Regional Air Ambulance and ground medical transport, home care and hospice, ambulatory outpatient campuses, advanced imaging and diagnostic centers, a clinically integrated network, the Sentara College of Health Sciences and the Optima Health Plan and Virginia Premier Health Plan serving 858,000 members in Virginia, North Carolina and Ohio. With nearly 30,000 employees and ranked one of Forbes "America's Best Employers" in 2018, Sentara is strategically focused on clinical quality and safety, innovation and creating an extraordinary health care experience for our patients and members.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210819005147/en/

Contacts:

Ashley Owen

Aria Marketing for Sensyne Health

aowen@ariamarketing.com

(978) 257-9000
Cepton's portfolio of award-winning lidar solutions continues to expand

Leading lidar solutions provider Cepton received two recognitions at Tech.AD Europe this year for its innovations, adding to the company's growing portfolio of award-winning lidar solutions across industries.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210819005247/en/

Cepton's pathbreaking miniature Nova lidar provides an attractive combination of performance, compactness, field of view coverage and affordability. Cepton Technologies, Inc. (Graphic: Business Wire)

Tech.AD is a leading technical conference in Europe focused on technologies for autonomous driving (AD) and the advancements of artificial intelligence (AI) technology in the automotive industry. The annual Tech.AD Europe Award exclusively honors "extraordinary projects in the automotive industry and celebrates exceptional solutions innovations." Awards are announced after submissions are rated by a jury of some of the top subject matter experts in Europe.

Cepton was recognized in the category of Most Innovative Use of Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning in the Development of Autonomous Vehicles Respective Technologies for its Nova lidar. Second place award-winner in this category, Nova is a pathbreaking miniature, wide field of view (FOV) lidar sensor for near-range perception in advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), autonomous vehicle (AV) and autonomous ground vehicle (AGV) applications. Nova provides an attractive combination of performance, compactness, FOV coverage and affordability and enables a range of use cases such as high-accuracy blind spot detection, small object detection, automated park assist and free space estimation around the vehicle.

Another award was given to a Cepton lidar-enabled smart cities project Traffic Monitoring as Source of Training Data for Autonomous Vehicles by Cepton partner ALP.Lab, which won the top prize in the category of Most Advanced Real-Life Testing Simulation Techniques in Autonomous Driving. Deployed in the City of Graz, the ALP.Lab project utilizes Cepton's Helius Smart Lidar System and Vista-P lidars to enable advanced, real-time, 3D traffic and pedestrian analytics. According to ALP.Lab, "the enormous amount of time and expense involved in collecting training data for ADAS/AD development can be dramatically reduced by this new and sustainable lidar perception based technique focused on specific roads and environments likely to generate the most diverse and difficult driving environments."

The Tech.AD Europe awards represent a continuation of past recognitions of Cepton's lidar innovations. Previously, Cepton received awards for its lidar solutions across multiple applications, including the AUVSI XCELLENCE in Innovation Award in 2019 for the Sora lidar, the Security Today New Product of the Year Award in 2019 in the Perimeter Protection category for the first generation of Helius known as Vista-Edge, the Autonomous Vehicle Technology ACES Award in 2020 jointly with Cepton partner Dataspeed for the Vista-P lidar, and the CES Innovation Award in 2020 in two categories Smart Cities and Tech for a Better World for the Helius Smart Lidar system, that also includes our Vista-P lidars.

Dr. Jun Pei, CEO of Cepton, said: "The awards at Tech.AD Europe were not only based on jury selection, but also based on the voting of all of the conference attendees representing leading automotive OEMs, autonomous vehicle companies, Tier 1 suppliers, and other R&D organizations worldwide. We are grateful for this recognition and what it represents for the continued innovation we are bringing to market using our MMT lidar technology. Increasingly, the role of Cepton lidars in the future of mobility is becoming clear worldwide and we are pleased to work with global partners such as ALP.Lab in advancing safety and autonomy."

About Cepton Technologies, Inc.

Cepton provides state-of-the-art, intelligent, lidar-based solutions for a range of markets such as automotive (ADAS/AV), smart cities, smart spaces and smart industrial applications. Cepton's patented MMT-based lidar technology enables reliable, scalable and cost-effective solutions that deliver long range, high resolution 3D perception for smart applications.

Founded in 2016 and led by industry veterans with over two decades of collective experience across a wide range of advanced lidar and imaging technologies, Cepton is focused on the mass market commercialization of high performance, high quality lidar solutions. Cepton is headquartered in San Jose, California, USA, with a presence in North America, Germany, Japan, India and China, to serve a fast-growing global customer base. For more information, visit www.cepton.com and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210819005247/en/

Contacts:

Faithy Li

media@cepton.com
Free conference OxyCon to cover the latest industry developments

VILNIUS, LITHUANIA / ACCESSWIRE / August 19, 2021 / OXYLABS Web scraping, a technology that allows automatic collection of public web data, has been developing very rapidly over the last few years, as increasingly more businesses are discovering its potential. A prominent industry conference OxyCon , taking place on 25-26th of August online, will focus on how the technology is changing and what factors shape its future.

"As web scraping technology is maturing, it is constantly adapting to the ever changing needs of the businesses that use it. From a technological viewpoint, it is getting more advanced with the help of artificial intelligence and machine learning. From a business point of view, there is an increased need for clear ethical standards to distinguish reliable web scraping providers in the market. With OxyCon, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of what is happening in the industry and how we can all benefit from it", - says Julius Cerniauskas, CEO of Oxylabs , a leading proxy provider and organizer of OxyCon.

One of the most important developments in the industry is the increasing focus on ethics. Con Conlon, the Managing Director of Merit Data & Technology, who will be addressing this topic at OxyCon, claims that web scraping can do much to underpin transparent and efficient markets, but we have a duty to undertake this activity in a manner which is thoughtful, considerate, and carries minimal impact on data sources.

"At the conference we will look at how to draft and implement ethical data collection policies, what benefits this can bring, and how to manage conflicts with client demands, legal frameworks and ethical collection", - Con says.

Another aspect that is often overlooked, but deserves more attention is the quality of web data. Allen O'Neill, the CTO of DataWorks and Microsoft Regional director will be putting the spotlight on this topic: "Great insights need great data. If your data isn't of high enough quality, your insights are going to be poor, and they won't be trustworthy. That's why we need to talk about it".

When it comes to technological advancements, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are driving the latest trends. Recent innovations in web scraping are leveraging these technologies to overcome common challenges in the field.

Operations such as content classification, content extraction or CAPTCHA solving can become a lot more efficient with automation. Jurijus Gorskovas, Machine Learning engineer at Oxylabs will present practical applications for augmenting web scraping with ML.

Meanwhile Pujaa Rajan, Machine Learning Engineer at Stripe will share her extensive experience on developing ML infrastructure. Her presentation will touch on various aspects of the infrastructure from data collection, feature extraction, training and retraining, serving, and monitoring.

In total, 15 speakers will be sharing their experience and tips at the conference. The event will involve presentations, panel discussions and workshops.

OxyCon 2021 is an annual web scraping community gathering opportunity enabled by Oxylabs, a leading data gathering solutions provider. The free online event is intended for everyone interested in web scraping trends and best practices - web scraping professionals, developers, data scientists, analytics, business decision makers, students. Registration is available HERE .

About Oxylabs

Oxylabs is a leading global provider of premium proxies and data scraping solutions for large-scale web data extraction. The company's mission is clear: to give every business - whether big or small - access to big data. With unmatched hands-on experience in publicly available web data gathering, Oxylabs is in trusted partnerships with dozens of Fortune 500 companies and global businesses, helping them unearth hidden gems of business intelligence data through state-of-the-art products and technological expertise. For more information, please visit: https://oxylabs.io/ .

Media Contact:

Vytautas Kirjazovas

Company: Oxylabs

Website: www.oxylabs.io

Phone: +447593365814

Email: press@oxylabs.io

SOURCE: Oxylabs

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/654740/Top-Trends-in-Web-Scraping-Focus-on-Ethics-Data-Quality-and-the-Power-of-ML
Ottawa, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 19, 2021) - Brane Inc. ("Brane"), a leading independent cryptocurrency custody service provider, announced today that it has been certified operationally carbon neutral by Carbonzero.

This certification confirms Brane's purchase of carbon offsets for its 2020 operations, which will support the Ontario Biodiversity Afforestation Project in Northern Ontario. Managed by the Forest Carbon Alliance, this Project re-establishes Boreal and Great Lakes-St Lawrence forest conditions supporting moose, deer, and fish populations.

"As a crypto custody provider, Brane's business is built on trust, sustainability, and safeguarding the interests of our clients and the public," said Patrick McLaughlin, Brane's Founder. "Our carbon neutral certification in partnership with Carbonzero is a key step in providing environmentally responsible custody solutions to the cryptocurrency market, and provides Brane with valuable baseline data to offset and reduce our greenhouse gas emissions."

"Carbonzero is proud to have partnered with Brane to prepare a greenhouse gas emissions inventory and recommendations for continued sustainability efforts as Brane grows," said Dan Fraleigh, CEO at Carbonzero. "As blockchain and crypto draw attention from investors, regulators, and the public, Brane is strengthening the sector in a greener, more sustainable direction."

Brane's commitment to carbon neutrality builds on the company's participation in the Crypto Climate Accord, a private sector-led initiative inspired by the Paris Climate Agreement, focused on reducing the environmental footprint of the cryptocurrency sector by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Carbonzero has been a North American industry leader in greenhouse gas measurement, reduction, and offsetting solutions for more than 15 years -- working with leading Canadian and international brands to measure their corporate emissions and set bold and ambitious GHG emissions reduction strategies.

Further details of Brane's commitment to sustainability are available at www.brane.capital/sustainability.

For more information:

Emile Scheffel

604-970-8658

emile@brane.capital

Founded in 2017, Brane Capital is an independent Canadian crypto custody service provider, helping institutional clients unlock the opportunities of blockchain and digital assets. Brane Vault, its core digital asset custody technology, is third-party certified to stringent global standards including ISO 27001, ISO 27017, and NIST CSF Tier 4, and insured against theft and crime.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking information and forward-looking statements (together, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, which reflect Brane's current expectations regarding future events, including statements relating to: the ability of Brane to become carbon neutral, the ability of Brane and other market participants to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In some cases, but not necessarily in all cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words or phrases such as "create", "continue to", "expand", "accelerate", "enhancing", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Brane's control, which could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those that are disclosed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements made in this press release are made as of the date hereof and Brane does not undertake any obligation to update such forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/93598
Edmonton, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - August 19, 2021) - Altiplano Metals Inc. (TSXV: APN) (WKN: A2JNFG) ("Altiplano" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into an arm's-length option agreement (the "Agreement") dated August 18, 2021, to acquire the Pastillas gold exploration project (the "Property") located within the prolific Maricunga belt, approximately 116km from Copiapo in the Atacama region of Chile. The agreement provides the Company the opportunity to acquire a 100% undivided interest in the Property for a total acquisition cost of US$1,230,000, plus 1,000,000 common shares of the Company to be paid and issued, respectively, in instalments over the next four years, as well as incurring a minimum of US$2,900,000 in exploration work in instalments on the Property over the next 4 years, and the optionor retaining a 2.0% net smelter returns royalty ("NSR") from production.

Pastillas highlights

Comprises 3,100 ha of exploration concessions covering an extensive zone of advanced argillic, steam heated type alteration typical of shallow exposure in productive high level epithermal systems.

Located in the highly prospective Maricunga belt of northern Chile with potential for Maricunga style porphyry Au-Cu mineralization at depth (Figure 1).

Proximal to four world class, advanced stage gold projects: 20 km south of Fenix (Rio 2); 20 km north of Volcan (Hochschild); 12 km northeast of La Pepa (Yamana Mineros); and 14 km west of Lobo-Marte (Kinross).

CEO Alastair McIntyre commented, "I am very pleased to reach an agreement on the acquisition of Pastillas. This is an excellent exploration project with scalable potential located within elephant country of the prolific Maricunga district which hosts numerous mines and advanced stage gold and copper projects. The acquisition of Pastillas syncs with the Company's strategy of developing near term cash flowing assets but also focusing on large scale exploration projects with the potential of developing significant mineral resource potential."





Figure 1: Left: Pastillas Project location, Atacama Region, Chile. Right: Pastillas location within the Maricunga Belt and major nearby Au  Cu deposits

To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4303/93696_542d30c40430d84e_001full.jpg

Terms of the Agreement

Under the terms of the Agreement, Altiplano may acquire a 100% interest in the Property by paying a total of US$1,230,000 in cash and issuing 1,000,000 in common shares of the Company over four years, as follows:

US$30,000 and 50,000 shares within 5 business days of the date of acceptance of the Agreement by the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Approval Date").

US$50,000 and 100,000 shares on the first anniversary of the Approval Date.

US$100,000, and 150,000 shares on the second anniversary of the Approval Date.

US$250,000 and 300,000 shares on the third anniversary of the Approval Date.

US$800,000 and 400,000 shares on the fourth anniversary of Approval Date.

In addition, the Company must incur on the Property a minimum total of CND$2,900,000 in exploration expenditures over the next 4 years, as follows:

$150,000 within the next 12 months from the date of the Agreement;

$250,000 within 12 months of the first anniversary date of the Agreement;

$1,000,000 within 12 months of the second anniversary date of the Agreement; and

$1,500,000 within 12 months of the third anniversary date of the Agreement.

The Agreement also provides a 2.0% NSR retained by the optionor with a provision for the Company to buy back one-half (reducing to a 1% NSR) for US$2,000,000 until the 8th anniversary of the Agreement.

The Agreement is subject to acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange.

The Pastillas Project Property Details

The Property is located within the prolific Maricunga Gold Belt and exhibits alteration typical of mineralized systems in the region. Historical information includes limited rock chip sampling, short-wave infrared (SWIR) spectroscopy, surface reconnaissance mapping, and ASTER radiometric data. Sparse rock chip sampling has yielded elevated gold up to 26.5 ppb and anomalous values in important pathfinder elements. ASTER satellite data indicates the presence of potential argillic and advanced argillic alteration and has been confirmed in geological mapping and in SWIR data. The Property is situated within a regional-scale alteration system visible in satellite imagery that contains several world-class deposits. Early-stage results at Pastillas are consistent with a high-level expression of epithermal and porphyry mineralization in the region, and there is significant opportunity at this undrilled and underexplored property to make a discovery in a proven and profitable gold-copper jurisdiction.

About Altiplano

Altiplano Metals Inc. (TSXV: APN) is a Canadian mining company focused on the acquisition and development of near-term cash flowing assets and exploration projects of significant scale. Altiplano's goal is to grow into a mid-tier producer of copper, gold, and silver with immediate plans of generating profits from three cash flowing projects in 2021. Management has a substantial record of success in capitalizing on opportunity, overcoming challenges and building shareholder value.

John Williamson, B.Sc., P.Geol., a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101, has reviewed, and approved the technical contents of this document.

Altiplano is part of the Metals Group of companies, managed by an award-winning team of professionals who stand for technical excellence, painstaking project selection and uncompromising corporate governance, with a proven ability to capitalize on investment opportunities and deliver shareholder returns.

www.metalsgroup.com

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

/s/ "John Williamson"

Chairman

For further information, please contact:

Alastair McIntyre, CEO

alastairm@apnmentals.com

Tel: (416) 434 3799

Jeremy Yaseniuk, Director

jeremyy@apnmetals.com

Tel: (604) 773-1467

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the (TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address exploration drilling, exploitation activities and events or developments that the Company expects are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, continuity of mineralization, uncertainties related to the ability to obtain necessary permits, licenses and title and delays due to third party opposition, changes in government policies regarding mining and natural resource exploration and exploitation, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions, including the impact of COVID-19, as well as its resulting quarantine measures and travel restrictions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on the Company, investors should review the Company's continuous disclosure filings that are available at www.sedar.com.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/93696
Business class flights and luxury transfers included

LONDON, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Luxury furniture brand and interior design studio Juliettes Interiors are offering the chance to win a 5 star Iceland break worth up to 4000. The winner and a guest will be jetting off for a two-night stay at the Diamond Suites Keflavik - Iceland's very first 5 star hotel. With celebrities, VIPs and world dignitaries among its clientele, this superb, family-run hotel offers the ultimate luxury hotel experience. A perfect place to escape and unwind at any time of year.

Part of the renowned Hotel Keflavik, Diamond Suites has five luxury penthouse residences, each named after a precious gemstone. Guests at the hotel find private, glass-enclosed hot tubs with spectacular views of the Reykjanes Peninsula; magnificent, hand carved beds by Juliettes Interiors; fabulous bathrooms with Versace tiles and Philippe Starck taps - and a level of service that is second to none. The Reykjanes Peninsula is at the heart of everything Iceland has to offer. This is the most visited area in Iceland - and with good reason. Relaxing in the geothermal waters of the Blue Lagoon, picnicking alongside a newly-erupted volcano, whale watching or gazing up at the elusive Northern Lights. In this land of ice and fire, there is so much for holidaymakers to do. The family team at Diamond Suites are always on hand to recommend and arrange an itinerary.

This luxury Iceland break starts at the airport, with business class flights from London Heathrow Airport, lounge access and chauffeur-driven transfers from and to Keflavik International Airport in the hotel's own top-of-the-range Range Rover.

The prize includes:

Return business class flights (or equivalent) for two from London Heathrow to Keflavik International Airport

Private, chauffeur-driven transfers between Keflavik International Airport and the Diamond Suites

Two nights' accommodation for two people in one of the Diamond Suites

Full Icelandic breakfast each morning

Enter at the Juliettes Interiors website: https://www.juliettesinteriors.co.uk/win-a-luxury-iceland-break/

Closing date 6thSeptember 2021

Juliettes Interiors are proud to work with the Hotel Keflavik, supplying exclusive luxury furniture to bring the owner's interior design ideas to life. From exquisite chandeliers to beautiful beds and eye-catching accessories, only the finest pieces make their way into this elegant, 5 star hotel.

Contact

Juliette Thomas

+44 (0) 207 870 7415

www.juliettesinteriors.co.uk

Notes to Editors

Established in 2005 by Juliette Thomas, Juliettes Interiors is an internationally-renowned, award-winning company, offering a luxury interior design service, retail showroom and interior design courses. The brand is a member of the British Institute of Interior Design, membership of which is subject to a highly selective process; companies are only granted membership when they can demonstrate the highest level of products and services. Based on The Kings Road, Chelsea, Juliettes Interiors is in the high-end design hub of London. With quality, service and expertise at the heart of the company, Juliettes Interiors is justifiably a leader in its market.

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1598172/Juliettes_Interiors_Iceland.jpg


The sixth Belt and Road Summit will be held online on 1-2 September, with the theme "Driving Growth through Fostering Regional and International Trade".

HONG KONG, Aug 19, 2021 - (ACN Newswire) - Jointly organised by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the sixth Belt and Road Summit will be held online on 1-2 September (Wednesday and Thursday) with the theme "Driving Growth through Fostering Regional and International Trade". The summit will explore how the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) can be leveraged together with the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) development and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) to forge multilateral collaboration and drive post-pandemic economic recovery as well as investment and business cooperation in various sectors.This year's summit will be held virtually, connecting global participants across different geographic boundaries and time zones. It will comprise a range of sessions and events, including the Opening Session, Policy Dialogue session, two Business Plenaries, a panel discussion and thematic breakout sessions, investment project pitching sessions as well as an exhibition and one-to-one business matching meetings. The event will bring together more than 80 government officials and business elites from Belt and Road countries and regions, as well as project owners, investors and services providers from all over the world, to explore BRI opportunities. In addition to benefitting from the inspiring sharing by renowned speakers, participants will also be able to learn about the current investment climate and opportunities in different regions and sectors, and build contacts with business potential counterparts on the spot.Comprehensive analysis of policy trends and investment opportunitiesThe BRI facilitates global investment and trade, providing potential investment opportunities for investors and collaboration opportunities for different professional services sectors. HKSAR Chief Executive Carrie Lam and HKTDC Chairman Dr Peter K N Lam will host the opening session, where a keynote address will be delivered by Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum. At the Policy Dialogue session (on 1 September morning), chaired by HKSAR Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Edward Yau, officials from Belt and Road countries and regions will analyse the latest economic policy trends. Panellists include Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew Bin Abdullah, Minister at the Prime Minister's Office and Minister of Finance and Economy II, Brunei; HE Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, United Arab Emirates; HE Dato Lim Jock Hoi, Secretary-General of the ASEAN Secretariat; HE Pan Sorasak, Minister of Commerce, Cambodia; Muhammad Lutfi, Minister of Trade, Indonesia; Ramon Lopez, Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry, the Philippines; Tan See Leng, Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Trade and Industry, Singapore; and Sansern Samalapa, Vice Minister for Commerce, Thailand.HKSAR Financial Secretary Paul Chan will address the day's Business Plenary Session, themed "Belt and Road and RCEP: Enhancing Regional Business Connectivity", which will also feature business leaders from Hong Kong, Mainland China and RCEP markets. Speakers include Victor Chu, Chairman and CEO, First Eastern Investment Group; Sean Chiao, Global Business Line Chief Executive, Buildings and Places, AECOM; Huang Zhaohui, CEO and Chairman of Management Committee, China International Capital Corporation Limited; Suroj Lamsam, CEO and President of Loxley Public Company Limited in Thailand; Michael Tan, President and Chief Operating Officer of LT Group in the Philippines; and Wang Cuijun, Director, China Merchants Group Limited. The session will examine how the RCEP will inject new impetus into the region and how Belt and Road countries and regions can strengthen connectivity to seize the new opportunities.Exploring Greater Bay Area opportunitiesThis year's summit features the new Greater Bay Area series focusing on opportunities in the region. It includes a Business Plenary, a panel discussion, thematic breakout sessions and an exhibition. The Business Plenary (on 2 September), titled "Connecting the Belt and Road & Greater Bay Area through Hong Kong", will be chaired by Victor Fung, Chairman of the Fung Group, and feature Dato' Seri Cheah Cheng Hye, Co-Chairman and Co-Chief Investment Officer of Value Partners Group; Jack So, Chairman of Airport Authority Hong Kong; Sun Yu, Vice Chairman, Executive Director and Chief Executive of Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited; and Wang Shi, Chairman of Shenzhen Foundation for International Exchange and Cooperation and Founder and Honorary Chairman of Vanke Co., Ltd. The panel will share their insights on how Hong Kong should leverage its advantages to connect the Belt and Road and the GBA and seize relevant opportunities under the new era of cross-boundary collaboration. A panel discussion and thematic breakout sessions will cover topics such as fundraising, financing, green finance, digital technology and start-ups.BRI opportunities for various professional services, including legal and dispute resolution, captive insurance and reinsurance, and infrastructure, as well for small and medium-sized enterprises will be discussed at thematic breakout sessions co-organised with various partners including the Department of Justice, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority's Infrastructure Financing Facilitation Office, the Hong Kong Insurance Authority, Hong Kong Cyberport, Invest Hong Kong, the China International Contractors Association and the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce. The sessions will also cover international cooperation in infrastructure development, as well as cultural and business collaboration.Online project pitching and business matchingThe summit will once again feature the popular Investment and Business Matching Session, providing a platform for project owners, investors and services providers to connect and explore cooperation opportunities. The session includes one-to-one business matching meetings, to be arranged according to participants' business and investment needs, and project pitching sessions which focus on four main areas: (1) energy, natural resources and public utilities, (2) innovation and technology, (3) urban development, and (4) transport and logistics infrastructure. The matching sessions are expected to involve more than 100 investment projects.A larger-scale exhibition will again be held online, featuring more than 60 exhibitors from around the world. Adding to the returning Global Investment Zone and Hong Kong Zone, the new GBA Zone will showcase the latest technology and related investment opportunities in the Greater Bay Area.Hong Kong-Kazakhstan medical cooperation MOUDuring the summit, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) will be signed online to promote cooperation between Hong Kong and Kazakhstan over advanced medical equipment, including the application of medical metal 3D printing technology in orthopaedic oncology and related training. The MOU will be signed by Edmond Yau, Founder and CEO of Hong Kong firm Koln 3D Technology (Medical) Limited, and Shinbolatova Aigul Serikovna, Head of the International Cooperation Department of the Kazakh Institute of Oncology and Radiology (KazIOR).China International Capital Corporation Ltd serves as the Strategic Partner; Bank of China (Hong Kong) Ltd as the Regional Banking Partner; China Merchants Group as the Sapphire Sponsor; China Taiping Insurance Group as the Affiliated Insurance Partner; and China Mobile International Limited as the Platinum Sponsor of the sixth Belt and Road Summit.The Sixth Belt and Road SummitDate: 1-2 September 2021 (Wednesday and Thursday)Time:The Opening Session will begin at 8:40am.Belt and Road Summit programme: https://www.beltandroadsummit.hk/en/programme/programmeBelt and Road Summit speaker list: https://www.beltandroadsummit.hk/en/speaker/speakersVenue: Virtual platformMembers of the media wishing to interview speakers can email interview requests to sunny.sl.ng@hktdc.org or clayton.y.lauw@hktdc.org.Websites- Belt and Road Summit: www.beltandroadsummit.hk- HKTDC Belt and Road Portal: www.beltandroad.hk- Photo download: https://bit.ly/3iYGJPpAbout HKTDCThe Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Twitter @hktdc and LinkedInMedia enquiriesHKTDC Communications & Public Affairs DepartmentChristine Kam, Tel: +852 2584 4514, Email: christine.kam@hktdc.orgClayton Lauw, Tel: +852 2584 4472, Email: clayton.y.lauw@hktdc.orgSunny Ng, Tel: +852 2584 4357, Email: sunny.sl.ng@hktdc.orgSource: HKTDCCopyright 2021 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Xcel Energy, Inc. (XEL) announced Thursday that Bob Frenzel has been appointed president and CEO of the company. Ben Fowke, the current chairman and CEO since 2011, will remain at Xcel Energy as executive chairman of the Board of Directors. Tim O'Connor was also named executive vice president and chief operations officer. Frenzel joined Xcel Energy as chief financial officer in 2016, leading the company's finance, tax, accounting and corporate development functions, as well as its subsidiary companies. He was named president and chief operating officer in March 2020. As executive chair of Xcel Energy, Fowke will focus on national energy policy and will continue to work closely with Frenzel. Frenzel served as chief financial officer for Luminant, the Energy Future Holdings, Inc. competitive power generating subsidiary, prior to his roles at Xcel Energy. He also worked as vice president in the investment banking division of Goldman Sachs, following his tenure as a manager and senior consultant in the strategy, finance and economics practice at Arthur Andersen. O'Connor has served as Xcel Energy's EVP and chief generation officer since 2020, and now moves into the role of chief operations officer where he will oversee nuclear generation, energy supply, supply chain, commercial operations, distribution, transmission and the company's natural gas business. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
NEW YORK, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- According to our new research study on "Smoking Cessation Aids Market Forecast to 2028 - by Product, End User, and Geography," the Smoking Cessation Aids Market is projected to reach US$ 64,032.30 million in 2028 from US$ 23,413.08 million in 2021; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 15.5% during 2021-2028. The growth of the market is attributed to rising addiction toward tobacco smoking, increasing number of campaigns to reduce smoking and tobacco dependence are driving the market growth.

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In 2020, North America dominated the global Smoking Cessation Aids Market. The market growth in the region is increasing number of campaigns to reduce smoking and tobacco dependence and increasing awareness are driving the market growth. The government and nongovernment organizations worldwide are coming forward and launching campaigns to provide awareness and undertake measures to curb the diseases caused due to smoking and tobacco consumption. The measures are taken to reduce the economic and health burden caused due to cigarette smoking in countries worldwide. For instance, every year on May 31st, the WHO along with its global partners celebrate World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) to spread education and awareness regarding the harmful and deadly effects of tobacco and second-hand smoke exposure. Initiatives undertaken on this day mainly aim to discourage the consumption of tobacco in any form and educate people regarding the availability of aids that assist in smoking cessation.

The launch of anti-smoking campaigns is organized on global, national, and regional levels worldwide. For instance, in December 2020, the WHO introduced "Commit to Quit" year-long campaign, which helped about 100 million people worldwide to quit the tobacco consumption. Furthermore, in July 2018, the Ministry of Health (MoH) India launched "What Damage Will This Cigarette/Bidi Do" smoking cessation campaign, wherein the Public Service Announcement (PSA) prompts smokers to think about tobacco smoking as a potential path to harmful events such as heart attack, chronic lung disease, cancer, and death.

Governments of various countries have increased excise duties and taxes on tobacco-based cigarettes and cigars to reduce its affordability and thus consumption among common populace. In addition, numerous governments have legalized the use of e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation aids under licensed sales channels to prevent people from opting conventional cigarettes. For instance, the sale of e-cigarettes is allowed in Brazil only under a license from the national health surveillance agency as smoking cessation devices.

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Thus, increasing efforts undertaken by governments as well as nonprofit and nongovernment organizations to promote the use of smoking cessation aids and reduce the number of smoking populations boost the growth of the market.

Based on product, the Smoking Cessation Aids Market is segmented into nicotine replacement therapy, drugs, electronic cigarettes, and others. In 2021, the electronic cigarettes segment held the largest share of the market, by product. The electronic cigarettes segment of Smoking Cessation Aids Market is also expected to witness fastest CAGR during 2021 to 2028. Based on end-user, the Smoking Cessation Aids Market is segmented into hospital pharmacies, online channel, retail pharmacies, and other end users. In 2021, the retail pharmacies segment held the largest share of the market, by end user. Whereas the online channel segment is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR during the coming years.

Increasing Awareness Activities and Campaigns to Reduce Tobacco Usage and Dependence

The government and nongovernment organizations worldwide are coming forward and launching campaigns to provide awareness and undertake measures to curb the diseases caused due to smoking and tobacco consumption. The measures are taken to reduce the economic and health burden caused due to cigarette smoking in countries worldwide. For instance, every year on May 31st, the WHO along with its global partners celebrate World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) to spread education and awareness regarding the harmful and deadly effects of tobacco and second-hand smoke exposure. Initiatives undertaken on this day mainly aim to discourage the consumption of tobacco in any form and educate people regarding the availability of aids that assist in smoking cessation.

The launch of anti-smoking campaigns is organized on global, national, and regional levels worldwide. For instance, in December 2020, the WHO introduced "Commit to Quit" year-long campaign, which helped about 100 million people worldwide to quit the tobacco consumption. Furthermore, in July 2018, the Ministry of Health (MoH) India launched "What Damage Will This Cigarette/Bidi Do" smoking cessation campaign, wherein the Public Service Announcement (PSA) prompts smokers to think about tobacco smoking as a potential path to harmful events such as heart attack, chronic lung disease, cancer, and death.

Governments of various countries have increased excise duties and taxes on tobacco-based cigarettes and cigars to reduce its affordability and thus consumption among common populace. In addition, numerous governments have legalized the use of e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation aids under licensed sales channels to prevent people from opting conventional cigarettes. For instance, the sale of e-cigarettes is allowed in Brazil only under a license from the national health surveillance agency as smoking cessation devices.

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Thus, increasing efforts undertaken by governments as well as nonprofit and nongovernment organizations to promote the use of smoking cessation aids and reduce the number of smoking populations boost the growth of the market.

Smoking Cessation Aids Market: Segmental Overview

Based on end user, Smoking Cessation Aids Market is segmented into hospital pharmacies, online channel, retail pharmacies, and other end users. In 2021, the retail pharmacies segment held the largest share of the market, whereas the online channel segment is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR during the coming years.

Smoking Cessation Aids Market: Competitive Landscape and Key Developments

Pfizer Inc.; GlaxoSmithKline plc.; Dr. Reddy's Laboratories; Johnson and Johnson Services, Inc.; Cipla Inc.; Perrigo Company plc; Bausch Health Companies Inc.; Glenmark; NJOY; and Juul Labs among others are among the key companies operating in the Smoking Cessation Aids Market. Leading players are focusing on the new product launch, expansion and diversification of their market presence, and acquisition of new customer base, thereby tapping prevailing business opportunities.

In July 2020, Dr Reddy's Laboratories launched of over-the-counter Nicotine Polacrilex lozenges in the American market in the strengths of 2 mg and 4 mg..

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In September 2019, An independent expert panel to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommended approval of GlaxoSmithKline Plc's over-the-counter nicotine oral spray which aims to help smokers quit their addiction.

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Rye Brook, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - August 19, 2021) - Here To Serve Holding Corp. (OTC Pink: HTSC) is pleased to announce its wholly owned subsidiary, Fortune Nickel and Gold Inc. ("Fortune" or the "Company") has completed several geophysical, geological, and other technical reviews and soon plans to drill its Gowan and Beck-Ottaway projects located in the Timmins area of Ontario. This area lies at the heart of the Abitibi greenstone belt, which contains some of the world's largest deposits of gold, silver, copper, zinc, nickel, and platinum-group metals.

According to Sharp Geophysical Solutions Inc., Fortune's Beck-Ottaway claims are 10 miles north of Canada Nickel's deposits in the Crawford area and have similar geophysical characteristics. A coincident regional-scale structure interpreted from the gravity, magnetic and resistivity data strikes NW-SE and includes gold, nickel, and copper showings. Two historic drill holes lie equidistant from this structure and contained anomalous gold and nickel (100 ppb and 0.1%, respectively) within ultramafic host rocks. Mineralization at Fortune's Gowan claims have a 1968 discovery drill hole that contained 27 feet of 3.5% nickel and 1.2 % copper that has similar geophysical anomalies to Class One Nickel's Alexo-Dundonald project located 10 miles to the east.

According to Paul Riss, Fortune's President, "Sharp Geophysical Solutions has been extremely positive in their historical reviews and, along with our other consultants, identified several drill targets on both projects. As the Company believes its projects have substantial nickel, gold, and copper potential, it plans to expend at least $5 million dollars during the next two years from capital generated by the operations of its sister company, ICF Industries Inc. Strategic Advisor David Beling, P.E. is currently reviewing drill plans, budgets and other aspects of our proposed drill program to maximize results for every exploration dollar."

During the past 57 years, Mr. Beling examined, significantly reviewed, or was directly involved with 90 underground mines, 136 open pit mines and 168 process plants around the world, mainly in the copper, gold, cobalt, nickel, and uranium sectors. Since 1981, Mr. Beling also served on the board of directors of 15 public and private USA and Canadian mining companies.

From July 2011 to October 2020, Mr. Beling was the President & CEO of Bullfrog Gold Corp. and the General Manager of a proposed open pit and 8,000-tpd heap leach operation near Beatty, Nevada. In October 2020 he completed the purchase of all Barrick Gold's remaining lands in the Bullfrog Mining District and concurrently raised C$23 million from the Augusta Group.

From January 2004 through December 2010, he was the Executive VP & COO of Geovic Mining Corp where he hired and directed the personnel that completed the feasibility study of a US $700 million, world-class cobalt/nickel project in Cameroon, Africa. In 2006 he spearheaded a TSX listing and delivered all the presentations in Canada, UK and US that raised C$112 million by mid-2007. Mr. Beling also performed and later directed investor relations that grew Geovic's market capitalization to US$460 million.

HTSC's other wholly owned subsidiary, ICF Industries Inc., and its division Executive Industries are acquiring additional undervalued assets, the profits from which are intended to fund and advance the two mining projects with the subsequent goal of selling to a major producer. ICF Industries Inc. offers corporate advisory, consulting, and marketing services to both public and privately-owned companies. It helps entities with corporate strategy, negotiation, corporate structure, marketing, and executive management decisions. Shareholders should share management's enthusiasm as HTSC has amassed assets of $6,879,961 and has posted profits for 5 consecutive quarters. Revenues are expected to increase in the current quarter as a record number of clients need and seek the specialized services provided by Executive Industries.

HTSC is a holding company that hunts for undervalued assets in the mining, real estate, and securities industries. In addition to mineral rights, holdings in public company securities and a 15% interest in Kaiyon Biotech Inc., it has two wholly owned subsidiaries. ICF Industries Inc. offers corporate advisory, consulting, and marketing services to both public and privately-owned companies. It helps entities with corporate strategy, negotiation, corporate structure, marketing, and executive management decisions. Visit our websites at https://www.heretoserve.tech and https://www.fortunenickelandgold.com.

For more information:

Please call Investor Relations with any questions at 855-4NICKEL (855-464-2535) extension 1.

The information contained herein includes forward-looking statements. These statements relate to future events or to our future financial performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "may," "should," "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "predicts," "potential" or "continue" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements since they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond our control and which could, and likely will, materially affect actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Any forward-'looking statement reflects our current views with respect to future events and is subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to our operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity. We assume no obligation to publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/93693
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 19, 2021) - Blue Thunder Mining Inc. (TSXV: BLUE) (OTCQB: BLTMF) ("Blue Thunder" or "the Company") is pleased to provide an update on exploration activities at its 100%-controlled Muus Project, in the Chibougamau Gold District of Quebec.

HIGHLIGHTS:

Drilling: 2,522 metres of core drilling have been completed in 12 holes, testing various targets on the Muus and Fancamp properties, including step-out drill holes at the "Discovery Zone". Analytical results from this drilling program are pending.

Till and soil sampling: 183 till samples have been collected over the Muus Property and submitted to IOS Services Geoscientifiques Inc. ("IOS") for gold-grain content analysis; 3,173 B-horizon soil samples have also been collected over select grid-areas of the Muus, Muus East and Fancamp properties. Analytical results from these programs are pending.

Stripping and channel sampling: A program of excavator-based stripping, mapping and channel sampling is ongoing at a number of priority target areas at the Fancamp and Muus properties to improve our understanding of geological and structural controls on mineralization.

Jean Francois Metail, President of Blue Thunder commented, "We have an extensive range of activities underway across the Company's vast property holdings that are progressing on budget and with encouraging early indications. Of note, preliminary results received from IOS show several till anomalies over parts of the Muus property that have seen very little historic exploration. These data will be combined with our new property-scale 3D models to prioritize and vector-in to prospective targets. In addition, we are expecting results from our 2021 drilling and channel-sampling programs, which included three step-out drill holes at the Discovery Zone target at Muus. It's the first time that such a property-wide approach has been employed to explore under glacial cover on Blue Thunder's global holdings."

Spring-Summer 2021 Drilling Program:

The recently completed drilling program included 2,522 metres in 12 holes that tested exploration targets at the Muus and Fancamp properties. At Muus, the drilling program included three step-out holes totalling 665 metres that tested projected extensions to the mineralization intersected in hole MUUS20-01 at the Discovery Zone, which returned 0.84 g/t Au over 6.0 metres (from 14.5-20.5 metres down-hole), including 1.20 g/t gold over 3.7 metres and 3.42 g/t gold over 0.6 metres, within silicified meta-sedimentary rock, hosting quartz veinlets and veins with trace to 2% pyrite (see March 4, 2021 Blue Thunder news release).

Targets over the 2020 Tectonic IP Grid, the Fancamp Vein Corridor and the Guercheville Deformation Zone were also tested by Blue Thunder's 2021 spring-summer drilling program. Analytical results will be released once they have been received and evaluated.

Till and Soil Sampling Program

Field crews from IOS have completed extensive till sampling on the Muus Property. The IOS gold-in-till approach has recently played an important role in numerous gold discoveries underlying glacial cover in the Abitibi and at other gold districts in Canada. In all, 183 till samples were collected from prospective zones south of the Guercheville Deformation Zone and down-ice from the Lac Des Vents felsic volcanic complex. Preliminary results from IOS have identified a number of gold-in-till grain-count anomalies. A total of 3,173 B-horizon soil samples were collected over selected target areas including the Discovery Zone (Muus Property), the Fancamp Vein Corridor (Fancamp Property) and north of the Philibert-Joe Mann Deformation Zone in the southwestern part of the Muus East property. The soil sampling campaign is on-going.

Analytical results from the till and soil sampling program will be released once they have been received and evaluated. These data will be incorporated into the Company's evolving 3D models into which multiple layers of data are being integrated to generate a property-wide structural and geological framework. The aim of this modelling work is to identify and prioritize prospective zones of mineralization across the Company's vast property holdings.

Stripping and Channel-Sampling Program

At the Muus and Fancamp properties, an excavator-based stripping, mapping and channel-sampling program is in progress. Its objective is to better characterize the structural controls on gold distribution at the selected target areas. At the Fancamp Property, channel sampling is in progress at six (6) trenches over the C- and F-zones that have been excavated and washed. At the Muus Property, two trenches have thus far been exposed at the Discovery Zone, in the vicinity of hole MUUS20-01. Previously stripped areas at the WELB prospect, within the Lac Des Vents felsic volcanic complex, have also been washed and channel-sampled. The WELB prospect underlies the north-central part of the Muus Property and is prospective for both precious- and base-metal mineralization.

About the Muus Property

Blue Thunder's Muus Gold project (the "Project") is among the largest aggregate claim holding in the Chibougamau Gold District (the "District"), comprising more than 51,000 hectares in five non-contiguous claim blocks (Muus, Fancamp, Muus East, Nisk and Embry properties). The Project is strategically located in the eastern part of the Archean Abitibi Greenstone Belt and underlain by several key regional structures, including the Guercheville Deformation Zone, the Fancamp Deformation Zone and the Philibert-Joe Mann Deformation Zone. These major structural discontinuities are associated with many of the known gold deposits and occurrences in the District, including the recently discovered Nelligan and Monster Lake deposits, which underlie properties adjacent to and along strike from some of Blue Thunder's properties. The Project is host to numerous underexplored mineralized occurrences, some currently being further explored. Mineralization underlying adjacent and/or nearby properties is not necessarily indicative of mineralization at the Company's properties.

QAQC and Qualified Person

The scientific and technical information that forms the basis for part of this news release was reviewed and approved by John Langton (M.Sc., P.Geo.) of JPL GeoServices Inc., who is independent of Blue Thunder and is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

COVID-19

In conformity with guidelines proposed by the Quebec government's Commission des norms, de l'equite, de la sante et de la securite du travail, the Company has implemented a strict COVID-19 management plan that complies with provincial government directives and guidelines with the main objective to safeguard the health and safety of its workers, stakeholders and local community members in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

About Blue Thunder

Blue Thunder (TSXV: BLUE) (OTCQB: BLTMF) is a gold exploration company that controls 100% of a large land position near Chibougamau, Quebec. The Muus Project covers approximately 51,000 hectares in five separate blocks of prospective ground in the eastern part of the Abitibi Greenstone Belt. The Project is considered particularly prospective for gold mineralization, as a series of prominent ductile and brittle fault-sets transect the Property, including the Guercheville and Fancamp deformation zones, both of which are associated with numerous past and currently producing precious- and base-metal mines in the District.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

Chad Williams, Executive Chairman and Director

Blue Thunder Mining Inc.

401 Bay Street, Suite 2100, P.O. Box 55, Toronto, Ontario, M5H 2Y4

(647) 848-1009

"Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release."

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation, statements regarding the anticipated content, commencement, anticipated exploration program results, the ability to complete future financings, the ability to complete the required permitting, the ability to complete the exploration program and drilling, and the anticipated business plans and timing of future activities of the Company, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, postulate and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements by the Company are not guarantees of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, the state of the financial markets for the Company's equity securities, the state of the commodity markets generally, variations in the nature, the analytical results from surface trenching and sampling program, including diamond drilling programs, the results of IP surveying, the results of soil and till sampling program. the quality and quantity of any mineral deposits that may be located, variations in the market price of any mineral products the Company may produce or plan to produce, the inability of the Company to obtain any necessary permits, consents or authorizations required, including TSXV acceptance, for its planned activities, the inability of the Company to produce minerals from its properties successfully or profitably, to continue its projected growth, to raise the necessary capital or to be fully able to implement its business strategies, the potential impact of COVID-19 (coronavirus) on the Company's exploration program and on the Company's general business, operations and financial condition, and other risks and uncertainties. All of the Company's Canadian public disclosure filings may be accessed via www.sedar.com and readers are urged to review these materials, including the technical reports filed with respect to the Company's mineral properties. This news release contains information with respect to adjacent or similar mineral properties in the Chibougamau District in respect of which the Company has no interest or rights to explore or mine. Readers are cautioned that the Company has no interest in or right to acquire any interest in any such properties, and that mineral deposits, and the results of any mining thereof, on adjacent or similar properties, are not indicative of mineral deposits on the Company's properties or any potential exploitation thereof.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/93714.
Former Citrix and Google security executive brings decades of deep technical knowledge to the high-growth pioneer of the data lakehouse

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Databricks, the Data and AI company, today announced the appointment of longtime software executive and seasoned security chief, Fermin Serna, as the company's new Chief Security Officer (CSO). Serna will lead Databricks' high-impact network, platform and user security programs along with governance and compliance efforts as the company expands its platform capabilities and positions itself for the next phase of growth.

"For Databricks and our customers across the globe, security is paramount and I am thrilled to welcome Fermin to the team as our Chief Security Officer," said Ali Ghodsi, CEO and Co-Founder of Databricks. "Fermin's deep technical knowledge and impressive experience building and leading best-in-class security teams will prove invaluable for Databricks' next chapter."

Serna brings over 20 years of enterprise information security expertise to the Databricks leadership team and will oversee the expansion of the organization's mission-critical cybersecurity organization. He joins Databricks from Citrix, where he most recently led a robust global security and data privacy practice as the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO).

Prior to this, Serna also served as the Head of Product Security at Google. In this role, he led the team responsible for Google Product Security and worked closely with external technology partners to build highly secure APIs, development libraries and containment frameworks to ensure Google security standards were met at every turn of the product lifecycle. During his tenure at Google, he worked to establish and implement security review practices and also oversaw the vulnerability response and risk mitigation protocols for several product groups. Serna has also held senior security roles at Microsoft and was previously the CSO for Semmle (acquired by GitHub), where he established and led the security research and vulnerability response teams.

"Databricks is at the forefront of data and AI innovation as it pioneers the new lakehouse category and I am incredibly excited to join the leadership team during such a pivotal time," said Serna. "I look forward to working with customers, partners and the world class Databricks security team as we bring the company and product vision to new heights."

About Databricks

Databricks is the data and AI company. More than 5,000 organizations worldwide - including Comcast, Conde Nast, H&M, and over 40% of the Fortune 500 - rely on the Databricks Lakehouse Platform to unify their data, analytics and AI. Databricks is headquartered in San Francisco, with offices around the globe. Founded by the original creators of Apache Spark, Delta Lake and MLflow, Databricks is on a mission to help data teams solve the world's toughest problems. To learn more, follow Databricks on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Press Contact:

Press@databricks.com

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NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / August 19, 2021 / Image Protect Inc. (OTC Pink:IMTL) (https://imageprotect.com/) ('Image Protect', 'IMTL', or the 'Company'), an emerging Media Company, is issuing Chairman's Letter to discuss and address recent charges brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission against the CEO of Image Protect. The Company clearly states, this has nothing to do in any way shape or form with Image Protect Inc. nor are any activities or this Company implicated in any way, we're dealing with a three-year-old Consulting engagement with an unrelated Company. While the Company doesn't intend on downplaying the situation, but rather clarify and separate the two entities.

I was engaged by HempAmericana Inc as an Advisor to assist in a host of corporate activities. At the advice of Counsel, I'm unable to discuss details, but I wish to point out results. When I was initially engaged with the Company, they perated out of an Office building in NYC and sold rolling papers, with the hopes of launching a successful CBD plant for production. When I left the Company, they had a full spectrum CBD plant in Maine valued over two million dollars with zero bank debt and zero convertible debt in the Company, all verifiable by public disclosures.

I don't ever blow my horn, and I hold a bar for myself higher than I ask of my subordinates. I wake up every day trying to build a stronger company that the previous day. That's my intention with Image Protect Inc and its our total focus. I bought stock in the open market in this company at a time when people laughed at me because there wasn't much going on, I did this to show my dedication and I wanted to be aligned with the shareholders, they win I win, not, they lose I still win. I've not sold a single share this year and have no intention to. In America, I wish to remind all parties, we are innocent until proven otherwise, and per the Bill of rights, we all have access to due process, we are entitled to this. Some have judged me already, some have written my obituary, and a select few have shown support. I've lawyered up and have the intention to vigorously defend myself when I'm better educated on the charges, which no one from the government has spoke to me or sent me a single piece of paper to date. I learned about this through Social Media last Friday after I had a wildly successful meeting with a few potential groups to join in on the NFT side. I've been asked about resigning as CEO and Chairman, that's a possibility but will not happen until certain near term NFT thresholds are achieved, and we have identified a candidate that would serve the company and the shareholders well. I'm putting out a Press Release shortly after this one because it's all I'm going say about this issue publicly, again at the advice of counsel. The following news releases will relate to the growth and exciting activities the Company has going on for the launch party, which all shareholders are invited to.

In closing, I wish to thank all the shareholders that have stayed with us and shown support, and I welcome the new shareholders who may have jumped in at a turbulent time. I've worked on Wall St since 1985, I lived through Black Friday, 1987, Bloody Monday and 911, and I'm sure as a team we can survive this and carry on and build a strong thriving company.

Sincerely.

Lawrence Adams

About Image Protect

Image Protect is a media company with a focus on microcap news, information, and disclosure, as well as crypto, blockchain, and digital assets. Its unique digital asset library and proprietary technology via subsidiary Fotofy. are conducive to the foundation of an impactful NFT marketplace.

Safe Harbor Provision

Cautionary statement for purposes of the 'Safe Harbor' provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Information in this news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. If such risks or uncertainties materialize or such assumptions prove incorrect, the results of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries could differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and assumptions. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions include the execution and performance of contracts by the Company and its customers, suppliers and partners. The Company disclaims any obligation to update or revise statements contained in this news release based on new information or otherwise.

CONTACT:

Image Protect

30 Wall St

8th floor

New York NY 10005

347-837-0626

SOURCE: Image Protect, Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/660500/Image-Protect-Inc-IMTL-Chairmans-Letter
BOSTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / August 19, 2021 / DPS Group, a privately-owned, global engineering, procurement, construction management and validation (EPCMV) firm serving high-tech process industries, announced today that Director of Commissioning, Qualification, and Validation (CQV) Tom Struble has been elected President for the Board of Directors of the Boston Chapter of the International Society of Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE Boston).

His year-long term began in July 2021, and he will lead all Board and Chapter meetings, preside over strategic planning for the Chapter and produce an annual business plan for the Chapter with input and approval from the Board. The President is expected to appoint chairpersons of all committees, temporary or permanent, with the approval of the Board. He will ensure that all books, reports and certificates, as required by law, are properly kept or filed and will serve as one of the Officers who may sign the checks and drafts of the Chapter. Tom will be a member of the Finance Committee and Technical Article Review Board.

Reporting to Senior Vice President of Boston Operations Paul DePriest, Tom leads the DPS Boston Projects CQV group. In this role, Tom is responsible for project delivery, training, and development of personnel as well as the management of the business unit. Serving high-tech industries around the world, DPS Group delivers full-service engineering across a range of disciplines, including project management, procurement, design, construction management, health and safety management, commissioning, qualification, and validation (CQV), and facility start-up.

An active member of ISPE Boston since 2011, Tom was Secretary for the past year where he was responsible for the minutes and records of the Board and the Chapter. Previously, he served with the Product Show Planning Committee, working in many capacities focusing on education and event exhibitors, culminating in chairing the committee for two years before joining the ISPE Boston Board of Directors in August 2018.

A former Submarine Officer in the U.S. Navy, Tom has over 18 years of experience managing projects and teams, with eight of those in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Geological Engineering from Cornell University and earned a Master's degree in Engineering Management from Old Dominion University.

Founded in 1992, the ISPE Boston Area Chapter is the largest and most active chapter of the ISPE, an international organization whose mission is to deliver technical and operational solutions to support pharmaceutical and bio-pharmaceutical professionals across the globe. The Boston Area Chapter now provides educational, career development and networking opportunities to over 1,700 technical professionals across New England.

About DPS Group

DPS Group is a global engineering, consulting and project management company, serving high-tech industries around the world. DPS delivers services for clients across the complete engineering and construction value chain including feasibility studies, concepts, consulting, architecture, engineering, procurement, construction management, commissioning, qualification and validation as well as contingent staffing solutions.

DPS applies its extensive process engineering expertise built over 46 years, as well as significant Lean construction experience to assist clients in high-end process sectors such as pharmaceuticals, biotech, and semiconductors to deliver manufacturing facilities speedily, safely, and cost effectively. What sets the firm apart is the partnerships it builds with clients through a fundamental understanding of their businesses and its own agility, flexibility, original thinking, and high-caliber people.

DPS has grown substantially in recent years and now employs more than 2,000 people in 16 offices and on client sites in Ireland, U.K., Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Switzerland, Israel, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, and the United States. For more information, visit www.dpsgroupglobal.com.

Media Contact

Susan Shelby, FSMPS, CPSM

Rhino PR

(978) 985-4541

dps@rhinopr.com

SOURCE: DPS Group

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/660397/DPS-Groups-Tom-Struble-Elected-President-of-ISPE-Boston-Chapter-Board-of-Directors
Southwest New Brunswick

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / August 19, 2021 / GREAT ATLANTIC RESOURCES CORP. (TSXV:GR) (the "Company" or "Great Atlantic") is pleased to announce it has begun the 2021 exploration program at its Glenelg Vanadium - Gold Property, located in southwest New Brunswick. The Glenelg Property is located immediately south of the Clarence Stream Gold Project of Galway Metals Inc. (GWM).

The Glenelg Property hosts vanadium mineralization, with historic rock samples reported up to 0.42% V2O5. Through a review of historical information, the Company has identified target areas for gold exploration within the property with historic rock samples from at least four areas reported to exceed 1 g/t gold (including a sample reported to return 14 g/t gold).

The current exploration consists of focused prospecting and rock geochemical sampling. Rock samples are being collected within the Bocabec Gabbro, the target being vanadium - titanium mineralization. Previous Company rock samples and historic rock samples have confirmed vanadium and titanium mineralization within the Bocabec Gabbro.

A 2018 grab sample collected by the Company from a magnetite rich layer in the Bocabec Gabbro Complex returned 0.188% vanadium (0.33% V2O5), 10.3% TiO2 and 25.71% iron. This sample was collected within the southeast region of the property. It was collected by a qualified person and was analyzed by ALS Canada Ltd. by XRF Fusion. Another 2018 bedrock grab sample from the same southeast region of the property was reported to return 0.234% vanadium (0.42% V2O5), 12.2%TiO and 28.8% iron. This sample was collected by one of the Company's option partners for the property and was not verified by a Qualified Person.

Layered Bocabec Gabbro Complex

Prospecting and rock geochemical sampling are also being conducted in target areas for gold mineralization within the central-west regions of the Glenelg Property. Three gold occurrences (+/- silver and copper) are reported within the central region of the property. A historic (early 1900s) outcrop grab sample from one occurrence, reported as quartz-sulfide breccia within altered gabbro, was reported to return 1.33 grams / tonne (g/t) gold. Historic float samples reported during the same period in the central-west regions of the property were reported to return 2.7 and 2.2 g/t gold. A historic 2013 grab sample from a sulfide vein from the southeast region of the property was reported to return 14 g/t gold. This mineralization has not been verified by a Qualified Person.

A portion of the northern boundary of the Glenelg Property borders the Clarence Stream Gold Project of Galway Metals Inc. Galway reported a NI 43-101 resource estimate for the project during 2017, reporting total Measured plus Indicated resources of 6,178,000 tonnes at 1.96 g/t gold (390,000 ounces of gold) and total Inferred resources of 3,409,000 tonnes at 2.53 g/t gold (277,000 ounces of gold).

The Glenelg Vanadium Property is located within southwest New Brunswick approximately 17 kilometers east of the town of St. Stephen and approximately 15 kilometers northwest of the Company's Mascarene Property which hosts multiple mineral occurrences with cobalt, copper, nickel, zinc, lead, gold and / or silver.

Readers are warned that mineralization at the Clarence Stream Gold Project and the Company's Mascarene Property are not necessarily indicative of mineralization within the Glenelg Vanadium Property.

David Martin, P.Geo., a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101 and VP Exploration for Great Atlantic, is responsible for the technical information contained in this News Release.

On Behalf of the board of directors

"Christopher R Anderson"

Mr. Christopher R. Anderson "Always be positive, strive for solutions, and never give up"

President CEO Director

604-488-3900 - Dir

Investor Relations:

Please call 604-488-3900

About Great Atlantic Resources Corp.: Great Atlantic Resources Corp. is a Canadian exploration company focused on the discovery and development of mineral assets in the resource-rich and sovereign risk-free realm of Atlantic Canada, one of the number one mining regions of the world. Great Atlantic is currently surging forward building the company utilizing a Project Generation model, with a special focus on the most critical elements on the planet that are prominent in Atlantic Canada, Antimony, Tungsten and Gold.

This press release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address future exploration drilling, exploration activities and events or developments that the Company expects, are forward looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include exploitation and exploration successes, continued availability of financing, and general economic, market or business conditions.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Great Atlantic Resource Corp

888 Dunsmuir Street - Suite 888, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3K4

SOURCE: Great Atlantic Resources Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/660503/Great-Atlantic-Begins-2021-Exploration-Program-At-Its-Glenelg-Vanadium--Gold-Property
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 19, 2021) - Nicola Mining Inc. (TSXV: NIM) (FSE: HLI), (the "Company" or "Nicola") announces that an Evacuation Order (the "Order") was issued in the Lower Nicola and Area - EA MN (Beautiful Nicola Valley - North) temporarily affecting milling operations at its New Craigmont Project (the "Property").

All workers were safely evacuated from the Property, with the exception of a small number of employees necessary to responsibly ensure safety and environmental protection. The site is well equipped with water and firefighting equipment and there is currently no risk to the operation's infrastructure.

The Company is closely monitoring wildfire conditions and is working with the local community to provide water, if required. The Company will restart operations once the Order has been lifted.

This week, Teck Resources Limited announced that it had evacuated Highland Valley on August 14, 2021, and subsequently provided an update on August 18, 2021, that operations had resumed.

The Company will provide an update on any change in operations or status of the Order.

About Nicola Mining

Nicola Mining Inc. is a junior mining company listed on the TSX Venture and Frankfurt Exchanges that maintains a 100% owned mill and tailings facility, located near Merritt, British Columbia. It is comprised of four key assets:

A $30.0 million plus modern mill facility that is held freehold and is the only site permitted to process material province wide. 100% ownership of the historic Craigmont Copper Mine located in southern British Columbia. 100% ownership of Treasure Mountain, a high-grade silver mine located in southern British Columbia. 75% economic interest in the high-grade Dominion Creek Project gold project.

In depth explanations can be seen on the Company's Corporate Presentation: https://nicolamining.com/investors/corporate-presentation/.

About the New Craigmont Property

In November of 2015, Nicola became the first group in decades to consolidate ownership of the New Craigmont Project (the "Property") and has been actively conducting mineral exploration since. The Property is a wholly owned copper property with an active mine permit (M-68), located 33 km south of the world-class Highland Valley porphyry district. The property is located adjacent to the southern end of the Guichon Creek Batholith, which hosts the Highland Valley copper deposits.

There are currently no mineral resource estimates on the Property. Historical "non-NI 43-101" resource calculations are recorded in internal memos and geological reports for Placer Development Ltd.

For further details on the Property, see the technical report entitled "Technical Report on the Thule Copper- Iron Property, Southern British Columbia, Canada", filed on May 8, 2013, on Sedar at www.sedar.com.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

"Peter Espig"

Peter Espig

CEO & Director

For additional information

Contact: Peter Espig

Phone: (778) 385-1213

Email: info@nicolamining.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/93721
PHOENIX, AZ / ACCESSWIRE / August 19, 2021 / Hiru Corporation (OTC PINK:HIRU), a Georgia corporation, has tasked its securities counsel with amending its articles of incorporation to lower its authorized Common Stock again, this time from 2,000,000,000 shares to 1,750,000,000 shares.

Ms. Kathryn Gavin (President and CEO of the Company), states"On July 15, 2021, we lowered our authorized common stock by 3,000,000,000 shares of Common Stock to 2,000,000,000 shares of Common Stock. Today we lowered it another 250,000,000 shares to 1,750,000,000. Again, this is further corporate action on our part is to provide additional benefits current shareholders and to become more attractive to future company acquisitions. This additional lowering was justified as we further analyzed our future corporate needs and requirements allowing us to make further adjustments to our capital structure.

"This additional corporate action strengthens our commitment to making the Company more attractive to future acquisitions and putting in place an even stricter anti-dilutive, pro market investor common stock structure."

Ms. Gavin further stated"This additional decrease of 250,000,000 shares of Common Stock from our authorized will come with the same corporate promise not to conduct an increase in the amount of stock authorized for a minimum period of three calendar years. Additionally, moving forward, this additional move should confirm to our shareholders that we have again have no intention to dilute the issued and outstanding common stock except with regards to material acquisitions. Again, we have one goal as good corporate stewardsto maximize shareholder value."

Disclaimer Regarding Forward Looking Statements

Certain statements that we make may constitute "forward-looking statements" under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include information concerning future?strategic objectives, business prospects, anticipated savings, financial results (including expenses, earnings, liquidity, cash flow and capital expenditures), industry or market conditions, demand for and pricing of our products, acquisitions and divestitures, anticipated results of litigation and regulatory developments or general economic conditions.? In addition, words such as "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "estimates," "projects," "forecasts," and future or conditional verbs such as "will," "may," "could," "should," and "would," as well as any other statement that necessarily depends on future events, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees, and they involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. ?Although we make such statements based on assumptions that we believe to be reasonable, there can be no assurance that actual results will not differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements.? We caution investors not to rely unduly on any forward-looking?statements.

ABOUT US

Hiru Corp. is a Georgia corporation, is a public quoted Pink Sheet issuer under the ticker symbol 'HIRU' (the "Company"). The Company reports as an alternative reporting issuer with OTC Markets Group, Inc. and is current in its mandatory required filings (e.g., Pink Sheet Current). Currently, the Company has one wholly owned, operational subsidiary, AZ Custom Bottled Water, Inc., a Nevada corporation ("AZ Water"), which owns and operates a commercial water bottling and labeling facility based in Phoenix, Arizona. AZ Water operates a B2C website at https://azcustombottledwater.com/.

CONTACT:

3331 North 35th Avenue

Phoenix, Arizona 95107

Web Site: www.waterandiceshop.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hirucorp

Phone: 928-408-4486

Email: info@waterandiceshop.com

Contact: Kathryn Gavin, CEO

SOURCE: Hiru Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/660455/HIRU-CORPORATION--Additional-lowering-of-Authorized-Common-Stock
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - IT services company DXC Technology (DXC) on Thursday announced the appointment of Chris Drumgoole as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer or COO, with immediate effect. He joined DXC as Chief Information Officer in March last year. Drumgoole will assume charge of the company's day-to-day business operations, while supporting management changes in tune with DXC's overall transformation journey. He will also assume charge of DXC's business and administrative operations including global supply chain, integrating the full procure-to-pay lifecycle to improve the company's partner ecosystem, while also overseeing its IT strategy, operations, and infrastructure. Commenting on the appointment, Salvino said, 'In his new role, Chris will drive efficiency in our operations, deliver better employee experiences to drive up our employee Net Promoter Scores, and ensure that we deliver on our cost reduction and margin expansion targets.' Drumgoole has more than 20 years experience in the digital and IT industry. He earlier worked as CIO at General Electric (GE), where he was heading global technology operations, including applications, infrastructure, and related shared services. Before GE, he worked at Verizon as Chief Operating Officer. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
SUNNYVALE, Calif., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Plug and Play has chosen 92 startups for their Fall 2021 batches. These companies have been selected into one of the following programs that run through October: Agtech , Brand & Retail , Food & Beverage , Media & Advertising , New Materials & Packaging , and Supply Chain . Out of the 92 chosen startups, 47% of the startups are based outside the U.S., representing a variety of countries including Australia, Canada, Costa Rica, Germany, India, the U.K., and more. The full list of startups can be found on Plug and Play's website: https://bit.ly/pnptcfall2021

"We have been lucky enough to invest in 22 startups that became unicorns, many of which have gone through programs like these 92 startups we just accepted today," said George Damouny, Partner at Plug and Play Ventures. "We are thrilled to be able to connect these amazing startups to corporations who are prioritizing innovation. Through these programs, these startups will have unprecedented access to our corporate partners and we are excited to play a small part in their success, hoping to invest in many of them along the way."

Over the next three months, the chosen startups will receive the opportunity to participate in networking events, mentor sessions, focus weeks, private dealflow sessions, and more to increase their chances of securing exclusive pilots, POCs, new customers, and investments. They will be fully immersed in Plug and Play's global network of over 30,000 startups, 500 industry-leading corporate partners, and hundreds of venture capital firms and investors. There is no equity requirement for startups to participate.

Graduation for these startups will commence mid-October at Plug and Play's Fall Summit 2021. Please reach out if you would like to reserve attendance.

About Plug and Play

Plug and Play is a global innovation platform. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, we have built accelerator programs, corporate innovation services, and an in-house VC to make technological advancement progress faster than ever before. Since inception in 2006, our programs have expanded worldwide to include a presence in over 30 locations globally, giving startups the necessary resources to succeed in Silicon Valley and beyond. Companies in our community have raised over $9 billion in funding, with successful portfolio exits including Dropbox, Guardant Health, Honey, Lending Club, and PayPal. For more information, visit https://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/ .

Media Contact

Allison Romero

allison@pnptc.com

(408) 524-1457

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/835431/PNP_Logo.jpg
OTCQX: SHWZ

Star Buds Cannabis Delivery Services Launch in the City of Aurora

DENVER, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Schwazze, (OTCQX:SHWZ) ("Schwazze" or the "Company"), announces the launch of its cannabis product home delivery service to residences in the city of Aurora beginning today.Aurora home delivery service will start from its Star Buds Montview retail dispensary location at 10100 E. Montview Boulevard. Orders may be placed online at https://www.starbuds.us/colorado with an option to select home delivery services for those residing in the Aurora area. The delivery service is available to any personal residences located within the city limits of Aurora, in which the Star Buds Montview location currently serves.

The launch of the delivery service from Star Buds Montview is the first phase of a home delivery offering for the Star Buds dispensaries in Colorado. The second phase, expected later this year, will include deliveries from the Star Buds Arapahoe location at 14655 E. Arapahoe Road, also based in Aurora.

"We are excited to meet our Star Buds' customers when and where they want to shop. We see this as a positive step forward to bring the best selection of high-quality flower and CPG cannabinoid products to more Colorado households. Our goal is to make cannabis products even more accessible through the convenience of home delivery and make it readily available to a greater number of people than ever before," said Nirup Krishnamurthy, COO of Schwazze.

About Schwazze

Schwazze (OTCQX: SHWZ) is building the premier vertically integrated cannabis company in Colorado and plans to take its operating system to other states where it can develop a differentiated leadership position. Schwazze is the parent company of a portfolio of leading cannabis businesses and brands spanning seed to sale. The Company is committed to unlocking the full potential of the cannabis plant to improve the human condition. Schwazze is anchored by a high-performance culture that combines customer-centric thinking and data science to test, measure, and drive decisions and outcomes. The Company's leadership team has deep expertise in retailing, wholesaling, and building consumer brands at Fortune 500 companies as well as in the cannabis sector. Schwazze is passionate about making a difference in our communities, promoting diversity and inclusion, and doing our part to incorporate climate-conscious best practices. Medicine Man Technologies, Inc. was Schwazze's former operating trade name. The corporate entity continues to be named Medicine Man Technologies, Inc.

Schwazze derives its name from the pruning technique of a cannabis plant to enhance plant structure and promote healthy growth.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements." Such statements may be preceded by the words "plan," "will," "may,", "predicts," or similar words. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future events or performance, are based on certain assumptions, and are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's control and cannot be predicted or quantified. Consequently, actual events and results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, risks and uncertainties associated with (i) our inability to manufacture our products and product candidates on a commercial scale on our own or in collaboration with third parties; (ii) difficulties in obtaining financing on commercially reasonable terms; (iii) changes in the size and nature of our competition; (iv) loss of one or more key executives or scientists; (v) difficulties in securing regulatory approval to market our products and product candidates; (vi) our ability to successfully execute our growth strategy in Colorado and outside the state, (vii) our ability to consummate the acquisition described in this press release or to identify and consummate future acquisitions that meet our criteria, (viii) our ability to successfully integrate acquired businesses and realize synergies therefrom, ({ix) the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, (x) the timing and extent of governmental stimulus programs, and (xi) the uncertainty in the application of federal, state and local laws to our business, and any changes in such laws. More detailed information about the Company and the risk factors that may affect the realization of forward-looking statements is set forth in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Investors and security holders are urged to read these documents free of charge on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov. The Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise its forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise except as required by law.

Investors: Joanne Jobin, Investor Relations, Joanne.jobin@schwazze.com, 647 964 0292; Media: Julie Suntrup, Schwazze, Vice President | Marketing & Merchandising, julie.suntrup@schwazze.com, 303 371 0387
Ottawa, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 19, 2021) - Today, the Health Research Foundation of Innovative Medicines Canada launched its Fellowship in Health Systems Resilience. The Health Research Foundation (HRF), is a non-profit organization, investing in academic centres across Canada which focus on innovative, and leading-edge research.





Health Research Foundation Logo

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8256/93686_hrflogo.jpg

The Fellowship specifically funds research designed to enhance the resilience of Canada's health systems. Fellowship recipients will be eligible to receive $450,000 in funding over the course of three years. The HRF and its Fellowship Selection Committee invite researchers from recognized academic institutions across Canada to submit their applications via http://www.hrf-frs.com by October 4, 2021.

The HRF is committed to enhancing Canada's health ecosystem and the launch of a health systems resiliency fellowship at this time is significant. Canadians are looking to the research community to ensure that Canada has the tools it needs to successfully stem future pandemics and similar threats to national health and safety.

The HRF has long supported research excellence by facilitating world-class discoveries and innovations that keep our communities healthy, our economy thriving, and to ever-improving Canada's health systems. The creation of a Fellowship in Health Systems Resilience will contribute to Canada's public health planning and preparedness, ensuring we meet, respond, and recover even more effectively from future health crises.

QUOTES

"The COVID-19 pandemic revealed both the strength and fragility of our existing health care systems. I am proud that the HRF can support this research at such a vital time through the long-standing and generous support of the Canadian innovative pharmaceutical industry." Mel Cappe, Chair of the HRF Board of Directors.

"Investing in a fellowship of this nature is one of the many ways Canada's pharmaceutical industry is contributing to Canada's recovery from COVID-19. In addition to discovering and developing vaccines and treatments for the virus, we know our industry can make valuable contributions to public policy and help Canadians prepare and be equipped to face our next public health crisis," said IMC President Pamela Fralick.

The HRF Call for Submissions and Fellowship Guidelines are available online http://www.hrf-frs.com. Submissions are reviewed by the Fellowship Selection Committee comprised of life sciences experts. The Fellowship in Health Systems Resilience will be announced in late October 2021.

Learn more about the Fellowship in Health Systems Resilience and the HRF.

About the Health Research Foundation

The Health Research Foundation (HRF) of Innovative Medicines Canada is a non-profit organization that invests in health research in Canadian academic centres, and promotes the benefits and values of research-driven health innovation and health system sustainability in Canada. Innovative Medicines Canada members generously contribute to the HRF ensuring such research will continue to benefit Canadians.

- 30 -

For further information:

Corinne Crichlow

Director, Media and Public Relations

Telephone: 343.998.5030

E-mail: media@imc-mnc.ca

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/93686
The "Regulatory report: Finland" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

We do not expect the broad legal framework for CBD or medical cannabis to change in the near future in Finland. However, a new legal framework for growing industrial hemp without the need to apply for EU subsidies is due to be adopted.

This report offers a broad view of the current regulatory regime in place in Finland for CBD, hemp and cannabis. It covers all areas from cultivation and processing, to extracts and finished products, import and export, and medical and recreational cannabis.

Key Topics Covered:

1 Executive summary

2 Outlook

3 Hemp plant

4 Extracts as finished products

5 Finished products containing extracts

6 Import and export requirements

7 Minor cannabinoids

8 Medical cannabis

9 Recreational cannabis

10 Relevant laws

11 Relevant bodies

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/j5jt71

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210819005578/en/

Contacts:

ResearchAndMarkets.com

Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com



For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900
Frontline Ltd.'s preliminary second quarter 2021 results will be released on Thursday August 26 2021, and a webcast and conference call will be held at 3:00 p.m. CET (9:00 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time). The results presentation will be available for download from the Investor Relations section at www.frontline.bm ahead of the conference call.



In order to attend the conference call you may do one of the following:

a. Webcast

Go to the Investor Relations section at www.frontline.bm and follow the "Webcast" link.

b. Conference Call

Participant dial-in telephone numbers:

Norway +47 2103 3922 Norway toll free 800 10393 Std International

UK +44 (0) 203 009 5709

0 844 493 6766 UK Toll Free 0 800 694 1461 USA +1 646 787 1226 USA Toll Free 866 280 1157 Conference ID 4165188

Participants will be asked for their full name & Conference ID.

A Q&A session will be held after the teleconference/webcast. Information on how to submit questions will be given at the beginning of the session.

The presentation material which will be used in the teleconference/webcast can be downloaded from www.frontline.bm.

Replay details (available for 7 days)

UK LocalCall 0 844 571 8951 UK FreeCall 0 808 238 0667 Std International +44 (0) 333 300 9785 Norway 21 03 42 35 USA +1 (917) 677-7532 USA Toll Free +1 (866) 331-1332 Conference ID 4165188

Participant information required: Full name & company

This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5 -12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.
On Monday 16th August 2021, the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Kazakhstan responded to a notice of dispute issued by King Spalding LLP, the legal counsel of the Stati family. In its response, the Ministry exposed a series of false statements made by the Statis, presented evidence of their fraud and encouraged King Spalding to initiate arbitral proceedings immediately.

The Ministry was responding to the notice issued by the Statis on 5 August through the press, which threatened the filing of a new arbitration under the Energy Charter Treaty due to the ongoing refusal by the Republic of Kazakhstan to settle on an award which was secured by the Statis through the use of fraud.

A new arbitration would provide the opportunity for a free and fair review of the Statis' fraud by an independent arbitral tribunal capable of examining all of the new undisputed evidence that has come to light since the original arbitration ended and which the Statis systematically avoid. For this reason, the notice by the Statis cannot be considered an honest attempt to settle a dispute and is rather designed to mislead the public and their partners. Kazakhstan would welcome and strongly encourages the initiation of a new arbitration procedure.

Background

The Republic of Kazakhstan refuses to engage with individuals who have been clearly shown to engage in a systematic behaviour of fraudulent criminal schemes for over a decade. It is now evident that, starting with the arbitration against Kazakhstan under the Energy Charter Treaty filed in 2010, the Statis have engaged in a campaign of bad faith, fraudulent litigation against the Republic.

In a letter from KPMG Audit LLP to the Stati Parties dated 21 August, the international accounting firm undertook the extraordinary action of withdrawing all of its audit reports for the Statis' financial statements because of unrebutted evidence of the Statis' fraud. The unprecedented nature of this move has been also confirmed independently by a PWC report.

With the mounting evidence that is now available, the fraud and other illegal and unethical conduct committed by the Statis, with the support and guidance of their legal counsel, has been confirmed in reports issued by multiple world-leading independent experts, including Professor George Bermann, Professor Bernard Hanotiau, Professor Christoph Schreuer, Professor Kaj Hober, Professor Catherine Rogers, Dr Patrik Scholdstrom, Mr Stefan Cassella, as well companies including PwC. Moreover, the English High Court of Justice concluded prima facie that the Stati Parties obtained the arbitral award against Kazakhstan by fraud whilst also being under criminal investigation in Luxembourg Finally, their former Chief Financial Officer, Artur Lungu, admitted key elements of the fraud under cross-examination in sworn testimony.

In addition to the unlawful conduct by the Statis as it pertains to this long-running dispute, their systematic criminality seems to extend to other cases as well, with companies belonging to the Statis having been sanctioned by the U.S. government for "contributing to the ongoing crisis in South Sudan because they are a source of substantial revenue that, through public corruption, is used to fund the purchase of weapons and other material that undermine the peace, security, and stability of South Sudan rather than support the welfare of the South Sudanese people."

The only solution to remedy the unlawful conduct by the Statis for the past decade and to end this long-running dispute from the perspective of the Republic of Kazakhstan is for the Statis to vacate the fraudulent Award, any court decisions recognizing the Award, and pay the Republic the amounts that have been ordered by various national courts and compensation in an amount equal to the damage caused by their illegal schemes.

The Republic of Kazakhstan is steadfast in its resolve and will not be influenced by the Statis' propaganda and black PR campaign.

An online version of the press release including links to relevant documents can be found here: https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/adilet/press/news/details/242664?lang=en.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210819005591/en/

Contacts:

Ms. Meruert Bokanova

Press Secretary of the Ministry of Justice of Kazakhstan

info@adilet.gov.kz

+7 (7172) 74-06-01
Vaduz, Liechtenstein--(Newsfile Corp. - August 19, 2021) - The ABEY Foundation is excited to announce the addition of XSWAP, a fully-decentralized cryptocurrency exchange, to the ABEYCHAIN ecosystem. This is the first of what the ABEY Foundation anticipates will be many DeFi decentralized applications (dApps) that will be developed by the ABEY community, as the ecosystem continues to grow, evolve, and attract momentum as a rival to the more popular, but more expensive and less efficient Ethereum network.

To view the full announcement, including downloadable images, bios, and more, click here.

Key Takeaways:

XSWAP is a completely open source, fully decentralized exchange built on top of the ABEYCHAIN.

XSWAP is fully compatible with all ARC-20 tokens, multiple cross-chain assets (such as BTC, ETH, BNB, DOT and AST) and infrastructure such as wallet services like MetaMask and the ABEY Wallet.

XSWAP's first XT token airdrop fully completed in under four hours.

Click image above to view full announcement.

About ABEY



The ABEY ecosystem features the ABEYCHAIN, a leading public chain implementing a secure PoW+DPoS hybrid consensus; the ABEY Storage Network and the ABEY Storage Token (AST); the aCash Token (ACT), the official Stablecoin of the ABEYCHAIN; and among the multitude of on-chain apps built on the ABEYCHAIN are XSWAP.com, home of the latest DeFi platform; and the ABEY NFT platform. For more information, please visit https://abey.com.



About the ABEY Foundation



The ABEY Foundation, a registered non-profit organization in Vaduz, Liechtenstein, contributes governance, research, and guidance while maintaining the integrity of the ABEYCHAIN technology for today and for the future. For more information, please visit https://abey.org.

Contacts:

Tom Murphy

tmurphy@adxnet.com

Source: ADX Labs, Inc.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/93743
West Virginia Senator meets with Vantage's companies in residence as part of celebration of technology and entrepreneurship across the U.S.

MORGANTOWN, WV / ACCESSWIRE / August 19, 2021 / As part of Congressional Startup Day, West Virginia Senator Shelley Moore Capito visited Vantage Ventures , which is focused on launching high impact, scalable financial technology (fintech) companies tackling complex challenges in Appalachia. Senator Capito was treated to presentations from notable startups in residence at Vantage and had the opportunity to meet with entrepreneurs who are shaping the future of the Mountain State.

Senator Capito was introduced to a number of companies in residence at Vantage, an initiative of the John Chambers School of Business and Economics at West Virginia University, including Bravo Consulting Group , Neurowired , UMuseUs , and VEEPIO . She also heard from DataRobot , which outlined its AI platform and automated decision intelligence tools,

DataRobot recently announced a partnership with the West Virginia state government, the opening of a Morgantown office at Vantage Ventures, and goal of building a nationally significant Center for Pandemic Preparedness in West Virginia that aggregates disparate datasets and deploys artificial intelligence to address healthcare gaps. The presentations and the ensuing discussions focused on the unique solutions Vantage-supported companies are undertaking to solve problems that face rural Americans.

"We were thrilled that Senator Capito was able to visit us at Vantage Ventures for Congressional Startup Day," said Executive Director Sarah Biller. "Our entrepreneurs and companies in residence are shining examples of West Virginia's emerging tech start-up sector. Senator Capito's vision and tangible support for our efforts to work with entrepreneurs building scalable, investable companies in the Mountain State has been invaluable."

Congressional Startup Day is an opportunity for senators and representatives to experience the innovation and entrepreneurship taking place around the U.S. These discussions strengthen the relationship between lawmakers and the entrepreneurs that drive economic change across the country.

Senator Capito, a co-chair of Congressional Startup Day, visited Vantage Ventures to connect with the founders and startups that are leveraging the untapped talent and resources in West Virginia to solve complex problems within the state and throughout the nation.

A full list of the companies and initiatives in residence at Vantage can be found below:

Ascend WV

Black by God

Bravo Consulting Group

Core10

DataRobot

Direct Online Marketing

Freedom Trust

Generation West Virginia

Iconic Air

Invibragen

Korevariance

Neurowired

Nickel

Parthian Battery Solutions

SaaS Maker

SwifTAGS

UMuseUs

VEEPIO

About Vantage Ventures

Housed at the John Chambers College of Business and Economics at West Virginia University, Vantage Ventures provides a bold new generation of entrepreneurs with a systematic and repeatable process to transform their world-changing ideas into scalable businesses. Vantage Ventures leverages its network of mentors, talent, capital allocators, academics, and committed industry partners, including entrepreneurs and the innovation engines of large companies, to forge a new path of economic growth. It is backed by globally influential technology leaders, Fortune Class companies, venture investors, and an unexpectedly cool R1 Institution. For more information, visit: https://vantageventures.io or follow Vantage Ventures on Twitter: @VantageWV , Instagram: @VantageVentures , and LinkedIn .

Media Contact:

Kyle W. Kempf

Caliber Corporate Advisers

kyle@calibercorporate.com

888.550.6385 ext.19

SOURCE: Vantage Ventures

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/660566/Senator-Shelley-Moore-Capito-Visits-Vantage-Ventures-for-Congressional-Startup-Day
BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - European stocks closed sharply lower on Thursday, weighed down by a sell-off in miners and energy companies, and amid uncertainties about Fed's tapering plans after the minutes of the Fed's July meeting showed policymakers were for reducing monthly bond buying later this year. Continued surge in coronavirus cases of the delta variant also dented sentiment. The pan European Stoxx 600 declined 1.42%. The U.K.'s FTSE 100 shed 1.54%, Germany's DAX slid 1.25% and France's CAC 40 tumbled 2.43%. Switzerland's SMI closed 1.13% down. Among other markets in Europe, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain and Turkey closed with sharp to moderate losses, while Portugal edged down marginally. In the UK market, Anglo American Plc plunged 10%. Burberry Group, M&G, Phoenix Group Holdings, BP, Antofagasta, Imperial Brands, ITV, Informa, Royal Dutch Shell, Evraz, Glencore and Melrose Industries lost 3 to 6.5%. Shares of McBride plummeted more than 14%. The manufacturer of private label and contract manufactured products said it now expects fiscal 2022 adjusted profit before tax to be 55- 65% lower than current market consensus for full year 2021. HSBC Holdings, Rio Tinto, ICP, BHP Group, Standard Chartered, Barclays Group and Prudential also declined sharply. Just Eat Takeaway.Com, Polymetal International, Bunzl, Smith & Nephew, National Grid, Rentokil Initial and Ocado Group ended with sharp to moderate gains. In the French market, Kering shares plummeted more than 9%. Technip plunged more than 7% and ArcelorMittal lost 6.5%. LVMH shed about 5.6%, while Hermes International, Faurecia, Pernod Ricard, Valeo, Societe Generale, Airbus Group, Saint Gobain, Publicis Groupe, BNP Paribas and Renault lost 2.4 to 5%. In Germany, BASF, Fresenius, Covestro, HeidelbergCement, Deutsche Bank, Thyssenkrupp, Adidas, Siemens and MTU Aero Engines declined sharply. Volkswagen ended sharply lower after saying it may need to cut production further due to a semiconductor supply crunch. BMW and Daimler also ended notable losses. In economic news, Switzerland's exports increased in July, data from the Federal Customs Administration showed on Thursday. Exports rose by a real 0.6% month-on-month in July, after a 3% fall in June. Imports grew 1% monthly in July, after a 2.7% decrease in the previous month. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Jefferies announced today that it will hold a Global Trading Charity Day on Tuesday, August 24, 2021 to support accredited charities focused on assisting Afghanistan Refugees, U.S. Military Veterans, and Haitian Earthquake Relief. The Jefferies Global Charity Trading Day offers investors around the world the opportunity to join these efforts by trading with Jefferies.

Specifically, Jefferies will donate 100% of net global trading commissions on August 24 for all trading in equities, fixed income and foreign exchange by the firm's clients. In addition, Jefferies as a firm will donate $1 million directly, and its more than 4,000 employees worldwide will be given the opportunity to personally donate to these efforts. Given the complicated environment in both Afghanistan and Haiti, these contributions will be allocated carefully to qualified charities to make sure the proceeds go directly to the people most in need.

Rich Handler, CEO, and Brian Friedman, President, of Jefferies commented: "Our hearts go out to the wonderful people of Afghanistan who have supported the United States during these past 20 years. Hopefully, as many as possible will be able to safely leave the country, and we would like to help them begin their new lives. Our thoughts and prayers are also with the women and girls who will remain in the country as the whole world will be watching the protection of their human rights, and we will find proper channels to assist them. We cannot thank our U.S. Armed Forces enough for the incredible job they have done these past 20 years, and thankfully there are many worthy charities we can support to show our deep appreciation for their hard work and sacrifice. Haiti is always in our thoughts as we raised $7.5 million in 2010 to support their earthquake relief efforts and they need all our help again, now, more than ever. Every one of us at Jefferies is looking forward to partnering with our clients, fellow employees, and shareholders as we utilize Jefferies' global platform for a day of giving back where it is most needed."

For further information, please contact your Jefferies representative.

Jefferies Group LLC is the largest independent, global, full-service investment banking firm headquartered in the U.S. Focused on serving clients for nearly 60 years, Jefferies is a leader in providing insight, expertise and execution to investors, companies and governments. Our firm provides a full range of investment banking, advisory, sales and trading, research and wealth management services across all products in the Americas, Europe and Asia. Jefferies' Leucadia Asset Management division is a growing alternative asset management platform. Jefferies Group LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Jefferies Financial Group Inc. (NYSE: JEF), a diversified financial services company.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210819005718/en/

Contacts:

Jonathan Freedman

MediaContact@Jefferies.com; 212-778-8913
Revenue increases 71% for the quarter and 74% year over year

TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / August 19, 2021 / EQ Inc. (TSXV:EQ) ("EQ Works" or the "Company"), a leader in geospatial data and artificial intelligence driven software, announced its financial results today, for the second quarter ended June 30, 2021.

Revenue for the second quarter of over $3.0 million, was an increase of 71% from the previous quarter, an increase of 74% when compared to the second quarter of 2020, and the second-best quarter in the last eight years. This revenue growth was the result of new data engagements, as well as the Company's continued focus on key verticals, including financial services, insurance, automotive and retail. Data revenue for the quarter increased by 85% compared to the same period a year ago and 66% sequentially, as demand continued to increase for proprietary data solutions.

The Company experienced growth in both its data and advertising divisions as demand for data and analytics, artificial intelligence, machine learning and customer acquisition continued to increase. The Company continued to invest in technology development and recruiting top data science talent which resulted in an adjusted EBITDA loss for the quarter of approximately $0.5 million, which was an improvement of 22% from the previous quarter.

Highlights for the Second Quarter ended June 30, 2021

Revenue for the second quarter of over $3.0 million, was an increase of 71% from the previous quarter and an increase of 74% compared to the second quarter of 2020.

Data revenue increased by 85% compared to the same period a year ago and 66% sequentially.

Cash balance at the end of the quarter was $12.7 million and net working capital was $13.4 million.

Subsequent to quarter end, the Company acquired Integrated Rewards Inc. and their branded Paymi application ("Paymi"). Paymi adds a new consumer line of business to the Company that will generate incremental revenue and provide a new proprietary and powerful first-party data set to the LOCUS platform.

"I am very pleased with our progress this quarter and excited about our continued momentum as we push into the second half of the year" said Geoffrey Rotstein, President and CEO of EQ Works. "The acquisition of Paymi is also an important step forward for EQ and our data strategy. Our focus on zero-party data and providing our clients with unique and impactful insights into their business is enhanced significantly with this acquisition. As companies continue to understand the importance of data and the results we can generate, our proprietary platforms continue to be in demand and the market continues to grow."

Subsequent to quarter-end, the Company granted 192,500 stock options to employees and consultants of the Company. These stock options are exercisable at CDN $1.40 per stock option and will expire on August 19, 2026. These stock options vest over a period of thirty-six months following the grant date and are governed by the terms and conditions of the Company's stock options plan. Following this grant of stock options, the Company has a total of 3,942,667 stock options outstanding representing approximately 5.8% of the outstanding common shares of the Company.

Non-IFRS Financial Measures

EQ Works measures the success of the Company's strategies and performance based on Adjusted EBITDA, which is outlined and reconciled with net income (loss) in the section entitled "Reconciliation of Net Loss for the period to Adjusted EBITDA" in the MD&A. The Company defines Adjusted EBITDA as net income (loss) from operations before: (a) depreciation of property and equipment and amortization of intangible assets, (b) share-based payments, (c) finance income and costs, net, (d) depreciation of right-of-use assets, and (e) transaction costs of acquisition. Management uses Adjusted EBITDA as a measure of the Company's operating performance because it provides information on the Company's ability to provide operating cash flows for working capital requirements, capital expenditures, and potential acquisitions. The Company also believes that analysts and investors use Adjusted EBITDA as a supplemental measure to evaluate the overall operating performance of companies in its industry.

The non-IFRS financial measure is used in addition to, and in conjunction with, results presented in the Company's consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with IFRS and should not be relied upon to the exclusion of IFRS financial measures. Management strongly encourages investors to review the Company's consolidated financial statements in their entirety and to not rely on any single financial measure. Because non-IFRS financial measures are not standardized, it may not be possible to compare these financial measures with other companies' non-IFRS financial measures having the same or similar names. In addition, the Company expects to continue to incur expenses similar to the non-IFRS adjustments described above, and exclusion of these items from the Company's non-IFRS measures should not be construed as an inference that these costs are unusual, infrequent, or non-recurring.

The table below reconciles net loss from operations and Adjusted EBITDA for the periods presented:

About EQ Works

EQ Works ( www.eqworks.com ) enables businesses to understand, predict, and influence customer behaviour. Using unique data sets, advanced analytics, machine learning and artificial intelligence, EQ Works creates actionable intelligence for businesses to attract, retain, and grow the customers that matter most. The Company's proprietary SaaS platform mines insights from movement and geospatial data, enabling businesses to close the loop between digital and real-world consumer actions.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Neither the TSX-V nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX-V) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements". All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release, including, without limitation, those regarding the Company's ability to adjust to customer needs in light of COVID-19, the delivery of acceleration notices to the holders of Warrants and the exercise of the Warrants by holders, future financial position and results of operations, strategy, plans, objectives, goals and targets, and any statements preceded by, followed by or that include the words "believe", "expect", "aim", "intend", "plan", "continue", "will", "may", "would", "anticipate", "estimate", "forecast", "predict", "project", "seek", "should" or similar expressions, or the negative thereof, are forward-looking statements. These statements are not historical facts but instead represent only the Company's expectations, estimates, and projections regarding future events. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve assumptions, risks, and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual results may differ materially from what is expressed, implied, or forecasted in such forward-looking statements. Additional factors that could cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially include, but are not limited to, the risk factors discussed in the Company's MD&A for the three and six months ended June 30, 2021. Management provides forward-looking statements because it believes they provide useful information to investors when considering their investment objectives but cautions investors not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Consequently, all of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and any other cautionary statements or factors contained herein, and there can be no assurance that the actual results or developments will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, the Company. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect subsequent information, events, or circumstances or otherwise, except as required by law.

EQ Inc.

Peter Kanniah, Chief Financial Officer

1235 Bay Street, Suite 401| Toronto, Ontario |M5R 3K4

press@eqworks.com

www.eqworks.com

Bill Mitoulas, Investor Relations

416-479-9547

bill@venturenorthcapital.com

EQ Inc.

Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Interim Statements of Financial Position

(In thousands of Canadian dollars)



June 30, 2021 December 31, 2020 Assets Current assets: Cash $ 12,699 $ 3,209 Accounts receivable 3,525 4,572 Other current assets 158 197 16,382 7,978 Non-current assets: Property and equipment 90 102 Right-of-use asset 41 76 Intangible asset 1,284 1,096 Goodwill 732 732 2,147 2,006 Total assets $ 18,529 $ 9,984 Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity Current liabilities: Accounts payable and accrued liabilities $ 2,618 $ 2,908 Lease liability 161 132 Loans and borrowings - 1,989 Contract liabilities 67 86 Earn-out 186 222 3,032 5,337 Non-current liabilities: Lease liability - 18 Loans and borrowings 120 80 120 98 Shareholders' equity 15,377 4,549 Total liabilities and shareholders' equity $ 18,529 $ 9,984

EQ Inc.

Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Interim Statements of Loss and Comprehensive Loss

(In thousands of Canadian dollars, except per share amounts)

Three and six months ended June 30, 2021 and 2020



Three months ended June 30, Six months ended June 30,

2021 2020 2021 2020 Revenue $ 3,009 $ 1,726 $ 4,764 $ 3,924 Expenses: Publishing costs 1,747 1,093 2,684 2,351 Employee compensation and benefits 1,143 904 2,317 1,866 Other operating expenses 693 448 1,151 884 Depreciation of property and equipment 16 19 33 35 Depreciation of right-of-use asset 17 17 35 35 Amortization of intangible assets 54 71 112 82 3,670 2,552 6,332 5,253 Loss from operations (661 ) (826 ) (1,568 ) (1,329 ) Transaction costs of acquisition - - - (23 ) Finance income 8 15 12 24 Finance costs (59 ) (138 ) (122 ) (273 ) Loss before income taxes (712 ) (949 ) (1,678 ) (1,601 ) Net loss (712 ) (949 ) (1,678 ) (1,601 ) Loss per share: Basic and diluted (0.01 ) (0.02 ) (0.03 ) (0.03 )

EQ Inc.

Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Interim Statements of Cash Flows

(In thousands of Canadian dollars)

Six months ended June 30, 2021 and 2020

2021 2020 Cash flows from operating activities: Net loss (1,678 ) (1,601 ) Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash flows from operating activities: Depreciation of property and equipment 33 35 Depreciation of right-of-use asset 35 35 Amortization of intangible assets 112 82 Share-based payments 357 134 Unrealized foreign exchange loss (gain) 16 (31 ) Finance cost, net 67 272 Change in non-cash operating working capital 777 (233 ) Net cash from (used in) operating activities (281 ) (1,307 ) Cash flows from financing activities: Repayment of obligations under property lease (47 ) (93 ) Loans and borrowings 40 80 Repayment of promissory notes (1,717 ) - Proceeds from exercise of warrants 1,392 3,658 Proceeds from public offer 11,500 - Share issuance costs (759 ) - Proceeds from exercise of stock options 16 112 Interest paid (293 ) (2 ) Net cash from (used in) financing activities 10,132 3,755 Cash flows from investing activities: Interest income received 12 1 Earn-out payout (36 ) - Acquisition - (850 ) Purchases of property and equipment (21 ) (64 ) Addition of intangible asset (300 ) (275 ) Net cash used in investing activities (345 ) (1,188 ) Increase in cash 9,506 1,260 Foreign exchange gain (loss) on cash held in foreign currency (16 ) 31 Cash, beginning of the period 3,209 3,691 Cash, end of the period $ 12,699 $ 4,982

SOURCE: EQ Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/660530/EQ-Inc-Reports-Second-Quarter-Financial-Results


WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The Federal Trade Commission on Thursday filed a new antitrust complaint against Facebook Inc. (FB), as the regulator continues its fight with the social networking behemoth despite a federal judge dismissing its previous anti-trust lawsuit.



In the latest amended complaint, the FTC alleges that Facebook has 'resorted to an illegal buy-or-bury scheme to maintain its dominance.'



The complaint continues to allege that Facebook unlawfully acquired innovative competitors with popular mobile features that succeeded where Facebook's own offerings fell flat or fell apart.



FTC complaint also state that Facebook lured app developers to the platform, surveilled them for signs of success, and then buried them when they became competitive threats.



Facebook has until October 4 to respond to the FTC's amended complaint.



Meanwhile, FTC Chair Lina Khan did not recuse herself from the vote on the complaint after Facebook petitioned her to do so based on her past critical statements of the industry.



In a statement, the agency said that its Office of General Counsel 'carefully reviewed Facebook's petition to recuse Chair Lina M. Khan. As the case will be prosecuted before a federal judge, the appropriate constitutional due process protections will be provided to the company. The Office of the Secretary has dismissed the petition.'



In June, U.S. District Judge James Boasberg in Washington had dismissed complaints against Facebook filed by FTC and state attorneys general led by New York's Letitia James. The complaint was seeking to break Facebook's monopoly in social networking, which could have resulted in divestiture of Instagram and WhatsApp.



In the complaint, FTC and the states had claimed that Facebook violated antitrust laws by buying photo-sharing app Instagram and messaging service WhatsApp to eliminate any competition and continue its monopoly.



However, the court stated that the FTC did not prove Facebook controls over 60 percent of the market -a monopoly.



Facebook, which was founded by Mark Zuckerberg in his dorm room in 2004, has recently found itself under siege by American regulators and politicians, who want to keep the company under a tight rein. Facebook boasts of nearly 2.85 billion monthly active users as of the first quarter of 2021, while Instagram has nearly 1.074 billion users worldwide and WhatsApp is reported to have more than 2 billion monthly active users globally.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Facebook Inc. (FB) on Thursday announced its latest initiative aimed at climate change. The company proposes to restore more water than it consumes by 2030.



The company mainly uses water for cooling the banks of the computers, which operate in its data centers. Commenting on the initiative, sustainability water lead at Facebook, Sylvia Lee, said, 'The company intends to focus its efforts in regions where it uses local water resources, but it will also look at high-risk areas that face the most challenges in terms of their water supply.'



The company said that in the year 2020, it used up to 3.7 million cubic meters of water, equivalent to nearly 1,500 Olympic-size swimming pools or a total consumption of 2.2 million cubic meters.



Facebook proposes to verify its water restoration efforts through LimnoTech, a sustainability consulting firm and the company will keep the public posted about its sustainability efforts through its annual sustainability reports.



The company will also begin water restoration efforts outside of the U.S, in countries like Ireland, Singapore, India, the U.K. and Mexico.



The problem of climate change is real and if you look at the biggest impact as a result of climate change, some of the really big ones like wildfires, droughts, floods at the end of the day, it's actually all tied to water,' Lee said.



Earlier this month, the U.N climate panel had given a grim warning about climate change and called for swift and concrete action. The agency warned that limiting global warming to close to 1.5 degrees Celsius or even 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels 'will be beyond reach' in the next two decades without large-scale reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. It is in the backdrop of such an environmental crisis that Facebook announced its latest initiative.



The company had earlier initiated water restoration projects in areas like New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, Utah, Oregon and California. These include funding to support the Colorado River Indian Tribes System Conversation Project to conserve and stabilize the water levels of Lake Mead in Arizona.



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NORTH KANSAS CITY (dpa-AFX) - Cerner Corp. (CERN) Thursday said it has appointed David Feinberg as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective October 1, 2021. Cerner's Board of Directors also announced that it will separate the roles of chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Feinberg succeeds Brent Shafer, who previously announced his decision to transition from chairman and CEO. Feinberg will serve as a member of the Board of Directors. Cerner's current President, Donald Trigg, will leave Cerner. The board has appointed William Zollars as independent chairman, also effective October 1, 2021. Feinberg has served in numerous senior leadership roles during his more than 25-year career in healthcare, and joins Cerner from Google. Since 2019, Dr. Feinberg was the Vice President of Google Health, where he led Google's worldwide health efforts. 'Over the past few months, our Board conducted an extensive search for a CEO candidate with the expertise and ability to effectively capitalize on the opportunities in the market we serve,' said Mitch Daniels, member of the Cerner Board and Chair of the Nominating, Governance and Public Policy Committee. 'With his exceptional track record of leading and innovating programs to improve patient care, technology experience, and industry expertise, we believe Dr. Feinberg is the ideal CEO to lead Cerner in its next chapter of growth and success.' Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 19, 2021) - The Black Entrepreneur Program (BEP) is set to host an upcoming Awards Show this November to celebrate inspirational Black leaders, entrepreneurs and business owners from across Canada. Nomination info can be found below, with more details to be released in the coming weeks, all Black Canadian entrepreneurs are encouraged to nominate themselves and/or other business owners that deserve recognition for their entrepreneurial prowess through these challenging times.





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"The black entrepreneurship program fills a big need in the community. On a national scale, black businesses and entrepreneurs can be enhanced through the program that provides the community with actionable attention that it has not had in years through the 'Learning Pathways' program." - Jonathan Femi-Cole, Executive Director of the Black Entrepreneur Program.

If you would like to nominate a local black-owned business or inspirational Black entrepreneur that has positively impacted your community, please submit a BEP Award nomination by emailing info@blackentrepreneurshipprogram.com a brief description and background of the nominee, along with contact information. We will be announcing further information on the judges, award categories, and judging criteria in the coming weeks.

The November BEP Award Show is hosted by MienTzu, the official virtual event platform sponsor, and currently being integrated into the Fanshawe College and BEP "Learning Pathways" programs. The BEP Learning Pathways program aims to make Fanshawe College-level business courses available and accessible to Black entrepreneurs, and recent immigrants to Canada alike. Remote virtual event/learning platforms are now more essential than ever, for "hybrid" distance learning to adapt to the new reality of social distancing requirements and remote learning/networking. The first iteration of the BEP hosted over one-thousand virtual registrants, with nearly 700 attendees at the peak of the session. Throughout the pandemic MienTzu has virtually facilitated entrepreneur education and group learning, virtual conferences, holiday fundraisers and most importantly network and community building events like the BEP.

At the first iteration of the BEP event, participants from Federal and Provincial Government agencies helped explain the Federal BEP program, with specific focus on what it means for Black Canadian entrepreneurs. The event featured real-time question and answer sessions with audience members providing a meaningful two-way dialogue between speakers and attendees. The BEP and MienTzu are proud to partner with Fanshawe South London college where the app is currently providing virtual learning for 10 college-level courses. Fanshawe College Associate Dean - Nord Mensah has helped beta test and improve the platform. Mr Mensah notes that "...unlike Zoom, where conferences/webinars happen sequentially, MienTzu provides its audience and attendees with the ability to go beyond just updating attendees/audience in a one-way channel, but also the ability for group learning. This provides students with networking opportunities for entrepreneurs that enhance financial accessibility within Canada's multicultural BIPOC entrepreneur community." MienTzu provides the ideal solution to synchronously show content on the main screen, while small working groups can process that main content collaboratively (between audience members and also to interact with speakers and panelists).

Fanshawe College is a proud partner in supporting the BEP and demonstrating the educational use-cases of the MienTzu learning platform. The improvements that students have noted, with respect to off-site learning, is paying huge dividends for both faculty and students. Through the strategic partnership with the BEP, Nord, Jonathan Femi-Cole and Derrick Berney founder of the London Ontario based MienTzu app, hope to provide free and accessible online events that mirror the successes seen on campus in democratizing access to financial literacy and social media presence for all Canadians, on any mobile device.

The BEP is proud to work with Fanshawe College Dean of Admissions to help develop, enhance, and measure learning metrics for its digital/virtual online learning platform. The Black Entrepreneur Program is a national program that connects BIPOC business across Canada to assist with potential grants and access to finance/education that may otherwise be inaccessible to Black Canadian entrepreneurs.

Media Contact:

Alex Krause

Alexkrause.pr@gmail.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/93799


WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Elon Musk's SpaceX is going to enter the second generation of its global internet solution system, Starlink, said the company in a filing with the Federal Communications Commission on Wednesday. The company also plans to use its Starship rockets to deliver the satellites to orbit.



In a detailed account of its future plans, Musk's company reported, 'This Gen2 System was designed to complement the first-generation constellation SpaceX is currently deploying. While the original constellation provides unprecedented capacity for a satellite system, the demand for more broadband continues to grow unabated and the need for user connectivity has never been more important.'



The ambitious project is currently in its beta phase with around 90,000 users in 12 countries. When completed, Starlink will be able to provide seamless internet even in the most remote regions in the world, including the poles.



Starlink, which already has around 1740 satellites, plans to add another 29,988 satellites to its 'constellation.' The second-gen satellites are planned to be heavier and more capable of 'additional payloads in the future,' hinting at its ability to serve the internet to companies as well. For that many satellites to float harmlessly in orbit, the company has arranged for nine altitude layers, ranging from 340 kilometers to 614 kilometers above ground. Previously, the company had settled on using eight altitude layers from 328 kilometers to 614 kilometers.



The company has claimed that the satellites are kept at such an altitude that in case of any crash or loss of control, the satellites will come back into the atmosphere in just four years and disintegrate while entering.



'SpaceX is also aware of the possibility that its system could become a source of debris in the unlikely case of a collision with small debris or meteoroids that could either create jetsam or cause loss of control of the spacecraft and prevent post-mission disposal. SpaceX has continued to explore ways to make its spacecraft even more resistant to such strikes. Although the design of these protective features is still being finalized, SpaceX has improved redundancy in the power and propulsion systems.'



The company also believes that the 'collision risk with large objects is considered to be zero while the spacecraft are capable of maneuvering.'



SpaceX is going to use the Superheavy rocket boosters of the Starship to launch around 400 satellites at a time. But it's Falcon 9, capable of launching around 60 satellites, will also be at hand.' The revised orbital planes would enable single plane launch campaigns that capitalize on the ability of Starship to deliver satellites at a faster pace by not necessarily requiring a waiting period for orbital precession in a parking orbit. SpaceX could deploy satellites into their operational orbits within a matter of weeks after launch, rather than months,' added SpaceX.



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Osaro, a San Francisco, CA-based global leader in the development and deployment of advanced robotic automation for logistics, raised $30m in Series C funding.

The round, which brought total funding raised to date to $67.5m, was led by Octave Ventures with participation from J17 Capital, and Tomales Bay Capital, and existing investors AME Cloud Ventures, iRobot Corporation, King River Capital, and Founders Fund.

The company plans to use the funds to accelerate global growth through market expansion and hiring, as well as extending its solution and support offerings. Osaro will continue to enhance its core technology capabilities, including leveraging its machine learning platform into new automation applications.

Led by Derik Pridmore, CEO, Osaro provides solutions that enable logistics operators to scale e-commerce order fulfillment, inventory induction & extraction, sortation, and singulation. The companys automation systems bring together advanced machine learning for object recognition with control software that adapts to customer data and environments. The robotic piece-picking solution is optimized for e-commerce fulfillment center, and warehouse automation markets, where key challenges include high SKU inventories, complex packaging, and fragile items requiring delicate handling. The companys robotic automation integrates with ASRS, AMRs, conveyor systems, and other materials handling equipment. The Solutions have been used by the worlds top retailers, system integrators, and third-party logistic companies.

FinSMEs

19/08/2021
Rapid Robotics, a San Francisco, CA-based creator of a ready-to-work robotic machine operator, raised $36.7M in Series B funding.

The round was led by Kleiner Perkins and Tiger Global, with participation from existing investors NEA, Greycroft, Bee Partners and 468 Capital.

The company, which has raised $54.2M in total funding to date, intends to use the funds to continue to expand operations and its business reach.

Led by Jordan Kretchmer, CEO, Rapid Robotics is the creator of a robotic machine operator (RMO) designed for simple machine tasks. Available for just $25K a year and requiring no programming, systems integration, specialized hardware or robotics skills, the Rapid Machine Operator enables manufacturers to deploy a pre-trained cobot in hours, moving it between tasks as needed and seeing ROI in months.

FinSMEs

19/08/2021
Professor Shireen Davies, CEO,

Solasta Bio, a Glasgow University spinout specializing in the next generation of green insecticides, raised 1.3m in seed funding.

Backers included The Yield Lab Europe, SIS Ventures, members of Cambridge Agritech and UKI2S. Founding investors UKI2S and Scottish Enterprise provided pre-seed funding.

The company intends to use the funds for ongoing development of its nature-inspired pesticides.

Established in May 2020 after four years of research funded by UKRI BBSRC and the EC, and commercialisation support from Scottish Enterprises High Growth Spinout Programme, Solasta Bio develops biopesticides. The company has also developed a technology platform for creating neuropeptide-based insect control products that are nature-inspired rather than selected from a synthetic chemistry library.

These products effectively target insect pests while preserving beneficial pollinators such as bees in an environmentally friendly and sustainable manner.

With this latest funding secured, Solasta Bio is aiming to take the trials of its biopesticides out of the laboratory and into real-world settings. The company aims to bring its first biopesticides to market in 2027, around half the time traditionally taken by synthetic pest control products.

The company was co-founded by scientist and entrepreneur Professor Shireen Davies, CEO, world leader in insect biology and functional genomics Professor Julian Dow, CSO, former BASF senior executive Paul Bernasconi, CTO; and Professor Robert Liskamp, peptide technology. The three management team co-founders are joined by the Chair, Rob Wylie and CFO David Armour, with a team of R&D staff based in Glasgow.

FinSMEs

19/08/2021
The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department said that a teenager has been arrested in connection with a threat of a shooting at a school in Rancho Cucamonga.
Many parents of students throughout California are concerned about possible COVID-19 exposure at schools.
The path to citizenship is the path to a more democratic America
James Edward Borrego, 26, of Rosenberg, on Aug. 6 pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated sexual assault of a child and one count of indecency with a child by sexual contact and was sentenced as part of a plea agreement, according to the Fort Bend County District Attorney's Office.
MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) -- The City of Mobile said it ran out of ambulances on Wednesday. The call for a critical mass level zero was issued around noon.

Local hospitals have been overwhelmed with COVID-19 cases causing ambulances to have nowhere to take emergency patients as emergency rooms are on diversion.

The alarm warns Mobile Fire-Rescue crews that if they need an ambulance, one isnt available. If someone calls 911 they will get a response, but it just might not be an ambulance. Paramedics could arrive at a scene in a firetruck.

With COVID-19, crews cant quickly get patients out of ambulances and into the emergency room. And even when the hospital finally gets the patient inside, the ambulance crew still has to disinfect the equipment before it can go back in service.

Mobile Public Safety Director Lawrence Battiste said the city is trying to address the crisis, but options are limited.

Ordinarily, the fire-rescue department could get help from neighboring ambulance companies. But theyre all in the same boat. He says the city is buying more ambulances, but its not like you can pick one off of a car lot and drive it home.

Weve got ambulances on order, but as you know, across our country there have been delays in getting any type of equipment, whether its PPE or if its hard equipment like garbage trucks or if its hard equipment like police vehicles or ambulances  it takes time. So there is a delay, Battiste said.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP)  When Sigal Chattah goes to federal court to challenge a school mask mandate issued by the governor of Nevada, she'll likely be required to wear the very thing she's arguing against: a mask.

Thats because U.S. District Court in Las Vegas and other courts where plaintiffs are demanding their freedoms from masking and COVID-19 vaccinations require everyone to wear masks. Just as in-person hearings and trials resumed at courthouses around the country, a surge of coronavirus cases sparked by the delta variant has prompted some federal courts to impose new restrictions and requirements for mask-wearing and vaccinations.

The whole situation is very ironic, said Chattah, a Republican candidate for state attorney general who is representing two parents in a lawsuit that charges a mask mandate ordered by Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak is unconstitutional.

The Democratic governor's order requires students and school employees in the Las Vegas and Reno areas to wear masks on buses and inside school buildings, regardless of vaccination status. The lawsuit challenging them calls the governor's orders draconian and says they will inflict emotional distress on schoolchildren and their parents.

Other federal courts re-imposing virus restrictions have also seen lawsuits filed or heard cases challenging public health measures.

At the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta, an order went into effect Monday requiring everyone who enters the court's buildings to verify their vaccination status. Fully vaccinated people must sign a statement attesting to the truthfulness of their responses, and everyone who enters must wear a mask. Visitors who arent fully vaccinated will have to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within the last three days, while those who work there and arent fully vaccinated must be tested at least once a week.

This is the same circuit where a three-judge panel ruled in July that Florida-based cruise ships did not have to adhere to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 safety rules.

In Denver, the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last week began limiting access to its courthouse to fully vaccinated people only. The court's order requires unvaccinated attorneys who are scheduled to present oral arguments to file a motion to appear via video. Unvaccinated people who want to file documents in person must use a drop box located just inside the front door of the courthouse.

And in Texas, all employees and on-site contractors of the U.S. District and Bankruptcy Courts for the Southern District are now required to show proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 test results twice a week.

Our hopes are to just make sure everyone is as safe as possible. We hope thats the effect of the order," said Nathan Ochsner, Clerk of Court.

"The court is obviously very concerned about safety, not just for our employees, but the people we have contact with, he said.

Several other federal courts have revived old requirements that were relaxed earlier this summer when new cases were plummeting as vaccination rates increased.

In Salt Lake City, everyone who enters U.S. District Court must wear a mask again after the requirement had been dropped for about two months in line with CDC guidance. Court authorities reinstated the mask policy as the delta variant took hold, said Clerk of Court D. Mark Jones.

Thats different from most of the rest of Utah, a conservative state where theres no statewide mask mandate and even schools are banned from setting their own mandates.

In New Orleans, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated a mask mandate on July 30, requiring everyone  regardless of their vaccination status  to wear a mask in public areas of the courthouse. In Richmond, Virginia, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had planned to resume in-person oral arguments next month, but reversed course and decided to continue holding remote arguments because of the surge.

Many of the revised policies cite the updated guidance issued late last month by CDC as infection rates soared due to the highly contagious delta variant. The CDC said fully vaccinated people should return to wearing masks in indoor public places in communities where the virus is spreading quickly. It also recommended that all teachers, students and staff at schools wear masks, even if they are fully vaccinated, setting off a firestorm of protests and lawsuits as schools across the country prepare to reopen.

The sudden increase in coronavirus cases has also had other ramifications in federal courts. In West Texas, concerns about the surge recently ground many court functions to a halt. On Aug. 9, the chief federal district judge in San Antonio suspended jury trials and grand jury proceedings until Oct. 3, although bench trials, sentencings and some other hearings will continue.

Along with other cases, the move is likely to slow the federal investigation into corruption claims against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. The probe into bribery and abuse-of-office allegations is being led by a San Antonio-based federal prosecutor whos been using a grand jury in the city to issue subpoenas, including for records of renovations made to the Paxtons million-dollar home in Austin.

Paxton, who is running for re-election in a competitive Republican primary, has broadly denied the allegations from eight of his former top deputies that he used his office to help a wealthy donor.

In New York City, the judge in the federal sex trafficking trial of R&B star R. Kelly has ruled that only the attorneys, jurors and defendant are allowed in the courtroom, while the public, including the press, must watch live video feeds of the proceedings from overflow courtrooms.

In Florida, frequent flyer Lucas Wall is suing the CDC and seven airlines over the federal mask mandate on flights, alleging the requirement left him stranded at his mother's home in that state during the pandemic. In his lawsuits, he argues that the mandate discriminates against people who cannot wear masks because of medical conditions, such as the anxiety disorder he contends with. Wall, who is representing himself in the lawsuits, said he plans to ask for an exemption from the mask requirement in U.S. District Court in Orlando if he is required to make in-person arguments in court.

Its completely preposterous that someone who is suing to overturn a mask mandate and medically can't wear a mask would be ordered to go into court wearing a mask to argue his case against mask mandates," Wall said.



Associated Press writers Jake Bleiberg in Dallas, Kate Brumback in Atlanta, Lindsay Whitehurst in Salt Lake City and Tom Hays in New York contributed to this report.
Yes! Ive really missed regular library visits during the pandemic.

Im excited, but I dont think Im ready to make a full return to the library just yet.

Ive shifted to using the libraries virtual and curbside services, and itll probably stay that way.

I dont use the local library.

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Game developers today are reacting strongly to a YouTube video posted by the channel People Make Games, in which host Quintin Smith argues that Roblox Corporation is taking advantage of young people trying to make games on the platform.

In a 22-minute video, Smith lays out a number of concerns that young developers face when trying to make games on the platform, which include a mix of unrealistic expectations driven by Roblox Corporations marketing, a microtransaction system that seems analogous to the old company scrip system of the coal mining days, and a high financial cost of entry to both the systems that put users games in front of other players.

In a quick rundown, heres how each of these issues disproportionately impact children, according to Smith. Roblox Corporations platform and website do include messaging that indicates its both easy to make games, and easy to get paid. Those statements arent necessarily deceptive, but they are prominently featured alongside platforms for downloading Roblox development software and a cosmetics store users are likely interacting with.

Little of that messaging mentions the high cost of entry to making a game that can successfully be found on Robloxs discovery tools, or that cracking the top 200 or so Roblox games is necessary to start generating real revenue from these projects.

Second, theres the matter of how extensively Robux (Robloxs in-app currency) are used to navigate the creator economy. Roblox creators are paid first by receiving a cut of Robux that comes from the sale, which they can use to purchase other Roblox experiences, in-game assets, cosmetics, etc. That means once a developer enters the Robux economy, their money is all spent inside the Roblox system until theyre able to withdraw it.

But to withdraw it, they need to have raked in roughly $1,000 worth of Robux. That creates more incentive for young developers to keep working in Robux, with some even going to far as to pay their collaborators in Robux. Smith points out that the long-running MMORPG Second Life only demands you make $10 worth of in-game currency before you can pull it out.

Smith also notes that creators also receive a relatively small cut of Robux sales, especially when compared to Steam, Epic, or Apples developer cuts.

And third, theres that high cost of entry of getting a Roblox game into the public eye. Robloxs discoverability platform is based on popularity, and cracking the list of top games can feel like making a viral TikTok, one creator told Smith.

Which is to say, its a process thats unpredictable and slightly at the whim of either an algorithm or the ever-changing taste of young users.

Theres any number of ways one can market a Roblox gamechasing YouTubers and streamers, paying for ads on Facebookbut Robloxs solution inside the platform is to run its own ad system where users can bid for ads the same way you would in other advertising networks.

These ads are of course, paid for in Robux, which loops back into Smiths company scrip argument.

This system all gets more thorny when you wrangle with the fact that its advertised primarily for children and teenage players. And if a solo developer manages to jump through all the hoops and create a game that picks up players and starts raking in Robux, there isnt a lot of protection from another team of developers making a fast-follow game that iterates on and improves the first developers mechanic, leaving that first user in the dust.

One young developer (aged 11) that Smith spoke with expressed frustration and exhaustion with having to deal with Roblox Corporations platform, even after his parents had paid for a summer camp session where hed learned to make games, and helped fund his efforts to get his game notice.

His complaints about how Robloxs discovery system only benefit the top makers sound like a distorted echo of the indiepocalypse conversations of 2015-2016.

Robloxs kid-friendly focus has often put its parent company under scrutiny from the media, and this isnt the only incident making headlines in the last week. Two days ago, the company apologized for a rash of Roblox experiences making their way onto the platform that recreated the 2019 Christchurch New Zealand shooting.

When asked to comment, a Roblox Corporation spokesperson declined to directly answer our questions about transparency, the cut it takes on Robux transactions, and Robux withdrawal minimums, and instead went on to explain how much money it's made for developers in the last quarter.

Here's the company's full statement:
Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021.
Remembering September 11

We pledged on Sept. 11, 2001, that we would never forget. As if we could. The tragedy and loss we felt 20 years ago is forever imbedded in our memories. We remember where we were, what we felt. We remember the loss of innocence. What do you remember about 9/11? Please share your memories with us that we can include in a special edition on Sept. 11. Send emails to aturner@gillettenewsrecord.net.
Acquisition of the 60 MW Curtis Palmer run-of-river hydroelectric portfolio in the state of New York

Leverages the Strategic Alliance between Innergex and Hydro-Quebec via a joint 50-50 acquisition

Expands Innergexs U.S. presence with entry in the attractive New York renewables market

PPA with Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation (A3 / BBB+) expected to contribute US$19.7 million ($24.6 million) of average annual Free Cash Flow 1 to Innergex without any debt financing

to Innergex without any debt financing Innergex expects double-digit annual Free Cash Flow per Share 1 accretion and greater than 10% reduction in Payout Ratio 1 in the first full year of ownership

accretion and greater than 10% reduction in Payout Ratio in the first full year of ownership Innergex to benefit from a $175.0 million bought deal common equity financing and $43.5 million concurrent private placement with Hydro-Quebec

THIS MEDIA RELEASE IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

All amounts are in Canadian dollars, unless otherwise indicated and are for continuing operations unless otherwise indicated.

LONGUEUIL, Quebec, Aug. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Innergex Renewable Energy Inc. (TSX: INE) (Innergex or the Corporation) and HQI US Holding LLC, a subsidiary of Hydro-Quebec (Hydro-Quebec) have entered into a Membership Interest Purchase Agreement with Atlantic Power to acquire Curtis Palmer, a 60 MW run-of-river hydroelectric portfolio located in Corinth, New York, consisting of the 12 MW Curtis Mills and 48 MW Palmer Falls facilities (Curtis Palmer or the Facilities) for upfront cash consideration of US$310.0 million ($387.5 million) and an earn-out provision subject to the evolution of NYISO market pricing. This joint acquisition is the first under the Strategic Alliance formed by Innergex and Hydro-Quebec in 2020. Upon closing, Innergex will own indirectly a 50% interest in the Facilities with Hydro-Quebec indirectly owning the remaining 50% interest. Innergex is also announcing a $175.0 million bought deal equity financing of common shares and $43.5 million concurrent private placement of common shares to Hydro-Quebec.

We are thrilled to announce this first joint acquisition with Hydro-Quebec under the Strategic Alliance. The acquisition of Curtis Palmer represents an opportunity for Innergex to apply its 30 years of expertise in managing small run-of-river hydroelectric facilities, while leveraging Hydro-Quebecs experience in New York to get a foothold in a new market, said Michel Letellier, President and Chief Executive Officer of Innergex. We are also announcing today an equity financing that will be used to fund the purchase price of this acquisition and further our expansion and diversification efforts. We are very pleased with this support for Innergex and look forward to further grow in our Strategic Alliance with Hydro-Quebec.

After having been commercial partners with the State of New York for more than 100 years, we are now entering a new phase by investing directly in the States hydropower generation infrastructure alongside Innergex, to which we will both bring our extensive expertise. This investment clearly demonstrates our commitment to developing the share of renewables in the energy mix of North America, commented Sophie Brochu, President and CEO of Hydro-Quebec.



The Curtis Palmer facility is one of the highest quality assets in the Atlantic Power portfolio and an important hydro facility in the New York market, said James J. Moore, Jr., Chief Executive Officer of Atlantic Power. We are honored to have been stewards of it and now see it transferred to experienced operators like Innergex and Hydro-Quebec.

Financial Contribution to Innergex

The Facilities have a power purchase agreement (PPA) for energy, RECs and capacity with Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation (A3 / BBB+) that expires upon the earlier of either December 31, 2027 or the delivery of cumulative 10,000 GWh (which is expected in 2026). Following the expiry of the PPA, it is expected that the Facilities will sell energy, RECs and capacity in the NYISO market. The New York renewable energy market benefits from state programs that support existing renewables and can offer additional upside potential to the Facilities, including the recent Tier 2 REC program, and the introduction of the social cost of carbon into energy markets.

The Facilities have an attractive cash flow profile and are expected to generate average annual Adjusted EBITDA2 of US$42.5 million ($53.1 million) and average annual Free Cash Flow of US$39.5 million ($49.4 million) through the end of the PPA, without debt financing on a 100% basis. The purchase price implies a multiple of average annual Adjusted EBITDA of 7.3x and an average annual Free Cash Flow yield of 13% through year 2025. The additional 60 MW of capacity from Curtis Palmer will increase Innergexs hydro portfolio to 1,259 MW and total portfolio to 3,801 MW of gross capacity.

During its first full year of ownership, Curtis Palmer is expected to contribute to Innergexs financial results by providing double-digit accretion to Free Cash Flow per Share, reducing the Payout Ratio by more than 10%, and reducing overall corporate leverage by 0.4x. Innergex expects the Facilities contribution to Free Cash Flow per Share and Payout Ratio to be sustained throughout the term of the PPA. With Free Cash Flow representing a return on capital in excess of 50% during the term of the PPA without debt financing, Innergex expects the Facilities to continue to generate an attractive return on investment for its shareholders in the long run.

The acquisition is expected to close in Q4 2021 and is subject to regulatory approvals including FERC and HSR, as well as customary closing conditions.

Leveraging the Strategic Alliance between Hydro-Quebec and Innergex

In February 2020, Hydro-Quebec and Innergex announced the creation of a Strategic Alliance that would allow both corporations to accelerate their respective growth strategies and mutually benefit from their complementary skills and knowledge. The acquisition of Curtis Palmer will be the first co-investment with Hydro-Quebec through the Strategic Alliance and the second opportunity for Hydro-Quebec to subscribe for additional common shares of Innergex, following the acquisition of the remaining 50% interest in Energia Llaima SpA in July 2021. This acquisition under the Strategic Alliance will benefit from Hydro-Quebecs decades of experience in the New York market coupled with Innergexs experience operating run-of-river hydroelectric assets.

Concurrent Equity Offering and Private Placement in Innergex

Innergex has entered into an agreement with a syndicate of underwriters led by CIBC Capital Markets, National Bank Financial Inc., BMO Capital Markets and TD Securities Inc. (collectively the Underwriters), pursuant to which the Underwriters have agreed to purchase on a bought deal basis, an aggregate of 9,021,000 common shares at an offering price of $19.40 per share (the Offering Price) for aggregate gross proceeds to the Corporation of approximately $175.0 million (the Offering). In connection with the Offering, Innergex has granted the Underwriters an over-allotment option, exercisable in whole or in part, at any time for a period of 30 days following the closing of the Offering, to purchase up to an aggregate of an additional 1,353,150 common shares at the Offering Price.

Innergex has also entered into a subscription agreement with a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hydro-Quebec to purchase 2,242,000 common shares at the Offering Price, for gross proceeds to the Corporation of $43.5 million through a private placement (the Private Placement) as part of Hydro-Quebec's rights contained in the Investor Rights Agreement between Innergex and Hydro-Quebec, dated February 6, 2020. As part of the Private Placement, Hydro-Quebec owns the option, exercisable following the exercise of the over-allotment option by the Underwriters and prior to the expiry of the Underwriters over-allotment option, to purchase additional common shares under the Private Placement at the Offering Price as to allow Hydro-Quebec to maintain a 19.9% ownership of the common shares following the exercise of the Underwriters over-allotment option. The common shares offered in the Private Placement are being sold directly to Hydro-Quebec without an underwriter or placement agent.

The net proceeds of the Offering and Private Placement will be used to fund the purchase price of the acquisition of Curtis Palmer, with the remainder of the net proceeds, or should the acquisition of Curtis Palmer not successfully close, the net proceeds of the Offering and Private Placement will be used for general corporate purposes including future growth initiatives.

In connection with the Offering, Innergex will file via SEDAR (www.sedar.com) a preliminary short form prospectus in all provinces of Canada by August 23, 2021. The Offering and Private Placement are subject to all standard regulatory approvals, including that of the Toronto Stock Exchange, and are expected to close on or about September 3, 2021.

The securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration requirements. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of any offer to buy, nor will there be any sale of these securities, in any province, state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such province, state or jurisdiction.

_______________

1 Free Cash Flow, Free Cash Flow per Share and Payout Ratio are non-IFRS measures. See Cautionary Statement Regarding Non-IFRS Measures.

2 Adjusted EBITDA is non-IFRS measures. See Cautionary Statement Regarding Non-IFRS Measures.







Conference Call and Presentation

Innergex will make available an audio conference and support material relative to this announcement on its website at www.innergex.com/investors/.

About Innergex Renewable Energy Inc.

For over 30 years, Innergex has believed in a world where abundant renewable energy promotes healthier communities and creates shared prosperity. As an independent renewable power producer which develops, acquires, owns and operates hydroelectric facilities, wind farms, solar farms and energy storage facilities, Innergex is convinced that generating power from renewable sources will lead the way to a better world. Innergex conducts operations in Canada, the United States, France and Chile and manages a large portfolio of high-quality assets currently consisting of interests in 77 operating facilities with an aggregate net installed capacity of 3,071 MW (gross 3,741 MW) and an energy storage capacity of 150 MWh, including 38 hydroelectric facilities, 32 wind farms and 7 solar farms. Innergex also holds interests in 8 projects under development, 2 of which are under construction, with a net installed capacity of 168 MW (gross 205 MW) and an energy storage capacity of 329 MWh, as well as prospective projects at different stages of development with an aggregate gross capacity totaling 6,931 MW. Its approach to building shareholder value is to generate sustainable cash flows, provide an attractive risk-adjusted return on invested capital and to distribute a stable dividend.

About Hydro-Quebec

Hydro-Quebec generates, transmits and distributes electricity. It is Canadas largest electricity producer and ranks among the worlds largest hydropower producers. Its sole shareholder is the Quebec government. As a recognized leader in hydropower and large transmission systems, Hydro-Quebec exports clean, renewable power and commercializes its expertise and innovations on world markets. Its research institute, IREQ, conducts R&D in energy efficiency, energy storage and other energy-related fields. Hydro-Quebec invests $100 million in research every year.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

To inform readers of the Corporation's future prospects, this press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws (Forward-Looking Information), including anticipated completion of the Curtis Palmer acquisition, the Offering and the Private Placement and timing for such completion, the Corporations projected financial performance, sources and impact of funding, project acquisitions, and financial benefits and accretion expected to result from such acquisitions, business strategy, future development and growth prospects (including expected growth opportunities under the Strategic Alliance with Hydro-Quebec), business integration, and other statements that are not historical facts.

Forward-Looking Information can generally be identified by the use of words such as approximately, may, will, "could, believes, expects, intends, "should, "would, plans, potential, "project, anticipates, estimates, scheduled or forecasts, or other comparable terms that state that certain events will or will not occur. It represents the projections and expectations of the Corporation relating to future events or results as of the date of this press release.

Forward-Looking Information includes future-oriented financial information or financial outlook within the meaning of securities laws, including information regarding the Corporation's expected production, projected Adjusted EBITDA, projected Free Cash Flow, projected Free Cash Flow per Share and intention to pay dividend quarterly, and other statements that are not historical facts. Such information is intended to inform readers of the potential financial impact of expected results, of the potential financial impact of completed and future acquisitions, and of the Corporation's ability to sustain current dividends and to fund its growth. Such information may not be appropriate for other purposes.

Forward-looking Information is based on certain key assumptions made by Innergex, including, without restrictions, assumptions concerning project performance, economic, financial and financial market conditions, expectations and assumptions concerning availability of capital resources and timely performance by third-parties of contractual obligations, receipt of regulatory approvals and expected closing of the Curtis Palmer acquisition and of the Offering and the Private Placement. Although Innergex believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking information is based are reasonable, under the current circumstances, readers are cautioned not to rely unduly on this forward-looking information as no assurance can be given that they will prove to be correct. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is made as of the date hereof and Innergex does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of events or circumstances occurring after the date hereof, unless so required by law.

For more information on the risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results or performance to be materially different from those expressed, implied or presented by the forward-looking information or on the principal assumptions used to derive this information, please refer to the "Forward Looking Information" section of the Management's Discussion and Analysis for the three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 2021.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Non-IFRS measures

The unaudited condensed interim consolidated financial statements for the three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 2021, have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). However, some measures referred to in this press release are not recognized measures under IFRS and therefore may not be comparable to those presented by other issuers. Innergex believes that these indicators are important, as they provide management and the reader with additional information about the Corporation's production and cash generation capabilities, its ability to sustain current dividends and dividend increases and its ability to fund its growth. These indicators also facilitate the comparison of results over different periods Adjusted EBITDA, Free Cash Flow, Adjusted Free Cash Flow and Payout Ratio are not measures recognized by IFRS and have no standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS. Please refer to the "Non-IFRS Measures" section of the Management's Discussion and Analysis for the three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 2021.

For information
New York, Aug. 18, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Vietnam Paper Packaging Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2021 - 2026)" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06129761/?utm_source=GNW

With the outbreak of COVID-19, paper packaging is witnessing significant traction in the healthcare sector of Vietnam. In the context of the COVID-19 outbreak increasing in Hai Duong province since early February 2021, SCG Packaging (SCGP) offered convenient solutions for the local healthcare workforce in the COVID-19 battle. SCGP gave 10,000 paper boxes carrying provisions for the community present in the Cam Giang quarantine area and designed and produced 100 paper beds for the field hospitals in Hai Duong.



- Vietnam is one of the steadily growing markets where the packaging demand for paper dominates the countrys paper consumption. According to the data published by the Vietnam Pulp and Paper Association (VPPA), the consumption of paper for packaging in the country during May 2021 stood at 404,711 metric tons, which was slightly down (4%) compared to the previous month.

- Further, according to Hootsuite, the e-commerce spending growth in Vietnam was highest for food and personal care at 45.9% in 2020. The eco-friendly products made from paper have the potential for growth in the food packaging industry to replace the disposable plastic products, which was in line with the governments policies on environmental protection launched by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

- At the same time, the free trade agreements have also provided an opportunity to export the countrys packaging and packaging paper to the tax-incentive markets. The use of mini-flute corrugated boxes in some applications has enabled corrugated boxes to expand their presence in markets, such as cereal boxes and carryout food packaging.

- In 2020, the Vietnamese government introduced a national e-commerce development plan for the country, which has been the sector growth by 25% each year to reach USD 35 billion in sales within the next five years. This five-year e-commerce strategy primarily aims to do half of the countrys 96 million population shopping online by 2025.

- Moreover, the increasing demand for packaged goods has been underpinning the recovery of Vietnam for packaged goods. For instance, over the past few years, the flexible packaging industry in the country witnessed high levels of inward direct investment from foreign food brand owners, thus, expanding the potential or capacity of production, driving the paper industry enterprises in Vietnam. For instance, previously, Eastern Tan Mai Joint Stock Company was authorized to build an Eastern Mai Hanh packaging Paper Factory specialized in producing packaging paper with a capacity of 150 metric tons/year.

- Further, Vietnams paper industry has been facing difficulties in production due to the high cost of imported raw materials, through production has been stable since the start of this year. According to VPPA, global pulp prices increased by an average of 42% within a year, and they are likely to continue to grow. Meanwhile, Vietnam has a smaller number of large-capacity producers of commercial pulp. The domestic pulp industry only meets around 21.8% of domestic paper production demand. The rest of the need is completed by an imported pulp, paper, and waste paper for domestic paper production. It indicates that the exports are very few from the Vietnam side.



Key Market Trends



Food & Beverage Industry Accounts For the Largest Market Share



- The strong growth in the food packaging sector in Vietnam has resulted in the increased demand for paper packaging in the country. It is also forecast that eco-friendly products made from paper can grow in the food packaging industry to replace disposable plastic products.

- Moreover, the government strongly advocates dairy consumption, notably by implementing school milk programs. In October 2020, Vietnam Dairy Product JSC ("Vinamilk"), one of Vietnams first advocates for the School Milk Program, marked its contribution toward the health and well-being of 3.3 million students on World Milk Day 2020.

- Further, increasing consumer demands for convenience in urban areas are among the major drivers for packaged naturally healthy beverages. Buying ready-to-consume juice is much easier and less time-consuming than making freshly squeezed or brewed beverages at home.

- Beyond milk, other dairy products have been gathering momentum in Vietnam, including yogurt. In Vietnam, yogurt has long been considered a wholesome choice, and there is a scope for vendors to explore this segment. By leveraging the natural benefits of yogurt products and presenting them in smaller packaged portions, companies can appeal to increasingly health-conscious Vietnamese consumers and allow them to indulge in guilt-free snacking.

- Further, vendor activities in the region have been contributing toward shaping the market landscape. In the mid of 2020, SIG and Nestle Vietnam launched combismile in Vietnam to target the growing demand for convenient and nutritional on-the-go drinks. With support from SIG, Nestle Vietnam has expanded its popular range of Milo malted milk with MILO Breakfast and MILO Classic.

- Additionally, the new combismile packs offered by Nestle Vietnam carry the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) label confirming that wood from FSC-certified, responsibly managed forests and other controlled sources is used for the manufacture of the unprocessed cardboard.



E-commerce & Consumer Electronics Segment to Drive the Market Growth



- E-Commerce has earned customers trust in terms of quality deliverables and aftersales support, which supports them for multiple orders online. In reply to this, packaging solution providers give robust packaging solutions to sustain damages throughout handling and logistics in Vietnam.

- As surveyed in 2020, around 88% of internet users in Vietnam have shopped online, indicating an increase from the previous year. In that year, food was the most popular online shopping category among shoppers in the country. (As per Ministry of Industry and Trade).

- In June 2020, Tiki raised USD 130 million from NorthStar Group and a majority stake investment from Chinas JD.com. Another example of these investments is the USD 51 million deal of Sendo.vn from Japans SBI Holdings. Grab and Gojek, the regions two most valuable startups, have evaluated the terms of a potential merger. This merger has the power to shift market dynamics across Southeast Asias e-commerce sector.

- Moreover, the Vietnamese electronic industry is one of the fastest-growing and most crucial industries in Vietnam. Dominated by multinational businesses, the industry has significantly boosted Vietnams trade volume and contributed to its GDP in the past decade. Electronic products include a vast range of fragile products and need extra care while shipping, packaging of these goods must have a protective feature. Window Cartons are the type of cartons usually used for packaging in the electronics industry. They have a transparent window that helps the customer get the idea of that product. Switches, lamps, and bulbs are some products that are usually packed in window cartons.

- Additionally, the mobile market in the country is the revived category of consumer electronics, which has the most extensive penetration. With constant development by the technologies, smartphone market growth is augmenting. Also, in response to this growth, e-commerce businesses are partnering for their distribution and launches, resulting in the increasing demand for the e-commerce packaging market.

- Further, online shopping in Vietnam has been boosted recently by movement restrictions related to the coronavirus outbreak, with online sales rising by up to 20% from the pre-pandemic period. Furthermore, Vietnam has been aiming for double-digit annual growth in the turnover of e-commerce over the next five years. As per the government of Vietnams data on e-commerce development strategy, more than half of Vietnams 96 million people are set to shop online by 2025. Such expectation would lead to higher demand for carton paper in the e-commerce sector.



Competitive Landscape



The Vietnam Paper Packaging market is moderately competitive and consists of many significant players, with some of the top players accounting for a substantial chunk of the market share. Some of the major companies in the Vietnamese Paper Packaging market include Song Lam Trading & Packaging Production, Tetra Pak International SA, Hanh Packaging Co. Ltd, Oji Interpack Vietnam Co. Ltd, Ltd., and Khang Thanh Co., Ltd, among others. These influential players with a noticeable share in the market concentrate on expanding their customer base across the region. Acquisitions, partnerships with industry participants, and new product/service rollouts have been the key competitive strategies exhibited by the vendors in the market. Some of the recent developments in the market are:



- December 2020 - Rengo Co. Ltd has announced its joint venture in Thailand, Thai Containers Group Co. Ltd (TCG) acquired 94.11% of the shares in Bien Hoa Packaging Joint Stock Company, a corrugated packaging and folding carton manufacturer located near Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, through TCG Solutions Pte. Ltd, TCGs subsidiary. The group is expected to have six corrugated packaging plants and two folding carton plants in Vietnam through the acquisition.

- November 2020 - Oji Holdings Corporation has announced a new corrugated container plant in the southern province of Dong Nai, Vietnam. This new plant will be 80,000 square meters and the 34th corrugated container plant in Southeast Asia. The company already operates five corrugated plants in Vietnam with three in the north and two in the south and will expand the business with the third plant in the south.



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__________________________
Washington, Aug. 18, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, the U.S. Small Business Administration announced its senior leadership team and key Biden-Harris Administration appointees. This experienced group of staffers will join thousands of SBA career servants working tirelessly to deliver recovery funding to millions of small businesses and rebuild the engine of our nation's economy. In April, Antwaun Griffin was named Chief of Staff to lead the agency as it provides a historic $1 trillion in economic relief to America's entrepreneurs, small businesses, and nonprofits.

"The Biden-Harris Administration and Administrator Guzmans commitment to equity is evident, not just in policy, but in personnel. At every level, our staff represents America, and we are a better agency because of it," said SBA Chief of Staff, Antwaun Griffin. These dedicated public servants have answered the call to serve during a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic. I am incredibly proud of the team we have assembled at the SBA and look forward to the work we will accomplish together serving our nations small businesses.

Appointees and their roles are listed per office, below:

Office of the Administrator

Daniel Krupnick, Counselor to the Administrator. Previously, Daniel served as Chief of Staff and Assistant Treasurer for Policy for Connecticut State Treasurer Shawn T. Wooden, working on initiatives aimed at engaging more financial services companies to respond to the racial equity divide and creating a whole-of-government response to the gun violence epidemic. He is an alum of Giffords: Courage to Fight Gun Violence, and the SBA, as Assistant Administrator for Congressional and Legislative Affairs. He attended American University and is a New York native.

Arthur Plews, Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy. Previously, Arthur served at Stripe, a financial technology company and payment provider, and as a Policy Advisor and then Chief Innovation Officer at SBA. He attended Princeton University and Yale Law School and is an Indiana native.

Kendall Corley, Deputy Chief of Staff for External Affairs. Previously, Kendall served as Senior Advisor for Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs for the Biden-Harris Presidential Inaugural Committee, is an alum of the Biden-Harris presidential campaign and served in state and local government with the South Carolina Court System and Department of Social Services. He attended Norfolk State University and is a South Carolina native.

Scott Harriford, White House Liaison. Previously, Scott served as Southeastern Political Director for the Biden-Harris presidential campaign and is an alum of the office of Representative Joe Cunningham (South Carolina-1st) and the James Smith for South Carolina Governor campaign. He attended the University of South Carolina and is a South Carolina native.

Diedra Henry-Spires, Senior Advisor for COVID Programs. Prior to the SBA, Diedra served as CEO of The Dalton Daley Group for Children and Families, a Maryland-based nonprofit, and as a top advocacy, policy strategist, and congressional staffer, helping to engineer the Affordable Care Act along with other key legislation such as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), Jobs Creation Act of 2010, The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, and The Middle-Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012. She attended The Pennsylvania State University and Harvard John F. Kennedy School of Government and is a New York native.

Cynthia Jasso-Rotunno, Director of Engagement (Acting). Prior to the SBA, Cynthia served in multiple positions with the Democratic National Convention Committee and Democratic National Committee, including Latino Political Director, and is an alum of the Clinton and Obama Administrations, working in the Office of Political Affairs and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), respectively. She attended the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley and is a Texas native.

Jeri Sparling, Director of Scheduling. Prior to the SBA, Jeri served as Trips Director for the Biden-Harris presidential campaign in Iowa and Virginia and is an alum of the offices of Representatives James Oberstar (Minnesota-8th) and David Trone (Maryland-6th). She attended Pine Technical College and Winona State University and is a Minnesota native.

Katie Frost, Policy Advisor. Prior to the SBA, Katie served as the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA)s Operating System Team Lead for Rail Operations Control Center Transformation and consulted for federal clients in the homeland security and emergency management space. She attended the University of California, Los Angeles, and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and is a California native.

Isabelle James, Special Advisor. Previously, Isabelle served as New Hampshire Deputy State Director for the Biden-Harris presidential campaign and on the Biden-Harris Transitions SBA Agency Review Team and is an alum of Giffords: Courage to Fight Gun Violence. She attended Georgetown and Stanford Universities and is a California native.

Bajeyah Eaddy, Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff. Previously, Bajeyah served as Associate Coalitions Director for the Biden-Harris Presidential Inaugural Committee and is also an alum of the Biden-Harris presidential campaign. She attended Barber-Scotia College and is a South Carolina native.

Shea Martinson, Confidential Assistant to the Administrator. Prior to the SBA, Shea served as a Regional Organizing Director for the Biden-Harris presidential campaign and organized across various states. She attended Sonoma State University and is a California native.

Taylor Wright, Special Assistant to the Administrator. Previously, Taylor served as Director of Policy and Programs for Columbia, South Carolina Mayor Steve Benjamin. He attended the University of South Carolina and is a South Carolina native.

Lauren Kerner, Special Assistant to the Deputy Administrator. Prior to the SBA, Lauren served as a Regional Organizing Director for the Florida Coordinated Campaign and organized across various states for the Biden-Harris presidential campaign. She attended University of California, Irvine and Oxford University and is a California native.

Office of Capital Access

Patrick Kelley, Associate Administrator. Prior to the SBA, Patrick served as Executive Vice President for Channel Partnerships at Live Oak Bank and held various positions at the U.S. Department of Commerce and the SBA, including as Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor. He attended Colgate University and Boston College Law School and is a Connecticut native.

Veronica Pugin, Senior Advisor. Prior to the SBA, Veronica served the State of California working on equitable small business capital access, led macroeconomic planning at LinkedIn, and consulted government and nonprofit clients on programs targeting underserved communities, with a focus on Latino and underbanked populations. She attended Stanford University and Claremont McKenna College and is a California native.

Nicola Montagna, Special Advisor. Previously, Nicola served on the Biden-Harris Transition and the Financial Operations team for the Biden-Harris presidential campaign. She also worked on product finance at Uber and structured credit investment at Apollo Global Management. She attended the University of Michigan and is a Michigan native.

Office of Government Contracting & Business Development

Bibi Hidalgo, Associate Administrator. Prior to the SBA, Bibi served as a policy lead for the Biden-Harris Transition and is Co-Founder of Future Partners, LLC, advising state and local governments, union leaders, and Fortune 50 corporate executives, including the Walt Disney Company. She attended Catholic University of America and Harvard University and is a Florida native.

Tiffany Townsend, Senior Advisor. Prior to the SBA, Tiffany served as Senior Vice President of External Affairs for the Brooklyn Navy Yard, a mission-driven industrial park focused on growing the modern, urban industrial sector in New York City, and has worked with a range of organizations in both the public and private sectors including local governments. She attended George Washington University and Columbia University and is a New York native.

Sal DeFrancesco, Special Assistant. Previously, Sal served as a Regional Organizing Director for the Pennsylvania Coordinated Campaign and organized across various states for the Biden-Harris presidential campaign. He attended Harvard University and is a Pennsylvania native.

Office of Communications & Public Liaison

Han Nguyen, Associate Administrator (Acting). Prior to the SBA, Han served in the office of Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot. Over his career, he has spearheaded integrated communications strategies that have produced innovative, cutting-edge messaging campaigns for various national and local political figures and causes. He attended Juniata College and is a resident of Chicago, Illinois.

Terrence Clark, Director of Communications. Previously, Terrence served as Communications Director for U.S. Senator Reverend Warnocks (Georgia) 2020 senate campaign and is an alum of U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warrens (Massachusetts) 2020 presidential campaign, U.S. Senator Bob Caseys (Pennsylvania) 2018 senate campaign, and The Coca-Cola Company. He attended Georgia State University and is a Georgia native.

Christina Carr, Press Secretary. Prior to the SBA, Christina served as Communications Director for U.S. Representative Ruben Gallego (Arizona-7th) and is an alum of CQ Roll Call. She attended the University of Miami and is a Pennsylvania native.

Emilie Surrusco, Senior Speechwriter. Previously, Emilie served as the President and Founder of Ellsworth Media Group and is an alum of the SBA, American Federation of Teachers, the American Bar Association, and Alaska Wilderness League. She attended Pitzer and Goucher Colleges and is a Washington, D.C. native.

Tate Mitchell, Press Assistant. Prior to the SBA, Tate served as Regional Get Out The Vote (GOTV) Director for the Democratic Party of Georgia and organized across various states for the Biden-Harris presidential campaign. She attended the University of Missouri and is a Texas native.

Office of Congressional & Legislative Affairs

Kevin Wheeler, Associate Administrator. Prior to the SBA, Kevin served in the U.S. Senate for more than 20 years, serving seven members, including serving as Deputy Democratic Staff Director for the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee under U.S. Senators John Kerry (Massachusetts), Mary Landrieu (Louisiana), Maria Cantwell (Washington), and Jeanne Shaheen (New Hampshire), and most recently Chair Ben Cardin (Maryland). She attended the University of Houston and is a Texas native.

David Brown, Deputy Associate Administrator for the Senate. Previously, David served as Economic Policy Advisor to U.S. Senator Chris Coons (Delaware) and is an alum of Third Ways Economic Program and a former educator. He attended Rice University and the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and is a Georgia native.

Alejandro Renteria, Deputy Associate Administrator for the House. Prior to the SBA, Alejandro served as Policy Advisor on small business, banking, tax, trade, and immigration for U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (Nevada) and is an alum of the offices of U.S. Representatives Lou Correa (California-46th), Lauren Underwood (Illinois-14th), and U.S. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (Nevada). He attended San Diego State University and is a California native.

Preston Hardge, Legislative Policy Advisor. Previously, Preston served as a Regional Organizing Director for the Georgia Coordinated Campaign during the 2020 presidential campaign cycle and held legislative and outreach roles with the State of Illinois and City of Kansas City, Missouri. He attended Hampton University and the University of Illinois-Springfield and is a Texas native.

Office of Entrepreneurial Development

Mark Madrid, Associate Administrator. Previously, Mark served as CEO of Latino Business Action Network and Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative, CEO of the Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, COO of the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and held senior executive banking roles, including at J.P. Morgan on Wall Street. He is a U.S. Army Honorary Colonel, an alumnus of the University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business, and the University of Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business and is a Texas native.

Natalie Madeira Cofield, Assistant Administrator, Womens Business Ownership. Previously, Natalie served as Founder & CEO of Walker's Legacy and the Walker's Legacy Foundation, providing programming to support thousands of multicultural women entrepreneurs and has years of experience leading business and trade associations. She attended Howard University and the Baruch School of Public Affairs and is a New York native.

Shalei Holway, Senior Advisor. Prior to the SBA, Shalei served in a leadership role at Wayfair, an e-commerce company, pioneering strategies to combat COVID-driven disruption by partnering with Wayfairs thousands of small business suppliers, and is an alum of HelloFresh and JPMorgan Chase. She attended Barnard College and Harvard Business School and is a Massachusetts native.

Office of Field Operations

Julie Verratti, Associate Administrator. Previously, Julie served as Founder, Chief Brand Officer, and owner-operator of Denizens Brewing Co. in Maryland, as an advisor to the SBAs Acting Administrator on the Affordable Care Act and is an alum of the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. She attended Brandeis University and The George Washington University Law School and is a Maryland native.

Office of Investment & Innovation

Bailey DeVries, Associate Administrator. Previously, Bailey served as Venture Partner at Trail Mix Ventures (TMV), where she dedicated her time to financially inclusive seed stage investments and has served in executive roles with Greenspring Associates, T. Rowe Price Associates, and Sotera Defense Solutions. She has over 17 years of combined experience in business strategy, asset management, government contracting, and investments. She attended Wake Forest University, Northwestern University, and Georgetown University and is an Illinois native.

Jonathan Alter, Senior Advisor. Previously, Jonathan served on campaigns in numerous management and leadership roles during the 2008, 2012, 2018, and 2020 election cycles and has served in executive and strategic advisory roles for numerous private and nonprofit organizations bringing together inventors, investors, and entrepreneurs to incubate, accelerate and commercialize innovation. He attended the University of Chicago and Yale University and is an Illinois native.

Office of the General Counsel

Peggy Delinois Hamilton, General Counsel. Prior to the SBA, Peggy served in several senior legal roles in the financial services sector, including Deputy General Counsel of Sandy Spring Bank, General Counsel of City First Bank of D.C., N.A., and on the faculty at Yale Law School. She attended Brandeis University and Harvard Law School and is a New York native.

Juan M. Sempertegui, Deputy General Counsel. Previously, Juan served as Assistant General Counsel and Senior Vice President at Bank of America, N.A. and is an alum of the State of Marylands Office of the Commissioner of Financial Regulation and the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He attended the University of Maryland, Johns Hopkins University, and American University Washington College of Law and is a Maryland native.

###





About the U.S. Small Business Administration
New York, Aug. 18, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Global Labor Management Software Market 2021-2025" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p05658023/?utm_source=GNW

Our report on the labor management software market provides a holistic analysis, market size and forecast, trends, growth drivers, and challenges, as well as vendor analysis covering around 25 vendors.

The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current global market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. The market is driven by digital transformation and the growing need for businesses to comply with regulatory guidelines and ethical standards. In addition, digital transformation is anticipated to boost the growth of the market as well.

The labor management software market analysis includes the deployment segment and geographic landscape.



The labor management software market is segmented as below:

By Deployment

 On premise

 Cloud based



By Geographical Landscape

 North America

 Europe

 APAC

 South America

 MEA



This study identifies the growing emphasis on refining efficiencies and core capabilities as one of the prime reasons driving the labor management software market growth during the next few years.



The analyst presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources by an analysis of key parameters. Our report on labor management software market covers the following areas:

 Labor management software market sizing

 Labor management software market forecast

 Labor management software market industry analysis



This robust vendor analysis is designed to help clients improve their market position, and in line with this, this report provides a detailed analysis of several leading labor management software market vendors that include Automatic Data Processing Inc., Honeywell International Inc., Infor Inc., International Business Machines Corp., HighJump Software Inc., Kronos Inc., Manhattan Associates Inc., Oracle Corp., Salesforce.com Inc., and SAP SE. Also, the labor management software market analysis report includes information on upcoming trends and challenges that will influence market growth. This is to help companies strategize and leverage all forthcoming growth opportunities.

The study was conducted using an objective combination of primary and secondary information including inputs from key participants in the industry. The report contains a comprehensive market and vendor landscape in addition to an analysis of the key vendors.



The analyst presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources by an analysis of key parameters such as profit, pricing, competition, and promotions. It presents various market facets by identifying the key industry influencers. The data presented is comprehensive, reliable, and a result of extensive research - both primary and secondary. Technavios market research reports provide a complete competitive landscape and an in-depth vendor selection methodology and analysis using qualitative and quantitative research to forecast the accurate market growth.

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05658023/?utm_source=GNW



About Reportlinker

ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



__________________________
Schlieren/Switzerland, 19 August 2021







The news release can be downloaded from the following link:

Attachment
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, Aug. 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- inCruises Internati o nal announced this week that what began as a $100K fundraising goal to benefit their corporate charity of choice has now exceeded $250K raised to help the life-changing work of Mercy Ships.



Announced last February , the company's goal was to allow its members, supporters, and employees to be inspired to give and engage in a matching fund opportunity that would double their impact on the charity's healthcare services to those without other access in sub-Saharan Africa. The inCruises community surpassed the initial $100,000 goal a few weeks into the campaign and raised a total of $261K by August 12, 2021.

Inspired by inCruises partner Javier Cardona, inCruises and Mercy Ships galvanized their connection in 2021. As a parent of a child born with a congenital malformation, my family's dream was to get involved with an organization that could help special children in need like ours. Many families do not have the resources for the treatment and surgeries their children need; some of these conditions are even life-threatening. For these reasons, I became a believer in the mission of Mercy Ships, and I hope our inCruises family will do the same.

Mercy Ships is a non-profit organization and works with nations in sub-Saharan Africa to strengthen local healthcare systems and provide national medical professionals training opportunities. The Africa Mercy, a former Danish rail ferry, is currently preparing to return to West Africa in 2022. The organization is also outfitting their newest purpose-built vessel, the Global Mercy, in Belgium until the new year. Built with the benefit of more than 30 years of offering surgical care, the new vessel will be the world's largest non-governmental hospital ship.

"The excellent work Mercy Ships does serves as a role model of possibility and positivity for some of the world's most needy. Their healing work has empowered our team to give back and support areas of the world that need medical resources the most. We are incredibly grateful to support the life-changing medical solutions Mercy Ships provides," states inCruises CEO Michael Hutchison.

"To provide access to critical surgical expertise in localities where this is simply unavailable to the general population, Mercy Ships relies on the partnership of volunteers and supporters around the world," said Robert Corley, Chief Operating Officer of Mercy Ships. "The incredible commitment from generous corporate partners and donors like inCruises makes it possible to provide these services at no cost to the recipients."

About inCruises International

Since launching its flagship membership in 2015, inCruises International has grown to become the premier cruise membership club with Members and Partners in over 200 countries worldwide. inCruises is making a measurable difference in its Members' lives and is committed to ethically providing a business ownership opportunity to its growing Partner team. The company is also committed to positive global corporate citizenship by supporting Mercy Ships and the Make-a-Wish Foundation. To share in the experience, please visit our Business and Membership opportunity at https://www.incruises.com .

For More Information Contact:

Beatriz Diaz

Beatriz.Diaz@incruises.com

+1 939 475-0930

ABOUT MERCY SHIPS:

Mercy Ships uses hospital ships to deliver free, world-class healthcare services, capacity building, and sustainable development to those with little access in the developing world. Founded in 1978 by Don and Deyon Stephens, Mercy Ships has worked in more than 55 developing countries, providing services valued at more than $1.7 billion and directly benefitting more than 2.8 million people. Our ships are crewed by volunteers from over 60 nations, with an average of over 1200 volunteers each year. Professionals including surgeons, dentists, nurses, healthcare trainers, teachers, cooks, seamen, engineers, and agriculturalists donate their time and skills. With 16 national offices and an Africa Bureau, Mercy Ships seeks to transform individuals and serve nations one at a time. For more information, click on www.mercyships.org .

For More Information Contact:



Laura Rebouche

U.S. National Media Relations Director

Mercy Ships

Office: +1 903.939.7000

Direct: +1 903.939.7137

Email: laura.rebouche@mercyships.org

www.mercyships.org For Intl: Diane Rickard

International Media Relations Manager

Mercy Ships

diane.rickard@mercyships.org

www.mercyships.org/press

Hi-res photos and general Mercy Ships B-Roll video footage are available upon request.

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at



https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/06670390-c610-474b-b2f9-a8bf9552dc5b

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/275e952d-af8c-48b7-b8a4-892757b70129
Dublin, Aug. 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "2021 Vegetable Oil Market - Size, Share, COVID Impact Analysis and Forecast to 2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



Vegetable Oil Market is quickly reaching its pre-COVID levels and a healthy growth rate is expected over the forecast period driven by the V-shaped recovery in most of the developing nations.



Key strategies of companies operating in Vegetable Oil Market Industry are identified as showcasing their contactless manufacturing and delivery methods, highlighting USP statements, focus on product packaging, and increased the presence of products on online platforms.



The food industry is set to experience a few changes in 2021 due to the increased consciousness of consumers in selecting food. This inclination towards sustainable, regenerative, plant-based food and demand for foods and beverages with immunity-boosting ingredients is driving the demand for these products and their constituents. Do It Yourself (DIY) trend has seen huge momentum during COVID times and is expected to continue in 2021.



Considering the rapidly changing market landscape, companies are changing their perspectives on expanding beyond traditional markets. In addition to focusing on widening applications, introducing new product portfolios, most food and beverage companies are planning to capture domestic and international markets.



A fast pace recovery of developing economies leading to increased disposable income will support the Vegetable Oil Market demand between 2021 and 2027.



Lockdowns across the globe in 2020 and continuing restrictions in 2021 disrupted the supply chain posing challenges for manufactures in the Vegetable Oil Market. Intense competition, pricing issues, and shifting consumer preferences will continue to put pressure on vendors' profit margins.



The report presents growth projections in the Vegetable Oil Market between 2021 and 2027 for companies operating across different types, applications, and end-user verticals.



Short-term and long-term trends affecting the market landscape are included in the research. Market drivers, restraints, and potential opportunities are also provided in the report.

Scope of the Report

Global Vegetable Oil Market Industry size, 2020-2027

Market trends, drivers, restraints, and opportunities

Porter's Five forces analysis

Types of Vegetable Oil, 2020-2027

Vegetable Oil applications and end-user verticals market size, 2020-2027

Vegetable Oil Market size across countries, 2020-2027

5 leading companies in the industry - overview, key strategies, financials, and products

Latest market news and developments



Key Topics Covered:

Vegetable Oil Market Latest Trends, Drivers and Challenges, 2020 -2027

Global Vegetable Oil Market Value, Market Share, and Forecast to 2027

Asia Pacific Vegetable Oil Market Value, Market Share and Forecast to 2027

Europe Vegetable Oil Market Value, Market Share, and Forecast to 2027

North America Vegetable Oil Market Value, Market Share and Forecast to 2027

South and Central America Vegetable Oil Market Value, Market Share and Forecast to 2027

Middle East Africa Vegetable Oil Market Value, Market Share and Forecast to 2027

Vegetable Oil Market Structure

Vegetable Oil Industry Recent Developments



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/sst0jf

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.
MINNEAPOLIS and MELBOURNE, Australia, Aug. 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Global Kinetics Pty Ltd (GK) announced today it has entered the Remote Physiologic Monitoring (RPM) space in the U.S. market with its unique system for monitoring Parkinsons disease (PD), the Personal KinetiGraph (PKG). The PKG system is an FDA 510(k) cleared system that features a wearable biosensor for patients to use in their home environment which collects movement data over a continuous period of time and transmits data via a cellular connection. An easy to review report is produced for the clinician to enable more personalized treatment and management decisions ultimately leading to a higher quality of life for persons living with PD. Global Kinetics provides device fulfillment directly to the patients home and delivers comprehensive annotated reports via a clinic-facing portal.



The PKG is ideally suited to support remote and telehealth visits which have increased during the global COVID-19 pandemic. Patients can be monitored in their own home while going about normal activities of daily living. Clinic staff can review monitoring progress including effects of medication changes and adjustments to advanced therapy settings on an ongoing basis to fulfill the RPM reimbursement coding guidelines. This gives clinics a new, reimbursable touch-point with patients between in-person and telehealth visits and a chance for patients to raise questions and concerns about their role in managing the complex symptoms of PD.

The PKG using remote monitoring was initially tested with several Movement Disorder Clinics in the U.S. prior to being released for commercial use. One of the first commercial users to benefit from the PKG using these RPM codes is Dr. Peter Lin, a Movement Disorder Specialist from Valley Parkinson Clinic in Los Gatos, California. Dr. Lin reported, "The Personal KinetiGraph (PKG) system has been very useful in my clinic by giving me a window into the level of control of patient's motor symptoms on an individualized and remote basis. This has helped me to adjust medication doses and DBS programming as well as to engage the patient with a deeper discussion and understanding of their symptoms."

To lead the U.S. commercial business, Global Kinetics is pleased to announce that David Buche is joining the company as the Vice President Sales and Marketing, General Manager US RPM Business. Mr. Buche brings more than 25 years of executive leadership and technology commercialization experience in medical devices/biotech industries and will now lead the launch of its PKG into the U.S. RPM market to help improve the lives of patients with Parkinsons disease. Prior to joining GKC, from 2016 through July 2021, Mr. Buche held Vice President of Sales positions with Reprise Biomedical and StemoniX. From 1998 through 2016, Mr. Buche held sales, marketing or general management positions with Synovis (now Baxter), Integra Lifesciences, Liventa Bioscience and The Ametus Group. Mr. Buche holds an M.B.A., a B.S. in Business and served in the U.S. Navy. Mr. Buche added, Im excited to be joining GKC and equally excited to be leading this exciting program to bring the PKG with its unparalleled clinical experience and CMS/private payor enabled RPM economics to the US Parkinsons patient population.

These announcements come just months after release of positive Level 1 clinical evidence demonstrating a significant difference in patient outcomes with use of the PKG in clinical management using target ranges compared to standard of care treatment.* In addition to the U.S. market, the PKG system is being used globally in clinics across the U.S., Europe and Asia Pacific. Global Kinetics continues to pursue partnerships with major pharmaceutical and medical technology companies in clinical trial protocols to help measure efficacy of new and advanced therapies for managing PD.

* Woodrow et al. A blinded, controlled trial of objective measurement in Parkinsons disease. npj Parkinsons Disease (2020) 6:35; https://doi.org/10.1038/s41531-020-00136-9

About Global Kinetics Pty Ltd.

Global Kinetics Pty Ltd. is committed to improving the lives of those with Parkinsons disease with advanced medical technologies. The company was formed in 2007 to commercialize its lead product, the Personal KinetiGraph (PKG). The PKG enables the precise monitoring, quantification, and reporting of movement symptoms in Parkinsons. To date, Global Kinetics has supported clinical decisions for doctors who have treated more than 30,000 patients with Parkinsons disease, generating more than 7,200,000 hours of clinical data from the FDA-cleared, CE-marked PKG wearable system. Global Kinetics is a privately held company, headquartered in Melbourne, Australia with offices in London, UK, and Minneapolis, MN.

For more information, visit: www.pkgcare.com

Follow our LinkedIn updates: https://www.linkedin.com/company/globalkineticscorp

Media Contact

Global Kinetics Pty Ltd

Karen Krygier

Senior Director Clinical Affairs

Mobile: +1.612.240.2437

Email: karen.krygier@globalkineticscorp.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ad424633-c272-40a3-b844-ace409bdae1c
Pune, India, Aug. 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Global Quantum Computing Market Size is expected to value USD 487.4 million in 2021 and is expected to reach USD 3728.4 million by 2030 at a CAGR of 25.40% over the forecast period from 2021 to 2030. Quantum computing involves use of quantum mechanics to exponentially increase a computers processing power. Quantum computers can accelerate the process in various sectors, from materials science to medicinal chemistry.

Get Sample Copy of This Report @ https://www.quincemarketinsights.com/request-sample-68942

Drug discovery and autonomous vehicles are the fields in which quantum computing is expected to gain significant growth. Quantum computing has applications in training and running machine-learning algorithms. It is expected to assist in solving intricate problems quickly, disease diagnosis, improving applications like fraud detection and efficient energy management. This technology also has vast opportunities in financial risk analysis, route optimization, and portfolio optimization in supply chain areas.

Increasing investment in quantum computing, especially in the private sector, is a major driver of the quantum computing industry. Although quantum computing is in the early stages, companies are exploring new avenues in healthcare, military and defense. Integration with emerging technologies resulting in Quantum-as-a-service (QaaS) will allow businesses to utilize quantum computing resources remotely, which is driving the adoption of the technology.

Quantum computing market is facing challenges in keeping qubits stable, and in low temperatures. The companies operating in the market are keen on overcoming this challenge along with the challenge of a complex process of commercializing quantum computers.

Some Significant Market Developments Considered in the Report:

May 2021 - Google plans to build a commercial quantum computer that can perform large-scale calculations without errors before the end of the decade. The company announced its plans at the Google I/O developer conference.

February 2021 - A Chinese startup, Origin Quantum, launched the country's first homegrown operating system for a quantum computer, challenging the dominance of the United States in the development of the next-generation machines.

April 2021 - The first IBM Quantum System One installed in Europe is now available to companies and research organizations that wish to develop and test applied quantum algorithms and gather expertise. In a joint project with IBM, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft will operate the quantum computer.

COVID-19 Impact on the Global Quantum Computing Market

COVID-19 pandemic, the current crisis provides vast potential for applications of quantum computing. These applications may be helpful in complex situations, such as zoonotic epidemics and pandemics. As quantum computing offers high performance and speed, it is anticipated to be a game-changer in quantum chemistry. It can provide crucial calculations at exponential speed and enhance optimization. Quantum computing has the potential to reduce the timelines of drug discovery and development even further in the future. Hence, the market is witnessing significant growth.

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Quantum Computing Market, by Component

Based on the component, the market is divided into hardware, software, services. Among these segments, hardware segment holds the largest market share in 2021 and is expected to remain the largest segment during the forecast period.

Companies are seeking to commercialize quantum computers built from superconducting and trapped ion qubits. Any quantum computer requires an integrated hardware approach using significant conventional hardware to enable qubits to be controlled, programmed, and read out. There is an increasing demand for quantum computing hardware to help businesses commercialize quantum computing, which is expected to drive segment growth.

Quantum Computing Market, by Deployment

Based on the deployment, the market is divided into cloud, on premise. Among these segments, the on premise segment is expected to be the fastest growing segment during the forecast period.

The segment growth can be attributed to increasing concerns regarding data security. Hence, companies are turning to on premise mode of deployment to achieve high-performance computing. This is expected to contribute to segment growth.

Quantum Computing Market, by Application

Based on application, the market is divided into simulation, sampling, machine learning, optimization, and others. Among these, the machine learning segment holds the largest market share in 2021 and is expected to remain largest during the forecast period.

The growth of the machine learning segment can be attributed to the increasing demand for quantum machine learning as it has high computational power. It can be used in predictive healthcare and in drug discovery.

Quantum Computing Market, by Technology

Based on technology, the market is divided into trapped ions qubits, superconducting qubits, quantum annealing, and others. Among these, the superconducting qubits segment holds the largest market share in 2021 and is expected to remain largest during the forecast period.

The segment growth can be attributed to the adoption of superconducting qubits, becoming the leading candidate for scalable quantum computing platforms. Although continued work on many aspects of this technology is necessary, the pace of both conceptual and technical progress in recent years has been impressive.

Quantum Computing Market, by Industry Verticals

Based on industry verticals, the market is divided into BFSI, aerospace and defense, government, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, transportation, energy and power, chemicals, others. Among these, the healthcare and pharmaceuticals segment holds the largest market share in 2021 and is expected to remain largest during the forecast period.

The segment growth can be attributed to the application of quantum computing in drug design, clinical trials, genome sequencing and analytics, development in predictive medicine and healthcare.

Quantum Computing Market, by Region

Based on region, the quantum computing market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa, and South America.

Based on region, the quantum computing market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, and South America. North America quantum computing market holds the largest market share. The market growth can be attributed to increasing investment in research centers specializing in quantum information science. Companies leading the way are Google, IBM and Microsoft, which are making significant efforts to develop this technology.

Asia Pacific is expected to observe the fastest growth during the forecast period. The regional market is driven by developing digital infrastructure coupled with rising adoption of advanced technologies. The boost for the technology from the government is on account of China focusing on strengthening its strategic defense, space, and military power.

Some Major Findings of the Quantum Computing Market Report Include:

Major global quantum computing market developments and forecast analysis along with a region-specific market analysis for 25 countries

In-depth quantum computing market study by the segments with trend-based insights

Profiles of major market players operating in the global quantum computing market, which include Amazon Web Services, Inc., International Business Machines (IBM), QCWare, Google, Toshiba International Corporation, Microsoft, Intel Corporation, Honeywell International Inc., Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (HP), Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Fujitsu, Cambridge Quantum Computing Ltd., Rigetti & Co, Inc., Accenture., Northrop Grumman., NEC Corporation, Robert Bosch GmbH, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT).

Competitive benchmarking, product offering details, and growth strategies adopted by the leading market players

Key impact factor analysis across regions that includes analysis, along with the drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges that are prevailing in the market

Impact of COVID-19 on the global quantum computing market

Browse key industry insights spread across 165 pages with 135 market data tables and 91 figures & charts from the report,  Quantum Computing Market , by Component (Hardware, Software, Services), Deployment (Cloud, On Premise), Application (Simulation, Sampling, Machine Learning, Optimization, Others), Technology (Trapped Ions Qubits, Superconducting Qubits, Quantum Annealing, Others), Industry Verticals (BFSI, Aerospace and Defense, Government, Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals, Transportation, Energy and Power, Chemicals, Others), and Region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, South America)  Market Size and Forecasting (2021 to 2030)  in depth analysis along with the table of contents (ToC).

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Toronto, Ontario, Aug. 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- New Heights Cannabis has developed the first of its kind Canadian Cannabis Tourism Research Study, in collaboration with the University of Guelph. The study's objective is to understand the demand for Canadian cannabis tourism experiences, and contextualize the average canna tourist profile by exploring their preferences and aims for integrating cannabis experiences into travel plans.

Cannabis and tourism are a natural connection, they really incorporate the entire cannabis ecosystem from education to shopping to enjoyment of the product. Canada is in the early stage of cannabis tourism development and discovery, these experiences can cover a wide range such as accommodations, shopping, events, attractions, lounges, and so much more, said Jennifer Mason, Founder, New Heights Cannabis.

Susan Dupej, PhD, a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Guelph, is leading the research for this unrivalled study to provide crucial data that will enable the industry to invest in cannabis tourism with confidence.

Market research on cannabis tourism is important for gaining a working knowledge of the consumer, which is critical for developing products, services and experiences that meet the needs and preferences of a new market segment in the very early stages of a new industry. - Susan Dupej, PhD, University of Guelph.

A presentation of the Executive Summary of the Canadian Cannabis Tourism Research Study, led by Dupej, will be presented at the New Heights Cannabis Tourism Summit to provide attendees with exclusive access to these crucial insights. The survey is now open for submissions, and participants will be eligible to win a $3,600 canna tourism vacation, courtesy of HiBnb, while also providing vital insights to industry leaders and influencers that could aid post-pandemic recovery efforts. To complete the study, visit newheightscannabis.com/survey.

The 3rd Annual New Heights Cannabis Tourism Summit will take place Monday, October 25, 2021, and will reunite the cannabis and tourism industries virtually. In partnership with the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO), the inspiring one-day event will take place online. It will bring together leaders in tourism and cannabis and connect visionary business owners and policymakers for interactive conversations on the ways recreational cannabis experiences can aid post-pandemic recovery efforts in Canada.

In addition to the Executive Summary of the Canadian Cannabis Tourism Research, summit attendees will also discover more about recreational cannabis adventures like culinary experiences, cannabis festivals and events, cannabis-friendly hotel stays, dispensary tours, wellness and relaxation experiences while gaining insights into development around such happenings. This groundbreaking event promises an energetic and interactive environment for presentations, demonstrations and meaningful conversations. Key speakers at this years event include Jennifer Mason (Founder, New Heights Cannabis), Elizabeth Becker (Founder, HiBnb), Christopher Bloore (TIAO President & CEO), Susan Dupej (Post-Doctoral Fellow, University of Guelph), among other industry playmakers.

The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the essential need for accurate data and analysis of economic trends and behaviours within the tourism industry. Data that has helped shape economic support programs and captured the true size of our industry. Canada is one of the only places in the world that has Federal legislation regarding cannabis. This unique situation, combined with the need for accurate Canadian data, is why we support the need for the Canadian Cannabis Tourism Study that is being done on travel patterns and tourism behaviours. Our members are interested in this market and how this can be an opportunity. TIAOs partnership with New Heights Cannabis and their role in education on this market is one we are proud to support, said Christopher Bloore, President and CEO, TIAO.

Is your business looking for cannabis tourism insights? Pre-orders of the Canadian Cannabis Tourism Research Report are open now and orders placed before September 30, 2021, will receive a special 20% off discounted rate. Gain valuable consumer insights on what people are looking for in a cannabis tourism experience as well as brand preferences and more.

Looking to activate and engage cannabis and tourism professionals? Opportunities to get involved in the New Heights Cannabis Tourism Summit are still available through partnership and sponsorship, to elevate and showcase your brand to the cannabis and tourism industries.

Register now to secure your spot for the New Heights Cannabis Tourism Summit 2021!

New Heights Cannabis

New Heights Cannabis is community designed to connect business professionals, business owners, senior management, industry professionals, government officials and policy makers in the cannabis sector in order to responsibly grow cannabis products, brands and the industry. Our mission is to participate in shaping the responsible growth and profitability of the recreational cannabis industry by connecting and collaborating with other like-minded industry professionals. 

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Dublin, Aug. 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Nigeria Data Center Market - Investment Analysis & Growth Opportunities 2021-2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



Nigeria data center market to grow at a CAGR of 17% during 2021-2026.



The data center market in Nigeria is among the fastest-growing markets in Africa. The Nigeria data center market investments are majorly driven by factors such as digitalization, advanced technologies, the presence of major operators, internet penetration, and government initiatives. The COVID-19 pandemic has been a strong market enabler for several digitization initiatives across Nigeria.

Lagos is the primary data center hub in Nigeria, housing most of Nigeria's total number of data centers. The shift of industry sectors such as BFSI, education, retail, manufacturing, and others towards new technologies such as cloud and big data will aid the market's growth during the forecast period

.NIGERIA DATA CENTER MARKET VENDOR LANDSCAPE

The rapid growth and development of data center projects will allow new players to enter the Nigerian market. Schneider Electric is one of the major vendors among support infrastructure providers in the Nigerian data center market.

The power instability across the country leads to the installation of power backup equipment such as generators among the facility operators, with diesel generators leading the market. IT infrastructure providers such as NetApp, Lenovo, IBM, and HPE have a strong presence in the Nigerian data center market.

NIGERIA DATA CENTER MARKET INSIGHTS

The growing demand for smart devices, the increasing demand for analytics, cloud adoption, and wireless networking technologies have led several organizations in Nigeria to invest in big data and IoT technology.

Despite the slowdown in the economy, IT infrastructure providers and data centers have seen an increase in demand due to the shift to remote working in the country.

Most facilities in the country are adopting low to medium voltage switchgear as the number of data center investments increases.

In 2020, the Nigerian government announced the plan to establish the Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics in Nigeria (CFAIR) to facilitate emerging technologies such as ICT security and networking.

Growing investments in start-ups such as FinTech and e-commerce using big data analytics and IoT applications are expected to increase the demand for all-flash storage in the Nigerian data center market.

The implementation of 5G networks will increase the usage of new-class ethernet switches among facilities in the country.

The adoption of water and air-based chillers in the facilities will gain traction as the region experiences a moderate climate.

Greenfield data center projects are witnessing increased investment from local and global service providers as they aim to expand their presence in the country.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS OF THE REPORT:

Over 90% of Nigeria's data is still hosted abroad. Many government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in Nigeria host their data outside the country. Improved digital infrastructure and connectivity will increase the demand in the country, leading to further growth of data centers.

Nigeria has the presence of renowned contractors such as Arup, that was involved in designing the data center facility for Rack Centre in Lagos.

The penetration of AI and ML to monitor the facilities is likely to increase in the market and improve the efficiency of the facility operations.

21st Century Technology (21CTL) along with Konet has announced an edge hyperscale data center project in Nigeria, to be operational in 2022. The company is also building data centers in Apapa and Ikoyi, as well as edge data centers in Victoria Island, Maryland, and Ikeja.

The market size of Tier IV facilities is expected to reach more than USD 15 million by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 24.42%.

Due to the increased risk of physical security attacks in the country, facilities in Nigeria, are deploying additional security measures such as multi-factor authentication and anti-climb perimeter fences.

Modular data centers are also extensively deployed in the country as a low-cost option to traditional data center deployment. Huawei Technologies is one of the significant vendors supplying modular facilities in the region.

IT Infrastructure Providers

Arista Networks

Broadcom

Cisco Systems

Dell Technologies

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)

Huawei Technologies

IBM

Jupiter Networks

Lenovo

NetApp

Construction Constructors & Sub-Contractors

Arup

CAP DC

Edarat Group

Future-tech

Interkel

JLB Atchitects

NLE

Support Infrastructure Providers

ABB

Caterpillar

Cummins

Eaton

Envicool

Legrand

Rittal

Schneider Electric

Siemens

STULZ

Vertiv Group

Investors

21st Century Technology

Africa Data Centres

Galaxy Backbone

MainOne (MDXi)

Medallion Communications

Rack Centre

Teraco Data Environments

WHY SHOULD YOU BUY THIS RESEARCH?

Market size available in the investment, area, power capacity, and colocation revenue.

An assessment of the Nigeria data center investment in the market by colocation, hyperscale, and enterprise operators

Data center investments in terms of white floor area (square feet) and power capacity (MW) across cities in the country

A detailed study of the existing Nigeria data center market landscape, an in-depth industry analysis, and insightful predictions about the Nigeria data center market size during the forecast period

Snapshot of existing and upcoming third-party facilities in Nigeria

Facilities Covered (Existing): 11

Facilities Identified (Upcoming): 9

Coverage: 2 Cities

Existing vs. Upcoming (Data Center Area)

Existing vs. Upcoming (IT Load Capacity)

Data center colocation market in Nigeria

Market Revenue & Forecast (2020-2026)

Retail Colocation Pricing

Classification of the Nigeria data center market investments into multiple segments and sub-segments (IT, power, cooling, and general construction services) with market sizing and forecast.

A comprehensive analysis of the latest trends, growth rate, potential opportunities, and growth restraints, and prospects for the data center market.

Business overview and product offerings of prominent IT infrastructure providers, construction contractors, support infrastructure providers, and investors operating in the market

A transparent research methodology and the analysis of the demand and supply aspect of the market

REPORT COVERAGE:



EXISTING VS. UPCOMING DATA CENTERS

Existing Facilities in the region (White Floor Area and Power Capacity)

Lagos (No. of facilities: 10)

Abuja (No. of facilities: 1)

List of Upcoming Facilities in the region (White Floor Area and Power Capacity)

NIGERIA DATA CENTER INVESTMENT COVERAGE

Infrastructure Type

IT Infrastructure

Electrical Infrastructure

Mechanical Infrastructure

General Construction

IT Infrastructure

Server

Storage

Network Infrastructure

Electrical Infrastructure

UPS Systems

Generators

Transfer Switches and Switchgears

PDUs

Other Electrical Infrastructure

Mechanical Infrastructure

Cooling Systems

Rack Cabinets

Other Mechanical Infrastructure

Cooling Systems

CRAC & CRAH Units

Chillers

Cooling Towers, Condensers, and Dry Coolers

Other Cooling Units

General Construction

Building Development

Installation & Commissioning Services

Building & Engineering Design

Physical Security

DCIM

Tier Segments

Tier I & Tier II

Tier III

Tier IV

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/eo4ev9
PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Anexinet Corporation , a leading provider of digital business solutions, today announced that The Globee Awards, organizers of the worlds premier business awards programs and business ranking lists, has named Anexinet a Gold winner in the 8th Annual 2021 Sales and Customer Service Excellence Awards for Customer Success of the Year | Information Technology Cloud/SaaS . The company achieved the distinction for helping Day & Zimmermann , one of the largest private companies in the U.S., consolidate data centers and transition to cloud-based services.



To achieve the digital transformation goal of data center consolidation for Day & Zimmermann Anexinet created a hybrid-cloud environment using HPE Synergy/Nimble and Microsoft Azure/Zerto. The new solution allowed the organization to achieve better application performance with agile disaster recoveryall managed by Anexinets expert Managed Services Team .

Anexinet allowed us to upgrade our IT equipment a year early, with all new higher-performance equipment at an attractive price. It was a no-brainer to move forward with that, said Edward Bender, VP Technology and Operations, Day & Zimmermann.

The annual Sales and Customer Service Excellence Awards is an industry and peer international competition, honoring achievements in disciplines that create the best customer experience for business successes everywhere. Judges from a broad spectrum of industry voices from around the world participated and their average scores determined the 2021 award winners.

This distinction demonstrates that Anexinet is committed to truly understanding our clients needs and presenting them with the world-class talent and tools to ensure an exceptional digital experience, said Brian Glahn, CEO, Anexinet. The Globee Award validates this commitment to our clients success with a gold-level honor, we pledge to continue delivering the highest level of sales and service within the industry.

Continuing to raise the bar higher for standards in sales and customer service is key to customer success, said San Madan, co-President at Globee Awards. Effective customer success strategy can lead to higher business growth.

See the complete list of 2021 winners here: https://globeeawards.com/sales-and-customer-service-awards/winners/

Follow Anexinet on Twitter , LinkedIn, Facebook , or via the Anexinet Insights Blog .

About The Globee Awards

The Globee Awards are conferred in eleven programs and competition: the CEO World Awards, the Consumer World Awards, The Customer Sales & Service World Awards, the Globee International Best in Business Awards, the Golden Bridge Awards, the Cyber Security Global Excellence Awards and Security World Awards, the IT World Awards, One Planet American Best in Business Awards, the Globee Employer Excellence Awards, the Globee Corporate Communications & Marketing World Awards, and the Women World Awards. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind their success, the Globee Awards recognize outstanding achievements and performances in businesses worldwide. Learn more about the Globee Awards at https://globeeawards.com or twitter @globeeawards #globeeawards #SalesandServiceawards.

About Anexinet

From intelligent, full-stack engagement strategies and solutions to modern, secure infrastructure products and services, Anexinet focuses on technology-enabled business transformation that drives value. For over two decades, Anexinet has helped companies worldwide solve their most complex challengesfrom engaging front-end interactions to dependable back-end solutions. Anexinets record of client success springs from a culture rooted in thought leadership and delivery excellence. For more information, please visit www.anexinet.com or follow Anexinet on Twitter or LinkedIn.

For more information, contact:

Anexinet Contact

Betsey Rogers

BridgeView Marketing

603-821-0809

betsey@bridgeviewmarketing.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b8940005-1787-477a-bc30-1e81de2efec0
AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pensa Systems , a leading innovator in the automated use of computer vision and artificial intelligence for retail in-store data and analytics, today announced the appointment of a senior revenue leader who will help the company fulfill increasing demand from major brand manufacturers. As Vice President of Sales, Mollie DeBrie will lead sales and go-to-market for consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies and will rapidly expand Pensas CPG sales force.



CPG brands and retailers alike are looking for the best answer to the nearly two trillion dollar problem of stockouts. At any given time, roughly one in 10 products  one in five for certain product categories  is missing from the shelf. This is driving brand and retailer demand for Pensas accurate and comprehensive real-time shelf data and analytics.

DeBrie is a veteran of Kraft Foods and Hormel, as well as market research leaders Numerator (InfoScout), IRI and Sense360. She has decades of experience helping brands increase shopper penetration, accelerate profitable revenue growth and increase market share.

The Pensa system is uniquely effective at detecting stockouts and bringing the shelf online in the new omni-channel world, and thats driving up demand for our syndicated shelf data, said Pensa President and CEO Richard Schwartz. Thats why I am so excited to bring aboard Mollie, an industry veteran with deep experience and expertise in helping CPG brands solve their biggest challenges.

Pensa is a patented, cloud-based automated perception solution that utilizes AI and computer vision to deliver accurate real-time shelf data and analytics. Syndicating the data makes it available for CPG brands and their retailer partners to continuously monitor performance of the actual store shelf to maximize revenue and improve customer satisfaction without expensive custom or long-lead-time efforts. Pensas continuous shelf data capture is device-independent and includes mobile devices and autonomous drones.

Over the past year, Pensa has seen significant growth as evidenced by expanded relationships with customers such as Johnson & Johnson, General Mills and Circle K; and its raise of $11 million in Series A venture capital funding , led by ATX Venture Partners with the addition of corporate investor Circle K Ventures, part of Alimentation Couche-Tard. Pensas footprint has also recently expanded across multiple retail formats and regions, including leading grocery, drugstore and convenience channels.

About Pensa Systems

Pensa is a leading innovator in changing the way brands and retailers manage retail shelf inventory. Pensas data-as-a-service portfolio and use of advanced computer vision and artificial intelligence enable CPG brands and retailers to reduce stockouts and boost revenues by delivering highly accurate real-time visibility of the store shelf at a fraction of the cost of other solutions. Pensa partners with top CPG brands and retailers globally, including Johnson & Johnson, General Mills, Anheuser-Busch InBev, Circle K, and Unilever to address a trillion-dollar blind spot at a critical time in the industry. Please visit pensasystems.com to learn more, and stay connected via Twitter and LinkedIn .

Pensa Systems Contact:

Marianna Vyridi

Email: mvyridi@bigvalley.co

Tel: + 1-650-468-3263

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5d25868e-c789-493b-bd81-31f807d19f33
Sydney, Aug. 19, 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/Dominican-Republic-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses/?utm_source=GNW







A show of stability in the face of widespread disruption is a sure sign of strength in the sector, yet the Dominican Republic remains behind most of its counterparts in the Latin American region, especially in terms of fixed-line network coverage. Mobile penetration is more on a par with the regional average, but at penetration levels of around 88% there is still ample opportunity for growth.





In terms of growth, the standout winner was once again the mobile broadband segment. The market is expected to see close to 8% growth in 2021, building further on the gains it already made in 2020 when lockdowns and work-from-home rules encouraged many people to find ways to upgrade their internet access and performance. The limited coverage of fixed-line broadband networks makes mobile the first, if not only, choice for most people in the country.







Key developments:





Telecom industry regulator Indotel releases 5G Auction Calendar, with selection of winners expected to be announced in September 2021.

National electricity distributor Empresa de Transmision Electrica Dominica (ETED) instructed to open its internal fibre network to provide commercial fixed broadband services.

$115 million loan provided by the Inter-American Development Bank to the Dominican Republic to help finance broadband infrastructure projects in under-served parts of the country.

This report includes the regulator's market data reports and telcos' financial and operating data updates to Q1 2021, Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, assessment of the global impact of Covid-19 on the telecoms sector, and other recent market developments.



Companies mentioned in this report:





Claro Dominicana (America Movil); Altice Dominicana; Orange Dominica; Tricom; Viva (Trilogy Dominicana); Centennial Dominicana; BEC-Tel; Wind Telecom; Onemax.







Read the full report: https://www.budde.com.au/Research/Dominican-Republic-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses/?utm_source=GNW
Sydney, Aug. 19, 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/Croatia-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses/?utm_source=GNW

The regulator has helped promote competition via measures encouraging network access, as well as regional licencing. This has been seen most recently with two 5G licences having been reserved for regional rather than national operations.





The mobile market is served by three MNOs, supplemented by a number of MVNOs. The network operators have focused on improving ARPU by encouraging prepaid subscribers to migrate to postpaid plans, and on developing revenue from mobile data services. 5G services are widely available, though the sector will only show its full potential later in 2021 following the award of licences in several bands. Hitherto reserved for GSM, 3G and LTE use, this spectrum will contribute towards the governments national broadband plan through to 2027, which is tied to the ECs two allied projects aimed at providing gigabit connectivity by the end of 2025.





The broadband sector benefits from effective competition between the DSL and cable platforms, while there are also numerous fibre deployments in urban areas. The number of FttP subscribers broached 134,000 in March 2021.





This report provides an overview of Croatias fixed-line market, covering regulatory developments, infrastructure, and the financial and operating performance of the main operators. The report also covers the mobile voice and data markets, including statistics on service providers, and an assessment of network developments and deployed technologies. In addition, the report reviews the fixed and fixed wireless broadband segment, including statistics and subscriber forecasts.





BuddeComm notes that the outbreak of the Coronavirus continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally. During the coming year the telecoms sector to various degrees is likely to experience a downturn in mobile device production, while it may also be difficult for network operators to manage workflows when maintaining and upgrading existing infrastructure.





Overall progress towards 5G may be postponed or slowed down in some countries.





On the consumer side, spending on telecoms services and devices is under pressure from the financial effect of large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes. However, the crucial nature of telecom services, both for general communication as well as a tool for home-working, will offset such pressures. In many markets the net effect should be a steady though reduced increased in subscriber growth.





Although it is challenging to predict and interpret the long-term impacts of the crisis as it develops, these have been acknowledged in the industry forecasts contained in this report.





The report also covers the responses of the telecom operators as well as government agencies and regulators as they react to the crisis to ensure that citizens can continue to make optimum use of telecom services. This can be reflected in subsidy schemes and the promotion of tele-health and tele-education, among other solutions.







Key developments:





Regulator begins delayed multi-spectrum 5G auction;

United Group acquires majority stake in Optima Telekom from Hrvatski Telekom and Zagrebacka Banka;

Tele2 Croatia rebrands as Telemach Croatia;

A1 Croatia and Hrvatski Telekom deploy NB-IoT network;

Hrvatski Telekom expands the reach of its 5G network, reaching more than two million people in 76 cities by June 2021;

Report update includes the regulator's market data to June 2020, telcos' operating and financial data to Q2 2021, Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, assessment of the global impact of Covid-19 on the telecoms sector, recent market developments.



Companies mentioned in this report:





Hrvatski Telekom (HT), Optima Telekom, Metronet, A1 Croatia (VIPnet), Tele2 Group, United Group, Telemach Croatia







Read the full report: https://www.budde.com.au/Research/Croatia-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses/?utm_source=GNW
New York, US, Aug. 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Leavening Agents Market Overview:

According to a comprehensive research report by Market Research Future (MRFR),  Leavening Agents Market Information by Form, Application, and Region - Forecast till 2028, the market is projected to cross USD 900 Million by 2028 at 5.8% CAGR.

Market Scope

A leavening agent is a material that is primarily used to expand batters and doughs by eliminating gas from the mixtures and resulting in a porous and fluffy baked product. The three main leavening agents used in baking are baking soda, baking powder, and yeast. When such items are used in baking, cakes, bread, cookies, and muffins rise. The amount of gas created depends entirely on the type of leavening agent employed in the baking process. Fermentation, which emits carbon dioxide gas, can be used to leaven a product. Bakers' yeast is available as a pressed cake or powdered form and is made up of living cells of the yeast strain Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

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Competitive Landscape

The prominent companies in the leavening agents market are:

DSM (Netherlands)

Clabber Girl Corporation (US)

Sunkeen (China)

AB Mauri Food Inc. (US)

PURATOS (UK)

Lesaffre (France)

Kraft Foods Group Inc. (US)

Corbion N.V. (Netherlands)

Kudos Blends Limited (UK)

Market Drivers

Consumers are shifting their preferences toward healthier, gluten-free foods. This is a primary driving force in the leavening agent business. Bread is consumed by the majority of people on the planet. The usage of leavening agents in bread is fueling the expansion of the leavening agents' industry. Various marketing methods are also being implemented by the organizations, which are boosting the market for leavening agents.

COVID 19 Analysis

The market for leavening agents is unchanged. Due to the shutdown, the supply of raw materials came to a halt, and demand for leavening agents grew. People chose to cook bread and pastries at home because of social distancing rules. Because leavening agents are rarely used in baked goods, the supply was sufficient to meet the demands of the end users. Due to the lockdown, sales of non-edible products such as disinfectants, toilet paper, paper goods, and hand sanitizer were in high demand at the start of 2020, while sales of edible products such as bakery, meat products, and many others were up to par, as the supply of bakery was insufficient due to a labor shortage. The continuing coronavirus epidemic has increased demand for nutritious and functional bakery foods such as multi-grain, nut, and other healthy items. Given their larger variety and high health quotient, customers are purchasing more bakery products. It has been observed that persons suffering from lifestyle disorders such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity are consuming more bakery items.

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Market Restraints

Along with the various dynamic reasons for the leavening agent market, a few difficulties can thwart its expansion. For foods to produce enough carbon dioxide, the ratio of leavening agents must be balanced. As the number of health-conscious consumers grows, this balance might be a serious problem for the leavening agents business.

Market Segmentation

The form segment of the leavening agents' market is directed by the physical segment, which will direct the market.

The application segment of the leavening agents' market is estimated to be led by the bakery products segment in the forecast period. Despite the lockdown measures, the sector is estimated to flourish as it is an essential item.

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Regional Insights

Due to the massive development in the trend of healthy and gluten-free foods among Americans, North America is predicted to have the greatest leavening agents market share among these regions. The United States is the only country in North America that contributes significantly to leavening agents. As a result, North America is predicted to grow at a rapid pace over the projection period. In the year 2020, Europe accounted for the second biggest market share in the leavening agents market. However, an increase in Europeans' understanding of the health benefits of leavening agents has contributed to the market's expansion.

The Environmental Working Group which supports proposed legislation requiring the Food and Drug Administration to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the safety of food chemicals. The Food Chemical Reassessment Act of 2021 would establish an Office of Food Safety Assessment inside the FDA to ensure that chemicals that have entered the food supply chain through loopholes or that were previously assessed by the FDA decades ago are safe to eat. The bill also calls for an immediate review of PFAS, phthalates, TBHQ, titanium dioxide, potassium bromate, perchlorate, BHA, BHT, BVO, and propyl paraben, which are all harmful fluorinated chemicals found in food or food packaging.

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About Market Research Future:

Market Research Future (MRFR) is a global market research company that takes pride in its services, offering a complete and accurate analysis with regard to diverse markets and consumers worldwide. Market Research Future has the distinguished objective of providing the optimal quality research and granular research to clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help answer your most important questions.
NEW ALBANY, Ohio, Aug. 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Abercrombie & Fitch, a division of Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE: ANF), is proud to announce the launch of the first Abercrombie x The Knot Best Dressed Guest collection, which was co-created with the global wedding experts at The Knot , a leading digital wedding planning destination.



The collection, which is available now at www.abercrombie.com, features dresses, pant suits, blazers, button-ups and more  all perfect for wedding events such as rehearsal dinners, ceremonies and receptions, bachelor/bachelorette parties, and brunches. Combining Abercrombies reputation as a retailer of high-quality apparel and accessories with The Knots leadership in weddings and events has manifested in a versatile, fashion-forward and inclusive collection.

The collection features falls top trending colors and styles, including chic neutrals, sunset colors and wedding-worthy patterns, as well as minimalist silhouettes. All pieces are designed with high-quality materials  some of which are even sweat-wicking for a packed dance floor  at accessible price points. Customers can also find a variety of lengths, fits and sizes, aligning with Abercrombies goal of ensuring all its customers feel as comfortable and confident as possible.

Were laser focused on listening to our millennial customers and providing clothing that fits their lifestyle needs. In 2020, that meant comfortable, work-from-home ready pieces - and this year, were again bringing them the products theyre looking for as they return to celebrating these wonderful life moments that were so greatly missed, said Carey Krug, SVP of Marketing at Abercrombie & Fitch. We couldnt ask for better partners with whom to co-create this collection than our friends at The Knot, the true experts in weddings and events.

As celebrations of love resume after a challenging year of isolation from loved ones, we are thrilled to work with Abercrombie on creating and launching the first Abercrombie x The Knot Best Dressed Guest collection, said Shelley Brown, Senior Fashion and Beauty Editor at The Knot. The collection embraces what the return of weddings is all about  joy, love and an incredibly fun time  yet its also an inclusive collection that was created with comfort in mind and ensures every wedding guest will find something that speaks to them. Inclusivity is woven into the fabric of both The Knot and Abercrombie, which is why this partnership was a natural fit.

To shop the Abercrombie x The Knot Best Dressed Guest collection, visit abercrombie.com or learn more at https://www.theknot.com/content/the-knot-abercrombie-guest-attire-collection.

SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995

A&F cautions that any forward-looking statements (as such term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) contained herein or made by management or spokespeople of A&F involve risks and uncertainties and are subject to change based on various important factors, many of which may be beyond the Companys control. Words such as estimate, project, plan, believe, expect, anticipate, intend, and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements. Except as may be required by applicable law, we assume no obligation to publicly update or revise our forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties related to the duration and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company and the factors disclosed in ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS of A&Fs Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 30, 2021 , and in A&Fs subsequently filed quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, in some cases have affected, and in the future could affect, the companys financial performance and could cause actual results for fiscal 2021 and beyond to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any of the forward-looking statements included in this press release or otherwise made by management.

ABOUT ABERCROMBIE & FITCH

Abercrombie & Fitch believes every day should feel as exceptional as the start of a long weekend. Since 1892, the brand has been a specialty retailer of quality apparel, accessories and fragrance  designed to inspire our global customers to feel confident, be comfortable and face their Fierce.

Abercrombie & Fitch is the namesake brand of Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE: ANF), and is sold through more than 230 stores (includes abercrombie kids) worldwide and www.abercrombie.com globally.

ABOUT THE KNOT

The Knot is the nations leading digital wedding resource offering a seamless, all-in-one planning experiencefrom finding inspiration and local vendors to creating and managing all guest experiences, wedding registries and more. The trusted brand reaches a majority of engaged couples in the US through the #1 wedding planning website TheKnot.com and #1 iOS and Android mobile app The Knot Wedding Planner, The Knot national wedding magazine, and The Knot book series. Since its inception, The Knot has inspired approximately 25 million couples to plan a wedding thats uniquely them. Visit The Knot online at TheKnot.com and follow on social media: Facebook.com/TheKnot and @TheKnot on Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.

Abercrombie & Fitch Media Contact:

Cory Weaver, Ph.D.

Abercrombie & Fitch

(614) 586-2717

Public_Relations@anfcorp.com

The Knot Media Contact:

Melissa Bach

The Knot

pr@theknotww.com

Abercrombie & Fitch Co. Business Media Contact:

Kara Page

Abercrombie & Fitch Co.

(614) 283-6192

Public_Relations@anfcorp.com

Abercrombie & Fitch Co. Investor Contact:

Pam Quintiliano

Abercrombie & Fitch Co.

(614) 283-6877

Investor_Relations@anfcorp.com

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

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James City County, VA, Aug. 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Williamsburg-James City County (WJCC) Schools is partnering with BusPatrol and local law enforcement to improve school bus safety when students return to school August 30.

More than 150 WJCC Schools buses are now equipped with the BusPatrol 360 Student Safety Platform. Safety and technology upgrades include stop-arm cameras to deter drivers from illegally passing stopped school buses as well as 360-degree safety cameras (interior, windshield, rearview, and sideload cameras) and GPS. The district is also the first to implement BusPatrols new wide-angle interior cameras. School transportation officials can now access this data and more through BusPatrols secure cloud software.

Every time a car passes a stopped school bus, the driver is endangering the lives of our children, said John Lambusta, WJCC Schools director of transportation. Data suggests that drivers illegally pass school buses more than 300 times a month in Williamsburg and James City County. Its time to put the brakes on this reckless behavior.

According to reports from WJCC Schools bus drivers, there were 2,207 unofficial violations in the local community from September 2019 to March 2020. With the enhanced technology from BusPatrol and the support of local law enforcement agencies, the division hopes to decrease the number of incidents this school year.

The equipment, installation, and maintenance are provided to the school division at zero cost. The program is entirely violator funded, meaning that the drivers that ignore school bus stopping laws and put children at risk, fund the technology that protects them.

Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools has taken a proactive step to ensure that students return to school safely this August, Jean Souliere, CEO and Founder at BusPatrol said. BusPatrols suite of technology is designed to protect students at every moment of their journey to school. Our new wide-angle interior camera will give student transportation officials better visibility and empower them to respond to safety incidents that happen on the bus in real-time.

According to Virginia DMV, drivers must:

stop for stopped school buses with flashing red lights and an extended stop sign when approaching from any direction

remain stopped until everyone is clear and the bus moves again

stop whenever the bus is loading or unloading passengers, even if the lights and stop sign are not activated

If a school bus is on the opposite side of a median or barrier, motorists arent required to stop; however, drivers should be prepared for students exiting the school bus and crossing into their lanes. The penalty for a first-time violation is $250.

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OAK HAMMOCK MARSH, Manitoba, Aug. 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC), one of the countrys largest and longest-standing conservation organizations, today announces that Larry Kaumeyer will become its chief executive officer this fall.



Ive been an avid supporter of Ducks Unlimited Canada my entire life. Its an honour to be joining a team that delivers such a meaningful and tangible impact on the landscape, says Kaumeyer. I look forward to building on this record of success.

Kaumeyer grew up on a cattle farm outside of Calgary, Alta., where his passion for nature and the outdoors first began. In recent decades, hes held leadership roles in the energy and financial sectors while volunteering with conservation-based non-profit organizations. Today, hes well known as a senior strategic advisor for the Government of Alberta where hes carried forward his commitment to conservation by helping deliver many science-based environmental and climate policies, forging strong relationships with influential politicians across parties, and partnering with industry leaders across the agriculture, energy, and forestry sectors to advance sustainability efforts.

This is a critical moment in our collective effort to mitigate climate change and protect our natural resources and wildlife habitats, says Kaumeyer. I am proud and humbled to lead the Ducks Unlimited Canada team and collaborate with our partners across industries and sectors to create positive outcomes for our natural spacesand our communities that depend on them.

To date, DUC has conserved more than 6.6 million acres across the country through its habitat programs and influenced 195.2 million more through partnerships and policy efforts. The organization is guided by its in-house team of conservation scientists who are world-leaders in wetland and waterfowl biology and ecology. DUC also delivers award-winning education programs designed to equip the next generation with the tools and knowledge to become the conservationists of tomorrow.

As we increase the scale of our conservation efforts to conserve and restore more wetland and grassland habitats and contribute to Canadas climate and biodiversity goals, Larrys leadership skills, experience across industries, and propensity for relationship building will be instrumental in our ongoing success, says Kevin Harris, president of DUC.

Kaumeyer will be joining DUC on October 4, 2021. Karla Guyn, DUCs current CEO, will remain in place to assist with the transition until her retirement at the end of that month.

For more information, visit www.ducks.ca



Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) is the leader in wetland conservation. A registered charity, DUC partners with government, industry, non-profit organizations, landowners and Indigenous Peoples to conserve wetlands that are critical to waterfowl, wildlife and the environment.

Contact:

Ashley Lewis

Senior Communications Specialist

Ducks Unlimited Canada

media@ducks.ca

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SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FCB has announced the appointment of Jordan Doucette as Chief Creative Officer of FCB West, the networks nimble, boutique creative agency in San Francisco. In partnership with FCB West President and Chief Strategy Officer Simon White, Doucette will lead creative vision for FCB Wests client portfolio that includes Levis, Clorox and Ghirardelli, as well as HOKA ONE ONE, which appointed FCB as its first-ever global creative agency of record in June 2021.



Doucette will also be working closely with Global Chief Creative Officer Susan Credle and will join FCBs Global Creative Council. I met Jordan on a panel in Canada years ago. She was impressive. Wicked funny and smart. Self-deprecating but she can hold her own. Over the years, we have shared a few meals and contemplated working together. Several colleagues I have deep respect for have said that Jordan is one of the best out there. As we strive to do our best work on our most ambitious brands, I know Jordan will help us get there, said Credle.

Most recently, as Partner and President at No Fixed Address Inc., Doucette helped Sunnybrook Hospital launch #UnsilenceTheConversation, a campaign and baby content ad blocker to help those who have suffered pregnancy loss and normalize the conversation around it.

Prior to joining No Fixed Address, Jordan was the Chief Creative Officer at Leo Burnett Chicago, where her leadership on CPG brands such as Kelloggs and KraftHeinz used the power of creativity to transform brand reputations and business results. Her favorite work includes KraftHeinzs Kraft Now, Pay Later, which aimed to alleviate financial burdens for federal employees during the 2019 government shutdown; creating the iC1 sneaker for Serta Mattress, which was the first mattress you could wear on your feet and an entirely new way to try out a mattress; and bringing six cereals and mascots together in one box of Kelloggs All Together Cereal, in partnership with GLAAD, as a demonstration of inclusivity and acceptance.

Jordan is an exceptional creative leader whos perfect for our forward-thinking clients who are continually exploring whats next in marketing and advertising. She uses every media and technology at her disposable to unleash creativity to drive outstanding business results. Her work is powerful and moving  she makes people care about brands and issues, said White.

Doucettes appointment follows a historic year for the network, which includes FCB being named Network of the Year at Cannes Lions 2020/2021 and Global Agency of the Year by Adweek. In June 2021, HOKA ONE ONE, a division of Deckers Brands, named FCB its global creative agency of record, with FCB West serving as the global lead office.

Ive long admired Susan and the culture of generosity and collaboration she has fostered. So, the chance to be part of this insanely talented group of people, get back to working in the U.S. with a strategic partner like Simon, felt like a career-defining next step for me, said Doucette.

About FCB

FCB (Foote, Cone & Belding) is a global, award-winning and integrated marketing communications company with a heritage of creativity and success dating from 1873. Named Cannes Lions 2020/2021 Network of the Year, Adweek 2020 Global Agency of the Year, 2020 Ad Age A-List Agency Standout and the #1 Global Network on The Good Report 2020, FCB focuses on creating Never Finished campaign ideas that have the power to transform brands, businesses and communities. With more than 8,000 people in 109 operations in 80 countries, the company is part of the Interpublic Group of Companies (NYSE: IPG). Visit fcb.com or follow @FCBglobal on Instagram and Twitter and FCB Global on Facebook and LinkedIn.

Contact:

Melanie Mitchem

Melanie.Mitchem@fcb.com

917-902-0998

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Dallas, Texas, Aug. 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Texas-based law firm Kane Russell Coleman Logan has twenty attorneys recognized in the 2022 edition of The Best Lawyers in America, including 4 on the Ones to Watch list. These attorneys represent a broad cross section of the firms corporate, litigation, real estate, labor and employment, tax, bankruptcy, and immigration practices in both the Dallas and Houston offices of KRCL.

Best Lawyers in America is one of the most recognized peer-selected honors for attorneys, and we are very proud to have so many of our colleagues selected for 2022. We have several new additions to the list this year, including four of our lawyers selected for Ones to Watch while several others have been recognized for more than 10 consecutive years, said Managing Director and Chair of the Board of Directors Karen Cox.

First published in 1983, the Best Lawyers list is reliant on peer review alone. According to Best Lawyers, the thorough selection process is designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Honorees are selected through a combination of peer review votes and analysis of written feedback, resulting in a comprehensive list of attorneys that is recognized for their high caliber of legal knowledge, ethics, and professionalism.

Eight attorneys from the firms Houston office have been selected:

Eight attorneys from the firms Dallas office have been selected:

Four additional attorneys from the Dallas office were selected for the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch list. This award recognizes attorneys who are earlier in their careers for outstanding professional excellence in private practice:

Kane Russell Coleman Logan PC is a full-service law firm with offices in Dallas and Houston. Formed in 1992, the firm provides professional services for clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to medium-sized public and private companies to entrepreneurs. KRCL handles a wide array of transactional, litigation, employment, and bankruptcy matters in Texas and throughout the country.

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New York, NY, Aug. 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHAT: From Resilience Indicators to Action: The Water Resilience Assessment Framework Event

WHERE: World Water Week | Press pass | General registration

WHEN: August 24th, 2021, from 12:30 to 1:30 PM (ET)

The CEO Water Mandate, in partnership with the International Water Management Institute, Pacific Institute, AGWA and World Resources Institute, will launch the Water Resilience Assessment Framework (WRAF) during World Water Week held from 23-27 August. The Framework is designed to inform and support decisions and actions among stakeholders to ensure both short- and long-term water system resilience.

To support the application of WRAFs four-step iterative process by key audiences, the project will further develop 3 key sector specific guidance documents focusing on business, urban planners and basin authorities.

Notes to Editors

About the CEO Water Mandate

The CEO Water Mandate is a United Nations Global Compact initiative that mobilizes business leaders on water, sanitation, and the Sustainable Development Goals for corporate water stewardship. Endorsers of the Mandate commit to continuous progress against six core elements (direct operations, supply chain and watershed management, collective action, public policy, community engagement and transparency) and in so doing understand and manage their own water risks. Established in 2007 and implemented in partnership with the Pacific Institute, the Mandate was created out of the acknowledgement that global water challenges create risk for a wide range of industry sectors, the public sector, local communities and ecosystems alike. For more information, follow @H2O_stewards on Twitter and visit our website at ceowatermandate.org.

About AGWA

AGWAs vision is for effective climate change adaptation and mitigation practices to be mainstreamed and enabled within water resources management decision-making processes, policies, and implementation. The mission of AGWA is to provision tools, partnerships, guidance, and technical assistance to improve effective decision making, action, governance, and analytical processes in water resources management, focusing on climate adaptation and mitigation.

About WRI

World Resources Institute (WRI) is a global research organization that spans more than 60 countries, with international offices in Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico and the United States, regional offices in Ethiopia (for Africa) and the Netherlands (for Europe), and program offices in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Turkey and the United Kingdom. Our more than 1,400 experts and staff turn big ideas into action at the nexus of environment, economic opportunity and human well-being. More information at www.wri.org.

About IWMI

The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) is an international, research-for-development organization that works with governments, civil society, and the private sector to solve water problems in developing countries and scale up solutions. Through partnership, IWMI combines research on the sustainable use of water and land resources, knowledge services, and products with capacity strengthening, dialogue, and policy analysis to support implementation of water management solutions for agriculture, ecosystems, climate change, and inclusive economic growth. Headquartered in Colombo, Sri Lanka, IWMI is a CGIAR Research Center and leads the CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems (WLE). Find out more at www.iwmi.org.

About the United Nations Global Compact

As a special initiative of the UN Secretary-General, the United Nations Global Compact is a call to companies everywhere to align their operations and strategies with Ten Principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. Our ambition is to accelerate and scale the global collective impact of business by upholding the Ten Principles and delivering the Sustainable Development Goals through accountable companies and ecosystems that enable change. With more than 12,000 companies and 3,000 non-business signatories based in over 160 countries, and 69 Local Networks, the UN Global Compact is the worlds largest corporate sustainability initiative  one Global Compact uniting business for a better world.For more information, follow @globalcompact on social media and visit our website at unglobalcompact.org.

For further media inquiries please contact:

Ilsa Ruiz

CEO Water Mandate

iruiz@pacinst.org

Alexandra Gee

UN Global Compact

gee@unglobalcompact.org

Anson Justi

AGWA

ajusti@alliance4water.org

Marlena Chertock

WRI

marlena.chertock@wri.org

Russell Sticklor

IWMI

r.sticklor@cgiar.org
ATLANTA, Aug. 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Board of Directors of Chart Industries, Inc. (NYSE: GTLS) has appointed Paula Harris, Linda Harty, and Roger Strauch as new directors effective today. With these appointments, the Chart Board of Directors is comprised of eight independent directors and our CEO and President, Jill Evanko. Four of our nine directors are female and five of our nine are diverse.



Paula Harris has over 34 years of experience in international oilfield services with Schlumberger Ltd. Educated as a petroleum engineer with a Bachelor of Science, Petroleum Engineering from Texas A&M University, Ms. Harris initially worked in field operations offshore before progressing into leadership roles in training, sales and ultimately, in environmental-social (ES) sustainability. She most recently served as Director of Global Stewardship for Schlumberger from 2015 until her retirement in June 2020. Ms. Harris led the development and implementation of metrics-based, cost efficient ES programs tailored to meet the local needs of stakeholders, employees, communities and customers. She was responsible for this program aiding the delivery of the long-term Schlumberger sustainable development goals in carbon reduction, energy efficiency, increased green technology sales and increased female and minority employees. Ms. Harris currently serves on the boards of: The Vantage Group, The Houston Childrens Museum, the Petroleum Club of Houston, the Independent Petroleum Association of Americas Energy Education Center and Energized for STEM Charter School. She is a founding member of the all-girls engineering school, the Young Womens College Preparatory Academy. In 2020, she received the Women Who Mean Business Lifetime Achievement award from the Houston Business Journal and in 2019, the Women on the Move award from Texas Executive Women and the United Nations Global Citizenship Award. Paula also has a Master of Education, Technical Instruction and Learning from Abilene Christian University. Ms. Harris will serve on Charts Compensation Committee, effective immediately.

Linda Harty is a proven board member and her extensive broad-based experience across finance, accounting, treasury & tax in addition to strategy, capital allocation and M&A aligns well with the strategic direction of Chart. Ms. Harty previously served as Vice President, Treasurer of Medtronic, a global company specializing in medical technology, services and solutions. Ms. Harty also served as Executive Vice President, Treasurer and Group CFO at Cardinal Health in Columbus, Ohio and has held financial leadership positions at RTM Restaurant Group, BellSouth, ConAgra and Kimberly-Clark. Ms. Harty earned her undergraduate degrees in finance and economics from the University of Wisconsin  Oshkosh, and furthered her studies in accounting at Georgia State University. In addition to Charts Board, Ms. Harty serves on three boards of directors, Parker Hannifin, Wabtec, and Syneos Health. Ms. Harty will serve on Charts Audit Committee, effective immediately.

Roger Strauch is chairman of The Roda Group, an early-stage venture capital group focused on investment opportunities that address the consequences of climate change, stress on the Earth's natural resources and the increased demand for low carbon energy. Mr. Strauch has incubated and developed technologies sold to HP, Logitech, and American Greetings. Mr. Strauch is the former Chairman of the Board of Directors of Cool Systems, the manufacturer of Game Ready, a medical physical therapy system, which was sold to Halyard Health in 2018. He was CEO and former chairman of Ask Jeeves (now Ask.com) a leading search engine on the web. Mr. Strauch recently served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute in Berkeley. He is a member of the Engineering Dean's College Advisory Board of University of California at Berkeley and is the recipient of the 2002 Wheeler Oak Meritorious Award from the University of California at Berkeley. Mr. Strauch is a member of the Madison Council, a philanthropic advisory board to the Librarian of Congress. He is also on the Board of Trustees of the Northside Center for Child Development, a mental health social services agency in Harlem, New York City. Mr. Strauch earned a Bachelor of Science degree, with distinction, from Cornell University and Master of Science degree from Stanford University, both in electrical engineering. He holds two patents in the area of wireless communications. Mr. Strauch will serve on Charts Nominations and Corporate Governance Committee, effective immediately.

I am thrilled to welcome Paula, Linda and Roger to our Board of Directors, stated Jill Evanko, Charts CEO and President. Their skills and interests are a unique combination that will, combined with our other Directors capabilities, help us as we enter the 'Roaring 2020s'.

About Chart Industries, Inc.

Chart Industries, Inc. is a leading independent global manufacturer of highly engineered equipment servicing multiple applications in the Energy and Industrial Gas markets. Our unique product portfolio is used in every phase of the liquid gas supply chain, including upfront engineering, service and repair. Being at the forefront of the clean energy transition, Chart is a leading provider of technology, equipment and services related to liquefied natural gas, hydrogen, biogas and CO2 Capture amongst other applications. We are committed to excellence in environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) issues both for our company as well as our customers. With over 25 global locations from the United States to Asia, Australia, India, Europe and South America, we maintain accountability and transparency to our team members, suppliers, customers and communities. To learn more, visit www.Chartindustries.com.

For more information on, click here:

http://ir.chartindustries.com/

Investor Relations Contact:

Wade Suki, CFA

Director of Investor Relations

832-524-7489

wade.suki@chartindustries.com

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at



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NORTH BAY VILLAGE, Fla., Aug. 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Inc. magazine today revealed that MCI, LC, a technology-enabled Intelligent Business Process Outsourcing (iBPO) firm, is No. 778 on its annual Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the nations fastest-growing private companies. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economys most dynamic segmentits independent small businesses. MCIs place on the list represents nearly two decades of recognition by Inc. magazine for companies led by MCI CEO, Anthony Marlowe.



The 2021 Inc. 5000 list feels like one of the most important rosters of companies ever compiled, says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. magazine. Building one of the fastest-growing companies in America in any year is a remarkable achievement. Building one in the crisis weve lived through is just plain amazing. This kind of accomplishment comes with hard work, smart pivots, great leadership, and the help of a whole lot of people.

MCIs Chief Executive Officer Anthony Marlowe said, We are so proud of the effort, grit, and determination our team put in to ultimately be recognized as one of the fastest growing companies in the most competitive country in the world, the United States. From developing new customer experience workflows using Conversational AI, Interactive Voice Assistants, Automated BOTS and similar developed and deployed technology for our customers, to providing world-class human capital talent, our team excelled where many in our industry struggled in 2020.

Not only have the companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 been very competitive within their markets, but this years list also proved especially resilient and flexible given 2020s unprecedented challenges. Together, those companies added more than 610,000 jobs over the past three years.

Marlowe further said, Our team grew exponentially, from a few thousand to a high point of nearly 10,000 across a nationwide footprint. With contracts across the Fortune 1000, to Public Sector Federal, State and Local Government Contracting support, the MCI team developed scalable, customized, and effective technology solutions that saved our clients millions of dollars. The savings and improved customer experience our clients customers have seen is nothing short of extraordinary. Utilizing in house development experts, Solutions Architects, and Customer Journey Mapping, our team was able to deploy CPaaS and next-generation AI-driven software with natural language processing to dramatically improve our clients customer experience and drive down overall costs.

To qualify for the Inc. 5000 List, companies were required to be U.S.-based, privately held, and for-profit, as of December 31, 2020. This is Inc. magazine's 39th annual ranking of the fastest-growing innovators in the United States.

Companies led by Marlowe, have appeared on the list almost every year since 2006, an incredible feat. Between 2017 and 2020, Marlowes MCI had a 3-year growth rate of 638%, which was good for Number 778 on the 2021 rankings, a Top 15% showing out of the Top 5000. Given the nine-figure scale of MCI, in comparison to much smaller lower ranked companies, MCI considers this years placement its most proud yet.

About MCI

MCI has seventeen customer contact management centers, IT services, and intelligent business process outsourcing service delivery facilities in Iowa, Georgia, Florida, Honduras, Massachusetts, Mexico, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Nova Scotia, South Dakota, and Texas.

Driving modernization through digitalization, MCI ensures clients do more for less. MCI is the holding company for a diverse lineup of tech-enabled business services operating companies. MCI organically grows, acquires and operates companies that have a synergistic products and services portfolios, including but not limited to Automated Contact Center Solutions (ACCS), customer contact management, IT Services (IT Schedule 70), and Temporary and Administrative Professional Staffing (TAPS Schedule 736), Business Process Management (BPM), Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), Claims Processing, Collections, Customer Experience Provider (CXP), Customer Service, Digital Experience Provider (DXP), Account Receivables Management (ARM), Application Software Development, Managed Services, and Technology Services, to mid-market, Federal & enterprise partners.

MCI now employs 5,000+ talented individuals with 100+ diverse North American client partners across the following MCI brands: GravisApps, Mass Markets, MCI Federal Services (MFS), The Sydney Call Center, OnBrand24, and Valor Intelligent Processing (VIP).

 For more information, please visit or https://www.mci.world/

Media Inquiries please contact: Lyndee Rose, Lyndee.Rose@mci.world

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7e81e420-5278-4491-a0f9-827dba57e4a8
SAN RAMON, Calif., Aug. 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Armanino LLP, one of the 25 largest accounting and business consulting firms in the U.S., today announced it has received the prestigious Microsoft Business Applications 2021/2022 Inner Circle award. Membership in this elite group is based on sales achievements that rank Armanino in the top tier of Microsofts Business Applications global network of partners. Inner Circle members have performed to a high standard of excellence by delivering valuable solutions that help organizations achieve increased success.



In addition to being recognized in the Microsoft Business Applications Inner Circle for the past eight years, Armanino was named one of seven recipients of Microsofts 2019 Eagle Awards as well as honored with the 2020 MSUS Partner Award for Microsoft Business Applications.

It is an honor to be named to the Inner Circle. This recognizes our continued investment in Microsoft Business Applications to bring innovative, powerful solutions to our clients, said Tom Mescall, partner-in-charge of Armanino Consulting. Throughout the past year, weve focused on helping our clients meet shifting market demands with bespoke technology solutions. Its a privilege to be recognized for the many meaningful ways we help our clients with Microsoft Business Applications.

This Inner Circle recognition coincided with Microsoft Inspire, the annual premier partner event, which took place July 14-15, 2021. Microsoft Inspire provides the Microsoft partner community with the opportunity to learn about the companys road map for the upcoming year, establish connections, share best practices, experience the latest product innovations and learn new skills.

In a year of deep business transformation for every company and every industry on the planet, it is extremely rewarding to be able to recognize Microsoft Business Applications partners from every corner of the world that accelerated our joint customers digital transformation and drove unsurpassed customer success, said Cecilia Flombaum, Microsoft Business Applications Ecosystem Lead. Our Inner Circle members are chosen based on their business performance as well as capabilities as an organization, whether thats creating IP, developing solutions or having an industry-leading focus on digital transformation. Microsoft is honored to recognize Armanino for their achievements this past year, their dedication to our customers and their innovation around the Microsoft Cloud.

Armanino specializes in Microsoft Dynamics 365 (Finance & Operations), Dynamics CE (Sales, PSA, Field Service), Power Platform (AI, BI, Flow), Azure and IoT to develop and deploy solutions that help leading global companies across industries. The firms expertise includes working alongside high-tech, life sciences and complex manufacturing clients, helping them get to market faster and achieve continued success. Armanino has a deep bench of world-class solution architects with unmatched expertise in helping companies optimize their supply chain processes and drive efficiencies through automation.

In addition, the firm helps organizations navigate the complexities of digital transformation through DataVue, a methodology for helping companies tackle the full spectrum of digital transformation. With a 360-degree view and approach, the firms digital experts create a transformation strategy for businesses of all sizes that improves customer interactions, modernizes products and services and leverages technology to improve customer satisfaction.

To learn more about Armaninos Microsoft Dynamics expertise and solutions, visit: https://www.armaninollp.com/software/microsoft-dynamics/

About Armanino LLP

Armanino LLP (www.armaninollp.com) is one of the 25 largest independent accounting and business consulting firms in the nation. Armanino provides an integrated set of audit, tax, business management, consulting and technology solutions to companies in the U.S. and globally. The firm helps clients adapt and change in every stage of business, from startup through rapid growth to the sale of a company. Armanino emphasizes smart technology, leading a cloud revolution of financial, operational, sales and compliance tools that are transforming the way companies do business. The firm extends its global services to more than 100 countries through its membership in Moore Global, one of the world's major accounting and consulting membership organizations. In addition to its core consulting and accounting practices, Armanino operates its division, AMF Media Group (www.amfmediagroup.com), a media and communications services agency. Its affiliate, Intersect Capital (www.intersectcapitalllc.com) is an independent financial planning, wealth and lifestyle management firm.

Kyle McGuire, AMF Media Group

925.790.2788

kyle@amfmediagroup.com
Gloucester, MA (01930)

Today

Cloudy with occasional showers for the afternoon. High 73F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Periods of rain and windy at times. Rain becoming heavy at times late. Potential for heavy rainfall. Low 61F. NNE winds at 10 to 15 mph, increasing to 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 2 to 3 inches of rain expected.
TOPEKA [mdash] Ervin H. Fry, 82, Topeka, died at 12:10 p.m., Monday, Aug. 30, at his residence after a courageous battle with cancer. He was born on April 2, 1939, in Yoder, Kansas, to Harvey and Elizabeth (Miller) Fry. On Dec. 13, 1962, in Topeka, he married Barbara Ellen Frey. She survives
This image of a dead black bear has been circulating on social media. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources confirmed a black bear was killed and its carcass was found at about 11 a.m. Wednesday near the Indiana Toll Road exit north of Bristol.
Kevin Kisner was one spot out of the top 30 in the FedEx Cup standings going into the tourna
Maersk has identified its partners to produce green fuel for its first vessel to operate on carbon-neutral methanol (earlier post): REintegrate, a subsidiary of the Danish renewable energy company European Energy.





REintegrate and European Energy will establish a new Danish facility to produce the approx. 10,000 tonnes of carbon neutral e-methanol that Maersks first vessel with the ability to operate on green e-methanol will consume annually. Maersk will work closely with REintegrate and European Energy on the development of the facility.

This type of partnership could become a blueprint for how to scale green fuel production through collaboration with partners across the industry ecosystem, and it will provide us with valuable experiences as we are progressing on our journey to decarbonise our customers supply chains. Sourcing the fuels of the future is a significant challenge, and we need to be able to scale production in time. This agreement with European Energy/REintegrate brings us on track to deliver on our ambition to have the worlds first container vessel operated on carbon neutral methanol on the water by 2023. Henriette Hallberg Thygesen, CEO of Fleet & Strategic Brands, A.P. Moller - Maersk

The methanol facility will use renewable energy and biogenic CO 2 to produce the e-methanol. The fuel production is expected to start in 2023.

The energy needed for the power-to-methanol production will be provided by a solar farm in Kass, Southern Denmark.

REintegrate has a track record for producing green e-methanol in its test laboratory in Aalborg. The new facility will be its third e-methanol facility, as they are also constructing an e-methanol facility in Skive with startup in 2022.

While the renewable energy will be produced in Southern Jutland it is yet to be decided where in Denmark the power-to-methanol facility will be located.

Maersk announced the dual fuel vessel, an industry first, in February 2021. In June, Maersk announced that Hyundai Mipo Dockyards will be building the 2100 TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent) feeder.

The worlds first methanol feeder will be 172 meters long and it is expected to join the Maersk fleet in mid-2023. It will sail in the network of Sealand Europe, a Maersk subsidiary, on the Baltic shipping route between Northern Europe and the Bay of Bothnia. It will fly the Danish flag.
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A day after his victory in a special election, newly minted state Senator-elect Ryan Fazio said he was eager to get to work.

The Greenwich Republican defeated Democrat Alexis Gevanter and petition candidate John Blankley in the race to finish the term of Alex Kasser, who resigned unexpectedly in June.

The voters of Greenwich, Stamford and New Canaan sent a message loud and clear to the state Capitol in Connecticut that a change is going to come, Fazio said to loud cheers from a crowd of nearly 100 supporters at his campaign headquarters as he declared victory Tuesday night.

Together we can reduce taxes and the cost of living and create economic opportunity for all. We can once again make our neighborhood safe and support local police. We can protect personal freedom and local control, and we can bring people together to create a brighter future for all, he said.

According to unofficial results Wednesday from the Secretary of the States website, Fazio won 50.12 percent of the vote in the 36th Senate District, which covers all of Greenwich as well as portions of Stamford and New Canaan. Gevanter took 47.58 percent of the vote, while Blankley, who had been a Democrat but broke away from the party when it supported Gevanter, earned 2.29 percent.

Breaking the numbers down in the district, Fazio won Greenwich with 6,012 votes to Gevanters 5,252 and Blankleys 312. Gevanter won Stamford with 2,462 votes to Fazios 1,785 and Blankleys 78  but not by enough to overcome Fazios wins in Greenwich and New Canaan, where he received 1,116 votes to Gevanters 746 and Blankleys 17.

Fazios victory put seat back in Republican hands after three years. In 2018, when she won her first term in an upset over incumbent Republican L. Scott Frantz, Kasser was the first Democrat elected to the seat since H. Allen Barton in 1930.

On Wednesday afternoon, Fazio said he was bsuy thanking his supporters and looking forward to getting to work as soon as possible. Fazio will finish the rest of Kassers term, which runs through the end of 2022.

No date has been set for Fazios swearing-in ceremony, but he said it will probably happen next week. He said he is already talking with state Republican leadership about committee assignments.

Its an ongoing discussion right now, Fazio said. There are areas like health care, education and fiscal matters that I think are top issues in Connecticut and issues where I would be passionate about making a difference.

He also said state government should prioritize crime reduction across Connecticut.

Theres been a lot of debate recently about reducing crime, car thefts in particular, and juvenile crime, Fazio said. I think there are smart policy changes that can be made.

He said he is also concerned about cost of living in the state and is looking forward to addressing the cost of health care and electricity. As a member of the minority caucus in Hartford, he said he wanted to work with Democrats.

The voters said in this election that they want to see more common sense centrism and bipartisanship, Fazio said.

Gevanter issued a statement Tuesday night about the race.

I entered this race because Connecticut is a great place to live, work and raise a family. I wanted to make it even better by doing what Ive always done, which is to listen, bring people together to find common ground, and deliver results, she said in the statement.

Despite tonights disappointing results, my commitment to the very values that make our community the inclusive, kind and caring place we are all proud to call home has never been stronger, Gevanter said in the statement.

She told Hearst Connecticut Media on Tuesday that she faced some roadblocks in the race for Kassers empty seat.

This was a really short special election, she said. I was a first-time candidate, and it takes time to get your name out there and your message out there. So, look, Im so proud of the fact that we were able to galvanize so many people  volunteers, supporters, voters  so quickly and bring about so much excitement. I feel honored, and Im proud of our team. And, yeah, we fell short, and thats disappointing, of course, but Im really proud of how much we were able to accomplish in such a short period of time.

Speaking to her future, Gevanter said: I know that I am going to take the next few weeks, play with my little guys  4 and 2 years old. Im really excited for that. And then, of course, Im going to just be thinking about how I can best serve our community.

Blankley in his own concession, congratulated Fazio and advised him to concentrate on representing all the voters of the 36th District.

It is instructive that the largest voting block is now the unaffiliated voters. I am proud of a campaign that gave these voters a voice and especially proud that I achieved 3 percent of the total votes cast in Greenwich, he said. In the face of the most intense support from the highest levels for my opponents, we still achieved an historic vote total.

Editors note: This story has been updated to correct a misstatement by Blankley. He received 3 percent of votes cast in Greenwich, and 2 percent overall.

Staff writer Brianna Gurciullo contributed to this story.

kborsuk@greenwichtime.com
Tupper Blake / Special to The Chronicle

A fourth cougar sighting in recent days was reported near the New Canaan border Thursday, according to Animal Control officer Allyson Halm. The large cat was seen on Hoyt Farm Road not far from Route 123 near the Norwalk-New Canaan border.

I was hoping for tracks after the rain, but the area was not conducive for it, Halm said. Since a mountain lions territory is fairly large, hopefully it keeps moving, she said.
With heavy rain coming down across the state Thursday morning, the state Department of Transportation reported there were several crashes blocking highway lanes.

The first was happened around 4:30 a.m. in Southbury, and the latest around 6:10 a.m. in Windsor. Three of the collisions involved tractor-trailers.

In Southbury, the left lane of Interstate 84 east is closed between exits 13 and 14 and the left lane of Interstate 84 west is closed between exits 14 and 13 after a crash involving a tractor-trailer and another vehicle at 4:24 a.m., the DOT reported. The crash cleared by 7:15 a.m.

State police said the crash did not result in any injuries.

At 4:29 a.m., the DOT reported a jackknifed tractor-trailer truck on Interstate 95 south between Exit 2 and the New York line, closing the left and center lanes. State police urged drivers to seek out alternate routes through the area. This crash cleared by 7:30 a.m.

In Newtown around 5:53 a.m., the agency reported only one lane of travel open on I-84 east between exits 10 and 11 because of a jackknifed tractor-trailer. As of 8:45 a.m., this crash continues to block one of the lanes in the area, with traffic backed up for about seven miles in the area. By 9:10 a.m., the scene had cleared.

At 6:10 a.m., a one-vehicle crash on I-84 east in Plainville between exits 35 and 36 have the left lane closed. The lane reopened around 7 a.m.

In Windsor, a one-vehicle crash reported at 6:11 a.m. had the left lane of Interstate 91 south closed between exits 38A and 37. By 7 a.m., the left lane had reopened.

At 6:50 a.m., a one-vehicle crash on I-84 west in Farmington between exits 39A and 39 has the left lane closed. The crash cleared by around 8 a.m.

A two-vehicle crash reported at 7:18 a.m. in East Haven has the right lane of I-95 north closed between exits 51 and 53. The lane reopened at about 8 a.m.
NEW YORK (AP)  When Ryan David bought three rental properties back in 2017, he expected the $1,000-a-month he was pocketing after expenses would be regular sources of income well into his retirement years.

He also was counting on the rent money from the properties in Dupont, Pennsylvania, to help with the cash flow of his business buying and selling distressed properties, launched early last year.

But then the pandemic hit and federal and state authorities imposed moratoriums on evictions. The unpaid rent began to mount. Then, just when he thought the worst was over, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced a new moratorium, lasting until Oct. 3. A federal judge dismissed a legal challenge to the order last week.

David, the father of a 2 1/2-year-old who is expecting another child, fears the $2,000 he's owed in back rent will quickly climb to thousands more.

The latest moratorium was the final gut punch," said the 39-year-old, adding that he now plans to sell the apartments. I have had this internal struggle going back and forth. I have lost sleep at night, and I have now come up with a decision to sell and walk away.

Most evictions for unpaid rent have been halted since the early days of the pandemic and there are now more than 15 million people living in households that owe as much as $20 billion in back rent, according to the Aspen Institute.

A majority of single-family rental home owners have been impacted, according to a survey from the National Rental Home Council, and 50% say they have tenants who have missed rent during the pandemic.

Smaller landlords with fewer than four units, who often don't have the financing of larger property owners, were hit especially hard, with as many as 58% having tenants behind on rent, according to the National Association of Realtors. More than half of back rent is owed to smaller landlords.

Landlords, big and small, are most angry about the moratoriums, which they consider illegal. Many believe some tenants could have paid rent, if not for the moratorium. And the $47 billion in federal rental assistance that was supposed to make landlords whole has been slow to materialize. By July, only $3 billion of the first tranche of $25 billion had been distributed.

David points to two tenants who received paychecks throughout the pandemic but didn't pay rent or bother to file for rental assistance. Others singled out delinquent tenants who they claimed still managed to drive a luxury car, get food deliveries or go on vacation.

Without rent, were out of business,  said Gary Zaremba, who sold 40 of his properties in Ohio due to the moratorium and still has a quarter of his tenants in the remaining 100 buildings struggling to pay rent. He has helped some apply for rental assistance, he said.

Its like a restaurant that doesnt have patrons, he said. I dont get the rent. I cant pay my maintenance staff. I have to lay them off. I can't fix the buildings and keep them in good repair. So, that means they are going to get even worse off. I cant pay my taxes.

Zaremba, who also owns a handful of properties in New York City, sold some of his single-family homes to home buyers and some multi-family commercial apartment buildings to small investors.

Many landlords are saddled with tens of thousands of dollars in lost rent  money that was meant for retirement, a college fund or for their investors, who themselves had sought a safe investment. They are maxing out credit cards or dipping into savings to pay property taxes, staff salaries, insurance, water bills and maintenance.

I keep thinking to myself, when does my family get paid? said Matthew Haines, who owns 253 units with his wife in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and is owed more than $300,000 in back rent. He has referred $250,000 of that to collections.

The couple put in $50,000 of their own money to avoid laying off their seven full-time and three part-time employees. Haines is also doing repairs like fixing an air conditioning unit or changing a pool light himself to save money. Their investors, retirees who typically get an annual return of 7% to 9%, got nothing last year on two multifamily apartments and 3% on a third one because of unpaid rent.

We jumped through hoops to help our residents who were struggling. We have not evicted a single person trying to work with us, even though we have people who owe us seven, eight, nine months of rent, he said. We are trying to do the right thing but its becoming impossible.

In upstate New York, Michael Reid sold three of his houses to stem losses  after paying some delinquent tenants thousands of dollars to leave. Already out more than $100,000 in back rent on 13 of his 31 units and more than $20,000 in unpaid water bills, Reid took out a $90,000 home equity loan on his house so he could pay property taxes and other bills. On Tuesday, he finally received $9,000 in federal rental assistance, a fraction of what he's owed.

Ive lost an incredible amount of money on top of the rent owed, said Reid, who also works as a mortgage loan officer, referring to his delinquent tenants in Binghamton and Endicott, New York. Thank God, my day job pays pretty well.

Some owners are taking advantage of a red-hot housing market to sell their units to deep-pocketed investors willing to wait out the moratorium or to families who plan to live in them. Buyers are increasingly out-of-town investors or equity funds, whom critics fear will renovate the properties and market them at much higher prices.

A lot of landlords are disgusted. They are selling at losses. They are getting out period, Reid said of the dozens of investors he talks with.

Even those sticking with the property business say the moratorium has forced them to change their operations.

Some are leaving apartments vacant for months at a time, either because they lack the money to renovate or fear being stuck with nonpaying tenants. Some arent buying any new properties as long as the moratorium is in place; others will only buy in wealthier neighborhoods.

Still others are bolstering their screening process and giving extra scrutiny to someone who was unemployed for long stretches during the pandemic or saddled their previous landlord with months of back rent.

If somebody stiffed their previous landlord out of 12, 15 or 18 months rent, I dont want to rent to them, Reid said.

This could result in fewer places to live for low-income tenants facing eviction when the moratorium lifts.

It makes it worse for everyone. Its worse for tenants, in particular, because we are going to lose affordable housing, said Stacey Johnson-Cosby, who with her husband owns 21 units in the Kansas City, Missouri, area.

The investors are going to come. They are going buy the property, put money into it, renovate it and rent it at a higher amount."

Rick Martin anguished over just that before selling two of his five buildings in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston. Before that the 62-year-old left most of them vacant due to the moratorium, depriving him of thousands of dollars in rent.

The minute they enacted the moratorium, that trigged my decision to sell the properties, Martin said. I did not want someone moving in whom I could never get rid of if they didnt pay rent. That would make the financial situation worse.

Martin said he was torn about the decision to sell to investors. One has turned a building into condos. Another has already doubled the rent on a three-family building.

Honestly its a very difficult decision, he said. I want the small property owners to flourish and grow. But because of this moratorium, we are having everything cut out from beneath us.
BERLIN (AP)  A leading member of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's center-right Union bloc called Thursday for the United States to provide funding and shelter to those fleeing Afghanistan now.

The United States of America bear the main responsibility for the current situation, Markus Soeder, the governor of Bavaria, said. Because of their decision to leave Afghanistan, in parts overly hasty, they have the main responsibility.

Soeder noted that the U.S. had already provided security guarantees for the evacuation of foreigners and local staff from Kabul, and should do likewise when it comes to providing financial support to neighboring countries, especially for UNHCR and, if necessary, also for taking in people.

The U.N. refugee agency has said that so far most displacement following the seizure of power by the Taliban has been inside Afghanistan. But some officials in Germany are already warning of a repeat of the 2015 migrant crisis that saw hundreds of thousands of people from Asia and Africa come to Europe.

Soeder, who leads the Bavaria-only Christian Social Union, said fears about a fresh influx of migrants should not be exploited in the campaign for Germany's upcoming national election.

Of course it needs to be ensured that there's no uncontrolled movement of people, he said. But I also say that having no repeat of 2015 for us means no instrumentalization of the migration question ... in the election campaign."

Soeder, who lost a bid to be the Union's candidate to succeed Merkel, was heavily criticized in 2018 for talking about the need to crack down on asylum tourism.
GREENWICH  A new assistant principal is on the job at North Street School, according to an announcement Thursday from the Greenwich Public Schools.

The appointment of Jessica McEvily to the position is effective immediately, according to a statement from the district.

I am truly honored to join the North Street School community, which is known for its dedication and commitment to one another, staff, students and families alike, she said. I look forward to joining such a strong and dynamic team to serve the needs of North Street for years to come.

McEvily, who has been with the district since 2007, most recently served as the assistant principal at Parkway School from January through March 2021.

In her new assignment, she will support the entire North Street community, assisting in the development and achievement of school goals and objectives, while advocating on behalf of all students, the district said in a statement.

McEvily has shown tremendous dedication to students in our district for many years and has been such a great asset to our community. Her devotion and professional experience makes her a perfect fit for North Street School, Superintendent of Schools Toni Jones said.

At North Street, McEvily replaced Kathleen Smith-Ramirez, who was appointed the new assistant principal at North Mianus School in July.

At Parkway, McEvilys responsibilities included supervising and assisting special education staff members, facilitating all Planning and Placement Team meetings, creating and modifying staff and student schedules, and overseeing parent communication for students with comprehensive needs.

Previously in the district, she was a GPS school psychologist from 2007 to 2019, developing and implementing plans, counseling sessions and lessons. She was made a school psychology program associate in 2018 and was named a behavior support team psychologist in 2019.

We are thrilled to welcome Jessica McEvily to North Street School as our new assistant principal, the schools principal Jill Flood said. I am confident her knowledge and expertise gained through years of dedicated service to the students and families of GPS will serve her well as an outstanding administrator. Her enthusiasm and passion for working with students, families, and staff is remarkable, and I am very much looking forward to our new partnership as the leadership team of our great school.

McEvily holds a bachelor of arts in psychology and Spanish from Fairfield University, a master of science in therapeutic interventions, a professional diploma from Fordham University and a Connecticut 092 Administration Certificate from Sacred Heart University.

kborsuk@greenwichtime.com
The red alert COVID-19 flare up has spread to the vast majority of the state over the last week. Now 73 towns and cities, including Bridgeport, Fairfield, Milford, Stratford, Newtown, Trumbull, Westport, West Haven and the entire Naugatuck Valley are reporting dangerous levels of infections even as the state has the second-highest vaccination rate in the country.

Last week, the state reported that 39 towns experienced 15 infections or more per day per 100,000 residents in the two weeks ending Aug. 7, including Stamford, New Haven and Hartford. The new red zone covers the two weeks ending Aug. 14.

The state also reported that the number of so-called breakthrough infections  cases among people fully vaccinated  reached 5,857 in total as of Wednesday. Those cases are spread evenly among all age groups.

The previously reported number of breakthrough cases, 1,171 two weeks ago, is not comparable to the new number because the method of counting changed to more accurately show those cases.

Separate data released Thursday shows that the number and percent of breakthrough cases increased in July and August but at a slower rate than cases for people not vaccinated.

Connecticut has seen 45 deaths among fully vaccinated people as of Wednesday, the report said, and about one-quarter of residents hospitalized with COVID-19 had been vaccinated before falling ill.

The new figures led Lamont to dramatically broaden the number of people covered by vaccine mandates, including all state employees and all K-12 teachers. Connecticuts public colleges and universities, including UConn, also instituted requirements for COVID-19 inoculations.

I think Connecticut has really done very well, Lamont said in a 53-minute briefing of the sort he held daily in 2020. We are so much better-positioned than we were as a country and as we were as a state. Weve got the masks, weve got the vaccines, weve got the testing capacity and we have over 80 percent of our adults vaccinated. Lets build on that.

An additional 23 fatalities were reported for the week, bringing the state total to 8,330 dead in the pandemic  at a recent rate thats among the countrys lowest, Lamont said.

The state reported 534 new infections Thursday, which was 3.4 percent of those tested. The 7-day positive infection rate is about 3.3 percent.

Connecticut hospitals saw a net decline of four inpatients, resulting in 344 hospitalizations statewide. That is up from 50 one month ago but is well below the 1,269 in the December 2020 peak, and the 1,972 in late-April 2020.

The governor said residents are five times more likely to be hospitalized and suffer complications from COVID if they are not vaccinated. There are some examples of breakthrough, he said. There are nine people who are vaccinated who are in the ICU. Thats nine out of 2.3 million. So, keep things in perspective. And youre 10 times more likely to really suffer severe complications and go to the intensive care unit if you are unvaccinated.

Lamont to seek extension of powers

Lamont acknowledged that he expects to request that the General Assembly approve an extension of his emergency powers before they expire on Sept. 30.

I think theres no doubt about that, he told reporters. Either they give me the authority, or they do it through legislation of their own that says this is what the rules should be, assuming we have an infection rate above a certain amount or whatever parameters you want to put on this. I think its easiest if you give the governors office some flexibility with narrowly defined health care protocols so that we can react to the delta variant because you can see how much its changed just in the last 30 days.

Republicans in the General Assembly, with minorities of 23-13 in the Senate and 97-54 in the House, are likely to oppose a further extension of Lamonts powers.

The governor stressed that he does not want a statewide requirement of masks indoors as the coronavirus pandemic continues, because some towns have very low infection cases along with high vaccination rates. I want to give people an incentive to be vaccinated, he said. Ninety seven percent of everybody 65 and over is vaccinated, Lamont boasted. If 12-to-15 can match your grandparents vaccination rate, were over COVID, so step up and do the right thing. This is how we break the back of COVID.

Towns team up on mask orders

More towns and cities are teaming up to enact local mask mandates in regional efforts to stop the spread of the virulent delta variant of COVID.

Fairfield, Westport and Easton on Thursday announced indoor mask requirements starting Saturday.

Capitol Region Council of Governments, representing 38 towns and cities in the Hartford area, on Thursday asked Lamont for a statewide mask mandate for all indoor locations.

The group said the request is consistent with updated guidance from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which recently encouraged people to return to wearing masks indoors whether they are vaccinated or not. The request came the day after the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments made a similar request to Lamont for its 22 member towns.

We have some places that have low vaccination rates and I think the mask mandate is very appropriate there, Lamont said. We have a lot of places where 80, 90 percent-plus of the people are vaccinated. In those places, I want to give people an incentive to be vaccinated. I think it shows that if youve done that the right way, everybody doesnt necessarily have to wear a mask.

But he left open the option to reinstate a statewide mask order as he reviews data in coming days.

Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, none of them have a statewide mandate on masks at this point, Lamont said. Youve got some cities where you have a very low vaccination rate and I can understand why Hartford and New Haven want to take the lead in terms of making sure that everyone within their confines are wearing a mask indoors. Youve got other places that are 95-percent vaccinated. So I think Ill give a little more discretion because I think the mayors know their communities pretty well.

kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter: @KenDixonCT
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP)  Rich countries decisions to roll out COVID-19 booster shots while so many people across Africa remain unvaccinated threaten the promise of a brighter tomorrow" for the continent, the Africa director for the World Health Organization said Thursday, warning that as some richer countries hoard vaccines, they make a mockery of vaccine equity.

Matshidiso Moeti and other African health officials, including the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, had warned against booster shots in recent weeks as less than 2% of the population on the continent of 1.3 billion people is fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Moeti noted that the latest resurgence in cases across Africa is leveling off and more vaccine doses are finally arriving on the continent, but Africa is encountering headwinds as rich countries like the United States decide to roll out booster shots.

The situation in Africa remains very fragile as the more infectious delta variant is now dominant in most of the continents 54 countries, she said. More than 7.3 million cases, including more than 186,000 deaths, have been confirmed across the continent and health systems are straining to provide medical oxygen and other care.

U.S. health officials on Wednesday announced plans to dispense COVID-19 booster shots to all Americans amid the surging delta variant and signs that vaccines effectiveness is slipping.

Moeti told reporters she couldnt say with any accuracy whether the doses the U.S. plans to use for booster shots will come from stocks that had been planned for Africa, but hopefully not.

The State Department did not immediately respond to questions.

Moeti noted the already highly inequitable situation globally in vaccine supply and urged that the emphasis instead be placed on making progress in vaccinating people in Africa, whose countries lag far behind much of the world in access and coverage.

Moeti pointed out that rich countries have on average administered more than 103 vaccine doses per 100 people, while in Africa its just six.

Earlier this week the WHO director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, called it unconscionable that some countries are now offering booster shots while so many people remain unprotected.

Moeti on Thursday said that we are urging wealthier countries that have supplies that are sometimes even more than their population numbers to increase their donations to African counties that have been so disadvantaged."

She added, after the revelation this week that some COVID-19 vaccine doses now being manufactured in Africa are being shipped to Europe, I think no better example can follow this than vaccines that are actually being produced on the African continent. She called on those countries to consider donating some of the South Africa-produced vaccines to African nations as well as serving their needs.
On the Aug. 21, Guam Boonie Stompers Inc. will take hikers to Turtle Cove where adventurous trekkers can explore the reef flat.
In a pandemic world that has brought new lifestyle changes almost every week, one thing remains constant: annoying behavior at the buffet line.

Azelet Lopez often dines in at Sheraton Laguna Guam Resorts La Cascata. On her first round, she tries the main courses. On her second round, the 18-year-old prefers eating desserts.

The Mangilao resident recalled a time when she went to a party at Lotte Hotel Guam and a person was taking so long to decide which food to grab at the buffet line.

They were being very time-consuming and caused the wait time to be around 10 minutes, Lopez said. Ive also experienced a moment when someone cut me off in a buffet line. I felt angry about it because I was starving, and I waited in line so long just to get cut off by someone.

Lopez politely asked the person to go in the back of the line, and they apologized to her.

I forgave them because I understand the struggle of waiting in a long line and wanting to eat the food already, she said.

Zaida Acabado has been on the other side of that situation, saying she has often experienced other diners overtaking her in line and even get angry at her for not moving quickly.

They should fall in line in order and stop themselves from acting too hastily, the Yigo resident said. It has happened to my husband and me before many times in which people would overtake us, but we often let it slide  They should observe social distancing, especially during the pandemic.

Acabado, who loves Tsubaki Towers Casa Oceanos buffet because it offers a unique taste of foreign cuisines like Japanese-themed meals, finds the current process to be less chaotic than before the pandemic.

During the pandemic, some restaurants have instituted safety procedures including having servers behind glass partitions and placing the food on customers plates. This policy also reduces the propensity of customers to grab excessive food at the buffet stations.

Besides respecting each others personal space in line, Lopez dissuades people from eating at the buffet line. It can contaminate the main dish, she said.

Aside from the potential annoyances, Lopez encourages everyone not to be afraid to try new dishes. Enjoy every buffets food, but dont eat too quickly, and grab only what you can eat.

Jayvee Elomina echoed Lopezs suggestions, and adds that he also tries to keep things neat around the dish serving area.

The 18-year-old Maite resident often finds himself at The Westin Resort Guams buffet at Taste on special occasions because of its diverse food selection.

He will go through the buffet line several times  relying on the foods aesthetic presentation on his first round, grabbing an appetizer or main course meal on his second round, and finally focusing on desserts on his third round.

He hasnt had a negative encounter at a buffet, and in fact, experienced the helpfulness of Good Samaritan one time.

I also had to grab some food for my family, so the stranger offered to watch my plate as I delivered my other plate to the table, so I didnt end up dropping anything, Elomina said.
The Port Authority of Guam Administration Building is shown in this July 27 file photo. The port was recently recognized for supporting employees who are in the National Guard and Reserve.
The $30 million needed to pay out the All-RISE Program is now available, Dafne Mansapit-Shimizu, Department of Revenue and Taxation director told lawmakers Wednesday.

According to an executive order issued by Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero last week, applications for the program will be available starting Sept. 1. Rev and Tax will be tasked with processing payments within two weeks of application completion.

The program provides $800 to tax filers up making up to $40,000 a year, and $1,600 for joint filers that make up to $80,000. Payments will be made on a first-come, first-served basis, until the $30 million runs out.

Money from the roughly $604 million in American Rescue Plan funds will be utilized for the program. According to Lester Carlson, director of the Bureau of Budget Management and Research, the decision was made in line with interim final rules issued by the U.S. Treasury.

The executive order requires that applicants certify their households experienced a negative economic impact and they were residents of Guam during 2020. The governor said showing negative economic impact was a requirement for providing direct cash assistance with American Rescue Plan funding.

The governor based the All-RISE Program off the RISE Act when she implemented it via executive order in May, making local and federal employees who meet requirements eligible.

People who apply for the program wont receive money from the RISE Act; they must elect to receive payments under this program in lieu of any payments that may be available under the RISE Act.

According to the executive order, the RISE Act is inefficient, confusing, and likely illegal. Theres no application process, and Rev and Tax isnt required to create one until funding is identified.

Senators have said there is no local funding for the program. The law authorizes the use of federal funds to pay for the RISE Act, the governor has final authority over that funding.

Leon Guerrero on Thursday vetoed Bill 75, introduced by Sen. James Moylan, and Bill 164, introduced by Speaker Therese Terlaje. The measures would have increased RISE Act payments, extended the deadline, increased the funding cap and streamlined the process.

Governor: All RISE program applications open Sept. 1 Residents can start applying for the All RISE program online, starting Sept. 1, according to

Tax return required for All RISE program Residents must have a 2020 tax return filed with the Department of Revenue and Taxation in o

I do not agree with the reality that many families may not attain the benefits from the stimulus plan, as the $30 million budget remains, while the number of qualified applicants have increased, Moylan said.
Health care agencies may not see additional funding to provide for GovGuam nurse pay increases after a measure failed in the Legislature Thursday.

Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero authorized an across-the-board 15% increase in pay for nurses in June, with additional increments for nurses based on whether they work at Guam Memorial Hospital, Public Health, Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Center or the Guam Department of Education. The governor will locate funds for the pay increase for fiscal 2021, but requested on July 15 that senators fund the increase in the coming fiscal year.

Sen. Mary Torres introduced an amendment to the annual budget bill to do so, by increasing the projections for business privilege tax collections by about $4.4 million. According to Torres, with the island expecting more cash in the economy through the $604 million in American Rescue Plan funds, it was a small amount of the budget.

This is actually if we take a modest assumption that $100 million of (American Rescue Plan) is floating in the local economy. 5% of $100 million is $5 million, she said.

The priority, in my opinion, is health care. And all those first-line providers that are addressing a health care crisis right now, Torres said.

The business privilege tax projection of $238,928,196 for fiscal 2022 by the Office of Finance and Budget was the biggest departure from what the executive branch requested  close to $57 million more. Office of Finance and Budget Director Steven Guerrero said the conservative estimate was based on the islands uncertain financial situation.

Not requestedGuerrero stated that the Office of Finance and Budget had checked to see whether Guam DOE, Public Health, Behavioral Health or GMH needed additional funding and found the agencies could absorb the costs.

Sen. Joe San Agustin said that Office of Finance and Budget kept its door open to agencies that would have to fund the increase in nurse pay, and they hadnt requested additional money.

Next years budget, if they put it in their staffing pattern, we will fund it 100% because weve done that for everybody, he said.

Sen. Chris Duenas supported the intention, but said it was an appropriate place for the governor to use American Rescue Plan funds.

Its no secret that right now we have contract nurses getting us through this pandemic. We use CARES Act funds to do that, he said.

Sen. Clynt Ridgell supported funding the pay increase. He said he was confident in the higher business privilege tax projections.

Sen. Telena Nelson also supported it and said the governors aim to boost the economy through programs like subsidizing worker pay would likely help with the plan.
Senate Budget Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., center, walks toward the Senate floor as the Senate moves from passage of the infrastructure bill to focus on a massive $3.5 trillion budget resolution, a blueprint of President Joe Bidens top domestic policy ambitions, at the Capitol in Washington Aug. 10.
The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Mysterious Box, by Bernard Keisch

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org . If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook.

Title: The Mysterious Box

Nuclear Science and Art

Author: Bernard Keisch

Release Date: August 18, 2021 [eBook #66082]

Language: English

Character set encoding: UTF-8

Produced by: Stephen Hutcheson and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MYSTERIOUS BOX ***

THE MYSTERIOUS BOX:

Nuclear Science and Art by

Bernard Keisch

Contents

United States Atomic Energy Commission

Office of Information Services

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 70-606040

1970; 1974 (rev.)

i

The Author

Dr. Bernard Keisch received his B.S. degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and his Ph.D. from Washington University. He is a Senior Fellow with the Division of Sponsored Research of Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh. He is presently engaged in a project that deals with the applications of nuclear technology to art identification. This is jointly sponsored by the U. S. Atomic Energy Commission and the National Gallery of Art. Previously he was a nuclear research chemist with the Phillips Petroleum Company and senior scientist at the Nuclear Science and Engineering Corporation. He has contributed articles on art authentication to a number of journals. For the AEC, in addition to this booklet, he has written The Atomic Fingerprint: Neutron Activation Analysis, Secrets of the Past: Nuclear Energy Applications in Art and Archaeology, and Lost Worlds: Nuclear Science and Archaeology.

ii

Nuclear energy is playing a vital role in the life of every man, woman, and child in the United States today. In the years ahead it will affect increasingly all the peoples of the earth. It is essential that all Americans gain an understanding of this vital force if they are to discharge thoughtfully their responsibilities as citizens and if they are to realize fully the myriad benefits that nuclear energy offers them. The United States Atomic Energy Commission provides this booklet to help you achieve such understanding.

The Cover This painting, originally believed to be the work of the Dutch artist Frans Hals (1580-1666), is a fake. Measurements of the naturally radioactive isotopes, polonium-210 and radium-226, in lead white from the paint proved that it was no more than 50 years old.

1

A Van Meegeren forgery of a Vermeer.

2

The Mysterious Box

The New Jersey sun was high overhead and the day was hot. The three boys walking along a deserted stretch of beach didnt mind because they were barefoot and in their swimsuits. Occasionally they would dash in and out of the surf to cool off.

Suddenly Martin let out a yell as his toe hit something hard hidden in the sand at the waters edge. A moment later Bill and Harley were helping Martin dig out a large wooden case. It was heavy, well built, tightly sealed, and had foreign words written on it.

Maybe its a pirate treasure chest, said Martin, who was almost eight and had just read Treasure Island for the first time the week before.

Youre crazy, said Harley, who, nearly ten, was much older and wiser.

Bill, going on twelve, thought aloud, It must be something worthwhile; maybe we can sell it and buy those model rockets we wanted.

The three boys soon found that they couldnt open the box and that it was too heavy to drag along the sand easily.

Martin, said Bill, get Dad while Harley and I stand guard.

Two hours later the box was at their house and everyone in the family was trying to read what was written on it. About all that was readable was a large U followed by what appeared to be two numbers. Some 3 of the other marks looked like old German script and there was a date, 1945.

You know, said Bill, I bet that came from a World War II German submarine that our Coast Guard or Navy sank.

Lets open it up! said Harley as Martin ran to get the screwdrivers.

Inside they found a thoroughly waxed carton that they had to cut open. Everyone held their breath as their father lifted the top.

Nothing but a bunch of pictures, said Martin who was still hoping for pirate treasure.

Paintings can be worth a lot of money, said Dad, thousands or even millions of dollars.

Well then were rich! yelled Harley and Bill together.

Not so fast, said Dad. First of all, we dont know if the paintings are really valuable. Also, it looks like these might be part of the art treasures that the Nazis stole from the countries they conquered in World War II. Maybe someone was trying to get them by submarine to a neutral country, like Argentina, just before the end of the war, and the sub was sunk. If they are real and stolen, theyll have to go back to their rightful owners. But cheer up, maybe theres a reward.

How do we collect it? asked Bill. If the Nazis grabbed them, arent they real for sure?

Not necessarily, Dad continued. The Nazis were fooled sometimes by people who sold them fakes. There was one painting that 4 Hitlers sidekick, Goring, bought that was supposed to be a 17th century painting by Vermeer, a Dutch painter. Because Vermeers work is so valuable, its usually impossible to buy one for any amount of money.

Vermeer is regarded as a national hero by the Dutch. The matter was investigated and the painting traced to Han Van Meegeren, a modern Dutch painter who had only a fair talent. When Van Meegeren realized he might be charged with treason by the Dutch for selling a Vermeer to the Nazis, he confessed that he had painted it himself. He also confessed that he had painted other forgeries that fooled some of the experts and were sold for a lot of money.

Many people, however, thought Van Meegeren was only lying to save himself from the charge of treason, and the whole thing had to be decided by a committee of scientific art experts appointed by a court of law. Using the methods that were then available, the experts showed that Van Meegeren had done a remarkable job of forgery and they were convinced that he had been telling the truth about painting those pictures.

At the time, the important ways the experts used to examine a painting included studying the work with X rays, which could show another painting underneath, analyzing the pigments (or coloring materials) used in the paint, and examining the painting for certain signs of old age.

5

Han Van Meegeren listens to the evidence at his trial in Amsterdam. In the background is The Blessing of Jacob, which was sold in 1942 as the work of Vermeer.

6

An authentic Pieter de Hooch work, The Card Players, painted in the 17th century.

7

A forgery of a Pieter de Hooch picture painted in the 20th century by Han Van Meegeren.

8

Head of Christ by Van Meegeren.

Van Meegeren was well acquainted with these methods. He scraped the paint from old paintings that werent worth much just to get the canvas and tried to use pigments that Vermeer would have used. He knew that old paint was very, very hard and impossible to dissolve; so he cleverly mixed a chemical (phenolformaldehyde) into his paint, and this hardened into Bakelite when he heated the finished painting in an oven.

For some of the paintings, Van Meegeren became careless and the experts did find traces of a modern pigment (cobalt blue) in the paint. They also found the Bakelite. For one or more paintings, Van Meegeren did so well that, in spite of all this evidence, a few people still werent convinced that these paintings were painted by Van Meegeren and not by Vermeer.

Bill, who by this time was bursting with questions, interrupted, You mean they still arent sure about some of those paintings after 25 years? Arent there better ways of telling whether a painting is genuine or not? Youre a scientist. Cant scientists like you do something about it now?

Yes, recently a method was developed to settle just such a question. Its based on measurements of natural radioactivity in one pigment that all artists used hundreds of years ago. And the method was applied to some of the Van Meegeren paintings including the best one of them all.

How did it come out? asked Martin.

9

An X ray of part of the Van Meegeren forgery, Christ and His Disciples at Emmaus. In the white circle are traces of paint from the original painting that Van Meegeren scraped off to obtain the old canvas. When the painting was believed to be a genuine Vermeer, it was sold for about $300,000.

The complete painting.

10

A Van Meegeren forgery of a Vermeer.

How does it work? asked Harley.

You mean paintings are radioactive? exclaimed Bill.

Can we do it to the paintings we found? asked all three together.

11

How Old Is a Painting?

One question at a time. Ill tell you how the method works and what it does if youre really interested.

Were interested! Were interested! chorused the boys.

In the first place, this method works only in certain cases of suspected forgery. Over the last 50 or 100 years, a number of paintings have turned up that seemed, even to the best art experts, to be several hundred years old. Some of these were genuine, and some were painted by forgers who could not resist the high prices paid for works of art. The National Gallery of Art, in Washington, D. C., thinking that there might be a way of detecting these forgeries, gave its support to a group of scientists who developed a method for this purpose.

To understand how the method works, you need to know a little about how radioactive atoms disintegrate to form atoms of other elements. In this case we are interested in the natural radioactivity that occurs in certain rocks. As a matter of fact, in almost all rocks in the earths crust there is a certain small quantity of uranium.

I thought uranium was rare, interrupted Bill.

It is, but were talking about such small quantities that its difficult for scientists using the most sensitive equipment to detect it. The uranium in the rock decays to another radioactive element and that one decays to another, and another, and another, and so 12 forth, in a series of elements that results in lead, which is not radioactive. In this series are two radioactive elements, radium and a radioactive isotope of lead, that help us to date paintings. To understand this, we must first understand how radioactive elements decay.

All radioactive elements have what is known as a half-life; that is, in a certain period of time, half of the element disintegrates to another form. In another equal period of time, half of what is left disintegrates, and then half again, and so on. In the case of the uranium, which starts the series I am describing, the half-life is over 4,000,000,000 years. Because of its long half-life there is plenty of uranium around and will be for a long, long time. On the other hand, radium, which I mentioned a moment ago, has a half-life of only 1600 years. In 1600 years, half of it would be gone, and in another 1600 years half of that would be gone, and so on.

The radioactive lead that were interested in has a half-life of only 22 years. This means that if you start with a small quantity of this radioactive isotope of lead, which is called lead-210, then in only a few hundred years it would have disappeared. However, in rock, where there is uranium, the uranium keeps feeding the elements following it in the series, so that as fast as they decay they are reproduced by the element before them.

13

The Uranium Series. In this simplified diagram, the double vertical arrows represent alpha radioactivity and the single slanted arrows represent beta radioactivity. The times shown on the arrows are the half-lives for each step.

Uranium-238  4 billion years Thorium-234  24 days Protoactimum-234  1 minutes Uranium-234   million years Thorium-230  80 thousand years Radium-226  1600 years Radon-222  3 days Polonium-218  3 minutes Lead-214  27 minutes Bismuth-214  20 minutes Polonium-214  less than one second Lead-210  22 years Bismuth-210  5 days Polonium-210  138 days Lead-206 (Not Radioactive)

14

I dont quite understand how that works, said Harley. What do you mean it keeps feeding it?

Well, think of a series of lakes connected by waterfalls. At the top, the highest lake has an enormous supply of water. Following the waterfall coming out of the lake you find a smaller lake and then maybe a medium-sized lake, and after another waterfall, a smaller lake, then a tiny lake, and so on.

As long as that big lake on top is full or nearly full, all the other lakes, whether they are small or medium-sized, will still be getting water as fast as it pours out. But if you cut off the supply of water from the upper lake to the next lake, then the smaller lakes will in time run dry. The same thing works with the radioactivity. In this series headed by uranium, as long as uranium is present all the other elements below it are kept supplied so that they dont run out.

I understand that, said Bill, but how do we use that to date a painting?

One of the pigments used by artists for over 2000 years is known as lead white and it is made from lead metal. The lead metal in turn is extracted from a rock called lead ore, in a process called smelting. The radioactive lead, this lead-210 that I mentioned, behaves like ordinary lead metal and goes along with it.

The radium, which has a fairly long half-life, doesnt follow the lead metal, but is removed with other waste products in a material called slag. Since the longer-lived ancestor of the lead-210 is removed, the 15 supply of lead-210 is cut off. (Or we can say that one of the waterfalls is shut off.) The lead-210 will then decay with its 22-year half-life.

The radioactive series that starts with uranium is like a series of lakes connected by waterfalls. As long as uranium, the big one on top, has water in it, the others will be full and the falls will keep flowing. But when the first waterfall is shut off, the small lakes below it will run dry.

I get it, said Bill. That means that when you take a sample of old lead white paint, there shouldnt be any radioactive lead-210 left.

Thats right. But that would only be true if you removed all the radium. Actually, in the smelting process its more usual to remove only 90 or 95% of the radium. In that case, the lead-210 would decay only until the amount left would be equal to the small amount of radium that wasnt removed. In 16 effect, this would be like shutting off only part of the waterfall.

So what do you find, asked Harley, if you measure the radioactivity in a sample of lead white paint?

We find that if the paint is old, compared to the 22-year half-life of the lead, lets say 100 years old or more, then the amount of radioactivity from the lead-210 in the sample of paint will be equal to the amount of radioactivity from the radium in the sample. But if the paint is modern, lets say only 20 years old or so, then the amount of radioactivity from the lead-210 will be greater than the amount of radioactivity from the radium.

Martin, who had been quiet through all this explanation, finally spoke up. Well, was it finally tried out? How did it work?

Hundreds of samples were analyzed. These samples were taken from paintings of all ages, from some over 300 years old right up to others only a couple of years old. The old samples always showed equal amounts of radioactivity from lead-210 and radium while the modern ones always showed larger amounts of radioactivity from lead-210 than from radium. That meant that scientists had a way of definitely telling if a lead white paint was modern or not.

Eventually, the method was tried on a number of paintings believed to be by Van Meegeren. Sure enough, every one of them showed that the paint couldnt possibly have been more than 30 or 40 years old and that Van Meegeren probably was telling the truth 17 when he said that he had painted them. The paintings certainly were not genuine Vermeers from the 17th century.

Okay, Dad, said Martin, can we use the method on any of the paintings we found? Are any of these paintings supposed to be old enough so that we can use this test?

Not so fast. To find that out we have to do a lot of checking first.

How do we go about it? asked Bill.

Lets see now. There are nine paintings in the box you found. The first thing we should do is take them down to a museum or gallery and let the art experts look at them. Since we have a few weeks of vacation time left, what do you say we take a trip down to Washington, D. C., and show them to some experts at the National Gallery of Art?

Over the next few weeks quite a few things happened to the boys and their paintings. Three of them were discarded right away because they were immediately recognized as being copies of no value. Two were relatively modern paintings with the signature Alfred Sisley; if genuine, they were less than 100 years old. The remaining four appeared to be very old paintings. Two of them seemed to correspond to paintings that disappeared during the Second World War. Photographs and X rays were taken and sent to the museum in Holland, which had owned the missing pictures, so that they could make a preliminary examination.

18

Radioactivity of Lead-210

Lead-210 decaying with a half-life of 22 years. When no radium is present there is almost none left after 6 half-lives or 132 years.

Radioactivity of Radium-226

Over the same period of time, a small amount of radium decays very little because its half-life is about 1600 years.

Radioactivity of Radium 226 Radioactivity of Lead-210

But when lead-210 decays in the presence of radium-226, the radioactivity of the lead-210 only decreases until it is equal to the radioactivity of the radium.

That left two that could have been old but whose origins were unknown. A series of simple chemical tests were begun on these and the boys watched experts take very small samples of paint for examination under the microscope. After several months a list of the pigments present in the paintings was prepared. All the pigments found were typical of old paintings and the ordinary examinations and tests couldnt prove whether the works were old or not. Finally, it was decided that 19 the only way to tell if these paintings were truly old was to apply the test that Dad had described to the boys.

The boys watched a painting restorer remove samples of nearly white paint right at the edge of the paintings. He worked carefully, using a very sharp scalpel and a stereo-binocular microscope, through which objects appeared to be sixty times larger than they really were. The sample of paint weighed approximately twenty-thousandths of a gram. The boys and their father took the samples to a radiochemical laboratory where they watched a radiochemist do the required analysis for lead-210 and radium in the samples.

First the chemist dissolved the paint in acetic acid. This removed the lead white from the oil and from the small amounts of other pigments in the paint. The solutions were then heated and stirred with a silver disc hanging in the liquid. After several hours the disc still looked clean, but the chemist said that a radioactive element, polonium-210, was now plated onto the silver. Polonium-210 is a member of the uranium series following the lead-210, and a measurement of its radioactivity would be an accurate measurement of the radioactivity of lead-210.

The silver discs prepared from the two samples were each placed in an instrument called an alpha-particle spectrometer. This instrument is extremely sensitive and can measure the very small amounts of polonium-210 prepared from the tiny sample of paint that they started with.

20

While the instruments were making the measurements, which took a couple of days, the chemist turned to the remaining solutions and began the analyses for radium.

A painting being sampled under a stereo-binocular microscope.

Lead white weighing twenty-thousandths of a gram (20 milligrams). This is the amount needed to measure lead-210 and radium-226 to determine if the lead white is old.

In a series of chemical steps, he purified the solutions, removing the lead and other materials so that finally he had a small amount of solution that contained little else but the original radium and a very small amount of barium (an element that he deliberately added and one which is very similar to radium in its chemical properties). By adding dilute sulfuric acid, he prepared an insoluble 21 material, barium sulfate, which was barely visible suspended in the solution.

Polonium plating apparatus. A heated solution of lead white in acetic acid is stirred with silver discs for 4 to 8 hours.

The disc above appears clean after removal, but on its surface it retains a minute amount of polonium which can be measured.

By forcing the solution through a special thin plastic filter having tiny holes, the particles of barium sulfate together with the radium that had been in the solution were caught on the surface of the filter. This was mounted on a solid disc so that it too could be placed in the alpha-particle spectrometer for the measurement of radioactivity from the radium.

Two weeks later the results were ready. Dad, the boys, and one of the experts from the museum met with the chemist to discuss them. For one of the two paintings, the 22 polonium-210 radioactivity was about ten times that of the radium activity. The boys were disappointed because this meant that the painting could not have been 300 or 400 years old as it first appeared to be.

An alpha-particle spectrometer is used to measure the radioactivity of the radium and polonium prepared from the lead white.

A plastic disc on which is cemented a filter containing a nearly invisible deposit of barium sulfate (BaSO) that carried the radium.

But in the second painting the radioactivity from the polonium-210 and from the radium-226 were just about equal. That meant that this painting was at least 100 years old and, from its appearance, probably more. The boys were excited.

We have a really valuable painting! said Martin.

Not so fast, boys, cautioned Dad. We dont know who painted it and we dont know exactly how old it is.

The Gallerys expert was happy too. He believed that the second picture was a genuine Dutch painting from the 17th century. It was 23 a landscape and the artist might have been Aelbert Cuyp.

The Maas at Dordrecht, a genuine painting by Aelbert Cuyp.

What do we do now? asked Harley. How can we prove that the painting was painted in Holland in the 17th century by Cuyp?

There is a method now being developed, said Dad, that could give us that kind of information.

How does it work? Martin asked.

24

Who Was the Artist?

Do you know how criminals are caught by using fingerprints? asked Dad.

Sure we do, said Martin. Each person has a set of fingerprints that is different from anyone elses.

Harley spoke up. Did the artist leave his fingerprints on the paintings?

Probably not, said Dad. Besides, they would have been wiped off long ago. Also, who knows what each artists fingerprints were like?

Then what do you mean? asked Bill.

What I mean is, there is another kind of fingerprint that scientists are just now learning to use in all kinds of identification problems. Its not really a fingerprint, but its just as distinctive as a real fingerprint.

You see, in every material, no matter how pure you try to make it, there are always other substances contained in it in very, very small quantities, which are there only by chance. Usually the person making or using that material doesnt even know they are there, and the quantities are so small they dont do any harm. During the last several years, scientists have developed extremely sensitive methods of analysis, which have been applied to all kinds of problems.

One such method is called neutron activation analysis. In this method these small amounts of impurities can be detected in tiny samples of material. This is quite important because only very small samples can be taken from a precious painting without damaging it. 25 Normally, a scientist or an art restorer takes samples that are no bigger than the head of a pin.

How can you do anything with a sample that small? asked Bill.

With neutron activation analysis you can do a great deal. To give you an example of how sensitive this method is, think of a bathtub containing 500 quarts of milk. Add 1 drop of an acid containing a speck of gold dissolved in it. After you mix the acid and milk thoroughly, you wont be able to tell by looking at it that anything was added. But if you take a thimble full of liquid out of the bathtub, you can easily tell with neutron activation analysis that gold was added to the milk.

Scientists call low concentrations of accidental impurities trace elements, and the amounts that are present are measured in parts per million rather than percent. One part per million is one ten-thousandth of a percent.

Bill spoke up again. So how does that make a fingerprint, Dad?

26

It works this way. Suppose an artist used lead white in several paintings. Now if the lead white were absolutely pure it would contain only lead, carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen. But the lead white the artist used would also contain very small quantities of other elements, these trace elements that I spoke of. In that particular batch of lead white, certain trace elements will be present in a certain quantity. The kind and amount of the trace elements will be present in that exact pattern only in that batch of lead white.

Now suppose you analyze the lead white from several paintings that you know were painted by that particular artist, and you find that there is silver, mercury, antimony, tin, and barium in every one of the samples. Also, each of these elements is always present in a certain concentration. Suppose also, that you have a painting which looks like it was painted by that particular artist but youre not quite sure.

Well, if you take a sample of lead white from that unknown painting and you find that the pattern of impurities is the same as in the paintings you knew were genuine, then the fingerprints match. The chances of duplicating impurities of this kind by pure accident are extremely small, just about as small as the chances of finding two people with the same fingerprints. Thats why we call this a fingerprint method.

That sounds like a good idea, said Harley. Who thought it up?

27

x = one part per million (ppm) A known Rembrandt. x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x silver chromium zinc manganese iron cobalt Unknown painting A x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x silver chromium zinc manganese iron cobalt Unknown painting B x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x silver chromium zinc manganese iron cobalt Known forgery x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x silver chromium zinc manganese iron cobalt

Match the patterns of these lead white fingerprints. Unknown painting A is not a Rembrandt; it is by the same forger who painted the known forgery at the bottom. Unknown painting B is either by Rembrandt, one of his fellow citizens, or one of his students using the same paint.

28

It was thought of many times by many people. But, its never been used for identifying paintings. In 1964 in the Netherlands, two scientists, named Houtman and Turkstra, analyzed about 40 different samples of lead white, 20 of which came from Dutch and Flemish paintings. The rest were samples of lead white not taken from paintings but obtained directly from the manufacturers. They analyzed these samples for different elements. These included silver, mercury, chromium, manganese, tin, antimony, and a couple of others.

They found that the concentrations of these elements in the lead white from all the old Dutch and Flemish paintings were very similar. And the trace element concentrations were quite different in the modern lead white samples analyzed in the same way. At the time, they presumed that it was because the lead white in the paintings was manufactured so long ago. They may have been right to a certain extent.

For example, they found that in all the old paintings there were from 10 to 30 parts per million of silver in the lead white, while in the modern samples of this pigment there were generally less than 10 parts per million of silver. All of them had been painted before the 19th century, and all the samples of pure lead white were manufactured during the latter part of the 19th century or during the 20th century. They believed that the reason the silver concentration was lower in the more modern material was because during the 19th century, lead refiners were doing a better job of removing all the valuable silver from lead.

29

Silver concentrations in lead white. The concentrations generally decreased after the middle 1800s. Notice also how the concentrations were very similar for all the older paintings (before 1700) which were Dutch or Flemish.

However, in 1967 in Germany, two men, named Lux and Braunstein, discovered that in some old paintings produced in Italy, lead white also contained low quantities of silver just like modern material. They believed that the higher concentrations of silver in lead white were typical of Dutch and Flemish painters while the lower concentrations were typical of Italian paintings of about the same age.

The whole case is still unsettled because not enough measurements have been made to show how reliable this method can be. That is, no one knows if samples of paint from several paintings by one artist would all have the same pattern of impurities in the same pigment. It may be that of the many pigments present in an artists paintings only a few will 30 be suitable for use in this fingerprinting method.

Quartz vials (right) containing samples are sealed in the aluminum can on the left. They are then bombarded with neutrons in a reactor like the one in the picture below.

It sounds complicated, said Bill.

It is, and its going to take years of work before the method is proven, if it is at all. It may turn out that you cant tell one artist from another, but only groups of artists like 17th century Dutch painters or 19th century English painters.

Tell us something about neutron activation analysis, said Martin. How do you measure such small amounts of impurities?

The best way to tell you how this works is to show you. How would you boys like to visit a laboratory where neutron activation analysis is being done?

Do you have to ask? said Harley. Of course we would!

A few weeks later it was all arranged. At a laboratory close by a nuclear reactor, the boys watched a radiochemist place a few specks of material inside small quartz tubes that were then sealed. The tubes were put in an aluminum can and placed in the nuclear reactor. The can was fastened on the end of a long pole that was then submerged in a deep pool of water. At the bottom of the pool the boys could see a bright blue glow.

This type of nuclear reactor is used for neutron activation analysis.

So thats what a nuclear reactor looks like! said Bill.

Yes, said Dad. Where you see the blue glow you can also see rows of fuel elements. Each one contains slugs of uranium encased in aluminum. This is one of a number of different types of reactors. But every nuclear reactor is arranged so that the uranium atoms 31 divide (or fission) many, many times each second.

When this happens, heat is produced that is carried away by the water, and also many, many free neutrons are produced. Those samples, placed down next to the reactor in the bottom of the pool are being bombarded by the neutrons, and some of the elements in the samples absorb the neutrons and become radioactive.

After a while the samples were removed and carried back to the laboratory in a lead box. A short while later, the radiochemist opened the aluminum can, broke open the quartz capsules, and removed the samples for analysis. The boys watched the chemist mount each sample on a card and take it to a room where there was equipment for measuring radioactivity.

Gamma-ray spectrometer. The sample to be measured is placed on a stand over a gamma-ray detector. The pulse-height analyzer is a device that sorts electrical impulses from the detector according to the energy of the gamma rays causing the impulses. The screen displays the gamma-ray spectrum and the electric typewriter automatically types out the data collected when the measurement is complete.

32

One by one the samples were placed inside a shield consisting of a big pile of lead bricks. When the heavy door was opened, the boys could see a metal can inside the shield, which housed a detector (called a lithium-drifted germanium detector) that measured the gamma rays emitted by the sample. As each sample was placed near the detector the chemist turned on a gamma-ray spectrometer to which the detector was connected.

A tiny sample of lead white is sealed in a quartz vial which is bombarded with neutrons in a reactor.

Many of the atoms become radioactive, emitting gamma rays.

The sample is placed in a gamma-ray spectrometer and the gamma rays are separated according to their energy.

Gamma-ray spectrum Copper Zinc Antimony Lead Silver Height Antimony

The location (energy) of each peak indicates what is present and the height indicates how much!

33

A gamma-ray spectrum as it appears on the screen of a pulse-height analyzer. The gamma-ray peaks are marked with the name of the element whose radioactive isotope emits the gamma ray; two for cobalt and zinc and one for cesium.

There, on what looked like a small television screen, flashes of light appeared that gradually formed a curve with many peaks and valleys. After a few minutes the spectrometer was stopped and an electric typewriter automatically typed out rows and columns of numbers.

The chemist explained, This curve, which you see on the screen, is a gamma-ray spectrum and tells us what elements are in the sample. The typed-out data give us an accurate measure of the shape of the curve on the screen. By measuring the gamma-rays energies we know what elements in the sample were made radioactive. The height of 34 each gamma-ray peak tells us how much of that element is present in the sample.

That gives us the information we need to calculate the concentrations of the small quantities of materials in our samples. We can do this because at the same time I irradiated a set of standards. Standards are materials that are just like the samples except that they contain known amounts of the impurities I am trying to measure.

As the boys were leaving the laboratory, the chemist apologized for not having enough time to explain the activation analysis procedure more thoroughly, but he did give the boys a list of books to read on the subject of radioactivity and radioisotopes. They thanked him for his help.

During the ride home, they discussed the paintings that were still unproven.

Its too bad that the method of activation analysis fingerprinting hasnt been fully developed yet, said Dad.

Yes, said Bill. Then we could prove whether or not that last old painting was really by Aelbert Cuyp as the expert from the gallery believed. But what about those paintings that we found in the box that were not so old?

Well, said Dad, if the activation analysis method were workable, we might be able to prove if they were painted by Alfred Sisley. Meanwhile, until the method is really developed we dont know if we can do it that way or not.

35

So what do we do now? asked Martin.

Well have to wait until scientists can thoroughly investigate this method and several others that theyre working on.

Other methods! exclaimed Bill. What other methods?

The Banks of the Oise, a genuine painting by Alfred Sisley.

36

Other New Tools for Art Authentication

There are several new tools that scientists are working on now, said Dad. These involve methods that have been developed by scientists for other purposes, but are now being explored for use in authenticating works of art.

For example, in Los Angeles, the county museum purchased an instrument known as a Spark Source Mass Spectrometer. Like activation analysis, this instrument will also measure small traces of impurities, but they have just set that up and it will take them years to explore the use of it for the type of problem we have been discussing.

X-ray diffraction is another method that has been around for quite awhile but hasnt been used much for art identification until recently. With X-ray diffraction, samples of pigments can be identified by the pattern formed when X rays are bent by passing through the sample of pigment.

Hows that? asked Harley.

There are 3 or 4 different compounds with about the same chemical composition as lead white. Chemically, they are almost impossible to distinguish. But with X-ray diffraction, a chemist can easily tell them apart. The hope is that the type of lead white will indicate how it was manufactured. Until the middle of the 19th century, lead white was produced mainly by packing strips of lead in clay pots with a little vinegar in the bottom. The clay pots were stacked in a large building with layers of decaying organic matter on the 37 floor. The building was sealed for several weeks during which time the lead corroded in the fumes and became covered with a white substance. The white substance, lead white, was scraped off, ground, and washed to make the pigment.

But, in the 19th century, when people began to learn more about chemistry, they looked for faster ways of making lead white and some of these methods produced a lead white of somewhat different composition. By using X-ray diffraction, chemists now hope that they can tell how the lead white was manufactured. This may provide another means of dating the lead white in a painting.

Are there any other methods? asked Harley.

The stack process for making lead white. Rows of clay pots containing lead and vinegar are packed to the ceiling of the building, and fermenting tanbark on the floor produces carbon dioxide and heat. The fumes of vinegar and the carbon dioxide corrode the lead in 2 to 4 months, and the corrosion is lead white.

Yes, isotope mass spectrometry is one. All lead consists of 4 different isotopes or atoms of different weights. Three of these 4 38 are the end products of a radioactive decay chain. Depending upon the history of the rock formation in which the lead ore occurred, the relative amounts of the lead isotopes vary in a special way. In other words, if we know the different amounts of lead isotopes in the worlds lead ore deposits, and we have a sample of lead white from a painting, we can tell from which deposit the lead, which formed the lead white, came. If, for example, we find that the isotope pattern in a sample from a painting is the same as in lead ore from Australia, then the painting cant be very old because lead white wasnt produced from lead mined in Australia until about 100 years ago.

X-ray diffraction patterns from three different lead compounds that might occur in lead white. The middle one is the ideal lead white produced for over 2000 years. While some of the bottom compound may be found mixed with it, the compound shown at the top is only a 20th-century invention.

4PbCO  2PB(OH)  PbO 2PbCO  PB(OH) PbCO

39

How do you measure lead isotopes? asked Harley.

With an instrument called a mass spectrometer. This instrument is capable of separating the lead isotopes. First, the atoms of lead in the sample are electrically charged and fired in a beam down the length of a tube between the poles of a strong magnet. There, the charged atoms (or ions) in the beam are deflected by different amounts according to how heavy they are. Thus the different isotopes are separated. This method is also still being studied and, although it shows great promise, it will be some time before it can solve problems of art identification. Also the study of the natural variation in isotopes of other elements, such as sulfur, is useful for identification of other pigments as well.

Diagram of a simple mass spectrometer. The ionized atoms of lead travel in a beam at the same speed. The heavier atoms bend less than the lighter ones when the beam passes the magnet. Thus two beams emerge instead of one. Actually there are four isotopes of lead so there will be four beams.

40

Agostina, a genuine painting by Jean Baptiste Camille Corot.

Another new method that shows great promise has been developed, but this one is not applicable to the paintings that you boys found in the box.

Why not? asked Bill.

Since the Second World War, the art forgery business has been growing rapidly. For example, it has been said that of the 2000 pictures that Corot, a 19th century Frenchman, is known to have painted, more than 5000 of them are in the United States. This may be only a humorous exaggeration, but a large number of forgeries have been produced in the last several years. These are usually supposed to be paintings that are less than 100 years old. Present-day forgers like to forge paintings that arent very old because its easier to get away with. Now this new method, which will detect such recent forgeries, is based upon the presence of carbon-14, a radioactive isotope of carbon, in our atmosphere and in all things that grow on our planet.

Ordinarily, carbon-14 is produced only by cosmic rays, and its concentrations in the atmosphere and in growing things would remain at a constant level. But since the middle of the 1950s the testing of nuclear weapons has increased the amount of radioactive carbon in our atmosphere by quite a bit. Many artists materials, such as linseed oil, canvas, paper, and so on, come from plants or animals, and so will contain the same concentrations of carbon-14 as the atmosphere up to the time that the plant or animal dies.

41

Therefore, linseed oil (from the flax plant), for example, produced during the last few years will have a much greater concentration of carbon-14 in it than linseed oil produced more than 20 years ago. Scientists at Carnegie-Mellon University have shown that this method will work. It is only a matter of making the measurements on the small samples available from presumably valuable paintings.

The changing concentrations of carbon-14 in our atmosphere. High levels of carbon-14 in linseed oil and other painting materials will indicate that a work of art is only a few years old.

Carbon-14 radioactivity Older materials contain less as the carbon-14 decays away. In this period, decrease is due to the burning of large quantities of coal and oil as industry grew. This diluted the newly formed carbon-14. Increases due to testing of atomic weapons in the atmosphere. Carbon-14 produced by cosmic rays only Neutron  Nitrogen  Carbon-14 + proton Carried down by rain in carbon dioxide

There are also a number of other methods being studied including the use of Messbauer Effect Spectroscopy to study pigments 42 that contain iron, thermoluminescent dating of pottery and terra-cotta statuary, X-ray fluorescence analysis as a general tool, and neutron autoradiography as a means of studying the technique of artists. You can read all about them if you wish.

It sounds like forgers are going to have a tough time in the future, said Harley.

Thats right. It may even turn out that producing forgeries to pass all these new tests will be so difficult and expensive that forgers will stop trying.

One Mystery Solved

A year later an important letter arrived at the boys house. Dad opened it, read it quickly, and said, Good news, boys! This letter is from the Dutch government. Remember those two paintings that we thought might have been stolen from a Dutch museum?

Yes, said Bill.

Well, it seems that after a year of studying them, the Dutch have decided that they really are the paintings that were stolen.

That is good news, said Harley. At least we know that two of the paintings we found are genuine.

What are they going to do with them? asked Martin.

Of course, they have to go back to their original owners. But this letter says that the 43 Dutch government wants us to come to Holland as their guests as a reward for finding those paintings.

These two paintings The Lacemaker and The Smiling Girl were thought to have been by Vermeer. A series of tests, including some of those described in this booklet, showed that the paintings are fairly old. However, some of the materials used are not typical of Vermeer, and the pictures are now thought to have been painted by a follower of the artist.

Thats great! said Bill. Looks like were getting something out of finding that box after all.

Yes, said Dad. And dont forget the other unidentified paintings may also be genuine. Weve proved that one is a fake, the experts believe that three of the others are copies, and then there are the two that might be Sisleys and are only waiting for a method to prove it. And we have one more that science managed to prove was really old. Im sure that in a few years methods will be developed to tell us exactly who painted it.

And now lets make arrangements for our trip to Holland.

44

Reading List

About Atomic Power for People, Edward and Ruth S. Radlauer, Childrens Press, Chicago, Illinois 60607, 1960, 47 pp., $2.50. Grades 5-9.

All About the Atom, Ira M. Freeman, Random House, Inc., New York 10022, 1955, 146 pp., $2.50. Grades 4-6.

Atoms at Your Service, Henry A. Dunlap and Hans N. Tuch, Harper and Row, Publishers, New York 10016, 1957, 167 pp., $4.00. Grades 7-9.

Carbon-14 and Other Science Methods that Date the Past, Lynn and Gray Poole, McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York 10036, 1961, 160 pp., $3.95. Grades 9-12.

Experiments with Atomics (revised edition), Nelson F. Beeler and Franklyn M. Branley, Crowell Collier and Macmillan, Inc., New York 10022, 1965, 160 pp., $3.50. Grades 5-8.

The Fabulous Isotopes: What They Are and What They Do, Robin McKown, Holiday House, Inc., New York 10022, 1962, 189 pp., $4.50. Grades 7-10.

Inside the Atom (revised edition), Isaac Asimov, Abelard-Schuman, Ltd., New York 10019, 1966, 197 pp., $4.00. Grades 7-10.

Introducing the Atom, Roslyn Leeds, Harper and Row, Publishers, New York 10016, 1967, 224 pp., $3.95. Grades 7-9.

Our Friend the Atom, Heinz Haber, Golden Press, Inc., New York 10022, 1957, 165 pp., $4.95 (out of print but available through libraries); $0.35 (paperback) from 45 Dell Publishing Company, Inc., New York 10017. Grades 7-9.

Radioisotopes, John H. Woodburn, J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19105, 1962, 128 pp., $3.50. Grades 7-10.

The Story of Atomic Energy, Laura Fermi, Random House, Inc., New York 10022, 1961, 184 pp., $1.95. Grades 7-11.

The Useful Atom, William R. Anderson and Vernon Pizer, The World Publishing Company, New York 10022, 1966, 185 pp., $5.75. Grades 7-12.

Working with Atoms, Otto R. Frisch, Basic Books, Inc., Publishers, New York 10016, 1965, 96 pp., $3.50. Grades 9-12.

Footnotes

It is called this because 210 is the total number of protons and neutrons in its nucleus. See the reading list on page 44 Secrets of the Past: Nuclear Science and Archaeology, which is listed on the See, which is listed on the inside back cover of this booklet.

PHOTO CREDITS

Cover courtesy Groninger Museum voor stad en Lande

Page 5 Yale Joel, Life magazine, copyright  Time, Inc. 6 Her Majesty the Queen, copyright  reserved 7 & 8 Ullstein Bilderdienst 10 Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 23 National Gallery of Art, Washington, D. C., Andrew Mellon Collection 35 & 40 National Gallery of Art, Washington, D. C., Chester Dale Collection 43 National Gallery of Art, Washington, D. C., Andrew Mellon Collection

 U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1974747-556/15

47

The U. S. Atomic Energy Commission publishes this series of information booklets for the general public. The booklets are listed below by subject category.

If you would like to have copies of these booklets, please write to the following address for a booklet price list:

USAECTechnical Information Center P. O. Box 62 Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830

School and public libraries may obtain a complete set of the booklets without charge. These requests must be made on school or library stationery.

Chemistry IB-303 The Atomic Fingerprint: Neutron Activation Analysis IB-301 The Chemistry of the Noble Gases IB-302 Cryogenics: The Uncommon Cold IB-304 Nuclear Clocks IB-306 Radioisotopes in Industry IB-307 Rare Earths: The Fraternal Fifteen IB-308 Synthetic Transuranium Elements Biology IB-101 Animals in Atomic Research IB-102 Atoms in Agriculture IB-105 The Genetic Effects of Radiation IB-110 Preserving Food with Atomic Energy IB-106 Radioisotopes and Life Processes IB-107 Radioisotopes in Medicine IB-109 Your Body and Radiation The Environment IB-201 The Atom and the Ocean IB-202 Atoms, Nature, and Man IB-414 Natures Invisible Rays General Interest IB-009 Atomic Energy and Your World IB-010 Atomic PioneersBook 1: From Ancient Greece to the 19th Century IB-011 Atomic PioneersBook 2: From the Mid-19th to the Early 20th Century IB-012 Atomic PioneersBook 3: From the Late 19th to the Mid-20th Century IB-002 A Bibliography of Basic Books on Atomic Energy IB-004 Computers IB-008 Electricity and Man IB-005 Index to AEC Information Booklets IB-310 Lost Worlds: Nuclear Science and Archeology IB-309 The Mysterious Box: Science and Art IB-006 Nuclear Terms: A Glossary IB-013 Secrets of the Past: Nuclear Energy Applications in Art and Archaeology IB-017 Teleoperators: Mans Machine Partners IB-014, 015, & 016 Worlds Within Worlds: The Story of Nuclear Energy Volumes 1, 2, and 3 Physics IB-401 Accelerators IB-402 Atomic Particle Detection IB-403 Controlled Nuclear Fusion IB-404 Direct Conversion of Energy IB-410 The Electron IB-405 The Elusive Neutrino IB-416 Inner Space: The Structure of the Atom IB-406 Lasers IB-407 Microstructure of Matter IB-415 The Mystery of Matter IB-411 Power from Radioisotopes IB-413 Spectroscopy IB-412 Space Radiation Nuclear Reactors IB-501 Atomic Fuel IB-502 Atomic Power Safety IB-513 Breeder Reactors IB-503 The First Reactor IB-505 Nuclear Power Plants IB-507 Nuclear Reactors IB-510 Nuclear Reactors for Space Power IB-508 Radioactive Wastes IB-511 Sources of Nuclear Fuel IB-512 Thorium and the Third Fuel

U. S. ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION

Office of Information Services

Transcribers Notes

Silently corrected a few typos.

Retained publication information from the printed edition: this eBook is public-domain in the country of publication.

In the text versions only, text in italics is delimited by _underscores_.

*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MYSTERIOUS BOX ***




Haiti - USA : The warship USS Arlington on its way to Haiti





On Sunday August 15, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin authorized the United States Southern Command to support the efforts of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The humanitarian effort is led by Rear Adm. Keith Davids, commander of U.S. Special Operations Command South.



The US Navy sent the 25,000-ton amphibious warship USS Arlington (LPD-24) based in Norfolk, Va. to assist with the humanitarian aid mission in Haiti following the August 14 earthquake, the Pentagon confirmed.



The USS Arlington left for Haiti on Tuesday evening after loading a dozen trays of relief supplies, two helicopters and heavy machinery. He should arrive Friday evening in Haiti "These are medical supplies, water, food, and products for small children like diapers and formula" said Captain Eric Kellum, Commander of the USS Arlington.



"Once 420 sailors and around 200 marines arrive, they will work together to provide aid in Haiti : clearing rubble and reopening roads, search, rescue and evacuation of the wounded. We have a fleet surgical team on board who will be able to provide medical assistance," said Lt. Col. Cory Murtaugh of the US Marine Corps.



The troops could stay in Haiti for up to four months or more as needed.



The USS Arlington will be deployed with two MH-60 Seahawk helicopters, a surgical team and landing craft. In addition, the United States is sending the USNS Burlington Spearhead Class Expeditionary Fast Transport (T-EPF-10) which will also serve as a platform to launch drones for aerial surveillance as well as two P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft to provide aerial images of areas devastated by the earthquake. The images will be used by experienced disaster planners to determine what emergency capacities and supplies are needed immediately and where.



In addition, "[...] 7 US Coast Guard ships will join the relief operation," Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said on Tuesday, adding "We expect four Southern Command field hospitals of the United States be installed in southern Haiti by the end of the week."



Read also about the earthquake :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34525-haiti-flash-the-toll-is-growing-nearly-15-000-victims-partial-assessment.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34522-haiti-humanitarian-update-on-international-aid.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34520-haiti-unicef-nearly-540-000-children-in-haiti-were-affected-by-the-earthquake.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34516-haiti-flash-nearly-2-000-dead-and-10-000-injured-partial-assessment.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34512-haiti-earthquake-rain-of-messages-of-sympathy-part-2.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34509-haiti-earthquake-mexico-chile-taiwan-japan-venezuela-international-aid-is-coming.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34507-haiti-flash-1-417-dead-6-975-injured-84-225-houses-destroyed-or-damaged-partial-assessment.html

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-34501-icihaiti-earthquake-food-for-the-poor-in-action.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34500-haiti-usa-american-aid-arrives-in-haiti.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34498-haiti-flash-the-partial-death-toll-increases-nearly-1-300-dead-and-5-700-injured.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34496-haiti-flash-the-toll-is-increasing-724-dead-international-aid-is-arriving.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34493-haiti-earthquake-rain-of-messages-of-sympathy-part-1.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34492-haiti-earthquake-the-international-community-has-started-to-show-its-solidarity.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34488-haiti-flash-more-than-300-dead-nearly-2-000-injured-very-significant-material-damage-provisional-assessment.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34487-haiti-flash-the-human-toll-promises-to-be-heavy-already-227-dead-and-hundreds-injured.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34486-haiti-flash-7-new-aftershocks-in-the-southern-peninsula.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34480-haiti-flash-second-earthquake-in-haiti-magnitude-52.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34479-haiti-flash-magnitude-72-earthquake-in-the-nippes-updated-10am.html



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Diaspora USA : Verizon waives calling charges to Haiti





Following the 7.2 earthquake that occurred on August 14 in Haiti https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34525-haiti-flash-the-toll-is-growing-nearly-15-000-victims-partial-assessment.html, the company Verizon announces that it has decided to waive the charges for calls from its residential and professional wireless and fixed customers to Haiti, from August 18 to 31, 2021 .



"In this time of need, we know customers are trying to reach loved ones in Haiti," said Ronan Dunne, executive vice president and CEO of Verizon Consumer Group for Verizon. "Waiving the calling charges will help our customers focus on tracking down and keeping in touch with family and friends without having to also worry about the cost."



As of Wednesday, August 18, 2021, all calls made from a Verizon residential or commercial landline or wireless telephone to Haiti will be priced at $ 0.00 per minute.



Additionally, customers with international coverage plans can call Haiti without using any minutes from their time-allotment blocks.



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34525-haiti-flash-the-toll-is-growing-nearly-15-000-victims-partial-assessment.html



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - FLASH : The Biden administration no longer calls for elections to be held this year





The Biden administration no longer calls for elections in Haiti this year given the recent earthquake https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34525-haiti-flash-the-toll-is-growing-nearly-15-000-victims-partial-assessment.html which devastated the South of Haiti.



The earthquake only heightened US concern over the security situation as gang activity and the investigation into the July 7 murder of President Jovenel Moise exceeded capacity of the Haitian National Police.



"Its too early to tell what the impact on the political process of the earthquake is," said Jake Sullivan, White House national security advisor, said at a press briefing. "Were in the process of assessing that."



A senior official in the Biden administration said "We strongly support holding elections as soon as they are viable" recalling that "Even pre-earthquake, theyre in the middle of a pandemic, and the security situation was one that was concerning [...] The policy remains that we want to make sure Haitians can freely and fairly exercise their right to vote [...] Right now the focus is on an immediate response to the aftermath of the earthquake [...]"



Let's recall that a few days before the earthquake, the Provisional Electoral Council of Haiti had presented a new Calendar to the Executive which proposed a combined, Presidential, legislative and referendum ballot on November 7, 2021. A date which now seems uncertain https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34461-haiti-flash-new-electoral-calendar-official.html , calendar that the Prime Minister ai Ariel Henry had rejected.



"The earthquake may delay that process even more now, probably into early 2022," declared Georges Fauriol, expert from Haiti, senior associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) adding "That puts a burden on key international supporters, in particular the United States [...] because the more you move into 2022, the more you hit the historical calendar of presidential terms  and that essentially means you run into 2022 with the delayed beginning of a normal presidential term [...]"



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34525-haiti-flash-the-toll-is-growing-nearly-15-000-victims-partial-assessment.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34461-haiti-flash-new-electoral-calendar-official.html



S/ HaitiLibre


















By William Schwartz | Published on 2021/08/18

Dong-man has realized that Seon-ho is the mystery hacker who's been helping out with the cryptocurrency investigation. It's no spoiler to note that the episode ends with Dong-man asking Seon-ho to directly assist with the case. It's what the story's obviously been leading up to. But Dong-man actually wanting Seon-ho to succeed dramatically improves the tone of "Police University" as Seon-ho now does battle with his own self-doubt and perceived insufficiencies rather than Dong-man's petty spite.

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In a truly excellent story beat, Seon-ho has staked his continued enrollment in the police academy on his success in a major training exercise. While I've criticized the pseudo-military tone of the training to date, it actually works quite well here because the capture the flag mission finally gives Seon-ho a chance to fight with intelligence rather than brute force. That Seon-ho comes up with an actual strategy is to his great credit.

Even more important is the revelation that the goal of the exercise was not to win, but to demonstrate discipline with fellow officers. We can likewise see how Seon-ho's squad goes from clearly winning by a wide margin to a razor thin finish largely because one member of the team doesn't stick to the plan. I was slightly annoyed that Seon-ho's entire squad still passes considering that. I suppose writer Moon Min-jung just couldn't bear to get rid of an antagonistic character despite having very good reason to.

Ironically, new developments in the cryptocurrency plotline retroactively justify Dong-man's maverick behavior for the opposite reason. We receive confirmation that Dong-man's investigation is actively being sabotaged within the police force. It's surprisingly bold for "Police University" to not just acknowledge official corruption, but to have characters frankly discuss police brutality. Despite initial appearances, the elder police officers don't quite fall where we would expect on such ethical questions of good cops versus bad cops.

Overall this was quite a strong episode- certainly the best so far. Unfortunately I still have one major complaint. Jung Soo-jung just isn't doing anything. Her character is portrayed as so boring and competent there just isn't much for her to do, except have the male characters make googly eyes at her. I can only hope she's better utilized in the next stage of the story, since Kang-hee is quickly emerging as the main recruit who hits the trustworthiness trifecta of being a team player, having good police skills, and also having a strong moral compass.

Review by William Schwartz

___________

"Police University" is directed by Yoo Kwan-mo, written by Moon Min-jung, and features Jin Young, Cha Tae-hyun, Jung Soo-jung, Chu Young-woo, Lee Dal, Yoo Young-jae. Broadcasting information in Korea: 2021/08/09~Now airing, Mon, Tue 21:30 on KBS.
Published on 2021/08/18 | Source

Actors Shin Min-a and Kim Seon-ho showed off their couple chemistry.

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Shin Min-ah and Kim Seon-ho recently had a photo shoot with ELLE.

The two actors' solo couple photo shoot captured the warm chemistry of Shin Min-a and Kim Seon-ho in a free atmosphere. Their natural couple chemistry drew cheers from the staff on site.

In the drama, Shin Min-a plays Yoon Hye-jin, a realist dentist who goes down to Gongjin, a mud village by chance. "It's a warm story", she said about why she chose tvN's new drama, "Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha". "Not only the main characters but also the stories of the characters around her are alive".

About Kim Seon-ho, who she worked together for the first time, she said, "I was surprised that he did everything well in real life, just like Chief Hong who does everything well in the drama. I hope that Chief Hong will be loved by many people and I appreciate him for always making the filming site comfortable", she said.

Kim Seon-ho, who plays Hong Doo-sik, an all-around unemployed Chief of Gongjin, said in an interview, "It is fun to play Chief Hong and the 'okay' sign was given even when my hair and collars turned upside-down from the wind", he said.

About his co-star Shin Min-a, he said "She is very honest and lovely. I've never seen her frown during the shoot", he said with great admiration. "In the drama, Hye-jin is a person with great courage and confidence to express herself honestly. That's really attractive", he said, telling the honest impression he felt from Hye-jin as a character.

Shin Min-a and Kim Seon-ho's pictorials, interviews, and individual YouTube content can be found in the September issue of ELLE, the website, and YouTube.
Published on 2021/08/17 | Source

Glamorous stars trickle down to the small screen.

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Top stars, including Song Hye-kyo, Jun Ji-hyun, Lee Young-ae, Jeon Do-yeon, Go Hyun-jung and Son Ye-jin, will visit viewers with dramas in the second half of this year. Viewers' expectations are also growing for the lead lineup, who are rarely seen in dramas.

Jeon Do-yeon and Jun Ji-hyun, who have been using the screen as their main stage, will return to dramas after five years. They will star in JTBC's "Lost" and tvN's "Jirisan" which are scheduled to air in September and October, respectively. Jeon Do-yeon joins hands with director Heo Jin-ho in "Lost". In this work, which depicts the story of ordinary people who suddenly realize that they are 'nothing' in the midst of life's downhill, Jeon Do-yeon plays the role of ghostwriter Boo-jeong who wants to be a writer, and works with Ryu Jun-yeol. Jun Ji-hyun will work with writer Kim Eun-hee-I again in "Jirisan" following the Netflix drama "Kingdom: Ashin of the North" which was released last month. "Jirisan" is a mystery that tells the story of people climbing the mountain against the backdrop of the vast Jiri Mountain starring Ju Ji-hoon.

Song Hye-kyo and Lee Young-ae are expected to return to the small screen at a similar time and face off with ratings. 'Mellow Queen' Song Hye-kyo will star in SBS' new Wednesday-Thursday drama "Now, We Are Breaking Up". It is drawing attention as it is her first drama in two years. Song Hye-kyo is Ha Yeong-eun, the head of the fashion company's design team, who is a cold-hearted realist, and tells various stories about love from romance to separation with the male lead Yoon Jae-gook (Jang Ki-yong). There is also Lee Young-ae, who is set to return after four years since SBS' "Saimdang: Light's Diary". Lee Young-ae is planning a different transformation through JTBC's "Sightseeing". "Sightseeing" is about a police-turned-insurance investigator named Goo Kyeong-ii tracking down a series of murders while the truth behind is discovered as a genius who feels joy only in solving unsolved crimes.

Go Hyun-jung and Son Ye-jin will return with attractive female characters. Go Hyun-jung will announce her comeback with JTBC's "A Person Similar to You". It is the first time in two years since KBS2's "Neighborhood Lawyer Jo Deul-ho 2: Crime and Punishment". "A Person Similar to You" is a revenge play between a woman who is faithful to her desires and another woman who has lost the light of her life. Go Hyun-jung is expected to play the role of Hee-joo, portraying a solid inner and colorful texture with her unique solid acting. Son Ye-jin leads JTBC's "Thirty, Nine". In a real-life human romance drama about the friendship, love and life of three friends turning forty just around the corner, Son Ye-jin plays Cha Mi-jo, the head of a Gangnam dermatologist who grew up in a rich environment. Jeon Mi-do of tvN's "Hospital Playlist" will also join the show.

Moon So-ri and Kim Hee-ae are expected to portray 'wo-mance' in the drama "Queen Maker". "Queen Maker", which features two women who live completely different lives holding hands to create a righteous world, is already expected to meet Kim Hee-ae and veteran actress Moon So-ri, who will come back four years after JTBC's "The World of the Married".

In the first half of this year, drama expectations continued to struggle with single-digit ratings. With the exception of SBS' "The Penthouse 3" and tvN's "Hospital Playlist Season 2", there are many dramas that recorded 0% viewership. Amid intensifying competition with the ever-increasing online video service (OTT) platform, some observers say that the upcoming appearance of top actors is an opportunity to reverse the situation.

"It is unusual to meet veteran actresses with 20 years of experience in dramas at the same time", a broadcaster said. "As it is organized at a similar time, it is expected that there will be a confrontation of ratings with pride on the line".
Hannibal, MO (63401)

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Among a number of other issues, Hill County officials discussed progress on American Rescue Plan projects in the county at their monthly meeting Wednesday.

Hill County Commissioner Mark Peterson said the county is working on a number of water-related projects they are hoping to get funding for and several of them have been ranked by the state.

Peterson said Hinghams wastewater system was ranked 96, the Milk River Levee project ranked 98, Lift Stations 29 and 30 ranked 115, and North Havres Water District ranked 194.

He said the City of Havres water project came in ranked at 144.

He said he this list will go to the Gov. Gianfortes office, where a committee will further review them and adjust ranks.

Peterson said he has no idea how it will all turn out, but he knows there are more projects than there is money for and the county wont know if any of its projects will get what they requested for at least a few weeks.

The county is also hoping to get funding for Box Elders septic system and for the replacement of Kremlins main water line, he said.

He said the Kremlins project is still in the early stages, and Box Elder recently sent out a request for proposals for their own project.

Outside of ARPA projects, Hill County Commissioner Jake Strissel said the commission is conducting interviews with people looking to fill various open board positions including on the Great Northern Fair Board, as well as a replacement for Hill County Building Manager Daryl Anez, who will be leaving the position in the near future.

Hill County Commissioner Diane MeLean said the county is also proceeding with its WorkSafe Champions training which nine employees have volunteered to engage in.

McLean said the county is taking advantage of this training because their workmans compensation rate is pretty high and they want to remedy that while, more importantly, promoting a safer work culture at the county.

She said she hopes the nine employees who engage in this program can bring what they learn back to their respective departments.

She also mentioned that the commission is still looking into a policy that would allow county employees keep their longevity when moving to other departments.

McLean said having employees effectively start over when switching departments isnt the most fair policy, but the proposed change could make brining in an experienced employee to a new department burdensome.

The commissioners also talked about a recent request they received from a county employee to notify the public that people who buy vehicles need to get a title for it and if they want a bonded title they will need to bring all the necessary paperwork and information or it wont be issued.

Hill County Treasurer Sandy Brown said people across the state have been exploiting the bonded title system and this has lead to them becoming more difficult to issue.

Bonded titles can be obtained for a vehicle purchased from someone else in the event that no record of the title can be found.

Brown said people have been buying vehicles but not putting them in their name so they can sell them on, presumably confident that the person they sold the vehicle to can just get a bonded title.

She said there are circumstances in which bonded titles are legitimate, but the system is being manipulated and she needs people to know that if they buy a vehicle they have to get a title.

According to the Montana Department of Justice people looking for a bonded title need to have, proof of ownership i.e. a notarized bill-of-sale, cancelled check, purchase invoice etc., a Vehicle Identification Number Inspection Certificate completed by law enforcement as well as an application for bonded title including the circumstances through which they acquired ownership, disclosure of any security interests like liens, and a determination of the vehicles value using the National Appraisal Guide.

Brown also said, regardless of what theyre told, people cant just sign a no-interest statement on the vehicle.

McLean said the county doesnt have a Facebook page and she doesnt want to make one, so she doesnt know how they can get the word out.

She also said the commission is discussing how to address an issue related to certified mail being accepted improperly by county employees.

Hill County Attorney Karen Alley said pieces of certified mail are being signed for without a departments knowledge or consent and recommended that the commission craft a policy spelling out the rules and educate county employees about what they are and arent allowed to sign for.

Alley also mentioned that there will be a large jury trial the week of Aug. 30 which has necessitated that the courthouse garage be sealed with evidence tape, as it is a trial exhibit in the case.

She said it is a felony offense to cross that tape unless otherwise authorized.

That will be tampering with evidence and I will have no hesitation filing that, she said.

Other Hill County officials also provided updates on their department recent activities during the meeting.

Hill County Building Manager Daryl Anez said the courthouses new camera system is up and running but his employees still need an opportunity to learn how to use the system which FICO will be helping them with.

Anez said they are also looking into what kind of signage they need to make sure the public is aware that the interior of the courthouse as well as the area outside is being monitored.

Hill County Sheriff Jamie Ross said outside of helping with the recent evacuation of the Zortman area due to the Pine Grove Fire, its been business as usual at his department.

Mosquito District Supervisor and Weed District Coordinator Terry Turner also provided an update on the West Nile Virus situation in Montana.

He said five counties, including Blaine County, have found the virus in mosquito pools and it could show up in Hill County before long.

We get a good east wind, it could be here, he said.

On the weed side of things, he said the district has removed some phragmites in Blaine County, and has been helping Rocky Boy deal with a spotted knapweed infestation with bio-control agents they recently acquired.

Turner also asked the commissioners if any progress had been made on setting up county credit cards, but McLean said that issue fell by the wayside this month so she didnt have an update.

She also introduced the group to the countys new superintendent of schools, Vicky Proctor, saying shell be a fun person to have around.

Proctor said shes working on elementary and secondary school emergency relief fund plans with a few schools in the area.

She thanked everyone at the meeting for their time and patience with the newest addition to the group.

McLean also made a request to county officials that they not bring up issues not on the agenda at the public comment section during the commissions business meetings.

She said in the last few weeks the commissioners been questioned publicly about issues they dont have background information on and if officials want to talk about an issue they should set up a meeting or get it on the agenda.
Stricks Ag Vice President of Operations and Procurement Brad Kantorowicz gives Gov. Gianforte a tour of the processing facility Wednesday after the governor's meeting with employees. Gianforte met with the owners of Mark's Tire and Alignment Inc. in Shelby earlier Wednesday to talk about the impact of the continued closure of the U.S. Northern border on the Hi-Line, part of his 56 County Tour.

Gov. Greg Gianforte visited Stricks Ag, a pulse processing facility in Chester Wednesday, part of his 56 County Tour, where he spoke to employees and was shown the business's new building while being taught about the business's history.

Stricks Co-Owner Jill Streit said the business was officially formed in 2014 when her family, the the Wicks family, teamed up to create an agriculture business that employees say has since brought people to the area.

The name of the business is combination of the partner families, names.

Streit said the business, even after a shift toward selling more domestically, ships its goods to 35 different countries, and its product is used by major brands like Sabra.

"If you believe in it and you get the right people around you," she said to Gianforte, "you can make it."

Streit said it was tough to make headway in the pulse business when they first started but since then have been able to help lead the way for others to make it in to the market.

She said diversifying their product base in recent years has massively improved the business and the quality of the soil they use on the farming side of operations and the generational knowledge passed down through the families of the business's owners and employees has allowed them to make something special.

Streit said the drought has slowed things down somewhat on the farming side of the business, but there is an existing backlog of product that has kept the processing facility busy.

She said the drought is certainly not good for ag producers, but it may give Stricks time in the future to eliminate that backlog so there is at least one silver lining to the situation.

Before taking him on a tour through the facility employees introduced themselves to the governor, talking about their experiences with the business and what they want to see in the future.

Jill Streit's father-in-law, Leonard Streit, said he's happy with Gianforte's work keeping the government out of the way of business and urged him to keep working to do away with the burdensome regulations that hold them back.

After the tour Gianforte said he'd heard about Stricks for a long time and the work they're doing to add value to Montana agriculture and it was great to see the facility in action.

"It's this sort of innovation that we need in agriculture so that we can keep value here in Montana," he said. "Ag is the backbone of Montana's economy."

Gianforte said businesses like this, especially when they sell domestically, create jobs in towns like Chester and keeps more economic value in the state while strengthening local food chains.

He said during the tour he learned that the original market for pulse crops was overseas but in a world of shifting tariffs and foreign policy access to the pulse markets was always uncertain causing the business to shift focus to selling 80 percent of its product within the U.S. including Montana.

He said this makes sense for businesses because it's more stable than overseas markets and they get paid premium prices.

Gianforte also commented on the surge of COVID-19 in the U.S. and Montana and whether the state should be doing more to mitigate the spread.

He said the state is already doing so, focusing their PSAs on advocating for vaccination as the administration continues to monitor the situation.

He said the situation is concerning, but it's worth noting that 90 percent of people being hospitalized are unvaccinated, which is evidence that the vaccines are highly effective and he will keep telling people to get them as soon as possible.

"It's the best way to protect yourself and your family," he said.

The Havre Daily News had more questions for Gianforte, but was told the governor had to go after two minutes.
Zortman, Pine Hill dropped to evacuation warnings

An update on the Pine Grove Fire in the Little Rocky Mountains said residents can return to their homes but still be ready to evacuate again in Pine Grove and Zortman.

The state Department of Natural Resources and Conservation county assist team was briefed at 6 a.m. today and took command of the incident management team, the update said.

Rain fell over the fire Wednesday, the updates said, and firefighters will take advantage of less-intense fire conditions today to construct line as close to the fire perimeter as possible to control future fire spread.

Crews continue to work with tribal cultural specialists to make sure that culturally important sites are protected.

Evacuations in Zortman and Pine Grove have been dropped to a warning condition, the update said. Residents may return to their homes but are requested to be in a Ready State to Evacuate if fire conditions deteriorate.

Evacuations warnings remain in effect for Starhill and Lodge Pole.

The Mission Canyon, White Cow Canyon and Coming Day roads and the roads going to Camp Creek Campground and Wiccum Cabin remain closed.
Last updated 8/19/2021 at 11:56am

From U.S. Department of Agriculture

WASHINGTON  Organic producers and handlers can now apply for U.S. Department of Agriculture funds to assist with the cost of receiving or maintaining organic certification.

Applications for the Organic Certification Cost Share Program are due Nov. 1.

People can visit https://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/occsp/index .
LOUISVILLE, Ky., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Attorneys Tyler S. Thompson and Jordan A. Stanton have been honored by Best Lawyers, one of the oldest and most respected peer-review publications. This marks the second year in a row in which Best Lawyers has acclaimed two Dolt, Thompson, Shepherd & Conway, PSC attorneys.

Best Lawyers develops two annual guides:

The Best Lawyers in America, which lists the United States' top 6% of private practice attorneys; and

top 6% of private practice attorneys; and Ones to Watch, which recognizes outstanding early career attorneys.

The selection process for both these guides comprises third-party nomination, a peer review in which tens of thousands of attorneys participate, and a background check by Best Lawyers. Selection to either of these guides is a great accomplishment, as it is regarded as a significant honor among legal professionals.

Best Lawyers named Attorney Thompson to The Best Lawyers in America 2022 for the areas of "Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs" and "Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs" in Louisville, Kentucky. He has been listed in the annual guide since 2007.

Attorney Thompson holds the title of senior partner at Dolt, Thompson, Shepherd & Conway, PSC. In this position, he advocates for his clients from coast to coast in a variety of personal injury matters, recovering millions of dollars in compensation for them. He has even achieved some of Kentucky's largest verdicts. He is a member of the Inner Circle of Advocates, the International Academy of Trial Attorneys, and the American College of Trial Lawyers. Further, he has been listed by Super Lawyers.

On the other hand, Attorney Stanton was recognized in 2022 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch for "Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs" in Louisville. This is the second consecutive edition in which he has been recognized.

An associate at Dolt, Thompson, Shepherd & Conway, PSC, Attorney Stanton leverages his knowledge as a former defense attorney to better represent his clients. His legal skill has resulted in acclaim from Super Lawyers and membership to The National Trial Lawyers: 40 under 40.

Dolt, Thompson, Shepherd & Conway, PSC has a team of experienced Louisville trial lawyers who stand ready to guide plaintiffs through complex personal injury litigation. Since it opened its doors, it has won over $500 million for its clients. To read more about the award-winning firm, go to kytrial.com; for any inquiries about Best Lawyers, visit bestlawyers.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/best-lawyers-honors-thompson-stanton-for-2022-301359097.html

SOURCE Dolt, Thompson, Shepherd & Conway, PSC
Henderson, NC (27536)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms in the morning becoming more widespread in the afternoon. Potential for severe thunderstorms. High 81F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms during the evening, then partly cloudy overnight. Potential for heavy rainfall. Low 62F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
TRIBUTES have been paid to a former Henley town sergeant who has died.

Cliff Austin worked for Henley Town Council for 17 years, retiring in September 2017.

He performed a ceremonial role and was present at civic events, such as the mayor-making ceremonies at the town hall.

A council spokesman said: Henley Town Council is saddened to hear that Cliff Austin has passed away.

Cliff worked for Henley Town Council from 2000 to 2017, serving as both caretaker and town sergeant.

We are flying the town hall flag at half-mast today (Thursday) out of respect for our much-loved colleague and friend. Our thoughts are with his family at this difficult time.

Mr Austin was born at Townlands Hospital to Philip, an engineer, and Julie, a housewife, who worked at the former GDS shop in Duke Street.

The family lived in Crocker End, near Nettlebed, but moved to a new bungalow in Greys Road in 1958, when Cliff was five.

He went to Henley Infant School, in the same road, before attending Gillotts School.

He left school when he was 15 and started an apprenticeship at Higgs Group printers, publishers of the Henley Standard, as a compositor.

After five years, he joined the merchant navy as a ships printer on cruise ships and mail boats, which travelled from Southampton to the coast of South Africa.

Mr Austin was 28 when he married and he and his wife lived in Caversham Park Village and had two sons, Alex and Tom.

Later, Mr Austin moved back to Henley and went to work on the ferries. After 20 years at sea, he decided to stay closer to home and spent seven years in outdoor catering.

He decided to change jobs when he saw an advert for a caretaker for the town council.

Town clerk Sheridan Jacklin-Edward said: Cliff was a highly respected and well-loved member of staff. He will be missed.

We would like to send our thoughts to his family at this difficult time.

Henley MP John Howell added: Very sad to hear of the passing of Cliff Austin.

Very kind and considerate man whose company it was a delight to be in.

Following his retirement, Mr Austin was replaced by Jason Acock but he quit after only a few weeks, saying the role did not live up to his expectations.
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Information from the Hunt Regional Healthcare system indicates the ER at the Hunt Regional Medical Center in Greenville remains filled to overflowing with COVID-19 patients, almost all of whom were not vaccinated against the virus.
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Uniontown, PA (15401)

Today

Rain, heavy at times early. Potential for flooding rains. High 67F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 2 to 3 inches of rain expected..

Tonight

Evening clouds will give way to clearing. Slight chance of a shower throughout the evening. Low 52F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph.
Eretz Israel ...

Oops ... How did I miss writing about May 14 1948? YEAH! Israel is officially a state!

Have you ever been to Israel? I have!

It is our PROMISED LAND, YES!

I left my heart there ... Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Masada, the Dead Sea. the Golan Heights and on and on. A return trip to Israel is definitely on my Bucket List!

More about famous Jews who have my heart ...

WOLF BLITZER, for one. He is a noted American journalist, television news anchor and author who has been a CNN reporter since 1990 and who currently serves as one of the principal anchors at the network.

Wolf was born in Augsburg, Germany, after World War II. His parents were Polish Jewish refugees who survived Auschwitz concentration camp. Sadly, his grandparents, two uncles and two aunts on his father's side all died there.

Wolf and his immediate family came to the United States and settled in in Buffalo, New York.

Also, in my heart will always be Sid Caesar. His fabulous career spanned 60 years, including his fabulous television show "Your Show of Shows."

He was considered a sketch comic and actor, as opposed to a stand-up comedian.

Some of the most famous writers wrote for Sid Caesar, including Mel Brooks, Neil Simon, Carl Reiner and Woody Allen. (It doesn't get any better than that!)

As a young teen, Sid even performed in the Catskill Mountains of New York as a saxophonist. (Known as the Borscht Belt to me and many other Jews, the Catskills were the height of "making it."

Although I never performed there, I did celebrate my honeymoon in the Catskills.)

The threat from Iran ...

I read this in a current issue of the World Jewish Congress digest, and pass it along to you:

"Together with the Israel Council on Foreign Relations, a nonpartisan forum for the study and debate of foreign policy operating under WJC auspices, the WJC organized a session on the state of the threat posed by the Iranian regime. The conversation centered on and featured remarks from leading experts including Alliance Center for Iranian Studies founding director, DAVID MENASHRI, Emirates Policy Center founder and president, EBTESAM AL KETBI, and Koret Project on Arab-Israeli Relations director DAVID MAKOVSKY.

Menashri, an authority on the Iranian nuclear program, noted that while developments may emerge, the Iranian nuclear negotiations is the only tier one issue for the United States in the Middle East, and proffered that the President BIDEN administration's focus is to try to constrain Iran inside a nuclear agreement that would limit its capabilities, at least for a few years.

He opined that the fundamental differences between the policy preferences of Israel and the United States is that Israel wants to keep all the sanctions in place, because without them, the parties will not reach an Iran nuclear deal 2.0, while the U.S. believes that if the system is overloaded with sanctions, there will be no capacity to inspect Iran's nuclear programs.

Makovsky cited three main challenges faced by 'the free world'. Iran's nuclear program, it's regional behavior, and its human rights violations.

He contended that Israel's most immediate challenge is that Iran, a sponsor of terror, now unofficially borders Israel, with proxies in nearly every direction.

'Look at the number of rockets and missiles that Lebanon has, Iranian presence in Syria, relations with Hamas, and the approaching elections in the Palestinian Authority,' he said."

(Oy Vay!!!!)

Israel wins Gold! ...

Israel's Artem Dolgopyat has won a historic gold medal in artistic gymnastics, claiming the men's floor exercise gold during the first of four apparatus finals on Sunday (1 August). Prior to this, no gymnast from the nation had won a medal of any color in the sport at the Olympic Games and only one other athlete has won gold in Olympic history - Gal Fridman's sailing gold in 2004.

Dolgopyat came off the floor not knowing if he'd done enough, after a few bouncy landings and having incurred a .100 neutral deduction for going out of the area.

It took a moment for the score and placement to register with Dolgopyat matching the score from Rayderley Zapata of Spain (14.933). The duo had the same execution score, usually the tie-breaker. But the Israeli had a 0.1 advantage in the difficulty score to win the tie break."

(YES!)

The Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando...

The JFGO Annual meeting will be held on Thursday, Aug. 26 at 7 p.m.

It will be hosted by Federation Board member YEOSH BENDAYAN, and Rhonda Forest will present Bruce Gould the Heritage Human Service award!

This year's annual meeting will be held on Zoom.

Make sure to secure your spot by registering today! Phone 407-645-5933 for details.

Shout-Out ...

Maybe it's me, my looks, my personality, my chubbiness, my wrinkles ... (OH SHUT UP!)

Actually, every time I've been out this awful year and a half of pandemic, I've been served by the nicest, the sweetest, the most efficient waiters and waitresses (wearing masks of course!)

David Menashri

At the Perkins Restaurant on University in Winter Park, I was served by MACKENZIE STARR, a real sweet and efficient person. She made my day!

And at the Town House Restaurant in Oviedo, I was served by such a handsome (I notice these things) and efficient waiter. All I know is that his name is SHAYNE. Well, he sure is Shayne (Yiddish for handsome!)

One for the road ...

Sol and Herbie were finishing their lunch in an Orlando restaurant when the waiter asked, "Tea or coffee, gentlemen?"

"I'll have tea," said Sol.

"Me too," said Herbie. "And make sure the glass is clean."

The waiter returned in a few minutes and announced, "Two teas! And which one gets the clean glass?"
Israelis sit inside a cafe of what used to be pizzeria Sbarro in downtown Jerusalem where a suicide bombing attack occurred on Aug. 9, 2001, 11 years ago to the day.

By

(JNS) - Twenty years ago, a suicide bomber blew himself up in the Sbarro restaurant at the corner of King George Street and Jaffa Road in the center of Jerusalem. Fifteen people were murdered, including seven children, and 130 people injured. Dozens of families were destroyed in the blast.

The survivors have moved on, each in their own way, one day at a time. The nails and bolts packed into the bomb to increase its destructive properties have been removed with multiple surgeries over the years. Scars from the skin damaged in intense heat have healed under expert medical care.

On Monday, Aug. 9 - 20 years later - posts on social media repeatedly recounted the names of those murdered on Aug. 9, 2001. But what about those who survived, who are also victims? Where are they today? How have they coped with their losses over the past two decades? How have they moved on without their loved ones?

One of the injured victims, Chana Nachenberg, has been in a vegetative state for the past 20 years. Her daughter, Sarah Shalev, who was 2 years old when injured in the blast along with her mother, admits during her teenage years that it was so difficult for her to see her mother that she didn't go to the hospital to visit. Sarah often had to walk out of her friends' bat mitzvah celebrations, and later, their weddings, when she realized that her mother would never celebrate with her. Even fireworks and bonfires were at times a source of trauma.

Now married and the mother of a young daughter, Sarah addressed an event hosted by OneFamily, a nonprofit organization providing financial and other assistance to thousands of terror victims throughout Israel.

"Today, my daughter Talia is approaching the age I was at the time of the terrorist attack, which raises fears, anxieties, and especially, a feeling of sadness about my mother not being active in my life," she said. "However, I hope that unlike me, she gets to grow up with a loving mother who is always there for her at every moment of her life."

Chaya Schijveschuurder was 8 when her parents and siblings went out for lunch at the popular pizzeria and were killed in the blast; she was seriously injured. Today, she is married and has a young son. As a teenager, the creation of the OneFamily helped Chaya; like many youth movements, it gave her "a sense of belonging."

At the time of the terror attack, 12-year-old Michal Belzberg was preparing for her bat mitzvah in Jerusalem. On hearing the news of the murdered and the injured, she asked her parents, Marc and Chantal, to cancel her party and donate the money to help the survivors and their families. That's how the OneFamily fund got started.

'Where do we go with survivors' guilt?

The Sbarro bombing, for which Hamas and the Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility, occurred a year after the start of the Second Intifada - a decision by Palestinian leadership to strap bombs on Arab men and women to blow up on buses, restaurants, nightclubs and other areas where Israel civilians congregated. The violence began in September 2000 and last until February 2005. It claimed the lives of about 1,000 Israelis, as well as 64 foreigners.

Arnold and Frimet Roth's daughter, Malki, 15 at the time, was killed with her friend, Micha Raziel. The Roths established the Malki Foundation, a nonprofit, empowering families to choose home care for their children with disabilities. The Roths have also worked to get Sbarro massacre mastermind Ahlam Tamimi extradited from Jordan to stand trial in the United States.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, teacher and graduate student Shoshana Greenbaum, who was killed in Sbarro, was the only child of Eliyahu Dovid Hayman. Her loss was magnified by the fact that she was pregnant when murdered. Her bereaved father finds comfort in the words of one of her students several years after the Sbarro bombing, addressed to Shoshana.

"One thing, however, that people have said about you over and over after your death has really hurt me and struck me as untrue. They say that it is so very sad how you died pregnant with your first child, and thus never had the privilege of caring for children of your own.

Chaya Schijveschuurder (r) and her sister. Chaya was 8 when her parents and siblings went out for lunch at the popular pizzeria and were killed in the blast; she was seriously injured.

"I completely disagree, Morah [teacher]. You know why? Because I am your child, and every other student whom you ever taught considers themselves also as your child. And therefore, Morah, you have had hundreds of children, in whom you've planted seeds of love and Torah."

Michael Schumacher, the father of Sbarro survivor Yaffa Schumacher, asked, "There are weddings. Families. Year after year, where do we go with survivors' guilt?"

He said he finds his inspiration, quoting the late Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, in the writings of Austrian Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl, who went on to become one of the world's leading neurologists and a renowned psychiatrist: "Our lives are not determined by what happens to us, but rather by how we react to it."

In Man's Search for Meaning, Frankl identified the way of realizing meaning in life: by making a difference in the world, by taking one's experiences and using them to move forward.
Jewish Academy of Orlando welcomed many new "Bees" this school year. Here are a few photos before the start of school.

Jewish Academy of Orlando serves central Florida students of all faiths from kindergarten through fifth grade. The school delivers a whole-child education fostering academic excellence and character education rooted in Jewish values. Jewish Academy of Orlando is accredited by the Florida Council of Independent Schools.

To learn more about Jewish Academy of Orlando, please visit: jewishacademyorlando.org or follow the school on Facebook https://facebook.com/JewishAcademyOrlando.
(Jewish Journal via JNS)  Several U.S. Ben & Jerrys franchisees have sent a letter to the company calling on them to rescind their July 19 decision to stop doing business in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

The letter was signed by franchisees in Seattle, Boston, San Francisco and St. Louis, among other major cities, that operate 30 stores and generate $23.3 million in combined revenue.

There is a danger that the pursuit of social justice will descend into political correctness or result in the adoption of overly simplistic solutions by people who share a single view of the world that misconstrue complex problems in which multiple claims of justice are implicated, the letter states.

Its authors cite the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as an example, arguing that there are multiple and conflicting claims of justice made with regard to the conflict, and that any proposed solution should address those claims.

Moreover, the boycott decision comes with serious financial consequences, the letter continues.

The decision that has been made to terminate the contract with Ben & Jerrys licensee in Israel not only distorts the situation on the ground  it has imposed, and will continue to impose, substantial financial costs on all of us, the letter states.

More importantly, the controversy your recent actions have brought upon our local businesses has had an adverse effect on the value of our independently owned franchises and investments, the franchisees state, adding that their respective families and communities have shamed us personally for doing business not just with a company that draws controversy, but with one that continues to consider the calculated negative affect on its franchisees as acceptable collateral damage.

They conclude the letter by stating: Those who feel strongly about Israel that they want to boycott it or some part of the territory it administers are free to do so. They cannot, however, do that at our expense. We believe this decision needs to be re-examined and withdrawn.

The American Jewish Committee lauded the letter, noting that they aided the franchisees in drafting it.

Jake Novak, the Broadcast Media Director for the Israeli Consulate General of New York, tweeted that the letter was very, very important because franchisees often take their franchise owners to court over stuff like this. There are lawyers who specialize in these kinds of cases and win. This is a red flag for #Benandjerrys parent company.

This is an edited version of an article that was first published by the Jewish Journal.
Chabad rabbis from across the former Soviet Union pose for a group photo in Almaty, Kazakhstan, July 29, 2021.

(JTA) - For Chabad-Lubavitch, major events aren't over until they take a group photograph.

The tradition, covering the international Hasidic movement, creates much more than a souvenir. It has also generated a visual record of Chabad's growth from a small group in the 18th century in what was then the Russian empire to a global movement with branches today in dozens of countries.

Last month in Kazakhstan, the photo opportunity yielded something else: a fine for violating rules against large gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic.

More than 200 Chabad rabbis had convened in Almaty, the largest city in the Central Asian republic. Their picture taken outside the Rixos Hotel caught the attention of local authorities grappling with a worsening pandemic in a country where only about a quarter of the population is vaccinated. They issued a fine of about $200 to the Central Synagogue of Almaty for violating social distancing measures, the Kazinform news agency reported Monday.

Elchanan Cohen, the chief rabbi of the Almaty region, did not immediately reply to a request for comment by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency about the fine.

The gathering was significant for several reasons.

It marked the first official large-scale group photo for Chabad since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic early last year. It also was the 77th anniversary of the death in Almaty of Rabbi Levi-Yitzchak Schneerson, the father of the movement's last spiritual leader, Menachem Mendel Schneerson, and the first gathering since the Kazakh government added the gravesite of the elder Schneerson to its list of national heritage sites last year.

And the event brought together two rabbis who reportedly have an uneasy relationship: Berel Lazar, Chabad's chief of operations throughout much of the former Soviet Union, and Yeshaya Cohen, the chief rabbi of Kazakhstan.

Local philanthropists in Kazakhstan have enabled Cohen to operate relatively independently from Lazar, who is based in Moscow but has a hand in Chabad's work throughout the region. This dynamic has led to tension, according to multiple reports, and the fact that both men posed together added to the significance of the photo that signaled a return to normalcy, Zvika Klein, a journalist for Makor Rishon who specializes in Jewish world news, wrote on Twitter.

With 200 men on hand, the gathering was a far cry from previous reunions. More than 6,000 rabbis posed at the 2019 annual International Conference of Chabad-Lubavitch Emissaries - the last such event to date. (Last year's conference was virtual and gave rise to a days-long online celebration.)

The record attendance in 2019 required Chabad photographer Mendel Grossbaum, who has perfected his group photo techniques over the years, to switch to an ultra-wide angle fisheye lens: The normal one could no longer capture everyone in front of Chabad headquarters in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn.
(JNS) - Three Israeli documentary filmmakers arrived home safely from Nigeria at the end of last week, after what they described as 20 "hellish days" detained under inhumane conditions by the government's Department of State Services security agency.

Rudy Rochman, David Benaym and Noam Leibman had set off for the African country as part of their "We Were Never Lost" documentary project aimed at telling the stories of disconnected and lesser-known Jewish communities around the world.

However, after several days of filming members of the Jewish Igbo people in the southeastern city of Ogidi - they consider themselves to be descendants of the biblical tribe of Gad - a group of heavily armed and masked DSS agents forcibly took the three into custody on July 9, seizing their passports and cell phones, and taking them in for questioning.

The agents said the matter would take about 15 minutes. It wound up turning into 20 days of imprisonment.

Rochman, a Jewish-rights activist with several hundred thousand followers on social media who came up with the idea for the documentary and was serving at its producer and host, told JNS that local bloggers had put the group in danger by publishing articles erroneously claiming that the filmmakers were political or security figures, or perhaps even Mossad agents who arrived from Israel in order to help the Biafra separatist movement take on the Nigerian government.

In the late 1960s, Nigeria and a secessionist state called the Republic of Biafra, which had declared its independence, fought a bloody nearly three-year civil war in which Biafra (supported by Israel at the time) lost an estimated 2 million civilians-mainly due to starvation as a result of a Nigerian blockade-along with 100,000 soldiers. Biafra lost the war, and the area was reabsorbed into Nigeria.

In recent years, tensions became high again between the two sides with the founding of the Indigenous People of Biafra separatist movement led by political activist Nnamdi Kanu. Rochman explained that Kanu recently returned to his Igbo Jewish roots.

On June 27, Kanu was arrested by Interpol in the Czech Republic and extradited to a Nigerian prison for trial, accused of starting an anti-government uprising.

Despite a public statement on the "We Were Never Lost" platform explaining that their presence in the country was purely cultural, the blog posts seemed to draw a connection between Kanu, the activities of the separatists and the arrival of the filmmakers.

"Our goal was to document the lives of the Jewish community and to share their stories, struggles, experiences, aspirations and to bring their story to the world," said Rochman, emphasizing that they were not on a political trip.

However, he said, the Nigerian government "sees a blur of everyone who is Igbo and connects them to Judaism, Israel and to the separatist movement."

'I wanted to keep it at the diplomat level'

On their first day in detainment, Rochman said the group was placed in a cell at the local area police station where the interrogations began. The day they were taken in, a Friday, led into Shabbat, and the filmmakers begged for some grapes, which they used to recite Kiddush (the Shabbat blessing over wine), and some crackers, which they used as bread for their Shabbat "meal."

Early on Saturday morning, the men recount being led out of the prison at gunpoint and placed into a van, where they were taken on a nine-hour drive to the capital city of Abuja. Despite being told that their passports and phones would be returned to them upon arrival, and that the Israeli ambassador was waiting for them in the capital, it wasn't the case.

Instead, Rochman said that the gunmen forced them to take off their rings and shoes, and "they threw us into a circular cage, where you could walk maybe three or four steps in each direction. It was pitch-black and reeked of urine, with bottles of urine still there from former prisoners. There were cockroaches and mosquitoes, and we slept on the floor. I used my jacket as a pillow. It was like that for an entire week."

For the first six days, the group survived on bread and crackers, without showering and with daily interrogations, thinking that perhaps this would be their reality for years.

On the sixth day, Benaym, the project's field producer, who suffers from immunosuppression due to a past illness and was unable to take his daily medication since it was in their hotel, wasn't feeling well and was taken to a local hospital.

He told JNS that "leaving my friends behind was extremely hard. I kept telling them, 'I'm not going; I'm not leaving you guys.' But they told me, 'You have to - you have to talk to our families and the ambassadors to make sure everybody knows. And they said you have to be healthy, so you have to go.' "

After treatment at the hospital, Benaym, who also holds French citizenship, was released to the French Embassy on the condition that he be transported back to the police station daily for interrogation.

While under the custody of the French, Benaym was able to use the opportunity to work toward the release of his colleagues and friends. He opened a line of communication with the three families and the various Israeli, French and U.S. embassies/consulates (Rochman and Leibman are dual Israeli/U.S. citizens; Rochman is also a French citizen) to coordinate a strategy.

As a veteran freelance journalist (formerly with i24 News), Benaym encouraged all parties to refrain from providing the media details of the ordeal. He explained that he didn't want further misinformation spread, which would only jeopardize their release. "I wanted to keep it at the diplomat level," he said.

Back in prison, Rochman and Leibman were allowed kosher-food delivery from the local Chabad House once a day, even though Rochman said that on several occasions, food was withheld. On the seventh day, they were given a bucket of water to pour over their heads and finally given a change of clothes.

The two, however, became more nervous after the interrogations stopped on day nine.

Describing the experience, Leibman, who was the film's director, told JNS, "I was definitely losing my mind at times - weeks in a blank room with no phone, computer, books, magazines or anything to do. Rudy definitely helped me keep my composure. That man can handle any situation thrown at him."

On the 10th day, they were moved to a different "cage" with other prisoners, who Rochman says were working as informants for the authorities in an attempt to extract information from the pair. At this point, they were allowed visits from Israeli Charge D'Affaires Yotam Kreiman and Rachel Washington, a representative of Deputy Chief of Mission Kathleen FitzGibbon of the U.S. Consulate General in Nigeria.

Over the next 10 days, the young men remained in custody under similar horrible conditions as the relevant bodies worked to secure their freedom. On day 20, the three were transported to the airport, and after their airline tickets were scanned, were given back their passports and cell phones, and put on a flight to Turkey, where they took a connecting flight back home to Israel.

'We won't be able to create the episode we envisioned'

Rochman believes that the main forces who helped secure their release were his parents, who he said "managed to get everyone involved from businessmen to politicians on the Israeli, American and French side, going up to [Emmanuel] Macron, the president of France, up to U.S. Secretary of State [Antony] Blinken, along with Israeli businesspeople in Africa."

He added: "Everyone cared. It was clear people were trying to do things even when we felt helpless."

A day after arriving in Israel, the group paid a visit to the Western Wall in Jerusalem to thank God for their safe return.

Rochman said, "For us, it's difficult to sleep at night. For me, personally, from the overstimulation - where you go from seeing nothing, doing nothing for weeks in a very dark place, and all of a sudden there is light, you can breathe outside air - it's almost if you are on an adrenaline rush at night, and it's hard for us to sleep."

Leibman acknowledged that since they were detained after only several days of filming, they won't be able to produce the full documentary as they had hoped. "After being forced to leave Nigeria, we won't be able to create the episode we envisioned, but I think this incident has brought a much-needed wave of interest and attention to the Igbos from world Jewry," he said.

Nevertheless, the filmmakers insist that they will continue their "We Were Never Lost" project. According to Rochman, they will start filming in other countries shortly, taking added precautions and aiming to work completely under the radar.

"I'm still as motivated, and even more so about the documentary," said Benaym. "As a journalist, we never want to become the story; it's not our goal. The second that we became the story, we knew that something was going to go wrong. So our goal is to put the focus back on these communities, and make sure that we never become the story again."

Watch a short video about their horrific experience at https://www.aish.com/ci/s/Caged-20-Days-Captive-In-Nigeria.html.
(JNS)  Representatives from the U.S. and Israeli Air Forces met last month to discuss a remarkable development: what the Israel Defense Forces described as updated orders for the cooperation between the two nations air-defense systems during emergency situations.

The Israeli delegation was led by Brig. Gen. Gilad Biran, commander of the IAFs Air Defense System, and the American delegation was led by Brig. Gen. Greg Brady, commander of the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, which is based in Germany.

The purpose of the meeting was to improve the collaborative readiness of the forces for the joint defense of the State of Israel, said the IDF. At the end of the meeting, a document for updated air-defense operational cooperation between the two countries was signed.

According to Charles B. Perkins, director for U.S.-Israel Security Policy at the Jewish Institute for National Security of America, while the two militaries have a long record of cooperation and coordination in joint exercises and air-missile defense planning, this new agreement and the decision to publicly disclose it take place within the context of some significant recent trends.

Perkins pointed out that the May conflict between Israel and Hamas, dubbed by the IDF as Operation Guardian of the Walls, and the performance of the Iron Dome air-defense system against Gazan rocket salvoes has certainly garnered some attention within the U.S. Armys air-defense community.

Iron Dome maintained an interception rate of approximately 90 percent during the conflict, according to an IDF assessment.

In addition, Perkins said, the issue of counter-drone technology is becoming ever-more relevant.

Hamas launched six drones during the May conflict, and the IDF intercepted them all of them, including for the first time through the use of Iron Dome, as well as missiles fired from F-16 jets.

The American Army is the lead U.S. service tasked with countering the mounting small drone threat and the prospect of offensive drone swarmsa phenomenon on the horizon in the Mideast, said Perkins.

Meanwhile, the drizzle of rocket fire targeting U.S. assets in Iraq has highlighted the need for greater responses to the challenge of nonstate entities using high-trajectory weapons, he added.

Simulating rapid deployment of American assistance forces

On July 23, Israel and the United States launched Juniper Falcon joint air-defense drill, which simulates a range of missile threats on Israel and the ability of U.S. forces from EUCOM (European Command) to quickly deploy to Israel and set up air-defense systems in assistance of Israels own defense systems.

The United States sent two C-130J Super Hercules Aircraft from Ramstein Air Base in Germany to Israel with personnel to take part in the exercise, which was held at multiple locations in Israel.

The long-planned drill is designed to test simulated emergency response procedures, ballistic-missile defense, and crisis response assistance in the defense of Israel, the IDF stated.

It also serves as an opportunity for U.S. military personnel and the IDF to exercise together and learn from one another.

While Perkins said it wasnt possible to say with certainty, which air-defense systems America might offer, should Israel request emergency support, he noted that the configurations seen during the recent Juniper Cobra drills are probably a good indication.

In line with what the exercise showed, Patriots, naval-based interceptors such as the Aegis destroyer SM-3 and perhaps the THAAD, which was deployed for the first time to Israel during one of the most recent joint exercises, could be sent over, assessed Perkins.

Such systems could integrate with Iron Dome, Davids Sling, and the Arrow 2 and 3 air-defense systems, the latter which intercepts ballistic missiles in space.

Clearly, this new agreement is a reflection that America recognizes the mounting danger Israel faces, particularly from the north and east, and seeks to ensure that if a future conflict escalates to a certain level, the United States will be prepared to rapidly take the necessary steps to support Israels air- and missile-defense requirements should a political decision be made to do so, stressed Perkins.

Meanwhile, the fact that Israel has transited to Americas CENTCOM area of responsibility, which commands forces in the Middle East, and away from EUCOM, has not stopped significant links between the IDF and EUCOM on air-defense cooperation, he said.

On the other hand, Perkins cautioned that the fact that CENTCOM has been ordered to withdraw American missile-defense assets from the Gulf region as the threat from Iran and its proxies mounts is not an encouraging development for regional security.

Iron Domes role in defense cooperation

Meanwhile, the U.S. Army has purchased two Iron Dome batteries made by Israels Rafael Defense company as part of an initial evaluation phase. Rafael has demonstrated the system for the U.S. Marines as well.

This time last year, the U.S.s Raytheon Missiles and Defense company and Rafael announced a joint venture to produce Iron Dome weapons systems on American soil.

Raytheon said the site will help the U.S. Department of Defense and allies across the globe obtain the system for the defense of their service members and critical infrastructure.

While theres still a degree of uncertainty regarding what the U.S. Army intends to do with the two Iron Dome batteries its acquirednow undergoing testingit stands to reason that boosting the mechanisms for bilateral air-defense cooperation will support any synergies that may arise, as Israel continues modernizing and expanding its own Iron Dome capabilities, said Perkins.
A "Free Palestine" sign on display with the University of Minnesota's gopher mascot that was erected by the school's Students for Justice in Palestine chapter.

(JNS) - A number of Jewish groups have significant concerns about how Israel's conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip this spring will correlate into anti-Jewish sentiment on North American college campuses as the fall semester begins.

Most colleges are resuming in-person and on-campus classes after nearly three semesters of virtual learning as a result of the global coronavirus pandemic. Even with the rapidly spreading Delta variant, universities are getting ready to start in full force, at least for now. While pro-Israel and Jewish students are looking forward to some sense of pre-pandemic normalcy at their schools, being back on campus means they also risk facing pro-Palestinian activists and renewed efforts at demonstrations against the Jewish state.

It also comes in the backdrop of the July 19 announcement by the Ben & Jerry's ice-cream company not to sell their products in what they deem the "Occupied Palestinian territory"-namely, the West Bank and eastern Jerusalem. The Aug. 1 anti-Israel "intifada" rally in Brooklyn, N.Y., also has lingering effects.

Still, Jewish groups point to the criticism faced as a result of the Israel Defense Forces' "Operation Guardian of the Walls"-criticism that led to a spate of anti-Semitic attacks in the United States and around the world. It came despite the fact that Hamas induced the conflict with rocket fire towards Israel; in the course of 11 days, the terrorist organization that runs Gaza launched more than 4,000 rockets at Israeli population centers, though many fell short of their target and landed locally, causing Palestinian fatalities and injuries.

"To us that was a turning point: It was a bad situation before, but it got worse starting in May," Matthew Berger, Hillel International's vice president for strategic action programs and communications, tells JNS. He noted that Hillel International, which recently launched a partnership with the Anti-Defamation League to combat anti-Semitism on campus, noticed an "unprecedented" amount of anti-Semitic activity in May and June immediately following the conflict. Students were attacked in the streets and on social media, targeted and isolated simply for being Jewish.

He also noted that many college student groups took anti-Israel actions in May when many other campuses had already emptied out for the summer, "so we're concerned that students may try to catch up and take anti-Israel positions or commit anti-Israel activities because they didn't have the opportunity to do last spring."

Hillel is additionally concerned about a rise in pro-BDS resolutions that are almost certain to be raised and voted on by student unions and governments. "The phenomenon that we saw during the conflict in spring was student government leaders writing unilateral, biased statements against Israel without going through the resolution process and without giving Jewish and pro-Israel students an opportunity to engage or express their values. We're certainly concerned that activity will rise in the fall as well."

'Every opportunity to spread hate and misinformation'

Carly Schlafer, director of communications at the Israel on Campus Coalition (ICC), told JNS that during the 2020-21 academic year, 37 anti-Israel resolutions were introduced in student government-17 of which came after the start of the Mideast conflict. Student groups and faculty associations on 152 university campuses released anti-Israel statements.

"Campus life does not exist in a vacuum," says Schlafer. "Rather, national, global, and increasingly, digital events and circumstances deeply influence activity on campus. Students returning to campus will be facing an in-person reality deeply intertwined with a digital one. And for pro-Israel and Jewish students, that digital experience is increasingly rife with anti-Semitic, anti-Zionist harassment. This means the challenges facing students on campus are even more complicated, complex, and in many cases, more disparaging than in prior years."

Since the start of 2021, some 472 cases of anti-Semitism have been reported on college campuses, according to the AMCHA Initiative, which tracks such instances, including the targeting of Jewish students and staff, anti-Semitic expression and BDS activity.

CAMERA on Campus recently held its 11th annual International Student Leadership Conference online, where students from North America, the United Kingdom and Israel discussed their academic institutions and issues that may arise in the upcoming academic year.

Hali Spiegel, CAMERA's director of campus programming and strategic relations, told JNS that among the top concerns for pro-Israel and Jewish students is the false information and "distorted accounts" that are "bound to appear" in response to the Hamas rocket attacks in May.

She also says that after an "incredibly successful academic year" of seeing universities adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of anti-Semitism, she thinks there will be "a trend" in more anti-IHRA definition resolutions-for example, the one passed by the University of Houston student government in mid-July, which was backed by Students for Justice in Palestine.

"We have seen and expect to see more outright declarations to boycott all of Israel for its 'apartheid' policies,' " she says. "Even though we expect anti-Israel activism to be even more robust than in past years, our CAMERA Fellows and CAMERA on Coalition members are prepared to combat the lies perpetrated by groups such as Students for Justice in Palestine."

Roz Rothstein, co-founder and CEO of StandWithUs, says the Israel-Hamas conflict "showed once again that anti-Israel activists will use every opportunity at their disposal to spread hate and misinformation about the world's only Jewish state."

She adds: "In their effort to rewrite history and deny Jewish rights, these activists will continue to promote anti-Semitism on campus via divestment campaigns, academic boycotts, anti-Israel statements, petitions, study-abroad boycotts, continued disruptions of in-person and Zoom events, and more. Now, more than ever, Jewish and pro-Israel students must remain proud of who they are and stand up for their civil rights and values, as they educate their peers and courageously fight anti-Semitism on campus."

'Strong, thriving Jewish communities on campus'

Ilan Sinelnikov, president and founder of Students Supporting Israel, says the months that college students spent learning online during the pandemic gave anti-Israel supporters time "to fuel their hate in virtual forums."

For that reason, he believes that grassroots pro-Israel activism is especially important since "it has been a while since groups were engaged in face-to-face advocacy efforts, and it is a skill that needs to be practiced."

He explains that "the virtual connections and many recent events, both locally and in the Middle East, formed solid coalitions against Israel, and we see a joining of radical voices that include Students for Justice in Palestine and their progressive allies of students who hold the same toxic ideas about Israel and support BDS. The major task of the pro-Israel side will be the recruitment of new members. An urgent issue is to build and maintain coalitions to counter the anti-Zionist and anti-Semitic forces that were created, correct misinformation and establish ourselves as the source of knowledge about Israel on campus."

Moving into the new semester, Jewish advocates say it's crucial that students educate others and stay engaged, especially with campus administrators.

Schlafer suggests working with and supporting students trying to share accurate information about the Middle East and the threats facing Israel.

Berger shares a similar sentiment, saying one of the best ways to address anti-Semitism is to build "strong, thriving Jewish communities on campus that demystify Judaism to the full campus community."

He also notes the importance of working to educate university administrators "so they understand their role in addressing anti-Semitism, speaking out when they see it and not allowing anti-Semitism to go unchallenged on their campuses."

Of course, that requires time, training and effort that add to students' already busy schedules. It also necessitates the know-how to approach those in charge, which can justifiably be intimidating.

Still, Berger makes it a point to say that "the same way university administrators have made a concerted effort to address racism and sexual misconduct, and in being outspoken in protecting the LGBTQ community, we want them to also address the concerns of the Jewish community and the rise of anti-Semitism on their campus as well."
Backpacks are displayed in a variety of colors inside the Jewish Federation, along with the school supplies that come in each backpack.

Nathan Velez, 16, received one of the 7,000 backpacks filled with school supplies that were recently provided for economically disadvantaged children by the Jewish Federation of Volusia & Flagler Counties.

The Jewish Federation delivered the high-quality backpacks and school supplies in early August to schools across Volusia and Flagler counties. Students returned to school in Volusia County on Aug. 16. In Flagler, schools opened Tuesday, Aug. 10.

"I want to thank all the donors who contributed to the backpack program for this year. We successfully received enough money to cover all the expenses of over 7,000 backpacks for children in need in Volusia and Flagler counties," said Gloria Max, executive director of the Jewish Federation, who started the program in 1996. "A hundred percent of your donation went to help the deserving children of this community, regardless of race or religion."

Nathan stopped by the Jewish Federation recently to pick up a backpack and school supplies for his 9-year-old sister, Holly, and said he had already received his backpack. The two Daytona Beach children attend Daytona Beach Christian Academy.

Given the pandemic, Max worried that she might not be able to raise enough money this year to meet all the requests from area schools. "But in fact, we surpassed our goal," she said. The program has provided more than 120,000 backpacks to area schoolchildren in the past 26 years.

"This year, we also gave teachers an extra bonus. We gave them supplies that they can use themselves," she added.
NEW YORK  Avi and Becky Katz, long-time Jewish communal leaders, have established a multi-year, multi-million national initiative with NCSY,the flagship youth movement of the Orthodox Union, to support Jewish identity programs for public school teenagers. Their $3 million dollar gift will focus on the OUs national Jewish Student Union program and will be called the Katz Family Initiative Driving Impact in JSU.

JSU is NCSYs network of extracurricular Jewish clubs that take place in public high schools across the USA and Canada. Through its 300+ clubs in 21 US states, the programs 100 staffers bring Jewish life and learning to more than 12,000 teens annually. JSU offers a steppingstone for teens looking to connect with their religious and spiritual identity through strong Jewish role models, experiential Jewish learning, and community.

The Katz Family Initiative includes the creation of a new position of National Director of JSU, which will be held by Devora Simon, currently the Silicon Valley NCSY/JSU director. In addition, the Katz Initiative will fund four distinct new programmatic strategies to increase the impact of JSU by improving the retention of students and their transition to Jewish programs beyond JSU club meetings.

The Katz Family Initiative is expected to transform what JSU can do for the Jewish People by building meaningful relationships with each teen as well as developing the next generation of Jewish leaders. Towards that end, The Katz Family Initiative will fund a JSU Presidents Conference designed to empower select students to drive more engagement and commitment in their own JSU clubs.

Were extremely thankful to Becky and Avi Katz for everything they do, whether its opening their home to our programs, helping us to better our NCSY program, and perhaps most notably in this moment, leading from the front and making this tremendous investment in the Jewish future, said OU President Moishe Bane.

NCSY has grown tremendously in the past decade, thanks in large part to the leadership of Becky and Avi Katz, said NCSY International Director Rabbi Micah Greenland. Big ideas like this JSU investment build on NCSYs leadership role in the community in Jewish identity-building and connection to Israel, for the upcoming generation of American Jewry. This gift from Becky and Avi leverages all of those organizational strengths to make a meaningful additional impact on the lives of tens of thousands of Jewish public high school students.

Avi Katz currently serves as the chairman of the Orthodox Unions Board of Governors and previously as chairman of NCSY. Two years ago, through his guidance, NCSY worked with the Orthodox Unions Center for Communal Research to study how JSU could more substantially impact on its participants as a movement. While JSU previously grew rapidly and organically based on an individual city or regions needs, the study found a need for a centralized vision and strategy to help it mature into a cohesive network of programs with a uniform standard of excellence across North America.

The study showed that while many JSU chapters were successful on their own, they could have greater educational impact through enhanced staff training and increasing connections amongst student leaders, both of which should lead to increases in teen retention and Jewish engagement. It also illustrated a need for additional staffing, both locally and nationally.

The Katzes donation has been earmarked toward launching a JSU Teen Leadership program where club presidents will work together, both virtually and at JSUs first-ever two-day Presidents Conference. It will also help fund the increase in staffing and staff training, including the appointment of a JSU National Director Devora Simon.

Simon comes to the role after more than a decade of Jewish educational positions, most recently serving as NCSYs city director in the Silicon Valley. She previously held a variety of posts in Jewish education in Texas, Germany and Montreal. In Montreal, she also helped to relaunch a latent NCSY chapter. Devora resides with her husband and two children in Baltimore, MD.

JSU plays a critical program in the lives of so many Jewish teens across the continent and its our hope that with this additional funding, they can impact even more teens during these formidable years as they grow to become the next generation of Jewish leaders, said Katz. We hope that our investment will empower Devora and her team to make JSU the strong program it has the potential to be.

Founded in 1898, the Orthodox Union, (OU), serves as the voice of American Orthodox Jewry, with over 400 congregations in its synagogue network. As the umbrella organization for American Orthodox Jewry, the OU is at the forefront of advocacy work on both state and federal levels, outreach to Jewish teens and young professionals through NCSY, OU-JLIC, Birthright Israel/Israel Free Spirit, Yachad and OU Press, among many other divisions and programs. For more information, visit https://www.ou.org/.
Rabbi Mendy Bronstein is excited to announce that this October, right after the holidays, Chabad of Altamonte Springs will be opening a new preschool called Jewish Beginnings Early Learning Center.

"Judaism teaches that the formative years of early childhood are vitally important. A child is viewed as a seed that we nurture with the utmost care, since the seed's every experience will shape and color the quality of its matured self. We recognize that each child has his or her unique needs, interests and passions. It is with this in mind that we embark on the important mission of educating our young generation of future leaders," said Rabbi Bronstein.

The preschool will be directed by Mussie Bronstein, M.S. Ed. Mussie's love for teaching began at a young age. After earning her master's degree in Special Education in New York, Mussie gained more than 10 years of experience as a successful preschool teacher, educational director, mentor and program director. Her refined, loving character and tender approach has made her a beloved educator by many.

The school is currently accepting applications for the 1- and 2-year-old classes. Please visit www.JewishBeginningsELC.com to learn more about Jewish Beginnings or to schedule a tour. Know a friend who may consider sending their child? Please spread the word!
(JNS)  Ongoing Arab protests in recent weeks in the West Bank against the Palestinian Authority over the killing of opposition activist Nizar Banat by security forces have led to heavy criticism of the P.A. for suppression.

According to a report by the Middle East Media Research Institute published on Tuesday, the protests have expressed deep dissatisfaction over ongoing corruption and the absence of democracy. The unrest followed the decision this spring by P.A. head Mahmoud Abbas to postpone elections out of a fear of losing to other factions.

Denouncing the authorities, protesters have chanted for the overthrow of the regime.

In response, the P.A. has launched counter protests where Fatah members claimed the opposition is a coup attempt led by Hamas. For example, Fatahs deputy chairman, Mahmoud Al-Aloul, said at a Ramallah rally: Dont provoke Fatah, for we will not show mercy to anyone!

In response, according to the report, the Palestinian press has strongly criticized Fatahs handling of the Banat incident and the conduct of the movements officials.

Articles by academics and intellectuals, as well as by current and former politicians, have voiced disappointment that Fatah, which was originally founded as a national liberation movement, has become a ruling party that they say blindly defends the P.A. against legitimate criticism.
Submitted on behalf of the Holocaust Center's Board Officers

The Holocaust Memorial Resource & Education Center of Florida announced on Aug. 12, 2021, that Executive Director Pam Kancher, who has led the organization since 2006, will be stepping down at year-end. Kancher is credited with building the Center's reputation for innovative programming, convening inspired partnerships and community collaborations, as well as nearly tripling the Holocaust Center's budget, and more than doubling the staff size.

"Under Pam's leadership, the Holocaust Center developed a unique voice and role in the community, becoming a well-respected, award-winning educational organization," said Michelle Hicks Feinberg, president of the Holocaust Center Board of Directors.

A chief executive officer search committee has been formed, with plans to engage an executive search firm to lead a national effort to find a CEO with experience in building, curating, and opening institutions similar in size and scope of the new museum.

"Because of Pam's leadership, we are now in a position to recruit a CEO who will bring our vision for the Holocaust Museum for Hope & Humanity to Downtown Orlando. Without Pam's tireless efforts, we would not be at this important moment in our history. Our entire board is grateful to Pam for her dedication and help in this transition," Hicks Feinberg stated.

Kancher's achievements include the development of the Holocaust Center's highly respected UpStanders: Stand Up To Bullying initiative which has empowered nearly 40,000 students to positively influence their school's culture and led to its first major partnership with the City of Orlando-Stand Up Orlando. She also led the community commemoration of the 75th anniversary of Kristallnacht, and facilitated the community's celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act.

"Thanks to Pam's wisdom, hard work and passion for its mission, The Holocaust Center has become one of the most important educational and cultural organizations in our region," said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. "Orlando is a city built on diversity and inclusion and welcoming our neighbors from around the world, and the Holocaust Center has played a critical role in fostering that culture. I especially appreciated our collaborations that have laid the groundwork for the new museum in the heart of Downtown Orlando."

While Kancher served as executive director, the Holocaust Center conceptualized The Holocaust Museum for Hope & Humanity, a 40,000 square-foot, world-class museum that will serve not only as a destination in Central Florida, but as a place of learning open to the region's more than 75 million yearly visitors from around the globe. Key to this effort was her work with the City of Orlando to secure funding from Orange County as well as the former Orlando Chamber of Commerce property, which will be the site of the museum's future home in downtown Orlando.

"I'm incredibly proud of how far the Holocaust Center has grown under my tenure and built on the legacy that our founder, Tess Wise, established. There is a strong foundation for the work ahead and I look forward to helping during the transition. I am especially pleased about our positive impact on the Greater Orlando community," said Kancher. "As the Holocaust Center builds and opens a new world-class museum the educational mission will continue and expand to help educate future generations to remember the past to protect our future."

The Holocaust Museum for Hope & Humanity will be the first museum designed from the ground up around the stories of survivors, as well as the first museum-wide partnership with USC Shoah Foundation, a world-renowned institution established during the filming of Schindler's List to permanently preserve the testimonies of more than 50,000 survivors of the Holocaust and other genocides for educational purposes.

"We have a unique opportunity to recruit a CEO of national stature during this pinnacle moment for the Holocaust Center - to search for and hire a CEO with proven, hands-on museum experience," said Hicks Feinberg. "Filling this new position will be critical to our success as we look to finalize designs and energize our fundraising, with the goal of building a world-class museum."
By David Isaac

(JNS)  A new report by pro-Israel NGO Im Tirtzu reveals that over the last five years, U.N. agencies have funneled at least $40 million to radical anti-Israel groups, some with terror ties. It also offers a prescription: a Taylor Force Act applied to the United Nations.

Passed by Congress in 2018, the Taylor Force Act, named after a U.S. war veteran and graduate student killed by a terrorist while visiting Israel, conditions U.S. aid to the Palestinian Authority on its halting payments to terrorists. The P.A. puts such a high premium on these payments that its leader, Mahmoud Abbas, said in July 2018: If we are left with one penny, we will spend it on the families of the prisoners and martyrs.

The law led the Trump administration to cut more than $200 million to the P.A.

Eytan Meir, Im Tirtzus director of external relations and development, tells JNS that a U.S. law holding the U.N. accountable for funding malevolent NGOs will lead the United Nations to become more transparent and take greater care in its review of its implementing partners, the U.N.s term of art for organizations to which it channels funds to carry out in-country projects.

The United States is the largest financial supporter of the United Nations, providing 22 percent of its financial support (China is a distant second with 12 percent). Americans should know what their money is going toward. I think it would shock most Americans to learn that their tax dollars are going to terror-linked organizations, said Meir.

Ties to terrorism and the BDS movement

Anne Herzberg, legal adviser of NGO Monitor, an Israel-based group that promotes accountability of NGOs and has produced dozens of analyses on U.N. funding, said a U.N. Taylor Force Act is a good idea.

Weve also suggested it in our reports that money to the U.N. should be blocked if its going to be used for terror-linked partners, she tells JNS.

More than a third of the Palestinian groups (eight of 19) identified in the report, titled The United Nations Funding of Radical Anti-Israel Organizations, have ties to terrorism. Virtually all of them support the BDS movement that calls for boycotts against Israel.

Meir notes that in July 2019, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a resolution against BDS (398-17) with numerous U.S. states passing their own anti-BDS laws. Its the general consensus that BDS is not something that America supports. But then you have all this money going towards BDS.

To identify the nature of the NGOs receiving money, the report relied on work by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and Israels Ministry of Strategic Affairs and Public Diplomacy, whose February 2019 report Terrorists in Suits detailed the links between terror groups and anti-Israel NGOs. The ministry told JNS that it has brought attention to the U.N.s financial support of Palestinian NGOs with ties to internationally designated terror organizations throughout the years.  The Ministry calls on the U.N. to cease any and all support it still provides to Palestinian human rights NGOs which instead of protecting human life, seek to end it through their continued ties to terror groups.

Most of the NGOs on the list sound innocuous, like the Agriculture Development Association, Womens Affairs Center and the Palestinian Center for Human Rights. Yet all have been linked to promoting BDS. The last has ties to two terror groups, Hamas and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). These three NGOs alone collected more than $5 million from U.N. agencies between 2016 and 2020.

They all have nice names, but then you look into what they do. One of these groups is an environmental group; you think, Great, they want to improve the environmental situation in Gaza. Then you go on their website and see their videos, and theyre all dedicated to attacking Israel, to accusing Israel of everything under the sun, and thats essentially what all these groups are doing, said Meir.

Herzberg noted that the groups listed in the report support a one-state solutionthat is, Palestine in place of Israel, meaning the United Nations is channeling money to groups that contradict its own position. The U.N. framework is two states for two peoples, and I dont think any of those groups support that.

The United Nations channels funds to the NGOs primarily via three agencies: the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) and UNICEF (United Nations Childrens Fund).

The agencies are not always transparent about where theyre sending the money they receive from donors, stated Meir, noting that OCHA is the worst in documenting where things are going. The report includes a screenshot of a 2018 OCHA grant. Under implementing partners it lists N/A (not available). In some cases, OCHA listed the implementing partners but not how much money each received.

JNS reached out to all three agencies for comment but received no reply.

The bigger issue is the Europeans

Herzberg said its important to point out that the U.N. agencies are not supplying the money. The U.N. agencies act more as a clearinghouse, directing money from a donor to an ostensibly humanitarian project within the region. Sometimes, the money comes from a country, like Canada or the European Union, which I think is really important because the funders are the people who need to be held accountable.

In most cases, U.N. agencies arent picking the projects either, said Herzberg. They rely on a group called the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT), described by OCHA as a forum of humanitarian organizations operating in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt). The HCT is comprised of U.N. agency heads and two NGO umbrella groups, one of which is the Palestinian NGO Network (PNGO). PNGO refused to sign an anti-terror clause, which is a condition of U.S. government funding. In 2007, PNGO launched a boycott against USAID when the group introduced updated anti-terrorism procedures. Nine of the 19 groups listed in the Im Tirtzu report are members of PNGO.

OCHAs website description of PNGO is at odds with reality: The Palestinian NGO Network (PNGO) seeks to support, consolidate and strengthen Palestinian civil society on the basis of the principles of democracy, social justice and sustainable development.

The Palestinians are basically the ones choosing the projects, says Herzberg, and they have no trouble working with terrorists. Almost all the so-called human-rights NGOstheyre part of the PFLP [Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine]. I think it was in the 1990s a deliberate strategy by the PFLP to set up these NGOs as a good way to do propaganda and perhaps also to funnel money to themselves.

Herzberg noted that the role of the United Nations is important because it gives the donor governments some plausible deniability: Oh, its a U.N. project is a response to deflect criticism.

With the U.N. funding process ripe for reform, the question is whether the Biden administration will be open to a Taylor Force Act, particularly as it has rebooted funding to the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), the biggest source of humanitarian aid for the Palestinians and one that has been widely criticized for corruption.

Meir said its unlikely, though Herzberg is more optimistic. With UNRWA, theyve wanted to increase the oversight. [U.S. Secretary of State Antony] Blinken made a speech about that not too long ago. And certainly, its an issue for members of Congress. So I do think theyd be amenable to it.

The bigger issue is the Europeans. You could have U.S. legislation, but a lot of the money comes from Europe and from individual European governments, said Herzberg. Even in Europe, which is so wedded to the idea of NGOS that they dont even look at the outcome or the product of what theyre funding, progress can be made through naming and shaming, she added.

When you actually expose how the money is being used to the parliaments back in Europe, people are usually pretty shocked, she said. They just had no idea their money was going to those types of programs or counterproductive initiatives, and oftentimes, theyve been very embarrassed because many of the groups have ties to terror groups.

Following such exposure, she continued, generally, they start taking a closer examination, and thats a good way to end the funding.
New York Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul, center, in yellow jacket, meets with leaders of New York City's Jewish community to discuss a nationwide rise in antisemitic attacks, May 9, 2019.

(New York Jewish Week/JTA) - Kathy Hochul, who is set to succeed Andrew Cuomo as governor of New York, is no stranger to the New York Jewish community.

Cuomo resigned Tuesday, a week after a state investigation concluded that he sexually harassed 11 women. He had faced intense pressure to step aside, including from President Joe Biden, or face impeachment.

Cuomo enjoyed a warm working relationship with Jews across the denominational spectrum. As Cuomo's surrogate, Hochul has made it a point to keep up with the issues and concerns of Jews, local leaders say, visiting Jewish day schools, meeting regularly with Jewish community officials and touring Orthodox neighborhoods with local community leaders.

"We have brought hundreds and hundreds of students and activists to Albany [to meet her], and most recently  last March - she spoke at our virtual mission to Albany," said Maury Litwack, director of state political affairs at the Orthodox Union. "And for years she has been speaking and addressing our leadership missions to Albany."

Earlier this year, Hochul visited Jewish day schools in Brooklyn and Queens, Litwak recalled.

"The Jewish community and Kathy Hochul have a longstanding relationship," he said. "She likes to see things and go places and learn about people and their issues, and the Jewish community is definitely a stop for Kathy."

A native of Buffalo, Hochul, who turns 63 this month, was Cuomo's running mate in 2014 and reelected in 2018. (In New York, the governor and lieutenant governor are elected separately.) She will become governor when Cuomo formally steps down Aug. 24 and serve the rest of his term, which runs until 2022; she will be the first woman to run the state.

Hochul (which rhymes with "local") was among the first politicians to call out a recent spate of antisemitism in the state, in May 2019. When the number of antisemitic incidents nationwide began to spike that year, she convened a meeting in the city with Jewish leaders to address the situation and wrote on Facebook that "Anti-Semitism has no place in New York."

Among those at the meeting were David Pollock, associate executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York. The meeting demonstrated that "she is clearly sensitive to the issue and supportive of the community's concerns," he told The Jewish Week.

Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, executive vice president of the New York Board of Rabbis, also attended and said the meeting was just one of several times Hochul has reached out to the Jewish community.

"I have attended a number of meetings she conducted and I find it very important that she is an ardent listener," he said. "That is a great quality. She wants to hear the concerns of Jewish leadership."

Hochul has also visited the Yeshiva of Flatbush, a Modern Orthodox day school in Brooklyn. Its executive director, Jeffrey Rothman, said she has been a champion of state aid to private schools for the purpose of hiring qualified instructors to teach science, technology and math courses.

Devorah Halberstam, co-founder and director of external affairs at the Jewish Children's Museum in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, said she has "known Kathy for a very long time," seeing her at meetings about antisemitism and when Hochul visited the museum.

A visit three years ago was followed a week later by her appearance at the annual event marking the anniversary of the 1991 Crown Heights riots, in which Black residents of the neighborhood, angered after a car in the motorcade of Lubavitcher Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson accidentally struck and killed a Black child, attacked Hasidic Jews they encountered. A Hasidic student, Yankel Rosenbaum, was stabbed to death.

"I have found her to be very personable, in touch with what is going on and very aware of the different communities," Halberstam said.

In the fall of 2019, members of the Crown Heights Jewish Community Council took her on a walking tour of their largely Hasidic neighborhood, including the Chabad Lubavitch movement's headquarters on Eastern Parkway.

"She felt very comfortable being in our Hasidic community," recalled Jacob Goldstein, a retired chair of Community Board 9, who accompanied her on the tour.

Married and the mother of two, Hochul holds a bachelor's degree from Syracuse University and a law degree from Catholic University. She was an aide to Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan, and served as a member of the Hamburg Town Board and as clerk of Erie County.

As a Democrat, she won a special election in 2011 to fill the seat of Rep. Christopher Lee. Lee resigned after a photo of him shirtless was emailed to a woman he met on Craigslist and was published online.While in Congress, Hochul fought to protect the Affordable Care Act, reproductive rights and LGBTQ rights.

The district, representing Buffalo and Niagara Falls, was considered the most Republican in the state. Hochul lost when she ran again in 2012.

Hochul was essentially the governor's representative when he couldn't make it to an event, observed Ezra Friedlander, CEO of the Friedlander Group, a public affairs and public policy consulting group.

"She didn't have an independent role but was an extension of the governor and the administration," he said. "In the Cuomo administration she was not regarded as the go-to person when you wanted something done legislatively. ... Although she was lieutenant governor, she wasn't an insider and cannot be held accountable for the governor's tsuris."

But at the same time, she has used her position to travel throughout the state, visiting each of its 62 counties and attending various civic functions and getting to know community leaders.

"She knows what she's doing," Friedlander said. "For many years she has been waiting for this moment to be her own person. She is ambitious and wants to be governor. She has relationships she has built upon. It will be interesting to see if she can parlay that into her own term. ... I think she will make a strong push to get elected in her own right. She will not go quietly into the night."

After New York State Attorney General Letitia James released the results of her office's investigation into Cuomo last week, multiple Democrats, including President Joe Biden, called on Cuomo to step down. The New York Assembly's Judiciary Committee said it would hold hearings this month to decide if it will recommend that legislators move forward with impeachment.
(JNS)  In the aftermath of the recent uproar over the Ben & Jerrys ice-cream company announcing it would boycott the Occupied Palestinian Territory, it is worthwhile to take a closer look at that term.

In 1964, Ahmad el-Shukairy convened a conference at which he created a terrorist movement called the Palestine Liberation Organization. The PLO undertook to perpetrate terrorist acts against Israeli civilians to liberate Palestine. At the time, Jordan occupied Judea and Samaria (the West Bank) and Egypt-occupied Gaza. Yet, the PLOs terror campaign was not aimed at driving Jordan or Egypt out of those illegally occupied lands. Rather, all PLO terror aimed instead to drive the Jews out of Tel Aviv, Haifa, Raanana and other cities, towns and villages in pre-1967 Israel and into the [Mediterranean] sea.

It always has been Arab Muslim Orthodoxy that Palestine is the entire country of Israel, not merely Judea and Samaria. See for example the emblems of the Palestine terror groups, including the PLO, Fatah, Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. That is their Occupied Palestine Territory  not the West Bank or Gaza but all of Israel. It is as clear as day, right there on their flags and banners. It is their logo. One does not need to be fluent in Arabic to grasp what is on their minds and in their attack plans.

Arabs who claim that their families were expelled from Akko or Jaffa will never be satisfied with Jenin in Samaria or Beit Hanoun in Gaza. Its like a real estate agent telling a Chicago-based Midwestern American Jew seeking to relocate to the Brooklyn of his childhood: I have a listing in Chubbuck, Idaho, and another in Waterloo, Iowa. Believe me, you wont know the difference.

In the end, when Israels enemies speak of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, they are not referring to Gaza and Judea-Samaria. Rather, their slogan is From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free.

How else to understand why so many Palestinians in Gaza, ruled by Hamas, and in the Palestinian Authority, ruled by Mahmoud Abbas, live in so-called refugee camps? If those Arab Muslims truly are a Palestinian nation, and if Palestine and the Occupied Palestinian Territories truly are the regions of Gaza, Judea and Samaria, then why and how can those Arabs who have been living there for decades call themselves refugees and demand  and receive  billions in international handouts from the United Nations, the European Union and even the United States as though living displaced from their own land?

Who heard of refugees residing in their own land? Rafah Refugee Camp in Gaza has 125,000 residents. Khan Younis Refugee Camp has another 87,816. Nuseirat Refugee Camp has another 80,000. Balata Refugee Camp has 27,000 in the West Bank. Shuafat Refugee Camp has 24,000. Askar Refugee Camp has 18,500.

In all, the Gaza Strip has eight official refugee camps and 1,221,110 registered refugees. The West Bank has 19 official and four unofficial refugee camps, and 741,409 registered refugees. That makes 2 million Palestinian refugees in Palestinian refugee camps all living under Palestinian sovereignty in supposed Palestine, with Hamas sovereign in Gaza and Abbass Fatah reigning in the Palestinian Authority.

For those who speak of a two-state solution as though Israels enemies are prepared to live alongside it in peace someday if only Israel withdraws from Judea and Samaria, it is important occasionally to glance back at the logos of Palestinian terrorist groups.

Rabbi Dov Fischer, a law professor and senior rabbinic fellow at the Coalition for Jewish Values, is a senior contributing editor at The American Spectator.

This article first appeared in Israel Hayom.
(JNS)  Next month, Americans will mark the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. The trauma lingers in the memory of everyone who was then alive. But while that day of terror will never be forgotten, as an event that informs foreign and defense policy, it is fast becoming as irrelevant as the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The last American troops are withdrawing from Afghanistan as Washington is reacting with indifference to the evidence that the Taliban  the group that hosted and enabled the 9/11 attackers  will soon be back in charge in Kabul, two decades after U.S. troops routed them as part of a response to the terrorist attack.

But a little more than a month before 9/11, Israel suffered a terrorist attack that, while smaller in scale than the assault on New York and Washington, was also traumatic. And, in contrast, to the American reaction to the efforts of Al-Qaeda, what happened on Aug. 9, 2001 is still crucial to understanding not only Israeli attitudes toward the notion of a peace process with the Palestinians, but the Jewish states need for defensive measures to ensure that the events of that day wont be repeated.

One year into the Palestinian war of terrorist attrition that became known as the Second Intifada, Palestinian operatives strapped a device including explosives, nails, and nuts and bolts to a suicide bomber. Their objective was a branch of the Sbarro pizzeria chain in Jerusalems Zion Square at the busy intersection of King George Street and the Jaffa Road.

The crime was planned by Ahmad Ahlam al-Tamimi, a then 20-year-old Palestinian who chose the site to attack and led the bomber to the pizza parlor. She thought the restaurant was a good target because it was a popular spot for families feeding children lunch on Friday afternoons during the pre-Shabbat rush.

Along with the murderer, 15 Israelis and tourists, including seven children, in the restaurant were killed by the explosion. Another 130 were wounded, including many horribly maimed by a bomb designed to inflict not just death but gruesome injuries.

In an interview broadcast on Palestinian television in 2012, Tamimi remained proud of what she had done  and, in fact, reveled in the memory of being on a Jerusalem bus when the news of the bombing was broadcast and hearing the other Arab passengers celebrating as the rising death toll became known.

Of course, 20 years is a long time ago. Thanks to the building of the security barrier between much of the West Bank ruled by the Palestinian Authority and Israel, events like the Sbarros bombing, which had become commonplace during an intifada that focused on such atrocities, are now a thing of the past. Subsequent efforts at Palestinian resistance in which the slaughter of Jews is the objective are limited to random stabbings, as well as the largely futile firing of missiles and rockets into Israel by Hamas and Islamic Jihad (though most are intercepted by the Iron Dome and Arrow air-defense systems with many projectiles often falling short of their targets), more Arabs than Jews may be hurt by them.

Why then should we still remember the Sbarro bombing, except to honor the victims?

Theres more to this sad chapter than merely a tragedy to be commemorated. There is a problem with so much of what passes for informed commentary about the conflict in the mainstream media. Those who mindlessly demand Israeli concessions and territorial withdrawals, including in Jerusalem, have seemingly forgotten the slaughter at Sbarros, as well as other terrorist attacks that eventually left more than 1,000 Israelis dead. Theyve also forgotten what preceded the Palestinians pointless, if bloody, five-year campaign, and why there is a broad consensus among Israelis that stretches from the center-left to the right that rightly understands that there is no plausible partner for peace of any kind to be found among the Palestinians and their leaders.

In July of 2000, then-Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak went to Camp David where, along with host President Bill Clinton, the pair offered PLO leader Yasser Arafat the fulfillment of the promise of the 1993 Oslo Accords formula of land for peace. Arafat was presented with a deal that would have given the Palestinian independence in almost all of the West Bank, Gaza and a share of the city of Jerusalem. In exchange, all he had to do was agree to end the conflict for all time. Arafats answer was no. It was still no a few months later when Barak sweetened the offer in talks at the Egyptian border town of Taba. Contrary to the expectations of many Israelis and most foreign observers, the goal of the Palestinian nationalist movement he led wasnt an independent state alongside Israel, but a Palestinian state instead of the one Jewish one on the planet.

But by the time Arafat had turned down Barak for the second time, he had given a more definitive answer to Israeli peace offers by launching the orgy of terrorist murder that was sanitized by the neutral-sounding term Second Intifada.

In the years that followed, subsequent U.S. administrations tried the same land for peace formula again with similar lack of success because Mahmoud Abbas, Arafats supposedly more moderate successor, was no more capable of making peace even if he was inclined to do so.

The same sort of incitement to murder of Jews on the part of official Palestinian media and educational institutions that led to massacres like Sbarros continues. And in a touch of cruel irony, Tamimi now sits free as a bird in Jordan as a result of former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus 2011 decision to release more than 1,000 terrorists, including those with blood on their hands like her, in order to gain the freedom of Gilad Shalit, a soldier kidnapped by Hamas in 2005.

Just as bad, President Joe Bidens foreign-policy team still acts as if the assumptions about land for peace and a two-state solution are as valid as they were when Bill Clinton thought he was about to win a Nobel Peace Prize in the summer of 2000. For them, it is as if the Camp David peace offer and the subsequent bloodshed never happened. They and the base of the Democratic Party that would prefer an even more hostile attitude towards Israel, still act as if Israeli security control of the otherwise autonomously ruled Palestinian areas in the West Bank is an act of oppression rather than necessary self-defense.

The Palestinians and their leaders may understand that those Israeli efforts make a return to intifada-style bombings a non-starter. But they, too, still act and speak as if recognizing the legitimacy of a Jewish state  no matter where its borders might be drawn  is something they will never do. Israelis know that a withdrawal from the West Bank and the uprooting of hundreds of thousands of Jews from their homes in Jerusalem and in the territories wont bring peace. It would, like the retreat from Gaza in 2005, only make their country less safe.

Sbarros still matters not so much because of its horror but because the foolishness that set the series of events in motion towards that bout of terrorism is still alive and well in the unrealistic demands for an end to the occupation and for support of BDS campaigns inspired by anti-Semitism by those who claim to be only advocating for peace and human rights. Decent people should not only hold the memory of the victims of 8/9/01 for a blessing but also never allow the lessons of the failure of Oslo to be forgotten either.

Jonathan S. Tobin is editor in chief of JNSJewish News Syndicate. Follow him on Twitter at: @jonathans_tobin.
(JTA)  Jewish culture is deeply rooted in traditional core values, structures and norms often held by our American Jewish organizations. At the same time, todays American Jewish community is more diverse and represents more backgrounds than ever.

Yet this diversity is not equitably reflected in our communal spaces. Based on national and local population studies, my organization found in 2018 that one in seven Jews in the United States identifies as a person of color. Other recent estimates have varied, but one thing is clear: Jews of color are underrepresented in organizational boardrooms, executive leadership teams and even in those groups whose explicit aim is to engage in the work of justice. This absence of Jews of color, and by extension the absence of knowledge about our experiences and perspectives, shapes  in truth, distorts  not only organizational missions, visions, values and programs, but how we see our Jewish world.

With the newly released study Beyond the Count: Perspectives and Lived Experiences of Jews of Color, our community and our leaders have new tools to inform, shape and move our community toward one that authentically and powerfully engages the diversity of all Jews. Just as important, Beyond the Count includes self-reflections by Jews of color  1,118 to be exact  that offer insights about their experiences, both positive and negative, in Jewish spaces.

As a longtime advocate for Jews of color who now runs the Jews of Color Initiative, I found the experiences described by many of those we talked to resonant of my own. My ambition is that when reading this study, Jews of color will feel seen, reflected, affirmed and validated.

Beyond being the first large-scale examination of the lived experiences and perspectives of Jews of color in the United States, Beyond the Count is noteworthy for being led and authored by a multiracial research team housed at Stanford University. A majority of its members are Jewish and Jews of color. Along with the efforts of the Jews of Color Initiative, which commissioned the study, that team garnered responses from more than 1,000 Jews of color representing 47 states and Puerto Rico.

These community members reflected on Jewish identity, engagement in Jewish communities, systemic racism in Jewish spaces and the moments in which they feel the deepest sense of safety and belonging. They shared their experiences, views, perspectives and pain points.

The findings, which are captured in the study, are revealing, troubling and hopeful all at the same time:

Two-thirds of survey respondents say they have felt disconnected from their Jewish identities at times, and nearly half have altered how they speak, dress or present themselves to conform to predominantly white Jewish spaces.

The vast majority of Jews of color (80 percent) have faced discrimination in Jewish settings, particularly in spiritual or congregational environments.

Slightly over half of respondents have felt a sense of belonging among white Jews, and 41 percent say they have found opportunities to express all sides of themselves in predominantly white Jewish spaces.

Taken together, these findings reveal where our community can and must do better.

Jews of color feel scrutinized for their race in some settings and their Jewishness in others. As a result, many point to gatherings of Jews of color as unique opportunities to experience the sense of belonging and solidarity that is unavailable to them in other areas of Jewish communal life. Many described such gatherings and relationships built with other Jews of color as profoundly healing.

Despite experiences of being othered and eschewed, Jews of color have still found connection to their greater Jewish communities, particularly through a sense of shared history, collective memory and Jewish values. When the environment is open and welcoming, Jews of color are able to actively contribute to the continuity of Jewish tradition and peoplehood in ways that are powerful and meaningful to them and the larger Jewish community. Jews of color feel very connected to Judaism, and want to be connected to, engaged in and part of Jewish communities and Jewish communal life.

For anyone who cares about sustaining and building a strong Jewish community, the data in Beyond the Count should be both concerning and energizing. Racism connected to our communal institutions and our individual actions has caused harm, and this harm has sometimes pushed away Jews of color and detached them from Jewish identity, from Jewish community and ultimately from what should be an unobstructed pathway to Torah.

On the other hand, we now have the gift of knowledge and perspective. Leaders used to ask how many Jews of color there are  and in 2018 we answered that question. But our communal conversation needs more than a demographic count to understand how to move forward to a place of equity and justice. With Beyond the Count, we have a new set of knowledge that can guide us there. These findings, beyond serving as a starting point for important conversations in our community, must actively and thoughtfully inform community and organizational missions, visions, strategies, spaces, resource allocations and pathways to leadership.

The Jews of Color Initiative will now begin to engage in conversations around these findings with communal partners and leaders. These conversations are one important way we can ensure our ecosystem of organizations, day schools, synagogues, program partners and funders hear directly from Jews of color.

Beyond the Count isnt a panacea for making our community more inclusive and less racist. But it does help us understand what has kept people away from Jewish communal spaces and helps to identify the tools not only to inform and educate, but to address serious obstacles to community engagement.

Working together, we can retire the old paradigms and structures that marginalize and sometimes harm Jews of color. Informed by Beyond the Count, we are the ones to build the new strategies, the new structures to ensure unencumbered, inspired access Jewish life  a sense of belonging, a shared community and a sustainable path forward for our people.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media.
Prosecutors want a video of Kyle Rittenhouse accepted into evidence that they say shows him talking about wanting to shoot people, footage taken about two weeks before Rittenhouse fatally shot two protesters and wounded a third
Lima, OH (45805)

Today

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Now Open

19 August 2021

Fresh city beats. Vienna is once again showing itself to be a true capital of music and lifestyle. As of today, the new lifestyle hotel Jaz in the City Vienna in Windmuhlgasse, located between Mariahilferstrae and the Naschmarkt, welcomes guests and sound enthusiasts. Music is an essential component of the concept. It can be heard, seen, and experienced across every area of the hotel. The reception area acts as a record store, whilst all 163 stylish rooms and suites also include a record player. Multi-functional event facilities provide an inviting venue for creative meetings and for after-work clubbing. The "Rhythms Bar & Kitchen" Restaurant delivers exactly what its title suggests. The focus here is on dishes using local produce which are spiced up with a "jazy" spirit and come with an added mixture of diversity, tolerance and innovation. The hotel itself becomes a stage, and guests are able to enjoy live music, concerts and spontaneous sessions every single day. The "mariatrink Drinks & Views" rooftop bar boasts spectacular vistas out over Vienna and is already a top attraction amongst those in the know. Special intimate performances from leading artists are being planned in future.

Jaz in the City is a hip and trendy brand by Deutsche Hospitality. This third exciting venture in Vienna has been realised in conjunction with the property development company MTK Group AG and the architectural firm BWM. The opening of Jaz in the City Vienna means that four of Deutsche Hospitality's brands are represented in the city. Overall capacity now consists of 733 rooms and suites and meetings facilities extending over a total area of 1,200 square metres. This enables appropriate accommodation to be offered to all the company's target groups - cosmopolitan explorers, weekend adventurers, foodies and modern business travellers.
Appointment

19 August 2021

Aimbridge Hospitality, a leading multinational hospitality company, has announced the appointment of Nigel Lucas as Senior Vice President of Business Development for Canada.

In his new role, Lucas will report directly to Aimbridge's Chief Development Officer, Greg O'Stean, and will be responsible for collaborating with hotel owners, capital partners, lenders, brokers, and brands to identify growth opportunities across Canada.

Lucas most recently served as the Executive Vice President of Franchising and Development for Superior Lodging Corp where he managed the franchise development platform for the Super 8, Travelodge and Microtel brands in Canada, leading development strategy and franchise development team to identify conversion and new-build opportunities. Prior, he served as Franchise Development Director for Choice Hotels Canada, the Senior Development Analyst at Delta Hotels & Resorts, project manager at Thomas Consultants Inc. and Consultant for PKF Consulting Inc. He graduated from the University of Guelph with a Bachelor of Commerce in Hotel & Food Administration and holds a Certificate in Hotel Real Estate Investments and Asset Management, Real Estate Development from Cornell University.
Appointment

19 August 2021

Terranea Resort announces executive promotion within its revenue strategy and leadership community at the 102-acre award-winning destination resort.

Dave Rhein has been promoted to Director of Digital Marketing & Creative for Terranea Resort. In his role, he is responsible for overall integrated brand marketing, creative design, media planning, and agency relationships.

Rhein has more than 15 years of experience in marketing, graphic design, web design and web development. He joined Terranea in 2012 and oversees the digital marketing efforts, website, branding campaigns, and collateral enhancements. Prior to joining Terranea, he was a cast member for Walt Disney World's College Program, worked at a design agency in Philadelphia working with companies such as Google, Yahoo!, GE Innovation, LG, and Panasonic, and a web development company based in San Diego.

Rhein is a member of Visit California's Digital Marketing Committee, is a Certified Hospitality Digital Marketer (CHDM) by Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International, and a member of the resort's Green Team. His dedication and leadership has been recognized with multiple awards including Associate of the Month, Leader of the Month, and Leader of the Quarter.
Appointment

19 August 2021

The Chicago-based hotel management group, Arbor Lodging Management, is pleased to welcome Angie Gheen as their newest Vice President of Operations. Gheen began her professional career in 2011 as a member of Remington Hotels, starting at the Jacksonville Residence Inn. She was then promoted as the General Manager at the Phoenix Residence Inn and then Vice President General Manager at the Newark Courtyard/ Residence Inn hotel in California. Gheen is now embarking on her newest position at Arbor Lodging Management, taking the role of Vice President of Operations.

With her role as VPO, Gheen will be responsible for overseeing operations of Hilton and Marriott select service hotels in California that are part of the Arbor Lodging Management portfolio.
Appointment

19 August 2021

Kerten Hospitality, a mixed-use and lifestyle operator, announces the strategic appointment of hospitality industry expert Wafik Youssef as its Chief Operating Officer. Wafik, a seasoned leader with a proven track record of growth with global hotel players, and a career spanning across 3 continents over two decades will further contribute to Kerten Hospitality's footprint expansion and multiple project openings rolling out 2021 onwards.

Wafik will be responsible for all operational properties and upcoming mixed-use project openings acro ss the Middle East, Egypt, Georgia, Jordan, Kuwait and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia driving the Group's global vision for growth and expansion. He will be based in the Group's corporate office in Dubai.

During his career, Wafik has played important roles in various hotel groups including Emirates Palace, Kempinski Hotels and Rotana in the Middle East, Africa and Europe. His last role was as a Vice President of Operations for Kempinski Hotels in the Middle East and Africa region where he was managing almost 20 properties after having led the MEA Region operations function for the Group. He is well versed in hotel management, capacity building, pre-opening of hotels, value creation a nd capacity build across many functions in MENA.
Supplier News

19 August 2021

Bangalore, India - Hotelogix, a cloud-based Multi-Property Management System for enterprise-grade hotels across the globe, has made a remarkable attempt to simplify access to information and statistics related to tourism and accommodation sector by connecting to the National Tourism Monitoring Platform (NTMP).

NTMP is an online platform used to surveil the performance of all tourist monitoring activities, including accommodation and tourist movement, enabling it to be an accredited centre for statistics and data related to the tourism sector in Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi Arabia Ministry of Tourism requires hotels operating in the country to keep them up to speed on all occupancy and reservation information. The connection between Hotelogix and NTMP works to this end and helps in following up the tourist movement.

For any modification in Hotelogix, an event is initiated from the software and sent to NTMP which includes guest information like reservation number, check-in/check-out etc. The delivery of this information is automated through the interface in Hotelogix PMS which sends the updated event to NTMP.

Mr. Brijesh Surendran, Senior Vice President - Sales at Hotelogix says, The Hotelogix and NTMP connect is aimed at enabling hoteliers to abide by the regulatory requirements of the Saudi Arabia government. Our product ensures easy and quick access to information and statistics of the tourism accommodation sector while empowering Hotels in doing what they do best - serve their guests.

If youd like to explore the opportunities that Hotelogix Property Management Software could open for you, visit https://www.hotelogix.com/ to learn more.

About Hotelogix

Hotelogix is the Global Market leader in cloud-based enterprise hospitality solutions, which enables hotels to increase revenue and drive business growth. With its centralised control mechanism, it streamlines the day-to-day functionality of hotel departments like front-desk, housekeeping etc and makes administering tasks intuitive and delegation of duties hassle-free. It also enables business scaling through Flexible Pricing and Reduced Fixed Costs.
Opinion Article

19 August 2021

As we come out of the pandemic, the conundrum of finding and retaining hotel employees has reached new levels. Prior to the pandemic, this challenge was primarily experienced in extremely low unemployment markets (like Austin and San Francisco) as well as highly seasonal markets that had to flex labor to match changes in demand.

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Our recovery depends on being able to deliver great guest experiences, but we cannot do that without great employees. With travel demand returning faster than previously anticipated, addressing the problem will be critical to being profitable in the next cycle and will require all of the industrys stakeholders to get involved.

Changing Talent in Hospitality

Hotels and hospitality provide one of the most dynamic work environments around. The opportunity for upward mobility is perhaps amongst the best of any industry. Collectively, we fail to tell this story and keep it a priority through each business cycle.

During the pandemic, with forced hotel closures, it understandably resulted in substantial furloughs and layoffs. However, the way the separations were handled across the industry left many workers with a sour taste for both their former employer and the industry.

As a result, much of the talent that represented our former colleagues, have transitioned out to other opportunities. In the most recent Q2 2021 survey of 13,000 workers by Joblist, one third of all former hospitality workers responded that they would not be considering returning to the industry in any capacity.

How do we do better this next round? How do we grow the workforce needed to thrive or adjust to doing more with fewer employees? The following thoughts are intended to provide some ideas as well as initiate additional discussion and collaboration on addressing this pressing issue.

1  Improving the Employment Fundamentals, Adapting for the Future

In the same Joblist survey, 45% of the respondents cited wanting higher pay and 29% expressing a desire for better benefits. As competition for employees tightens in major markets, hotels can no longer think of pay simply against other hotel employers. Manager and owners must consider competitive industries also looking to fill comparable positions, including those in tech, logistics and retail.

An Example: Front Desk Staff

One role that is representative of this struggle, is front desk staff. Hotels need front desk employees that are personable, trustworthy, intelligent and quick to respond to dynamic environments. These are all skills/traits that are also highly desirable for comparable jobs in other industries, many of which have significantly higher starting wages.

For these roles, wages must increase to reflect the increased professionalism desired in these roles. Without addressing this fundamental point, hospitality will fail to secure quality employees.

How to Pay for Wage Increases

How do we afford those increases?

To mitigate the increases in human capital, automation and innovation are required to reengineer existing operating models. Streamlining/automating more menial tasks will free up human capital to be focused on more complicated and value-add parts of the operation.

From back of house to front of house, we need to examine how we can leverage technology and new systems to minimize the time spent on activities that do not need a human touch. We can then rework job descriptions and roles to make them broader, more engaging and better aligned for future career growth.

2  A New Recruitment Message

As we go out to recruit a new generation of talent, all parties must do a better job structuring and narrating job growth opportunities.

While fundamentals cannot be ignored (competitive wage, competitive benefits, not just against other hotel employers, but competitive employers in tech, logistics, and retail), the industry must communicate the key differentiator  jobs in the hospitality industry are really career paths.

The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) has issued several good articles regarding this aspect of the industry, but all parties must do their part to magnify the message and reinforce this opportunity to those entering the industry. This AHLA message communicates their mission to attract, retain, and educate top talent.

Only be reflecting the dynamism and entrepreneurial spirit of the industry can we hope to pull in talent that would otherwise be pulled to jobs that maybe seen as easier or more financially lucrative in the short term.

3  Priority on Retention

Once recruited, more must be done to improve retention and create coherent paths for career growth. Organizations need to place a priority on developing succession plans for key positions to prevent vacancies. If the industry continues a pattern of focusing only on the immediate employment needs and chronic understaffing, a tremendous amount of resources will continue to be wasted on repeated training and onboarding. Additionally, asset performance is set back each time leadership roles go unfilled.

Retention should be a critical issue that owners and managers should collaborate, including re-evaluating current salary, incentive and benefit structures. Our leaders run multi-million dollar businesses. Securing and preserving the best talent to oversee these enterprises will only maximize financial results for all parties involved.

How can retention be improved? While there is no single silver bullet, here are some suggestions to create an action plan.

Communication and Goal Alignment

Aligning goals and establishing clear communication of those goals is critical to actively engaging team members and partners. Research on employee retention consistently finds that understanding ones role and impact in the organization is critical to engagement and satisfaction. Ensuring that team members understand the goals and communicating progress is critical to making team members feel integral to the organization, increasing loyalty.

Creating Career Development and Career Advancement Opportunities

The industry has to emphasize that jobs in the hospitality industry can readily become life-long careers. While that message may get new employees in the door, creating concrete career development and advancement opportunities is the only way to keep those employees.

Understanding Critical Employee Touchpoints to Create Differentiated and Targeted Incentives

When there is equitable pay and benefits, employee retention is enhanced by understanding critical employee touchpoints and needs. Creating additional incentives and benefits can differentiate our employees experience and desire to remain. For some it may be PTO, work flexibility or opportunities to cross-share experiences between departments or other properties.

Hospitality inherently has some unique benefits that other industries cannot match, including travel discounts and great partnership opportunities. Leveraging these differentiators can be critical to standing out against other competitive employers in other industries.

4  Dedication to Innovation

Beyond the benefits of mitigating increased labor costs, a focused effort on continual innovation is another way to attract and retain employees. The pandemic did increase customer adoption of several key technologies, including digital check in and keyless entry. Both technologies can streamline demand on front office staff, enabling that staff to focus on other value add and rewarding activities. New innovations may create new, attractive job roles.

A prime example is social/digital marketing. A decade ago, specialists in those fields were unheard of. Today, many resorts have dedicated resources to create and manage content, which drives leisure demand.

Integration of new technology can reduce our need for labor to complete unsophisticated tasks and create new career opportunities that incorporate new skills and activities.

5  Employees as Customers

We must win our employees like we win our customers.

As hotel asset managers, focusing on this area of value creation is just as important as capex planning, sales and marketing and revenue management. The competition for these employees begins with the first recruitment message and continues throughout their career.

The ideas outlined above are just some of the ways we can improve the appeal of the hospitality industry so that we continue to attract top talent. The employment challenge in our industry is great, but it can be won. Securing and nurturing great employees will create a competitive advantage that will have direct benefits to our customers and bottom line.
From Tony Davenports perspective, whats coming is inevitable.

The company he represented at the Offshore Technology Conference on Tuesday as a manufacturing agent, Amphernol, changed the name of one of its divisions from Amphernol Oil & Gas Technologies to Amphernol Energy Technologies.

Earlier this year, French oil major Total changed its name to TotalEnergies, reflecting its climate change push. And NOV, one of the largest manufacturers of drilling rigs and machines, has opened a division dedicated to installing wind turbines.

Now OTC, Houstons signature event for the oil and gas industry, is including speakers and exhibitors involved in the energy transition  giving renewable energy a platform in front of an audience steeped in the fossil fuel industry.

It signals the shift in the traditional energy industry as companies begin to lean into cleaner sources of power, transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable options.

Its coming, and everybodys more conscious about green energy versus oil and gas energy, Davenport said. Theres even talk now about offshore platforms that used to operate using gas or oil to operate using electricity, running a cable from shore to the platform.

Thirteen of OTCs 86 panel and speaking events are focused on renewables or the energy transition. Massachusetts-based Greentown Labs  North Americas largest climate tech incubator that opened its second location in Houston this year  hosted a panel about offshore wind technology. The conferences opening general session, Focus on the Future, featured three speakers who almost exclusively talked about emissions, the energy transition and the role of renewables in the offshore sector.

LAND BATTLE: Renewable energy and oil wage battle for power

Make no mistake  the world needs more and cleaner energy, said Bill Langin, senior vice president of deepwater exploration for Shell, at the session. We need to decarbonize barrels and also make new forms of energy.

The presence of renewables and newer forms of energy at OTC dovetails with an increase in local and national actions and conversations about the energy transition.

A group of 27 unions in Texas last month commissioned a report that found the state could gain 1 million jobs if it follows ambitious renewable energy plans. Then the Texas AFL-CIO created the Texas Climate Jobs Project to try to make the reports recommendations a reality. The Biden Administration announced in April it would aim to cut carbon emissions by at least 50 percent by 2050.

Years earlier, oil majors, including BP, Chevron and Royal Dutch Shell, had launched subsidiaries dedicated to funding and researching new energy technologies, and they have increasingly sponsored panels and events related to renewable energy.

Leigh Ann Runyan, executive director of OTC, said there have been efforts for years to put more discussions about renewables on the conventions annual agenda, and that its board and executive team wholly endorsed the move this year.

Weve been wanting to talk about the energy transition, which has been accelerated in the last 12 months, Runyan said. So many of the operating companies have launched their new programs to reduce their carbon footprints and to do what they can with the energy transition. And OTC wants to be a part of that.

Still, introducing a burgeoning industry that may well soon disrupt oil and gas did not receive a uniformly warm reception among those attending OTC this year in person and online.

POWER SOURCE: Renewables may become Texas' top source of electricity

Taking questions after a presentation by Peter Green, deputy lab director of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the moderator laughed as she read a submission from an online participant, who she said must be from the oil and gas industry.

Do you think we should stop using fossil fuels in the near future? the question read.

Im a realist here. Markets and convenience are going to play a huge role, Green responded. Its not going to go away any time soon  it just depends how we manage it.

Mike Matthews, U.S. representative for the World Forum Offshore Wind, said he heard concerns from oil and gas employees at other renewable energy panels, as well. Still, he said, those hes spoken to about his work have been open to learning more.

Its been an educational opportunity, he said. What were here to do is to take that business side and see what kind of opportunities we can assist with. Were not stepping on oil and gas toes. We want to work together  you have the platform, you have the tech, you have the supply chain. Lets build some offshore wind platforms out here.

There did seem to be a disconnect between the discussions about renewable energy held at the upstairs conference rooms and the trade show downstairs, which was filled with booths depicting oil rigs, huge drills for boring into the earth and sections of pipelines used to move crude from the sea bed to the surface.

Among them was an exhibit for Missouri City-based KeyDrill Technology, where Director of Sales Jon Weatherly was working. The companys 10 employees design and manufacture directional drilling tools, from hardware to software.

Weatherly said he didnt see a problem with having more renewable vendors and conversations at OTC. Already, he said, some customers visiting his booth talked about using the companys drilling tools to start geothermal power operations.

Hes a little more skeptical about wind and solar, because the sun doesnt always shine and the wind doesnt always blow, and utility-scale battery storage hasnt materialized in a meaningful way.

But hey, we need more energy, so I dont think its a problem. And at some point, do we run out of oil? Who knows, he said. I just think a hard cut-over cant happen. Thats my view - lets transition but lets do it smartly.

shelby.webb@chron.com
A repeat caller to Harris County Precinct 1 has been charged with making a terroristic threat against Commissioner Rodney Ellis, according to court documents.

Ellis constituent services manager said the frustrated resident told her he was tired of nothing being done and that he was going to take (Ellis) out along with his family, police reported. He said he had a gun and knew where the commissioner lived, the manager said.

Roland Curry, 67, was charged on Aug. 5 with terroristic threat, a misdemeanor. He has since been released from the Harris County Jail on a general order bond.

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"Mr. Curry regrets that he let his frustration with the situation get the best of him," his hired defense attorney, Chip B. Lewis, said. "I look forward to meeting with the prosecution to discuss the matter as I am confident they will recognize Mr. Currys expression of his frustration lacked a requisite element of the charge  'imminent threat.'"

Ellis declined to comment.

The constituent services manager described the Aug. 3 call to a constables deputy, saying she knew Curry by voice and phone number. The man has called the precinct about 20 times since June 2018, she said, according to court records.

During the call, Curry first complained about overgrown vacant lots in his neighborhood, the manager told the deputy. Those lots were bought out by Harris County Flood Control due to repeated flooding, and Curry complained that white residents were offered more for their property than black residents, the deputy wrote in charging documents.

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The call turned into a threat when he blamed Ellis for a lack of action, the constituent services manager said. Curry told her he was waiting for news from his doctor and might not have long to live, and he shared that he told his own children to prepare for something bad to happen to him, according to court records.

Curry has faced similar charges in the past. A terroristic threat charge was dismissed in 2000, and a harassing communication charge was dismissed in 1998.
Houston ISD trustees on Thursday approved a pair of measures to offer a $500 stipend to employees who show proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and to give workers additional leave days for absences related to the illness.

Employees with medical conditions or disabilities recommended by medical professionals to not get vaccinated will be eligible for the stipend. The total cost is not expected to exceed $14 million, according to the district, which begins classes Monday.

The stipend, to be paid with with federal relief funds, was pitched as a way to encourage employees to become vaccinated, which in turn could lessen the need for absences from school and work.

The stipend also must be approved by the Texas Education Agency, according to the district. TEA officials said they were looking into the matter.

The board also approved 10 additional paid leave days related to COVID-19 for employees during the 2021-22 school year.

The board approved a couple of items that will help our community, help our staff to continue the mitigation and protection measures that we want to have in place during this COVID-19 spike, Superintendent Millard House II said after the meeting. I think those are both big items. We know (what) we cant do is completely, you know, mitigate COVID-19, but (what) we can do is push individuals that are hopefully on the fence of being vaccinated to do so.

He added, We can also ensure that those that are out because of COVID-19 have the necessary securities in place for the job to be able to come back and not worry about their finances.

Both measures passed unanimously.

It shows the appreciation that you have for the people that are out there working on the ground, Trustee Kathy Blueford-Daniels said to House prior to the stipend vote. Thank you. I just wanted to say it publicly.

Workers will be permitted to use the 10 additional days consecutively or for a shorter period of time. They will have to demonstrate their absences were due to COVID-19 exposure, symptoms, infection, and related factors.

Employees also will have to present proof of vaccination to be eligible for the additional sick days. Any days beyond those 10 will come out of an individuals leave or vacation allowances.

Despite best practices, the administration recognizes that some employees will become infected or exposed to the virus during the school year, requiring them to quarantine and be absent from work, the measure states. In an effort to support these employees health and well-being, to encourage them to stay home when these occurrences arise, and to reduce the possibility of infecting other employees and students, the administration seeks to offer all fully vaccinated, full-time employees, up to 10 COVID-19 paid days.

alejandro.serrano@chron.com
Pushing bins of pillows, clothes and other prized possessions, Houston university students strolled into residence halls Wednesday with their families  ready to unpack and situate their new homes for the year.

And from the sound of pop tunes blasting and cheers from upperclassmen, the tradition of college move-in day, dampened last year by the COVID-19 pandemic, was back in full force this week.

The atmosphere is entirely different this year, said University of St. Thomas sophomore Nick Cascarano, 19. This is like the first year for me.

St. Thomas Guinan Hall was quiet and at half capacity for the 2020-21 academic year, with required temperature checks, 15-minute move-in appointments, and closed common areas to discourage gatherings of any kind. But this year, the full-capacity residence hall was lively, with bustling ping pong matches; refurbished, open common areas; in-person orientation activities for freshman and sophomores, and student-athletes and orientation leaders anxiously waiting to help residents carry their belongings to their new rooms.

Ana Alicia Lopez, St. Thomas director of residence life, said the surge in on-campus students is mostly due to freshmen  many of whom spent their last year in high school largely online. Its made them eager to have an on-campus, in-person college experience, Lopez said.

I think that made a huge difference. And its nice to have life back on campus, Lopez said. You didnt get the beautiful sense of community that we have here today (last year).

Like St. Thomas, other Houston universities are seeing students coming back in full force  eager to experience a close-to-normal fall semester despite the lingering COVID-19 pandemic.

Rice University welcomed more than 1,200 freshmen Sunday, the largest freshman class in history, and the University of Houston will house nearly 6,000 students on campus this semester  roughly 92 percent of the schools capacity, up from around 50 percent last semester.

RELATED: Some Texas colleges to alter fall semester plans, as Delta variant spreads

Its getting back in the nature of how it was before COVID-19 while staying within CDC guidelines. Theres more energy, more school spirit, said Corry Smith, 21, a community mentor at UHs Cougar Village II. Weve kind of been locked up in our rooms for a whole year, so its nice to see everyone out and smiling.

And with more students on campus and various opportunities to interact face-to-face, Smith predicts that many students will feel more at home this semester.

Im excited to meet new people and be a part of a new community, said Charlotte Acton, 18, of Sugar Land, who was unpacking her room at UH with her mother, Wendy. I feel safe and like (the university has) handled things really well  as best as they can.

Parents also seemed optimistic about the semester ahead. Masked mother Janel Young, 41, focused on the positives of college move-in day  emphasizing that it is an unforgettable milestone for her son James Young and likely one that would result in new friendships. As for the pandemic, safety, she said, is a group effort.

Its very important for everyone to do their part but also to try to have a bit of normalcy, so its not so isolated. You want to live a little bit of your life, Janel Young said.

A surge in COVID-19 and the spread of its Delta variant, however, has worried some officials, forcing them to alter university fall plans.

Houston Community College announced Monday that it will offer most courses online for the first four weeks of the semester.

Rice will once again require masks indoors for all individuals this fall after lifting such requirements in May. The private Houston university has also banned events that are typically open to the public, delayed the reopening of its on-campus pub, and plans to ramp up testing. Those who are vaccinated must be tested every two weeks, and those who are not, twice a week.

Although public colleges have been prohibited by Gov. Greg Abbott from making any mask mandates, many have carefully encouraged vaccines and the wearing of face coverings, while others have offered incentives for students and faculty to wear masks or engage in free testing and vaccines on campus.

RELATED: 66% of Americans disapprove of governors quashing local mask mandates, poll says

At UH, students are encouraged to wear masks in public indoor spaces and will receive $50 credit to use at select on and off-campus shops in exchange for proof that they are vaccinated. Vaccinated students who submit proof are also entered in a drawing for free tuition and one of 10 free parking permits. The university will hold a vaccination clinic Monday to make getting vaccinated convenient and will host free testing on campus. Those who are not vaccinated have been asked to get tested at least once weekly.

Texas A&M University will require mandatory testing for students and a prize drawing for a year of undergraduate tuition and fees paid in full for enrolled students who submit proof of vaccination.

University of Texas at Austin will require students to be tested for COVID-19 before they arrive on campus.

brittany.britto@chron.com
Hundreds of Afghans are slated to arrive in Houston in the coming weeks. Fleeing families will be welcomed by five local refugee agencies and nonprofit groups.

These organizations are bracing for busy weeks ahead as theyll be finding homes in Houston for these Afghans, who are mostly Special Immigrant Visa holders  interpreters and others who worked with the U.S. military and have gone through a rigorous visa application process and their family members.

The influx of families en route to the region has heightened the need for volunteers and donations for refugee organizations, according to Hannah Quillin, executive director of the Christian nonprofit Houston Welcomes Refugees.

We are in desperate need of volunteers and the starting essentials, said Quillin.

The nonprofit is setting up apartments for arriving Afghan families with kitchen supplies, towels and bedding. Through their partnership with refugee agency YMCA International Services in Houston, Quillin said the group plans to aid about 300 Afghans by the end of September.

The organization also coordinates small groups of volunteers to work with incoming families during their first six months in Houston.

Volunteers build friendships with incoming families, said Quillin.

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Showing them how to register for school, taking them to the zoo, showing them what makes Houston so great.

Houston refugee resettlement agency The Alliance is also bracing for a large increase in Afghan arrivals.

We already have schedules set up for 70 people to be coming in in August, said Dan Stoecker, CEO of refugee agency The Alliance, which has resettled about 45 Afghans so far since January 2021.

Stoecker is asking for donations of funds or furniture to accommodate the influx of people and set up their apartments in a timely manner. He said The Alliance, which receives government funds to resettle folks, is also asking for volunteers to help his staff.

We dont want people to have to wait, so we need volunteers to help set up apartments, said Stoecker.

He also encouraged potential employers, looking to staff up, to reach out if they would like to hire some of the arriving Afghans, many of whom have previously worked in some capacity with the U.S. military and speak English.

Houston-based refugee agencies

YMCA International Services

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston

The Alliance

Refugee Services of Texas (Houston)

Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston

Other support groups

International Refugee Assistance Project

Combined Arms

Culture of Health, Advancing Together (CHAT)

Houston Welcomes Refugees

Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service

No One Left Behind

Local veterans group Combined Arms is also welcoming incoming Afghan allies in Houston. Theyre accepting donations that will be used for airport welcome gifts, halal food vouchers, computers and social events.

To provide legal support for Afghan families, many who are still in Afghanistan, donations to the International Refugee Assistance Project go towards helping eligible Afghan families secure Special Immigrant Visas and get out of the country.

Some of their clients have already resettled in Houston, with more on the way. The group is also asking elected officials to evacuate Afghans on the ground.

Around 18 percent of Special Immigrant Visa holders, who are from Afghanistan and Iraq, are resettled in Texas, according to South Texas Office for Refugees executive director Kimberly Haynes. In a written statement, she said that Houston agencies have already started to resettle 100 Afghans who were first evacuated to Fort Lee, Virginia and that another 100 are on their way this week.

Houston stands ready and willing to receive more and welcome them into our Greater Houston communities, Haynes said.
HOUSTON  It was 9:08 p.m. when Michael Negussies phone rang. Twenty minutes had passed since he called 911 asking for emergency crews to check on his cousins and their two children, fearing that they had fainted from carbon monoxide poisoning in their Houston home during a massive winter storm.

A fire captain at the dispatch center told Negussie that an emergency crew had arrived at the two-story town house. But, he said, no one was answering the door.

Its one of those things, if they get there and they have to force entry, theyre going to break the door, displace the lock, the captain said, according to a recording of the 911 call.

Negussie was baffled. Why would emergency responders expect someone to come to the door if the reason for the call was that the family was unconscious?

Yeah, thats fine. Do that as soon as possible, Negussie, 21, responded, trying to convey the urgency. We think that they might have inhaled carbon monoxide in the garage.

At any other time, Negussie would have driven the 24 miles from his home in Pearland to his cousins southwest Houston neighborhood. But local government officials had urged Texans not to travel the ice-coated roads on this frigid Feb. 15 evening, concerned that they would endanger themselves and first responders.

So Negussie and his parents put their faith in the emergency responders who had arrived at their cousins home. As the fire crew waited for more information about why the family was not answering the door, the captain at the dispatch center asked Negussie what made him believe his relatives had inhaled carbon monoxide.

The power was out, Negussie explained. Their car, he had learned from someone who had spoken with the family earlier in the day, was running in the attached garage so they could charge their phones.

All right, well, we have units out there. Ill let them know. Ill make a tactical decision on that incident, and Ill get HPD out there, the captain said, referring to the Houston Police Department, which often assists when emergency responders must force entry into a home.

And youll keep us updated? Negussie started to ask. The fire captain hung up before he could finish.

Less than five minutes later, the fire crew was gone. The four family members, who had already spent hours unconscious, were left unattended and exposed to the lethal, invisible gas for nearly three more hours, according to documents from the Houston fire and police departments and recordings of 911 calls obtained by ProPublica, The Texas Tribune and NBC News. An operator at the dispatch center didnt share the crucial details about Negussies carbon monoxide concerns with the crew at the scene, according to records and interviews with fire department officials. Police officers never arrived. Neither the Houston Police Department nor the citys emergency center could find any records indicating the fire captain requested assistance.

When emergency responders returned to the home near midnight, after Negussie called 911 again, they found Etenesh Mersha, 46, and her 7-year-old daughter, Rakaeb, dead. Her husband, Shalemu Bekele, and their 8-year-old son, Beimnet, were lying on the floor, still breathing. They were rushed to the hospital. Bekele spent days recovering. Beimnet was in the hospital for nearly a month.

An investigation by ProPublica, The Texas Tribune and NBC News in April told the story of Bekele and Mershas family and some of the hundreds of others across the state who turned on gas stoves, lit barbecue grills indoors or ran their cars in enclosed spaces in an attempt to stay warm after they lost power during the unprecedented weeklong storm.

The investigation revealed that the states failure to regulate the power grid and repeated inaction by lawmakers on legislation that would have required carbon monoxide detectors in homes had contributed to the worst carbon monoxide poisoning disaster in recent history. More than 1,400 people were treated in hospitals across the state that week after being poisoned by the gas. Mersha and Rakaeb were among at least 17 who died.

After the investigation was published, the news organizations obtained nine 911 call recordings and police and fire department reports showing that the failures extended beyond the states inaction. Decisions made by Houston emergency responders to leave Bekele and Mershas home before making contact with the family, along with similar cases across the country, point to a need for policy changes to avoid such tragedies in the future, six emergency response experts told the news organizations.

In Houston and in many cities across the country, first responders have discretion to decide whether to force their way into a home based on what they see, the details they get from dispatchers and the perceived credibility of the information provided by the 911 caller.

That system clearly broke down in the case of Bekele and Mershas family, said Mike Thompson, a retired fire service battalion chief from Rapid City, South Dakota, who has 27 years of fire service and paramedic experience. Thompson said it is critical for first responders to get all of the information needed to make an informed decision about forcible entry, but he said emergency crews also should have been on high alert for carbon monoxide poisonings given the winter storm. That day alone, the Houston Fire Department responded to nearly 100 calls related to carbon monoxide, compared to a daily average of about seven in January.

The key consideration for first responders should be to ensure that the person is not in danger, said Thompson, a fire and medical expert with the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch. You keep trying to make contact until you prove yourself wrong, he said.

On July 23, more than a month after the news organizations began asking questions about the incident, the Houston Fire Department launched an investigation into the response to Negussies 911 calls. Citing the ongoing investigation, department officials declined interview requests for emergency responders and dispatchers involved in the case.

What happened in this incident, it seems to me, because the investigation is still ongoing, is that the dispatcher just failed to provide the necessary information for the people on the scene to make the appropriate decision, said Houston Fire Department Chief Samuel Pena. The second response was handled as we normally expect, but they had the additional information that apparently the first crew did not.

A thorough review is underway and any breach of policy will be held to account, Pena later added.

On that February evening, Pena had tweeted that the department was stretched extremely thin. He urged residents to stay safe around open fires and space heaters, ensure they had working carbon monoxide detectors in their homes and follow safe driving precautions.

But despite understanding the higher risk of carbon monoxide poisonings during the winter storm, Houston Fire Department officials disputed that they should have considered that possibility when determining whether to force entry into the home. Such decisions were not that simple given the volume and wide range of calls they were receiving, fire officials said.

The incredible demand placed on the emergency response system [fire and police] from the thousands of emergency calls received that week was extremely taxing, but the Houston Fire Department worked tirelessly to address that demand, Pena said in an email.

Growing frustration

Medical examiner records do not provide a time of death for Mersha and her daughter, showing only the time they were discovered lifeless in different parts of their home.

The car was still running when Bekele and Mersha were found in the garage. Rakaeb died in the homes living room, while Beimnet was found unconscious in a utility closet connected to the garage.

Given the available information, it is unclear why two members of the family died and two survived. But the outcome shows why it could have been crucial for the first emergency crew to enter the house, said Dr. Kelly Johnson-Arbor, co-medical director at the National Capital Poison Center and an expert in carbon monoxide poisoning.

This is so unfortunate, Johnson-Arbor said in an email. Time can definitely make a huge difference in cases of CO poisoning. While it is not clear what time the victims actually died, it is certainly possible that earlier discovery could have saved their lives and/or resulted in less significant clinical outcomes for the surviving individuals.

On the morning of Feb. 15, a friend in Colorado was on the phone with Mersha and Bekeles family when they suddenly stopped responding. She and her husband called 911 in Houston but didnt have the familys address. Without it, dispatchers told them, there was nothing they could do.

The couple spent the next nine hours frantically searching on social media for someone who could direct emergency responders to Bekele and Mershas home. Finally, they found Negussie's parents on Facebook and sent a message. "Please call me," one of them wrote. Please call police or call me.

As Ethiopian immigrants whose first language is Amharic, Negussies parents decided their college-educated son, a flawless English speaker, would call 911.

My parents have been here for 20 years, and they understand the limitations the language barrier has on them, and they were not willing to take any risks in trying to save the lives of their family members, Negussie said.

Bekele and Mersha had followed a similar path as Negussies parents, arriving from Ethiopia 10 years ago in search of a better life. Negussie recalls his family picking up their cousins at the airport and helping them navigate the complexities of a new country.

Eventually, the couple found work at a gas station. They had a son and then a daughter, and they saved their earnings to buy the three-bedroom town house where they planned to watch their children grow up.

The two families often shared tea and bread after church, a Sunday tradition, but they had missed services the previous day because of the weather.

The day of the storm, Negussie and his parents were huddled beneath a blanket in their home, which had lost power. As they waited to hear back from the fire department, they wrestled with whether to go to Bekele and Mersha's home to check on them and the children.

More than two and a half hours after first calling 911, having heard nothing from authorities, Negussie called again at 11:20 p.m. The operator at first said she had no record that hed called earlier. After Negussie pressed her, the operator found a record of the call in her log.

So, is there an update? Did you make contact with the people inside the home? Negussie asked, according to a recording. I spoke with the fire department earlier. They said the truck was there for 15 minutes, but thats all they could tell me.

Thats the same thing I can tell you, the operator responded.

I think there is some confusion as to whats going on, Negussie said, repeating his concerns that his cousins had fainted from carbon monoxide poisoning. We do not know if the people we are calling for, the people we want a wellness check done, are well.

Negussie was transferred. A different fire captain from the one hed spoken with earlier that night said he didnt know if the emergency medical services crew had made contact with the family.

The fire captain in the dispatch center said he would have to wait to ask the crew when it returned from emergency runs. But he said the department was slammed that night. He couldnt tell Negussie how long it would take for fire crews to return. By the end of the day, crews had responded to more than 2,100 calls, nearly 90 calls an hour and double the departments normal daily workload.

So, we think that these people are on the floor right now as a result of carbon monoxide inhalation, Negussie said for the third time. Should we go and break through the window and figure it out ourselves? Im asking you what we should do.

The captain said he couldnt advise Negussie to break into the house and suggested that he call 911 and start the process again.

If youre concerned that somebody is actually passed out, then I would suggest somebody go back out there and check, the captain said.

'Disappeared overnight'

Negussie wonders what would have happened had emergency responders entered the home the first time.

He cant listen to the 911 calls, he said after the news organizations shared the audio with him. Theyre too painful.

Regardless of how well I communicated the problem to the fire department, half of the family just disappeared overnight, Negussie said.

At every turn, Negussie said, his family felt panic and fear. But mostly they questioned whether the fire department would have responded differently if his cousins family hadnt lived in Sharpstown, a southwest Houston neighborhood thats home to many immigrants and lower-income residents of color.

The lack of urgency was because it was a Black family in that neighborhood, and the fire department and the police department didnt feel that sense of urgency to do something  that there might be consequences if something went wrong, Negussie said.

Fire officials disputed any suggestion that the response was different as a result of race and social class. We dont look at a geographical map and assign resources differently, Executive Assistant Fire Chief Rodney West said. Our expectation is to respond to every incident within so many minutes with the appropriate resources, and thats what we do.

The complex and unpredictable nature of calls asking emergency responders to enter a home without the consent of the residents requires discretion, fire and police experts said. And the decisions can be fraught with risk. Forced entry into homes has, in some cases, led to fatal shootings of both residents and emergency responders. First responders also risk angering residents whose properties are unnecessarily damaged.

But those complexities are all the more reason to establish policies and follow them, experts said.

The situational bias and the human bias  that can sometimes get you in trouble, said Thompson, the EMS consultant. Protocols, process, procedures, policies, they are meant to kind of fill that in and make sure that the right thing happens.

In response to a public records request, the Houston Fire Department initially said it did not have written policies governing forced entry. Justin Wells, a fire chief, said the department largely relies on professional development and mentorship handed down from the officers to the younger members. He said the department was having trouble finding a definitive document.

Fire department officials later shared a memo Wells issued to staff in 2018 that outlined the steps firefighters should take when they respond to medical emergencies in which no one answers the door.

The memo requires first responders to ensure that they are at the correct location, look for signs that someone is inside, check with neighbors and contact dispatch to ask for additional information from the caller.

If emergency crews decide to forcefully enter the home, they should call the police for support, the memo states. Officials said employees are required to read and abide by all laws and written directives, including memos.

I think the decision first comes down to: Are we entering or are we not? Unless we see some cause like a fire, smoke, a woman or man, someone down inside the residence or hear calls for help, normally we are not going to enter the residence, Wells said. Once you have a reason to enter, it becomes OK, how do I get in?

Based on the departments experience, Wells said, many of the calls from a third party to check on someone else turn out to be false alarms, though the department did not provide figures. The caller, Wells added, is usually the weakest link because they either hang up or dont provide enough information.

In this case, though, Negussie did everything right, said Bill Toon, a retired EMS provider with decades of experience across the country who reviewed the case records and 911 call recordings at the request of the news organizations.

This was someone who said, Hey, somethings not really right and Im not immediately there to check on it, I need someone that I can rely upon to go do that, Toon said.

Absence of policies

Bekele is angry that the Houston Fire Department missed a potential opportunity to rescue his wife and daughter when Negussie first called 911.

But while hes filed a lawsuit against nearly a dozen companies that supply power to the states electric grid, he has not pursued legal action against the fire department, which is shielded in most cases from personal injury or wrongful death lawsuits.

And he tries not to dwell on what went wrong, he said through an interpreter in April, focusing instead on his son. I have to be strong for him, he said.

In other parts of the country, cases where first responders decided not to force entry into peoples homes have sparked not only investigations, but also lawsuits, including two cases in Illinois that reached the state Supreme Court. Those lawsuits argued that first responders were negligent or reckless by not going into a home after a call for help.

Shortly before 8 a.m. on April 24, 1995, in Chicago, a 28-year-old woman struggling to breathe called 911.

I need help. Im having an asthma attack. I think Im going to die. Please hurry, the woman told the operator, according to court documents. Chicago Fire Department paramedics arrived and knocked on her apartment door, but no one answered.

An emergency dispatcher then called the woman but got her answering machine. So the crew left.

That afternoon, the womans boyfriend found her lying lifeless on the floor. The family sued, alleging negligence and misconduct on the part of emergency responders who left without making contact with the woman. In the lawsuit, the family said that the door was unlocked and EMS crews had not tried to enter, in violation of their training. The city of Chicago and the paramedics said they were immune from liability and denied misconduct.

In August 2000, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled that the paramedics could be held liable for failing to locate a patient in need of emergency treatment. If the paramedics had been following these vital and basic precepts of their training, as alleged, they would have found the victim inside the residence, and perhaps then they could have saved her life, the court said in its ruling, sending the case back to a lower court to be reconsidered. The city of Chicago admitted no wrongdoing and ultimately settled the case in 2005 for $750,000.

In another Illinois case, a woman in Will County called 911 in 2008 saying she couldnt breathe. An EMS crew that hadnt been given that information looked through her windows but didnt see anyone. When they started to leave, concerned neighbors tried to stop them, warning that the residents who lived in the home had health problems, according to a lawsuit later filed by the womans family. But first responders said they couldnt break in without police.

About 30 minutes later, a second crew entered the house after neighbors called 911 again. The 58-year-old woman was later pronounced dead at a hospital.

The womans family sued, accusing the first responders and dispatchers of negligence and misconduct. The first responders said they were immune from liability and protected by the public duty rule in Illinois, which holds that local governments are only responsible for providing services like police or fire protection to the general public, not specific individuals.

The state Supreme Court heard the case and struck down the public duty rule, arguing that it was obsolete. The case was sent back to a lower court and was settled in 2016. Neither the government entities nor the individuals who were sued admitted wrongdoing. The settlement amount was not publicly disclosed.

Patrick Quane, a spokesperson for the Chicago Firefighters Union, said that while he was not aware of the cases, the Chicago Fire Department typically makes forcible entry when responding to medical calls where the person doesnt answer the door, because the person could be in distress. The department also wants to avoid the potential liability of leaving the scene without ensuring that the person is safe, he said.

Final call

It was nearly midnight when emergency responders returned to Bekele and Mershas town house for the last time.

No one answered the door.

It looks empty. Does the caller have any reason to believe somebodys inside? a firefighter asked the dispatcher.

Even though he had already told 911 operators and fire captains in six separate conversations that the family was unconscious, Negussie received yet another call at 12:04 a.m.

Are yall sure someones there? a dispatcher asked.

We think that a family of two parents and two children is unconscious due to carbon monoxide inhalation, Negussie said, repeating a line he had patiently tried to convey over nearly three excruciating hours.

The dispatcher relayed the information to the firefighters on the scene, who requested that the dispatcher call Houston police to force entry into the home.

But fire crews didnt wait for the police to arrive. According to a Houston Police Department report, firefighters quickly entered through the front door.

It was unlocked.

The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org.
Somewhere, we imagine John Culberson is breathing deeply into a brown paper bag. We cant confirm that, however. We couldnt reach him by phone Wednesday.

But we suspect the former Republican congressman who spent much of his career scuttling Houstons ambitious transit plans  vigilantly ensuring that the Train To Nowhere never veered off course to Somewhere  might be a little perturbed by the hopeful signal transit just got from the U.S. Senates bipartisan infrastructure bill.

The $1 trillion package, which still faces an uphill trek through the U.S. House, offers the best hope in years that the 25-mile University Line will hop the wishful tracks of paper maps and come roaring into reality.

Its really a great opportunity to close the transit gap thats existed in our community because of some of the old disagreements, former Metro Chairman Gilbert Garcia told the editorial board Wednesday.

The line, currently a $1 billion bus rapid transit project that will connect neighborhoods from the Westchase area to the Tidwell Transit Center, has been at the forefront of Houstons transit plans for nearly 20 years but was mired in red tape and political obstruction for so long that it has deviated from its original concept as a light rail line. Advocates have never doubted its potential to efficiently ferry passengers across the city with dedicated lanes and stations. If fully realized with the help of a more unified congressional delegation, it would be among the longest BRT lines in the nation.

Transit funding is just one the potential windfalls for Texas in the recently passed infrastructure bill, a truly remarkable legislative achievement given the polarization in the evenly divided Senate. The bill would provide sorely needed face-lifts  and in some cases, major surgery  to Texas decaying highways, bridges, and pipes while also expanding broadband and improving public transit.

The bill doesnt dedicate funding to specific projects, but overall, Texas is expected to receive between $30 billion and $40 billion based on federal funding formulas. Potentially billions more could be available in federal grants that could go toward projects as small-scale as wheelchair-accessible bus stations or as grand as the Ike Dike.

For a time, it wasnt clear if senators would pull off the compromises necessary to move the bill. But after months of haggling among Democrats and Republicans, the end result, like most big-ticket, bipartisan accomplishments in Washington, resembles a kind of Big Ugly legislation that is neither fully paid for nor fully satisfying to either side.

The bill, which sailed through on a 69-30 vote, includes $550 billion in new federal spending, but falls well short of what President Joe Biden wanted. It is missing most of Bidens clean electricity proposals and slashes water infrastructure funding in half, somewhat hobbling the pillars of the presidents climate change agenda. . Rather than funding the bill through a sensible tax hike on corporations from 21 to 28 percent  still far short of the 35 percent rate before Trumps tax cuts  the bill unfortunately adds $256 billion to the national deficit.

Still, the projects funded through the legislation would be a boon for Texas, including the Houston region.

When the Metropolitan Transit Authority voted to approve the University Line in June, the hope was to get the project as close to shovel-ready as possible in order to receive federal funding. The infrastructure bill would appropriate $3.3 billion over the next five years to Texas for public transportation options alone, according to White House estimates.

The bulk of Texas windfall  as much as $27 billion  will fund highway projects. While antithetical to the urgent goal of cutting carbon emissions, more than 19,000 miles of our highways are in poor condition, costing Texans an average of $709 per year in vehicle repair and other expenses.

But the bill would also accelerate our local economys transition toward a more sustainable future. Besides transit funding, it would send more than $400 million to support the expansion of an electric vehicle charging network, with up to $2.5 billion more available through grants. Texas would also receive $3 billion to improve pipes and the delivery of clean drinking water. And Texas could benefit from the bills $3.5 billion investment in weatherizing energy grids across the country. Millions of Texans who sat shivering in their dark living rooms during last winters freeze will undoubtedly welcome that improvement.

Critically, the bill would provide at least $100 million for broadband access in a state where 14 percent of households dont have an internet subscription and 4 percent of Texans have no broadband infrastructure at all.

Yet despite the bills benefits, and the bipartisan agreement on the shoddy state of Texas infrastructure, both Texas senators voted against the legislation. Their reasons were tinged with hypocrisy. Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz voiced concerns over the massive amount of federal spending the bill would add to the national debt, which stands at $28 trillion. But they apparently had no problem voting for a massive tax cut in 2017 that disproportionately benefited the wealthy and added $2 trillion to the deficit  nearly eight times what the infrastructure bill would add.

Were all for fiscal responsibility, but we also like consistency.

But one reason Cornyn opposed the legislation does have some merit: the bills $100 billion bailout of the Highway Trust Fund, a move that simply lets Congress procrastinate another five years on addressing the funds insolvency. In 2020 alone, the fund paid out roughly $15 billion more than it took in and faces a projected $195 billion deficit over the next decade.

Cornyn even expressed his willingness to raise the gasoline tax for heavy trucks, which do the most damage to roads. The gas tax, a major source of funding for highways and transit, hasnt been raised since 1993  one reason, along with increasing fuel efficiency, that the highway fund cant stay afloat. Cornyns gutsy move didnt win him any points with truckers, but we applaud the senators creativity and urge the House to consider the idea.

Bottom line: this imperfect bill presents a rare opportunity to rebuild the nations crumbling infrastructure. If it gets to Bidens desk, there will surely be an arms race among politicians and interest groups across Texas to fund bold, transformative ideas.

No need to reinvent the wheel. There are plenty of projects in the pipeline just waiting  some for decades  for this moment of federal investment. The Texas delegation in the House should fight for the provisions that bring home dollars to the Lone Star State and especially Houston. And when the bill passes, our state and region should be ready with shovels in the ground.
Regarding Editorial: Texas nursing shortage is costing lives, and Gov. Abbott let it happen, (Aug. 17): Gov. Greg Abbotts support comes largely from rural areas and, as you point out, hospitals in those areas are bearing the brunt of his decisions. But those decisions are largely supported by the folks in those areas. His lack of leadership is actually a reflection of his base and he continues to build a large re-election campaign fund from that base. How long are the rest of us going to allow this sick system to continue?

It is past time for those of us that are vaccinated to say enough is enough to those adults that choose to not be vaccinated. There need to be financial consequences for those who are not vaccinated who contract COVID, not extraordinary measures to treat them. Personal responsibility is, after all, a conservative mantra. There is no right to bring our health care system to the brink due to lack of personal responsibility.

Julie Marinucci, Houston

As coronavirus infections surge there has been increasing concern about the availability of hospital beds in many cities, including Houston. It is curious that while many restaurants, shops and other businesses allow entrance only to vaccinated customers, no hospitals have similar requirements, even as space becomes short. How does it serve equity or public health if a sick patient, through no fault of his own, or a sick child  not eligible for vaccination  is turned away because all the beds are filled with people who, by their own preference for personal choice, and despite the danger they pose to others in the community, refuse vaccination? Of course, if there is no shortage of beds, these people should be admitted, but in light of the increased threat that they pose to staff and other patients, it would be reasonable to impose an additional charge for their treatment.

The possibility of higher hospital costs or refusal of admittance to a hospital might convince some to get the vaccine. The economic incentive could be carried a step further if the insurance companies refused to pay the medical costs of the unvaccinated. This is not a drastic action. Most insurance policies require that the insured take normal steps to avoid an insured loss. A homeowner cannot burn the house down and collect on the fire insurance policy.

Paul Horvitz, Houston

Houston Methodist lawsuit

Regarding Former Houston Methodist employees sue hospital for wrongful termination over COVID vaccine mandate, (Aug. 16): Once again, one of our most useful entities in the metro area is under fire for doing the right thing. The announcement of a new lawsuit against Houston Methodist hospital gets my blood boiling. The premise is that those who were fired for not getting vaccinated were wrongfully terminated because that termination violated an edict from Gov. Abbott stating that the state of Texas will not mandate vaccine passports. So this lawsuit fails on two accounts at a minimum. First, Houston Methodist is not the state of Texas and second, their requirement was not a vaccine passport. It was a requirement for employment and something which Abbott has no direct control over.

If the legislature wishes to change the rules of employment in the Texas, then so be it. Let them do that. However, lets remember that Houston Methodist is carrying a great weight and one of their primary objectives is to treat the sick and help maintain a healthy Houston population. If their staff are more prone to acquire or carry COVID then they will not be able to meet their goals.

Kevin Collier, Sugar Land

Baylor COVID outbreak not unexpected

Regarding Baylor College of Medicine student orientation turns into COVID cluster, (Aug. 14): I take issue with the conclusion that, If six percent of students were infected in two days, in a group thats 97 percent fully vaccinated and who follow medical advice, imagine what could happen somewhere else.

Im a numbers guy. Heres what the numbers say about the Baylor Medical School gathering:

Baylor obviously does not require vaccinations for all students as 97 percent of 189 is 5.67 unvaccinated students. Since two-thirds of a student is difficult, Ill round down instead of the mathematically required up and use five. That means there were 184 fully vaccinated students. The three vaccines in use in the U.S. are supposedly 90 - 94 percent effective at preventing infections. Applying 94 percent effective to 184 vaccinated students yields 11 potential breakthrough infections. The student quoted in the article does not give numbers but uses the word several and 11 sick students seems to qualify as several.

So, based on the numbers, was the Baylor Medical School orientation a COVID cluster outbreak? Yes. Was it unexpected or unanticipated? No. Was it statistically any worse that might have been expected? No, it was actually less. Why less? Because statistically 10 percent of those infected should have been hospitalized. 10 percent of 11 infected is one; the story does not mention any.

Was a story about a COVID cluster outbreak which was well within statistical expectations and actually not as bad as statistically-anticipated worthy of the front page of the Chronicles COVID coverage? In my opinion, no.

Fred Greene, Shenandoah
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton joined conservative host Chris Salcedo on his Newsmax show Aug. 7 to sound off against the Biden administration and its immigration policies as the COVID-19 delta variant fuels another nationwide wave.

"As you know, Biden and NGOs are releasing illegal aliens into Texas with the China virus ... and they are losing control as the infected are wandering off inside of Texas cities with free reign inside those cities and towns," Salcedo said.

"This is exactly what we filed our lawsuit about several months ago," Paxton replied, referring to an April suit that accuses the Biden administration of encouraging COVID-19 spread in border communities. "And it relates to the president just letting people in."

THE LATEST NUMBERS: Interactive maps, charts show spread of COVID across Houston

"Theyre not even testing these people," Paxton said.

Paxtons first claim that the Biden administration is "just letting people in" is a claim that has been widely repeated and roundly debunked. PolitiFact has found that, although tens of thousands of people cross the border undetected, the vast majority of migrants encountered by Border Patrol are sent back to Mexico under Title 42  a Trump-era policy designed to curb COVID-19 spread that the Biden administration has left in place.

Rather, this fact check focuses on Paxtons claim that the administration is "not even testing these people" being released into the U.S. We found that while there are testing protocols in place, there are examples of cracks in the system through which some untested migrants slip through.

Migrants who are being tested

COVID-19 testing protocols have existed at the border under both the present and former administrations. Testing is done via a patchwork of federal agencies, local governments, organizations and contractors at various stages of the immigration process.

In April, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security told PolitiFact that it works with state authorities, local authorities and non-governmental organizations to ensure that "100% of noncitizens" are tested for COVID-19 "at some point during their immigration journey." The agency also has told PolitiFact that a negative coronavirus test is required by the federal government before entry to the U.S.

"CBP takes its responsibility to prevent the spread of communicable diseases very seriously," a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol spokesperson told PolitiFact in a statement. "We value our partners in local communities whose work is critical to moving individuals safely out of CBP/USBP custody and through the appropriate immigration pathway."

While local governments and non-governmental organizations test migrants released from Border Patrol custody, the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement test those released in areas without local testing capability. U.S. Health and Human Services is responsible for testing unaccompanied children.

The agencies did not provide a list of the third-party non-governmental organizations or contractors performing tests. Nonetheless, we do know of some examples of local testing being performed.

WHERE TO GET TESTED: COVID testing sites around Houston that don't require a doctor's note

In Brownsville, for instance, the city conducts a rapid test to each person Border Patrol drops off at the citys bus terminal. As of Tuesday, the city had tested 13,443 migrants for COVID-19, with 1,249 testing positive and quarantining in the U.S.  a positivity rate of 9.3%. (As of Aug. 6, Texas' positivity rate was 17.3%, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.)

In Laredo, the Holding Institute, a nonprofit, tests migrants released by Border Patrol and quarantines those who test positive, although the nonprofit did not respond to a request for testing numbers Friday.

The agencies also didnt provide comprehensive testing numbers for migrants released into the U.S. However, a federal document obtained this month by NBC News shows that, over the previous two to three weeks, more than 18% of migrant families and 20% of unaccompanied minors tested positive for COVID-19 before leaving Border Patrol custody. Migrants who test positive before being released are given hotel rooms in which to quarantine.

Federal officials attribute the high COVID positivity rate among undocumented migrants to "the highly transmissible Delta variant combined with lengthier stays in crowded facilities," NBC News reported.

Paxtons office did not respond to a request for comment.

Migrants who are not being tested

Its unclear how many migrants may be bypassing COVID testing screens as they wind their way through the immigration system and are released by Border Patrol. But the El Paso Times revealed Thursday one such example in Laredo.

The Times reported about an agreement between Border Patrol and the city of Laredo in which migrants released by the agency would be put on buses bound for Austin, Dallas and Houston without being tested. A city spokesperson told the Times that the agreement was a result of strained testing capacity.

"If these migrants do test positive, or if any one of them needs care at the hospital, we cant. We dont have capacity at the hospital," spokesperson Noraida Negron told the newspaper. "Our NGOs were literally busting at the seams."

Our ruling

During a Newsmax interview, Paxton claimed that federal officials are "not even testing" migrants who are released by Border Patrol into U.S. communities.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has said that "100% of noncitizens" are tested for COVID-19 "at some point during their immigration journey," and that this testing is performed by a mix of federal agencies, local governments and non-governmental organizations.

While there are numerous clear examples of testing happening before migrants are released into the U.S., we know of one recent example in which strained testing capabilities led to untested migrants being released. However, the full scope of untested migrants is unknown.

We rate this claim Mostly False.
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Hudson, NY (12534)

Today

Periods of rain. Potential for heavy rainfall. High around 65F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch..

Tonight

Cloudy with periods of rain, some heavy early. Potential for flooding rains. Low 56F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 2 to 3 inches of rain expected.
BCC Sets Date for Final Nursing Program Info Session

PITTSFIELD, Mass  Berkshire Community College has set a final opportunity on Monday, Aug. 30 at 5 p.m. to attend a mandatory Nursing Information Session for students ready to enroll in the spring 2022 Associate's Degree in Nursing (ADN) cohort.

To RSVP, visit www.berkshirecc.edu/nursinginfo . The deadline to submit a complete matriculation form is Wednesday, Sept. 1.

The nursing program is recognized as one of the top ten nursing programs in the commonwealth, according to Nursing Schools Almanac's 2020 rankings. The ADN program at BCC is approved by the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing and is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).

"Nurses are a critical part of the healthcare system and of the community," said admissions counselor Eleanore Velez. "In Berkshire County, nurses are in high demand. Our robust nursing programs prepare our students for entering the workforce immediately or continuing their education to earn a bachelor of science degree."

In addition to the ADN program, BCC also offers a licensed practical nursing to ADN bridge program, which is part of the college's Educational Mobility initiative. This opportunity is designed to help students who have completed their Practical Nursing Certificate join the Associate Degree in Nursing program with relative ease. The deadline for the spring 2022 bridge cohort is Monday, Nov. 1.
Governor Orders Executive Branch Workers to Get Vaccinated

BOSTON  Executive Department employees will be required to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination on or before Oct. 17, with the likelihood of mandatory booster shots in the future.

Failure to comply may result in disciplinary action, including being fired.

Gov. Charlie Baker issued the executive order on Thursday as new cases of the novel coronavirus continue to climb. The administration at the beginning of the month ordered all employees of health-care facilities, including long-term care operations, to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 10.

All Executive Department employees will be required to provide proof that they have received either the required two doses of the Moderna or Pfizer or the single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine by Oct. 17. In the coming weeks, employees will receive information about the process by which they may provide this verification to the commonwealth. This process will be made available well in advance of Oct. 17. All documentation related to an employee's COVID-19 vaccinations will be maintained confidentially. The policy applies to both employees working in-person and those who are teleworking.

As new CDC guidance regarding booster vaccine doses is issued in the future, Executive Branch employees will also be required to provide proof they have received those doses by a deadline to be established. Employees for whom vaccination is medically contraindicated or who object to vaccination on the grounds of sincerely-held religious reasons may be entitled to an exemption from the requirement to demonstrate vaccination. The administration will provide further guidance in the coming weeks for employees who may wish to seek such an exemption.

Executive Department employees who are not vaccinated or approved for an exemption by the deadline will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination. The administration says it will continue to work with union partners regarding this policy, and specific ramifications of non-compliance for staff represented by unions will be discussed well in advance of Oct. 17 with each employee union. Management employees not in compliance will also be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination.

Vaccination is considered the best way to protect yourself against COVID-19. Vaccine doses are available in more than 900 locations across the state, many of those walkup. About 85 percent of eligible individuals have now had at least one dose of vaccine. Learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine and where to get vaccinated: www.mass.gov/COVIDvaccine
Convenience, accessibility and affordability are the buzzwords associated with community college, and they certainly hold true for Berkshire Community College (BCC). But what's often overlooked or underestimated is the quality of education  specifically, the excellence of teaching on community college campuses. Not so for alumnus Matt Fleury (BCC Class of 1985), who asserts: "Don't ever let anybody tell you a community college education is somehow second class." Fleury, a theater arts student who went on to become president and CEO of the Connecticut Science Center and was later appointed by the governor of Connecticut to serve as chairman of the Board of Regents for Higher Education, speaks highly of his time at BCC and of community colleges in general. "The talent, personal investment and grit of community college students is unparalleled," he said.

Small class size is also a major draw, particularly for non-traditional students who may feel intimidated by lecture classes in auditoriums designed to accommodate hundreds of students. Community colleges often have much smaller classes than those offered during the first two years of university. With that comes smaller student-to-teacher ratios, lending to a personalized experience many BCC students praise as one of the most important parts of their education, as well as one-on-one advising and other student support services.

"I came to BCC like a little lost lamb," said Kate Lauzon, a 2020 liberal arts graduate of BCC and now a commercial insurance agent with Cross Insurance in Pittsfield. "Fortunately for me, my professors helped guide me through the ins and outs of being in school, the feelings and all the challenges I had to go through at home as well. BCC is where I really gained a sense of what community means."

Even during particularly challenging times like the COVID pandemic, BCC goes the extra mile to ensure their students feel safe and supported. "I have been impressed by how campus staff reacted and prepared for the change of environment due to COVID-19. It's their dedication, professionalism and consideration that create a friendly and safe environment for all the students," said Wenying Yi, a BCC student majoring in liberal arts/elementary education. "Their effort makes this difficult experience memorable."

A career-ready or transferable education

Whether students attend BCC with the intention of immediately entering the workforce or transferring to a four-year university to complete an undergraduate degree, the options are limitless. Some students earn certificates, allowing them to find employment in fields such as computer programming, practical nursing, or culinary arts, among many others. Others earn an associate degree and pursue jobs in criminal justice, early childhood education, or fine arts. Still others use their time at BCC as a steppingstone to transfer to a four-year school, where they might earn a bachelor's degree and eventually a master's degree and beyond.
Taliban militants carried out search operations in homes of at least three employees of German public broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW) and a freelance journalist and interpreter on August 18. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) urges for the necessary evacuation of media workers at critical risk in Afghanistan and asks the international community to expedite all evacuation and rescue operations.

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid looks on as he addresses the first press conference in Kabul on August 17, 2021 following the Taliban stunning takeover of Afghanistan. Hoshang Hashimi / AFP

According to a press statement issued by the DW, houses of at least three of its staffers, who have been reporting from Afghanistan for years and are well known in Afghanistan, were raided. It reported that many DW staffers are living in grave risk.

With the Taliban takeover, the lives of DW employees and their families in Afghanistan are under acute threat," the DW statement said. The DW statement further cautioned that just working for a western broadcaster was sufficient reason for Taliban militants to target them. DW sent contact details of its staff to the German Foreign Ministry for necessary evacuation. None of the DW employees were in their home during the militants search.

Also, on August 17, Taliban militants searched home of a freelance journalist and interpreter, who had worked with US freelance journalist Wesley Morgan. He was also not home during their search.

The Afghanistan Independent Journalists Association (AIJA), an IFJ affiliate, also reported that Ariana TV cameraperson Mahmoud Naimi and Pajhwok News cameraperson Babrak Amirzadeh were beaten up by Taliban militants in Jalalabad, in Nangarhar province, on August 18 as they reported on a protest against the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan. The AIJA also informed that Ahmad Navid Kavosh, a Khorshid TV journalist, was beaten up at Hamid Karzai airport while trying to interview a Taliban member.

The intimidation and attacks on journalists have taken place despite reassuring messages towards the press by Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid during his first press conference on August 17, following the Taliban occupation of Kabul a day earlier.

IFJ monitoring of the situation on the ground, and through the many requests for emergency support, reveals panic and fear amongst Afghanistans media community. This has been contrasted with a brave commitment to reporting by many journalists who are continuing to document and assess the unfolding situation. Tolo News went to air on August 17 with women journalists and presenters, including one who interviewed a Taliban official.

Women journalists and media activists remain gravely concerned at the plight for women working in media outlets in the country, as well as journalists from the ethnic Hazara minority. There are media accounts that reveal the concern from women journalists who feel they will need to bury all the achievements of their reporting, as well as other reports of women journalists from state television being suspended from their duties indefinitely.

Although Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid announced a new Taliban support of a free media in Afghanistan during his first press conference on August 17, the situation on the ground remains tense and traumatic for both domestic and international media.

With an estimated 40,000 people endeavoring to flee the country, some activists have called for calm to allow the critical cases to be assessed and safe passage negotiated. On August 18, the US military announced an additional 4,000 troops would soon arrive into the country and a a policy to extend its stay beyond August 31.

Meanwhile, IFJ affiliates from around the world are continuing to send messages of solidarity and support to their colleagues in Afghanistan at this time.

The IFJ said: The fear and the anxiety is real with the scenes and reports coming out of Afghanistan. While it is clear that not all media is at risk right now, the IFJ has grave concerns for the safety of many. Despite the words from the Taliban that it will respect a free media, it is a risk that many understandably are not prepared to take. These media workers must be afforded safe passage to leave the country quickly. The international community and all governments who have had a vested interest in Afghanistan in the past two decades must stand up to the responsibility to protect media as vital human rights defenders and get these people to safety.

To help IFJ support journalists in Afghanistan, donate to the IFJ safety fund.
Jammu and Kashmir police chased a group of journalists and attacked them with batons while they were covering the Muharram procession in Srinagar on August 17. The International Federation of Journalists (IF) and its Indian affiliates, the Indian Journalists Union (IJU) and National Union of Journalists  India (NUJ-I) condemn the polices behaviour and urge the government to bring justice to the guilty police officials involved in this repressive act.

More than twelve journalists, most of them photo and video journalists, were blocked, harassed and beaten up when they were covering the Muharram, a mourning procession conducted by Shia Muslims to mark the martyrdom of the Prophet Muhammads grandson. Many journalists were injured and police action resulted in the damage of their equipment. Photos and videos available on social media platforms, including Facebook and Twitter, show that police officers charged journalists with batons while they covered the polices brutal attack on Shia mourners. One photojournalist, Sajad Hameed, who was thrashed during the procession, said that his leg and camera were broken. The police also threatened journalists by saying that a First Information Report (FIR) may be filed against them. The journalists ran away from the procession to avoid further attack.

The Jammu and Kashmir administration has disallowed the Muharram procession and barricades were placed in several places to prevent the Shia mourners from participating in the procession. While the Bombay High Court had allowed the processions, subject to certain conditions in view of Covid-19. The police arrested more than 100 religious devotees participating in the procession.

On August 18, Jammu and Kashmir police transferred Shergarhi police stations Station House Officer, Aftab Ahmad Bhat, for beating up journalists. Earlier, the polices action was strongly criticized by the media fraternity, including by the Kashmir Press Photographers Association.

Attacks on journalists covering the religious procession and protest are frequent in India. In January more than nine journalists were targeted by police through being arrested, intimidated and charges with criminal offences over reporting and online posts about the farmer protests in India.

The IJU president, Geetartha Pathak, said: Indian Journalists Union (IJU) condemns the polices attack on journalists who were merely doing their journalistic duties. The IJU demands an inquiry of the incident and stringent action against the perpetrator.

The NUJ-I president, Ras Bihari, said: The NUJ-I expresses gratitude towards DGP and hails his timely action against officers who assaulted a group of Journalists and damaged their cameras. We urge government to take strong steps for protection of Journalists.

The IFJ said: Attacking journalists in a bid to prevent them from covering police brutality is an attempt to suppress freedom of the press and freedom of expression. The IFJ urges the government to take stringent action against the guilty police officials as soon as possible in order to create a safe environment in Jammu and Kashmir for journalists, who are front line human rights defenders.
Few business owners took to heart the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan and the chaos that followed more than Daniel Markes. He's the founder and CEO of Markesman Group, a Newport News, Virginia-based federal contractor, but also, a veteran of the two-decade Afghan War.

"I've been supporting the Afghan people since I was 24, so basically my entire adult life," says the now 35-year-old entrepreneur, who worked as an intelligence analyst for the U.S. Air Force in Kabul. "It's sad that they will never be able to experience the freedoms that we have in our country."

The pullout has also cut into his bottom line. After peaking at 20 to 25 percent of his company's annual revenue in 2019, which stood at $5 million, Markes had to let go of 90 percent of his staff working on Afghanistan-related projects in 2020 as a result of reduced need. "After the drawdown of ISIS [the defeat of Sunni militants led by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria], for a while there has been barely a need for intelligence support in the Middle East." And even if the recent chaos should spur renewed interest, Markes says he's now questioning whether he'd even vie for future contracts in the region. "We've already had folks contact us. I have to determine if I'm willing to let my guys get involved with that again. I'm not sure what the business case would be for that."

Like Markes, many federal contractors working in the region had already seen their business curtailed in anticipation of a troop drawdown well before it actually happened. President Biden had set the pullout date ahead of the 20-year anniversary of September 11 terrorist attacks on the U.S. But there had been discussions surrounding troop withdrawals in both the Obama and the Trump administrations.

Yet, as of last April, the contractors working for the Defense Department employed more than 16,800 workers in Afghanistan, where contracted services have cost the Pentagon $107.9 billion since 2002, according a Bloomberg Government analysis. Beyond things like intelligence and logistical support, contractors supply the military with everything from aerial vehicles and heavy machinery to food, lodging, and laundry services.

For companies still fueling these operations, the good news is that a drawdown almost certainly won't affect your business immediately, says Max Sawicky, a senior research fellow at the Center for Economic and Policy Research, a think tank in Washington, D.C. "These contracts can be over an extended period, so you can't just cancel them, typically," adds Sawicky, who spent 10 years working as an economist at the Government Accountability Office, a nonpartisan congressional watchdog.

Sawicky notes further that the infrastructure bill currently wending its way through Congress should hearten those expecting losses. "Federal spending is going to balloon," he says, noting that vendors in a variety of industries like construction and technology will likely benefit. The drawdown "changes the need for toilet paper and what troops need, but I'd be very surprised if there wasn't a continued push in the direction of A.I. and robotics. There's always been an arms race there."

Yet even toilet paper can go somewhere, notes Paul L. Gunn Jr. His Huntsville, Alabama-based contracting firm, KUOG Corporation, supplies the military and other agencies with all kinds of materials, from air-lift equipment and pallets to food to equipment used to break down and repackage lodging accommodations and other necessities. While supporting troops in Afghanistan accounts for 20 to 25 percent of his business, which generated $12.5 million in 2020, he's not worried about any blowback from the U.S. withdrawal.

"If they are pulling out of Afghanistan, it doesn't mean they're not going somewhere else," says Gunn. In his experience, the federal government might just shift materials and resources from one place to another. He mentioned Haiti as being a logical place to apply resources, and China has become a focal point among lawmakers, he adds. "If one service contract got shut down, they just move people over to another. We follow where the war fighters are going."

Yet Gunn has also been smart enough to diversify his customer list beyond the government, working with manufacturers that currently supply him with military-grade equipment to offer products that can be sold to public companies. "We're taking our time trying to identify new opportunities," he says noting that Walmart and Target and some of the bigger construction firms are on his list.
Like many small businesses, my company was upended by the pandemic. My New York City office no longer made sense, as most of my clients were operating remotely. I found that I could run my design firm from my basement in New Jersey, connecting through videoconferences that proved to be just as effective as in-person meetings.

All of a sudden, ZIP codes meant zero. Anybody could work anywhere. With that in mind, my wife and I undertook a life experiment. We packed our cars, rented temporary housing and office space, and returned to my hometown for a month to see what would happen.

I called it the Pittsburgh test.

We had left Pittsburgh 29 years ago when a newspaper strike put our jobs at risk. We were expecting our first child and needed job security that our employer couldn't guarantee. We both ended up with positions at the Detroit Free Press, and then The New York Times. I went on to work at Time magazine and then started my own company, helping companies like AT&T, Chase, Google, and Amazon tell better stories.

I wanted to make sure my own story resonated, so I created a website. I placed ads in local media, wrote newspaper columns, did a radio interview, and plastered cartoon versions of my face all over town. My caricature appeared in office windows, on cardboard masks and colorful socks handed out to complete strangers, and on a billboard along one of the city's busiest thoroughfares.

I had no idea what to expect from the Pittsburgh test. Over the years I had returned for short visits to see friends and family, long enough to take in a Steelers game or take down a Primanti's sandwich, but not enough to truly experience what it would be like to go home again.

The results surprised even me.

My wife and I immediately fell back in love with Pittsburgh. Its three rivers frame a vibrant city where companies like Google and Facebook have opened large offices. Innovation abounds, with dozens of robotics companies reinventing the way people move from place to place, construct buildings, and perform surgeries. Homegrown companies like Duolingo and Aurora have made their presence known on Wall Street through IPOs and SPACs.

Quality of life was another factor. Bike paths have made it possible to pedal anywhere -- I covered 100 miles my first weekend and even rode to a Pirates game. (They won!) When traveling by car, it seemed that no destination was ever more than 10 minutes away. We enjoyed incredible meals with friends and family, often at significantly better prices than what we were used to paying in New York City.

Two weeks into the Pittsburgh test, we were sold. We bought the sixth house we visited, a townhouse on the South Side within walking distance of dozens of restaurants and a five-minute commute from my new office at One PPG Place. For the same cost as an interior WeWork space in Times Square, I was able to rent a 31st-floor downtown office with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Pittsburgh's Golden Triangle.

My marketing campaign helped me to connect with many Pittsburghers -- entrepreneurs, inventors, investors, educators, former colleagues and classmates, and more than a few strangers. Their stories inspired me to sell my house and move to Pittsburgh, to be part of an ecosystem powered by major universities, some of the world's most recognizable companies, and hundreds of companies that you haven't yet heard of but most certainly will.

I even had the chance to meet with Pittsburgh mayor Bill Peduto, who responded to an invitation to meet under my billboard for a photo shoot. Just as the message on the billboard reverberated with Pittsburghers, it calls out to any small-business owner anywhere considering a dramatic change of scenery.
Fans have reacted with frustration to the news that Kanye West is holding a further listening party for Donda while the new album remains unreleased.

Following two previous listening party events at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta this summer, West today (Wednesday 19th August) announced that a third would take place in his hometown of Chicago. The event is set to take place at Soldier Field on 26 August; tickets for the event go on sale on 20 August.

The news comes after multiple delays to the albums release. Donda has repeatedly been delayed, revisited then scrapped again, with West making changes to tracks hours before each scheduled release date.

The follow-up to his 2019 album Jesus is King was delayed last year and rescheduled for July, only to be delayed again after West held his first listening party for 40,000 fans in Atlanta.

A new release date was announced as 6 August, but again the album failed to materialise on that date.

One fan reacted to the news on Twitter writing Why is Kanye having another listening party? Another said Kayne really think we gonna be in a third listening party?

A third fan tweeted: F*** Kanye and this Album at this point...mans going in a listening party tour, while another added: Kanye please we do not need another listening party for Donda we are TIRED.

You can see some more of the reactions below.

Meanwhile, Mike Dean recently denied rumours that he has quit Wests latest album, Donda.

The record producer, who has worked on previous West albums  including Graduation and My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy  along with records by Beyonce, Jay-Z, Travis Scott, Madonna and Frank Ocean, had reportedly had enough of the toxic working environment surrounding the project.

Fans noticed that Dean apparently tweeted f*** it and that he was glad to be back at the house, suggesting he has returned to his home in LA and is no longer in Atlanta with West.

Enjoy unlimited access to 70 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up

Dean reportedly also tweeted: I left Monday. Secretly. Had to get away.

While some tweets have been deleted, Dean also replied to a fan who asked him to then go help Kanye, tweeting: Helping myself. Thx.

However, Dean later addressed the rumours and tweeted: I havent quit anything. The album continues. Lol. People read too much into tweets. Lol.
Come on and let the bliss begin, chants Lorde on the title track of her third album. Blink three times when you feel it kicking in. Alas, Ive had this collection of heat haze hippy noodlings on repeat for a couple of days now, and Im still waiting for the promised sonic high. In fact, Im still waiting for more than a couple of discernible songs.

The disappointment of Solar Power feels intense, because Lorde, real name Ella Yelich OConnor, had set the bar so high that David Bowie thought she was the future of music. The New Zealander was just 16 when she sparked and buzzed onto the pop scene in 2013, like a fluorescent light. Her debut album, Pure Heroine was the work of an artist with no interest in flattering the emotions. Instead Lorde used her unique and thrilling manipulation of synths and vocal harmonies to shine hard beams on messy truths. This was a mission she continued with the raw exploration of the terror and the horror when we wonder why we bother on her second album Melodrama (2017).

But Solar Power finds Lorde swapping her trademark directness for tuneless detachment. Instead of finding fresh new sounds, producer Jack Antonoff has helped her filter trippy 1960s beach vibes through her love of early Noughties hits by S Club 7 and Robbie Williams. Theres a nod to George Michaels Faith (1987) in the stubble-strum and booty-shaker beat of the title track, and a sleepy wink at Katy Perrys California Gurls (2010) on California, with its farewell to all the bottles, all the models and slightly Tori Amos-ish falsetto leap in the chorus. Theres a little breeze of Natalie Imbruglia in the drive time bop of Secrets from a Girl (Whos Seen it All). The palm slap of bongos patter through Oceanic Feeling, stirring mild memories of All Saints Pure Shores (2000) but lacking the old tunes tidal momentum.

Interviewed by The New York Times, Lorde says she has spent years honing the ambience of a psychedelic summer to make a great weed album. Shes clearly had fun sampling waves and cicadas on her phone and recruiting Phoebe Bridgers and Clairo to add floaty layers of sweet harmony. There are groovy flutes and a rattled tambourine. Despite her long-standing hatred of guitars, she was dealt an ace when fellow New Zealander Neil Finn left his Lake Placid Blue 1965 Fender Jaguar in his studio for her. Producer Jack Antonoff makes the vintage guitar sound deliciously cool and fluid: like a Hockney pool. But he lets it burble throughout without really delivering any memorable hooks  until you tune it out like a hotel lobby water feature. It trickles out aimless arpeggios on Stoned at the Nail Salon as Lorde sighs over growing out of the songs she loved at 16 and sounds like shes already bored by the one shes singing. Its one of many songs that feel sun-bleached of melody.

Throughout the record, Lorde says shes delivering extreme satire of modern wellness cults of the sort she and her friends find appealing. In the video for Mood Ring she dresses up in a blonde wig  a la Gwyneth Paltrow  and takes part in a variety of Goopy pastimes like pretty pebble patterns dressed in designer silk. In breathy tones, she sings of how burning sage and cleansing crystals cant seem to fix my mood/ Today its as dark as my roots. But the vocal lacks the bite of satirical conviction or the weight of real sorrow.

Lorde has often spoken of wanting to make music like Joni Mitchell. Solar Power feels like her 21st-century take on The Hissing of Summer Lawns, the 1975 classic on which Mitchell explored the dark underbelly of privileged suburban Californian lives. But where Mitchell spoke deep desperation into her tales of wealthy women hiding spiritual darkness with a joyful mask, Lorde just wafts over her pretty, pastichey soundscape without really connecting. More miss than bliss.
Steve Coogan spent hours talking to the real-life police officer he plays in ITVs drama Stephen.

The Alan Partridge actor stars in ITVs true-crime drama as DCI Driscoll, the officer who worked to convict two of Stephen Lawrences murderers nearly two decades after he was killed.

It is a follow-up The Murder of Stephen Lawrence, which aired in 1999 six years after the teenager was killed in a racially motivated attack.

In an interview with the Radio Times, the real Driscoll revealed that he spoke to Coogan ahead of his performance in the show.

I spoke to him on Zoom for two-and-a-half hours. He was incredibly lovely and down to earth, Driscoll said. We were going to meet up, but that was impossible due to the lockdown. He is a very talented man.

He continued: I thanked him for actually taking the part, being part of the story and keeping Stephens story out there. I still think we can all learn from Stephens story and we should cherish his memory.

Set in 2006, Stephen is a three-part drama written by Frank and Joe Cottrell Boyce.

Stephen begins Monday 30 August at 9pm on ITV.
China's President Xi looks set to clamp down on the "excessively high incomes" of the country's top earners.

According to state media, the Communist Party leader called for high salaries to be regulated at an economic forum on Tuesday.

His comments came amid an ongoing effort by China to tighten its grip on technology companies, who are being urged to give back to the "people".

Business magnate Jack Ma, co-founder of the Alibaba Group - China's Amazon equivalent - last year had a public offering of $37bn for his Ant Group cancelled after he criticised financial regulators.

Speaking at the Chinese Central Financial and Economic Affairs Commission, Mr Xi reportedly called on ministers to regulate excessively high incomes and encourage high-income groups and enterprises to return more to society.

The commission said it would pursue those goals through its "common prosperity agenda", which critics say is aimed at reigning in a new generation of wealthy entrepreneurs.

The wealthiest one per cent of Chinese people now hold about 31 per cent of the countrys wealth, up from 21 per cent two decades ago, according to a Credit Suisse report.

The Covid pandemic, which hit small businesses and poor workers hardest, has exacerbated the gap, yet the number of newly-minted ultra-rich surged 50 per cent compared to 2019 as financial markets soared.

The government said it aims to expand the size of middle-income groups, increase the earnings of low-income groups, reasonably regulate that of high-income groups, and ban illegal income.

It will make adjustments on taxation, social security, and fiscal transfer payments, and create more inclusive and fair conditions for people to have better education and upward mobility, according to a meeting summary.

After receiving criticism from the president in November, reports in June suggested Mr Ma is "lying low" and has taken up painting as a hobby.

Hes lying low right now, I talk to him every day, Joe Tsai, the companys executive vice-chairman and Mas co-founder was quoted as saying by CNBC.

Hes actually doing very, very well. Hes taken up painting as a hobby, its actually pretty good.

Additional reporting by Reuters
Hong Kong activists pleaded guilty to colluding in a conspiracy with foreign forces in a case against media mogul Jimmy Lai, in the first such case under the highly contentious national security law drafted by the Chinese government.

Andy Li and Chan Tsz have been accused of advocating foreign funds against China and helping nearly a dozen activists to flee Taiwan.

By pleading guilty on Thursday, the duo are set to be sentenced under the Beijing-imposed security legislation next year. The law, which was widely protested by millions in Hong Kong bans secession, subversion, terrorism and colluding with foreign forces. Those found guilty can face life in prison.

Mr Li and Mr Chan apologised in court during the hearing, signalling pressure over the activists opposing the law.

I agree to the facts and I would like to say sorry, Li was quoted as saying by the Hong Kong Free Press.

Lead prosecutor Anthony Chau read out the case and a long summary of the facts that termed Mr Lai and his aide Mark Simon as the masterminds of the conspiracy, the report added.

Denouncing the prosecution of the activists, the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC)  a coalition of international cross-party group of legislators  said the men had done nothing wrong and that Hong Kongs legal system had been exposed to the world.

These politically motivated prosecutions leave the free world in no doubt regarding the decline of Hong Kongs freedoms and legal processes, where a once-respected common law system has been reduced to a toll of the Chinese state, the statement by IPAC read.

The statement added: These men have done nothing wrong. They are victims of an unjust law which stands in clear violation of international norms and treaties.

Mr Li has already served a seven-month sentence on the charges of illegal border crossing before being returned to Hong Kong in March.

The draconian legislation has already paved the way for the arrest of more than 130 people  mainly journalists, activists and former lawmakers. The US has recently sanctioned Chinese officials, including Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam, for ordering a crackdown on citizens.

Close to 50 activists and politicians have also been charged under the security law after they were accused of participating in an informal primary election last year. The cases will be heard next month.
The mothers were desperate, they were getting beaten by the Taliban. They shouted, save my baby and threw the babies at us, some of the babies fell on the barbed wire. It was awful what happened. By the end of the night there wasnt one man among us who was not crying, said the Parachute Regiment officer quietly.

The scenes of brutal violence unfolded at one of the routes into the military side of Kabuls airport from where thousands of people, in danger from the jihadists, are being airlifted to safety by the US, Britain and other foreign governments.

The entrance to the Baron hotel, near Kabul airport, has become the focal point where Afghans seeking refuge in the UK have been gathering.

The route also leads to the facilities of other countries which are carrying out evacuations, and the numbers of those desperate to get away are swelling by the day with hope among those who qualify for the flights, but despair and anger for the ones who do not.

There is another combustible element on this narrow dusty road, strewn with rubble. Taliban fighters confront British troops from the Parachute Regiment and Special Forces, at times just a few yards apart on either side of barbed wire and a barricade of military vehicles.

Also in the sight of the jihadists are troops, including Special Forces, from the US, France, Spain, Turkey and Poland, there to collect the people who would be flying to their countries, and aware that they may be drawn into action.

A group of Talibs standing on the middle of the road, with Kalashnikov AK-47s in their hands, checked the papers of the people coming up the road, turning a few away. But apart from some angry shouts and hard stares from the fighters towards the British, there were no further hostilities after the night of strife.

Outbreaks of shooting are common. On Wednesday afternoon guards on sangars in the airport opened fire after the Talibs killed a man. There are also frequent bursts of firing in the air to disperse crowds resulting in injuries.

People board a Spanish airforce A400 plane as part of an evacuation plan at Kabul airport on Wednesday (AP)

A Taliban checkpoint at the entrance to the road had become known for its vengeful fighters beating up Afghans, tearing up, at times, their passports and other travel documents.

It is they who are said to have started the strife on Wednesday night which got so serious at one point that warplanes were scrambled to fly low and fire chaff.

This is what they did to me, said Amir Akhbar Mohammed, pointing to purple bruises on both his arms and right shoulder.

I was with my family, one of the Taliban got angry at something my wife said and started beating her with a stick. I got these injuries trying to protect her. The man was actually trying to reach around me to hit her. They seem to like hitting women, he said.

Shahanaz Nasimi had bandages on her right leg. She had taken the precaution of wearing a black abaya to ensure that the Taliban did not think she was dressed improperly. The beating she received was, she believed, due to her going to the airport.

Ms Nahimi had arrived outside the Baron with her 23-year-old brother Shafitullah. They had made their way to Kabul after their home in Baghlan was raided by the insurgents who killed, she said, two brothers, Basitullah, 15 and 28-year-old Akhitullah.

Ms Nahimi and her brother did not appear to have visas or other documents allowing resettlement abroad. I thought if we got here there would be a chance that one of the countries would take us, she said. Our family has suffered, we can show proof that the Taliban had been targeting us and they will try to hurt us again.

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A number of people came to Ms Nahimi, who spoke English, to explain their cases to officials. I hope they are alright, they all deserve to get away from here. But wont anyone help me? I am young and I want to have a free life; that is not going to happen for me now in Afghanistan, she said looking down to the ground.

If we dont get any country to take us, maybe the soldiers will turn us away from this area. That means well have to go back down that road again, face the Taliban again, I cant do that.

The Nahimis were not the only family whose future is uncertain because of lack of paperwork. Ahmed Bellal, 19, and his father were trying to get to the US. Asadullah Bellal had worked at a US camp for 12 years and while he and his son did not have the special visas being issued by Washington, they had documentation to support their case for getting them.

The facade of a beauty saloon is pictured with images of women defaced using a spray paint in Shar-e-Naw in Kabul on Wednesday (AFP/Getty)

The problem was that their passports had run out.

I told my father to get them renewed, he kept on saying that he would do it, and now we have this, said Ahmed. Asadullah gave a helpless shrug. No one expected what has happened in the last few weeks, for the Taliban to take over so quickly. Now we are in trouble, the Taliban call us slaves of America and they will surely try to kill us.

It is difficult to verify, it should be pointed out, all the claims of Taliban brutality. In the Islamist groups first press conference after taking power, its spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, sought to present the image of a future under Taliban rule which would be much more moderate and tolerant than its predecessor two decades ago.

He pledged, among other things, that there would be no witch-hunt of those who worked for foreign governments or domestic opponents.

But it is also the case that there are groups of jihadists in the city who have been extremely aggressive, especially in the airport area. A number of foreign governments have complained about people trying to reach the airport being delayed or turned back at the checkpoints.

After a temporary halt in flights due to massive overcrowding at the airport, planes are taking off around the clock now. The US may take up to 80,000 Afghans, with 3,300 moved so far. The UK has announced that it will take around 20,000.

A member of Taliban forces inspects the area outside Hamid Karzai International Airport (Reuters)

UNHCR, the UN refugee agency has issued a non-return advisory for Afghanistan, urging a suspension on forced returns of Afghan nationals, including asylum, seekers who have had their claims rejected.

Many British soldiers have reflected on what they had witnessed and experienced here. One, who had served in Iraq as well as being deployed previously in Afghanistan, said: I have been around a long time, but It is very hard to watch what is going on here without being affected.

We are not in a combat mission here so the way we can protect these people is to get them out of harms way as quickly as possible, we can imagine what may happen to those left behind.

Mazhdu, 27, had turned up at the gate with her four-year-old daughter after running away from her husband, a Talib who had long been abusive towards her.

Now we are in trouble, the Taliban call us slaves of America and they will surely try to kill us Asadullah Bellal, an Afghan trying to leave the country

He has always been violent but since the Taliban won he has got worse, she said showing photographs of injuries to her face. He thinks he has a right to beat me and he will continue to do so until I die if he finds me.

She had spent three months recently with her cousin in Istanbul and wanted to go there.

A Turkish officer, examining her passport, pointed out that her visa had run out. He consulted a colleague but nothing could be done. As Mazhdu walked away crying, the officer shook his head: This is such a bad situation, I feel very bad for her and her daughter, very bad.

A British officer stepped in and, after hearing Mazhdus story, took her into the British lines. We have a fair amount of latitude to make decisions out here. I can put her into the system, I dont know if the system will spit her out, but I can do that, he said.

As night fell crowds once again began to gather outside the British camp, as did the Taliban on the other side of the barricades and barbed wire, bringing with them menace and a sense of deep apprehension and foreboding about what lay ahead.
 Close General Kenneth McKenzie announces completion of US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan

The government has been threatened with legal action over its failure to respond to requests for help from a progressive female MP and a leading woman judge who are both in hiding in Afghanistan.

British lawyers have sent a warning letter to ministers stating that if they do not issue visas for the two women  who cannot be named to protect their identities  by 2pm on Wednesday, they will launch an emergency legal challenge to compel them to do so.

Conservative MP Nusrat Ghani, who has been supporting the two women, told The Independent they had been let down by the British government, describing the situation as shameful.

It comes as Qatars foreign minister publicly encouraged the Taliban to cooperate in the fight against terrorism and, following a meeting with the militant group, called on the international community to protect Afghan civilians. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani was speaking at a press conference in Doha.
Afghanistan is again in a state of turmoil after Taliban fighters recaptured the capital city of Kabul on Sunday, declaring the country an Islamic Emirate once more after president Ashraf Ghani abandoned the presidential palace and fled to Tajikistan.

The operation followed swiftly on from the withdrawal of American troops from the country last month at the order of Joe Biden, their exit coming almost 20 years after the US military drove the same faction out of Kabul at the outset of George W Bushs War on Terror in response to 9/11.

Joe Biden expressed his determination not to hand the responsibility for policing Afghanistan on to a fifth commander-in-chief following the completion of his own tenure in the Oval Office and trusted in the Afghan military, in whom the US had invested almost $1trn over two decades, to keep the Taliban at bay.

The fact of the matter is weve seen that that force has been unable to defend the country... and that has happened more quickly than we anticipated, US secretary of state Anthony Blinken lamented on Sunday.

Mr Bidens defence secretary Lloyd Austin also regretted the lack of resistance that the Taliban faced from Afghan forces, a collapse he said he found extremely disconcerting during a call with military leaders, according to CNN.

They had all the advantages, they had 20 years of training by our coalition forces, a modern air force, good equipment and weapons, Mr Austin said. But you cant buy will and you cant purchase leadership. And thats really what was missing in this situation.

The Taliban came to prominence in 1994 during the Afghan Civil War, its ranks composed largely of students - from which the group derives its name (translating from Pashto as students or seekers) - many of whom had been mujahideen resistance fighters who had battled occupation by the Soviet Union in the 1980s.

At that stage, Reaganite America supported the rebels in their fight against its own Cold War enemy, so much so that Sylvester Stallone famously fought alongside the gallant mujahideen in Rambo III (1988).

A Deobandi fundamentalist Islamist movement originating in the Pashtun areas of eastern and southern Afghanistan and in northern Pakistan, the Taliban was led by Mullah Mohammed Omar and conquered first the province of Herat and then the whole country by September 1996, overthrowing the Burhanuddin Rabbani regime, establishing the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and making Kandahar the capital.

Although their new state was only recognised diplomatically by Pakistan, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, the Taliban were initially popular with local citizens, according to the BBC, largely due to their success in stamping out corruption, curbing lawlessness and making the roads and the areas under their control safe for commerce to flourish.

But its rule by strict Sharia law would prove as tyrannical as it was ruthless, characterised by the massacre of opponents, the denial of UN food supplies to starving citizens and the oppression of women, which meant forcing them to wear burqas and denying girls the right to work, study or travel.

Films, music and other non-Islamic cultural influences were also outlawed and historic artefacts like the Bamiyan Buddha statues destroyed.

The Talibans brutal rule was then brought to an abrupt end by US-led coalition forces in December 2001 in retaliation for the devastating Islamist terror strike on the World Trade Center in New York City, which killed 2,996 people and left 25,000 injured, an atrocity orchestrated by al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden from within the sanctuary of Taliban-held Afghanistan.

Despite their defeat, Taliban fighters subsequently regrouped as an insurgency and have continued to battle to retake the country from US peacekeeping forces ever since.

Religious cleric Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada is the current leader of the movement, having succeeded Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour in 2016 when he was killed in a US airstrike on Pakistan. He commands as many as 85,000 fighters, according to a recent Nato estimate.

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Talibans co-founder, is still part of its hierarchy and remains a key influence, even meeting with Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi in Tianjin, China, late last month to discuss the likely consequences of the American withdrawal.

The Taliban previously reached out to Donald Trumps administration when the Republican took office in 2017 - recognising a fellow opponent of US involvement in costly forever wars overseas - and subsequently signed a peace accord in Doha, Qatar, in February 2020.

The agreement saw the extremists promising to prevent Americas enemies from using the country as a base for future terror attacks in exchange for troop withdrawal and the release of 5,000 of its prisoners.

Recommended Taliban hunts down government staff despite amnesty

But that did little to end violence in the territory, with the UN Security Council reporting last June that the Taliban had won back between 50 and 70 per cent of land outside of major urban centres and demonstrated little interest in securing peace for its own sake.

The group has made some moves to modernise its image of late, indicating it would be willing to permit a more liberal role for women in society and allow them to complete their education, but few international observers are convinced by the more temperate rhetoric, with many fearing a swift return to the old tyrannies of the 1996-2001 epoch.
Ousted Afghan president Ashraf Ghani has dismissed claims he took a large amount of money with him when he fled Kabul as lies.

The countrys former leader, who is currently in exile in the United Arab Emirates, claimed he was in talks to return home despite fleeing the capital on Sunday as the militants seized control.

It was reported that Mr Ghani left Kabul with four cars and a helicopter stuffed with cash and was forced to leave some of it behind as it would not all fit into the vehicles.

Mohammad Zahir Aghbar, the Afghan ambassador in Tajikistan, on Wednesday claimed the 72-year-old had escaped with 123m in state funds in what he described as a betrayal of the nation. Mr Ghani was originally reported to have gone to Tajikistan as the jihadists closed in on the capital.

Speaking in a live broadcast on his official Facebook page, Mr Ghani vigorously denied the ambassadors account - insisting he had fled the country to prevent bloodshed.

If I had stayed I would have been witnessing bloodshed in Kabul, he said, claiming he was forced to leave Afghanistan with one set of traditional clothes, a vest and the sandals I was wearing.

Events unfolded at a fast pace. I wanted to negotiate an inclusive government with the Taliban, he said, adding that he was in talks to return to Afghanistan to continue efforts for justice, true Islamic and national values.

The UAEs foreign ministry on Wednesday confirmed Mr Ghani and his family had been welcomed into the country on humanitarian grounds. It is the first time his location has been confirmed since Kabul fell to the Taliban over the weekend.

The Russian embassy in Kabul also claimed Mr Ghani had left the country with bundles of money stashed in several vehicles.

As for the collapse of the (outgoing) regime, it is most eloquently characterised by the way Ghani fled Afghanistan, embassy spokesman Nikita Ishchenko was quoted as saying by the RIA news agency.

Four cars were full of money, they tried to stuff another part of the money into a helicopter, but not all of it fit. And some of the money was left lying on the tarmac, he added.

Mr Ghani has been condemned by other Afghan politicians for choosing to flee the country after it was seized by the Taliban. God will hold him accountable and the nation will also judge, said Abdullah Abdullah, chairman of Afghanistans High Council for National Reconciliation.

At least 12 people have been killed in and around the airport since the Taliban seized control of the capital on Sunday, NATO and a Taliban official said.

Harrowing footage emerged today showing parents at the airport handing their children over the barrier to American soldiers in the hope of getting them on evacuation flights, which have resumed following a temporary halt due to overcrowding at the airport.

The US may take up to 80,000 Afghans, with 3,300 moved so far. The UK has announced that it will take around 20,000.
CNN has released footage of a tense moment when a Taliban militant confronted the networks journalists reporting from the streets of Kabul.

Chief international correspondent Clarissa Ward reported that Taliban militants were prepared to pistol whip a field producer for the network before a fellow fighter intervened and prevented an attack.

Quickly we are accosted by an angry Taliban fighter, Ms Ward reported, adding that it was a very dicey situation.

Suddenly two other Taliban charge towards us. You can see their rifle butt raised to strike. When the fighters are told we have permission to record they lower their weapons.

There was a consistent stream of gunfire, Ms Ward said earlier describing the situation in the Afghan capital.

She added that her team was accosted by people asking for help to get out of the country.

Its so heartbreaking  everybody coming up to us with their papers, their passports, saying please, I worked at Camp Pheonix, I worked at this camp, I was a translator, help me get in, help me get to America, help me get my SIV  my visa, to get out of the country. And then the Taliban would just come through, at one stage, this fighter just lifted his gun up into the air as if he was about to start firing so we had to run and take cover, Ms Ward recounted.

Describing the most frightening moment for the CNN crew, Ms Ward said Field Producer Brent Swails was filming with his iPhone when two Taliban fighters approached, ready to assault Mr Swails. The rest of the CNN crew intervened along with another Taliban fighter who told the others not to attack the reporters.

Ive covered all sorts of crazy situations  this was mayhem, Ms Ward said.

Describing the scene outside the Kabul airport, she said: This was nuts. This is impossible for an ordinary civilian, even if they have their paperwork  no way theyre running that gauntlet, no way theyre going to be able to navigate that. Its very dicey, its very dangerous and its completely unpredictable, theres no order, theres no coherent system for processing people, separating those with papers from those who dont have papers.

Honestly, to me, its a miracle that more people havent been very, very, seriously hurt, Ms Ward added.

The Biden administration faces the daunting task of getting out tens of thousands of Americans and vulnerable Afghans still in the country before the official US withdrawal date of 31 August.

Officials across the federal government held briefings on Tuesday but failed to answer some basic questions. Precisely how many Americans are still in Afghanistan remains unclear and no specific answer has been provided as to how many vulnerable Afghans the US military believes it can get out of the country.

There have been instances where we have received reports of people being turned away or pushed back, or even beaten, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said on Tuesday. We are taking that up in a channel with the Taliban to try to resolve those issues. And we are concerned about whether that will continue to unfold in the coming days.

As things stand right now, what we are finding is that we are getting people through the gate, we are getting them lined up, and we are getting them on planes, but this is an hour by hour issue, and its something were clear-eyed about and very focused on holding the Taliban accountable to follow through on its commitment, he added.
The Doha peace agreement, struck between the US and the Taliban, has been the subject of fiery debate in recent days  with American president Joe Biden now contentiously claiming that the accord bound him to the military withdrawal which enabled the militants sweep to power.

So what exactly was agreed in the Qatari capital 18 months ago, and what role does the deal  at the time hailed in Washington as historic  play in the chaos now currently unfolding?

Following 17 years of bloody warfare and various failed attempts at diplomacy, the talks that would eventually birth a deal between the US and Taliban began in November 2018, at the instigation of then-president Donald Trump, who had campaigned on a pledge to finish endless wars.

After nine rounds of negotiations, a deal was eventually signed in February 2020 by US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and Taliban political chief Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo as a witness.

The basic aspects of the deal itself were relatively simple.

For its part, the Taliban agreed that Afghanistan would not be used by any of its members, other individuals, or terrorist groups  notably Al-Qaeda, whose 9/11 attack led to the American invasion in 2001  to threaten US national security or that of its allies.

The insurgents also agreed to take part in peace talks with the Nato-backed Afghan government  a prospect the Taliban had previously dismissed.

In return, the US pledged to reduce its number of troops in Afghanistan from roughly 12,000 to 8,600 within 135 days, followed by a full Nato withdrawal by May 2021 if the Taliban met its own commitments.

A ceasefire between the two sides was also agreed under the deal, in addition to the swap of 1,000 Afghan security force prisoners and 5,000 Taliban prisoners. Among them was Taliban co-founder and political chief Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, who helped lead intra-Afghan talks in Doha and is now a frontrunner to become the countrys next president.

Save for Mr Bidens decision after entering the White House to delay the end date of the US withdrawal until 11 September, Washington remained on course to honour its part of the deal.

While the Taliban  who, at the time of signing, held sway over half of the country  continued to carry out suicide bombings and assassinations against Afghan security forces and civilians, its fighters largely did not attack American soldiers as they withdrew.

They also appeared to be engaging in peace talks with the national government, which began that September.

As it turned out, the talks appear to have merely provided the Taliban with time and cover to plan the unexpectedly rapid takeover that saw them sweep into Kabul unopposed on Sunday, even before the Nato withdrawal was complete.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 25 August 2021 Egypts Ibrahim Elhusseiny Hamadtou in action during his Mens Singles Class 6 Group E Table Tennis match at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games PA World news in pictures 24 August 2021 People take pictures of fireworks outside the stadium during the opening ceremony of the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 23 August 2021 Staff members spraying disinfectant at a school ahead of the new semester in Bozhou, Chinas eastern Anhui province AFP/Getty World news in pictures 22 August 2021 A Taliban fighter stands guard at a checkpoint in the Wazir Akbar Khan area in the city of Kabul, Afghanistan AP World news in pictures 21 August 2021 Mexican firefighters known as "Topos" work in the early morning hours in a search and rescue mission, amid the rubble from last week's 7.2 magnitude earthquake, in Les Cayes, Haiti AP World news in pictures 20 August 2021 Bangladeshi vendor sells a religious item during a Muharram event at the premises of Hussaini Dalan in Dhaka, Bangladesh EPA World news in pictures 19 August 2021 Law enforcement officers with rifles take position near the US Capitol building in Washington DC as police investigate a possible explosive device in a truck near the heart of American government AP World news in pictures 18 August 2021 A Taliban fighter patrols in Wazir Akbar Khan in the city of Kabul, Afghanistan AP World news in pictures 17 August 2021 Art students paint messages of solidarity with people at risk in Afghanistans crisis outside an art school in Mumbai AFP/Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2021 Afghan people climb atop a plane as they wait at the Kabul airport AFP via Getty World news in pictures 15 August 2021 Taliban fighters patrol inside the city of Kandahar province in southwest Afghanistan AP World news in pictures 14 August 2021 A collapsed building is seen in Les Cayes, Haiti following a 7.2 magnitude earthquake which left at least 29 people dead Reuters World news in pictures 13 August 2021 Perseids are seen next to Milky Way during the annual Perseid meteor shower at Tres Mares peak, in Cantabria, northern Spain EPA World news in pictures 12 August 2021 A woman sits along the broken steps of a partially-collapsed building destroyed by bombardment during the May 2021 conflict between Hamas and Israel, in Gaza City AFP via Getty World news in pictures 11 August 2021 People stranded at the Pakistani-Afghan border wait for its reopening after it was closed by the Talibans, who have taken over the control of the Afghan side of the border at Chaman, Pakistan EPA World news in pictures 10 August 2021 Supporters cheer outside French football club Paris Saint-Germains Parc des Princes stadium in Paris after Argentinian football player Lionel Messi landed in Le Bourget airport to sign for the club AFP/Getty World news in pictures 9 August 2021 People perform a folk dance to traditional music as they celebrate the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples in Mumbai, India EPA World news in pictures 8 August 2021 Thank you messages is displayed inside the stadium during the Olympic closing ceremony in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 7 August 2021 Pro-democracy protesters clash with police during a demonstration demanding Thai prime minister Prayut Chan-Ochas and King Maha Vajiralongkorn be held accountable for the governments failure to contain the Covid-19 outbreak, in Bangkok AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 August 2021 Members of local NPO release paper lanterns on Motoyasu River in front of beside the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall, as it was known before 1945, and now called the Atomic Bomb Dome, as the city marks the 76th anniversary of the world's first atomic bomb attack AFP/Getty World news in pictures 5 August 2021 The Men's Decathletes pose for a photo following their competition on day thirteen of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium in Tokyo, Japan Getty World news in pictures 4 August 2021 Maronite clergymen pray near damaged grain silos at the port of Lebanons capital on the first anniversary of the blast that ravaged the port and the city AFP/Getty World news in pictures 3 August 2021 An underwater view shows Frances Charlotte and Laura Tremble during the womens duet technical routine artistic swimming event at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games AFP/Getty World news in pictures 2 August 2021 Germany compete in the women's team pursuit qualifying event at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Izu Velodrome AFP/Getty World news in pictures 1 August 2021 enezuela's Yulimar Rojas competes in the women's triple jump final during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Rojas took gold and broke the Olympic and World Record in the process AFP/Getty World news in pictures 31 July 2021 Elaine Thompson-Herah celebrates as she crosses the finish line to win the gold medal ahead of Jamaican teammate Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in the women's 100m final at the Tokyo Olympic Games Reuters World news in pictures 30 July 2021 Athletes compete during the mens 3000m Steeplechase at the Tokyo Olympics Reuters World news in pictures 29 July 2021 Athletes compete in the BMX mens Olympic quarter-finals run at the Ariake Urban Sports Park in Tokyo AFP/Getty World news in pictures 28 July 2021 A picture taken with a drone shows researchers from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Utrecht University investigating a dead fin whale found in the harbor of Terneuzen, The Netherlands EPA World news in pictures 27 July 2021 People wearing face masks to protect against the spread of the coronavirus walk past extra papers reporting on Japanese gold medalists at Tokyo Olympics AP World news in pictures 26 July 2021 The ball hits Thailand's Orawan Paranang's face as she competes against Japan's Kasumi Ishikawa during her women's singles round 3 table tennis match at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games AFP via Getty Images World news in pictures 25 July 2021 A woman walks in the rubble after flooding due to heavy rains in Dinant, Belgium, a week after more than 30 people were killed in floods in the country EPA World news in pictures 24 July 2021 A firefighter uses a drip torch to light a backfire in an effort to stop the spread of the Dixie fire in Prattville, California AFP/Getty World news in pictures 23 July 2021 An overview shows Japan's tennis player Naomi Osaka lighting the flame of hope in the Olympic Cauldron during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, at the Olympic Stadium, in Tokyo AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 July 2021 People wade through a flooded street following a heavy rain in Zhengzhou, in Chinas Henan province AFP/Getty World news in pictures 21 July 2021 People celebrate in Brisbane, Australia, following an announcement by the International Olympic Committee that the city was picked to host the 2032 Olympics AAP Image via AP World news in pictures 20 July 2021 Muslims attending the Eid Al-Adha prayer at Skenderbej Square in Tirana AFP/Getty World news in pictures 19 July 2021 Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Mercy on the plains of Arafat during the annual Haj pilgrimage outside the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia Reuters World news in pictures 18 July 2021 People protest against the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan Reuters World news in pictures 17 July 2021 A long exposure photograph shows Muslim pilgrims circumambulating around the Kaaba, Islam's holiest shrine, at the Grand mosque in the holy Saudi city of Mecca during the annual hajj pilgrimage AFP/Getty World news in pictures 16 July 2021 A van crushed by the torrents is pressed against a tree after the floods caused major damage in Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, western Germany AFP/Getty World news in pictures 15 July 2021 A staff member sits at an interactive digital installation "Fire / Forest and Spiral of Resonating Lamps in the Forest" during a media preview of "teamLab: A Forest Where Gods Live" at the lobby of Mifuneyama Rakuen Hotel, Takeo Hot Springs in Saga prefecture AFP/Getty World news in pictures 14 July 2021 Pupils of the Special Military School of Saint-Cyr march during the annual Bastille Day military parade on the Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris AFP/Getty World news in pictures 13 July 2021 Rescuers look for bodies after a catastrophic blaze erupted Monday at a coronavirus hospital ward in the al-Hussein Teaching Hospital, in Nasiriyah, Iraq AP World news in pictures 12 July 2021 People try to recover a car damaged during flash floods after heavy monsoon rains in Bhagsunag, a popular tourist town in Himachal Pradesh, India AP World news in pictures 11 July 2021 Police cars are seen overturned in the street in the framework of a demonstration against Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel in Havana AFP via Getty Images World news in pictures 10 July 2021 Tanya and Evance Chanda from Mechanicsville look on as a statue of Confederate General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson is removed after years of a legal battle over the contentious monument, in Charlottesville, Virginia Reuters World news in pictures 9 July 2021 Hundreds of Haitians gather in front of the US embassy in the hope that they will be granted a visa to leave their country, due the uncertainty of what may happen after the assassination of President Jovenel Moise, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti EPA World news in pictures 8 July 2021 NGOs fly huge rainbow balloon at Hungary's parliament protesting against anti-LGBT law in Budapest Reuters World news in pictures 7 July 2021 The Ever Given leaves the Suez Canal after its Japanese owners reached a settlement following more than three months and a court standoff over compensation for it blocking the crucial east-west waterway for nearly a week earlier this year Getty

With the Taliban now in control across the country and figures with links to the former government touting the possible emergence of an unlikely resistance in the Panjshir Valley, it remains to be seen what shape any future diplomacy between the Taliban and former government could now take.

However, elements of the recent Doha talks  which latterly sought a power-sharing deal and emphasised the importance of upholding womens rights  appear to have filtered through into the Talibans charm offensive in the days since taking Kabul, as it seeks to convince citizens and the international community that it has moved beyond some of the most brutal and oppressive elements of their rule two decades ago.

In a landmark press conference on Tuesday, the militant groups leaders insisted that women in Afghanistan will retain their rights to work and education under an inclusive, Islamic government, while referencing an amnesty, apparently for former political and military enemies.

But, speaking on Thursday, Mr Biden said it remained unclear whether the Taliban would ultimately seek international recognition as a legitimate government and suggested they may remain more committed to their fundamentalist beliefs.

Meanwhile, the US president faces his own questions at home, and has sought to use Mr Trumps deal to deflect blame for the fallout from the withdrawal.

In a televised White House address on Monday, Mr Biden referenced the deal he had inherited, saying: The choice I had to make, as your president, was either to follow through on that agreement or be prepared to go back to fighting the Taliban in the middle of the spring fighting season.

However, Mr Trumps secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, retorted that the agreement had been for a conditions-based withdrawal that allowed the US to take action if the Taliban reneged on the deal.

 Donald Trump says Taliban are great negotiators in rambling Fox interview

Mr Biden has now been forced to send close to 5,000 troops back in to help evacuate US troops and their allies  more than double the number that remained there to defend the country from the Taliban at the time he inherited the peace deal.

Mr Biden  along with other Nato leaders  remains resolute that the Afghans must fight for themselves, as various attempts by desperate residents either to flee the country or oppose the Taliban descend into violence.

Meanwhile, in Washington, a Republican National Committee website celebrating the historic Doha deal appears to have been deleted.
Several members of an Afghan girls robotics team have escaped to Qatar, the group announced, joining the ever-increasing stream of people fleeing Afghanistan, following the Talibans takeover.

Some members of the team left Kabul on Tuesday on a commercial flight to Qatar, while others planned to remain in the country.

Those in Qatar will continue their education there, according to the teams founder, Afghan tech entrepreneur Roya Mahboob, while others who remain in Afghanistan face an uncertain future under Taliban rule.

The all-female robotics team is the first of its kind in the country and has won a number of competitions, both in Afghanistan and internationally.

Known as the Afghan Dreamers the team comprises 20 members aged between 12 and 18 and hail from the provincial capital of Herat.

According to human rights lawyer Kimberley Motley on CBC News Network, the girls are extremely terrified, having seen the capital Kabul fall to the Taliban.

When the hard-line Islamist movement last ruled the country from 1996-2001, girls were not allowed to attend school and womens freedoms were severely restricted.

Under the previous regime, women were not allowed in public places unless they were accompanied by a male member of the household, underage marriage known to occur as was women being taken as sex slaves by the Taliban.

Although the movement say that women will be allowed greater freedoms this time, many of those living in Afghanistan are skeptical.

The Taliban have promised to allow girls to be educated to whatever extent allowed by Shariah law, said Ms Mahboob, The New York Times reported.

We will have to wait and see to what that means, she added.

Obviously, we hope that women and girls will be allowed to pursue dreams and opportunities under the Taliban, she said, because that is what is best for Afghanistan and in fact the world.

Members of the team left Herat last week and after trouble with obtaining visas, airport chaos and following a plea to Canada for asylum, several of the girls have now touched down in Qatar.

The team gained worldwide recognition in 2017 when six of its members were prevented from travelling to the US for a competition. They were eventually allowed in after outcry from the public and intervention from then-president Donald Trump.
Harrowing footage shows a toddler being passed through a crowd to an American soldier behind a wall amid chaotic scenes at Kabul airport.

Thousands of Afghans have amassed outside the airport and attempted to board evacuation flights since the Taliban seized control on Sunday, as other videos emerged of parents handing their children to military staff in the hope of getting them on evacuation flights.

A clip posted to Twitter by BBC correspondent Yalda Hakim this morning shows a young child being hoisted over the wall by members of the crowd and passed to an American soldier, who lifts her over the barrier.

The entrance to the Baron hotel, near Kabul airport, has become the focal point where Afghans seeking refuge from the jihadist militants have been gathering. The route also leads to the facilities of other countries which are carrying out evacuations.

Over 5,000 people have been evacuated in the last day alone though many are struggling to leave without the required documentation.

Witnesses told Reuters news agency that Taliban members were preventing people from getting into the airport compound, including those with the necessary documents to travel. A Taliban official said that commanders and soldiers had fired into the air to disperse crowds outside the airport, resulting in injuries.

Twelve people have been killed in and around the airport since the Taliban seized control of the capital on Sunday, a NATO and a Taliban official said. The deaths were caused either by gun shots or by stampedes.

Taliban fighters were last night accused forming a "ring of steel" around the airport, with the militants also reportedly beating up Afghans and tearing up their passports and other travel documents.

Evacuation flights have resumed following a temporary halt due to massive overcrowding at the airport. The US may take up to 80,000 Afghans, with 3,300 moved so far. The UK has announced that it will take around 20,000.

President Biden on Thursday vowed that US forces would remain until the evacuation of Americans was finished, even if that meant staying past the August 13 deadline for withdrawal set by his administration.

The President, who has faced international criticism about the US departure, claimed that a chaotic exit was inevitable. "The idea that somehow, there's a way to have gotten out without chaos ensuing, I don't know how that happens," he told NBC News.

US officials have told the Taliban "that we expect them to allow all American citizens, all third-country nationals, and all Afghans who wish to leave to do so safely and without harassment," U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman told reporters in Washington.

Meanwhile, the British government has been criticised for the low number of Afghans offered sanctuary in the UK. Just 5,000 Afghans will be allowed to resettle in the UK in the next year.

The first Britons and Afghan refugees touched down in the UK yesterday following an RAF rescue mission. Officials are aiming to take 1,200 to 1,500 people from Afghanistan a day.
While the Taliban has rapidly seized power in Afghanistan amid the withdrawal of Nato troops and collapse of the national army, a small pocket of resistance is emerging in the northern province of Panjshir, where the flag of the Northern Alliance has reportedly again risen for the first time in two decades.

Although it remains unclear how great a threat they pose to the countrys new rulers, the rebirth of the group officially known as the United Islamic Front for the Salvation of Afghanistan is heavy with symbolism.

Lying in the Hindu Kush some 70 miles north of the capital Kabul, the natural fortress of Panjshir Valley has been a stronghold of resistance for decades  holding out first against the Soviets in the 1980s, and then against the Taliban during their five-year rule at the turn of the millennium.

Now, in the valley littered with the remnants of armoured vehicles and other military detritus from those years, a number of political and military leaders with connections to both the newly-ousted government and the resistance of old appear to be regrouping.

Among them are Afghanistans first vice president, Amrullah Saleh, who  in the wake of Ashraf Ghanis flight to the United Arab Emirates on Sunday  has declared himself the legitimate caretaker president under the constitution brokered by the US in 2004.

Mr Saleh, who was born and trained to fight in Panjshir before eventually leading Afghanistans intelligence agency, the National Directorate of Security, is reportedly joined by 32-year-old Ahmad Massoud  the son of the Northern Alliances charismatic former leader Ahmad Shah Massoud, who was killed by Al-Qaeda assassins two days prior to the 9/11 attacks but remains a legendary figures among the ethnic Tajiks who populate northern Afghanistan, who previously made up the bulk of the Alliance.

In an op-ed for the Washington Post on Wednesday, Mr Massoud called for Western support and arms to fight the Taliban. I write from the Panjshir Valley today, ready to follow in my fathers footsteps, with mujahideen fighters who are prepared to once again take on the Taliban.

But while back in 2001, the Northern Alliance in Panjshir provided US spies and special forces with a base from which to launch the invasion that eventually defeated the Taliban, it appears unlikely there will be many parallels with that chapter in history this time around.

Since the Islamist group swept bloodlessly into Kabul on Sunday, Western nations have indicated they no intention of militarily opposing the new Taliban rule, with talk now firmly in the realm of diplomacy and strategic pressure, and US president Joe Biden having told the Afghans to fight for themselves.

Furthermore, it remains unclear how significant any resistance might be from the Alliance, or whether the holdout is merely a prelude to a compromise with the Taliban.

Their route to any supply line across the border into Tajikstan is currently blocked by Taliban-held territory. And while the size of any force gathered in Panjshir is unclear, former Afghan officials have reportedly suggested the number of ex-army and US-trained special forces rumoured to be returning there does not yet exceed 2,500.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 24 August 2021 People take pictures of fireworks outside the stadium during the opening ceremony of the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 23 August 2021 Staff members spraying disinfectant at a school ahead of the new semester in Bozhou, Chinas eastern Anhui province AFP/Getty World news in pictures 22 August 2021 A Taliban fighter stands guard at a checkpoint in the Wazir Akbar Khan area in the city of Kabul, Afghanistan AP World news in pictures 21 August 2021 Mexican firefighters known as "Topos" work in the early morning hours in a search and rescue mission, amid the rubble from last week's 7.2 magnitude earthquake, in Les Cayes, Haiti AP World news in pictures 20 August 2021 Bangladeshi vendor sells a religious item during a Muharram event at the premises of Hussaini Dalan in Dhaka, Bangladesh EPA World news in pictures 19 August 2021 Law enforcement officers with rifles take position near the US Capitol building in Washington DC as police investigate a possible explosive device in a truck near the heart of American government AP World news in pictures 18 August 2021 A Taliban fighter patrols in Wazir Akbar Khan in the city of Kabul, Afghanistan AP World news in pictures 17 August 2021 Art students paint messages of solidarity with people at risk in Afghanistans crisis outside an art school in Mumbai AFP/Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2021 Afghan people climb atop a plane as they wait at the Kabul airport AFP via Getty World news in pictures 15 August 2021 Taliban fighters patrol inside the city of Kandahar province in southwest Afghanistan AP World news in pictures 14 August 2021 A collapsed building is seen in Les Cayes, Haiti following a 7.2 magnitude earthquake which left at least 29 people dead Reuters World news in pictures 13 August 2021 Perseids are seen next to Milky Way during the annual Perseid meteor shower at Tres Mares peak, in Cantabria, northern Spain EPA World news in pictures 12 August 2021 A woman sits along the broken steps of a partially-collapsed building destroyed by bombardment during the May 2021 conflict between Hamas and Israel, in Gaza City AFP via Getty World news in pictures 11 August 2021 People stranded at the Pakistani-Afghan border wait for its reopening after it was closed by the Talibans, who have taken over the control of the Afghan side of the border at Chaman, Pakistan EPA World news in pictures 10 August 2021 Supporters cheer outside French football club Paris Saint-Germains Parc des Princes stadium in Paris after Argentinian football player Lionel Messi landed in Le Bourget airport to sign for the club AFP/Getty World news in pictures 9 August 2021 People perform a folk dance to traditional music as they celebrate the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples in Mumbai, India EPA World news in pictures 8 August 2021 Thank you messages is displayed inside the stadium during the Olympic closing ceremony in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 7 August 2021 Pro-democracy protesters clash with police during a demonstration demanding Thai prime minister Prayut Chan-Ochas and King Maha Vajiralongkorn be held accountable for the governments failure to contain the Covid-19 outbreak, in Bangkok AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 August 2021 Members of local NPO release paper lanterns on Motoyasu River in front of beside the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall, as it was known before 1945, and now called the Atomic Bomb Dome, as the city marks the 76th anniversary of the world's first atomic bomb attack AFP/Getty World news in pictures 5 August 2021 The Men's Decathletes pose for a photo following their competition on day thirteen of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium in Tokyo, Japan Getty World news in pictures 4 August 2021 Maronite clergymen pray near damaged grain silos at the port of Lebanons capital on the first anniversary of the blast that ravaged the port and the city AFP/Getty World news in pictures 3 August 2021 An underwater view shows Frances Charlotte and Laura Tremble during the womens duet technical routine artistic swimming event at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games AFP/Getty World news in pictures 2 August 2021 Germany compete in the women's team pursuit qualifying event at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Izu Velodrome AFP/Getty World news in pictures 1 August 2021 enezuela's Yulimar Rojas competes in the women's triple jump final during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Rojas took gold and broke the Olympic and World Record in the process AFP/Getty World news in pictures 31 July 2021 Elaine Thompson-Herah celebrates as she crosses the finish line to win the gold medal ahead of Jamaican teammate Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in the women's 100m final at the Tokyo Olympic Games Reuters World news in pictures 30 July 2021 Athletes compete during the mens 3000m Steeplechase at the Tokyo Olympics Reuters World news in pictures 29 July 2021 Athletes compete in the BMX mens Olympic quarter-finals run at the Ariake Urban Sports Park in Tokyo AFP/Getty World news in pictures 28 July 2021 A picture taken with a drone shows researchers from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Utrecht University investigating a dead fin whale found in the harbor of Terneuzen, The Netherlands EPA World news in pictures 27 July 2021 People wearing face masks to protect against the spread of the coronavirus walk past extra papers reporting on Japanese gold medalists at Tokyo Olympics AP World news in pictures 26 July 2021 The ball hits Thailand's Orawan Paranang's face as she competes against Japan's Kasumi Ishikawa during her women's singles round 3 table tennis match at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games AFP via Getty Images World news in pictures 25 July 2021 A woman walks in the rubble after flooding due to heavy rains in Dinant, Belgium, a week after more than 30 people were killed in floods in the country EPA World news in pictures 24 July 2021 A firefighter uses a drip torch to light a backfire in an effort to stop the spread of the Dixie fire in Prattville, California AFP/Getty World news in pictures 23 July 2021 An overview shows Japan's tennis player Naomi Osaka lighting the flame of hope in the Olympic Cauldron during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, at the Olympic Stadium, in Tokyo AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 July 2021 People wade through a flooded street following a heavy rain in Zhengzhou, in Chinas Henan province AFP/Getty World news in pictures 21 July 2021 People celebrate in Brisbane, Australia, following an announcement by the International Olympic Committee that the city was picked to host the 2032 Olympics AAP Image via AP World news in pictures 20 July 2021 Muslims attending the Eid Al-Adha prayer at Skenderbej Square in Tirana AFP/Getty World news in pictures 19 July 2021 Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Mercy on the plains of Arafat during the annual Haj pilgrimage outside the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia Reuters World news in pictures 18 July 2021 People protest against the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan Reuters World news in pictures 17 July 2021 A long exposure photograph shows Muslim pilgrims circumambulating around the Kaaba, Islam's holiest shrine, at the Grand mosque in the holy Saudi city of Mecca during the annual hajj pilgrimage AFP/Getty World news in pictures 16 July 2021 A van crushed by the torrents is pressed against a tree after the floods caused major damage in Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, western Germany AFP/Getty World news in pictures 15 July 2021 A staff member sits at an interactive digital installation "Fire / Forest and Spiral of Resonating Lamps in the Forest" during a media preview of "teamLab: A Forest Where Gods Live" at the lobby of Mifuneyama Rakuen Hotel, Takeo Hot Springs in Saga prefecture AFP/Getty World news in pictures 14 July 2021 Pupils of the Special Military School of Saint-Cyr march during the annual Bastille Day military parade on the Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris AFP/Getty World news in pictures 13 July 2021 Rescuers look for bodies after a catastrophic blaze erupted Monday at a coronavirus hospital ward in the al-Hussein Teaching Hospital, in Nasiriyah, Iraq AP World news in pictures 12 July 2021 People try to recover a car damaged during flash floods after heavy monsoon rains in Bhagsunag, a popular tourist town in Himachal Pradesh, India AP World news in pictures 11 July 2021 Police cars are seen overturned in the street in the framework of a demonstration against Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel in Havana AFP via Getty Images World news in pictures 10 July 2021 Tanya and Evance Chanda from Mechanicsville look on as a statue of Confederate General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson is removed after years of a legal battle over the contentious monument, in Charlottesville, Virginia Reuters World news in pictures 9 July 2021 Hundreds of Haitians gather in front of the US embassy in the hope that they will be granted a visa to leave their country, due the uncertainty of what may happen after the assassination of President Jovenel Moise, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti EPA World news in pictures 8 July 2021 NGOs fly huge rainbow balloon at Hungary's parliament protesting against anti-LGBT law in Budapest Reuters World news in pictures 7 July 2021 The Ever Given leaves the Suez Canal after its Japanese owners reached a settlement following more than three months and a court standoff over compensation for it blocking the crucial east-west waterway for nearly a week earlier this year Getty World news in pictures 6 July 2021 Queen Maxima of the Netherlands arrives to be greeted by German Chancellor at the Chancellery in Berlin AFP/Getty

Those holed up there are reported to be poorly armed. In contrast, the Taliban has seized billions of pounds-worth of US military equipment gifted to the Afghan army, including Black Hawk helicopters, drones, humvees and mine-resistant armoured vehicles.

Speaking to The New York Times, Mr Saleh suggested that the group was looking to achieve genuine peace with the Taliban, but was not averse to combat.

Should the Taliban be ready for meaningful discussions, we will welcome it, he said, adding that the group believed in a genuine peace process, which doesnt exist at the moment.

Telling the paper that he had survived two attacks and one ambush as he drove to Panjshir on Sunday, Mr Saleh refused to compromise our military secrets or operational security by discussing the size of the force gathering in the valley, but said the group was on the top of the situation and organising things and was in touch with unnamed leaders who fought the Taliban two decades ago.

If they insist on military conquest, then they better read Afghan history, he was quoted as saying.

As part of its charm offensive in a bid to minimise international barriers to their new rule, the Talibans leadership has struck a conciliatory tone, pledging an amnesty for its enemies.

In a landmark press conference on Tuesday, the groups chief spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid pledged to form an inclusive, Islamic government, adding: Animosities have come to an end and we would like to live peacefully, without internal or external enemies.

But the Taliban faces a challenge in its attempts to impose a unified government on Afghanistan's complex mix of regions and ethnicities, which could be complicated by open resistance.

In the first display of collective defiance from ordinary citizens, demonstrations against the Taliban in Jalalabad were met with gunfire on Thursday, as protesters tried to hoist the national flag, having reportedly torn down the white Taliban flag.

Three people are reported to have been killed and more than a dozen wounded.

I am standing here in front of you. You can hit me with 30 bullets, kill me, I will sacrifice my life for this flag. This is my flag. My government will soon be back, God willing, one protester wrapped in the tricolour flag told Sky News.

At the Afghan embassy in Tajikstan, it was clear who ambassador Zahir Aghbar, a lieutenant general who previously served as chief of police, saw as the legitimate figurehead of that scattered government.

I cannot say that the Taliban have won the war. No, it was just Dr Ashraf Ghani who gave up power after treacherous talks with the Taliban," the ambassador  who has replaced Mr Ghanis picture in his office with one of Mr Saleh  told Reuters.

And only Panjshir resists, led by Vice President Amrullah Saleh, he said. Panjshir stands strong against anyone who wants to enslave people.
Police are investigating hundreds of men after a woman was allegedly sexually assaulted by a crowd as she filmed a TikTok video in a park in Pakistan, reports say.

Footage of the incident circulating on social media shows the woman surrounded by a crowd of people, who she said assaulted her and pulled her from all sides until her clothes were torn. The crowd also stole her phone, money and jewellery, she claimed.

The woman, a TikToker, was filming in Greater Iqbal park in Lahore with friends when the group was surrounded. She tried to escape the mob but was lifted from the ground and pelted with objects, videos of the incident show.

The woman has since registered a case against 300 to 400 people with local police and arrests have been made, according to The Guardian.

She reportedly told police: The crowd pulled me from all sides to such an extent that my clothes were torn. I was hurled in the air. They assaulted me brutally.

The incident sparked outrage in Pakistan, with Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari writing on Twitter: The assault of a young women by a mob at #minarepakistan should shame every Pakistani. It speaks to a rot in our society.

Those responsible must be brought to justice. The women of Pakistan feel insecure and it is all our responsibility to ensure safety and equal rights to all.

Information minister Fawad Chaudhry, meanwhile, said that the nations government was working full throttle on the case and that some of the men in the videos have been identified, the paper reported. He added that prime minister Imran Khan had taken notice of the case.

Others reflected on womens safety in public places in Pakistan.

Maryam Nawaz, daughter of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, wrote on Twitter: Heart-wrenching scenes at Minar-e-Pakistan warrant collective introspection.

We as parents, teachers and leaders need to reflect upon the upbringing of our youngsters to make public spaces safe for women. Those involved must be dragged to justice to create deterrence for future.

A member of the local sheriffs department, Sajid Kiyani, was quoted by Pakistani media as saying that those who violated [the] womens honour and harassed them will be brought within the ambit of the law.
At least three people died and around 50 were injured after a roadside bomb exploded during a procession of Shia Muslims observing a prominent annual festival in central Pakistan on Thursday, said local police.

Several videos filmed after the explosion in the conservative city of Bahawalnagar, in Pakistans eastern Punjab province, have been circulating on social media.

Some of them show scenes of chaos as people lie wounded on a road, waiting for medical assistance.

In one video, loud screams can be heard and people can be seen running to help the injured. In another, police and ambulances can be seen rushing towards the site of the explosion.

One video shows an alleged attacker being apprehended by police officers. Some social media users said the attacker hurled a grenade at the crowd. The Independent could not verify the claims with respect to the attacker or the authenticity of this particular video.

Khawar Shafqat, a Shia leader, told the Associated Press the blast occurred as a procession marking the Shia festival of Ashura was passing through Muhajir Colony, a congested neighbourhood in the city.

Authorities had suspended mobile phone services in Pakistan a day ahead of the Ashura festival being observed across the country, making it tough for communications to go through. Mr Shafqat called for the government to do more to step up security at such processions.

Tensions are high in Bahawalnagar in the wake of the attack, with Shia communities gathering for protests and calling for retribution against the attacker.

The annual Ashura festival is an important date in the religious calendar for Shia Muslims across the world, who mourn the seventh-century death of Prophet Muhammads grandson Hussein, one of Shia Islams most beloved saints.

A Shia Muslim flagellates himself with swords on chains during a procession to mark Ashura in Rawalpindi, Pakistan on 19 August 2021 (AP)

The festival is an emotional one for the Shia community, as believers weep over Husseins death at the Battle of Karbala in present-day Iraq.

Processions for the festival are held worldwide, in which believers can be seen flagellating themselves to express their regret for being unable to save Hussein from dying.

Shias are the majority community in several countries including Iran and Azerbaijan but in the minority in Sunni-dominated Pakistan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and others.
What exactly is it and how misunderstood has it been in the West?

A Taliban spokesman recently sought to allay fears his group would once more impose oppressive authoritarian rule on Afghanistan by promising they will instead govern within the framework of Islamic law, without going into precise details as to what that might mean in practice, particularly with regard to the hard-won rights of women.

The Sharia law to which he was alluding - a phrase too often the cause of confused right-wing alarm in the US and Europe - simply refers to the system that governs how Muslims conduct their lives on a daily basis in accordance with the lessons of the Quran, the Sunnah and the Hadith - their holy book and the deeds and sayings of the Prophet Muhammad.

Simply put, this amounts to the human interpretation of divine sources, with any moral conclusions reached constantly open to revision and dispute. It is not a concrete legal system as we understand it in the West, making a nonsense of fears about its creeping imposition.

Sharia translates from Arabic as the clear, well-trodden path to water and its precepts aim to advise adherents to the faith as to best practice on all manner of everyday concerns - from prayers, when to fast, how much money to donate to the poor and how to behave in business transactions - with the ultimate intention of pleasing Allah.

When a specific issue presents cause for uncertainty, Muslims can turn to a religious scholar for their guidance on how best to interpret the teachings of the holy texts so that they might act appropriately.

There are five different schools of Sharia law: Hanbali, Maliki, Shafii and Hanafi (all Sunni) and Jaafari (Shia), which differ in how literally they take the word of the Quran, the Sunnah and the Hadith and also to what extent they consider local customs and social expectations.

While Sharia is primarily concerned with everyday ethics, one of its most controversial and most frequently misunderstood aspects is the punishment of crimes.

While tazir offences are those whose penalties are left up to a presiding judge to determine based on the specific facts of a case, more serious misdeeds considered hadd have strict set penalties, which might mean corporal punishment like a public caning or stoning, a like-for-like sentence such as amputating the hand of a thief or even execution.

But these are extreme interpretations rarely implemented: the Quran actually explicitly prohibits violent attacks on civilians, property, places of worship and animals, as University of Wisconsin law professor Asifa Quraishi-Landes points out.

Ultra-conservative regimes in the Muslim world like that which followed the Islamic Revolution in Iran of 1979 have nevertheless willfully bent Sharia to suit their political agenda, the latter lowering the marriageable age of girls to 13, barring them from attending universities and enforcing the wearing of hijabs, for instance.

Such rulings are in complete contradiction with the egalitarian vision that the Prophet Muhammad first set in motion, author Hafsa Lodi writes in The Independent.

Arbitrary and absolutist interpretations of Sharia not only strip Muslims of the freedom to interpret their faith pluralistically, but also severely impact the lives of women, she adds.

What happened the last time the Taliban took power?

The Taliban came to prominence in 1994 during the Afghan Civil War, its ranks composed largely of students - from which the group derives its name (translating from Pashto as students or seekers) - many of whom had been mujahideen resistance fighters who had battled occupation by the Soviet Union in the 1980s.

A Deobandi fundamentalist Islamist movement originating in the Pashtun areas of eastern and southern Afghanistan and in northern Pakistan, the Taliban was led by Mullah Mohammed Omar and conquered first the province of Herat and then the whole country by September 1996, overthrowing the Burhanuddin Rabbani regime, establishing the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and making Kandahar the capital.

Although their new state was only recognised diplomatically by Pakistan, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, the Taliban were initially popular with local citizens, according to the BBC, largely due to their success in stamping out corruption, curbing lawlessness and making the roads and the areas under their control safe for commerce to flourish.

Taliban fighters on patrol in Kabul (AP)

But its rule by a particularly brutal understanding of Sharia would prove as tyrannical as it was ruthless, characterised by the massacre of opponents, the denial of UN food supplies to starving citizens and the oppression of women, which meant forcing them to wear burqas and denying girls the right to work, study or travel.

Films, music and other non-Islamic cultural influences were also outlawed and historic artefacts like the Bamiyan Buddha statues destroyed.

The Talibans oppressive rule was duly brought to an abrupt end by US-led coalition forces in December 2001 in retaliation for the devastating Islamist terror strike on the World Trade Center in New York City, which killed 2,996 people and left 25,000 injured, an atrocity orchestrated by al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden from within the sanctuary of Taliban-held Afghanistan.

Despite their defeat, Taliban fighters subsequently regrouped as an insurgency and have continued to battle to retake the country from US peacekeeping forces ever since.

Why are we asking this now?

Afghanistan is again in a state of turmoil after the Taliban recaptured the capital on 12 August, declaring the country an Islamic Emirate once more after president Ashraf Ghani abandoned the presidential palace and fled to Tajikistan before securing sanctuary in the UAE.

The operation followed swiftly on from the withdrawal of American troops from the country last month at the order of president Joe Biden, their exit coming almost 20 years after the US military drove the same faction out of Kabul.

Biden has expressed his determination not to hand the responsibility for policing Afghanistan on to a fifth commander-in-chief following the completion of his own tenure in the White House and trusted in the Afghan military, in whom the US had invested billions of dollars over two decades, to keep the Taliban at bay.

The fact of the matter is weve seen that that force has been unable to defend the country... and that has happened more quickly than we anticipated, US secretary of state Anthony Blinken lamented.

UK foreign minister Dominic Raab has since said he still considers the Taliban a rag tag bunch of thugs but suggested the West would need to be pragmatic in its attempts to moderate the countrys new rulers: They are now in power, and we now need to deal with that reality.

Prime minister Boris Johnson said during a heated emergency debate in the House of Commons that the group should be judged by its deeds, a statement immediately undermined by the killing of several protesters in demonstrations around Afghanistan opposing the new regime.
In recent days, social media has provided an unprecedented window into the situation on the ground in Afghanistan, but desperately fleeing civilians and journalists arent the only ones using the platforms to get their message out: so is the Taliban.

This presents challenges for tech companies on how to regulate the content, especially if the Taliban becomes the internationally recognised government of Afghanistan, rather than be considered a terror group, as it is currently to US authorities.

More than 100 new official or pro-Taliban accounts have sprung up on social media platforms since the group took Kabul on Sunday, according to a New York Times analysis.

The posts ranged from YouTube videos from top Taliban leaders congratulating fighters, to an account posing as a grocery store but sharing exclusively pro-Taliban imagery.

Now is the time to serve the nation and to give them peace and security, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, a co-founder of the Taliban, said in one video.

Taken together, the videos and posts wracked up roughly half a million views before being removed by social media countries.

Facebook and YouTube, which forbids Taliban accounts because they represent an officially designated terrorist group, told the Times they removed Taliban videos once they were discovered. Twitter has also said it has policies against posts which glorify violence.

Still, the group has managed to find ways around these safeguards by using encrypted apps like Telegram, frequently changing accounts or hashtags, or having accounts post content thats ostensibly within allowed content guidelines but still supports the Taliban.

So far, the approach of the tech companies is not very effective, Ayman Aziz, an independent researcher who has studied Afghanistan and Pakistan for over a decade, told the Times. The Taliban is establishing a new presence, with their new regime, online.

For its part, the Taliban has lashed out against social media companies, arguing it should be allowed to spread its message online. On Tuesday, reporters asked Zabihullah Mujahid , a spokesperson for the group, about whether the Taliban would maintain free speech in Afghanistan, and he took the opportunity to blast Facebook.
The two young Talibs were on a low roof next to a building where British soldiers lay exhausted on the ground after another violent night trying to control a swelling crowd desperate to reach the airport and escape out of the country.

The fighters were in a relaxed mood, shouting down jovial remarks in Pashto to the troops who were too tired to respond. After a while the pair, fresh-faced in salwar-kameez, with their Kalashnikov AK-47s slung on their shoulders, got bored and swaggered off, a brief encounter showing the surreally close proximity between the jihadis and the British force.

The building next to the base was taken over by the Islamists a few days ago and they are now neighbours of the 16th Air Assault Brigade and special forces, part of a military deployment sent to airlift British and Afghan nationals back to the UK.

Those being evacuated have to go past checkpoints manned by comrades of the two fighters, where they may be turned away, have their passport and other travel documents torn up and face physical assault. Those holding foreign passports have an easier chance of running the gauntlet than others.

We have to keep things calm here and make sure not to raise the temperature, the aim is to get our job done, collect the people we have to and get them out, said a British officer. The Taliban control the area around here and what they do affects what we do, so we need to make sure things dont suddenly escalate.

British citizens and dual nationals board a military plane in Kabul (EPA)

But for the throngs of Afghans at the base, waiting to be processed for the journey, the appearance of the Talibs on the wall was an unnerving experience. I thought once we were here we would not see them again, said Amanullah, 34, who had arrived with his wife and three children, this was a bit of shock.

Amanullah, who had received threats from the Talibs, did not want his family named made public, He continued: These men were young, laughing and joking, and they may seem harmless. But the Taliban are not harmless, as people in our country know, as our family knows. My cousin was a policeman and they killed him, they shot him at home, in front of his young boy, they have no mercy.

The chaos at the airport, with thousands trying to flee, has been marked by violence with 12 people killed, according to western and Taliban officials, since last Sunday when the Islamist group seized Kabul and took control of the country. The deaths were the result of gunshots or being crushed to death by stampeding crowds. The actual number of fatalities may be higher, two bodies were seen near the British base in the last 24 hours.

There were also reports Taliban militants fired into the air on Thursday where the crowds were gathered at the airports walls with men, women and children fleeing.

My cousin was a policeman and [the Taliban] killed him, they shot him at home, in front of his young boy, they have no mercy Amanullah, an Afghan citizen

The levels of aggression shown towards those heading to the airport have risen in the last few days with the arrival of jihadists from other parts of the country, some of the checkpoints are not being manned by the Taliban but other Islamist groups like the Haqqani network.

Rafi Mohammed Abdullah, who is trying to get to the US, said: We got through two Taliban checkpoints, they were not friendly but they let us through. But the third one was very harsh, they were Haqqani people, I could tell.

They would not even look at our documents, when I pleaded with them to do so, one of them began hitting me. We managed to get through at the end by taking another route.

At least we got through, I have relations, friends who are trying to get to the airport without success. People will keep trying to go even with the risks because they fear the foreign countries will stop the flights soon, he said.

US soldiers stand guard along the perimeter at Kabuls international airport (AP)

Aircraft from around 15 countries have been sent to Kabul to carry out the evacuation. But the low number of people managing to get through to be processed has meant that many are leaving with far fewer passengers than they can carry. Although the UK has managed to fill its flights more than other countries.

Afghanistan commemorated independence from Britain on Thursday against this background of fear and uncertainty. The Islamists declared in a statement: Fortunately, today we are celebrating the anniversary of independence from Britain. We at the same time as a result of our jihadi resistance forced another arrogant power of the world, the United States, to fail and retreat from our holy territory of Afghanistan.

Amanullah, waiting to be processed for his new life, observed: We used to celebrate our country on Independence Day, but seeing those Taliban on that building reminded me again that we have lost our country and how much we need to get away.
The swift Taliban military onslaught that saw the militant group take over the whole of Afghanistan in a matter of weeks revealed how wealthy it has become since the ousting of its regime in 2001.

In the past two decades, the insurgents have run a state-like economy in the areas they controlled. They relied on various fundraising sources, such as drug trafficking and other criminal activities, extortion and taxes, charitable donations and foreign assistance.

The Taliban operates a classic territory controlling financial model; in other words, it earns the bulk of its funds from the people and businesses in areas that it controls, Tom Keatinge, Director of the Centre for Financial Crime and Security Studies at the Royal United Services Institute in London, told The Independent.

It remains almost impossible to project precisely how much the Taliban raise every year. However, according to a recent UN report, the group manage to collect from 220 million to 1.17 billion every year.

The most well-documented source of income for the Taliban is the trade of opium hashish, methamphetamines and other narcotics.

The Taliban have a very diverse portfolio in criminal enterprise and front companies. The primary source is narcotics, both heroin and synthetic drugs, said Sajjan Gohel, international security director at the Asia-Pacific Foundation and a visiting teacher at the London School of Economics in London.

The Taliban earns the bulk of its funds from the people and businesses in areas that it controls Tom Keatinge, Director of the Centre for Financial Crime and Security Studies at RUSI

For years, Afghanistan provided around 84 per cent of the global opium production, according to the UN World Drug Report 2020. Taliban commanders have imposed a tax over every stage of opiums production, transportation and selling.

The Taliban designed a tax system in the areas under its control, including companies, shopkeepers, trucks using motorways and international aid projects. They also collect a 10 per cent Ushur Islamic tax and a 2.5 per cent Zakat  the Islamic annual tax on wealth.

Last year, a classified Nato report published by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty cited a senior Taliban figure, Mullah Yaqoob, as estimating the group took around 117 million in taxes.

We use the term taxation here, but what we really mean is extortion This is not a normal taxation system - it is much more like racketeering enterprise, Laurel Miller, director of the Asia programme at the International Crisis Group, told BBC Radio 4s The Briefing Room.

Asked about the sources of the Taliban massive amounts of arms, she said: Afghanistan is a place, after decades of war, awash in weapons. It is not difficult to get weapons.

But the highest Taliban income comes from moving legal goods, such as fuel, food, medicine and essentials, through border crossings and customs.

Last month, the Afghan Finance Ministry spokesman Rafiullah Tabeh said that the previous government generated an estimated 66.5 million worth of revenue through customs until May. But as the Taliban rampage went on, more key border crossings have fallen. The government revenues in June, therefore, plummeted to 41.5 million.

A Taliban spokesperson said that the routine work of the US-built Sher Khan Bandar border crossing, a crucial gateway to Tajikistan in Kunduz Province, will continue as before: the reason is that we dont want to create problems for businessmen, for traders, for common people.

Official figures showed that more than 1.46 billion in trade passed through the three Afghan border crossings with Iran last year. However, a study by the Overseas Development Institute said that informal trade would make this figure twice as high.

Drug trafficking and border crossings will continue to be the main income source for the Taliban, but as they are taking control of most of Afghanistan, the Taliban will want to exploit and cultivate the nations natural mineral resources, Gohel noted.

How the Taliban will run the Afghan economy? (EPA)

It will be looking for partners to help in this, and China and Pakistan are the most likely suitors to support them in this, he said.

Mining has also been a prime source of income for the group. The UN report, and NATO, estimate that the Taliban generated nearly 340 million from the mining sector every year.

But other countries wouldnt help the Taliban through trade or boosting the mining sector only, but their support includes direct funding as well.

The US and its allies have long accused specific countries, such as Pakistan, Iran and Russia, of funding and arming the radical group and providing a safe haven for Taliban leaders. These countries vehemently deny these accusations.

Nonetheless, experts have repeated that individuals from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries can be considered a lucrative source of funds for the Taliban. The BBC has estimated that charitable contributions by these individuals could be as much as 365m a year.

The Taliban will continue to rely on their networks in Pakistan as that is their primary route and source of incoming revenue, Gohel told The Independent.

But after their stunning takeover of Kabul last weekend, the Taliban now face the precarious situation of dealing with the crumbling Afghan economy, which was kept on life support by foreign aid. The World Bank has confirmed that foreign powers cover almost 75 per cent of the Afghan government spending by sending nearly 3 billion to Kabul every year.

Despite the shambolic economic situation, the Talibans control over the whole country would likely boost their coffers and provide greater financial autonomy from their foreign patrons.

Any organisation like the Taliban will want to limit its financial vulnerability, so it will maximise the extent to which it can fund its activities from resources within its control, Keatinge said.

However, it will be worth watching which foreign governments are sympathetic towards them, recognise their legitimacy and, potentially, develop trade or other economic ties with the new regime.

International legitimacy seems to have become the ultimate goal for any future Taliban government. In addition to allowing Taliban officials to participate in international meetings with world leaders, it would guarantee the flow of international aid, which is essential to prop up their rule.

The groups commanders have been out of government for 20 years and many of them may have lost touch with governing the daily life of a nation in despair.

The new reality will require additional funds as the group seeks to win the hearts and minds of the highly sceptical Afghans.

There is a potential risk for the Taliban, however, which is that they are no longer opposing the national government; they are  in effect  the national government, and thus this requires them to fund and maintain many of the services the previous government provided, Keatinge said.

The Taliban will continue to rely on their networks in Pakistan as that is their primary route and source of incoming revenue Sajjan Gohel, international security director at the Asia-Pacific Foundation

This is the ultimate test facing the western powers who have taken part in ousting the previous Taliban regime. In the US, for example, about $7 billion of the Afghan central banks $9 billion in foreign reserves are still being held by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, according to the former acting governor of the Afghan central bank.

The Biden administration has already vowed to block access to these funds. The International Monetary Fund also said it would withhold more than $400 million, previously scheduled to be sent to Afghanistan.

I fear that in all of this, those that will suffer will be those that have relied on international humanitarian funds  this could be the lasting legacy of the collapse of the Afghan government in the past week, Keatinge said.

The international community is now in a bind. They must not recognise or legitimise the Taliban militia and continue to find ways to cut off their clandestine funding streams as that can contribute to funding terrorism, Gohel told The independent.

There is also a need to continue to enable UN organisations and NGOs to work at a grassroots level to ensure humanitarian support is sustained in Afghanistan, he added

The people of Afghanistan must not fall victim to the mercy of the Taliban.
As US forces push on with a speedy withdrawal from Afghanistan, veterans of the 20-year conflict are scrambling to save the Afghan interpreters they once worked alongside, and whose lives are now at risk.

The effort is being driven by former service members motivated to help after seeing the desperate situation faced by their former comrades-in-arms. The plight of Afghan interpreters has become especially dire since the Talibans rapid takeover of the country.

Advocacy groups estimate there could be as many as 20,000 Afghan nationals who worked with the US, along with 53,000 of their family members, eligible for special immigrant visas.

The fall of Kabul the past weekend has made their escape dangerous and uncertain. The airport, currently under the control of the US military, is the only way out, but it is surrounded by Taliban fighters who they fear will seek retribution against them for working with the enemy.

Ive been getting non-stop WhatsApp, Twitter messages from Afghanistan from over a hundred interpreters. I only know a handful of them, but theyre just reaching out to anybody that can help, says Alex Plitsas, a veteran who deployed in Iraq and as an intelligence officer in Afghanistan.

Theres kind of an impromptu network who have reacted to whats going on. Most of us are out [of the armed forces] at this point and weve kind of been working behind the scenes with members of congressional staff, State Department, Department of Defense, to try and make them aware of individual cases.

Their days are taken up by a flurry of online advocacy, lobbying, writing to political representatives and trying to guide their former colleagues to safety by phone from thousands of miles away. Many of them have spent months warning of the impending disaster for interpreters as the US forces withdrew, to little avail.

Some of the interpreters are eligible to leave but have been unable to reach the airport safely due to crowds and Taliban checkpoints. Others applied for visas years ago but their applications have been stuck in bureaucratic limbo, and they are now unsure if they will be able to leave. The process has been complicated further as fleeing embassy staff have reportedly destroyed documents and passports as they left.

Although the Taliban has promised to not seek reprisals against Afghans who worked with the US and other Nato powers, the reality on the ground is shaping up differently.

Today I spent a couple hours going back and forth with a former special forces interpreter who is in hiding in Kabul, says Plitsas, who is interrupting a family vacation in Italy to be involved with the evacuation effort. His family in another city in Afghanistan, the Taliban came to his house and his family said he wasnt there. They cursed them and called him the son of Biden, and then they were going to slaughter him once they got their hands on him.

The scenes of desperate Afghans crowding the airport have prompted a wave of criticism of the Biden administrations withdrawal. Although the deadline for US forces to exit the country was agreed by former president Donald Trump in a deal struck with the Taliban, Mr Biden has been blamed for a failure to act with urgency to process visas for Afghan allies who would be at risk following a US exit.

JC Hendrickson, a senior director of refugee and asylum policy and advocacy at the International Rescue Committee, which is working with the US to settle the visa applicants, told The Independent on Wednesday: This process certainly should have been started earlier. He added: The urgency on this side of things just doesnt seem like it was there.

Some of the veterans involved in the effort see it as their duty to help their former comrades, even as the US military has prioritised the evacuation of Americans.

The warrior ethos for the US army is that we never leave a fallen comrade. We dont leave anybody on the field of battle  and that includes our interpreters  to be slaughtered, says Plitsas.

I dont think most people realise these interpreters do very important jobs, he adds. They are our eyes and ears and they become like family after a while. I think most of them have seen more combat than the majority of the forces who deployed. They put their lives on the line, they worked right alongside us exposing themselves to the same risk and we have a moral obligation to them.

Heather King, a 39-year-old US air force veteran who served for 9  years, also sees the rescue efforts as a moral obligation.

Were all collectively activating our networks to try to uphold this promise that we as a nation made to the Afghan people, she says.

Were really just trying to fulfil that moral obligation. This isnt about politics for so many of us, this has nothing to do with politics. It is a humanitarian issue, and its at the core of who we are as veterans.

King says part of their efforts is about pushing to rescue Afghans who worked with the US, and not just American citizens. She says that Bidens remarks have focused mostly on Americans, which is simply not good enough.

One of the things that we were really trying to combat is this narrative that the Afghan people dont want to take care of themselves. Thats simply not true. This is the proof of it: there are so many, especially women who have risked their lives and the lives of their children and their families to help US personnel and our efforts in Afghanistan. And they believed in a better Afghanistan, she adds.

King says she and others have been trying to help people navigate the maze of checkpoints and paperwork to get out.

People are afraid. Theyre afraid to leave where they are, or theyre stuck at the gate and they cant get through. Some are getting stuck at that first wall of checkpoints. [The Taliban] are just indiscriminately stopping people and checking people in  some arent making it past there. A lot of people are afraid because they dont know how to get out.

In the midst of their efforts to help their Afghan colleagues, there has also been anger about how this evacuation crisis was allowed to happen. Emir Hadzic, a retired US Marine Corps infantry unit leader, has been working to get the families of two interpreters he worked with out of the country. One of the families spent two days at the airport trying to leave.

Its because of domestic political issues. Politicians no longer have the mettle to do whats right, they do whats politically prudent for their local consumption, he says.

He puts the blame both on Donald Trump, for setting the hasty withdrawal into motion, and for Biden for following through.

He has reversed basically every policy that President Trump had, so why would he decide to fulfil this one? The Taliban had been violating that agreement while they were negotiating it.

The US military has deployed 5,200 troops to Hamid Karzai airport, the Department of Defense said on Thursday. More than 2,000 people have been evacuated from Kabul and arrived at staging areas to be processed, according to Army Major General William D "Hank" Taylor, the Joint Staffs deputy director for regional operations. They added that since the start of the evacuation operation on August 14, the US military has airlifted about 7,000 evacuees. But as of Thursday, many interpreters were still unable to reach the airport. The US military has so far been reluctant to leave the airport in order to retrieve Americans outside of the perimeter in Kabul.

President Biden has said he would extend the deadline of 31 August for the US withdrawal if not all Americans had been evacuated by then. The president is likely to continue to face questions over his administrations handling of the evacuation.

In the twilight of Americas longest war, Plitsas says he sees the rescue of his Afghan friends as a way to achieve some good in a conflict in which there was little.

I think its some form of closure, and getting some tangible goal out of this now its over, he says.

The goal was originally to degrade Al Qaeda and make sure they couldnt attack, then it morphed into going out and counterinsurgency against the Taliban. And now after 20 years of fighting to a stalemate, $2 trillion, 2,500 deaths, the Taliban now control more territory than they did before 9/11. They are armed to the teeth because theyve taken over the stockpiles of weapons that we provided to the Afghan military.

We do take some solace in the fact that it wasnt used as a base of operation to attack the United States or our allies again after 9/11. But other than that, it really makes you question what your contribution was.
Amid an already busy Atlantic hurricane season, Tropical Storm Henri is projected to strengthen into hurricane by Friday.

On Thursday, Henri was located 510 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and less than 800 miles south of Nantucket, Massachusetts. The storm has sustained winds of 70 mph and moving west at 9 mph.

But The National Hurricane Center (NHC) says the storm is likely to make a change in direction on Friday and will move north for the rest of the weekend. The NHC also said the tropical storms swells will reach the US East Coast and Atlantic coast in Canada and could cause life-threatening surf and rip currents.

As Henri strengthens, the NHC said its possible that storm surges, wind, and rain will hit parts of the northeastern US late this weekend or early next week.

"A turn toward the northwest is forecast on Friday, followed by an acceleration toward the north and north-northeast Saturday and Sunday. On the forecast track, the center of Henri will remain well offshore the east coast of the United States over the next couple of days but could approach southeastern New England on Sunday," the NHC said.

There are no evacuation orders for northeastern residents so far.

Henri formed on Monday, joining two other storms barreling through the Atlantic during hurricane season.

On Thursday, Hurricane Grace made landfall near Tulum, Mexico, which is to the south of Cancun. The hurricane brought strong winds and heavy rain to the eastern coast of the Yucatan. Tourists were shuttled to shelters and government officials asked businesses to close temporarily.

Before Hurricane Grace made landfall in Mexico, it brought heavy rains to Haiti just as the country was recovering from a 7.2 magnitude earthquake that killed more than 2,100 people.

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Fred, which made landfall in Floridas panhandle on Monday and left one man dead following a car crash, is expected to bring heavy rainfall to New Hampshire on Thursday.

A United Nations climate report found that the climate crisis is likely to contribute to making hurricanes more powerful and more frequent.
Footage of the devastating aftermath of Tropical Storm Fred showed homes destroyed, abandoned vehicles sunk deep into mud and waterlogged roads in North Carolina on Thursday.

The storm, which caused severe flooding in the western part of the state, left 35 people unaccounted for in Haywood County, which was the most severely impacted area.

Ground, aerial and water rescue crews were continuing their search for those still missing throughout the day, but were expected to pause at nightfall for safety reasons, according to local authorities.

Haywood County NC Government posted a statement on their Facebook page reporting that there had been significant damage to roads and bridges. As many as 15 bridges were damaged or destroyed and six main roads were closed. The statement also said that 10 people were being housed in emergency shelters overnight.

A state of emergency was declared in Haywood County on Tuesday evening before the storm hit, with forecasts warning of heavy rainfall and the potential for landslides, flooding, power outages, infrastructure damage and and unsafe road conditions.

Residents in the regions low-lying areas had been told to evacuate the area and seek higher ground immediately.

Over three days, almost a foot of rain fell in parts of western North Carolina from Fred and earlier heavy rains. The flooding, which was described in a statement released by Governor Roy Coopers office as historic, was greatly worsened by the steep slopes of the mountainous region.

Fred, which was downgraded to a tropical depression and later a post-tropical cyclone, is heading northwards and is predicted to bring heavy rains to Pennsylvania and New York and then move on towards New England.
To visit Kreshos enemies is no easy task. Even to drive into Serb-occupied Croatia, into the Krajina mountains, you need a car with Slovenian registration. Croatian cars, bearing the old Pavelic chequered flag of the new Croatian state on their plates, make the Serbs  that phrase again  very angry. In the Slovenian capital of Ljubljana, I experienced another ex-Yugoslav phenomenon: the need to lie. I was confronted with a document from the hire-car company. It said: I confirm that I am aware of the ban on the use of the rented vehicle in the crisis areas [sic], and I irrevocably undertake to abide by that ban. I signed it with all the audacity of Slobodan Milosevic.

On a balmy Sunday morning, I drove the car south, along the motorway to the front line at Karlovac, with a hitch-hiking Croatian medical student in the back seat. Ivan was one of the wisest men I met in ex-Yugoslavia. His father was a Croat, his mother a Serb. He hated the war, did not intend to fight and still kept in touch with Serb friends. As the hot fields drifted past us, he told me why he thought the war was so cruel. Its lack of education, he said. Yugoslavs were mostly peasants. And even though education was compulsory under Tito, the peasants didnt understand why their children should be sent to school when they could be used as man-power in the fields. Anyway, it was a long way to walk to school. So many children never had an education, never learnt even to read. The villages are cut off from each other by all these mountains and valleys. So the land divided up a people without education.

I dropped Ivan in Karlovac and drove through Krajina, taking the road into Serb-held Bosnia over wild mountains to the village of Grahovo where a young Serb woman hitched a ride and talked of her peasant life, of the war, of all the little things that we reporters miss or do not know or cannot prove. She talked of her own people, the Serbs, as humans rather than as monsters.
The Spanish government has been given until Thursday to show it is not breaking the law by repatriating children to Morocco, in a case which has outraged international human rights groups.

More than 700 minors remain in the care of the local government after 10,000 migrants swam into Ceuta, the Spanish North African enclave, over three days in May.

Last week, the Spanish Interior Ministry made a deal with Morocco to start sending the minors back, repatriating 15 youngsters a day.
Amazon is seemingly no longer mentioning what products people have bought when emailing them order confirmations.

The change was tweeted about by Paul Rosania, a director of product for the workplace messaging app Slack, who noticed it at the end of last month. Some have speculated that this is in order to stop data being scraped by other services in order to gather information about Amazon sales.

Apple blogger and developer John Gruber has hypothesised that this is in order to thwart email-scraping data harvesters from obtaining information about Amazon sales.

Gruber also noted that this is practise done by all sorts of companies and that theres an "entire cottage industry of tools for scraping data that can be given to clients to mark e-commerce trends.

Andrew Chen, who previously worked for Ubers Rider Growth programme, said that while at the ride-calling company they monitored competitor receipt data to estimate which service travellers were calling at airports or for short trips in order to get a better insight into how market share is divided in the ride-calling space.

Recommended Pepper spray sales soar on Amazon amid protests

This information was revealed in more detail in 2017, when email management app Unroll.me was found to be scanning users inboxes for information about Ubers competitor in the US, Lyft. Such news resulted in a backlash against the service as users felt betrayed that the company would examine their inboxes, despite the data being anonymized before being sold.

While such practises are usually disclosed in privacy policies, such legal contracts are read so infrequently that they are essentially useless for the consumer.

Nate Carrier, a product manager a Google who previously worked for Amazon, tweeted that he fought hard to use Google Maps in our product when working at the shopping giant but could not implement such technology because Google would be able to infer device sales.

George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Show all 30 1 /30 George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Police spray mace at protestors to break up a gathering near the Minneapolis Police third precinct after a white police officer was caught on a bystander's video pressing his knee into the neck of African-American man George Floyd, who later died at a hospital, in Minneapolis Reuters George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets A protester holds a sign with an image of George Floyd AP George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Protesters demonstrate against the death of George Floyd AFP via Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets A protester throws a piece of wood on a fire in the street just north of the 3rd Police Precinct Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets People in other US cities also protested the murder, like Los Angeles AFP via Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets AP George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Reuters George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets AFP via Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets AFP via Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets AFP via Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets A police officer lobs a canister to break up crowds Reuters George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets A protester is treated after inhaling tear gas Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Two police officers stand on the roof of the Third Police Precinct during a face off with a group of protesters Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Protesters outside a Minneapolis police precinct two days after George Floyd died EPA George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Protesters run from tear gas Reuters George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets AP George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Demonstrators gather to protest in Los Angeles AP George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Police remove barricades set by protesters AFP via Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets A fire burns inside of an Auto Zone store near the Third Police Precinct Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Flowers, signs and balloons are left near a makeshift memorial to George Floyd near the spot where he died AFP via Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets A policeman faces a protester holding a placard in downtown Los Angeles AFP via Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets A couple poses with a sign in Los Angeles AFP via Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MAY 27: A man is tended to after sustaining an injury from a projectile shot by police outside the 3rd Police Precinct building on May 27, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Four Minneapolis police officers have been fired after a video taken by a bystander was posted on social media showing Floyd's neck being pinned to the ground by an officer as he repeatedly said, "I cant breathe". Floyd was later pronounced dead while in police custody after being transported to Hennepin County Medical Center. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) Stephen Maturen Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets A protester reacts after inhaling tear gas Getty George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Getty Images George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Protesters use shopping carts as a barricade Getty Images George Floyd death: Minneapolis protests erupt in the streets Protesters clash with the police as they demonstrate against the death of George Floyd AFP via Getty Images

While Carrier also said that Google does not, in fact, do this, the company has a questionable history when it comes to securing user data, resulting in the state of Arizona suing the technology giant for confusing privacy controls.

The Independent has reached out to Amazon for clarification.
With plans underway to potentially offer the UK public Covid booster jabs in the coming months, the health secretary Sajid Javid has indicated they could be rolled out along with the annual flu jab drive.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is meeting on Thursday morning to discuss the campaign for people who might really need a third dose of the vaccine.

It comes after the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the US said it plans to start administering booster jabs to all Americans from 20 September.

But what exactly is a booster jab and why might we need them?

What is a booster jab?

A booster jab is an additional dose of a vaccine that was administered before, and gives the immune system a top up to ensure a good level of antibodies are present.

Dr Ashish Srivastava, GP and Medical Director at Gogodoc told the PA news agency: Vaccines contain a weakened form of the disease-causing virus or bacteria, and work by triggering your immune system to attack the foreign organism, like it would if you actually had the disease.

As a result, your immune system is able to remember the disease-causing bacteria or virus, and if youre exposed to it again, your bodys defence cells (antibodies) can recognise and kill the germ before it causes harm.

Boosters are the same vaccine which can be given, weeks, months or even years after the first vaccine in order to boost your immune system with a further weakened form of the virus.

Who will need a booster?

During the early planning stages of the booster programme, the NHS aimed to administer the jabs to more than 30 million of the most vulnerable people in the UK, including all adults aged 50 and above, and anyone over 16 who qualifies for a flu jab.

But according to Professor Adam Finn, a member of the JCVI, it is not yet clear if booster jabs should be reserved only for certain groups of people.

He told BBC Breakfast: I think at this point we need to focus on individuals who are more likely, if you like, to get sick again if theyve not got a booster.

And in fact well be having a JCVI meeting this morning to discuss exactly that. So, trying to identify the people who are really at risk and really need that third dose.

I think its less clear really whether a third dose in a more general way, for sort of all people above a certain age, is really going to make very much difference.

But at this point I think the main message is that the direct protective effects of these vaccines is excellent i.e. if you get the vaccination youre in a much better place in terms of getting sick.

When will Covid boosters be available?

The government has not yet announced when the booster programme will be rolled out, and much depends on the JCVIs decision on who should get the third jab.

Prof Finn said a decision was imminent, but that more evidence was needed.

If the booster programme is rolled out in tandem with the annual flu jab drive, then they will be offered from September and throughout the upcoming winter season.

Are booster jabs needed for holidays?

Maybe. It has been reported that booster jabs might be needed for quarantine-free travel abroad.

A government source told the Mail on Sunday: The assumption is that you will be required to have the most up-to-date health passport.

So if the advice is to have a booster six months after your second jab, then that is what youll need.

Currently, Britons who have received both doses of a Covid vaccine are exempt from quarantine when they return from countries on the UK governments amber travel list. Those who have not yet been vaccinated must isolate for 10 days when they return.

But Austria and Croatia have set an expiry date on vaccination statuses, meaning tourists are only considered immune to Covid-19 for 270 days after a second jab. Without confirmed plans for booster jabs, UK travellers who were double-vaccinated in March 2021 could lose their right to visit these countries as early as November 2021.

No other EU countries have yet announced such deadlines for vaccination statuses.
A debate between Americans and people from the UK on what is an acceptable journey to make by foot has been sparked on Reddit after a podcast described a 30-minute journey as a short walk.

In a post to the online forum, a user (indymom810) said she couldnt fathom walking that far in the US, and asked, do people really walk this much in the UK?

I was listening to an ITV true-crime podcast yesterday, and the person said it was a short walk home, about thirty minutes.

Is that really considered to be a short walk home? I cant fathom walking that far in the US and considering it anything Id do just to get home. Do people walk that much in the UK?, the post said.

As expected, the question  which has already received almost 6,000 comments since being posted on Thursday, 19 August  has been inundated with arguments from both Americans and people from the UK on whether walking for 30 minutes is acceptable.

One person from the UK wasnt sure if the user was joking or not, writing: 30 minutes is only a mile and a half, youre joking arent you? I take my dog [on] longer walks.

Clarifying that her question was serious, the user said, most of the US just isnt set up for walking.

No sidewalks, crazy drivers, plus just distance. Americans dont walk. Also, where I am in Indiana, there is no mass transit. Indianapolis has it, but its scarce and quite unreliable. We drive everywhere. As in, everywhere, she said.

Another user in the comments said walking was seen as so abnormal in many US states that if you do decide to travel by foot, police may stop you to ask if everything is okay.

One person from the UK said they regularly take half-an-hour walks despite considering themselves unfit and lazy.

I have a car and I live in London with buses and trains every few minutes. A 30-minute walk is nothing, I wouldnt even think twice about it, they said.

In 2017, a study by Stanford University found that the average American walked approximately 4,700 steps a day, roughly 1,200 steps less than the average in the UK.

Researchers found a link between activity and environment, finding that those who lived in more walkable areas walked more.

Its really quite significantly impacted by where you live and how easy your environment makes it for you to be active, Tim Althoff, lead author of the study, Large-scale physical activity data reveal worldwide activity inequality, told Health.
When it comes to trends in the home, its safe to say the past 18 months have revolved around desks and workstations  but what next?

As we move into the latter half of 2021, interiors look set to take a softly, softly approach, with a renewed focus on wellbeing and versatility, says Amanda Pollard, senior editor for home renovation and design platform, Houzz co.uk.

To get a feel for what the future holds, Pollard shares whats popular, and which of these trends design professionals in the Houzz community predict youll be seeing more of in the coming months

1. Goodbye open-plan

(Holly Marder/Houzz/PA)

As homes have worked harder than ever over the last year, renovators are searching for stylish ways to divide up space for multiple uses, says Pollard. Fewer homeowners have been searching for open plan living on Houzz this year.

(Cuckooland/PA)

Dutchbone Rumour Room Divider, 197.10 (was 219), Cuckooland

Instead, as people search for ways to find a balance between separation and connection, search terms like internal glass door, room dividers and pocket door have seen a rise in interest (up by 109%, 29% and 15% respectively during 2021, compared to 2020).

2. Spathrooms

Camilla Ropers/Houzz/PA

Bathrooms were already taking a step away from the classic, functional white space, with homeowners making bolder decisions for their wash spaces in recent years. However, 2021 is definitely the year of the spathroom, says Pollard, with homeowners creating spaces that are perfect for a little rest and relaxation.

(Porcelain Superstore/PA)

Contemporary and chic, these large format tiles mirror precious stones, especially with threads of gold and a shiny surface. Savoy Oro Porcelain Tiles, 73.44 per box (1 box will cover 1.44 metres square), Porcelain Superstore

To create a zen atmosphere, designers are turning to tactile natural materials, with stone, marble and wood all featuring heavily, as well as plenty of plants. Were even seeing luxurious steam showers, deep Japanese-style soaking baths and smart bathrooms cropping up in the most popular photos.

3. Utilizing unused space

(Camilla Stephens/Houzz/PA)

As homes take on more tasks, its perhaps not surprising homeowners have been making sure theyre using every inch of theirs. Loft conversion saw a massive 107% increase in searches during the first half of the year, compared to the same period in 2020, Pollard notes.

(Woodchip & Magnolia/PA)

An added bonus, loft conversions lend themselves perfectly to decorative wallpaper, which accentuates the height and makes a real feature of the eaves. Wisteria in Latte/Slate, 120 per roll, Woodchip & Magnolia

A multifunctional space, Pollard says the surge in using up all possible space is happening for a variety of reasons, whether its to create a home office, zen relaxation space, playroom or even a guest room that can be called on for any self-isolation needs.

4. Comforting colours, earthy tones and tactile textures

Over the past year, many of us have sought solace in the outdoors, and were seeing this translate into design trends, with homeowners favouring shades and materials we associate with the natural world, adds Pollard. Comforting colours such as nudes, beiges and browns are a staple in many of the new featured photos, as well as textures like boucle.

(Cult Furniture/PA)

Effie Armchair, Ivory White Boucle & Brass, from 349, Cult Furniture

Green is also having a moment, particularly in the kitchen, overtaking blue as the hue of choice. Its not just the kitchen getting the green treatment though, as the search terms green bathroom, green living room and green bedroom have increased in popularity since 2020, adds Pollard.

(COAT Paints/PA)

COATs newest collaboration with Dan Lovatt features a limited-edition paint colour with muted undertones in a grubby greyish green, available in a range of COATs paint finishes, suitable for indoors and outdoor use.

COAT Paints x Dan Lovatt Darlington Green (Flat Matt, 40 for 2.5L, COAT Paints) works like a dream with neutral accents to channel the mid-century vibe, which is all about reviving old classics  also trending big time.

(Rachel Loewen/Houzz/PA)

5. Panelled surfaces

(Rachel Loewen/Houzz/PA)

Panelling has become more and more popular, up by 48% in searches this year  and within the most saved photos on the platform, were seeing walls adorned with a variety of styles.

Surprisingly versatile, Pollard says theres a style to suit any room or home, from subtle shiplap, traditional shaker styles, or more modern linear cladding designs. Also, interior designers report a rise in enquiries requesting panelling, especially for bedrooms and hallways.

6. Curves and fluting

(Luca Girardini/Houzz/PA)

With a move towards a more comforting aesthetic, curved and fluted designs are rising in popularity, with designers and architects on Houzz using them to add softness to spaces otherwise filled with hard surfaces.

(JD Williams/PA)

Pair of Klara Dining Chairs, Blush Oak-Effect, 149 (other items from a selection), JD Williams

Pollard also says archways, rounded furniture and curved kitchen islands all feature heavily within the most popular photos on Houzz this year.

7. Outdoor living rooms

(CM Glover/Houzz/PA)

Where 2020 saw an interest in grow-your-own and gardening tasks, this year its all about creating a relaxing outdoor room, with spaces set up for cooking, dining, relaxing and socialising, notes Pollard. Recent photos uploaded to Houzz feature cosy garden seating areas, kitted out with rugs, comfortable sofas, layered cushions and heaters.

Last but not least, Pollard says landscape designers are seeing a spike in enquiries (up by 116% in January versus the same period last year), and report clients are looking to their garden as an extension of their living space to use it into the evening and cooler months. Were happy to say, the futures looking bright and beautiful.
Mastercard is facing the UKs biggest class action trial over its payment fees after a court approved a 10bn lawsuit on behalf of 46 million consumers.

The Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT), which previously rejected the lawsuit, on Wednesday authorised the landmark case, brought by former financial ombudsman Walter Merricks.

It is alleged Mastercard charged excessive interchange fees  the fees retailers pay credit card companies when consumers use a card to shop  between May 1992 and June 2008 and that those fees were passed on to consumers as retailers raised prices.

Mr Merrickss case is being brought on behalf of all people aged 16 and over who bought goods and services from a UK business that accepted Mastercard between these dates, unless they opt out of the lawsuit.

He had hoped to expand the scope of the case to include the estates of the deceased and compound interest to the claim but this was rejected by judges.

Mastercard said this reduced the claims size to around 10bn  but Mr Merrickss team argued the claim was much higher and closer to 15bn.

If successful, 46 million consumers could be entitled to about 300 each.

It is hoped the decision to finally authorise the five-year case as a collective action will establish a standard for a string of other proposed class actions that have been stalled in its wake.

Mr Merricks said in a statement: Mastercard has thrown everything at trying to prevent this claim going forward, but today its efforts have failed. The tribunals ruling heralds the start of an era of consumer-focused class actions which will help to hold big business to account in areas that really matter.

Mastercard said the spurious claim was being driven by lawyers and backed by organisations primarily focused on making money for themselves.

The company added in a statement: The decision today reduces the value of this spurious claim by more than 35 per cent.

Mastercard is confident that over the coming months a review of key facts will further significantly reduce the size and viability of the claim.

Additional reporting by Reuters
As more large school districts defy Florida s ban on strict mask mandates, worries that rapidly spreading infections could force them to close classrooms are no longer theoretical: Thousands of schoolchildren are already being sent home, only days after their school year began.

Children  particularly those too young to get vaccinated against Covid-19  are really good at transmitting the coronavirus, said Dr. J. Stacey Klutts, a special assistant to the national director of pathology and lab medicine for the entire Veterans Affairs system.

Klutts said the highly contagious delta variant makes it absolutely necessary to wear masks indoors and avoid large group gatherings, so if unprotected students sit for hours in classrooms every day, it could rapidly spread infection in the community at large.

Its terrifying. Im afraid that were going to have a lot of really sick kids in addition to the spread which is going to be a lot of sick adults, Klutts said.

School boards in Palm Beach, Miami-Dade and Hillsborough counties voted Wednesday to join Broward and Alachua in requiring students to wear facial coverings unless they get a doctor's note. With Orange County still allowing an easy parental opt-out, four of Florida's five largest districts are now defying Gov. Ron DeSantis' ban on strict mask mandates.

Students began their school year in Palm Beach County on Aug. 10 with a parental opt-out policy that allowed more than 10,000 children to attend classes without masks. The board reversed course after seeing the numbers: After just one week, 734 students and 112 employees had confirmed infections, and more than 1,700 students had been sent home home, Interim Superintendent Michael Burke said.

Hillsborough, which also began its school year last week, also changed its policy during an emergency meeting Wednesday after tallying 2,058 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and sending more than 10,000 students into isolation due to infection or quarantine due to exposure.

Statewide, Florida reported 23,335 new Covid-19 infections for Tuesday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services dashboard reported 17,096 hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients.

DeSantis, a Republican, also is in an escalating power struggle with the Democratic White House. After President Joe Biden ordered possible legal action Wednesday, the U.S. Education Department raised the possibility of using its civil rights arm against Florida and other Republican-led states that have blocked public health measures meant to protect students.

Some state governments have adopted policies and laws that interfere with the ability of schools and districts to keep our children safe during in-person learning, Biden's executive order said.

Issuing his own executive order last month, DeSantis said Florida must protect parents right to make decisions regarding masking of their children, and he tasked the state education commissioner with finding ways to make districts comply, including withholding state funds.

Earlier this year, DeSantis also signed a law barring government entities or any other institution from infringing on parental rights to direct the upbringing, education, health care and mental health of their children without demonstrating that such action is reasonable, necessary and narrowly tailored.

The forced masking of schoolchildren infringes upon parents rights to make health and educational decisions for their own children," the governor's spokeswoman, Christina Pushaw, said Wednesday. Politicians, including those on school boards, are not above the law, she added.

I am not on the board for political partisanship, said Nadia Combs, who sponsored the mask policy in Hillsborough County. We have to keep our schools open. That is my goal.

____

Associated Press Writers Terry Spencer in Fort Lauderdale and Curt Anderson in St. Petersburg contributed to this report. Gomez Licon reported from Miami.

Follow APs coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic.
A 13-day hunger strike by former Nepalese Gurkha soldiers came to an end Thursday after the British government agreed to enter talks with the Nepalese Embassy over equal pensions for veterans.

The agreement came a day after one of the veterans, 60-year-old Dhan Gurung, was admitted to the hospital with heart problems.

Gurkha soldiers, who are recruited from Nepal, have served the British Army for more than 200 years, including during both world wars and most recently in Afghanistan They have a reputation as hard and loyal fighters, and are known for the trademark curved kukri blades they carry sheathed on their belts.

The hunger strikers were part of a group of protesters calling for equal pensions for Gurkhas who retired before 1997 and are not eligible for a full British armed forces pension.

Our primary concern is always the health and welfare of our serving personnel and veterans, and this strike was not a course of action we encouraged," the Ministry of Defense said in a statement.

We look forward to meeting with the group next month alongside the Nepali ambassador to move forward together," the ministry added.

The Gurkha Equal Rights campaign group said in a tweet that the hunger strike has been called off after 13 days of fast unto death.
A blanket of fog hanging before him, Lachlan Culican saddled up his horse one autumn morning and set off into the remote high country of southern Australia to find two campers gone missing.

Arriving at the grassy plain where they had pitched their tent, Culican was taken aback by what he saw. The campsite was burned to the ground, with the campers charred belongings heaped in a pile. Deer carcasses were strewn about the valley. The campers were nowhere to be found.

There was nothing natural about it, said Culican, a 26-year-old cattle herder.

More than a year later, the disappearance of the campers, Russell Hill and Carol Clay, both in their seventies, remains unsolved. Speculation has swirled. Was it a fatal run-in with illegal deer hunters? A ruse so the campers, who were not married to each other, could run away together?

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Around campfires, tall tales have blossomed in the absence of answers. Often, they revolve around a local recluse, known as the Button Man, who dwells in woods near the campsite and spends his time carving buttons out of antlers.

There is no evidence that the Button Man had anything to do with the disappearances or ever saw Hill and Clay at their campsite. Nonetheless, his mere presence in this forbidding terrain has captured the national imagination  the embodiment, in a vast country, of the strange allure and abiding fear of places so distant, they can swallow people up without a sound.

Campsite of Russell Hill and Carol Clay (Victoria Police)

The rumours and stories, both about the Button Man and the missing campers, reflect an innate desire to find explanations for the inexplicable. But for a century and beyond, these mountains, more than most places, have held their secrets tightly.

A String of Misfortune

The cattlemen who once roamed the rugged country stretching hundreds of miles northeast of Melbourne say it is an easy place to disappear if you are not careful, or if you want to.

An escapee from a psychiatric ward who had homicidal tendencies was spotted around the area where Meyer had vanished

Dingoes prowl the land, howling in the black of night. Clear skies can turn to snow in a blink, even in summer. Most of the landscape is accessible only by horse or four-wheel drive in the warmer months and not at all in the winter.

Its remote and beautiful and unpredictable, says Graeme Stoney, 81, a local cattleman. It creates its own legends and its own mysteries.

Within this wilderness, a string of hikers and campers have met a fate similar to Hills and Clays in recent years.

In 2008, Warren Meyer, 57, an experienced hiker, set out on a relatively easy six-mile walk in a national park on a warm fall day and was never seen again.

Russell Hill and Carol Clay, missing (Victoria Police)

Potential clues accumulated. An escapee from a psychiatric ward who had homicidal tendencies was spotted around the area where Meyer had vanished. Some people in the area reported hearing gunfire within the same period. During a search, a marijuana plantation was uncovered. But Meyers disappearance has never been solved.

Three years later, the head of a Melbourne prison, David Prideaux, 50, went missing while hunting deer in the mountains. Some speculated that his disappearance might be related to a prison killing of a gangland leader under his watch. For years afterwards, supposed sightings of Prideaux were reported around the country.

In July 2019, Conrad Whitlock, 72, inexplicably left his house at 3AM one morning and drove to the high country. When the police later found his car abandoned on the side of the road, his jacket, phone and wallet were all present. But he was not.

Three months later, Niels Becker, an avid bush walker, vanished in the middle of a five-day hike. He had trained for months for the outing, which was timed for his 39th birthday.

And then, in March 2020, Hill and Clay set out for what they had told their families would be a week-long camping trip  although they had not mentioned that they would be going together.

Car of Conrad Whitlock (Victoria Police)

Once they arrived at their campsite, in a wide valley nestled between snow-capped mountains, Hill, an amateur radio enthusiast, dialled in to let fellow hobbyists know where he was.

That was the last time anyone heard from either of them.

The bush is very unforgiving, Greg Paul, a senior police officer, said at a news conference last year after Hill and Clay disappeared.

The police do not believe that any of the cases are linked. But that has not stopped people from wondering.

Its an extraordinary coincidence that this many people have gone missing, Stoney, the cattleman, says, but you would hope theyve all just misstepped and nothing else is involved.

The original case

One mystery in this land of secrets has outlasted all the rest and still haunts local residents, many of whom are descendants of the chief protagonists.

It involves a double murder that took place 103 years ago.

That sweltering summer, the body of Jim Barclay, 48, was found in a shallow grave not far from the cattle station he managed. Suspicion immediately fell on the only other person who lived there, John Bamford, who cooked for Barclay. But Bamford could not be questioned by authorities, because he had vanished, only to turn up dead nine months later, a bullet lodged in his skull.

No one has ever been charged with the murders. The most common theory is that Barclay was killed by Bamford, who was, in turn, shot by a friend of Barclays in revenge. But people also speculate about an affair that Barclay was rumoured to be having. Others say the two men could have had an altercation with cattle thieves.

Map of Wonnangatta County from 1884, where people have gone missing (National Library of Australia)

Around the valley, the grandchildren of people directly or indirectly involved in the case are now in their seventies and eighties. Each family has passed down its own version of events, and they often contradict each other or the official record.

Theres been many, many accusations from many families, and many names tarnished, says Keith Leydon, a historian who wrote a book about the murders.

The prevailing sentiment is that the whole affair is best left with the ghosts.

You try to ask a mountain cattleman, and hell say, We dont talk about it up here, Leydon says.

One of those men is Rob Choppy Purcell, now retired. His silhouette  one of four men on horseback  is on the logo of the local pub in the town of Merrijig, at the base of the mountains. Its also on his beer koozie.

Lots of people have written books about the area, but they dont know what theyre talking about, Purcell says.

A lone hiker in the Victorian alps, 1920s (Robert Wilkinson/National Library of Australia)

He spoke with the conviction of someone who knows more than the official record. But he was not willing to divulge details  not to outsiders.

Bruce McCormack, 63, whose family was one of the first to settle in the area, told the story of how his grandfather, a good friend of one of the slain men, went down to the valley to investigate not long after the murders. He stayed there for three months, McCormack says, and his message when he returned was, Justice was done, and leave it alone.

Theres people who know more, but theyre all dying, McCormack added, and Im not saying too much more either.

A man of legend

More than 100 years after the murders, as local residents again try to make sense of the death of two people in uncertain circumstances, a new set of tales blurring the line between truth and urban legend have emerged.

These stories centre on the Button Man.

In the light of day, the cattlemen who know the valley best see its mysteries as nothing more than individual cases of bad luck strung together by coincidence

Locals emphasise that they do not actually think that the bush-inhabiting recluse, whose real name is unknown, had anything to do with the disappearances of Hill and Clay. There is no indication that the police consider him a person of interest.

But his name first became linked to the case because he had reportedly told the police that he had encountered Becker, the hiker who vanished five months before Hill and Clay.

With little else to explain the disappearances, attention has focused on the Button Man. It is almost assuredly unwelcome. Locals, who say visitors now come to the mountains hoping for a run-in with the man of legend, worry about his safety.

Niels Becker, who went missing in 2019 around his 39th birthday (Victoria Police)

Campers and hikers say the Button Man appears out of the woods without a sound. Sometimes, he has a nice chat with them. Other times, he seems agitated and grills them about what they are doing.

In some of the stories told by those who have encountered him, he asks, Do you want to see my button collection? or, occasionally, Do you want to see my axe collection?

There are other stories less frequently told: People who know him better refer to him by the friendlier moniker Buttons. He is rumoured to be helping a university collect data about the high country and to be living in Melbourne during the winter.

Those who see Buttons coming through Mansfield, the regional hub where campers often stock up before heading farther into the mountains, say he is friendly and polite as he stops to get his car fixed or grab a bite to eat.

But many also joke to hikers before they set out into the valley, Be careful of the Button Man!

Its just become a tall story told around campfires, a local resident, Ben Large, says from behind the counter of the Mansfield bike shop.

Old hut in Victorian alps, approximately 1920 (Robert Wilkinson/National Library of Australia)

In the light of day, the cattlemen who know the valley best see its mysteries as nothing more than individual cases of bad luck strung together by coincidence.

But when pressed, they are reluctant to completely rule out the possibility that there is something else going on. They share other stories of the mountains: a hulking hairy creature that visits campers in the darkness, hikers who find photos of themselves on their cameras, taken by an unknown hand.

It is easy to imagine that something could be lurking in the bush when night falls, fog covers the mountains and the tree branches scraping against roofs sound like something alive.

Darkness plays funny games, says Charlie Lovick, 71, a local farmer who finds new homes for retired racehorses. Thats why you keep the fire going all night.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times
An Olympic athlete from Poland auctioned her silver medal from the Tokyo Games to raise money for a life-saving operation for an infant boy, and then was told by the buyer that she could keep her prize.

Maria Andrejczyk, a 25-year-old javelin thrower who overcame bone cancer and a shoulder injury to compete at this years Olympics, said she decided to auction her medal to help the boy knowing how much she had to fight against adversity and pain.

The money is for Milosz Malysa, an infant with a heart defect whose family has been raising funds for him to be operated on in the United States Miloszs parents posted last week that the boy was at risk of dying soon without the surgery.

Zabka, a popular convenience store chain in Poland, bid 200,000 zlotys ($51,000) but said it would let the athlete keep her medal.

We were moved by the beautiful and extremely noble gesture of our Olympian, Zabka said.

Fans have contributed an additional 300,000 ($76,500) to help the boy.

Even before the winning bid was made, the authorities in Andrejczyks community in Poland said they were prepared to make her a replica of the medal.

___

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Russias top diplomat assured his Libyan counterpart Thursday that Moscow supports the withdrawal of all foreign fighters from the North African country and is prepared to help work out the details with other countries.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said after the talks in Moscow with Najla Mangoush that the Libyan leadership is forming a consultative mechanism ... to formulate the concrete parameters under which the foreign forces will leave.

Russia was among the foreign powers backing the warring sides in Libyas conflict, with some officials and media reports alleging that Russian private military contractors took part in the fighting.

"We will be prepared to constructively take part in this work alongside other countries, Lavrov told a press conference.

The Libyan foreign minister said her government considers the issue of withdrawing foreign fighters important and a priority, but stressed that it should be done gradually and in a synchronized manner."

That's why working out implementation mechanisms is necessary," Mangoush said. "Such decisions are aimed to avoid repeating (the) negative lessons of some of our neighbors, to avoid an ill-considered withdrawal of troops and to avoid sliding into chaos, so that the national security of Libya doesn't suffer in the end.

Libya has been wracked by chaos since a NATO-backed uprising toppled longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi in 2011, and split the country between a U.N.-supported government in the capital, Tripoli and rival authorities loyal to commander Khalifa Hifter in the east. Each were backed by different armed groups and foreign governments.

In April 2019, Hifter launched a military offensive to capture the capital. His campaign was backed by Egypt, the UAE, Russia and France, while his rivals had the support of Turkey, Qatar and Italy

Hifters march on Tripoli ultimately failed in June 2020. Subsequent U.N.-sponsored peace talks brought about a cease-fire and installed an interim government thats expected to lead the country into general elections in December.

The U.N. estimated in December that there were at least 20,000 foreign fighters and mercenaries in Libya, including Syrians, Russians, Sudanese and Chadians.

Last month, U.N. Special Envoy to Libya Jan Kubis said that factions starting the withdrawal of all foreign fighters from the country would be a major step for Libya.
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is initially more effective against the Delta coronavirus variant than the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab, but this protection then declines at a quicker rate, new research has shown.

Scientists from the University of Oxford have confirmed that the general performance of the two jabs is diminished by Delta, compared to the previously dominant Alpha variant, with vaccinated people likely to pass the virus on to others.

However, two doses of either jab still provides at least the same level of protection acquired through natural infection, and there is not yet clear evidence to suggest that the vaccines are failing to keep people infected with Delta out of hospital.

There appears to be little change in the effectiveness of the AstraZeneca vaccine three months after a second dose, according to the study. In contrast, there is a clear decline in protection provided by the Pfizer jab over this same timeframe.

The results, which have not yet been peer reviewed, suggest that after five months the effectiveness of these two vaccines would be similar, the researchers said.

Even with these slight declines in protection against all infections and infections with high viral burden, its important to note that overall effectiveness is still very high because we were starting at such a high level of protection, said Dr Koen Pouwels, a senior researcher at the University of Oxfords Nuffield Department of Population Health.

The study, conducted in partnership with the Office of National Statistics (ONS) and the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC), looked at data between December 2020 and August 2021 from the Covid-19 Infection Survey.

Swab tests from more than 700,000 participants were analysed from before and after 17 May 2021, when Delta became the main variant in the UK.

Analysis revealed that for infections with a high viral load, protection a month after the second Pfizer dose was 90 per cent greater than an unvaccinated individual, reducing to 85 per cent after two months and 78 per cent after three.

For AstraZeneca, the equivalent protection was 67, 65 and 61 per cent, the researchers said.

Dr Pouwels said that the team can be confident that the numbers really represent a decline for the Pfizer vaccine, whereas for AstraZeneca the differences are compatible with chance, that is there could be no change at all in the protection from AZ.

The findings also suggest that those infected with the Delta variant after their second jab had similar peak levels of virus to unvaccinated people.

Sarah Walker, a professor of medical statistics at Oxford and chief study investigator, said it was unclear how much transmission can happen from people who are infected with Delta after being fully vaccinated.

But the fact that they can have high levels of virus suggests that people who arent yet vaccinated may not be as protected from the Delta variant as we hoped. This means it is essential for as many people as possible to get vaccinated  both in the UK and worldwide.

Both scientists stressed that the studys results do not offer any indication on vaccine protection levels against severe disease and hospitalisation.

It did suggest, though, that the time between doses did not affect effectiveness in preventing new infections, and that younger people (aged 18-34) had more protection from vaccination than older age groups (35 to 64-year-olds).

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 24 August 2021 A demonstrator dressed as bee during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion on Whitehall, in central London PA UK news in pictures 23 August 2021 Former interpreters for the British forces in Afghanistan demonstrate outside the Home Office in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 22 August 2021 Police officers form a line in front of the entrance to the Guildhall, London, where protesters have climbed onto a ledge above the entrance during an Extinction Rebellion stage a protest PA UK news in pictures 21 August 2021 People take part in a demonstration in solidarity with people of Afghanistan, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 20 August 2021 People zip wire across the sea from Bournemouth pier towards the beach. 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The research also found that a single dose of the Moderna vaccine had similar or greater effectiveness against the Delta variant as single doses of the other vaccines, but the scientists added that they did not yet have any data on second doses of the US-made jab.

Dr Alexander Edwards, associate professor in Biomedical Technology at the University of Reading, who was not involved in the study, said: Overall this study is excellent as it shows that although Delta is better at infecting vaccinated people than previous variants, the vaccines still work remarkably well.

There are subtle differences - between different vaccine types, and some changes over time - but they all work brilliantly.
Around 40,000 worth of gold jewellery was stolen from a London house in Cheam, police have said.

The Metropolitan Police were called to a residence on Wrayfield Road in the borough of Sutton on 11 August at 10pm to reports of a burglary.

They believe that the cache of gold jewelry was stolen between 1pm and 9.45pm while the occupants of the house were out.

From evidence at the scene, police determined that the burglar broke in through the back door, damaging the property, before escaping with the 40,000 haul of jewellery.

Officers have examined local CCTV footage and canvassed neighbours for any additional information. They have now released photographs of some of the jewellery that was stolen, including a number of ornate gold necklaces and bracelets.

Police are also appealing to the public for any information on the theft.

PC Luca Giannotta, from the local policing team that covers Cheam, said: While these items are of significant monetary value, they also have a great sentimental value to the victims, who are desperate for the items to be returned.

Im asking anyone in the area who has been offered the opportunity to buy such jewellery to contact the police immediately.

Anyone with knowledge of the theft is asked to call police on 101 quoting CAD 7696/11Aug. Those wishing to report anonymously are urged to do so by calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
The new Afghan resettlement scheme announced by the Home Office has been branded confusing and deeply disingenuous after it emerged most people fleeing the Taliban will not be able to access it.

The prime minister announced on Wednesday that the UK would resettle up to 5,000 people from Afghanistan this year under one of the most generous resettlement schemes in our countrys history.

Boris Johnson said the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme, introduced in response to the unfolding humanitarian crisis in the country, would welcome up to a total of 20,000 in the long-term.

But organisations that facilitate refugee resettlement have warned there is confusion in the way the scheme has been presented because, in reality, most Afghans who are internally displaced or face threats of persecution from the Taliban will not be able to access it.

Refugee resettlement can take place only once people have left their country of origin. The vast majority of Afghans who have fled their homes in recent weeks  about 300,000  are currently displaced within Afghanistan. It is unclear whether they will be able to cross to neighbouring countries such as Pakistan and Iran.

The UNHCR, which aids refugee resettlement globally  yet was not made aware of the scheme until it was publicly announced  told The Independent that it would not be possible to resettle people from within Afghanistan and said there was confusion in the Home Offices plan.

Laura Padoan, the UK spokesperson for the organisation, said: We welcome the scheme but would like to see further details on what exactly it means. At the moment, there is some confusion between the terms relocation, evacuation and resettlement. We would welcome clarity from the government on the details of the new scheme for Afghans.

To be resettled, you have to have crossed the border and be a refugee. Theres a lot of confusion in that statement [the UK government] put out. Theyre confusing evacuation  which is what theyre doing when theyre taking out interpreters and British nationals  and resettlement.

Ms Padoan also expressed concern that the UK might turn its back on other refugees around the world, such as Syrians and the Rohingya people, as a result of the new programme given that the Home Office has no wider numerical commitment on refugee resettlement.

We would like to see this Afghan programme in addition to a more general programme pledge on resettlement. There are still very many people living in refugee camps in dire situations. We cant turn our backs on those people, she said.

Tim Naor Hilton, the chief executive of Refugee Action, said that while the scheme was welcomed, it would be deeply disingenuous of the government to claim that any resettlement scheme would protect those trapped in Afghanistan right now.

The reality is that formal resettlement schemes take time to process and would focus exclusively on those who have already fled the country. Such schemes play an essential role in any humanitarian response to ongoing conflict, but they are not a silver bullet, he said.

The Home Office has said the new scheme is modelled on the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme (VPRS), which resettled 20,000 Syrian refugees between 2014 and 2021.

But Mr Hilton pointed out that the situation in Afghanistan was completely different because the Syrian conflict had started five years earlier, and many people were already living in refugee camps in neighbouring countries, whereas most people needing help in Afghanistan are not yet refugees.

He said that in addition to the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme, ministers should match the radical compassion of the public mood and consider creating a humanitarian evacuation programme that could take tens of thousands directly from the crisis as soon as possible.

The government cannot artificially fit their response to one crisis onto another. Extraordinary action is needed in times of extraordinary crisis, he added.

Jeff Crisp, a researcher at Oxford Universitys refugee studies centre and a former senior UNHCR official, echoed these concerns, saying the way the scheme was being presented was highly disingenuous in terms of its size, timeframe and the limited access for at-risk Afghans who are unable to leave the country.

Unless the Taliban allows safe passage to the airport or allow the establishment of humanitarian corridors to Pakistan and other neighbours, its not clear how people in Afghanistan would be able to access the resettlement programme, he added.

Speaking in the House of Commons on Wednesday, Tory MP and former immigration minister Caroline Nokes said detail is missing from the resettlement plans and that her big worry was how are we going to bring people to safety in the time that weve been given.

She added: I lived for 18 months the VPRS scheme, and I know the complexities and the difficulties with it  on occasion pettifogging bureaucracy, how hard it is to get the referrals, to make sure you have the right vulnerabilities identified.

It is difficult to work on the ground when people are in camps and are all in one place. The women of Afghanistan are not in one place  they are in hiding, they dont necessarily have the documentation they need to find routes to safety. And what are those routes? We need to know as a matter of urgency.

It comes after The Independent on Wednesday backed a call for the government to be far more ambitious in its plan to resettle those at risk of losing their lives amid the Taliban takeover after western troops withdrew.

Our Refugees Welcome campaign, originally launched during the 2015 migrant crisis, calls for the government to offer sanctuary to as many Afghans as possible and for local authorities and charities devoted to their welfare to be given the strongest of support.

The Home Office has been approached for comment.
A five-year-old boy who fell to his death from a hotel window in Sheffield has been identified as Mohammed Munib Majeedi, an Afghan refugee whose family recently fled the Taliban, South Yorkshire Police said.

The force added the child was formally identified by his family, who are currently being supported by family liaison officers.

It follows nationwide speculation about the incident, which took place at Sheffields OYO Metropolitan hotel in Blonk Street at around 2.30pm on Wednesday.

South Yorkshire Police swiftly appealed for information after it was reported that the boy had fallen from the hotels ninth floor.

Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said: This a terrible tragedy and our thoughts are with the family who have gone through so much trauma and suffering to reach the UK.

He also called on the Home Office to carry out an urgent investigation into what has happened so steps can be taken to quickly learn lessons.

We dont know the details of the incident but it is imperative that families who come from Afghanistan are given all the support they need and housed in appropriate accommodation. They are vulnerable and often very traumatised, Mr Solomon added.

Earlier, a member of the citys Afghan Community Association, who gave his name as Zabi, told the PA news agency that the situation was very sad and that members of the community were working to help the family.

It has been reported that the hotel was being used to accommodate Afghan refugees who had assisted the British authorities in their home country.

They came here to save their lives and now this has happened. It is so sad, a fellow refugee staying at the hotel told YorkshireLive, adding that the boy had arrived in the city four days ago.

Police have appealed for any witnesses or anyone who has information on the incident to contact them on 101, using the incident number 489 of 18 August, or report via the forces online portal.

Sheffield City Council confirmed earlier this week that it was supporting the Home Offices Relocation Scheme to help people who supported UK troops in Afghanistan and now find their lives at risk due to the Talibans takeover of the country.

Alison Teal, a Green Party member on the councils executive, was recently quoted as saying that Sheffield was a city of sanctuary for refugees from Afghanistan. There is an ongoing police investigation and we are advised we cannot make any comments, Ms Teal said on Thursday, before adding that it was a really tragic story.

On Wednesday, Boris Johnson announced that the UK would resettle up to 5,000 people from Afghanistan this year, with a total of up to 20,000 people being welcomed to the country in the long term.

It came as former Tory immigration minister Caroline Nokes warned that the UK had a duty to help people trapped in Afghanistan due to the British governments role in the 2001 invasion of the country.

For 20 years, we have sought to help the people of Afghanistan, to liberate them from a terrible oppressive regime, Ms Nokes told BBC Radio 4.

We have worked alongside them, we have encouraged them to take up elected office, to play roles in society that they would not previously have done so.

Meanwhile, former Tory defence minister Tobias Ellwood told the news website PoliticsHome that the number of people allowed to resettle in the UK should be at least in the tens of thousands.

All the countries that were involved have a duty and an obligation to provide safe haven, given where weve left the country, Mr Ellwood said.

Additional reporting by PA
A British businessman has paid tribute to the German troops who helped him flee Afghanistan after the Taliban took over Kabul.

The man, who declined to be named for security reasons, was stranded at the airport for two days without food or water before finally being ushered onto the plane that brought him to safety.

After arriving in Frankfurt, he thanked the German air force for doing a tremendous job at the airport which he said had fallen to chaos, with shots fired and tear gas flying all around.

Footage from Kabul airport on the day the Taliban took over shows hundreds of Afghan people desperately trying to board planes to escape the new regime. One image shows more than 600 men, women and children crammed into a single US air force plane.

The Briton passed gridlocked traffic with tanks queuing behind cars on his way to the airport, where he says he was directed towards US and German troops.

"It took me a good few hours to get myself close to the gate and shout out that I am British and please get me out of here," he said.

"There was chaos and they had guns; they were shooting. Tear gas was just flying all around and then one of them just got me inside and I was in tears, honestly."

The man shot video inside the terminal which shows a group of men struggling over a vending machine and taking its contents.

"They looted the airport and the terminal, they broke everything that was in there: computers, the canteens and we were scared, he said.

We were not allowed to go out because Taliban was there and on this side it was the American troops. So we were like, what are we going to do? Just stay here!"

German soldiers talk to evacuees upon arrival from Kabul on board a German air force plane at Tashkent airport, Uzbekistan (EPA)

After being greeted by the German troops, the Briton flew to Frankfurt via Tashkent on an Uzbekistan Airways flight. Others still await their escape: reports suggest 4,000 Britons and allies have been attempting to flee Kabul in the days since the Talibans takeover.

Recommended Chaotic scenes at Kabul airport as thousands try to flee Afghanistan

There have also been harrowing scenes of Afghans who cannot make it out of the country trying to pass their babies over barbed wire fences to foreign troops in the hopes that they will be brought to safety.

"I am very thankful to the German air force and German troops, the Briton told Reuters after making his escape. They were doing a tremendous job at the airport. Salute to them!"
Politicians are weaponising violence against women and girls in Afghanistan to legitimise virulent racism and anti-immigrant sentiment, campaigners and politicians have claimed.

Reports have surfaced of Afghan women being forced to marry Taliban fighters - who seized control of the south Asian nation in recent days - quit their jobs and remain at home, as well as enduring public flogging.

Some European politicians have responded to the crisis by focussing on anti-migrant and anti-refugee rhetoric.

Speaking in a televised speech after the Taliban seized Kabul, Frances president Emmanuel Macron warned France needs a strong plan to anticipate and protect itself from a wave of migrants from Afghanistan.

Austrias interior minister Karl Nehammer said the country will consider removing failed Afghan asylum seekers to deportation centres in nearby countries and in Germany, Armin Laschet, the Christian Democratic Unions candidate for chancellor, warned: 2015 should not repeat itself.

This is a reference to the refugee crisis which started that year and saw Germany's chancellor Angela Merkel open the country's borders to more than a million asylum-seeking migrants.

In Hungary, Levente Magyar, parliamentary undersecretary of the foreign ministry, warned: Hungary will not accept Afghan migrants without any restrictions.

Experts have warned some politicians responses to the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan are an attempt to appease the far right.

Joe Mulhall, head of research at Hope not hate, the UKs leading antifascism campaign group, told The Independent: For some on the far right the tragic events in Afghanistan are being seen an opportunity to push anti-Muslim politics in the west.

Despite misogyny being fundamental to the worldview of the far right, there are now extremists out there who are pretending to care about womens rights. Everyone must condemn the Taliban without reservation and also ignore those on the far right seeking to exploit this terrible situation to push racist tropes in Europe.

While Kate Osamor, Labour MP for Jarrow, argued it would be naive to say the far right does not monopolise on the mistreatment of women to further their own ideologies.

Ms Osamor added: The far right uses it. I am extremely concerned for the women and children in Afghanistan. Im concerned that no real action will come out of todays debate in parliament. It is not a vote.

The government needs to take some positive concrete action to support people in Afghanistan - particularly women and children. We need to open our doors. I am concerned for all people in Afghanistan.

While we are sitting around talking, people are dying and fearing for their lives and we have a responsibility to help them.

Since American troops began leaving Afghanistan in May, the Taliban has steadfastly invaded the nation. Female Afghan journalists and healthcare workers have been killed in a slew of attacks since peace negotiations started between the Taliban and the American-backed Afghan government last year.

While the Taliban denies perpetrating these attacks, government ministers hold them responsible.

Andrea Simon, director of End Violence Against Women Coalition, a leading UK organisation, told The Independent liberating women is not of genuine interest to far right groups.

They selectively condemn the treatment of women and instrumentalise calls to protect and defend womens human rights to reinforce racist white supremacist narratives and spread hate-filled rhetoric, Ms Simon added.

Violence against women is fuelled by right-wing regressive policies and extremism around the world. We cannot let the horrific events in Afghanistan be commodified and manipulated into serving the hate-fuelled interests of the white supremacist far right movement.

The campaigner warned the humanitarian catastrophe currently ravaging Afghanistan is having devastating repercussions on women.

And it is right to expect safe passage and asylum to be offered to all those who need to flee Afghanistan for safety, Ms Simon said. There is no room for racist tropes of white saviourism, used to legitimise islamophobia and erase the agency of Muslim women, or diminish their role as key human rights activists and defenders whose voices need to be central to any response to the crisis.

Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the Taliban, promised the group would honour womens rights, but within the norms of Islamic law on Tuesday.

But experts have raised grave fears the hard-fought rights Afghan women have won in the two decades since the Taliban were defeated could be rolled back.

Women were blocked from working and girls were barred from going to school when the Taliban last ruled the country between the mid 1990s and 2001. While women had to be chaperoned by a male relative if they wanted to leave the house during this period.

Shaista Aziz, a womens rights and anti-racism campaigner, told The Independent: The disastrous war on terror has claimed the lives of hundreds and thousands of civilians in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Syria, Yemen and beyond.

It has also pushed back womens and girls rights and fuelled and mainstreamed Islamophobia, racism and anti-refugee and migrant hatred.

The crisis in Afghanistan will be used as a lightning rod by the Taliban to further dehumanise women and girls but will also be used by extremists everywhere to increase racism, division and hate. It is essential that politicians, public figures and the media act in a responsible and measured way.
Volunteers were set to form a human shield to protect an alpaca condemned to death - just hours before officials were due to descend on the owners farm to kill the animal.

Geronimos owner Helen Macdonald on Wednesday lost the latest round of her legal battle when the High Court ruled against her.

But a vet and conservationist has accused government environment officials of using fraudulent test data to justify the death sentence, and has issued a last-ditch challenge to them to debate the science with him.

Ms Macdonald said she would obstruct anyone who went to her farm in Gloucestershire to put down Geronimo, who has been at the centre of a national outcry.

The alpaca has twice tested positive for bovine tuberculosis, according to the Department of Food, Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra), prompting it to issue a death order, which Ms Macdonald has been fighting for four years.

Recommended Geronimo the alpaca to be slaughtered after owner loses High Court bid to save him

She and supporters of Geronimo, imported from New Zealand in 2017, insist the TB tests are unreliable. They say that Geronimo was primed  or micro-vaccinated  for the tests twice in quick succession, which caused him to have high levels of antibodies, which in turn caused false positive results.

And The Independent has seen evidence from the developer of the TB test to the court saying antibodies found in the animal had declined and he had shown no response to the most specific antigen.

Alastair Hayton concluded in his evidence: Given these observations, and that there is very reasonable doubt from a clinical and epidemiological perspective as to whether the animal is a true M. bovis positive, we would continue to highly recommend caution in interpretation of the results.

Vet Iain McGill said: Weve got lots of data from alpacas that have been killed after having false positives and they havent got TB at all at post-mortem, he said.

John Carr-Ellison, a Northumberland farmer, told Farmers Weekly how five of his pet llamas had tested positive for TB and were slaughtered  but post-mortem results showed they did not have the disease.

In some cases, culled badgers that have been analysed after death have been shown to be clear of TB.

Defra are trying to kill their way out of trouble  its an utter disgrace, Mr McGill told Talk Radio.

He said the court failed to force Defra to disclose all its data, adding: I wonder why officials in the department are making false statements, accusing the government of using a fraudulent test.

Helen Macdonald has vowed to defend Geronimo at every step (PA)

He claimed Ms Macdonald was denied permission for a molecular test, which identifies TB bacteria.

Helen, while theres breath in her, will keep the alpaca alive. We will try to save this alpaca - well try to get justice and the right science out there.

I challenge Defras chief vet to debate with me on this issue.

Theyve killed 140 000 badgers and 300 000 cows in the past 10 years, so why stop when you are on such a successful killing spree. Oh yes, and prevalence of bTB in cows not fallen at all despite all the killing.

Defra claims an accuracy for the TB tests of 99 per cent, but that is in animals that have not been primed, whereas the manufacturers have no data for its accuracy in animals that have been primed, Mr McGill said.

Ms Macdonald, a veterinary nurse, said the battle was about more than just one animal  it was about the reliability of tests Defra uses. Theres a principle at stake here about valid testing for all animals in the UK, proper science and were just not getting it. Im just disgusted really by the whole attitude," she said.

A live webcam has been set up in Geronimos pen as a surveillance measure.

A Defra spokesperson said: We are sympathetic to Ms Macdonalds situation  just as we are with everyone with animals affected by this terrible disease. It is for this reason that the testing results and options for Geronimo have been very carefully considered by Defra, the Animal and Plant Health Agency and its veterinary experts, as well as passing several stages of thorough legal scrutiny.

Bovine tuberculosis is one of the greatest animal health threats we face today and causes devastation and distress for farming families and rural communities across the country while costing the taxpayer around 100m every year.

Defra declined to say, when asked by The Independent, whether they would use force to get into the pen, and declined to comment on Mr McGills challenge of a debate.
A group of former Gurkha servicemen have ended their 13-day hunger strike, which saw them protest outside Downing Street and refuse to move until the government acknowledged their complaints.

The ceasefire comes after an announcement on Thursday by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) that it would enter talks with the Nepalese embassy over the issue of equal pensions for veterans.

Currently, Gurkhas who retired before 1997 receive a fraction of the pension British-born members of the army get.

In a post on Twitter, veterans minister Leo Docherty said he had already engaged in useful discussions today with the Nepali ambassador.

Im pleased that Gurkha Satyagraha [non-violent resistance] have ended their hunger strike and agreed to dialogue, he wrote. I value our Gurkha Veterans and my door is always open.

The group had not eaten for almost a fortnight and sparked concerns when 60-year-old Dhan Gurung  who had refused food for 12 days straight  was admitted to hospital with heart problems in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Protest spokesperson Yam Gurung said it was initially believed Mr Gurung, a diabetic from Basingstoke, was having a heart attack. Despite this, Mr Gurung returned to Downing Street immediately after being discharged.

He has been demonstrating in a wheelchair alongside fellow ex-soldier Gyanraj Rai, 63, and Gurkha widow Pushpa Rana Ghale, 59, who travelled from Nepal to take part.

The hunger strikers form part of a group of protesters calling for equal pensions for those Gurkhas who retired before 1997 and are not eligible to receive the same sum as UK-born army members. The discrepancy is due to the Gurkha Pension Scheme (GPS) being based on Indian Army rates.

But on Thursday afternoon, the MoD announced it would open talks with the Nepalese Embassy about the matter.

We are happy the satyagraha group have agreed to break their fast, a spokesperson for the department said. Our primary concern is always the health and welfare of our serving personnel and veterans and this strike was not a course of action we encouraged.

She added: We look forward to meeting with the group next month alongside the Nepali ambassador to move forward together.

Around 200,000 Gurkhas have served the British Army in both world wars and in the past 50 years in locations such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Malaysia, the Falklands, Kosovo and Borneo.

Those who served from 1948 to 2007 were members of the GPS until the differences between Gurkhas terms and conditions of service and those of their British counterparts were removed.

Serving Gurkhas, and those with service on or after 1 July 1997, were then able to transfer into the Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS).

Last week, Mr Gurung told the BBC his pension in 1994 was 20 a month and said he and his family lived in poverty because of the British government's penny pinching.

He added to various reporters that the group would continue our hunger [strike] until death if it meant persuading the government to solve 207 years of historical injustice.

Additional reporting by PA
A mortgage advisor sacked after emailing her boss about long hours has won a 23,000 payout after taking her former employers to a work tribunal.

Helen McMahon, who had previously been rewarded by bosses for her high performance, was told to leave Hertfordshire-based Heron Financial Ltd in June 2019.

In May of that year, she emailed her bosses "stressed" to say how hard she worked and how long her hours were, a Cambridge employment tribunal heard, Mail Online reported.

She contacted bosses about unpaid commission, which she felt was no reflected in her most recent payslips.

Ms McMahon worked for the company for some two years from June 2017 as a new build and mortgage protection advisor.

The hearing heard how Ms McMahon would often work 12 hours per day, without a lunch break, and was entitled to performance-based commission pay to top up her 27,000 salary.

After sending the email, Ms McMahon went off sick for two weeks.

When she returned to work on 30 May she was summoned to a meeting with her boss, Robin Thomas.

"I said to Mr Thomas that I was working more than 48 hours a week, that it was stressing me out and that I wanted somehow to reduce my hours," Ms McMahon told the tribunal.

She said the workload "made her ill" and she believed that it was her statutory right not to work more than 48 hours per week.

On 4 June Ms McMahon was asked to attend another meeting with the company's founder, Warren Harrocks, who sacked her without any explanation.

She then sued Heron Financial claiming she had been let go because she complained about her work hours rather than her performance, which the company had alleged.

She told the hearing she had been awarded a bottle of champagne in that year because she had "one of the highest conversion rates in the company".

Mr Harrocks told the tribunal he was unaware Ms McMahon had raised the issue of working hours with Mr Thomas.

But judge Sarah King said "this was a small business and the directors discussed matters regularly between them".

A judge ruled Ms McMahon was unfairly sacked and awarded her 23,000 in compensation for unpaid sick pay, owed commission and wrongful dismissal.
A former national security adviser has criticised Dominic Raabs failure to make a crucial call to help fleeing Afghan interpreters while on holiday, saying: He should have made it.

Kim Darroch said officials only contacted ministers while they are on holiday if they considered it absolutely essential for them to intervene in a vital issue.

If they were recommending this call strongly, then I think he should have made it, Sir Kim said.

The intervention came after a defiant Mr Raab vowed to defy calls to resign, as he was filmed walking into Downing Street for a meeting at No 10.

The phone call was delegated to a junior minister, as the Taliban neared Kabul last Friday  as the foreign secretary reportedly declined to intervene personally from his Crete hotel.

Mr Raab is already under fierce pressure for failing to return from the Greek island until Monday morning, being seen on the beach the previous day  as the Afghanistan capital crumbled.

Downing Street has so far refused to comment on the controversy and on whether Boris Johnson retains confidence in his foreign secretary.

Sir Kim, who visited Afghanistan frequently, also suggested the quick collapse of the Afghan army should have been foreseen  after Mr Johnson said, only last month, there would be no Taliban military victory.

There was an exceptionally high desertion rate coupled with endemic corruption in both national and regional governments, he told BBC Radio 4.

It was also apparent that the Afghan army could not keep its shiny new kit in working order, without international support.

Foreign Office experts had been quite pessimistic about the capacity for the Afghan military to hold out for a sustained period, Sir Kim said.

He also warned that Joe Bidens apparent refusal to accept Mr Johnsons phone call for 36 hours at the start of the week exposed a special relationship not in one of its really strong phases.

The resignation calls came after the Daily Mail reported that, while in Crete, Mr Raab was urged by his officials to speak with his Afghan counterpart, Hanif Atmar.

Pressure was needed to secure help with the evacuation of translators who had worked with the British military, as the Taliban advanced on Kabul.

But, according to the report, officials were told that Mr Raab was not available and that a junior minister, Zac Goldsmith, should make the call instead.

As Lord Goldsmith was not Atmars direct equivalent, there was a delay until Saturday  and possibly Sunday, the day Kabul fell  before the request was made.

The Foreign Office acknowledged that Mr Raab did not make the call, saying: The foreign secretary was engaged on a range of other calls and this one was delegated to another minister.

Labour said he should be ashamed of his actions and questioned why he would not make a phone call if told it could save somebodys life.

Lisa Nandy, the shadow foreign secretary, said: How can Boris Johnson allow the foreign secretary to continue in his role after yet another catastrophic failure of judgment?

If Dominic Raab doesnt have the decency to resign, the prime minister must show a shred of leadership and sack him.

The Liberal Democrats called for Raab to resign today, while the Scottish National Party said his position is completely untenable and he must resign, or be sacked.
The UK government must be ready to accept tens of thousands of Afghan refugees fleeing persecution in their country in the months ahead, Boris Johnson has been warned.

Charities and MPs from all sides have warned that greater action is needed after the government pledged to take just 5,000 people fleeing the Taliban over the next year.

Today The Independent backs calls for Downing Street to be more ambitious in its plan to resettle Afghans at risk of losing their lives in the Taliban takeover after western troops withdrew.

Our Refugees Welcome campaign is calling for the government to offer sanctuary to as many Afghans as possible, and for local authorities and charities devoted to their welfare to be given the strongest of support.

The government has committed to giving 5,000 people refuge under the Afghanistan citizens resettlement scheme in the coming year  with a vague ambition to provide sanctuary to a total of 20,000 Afghans over the long term.

Refugee charities have told The Independent the short-term commitment was too little to meet the scale of the immediate crisis. Safe Passage International said the government should try to resettle at least 20,000 in the months ahead.

Beth Gardiner-Smith, chief executive of Safe Passage International said: The resettlement scheme announced fails to match the scale and pace needed. Britain can and should do much more now. We urge the government to resettle a minimum of 20,000 as soon as possible.

Tim Naor Hilton, chief executive of Refugee Action, said the scheme simply doesnt go far enough and risked becoming a total farce. He added: We know it would be possible to at least double this commitment to 10,000 refugees in the first year, with the ambition of increasing that number in years to come.

The British Red Cross also called on the government to expand its scheme. Five thousand people over the next year is a good start, but this new scheme for Afghan refugees should be part of a wider programme supporting at least 10,000 refugees from around the world, said chief executive Mike Adamson.

In scathing comments in the Commons, former prime minister Theresa May said the UK had a responsibility to deal with the consequences of the military pull-out, adding: We boast about Global Britain  but where is Global Britain on the streets of Kabul?

Senior MPs warned Mr Johnson he would have to rethink the resettlement scheme and be willing to accept tens of thousands of fleeing Afghans in the coming months.

Conservative MP David Davis said the UK should be willing to take in more than 50,000 people if the next few months if necessary, given the level of imminent danger faced by those who worked against the Taliban.

Mr Davis told The Independent: The reason I say 50,000 or more is that I want people to be braced for what could be necessary. And I mean right now, in the short-term. This will be resolved, one way or another, within the next few months.

The former cabinet minister added: I want us to be able to take people who are at risk of their life. That could be next to none, if we cant even get them out, or it could be a very large number. Most of the people coming here will have worked for the [UK] in some way. We will have documentation for them, and we should be able to make decisions quickly.

Influential Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood, chair of the defence select committee, said the government should be aiming to accept at least tens of thousands of Afghan refugees in the short-term.

Mr Ellwood told The Independent: The commitment to resettle a mere 5,000 refugees, from a population of 38 million Afghans, falls hopelessly short  a drop in the ocean given the sheer scale of the humanitarian crisis.

Urging Mr Johnson to rethink the ambition of the current scheme, he added: Over the coming days and weeks the government must revise this number, and use all of our diplomatic weight to urge allies to do the same.

Labour MP Chris Bryant criticised the difference between the short-term commitment and the pledge to accept 20,000 in the longer-term. What are the 15,000 meant to do? Hang around and wait until they have been executed? he asked the prime minister in the Commons.

No 10 defended its scheme and insisted that only 5,000 fleeing Afghans will be offered sanctuary in the UK over the next year because it is very rare for people to abandon their country.

The home secretary, Priti Patel, said it was important to have a scheme that could delivered, arguing that the government had to think very carefully about the practicalities of resettling Afghans across Britain.

Meanwhile, charities urged the government to make sure people forced to flee Afghanistan are not criminalised for their method of travel  as set out in the Nationality and Borders Bill  if they cannot come to the UK via the resettlement scheme.

Amid the crackdown on migrant boat crossings in the English Channel, the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants warned that for many refugees regulated travel is not a viable option  many people need to flee urgently and by any means necessary.

A spokesperson for the United Nations Human Rights Council said: We hope the UKs resettlement scheme wont happen at the expense of the right to make an asylum claim. We should not penalise or criminalise anyone fleeing the country who does not have their paperwork.

The Archbishop of Canterbury said Britain must be generous and ready to welcome all Afghans in need of safety  arguing that the government should not place a limit on the total number of refugees accepted from Afghanistan.

Speaking in the Lords on Wednesday, Justin Welby said: We owe an absolute, lavishly generous moral covenant to all those who are at risk because they served with us in Afghanistan  This is about morals, not numbers.
Campaigners and MPs are urging the government to dismantle its racist hostile environment policy and scrap proposed laws which could affect Aghans fleeing persecution.

The Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI) has penned an open letter to home secretary Priti Patel, urging her to abandon the resettlement-only plans set out in the Nationality and Borders Bill, that would criminalise or deny full refugee status to those who make their own journeys to seek asylum in the UK.

Backed by over 90 signatories including Bail for Immigration Detainees (BID), Hope Not Hate and the Institute of Race Relations, the move also calls upon the UK government to grant immediate asylum to Afghans already waiting for status in the UK.

Speaking to The Independent, Zoe Gardner, policy researcher at JCWI, said: Many Afghans and others who have been wrongly refused end up undocumented and living under the hostile environment: a set of rules which deny people housing, healthcare and jobs when they cant show the right paperwork. These checks entrench racial discrimination throughout our society, pushing Black and brown people without papers into destitution and exploitation.

If government cared about equality and showing a compassionate response to people seeking sanctuary, it would abandon its anti-refugee bill and scrap the hostile environment  both promote discrimination and push vulnerable people into the hands of those willing to exploit them.

Some 40 MPs, including Jeremy Corbyn, Diane Abbott and Claudia Webbe, have also written to Ms Patel, calling for adequate protection for Afghan nationals and amending parts of the bill.

Reports confirm extrajudicial killings have already begun. Those in particular danger include woman and girls, ethnic minorities, LGBTIQ+ people and journalists, the letter reads.

In light of this crisis we urge the government to drop its current inadmissibility rules and its decision to criminalise refugee journeys that are not undertaken through regulated resettlement routes.

The Afghan Council of Great Britain suggested aspects of the Nationality Bill may be fuelled by racism against minoritised groups, echoing calls for the government to rectify this.

We stand against the inhumane and uninformed provisions of the bill, a spokesperson told The Independent.

It is neither practical nor workable but surely immoral. It could be the product of politicians dancing to the tunes of far right extremist groups influencing our nations policies and laws based on pure racism and hatred towards those who seek refuge in our great nation.

Or perhaps some politicians may suffer from Islamophobia and discriminate against refugees based on their religion or their belonging to a Muslim country like Afghanistan even if they are not Muslims.

The British governments Nationality Bill may be fuelled by racism against minoritised groups, some campaigners fear. (PA)

The UK government has rejected more than 32,000 Afghan asylum seekers since the Western invasion of the country in 2001. During this time, the charity Detention Action has supported many individuals who have been placed into detention.

Bella Sankey, the charitys director, told The Independent: The Nationality and Borders Bill would scrap what remains of our threadbare asylum system, slamming the door in the face of Afghan refugees who flee the Taliban and arrive in the UK without prior government permission.

It is a cynical piece of legislation that aims to complete the work that the hostile environment started, making the UK an unpleasant place to be for people of colour and those that dont look or sound British.

A spokesperson from the Coalition of Race Equality Organisations (CORE) said: Our members work with marginalised communities all over the country and the hostile environment on immigration has a disproportionately high negative impact on Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities whether they are British or not.

This crisis in Afghanistan, which Britain has been heavily involved in, is an opportunity for us to show that we are a wealthy welcoming nation. We hope the Government does what is right for the people of Afghanistan and for all those seeking refuge in the UK.

The government argues the Nationality Bill, which is set for its third reading in the Commons this autumn, will provide further flexibility to waive residency requirements to help members of the Windrush generation and others acquire British citizenship more quickly.

This will also mean that children unfairly denied British overseas territory citizenship can finally acquire citizenship here, which was one of the anomalies that emerged from the Windrush scandal.

Pictures of the Week in the Middle East Photo Gallery (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Euen Herbert-Small, a Windrush campaigner, told The Independent: The bill carries quintessential changes to long standing discriminations in British nationality law.

On the other hand, the other part of the bill carries with it very harmful changes to asylum protections for those fleeing persecution.

The deteriorating condition in Afghanistan is timely in demonstrating to the British government that is must not pass divisive legislation that seeks to abandon its obligations under international conventions.

When approached for comment, a Home Office spokesperson said: We have been clear that the UK Government will always stand by those fleeing persecution or oppression in their hour of need.

As part of our New Plan for Immigration, we are establishing safe and legal routes to enable the most vulnerable people to start a new life in safety in the UK. Just this week the Prime Minister announced the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme which in its first year will help up to 5,000 Afghans make a new life in the UK, with an ambition for up to 20,000 in the longer term.

People should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach and not risk their lives making dangerous and unnecessary journeys across the Channel. We want to deter people from placing themselves in the hands of evil people smuggling gangs and become trafficked. It is the right thing to do to focus on creating these safe resettlement routes.
Brexit is to blame for the shortages of fast-food chicken that have shut some Nandos stores, the industry says  accusing ministers of refusing to help.

EU workers returning home and a lack of lorry drivers able to come to the UK lie behind the problems that have also hit KFC and other outlets, the British Poultry Council said.

When you dont have people, you have a problem  and this is something we are seeing across the whole supply chain. The labour crisis is a Brexit issue, said chief executive Richard Griffiths.

He lashed out at Priti Patel for failing to respond to a plea for poultry meat supply chain workers to be included on the shortage occupation list, to allow in more EU staff.

A letter was sent to the home secretary earlier this month, but Mr Griffiths revealed: We have had no reply as yet.

Boris Johnson has already rejected an identical plea to boost the number of HGV drivers, with ministers deciding to relax driving test rules instead.

Nandos has not publicly acknowledged the impact of Brexit, but  strikingly  admitted its chicken shortages are not affecting outlets in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

And one of Britains largest poultry producers, Avaro Foods, dismissed claims that the crisis was caused by the pingdemic that forced workers to isolate as close contacts of Covid cases.

Our concern is recruitment and filling vacancies when the UK workforce has been severely depleted as a result of Brexit, a spokesperson said, adding: This is causing stress on UK supply chains.

The poultry industry  responsible for producing half of all the meat eaten in the UK  is reporting vacancies of more than 16 per cent, Mr Griffiths said.

He told BBCs Radio 4: The situation we are seeing is a result of the Brexit issues that have arisen. We are seeing the struggles across the supply chain, with the shortage of labour.

The crisis was the direct result of the limiting of immigration policies, the chief executive said, adding: We are asking the government to ease those.

He rejected the suggestion that paying higher wages to UK workers could solve the problems, arguing the willingness and availability are just not there.

Mr Griffiths also dismissed fears of supermarket shortages, but warned: We need the government to openly acknowledge that the problem exists.

The industry leader spoke out after KFC revealed its problems, warning that some items would not be available and packaging may look a bit different to normal.

A government spokesperson said: We have well-established ways of working with the food sector and are working closely with them to ensure businesses have the labour they need.

"We are looking at ways to help the sector recruit more domestic labour and invest in automation in order to reduce the reliance on migrant workers coming into the UK.
British students have been forced to consider abandoning their places at Spanish universities due to ongoing delays in securing visas, required as a result of Brexit.

The Foreign Office told The Independent it has raised the issue with the Spanish government, with just weeks to go before classes are due to begin.

Spain is the most popular destination in the UK for those wanting to study abroad, with thousands of students taking up places there there each year.

But this summer marks the first academic year in which students have needed to acquire study visas as a result of Britains departure from the European Union, with new immigration rules having come into effect in January after a year-long transition period.

Delays in visa processing this year are causing real anxiety among students who are due to travel to Spain soon, said Vivienne Stern, Director of Universities UK International.

The organisation, which represents 140 universities across the UK, warned that increasing numbers of its members had raised concerns that it is impossible for students to get visa appointments, and that as a result they would miss the start of the Spanish semester.

Ms Stern sounded the alarm in letters to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and Spains Ministry of Foreign Affairs, urging them to resolve the issue as soon as possible. It is not clear how many students are affected.

Ms Sterns letters suggested that UK universities could collect all the necessary documentation for their students and submit block applications  but pointed out that there is currently no guidance on the Spanish Consulate website as to how this might be done.

She also asked whether it would it be possible as a temporary solution to allow students to enter the country under the tourist visa and then continue with the necessary paperwork when in Spain.

A spokesperson for Spains Ministry of Foreign Affairs suggested that some adaptation time is still needed for British students and universities to adapt to the new post-Brexit regulations, adding: All Spanish Consulates are offering all the facilities in order to speed up the visa procedures.

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Students wishing to study in Spain must now compile a dossier of documents, including a medical certificate, proof of income and a criminal-record check.

Because visas must be issued within 90 days of departure, most students began the application process in June.

Sam Downes, an economics student who had secured a study placement in Granada, told the BBC he has heard nothing since he asked for an appointment in June.

As one of several pupils to tell the broadcaster of fears that their study plans could be derailed, Mr Downes said: I paid September's rent for my accommodation and my deposit  but it's looking unlikely that I'll be going in time.

With his university having told him it cannot offer him online learning if he does not arrive in time, he added: So in the next week or two I might have to decide whether to cancel the whole year abroad.

After weeks of their correspondence to Spanish authorities being met with silence, some prospective students have reportedly spent hours queueing outside the embassy in London a bid to secure a direct appointment.

One student who managed to speak with embassy staff told the BBC he was now hoping to receive email confirmation of a visa appointment soon. His flight and accommodation is reportedly booked for 6 September.

A UK government spokesperson said: We have raised the issue with the Spanish government, and are supporting Universities UK International.
A defiant Dominic Raab says he will not resign after failing to make a crucial call to help fleeing Afghan interpreters while on holiday, despite growing demands for him to quit.

The phone call was delegated to a junior minister, as the Taliban neared Kabul last Friday  as the foreign secretary reportedly declined to intervene personally from his Crete hotel.

Filmed walking into Downing Street, a smiling Mr Raab was asked if he would resign, but told reporters: No.

He is already under fierce pressure for failing to return from the Greek island until Monday morning, being seen on the beach the previous day  as the Afghan capital crumbled.

Downing Street has so far refused to comment on the controversy and on whether Boris Johnson retains confidence in his foreign secretary.

Mr Raab has also been caught up in a cabinet spat with defence secretary Ben Wallace, who accused the Foreign Office of quickly evacuating its diplomats and leaving young soldiers in charge.

Labour said he should be ashamed of his actions and questioned why he would not make a phone call if told it could save somebodys life.

Lisa Nandy, the shadow foreign secretary, said: How can Boris Johnson allow the foreign secretary to continue in his role after yet another catastrophic failure of judgment?

If Dominic Raab doesnt have the decency to resign, the prime minister must show a shred of leadership and sack him.

The Liberal Democrats called for Raab to resign today, while the Scottish National Party said his position is completely untenable and he must resign, or be sacked.

A former national security adviser also criticised Mr Raabs failure to make the phone call, piling further pressure on him.

Kim Darroch said officials only contacted ministers while they are on holiday if they considered it absolutely essential for them to intervene in a vital issue.

If they were recommending this call strongly, then I think he should have made it, Sir Kim told BBC Radio 4.

The calls came after the Daily Mail reported that, while on holiday in Crete, Mr Raab was urged by his officials to speak with his Afghan counterpart, Hanif Atmar.

Pressure was needed to secure help with the evacuation of translators who had worked with the British military, as the Taliban advanced on Kabul.

But, according to the report, officials were told that Mr Raab was not available and that a junior minister, Zac Goldsmith, should make the call instead.

As Lord Goldsmith was not Atmars direct equivalent, there was a delay until Saturday  and possibly Sunday, the day Kabul fell  before the request was made.

The Foreign Office acknowledged that Mr Raab did not make the call, saying: The foreign secretary was engaged on a range of other calls and this one was delegated to another minister.

However, Mr Wallace defended his cabinet colleague, arguing that, by Friday, the Afghan government was melting away quicker than ice.

A phone call to an Afghan minister at that moment in time would have not made a difference, the defence secretary said.

Mr Raab chaired a call of G7 foreign ministers to discuss the Afghanistan crisis on Thursday. The foreign secretary said they agreed to try to secure an inclusive political settlement and enable humanitarian assistance in the country, despite the Taliban takeover.

Labour insisted the government still had questions to answer over Mr Raabs holiday. The opposition challenged Mr Raab to publish a full list of calls and meetings  including dates and times  that he conducted whilst out of the country.

Ms Nandy said: For the prime minister and foreign secretary to be on holiday during the biggest foreign policy crisis in a generation is an unforgivable failure of leadership. The governments negligence will cost lives.
Dominic Raab is facing calls to resign after he reportedly failed to make a vital call over the evacuation of Afghan interpreters while he was on holiday  as the crisis unfolded in the region.

The foreign secretary, who faced severe criticism during an emergency Commons debate yesterday, returned to the UK from his overseas trip on Monday, after the fall of the Afghan capital, Kabul, to the Taliban.

According to the Daily Mail, the cabinet minister, who was said to be holidaying on the Greek island of Crete, was advised last Friday to urgently contact his counterpart in the Afghan government as the the militant group seized key cities of the country.

The newspaper claimed officials at the Foreign Office suggested he needed to request assistance from the then-foreign minister Hanif Atmar in aiding interpreters who had links to the British military forces.

However, officials were told Mr Raab was unavailable and did not make the call. Instead, it was requested that Lord Goldsmith  the on-duty Foreign Office minister  should speak to the Afghan minister.

The Afghan foreign ministry declined to set up an immediate call between Mr Atmar and the junior minister, however, and did not speak until at least the next day with crucial time lost, the Daily Mail added.

The Foreign Office did not immediately respond when contacted by The Independent, but a department source told the Daily Mail: The foreign secretary was engaged on a range of other calls and this one was delegated to another minister.

Seizing on the report, Lisa Nandy, the shadow foreign secretary, said the foreign secretary should be ashamed, warning: The prime minister has serious questions to answer over why he remains in the job.

She added: What could possibly have been more important than safeguarding the legacy of two decades of sacrifice and hard-won victories in Afghanistan? While the foreign secretary lay on a sun lounger, the Taliban advanced on Kabul and 20 years of progress was allowed to unravel in a matter of hours.

Deputy leader Angela Rayner added: He couldnt even make one phone call? Why is he still in the job this morning?

Layla Moran, the Liberal Democrats foreign affairs spokesperson, went further, saying:Dominic Raab must resign today. If he does not, the Prime Minister should finally show some leadership, and sack him.

Right now, there are interpreters across Afghanistan who are surrounded by the Taliban and fearing the worst. All the foreign secretary had to do was leave the beach and pick up the phone. He did not.

He has shamed Britain and is no longer fit to represent our country. Dominic Raab wasnt just asleep at the wheel. He was wilfully complacent and will go down as one of the worst foreign secretaries in history.

Questioned on the report, however, the defence secretary Ben Wallace suggested on BBC Radio 4s Today programme the Afghan government was melting away quicker than ice.

A phone call to an Afghan minister at that time would have not made a blind bit of difference, the cabinet minister said.

I do know for sure because last Friday what we were absolutely worried about and in turn were unsure about is whether the airport would remain open. That was at the front of everyones mind.

Without a functioning airport we were going to get nobody out no matter how many phone calls you made to a disappearing government. I can tell you that for sure.

Earlier this week Mr Raab claimed no one saw the swift Taliban takeover coming  admitting the government was caught off-guard  and suggested he would not have taken a holiday overseas in retrospect.

He insisted he was engaged in Cobra meetings virtually and speaking to foreign counterparts on an hour-by-hour basis, adding: I left Afghanistan as the situation deteriorated and demanded it. Weve been monitoring the situation in Afghanistan since the 2020 Doha agreement.

We didnt predict we would be doing this on this scale because of the Taliban takeover, but look in retrospect of course I wouldnt have gone on holiday if I had known.

A British holidaymaker told the Daily Telegraph that Mr Raab was relaxing on a beach on the Greek island of Crete on the day the Afghan capital was seized. It was definitely him, the source told the newspaper.

Im not political and obviously accept everyone is allowed a holiday. But the foreign secretary shouldnt be on the beach on the very day Afghanistan is imploding.
Former veterans minister Johnny Mercer has claimed being in the Conservative Party is similar to working in a really s**t company with those in charge not having a clue.

In a sign of the unease in the partys ranks over the approach to Afghanistan, the Tory MP suggested there was no real direction or leadership or responsibility over the last week as the situation deteriorated.

Mr Mercer, who was forced to resign as defence minister over the governments treatment of veterans in April, also suggested politics was a lonely place and had often thought about his position as an MP.

Im sick of all this [working for veterans and soldiers] for a Conservative Party and a government that treats me with contempt, he told the Evening Standard.

On his role as a Tory MP, Mr Mercer said: Im not going to lie to you: its something I think about everyday. Being in the Tory Party at the moment is like working for a really s**t company where everyone takes the p**s out of you and everyone running it hasnt got a clue.

The MP for Plymouth, Moor View, also suggested not a single member of the Conservative Party phoned me up after the shootings in the city earlier this month, which he described as very rare but grotesque violence.

The scathing remarks came as Boris Johnson faced criticism from MPs of all stripes in Parliament  after the government ordered a recall for an emergency session on the situation in Afghanistan as the capital, Kabul, fell to the Taliban.

Theresa May, the former prime minister, also hit out at ministers incomprehensible failure to bring together an alternative alliance to prevent the collapse of the Afghan government.

Suggesting the events unfolding in the region were a major setback for UK foreign policy, Ms May asked: We boast about Global Britain, but where is Global Britain on the streets of Kabul?.

During the emergency debate, Mr Mercer, who served in Afghanistan, also accused the prime minister of consistently failing to support former soldiers properly and urged the government to step up.

Warning there could be a bow wave of mental health issues among veterans following the withdrawal of forces in Afghanistan, the Conservative MP said: We are not trained to lose and we are not trained for ministers to, in a way, choose to be defeated by the Taliban.

Was it all for nothing? he asked. Of course it wasnt for nothing and we have to get away from this narrative.

Whether we like it or not for a period of time Afghans  the average age in Afghanistan is 18 years old  they will have experienced a freedom and privileges that we enjoy here and no one will ever take that away from them.
Corruption was prevalent in South Africa under Jacob Zumas leadership, his successor Cyril Ramaphosa has told an inquiry.

Appearing before a graft inquiry concerning the previous administration, the incumbent president, who served as Zumas deputy from 2014 to 2018, explained why he did not resign his position as a result of his partys alleged misconduct.

Mr Ramaphosa said he chose to remain but to resist, claiming his goal of tackling corruption would have been significantly impaired if he had vacated his position.

He later won the African National Congress (ANC) leadership contest and helped to remove Zuma from office. He subsequently promised to crack down on graft during his presidency.

Referring to his decision to continue as Zumas deputy, he told the inquiry panel: With the benefit of hindsight, I am certain that this was the necessary and correct course of action.

He acknowledged, however, that some will still criticise him for not resigning. After saying that the ANC will now be very serious in rooting out corruption, he added: You may say why didnt you do so over a period of so many years but its better late than never.

Led by acting chief justice Raymond Zondo, the inquiry to which Mr Ramaphosa gave evidence is examining whether three brothers were unfairly awarded government contracts by using their personal ties with Zuma.

The businessmen Ajay, Atul and Rajesh Gupta, who no longer live in South Africa, have denied this version of events, while Zuma himself has denied that corruption was widespread during his time in office.

Zuma was given a 15-month prison sentence for contempt this year, after failing to obey a court order to appear before the Zondo inquiry.

The former leaders jail term sparked some of the worst violence seen in South Africa in the post-apartheid era.

More than 300 people in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng died in the riots and looting, which is estimated to have caused more than a billion dollars worth of damage.

Last week, Zuma was taken to hospital, meaning that a separate corruption case against him has been pushed back until next month.

Ace Magashule, the suspended ANC secretary-general, will face corruption charges in October in a separate case.

Additional reporting by agencies
CNNs Clarissa Ward made a scathing rebuttal to President Joe Bidens claim that American withdrawal from Afghanistan as the Taliban swiftly took power had not been a failure.

Ward, the channels chief international correspondent, reported live from Kabul, where she has been describing chaotic and desperate scenes as Afghan people tried to escape the country.

We have seen and heard these reports, Ward said, of people so desperate they are passing and throwing their babies over the razor wire to try and get them into safety.

Its the panic, the lack of clear information, the rumour mill is in overdrive. Theres hysteria. You have Taliban fighters with whips, with guns, she added.

Ward continued: You have US and UK soldiers who are not allowing people in. You have mixed messaging coming through about what kind of paperwork you need and how you can get on a flight and where you can go.

It is just an absolute mess. And we heard President Biden say yesterday in his comments to ABC News that this is not a failure, and I think a lot of people outside that airport, particularly those taking the kinds of extreme actions we were just talking about would like to know: if this isnt failure, what does failure look like exactly?

HTML <blockquote class=twitter-tweet><p lang=en dir=ltr>Biden on Afghanistan pullout: "I don't think it was a failure"<a href=https://twitter.com/clarissaward?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>@clarissaward</a>: I think a lot of people outside that airport, particularly those taking the kinds of extreme actions we're talking about, would like to know if this isn't failure - what does failure look like exactly? <a href=https://t.co/t3CGgyMB6E>pic.twitter.com/t3CGgyMB6E</a></p> Brianna Keilar (@brikeilarcnn) <a href=https://twitter.com/brikeilarcnn/status/1428300299731619844?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>August 19, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src=https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js charset=utf-8></script> 

She was responding to an interview with ABC News, in which President Biden refused to accept blame for the scenes unfolding in Afghanistan.

When you look at whats happened over the last week, host George Stephanopoulos asked him, was it a failure of intelligence, planning, execution or judgment?

Mr Biden responded: Look, it was a simple choice, George.

When you had the government of Afghanistan, the leader of that government, get in a plane and taking off and going to another country; when you saw the significant collapse of the Afghan troops we had trained, up to 300,000 of them, just leaving their equipment and taking off  that was, you know, Im not, thats what happened. Thats simply what happened.

And so the question was, in the beginning, the threshold question was, do we commit to leave within the timeframe we set, do we extend it to Sept. 1, or do we put significantly more troops in?
American Airlines will extend its ban on serving alcohol in the main cabin of its flights until at least January 2022.

The company extended the ban that it introduced earlier in the coronavirus pandemic when the industry as a whole saw a dramatic spike in unruly behaviour by passengers.

The suspension of alcohol service in the main cabin will stay in place until 18 January, when the current federal mask mandate on flights and at airports is set to run out.

All passengers in the US are required by the Transportation Security Administration to wear masks while traveling.

The airline, which requires all employees to wear masks but not to show proof of vaccination, announced the extension of its rule in a message to flight attendants.

We are doing all we can to help create a safe environment for our crew and customers onboard our aircraft, said Stacey Frantz, Americans senior manager of flight service policies and procedures.

The company is also trying to get the FAA to stop the sale of alcoholic to-go drinks at its major hub airports in Charlotte and Dallas, among others.

American and Southwest Airlines are the only two major airlines to have banned the main cabin sale of alcohol.

United Airlines has suspended the sale of hard alcohol, but still allows customers to purchase beer and wine.

American and Southwest suspended the sale of alcohol for most travellers in May following a string of violent incidents and attacks on staff by passengers, including a Southwest flight attendant having a tooth punched out.

Southwest Airlines does not have a timetable for the resumption of alcohols sales, a spokesperson said.

The Federal Aviation Administration announced that as of July there had been more than 3,400 incidents of unruly behaviour by passengers, a massive increase from normal years.

And the FAA said on Thursday that it wants to bring fines totalling more than $500,000 against 34 of those passengers.
A burned-out California home that was damaged in a blaze has still sold for $1 million.

The charred portions of the four-bedroom property in Walnut Creek, California, certainly did not put off buyers as it was initially listed for $850,000.

After being on the market for only three days, the home, which is 90 minutes from San Francisco, had received eight offers, according to real estate agent Melinda Byrne.

While I wasnt really surprised by the price, I was very pleased for my client and for the new buyer: this was an excellent investment purchase. Im looking forward to seeing the transformation of this home, she told The Independent.

The average price of homes in the city is $1.1m, according to real estate data.

Bring your contractor, architect, and designer: this is more than a fixer and the potential is limited only by imagination, the listing for the home stated.

Ms Byrne said that she fully expected the home, being sold in a cash-only deal, to go for above its asking price as it was in a gorgeous neighborhood.

The high school is one of the best in the area. Its also very close to Mount Diablo State Park, so its surrounded by beautiful hiking trails, horses, walking trails galore and youre really close to shopping, she said.

So, where this home is located is in a prime area.

And she added that the home probably appealed as a fixer-upper as it comes with no hidden surprises.

That makes it easier to do remodeling, she said.

You dont have the guess work on whats behind the walls and there is no need to break into walls to reconfigure the floorplan.

The home was damaged in a September 2020 fire which is thought to have started in the garage area.

The median price for a single-family home in California hit $811,170 in July, having crossed the $800,000 mark for the first time in April.

Nationally the median price of a home in July was $385,000.
Following a nearly five-hour standoff, on Thursday US Capitol Police arrested a man suspected of initiating a bomb threat in Washington DC, sparking a major security alert seven months after an insurrection at the nearby US Capitol.

Floyd Ray Roseberry allegedly parked his truck near the Library of Congress and shared his extremist views in a rambling, anti-government diatribe which he beamed to thousands of viewers on Facebook, and which has since been removed from the site.

In the live-stream, Mr Roseberry said he aimed to start a revolution and spoke ominously of other patriots who had joined the cause.

The revolution is on, its here, its today, he said. America needs a voice. Ill give it to them.

US Capitol Police reported that a bomb was not recovered from the truck but but possible bomb making materials were collected after Mr Roseberrys arrest.

He reportedly told a Capitol Police officer at the scene that he had a bomb, and the officer noticed what appeared to be a detonator in the mans hand, according to a statement from Capitol Police.

Mr Roseberry appeared in court virtually from a Washington DC jail on Friday afternoon where he was charged with threat of use of weapon of mass destruction and use or attempted use of explosive device.

The suspect in the bomb threat at the US Capitol posted a live-stream to Facebook (Facebook)

Further details of Mr Roseberrys possible motivations have emerged since his arrest.

On a live-stream he filmed on his way to the capital from his home in North Carolina, Mr Roseberry seemed to be fixated on the mistaken belief that Afghan refugees and Mexican migrants would receive free healthcare while he couldnt.

Mr Roseberry said he had tried to get stem cell treatment that week, but his health insurance wouldnt cover it, NBC News reporter Ben Collins wrote on Twitter.

He also said his wife was suffering from cancer but couldnt get the required surgery because her insurance didnt cover it.

He seemed to falsely believe that undocumented migrants would receive free medical care, a common conspiracy theory in rightwing circles which has been debunked.

On a later live-stream filmed outside the Library of Congress, Mr Roseberry indicated his truck contained explosives and issued a warning to President Joe Biden against shooting him to prevent sound-sensitive detonators from igniting them.

Im here for a reason, Joe Biden, he said. Im here for the American people. And if you want to take me out, take me out. But when the patriots come, your ass is in trouble  So if you blow my truck up man, its on you, Joe. Im ready to die for the cause.

Mr Roseberry surrenders to US Capitol police (AP)

When police arrived. Mr Roseberry was communicating by holding up hand-written signs through the front, driver-side window, Capitol Police said.

Officers then gave him a phone in hopes of trying to continue the dialogue, according to a police statement.

Nearby Capitol office buildings were evacuated; Both the House of Representatives and the Senate are on recess, and most lawmakers are in their home states, but staffers and Library of Congress employees were working near the scene, prompting the evacuations. Police also went door to door to alert residents in the area.

Following the hours-long standoff, he followed officers instructions and crawled away from the truck.

By 6pm, law enforcement had cleared the scene and reopened nearby streets to traffic.

The US Department of Justice and FBI are assisting the case.

On his livestream, which was removed from Facebook but shared widely across other social media platforms, Mr Roseberry spoke of his family back in North Carolina, his hatred for for the president  named dozens of times in his video  and claimed to be upset at the decision to pull US troops out of Afghanistan.

The first thing I want is air strikes in Afghanistan. Kick that Talibans ass and keep them from killing people, he said.

He admitted he had lied to his wife about where he was going when he drove the 354 miles from Grover, population 700, to the US Capitol.

I wont lie to her again, he said.

He also indicated he had been deprived access to medication.They cut off my healthcare, he said. I cant even get shots anymore. His wife told NBC News that her husband had left North Carolina on Wednesday night and told her he was going on a fishing trip.

She says her husband has been upset of the result of the Presidential election and voted for the first time in his life for President Trump, NBC News reported.

She said he had recently changed medication and had been going through some mental health problems.

WCNC reported that a search of public records showed Mr Roseberry did not have serious criminal record; he reportedly was charged with larceny $200 and driving without a licence in the 1980s and was given probation.

A Facebook account belonging to Mr Roseberry, which has also been removed, listed his interests as animal keeping and fishing. A photograph on the account showed two assault rifles.

On his livestream, he claimed to have thrown $3,000 from his truck window, after pulling up on the sidewalk next to the Library of Congress at about 9.15am on 19 August.

An eyewitness, University of Madison-Wisconsin student Sydney Bobb, said she could see $1 bills scattered on the ground as she walked to her class near the Library of Congress building at 9.25am.

An eyewitness photo from near the Library of Congress shows the alleged suspect threatening the Capitol area with potential explosives. (Sydney Bobb)

The 22-year-old could hear him shouting that he had a bomb as he sat in the pickup truck with the engine idling.

Mr Roseberry appeared to have been harbouring frustrations at the US government for some time.

At one point he falsely claimed that the president had not been legitimately elected, echoing the persistent lie that the 2020 presidential elections was rigged against Mr Trump and his supporters.

He also claimed this aint about politics.

I dont care if Donald Trump ever become president again. Dont matter to me, he said. I think all you Democrats need to step down. You gotta understand the people dont want you there.
An eyewitness says she saw a man in a black pickup truck in front of the Library of Congress shouting he had a bomb while tossing dollar bills out of the window.

Capitol police responded to an active bomb threat investigation after a man in a pickup truck threatened to detonate an explosive device near the Library of Congress in Washington DC.

The man surrendered just after 2pm, bringing the near five-hour stand-off to an end.

He was identified as 49-year-old Floyd Ray Roseberry of Grover, North Carolina.

The area around the Library on Capitol Hill was being evacuated on Thursday morning and people were being urged to stay away from the area.

Sydney Bobb, 22, a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said she was on her way to a race in politics class near the Library of Congress at about 9.25am when she noticed a man in a black pickup truck shouting that he had a bomb.

I was walking on that block because thats where I go to class. He was shouting that he had a bomb. And then he threw money out the side of the truck, Ms Bobb told The Independent by phone as she was being evacuated from her class.

An eyewitness photo from near the Library of Congress shows the alleged suspect threatening the Capitol area with potential explosives. (Sydney Bobb)

She said she couldnt see any device in his truck, and law enforcement have so far been unable to verify whether Mr Roseberry has explosives.

I remember feeling scared, she said.

Ms Bobb took a photo of the suspect which showed dollar bills strewn on the ground near the truck.

She initially thought the bills must have been fake because who throws money out of a truck?

But it wasnt.

NBC News Pete Williams reported on Thursday that the suspect in the truck is using a dry-erase whiteboard to communicate with police. The suspect also posted a number of videos to Facebook before the social media company ultimately cook them down.

You thought the south wasnt coming. Well Joe Bidens time has come. The roads are blocked, and Im waiting for your call, the man said in one of the videos.

Come out here and talk to me Joe, Americas tired of it, the man believed to be the suspect said.

Sources told the Associated Press that investigators at the scene were trying to determine whether the device was an operable explosive.

Law enforcement is working to determine if the man in the pickup truck is holding a detonator and if the explosive device is operable, the Associated Press reported.

Law enforcement sources told CNN a man in the truck was making threats, and police negotiators were on their way to speak with him.

The USCP is responding to a suspicious vehicle near the Library of Congress, the US Capitol Police force said in a Tweet.

NOW: The USCP is responding to a suspicious vehicle near the Library of Congress.



Please stay away from this area and follow this account for the latest information. pic.twitter.com/LMBYBTJn4t  U.S. Capitol Police (@CapitolPolice) August 19, 2021

MEDIA ALERT: This is an active bomb threat investigation. The staging area for journalists covering this situation is at Constitution and First Street, NW for your safety.



Please continue to avoid the area around the Library of Congress. pic.twitter.com/jTNVaBmVwR  U.S. Capitol Police (@CapitolPolice) August 19, 2021

Please stay away from this area and follow this account for the latest information.

Just before 10:30am on Thursday, Capitol police issued an update warning people to keep their distance.

This is an active bomb threat investigation. The staging area for journalists covering this situation is at Constitution and First Street, NW for your safety.

The Capitol police described it as an ongoing investigation.

We are monitoring this situation closely and will update this account as we get information we can release.

Just after 11am, John Moore, a Congressional candidate, tweeted that everyone in the Library of Congress and surrounding buildings are now evacuated or in the process of evacuation.

According to reports, the threat is believed to be a truck bomb somewhere between the Library of Congress and the Supreme Court.

Everyone in the Library of Congress and surrounding buildings are now evacuated or in the process of evacuation. According to reports, the threat is believed to be a truck bomb somewhere between the Library of Congress and the Supreme Court.  John Moore for Congress (@Moore4AZ) August 19, 2021

Congressional staff have been alerted and warned to remain in their offices.

The FBIs Washington Field Office is working with Capitol Police on the threat response, it said in a tweet.

The FBI Washington Field Office's National Capital Response Squad is responding with our partners, including @CapitolPolice, to reports of a suspicious vehicle and bomb threat near the Library of Congress.  FBI Washington Field (@FBIWFO) August 19, 2021

Officers from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) are also responding to the ongoing threat.

Washington DC Metro trains are bypassing the Capitol South station.

According to its website, more than 3,000 staff work at the Library of Congress. Its unclear how many are on site.

Security at Capitol Hill has been increased since a mob of thousands of Donald Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol on January 6 in an attempt to block lawmakers from certifying the results of the 2020 presidential election.

A pipe bomb was left at the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee and the Republican National Committee in Washington a day before the insurrection.

After the January 6 riots, around 25,000 National Guards deployed around the US Capitol to maintain security for the inauguration of President Joe Biden.

Thousands of National Guards maintained a presence there for months amid the ongoing threat of political violence.

On April 2, Capitol Police Officer William F Evans was killed and another officer was injured after they were rammed by a vehicle at the heavily guarded northern entrance to the U.S. Capitol.

The suspect, Noah Green, 25, of Indiana, was shot and killed.

Situated next to the US Capitol building and the Supreme Court, the Library of Congress is the largest in the world.

Staff at the Library were sent a security alert notifying them of the bomb threat on Thursday morning.
The victim of a vicious hatchet attack in New York has opened up about his horrific ordeal.

Miguel Solorzano had just finished work on 15 August, when he went to deposit his check at a Chase Bank ATM on Broadway in downtown Manhattan, where a man came over to him wielding a hatchet.

He didnt even rob me, Mr Solorzano said to the New York Daily News, He took nothing. Nothing. He was crazy.

Mr Solorzano, 50, was slashed by his attacker. There were a lot of people in the street, he explained in Spanish to the news outlet. I yelled Help, help, help! Another person talked to the police and another doctor came. Mr Solorzanos bloody axe was left behind, covered in blood.

In a shocking surveillance video, a man is seen coming up behind Mr Solorzano and striking the back of his leg with a weapon. The victim buckles in pain and is seen desperately trying to block the blade before falling to the floor. The victim flees the scene and the attacker then smashes all the ATMs, before throwing the weapon on the floor.

He hit me so many times, said Solorzano, who did his best to block the axes strikes with his arms.

Solorzano suffered injuries to the head and leg. A friend of the victim told the New York Daily News that he underwent two operations following the attack.

Police arrested 37-year-old suspect Aaron Garcia on Tuesday night, for attempted murder and assault, after officials found him vandalising storefront windows and a car with a hammer.

Sarah Garcia, the suspects mother told the New York Post that he had returned from Iraq in 2009 and had been suffering from mental health issues. He had obtained some treatment from a Veterans Affairs hospital, to little avail, according to Ms Garcia.
Three police officers were shot and another was injured in New Mexico on Thursday morning, in an exchange of gunfire that led to a major manhunt in northeast Albuquerque.

Officers were responding to a call about an armed robbery when the shooting occurred. One officer was hit in the chest and left in critical condition. Another was shot in the arm and a third in his bulletproof vest, while the fourth was hurt by a piece of shrapnel. All four were taken to hospital for treatment.

Local Goodwill store manager Richard Griego told the Albuquerque Journal he was in his car when he heard the shootout, initially thinking it was a car backfiring.

Then he saw puffs of bullets hitting a wall and 20-30 gunshots sounded as officers exchanged gunfire with the suspects.

One of the men was shot on the scene and taken into custody. Details of his condition were not immediately released.

Tactical officers then began sweeping surrounding neighbourhoods in an intensive hunt for the other suspect.

A major police presence was soon on the ground in the area, while onlookers watched the scenes unfold from parking lots and the roofs of nearby businesses. Mayor Tim Keller and District Attorney Raul Torrez were also at the scene.

Local schools were placed on lockdown for safety until the second suspect was found and taken into custody shortly afterwards.

In a statement released on Twitter, Albuquerque Police Department said: We do not believe there are other outstanding offenders at this point.
The former owner of an ice cream shop is the first to be fined under a so-called Karen law, after calling the police on Black Lives Matter protesters under false threat allegations in June 2020.

David Elmendorf, who used to run Bumpy's Polar Freeze, in upstate New York, has been ordered to pay nine demonstrators $500 each, totalling $4,500.

Black Lives Matter activists showed up at Bumpy's Polar Freeze in Schenectady to peacefully protest after the owner allegedly sent racist text messages that were circulated on social media.

Mr Elmendorf reportedly falsely claimed, during a 911 call, that there were 20 armed protesters who were threatening to shoot him at his store, according to the New York Post.

New York State Attorney General, Letitia James sued Mr Elmendorf under a new bill, signed into law in June 2020, designed to stop people from making false racially biased reports.

Those who make racist and violent threats will be held accountable by my office with the full weight of the law, Ms James said in a statement when she announced the lawsuit. The charges against David Elmendorf should serve as a warning that hate crimes will not be tolerated on my watch and we will not allow any individual to use the colour of someones skin as a weapon.

The law is dubbed the Central Park Karen law after Karenism, which stereotypes white, entitled, middle-aged women who complain about minor inconveniences. The law came about after white woman Amy Cooper called the police on a black birdwatcher in Central Park on 25 May 2020, the same day George Floyd was murdered.

Ms Coopers dog was not on a lead in an area where all dogs were required to be leashed in the park. She allegedly refused to put her dog on a leash after Christian Cooper (no relation) asked her to do so. Mr Cooper started videoing the woman as she called the police and falsely accused him of threatening her. His video went viral on social media, clocking up more than 45 million views on Twitter.

The Manhattan District Attorney charged Ms Cooper for filing a false police report. She later had her charges dropped after completing an educational course.

The CAREN Act, standing for Caution Against Racially Exploitative Non-Emergencies, was also introduced in July in San Francisco. This bill could protect millions of Californians from becoming targets of hate and prevent the weaponisation of our law enforcement against communities of colour," said California Attorney General Rob Bonta in a statement at the time.
A Florida couple has been arrested in Hawaii after allegedly using fake Covid vaccination cards for themselves and their two children.

The family presented the cards at the airport, where a staff member noticed the ages of the children, who were born in 2016 and 2017. Vaccines are not yet available in the US for children under the age of 12.

"The screener at the airport when they came through noticed an anomaly about the age of the children and the vaccine," Special Agent Joe Logan with the Hawaii Attorney Generals Office told NBC Miami. "And thats how we got involved."

Enzo Dalmazzo, 43, and Daniela Dalmazzo, 31, were taken into custody shortly after they arrived in Honolulu and charged on counts of presenting false documents. They were jailed on a total bail of $8,000 and have since been released.

Hawaiis Safe Travels program says visitors must show proof of vaccination card or a negative coronavirus test taken no more than 72 hours before a trip if they want to avoid a 10-day quarantine on arrival.

This was the second known case of holidaymakers using falsified documents to avoid quarantine requirements in Hawaii; a California father and son were also arrested this week for doing so.

Falsified vaccination cards are an issue that authorities are becoming increasingly concerned about.

In May this year, the FBI released a statement saying: Vaccination cards are intended to provide recipients of the coronavirus vaccine with important information regarding the type of vaccine they received and their dates of inoculation.

The creation, purchase, or sale of vaccine cards by individuals is illegal and endangers public safety. The unauthorized use of an official government agencys seal on such cards is a crime penalties may include hefty fines and prison time.
Nearly three years later, former Nissan executive Greg Kelly is still wondering why the questions that led to his arrest and trial in Japan werent simply taken up in the automaker's corporate boardroom.

Kelly, an American lawyer who worked for three decades for Nissan Motor Co., is awaiting a verdict in his trial on charges of financial misconduct in the case of Carlos Ghosn The embattled former chairman of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance jumped bail and fled to Lebanon in late 2019, leaving Kelly in Japan alone to face charges of Ghosns under-reported Nissan compensation. Kelly has denied the allegations.

I dont think any of us were involved in a crime, or a criminal activity," Kelly told The Associated Press in an interview Wednesday in his Tokyo apartment, where he is out on bail.

We were involved in trying to solve a business problem, which was: What actions do you take that are lawful to retain a very valuable executive who was underpaid? Kelly added, referring to Ghosn.

It should have been resolved at the corporate level at Nissan. Its not a criminal matter, said Kelly, who faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted and is forbidden from leaving Japan as he awaits his fate. A verdict is not expected until March. More than 99% of Japanese criminal trials result in convictions.

Behind him, the walls of the apartment Kelly shares with his wife, Dee, were plastered with photos of his two grandsons, including a 20-month-old baby he has never held. Family is most important, the 64-year-old Kelly said, especially this late in life.

When you get into your 60s, youre not looking at a long horizon, Kelly said.

Every day that you miss with your family, you know, that to me is the stress. To spend 33 months without my family. For a corporate matter, it just doesnt make a lot of sense.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Kelly was working for Nissan but living in the Nashville area of Tennessee when he was asked to come to Japan for a meeting in November 2018. Since he was scheduled for neck fusion surgery to address a painful spinal condition he suggested a video conference. But Nissan booked a corporate jet for him, promising he would be back within the week.

After landing in Japan, he got in a van. The driver asked if he could pull over and make a call. Suddenly the van door opened, and several men rushed in, identifying themselves as prosecutors and a translator.

Kelly was taken to a detention center, handcuffed and searched, then led to an interrogation room, and questioned by prosecutors, initially without a lawyer present.

It was a shock, he said.

He was kept in solitary confinement for 35 days and interrogated daily. He was confused. He could not call his wife. He pleaded to be allowed to get help from Nissan. Little did he know, he said, that Nissan was behind the arrest.

LIFE ON BAIL

To pass the time as he awaits a verdict, Kelly takes long walks with his wife, who moved to Japan in January 2019 on a student visa, taking Japanese language courses to be near her husband.

Kelly says he is lucky to have Dee, his college sweetheart from their days at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois.

She was at his trial, giving her husband a thumbs-up as he walked into the courtroom with his lawyers. Sitting in the front row, she took copious notes since court transcripts are only in Japanese.

Dee Kelly said she was taking a walk near the couple's home in November 2018, when she heard a radio report about the arrest of Ghosn and an American executive.

You feel like you cant breathe, she said, not knowing what could have happened to her husband while on a business trip. At home, Japanese reporters were already showing up at her door.

You work all your life so you can have time during retirement to spend with your kids, and we really wanted to play a big part in our grandkids lives, and that was taken, she said of the events that have unfolded since. What was done to him is beyond terrible.

Kelly dedicated his life to Nissan, she said. To have him treated like this, especially by people that were your friends. Thats really hard.

THE CASE

Unknown except to several top Nissan officials, Ghosns salary was slashed from about 2 billion yen ($20 million) to 1 billion yen ($10 million) in fiscal 2009, when the disclosure of individual executive pay became required in Japan.

Prosecutors contend there was an elaborate plan to make up for the pay cut, which should have been documented in Nissans annual securities report.

At trial, they presented as evidence tables on Ghosns unpaid salary, kept meticulously by another Nissan official. Kelly says he didnt know about the tables.

From Ghosn's native Lebanon, the auto magnate-turned-international fugitive has denied accusations of underreporting his compensation and misusing company funds, contending he was the victim of a corporate coup linked to a decline in Nissans financial performance as the Japanese automaker resisted losing autonomy to French partner Renault.

In an AP interview in May, Ghosn mounted a robust defense of Kelly, saying: Obviously he is innocent.

Some observers think that Kelly may be a bit of a pawn in the (Japanese) governments effort to salvage its reputation after Ghosn escaped," said Carl Tobias, Williams Chair in Law at the University of Richmond. In the end, there may be no winners in this sordid story.

THE ALLIANCE BACKDROP

Yoichi Kitamura, Kellys chief attorney, says that in his 43 years as a defense lawyer, he has never encountered a case like the one against Kelly.

There is absolutely no evidence, Kitamura said, adding there was no motive either. Nissan and the prosecutors got together and concocted this into a criminal case.

Kelly was just trying to do what he thought was best for Nissan, Kitamura added.

Hari Nada, who worked with Kelly in Nissan human resources, went to prosecutors about Ghosns unpaid compensation, according to Nadas testimony in Kellys trial. Nada is one of two Nissan officials who got a plea bargain to avoid prosecution.

Kelly says he may have been singled out because he, like Ghosn, supported a merger for Nissan and Renault, to strengthen the alliance in a way he thought would make the companies more equal yet remain competitive.

Nada, former Nissan Chief Executive Hiroto Saikawa and several other Japanese executives opposed the merger, according to court testimony.

It was a small group that put together this scenario, Kelly said of his and Ghosns arrests.

KELLYS BROTHERS

John and Dave Kelly, Greg Kellys brothers, were at the Chicago Auto Show last month, with cousins, spouses and friends all wearing Free Greg Kelly hats and T-shirts, to picket and hand out leaflets.

To commit a crime, you have to have a motive. Greg didnt get anything. He was trying to help Nissan, Dave Kelly, a petroleum engineer who lives in Lafayette, Louisiana, said in a telephone interview.

He was just doing his job.

The brothers grew up playing baseball and football in their backyard together.

He was always an honest guy. He was always someone you could trust and talk to, said John Kelly a general surgeon in Oneida, New York.

I know my brother. I know he will never be involved in anything dishonest.

___

Follow Yuri Kageyama on Twitter at https://twitter.com/yurikageyama
An innovative program to help people with mental health and substance abuse problems is being primed for a major expansion as the COVID-19 pandemic deepens struggles with drug use, depression and anxiety for many Americans

Community behavioral health clinics offer 24/7 services to catch people falling into crisis and pull them back. One tactic involves deploying peer counselors who have lived and survived their own trauma. Launched in the Obama administration, the clinics actually got scaled up under President Donald Trump That's not typical for a government health program in politically polarized times.

Now, as Democrats haggle over the details of how to deliver on President Joe Biden s domestic agenda, some backers see that mammoth bill as the best vehicle for a major expansion of the clinics. The estimated cost is close to $3 billion, not huge in the context of the $3.5 trillion budget target just set by the Senate. But with many competing priorities nothing is guaranteed.

I'm advocating that this be part of any health care package that moves in the Senate, said Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich. She and Sen. Roy Blunt R-Mo., are considered legislative godparents of the clinics, a yearslong bipartisan collaboration between a liberal stalwart and an old-school conservative.

This could be their moment. The COVID-19 pandemic is blamed for a nearly 30% rise in overdose deaths last year, and other indicators show marked increases in anxiety and depression. Young adults and adolescents are of particular concern.

Clearly the impact of the pandemic on peoples mental health was significant, said Blunt. If you had any kind of addiction issue, it was likely to get worse as youre more likely to be isolated and have more anxiety. On every health marker Ive seen, things are headed in the wrong direction.

Blunt may be in a political bind if the proposal is part of the Democrats' budget bill, unlikely to get Republican support.

The program's official name is Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics, or CCBHCs in government-speak. Upward of 400 are already operating in more than 40 states. But the program is not yet that well known, and long-term funding is questionable.

Stabenow and Blunt would give states the option of incorporating the clinics within their Medicaid programs, securing federal matching funds at an enhanced rate.

We are finally putting in place quality, comprehensive services for mental health and addiction that will be funded the same as physical health services, said Stabenow. In the House, Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Calif., leads the effort.

The lives of people with serious mental health problems and addiction lurch from crisis to crisis and don't align with doctors' office hours. Clinics must offer round-the-clock access to a broad range of services tailored to the client's situation in the moment. Services include medication assisted treatment for addiction but also evaluation of physical health needs.

A peer counselor at the clinics can be someone who's gone through addiction or grappled with the inner shadows that drive people into depression and isolation. They connect to clients and help them hold to a steadier course, even when upsets happen like relationship or job problems.

The clinics are nonprofits or units of local government. They place special emphasis on assisting veterans. And they coordinate with local law enforcement to help keep patients out of jail. Though government-funded, they also serve privately insured people.

The theory is that comprehensive services can help keep people out of crisis, avoiding hospitalization and incarceration, saving taxpayers money in the long run. However, a recent review by the congressional Government Accountability Office found that agency efforts to evaluate the program were hampered by data problems. For their part, state Medicaid directors say they recognize the need and see the value of comprehensive services, but Medicaid can't handle it alone.

The initial starter program in the Obama administration involved a limited Medicaid demonstration. Under Trump, funding increased via grants awarded through another health agency. Central to their financial viability, the clinics get paid up front based on estimates of their expected cost of providing services.

Before we would only get paid for the therapy and the medication, so we certainly couldnt do anything extra to help with linking up services such as food and housing, said Elizabeth Woike-Ganga, president of BestSelf Behavioral Health in Buffalo, New York, part of the program. And its those social factors that often impact people with mental health problems.

BestSelf client Ron Sibley suffers from chronic serious mental illness. Now in his 50s and on disability, Sibley used to enjoy working with his hands. He did woodworking, refinished furniture, and held down an assembly line job. But the effects of his medications have diminished his manual dexterity.

Before he connected with BestSelf, Sibley said he would wind up in cycles of depression that could land him in the psychiatric ward of the hospital for weeks. But working with his peer counselor and using Zoom to join a social club sponsored by the clinic have helped him avoid that.

Ive learned a lot about staying well, said Sibley.

Last winter, he felt himself being sucked into a downdraft. Before, once I started to get sick, I would get sicker and sicker until I went in the hospital, Sibley said. My peer counselor got me through it. She asked, Are you depressed? You seem depressed. She got me to open up more about it.

Mona Lisa McEachin was recruited to work at BestSelf by people who knew her life story. McEachin said she had used drugs for 20 years, but turned her back on that after she was handed responsibility for caring for a young grandson. (Her grandson just graduated high school and is headed for college.)

At the clinic, McEachin said she found her life's calling being a peer mentor to others struggling with addiction.

For the first time in my life I felt like I could take something in my past and use it to help others, said McEachin, now a trainer. "To help give someone else life is just a feeling that you cant describe.

We're like the peanut butter to the jelly, she added.
The Talibans haul of US military gear provided to the Afghan army includes 2,000 armoured vehicles and 40 aircraft, officials say.

The militant group swept into power in Kabul this week and now controls the high-tech arsenal of weaponry and equipment left behind by the fleeing Afghan forces.

American intelligence officials told Reuters says that this could include US Humvees, UH-60 Black Hawks, scout attack helicopters, and ScanEagle military drones.

Everything that hasnt been destroyed is the Talibans now, one US official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told the news outlet.

Officials say the White House is so concerned about the Talibans new weapons cache it is considering a string of options to deal with it, which could include airstrikes against larger pieces of equipment such as helicopters.

It is estimated that between 2002 and 2017 the US provided the Afghan military with around $28bn worth of weaponry, which includes guns, night-vision equipment, rockets and drones.

And since 2003 the US has provided Afghanistan with 600,000 infantry weapons, such as M16 assault rifles, 16,000 sets of night vision goggles, and 162,000 pieces of communications equipment.

The ability to operate at night is a real game-changer, a congressional aide told Reuters.

As Taliban forces took control of Kabul, US officials say that as many as 50 aircraft were flown by Afghan pilots to Uzbekistan, while other aircraft were already back in the US for maintenance.

US officials said that while the Taliban having control of helicopters is concerning, the equipment is complicated to use and needs a high-level of maintenance.

Ironically, the fact that our equipment breaks down so often is a life-saver here, one official told Reuters.

Retired US Army General Joseph Votel, who was head of US Central Command between 2016 and 2019, said that most of the equipment did not contain sensitive US technology.

In some cases, some of these will be more like trophies, he said.

The US had set a deadline of 31 August for all US personnel to be withdrawn from Afghanistan, but Joe Biden has said this may be extended until all Americans can be taken out of the country.

Reuters contributed to this report
Distressing details of a series of 911 calls that could have saved a Houston family from carbon monoxide poisoning have been revealed.

Michael Negussie called emergency services on the evening of 15 February, concerned about his cousins family during a freezing winter storm. Their power was out and he had heard that they were running their car to charge their phones.

Unable to contact them, Mr Negussie asked emergency crews to check on the couple and their two children, as he was concerned they had fainted from carbon monoxide poisoning.

According to the recording of one of the calls, a fire captain told Mr Negussie that no one was answering the door. Mr Negussie explained again that he was afraid the family were unconscious, so would be unable to answer the door, and requested that the crew go ahead and force entry.

All right, well, we have units out there. Ill let them know. Ill make a tactical decision on that incident, and Ill get HPD out there, the captain said, referring to the Houston Police Department, which often assists when emergency responders are required to break into homes.

Tragically, the crew left without making contact, and the four family members, who were passed out inside, were left unattended and exposed to carbon monoxide gas for nearly three more hours.

Documents from the Houston fire and police departments and recordings of 911 calls obtained by ProPublica, The Texas Tribune and NBC News showed that Mr Negussies concerns about carbon monoxide were not given to the crew at the scene. Police officers did not arrive to assist with the necessary break-in, and no records were found showing the fire captain had asked for assistance.

A later 911 call by Mr Negussie in an attempt to get an update on the situation was met with conflicting information and inaction. Over the course of the night, he told 911 operators and fire captains in seven separate conversations that he believed the family was unconscious.

Emergency responders eventually returned to the home at around midnight to find Etenesh Mersha, 46, and her seven-year-old daughter, Rakaeb, dead. Her husband, Shalemu Bekele, and their eight-year-old son, Beimnet recovered, although the boy spent a month in hospital.

The Houston Fire Department has launched an investigation into what went wrong that night.

Houston Fire Department Chief Samuel Pena said: What happened in this incident, it seems to me, because the investigation is still ongoing, is that the dispatcher just failed to provide the necessary information for the people on the scene to make the appropriate decision.

A thorough review is underway and any breach of policy will be held to account, he later added.

Mr Negussie said he questioned whether another family would have received a different response that night. The lack of urgency was because it was a Black family in that neighbourhood, and the fire department and the police department didnt feel that sense of urgency to do something  that there might be consequences if something went wrong, he said.

Executive Assistant Fire Chief Rodney West denied the allegation, saying; We dont look at a geographical map and assign resources differently. Our expectation is to respond to every incident within so many minutes with the appropriate resources, and thats what we do.
The US military reportedly spent millions of dollars on uniform for the Afghan army that were unusable because the camouflage was not suited to the countrys terrain.

According to a US government watchdog covering the US mission in Afghanistan, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (Sigar), Washington spent as much as $28 million (20.5 million) buying uniforms that the Afghan military were not able to use.

The camouflage, as Bloomberg reported on Thursday, did not match the terrain of Afghanistan  but the money was spent on the uniforms anyway.

The Pentagon, in an assessment in June 2017, blamed an Afghan minister of defence for saying the unusable camouflage firms were the better design, saying he liked the woodland, urban, and temperate patterns.

It was not clear when the order occurred, and under which Afghan official.

Jim Mattis, the then-US defence secretary, reportedly said in a later review that rather than minimise this report or excuse wasteful decisions, I expect all DOD organisations to use this error as a catalyst to bring to light wasteful practices.

The blunder was among dozens of mistakes that were made by US officials during the mission in Afghanistan, which came at a cost of $1 billion (732 million), but ended more abruptly than the White House had anticipated on Sunday when the Afghan capital was retaken by the Taliban.

Two decades worth of spending on the so-called forever war, according to Sigar, also led to the building of a 101 kilometer (63 mile) road that was largely destroyed after it was completed at a cost of $176 million (128 million).

While much of the US spending on the Afghan war would have gone towards American contractors, suppliers and firms, the level of spending and apparent waste in the wake of the countrys withdrawal is likely to come under investigation.

Several Republicans have already criticised the Biden White House for failing to evacuate from Kabul before the Taliban took the city, and for leaving behind billions in dollars worth of US military equipment, which the Pentagon said on Thursday included 2,000 armoured vehicles and 40 aircraft.

The Independent has reached out to the US department of defence for comment.
The US government said it will settle 22,000 refugees seeking asylum after fleeing from Afghanistan, with 11 state governors announcing plans to take the refugees, but questions remain about the efficacy of the resettlement process.

The Pentagon announced on Monday that it would create additional capacity to support refugee relocation in the US.

The first destination for the refugees would be temporary sites under assessment at Fort Bliss, Texas, and Camp McCoy, Wisconsin, Department of Defense official Gary Reed said at a press conference, adding that other sites will be designated if the need to do so emerges.

At this point were looking to establish 20,000 to 22,000 spaces. We can expand if we need to, Mr Reed said.

Governors of 11 states  six of whom are Republican and five Democrat  have since said they would be willing to take in the refugees.

Governor Spencer Cox, Utahs Republican governor, has expressed enthusiasm in opening up the state for the refugees, citing a long history of welcoming refugees from around the world.

Our state was settled by refugees fleeing religious persecution 170 years ago. Their descendants have a deep understanding of the danger and pain caused by forced migration and appreciate the wonderful contributions of refugees in our communities, he said in a statement posted on Twitter.

Similarly, Marylands Republican governor Larry Hogan said in a video statement on Monday that the state would welcome 180 Afghan visa holders and stand[s] ready and willing to do even more.

Californias Democratic governor Gavin Newsom has said he was proud of the state already being home to a number of Afghan refugees and immigrants.

Governors from Massachusetts, Georgia, South Carolina, Iowa, Virginia, Wisconsin, Kansas and Colorado have also said they will be willing to take in refugees.

Questions remain, however, on how fast and how many refugees will actually be resettled, once the applications for asylum will be accepted by the US, apart from political considerations.

Thousands of Afghans have applied for Special Immigration Visas (SIVs) to allow for their resettlement, with 2,000 such recipients and applicants from Afghanistan being flown to the US since July, said a Reuters report.

One US official, on the condition of anonymity, told Reuters that too many things have to go 100 per cent correctly to execute the plan of moving out SIV holders.

The 22,000 benchmark will be tough to reach because the Taliban has taken over control of the Afghan capital Kabul.

Its a nice goal to have, but realistically its going to be a challenge, the official said.

The official also pointed out that the Pentagon aims to fly 5,000-9,000 people per day once there are 6,000 US troops on the ground in Kabul, a number president Joe Biden had announced would be dispatched to facilitate the evacuation process.

Four thousand of these troops have already reached Kabul, but there is still chaos on the ground. Another point of consideration will be how the asylum seekers will get past Taliban checkpoints to reach the airport. And those not already not in Kabul itself will face a difficult task reaching the city in the first place.

Thousands of asylum seekers have already been camping at the Kabul airport for days since it became clear that the Taliban is set to govern the country.

The US has set an evacuation deadline of 31 August, but this will likely also be extended if theres American citizens left, said Mr Biden on Wednesday.

Another issue has been the US intake of refugees from across the world. The country took in fewer than 10,000 this year, the lowest level since 1975, reported Business Insider.

Fewer than 500 refugees from Afghanistan have been accepted in 2021. This was partly because the administration of former president Donald Trump had tightened restrictions on refugee intake.

It is expected that a number of state governors would be reluctant to accept more refugees on the basis that it might anger a conservative voting base.

Texass Republican governor Gregg Abbott, for instance, told the US State Department in early 2020 that the state would not participate in the federal refugee resettlement programme in future, after the then-Trump administration said governors could opt out.
The departure of US embassy personnel from Afghanistan after the government was toppled by the Taliban has left President Joe Biden facing uncomfortable questions about the legacy of the US in the country, as well as criticism over his own administrations handling of the final days of Americas longest-running war.

The American-backed government in Afghanistan totally collapsed on Sunday in a devastating moment that seemed to erase decades of hard-fought gains by the US military and its allies, with Taliban officials proclaiming that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan would take its place.

The lightning-fast gains of Taliban fighters left serious questions about whether any of the USs efforts over the past two decades in the country had any lasting positive effects.

Biden administration officials and the presidents Republican critics have battled over heavy-handed metaphors for the situation in recent days as scope of the US failure to build a truly capable Afghan defense force came into view. Pictures and videos emerged of militants releasing prisoners from Bagram Air Base and Kabuls prisons and snapping their own photos in the palaces of warlords, and atop US-manufactured armored vehicles.

Republican Congressman and House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, who in February was still refusing to admit that Biden won the election, declared on Sunday that images of US embassy staff fleeing on helicopters and planes from Kabul were the predictable consequences of his leadership.

Its a very dire situation when you see the United States Embassy being evacuated. In fact you just had President Biden a few days ago saying you wouldnt see helicopters evacuating the embassy like Saigon, and yet here we are. This is President Bidens Saigon moment and unfortunately it was very predictable, Mr Scalise said, making a reference to evacuation of the South Vietnamese capital at the end of the Vietnam War nearly 50 years ago.

White House officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Independent.

In an emailed statement late Sunday evening, a Pentagon spokesperson explained that US forces remained in control of Afghanistans airport, and had assumed control of air traffic operations supported by Afghan counterparts. Commercial flights, while sporadic, are still leaving the country while US citizens continue to be evacuated.

Several hundred civilians including personnel and private US citizens have been evacuated so far. We continue to build capacity to expedite processing for at-risk Afghan civilians. We are especially grateful for Canadas generous offer to host 20,000 Afghans at-risk, John Kirby told The Independent.

As we have made clear, this is a narrowly-defined mission to safeguard the movement of civilians out of Kabul. Any threat posed to the mission will be taken seriouslyand any attack on our people or on our operation will be met forcefully, he continued.

Reports on Twitter indicated that some Americans remained in Taliban-controlled areas, unable to reach the safety of US forces at the airport which was blocked by heavy vehicle traffic.

Some of Mr Bidens critics, including many in the media, pointed out the presidents previously stated confidence in the stability of Afghanistans government on Sunday while expressing shock over the rapid surrender of its military. CNN anchor Fareed Zakaria declared the situation one of the greatest military collapses in human history.

Just weeks ago, Mr Biden had very publicly rebuffed an assertion from a reporter that his own intelligence officials had concluded that Afghanistans government would likely fall in the coming weeks, asserting: Thats not true.

Theres going to be no circumstance where you see people being lifted off the roof of the US embassy, Mr Biden contended, again referencing the fall of Saigon.

On CNNs State of the Union on Sunday as Kabul fell to the Islamic insurgents, the secretary of state, Antony Blinken, battled that same imagery.

This is not Saigon, he stated.

He continued: We havent asked the Taliban for anything. Weve told the Taliban that if they interfere with our personnel, with our operations as were proceeding with this drawdown, there will be a swift and decisive response.

Mr Blinken went on to insist that the rapid US drawdown was a result of the 1 May deadline for the removal of most US combat troops originally set by the Trump administration.

He said the US faced a decision of continuing the drawdown or returning to a full-scale war with the Taliban as the militants captured wide swaths of the county.

[W]e would have been back at war with tens of thousands of troops to go in, he explained.

One Reuters correspondent, Idrees Ali, responded to Mr Blinkens insistence about comparisons to the Vietnam War on Twitter, writing: Secretary Blinken is correct. The airlift from Saigon did not happen until two years after a peace deal was signed. The evacuation from Kabul is happening with two weeks still left under Bidens own timeline for an end to the mission.

Others, including apparently many across social media platforms in the region, shared the same view.

Received this from an Iraqi source, a meme about the chaotic US exit from #Afghanistan now racing around the Arab world.



cc @brianstelter pic.twitter.com/ba5H6wnXtN  Kim Dozier (@KimDozier) August 15, 2021

The New York Times reported that there were at least 10,000 Americans, including Afghan Americans, and Afghan employees who work for the US government who needed to be got out of the country.

Images on Al Jazeera showed Taliban fighters in the presidential palace on Sunday evening, and news reports indicated that the president, Ashraf Ghani, had fled to Tajikistan.

At Kabuls airport, a chaotic scene unfolded as Afghans clamored for spots on the last commercial flights out of Afghanistan as well as spots on American military AC-130 aircraft.

The situation at Kabul airport is worsening with the airport still taking fire.#Kabul #Taliban #Afghanistan pic.twitter.com/vqg7jvs1CA  Wajahat Kazmi (@KazmiWajahat) August 15, 2021

Reports emerged that a Sunday meeting between Biden officials, including the defence secretary, Lloyd Austin, and Congressional leaders, had devolved into stinging criticism from House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy, who told the White House: You say you had this plan. No one would plan out this outcome. The ramifications of this for America will go on for decades and it wont just be in Afghanistan.

You cant buy will and you cant purchase leadership. Thats really what was missing, Mr Austin said in response, according to CNN.

Former GOP Rep Denver Riggleman, a former officer in the Air Force, summed up his own feelings on Twitter as the images of Taliban fighters entering Kabul continued.

I deployed on Sep 21, 2001. So many lost in the Towers. So many brothers & sisters in arms lost. When I first arrived, I researched what the Taliban did to women. I briefed the troops on it. Horrific images seared in my mind: executions, hangings, stonings, he wrote, adding simply: Im struggling today.
President Joe Biden has said that his administration is prepared to take legal action against governors who block universal mask mandates.

Were not going to sit by as governors try to block and intimidate educators protecting our children, Mr Biden said in a news conference on Wednesday. He has directed Miguel Cardona, his education secretary, to take legal action, if appropriate and additional steps to protect our children.

Florida Gov Ron DeSantis has said parents should be the ones to decide whether their children wear masks, and he threatened to sanction the Florida school districts that mandate mask-wearing by withholding school board members salaries.

School boards including Miami-Dade County, Hillsborough County, Broward County and Alachua County went against the states orders and require students to wear masks unless they have a medical exemption.

Mr Biden said he would top up any school districts salaries cut by using the American Rescue Plan. If a governor wants to cut the pay of a hard-working education leader who requires masks in the classroom, the money from the American Rescue Plan can be used to pay that persons salary, said Mr Biden. One-hundred per cent.

The president highlighted that politicising coronavirus safety measures was a dangerous game. Some politicians are trying to turn public safety measures  that is, children wearing masks in school  into political disputes for their own political gain, Mr Biden said. Some are even trying to take power away from local educators. Theyre setting a dangerous tone.

Florida is currently battling an increase in Covid-19 infections. In August, the state accounted for around one in five new US infections, and last week Florida had 150,000 cases of the disease. The state has a population of 22 million, similar to Australias 26 million, but the latter has taken a much stricter approach and has had 41,000 cases since the start of the pandemic.
 Close 'We will get you home': Biden promises to evacuate every American from Afghanistan

US President Joe Biden delivered an address to the nation for the second time this week, as the evacuation of Americans and allies from Afghanistan continues.

Mr Biden, who said this week chaos was unavoidable with his country's withdrawal from Afghanistan, addressed concerns about the evacuation of Americans, allies, and Afghan refugees, amid reports that the effort is falling behind.

The president vowed to Americans in Kabul we will get you home, but is being criticised for saying that there were no reports of people being stopped from reaching the airport by the Taliban who took control of the city on Sunday.

Reporters on the ground have many examples of people held back from accessing the airport by Taliban fighters and there are reports of physical violence and intimidation. The Pentagon then appeared to contradict the presidents statement.

Senator Lindsey Graham has threatened the president with impeachment if one American or Afghan ally is left behind in Kabul.

It remains unclear exactly how many people are awaiting airlifts from the country before an agreed deadline of 31 August, after Afghanistan fell into the hands of the Taliban last weekend.

The US military has evacuated 13,000 people since 14 August, and 18,000 since late July. In the past 24 hours 5,700 people have been airlifted as the operation begins to meet capacity levels of 5,000 to 9,000 per day as detailed by the Pentagon.
Republican Rep Mo Brooks of Alabama said that he understood citizens anger directed at dictatorial Socialism as a pro-Trump North Carolina man was threatening Capitol Hill with an alleged bomb in his pickup truck.

Mr Brooks, who is running for the Republican nomination to replace retiring Sen Richard Shelby in 2022, released a statement on Thursday afternoon shortly around the time a man suspected of threatening to bomb the US Capitol surrendered.

Floyd Ray Roseberry, a 49-year-old from Grover in southern North Carolina, was also supposedly upset about the results of the 2020 presidential elections. He had supposedly said the revolution is on and wanted President Joe Biden to resign.

The Alabama Republican said in an official statement that his staff was accounted for and he was in Alabama while Congress is on recess.

Although this terrorists motivation is not yet publicly known, and generally speaking, I understand citizenry anger directed at dictatorial Socialism and its threat to liberty, freedom and the very fabric of American society, Mr Brooks said.

Mr Brooks said then pivoted in his statement by saying the only way to stop socialism was to vote in 2022, when his race for Senate is, and in 2024.

I strongly encourage patriotic Americans to do exactly that more so than ever before, he said. Bluntly stated, Americas future is at risk.

Mr Brooks is an ardent right-wing congressman who participated in the Stop the Steal rally on 6 January 2021 that preceded the insurrection that day. Democratic Rep Eric Swalwell had a man serve a lawsuit to Mr Brookss wife for his role in the riot.
The director of the CIA was not in Washington when Kabul fell and an evacuation that has been widely criticised for its chaotic nature was launched.

Axios reported on Wednesday that Bill Burns was visiting the Middle East and northern Africa as part of a nearly week-long trip to meet with his regional counterparts; on Sunday, when Taliban militants took control of the capital, Mr Burns was in Egypt.

The fact that Burns was on an overseas trip suggests the agency didnt think a collapse was imminent, Axioss Barak Ravid speculated in the article.

Other US leaders including most recently Gen Mark Milley, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, have essentially confirmed that view was held across the Biden administration and US military leadership.

"There was nothing that I or anyone else saw that indicated a collapse of this army and this government in 11 days," said Mr Milley at a news briefing on Wednesday.

Recommended Chaotic scenes at Kabul airport as thousands try to flee Afghanistan

Agency officials disputed to The Independent that it would be impossible or even unduly difficult for the CIA director to advise the president on the situation while abroad.

The CIA Director remains fully engaged on Afghanistan and all critical Agency business no matter his location, a spokeswoman said.

The Biden administration and US military have come under intense criticism by many in the media over the calamitous end of the nearly 20-year US occupation in Afghanistan, which over the weekend saw the fall of Kabul and horrific scenes unfolding on the tarmac of Hamid Karzai International Airport, where Afghan civilians were seen clinging to departing aircraft and several died in the confusion.

Just a month ago, President Joe Biden stated that such scenes would not transpire, and rejected an assertion made by a reporter who suggested that US intelligence officials thought the government could fall within weeks.

Theres going to be no circumstance where you see people being lifted off the roof of the US embassy, he said at the time, drawing comparisons to the US exit from Saigon.
Those entrusted with securing the nations voting systems must remain nonpartisan as a myriad of complex and growing risks continue to threaten U.S. elections, one of the nations top cybersecurity officials said Saturday.

Jen Easterly, director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, said in an interview with The Associated Press that she was focused on ensuring the federal agency stays out of politics, builds trust among state and local election officials and continues to provide critical support and guidance on how to increase cyber defenses.

Its incredibly important that we develop the right collaborative partnerships with all state and local election officials so that they know, regardless of what party they are, we are here to provide resources to help them ensure the safety and security and resilience of their elections, Easterly said.

How to combat misinformation and disinformation without drawing partisan objections will be a major challenge for the agency as the 2022 and 2024 elections draw closer.

Easterly has been at the helm of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency for just over a month after being confirmed by the Senate on July 12. She takes over as election officials seek to defend the nation's electoral process from potential cyberattacks from hostile nations seeking to undermine American democracy, ransomware attacks from cyber criminals looking to make money and a swirl of misinformation and disinformation surrounding the 2020 election and voting in general.

On Saturday, Easterly was in Des Moines to speak with state election officials who are gathered for the National Association of Secretaries of State's summer conference. She urged officials to work with her agency to combat misinformation and disinformation.

With respect to getting that information out, this absolutely has to be a team sport and, frankly, a whole of nation effort, Easterly told the election officials. Ensuring that we can tap into all of you to help amplify getting the facts out and busting the myths that are out there that prevent people from having full faith and confidence in our election system is something that were going to have to do together in close partnership.

A former senior NSA official who also worked on counterterrorism and cyber issues in the Obama administration, Easterly takes over an agency that is still relatively new with a wide portfolio of responsibilities.

While state and local governments administer elections, CISA is charged with protecting the nations critical infrastructure, which includes voting systems. The agency works closely with election officials on sharing threat information, while also providing cybersecurity resources and services such as comprehensive security reviews.

The 2020 election proved to be a major test for the agency, faced with concerns that Russia and other hostile nations could seek to interfere. Agency officials had been focused on boosting cyber defenses at state and local election offices, and the pandemic only exacerbated those challenges. And then there was a flood of misinformation and disinformation, both foreign and domestic, surrounding voting.

One of CISAs initiatives during the last election was a Rumor Control page on its website in which the agency debunked various conspiracy theories that had arisen before and then after the election. This included providing information on how ballots are handled by election officials and how voting systems are tested to ensure they operate as intended.

This drew criticism from former President Donald Trump and his allies, who were making unsubstantiated claims of widespread fraud. The head of CISA at the time, Chris Krebs, was fired by Trump after the agency  along with various other federal, state and local officials  issued a statement calling the 2020 election the most secure in U.S. history.

Easterly said the Rumor Control initiative would continue and described the dangers posed by misinformation and disinformation as a generational issue.

The American people need to have the facts to be able to make the best decisions and to have confidence in the integrity of our elections, Easterly said. There is nothing more fundamental to our democracy than a safe and secure election that the American people have confidence in.

During a question-and-answer session after Easterlys speech, West Virginia Secretary of State Mac Warner, a Republican said he was concerned the agency had veered into politics and asked her to depoliticize the agency.

Easterly responded by drawing on her background, calling herself an independent who has worked under both Republican and Democratic administrations, and referenced her career with the U.S. Army.

I am in this business because I believe in the national security of the United States of America. Its why I deployed three times in combat, Easterly said, drawing applause from the crowd.

Later, Warner said he was concerned that people with concerns about the 2020 election are not being heard and instead are being dismissed as conspiracy theorists or worse.

Youre going to continue to have questioning of the elections and when you have questioning of elections, you lose confidence, Warner said. We dont want another Jan. 6. We dont want things to boil over to the point where we have civil unrest.

Arizona Secretary of State Kattie Hobbs, a Democrat, said its imperative that CISA continues to address misinformation and disinformation. Hobbs said she is still fighting conspiracy theories surrounding the election, noting the ongoing Republican review of ballots in Phoenixs Maricopa County which she has objected to.

Its sad how partisan all of this has become, Hobbs said. Having folks who are focused on the integrity of the process regardless of their political affiliations, its so necessary.

Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold, a Democrat, was among those who said they were pleased with the work CISA did last year. She credited Krebs with helping to "save democracy,

Griswold said state election officials play an important role in pushing the federal agency to do more to support election offices and encouraged agency officials to think broadly and critically about ways to help increase public confidence in elections regardless of which party is in office.

Just because you happen to be a Democratic administration, just like Trumps administration was Republican and the leadership of CISA was Republican, doesnt mean that you shouldnt try to get good information to the American people, Griswold said. It does mean you have to do it in a bipartisan way, but Im confident that the United States of America can figure that out.
Days before US Capitol Police identified an alleged bomb threat at the Library of Congress in Washington DC, the US Department of Homeland Security updated its advisory system to reflect the state of conspiracy theory- and political and culture war-related violence that has proliferated online.

The latest update from the National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletin warns that domestic terrorists as well as individuals and groups engaged in grievance-based violence or motivated by foreign terrorists and other malign foreign influences are increasingly exploiting online forums to influence and spread violent extremist narratives and promote violent activity.

On 19 August, Capitol Police responded to an active bomb threat investigation to determine whether a truck parked near the US government building carried an explosive device.

Police identified 49-year-old Floyd Ray Roseberry as a suspect. He followed officers instructions to crawl away from the truck parked on the pavement, ending a five-hour standoff.

After allegedly streaming for hours on Facebook that the revolution is on and other anti-government messages aimed at Joe Biden and Democrats, a spokesperson for the the social media company announced it removed his account.

Federal law enforcement has repeatedly warned that online threats across social media continue to stem from conspiracy theories surrounding the baseless stolen election narrative promoted Donald Trump and his allies, as well as another fraudulent conspiracy theory that he would be reinstated in the White House on 13 August.

Law enforcement [has] expressed concerns that the broader sharing of false narratives and conspiracy theories will gain traction in mainstream environments, resulting in individuals or small groups embracing violent tactics to achieve their desired objectives, according to the latest DHS advisory.

The bulletin updates a previous advisory issued in May. That bulletin updated an advisory issued in the wake of the insurrection at the US Capitol on 6 January and the presidents inauguration on 20 January. The latest bulletin expires in November.

A DHS spokesperson told The Independent in June that the agency is enhancing its ability to prevent acts of domestic terrorism inspired by disinformation, conspiracy theories, and false narratives spread through social media and other online platforms.

A vast online-driven movement motivated by QAnon, growing frustrated with calls to trust the plan as its predictions fail to materialise, may begin to engage in real world violence against lawmakers and perceived political enemies, according to an unclassified report from the FBI issued in June.

QAnon proponents may begin to believe they have an obligation to accelerate beyond digital soldiers to carry out their prophesied violence rather than continue to wait for instruction, according to a document prepared by the FBI and DHS and viewed by The Independent.

In an interview with CNN, Homeland Security Intelligence chief John Cohen said online extremist rhetoric echoes calls for violence ahead of the Capitol riot, as persistent threats follow the lie that Mr Biden was not legitimately elected.
Well before U.S. President Joe Biden took office early this year, the European Union s foreign policy chief sang his praises and hailed a new era in cooperation. So did almost all of Washington's Western allies.

The EU's Josep Borrell was glad to see the end of the Trump era, with its America First and sometimes America Only policy, enthralled by Biden's assertion that he would lead, not merely by the example of our power, but by the power of our example.

Sunday's collapse of Kabul, triggered by Biden's decision to get out of Afghanistan and a U.S. military unable to contain the chaos since, certainly put a stop to that. Even some of his biggest fans are now churning out criticism.

Borrell was among them, this time aghast at Biden's contention that our mission in Afghanistan was never supposed to have been nation-building, coming in the wake of Western efforts over much of the past two decades to sow the seeds of the rule of law and assure protection for women and minorities.

"State-building was not the purpose? Well, this is arguable, a dejected Borrell said of Biden's stance, which has come under criticism in much of Europe.

And for many Europeans steeped in soft power diplomacy to export Western democratic values, Biden's assertion that, our only vital national interest in Afghanistan remains today what it has always been: preventing a terrorist attack on American homeland, could have come from a Trump speech.

EU Council President Charles Michel underscored the different stances when he said in a tweet Thursday that the rights of Afghanis, notably women & girls, will remain our key concern: all EU instruments to support them should be used.

French Parliamentarian Nathalie Loiseau a former Europe minister for President Emmanuel Macron, put the unexpected EU-Biden disconnect more bluntly: We lived a little bit the great illusion, she said. We thought America was back, while in fact, America withdraws.

It was no better in Germany, where a leading member of German Chancellor Angela Merkels center-right Union bloc, Bavaria Gov. Markus Soeder, called on Washington to provide funding and shelter to those fleeing Afghanistan, since the United States of America bear the main responsibility for the current situation.

Even in the United Kingdom, which has always prided itself on a its special relationship with Washington and now, more than ever, needs U.S. goodwill to overcome the impact of leaving the EU, barbs were coming from all angles.

Former British Army chief Richard Dannatt said, the manner and timing of the Afghan collapse is the direct result of President Bidens decision to withdraw all U.S. forces from Afghanistan by the 20th anniversary of 9/11."

At a stroke, he has undermined the patient and painstaking work of the last five, 10, 15 years to build up governance in Afghanistan, develop its economy, transform its civil society and build up its security forces," Dannatt said Wednesday in Parliament.

"The people had a glimpse of a better life  but that has been torn away.

Biden has pointed to the Trump administration deal negotiated with the Taliban 18 months earlier in Doha, Qatar, which he says bound him to withdraw U.S. troops, as setting the stage for the chaos now engulfing the country.

Still, Biden putting much of the blame on Afghan forces for not protecting their nation has not gone down well with Western allies, either.

Conservative Parliament member Tom Tugendhat, who fought in Afghanistan, was one of several British lawmakers taking offense.

To see their commander-in-chief call into question the courage of men I fought with, to claim that they ran, is shameful, Tugendhat said.

Chris Bryant, from the opposition Labour Party, called Bidens remarks about Afghan soldiers, some of the most shameful comments ever from an American president.

In Prague this week, Czech president Milos Zeman said that, by withdrawing from Afghanistan, the Americans have lost their status of global leader.

But despite all the criticism, there is no doing without the United States on the global stage. America remains vital to the Western allies in a series of other issues, in particular taking action against global warming.

After climate change disasters across much of the globe this year, the EU will be counting heavily on Biden to stand shoulder-to- shoulder in taking effective measures at the November COP26 global conference in Glasgow, Scotland, to speed up action to counter global warming.

Europe and Washington also have enough trade disagreements to settle to realize that despite the debacle of Afghanistan, there is much more that unites than divides them. A need for American power and help remains, even in Afghanistan.

Before Fridays meeting of NATO foreign ministers, some Alliance nations have acknowledged they will be pleading to Washington to stay even longer in Afghanistan than it will take to bring all U.S. citizens home, wanting to make sure their people get out too.

We and a number of other countries are going to the Americans to say: Stay as long as possible, possibly longer than necessary, Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Sigrid Kaag said.

____

Associated Press writers Mike Corder in The Hague, Netherlands; Sylvia Hui in London; Karel Janicek in Prague and Colleen Barry in Milan contributed.
An ally of Jared Kushner who received a pardon from Donald Trump in the former president's final days in office has once again been charged with a crime.

According to the New York Daily News, the former New York Observer editor-in-chief Ken Kurson has been charged by the state for the alleged cyberstalking scheme that prompted Mr Trump's pardon.

Mr Kurson ran the paper when Mr Kushner owned the publication.

"Kurson allegedly wrote negative online reviews of some of his victims using aliases and visited their places of work," the New York Daily News reports. "He also took photographs of two his victims' workplaces and inquired about one's work schedule, creeping out coworkers, prosecutors said."

Mr Kurson initially caught the attention of law enforcement after Mr Trump nominated him to serve on the board of the National Endowment for the Humanities, where a required background check raised red flags for authorities.

The Manhattan District Attorney's office charged Mr Kurson, who arrived at the Manhattan Supreme Court for arraignment on Wednesday.

While Mr Trump's pardon shields Mr Kurson from federal charges relating to the scheme, presidential pardons cannot protect people from state charges.

The original cyberstalking incident involved two doctors who accused Mr Kurson of harassment. The criminal complaint against him alleges that he blamed one of the doctors "for the dissolution of his marriage."

The second doctor was a co-worker and a supervisor of the first victim, according to CNBC.

The complaint also claims that FBI agents uncovered evidence that Mr Kurson accessed the email and social media accounts of other victims without their knowledge and installed keystroke logging software on one person's computer.

Investigators also found that Mr Kurson called victims' employers and made false allegations about them, including that one had "improper contact with a minor."

The FBI also claimed that Mr Kurson made several false statements during a 2018 background check questionnaire, including falsely claiming he never used any other names or aliases. Lying on such questionnaires is a federal crime.

Mr Kurson was accused of lurking outside the victims' workplaces on multiple occasions, during which he is accused of taking photos of them and asking colleagues about their work schedules. His actions prompted the victims' employer to hire security guards to protect the staff.

Marc Mukasey, Mr Kurson's lawyer, initially dismissed the federal investigation into his client's actions.

"Ken Kurson is an honourable man, a loving dad, and a brilliant writer. This case is hardly the stuff of a federal criminal prosecution," he said. "He will get past it."
A freshman member of Congress from Colorado is finding herself under increasing scrutiny by the Federal Election Commission (FEC) over nearly half a million dollars her husband earned in 2020 which she did not initially disclose on her required FEC paperwork.

Congresswoman Lauren Boebert, an outspoken right-wing Republican who was one of many to support former President Donald Trumps ongoing false claims about the 2020 election, was reported by the Associated Press to have amended her paperwork on Tuesday to include that income.

But the $478,000 Jayson Boebert, her husband, made from his consulting business in 2019 was not the only problem spotted by FEC officials with Ms Boeberts paperwork.

Other disclosures revealed that her campaign paid her roughly $24,000 in four $6,000 increments between May and June of last year; those transaction were made in error and refunded, the congresswomans office said.

The Venmo charges were personal expenses that were billed to the campaign account in error. The reimbursement has already happened and will appear in the Q3 filing, Jake Settle, the congresswomans press secretary, added to The Independent.

Members of Congress who fail to accurately report their or their spouses income, as well as expenditures on the campaign trail, can face consequences levelled by the House Ethics Committee. In 2015, a GOP member from Illinois resigned after repeated questions from reporters about his expenditures.

A Republican, Ms Boebert is seen as a reliable ally of fossil fuel interests as with most of her caucus. Her husbands work, had it been more widely reported during her campaign, could have influenced voters in either the primary or the general election, which she won over her Democratic opponent by single digits.

Mr Boebert has worked in energy production for 18 years and has had Boebert Consulting since 2012, an aide to Ms Boebert told the AP in an emailed statement. For any other questions regarding the congresswomans finances, Id refer you to the disclosure she filed.
The Sioux Falls Police have released a picture of the man suspected of aggressively poking CEO and Trump supporter Mike Lindell at South Dakotas cyber symposium.

The police department put out a photo of the suspect on Twitter, which was taken at a hotel near Russell St and West Ave last Wednesday night, Aug 11.

After the alleged incident, MyPillow CEO Lindell took to the stage and attempted to prove baseless election fraud claims.

A GOP candidate for Congress who says he witnessed the alleged assault at the cyber symposium says the incident is more of a nothing burger.

Jeffrey Buongiorno, a Republican running for office in Florida and a supporter of former President Donald Trumps false claims about the 2020 election, wrote in a series of tweets that Mr Lindell appeared fine as he rode the elevator up to his room following the encounter with a man who he claimed aggressively poked him.

The incident took place over Mr Lindells multi-day event last week in South Dakota, where he vowed to present evidence showing that Mr Trump had indeed been the rightful victor of the 2020 election. That proof never came, and when asked about it, the CEO responded that his team had data that it did not want reporters to fact-check.

I took both pictures at the time Lindell claimed he was attacked, wrote Mr Buongiorno, who attached a picture of Mr Lindell smiling next to a man in a suit while the alleged culprit smiles in the background, apparently awaiting his own selfie.

It pains me to do this but I support law enforcement and in my opinion, this is a nothing burger. The elevators are glass, and witnesses saw Lindell go up to the 6th floor, Mr Buongiorno added.

There was no attack, he told the Associated Press.

At no point did Mr Lindell appear to be physically attacked by the man, according to Mr Buongiornos account. The Independent has reached out to Mr Lindell for his take on the events. The MyPillow CEO did not respond to an emailed request for comment.

Mr Lindell initially described the incident as him being attacked...physically by the unidentified man, and later said he was aggressively poked by the man who wanted his picture taken.

It happened pretty fast, but the guy knew what he was doing, Mr Lindell said, while calling it one of the worst attacks on me Ive ever had.

Despite their repeated claims, top administration officials at the Justice Department and other areas of the federal government have stated repeatedly throughout both the Biden administration and end of the Trump administration that no widespread fraud had been found affecting the 2020 election.
A last minute discovery of video footage by internet sleuths may have derailed the criminal defence of a Capitol rioter.

Robert Reeder, who was in Washington DC on 6 January, pleaded guilty to picketing inside the US Capitol during the riot, but maintained after his arrest that he never participated in any violence.

The Washington Post repots that during interviews with FBI agents Mr Reeder insisted he was an "accidental tourist" who got swept into the Capitol riot.

Prosecutors were unable to connect Mr Reeder with any violent acts, so they asked that the judge sentence him with two months in prison and a fine for his participation in the picketing and unruly behaviour.

Mr Reeder's sentencing hearing was scheduled for Wednesday, but just before the trial a group of internet investigators calling themselves the "Sedition Hunters" sent footage of the defendant grappling with Capitol police officers to the FBI.

In the footage, a man who appears to be Mr Reeder can be seen grappling and shoving a police officer. The individual can also be seen behind barricades separating the public parts of the Capitol from the restricted areas.

Mr Reeder's lawyer told CNN that "on first blush, the clip is problematic."

The revelation has placed a major hurdle before Mr Reeder's defence. They claim that Mr Reeder was at the riot to document what was happening and that he is a Democrat.

"Mr Reeder is a registered Democrat, and was not a Trump supporter, although he did like the patriotic spirit that he believed that President Trump was trying to instill in Americans," the court filing argued.

Prosecutors rejected that caricature of the defendant, offering their own, less charitable view of Mr Reeder.

"The Defendant's sentencing memorandum attempts to paint a picture of the Defendant as a lost tourist, in awe of the Capitol, defending it from destruction and documenting the events of the day," they said. "To believe the Defendant's version of events one needs to suspend reality, ignore facts, and omit evidence."

The prosecutors also pointed to Mr Reeder's social media accounts, which were rife with election fraud conspiracy theories and posts attacking prominent Democrats like Joe Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

After the prosecution received the video, they requested that US District Judge Thomas Hogan allow them time to review the new evidence before the sentencing hearing. Mr Hogan agreed and moved the hearing back until 8 October.
Faced with a potential new migration wave from Afghanistan, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on European nations Thursday to shoulder the responsibility for Afghans fleeing the Taliban and warned that his country wont become Europes refugee warehouse.

In a televised address following a Cabinet meeting, Erdogan also said his government would if necessary engage in talks with a government that could be formed by the Taliban  for the stability and security of this country.

Erdogans comments come amid an increase in recent weeks in the number of Afghans making their way into Turkey across the border from Iran. Anti-migrant sentiment is running high in Turkey as it grapples with economic woes  including high unemployment  that have been exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic, and there is little appetite in the country to take in more people.

We need to remind our European friends of this fact: Europe  which has become the center of attraction for millions of people  cannot stay out of (the refugee) problem by harshly sealing its borders to protect the safety and well-being of its citizens, Erdogan said.

Turkey has no duty, responsibility or obligation to be Europes refugee warehouse, Erdogan said.

Erdogan said his country is home to 5 million foreign nationals  including 3.6 million Syrians who fled the civil war in the neighboring country and 300,000 Afghans. Around 1.1 million are foreigners with residence permits, he said.

In 2016, Turkey and the European Union signed a deal for Turkey to stem the flow of hundreds of thousands of migrants and refugees towards Europe, in return for visa-free travel for Turkish citizens and substantial EU financial support. Erdogan has frequently accused the EU of not keeping its side of the bargain.

The president said he was aware of the Turkish public's unease about refugees. He reiterated that the country had reinforced its border with Iran with military, gendarmerie and police and that a wall being erected along the frontier is nearing completion.

Our state is primarily responsible for the safety and well-being of its 84 million citizens. On the other hand, we are not a society that lacks character, thinks only about itself and turns its back on those who come to our door, Erdogan said.

In reference to the millions of Syrians in Turkey, Erdogan said that those who have learnt Turkish, acquired professional skills and adapted to the country would remain in Turkey, while others would have to return to Syria once conditions in the war-torn country improve.

It is our responsibility toward our own citizens to help those who do not succeed to return to their homes in parallel with an improvement of the situation in their own country, Erdogan said.

Around 450,000 Syrians have already returned to Syria, he added.
President Joe Biden has been criticised following his first sit-down interview after the beginning of the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Mr Biden was accused of bald-faced lies by Arkansas Republican Senator Tom Cotton  an Afghanistan veteran  who was one among many who slammed the president for claiming that chaos was inevitable in the country as the US military presence ended.

Between 10,000 and 15,000 Americans and thousands more vulnerable Afghans who are trying to leave remain in the country. The Afghans hope to get on US evacuation flights but face a gauntlet of Taliban-induced disorder and violence to get to the Kabul airport controlled by US armed forces.

The Taliban stunned the world on Sunday by taking over Kabul as the Afghan government and armed forces fell much quicker than expected.

The idea that somehow, theres a way to have gotten out without chaos ensuing  I don't know how that happens, Mr Biden told ABC News on Wednesday.

On July 8, Mr Biden said: The likelihood theres going to be the Taliban, overrunning everything and owning the whole country is highly unlikely.

Those comments have now opened the president to criticism as the Taliban has taken full control of the country much quicker than the US government had apparently anticipated.

No way to avoid this chaos? Thats a bald-faced lie. Joe Biden is as dishonest as he is impotent, Mr Cotton tweeted.

Wyoming Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney wrote that Mr Bidens interview performance was truly ignorant and shameful.

Florida Republican Senator Rick Scott simply said the president was: Incompetent. Unhinged. Incoherent. Unfit.

Nikki Haley, who served as former President Donald Trumps first ambassador to the United Nations, said Mr Biden's comments were a slap in the face to the thousands of Americans still in Afghanistan. He had no plan, he has no urgency, and he wont take responsibility.

As far as Im aware, Joe Biden has created the largest hostage situation perhaps in the history of the world, Donald Trump Jr told Fox News on Wednesday night. Its all on Joe Biden. He took my fathers plan and he wanted to change it, he added. He wanted to be the one to get credit, so rather than doing it in the late spring before the fighting season and using your brain and knowledge and listening to the guys that are the door kickers ... he didnt. He wanted to make it his own so he could get credit.

In the interview with ABC News, Mr Biden said the US government would do everything in our power to get all Americans out and our allies out.

When asked if that meant that US troops could stay in the country beyond the self-imposed 31 August deadline if necessary, Mr Biden said: It depends on where we are and whether we can get  ramp these numbers up to 5,000 to 7,000 a day coming out. If thats the case ... theyll all be out.

Mr Biden said hes committed to staying in the country until all Americans are out. He said the commitment holds also for the Afghan allies who remain in the country, which Mr Biden estimated includes between 50,000 and 65,000 allies and their family members.

The commitment holds to get everyone out that, in fact, we can get out and everyone that should come out. And thats the objective. Thats what were doing now, thats the path were on. And I think well get there, Mr Biden said.

When the deadline comes, Mr Biden said they would determine at the time whos left, but added that if there [are] American citizens left, were gonna stay to get them all out.
A Missouri state lawmaker who has refused to be vaccinated against Covid confirmed that her husband has died from the virus.

Sara Walsh, who represents the county of Ashland in the Missouri state legislature, said in a statement on Thursday that her husband Steve Walsh had died of Covid.

It saddens my heart to share that this morning my best friend and beloved husband Steve Walsh was welcomed to Heavens glory into the arms of Jesus Christ his Lord and Savior, said Ms Walsh in a tweet.

Arrangements pending. Thank you to everyone who has lifted us up in prayer.

It follows reports of the 42-year-old Republican refusing to be vaccinated against Covid because she feared the shots  in spite of of evidence issued by the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reassuring Americans that the vaccines are safe.

In a tweet on 4 August confirming that both she and her husband had become infected with Covid, Ms Walsh said he was very sick and is in the hospital. He was thought to have been on a ventilator, and was not vaccinated against Covid.

As KRCG News reported, Ms Walsh also cited US Food Drug Administration (FDA) emergency approval of the vaccines for Covid as a reason for not being vaccinated, and that she would not consider a vaccine until it was fully approved. The FDA is expected to offer full approval for the vaccines within the next month.

She is also an anti-abortionist, and a member of the Ashland Baptist Church in Missouri.

Ms Walsh announced last month that she was running to replace congresswoman Vicky Hartzler, after the Republican announced her retirement from Congress.

Missouri has been among the worst hit by a summer wave of Covid infections, with Missouri reporting around 2,600 Covid infections a day, and 25 deaths, on average  according to analysis by The New York Times.

The number of fully vaccinated adults is 43 per cent.
The swift Taliban takeover of Afghanistan has news organizations simultaneously trying to cover the story, protect their journalists and families and help people who have done work for them over the past two decades.

Video of chaotic scenes from the Kabul airport were frequently repeated during news reports of the fast-developing story Monday, which President Joe Biden addressed in a speech to the nation.

CNN reporter Clarissa Ward, in an interview from Afghanistan, said even some Taliban fighters she had spoken to were surprised at the speed with which the country fell.

I don't think they ever doubted they would win, she told The Associated Press. But I don't think they anticipated it would happen this quickly.

Ward's own reporting from Kabul streets illustrated uncertainties about the country's future. At one point, she noted that the Taliban had given her permission for CNN to film a report, but she was asked to stand to the side because I'm a woman. She adjusted her attire to reflect the takeover by the more culturally conservative forces, wearing a tighter head covering that obscured her hair.

News organizations were continually assessing security needs: At one point NBC News' Richard Engel said the network had moved out of its office to a safer location. CBS News' Roxana Saberi reported from her hotel room on CBS This Morning on Monday because the facility was on lockdown.

On Monday, Washington Post Publisher and CEO Fred Ryan sent an urgent request for help to the Biden administration on behalf of more than 200 journalists, support staff and families of people who worked for the Post, The New York Times and Wall Street Journal. For safety reasons, they wanted to be transported from the civilian to the military side of the Kabul airport.

In a memo, A.G. Sulzberger, chairman and publisher of The New York Times, said the developments had created a precarious and rapidly changing situation.

I want to assure you that we are doing everything we can to try to get our staff, former staff, and their families out of harm's way as soon as humanly possible, Sulzberger said in a company-wide memo.

The Committee to Protect Journalists said it had fielded requests from 475 journalists in Afghanistan  who work for both local and international news organizations  for help leaving the country, said Maria Salazar-Ferro, the organization's emergencies director.

CPJ is working with the U.S. military, along with governments in Canada, France, Germany and Britain, to seek landing places for some of these journalists and their families, she said. But for much of Monday, no planes were leaving Kabul.

She said she heard two reports of Taliban soldiers going to homes looking for a specific Afghan journalist. She's advising journalists to leave the country, but with flights halted, right now the best advice is to stay in place and wait to see how the situation is developing," she said.

News organizations, many of them working together, are making day-to-day decisions on where journalists should be deployed for safety reasons. The Associated Press, for example, has two staff members who have left with their families and are reporting remotely from Turkey, but others that are staying in the country.

The most important thing on any assignment is the security of our team and we take that incredibly seriously, CNN's Ward said. We're always assessing and evaluating, but for now we feel this is a really important story and we want to keep telling it.

Ward, working in the country along with another CNN reporter, Nick Paton Walsh, said her biggest concern now is for Afghan journalists.

Safety is always a concern for journalists in unstable countries. The added element in Afghanistan now, as it was previously in Iraq, is the safety of people  not just journalists but drivers, translators and others  who helped news organizations at different points in the 20 years the United States has fought in the country. The AP is seeking visas for what may amount to hundreds of people, including current and former staff, freelancers and their families.

It's a moral duty, said Ian Phillips, AP's vice president for international news. They may not work for us now, but they worked for us in difficult years.

The AP also asked the Biden administration on Monday for help in allowing more commercial flights to land in Kabul, and to allow access on the military side of the airport for charter flights carrying journalists, support staff and their families leaving the country.

Many of the former employees are concerned about their safety, and some are also worried about what the future means economically for their country with the Taliban in control, said Kathy Gannon, AP's news director for Pakistan and Afghanistan.

I think people don't realize how many difficult decisions there are  really, really hard decisions, Gannon said.

CPJ's Salazar-Ferro said she's concerned about a black hole for news in Afghanistan with so many journalists looking to leave. But partly with the help of social media, there are other ways of getting news out that didn't necessarily exist when the war started.

An Indian journalist, Sudhir Chaudhary, posted video that was used frequently showing people trying to hold on to a cargo plane as it taxis down the runway.

The Fuller Project, a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to reporting on women, kept up a steady stream of social media posts. They included a picture of men in Kabul painting over portraits of women on the side of a building, and contributor Zahra Yusufi, who tweeted that my sister and friends in Kabul say as they were rushing home today, people shouted at them, the Taliban are coming because of you! The Taliban are here to discipline you!

It's simply not safe for journalists to stay there right now, Salazar-Ferro said, especially women journalists.
Texas Republican Ted Cruzs campaign has been accused of purchasing scores of copies of the senators most recent book  to the tune of some $150,000.

As reported by Forbes, the Republican senator received an advance of nearly $320,000 for his book One Vote Away: How a Single Supreme Court Seat Can Change History, published last year. According to campaign finance filings, after it was published, the campaign spent tens of thousands of dollars at a merchant called Books-a-Million.

It is not unheard of for political campaigns to bulk-buy copies of a candidates book and then send signed copies to individual donors. Mr Cruzs campaign website currently promises to send an autographed edition of One Vote Away to anyone who donates at least $77 to the re-election effort.

However, bulk book orders from campaigns are usually made via the publisher, not a bookseller, as buying books on the market can raise royalties and push books up bestseller lists  thus skirting the boundaries of campaign finance regulations.

A campaign spokesperson told Forbes that Senator Cruz has not received one cent of royalties in connection with any One Vote Away book sales.

Mr Cruzs team appears to have paid for copies of his book before. In 2015, when the senator was in the first stages of a presidential run, the Cruz campaign paid well over $100,000 to HarperCollins, who published his pre-campaign manifesto A Time for Truth.

Mr Cruz narrowly won re-election to his Texas seat in 2018 after a strong challenge from Democratic then-congressman Beto ORourke, who is now thought to be mulling a challenge to incumbent Republican Governor Greg Abbott in 2022.

The next opportunity for a Democrat to take on Mr Cruz will be in 2024, but if Donald Trump does not or cannot run for another presidential term that year, the senator is favoured to be popular with the Republican base in a primary to succeed him.
Donald Trump on Wednesday lambasted the George W Bush-led administration for the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan and termed the US administrations decision to go into the Middle East as the worst decision in history.

In a televised interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, Mr Trump said: Think of it, we took this horrible place, it was the worst decision to go into the Middle East, I know the Bush family will not be happy but I believe it was the worst decision in the history of our country when we decided to go into the Middle East.

The former president was answering a question by Mr Hannity on US administrations agreement with the Taliban in the south Asian nation last year in terms of territorial control.

The Trump-led administration, Mr Hannity said, would have handled the armed group in the same way it handled the Isis caliphate in Syria if the settlement is breached. He stated that more than 60 per cent of the country was in Talibans control last week.

While explaining how his administration got rid of the Isis caliphate, Mr Trump digressed to blame Mr Bush and said that the ongoing situation in Afghanistan has brought the US military a bad reputation.

...We have the greatest military in the world and we are giving it a very bad reputation with whats happening, he said.

Mr Trump said: Its turned out to be quicksand. Weve destroyed the Middle East, you think its better now than it was 20-21 years ago, its much worse. It was a horrible decision and cost us trillions of dollars.

If you look at both sides, because I like to look at both sides, millions and millions of lives ... and it is no different than it was. Its much worse because you have to rebuild it, its been blown to pieces. The worst decision ever made was going to do strike as retribution and it could be a big strike for the World Trade Centre but to get stuck in there was like quicksand so we did a terrible thing, Mr Trump said.

Mr Trump also said that smart and good fighters Taliban should allow the US citizens and the people who assisted them in Afghanistan to leave.

The Taliban has circled the airport and who knows if theyre gonna treat us right, you know all of a sudden. If they were smart and they are smart, they should let the Americans out, Mr Trump said.

Afghanistan is reeling under a major humanitarian crisis after the militant group captured the country from under President Ashraf Ghanis rule in a matter of 120 hours last week. The armed group announced that it was in control on Sunday after it managed to capture capital Kabul, triggering widespread panic among Afghans who rushed to escape the country.

A day after the Taliban announced its plans to declare the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan from the Presidential Palace, once held by Ghani, Afghans swarmed the Kabul International Airport with their families to leave the country. Grim visuals showed Afghans running on the tarmac to hold onto moving US military aircraft and clinging to them in a desperate bid to flee.

The ultraconservative religious group has maintained that it will respect the rights of women and allow them to work, within the framework of Islamic law.

Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen also said the UK and western allies have a moral obligation to help reconstruct Afghanistan.
Former president Donald Trump on Wednesday lambasted Twitter for allowing the Taliban to continue operating on the micro-blogging platform in the wake of its takeover in Afghanistan, even as he remains permanently banned from using it.

In a phone interview with Newsmaxs Greg Kelly, Mr Trump said: It's disgraceful when you think that you have killers and muggers and dictators and horrible... some horrible dictators and countries, and they are all on... but the president of the United States who had hundreds of millions of people, by the way, he gets taken off.

Kelly had asked a question about the Twitter account of Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, which has remained active since 2017 and is used frequently by the armed groups representative to share posts and messages. The Twitter accounts description currently reads: Official Twitter Account of the Spokesman of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Zabihullah Mujahid.

Mujahid, who has over 320,000 people following him on Twitter, has used the social media platform to provide nearly live updates on how the militant group captured Kabul by force.

Military units of the Islamic Emirate entered Kabul to provide security. 1 division conquered in Pul-e-Charkhi area, progress continues normally. The capitals of 9 districts of Kabul (Istalif, Surobi, Deh Sabz, Qarabagh, Khak-e-Jabbar, Paghman, Bagrami, Musahi, Chaharasyab, Guldara and Shakardara) were also conquered, one of the tweets by the Taliban functionary read on the day the group announced its hold over the region.

Twitter has responded to what is unfolding in the South Asian nation by saying that they are monitoring the situation, and that people are using their platform to seek help.

The situation in Afghanistan is rapidly evolving, and were witnessing people in the country using Twitter to seek help and assistance. Twitters top priority is keeping people safe, and we remain vigilant, a spokesperson for Twitter said in a statement.

Twitter will, however, continue to proactively enforce their rules and review content that violates the companys policies, especially posts breaching its rules against glorification of violence and platform manipulation and spam, the spokesperson said.

Mr Trump, whose permanent ban from Twitter has now been in place for eight months, said he expects success in a lawsuit filed against social media giants Google, Twitter and Facebook in Florida.

Twitter banned the former president on 8 January for defending and glorifying the mob attack on the Capitol two days earlier. At least five were killed in the attempt to disrupt a Congress hearing to affirm Joe Bidens victory in the presidential election.
At least two Berlin-based US diplomats have gone in for medical treatment after experiencing symptoms associated with the Havana Syndrome, according to new reporting from The Wall Street Journal.

The diplomats work reportedly touched on issues concerning Russia, including cyber security and gas exports, according to the Journal. Russia has denied any involvement with the mysterious illness that has affected more than 100 American personnel.

This is the first time that suspected cases have been reported in Germany. In July, there were reports of numerous US government personnel experiencing Havana Syndrome-related symptoms in Vienna. The US State Department said that they were looking into the causes in a statement. A task force has been established by the CIA to investigate the origins of the syndrome.

In a press briefing on 18 August, a spokesperson for the German Foreign Ministry said he knew about the reports but provided no further information.

The reported symptoms can include nausea, severe headaches, ear pain, fatigue, trouble sleeping and lethargy.

The syndrome was first reported in October 2020 by The New York Times. Its name comes after it was first identified in Havana, the capital of Cuba. Over the past five years, more than 130 American diplomats, soldiers and intelligence professionals are thought to have suffered from the illness.

In May 2021, there were reports of two White House officials being affected just after the US election in November 2020, according to CNN. They were said to be the first apparent targets near or on the White House grounds.

Havana Syndrome is not thought to be a naturally occurring illness, but rather an act of aggression from a foreign power. A December 2020 report from the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine said it was likely to originate from a pulse of radiofrequency directed at US targets.

The Pentagon said that they are working on developing a device to be worn on officials persons to detect the radio-frequency believed to be causing the problem, according to reports.
Three United States senators have confirmed they have tested positive for Covid-19.

Senator Angus King, an Independent from Maine, tested positive for the virus in his home state, his office announced.

The news came hours after Senator Roger Wicker, a Republican from Mississippi, also announced he had tested positive.

And the third to make public their positive test was John Hickenlooper, a Democrat from Colorado.

Senator Kings office said that he had taken a Covid test after he started to feel unwell on Wednesday and the politician added that despite taking precautions and being vaccinated it had come back positive.

Despite all my efforts, when I began feeling mildly feverish yesterday, I took a test this morning at my doctors suggestion, and it came back positive, he said.

While I am not feeling great, Im definitely feeling much better than I would have without the vaccine.

I am taking this diagnosis very seriously, quarantining myself at home and telling the few people Ive been in contact with to get tested in order to limit any further spread, Mr King said.

And he added that he will provide updates on his health and asked people to follow the latest guidance from health officials.

While Maine people and Americans are ready to move past Covid-19 and return to our normal routines, the virus is not done with us yet. We must all continue to look out for one another through our words and actions, and remain united against this dangerous disease, he added.

Senator Wickers communications director Phillip Waller confirmed that the politician was also fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

Senator Wicker tested positive this morning for the Covid-19 virus after immediately seeking a test due to mild symptoms, he said.

Senator Wicker is fully vaccinated against Covid-19, is in good health, and is being treated by his Tupelo-based physician. He is isolating, and everyone with whom Senator Wicker has come in close contact recently has been notified.

Mr Hickenlooper was first elected to the Senate in November after serving as governor of Colorado for eight years.

After experiencing mild symptoms, I tested positive for a breakthrough case of Covid-19, he said in a statement.

Im feeling much better and will continue to isolate at the direction of the congressional attending physician.

Im grateful for the vaccine (and the scientists behind it) for limiting my symptoms and allowing us to continue our work for Colorado. If you havent been vaccinated, dont wait for the virus  get the shot today, and a booster when its available too.

The United States has seen 37.3m cases of Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic, and more than 624,000 deaths.
Australians residing overseas could be marooned in Australia if they return after the government tightened its border rules without giving adequate notice.

As coronavirus gripped the world in March last year, Australias covid restrictions prevented citizens in the country from leaving to limit the spread of the disease.

Now similar restrictions have been extended to Australians living overseas.

Starting August 11, Australian citizens and permanent residents living abroad will not be automatically exempt from Australias outward travel restrictions.

They will now have to apply for an exemption for outbound travel according to rules for other Australians.

Not everyone has welcomed Australias harsh and contentious border restrictions. Those opposing say the new rules will further separate families and prevent overseas Australians from returning.

Last month, Australia halved its international arrivals to 3,000 per week amid the rise of the highly contagious Delta variant.

The government said the measure aimed to reduce the risk of Covid cases entering the country as it grapples with its worst outbreaks in a year.

Australias covid immigration laws are already believed to be some of the strictest globally. Australians at home and overseas are outraged by the governments recent move.

On Friday, Australian officials warned Sydney residents to brace for a surge in coronavirus cases after the countrys largest city recorded 279 infections for a second straight day despite a weeks-long lockdown.
The selling of sex between consenting adults is being decriminalised in the Victoria region of Australia, the states government has announced.

A range of changes will be made over the next two years in an attempt to increase safety and improve sex workers access to public health and justice services, a statement on Friday said.

The government said that sex work should be regulated through standard business laws, like all other industries in the state.

The current system for sex workers has not been updated for almost 30 years and is no longer fit-for-purpose, it added.

It said sex workers have reported unsafe conditions in both licensed and unlicensed settings, including violence, deterrents to reporting violence to the police, and the lack of compliance with safe-sex measures.

The government said that it will now remove offences and criminal penalties for consensual sex work to regulate the practice through existing government agencies and business regulation.

The statement stresses that only sex work between consensual adults will be decriminalised, and that criminal offences to protect children and people coerced into the practice will continue to be enforced.

Consumer Affairs Minister Melissa Horne said: Every Victorian deserves to feel safe in their place of work.

Victorias government said that it is following the move of New South Wales, which decriminalised sex work in 1995.

Reason Party MP Fiona Patten, who has been pursuing reform for years and led a government inquiry into the industry in 2019, said: These changes will allow [sex workers] to make a true profession out of their work  to pay tax, demand better conditions and be more open with their friends and family about what they do.

Samantha Ratnam, leader of the Victorian Greens, said this is big and welcome news and that the reform is overdue.

Vixen Collective spokesperson Dylan OHara said: Under the current laws, sex workers are forced to make choices based on the dangerous and unworkable requirements of the licensing system, rather than our health and safety.

The full decriminalisation of all forms of sex work in Victoria is essential to recognising sex work as work and supporting sex workers, and is a crucial first step towards rectifying many years of harm and discrimination against Victorian sex workers.

Scarlet Alliance CEO Jules Kim said that the evidence and support in favour of decriminalisation has been unequivocal.

She added: It is great that the Victorian Government has heard the voices of sex workers in moving forward these much needed reforms.
The first German evacuation plane to Afghanistan managed to leave with just seven people on board, Berlins foreign ministry confirmed.

Germany has the second largest military contingent in the country after the United States and wants to airlift thousands of dual nationals out as well as people who worked with them, such as activists and lawyers.

They managed to land a A-400M aircraft at Kabul airport but could only get a few people on board due to the chaotic situation.

A spokesman for the German Federal Foreign Office said: We can confirm that seven people were evacuated on a flight from Kabul that night.

Due to the chaotic circumstances at the airport and regular exchanges of fire at the access point, it was not guaranteed last night that other German nationals and other people to be evacuated would even get access to the airport without the protection of the Bundeswehr [armed forces].

A second military plane took off from Kabul airport early on Tuesday afternoon with more than 120 people on board, including Germans, Afghans and people from other countries, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas tweeted.

More evacuations are set to follow, with Germany deploying 600 soldiers for the purpose.

MEP Hannah Neumann was critical of the first evacuation effort on Twitter, she said: The dark side of German bureaucracy: An airport full of civilians in fear. 5.000 local contractors and ~45.000 ppl that worked for German institutions still in the country.

And the german government flies home with an A400M and 7(!)evacuees.

France also evacuated several dozen people from Kabul in a military plane on Tuesday that then brought people to a military air base in Abu Dhabi. A number of people were then transferred to a flight back to France.

The French military did not say whether there were Afghan or other citizens among the several dozen people brought on the overnight flight.

President Emmanuel Macron promised Monday that France would not abandon Afghans who worked for the country, from translators to kitchen staff as well as artists, activists and others potentially under threat with the collapse of the Afghan government, but also called for a plan to manage migration.

Additional reporting by agencies
Sean Penn is sort of done with movies.

Hes still making them, here and there. But Penn is mostly seeing out commitments he made years earlier. After those? Hes not so sure how much more hes going to be acting or directing.

Penn, the 61-year-old maverick actor and sometimes filmmaker, is in many ways happily out of step with many of the prevailing winds in Hollywood Streaming films? Franchise movies? So-called cancel culture? All of these things draw his ire, to various degrees. Meanwhile, Penn is dedicating more of his time to Haitian relief efforts and getting people vaccinated than he does to movies.

All of that makes Flag Day, a new film Penn directed and co-stars in, a rarity for a once voracious actor who in the past decade has been a co-lead in only a few movies (The Professor and the Madman, Gangster Squad). In the father-daughter drama, which MGM will release Friday in theaters, Penn plays a larger-than-life but often absent and sometimes imprisoned father to daughter Jennifer (played by Penn's daughter Dylan Penn).

Im currently feeling with this movie incredibly lucky to have a movie thats going to be a movie, thats going to have a theatrical front, Penn said in an interview last month. I, as an audience, can be very into some of the things that are only streaming. But as a practitioner, not at all. To act in something, you take it in a certain stride. But as a director, the way Ive always put it is: Its not the girl I fell in love with.

And Penn increasingly sounds like someone for whom the romance of movies has faded. He misses Hollywood films that arent just razzle-dazzle, Cirque du Soleil movies, he says. On Marvel movies, he laments how much its taken up the space and claimed so much time in the careers of so many talented people. Arguing that today he wouldnt be allowed to play gay icon Harvey Milk (2008s Milk), Penn recently said that soon only Danish princes will be playing Hamlet.

And Penns generally well-regarded directing career (including 1995s The Crossing Guard and 2001s The Pledge, both with Jack Nicholson; and 2007's Into the Wild) has lately been rockier. His last film, 2016s The Last Face, with Charlize Theron, flopped, and was loudly booed at its Cannes Film Festival debut. Yet Penn last month returned to Cannes to premiere Flag Day.

Ive been on such extreme ends on that. Its like: whatever, says Penn. The thing is: I am confident that I know as much  more  about acting than almost any of these critics. And Im very confident in the performance Im most concerned about.

With that, Penn raises his hand and points toward where Dylan is sitting across an otherwise empty hotel bar off Cannes' Croisette. Dylan, 30, is the star of Flag Day. She has dabbled before in acting but its easily her biggest role yet. In the film, adapted from Jennifer Vogels 2005 memoir Flim-Flam Man: The True Story of My Fathers Counterfeit Life, she plays an aspiring journalist with a seldom truthful father.

Penn's confidence isnt misplaced. In Flag Day, Dylan is natural, poised and captivating. She looks a veteran, already, which might be expected of the child of Penn and Robin Wright. And those critics? Some have been quite complimentary. Variety said the film reveals Dylan Penn to be a major actor.

Just as Penn is withdrawing from movies, his daughter is stepping forward  even if she didnt immediately seek the spotlight.

Growing up, being surrounded by actors and being on set, it was really something that didnt interest me at all, Dylan says. I always thought, and still think, my passion lies in working behind the camera. But as soon as I expressed wanting to do that kind of thing, both of my parents said separately: You wont be a good director if you dont know what its like to be in the actors shoes.

Dylan grants that her dad may be passing the torch a little bit. Hopper Jack Penn, her younger brother, also co-stars in Flag Day. (The rest of the cast includes Josh Brolin and Regina King. Original songs by Cat Power, Eddie Vedder and Glen Hansard contribute to the score.)

I have always thought if she wanted to do it, Id encourage it, Penn says.

For Dylan, the father-daughter relationship of Flag Day  Jennifer tries to help and stabilize her scamming father but also inherits some of his more destructive, conman habits  is a half-reflection of their own bond together.

She always strived to have this really honest, transparent relationship with her father which she never got it in return, Dylan says. Ive tried to have that with my dad and got it in return.

Penn has recently been shooting Sam Esmails Watergate series for Starz, with Julia Roberts. He's been vocal that vaccinations ought to be required for everyone on set. During the pandemic, Penn's Community Organized Relief Effort non-profit, which he started after the 2010 earthquake to help Haitians, erected testing and vaccination sites, helping dispense millions of shots.

Perhaps those experiences have made Penn only further repelled by anything artificial.

"My tolerance for the contrived is less and less," says Penn.

But working with Dylan came naturally. Talking about her attentive, even disarming presence, he calls her as uncontrived as it gets.

I would be sort of taken about by it sometimes, like: Uh, oh. Shes really listening to this. Is she seeing right through this?" says Penn.

Penn started out younger  he was starring in Fast Times at Ridgemont High by the time he was 21. He felt confident from the start in roles that were like him  young and very shy," as he describes. Staying natural while expanding away from himself, Penn says, has been the journey ever since.

How do you feel as natural, as free in something where youre going to the role as in something where youre bringing the role to you? To varying degrees of success and failure, thats what the road has been  to find that original unquestioning, says Penn. Theres stuff that I see in Dylan that is so unquestioning.

___

Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP
In May, 25-year-old Ako sat in a hospital room next to his friend Behzad Mahmoudi, who was wrapped head to toe in bandages.

Behzad, an Iranian Kurdish asylum seeker, had set himself on fire outside the United Nations headquarters in Erbil, the capital of the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region in northern Iraq. He was protesting his desperate living conditions and what he saw as neglect by UNHCR, the UNs refugee agency.

Behzad was crying, Ako  also an Iranian Kurdish asylum seeker  recalled in Erbil last week, speaking under a pseudonym. He said, I really didnt want to end my life like this. I wanted to live, but it just happened.

Behzad died days later. Soon afterwards, Ako sewed his mouth shut for four days, in another protest over the conditions endured by Iranian Kurds in the Kurdistan Region. Unable to return to Iran after taking part in anti-government demonstrations, he cannot find enough work to afford rent.

I just want to leave Iraqi Kurdistan, he says. I dont care where I go, I just want to get away from this risky life.

Behzads harrowing act  and Akos ongoing despair  draw attention to the longstanding marginalisation of Iranian Kurds in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Ignored by their hosts and the international community amid other displacements in Iraq and Syria over the past decade, they are never far from the long arm of Tehran.

Iranian Kurd refugee children are pictured at the Bahrka refugee camp some 10km west of Erbil (AFP via Getty Images)

In a series of interviews with 20 Iranian Kurdish asylum seekers and migrants, Iranian Kurdish opposition party officials and human rights activists, two Iraqi Kurdish lawmakers, and representatives of stakeholder agencies like UNHCR, The Independent uncovered a limbo-like status quo for people fleeing Iran into the Kurdistan Region, where they eke out tenuous existences. Poverty, ill-treatment and deportation are constant threats.

Of around 40 million Kurds living in the Middle East, an estimated 10 million live in Iran. Most are in the mountainous areas of the countrys western provinces, known to Kurds as Rojhelat.

Fleeing political threats and worsening economic conditions in Iran, more than 10,000 Iranian Kurds are registered as refugees in the Kurdistan Region, according to UNHCR statistics. There are more without any legal status. They live mainly in refugee camps or the major cities of Erbil and Sulaymaniyah, where they enjoy few rights, and have trouble finding stable jobs and housing. With little hope of either gaining Iraqi citizenship or being resettled in a third country, many are rendered effectively stateless. They often fear leaving their homes, frightened of arrest or harassment by the local security forces.

Despite these challenges, more arrive all the time.

People [in Iran] are all hungry, have no jobs and no money, says 28-year-old Azad, sitting on the floor of his brothers house in a poor district of Erbil. He crossed from Iran into the Kurdistan Region illegally in April last year. I was thinking that the situation would get better [in Iran], but it did not, so I had no other choice and came here.

Now our children question us about their future: How many years should we wait for change? What about our future? Husein Karimi, an Iranian Kurd who fled Iran after the 1979 revolution

When he can find work, Azad  not his real name  now earns 15,000-20,000 Iraqi dinars (7.40-9.90) for 12 hours of manual labour. He says the money is not much better than what he might earn in Iran. But he clings to hopes of building a better life for his five-year-old daughter. I really want to make a future for her, so she does not remain in Iran and have the same future as mine.

While Azad has been in the Kurdistan Region for just a short time, Husein Karimi, 52, fled Iran the year after the 1979 revolution. He has been in Iraq ever since. His situation is not unusual. Many Iranian Kurds have spent decades displaced from their homeland. Because the Kurdistan Region does not have the powers of a state, it cannot grant citizenship. Instead, Iranian Kurds here rely on residency permits that must be renewed in a drawn-out and bureaucratic process every 6 to 12 months. The permits do not allow travel outside the semi-autonomous region nor do they guarantee unhindered passage through internal checkpoints. They cannot register businesses, cars, or mobile phone numbers under their own names.

Now our children question us about their future: How many years should we wait for change? What about our future?, Karimi says from his home in the Barika refugee camp outside Sulaymaniyah. Its very scary. Why were they born into this condition?

Some of them, like Behzad, are driven to despair by financial woes. There are other dangers too. In Iraqs southern governorates, Iran-backed militias are suspected of responsibility for dozens of kidnappings and assassinations of activists. But very real threats exist for Tehrans critics in the Kurdistan Region as well.

Over the past year alone, multiple political activists have been killed in suspicious circumstances. This month, Musa Babakhani, a senior official in an Iranian Kurdish political party that opposes the government in Tehran, was found dead in an Erbil hotel. Musa was very active in contact with civil society in Kermanshah [in Iran]  the most sensitive region for the regime, a former associate of Babakhani tells The Independent on condition of anonymity. In a separate incident, a member of another Iranian Kurdish opposition party was shot dead outside Sulaymaniyah a few weeks earlier. Tehran describes Iranian opposition groups based in the Kurdistan Region as terrorist organisations. The groups have armed wings, with fighters who sometimes operate in Iranian territory.

Here we are at risk. The security forces of Iran pressure us, threaten us, and [Iraqi] Kurdistan is not a safe place for us Mohammed Amini, 38, who fled Iran in 2007

Other Iranian Kurds in the Kurdistan Region have no connection with the opposition parties, but still feel Tehrans influence on this side of the border. A journalist and human rights advocate, Mohammed Amini, 38, was forced to flee Iran in 2007 after receiving threats from the security forces, and settled in Sulaymaniyah.

Here we are at risk. The security forces of Iran pressure us, threaten us, and [Iraqi] Kurdistan is not a safe place for us. When we go to a third country, we can live in a safe place, he adds.

He does not have an Iranian passport, so his main form of identification is his UNHCR card. It is currently expired because the local UNHCR office suspended renewals during the Covid-19 pandemic and is only now slowly beginning to wade through the backlog. Like others, renewal of his residency permit is never guaranteed, mostly dependent on whether he can find stable work in a faltering economy.

Its really stressful. Were stressed all the time, he says. We cannot go anywhere. We cannot register anything under our names. The future of our children here is not clear. We fear for their future.

Many Iranian Kurdish asylum seekers say they feel abandoned. They see the relevant governments and international agencies as uninterested and unwilling to meet their responsibilities, either because of pressure from Tehran or bureaucratic inertia.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iraq Fuad Hussein (L) meets President of Iran Ebrahim Raisi in Tehran (Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

In an interview in Baghdad, Iraqi Kurdish MP Rezan Sheikh Dler says that neither the Kurdistan Regional Government [KRG] nor the [Iraqi] federal government cares. Several pieces of draft legislation related to refugees have been proposed since 2014, but stalled before they reached a vote in parliament.

She sees pressure from Iran on Erbil and Baghdad as a major obstacle. The [KRG] was afraid of Iran and was unable to do anything for the refugees due to [them] being political, Sheikh Dler says. After 2003, the Iraqi government had more political affiliations with Iran, even worse than Kurdistan, which is why we could never make a law for them. The KRG and the Ministry of Displacement and Migration in Baghdad did not reply to requests for comment.

With local governments turning a blind eye, interviewees widely report receiving little UNHCR support, either. UNHCR just says, Take care of yourself, be careful, says Ako, the man who sewed his lips together in protest. He has not been given any food or money by the UN agency, he says, although has received some medical treatment.

The Kurdistan Region currently also hosts nearly a million other internally displaced Iraqis and refugees, including Syrians, Turks, and Palestinians, according to the latest government figures.

A father and his daughter walk down a central walkway at the Arbat refugee camp (AFP via Getty Images)

A UNHCR Iraq spokesperson says that pandemic-related restrictions had caused unavoidable delays to ID registration and renewal processes, and that the global economic downturn had impacted donor countries ability to provide funding worldwide, including to Iraq.

After the self-immolation earlier this year, the UNHCR has strengthened its dialogue with representatives of the community on substantive issues and our door remains open for all refugees and asylum-seekers in Iraq, the spokesperson adds.

Like many others, Zolaikha Mohamadi, a 44-year-old who has been in the Kurdistan Region since 2002, hoped to settle in a third country. But the dream had tragic results for her family. Her husband, Mehdi Mawali, attempted to travel to Europe as an irregular migrant in 2018. But was arrested at the Turkish border with Greece and deported back to Iran, where he was imprisoned for nine months because of his affiliation with a Kurdish opposition party.

Released from custody, he died of a stroke six months later. Zolaikha has not been able to return to visit his grave.

If you filled all your notebooks, it wouldnt be enough to document our problems, she says.

If he can make enough money to survive, Azad, the day labourer, will bring his wife and daughter to the Kurdistan Region. But he is also homesick. I was very happy that I could get out of there and come here, he says. But we miss our homeland. I truly miss Iran now.

Translations by Khushgul Sultani, Kanyaw Abubakr, and an anonymous interpreter in Erbil
During my two deployments in Afghanistan, I had the privilege to work closely with Afghan soldiers and interpreters, sharing dinner and stories with them each night, building trust before the next days operations. I was struck by two things; the charm and generosity of the people, and the soldiers hopes for their future.

Historians will question how the west managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, when they come to review the Afghanistan campaign that ran from 2001 to 2021. When I reflect on it, I will ask if those Afghan soldiers trust in me was misplaced.

I am not the only veteran who has questioned the legitimacy of an enduring military presence in Afghanistan, which has seen 457 British and over 2,400 US fatalities, not to mention hundreds of thousands of Afghan lives lost. Even 10 years ago, I saw firsthand the limitations in our approach. However, I was encouraged by the speed of positive change I saw in Helmand between my two tours in 2010 and 2013; the reduction of violence in the region, the bustling economy, new roads and infrastructure, successful health centres and schools. It appeared that the establishment and investment in Afghan-led forces was providing genuine security.

The rationale for Natos Afghan deployment has crept from the response to 9/11 and ridding the country of the Taliban to stabilisation, counter opium operations and stopping the country from being an extremist staging post. The strategy and focus of efforts fluctuated, flying in the face of conventional military principles which seek to establish a clear aim and purpose from the outset.

The scale of collapse after 20 years and the trillions of dollars spent in the country has been shocking. To many veterans, the blame lies at the feet of the two most recent US presidents: Donald Trump and Joe Biden. In 2018, Trump commenced negotiations with the Taliban without the presence of the Afghan government. Afghanistan is a country where signals and perceptions of power matter, amplified by the emphasis on tribal status. The visibility of unilateral negotiations between the Taliban and US served only to embolden the Taliban. In turn, Bidens decision to pull out all 2,500 US soldiers removed the safety net which guaranteed support for the Afghan government. Both developments started toppling the dominos that have led to the current crisis.

(Mike Crofts)

We are seeing something more complex playing out than the Taliban simply storming the country. The interwoven tribal tapestry is potent, and the rapid advance of the Taliban suggests that they are being bolstered by tribal leaders in Afghanistan who have been playing both sides and waiting for their moment for two decades  the phrase you have watches, but we have time is a popular Afghan riposte to external interference. The mixture of power politics, economics and ensuring the safety of their tribes was a complexity that took Nato forces too long to comprehend.

Afghanistan is now entirely controlled by the Taliban, it never achieved this previously. As a veteran, this is a bitter pill to swallow, it feels as if we have handed the group of theocratic-fascists a stronger position than they had before 2001. There may be groups and tribes that start to counter Taliban control once the dust settles, such as Turkmen, Tajik and Hazara tribes, but this wont be an Afghan National Security and Defence Force (ANSDF) shaped like a conventional western military; the US, UK and Nato troops and infrastructure have been withdrawn, so the experiment is over.

The immediate concern for Afghans who served alongside British forces is that a return of the Taliban will bring with it brutal recriminations against members of the population who helped western forces. The spectre of secret assassinations of Afghan judges, commanders, specialist soldiers and pilots in Kandahar and Jalalabad already looms large. Despite the positive public image that the Taliban are portraying now, we must beware the wolf in sheeps clothing. I have been in contact with my interpreter from Afghanistan throughout the fall of the country. The speed of the advance has been terrifying. The west and the countries associated with the campaign have a responsibility to this man who risked his life repeatedly to support UK soldiers.

There are achievements veterans who served in Afghanistan can rightly be proud of, including facilitating girls access to education  in 2001, girls did not go to school, but by 2012, there were three million in school.

However, there is a growing sense of futility as we watch events unfold. The phrase lions led by donkeys has never been more apt watching the political mismanagement of this withdrawal. Having sacrificed so much, the US has abandoned Afghanistan for the sake of returning a small and low risk troop deployment for the sake of domestic US political signalling. I cant speak for all veterans, but the indifference of UK political leaders is equally galling.

Internationally, we must mind the message that we send to other countries experiencing turbulence, whether in Nigeria, Yemen, Iraq or Syria. We cannot roam the world fixing its problems, but questions of Natos reliability undermine our attempts to challenge extremism internationally. Thousands of mainly young men will now forge a path to Britain and the USA for their families, both legally and illegally, over the coming years. We should remember that their migration is entirely of our making as they start to arrive on our shores seeking safe haven.

Veterans should rightly remain proud of our efforts. We gave Afghanistan the best chance of success that we could. The last stages were characterised by abject surrender, betraying the collective bravery and sacrifice since 2001. But there are many Afghan men and women who have flourished during the past 20 years. The coming uncertainty of the Taliban must be terrifying for many Afghans. I remain optimistic that those soldiers I served with 10 years ago, will feel hope once again.

Mike Crofts is a former British Army Captain who served two combat tours of Afghanistan. He is now the CEO of human performance company Amodigo and the founder of criminal justice charity 3Pillars Project
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A week after a female elephant died in Chinnakanal, a tribal hamlet in Kerala's Idukki District due to electrocution, the herd refusing to go back to the forest.

And according to locals, and forest officials the herd, including the 2-year-old calf of the dead elephant has been visiting the spot where its body was cremated.

The female elephant, estimated to be around 45 years old, was found dead on August 13, near a tribal colony.

BCCL

According to the Forest Department, the elephant died of electrocution from a solar fence that was put in place to prevent jumbos from entering agricultural land.

But someone had illegally connected a high-tension lite to the fence, resulting in the tragic death of the mother elephant.

The herd of six reportedly did not let the female calf go near its mother's body.

A farmer, identified as Suresh from whose house the power line was connected to the fence was arrested for the death of the elephant.

After the postmortem, the carcass of the mother elephant was cremated nearby, and every night since that the two-year-old calf has been visiting the spot.

According to forest officials, the herd which also has two more calves has not gone back to the forest and spends the day in grassland near Anayirankal Dam, and visits the cremation spot at night.

BCCL

Forest officials have also expressed concerns over the calf surviving without its mother. They, however, said that if another mother in the herd becomes a surrogate, and provides milk, the calf has a good chance to survive.

This is the third case of elephant death due to electrocution in Chinnakanal since 2017.
Ending his nearly two-year-long ordeal, Harish Bangera is back in India, with his loved ones, whom he feared he won't be able to see again.

Bangera, a native of Udupi district in Karnataka returned home Wednesday after spending 604 days in a prison in Saudi Arabia for a 'crime' he never committed.

BCCL

Bangera who was working as an air-conditioner technician in a company in Saudi Arabia since 2014 landed in trouble after he was accused of posting derogatory content in December 2019.

Though Bangera had apologized and deactivated his Facebook, it was too late and by then the incident was reported to the police and he was arrested.

However, another account was soon created in his name and posts insulting Mecca and the Saudi Crown Prince were posted from it.

In his video statement apologizing for the post, Bangera failed to mention that the blasphemous post was shared from a Facebook account someone else had created using his identity.

Blasphemy a serious crime in Saudi Arabia

Since blasphemy is a serious crime in Saudi Arabia, Bangera would have faced death for it.

But an investigation in India, based on his wife Sumana' complaint found that the post was indeed shared from a fake account.

Two people, identified as Abdul Huyez and Abdul Thuyez from Moodbidri were arrested in October 2020 for impersonating Bangera and posting blasphemous content.

Abdul Huyez & Abdul Thuyez, 2 brothers from Karnataka, created a fake account in name of another Karnataka native Harish Bangera. They posted derogatory comments against Saudi King & Mecca in Dec 2019. Harish was working in Saudi. He was arrested & has been in jail since then. pic.twitter.com/vW3OEZc9K3  7Annihilator (@7Annihilator) July 18, 2021

According to the police, the two brothers did it out of anger over Bangera's support for CAA and NRC.

The findings were informed to the Saudi authorities through the Indian Embassy and with the help of the Mangaluru Association Saudi Arabia (MASA), Indian Overseas Forum and several other organisation secure the release of Bangera.

BCCL

On Wednesday, Bangera reached Bengaluru airport and reunited with his family, including his 4-year-old daughter.
Afghanistan may be governed by a ruling council now that the Taliban have taken over, while the Islamist militant movement's supreme leader, Haibatullah Akhundzada, would likely remain in overall charge, according to a report by news agency Reuters.

Taliban's senior leader Waheedullah Hashimi said it would also reach out to former pilots and soldiers from the Afghan armed forces to join its ranks.

Reuters

Thousands of soldiers have been killed by Taliban insurgents over the last 20 years, and recently the group targeted US-trained Afghan pilots because of their pivotal role.

Reports suggest that power structure in Afghanistan would bear similarities to the last time the Taliban were in power from 1996 to 2001.

Reuters

Then, supreme leader Mullah Omar remained in the shadows and left the day-to-day running of the country to a council.

"There will be no democratic system at all because it does not have any base in our country," he said. "We will not discuss what type of political system we should apply in Afghanistan because it is clear. It is sharia law and that is it."
The ongoing political unrest in Afghanistan will certainly have huge economical impact in the region, and it seems its ripples will be felt in India too. The unrest will cause a huge blow to India's medical tourism.

India offers quality medical facilities at a cheaper rate as compared to the US and other developed nations, for which scores of patients, including from Afghanistan, visit the country regularly.

Afghan patients and their friends and family members contribute around Rs 1.5-2 billion to the Indian economy, said Sanjay Agrawal, President, Ph.D. Chamber of Commerce and Industry. For the Afghans, India is a cheap healthcare destination where hospitals offer quality treatment at reasonable rates.

Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters

8% medical tourists from Afghanistan

Out of the total medical tourists, around 54.3 per cent visited India from Bangladesh last year, followed by 9 per cent from Iraq, 8 per cent from Afghanistan, 6 per cent from the Maldives and 4.5 per cent from African nations.

Around 30,000 medical visas are issued every year for Afghan nationals. We roughly estimate that around Rs 1.5-2 billion is at stake due to the political unrest in Afghanistan, Agrawal said.

AP

The government has introduced medical visas along with e-medical visas for 166 nations as part of its policy. Yoga and ayurveda tourism are also being promoted as an alternative form treatment.



India had invested nearly $3 billion in aid to rebuild Afghanistan

While India had invested nearly $3 billion in aid to rebuild Afghanistan, the present political instability in the war-torn nation would have an adverse impact on all the welfare programs.

According to the spokesperson of Max Healthcare, There is already a dip in the footfall of patients arriving from overseas owing to the restrictions on commercial flight movement for the past 18 months. We anticipate a further decline in the number of patients arriving from Afghanistan."

Reuters

The Indian Embassy there is currently not functioning and the uncertainty over scheduled commercial flights will lead to delay in patient arrivals, said the spokesperson of a private hospital in Delhi where many Afghan nationals come for treatment.



However, once the situation stabilizes, we are hopeful that patients will be able to travel for medical assistance to India, he added.


People in the UK have declared they are prepared to take in refugees from Afghanistan. The British government has launched the Afghan Citizens' Resettlement Scheme to accomodate at least 20,000 people in the short and long term so that they can escape the threat of the Taliban.

Under the program, local councils will work with the government on where to rehabilitate the refugees and how to ensure they'll have the best outcomes while in Britain. A quick scan on social media proves there are already people who are happy to welcome refugees into their home.

AP

Twitterati extends a helping hand

Neil Waugh posted on Twitter: "I am a 76 years old pensioner, I live on my own in a 2 bedroom bungalow. "I have today informed Wakefield Council I am willing and able to give 2 refugees accommodation in my spare room." The post was flooded with tens of thousands of likes and loads of people said Neil's offer encouraged them to sign up to the resettlement scheme.

I am a 76 years old pensioner , I live on my own in a 2 bedroom bungalow. I have today informed Wakefield Council I am willing and able to give 2 refugees accommodation in my spare room.  neil flek waugh . revolutionary socialist/marxist (@sammythedog1989) August 18, 2021

One person responding to the tweet wrote: "This is so inspiring and heartwarming. I've been looking into this as we have a spare room in my family home and we'd like to help. I hope it all goes well and the council expedite this process for you!"

AP

Liz from Scotland added: "We've likewise offered a room- to a young person seeking asylum- and will be matched with someone by the local authority. Good luck & well done."

Thats fantastic and inspiring, Im off to do the same! I have followed you for a while now because I liked what you wrote, now I think your amazing and wish you lived close so I could drop in for a cuppa and chat!    Tina 2Jabs Edmunds  #FBPE (@CollinsEdmunds) August 18, 2021





Millie said: "Inspiring. We'll do the same in York. We are in our 70s too." Others responding to Neil's post said they would be happy to help with groceries or clothes if the refugees needed it.



 I'm 72 Neil and am going to do the same   Patricia Clarke (@Patrici89225734) August 18, 2021





Well, that's me just smashed the "follow" button instantly. Absolutely tremendous stuff, comrade!  @ComradeFisty (@ComradeFisty) August 18, 2021

Hi there Neil, I also live in Wakefield and I would like to offer you any assistance with this, that you may require?  John Paul Foster (@J3P0F) August 18, 2021

Thank you for being so selfless and opening up your hearts and homes Neil Patricia   Ray (@radicleray) August 18, 2021





...and you, sir, are a true gentleman. I have been so disheartened by some nasty xenophobic comments these days that I really needed to be uplifted by kindness. Thank you   Alex Liberto #FBPE (@Alexilkbir) August 18, 2021

UK to take in 20,000 Afghan refugees

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said 5,000 people will be eligible to be resettled in Britain during the first year of the program, with women and girls given priority status. "We owe a debt of gratitude to all those who have worked with us to make Afghanistan a better place over the last twenty years," he said.

"Many of them, particularly women, are now in urgent need of our help. I am proud that the UK has been able to put in place this route to help them and their families live safely in the UK."

AP

People deemed to be at the highest risk of human rights abuses and dehumanising treatment by the Taliban will also be accepted as a priority. The additional 15,000 refugees will be admitted to the UK in the 'long term'.



The scheme is on top of the 5,000 Afghan interpreters and other staff who worked for the UK during its 20-year war under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy. Two thousand people have already been permitted to resettle in Britain under that scheme.
Afghanistan has one of the largest deposits of lithium, a mineral already essential for the battery industry. Currently, the Taliban controls $1 trillion worth of mineral wealth.

So many precious materials that give an idea of the extraordinary potential of the country. However, today Afghanistan is better known for its poppy cultivation than for the riches of its soil.

Nevertheless, mining has already started with a copper mine in Aynak, near Kabul, and another in Hajigak, which produces iron.

Here is the full list of the mineral wealth of Afghanistan that makes the country one of the mineral-rich regions in the world:
I remember the first time I saw my uncle's coin collection - big, heavy and worldly. He has coins that I had never set eyes on before and it was mind blowing, to say the least.

Since collecting coins is a hobby, as I grew up, I saw more and more people with coins that were no longer in use. When I would ask them what is the point of collecting something you cannot use anymore, I was told that one day this would be worth a lot of money. Seems like they were right because turns out old coins, rare notes, discontinued, special notes or coins and faulty currency have a lot of demand in the online market.

Apparently, people are willing to pay heavy amounts to collect the rare coins and notes. A Rs 2 coin can help you earn up to Rs 5 lakh.

Quickr

This particular coin was issued in 1994 and has the Indian flag engraved at the back. The price of this special 2 rupee has been fixed at Rs 5 lakh on the Quickr website. So, if you are in possession of this particular coin or any other vintage and rare coin in your collection, you can list them online and earn lakhs of rupees by selling them to the interested party.

How to sell the Rs 2 coin on Quickr:

So, in order to sell the coin if you have it, register on Quickr.com and log in. Create a listing for your coin and upload pictures of the same. Interested parties will contact you directly through the details mentioned. You can negotiate with them and sell the coin at the price you deem fit.



Quickr

However, the Reserve Bank of India has recently issued a warning message to those selling and buying of old notes and coins online.

"It has come to the notice of Reserve Bank of India that certain elements are fraudulently using the name/ logo of Reserve Bank of India, and seeking charges/ commission/ tax from public, in transactions related to buying and selling of old banknotes and coins through various online/ offline platforms," an RBI statement said.

Quickr

The central bank further said that it does not deal in such matters and never seeks charges/ commissions of any sort. The RBI has also not authorised any institution/ firm/ person etc. to collect charges/ commission on its behalf in such transactions, said the Central Bank.
A mind-boggling incident has come to light in the USA's Alabama state.

A man was shot by his wife's boyfriend who had secretly been living in the couple's home in Creola, Alabama.



The Mobile County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) responded to a report of a shooting Sunday night in Creola. When officers arrived, they found two men, identified as Frank Reeves and Michael Amacker who had been shot. Both men were transported to a local hospital where they were treated for their injuries.

Unsplash

According to the authorities, Reeves owns the home where the incident took place. He was shot in the chest by Amacker (the boyfriend) and Reeves reciprocated by shooting Amacker multiple times, hitting the man's lower leg and elbow.

The authorities also mentioned that the homeowner's wife, Tracy Reeves, had told her husband that an intruderlater identified as Amackerwas inside their home.

The detectives also learned that Tracy Reeves knew Amacker and had reportedly been having a relationship with him for over a year.

Unsplash

"She [Tracy] had been allowing him [Amacker] to stay within the home for a couple of days, providing him food, there were bottles of urine in the room which indicated he had been in there for a little while," Captain Paul Burch of MCSO told the Mobile, Alabama, CBS-affiliated television station WKRG.



However, Frank Reeves had no knowledge about this.

Deputies said Tracy Reeves and Amacker had both been using methamphetamine. During interview attempts on the scene, deputies said they found Tracy to be intoxicated to the point of being incoherent.

Unsplash

Amacker faces several charges, including attempted murder, possession of a controlled substance and possession of a firearm with an altered serial number. WKRG reported that since Amacker is already a convicted felon, he will also face federal charges.



This is one news we don't know that should scare us or confuse us.
File photo of National Defense Academy cadets marching past during the convocation ceremony of the 136th National Defense Academy course at the Khetarpal Parade ground, on May 30, 2019 in Pune, India.. (Sanket Wankhade/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
Today

Thunderstorms. Potential for severe thunderstorms. High around 80F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%.

Tonight

Becoming partly cloudy after some evening rain. Potential for heavy rainfall. Low 59F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.

Tomorrow

A mainly sunny sky. High 78F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph.
Woodbridge, VA (22192)

Today

Thunderstorms. Potential for severe thunderstorms. High 82F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Rain early. Decreasing clouds late. Potential for flooding rains. Low around 60F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.
The number of Virginians hospitalized with COVID-19 is now essentially the same as it was a year ago, when no vaccine was available for the vi
The National Council on Aging is partnering with community based organizations in 25 states and territories where vaccination rates are low by mobilizing and supporting aging experts who can help vulnerable older adults overcome vaccine barriers and hesitancy.
Employees of the Massachusetts veterans home at the center of a devastating COVID-19 outbreak in the spring of 2020 have sued several members of the facilitys former leadership team, alleging they were forced to care for sick and dying veterans, sometimes after testing positive themselves, in inhumane conditions.

The federal class-action suit filed last week says administrators at the Holyoke Soldiers Home initially ignored Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance for containing the virus and lied to state officials about measures they were taking to protect residents and staff once the first veteran tested positive on March 15, 2020, Masslive.com reported.

The employees watched in horror as the veterans they cared for suffered horrible deaths, the suit says.

The lead plaintiff in the lawsuit is certified nursing assistant Kwesi Ablordeppey.

The four defendants include former home Superintendent Bennett Walsh and former Medical Director Dr. David Clinton.

An attorney for Clinton said his client denies the allegations.

Clinton is a wonderful person who has dedicated his life to serving veterans and cared deeply for his coworkers, John Lawler wrote in an email to The Associated Press.

He denies all allegations of wrongdoing and the evidence that will be presented in this case and the other cases will establish that he is not at any fault for the tragedies that unfolded at the Soldiers Home as a result of COVID-19, he wrote.

An attorney for Walsh declined comment in an email.

Both men have previously pleaded not guilty to criminal neglect charges. Their lawyers allege they have been used as scapegoats by the state.

At least 77 veteran residents of the home died of the disease  76 of them in the spring of 2020 in one of the worst outbreaks at a long-term care facility in the nation. Another resident died last winter at an offsite location.

The first resident of the home known to have contracted the virus, referred to as Veteran One in the suit, was allowed to wander the facility and remain outside a recommended isolation room, the suit says.

He continued to sleep in a room with three other veterans, was allowed to mingle with other residents and was treated by employees who were provided with inadequate personal protective equipment, according to the complaint.

Employees who were symptomatic or who had tested positive for the virus were forced to continue working, according to the complaint, and were disciplined by Walsh if they called out sick, according to the lawsuit.

One nurse reported that the entire facility smelled like death in late March, and she would go home after her shifts were over and vomit.

The suit seeks unspecified damages.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Lawsuits COVID-19 Massachusetts
Firefighters are struggling to control blazes in Frances Gulf of Saint Tropez and in the Spanish province of Avila, another manifestation of dangerous global warming thats already caused a long list of extreme weather events this summer.

A wildfire burned through 5,000 hectares in Frances Var department, leading to the deployment of about 900 firefighters and the evacuation of at least 10,000 people, according to local authorities. A separate fire in Avila consumed at least 15,000 hectares, the government said.

People have gone through really hard days as a consequence of very large wildfires associated with the heatwave weve just suffered, Spains Minister for the Ecological Transition Teresa Ribera said on Monday. Forest fires are something we are bound to live with as these are one of the most dramatic effects of climate change in the Mediterranean climate.

Most of Spain remains under fire alert following a heatwave that saw thermometers in southern and central regions rise above 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) over the weekend, with the town of Montoro registering a record-high temperature for the country47.4C on Aug. 14. A heatwave that hit southeastern France over the weekend has started to ease.

Still, the combination of high temperatures, drought and strong winds has fueled the wildfires and made them harder to extinguish. In Frances Var department, 700 firefighters have been deployed to try to contain the blaze thats burning through one of the countrys most famous holiday destinations. The coast between the cities of Marseille and Cannes is known for its small villages and pristine beaches.

French President Emmanuel Macron is spending his holidays in the region, staying at the Bregancon fortress, a presidential summer residence that in the past hosted predecessors like General Charles de Gaulle and Francois Hollande. Macron met with local officials and Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin on Tuesday to discuss the fires.

Photograph: A wildfire in Santa Coloma de Queralt, near Tarragona, Spain, on Sunday July 25, 2021. Firefighters in northeast Spain battled a wildfire that has consumed more than 1,200 hectares (3,000 acres) of woodland. High temperatures and strong winds fanned the flames in the rural area 100 kilometers (62 miles) west of Barcelona. Photo credit: AP Photo/Joan Mateu Parra.

Copyright 2021 Bloomberg.

Topics France
CCRIF SPC, the Cayman Islands-based parametric catastrophe facility, will pay approximately US$40 million to the government of Haiti, following the devastating magnitude 7.2 earthquake, which struck the Caribbean island on Aug. 14, significantly affecting the city of Les Cayes.

This payout represents the full coverage limit under the countrys parametric insurance policy for earthquakes for the 2021/22 policy year. As CCRIFs insurance policies are parametric, payouts are made within 14 days of an event.

Related:

Insured Losses from Haiti Earthquake Estimated at $250M: Karen Clark & Co.

To begin to support the people of Haiti as quickly as possible, CCRIF will provide a first tranche of US$15 million to the government within one week of the event and the remaining amount of approximately US$25 million within the 14-day window, to allow for the independent verification of the model results.

CCRIF will continue to provide earthquake coverage to Haiti for the remainder of the policy year, which ends on May 31, 2022, under a special feature of the earthquake policy known as the Reinstatement of Sum Insured Cover (RSIC). The RSIC, introduced by CCRIF in 2017, provides access to coverage after the maximum coverage limit of a countrys earthquake or tropical cyclone coverage limit has been reached.

This current payout to Haiti will represent CCRIFs largest single payout to date. Since the facilitys inception in 2007, it has made 53 payouts totaling US$242.4 million to 16 of its 23 members. Of these, Haiti has received five payouts totaling US$78.3 million (32% of total payouts).

The payout from CCRIF to the Republic of Haiti following the earthquake on Aug. 14, 2021, will help finance rapid and tangible government activities geared towards supporting the poor and vulnerable affected by the earthquake in the Grand Sud region, commented Haitis Minister of the Economy and Finance Michel Patrick Boisvert.

Given the proliferation and recurrence of natural disasters, access to parametric insurance policies offered by CCRIF and other risk financing mechanisms makes it possible to better manage the impact of these disasters on public finances and strengthen financial resilience in the medium term. For a country like Haiti, which is exposed to multiple natural disaster risks, it is imperative for us to adopt preventive measures to reduce vulnerability to shocks, while improving disaster preparedness and response, he added.

The Aug. 14 earthquake was centered near Petit Troup de Nippes, approximately 78 miles to the west of the capital city Port-au-Prince and released approximately twice as much energy as the 7.0 earthquake that affected the country in 2010. Both quakes occurred on the same fault line but the 2010 earthquake occurred nearer to the capital  about 15 miles west of Port-au-Prince. After the 2010 earthquake, the government of Haiti received a payout of US$7.8 million from CCRIF.

Since 2010 the government of Haiti has continued to increase its parametric insurance coverage for earthquakes, with the cumulative increase being about 400%. This increased coverage has been made possible through premium support initially provided by the Canadian government and subsequently by the Caribbean Development Bank, which has paid Haitis insurance premiums for earthquakes, tropical cyclones and excess rainfall either fully or in part.

Since the start of the 2021 Atlantic Hurricane Season, Haiti has been affected by tropical cyclones Elsa and Fred. Haiti received a payment of approximately US$343,000 under the aggregated deductible cover (ADC) of its tropical cyclone policy following cyclone Elsa. The ADC provides a minimum payment for events that are not sufficient to trigger a countrys tropical cyclone policy but for which losses on the ground are registered by a member government.

About CCRIF SPC

CCRIF SPC is a segregated portfolio company that limits the financial impact of catastrophic hurricanes, earthquakes and excess rainfall events to Caribbean and Central American governments by quickly providing short-term liquidity when a parametric insurance policy is triggered. It is the worlds first regional fund utilizing parametric insurance, giving member governments the opportunity to purchase earthquake, hurricane and excess rainfall catastrophe coverage for the lowest-possible prices.

CCRIF was developed under the technical leadership of the World Bank and with a grant from Japan. It was capitalized through contributions to a Multi-Donor Trust Fund (MDTF) by the government of Canada, the European Union, the World Bank, the governments of the UK and France, the Caribbean Development Bank and the governments of Ireland and Bermuda, as well as through membership fees paid by participating governments.

Photograph: People gather outside the Petit Pas Hotel, destroyed by the earthquake in Les Cayes, Haiti, on Saturday, Aug. 14, 2021. A 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti on Saturday, with the epicenter about 125 kilometers (78 miles) west of the capital of Port-au-Prince, the US Geological Survey said. Photo credit: AP Photo/Joseph Odelyn.

Topics Carriers Catastrophe
The family of one of the two men fatally shot during a demonstration against police violence in Kenosha, Wisconsin, has filed a federal civil lawsuit against local law enforcement, accusing officers of facilitating Kyle Rittenhouses attacks.

Anthony Huber was participating in an Aug. 25 protest sparked by the police shooting of Jacob Blake two days earlier. The Black man was left partially paralyzed after he was shot in the back by police during a domestic disturbance call.

Rittenhouse, who is white, was 17 at the time and traveled from his home in Antioch, Illinois, and joined other armed individuals in Kenosha who answered a call from local militia to protect businesses from protesters. The protests turned chaotic that night.

According to prosecutors, Rittenhouse opened fire on Huber, 26, and Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, killing them. Gaige Grosskreutz was also shot but survived his injuries. The three men are white.

Rosenbaum was shot in the parking lot of an auto dealership and as Rittenhouse ran from the scene he stumbled and fell. Huber was shot in the chest as he tried to disarm Rittenhouse by wrestling his rifle away.

After he had killed and maimed multiple individuals, Kyle Rittenhouse walked up to a dozen Kenosha police officers, assault rifle in hand, with crowds yelling that he had just killed innocent people. What did the police do? They spoke to him and let him walk away, said Huber family attorney Anand Swaminathan.

Rittenhouse maintains he fired in self-defense, but prosecutors have charged him with a litany of counts, including reckless homicide, recklessly endangering safety, attempted first-degree intentional homicide and being a minor in possession of a dangerous weapon.

The federal lawsuit seeks unspecified damages against Kenosha County Sheriff David Beth; Daniel Miskinis, the former City of Kenosha police chief; Eric Larsen, the citys acting police chief; and unnamed officers and deputies.

The plaintiffs allege in the lawsuit, filed in the U.S. Eastern District of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, that the defendants deputized these armed individuals, conspired with them, and ratified their actions by letting them patrol the streets armed with deadly weapons to mete out justice as they saw fit. 

The police are supposed to serve and protect, Anthonys father, John Huber, said in a statement. But thats not what the Kenosha police did. They walked away from their duties and turned over the streets of Kenosha to Kyle Rittenhouse and other armed vigilantes. If they had done their job, my son would still be alive today.

The lawsuit also alleges that the officers decision to treat demonstrators and militia members differently was motivated by racial discrimination and was in retaliation for protests critical of police violence.

The plaintiffs allege in the lawsuit that while police allowed armed militia members who were white to roam the streets illegally with weapons, they strictly enforced a curfew against peaceful protestors, who were a diverse group speaking out against police violence.

That discriminatory and retaliatory conduct violated the U.S. Constitutions guarantees of a right to free speech and peaceful assembly and to equal protection of the law, the lawsuit said.

Anthony Hubers mother, Karen Bloom, said the lawsuit is about justice for her son, and his legacy.

After Anthonys death, there will always be a hole in my heart, Bloom said. But his memory lives on, and I will never stop telling his story.

Kenosha County Sheriffs Department spokesman Sgt. David Wright said officials planned to issue a statement on the lawsuit later.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Lawsuits Law Enforcement Wisconsin Civil Unrest
A year and a half after the Boy Scouts of America sought bankruptcy protection amid an onslaught of child sex abuse lawsuits, a Delaware judge is poised to issue a ruling that could determine whether the organization might emerge from bankruptcy later this year.

Following a three-day hearing that ended Monday, the judge is mulling whether the Boy Scouts can pursue an $850 million agreement with attorneys representing a majority of the 82,500 abuse claimants in the case. Failure to win approval of the agreement could throw the case into chaos.

The agreement involves the national Boy Scouts organization, the roughly 250 local Boy Scout councils, the official victims committee, and law firms representing some 70,000 men who say they were molested as youngsters by Scoutmasters and others.

The Texas-based Boy Scouts have proposed contributing up to $250 million in cash and property to a fund for abuse victims. Local councils, which run day-to-day operations for Boy Scout troops, would contribute $600 million. The national organization and councils also would transfer their rights to Boy Scout insurance policies to the victims fund. In return, they would be released from further liability for abuse claims.

The agreement is opposed by insurers that issued policies to the Boy Scouts and local councils, other law firms representing thousands of abuse victims, and various church denominations that have sponsored Boy Scouts troops.

Here is a look at some of the key issues that Judge Laura Selber Silverstein must address:

BUSINESS JUDGMENT

The overarching issue is whether the Boy Scouts of America exercised proper business judgment in entering into the agreement.

Under Delawares business judgment rule, courts presume that directors are acting in the best interests of the corporation unless there is evidence that they shirked their duties, had conflicts or acted in bad faith.

This board worked very hard, informed itself and used due care in rendering its business decision, Jessica Lauria, lead bankruptcy attorney for the Boy Scouts, said Monday.

Insurers and other opponents of the proposed agreement argued that the BSA board never adopted a resolution approving the agreement and delegated decision-making authority to subcommittees. They also said the Boy Scouts CEO and board chairman acknowledged not reviewing key elements of the agreement before approving it.

Opponents also contend that Boy Scout officials did not consider the agreements impact on the sponsoring organizations, which remain vulnerable under the agreement to lawsuits by abuse claimants.

HARTFORD SETTLEMENT

In the proposed agreement, the Boy Scouts are seeking permission to back out of a settlement they reached in April with one of their insurers, The Hartford. The Hartford agreed to pay $650 million into the victims fund in exchange for being released from any further obligations.

The Boy Scouts have described the settlement as reasonable but now want to back out because of opposition by attorneys for abuse claimants, who say their clients would never support a plan that includes it.

Lauria argued that all of the conditions needed for the Hartford settlement to take effect have not been met, and the Boy Scouts should therefore be allowed to withdraw.

Attorneys for the Hartford say the settlement, which was signed in April, is binding and requires the Boy Scouts to cooperate in good faith and seek its approval. Allowing the Boy Scouts to walk away would set a dangerous precedent and would disincentivize settlement negotiations in future cases, they said.

Why shouldnt parties be bound in some fashion by agreements they enter? Silverstein asked Monday, adding that the issue presented was challenging.

PROFESSIONAL FEES

Supporters of the agreement include 27 law firms affiliated with an ad hoc group called the Coalition of Abused Scouts for Justice, which has dominated the flow of the case despite the presence of an official victims committee. Those firms represent about 63,000 abuse claimants.

Under the agreement, the Boy Scouts would reimburse up to $10.5 million in fees and expenses incurred since July 2020 by law firms representing the coalition, and $950,000 a month going forward until a reorganization plan takes effect.

Critics of the fee arrangement say it raises both ethical and legal issues, and that the proposed payments to the law firms are the real impetus behind the agreement.

David Buchbinder, an attorney representing the U.S. bankruptcy trustee, argued the law firms representing the coalition havent proven they have made the required substantial contribution to the bankruptcy case that would merit fee reimbursement, or even provided documentation to support the proposed fees.

The amazing testimony was that the debtor (the Boy Scouts) didnt even look at the underlying fees. They werent produced, Buchbinder said.

TIMELINE

If Silverstein approves the agreement, the next step will be a hearing starting Aug. 25 to decide whether to approve a disclosure statement that explains the reorganization plan to creditors. Approval of the disclosure statement is required before ballots can be sent to abuse claimants to vote on a plan.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Carriers Legislation
U.S. states are racing to meet a deadline to commit to a $26 billion opioid settlement with three drug distributors and the drugmaker Johnson & Johnson, as some grapple with local resistance and concerns the amount isnt big enough to address the damage done by an epidemic of addiction.

Fourteen state attorneys general unveiled the proposed settlement with McKesson Corp., AmerisourceBergen Corp., Cardinal Health Inc. and J&J on July 21, kicking off a months-long process for states, counties and cities to sign on.

By Saturday, states must decide whether to join settlements that call for the distributors to pay $21 billion and J&J to pay $5 billion, money meant to help fund treatment and other services. The epidemic of opioid abuse has resulted in nearly 500,000 overdose deaths since 1999, according to the U.S. government.

The settlements complex formula envisions at least 44 states participating, but ultimately the companies decide whether a critical mass have joined and whether to finalize the deal.

North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, a lead negotiator, last month said he expected well north of 40 states to join. But several are against it, including Washington and New Mexico and communities in West Virginia holding out in hopes of recouping more.

Michigan, South Carolina and Nevada say they are still evaluating the deal. Ohio, which was slated to take the distributors to trial next month, is nearing a separate, related $808 million deal with them.

In hard-hit New Hampshire, Associate Attorney General James Boffetti said he recently told a judge the state was unlikely to join the deal with J&J, which the state plans to take to trial next year.

That settlement is small in comparison to the harm that they caused in New Hampshire and other places, he said. Its just not sufficient.

The settlement aims to resolve more than 3,000 lawsuits accusing the distributors of ignoring red flags that pain pills were being diverted into communities for illicit uses and that J&J played down the risks of opioid addiction.

The companies deny wrongdoing, saying the drugs were approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and that responsibility for ballooning painkiller sales lies with others, including doctors and regulators.

The participation of states is tied closely to that of their local governments, who brought the majority of lawsuits.

Ultimately, $10.7 billion is tied to the extent localities participate.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Aug. 5 announced the state would join the distributors settlement, but in a twist said the state was still evaluating J&Js piece.

Some local Texas governments have opposed the deal, and a January trial date is set in a lawsuit by the populous city of Dallas, which has sued the distributors, J&J and others for $10.5 billion.

Mark Lanier, a lawyer for the city, said he was in discussions with J&J and was hopeful we can find a resolution. But he said Dallas case against the distributors would move forward.

Paul Geller, a lead negotiator for the plaintiffs with Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd, called on elected officials to unify for the greater good.

The only way this deal works, and weve known this from the beginning, is if leaders embrace a level of responsibility that extends beyond local borders, Geller said.

(Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston Editing by Noeleen Walder and Grant McCool)
President Joe Biden said on Wednesday his administration will require employees at nursing homes to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of the facilities participating in the Medicare and Medicaid government healthcare programs.

Biden made the announcement hours after the release of a study https://bit.ly/3mebUYT showing that the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines for residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities, where residents are often elderly and frail, has dropped since the Delta variant became dominant in the United States.

Residents of nursing homes have been hard hit during the pandemic, with many facilities experiencing high death tolls  particularly early in the public health crisis. People living in nursing homes were among the first to be given shots after COVID-19 vaccines won U.S. government authorization last year.

But some nursing homes have not required staff members to be vaccinated against COVID-19  and some employees have opted not to get the shots amid vaccine skepticism among some Americans.

Im using the power of the federal government as a payer of healthcare costs to insure we reduce those risks to our most vulnerable seniors. These steps are all about keeping people safe and out of harms way, Biden said at the White House.

If you visit, live or work in a nursing home, you should not be at a higher risk for contracting COVID from unvaccinated employees, Biden added.

Medicare is the federal health insurance program for people 65 and older. Medicaid is a state-federal health insurance program for the poor. Many nursing homes are reliant on payments from these programs.

Biden said that more than 130,000 residents in U.S. nursing homes have died from COVID-19 and that vaccination rates among nursing home employees trail the rest of the country. Biden said studies show that having a highly vaccinated nursing home staff is associated with at least 30 percent fewer COVID-19 cases among residents.

The spread of the highly infectious Delta variant, which according to CDC data accounted last month for more than 80% of new U.S. infections, has complicated efforts to combat the pandemic in the United States and globally.

In the new study, researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention compared weekly data from 3,862 nursing homes and long-term care facilities spanning March 1 to May 9, before Delta became widespread, to data from 14,917 such facilities covering June 21 to Aug. 9, when the variant was responsible for the majority of new infections.

They found that efficacy of the two-dose vaccines from Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna for preventing any coronavirus infection  mild or severe  dropped from 74.7% to 53.1%. Effectiveness estimates were similar for the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, they said.

The study was published in the CDCs Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).

The findings were cited by federal health officials on Wednesday in their announcement that COVID-19 booster shots would be made widely available https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-start-offering-covid-19-vaccine-booster-doses-september-2021-08-18 to Americans beginning on Sept. 20, with protection from initial vaccination waning over time.

The first groups to receive those boosters will include nursing home residents and other elderly Americans, as well as people with weak immune systems, officials said.

In a second study https://bit.ly/3AS7Cub published in MMWR, New York State Department of Health officials found that by late July, 65% of New York adults had been fully vaccinated with two doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna shots or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson shot.

Between early May and late July, the vaccines effectiveness for preventing new infections dropped from 91.7% to 79.8%, the study found. Vaccine efficacy at preventing hospitalization held steady, ranging from 91.9% to 95.3%, it found.

The effectiveness of the two-dose vaccines against hospitalization lasts at least six months, according to a separate study https://bit.ly/2Wa8kEm by researchers in 18 U.S. states who reviewed data from 3,089 hospitalized patients, including 1,194 with COVID-19.

(Reporting by Eric Beech and Nancy Lapid; Editing by Michele Gershberg and Will Dunham)

Topics COVID-19 Senior Care
Insurance brokerage competitors Willis Towers Watson and Alliant Insurance Services are battling in court over what Willis alleges is a conspiracy by Alliant to steal its employees, trade secrets and clients.

Willis maintains that this past July Alliant orchestrated a mass resignation of producers and other employees from its Public Entity and Education Practice at its Willis Towers Watson Southeast (WTW SE) office based in Charlotte, North Carolina.

As a result of the alleged raid by Alliant, Willis claims that to date it has lost two of its senior leaders and highest producers, along with at least seven other employees who serviced the books of business assigned to those producers. It also claims to have lost one Public Entity and Education Practice client to a competitor.

Willis is suing Alliant and six former employees Mark A Goode, Michael R. Honeycutt, Taylor Forst, Kim Rice, Rebecca Ann Lee and Sean Keenan.

The complaint by Willis alleges Alliant enticed the employees to leave and that the employees breached their employment agreements by not providing 15-days notice of their resignations and by soliciting Willis clients and, in some cases, fellow employees, before a 24 month non-solicitation period had passed.

This lawsuit arises out of Alliants effort to illegally destroy WTW SEs highly specialized, Charlotte-based Public Entity and Education Practice. In concert with Alliant, several former WTW SE employees are breaching their valid and reasonable restrictive covenants, the complaint states.

Goode and Honeycutt were senior leaders of WTW SEs Public Entity and Education Practice and had knowledge of the compensation of all the other Public Entity and Education Practice team members, according to the complaint.

The complaint says that on July 20, 2021, both Honeycutt and Goode resigned from WTW SE to work for Alliant within hours of each other with immediate effect. On July 21, 2021, Forst immediately resigned and the next day, Keenan did the same, according to the complaint.

The complaint accuses Goode of taking WTW SE client account information and using this list to contact and solicit clients, prospective clients, and WTW SE employees in violation of his contractual obligations.

According to Willis, Alliant had offered Honeycutt an annual salary of $1.4 million with a five-year guaranty, almost $300,000 more than he was earning at WTW SE, and well above market value, in effort to use him to unfairly poach WTW SE clients and induce other former WTW SE employees to solicit business in violation of their agreements.

Claiming it will suffer irreparable harm if Alliant and the employees are not restricted, Willis is seeking a temporary and a permanent injunctions against Alliant and the employees continuing to solicit clients, as well as damages including disgorgement of monies earned by the defendants, compensatory damages, punitive damages and attorneys fees and costs.

Alliant Response

Alliant has petitioned the court to deny the injunctions. The California broker claims Willis has not shown that the defendants shared client information, stole trade secrets, improperly solicited clients or fellow employees. Alliant also maintains Willis has not shown irreparable harm need to win an injunction.

Alliant contends that because Willis is a giant global company revenue of $9.35 billion and 46,00 employees, it will not be materially harmed if the injunctions are denied. The loss of a couple of producers, one (or a few) clients, and a tiny percentage of Williss revenue will not irreparably harm such a large and diverse company, Alliant states.

On the other hand, if the injunctions are granted the defendant employees will be denied the opportunity to continue business relationships they have enjoyed for many years with public entities and educational institutions and clients that have made a free choice that they no longer wish to use Willis as their broker and now want to work with Alliant will also be harmed.

Alliant claims the document Goode is accused of taking is a distribution list of public entities and Willis employees that was used to mail a Willis newsletter and does not contain any customer purchasing information or policy details.

Alliant further claims that Willis is not at risk of permanently losing such clients due to any actions by defendants. Alliant says Goode and Honeycutts book of about 30 clients at Willis was largely comprised of public entitiesstate governments, county governments, municipalities and school boards. The identities of these public entities and educational institutions are not a secret and does not comprise extremely valuable information, according to Alliant

Alliant asserts that half of those clients cannot change insurance brokers without sending out a formal request for proposal (RFP) and thus Willis and any other interested brokerage firms can submit proposals and try to gain the business.

Alliant further disputes Williss complaints of harm, noting the complaint cites the loss of only one client.

To the extent Willis suffers any harm, its remedy can be in monetary damages, not injunctions, argues Alliant. It is well settled that alleged harms are not irreparable if they are fully compensable by money damages, its response states.

Alliant further claims that WTWs employment agreements are vague and overly broad and restrictive.

Alliant Playbook

According to Willis, Alliants recent raid on its Public Entity and Education Practice is not an accident, but is in fact Alliants modus operandi and business plan.

The complaint alleges that Alliant has deployed the same playbook against it and other insurance brokers in the past, resulting in Alliant and former employees being sued and enjoined.

Less than three weeks ago, regarding WTW SEs Health and Benefits Practice in Knoxville, both Alliant and two individuals were enjoined by the Chancery Court for Knox County, Tennessee.

The complaint says WTW SE and other insurance brokers have successfully enjoined both former employees and Alliant from carrying out this unlawful conduct. WTW cites similar cases against Alliant by Arthur J. Gallagher in 2020 and Lockton in 2019.

Topics Agencies
As the new school year begins for Texas students and mask mandates are debated in various state courts, at least four school districts have already closed campuses due to COVID-19 outbreaks.

The shutdowns are taking place as more school districts and communities continued this week to defy Gov. Greg Abbotts ban on mask mandates and require students and residents to wear face coverings. Abbotts office on Aug. 17 announced he had tested positive for COVID-19. Abbott, who is vaccinated, was experiencing no symptoms.

The school district in Gorman, located about 70 miles east of Abilene, had been set to begin the new school year on Aug. 18 but is now delaying that by a week due to positive COVID cases within the school community of both faculty and students, Superintendent Mike Winter said in a statement.

This decision was not made lightly or quickly, and it was made with the best interest of all students, staff, and parents safety in mind, Winter said.

In East Texas, the Bloomburg school district announced it was shut down this week due to the number of staff members out with COVID. Classes had started on Aug. 9.

About 60 miles south of Bloomburg, the Waskom school districts elementary campus was closed due to the number of staff members out with COVID, said Superintendent Rae Ann Patty. Classes in Waskom had started Aug. 11.

These school districts join the Iraan-Sheffield Independent School District in West Texas, which on Monday announced it would close schools for two weeks so students and staff could quarantine due to COVID-19. Classes had started on Aug. 10.

Mask wearing was optional in these four school districts. At least 21 other Texas school districts, including some of the states biggest, have instituted mask mandates, which are in violation of Abbotts executive order banning such measures.

The debate over mandatory mask wearing in Texas school districts continued being litigated in various courts around the state. The issue was expected to ultimately be decided by the Texas Supreme Court, which has already halted mask mandates in two of the states largest counties. One of these two counties, Dallas, has brushed aside the high courts order while another, Bexar, on Monday won a temporary injunction against Abbotts order.

The push by some school districts and counties for mask mandates comes as hospitals across the state continue to be flooded with COVID-19 patients.

In the 25-county region around Houston, 629 COVID patients are waiting for beds but cant get admitted to a hospital, Dr. David Persse, who is health authority for the Houston Health Department and EMS medical director, said Tuesday. An additional 112 patients are waiting for ICU beds, he said.

On Aug. 17, state health officials reported 12,227 COVID-19 hospitalizations in Texas, the first time the state had surpassed 12,000 since Jan. 27. Since June 27, when hospitalizations had been at their lowest point in more than a year, they have jumped by 756%. State health officials reported 24,422 new and probable cases on Aug. 17.

In the Eanes school district in Austin, which is requiring masks, a parent physically assaulted one teacher by ripping a mask off her face while another teacher was yelled at by other parents because they couldnt understand what the teacher was saying while she wore a mask, Superintendent Tom Leonard said in a statement. The first day of classes in the Eanes district was not until Wednesday.

This type of behavior will not be tolerated in Eanes ISD. Our staff are on the front lines of this pandemic; lets give them some space and grace. Please, I am asking everyone to be kinddo not fight mask wars in our schools, Leonard said.

On Monday, the Round Rock and West Oso school districts became the latest to defy Abbott and require students and staff to wear masks.

The San Antonio school district, which also has a mask mandate, announced it was requiring all staff to become vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct. 15.

In West Texas, El Paso County officials announced that starting Aug. 18 they would require masks be worn inside all indoor facilities, including schools.

In Harris County, where Houston is located, officials announced $100 gift cards for anyone getting a vaccine as part of their efforts to boost vaccination rates.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Texas Education K 12
Texas public safety officials said on Aug. 18 that an inspection of 6,288 commercial motor vehicles in the state resulted in more than 1,000 citations, over 18,500 warnings and more than 1,600 vehicles taken out of service for safety violations.

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) inspected 6,288 commercial motor vehicles as part of International Roadcheck 2021, a national inspection initiative thats held annually and aimed at enhancing commercial motor vehicle safety.

DPS issued 1,228 citations and 18,566 warnings and placed 1,628 buses, 18-wheelers and other commercial vehicles  approximately 26%  out of service for safety violations until the appropriate repairs could be made. The most common infractions included problems with brakes and defective tires.

Drivers were also checked for compliance with state and federal laws, and 277 drivers were placed out-of-service. Among the violations were failing to have the proper type of driver license for the vehicle being driven and violations of hours of service requirements.

The three-day inspection effort included DPS commercial vehicle enforcement troopers, specially trained highway patrol troopers, civilian inspectors, compliance review investigators and local partner agencies.

Sponsored by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), International Roadcheck is designed to help reduce commercial vehicle highway fatalities through increased vehicle and driver safety, education and law enforcement activities throughout North America.

CVSA said more than 40,000 commercial motor vehicle inspections were conducted nationally during International Roadcheck 2021. Approximately 83.5% of the commercial motor vehicles examined had no out-of-service (OOS) violations. Nationally, inspectors removed 6,710 commercial motor vehicles and 2,080 drivers from roadways  a 16.5% vehicle and 5.3% driver out of service rate  over that three-day period.

The 2021 event occurred May 4-6.

Topics Texas Commercial Lines
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper has issued a State of Emergency in response to Tropical Storm Fred, which caused severe flood in the western part of the state.

Approximately 30 people are currently in missing in Haywood County and water systems in Canton and Clyde have been impacted.

Areas in western North Carolina saw as much as a foot of rain over the last three days. More than 98 people have already been rescued from floodwaters in western counties, according to the governors office.

North Carolina Emergency Management has deployed water rescue teams, while National Guard and Highway Patrol helicopters are conducing searches.

This state of emergency will allow our first responders to get into our affected communities quickly to save lives, restore power, remove debris and bring supplies, said Gov. Cooper.

Buncombe County, home to the city of Asheville, declared a State of Emergency after receiving reports of flooded roads, downed trees and downed power lines.

In Hawyood County, the school system is reporting thousands of dollars in damage at multiple facilities. A superintendent is inquiring for FEMA disaster declaration, according to WLOS 13.

Fred is responsible for at least one death so far. A man in Florida was killed after he lost control of his car trying to drive through floodwater the night of Aug. 16. The car overturned into a water-filled ditch, according to a Florida Highway Patrol report.

The National Weather Services reported more than a dozen tornadoes across Georgia and the Carolinas on Aug. 17, leading to downed trees, damaged property and localized flooding.

Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Windstorm Flood North Carolina
The South Carolina Supreme Court ruled that a mask mandate instituted by the University of South Carolina last month does not violate a state budget proviso banning discriminatory face covering requirements.

University officials withdrew the mask rule earlier this month after state Attorney General Alan Wilson opined that the mandate was likely not consistent with the intent of the Legislature.

Wilson had cited a budget proviso passed by the General Assembly that states public institutions of higher learning cant use appropriated funds to 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.

But the measure does not prevent public universities and colleges from establishing a universal requirement for face coverings for all students and staff regardless of vaccination status, according to the high court.

In fact, the proviso implicitly contemplates there could be a universal mask mandate, but its terms prohibit only discrimination against unvaccinated individuals by requiring them to wear masks when vaccinated individuals are exempt from that requirement, the unanimous opinion reads.

The universitys interim president, Harris Pastides, said in a statement Tuesday evening that in light of the courts ruling, he would require face coverings in buildings effective immediately to slow the spread of the virus.

Ultimately, it is the responsibility of all members of our Gamecock community to help protect ourselves and others by adopting sound public health practices as we continue our efforts to safeguard our campus against this still-evolving health concern, said Pastides, a trained epidemiologist who once led the universitys school of public health.

School authorities initially said at the end of July that they would require face coverings to be worn at all times inside all campus buildings except dorms, private offices or dining halls. But after Wilsons opinion, Pastidestold the campus the university would change course and only encourage masking indoors.

The courts opinion followed a lawsuit by a University of South Carolina professor whose attorneys argued Wilsons interpretation was flawed. Because the astrophysics professors 73-year-old wife is immunocompromised, he could risk catching the virus from unmasked students and passing it on to her, the complaint notes.

We said all along the proviso was inartfully drafted, Wilson said in a statement. While the proviso was not clear, we think the legislatures intent was, so now its up to the University of South Carolina to address this matter in light of the General Assemblys position.

University officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday afternoon.

Arguments over whether schools can make students wear masks have erupted in the state in recent weeks with the start of the fall semester, as coronavirus cases are soaring toward rates not seen since the height of the pandemic last winter.

A growing chorus is calling for state lawmakers to repeal a separate budget proviso that bars public school districts serving K-12 students from using appropriated funds to mandate masks. Among the measures detractors are school boards, Democratic lawmakers, at least two Republican state senators and South Carolina Education Superintendent Molly Spearman.

Republican state leaders have resisted those calls. But Spearman, also an elected Republican, told reporters Tuesday the issue will likely be resolved in the courts if lawmakers dont reconvene soon.

Two of the states largest school districts have already decided to require masks in buildings as most of South Carolinas 760,000 public school students start classes this week.

School boards for Charleston County and Richland One voted Monday in open defiance of the proviso, citing the highly contagious delta variants effect on children as outbreaks spread among students and staff across the nine districts that began classes in the first two weeks of August.

The votes accompanied similar emergency ordinances put in place by Richland County and the capital city of Columbia, the latter of which Wilson has opined is in conflict with state law and should either be rescinded or amended.

The proviso does not indicate what penalties districts in violation actually face, Spearman told reporters: If you read the proviso, it is silent as far as any consequences.

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control had tracked 226 student cases and 61 employee cases statewide for the school year as of Sunday.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Education Universities South Carolina
There are over 10,000 firefighters battling unprecedented blazes in California, but that isnt enough, and the state is having a hard time finding more as flames rage across the western U.S. and Canada.

Twelve major wildfires now burn in the Golden State, forcing 31,000 people to flee their homes. Dry winds raking Northern California helped the Caldor Fire east of Sacramento jump from 6,500 acres to 62,586 by Wednesday night, seriously damaging the town of Grizzly Flats and hospitalizing two people with serious injuries.

In a bleak sign of climate change, the infernos are part of a dramatic wildfire season spanning the Northern Hemisphere, with flames burning everywhere from Siberia to Greece and France, and smoke reaching the North Pole for the first time on record. There are about 100 large, active fires across the western U.S. alone, so finding additional resources for California is difficult, and the firefighters deployed are exhausted. The pandemic has also made cross-border aid harder.

Our folks have been fighting fire for nearly two months now, Tony Scardina, deputy regional forester with the U.S. Forest Service, said Wednesday at a press conference with California officials. Theyre tired, theyre fatigued, theyre digging lines for 16 hours a day for 14 days straight.

The U.S. West has been gripped by a decades-long drought so severe that Colorado River water will be rationed for the first time, and Southern Californians are being asked to conserve. Western Canada, which typically sends crews to help with U.S. wildfires, smashed the countrys all-time heat records this summer and has flames burning from the Pacific Coast to the other side of the Rocky Mountains.

Some 6,500 federal firefighters already are deployed to California, Scardina said.

California has tapped National Guard members from as far away as Louisiana and West Virginia to help. But the state isnt able to pull in firefighters from other countries as easily as it once could, said Thom Porter, director of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire. The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has limited the ability of other countries to send help. And crews from Mexico are already battling Canadas fires.

Were having a very difficult time, Porter said. There are resources out there that are being shared internationally, but those resources are already committed.

Conditions improved somewhat Wednesday, as the National Weather Service canceled its red flag warning for parts of the San Francisco Bay Area while leaving it in place for other northern parts of the state. High winds Tuesday prompted Californias largest utility, PG&E Corp., to cut power to about 48,000 homes and businesses in 13 counties to prevent electrical lines from sparking more blazes if they toppled from high winds. More than half of those customers had power restored by Thursday morning, with the rest expected to be back online by evening, the utility said.

The winds helped fuel the Caldor Fires startling growth, and state fire officials on Wednesday pulled crews off of other blazes to fight it. Investigators havent determined how many homes burned in Grizzly Flats, population 1,200. The Associated Press reported that fire officials estimated at least 50 homes had burned in the area.

This has been an incident that developed really quickly and has grown extremely fast, said Mike Blankenheim, a unit chief with Cal Fire. Its outpaced the models on a two-to-one basis.

But the same winds also kept other fires growing. The month-old Dixie Fire in the northern Sierra Nevada Mountains has now become the first known blaze in Californias history to burn all the way from the ranges western foothills, up over its crest and down into the valleys to the east, Porter said.

We dont have any record of that happening before, he said. By late Wednesday, the Dixie Fire had scorched 662,647 acres and destroyed more than 650 residences, Cal Fire said on Twitter.

Error! Filename not specified.A hillside burns during the Caldor Fire along Mormon Emigrant Trail near Pollock Pines, California, on Aug. 17.

This has been one of Californias worst fire seasons ever. On Monday, the state broke a milestone of 1 million acres burned, the earliest it has ever reached that mark. So far this year, 6,540 fires have torched at least 1,800 structures in the state. But no deaths were reported through Wednesday.

Across the Northern Hemisphere, wildfires are sweeping areas left unusually dry this summer by drought and extreme heat blamed on climate change. A wildfire burning near the French Riviera killed two people this week and injured at least 27. At least five people have been killed this month by wildfires in southern Italy. And a blaze outside Athens is forcing villages to evacuate.

#SATELLITE SPOTLIGHT: @NOAAs #GOES17???? was tracking the explosive growth of the #CaldorFire last evening, seen here burning east of Sacramento, California. The #wildfire has grown to nearly 23,000 acres and thousands of people have been forced to evacuate. #CAwx

Sent via Twitter Web App.

View original tweet.

As drastic as Californias fire season has been so far, it is still weeks away from its peak, when the Santa Ana and Diablo winds start to blow from the east. As summer weather patterns give way to fall, large high-pressure systems typically build over the Great Basin of Nevada and Utah, sending winds rushing from the east to low-pressure systems that often develop off the Pacific coast.

These winds dry out and heat up as they cross Californias mountain ranges, allowing them to fan any sparks they catch into major fires. Four of the states five most destructive fires occurred in October and November.

The danger often doesnt pass until winter rain and snow squelch the flames. But the possibility of another La Nina event this fall and winter, the second in as many years, could bring California another dry winter.

Temperatures will linger in the 90s Fahrenheit through the rest of the week in the Sacramento area, said Emily Heller, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Sacramento. Air quality alerts due to smoke pollution have spread across the West, including through Californias Central Valley and covering almost all of Idaho and Wyoming. Smoke can make it harder to fight the blazes by limiting the ability of aircraft to drop flame retardant.

State officials urged residents to pay attention to the speed with which fires are spreading and to be ready to evacuate if needed.

Remember every acre in California can and will burn some day, Porter said. Just make sure that youre ready when it does.

With assistance from Mark Chediak, Naureen S. Malik and Josh Saul.

Top Photo: A hillside burns during the Caldor Fire along Mormon Emigrant Trail near Pollock Pines, California, on Aug. 17.

Copyright 2021 Bloomberg.

Topics Catastrophe California Natural Disasters Wildfire
A federal judge has tossed most of the civil claims brought in a wrongful death lawsuit by the family of an Arizona rancher who served as spokesperson for the armed takeover of Oregons Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in early 2016.

Robert LaVoy Finicium, 54, was fatally shot by Oregon state troopers after he crashed his truck near a roadblock as state police and FBI agents arrested key people in the antigovernment occupation.

U.S. District Judge Michael W. Mosman on Thursday dismissed the lawsuits claims against the Oregon State Police, the former state police superintendent and the two state troopers who fired at Finicum, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported.

Mosman additionally dismissed their claims filed against the federal government, the FBI, Harney County and former Harney County Sheriff Dave Ward. Some were thrown out he said because the Finicum family didnt properly serve notice to the defendants.

After all this time, Plaintiffs have yet to identify any facts or theories that, properly pled, would support a finding that any negligence or wrongdoing on behalf of the United States was not grounded in policy judgments, Mosman wrote in his opinion. His ruling accepted most recommendations that U.S. Magistrate Judge Patricia Sullivan made in 2020.

Mosman retained a single civil rights claim against Gov. Kate Brown, noting that the state didnt move to challenge it, and gave the plaintiffs until Sept. 15 to amend a conspiracy claim against the governor, the state of Oregon and state police.

Finicums family alleged he was shot assassination style as he was trying to drive to the safety of another county on Jan. 26, 2016.

The lawsuit contended FBI agent W. Joseph Astarita fired at Finicum after he crashed and stepped out of his Dodge pickup with his hands in the air in a surrender position.

The lawsuit came after an indictment against Astarita that alleged he had lied about firing twice at Finicums truck. Oregon investigators concluded that neither of the shots hit Finicum. Astarita denied firing his rifle.

State troopers shot Finicum three times after he walked away from his truck and reached for an inner jacket pocket, where police later said he had a loaded 9mm handgun, the investigation said.

Mosman denied the challenge to the governments handling of the arrests.

Here, Plaintiffs take issue with the FBI operation that ultimately led to Mr. Finicums death. But an undercover national security operation is a textbook example of discretionary action that Congress meant to insulate from judicial second-guessing,' Mosman wrote.

An investigation by local law enforcement authorities found the state police shots that killed Finicum were justified.

A federal jury in 2018 returned not guilty verdicts in the trial of Astarita, acquitting him on making a false statement and one count of obstruction of justice.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Lawsuits Legislation Claims Oregon
An Alaska school district agreed to pay $3.8 million to two children abused by a former principal who said school leaders had been well aware of my problems with young girls for years, news outlets reported.

Christopher Carmichael, an elementary school principal in Bethel, was arrested in December 2019 following an undercover investigation. Investigators found that Carmichael had sexually abused a former student, the Anchorage Daily News and ProPublica reported.

Carmichael pleaded guilty to a federal charge of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor in November. In April, he pleaded guilty to separate state charges of sexual abuse of a minor. He is serving a 15-year federal prison sentence and declined comment to the outlets.

Two lawsuits were brought on behalf of four children against the Lower Kuskokwim School District in western Alaska that had employed Carmichael for nearly 20 years.

Carmichael, in an apology letter filed this year in state court, said district leaders were well aware of my problems with young girls as early as 2015.

The news outlets reported that documents they obtained through a records request showed district officials signed settlement agreements in one lawsuit in June through which one victim would receive $2.9 million and the other, $900,000.

A jury trial is set for later this year in the second lawsuit.

The district, in an initial reply to that case, said it had no evidence Carmichael abused the second two plaintiffs. The plaintiffs have since filed an amended complaint to which the district had not yet responded.

This is a different case entirely, and we are going to be fighting it, said Donald Austin, an attorney for the school district.

After Carmichaels 2019 arrest, the superintendent at the time told a KYUK reporter: We were blindsided by it. We did not have any prior knowledge that they were conducting an investigation.

A 2020 investigation by the Anchorage Daily News, KYUK and ProPublica found parents had complained to police about Carmichael at least twice over the previous four years.

In an affidavit filed in one of the lawsuits, Carmichael said he sexually abused and offensively touched students under his care.

As early as 2015, he wrote in an apology letter, a school official reported him to the district for inappropriate boundary violations with students.

Current district superintendent Kimberly Hankins by email said she could not discuss details of the case out of respect for the legal process.

Hankins wrote the district had hired an outside expert to review policies and practices and recommend changes.

The district has enacted new model policies, training, and practices to protect children against sexual abuse in schools, Hankins wrote, adding that the new policy is based on the best available research on how sexual grooming occurs.

Our primary focus is to help staff understand the importance of maintaining professional boundaries and to identify and stop potential grooming situations before they lead to abuse, she wrote.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Lawsuits Education K 12 Alaska
California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara on Thursday issued a mandatory one-year moratorium on insurance companies from non-renewing or cancelling residential property insurance policies.

The action is intended to aid more than 25,000 policyholders who have been affected by the Lava Fire and the Beckwourth Complex Fire in Siskiyou, Plumas and Lassen counties. This includes more than 20,000 consumers who were already covered under last years moratorium, effectively extending their protection for several more months.

There are over 10,000 firefighters battling unprecedented blazes in California.

No one should have to scramble to find fire insurance after suffering the effects of a wildfire, Lara said in a statement. I created this new protection after learning from wildfire survivors how some insurance companies dropped their coverage even as they worked to recover.

The commissioners ability to issue moratoriums is a result of a California law he authored in 2018 while a state senator to provide temporary relief from non-renewals to residents living within or adjacent to a declared wildfire disaster.

Laras moratorium order follows Gov. Gavin Newsoms emergency declaration on July 16 for the Lava Fire and the Beckwourth Complex Fire, and gives insurer-initiated non-renewal protections for one year for residential property insurance policies in ZIP codes within or adjacent to the fire perimeter.

This is the third year that Lara has implemented the moratorium law.

Related:

Topics Catastrophe California Natural Disasters Wildfire Policyholder
The Government is being urged to commit to a roadmap for the safe reopening of the Experience Economy including gigs and events.

Business group IBEC said the risk reduction that the vaccine programme is delivering should allow the Government to provide protection for the livelihoods of those working in the sector.
TOUR OF CORK



Both Nirvana and their well-established label-mates Sonic Youth came to Cork and the Top Hat in Dun Laoghaire, Dublin, as a warm-up for the Reading Festival and other European dates.



Nirvana had arrived in the southern city early on Tuesday morning and checked into the Grand Parade Hotel, part of the same complex as Sir Henrys. The modest, redbricked hotel provided a welcome chance to rest after what had been a gruelling week.



Just three days earlier, the band had been in California, shooting the video for the yet-to-be-released song, Smells Like Teen Spirit. Dave Markey, who had been invited by Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth to capture Super-8 footage of the tour, met Nirvana at LAX airport for the flight to London.

They'd been up all night making the video so were really tired, but we all still drank plenty on the plane on the way over, recalls Markey, whose footage would become the landmark tour documentary, 1991: The Year Punk Broke. They were so excited and giddy, and we were all really up for the adventure.



Nirvana and Markey met up with Sonic Youth in the UK capital and the filmmaker journeyed with the Seattle trio to Ireland in a rented Euro-Van via a car ferry from Wales.



On the day they arrived in Cork, music journalist Shane Fitzsimons, of the citys Evening Echo newspaper, met up with the bands at their hotel and offered to bring them for a walk around the city.



Not everyone was interested, but Fitzsimons and local woman Siobhan Bardsley were joined for the stroll by Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic from Nirvana, and Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon.



Their first stop was Comet Records on Washington Street, where the Sonics signed a few autographs. Nobody bothered much with the Nirvana lads, says Fitzsimons. Then the sextet headed to MacCurtain Street to visit second-hand record store the Swap Shop (Leeside Music).



Thurston  whos a big record collector  was on the hunt for a single named The Shamrock Shuffle, by the Billy Roche Band, from Wexford. They had a browse, but he was disappointed not to find it, says Fitzsimons.



After a stop-off at Crowleys music shop down the street, where Grohl was nonplussed by Fitzsimons efforts to get him to buy a bodhran, the quiet Nirvana drummer at last got animated when they spotted a sign Baltimore Stores above the door of a long-derelict fish shop at no 31 MacCurtain Street.



He got all excited and wanted a picture taken underneath it so he could show his friends at home. I explained to them how the original Baltimore was in West Cork, says Fitzsimons.



Bardsley had brought her camera and happily obliged.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs has confirmed that three Irish citizens have been successfully evacuated from Afghanistan.

Among those who have left is Aoife MacManus, from Meath, who had worked in the primary education sector in Kabul for two years.

Simon Coveney said the Department of Foreign Affairs is now working to get 36 Irish citizens out of the country, including dependents and dual nationals.

He said while they are managing to get people out, "albeit in small numbers", he would not reveal the details of how Ms MacManus and the other two people were able to leave Afghanistan.

"I don't think it is helpful to reveal how she got out or where she is as we are trying to get many people out," he told RTE's Today with Philip Boucher Hayes.

Some of the 36 had dual nationalities, explained Mr Coveney.

We have a responsibility to all of them.

Mr Coveney attended an emergency meeting of EU foreign ministers on Tuesday to discuss the situation in Afghanistan.

Who knows what is going to happen in the coming days and weeks? he said.

He said the biggest obstacle for evacuations is getting people into Kabul airport due to the chaotic scenes in the capital.

"It is very difficult to get people into the airport", he said.

"It is difficult for some to get to Kabul from where they are as there are checks run by Taliban."

He said most of the Irish people still in the country are working with international organisations and NGOs and his department are working to get them out on military flights.

The easiest way to get Irish citizens out of Kabul was working with other countries which had greater capacity to send in aircraft, added Mr Coveney. Picture: SAC Samantha Holden RAF/PA Wire

All of them have been contacted by the Irish embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Government was working with NATO, the US, the UK and the EU to get the people on flights.

"We are working with EU partners, the UK and US to make sure there are places on flights leaving Kabul for them," he said.

The easiest way to get Irish citizens out of Kabul was working with other countries which had greater capacity to send in aircraft, added Mr Coveney.

Responding to a suggestion by independent TD Cathal Berry that the Irish Army Ranger wing should be sent to Kabul to assist in the exit of Irish citizens, Mr Coveney said that while the rangers were competent and skilled, the most effective way was to work with partners on the ground who were managing the situation.

People were getting out, he said, but the process was fluid and slow and was changing every day.

Mr Coveney told RTE that he hopes Ireland will be able to accommodate more than 150 Afghan refugees already committed to.

The Government on Tuesday said it will provide 1m in humanitarian funding to support people in Afghanistan through the UN High Commission for Refugees.

He said that was only an initial figure and "we are only getting started in some ways.

"I need to be realistic in terms of what a country like Ireland can do but we intend to use all the influence we can muster," he said when asked about chairing the Un Security Council in September.

He said that Ireland wants to be generous with in what we can do for accepting refugees but it has to be done in a way that's "structured".

"We will be generous in terms of the numbers we can accommodate. There has to be a proper plan around that," added Mr Coveney.
The minister for heritage has urged the public to cop on and leave Wally the Walrus in peace.

The Arctic walrus was first spotted in Ireland off the coast of Valentia Island in March, and has since travelled 4,000km along the coast of western Europe, being spotted in France, Spain and the UK.

He has made many appearances in Ireland throughout the summer, and on Wednesday was spotted in a Cork coastal town, where throngs of people turned out to catch a glimpse as he relaxed on a boat about 500 metres from the harbour.

But conservationists have urged the public to keep their distance, with Green party minister Malcolm Noonan now joining those calls.

He said: While its understandable that many people are excited about the presence of a walrus on the Irish coast, we must remember that this is a wild animal and it should be respected.

Im appealing to everyone not to get close and only view it from a distance.

This is for the animals sake, but also for your own, as there may be risks from a water safety perspective where large numbers of people are congregating on the water.

Walruses are not a protected species under the Wildlife Act, its basically the same as a fox or rabbit under the law, so its up to people to cop on and have consideration for this poor wild animal, which is a long way from home.

Leave it alone and if you must go and see it, use binoculars.

Melanie Croce, executive director at Seal Rescue Ireland, has urged the public to behave responsibly when visiting Wally.

The biggest things are to maintain safe distance of at least 100 metres, and to observe quietly.

This is a huge animal, hes 800 kilos, she told the PA news agency.

And so he could hurt someone or he could hurt himself, if hes scared.

If people are startling him and stressing him, it could cause him to cause damage to property.

Ms Croce also urged people not to share Wallys exact location, as this was drawing people to him and potentially disturbing him.

She said: All day, hes been surrounded by boats, paddleboarders, kayakers, people coming right up close to the boat and sticking cameras in his face.

We really need to put his welfare and his safety first.

So we really are just advising the public to keep a safe distance, to please keep from disclosing the location, and to report it Seal Rescue Irelands 24 hour hotline if you do see him.

He actually is showing signs of an injury on his flipper as well.

That could be because people were approaching him and startling him and thats caused him to repeatedly climb in and out of the boat, which puts him at risk and the boat at risk.

So just please, please respect him from a distance.
I see our Lord Mayor is issuing challenges to his counterpart in Limerick about the whereabouts of Liam MacCarthy and the Limerick Mayor is responding in kind and so forth ahead of the weekends game.

May I point out a colossal breach of etiquette here before we go any further?

Unless Im wrong  and Im never wrong, to quote the dark-haired chap in The Princess Bride  there is no lord when it comes to the mayor of Limerick, so Im not quite sure if the Corkman should be treating with him as an equal.

In any case, on with the exchange of quips. All good fun, and what else are mayors for, eh?

Interesting that you should ask.

It was in January this year, for instance, that the Government announced that it had approved the drafting of legislation for the new role of a directly elected mayor for Limerick City and County with executive functions (responsibilities).

What does that mean, exactly?

It means the Government  according to the same press release on the irlgov.ie website  has decided that the directly elected mayor will have many of the executive functions currently held by the local authoritys Chief Executive.

These areas include: housing and building; road transport and safety; strategic development and environmental services . . . The Government today also sanctioned Government Departments to explore the potential transfer of additional functions to a directly elected mayor for Limerick once the role has been created.

Park your objections  but just for a moment, well come back to them  and consider what a directly elected Lord Mayor of Cork would be able to accomplish in this scenario. By accomplish I mean specifically addressing many of the issues raised in this column over recent months, from the arrival of our robot tree commandants cluttering up the Grand Parade to the demolition of the Sextant Pub and all points between.

The presence of a directly elected mayor would surely lead to personification of the decision-making process, for one thing. That kind of mayor has the capacity to embody his or her citys spirit and personality along the American model.

The US, in fact, offers an intriguing glimpse of the possibilities involved. One of the top-rated mayors according to civic historians was New Yorks Fiorello La Guardia: A stouthearted fireplug of a man who built modern New York, La Guardia also fought Murder Incorporated, read the comics to children over the air during a newspaper strike, and was a symbol of ethnic probity and honesty.

The same book which rated La Guardia so highly, The American Mayor: The Best & The Worst Big-City Leaders by Melvin G Holli, gave a withering evaluation of others, such as William H Big Bill Thompson of Chicago, who received campaign funding from Al Capone. Enough said.

But then there are figures like Richard Daley of Chicago, a name that may be familiar to older readers.

Probably the last boss of an effective big-city political machine in the land, wrote Holli, Irish- American Daley is credited with heading off downtown blight, encouraging an unprecedented building boom in the Chicago Loop while keeping the city solvent and the books balanced, and guiding his city through a turbulent decade, the 1960s . . .

However, the same Daley was also soundly denounced by his contemporaries for ordering police to shoot to kill in the 1968 Westside Martin Luther King riots and for his crackdown on antiwar protesters at the Democratic National Convention the same year.

This is one of the challenges when it comes to a directly elected mayor  not the corruption of a Big Bill Thompson, whose safety deposit box was found to contain $1.5 million on his death in 1944  but the possibility that a mayor who is active and decisive in office may end up acting and deciding in a way that offends or alienates a sizeable part of his constituency.

Fair enough, you could make the same point about any politician, but a mayor  or even a Lord Mayor  is different for the reason mentioned above.

The holder of the office embodies the city. Nowadays thats a symbolic role  witness the letter-battle going on this past week  but it carries a significance. Even casual Joyceans will recall the bitter dismissal of a Dublin Lord Mayor in Ivy Day in the Committee Room (He told me: What do you think of a Lord Mayor of Dublin sending out for a pound of chops for his dinner? Hows that for high living? says he. Wisha! wisha, says I. A pound of chops, says he, coming into the Mansion House. Wisha! says I, what kind of people is going at all now?).

But if you take the recent imbroglio about the robot trees in Cork, would it not be better to have a first citizen who could articulate the reasons for their installation, embody the direction local government is taking in this case  and who would stand over their efficacy or otherwise, subject to the discretion of the electorate?

(Apologies for the slight sense of constipation in the last paragraph: I had a bit of a flashback to my years in Leinster House listening to debates which ran along similar tracks. Brr.)

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan.

By the way, regarding those self-same robot trees, I said last week they were approved at some meeting or other which was fatally short of one vital ingredient  a six-year-old child willing to pipe up and point out the obvious.

Little did I know that in one jurisdiction not too far from us, a directly elected mayor was moving in just that direction.

I direct you to a July advertisement on the London local government website, which states: Five lucky children aged between 8-11 will have the chance to work alongside The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, providing expert guidance in curating the most family-friendly and accessible activities in London.

During their time in office, the Mayors of Play will share their recommendations on Londons best museums and outdoor spaces as well as their favourite galleries and activities. The Mayors of Play will also help reimagine Londons iconic tube map for their peers  itll be a summer of fun curated for kids, by kids.

Dont rush to call your sister in Shoreditch or that cousin in Kilburn  the application date has passed.

But hats off to incumbent London mayor Sadiq Khan for the initiative: In launching my search for Londons first ever Mayors of Play, I want to hear directly from our young people about what we need to focus on most to make the capital even better for children. I think its a terrific idea.

And even if theres any mission creep and the Mayors of Play find their responsibilities beginning to spread into less childish area like budgeting or transport for instance, theres no real cause for concern if a small child ends up in charge of some aspect of London life which affects millions of people. Khans predecessor was Boris Johnson. Which may be a death knell for the elected mayor concept all on its own.
The screening of a deliberately graphic and scientifically inaccurate anti-abortion video to students at Ursuline Secondary School in Thurles does not warrant disciplinary action, according to the Teaching Council.

The disturbing and highly controversial film, produced by the Life Network in the southern conservative US state of Texas, was shown to teenage girls in December 2019, presenting medically inaccurate claims as fact, and reportedly upsetting some of the girls to the point of tears.

Despite the growing plurality of Irish society, education remains a largely State-run, Church-led enterprise, propagating a breeding ground for the proliferation of conservative Church views on abortion. Without significant educational reform, the country will not be able to shake free of the Catholic Churchs conservative hold, and its full potential as a progressive rights-based society will not be realised.

The video in question promoted dangerous and inflammatory medical falsities including the allegation that having an abortion puts women at high risk of breast cancer, that abortion clinics harvest foetal organs with intent to sell them to medical researchers for profit, and that the scalp of the aborted baby can be used to correct baldness.

Each of these fallacious claims is aimed at shocking and misleading young minds in an effort to indoctrinate the most vulnerable and susceptible within our society into the belief system of the Catholic Church. Such a level of misinformation and propaganda would not be deemed appropriate in maths, or English, or science, so why is taxpayers' money being used to proliferate objectively false and deeply distressing deceptions surrounding abortion?

The Teaching Council concluded that the video was acquired at a registered teacher training day and was therefore sanctioned by the Department of Education - once again highlighting systemic governmental failure to lessen the grip of the Catholic Church on State-funded education.

The divestment scheme, aimed at transferring patronage, is a resounding failure, with a miniscule 2% decrease in Church-run schools in eight years, with 90% of primary schools still under Catholic Church patronage.

The lack of secular options often leaves parents with little choice but to disregard their personal beliefs and enrol their children in a Catholic school, wherein theyll be subjected to an integrated curriculum which permits the permeation of religious formation across subjects, meaning opting out of religious formation is impossible.

Religious formation is the ethos of a Catholic-run school - and as such, their emphasis on adherence to Catholic virtues permeates across all aspects of day-to-day life for school-aged children; from assemblies, to plays, to school visits, and even friend or family dynamics outside the classroom. The integrated curriculum means that religious formation isnt restricted to merely one class, but instead bleeds into subjects established by science and founded in fact, not faith.

A deeply disturbing example is the Flourish Relationships and Sexuality Education programme produced for Catholic primaries, which teaches children that Puberty is a gift from God. We are perfectly designed by God to procreate with him.

The right to freedom of religion is enshrined in the Constitution, and further bolstered by the Admissions Act 2018 which introduced a legal obligation on denominational schools to detail their opt-out policies - neither are effectively enforced.

Ireland has been criticised at an international level for failing to provide an adequate opt-out system with the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child calling on the State to provide a viable system, including an alternative, in its 2016 report. Despite international criticism and evidence that many State-funded schools are not fulfilling their legal requirement to outline an effective opt-out policy, the Irish government continues to take a backseat with no national guideline illustrating how the opt-out system should operate.

Parents who attempt to act on their constitutional right to opt their child out of religious education often face scrutiny and considerable resistance from the school patronage.

Should a parent manage to successfully navigate the process, the result is ultimately revealed to be opting-out in name-only; those children are simply shuffled to the back of the classroom - exposed to the same lesson, with the addition of being socially ostracised while doing so. If the only proposed solution ultimately causes children to endure humiliation and confusion, there is no effective solution.

It is estimated that primary-age children spend 10% of their school year on religious formation. For children whove opted out of religious education, that amasses to an average of 91 hours of State-funded resources being wasted each year while these children are isolated and segregated in their own educational institution.

And thats without even including the hours which fall outside of the explicitly religious portion of the curriculum. The preparatory portions of the standard curriculum dedicated to Catholic milestones such as First Holy Communion encompass significant proportions of the school year, during which time those of other faiths, and students with agnostic, or atheist views experience further isolation.

While Catholicism continues to decline, the numbers of Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, and Orthodox residents of Ireland all continue to increase year-on-year. In tandem with the growth of these religious demographics, the portion of the population holding no religious beliefs has swelled to just under 10% of the population by 2016, the second largest grouping after Catholicism.

Simply put: the current structure is not viable, nor tenable, it discriminates against children, parents, and even teachers. What is needed is a public education system that makes room for all children, regardless of religious belief.

Religious doctrine should be reallocated and restricted to out-of-school hours, and most importantly, the practice of seeping religious misinformation into scientific, factual subjects needs to stop. Many countries have abolished mandatory religious education or adopted viable opt-out systems with substitutions such as ethics or philosophy.

In Ireland, our children arent offered any substitution and valuable time that could be spent helping students develop the skillsets theyll need in life is lost.
Two doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine appears to have greater effectiveness initially against new Covid-19 infections associated with the Delta variant when compared to the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab, but its efficacy also declines faster, preliminary research suggests.

Scientists from the University of Oxford have said that after four to five months, the level of protection offered by both vaccines is similar, with the AstraZeneca jab maintaining its effectiveness throughout the duration.

The findings, which have not yet been peer reviewed, also suggest that those infected with the Delta variant after their second jab had similar peak levels of virus to unvaccinated people.

(PA Graphics)

Based on their work, the researchers said that although jabs did not eliminate chances of getting Covid-19, they did reduce the risk and remained the most effective way to ensure protection against the Delta variant  which has become dominant in the UK.

Sarah Walker, professor of medical statistics and epidemiology at the University of Oxford, said: We dont yet know how much transmission can happen from people who get Covid-19 after being vaccinated  for example, they may have high levels of virus for shorter periods of time.

But the fact that they can have high levels of virus suggests that people who arent yet vaccinated may not be as protected from the Delta variant as we hoped.

This means it is essential for as many people as possible to get vaccinated  both in the UK and worldwide.

The study, conducted in partnership with the Office of National Statistics (ONS) and the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC), looked at data between December 2020 and August 2021 from the Covid-19 Infection Survey.

(PA Graphics)

Swab tests from more than 700,000 participants were analysed from before and after May 17 2021, when Delta became the main variant in the UK.

Analysis revealed that for infections with a high viral load, protection a month after the second Pfizer dose was 90% greater than an unvaccinated individual, reducing to 85% after two months and 78% after three.

For AstraZeneca, the equivalent protection was 67%, 65% and 61%, the researchers said.

Dr Koen Pouwels, senior researcher at the University of Oxfords Nuffield Department of Population Health, said that the team can be confident that the numbers really represent a decline for the Pfizer vaccine, whereas for AstraZeneca the differences are compatible with chance, that is there could be no change at all in the protection from AZ.

But he added: Even with these slight declines in protection against all infections and infections with high viral burden, its important to note that overall effectiveness is still very high because we were starting at such a high level of protection.

It is also worth highlighting that these data here do not tell us about protection levels against severe disease and hospitalisation, which are two very important factors when looking at how well the vaccines are working.

The scientists also found that a single dose of the Moderna vaccine had similar or greater effectiveness against the Delta variant as single doses of the other vaccines, but the researchers added that they did not yet have any data on second doses of the US-made jab.

The study also suggested that the time between doses did not affect effectiveness in preventing new infections, and that younger people (aged 18-34) had more protection from vaccination than older age groups (35 to 64-year-olds).

The academics said they could not comment on what the study might mean for the potential autumn booster campaign, but said that the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) would be considering the data while making its decision.

NHS officials have geared up to start offering a third coronavirus jab from early September, but are yet to be given the green light to press ahead from the JCVI.

Commenting on the research, Dr Alexander Edwards, associate professor in Biomedical Technology at the University of Reading, who was not involved in the study, said: Overall this study is excellent as it shows that although Delta is better at infecting vaccinated people than previous variants, the vaccines still work remarkably well.

There are subtle differences  between different vaccine types, and some changes over time  but they all work brilliantly.
The US military is ramping up evacuations out of Afghanistan, and that 7,000 civilians have been taken out of the country since August 14, the Pentagon said.

Army Major General Hank Taylor told reporters that 12 C-17 aircraft departed with 2,000 evacuees over the past 24 hours.

Speaking at a Pentagon briefing, Mr Taylor said the military now has enough aircraft to get 5,000-9,000 people out a day, depending on how many have been processed and other factors, such as weather.

There are now about 5,200 US troops at the airport, a number that has been steadily increasing in recent days.

His comments came amid ongoing chaos at the Kabul airport as Afghans and other civilians desperately try to get on flights out of the country in the wake of the Taliban takeover on Sunday.

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said there has been no Taliban violence against US personnel, and that the US has not seen the group obstruct American citizens trying to leave.

There have been widespread reports of Taliban violence against Afghans, including efforts to prevent them from getting to the airport.

He declined to say whether defence secretary Lloyd Austin believes it will be necessary to continue the operation beyond August 31.

And he said there have been no discussions with the Taliban for an extension.
Interview We Believe Nothing From a Dogs Mouth: Myanmar Democracy Activist

Ko Kaung Min Thant.

Two pro-democracy activists died and three others were seriously injured and detained in Myanmar earlier this month when they jumped from a building on 44th Street in Yangon to avoid capture by junta troops. The media reported that another activist, Ko Kaung Min Thant, who was at the building at the time, was killed by junta forces.

Ko Kaung Min Thant was, however, hiding at the top of the building for some 12 hours before he escaped. He talked to The Irrawaddy about the raid.

Can you tell us about yourself before the February 1 coup?

Before the military coup, I was just an ordinary citizen. I was not interested in politics. It was said young people should engage in politics but it was my life and I chose how to live it. I was a carefree type. I tried to get along with everyone. I was attending a graphic design course. I played mobile games, hung out with friends at teashops and wrote songs.

So why did you participate in anti-regime activities?

Most of those who were born after 2000 dont like restrictions. They will try new things, judge which is bad and stop those things. Many of us want to live free. We dont feel free after the coup. We see dogs [junta soldiers], dog vehicles and dog faces wherever we go. This made the revolution inevitable.

We dont get any benefits from participating in the revolution and I do not want to profit from it. We are only making sure that there is no more dictatorship in our future.

Had you ever thought of the possibility that you might have to go through a tragic experience like the August 10 junta raid when you joined the revolution?

No, I had not. We had previously always managed to escape. As we gathered at that building, we had thought that we might be able to escape if we ran to the rooftop. But when we were really chased, we thought we would rather be captured dead than alive. I managed to hide on the roof when junta forces in civilian clothes arrived.

How do you feel after you escaped?

Brothers and sisters from the building on 44th Street have been on my mind. One of our comrades [on the street], Min Thitsar Aung, once said that he didnt feel attached to his friends as much as those he met during the revolution. He called us his family and said he wont let any harm come to his family. I feel the same. So I dont feel like I am free and happy. There are things that remain to be done.

The military regime said the activists were on dope when they raided the building on 44th Street. What is your response?

Those with a brain dont believe whatever the regime says. Why should young people take drugs at this time while they know they can harm them? It is the psywar [psychological warfare] of the regime to make such an accusation. They did so perhaps to cover up the fact they shot at us and hit the wounded youngster with a rifle butt after they jumped to escape. I have nothing to say about their accusation. You cant expect anything truthful from a dogs mouth.



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Burma Around 40 Myanmar Junta Troops Abandon Posts with Weapons

Junta soldiers during a crackdown on a peaceful anti-regime demonstration in Mogoke, Mandalay Region, in April. / CJ

Around 40 military troops based in Tanintharyi and Magwe regions have reportedly fled the armed forces and joined the uprising against the junta.

The defections came amid heavy daily losses being inflicted on junta forces by civilian resistance fighters and ethnic armed organizations.

Last month more than 740 junta soldiers were killed and almost 370 wounded during 355 shootouts, assassinations and bomb attacks involving ethnic armed forces and the civilian Peoples Defense Forces across Myanmar, according to the parallel civilian National Unity Government.

On Thursday morning, around 25 soldiers based in Dawei Township, Tanintharyi Region, abandoned their posts with their firearms, according to the Intelligence Agency in Tanintharyi, which was formed by soldiers who have joined the civil disobedience movement.

The group posted on Facebook on Thursday that the troops were from Battalion 25 in the township.

The defections have been confirmed. I heard from my friend in the military, a Dawei resident said. We dont know their ranks. They took their weapons.

Residents told The Irrawaddy regime forces are searching all vehicles and blocking roads in the township since early Thursday.

On Wednesday, around 15 personnel from a military weapons factory in Thayet Township, Magwe Region, have reportedly defected with their weapons.

However, the regime has denied the defections, saying it is propaganda to boost armed resistance against the junta.

It is the latest in a series of military defections. Several hundred soldiers and police have fled their posts since the February coup.

Myanmar Now recently reported that 1,500 soldiers had left the military.



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Burma Lottery-Mad Myanmar Public Turns Back on State Sweepstakes Under Junta

A man walks past trucks selling national lottery tickets in Yangon in 2018.

For the first time in its long, 143-year history, Myanmars national lottery is being boycotted by the public, as Myanmar people refuse to make any kind of payments to the military regime that seized power in a coup on Feb. 1.

As part of a wider Civil Disobedience Movement against the regime, the public has been boycotting any payments, including paying taxes and utility bills and buying lottery tickets.

As a result, the regime was recently forced to postpone the lottery draw and reduce the 1.5-billion-kyat (about US$911,000) first prize to 500 million kyats. It has also been unable to pay the prizes in full to the winners amid a cash shortage.

Once a common sight, lottery shops and lottery ticket hawkers have now vanished across the country, reflecting strong public opposition to the regime and marking a significant event in the history of Myanmars state lottery.

According to historical records, the first state lottery was introduced in 1878 when Myanmars last monarch, King Thibaw, ascended to the throne. It was hugely popular with the public, as only 10,000 kyats of the sales revenues of 60,000 kyats went to the treasury of the Mandalay court; the remainder was distributed as prizes.

No wonder Mandalay folks were lured to buy lottery tickets, as the first person to win first prize, Mi Ohn, was paraded around the town on an elephant, the royal tusker only for royal family members and high-ranking ministers at the time. However, the lottery became so popular that people were not engaging in other businesses, forcing King Thibaw to halt the lottery in 1881.

The king even wrote off taxes for subjects who fell into poverty due to buying too many lottery tickets, and paid off their lottery-related debts for them, leading to the Burmese saying that The king would pay for you if you are in debt.

There was no lottery in the decades that followed the British occupation of all of Myanmar and their sending of King Thibaw into exile. The current lottery was introduced in 1938, shortly before World War II, as the British wanted to raise revenues in colonial Myanmar (then Burma). Again, people from both urban and rural Myanmar went crazy about the lottery. The first winner of the first prize was U Ne from Mon States Thaton.

Anti-colonial activists tried to persuade the people not to buy lottery tickets, but few could resist their lure. In successive periods after Myanmars independence, the public continued to indulge in fantasies of winning lucrative prizes.

Its popularity grew further when the jackpot was increased to 1.5 billion kyats under the since-ousted National League for Democracy government led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. At the time, lottery shops were a common sight at crowded junctions, and lottery ticket hawkers pushed their carts along the streets while playing loud music.

Things have completely reversed since the militarys Feb. 1 coup, as people began to boycott military-linked products and payments to the regime after it killed hundreds of pro-democracy protesters. The great majority of the people have boycotted the state lottery since its management was taken over by the military regime led by Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.

As the popularity of the state lottery, known as Aung Bar Lay, declined, the National Unity Government (NUG) formed by the ousted NLD government and other ethnic representatives in April announced a plan to run its own lottery to raise funds for civil servants who are on strike to protest against the regime.

The Victorious Spring lottery, named after Myanmars popular revolution against the junta, was launched on Aug. 15. All 50,000 tickets put up for sale were sold out in just over one hour on the launch day despite the regimes official threats to punish anyone who plays. And people bought the tickets not for the money, but for the merit.

On Aug. 18, four days after the Victorious Spring lottery was launched, the junta-controlled Aung Bar Lay lottery department announced that the lottery prizes would be increased from 60 percent of sales revenues to 70 percent. And the prizes will be paid in full at once; previously, those who won large prizes were paid their jackpots in installments. Many believe the move is aimed at competing with the NUGs lottery. It remains in question whether people will buy Aung Bar Lay lottery tickets, despite the regimes promotion efforts. The military regime is unawareor at least pretends to be unawarethat people are not playing its lottery not because the prizes are small, but out of a determination to show their opposition to the military in whatever way they can. The fact that the public is boycotting the state lottery for the first time in 143 years shows just how much people loathe Min Aung Hlaings regime.



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Burma Myanmar Junta Continues to Detain Journalists

Detained journalists (top from left) Kamayut medias Han Thar Nyein; DVB reporter Min Nyo, who has been sentenced to three years in jail; Thalwin Thwaychin chief editor Mya Wunn Yangon and former Myitkyina Journal reporter Myo Myat Myat Pan. (Below from left) co-founder of Mizzima Thin Thin Aung; Thanlyin Post former editor-in-chief Tu Tu Tha; former Mizzima editor Than Htike Aung and freelancer U Sithu Aung Myint.

Myanmars military junta continues its crackdown on journalists with arrests and lawsuits to silence independent coverage of its daily atrocities.

This week, two more journalists were detained, bringing the number of journalists and media staff detained since the February coup to 95.

The juntas forces arrested freelance journalist and outspoken regime critic U Sithu Aung Myint and a reporter from BBC Media Action, the corporations international development charity, Ma Htet Htet Khine on August 15 from a hideout in Yangon.

According to Bahan Township police, the two were taken to a military interrogation center. No more information has been heard about them.

In April, U Sithu Aung Myint was charged under Article 505(a) of the Penal Code, which criminalizes spreading comments or false news that could cause fear or criminal offenses against government employees. It carries up to three years imprisonment.

On July 20, three women journalists  a mother and her two daughters  from the Shan State-based Thalwin Thwaychin news agency were detained at their homes in the state capital, Taunggyi. The daughters have been released but Mya Wunn Yan, chief editor of the agency, remains in custody.

The junta has targeted journalists with arrests, lawsuits, raids on newsrooms and violence. On Wednesday, at least 42 media staff were still behind bars, according to Reporting ASEAN, an independent regional news outlet.

Almost all detained journalists said they were interrogated, beaten and tortured. COVID-19 has spread rapidly in Myanmars crowded prisons, increasing dangers for all political prisoners.

Four media organizations, including The Irrawaddy, have been charged under Article 505(a) and eight firms have been banned.

On June 30 the juntas Ministry of Information told the media to stop describing the military-appointed State Administration Council as a junta or face prosecution. It also warned foreign news agencies to cease using the terms military council or military junta and to stop disseminating false news.

The order said international media groups would face action if they apply wrong usages, quote and exaggerate fake news and disseminate false information.

Myanmar is now one of the worlds worst jailers of journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists reported in July.



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Burma Myanmar Migrant Workers in Mae Sot Get Free COVID-19 Jabs

Myanmar migrant workers receiving COVID-19 jabs in Thailands Mae Sot on August 17 / Karen National Media

The Thai government is giving free COVID-19 jabs to Myanmar migrant workers in the Thai border town of Mae Sot. The move to vaccinate migrant workers comes after the town recorded a high number of coronavirus infections and resulting fatalities in July.

The vaccination campaign was launched on Tuesday with factory workers given the first jabs as the priority population group among migrant workers.

Those holding ID cards such as pink cards and passports are being given priority. They have purchased social security cards. Perhaps this is why they are being given the jabs for free. People without ID cards might have to pay for jabs, said Ma Thuzar from Yaung Chi Oo, a labor rights organization helping Myanmar migrant workers in Thailand.

Migrant workers have to register and show a letter from their employers certifying that they are working in Mae Sot to receive the jabs. Currently, around 7,000 Myanmar migrant workers have registered to receive the vaccine.

Mae Sot in Tak Province was previously home to around 100,000 migrant workers, most of them Myanmar nationals. Around 80,000 are still there, with the rest having returned home or moved to other parts of Thailand in search of new jobs.

There have also been reports that undocumented migrant workers will be given jabs for 1,000 baht per dose, which they will have to pay back to their employers in installments.

Ma Sandar Kyaw, a Myanmar migrant worker who got the vaccine on Tuesday in Mae Sot, said that she took the jab out of fear that she might lose her job.

They said that those who are unvaccinated cant continue to work. It means you have to resign if you dont take the jab, she said.

Mae Sot received 200,000 COVID-19 doses from Bangkok, with over 30,000 of them set to be administered to migrant workers. On Tuesday, around five percent of Myanmar migrant workers received jabs.

Dr. Cynthia Maung, the founder of the Mae Tao Clinic which provides free healthcare services to patients along the Thai-Myanmar border, has urged migrant workers to accept the vaccine as it reduces the chance of being hospitalized and dying from COVID-19.

Immunization is important as it can reduce the severity of the illness if one gets infected with coronavirus. It also reduces transmission and the risk of death, as well as enabling businesses to resume normal operations and life to get back to normal quicker, said Dr. Cynthia Maung.

Mae Tao Clinic was founded in 1988 shortly after the 8888 pro-democracy uprising in Myanmar and is located on the outskirts of Mae Sot opposite the Myanmar border town of Myawaddy, Karen State. The clinic provides healthcare as well as education to migrant workers and ethnic minority people displaced by conflict in Myanmar, especially in Karen State and nearby regions.

A dusk-to-dawn curfew has been imposed on migrant workers in Mae Sot since July. Over 20,000 new COVID-19 cases and 301 deaths were reported across Thailand on Thursday, according to the Thai health authorities.



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Burma Myanmars Shadow Govt Reports Juntas Massacres of Civilians to UN Security Council

Bodies discovered on July 31 near Taung Pauk Village. / CJ

Myanmars shadow National Unity Government (NUG) on Tuesday reported last months massacres of civilians by military regime forces in Sagaing Region to a meeting of the UN Security Council. The NUG said the report provided clear evidence that the junta is committing war crimes and supported its drive to have the junta denied recognition by the world body.

Submitted ahead of the UN General Assembly meeting in New York next month, the report appeals to the international community to reject the credentials of the junta to represent the people of Myanmar at the UN. Displeased by current Myanmar Ambassador to the UN U Kyaw Moe Tuns support for the NUG, the junta is trying to replace him with someone loyal to it.

While the junta is committing daily atrocities across the country, U Aung Myo Min, the NUGs human rights minister, told The Irrawaddy that the report detailing the massacres of civilian residents of Sagaings Kani Township provided strong evidence that the junta is guilty of war crimes.

Willful killing and torture of unarmed civilians; intentional, excessive use of force in conflict situations are all equivalent to war crimes, the minister said.

In July, a thousand junta troops attacked villages in Kani Township, which is a hotbed of opposition to the regime, and laid waste to the area, including public property, during their raids. Villagers who fled the military operations said that when they returned to their homes, they found the bodies of many villagers killed by the troops.

U Aung Myo Min said that based on the accounts of locals who found the bodies and who witnessed the abductions of villagers who were later killed, the report concludes that 43 people were killed in four massacres in Kani Township between July 1 and 28.

In the first massacre, the corpses of four men were found on July 3, their heads almost completely destroyed by close-range gunshots.

In the second case, another 16 bodies were found with signs of severe torture, some with cuts and bruises on their faces and necks, on July 11 and 12. In the third case, 12 corpses were discovered on July 27. In the fourth, 11 badly decomposed bodies were found on July 31 as the villagers went in search of missing locals.

The fatalities included people over the age of 60 and one who was disabled. The bodies bore signs of severe torture and severe injuries from beatings, with cuts and burns all over their bodies, including their faces. Some were found with their hands tied behind their backs or hanging from trees.

It is necessary for the international community to act against this terrorist group and reject the murderous junta and illegitimate coup at the United Nations General Assembly. At the same time, the National Unity Government, with legitimacy granted by the people of Myanmar, must be recognized and given appropriate credentials by the international community as the legitimate government of Myanmar, human rights organization the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) said in a separate report on the Kani massacres released on Wednesday.

Since the military overthrew Myanmars elected government on Feb. 1, at least 1,006 people have been killed in fewer than 200 days as the merciless junta continues its brutal crackdown to quell opposition to the coup.

Those killed have included teenagers, young children, student activists, protesters, National League for Democracy (NLD) members and their relatives, as well as bystanders, pedestrians and villagers.

More than 7,300 people including elected leaders, NLD party members, election commissioners, doctors, protesters, journalists, writers, artists and civilians have been detained.



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Editorial Myanmar Junta Boss Min Aung Hlaings Delusions of Grandeur

Myanmar regime leader Min Aung Hlaing during a meeting. / Cincds

All tyrants have dreams, and coup maker Senior General Min Aung Hlaing is proving to be no exception.

This week, he amused many in Myanmar as he sat down at a meeting of the Naypyitaw City Development Committee and instructed officials to create a neat, smart, green city with an underground metro rail system and electric buses for residents, as well as universities.

Located on the outskirts of Pyinmana in central Myanmar, Naypyitaw, or Abode of Kings was built in secret starting in 2000 after the previous regime, the State Peace and Development Council, made the secret decision to relocate the entire seat of government and national administration by 2006. The cost of building the new capital was not made public, but according to news reports, US$3-4 billion have been sunk into the project.

Some media have described it as a soulless ghost capital; regardless, it is now the administrative capital and under the control of coup leader Min Aung Hlaing. Many former generals whose hands are soaked in blood have retired there. But in his speech, the self-appointed prime minister proclaimed that the capital was designed to accommodate up to 20 million people and would become a center of international relations. With fewer than 1 million residents so far, it is in reality little more than a safe space for dictators and generals who have committed human rights violations and economic crimes, providing them shelter from any popular uprising.

Myanmar political icon Daw Aung San Suu Kyi (she served as State Counselor and foreign minister in the ousted government) is under house arrest somewhere in the city. Precisely where she is detained is unknown, though there is speculation that she is being held at one of the top commanders residences.

Even as Min Aung Hlaing reeled off his bizarre instructions on the future of Naypyitaw, Myanmar continued its rapid descent into a failed state. Its prisons are full of politicians, elected representatives, activists, journalists and physicians. The economy has collapsed, violence rages in the cities and the countryside unabated, and many of the countrys young and educated citizens have fled to foreign shores. Explosions, shootings and targeted assassinations have become commonplace in the center of Yangon and Mandalay, as well as in many other parts of the country. The international community has condemned the regimes atrocities and Western governments have slapped it with sanctions. Most of the worldincluding some neighborshas been reluctant to provide the regime with much-needed legitimacy.

Myanmar is likely to sink even further into crisis and chaos, if not hell, well before Min Aung Hlaings dream of an underground metro serving a green and smart capital is ever realized.

Economic catastrophe

In July, according to the World Banks Myanmar Economic Monitor, the countrys ongoing political turmoil and a rapidly rising third wave of COVID-19 cases are severely impacting an economy that had already been weakened by the pandemic in 2020. The economy is expected to contract by around 18 percent in fiscal 2021 with damaging implications for lives, livelihoods, poverty and future growth, it said.

This week, a devastating new report by a group of independent financial experts, the Independent Economists for Myanmar (IEM)whose identities have not been made public but who include economists and financial experts who have worked for the government or banks in Myanmarargued that the regimes catastrophic mismanagement has triggered a full-scale banking crisis.

The sight of Min Aung Hlaings subordinates at the meeting dutifully taking notes on the coup makers elaborate dream was truly pitiful. If they are brave and smart enough, they will report the reality on the ground to their boss. After six months in power, his instructions for Naypyitaw show that Min Aung Hlaingthe man who issued a shoot-to-kill order to forces deployed at civilian demonstrationsis truly out of touch with reality. One doesnt have to be entirely cynical to ask whether it wouldnt be better if he just dug his own grave.



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Guest Column Myanmar Juntas Caretaker Government on Course to Fail

Followers of different faiths stage an anti-regime protest in Mandalay on August 13. / Spring Diary

Myanmars military regime, which has dubbed itself the State Administration Council since the February 1 coup, recently proclaimed that it was inaugurating a caretaker government which will step down after cleaning up the mess left behind by what the junta regards as an incompetent and corrupt National League for Democracy (NLD) administration. An election is supposed to follow sometime in 2023 and a new government will then be inaugurated.

The term caretaker government invokes remembrance of times past and the first of four military interventions following independence. Between 1958 and 1960, a highly successful, if authoritarian and dictatorial, military administration governed. It was formed on the basis of a constitutional coup, as military control seemed inevitable but was in fact approved by the legislature. Following that interregnum, the military held free elections, in which its preferred party lost, and the military retired [temporarily], returning the government to the then Prime Minister U Nu.

In 1960, the military proclaimed its outstanding success. On terminating its ruling role, it specifically likened its accomplishments to Hercules cleaning out the Augean Stables. Its Ministry of Information acclaimed its deeds in the volume: Is Trust Vindicated? A Chronicle of a Trust, Striving, and Triumph. Being an Account of the Accomplishments of the Government of the Union of Burma, November 1, 1958-February 1, 1960. In the estimations of todays internal or external observers, will this present caretaker regime succeed as the first caretaker government did in 1958-60? As Eliza Doolittle said in My Fair Lady, Not bloody likely.

The origins and conditions of both coups are different. In 1958, the politically ubiquitous Anti-Fascist Peoples Freedom League was split by personal rivalries and civil war was feared by the military, which was already fighting two communist insurgencies and a Karen rebellion. It was a peaceful transfer of power, with little overt dissent, at least among the majority Bamar people, because of the blatantly ineffective civilian administration.

The military substituted army officers in critical positions throughout the government and they were uncorrupt and effective, if demanding and insensitive to local feelings. But there were no political arrests and no one was killed. What was a loss for democratic governance was compensated for by a string of successful economic, political and even international measures.

Prices were forcibly lowered in the bazaars, the military efficiently ran an extensive series of economic ventures, some 170,000 squatters were removed to the outskirts of Rangoon, the legal prerogatives of the Shan sawbwas were terminated, education was improved and a Burmese Oxford professor became vice-chancellor of Rangoon University, while a border agreement was negotiated with China. This period may have provided both the rationale and belief for the military that it could effectively run the country for a longer period. History has proven this to have been an illusion.

Present conditions are counter to those of 1958. The NLDs sweeping victory in the November 2020 election may not have been an endorsement of the rather ineffective Daw Aung San Suu Kyi government, although it probably was an endorsement of her personally, but it evidently reflected the widespread distrust of another potential administration influenced or controlled by the military. The extensive nationwide violence against the subsequent coup, whose opponents straddle all classes and regions, is an indication that the fairly extensive reforms of freedom over the previous decade have inoculated the population against repression. The military has responded with over 900 civilian deaths and more than 5,000 arrests and the people are equally vehement in their rejection of the coup. The deaths, violence, and unrest associated with the current state of play in Myanmar will not go unremembered in the future.

In 1958, the military was uncorrupt, vigorous and motivated by a sense of patriotism in saving the state from unprincipled civilian politicians it regarded as bent on their own aggrandizement or, in the case of Prime Minister U Nu, adhering to his unrealistic Buddhist-based sense of governance. The same cannot be said today, with the generals in control of much of the economy and retired members of the military and their cohorts ensconced in positions of economic advantage. Shared poverty was once a national characteristic. It isnt now.

Todays resistance to the military is unprecedented in modern Burmese history, surpassing the failed peoples revolution in 1988. Then, the slaughter by the military was far greater but resistance was not founded on violence. Today, the widespread opposition has discarded Daw Aung San Suu Kyis former insistence on non-violence. Death tolls on all sides continue to climb. As hostilities on both sides continue, the purist moral position of the opposition will probably suffer.

Some talk of the beginnings of civil war or a Syrian-style debacle. These seem extreme views but, even if the military were able to prevail until their supposed departure from office in 2023, public acquiescence is far more difficult. The exposure to freedoms built over the previous decade vaccinates against easy compliance with any new government the military would be willing to tolerate. Its objective is evidently to destroy the NLD and render Daw Aung San Suu Kyi politically demolished for her remaining vital years either in jail, under house arrest or under legal and political restrictions that the military will enact.

The next two years, whatever the outcome, will be difficult and destructive. The caretaker government concept is more akin to a warden monitoring the activities of the states confined inmates, alas, than the nurturing of the needy.

David I. Steinberg is distinguished professor of Asian studies emeritus, Georgetown University



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Guest Column US-Thai Cobra Gold Drills Wither at 40

The 40th iteration of Cobra Gold was held from Aug. 3-15 in a scaled-back version amid COVID, with only 400 US troops and 1,000-plus Thai soldiers. / Pattarapong Chatpattarasill / Bangkok Post

The 40th iteration of Cobra Gold (CG), which ended last week, was supposed to be the best year ever for the four-decade-old Thai and US joint military exercises. But it was not to be. Blame it on the COVID-19 pandemic or the menace of smartphones and social media spreading fake news about the true nature of the regions largest multinational military exercise.

For the local press, the most memorable moment of the CG exercise, which should have appeared on the front pages, was missingthe time-honoured tradition of drinking a cobras blood together during the joint exercises. Sad but true, all the publicity related to this years CG was conspicuously absent with the consent of both countries.

Indeed, the pandemic is a delicate time for further development of bilateral ties as almost every item has been politicized to the extreme. The vaccines donated by the US are a case in point. Politicians, doctors, diplomats and other stakeholders used the US donation as ammunition to attack political opponents while human rights activists and protesters exploited the vaccines late arrival and lack of information to undermine the government. Instant heroes were created out of thin air and for no reason. Some news went viral without an iota of truth claiming a particular person or more was behind the scenes in pushing for the American donation. Luckily, the US Embassy has been quick to respond to the misinformation and fake news.

More than officials would like to admit, this phenomenon had a ripple effect on last weeks CG, spawning fears that it would spin off into an anti-CG and anti-Thai-US relations campaign, especially pertaining to importing foreign virus infections. Indeed, in the past several weeks, visiting US signatories have been closely monitored by those who wanted to criticize the government, especially those related to vaccine diplomacy. Lest we forget, last July the photo of a five-star American general undergoing a swab for a COVID-19 test went viral causing embarrassment to both the host and the guest. Earlier fake news said he was exempted from the COVID-19 test.

The fact that both countries agreed to downplay CG is also indicative of the value of the time-tested combined exercises. After all, the two countries face no common enemies these days despite the drills, which once served as the glue for the regions most valuable allies. Today, their common interests are fewer than before and secondary to the broader US strategy in the region.

The Thai military has a clear view that the trajectory of the Thai-US alliance is not getting any stronger. The challenge in the years ahead is to maintain these delicate military ties amid the growing US-China rivalry. In fact, it is not an overstatement to say that the Thai-US alliance is not as strong as both countries have thought all along even without any deliberate attempt to dismantle it. Interestingly, these views come mainly from retired generals who took part in CG and appreciated its value in preparing Thai soldiers, who have never fought in any major war, for conflict situations. Combined exercises with more experienced American soldiers and those of other nations give Thai troops much needed knowhow both in terms of interoperability and communication skills.

According to Prof. Greg Laymond of the Australian National University, CG is valuable to the Thai-US alliance because it demonstrates that Thailand is an asset for the US. It shows that the US Indo-Pacific Command can send forces to Thailand if required, he pointed out.

For the US, CG shows that the US has a large network of friends and allies across the region and can assemble a large number of countries to work together, Prof. Laymond posited. That much is clear.

The old comfort of having a large number of American troops helping to spur the local economy with media spin is long gone, especially during the pandemic. For common folk, hundreds of new schools, healthcare buildings, wells and other facilities assigned during each years CG exercises remain the only tangible testimony to mutual interests.

Without the past enthusiasm and appreciation of the CG, Thai veterans have contended that the drills, while remaining pivotal, will not be strengthened unless there are critical circumstances to do so. The ongoing exercises which focus on humanitarian and disaster management will become the dominant theme. After all, the US has more options now thanks to its much improved relations with Vietnam and other Southeast Asian nations. Washingtons extraordinary attention and favor to Hanoi have caused high blood pressure among Thailands top military leaders.

Given the nature of threats to the US global strategy, Thailands geostrategic location is ideal, as it is the only place in mainland Southeast Asia that gives the US unlimited access, which has benefited greatly the US capacity to increase its interoperability and familiarity in the diverse terrains in the region. However, this guarantee is uncertain given the countrys political uncertainty.

For the record, this years iteration was the smallest in terms of scale and numbers of troops. The US only dispatched 400-plus soldiers while Thailand as a co-host had one thousand-plus soldiers. In normal times, this would indicate a downgrading tendency which has been demanded by human rights activists and non-governmental organizations. That helps explain why both governments wanted to play down the exercises.

Prior to CG, there was a flurry of diplomatic activity involving the visits of senior US officials to flag the importance of the Thai-US alliance. The visit of Wendy Sherman, Deputy Secretary of State, in early June and the UN ambassador Lynda Thomas-Greenfield last week were not as powerful as the visit by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to Singapore and Vietnam. Both Sherman and Greenfields trips were seen as attempts to pacify Thailand. After all, US Vice President Kamala Harris scheduled trips to Singapore and Vietnam this month serve as a barometer of Thailands eroding value as a US ally.

It is hoped that the just-ended CG was a special and isolated case. If this trend continues in the coming years in the post COVID-19 world, the value of CG will recede fast, therefore impacting Thailands security dependence on the US.

The phrase that Thailand is an old and great friend is a grandiose illusion, which needs a shake-up if the US and Thailand are going to have meaningful engagement in the years to come.

Kavi Chongkittavorn is a veteran journalist on regional affairs.

This article first appeared in The Bangkok Post.



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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:
Prometheus is fast becoming the tool of choice to monitor Kubernetes-based workloads as organizations build modern cloud applications.

Developers and SREs rely on Prometheus as an open standard for monitoring that provides broad capabilities and helps avoid vendor lock-in. However, as Prometheus environments proliferate throughout an organization, managing the infrastructure, exporters, dashboards, and alerts becomes complex and time consuming. In addition, organizations struggle with long-term storage of time series, information silos, and lack of a global view of the health of their environment across all applications and infrastructure. Learning PromQL (the query language of Prometheus) and how to use it effectively can take months, reducing the ability of teams to properly analyze their metrics.



Sysdig is solving these problems with new enhancements to its managed Prometheus service. Organizations can now break free from the burden of setting up and managing monitoring tools and instead focus scarce engineering resources on innovation. In addition, developer and DevOps teams that need deep visibility into cloud-native applications save time with an easy way to understand performance and health with a single view across services, clusters, and clouds.



First-Of-Its-Kind Integrations Manager

Sysdig Monitor now provides automatic discovery and assisted deployment of Prometheus monitoring integrations along with preconfigured dashboards, alerts, and a new integrations management interface. Sysdig is the first company to build integration management functionality based on open source Prometheus exporters, displacing proprietary integrations and app checks. By automating integration discovery and configuration management, customers can save hundreds of hours of effort while maintaining an open approach for the integrations they deploy.



PromQL Explorer for Querying

Sysdig is simplifying the way teams interact with metrics to speed mean time to discover (MTTD). Sysdig makes it easier to both learn and use PromQL by introducing the PromQL Explorer for users to quickly craft queries, zero in on whats important, then instantly add those queries to dashboards and alerts. In addition, the new PromQL Library helps to discover popular queries from the monitoring community to learn new ways to get to the information that really matters.



Simplified Labeling

Sysdig is also introducing the ability to add automatic labels at the time of ingestion to help customers reduce the complexity of their PromQL queries by up to 90%. Customers can now use PromQL or a form-based UI to inspect all their metrics no matter the data source. This provides universal access for a range of users, from developers to architects, with different experience levels.



Long Term Storage For Existing Prometheus Deployments

Lastly, Sysdig is adding support for Prometheus remote_write so organizations can offload Prometheus metrics to Sysdig for long term storage. Users can push custom metrics into the Sysdig backend for visibility without installing an agent. The number of custom metrics can now be increased dynamically with flexible billing options, allowing organizations to accommodate unplanned custom metrics growth without surprise bills.



Native Prometheus Compatibility

Unlike other vendors, Sysdig Monitor is natively compatible with Prometheus. Customers can enjoy the best of both worlds by maintaining their existing investment in Prometheus while gaining the simplicity and enterprise support that Sysdig adds to the equation. At the same time, customers will be able to free up valuable people-resources to concentrate on business critical applications instead of mundane monitoring infrastructure.



Meeting user expectations for availability and performance requires complete visibility into infrastructure, services, and applications across hybrid and multi-cloud environments, said Saravanan Subbiah, Vice President of Engineering and Technology at Sysdig. As organizations move from proprietary monitoring approaches to DIY open source, the resource requirements can spiral out of control. SREs and developers need an easy-to-use Prometheus monitoring service that is radically simple to integrate into DevOps workflows without breaking open source standards.



We were so busy expanding and trying to meet the demand for our internal applications teams that we didnt really have a lot of spare cycles to figure out a scaling solution for Prometheus, so we started taking a look at commercial options. Since Sysdig Monitors managed Prometheus service is based on open standards we didnt have to worry about re-tooling our monitoring environment.  Tiziano Tarolla, Senior Development Manager, SAP Concur



In addition to the Sysdig SaaS solution, the new Prometheus capabilities are now available in IBM Cloud Monitoring, IBMs cloud-native, container-intelligence management system built on Sysdig Monitor.
The board of the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) announced that ACCANs CEO of 11 years, Teresa Corbin, will be leaving at the end of October 2021 to take up an exciting new career opportunity.

ACCAN chairperson Deirdre ODonnell said, Teresas time as leader of ACCAN has been of enormous importance to our organisation in broadening its impact and its influence - always in the best interests of all consumers - on the Australian telecommunications industry. We know her legacy is a significant one, and we look forward to celebrating her many achievements at an appropriate time later this year.

Ms ODonnell added, The board is confident that ACCAN as an organisation is in a wonderful position thanks to Teresas leadership. The ACCAN board will initiate recruitment for our next CEO in the months ahead. We are very pleased that from November Andrew Williams, ACCANs Deputy CEO will step up as acting CEO.

There is no doubt Teresa has left her mark on the consumer movement as she has mentored the next generation of advocates, leaving ACCAN well placed to represent consumers well into the future. Teresa has also mentored and developed a number of young people who have gone on to fulfil other important advocacy roles across the Australian community sector.

For now, however, we wish to focus on and express our gratitude for Teresa's outstanding leadership in pursuing the rights of all consumers to get equal access to communications services across Australia.

Ms Corbin said, It has been a privilege to lead an organisation with such a talented team and passionate members. I look forward to ACCANs future successes as they continue their important work in representing communications consumers across Australia.
Nokia announced that Vocus, Australian fibre and network solutions provider, has deployed Nokias solution to set up the 200G optical links covering more than 4,100 km between Brisbane and Darwin.

Nokias 1830 Photonic Service Switch (PSS) is used to upgrade Vocus optical network between Adelaide, Brisbane and Darwin to deliver 200G with the capability to easily provide 300G and 400G in the near future. With this initiative, the Vocus capacity upgrade covers more than 7,100 km of fibre.

The deployment between Adelaide to Darwin and Brisbane to Darwin replaces the existing optical transport network to provide 100G and 10G services to Vocus Enterprise, Government and Wholesale customers.

The deployment of 2 x 200G based wavelength unregenerated optical transport networks covers 70 sites, over a distance of 3,000 and 4,100 km respectively, and will help Vocus to optimise CapEx and reduce OpEx. The upgraded, higher capacity optical network allows Vocus to provide the latest generation of quality optical services, in connecting Darwin to Hypercloud Data Centres, regional locations and international submarine cables.

Nokia said it's solution is based on a flexible spectrum hybrid architecture with Colourless, Directionless, Contentionless Flex-grid (CDC-F) architecture at the terminal sites at Adelaide, Brisbane and Darwin, and a simpler Colourless-Flexgrid (C-F) solution at regional drop sites providing a total warranted capacity of 10.8Tb (54x200G) between Adelaide-Darwin and Brisbane-Darwin.

The solution is powered by Nokias Photonic Service Engine (PSE) super coherent digital signal processors. Nokia went on to say, this is a cost-optimised solution designed to combine end-to-end 200G traffic with more economical nodes in regional sites, allowing express traffic and regional traffic in selected locations to be served by the same system.

Vocus general manager of federal government and strategic projects Michael Ackland said, Over the last decade, we have leveraged Nokias field-proven solutions to provide a world-class experience to our customers. The successful modernisation of our optical network on key routes reiterates our confidence in Nokias solutions and expertise. Nokias industry-leading optical solution helps us differentiate our services based on the quality of experience.

Nokia head of enterprise Australia and New Zealand Rob McCabe said, Nokia and Vocus have partnered for many years, and were delighted to have helped them build a 200G optical network of this capability over such a significant distance. This upgrade improves both the current and future capacity of the Adelaide, Brisbane and Darwin links to ensure Vocus can address growing data consumption demands while also delivering ultra-high speed and reliable experiences for their customers.

One of the major benefits, that I applaud Vocus for, is continuing to diversify their networks into Australia. Australian submarine networks in Australia have been historically exposed, two primary landing points in Sydney and one in WA, meant that international capacity could be exposed if a severe storm occurred and a couple of ships dragged their anchors. The recent submarine cable break off the coast of Perth, reported above, highlights the need for landing point redundancy.

Now with the Sunshine Coast landing point and the one in Darwin we have some level of diversity and potential resilience. To be effective there is also the need for terrestrial networks, such as this one, to be able to route large amounts of traffic from these new landing points back to all major population centres.

I asked Vocus about this resilience and Ackland provided the following comments, In recent months Vocus has announced or completed a series of major upgrades to our terrestrial and international fibre infrastructure which will provide a substantial uplift to network diversity and redundancy in Australia.

"We are already upgrading our Sydney-Melbourne-Adelaide intercapital direct routes to deliver 4 times more capacity. We are already upgrading our Sydney-Brisbane routes connecting regional centres to deliver 20 times more capacity. And with Nokia we have now completed the upgrades to our Adelaide-Darwin-Brisbane route to offer a massive 25 times increase in capacity.

"Weve also announced Project Horizon, a 2,000-kilometre network of both new and existing fibre between Port Hedland and Perth. It will complete the western ring in Vocus national network, and provide another layer of redundancy with Vocus having a figure 8 of network rings across Australias eastern and western States. It will allow Vocus to provide geographically diverse backhaul out of Darwin via Port Hedland.

"Additionally, we have now announced the Darwin Jakarta Singapore Cable (DJSC), a 1,000km cable linking the Australia Singapore Cable (ASC) to the North West Cable System (NWCS) in Port Hedland. The system will interconnect with Vocus Project Horizon fibre from Perth to Port Hedland, with the completed network providing unparalleled redundancy and reliability for Vocus customers in the Pilbara region and Australias North and West.

"Combined, these major investments will provide a series of redundant network loops both domestically and internationally, establishing both Port Hedland and Darwin as new international entry points into Australia and connecting into substantial fibre capacity from these new points to our national network connecting all mainland capitals, Ackland concluded.
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.
Today

Thunderstorms, some heavy early, then becoming mostly clear after midnight. Potential for flooding rains. Low 73F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%.

Tonight

Thunderstorms, some heavy early, then becoming mostly clear after midnight. Potential for flooding rains. Low 73F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%.

Tomorrow

A mainly sunny sky. High 102F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.
Services for Robert Kesinger, 67, of Alto Will be Thursday August 26th at 10am at the O.T. Allen and Son Chapel. Visitation will be one hour prior to services at the funeral home. Interment will follow services at Old Palestine Cemetery in Alto. Robert Kesinger was born May 18th, 1954 in Rus
Mike has reported on the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem's wildlife, wildlands and the agencies that manage them since 2012. A native Minnesotan, he arrived in the West to study environmental journalism at the University of Colorado.
Rescuers worked for three days to retrieve Joseph Clary from a collapsed drift in the White Oak mine in the summer of 1911. On August 2, he gave a telephone interview to Globe reporter Ray Cochranover a line dropped to him while workers sought to secure his escape route. Globe file
FILE - In this Thursday, Aug. 18, 2020, file photo, Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister answers a question at the Central Oklahoma PPE distribution warehouse in Oklahoma City. Hoffmeister said, Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021, districts in the state should have "the autonomy" to enact policies requiring masks, which is banned by state law.
The band Pieces of the Shed will perform at the Fridays @ 5 event in downtown Martinsburg this Friday. According to band members, the money earned will be donated to Immanuels House in Martinsburg.
The Taliban have tried to reassure fearful Afghans  and a wary international community  that this time around they will be positively different, but their reputation precedes them and few trust the group.

Here are five promises the Taliban have made  and their record on the issues:

 Women will have rights, but 

The Taliban are committed to the rights of women, who will be able to work and study, the groups spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said Tuesday.

But he stressed at every mention of women that their rights will be determined by Islamic law.

That has always been interpreted by the Talibans ultra-conservative leadership.

The last time they were in power, from 1996 to 2001, they brutally suppressed womens rights.

Girls were banned from going to school, and women were largely barred from public life  allowed out of the house only when covered head-to-toe in a burqa and accompanied by a male relative.

Women accused of violating these rules were given harsh punishments  including being stoned to death for adultery.

Even after they were toppled by US-led forces in 2001, women suffered similar restrictions in the areas under Taliban control. The militants have threatened and attacked women activists, journalists, MPs and even educators for two decades.

 Pardons for all? 

The Taliban have insisted that they have forgiven all that fought against them  including government officials, the police and the armed forces.

But many are sceptical because of their record with amnesty announcements, and tens of thousands of Afghans have tried to leave the country since the Taliban victory fearing reprisals.

During their first regime, Taliban fighters killed political opponents and also massacred civilians and religious minorities.

In recent months, the Taliban have been accused of murdering surrendering forces and civilians. The UN human rights chief said there were reports of possible war crimes.

 Security for embassies, foreign organisations 

The Taliban have tried quickly to reassure foreign governments and organisations that their embassies, offices and personnel are safe  one Russian diplomat said the situation was already better than under the previous administration.

The Taliban, however, have a poor record when it comes to protecting foreign personnel and missions.

In 1996, they entered a United Nations compound where former president Najibullah had been granted refuge, dragged him out to kill him and hang the body from a post.

And two years later, when they captured the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif, they raided the Iranian consulate, killing nine diplomats and a journalist.

 No use of Afghan soil against other countries 

A core point of the troop withdrawal deal Washington signed with the Taliban last year was that they will not allow militant groups to operate out of Afghanistan.

US-led forces toppled the first Taliban regime because it had refused to give up Osama bin Laden and Al-Qaeda after the September 11, 2001 attacks.

The group has stressed that it is going to honour that commitment, reiterating after taking over that other nations will face no threats.

However, a UN Security Council monitoring report released in June said the Taliban and Al-Qaeda remain close.

 No more drugs 

The Taliban have promised that they will end the narcotics industry in Afghanistan, one of the worlds hubs for the production and trafficking of drugs such as heroin.

It may take some doing, especially if their new government does not have the same access to financial reserves and foreign aid that have sustained Afghanistans fragile economy for two decades.

And despite their claims to the contrary, UN monitors say the illicit drugs industry has been one of the biggest sources of revenue for the Taliban, bringing in hundreds of millions of dollars, according to estimates published last year.
Sign up for myFT Daily Digest and be the first to learn about Toyota Motor Corporation news.

Toyota, the worlds largest automaker, warned that after a wave of coronavirus cases in Southeast Asia has exacerbated chip shortages in the automotive industry, the company will cut its global production by 40% in September.

The Japanese group said on Thursday that it will produce 540,000 vehicles next month, down from the original plan of 900,000 vehicles.

Almost all of its factories in Japan will be hit, and 27 production lines will be disrupted. The production of the companys global operations will be hindered, with plants in North America and China each designated to deliver 80,000 cars less than expected. In Europe, production will be reduced by 40,000 vehicles from the original plan.

Toyota executives said the sudden surge in coronavirus cases in Vietnam and Malaysia has exacerbated the semiconductor shortage and left the group lacking other auto parts for its global network.

These two countries play a key role in the production of electronic products and packaging and testing components, which are used in everything from automobiles to smartphones. Toyotas largest manufacturing center in Southeast Asia is Thailand, which is also struggling with a record number of Covid -19 cases and production cuts.

Toyotas head of global procurement, Kazunari Kumakura, said: It is difficult to ensure the necessary quantity of several parts, which led to this sudden large-scale reduction in production.

The layoffs were a major setback for the Japanese company, which has managed to barely maintain Record profit Despite the pandemic and chip shortages, this has hit some competitors even harder.

Affected by this news, Toyotas share price fell 4.4%, which was first reported by the Nikkei.

So far, Toyota has succeeded in getting rid of the most serious shortage with its large chip inventory and supply chain management skills honed in past natural disasters.

The automaker declined to comment on which parts are facing shortages. However, the company stated that it has taken production cuts into account and adhered to its guidelines for global production of 9.3 million vehicles in the fiscal year ending in March.

Before Toyotas move, Chinese automaker Geely also warned this week that due to the chip crisis, production will continue to be uncertainty. Jaguar Land Rover halved its sales forecast last month, blaming it for a lack of semiconductors.
ABBEVILLE, LA  In honor of the 20th anniversary of 9/11, the Louisiana Military Museum will host its 1st Annual Patriot Day Banquet on Saturday, September 11 from 5-8pm. This elegant evening will include a special 9/11 tribute, a catered dinner served by our celebrity board members, and an hour-long patriotic musical performance by the National World War II Museums Victory Belles. A live and silent auction will help raise funds to unveil a brand-new exhibit that supports the museums mission to honor our veterans and remember their stories. This permanent exhibit will highlight Louisianas military contributions and feature relevant artifacts, c. 1700-present.

Limited numbers of individual and group tickets are available at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1st-annual-patriot-day-banquet-tickets-167129951183?aff=ebdssbdestsearch. Those unable to attend are invited to visit www.LaMilitaryMuseum.org to make an online donation. The museum is an independent 501(c)3 non-profit entity entirely supported by private donations.

The Louisiana Military Museum is located in the green hangar of the Chris Crusta Memorial Airport at 911 Revis Sirmon Loop, Abbeville, LA 70510. For more information, follow the Louisiana Military Museum on FaceBook, visit www.LaMilitaryMuseum.org or call (337) 898-9645.
MEDFORD, Ore.  For years, "Faiz" served alongside US troops in Afghanistan, acting as a translator. Today, as his former home falls into the hands of the Taliban that he helped to fight, he's a US citizen staying in Medford. But his presence here is not a source of relief, because his wife, mother and siblings are still in Afghanistan, trying desperately to leave.

"It's a matter of life, basically, for them," Faiz told NewsWatch 12 on Wednesday, "and it's a world of worry for people like me . . . I'm here, and I want to help them."

Faiz is a pseudonym. With his family still in Afghanistan, working to get out, he fears that they could face reprisals if his full identity were to be made public.

"They're going to go after the people that supported the U.S. mission or the Afghan government affiliates. That is a great concern of mine, and thousands of people like me who have families there and it's terrifying," the translator said.

This predicament is not one that Faiz expected. As American forces pulled out of Afghanistan, the Taliban's reconquest of the country came with sickening swiftness. While US officials publicly speculated that the U.S.-supported Afghan government could collapse within a matter of a few months, the takeover took little more than a week.

"Taliban does not represent Afghanistan, I want people to know that clearly," Faiz said.

On August 6, the Taliban seized the city of Zaranj, a provincial capital on the country's southwestern border with Iran and Pakistan. Four more provincial capitals on the north side of the country fell within the next two days. By August 13, about half of Afghanistan's provincial capitals were in Taliban hands, including the major cities of Kandahar and Herat. Two days later, on August 15, Taliban fighters had seized the nation's capitol in Kabul.

"I think there's not any sane person who knows a little bit about the scenario that would think it was a wise decision," Faiz said of the US withdrawal. "As an Afghan, there is no person in Afghanistan that wants a foreign force there forever. But the timing for this, evacuating Afghanistan was horrible and it couldn't be worse."

The fall of Kabul marked the beginning of a desperate campaign to airlift US civilian staff and Afghan allies out of the country, with American troops holding the airport as a final means of egress and a makeshift refugee camp. Thousands of Afghans fleeing Taliban rule flocked to the airport, sometimes with tragic consequences.

Now, as the Taliban cements its rule throughout Afghanistan, an uneasy truce reigns at the Kabul airport as US troops continue to work on processing refugees and put them on flights out of the country, with US officials saying that the Taliban has committed to providing "safe passage" for refugees. But reports on the ground suggest that violence at at the airport checkpoints is all too common.
KERBY, Ore.  A multi-agency raid on a major illegal marijuana grow near Kerby on Tuesday has wrapped up without statements that would substantiate suspected human rights violations, the Josephine County Sheriff's Office said in an update Wednesday.

According to the update, investigators interviewed 200 workers at the Q Bar X Ranch near Kerby after serving the search warrants. Sheriff Dave Daniel mentioned in a Tuesday press conference that though law enforcement officers believed there were elements of human trafficking or forced labor at the site, the workers might not be willing to speak about it to investigators.

Daniel's suspicion was borne out in the resulting interviews, the Josephine County Sheriff's Office said Wednesday.

"As expected, the workers relayed no concerns of humanitarian violations. According to the Homeland Security Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigations, this is a common occurrence," the Sheriff's Office said. "The workers may be in fear of retaliation to themselves or family members, not being paid, and immigration status concerns among others."

The detained workers were allowed to either leave the property or stay of their "own free will," the agency said.

After a full search of the property, investigators said that they destroyed 72,283 marijuana plants, 6,000 pounds of processed marijuana, and 373 green houses. They also seized 10 guns and about $140,000 in cash.

During Tuesday's press conference, Sheriff Daniel said that the investigation got rolling about two weeks ago, when a Hispanic man was dropped off at the Caves Chevron. The man was "very near death," and he passed away while being taken to the hospital.

After getting an idea of the size of the grow and suspecting humanitarian violations along with illegal marijuana cultivation, the Sheriff's Office put out a call for help from other agencies throughout the state. In addition to federal authorities, agencies involved in the raid included some as distant as Deschutes County and Eugene.

Roughly 250 law enforcement officers, including 10 SWAT teams, joined in the pre-dawn raid on Tuesday. Homeland Security Investigations provided interpreters to aid in the investigation.

Sheriff Daniel said Tuesday that he anticipated that four arrests could result from the raid, with the goal of charging the "masterminds" of the grow. The update on Wednesday indicated that no arrests had yet been made, but the investigation is ongoing and the property may be made subject to civil forfeiture of a criminal operation.
GRANTS PASS, Ore.  Police in Grants Pass have asked for help from the public in locating a woman who went missing on Tuesday afternoon.

Hailey Blackwell was last seen on the afternoon of August 17 when she left home on a walk to the Subway location on Agness Avenue, according to the Grants Pass Department of Public Safety.

Blackwell is described as a white female with straight black hair, about 30 years old, standing 5-foot 2-inches tall, and weighing about 300 pounds. She was last seen wearing all black clothing and dark makeup.

GPDPS said that Blackwell likes to spend time at Walmart, Winco, and Dutch Bros. She suffers from medical issues and "needs to be located for her safety," the agency said.

If you see or locate Hailey, please call GPDPS at 541-450-6260 and reference case # 2021-35915.
The SLPA held subsequent information meetings, and Supervisor Erin Decker, who represents that area of the county, said she believes all questions and concerns have been resolved.

The group did an excellent job of reaching out to the community, Decker said. They worked very hard on this. I initially had some concerns, met with them, and my concerns are all gone because of the answers, the research and the hard work they have put in for over a year.

In issuing its order to create the district, the County Board could have removed lands within the proposed boundaries, but did not do so. New lands can only be added if another public hearing is held and owners of the property in the proposed addition have received notice of the hearing.

The next step will be to form the Board of Commissioners for the district, a process which is spelled out in state statute. Once formed, the board will be required to hold an annual hearing, at which all members of the district can vote on a variety of topics, including the district tax levy.
WILMOT  Entering quilts at the Kenosha County Fair is literally sewn in tradition for three generations of Dorothy Vorpahls family.

Its an heirloom art that Dorothy and her seven sisters learned from their mother, Mary LaPalm-Groves. The 24 quilted entries in this years County Fair, by six members of the family, are a living tribute to Mary, who died earlier this year and whose life they celebrated last week.

She was an avid quilter, Dorothy said of her mother. This is a way we can remember her.

Quilting is also one of the most popular Open Class divisions at the County Fair, making it highly competitive. This years judge, Gail Brown, examined, critiqued and praised the construction of more than 120 quilts over the course of several hours before an audience of about a dozen people.

Among the entries was one created by Dorothys husband, Dwight, who has learned a thing or two about quilting from Dorothy along the way. So, when the original design quilt he stitched using a long-arm machine beat out Dorothys to take first place in that category, she got some of the props.

I get all my pointers from her, Dwight said.
With the highly transmissible Delta variant causing case rates to increase, now is the time to re-institute this measure to prevent further spread and save lives, Chicago public health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said.
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Oh, how the tide has turned. Three months ago, COVID was ravaging my homeland, India. The Delta variant was burning through the country like an uncontrolled wildfire. People carted dying relatives town to town, desperately seeking hospital beds or a whiff of oxygen. A cousin in India said, COVID is not taking lives, just the beds. Lack of oxygen is taking lives.

I watched Indias suffering unfold and felt guilty for living in one of the worlds most resourceful and scientifically advanced countries. My homeland was floundering, but at least my other homeland  the U.S.  was finally on track.

104 million Americans had been vaccinated. The Pfizer vaccine alleviated the worst outcomes of the B.1.1.7 and B.1351 variants. Adolescents aged 12-15 were gearing up for vaccine eligibility within days, and the CDC was reporting the U.S. could see a sharp decline in COVID cases by July if nationwide vaccinations continued. Health care workers had proper PPE, millions of people were getting vaccinated each week, and infection rates were declining steadily. We could finally see Springs light at the end of the years tortuous dark tunnel. Our country was in the home stretch.

Now the Delta variant is here and I have to wonder, Who were we kidding? We dont live in a world where vertical borders prevent airborne particles from crossing time zones. Planes and boats carry viruses from one country to the next like microscopic stowaways. The virus doesnt abandon ship. It mutates, and adapts, and colonizes.

We had a real chance to strangle this monster, to show the rest of the world how it was done, to help them all in the process. We let that chance slip away. Not everyone and not everywhere, but enough people got complacent. Some waited for herd immunity to carry the loada number that crept from 60 to 70 to 85 percent, depending on what you read and when you read itand others just figured it would pass. Now the Delta variant, the same one that tore through India and Great Britain, has twisted out of our flimsy grip and is roaring with laughter.

How did this happen?

Misinformation. Political discord. Vaccine hesitancy. The bottom line is our vaccination rate faltered. The CDC reported that on August 1, 2021, approximately 400,000 Americans received their first COVID dose. While that seems high, its less than a quarter of the peak in mid-April. We havent maxed out eligible people (only 58.1 percent of eligible people were fully vaccinated as of a week ago). Were maxing out the number of people who know COVIDs real repercussions are far worse than the vaccines feared ones.

The U.S now has the third-highest rate of vaccine skepticism among 15 of the worlds largest economies. Our vaccine surplus is so large the FDA extended Johnson & Johnsons vaccine expiration dates to avoid throwing out perfectly good doses. Less than a week ago, President Biden announced the U.S. has donated and shipped more than 110 million doses to 60 countries. While I applaud the humanitarian effort, I question the fate of those doses if the 41.9 percent unvaccinated eligible people in our country had wanted them.

It makes me wonder: Why does science take a backseat to unsubstantiated pseudoscientific claims?

Spreaders of vaccine disinformation fill their social media accounts with statements questioning COVIDs existence and purporting unproven treatments (never mind the fact that we wouldnt need treatments if COVID didnt exist) with little to no peer-reviewed scientific research to support their anti-vaccine claims. According to Imran Ahmed, CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate, twelve people  the disinformation dozen  produce 65 percent of the shares of anti-vaccine misinformation on social media platforms.

Is it easier for some to believe that a science-backed treatment is inherently more dangerous than an unknown herb plucked from a field? Perhaps. But what do they say to the approximately 216 kids hospitalized daily in the U.S. over the past week, particularly in areas where vaccine coverage is low? Bad luck? You werent strong enough? What would have made them stronger?

Yes, there are measures underway to increase vaccinationsfull FDA approval, social media crackdowns on misinformation, and government, company, military, and college mandates. But lets be honest, many Americans are fighting these measures, as they will fight future mandates, and the next vaccine.

Only two things can change how non-vaxxers perceive COVID vaccines: education and trust. We need to sincerely hear their reasons, and then gently clarify misinformationvaccines dont introduce disease into our bodies. They stimulate our immune systems to obtain immunity without getting the disease. Vaccines dont alter our DNA. Their safety has been tested. Medicines have potential side effects, but illnesses have definite ones. COVID kills indiscriminately; vaccines dont.

Trust is harder. How can we help people trust these vaccines? I suppose on a deeper level, its more about trusting the people that make the vaccines. Big pharma, for-profit companiessure, they are the money makers. But behind the scenes, the vaccines are created by men and women whove accepted the charge to make this worldnot just individualssafer and healthier. Theyve spent years studying, researching, and testing potential vaccines with dedication and patience, including the mRNA technology in COVID vaccines. Just because the COVID vaccines rollout was fast-tracked to combat the pandemic doesnt mean the scientists cut corners in designing and testing it.

Unfortunately, we dont have the luxury of slowly educating and gradually building trust. COVID is terrorizing our planet now. The world is shaking its heads at the U.S., wondering what happened. We were supposed to be the leader. This morning, an aunt in a small town in India sent me a WhatsApp message: I have taken the vaccine  the positivity rate has gone down  I am worried for America  how r u? I dont know. America, how are we? Its not too late to destroy this monster, but if the unvaccinated remain unmoved, it will be soon.

Anita Vijayakumar is a psychiatrist.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
SALEM, Ore. -- Gov. Kate Brown announced sweeping new vaccination mandates at a press conference on Thursday.

All teachers, educators, support staff and volunteers in K-12 schools must be fully vaccinated by Oct. 18 or six weeks after the vaccines receive full FDA approval, whichever is later.

For health care workers, moving forward, there will no longer be a testing alternative to vaccination, Brown said. The timeline for being fully vaccinated is the same as the one set out for teachers.

In both cases, health care workers and educators who are not vaccinated are urged to speak with their doctor to get answers to any remaining questions about the vaccine so they can begin the process.

Brown is pushing the importance of masks and staff vaccinations to protect students because children under the age of 12 are not eligible to get the shot.

President Joe Biden recently announced nursing home workers will be required to be vaccinated, or facilities could lose federal Medicaid and Medicare funding.

Watch the full press conference below.
SPRINGFIELD, Ore. -- The situation in Afghanistan is drawing strong reactions from veterans in our area who served there.

Joseph Washburn, who lives in Springfield, said he was deployed as a sergeant in the U.S. Army in 2012. He said his initial reaction to the current situation in Afghanistan was disbelief. He said he isn't sure how to help, but the urge to do so is strong.

"My initial reaction was faces of people that I had been living with, serving with, worked with, flashing before my face and I'm just wondering, is this person okay?" said Washburn.

Other veterans also said they are continuously reaching out and trying to help those who've served.

Trevor Fahlman, who also lives in Springfield, served in Afghanistan from 2014 to 2015. He said he never stops supporting and praying for the people he met during that time, and that includes the Afghan people.

RELATED: Brown: Oregon 'ready to welcome any and all Afghans'

"You know I worked alongside the Afghans on a day-to-day basis. I was meeting the civilians everyday, and I was talking with their army everyday, creating relationships with the interpreters. It's sad and I wish I could help in any way that I can, but unfortunately that's just not the reality nowadays," said Fahlman.

He said he often reflects back on his time overseas, and he said he did the mission he was supposed to do.

Morgan Mann, a retired colonel with the U.S. Marine Corps, told KEZI 9 News he doesn't disagree with President Joe Biden's decision to end the war. But the way it was done is a different story.

"How we're doing it and the time at which it's being done, seems like a pretty bad mistake. Why are we leaving in fighting season? Why wasn't there proper coordination with allies?" said Mann.

Washburn said he doesn't want to see the blame put on his brothers and sisters who fought with him.

"The overwhelming urge to want to help is strong and profound. But there's a sense of helplessness over here, especially when, on a national level, we can't seem to leverage our resources to help the Afghan people. It almost seems hopeless as individuals -- what can we possibly do to help the situation?" said Washburn.

And Mann said there are ways to help fellow veterans who might be having a hard time getting back to a normal way of life.

"Have a drink, you know have a conversation, have a smoke, and just get it off your chest and that's the best thing you can do. Like find people that have served and it doesn't matter where, why, when. And just get that comradery growing," said Mann.
Weather Alert

...FROST ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 2 AM TO 9 AM PDT WEDNESDAY... * WHAT...Temperatures as low as 37 will result in patchy frost formation. * WHERE...Colfax, Chewelah, Wallace, Osburn, Worley, Cheney, Hayden, Rathdrum, Republic, Eastport, St Maries, Moscow, Bonners Ferry, Kellogg, Tekoa, Uniontown, Mullan, Oakesdale, Kettle Falls, Rockford, Rosalia, Spokane, Sandpoint, Wauconda, Coeur d'Alene, La Crosse, Post Falls, Newport, Davenport, Priest River, Potlatch, Plummer, Genesee, Deer Park, Inchelium, Pullman, Colville, and Pinehurst. * WHEN...From 2 AM to 9 AM PDT Wednesday. * IMPACTS...Frost could harm sensitive outdoor vegetation. Sensitive outdoor plants may be killed if left uncovered. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Clouds are expected to thin overnight with winds calming down in sheltered valleys after midnight. The coolest temperatures will likely be just before sunrise Wednesday morning. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold. &&
A person is apprehended after being in a pickup truck parked on the sidewalk in front of the Library of Congress' Thomas Jefferson Building, as seen from a window of the U.S. Capitol, Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021, in Washington. Officials evacuated a number of buildings around the Capitol and sent snipers to the area after officers saw a man holding what looked like a detonator inside the pickup, which had no license plates. The man was identified as Floyd Ray Roseberry, 49, of Grover, North Carolina, according to two people briefed on the matter. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
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In response to growing humanitarian needs and severe emergencies, including the earthquake in Haiti and rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, the Irish Red Cross has launched an International Crisis Fund.

Funds are urgently needed to address the immediate humanitarian needs of people in Haiti, who have been devastated by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake, which has left a reported 1,941 people dead and almost 10,000 injured.

At the same time, the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated significantly, with millions of people requiring assistance following weeks of heavy fighting.

Red Cross and Red Crescent teams on the ground in Haiti and Afghanistan have been working around the clock to deliver emergency assistance to thousands of vulnerable people. Today, as World Humanitarian Day is marked, the Irish Red Cross is asking for the public to support their appeal.

Many of us feel helpless when we witness the devastating scenes that are playing out across the world. Haiti and Afghanistan are two very different contexts but they both need the support of the Irish people.

Today is World Humanitarian Day and its our duty as humanitarians not to turn away from tragedy as its unfolding in front of us. Many of us will never have first-hand experience of the type of crises that the people of Haiti and Afghanistan are currently facing, but we must stand in solidarity with vulnerable people, no matter where they are in the world, said Catrina Sheridan, Secretary General of the Irish Red Cross.

These are extraordinarily difficult times. With so many crisis across multiple context and regions, it is critical that we intensify our efforts and provide support to our urgent humanitarian work supporting people and communities affected by these crises, she added.

Funds raised through the Irish Red Cross International Crises appeal will allow the Red Cross the flexibility to help where it is needed most and will be used to provide immediate humanitarian support to those affected by crises, such as the ones now faced in Haiti and Afghanistan.

The Irish Red Cross is part of a worldwide network of volunteers that help people across the globe when and where they need it most. Disasters and conflict can have devastating, long-term effects on populations, especially in areas where humanitarian needs are already high.

To donate to the Irish Red Cross Crisis Appeal go to redcross.ie.
AUSTIN, Minn.  A man arrested standing next to a fire near a line of gas cans has been found not competent to stand trial.

Ashton Joseph Shrewsberry, 28 of Austin, was arrested on May 17 and charged with being a violent felon in possession of an incendiary device. Austin police say they were called to the 1300 block of 5th Avenue NW and found numerous gas cans lined along the street with a fire burning next to them.

Officers say the fire was dangerously close to the gas cans and Shrewsberry was near the fire. Police say there was also a Molotov cocktail sitting in the street and Shrewsberry told them he was just using it to store extra gasoline, and the rag sticking out of the bottle was to keep the gas from spilling.

Officers say Shrewsberry appeared to be under the influence of a drug and talked about burning down his house and trailers parked on the street.

After a mental evaluation, Shrewsberry was ruled incompetent to stand trial. He remains in the Mower County Jail on $50,000 bond.
ROCHESTER, Minn. - Rochester students go back to class in less than two weeks. To help them get ready for the school year ahead, the Rochester community is coming together to support them. Rochester's 1st Back to School Drive and Block Party is happening Saturday at Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park from 2 PM-7 PM.

The free back-to-school drive and block party is being made possible by parents, organizations, businesses, and other community members coming together with one goal in mind: connecting kids with resources before the school year. Everything is at no cost. Families can enjoy a meal, get a haircut, pick up school supplies, and enjoy games and music. They will have the opportunity to learn about community resources such as mental health counseling and tutoring.

"Kids have really been separated from each other for a long time by being in only online environments or partially online and then partially in the classroom and by being out here in this gorgeous park, we have an area where families can come back together and make those connections again," says Amanda Lipsky, one of the many volunteers.

Community Engagement Response Team, known as CERT, is one of the community organizations helping put on the event. "It was a very challenging year and there are still quite a few challenges ahead. A lot of parents have been out of work with the COVID and it's just been a really stressful time. So with CERT, if we're able to alleviate any of that stress or low funds that parents or families might be encountering, we'd love to help in that way," says CERT member Holly Becker.

Ahead of the event, a parade is beginning at Mayo Park and ending at Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park.

Masking at the event is highly encouraged.

If you'd like to donate school supplies ahead of the drive, you can drop them off at Pasquale's Neighborhood Pizzeria.
MASON CITY, Iowa  An accused man is pleading not guilty to a North Iowa attempted burglary of a second-story apartment.

Derek Allan Trca, 41 of Mason City, was arrested on July 26 and charged with second-degree attempted burglary, possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana, and stalking.

Mason City police say Trca used a ladder to climb onto the balcony of an apartment in the 500 block of N. Kentucky Avenue. Court documents state Trca apparently tried to enter through the sliding door but was found lying on the balcony porch with meth and pot in his possession.

Trcas trial is scheduled to start on October 5.
Authorities in Minnesota are looking to identify a man suspected of stealing cards from a basket at a funeral service.

Minnesota Public Safety said it happened earlier this summer when a man was seen on video removing cards from the basket that were intended for the deceased person's family. The man was taking cash out of the cards, authorities said.

Anyone with information is asked to call authorities in Bloomington at 952-563-8703.
MASON CITY, Iowa - In addition to clothes and supply shopping for the kids as they head back to school, getting that new haircut ahead of the first day is also a must.

Kut$ by KZ offered free haircuts to kids on Tuesday. It was a busy day for owner Kayzee Calaway, as 52 kids took advantage of getting a free cut, including a couple from Albert Lea.

While it was a one-day-only offer, Calaway says he's planning to offer it next year as well.
ST PAUL, Minn. - Minnesota Gov. Walz said Thursday that the state is ready to welcome Afghan refugee families.

Minnesota has a strong tradition of welcoming those who seek refuge and supporting them to rebuild their lives and become part of our communities, reads the letter sent by Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan. Minnesota is eager to uphold that tradition by welcoming families and children and providing the stable foundation they need to rebuild their lives, achieve their highest potential, and contribute to our state. We stand ready to work with the Biden Administration to welcome families as this effort to provide safety and refuge continues.

You can read the full text below:

Dear President Biden:

Like people across the globe, Minnesotans have watched the events unfolding in Afghanistan with grief and sadness. Minnesotans believe in treating all people with respect and dignity, and we have a strong tradition of welcoming those who seek refuge and supporting them to rebuild their lives and become part of our communities. Minnesota is eager to uphold that tradition by welcoming families and children and providing the stable foundation they need to rebuild their lives, achieve their highest potential, and contribute to our state.

You may already be aware that in the past Minnesota has stepped forward to help those who are fleeing desperate situations and need a safe place to call home. New Minnesotans strengthen our communities and contribute to the social fabric of our state. They are our neighbors.

We stand ready to work with you and your administration to welcome families as this effort to provide safety and refuge continues.

Sincerely,

Tim Walz

Governor

Peggy Flanagan

Lt. Governor
MASON CITY, Iowa - Ahead of the Wednesday evening dinner rush, the staff at the Happy Donkey was busy. Owner Luis Garcia says his staff is hard at work with cleaning and safety precautions, with all staff wearing masks while at work.

"We are trying to protect our customers, and also we're trying to protect ourselves."

The entire staff has been vaccinated, and there have been no virus outbreaks. Garcia has noticed more of his customers wearing masks of late, and is recommending others do the same.

"We're not forcing anyone, but we are inviting everybody to wear a mask, especially in this time."

With COVID-19 cases on the rise, particularly those of the Delta variant, health officials are growing concerned about the coming school year and cooler temperatures that will soon force us all indoors. Statewide, Iowa's rolling 7-14 day average is sitting at 7.8%. CG Public Health Director Brian Hanft says cases are triple what they were earlier this summer, with Cerro Gordo County's 7-day rolling average now up to 6%.

"If the public remembers last year, 10% was the threshold, something we were monitoring. We're not there yet, but we're definitely watching the numbers on a weekly basis."

With students in the district set to return to classes next week, as well as the upcoming influenza season, Hanft feels we could potentially see a repeat of what we saw last fall and winter.

"The challenges are going to be substantially increased because we don't have those controls available to us in the school setting. Because of those reasons, I'm anticipating a pretty rough 6 months, if not 12 months."

He hopes people do their part to stop the spread.

"Pay attention to how you're feeling. If you're coming down with symptoms, even if you're vaccinated, if you're symptomatic, fever, if you've had headaches, lost taste of smell, a simple cold, you might want to get checked."

While Iowa school districts are legally not allowed to issue any mask mandate at the local level, Hanft is encouraging kids to wear masks to school this upcoming year.

COVID-19 test kits through the Test Iowa program are available for pick-up at CG Public Health's offices. In addition, Quick Care Urgent Care in Mason City also offers same-day testing.

Hanft adds that CG Public Health and local pharmacies have an abundant supply of vaccines. Shots are administered at their offices on 4th Street Southwest on Wednesdays and Fridays.
ST. LOUIS (KMOV.com) -- St. Louis Aldermanic President Lewis Reed is planning to launch an investigation into the conditions at the City Justice Center (CJC) and Medium Security Institution, also known as the Workhouse.

Reed said he's waiting until the Board of Alderman are back in session to do this, but says it's crucial to figuring out a permanent fix to ongoing issues. New surveillance video shows inmates on the ground being beaten for several hours in the latest disturbance inside the CJC.

Surveillance video shows detainees beating other detainees at City Justice Center News 4 has obtained surveillance video showing detainees beating other detainees at the City Justice Center (CJC) in downtown St. Louis Friday night into Saturday.

"This absolutely is a failure of leadership," Reed said.

Reed said Mayor Tishaura Jones' forced closure of the Workhouse jail is showing it was a mistake. "It's not a good situation for anybody. The people who are being detained, the people who are employed there," Reed said.

Mayor Jones campaigned on closing the Workhouse in her first 100 days. In April, she, Congresswoman Cori Bush and other city activists toured both the Workhouse and CJC. Jones said seeing the facilities first-hand confirmed her thoughts to close the Workhouse.

"We don't have all the answers today, but this is the first step to getting those answers. We don't need two systems," Jones said in April.

In June, the Workhouse was closed after the mayor and congresswoman called the conditions inhumane.

"We understand this isn't a hotel, but that doesn't mean you don't treat people with dignity, respect, with basic kindness. That their basic rights should be met because they're in one of these types of institutions," Congresswoman Bush said.

In August, two months after the Workhouse's closure and several riots and fights later, inmates are back in it. A facility deemed inhumane and uninhabitable by both St. Louis' Mayor and U.S. Congresswoman Bush. Neither of them would go on camera Wednesday to comment.

In a statement sent to News 4, Mayor Jones acknowledges the conditions in both facilities are far from adequate.

"The conditions in both facilities are far from adequate. Our administration has inherited an incarceration system that needs a full transformation in basic security measures like functioning locks, filling staff vacancies, and ensuring detainees receive regular meals, recreation time, and resources for them to reenter society on the right footing once they've served their time," Jones said in a statement.

The CJC's Chief of Security, Major Tonya Harry, said those basic security needs, along with other updated protocols, are crucial when officers have to respond to fights, altercations and uprisings inside the jail.

"If we had proper manpower, the special response team, the proper equipment, even with face masks for when we do deploy the OC, to where we don't get incapacitated, to get these locks fixed," Harry said.

Right now, Mayor Jones tells us her administration is working directly with city corrections and the city's public safety director to decrease the violence inside the CJC. We're waiting on the specific details involved with doing that.
(CNN) -- A vast majority of US residents live in an area with high COVID-19 transmission, but hospitalization and death rates are significantly higher in states with the lowest vaccination rates.

In the 10 states with the lowest vaccination rates, fewer than 41% of their residents have been fully vaccinated. In the 10 states with the highest vaccination rates, more than 58% of their residents have been inoculated against coronavirus.

Hospitalization rates in those bottom 10 states are nearly four times higher, and death rates are more than 5.5 times higher than in the top 10 states, according to a CNN analysis of federal data.

Nearly 93% of the US population lives in an area with high COVID-19 transmission, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"We continue to see a rise in cases driven by the more transmissible Delta variant with cases concentrated in communities with lower vaccination rates," Jeff Zients, White House coronavirus response coordinator, said Wednesday at a virtual Covid-19 briefing. "So this remains a pandemic of the unvaccinated."

The 10 states with the lowest vaccination rates are Alabama, Mississippi, Wyoming, Idaho, Louisiana, Arkansas, West Virginia, Georgia, Tennessee and North Dakota. Data from the US Department of Health and Human Services shows an average of 39 people hospitalized with Covid-19 for every 100,000 residents in those states, compared to 10 for every 100,000 in the top 10 vaccinated states.

The top states with high vaccination rates are Vermont, Massachusetts, Maine, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maryland, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Washington and New York.

In the 10 states with the lowest vaccination rates, there is an average of about 34 deaths per 1 million residents, and in states with the highest, the average is six deaths per 1 million, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Wallensky said at the news conference that the country is averaging about 500 Covid-19 deaths a day -- deaths that "remain largely preventable."

"In areas with low vaccination coverage, we continue to hear far too many heartbreaking stories of people who did not get vaccinated, only then to get severe Covid-19," she said. "In these areas, the data are showing us that the more people who are in the hospital, and tragically, more people are dying of Covid-19."

Child Covid-19 cases are steadily increasing as schools reopen

As Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations surge in the US, a health expert is warning that an accompanying rise in cases among children, many of whom aren't yet eligible to be vaccinated, will only worsen as schools resume classes.

That warning comes as top US health officials announced their intention -- subject to pending regulatory decisions -- to soon start allowing booster shots for any adult who'd received two mRNA Covid-19 vaccine shots.

As for youths: More than 121,000 child Covid-19 cases were reported in the US last week -- more than 14 times the weekly number in late June, when the figure was at the low point for 2021, the American Academy of Pediatrics reported this week.

This likely is just the start of what is to come, said Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine.

"This is happening before school starts. Schools are opening now," Hotez told CNN's Jake Tapper on Tuesday. "So, Houston Independent school district opens August 23. That's going to be a huge accelerant. ... This is just the beginning, unfortunately."

Though the rise in children's cases coincides with the surges among the broader US public since early summer, the proportion of child cases is up. Child cases represented 18% of the US total last week, against 14.4% over the whole pandemic, AAP says.

Health experts had hoped to get a critical threshold of the population vaccinated against Covid-19 in time to get spread under control for the new school year, but only 51% of the population is fully vaccinated.

And with the more transmissible Delta variant accounting now for nearly 99% of cases in the US, the situation is growing particularly dangerous for children, experts said.

They have advocated for children to wear masks in school, but some governors have attempted to ban such requirements.

"Why tie the hands of the public health officials behind their backs? You have two weapons here, one is vaccines, the other is masking, and for children less than 12 that's the only weapon they have," Dr. Paul Offit, a member of the US Food and Drug Administration's vaccine advisory committee, told CNN's Erin Burnett on Tuesday.

Hotez said the US is now at a "screaming level of virus transmission," adding that to really interrupt the spread, 80 to 85% of the population will need to be vaccinated.

Boosters planned for adult mRNA vaccine recipients

On Wednesday, the US surgeon general announced a plan to allow booster shots to any American adult, age 18 and older, who already had received two doses of either the Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna mRNA vaccines.

Missouri's COVID death rate among nation's worst The summer surge of COVID-19 is causing a spike in deaths in Missouri, including 124 reporte

That plan still depends on whether the US Food and Drug Administration authorizes boosters and whether the CDC's immunization advisory committee recommends those boosters, US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy said.

Under the plan, adult mRNA vaccine recipients would be eligible for a booster eight months after receiving their second dose, starting the week of September 20, Murthy said during the White House COVID-19 news conference.

As for the people who received the other Covid-19 vaccine authorized in the US -- the one-dose Johnson & Johnson product -- more data needs to be collected before a booster is recommended for them, Murthy said.

The plan to authorize an mRNA booster comes as data suggests that protection against mild and moderate disease from the first two doses appears to decline over time, Murthy said.

He emphasized coronavirus vaccines still appear to be effective in protecting against severe COVID-19, hospitalization and death.

But, "we are concerned that this pattern of decline we are seeing (in protections against mild and moderate disease) will continue in the months ahead, which could lead to reduced protection against severe disease, hospitalization and death," Murthy said.

On Monday, Pfizer and BioNTech said they submitted initial data to the FDA to support the use of a booster. Their data indicated a booster dose elicited a significantly higher antibody response against the initial strain of coronavirus and the Delta and Beta variants compared to what was seen among people who got two doses.

Last week, the FDA authorized third doses for some people who are immunocompromised, and the CDC almost immediately recommended giving those doses.

As the Delta variant increased its grip in the US this summer, coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and deaths have jumped.

The US averaged more than 137,500 new daily cases over the past week -- an average that is more than 11 times higher than it was two months ago, when the figure was nearing its lowest point of the year, according to Johns Hopkins University.

More than 88,300 Covid-19 patients were in US hospitals Tuesday, nearly five times higher than two months ago, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. And the US averaged 734 Covid-19 deaths a day over the past week, more than double the average seen two months ago, according to Johns Hopkins.

Thousands of students already quarantining

Many schools that have gone back to campus are already seeing the impact of the spread of the virus.

'We are breaking': Missouri nurse pleas to unvaccinated An ICU nurse at Capital Region in Jefferson City said she and her colleagues can no longer sit by and watch others die.

More than 3,000 students and employees have been quarantined in the New Orleans Public School District because of COVID-19 cases in the past week, according to the district's latest tally.

They represent 5.89% of the students and teachers in the district.

Students returned to the New Orleans Public School District on August 12 and are required to wear masks in school facilities, according to the district.

Mask mandates have caused tension in Florida as some schools press to implement them but are going up against Gov. Ron DeSantis' ban against such requirements.

Among the state's 15 largest school districts, at least 4,641 students and 1,547 employees have tested positive for coronavirus and at least another 19,072 students and staff members have been quarantined or isolated because of COVID-19.

The tallies do not include any cases from the two biggest school districts in Florida -- Miami-Dade and Broward. Miami-Dade begins classes August 23. Broward started Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Florida's State Board of Education voted unanimously to recommend investigations into the Broward and Alachua districts over their requirements for mask-wearing in school.

In Arizona, Gov. Doug Ducey said the state would use federal Covid relief money to increase the funding available to public school districts only if they're open for in-person learning and don't require children to wear masks.

A handful of Arizona districts have imposed mask mandates despite the state law that prohibits them, arguing the ban cannot go into effect until mid-September at the earliest, making their current mandates legal.

In Washington, Gov. Jay Inslee announced a policy that requires everyone who works at an academic institution in the state to be vaccinated by October 18.

"We won't gamble with the health of our children, our educators and school staff, nor the health of the communities they serve," Inslee said.

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A Covid-19 vaccine record card is seen here at the Florida Memorial University Vaccination Site in Miami Gardens, Florida in April.
COLUMBIA - Out of the 343 largest counties in the nation, Boone County ranks high in the topic of economy.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics report, Boone County ranks No. 17 in maintaining employment workforce and No. 11 in average wage growth.

The report indicates in the first quarter of 2021 (January, February and March), Boone County employed around 93,900 people, which is a 6% decrease from the previous year.

Even after the 6% decrease, Boone County's ability to maintain a workforce ranked 17 out of the 343 largest counties nationwide.

During the same period, the bureau measured the average weekly wages. For Boone County, the average weekly wage is $1,005. That number is a 10.4% increase from the year before. With these numbers, Boone County ranked No. 11 for its wage growth.

That growth attracted a Columbia native to return to his hometown.

Rodney Dixon got a job at Equipment Share back in March and was attracted to the above average industry pay and the community.

"The culture here, you know, it's innovative, it's growing, you're learning. It's a dynamic workplace," Dixon said. "With the pay, and then just the potential for growth, and you know, unlimited opportunity at this point, because equipment share, we really are growing so much, that's what's really made this the place that I decided I wanted to work."

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Dixon said he was not surprised by the numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics report. He said he sees people coming to the area for work and especially at Equipment Share.

"One of the reasons it's constantly cited is, you know, the pay," Dixon said.

Matt McCormick, president of Columbia Chamber of Commerce, applauds the economic growth and diversification of businesses.

"We're not reliant upon just one thing," McCormick said. "We have a good diverse base of businesses."

McCormick said with the ability of having diversification in business, when one industry falls, the others are able to absorb it and keep the economy growing until the industry that fell can make a comeback.

Business growth is another reason McCormick gives for explaining the recent numbers.

"A lot of businesses that have opened or expanded are grown," McCormick said. "You start taking a look at places like Veterans United, Equipment Share and some other manufacturing companies that have moved in over the last couple of years, and bringing all that together continues to grow."

With a lot of business diversification and growth, unemployment is something McCormick said they are working on.

"That's the number one thing we hear from our business community, is the struggle of finding a workforce right now," McCormick said.

McCormick said they are working closely with the brand new vice president of the department of workforce development to find a way to use their unemployment numbers and number of jobs available to continue to grow.
Police respond to the scene of a "suspicious vehicle" near the Library of Congress on August 19.




North Korea is economically dependent on China but views their relationship as fundamentally based on distrust, a U.S. think tank said Tuesday.







The Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington, D.C. also said that China is unwilling to solve the North Korean issue as it views Pyongyang through the lens of competition with the United States.







"Therefore, real practical cooperation between the U.S. and China on denuclearization is limited," the think tank's office of congressional relations said in a report, titled "Wilson Memo: The Unique Relationship Between China & North Korea."







"On one hand, there is a chance that North Korea may be willing to denuclearize if it feels comfortable with China expanding its nuclear umbrella over North Korea. However, any agreement in this realm would clash with the ideology of juche, therefore making it unlikely," it added.







The think tank attributed such deep distrust between Pyongyang and Beijing to the North's "juche," or self-reliance ideology, and more specifically to historical events, such as the Minsaengdan Incident in the 1930s, a massacre of ethnic Koreans carried out by the Communist Party of China in the name of purging pro-Japanese spies.







It also pointed out that Beijing, unlike Washington, does not want to see regime change in the North as it could promote stronger U.S. influence over the Korean Peninsula.







"Ultimately, it is likely that China would prefer the deAmericanization of the peninsula rather than its denuclearization," it said. (Yonhap)






President Moon Jae-in will hold an in-person summit with his Colombian counterpart Ivan Duque next week in Seoul, Cheong Wa Dae announced Thursday.







Moon and Duque are scheduled to hold the summit on Wednesday, the second day of the Colombian leader's three-day state visit to South Korea set to begin Tuesday, Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson Park Kyung-mee said.







According to the presidential office, the state visit was arranged at the invitation of the South Korean president to mark the 10th anniversary of a bilateral strategic partnership and the 70th anniversary of Colombia's participation in the 1950-53 Korean War this year.







The two leaders plan to exchange ideas on achieving economic recovery in the post-COVID-19 era based on their signature growth policies. They are also expected to forge comprehensive partnerships in key areas such as digital transition, eco-friendly infrastructures, and bio and agriculture industries.







Moon also plans to deliver Seoul's willingness to support Colombian veterans of the Korean War and their families, as well as contribute to the modernization of the South American nation's military. Following the summit, the two leaders plan to adopt a joint statement on their discussions.







"The two leaders will work to present a firm foundation in expanding the future-oriented strategic partnership between South Korea and Colombia," Park said. (Yonhap)


Carlos Victor Boungou, Gabonese ambassador to Korea, speaks during an interview with The Korea Times at the country's embassy in Itaewon, Seoul, Aug. 10. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk



Korea-Africa Forum to discuss post-COVID-19 strategy in December



By Kwon Mee-yoo



Gabon is a country in Central Africa, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and on the Equator. It was one of the first African countries to establish diplomatic relations with Korea back in 1962, while opening an embassy in Seoul in 1975.



The Central African country celebrates its Independence Day, Aug. 17, and Ambassador of Gabon to Korea Carlos Victor Boungou shared how the country commemorates this in an interview with The Korea Times, Aug. 10.



"Gabon got independence from the French on Aug. 17, 1960 and this year marks the 61st anniversary of Gabon's independence," Boungou said. "In terms of celebration, what we do at the highest point is the military parade, which attests the state of the nation, the solidity of the institutions and the stability of the country."



Gabon's president also seizes the opportunity to award honorary distinctions to citizens who have achieved high merits in various fields.



"Independence Day offers the opportunity for the president to award honorary distinctions to dignitaries, soldiers, politicians, civil servants and to all people in recognition of loyalty in serving the nation or for particular achievements," he said.



Some of the medals are awarded to foreigners who have played roles in the development of Gabon and in the reinforcement of bilateral relations between Gabon and the country of origin. They have included some Korean nationals in the past, including taekwondo master Park Sang-chul, who served as the head of presidential security of Gabon for over 30 years.



Gabon is a country rich in natural resources and the bilateral volume of trade between Gabon and Korea has increased significantly over the last decade from $41 million in 2010 to $571.2 million in 2018.



"When you take a closer look at the trade exchanges between Gabon and Korea, you will see that the largest part of the trade between the two countries is made of crude oil as Korea is one of the largest importers from Gabon. When it comes to Gabon's imports from Korea, it includes machinery, cars and electric appliances," the ambassador said.



"From an institutional standpoint, the Korean government provides significant support to Gabon in its path of development. Korea offers capacity building programs through KOICA (Korea International Cooperation Agency) and Gabon students benefit from the Korean government's scholarship programs."



The ambassador puts his effort into raising awareness of and promoting Gabon in Korea.



"The role of a diplomatic mission is very important in promotion of trade and business relations. So the Gabonese embassy here has been working hard in promoting Gabon as the destination in terms of raw materials," he said.



"When you look for a country to do business, there should be a reasonable degree of peace and stability in the country and Gabon is a very stable place in the African continent that has known some degree of instability in the past. Fortunately, the situation has been improving over the years, but for a long time Gabon has remained very stable."



Ambassador Boungou also emphasized the importance of political dialogue, especially at the highest level, as it signals progress in bilateral relations.



"When you see a political dialogue among the leaders, it tends to contribute to the choice of a business destination. Having said that, it is common knowledge in the minds of many Koreans that out of many African countries, Gabon is one of the countries that visited Korea the most  the former Gabonese President Omar Bongo visited Korea four times from 1970 to 2007. The current President Ali Bongo Ondimba also visited Korea two times (with his father and former president) and visited again as president in 2010 and 2012," he said.





Cityscape of Gabonese capital Libreville / gettyimagesbank



Leading ICT country in Africa



The ambassador sees a large potential in the future Gabon-Korea relations as Korea has been present in Gabon in the fields such as information and communication technology (ICT) for a long time now.



"Korea has contributed a lot to the development of ICT in Gabon. Even before the (COVID-19) pandemic, the Gabon government had sensed the importance of ICT and they looked around the globe to find the best partner to go with on the path of development in the ICT sector and Korea actually was the best partner," he said.



The ambassador said Korea is in a position of comparative advantage as the country went through rapid development and was in the same position as most African states are now just a few decades ago.



"Korea is best qualified to bring its own example of development to the Africans  if I was able to do it, you are able to do it too," he said.



Gabon and Korea have been cooperating in an e-government implementation project, conducted by Korean companies KT Network and Samsung C&T since 2008.



"Gabon initiated an e-government project to endow the public administration with its own secure, efficient and stable infrastructure and communications network, first in the capital city Libreville and then throughout the national territory, under the name of the Network of the Gabonese Administration (RAG)," Boungou said.



The efforts are bearing fruit amid the COVID-19 pandemic as the technology connects people despite social distancing measures and lockdowns.



"People were able to communicate and work from home because they had the internet. So, the e-government project by Samsung and KT has been very, very important. It has also helped to diversify the economy and create jobs in other areas. Those are the advantages of the e-government projects and it falls under the umbrella of the bilateral relations between Gabon and Korea because Korea is the main provider of internet solutions in Gabon."



Gabon invested in the field of ICT to become a hub in the central African region and Korea's contribution to the development has been crucial. In 2017, KT won a contract worth 9 million euros to build a fiber optic network connecting Gabon with neighboring countries.



"This Central African Backbone Project is in line with the overarching target to connect the Central African region in order to diversify the economies, create jobs and democratize the use of information and communication technologies."





A forest elephant in the Loango National Park in Gabon / gettyimagesbank
By Sean L. Callahan



The United Nations' latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report is undoubtedly the strongest warning yet that a failure to address the causes of climate change will be disastrous. No country or state will be spared.



It proves what we've known for years: Faster and more efficient measures must be taken if we want to see meaningful environmental changes in the next few decades. At the same time, we must do a better job helping those already dealing with catastrophe.



As the head of the Baltimore-based global charity Catholic Relief Services (CRS), I'm alarmed by how fast the planet's changes are impacting the communities we serve. For example, in Southern Madagascar, families are surviving prolonged drought by eating insects, wilted cactus leaves and wild berries.



In Guatemala, farmers in the Dry Corridor are migrating to make money after erratic rainfall and horrendous storms ruined their crops. In communities from the Middle East to southern Asia, the climate crisis has been equally devastating.



To be sure, the suffering already being inflicted by climate change is not limited to what's happening overseas. This summer's record-breaking heat waves across the Pacific Northwest and the devastating wildfires fires scorching California are proof of that. In Maryland, we're the fourth most vulnerable state to the effects of sea-level rise.



So, what can be done to adapt to these changes so that life is survivable?



There are signs of hope in recent legislation. The Biden administration has announced $3.5 billion in new funding to help communities in the United States increase resilience to climate impacts. In addition, the U.S. Senate passed an infrastructure bill that would include funding for Chesapeake Bay restoration. These are positive developments for those of us who live in Maryland and across the country. But this same type of investment needs to be made to help vulnerable communities overseas.



For example, the U.S. should significantly increase its support of the Green Climate Fund, which was set up as the primary way for countries to fund climate adaptation and mitigation efforts. A substantial portion of the Green Climate Fund gets directed toward countries most at risk.



In August, before leaving for recess, the U.S. House passed its Fiscal Year 2022 State and Foreign Operations bill. Their bill provides $1.6 billion for the Green Climate Fund, in addition to other important climate-related investments, which in total equals $3 billion. We urge the Senate to follow suit and see these investments through.



In the meantime, organizations like CRS are on the front lines of the climate crisis. Across Africa, we work with farmers using climate-smart agriculture techniques. In countries like Bangladesh and the Philippines, we're helping communities in low-lying areas prepare for storms.



In Central America, we're helping farmers protect their soil and make more efficient use of scarce water. Some of the projects fueling this work are already funded by the U.S. government and other generous donors. Additional investments from the public and private sectors could take these programs to scale.



We're lucky to have world leaders like Pope Francis championing change. In his second encyclical, Laudato Si, he called for collective action to confront the environmental challenges ahead. In it, he reminds us to be hopeful, writing, "All is not lost. Human beings, while capable of the worst, are also capable of rising above themselves and choosing again what is good and making a new start."



Now is the time for us to heed his words, to rise above our inertia and partisan squabbles, and make a new start. For many of the communities where we work, the stakes couldn't be higher.





Sean L. Callahan is president and CEO of Catholic Relief Services. This article appeared in the Baltimore Sun and was distributed by Tribune Content Agency.


By James M. Dorsey





Taliban advances in Afghanistan shift the Central Asian playing field on which China, India and the United States compete with rival infrastructure-driven approaches. At first glance, a Taliban takeover of Kabul would give China a 2:0 advantage against the U.S. and India, but that could prove to be a shaky headstart.



The potential fall of the U.S.-backed Afghan government of President Ashraf Ghani will shelve, if not kill, Indian support for the Iranian port of Chabahar that was intended to facilitate Indian trade with Afghanistan and Central Asia.



Chabahar was also viewed by India as a counterweight to the Chinese-supported Pakistani port of Gwadar, a crown jewel of the People's Republic's transportation, telecommunications and energy-driven Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).



The United States facilitated Indian investment in Chabahar by exempting the port from harsh U.S. sanctions against Iran. The exemption was intended to "support the reconstruction and development of Afghanistan."



However, with negotiations with Iran about a revival of the 2015 international nuclear agreement stalled, the United States announced in July together with Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan plans to create a platform that would foster regional trade, business ties and connectivity.



The connectivity end of the plan resembled an effort to cut off one's nose to spite one's face. It would have circumvented Iran and weakened Chabahar but potentially strengthened China's Gwadar alongside the port of Karachi.



That has become a moot point, with the plans certain to be shelved as the Taliban move to take over Kabul and form a government that would be denied recognition by at least the democratic parts of the international community.



Like other Afghan neighbors, neither Pakistan nor Uzbekistan or for that matter China are likely to join a boycott of the Taliban. On the contrary, China last month made a point of giving a visiting Taliban delegation a warm welcome.



Recognition of a Taliban government by Iran, Central Asian states and China is however unlikely to be enough to salvage the Chabahar project. "Changed circumstances and alternative connectivity routes are being conjured up by other countries to make Chabahar irrelevant," an Iranian source told Hard News and The Wire.



The Taliban have sought to reassure China, Iran, Uzbekistan and other Afghan neighbors that they will not allow Afghanistan to become an operational base for jihadist groups, including al-Qaida and Uighur militants of the Turkestan Islamic Party (TIP).



The Taliban have positioned themselves as solely concerned with creating an Islamic emirate in Afghanistan and having no inclination to operate beyond the borders of the Central Asian state, but have been consistent in their refusal to expel al-Qaida, even if the group is a shadow of what it was when it launched the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington 20 years ago.



The TIP has occasionally issued videos documenting its presence in Afghanistan but has, by and large, kept a low profile in the country and refrained from attacking Chinese targets in Afghanistan or across the border in Xinjiang, the northwestern Chinese province in which authorities have brutally cracked down on ethnic Turkic Uighurs.



As a result, the Taliban reassurance was insufficient to stop China from repeatedly advising its citizens to leave Afghanistan as soon as possible.



"Currently, the security situation in Afghanistan has further deteriorated  If Chinese citizens insist on staying in Afghanistan, they will face extremely high security risks, and all the consequences will be borne by themselves," the Chinese foreign ministry said.



The fallout of the Taliban's sweep across Afghanistan, despite the group's assurances, is likely to affect China beyond Afghan borders, perhaps no more so than in Pakistan, a major focus of the People's Republic's single largest Belt and Road-related investment.



The investment has made China a target for attacks by militants, primarily Baloch nationalists. However, the killing in July of nine Chinese nationals in an explosion on a bus transporting Chinese workers to the construction site of a dam in the northern mountains of Pakistan, a region more prone to attacks by religious militants, raises the specter of jihadists also targeting China. It was the highest loss of life of Chinese citizens in Pakistan in recent years.



The attack occurred amid fears that the Taliban will bolster ultra-conservative religious sentiment in Pakistan that celebrates the group as heroes whose success enhances the chances for austere religious rule in the world's second-most-populous Muslim-majority state.



"Our jihadis will be emboldened. They will say that 'if America can be beaten, what is the Pakistan army to stand in our way?'" a senior Pakistani official said.



Indicating Chinese concern, China has delayed the signing of a framework agreement on industrial cooperation that would have accelerated the implementation of projects that are part of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).



Scholar Kamran Bokhari said: "Regime change is a terribly messy process. Weak regimes can be toppled; replacing them is the hard part. It is only a matter of time before the Afghan state collapses, unleashing chaos that will spill beyond its borders. All of Afghanistan's neighbors will be affected to varying degrees, but Pakistan and China have the most to lose."



The demise of Chabahar and/or the targeting by the Taliban of Hazara Shiites in Afghanistan could potentially turn Iran into a significant loser too.





Dr. James M. Dorsey (jamesmdorsey@substack.com) is an award-winning journalist and scholar and a senior fellow at the National University of Singapore's Middle East Institute. The views expressed in the above article are the author's own and do not reflect the editorial direction of The Korea Times.


Taliban fighters patrol in the Wazir Akbar Khan neighborhood in the city of Kabul, Aug. 18. The Taliban declared an "amnesty" across Afghanistan and urged women to join their government Tuesday, seeking to convince a wary population that they have changed a day after deadly chaos gripped the main airport as desperate crowds tried to flee the country. AP-Yonhap



At least three people were killed in anti-Taliban protests in the Afghan city of Jalalabad on Wednesday, witnesses said, as the Islamist group moved to consolidate power and Western countries ramped up evacuations from a chaotic Kabul airport.



Thousands of people are trying to flee the country, fearing a return to the austere interpretation of Islamic law imposed during the previous Taliban rule that ended 20 years ago.



Witnesses said armed members of the Taliban were preventing people from getting into the airport compound, including those with the necessary documents to travel.



"It's a complete disaster. The Taliban were firing into the air, pushing people, beating them with AK47s," said one person who was trying to get through.



A Taliban official said commanders and soldiers had fired into the air to disperse crowds outside Kabul airport, but told Reuters: "We have no intention to injure anyone."



U.S. officials have told the Taliban "that we expect them to allow all American citizens, all third-country nationals, and all Afghans who wish to leave to do so safely and without harassment," U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman told reporters in Washington.



But the 4,500 U.S. troops in Kabul cannot help bring people to the airport for evacuation because they are focused on securing the airfield, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told a Washington news conference, acknowledging that evacuations had not reached targets.



General Mark Milley, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, said security at the Kabul airport was stable and the Taliban were not interfering with U.S. military operations.



Foreign ministers of the Group of Seven nations are due to discuss the evacuation effort and seek to coordinate flights at a virtual meeting on Thursday, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said.



Some 150 km (90 miles) east of the capital in Jalalabad, protests against the Taliban provided an early test of the group's promise of peaceful rule.



After seizing power over the weekend, the Taliban said they would not take revenge against old enemies and would respect the rights of women within the framework of Islamic law.



Two witnesses and a former police official told Reuters that Taliban fighters opened fire when residents tried to install Afghanistan's national flag at a square in the city, killing three and injuring more than a dozen.



Taliban spokespeople could not be reached for comment.





Taliban officials arrange a Taliban flag, before a press conference by Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, at the Government Media Information Center, in Kabul, Aug. 17. Mujahid vowed Tuesday that the Taliban would respect women's rights, forgive those who resisted them and ensure a secure Afghanistan as part of a publicity blitz aimed at convincing world powers and a fearful population that they have changed. AP-Yonhap



Not a democracy



A new government to replace that of President Ashraf Ghani, who is in exile in the United Arab Emirates, may take the form of a ruling council, with Taliban supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada in overall charge, a senior member of the group said.



But Afghanistan would not be a democracy. "It is sharia law and that is it," Waheedullah Hashimi told Reuters.



Ghani, who has been bitterly criticized by former ministers for leaving Afghanistan as Taliban forces swept into Kabul on Sunday, said he had followed the advice of government officials. He denied reports he took large sums of money with him.



"If I had stayed, I would be witnessing bloodshed in Kabul," Ghani said in a video streamed on Facebook, his first public comments since it was confirmed he was in the UAE.



About 5,000 diplomats, security staff, aid workers and Afghans have been evacuated from Kabul in the past 24 hours and military flights will continue around the clock, a Western official told Reuters.



"Everyone wants out," said a member of an Afghan family after they arrived in Germany. "Every day is worse than the day before. We saved ourselves but we couldn't rescue our families."



The Taliban have suggested they will impose their laws less severely than during their former rule, and a senior official said on Wednesday that the group's leaders would be less reclusive than in the past.



"Slowly, gradually, the world will see all our leaders," the senior Taliban official told Reuters.





In this Aug. 10 file photo, an internally displaced woman from northern provinces, who fled her home due to fighting between the Taliban and Afghan security personnel, has her blood pressure taken after taking refuge in a public park in Kabul. AP-Yonhap
Tibbits Young Audiences spring production of The Nifty Fifties forged ahead amidst COVID precautions. Auditions for the next show, Comic Book Artist, will be Aug. 23 and 24 at 5 p.m. at the Tibbits Opera House in Coldwater, Michigan.
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VANCOUVER, WA (KPTV)  Starting Monday, every Washingtonian, regardless of vaccination status, will have to wear masks in public indoor spaces.

Governor Jay Inslee made the announcement Wednesday, along with the requirement that all K-12 public school staff get vaccinated.

The universal mask mandate does not apply to public outdoor spaces, indoor office spaces or other workspaces not accessible to the public, and small private indoor gatherings where everybody is vaccinated.

While people aren't thrilled about the face covering requirement coming back, a local Vancouver business told FOX 12 they'll do what's needed to keep staff and the community safe.

Washington requires COVID-19 vaccination for teachers, staff OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP)  Washington state is expanding its COVID-19 vaccine mandate to include all public, charter and private school teachers an

"I'm not looking forward to it, but it has to be done," Locust Cider & Brewing general manager Gemma House said.

House opened her downtown Vancouver cider house just days before businesses shut down due to the pandemic last year. She said she's been through three rounds of furloughs with her staff.

"I don't want to go backwards," House said.

House and her staff have already been wearing masks indoors, citing Delta variant concerns as the reason why.

"At this point there hasn't been enough vaccinations to keep myself and my staff safe, so if that's what we need to do to move forward, I'm all for it," House said.

She told FOX 12 she's not looking forward to having to enforce the rules inside her business again come Monday, saying there are always "a few" customers who push back.

"We will ask people to please put their mask on, she said. If they don't want to put one on, they can order from outside."

Bonnie Little, who lives in Vancouver, said she won't need any extra encouragement to put her mask on. In fact, she says she's been wearing her facial covering anywhere indoors outside of her home for weeks now.

"I think it's really about us caring for each other," Little said.

Little said her father, who is 91, recently tested positive for COVID-19 even though he's been vaccinated.

"It's not about control, Little told FOX 12. It's about responsibility for our parents, our children, our aunts and uncles, our teachers."

Not everybody agrees. Many negative comments started pouring into the FOX 12 Facebook page after Gov. Inslee's announcement.

"Your freedoms are slowly but surely being taken away," one person wrote.

Another said, "these tyrants need to go home."
Inside the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans for the New Orleans & Company Job Fest on Thursday, Aug. 5, 2021. (Photo by Chris Granger | The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate)
BIG HORN COUNTY, Mont.  The Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) is encouraging Montana vaccine providers to begin offering the COVID-19 vaccine booster shot to immune-compromised individuals as soon as possible.

Following federal recommendations, Montana health care providers can now offer a third dose of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to immune-compromised individuals.

"This is great news because we know the impact COVID-19 has with high-risk groups," DPHHS Director Adam Meier said. "The updated recommendations will ensure those most vulnerable to complications from COVID-19 can get as much protection as possible."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that around 3% of those eligible for vaccination are moderately to severely immune-compromised, which is an estimated 22,000 Montanans.

The CDC recommends an additional dose of the COVID-19 vaccine for people who fall under the following categories:

Have been receiving active cancer treatment for tumors or blood cancers

Received an organ transplant and are taking medicine to suppress the immune system

Received a stem cell transplant within the last two years or are taking related medicine to suppress the immune system

Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (such as DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome)

Advanced or untreated HIV infection

Active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids or other drugs that may suppress one's immune system

You can find more information on the updated recommendations on the CDC website.

Dr. Maggie Cook-Shimanek, DPHHS's acting state medical officer, says you should talk with your doctor to find out if an additional dose is appropriate for you.

"People with weakened immune systems are especially vulnerable to COVID-19 because they are at higher risk of serious, prolonged illness," she said. "An additional dose could help prevent serious or possibly life-threatening COVID-19 infection... The vaccines continue to be very effective."

Additional doses of the COVID-19 vaccine should be administered at least four weeks after you receive a second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. The updated guidance does not apply to the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

The third dose of the vaccine will be available at pharmacies, clinics and through other providers in Montana.

For information on where to get a COVID-19 vaccine in Montana you can visit covidvaccine.mt.gov.
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP)  Wyoming marijuana advocates plan to begin circulating petitions in September for two proposed ballot measures  one asking if the state should legalize medical marijuana, and the other if it should decriminalize pot.

The Wyoming Attorney General's Office this week approved the wording of the proposed questions.

The Secretary of State's Office has now begun the process of seeking bids for printing the petitions. The process ends Aug. 25.

The Wyoming chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws plans to begin gathering signatures on or soon after Sept. 1.

Well be hitting events, going door to door. We intend to get it all wrapped up by February, Wyoming NORML Executive Director Bennett Sondeno said Wednesday.

The group has a big list of Wyoming events where it plans to gather signatures in the next few months, Sondeno said.

February is the deadline to submit enough valid signatures to the secretary of state to get the measures before voters in the 2022 general election, Sondeno said.

Wyoming is among a minority of states that don't allow cannabis in some fashion.

Eighteen states now allow adult recreational marijuana use, 27 have decriminalized small amounts of marijuana, and 36 allow medical pot, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Wyoming's process for gathering signatures to allow voters to decide an issue is a challenging one. Proponents must gather valid signatures from 15% of voters in the previous general election from each of at least 16 of the states 23 counties.

All nine initiative efforts in the past 25 years  including a 2017 proposal to legalize medical marijuana  have failed to qualify for the ballot.

The last two Wyoming initiatives to get enough signatures to go before voters failed at the polls in 1996. Both involved term limits. The last ballot proposal to both gather enough signatures and succeed with voters was a railroad safety measure in 1992.
President Joe Biden announced this afternoon all nursing home staff must be vaccinated against COVID-19.

This means nursing homes in Montana will have to comply if they want to keep getting Medicare and Medicaid funding.

The Biden administration wants to raise the costs for people who are not yet vaccinated.

According to the Associated Press, the regulation will come from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and it could happen as soon as next month.

Federal data shows hundreds of thousands of nursing home workers are not vaccinated, even though those workers were some of the first in the country eligible for shots.

During his speech, the president said at least 90% of seniors have at least one vaccine shot, and 70% of people over the age of 12 have at least one shot as well.

"Vaccination rates among nursing home staff significantly trail the rest of the country. Studies show that highly vaccinated nursing home staff is associated with at least 30% less COVID 19 cases among long term care residents," the president said.

President Biden also said more than 130,000 residents in nursing homes have died since the pandemic started last year.
WASHINGTON  Amid the chaos and confusion at the airport, the United States said it had taken at least one step to ease requirements for those seeking to leave: COVID-19 tests.

Although Afghanistan had been a hotspot for the coronavirus pandemic, the State Department said Thursday that evacuees are not required to get a negative COVID-19 result to travel.

A blanket humanitarian waiver has been implemented for COVID testing for all persons the U.S. government is relocating from Afghanistan, the department said.

It referred questions about how the matter would be handled once evacuees arrive in the United States to the Department of Health and Human Services. Medical exams, including coronavirus tests, had been required for evacuees prior to Talibans weekend takeover of Kabul, which added extra urgency to efforts to get at-risk Afghans out of the country.



MORE ON THE CRISIS IN AFGHANISTAN:

 Taliban suppress more dissen t as economic challenges loom

 Afghan president latest leader on the run to turn up in UAE

 US struggling to speed Kabul airlift amid hurdles, glitches

 Afghanistan war unpopular amid chaotic pullout: AP-NORC poll

 Afghan officer who fought with US forces rescued from Kabul

 Misread warnings helped lead to chaotic Afghan evacuation

 Afghans plead for faster US evacuation from Taliban rule



 Find more AP coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/afghanistan



HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:



BERLIN  German public broadcaster Deutsche Welle says the Taliban shot and killed a family member of one of their reporters in Afghanistan and severely injured a second family member.

The broadcaster said in a statement on Thursday that Taliban fighters were looking for the Deutsche Welle reporter and searching homes in western Afghanistan. It said other family members managed to escape.

Deutsche Well says the reporter himself, whose identity was not revealed, is already based in Germany where he is also working. Deutsche Welle didnt give further details on the killed and injured family members or say where and when exactly in Afghanistan the killing took place.

The director of Deutsche Welle, Peter Limbourg, sharply condemned the killing saying that, the killing of a close family member of one of our journalists by the Taliban is incredible tragic and a proof for the imminent danger that all of our workers and their families are exposed to in Afghanistan.

He added: The Taliban are obviously conducting organized searches for journalists in Kabul and the provinces. Time is running out.

Limbourg added that the homes of at least three other Deutsche Welle reporters were searched by the Taliban in Afghanistan in recent days and weeks.



UNITED NATIONS  The head of the Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies is calling on the U.N. Security Council to seriously and urgently consider declaring Kabul a safe zone and sending a U.N. peacekeeping force to protect it.

Davood Moradian said in a briefing to the council on Thursday that this would allow Afghanistans rival factions to come to an inclusive political settlement while working to mitigate the unfolding catastrophe.

He told members by video from an undisclosed location outside Afghanistan that he was at Kabul airport 48 hours ago watching the chaos and the unfolding catastrophe as he and others tried to get flights out of Afghanistan and people were racing down the runway trying to get on a U.S. military plane.

It was shared human desperation, helplessness and fear, Moradian said. He said one passenger who fell to the ground from the plane was reportedly a member of Afghanistans national football team.

Moradian said the Taliban takeover is not the end of the military and political crisis in Afghanistan. The past four decades have shown, he said, that a military solution is just a brief pause to the next phase of the war.



VICTORIA, Canada  Canada's prime minister says Canadian Armed Forces assets and personnel have arrived on the ground in Afghanistan to co-ordinate at the tactical level with the United States and other allied partners.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Thursday that this will help get Canadians, Afghans and their families to safety. Trudeau says two CAF C-17s will make regular flights into Kabul to support evacuation efforts.



WASHINGTON  Federal officials will allow U.S. airlines and other aircraft operators to make evacuation flights into Kabul if they get permission in advance from the Pentagon.

The Federal Aviation Administration issued a notice to pilots that spelled out details on Thursday.

Due to a lack of high altitude air traffic control services, U.S. operators and pilots must receive authorization from the FAA to overfly Afghanistan, the FAA said in a statement. Any U.S. or foreign operator flying into Hamid Karzai International Airport must obtain prior permission from the U.S. Department of Defense.

The main U.S. airlines that fly long-haul international flights did not immediately comment on whether they planned to operate evacuation flights.



UNITED NATIONS -- The U.N. counterterrorism chief is urging the Security Council to use all tools at its disposal to prevent Afghanistan from being used as a platform or safe haven for terrorism.

He also notes that a recent U.N. report says the extremist Islamic State group has expanded its presence in Afghanistan.

Undersecretary-General Vladimir Voronkov reminded the 15-member council on Thursday that several members of the Taliban, which took over the country last weekend, remain on the U.N. sanctions blacklist as designated terrorists. He also noted concerns by some council nations at the Talibans release of prisoners affiliated with al-Qaida and IS, also known by its Arabic acronym Daesh.

The counterterrorism chief said IS militants remain focused on reconstituting their former control in Iraq and Syria, waging an insurgency against security forces.

However, it is the lack of a comprehensive solution to the situation of thousands of individuals with alleged links to Daesh who remain stranded in Iraq and Syria that could shape the future terrorist threat landscape over the medium to long term, not just locally but globally, Voronkov said.

He said the pace of repatriations by member states is too slow considering the scale of this humanitarian, human rights and strategic security priority, which only grows more complex as time passes.

And I think because of this development in Afghanistan, it could create even more dangerous environment in these camps with unpredictable consequences, Voronkov warned.



WASHINGTON  The Pentagon says the U.S. military is ramping up evacuations out of Afghanistan, and that 7,000 civilians have been taken out of the country since August 14.

Army Maj. Gen. Hank Taylor told reporters that 12 C-17 aircraft departed with 2,000 evacuees over the past 24 hours. Speaking at a Pentagon briefing Thursday, Taylor said the military now has enough aircraft to get 5,000-9,000 people out a day, depending on how many have been processed and other factors, such as weather.

There are now about 5,200 U.S. troops at the airport, a number that has been steadily increasing in recent days.

We are ready to increase throughout, said Taylor. His comments came amid ongoing chaos at the Kabul airport as Afghans and other civilians desperately try to get on flights out of the country in the wake of the Taliban takeover on Sunday.

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said there has been no Taliban violence against U.S. personnel, and that the U.S. hasnt seen the group obstruct American citizens trying to leave. There have been widespread reports of Taliban violence against Afghans, including efforts to prevent them from getting to the airport.

He declined to say whether Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin believes it will be necessary to continue the operation beyond August 31. And he said there have been no discussions with the Taliban for an extension.

President Joe Biden has said he will continue military evacuations of Americans until all those who want to leave are evacuated.



LONDON  Police say a five-year-old boy who fell to his death from a hotel in the north England city of Sheffield was an Afghan refugee.

South Yorkshire Police have appealed for information following the boys death in what was reported to be a fall from the ninth floor of Sheffields Metropolitan Hotel at around 2.30pm on Wednesday.

According to local media, the boy arrived in the U.K. with his family a few weeks ago, before arriving in Sheffield earlier this week.

The boys father is reported to have worked in the British Embassy in Kabul.

Local media said the other eight to 10 Afghan families staying at the hotel were being moved to another.

Like others, Britain is trying to evacuate its own nationals as well as Afghan allies after the Taliban seized control 20 years after being driven from power by a U.S.-led international force following the 9/11 attacks.

Following the tragedy, the Refugee Council has called for a review of accommodation offered to those fleeing the Taliban.



ROME  Italian Premier Mario Draghi and Russian President Vladimir Putin have together analyzed the situation on the ground in Afghanistan as well as its regional implications, Draghis office said.

During Thursdays phone call, the two leaders also assessed guidelines that could inspire action of the international community in various contexts with the aim to restore Afghanistans stability, fight terrorism and illegal trafficking and protect womens rights, a statement from the office said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is due to meet with Draghi and with his Italian counterpart next week in Rome, with Afghanistan high on the geo-political matters on the agenda.

Draghi on Thursday also discussed the Afghan crisis with French President Emmanuel Macron, including management of the migration flows and the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the country.



PARIS  French non-governmental groups, lawyers and activists are asking President Emmanuel Macron take bold action to welcome Afghan migrants fleeing their Taliban-run country.

We demand simplification of the immigration procedure, a faster reunion of families, a broad and long-term resettling of Afghan families seeking asylum, and the end of all expulsions toward Afghanistan, Henry Masson, the president of La Cimade, a French NGO advocating for undocumented people, told The Associated Press on Thursday.

La Cimade is among six NGOs and unions circulating a petition to make those demands heard. It has been signed by more than 11,000 people so far.

France, which withdrew its military from Afghanistan in 2014, has brought out about 400 people from Kabul on three evacuation flights this week, primarily Afghans who worked with the French government or French groups in Afghanistan. But many more are trying to flee, fearing reprisals from the Taliban for their work with Western organizations.

Macron said Monday that France would do its duty to protect those who are most at risk, but also said Europeans must protect ourselves against significant irregular migratory flows.



ISLAMABAD  A delegation of prominent Afghan leaders and officials has warned that a Taliban government will not survive for long if it repeats past mistakes.

The delegation, headed by Afghan parliament speaker, Mir Rehman Rehmani, spoke to reporters in Islamabad on Thursday, after meeting Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and other government and military officials this week. The Afghans arrived in the Pakistani capital on Monday, a day after the Taliban swept into Kabul and took over Afghanistan.

A former Afghan vice president, Mohammad Younis Qanooni, said the future government in Afghanistan should be inclusive, with the participation of all ethnic groups.

We oppose a rule by one party or group, he said.

Khalid Noor, a prominent politician, said the Taliban cannot rule by force in Afghanistan. He says they have taken power by force, but warned their rule would be short-lived if they didnt respect the rights of the people.

Other members of the Afghan delegation include Salahud-din-Rabbani, Ahmad Zia Massoud and Ahmad Wali Massoud.



MOSCOW  Russia has blamed Afghanistans president for precipitating the Taliban takeover of the country by dragging his feet on negotiating a comprehensive peace deal.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday that Afghan President Ashraf Ghani had every opportunity over the past three years to ensure the success of an inter-Afghan peace process and help a gradual formation of an inclusive government involving all ethnic and political factions.

She added that Ghani, who fled the country just as the Taliban swept into Kabul on Sunday in a lightning offensive, had missed the chance for a peaceful settlement and bears responsibility for what happened.

Moscow long has been critical of Ghani, accusing him of stonewalling proposals for an inclusive government during the protracted talks with the Taliban and other Afghan factions in the past.



COPENHAGEN, Denmark  Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod said on Thursday that more than 300 locally hired people, interpreters, employees of non-governmental organizations and family members have been evacuated from Afghanistan.

The 320 people have been flown to Islamabad, Pakistan, from where they will fly in two planes to Denmark on Friday. He declined to say what nationalities they were.

Earlier in the day, a plane with 84 people evacuated from Afghanistan landed in Copenhagen. Danish media said that those aboard the plane reportedly were locally hired people and interpreters who had worked for Denmark. No further details were available.



WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden says the Taliban have not changed but are going through an existential crisis about whether they want legitimacy on the global stage as theyve taken over Afghanistan.

In an interview on ABCs Good Morning America, Biden said that hes not sure the Taliban want to be recognized by the international community as being a legitimate government.

He also said that the threat from al-Qaida and their affiliate organizations is greater in other parts of the world than it is in Afghanistan, adding that its not rational to ignore the looming problems posed by al-Qaida affiliates in Syria or East Africa, where he said the threat to the U.S. is significantly greater.

We should be focusing on where the threat is the greatest, Biden said, in defense of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Biden also pushed back against concerns about the treatment of women and girls in the country, arguing that its not rational to try to protect womens rights around the globe through military force. Instead, it should be done through diplomatic and international pressure on human rights abusers to change their behavior.



MOSCOW  Russia has offered to provide its aircraft to fly Afghans willing to leave the country to any nations willing to host them.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday that Moscow would be ready to offer its planes to airlift any number of Afghan citizens, including women and children to any foreign countries that would be interested in accommodating them.

Zakharovas statement came as thousands of Afghans are desperate to flee the country fearing that the Taliban will reimpose a brutal rule after taking over Kabul on Sunday.

Afghans and aid organizations have said that people desperate to leave are having a hard time getting past the Taliban and into Kabuls international airport. Military evacuation flights have continued at the airport, but Taliban militants fired shots in the air on Thursday to try to control the crowds.



WARSAW, Poland  The Polish government says it has evacuated its last citizens from Afghanistan.

Marcin Przydacz, a deputy foreign minister, said on Thursday that at the moment, all Poles with whom we had contact have left Afghanistan. However, he also said he couldnt exclude the possibility that others might still appear.

The evacuations being carried out so far by Polish authorities have included Poles and people who actively worked for a democratic Afghanistan in cooperation with Poland, Przydacz said.



PRAGUE  The Czech leaders declared the countrys effort to evacuate the Czech nationals and the Afghans who have worked with them a mission accomplished.

Three Czech evacuation flights in three days transported almost 200 people from Kabul to Prague by Wednesday night.

Foreign Minister Jakub Kulhanek says 170 Afghan nationals were among them, including all the local staffers at the Czech Embassy in Kabul and interpreters who helped the Czech armed forces during NATO missions and their families. Also, the Afghans who have a permanent residency in the Czech Republic were included.

Four Afghans were transported at the request of another European Union member state Slovakia. Czech embassy staff and two Polish nationals were also evacuated.

Weve saved everyone we wanted to, Prime Minister Andrej Babis said on Thursday. The mission has been accomplished.

A Czech NGO that helps army veterans says several interpreters with families who have helped the Czechs still need to be rescued.

Foreign Minister Jakub Kulhanek says that a possible transport in such cases will be coordinated with the allies.

Kulhanek said the successful rescue operation was a big miracle. He described the situation in Afghanistan as a total and unexpected collapse... a tragedy that nobody could be ready for.



ISTANBUL  A top Afghan official says he and other top officials left Kabul on Monday on board a Turkish Airlines flight to Istanbul with the help of the Turkish Embassy.

Babur Farahmand, deputy chief of Afghanistan High Council for National Reconciliation, told The Associated Press in Istanbul that other senior officials on board the flight included Second Vice President Sarwar Danish, Foreign Minister Hanif Atmar, intelligence chief Ahmad Zia Saraj, former foreign minister and politician Rangin Dadfar Spanta.

Farahmand said he and some other officials reached the Hamid Karzai International Airports military airfield in Kabul on Sunday evening. They spent the night inside the military compound waiting for the flight. Various countries facilitated the Afghan officials entry into airport but Turkish government facilitated the flight, he said.

Earlier, Turkeys Hurriyet newspaper reported that as many as 40 Afghan officials arrived in Istanbul on Monday on board a Turkish Airlines flight. The plane with 324 passengers on board, took off from Kabul with several hours of delay due to the chaos at the airport.



MOSCOW  Russias top diplomat on Thursday reiterated a call for a broad dialogue between all political forces in Afghanistan, noting that the Taliban do not control the entire territory of Afghanistan yet.

Speaking at a news conference in Moscow, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov pointed to reports ... about the situation in the Panjshir Valley, where the resistance forces of Afghan Vice President (Amrullah) Saleh and Ahman Massod have been gathering.

He said that it makes Moscows stance on the necessity of a dialogue between all rival forces and groups even more consistent. Russia has been calling for one when all of Afghanistan was engulfed in a civil war, and continues to urge it now, when the Taliban have taken power in Kabul, in the majority of other cities, in the majority of Afghanistans provinces.

We support the same thing  a nationwide dialogue that will lead to a representative government, Lavrov said. This, with the support of Afghan citizens, will work out agreements on the final make-up of this long-suffering country.

Earlier this week, the minister stressed that Moscow was in no rush to recognize the Taliban as the new rulers of Afghanistan. Russia had labeled the Taliban a terrorist organization in 2003, but has since hosted several rounds of talks in Afghanistan, most recently in March, that involved the group.

Moscow, which fought a 10-year war in Afghanistan that ended with Soviet troops withdrawal in 1989, has made a diplomatic comeback as a mediator, reaching out to feuding Afghan factions and cultivating ties with the Taliban as it has jockeyed with the U.S. for influence in the country.



ROME  A plane carrying some 202 Afghans, including an activist and medical researchers affiliated with an Italian think-tank, have arrived in Rome in the latest airlift fleeing the country overtaken by the Taliban.

The Italian foreign ministry said Italy was committed to evacuating those who collaborated with Italy and who are threatened, such as women and children.

One of the passengers was Zahra Ahmadi, whose brother lives in Venice and apparently helped rally diplomatic efforts to get her out. Other passengers were affiliated with the Veronesi Foundation, which supports medical research, especially for women, and hosted Afghan doctors in the past.

Italy has been flying groups of Afghans out at a clip of two or more flights a day, transferring them to a plane in Kuwait and then onto Rome. The new arrivals are then tested for the coronavirus and placed in mandatory quarantine, as called for by current Italian health regulations.

Italy had one of the largest military contingents during the two-decade NATO and U.S.-led operation in Afghanistan.



BUDAPEST, Hungary  More than two dozen Hungarian nationals evacuated from Kabul arrived in Frankfurt, Germany early Thursday, and will likely be transported to Hungary later in the day, deputy foreign minister Levente Magyar told reporters.

The air evacuation of the 26 Hungarians was carried out by Hungarys military allies with a stopover in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan. The evacuees had worked as private security contractors at the Dutch embassy in Kabul before the citys takeover by the Taliban. Magyar did not say which allies were involved in the operation.

A separate evacuation mission was launched from Hungary early Thursday, which will attempt to recover other Hungarians still in Afghanistan and some Afghan citizens who assisted Hungarian military forces, Magyar said. Not all of the Hungarian citizens awaiting evacuation have yet made it to Kabul airport, he added.



LONDON -- Britains foreign secretary is rejecting calls to resign for not interrupting his holiday on the Greek island of Crete to make a call to help translators flee Afghanistan.

According to the Daily Mail newspaper, Dominic Raab did not call his Afghan counterpart Hanif Atmar on Friday after officials suggested he urgently do so in order to arrange help for those who supported British troops.

Two days later, the Taliban captured Kabul and Raab cut short his holiday and headed back to the U.K. to deal with the crisis.

Defense Secretary Ben Wallace told BBC radio that the suggested phone call would not have made any difference whatsoever given the Afghan government was melting away quicker than ice.

Keir Starmer, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, said on Twitter: Who wouldnt make a phone call if they were told it could save somebodys life?

Lisa Nandy, Labours foreign affairs spokesperson, was one of many to call for Raabs resignation after what she described as yet another catastrophic failure of judgment.

On entering 10 Downing Street, Prime Minister Boris Johnsons office, Raab was asked if he would resign. In response, he said no.



BEIRUT  An al-Qaida-linked group in Syria is congratulating the people of Afghanistan for the dear victory achieved by the Taliban.

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or the Levant Liberation Committee, compared the Talibans control of much of Afghanistan with the early Muslim conquests.

The group, also known as HTS, is the most powerful faction in rebel-held parts of northwest Syria. Over the past months it has been working on improving its image by distancing itself from extremist ideology.

Some of the founding members of the group  which used to be known as the Nusra Front  include Arab commanders who were close to Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan. Many of them were killed in U.S. drone attacks in Syria over the past years.

In 2017, Brett McGurk, then top U.S. envoy for the coalition battling the Islamic State group, said that Syrias northwestern province of Idlib had become the largest al-Qaida haven since Afghanistan in bin Ladens days.

In a statement released late Wednesday, HTS said no matter how long it takes, righteousness will end up victorious. It added: Occupiers dont last on usurped lands no matter how much they harm its people.

HTS said it hopes that insurgents in Syria will be also victorious by learning from the experience of the Taliban to remove the government of President Bashar Assad, its adversary in the countrys 10-year conflict.



BRATISLAVA, Slovakia  The first evacuation flight from Kabul organized by the Slovak government has landed in Slovakia.

Foreign Minister Ivan Korcok says a total of 20 passengers were onboard, 16 Slovak nationals and four Afghans among them, including a 10-month old baby. It was the full capacity of the military transport plane.

Four other Afghan nationals who were working with the Slovak armed forces were transported onboard of a Czech evacuation flight and flown to Slovakia overnight.

Defense Minister Jaroslav Nad said the members of Slovak armys special forces had to use weapons to secure the passengers safe transport to the plane. He cited a deteriorating situation at the airport but declined to give details.

Prime Minister Eduard Heger says his country is coordinating further steps with allies.



WARSAW, Poland -- A second airplane carrying people evacuated from Afghanistan has landed in Warsaw.

The plane landed on Thursday morning, following one that brought people late Wednesday.

Poland has deployed 100 soldiers to Afghanistan to help with the evacuations of Polish and Afghan citizens. Those evacuated are first transported to Uzbekistan by military transport and then brought to Poland on civilian airliners.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has shared images on Facebook of some of those being evacuated.



ROME  Two more Italian C130s have brought nearly 200 Afghan citizens out of Kabul, as Italy continues its evacuation of people who worked with Italian forces and their families following the Taliban takeover of the country.

The Defense Ministry said the passengers aboard the two flights were transferring Thursday to other aircraft in Kuwait, and from there would continue onto Rome.

Italy has vowed to evacuate as many Afghans as it can, particularly those who worked with Italian forces during the nearly two-decade long NATO and U.S.-led operation in the country.

With the arrival in Rome later Thursday of the latest evacuees Italy says it will have airlifted out some 500 Afghans.



KABUL, Afghanistan  Afghanistans steel factories association is concerned scrap metal smuggling abroad has increased and exhausted supplies, putting thousands of workers at risk of losing their jobs.

Abdul Nasir Reshtia, chief executive of the association says that with borders reopening, Afghanistans scrap metal is being smuggled once again to neighboring countries.

Reshtia warns that in next ten days, the smuggling will push factories to close as they cannot operate without scrap metal.

Former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani had banned the export of scrap metal to support Afghan steel factories so they could compete with imported steel from neighboring countries.

Reshtia says that he has not been able to reach the Taliban leadership to share his concerns.



BUCHAREST, Romania  Romanias foreign ministry says that a military aircraft has evacuated a single Romanian citizen from Kabul airport to Islamabad.

It said in a statement that the particularly difficult security conditions in Kabul meant that the access of other groups of Romanian citizens to the airport could not be achieved.

The C-130 Hercules aircraft, which evacuated a NATO employee on Wednesday evening, had military personnel and a mobile consular team onboard ready to provide specialized assistance. It is set to return to Kabul airport to continue evacuating Romanian citizens, officials said.

Authorities said that at the time of the operation there were 33 Romanian citizens registered as present in Afghanistan.



THE HAGUE, Netherlands  A Dutch military transport plane has arrived in Amsterdam carrying people evacuated from Kabul.

The Ministry of Defense says that a C-17 plane landed late Wednesday night at Schiphol airport. On board were 35 Dutch nationals along with citizens from Belgium, Germany and the United Kingdom.

The government says it has now airlifted 50 Dutch nationals out of Kabul. A Dutch consular crisis team along with dozens of troops to protect the personnel flew into the Afghan capital on Wednesday.



BRUSSELS  The European Union said Thursday that 106 staff members of EU delegations and their families had safely left Afghanistan but said that some 300 still remained behind.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Thursday that the first plane with EU staff had landed in Madrid, from where they will be relocated among the 27 EU member states.

There are still 300 more Afghani staff of European Union delegations blocked on the streets of Kabul trying to reach the airport and trying to have a seat on some of the European Union member state flights, Borrell told a EU parliament committee.

He insisted that these people have loyally promoted and defended the unions interests and values in Afghanistan over many years, adding that it was the EUs moral duty to protect them and to have to save as many people as possible.



MADRID  Spain has evacuated 53 people from Afghanistan on its first flight to airlift Spanish citizens and Afghan workers and their families from Kabul.

The military cargo plane landed at an airport near Madrid on Thursday morning with five Spaniards and 48 Afghans on board. An unspecified number of children were included.

Spain has two more planes prepared to continue with the evacuation of Afghan workers and their families.

All the passengers received a COVID-19 test on arrival and were attended by police so that they could ask for international protection, the government said in a statement.

The airport also received a flight from the European Union External Action service with five Afghan families on board. Spains government has offered to take in additional evacuees from EU partners and care for them until they can be distributed to other countries of the bloc.

We are still working to evacuate those Afghans who worked with Spain in the quickest manner possible and guarantee their security along with those people who have worked with the EU, said Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Albares.



COPENHAGEN, Denmark  Denmark says that a plane with 84 people who had been evacuated from Afghanistan has landed in Copenhagen and were now on safe ground in Denmark.

On Twitter, Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod wrote Thursday that the evacuation is still in full swing and we are working hard to evacuate the last local staff, interpreters and other groups from Kabul.

Danish media said that those aboard the plane reportedly were locally hired people and interpreters who had worked for Denmark. No further details were available.



WARSAW, Poland  Polands president has approved the deployment of a 100-person military contingent to Afghanistan to help secure the evacuation of Polish citizens and the citizens of other countries in coordination with allies.

President Andrzej Duda signed the order late Wednesday for the mission, and which is to last until Sept. 16.

Meanwhile, a first plane carrying a group of people who were evacuated from Afghanistan landed at Warsaws military airport late Wednesday, said Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak. The group was first taken from Kabul by military plane to Uzbekistan and from there was transported on to Warsaw.

Since Tuesday, Polish forces have been carrying out an operation to evacuate Poles and Afghans who previously cooperated with the Polish military or diplomatic mission or who helped otherwise with western groups.

Those who arrived in Warsaw will have to go into quarantine.



WASHINGTON  The Biden administration has suspended all arms sales to the government of Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover of the country.

In a notice to defense contractors posted Wednesday, the State Departments Political/Military Affairs Bureau said pending or undelivered arms transfers to Afghanistan had been put under review.

In light of rapidly evolving circumstances in Afghanistan, the Directorate of Defense Sales Controls is reviewing all pending and issued export licenses and other approvals to determine their suitability in furthering world peace, national security and the foreign policy of the United States, it said.

The notice said it would issue updates for defense equipment exporters in the coming days.



WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden says hes committed to keeping U.S. troops in Afghanistan until every American is evacuated, even if that means maintaining a military presence there beyond his Aug. 31 deadline for withdrawal.

In an interview with ABC News George Stephanopoulos on Wednesday, Biden said that the U.S. will do everything in our power to get Americans and U.S. allies in the nation out before the deadline. Pressed repeatedly on how the administration would help Americans left in the nation after Aug. 31, Biden finally affirmed, if theres American citizens left, were gonna stay till we get them all out.

Up to 15,000 Americans remain in Afghanistan after the Taliban took full control of the nation. The Biden administration has received criticism for the scenes of violence and disorder in recent days as thousands attempted to flee while the Taliban advanced.

But during the same interview, Biden suggested there wasnt anything the administration couldve done to avoid such chaos. The idea that somehow, theres a way to have gotten out without chaos ensuing, I dont know how that happens, he said.



WASHINGTON  The International Monetary Fund says that the new Taliban government in Afghanistan will not at the current time be allowed to access loans or other resources from the 190-nation lending organization.

In a statement Wednesday, the IMF said it would be guided by the views of the international community.

The statement said, There is currently a lack of clarity within the international community regarding recognition of a government in Afghanistan, as a consequence of which the country cannot access SDRs or other IMF resources.

SDRs are special drawing rights which serve as a reserve that IMF member countries can tap into to meet payment obligations.
BUTTE, Mont. -- The Jeremy Bullock Safe Schools Summit is taking place this week ahead of this coming school year.

While teachers are eager to see students in person again, they know anxieties surrounding the school year also come with it, which is where a conference like this one comes into play.

Earlier this year, the Montana Legislature passed new gun laws allowing concealed carry on college campuses as well as eliminating many gun-free zones. It ties back to the Summit's namesake in Jeremy Bullock's honor, who was shot and killed in 1994 at his elementary school by another student. The community came together to create the summit, promoting safer environments and raising awareness for students' mental health.

Tami Martin, who works with Butte Cares, says it's not just up to the teachers to make a difference...It's up to the whole community.

"It does take a village; it takes the community to raise a child, Martin said. And our kids are facing so many issues these days, and with the community being able to come together to learn, we can reduce risk factors and protective factors."

Teachers and administrators we spoke to off-camera are concerned about some of the grey areas associated with the laws, but also with guarding the mental health of their students, who haven't known a normal school year in almost three calendar years.

With COVID variant cases rising again, faculty members we spoke to expect the virus to remain an issue this fall. Martin wants teachers to know as they head back into classrooms, facing these challenges is not something they have to deal with by themselves.

"It's not all on their shoulders to be able to address, Martin said. And so, being stronger together and addressing safety concerns for our youth that affect them, and their opinions too about how to come together and to address issues."

On top of gun safety and mental health concerns, Martin stresses the importance of students recognizing the risks of drugs and alcohol, and reaching out to a trusted adult for help during stressful times of the school year.
Tapped offers a self-pour system with up to two dozen taps, from which guests can sample as much or as little of locally focused selections of craft beer, wine and cider.
ROME, AUG 19 - Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio conferred over the phone Wednesday night with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the situation in Afghanistan and the need to coordinate efforts on the evacuation of Afghans who have worked with the western mission there, as well as on security. Di Maio reiterated the importance of acting with the utmost unity, prioritising respect and safeguards for human rights. The officials agreed that the US and Italy will work closely on the evacuation of Afghans and may set up joint flights. Blinken tweeted: "Good call with @luigidimaio about our close coordination on ongoing evacuation efforts in Afghanistan and ways the international community can promote safety and security for all." (ANSA).
ROME, AUG 19 - A huge illegal rave party that brought young people from across Europe to a country site straddling Lazio and Tuscany was broken up Thursday leaving piles of waste, at least three alcohol-induced comas and one drowning death in its week-long wake. Two people were taken to hospital Thursday in a gave state of agitation after the rave. Police from the nearby city of Viterbo put an end to the revels after identifying over 2,000 people. "The area has been liberated," said the mayor of the nearest town, Valentano, Stefano Bigiotti. "There is no longer anyone at the site. "I can only express satisfaction. "(Interior) Minister (Luciana) Lamorgese, who personally contacted me yesterday afternoon, kept her promise to free the area by today. "The operations were carried out with the utmost respect for persons. "Now they are already at work to remove the rubbish left at the site as soon as possible". The Viterbo police HQ said two vans with acoustic equipment aboard had been seized, one belonging to two Dutchmen and the other to two Italians. Viterbo's provincial public order panel asked the interior ministry to wind up the rave party. The unauthorized event, which had attracted young people from across Europe, had been going on in the countryside at Valentano since Friday night. "The situation is out of control, no negotiation is possible, public order must be restored, people identified and the responsibility for such a gathering established," said Lazio regional health councillor Alessio D'Amato. Viterbo prosecutors, meanwhile, opened a probe into the death of a 25-year-old man at the rave. The man, born in London but resident in the north of Italy, was found dead in a lake near Viterbo Monday after taking part in the massive event. The man's body was found in Lake Mezzano. He had been seen going into the lake Sunday night and not coming out again. The interior ministry said Wednesday that police were working to "restore legality" in the area. (ANSA).
NAPLES, AUG 19 - One of Italy's most dangerous mafia fugitives, top Camorra narco trafficker Raffaele Imperiale, was arrested in Dubai on August 4, sources said Thursday. Imperiali, 46, on the run since 2016, has reportedly been living a lavish life in the UAE capital. Imperiale had an older brother who died in 1996 and left him a coffeeshop in Amsterdam from where he began his criminal career. In his coffeeshop Imperiale sold soft drugs and was reportedly involved in large-scale cocaine trafficking with the Dutch drug trader Rick van de Bunt. In the 1990s he was introduced by Antonio Orefice, a member of the Neapolitan mafia's Moccia clan, to Elio Amato, brother of Raffaele Amato, at the time one of the top drug traffickers of the Di Lauro clan. Imperiale began to earn millions of euros, becoming the pointman of the Di Lauro organization that dealt directly with the drug trafficking cartels in Peru, Ecuador and Colombia. According to Italian authorities, Imperiale was living high on the hog in Dubai and spending 400,000 a month to maintain his lavish lifestyle. In 2016, two Van Gogh paintings stolen from the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam in 2002 were recovered in a villa in Castellammare di Stabia, his hometown near Naples, owned by him. DEA documents sent to Dutch police exposed an alleged super drug cartel headed by Imperiale, Ridouan Taghi (former Dutch most wanted criminal, now in jail), Daniel Kinahan (Irish reputed gang boss) and Edin Gacanin (Bosnian drug trafficker). The group was observed by the DEA having meetings in the Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai, the base of the alleged cartel in 2017. The DEA regards this as one of the world's fifty largest drug cartels, with a virtually monopoly on Peruvian cocaine and controlling around a third of the cocaine trade in Europe. (ANSA).
CESENA, AUG 19 - A 66-year-old man tried to strangle his ex-wife with a noose near Cesena on August 12 before raping her after she briefly escaped from him and then continuing to send her death threats, sources said Thursday. The man, resident at Busto Arsizio near Varese north of Milan, has been arrested for attempted murder and persecutory acts, police said. The woman had briefly managed to escape from the man thanks to her rottweiler, police said. After the episode, the terrified woman went to the local hospital to be treated for her injuries and then decided to report the man. (ANSA).
ROME, AUG 19 - Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will pay a working visit to Rome on August 26-27, Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Thursday. She said talks have been scheduled with Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio and Premier Mario Draghi. She said the talks would permit "an in-depth exchange of opinions on the international and regional agenda, including interaction in the G20 and other international formats, relations with the EU and NATO, the situation in Ukraine, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, and the situation in the Mediterranean". (ANSA).
ROME, AUG 19 - Italy, as Group of 20 duty president, is set to call a special G20 meeting on Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio told his Group of Seven colleagues on Thursday. "It is fundamental to maintain close coordination among allies to set a shared strategy vis a vis the new situation in Kabul," Di Maio told the G7 virtual meet. "Italy, as president of the G20 and country in close liaison with the G7, plans to call an ad hoc meeting at the level of leaders to promote an in-depth discussion among members on Afghanistan, which will furnish the opportunity to broaden support fora common approach," said the Italian diplomatic chief, according to sources who heard him speak. "The G20 format will enable us to coordinate our position with other important partners: Russia, China and Turkey". Di Maio also stressed the importance of judging the Taliban on their actions and not their words after their professions of a mode liberal policy than their previous repressive regime. The minister also announced that Rome plans to fly out a total of 2,500 Afghans who have worked with Italian institutions in the Asian country over the last 20 years. (ANSA).
CALTAGIRONE, AUG 19 - Sicilian prosecutors on Thursday ordered the arrest of the 45-year-old mother of a 14-year-old tetraplegic boy found dead in his bed at Caltagirone this week. The boy had died at least 36 hours before the police arrived and found the body, prosecutors said. The woman is accused of leaving him exposed to strong sunlight for too long, judicial sources said. She is under investigation for abandoning a minor. (ANSA).
ORISTANO, AUG 19 - The 55-year-old nephew of a 73-year-old Sardinian former army NCO found dead Wednesday was arrested for premeditated murder on Thursday. Giancarlo Fonsatti, aka 'Renato', nephew of Paolo Fonsatti, is being guarded in a Cagliari hospital after the alleged murder near Oristano. Paolo Fonsatti was killed in the borgata of S'Ungroni ad Arborea, in the province of Oristano. His nephew, who was slightly hurt and taken to hospital, reportedly told police the case was an attempted robbery gone wrong. But a family squabble is suspected. (ANSA).
Lake of the Ozarksthe name uttered by untold millions of happy residents and eager vacationers every yearbegan its existence with an identity crisis. Drama permeated the process of naming this new lake in central Missouri, and Lake of the Ozarks only narrowly escaped being named after (*shudder*) a politician.

This body of water, the long-awaited manifestation of a dream by the Union Electric Light and Power Company (now Ameren), was calledor nearly calledby at least four different names before popular opinion landed on Ozarks. Heres how it all went down.

#1. The Osage Reservoir

Construction on Bagnell Dam, owned at the time by Union Electric, began at the start of the Great Depression in 1929 and was completed in 1931. Named after William Bagnell who moved from St. Louis County to set up a railroad tie business along the Osage River, the dam was built of earth and concrete, and the construction cost was about $30 million  a huge chunk of change, especially at that time.

When the 2,543-foot-long, 100-foot-high dam closed its locks, it impounded the Osage River and created the Osage Reservoir, which became the largest body of water in Missouri and the largest man-made lake in the world at the time; it held that honor for five years.

#2. Lake Osage

Union Electric hired the Massachusetts firm of Stone & Webster Engineering Corporation (who built the MIT campus in Cambridge, Mass. in 1861 as well as many of the nations nuclear plants) to design the dam. Stone & Webster referred to the lake as the Osage Reservoir. But at some point, Lake Osage became a variation of the name.

#3. Lake Benton

In 1929, Missouri State Rep. James Logan, of Benton County, introduced a bill into the Missouri legislature. Logan wanted to name the new lake Lake Benton, in honor of Missouris second United States Senator, Thomas Hart Benton.

Benton served in the War of 1812, became editor of the St. Louis Enquirer between 1818 and 1820, and then was elected to the U.S. Senate in August 1820. Senator Benton was nicknamed Old Bullion because of his stand for sound banking and hard money. He quickly established himself as a powerful and eloquent speaker and earned the respect of many fellow senators, but his steadfast antislavery position eventually cost him his Senate seat in 1851.

The General Assembly passed Logans bill. However, Governor Henry Caulfield vetoed it, stating, I have no objection to the avowed purpose of this bill, that is the designation as Lake Benton, although I personally prefer postponing the naming of the Lake until it shall be constructed, and then perhaps giving it a Sylvan name or an Indian name, or perhaps, the name of the engineer who will build the Dam

I do object to that portion of the bill which unnecessarily designates Thomas H. Benton as Missouris greatest U.S. Senator, Caulfield continued. I would not object if he were designated as Missouris great Senator or one of Missouris greatest Senators. I do not question Thomas H. Bentons greatness, neither do I assert he is not Missouris greatest Senator. I do not, however, believe it proper for the legislature to unnecessarily and without any hearing select one of our former Senators and proclaim him the greatest. Such a course invites controversy and unnecessarily wounds the feelings and arouses the prejudices of those of our citizens who revere and love Missouris other great Senators.

Ultimately, Caulfields preference for a Sylvan name would prove prescient: Lake of the Ozarks would be named for the geographical region in which it is located. However, his idea to give homage to Stone & Webster Engineering Corporation, which designed the dam, was best ignored. A bribery scandal bankrupted the company in 2000.

But with the lakes name in limbo, another legislator had an idea.

#4. Lake McClurg

Around 1930, Rep. J.W. Vincent of Camden County introduced a bill to dub the new lake Lake McClurg. Journalist Bob Priddy explains, Governor Joseph McClurg (1869-1871) who had a Big Store on the Osage in old Linn Creek, which disappeared under the waters as the Osage River backed up behind the dam. McClurg held strong Unionist views which didnt sit well with many state legislators who had Confederate ancestors. In fact, some residents in old Linn Creek burned McClurgs business twice in retaliation for his views. Consideration of Vincents bill was postponed indefinitely.

At the time, Linn Creek was the principal trading post for southwest Missouri, southeast Kansas, and northeast Oklahoma  then Indian territory, states a Feb. 11, 1931 article in the Maryville Daily Forum.

Both Representatives Vincent and Logan believed they should have something to say about the lakes name, for both of the counties that they represent will sacrifice some of their best land, The Maryville Daily Forum article added.

And so, the legislators dropped the whole matter, writes the late Michael Gillespie, a Lake historian.

#5. Lake Of The Ozarks

By 1932, Gillespie wrote, court records, newspaper accounts, and advertisements all referred to the big lake by its present name. Apparently, Union Electric and others, in their efforts to promote the area for real estate development, much preferred the name Lake of the Ozarks because it described a place, and not a long-dead politician.

For years after the Lakes completion, its recreational potential lay untapped. A few fishing camps developed, and little cabins slowly began to dot the Lakes shoreline. But it was only in the latter half of the 1940s and the 1950s that the party really started: as post-war America turned to happier times, Lake of the Ozarks resorts sprang up, and The Strip began coming into its own.

Today, the Lake of the Ozarks is home to some of the most popular events in the Midwest, including the Shootout, AquaPalooza, and Lake Race. Fishermen flock from afar to fish the lakes plentiful crappie, bass, and catfish. Its uniqueness and beauty attract visitors from across the country and keep them coming back for more. Millions of people every year arrive to enjoy this incredible lake: the Lake of the Ozarks.

Read more Lake of the Ozarks history below...

Could There Still Be Graves Beneath Lake Of The Ozarks? Dont read this if you are squeamish about cemeteries. Especially dont read this if you dre

+6 The Legend Of The Lakes Phantom Steeple There is an air of mystery when the subject turns to what is under the waters of the Lake of
LAKE OF THE OZARKS, Mo.  Premier 54, the well-known boat dealership at the Lakeand the number one Chaparral Boats dealer in the worldhas been bought by Rick Ball and Steve Brink.

The duo adds Premier 54 to their growing portfolio of marine businesses at Lake of the Ozarks. Ball emphasized, however, that Premier 54's team would be staying on: from management to sales, the company's loyal customers will still walk in and see familiar faces.

Premier 54 has been growing into a successful, reputable boat dealer at the Lake. Started by brothers Russ and Rich Martin, the business gained a growing and faithful base of clients. In 2019, Premier 54 was recognized by Chaparral as the #1 Chaparral dealer in the world. In 2020, they purchased long-time west-side marine business Advantage Marine.

That trajectory, and the allure of Chaparral, is what drew Ball and Brink to buy Premier 54.

We looked at [Chaparrals] registrations through the state and saw that it was a good quality boat and had a lot of sales, Ball said.

The diversification allows them to reach more customers, and Ball says that strategy has driven their prior boat dealership purchases. They opened Formula Boats of Missouri in 2010 at the former Dave Mungenast Marina. Then Ball and Brink bought Yacht Club Powersports in 2011, Martys Marine in 2015, and Iguana Marine Group (IMG) in 2019.

Balls first business passion was cars. He and his wife Terri saved all of her paychecks as a teacher to start their first Chevy dealership in 1979. He would go on to start a Ford dealership in 1984 in Boonville, Mo., a Pontiac Oldsmobile Cadillac in 1988, GMC in 1993, an independent body shop in 2008, and a Ford dealership in Sedalia in 2009.

Balls entrepreneurship with boats began in 1986, buying and selling boats on a small scale. Steve Brink bought a used boat from him, and decades later, the two men are among the Lake areas boating business titans.

Past Coverage Of Premier 54
Luxury Lake Geneva: How would you sum up the novel? Is it a romance story? A coming-of-age tale? Both? Christina Clancy: I dont think Id call it a romance, although there is a bit of romance in the novel. I expose Sherri to a wide variety of men, as well as different kinds of romantic situations, some sweet, some cringe-worthy. Thats why Id call it a coming-of-age. Its through these interactions that she learns that men, like women, are complicated. Some of the bad men turn out to be not so bad, and the good men just might be too good to be true. Same for Sherris fellow Bunnies.

Luxury Lake Geneva: What was your research for this novel?Christina Clancy: I spoke to as many former employees and patrons as I could talk to, but at a certain point I also had to pull back so I could imagine a story that wasnt anchored in someone elses narrative. Not every retired Bunny I spoke with wanted to be interviewed, but Pam Ellis, who worked at the club for four years, gave me plenty of rich material to work with. I also loved talking to former patrons. Ive found that people love to wax nostalgic about their experiences at the resort, from the shows they saw to the celebrities and Bunnies they hung out with. That was such an interesting time in Wisconsins history, when Alpine Valley was just getting started and the resort was in full swing. It must have felt like the world was coming to Southeastern Wisconsin.
Nominations are open for VISIT Lake Genevas 2021 Impact Awards.

Since 1974, VISIT Lake Geneva has used this annual occasion to honor those that have made positive and significant impacts on the quality of life in the Lake Geneva area.

The Impact Awards recognize the best of the best, said VISIT Lake Geneva President & CEO Stephanie Klett. Its exciting to see and recognize the positive work being done in our region, and to have the opportunity to say thank you.

Members of the community are invited to nominate a person, business, or organization in any of the four esteemed award categories below.

Stu Herzog Outstanding Citizen Award: Presented to an individual who represents the Lake Geneva region at its very best, consistently making a positive difference.

Community Betterment Award: Presented to a person, business or organization who enhances and improves the quality of life in the Lake Geneva region.

Hospitality Award: Presented to a person or business who exemplifies outstanding customer service, care, and hospitality.
Seeking justice

Crime Stoppers of Racine is offering a reward for any information that leads to an arrest in the death of Becky Rannow. Crime Stoppers can be contacted at 262-636-9330. Investigator Rasmussen of the RPD can be reached at at 262-635-7774, and Investigator Nuttall at 262-770-0339.

Those who wish to remain anonymous may use the Crime Stoppers app by using the p3 app.
The move makes financial sense for Old Navy, Stickney said, and "is one of the major pieces of the puzzle" to hit the brand's goal of reaching $10 billion in annual sales by 2023, up from $7.5 billion in 2020.

Old Navy said that searches for "plus" on its websites were up 63% over the past year and pointed to data from NPD Group showing that the women's plus-size apparel market was $20.4 billion in June.

"It is especially lucrative for a retailer like Old Navy which has a broad spectrum of consumers of all shapes and body types," said Neil Saunders, managing director at GlobalData Retail, in an email. "For Old Navy and other mainstream players, I think they see an opportunity for growth in a part of the market that they don't serve too well."

The overhaul comes with challenges, though.

Adding sizes increases manufacturing complexity and costs for retailers, said Saunders. More fabric is used when producing extended sizes and additional design and fabrication expenses can come into play during the process. Women's clothing brand Loft, for example, moved into plus-size clothing three years ago, but recently reversed course "due to ongoing business challenges," the company said in March.
Ive seen teacher unions and boards in New York City, in L.A., in Chicago, in Broward County, Florida, come together and say our staff need to be vaccinated. I hope those conversations happen locally, too, he said.

Madison Teachers Inc. recently surveyed their more than 2,000 members about a potential vaccine mandate.

MTI president Mike Jones said the vast majority of those surveyed were in favor of a mandate, while a small percentage said they needed more information before forming an opinion and an even smaller percentage said they were not in favor of a mandate.

Its our priority to make sure the students and staff and families that we come home to are safe, Jones said. Everything we do is couched in the safest decision possible, and in following the science instead of the political discourse is essential.

Jones also said he appreciated Evers announcement because, he felt, it took some of the pressure off local districts that could be on the fence about handing down a vaccine mandate to staff.
Concerns about Bizyukov surfaced during the third week of August 2020, when Bizyukovs colleague saw that he wasnt wearing a mask and reported him to university officials, who then reminded Bizyukov of the masking requirement.

Bizyukov explained he has difficulty breathing with a mask, and university officials later provided him with links to fill out a formal accommodation request.

According to the final order, Bizyukov never filed a formal request, but instead questioned the universitys authority to mandate masks. He later sent an email on Sept. 8, the day before classes began, informing a human resources officer he planned on teaching his in-person classes without a mask unless his questions about the universitys authority were answered.

An instructor witnessed Bizyukov teaching his class without a mask on the morning of Sept. 9.

The UW-Stout faculty committee found that Bizyukov admitted to not wearing a mask despite numerous warnings from the university that not doing so without requesting an accommodation would result in disciplinary action.
New Delhi, August 19: IndiGo will not be flying planes to United Arab Emirates for a week reportedly after a ban imposed on the airline. According to reports, UAE has banned IndiGo from operating flights after many of its flyers skipped the mandatory RT-PCR test at the departure airport, reports said. The airline, however, said UAE-bound flights are cancelled due to "operational issues". IndiGo Airline Employee Dies in Accident at Patna Airport.

UAE has mandated that each passenger from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Nigeria and Uganda must undergo a RT-PCR test 48 hours before departure and an another rapid-PCR test at the airport a few hours before the flight. IndiGo flights reportedly carried passengers who did not complete COVID-19 test at the departure airport in India. Hence, UAE banned the airline from operating flights for a week till August 24.

The ban came into effect from August 17. IndiGo in a statement said that all flights to the gulf country have been cancelled due to operational issues. "Due to operational issues, all IndiGo flights to UAE stand cancelled till August 24, 2021," the airline said in a statement. "We have informed all our passengers and will support them with refunds or accommodation in other flights once we resume operations," the statement further said.

UAE had lifted a ban on transit flights including from India on August 5. The Gulf country had banned the entry of passengers from many South Asian and African states this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. It allowed the entry of passengers from these countries with condition that they will have to present a negative PCR coronavirus test prior to departure.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 19, 2021 01:26 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
New Delhi, August 18: Afghanistan's Ambassador to Tajikistan, Mohammad Zahir Agbar, has claimed that President Ashraf Ghani had "taken $169 million with him" when he fled Afghanistan. He said that Ghani should be arrested and the wealth of the Afghan nation be restored, Ozodi reported.

Speaking at a news conference in Dushanbe on Wednesday, Agbar called Ghani's escape a "betrayal of the state and the nation" and claimed that he had "taken $169 million with him". Agbar announced that Amrullah Saleh, Ashraf Ghani's first deputy, was legally the President of Afghanistan now.

"Ashraf Ghani handed Afghanistan over to the Taliban. We had more than 350,000 equipped troops, experienced military personnel, and they did not fight the Taliban. And we saw this in part in the northern regions of Afghanistan that border Tajikistan. There are more than 20 districts there. And they went over to the Taliban without mounting any resistance," Agbar said in an interview with Eurasianet.

"I think Ghani had a prior agreement with the Taliban. He already had a plan for betrayal in his head. He abandoned his supporters and betrayed the people of Afghanistan," he added. Taliban Open Fire on People Rallying in Support of National Flag in Nangarhar: Report.

"I don't think that any government is going to put up with militants from their country being in Afghanistan and operating under the Taliban's protection. Afghanistan should not be a country that poses a threat to the neighbouring countries," he said.

"What is more, if the Taliban offer haven to terrorist groups from neighbouring countries, what kind of border security can we talk about? There are many foreign terrorists among the Taliban at this time," Agbar claimed.

Amrullah Saleh himself had announced that in accordance with the Constitution, in the absence of the President, his escape or death, he would be the acting or sponsor of the presidency of Afghanistan. Ghani had left Afghanistan on August 15 before the Taliban entered Kabul.

The Taliban, which controls much of Afghanistan and plans to form a government, has not yet responded to claims by Amrullah Saleh and his supporters. Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani, Who Fled The Country After Taliban Sweep, Now In Abu Dhabi, Says UAE Govt.

Media outlets, citing diplomats at the Russian Embassy in Kabul, reported that Ashraf Ghani had taken hundreds of millions of dollars with him. Ghani and his family have not yet commented on the matter.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 18, 2021 11:51 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Taliban were able to completely took over Afghanistan after U.S. President Joe Biden decided to pull out the country's American troops completely.

Right now, thousands of Afghans are trying to flee the country since they fear what alarming activities the Deobandi Islamist terroristic movement and organization would do next.

Recently, various videos showed that the Taliban fired shots outside the Kabul airport when regular residents tried to enter the plane hub in hopes of riding a plane out of Afghanistan. This just shows how aggressive the invaders really are.

Instead of stopping these terrorist forces, News Week reported that the Regional Powers even want to lend a hand to the group. The countries that currently want to help Taliban leaders are China, Russian, Iran, and Pakistan.

Why Taliban Could Receive Russia and China Support?

According to the Daily Beast's latest report, Russia wants to maintain its embassy in Kabul. This is also what China and other Regional Powers want right now.

READ MORE: Border Surge Includes Record-High Number of Suspected Terrorists, Ex-Border Patrol Chief Says

"I am not worried about the safety of our diplomats in Kabul. They are guarded by the best terrorist organization right now. Yes, there is a bitter irony in my words-everything about this situation is ultimately cynical," Arkady Dubnov, one of the post-Soviet experts in Russia.

On the other hand, Dubnov, an expert at Carnegie Moscow Center, said that he has been traveling around the chaotic country for more than two decades now.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan Russian Ambassador Dmitry Zhirnov also said that he was able to talk with the Taliban leaders on Tuesday, Aug. 17. He added that the brief meeting was conducted to discuss the Russian Embassy's safety during the ongoing take over.

"Because practically everyone possesses weapons, even teenagers. It looks like they are afraid that should anything happen not through their fault it may cast a shadow on them as masters of the situation," added the Russian ambassador.

Afghan Defense Forces Collapsed Despite US Support?

AP News reported the security forces of Afghanistan failed because of corruption. For the past 21 years, the United States and NATO allies have already spent billions of dollars so that the country's officials could improve Afghan defenses.

However, the government issue arose after commanders claimed that although they are receiving more than enough support from the U.S., their troops still lacked supplies, food, and ammunition.

READ NEXT: Afghan Falling From Plane and Dying in US Plane's Landing Gear
President Joe Biden on Wednesday commits to getting the Americans out of Afghanistan by August 31, the deadline he set for U.S. troops to fully withdraw from the South Asian country.

But Joe Biden told ABC News' George Stephanopoulos that he's willing to extend the mission beyond the August 31 deadline just to get every American out of Afghanistan.

The president said he would make sure that the U.S. troops would be available for every American who wished to be out of Afghanistan.

"Americans should understand that we're gonna try to get it done before Aug. 31st... And if you're American force, if there's American citizens left, we're gonna stay to get them all out," Biden noted.

On Wednesday, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin noted that around 10,000 to 15,000 Americans were still in Afghanistan, The Daily Wire reported. Austin said most of them were located outside Kabul.

READ NEXT: Ex-Obama White House Doctor Calls on Pres. Joe Biden to 'Do Your Damn Job' or 'Resign' Amid Afghanistan Crisis

President Joe Biden Says Evacuation Mission Needs to Go Faster

As thousands of Americans were reported to be in Afghanistan, Joe Biden acknowledged that the evacuation mission should go faster to meet the August 31 deadline of a total withdrawal. The president noted that a faster evacuation would be possible if they could get out at least 7,000 individuals per day.

"The commitment holds to get everyone out that, in fact, we can get out and everyone who should come out. And that's the objective," Biden said.

Joe Biden's comments came as the Taliban forces accelerated in taking over Afghanistan. The Taliban effectively sealed their control of the country on Sunday, and the Taliban forces immediately seized a significant amount of hardware and weapons from the U.S. military.

The U.S. gave the said weapons to Afghanistan to use in their fight with the Taliban. As the Taliban took over the city of Kabul on Sunday, the group hijacked the streets and searched the offices and homes of government officials and media outlets.

Joe Biden blamed the Afghan forces for their loss, claiming that the military of the South Asian nation was not willing to fend for themselves. Reports said close to 2,500 Americans, nearly 70,000 Afghan military, and almost 50,000 civilians died in the war against the Taliban and other terrorist groups in the country.

U.S. Department of Defense Cannot Rescue Americans Who Are Not in Kabul Airport

The U.S. Department of Defense noted that they could not rescue Americans who could not go to the Kabul airport. Austin noted that they could not "go out and collect large numbers of people."

Austin said they would continue to provide assistance and stay on the ground as long as "the clock runs out or we run out of capability."

In a security alert also issued on Wednesday, the U.S. State Department instructed Americans in Afghanistan to make their way to the Kabul airport. However, the U.S. embassy in Afghanistan said it could not guarantee safe passage to the airport.

READ MORE: Donald Trump Slams Pres. Joe Biden Over Border Crisis, Afghanistan' Mess,' Soaring Inflation and Crime Rates

This article is owned by Latin Post

Written By: Joshua Summers

WATCH: Joe Biden Defends Decision to End U.S. War in Afghanistan - From Good Morning America
President Joe Biden on Wednesday said he has instructed Education Secretary Miguel Cardona to apply full oversight authority and explore legal action against state governors who try to block school mask mandates.

Joe Biden noted that some politicians are trying to turn public safety measures into a political fight for their own gain, The National Review reported.

The president spoke about his directive to the Education Department after a number of Republican governors tried to prohibit school districts from imposing mask mandates in schools.

Joe Biden reiterated what he said before, saying that if they are not going to fight the pandemic, they should at least get out of the way of everyone else trying.

READ NEXT: Monoclonal Antibody Treatment Can Be Given As COVID Treatment Without Doctor's Referral in Florida

Education Department Actions

Miguel Cardona announced last week plans to make federal aid from the most recent COVID relief package available to school superintendents, educators, and school board members who might be facing financial penalties for defying executive orders on mask mandates.

Cardona sent letters to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, saying that he was deeply concerned about their efforts to prohibit district leaders from implementing mask mandates, U.S. News reported.

In his speech on Wednesday, Joe Biden said that if state governors want to cut the pay for education employees, requiring masks in the classroom, there would be funding from the American Rescue Plan that can be used to pay for their salary 100 percent.

The president also applauded school district leaders in Arizona and Florida for doing the right thing on imposing mask mandates in schools.

Mask Mandates in Schools

Miguel Cardona said the Biden administration is ready to investigate civil rights complaints from families experiencing restrictions on masking in schools.

The Education Department's office for civil rights may take action if state policies affect children with medical vulnerabilities or weakened immune systems, Education Week reported.

Cardona noted that those states prohibiting school mask mandates are placing students, families, and educators at risk.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has repeatedly noted that schools should open for in-person learning this year. However, officials wanted layered mitigation measures to be in place, such as mask-wearing and proper ventilation.

Meanwhile, Forbes reported that the Florida State Board of Education eyed two school districts for sanctions after imposing mask mandates and violating state rules.

The state's education board has not yet decided how they will sanction the two school districts. But its options range from withholding funding, removing officers, or subjecting the districts to greater reporting requirements.

The same situation can be seen in Arizona schools that violate the state's ban on school mask mandates. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey announced on Tuesday that the state would deny federal funds from districts not following state orders on mask mandates.

Arizona schools that impose mask mandates will be ineligible for federal COVID relief grants worth $1,800 per student. In Texas, a ban on school mask mandates is punishable for a $1,000 fine for groups or individuals that violate the ban.

READ MORE: COVID Vaccine Booster Shots Will Be Free, Says Biden Health Official

This article is owned by Latin Post

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Growing Battle Over Mask Mandates As Schools Reopen - From NBC News






The Biden administration on Wednesday announced plans to start administering Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 booster shots next month.

The announcement was made through a joint statement by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and other top public health officials from the Biden administration such as Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky; Dr. Janet Woodcock of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA); U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy; and President Joe Biden's Chief Medical Advisor, Dr. Anthony Fauci.

READ NEXT: "We're Making Progress" - Says Pres. Joe Biden on Coronavirus; Dr. Fauci Reiterates COVID Vaccine Efficacy

Pfizer and Moderna Booster Shots to be Available on September 20

USA Today reported that the said booster shots would be available for adult Americans who received their second dose of Pfizer and Moderna shots at least eight months ago.

"We are prepared to offer booster shots for all Americans beginning the week of September 20 and starting eight months after an individual's second dose," the statement read.

The Biden administration also pointed out that individuals who were fully vaccinated early in the vaccine rollout, including health care providers, nursing home residents, and other senior citizens, would be eligible to get the booster shots of Pfizer and Moderna.

The Biden administration further noted that their "top priority remains staying ahead of the virus and protecting the American people from COVID-19 with safe, effective, and long-lasting vaccines."

President Joe Biden himself also announced the decision provide a third shot to Americans. In his remarks at the White House on Wednesday, Biden said the said booster shots will boost immune system response and increase protection from COVID-19.

"That's the best way to protect ourselves from new variants that could arise," the president noted.

Murthy confirmed that the Pfizer and Moderna booster shots would be available for 18 years old and older for now as officials are still waiting for the FDA review that would provide guidance on vaccinating individuals aged 12 to 17.

White House COVID-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients said the booster shots would be free, regardless of health insurance or immigration status.

Booster Shots 'Likely Needed' by Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Takers

The Biden administration also said they anticipate that booster shots will also be needed for Johnson & Johnson vaccine recipients.

Murthy said they expect more data on J&J in the coming weeks, and with those data in hand, they will keep the public informed of the timely plan for the brand's booster shots. The J&J single-dose vaccine was not administered in the U.S. until March 2021.

The said booster shots for Pfizer and Moderna were driven by new studies from the CDC released on Wednesday. The studies showed that while mRNA vaccines remain effective against the virus, the protection against SARS-CoV-2 becomes weaker over time.

Walensky noted that a study involving about 10 million people from New York showed a decrease in protection from 92 percent in May to 80 percent in late July.

Fauci also sounded his support on the booster shots. He said a third shot is needed, especially by certain groups such as the elderly and individuals with compromised immune systems.

READ MORE: COVID -19 Infections Rise In 42 States; Pfizer to Discuss Vaccine Booster With U.S. Health Officials

This article is owned by Latin Post

Written By: Joshua Summers

WATCH: Federal Health Officials Expected to Recommend Booster Shots - From ABC News
Former President Donald Trump would likely win and beat President Joe Biden if the next presidential election were held now, according to a new poll.

A new Rasmussen Reports poll showed that if the next presidential election were held today, Donald Trump would score 43 percent of the vote, while 37 percent of likely U.S. voters would vote for Joe Biden.

About 14 percent would pick some other candidate. However, the survey does not specify which, the Daily Mail reported The new poll also showed that Donald Trump would win more women and black voters this time.

The survey was carried out between August 16 and August 17 in the midst of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Over half of likely voters said that Joe Biden is more to blame than Donald Trump for the Taliban taking over Afghanistan. About 38 percent believe that Trump is more to blame.

However, most people who participated in the poll said they do not regret their 2020 vote, with 87 percent of Democrats expressing satisfaction with how they cast their ballot. On the other hand, 95 percent of Republicans are also satisfied.

READ NEXT: Osama bin Laden's Niece Supports Trump's Reelection

Donald Trump Reelection

In a May Quinnipiac University poll, a majority of Republicans said they want the former president to run for the presidential race in 2024, The Hill reported.

Sixty-six percent of Republicans said they wanted Donald Trump to run for a third time after losing in 2020 and winning in 2016. And about 25 percent of Republicans said that Trump should not run in 2024.

In addition, 85 percent of Republicans who participated said they want candidates running for office to agree with the former president, while only 10 percent said they wanted contenders to mostly disagree with him.

Quinnipiac University polling analyst Tim Malloy said the poll implies two things such as Republicans believe that the election was stolen from Trump, and if they cannot vote for the former president, they want someone who agrees with him.

Joe Biden's Afghanistan Decision

Meanwhile, Joe Biden is currently under heat for his decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan. The president said that he stands "squarely" behind his decision. Biden said there was never a good time to withdraw U.S. forces in the now Taliban-controlled country, BBC News reported.

The Taliban has successfully seized Kabul on Sunday, and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled the country as the government collapsed.

Kabul was the latest major city in Afghanistan to be seized by the militant group. It was initially forecasted that the takeover would take months, but it was done just days after gaining control of other territories.

Many residents had flooded the airport as military transporter aircraft prepared for take-off. Some clung to the side of a plane, with at least two of them reportedly died after they fell from the plane that left the ground.

Meanwhile, U.S. troops had already killed two armed Afghans who were part of the crowd that breached the airport perimeter. A total of seven people reportedly died in the chaos at the airport on Monday.

READ MORE: Trump Campaign to File Appeal After Pennsylvania Judge Dismisses Lawsuit

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WATCH: Liz Cheney Discusses the Possibility of Donald Trump Running for a Second Term - From Commonwealth Club of California






The Office of the Attorney General of the Republic (FGR) of Mexico has absolved the former head of the agency, Arely Gomez, from any administrative and criminal liability for publicizing that Kate del Castillo was being investigated for meeting with drug kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, while he remained a fugitive.

The actress has sued the Mexican state and expects to receive around $60 million in compensation for the moral and reputational damage the government allegedly caused her.

Kate del Castillo said prosecutors from the defunct Attorney General's Office (PGR) leaked information that damaged her reputation. She claimed she became a "victim" of institutional harassment after Arely Gomez told the media that El Chapo's communications with the Mexican actress helped authorities capture the Sinaloa cartel's boss.

El Chapo reportedly wanted to direct a movie about his life. Mexican authorities investigated Kate del Castillo following a meeting she arranged with El Chapo and Sean Penn in 2015. She was never charged. But El Universal reported that the Mexican actress denounced Arely Gomez and other officials who participated in the investigations against her.

The current FGR is now investigating whether these officials incurred administrative responsibilities by allegedly leaking information about the investigations.

As the FGR exonerated Arely Gomez, the agency also denied recognizing Del Castillo as a victim. Milenio reported that a federal court ruled in May 2017 that the PGR did not attack Del Castillo's "image," much less violated her rights after the federal agency and its former head Arely Gomez disclosed that the actress was being investigated.

It will be on September 6 when a constitutional hearing will be held in which it will be decided by a third district court in administrative matters whether or not the FGR violates any human rights.

READ NEXT: Builder of El Chapo and Sinaloa Cartel Narco Tunnels Gets 10 Years in Prison

Kate del Castillo Meeting With El Chapo

Kate Del Castillo arranged Sean Penn's interview with El Chapo in 2015. The actress said she organized the meeting because she was considering doing a documentary or film about El Chapo's life, but she currently has no plans to pursue the project, The Guardian reported.

Del Castillo said the former prosecutors had also suggested she might be linked to drug trafficking, something she said cost her acting career.

The Mexican actress earlier said she could not return to Mexico to work or visit her family for several years because of concerns about the investigations. Del Castillo has denied allegations that she laundered money.

Kate del Castillo and Sean Penn

In December 2018, Kate del Castillo said she's no longer in touch with Sean Penn because she believes he betrayed her. Del Castillo said Penn had apparently helped in the detention of El Chapo, adding that she was not aware at the time of that situation.

The actress said that the actor behaved very badly because he did not protect her and put her life at risk. El Chapo had reportedly told Penn about his drugs business, rags-to-riches life story, and how he hired European engineers to help him get out of the prison.

Mexican authorities claimed they had monitored Penn's movements after discovering his meeting with El Chapo that helped them lead them to a ranch where the Sinaloa cartel boss was staying.

Penn noted that he got in touch with the Sinaloa boss through Del Castillo, who made public statements against the Mexican government in 2012.

El Chapo had started contacting Del Castillo through his lawyer in 2012. The drug kingpin was a free man at the time following his first escape from a Mexican prison in 2001.

Del Castillo has served as a translator to Penn during the meeting. Penn reportedly remembered arriving at El Chapo's territory, where the drug lord had opened the door and greeted Del Castillo like "a daughter returning from college."

READ MORE: The Power Of El Chapo's Drug Tunnels

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WATCH: What Happened When Kate del Castillo, Sean Penn Met 'El Chapo' - From ABC News






Two more California police officers were shot on Wednesday afternoon while trying to apprehend suspect in the "ambush" shooting of a sheriff's deputy.

The police officers from San Bernardino, who were not identified by the authorities, were shot while investigating the man who was believed to ambush another officer on Tuesday.

The two officers, who sustained injuries, were brought to Loma Linda University Medical Center and were expected to survive.

READ NEXT: Ex-Los Angeles Police Charged With Manslaughter After Shooting Mentally Challenged Man

California Suspect Who Ambushed a Police Officer Killed

Fox News reported that the incident occurred at Highland in San Bernardino County, about 66 miles east of Los Angeles, California.

The California police officers were shot while they exchanged bullets with the unidentified suspect near Rosemary Drive and Victoria Avenue at around 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

Officials said the police were surveilling the man for hours in connection with the ambush incident that happened a day before.

The suspect was reported to be killed after the exchange of bullets. It was still unclear what kind of firearm was used by the man in the shooting.

San Bernardino Police Lt. Michele Mahan did not explicitly confirm that the suspect was responsible for the ambush that happened on Tuesday. However, Mahan noted that the man was "clearly a violent individual" who attacked at least three law enforcement officers.

KTLA5 reported that detectives from the Sheriff's Department responded to the area to conduct an investigation. An aerial video from Sky5 revealed a large police presence at the scene after the shooting. A man lying in an adjacent field was also seen, as well police gear covered with blood.

Police Search California Suspect's Home

Authorities believe that the suspect was the one who ambushed a 27-year-old Sheriff's deputy on Tuesday at about 4:15 p.m.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff's deputy was shot while trying to pull over a motorist in the area of 10th Street and Waterman Avenue. Authorities said the deputy was fired upon as he turned a corner during a brief car chase.

Officials noted that the suspect got out of his vehicle, took out a rifle, and wait for the deputy until he fired multiple shots.

Calling it an "ambush," San Bernardino Police Sgt. Equino Thomas said the deputy was still inside his SUV patrol when the suspect opened fire.

The deputy was given first aid and was brought to a hospital. Authorities said he remains hospitalized in stable condition as of Wednesday.

After the shooting, investigators searched the suspect's apartment complex on Tuesday night, where authorities discovered the suspect's vehicle and the rifle used.

The SUV patrol of the 27-year-old California police was reported to be torched, but investigators are still figuring out how the vehicle caught fire.

READ MORE: California Dad Admits to Killing His 2 Kids in Mexico Over Qanon, 'Serpent DNA' Conspiracy Theories

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WATCH: Gun violence Spikes in U.S. During Pandemic - From CBS News: The National
Queen Elizabeth II has warned the British media against taking pictures of the royal family or their guests at Balmoral the same day that her son Prince Andrew arrived.

The warning was delivered by lawyers from British firm Farrer & Co., who was acting on the Queen's behalf, The Daily Beast reported.

Sources at the palace said the letters were sent out to media organizations on August 10, a day after a civil lawsuit was filed accusing Prince Andrew of raping Virginia Roberts Giuffre.

However, they noted that the same letters were sent "every holiday," saying it was not remarkable. Queen Elizabeth II has been on holiday in Balmoral since July 24.

The timing of the letter being sent happened amid the controversy that the Duke of York is facing. The letter would likely cause speculation that Queen Elizabeth II is using her domestic influence to protect her son, Prince Andrew.

A source from one paper said the intention of the royals might be to protect the duke from being pictured while being served with legal documents.

Reports said Prince Andrew has not been seen at the Crathie Kirk since he arrived at Balmoral. Crathie Kirk is a small church near Balmoral normally visited by the royals.

Staffers at one major British tabloid noted that the memo says the solicitors have reminded the newspaper that Balmoral is a private estate, and the royal family, as well as their guests, have a reasonable expectation of privacy.

A British newspaper editor told The Daily Beast that they have never seen a warning like the one sent to them before from the Queen's lawyers. The editor added that it was clear that the memo was to keep people away from the duke. The editor further noted that there's no coincidence in the timing of the lawsuit against Prince Andrew.

The Queen is also facing scrutiny for allegedly not applying the "same standard" to the Duke of York as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, GEO TV reported.

Prince Andrew stepped back from public duties after his interview in November 2019 regarding his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

READ NEXT: Ghislaine Maxwell's Documents Revealing Her and Jeffrey Epstein's Relationship With the Clintons Ordered to Be Unsealed by Judge

Prince Andrew's Rape Case

Variety reported that Giuffre has filed a lawsuit in federal court in Manhattan on August 9 against Prince Andrew, claiming he abused her when she was 17 years old.

The British royal has denied the allegations, saying that he has no recollection of ever meeting her. Prince Andrew also insisted that he had never had sex with Giuffre.

The lawsuit noted that Giuffre feared death or physical injury if she disobeys the Duke of York, Epstein, and Ghislaine Maxwell due to their connections and wealth.

The suit also stated that the duke had sexually abused her in Maxwell's home in London. The three of them had allegedly forced Giuffre to engaged in sexual intercourse against her will.

In 2019, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents with federal prosecutors in New York asked the prince to cooperate, but he declined. Prosecutor Geoffrey S. Berman said Prince Andrew has provided zero cooperation on the case so far.

Legal experts believed that the second son of the Queen would not be entitled to diplomatic immunity. Prince Andrew continues to hold his royal titles despite backing down from his public duties.

Meanwhile, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had agreed to stop using their HRH titles, which refer to "his/her royal highness," after stepping down as senior royals last March.

READ MORE: Prince Charles Won't Allow Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Kids to Receive Royal Titles When He Becomes King

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WATCH: Prince Charles Says Prince Andrew Won't Return While Police Review Sexual Abuse Claims - From PEOPLE






A Texas woman was arrested and charged with murder after she stabbed her mother to death hours after prosecutors informed police that assault charges against her will not move forward due to lack of evidence.

Houston Police Department took Ericka Nicole McDonald, 29, into custody for one charge each of murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and burglary with intent to commit a felony for the death of her 51-year-old mother, Terri "Mimi" Mendoza, Law and Crime reported.

After she was stabbed, Mendoza was transported to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Police later found blood clothes and a knife in McDonald's apartment.

READ NEXT: Mexico: Disappearances on 'Highway of Death' Continue to Rise

Texas Woman Murdered Her Mother

Ericka Nicole McDonald, wearing a mask to hide her face, allegedly broke into Mendoza's apartment at Willow Place Drive past 9 p.m. on Monday by climbing through the front window.

Investigators said the Texas woman then started stabbing both her mother and her 63-year-old aunt, who was also in the apartment at the time.

Police said McDonald got into an argument with her mother and aunt before the stabbing, ABC 13 reported. One witness claimed that the suspect could be seen doing CPR on Mendoza moments after she stabbed her mother.

Investigators said that McDonald fled the scene after the attack. However, she returned to the apartment and told authorities that she was not involved.

Her aunt was able to testify despite McDonald wearing a mask during the attack. The detective said the Texas woman was under the impression that the mask hides her identity.

An official said that McDonald was intoxicated when she broke into the residence. The official added that officers found the knife used inside the Texas woman's residence, as well as clothes and shoes, indicating her involvement.

On the day of the stabbing incident, police were called that afternoon and they wanted to arrest McDonald on assault and child endangerment. However, it did not push through due to lack of evidence, the Miami Herald reported. The Texas woman reportedly lived with her children in a neighboring apartment.

Texas Crime Rate

The state of Texas has reported more than 805,879 crimes in 2019, which equates to 2,779 crimes for every 100,000 people, according to a Houston-Criminal Attorney fact sheet.

There were also 4,838 assaults on police officers in the same year, which reports a 4.8 percent increase compared to the previous year. Murder rates also increased by six percent from 2018, with a total of 1,403 murders reported in 2019.

Meanwhile, reported rape cases decreased by 1.6 percent. It totaled 14,656 rape cases in 2019. The high rates of crime in the state also came with high unemployment rates, resulting in generally higher poverty rates.

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Texas also led the nation on active shooter events in 2019. Texas had six of the nation's 28 active shooter incidents, killing 36 people and wounded 52 others.

Recidivism was a contributing factor in the violent crime upticks, with examples of violent offenders committing additional violent crimes soon after they were released from incarceration, according to a Department of Public Safety 2019 report.

Harris County reported in 2019 that 74.59 percent of those who were convicted for felony cases had previous felony charges.

READ MORE: Clashing Mexican Drug Cartels Leave 2 Police and 7 Others Dead in Mexico

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WATCH: FOX 7 Discussion: Violent Crime Increases in Large Texas Cities - From FOX 7 Austin






Southwest Airlines faced another controversy after a mom shared how a flight attendant made her daughter burst out in tears over a mask.

The mom took to Instagram to share the incident on August 12 that left her two-year-old daughter Drew in tears. Ali Cleek said a flight attendant from Southwest Airlines sarcastically told them to either cut a hole in the mask or glue the mask on the toddler's face after the child refused to keep it on during takeoff.

The Southwest Airlines flight attendant added that the glue was available on the plane. Cleek said the incident happened during a Southwest Airlines flight from Orlando to Norfolk, Virginia last Thursday.

READ NEXT: TikTok Video Shows American Airlines Passenger Duct-Taped to an Airplane Seat

Southwest Airlines Flight Attendant Says They Can Glue Mask on Toddler's Face

The mom said she and her family boarded the plane when her daughter suddenly became inconsolable and will not keep on her mask.

Cleek noted that her daughter was a thumb sucker, and the only way the child knows how to soothe herself is by sucking her thumb, which is impossible with the mask on her face.

At one point, the mom said she held her daughter down as two flight attendants kept an eye on them. Moments later, a crew approached them and told them the "glue" comments.

The mom told Fox News that she was embarrassed after hearing the comments. She said they tried to follow the mask mandate as much as they could.

Cleek noted that she acknowledges and respects the mask mandates. However, the mom pointed out that people need "some human decency" and "compassion" in enforcing the mask mandate.

According to reports, Southwest Airlines reached out to the mom and apologized for what happened. The company also said they would talk to the flight crew, who spoke the glue comments.

Southwest Airlines also issued a statement saying that the federal mask mandate for travelers was issued in February, and it required the passengers to wear a mask at all times.

Southwest Airlines Staff Tells Passenger to Cover Joe Biden Sign

It was not the first time a Southwest Airlines staff broke the headlines. Earlier this month, an airline staff asked a passenger to cover her President Joe Biden sign, claiming that many passengers from the same flight found the sign "offensive."

Jenny Grondahl was carrying the cardboard sign that read "Arizonenses Con Biden" during her flight from Phoenix to San Diego on Southwest Airlines. When she got to the gate, she said a Southwest Airlines crew told her that "many customers are offended by your sign." The employee also told her to either cover it up or fold it and put it under her seat.

Ive been a happy & loyal Southwest Air customer for more than a decade. No longer the case as of Friday.  Jenny Grndahl (@JennyGrondahl) August 2, 2021

In a separate tweet, Grondahl said she was a loyal customer of Southwest Airlines, but everything changed when she experienced the incident about her Biden sign.

READ MORE: Southwest Airlines Pilot Caught Ranting About Bay Area's 'Liberal F---s'

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WATCH: What Airline Attendants Are Trained To Do When Passengers Become Unruly - From Inside Edition
The district attorney of San Francisco said Wednesday that he is suing three companies distributing "ghost guns" in California, which accounted for almost half of the confiscated firearms used in gun killings in the city last year.

According to U.S. News, the untraceable, build-it-yourself weaponry, which prompted more crimes in the city, caught the attention of District Attorney Chesa Boudin. Alongside other advocates of tougher gun laws, Boudin announced the filing of a lawsuit at a news conference.

Do-it-Yourself Guns

Based on the lawsuit filed by Boudin, the three companies were not based in San Francisco, but they were responsible for producing a large share of the firearms found in the city and elsewhere in the state.

He named the companies Blackhawk Manufacturing Group, GS Performance, and MDX Corp. as the makers behind the ghost guns.

"Guns are flooding our streets. Enough is enough. It is not enough to wait until after someone has been shot and killed by a firearm. We must get to the root of the problem," Boudin said.

The lawsuit filed by Boudin came amid mounting criticism of the increasing crime rates and the wave of anti-Asian violence in the city. The crime rates and the racist violence has been routinely video-recorded and have spread online virally.

Messages were already left with all three companies as media and authorities seek comment, but they were not immediately returned Wednesday.

READ NEXT: California Could Face Mandatory Water Restrictions Sooner Than Expected As Drought Worsens, Gov. Gavin Newsom Says

Order and Delivery of Ghost Guns

The San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) and other cities across the U.S. have seen a sudden increase in the volume of ghost guns. Last year, they seized a huge number compared to the past years.

In San Francisco, SFPD seized 164 ghost guns in 2020. The latest number was a 2,600 percent increase from the six confiscated in the year 2016.

Based on a statement from Boudin's office, the state of California, in 2020, accounted for 65 percent of the total ghost guns seized by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

Earlier this month, two deputies of the Los Angeles County sheriff's office were badly wounded after an ambush shooting last year. The sheriff's office sued a Nevada company named Polymer80 Inc. for making the parts of the ghost gun used in the said ambush.

The companies named in the lawsuit filed by Boudin touted on their websites how customers could build their do-it-yourself guns. The companies also emphasized that there would be no background checks needed, said Hannah Shearer, the litigation director at Giffords Law Center, which is co-counsel in the case.

Shearer noted that the companies have made it possible for any individual in the state to buy all the parts needed to build a firearm with no questions asked.

Shearer added that customers could even get it shipped in a convenient package with instructions, like an IKEA piece of furniture.

READ MORE: Arizona Governor Offers Cash Grants to Schools, Parents Rejecting Mask Mandates

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WATCH: Ghost Guns Sought by Violent Extremists, Tied to Thousands of Potential Crimes, Feds Warn - From NBC Bay Area
A judge ruled Tuesday that the New Mexico boy accused of killing a classmate will remain behind bars, despite his lawyer arguing that his home life and mental health issues should be considered, especially after witnessing his father shoot someone.

According to the Albuquerque Journal, the lawyer of Juan Saucedo Jr. revealed that the 13-year-old suspect was 9-year-old when he witnessed his father, Jose Saucedo Sr., shoot someone.

New Mexico Boy: A Witness to a Shooting

The lawyer said the incident happened in 2018 when the New Mexico boy was reportedly sitting in his mother's vehicle. His father allegedly pulled out a gun and started to shoot victim Alex Placencio at a high school. Placencio, who was shot on the hand and leg, survived the attack.

At the time, the District Attorney's Office declined to press charges against older Saucedo, citing self-defense and insufficient evidence. But the DA is now saying they are considering pressing charges against Saucedo Sr. and his wife for the shooting.

According to CrimeOnline, the shooting incident involving the younger Saucedo happened at around 12:45 p.m. on Friday, during the lunch break at Washington Middle School in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It was just the third day of classes for the academic year in the state.

One of the witnesses, Amari Asbury, an eighth-grade student, said that students were fighting outside their classroom when one of them suddenly took out a gun.

"He brought out the gun, cocked it and all you hear is boom, boom, boom. Everybody just starts running," Asbury said.

A police official said a school resource officer was able to intervene and de-escalate the situation by herself. The official added that the resource officer then subsequently detained a 13-year-old boy, who was later identified as Juan Saucedo Jr. Saucedo Jr. allegedly fired the gun, resulting in his own classmate's death.

The victim, Bennie Hargrove, also 13, lost his life when the suspect shot him. No one else was killed during the incident.

READ NEXT: Florida Mom on Zoom Call Accidentally Shot in the Head by Her Toddler

New Mexico Boy Faces Mental Health Issue

Saucedo Jr. appeared at the Children's Court in Albuquerque on Tuesday, which marked his first court appearance since the NM school shooting incident. His court-appointed lawyer, Dennica Torres, argued that the teen should be at his home with his parents while receiving mental health counseling instead of being detained.

Torres said that she does not think incarceration was the appropriate sanction for Saucedo Jr., especially for his age, immaturity, and mental health issues. Torres noted that they asked the court to consider making the suspect CCP-eligible with strict conditions and could be released to his mother and father.

Despite the lawyer's argument, Judge Catherine Begaye decided against releasing Saucedo and stated that the suspect would be a danger to society and himself.

The family of the victim, Bennie Hargrove, including his grandmother, Vanessa Sawyer, who appeared virtually in court to watch the proceedings, asked Begaye to keep the suspect in jail.

Sawyer said that the suspect went and took out a gun that he carried in his backpack and showed it to others with the intent to use it. Sawyer added that the suspect shot his grandson four times.

READ MORE: Woman on Date Receives Disturbing Note From Stranger Telling Her to 'Run' From the Guy She Was With

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WATCH: 13-Year-Old Shot And Killed By Classmate At New Mexico School - From TODAY
The U.S. Capitol bomber finally surrendered himself to the authorities. He admitted that he was carrying a bomb inside his truck, which is parked outside the Library of Congress, located on Capitol Hill.

"This is an active bomb threat investigation. The staging area for journalists covering this situation is at Constitution and First Street, NW for your safety," added the police department via its official Twitter account.

When the U.S. Capitol Police department discovered an active bomb threat in the area, they immediately took action to prevent possible serious injuries if ever the bomb explodes.

"Please continue to avoid the area around the Library of Congress," advised the authorities.

NOW: The USCP is responding to a suspicious vehicle near the Library of Congress.



Please stay away from this area and follow this account for the latest information. pic.twitter.com/LMBYBTJn4t  U.S. Capitol Police (@CapitolPolice) August 19, 2021

The latest post of the U.S. police department already generated more than 2,000 retweets, 500 quote tweets, and 2,300 likes. Some of the commentators even asked what kind of guy would try to bomb a library.

On the other hand, some of the Twitter users in the comment section said they are praying for those near the affected area.

U.S. Capitol Bomber Has Surrendered

According to CNBC's latest report, the North Carolina man said that he was the one who tried to bomb the U.S. Capitol Library of Congress. The criminal was identified as Floyd Ray Roseberry, a 49-year-old man inside the black pick-up truck.

Also Read: New Mexico Boy Accused of Shooting, Killing Classmate Watched His Own Dad Shoot Someone: Lawyer

Because of surprising action, authorities were forced to evacuate the Jefferson, Madison, and Cannon establishments. Staff in the Jefferson and Madison buildings confirmed that they received an email from the police, telling them to remain calm and safely relocate from the area.

They were also advised not to use the exit toward First Street. On the other hand, individuals in the Cannon building were advised to use the Capitol's underground tunnels. Authorities also said that they need to reach the Longworth House Office Building, where it is safe.

Bomber Livestreamed on Facebook?

BBC News reported that the bomber was even livestreaming while inside his truck. Many Facebook users claimed that they saw several videos of Roseberry while is sitting in his vehicle.

But, Facebook removed the video after 90 minutes of livestreaming. This just shows that the man really wants to alarm all the people near his targeted area.

READ NEXT: San Francisco DA Sues 3 'Ghost Gun' Makers Responsible for Distributing Untraceable Weapons Used for Crimes
Laois Chamber CEO, Caroline Hofman is calling for incentives and tax reliefs for employers and employees working remotely to be included in Budget 2022. Speaking about remote working in Laois, Caroline says:

We have a remote working hub in every town in Laois, and Budget 2022 must include provisions for employers and employees to avail of these top class facilities.

''Covid-19 has made many employers and employees adapt in their way of working, and incentives and tax reliefs should be included in Budget 2022 to support remote working. This would cement the Governments commitment in accordance with the National Remote Working Strategy.

In January 2021 the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment published Making Remote Work  National Remote Working Strategy which outlines the vision for the future of remote working in Ireland.

Legislation is to be introduced next month for employees to have the right to request to work remotely. The report also looks at the acceleration of the National Broadband Plan.

Caroline says, Ensuring continued investment in our remote working hubs is vital, as not only does it have an environmental benefit with reduced commutes as we work towards achieving our 2030 climate targets, but employees will also benefit from a better work-life balance. Studies have also shown that remote working can increase productivity.

A survey of 200 business and IT leaders across Ireland conducted by digital transformation company, Expleo, found that a combined 89% of respondents said productivity had improved or stayed the same while working from home, with 52% of respondents noting improved productivity.

The second phase of the National Remote Working Survey led by NUI Galway and the Western Development Commission was conducted in October 2020 and found that out of 5,639 respondents, 94% were in favour of working remotely some or all of the time. Speaking about the benefits of remote working and being based in Laois.

Covid-19 has made us realise the benefits of flexible and remote working,'' notes Caroline.

''Laois is ideally located with excellent motorway and public transport links. Our central location means that our main cities, airports and ports are all easily accessible. We also have fantastic meeting spaces available throughout the county, and this is something that can be utilised as a central halfway point for companies, employees, and clients.

''Encouraging and supporting the use of our wonderful remote working hubs throughout the county will have great benefits for the local economy by increasing footfall in our towns, benefiting retailers and local businesses.

''Sustaining a better work life balance is also crucial, and something that can be achieved by avoiding the long commutes on a daily basis and by being based in a remote working hub. Those managing and running our remote working hubs throughout Laois are doing a terrific job.

''Not only do our remote working hubs facilitate employees from established businesses as well as start-ups, but they also provide facilities such as catering and food development kitchens, digital fabrication, and industrial units.

Throughout Laois, there are remote working hubs located in Mountmellick, Mountrath, Portarlington, Portlaoise, and Rathdowney.

Visit the Laois Hub Collective website at www.laoisonline.ie to find out more about Laois remote working hubs and what each has to offer.
A brief reminder of Ireland's wild past has been uncovered during roadworks in a Laois town.

A manmade arched stone water channel was unearthed on Main Street in Portarlington this week, and a local historian says it once joined to the town's river to keep it safely enclosed from attacks, even from wolves.

Portarlington was built back in the 1670's, when Ireland still had wolves roaming the land.

Local historian David Orford told the Leinster Express more.

"This formed part of what was called the 'new channel' built in 1670 when the town was laid out in a loop of the River Barrow. This channel connected the two sides of the river to surround the town by water.

"It was probably put there for defence purposes, there would have been a bridge over it. It was also possibly to keep animals out. There may have been wolves in this area. The last wolf was shot in the Slieve Blooms in 1760 and this channel was made in the late 1600's," David said.

The stone channel was last exposed in the 1980's during roadworks. This time Portarlington Main Street is getting brand new footpaths, and undergrounding of the overhead cables so poles can be removed from paths for a better image of the street.

The channel is directly under Gogarty's Bar and leads under the Main Street. As the town grew, it was either built over or filled in in sections, David explained.

"There is no danger of subsidence. It is in quite good condition. it is exciting, it shines a light on the past origins of Portarlington, it was very interesting to see it," he said.

The channel has now been safely covered over again. Portarlington photographer Michael Scully took these photos of David Orford beside the channel before it disappeared from view again for another generation.
A Laois based dog rescue charity that serves much of Ireland, is reporting a surge in the number of young healthy dogs being put down by their owners, in the wake of a pandemic lockdown demand.

Cara Rescue Dogs who find new homes for unwanted and mistreated dogs, say they have no space to take in more dogs.

Instead they are urging owners to give their pets a chance.

Volunteer Lorraine from Mountmellick spoke to the Leinster Express.

"It is on the rise. People are looking to surrender their dogs because they have house problems, not because they are going back to work after the lockdown. It's because the dogs may be snapping or may have bitten their child.

She said that lately as many as four a day are being put to sleep by vets, at the request of owners.

"The owners just did not think about it enough when they got a dog. Some people think of them as commodities. Pups are easy and you can train them.

"But then they drop the ball, the pup starts to pee or poo in the house and they are put out. Then they are crying and barking. They are not being integrated with the family. A child runs out, the dog runs over and maybe knocks them over, and straight away, it's 'can you take it' or they put it down," Lorraine claimed.

"We don't have a centre, we can't hoard dogs. We are trying to ask owners to please hold onto their dogs until we can rehome them.

"We saved a dog from a vets in another county that was half an hour from being put to sleep. I rang the vet and they asked 'which dog' because two were being put to sleep that day. I went to collect that dog, Rosie, and she was already under sedation. The first dog was already gone.

"Vets can't really call us if they are asked to put down a dog but some will. We ask owners to please give your dog a chance. You wouldn't give up on a child. At the end of the day, they are family. Put the time and effort into them and all you get back is love. There is no such thing as a bad dog," Lorraine said.

She is pleading for more foster owners who can temporarily take dogs in need of a new home.

Email caradogs@hotmail.com
The death has occurred of Sean Berry

Marhaba, Tully East, Kildare Town, Kildare



Berry, Sean (Capt Retd. and formerly of Irish Thoroughbred Breeders Association). Husband of the late Alyce and father of the late Gill, peacefully at Naas Hospital on August 17th 2021. Sadly missed by his loving son Paddy, daughter Vivienne, daughter-in-law Anne, son-in-law Tom, grandsons Jeff and David, sister Joan, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, relatives, neighbours and friends.

May Sean Rest In Peace

Due to current government guidelines regarding public gatherings, a private family funeral will take place with a maximum of 50 people to attend the church. Those who would have liked to attend the funeral, but due to current restrictions cannot, please feel free to leave a message in the condolence page below.

Removal by Glennons Funeral Directors from McWeys Funeral Home, Abbeyview, Kildare Town on Saturday (21st August) to arrive at St. Brigid's Parish Church, Kildare Town, for Requiem Mass at 12 noon. Mass will be live streamed on mcnmedia.tv. Burial afterwards in St. Conleth's Cemetery, Kildare Town.

The death has occurred of Marion Malone

Kilcock, Kildare / Leixlip, Kildare



Malone (nee Parsons) (Ballycannon, Kilcock and formerly of Avondale Leixlip, Co. Kildare), August 17th. 2021, (peacefully), at St. Vincents Hospital. Marion, beloved wife of John and dear mother of John, David, Robert and Paul. Sadly missed by her loving husband, sons, daughter-in-law Noreen, granddaughters Lauren and Abigail, brother John, sister Susie, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, relatives, neighbours and friends.

Rest in Peace

Due to Government advice and restrictions regarding public gatherings and to protect our most vulnerable family members and our friends, a private family funeral will take place. Those who would have liked to attend Marions funeral; but due to current restrictions cannot, may view the Mass on Saturday morning, 21st August, at 10.00am by following the link below;

https://churchmedia.tv/camera/confey-parish

If you would like to have attended the funeral, but due to current restrictions you cannot, please leave your personal message by selecting Condolences below. Family flowers only please.

The death has occurred of Bridget (Breeda) McGannon (nee O'Reilly)

6 Geraldine Road, Athy, Kildare / Hacketstown, Carlow / Rathdangan, Wicklow



(Recently of Hamilton Lodge, Rathdangan, Co. Wicklow). Beloved wife of the late Paddy. Cherised mother of Michael, John, Paddy and Susanna. Loving grandmother of Roisin, Shane, Ciaran, Laura, Louise, Thomas, Cathal and Sean. Deeply regretted by her son-in-law Mick, daughters-in-law Noreen and Christina, nieces, nephews, neighbours and friends.

Rest in Peace

Requiem Mass will take place at 12 noon on Friday (20th August) in St. Michael's Parish Church, Athy, limited to 50 people. The Mass will be livestreamed, see www.parishofathy.ie. Burial afterwards in St. Michael's New Cemetery, Athy.

Those who would have liked to attend the funeral but cannot due to current restrictions may leave a message in the 'Condolences' section below.

For 91 years a life of gentle love and laughter and quiet elegance.

Sleep well

The death has occurred of Veronica (Vera) ROBINSON

Graiguecullen, Carlow / Athy, Kildare



Veronica (Vera) Robinson of 2 Sleaty Park View, Graiguecullen, Carlow and formerly of Clommullion, Athy, Co.Kildare, passed away peacefully, on August 18th, 2021, at St Lukes Hospital, Kilkenny.

Beloved partner of Willie.

She will be sadly missed by her loving partner, sons Graham, Georgie and Nathan, grandchildren, former husband George, brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces, extended family, relatives and friends.

May Vera Rest In Peace

Due to government advice regarding public gatherings, Veras Funeral Mass (limited to 50 people) will take place on Friday at 11.30am in St Clares Church, Graiguecullen. Funeral afterwards to Sleaty New Cemetery.

Veras Funeral Mass can be viewed on St Clares Church, online streaming service by using the following link http://www.graiguecullenkilleshin.com/

Those who would have liked to attend, but due to current restrictions cannot, please leave a personal message in the 'Condolences' section below.
Kildare South TD Cathal Berry has called for the Army Ranger Wing to be deployed to Kabul airport to coordinate the evacuation of Irish citizens still in the country.

A former officer in the elite unit based at the Curragh Camp, Mr Berry served on five overseas missions in his 23 years service with the Defence Forces.

He said that without a physical presence by Ireland in Afghanistan, it was very difficult to organise a mission like this.

Irish diplomatic efforts are currently being run by officials in the Irish embassy in Abu Dhabi, around 2,000 km from Afghanistan.

Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney has said that the Government is working closely with its EU partners and the UK to secure places on military flights once Kabul airport was secured.

Mr Berry said: The big issue with evacuation is trying to coordinate from 2,000 miles away in Abu Dhabi. You cant do that. We have no State presence on the runway in Kabul.

He said Mr Coveney, who is also Minister for Defence, could order a small team from the Army Ranger Wing, comprising around 12 members, to be sent to Kabul, along with a department official with all the contact details of Irish citizens.

The Army Ranger Wing could be mobilised in an hour and be be ready to depart from Baldonnel airport, he said.

The medical doctor said authorities here could liaise with the military attache at the British embassy in Dublin and arrange for passage to Kabul.

Mr Berry said the team could fly in an Air Corps CASA plane to the RAF transport hub in Brize Norton and secure a place on the flight to Kabul.

He said there was a window of 13 days before the formal drawdown of US forces on August 31.

He told RTE: This would be a short mission to coordinate the evacuation of all 33 citizens and provide security at the airport.

The TD said the Army Ranger Wing could use part of a hanger for a base and had satellite phones for communication.

He said the unit conducted a similar operation in 2011, when they evacuated Irish citizens from Libya, using Malta as a base.

Mr Berry said the department official could organise a rally point for the Irish citizens at the airport.

He said he believed Irish citizens would travel to the airport if they know it is secure, which it isnt yet.
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Sinn Fein spokesperson on Justice and Equality Martin Kenny TD has called on Minister for Justice Heather Humphreys to provide an emergency visa system immediately in light of the deteriorating humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.

Speaking from his constituency today, the Sligo-Leitrim TD said: We are all horrified by the Talibans takeover in Afghanistan. Given that we now have a seat on the UN Security Council, now more than ever it is Irelands responsibility to provide whatever aid we can to the people of Afghanistan, whether that is humanitarian support, providing emergency visas, or a relocation and resettlement scheme.

There are Afghan people who are now Irish citizens and consider Ireland their new home. They are telling me of their neighbours, lifelong friends and family members being executed because they have worked for western companies since the Taliban fell in the early 2000s. These Irish citizens are anxious for their families to be airlifted out of what is essentially now a warzone," he said.

Leas-Uachtaran Shinn Fein Michelle ONeill indicated just this week that my Sinn Fein colleagues in the north would support the rollout of a relocation and resettlement scheme to Afghan nationals, similar to one provided to Syrian refugees a number of years ago by the British government.

I have today written to both the Ministers for Justice and Minister for Foreign Affairs to suggest that they provide a similar system as an emergency measure. Afghanistan needs help now, not later.
MORE than 100,000 in funding has been awarded to two projects in County Limerick to support fisheries conservation along the River Deel.

Inland Fisheries Ireland, the state agency with responsibility for the protection and conservation of freshwater fish and habitats has allocated the funding under the Habitats and Conservation Scheme 2021.

A total of 105,000 has been awarded for the preparation of detailed reports and design for the removal or improvement of fish passage at four weirs on the River Deel at Askeaton.

It is hoped that the plan will open up 40 kilometres of main river channel and 100 kilometres of tributaries for migrating fish species such as salmon, sea trout, eels and lamprey.

An additional 10,000 has been awarded to West Limerick Deel Anglers for appropriate assessment screening and detailed in-river habitat management plans.

These plans will help inform appropriate measures and rehabilitation for salmon and sea trout habitats, which is being proposed as part of the Riddlestown stream rehabilitation works.

Under two separate funds, the Salmon and Sea Trout Rehabilitation, Conservation and Protection Fund and the Midland Fisheries Fund, eligible angling clubs, commercial fishermen and fishery owners were invited to apply for financial assistance to support fisheries conservation projects in their local areas.

The announcement of the funding has been welcomed by the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications Eamon Ryan.

The Habitats and Conservation Scheme 2021 is a great example of proactive conservation and protection of habitats. The scheme will support angling clubs, commercial fishermen and fishery owners in improving habitats, water quality and fish passage at a local grassroots level. The works and studies supported by the scheme will also result in wider benefits for the environment, he commented.

A total of 17 projects across the country have been awarded a combined 774,000.
THERE was a buzz in the air in Adare last weekend when the En Plein Air event returned, bringing a lively injection of artists and creativity into the community.

There was, said organiser Andrew Timoney, a very enthusiastic response from artists. But after a gap in 2020, due to Covid-19, locals were also very positive and welcoming.

En Plein Air is Andrews brainchild, forged while out on the riverside walk one morning some years ago, and an event which has captured the imaginations of artists since it began in 2017.

The very simple but powerful idea behind En Plein Air was to bring artists together at various sites around Adare to paint what their artist eye sees and all under the summer sky. As Andrew explains: We choose the sites. You choose the vista.

This years competition was run last Sunday in compliance with Covid-19 so the traditional launch party had to be scrapped. There were some changes in announcing the winners which had to take place without the usual audience.

This years winning entry, (pictured below) was by Jane Hilliard of the Jane Hilliard Gallery in Tralee.

She was awarded a cheque for 1.000, sponsored by Regeneron, and this was presented by the judges, artist Henry Morgan and ceramicist Eleanor Swan of Russborough House.
AN ambitious film project, aimed at promoting Rathkeale, got underway in the town this week,

The film/documentary is the brainchild of Donie OConnor who presides over the towns Welcome Centre and is chairman of the West Limerick Heritage Network.

Marrying history and the present day, the film centres on a real life event from 1847 but then spirits the historical characters into todays Rathkeale.

Today is just the beginning, Donie said as filming began at the Rathkeale Community Centre, once the main court house for Co Limerick and a key location in the telling of the story of Daniel and Molly OConnor.

The names of the couple have been changed, Donie explains, but the main thread of the storyline is based on fact. It centres on Daniel, and Molly, and their children Mary and John who are facing eviction from their home but when Daniel protests, the family is arrested.

Daniel manages to escape en route to Rathkeale courthouse and eventually makes his way to Queenstown, now Cobh, and from there to America. Meanwhile, Molly and the children are incarcerated in one of the courthouses holding cells, (still visible today) and are sentenced to the workhouse.

In the storyline created by Donie, Daniel OConnell the Liberator (who in his life as a barrister is believed to have practiced in Rathkeale courthouse), steps forward and offers to pay their passage to the New World, in their case to Canada.

En route to their new life, Mollys son John dies and arriving in Quebec, Molly and Mary face many challenges.

Eventually, they make their way to New York where, five years after the family was sundered apart, they are reunited. Some years later their daughter Mary marries a emigrant from Rathkeale who has done well in New York.

It is this well-to-do pair who return as spirits to the Rathkeale of 2021, keen to see the changes.

To their great surprise, many of the features of 1847 Rathkeale remain: the courthouse now the Community Centre; the workhouse now the AIB meat plant, the paupers grave and old abbey, the Church of Ireland and the many Georgian houses along the main street. But there are huge changes too

I am loving it, said Helen Shanahan who plays the role of Mary in the film. It is a way to promote Rathkeale, its history and story. I am originally from Adare and have been living here for the past 20 years and its great to be able to help the place that has been so good to me.

Noel White, who plays Marys husband, is also enjoying his role and is very supportive of the project. It is something positive for Rathkeale. It is a good way to mix the past and the present.

For Donie, who is being assisted on camera by Willie Balfe, it is a labour of love and one that he expects will take months to complete. But once the film is wrapped, he is looking forward to a gala showing in Rathkeale.
THE President of UL, Professor Kerstin Mey has paid tribute to Nelia Scheeres, a third year medical student who tragically lost her life in a road collision in Kerry on Monday.

Ms Scheeres, originally from Canada, was a BMBS student in the School of Medicine, along with her sister Christi.

The fatal road traffic collision involving a car and a truck occurred on the N69, Tralee at approximately 1:15pm on Monday.

Ms Scheeres, the driver of the car, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the truck did not require medical treatment at the scene.

"It is my sad duty once again this week to make you aware of the heart-breaking passing of another cherished member of our community Nelia Scheeres, from Canada who was a Year 3 BMBS student of the School of Medicine," Prof Kerstin Mey said in her statement.

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to Nelias family especially to her parents Jan (Jaco) and Madine, her sister and fellow BMBS student Christi, her brother Ian and to her extended family and friends and fellow UL students.

"Ar dheis De go raibh a hanam dilis."
THE Desmond Castle yard in Newcastle West will echo to the sounds of words and music this Friday when Festival in a Van makes a return visit to the town.

Festival in a Van is an artistic venture which took to the road last year bringing performances of music, poetry and drama around the country in a Covid-safe manner. This has continued this year and Words Move is their new offering, in association with Poetry Ireland.

Limerick Culture and Arts Office has teamed up with Words Move for a late summer event in the Desmond Castle. This will take place at 11am this Friday, August 20 and will feature poet Kate Quigley and critically acclaimed musical performer Susan O'Neil aka SON.

Tickets for the event are free but are limited and must be booked.

In the afternoon, Words Move will take part in sessions at St Itas Community Hospital and to the Brothers of Charity.

Last year it was amazing to be able to put on shows, and now as things open up, were thrilled to be working with such brilliantly creative people on this tour. I think many of us rediscovered poetry during lockdown, so it feels very special to be putting it centre stage, said founder member of Festival in a Van, Gemma Tipton.

Words Move travels to Fingal, Wicklow, Laois, Westmeath, Monaghan, Kilkenny, Waterford and Kerry as well as Limerick, taking in care homes, community groups, service providers and arts centres as well as public spaces.

Were delighted to partner with Festival in a Van to bring talented poets and musicians, in a safe way, to diverse audiences across the country, said Niamh ODonnell, Poetry Ireland Director.

To book your spot in Newcastle West, click here.
HCL Technologies has appointed Fabiano Funari as the country head for Brazil. The appointment is meant to drive growth for the company in Latin America. HCL Corporate Vice President Anil Ganjoo will serve as the corporate sponsor for the region.

With Funaris appointment, HCL continues to widen its global footprint, provide digital transformation services across all industries and add to its customer roster, the Indian IT major said in a statement on Thursday. Its existing customer base will also benefit from HCLs expansion in Latin America at a time when global connection has become crucial, it further added.

Im excited to lead and be part of HCLs dynamic team in Brazil, a country thats home to innovative firms eager for a technology company to provide world-class solutions," Funari said. With HCLs presence in Latin America, well be able to continue to deliver top services to new and existing customers."

Funari joined the HCL Technologies to spearhead the company's growth across all industries and capabilities in Brazil. The company employs more than 800 people across its national headquarters in Sao Paulo and delivery centers in Sao Paulo, Sau Leopoldo and Curitiba. HCL services more than 30 clients across Brazil.

Funari has held leadership positions at various global technology companies. He has a successful track record in sales and service delivery and a deep understanding of the local marketplace, including its needs and unique characteristics.

Funari will brings digital transformation, cloudification and deep IT expertise, combined with 20 years of experience and passion in helping customers through the challenges they face for continued competitive growth.

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UAE airline Etihad Airways has updated travel rules and has decided to issue visas on arrival for passengers from 70 countries.

In a statement, the Abu Dhabi-based airline said, "Travellers from the 70 countries do not need to apply for a visa before traveling to UAE. When you land in Abu Dhabi, simply make your way to immigration to receive a visa when you arrive".

Travellers from these 70 countries that will receive a visa on arrival in Abu Dhabi:

Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong (SAR of China), Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peoples Republic of China, Peru, Poland, Republic of Mauritius, Republic of El Salvador, Portugal, Romania, Russian, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The Vatican, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States of America, and Uruguay.

Indians can only travel to Abu Dhabi if they are:

UAE citizen, golden/silver visa holder or diplomat.

Fully vaccinated resident of the UAE  you must have proof of having received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine within the UAE no less than 14 days before travel.

Medical personnel, education sector workers or students studying in the UAE.

Travelling for medical reasons.

A federal government agency worker.

Indian nationals holding a US visitor visa or green card are also eligible to obtain a visa on arrival in Abu Dhabi. Additionally, Indians who have UK or EU residency valid for at least 6 months.

Meanwhile, Kuwait has resumed commercial flights with India this week.

Earlier this month, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) lifted ban on entry of passengers from India. While restrictions on travel from India to UAE are still in place, those Indians who have a valid residency permit and are fully vaccinated, at least 14 days prior to the travel -- are included in the exempted category.

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Chinese astronomers hope to establish a major observatory program on the roof of the world, the Tibetan Plateau , with new research arguing for pristine observing conditions nestled in the uplands.

The analysis focuses on a study site near Lenghu Town in Qinghai Province at an altitude of more than 2.5 miles (4.2 kilometers) and some 1,900 miles (3,000 km) west of Beijing. In the paper, the scientists argue that three years of monitoring shows conditions on par with those at some of the most renowned scientific outposts on Earth . Moreover, making use of the site would fill a gap in scientists' existing global network of high-altitude, high-caliber observatory complexes, allowing for more reliable monitoring of phenomena that change rapidly, like supernovas. Right now, top-tier observatories cluster in the Western Hemisphere  think Maunakea in Hawaii, Cerro Paranal in Chile and La Palma in the Canary Islands.

"Finding a good site in China, spatially on the Tibetan Plateau, is essential to the development of astronomy and planetary science in China," co-author Fei He, an optics specialist at the Institute of Geology and Geophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, told Space.com in an email.

Related: 16 amazing dark sky preserves around the world that protect the night sky

The initiative tracks with China's heavy focus on building new science and technology facilities around the world, Dean Cheng, an expert on Chinese military and space activities at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative public policy think tank based in Washington, D.C., told Space.com.

"Astronomy is a high priority," Cheng said. "Both inside and outside China, they are busily improving their space surveillance capabilities, space observation capabilities, but also their scientific capabilities as we've seen with their missions to Mars and the moon."

The site analyzed in the new research is located on the Tibetan Plateau but not in Tibet proper, which China invaded in 1959 and where tensions continue to run high. Qinghai Province is next door, but about a quarter of its population are Tibetan , according to China's government press agency Xinhua.

And while the research was only submitted this February, observatories are already in the works at the site, according to Xinhua. The news bureau announced in April 2020 that a Chinese university and the regional government had agreed to terms for the construction of the Wide Field Survey Telescope (WFST), a 2.5-meter optical telescope at the time scheduled to begin work in 2022.

Before focusing on the site near Lenghu Town, the scientists behind the new research set up equipment at three additional locations during early stages of the research, between 2016 and 2018. But Lenghu Town was a particularly appealing site, He wrote, and somewhat connected to the urbanized coast on the other side of the country.

Plus, local government officials invited the team in to conduct the analysis. "Lenghu has been known to have unusually clear sky to the community, and at the same time, Lenghu area has a spectacular landscape similar to Mars , therefore the local government wanted to develop tourist industry specialized in astronomy and planetary science," He wrote.

So He and his colleagues took to trekking out to the site, which is located on Saishiteng Mountain at an altitude of about 13,800 feet (4,200 meters), about 200 feet (60 m) higher than the Keck Observatory in Hawaii. The site's elevation is key: Earth's atmosphere causes blurring in astronomical observations and the higher a telescope's site is, the less atmosphere instruments must see through.

Related: The 10 biggest telescopes on Earth

Other factors also appeal to the team from the new analysis. The sky is relatively dark, and Lenghu officials have already created regulations to keep background light low. According to 30 years' worth of weather records studied by the team, the site sees just 0.71 inches (18 millimeters) of precipitation a year and 3,500 hours of sunshine. And the team's analysis of factors like air stability, turbulence and water vapor, are also promising, according to the researchers.

Of course, the elevation and remoteness that fosters such dark skies are also logistical challenges.

"Before the road reached the summit of Saishiteng Mountain, the necessary building materials and tools were carried to the site by a helicopter and the scientific devices were manually carried up to the mountain," He wrote. One team member saw wolves and thick snow was a regular challenge.

That's not likely to foil plans to build observatories. Currently, China is quite focused on construction on the Tibetan Plateau, and particularly in Tibet itself, which in addition to its own restiveness is a key strategic region given China's tensions with nuclear-armed India, Cheng noted.

"They're on top of the world at the top of the Himalayas," he said. "The Chinese are building massive infrastructure  roads, railways, air bases, military bases, camps  and moving in a lot of military equipment."

Between trips up the mountain, team members talked with local residents of Lenghu Town. While the authors noted that local officials were enthusiastic about the prospect of welcoming astronomy to the site, it's not clear whether residents agree.

He said that about 3,000 people live in the town, which is located about 50 miles (80 km) away from the analyzed site. "What we usually talked about is how the development of astronomy and planetary science at Lenghu could make their lives better," He wrote of conversations with residents.

"Scientific development will attract more tourists here and promote the development of local tourism, so they can make more money," He wrote. "During the night, when walking on the street, we also introduce the stars and planets to them and what kind of tourism can be developed. At the same time, we also talked about the protection of the dark sky which is essential to the development of the observatory, and they were happy to make sacrifices for it."

Some of those sacrifices are already in action. "If the local population were to grow with economic development, then control of light pollution could be lost," the authors wrote in the paper . But Lenghu leaders knew that going in and passed strict dark-sky protections in 2017 to avoid that threat  part of what has made the site so appealing for the researchers, they wrote.

And the result is stunning. "When you are on the summit of the mountain, you can see the fantastic Mars-like landscape of the Qaidam Basin during the day, and the magnificent and beautiful starry sky during the night," He wrote. "It was very memorable."

The research is described in a paper published Wednesday (Aug. 18) in the journal Nature.

Email Meghan Bartels at mbartels@space.com or follow her on Twitter @meghanbartels. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.
A female giant squid caught in a net off Kyoto had dozens of sperm packets from a single male embedded in her muscles. (Image credit: Miyazu Energy Aquarium)

A female of the world's largest squid  sometimes called the "kraken" after the mythological sea monster  that was caught off the coast of Japan apparently had just one amorous encounter in her lifetime.

The female had sperm packets from just one male giant squid embedded in her body, which surprised researchers. Because giant squid are solitary creatures that probably run across potential mates only occasionally, scientists expected that females would opportunistically collect and store sperm from multiple males over time.

"We were almost confident that they are promiscuous," said Noritaka Hirohashi, a biologist at Shimane University in Japan. "We just wanted to know how many males are involved in copulation. So this is totally unexpected."

Related: Release the kraken! Giant squid photos

Mysterious mating

Hirohashi and his colleagues study reproduction and sperm biology in several squid species, but the most mysterious of all is Architeuthis dux, the giant squid. Rarely seen alive, the giant squid has a life cycle shrouded in deep ocean mystery. Video of living giant squid in their natural habitats has been captured only twice . The only thing researchers know about these mysterious creatures' mating habits is that female giant squid are sometimes found with large sperm packets known as spermatangia embedded in their muscles. Researchers writing in a 1997 paper in the journal Nature posited that male giant squid probably use their "muscular elongate penis" to inject the sperm packets into the females.

How sperm meets egg from there isn't entirely clear. It's possible that the female releases chemical cues that activate the sperm when she's ready to spawn, or perhaps she releases her eggs in such a way that they trail along the sperm packets as they leave her body. Squid females do have organs near the mouth called seminal receptacles, where some species storm sperm, and it's possible that in those species, the embedded sperm can travel over the skin to these receptacles .

Knowing that witnessing two giant squid mating is highly unlikely, Hirohashi and his team developed a window into the process, using genetics. Examining squid specimens from fisheries and museum archives, they pinpointed some segments of the giant squid genome that would distinguish one set of squid DNA from another. Think of it like a squid paternity test: Any sperm packets found on a female can be tested to see if they came from multiple males and, if so, how many.

The researchers are always on the lookout for sperm-spangled females. They send out flyers to local museums, fisheries and aquariums, asking them to alert the research lab if a giant squid specimen turns up. In February 2020, they got good news.

"In this case, we found [a] Yahoo News [article] telling that the giant squid was caught," Hirohashi wrote in an email to Live Science.

Saving sperm

The spermatangia, or sperm packets, embedded in the upper layer of muscle on the female giant squid. No one knows how the sperm get to the eggs to fertilize them. (Image credit: Miyazu Energy Aquarium)

The specimen was a female, with a mantle, or main body, 5.25 feet (1.6 meters) long. It was missing a pair of tentacles and one eye but still weighed 257 pounds (116.6 kilograms). The squid had been caught in a fisher's net in Kyoto and was displayed at the Miyazu Energy Aquarium before being dissected.

When Hirohashi's team examined the body, they found that the squid was just reaching maturity and that it had squiggly spermatangia 3.9 inches (10 centimeters) long embedded in five separate locations: three places on the squid's mantle, one by an arm and one on the head. Each location hosted at least 10 spermatangia. Some were near gashes that may have been caused by a mating male's beak.

Genetic analysis of the spermatangia revealed that each and every one came from the same male. This was shocking to the research team; giant squid are often found bearing sperm packets, in a way that suggests that males aren't particularly picky. Spermatangia have been found on immature females, perhaps as a way for males to make their sperm available after the female matures, and even on males, perhaps because males are willing to try anything (or perhaps because they sometimes accidentally self-fertilize). All of the evidence pointed to a species that would mate first and ask questions later.

The specimen, of course, is just one female, so more research is needed to see if monogamy is the norm among giant squid females. It's possible that this female had simply only encountered one male before she was entangled in the net that ended her life, the researchers wrote in the September issue of the journal Deep Sea Research Part 1 . Or perhaps it is typical for females to mate with just one male. The gashes might be part of the males' strategy for ensuring other males don't move in, perhaps by limiting a female's life span after mating so that she doesn't have time to collect more sperm. Or, the researchers speculated, the aggression and injuries could spur the females to mature and spawn so that the sperm is speedily fertilized.

The next step is to study the spermatangia of more specimens, Hirohashi said. And researchers need to figure out how the stored sperm reaches the eggs, which are not deposited particularly close to the spermatangia. Researchers also need to figure out basically everything else about this elusive creature, including its life span, migration and habitats, he added.

"Kids ask these questions at the aquarium, so we must answer," Hirohashi said.

Originally published on Live Science
The massive coral colony "Muga dhambi" is one of the largest and oldest of its kind in the Great Barrier Reef. (Image credit: Richard Woodgett/Grumpy Turtle)

Australian scientists have discovered one of the largest and oldest coral colonies in the Great Barrier Reef, which is the largest coral reef system on Earth .

The massive coral belongs to the genus Porites and measures 34 feet (10.4 meters) wide and 17.4 feet (5.3 m) tall, making it the widest and sixth-tallest coral in the Great Barrier Reef . Snorkelers found the record-breaking coral off the coast of Goolboodi, part of the Palm Island Group in Queensland, Australia, and they named it "Muga dhambi"  meaning "big coral" in the language of the Manbarra people, who are the Indigenous people of Palm Islands.

The researchers found that the massive coral has been around for between 421 and 438 years, meaning that it predates the colonization of Australia. The colony has survived centuries of exposure to invasive species , coral bleaching events and low tides, as well as around 80 major cyclones , the researchers said.

Related: Sea science: 7 bizarre facts about the ocean

"The structure is probably one of the oldest on the Great Barrier Reef," Nathan Cook, a marine scientist at Reef Ecologic, an NGO in Australia specializing in corals, told Live Science.

Researchers from NGO Reef Ecologic alongside Muga dhambi. (Image credit: Richard Woodgett/Grumpy Turtle)

Corals are colonial animals that get a majority of their energy from a symbiotic relationship with photosynthetic algae called Zooxanthellae. The colony is connected by a skeleton made out of calcium carbonate from the surrounding seawater, which slowly grows over time.

Muga dhambi's incredible girth is the result of its hard skeleton, which requires extra stability in the water, whereas more flexible soft corals require a less solid foundation

"These massive colonies grow in a hemispherical shape, likely prioritising width over height for stability," Cook said. "It is difficult for any hard coral species to grow really tall without breaking."

Other Porites corals in the Pacific grew even larger than Muga dhambi; in American Samoa, one coral colony was recorded at an astonishing 56.8 feet (17 m) wide and 39.4 feet (12 m) tall. That reef is outside of the Great Barrier Reef, but it does suggest the possibility of finding even larger Porites colonies in the Great Barrier Reef, Cook said.

"There are many unexplored corners of the Great Barrier Reef," Cook said. "It is possible there are larger coral colonies waiting to be documented by intrepid citizen scientists."

Ancient colonies like Muga dhambi provide scientists with a rare opportunity to learn more about the reef conditions as the corals grow.

"Large coral colonies are like historical repositories holding secrets within their calcium carbonate skeletons," Cook said. Similar to taking cores of Antarctic ice sheets to see how atmospheric conditions have changed over time, it is possible to take samples of coral skeletons to see how ocean conditions on the Great Barrier Reef have changed, he added.

Unfortunately, this is only likely to confirm what scientists already know  that ocean conditions are becoming much more inhospitable to corals.

"Corals are sensitive to environmental changes, particularly rising sea temperature," Cook said. "There has been a decline of 50% of coral cover on the Great Barrier Reef over the past 30 years," he added, making them the "canaries in the coal mine" for climate change .

Researchers remain hopeful that even if a majority of coral cover is lost, resilient colonies like Muga dhambi could continue to survive in the future. The colony is in very good health with 70% consisting of live coral and the rest being covered with sponge and non-symbiotic algae.

"Due to the increasing severity and intensity of disturbances to ecosystems worldwide, corals like this are becoming increasingly rare," Cook said. "As optimists, we hope that Muga dhambi will survive for many more years, but it will require a big change in human impacts."

The study was published online Aug. 19 in the journal Scientific Reports .

Originally published on Live Science.
A pair of olive sea snakes (Aipysurus laevis). (Image credit: Shutterstock)

A scuba diver off Australia noticed some odd behavior whenever he came into contact with male sea snakes : The venomous reptiles would coil around his fins, licking the water around him and even sometimes chasing him underwater. Now, he knows why: It was mating season, and the males thought he was a potential mate.

In a new study, the diver and another researcher analyzed 158 of these interactions with olive sea snakes (Aipysurus laevis) over several years in the Great Barrier Reef and found that interactions were more common during the reptiles' mating season. The sexually frustrated snakes also displayed elaborate behaviors that are often used during courtship between the sea serpents.

"Males are very aroused and active while looking for 'girlfriends,'" lead author Rick Shine, an evolutionary biologist and reptile expert at Macquarie University in Australia, told Live Science. But because the males can't tell the difference between female snakes and scuba divers, it can lead to some comical interactions, he added.

Related: 7 shocking snake stories

Although olive sea snakes are venomous, and potentially lethal, to humans, the researchers do not think believe that people are at an increased risk from swimming with the reptiles during their mating season.

Close encounters

Tim Lynch  now a senior research scientist at CSIRO, Australia's national science agency  collected the data while working on his doctorate at James Cook University in Australia in the mid-1990s. He recorded the encounters around the Keppel Islands in the southern Great Barrier Reef and was the first to notice a link between their unusual behavior and mating.

"It was exciting; they are the most graceful of animals and also have no evolutionary relationship with people," Lynch said. "They are not actually trying to attack you; they are just curious."

Scuba divers approach a lone sea snake. (Image credit: Shutterstock)

The new study came about after Shine read Lynch's work while researching sea snakes. "I read his thesis, thought it was great and convinced him to collaborate with me to finally publish these exciting results," Shine said.

Although the data were collected more than 25 years ago, the researchers still think the findings are relevant today.

"I think the data is still sound, as the behaviors of the snakes, and probably people as well, will not have changed," Lynch said.

Sexually motivated

During 74 out of 158 encounters, Lynch was approached by a sea snake, and a majority of these overlapped with their mating season, between May and August. Males were also significantly more likely than females to approach, and display some mating behaviors toward, the diver, especially during the mating season.

Lynch also described behaviors known to occur during the mating season, such as males coiling their bodies around his fins.

"Males coil around females during courtship, probably to hang on effectively while they get into position to mate," Shine said.

The males also tended to flick out their tongues at Lynch. However, the most striking behavior occurred in 13 incidents, when the males rapidly chased Lynch underwater when he swam away.

"Females don't do any chasing; they do the fleeing [during mating]," Lynch said. "So swimming away from a male snake is mimicking courtship behavior," which encourages the male to follow.

The researchers suspect that the snakes that chased Lynch were probably in the midst of a failed mating attempt.

"It's clear that most approaches to divers were by males who had lost contact with the females they were pursuing," Shine said. "They frantically search for a female if they lose touch with her."

Mistaken identity

The researchers suspect that sea snakes cannot properly distinguish between shapes underwater.

"It's a lot more difficult to see through water than through air, especially if the water is rough or dirty," Shine said. Sea snakes also evolved from land snakes fairly recently, so they don't have a visual system that works well underwater, he added.

Instead, sea snakes rely more on scent and less on vision to experience their world.

That is likely why tongue flicking was such a commonly observed behavior during interactions with divers, Lynch said. "They can only really confirm that you are not a female snake by licking you."

Sea snake tongues pick up chemicals in the water that then get analyzed by a special gland in the roof of the mouth, Shine said. This means that a sea snake has to get very close to an object to identify it, he added.

Misunderstood behavior

Divers don't need to worry about being attacked while swimming with these sea snakes.

"Very few recreational users of the ocean are bitten by sea snakes, so the danger is low," Shine said. "Most bites, including fatal ones, are to fishers who haul snakes out of the water."

For instance, in the most recently reported human death from a sea snake bite, a British man was killed when he was handling a black ringed sea krait (Laticauda semifasciata) that was caught in a net byf a fishing trawler off the north coast of Australia in 2018, according to the BBC .

Lynch was bitten several times during his doctoral work. However, these instances involved him physically handling the snakes, and he was always wearing wet-suit gloves. "Olive sea snakes do not usually bite unless harassed underwater," Lynch said, "but they are enthusiastic biters when brought onto land."

Although people should always remain cautious around venomous animals, the researchers see no reason people should avoid sea snakes completely. "If you know what is going on you can relax, settle onto the bottom and stay still and let the snakes investigate you," Lynch said.

The study was published online Aug. 19 in the journal Scientific Reports .

Originally published on Live Science.
Operators of satellite constellations are constantly forced to move their satellites because of encounters with other spacecraft and pieces of space junk. And, thanks to SpaceX's Starlink satellites, the number of such dangerous approaches will continue to grow, according to estimates based on available data.

SpaceX's Starlink satellites alone are involved in about 1,600 close encounters between two spacecraft every week, according to Hugh Lewis, the head of the Astronautics Research Group at the University of Southampton, U.K. These encounters include situations when two spacecraft pass within a distance of 0.6 miles (1 kilometer) from each other.

Lewis, Europe's leading expert on space debris, makes regular estimates of the situation in orbit based on data from the Socrates (Satellite Orbital Conjunction Reports Assessing Threatening Encounters in Space ) database. This tool, managed by Celestrack, provides information about satellite orbits and models their trajectories into the future to assess collision risk.

Space Junk Clean Up: 7 Wild Ways to Destroy Orbital Debris

Lewis publishes regular updates on Twitter and has seen a worrying trend in the data that reflects the fast deployment of the Starlink constellation.

"I have looked at the data going back to May 2019 when Starlink was first launched to understand the burden of these megaconstellations," Lewis told Space.com. "Since then, the number of encounters picked up by the Socrates database has more than doubled and now we are in a situation where Starlink accounts for half of all encounters."

The current 1,600 close passes include those between two Starlink satellites. Excluding these encounters, Starlink satellites approach other operators spacecraft 500 times every week.

Related: New spacecraft sustainability rating targets space junk

In July's update of the conjunctions involving #Starlink & #OneWeb as predicted by #SOCRATES (https://t.co/CjUGwoALuU) we can see the continuing (exponential) rise in the number of close passes August 2, 2021 See more

In comparison, Starlink's competitor OneWeb, currently flying over 250 satellites, is involved in 80 close passes with other operators' satellites every week, according to Lewis' data.

And the situation is bound to get worse. Only 1,700 satellites of an expected constellation of tens of thousands have been placed into orbit so far. Once SpaceX launches all 12,000 satellites of its first generation constellation, Starlink satellites will be involved in 90% of all close approaches, Lewis calculations suggest.

And another for @cosmos4u: the number of conjunctions August 3, 2021 See more

The risk of collision

Siemak Heser, CEO and co-founder of Boulder, Colorado, based Kayhan Space, confirms the trend. His company, which develops a commercial autonomous space traffic management system, estimates that on average, an operator managing about 50 satellites will receive up to 300 official conjunction alerts a week. These alerts include encounters with other satellites as well as pieces of debris. Out of these 300 alerts, up to ten would require operators to perform avoidance maneuvers , Hesar told Space.com.

Kayhan Space bases their estimates on data provided by the U.S. Space Surveillance Network . This network of radars and telescopes, managed by the U.S. Space Force, closely monitors about 30,000 live and defunct satellites and pieces of debris down to the size of 4 inches (10 centimeters) and provides the most accurate location data of the orbiting objects.

The size of this catalog is expected to increase ten times in the near future, Hesar added, partly due to the growth of megaconstellations, such as Starlink, and partly as sensors improve and enable detection of even smaller objects. The more objects in the catalog mean more dangerously close encounters.

"This problem is really getting out of control," Hesar said. "The processes that are currently in place are very manual, not scalable, and there is not enough information sharing between parties that might be affected if a collision happens."

Hesar compared the problem to driving on a highway and not knowing that there has been an accident a few miles ahead of you. If two spacecraft collide in orbit, the cloud of debris the crash generates would threaten other satellites travelling through the same area.

"You want to have that situational awareness for the other actors that are flying in the neighbourhood," Hesar said.

Related: The worst space debris events of all time

A visualization of satellites and space debris around Earth. (Image credit: NASA)

Bad decisions

Despite the concerns, only three confirmed orbital collisions have happened so far. Earlier this week, astrophysicist and satellite tracker Jonathan McDowell, who's based at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Massachusetts, found evidence in Space-Track data that the Chinese meteorological satellite Yunhai 1-02 , which disintegrated in March this year, was actually hit by a piece of space debris.

The worst known space collision in history took place in February 2009 when the U.S. telecommunication satellite Iridium 33 and Russia's defunct military satellite Kosmos-2251 crashed at the altitude of 490 miles (789 kilometres). The incident spawned over 1,000 pieces of debris larger than 4 inches (10 cm). Many of these fragments were then involved in further orbital incidents.

Lewis is concerned that with the number of close passes growing, the risk of operators at some point making a wrong decision will grow as well. Avoidance maneuvers cost fuel, time and effort. Operators, therefore, always carefully evaluate such risks. A decision not to make an avoidance maneuver following an alert, such as that made by Iridium in 2009, could, however, clutter the orbital environment for years and decades.

"In a situation when you are receiving alerts on a daily basis, you can't maneuver for everything," Lewis said. "The maneuvers use propellant, the satellite cannot provide service. So there must be some threshold. But that means you are accepting a certain amount of risk. The problem is that at some point, you are likely to make a wrong decision."

Hesar said that uncertainties in the positions of satellites and pieces of debris are still considerable. In case of operational satellites, the error could be up to 330 feet (100 meters) large. When it comes to a piece of debris, the uncertainty about its exact position might be in the order of a mile or more.

"This object can be anywhere in this bubble of multiple kilometres," Hesar said. "At this point, and for the foreseeable future, avoidance is our best recourse. People that say 'I'm going to take the risk', in my humble opinion, that's an irresponsible thing to do."

In September 2019, ESA's wind-monitoring satellite Aeolus came dangerously close to one of SpaceX's Starlink spacecraft. The space agency had to move the spacecraft to prevent a collision. (Image credit: ESA)

Starlink monopoly

Lewis is concerned about the growing influence of a single actor  Starlink  on the safety of orbital operations. Especially, he says, as the spaceflight company has entered the satellite operations world only recently.

"We place trust in a single company, to do the right thing," Lewis said. "We are in a situation where most of the maneuvers we see will involve Starlink. They were a launch provider before, now they are the world's biggest satellite operator, but they have only been doing that for two years so there is a certain amount of inexperience."

SpaceX relies on an autonomous collision avoidance system to keep its fleet away from other spacecraft. That, however, could sometimes introduce further problems. The automatic orbital adjustments change the forecasted trajectory and therefore make collision predictions more complicated, according to Lewis.

"Starlink doesn't publicize all the maneuvers that they're making, but it is believed that they are making a lot of small corrections and adjustments all the time," Lewis said. "But that causes problems for everybody else because no one knows where the satellite is going to be and what it is going to do in the next few days."

Follow Tereza Pultarova on Twitter @TerezaPultarova. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.
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The Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) plans to establish a new civil protection logistics centre at Leipzig. The German Red Cross will be setting up the site not far from Leipzig/Halle airport.

The EU and its member states have been setting up these logistics centres for some time. As well as being used to procure, store and maintain protective equipment, the centres can also act as a base for organising the distribution logistics.

Alongside its regular passenger and freight traffic, Leipzig/Halle Airport (LEJ) already serves as a hub for medical relief supplies and protective equipment. In the first half of 2021, in addition to regular air traffic, some 70 cargo charter flights were handled, carrying millions of Covid-19 tests and PPE.

At the end of last week, two further relief planes took off from the airport, destined for Windhoek, Namibia. On board the Antonov 124 aircraft were urgently needed medical supplies, including masks and ventilators, for this South African country that has been badly hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

So far, the German government has supplied more than 600 pallets of relief cargo, which has been flown to the area by Russias Volga-Dnepr Airlines. The operation was commissioned by ECHO.

Earlier this year, Volga-Dnepr Group and Leipzig/Halle Airport signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the aim to strengthen Humanitarian Hub at the airport.

Not only do these flights demonstrate our commitment toward the humanitarian sector, but also come as a logical step for further development of long-lasting strategic cooperation between LEJ and Volga-Dnepr Group, said Yulia Celetaria, the Global Healthcare Director for the Volga-Dnepr Group.

Our recent flights to Namibia, organised in cooperation with our customer Maersk, is one of the roadmaps steps. Our flights to Namibia come in the same week as we transport firefighting equipment to Greece and vaccine production machinery to India, which shows our readiness to support aid and relief sector.

Freight volumes at Leipzig/Halle Airport, Europes fourth-largest air cargo hub, are continuing to grow. During the first seven months of this year, the volume increased by 18.9% compared with the The airport handled more than 1.38 million tonnes of freight last year, setting a new record.
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JB Perrette has a unique perch on the global television business.

The longtime Discovery International chief sits atop a collection of more than 200 channels serving up content in more than 50 languages. This summer, hes in the throes of rolling out the Discovery Plus streaming service in the many territories where Discovery has a strong foothold, and he helped steer Discoverys Eurosport and its coverage of the Tokyo Olympics. More recently, hes been embroiled in a fight with the government of Poland over efforts to ban non-European ownership of media, which would impact Discoverys TVN Group there.

Navigating the cross currents of the global economy is all in a days work for Perrette, who has lead Discovery International since 2014. The launch of Discovery Plus, the growth of Eurosport and the surprise of the Discovery-WarnerMedia merger announcement in May has made 2021 a most dynamic year, Perrette says on the latest installment of Variety podcast Strictly Business.

Youve got to have infrastructure on the ground to succeed in markets around the world, he says. The idea of international as a single word is the great misnomer. This is a collection of very diverse, very rich and very distinct markets.

Discoverys advantage in launching Discovery Plus also comes from experience about which kinds of shows and pricing options work and dont work in those distinct markets, Perrette says. His team is working on various bundling options for Discovery Plus, Eurosport and other assets under the Discovery International umbrella.

Weve got people and teams that know the local markets, they know the marketing channels, they know the local production communities, he said. I give real credit to Netflix on this one for having flattened the world from a consumption standpoint of international and global content. We come into this well positioned because we have decades worth of experience at the the local markets level and the international level.

Perrette is a longtime lieutenant of Discovery CEO David Zaslav. The two worked together in distribution at NBC and NBCUniversal for 11 years before Zaslav took the reins of Discovery in 2007. Perrette followed four years later, first as chief digital officer before he took over international.

Perrette is clearly poised for a large role in the combined WarnerMedia-Discovery venture, if that merger agreement gets approved by regulators. For now, Perrette can only speak of future plans in broadest terms before the transaction is complete.

This is going to be a powerhouse of an unparalleled content offering that weve got to work with, he says, citing the combined entitys heft in drama, comedy, lifestyle and factual programming as well as news and sports. The question for us is how do we take this incredible offering and bring it to customers in a simple and compelling fashion.

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The journey started for 42 Laredo College students on Wednesday as their orientation began early in the morning where they would hear about the expectations they will have to meet for the college and the community.

Furthermore, they would not leave empty handed as the $1 million TikTok grant received last year would help provide each student with a number of resources for the start of their nursing career as part of the TikTok Health Heroes Starter Kit.

Each student received two sets of nursing uniforms, a $413 check, a stethoscope and a skill kit with a variety of nursing equipment that will be covered throughout their semester, LC Dean of Health Sciences Dr. Dianna Miller said.

She added that items like the Littmann stethoscope can be used throughout their entire careers; this may also make a nice memento of their perseverance during these difficult times. Generally, these stethoscopes are priced at $100 and have the capability of using them for both adult and pediatric patients.

The check will pay for software, prep work and general electronic resources to help the students work and study. Miller said that they will be thrusted into the work soon and will be using their equipment by next week.

They have to do their part. We can do our part, but they also have to spend time studying, she said.

The orientation was said to have ended at 3 p.m., but moving forward after each one-hour class, the subject demands at least a three-hour studying period. Miller said that it is the same formula that the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has looked at favorably.

Open labs will also be available for practices before they are put in clinical practices, whether they be at hospitals, nursing homes, etc.

Miller said that discussions have been had with one of the medical facilities in the community to find positions for nursing students during these times where medical staff are sorely needed.

Additionally, state legislation dictated that students in the licensed vocational nurse or associate degree programs can be hired into medical facilities as a way to symbiotically help. Miller said that regardless, the 42 students are slated to graduate in May 2023.

All of the students that came in, they were competing with 500 students to be able to come into our program, and these are the ones that were in the top of that tier, Miller said.

The overall vibe of the ceremony was filled with excitement and optimism as students gathered to eat after their first photos with their uniforms. With the starter kits handed out at 11 a.m., they still had several hours of orientation to go.

Pablo Lerma is one of the 42 new nursing students, and he said that it was an honor to have been picked out of the 500 other students. The TikTok grant resources were a surprise, he said, and after several majors that didnt fit his passion to help, Lerma feels nursing is the best fit.

I think that will be my end goal for my life, he said. To be able to help anyone in need, thats what drives me to be a nurse.

One of the major factors that influenced his decision in joining the LC nursing program was how quick students can start with clinicals and being able to get a hands-on experience. It was an easy decision, and while he understands that it will be challenging, there is no pressure holding him back.

Miller said that the nursing program will challenge each student but will open multiple avenues leading them to different directions. Regardless, employment will be available wherever they end up, even before they graduate.

Interim President Dr. Marisela Tijerina said that amid the pandemic, LC students worked alongside the medical community throughout Laredo to administer COVID-19 vaccines and showcased their love of caring for the community.

Through 2021, these new students may see an opportunity to be on the frontlines as booster shots are in the works globally. There may be a chance that these students will have to roll up their sleeves and get out there.

However, Tijerina made sure to remind each student that they are not alone, and the LC nursing staff is available to help. She advised students that no matter how challenging the courses or work may be, they should not give up or forget their purpose for being in the nursing program.

Theres a reason we are No. 1, she said.  We have high expectations for you all. Weve been maintaining our No. 1 ranking in our nursing school for a reason. And why? Because its the students, its the faculty, its the administration and, most importantly, also the community.

TikToks Deena Woloshin spoke to the students and college in a pre-recorded video talking about the TikTok for Goods impact on higher education this past year. The $1 million grant was handed out to higher education institutions, with LC being the only community college chosen for its nursing programs accolades and involvement in the community.

According to Miller, the grant allowed the college to purchase the starter kits for the students, which will be provided to first semester students and transitional students until the grant funding depletes. Another portion of the grant will be used to purchase equipment for the health science division and faculty trainings.

Laredo College Board President Lupita Zepeda and Board Vice President Jorge JD Delgado said they were delighted and proud of the students, as well as grateful for the grant by TikTok.

Delgado said that its an exciting time seeing students return to campus and highlighted that LC is making a safe return a priority.

On behalf of the board of directors, we are very excited for the commitment and the donation we have from TikTok in order to be able to help these 42 students to continue their higher education with Laredo College, Zepeda said.

cocampo@lmtonline.com
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (AP)  Britney Spears is under investigation over misdemeanor battery after a staff member at her home alleged the singer struck her, authorities said Thursday.

Deputies responded to Spears' home in Southern California after the staff member reported the Monday night dispute, the Ventura County Sheriff's Office said.

No one was injured.

Reports taken by deputies will be handed over to prosecutors for consideration, the sheriff's office said, giving no further details.

Spears attorney Matthew Rosengart said in an email that the investigation is "overblown sensational tabloid fodder -- nothing more than a manufactured he said she said regarding a cellphone, with no striking and obviously no injury whatsoever.

Anyone can make an accusation but this should have been closed immediately, Rosengart said.

Spears has a home in Thousand Oaks, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) west of downtown Los Angeles.

Spears, 39, hired Rosengart last month as she seeks to regain greater control of her life 13 years into a court conservatorship that has power over her money and affairs.

In court hearings, Spears called the conservatorship abusive.

Rosengart has made his first priority removing Spears' father, James Spears, from his role as conservator of his finances.

James Spears said in a court filing last week that he has a plan in the works to step down, but gave no timetable.
TULUM, Mexico (AP)  Hurricane Grace struck Mexico's Caribbean coast just south of the ancient Mayan temples of Tulum on Thursday, tearing the roofs off some homes, knocking out power to thousands and keeping tourists off white sand beaches as it crossed the Yucatan Peninsula.

The push across land weakened the storm, but by evening it was centered back over water  the Gulf of Mexico  and the U.S. National Hurricane Center said it was again regaining strength as it headed for a collision with the Mexican mainland late Friday or early Saturday.

The Category 1 storm had already soaked earthquake-damaged Haiti, Jamaica and the Cayman Islands en route to a direct hit on the Riviera Maya, the heart of Mexico's tourism industry. Grace's center struck just south of Tulum with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph (130 kmh), according to the Hurricane Center.

By night, tropical storm-force winds were back up to 65 mph (100 kph) and rising. It was centered about 360 miles (580 kilometers) east of Tuxpan and was heading werst at 16 mph (26 kph).

in Tulum, some families passed harrowing hours sheltering from cracking trees and flying debris.

Around 2 a.m. Thursday, as Grace's eye spun just offshore, Carlos Gonzalez grabbed his 1 1/2-year-old son and ran from his home with his wife to a public school converted into a shelter for dozens of families. The light from his cell phone helped them find their way through the dark streets.

The only thing I have left is what I'm wearing, the 35-year-old construction worker said. I knew my house wasn't going to stand it because it's made of cardboard. When the wind came I was really scared and decided to leave.

Miguel Angel Garcia decided to stay. On Thursday, he used a machete to hack at a tree trunk that had fallen onto his home's roof.

The wind came and they told us we should get to the school, but we didn't have time because the trees started coming," said the 33-year-old waiter. "We decided to stay and not go out into the street and leave it up to God.

Many streets were blocked by fallen limbs and trees that pulled down power lines, leaving thousands in the dark.

Most businesses remained closed, but the few that opened saw long lines of residents waiting to buy tortillas and other food.

Quintana Roo Gov. Carlos Joaquin said the storm had knocked out power to some 84,000 customers in Cancun and 65,000 in Playa del Carmen, Cozumel, Puerto Aventura and Tulum. But he said there were no reported deaths.

Cancun's international airport reopened Thursday afternoon.

One lane of the highway between Playa del Carmen and Tulum was blocked by a fallen road sign. A gas station was destroyed when a large pavilion blew down, smashing two cars.

The state had opened shelters and evacuated some hotels and residents ahead of the storm's arrival. Grace missed the popular cruise ship destination Cozumel and came ashore south of Playa del Carmen, where the downtown, usually thumping with music and clubgoers, was eerily desolate Wednesday night. Authorities had ordered all businesses closed and people inside by 8 p.m.

State authorities said that as of last week, the region was hosting about 130,000 tourists and hotels were more than half full despite the pandemic.

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AP journalist Dan Christian Rojas in Cancun contributed to this report.
CHICAGO (AP)  Michael Williams wife pleaded with him to remember their fishing trips with the grandchildren, how he used to braid her hair, anything to jar him back to his world outside the concrete walls of Cook County Jail.

His three daily calls to her had become a lifeline, but when they dwindled to only a few a week, the 65-year-old felt he couldnt go on. He made plans to take his life with a stockpiled stash of pills.

Williams was arrested last August, accused of murdering a young man from the neighborhood who asked him for a ride during a night of unrest over police brutality. The key evidence came from video of a car driving through an intersection, and a loud bang picked up by acoustic sensors. Prosecutors said audio technology powered by a secret algorithm indicated Williams shot and killed the man inside his car.

I kept trying to figure out, how can they get away with using the technology like that against me? said Williams. Thats not fair.

Williams was jailed for nearly a year before prosecutors, citing insufficient evidence, asked a judge to dismiss the case.

Williams experience highlights the real-world impacts of societys growing reliance on algorithms to help make consequential decisions about public life. This is especially apparent in law enforcement, which has turned to technology like acoustic gunshot detection. One such firm, ShotSpotter, says its evidence has increasingly been admitted in courtrooms, now some 200. ShotSpotters website says its a leader in policing technology solutions that helps stop gun violence by using algorithms to classify 14 million sounds as gunshots or something else.

But an Associated Press investigation, based on thousands of internal documents, emails and confidential contracts, along with dozens of interviews, has identified serious flaws in using ShotSpotter evidence in court.

APs investigation found the system can miss live gunfire right under its microphones, or misclassify sounds of fireworks or cars backfiring as gunshots. ShotSpotter's forensic reports have been used in court to improperly claim that a defendant shot at police, or provide questionable counts of the number of shots fired.

ShotSpotter touts its algorithm-backed technology as virtually foolproof. But its algorithms are a trade secret, largely inscrutable to the public, jurors and police oversight boards.

The company identifies possible gunshots with the acoustic sensors. Then ShotSpotter employees listen to audio recordings of those sounds, and confirms or changes the source of sounds, introducing the possibility of human bias. Employees can and do modify the location or number of shots fired at the request of police, according to court records. And in the past, city dispatchers or police themselves could make some of these changes.

Amid a nationwide debate over racial bias in policing, civil rights advocates say the criminal justice system shouldnt outsource some of societys weightiest decisions to computer code.

ShotSpotter CEO Ralph Clark said details about artificial intelligence are not really relevant.

The point is anything that ultimately gets produced as a gunshot has to have eyes and ears on it, said Clark. Human eyes and ears, ok?

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This story, supported by the Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting, is part of an ongoing Associated Press series, Tracked, that investigates the power and consequences of decisions driven by algorithms on peoples everyday lives.

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Police chiefs call ShotSpotter a game-changer. The technology has been installed in about 110 American cities, often disproportionately placed in Black and Latino communities. Law enforcement officials say it helps get officers to crime scenes quicker making their neighborhoods safer.

But academic researchers who reviewed 68 large, metropolitan counties from 1999 to 2016 found that the technology didnt reduce gun violence or increase community safety.

One Sunday evening in May 2020, Williams said Safarian Herring, a 25-year-old he said he had seen around the neighborhood, waved him down for a ride. Williams told police that a vehicle pulled up beside him and someone shot Herring.

I was hollering to my passenger Are you ok? said Williams. He didnt respond.

He sped to the emergency room. Herring died a few days later.

Three months later, police showed up, and after an interrogation they charged Williams with first-degree murder.

When he told me that, it was just like something in me had just died, said Williams.

On the night of the shooting, ShotSpotters sensors identified a loud noise the system initially assigned to 5700 S. Lake Shore Dr., according to an alert the company sent police. That material anchored prosecutors theory that Williams shot Herring inside his car, even though the supplementary police report didnt cite a motive, mention eyewitnesses, or a recovered gun.

Prosecutors also leaned on a surveillance video showing that Williams car ran a red light, as did another car that appeared to have its windows up, ruling out that the shot came from the other cars passenger window, they said.

Chicago police did not respond to AP's request for comment. The Cook County State's Attorney's Office said in a statement that after careful review prosecutors "concluded that the totality of the evidence was insufficient to meet our burden of proof."

As ShotSpotters gunshot detection systems expand around the country, so has its use as courtroom evidence  including 91 cases in the past 4 years.

Our data compiled with our expert analysis help prosecutors make convictions, said a recent ShotSpotter press release.

But as cases increase, defense attorneys are growing more skeptical.

During 2016 testimony in a Rochester, New York officer-involved shooting trial, ShotSpotters engineer Paul Greene said an employee reclassified sounds from a helicopter to a bullet because Rochester police told them to.

In the Williams case, evidence in pre-trial hearings shows ShotSpotter first said the noise the sensor picked up was a firecracker but a ShotSpotter employee relabeled it a gunshot.

Later, a ShotSpotter engineer changed the reported Chicago address of the sound to the street where Williams was driving, about 1 mile away, court documents show. ShotSpotter said the report was corrected to match the actual location that the sensors had identified.

Last month a judge dismissed the case against Williams.

ShotSpotter insists it warned prosecutors not to rely on its technology to detect gunshots inside vehicles or buildings, citing language in its $33 million Chicago police department contract.

Williams attorney Brendan Max said prosecutors never shared this critical information.

Williams remains shaken. When he walks through the neighborhood, he scans for the acoustic sensors that almost sent him to prison for life.

The only places these devices are installed are in poor Black communities, nowhere else, he said. How many of us will end up in this same situation?"

____

Mendoza reported from Newark, California. Associated Press Writer Roselyn Romero in San Luis Obispo, California contributed to this report.

Contact APs global investigative team at Investigative@ap.org

____
A San Antonio resident has pleaded guilty to smuggling cocaine via an international bridge in Laredo, according to court documents.

Alessandra Olivares pleaded guilty to importation of cocaine on Wednesday before U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana. Olivares will be sentenced at a later date. She faces up to 10 years in prison and a possible $10 million maximum fine. She remains in federal custody.

Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Fawcett is prosecuting the case.

On May 30, Olivares arrived at the Juarez-Lincoln International Bridge driving a Jeep Compass. During her inspection by CBP officers, a K-9 unit alerted to contraband within the vehicle, according to court documents.

An X-ray inspection of the Jeep yielded anomalies in the undercarriage. CBP officers said they drilled into the location of the anomaly and discovered a white powder that tested positive for cocaine, states the affidavit.

CBP officers then extracted 15 bundles from a hidden compartment. The bundles contained 16.84 kilograms of cocaine with an estimated street value of $400,000, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office.

Olivares was then arrested with $6,080 on her person, according to her plea agreement. Olivares had mentioned that she resides in San Antonio and travels on a regular basis to Sabinas Hidalgo, Nuevo Leon, Mexico to sell clothes and visit family, according to an arrest affidavit filed on June 1.

Olivares claimed (that) for approximately three months, individuals had been attempting to recruit her to transport stuff through the U.S.-Mexico Border, states the affidavit. Olivares explained approximately two weeks ago, she provided her vehicle to an individual to take measurements of it, in order to do the thing.

She added she was instructed to take the vehicle to Sabinas Hidalgo. Olivares was supposed to cross the border and await further instructions upon reaching San Antonio, states the affidavit.
MEXICO CITY (AP)  Workers at a General Motors plant in Mexico have voted to end a collective bargaining contract negotiated by an old guard union accused of intimidation tactics in earlier votes. It was an early display of the effectiveness of labor mechanisms negotiated under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement.

Nearly 6,000 workers at the GM plant in Silao voted over two days, according to a statement from Mexicos Labor Ministry on Thursday. In the final tally, the nos were 3,214 to 2,623 votes in favor.

The vote means the contract is terminated, but the workers maintain the same benefits and labor conditions. The vote was a rejection of the union, part of the Confederation of Mexican Workers. A new group has been working to organize the plants workers.

The vote spanned Tuesday and Wednesday and was held inside the plant with observers from the Labor Ministry, National Electoral Institute and the United Nations International Labor Organization.

The conditions for the vote demonstrate the governments commitment to union democracy and respecting the will of the workers, the Labor Ministry said in the statement.

GM said in a statement that production at the Silao plant would continue under the terms of the current agreement until a new one is negotiated and approved by a majority vote. The Labor ministry will issue a final resolution within 20 business days.

General Motors appreciates that the GM Silao Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) legitimizing process was carried out with high participation and no incidents have been reported by the Ministry of Labor, the statement said. For GM it is very important that employees have been able to exercise their rights in a personal, free, secret and direct form. GM also appreciates the collaboration of the U.S. and Mexican governments and of the independent observers who supervised the exercise.

In May, the U.S. government filed a complaint under the USMCA after the old union was caught allegedly destroying ballots in an earlier vote.

For decades, corrupt Mexican unions signed low-wage protection contracts behind workers backs.

The rapid response mechanisms under the trade pact allow a panel to determine whether Mexico is enforcing labor laws that allow workers to choose their union and vote on contracts and union leadership. If Mexico is found not to be enforcing its laws, sanctions could be invoked, including prohibiting some products from entering the United States. The May complaint was the first to be filed under the USMCA.

Mexican auto workers make one-eighth to one-tenth of the wages of their U.S. counterparts, something that has spurred a massive relocation of auto plants to Mexico and a loss of U.S. jobs.

For decades, union votes in Mexico were held by show of hands, or not at all. Workers at many factories in Mexico were unaware they even had a union until they saw dues deducted from their paychecks.

As part of efforts to get the USMCA, which replaced the old North American Free Trade Agreement, Mexico passed labor law reforms stating all union votes would be by secret ballot, and workers at all factories in Mexico could vote on whether to keep their current union.

It was one such vote among the 6,494 employees of GM transmission and pickup plants in Silao in April that triggered the complaint.

Workers at the plant had been asked to vote yes or no on whether to recognize the union that has long controlled the plants labor contract. That union is part of the Confederation of Mexican Workers, or CTM, which formed part of the party that ruled Mexico for most of the past century.

Mexicos Labor Ministry declared that vote invalid.

Generating Movement, an effort to organize workers inside the plant, celebrated the vote and said it was working to register as a union and hoped to represent the workers in the next contract negotiation.

Hector de la Cueva, a union advisor and coordinator of the Labor and Union Advisory Research Center, compared the CTM to a zombie and said they would try to get back.

Now what is on the table is which union is going to sign the new collective contract? de la Cueva said at a Generating Movement news conference in Silao. The workers showed that there is great discontent and they rejected that CTM contract and also that union.

The CTM had not commented on the results of the vote.
Houston might be out of Hurricane Grace's crosshair, but we're not out of the woods entirely.

The storm is expected to hit Central Mexico in the coming days, missing Houston and Southeast Texas by hundreds of miles. But that doesn't mean we won't feel the effects of the storm, which could cause hazardous rip currents and tall waves along the Gulf Coast.

High tide Friday and Saturday could also lead to minor coastal flooding, according to the National Weather Service.

Meteorologists say this could be dangerous for those in the water or visiting the coast this weekend. Anyone caught in rip current should swim parallel to the coast until they're able to swim ashore.

The hurricane is projected to make landfall on the Yucatan Peninsula early Thursday morning and weaken to a tropical storm. It will move into the Bay of Campeche on Friday, regain strength into a hurricane once again and slam into eastern Mexico, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Hurricane Grace is the seventh named storm of the 2021 season, and an eighth  Tropical Storm Henri  is expected to strengthen into a hurricane and die out hundreds of miles off the East Coast.

This season is predicted to be active, according to the hurricane center.

In total, meteorologists predict 15 to 21 named storms. Of those, seven to 10 are thought to become hurricanes, while including three to five major hurricanes.

What's the must-have item in your hurricane kit? Let me know on Twitter: @jayrjordan
Beth D. Ramage, formerly of Lockport, NY, passed away August 21, 2021 in Deerfield Beach, Florida. Beth was born May 17, 1931, daughter of Howard H. Dobbins and Almeda T. Dobbins. Beth was a graduate of Lockport High School and Queens College in Charlotte, NC. Predeceased by her husband of 6
Fatima Hodge, the mother of Troy Hodge who died in the custody of Lockport police, addresses the Common Council regarding a resolution to cease legal action against the four officers involved in her sons death. The alderman who made the proposal, Mark Devine, withdrew the resolution. (Photograph by Benjamin Joe)
Longford Text Alert scheme has been awarded 14,000 in funding under the Our Rural Future Digital Innovation Programme, which funds local authority-led innovation projects that provide a public benefit and support regional digital development.

Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, today announced that 1.2 million in funding would go towards 20 projects across the country.

Longford Text Alert is a smartphone app development project that unifies community communications across Co. Longford for a variety of community-led initiatives such as community text alert including crime, active age, Tidy Towns, BCP initiatives and more.

App screens will also provide additional Longford information through interactive maps and live weather warnings.

There are numerous Text Alert initiatives across Co. Longford, and the aim of the project is to work with the community text alert groups, An Garda Siochana and the Joint Policing Committee in order to deliver alerts through the smartphone app thus reducing the cost of SMS for the local community text alert group.

By linking in with local text alert groups, it also allows communities to expand their array of local communications to other initiatives such as Tidy Towns groups, active age groups, BCP initiatives (digital skills) and more.

This system will also support non-liners (people who don't have broadband and are not online) who have a mobile phone as they will be able to receive a text message.

An awareness campaign will be held in local BCPs firstly to promote and show citizens how to sign up for the new system and if they have a smart phone show them how to download the app and highlight to them other ways they could use their device to benefit from digital engagement. This will also create an opportunity for us to introduce and explain whats possible in their local BCP.

A key part of the app communication service is to provide regular updates about BCP initiatives in Co. Longford.

The Digital Innovation Programme is designed to encourage innovation and collaboration, and to help us to work smarter in supporting rural Ireland. The range of projects approved today showcase the imagination, energy and expertise that exists in rural Ireland," said Minister Humphreys.

People who live in rural Ireland are nothing if not innovative. In recent years we have seen drones delivering medicine to our Island communities. This small scheme is all about giving rural communities the opportunity to trial new technologies which will solve local problems. If it works for one community, it can work for others and we can then look at replicating these models in other areas.

I look forward to seeing these projects delivering clear benefits to rural communities over the coming months.
Music, Movies & Entertainment, Local News, Seasonal & Current Events

By Chris Boyle Published: August 19 2021

Celebrate the end of summer 2021 with two days of vintage aircraft and automobiles.

Long Islands American Airpower Museum (AAM) will host its Warbirds, Wings and Wheels Show on Labor Day Weekend, Saturday, September 4th and Sunday, September 5th, from 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Museum, Hangar 3, 1230 New Highway, Farmingdale, New York. Come to the Museums two day spectacular celebrating the history of Aviation and Automobiles! Get up close and personal with vintage Biplanes, Model A and T Fords, plus the Museums fleet of World War II aircraft. There will be flights available on vintage aircraft, contests, raffles and much, much more.

On Saturday, vintage Biplanes from the Bayport Aerodrome Society will land on the tarmac and taxi up to park on AAMs ramp at Hangar 3. On display with the Biplanes will be vintage cars from the Model A Ford Club of Long Island (Model A and T Fords, plus others). The Museums sponsor, Cockpit USA, will donate one flight jacket to the winner of the best car and one flight jacket for the winner of the best airplane contests.

Be there Sunday as the Museums WWII squadron fires up their mighty engines and lifts off to perform exciting flight maneuvers over Republic Airport. Aerial demonstrations will feature several flybys by AAMs vintage military aircraft that played pivotal roles in Americas WWII victories.

An added attraction on both Saturday and Sunday: AAMs 1939 Red Waco UPF-7 Biplane and North American AT-6D Texans will be available to give living history flight experiences, weather permitting. Admission: $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and veterans, $10 for children 5 to 12. Dont miss this one!

American Airpower Museum at Republic Airport is Long Islands only flying military aviation museum.
Ensure you get a print copy of the Loudoun Times-Mirror delivered weekly to your home or business!

Complete online access is included with all print subscriptions purchased online. Plus, up to four other members of your household can share online access through this subscription with their own, individual linked accounts at no additional charge.

(Are you a current advertiser? Ask your sales rep for our special advertiser rate code!)
ECSC Group PLC - Yorkshire, England and Brisbane, Australia-based cyber security services - High Court approves cancellation of GBP6.1 million standing to the credit of the company's share premium account, allowing for distributable reserves which will allow ECSC to pay dividends or make distributions to its shareholders.

Current stock price: 83.40 pence

Year-to-date change: up 23%

By Dayo Laniyan; dayolaniyan@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) - Online retail investment platform interactive investor has invited several investment banks to propose an initial public offering in London that could value the company at up to GBP2 billion, Sky News reported Thursday.

Sky News reported that the fund supermarket has started pitching a potential 2022 flotation to several banks, although according to bankers a formal decision has yet to be made, and will depend on market conditions.

Should a flotation take place, it is likely that the Manchester-based firm would be valued in a range of GBP1.5 billion and GBP2.0 billion.

Sky News described ii as the second largest fund supermarket, beaten only by FTSE 100 constituent Hargreaves Lansdown, however, it operates differently by using a flat-fee subscription model.

For the six months ended June 30, the company reported a 19% rise in net revenue year-on-year to GBP76.1 million from GBP63.8 million, with a 33% rise in new clients to 31,667.

https://news.sky.com/story/interactive-investor-lines-up-banks-for-blockbuster-london-flotation-12385294

In April, interactive investor had appointed Gordon Wilson as chair as part of its IPO plans, and further back in March, Chief Executive Officer Richard Wilson told the Financial Times it was considering an IPO.

Wilson told the newspaper in March that ii is "looking at the various options" and that a "natural outcome for a firm like us, as a kind of a consumer-facing retail firm, would be" an initial public offering.

By Dayo Laniyan; dayolaniyan@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) - Rank Group PLC on Thursday posted a swing to annual loss as the casino operator's venues faced strict Covid-19 lockdown measures for more than half its trading days.

Rank shares were 4.5% lower at 175.00 pence each in London on Thursday morning.

The Grosvenor Casinos and Mecca owner said that without including government support schemes, it made monthly cash losses of GBP15.0 million during periods of closure.

Revenue in the year ended June 30 fell 48% to GBP329.6 million from GBP629.7 million. Rank swung to a pretax loss of GBP107.3 million, from a GBP13.4 million profit.

Covid-19 closures meant its venues businesses, where more than three-quarters of its revenue is derived from, was closed for 59% of available operating days. It also said capacity constraints and reduced opening hours further held back revenue in the period.

The closing stretch of the previous financial year was also hit by closures, so it has been some time since Rank has a had a year free of Covid-19 hurt. In the year ended June 2019, Rank posted pretax profit of GBP34.6 million on statutory revenue of GBP695.1 million.

Rank decided against a payout, after a 2.80p per share dividend in the previous financial year.

Chief Executive John O'Reilly said: "The year to June 30 was exceptionally challenging for the group and, frankly, we are delighted it is over.

"We are now well into a new financial year with our venues open and trading positively. Good progress is being made in our digital businesses and there is a renewed sense of confidence as we focus on the growth initiatives within our clearly defined transformation programme."

The company also faced regulatory hurt, which particularly hit its digital arm. Under guidance from the UK Gambling Commission, Rank introduced affordability checks towards the end of the last financial year, meaning customers had to provide a source of income.

For some punters, this was an "intrusion into their privacy" and instead opted to stake elsewhere, Rank explained.

The company added: "In online gaming businesses, the inevitable outcome is that players who win can continue to play, largely free from intrusion, if they do not show any markers of harm to suggest they may be playing irresponsibly. However, customers who play and lose are quickly restricted unless they can provide proof of income to support their level of expenditure. Throughout the year, improvement to affordability journeys on site and through customer relationship management programmes have worked to reduce, but certainly not remove, the level of friction on customers.

"As the Mecca and Grosvenor brands migrate onto the proprietary technology platform in 2021/22, significant additional improvements will be delivered through automated journeys, further smoothing the impact of affordability checks."

Digital net gaming revenue fell 6.2% to GBP136.3 million from GBP145.3 million.

Rank's fortunes in its venues have improved since its estate reopened, though revenue is still below pre-virus levels.

In Rank's Grosvenor brand venues, like-for-like net gaming revenue from reopening on May 17 to August 15 was down 19% on the same 13-week pre-pandemic period in 2019. Average weekly revenue since reopening has been GBP5.7 million, "comfortably ahead" of the company's breakeven of GBP4.4 million per week.

Rank's Mecca brand has seen a "slightly slower" recovery, with like-for-like revenue down 21% in the 13-week period.

"Average weekly revenue has been GBP2.6 million, slightly ahead of our breakeven level of GBP2.4 million," the company added on Mecca.

In Spain, the FTSE 250 company owns the Enracha casino brand. Activity has picked up since Covid-19 restrictions are being relaxed.

"Customer demand is strong despite the restrictions, and we are trading profitably," Rank said.

By Eric Cunha; ericcunha@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Exton, PA (19341)

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Showers and thunderstorms - a few could contain very heavy rain, especially in the afternoon. Potential for severe thunderstorms. High 72F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected..

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Jefferson, GA (30549)

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Malibu, CA (90265)

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Mostly cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low 63F. Winds light and variable..

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Every now and again a spirit ahead of its time appears and helps define what the category will become. Reyka Vodka is one of those spirits. Heres its story.

Iceland isnt exactly the first place that would come to mind if you were asked to name great vodka-producing countries. You couldnt even legally sell beer there until 1989. And the country isnt exactly teeming with distilleries now. But it is home to one brand that has had an enormous impact on the vodka category.

William Grant & Sons first launched Reyka Vodka in 2005 as the worlds first green vodka. The name is derived from the Icelandic word for smoke, and the spirit makers chose to base its identity on Icelands unique culture and geography while emphasising purity, sustainability, and craft.

It has since been at the centre of an era of evolution for vodka. Gone are the days when people simply demanded a smooth spirit to mix and a fancy bottle. Story, taste, and responsible production have become the cornerstone for many new brands. So how did William Grant & Sons get ahead of the curve?

An unlikely home for success

Caitlin Robertshawe, brand manager for Hendricks & Reyka at William Grant & Sons, says that the inspiration to make Icelandic vodka came from one of the Grant family members who used to holiday regularly in the country. They loved going to Iceland due to its rugged and pure landscape full of volcanoes, waterfalls, and glaciers, she explains. It wasnt a huge stretch to realise that an island famed for its pure glacial water and clean air made perfect sense to make a clean and pure vodka.

Where the family-owned spirit makers decided to create its signature vodka was Borgarnes. You know Borganes, right? Its a tiny fishing village around 75km north of Reykjavik with a population of around 2000 people. Yep, that Borganes. The air here is so clean that Co2 levels are actually falling. Its also said to have the highest population of elves in Iceland, with an elf village supposedly located about 100 yards from the distillery with an elf church, school and, of course, houses. Yes, that information made the edit.

The village is so small that master distiller is orur Sigursson (Thordur Sigurdsson) is also the local fireman and policeman. Hes not just an entertaining character though. Sigurdsson is a methodical spirit maker who takes great care in his process and has worked with the brand from the start, becoming master distiller in 2012.

Thordur often makes a joke (we think) that his nose is insured for millions, Robertshawe says. In a lot of countries, the spirit safe must remain locked by law. However, in Iceland, this is not the case and Thordur keeps the spirit safe open throughout distillation as he uses his nose to first determine when the spirit changes from heads to hearts to tails. His grandparents lived on the farm close to where the distillery site is now, so hes familiar with the water and lava fields. Thordur actually hand selects the lava rock used for filtration which needs to be changed every few months.

Truly craft vodka

The vodka is made from barley grain spirit, which, unfortunately, isnt sourced locally. Reykas hands are tied there due to Icelands volatile weather, which means only sturdier forms of wheat/barley grow well, which dont have quite the right starch content to make vodka. But Robertshawe says there are some exciting changes coming in the near future which will certainly address the environmental cost  and then some.

Once this spirit arrives it is distilled once for six hours in one of the few Carter-Head stills in the world (there are also two at Hendricks Gin), specially designed by Forsyths. Carter-Head stills specialise in purifying spirits through an efficient separation of the different weights of alcohol molecules. In the tall copper column, a series of plates encourage reflux (repeated condensation and evaporation) which in turn allows only the lightest molecules through first before the medium weight (pure ethanol) and then the heavier stuff to follow last. This helps to make an incredibly accurate cut of the heart, which is what gives us Reyka its characteristic vanilla flavour.

As Robertshawe touched on before, the brand uses the delightfully Icelandic method of filtering its vodka through lava rocks. Sigurdsson loads them into a basket at the top of the still that would hold botanicals if Reyka made gin. The distilled vapours pass through this as they are being condensed into a liquid. Lava rocks have a coarse structure that acts as such an effective natural filter theyre often used in ponds and aquariums. The water for dilution, meanwhile, is drawn from a glacial spring that runs through a 4,000-year-old lava field, making it so pure it forgoes the need for treatment or demineralisation before it is blended with the vodka.

Ahead of the trend

The distillery is heated in a unique and sustainable way, with energy from geothermal heat and hydroelectricity (derived from 10% of the countrys 10,000+ waterfalls). Its quite a sight. Great clouds of steam emerge from the springs thanks to the countries numerous underground volcanoes, creating enough heat o boil an egg in around four minutes. The bottle, meanwhile, is made with 85% recycled glass.

The distillerys efforts to be green has always been front and centre of its branding. But this has truly been part of the process since 2005, long before it became necessary for brands to boast environmental credentials. This suggests the distillery isnt interested in greenwashing or hopping on recent trends. In fact, Iceland as a country has always been forward-thinking in this regard. Around 90% of homes and industries in Iceland use renewable energy. Why? Because its everywhere and super accessible, says Robertshawe.

Reykas also unique in that, despite being a decidedly modern brand, it has never embraced the world of flavoured vodka. In its home country, an advertising campaign states In Iceland, the only flavoured vodka we make is vodka-flavoured vodka. Robertshawe explains that, while you should never say never, one is unlikely to come because William Grant & Sons believes in growing brands for the future and that means thinking long term. The flavoured vodka category may be growing fast, but for Reyka the focus is on unlocking the potential of the core brand.

Its not surprising Reyka is so confident given the quality of its spirit. Across 92 reviews on our site, the vodka averages 5 stars. It might be filtered and have a smooth, elegant texture, but this isnt completely neutral vodka. It tastes of something. Pepper. Citrus. And a trademark creamy, sweet vanilla element. In an era (the noughties) when the cleaner the vodka, the better, Reyka managed to still appeal to those who enjoyed the purity of that modern style while creating something with personality, reminiscent of the old styles that hailed from the vodka belt of Russia and Poland. And it just so happens the latter is on the comeback.

Making a characterful, sustainable spirit with a story was not what was in demand in 2005. But as the vodka category evolves, Reyka continues to thrive because it has all of those things. In fact, looking at the direction vodka is going in, it wouldnt be a stretch to say that Reyka vodka helped change the spirit. Who knew a Scotch whisky maker creating a brand in a tiny fishing village in Iceland would make such a difference?

You can purchase Reyka Vodka by clicking this link right here.
FILE - In this Aug. 2, 2021, file photo the U.S. Supreme Court is seen on Capitol Hill in Washington. President Joe Biden may have averted a flood of evictions and solved a growing political problem when his administration reinstated a temporary ban on evictions because of the COVID-19 crisis, but he left his lawyers with legal arguments that even he acknowledged might not stand up in court.
Allen Dean Semeski, Sr., 50, of Norman, formerly of Hartshorne, passed away Wednesday, Aug. 25, at his home in Norman. The family will welcome friends for visitation on Thursday, Sept. 2, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Brumley-Mills Funeral Home in Hartshorne. Graveside funeral services will be F
Marietta, GA (30060)

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Atlanta, GA (30303)

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Cloudy early with partial sunshine expected late. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 83F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph..

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A mostly clear sky. Low around 65F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
A Proposed Settlement Has Been Reached on Behalf of Holders of EchoStar Common Stock as of August 19, 2019 that Received Shares of Class A Common Stock of DISH Networks Corporation
Atlanta, GA (30342)

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Cloudy skies early will become partly cloudy later in the day. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 83F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph..

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The UK regulator approves Spikevax COVID-19 vaccine for 12 to 17-year-olds.

Moderna's vaccine was recommended for use in adolescents by European regulators in July and is awaiting U.S. authorization. It is already approved for people over the age of 18 in the UK.Britain's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) gave the approval ahead for 16 and 17-year-olds to get their first dose of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine ahead of the reopening of schools for the new education year in September.JCVI will make a decision on whether 12-17-year olds should be vaccinated with the shot made by Moderna as part of its deployment programme.The MHRA said it did not identify any new side effects with the vaccine and the safety data was comparable with that for young adults, with adverse events being mostly mild and moderate and including sore arms or fatigue.UK joins the likes of the United States, Israel, France and a number of other nations who are already inoculating young people against coronavirus.Source: Medindia
Akshay Kumars BellBottom is one of the biggest productions to release in theatres this year amidst the pandemic and people cant help but celebrate this occasion because its been ages since weve been to a cinema hall. Directed by Ranjit Tewari, the film is based on true incidents of airline hijacking and also stars Vaani Kapoor, Lara Dutta, and Huma Qureshi in important roles.

The synopsis of the film reads, Amongst multiple heinous airplane hijacks, India was made to face another such challenge in 1984. BellBottom, a RAW agent played by Akshay Kumar sees through the plan and thus, begins India's first covert operation. A story based on true events, led by BellBotom, that went on to create one of the most defining moments of the country.

People have loved the movie and are happy that Akshay Kumar has given them an entertainer in the form of BellBottom. People also appreciated the screenplay and the story of the movie. The cinema buffs have also loved the BGM of the movie.

Here are the reactions:

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Akshay is among the first actors to resume shooting amid the pandemic. Speaking about whether he was afraid of shooting during such tough times, he said, Of course, I was, but for how long can you live in fear? Initially, when the pandemic started, very little was known about the virus  the way it affects a person. So, there was a lot of fear. With time, we know more and that its possible to beat it if we have a good immune system. Hence, I decided to get back to work taking all the precautions, not just for me but the entire unit.



Are you planning to watch the movie this weekend? Let us know in the comments below.
Mississippi State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs speaks about the need for the 32-bed Samaritan's Purse Emergency Field Hospital in one of the University of Mississippi Medical Center's parking garages, as an additional tool to fight the delta variant of the COVID-19 virus, Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021, on the Jackson, Miss., campus. The field hospital joins a 20-bed field hospital and monoclonal antibody clinic opened by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services at UMMC in response to the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the state. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Funeral services for Mrs. Lizzie Mae Evans Archie will be Thursday at 10:30 a.m., at Stephens Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Rock Hill Missionary Baptist Church. Visitation 9-10:30 a.m., Thursday. Friends may sign at www.stephensfunerals.com.
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Miami, FL (33127)

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Sunny early. Increasing clouds with thunderstorms developing later in the day. High 93F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

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Mostly cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 76F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.
MANISTEE COUNTY  The results of the 2020 Census show that Manistee County has grown in population by 1.2% since 2010.

The new data released last week from the U.S. Census Bureau was part of the decennial census, a once-a-decade population count required by the U.S. Constitution. The Census Bureau counts all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and other island populations.

The results help determine the number of seats each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives and how to distribute hundreds of billions in federal funding for public services over the next decade.

In the past 10 years, census data shows the countys population grew by roughly 300 people, from 24,733 in 2010 to 25,032 in 2020.

Several neighboring counties also recorded a population increase over the past decade.

Benzie County saw a 2.5% increase in its population with the addition of 445 residents and a total population of 17,970. Wexford County increased its population by 2.9% with 33,673 residents. Mason County grew by 1.2% with 29,052 residents and Lake County increased 4.8% with a total population of 12,096.

Unlike an earlier release in April, this data includes demographic characteristics, including race, ethnicity and housing occupancy. Another release with more detailed demographic data is expected to be later this year by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Manistee remains a majority-white county at 87.2%, but that percentage is down from 90.6% in 2010. The number of people identifying as two or more races was up from 2010, representing 4.5% of the countys population.

The next largest groups are Hispanic or Latino at 3.3%, Black at 2.4% and Native American at 1.9%.

The U.S. Census Bureau also launched a diversity index which measures the likelihood that two people randomly chosen from an area will be different by race and ethnicity. It determined a 23.5% chance in Manistee, up from 17.7%.

For comparison, Benzie County which has a 92.4% white population has a diversity index ranking of 14.4%. The ranking for Michigan is around 45%.

COMMUNITY BREAKDOWN

 Manistee County has a total population of 25,032. That is an increase of 299 since 2010 representing a 1.2% change.

 Arcadia Township has a total population of 657. That is an increase of 18 and a 2.8% change.

 Bear Lake Township has a total population of 1,831. That is an increase of 80 and a 4.6% change.

 Brown Township has a total population of 704. That is an decrease of 43 and a -5.8% change.

 Cleon Township has a total population of 1,063. That is an increase of 106 and a 11.1% change.

 Dickson Township has a total population of 980. That is an decrease of 13 and a -1.3% change.

 Filer Charter Township has a total population of 2,318. That is an decrease of 7 and a -.03% change.

 Manistee Township has a total population of 4,022. That is an decrease of 62 and a -1.5% change.

 Maple Grove Township has a total population of 1,342. That is an increase of 26 and a 2% change.

 Marilla Township has a total population of 398. That is an increase of 5 increase and a .3% change.

 Norman Township has a total population of 1,567. That is an increase of 14 and a .9% change.

 Onekama Township has a total population of 1,338. That is an increase of 9 and a 0.7% change.

 Pleasanton Township has a total population of 870. That is an increase of 52 and a 6.4% change.

 Springdale Township has a total population of 849. That is an increase of 68 and a 8.7% change.

 Stronach Township has a total population of 834. That is an increase of 13 and a 1.6% change.

Related:

Local census efforts stymied by coronavirus

Lake-Osceola State Bank assisting with U.S. Census

Census outreach grant awarded to MCCOA

How Manistee County is ramping up census efforts

STATEWIDE

Figures released by the U.S. Census Bureau showed some of Michigans largest percentage population losses were in the states Upper Peninsula, while three of the state's four most populous counties gained people.

The U.P. for years has struggled through job losses tied to downturns in the manufacturing and mining industries.

Luce County along Lake Superior in the eastern U.P. had a population loss of 19.5% from 2010 to 2020, while Ontonagon County along the lake in the northwest U.P. dropped 14.2% over that time, according to data released Thursday.

Gogebic, the westernmost county, saw its population drop by 12.5%.

Census figures released in April showed that, as a whole, Michigan grew slightly in population to 10,077,331 in 2020, but the increase was not enough to stop the state from losing a U.S. House seat.

Meanwhile, Wayne, Oakland, Macomb and Kent  in that order  remained the state's most populous counties over the past decade.

Only Wayne, which has Detroit as its largest city, lost people, dipping from 1,820,584 in 2010 to 1,793,561 last year.

Oakland County, north and northwest of Detroit, showed the biggest numerical gain of just over 72,000. Oakland had 1,274,395 residents last year and 1,202,362 in 2010.

The 657,974 people living in Kent County in western Michigan in 2020 were 55,352 more than in 2010, while Macomb County had a bump of more than 30,000, growing from 840,978 to 881,217 over the decade.

As expected, Detroits population continued a decades-long slide that began in the 1950s when more than 1.8 million people filled the 139-square-mile city.

The 2020 census pegs the Motor Citys population at 639,111, a decrease of about 6% from 2010 when the census count showed 713,777 residents.

Mayor Mike Duggan said in a news release that census workers told last year how Detroit neighborhoods were being undercounted and that their efforts prematurely were halted. Duggan also said that census data released Thursday shows 254,000 occupied households in Detroit, but utility DTE Energy reports nearly 280,000 households paying electric bills.

At a minimum, the census somehow failed to count 25,000 occupied houses with running electricity, Duggan said. It appears the Census Bureau has undercounted Detroits population by at least 10%. We will be pursuing our legal remedies to get Detroit an accurate count.

Obtaining an accurate count is critical because the census determines the allocation of $1.5 trillion in federal spending and decides which states gain or lose congressional seats.

Detroits census count of 639,111 seems exceptionally low to me, said Ren Farley, a research scientist at the Population Studies Center at the University of Michigan.

The Census Bureau, in June of this year, published an estimate of Detroits population as of July 1, 2020. That number was 668,000, Farley said Thursday. Given the estimates that the Census Bureau has been making, I thought the count for Detroit would be about 660,000 to 670,000.

Census figures also shows a slight shift in the state's racial makeup.

Michigans Hispanic and Latino population has grown from 2010 to 2020, while the number of white and Black residents has decreased, the Census Bureau says.

Figures from the 2020 census show that the 564,422 Hispanics and Latinos in Michigan make up 5.6% of the states residents, up from 4.4% in 2010. That number is over 128,000 more than were counted in the previous census.

Whites  at nearly 74%  make up the vast majority of Michigan residents, but the more than 7.4 million counted in 2020 are 358,146 fewer than those tallied in 2010.

Meanwhile, Michigans 1.3 million Black residents make up 13.7% of the 2020 population. Thats 23,783 fewer than in 2010 when the group comprised 14.2% of Michigan residents.

Associated Press writer Corey Williams contributed to this report.

Census 2020 data for Manistee County

2020 Total population: 25,032

2010 Total population: 24,733

Land area: 542.3 square miles

Population density: 46.2 individuals per square mile

Median age: 49.3

 About 25% higher than the figure in Michigan

 About 1.3 times the figure in the United States

Percent of the population ages 18 and over: 82.9%

Percent of the population ages 65 and over: 25%

Per capita income: $26,668

 About 80% of the average per capita income in Michigan and the United States

Median household income: $50,055

Persons below the poverty line: 11.5%

Number of households: 9,426

Number of housing units: 15,848

 About 83% of units are single family residences; 9% are multi-unit and 8% are mobile homes.

Education: 89.9% are high school graduates or higher; 20.3% have a bachelors degree or higher.

Veteran status: 11.1% of the population are veterans

 Rate is about 1.5 times higher than the rate in Michigan and the United States.

 2,247 veterans reside in the county.

The margin of error is at least 10% of total value.
CROMWELL  The Cromwell Childrens Coalition annual Memorial Day car show will be held on Labor Day weekend after being postponed due to poor weather.

Rodney Bitgood, chairman of the coalition, said that it was a tough decision to postpone the event, and that they almost canceled it altogether. The group already had to cancel the 2020 showcase because of COVID-19.

That was tough, because we were really anticipating a great turnout because we had a year off, Bitgood said.

There is a lot of pent-up anticipation for this type of event, he said. We were thinking we might have more than 200 cars this year, Bitgood said.

Registration is still open at $10 per vehicle.

The funds raised will go toward helping school-aged children in Cromwell. In the past, the coalition has funded free admission to summer camp, sent high school band students to perform in Florida, and helped a family recover from a house fire.

Really, we try to help out anywhere we can, Bitgood said.

This years car show will take place Sept. 3 from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Cromwell Growers green houses on the corner of West Street and New Lane. The event used to be organized by the Cromwell Merchants Association and held in the center of town, but Bitgood said it outgrew that space.

Part of what makes this show different from others is the variety of vehicles on display, from brand-new hot rods to refurbished tractors  and everything in between, Bitgood said. Its a nice mix.

Admission is free. Food and refreshments will be available and raffles will be held.

Local businesses have the opportunity to raise additional money for the organization by sponsoring awards. Representatives from sponsoring businesses choose their favorite car and award them a trophy.

Cromwell Mayor Enzo Faienza will also be awarding a trophy to his favorite.

The coalition is also in the process of planning a Halloween event, with more details to come soon. For information, visit the Facebook page at Cromwell Childrens Coalition.

This story previously named Middletown Mayor Ben Florsheim as a judge. It has been corrected to name Cromwell Mayor Enzo Faienza as a judge.
Hearst Connecticut Media file photo

MIDDLETOWN  A 20-year-old Old Saybrook man was charged with operating under the influence and failure to drive right after his SUV allegedly left his side of the roadway and hit an oncoming vehicle.

Middletown police were called to the area of Sliders Grill & Bar, at 1265 S. Main St., Wednesday at about 8:30 p.m. on the report of a two-car, head-on collision, according to a report.
CT State Police / Contributed

COLCHESTER  A serious injury crash has lanes closed on Route 2 through Colchester Thursday morning, according to Connecticut State Police.

The state Department of Transportation reported the one-vehicle crash on Route 2 west between exits 21 and 20 at 7:50 a.m.
Venice, FL (34285)

Today

A widely scattered shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Then cloudy skies through the afternoon hours. High near 85F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early. Scattered thunderstorms developing later at night. Low 79F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
Joe Burbank/AP

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP)  The number of U.S. tourists who came to Florida in the second quarter of this year has returned to pre-pandemic levels, though the international market is still lagging, according to figures released Thursday.

About 30.6 million domestic visitors came to Florida from April through June of this year, a 6% increase over the same time in 2019, and a 216% jump from the same time last year during the height of COVID-19 pandemic closures, Visit Florida, the state's tourism marketing firm, said in a news release.
Cmdr. Bralyn Cathey doesn't hesitate when asked what worries him most as the commander of the destroyer John Finn.

"COVID," he replies quickly and decisively.

"I take more phone calls [from sailors] and have more things that are associated with COVID and its impact on readiness than probably anything else," Cathey said, talking to a group of reporters in San Diego on Tuesday.

Cathey painted a picture of a fleet that is actively responding to the concerns of sailors over the upcoming vaccine mandate.

"I talked to all of the sailors who chose to defer, and I said, 'Tell me why? I want to know. Help me to understand,'" he said.

Read Next: DoD Records Deadliest Week of the Coronavirus Pandemic; Five Service Members Lost

Cathey took those concerns and asked the Pacific fleet's top doctor to weigh in. The commander said that he not only got answers for his sailors but references, as well.

"I was shocked!" he added.

The panel was part of a several-day media trip that the commander of Pacific Naval Surface Forces set up to highlight the state of the fleet; a reporter from Military.com went along. As if to emphasize the point that COVID-19 continues to pose a serious risk, the trip's planned duration of four days was cut short, a day cleaved off the schedule after an individual in the group tested positive for COVID-19.

Cmdr. Emily Royse, commanding officer of the Rushmore, a dock landing ship, said that she brought an immunologist on board to help address vaccine concerns from her crew.

"We wanted him to speak with our folks that deferred, but we actually got a lot of folks who got the shot as well just to listen to this person, the subject matter expert, speak about the science behind [the vaccine]," Royse added. "The next day, over half of them say, 'OK, this is what I was looking for -- I'm able to make my decision now.'"

Meanwhile, other commanders, such as Cmdr. Dustin Lonero from the littoral combat ship Coronado, said that 98% of his crew was vaccinated.

"With extremely few exceptions, the folks who decided to defer  I respected the reasons that they wanted to defer. They just wanted to know more," he said.

According to the latest Department of Defense figures, the Navy has fully vaccinated 83% of its force. The Air Force is currently leading the services with 86% fully vaccinated, the Army is at 80%, and the Marines had the lowest percentage with only 61%.

The total number of COVID deaths in the military is at 34 as of Aug. 18, according to the DoD.

The commanders on the panel acknowledged that some sailors still may choose to refuse the vaccine when it is made mandatory.

"Some person may decide that, 'Hey, my naval service is not as important as my personal belief,' and that's the choice that they make," Cathey said.

In those instances, especially if sailors claim a religious exemption, the process will be handled on a case-by-case basis with sincerity of the conviction playing a key role, Capt. Richard Ryan, the chaplain overseeing the Pacific fleet, told reporters.

Ryan explained that chaplains in individual commands will be charged with determining sailors' sincerity, but that the deputy chief of naval operations for manpower, personnel, training and education ultimately will decide who gets an exemption and who doesn't.

"Chaplains have to do an interview for each [waiver request], so we might be busy," he said.

Ryan, who has been in the Navy since 2001, noted that the discussion around religious exemptions for vaccines is relatively new.

"I haven't dealt with it a whole lot because by the time [sailors are] in the fleet, they've either had their immunizations or they hadn't, and I just don't hear about it," he said. "But, we're going to hear about it this time."

-- Konstantin Toropin can be reached at konstantin.toropin@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @ktoropin.

Related: Many Soldiers Still Aren't Vaccinated; What's the Army's Plan?
BEIRUT  The leader of the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group said Thursday that an Iranian fuel tanker will sail toward Lebanon within hours, warning Israel and the United States not to intercept it.

The delivery organized by Lebanon-based Hezbollah, would be an apparent violation of U.S. sanctions imposed on Tehran after former U.S. President Donald Trump pulled his country out of a nuclear deal between Iran and world powers three years ago.

Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said in a televised speech that the tanker, carrying diesel fuel, will be followed by others to help ease Lebanons crippling fuel shortage that has paralyzed the country for weeks.

Nasrallah did not say how Lebanon will pay for the fuel but in a previous speech he said Tehran could be paid in Lebanese pounds. The currency has lost more than 90% of its value since the country's economic crisis began in October 2019.

I would like to say that at the moment the tanker sails  within hours  and moves in the sea, it will be considered in Lebanese territory, Nasrallah said. He said the West was imposing an undeclared siege on Lebanon, causing the current crisis.

Hezbollah and its allies accuse the U.S. and some Arab gulf nations of punishing Lebanon because of Hezbollah's military activities in other countries, including Syria and Iraq.

I tell the Americans and the Israelis that this is Lebanese territory, Nasrallah said about the tanker, without elaborating on what his group will do if it is intercepted.

Neighboring Syria has blamed Israel for mysterious attacks that have targeted oil tankers heading from Iran to Syria this past year.

For weeks, Lebanese have been waiting in long lines at petrol stations to fill their car tanks. Diesel shortages amid severe power cuts have shut down thousands of private generators, leading to shortages of bread. Some hospitals have warned that patients could die because of the diesel shortage.

The shortages are blamed on smuggling, hoarding and the cash-strapped governments inability to secure deliveries of imported fuel.

Lebanon has for decades suffered electricity cuts, partly because of widespread corruption and mismanagement. The Mediterranean nation of 6 million  including 1 million Syrian refugees  is near bankruptcy.

The situation deteriorated dramatically last week after the central bank decided to end subsidies for fuel products. The decision will likely lead to a hike in the prices of almost all commodities in Lebanon.

Nasrallah said his group does not aim to defy anyone, by arranging the fuel shipment from Iran, but added that we cannot stand idle amid the humiliation of our people whether in front of bakeries, hospitals, gas stations and darkness at night.

The move is likely to anger Hezbollahs opponents at home, who have warned that such a move could end up putting Lebanon under American sanctions.
CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa -- The Marine Corps on Wednesday told Japanese authorities on Okinawa that two pieces that fell from an MV-22B Osprey last week were much larger than the Marines first described them.

A spokesman for the Okinawa Defense Bureau, an arm of the Japan Ministry of Defense, on Thursday said that information raised more questions.

"There was no explanation on how the mistake was made," the bureau spokesman said. "We are currently waiting for additional information from the U.S. side."

The Osprey crew reported a panel and a piece of fairing missing when the tilt-rotor aircraft returned around 9:30 p.m. Aug. 12 to Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Ginowan. The crew had flown back, mostly over water, from the Central Training Area, according to 1st Marine Wing spokesman Maj. Ken Kunze on Monday.

The Marines told the defense bureau the panel measured 14 by 18 inches and the fairing measured 9 by 3, Kunze said at the time.

Wednesday, the Marine Corps corrected that information and told the bureau the panel was actually about 3  by 2  feet and nearly an inch thick, a bureau spokesman told Stars and Stripes by phone Thursday. The panel is normally situated above the cockpit, he said.

He said the fairing, from the right engine cover, measures 17 by 17 inches.

The crew did not see the parts fall from the aircraft and no injuries or damage have been reported, Kunze wrote in an email to Stars and Stripes on Monday.

Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki said he was "infuriated" by the incident and called for an immediate cessation of flight operations at the U.S. base. The Marines declined to do so.

Prefectural officials said they were equally confused by the error.

"The panel suddenly became bigger," a prefectural spokesman told Stars and Stripes by phone on Thursday. "Until we receive confirming information, I don't think there is much to say."

Government spokespeople in Japan typically speak to the media on condition of anonymity as a condition of their employment.

On Thursday, Kunze attributed the error to darkness and strict reporting requirements.

"They got back in the middle of the night, and they have to report those within a few hours," he said by phone to Stars and Stripes. "With it being on the top, and the wing, and it was dark, that was their best estimate at the time."

The Marines sent the correct measurements to Japanese and prefectural officials as soon as they had them, he said.

The pieces have still not been found, Kunze said. He said they were likely lost over water and may wash up on shore.

The Marine Corps is investigating the cause of the incident.
We stood beneath the Kiss Cam in Times Square and jumped up and down until the heart zoomed in on us. The cause for celebration? The Afghan interpreter, nicknamed HB, who served alongside my squad of Marines, had finally immigrated to the United States.

Welcome to America, I told him. You deserve to be here.

We laughed our way past Elmo and Pooh and tucked into a musty Irish pub off Broadway. We joked about the chicken dinners we shared, our austere living conditions, and the ragtag band of Afghan National Police who were assigned to our remote outpost in Helmand Province. We reflected on our endless foot patrols and his Marine-like taste for expletives, explosions, and dead Taliban.

Marines with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit arrive in southern Afghanistan in 2008. The 24th MEU deployed 2,400 service members under NATOs International Security Assistance Force command to help Afghanistan National Security Forces in providing a safe and secure environment for the Afghan people. (Robert Piper/U.S. Marine Corps)

When the Marines left, the Taliban destroyed the school we started, he told me. It was something I knew was inevitable when we first repurposed a vinyl tent to open the classroom near our patrol base in 2010. For months, my Marines and I watched as HB volunteered to help a local villager teach dozens of students basic Pashto. Each day, hed remove his body armor and teach the children how to write their names and read the Quran. Little boys and girls. In a country at war. Captivated by the hope of an education.

For the six months we worked together, HB did much more than inspire young children in his war-torn homeland. He went on every patrol with us. He helped carry gear and water. He stood watch and helped cook. He came to our aid the day four of us were wounded. We trusted each other. For all intents and purposes, HB earned the title of U.S. Marine.

During our meals together, HB often shared his dreams of immigrating to America with his wife. His curiosity fascinated me. He asked each of us about our hometowns and family members. What to expect if he ever arrived? Would he like the food? What was the weather like? Would he be accepted? Would his family be allowed to immigrate with him? While we didnt have the answers to all of his questions, HB earned our love. At the end of our deployment, our entire 14-Marine squad wrote letters of recommendation to support HBs visa application.

Over the next three years, I stayed in touch with HB over social media, but hugging him in Times Square felt surreal. His hair was shorter, mine longer. I had gained weight. He hadnt. But the biggest difference was that we were both smiling more than we had during our time together in Afghanistan. His pursuit of the American dream had been realized, and I was elated to hear that he was on track for citizenship.

As time went on, HB and I settled into our daily routines and our conversations became less frequent. He was working at a food packaging plant and I was embracing entrepreneurship. But one summer, he called me on Facetime as he sped down the highway in the passenger seat of a sedan.

Im an American, HB screamed, a smile stretching across his face because he was now a U.S. citizen. Just like wed talked about in Times Square and Helmand province, HB was one step closer to his family living in the United States.

Atiqualla Rahin, an Afghan-American interpreter, U.S. Marine Chief Warrant Officer Bruce Johnson, and an Afghan contractor walk around the grounds of a new building site for a mens detention facility in Lashkar Gah in 2010. (Jennifer Franco/U.S. Navy)

In the fall of 2020, HB told me he had moved back to Afghanistan. His wifes visa application had been denied because they had not lived together recently enough. Rather than abandon her, he left his home and job in Virginia and returned to Afghanistan to await her visa approval.

Now, one year later, as the United States withdraws and the Taliban reclaims Afghanistan, an interpreter-turned-U.S.-citizen refuses to be evacuated unless he can bring his wife. Its an honorable decisionone fitting with his character and emblematic of the selflessness that earned our trust as Marines and our endorsements for his citizenship.

As I watch the headlines and witness Afghanistan fall to the Taliban, the feelings are reminiscent of when I watched the Islamic State group reclaim Fallujah, Iraq, a city I once fought in. Only this time, I dont know where to focus my anger. On the elected officials to whom HB pleaded for help from as a resident of Virginia? On the embassy officials, who tell HB to wait in line? Or on the enemy I can no longer fight? The enemy that will rape and enslave HBs wife, and torture HB because he is American.

As I write this, I do so with a pounding migrainea recurring reminder of the day I was wounded, the day HB ran to my aid. But now, as I sit thousands of miles away from where we served together, I feel like Im trapped inside the wire listening to my squad engaged in a firefight. Im helpless to run to HBs side, to do what he did for me.

I will take the risk till I can bring my wife to America, he told me as the Taliban began to infiltrate cities in Afghanistan. Its taking time we dont have.

This article first appeared on The War Horse, an award-winning nonprofit news organization educating the public on military service. Subscribe to their newsletter.
When Army Sgt. James Connor landed at Cape Cavalaire, France, in August 1944, he was already a seasoned veteran of storming beaches. He landed in North Africa during Operation Torch, helped capture Sicily and then stormed the beaches of the Italian Peninsula.

More than a month after the Allied invasion of Normandy, Connor was to take part in another invasion of Axis-held territory, this time in southern France. Operation Dragoon was intended to put extra pressure on the Axis in France by opening a second front there and capturing critical Mediterranean ports.

Part of the invasion fleet of "Operation Dragoon", the invasion of Southern France, off the French Mediterranean coast, circa in August 1944. (U.S. Navy)

On Aug. 15, 1944, Connor was on a battle patrol as part of the Armys 7th Infantry, 3rd Infantry Division on Red Beach. His platoons target was the Axis defensive positions along Cape Cavalaire. Taking the redoubts wouldnt be easy. The entrenched defenders had a firing position that gave them command of the entire beach. Without Connors platoon, the Allies never would have been able to land.

The fighting began almost immediately. Connor and the platoons lieutenant were hit by a hanging mine. The officer was killed, and Connor received a serious wound to his neck. According to his Medal of Honor citation, refusing medical care, he practically carried it across the beach through a hailstorm of small-arms fire, mortars and anti-aircraft flak.

As they ran for the entrenchments, Connor killed two snipers attempting to pick off members of his unit. The platoon sergeant was killed in the mad dash, and Connor took command. He was wounded yet again, with a shot that lacerated his shoulder and back, but the seemingly indestructible soldier pushed his men on.

They ran onward through a wall of almost impregnable mortar concentrations, finally reaching their objective: a series of defenses scattered with machine-gun nests and snipers. There, a bullet to the leg finally took Connor down -- but not out.

Though he could not stand up and the platoon was down to fewer than 12 men from its original 36, Connor took a prone position and directed the platoons assault. Despite decimated numbers, the inspiration from Connor and his leadership won the day. They outflanked the Axis defenders, killing seven, capturing 40 and completed their mission.

In his Medal of Honor citation, the Army said his repeated examples of tenaciousness and indomitable spirit ... transmitted his heroism to his men until they became a fighting team which could not be stopped.

With the series of fortifications that overlooked Red Beach under Allied control, the rest of the invasion force was cleared to land unimpeded. Only nine of the original 36 members of Connors battle patrol survived the assault, including Connor himself.

Red Beach landing site during Operation Dragoon in 1944. (U.S. Navy)

Connor was told he would be headed home as he recovered in a hospital in Italy, but he soon received orders to return to combat in France. Within a week, the Army discovered its error and took him out of the fighting.

In March 1945, Connor was still in France to receive the Medal of Honor from Lt. Gen. Alexander Patch, who commanded Operation Dragoon. By May of that year, he was back in his native Delaware after fighting in Europe for almost the entirety of World War II.

President Harry S. Truman invited Connor to the White House to honor his actions during Operation Dragoon and his service throughout the war. He met with the president on May 7, 1945, the day Germany surrendered to the Allies.

-- Blake Stilwell can be reached at blake.stilwell@military.com. He can also be found on Twitter @blakestilwell or on Facebook.

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Star Wars is a cultural phenomenon with few rivals in the United States. Fans have often dreamed of flying in a starship or picking up a blaster and fighting alongside clones. Especially in the military, there are plenty of troops who look at Star Wars vehicles and think, This job would be so much cooler if we had those.

To start, we dont really talk about the sequel trilogy. And of course, the Imperial military was retooled from a fighting force to an occupying force, the Rebel Alliance was basically a terrorist organization and the Confederacys droid army waswell, mostly droids.

So, for this list, well be taking a look at the Grand Army of the Republic and the vehicles crewed by its legions of clone troopers to determine the best vehicles for the U.S. military from a galaxy far, far away.

1. Space Force: Venator-class Star Destroyer

Venator-class Star Destroyer (Lucasfilm)

This one just makes sense. A Star Destroyer is literally a gigantic spaceship. With its hyperdrive systems, powerful shield generators, generous firepower and complement of starfighters, the Venator is just the ship to stop all the other services from making (too much) fun of the newly formed service branch.

A couple of orbital strikes in support of ground troops, and even Marines will be singing the praises of the Space Force. While the ship performs well in a vacuum, its limited in the atmosphere. Although it can land on natural terrain with some difficulty, the Venator lacks landing gear and requires specialized landing facilities to dock properly.

Therefore, it makes the most sense to keep it in Earths orbit when its not in need of maintenance or exploring the galaxy (with a complement of Space Marines, of course).

2. Marine Corps: Low Altitude Assault Transport

Low Altitude Assault Transport (Lucasfilm)

Better known as the Republic Gunship, the LAAT is the ideal Republic vehicle for the Marines. Whether you need to land hard-charging devil dogs on a beach, in a jungle or on top of a mountain, the gunship can do it.

Plus, its suite of rockets, guns and laser pods means it can hold its own and provide close air support to the Marines that it lands. In a way, the Marines already have a form of the LAAT in the fast VTOL V-22 Osprey. The Star Wars gunship just does it all better.

If it helps, the LAAT almost certainly has the lift capability to carry speakers playing nothing but Fortunate Son. After all, droids dont surf.

3. Air Force: ARC-170

ARC-170 (Lucasfilm)

Short for Aggressive ReConnaissance, the ARC-170 is a heavy high-endurance starfighter. While it would be more than capable in an atmospheric dogfight, its massive engines and heavy armor make it ideal for long-range space patrol. For this reason, it would excel in the Air Forces mission of air superiority, but also be able to support the Space Force beyond Earth and even the solar system.

Now, its entirely possible that Space Force would create their own Key West Agreement and prevent the other services from maintaining any space assets entirely. But, thats delving a bit too deep into plausible science fiction. Were just talking about Star Wars vehicles here.

4. Navy: Z-95 Headhunter

Z-95 Headhunter (Lucasfilm)

I get the argument that the Navy should crew spaceships and take on the mission of the military in space, I do. However, with human conflict restricted to planet Earth and the formation of a Space Force, the Star Destroyer had to go to the guardians.

As long as the Navy is still responsible for maintaining freedom of navigation on the seas, the best GAR vehicle for them is the Z-95. In contrast to its heavier three-seater counterpart, the ARC-170, the Headhunter lacks a hyperdrive. However, light-speed capabilities arent necessary to operate within the atmosphere from aircraft carriers on the sea. The Z-95 provides more than enough speed and firepower to take on any next-gen plane or ship that could be fielded by a hostile nation.

Just dont let Maverick buzz the tower in one of these. The sub-light thrusters might actually take it down.

5. Army: HAVw A6 Juggernaut

HAVw A6 Juggernaut (Lucasfilm)

Known by fans as the Clone Turbo Tank, Id be willing to bet that troops would call it a Juggernaut or even just Jug. Whatever you want to call it, this thing is a beast.

At 30 meters tall and nearly 40 meters long, the 10-wheel drive Juggernaut would be an imposing sight on an Earth battlefield. With a top speed of just under 100 mph, thermally superconducting armor, and the firepower equivalent of a nuclear bomb, the Jug would face no real threats from any other Army in the world today.

IED? What IED? Russian super tank? Point, click, gone. Still, I wouldnt want to be the 91B wheeled vehicle mechanic having to do maintenance on this thing. Can you imagine the drip pan for a Jug?

More articles from We Are the Mighty:

That one time Stalin tried to kill John Wayne

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Heres what equipment the Navy uses to clear mines

We Are The Mighty (WATM) celebrates service with stories that inspire. WATM is made in Hollywood by veterans. It's military life presented like never before. Check it out at We Are the Mighty.

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When companies like General Dynamics and government agencies like the FBI need good people with in-demand skills, they have at least one company on speed dial: ManpowerGroup.

Every day, ManpowerGroup puts an estimated 600,000 people in meaningful positions worldwide across a variety of industries and sectors. It does this by training people in the specific skills companies need so when they reach their job, theyre fully capable of fulfilling that critical role.

ManpowerGroup and Rockwell Automation have been recruiting and training vets with technical skills since 2017. Now, ManpowerGroup is teaming with Military Hire and Operation: Job Ready Veterans to put its proven model to work for American veterans, free of charge and with a job waiting for them at the end of the training program.

Ron Needham, ManpowerGroups senior vice president of North American sales and marketing, served in the U.S. Army infantry between 1983 and 1985. When he left the military, Needham walked into a ManpowerGroup office while attending Penn State University. The company put him in a temporary job that turned out to be permanent.

He says the same perspective that helped him succeed in his first post-military job is one that veterans today still have.

I discovered myself that the advantages I had in corporate America, like the discipline and the preparation to be a leader in a moment's notice, were all transferable skills to the corporate world, Needham told Military.com. All these things you sort of learn that you don't necessarily translate to the business world at the moment, but really are right there. They're really powerful.

(Academy of Advanced Manufacturing)

When Needham went to work for ManpowerGroup years later, he looked at veteran employment and saw a need. There were others out there trying to address the problem, but he didnt see anyone doing it particularly well. He put ManpowerGroup to work for veterans and spouses.

The process is simple: The companys clients approach ManpowerGroup with a critical skills need and a demand for people. The company recruits veterans interested in joining that field and creates an upskilling program for that skill. If the veteran needs to train on equipment in person, ManpowerGroup covers the cost of relocation and housing. If the program is technology-based, veterans can take the training at home through its Academy of Advanced Manufacturing (AAM).

Once the training regimen is completed, the newly upskilled veteran takes their place in a job with the original company.

Stakeholder capitalism is our core value here, Needham says. There are four constituents, and your employee is number one. If your employee feels engaged and likes working with your company, they take care of the second constituent, the customer. If you take care of the customer, they will take care of your shareholders by doing more business with you. When the shareholder is taken care of, that gives us the right to invest in the community. The value in upskilling is taking care of the first of those four constituents.

Veterans coming into ManpowerGroups upskilling program can go to work for all kinds of companies in many different sectors. Rockwell Automation, General Dynamics and other long-standing and valuable companies, are just the beginning.

Walk around and think about all the brands youre seeing, from the shoes on your feet to the trucks driving around, Needham says. You'd be amazed at the work we do that people don't know about. Those are all opportunities for our associates.

To learn more about ManpowerGroup, the Academy of Advanced Manufacturing or to jump right in and apply, visit the AAM website. Classes begin regularly throughout the year.

-- Blake Stilwell can be reached at blake.stilwell@military.com. He can also be found on Twitter @blakestilwell or on Facebook.

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The post-interview period can be a particularly worrisome and stressful time.

A hundred questions cross your mind: Did I make a good impression? Did I say what the interviewer wanted me to? When will they get back to me? Are they even going to call? What happens then?

If you're not the sort who can sit back, relax and wait for an answer after sitting through an interview, there's a psychological tool to help stave off the temptation to check your inbox every five minutes: mindfulness.

Why Mindfulness Helps with Your Application

University of California psychologists Kate Sweeny and Jennifer Howell have discovered that mindfulness can make it easier to deal with nerve-wracking waits, according to psychology journal Psychologie Heute.

As part of their study, the researchers asked 240 law students waiting on news of their admission to the bar to complete a questionnaire.

In the first part of the questionnaire, participants were instructed to complete the so-called "Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory."

This enabled the researchers to assess which of the students tended to lead a mindful life. "These 'mindful' participants were basically less concerned about the results," the study said.

There was one thing that particularly struck the psychologists: Mindful people prepare themselves for a potentially negative outcome but only toward the end of the waiting period.

It's counterproductive to assume directly after an interview that the results may be negative. Basically, if you keep running through your mind what may have gone wrong during the interview, you're not doing yourself any favors.

In the second part of the questionnaire, participants were told to do mindfulness exercises at least once a week for 15 minutes or to meditate with "Loving Kindness Meditation."

"Participants who struggled the most during the waiting period experienced an improvement specifically through mindfulness exercises," according to the study.

Steps for Mindfulness

Mindfulness is the ability to pay full attention to the present. This means avoiding worries, doubts, fears and uncertainties.

Meditation can be a helpful tool, and its uses aren't restricted to interviews and exams.

Apple co-founder Steve Jobs found out about the technique on a trip to India. There, he learned to be mindful through meditation, changing his view of the world, of design and creativity, and shaping his success.

You can read author and entrepreneur Faisal Hoque's four steps to learn the art of mindfulness, including focusing on good thoughts and lessons learned from mistakes.

Read the original article on Business Insider or Business Insider Deutschland.

Copyright 2021.

This post originally appeared on Business Insider Deutschland and has been translated from German.

Follow Business Insider Deutschland on Twitter.

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U.S. Pacific Fleet and Center for Excellence in Disaster Management host a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response workshop in the Republic of Palau, in support of Pacific Partnership 2021.
How to use the mindat.org media viewer

Click/touch this help panel to close it.

Welcome to the mindat.org media viewer. Here is a quick guide to some of the options available to you. Different controls are available depending on the type of media being shown (photo, video, animation, 3d image)

Controls - all media types

Zoom in and out of media using your mousewheel or with a two-finger 'resize' action on a touch device.

Use the mouse or your finger to drag the image or the view area of the image around the screen.

< and > at the left and right hand side of the screen move forwards and backwards for the other images associated with the media you selected. Usually this is used for previous/next photo in a gallery, in an article or in search results. Keyboard shortcuts: use shift + the left and right arrow keys.

< and > in the bottom center are used for switching between the photos of the same specimen. Keyboard shortcuts: use the left and right arrow keys.

> in the bottom center, raises the information box giving details and further options for the media, < at the top of this box then hides it. Keyboard shortcuts: use the up and down arrow keys.

? opens this help window. Keyboard shortcuts: use the H key or the ? key.

Other keyboard shortcuts:

1 Fit image to screen 2 Fill screen with image 5 Display at full resolution < Make background darker > Make background lighter space Hide/dim titles and buttons

Scalebar

If the field of view (FOV) is specified for the photo, the scalebar appears in the left bottom corner of the viewer. The scalebar is draggable and resizeable. Drag the right edge to resize it. Double click will reset the scalebar to it's default size and position. If the scalebar is in default position, double click will make it circular.

Controls - Video

Video files have a standard set of video controls: - Reset to start, - Skip back, - Play, - Pause, - Skip forwards. Keyboard shortcuts: You can stop/start video play with the P key.

Controls - Animation (Spin Rotation)

Animation (usually 360 degree spin rotations) have their own controls: - enable spin mode. Note that while images are loading this option will not be available but will be automatically activated when the animation has loaded. Once active you can spin the image/change the animation by moving your mouse or finger on the image left/right or by pressing the [ or ] keys.

The button switches to move mode so that you can use your mouse/fingers to move the image around the screen as with other media types.

The button, or the P key will start playing the animation directly, you can interrupt this by using the mouse or finger on the image to regain manual movement control.

Controls - 3D Stereoscopic images

If a stereoscopic 3D image is opened in the viewer, the 3D button appears in the bottom right corner giving access to "3D settings" menu. The 3D images can be viewed in several ways:

- without any special equipment using cross-eyed or parallel-eyed method

- with stereoscope

- with anaglyph glasses.

- on a suitable 3D TV or monitor (passive 3D system)

For details about 3D refer to: Mindat manuals: Mindat Media Viewer: 3D

To enable/disable 3D stereo display of a compatible stereo pair image press the 3 key. If the left/right images are reversed on your display (this often happens in full-screen mode) press the 4 key to reverse them.

Controls - photo comparison mode

If a photo with activated comparison mode is opened in the viewer, the button appears in the bottom right corner giving access to "Comparison mode settings" menu.

Several layouts are supported: slider and side by-side comparison with up to 6 photos shown synchronously on the screen. On each of the compared photos a view selector is placed, e.g.: Longwave UV . It shows the name of currently selected view and allows to select a view for each placeholder.

Summary of all keyboard shortcuts
A 110-foot, 62-year-old bridge on Highway 95 in San Juan County has been compromised by the collapse of sandstone that was holding up the foot
The City of Moab announced that mask-wearing would be required in all city facilities for both staff and members of the public, effective Aug.
[August 19, 2021] Belfrics To Make Crypto Derivatives and Forex Available on Their Platform AVENTURA, Fla., Aug. 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Life Clips, Inc. (OTC Pink: LCLP) (Life Clips) and Belfrics Group (Belfrics) announced today that Belfrics International Limited (Labuan) Malaysia, which holds a money broker license from Labuan Financial Services Authority, will be offering leveraged FOREX instruments and crypto derivative contracts starting in September 2021. With Both the CEOs of Belfrics and Life Clips having in-depth experience in trading markets, traders can expect innovative products and optimal trading conditions through Belfrics trading platforms.

Robert Grinberg, CEO and President of Life Clips, Inc. said, Belfrics International's plan to introduce leveraged FOREX instruments and crypto derivative contracts to its clients comes on the heels of the news that the Securities Commission (SC) Malaysia has served a public reprimand against Binance, calling for it and all of its entities to cease operations in the country. Belfrics CEO and Founder, Praveen Kumar said, As lucrative as the Forex Market is, the Crypto Derivative market is ripe with opportunity, with few players in the space as of yet. This will allow us to take significant market share in the space. Having the ability to provide this on our platform puts us light-speed ahead of many other competitors. The Foreign Exchange (FX) industry commands a daily traded volume of more than $6 trillion and is the largest traded asset class. Crypto derivative volume in June was $3.2 trillion as against the spot market volume of $2.7 trillion, according to a monthly report by CryptoCompare. In order to ensure a seamless trading environment, Belfrics has partnered with Hybrid Solutions, a leading derivative trading platform provider, to use their Vertexfx platform for trading leveraged products. Vertexfx platform has been serving forex brokers since 2002 and has advanced plugins that cater to all types of traders. The collaboration with Hybrid solutions is a strategic move to onboard industry leaders to ensure a high quality trading experience as trading volume increase. With desktop, web, iOS and Android platforms available, traders will be able to deploy advanced money management tools, copy trading, and auto trading strategies using the VertexFX platform plugins. Mr. Kumar concludes, In my previous experience managing other institutions, I was in charge of launching commodity contracts and providing liquidity solutions for retail and institutional Forex, as well as commodity brokers in many regions. A large number of brokers are waiting for us to start the liquidity solution for forex and crypto assets. These are pockets of high-volume institutional flows, in which we intend to establish our dominance in the near future. About Life Clips, Inc. Life Clips is the parent company of Cognitive Apps Software Solutions Inc. On July 15, 2021, Life Clips signed a Definitive Agreement to acquire Belfrics Global, a blockchain provider and cryptocurrency exchange and platform. Cognitive Apps is disrupting the space of mental health using advanced speech-based AI technology to predict risk for various types of depression and mood and anxiety-based disorders years before a clinical diagnosis is obtained. Cognitive Apps AI-Powered mental health analytics platform empowers businesses to measure, understand, and improve mental well-being of their employees, patients, and customers. Life Clips also distributes Mobeego single-use and cordless batteries. Forward-Looking Statement Disclaimer This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements may be preceded by the words intends, may, will, plans, expects, anticipates, projects, predicts, estimates, aims, believes, hopes, potential or similar words. Forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions and are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's control, and cannot be predicted or quantified and consequently, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements: (i) the initiation, timing, progress and results of the Companys research, manufacturing and other development efforts; (ii) the Companys ability to advance its products to successfully complete development and commercialization; (iii) the manufacturing, development, commercialization, and market acceptance of the Companys products; (iv) the lack of sufficient funding to finance the product development and business operations; (v) competitive companies and technologies within the Companys industry and introduction of competing products; (vi) the Companys ability to establish and maintain corporate collaborations; (vii) loss of key management personnel; (viii) the scope of protection the Company is able to establish and maintain for intellectual property rights covering its products and its ability to operate its business without infringing the intellectual property rights of others; (ix) potential failure to comply with applicable health information privacy and security laws and other state and federal privacy and security laws; and (x) the difficulty of predicting actions of the USA FDA and its regulations. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are made only as of the date of this press release. The Company assumes no obligation to update any written or oral forward-looking statement unless required by law. For Life Clips, Inc. Investor Relations Please Contact: David Kugelman

(866) 692-6847 Toll Free - U.S. & Canada

(404) 281-8556 Mobile, WhatsApp, Signal, and Telegram

Skype: kugsusa

dk@atlcp.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkugelman





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[August 19, 2021] Canada's first platform for recognizing, enabling and amplifying exceptional workplace culture makes its debut VANCOUVER, BC, Aug. 19, 2021 /CNW/ - Rival Technologies, the world-leading mobile market research platform used by brands like ViacomCBS, P&G, Facebook and Samsung, and The ReFrame Group , western Canada's most innovative technology and workplace services provider, are proud to announce the launch of the Canadian Workplace Culture Index (CWCI). "With a 2021 Angus Reid survey revealing that 60 percent of Canadians would leave their jobs for a pay increase of just 10 percent, organizations in this country must do more to recognize, enable, and amplify exceptional culture," said Rival CEO Andrew Reid . Developed in partnership with the Angus Reid Institute, Canada's lading not-for-profit research organization, the CWCI benchmarks Canadians' attitudes towards their workplaces in six core areas: Workplace satisfaction, company cares, diversity & inclusion, information & recognition, employee connections, and loyalty. The annual publication of a CWCI Report, outlining research results and major trends identified by the Index, will allow organizations of all sizes to assess workplace culture in their specific industries. "With a 2021 Angus Reid survey revealing that 60 percent of Canadians would leave their jobs for a pay increase of just 10 percent, organizations in this country must do more to recognize, enable, and amplify exceptional culture," said Rival CEO Andrew Reid. "Achieving this both enriches the human experience and produces enormous benefits for organizations, from employee retention and securing top talent to boosting productivity and revenue." Indeed, 92 percent of corporate executives responding to an earlier survey said that improving workplace culture increases company value, with more than half saying corporate culture influences productivity, creativity, profitability and growth rates. The CWCI uses its benchmark data to certify Canadian organizations based on anonymous employee feedback collected using Rival's innovative chat-based survey platform. Every organization taking part in the certification process will receive a customized report on their specific workplace culture, with those that pass being automatically listed on the CWCI. "The CWCI evaluates where your business stacks up in comparison to others, provides valuable workplace culture insights, and equips you with information on how to strategically evolve your workplace culture," Reid said. "This enables organizations to benchmark and differentiate themselves, and promote a people-first values system to potential new hires and existing employees." Organizations taking part in certification trials have been impressed by the results. "We have partnered with the CWCI and are excited about the nature of this modern chat-based survey in gathering the honest perspectives of everyone in the workplace," said Anne-Marie Pham, Executive Director of the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion. Interviews with Rival CEO, Andrew Reid and CWCI Managing Director, Kemp Edmonds, are available upon request. Please reach out to Jamil A. Karim < jamil@switchboardpr.com >. For more information, visit the official website or watch this explainer video . About Rival Technologies Rival Technologies is the world's best mobile market research platform. Building on 20 years of experience in the research space, it blends?best-in-class digital experiences?with sophisticated market research rigor in a way that inspires people to share deep, rich and actionable insights. Email surveys are dead tech that feel more like tests than the meaningful brand engagement people crave. Rival engages consumers in real time, on their mobile phones, in a way that feels organic, familiar, and fun. By using chat, video, and machine learning, our system captures?robust?quantitative and?rich?qualitative feedback quickly and effectively. Working with leading-edge brands like Amazon, ViacomCBS, P&G, Facebook, and Samsung, Rival makes market research more inclusive, accessible, and relevant to modern mass consumers. SOURCE Rival Technologies

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The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to partially lift its ban on HDFC Bank Ltd from 18 August 2021. As per the partial relief, HDFC Bank will be able to issue new credit cards, after a ban of eight months imposed by RBI for technical glitches.

In a regulatory filing, HDFC Bank says, "We wish to inform you that the RBI vide its letter dated 17 August 2021 has relaxed the restriction placed on sourcing of new credit cards. The board of directors of the Bank has taken note of the said RBI letter."

In December 2020, the banking regulator had asked HDFC Bank to put all new digital launches on hold till the bank resolve the tech issues. HDFC Bank was restricted from launching any new digital products or services under its programme digital 2.0 and issuing new credit cards as a penalty for repeated instances of outages in its online platforms.

It came after several instances of outages in the Banks mobile banking app and internet banking platform. The banking regulator acted against HDFC Bank after repeated technological outages over two years by slapping unprecedented penalties, which included a ban on any new credit card issuance and also prohibition on launching new digital initiatives.

The restrictions that were there on issuing new cards have been discontinued and the central bank has now permitted the Bank to undertake sourcing new credit cards but the other restrictions would continue.

HDFC Bank, however, says the restriction on new digital launches planned under Digital 2.0 will continue till further review by the central bank.

"We will continue to engage with RBI and ensure compliance on all parameters," the lender says.

The ban on card issuance hit HDFC Bank hard as its card base fell from 15.38 million in December to 14.82 million in June.

HDFC Bank is the largest credit card issuer in the country, and remains so even after the ban. The ban resulted in the Bank losing market share in a rapidly growing market.

Last month, HDFC Bank's chief executive officer (CEO) Sashidhar Jagdishan had acknowledged that the RBI ban on new digital launches over tech issues has impacted the business. He had also added that HDFC Bank is ready to bounce back and launch new products once the ban is lifted, but it would take around 12 to 15 months to complete the technology transformation.

While squarely blaming capacity issues for the outages, Mr Jagdishan had said: We realised as a company, we have been victims of our own success. What one would have envisaged is that from a base level you normally size up for four-five times the capacity. We realise the volumes have gone even beyond the five times capacity that we had originally sized up. So, it is more of a capacity issue.

Since December 2020, HDFC Bank has brought in better monitoring systems and a more resilient system of shifting to disaster recovery mode, chief information officer Ramesh Lakshminarayanan had said earlier this year.

After the ban on digital launches came into force, HDFC Bank took a set of actions, including bringing an external auditor for its systems. The audit was on from February to April 2021. The reports have been submitted to the regulator. We are awaiting further directions from the regulator in this matter, Mr Lakshminarayanan had said.

The action against HDFC Bank has been followed with a ban on card companies Mastercard and American Express from selling any new cards because of a failure to adhere to data localisation rules.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested Vuppalapati Satish Kumar, managing director (MD) of Prithvi Information Solutions Ltd (PISL) in connection with a Rs3,316 crore bank fraud case.



An ED official told IANS that it arrested Mr Kumar on 12th August and got his custody for six days.



The official says the MD of PISL was arrested under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) for causing a loss of around Rs3,316 crore to a consortium of public sector banks (PSBs) in connivance with Hima Bindu B, MD of VMC Systems Ltd. Bindu is the sister of Satish Kumar and was arrested by ED on 5 August 2021.



Moneylife has been writing on Prithvi Information Solutions for more than a decade. But more about it later.

ED initiated a money-laundering investigation against the company and its top executives based on a first information report (FIR) filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).



VMC Systems took loans from a consortium of PSBs and, at present, the outstanding is about Rs3,316 crore. "Forensic audit also revealed that the PISL, a related entity, was given 3% commission by the VMC Systems for all receipts from the BSNL without any specific role of the PISL in BSNL tenders," the ED official told the agency.



The forensic audit further revealed that VMC Systems had created various letters of credit (LCs) worth Rs692 crore in the name of fake or dummy entities which were subsequently devolved.



To dodge the banks, Satish Kumar, through Prithvi Information Solutions and Ennar Energy Ltd and with the active assistance of his sister Hima Bindu created alse or exaggerated operational revenues by generating fake sales or purchase invoices through the companies controlled by their family members.



They then siphoned off a part of the proceeds of crime by remitting it to the overseas entities controlled by their family members.



While Satish Kumar denied any links with the non-performing assets of VMC Systems, last month, the search by ED found 40 hard disks at his residence. "On forensic examination of digital devices, it was found that he indulged in benami transactions and involved in efforts to transfer fraud amounts to off-shore entities. He was non-cooperative during the investigation and was not supplying documents of his own business entities on one pretext or the other," the official from ED says.



Over the past few years, Hyderabad-based Prithvi Information Solutions had lurched from one extraordinary scandal to another. Prithvi Information Solutions was a one-time high flier stock with an all-time high of Rs503 in 2006. It dropped to Rs1.28 on 14 September 2015.



Trading in the company was suspended, which ultimately resulted in Prithvi Information Solutions getting delisted from stock exchanges on 21 August 2018. Subsequently, the company promoters, directors and group units are barred from accessing the securities market for 10 years.



As reported by Moneylife, in November 2018, the Pennsylvania Federal Court has issued summons to 13 including Prithvi Information Solutions, Value Team Corp (VTC), SSG Capital, Madhavi Vuppalapati as well as Shyam Maheshwari, Andreas Vourloumis, and Edwin Wong over alleged fraud, money laundering and racketeering.



The lawsuit filed by Koko Global Inc sought damages of $92 million from SSG Capital and its principles Mr Maheshwari, Mr Vourloumis, Mr Wong, Ira Noor Vourloumis and Dinesh Goel.



The case related to the alleged siphoning of funds worth $35 million out of $50 million raised in February 2007 by Prithvi Information Solutions Ltd (PISL) as zero-coupon convertible bonds due in February 2012, which were able to be converted into shares of PISL.

Consistent with the bond offer circular, PISL and Prithvi Solutions Inc (PSI), a 100% unit of PISL, entered into an agreement where the bonds were issued for the benefit of PSI and the bonds funds were to be used solely by PSI to execute business operations in the US.



In February 2007, Lehman Brothers, through Kingfisher Capital CLO Ltd invested in the bonds issued by PISL. Lehman Brothers then placed $50 million in an escrow account at UCO Bank in Hong Kong.

As per the agreement between PISL and PSI, the Bank transferred about $15 million out of the $50 million to PISL to provide bond funds to PSI.



However, on 15 September 2008 Lehman Brothers filed a bankruptcy petition in the US and bankruptcy and insolvency petitions overseas.



Later on 3 August 2010, Lehman Brothers sold its interest in the PISL bonds to VTC and SSG Capital Partners for about $15 million. Next month, SSG Capital Partners and PISL, headed by Madhavi Vuppalapati signed an agreement to restructure the bonds.

On the same day, both parties restructured the agreement, which required PISL to pay $4 million as a non-refundable deposit to SSG Capital Partners to confirm its commitment for restructuring the bonds.



The suit filed by Kyko stated, "The requirement to have PISL pay a non-refundable deposit to restructure the bonds under the SSG Capital Partners Agreement is illegal under applicable Indian law, rules, and regulations. The non-refundable deposit served no purpose other than to further Defendants fraudulent scheme as set forth herein." (Read: US Lawsuit Against Prithvi Information Solutions Alleges Rampant Siphoning of Funds)

UPDATE: On 22 December 2020, Kyko Global and Ares SSG Capital Management reached a mutually agreeable resolution to a long-running legal dispute, with both parties dismissing all legal actions against each other.



In a joint statement issued at that time, both Kyko Global and Ares SSG Capital Management stated, "The dispute related to issues about SSG's investment interests in corporate bonds issued by Prithvi Information Solutions, an Indian corporation, more than a decade ago. Recent exchange of information and discussion among the parties have clarified those issues to the mutual satisfaction of the parties with each party determining that no wrongdoing was committed by the other. As a result, Kyko has withdrawn its legal claims and past public statements and SSG has rescinded its countersuit."

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The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has revised its guidelines for locker facility provided by banks, and fixed banks' liability at 100 times the annual rent of the safe deposit locker in case of loss of contents due to fire, theft, burglary, dacoity, among others. The new guidelines would be implemented with effect from 1 January 2022 and will be applicable to both new and existing safe deposit lockers and the safe custody of articles facility with the banks.

Currently, banks do not have any liability towards lockers. In February this year, a two-judge bench of the Supreme Court (SC) held that banks cannot wash their hands off, and gave RBI six months to put in place guidelines for locker management.

RBI guidelines said it is the responsibility of banks to take all steps for the safety and security of the premises in which the safe deposit vaults are housed.

The banking regulator asked banks to clarify this in their locker agreement since they do not have a record of the contents of the locker, they would not be under any liability to insure the contents against any risk.

Further, banks shall under no circumstances offer, directly or indirectly, any product to its locker-hirers for insurance of the contents, the central bank affirmed.

RBI said that the new guidelines have been framed taking into consideration the various developments in the area of banking and technology, nature of consumer grievances and the feedback received from banks and Indian Banks' Association (IBA).

Banks would also need to adopt the model locker agreement to be framed by IBA. RBI has also detailed the compensation policy and liability of banks in the revised instructions.

Under the revised guidelines, banks will have to incorporate a clause in the locker agreement that the locker-hirers will not keep anything illegal or any hazardous substance in the safe deposit locker.

Banks will also have to maintain a branch wise list of vacant lockers as well as a wait-list in core banking system (CBS) or any other computerised system compliant with the cyber security framework issued by RBI for allotment of lockers and to ensure transparency.

RBI also detailed the compensation policy and liability of banks in the revised instructions. Banks will have to put in place a detailed board-approved policy outlining the responsibility owed by them for any loss or damage to the contents of the lockers due to their negligence.

"The bank shall not be liable for any damage and/or loss of contents of locker arising from natural calamities or Acts of God like earthquake, floods, lightning and thunderstorm or any act that is attributable to the sole fault or negligence of the customer," RBI said.

However, banks should exercise appropriate care to their locker systems to protect their premises from such catastrophes.

"As banks cannot claim that they bear no liability towards their customers for loss of contents of the locker, in instances where loss of contents of locker are due to" events like fire, theft, burglary, dacoity, robbery, building collapse or "attributable to fraud committed by its employee(s), the banks' liability shall be for an amount equivalent to one hundred times the prevailing annual rent of the safe deposit locker," the RBI guidelines said.

Banks will also need to have a branch insurance policy to minimise the loss due to incidents like robbery, fire, natural calamities, loss during shifting or merger of branch, among others, affecting contents of lockers.

To ensure prompt payment of locker rent, banks will be allowed to collect a term deposit (TD) at the time of allotment, which would cover three years rent and the charges for breaking open the locker in case the locker hirer neither operates the locker nor pays the rent.

Banks, however, should not insist on such TDs from the existing locker-holders or those who have satisfactory operative accounts.

The packaging of allotment of locker facility with placement of term deposits beyond what is specifically permitted above will be considered as a restrictive practice," RBI has clarified.

Banks shall renew their locker agreements with existing locker customers by 1 January 2023.

The banking regulator asked banks to ensure that the identification code of the bank and branch is embossed on all locker keys to enable law enforcement agencies identify ownership.

Banks are to send an email and an SMS alert to the registered email ID and mobile number of the customer before the end of the day to confirm the date and time of the locker operation and the redress mechanism available in case of unauthorised locker access.

If the locker remains inoperative for seven years and the hirer cannot be located, even if rent is being paid regularly, the bank will be at liberty to transfer the content to the customers nominees or legal heir or dispose of the articles in a transparent manner.

"If there is any event such as merger, closure or shifting of branch warranting physical relocation of the lockers, the bank shall give public notice in two newspapers (including one local daily in vernacular language) in this regard and the customers shall be intimated at least two months in advance...," the RBI guidelines said.

In case the locker rent is collected in advance, the remaining amount from the advance should be refunded to the customers during the surrender of the locker.

Banks will have to put in place a comprehensive revised board-approved policy and standard operating procedures (SOPs) on safe deposit locker facility or safe custody article as per the revised instructions, RBI added.

Customers who do have any banking relationship with the bank may also be given the facilities of safe deposit locker/safe custody article, RBI said.

Banks have also been asked to formulate a policy for nomination and release of contents to nominees. The contents have to be released within 15 days of the death of the depositor. "In order to ensure that the articles left in safe custody and contents of lockers are returned to the genuine nominee, as also to verify the proof of death, banks shall devise their own claim formats, in terms of applicable laws and regulatory guidelines," RBI said.
Remember the case of the illegal boards put up in government offices across Maharashtra , threatening citizens with various and selective Sections from the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in case of misbehaviour towards government servants? Well, the aam aadmis have actually managed to have some of them knocked off, by using the Right to Information (RTI) Act and by visiting offices and demanding so! However, there are brown sahibs, who continue to show their die-hard disdain!

RTI activists and users under the umbrella of the RTI Katta in Pune, which stirred this campaign for the past two months, have met with partial success.

Some of them have gotten the authorities to remove the boards, while others have been greeted with strange replies under the RTI Act. Heres how.

Baramati-based RTI activist, Tushar Zende Patil has had the boards removed from the Baramati tehsildar office, 1015 gram panchayats of Pune district, and in 10-15 primary health centres of Baramati district in Shirur, Supe and Indapur.

Thane-based RTI activist, Dattatray Dalvi filed an RTI application at a gram panchayat office in Raigad district. The gram sevak requested him not to submit his RTI application, promising to get it removed instantly, which he did. Thane-based RTI activist, Dattatray Dalvi filed an RTI application at a gram panchayat office in Raigad district. The gram sevak requested him not to submit his RTI application, promising to get it removed instantly, which he did.

Mr Dalvi had the same experience at the tehsildars office. The board put up at the entrance door was immediately pulled out when he visited it to submit his RTI application.

As against these small successes, Pune-based RTI activist, Shekhar Landge had a frustrating experience. He filed RTI applications under Section 6 of the RTI Act to the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC). As against these small successes, Pune-based RTI activist, Shekhar Landge had a frustrating experience. He filed RTI applications under Section 6 of the RTI Act to the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC).

Says Mr Landge, All the city survey offices in PCMC, as well as the registrars office in Pune, have put up these boards.

He sought information on the proposal, decision, minutes of the meetings and correspondence by the relevant authority; the date on which this board was put up and any official note on the same; expenditure that went into making this board and proof through cash certificate or receipt, etc, and how many cases of misbehaviour of citizens who visited this office have been registered.

One of the city survey offices audaciously replied to his RTI saying, We have no ones permission.

So, then how did the board go up? Mr Landge asked the officer there. He vaguely replied that the law must have been passed by the Mantralaya.

It may be recalled that selective sections of the IPC code have been put up to intimidate and threaten citizens as soon as they enter any of the government offices.

The sections include Section 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty); Section 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace); Section 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation, if threat be to cause death or grievous hurt, etc); Section 332 and 333 (Voluntarily causing grievous hurt to deter public servant from his duty); Section 383, 384 and 386 ( Extortion, punishment for extortion, extortion by putting a person in fear of death on grievous hurt); Section 427 (Mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees); Section 378 an 379 (Theft and punishment for theft); Section 141 and 143 (141: Unlawful assembly and punishment for it); Section 146, 148 and 150 (Rioting, rioting, armed with deadly weapon and hiring, or conniving at hiring persons to join unlawful assembly).

Mahesh Zagade, former principal secretary of Maharashtra and a member of the RTI online Katta says, It is indeed good news that the state government wants to be transparent by putting up boards of various sections of law. Why be selective then? All the sections of the IPC code from 1-511 should be put up as also the Citizen Charter and other laws which make it mandatory for government babus to be answerable and accountable to the people. This selectiveness reeks of mischief and conspiracy to hide their murky manner of functioning.

RTI activist Mr Dalvi says, They should also put up boards on the citizens right to service, right to inspection and so on. He continues his mission to get the boards off, in more and more offices by creating awareness and involving more citizens.

In fact, Tushar Zende Patil has started his mission on this issue since 2017. He says, While most of the officers keep telling me that it is a Mantralaya decision of putting up the boards, strangely there is not a single board in any of the offices within the Mantralaya itself. In fact, Tushar Zende Patil has started his mission on this issue since 2017. He says, While most of the officers keep telling me that it is a Mantralaya decision of putting up the boards, strangely there is not a single board in any of the offices within the Mantralaya itself.

He then wrote to the chief secretary (CS)s office, registering a complaint against the illegal boards to frighten the citizens who come for their rightful work.

The CSs office forwarded it to the general administration department (GAD), who in turn, forwarded it to the home department. The home department forwarded it to the then director-general of police (DGP). The DGP sent a circular to all police stations of Maharashtra to ensure that the boards are pulled out from the offices where they are put up, Mr Zende Patil says.

But, of course, nothing happened, except for a few cases where the police pulled them down. This was in 2018 and three years hence, the issue is as good as dead, only to be revived by the RTI Katta campaigners.

In the recently held online meeting of the RTI Katta, former police officer Mr Tilekar volunteered to lodge an FIR in the matter. So far, there has been no progress.

Nevertheless, the small but courageous efforts of activists from various areas of Maharashtra to battle this menace are praiseworthy. Who knows, a day may dawn sooner rather than later when citizens would walk in and out of government offices without the fear of Big Brother.

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The union ministry of home affairs (MHA) has issued guidelines to all states and union territories (UTs) for the installation of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras in all police stations.

Last month, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Nityanand Rai, the minister of state for home affairs mentioned about the Supreme Court (SC) order dated 2 December 2020, which gave detailed directions to states and UTs and the Union government for installing CCTV cameras in all police stations and offices of central investigation agencies.

The SC order directed States and UTs to install cameras with night-vision facility at all police stations with provision for storing data for at least 12 months to enable speedy probes into complaints of custodial torture and human rights violations.

Mr Rai said that the apex court in its last hearing held on 6th April, had directed for the allocation of budget to the central agencies within one month from the date of order and for implementation of complete order within a period of six months from the date of allocation of budgets.

Mr Rai added that accordingly on 13 April 2021, the central investigation agencies requested for the allocation of budget and installation of CCTV cameras in their offices within the time-frame given by the apex court.

States and the UTs have already been impleaded in the case for filing status report on the installation of CCTV cameras in police stations, directly before the Supreme Court (SC), Mr Rai informed the lower house.

The SC order was specifically aimed at monitoring human rights violations during custodial interrogations and to observe the overall workings of a police station in terms of interaction with citizens.

The minister also clarified that since law and order is a state subject, the information regarding the number of police stations having CCTVs is not maintained at the level of Union government but added that "An advisory dated 8th July this year has been issued to state and UT governments for installation of CCTV cameras in all police stations

"Although 'police' and 'public order' are state subjects under the 7th Schedule to the Constitution of India, financial assistance for modernisation of state police forces is provided under the scheme of 'assistance to states for modernisation of police'. Under this scheme, states have been given the flexibility to formulate state action plan (SAPs) as per their strategic priorities and requirements, the minister stated.

Accordingly, after the MHA advisory, several states and UTs have floated tenders and kick-started the process to install CCTVs at all police stations.

The Assam police has floated a tender for the design, supply, installation, commissioning and support of CCTV system with all accessories as per tender specifications in all police stations of Assam. Almost 6,000 CCTV cameras will be installed at various points in a police station including male and female lock-ups.

Puducherry too has called for tenders to install cameras at all police stations across the UT and the bidders for installing the cameras will be finalised in a few weeks. Puducherry plans to have cameras at all police stations by end of 2021.

Around 600 cameras will be procured for installation in the police stations and control rooms in Puducherry using the UTs own funds amounting to Rs 2 crore. The cameras will be installed at the entry and exit points, corridors, male/female lock-up room, interrogation room, rear side, outside wash rooms and toilets and rooms of the station house officer.

Depending on the size, topography and the number of rooms the cameras will be installed. Every police station will have six to nine cameras which will be equipped with night vision and audio-cum-video footage.

The Telangana government will also be bringing all 774 police stations across all districts in the State under CCTV surveillance.

Legal experts have lauded the SC judgement while highlighting how the treatment citizens get from local stations is the true indicator of the quality of policing. By introducing a slew of measures, it can be ensured that local stations adhere to modern police practices.

They also pointed out that CCTV cameras would help create confidence among the people and promote required professionalism in the police force. CCTV cameras shall play a vital role but functioning of the CCTV cameras should not be merely be limited to one time installation. Those units should function round the clock and even have night vision devices fitted or a mechanism where activities during night too should get recorded.

Haryana high court has asked Haryana government to apprise the court by when police posts across Haryana will be covered under CCTV coverage. In a separate case, theto apprise the court by when police posts across Haryana will be covered under CCTV coverage.

The directions were issued in a habeas corpus matter from a Panchkula resident who had alleged that his son was illegally picked up by the police and kept in detention for almost four days even as he was a minor. During the hearing, it had come to light that the police station in question, Sector-14 in Panchkula, had CCTVs but not the police post under this police station. It had also come before court that when court-appointed warrant officer visited the police, the minor boy was found in detention and the warrant officer was not provided the DDR entry of boys arrest, which, police claimed, that was made on the day, the warrant officer visited the police station.

The court was shocked that the Sector 16 police post was not equipped with CCTV cameras, despite an affidavit given in a petition about 2 to 3 years ago, that all police stations/CIA staff in the state had been equipped with the CCTV cameras.

Obviously this court not having issued a specific direction that even police posts be so equipped, was taken unnecessary advantage of by the officers of the state, to not install such cameras at police posts, which are equally important as regards determining as to whether somebody had been illegally detained in a police post or not, with that issue hitting at the very root of a persons right to liberty as enshrined under Article 21 of the Constitution of India, the HC observed.
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...AIR QUALITY ALERT IN EFFECT... The Montana Department of Environmental Quality has issued an air quality alert for Beaverhead, Carbon, Gallatin, Madison, and Park counties in effect until 9 AM MDT 9/1/2021 This alert will be updated again at 9 AM MDT 9/1/2021. An Air Quality Alert means that particulates have been trending upwards and that an exceedence of the 24 hour National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) has occurred or may occur in the near future. As of 1230 PM MDT, Particulate levels in Red Lodge are Unhealthy As of 1230 PM MDT, Particulate levels in Bozeman, Dillon, and West Yellowstone are Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups As of 1230 PM MDT, Particulate levels in Billings, Butte, Columbia Falls, Cut Bank, Hamilton, Helena, Libby, Missoula, Seeley Lake, Thompson Falls, White Sulphur Springs are Moderate 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
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Midland and Odessa hospital officials spoke during a town hall Wednesday night about the capacity issues theyre facing at their respective hospitals as COVID-19 cases spike and about the misinformation that is keeping residents from getting vaccinated or taking safety precautions.

Among the pieces of inaccurate information that the officials addressed was social media posts about taking antibiotics, steroids and some vitamins to prevent coronavirus infections.

We all want a magic solution, said Dr. Alejandra Garcia, a critical care specialist with Medical Center Hospital in Odessa. Were all hoping for a magic pill or magic medication that we can give people and fix people. It doesnt exist. We havent found it.

She said although there has been speculation about using steroids to treat COVID-19, steroids have only been proven to be effective for hospitalized patients who need oxygen.

Midland Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Larry Wilson added that hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin have also not been shown to improve COVID-19 symptoms, and more research is needed to determine if vitamin D can reduce illness.

Nobody should be getting started on antibiotics, nobody should be getting started on all these other things, Wilson said. It doesnt help.

The one outpatient therapy that has been proven to prevent serious infection in some patients is the Regeneron antibody treatment, the doctors said. That treatment is only available to patients older than 50 who are within a week of testing positive for the virus.

Besides the antibody treatment, the doctors said most people who contract COVID-19 will only need to take Tylenol, rest and stay hydrated.

Misinformation about the vaccine, which is a factor in the majority of the community remaining unvaccinated, has affected the morale at Midland and Odessa hospitals, the officials said.

When [health care workers] are working this hard, and youve been through so many different surges and youre looking at a population coming in thats unvaccinated by choice, it hurts, Wilson said. It sucks the energy out of people, and weve had nursing staff and other staff basically say, Im done, and walk away from the hospital.

The officials said Facebook and other social media sites have contributed to the spread of false information and a distrust of the medical community. Christin Abbott-Timmons, chief nursing officer with MCH, said residents should speak to their primary care physicians and other regular doctors about the vaccine and mitigating virus spread.

You trust us to take care of you when youre sick, were asking you to trust us now, she said.
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Medical Center Hospital is partnering with the city of Odessa, Ector County and the state of Texas through the Texas Division of Emergency Management to provide a Regeneron Infusion Center at the MCH campus in Odessa, according to a press release. The therapy is helpful for patients who have tested positive for COVID-19.

Regeneron is two medications - casirivimab and imdevimab -- that make up this particular monoclonal antibody therapy. Monoclonal antibodies are lab-made proteins that mimic the immune systems ability to fight off harmful pathogens, such as viruses. The therapy is for patients who have tested positive for COVID-19 and are at risk for hospitalization. Not only can it help prevent hospitalization, but it can also ease the symptoms of COVID-19 sooner.
Time was running out for Mohammad Khalid Wardak, a high-profile Afghan national police officer who spent years working alongside the American military.

Hunted by the Taliban, he was hiding with his family in Kabul, constantly moving from place to place as they tried  and failed  several times to reach a rendezvous point where they could be rescued.

After at least four attempts in as many days, the family finally was whisked away by helicopter Wednesday in a dramatic rescue  called Operation Promise Kept  carried out under cover of darkness by the U.S. military and its allies, said Robert McCreary, a former congressional chief of staff and White House official under President George W. Bush, who has worked with special forces in Afghanistan.

The rescue of Khalid, as hes called by friends, came after frantic efforts by his supporters in the U.S. military, who said he was a brother in arms who helped save countless lives and faced certain death if found by the Taliban. They sought help from members of Congress and the Defense and State departments.

I dont think people understand the chaos that is reigning right now in the capital, the brutality and the efficient lethality the Taliban are using ... to ensure their rise to power as they eliminate their greatest threat, which are these military and special police, said U.S. Army Special Forces Sgt. Major Chris Green, who worked with Khalid in Afghanistan.

Khalid and his family were unable to get inside the airport where the Taliban controlled the entrances. He was widely known because of his position as police chief in southern Afghanistans Helmand province and from television appearances, including one in which he challenged the Taliban to a fight, supporters said.

Green said he was incredibly happy ... elated, when he learned that Khalid and his family were safe, noting that some of his American rescuers had worked alongside Khalid, which he called serendipitous.

McCreary said multiple allies, including the British, helped, and that Khalid, his wife and their four sons, ages 3 to 12, were safe in an undisclosed location under the protection of the United States.

Officials said other Afghan partners, including police and military, also deserved to be saved and that more rescue efforts were in progress, but they could not discuss details.

Khalid's friends said he had no intention of leaving Afghanistan, and planned to stand with his countrymen to defend his homeland after U.S. forces were gone. But the government collapsed with stunning speed, and the president fled the country.

He fought until he had nothing left to fight with, Green said. He was wounded. He was surrounded. His forces were not being resupplied. And echelons above him in the government had already begun to make their exit plan ... and striking deals. So people like him who were fighting were left stranded, and they were left without support.

McCreary said Khalid originally sought protection only for his family while he kept fighting. Khalid and other fighters were completely surrounded by the Taliban last week and their location overrun, McCreary said.

When the Afghan government fell, thats when we quickly changed gears to also work on getting him to safety.

At one point, rescuers lost contact with Khalid for several days, and we all assumed that that he was killed, McCreary said. Just last week, we thought it was over, and then we were just going to ... keep working harder to protect his family.

Khalid's supporters said it would have been unthinkable to leave him behind after his years of partnership with Americans.

Khalid came to the rescue in March 2013, when a special forces detachment in eastern Afghanistans Wardak province suffered an insider attack. Someone dressed in an Afghan National Security Forces uniform opened fire, killing two Americans.

When the outpost was almost simultaneously attacked from the outside, a U.S. commander called on Khalid, who within minutes raced into the valley with a quick-reaction force to defend his American partners.

In 2015, when Khalid lost part of his right leg in a rocket-propelled grenade attack, friends in the U.S. military helped get him medical care and a prosthetic leg outside the country. A month later, he was again leading special police operations in Afghanistan alongside the U.S., Green said.

Along the way, he helped apprehend al-Qaeda and Taliban leaders. He went on to serve as police chief in Ghazni province and then Helmand province, where he was wounded again last month in a mortar attack and continued to direct the resistance from his hospital bed.

Khalid's family has applied for refugee status in the U.S. based on fear of persecution, but it's unclear how long that process might take or if they will be approved. Translators, interpreters and others who worked for the U.S. in Afghanistan are eligible to apply for special immigrant visas, but current Afghan military members or police officers are not, supporters said.

His supporters said it was most important to get them out of harm's way and then figure the rest out later. People who are top Taliban targets because of their work with U.S. forces deserve special consideration, McCreary said.

No one wants to live with the guilt of turning our backs or not ... honoring our promises," McCreary said. That commitment and the collaboration it took to rescue Khalid makes you proud to be an American."

___

Follow Alex Sanz on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/alexsanz
LE LUC, France (AP)  Just when fire officials thought a huge wildfire near the French Riviera might be slowing down, a new pocket of flames shot up. And just as a water-dumping helicopter finished dousing one hot spot, another ignited.

Despite calmer winds and cooler weather, the fire that has forced thousands to flee and ravaged woodlands raged for a fourth day Thursday, defying some 1,200 firefighters struggling to bring it under control.

The blaze, which has killed two people and injured 26, is the latest among numerous large wildfires to have scorched the Mediterranean region this summer. The spokesman for the regional fire service, Florent Dossetti, called it one of the worst forest fires to hit southern France in centuries.

The fire has burned 8,100 hectares (20,015 acres) of forest since it started Monday about 40 kilometers (24 miles) inland from the coastal resort of Saint-Tropez. Several thousand people have been forced to evacuate campgrounds, hotels and homes across the region at the height of summer vacation in France.

In addition to chestnut, oak and pine trees, the blaze has consumed vineyards on the rolling hills of the low-lying Maures mountain range. One family desperately shoveled dirt on flames in a vain attempt to protect their vines. Smoke swept through wooded valleys as sirens wailed and the propellers on firefighting helicopters whipped overhead.

Earlier in the day, local authorities had said the fire was less violent and its progression has slowed. Strong winds coming off the Mediterranean Sea that had fanned the flames calmed overnight. High temperatures in the region  which had reached 40 degrees Celsius (104 F) in recent days  were dropping.

But new bursts of flames ignited in three spots Thursday, complicating firefighting efforts, Dossetti said.

We are working on drowning the edges (of the fire) to ensure it is extinguished, and to avoid new bursts of flames, Dossetti told The Associated Press.

The regional administration warned that the risk of new flames remained high, and kept several roads closed. About 2,000 people evacuated from campgrounds earlier in the week were allowed to return, the administration said in a statement, though thousands of other evacuees remained housed in temporary shelters.

In the Gulf of Saint-Tropez, huge water-bombing planes could be seen swooping down to fill their bellies with water to dump across the flaming Riviera backcountry. Reinforcements came in from elsewhere around France.

This summer has brought extreme heat, drought or wildfires to many parts of the world. Scientists say there is little doubt that climate change from the burning of coal, oil and natural gas is driving such extreme weather events, and that the world will see more and more of them as the planet warms.

Wildfires this summer have left areas in Greece, Turkey, Italy, Algeria and Spain in smoldering ruins. In Greece on Thursday, hundreds of Greek and Polish firefighters battled a major wildfire decimating a pine forest northwest of the Greek capital for a fourth day.

The fire near the village of Vilia, about 60 kilometers (37 miles) from Athens, has already burned through thousands of hectares, destroyed some homes and led to evacuation orders for several villages in the area. Strong winds forecast for later in the day could complicate firefighting efforts.

On the Croatian island of Hvar, a large fire that broke out overnight torched bushes, olive trees and some pine forests. About 50 fire trucks and three firefighting planes were being used to control the blaze.

___

Charlton reported from Paris. Elena Becatoros in Athens and Dusan Stojanovic in Belgrade, Serbia, contributed.

___

Follow AP's coverage of climate change issues at https://apnews.com/hub/climate-change
NEW YORK (AP)  R. Kelly has long faced allegations of lurid sexual behavior and abuse, some of which have been made public through documentaries or court documents.

The R&B singer is once again heading to court, this time for a federal trial in New York stemming from years of sexual abuse allegations. He denies the allegations against him.

Here is a timeline of Kelly's life, from his early days in Chicago through his rise and fall as an R&B artist:

 Jan. 8, 1967: Robert Sylvester Kelly is born in Chicago to Joann Kelly, a school teacher. R. Kelly is third of four children and lives with his family in Chicagos housing projects. Little is known about his father.

 1975: At age 8, Kelly begins singing in church.

 1979: At age 12, Kelly said, he experienced a lot of things at a very young age that I dont know if I was supposed to, including witnessing older youth rape one of his girlfriends.

 1983: At age 16, his mother moves the family from the projects and enrolls her son at the prestigious Kenwood Academy, a Chicago public school.

 1984: At age 17, his music teacher places him in a local talent show to perform a version of Ribbon in the Sky, a Stevie Wonder song. That night it was like Spider-Man being bit. I discovered the power you get from being onstage, he told Newsweek in 1995. In the years that follow, he performs in Chicagos subway stations full time with his Casio keyboard, often pretending he was blind to avoid arrest.

 1990: R. Kellys R&B group MGM wins the $100,000 grand prize on the syndicated television talent show, Big Break, hosted by Natalie Cole. Because of money disagreements, that is the last time the group performed. Music executive Wayne Williams of Jive Records discovers Kelly singing at a barbecue that summer.

 January 1992: R. Kelly & Public Announcement debuts Born Into The 90s. Released a year later, the album goes platinum.

 November 1993: His album 12 Play is released and eventually sells more than 5 million copies. Hit singles include Sex Me and Bump N Grind, which became the longest-running No. 1 R&B song in more than 30 years.

 Aug. 31, 1994: At age 27, R. Kelly marries 15-year-old R&B singer Aaliyah D. Haughton. The couple weds in a secret ceremony arranged by Kelly at a hotel in Chicago. The marriage is annulled months later because of Aaliyahs age.

 September 1994: Aaliyahs debut album, Age Aint Nothing But A Number, which Kelly produced, is certified platinum. (Aaliyah died in a plane crash seven years later, at age 22.)

 November 1996: R. Kelly releases his third album, R. Kelly. A month later, he incorporates Rockland Records. His song I Believe I Can Fly, from the Space Jam soundtrack, peaks at No. 2 on the Billboard pop chart. The same year, he marries 22-year-old Andrea Lee, a dancer from his touring troupe. The couple goes on to have three children: Joanne, Jaya and Robert Jr.

 Feb. 18, 1997: Tiffany Hawkins files a complaint against Kelly alleging intentional sexual battery and sexual harassment while she was a minor.

 January 1998: Hawkins lawsuit is reportedly settled for $250,000.

 February 1998: Kelly wins three Grammys for I Believe I Can Fly."

 November 1998: His album R. hit stores. It has since sold 6 million copies.

 November 2000: His album TP-2.com debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard album chart.

 August 2001: Tracy Sampson files a lawsuit against Kelly, alleging their sex was illegal under Illinois law because he was in a position of authority over her. The case was reportedly settled out of court for an undisclosed amount.

 Feb. 8, 2002: The Chicago Sun-Times reported that it received a videotape allegedly showing Kelly having sex with a minor. The paper reported Chicago police began investigating allegations about Kelly and the same girl three years earlier. At the time, the girl and her parents denies she was having sex with Kelly.

The same day the news breaks, Kelly performs at the opening ceremonies for the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

 June 5, 2002: Kelly is indicted in Chicago on child pornography charges stemming from the sex tape. He pleads not guilty and is released on $750,000 bail.

 January 2003: Kelly is arrested at a Florida hotel on additional child pornography charges after investigators said they found photos of him having sex with a girl. Charges are later dropped after the judge ruled police didnt have a warrant to search Kellys house.

 Feb. 18, 2003: Kellys album Chocolate Factory is released, selling 538,000 copies in its first week.

 July 2005: Kellys seventh solo album, TP.3 Reloaded, hits No. 1 spot on the Billboard chart.

 September 2005: Andrea Kelly asks for an order of protection from her husband, accusing the singer of hitting her when she said she wanted a divorce.

 February 2006: R. Kellys brother, Carey Kelly, says his brother offered him $50,000 and a record deal to say he was the person on the sex video.

 May 29, 2007: Kelly releases his album Double Up, which peaks at No. 1 on the Billboard albums chart.

 May 9, 2008: Kellys child pornography trial begins.

 June 13, 2008: Kelly is acquitted on all counts after less than a full day of deliberations.

 Jan 8, 2009: Kelly and his former wife, Andrea, confirm they divorced after 11 years of marriage.

 July 12, 2011: Crains Chicago Business reports that a $2.9 million foreclosure is filed by JPMorgan Chase bank against Kellys suburban Chicago mansion. A spokesman claims the singer is not having financial trouble.

 March 21, 2012: Kelly announced he is reviving his video series, Trapped in the Closet. The project begins as five videos for his dramatic cliffhanger songs in 2007, and eventually grows to several dozen musical chapters dealing with a web of sexual deceit. Kelly teams with IFC to premiere the old and new series, and performs the rap opera at events such as a sing-along at Bonnaroo. There was talk of a Broadway show.

 June 15, 2012: The Chicago Sun-Times reports Kelly owes the IRS more than $4.8 million in back taxes.

 June 27, 2012: Kelly publishes his autobiography, Soulacoaster: The Diary of Me, focusing on his creative and family life rather than his legal troubles.

 Sept. 29, 2012: Kelly is nominated for two Soul Train Awards, making him the most nominated act ever at the awards show.

 March 18, 2013: Kellys mansion, once valued at more than $5 million, sells for $950,000 in a foreclosure auction.

 July 17, 2017: BuzzFeed reports on parents claims that Kelly brainwashed their daughters and was keeping them in an abusive cult. One woman says she was with Kelly willingly. Following the BuzzFeed report, activists launched the #MuteRKelly movement, calling for boycotts of his music.

 Feb. 13, 2018: Kelly is evicted from two Atlanta-area homes over more than $31,000 owed in unpaid rent.

 April 30, 2018: The Times Up campaign, devoted to helping women in the aftermath of sexual abuse, joins the #MuteRKelly social media campaign and pushes for further investigation into Kellys behavior, which had come under closer scrutiny over the previous year as women came forward accusing him of sexual coercion and physical abuse. Kellys camp responds: We will vigorously resist this attempted public lynching of a black man who has made extraordinary contributions to our culture.

 May 2018: Spotify cuts R. Kellys music from its playlists, citing its policy on hate content and hateful conduct. Shortly after, Apple and Pandora also stop promoting his music. Kellys team pushes back, noting other artists on Spotify had been accused or convicted of crimes.

 May 21, 2018: Faith Rodgers, 20, files a lawsuit accusing R. Kelly of sexual battery, mental and verbal abuse, and knowingly inflicting her with herpes during a yearlong relationship.

 Jan. 3, 2019: Lifetime airs the documentary Surviving R. Kelly, which revisited old allegations against him and brought new ones into the spotlight. The series followed the BBCs R Kelly: Sex, Girls & Videotapes, released the previous year, that alleged the singer was holding women against their will.

 Jan. 9, 2019: Lady Gaga apologizes for her 2013 duet with Kelly, saying she intended to remove the song, Do What U Want (With My Body), from streaming services.

 Jan. 14, 2019: Faith Rogers says Kelly had written a letter the previous October to one of her lawyers, threatening to reveal embarrassing details of her sexual history if she didnt drop her May 2018 lawsuit accusing him of sexual abuse.

 Jan. 21, 2019: Multiple media outlets reports Kelly and his label, Sony subsidiary RCA Records, part ways. Lady Gaga and Celine Dion remove their duets with Kelly from streaming services, and French rock band Phoenix apologizes for collaborating with Kelly in 2013. Kelly continues to deny all allegations of sexual misconduct.

 Feb. 6, 2019: Kelly announces by tweet a new tour outside the U.S., saying hed be going to Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka. The tweet was later deleted following backlash from Twitter users who urged fans not to buy concert tickets.

 Feb. 14, 2019: Attorney Michael Avenatti says he gave Chicago prosecutors new video evidence of Kelly having sex with an underage girl, and that it is not the same evidence used in Kellys 2008 trial.

 Feb. 22, 2019: Kelly is arrested and charged with 10 counts of aggravated sexual abuse.

 Feb. 25, 2019: Kellys attorney enters not guilty pleas on the singers behalf. Hours later, Kelly posts bail and os released from jail in Chicago.

 March 6, 2019: CBS airs interview in which Kelly vehemently denied the sexual abuse charges against him. Later, authorities in Cook County take Kelly into custody after he tells a judge he couldnt pay $161,000 in back child support he owed his childrens mother.

 May 30, 2019: Kelly is charged with 11 new sex-related counts in Chicago. They involve one of the women who accused him of sexually abusing her when she was underage.

 July 11, 2019: Kelly is indicted by a federal grand jury in Chicago on charges including child pornography, enticement of a minor and obstruction of justice. A separate indictment filed in the Eastern District of New York included charges of racketeering, kidnapping, forced labor and the sexual exploitation of a child. He is again arrested in Chicago.

 July 16, 2019: A federal judge orders Kelly held in jail without bond after a prosecutor warned he would pose an extreme danger to young girls if set free.

 Aug. 2, 2019: Kelly pleads not guilty to federal charges accusing him of sexually abusing women and girls who attended his concerts, as his lawyers continue to label the alleged victims disgruntled groupies.

 Aug. 5, 2019: Kelly is charged in Minnesota with prostitution and solicitation related to an allegation that he invited a 17-year-old girl to his hotel room in 2001 and paid her $200 to dance naked with him.

 Oct. 2, 2019: Kelly is denied bail in his New York City sex abuse case after a judge agreed with prosecutors that freeing him from jail would create a risk of him fleeing or tampering with witnesses.

 Dec. 5, 2019: Kelly is charged by federal prosecutors with paying a bribe in exchange for a fraudulent identification document for an unidentified female a day before he married R&B singer Aaliyah. He later pleads not guilty.

 March 5, 2020: Kelly pleads not guilty in Chicago to an updated federal indictment that included child pornography charges and allegations involving a new accuser, while prosecutors say more charges alleging yet another victim were upcoming.

 Aug. 12, 2020: Federal prosecutors announce charges against three men accused of threatening and intimidating women who have accused R&B singer Kelly of abuse, including one man suspected of setting fire to a vehicle in Florida.

 Aug. 14, 2020: Kellys manager is arrested in California on charges that he threatened a shooting at a Manhattan theater two years ago, forcing an evacuation and the cancellation of the screening of a documentary addressing allegations that the singer had sexually abused women and girls.

 July 24, 2021: Federal prosecutors in Kellys sex trafficking case say he had sexual contact with an underage boy in addition to girls, and the government wants jurors in his upcoming trial to hear those claims.

 Aug. 18, 2021: Opening statements begin in Kelly's long-anticipated federal trial arising from years of allegations that he sexually abused women and girls while pursuing fame and fortune.

___

See the APs full coverage of the investigations into R. Kelly.
An Andrews man was awarded $5.5 million on July 27 after he filed a civil suit against La Fogata Mexican Grill, claiming the restaurant and bar was negligent when they overserved him alcohol, which he alleges later caused him to be injured in an altercation with another customer.

Daniel Rawls filed a lawsuit through his attorney, Odessa-based Lane Haygood, on May 17 regarding an incident at the 708 E. Broadway St. restaurant (in Andrews) that occurred in May of 2019, according to court records.

Rawls was awarded a total of $5.5 million for five claims, including premises liability, negligence and damages arising from foreseeable criminal conduct. The Andrews County 109th District Court ruled in Rawls favor in a default judgment, meaning the owner of La Fogata did not respond to the suit or attend the hearing. The court did not rule on whether Rawls claims were true.

After drinking at La Fogata on May 21, 2019, Rawls was in an altercation with another customer, Robert Henrickson, in the parking lot of the restaurant, according to a copy of the lawsuit. Rawls alleges he sustained a head injury during the argument with Henrickson, who had also been drinking heavily.

The lawsuit states La Fogata, its owner Lourdes Galindo and an unknown bartender are responsible for the injury because they allowed the two men to drink excessively and leave the restaurant together. The restaurant was also negligent by not calling an ambulance after Rawls was injured, according to the suit.

The bartender, identified in the suit as John and/or Jane Doe, was not adequately trained by Galindo to detect when patrons had been overserved, according to the suit. Rawls also alleges that Galindo failed to ensure the parking lot didnt include obstacles that would pose a tripping or falling hazard to intoxicated patrons.

Rawls sustained a serious and debilitating head injury after he was assaulted by Henrickson and fell over an uneven parking lot, according to the suit.

La Fogata has 30 days to file a notice of appeal if they intend to seek a new trial, according to the Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure.

Rawls allegedly has a history of excessive drinking. Andrews jail records show he was arrested twice, in February 2019 and May of this year, on charges of public intoxication.
On Tuesday, Texans learned that our leader  the great governor of the great state of Texas  Greg Abbott tested positive for COVID-19.

First of all, heres hoping for a quick recovery for the governor.

When I heard the news, my first thought was how could a man who was vaccinated and operates in a controlled setting catch COVID-19? And if the governor could catch COVID, what hope is there for the rest of us?

I asked that question to Midland Health CEO Russell Meyers on Wednesday, and his answer gave me hope.

I might argue with your premise that he's in a protected environment, Meyers said. If you've seen recent pictures of the governor at political rallies, he is behaving as a normal politician on the campaign trail, going to large gatherings of people who are tightly bunched in rooms that are poorly ventilated. And in the pictures, there's not a soul with a mask on. So, you know, I would suggest that the governor has probably exposed himself more than we would recommend anybody do. Avoiding those kinds of gatherings -- especially in locations where people are not willing to be masked, that are indoors -- that's one way that you can help to protect yourself.

So, yes, vaccinated or not, we are still in control of what happens to us. We can put ourselves in situations that increase or decrease the odds of being infected. The point here isnt to say go get vaccinated and your life will be free of COVID. We now have Gov. Abbott as an example that vaccinated status doesnt keep one from being infected.

But we also know this. There have been more than 10 COVID deaths at Midland Memorial Hospital this month alone, according to Midland Health officials on Wednesday. We know that none of those were vaccinated.

We know that on Tuesday just 12 percent of the more than 90 COVID inpatients were vaccinated.

The other point to make (about Gov. Abbott being infected) is even for the vaccinated folks, nobody has ever said that the vaccine is perfect, that it will prevent you from any possibility of infection, Meyers said. But we have said consistently, and what we think is proven in our own experience and experience across the country, is the vaccine mitigates the result of the infection. You're less likely to get sick. And if you do get sick, your symptoms are going to be less, you're much less likely to be hospitalized and almost certain not to die if you've been vaccinated.

Even though the vaccine isnt an absolute cure, it isnt going to guarantee that you never are affected by this disease. It is going to dramatically reduce your risk and across all those measures.

In one fell swoop the facts show that a see-I-told-you-so moment has been well  debunked. And we need more accurate information for a community that is less than 40 percent vaccinated, according to Midland Health officials, citing state numbers.

The message in this space has been consistent. Talk to your doctor about whats best for you. If that is vaccination, great. If not, then do what you need to do to stay healthy. For those that want to use the governors infection as a reason not to be vaccinated, I would suggest knowing all the information. And for those listening to people like me or their friends in social media (non-experts), I would suggest listening to their doctor, no matter what he or she says. That has always been the case.

I agree with what our mayor said Wednesday. Our goal is to keep people out of the hospital. With the number of inpatients just two shy of 100, our community is doing a poor job of that. We can do better. We must do better.

You are very much in control of whether you will become infected and another hospital statistic. Dont let a first reaction to anyone elses COVID experience tell you otherwise.
Alliance for SeeLevel HX and Shop'n Chek Latin America

US-based customer experience (CX) specialist SeeLevel HX has partnered with Shop'n Chek Latin America to develop a new range of services.



Atlanta, Georgia-based SeeLevel HX offers a suite of B2C and B2B mystery shopping measurement solutions including mobile app and GPS testing, social media monitoring, online customer experience, market landscape and competitive analysis. Shop'n Chek Latin America, headquartered in Buenos Aires, provides tools for a 360 degree vision of a consumer's expectation and experience, and has local field supervisors and a shopper database in Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Mexico, Panama, Guatemala, Honduras, and Puerto Rico. Collectively the two companies have a 900,000-strong shopper database.



SeeLevel HX EVP Laura Livers, who previously spent 24 years as President of Shop'n Chek, describes the alliance as a 'natural fit'. 'As we partner with clients who have international presence, it is important clients receive the same level of service, and having a trusted partner in Shop'n Chek Latin America helps provide that level of service month-over-month', Livers says. Myriam Monetti, Shop'n Chek LatAm CEO, adds: 'We are delighted to start a new chapter with old mates, the best professionals in this business today. This alliance will leverage the companies' respective strengths in the region'.



Web sites: www.seelevelhx.com and www.shopnchek.com .




We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

Contact us
Gov. J.B. Pritzker said thanks to a boatload of federal tax dollars, local governments should freeze or lower property taxes. Illinois farmers are concerned about growing government spending.

Tuesday was Agriculture Day at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield, featuring events highlighting one of the states largest industries, which accounts for about $19 billion of economic activity. There was a brunch in the morning honoring family farms that have been in existence for generations.

Outside of official Agriculture Day events at the Illinois State Fair, Illinois Farm Bureau President Richard Guebert said there is a list of other concerns farmers have. Among them is the cost of the states second-highest-in-the-nation property taxes.

Farmland assessment has always been one of our priorities and it continues to go up, Guebert said. Taxes is always hard, input costs, they continue to grow.

Asked about it at a separate event in Springfield, Pritzker said local taxing bodies should lower property taxes.

Why is this a good year to do that? Schools received not only increased funding from the state of Illinois, but received a boatload of support from the federal government as well, Pritzker said.

Schools are a major driver of local property taxes in Illinois, which The Tax Foundation ranked as the second highest in the nation behind only New Jersey for property taxes.

The state increased spending for K-12 by $350 million on top of the federal government sending an additional $8.2 billion in education funding. That doesnt include nearly $2.4 billion in COVID-19 relief for higher education in Illinois from federal taxpayers.

But, Guebert sees the U.S. Congress discussing $3.5 trillion more on top of a $1.2 trillion infrastructure plan and worries it will hit the inheritance of future generations of farmers.

Same as small business in the rural communities, we have to have that opportunity to do that, Guebert said. It would be costly and expensive for the next generation if we lose that stepped up basis.

Gubert also raised concerns over a proposed energy deal coming together at the statehouse.

The governor has been pushing for a bill to provide ratepayer subsidies to nuclear power plants and close coal fired power plants by no later than 2045, if they meet certain criteria. He says its necessary to combat climate change.

Guebert said farmers are worried about the energy reliability issues.

And for our citizens all across the state of Illinois, its important to have reliable, affordable electricity, Guebert said.

He also said consumers would be on the hook for bonds if plants are required to close early, and worried about some eminent domain issues the bill raises.

Later in the day at a separate event, Pritzker said not everyone is happy about the bill.

Thats sort of the definition of compromise, Pritzker said. You have to give up a little something on your side, other people on the other side have to give up a little in order that you can meet in the middle.

Its still unclear when such a measure would surface for a possible vote.
Getty Images

There will be a free farmers market Monday in downtown Jacksonvilles Central Park that will give people the chance to fill a bag with produce of their choosing.

BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois and Central Illinois Foodbank are partnering to host the event, as well as one in Springfield on Wednesday.
On Wednesday, public health and medical experts from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services came together for a plan for third doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Those experts included Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Janet Woodcock, acting commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, Dr. Vivek Murthy, U.S. surgeon general and Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief medical advisor to President Joe Biden and director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

The HHS said that it has become "very clear" that protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection begins to decrease over time following the initial doses of vaccination, and with the dominance of the delta variant, there is evidence of reduced protection against mild and moderate disease.

Based on the latest assessment, the current protection against severe disease, hospitalization and death could diminish in months ahead, especially among those at higher risk or vaccinated during the earlier phases of the vaccination rollout. For that reason, a booster shot will be needed to maximize vaccine-induced protection and prolong durability.

"We have developed a plan to begin offering these booster shots this fall subject to FDA conducting an independent evaluation and determination of the safety and effectiveness of a third dose of the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines and CDCs Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) issuing booster dose recommendations based on a thorough review of the evidence," the group said in a statement. "We are prepared to offer booster shots for all Americans beginning the week of Sept. 20 and starting 8 months after an individuals second dose. At that time, the individuals who were fully vaccinated earliest in the vaccination rollout, including many health care providers, nursing home residents, and other seniors, will likely be eligible for a booster."

The group of experts anticipate that booster shots will be needed for people who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, and they expect more data on the J&J vaccine in the coming weeks. They will make sure to update the public when that data becomes available and is properly analyzed.

Our top priority remains staying ahead of the virus and protecting the American people from COVID-19 with safe, effective, and long-lasting vaccines especially in the context of a constantly changing virus and epidemiologic landscape," the group said. "We will continue to follow the science on a daily basis, and we are prepared to modify this plan should new data emerge that requires it."

The group also emphasized the urgency of vaccinating the unvaccinated in the U.S. as well as around the world. Nearly all cases of severe disease, hospitalization and death continue to occur in those who are not yet vaccinated. The U.S. is committed to donate 600 million doses of the vaccine globally.

The Illinois Department of Public Health said the current recommendation is third doses for individuals with moderately to severely compromised immune systems. The current plan is for those who are not immunocompromised to be able to receive second doses beginning the week of Sept. 20, and those who are fully vaccinated should receive a third dose starting eight months after their second dose. Federal health officials are prepared to offer those third doses at that date, pending approval from the CDC's ACIP meeting issuing third dose recommendations based on a thorough review of the evidence on Aug. 24.

These third doses were first approved for the immunocompromised because evidence shows those with moderately to severely compromised immune systems do not always build the same level of immunity as individuals who do not have a compromised immune system. That third dose will help ensure people with compromised immune systems get as much protection as possible from the COVID-19 vaccination.

Those affected by this immunocompromised third dose round include those receiving treatment for cancer, people taking medications that weaken the immune system, organ or stem cell transplant recipients, individuals with advanced or untreated HIV infection and those with other, similar compromised conditions. The CDC has a full list.

Individuals with compromised immune systems should check with their health care provider about getting a third COVID-19 dose. At this time, vaccine providers, such as local health departments, clinics and pharmacies, are able to provide third doses. You can find a vaccine provider at www.vaccines.gov or call 1-800-232-0244 (TTY 888-720-7489).

The IDPH says that those who are vaccinated with their second dose should get the same brand of vaccine received on first and second doses, either Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech.

The IDPH says the vaccine is to protect from the virus as the vaccine immunity wanes over time.

Amy Yeager, public information officer for the Madison County Health Department, said that bugs and viruses are different and respond differently to various medications and vaccines. The COVID-19 virus responds to vaccination, but more is being learned about the virus and its variants over time and that leads to better vaccine products as medical experts learn more.

"The third dose is to extend your protection," Yeager said. "The first vaccine that rolled out was pretty basic, it learned to recognize the virus and keep you out of the hospital. As we do more research and development, we hone in on what needs to be in the vaccine. For example, look at the vaccine development throughout polio, things change. The more you learn, the more you know, the better product you can make. Were learning a lot from the delta variant. Delta doesnt act at all like the initial variants did.

"Things need to be adjusted, thats how science works," Yeager continued. "Adjusting things as you go, you learn and improve. You have a hypothesis, test it, see how effective it is, adjust and move forward. Science is not static. Think about something like a phone, at least once or twice a year major phone companies release an improved product. Thats science too. You want that newest gadget because improvements were made. That's what's happening with the vaccine."

The virus remains active in the Metro East and the Riverbend. As numbers increase, vaccination rates have slightly ticked up, but COVID-19 testing in the region has seen a substantial increase, Yeager said.

"Just in the last three days theres been 800 new people get vaccinated," Yeager said. "Thats not an uptick, we were doing 3,000 a day at one point. Its a very slight increase, but testing has increased. Over the past five weeks, we've gone from 2,500 tests per week to 7,600, that's a big uptick. When schools start doing their testing that will be included, but right now, none of that is school testing. This uptick lines up with the sharp rise for the beginning of the surge, it lines up with positivity rates, new cases, hoping to see more vaccinations, drive some of that positivity, new cases down."

"We were happy to see the large jumps in COVID testing, it's one of the tools along with vaccines, social distancing, washing your hands and wearing a mask that is preventative," Yeager continued. "Because of the delta variant, there are infections even for those who are vaccinated. That rise in testing, it's not just because there are people getting sick, but people being conscientious about the need to get tested, being responsible, a lot more of that, thats been good to see the community stepping up and doing that piece."
CHICAGO (AP)  Chicago lowered its flags Wednesday as hundreds of people lined up at a church to honor a police officer who was fatally shot during a traffic stop earlier this month.

The visitation at St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel for Officer Ella French was scheduled to last until 9 p.m. A funeral service was scheduled for 10 a.m. at the same South Side church on Thursday. Cardinal Blase Cupich will deliver the homily at the funeral Mass.
Overnight reports from Jacksonville police:

 A man told police he was held at gunpoint in the 800 block of Hoagland Boulevard about 9 p.m. Wednesday. Police are investigating the report.
HAMMOND, Ind. (AP)  The Democratic mayor of Hammond has started a campaign to challenge Republican Todd Youngs reelection bid in Indianas U.S. Senate election next year.

Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. filed with the Federal Election Commission on Wednesday to begin raising money for a Senate race. McDermott has been mayor of the largest city in northwestern Indianas Lake County since 2004 but isnt well known outside that region.

Despite that, McDermott has been the highest-profile Democrat openly talking about challenging Young, who defeated Democratic former Sen. Evan Bayh in the 2016 election and had $4.5 million in campaign cash at the end of June.

Im hoping that the Democratic Party is excited about my candidacy, McDermott said. Im hoping the Democratic Party is willing to try to help me overcome history.

McDermott unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination last year for an open U.S. House seat in northwestern Indiana, finishing second in the primary to now-Rep. Frank Mrvan.

Youngs campaign declined to comment Thursday on McDermotts candidacy.

McDermott, 52, has hinted for months about a Senate run, frequently criticizing Youngs opposition the federal COVID-19 relief package and the $1 trillion federal infrastructure plan backed by President Joe Biden. McDermott, a U.S. Navy veteran, said he initially had high hopes that Young, a Naval Academy graduate and Marine veteran, would be a bipartisan leader in the Senate.

Washington, D.C., is broken, lets be honest, McDermott said. In particular, the U.S. Senate, in my opinion, is the place where good bills go to die, and Todd Young is part of the problem.

Haneefah Khaaliq, who is executive director of the Gary Human Relations Commission, is the only other Democratic candidate who has raised money and filed with federal officials for the stoDemocratic Senate primary next May.
Illinois is in for an "icy and flaky" winter in the 2021-22, according to the Farmers' Almanac. The long-range forecast suggests the vernal equinox on March 20 could be more winter-like than spring-like.

That's because in March, "unseasonably" cold temperatures may grip many parts of the country, the Almanac says. March will be no exception in this winter's trend of fluctuating temperatures, according to the Almanac.

The Almanac's forecast also calls for "more than their fair share" of cold and flaky weather in January across the Great Lakes, Midwest and Ohio Valley.

It says they are "raising red flags" for potential winter storms across the Great Lakes and the Northeast during the second week of January, the final week of February and second week of March on account of "bouts of heavy snow, rain or a wintry mix of both."

Across America, the Farmers' Almanac is calling for near-normal amounts of snow. The Northern Plains and Rockies may see a blizzard the third week of January.

The publication expects January to start out mild for most of the country, becoming colder toward the middle or latter part of the month. Overall, January will be stormy, especially along the Atlantic Seaboard, with bouts of rain, snow, sleet and ice.

February should offer some reprieve from storms. In the eastern third of the United States, the Farmers' Almanac forecasts 57 percent fewer days of measurable precipitation compared with January, though it said "that doesn't necessarily mean storminess will be completely absent."

Finally, precipitation will be near normal nationwide in March, the Farmers' Almanac offered in a qualifier, noting that "in a sense, March will be a microcosm of the entire winter." The Almanac says there will be stretches of "uneventful weather" but when it turns stormy, the precipitation will come in "big doses".

"For the East and Midwest, for example, a late winter storm will blow in at mid-month," the Almanac says.

The Farmers' Almanac, established in 1818, publishes its annual extended winter forecast every August. The report is given the pseudonym of "Caleb Weatherbee," according the Huron Daily Tribune, which is necessary to protect the secrecy of the special formula used to concoct weather forecasts, which are made two years in advance. The formula was allegedly created by scientists in 1818 and uses a concoction of mathematics and astronomy.

Meanwhile, the National Weather Service winter forecasts, provided by the Climate Prediction Center, usually come out shortly before winter begins, between September and November. The Climate Prediction Center is a federal agency that is one of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction, which are part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Weather Service.
ANKARA, Turkey (AP)  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday backed a peaceful resolution for the Tigray conflict in Ethiopia that has displaced tens of thousands and left millions hungry. He also said Turkey was willing to mediate between Ethiopia and Sudan to resolve a separate border dispute.

Erdogan spoke during a joint news conference with visiting Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. The visit comes amid a broadening of the conflict in Tigray, which began in November after a political fallout between Abiy and the leaders of the Tigray region who had dominated Ethiopias government for nearly three decades.
China pushes adoption of language, cultural symbols in Tibet View Photo

BEIJING (AP)  A top Chinese official said Thursday that all-round efforts are needed to ensure Tibetans speak standard spoken and written Chinese and share the cultural symbols and images of the Chinese nation.

Wang Yang made the remarks before a handpicked audience in front of the Potala Palace in Lhasa, the home of Tibets traditional Buddhist leaders, at a ceremony marking the 70th anniversary of the Chinese invasion of the vast Himalayan region.

Chinas ruling Communist Party says it peacefully liberated Tibetan peasants from an oppressive theocracy and restored Chinese rule over a region under threat from outside powers.

Critics say such moves toward cultural assimilation spell the demise of Tibets traditional Buddhist culture and that Tibet was effectively independent for most of its history.

China has highlighted its efforts to boost the economy in the region and condemned the exiled Dalai Lama as a separatist.

Wang, who is a member of the Politburo Standing Committee  the apex of party power  and who oversees policy toward ethnic minorities, said separatist and sabotage activities committed by the Dalai (Lama) group and hostile external forces have been crushed.

Since 1951, Tibet has embarked on a path from darkness to brightness, from backwardness to progress, from poverty to prosperity, from autocracy to democracy, and from closeness to openness, Wang said.

Wang said Tibetans had been included in representative bodies. The region hosted close to 160 million tourists last year, according to the official Xinhua News Agency. Even before the coronavirus pandemic, China limited entrance to Tibet by foreigners.

Only by following the CPC leadership and pursuing the path of socialism, can Tibet achieve development and prosperity, Wang was quoted by Xinhua as saying.

The Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959 following an abortive uprising against Chinese rule and his supporters have documented human rights abuses in Tibet related to an ongoing security crackdown.

Judging by developments in Tibet over the past 70 years, the Tibetan people have no cause for jubilation, as Chinese policies have turned Tibet itself into an open-air prison with restrictions on all aspects of Tibetan life, the U.S.-based International Campaign for Tibet said in a statement.

After 70 years of oppression, the only thing the Tibetan people need peaceful liberation from today is Chinas brutality, the group said.

As China tightens its hold over Tibet, questions are arising over the future of its diaspora community. China has refused any contact with the self-declared Tibetan government in exile and the Dalai Lama has long separated himself from politics.
Khmer Rouge official on appeal denies complicity in genocide View Photo

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP)  The last living member of former Cambodian leader Pol Pots inner circle denied complicity in the genocide committed under the brutal Khmer Rouge government, telling an international tribunal hearing his appeal Thursday that he was being judged as a proxy for the entire radical communist regime.

Speaking slowly and deliberately, 90-year-old Khieu Samphan told the tribunal of Cambodian and international judges in a final statement to end his appeal of a 2018 verdict that he categorically denied participation in genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

The trial chamber has demonstrated its inability to adjudicate me impartially, he said as he read his statement. It is clear that through me, the chamber was, rather, targeting the Communist Party of Kampuchea.

Khieu Samphan, was the former head of state for the Khmer Rouge, the name popularly used by the CPK, which ruled Cambodia with an iron fist from 1975 to 1979 and was responsible for the deaths of an estimated 1.7 million people.

During the four day hearing in Cambodias capital, his defense team argued that the 2018 verdict should be overturned, alleging procedural failures during the original trial before the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, and questioning the evidence against their client.

Khieu Samphan was primarily convicted under the principle of joint criminal enterprise, under which individuals can be held responsible for the actions of the group to which they belong.

In her closing argument, defense attorney Anta Guisse reiterated her contention that the argument her client could not not know as a key member of the Khmer Rouge government was not enough to meet the burden of proof.

But prosecutor Brenda Hollis argued the evidence showed Khieu Samphan publicly supported and promoted Khmer Rouge policy, and was present at top planning meetings.

When he was at these meetings, he was there as a senior leader of the CPK  he had the ability to object, Hollis told the tribunal. Instead, he supported in the meetings, either by silent ascent or active support, decisions relating to criminal policies and their implementation.

Under Pol Pots leadership, the Khmer Rouge sought to eliminate all traces of what it saw as corrupt bourgeois life, destroying most religious, financial and social institutions, and forcing millions out of cities to live in the countryside.

Dissent was usually met with death in the notorious killing fields or elsewhere, while starvation, overwork and medical neglect took many more lives.

Only when an invasion by Vietnam finally drove the Khmer Rouge from power in 1979 did the magnitude of the killings become truly known.

After being ousted from power in 1979, the Khmer Rouge waged guerrilla warfare for another two decades before disintegrating. Pol Pot died in the jungle in 1998, and on Christmas Eve that year, Khieu Samphan surrendered along with Nuon Chea, the movements chief ideologue.

Nuon Chea was considered Pol Pots right-hand man, while Khieu Samphan as head of state presented a moderate veneer as the public face for the highly secretive group.

Nuon Chea was convicted alongside Khieu Samphan in 2018 and died the following year.

Khieu Samphans 2018 conviction was largely connected to crimes committed against Vietnamese and Cham minorities in Cambodia.

The only other leader convicted by the panel has been Kaing Guek Eav, also known as Duch, who as head of the Khmer Rouge prison system ran the infamous Tuol Sleng torture center in Phnom Penh. He died in 2020 while serving a life prison term for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

After the conviction of Khieu Samphan and Nuon Chea in 2018, the government of autocratic Prime Minister Hun Sen, himself a midlevel Khmer Rouge commander before defecting while the group was still in power, declared no more cases would go forward, saying they would cause instability.

A verdict on Khieu Samphans appeal is not expected until next year, and even if the 2018 conviction is overturned, he is already serving a life sentence on a 2014 conviction on crimes against humanity connected with forced transfers and disappearances of masses of people. That conviction was upheld on appeal in 2016.

No matter what you decide, I will die in prison, Khieu Samphan said as he ended his nearly 20 minute statement to the tribunal.

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Rising reported from Bangkok.

By SOPHENG CHEANG and DAVID RISING

Associated Press
Top German court rejects appeals in neo-Nazi killings case View Photo

BERLIN (AP)  Germanys highest court has rejected the appeals of three people who were convicted in one of the countrys most high-profile murder trials involving a far-right group.

The decision announced Thursday by the Federal Court of Justice confirms the life sentence given three years ago to Beate Zschaepe, the only known survivor of the National Socialist Underground.

A Munich regional court found Zschaepe guilty in 2018 of 10 counts of murder for her role in the killing of nine men  eight of Turkish origin and one of Greek  and a police officer between 2000 and 2007.

She was also convicted of membership in a terrorist organization, participating in two bomb attacks and more than a dozen bank robberies, and of attempted murder for setting fire to the groups hideout after its existence came to light.

Although Zschaepe denied having been present for any of the killings, the court concluded she was involved in planning each one. Her two accomplices, Uwe Mundlos and Uwe Boehnhardt, were found dead in an apparent murder-suicide in 2011 following a botched robbery.

The federal court this week also upheld the convictions of two men who had helped the group: Ralf Wohlleben, who was found guilty of accessory to murder for helping supply the trio with a handgun and silencer he knew they planned to use for the killings; and Holger Gerlach, who was convicted of supporting a terrorist organization for providing the NSU group with a firearm and forged identity papers while its members were on the run.

Anti-racism campaigners have accused German authorities of numerous failings during their investigation of the killings.

Gamze Kubasik, whose father, Mehmet Kubasik, was killed by the NSU in 2006, welcomed Thursdays court decision and called on Zschaepe to reveal the names of others who helped the group.

The appeal of a fourth man convicted in the case is expected to be heard later this year. A fifth defendant withdrew his appeal.
Italian alleged mobster linked to Van Goghs is held in Dubai View Photo

ROME (AP)  One of Italys most wanted men, an alleged major cocaine trafficker who investigators say bought two stolen Van Gogh paintings on the black market with drug money, has been arrested in Dubai, Naples-based police said Thursday.

Raffaele Imperiale, an alleged kingpin in the Naples-based Camorra organized crime syndicate, was arrested on Aug. 4, Italys state police and financial crimes police corps said in a joint statement.

Imperiale, 46, was being held in the United Arab Emirates while Italys justice ministry completes extradition procedures.

Italian authorities had been seeking him since January 2016 for alleged money laundering and international drug trafficking as part of organized crime activity, according to the Italian Interior Ministry. He was considered one of Italys most dangerous fugitives.

He was able to construct an imposing network of international drug trafficking, in particular in cocaine, the police said. According to Italian investigators, Imperiale started as an international broker in the drug trade in the early 2000s, with his ties to powerful Camorra clans surviving various feuds among Naples mobsters.

Imperiale is a top exponent of international drug trafficking and money laundering, who accumulated huge amounts of illicit wealth thanks above all to cocaine sales, said Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese.

In 2016, two Van Gogh paintings stolen in 2002 from an Amsterdam museum were found stashed in a non-descript farmhouse on property owned by Imperiale in the Naples-area town of his birth, Castellamare di Stabia.

The wealth illicitly accumulated allowed him to buy on the black market two Van Gogh paintings of unquantifiable value, police said. They referred to the 1882 View of the Sea at Scheveningen and a 1884-1885 work, Congregation leaving the Reformed Church in Nuenen, which had been stolen from the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.

Italian financial police found the paintings wrapped in cotton sheets, stuffed into a box and hidden behind a wall in a bathroom. The artworks were discovered as part of a seizure of property from Imperiale and another reputed Camorra drug kingpin.

Police noted that Imperiale gave an interview this year to Naples daily newspaper Il Mattino in which he denied any link to the museum theft and claimed he bought the paintings because he is a passionate lover of art.

I bought them directly from the thief, because the price was attractive,. But most of all because I love art, Imperiale was quoted as telling the newspaper. He made no secret of having lived in Dubai for several years.

Investing in art, real estate and legitimate businesses like hotels, restaurants and pharmacies is increasingly common among Italian mobsters awash in drug trafficking proceeds, according to Italian investigators.

Shortly before the Van Gogh paintings were discovered, Italys financial police seized some 40 houses in Spain that they alleged Imperiale had gotten with illicitly acquired revenue.

Italian anti-Mafia investigators have following Imperiales activities for years. The arrest of a close Imperiale associate who supervised the importation of cocaine from Venezuela led to the 2013 seizure of 1,330 kilos (roughly 1.5 tons) of the drug in Paris, according to Italian police.

Italian news reports said Imperiale lived for about 10 years in Amsterdam while allegedly directing drug shipments to Italy and then moved to Madrid and eventually Dubai.

Dutch daily newspapers De Telegraaf reported that he took over one of Amsterdams marijuana-selling coffeeshops in 1996.

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Mike Corder in Amsterdam contributed to this report.

By FRANCES DEMILIO

Associated Press
Gangs abduct 2 doctors in Haiti, including a needed surgeon View Photo

LES CAYES, Haiti (AP)  Two doctors at hospitals treating earthquake victims in Haitis capital have been kidnapped, forcing one of the institutions to declare a two-day shutdown in protest, officials said Thursday.

The abductions Tuesday and Wednesday dealt a major blow to attempts to control criminal violence that has threatened disaster response efforts in Port-au-Prince.

Dr. Workens Alexandre, who was seized, was among the countrys few orthopedic surgeons, desperately needed for quake victims with broken limbs. An official at the Bernard Mevs Hospital said 45 of the 48 quake victims being treated at the facility needed orthopedic surgery.

Gangs in the rough Martissant neighborhood on the capitals outskirts had announced a truce earlier in the week to allow aid efforts to go through to the southwestern part of Haiti, which was hit hardest by Saturdays earthquake.

It was unclear if those gangs were involved in the latest abductions, but the founder of the DASH network of affordable hospitals, Dr. Ronald La Roche, said criminals have engaged in kidnappings far beyond Martissant.

The Tuesday kidnapping of another doctor, an obstetrician who was on his way to perform an emergency cesarean delivery, occurred in Petionville, long considered one of the safer and wealthier areas of the capital. The doctors patient and her child both died due to the delay in treatment.

We are furious at these people, La Roche said of the kidnappers. They are responsible for the death of this woman and her child.

Of the supposed truce with gangs in Martissant, he said, We cannot depend on that.

We feel that the gangsters are getting more daring, said La Roche, whose network of eight hospitals and clinics were closing to nonemergency cases in protest of the kidnapping.

The DASH hospitals are treating 27 earthquake victims, and they  and any emergency cases  will continue to receive care.

Kidnappers have contacted the families of both doctors, but there is no information on ransom demands.

The official at the Bernard Mevs Hospital, who asked not to be identified because of safety concerns, said the problem has gotten so bad that a program has been set up so that doctors can stay in hospital rooms for two or three days to avoid the risk of travel.

The quake killed nearly 2,200 people and injured more than 12,000. The abductions in Port-au- Prince directly affect the transfer of patients from overwhelmed hospitals in the quake zone.

Prime Minister Ariel Henry, himself the former head of neurosurgery at Bernard Mevs Hospital, had already recognized that the government cannot depend on the gang truce.

I have already given orders that for traveling from Port-au-Prince to the south, security be provided on the route from Martissant to the worst hit areas, he said Wednesday.

Meanwhile a group of 18 Colombian volunteer search-and-rescue workers had to be escorted out of the quake-hit city of Jeremie under police protection after a rumor circulated that they had been involved in the July 7 assassination of President Jovenel Moise.

That killing, which is still unsolved, is suspected of being carried out by a group of Colombian mercenaries.

The Colombians rescuers had arrived only a day before. Local news outlets reported that a Jeremie city council member went on a radio station and incited people to go after the Colombian team, whose members had patches on their uniforms with the colors of the countrys flag. The rescuers took refuge at a civil defense office.

They were later taken to the local airport under police protection, said Wadson Montisino Cledanon, head of the Jeremie civil protection office.

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This story has been edited to correct the spelling of the prime ministers last name.

By MARK STEVENSON and EVENS SANON

Associated Press
California department of Public Health logo View Photo

Sacramento, CA  A new state rule mandates that anyone attending an indoor event with over 1,000 people either be vaccinated or have a negative COVID test within 72 hours prior.

Previously, California had stated attendees of events with over 5,000 people should either be vaccinated or tested. However, there was no requirement to show proof. The new state directive does require proof.

State Public Health Officer, Dr. Tomas Aragon, states, The Delta variant has proven to be highly transmissible, making it easier to spread in large crowds where people are near each other for long periods of time. By requiring individuals to be vaccinated, or test negative for COVID-19 at large events, we are decreasing the risk of infection, hospitalization and death.

It takes effect on September 20 and will remain in place through at least November 1st. State officials promise to re-evaluate the situation on October 15 to determine if it should be extended longer.
The Latest: US says Kabul evacuees dont need COVID tests View Photo

WASHINGTON  Amid the chaos and confusion at the airport, the United States said it had taken at least one step to ease requirements for those seeking to leave: COVID-19 tests.

Although Afghanistan had been a hotspot for the coronavirus pandemic, the State Department said Thursday that evacuees are not required to get a negative COVID-19 result to travel.

A blanket humanitarian waiver has been implemented for COVID testing for all persons the U.S. government is relocating from Afghanistan, the department said.

It referred questions about how the matter would be handled once evacuees arrive in the United States to the Department of Health and Human Services. Medical exams, including coronavirus tests, had been required for evacuees prior to Talibans weekend takeover of Kabul, which added extra urgency to efforts to get at-risk Afghans out of the country.

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MORE ON THE CRISIS IN AFGHANISTAN:

 Taliban suppress more dissen t as economic challenges loom

 Afghan president latest leader on the run to turn up in UAE

 US struggling to speed Kabul airlift amid hurdles, glitches

 Afghanistan war unpopular amid chaotic pullout: AP-NORC poll

 Afghan officer who fought with US forces rescued from Kabul

 Misread warnings helped lead to chaotic Afghan evacuation

 Afghans plead for faster US evacuation from Taliban rule

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 Find more AP coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/afghanistan

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HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

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BERLIN  German public broadcaster Deutsche Welle says the Taliban shot and killed a family member of one of their reporters in Afghanistan and severely injured a second family member.

The broadcaster said in a statement on Thursday that Taliban fighters were looking for the Deutsche Welle reporter and searching homes in western Afghanistan. It said other family members managed to escape.

Deutsche Well says the reporter himself, whose identity was not revealed, is already based in Germany where he is also working. Deutsche Welle didnt give further details on the killed and injured family members or say where and when exactly in Afghanistan the killing took place.

The director of Deutsche Welle, Peter Limbourg, sharply condemned the killing saying that, the killing of a close family member of one of our journalists by the Taliban is incredible tragic and a proof for the imminent danger that all of our workers and their families are exposed to in Afghanistan.

He added: The Taliban are obviously conducting organized searches for journalists in Kabul and the provinces. Time is running out.

Limbourg added that the homes of at least three other Deutsche Welle reporters were searched by the Taliban in Afghanistan in recent days and weeks.

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UNITED NATIONS  The head of the Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies is calling on the U.N. Security Council to seriously and urgently consider declaring Kabul a safe zone and sending a U.N. peacekeeping force to protect it.

Davood Moradian said in a briefing to the council on Thursday that this would allow Afghanistans rival factions to come to an inclusive political settlement while working to mitigate the unfolding catastrophe.

He told members by video from an undisclosed location outside Afghanistan that he was at Kabul airport 48 hours ago watching the chaos and the unfolding catastrophe as he and others tried to get flights out of Afghanistan and people were racing down the runway trying to get on a U.S. military plane.

It was shared human desperation, helplessness and fear, Moradian said. He said one passenger who fell to the ground from the plane was reportedly a member of Afghanistans national football team.

Moradian said the Taliban takeover is not the end of the military and political crisis in Afghanistan. The past four decades have shown, he said, that a military solution is just a brief pause to the next phase of the war.

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VICTORIA, Canada  Canadas prime minister says Canadian Armed Forces assets and personnel have arrived on the ground in Afghanistan to co-ordinate at the tactical level with the United States and other allied partners.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Thursday that this will help get Canadians, Afghans and their families to safety. Trudeau says two CAF C-17s will make regular flights into Kabul to support evacuation efforts.

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WASHINGTON  Federal officials will allow U.S. airlines and other aircraft operators to make evacuation flights into Kabul if they get permission in advance from the Pentagon.

The Federal Aviation Administration issued a notice to pilots that spelled out details on Thursday.

Due to a lack of high altitude air traffic control services, U.S. operators and pilots must receive authorization from the FAA to overfly Afghanistan, the FAA said in a statement. Any U.S. or foreign operator flying into Hamid Karzai International Airport must obtain prior permission from the U.S. Department of Defense.

The main U.S. airlines that fly long-haul international flights did not immediately comment on whether they planned to operate evacuation flights.

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UNITED NATIONS  The U.N. counterterrorism chief is urging the Security Council to use all tools at its disposal to prevent Afghanistan from being used as a platform or safe haven for terrorism.

He also notes that a recent U.N. report says the extremist Islamic State group has expanded its presence in Afghanistan.

Undersecretary-General Vladimir Voronkov reminded the 15-member council on Thursday that several members of the Taliban, which took over the country last weekend, remain on the U.N. sanctions blacklist as designated terrorists. He also noted concerns by some council nations at the Talibans release of prisoners affiliated with al-Qaida and IS, also known by its Arabic acronym Daesh.

The counterterrorism chief said IS militants remain focused on reconstituting their former control in Iraq and Syria, waging an insurgency against security forces.

However, it is the lack of a comprehensive solution to the situation of thousands of individuals with alleged links to Daesh who remain stranded in Iraq and Syria that could shape the future terrorist threat landscape over the medium to long term, not just locally but globally, Voronkov said.

He said the pace of repatriations by member states is too slow considering the scale of this humanitarian, human rights and strategic security priority, which only grows more complex as time passes.

And I think because of this development in Afghanistan, it could create even more dangerous environment in these camps with unpredictable consequences, Voronkov warned.

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WASHINGTON  The Pentagon says the U.S. military is ramping up evacuations out of Afghanistan, and that 7,000 civilians have been taken out of the country since August 14.

Army Maj. Gen. Hank Taylor told reporters that 12 C-17 aircraft departed with 2,000 evacuees over the past 24 hours. Speaking at a Pentagon briefing Thursday, Taylor said the military now has enough aircraft to get 5,000-9,000 people out a day, depending on how many have been processed and other factors, such as weather.

There are now about 5,200 U.S. troops at the airport, a number that has been steadily increasing in recent days.

We are ready to increase throughout, said Taylor. His comments came amid ongoing chaos at the Kabul airport as Afghans and other civilians desperately try to get on flights out of the country in the wake of the Taliban takeover on Sunday.

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said there has been no Taliban violence against U.S. personnel, and that the U.S. hasnt seen the group obstruct American citizens trying to leave. There have been widespread reports of Taliban violence against Afghans, including efforts to prevent them from getting to the airport.

He declined to say whether Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin believes it will be necessary to continue the operation beyond August 31. And he said there have been no discussions with the Taliban for an extension.

President Joe Biden has said he will continue military evacuations of Americans until all those who want to leave are evacuated.

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LONDON  Police say a five-year-old boy who fell to his death from a hotel in the north England city of Sheffield was an Afghan refugee.

South Yorkshire Police have appealed for information following the boys death in what was reported to be a fall from the ninth floor of Sheffields Metropolitan Hotel at around 2.30pm on Wednesday.

According to local media, the boy arrived in the U.K. with his family a few weeks ago, before arriving in Sheffield earlier this week.

The boys father is reported to have worked in the British Embassy in Kabul.

Local media said the other eight to 10 Afghan families staying at the hotel were being moved to another.

Like others, Britain is trying to evacuate its own nationals as well as Afghan allies after the Taliban seized control 20 years after being driven from power by a U.S.-led international force following the 9/11 attacks.

Following the tragedy, the Refugee Council has called for a review of accommodation offered to those fleeing the Taliban.

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ROME  Italian Premier Mario Draghi and Russian President Vladimir Putin have together analyzed the situation on the ground in Afghanistan as well as its regional implications, Draghis office said.

During Thursdays phone call, the two leaders also assessed guidelines that could inspire action of the international community in various contexts with the aim to restore Afghanistans stability, fight terrorism and illegal trafficking and protect womens rights, a statement from the office said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is due to meet with Draghi and with his Italian counterpart next week in Rome, with Afghanistan high on the geo-political matters on the agenda.

Draghi on Thursday also discussed the Afghan crisis with French President Emmanuel Macron, including management of the migration flows and the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the country.

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PARIS  French non-governmental groups, lawyers and activists are asking President Emmanuel Macron take bold action to welcome Afghan migrants fleeing their Taliban-run country.

We demand simplification of the immigration procedure, a faster reunion of families, a broad and long-term resettling of Afghan families seeking asylum, and the end of all expulsions toward Afghanistan, Henry Masson, the president of La Cimade, a French NGO advocating for undocumented people, told The Associated Press on Thursday.

La Cimade is among six NGOs and unions circulating a petition to make those demands heard. It has been signed by more than 11,000 people so far.

France, which withdrew its military from Afghanistan in 2014, has brought out about 400 people from Kabul on three evacuation flights this week, primarily Afghans who worked with the French government or French groups in Afghanistan. But many more are trying to flee, fearing reprisals from the Taliban for their work with Western organizations.

Macron said Monday that France would do its duty to protect those who are most at risk, but also said Europeans must protect ourselves against significant irregular migratory flows.

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ISLAMABAD  A delegation of prominent Afghan leaders and officials has warned that a Taliban government will not survive for long if it repeats past mistakes.

The delegation, headed by Afghan parliament speaker, Mir Rehman Rehmani, spoke to reporters in Islamabad on Thursday, after meeting Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and other government and military officials this week. The Afghans arrived in the Pakistani capital on Monday, a day after the Taliban swept into Kabul and took over Afghanistan.

A former Afghan vice president, Mohammad Younis Qanooni, said the future government in Afghanistan should be inclusive, with the participation of all ethnic groups.

We oppose a rule by one party or group, he said.

Khalid Noor, a prominent politician, said the Taliban cannot rule by force in Afghanistan. He says they have taken power by force, but warned their rule would be short-lived if they didnt respect the rights of the people.

Other members of the Afghan delegation include Salahud-din-Rabbani, Ahmad Zia Massoud and Ahmad Wali Massoud.

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MOSCOW  Russia has blamed Afghanistans president for precipitating the Taliban takeover of the country by dragging his feet on negotiating a comprehensive peace deal.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday that Afghan President Ashraf Ghani had every opportunity over the past three years to ensure the success of an inter-Afghan peace process and help a gradual formation of an inclusive government involving all ethnic and political factions.

She added that Ghani, who fled the country just as the Taliban swept into Kabul on Sunday in a lightning offensive, had missed the chance for a peaceful settlement and bears responsibility for what happened.

Moscow long has been critical of Ghani, accusing him of stonewalling proposals for an inclusive government during the protracted talks with the Taliban and other Afghan factions in the past.

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COPENHAGEN, Denmark  Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod said on Thursday that more than 300 locally hired people, interpreters, employees of non-governmental organizations and family members have been evacuated from Afghanistan.

The 320 people have been flown to Islamabad, Pakistan, from where they will fly in two planes to Denmark on Friday. He declined to say what nationalities they were.

Earlier in the day, a plane with 84 people evacuated from Afghanistan landed in Copenhagen. Danish media said that those aboard the plane reportedly were locally hired people and interpreters who had worked for Denmark. No further details were available.

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WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden says the Taliban have not changed but are going through an existential crisis about whether they want legitimacy on the global stage as theyve taken over Afghanistan.

In an interview on ABCs Good Morning America, Biden said that hes not sure the Taliban want to be recognized by the international community as being a legitimate government.

He also said that the threat from al-Qaida and their affiliate organizations is greater in other parts of the world than it is in Afghanistan, adding that its not rational to ignore the looming problems posed by al-Qaida affiliates in Syria or East Africa, where he said the threat to the U.S. is significantly greater.

We should be focusing on where the threat is the greatest, Biden said, in defense of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Biden also pushed back against concerns about the treatment of women and girls in the country, arguing that its not rational to try to protect womens rights around the globe through military force. Instead, it should be done through diplomatic and international pressure on human rights abusers to change their behavior.

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MOSCOW  Russia has offered to provide its aircraft to fly Afghans willing to leave the country to any nations willing to host them.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday that Moscow would be ready to offer its planes to airlift any number of Afghan citizens, including women and children to any foreign countries that would be interested in accommodating them.

Zakharovas statement came as thousands of Afghans are desperate to flee the country fearing that the Taliban will reimpose a brutal rule after taking over Kabul on Sunday.

Afghans and aid organizations have said that people desperate to leave are having a hard time getting past the Taliban and into Kabuls international airport. Military evacuation flights have continued at the airport, but Taliban militants fired shots in the air on Thursday to try to control the crowds.

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WARSAW, Poland  The Polish government says it has evacuated its last citizens from Afghanistan.

Marcin Przydacz, a deputy foreign minister, said on Thursday that at the moment, all Poles with whom we had contact have left Afghanistan. However, he also said he couldnt exclude the possibility that others might still appear.

The evacuations being carried out so far by Polish authorities have included Poles and people who actively worked for a democratic Afghanistan in cooperation with Poland, Przydacz said.

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PRAGUE  The Czech leaders declared the countrys effort to evacuate the Czech nationals and the Afghans who have worked with them a mission accomplished.

Three Czech evacuation flights in three days transported almost 200 people from Kabul to Prague by Wednesday night.

Foreign Minister Jakub Kulhanek says 170 Afghan nationals were among them, including all the local staffers at the Czech Embassy in Kabul and interpreters who helped the Czech armed forces during NATO missions and their families. Also, the Afghans who have a permanent residency in the Czech Republic were included.

Four Afghans were transported at the request of another European Union member state Slovakia. Czech embassy staff and two Polish nationals were also evacuated.

Weve saved everyone we wanted to, Prime Minister Andrej Babis said on Thursday. The mission has been accomplished.

A Czech NGO that helps army veterans says several interpreters with families who have helped the Czechs still need to be rescued.

Foreign Minister Jakub Kulhanek says that a possible transport in such cases will be coordinated with the allies.

Kulhanek said the successful rescue operation was a big miracle. He described the situation in Afghanistan as a total and unexpected collapse a tragedy that nobody could be ready for.

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ISTANBUL  A top Afghan official says he and other top officials left Kabul on Monday on board a Turkish Airlines flight to Istanbul with the help of the Turkish Embassy.

Babur Farahmand, deputy chief of Afghanistan High Council for National Reconciliation, told The Associated Press in Istanbul that other senior officials on board the flight included Second Vice President Sarwar Danish, Foreign Minister Hanif Atmar, intelligence chief Ahmad Zia Saraj, former foreign minister and politician Rangin Dadfar Spanta.

Farahmand said he and some other officials reached the Hamid Karzai International Airports military airfield in Kabul on Sunday evening. They spent the night inside the military compound waiting for the flight. Various countries facilitated the Afghan officials entry into airport but Turkish government facilitated the flight, he said.

Earlier, Turkeys Hurriyet newspaper reported that as many as 40 Afghan officials arrived in Istanbul on Monday on board a Turkish Airlines flight. The plane with 324 passengers on board, took off from Kabul with several hours of delay due to the chaos at the airport.

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MOSCOW  Russias top diplomat on Thursday reiterated a call for a broad dialogue between all political forces in Afghanistan, noting that the Taliban do not control the entire territory of Afghanistan yet.

Speaking at a news conference in Moscow, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov pointed to reports  about the situation in the Panjshir Valley, where the resistance forces of Afghan Vice President (Amrullah) Saleh and Ahman Massod have been gathering.

He said that it makes Moscows stance on the necessity of a dialogue between all rival forces and groups even more consistent. Russia has been calling for one when all of Afghanistan was engulfed in a civil war, and continues to urge it now, when the Taliban have taken power in Kabul, in the majority of other cities, in the majority of Afghanistans provinces.

We support the same thing  a nationwide dialogue that will lead to a representative government, Lavrov said. This, with the support of Afghan citizens, will work out agreements on the final make-up of this long-suffering country.

Earlier this week, the minister stressed that Moscow was in no rush to recognize the Taliban as the new rulers of Afghanistan. Russia had labeled the Taliban a terrorist organization in 2003, but has since hosted several rounds of talks in Afghanistan, most recently in March, that involved the group.

Moscow, which fought a 10-year war in Afghanistan that ended with Soviet troops withdrawal in 1989, has made a diplomatic comeback as a mediator, reaching out to feuding Afghan factions and cultivating ties with the Taliban as it has jockeyed with the U.S. for influence in the country.

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ROME  A plane carrying some 202 Afghans, including an activist and medical researchers affiliated with an Italian think-tank, have arrived in Rome in the latest airlift fleeing the country overtaken by the Taliban.

The Italian foreign ministry said Italy was committed to evacuating those who collaborated with Italy and who are threatened, such as women and children.

One of the passengers was Zahra Ahmadi, whose brother lives in Venice and apparently helped rally diplomatic efforts to get her out. Other passengers were affiliated with the Veronesi Foundation, which supports medical research, especially for women, and hosted Afghan doctors in the past.

Italy has been flying groups of Afghans out at a clip of two or more flights a day, transferring them to a plane in Kuwait and then onto Rome. The new arrivals are then tested for the coronavirus and placed in mandatory quarantine, as called for by current Italian health regulations.

Italy had one of the largest military contingents during the two-decade NATO and U.S.-led operation in Afghanistan.

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BUDAPEST, Hungary  More than two dozen Hungarian nationals evacuated from Kabul arrived in Frankfurt, Germany early Thursday, and will likely be transported to Hungary later in the day, deputy foreign minister Levente Magyar told reporters.

The air evacuation of the 26 Hungarians was carried out by Hungarys military allies with a stopover in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan. The evacuees had worked as private security contractors at the Dutch embassy in Kabul before the citys takeover by the Taliban. Magyar did not say which allies were involved in the operation.

A separate evacuation mission was launched from Hungary early Thursday, which will attempt to recover other Hungarians still in Afghanistan and some Afghan citizens who assisted Hungarian military forces, Magyar said. Not all of the Hungarian citizens awaiting evacuation have yet made it to Kabul airport, he added.

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LONDON  Britains foreign secretary is rejecting calls to resign for not interrupting his holiday on the Greek island of Crete to make a call to help translators flee Afghanistan.

According to the Daily Mail newspaper, Dominic Raab did not call his Afghan counterpart Hanif Atmar on Friday after officials suggested he urgently do so in order to arrange help for those who supported British troops.

Two days later, the Taliban captured Kabul and Raab cut short his holiday and headed back to the U.K. to deal with the crisis.

Defense Secretary Ben Wallace told BBC radio that the suggested phone call would not have made any difference whatsoever given the Afghan government was melting away quicker than ice.

Keir Starmer, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, said on Twitter: Who wouldnt make a phone call if they were told it could save somebodys life?

Lisa Nandy, Labours foreign affairs spokesperson, was one of many to call for Raabs resignation after what she described as yet another catastrophic failure of judgment.

On entering 10 Downing Street, Prime Minister Boris Johnsons office, Raab was asked if he would resign. In response, he said no.

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BEIRUT  An al-Qaida-linked group in Syria is congratulating the people of Afghanistan for the dear victory achieved by the Taliban.

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or the Levant Liberation Committee, compared the Talibans control of much of Afghanistan with the early Muslim conquests.

The group, also known as HTS, is the most powerful faction in rebel-held parts of northwest Syria. Over the past months it has been working on improving its image by distancing itself from extremist ideology.

Some of the founding members of the group  which used to be known as the Nusra Front  include Arab commanders who were close to Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan. Many of them were killed in U.S. drone attacks in Syria over the past years.

In 2017, Brett McGurk, then top U.S. envoy for the coalition battling the Islamic State group, said that Syrias northwestern province of Idlib had become the largest al-Qaida haven since Afghanistan in bin Ladens days.

In a statement released late Wednesday, HTS said no matter how long it takes, righteousness will end up victorious. It added: Occupiers dont last on usurped lands no matter how much they harm its people.

HTS said it hopes that insurgents in Syria will be also victorious by learning from the experience of the Taliban to remove the government of President Bashar Assad, its adversary in the countrys 10-year conflict.

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BRATISLAVA, Slovakia  The first evacuation flight from Kabul organized by the Slovak government has landed in Slovakia.

Foreign Minister Ivan Korcok says a total of 20 passengers were onboard, 16 Slovak nationals and four Afghans among them, including a 10-month old baby. It was the full capacity of the military transport plane.

Four other Afghan nationals who were working with the Slovak armed forces were transported onboard of a Czech evacuation flight and flown to Slovakia overnight.

Defense Minister Jaroslav Nad said the members of Slovak armys special forces had to use weapons to secure the passengers safe transport to the plane. He cited a deteriorating situation at the airport but declined to give details.

Prime Minister Eduard Heger says his country is coordinating further steps with allies.

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WARSAW, Poland  A second airplane carrying people evacuated from Afghanistan has landed in Warsaw.

The plane landed on Thursday morning, following one that brought people late Wednesday.

Poland has deployed 100 soldiers to Afghanistan to help with the evacuations of Polish and Afghan citizens. Those evacuated are first transported to Uzbekistan by military transport and then brought to Poland on civilian airliners.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has shared images on Facebook of some of those being evacuated.

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ROME  Two more Italian C130s have brought nearly 200 Afghan citizens out of Kabul, as Italy continues its evacuation of people who worked with Italian forces and their families following the Taliban takeover of the country.

The Defense Ministry said the passengers aboard the two flights were transferring Thursday to other aircraft in Kuwait, and from there would continue onto Rome.

Italy has vowed to evacuate as many Afghans as it can, particularly those who worked with Italian forces during the nearly two-decade long NATO and U.S.-led operation in the country.

With the arrival in Rome later Thursday of the latest evacuees Italy says it will have airlifted out some 500 Afghans.

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KABUL, Afghanistan  Afghanistans steel factories association is concerned scrap metal smuggling abroad has increased and exhausted supplies, putting thousands of workers at risk of losing their jobs.

Abdul Nasir Reshtia, chief executive of the association says that with borders reopening, Afghanistans scrap metal is being smuggled once again to neighboring countries.

Reshtia warns that in next ten days, the smuggling will push factories to close as they cannot operate without scrap metal.

Former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani had banned the export of scrap metal to support Afghan steel factories so they could compete with imported steel from neighboring countries.

Reshtia says that he has not been able to reach the Taliban leadership to share his concerns.

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BUCHAREST, Romania  Romanias foreign ministry says that a military aircraft has evacuated a single Romanian citizen from Kabul airport to Islamabad.

It said in a statement that the particularly difficult security conditions in Kabul meant that the access of other groups of Romanian citizens to the airport could not be achieved.

The C-130 Hercules aircraft, which evacuated a NATO employee on Wednesday evening, had military personnel and a mobile consular team onboard ready to provide specialized assistance. It is set to return to Kabul airport to continue evacuating Romanian citizens, officials said.

Authorities said that at the time of the operation there were 33 Romanian citizens registered as present in Afghanistan.

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THE HAGUE, Netherlands  A Dutch military transport plane has arrived in Amsterdam carrying people evacuated from Kabul.

The Ministry of Defense says that a C-17 plane landed late Wednesday night at Schiphol airport. On board were 35 Dutch nationals along with citizens from Belgium, Germany and the United Kingdom.

The government says it has now airlifted 50 Dutch nationals out of Kabul. A Dutch consular crisis team along with dozens of troops to protect the personnel flew into the Afghan capital on Wednesday.

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BRUSSELS  The European Union said Thursday that 106 staff members of EU delegations and their families had safely left Afghanistan but said that some 300 still remained behind.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Thursday that the first plane with EU staff had landed in Madrid, from where they will be relocated among the 27 EU member states.

There are still 300 more Afghani staff of European Union delegations blocked on the streets of Kabul trying to reach the airport and trying to have a seat on some of the European Union member state flights, Borrell told a EU parliament committee.

He insisted that these people have loyally promoted and defended the unions interests and values in Afghanistan over many years, adding that it was the EUs moral duty to protect them and to have to save as many people as possible.

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MADRID  Spain has evacuated 53 people from Afghanistan on its first flight to airlift Spanish citizens and Afghan workers and their families from Kabul.

The military cargo plane landed at an airport near Madrid on Thursday morning with five Spaniards and 48 Afghans on board. An unspecified number of children were included.

Spain has two more planes prepared to continue with the evacuation of Afghan workers and their families.

All the passengers received a COVID-19 test on arrival and were attended by police so that they could ask for international protection, the government said in a statement.

The airport also received a flight from the European Union External Action service with five Afghan families on board. Spains government has offered to take in additional evacuees from EU partners and care for them until they can be distributed to other countries of the bloc.

We are still working to evacuate those Afghans who worked with Spain in the quickest manner possible and guarantee their security along with those people who have worked with the EU, said Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Albares.

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COPENHAGEN, Denmark  Denmark says that a plane with 84 people who had been evacuated from Afghanistan has landed in Copenhagen and were now on safe ground in Denmark.

On Twitter, Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod wrote Thursday that the evacuation is still in full swing and we are working hard to evacuate the last local staff, interpreters and other groups from Kabul.

Danish media said that those aboard the plane reportedly were locally hired people and interpreters who had worked for Denmark. No further details were available.

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WARSAW, Poland  Polands president has approved the deployment of a 100-person military contingent to Afghanistan to help secure the evacuation of Polish citizens and the citizens of other countries in coordination with allies.

President Andrzej Duda signed the order late Wednesday for the mission, and which is to last until Sept. 16.

Meanwhile, a first plane carrying a group of people who were evacuated from Afghanistan landed at Warsaws military airport late Wednesday, said Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak. The group was first taken from Kabul by military plane to Uzbekistan and from there was transported on to Warsaw.

Since Tuesday, Polish forces have been carrying out an operation to evacuate Poles and Afghans who previously cooperated with the Polish military or diplomatic mission or who helped otherwise with western groups.

Those who arrived in Warsaw will have to go into quarantine.

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WASHINGTON  The Biden administration has suspended all arms sales to the government of Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover of the country.

In a notice to defense contractors posted Wednesday, the State Departments Political/Military Affairs Bureau said pending or undelivered arms transfers to Afghanistan had been put under review.

In light of rapidly evolving circumstances in Afghanistan, the Directorate of Defense Sales Controls is reviewing all pending and issued export licenses and other approvals to determine their suitability in furthering world peace, national security and the foreign policy of the United States, it said.

The notice said it would issue updates for defense equipment exporters in the coming days.

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WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden says hes committed to keeping U.S. troops in Afghanistan until every American is evacuated, even if that means maintaining a military presence there beyond his Aug. 31 deadline for withdrawal.

In an interview with ABC News George Stephanopoulos on Wednesday, Biden said that the U.S. will do everything in our power to get Americans and U.S. allies in the nation out before the deadline. Pressed repeatedly on how the administration would help Americans left in the nation after Aug. 31, Biden finally affirmed, if theres American citizens left, were gonna stay till we get them all out.

Up to 15,000 Americans remain in Afghanistan after the Taliban took full control of the nation. The Biden administration has received criticism for the scenes of violence and disorder in recent days as thousands attempted to flee while the Taliban advanced.

But during the same interview, Biden suggested there wasnt anything the administration couldve done to avoid such chaos. The idea that somehow, theres a way to have gotten out without chaos ensuing, I dont know how that happens, he said.

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WASHINGTON  The International Monetary Fund says that the new Taliban government in Afghanistan will not at the current time be allowed to access loans or other resources from the 190-nation lending organization.

In a statement Wednesday, the IMF said it would be guided by the views of the international community.

The statement said, There is currently a lack of clarity within the international community regarding recognition of a government in Afghanistan, as a consequence of which the country cannot access SDRs or other IMF resources.

SDRs are special drawing rights which serve as a reserve that IMF member countries can tap into to meet payment obligations.

By The Associated Press
Hezbollah says Iranian fuel tanker to sail to Lebanon soon View Photo

BEIRUT (AP)  The leader of Lebanons militant Hezbollah group said Thursday that an Iranian fuel tanker will sail toward Lebanon within hours, warning Israel and the United States not to intercept it.

The delivery, organized by the Iran-backed Hezbollah, would violate U.S. sanctions imposed on Tehran after former President Donald Trump pulled America out of a nuclear deal between Iran and world powers three years ago.

Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said in a televised speech that the tanker, carrying diesel fuel, will be followed by others to help ease Lebanons crippling fuel shortage that has paralyzed the country for weeks.

Lebanon is going through an unprecedented economic meltdown, including a severe fuel crisis.

Hours after Nasrallahs comments, Lebanese President Michel Aouns office announced that U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea told him the United States would help Lebanon get electricity from Jordan and facilitate the flow of Egyptian gas through Jordan and Syria to northern Lebanon.

Shea told Aoun that negotiations are ongoing with the World Bank to pay for Egyptian gas and to fix cables and pipelines that will be used, according to the statement.

There was no immediate comment from the U.S. State Department or the American Embassy in Beirut. Shea, the U.S. ambassador, spoke about the crisis in Lebanon with the English service of the Saudi-owned Al Arabiya TV on Thursday.

In his speech, Nasrallah did not say how Lebanon would pay for the fuel. Earlier, he had said Tehran could be paid in Lebanese pounds. The currency has lost more than 90% of its value since the countrys economic crisis began in October 2019.

I would like to say that at the moment the tanker sails out  it will be considered in Lebanese territory, Nasrallah said and blamed the West for what he called an undeclared siege of Lebanon that triggered the current crisis.

Hezbollah and its allies accuse the U.S. and some Gulf Arab nations of punishing Lebanon because of Hezbollahs military activities in other countries, including Syria and Iraq.

Neighboring Syria has blamed Israel for mysterious attacks that have targeted oil tankers heading from Iran to Syria this past year.

For weeks, Lebanese have been waiting in long lines at petrol stations to fill their tanks. Diesel shortages amid severe power cuts have shut down thousands of private generators, leading to lengthy blackouts and even shortages of bread. Some hospitals have warned that patients could die because of shortages of diesel fuel that powers their generators.

The shortages are blamed on smuggling, hoarding and the cash-strapped Lebanese governments inability to secure deliveries of imported fuel.

Lebanon has for decades suffered electricity cuts, partly because of widespread corruption and mismanagement. The Mediterranean nation of 6 million  including 1 million Syrian refugees  is near bankruptcy.

The situation deteriorated dramatically last week after the central bank decided to end subsidies for fuel products. The decision will likely lead to a hike in the prices of almost all commodities in Lebanon.

Nasrallah said his group does not aim to defy anyone, by arranging the fuel shipment from Iran, but added that we cannot stand idle amid the humiliation of our people whether in front of bakeries, hospitals, gas stations and darkness at night.

Hezbollahs opponents are likely to be angered by Nasrallahs remarks as importing Iranian oil may lead to U.S. sanctions on Lebanon.

Former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, a harsh critic of Hezbollah, warned in tweets that an Iranian fuel shipment could plunge Lebanon into more conflict.

On Thursday, Coral, one of the largest fuel companies in Lebanon, said it was running out of gasoline. A tanker thats bringing in supplies has been stuck off the Lebanese coast for eight days because of paperwork, it said. The company warned it wont be able to resupply gas stations for the first time since it was founded.

Im trying to find solutions for the Lebanese people, Shea, the U.S. ambassador, told Al Arabiya English. Weve been talking to the governments of Egypt, Jordan, the government here (Lebanon), the World Bank. Were trying to get real, sustainable solutions for Lebanons fuel and energy needs.

By BASSEM MROUE

Associated Press
RENO, Nev. (AP)  Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto is urging firefighters, scientists, teachers and moms to help form new strategies to deal with increasingly unhealthy air quality in Nevada caused by wildfires that continue to worsen and no relief in sight in the years ahead.

This is something thats happening all the time now, the Nevada Democrat said at a roundtable gathering in Reno Wednesday with experts who shared their challenges and frustrations on numerous fronts.

The 10 worst days for small particulate pollution over the past 22 years in the Reno-Sparks area all have been recorded in the past 11 months, said Brendan Schneider, an air quality specialist for the Washoe County Health District.

The Regional Emergency Medical Services Authoritys paramedics are responding to 52% more respiratory distress calls than normal, including 458 already this month compared to a month-long norm of 350, said Adam Heinz, REMSAs executive director of integrated health.

Smoke also has forced cancellation of 52 Care Flights this year that are critically important to rural areas that need the helicopters to transport patients from remote areas to medical centers in Reno and Las Vegas, he said.

Wildfire smoke also appears to be contributing to COVID-19 transmissions. Its made it more difficult to keep schools safe, deliver meals to low-income seniors and allow first-responders to meet dual demands of raging wildfires and a resurgent pandemic, the experts said.

A recent Desert Research Institute study of patients at Renown regional medical center in Reno suggests COVID-19 cases increased nearly 18% during high levels of wildfire smoke in 2020, said Daniel Kaiser, a DRI researcher.

Washoe County schools faces a Catch-22 with COVID inside and smoke outside, said Adam Searcy, the districts facilities boss. He said theyve been working to replace filters and upgrade air flow systems to try to flush the building with fresh outside air, except on days like today.

Kacey KC, Nevadas state fire warden and forester, said front-line responders to COVID-19 and wildfires are the same people.

These people arent getting a break, she said. It used to be six months up, six months down.

Local fire chiefs joined Cortez Masto around the tables in a conference room in the federal building beneath a smoky haze in Reno Wednesday with environmental scientists, medical researchers and a northern Nevada organizer for the Moms Clean Air Force.

They agreed with her belief they need to learn more about the long-term impacts of poor air quality on firefighters who man the front lines in the battles to snuff out the flames.

As far as I know, nobody is studying it, she said Wednesday. It makes sense to me weve got to start to capture data. There is no data apparently. This a concern I know is not going away.

Charles Moore, chief for the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District, said firefighters take extraordinary precautions to protect firefighters responding to blazes in a warehouse with toxic chemicals but not out on wildfire lines.

Reno Fire Chief Dave Cochran said exposures to unhealthy air quality are to some extent unavoidable during a wildland blaze. He recommended developing new protective equipment for responders because existing versions often are not practical on fire lines in 100-degree temperatures.

If theres any upside to the latest blankets of thick smoke, Cortez Masto said its getting the attention of politicians in Washington from regions outside the West.

Western state senators get it, she said. But this is the first time Ive heard from some of our eastern senators because theyre smelling the smoke in their air on the East Coast. They are saying to me, Oh, my gosh, how are you doing out there?

Cortez Masto told reporters after the event that should help Western lawmakers make their case for why we need to put these dollars and make this bold, big investment in wildfire suppression and recovery and preparation, and put money into the federal agencies budgets as well.

Does it make it easier? Absolutely.

By SCOTT SONNER

Associated Press
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP)  A Florida judge on Thursday refused to dismiss a lawsuit challenging the order by Gov. Ron DeSantis that parents should decide whether their children wear masks at school to combat the coronavirus.

The order by Leon County Circuit Judge John C. Cooper clears the way for a three-day hearing next week on whether to block enforcement of the governor's order.

The lawsuit was filed Aug. 6 by parents opposed to the DeSantis order banning schools from imposing mask mandates unless parents can opt out of the requirements. Cooper decided the parents have a legal right to sue, overruling the state's position.

I do believe they have a right to challenge the governor, the judge said after a three-hour hearing. I'm not deciding whether they are right or wrong. We'll have to see what the evidence shows.

Five Florida school districts  including four of the largest  are defying the governor's order by permitting mask opt-outs only for medical reasons rather than parental choice. An attorney in the lawsuit, Charles Gallagher, said such decisions should be left to local school boards, not imposed by the state.

They have a right to govern themselves. They can enact their own policies, Gallagher said.

In their motion to dismiss, attorneys for the Republican governor and state education officials contended that the parents have no legal standing to sue in a matter between DeSantis and the 67 Florida school boards.

Beyond that, they argue that the governors order properly reserves to parents the right to decide whether their child should wear a mask at school.

The governor's decision is aimed at protecting safety in the schools while protecting parent rights," attorney Michael Abel said. But Cooper said those rights include the right to sue.

This case should be tried and a record made, the judge said.

The decision came as worries grew that rapidly spreading infections could force officials to close classrooms. Thousands of schoolchildren are already being sent home, only days after their school year began.

Children  particularly those too young to get vaccinated against COVID-19  are really good at transmitting the coronavirus, said Dr. J. Stacey Klutts, a special assistant to the national director of pathology and lab medicine for the entire Veterans Affairs system.

Klutts said the highly contagious delta variant makes it absolutely necessary to wear masks indoors and avoid large group gatherings, so if unprotected students sit for hours in classrooms every day, it could rapidly spread infection in the community at large.

Its terrifying. Im afraid that were going to have a lot of really sick kids in addition to the spread which is going to be a lot of sick adults, Klutts said.

School boards in Palm Beach, Miami-Dade and Hillsborough counties voted Wednesday to join Broward and Alachua in requiring students to wear facial coverings unless they get a doctor's note.

Students began their school year in Palm Beach County on Aug. 10 with a parental opt-out policy that allowed more than 10,000 children to attend classes without masks. The board reversed course after seeing the numbers: After just one week, 734 students and 112 employees had confirmed infections, and more than 1,700 students had been sent home home, interim Superintendent Michael Burke said.

Hillsborough, which also began its school year last week, also changed its policy during an emergency meeting Wednesday after tallying 2,058 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and sending more than 10,000 students into isolation because of infection or quarantine because of exposure.

Asked about the decision of the school board in Hillsborough County, DeSantis defended his stance that parents should continue to decide for their children.

They had allowed the parents to make the decision and have an ability to opt out and thats how school started, DeSantis said. They reneged on that and basically took the decision out of the parents hands.

Statewide, Florida reported 23,335 new COVID-19 infections for Tuesday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services dashboard reported 16,973 hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients Thursday.

DeSantis also is in an escalating power struggle with the Democratic White House. After President Joe Biden ordered possible legal action Wednesday, the U.S. Education Department raised the possibility of using its civil rights arm against Florida and other Republican-led states that have blocked public health measures meant to protect students.

Some state governments have adopted policies and laws that interfere with the ability of schools and districts to keep our children safe during in-person learning, Biden's executive order said.

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Associated Press Writers Terry Spencer in Fort Lauderdale and Adriana Gomez Licon in Miami contributed to this report.

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Follow APs coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic.
AUSTIN, Texas (AP)  A standoff in Texas over new voting restrictions that gridlocked the state Capitol for 38 consecutive days ended Thursday when some Democrats who fled to Washington, D.C., dropped their holdout, paving the way for Republicans to resume pushing an elections overhaul.

It abruptly and messily drew to a close one of the few  and lengthiest  quorum breaks in modern Texas history. Instead of a unified and celebratory return by Democrats, some members lashed out at their colleagues over what they criticized as breaking ranks. Many of the proposed changes to Texas voting that Democrats have railed against for months remain in a bill that already passed the state Senate, and Republican Gov. Greg Abbott could now sign the legislation in a matter of weeks, if not sooner.

Only three new Democrats showed up Thursday, and the vast majority of the more than 50 Democrats who bolted for the nations capital in July continue to stay away from the Texas Capitol. Still, Republican House Speaker Dade Phelan said enough were there to achieve a quorum, which in the House is normally 100 present legislators. Growing impatience among Republicans had led to escalating threats that missing lawmakers could face arrest, but officers never appeared to do more than leave warrants at Democrats homes.

It's been a very long summer. Been through a lot. I appreciate you all being here, Phelan said. It's time to get back to the business of the people of Texas.

Not all Democrats joined in the holdout, and the newest to come back to the Texas House defended their decision, saying they had successfully pushed Congress on voting rights legislation while pointing to the growing urgency of surging COVID-19 caseloads in Texas. One of them, Democrat Garnet Coleman of Houston, did not go to Washington because he was recovering from having a leg amputation brought on by an infection.

One of the things in life is that we have to know what our responsibilities are and we have to work to move something in the direction we want it to be," Coleman said from a wheelchair while delivering the prayer on the House floor.

But other Democrats who remained absent did not hide their frustration.

This is how Texas Democrats lose elections, state Rep. Michelle Beckley tweeted.

Abbott now has an opening to divert attention back to the Capitol and away from criticism and defiance by Texas largest cities and school districts over his handling of worsening COVID-19 numbers. Abbott, who is up for reelection in 2022, had also jammed the agenda of this latest 30-day special session  which is nearly half over  with other hot-button conservative issues including border security and how race is taught in public schools.

Abbott this week tested positive for COVID-19, although his office had said the 63-year-old governor did not have symptoms.

It leaves Democrats much in the same position as when the holdout started: unable to permanently stop the GOP-controlled Legislature from putting new limits and rules over how more that 16 million registered voters can cast a ballot. And federal voting rights protections that Texas Democrats lobbied for while in Washington still face long odds of getting around GOP opposition in Congress.

For months, Texas Republicans have tried to pass measures that would prohibit 24-hour polling sites, ban drive-through voting and give partisan poll watchers more access. One version of the bill that was just hours from reaching Abbott's desk in May also would have banned Sunday morning early voting  when many Black churchgoers go to the polls  and made it easier for a judge to overturn an election. Democrats' first walkout wound up permanently scuttled those two provisions, but Republicans have kept intact other contested measures.

Abbott vetoed paychecks for about 2,100 legislative staffers after Democrats walked out the first time in a move that was aimed at pressuring Democrats to return in order to restore that funding.

The full House quickly adjourned Thursday, but Republicans worked fast to schedule a hearing on the elections bill for Saturday.

People want to get to work. They're relieved that after all this time that we've been held hostage in Austin that we can finally get down to business," said state Rep. Jim Murphy, chairman of the House Republican Caucus.

Months of protests had put Texas Democrats at the center of a new national battle over voting. Republicans around the U.S. have rushed to enact new voting restrictions in response to former President Donald Trumps false claims that the 2020 election was stolen.

Republicans are now back on a path to pass new elections laws in Texas before the current special session ends on Sept. 5.

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Acacia Coronado 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.
(Editors note: This project is a collaboration between the Plainview Herald and Saint Francis Ministries to showcase kids who are cleared for adoption.)

Alisha is friendly, vibrant and outgoing. She gets along well with others and is very polite! Her passion for people is obvious; she'd like to be able to serve the homeless community in whatever capacity she is able to.

In her free time, Alisha enjoys social media, such as creating TikToks and doing popular TikTok dances.

The 13-year-old is a girly-girl at heart and loves to shop and dress up. When she's not busy being a fashionista, Alisha enjoys video games, playing volleyball and playing with furry, four-legged friends.

She would love to have a family with dogs! When it comes to school, Alisha enjoys a variety of subjects such as math, reading and science.

---

Alisha is one of the children listed on the Texas Adoption Resource Exchange (TARE) website. Visit https://www.dfps.state.tx.us/Application/TARE/Home.aspx/Default for more details.

Saint Francis Ministries is a nonprofit organization and a community-based care provider for the Texas Department of Family Protective Services Region 1. This region includes 41 counties across the Panhandle and South Plains.

To learn more about fostering or adopting, those interested are encouraged to attend one of the monthly virtual meetings hosted by Saint Francis Ministries and other child placing agencies. The meetings provide information about how to get started, the basic qualifications and more, in addition to providing opportunity for attendees to ask questions.

Those interested can visit Saint Francis Texas on Facebook @SFMtexas to register for the online meetings, which can also be found below:

The meetings are scheduled for the second Thursday of the month (Lubbock area  https://lubbock-area-foster-care-adoption.eventbrite.com) and the third Thursday of the month (Amarillo area  https://amarillo-area-foster-care-adoption.eventbrite.com).

For more information, please contact Erin Baxter at (806) 317-5631 or email texasinfo@st-francis.org. Visit Saint Francis Ministries online at https://saintfrancisministries.org.
When I walked into the soft opening of Santikos Entertainment theater in New Braunfels, I made it a point to take a big whiff of the space that previously housed Alamo Drafthouse Marketplace.

As it opens to the public on Friday, August 20, movie-goers will be happy to know the newly renovated and revamped theater has made significant upgrades.

You might think it's strange that the first thing I wanted to do was smell the place, but the theater had a history of having an unpleasant smell that Santikos CEO Tim Handren describes as "horrible" and "really bad."

He wasn't the only one to use those adjectives.

In May, the local cinema chain announced its plans to take over the Drafthouse theater that served the area since 2013, next to the Gold's Gym at 651 I-35BL in New Braunfels. When they posted about the news on Facebook on May 26, many asked the company to please get rid of the smell.

"Make sure to get the sewer smell out of that building," Nick Hildalgo commented in Santikos's post.

"Get rid of that smell in the carpets," Karla Nilsen Roch wrote.

"For the love of God I just hope the old carpet is finally taken out," Jaqueline Cuba added.

And, Santikos listened.

Handren says they fixed the lingering odor by replacing the backed-up toilets in the men's and women's restroom (I can attest that the women's bathroom now smells like fresh linen). Santikos also updated the 11 auditoriums, putting state-of-the-art recliners with cooled cup holders in eight theaters. Three auditoriums have recliner chairs in every other row, as there wasn't enough space to install them in each aisle.

In the recliners, guests can also set the headrest to their comfort, a new amenity offered by Santikos (I tried it and you'll want to as well).

The famous serve-your-own popcorn stand (available at Mayan, Northwest, Galaxy, and soon to be at Embassy and Cibolo locations) is now the only thing you smell when you enter the theater. Or, you might catch a whiff of burgers and hot dogs from the kitchen that now has a new express pick-up option where customers can grab their food from an easy-to-use heated compartment.

Over at the revamped bar, I purchased two beers from its 32 tap lineup, a Dos Equis, and the company's Legacy Lager, a German-style helles lager, Santikos teamed up with Freetail Brewery to create. All proceeds of the brew go back to the community through Santikos charitable arm.

The theater only had a few movies showing at the soft opening on Wednesday, August 18. I watched Godzilla vs. Kong because I wanted to see what it looks and sounds like in theaters rather than on my television at home (I saw it on HBO Max. The theater sounded better, naturally).

Unlike my experience, new movies, like Free Guy, Don't Breathe 2 and Respect, will be showing on Friday, according to Andrew Brooks, public information officer for Santikos.

For more information, visit the company's Facebook or website.
Officials have announced the date the popular ice rink will skate back into downtown San Antonio.

The Rotary Club of San Antonio states in a Thursday, August 19 Facebook post that the rink is expected to open on November 19 at Travis Park.

Brandon Logan, president of the Rotary Club of San Antonio, previously told MySA in May that the rink was coming back but didn't have an official date.

In 2019, the club built an ice rink in Travis Park, and it was a big hit during its debut. More than 20,000 people used the rink during its three-month inaugural run. The organization launched its first ice rink the weekend after Thanksgiving.

During its stint, the club rolled out "Date Night" specials and had several themed events to attract large crowds every night (folks even got engaged there because it was so magical).

The 2020 run was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

According to the Facebook post, more details will be released soon.
It's not just Texas cities battling the governor, now it's kids, too.

Attorneys with Disability Rights Texas filed motions for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction August 18 against Abbott and Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath on behalf of Texas children with disabilities.

DRT filed a federal lawsuit with the same group of 14 Texas children on Monday. The lawsuit claims that Abbott's executive order that prohibits public schools from creating mask mandates puts students with disabilities at risk.

DRT also claims the executive order violates the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act, according to a press release.

This is the first federal lawsuit brought against Abbott over the executive order.

"Under Gov. Abbotts order, parents of these children face an untenable choice: educate their children at school and expose them to potential severe illness, COVID, and even death, or keep their children home, where they will receive a fraction of their education in one of the least integrated settings available with limited to no exposure to non-disabled peers, says Tom Melsheimer, attorney from Winston & Strawn.

One child from San Antonio, Julianna, is part of that lawsuit. She is an 8-year-old who attends school in San Antonio ISD and has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, a growth hormone deficiency, and moderate-to-severe asthma.

Her mother, Julia Longoria, says Julianna has an individual education plan and receives special education services. Julianna did remote learning this past year and a half because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Longoria says remote learning went well at first, but halfway through the school year, Julianna started having panic attacks.

Longoria says because of Julianna's neurodiversity and sensory processing issues, she has to express when she is feeling overwhelmed. Learning for her works best in person and in small groups.

Longoria says she was ready to return to in-person learning, but with protections like mask requirements and other precautions in place. She said her whole family practiced hand washing, social distancing, and wearing face coverings.

"She also has generalized anxiety disorder," Longoria says."Think about the immense pressure for her to say not only does this complication, this virus  if you get sick  then you possibly die, right?"

Longoria says that matters of public health and a child's safety should not have to reach this level of legal tug-of-war. She says it should really come down common sense.

"I don't understand how we've gotten this far," Longoria says. "The one thing that we shouldn't have any problem agreeing on is protecting our children."

This lawsuit comes as San Antonio and Bexar County landed a temporary injunction against Abbott on Tuesday, upholding its mask mandates for all public and private schools. SAISD announced immediately afterward that it would require face masks on students and teachers, and require teachers and staff to be vaccinated.

On Tuesday, Northside ISD, San Antonio's largest school district, approved a temporary mask mandate that will require all students and staff to wear a mask indoors starting August 23.

There hasn't been a response yet from Abbott's legal team as of Thursday afternoon.
Yves here. While you were busy watching Afghanistan coverage, a pitched battle continues in the US, that of the effort of Democratic legislators in Texas to stymie a bill that would suppress votes by fleeing the state to prevent a quorum from being present. Youll see that politics aint beanbag. Texas can and will compel a vote.

By Kenny Stancil, staff writer at Common Dreams. Originally published at Common Dreams

If any of the dozens of Texas House Democrats who fledAustin last month to prevent right-wing lawmakers from passing a sweeping voter suppression package refuse to present themselves at the state Capitol, they can be arrested and forcibly taken into the lower chamber, the Lone Star States all-Republican Supreme Court ruled Tuesday.

Last week, as Common Dreams reported, the Texas high court voided Travis County District Judge Brad Urrutias temporary restraining order prohibiting the arrest of Democratic lawmakers whose extended absences have made it impossible for the GOP-controlled state House to reach the quorum necessary to advance its anti-voter legislation.

Soon after that decision, the House approved a motion directing law enforcement officials to find and arrest quorum-busting Democrats, prompting progressives to urgethose legislators to leave or remain outside Texas, where state troopers lack authority to detain them.

With Tuesdays ruling, the state Supreme Court directed Urrutia to revoke his order shielding Democrats from prosecution, The Texas Tribune reported.

The legal question before this court concerns only whether the Texas Constitution gives the House of Representatives the authority to physically compel the attendance of absent members, Justice Jimmy Blacklock said in the courts opinion (pdf). We conclude that it does, and we therefore direct the district court to withdraw the temporary restraining order.

Justice Jimmy Blaylock delivers for ex-boss @GregAbbott_TX:

[T]he Texas Constitution gives the House of Representatives the authority to physically compel the attendance of absent members, Blaylock writes, as Texas Supreme Court quashes TRO. https://t.co/OviEVoWicm  Bob Garrett (@RobertTGarrett) August 18, 2021



As the Tribune noted, the Texas high court had already blocked lower court rulings issued by Urrutia and a Harris County district judge to protect quorum-breaking Democrats, but Tuesdays ruling signified that its legal under the state Constitution for House leaders to compel members to be physically present in the House, even if it means their arrest.

Texas is now in the midst of its second special legislative session of the summer. Earlier this month, GOP Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called for the current special session to begin on August 7, immediately after the previous onerendered moot when 57 Texas Democrats traveled to Washington, D.C.ended.

Julys special session, Texas first of the year, was called by Abbott after state Democratic lawmakers in late May successfully thwarted the GOPs voter suppression legislation for the first timeby walking off the House floor, thereby denying the chambers Republican majority a quorum and bringing the regular session to a close.

Texas GOP issuing arrest warrants for Texas Dems to pass new voter suppression bill GOP could retake House based on extreme gerrymandering in TX GA FL NC alone after redistricting data released today Dems running out of time to protect voting rights https://t.co/TNrl4WqdxU  Ari Berman (@AriBerman) August 12, 2021



Republican Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan (R-21) has already signed arrest warrants for 52 Democrats who were still absent from the states lower chamber as of last week.

According to The Dallas Morning News: It wouldnt take many arrests for the House to be back in business. A quorum requires two-thirds of the 150 members on site. Since Monday, 96 House members have checked in as presentjust four shy.

The newspaper reported that at least two dozen Texas House Democrats were still in the nations Capitol as of last Tuesday.

Dozens of lawmakers from Texas and other states have been urging Democratic members of Congress to act immediately to protect U.S. democracy amid the GOPs nationwide assault on the franchise.

For months, progressive lawmakers and pro-democracy advocates have issued a consistent message to Senate Democrats: Abolish the 60-vote filibuster rule and pass the For the People Act as well as the recently reintroduced John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.

Before the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act, the Department of Justice blocked Texas Republicans from passing anti-voter bills 207 times. Thats why Congress needs to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and #RestoreTheVRA to full strength.  Stand Up America (@StandUpAmerica) August 18, 2021



If enacted, the legislation would effectively neutralize state-level Republicans ongoing voter suppression efforts and restore anti-discrimination protections that were weakened in 2013 when the the U.S. Supreme Court gutted the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
Yves here. The intensity of the coverage of the US departure from Afghanistan is stunning, particularly after 20 years of indifference (except for the money spent and human cost, oh, and giving Mayo Pete the opportunity to drive big wigs around). It seems as if most of the audience arrived at this Gotterdammerung performance in the middle of the fourth act and is looking for the libretto. The big focus is on how we underestimated the Taliban. This article suggests they made an effort to look weaker than they were.

By Thiemo Fetzer, Associate Professor, University of Warwick, Visiting Fellow, London School of Economics; Pedro Souza, Senior Lecturer of Economics, Queen Mary University of London; Oliver Vanden Eynde, Associate Professor, Paris School of Economics; and Austin Wright, Assistant Professor, University of Chicagos Harris School of Public Policy. Originally published at the Institute for New Economic Thinking website

The Taliban was strategic in its use of violence, exercising restraint to influence military assessments of their capabilities in order to encourage more rapid withdrawals.

The fall of Kabul on Sunday 15 August was the culmination of an unexpected offensive by the Taliban, in which they had seized most districts and all major cities  along with Afghanistans main border crossings. The rapid progression was in part due to coordinated peace agreements which were struck with local leaders, while Afghan troops exchanged U.S. vehicles and weapons for safe passage.

The swift collapse came as a shock to most observers. Just two days earlier, the Pentagon had claimed Kabul was not right now in an imminent threat environment. Two weeks earlier, the Pentagons assessment was that Kabul could fall within six months. When, just a month earlier, a journalist asked Joe Bidenwhether he saw any parallels with the end of the Vietnam war, his answer was: None whatsoever. Zero. The President added that the Taliban were not remotely comparable in terms of capability to the North Vietnamese Army.

It seems that even the grimmest predictions got the real balance of power between the Taliban and the Afghan government wrong. What explains the systematic underestimation of the Talibans capabilities? Our research on NATOs withdrawal from combat operations in Afghanistan suggests the Taliban have been strategic in their use of violence, using restraint to influence military assessments of their capabilities in order to encourage more rapid withdrawals. The recent events in Afghanistan offer a replay of this strategy, at an even bigger scale and to dramatic effect.

Heres How We Did Our Research

In a recent article, we study the large-scale security transition from international troops to local government forces in Afghanistan, between 2011 and 2014. This transition consisted of two distinct phases. The first phase of withdrawal included transferring military authority to local forces. The second phase involved the physical departure of international troops, as the number of foreign forces decreased from 140,000 to 12,000, along with the closure, retrograde, or transfer of nearly 800 military bases.

Our study used exceptionally granular geo-tagged and time-stamped data on different types of insurgent and security operations  we used data collected since the start of NATO activity in Afghanistan in 2001. This data is otherwise known as SIGACTS and has been used widely to study combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. We combined the data with survey records of 370,000 civilians gathered between 2008 and 2016 (called ANQAR), which detail perceptions of security transitions, perceptions of territorial control, and the extent of local security provision. Our article provides further details on the methodology we used.

In our analysis, we estimate the impact of each phase of the transition on measures of conflict intensity. First, we identify the impact of the transfer of control from foreign troops (ISAF) to Afghan forces (ANSF). As the transition process was completed in five tranches, we are able to exploit the temporal variation generated by the transition process. Panel A of Figure 1 shows the territorial distribution of conflict intensity and Panel B shows the assignment of Afghan districts to one of the five transition tranches.

Figure 1 Distribution of Conflict Intensity and Assignment of Districts to Different Tranches of the Security Transfer to the Afghan National Security Forces

Comparing districts in which the security transition has been implemented to other districts, before and after the transition, we find that the security transition was associated with both decreases in actual violence outcomes and increases in perception of security as reported by the SIGACTS and ANQAR survey data respectively. Figure 2 depicts the drop in various violence outcomes once security responsibility had been formally handed over to ANSF.

Figure 2: Event Studies around the Security Transfer to Afghan National Security Forces (SIGACTS)

Next, we turn to gauge the effect of physical withdrawal of NATO troops on the security levels. The closure of bases was more haphazard, and also less well documented. To study this second phase, we leveraged a simple but important fact about the timing of physical exit: the geographic location of bases  their distance to military air hubs used to transport supplies out of Afghanistan  partially determined when bases were shut down. We use these logistical constraints to estimate the causal impact of the physical withdrawal of troops. Panel A of Figure 3 demonstrates the variation of timing of the base closure dates relative to the transition onset announcements. Panel B of Figure 3 shows the least-cost, shortest distance from a district centroid to the nearest logistic hub mapping well into the timing of base closure. We find that the physical withdrawal and base closure is associated with a drastic worsening of the conflict situation with both violence and security perceptions worsening drastically. We also confirm that our results are not driven by displacement effects between districts.

Figure 3 Timing of Base Closure Relative to District Tranche Announcement and Travel Distance to Nearest Retrograde Logistic Hub

What explains the initial drop in violence in the first phase of the transition, and its subsequent rise in the second phase? We do not find evidence suggesting that the withdrawal announcement weakened the ability of the Taliban to mobilize; similarly, we do not find evidence suggesting that the ANSF ability improves with the handover. Rather, we argue that the mechanism that could account for our findings is a strategic decision by the Taliban to scale back violence during the transition period. Local security transfers created an overwatch period, in which the relative capacity of the Taliban and the ANSF was signaled to ISAF forces. As such, the Taliban had an incentive to understate its capacity in a manner that was both difficult to detect, and that confirmed NATO forces biases (i.e., that Afghan security forces were ably trained and capable of delivering security on their own). In our article, we formalize this logic in a simple game in which violence serves as a signal about the relative capacities of the Taliban and the ANSF.

The Talibans strategy during the 2011-2014 transition facilitated the withdrawal, by giving a false impression of the capabilities of local actors to take on the security challenges of fighting alone. The Afghanistan Papers, released by the Washington Post in 2019, give us an opportunity to explore these decisions through internal assessments. SIGAR, reflecting on these exit interviews, came to the conclusion that various military benchmarks had failed to correctly measure the capabilities of local Afghan forces, masking their fundamental weaknesses. In the end, these forces were ill-prepared to deal with deteriorating security after the drawdown of U.S. combat forces.

Of course, a wide range of factors contributed to the implosion of the Afghan government in recent days. But, our research brings to light two elements that are crucial. First of all, our study underlines that the Talibans surge to power started in 2014. Following the withdrawal of NATO troops from (most) combat operations, the Taliban stepped up its offensive and gained effective control over large swathes of rural Afghanistan. This is the context in which President Trump negotiated the definitive US exit from Afghanistan  an agreement that President Biden followed when he committed to withdrawing all troops by August 31, 2021. Constructing historical counterfactuals comes with obvious caveats, but it is possible that a correct assessment of the Talibans capacity during the 2011-2014 transition could have informed a different withdrawal strategy and could have thwarted the rise of the Taliban we have seen since 2014.

The second reason why our research is relevant is that the Talibans strategic restraint strategy was not new. Military planners and policymakers should have learned from the first transition not to underestimate the Taliban. In 2011-2014, the Taliban stepped up its offensive in rural areas only after major bases were closed. The same happened in the last few weeks. The movements swift conquest of provincial capitals and border crossings followed the hand-over of the largest base and logistical hub of the US mission, Bagram airport, on July 2, 2021. At that point, the US had effectively deconstructed its military capabilities in the country. The Taliban could then start an offensive that would quickly reveal its full military and political strength, leading to the fall of Kabul.
My position with Nashville Post has evolved since 2000 when I began work with the now-defunct The City Paper. TCP became a Post sister pub in 2008 (when I began some Post work) and folded in 2013. I have worked mainly with the Post since late 2011.

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When Tonya Lewis started learning about hemp, she was curious about the whole plant  flower, seed and fiber. Her curiosity led her to the 2018 Southern Hemp Expo, a large hemp-centric trade show and conference that includes dozens of panels and speakers as well as a long roster of exhibitors. But she left feeling disappointed. The focus was largely on the flower and extracts that produce everything from CBD gummies to medicinal marijuana. There was little discussion about the whole plant and the industrial uses of hemp.

As a member of the Hemp Alliance of Tennessee, Lewis is engaged in changing that. Along with the organizations president, Frederick Cawthon, Lewis wants to make Tennessee the center of the nations hemp industry. (For the layperson: Hemp and marijuana are both forms of cannabis; hemp includes 0.3 percent or less of the intoxicating component known as THC, while marijuana contains more. The U.S. Farm Bill, passed in 2014, defines hemp as distinct from marijuana. The former is legal to grow and sell, including in Tennessee, while the latter is still a Schedule I drug according to the Controlled Substances Act.)

Lewis is the co-owner of NuSachi, a business-to-business company that extracts rosin from the plant using heat and pressure  rather than solvents  preserving the essence of the plant. NuSachi creates white-label products that other companies brand and sell. The market is competitive, and small companies like NuSachi require heavy investment to reach their potential. The Hemp Alliance of Tennessee seeks to help our states hemp-centric operators achieve success by, in part, educating the public and lawmakers about the many uses of hemp, beyond tinctures, gummies and the host of other retail products on the market.

The Hemp Alliance of Tennessee was founded last year, but Cawthon and others were already working in earnest in 2013 via the state chapter of the Hemp Industry Association. Now freestanding, HATs mission has three prongs: fostering connections among people in the hemp industry across the state; educating the public and advocating for progressive hemp legislation; and providing information and resources to people in the industry.

The industry is still in its infancy and exploratory phase, says Cawthon. Rules are changing left and right. We have a very close relationship with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture.  We have them come in periodically to tell us whats changed and what we need to know.

The lobbying arm of HAT is called the Tennessee Growers Coalition, a political action committee that advocates for a progressive legal and regulatory framework to move the needle in our state legislature. Our strategy coming into this fight, says Cawthon, [was] theres been a lot of work done in the past, but it was mostly at top level  i.e., somebody writing a bill and trying to get a legislator to pass the bill. What we feel was missing was the ground game, the grassroots effort.  [Tennessee Growers Coalition] files the bills, and its us ramping up the base to get that bill passed.

HAT recently launched the Free the Plant campaign, hosting events across the state where the public can learn about hemp and try some products. This is an opportunity to get the public invested in legislation, and its also an opportunity to provide what Lewis hoped shed find at the 2019 Hemp Expo: education about industrial hemp.

Farming hemp has the potential to be incredibly environmentally sustainable. It grows well in poor soil, requiring little fertilizer or irrigation. The plant has a negative carbon footprint  it draws carbon from the air and sequesters it in the soil. However, discarding or composting the majority of any plant is not sustainable, and Cawthon and Lewis want to see that by-product being put to good use. The woody byproduct of hemp, called shive or hurd, can be combined with lime and used to make floor tiles, insulation and other building materials. This composite is a good thermal insulator and moisture regulator. Its also fire-resistant and lightweight. Researchers are learning more about how the plants oil can be used as biofuel. Its Drill, baby, drill versus Grow, baby, grow,  says Cawthon.

He also sees more potential for hemp in the automotive industry, especially in the Southeast and specifically in Nashville. Car manufacturers already use hemp for purposes as diverse as the upholstery and filament in car batteries. Cawthon wants to see U.S. farmers growing that hemp, instead of having automakers import it from other countries. But to do any of this, the U.S. needs to build up the infrastructure to grow and process hemp so that it can feed into existing manufacturing processes.

If Tennessee embraces developing the infrastructure to support industrial hemp, theres another opportunity. Lewis and Cawthon both want to see the industry investing in racial equity, especially because the so-called war on drugs has disenfranchised communities of color for decades. Back at the Southern Hemp Expo, Lewis says she scanned the room and was struck by the absence of women and people of color.

As a woman of color in this industry, she says, its really hard to get involved unless you have a lot of capital to support your entry. Seeds, processing equipment and licenses can all be prohibitively expensive, she explains. Youre entering a space where there is a lot of risk, says Lewis.

Other states are slowly investing in equity. Colorados Accelerator Program reduces fees and provides mentoring for people previously incarcerated for drug-related offenses, as well as their family members. But programs like this are slow to roll out and often entangled in legal holdups. In April, the Associated Press reported that operators in such social-equity programs get locked up in predatory contracts and overmatched in a cutthroat market dominated by international companies.

A whole bunch of white people are becoming millionaires out in Colorado and California, says Cawthon, when theres still people locked up in prison for doing the same thing.

Lewis and Cawthon stress that programs must be developed with great intention toward making the industry sustainable for people of color and women. What can we do beyond creating jobs? Lewis asks. How do we support people educationally? How do we support individuals who are looking for career positions in this industry? What does equity and inclusion look like beyond having a few people producing products? How do we diversify our entire supply chain to include people of color as well? Theres movement slowly, but its going to take some money  a lot of money and a lot of people willing to make some sacrifices to be intentional about creating opportunities for people.
A little more than a year ago, Davidson County District Attorney Glenn Funk announced that his office would no longer prosecute people for possessing half-an-ounce or less of marijuana. It was the direct route to accomplishing what the Metro Council had attempted a few years earlier. In 2016, councilmembers in Nashville  and in Memphis  passed ordinances creating a civil penalty for simple possession of marijuana, giving police officers a formal way to avoid criminal charges. Those laws were later nullified by the state legislature.

But despite the hostility state officials have shown toward relaxing marijuana policy in the slightest  even to legalize medical uses  Funks policy remains. He says the leadership of the police department was on board right away, and that it allows officers to focus on more serious issues affecting public safety. The number of days people spent in Nashville jails for marijuana offenses was already decreasing before the policy was enacted. In 2014, there were 5,148 jail days related to such offenses; by 2019, that number was at 120. In 2020, after the DAs office stopped prosecuting simple possession, there were just six.

But Nashville is an outlier. Across the state, even as legal cannabis compounds like CBD and Delta-8 increase in popularity, people continue to face criminal sanctions for possessing even small amounts of marijuana.

Most of my days are spent in court defending people with cannabis-related, marijuana-related drug charges, says attorney Joseph Fuson, a partner at criminal defense and civil litigation firm Freeman & Fuson. The answer is, it happens all day every day, all over the state. I get calls every day of people getting pulled over.

Nashvilles relatively progressive stance on possession has only accentuated its status as a blue dot in a sea of deep-red.

If youre on the north side of Old Hickory Boulevard, youre in Davidson County, and they wont prosecute you for minor marijuana offenses, right? Fuson says. And if youre on the south side of Old Hickory Boulevard, in the other lane, then you will get prosecuted in Williamson County, and they will a lot of times demand probation and fines and drug testing.

But broader acceptance of marijuana use is spreading fast. In elections last year, voters in several states approved the legalization of marijuana for recreational use. Eighteen states plus Washington, D.C., have legalized nonmedical marijuana, and the conservative South is not exempt from the trend. Voters in Mississippi overwhelmingly approved medical marijuana last year too.

In recent years, the Tennessee legislature has considered dozens of bills on the issue, ranging from qualified medical marijuana approval to full-blown recreational legalization. But without fail, the bills have stalled or been voted down outright, even as many have earned the support of some Republican lawmakers.

But for now, Tennessee continues to prosecute and incarcerate people for using a product thats legal in some form in more states than it is not.
(Natural News) A recent study has found that children born during the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic have significantly lower IQs. The IQ scores of children are affected by how they develop during the first 1,000 days of their lives. This is the most crucial portion of their young development.

During their first 100 days, a variety of factors help improve their development. Environmental factors, including the mental and physical health of the mothers, nutrition, stimulation and the presence of supporting caregivers. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns have made it difficult for children to grow up in environments with plenty of positive stimulation. Nurseries, playgrounds and other places where newborns can interact with the world around them were shut down.

This has made pandemic-era children score shockingly low on tests designed to assess their verbal, motor and overall cognitive development.

The sudden decrease in IQ scores is practically unheard of

The study was conducted by researchers from Brown University, headed by lead study author Sean Deoni, an associate professor of pediatrics at Brown. Deonis study analyzed the cognitive performances of 672 children born in Rhode Island. Of these children, 188 were born after July 2020, 308 were born before Jan. 2019 and 176 were born between Jan. 2019 and March 2020.

All children included in the study were born without developmental disabilities and were carried to full term. Most of the children included in the study were White. (Related: Covid mortality risk in children is essentially ZERO, but scientists dont care and still want to mask all the kids.)

In the decade before the COVID-19 pandemic, the mean IQ score on standardized tests for children between the ages of three months and three years was around 100. The children in the study had an average IQ score of 78.

Its not subtle by any stretch, said Deoni. You dont typically see things like that, outside of major cognitive disorders.

The infant brain is  born with immense capacity to learn, remodel and adapt, but is sensitive and vulnerable to neglect and environmental exposures that begin even before birth, wrote the study authors.

Deoni and the other study authors speculated that the main reason the children scored significantly worse is due to spending so much time inside with their overwhelmed parents. The increased isolation and stress that parents feel during this difficult time can have a lasting effect on the mental and cognitive progress of children.

This can be seen in their IQ scores. Children who were born before the pandemic did not present with any significantly lower verbal, non-verbal or other cognitive development scores. This suggests that the pandemic conditions are hindering children more during the earlier stages of their development.

Parents are stressed and frazzled  that interaction the child would normally get has decreased substantially, said Deoni. He added that the lack of positive stimulation that children are supposed to be experiencing has created significant setbacks that will be difficult for children to overcome.

Certain other factors also affected the IQ scores of the children. Those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, for example, fared worse in the tests than their more affluent peers. The authors suggest that this may be due to the presence of family or social support, which can contribute to maternal well-being. This, in turn, can affect infant temperament, behavior and cognitive development.

Perhaps not surprising that children from lower socioeconomic families have been most affected as this resonates with many of the other financial, employment and health impacts of the pandemic, said Sir Terence Stephenson, a professor of childrens health at the University College London.

Children of mothers who had collegiate and post-graduate degrees were also less likely to suffer from the negative impacts of being born during lockdowns. In addition, male infants were also found to be more affected by the pandemic than female infants. It is still unclear if these lower cognitive scores will have long-term impacts on children. Even the researchers are not certain if the cognitive impairments are temporary and will normalize as soon as society returns to normal and the lockdowns are lifted, or not.

The first few years of life are crucial to the cognitive development of children. Deoni points out that the older the child gets, the ability to course-correct becomes smaller.

Learn more about how the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns are affecting the development and well-being of children by reading the latest articles at Pandemic.news.

Sources include:

TheGuardian.com

FoxNews.com

Independent.co.uk

NYPost.com

LiveMint.com
(Natural News) A Chinese woman claims she was held in a secret Chinese-run detention facility in Dubai. This black site is meant to be a place to hold and interrogate dissidents and their loved ones.

The woman in question is Wu Huan, 26. Her testimony is the first to allege that China operates a black site in another country.

Beijing considers her fiance, Wang Jingyu, 19, to be a political dissident. He is wanted for posting messages online questioning how Chinese media covered the Hong Kong protests in 2019 and Chinas border clashes with India.

While on the run to avoid being extradited to China, Wu said she was abducted from a hotel in Dubai. From there, she was brought to a villa converted into a jail. She reported there were at least two other inmates in the black site, both of whom were Uyghurs. (Related: China tortures Uyghurs in brutal concentration camps to implement One China policy, witnesses testify.)

Black sites like the one in Dubai are very common within Chinas borders. They are regularly used against anybody who voices even the mildest form of criticism against the Chinese government.

Wu was abducted, interrogated and threatened with indefinite detention

On May 27, Chinese officials came to Wus hotel to interrogate her. After this interrogation, Dubai police came and took her to a police station. She was held here for three days without a phone or any other personal belongings.

On the third day of her detention in the police station, she was visited by Li Xuhang, the consul general of China for Dubai. Li asked her whether she had taken any money from foreign organizations to act against China. Wu denied this allegation.

I said no, I love China so much, she said. My passport is Chinese, Im a Chinese person. I speak Chinese. I said, how could I do that?

After Lis visit, Wu was taken from the police station. Her captors took her to a three-story villa with a series of rooms that had been converted into individual jail cells. She was taken into a windowless room that only had a bed, a chair and a light that was on all day and night.

While she was in this black site, a guard took Wu to a room to question her in Chinese and try to scare her into making a false confession. The guard said she would never be allowed to leave the black site if she did not confess.

The guards at the black site also gave Wu a phone and told her to call Wang and Bob Fu, a pastor and the head of ChinaAid, a Christian non-profit that provides support for dissidents.

Wang confirmed that he received multiple calls asking for his location. She also sent text messages to both Wang and Fu.

Towards the end of her detention at the black site, Wus captors asked her to sign documents in Arabic and English testifying that Wang was harassing her.

I was really scared and was forced to sign the documents, said Wu. I didnt want to sign them.

Wu was released eight days after she was first brought to the black site. She was taken back to the same hotel she was abducted from and her personal belongings, including her phone, were returned.

Three days after her release from the black site, Wu flew out of Dubai to Ukraine where Wang was hiding at the time.

Chinese police threatened the couple. They said Wang could be extradited from Ukraine. To avoid this outcome, the couple once again fled to the Netherlands, where they are currently seeking asylum.

Wu said she misses her homeland dearly. Ive discovered that the people deceiving us are Chinese, that its our countrymen hurting our own countrymen, she said. That is the situation.

China, Dubai deny existence of black site despite evidence

Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs has outright denied Wus testimony.

What I can tell you is that the situation the person talked about is not true, said ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying.

The Dubai Police Force also denied the existence of the black site. The police force further denied that a Chinese woman was detained by local authorities on behalf of a foreign country. The force claimed Wu exited the country freely three months ago.

Dubai does not detain any foreign nationals without following internationally accepted procedures and local law enforcement processes, nor does it allow foreign governments to run any detention centers within its borders, read a statement from the media office of the government of Dubai.

Dubai also follows all recognized global norms and procedures set by international organizations like Interpol in the detainment, interrogation and transfer of fugitives sought by foreign governments.

Despite their denials, the evidence points to this Chinese-run black site in Dubai existing. Multiple reporters have either seen or heard corroborating evidence that the black site exists.

Tyranny.news has the latest information regarding how China quashes all dissent.

Sources include:

VOANews.com

News.Sky.com

NPR.org
(Natural News) China is weaning its economy off coal and fossil fuels. However, it is also trying to shut down as many as 40,000 hydropower plants.

The nation has a troubled history of trying to control its rivers. Since Chairman Mao Zedong urged workers in the 1950s to conquer nature, China has been creating dams in large numbers to generate power, minimize flooding and provide irrigation for fields as well as drinking water for cities. However, the country is now experiencing the long-term effects of its bad decision.

Many of the dams in the country are far too small to generate meaningful amounts of power, and others have become redundant as rivers ran dry.

For a long time, people thought it was a waste to let the river just run away in front of you without doing something, Wang Yongchen, founder of Green Earth Volunteers, said. Green Earth Volunteers is a Beijing-based non-governmental organization that focuses on river protection.

Chinese media reported that over 80 water conservancy projects were built in the Beijing region alone, but by the 2010s, the rivers were running dry at an average of 316 days a year.

Jin Chengjian, a citizen who spent all his life in Shijingshan district said: The weather in Beijing has changed. As a child, I often swam in the diversion canal near the station. Now, the water gets less and less, and dirtier and dirtier.

A 68-meter tall dam in Weizishui village was completed in 1980 to control flooding. It took six years to finish and was never needed once, a result of bad planning.

This is not the only one with problems. At the end of 2017, China has over 24,000 hydropower stations spread over ten provinces over the Yangtze and its tributaries. Of these, at least 930 were constructed without environmental assessments.

Moreover, many of the older dams pose serious safety threats, especially during summer floods. The Ministry of Water Resource in China reported that 3,515 reservoirs burst between 1951 and 2011. This included the infamous Banqiao dam in Henan province, which, along with 61 other dams, broke after six hours of rain in August 1975, killing 240,000.

The dams still continue to fail. Earlier this year, two in Inner Mongolia gave way to heavy rain, killing more than 300 people in Henan. The army also warned that the Yilehan dam could collapse at any time.

Dams criticized for environmental damage

Large dams and reservoirs are increasingly criticized for their damaging impact on the environment. They alter the flow of the rivers, submerge aquatic habitats and disrupt the migration and spawning of fish.

For instance, the Three Gorges Dam, which was completed on the Yangtze river in 2006 after two decades of construction absorbed the rivers overflow, and several lakes downstream shrunk dramatically or disappeared completely.

There have also been reports about the Three Gorges putting as many as 400 million lives at risk as torrential rains threaten the dam due to its structural integrity  a hydrology expert took to international media in 2020, warning that it could collapse at any moment. (Related: Buckling Three Gorges Dam in China is just fine, claims CCP.)

China continues to build hydropower projects, but the government said it wants to halt the development of smaller ones. Ma Jun, director of the Institute of Public & Environmental Affairs, said: Our rivers are over-exploited after decades of constructing without proper planning.

Another problem is how to get rid of unwanted projects. While closing down a hydropower plant is one thing, removing the dam and its potentially dangerous concrete structure is a large engineering project.

Zhouzhi County in Shanxi province, for instance, owes over 100 million yuan to a company that agreed to demolish three hydrostations. However, the countys revenue for the first half of 2020 was only 135 million yuan, and there are 26 other hydroplants to be removed.

The government has spent a lot of money, but only to solve superficial problems  to make the river look good, rather than addressing the ecosystem. We shouldnt solve one rivers problem by putting pressure on another river thats also in trouble, Wang said.

Read more about the environmental impact of dams at Environ.news.

Sources include:

Bloomberg.com

Business-HumanRights.org
(Natural News) Chinese state media has quietly scrubbed reports of an alleged Swiss biologist criticizing the United States efforts to investigate the origins of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This was after the Swiss embassy in Beijing said that, according to their records, said biologist was likely not a real person.

The supposed Swiss biologist, named Wilson Edwards, dominated Chinese state-backed media at the end of July. According to reports, Edwards claimed that he talked to an unnamed World Health Organizations (WHO) insider who said that the U.S. was intimidating the WHO to open another investigation into the COVID-19 viruss origin.

In response to this, Swiss diplomats started searching for the biologist only to find that he did not exist.

Swiss biologist cited by Chinese media doesnt exist

On August 10, the Embassy of Switzerland in Beijing stated that there were no registered citizens named Wilson Edwards. In addition, they could also not find any biology papers published under that name.

If you exist, we would like to meet you! the embassy wrote in a post, in both English on Twitter and in Chinese on Weibo.

In the same tweet, the embassy also stated that any articles about Wilson Edwards were fake news and asked Chinese state media outlets to remove these articles.

The story about Edwards has since been removed from Chinas English-language broadcaster CGTV as well as other Chinese state-backed outlets. However, CGTVs Chinese article could still be accessed as of Monday, Aug. 16.

In addition, a Facebook account that the Chinese news reports had used as a source of information on Edwards has also been taken down. According to Swiss diplomats, the account only had one post and three friends since it had been opened on July 24.

Said Facebook account had described Edwards as a Swiss biologist. His post stated that the push for the WHOs second phase investigation into COVID-19s origins was the result of political pressure from the U.S.

Fake news comes after WHO proposes second investigation into COVID-19s origins

The Chinese articles came after the WHO announced last month a proposal for a phase-two origins investigation into the origins of COVID-19.

The new investigation is set to include an audit of the Wuhan lab and research institutions where the virus was identified. The WHO said that the Chinese government did not share raw patient data during their initial probe. Meanwhile, WHO head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called on Beijing to be transparent, to be open and co-operate. (Related: WHO chief FINALLY admits it was premature to discount lab leak theory.)

In response, Beijing has rejected calls for an unsupervised investigation into SARS-CoV-2s origins. Top Chinese health officials have also asked the WHO to get rid of political interference.

Chinas deputy health minister Zeng Yixin also stated that the calls showed a disrespect for common sense and arrogance toward science.

It was after these that the supposed report from the so-called biologist Edwards came out, citing a source at the WHO saying that the United States was attacking Beijing in its calls to trace the virus origin.

But Edwards' supposed report wasnt the only effort by China to sow doubt about the lab-leak theory that claims that there is growing evidence that SARS-CoV-2 originated from a Wuhan lab.

A recent report by the Center for Information Resilience (CIR) found that a Chinese group has attempted to sow doubts about the lab-leak theory on various social media platforms.

Our research shows evidence of a deliberate effort to distort international perceptions on significant issues  in this case, in favor of China, said the reports author Benjamin Strick.

The aim of the network appears to be to delegitimize the West by amplifying pro-Chinese narratives, he added.

In addition, Strick pointed out that there were overlaps in the narratives shared by the group to those shared by the social media accounts of Chinese state representatives and state-linked media. This looks to be further evidence that Beijing is behind all these efforts to spread fake news about the virus origins.

Follow Pandemic.news for more on the true origins of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com 1

ChinaNews.com

BBC.com

TheEpochTimes.com 2
(Natural News) For months we have been warning about how Democrats are using the COVID-19 pandemic to systematically strip Americans of their most basic and cherished individual liberties, and always in the name of protecting us.

The same Democrats who went from distrusting the vaccines (rightfully so, it turns out) when President Donald Trump was in office and touting them are now pushing for vaccines to be mandated  and that any American who refuses to get one be treated like a second-class citizen.

Call it a COVID caste system.

Case in point: A little-known piece of legislation has been introduced by Democrats in Congress that would ban any American who did not get a COVID vaccine from all air travel, no exceptions.

End of the American Dream reports that this legislation would effectively ban tens of millions of Americans from taking the safest, fastest mode of travel, essentially segregating our society further than these left-wing lunatics have already done:

Before this pandemic, it would have been unimaginable for Congress to consider a bill that would ban tens of millions of Americans from flying. But now everything has changed. A new bill has been introduced that would specifically ban all unvaccinated individuals from ever flying again. When I first heard about this, I thought that it couldnt possibly be true. But it is true.

According to partial text of the bill, the legislation will direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to ensure that any individual traveling on a flight that departs from or arrives to an airport inside the United States or a territory of the United States is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and for other purposes.

It doesnt take a genius to figure out whats going on here; the Biden regime is working with Democrats in Congress to punish Americans who are skeptical of a vaccine that a) has caused horrific side effects in thousands of people; b) has a higher vaccine accident and mortality rate than any other vaccine in modern history; c) is still experimental; and d) does not protect people from getting COVID-19, especially the newer Delta variant.

That last point alone should be more than enough for any responsible elected official to dissuade or oppose making vaccines mandatory for any purpose and for any function, especially to the point of denying Americans their fundamental Constitution right of uninhibited travel.

This comes at a time when many in the liberal media are also calling for unvaccinated people to be banned from flights, noted End of the American Dream founder Michael Snyder, who cited an article published in the Marxist-left rag The Atlantic by a legitimate left-wing extremist who pretends to base her authoritarianism on her national security background, Juliette Kayyem, who wrote:

But at this stage of the pandemic, tougher universal restrictions are not the solution to continuing viral spread. While flying, vaccinated people should no longer carry the burden for unvaccinated people. The White House has rejected a nationwide vaccine mandatea sweeping suggestion that the Biden administration could not easily enact if it wanted tobut a no-fly list for unvaccinated adults is an obvious step that the federal government should take. It will help limit the risk of transmission at destinations where unvaccinated people traveland, by setting norms that restrict certain privileges to vaccinated people, will also help raise the stagnant vaccination rates that are keeping both the economy and society from fully recovering.

Lets be perfectly honest here: This has nothing to do with keeping the economy open and ensuring society fully recovers. Remember when these liars told us all we had to do was to get a majority of Americans either exposed to the virus or vaccinated? Both of these phenomena have already occurred, and yet we still have leftist lawmakers and authoritarian security experts trying to take away more of our rights if we refuse the vaccine.

This cannot continue. Americans dont play the role of second class citizen whos been deprived of their rights very well at all.

Sources include:

TheAtlantic.com

EndOfTheAmericanDream.com

Pandemic.news
(Natural News) Water levels at the Hoover Dam have sunk to a record low, and its endangering the source of hydroelectric power for over 1.3 million people across the American West.

The water level at Lake Mead, the Colorado River reservoir serving Hoover Dam, has fallen to 1,068 feet above sea level in July, the lowest it has been since the lake was first filled following the dams construction in the 1930s. The federal government is expected to declare a water shortage for the first time, triggering cutbacks in water allocations to the surrounding states. (Related: Megadrought brings Great Salt Lake water levels to all-time low with no end in sight.)

Over the past 20 years, drought conditions have led to over a 130-food drop in water levels at Lake Mead. Researchers say that the lakes water level is expected to fall another 31 feet to 1,037 by June 2023. They also expect the water will continue to recede for the next two years.

This is problematic as dams rely on the pressure of the body of water they are blocking, and as water levels go down, less pressure is exerted, thus the dams produce less hydroelectric energy to produce power. Every foot of water lost converts to about six megawatts less power generated  or power consumed by 800 homes.

Patti Aaron, a public affairs officer at the Bureau of Reclamation, which operates and maintains the power plant, said that if the water level drops 118 feet from Julys 950 feet, it would fall below the turbines, and the dam will have to shut down.

These power declines are significant. In 2000, the water levels were among the highest at 1,200 feet, powering up to 450,000 homes. At its current elevation, however, the figures fall to about 350,000.

The Hoover Dam is among the largest hydroelectric facilities in the United States, and about 23 percent of its output serves Nevada; 19 percent serves Arizona; and the remainder serves Southern California.

The California Independent System Operator (CAISO), which oversees the states power grid, resorted to rolling blackouts during a West-wide heatwave that constrained the states ability to import electricity. The lack of supply was especially noticeable in the evening, as solar production declined.

Water shortage in the West

The federal government is planning to declare a water shortage at Lake Mead. This can result in water cuts for Arizona, Nevada, and even Mexico. It generates electricity and supplies water to 25 million people across tribal lands, farms and major cities including San Diego, Los Angeles, and Phoenix. Furthermore, Las Vegas obtains about 90 percent of its drinking water from Lake Mead.

At least 4.5 million acres of farmland from Wyoming to the U.S.  Mexico border also use water from the Colorado River. About 70 percent of the water is used for agriculture. Were just desperately looking to the forecast to see when the monsoon might show up, said Michael Crimmins, a climate scientist from the University of Arizona.

This drought is only part of the larger megadrought that is affecting water resources and fueling wildfires in the country. In 2020, over five million acres burned in California, Oregon, and Washington burned due to hot and dry conditions, and more water cuts are expected to ensue if the reservoir continues to lower.

The West is struggling during the drought that has reached crisis levels in some areas. In June, the U.S. Drought Monitor said that 55 percent of the West is dealing with extreme or exceptional drought. It has also been made worse by the anomalous hot temperatures in the region every summer. This leads to greater direct evaporation, drying out the landscape, making it susceptible to wildlife growth.

Read more about how droughts can affect the U.S. and the rest of the world at Climate.news.

Sources include:

WSJ.com

SmithsonianMag.com

WashingtonPost.com
(Natural News) Over the past decade, the mainstream media has eradicated almost every real investigative journalist, and now these networks amplify scripted narratives to advance specific agendas. The mainstream media has become an echo chamber of absurdity  a tool of propaganda used to exploit human psychology. This psychological warfare has never been more obvious over the past two years, as lies and human rights abuses are normalized and celebrated.

Every single promise regarding masks, human restrictions, vaccines, mandates, herd immunity and getting back to normal was broken PURPOSELY by the mainstream media and the government experts, because manipulating human thought and behavior is of utmost importance for controlling the population.

In 2020, governors across the Democratic Party, and a few in the Republican Party, said life would not go back to normal until a vaccine was made widely available. This totalitarian threat was hyped by the media, and turned out to be a broken promise. These same government authorities now disregard the science on natural immunity, and think they can MANDATE deadly inoculations, while segregating people and starving those who dont comply. Just months ago, the abusers and controllers told us, Its time to heal, but now they want to take away basic civil liberties, the right to work, the right to travel and buy groceries. This is exactly how narcissistic abusive relationship work.

Broken promises on life-saving masks

At the beginning of the year, the Biden regime promised 100 days of masking to end covid-19. Mask mandates were enforced across the country and the government and media mockingly promised freedom for Americans by July 4th if they followed all the restrictions. The head of the federal coronavirus task force, Dr. Anthony Fauci, even said two masks are better than one, while demanding that Americans get inoculated with experimental vaccines. These promises of freedom were broken after July 4th, as mask mandates were kept in place at the federal and corporate level and are still being used as a tool to force vaccination. The government and the media even broke their promise to the vaccinated and instructed them to wear masks again, after promising that the vaccines would save their life.

Broken promises on life-saving vaccines

Just months ago, the media said COVID was behind us thanks to the life-saving vaccines. The public health experts and the reporters said the United States would quickly go back to normal as the vaccines were rolled out en masse. The media praised Israel and Great Britain for rolling out vaccine passports and getting most of their population vaccinated. The mainstream headlines celebrated the vaccines for ending the pandemic.

Vaccine Rollout Gives U.K. a Rare Win in the Pandemic, the New York Times wrote on January 29.

When will the pandemic end? Bloomberg asked on February 4. The answer can be measured in vaccinations.

What life is like in countries where Covid-19 vaccination is increasingly a success, CNN added on February 25.

But after the mass vaccine rollout, Israel, the UK and a slew of other highly vaccinated countries have seen a new spike in sickness and hospitalization in the fully vaccinated, with new lock downs and vaccine mandates ushered into place. Regardless of this somber reality, the Biden regime has been communicating with the CEOs of major companies, colleges, banks, etc. to implement illegal vaccine mandates on employees across the country. Tyrannical governors are creating discriminatory vaccine passports to segregate the unvaccinated from everyday life. Meanwhile, the media, the FDA and the CDC have been working overtime to change the diagnostic criteria (CT cycles of the PCR tests) for covid-19 only in vaccinated people, to coverup the number of covid cases and adverse events being reported following vaccination. Yet, tens of thousands of people have died from adverse events or from covid after being fully vaccinated, and this may be the most disturbing broken promise of them all.

Broken promises on herd immunity and the end of the pandemic

After declaring the pandemic over, the media now says the pandemic is roaring back again thanks to the unvaccinated. Healthcare professionals who chose not to vaccinate are being threatened, fired or forced to quit, even though hospital bed capacity is supposed to be in dire straights due to the pandemic of the unvaccinated.

This sudden social ostracizing of the unvaccinated is peculiar because it contradicts the narrative from early in the year, which promised the population could reach herd immunity by May with the current vaccination rates. On February 20, the New York Times used graphics showing that the US would reach herd immunity by May. The article promised that major outbreaks would not occur after May 20, because enough people would be vaccinated, curbing the spread significantly. On that date, more than 135 million Americans had been fully vaccinated meeting the 40 percent threshold the Times said was needed to eradicate covid-19. But today, the country is plagued by the Delta variant which is counted as part of the covid-19 pandemic.

Despite there being no accurate test for covid-19 or the new delta variant, everyone is supposed to just believe were living in a pandemic caused by the unvaccinated. This is far from the truth because hundreds of thousands of vaccinated people report hospitalization and sickness post vaccination, and breakthrough covid cases are sickening and killing the fully vaccinated. This is why the same lying media and deceptive public health authorities are calling for booster shots. They know that everything they have said, recommended and forced is FRAUD, but they continue to blame their failures on the healthy, unmasked, unvaccinated and unafraid people who are immune and fighting for their freedom.

Sources include:

AlexBerensen.com

NaturalNews.com

Time.com

NaturalNews.com

CNN.com

APNews.com

NaturalNews.com

NaturalNews.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Its as clear as ever that words are meaningless in the mouths of the establishment media puppets.

(Article by Christine Favocci republished from WesternJournal.com)

Now that nearly two decades worth of American military might, money and manpower have effectively been squandered in just days because of President Joe Bidens sudden withdrawal from Afghanistan, the media is desperate to cover for him.

Amid the shame and horror of the images of Kabul and the presidential palace falling into the hands of the Taliban, the leftist media has been spinning this debacle by dutifully downplaying the significance of what were witnessing  at least to the extent they still can in light of the awful, undeniable truth.

One such report came Sunday from MSNBCs The Mehdi Hasan Show, where Tehran bureau chief Ali Arouzi used the term relatively peaceful in his assessment of the terrorist takeover.

Taliban propaganda network MSNBC is now beyond parody, conservative pundit and author Michael Cernovich said about the segment he shared. This is why people often cant tell when Babylon Bee is being satirical.

Taliban propaganda network MSNBC is now beyond parody. This is why people often cant tell when Babylon Bee is being satirical. pic.twitter.com/KRq9Jy3HkX  Cernovich (@Cernovich) August 16, 2021

Speaking to the host, Arouzi gave his report with a shrug while outlining the grave situation that was unfolding.

The country is essentially now in the hands of the Taliban for all intents and purposes, Arouzi began his report.

Theyve taken over Kabul. The president, or should I now say the former president of Afghanistan, Ashraf Ghani, has fled the country, he continued. The Taliban have taken over the presidential palace. Theyve renamed the country the Islamic Emirates, [theyve] taken down the Afghan flag, and hoisted up their own colors, Arouzi said.

And its been a relatively peaceful, if you like, process. They havent had to fire a lot of shots. There hasnt been a lot of bloodshed in Kabul. It was a pretty straightforward takeover for them.

Perhaps Arouzi was impressed by the relatively small number of dead bodies  in light of the usual savagery the Taliban is known for  and saw this as a good sign.

Women in the region know all too well whats in store for them as panic breaks out among the people who will actually bear the brunt of Bidens disaster  but Arouzi was mostly unfazed.

Theyve also taken over the airport. There have been reports of shots fired at the airport, and Taliban fighters are all over the place, Arouzi continued.

But theyre not in any sort of clashes with U.S. personnel. Although commercial flights have so far been suspended, military evacuation flights are still taking place, he added.

And from what we understand right now, most of the U.S. personnel are at the airport now, trying to get on to various evacuation flights out of the country, with very few security personnel left at the embassy, burning whats left of sensitive paperwork, he said, the last line somberly punctuating the gravity of whats still unfolding.

And predictably, the situation Monday brought footage of aircraft taking off from Kabul with people so desperate to flee the coming chaos they held onto planes even as they were taking off.

Some clung to the sides of planes, even as one taxied down the runway, in a bid to flee the Taliban, The New York Times captioned the footage in a shocking admission from the left-leaning Gray Lady.

Scenes of panic and chaos played out at the airport in Kabul as crowds of people desperate to escape Afghanistan rushed onto the tarmac. Some clung to the sides of planes, even as one taxied down the runway, in a bid to flee the Taliban.https://t.co/pAgoGW7tos pic.twitter.com/4YGQd2iEzk  The New York Times (@nytimes) August 16, 2021

Although there have been some real acts of journalism miraculously coming from some outlets, Arouzis counterpart at CNN similarly downplayed the Taliban takeover.

Theyre just chanting Death to America, but they seem friendly at the same time, Clarissa Ward, the networks chief international correspondent, said while donning a newly adopted hijab in an indication of the danger women face with Islamic extremists at the helm. Its utterly bizarre.

CNN reporter outside Kabul embassy: Theyre just chanting Death to America but they seem friendly at the same time.

pic.twitter.com/xiaj1GjcKJ  Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) August 16, 2021

Although in some ways, the medias obfuscation and misrepresentation of this situation are a welcome respite from its usual use with issues like the gender confusion delusion, that relief is tempered by the grim reality of whats about to happen to the people of Afghanistan  and soon the rest of the world.

America has lost its strategic location in the region for launching counterattacks and conducting intelligence surveillance operations.

More than that, however, weve lost face after reneging on our promises made to the people who cooperated with the U.S.

A gradual drawdown began under former President Donald Trump, but Biden has single-handedly created this problem with his announced, complete desertion of the nation nearly overnight.

Biden has allowed these extremists  members of the same group that gave safe haven to the terrorists responsible for 9/11  to take back Afghanistan just in time for the 20th anniversary of the attacks on American soil.

The president has demonstrated he is dishonest, incompetent, pusillanimous and weak  and unfortunately, the rest of the world will conflate his flaws with Americas as long the establishment media is unwilling to do its job.

Read more at: WesternJournal.com and MSNBC.news.
(Natural News) Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine mandates have come for people who want to dine in at restaurants all over the United States. This has unfortunately turned the employees of these restaurants into vaccination enforcers who have now raised their objections to cities using them as vaccine police.

Many U.S. cities have begun mandating that people be vaccinated before they can be allowed to enter certain public spaces. These include restaurants, bars, cinemas, theaters and other business venues. Some of the largest cities to make these mandates include New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle.

To verify a persons vaccination status, these cities have tasked restaurateurs and their employees to check whether their patrons are fully vaccinated through the use of vaccine passports. (Related: Vaccine passports becoming a reality in the US  is it the start of segregation?)

Many restaurant owners and managers have strongly criticized the vaccine mandates, saying that theyre hurting their businesses. Many of their customers have canceled reservations and have raised objections to the new requirements. Many others have gone online to leave negative reviews, rightfully angry about their personal rights being violated.

Other restaurant owners say they and their staff have been accused of infringing on peoples personal liberties and discriminating against the unvaccinated.

This has put restaurant owners in a delicate bind. They do not want to lose their patrons over their legitimate concerns about their health privacy and personal liberties.

But many believe they need to follow the law and check the vaccination status of their customers. They believe this is the only way to keep their businesses running and not be fined thousands of dollars after the pandemic and lockdowns have already taken so much potential revenue from them.

Vaccine mandate will destroy many restaurants

Tell me the last time you were carded at a restaurant? Its a different level of training, said Laurie Thomas, owner of two restaurants in San Francisco. She is worried about her staff having to enforce the vaccine mandate.

Whats going to happen when you ask somebody for their papers and they dont want to show them to you? asked Rob DeLuca, a restaurant owner in Staten Island. What are we supposed to do? Were privately owned businesses, I dont know why this is our job.

For 15 to 16 months business was not happening at all, said Massimo Felici, the owner of three restaurants in Staten Island. In one, I had to get rid of 80 percent of my staff. We barely survived. I thought I was definitely going to lose my restaurants. Speaking of the vaccine mandate, he believes it could destroy his business.

Janet Russell, a property manager from Arlington, Virginia, believes the proof of vaccination requirements might destroy small businesses.

These small businesses that have already suffered tremendously during lockdown should not have to shoulder the burden, she said.

Andrew Robbins, the CEO of a customer service company, pointed out that many restaurant owners and managers are very anxious about putting their staff at risk by turning them into vaccine enforcers.

Similar situations had been seen early on in the pandemic when businesses were required to enforce mask mandates.

Its not like carding someone at the bar for a beer  [where] youre just enforcing the law, said Robbins. Youre making up the law and that is a really difficult situation for people to be in.

Robbins, like many others, believes these vaccine mandates could result in many people leaving the restaurant industry. Many people will be turned off by the idea of becoming vaccine enforcers. This will make the labor shortage even worse.

The problem will be even worse for restaurants that rely on on-premises dining. Quick service restaurants can have drive-thru lanes, curbside, said Robbins. How do you do that for table service restaurants?

Learn more about the vaccine mandates and how these are negatively affecting many industries at Pandemic.news.

Sources include:

WSJ.com

BBC.com

PYMNTS.com
(Natural News) A former scientist for the Obama administration criticized the conclusions of a new U.N. climate report in an interview with the Daily Caller News Foundation, arguing it would lead to great economic destruction.

(Article by Sebastian Hughes republished from DailyCaller.com)

The report itself is  not bad, Dr. Steven Koonin, former undersecretary of energy for science, told the DCNF Thursday morning. The reports Summary for Policymakers and subsequent retelling by the media is where it gets destroyed, Koonin said.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, written by 234 scientists throughout the world, a code red for humanity.

To Koonin, the reports excessive credence to models means there is too much uncertainty to implement policies he feels will wreak havoc on the economy. He also said the reports sweeping conclusions should be taken with a grain of salt, as they fail to address historical climate trends.

If it happened in the past, when human influence (was) small, youve got to explain why thats not whats happening, he said.

The report noted that heat waves that previously appeared once every 50 years now occur almost 5 times as often. Koonin said, however, that there are a number of ways to make any changes in the temperature look more dramatic than they are.

In an opinion piece published in The Wall Street Journal Tuesday, Koonin noted how the summary of a 2017 U.S. government climate report highlighted the rise of heat waves across the country since 1960, but left out the part of the report stating heat waves were no less common in 1900.

Knowledgeable independent scientists need to scrutinize the latest U.N. report because of the major societal and economic disruptions that would take place on the way to a net zero world, including the elimination of fossil-fueled electricity, transportation and heat, as well as complete transformation of agricultural methods, he wrote in the WSJ.

Koonin began to doubt the scientific consensus surrounding climate change after leaving the Obama administration in 2011, Inside Climate News reported. He was later tasked by the Trump administration to recruit participants for an adversarial review of the issue, Scientific American reported.

Other scientists criticized his arguments questioning the uniqueness of modern climate events, such as physicist Raymond Pierrehumbert.

Koonin said the world should be paying attention to rising temperatures, but argued any approach to solving the problem has to strike a balance.

He said that if the world wants to move toward a reality where there are zero carbon emissions, it has to be at a slower pace than what is currently being proposed. If you do it too fast, you cause great economic destruction, Koonin told the DCNF.

Read more at: DailyCaller.com and ClimateAlarmism.news.
(Natural News) Is there anyone on the planet who does not know that the media and Big Tech have sought to control the COVID narrative from the outset?

(Article by Patricia McCarthy republished from AmericanThinker.com)

Probably. Just as there are most likely people who do not know that volumes of contrary information about COVID has been suppressed, which includes valuable information about available therapeutics such as ivermectin and HCQ.

Dr. Fauci knew of the efficacy of those drugs years ago but was determined to ensure that the public was deprived of that knowledge. Any mention of these prophylactic treatments has been quashed by the mainstream media, Google, Instagram, Twitter, etc. Anyone posting information in contradiction to the Biden administrations pandemic porn has likely been banned or canceled. But while one may have to go searching for pertinent information from doctors and scientists other than Fauci, there are plenty of them out there, and they have been sounding various alarms for eighteen months.

There are those the administration has called the dirty dozen, who, they say, are guilty of misinformation and so must be silenced, but there are many others who have been writing, have given interviews, and have posted videos in their attempts to apprise the citizenry of the facts theyve been denied via the mainstream media. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., a longtime anti-vaxxer, is among that group, as is Joseph Mercola, who has for years had a massive following.

There are many, many others  doctors, virologists, epidemiologists, biologists, pathologists, et al. who have opposed the CDC and WHO narratives from the outset. They are all routinely banned from social media, their columns suppressed, their videos disappeared into internet neverland. The entirety of the leftmedia mock them and set out to permanently discredit them, all of them. The people running this country, including social media barons Mark Zuckerberg and Jack Dorsey, and their cohorts in the media, many of them compromised by the CCP, are deciding for themselves what information we can see and read.

Not one of these self-appointed censors is a medical professional, but all have the effrontery to censor actual medical and science professional experts as if they know better. There are arrogant censors all over the country who, if in positions of minimal power over small newspapers, print or online, or neighborhood sites that function throughout the country, are suppressing any postings that deviate from the mandated government propaganda. For example, post a link to an interview with Dr. Robert Malone, the inventor of mRNA, and you will be canceled. Dr. Malone has much to say about the long-term safety of the vaccines, especially for children and teens. His interviews are removed, and now he is getting death threats! The Atlantic (of course) has a hit piece on him right now. The writer who accuses him of spreading misinformation is not a doctor but assumes he knows better.

One has to ask: who are these people?

Along with Dr. Malone are many others from around the world, all with impeccable credentials: Dr. Peter McCullough, Dr. Vernon Coleman of the U.K. Dr. Ryan Cole is especially good at communicating the science in lay terms. Dr. Denis Rancourt of Ontario, Dr. Reiner Fuellmich, The Childrens Health Defense Europe, Dr. Tom Cowan, the late Kary Mullis, the inventor of the PCR test. Dr. David Rasnick, a Ph.D. chemist. Dr. Sucharit Bhakdi, Dr. David Martin, Geert Vanden Bossche, DVM. Dr. Luc Montagnier, Dr. Simone Gold of Frontline Doctors, Dr. Michael Yeadon, formerly of Pfizer. Sunetra Gupta of the University of Oxford, Jay Bhattacharya of Stanford University, authors of the Great Barrington Declaration, and Dr. Martin Kuldorff of Harvard. These are just a few of the doctors and scientists whose expertise has led them to entirely different conclusions regarding the treatment of COVID and the safety of the vaccines.

These people can be found on the internet, in large part thanks to Rumble, but are all banned from the sites too many Americans depend on for information: Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, the NYT, WaPo, CNN and MSNBC, and YouTube. The fact-checkers at those sites, again none of them medical professionals, are allowed and have been directed to bury the available opinions and conclusions that differ from the Biden administrations possibly, potentially dangerously wrong guidance. So America has officially become a facsimile of Orwells 1984, in which only the government-sanctioned facts and ideas are allowed, tolerated. All deviations from the party line are forbidden.

The unvaccinated are being threatened with job loss and with being banned from their college and workplace campuses. Democrats want them on a no-fly list and to see them segregated from the vaccinated, a la Jim Crow.

Gov. Gavin Newsom, thinking he is king, has just ordered all California teachers to be vaxxed. That state cannot be rid of him fast enough.

The mystery is that so many Americans have so mindlessly complied with all this nonsense, like masks on children or masks on anyone, for that matter. The masks do nothing but harm, but Oregon governor Kate Brown has just mandated them for everyone, indoors and out. If all those who have so willingly submitted to the whims of our tyrannous elites had done a bit of their own research, beyond Facebook and Twitter, CNN and MSNBC, they might have given masks and vaccines a second thought and been better off for it. If the goal of Big Tech was the thorough indoctrination of 330 million people, they have been wildly successful. A bit more than half of the population has succumbed to their hypnotic, subliminal inculcation of COVID fear and the propaganda needed to maintain control of the masses.

Do all of the censors who are operating as if trained by the Soviets know they are part of a massive cover-up, a calculated plan to deny the American people free access to any and all information actually available and which may be valid?

Everyone should know by now that the CDC says and does only what the Biden administration and his union allies tell it to say. We cannot trust a word that Fauci or CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky says  not one word. The WHO is under the effective control of the CCP, so is equally untrustworthy. We should all realize by now that Fauci, Dr. Francis Collins, and the doctors who show up on CNN and the networks are government apparatchiks who say what they are told to say and what benefits them. Not one of them can utter an anti-vax word. Fauci owns numerous patents on both viruses and the drugs being pushed, and being a patent man, what we see of it now is that the existing therapeutics are disparaged. After all, no one would make money on those two old off-patent drugs HCQ and ivermectin.

People can meander through the articles, essays and videos linked above and decide for themselves who and what makes sense and wonder why these voices have all been if not erased, then hidden from the casual news viewer. Why have non-professional twenty-somethings been ordered to block them from the social media sites, serving as the establishments useful idiots?

The most serious question though is, what if a few of them, some of them, or even all of these dissenting doctors are right about the vaccines, COVID treatments, the variants, etc.? What if they are?

What if the millions of Americans who have masked, rushed to be jabbed, have had their kids vaxxed and masked did so with faulty, insufficient information as to the truth of these experimental injections that are not actually vaccines?

They were not adequately informed as to the possible side-effects or any potential long-term consequences? If that is the case, if the vaccines are, as some or even all of these shadow-banned doctors believe, exacerbating existing co-morbidities, damaging hearts and other organs, affecting fertility, causing miscarriages, while the TV docs tell us they are safe for pregnant women, then half of the American population is in for a shock if not some serious disappointment and accompanying medical crises.

The people at VaccineTruth2 have made an offer:

We are willing to enter into a written $1M bet contract w/anyone in the world. We bet $1M that over 10,000 Americans have been killed where the vaccine elevated the primary symptom of their death. Court of law decides if we disagree. $ escrowed both sides. Any takers?

This certainly suggests that, whoever these folks are, they too believe the vaccines have made death more imminent for many. Let us hope the naysayers are wrong.

But what if they are right?

If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.

? George Orwell

Read more at: AmericanThinker.com and CensoredScience.com.
(Natural News) A stampede at the Kabul airport reportedly left five people dead as thousands stormed planes that were taking off, hoping desperately to flee Afghanistan. Terrifying scenes depicted men, women and children trying to make their way onto aircraft following the Talibans storming of Kabul. In the chaos, some people tried to climb up ladders to get on planes while others could be seen being pulled onto aircraft.

The drama ensued after the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, which led to a quick takeover of the country by the Taliban.

Some reports claim that two individuals fell several hundred feet to their deaths after they were thrown from a C-17 transport plane that was taking off from the airport, while a witness reported seeing the bodies of five people being carried away. Although American troops who were guarding the airport had to fire shots into the air to disperse the crowd, the fatalities may have been crushed in the stampede.

Hundreds of people could be seen running behind the C-17 as it prepared to takeoff, trying desperately to get on board. At one point, a U.S. Apache helicopter had swooped down across the runway and attempted to clear people so that the plane could take off safely.

In other footage, U.S. embassy staff could be seen pulling each other into a plane as the ramp was being raised, while a different video showed more than a thousand citizens trying to get on board a Kam Air flight to Istanbul that could only accommodate 300 passengers. People nevertheless pushed and shoved as they tried to pass through the aisle of the plane.

NATO has announced that all commercial flights have been suspended from Kabul airport except for military aircraft. On Wednesday, a NATO official confirmed that a stampede at a gate to the Kabul airport injured 17 people as Western nations ramp up their diplomatic evacuation efforts.

An official working at the airport says that Afghan civilians who are seeking to leave since the Taliban took control of the capital on Sunday have been warned not to gather around the airport unless they possess a travel visa and passport.

More violence as Taliban breaks up protests

Meanwhile, one person was killed and six were wounded on Wednesday as the Taliban violently broke up a protest in the eastern Afghanistan city of Jalalabad. In video footage, gunshots can be heard ringing out as a crowd waves the Afghanistan flag; people can later be seen running away from the scene as the gunfire intensifies.

One local journalist told Fox News: There was panic when the Taliban fired openly on people who ran away, some hid in streets and others went inside shops.

He added that one Taliban group hit his camera and beat him with rifle boots, and another group later apologized to him.

The crowd had gathered in Jalalabad to raise their countrys flag on the eve of Afghanistans Independence Day, which marks the end of British rule in 1919. They also lowered the Taliban flag that had been raised by militants in captured areas.

Americans seeking to leave the country have to depend on the Taliban

The White House has said that they are hoping the Taliban will allow Americans evacuating the country to access the airport in Kabul.

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said: The Taliban have informed us that they are prepared to provide the safe passage of civilians to the airport, and we intend to hold them to that commitment.

Unfortunately, there are still thousands of American civilians waiting to be evacuated from Afghanistan. Depending on a terrorist group to do the right thing rarely ends well, and even President Biden, who is not known for having a sharp mind, stated just six weeks ago when asked if he trusted the group, No, I do not trust the Taliban.

Sources for this article include:

TheSun.co.uk

Reuters.com

FoxNews.com

FoxNews.com
(Natural News) President Joe Bidens botched withdrawal of troops has left an estimated 10,000 Americans in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. Now, to safely evacuate these stranded Americans, the administration has admitted that more would have to be deployed to the war-torn country.

During his speech regarding the withdrawal, Biden stated that his administration intends to transport out thousands of American citizens whove been living and working in Afghanistan. He acknowledged that these citizens are in grave danger due to the ongoing violent Taliban takeover.

But in order to safely repatriate these American citizens, Biden is deploying an additional 6,000 U.S. troops to the country.

I was asked to authorize and I did 6,000 U.S. troops to deploy to Afghanistan for the purpose of assisting the departure of U.S. and allied civilian personnel from Afghanistan, and to evacuate our Afghan allies and vulnerable Afghans to safety outside of Afghanistan, our troops are working to secure the airfield and ensure continued operation of both the civilian and military flights were taking over our traffic control, Biden stated during his speech. (Related: Violence continues in Afghanistan as thousands of American civilians await evacuation while Biden fiddles.)

More Americans to be deployed to Afghanistan so the rest can be evacuated

Prior to the announcement of the deployment of 6,000 additional troops, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said that there were not enough troops in Afghanistan to expand its mission from securing Kabul airport to evacuating every American and at-risk Afghans elsewhere in the capital.

Now, the question of whether those seeking to leave the country before Bidens Aug. 31 deadline should be rescued and brought to the airport has come up. This is due to reports that Taliban checkpoints have stopped some designated evacuees.

I dont have the capability to go out and extend operations currently into Kabul, said Austin, a retired four-star Army general who commanded forces in Afghanistan. And where do you take that? How far do you extend into Kabul, and how long does it take to flow those forces in to be able to do that?

Austin admitted that they were not close to where we want to be in regards to the pace of the airlift.

We cannot afford to either not defend that airfield or not have an airfield thats secure, where we have hundreds or thousands of civilians that can access the airfield, he said, adding that they were continuing talks with the Taliban to ensure safe passage for those evacuating.

According to Austin, there were about 4,500 U.S. troops at Kabul airport, maintaining security to allow the State Department-run evacuation operation that has been marked by confusion and chaos.

Biden claims nothing could be done to avoid evacuation chaos

In the face of the chaotic evacuation that has left thousands of Americans in Afghanistan, and promises to have to deploy thousands more, President Joe Biden has stated that there was nothing his administration could have done to avoid the chaos.

The idea that somehow, theres a way to have gotten out without chaos ensuing, I dont know how that happens, Biden said to ABC.

Despite this, the Biden administration has drawn criticism from those involved with the previous administration.

Sending more than 5000 troops back in AFTER you withdrew a couple thousand of them is proof that you are disconnected from the reality on the ground and arent serious about protecting Americans, tweeted Mike Pompeo, who served as Secretary of State under President Donald Trump.

Former President Trump himself also had a few words for Biden, noting that the issue wasnt that American forces were being withdrawn from Afghanistan, but the grossly incompetent manner in which the withdrawal was conducted.

Can anyone even imagine taking out our Military before evacuating civilians and others who have been good to our Country and who should be allowed to seek refuge? stated Trump. In addition, these people left topflight and highly sophisticated equipment. Who can believe such incompetence? Under my Administration, all civilians and equipment would have been removed.

Follow Collapse.news for more on the fall of Afghanistan and the efforts to evacuate Americans still trapped in the country.

Sources include:

NationalFile.com 1

APNews.com

NationalFile.com 2
(Natural News) A single case of the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19)  meaning one person tested positive with a fraudulent PCR test  has sent the entire country of New Zealand into a total lockdown.

Corrupt tyrant Jacinda Ardern, New Zealands prime minister, imposed a strict lockdown that is set to last for at least three days after an older man was declared to have Chinese Germs inside his body, supposedly putting others at risk. Ardern is demanding that her countrys team of five million, meaning its entire population, do their part to help flatten the curve of this one single case of the Fauci Flu by obeying her orders.

We have seen what happens elsewhere if we fail to get on top of it, Ardern declared. We only get one chance.

In Auckland, where the infected man lives, Arderns lockdown will last for at least a week while health experts probe for more information about how he contracted the disease. News of the nationwide lockdown sent the country into a total panic as people rushed grocery stores and bought out their stocks to avoid running dry. The New Zealand dollar also took a sharp nosedive following the news.

Is Jacinda Ardern trying to decimate New Zealands economy over one covid case?

New Zealands last outbreak of the Wuhan Flu was detected back in February, and no new cases have been identified since  until now. This one single case threatens to completely decimate the countrys economy, depending on how long the lockdowns last.

Arderns use of the word at least to describe the duration of the lockdowns bodes ominous, especially after governments around the world promised back in early 2020 that those lockdowns would only last two weeks in order to flatten the curve. Because of the really scary delta variant, Ardern and others like her claim that much harsher measures need to be imposed to ensure that it stops spreading as quickly as possible.

Interestingly, New Zealand has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the world, with only 18 percent of its people fully vaccinated. Some 32 percent have received one dose of the injections. Despite that, no new cases of Chinese Germs have been seen in New Zealand for months, suggesting that there is no need to vaccinate people at all if covid was already eradicated.

As the country has been pushing more people to get vaccinated, however, now pops up this one new case. Could it be that the infected man received his first or second shot and is now sick from it?

The news media is unclear as to the mans vaccination status, but the rumor is that he probably has the delta variant, even though there is currently no available test for it. We do know that the man had just arrived in New Zealand from abroad, meaning he may have caught the disease while traveling and brought it back to his native country.

Since the pandemic began, only 26 people who were said to be infected with the Wuhan Flu have died in New Zealand. This hardly counts as public health emergency as more people die from choking on lettuce, probably, than catch and die from covid.

For now, New Zealanders are being told that they can only leave their homes to buy groceries or exercise. They are not allowed to interact with others outside of their own households and will have to wait to get vaccinated as the countrys vaccination program is currently suspended as part of the lockdown.

The latest news about Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) hysteria can be found at Fascism.news.

Sources for this article include:

NaturalNews.com

FoxNews.com
(Natural News) The director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) admitted on Tuesday, Aug. 17, that the push to make schoolchildren wear masks to supposedly protect them against the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) is not based on scientific data.

The director, Dr. Francis Collins, talked about the debate surrounding forcing children to wear masks while in schools during an interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt on his program, The Hugh Hewitt Show.

Hewitt asked Collins about the recent federal recommendation that children from kindergarten up to third grade should wear masks at all times while in school. Collins said that he believes wearing masks can help prevent COVID-19 outbreaks at schools. He claims such a situation would force these schools to shut down, and the kids would have to go back to remote learning.

At the same time, Collins acknowledged that it is very rare for a child or a teenager to contract COVID-19, let alone have enough viral load to spread it to others. (Related: Indiana family doctor STANDS UP to school board with speech about how masks, vaccines do not work.)

It is still pretty rare, but it is not zero, and we now have more than 400 kids that have died of this, said Collins. So, we have to think about that.

Collins insisted that if children remain unmasked in school, they will spread COVID-19. He warned that such an outcome  which he just said was very rare and unlikely to occur  would also affect their parents and school staff.

Hewitt was unconvinced, and pressed Collins for data proving that kids from kindergarten to third grade are at greater risk of hospitalization or illness of serous sort from taking their mask off. Collins answered with:

I wish we had that data. But Hugh, I dont think youre hearing me. Its not just about that.

Collins then attempted to backtrack on his admission that the push to mandate masks in schools is not based on data. He tried to argue that school districts have already shut down because of COVID-19 cases.

But Hewitt was not convinced. He argued that those school districts overreacted to their COVID-19 cases. He believes his assessment of the situation is supported by Collins own admission that there is no data showing that children are more likely to suffer from severe COVID-19 infections if they did not wear masks.

You tell me, they closed because of the number of positive tests. But was there real harm? asked Hewitt. Because if its the flu or a common cold in children, that was a bad decision and a panicky one.

Hewitt continued by saying that he believes public health officials and institutions have fearmongered about COVID-19 outbreaks among children without any evidence of actual outbreaks.

He continued by pressing Collins further. He accused the director of the NIH of not having any data proving that children have a greater risk of being infected with COVID-19.

Hewitt pointed out that many young children are vulnerable to developing speech problems if they are unable to see peoples full faces. He believes this is a much bigger threat to children than COVID-19.

To these accusations, all Collins could argue is that the director believes not even Hewitt has the data to prove his case.

I dont think we have the data on either side of it Hugh, said Collins. I think right now, were all trying to do the best we can.

Data shows children account for less than one percent of all COVID-19 deaths

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that, as of Wednesday, Aug. 18, only 430 children have died due to COVID-19 out of 614,530 total deaths. Of these deaths, 134 were between the ages of 0 to four and 296 were between the ages of 5 and 18.

This represents 0.069 percent of all deaths attributed to COVID-19 and recognized by the CDC.

Furthermore, additional child mortality data from the American Academy of Pediatrics shows that, among 43 states, New York City, Puerto Rico and Guam, children represented at most 0.25 percent of all COVID-19 deaths. Seven reporting states said no children within their jurisdictions have ever died due to COVID-19.

Even going beyond mortality rates, hospitalization rates also show that children make up a very small chunk of hospitalized COVID-19 cases.

Among 23 states and New York City, children made up between 1.6 to 3.5 percent of total cumulated hospitalizations. Furthermore, in these 23 states and New York City, hospitalized child COVID-19 cases only accounted for 0.2 to 1.9 percent of all coronavirus cases.

The data clearly shows that children are not in danger of contracting COVID-19, and if they do, they will most likely come out of it with little trouble.

Learn more about the unscientific push to mandate masks in schools by reading the latest articles at Pandemic.news.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

Data.CDC.gov

AAP.org
(Natural News) A peer-reviewed paper produced by a team of almost two dozen scientists concluded that the sun may be the main cause of warmer temperatures, not the carbon dioxide emissions blamed by the United Nations (UN) Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The paper also said that previous studies did not adequately consider the role of solar energy in explaining the rise in temperatures.

The IPCC recently released its sixth Assessment Report that cited man-made carbon dioxide emissions as the main reason for global warming. The new study casts some doubts on the hypothesis.

The climate scientists and solar physicists involved in the paper concluded that the IPCCs stance on blaming human emissions were based on narrow and incomplete data about the suns total irradiance. The global climate body appears to have displayed deliberate and systemic bias in what views and data are included in its influential reports.

Depending on which published data and studies you use, you can show that all of the warming is caused by the sun, but the IPCC uses a different data set to come up with the opposite conclusion, Ronan Connolly, the lead author of the study, said in an interview.

In their insistence on forcing a so-called scientific consensus, the IPCC seems to have decided to consider only those data sets and studies that support their chosen narrative. (Related: Man-made global warming fiction.)

Human emissions have virtually no role in global warming

Using publicly available data from the U.S. government and other sources, the paper says it is easy to explain that all of the warming observed in recent decades come from nothing but changes in the solar energy arriving on Earth.

The paper does agree that using the data sets chosen by the UN would imply that humans are largely to blame. But the study includes multiple graphs showing that simply using different data sets could upend the IPCCs conclusion. If confirmed, the study would represent a devastating blow to the IPCC and its conclusion that human emissions of carbon dioxide are the primary driver of global warming.

Using 16 different estimates on the amount of solar energy, the review compares that data with over 25 estimates of temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere, stretching back from the 1800s.

When solar data from the sun-monitoring satellites of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) are compared to reliable temperature data, virtually all of the warming can be explained by the sun with no role whatsoever for human emissions. The UN seems to have ignored NASAs data to support the hypothesis of human responsibility.

Historical records of solar activity indicate that solar radiation has been increasing since the late 19th century. If a trend, comparable to the one found in this study, persisted throughout the 20th century, it would have provided a significant component of the global warming the IPCC reports to have occurred over the past 100 years, said Richard Willson, a researcher affiliated with NASAs Goddard Institute for Space Studies and Columbia Universitys Earth Institute in New York.

Confirmation bias plays role on IPCC reports

The IPCC reports have consistently blamed human activities, such as emissions of greenhouse gases, for the observed warming changes. While many agree with the UNs position, there are dozens of other studies that pointed to the sun as the primary driver of climate change. These dissenting scientific views have not been reflected in the UN reports for reasons that have not been explained.

One concern being highlighted in the IPCCs approach included estimating global temperature changes using data from both urban and rural locations. The studys authors said that this results in the artificial skewing of temperatures due to the urban heat island effect, which they believe must be taken into account.

This effect shows that cities tend to be warmer than the countryside due to activity and structures, so temperature stations that have had cities grow around them will show artificial temperature increases caused by urbanization, not global warming.

The IPCC rejected these concerns, arguing that urbanization played a minor role in the estimated temperature increase.

Regarding the disparity about the results on this subject, Connolly suggested that confirmation bias was at work. This happens when individuals only consider information that supports their bias, something that can affect all scientists.

Whether they were deliberately doing it or whether it was simply confirmation bias is difficult to say, but it is clear that data sets are being selected that support the IPCC view while data contradicting it have been excluded, he said.

Learn the truth about climate change at ClimateScienceNews.com.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

NASA.gov
(Natural News) Dear Readers,

Both vaxxers and anti-vaxxers are endeavoring to make the Covid vaccine a vaxx issue.

(Article by Paul Craig Roberts republished from PaulCraigRoberts.org)

It is not a vaxx issue.

It is an issue of the vaccine. Due to Big Pharma greed and Tony Faucis hubris, an experimental technology was rushed into mass usage prior to its many adverse consequences being known.

Making it a vaxx issue makes it difficult to stop the use of the double-dangerous vaccine as no vaxxer wants to concede defeat to anti-vaxxers.

The solution is to remove the censorship of experts and the ban on known cures. Ivermectin and other known substances can stop the spread of the virus, and expert debate can lead to treatments for those millions who have been damaged by the vaccine.

The current blind and ignorant authoritarianism must cease.

URGENT READ

All of the Evidence Is In: The Covid Vaccine Is a Failure

Paul Craig Roberts

Dear Readers,

In my efforts to provide good information in place of Big Pharma-serving propaganda about Covid and the vaccine, I have reported to you from the official databases the large number of deaths and health issues associated with the vaccine. For some age groups the vaccine is more dangerous than the virus.

I have also reported to you from official reports that the largest percentage of new cases are associated with those who are fully vaccinated. The question is: are these actually new cases or are they vaccine-associated illnesses?

Following the conclusions of a Nobel prize-winner in medicine and other top level experts, I have attributed what the medical establishment calls new cases, breakthroughs, delta variant, to adverse responses to the vaccine itself, thus questioning the existence of the delta variant. But after listening to Dr. Robert Malone, it appears that there are variants also, and will be more variants. Thus the new breakout of what are reported as Covid cases consists of both adverse reactions to the vaccine and illnesses from the new variants.

Dr. Malone is the inventor of the mRNA technology that was used to develop the mRNA vaccine. He is a member of the establishment. He is not a kook, conspiracy theorist, or anti-vaxxer. He is so solid a member of the establishment that the Department of Defense has relied on him for years. Where Dr. Malone differs from the establishment is in his unwillingness to keep quiet when he sees that the ruling Covid narrative does not fit the facts.

Dr. Malone explains (at the 50 minute mark) that what the vaccine is doing, in addition to killing and injuring peoples health, which he does not emphasize, is evolving the virus, in a manner of speaking, training it to escape vaccines. In other words, the vaccine itself amplifies variants that cannot be prevented by vaccines.

You can listen to his explanations in the first 57 minutes of this video address to a professional group of educated people in Silicon Valley. Even if you are not well educated, Malone speaks with a clarity that will allow you to understand the gist of the explanation. https://rumble.com/vl0zpf-dr.-robert-malone-the-liberty-forum-8-10-2021.html

The first 25 minutes are taken up with Malones explanation of who he is, his background and experience. He explains the origin and reason for the official public health policy that experts, no matter how distinguished, are censored when they depart from the official (and ever-changing) CDC, NIH, WHO, FDA narrative. In other words, the official public health bureaucracies have a monopoly on the explanation. He explains that the mainstream media is interlocked with the public health bureaucracies and acts as censoring agent. He speaks with humor. He describes being fact checked and deplatformed by a high school dropout employed to shutdown misinformation, which is everything that diverges from the official narrative of the day. We have reached the point in our absurdity where distinguished scientists are censored by total dumbshits.

Beginning at the 35 minute mark, Malone gets into the heart of the dilemma we face. He makes it crystal clear that the authorities were wrong and that there is no hope that vaccines are the answer. He makes it clear that the delta variant is going to run through the population and no amount of vaccination, masks, and lockdowns can do anything about it. The focus must be switched to treatment. There are known effective treatments, and more are under development and testing. Malone himself was cured by Ivermectin.

Fortunately, he reports, the delta variant is less serious than Covid-19, but future variants might not be if we continue to use a vaccine that trains new variants to escape immune systems. A number of distinguished scientists have reached the same conclusion. See, for example, https://www.lewrockwell.com/2021/08/tyler-durden/vaccine-expert-vanden-bossche-calls-for-immediate-halt-to-vaccinations-says-they-encourage-escape-mutant-variants/

For the first time in history, the worlds population has been used for mass clinical testing of an experimental vaccine. The evidence is piling up. Official reporting databases show extraordinary numbers of deaths and injuries associated with the Covid vaccine. The vast majority of new cases are associated with the fully vaccinated. The fully vaccinated spread the virus as easily as unvaccinated Covid patients according to the CDC and Dr. Fauci himself. The vaccine is associated with spontaneous abortions. These are all facts now quietly acknowledged by the bungling public health bureaucracies, but still mainly kept from the people.

The public health bureaucracies do not know how to respond to the vaccine failure as they bet the entire ball game on the mRNA vaccine. All the hopes and claims associated with the vaccine were mistaken. It is a long limb to climb back, especially when they have no other policy to suggest.

Not knowing what to do, the CDC recommends more jabs with the toxic vaccine. https://www.theepochtimes.com/mkt_breakingnews/cdc-panel-recommends-third-covid-19-vaccine-dose-for-immunocompromised_3948012.html?utm_source=News&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=breaking-2021-08-13-3&mktids=092db3c2207e302e76724bb7ec9567e0&est=%2F8lqto%2B7%2BWPg%2BZW0EFu7j%2BNb4wY4dqytO%2FhsQbKFOqNMqq9OCLh7%2Fg%3D%3D

All the fact check mechanisms put in place to silence those who understand what is happening are still in place and still censoring the experts who have real solutions.

Clearly, the suppression of experts must now stop. The health dilemma that the ignorance and arrogance of public health officials, dumbshit politicians, and dumbshit media have trapped us in can only be resolved by open debate among the worlds experts. No more controlled explanations, or we may all die if not from the vaccine then from a variant created by the vaccine.

Ivermectin Has Stopped Covid in India and the Media Covers Up the Good News

https://www.zerohedge.com/covid-19/indias-ivermectin-blackout?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+zerohedge%2Ffeed+%28zero+hedge+-+on+a+long+enough+timeline%2C+the+survival+rate+for+everyone+drops+to+zero%29

Covid Financed by NIH Has Brought Totalitarianism to the World

Pressure on Unvaccinated Intensifies

https://www.globalresearch.ca/pressure-unvaccinated-intensifies/5752891

Those Who Protest against the Official Covid-19 Narrative are Categorized as Psychopaths

https://www.globalresearch.ca/collective-narcissism-and-the-dark-triad-those-who-protest-against-the-official-covid-19-narrative-are-categorized-as-psychopaths-is-it-a-witch-hunt/5722151

CDC Is Murder Incorporated

CDCs Own Statistics Show 1,270 Fetal Deaths Following COVID Shots but CDC Continues to Recommend Pregnant Women Get COVID Injections

https://www.globalresearch.ca/cdc-own-stats-show-1270-premature-fetal-deaths-following-covid-shots-recommend-pregnant-women-get-covid-injections/5752897

If you take the vaccine, this could be your fate

https://www.bitchute.com/video/8I4NlpjAsaL3/

Read more at: PaulCraigRoberts.org and Vaccines.news.
(Natural News) The UKs Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, or MHRA, is meant to be a neutral body that is responsible for making sure that the medicine and medical devices used in the country are acceptably safe.

However, there are serious questions about the agencys impartiality because they receive significant funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in what can only be considered a major conflict of interest. The foundation holds major shares in COVID-19 vaccine developers Pfizer and BioNTech.

Perhaps this explains why the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine was the first one to be authorized for use in children aged 12 and over back in June and remained the only one available to this age group until Modernas vaccine was approved this week.

The approval of Pfizers vaccine was particularly shocking when you consider that 86 percent of children who participated in the very short and small clinical study used to make the decision suffered from an adverse reaction.

In a Freedom of Information request posted on the website of the MHRA, a representative of the agency admitted that they do receive funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation that mainly supports work on strengthening the regulatory systems in other countries. They added that most of their income comes from fees paid by the pharmaceutical industry.

The agency stated that the current level of grant funding that they receive from the foundation is roughly $3 million, which they say is spread across several projects and three to four financial years.

They added that they would not approve any COVID-19 vaccines until they demonstrate safety, quality and efficacy through a robust clinical trial programme, as determined by the MHRA, and unless the evidence supports its use. However, they go on to add that they carefully reviewed the clinical trial data for Pfizers vaccine in a study of just 2000 children. They said that the safety data in children was on par with that seen in young adults, which is hardly comforting.

They added that the immunogenicity results, which show how well a vaccine functions, showed that children aged 12 to 15 had similar neutralizing antibody levels to those aged 16 to 25, but they only studied 200 children to reach this conclusion.

Why would any legitimate government agency want to be associated with the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation?

In 2017, the MHRA announced a partnership worth more than 980,000 with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the World Health Organization aimed at improving safety monitoring of medicine in low and middle-income countries. Two years later, they announced a partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to research medicine use which could impact the health of pregnant women around the world.

This is deeply troubling to anyone who is familiar with the Gates track record. Bill himself has gone on the record in a TED conference as saying that vaccines, healthcare and reproductive services could reduce the worlds population by billions of humans. The foundation has also been accused of giving vaccines with sterilization chemicals to unsuspecting Africans.

Indias National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization even went so far as to cut ties with the foundation after it was revealed that its vaccine campaigns being conducted on young Indian girls on the pretense of protecting them from cervical cancer were really a form of cloaked vaccine trials that used two highly controversial HPV vaccines linked to significant injury and death.

Its hard to believe that medical regulators in any country would want any association with them, but the MHRA has been troubled for many years. In 2005, the agency came under fire from the UKs House of Commons Health Committee for a lack of transparency, and they were accused of advancing the interests of pharmaceutical companies instead of the interests of the people by the same committee the year before.

Sources for this article include:



Gov.uk

Gov.uk

NaturalNews.com

NewsPunch.com
Many locations that were silent in 2016 are now full to the brim with kiwi noises. According to the most recent audio study of kiwi bird population, New Zealand's North that had many silent locations back in 2016, are now full to the brim with kiwi noises.

The male's loud screech contrasted with the female's deep growls. Regardless of whose sound it was, 150 volunteer bird conservationists stifled shouts of pleasure, in the early morning hours of December, when the final survey was conducted.

The kiwi's cry is the most dependable technique to monitor the animals because it is a night bird. In the dark, the cries are easy to hear, and they even have distinct features that allow conservationists to identify the same birds year after year.

The Kiwi Call Count is a manual population census that involves the human ear to record population count, of the country's five kiwi species in order to assess the birds' status in a specific location. Every year, the same sites are used, and in 2021, there was a 50% rise in the number of sites where calls were flock, with no site being silent in the previous year.

New Zealand's Government Movement Towards Saving the Kiwi Population

New Zealand's government has been developing strategies and facilitating citizen-led campaigns aimed at protecting the endangered kiwi population. Stoats, dogs, feral cats, and other introduced animals have thrived on the easy prey of kiwi chicks, reducing the kiwi's capacity to survive since the young are being slaughtered everywhere.

This trapping has proven extremely effective, and in 2017, two kiwi species - the northern brown and the rowi - were removed from the IUCN Red List as Endangered. Various benefits have been noticed as a result of humans cooperating with the government movement, and the kiwi population has increased in a favorable way. Since the initiative began, the number of kiwis at Whangerei Heads has increased from 80 to over 1,000.

Also read: Singapore Celebrates First-Ever Giant Panda Born Thanks to Conservation Efforts

Animal Doctors Saves Endangered Yellow-eyed Penguins in New Zealand

The yellow-eyed penguin, or "Hoiho," which means "noise shouter" in Mori, is an endangered species and one of the world's rarest penguins. It has a population of 4,000 to 5,000 birds. Due to animal hunting, food shortages, and other potential predators of penguins, the population has not been growing well.

As far as possible, veterinarians and animal hospitals have been involved in ensuring the penguins' well-being. While waiting for the Wildlife Hospital to open in January 2018, wounded yellow-eyed penguins found by Penguin Place, which has been in operation since the 1990s, were being monitored for their survival. Considering there are only 265 breeding pairs, the population is expected to grow at a very slow rate.

Jason van Zanten, conservation manager at Penguin Place, told the BBC that if Penguin Place didn't exist, the population would be functionally extinct. Yet as the world's first conservation reserve financed only via tourist revenue, Penguin Place was severely harmed during the government's COVID-19 policies.

The reserve is currently left with barely enough cash reserves to make it through the next several months. Penguin Place wants people to return with the return of warmer weather, or it will have to close its doors and leave the penguins to their own devices.

Also read: Dinosaurs Were Already Dying Off Due to Climate Change Even Before Asteroid Hit
Coastal communities all over the world are experiencing more threats from tropical cyclones. Climate change is prompting the rise in sea levels and frequent storms which is intense.

Should a Massive Seawalls be Built?

Many coastal communities are thinking of an action to take. Should they construct enormous seawalls in an attempt to safeguard already existing infrastructure? Do they lose hope in their current coastal spot and retreat inland? Or is there any other way?

In America, the US Army Corps of Engineers suggested the construction of a 20-foot high massive seawall so as to protect Miami which is the third most densely populated metropolis on the US east coast.

The proposal of about US$6 billion is unconfirmed and not less than five years off, but it is certain to be among other proposals in years to come, in order to safeguard coastal communities from storms. But building seawalls are expensive, needs continual maintenance and provides limited protection.

Put China, which already possesses a large number of seawalls that were constructed for storm protection into consideration. A 2019 study carried out an analysis on the impact of 127 storms on the country between 1989 and 2016.

Also Read: Powerful Thunderstorms in the Mid-West Can Cause Winds as Strong as Category 2 Hurricane, Forecasters Warn

Coastal Wetlands

Coastal wetlands produce more good results effective in preventing storm damages without costing so much money. Also, coastal wetlands provided many other ecosystem services that seawalls are not capable of providing.

By absorbing the energy from the storm in ways that even solid land or open water can't, they decrease the catastrophic effects of tropical cyclones on coastal communities.

The mechanisms concerned include reducing the region of open water (fetch) for the wind to develop waves, boosting drag on water movement and consequently, the storm surge's amplitude, decreasing direct wind effects on surface of the water, and taking in wave energy directly.

Wetland vegetation adds to this by reducing surges and waves and maintaining surface water depths having a similar effect. By taking in floodwaters prompted by rain and lessening their effects on built-up areas, wetlands can decrease flood damages.

The New Study

In 2008 a team of scientists made a rough calculation and it was discovered that coastal wetlands in the US provided storm protection services worth US$23 billion anually.

The new study estimated that US$450 billion annually is the global value of coastal wetlands to storm protection services - calculated at the value of 2015 - with 4,600 lives saved yearly.

To make this estimation, the researchers made use of the records of over 1,000 tropical cyclones since 1902 that led to property destruction and/or deaths in 71 countries.

This study made good use of better storm tracking, damage-assessment databases, and better global land-use mapping, together with more developed computational capabilities to model the connection between coastal wetlands and prevent destruction and deaths from tropical cyclones.

Related Article:Storm Surge Maps to be Produced to Warn of Potentially Deadly Floods

For more news, updtaes about storm protection and similar topics don't forget to follow Nature World News!
The Caldor Fire raged without containment through the forested areas of El Dorado County on Tuesday, destroying a school, a church and other numerous structures. Unfortunately, strong winds just helped the fire spread through areas of the Eldorado National Forest. By early Wednesday, the fire was reported at 53,772 acres.

Caldor Fire Remains Uncontainable

Mandatory evacuations orders were issued by the El Dorado County Sheriff. Roadways in the region were clogged with traffic as Residents Fled. An emergency order on Tuesday night, demanded the closing of the National Forest because of extreme fire behavior. The National Forest's closure will be effective until Sept. 30, 2021.

People are now prohibited from going into or being on National Forest System lands in the Eldorado National Forest. Violaters will face a fine of $5,000 to $10,000 per person.

Climate change has been rough for the western U.S., resulting to more destructive wildfires, according to scientists. "Firefighters say the Caldor Fire fire has grown so quickly they've had a hard time even keeping their maps updated with the perimeter," KTVU reported.

"It's very scary," said Neil Lareau, a professor of atmospheric sciences in the department of physics at the University of Nevada at Reno who studies wildfire-generated weather. "We have the worst mix of things you could put together for fires, which is a combination of dry vegetation, strong, shifting winds and an atmosphere conducive to these deep smoke plumes."

By 5:05 p.m., Cal Fire said that the fire has already burned 30,000 acres and is 0% percent contained. Areas such as Pollock Pines, East of Sly Park Road, Grizzly Flats/Somerset and Happy Valley, were under mandatory evacuation orders.

Also read: Amid Global Warming, Forest Trees Help Cools the Planet by Generating Clouds

Witnesses of Caldor Fire

Will Berndt, a 72-year-old general contractor, said that he saw smoke plumes as they drifted toward his house on a hill. He was with his cat, Marly, when he said his house was safe, however another house he had been working on "for a long time" for a client had been destroyed.

"I live up on that ridge so our house is not affected right now, but most of our friends and neighbors, the church in Grizzly are gone. I had a big project in Grizzly, I'm a contractor, but the house blew up. It's gone. I spent a lot of time on that house, and they haven't paid me yet, so..."

"That's my life, that's my whole life," he said.

Berndt said he built the house himself more than 40 years ago, and he was frustrated by that U.S. Forest Service helicopters did not put out the fire while it was still small enough.

"We have talked about it, we've been up here for 43 years and we had talked about, so, what if the mountain burns, what are we gonna do?" said Berndt. "It's like, well, you just grab what you can and get out of here. It's one of those thoughts that, you see it on TV, you see other communities have to deal with it, and you go, 'Well, that sucks.' But you never think that, you know, we're gonna be in the path of a stinking firestorm." he added.

The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning in place across a wide swath of interior Northern California and the Sierra Nevada foothills, in effect from 5 p.m. Tuesday to 8 p.m. Wednesday due to gusts that could reach 35 mph.

Experts predict aggresive fire growth to come, because of the gusty winds, unless there is an inversion produced by the smoke.

Also read: By 2030, 3 Million Homes Could Be Using Low-Carbon Hydrogen for Heat
Wildfires have been raging over Siberia's taiga woodland since early April. The Republic of Sakha in northern Russia was the most impacted. On July 5, the area, also known as Yakutia, had 250 fires raging across 2,210 kilometers of land.

According to the Siberian Times, residents of Yakutsk, Sakha's capital, were breathing in smoke from over 300 different wildfires by mid-July.

Siberian wildfires have released more carbon dioxide in the last two and a half months than the world's sixth most polluting countries do in a year.

Total Carbon Emission, So Far

According to estimates from the European Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS), the wildfires have created 800 megatons of carbon dioxide since the beginning of June, nearly matching last year's record.

The flames surpassed Germany's yearly carbon dioxide emissions in only two and a half months, making it Europe's most polluting country. Germany is the world's sixth-worst polluter, according to Climate Trade.

Related Article: Wildfire Smokes Reached North Pole in a Historic First, Showing How Bad the Crisis Got



Smokes Reaching the North Pole

Satellites are monitoring the flames as they burn across the subpolar forest in Russia's sparsely populated northeast. They caught how the massive cloud of smoke from the fires extended to the North Pole and reached the Alaskan shore last week, measuring over 4,000 miles (6,437 kilometers).

In an email to Space.com, Mark Parrington, senior scientist at CAMS, said, "Transport of smoke over the Arctic Ocean isn't in itself something uncommon." "However, the exceptional magnitude and persistence of the number of fires and amount of smoke they have been creating this summer are reflected in the high values of various smoke components, aerosols, and carbon monoxide, reaching the North Pole and then on to North America."

CAMS anticipates that part of the plume's pollution will settle in the Arctic Circle, worsening the melting of ice sheets. Although it's difficult to see the soot in satellite photos, Parrington claims CAMS computer simulations show that some of the soot particles are "raining" on the fragile sea ice.

"The albedo [reflectiveness] of white sea ice will be altered by the deposition of dark-colored aerosol particles, lowering the ice's capacity to reflect solar energy rather than absorb it, speeding melting," Parrington said.

Similar Issues Around the World

Similar issues are being caused by wildfires blazing across North America. According to CAMS models, particles from wildfires in the western United States and Canada are expected to settle in Greenland.

In 2020, Siberia witnessed a record-setting fire season, with several flames breaking out inside the Arctic Circle. However, the CAMS statistics, which date back to 2003, show a downward trend.

Wildfires Hitting the Environment Worst than the Pandemic

When a group of scientists looked at events that might impact the world's climate in 2020, they made sure to include pandemic-related emissions reductions, which resulted in cleaner skies above many cities.

The devastating bushfires that raced through Australia in late 2019 and early 2020, producing plumes of smoke that reached the stratosphere and circled most of the southern hemisphere, had a more direct impact on global climate, according to their results.

"The primary climatic force of 2020 was not COVID-19 at all," said John Fasullo, a scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research and principal author of the new study (NCAR). "It was the Australian bushfires erupting," says the narrator.

Also Read: It Turns Out Wildfires Rather than the Pandemic Left the Biggest Environmental Impact in 2020

For more climate and weather updates, don't forget to follow Nature World News!
Tropical Storm Fred caused devastating floods and tornadoes. On Tuesday, the storm stopped down highways, required water rescues, and wreaked havoc on houses across the Southeast.

Several highways were blocked, and homes were threatened in western North Carolina due to mudslides and floods on Tuesday afternoon and evening.

Workers worked to clear up mud and other debris that swept over Interstate 40 west in Haywood County, west of Asheville. According to the state Department of Transportation, some westbound lanes of the highway were blocked at exit 37.

In the Haywood County community of Canton, a rock retaining wall crumbled into a road.

Immediate Respond

Local authorities immediately dispatched a water team and additional staff from the Asheville Fire Department to the region to assist with water rescues and landslides.

At about 5 p.m., Haywood County Emergency Services issued a warning that the Pigeon River was overflowing its banks.

According to a follow-up, those who require refuge and can drive should go to the county's health and human services facility.

Related Article: Storm Anxiety: How to Handle Extreme Weather Phobias During Hurricane Season

Rushing Rapids

The Nantahala Gorge west of Bryson City was also blocked due to landslides, according to the DOT.

In North Carolina, Evan Fisher, a college student working at the state's climate office, saw the Broad River rise Tuesday evening. The roaring waves of the river, he said, were lapping at the foundations of several dwellings.

According to Sumter County Emergency Management Director Nigel Poole, a tornado near Americus, Georgia, destroyed an estimated 100 houses early Tuesday morning.

"We're looking at everything from small damage to destruction," says the investigator, "Poole told weather.com over the phone. "There's a lot to choose from."

Damages



The majority, if not all, of the damage, according to Poole, was caused by felled trees. The county shared photos to Facebook showing swathes of trees that had been flattened.

Roads were obstructed by trees and toppled power lines, but there were no early reports of injuries or deaths. Americus is roughly 130 miles south of Atlanta in southern Georgia.

Continued Heavy Rain

Heavy rain poured on the metro Atlanta region Tuesday morning as Fred moved northward, flooding numerous roads and even a few of the city's interstate lanes.

According to WSB-TV, whole lanes of interstates 85 and 285 in Atlanta were blocked due to standing water as the flooding increased.

According to PowerOutage.us, more than 27,000 homes and businesses in Florida and Georgia were without power Tuesday morning, but that figure had decreased to fewer than 20,000 by the afternoon. As of 4 p.m. EDT, more than 15,000 outages had been recorded in North Carolina, most of which were in the state's western section.

Strong Winds

With sustained winds of 65 mph, Fred made landfall at Cape San Blas, Florida, around 2:15 p.m. CDT. Following Claudette, Danny, and Elsa, it was the fourth storm to make landfall in the United States this season.

The hurricane has been responsible for one death in Florida. According to WMBB-TV, a 51-year-old Nevada man died when his car hydroplaned on floods and crashed near State Road 22 on Monday night.

On Monday evening, flooding shut down numerous highways in Panama City, Lynn Haven, and Southport.

Bay District Schools, Gulf County Schools, and Washington County Schools in Florida have all stated that they would be closed on Tuesday. In addition, several Georgia and Alabama school districts have also canceled classes on Tuesday.

Declaring a State of Emergency

A state of emergency was issued in 23 Florida counties days before Tropical Depression Fred made landfall. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for the counties of Bay, Calhoun, Citrus, Dixie, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Manatee, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Taylor, Wakulla, Walton, and Washington on Friday evening.

A state of emergency has also been issued in Transylvania County, North Carolina, ahead of the storm's predicted impact.

Also Read: Powerful Thunderstorms in the Mid-West Can Cause Winds as Strong as Category 2 Hurricane, Forecasters Warn

For more climate and weather updates, don't forget to follow Nature World News!
President Joe Biden takes a question from a member of the media before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, July 7, 2021, for a short trip to Andrews Air Force Base, Md, and then on to Illinois.
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NEW CANAAN  In a climate where discussions about critical race theory have been heating up around public schools in the area, St. Lukes, a private, secular school in town, is not immune to the conversation, according to Head of School Mark Davis.

Davis shared similar sentiments as New Canaan Public Schools Superintendent Bryan Luizzi, who has said critical race theory is not part of the curriculum in the district.

St. Lukes does not teach critical race theory, which unfortunately is a concept mostly misunderstood by the public, but we have not been immune to the issues facing schools around the country, including differing views on what should be taught in school, Davis said.

CRT is a controversial academic framework through which to view systems of racism and oppression in America. Even though it is generally considered a college-level theory, not taught as part of K-12 curriculum, the term is used by some conservatives to refer to certain school programs that encourage inclusion, diversity and equity.

Those who say they are opposed to CRT in schools argue that education about racism can make their children feel ashamed.

Politics, race, religion and gender are all complex topics and can be emotionally charged. Fortunately for us, we have had many years of experience actively practicing difficult conversations and focusing on civil discourse within our community, Davis said. This does not make it easy  not by any stretch  but we have learned the immense value of listening respectfully to one another.

Davis said the school has been having ongoing dialogues with alumni, students and parents who are both progressives and conservatives who have told us we can do better at creating an inclusive community where everyone feels they can express their opinions and values. St. Lukes student body is comprised of 19 percent students of color.

Even though this is never easy to receive, Davis said it is harder to do better if they dont speak up, so were grateful.

The St. Lukes website states: Exceptional leaders understand the essential value of diversity and inclusion. ... St. Lukes strives to deepen students understanding of differences in race, ethnicity, gender, ability, religion, sexual orientation, age and socioeconomic status.

The topic of how race is taught in schools has come to the forefront in recent months in several Connecticut communities, including New Canaan, Greenwich and Guilford.

In New Canaan, Republicans did not endorse several of their partys school board incumbent members, including Chairman Katrina Parkhill and Secretary Jennifer Richardson, during the caucus earlier this summer. The newcomers ran on a platform focused on increasing transparency and seeking more input on what is taught in New Canaan classrooms.

While its unclear how big a role CRT played in the results, challenger Philip Hogan  who ultimately gained an endorsement  warned during a debate leading up to the caucus that local families should know critical race theory is coming to their schools.

Hogan said he wants to have eyes and ears on the people who create the curriculum for New Canaan schools, and wants curriculum that projects New Canaan values.

Critical race theory was on the ballot, Town Council Chairman John Engel said soon after the caucus. He expects changes in the school governance, including on such issues as where to draw the line between where does the schools role stop and parenting begin.

When asked if there had been discussions of incorporating CRT into the curriculum at St. Aloysius School in New Canaan, Head of School Michael Marasco said he just assumed this position on July 1 and he is still getting the lay of the land.

However, I can say with confidence, that when the graduates leave the school they are looking at others based on the content of their character, not the color of their skin, Marasco said.

We dont have all the answers, Davis said. But its heartening that thus far we continue to work and grow together.
New Castle, PA (16103)

Today

Rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers in the afternoon. High 72F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Some clouds early will give way to generally clear conditions overnight. Low 52F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.


Climate justice pilgrims walk across Norfolk Climate justice pilgrims walk across Norfolk

A nine-day relay focusing on climate justice heading from Great Yarmouth to King's Lynn is underway organised by local Christians and Quakers.

This multi-faith pilgrimage is a local expression of the larger national Young Christian Climate Network pilgrimage from Truro to Glasgow, where the COP26 climate summit will take place in November. It aims to unite local voices to express their urgent concern that COP26 produces realistic commitments to the radical changes needed to save the planet from ecological disaster.



The Rt Revd Graham Usher, Bishop of Norwich, who is himself an ecologist and was appointed lead bishop on the environment by the Archbishop of Canterbury in June 2021 has encouraged the relay and particularly advocates the engagement of young people saying: It is incredible that young people have been inspired to organise a relay from the G7 meeting in Cornwall to Novembers COP26 in Glasgow. We need to hear their prophetic voices and enable them to convert the Church and society as a whole to engage much more with climate change. This tributary of the main Youth Climate Change Network pilgrimage offers a great opportunity for young Christians from across Norfolk and Waveney to call for the crucial action needed to act on climate change. God bless them on their journey to bring change.



The relay started from Great Yarmouth on Saturday 21 August and following the Cross-Norfolk Trail, and yesterday (Tuesday August 24) passed through Norwich, before arriving in Kings Lynn on Sunday 29 August.



With coastal erosion, rising sea levels and sea pollution posing some of the greatest climate and ecological threats to Norfolk, a discarded bottle filled with sea water at Great Yarmouth will be carried as a symbolic baton across the county and, after meandering its way through churches and rest places along the entire Norfolk route, will be passed on at Kings Lynn to another relay group in the next county.



Peter Belton, Quaker representative on the organising team, explains what the pilgrimage relay hopes to achieve: With this years UN climate talks being hosted by our government, this is a key moment for people across the UK to come together and call for the radical action needed to prevent ecological disaster and mass suffering. We hope that this pilgrimage will demonstrate the strength of feeling in our communities and pressure the UK and other governments to make realistic commitments at COP26.



Participation by individuals, faith groups, accompanied young people, and families is actively encouraged; taking part in as much or little of the pilgrimage as they like.

All are welcome to be involved by:

Supporting pilgrims as they gather at 9.30am to depart from Great Yarmouths Britannia Pier at 10.00am on Saturday 21 August, from outside St Peter Mancroft opposite the Forum in Norwich at 10am on Tuesday 24 August or at the conclusion at Kings Staithe at 3pm on Sunday 29 August;

as they gather at 9.30am to depart from Great Yarmouths Britannia Pier at 10.00am on Saturday 21 August, from outside St Peter Mancroft opposite the Forum in Norwich at 10am on Tuesday 24 August or at the conclusion at Kings Staithe at 3pm on Sunday 29 August; walking part or all the route with the group;

part or all the route with the group; writing a prayer and leaving it at one of the waystation churches or Quaker meeting houses to be carried by the pilgrims to Kings Lynn;

and leaving it at one of the waystation churches or Quaker meeting houses to be carried by the pilgrims to Kings Lynn; writing and posting a letter to the Prime Minister and other MPs or leaving it at one of the waystations, to be posted together with others from Kings Lynn.

Revd David Longe, Rector of the Matlaske Benefice and Chair of the Diocesan Environmental Working Group says: Our hope is that through participating in this pilgrimage (whether through walking it, writing letters, or praying) that we are all led to care for God's creation. Engaging in this route will, I pray, deepen people's awareness that we are not isolated from creation but through our ignorance threaten our beautiful single island planet that God formed. This we must now urgently respond to.



To get involved, or find out more, visit www.multifaithpilgrimage.org or contact COP26relay@gmail.com.



Pictured above: The #COP26 pilgrims set off from Norwich on Tuesday morning, with a blessing from the Archdeacon outside St Peter Mancroft and The Forum, Norwich on the next leg of the relay.

Helen Baldry, 26/08/2021
Newburyport, MA (01950)

Today

Cloudy in the morning, then off and on rain showers during the afternoon hours. High around 75F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%..

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Rain. Potential for heavy rainfall. Low 59F. Winds NNE at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 2 to 3 inches of rain expected.
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RALEIGH, N.C. (AP)  Authorities combing areas of North Carolina flooded by the remnants of Tropical Storm Fred said Thursday that two people have been found dead and about 20 were unaccounted for.

Meanwhile, Fred  now a post-tropical cyclone  was pushing through New York and New England with drenching rains, and Tropical Storm Henri was sending dangerous waves onto East Coast beaches. Forecasters said Henri will likely strengthen into a hurricane as it approaches the northeastern U.S. early next week.

In western North Carolina, Haywood County Emergency Services announced Thursday that two people were confirmed dead after the flooding that prompted dozens of water rescues. Their identities were not immediately released. Around 20 people remained missing. The storm that blew through the area Tuesday made roads impassible, washed out bridges and swamped homes and businesses.

Another Fred-related death was reported earlier in the week in Florida, where a driver hydroplaned and flipped his car into a flooded ditch.

More than 200 people searched flooded areas along the Pigeon River. At least 10 bridges were damaged or destroyed in the Cruso community, where engineering teams worked to construct temporary bridges to allow people in and out of their homes.

"Our search crews are actively working, searching for more victims and more survivors, Travis Donaldson, emergency services director for Haywood County, said at a news conference.

Kevin Sandefur, CEO and founder of BearWaters Brewing Company in Canton, told reporters the flooding wiped out an outdoor seating section the brewery added to make customers feel safer during the pandemic.

It was very frightening. I was more concerned for everybodys safety," he said. My partner was the last one out of the building and barely made it out of here in his truck before they closed the bridges and the streets because it was up that high. Its very scary how quickly it came up and overwhelmed us.

An emergency shelter at a nearby high school housed 11 people Thursday.

North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper surveyed flood damage Thursday afternoon, vowing afterward to help the area rebuild and noting: "Storms are more ferocious than they were before. Climate change has contributed to that. Republican U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis toured the area earlier in the day.

Farther north, about 10 families evacuated their homes in the rural town of Western in central New York as waters rose.

Ive got three roads that are closed and 15 that have flooding, said Western town Supervisor Diane Butler, who noted the town is still recovering from a tornado last month that downed trees and damaged homes.

Butler said there were no injuries.

Officials from the Cayuga County sheriffs office in the Finger Lakes tourist region said they were barricading roads as they warned on social media that flooded roads may be washed out or have heavy currents.

Strong winds brought down trees, utility poles and power lines in northeastern Connecticut. Thompson, Connecticut First Selectman Amy St. Onge, the towns top elected official, said authorities were investigating reports of a possible tornado in the area around 10 a.m. No injuries were reported.

As of late Thursday morning, Fred was blowing through upstate New York with maximum sustained winds of about 25 mph (34 kph), according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. Forecasters said it was expected to produce between 1 and 3 inches of rain (2.5-7.6 centimeters) across New York and New England, with isolated spots getting more. The flood threat was expected to diminish by Friday. Its center was about 50 miles (75 kilometers) west-northwest of Albany.

Swirling in the Atlantic was Tropical Storm Henri, which is expected to become a hurricane offshore late Friday along a path that will likely take it parallel to the East Coast. Its center was forecast to approach southern New England by Monday.

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Follow Anderson on Twitter at https://twitter.com/BryanRAnderson.

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Anderson is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP)  As a Taliban offensive encircles the Afghan capital, there's increasingly only one way out for those fleeing the war, and only one way in for U.S. troops sent to protect American diplomats still on the ground: Kabul's international airport.

A steady stream of people makes its way first to ticket sale counters set up on the parking lot outside the terminal. They push their luggage, load carts with carpets, television sets and mementos, stuff clothes inside purses to make their weight limit as they slowly inch forward.

The lucky ones, those who managed to get a ticket for a flight out to anywhere, then wait more than three hours to make it inside the terminal, bidding tearful goodbyes to loved ones they are leaving behind.

As the Taliban draw closer, the lines and the panic only grow.

I packed whatever I could to start a new life away from this war," said Naweed Azimi, who flew to Istanbul with his wife and five children, fearful the Taliban would kill him for working with NATO as a subcontractor.

Kabul International Airport  formally known as Hamid Karzai International Airport, after the country's first president following the U.S.-led overthrow of the Taliban in 2001  sits just northeast of the city. Its single runway is long enough to accommodate military aircraft; the airfield as a whole can accommodate over 100 planes on the ground.

Surrounded by perimeter fencing and secured by multiple checkpoints, the airport is in sight of the mountains ringing the Afghan capital. Those flying out have for years had to trudge with their luggage up to outdoor screening points before getting to the terminal  a precaution meant to prevent insurgent suicide bombings.

On an ordinary day, the terminal would be filled with Afghans in business suits and traditional dress, mingling with tattooed military contractors sporting wraparound sunglasses and aid workers from all corners of the world.

That sedate crowd has been replaced with panicked travelers scrambling to leave Kabul. Afghan airlines Ariana and Kam Air have every seat booked for at least the next week, airport workers said. Those with a plane ticket in hand also have to get a coronavirus test at a clinic amid the pandemic in order to leave.

I had never see such a rush at the airport before, said Farid Ahmad Younusi, an Afghan businessman who said he abandoned a contracting firm worth $1 million and fled Kandahar with the Taliban trying to find him. Now Taliban have everything that I worked for over the past 20 years.

The airport rush is only expected to get worse  and even more complicated.

Afghan security forces, who maintain bases at the airfield, were joined this week by some of the 3,000 American Marine and Army troops whose mission is to evacuate staff from the U.S. Embassy in Kabul. The Biden administration has not ruled out a full embassy evacuation. As of Thursday, there were roughly 4,200 staffers at the embassy, but most of those are Afghan nationals, according to the State Department.

"This is a specific, narrowly focused, tailored mission to help with the safe, secure movement of the reduction of civilian personnel in Kabul, as well as to help support the acceleration of the special immigrant visa process by the State Department, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said Friday. Those visas are for Afghans who once worked for the U.S. government and feel threatened by the Taliban.

With the Taliban nearing Kabul's doorstep, Afghans and U.S. personnel can't count on driving out of the country. The Taliban on Saturday tightened their grip around Kabul by capturing all of Logar province, reaching just 11 kilometers (7 miles) south of the capital, Kabul.

Those at the airport on Friday night described paying $375 and more for rides from the northern city of Kunduz on unpaved roads to avoid Taliban checkpoints, a trip that typically costs around $40.

The cars don't even take a break, said Yousuf Baghban as he waited for his flight out. "If you stop, you are gone.

Having abandoned Bagram Air Base  which served as the American military's main hub in Afghanistan  ahead of the final U.S. pullout at the end of the month, the U.S. military will now have to rely on flying people out of the Kabul airport.

We will be able to move thousands per day but thats just the airlift capacity, Kirby said.

There may also be the need to move the operations of the U.S. Embassy to the airport as well, if the Taliban push into Kabul and begin battling for control of the city, though State Department spokesman Ned Price repeatedly declined to discuss that possibility. The Kabul airport also has Turkish troops guarding the facility.

The airports history mirrors that of the country's troubled modern times. Soviet engineers built the airport in 1960 as a gift while America offered its own help developing Afghanistan's airfields during the Cold War. After the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the airport became a key military base for Moscow. It suffered damage during the intra-Afghan war that followed and became a target for airstrikes in the U.S.-led invasion in 2001.

The West gave tens of millions of dollars to rebuild the airport and clear it of mines and unexploded bombs. Japanese donations bought metal detectors and helped build the airport's new international terminal.

For now, commercial flights continue at the airport. Air India, Dubai-based carriers Emirates and FlyDubai, Pakistan International Airlines and Turkish Airlines all either have flights en route or planned to Kabul for the next days. Local Afghan airlines continue to fly as well.

But passengers worry that at any moment the Taliban could come, closing the country's airspace.

On Friday night, passengers pushed through security checkpoints, lines and more checks to board a Kam Air flight to Istanbul. One traveler, Tawfiq Beg, said the Taliban killed his uncle, a militia commander, three weeks ago. Beg's father sold some of the family's land  at half its value  to be able to afford his ticket out.

Maybe this was the final goodbye, Beg said.

___

Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
HONOLULU (AP)  A Hawaii judge on Wednesday rejected murder and attempted murder charges against three Honolulu police officers in the fatal shooting of a teenager, preventing the case from going to trial.

District Court Judge William Domingo, in a ruling from the bench, said there was no probable cause that the officers committed the crimes they were accused of.

He noted the teenager, 16-year-old Iremamber Sykap, led the officers on a high-speed chase immediately before the April 5 shooting, refusing commands to stop. He said the incident only ended after Sykap was shot and the car fell into a canal.

Honolulu prosecutors filed charges against the three officers after a grand jury decided not to indict them, arguing a trial should be held regardless. Its the first time in more than 40 years that a Honolulu police officer has been charged in a fatal shooting.

Officer Geoffrey Thom was charged with murder. Prosecutors said he fired 10 rounds at Sykap through the rear window of the car after it stopped at an intersection. Officers Zackary Ah Nee and Fredeluces, who also opened fire, were charged with second-degree attempted murder.

If there was no pursuit in the beginning, and there were just people in the car and officers just came up and started shooting from behind without any type of provocation  but thats not what we have here, Domingo said.

The officers silently hugged their attorneys and supporters after Domingo spoke. A few supporters of the officers gasped in delight in courtroom, where spectators were required to sit 6 feet (1.8 meters) apart to observe pandemic social distancing guidelines.

The shots were fired after Sykap he weaved in and out of traffic while traveling up to 80 mph (130 kph) as he led police on a high-speed chase along highways and city streets. His brother was injured in the shooting.

The car came to a stop after being surrounded by police vehicles on a city street. The officers stood near the car, ordering the occupants to get out.

The reasonable person would think, well, you know, is it over? And its not over at that point, Domingo said. The judge said the car started moving again, putting the officers in danger, and that's when Thom fired his weapon.

Police say the Honda was stolen and linked to an escalating series of crimes in the days prior, including a purse snatching, a burglary and an armed robbery.

Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Christopher Van Marter had argued in court that the officers weren't in danger at the time of the shooting. He said Thom displayed a breakdown in judgement, restraint and discipline in that there was no reason for him to start blasting 10 rounds into that car.

Were talking about taking a persons life with a gun. A government employee. Hes supposed to be disciplined, exercise restraint, only do something if necessary, Van Marter said.

Domingo's ruling came after a preliminary hearing held to determine whether there was probable cause for the charges.

Malcolm Lutu, the president of State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers, said in a statement that the police union was pleased that the legal system ruled in favor of the officers for a second time.

Today isnt a day of celebration, rather, it proves that the officers decision making was justified. It does not take away from the tragedy of what happened and the impact that it has on many families, he said.

The Honolulu prosecutor's office said it was very disappointed by the ruling. It said Prosecutor Steve Alm would hold a news conference on Monday to discuss the case.

Last month, a police evidence specialist testified that a pellet gun that looked like a firearm was found in the car Sykap was driving. Police said they also found two magazines, one with real ammunition and one that was empty. But they did not find real firearms in the car.

Police also testified that officers found a backpack several blocks away from the shooting that came from a suspect who fled the vehicle. The backpack contained an inoperable blank-firing revolver, which is similar to devices used as movie props or at track-and-field events.

Honolulus chief medical examiner testified that Sykap was hit by eight shots, including one to the back of the head and a fatal wound in the upper back, which tore his aorta. The medical examiner said toxicology results showed methamphetamine in Sykaps blood.

The case comes a year after nationwide protests over racial injustice and police brutality in other parts of the U.S. Some in the Micronesian community say Sykaps shooting highlights the racism they face in Hawaii.

Sykap was born in Guam, a U.S. territory, to parents who were from Chuuk in the Federated States of Micronesia.

___

This story has been corrected to show the judge ruled Wednesday, not Tuesday.
Slightly more than half of US workers favor Covid-19 vaccine mandates in their workplaces, new polling finds, although far fewer have seen such requirements implemented by their employers.

A 55% majority of Americans who are employed full-time, part-time or are self-employed say they'd support their employer requiring all employees to be vaccinated against Covid-19, while 44% are opposed, according to an Axios/Ipsos survey released this week.

That's in line with a Gallup survey, conducted last month and released Wednesday, in which 52% of US adults employed full- or part-time say they'd favor their employer requiring all employees to receive the Covid-19 vaccination unless they have a medical exemption. Another 38% are opposed, with the remaining people saying they're neutral on the question.

Employees' support for a workplace vaccine mandate rose 6 points between May and July, Gallup finds, while the level of opposition remained largely stable. For many, those opinions are deeply held: in the latest poll, 65% of workers said they felt strongly one way or the other.

And in a third survey, from the Kaiser Family Foundation, 51% of all Americans say more broadly that the federal government should recommend that employers require their employees to get the Covid-19 vaccine unless they have a medical exception, with 45% opposed.

Far more workers favor a workplace vaccine mandate than are actually subject to one. Just 9% of workers in the Gallup survey said their employers were requiring them to get vaccinated, although another 62% said they were being encouraged to get the shot. In the Axios/Ipsos poll, 16% of employees said they'd personally experienced an employer issuing a vaccine requirement.

A growing number of major companies are instituting or exploring vaccine mandates amid the Delta variant's continued spread through the US. The move goes beyond the workplace -- some universities have announced similar requirements for students, and some private venues are instituting proof-of-vaccination requirements for patrons. This month, both New York City and San Francisco announced policies requiring proof of vaccination for certain indoor activities.

The polling on these different forms of requirements is similarly variable, suggesting that public opinion on the topic is likely to vary depending on the particulars of an individual mandate. Quinnipiac polling released this month, for instance, opinions ranged from 60% backing for a vaccine mandate for health care workers to just 37% for a proof-of-vaccination requirement for restaurant customers.

Still, for the most part, support for vaccine requirements have tended to hit the 50% mark or higher even for government regulations. In a recent Fox News survey, voters said, 50% to 46%, that they favored cities and towns implementing proof-of-vaccination requirements for both workers and customers taking part in indoor activities such as going to restaurants, gyms and performances.

The-CNN-Wire

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Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

A shower is possible early. Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. Low 64F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

A shower is possible early. Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. Low 64F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph.
Shamar Betts, 20, of Urbana is shown July 8, 2021, at the Champaign County Courthouse in Urbana at his sentencing on state charges for burglary in during a May 31, 2020, riot in north Champaign. On Aug. 19, 2021, he was sentenced in federal court to four years in prison and ordered to pay about $1.5 million in restitution for inciting the riot.
Reporter

Mary Schenk is a reporter covering police, courts and breaking news at The News-Gazette. Her email is mschenk@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@schenk).
Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low 63F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low 63F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
To date, the global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination campaigns have allowed for more than 3 billion doses of the various approved vaccinations to be administered around the world. This figure equates to 40 doses for every 100 people, thus demonstrating the speed at which vaccines are being administered.

Despite these efforts, scientists caution that although vaccinations are essential to combat the current pandemic, they will not provide an instant solution. Some of the challenges that remain include vaccine breakthrough cases that are linked with emerging variants, as well as the limitations associated with the level of immunity provided by current vaccines.

Image Credit: Studio Peace / Shutterstock.com

Defining vaccine breakthrough cases

A vaccine breakthrough occurs when an immunized individual contracts that disease they are vaccinated against. In the case of COVID-19, vaccine breakthroughs are defined as individuals who test positive for SARS-CoV-2 after complete vaccination.

With vaccines, breakthrough cases are expected; therefore, these events do not undermine the overall efficacy of the vaccine. Thus, vaccines remain critical for preventing the spread of illnesses, with breakthrough cases usually representing a small proportion of the population.

Importantly, there is no vaccine that offers 100% protection against contracting the given illness. With all vaccines, a small percentage of those who receive them will get sick.

While COVID-19 vaccine breakthroughs may not be completely preventable, these vaccines provide a significant level of protection against developing the disease. In fact, there is some evidence that suggests that when breakthrough infections occur, the illness is less severe as compared to infections in unvaccinated individuals.

Causes of vaccine breakthroughs

The response of one individual to a given virus often differs greatly from that of other individuals. As a result, there is limited evidence that a 100% effective vaccine is an attainable goal. Thus, until the potential of personalized medicine is fully realized, which we may be several years if not decades from now, there will always be cases of breakthrough infections.

Usually, the timing between receiving a vaccination and contracting the virus is key in terms of whether infection can truly be considered a vaccine breakthrough. Due to their method of action, vaccinations do not provide instant immunity. The body needs time to build up immunity, usually over several days or weeks.

In terms of COVID-19 vaccinations, most sources estimate that at least two weeks following complete vaccination is required for the body to build sufficient immunity against SARS-CoV-2. Therefore, a person who contracts COVD-19 during this time period is considered to have a breakthrough infection. These cases have occurred because the body has not had sufficient time to build up a strong immunity against SARS-CoV-2 and is therefore vulnerable upon exposure to the virus.

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are currently collecting data on reported COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough infections. Current estimates indicate that as the Delta strain of SARS-CoV-2 remains the dominant circulating strain, the incidence of breakthrough infections is rising.

CDC Report Shows rising Breakthrough Infections Play

SARS-CoV-2 variants and vaccine breakthroughs

Since the beginning of the pandemic, a number of SARS-CoV-2 variants have developed. Initially, vaccines were designed against the wild-type strain of SARS-CoV-2; therefore, currently approved vaccines may not offer the same level of immunity when encountering newer variants.

Data from the United Kingdom has found that just a single dose of the messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccine is only around 33% effective against the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2. This finding caused a rise in public concern given the speed at which the variant began to spread through the country. As a result, efforts to complete the immunization of their population rose exponentially.

A preprint paper published in May 2021 has revealed the efficacy of the full dose of the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 variants. To this end, two full doses of the Pfizer vaccine were 88% and 93% effective against the Delta and Kent variants, respectively, two weeks after the second dose was received. The AstraZeneca vaccine was just 60% and 66% effective against the Delta and Kent variants, respectively.

Conclusion

This reduction in efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 variants may be responsible for a proportion of COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough cases. In order to provide higher levels of immunity, there will be a need for vaccine boosters in the future or a universal vaccine that provides protection against all types of coronaviruses, rather than SARS-CoV-2 and its variants alone.

References
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV-2), is far from over. As the cases continue to rise, countries grapple with controlling the viral spread. To date, over 209 million individuals have been infected with SARS-CoV-2, with more than 17 million cases recorded worldwide over the past 28 days.

Now, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released a new travel advisory, noting four new destinations added to the Level 4 list on August 16. These include Dominica, the Island of Jersey, Montenegro, and Turkey.

Travel should be avoided to these destinations, and if travel is required, travelers should be fully vaccinated first.

Do not travel internationally until you are fully vaccinated. If you are not fully vaccinated and must travel, follow CDCs international travel recommendations for unvaccinated people, the CDC noted.

Destinations acquire COVID-19 very high level 4 status when they had more than 500 cases per 100,000 residents in the past 28 days. The level 3 category is assigned to a destination with 100 to 500 cases per 100,000 residents in the past 28 days.

Image Credit: Thanakorn.P / Shutterstock

CDCs travel advisory

The CDC advises travelers to refrain from going to other countries until they are fully vaccinated. Fully vaccinated individuals are less likely to contract and spread SARS-CoV-2. However, the risk for vaccinated people may increase during international travel, particularly when visiting COVID-19 hotspots.

Also, the CDC recommends that fully vaccinated people make sure they understand and follow all airline and destination requirements before traveling. This way, they will not face any problems during the trip. These requirements include mask-wearing, quarantine, and testing guidelines.

The health agency also advises travelers to always wear a mask over the nose and mouth during travel, particularly on public transportation such as trains, buses, and planes. In addition, after traveling, people should get tested, monitor for COVID-19 symptoms, and follow state and local recommendations after travel.

All air passengers coming to the United States, including U.S. citizens and fully vaccinated people, must have a negative COVID-19 test result no more than three days before travel or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 in the past three months before they board a flight to the United States.

If you are not fully vaccinated and must travel, take the following steps to protect yourself and others from COVID-19. First, before you travel, get tested with a viral test 1-3 days before your trip. Second, ensure you understand and follow all airline and destination requirements related to travel, testing, or quarantine, which may differ from U.S. requirements. If you do not follow your destinations requirements, you may be denied entry and required to return to the United States.

After the trip, they should get tested three to five days after travel and have self-quarantine for full seven days. The CDC also reports that some people should not travel. These include those exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, those with suspected or diagnosed COVID-19 even if they do not manifest symptoms, and have been around someone with COVID-19

People who have recovered from COVID-19 within the past three months, or are fully vaccinated, do not need to self-quarantine and can travel after an exposure unless they have symptoms of COVID-19, the CDC explains.

Meanwhile, if the results are positive and the traveler had contact with a patient in the past, a self-quarantine is needed. Self-isolation is crucial to prevent transmitting the virus to others.
The early COVID-19 vaccination campaign in the U.S. prevented nearly 140,000 deaths and 3 million cases of COVID-19 by the second week of May, according to a new study.

As a result of early vaccination efforts, the average state experienced five fewer deaths from COVID-19 per 10,000 adult residents. The study estimates the number of lives saved during the first five months of the vaccination campaign in each of the 50 states and Washington, DC.

Adjusting for population size, New York saw the largest estimated reduction, with 11.7 fewer COVID-19 deaths per 10,000 adult residents. Hawaii observed the smallest reduction, with 1.1 fewer COVID-19 deaths per 10,000 adult residents.

The study, published online by the journal Health Affairs, is one of the first to provide an assessment of the impacts of state-level vaccination campaigns to address the COVID-19 pandemic.

This study brings into focus the dramatic success of the early months of the nation's coronavirus vaccine rollout. The findings provide support for policies that further expand vaccine administration to enable a larger proportion of the nation's population to benefit." Christopher Whaley, senior author of the study and policy researcher at RAND

The coronavirus pandemic has caused enormous suffering, causing more than 4.3 million deaths worldwide and more than 600,000 in the U.S. While access to and use of vaccines has varied substantially across states and sub-populations during early stages of the vaccine campaign in the U.S., COVID-19 case numbers and deaths have fallen sharply since vaccination programs began.

Researchers from RAND and Indiana University created models to estimate the number of COVID-19 deaths that would have prevailed in the absence of vaccinations. The difference between the actual number of deaths and those estimates provides a measure of the number of COVID-19 deaths averted by the vaccination campaign.

Information about vaccine doses administered in each state came from the Bloomberg COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker, and data on COVID-19 deaths for each state came from The New York Times' Coronavirus (COVID-19) Data in the United States database. The study spanned the period of Dec. 21, 2020, to May 9, 2021.

State-level progress in vaccination varied over time. Alaska was the first to reach 20 doses per 100 adults on Jan. 29, 2021, while Alabama was the last on Feb. 21, 2021. On May 6, 2021, California was one of the first to reach 120 doses per 100 adults and many states have still not reached that milestone.

The economic value of the lives saved during the study period is estimated to be between $625 billion and $1.4 trillion. Through the end of 2020, the U.S. federal government had allocated $13 billion dollars for vaccine development and manufacturing.

"Our results suggest that further efforts to vaccinate populations globally and in a coordinated fashion will be critical to achieving greater control of the COVID-19 pandemic," said Sumedha Gupta, first author of the study and an economist at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.
Pioneering mouse study offers new therapeutic avenues for reducing visceral fat stores, which have been associated with cardiovascular disease and multiple types of cancer.

Obesity has been linked to no less than 13 cancers, including the two most prevalent (breast and colorectal), as well as to cardiovascular disease, which remains a leading cause of death worldwide.

The most harmful type of obesity is caused by the excessive accumulation of so-called "deep" fat. Contrary to fat stores located directly under the skin, deep, or "visceral", fat stores reside inside our abdominal cavity, where they envelop vital organs. In normal amounts, visceral fat supports various fundamental functions, such as reproduction. However, when it is too abundant, it produces unhealthy levels of proteins and hormones that negatively affect neighbouring tissues and organs.

Excess visceral fat is very dangerous and at the same time very difficult to eliminate. In this project, our team set out to explore the mechanisms that naturally reduce it, with the hope of uncovering potential clinical applications". Henrique Veiga-Fernandes, principal investigator and co-director, Champalimaud Research Programme, Portugal

The team's exploration proved successful. The results of the mouse study, published today (August 18th) in the journal Nature, present the first known neuro-immune process by which brain signals instruct immune function in visceral fat stores. This discovery offers several novel approaches for fighting obesity and obesity-related illness.

A deep investigation into deep fat

Visceral fat may look like a uniform yellow mass, but it's actually a complex, heterogeneous tissue. In addition to fat cells, it also contains nerve fibres and many different cell types, including immune cells. The team was particularly interested in a type of immune cell called ILC2s (Type 2 Innate Lymphoid Cells).

"ILC2s are essential for various immune functions in many tissues and organs, including maintaining the overall well-being of fat tissue. However, we didn't know which cells control ILC2s in visceral fat and what molecular messages they use to communicate", explains Ana Filipa Cardoso, the first author of the study.

Previous results from the lab revealed that in the lung, the nervous system directly controls the activity of ILC2s. The team expected to find a similar mechanism here, but instead, they discovered something completely different. "The neurons and the immune cells were not talking to each other", Cardoso recalls. "So we investigated other candidates in the tissue, finally coming across a rather unexpected 'middleman'".

Much more than an idle bystander

Remarkably, the critical mediator of neuro-immune communication in visceral fat was considered, until quite recently, to be just a bystander. "Mesenchymal cells (MSCs) have been widely ignored until about one to two decades ago", says Veiga-Fernandes. "The widespread view was that they mainly produced the scaffolding of the tissue, over which other cells would 'do the work'. However, scientists have since discovered that MSCs carry out multiple essential active roles."

Through a series of complex experiments, the researchers identified both the chain of command and the molecular messages exchanged across all steps. "It starts with neural signals onto MSCs. MSCs then send a message to ILC2s, to which ILC2s respond by ordering fat cells to rank up their fat metabolism", Cardoso crisply summarises.

"It's as though the neural and immune cells don't speak the same language, and the MSCs serve as an interpreter", Veiga-Fernandes adds. "Taken within the larger context, it does make sense. MSCs effectively make up the tissue's 'ecosystem', and so they are perfectly situated to fine-tune the activity of other cells."

It all starts with the brain

Now that the team pinned down the local fat burning circuit, they backed up the ladder, asking what drives the neural activity at the visceral fat stores in the first place.

"The nerve fibres inside visceral fat belong to what is called the peripheral nervous system. It is in charge of various physiological processes, such as regulating blood pressure", Cardoso explains. "But the peripheral nervous system is not the boss. It is driven by the central nervous system, to which the brain belongs. So we asked next 'which brain structure is at the very top of the chain of command?'"

The team pinned down a region within the hypothalamus (called PVH) as the source. This structure, situated near the base of the brain, is the control centre of a diverse set of processes ranging from metabolism to reproduction, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular functions.

"This finding is quite significant", says Veiga-Fernandes. "It's the first clear example of a cross-body neuronal circuit that translates brain information into an obesity-related immune function. It also raises many new questions. For instance, what triggers the PVH to issue the 'fat burning' command? Is it something related to behaviour, such as eating certain foods or exercising? Or is it dependent on internal metabolic signals? Or both? It's a white canvas  we don't know what it is, and it's tremendously fascinating."

New horizons in the fight against obesity

According to the team, these results provide several potential approaches for visceral-fat-burning manipulations. "The multistep axis we identified offers many access points into visceral fat metabolism. We can now start thinking about how to use this new knowledge to fight visceral obesity and hence reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer", Cardoso points out.

Veiga Fernandes adds that these efforts are already in motion. "This is something that we are currently pursuing. Not in the lab, which continues to focus on fundamental research questions, but in the context of a startup company called LiMM Therapeutics (https://www.limmtx.com/) that is based here at the Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown."

"The most challenging thing in a project like this one is that you're truly working at the frontier. This is not immunology anymore, and it's not neuroscience either. You have to master technology, methods and approaches that are cross-disciplinary or multidisciplinary. Some of them don't even exist, and you have to develop them by scratch. Yet, at the same time, the conceptual challenge is exhilarating; we are truly venturing into the unknown", Veiga-Fernandes concludes.
Just eight weeks of meditation studies can make your brain quicker, according to new research from Binghamton University, State University of New York.

Millions of people around the world seek mental clarity through meditation, most of them following or inspired by the centuries-old practices of Buddhism.

Anecdotally, those who meditate say it helps to calm their minds, recenter their thoughts and cut through the "noise" to show what really matters. Scientifically, though, showing the effects of meditation on the human brain have proved to be tricky.

A new study from Binghamton University's Thomas J. Watson College of Engineering and Applied Science tracked how practicing meditation for just a couple of months changed the brain patterns of 10 students in the University's Scholars Program.

The seed for the research came from a casual chat between Assistant Professor Weiying Dai and lecturer George Weinschenk, MA '01, PhD '07, both from the Department of Computer Science.

Weinschenk is a longtime meditation practitioner whose wife worked as an administrator at the Namgyal Monastery in Ithaca, which is the North American seat of the Dalai Lama's personal monastery.

"I developed very close friendships with several of the monks," he said. "We would hang out together, and I even received instruction from some of the Dalai Lama's teachers. I took classes there, I read a lot and I earned a three-year certificate in Buddhist studies."

Dai has studied brain mapping and biomedical image processing, and while earning her PhD at the University of Pittsburgh, she tracked Alzheimer's disease patients using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans.

"I'm interested in brain research to see how our brains are really functioning and how all different kinds of disease affect our brain," she said. "I really have zero medical training, but I pick up all this knowledge or background from reading the literature and talking with the experts."

The two faculty members had neighboring offices and shared a conversation one day about their backgrounds. Weinschenk mentioned that he had been asked to teach a semester-long class for the Scholars Program on meditation.

I told Weiying, 'Yeah, meditation really can have a transformative effect on the brain.' She was a little skeptical, especially about whether such a short amount of time spent learning how to meditate, whether that would make any difference. She suggested we might be able to quantify such a thing with modern technology." George Weinschenk

For the fall 2017 semester, Dai secured grant funding, and their collaboration began. Near the beginning of the semester, she took the participants to Cornell University for MRI scans of their brains. Weinschenk taught students how to meditate, told them to practice five times a week for 10 or 15 minutes, and asked them to keep a journal record of their practice. (The syllabus also included other lessons about the cultural transmissions of meditation and its applications for wellness.)

"Binghamton University Scholars are high achievers who want to do the things they are assigned and do well on them, so they didn't require much prompting to maintain a regular meditation routine," he said. "To guarantee objective reporting, they would relate their experiences directly to Weiying about how frequently they practiced."

The results, recently published in the journal Scientific Reports, show that meditation training led to faster switching between the brain's two general states of consciousness.

One is called the default mode network, which is active when the brain is at wakeful rest and not focused on the outside world, such as during daydreaming and mind-wandering. The other is the dorsal attention network, which engages for attention-demanding tasks.

The findings of the study demonstrate that meditation can enhance the brain connection among and within these two brain networks, indicating the effect of meditation on fast switching between the mind wandering and focusing its attention as well as maintaining attention once in the attentive state.

"Tibetans have a term for that ease of switching between states -; they call it mental pliancy, an ability that allows you to shape and mold your mind," Weinschenk said. "They also consider the goal of concentration one of the fundamental principles of self-growth."

Dai and Weinschenk are still parsing through the data taken from the 2017 MRI scans, so they have yet to test other Scholars Program students. Because Alzheimer's disease and autism could be caused by problems with the dorsal attention network, Dai is making plans for future research that could use meditation to mitigate those problems.

"I'm thinking about an elderly study, because this population was young students," she said. "I want to get a healthy elderly group, and then another group with early Alzheimer's disease or mild cognitive impairment. I want to see whether the changes in the brain from meditation can enhance cognitive performance. I'm writing the proposal and trying to attract the funds in that direction."

Though once skeptical about the subject, "I'm pretty convinced about the scientific basis of meditation after doing this study," she added. "Maybe I'll just go to George's class when he teaches it so that I can benefit, too!"
The ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is caused by the rapid spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). SARS-CoV-2, which was first reported in Wuhan, China in 2019, is a positive-sense ribonucleic acid (RNA) virus belonging to the family Coronaviridae.

Study: Secreted SARS-CoV-2 ORF8 modulates the cytokine expression profile of human macrophages. Image Credit: Yarchanka Siarhei / Shutterstock.com

ORFs of the SARS-CoV-2 genome

Scientists have explained that the RNA genome of SARS-CoV-2 is approximately 30 kilobases (kb) in size and contains 12 major ORFs. These ORFs are associated with polyprotein processing and the translation events that encode upwards regulation of 30 proteins.

ORFs are classified as replication proteins, structural proteins, and accessory proteins based on their function. The products of Orf1a/b polyprotein are involved with the replication process. The structural proteins of SARS-CoV-2, of which include the spike (S), envelope (E), membrane (M), and nucleocapsid (N) proteins, are the most important components of this virus. The expression of ORF3a, ORF6, ORF7a/b, ORF8, ORF9b/c, as well as the ORF10 region result in the production of accessory proteins.

Previous studies have reported that the accessory proteins of coronaviruses are not always essential for viral replication and that the encoding regions associated with the expression of accessory proteins are less likely to remain conserved among different viral species. Despite these observations, these proteins play an important role in immune modulation. Other important functions of these proteins are associated with virulence, pathogenesis, and host adaptation.

Role of ORFs in SARS-CoV-2 infection

Scientists have found that during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, the SARS-CoV-2 ORF8 gene was an early hotspot of mutational change. Similar to that of SARS-CoV-1, various studies have shown that large gene deletions in the ORF8 of SARS-CoV-2, as well as L84S polymorphisms, are related to changes in disease severity.

It is extremely important to understand the functions of the SARS-CoV-2 ORF8 polypeptide, as it would provide better insights into viral adaptation and pathogenesis. Previous studies have shown that even though a complete ORF8 gene was not necessary for SARS-CoV-1 replication, intact ORF8 polypeptide was found to be glycosylated and involved in the blocking of innate immune signaling. This gene is found in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER).

Bioinformatics analyses indicate the presence of cleavable signal peptide (SP) in the ORG8 of SARS-CoV-2. This result was supported by another group of researchers who observed SP-dependent secretion of ORF8 in both transfected cell culture supernatants and the serum of COVID-19 patients.

Earlier studies also indicate that this ORF8 inhibits various stages of the interferon (IFN) signaling pathway. Further, the ORF8 gene is also reported to be involved with immune evasion via direct interaction with and down-regulating major histocompatibility complex (MHC-)I molecules in various cell types. The ORF8 of SARS-CoV-2 has also been linked with the cytokine storms associated with COVID-19 as a result of its interaction with the interleukin (IL)-17 receptor.

About the study

A new study available on the preprint server bioRxiv* determined the production of the SARS-CoV-2 SP-dependent ORF8.

This study also revealed that the secreted ORF8, which is primarily a disulfide-linked dimer that is glycosylated at position 78, is an immunomodulator. In other words, ORF8 can modulate the cytokine response of human blood monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) in a manner that depends on ORF8 L84S sequence polymorphisms.

In agreement with previous reports, the authors of the current study have also reported SP-dependent secretion of wild type ORF8 FLAG construct (WT-f) and L84S ORF8. They have also successfully identified a biosynthetic pathway connected to mature glycosylation and secretion of a disulfide-linked dimer.

The researchers have also detected smaller species, which are about 11 kilodaltons (kDa) in size and of an unknown origin, that retained the C-terminal FLAG tag, thus indicating its association with an N-terminal cleavage event.

The present study revealed that an over-expression of ORF8 induces ER stress. It also showed that no major positive or negative effect on IFN secretion, response, or NF-B signaling in A549, X293T, and THP-1 cells respectively occurred as a result of OFR8 secretion.

Secreted ORF8 does not affect NF-B or IFN signalling. (A) ORF8 containing supernatants were added onto A549 cells, either alone or in combination with Poly I:C (2.5 g/ml). 24 h later supernatants from A549s were harvested and assayed for type I Interferon using HEK-Blue IFN/ cells. Type I IFN amounts were extrapolated from a standard curve and values below baseline are not plotted. Data points are from two independent experiments each done in triplicate. Bar indicates the mean. (B) An IFN  dose-response curve analysis was performed on HEK -Blue IFN / cells in the absence (IFN) or presence of control (Vec) or ORF8 (WT-f or L84S)-containing supernatants. Data are the mean  SD of three independent experiments each performed in triplicate and have been fitted with a three-parameter agonist-response curve in Graphpad Prism. All R2 values were > 0.93 and the estimated EC50 values were not significantly different (p > 0.05). (C) Control or various ORF8-containing supernatants were added to THP-1 Blue cells in the presence or absence of LPS (10 ng/ml) and NF-B response was measured using QuantiBlue. Data points from three independent experiments done in triplicate. Bars indicate the mean.

The researchers also observed that the cell type has a significant effect on the secreted ORF8 in modulating IL-6 production by human primary MDMs. However, this observation was not re-evaluated using A549 cells, which can produce IL-6.

The authors of the current study showed that secreted ORF8 can modulate cytokine secretion by MDMs, which possess immunomodulatory virokine function. They reported that ORF8 secretion altered cytokine expression from primary CSF1-derived human macrophages, by decreasing IL-6 and IL-8 secretion.

The results of this study also suggest that two common ORF8 polymorphisms in the early phase of the pandemic had different effects on the L84S variant that reduced the clinical severity of the disease.

Conclusions and future research

The mechanism by which ORF8 alters cytokine expression has yet to be determined. Since the present study did not evaluate purified ORF8 polypeptides, the possibility of ORF8 synthesis in cells stimulating the release of factors that could modify MDM function could not be excluded.

In conclusion, ORF8 sequence polymorphisms appear to significantly affect the virulence of SARS-CoV-2; therefore, these genetic changes should be monitored through sequencing-based surveillance.

*Important notice

bioRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.
The allocation of COVID-19 vaccine between countries has thus far tended toward vaccine nationalism, wherein countries stockpile vaccines to prioritize access for their citizenry over equitable vaccine sharing.

The extent of vaccine nationalism, however, may strongly impact global trajectories of COVID-19 case numbers and increase the potential emergence of novel variants, according to a Princeton University and McGill University study published Aug. 17 in the journal Science.

Certain countries such as Peru and South Africa that have had severe COVID-19 outbreaks have received few vaccines, while many doses have gone to countries experiencing comparatively milder pandemic impacts, either in terms of mortality or economic dislocation, said co-first author Caroline Wagner, an assistant professor of bioengineering at McGill University who previously served as a postdoctoral research associate in Princetons High Meadows Environmental Institute (HMEI).

As expected, we have seen large decreases in case numbers in many regions with high vaccine access, yet infections are resurging in areas with low availability, said co-first author Chadi Saad-Roy, a Princeton graduate student in ecology and evolutionary biology and the Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics.

Our goal was to explore the effects of different vaccine-sharing schemes on the global persistence of COVID-19 infections  as well as the possibility for the evolution of novel variants  using mathematical models, Saad-Roy said.

The researchers projected forward the incidence of COVID-19 cases under a range of vaccine dosing regimes, vaccination rates, and assumptions related to immune responses. They did so in two model regions: One with high access to vaccines  a high-access region (HAR)  and a low-access region (LAR). The models also allowed for the regions to be coupled either through case importation, or the evolution of a novel variant in one of the regions.

In this way, we could assess the dependence of our epidemiological projections on different immunological parameters, regional characteristics such as population size and local transmission rate, and our assumptions related to vaccine allocation, Wagner said.

Overall, the study found that increased vaccine-sharing resulted in reduced case numbers in LARs.

Because it appears that vaccines are highly effective at reducing the clinical severity of infections, the public health implications of these reductions are very significant. Michael Mina, co-author, assistant professor, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health

Senior author C. Jessica E. Metcalf, a Princeton associate professor of ecology and evolutionary biology and public affairs and associated faculty in HMEI, added: High case numbers in unvaccinated populations will likely be associated with higher numbers of hospitalizations and larger clinical burdens compared to highly vaccinated populations.

The authors also drew on a framework developed in their prior work to begin trying to quantify the potential for viral evolution under different vaccine sharing schemes. In their model, repeat infections in individuals with partial immunity  either from an earlier infection or a vaccine  may result in the evolution of novel variants.

Overall, the models predict that sustained elevated case numbers in LARs with limited vaccine availability will result in a high potential for viral evolution, said senior author Bryan Grenfell, Princetons Kathryn Briger and Sarah Fenton Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Public Affairs and an associated faculty member in HMEI.

As with our earlier work, the current study strongly underlines how important rapid, equitable global vaccine distribution is, Grenfell said. In a plausible scenario where secondary infections in individuals who have previously been infected strongly contribute to viral evolution, unequal vaccine allocation appears particularly problematic.

As the pandemic progresses, viral evolution may play an increasingly large role in sustaining transmission, said senior author Simon Levin, Princetons James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and an associated faculty member in HMEI. In particular, antigenically novel variants have the potential to threaten immunization efforts globally through several mechanisms, he said, including higher transmissibility, reduced vaccine efficacy, or immune escape.

Saad-Roy added: In this way, global vaccine coverage will reduce the clinical burden from novel variants, while also decreasing the likelihood that these variants emerge.

There are additional considerations for vaccine equity beyond epidemiological and evolutionary ones, said co-author Ezekiel Emanuel, the Diane v.S. Levy and Robert M. Levy University Professor and co-director of the Healthcare Transformation Institute at the University of Pennsylvania.

Ethics also argues against countries stockpiling vaccines or allocating doses for boosters, Emanuel said. This study strongly supports that ethical position showing that stockpiling will undermine global health.

Co-author Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust, UK, said that the timing of when vaccines are shared also is likely to be critical: In particular, sharing in parallel is what makes the greatest impact, not in sequence.
In China, HIV-related deaths are on the rise, despite years of efforts by the government to control them. In an effort to overcome this, a new study published in Chinese Medical Journal dug deep into HIV-related data of nearly 30 years. The findings provide clues and trends that can help policymakers in designing further strategies to curb HIV-related mortality in China.

In a new epidemiology-based study, researchers unveil important trends of prevalence, incidence, and mortality associated with HIV-epidemic in China. Photo courtesy: Anna Shvets from Pexels

For decades, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) have been a serious health concern globally. Despite various global initiatives to control the spread and clinical advances, including the development of anti-retroviral drugs, the epidemic remains a major public health issue.

In China, as a result of extensive efforts by the national government, HIV cases have declined; however, data have shown that an estimated 1.25 million people were still living with HIV in 2018. Moreover, in 2019, the number of people dying annually from AIDS was five times higher than from all other infectious diseases combined. Thus, to control the burden of HIV/AIDS, it is imperative to revisit the epidemiology of the disease, in order to find trends that can drive effective curbing strategies.

To this end, researchers from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, China, and the University of California, USA, have come together to study the trends of HIV/AIDS progression in the country for the past 28 years. The team conducted a detailed analysis on Global Burden of Diseases (GBD), Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2017 data, focusing on the prevalence, incidence, and mortality-related trends from 1990 to 2017. Briefly, these parameters are calculated by dividing the estimated number of cases, new infections, and deaths, respectively, by the total population and presented as per 100,000, as part of a study published recently in Chinese Medical Journal.

Senior author Prof. Zun-You Wu, corresponding author of the study, explains the common hurdles while working with such epidemiological data, For a country like China, the data included in GBD often included only the vital registration details. To retrieve other essential information necessary for analysis and take care of the biases that are integral to such data, we applied various epidemiological models and statistical methods. The result was a comprehensive picture of Chinas HIV/AIDS scenario that spanned over various demographic groups and subgroups.

These findings give us a broad picture of HIV/AIDS trends in China. From 1990 to 2017, the total number of HIV/AIDS-related deaths in China increased from 3337 to 34,800. From 1990 to 2009, the country saw a significant increase in HIV/AIDS prevalence, which then remained stable until 2017. The period from 1990 to 2005 was also marked by a similar increase in HIV incidence, which then showed a decline by 2017. However, AIDS-related death rate increased from 1990 to 2004 and, after stabilizing until 2013, rose significantly from 2013 to 2017. During the entire study period, HIV/AIDS prevalence was higher in men than in women.

The reduction of prevalence and incidence of the disease in recent years has highlighted the positive impact of various intervention strategies employed by the Chinese government. However, Prof. Wu shares his concern, Despite its achievement in battling the epidemic, China is falling short in reducing the HIV-related deaths, especially among men. This points out the need of launching effective strategies to combat the high mortality rates.

In this study, Prof. Wu and his colleagues shared important insights that can help policymakers to come up with better strategies, such as early identification and diagnosis of people living with HIV and improved treatment that includes high-quality services, monitoring, and support. Additionally, retaining patients throughout the entire treatment period and avoiding treatment drop-off can decrease the mortality rate considerably. The study also highlights need of designing strategies focused on demographically vulnerable and marginalized subgroups.

Overall, Prof. Wu is hopeful about the implications of their findings.

By intensifying the targeted efforts, in coming years China will be able to reduce AIDS-related mortality and control HIV/AIDS epidemic. Prof. Zun-You Wu, Senior Author, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention
With the delta variant surging, a growing number of employers are tiring of merely cajoling workers to get vaccinated against covid-19 and are following President Joe Biden's protocol for federal workers: Either show proof of vaccination, or mask up and get regular testing if you want to work on-site.

The federal government  the nation's largest employer  will require unvaccinated employees to wear masks while working, get regular testing and take other precautions, like maintaining physical distance from co-workers and restricting work travel. Several states, including California, Hawaii, Maryland, Virginia and Washington, also say unvaccinated state workers must get regular tests.

On Wednesday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom broadly extended such a mandate to teachers and all school employees, the first state to do so.

Those programs, with their testing alternative, differ from outright mandates to get vaccinated, as some health care organizations  including the health care workforce of the Department of Health and Human Services, hospitals and the U.S. military  are requiring.

Employers, fearing a backlash, frame the policy as a choice, with both sides of the equation seen as effective in reducing the spread of covid. Do public health experts think this approach will help?

All agreed the best solution is universal vaccination. Short of that, many said, the moves by employers will add a layer of protection  although how much remains to be seen.

Test results are "really only a snapshot in time," said Dr. Gigi Kwik Gronvall, an associate professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Even testing every day, as was the standard in the Trump White House  without other measures like masking  didn't prevent staffers from falling ill last fall.

And daily testing is cumbersome and costly.

Employers hope the hassles required to remain unvaccinated in the workplace will encourage the reluctant to just get a vaccine. "It's a forceful nudge," said Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association.

But there are challenges, too. Here's what several experts had to say:

Universal vaccination remains the gold standard

Getting all eligible people vaccinated is "the perfect way out of this whole situation," said Dr. Marcus Plescia, chief medical officer at the Association of State and Territorial Health Officers. "But, given the realities of the current situation, I think it's reasonable that employers and others who are setting up vaccine requirements offer some accommodations."

But much depends, he and others said, on how well the rules are enforced.

"If [unvaccinated] people are wearing masks all day at work, even in the break room, that alone is pretty strong," he said. "When you add in the testing, it's an alternative that is going to have some value."

Some employers, he noted, are reluctant to set such edicts because they fear losing employees, particularly in areas already suffering shortages, such as nursing homes.

This approach relies somewhat on the honor system

Some states, health care organizations and New York City say they'll require proof of vaccination  a copy of an employee's vaccination certificate or a version uploaded into an app on a person's phone. But other employers say they will allow workers to self-attest that they've had the vaccine.

"There will be some folks who fib, no doubt about that," said Dr. William Schaffner, professor of medicine in the division of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, in Nashville.

"That will raise the issue of annoyance and concern by the vaccinated people," said Schaffner. "They will say, 'Wait a minute. Charlie is here and he's not wearing a mask and we know he's not vaccinated.' People know that sort of stuff about their co-workers."

There are other consequences.

There is online traffic in buying forged vaccination cards, designed to look like the real thing from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  even though that is illegal and can lead to fines or even jail time, the FBI has warned. Employers could also discipline workers who falsely state they've been vaccinated.

As for test results, it's less clear how the honor system will apply. Some workers  especially those in health care organizations  may well be able to get their tests done in-house. Other companies may allow workers to find (and pay for) outside testing. It isn't known whether employers will allow the use of self-administered home tests. And what kind of test companies require matters, since the rapid antigen tests are not as reliable as the standard PCR versions. To complicate matters, rising demand for tests during the surge has led to long lines for both kinds of tests in some parts of the country, and results for the more accurate PCR version may take days.

Frequency of testing will vary and may not be ideal

Many of the workplace edicts  including the one for federal workers  call for weekly or twice-a-week testing. Is that enough? It's hard to give an exact answer.

Dr. Robert Wachter, professor and chair of the department of medicine at the University of California-San Francisco, prefers tests be performed twice a week, especially given the explosion of cases in many parts of the country.

"If you're only testing once a week, there will be some cases that slip through," said Wachter. "You could get tested on a Monday, infected on Tuesday and could infect someone else that Friday or Saturday."

Who's paying?

While some employers may pick up the cost, at least initially, not all will. And workers should not count on testing being fully covered by their health insurers, either. They may well have to pay out-of-pocket for employer-required tests.

"Generally, health insurance providers are covering covid tests that are taken for diagnosing or treating a patient  if they are displaying symptoms or have had contact with someone who has been diagnosed with covid," said Kristine Grow, a spokesperson for AHIP, the industry's lobbying group.

But, she noted, guidance issued last year by several federal agencies said insurers dont have to cover testing "conducted to screen for general workplace health and safety, for public health surveillance, or for any other purpose not primarily intended for diagnosis or treatment."

Bottom line: Employees could have to go through a lot of hoops to remain unvaccinated in the workplace. "That will get old very quickly for a lot of people," Schaffner said. "That will push a lot of people off the fence and onto the vaccination side."
A major crisis that accompanied the rise of the pandemic was the lack of availability of the nasopharyngeal swab-; necessary for testing for COVID-19, which in turn, was necessary to get a grip on the pandemic. An account of how one group addressed that crisis is published this week Journal of Clinical Microbiology, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology.

"We met the challenge by creating all-new swabs, which were ready and clinically tested in just three weeks," said Ramy Arnaout, M.D., D.Phil., Associate Professor of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, and Associate Director of the Clinical Microbiology Laboratories, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC).

Handling crises successfully requires a different set of skills than the everyday. Competition and secrecy are out. Cooperation and openness are in. Resolving the swab crisis was a case study in these and other valuable lessons." Ramy Arnaout, M.D., D.Phil, Associate Director, Clinical Microbiology Laboratories, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

As the first wave of COVID-19 broke out across the United States, BIDMC, which had the largest in-house COVID-19 testing center in Boston, found themselves with only a week's supply of swabs. "More manufacturing was the only lasting solution," Dr. Arnaout said. He and his colleagues began reverse engineering swabs, to determine if they could make them from scratch.

Swabs must be engineered to be neither too stiff, nor too flexible, and must be individually packaged and sterile. BIDMC needed around ten thousand a week; the country needed roughly ten million.

The first week, group members floated, shot down, resurrected, and repurposed various ideas, said Dr. Arnaout. Ultimately, the team saw two options: to find a scalable means to assemble swabs, or else to "find a way to make a stripped-down swab in a single go, without the need for assembly." 3D printing had "advantages in speed of development and in the variety of structures it can make."

Dr. Arnaout had previously demonstrated that open and collaborative crowdsourcing is a viable route to solving complex computational problems, specifically his work in computational immunology. He put this lesson to work in the COVID crisis.

"We navigated our networks, letting manufacturers know about the swab crisis and what we needed from them to solve it," said Arnaout. "We set up a free publicly viewable knowledge base online in the form of a GitHub repository-;a type of website usually used by software engineers to collaborate on coding projects-;to share everything we knew with everyone who might want to know it. This was critical for lowering the activation energy for anyone who wanted to join the effort By the end of the first week, prototypes were rolling in."

Over the course of the second week, the team tested more than 150 prototypes. "We were giving manufacturers feedback and suggestions one day and receiving new prototypes the next," Dr. Arnaout said. "We put our protocols and results online."

The team spoke often with BIDMC's Institutional Review Board, "whose help and quick feedback was indispensable for cutting through red tape," Dr. Arnaout said. "We put our IRB-approved protocol online as well." BIDMC's technology ventures office assured the team that the evaluation and feedback they were providing to manufacturers would not constitute intellectual property, thereby avoiding any haggling over ownership, which could have wasted precious time."

By the fourth week, the team had validated four prototypes for clinical use. By summer's end, "millions of the swabs our coalition helped design, vet, and mass-produce had been sold and used for COVID-19 testing" across the United States and in Europe, Dr. Arnaout wrote.

That experience suggested five lessons:

Define the mission-; "a simple, clear, and concrete unifying goal for the entire team," said Dr. Arnaout. Establish norms for behavior. At BIDMC, that took place "mostly via conversations, repetition of the main message and personal example," said Dr. Arnaout. "Conversations often began or ended with an explicit acknowledgment of the temptation to go it alone... and a reminder that we were not going to give in to such temptation." Leverage expertise. "At BIDMC, the clinical trials office handled paperwork that the investigators would have handled themselves under normal circumstances." Practice open and clear communication, "by eliminating the friction of gatekeeping access to information," said Dr. Arnaout. Stay positive.

"Perhaps we all can take the opportunity afforded by this trying time to improve how we meet our everyday challenges," said Dr. Arnaout. "By doing so, we might find ourselves further along, more capable, and better prepared for when the next crisis inevitably hits."
Research led by a Wayne State University Department of Mathematics professor is aiding researchers in Wayne State's Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences in analyzing fMRI data. fMRI is the preeminent class of signals collected from the brain in vivo and is irreplaceable in the study of brain dysfunction in many medical fields, including psychiatry, neurology, and pediatrics.

Andrew Salch, Ph.D., associate professor of mathematics in Wayne State's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, is leading the multidisciplinary team that is investigating how concepts of topological data analysis, a subfield of mathematics, can be applied to recovering "hidden" structure in fMRI data.

"We hypothesized that aspects of the fMRI signal are not easily discoverable using many of the standard tools used for fMRI data analysis, which strategically reduce the number of dimensions in the data to be considered. Consequently, these aspects might be uncovered using concepts from the mathematical field of topological data analysis, also called TDA, which is intended for use on high-dimensional data sets," said Salch.

Salch continued, "The high dimensionality that characterizes fMRI data includes the three dimensions of space -; that is, where in the brain the signal is being acquired -; time -; or how the signal varies as brain states change in time -; and signal intensity -; or how the strength of the fMRI signal changes in response to the task. When related to task-induced changes, the results reflect biologically meaningful aspects of brain function and dysfunction."

This is a unique collaborative work focused on the complexities of both TDA and fMRI respectively, show how TDA can be applied to real fMRI data collected, and provide open access computational software we have developed for implementing the analyses." Andrew Salch, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Mathematics, Wayne State's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

The research article, "From mathematics to medicine: A practical primer on topological data analysis and the development of related analytic tools for the functional discovery of latent structure in fMRI data," appears in the Aug. 12 issue of PLOS ONE.

In it, the team used TDA to discover data structures in the anterior cingulate cortex, a critical control region in the brain. These structures -; called non-contractible loops in TDA -; appeared in specific conditions of the experiment and were not identified using conventional techniques for fMRI analyses.

"We expect this work to become a citation classic," said Vaibhav Diwadkar, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry and behavioral neurosciences, and research collaborator. "Instead of merely applying TDA to fMRI, we provide a lucid argument for why medical researchers who use fMRI should consider using TDA, and why topologists should turn their attention to the study of complex fMRI data. Moreover, this important work provides readers with empirical demonstrations of such applications, and we provide potential users with the tools we used so they can in turn apply it to their own data."

"Our ongoing research utilizing TDA with fMRI will provide a unique and complementary method for assessing brain function, and will give medical researchers greater flexibility in tackling complex properties in their data," said Salch. "In particular, our work will help fMRI researchers become aware of the significant power of TDA that is designed to address complexity in data, and will enhance the value of using fMRI in neuroscience and medicine."

In addition to Salch and Diwadkar, co-authors on the paper include Adam Regalski, Wayne State mathematics graduate student; Hassan Abdallah, Wayne State mathematics department alumni and current graduate student at the University of Michigan; and Michael Catanzaro, assistant professor of mathematics at Iowa State University and Wayne State mathematics department alumni.

This work is supported by the National Institutes of Health (MH111177 and MH059299), the Jack Dorsey Endowment, the Cohen Neuroscience Endowment, and the Lycaki-Young Funds from the State of Michigan.
Strategies that not only conform to science but also consider the cultural context of countries are key to fighting future pandemics, according to researchers from Simon Fraser University and two U.S. universities.

Simon Fraser University Beedie School of Business professor Carolyn Egri along with Ratan Dheer (Eastern Michigan University) and Len Trevino (Florida Atlantic University) analyzed COVID-19 case data from 107 nations, focusing on the first 91 days of the pandemic. Their examination of the direct and indirect impacts of culture led researchers to conclude that countries which place more cultural value on the collective society, over the individual, with citizens more willing to take government direction, had less COVID-19 case growth. Their study results are published in the Journal of International Business Studies.

Collectivist countries such as Malaysia, South Korea and Singapore, which value group cooperation and wellbeing, were able to quickly adapt their behaviour and limit COVID-19 case growth. Individualistic countries, such as Canada, Italy, the U.K. and the U.S., which value individual freedom and choice, experienced greater case growth.

High power distance nations, where people accept hierarchical power relationships, had lower case growth because citizens were more likely to follow government guidelines. For example, people in Japan and Taiwan practiced mask wearing, physical distancing and self-isolation despite the absence of absolute lockdowns.

Low power distance nations, which are more egalitarian with people being more likely to question experts, had higher case growth rates in comparison. In Germany and the U.S., for example, people protested COVID-19 restrictions.

The researchers also note that high uncertainty avoidance countries, which value predictability and are generally resistant to new ideas, such as Portugal and Spain, challenged COVID-19 restrictions and had higher case growth compared to countries that were less risk-averse, such as Denmark.

Country culture & government pandemic response

During the first wave of the pandemic, governments increased the strictness of containment and closure policies, however the effectiveness of these measures depended on a country's culture.

While relatively low levels of government intervention reduced case growth in collectivistic and high power distance countries (Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan), stronger and more restrictive government measures were needed to curb pandemic spread in individualistic and low power distance countries (Canada, U.S., U.K.).

The researchers' findings suggest that governments in individualistic nations can support behavioral change early during a pandemic by focusing on incentives that benefit the individual and reduce individual hardship, such as unemployment benefits and subsidies for necessities.

While authoritative leadership and rules are less likely to foster compliance in low power distance countries, governments can provide the right tools for individuals to make decisions, such as factual and scientific information - including knowledge gained from past pandemics.

Governments of low power distance nations can also foster support from media, local governing bodies, public service agencies, and nongoverning bodies to encourage public compliance.

Study authors also suggest that clear and transparent communication from policymakers can build trust in high uncertainty avoidance nations where people may be extra stressed about changes to their daily lives and routines intended to limit COVID-19 case growth.

Government policymakers can use this research about the impact of culture on the spread of communicable diseases to tailor mitigation strategies for COVID-19 and future pandemics that will save lives while minimizing the economic fallout.

Insights for multinational companies & employee wellbeing

Although the global pandemic has accelerated the shift towards virtual work, there will likely be cultural differences in employees accepting large-scale and long-term work digitization in a post-pandemic world.

While employees in individualistic countries may welcome the increased flexibility and independence of the virtual workplace, employees in collectivistic countries may feel increased social isolation in virtual workplaces that are less relationship-oriented. Multinational corporations will need to manage employee relations and formulate hiring, training, and support strategies that are compatible with a country's culture.

Cultural considerations are also important in how companies transition to post-pandemic workplaces. Corporations in high power distance nations should aim for setting clear standards and procedures, while employee engagement in planning, more customized training and flexibility could be essential to securing commitment in low power countries.
It is essential to lift the nation's Latino population from obscurity to the forefront of health care, public health intervention and societal presence, three professors from The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio argue in a powerful commentary published Aug. 17 by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

The authors are Amelie G. Ramirez, DrPH; Rita Lepe, MD; and Francisco G. Cigarroa, MD, from the health science center's Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine.

Despite accounting for more than 18% of the U.S. population, "the Latino community has not benefited from having 'presence' in the U.S. health care workforce through meaningful and influential administrative and governance positions," they wrote.

This limits Latinos' ability to drive needed change in health care policy or make improvements in the social determinants of health, such as insurance, housing, employment and income, that impact care access and health outcomes.

"How else is it possible to account for more than 100,000 deaths from COVID-19 among U.S. Latino individuals?" the authors asked. "This ethnic group continues to experience the same systemic health inequalities that were causing widespread health disparities long before the surge of coronavirus  inequities that remain largely ignored by the mainstream media amid the pandemic."

Latino individuals died from COVID-19 at more than twice the rate of White individuals during the pandemic, the authors wrote, citing a report. Reduction in life expectancy is projected to be fourfold greater in U.S. Latinos (3.05 years) than in Whites (0.68 years), the authors said, citing a second source.

Social determinants

Latino individuals have the lowest rate of health insurance coverage among racial and ethnic groups, and often lack a primary care clinician." Drs. Ramirez, Lepe and Cigarroa

Lower median household incomes, higher housing cost burdens, longer work commutes, less access to safe green spaces for physical activity, greater mental health stresses and more discrimination at many levels are also characteristic.

"This yields a wide variety of chronic disease disparities between the Latino population and the White population," the authors said. "Latino individuals are more likely to have obesity, diabetes, liver disease and poorly controlled high blood pressure; have higher risks of stomach, cervical and liver cancers; and are more likely to be diagnosed at later disease stages due to being left out of screening programs, clinical trials and preventative care."

The COVID-19 pandemic intensified all of these inequalities and made them blatantly more apparent, the authors said.

Virus and vaccine misinformation

"One of the reasons for such a high mortality rate for the Latino community was the lack of clear information about COVID-19," the authors wrote. "Mainstream media rarely explained to the public the disparities related to COVID-19 occurring among the U.S. Latino population; only 1.9% of news stories on COVID-19 featured the terms Latino, Hispanic or Latinx between January 1, 2020, and May 31, 2021."

Although many federal, state and local agencies tried to provide culturally sensitive information in Spanish and Spanish-language broadcast outlets tried to educate the Latino public about the virus and vaccination, misinformation persisted. "This was primarily driven by social media, where the Latino community often turned to for news," Drs. Ramirez, Lepe and Cigarroa wrote.

As of June 27, 2021, the authors noted, only 26.3% of the Latino vaccination was fully vaccinated, the second-lowest percentage among U.S. racial and ethnic groups, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Latino health care professionals needed

When Latino patients are admitted to hospitals, they don't see many Latino health care providers. Only 5.7% of nurses and 6.3% of physicians are Latino, whereas 73.5% of nurses and 67% of physicians are White, the authors said, citing data from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration.

Meanwhile, only 6.7% of U.S. medical school enrollees during the 2020-2021 school year identified as Latino, they stated, citing another report. As the U.S. Latino population increases, the pipeline of Latino physicians and nurses will not be able to keep up, the authors concluded.

What can be done?

The authors wrote these strategic calls to action:

"Boards of trustees and executive leadership must be held accountable for improving the diversity of their students, professional workforce and administrative leadership teams because other interventions have not achieved their desired results."

must be held accountable for improving the diversity of their students, professional workforce and administrative leadership teams because other interventions have not achieved their desired results." "Diversity within institutions and industry must be fostered. Training and toolkits are emerging to spread awareness of implicit bias in health care. These resources can help individuals and health care professionals identify preconceived notions or stereotypes that have adversely affected their understanding of and decision-making toward others; encourage speaking out against acts of racism and discrimination; and organizationally declare racism a public health crisis and commit to systemic change. This will require investment in and amplification of these tools and resources."

must be fostered. Training and toolkits are emerging to spread awareness of implicit bias in health care. These resources can help individuals and health care professionals identify preconceived notions or stereotypes that have adversely affected their understanding of and decision-making toward others; encourage speaking out against acts of racism and discrimination; and organizationally declare racism a public health crisis and commit to systemic change. This will require investment in and amplification of these tools and resources." "Access to education and educational attainment for Latino individuals must be increased.  A first-generation graduate from college will change a family's trajectory for generations and will certainly help family members navigate the complex health care system they encounter every day."

for Latino individuals must be increased.  A first-generation graduate from college will change a family's trajectory for generations and will certainly help family members navigate the complex health care system they encounter every day." "Enhancing educational opportunities and attainment is the key to admitting diverse medical students into medical school. The debt burden to all undergraduate and medical students should be alleviated so that pursuing an academic career in medicine and science is achievable."

and attainment is the key to admitting diverse medical students into medical school. The debt burden to all undergraduate and medical students should be alleviated so that pursuing an academic career in medicine and science is achievable." "It is incumbent on the U.S. to give 'presence' to Latino and other racial and ethnic minority groups in all facets of society. This is vital to the nation's future success. The changing demographics demand embracing diversity, equity and inclusiveness to better navigate the future, and importantly, mandate improving the social determinants of health for ensuring overall public health. Not doing so will threaten the collective national well-being and prevent the U.S. from reaching its full human potential and success."

Amelie G. Ramirez, DrPH, is with the Institute for Health Promotion Research, the Department of Population Health Sciences and the Mays Cancer Center, home to UT Health San Antonio MD Anderson Cancer Center. Rita Lepe, MD, is with the Texas Liver Institute in San Antonio and the UT Health San Antonio Transplant Center. Francisco G. Cigarroa, MD, is with the UT Health San Antonio Transplant Center.

Dr. Cigarroa, chairman of the board of the Ford Foundation, was invited to join David Satcher, MD, PhD, and Howard Koh, MD, MPH, as panelists on the JAMA Network podcast, "Addressing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Health Care and Medicine," hosted by Ebony Boulware, MD, MPH.
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that can infect both animals and humans. They are a respiratory virus named for the crown-like spikes on their surface. These viruses are culprits in several outbreaks across the globe.

Usually, coronaviruses spread in animals but can jump to humans. There are seven known types of human coronaviruses, wherein four types, namely KHU1, OC43, NL63, and 229E, cause mild to moderate respiratory infections, such as the common cold.

Three types, however, cause severe respiratory infections  the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV).

The seventh coronavirus type is the novel SARS-CoV-2 that has spread from China across the world, causing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) has reported the natural infection of SARS-CoV-2 in at least ten animal species across continents including the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia: domestic cats and dogs, tigers, lions, cougar, snow leopard, puma, mink, ferrets, gorilla, and otter, says the team.

Determination of susceptible host is important in understanding the ecology of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and also potential reservoirs that can lead to animal-to-human transmission.

The SARS-CoV-2 virus has been shown to infect a wide range of animals naturally and experimentally, and prior studies indicate deer are susceptible to infection. White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) fawns have been found to be susceptible to SARS-CoV-2.

White-tailed deer are among the most abundant and geographically widespread wild ruminants in the U.S. Historically, deer contact with humans has resulted in diseases being spread to human populations.

Studying SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility and transmission in adult white-tailed deer was the objective of a new study posted to the bioRxiv* pre-print server.

This study also assessed competition between the two SARS-CoV-2 isolates, the ancestral strain, and the alpha variant.

Additionally, the emergence and sustained transmission of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOC) has important implications in virus evolution and pathogenesis, says the team.

What did the study involve?

The study involved a Vero6 cell line for virus propagation and transmission. Six female white-tailed deer, of which five were pregnant, approximately two years of age, were involved in the study. Four deer were infected with the ancestral strain and alpha variant and two uninfected deer were allowed to mingle with the infected ones one day post-infection.

Any signs of clinical symptoms were studied, and nasal, oropharyngeal, and rectal swabs were collected on specific days post-infection. Tissues were also collected from the upper respiratory tract (URT) and lower respiratory tract (LRT), gastrointestinal tract (GIT), central nervous system as well as accessory organs.

This was followed by RNA extraction and reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), Next-Generation Sequencing, detection of neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, and histopathology studies of the tissue samples.

What did the study find?

Research showed high copy numbers of viral RNA in the clinical samples and tissues from the infected deer. It was also found that infection with the alpha variant leads to abundant production of the viral nucleocapsid N protein.

Tissues collected 4 days post-challenge (DPC) and 18 DPC demonstrated presences of SARS-CoV-2 in the lymphatic tissue and the upper respiratory tissues.

Histological evaluations in the upper and lower respiratory tract tissues collected at 4 DPC revealed pathological changes described as rhinitis, marked attenuation of the respiratory epithelium of the trachea, bronchitis, and in some cases bronchiolitis, says the team.

Next-Generation Sequencing reveals a competitive advantage of the alpha variant over the ancestral strain. This advantage is associated with Asp to Gly substitution at the amino acid position 614 of the S protein, leading to an enhanced affinity for the ACE2 receptor.

Interestingly, we only detected viral RNA in the uterus of the deer which was not pregnant, but also had higher viral RNA levels detected systemically in tissues compared to the pregnant doe necropsied at the same time point 4 DP, says the team.

However, it is difficult to draw any conclusion due to the small number of animals and the short study duration.

What did the authors conclude?

Recent large-scale SARS-CoV-2 surveillance efforts in animal and humans have found evidence of reverse zoonosis (human-animal) resulting in natural infections in companion animals, farmed mink, primates, and large cat species in several countries, says the team.

The source of these infections is mostly infected animal care workers and pet owners. However, SARS-CoV-2 was also found to mutate and cross back into the human population by giving rise to different variants that make it crucial to identify host species capable of acting as reservoirs, leading to secondary zoonotic infections in the future.

Furthermore, this work demonstrates the need for more intensive, focused surveillance efforts on high-risk animal populations, such as farmed and wild white-tailed deer and mule deer populations, as well as farm, wildlife and zoo workers, in order to identify new animal-derived SARS-CoV-2 variants which may evade current mitigation strategies, adds the team.

*Important notice

bioRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.
James Patrick Constantine, 71, passed away on Thursday, August 26, 2021 at the Robley Rex VA Medical Center in Louisville. He was born in Jeffersonville, and was a retired Operations Manager for Insight Cable. He was an Army Veteran of the Vietnam War. He was preceded in death by his parents
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(Newser)  A 13-year-old New Mexico boy accused of shooting and killing a classmate in Albuquerque will remain in custody pending trial. A Children's Court judge agreed with prosecutors during a virtual hearing Tuesday and ordered the boy to remain at the Bernalillo County Youth Services Center, the AP reports. The boy is charged with an open count of murder and unlawful carrying of a deadly weapon on school premises. The AP does not generally identify juvenile crime suspects. The shooting happened during lunch hour Friday at Washington Middle School in front of numerous students, who had returned for the fall semester just two days earlier. Police have said the victim13-year-old Bennie Hargrovewas trying to protect another boy who was being bullied.

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The suspects court-appointed attorney, Dennica Torres, raised issues of the boys competency during his initial appearance, saying the teen needs treatment for mental health issues. Judge Catherine Begaye ruled that he poses a danger to others. Students returned to school Tuesday to find a bolstered police presence and crisis counselors. Court records, police reports, and witnesses detail the history of the suspect's family with Albuquerque Public Schools and the criminal history of the boy's father. In November 2015, an elementary school teacher said she was in a classroom with a parent and her daughter when, without warning, the suspect's mother came into the room and attacked the mother. In 2018, a fight between parents that started with words escalated to poles, bats, and gunfire in the pickup lane outside Highland High School. The suspect's father had shot and wounded another parent, but police never filed any charges after finding that both men had defense claims.

(Read more school shooting stories.)
(Newser)  A long-running battle over a controversial pesticide is overthe EPA has banned the use of chlorpyrifos on food crops, reports NPR. The insecticide has been used for decades on crops, particularly soybeans, fruit trees, nut trees, broccoli, and cauliflower, per the AP. However, studies have linked it to neurological damage in children, as well as to health problems with farmworkers. The Obama administration began moves to outlaw the pesticide, but the Trump administration stopped them and allowed the use of chlorpyrifos to continue. That set off a flurry of legal challenges from farmworkers' unions and others, culminating in Wednesday's decision. In what the New York Times describes as an unusual move, the EPA is banning the chemical without the usual public comment period because the rule comes in response to a court order.

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"It took far too long, but children will no longer be eating food tainted with a pesticide that causes intellectual learning disabilities," says attorney Patti Goldman of Earthjustice, one of the groups that pushed for the ban. However, Corteva Agriscience, which made use of the chemical in its Lorsban product, said farmers would be robbed of an "important tool," per the AP. A post at Progressive Farmer notes that Corteva had actually halted production of Lorsban last year, in part because of falling demand. About 13 million pounds of the chemical were used per year in the 1990s, but that had been cut in half by 2010. The first company to produce it, Dow Chemical, had been fined nearly $900,000 in 1995 for failing to report safety concerns. For now, chlorpyrifos will still be allowed for nonfood purposes, such as mosquito control. (Read more pesticides stories.)
(Newser)  Days after demonstrating it had little ability to stop state prohibitions of mask mandates in schools, the Biden administration said it will use its civil rights enforcement authority in the battle. In support of the school districts implementing mandates in spite of the state orders, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said Wednesday that President Biden told him to use every means to get students safely back in classrooms this fall, the New York Times reports. Several Republican governors have forbidden school districts in their states to require masks be worn. "The president is appalled, as I am, that there are adults who are blind to their blindness," Cardona said, "that there are people who are putting policies in place that are putting students and staff at risk."

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The Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin. Students of color, those with disabilities, and low-income students are hurt most by remote learning, educators say. The enforcement power belongs to the Education Department, which could start investigations into whether students are being deprived of their civil rights. Governors have threatened to dock school leaders who require masks, and Cardona last week said federal aid would be made available to make that money up, per US News and World Report. He also sent letters to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on the matter. On Wednesday, he said he'll also write to the governors of Arizona, Iowa, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Utah. "What were dealing with now is negligence," Cardona said. (Major Florida school districts are considering defying the govenor.)
(Newser)  President Biden insisted Wednesday that chaos in Afghanistan as US troops pulled out was unavoidableand he bristled when asked about distressing scenes at Kabul's airport. When asked by ABC interviewer George Stephanopoulos if he thought the "exit could have been handled better in any way," Biden defended his decision, saying, "the idea that somehow, there's a way to have gotten out without chaos ensuing, I don't know how that happens." He interjected when Stephanopoulos asked about scenes of Afghans falling from planes. "That was four days ago, five days ago!" Biden said. He told Stephanopoulos that when he saw scenes from the airport, he thought, "We have to move this more quickly. We have to move in a way in which we can take control of that airport. And we did."

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Biden said the Taliban is now "cooperating, letting American citizens get out." He said the reason there had been no violent attacks on US troops in recent month was because of the withdrawal deal negotiated by the Trump administration. Asked whether the chaos of the last week had been a "failure of intelligence, planning, execution, or judgment," Biden told Stephanopoulos that he had a "simple choice" after the Afghan military collapsed: "Do we commit to leave within the timeframe we set ... or do we put significantly more troops in?" He said the US will do "everything in our power" to get American citizens and US allies out of the country by the Aug. 31 withdrawal deadlineand if there are still US citizens in the country after that date, "were gonna stay till we get them all out."

Austin says operation won't be expanded. Earlier Wednesday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the military doesn't have the firepower available to expand the mission of securing the airport and bring citizens and allies to the airport from elsewhere in Kabul, the AP reports. "We dont have the capability to go out and extend operations currently into Kabul," Austin said. And where do you take that? How far do you extend into Kabul, and how long does it take to flow those forces in to be able to do that?"

(Read more Afghanistan stories.)
(Newser)  Update: Geronimo the alpaca is dead. UK health officials euthanized the animal on Tuesday over the objections of its owner and despite a public outcry. The Telegraph reports there were "ugly scenes at the farm" as supporters tussled with the police who arrived to remove him. Our original story from earlier this month follows:

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The owner of the most divisive alpaca in Europe has exhausted her legal options to save 8-year-old Geronimo from execution. A British High Court on Wednesday rejected Helen Macdonald's attempt to halt the warrant to kill Geronimo, who has twice tested positive for bovine tuberculosis, per the BBC. Macdonald and thousands of supporters believe the tests administered by the British health officials detect in alpacas an injection of tuberculin used as a primer before the tests, rather than a legitimate case of bovine tuberculosis.

Though Geronimo shows no symptoms of the contagious disease, Macdonald says she is supposed to cull him at her south Gloucestershire farm Thursday or permit Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) officials to kill him at any time afterward, per the Guardian. She says she won't allow either option. "I'm not a criminal," but "I'm not doing it" and "I will obstruct anyone who comes on to my farm," Macdonald tells the BBC. Supporters camped out at the farm have promised the same.

Macdonald's legal team had fought Wednesday to gain access to data from a judicial review, which Macdonald says shows that nine camelids who were put down after testing positive for bovine TB were actually in fine health. But she says that access was denied. Justice Mary Elizabeth Stacey had ruled that there was "no prospect" of success in Macdonald's bid to reopen a previous ruling, which was "a disingenuous and backdoor way of seeking a further route to appeal," per the BBC. DEFRA previously said it had "very carefully considered" the testing results and options for Geronimo. But "I know he's healthy," Macdonald, a veterinary nurse, tells the New York Times. (Read more alpaca stories.)
(Newser)  Colorado Gov. Jared Polis on Tuesday rescinded a 19th-century proclamation that called for citizens to kill Native Americans and take their property, in what he hopes can begin to make amends for "sins of the past." The 1864 order by Colorados second territorial governor, John Evans, would eventually lead to the Sand Creek massacre, one of Colorado's darkest and most fraught historic moments. The brutal assault left more than 200 Arapaho and Cheyenne peoplemostly women, children and elderlydead. Col. John Chivington led the Nov. 29, 1864, slaughter. He and his soldiers then headed to Denver, where they displayed some of the victims remains.

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Evans' proclamation was never lawful because it established treaty rights and federal Indian law, Polis said at the signing of his executive order on the Capitol steps. It also directly contradicted the Colorado Constitution, the United States Constitution, and Colorado criminal codes at the time," the Democratic governor said to whoops from the crowd, per the AP. Polis stood alongside citizens of the Southern Ute, Ute Mountain, Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes, many dressed in traditional regalia. Some held signs reading Recognize Indigenous knowledge, people, land and Decolonize to survive.

Ernest House Jr., who served as executive director of the Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs under former Gov. John Hickenlooper, said Polis' order is important to the state's government-to-government relations with tribes, the acknowledgment of history, and a movement toward reconciliation. I think there's oftentimes the general community think of American Indians as the vanishing race, the vanishing people. And I think it starts with things like this," said House, a citizen of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe. "It gives us a place that we were important and that our lives were important.

Polis also created an advisory board to recommend name changes for the highest peak in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, known as Mount Evans. Discussions are taking place within the Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs to choose more culturally sensitive names, said Alston Turtle, a councilman with the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe. Evans governed the territory of Colorado during three years of the Civil War, from 1862 to 1865. He resigned after the Sand Creek massacre happened under his order.

(Read more Colorado stories.)
(Newser)  The single COVID-19 infection that caused New Zealand to lockdown has now ballooned to an outbreak of at least 21 cases so far. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced the new number on Thursday, and officials warned that it will continue to rise. The director general of health says modeling indicates the outbreak is likely to reach 50 cases, the New Zealand Herald reports. On Wednesday, Ardern had noted some of those found to be infected had spent time at church, school, a hospital, and a casino, the AP reports. "So there's still the potential that we could have had a number of big super-spreading events," one COVID modeler warns, though he says that the country's lockdown should put a halt to further transmission. More details:

Cluster: Twelve of the infections are part of the same Auckland cluster including the first case detected; eight more are still being investigated but are expected to be part of that cluster. One case, an air crew worker, is separate and linked to the border.

Twelve of the infections are part of the same Auckland cluster including the first case detected; eight more are still being investigated but are expected to be part of that cluster. One case, an air crew worker, is separate and linked to the border. Where are they? Nineteen of the patients are in Auckland's quarantine facility, including one entire family of five. The other two were taken to a hospital, one due to worsening symptoms and the other due to an underlying condition. Both were in stable condition Thursday.

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Origin: Yes, it is the delta variant that's involved here, and authorities have determined the cases are linked to a traveler who returned to New Zealand from Sydney, Australia, on Aug. 7. The person tested positive Aug. 9 and was moved from a managed isolation facility (MIQ) to a quarantine facility that day before being hospitalized Aug. 16. Authorities suspect that's how the virus leaked out into the general population. Three of the infected stayed in a room adjacent to the Sydney traveler at the managed isolation hotel, Stuff.co.nz reports. They tested positive on day 12 of their stay.

Yes, it is the delta variant that's involved here, and authorities have determined the cases are linked to a traveler who returned to New Zealand from Sydney, Australia, on Aug. 7. The person tested positive Aug. 9 and was moved from a managed isolation facility (MIQ) to a quarantine facility that day before being hospitalized Aug. 16. Authorities suspect that's how the virus leaked out into the general population. Three of the infected stayed in a room adjacent to the Sydney traveler at the managed isolation hotel, Stuff.co.nz reports. They tested positive on day 12 of their stay. Hotel freeze: Because the likely transmission happened at the MIQ hotel, it has since been closed to newly arrived travelers for at least 48 hours. In addition, people currently staying there can't leave during the freeze, even if their 14-day stays are up.

Because the likely transmission happened at the MIQ hotel, it has since been closed to newly arrived travelers for at least 48 hours. In addition, people currently staying there can't leave during the freeze, even if their 14-day stays are up. Measures taken: The entire country's 72-hour lockdown started at midnight Tuesday; lockdowns in Auckland and Coromandel are expected to last for at least a week. In addition, masks are now mandated for anyone who is out for essential reasons. Wastewater samples taken in Auckland have tested positive for COVID, while results from Coromandel are pending; in other parts of the country, wastewater testing has been negative so far.

The entire country's 72-hour lockdown started at midnight Tuesday; lockdowns in Auckland and Coromandel are expected to last for at least a week. In addition, masks are now mandated for anyone who is out for essential reasons. Wastewater samples taken in Auckland have tested positive for COVID, while results from Coromandel are pending; in other parts of the country, wastewater testing has been negative so far. Silver lining: The good news is, if the Sydney traveler is "patient zero," that would mean the virus hasn't been transmitting in the community very long. "If it holds up under further investigation then the later arrival date means we are looking at a much shorter chain of transmission and fewer cases than the early results suggested," Ardern says. She says there are only "one or maybe two" missing links between the Sydney traveler and the current cases, Reuters reports.

The good news is, if the Sydney traveler is "patient zero," that would mean the virus hasn't been transmitting in the community very long. "If it holds up under further investigation then the later arrival date means we are looking at a much shorter chain of transmission and fewer cases than the early results suggested," Ardern says. She says there are only "one or maybe two" missing links between the Sydney traveler and the current cases, Reuters reports. Open doors: Last month, in delta cases among travelers that apparently did not lead to any community transmission, authorities found the virus was transmitted between two groups of people at a quarantine facility when both their doors, which were opposite one another, were open at the same time for just three to five seconds on four different occasions. Prior to this, authorities said, there had been "very few" cases of in-facility transmission among the 165,000 people who've gone through New Zealand's managed isolation and quarantine process upon returning to the country.

Last month, in delta cases among travelers that apparently did not lead to any community transmission, authorities found the virus was transmitted between two groups of people at a quarantine facility when both their doors, which were opposite one another, were open at the same time for just three to five seconds on four different occasions. Prior to this, authorities said, there had been "very few" cases of in-facility transmission among the 165,000 people who've gone through New Zealand's managed isolation and quarantine process upon returning to the country. Meanwhile, in Australia: Ardern warned that without swift action, New Zealand could end up in a situation similar to Australia, where half the country is locked down thanks to delta outbreaks. Australia's two most populous states both recorded benchmark high numbers of new infections Thursday, the AP reports. In her warning, Ardern also included a slam at Australia, News.com.au reports: "Weve seen the dire consequences of taking too long to act in other countries, not least our neighbors."

(Read more New Zealand stories.)
(Newser)  A Hawaii judge on Wednesday rejected murder and attempted murder charges against three Honolulu police officers in the fatal shooting of a teenager, preventing the case from going to trial. District Court Judge William Domingo, in a ruling from the bench, said there was no probable cause that the officers committed the crimes they were accused of, the AP reports. He noted the teenager, 16-year-old Iremamber Sykap, led the officers on a high-speed chase immediately before the April 5 shooting, refusing commands to stop. He said the incident only ended after Sykap was shot and the car fell into a canal. Honolulu prosecutors filed charges against the three officers after a grand jury decided not to indict them, arguing a trial should be held regardless.

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Officer Geoffrey Thom was charged with murder. Prosecutors said he fired 10 rounds at Sykap through the rear window of the car after it stopped at an intersection. Officers Zackary Ah Nee and Christopher Fredeluces, who also opened fire, were charged with second-degree attempted murder. "If there was no pursuit in the beginning, and there were just people in the car and officers just came up and started shooting from behind without any type of provocationbut thats not what we have here, Domingo said. Police say the Honda was stolen and linked to an escalating series of crimes in the days prior, including a purse snatching, a burglary, and an armed robbery. Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Christopher Van Marter had argued in court that the officers weren't in danger at the time of the shooting.

(Read more Hawaii stories.)
(Newser)  On Fox News, the topic of vaccine passports has been a hot one, with show hosts such as Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity claiming the concept of asking someone for proof of vaccination is an invasion of privacy and an un-American infringement on one's rights. It's not yet clear how those personalities feel about their own company's vax status mandate, revealed in a Tuesday memo sent out by Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott. In the note to employees, seen by Adweek and CNN Business, Scott noted that all workers, both on-site and remote, had till the end of day on Tuesday to upload their vaccination status to the company's internal HR system, for "space planning and contact tracing purposes," and in accordance with CDC and local health and safety guidelines.

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Also noted in the memo, which doesn't make mention of any vaccine mandates:

Masks are optional for vaccinated staffers, though they're strongly encouraged in public areas, and they're required for all in "small, confined spaces" such as control rooms.

All employees and vendors have to undergo a daily health screening.

Certain essential workers at the company's New York offices will need to be tested for COVID at least once a week, even if they've been vaxxed.

The company has made counseling available for those who need a way to deal with the stress of the pandemic.

CNN notes the right-wing networkwhose hosts have also slammed face maskshas had a vaccine passport of sorts since June, albeit a voluntary one, in which workers were encouraged to let the company know what shots they'd received and when. This, despite the fact that its most popular hosts have railed against people being made to divulge their vaccination status. Hannity, for example, has cited "doctor-patient confidentiality," while Carlson got aggressively snarky in May when New York Times media reporter Ben Smith reached out to ask him if he'd been vaxxed. Carlson's reply: "When was the last time you had sex with your wife and in what position? We can trade intimate details." There's been no response yet from Fox on the memo or on the apparent daylight between its policies and what's being said by its on-air personalities. (Read more Fox News stories.)
(Newser)  In 2017, an all-girls robotics team nicknamed the Afghan Dreamers made headlines after their visas to attend a competition in the US were rejected, then granted after lobbying from then-President Trump. Now, they are trying to escape a nightmare. Some members of the team, based in the western city of Herat, managed to get out of Afghanistan on a flight Tuesday but others are facing a very uncertain future under Taliban rule, the New York Times reports. Tech entrepreneur Roya Mahboob, the team's founder, says the team members who fled Herat when the Taliban seized the city are now in Qatar and will continue their education there. She says the "Taliban have promised to allow girls to be educated to whatever extent allowed by Shariah law," but "we will have to wait to see what that means."

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The team, made up of around 25 girls between 12 and 18 years old, designed ventilators made from old Toyota Corolla parts when COVID hit the country last year. Human rights lawyer Kimberley Motley told CTV Wednesday that she has been in contact with team members terrified about their future as the Taliban begin to restrict women's rights. She says she is getting phone calls from desperate women every day and is very skeptical about the Taliban's promises. "I'm talking to a lot of people on the ground who are telling me how girls are being told at colleges, don't come back to school," Motley says, per NPR. "Women are at their jobs, are saying they're being told, don't come back to work." (Read more Afghanistan stories.)
(Newser)  When it was revealed earlier this month that Mike Richards, the new permanent host of the regular version of Jeopardy!, had been named in discrimination lawsuits during his time as a producer on The Price Is Right, he insisted that those complaints "[do] not reflect the reality of who I am." Now, Richards is once again being forced to explain the reality of who he is after comments he made on a podcast he hosted in 2013 and 2014about Jews, poor people, women, Haiti, and his admiration for white male TV hosts, among othersemerged.

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Some of the eyebrow-raising remarks from The Randumb Show, per the Daily Beast, Washington Post, and the Ringer, which reviewed all 41 episodes of the podcast and found Richards "repeatedly used offensive language and disparaged women's bodies":



While asking his podcast co-host if she'd ever taken nude pics of herself: "Like booby pictures? What are we looking at?"

"Like booby pictures? What are we looking at?" Women who wear one-piece swimsuits: It makes them look "really frumpy and overweight."

It makes them look "really frumpy and overweight." On big noses: "Ixnay on the ose-nay. She's not an ew-Jay."

"Ixnay on the ose-nay. She's not an ew-Jay." Regarding his co-host's apartment issues: "Does Beth live, like, in Haiti? Doesn't it sound like that? Like, the urine smell, the woman in the muumuu, the stray cats."

"Does Beth live, like, in Haiti? Doesn't it sound like that? Like, the urine smell, the woman in the muumuu, the stray cats." On his admiration for Survivor host Jeff Probst: "I like, you know, the average white-guy host."

"I like, you know, the average white-guy host." On his admiration for American Idol host Ryan Seacrest: "He's actually made the world a safer place for what I like to call the 'skinny white host.'"

"He's actually made the world a safer place for what I like to call the 'skinny white host.'" Additional cringe : Yahoo notes that in some of the podcasts, Richards used the r-word and a slur for little people, as well as said a homeless woman given a dollar by his co-host would simply use it for "some crack" or "meth."

: Yahoo notes that in some of the podcasts, Richards used the r-word and a slur for little people, as well as said a homeless woman given a dollar by his co-host would simply use it for "some crack" or "meth." Prescient: "See, what I am is horrible at all trivia. I don't have that kind of mind. If I had gotten on Jeopardy! Well, I never would have gotten on Jeopardy!, let's be square."

Richards has issued a mea culpa for his past comments, via the Ringer. "It is humbling to confront a terribly embarrassing moment of misjudgment, thoughtlessness, and insensitivity from nearly a decade ago," he says in a statement, depicting the podcast as "irreverent conversations between longtime friends who had a history of joking around." He adds, "Looking back now, there is no excuse, of course, for the comments I made on this podcast, and I am deeply sorry." He notes that he's taken the episodes offline. The Ringer has more on concerns about Richards, and on how he was chosen to host one of America's most beloved game shows. (Read more Mike Richards stories.)
(Newser)  More than 20,000 students in Mississippiabout 4.5% of the state's public-school populationwere quarantined over the last two weeks due to coronavirus exposures, per USA Today. Almost 6,000 students in the state have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past two weeks, and two have died since late July, according to Mississippi state health department data released Tuesday. A total of 803 schools reported 4,521 positive cases among students just within the last week, per the Mississippi Free Press. Some context:



Delta's impact: Only 199 student cases of COVID-19 were reported in Mississippi at this time last year, per the Free Press. But the delta variant wasn't yet wreaking havoc in the US. It now represents about 90% of new infections among children, per USA Today.

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Children's hospital is full: "In the 2020 version of COVID-19, most children infected did not show symptoms that developed into serious health conditions. That's not the case today, as nationally and in Mississippi, the delta variant of COVID-19 is driving up the number of children hospitalized at Children's of Mississippi," reads a Monday release from the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Children's of Mississippi, the state's only pediatric hospital, is now "full of children sick with COVID-19, including several on ventilators for life support," per the Free Press.

"In the 2020 version of COVID-19, most children infected did not show symptoms that developed into serious health conditions. That's not the case today, as nationally and in Mississippi, the delta variant of COVID-19 is driving up the number of children hospitalized at Children's of Mississippi," reads a Monday release from the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Children's of Mississippi, the state's only pediatric hospital, is now "full of children sick with COVID-19, including several on ventilators for life support," per the Free Press. A 13-year-old's death: Eighth grader Mkayla Robinson died of COVID-19 during a hospital transfer on Saturday, hours after testing positive and eight days after returning to classes at Raleigh Junior High, where masks were optional until Aug 10. She'd been in class as of Wednesday. On Friday, Gov. Tate Reeves, who opposes mask mandates, downplayed the risk to children while misstating the number of child COVID-19 deaths in the state, reports the Free Press. Robinson's death brought the total to five.

Will Reeves reverse? The governor is now facing calls to reverse his opposition to a statewide mask mandate. In an open letter shared online Sunday, the governor's former pastor, Elizabeth Henry, urges him "to learn and change and better love our neighbors in thought and word and action by implementing a statewide mask mandate," noting she's "afraid" for the children. Such concerns aren't restricted to Mississippi.

The governor is now facing calls to reverse his opposition to a statewide mask mandate. In an open letter shared online Sunday, the governor's former pastor, Elizabeth Henry, urges him "to learn and change and better love our neighbors in thought and word and action by implementing a statewide mask mandate," noting she's "afraid" for the children. Such concerns aren't restricted to Mississippi. Florida quarantines: Those 19 or younger accounted for about 20% of COVID-19 cases in Florida last week (31,700 of 151,415), per ABC News. And in Florida's Hillsborough County Public Schools, the seventh-largest school district in the country, more than 12,000 staff and students have been isolated or quarantined. As of Thursday morning, 2,134 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed among students and staff in the Tampa-area district with more than 213,000 students. Masks are now required, but at least 28,000 parents sought exemptions for their children.

Elsewhere: More than 2,000 staffers and students in a school district in Phoenix are isolated or quarantined, per AZ Family. The same goes for nearly 1,000 students and 95 staff members in Nashville, per the Nashville Tennessean. About 750 students in Indiana's New Albany-Floyd County Consolidated School Corp., almost 7% of the student body, were in quarantine as of Tuesday, along with 40 staff members, per USA Today.

More than 2,000 staffers and students in a school district in Phoenix are isolated or quarantined, per AZ Family. The same goes for nearly 1,000 students and 95 staff members in Nashville, per the Nashville Tennessean. About 750 students in Indiana's New Albany-Floyd County Consolidated School Corp., almost 7% of the student body, were in quarantine as of Tuesday, along with 40 staff members, per USA Today. School closures: Many other school districts across the country, including in Indiana and Kentucky, have temporarily closed due to outbreaks. That includes at least four school districts each in Texas and Georgia.

(Read more quarantine stories.)
(Newser)  The Taliban now control Afghanistanbut with access to funds extremely limited, they will have a tough time running the country. The International Monetary Fund, under pressure from the US, is blocking the Taliban's access to emergency reserves that were supposed to be released to Afghanistan next week. the New York Times reports. The $460 million in emergency currency reserves was part of a $650 billion approved this month to support the economies of developing countries hit by the pandemic. The IMF said the resources are being blocked because of a "lack of clarity within the international community" over the recognized government of Afghanistan. The Taliban has also been blocked from accessing $9 billion in reserves held by Afghanistan's central bank. More:



How the Taliban is funded. In June, when the Afghan government received its most recent IMF loan installment, the United Nations said the "primary sources of Taliban financing remain criminal activities," the BBC reports. The activities included "drug trafficking and opium poppy production, extortion, kidnapping for ransom, mineral exploitation and revenues from tax collection in areas under Taliban control or influence," the UN said,

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Warning from lawmakers . Before the IMF confirmed the move, members of Congress urged Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to pressure the international body to ensure the Taliban did not receive US-backed aid, saying the potential of the IMF allocation "to provide nearly half a billion dollars in unconditional liquidity to a regime with a history of supporting terrorist actions against the United States and her allies is extremely concerning."

. Before the IMF confirmed the move, members of Congress urged Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to pressure the international body to ensure the Taliban did not receive US-backed aid, saying the potential of the IMF allocation "to provide nearly half a billion dollars in unconditional liquidity to a regime with a history of supporting terrorist actions against the United States and her allies is extremely concerning." Food prices set to rise . Analysts say that without international aid, and with almost no US dollars left in the country, the country will face a currency crisis and rising food prices. "The afghani has been defended by literally planeloads of US dollars landing in Kabul on a very regular basis, says Graeme Smith, a consultant researcher with the Overseas Development Institute, tells the AP. "If the Taliban dont get cash infusions soon to defend the afghani, I think theres a real risk of a currency devaluation that makes it hard to buy bread on the streets of Kabul for ordinary people." Ellen McGroarty, the head of the World Food Program in Afghanistan, warns that an 'incredible humanitarian crisis is unfolding."

. Analysts say that without international aid, and with almost no US dollars left in the country, the country will face a currency crisis and rising food prices. "The afghani has been defended by literally planeloads of US dollars landing in Kabul on a very regular basis, says Graeme Smith, a consultant researcher with the Overseas Development Institute, tells the AP. "If the Taliban dont get cash infusions soon to defend the afghani, I think theres a real risk of a currency devaluation that makes it hard to buy bread on the streets of Kabul for ordinary people." Ellen McGroarty, the head of the World Food Program in Afghanistan, warns that an 'incredible humanitarian crisis is unfolding." Country relies on foreign aid. The Taliban has promised to improve the country's economyand halt opium productionbut it says it will need foreign aid, and donor countries like Germany and Canada have no plans to recognize them as the country's government. "Afghanistan is tremendously dependent on foreign aid. Foreign aid is about 10 times or even more than the Taliban has been able to obtain from its own finance," says Vanda Felbab-Brown at the Brookings Institution, per AFP.

The Taliban has promised to improve the country's economyand halt opium productionbut it says it will need foreign aid, and donor countries like Germany and Canada have no plans to recognize them as the country's government. "Afghanistan is tremendously dependent on foreign aid. Foreign aid is about 10 times or even more than the Taliban has been able to obtain from its own finance," says Vanda Felbab-Brown at the Brookings Institution, per AFP. Refugee crisis is looming. As the US and other Western countries scramble to evacuate their citizens and Afghans who worked with them, analysts say there is a much bigger refugee crisis ahead, the Washington Post reports. Some 500,000 Afghans have been displaced in the last eight months of fighting and aid groups are urging the Biden administration to accept at least 200,000 refugees.

(Read more Afghanistan stories.)
(Newser)  Netflix subscriber numbers experienced major growth between 2016 and 2019and so did the bank accounts of three software engineers who illegally used inside information to profit from stock trades, according to the Securities and Exchange Commission. The watchdog says the three employees and two of their associates made a total of $3 million with trades based on confidential information about subscriber growth numbers, the BBC reports. According to the SEC, Sung Mo Jun repeatedly passed the information to his brother and a close friend while working for Netflix in 2016 and 2017. After he left the company, Jun allegedly continued to receive insider information from Netflix engineers Jae Hyeon Bae and Ayden Lee. All five people involved have been charged with insider trading.

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"The defendants allegedly tried to evade detection by using encrypted messaging applications and paying cash kickbacks," but were caught through the use of "sophisticated analytical tools to detect, unravel, and halt pernicious insider trading schemes," Joseph Sansone, chief of the SEC's Market Abuse Unit, said in a statement. In his 2020 book No Rules Rules, Netflix founder Reed Hastings said the company keeps workers motivated by being transparent with financial information, Deadline notes. "We are perhaps the only public company that shares financial results internally in the weeks before the quarter is closed, he wrote. The financial world sees this as reckless. But the information has never been leaked." He added that "when it does one day leak," the company will "deal with that one case and continue with transparency." (Read more Netflix stories.)
(Newser)  After disrupting the business of department stores for years, Amazon has decided to join them. The company plans to open department stores that will be much larger than the 4-star stores it already operates but about one-third the size of a typical Sears, the Wall Street Journal reports. There's plenty of retail space for Amazon to choose from: coinciding with the rise of Amazon, department stores have fallen in retail sales share from 10% to less than 1% in the past few decades. A retail analyst said that Amazon's move makes senseciting the success of Targetand that the decline of large stores isn't its fault. "Traditional US department stores have been the author of their own demise by their failure to [innovate] and adapt," said Neil Saunders of Global Data, per the BBC. Amazon also took on stores when it bought Whole Foods in 2012.

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Amazon's plans aren't final, per the Journal, and the company called reports about them "speculation." Department store sales are rebounding from the pandemic shutdown, and Amazon executives say store displays will help sell products. "Amazon knows that the future of retail is multichannel," Saunders said, adding that "most consumers still shop using a combination of stores and online." Clothing will be an emphasis; Amazon now sells more clothes than any other company. It's not clear how warmly rival retailers will welcome Amazon to the neighborhood. When Amazon's first bookstore opened in Seattle, the British company Waterstones expressed hope that the new store "falls flat on its face." Ohio and California are two places slated for the new Amazon stores. (Read more Amazon stories.)
(Newser)  The US plans to roll out booster shots for people in September, and two high-profile seniors plan to get theirs as soon as possible. President Biden told ABC News that he and first lady Jill Biden won't hesitate on their third COVID shot. "We got our shots, all the way back in, I think December. So it's past time, Biden said. The president actually got his second shot in January, notes the Washington Post, so he'd be on track for his booster in Septemberthe CDC recommends the extra dose come eight months after full vaccination. Meanwhile, the US decision continues to cause controversy:

Biden defends: Are you comfortable with Americans getting a third shot when so many millions around the world haven't had their first? ABC's George Stephanopoulos asked the president. Absolutely," Biden responded. "Because were [providing] more to the rest of the world than all the rest of the world combined. Before we get to the middle of next year, we're gonna provide a half a billion shots to the rest of the world. We're keeping our part of the bargain. Were doing more than anybody.

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Life jackets: But others don't think the US stance is ethical. An executive at the World Health Organization provided a much-quoted analogy to reporters. "We're planning to hand out extra life jackets to people who already have life jackets, while we're leaving other people to drown without a single life jacket," said the WHO's Dr. Michael Ryan, per NBC News.

But others don't think the US stance is ethical. An executive at the World Health Organization provided a much-quoted analogy to reporters. "We're planning to hand out extra life jackets to people who already have life jackets, while we're leaving other people to drown without a single life jacket," said the WHO's Dr. Michael Ryan, per NBC News. The stats: Roughly half of all Americans are fully vaccinated, per the CDC, but only about 24% of the world population can say the same. In some low-income nations, the figure is closer to 1% for even a single dose. That's why Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of WHO, wrote an op-ed in Time calling for a moratorium on boosters until poor nations get their shots.

Another critique: In a Washington Post op-ed, a medical expert agrees with the moral concerns above, but he also makes the case that science does not currently support the US decision. There "is no evidence that additional shots meaningfully reduce death or hospitalization from covid-19 for healthy Americans," writes William F. Parker, assistant professor of pulmonary and critical care medicine at the University of Chicago. "Far better would be to wait for solid trial data on booster shots." (His essay digs into the details.)

In a Washington Post op-ed, a medical expert agrees with the moral concerns above, but he also makes the case that science does not currently support the US decision. There "is no evidence that additional shots meaningfully reduce death or hospitalization from covid-19 for healthy Americans," writes William F. Parker, assistant professor of pulmonary and critical care medicine at the University of Chicago. "Far better would be to wait for solid trial data on booster shots." (His essay digs into the details.) Bafflement: Stat News talks to immunologists and other experts in the field and finds that the decision is being met "with bafflement, concern, and even anger." Johns Hopkins vaccines researcher Anna Durbin says the current shots remain effective at preventing severe cases, even if mild breakthrough cases emerge. "I think theres this tidal wave building thats based on anxiety," she says. "And I dont think its based on scientific evidence that a booster is needed.

Stat News talks to immunologists and other experts in the field and finds that the decision is being met "with bafflement, concern, and even anger." Johns Hopkins vaccines researcher Anna Durbin says the current shots remain effective at preventing severe cases, even if mild breakthrough cases emerge. "I think theres this tidal wave building thats based on anxiety," she says. "And I dont think its based on scientific evidence that a booster is needed. In defense: The conservative editorial board of the Wall Street Journal, usually at odds with Biden on policy, thinks the boosters are a great idea and that Biden is right to ignore the criticism. The editorial notes that the CDC cited emerging evidence about the waning effectiveness of the first shots. In terms of ethics, "the WHO is presenting a false choice between the US protecting Americans and assisting the billions of unvaccinated folks around the world," the editors write. "The US can protect Americans and help the world at the same time."

(Read more coronavirus vaccine stories.)
(Newser)  A Republican, a Democrat, and an Independent in the Senate all tested positive for the coronavirus on Thursday, despite being vaccinated. Sens. Roger Wicker, Angus King, and John Hickenlooper have all felt symptoms, CNBC reports. "While I am not feeling great, I'm definitely feeling much better than I would have without the vaccine," King, 77, a Maine Independent, said in a statement, adding that he began feeling feverish on Wednesday. Wicker, a 70-year-old Republican, is being treated by his hometown doctor in Mississippi, his staff said. He's "isolating, and everyone with whom Senator Wicker has come in close contact recently has been notified," a spokesman said. Hickenlooper, a Colorado Democrat, said he tested positive after experiencing mild symptoms. He said he's feeling better but will continue to isolate. "I'm grateful for the vaccine (and the scientists behind it) for limiting my symptoms and allowing us to continue our work," Hickenlooper said.

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They're not missing any Senate work; the chamber is in recess, scheduled to return next month. Before recess began, nearly all senators were on the floor for an all-night session before a budget vote, per the AP. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina also announced a breakthrough infection this month. Several House members have announced they tested positive, per CNN. "If you haven't gotten your shotget it today!" Hickenlooper, 69, tweeted Thursday, per the Washington Post. "And a booster when its available too!" The number of new infections among fully vaccinated people is low, and they're usually not serious. Of 166 million fully vaccinated people in the US, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists 8,000 breakthrough cases that caused severe disease or death. The virus "is not done with us yet," King said in his statement. (Read more coronavirus vaccine stories.)
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Witness: Heffner was playing with gun moments before Maschal was shot in the head

COAL TOWNSHIP  Another material witness testified Wednesday that he saw accused murderer Brian George Heffner playing with a handgun in the back seat of a sport utility vehicle moments before 33-year-old Sean Maschal was shot in the head.

Robert Louis Villari Jr., 34, of Coal Township, who stated he didnt know Maschal whose nickname was Ice, said he was traveling with the murder victim, Heffner, 40, of Coal Township, and David Matthew Brown, 37, formerly of 1019 Walnut St., Ashland, in a red Dodge Durango on Sept. 12, 2017, along Route 901 at Locust Gap when the fatal shooting occurred.

He said, I saw Heffner playing with the gun. It went off and must have hit Sean. I then saw Heffner holding the gun with two hands on his lap. I asked Heffner why he did that and I just started screaming. I was afraid for my life. I didnt look at Sean because I didnt want to see the hole in his face.

He said Heffner claimed the shooting was an accident.

When questioned by co-defense counsel Michael P. Dennehy and Northumberland County Assistant District Attorney Michael Seward if he shot Maschal, Villari said, No. He also said Brown, who was driving the vehicle, didnt shoot the victim.

Villari, who admitted being heavily addicted to drugs, said all four men in the Durango had gotten high in a wooded area near Sagon prior to the shooting.

He described Heffner as looking goofy just before the shooting.

Villari said he was sitting in the back seat on the drivers side behind Brown, while Heffner was in the back passenger side seat of the Durango behind Maschal.

Earlier in his testimony, Villari admitted stealing a handgun from the glove compartment of a Jeep Cherokee in Ashland and bringing it to Browns residence on the morning of Sept. 11, 2017, in an attempt to sell it for drugs. He described the home where Brown was living as a flop house.

Villari, who was living in Shamokin at the time, said he then sold the gun to Heffner, who was at Browns home, for methamphetamine.

The witness said the next day he and Brown rode in a vehicle operated by an unidentified Black man to meet up with Heffner and Maschal at a car wash near McDonalds in Coal Township. He said the Black man stayed at the car wash while the other four men got into the Durango that Maschal and Heffner had driven to the car wash.

After stopping at Weis Markets in the Anthra Plaza to purchase needles, Villari said all four men got crazy on bath salts in the wooded area near Sagon before eventually traveling to Locust Gap.

When Brown turned off the highway onto a mountain road near Locust Gap after Maschal was shot, Villari said Maschals body slumped over to the left and made contact with Brown.

Villari said he then took the gun off Heffner, walked away and threw bullets from the gun into the woods. He said the gun was later found in the back seat.

Villari said he and Brown wanted to call police and an ambulance, but Heffner refused to do so or allow them to.

After the three men left Maschals body at the scene, they returned to Ashland, where Villari said he threw the empty magazine from the gun used in the shooting and his pants into a storm drain.

He said the three co-defendants later stopped at a Loves gas station at the Lebanon exit off Route 81, where Heffner cleaned up blood from the vehicle with some of his clothing.

Villari said the three men then traveled to the Lebanon area, where Heffner sold the gun for bath salts that they later used to get high at Browns residence.

The witness, who told the court Maschals murder messed him up for life, said he later told a friend about what happened before being arrested by police while he was high on methamphetamine.

Under cross examination by Dennehy, Villari admitted telling police in his initial interview that the bullet fired from the gun went through the front passenger seat. But the defense attorney pointed out that previous testimony by a retired state trooper revealed no bullet hole in the seat.

Villari said he agreed to cooperate with authorities and testify against Heffner in exchange for a county sentence in the case.

Villari was one of seven witnesses to testify Wednesday for the prosecution, which rested its case at 1:10 p.m.

It is unknown if defense attorneys Dennehy and John L.. McLaughlin, of Danville, will call Heffner or other witnesses to the stand today.

Closing arguments by the attorneys will follow any testimony by defense witnesses.

Northumberland County President Judge Charles H. Saylor will instruct the jurors on each of the 14 charges including an open count of criminal homicide filed against Heffner and explain the law before recessing court for deliberations. A verdict could be reached today.

Michael McIntyre, of Ashland, testified that he is the owner of the gun stolen by Villari that authorities allege was used in the shooting. McIntyre said he thought he misplaced the gun before being notified by the Lebanon County Detective Bureau in October 2017 that the stolen gun had been recovered.

State Parole Agent Adam Kusnerick, who supervised Maschal at the time of his death, said the murder victim was wanted by authorities for about a week for failing to report for his home plan. He said Maschal had been under supervision for drug offenses for about a year.

Kusnerick said he identified a backpack belonging to Maschal that was found during the course of the investigation by police. He recognized a razor blade style knife that was in the backpack when he visited Maschal at his home in Mount Carmel about two weeks before the murder. He recalled telling Maschal to get rid of the knife.

Mount Carmel Patrolman Justin Stelma testified about responding to an overdose call at 11:39 p.m. Sept. 14, 2017, at 204 S. Maple St., Mount Carmel, involving Heffner.

He said Lucas Klingerman, who resided at the home at the time, told police he found Heffner lying in the street and brought him inside in an attempt to revive him.

Stelma said Heffner was unresponsive, prompting Narcan to be administered to save his life. When he awoke, Stelma said Heffner became very combative, forcing police to taser and handcuff him.

He said Heffner, who was wanted by state parole agents, was then taken by ambulance to a hospital. The officer said he notified the state parole department about the incident and Heffners whereabouts.

Michael Begis, of Mount Carmel, testified that he used methamphetamine with Heffner while riding in a vehicle to and from the Jonestown area near Lebanon on Sept. 21, 2017.

Begis recalled pulling over to the side of the road because he was too out of it to drive. Begis said Heffner then walked away from the white Subaru while he remained in the car. Begis said neither man had a valid drivers license.

The witness, who knew Heffner was wanted in connection with Maschals murder, said he then spotted state police drive by the area, stop near his vehicle and question him.

Begis identified himself and told police Heffner was with him before fleeing into the woods.

Begis then agreed to be interviewed by state police at Jonestown.

Cpl. Matthew Templin, who interviewed Begis, said he told him Heffner fled because he was wanted. After the interview, Templin said he drove to a trailer park about a mile from where Heffner had walked away from the car. The trooper said he then spotted the wanted man standing next to a truck in Jackson Township, Lebanon County.

Templin said Heffner identified himself and was taken into custody without incident at 7:46 p.m.

Mount Carmel Township Patrolman Michael Pitcavage, the arresting officer in the case, was recalled as a witness after testifying Tuesday.

Pitcavage said Maschals backpack contained .22-caliber and .38-caliber ammunition, but no .40-caliber ammunition from a Smith and Wesson, which authorities believe is the gun used in the murder.

He said knives and personal belongings also were found in the backpack.

The officer testified that Heffner didnt have a license to carry a firearm.

The defense attorneys agreed with a few stipulations made by Seward that included Heffner being convicted of a felony drug charge on Jan. 28, 2016, and Maschals DNA profile matching the DNA profile of the bullet fired from the gun that killed him.

In addition to an open count of criminal homicide, Heffner is charged with robbery, aggravated assault, criminal conspiracy, theft, receiving stolen property, possessing a firearm without a license, possessing a firearm while being a convicted felon, aiding consummation of a crime, tampering with evidence, abuse of a corpse and hindering apprehension.
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The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland-Medical University of Bahrain (RCSI Bahrain) concluded its Gulf Region Alumni Speaker Series 2021, organised by the RCSI Bahrain Careers and Alumni Office, in conjunction with the Alumni Team from RCSI in Dublin.

Under the theme Excellence in Healthcare, the Gulf Region Speaker Series featured prominent graduates from across RCSI programmes, presenting on a range of topics.

The first event of the series kicked off in February with a presentation by Class of 2011 graduate, Paediatric Surgeon and Paediatric Urology Specialist at the Bahrain Defence Force Hospital (BDF), as well as one of the recipients of RCSI Bahrains Inspiring Excellence Award, Captain Dr Abdulrahman Alshafei, based on his experience of setting up a paediatric surgery service in Bahrain.

Successful Leadership in UAE Healthcare was the topic of discussion for the second event of the series, with RCSI School of Medicine and Institute of Leadership (IOL) alumnus and current Dubai Healthcare City Authorities regulation sector CEO, Dr Ramadan Alblooshi.

Introduced by RCSIs Managing Director of Surgical Affairs, Eunan Friel, the presentation focused on various topics including global leadership, the influence of culture, as well as challenges to leadership and the balance between success and failure from Dr Alblooshis own experiences.

Introduced by RCSI CEO and Registrar, Professor Cathal Kelly, the series concluded with a talk by practising Clinical Pathologist and Head of the Laboratory Department at a private hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Dr Shaista Hussain (RCSI in Dublin, Class of 2006), on the topic of Triage Project and Leveraging Technology for Healthcare Excellence.

In 2016, Dr Hussain founded the Triage Project, a non-profit public health service and education programme in Saudi Arabia, which leveraged smartphone technology to bring streamlined clinical evaluations to underdeveloped communities.

Dr Hussain hopes to contribute to building the bridge between humans and technology towards optimising and enhancing healthcare services for animals and humans. President of RCSI Bahrain, Professor Sameer Otoom commented: RCSI alumni are widely spread throughout the globe in search of opportunities for growth and seeking knowledge.

The Gulf Region Alumni Speaker Series highlighted the impact of the outstanding achievements made by the alumni as healthcare leaders in their societies and I look forward to seeing more of their success in their future endeavours.

The RCSI alumni global network spans 97 countries and connects over 22,500 global healthcare leaders around the world. The Gulf Region Alumni Speaker Series 2021 is available to watch on the RCSI Bahrain YouTube channel.
FAA proposes more than $500,000 in new fines against unruly airline passengers
NEW YORK (AP)  A return, at least temporarily, to near normalcy is giving a boost two of America's largest department stores hit hard by the pandemic last year.

Macy's and Kohl's raised their projections for 2021 Thursday after easily beating expectations in the just-ended second quarter. Americans are going back to stores again to buy dresses, luggage and other goods that fell to the bottom of the priority list last year when the pandemic struck.

We are emerging from the pandemic, a stronger company than we were before it began in the second quarter,  said Macy's CEO and Chairman Jeff Gennette.

Shares surged 20%.

Major retailers are rolling out quarterly earnings reports this week and next, and the data so far has consistently pointed to a return to almost normal behavior by U.S. shoppers. That means the explosion of online shopping during the pandemic is easing, with more people heading to stores.

Macy's online sales fell 6% compared with last year when they surged 53% in the same time frame last year. Still, online sales were up 45% when compared with the second quarter in 2019, so some changes may be here to stay.

COVID-19 is still everywhere, however, and there are other potential headwinds emerging.

Retailers are now monitoring the spread of the delta variant, which has led to more mask mandates. Theyre also grappling with higher prices just as government stimulus and other benefits, which helped energize spending, fade. Snarled supply chains are still snarled and companies can't find workers.

And prepandemic threats for traditional department stores are still there, such as alternative clothing chains like T.J. Maxx and online sellers, too. On Thursday, The Wall Street Journal reported that Amazon plans to open several large physical retail locations in the U.S. similar to department stores. It quoted unnamed sources familiar with the matter.

Former Macy's CEO Terry Lundgren said in a CNBC interview Thursday that he believes physical locations would cut down on the number of returns for Amazon, particularly with clothing, a huge expense.

Amazon would not comment on The Wall Street Journal report.

Macy's reported earnings of $345 million, or $1.08 per share in the three-month period ended July 31. Adjusted earnings were $1.29 per share, far above the 23 cents industry analysts had expected, according to FactSet.

Last year, Macy's lost $431 million in the same period.

Revenue rose nearly 60% to $5.64 billion, better than the $5.01 billion Wall Street projected.

Macy's now expects sales for the year of between $23.5 billion and $23.95 billion, which is better than Wall Street is expecting. Adjusted earnings are expected to be between $3.41 and $3.75 per share, up from $1.71 to $2.12.

Kohl's reported earnings of $382 million, or $2.48, for the three-month period ended July 31, topping analyst expectations of $1.26. Revenue rose 31% to $4.22 billion, also better than expected.

The first group of what will eventually be hundreds of Sephora shops at Kohl's are doing well, said CEO Michelle Gass.

A partnership with Amazon that allows customers to return items at Kohl's locations has also created new customers for the department store, said Gass.

The news of potential brick-and-mortar stores for Amazon would not threaten that partnership, Gass said.

Both partners continue to be very pleased with our relationship,  she said. We see that moving forward into the future. 

Kohl's now expects annual sales to increase in the low-twenties percentage range compared with previous projections of mid-to-high teens. Adjusted earnings per share is projected to be between $5.80 and $6.10.

Shares of Kohl's Corp., based in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, rose nearly 8%

_____

AP Business Writer Joe Pisani contributed to this report.

Follow Anne DInnocenzio on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ADInnocenzio
REDDING  A van offering free vaccinations is coming to Redding.

The van, which does not require an appointment, will be offering Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer and Moderna vaccines at the Redding Community Center on Aug. 22 and Sept. 12, according to a flyer from the town.

On both dates, vaccines will be offered in the afternoon from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. for anyone over the age of 12. The flyer also states that those under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

The events are being jointly sponsored by the Redding Health Department and the State Department of Public Health.

Vaccination vans and mobile clinics have been popular tools used to bring vaccines to public areas and break down access barriers in Connecticut. Back in May, New Milford hosted a vaccine van at its G.O.A.T. Days celebration.

The Department of Public Health has a list of other upcoming vaccine van locations and events on its website.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The warnings were clear: The Afghan government would likely fall once U.S. troops pulled out. But intelligence agencies and ultimately President Joe Biden missed how quickly it would happen, losing weeks that could have been used for evacuations and spurring a foreign policy crisis.

Without a sense that the country could collapse so quickly, the administration heard out Afghan President Ashraf Ghani when he met face-to-face with Biden in June. Biden says Ghani pressed him to hold off on any urgent evacuation of Americans, arguing that it would be inviting the Taliban to advance more quickly -- as it turned out they did anyway -- and telling the Afghan army to give up.

It was an ask that Biden heeded, despite more than a decade of deep-rooted skepticism of the competence of the Afghan government and military, marred by widespread corruption and mismanagement.

Biden on Wednesday blamed Ghani for fleeing the country and Afghan forces for surrendering so easily to the Taliban. He told ABC News that he believed the problems with the withdrawal were inevitable.

The idea that somehow, theres a way to have gotten out without chaos ensuing, I dont know how that happens, he said.

U.S. officials estimate that as many as 10,000 Americans remain in Afghanistan, and tens of thousands of Afghans who fought alongside or aided the U.S. in the nearly two-decade occupation are struggling to get out.

Bidens assertion on Monday that some Afghans, still hopeful for their country, didnt want to leave has been widely criticized. The State Department has a backlog of tens of thousands of visa applications from those who have been trying for years to depart the country ahead of the U.S. withdrawal. That is now set for Aug. 31, though Biden said Wednesday Americans would not be left behind.

While analysts have long warned that the Afghan government would be in grave danger without American support, they didnt anticipate the speed at which it would fall to the Taliban.

That miss is sparking instant reviews of what went wrong, current and former U.S. officials said, speaking only on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the subject.

As recently as two weeks ago, intelligence agencies in briefings to lawmakers gave no warning that the Afghan government faced imminent collapse, an official familiar with the briefings said.

A defense estimate that Kabul could be surrounded within 30 days  an assessment that was viewed as pessimistic when it was reported last week  turned out instead to be far too optimistic. In just over a week, the Taliban overran the country and entered Kabul without a fight. Ghani and his top aides fled.

Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, insisted Wednesday that he had no indication of the speed of the Afghan collapse.

There was nothing that I or anyone else saw that indicated a collapse of this army, and this government, in 11 days, he said.

One senior intelligence official said agencies did identify the risk of a rapid collapse of the Afghan government and grew more pessimistic during the last several months of the Afghan fighting season.

That said, the Afghan government unraveled even more quickly than we anticipated, the official said.

Analysts have for years warned that the American withdrawal would destabilize Afghan forces trained at great U.S. expense and still heavily reliant on U.S. air power and intelligence gathering, current and former officials said. Withdrawal also would risk damaging the morale of Afghan units who had fought alongside U.S. and coalition forces for two decades and would be left to face a resurgent Taliban on their own.

A public threat assessment in April warned that Afghan forces will struggle to hold the Taliban at bay if the coalition withdraws support.

One administration official said the intelligence community had reported to the White House that a rapid military collapse following the withdrawal would be possible as the Taliban took key provincial capitals. In fact, that occurred within a matter of days leading up to the fall of Kabul.

And the anticipated danger was not limited to Afghanistan itself. Analysts had also warned that new terrorist threats would likely emerge from the country if the Taliban were to take power. According to a former official, one assessment predicted that a large-scale terrorist attack could be planned in Afghanistan within one to three years of the withdrawal.

Many have blamed an intelligence failure for failing to anticipate the speed with which the Afghan government would collapse. Some current and former intelligence officers have pushed back.

Marc Polymeropoulos, who served in the CIA for nearly three decades, said that the intelligence community had always been clear amid a renewed focus on the mistaken 30-day time frame.

Whether its six days or 30 days, I dont see the IC as ever having made any kind of rosy predictions or cherry-picked at all, he said.

But Chris Miller, who deployed to Afghanistan in 2001 and later was the nations top counterterrorism official and acting defense secretary under former President Donald Trump, called the missed speed an intelligence failure of cataclysmic proportions.

We have something fundamentally wrong with the way we do our intelligence assessments in our country, he said. Its cultural and technological arrogance. This was so predictable how this was going to go down.

Other elements of the U.S. government were pushing Americans and others to leave months ago, with ever-more-dire warnings, culminating with an urgent Aug. 7 State Department plea for them to leave, offering to provide funding for Americans to get out of Afghanistan.

Some U.S. officials believe they may have bought into the leaked intelligence assessment that the Afghan government could hold onto Kabul for a month or longer. Officials maintain that those assessments were not released publicly, and were only best estimates. For all of the focus on intelligence failures, the officials say the State Department warnings should have pushed most Americans to leave Afghanistan weeks ago.

Now, the U.S. is working with the Taliban to ensure safe passage for Americans and Afghans who helped the 20-year war effort and are frantically trying to reach Kabul's international airport. As the Taliban take hold, the State Department has said it cannot guarantee them safe passage to the airport.

___

Associated Press writer Eric Tucker contributed to this report.
BUDVASE is the latest addition to FlowerShop's line of mood-and-sensory based cannabis, aromatherapy, home goods, and lifestyle products. BUDVASE is the first release of a branded flower line, augmenting the pre-rolls that have been consistently selling out.

"The timing is perfect to bring one of our flagship products, the BUDVASE, to market," commented Isaac Muwaswes, co-founder of FlowerShop*. "With the culmination of the summer and holiday seasons, the momentum gained from our BOUQETPACK release, and our strategic retail and distribution partnerships in place, we are in a great position to see rapid scale and penetration into the California market."

"Our goal has been to expand the distribution and brand awareness of the FlowerShop's premium, high-end product lines within the California market," said Kiran Sidhu, CEO and Co-Founder of Halo. "The exciting launch of BUDVASE gives us exactly the right product line to distribute within Halo's retail locations and through the innovative Unrivaled distribution agreement. As FlowerShop* continues to expand its product lines, we expect our relationship to grow."

The BUDVASE flower jar, available in six colors and strains across three moods (Comfort, Smile, and Joy), was developed with top cultivators across California, focusing on premium triple-A indoor flower to highlight the nose, taste, and effects for each mood. Testing yielded more than 30-40% of total cannabinoids. A testament to the focus on design, multi-function, sustainability, and user experience that the brand is known for, the BUDVASE jar was designed to be reusable with the silicone cap doubling as an ashtray and incense holder. The BUDVASE is one of many items in the FlowerShop* product line for 2021 including JUICEDROPS edibles, concentrates, candles, ashtrays, and other lifestyle and fashion merchandise.

Halo previously announced that it had acquired three Los Angeles dispensaries that will carry the full line of FlowerShop* products, and the first dispensary is still set to open by the end of 2021. In the meantime, FlowerShop* BUDVASE will launch in key third-party retailers across the state. The brand has seen strong initial feedback in the market and has garnered high-profile press including LA Weekly, Complex, Forbes, and High Times.

Distribution Agreement

Simultaneous to the product launch, Halo signed an exclusive agreement with Unrivaled Brands, Inc., a multi-state vertically integrated company focused on the cannabis sector with operations in California, Oregon, and Nevada. As part of the agreement, Unrivaled will be the exclusive distributor of Feel Better's FlowerShop* branded products to more than 400 retail stores across California in Unrivaled's sales network.

The popular FlowerShop* product lines complement Unrivaled's existing distribution lineup of Korova, Sticks, Habit Labs, Cabana, and Serra products by offering a uniquely packaged lifestyle brand with an extensive marketing presence in California. The product lineup includes BUDVASE and the BOUQUETPACK line of glass-tipped infused pre-rolls. FlowerShop* expects to expand into more categories in 2021, including JUICEDROPS edibles and concentrates.

Unrivaled President Oren Schauble stated, "We're excited to partner with the FlowerShop* team and to offer this exciting brand to the Unrivaled's dispensary network we serve throughout California. FlowerShop*'s commitment to unique experiences, both in their cannabis products and accessories and their understanding of the modern cannabis customer, aligns well with the product portfolio we're building in California."

Muwaswes added, "Unrivaled is a pioneer in the space. Their vision and leadership in the California market, from both a consumer and B2B side, has allowed them to set the standard for operational excellence and growth. There was immediate alignment with our leadership teams and company missions  culminating in a shared obsession around customer experience and product quality. We couldn't be more excited to have Unrivaled as a key partner to grow the FlowerShop* brand and help the world Feel Better."

FlowerShop* will be available from select launch partners starting August 28th.

About Halo Collective Inc.

Halo is a leading, vertically integrated cannabis company that cultivates, extracts, manufactures, and distributes quality cannabis flower, oils, and concentrates, and has sold approximately eleven million grams of oils and concentrates since inception. The Company continues to expand its business and scale efficiently, partnering with trustworthy leaders in the industry who value Halo's operational expertise in bringing a host of quality products to market.

Halo currently operates in the United States in Oregon and California, Canada, Southern Africa in the Kingdom of Lesotho, and the United Kingdom. The Company sells cannabis products principally to dispensaries in the U.S. under its brands Hush, Winberry, Mojave, and Exhale, and under license agreements with Papa's Herb, DNA Genetics, Terphogz, and FlowerShop*, a cannabis lifestyle and conceptual wellness brand that includes G-Eazy as a partner and key member.

As part of continued expansion and vertical integration in the U.S., Halo boasts several grow operations throughout Oregon and two planned in California. In Oregon, the Company has a combined 11 acres of owned and contracted outdoor cultivation, including East Evans Creek, a six-acre grow site in Jackson County with four licenses owned and operated by Halo and two third-party licenses under contract to sell all of their product to Halo; Winberry Farms, a one-acre grow; and William's Wonder Farms, a three-acre grow site in Applegate Valley, under contract to sell all of its product to Halo pending the closing of Halo's acquisition of its licenses and business assets.

In California, the Company is building out Ukiah Ventures, a planned 30,000 sq. ft. indoor cannabis grow and processing facility, which will include up to an additional five acres of industrial land to expand the site. Recently, Halo partnered with Green Matter Holding in California to purchase a property in Lake County, developing up to 63 acres of cultivation, comprising one of the largest licensed single-site grows in California. Halo also plans to expand its operations in California by opening three dispensaries in North Hollywood, Hollywood, and Westwood, one of which may house a FlowerShop* branded experience.

In Canada, Halo acquired three KushBar retail cannabis stores located in Alberta as a first in its planned entry into the Canadian market, leveraging its Oregon and California brands. With the KushBar retail stores as a foundation, the Company plans to expand its foothold in Canada.

Halo has also acquired a range of software development assets, including CannPOS, Cannalift, and CannaFeels, as well as a discrete sublingual dosing technology, Accudab. The Company intends to spin-off these assets, and its intellectual property and patent applications into its subsidiary Halo Tek Inc. Halo expects to complete a distribution to shareholders on a record date to be determined by Halo.

Halo has recently announced its intention to reorganize its non-U.S. operations into a newly formed entity called Akanda Corp. ("Akanda"), whose mission will be to provide high-quality and ethically sourced medical cannabis products to patients worldwide. Akanda will seek to deliver on this promise while driving positive change in wellness, empowering individuals in Lesotho, and uplifting the quality of the lives of employees and the local communities where it operates, all while limiting its carbon footprint. Akanda will combine the scaled production capabilities of Bophelo Bioscience & Wellness Pty. Ltd. ("Bophelo"), Halo's Lesotho-based cultivation and processing campus located in the world's first Special Economic Zone (SEZ) containing a cannabis cultivation operation, with distribution and route-to-market efficiency of Canmart Ltd., Halo's UK-based fully approved pharmaceutical importer, and distributor that supplies pharmacies and clinics within the U.K. With a potential maximum licensed canopy area of 200 hectares (495 acres), Bophelo has scalability that is arguably unmatched in the world today.

For further information regarding Halo, see Halo's disclosure documents on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Connect with Halo Collective: Email | Website | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram

About FlowerShop*

FlowerShop* is a Sensory-Care brand, innovating in the wellness, cannabis and lifestyle categories. Co-founders Isaac Muwaswes and Gabriel Garcia explain Sensory-Care as a progressive take on wellness-creating products, experiences, content, and more -- all designed to enhance your senses. In addition to being part of G-Eazy's creative team, FlowerShop* brings a wealth of knowledge and experience from a diverse set of industries, including tech and marketing, where Isaac led brand development at Twitter; to fashion and retail, where Gabriel co-created the international cult-favorite label, Brooklyn Circus, in addition to working with Puma and Adidas.

Together, Isaac and Gabriel saw a void in the wellness, cannabis and lifestyle industries. They embarked on a mission to develop a "Feel Better Company", a joyful brand experience at every level -- from purchase to consumption -- that exceeds the expectations of design-driven consumers who curate every aspect of their lives. By creating the first digitally-native, direct-to-consumer platform in the cannabis space, FlowerShop* will positively disrupt the market with original content, products and experiences, focused on sustainability and multi-functional use -- helping the world to FEEL BETTER, and ultimately encouraging acts of giving, spontaneity and love.

For more information about Flowershop*, please visit https://www.fromflowershop.com.

About Unrivaled Brands

Unrivaled Brands is a multi-state vertically integrated cannabis company with operations in California, Oregon, and Nevada. In California, Unrivaled Brands operates three dispensaries, a state-wide distribution network, company-owned brands, a cultivation facility, and has two additional cultivation facilities and a dispensary under development. In Oregon, it operates a state-wide distribution network and company-owned brands. In Nevada, by way of a joint venture, it operates a cultivation and manufacturing facility. Unrivaled Brands is home to Korova, the market leader in high potency products across multiple product categories, currently available in California, Oregon, Arizona, and Oklahoma, as well as Sticks and Cabana.

For more info, please visit: https://unrivaledbrands.com

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information and Statements

This press release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and may also contain statements that may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are not representative of historical facts or information or current condition, but instead represent only Halo's beliefs regarding future events, plans or objectives, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of Halo's control. Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or may contain statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "will continue", "will occur" or "will be achieved". Forward-looking information may relate to anticipated events or results including, but not limited to the distribution of BUDVASE products and the impact thereof on Halo's prospects, the Company's expansion plans regarding Canada, the expected size and capabilities of the final facility planned at Ukiah Ventures, the size of Halo's planned cultivation facility in Northern California, and the ability of Bophelo and Canmart to serve the U.K. market, the proposed spin-off with Halo Tek Inc. and Halo's proposed plans to re-organize its non-U.S. operations via Akanda Corp.

By identifying such information and statements in this manner, Halo is alerting the reader that such information and statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such information and statements. In addition, in connection with the forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release, Halo has made certain assumptions. Although Halo believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing, and the expectations contained in, the forward-looking information and statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and statements, and no assurance or guarantee can be given that such forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information and statements. Among others, the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information and statements are the following: inability of management to successfully integrate the operations of acquired businesses, changes in the consumer market for cannabis products, changes in the expected outcomes of the proposed changes to Halo's operations, delays in obtaining required licenses or approvals necessary for the build-out of Oregon operations, dispensaries or Canadian operations, the proposed spin-out with Halo Tek Inc. or the proposed re-organization with Akanda Corp., delays or unforeseen costs incurred in connection with construction, the ability of competitors to scale operations in Northern California, delays or unforeseen difficulties in connection with the cultivation and harvest of Halo's raw material, changes in general economic, business and political conditions, including changes in the financial markets; and the other risks disclosed in the Company's annual information form dated March 31, 2021 and other disclosure documents available on the Company's profile at www.sedar.com. Should one or more of these risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information or statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected.

The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and Halo does not undertake to update any forward-looking information and/or forward-looking statements that are contained or referenced herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking information and statements attributable to Halo or persons acting on its behalf is expressly qualified in its entirety by this notice.

SOURCE Halo Collective Inc.

For further information: Contact Information: Halo Collective Inc., Investor Relations, [email protected], www.haloco.com/investors

Related Links

https://haloco.com/


OTTAWA, ON, Aug. 18, 2021 /CNW/ - Today, in British Columbia, Liberal Party of Canada leader Justin Trudeau announced that, if re-elected, his government will build on the success of the EnerGuide home rating system for energy efficiency by developing a companion approach for scoring the climate resilience of our homes. Additionally, Trudeau introduced other new programs to encourage homeowners to take climate adaptation measures to better protect their homes from the effects of climate change.

Specifically, he announced an expanded home retrofit program that will help subsidize homeowners for everything from fire-resistant shingles to better waterproofing for basements. The new climate adaptation home rating program will provide access to experts to help homeowners navigate the retrofits process.

As with EnerGuide, this new system can be used by governments, insurers and banks to support and reward Canadians who take positive actions to protect their homes from the growing impacts of climate change.

Following the announcement, Robin Edger, National Director, Climate Change, Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC), issued the following statement:

"IBC has been advocating for these measures with all parties and we welcome today's announcement by Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau.

For many Canadians, their home is their greatest investment, and this is an important step toward helping homeowners bolster their financial security against the impacts of climate change.

This year's wildfire season in Canada has had a devastating impact on many homeowners and communities. These are the most recent events that must catalyze action to keep Canadians safe from the increasing impacts of climate change. Wildfires are currently tearing across British Columbia's Okanagan region, moving so quickly that people are now evacuating the places they previously fled to. And as bad as it has been this summer, climate change is expected to bring longer and larger wildfire seasons in the future.

This is a climate change election. IBC welcomes this focus on protecting homes and communities from the increasing impacts of wildfires and severe weather. All political parties and the media must join voters in focusing on the most important, urgent and challenging issue of our time during this election."

About Insurance Bureau of Canada

Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) is the national industry association representing Canada's private home, auto and business insurers. Its member companies make up 90% of the property and casualty (P&C) insurance market in Canada. For more than 50 years, IBC has worked with governments across the country to help make affordable home, auto and business insurance available for all Canadians. IBC supports the vision of consumers and governments trusting, valuing and supporting the private P&C insurance industry. It champions key issues and helps educate consumers on how best to protect their homes, cars, businesses and properties.

For media releases and more information, visit IBC's Media Centre at www.ibc.ca. Follow us on Twitter @InsuranceBureau and like us on Facebook. If you have a question about home, auto or business insurance, contact IBC's Consumer Information Centre at 1-844-2ask-IBC.

SOURCE Insurance Bureau of Canada

For further information: Media Contact: Andrew Bartucci, Director, External Communications, 416-201-1573, [email protected]

Related Links

www.ibc.ca


Afghanistan will not be a democracy under the Taliban rule and the country will be governed by the Sharia, or Islamic law, one of the senior leaders of the militant group, Waheedullah Hashimi, told Reuters on Wednesday.

Afghanistan will not be a democracy under the Taliban rule and the country will be governed by the Sharia, or Islamic law, one of the senior leaders of the militant group, Waheedullah Hashimi, told Reuters on Wednesday.

In an interview to the news agency, Hashimi said that Afghanistan may be governed by a ruling council headed by Taliban supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada. The Taliban would also reach out to former pilots and soldiers from the Afghan armed forces to join its ranks, Waheedullah Hashimi, who has access to the groups decision-making, added in an interview.

The power structure that Hashimi outlined would bear similarities to how Afghanistan was run the last time the Taliban were in power from 1996 to 2001. Then, supreme leader Mullah Omar remained in the shadows and left the day-to-day running of the country to a council.

Akhundzada would likely play a role above the head of the council, who would be akin to the countrys president, Hashimi added.

Maybe his (Akhundzadas) deputy will play the role of president, Hashimi said, speaking in English.

The Talibans supreme leader has three deputies: Mawlavi Yaqoob, son of Mullah Omar, Sirajuddin Haqqani, leader of the powerful militant Haqqani network, and Abdul Ghani Baradar, who heads the Talibans political office in Doha and is one of the founding members of the group.

There will be no democratic system at all because it does not have any base in our country, he said. We will not discuss what type of political system should we apply in Afghanistan because it is clear. It is sharia law and that is it.
Booster shots of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines are set to become available for all adults in America beginning next month, the country's top health officials announced on Wednesday.

Washington [US], August 19 (ANI): Booster shots of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines are set to become available for all adults in America beginning next month, the countrys top health officials announced on Wednesday.

We know that even highly effective vaccines become less effective over time, Dr Vivek Murthy, the surgeon general, said at a White House briefing. It is now our clinical judgment that the time to lay out a plan for COVID (vaccine) boosters is now.

Its now very clear that immunity starts to fall after the initial two doses, and with the dominance of the delta variant, we are starting to see evidence of reduced protection against mild and moderate disease, according to the statement signed by CDC Director Dr Rochelle Walensky, acting FDA Commissioner Dr Janet Woodcock, White House chief medical advisor Dr Anthony Fauci and other US health leaders.

As a result, US agencies are preparing to offer booster shots to all eligible Americans beginning the week of September 20, starting eight months after their second dose of Pfizer or Moderna Covid vaccines, officials said. While they said recipients of Johnson & Johnsons single-shot vaccine will likely need boosters, they are awaiting more data in the next few weeks before making a formal recommendation.

With those data in hand, we will keep the public informed with a timely plan for J&J booster shots as well, the officials said.

The plan is subject to a formal recommendation from a CDC vaccine advisory committee and approval from the FDA, also a formality.

Amid the spread of the delta variant of COVID-19, the CDC once again cautioned Americans, asking them to mask up when they enter a building, even if they are vaccinated. (ANI)
Remember when COVID-19 testing was a huge challenge for the state? Its back as a worry  not everywhere, but in homeless shelters and in Connecticuts under-served cities.

Fair Haven Community Health Care on Monday will restart its walk-up testing that closed at the end of June. The New Haven clinic will go it alone this time, without a state contract.

In Middletown, the acting health director asked to meet with the state Department of Public Health, which he did on Tuesday  to send the message that testing isnt reaching enough of the right people.

On Wednesday, dozens of homeless service providers from around the state told state health officials that less convenient testing for their clients this summer means less testing for the novel coronavirus, and thats a serious danger for everyone.

On Thursday, the state Department of Public Health will announce the opening of at least three new testing centers, one in Hartford, after opening one Saturday in Danbury.

Its all part of a scramble thats happening because, well, who knew before the Delta variant that Connecticut would need it? Some said at the time that the state should not dismantle its old testing system, one of the best in the nation, which swabbed as many as 500,000 noses a week in the heyday last winter.

Vaccination is much easier to obtain. Testing has become more challenging to access since July 1, said Michele Conderino, executive director of Open Doors, a homeless housing services organization in Norwalk, which runs the only shelter in that city.

Vaccination became the priority and thats where the focus went, Conderino said, but I think with the rise of the Delta variant, the lack of testing is putting people in a more vulnerable situation than they want to be.

After the old testing contracts expired on June 30, Connecticuts sprawling system of testers was allowed to fall too far.

There are still more than 300 places that test. But urban outreach clinics such as Fair Haven, Middletown-based Community Health Center Inc. and the Norwalk Community Health Center, which conducted testing right on site with Open Doors, didnt renew contracts for various reasons. Instead, the bulk of the task fell to urgent care centers and pharmacies such as Walgreens and CVS  without enough walk-in action.

And the new rules that they must ask for an insurance card scare some people off, even though the tests are free for anyone who doesnt have coverage.

In short, the pharmacy and urgent care system works better for people with flexible jobs and cars than it does for a low-income and especially a homeless population that doesnt have a lot of wiggle room and cant easily make appointments.

Did this have to happen? Thats hard to say. Demand for tests fell from well over 200,000 a week in April to as low as 64,000 in June and July. Now demand is back up, with more than 100,000 tests in each of the last two weeks  but the issue isnt numbers, its how to make sure people in cities, especially in settings such as shelters, can gain access easily enough to stop the spread.

The testing headaches reflect a broader difficulty for Gov. Ned Lamont and his COVID Cabinet. Setting rules was hard enough when the direction of the illness and the will of the citizens were clearer. Its easy to blunder now that the state and the nation fully reopened, then partially closed back up  with far less illness than we saw over the winter, but far more confusion.

While some urged that the state keep the walk-up centers functioning amid declining demand, others didnt see the need.

We sort of folded our tents. Demand was really low, Dr. Suzanne Lagarde, CEO at Fair Haven Community Health Care, told me Wednesday.

Fair Haven saw maybe 60 people a day looking for tests at the lull, down from several hundred at the peak. When the state contract ended, we were totally in agreement with that, Lagarde said.

Her agency will re-launch walk-up, free testing in the parking lot on Monday. They need state approval but they decided not to worry about the lack of a state contract, as they had before. That we get as many people in the door who want to be tested, thats the important thing, she said.

And the state is responding.

We have been working with a number of cities and towns to stand up additional testing sites because the demand has gone up, acting DPH Commissioner Dr. Deidre Gifford said in New Britain on Tuesday, when the subject du jour was getting vaccines into the arms of high school kids.

That includes a new drive-through, no-appointment-needed facility that opened Saturday at the Pat Waldron (Veterans) Building in Danbury, and four or five others around the state, with more announcements Thursday.

As for the homeless shelters, They should absolutely be thinking about regular testing, Gifford said. If a facility is finding that they have a population thats not fully vaccinated, well be happy to work with them to provide testing assistance.

Easier said than done. Now we have to transport somebody with an appointment, said Conderino, at Open Doors in Norwalk, who said she believes the state folks are working to fix the problems.

In Middletown, Kevin Elak, the acting public health director, said the pharmacies and urgent care centers now doing the bulk of testing may be struggling to keep up with demand as schools gear back up, as some people return to offices and as new federal guidance calls for testing of vaccinated people exposed to the illness.

Hes withholding judgment on how well he state is responding.

They told me that they are actively reviewing the metrics in Middletown, Elak said in an email, to see if additional testing is needed.

dhaar@hearstmediact.com
NEW ORLEANS (AP)  A Texas law outlawing an abortion method commonly used to end second-trimester pregnancies has been upheld by a federal appeals court in New Orleans.

The 2017 law in question has never been enforced. It seeks to prohibit the use of forceps to remove a fetus from the womb without first using an injected drug or a suction procedure to ensure the fetus is dead.

Abortion rights advocates argued that the law, known as SB8 in court records, effectively outlaws what is often the safest method of abortion for women in the second trimester of pregnancy. The procedure is medically known as dilation and evacuation.

They also argued that fetuses cannot feel pain during the gestation period affected by the law.

Texas legislators banned the procedure with a law that describes it as dismemberment abortion. Abortion rights supporters argued in court that one alternative provided in the law, using suction to remove a fetus, also results in dismemberment.

A three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals blocked enforcement of the law last year. But Texas was granted a re-hearing by the full court, and a majority of the 14 appellate judges who heard arguments in January (three of the court's 17 active judges were recused) sided with Texas on Wednesday. The opinion, by judges Jennifer Walker Elrod and Don Willett, said the record shows that doctors can safely perform D&Es and comply with SB8 using methods that are already in widespread use.

Concurring in the result were judges Priscilla Owen, Edith Jones, Jerry Smith, Catharina Haynes, James Ho, Kurt Engelhardt and Cory Wilson.

Judge James Dennis wrote a dissent, joined by judges Carl Stewart and James Graves. A separate dissent was written by Judge Stephen Higginson, joined by Gregg Costa.

Dennis said the Texas law, under the guise of regulation, makes it a felony to perform the most common and safe abortion procedure employed during the second trimester.

The Center for Reproductive Rights is analyzing the decision and considering all legal options, said its president and CEO, Nancy Northup.

Texas has been hellbent on legislating abortion out of existence, and it is galling that a federal court would uphold a law that so clearly defies decades of Supreme Court precedent, Northup said. At a time when the health care needs of Texans are greater than ever, the state should be making abortion more accessible, not less. There is no question that todays decision will harm those who already face the greatest barriers to health care.

Texas Right to Life applauded the ruling.

If the abortion industry appeals todays decision, the Supreme Court must answer the cases dynamic legal question: Is a dismemberment abortion inhumane enough to warrant legal prohibition? the anti-abortion group's statement said. The evident answer to this targeted question directly undermines some of the Supreme Courts central premises in their abortion jurisprudence, such as the misconception that pre-viability abortions are more ethical than those that occur after viability.

Texans celebrate todays long-awaited victory, Texas Right to Life Director of Media and Communication Kimberlyn Schwartz said in the release. Anyone can see the cruelty of dismemberment abortions, ripping a childs body apart while her heart is still beating. Were grateful the judges recognized this horror.

___

This story now includes dropped attribution and quotation marks in the second-to-last paragraph, which is based on a statement by Texas Right to Life.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP)  When Sigal Chattah goes to federal court to challenge a school mask mandate issued by the governor of Nevada, she'll likely be required to wear the very thing she's arguing against: a mask.

Thats because U.S. District Court in Las Vegas and other courts where plaintiffs are demanding their freedoms from masking and COVID-19 vaccinations require everyone to wear masks. Just as in-person hearings and trials resumed at courthouses around the country, a surge of coronavirus cases sparked by the delta variant has prompted some federal courts to impose new restrictions and requirements for mask-wearing and vaccinations.

The whole situation is very ironic, said Chattah, a Republican candidate for state attorney general who is representing two parents in a lawsuit that charges a mask mandate ordered by Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak is unconstitutional.

The Democratic governor's order requires students and school employees in the Las Vegas and Reno areas to wear masks on buses and inside school buildings, regardless of vaccination status. The lawsuit challenging them calls the governor's orders draconian and says they will inflict emotional distress on schoolchildren and their parents.

Other federal courts re-imposing virus restrictions have also seen lawsuits filed or heard cases challenging public health measures.

At the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta, an order went into effect Monday requiring everyone who enters the court's buildings to verify their vaccination status. Fully vaccinated people must sign a statement attesting to the truthfulness of their responses, and everyone who enters must wear a mask. Visitors who arent fully vaccinated will have to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within the last three days, while those who work there and arent fully vaccinated must be tested at least once a week.

This is the same circuit where a three-judge panel ruled in July that Florida-based cruise ships did not have to adhere to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 safety rules.

In Denver, the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last week began limiting access to its courthouse to fully vaccinated people only. The court's order requires unvaccinated attorneys who are scheduled to present oral arguments to file a motion to appear via video. Unvaccinated people who want to file documents in person must use a drop box located just inside the front door of the courthouse.

And in Texas, all employees and on-site contractors of the U.S. District and Bankruptcy Courts for the Southern District are now required to show proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 test results twice a week.

Our hopes are to just make sure everyone is as safe as possible. We hope thats the effect of the order," said Nathan Ochsner, Clerk of Court.

"The court is obviously very concerned about safety, not just for our employees, but the people we have contact with, he said.

Several other federal courts have revived old requirements that were relaxed earlier this summer when new cases were plummeting as vaccination rates increased.

In Salt Lake City, everyone who enters U.S. District Court must wear a mask again after the requirement had been dropped for about two months in line with CDC guidance. Court authorities reinstated the mask policy as the delta variant took hold, said Clerk of Court D. Mark Jones.

Thats different from most of the rest of Utah, a conservative state where theres no statewide mask mandate and even schools are banned from setting their own mandates.

In New Orleans, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated a mask mandate on July 30, requiring everyone  regardless of their vaccination status  to wear a mask in public areas of the courthouse. In Richmond, Virginia, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had planned to resume in-person oral arguments next month, but reversed course and decided to continue holding remote arguments because of the surge.

Many of the revised policies cite the updated guidance issued late last month by CDC as infection rates soared due to the highly contagious delta variant. The CDC said fully vaccinated people should return to wearing masks in indoor public places in communities where the virus is spreading quickly. It also recommended that all teachers, students and staff at schools wear masks, even if they are fully vaccinated, setting off a firestorm of protests and lawsuits as schools across the country prepare to reopen.

The sudden increase in coronavirus cases has also had other ramifications in federal courts. In West Texas, concerns about the surge recently ground many court functions to a halt. On Aug. 9, the chief federal district judge in San Antonio suspended jury trials and grand jury proceedings until Oct. 3, although bench trials, sentencings and some other hearings will continue.

Along with other cases, the move is likely to slow the federal investigation into corruption claims against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. The probe into bribery and abuse-of-office allegations is being led by a San Antonio-based federal prosecutor whos been using a grand jury in the city to issue subpoenas, including for records of renovations made to the Paxtons million-dollar home in Austin.

Paxton, who is running for re-election in a competitive Republican primary, has broadly denied the allegations from eight of his former top deputies that he used his office to help a wealthy donor.

In New York City, the judge in the federal sex trafficking trial of R&B star R. Kelly has ruled that only the attorneys, jurors and defendant are allowed in the courtroom, while the public, including the press, must watch live video feeds of the proceedings from overflow courtrooms. On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Ann Donnelly said anyone sitting in the area of the courtroom near the bench  including prosecutors, Kelly and his lawyers -- would have to start wearing masks out of an abundance of caution after she consulted with an epidemiologist. They had not been required to wear masks on Wednesday during the first day of testimony. The jury has been masked all along and seated six feet apart where the audience normally sits.

In Florida, frequent flyer Lucas Wall is suing the CDC and seven airlines over the federal mask mandate on flights, alleging the requirement left him stranded at his mother's home in that state during the pandemic. In his lawsuits, he argues that the mandate discriminates against people who cannot wear masks because of medical conditions, such as the anxiety disorder he contends with. Wall, who is representing himself in the lawsuits, said he plans to ask for an exemption from the mask requirement in U.S. District Court in Orlando if he is required to make in-person arguments in court.

Its completely preposterous that someone who is suing to overturn a mask mandate and medically can't wear a mask would be ordered to go into court wearing a mask to argue his case against mask mandates," Wall said.

___

Associated Press writers Jake Bleiberg in Dallas, Kate Brumback in Atlanta, Lindsay Whitehurst in Salt Lake City and Tom Hays in New York contributed to this report.
HAMDEN  Masks will be required in indoor public spaces throughout Hamden starting Thursday, following a new emergency order issued by Hamden Mayor Curt Balzano Leng Wednesday.

The order applies to everyone in Hamden, including those who have been vaccinated against the coronavirus.

Leng said the order was needed as the delta variant spreads across Connecticut.

Its unfortunate we have to do this, and I understand and share the frustration, but weve got to run this rodeo again, Leng said.

While we all certainly wish this pandemic was over, it is not and it is affecting younger ages more than any other COVID surge period, he added. These efforts, vaccination, masking and distancing, matter because lives are still at risk. We can help our families and our neighbors stay safe by taking these actions together.

Multiple municipalities have introduced similar indoor mask mandates after Gov. Ned Lamont issued an executive order earlier this month allowing cities and towns to do so at their own discretion.

New Haven, Hartford, Stamford and Danbury also have indoor mask mandates.

The town is also requiring masks for all outdoor gathers of more than 250 people at Hamden facilities or parks.
HARTFORD  A 40-year-old Hartford man was sentenced to 37 months in prison for distributing fentanyl, according to Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut Leonard Boyle.

Armando Quinones, also known as Yayo, will also have four years of supervised release after his three-year imprisonment, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticuts office said in a statement Wednesday.

The U.S. Attorneys office said Quinones sold drugs on behalf of Ricardo Reyes, also known as Rick the Ruler.

Both Reyes and Quinones were alleged members of the Los Solidos street gang, which distributed fentanyl, heroin, cocaine and crack in the Park Street and Hungerford Street area in Hartford, according to the U.S Attorneys Office.

The FBIs Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force began investigating Reyes, purchasing narcotics from him and conducting court-authorized wiretaps. These wiretaps confirmed Reyes was distributing narcotics to numerous customers, as well as identifying Reyes suppliers and associates, Boyles office said.

The wiretaps also revealed Reyes was acquiring and trafficking firearms, according to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticuts Office.

Boyles office said Quinones has a criminal history that spans more than 20 years, including multiple convictions in Connecticut and New Jersey.

Quinones has been detained since he was arrested June 20, 2019. A grand jury in Hartford indicted Reyes, Quinones and 13 associates with various narcotics trafficking and firearm possession offenses.

On April 19, Quinones pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess fentanyl with intent to distribute.

Reyes also pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 18 years of imprisonment Feb. 11, 2021.

In 2020, there were 1,812 fatal overdoses involving fentanyl, heroin or cocaine statewide, according to data from the Connecticut Department of Public Health.

Those struggling with substance abuse issues can call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration national hotline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) for a free and confidential treatment referral or information.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP)  Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said Iowa would welcome refugees from Afghanistan who want to resettle in Iowa saying their situation is much different from the immigrants coming across the U.S.-Mexico border Reynolds refused to accept in April.

Reynolds and U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst discussed plans to take refugees while attending the Iowa State Fair on Wednesday.

Were working with the state department right now were offering our opportunity to settle here in Iowa, Ernst said.

Ernst said she is working with Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, a New Hampshire Democrat, to push the U.S. Department of State to allow as many people as possible to qualify for the Special Immigrant Visa Program. It is designed to get people who worked with U.S. military as interpreters or translators in Iraq or Afghanistan.

The U.S. Bureau of Refugee Services has said Iowa could take as many as 2,000 refugees a year and Reynolds didn't disagree with that number.

We'll work with them to determine what that looks like and just make sure we have a process in place and we have families and homes for them to go, she said. We want to be a partner we want them here and we want them to know that and well work through those process whatever they may be but definitely we can handle that.

In April Reynolds said she rejected a federal request to accept migrant children from the U.S.-Mexico border into the state, saying the need to find homes for them is the presidents problem.

She blamed President Joe Biden for opening the border and said he needs to stop the influx, adding that her priority is the health and safety of Iowans and that the state doesnt have facilities to house migrant children for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

On Wednesday she said the refugee resettlement program is different because those coming from Afghanistan will have special visas and properly documented.

They are vetted and they come into the state that way, It's completely different than what's happening at the southern border, completely different, Reynolds said.

She said Iowa has taken 94 refugees from Iraq and Afghanistan since 2007.
NEW HAVEN  Mayor Justin Elicker is calling for the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to approve proposed regulations on ghost guns, saying that the untraceable firearms make it more difficult to safeguard residents from gun violence.

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland signed proposed rule 2021R-05, which would update the definitions of firearm and related parts for the first time since 1968 and help close a regulatory loophole associated with the un-serialized privately made firearms that are increasingly being recovered at crime scenes across the country, in May, according to the Department of Justice.

These unmarked firearms, known as ghost guns, are often assembled from kits that are sold without background checks, making them easily acquired by criminals who otherwise would not be permitted to possess a firearm, federal officials said.

With the new definitions, it would be required that retailers must run background checks before selling kits that contain the parts necessary for someone to readily make a gun at home; that manufacturers include a serial number on the firearm frame or receiver in easy-to-build firearm kits; and that dealers have a serial number added to 3D printed guns or other un-serialized firearms they take into inventory, officials said.

The ATF is now accepting public comment on the proposal, prompting Elicker to submit a formal letter in favor of the change, according to an email from the city Thursday.

New Haven police seized two such firearms in 2020 and four so far in 2021, officials said.

As New Haven  like many other cities across the United States  faces a recent, dramatic rise in gun violence, it is imperative that we do everything in our power to protect the safety and wellbeing of our residents, Elicker said in the letter. Simply put, the cost of inaction is too high  in lives lost to gun violence, in pain and trauma of those impacted by it, in resources expended to fight it, and in the lost potential of those who become involved with it.

But reducing gun violence is not a simple or easy thing to accomplish. We must address the issue from many different directions, from the lack of opportunity that makes some turn towards violent crime, to the prevalence of guns, which make it that much easier for them to do so, he said. Making sure that guns do not fall into the hands of youths and people who will use them to commit violence is a crucial priority in fighting gun violence, and this proposed ATF rule is a vital, urgent first step towards ensuring that that happens.

Acting Police Chief Renee Dominguez said in the email that the department was monitoring the prevalence of ghost guns.

This is a nationwide trend that we are seeing throughout the country, said Dominguez. We continue to work closely with our federal partners, including the ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms Unit) to monitor the presence of ghost guns in our city and address this ever growing issue in the State of Connecticut. Although we have only seized a small number by the New Haven Police Department over the past 2 years, we know this is an ever-growing and concerning issue which we will continue to address.

william.lambert@hearstmediact.com
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)  Just 41 intensive care unit beds were available in Oregon on Wednesday as COVID-19 cases continue to climb and hospitals near capacity in a state that was once viewed as a pandemic success story.

Oregon, which earlier had among the lowest cases per capita, is now shattering its COVID-19 hospitalization records day after day. Oregon  like Florida, Arkansas and Louisiana  has had more people in the hospital with COVID-19 than at any other point in the pandemic.

As of Wednesday, 850 coronavirus patients were hospitalized in Oregon  surpassing the states record, which was set the previous day. Before this month, the hospitalization record was 622 in November, during a winter surge and when vaccines were not yet available.

More than a third of the states 652 adult ICU beds are being used for COVID-19 patients. Health officials say that the overwhelming majority of hospitalized virus patients are unvaccinated.

For more than a year Oregon faced some of the nations strictest safety measures  county risk levels, mask requirements inside and outside, limited gatherings and restaurants closed for indoor dining. Health officials say the state's consistently low COVID-19 case counts throughout the pandemic can be attributed to tight restrictions.

On June 30, Gov. Kate Brown officially lifted coronavirus restrictions. At the time 136 people with COVID-19 were hospitalized.

But as safety measures were removed, and the highly transmissible delta variant tore through the state, COVID-19 cases rapidly increased.

Earlier this month, Renee Edwards, the chief medical officer at Oregon Health & Science University, said that Oregons low immunity level as a state when considering previous infections" and the number of vaccinated people has placed the state at high risk for new infections.

For weeks Oregon health officials have warned that COVID-19 cases, fueled by the highly transmissible delta variant, would fill hospitals by September if infection rates didn't slow significantly. Now, a little more than halfway through the month of August, 94% of the states hospital beds for adults and 93% of ICU beds are full.

When our hospitals, emergency departments, and ICUs are full, that means a staffed hospital bed may not be available when you and your family need urgent or intensive care, whether for COVID-19, or a car crash, or a heart attack or stroke, Gov. Kate Brown said via Twitter on Tuesday.

Oregon divides the state into hospital regions to better coordinate emergency response. In hospital region two in western Oregon  which consists of Benton, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Polk and Yamhill counties  officials report that there are zero ICU beds left.

Other hospital regions are heading towards full capacity as well.

In hospital region one  which is home to Oregon's most populous counties and where about half of the state's hospital and ICU beds are located  there are 17 adult ICU beds left.

State health officials have warned that, without health and safety interventions in place, hospitalizations will far exceed the health system capacity in coming weeks. Officials at Oregon Health & Science University estimate that the state will be short by as many as 500 hospital beds by early September.

Despite new safety and health measures  including vaccine requirements for health care workers and state employees and a statewide indoor mask mandate for everyone, regardless of vaccination status  Oregon continues to report all-time high COVID-19 numbers.

On Friday 500 National Guard members will be deployed to serve as equipment runners in the most stricken hospitals and help with testing.

In an attempt keep hospital beds open, health systems across Oregon have opted to postpone elective procedures, nurses and physicians say they are overwhelmed and health officials are desperately urging people to get vaccinated and wear masks.

-

Sara Cline is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP)  The head of the South Dakota National Guard said Wednesday that Gov. Kristi Noem didnt tell him she would use a private donation for the deployment to the U.S. border with Mexico until after the mission was already planned.

Noem's decision to accept a $1 million donation from a Tennessee billionaire last month was met with hefty criticism from those who said it allowed a private donor to commandeer a military force. But Maj. Gen. Jeffery Marlette told a legislative budgeting committee Wednesday that the donation was not a factor in planning the deployment.

Our National Guard is not for hire, he told lawmakers. Nowhere in this planning process was there a discussion of, Ill go send the Guard if I can find somebody to pay for it.

The Republican governor last month described the $1 million donation offer from billionaire Republican donor Willis Johnson as a surprise that came as she was deciding whether to send police officers or National Guard troops, as well as how to fund the deployment. The state was responding to a request from Texas and Arizona to send law enforcement officers under an agreement between states to assist during emergencies

The costs for the two-month deployment will likely run over Johnson's $1 million. Marlette said the Guard expects to spend over $1.3 million by the middle of September. That will be paid from the state emergency and disaster fund, which is overseen by an agency tasked with preparing the state for natural disasters or other emergencies. Johnson's donation will flow through the fund, but lawmakers questioned how much money the fund already has and whether they will be asked to fund it during next year's legislative session.

Marlette defended the deployment of 48 soldiers as helping halt the flow of drugs, calling the border a doorway for meth and other dangerous drugs in South Dakota. He said Guard members have seen evidence of Mexican cartels fighting over control of the border crossings.

Our governor said this is a national security, this is a drug issue, this is important to South Dakota, Marlette told the lawmakers.

National Guard members have also assisted families who are crossing to claim asylum, including at one point helping deliver a baby and performing CPR on a dying 2-year-old child, Marlette said.

The governor said she was considering extending the National Guard's deployment after visiting the National Guard members last month, but Marlette said he did not have any updates on whether the deployment would last beyond another month. Guard members are paid a daily rate ranging from $200 to $248, plus a daily food allowance of $55. Those salaries, plus the costs of transporting equipment, paying for hotels and transportation, make up the bulk of the expense for the deployment, according to Marlette.

Several lawmakers questioned how the deployment would be funded if the governor decides to extend it. Democratic Sen. Reynold Nesiba said the state funding issue was complicated by the private donation.

The governor's spokesman Ian Fury said her office has requested reimbursement from Texas, but does not anticipate them paying anything. He added that she plans to continue using the emergency and disaster fund for the deployment.

Gov. Noem has extended the deployment for an additional 30 days. They will continue to deliver on the mission objectives of protecting the border, intercepting illegal immigrants, and providing drug interdiction against the cartels, Fury said.

South Dakota is also expected to send 125 soldiers for a yearlong deployment as part of a separate federal mission later this year. That deployment will be funded by the federal government.

___

This story has been corrected to show that the donation to the emergency and disaster fund came from Willis Johnson, not Maj. Gen. Jeffery Marlette.
Niagara Falls, NY (14301)

Today

Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy in the afternoon. High near 75F. Winds NE at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

A mostly clear sky. Low 59F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved N658 million for the deployment of sniffer dogs at Lagos and Abuja international airports. ...

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved N658 million for the deployment of sniffer dogs at Lagos and Abuja international airports.

The council gave the approval during the weekly meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday.

Hadi Sirika, minister of aviation, while speaking with reporters after the council meeting, said four memoranda was approved for the ministry totalling N16,697,742,839.

According to him, the projects to be executed in the contracts include construction of Wachakal Airport in Yobe State at N6.3 billion; post-construction services for the same airport at the cost of N219.8 million. It also includes the procurement of eight airport rescue and firefighting vehicles at the cost of N9.5 billion; and a contract for the deployment of sniffer dogs to the Lagos and Abuja international airports at the cost of N658.8 million.

FEC approved four memoranda from civil aviation. One of it is the approval for the construction of Wachakal Airport in Yobe State and at the contract sum of N6,284,065,056, he said.

Even and in our drive to develop the sector and ensure connectivity within our region and also improve on our security architecture and also attend to the various needs of civilization, we found this airport and many others that are coming across the country useful.

The second was a post-Consultancy Services for the construction of the same airport, Wachakal Air stripe which is very close to Nguru in Yobe state. So, first Consultancy Services is given to Kafe Engineering at the sum of N219,782,500 only. This will include seven and a half percent VAT.

The third memorandum that was taken his approval for the supply and maintenance of eight units of airport rescue and firefighting vehicle including spare parts and training. And this was given to Messers Gulf of Africa International Limited.

The exclusive representatives of the OEM and the OEMs are Emirate firefighting equipment factory, this is in the sum of N9,535,132,500 even. This also will include seven and a half percent and the delivery period for this procurement is 12 months.

The last memo that was taken from aviation, it has to do with approval for the award of contract for the deployment of sniffer dogs canine in airports in Lagos and Abuja, we will be continuing with this procurement and other airports as well. So, the total contract sum for this procurement is N658,762,783.36 which includes seven and a half percent VAT.

At the meeting, the council also approved N537 million for the acquisition of a property to serve as the new headquarters of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI).

Femi Adesina, special adviser to the president on media and publicity, explained that the agency had been making use of a rented property.

NEITI, which is, the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, was given an approval to acquire a permanent office building for N537,000,000 to be used as its head office, he said.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has denied that he sneaked out of Nigeria to meet with Twitter executives ...

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has denied that he sneaked out of Nigeria to meet with Twitter executives in the U.S.

In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Washington on Wednesday, the minister described the report as fake and said his official visit to the U.S. has nothing to do with the microblogging and social networking platform.

Mohammed said he was in the U.S. to meet with international media organisations and think tanks on the achievements of President Muhammadu Buharis administration and efforts made so far in tackling insurgency, banditry and all forms of criminality.

He said the online report was an example of the danger fake news and unregulated social media portend for the country.

Can a minister sneak out of Nigeria without people knowing.

When you say I sneaked out of Nigeria, are you saying I went to board at a terminal where nobody is or I travel to Republic of Benin to fly out of the country.

I was at an international airport, where I presented myself openly and I was checked in at the counter like every other travelers of the airline.

I boarded and passed through the checks by the Immigration service and Customs.

How can you come and say I sneaked out of the country?.

The minister who had so far engaged with the BBC Radio and TV, Bloomberg and Polico during his visit to Washington DC, said he had no mission with Twitter on his trip.

You and I have been here, have I met with any twitter official?

When you talk about fake news and its danger, we need to take it seriously and I am happy that the entire world has now seen what we saw more than two years ago.

I can assure you that we will not rest until we regulate the social media, otherwise, nobody will survive it, he said.
National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus has said he visited former President Olusegun in Abeokuta to discuss ...

National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus has said he visited former President Olusegun in Abeokuta to discuss the situation of the country.

It was reported that Secondus was at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital for a closed-door meeting with the former President.

While addressing newsmen after the meeting that lasted more than an hour, the PDP Chairman said he came to Obasanjo as an elder statesman to advise the present government.

I am here with the members of my team and as well as the PDP executives in Ogun State to tap from the wealth of Babas knowledge as a statesman. It been very difficult lately because Baba is a global personality, resolving issues across the world. In fact, the last place I learnt Baba visited was Afghanistan, despite the situation in that country, he went there and came back alive.

So, my team and I are very grateful and we give glory to God. We have discussed Nigeria. Nigeria first before any other thing. Yes, we belong to a political party, but if we dont have a country, where do we practice democracy? We need to have a peaceful country where democracy can strive and at this point, we need Chief Obasanjo to come in with solutions.

We are aware of the insecurity, the poor economy, banditry, kidnapping all over the country; and we cant continue to watch without reaching out to the elders so that they can come to gather and advise the present government. That is the duty of a statesman, Secondus explained.

In his words, Obasanjo maintained that though the situation of Nigeria is very bad, it is not irredeemable.

He asked Nigerians to set aside partisanship and think of working together to save Nigeria from collapsing.
Editor's Note This article is brought to you by Albert Burney.

A new owner is being sought for one of south Louisianas oldest and most iconic homes.

Bocage sits on more than eight acres along the Mississippi River in Darrow, about midway between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. The mansion was originally built approximately in 1840 in a Greek Revival style and boasts five bedrooms and four-and-a-half baths. The property was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991 and has served as a movie set on many occasions.

The current owner, Dr. Marion Rundell, purchased Bocage in 2008 and embarked upon a $2 million renovation process. Now that the work is complete and Rundell, who lives in Houston, wants to spend more time with his family, Bocage is up for auction. The Albert Burney firm is handling the transaction.

The live auction will take place at Bocage at 11 a.m. Tuesday, September 14. It will be led by Louisiana auctioneer Bret Richards, No. 2003. Individuals will need to show proof of $100,000 in certified funds to receive a bidders package. The individual will keep the money if their bid is unsuccessful.

The winning bidder will need to put 10% down and close the purchase within 30 days.

I want the person or persons who buy Bocage to love her, Rundell said. I think she has taken on a character of her own. Ive been in a number of historic houses, and none of them compare to Bocage.

Rundell said one thing that makes Bocage unique is that the two-story home is about 7,000 square feet, which is smaller than many other similar properties. The lower level includes a kitchen, dining room, main parlor, one bedroom and an office. The upper level amenities include four bedrooms and parlor doors that open to a staircase and front yard.

Its an appropriate size for livability, but its also large enough to use for receptions, dinners or events, Rundell said.

Rundell said that when he first purchased Bocage, the home was structurally sound but also suffering from neglect and age. But Rundell was not deterred. While honoring Bocages history, Rundell has made renovations to ensure the property stays in good condition for years to come. A new EPDM rubber roof was installed and is designed to last numerous years in the future. A fire sprinkler system was installed, as was a new electrical system and internet connections.

I dont mind updating, so if you walk in Bocage today, youll find granite countertops in the bathrooms. We updated to brushed nickel fixtures in the bathrooms, Rundell said. If you see Bocage today, it looks absolutely nothing like the building that we bought. Its considerably better, with no disruption of anything we found to be historical.

The Bocage restoration was a team effort with numerous contractors, it took a full year to complete the restoration. In a Metairie architectural antique store, he found wrought iron similar to that used in the 1700s and 1800s and used it to create a railing along the back porch. He met multiple times with the local fire marshal to ensure everything was up to code. He also consulted with the now-late Dr. Neil Odenwald, the former director of LSUs landscape architecture school, on the best type of plantings to plant on the property. Dr. Odenwald personally inspected and placed many of the live oaks and azaleas.

After 13 years of ownership, Rundell said hell be somewhat sad to let Bocage go, but he feels its the right time to turn it over to someone new. Rundell, a pathologist, is retiring soon and has other activities planned, including watching his teenage son swim competitively.

I hope whoever buys it lives there and loves it, he said. I spoke to an appraiser after everything was complete and he said he had never seen a home as impeccably restored as Bocage. I hope everyone else feels the same way.

For more details on Bocage and the auction, visit https://www.albertburney.com/portfolio-item/bocage-antebellum-home/.
Graphic-novel lovers are invited to come together by Zoom for the New Orleans Public Librarys Manga Book Club at 4:30 p.m. Aug. 26 to discuss the My Hero Academia series.

Attendees are encouraged to come in cosplay or bring fan art, and those who do will receive a prize.

"My Hero Academia" is a Japanese superhero manga series, written and illustrated by Kohei Horikoshi, which follows the story of Izuku Midoriya, a boy born without superpowers (called Quirks) in a world where they have become commonplace. Midoriya dreams of becoming a superhero himself.

He is scouted by All Might, Japan's greatest hero, who chooses Midoriya as his successor and shares his powers with him, helping Midoriya to enroll in a prestigious high school for heroes in training. The story has been serialized since 2014 and has inspired an anime television series.

The librarys Manga Book Club is sponsored by the Friends of the New Orleans Public Library and is designed for ages 11-17. The club meets on the fourth Thursday of the month, through November.

WRITING WORKSHOP: Writers of all skill levels, styles and genres are invited to a Virtual Creative Writing Workshop on Aug. 28, hosted by Kathleen Balma, a Pushcart Prize-winning poet, Fulbright Fellow and New Orleans Public Library librarian

Writers participating in the Zoom meeting from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. will create, share, and critique original work while learning to develop their own voice.

For details and registration, email kbalma@nolalibrary.org or visit nolalibrary.org/events.

GET READY TO VOTE: Are you almost 18 and not yet registered to vote? Maybe you're younger and not sure why you should care? Tune into the librarys virtual program What's voting got to do with you? for insight on the importance of local elections with Antoinette Williams, a graduate of McDonough 35 High School and Xavier University who ran for school board when she was 21.

This virtual panel, from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 2, is intended for ages 11-17 to discuss how each elected office affects everyone, even those younger than voting age. Participants will leave with ideas about how to advocate for change regardless of age. Email mfleming@nolalibrary.org with questions. This event is sponsored by the Friends of the New Orleans Public Library.

TEEN ADVISORY BOARD: Teens are encouraged to make their voices heard by joining the New Orleans Public Librarys Teen Advisory Board. The library is seeking students in grades 6 through 12 to share their thoughts about how the New Orleans Public Library can better serve them, through programming, products, materials and more.

Interested students can apply at teens.nolalibrary.org and then tune in for an introductory meeting Sept. 21 at 4 p.m. on Zoom.

The Teen Advisory Board is sponsored by the Friends of the New Orleans Public Library and organized by the librarys Teen Programming Team. For more information, contact Caitlin Young at cmyoung@nolalibrary.org or (504) 596-3101.

ART INSTALLATION: A new art installation by local artist Marta Rodriguez Maleck is on display at the New Orleans Public Librarys Main Library, located at 219 Loyola Ave. The piece, titled Vivir es Morir, or To Live is to Die, combines sculpture and audio and invites visitors to climb up, sit down, read and listen to themes exploring death and rebirth.

Featuring recordings of about 45 voices, the work asks visitors to consider what beliefs, systems, relationships and institutions need to be reimagined in order for communities to thrive.

Dr. Gabriel Morley is director of the New Orleans Public Library.
As a cascade of cancellations have cleared much of the New Orleans fall festival schedule, one local food event is now vowing to continue and has added a new proof of vaccination requirement to pull it off.

Top Taco, an annual outdoor party that convenes local restaurants and bars to serve tacos and cocktails, is scheduled for Sept. 23 at Lafreniere Park in Metairie. Now, all attendees, including vendors and volunteers, will need to verify that theyve been vaccinated or show a negative test result from the last 72 hours.

With no mask mandate or restrictions on event sizes in Jefferson Parish, or any other part of Louisiana outside of New Orleans, this was a voluntary move by event producer Shane Finkelstein. He said he wants to show a way to continue with events during the pandemic.

Im doing this because I love festivals and I dont want them to go away, Finkelstein said. I think there is a way forward through this if we do it safely.

When he informed participating restaurants and sponsors of the change, he expected some to drop out because their staff will have to show vaccination proof or negative test results. But all sponsors and all but one restaurant confirmed they would continue, he said.

+7 Krewe of Red Beans' 'Fest Fest' gives donors a chance to win a New Orleans porch concert Since you cant go to festivals this fall, the Krewe of Red Beans is bringing the festivals to you  and supporting local musicians as well.

Another factor compelling Top Taco to carry on is its charitable partner. This year, the event is out to raise money for the PLEASE Foundation, a nonprofit that serves young people with mentoring and scholarships to attain a college education. The group had already enrolled new students this year, banking in part on proceeds from Top Taco.

Our charity is depending on us, Finkelstein said.

Top Taco is part of what until recently looked like a busy fall calendar of returning and rescheduled events. But on Aug. 8 the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival called off its October event, and French Quarter Festival soon announced its own cancellation. This week brought confirmation that the smaller events Beignet Fest and the National Fried Chicken Festival were both called off for 2021.

The moves come as the delta variant drives record new COVID case numbers in Louisiana, with most of the cases among people who have not yet been vaccinated.

Finkelstein is confident Top Taco is both small and flexible enough to produce its event under more rigorous safety measures.

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+5 Trombone Shorty's 'Shorty Fest 2021' still on despite New Orleans Jazz Fest cancellation In early August, Troy Trombone Shorty Andrews had his fingers crossed every day in the hopes that the 2021 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage

The event will cap attendance at 3,500 people, and the grounds will be laid out to encourage an open flow of foot traffic and less congregation. The event has live bands, but unlike a music festival, the main attraction at Top Taco is food, served at dozens of individual booths that can be spread across the park.

The coronavirus crisis forced Top Taco to cancel in 2020 just a week before its scheduled March 19 date. Finkelstein said he was at first unsure if he could bring the festival back, but sponsors and participating restaurants were eager to take part again.

For this rescheduled fall version, he also moved the event from the New Orleans riverfront to Lafreniere Park. When announcing that move earlier this year, he explained the Metairie location gave greater flexibility for attendance, because when event planning started the city was under tighter crowd size limits than other parishes.

Lafreniere Park also offered lower operational costs and more room to spread out, combining to give the event more certainty in its comeback year.

Top Taco

When: Sept. 23

Where: Lafreniere Park, 300 Downs Blvd., Metairie

Info: toptaconola.com

+13 Quint Davis on why the 2021 New Orleans Jazz Fest was canceled: 'Safety, reality, finances' As he struggled with whether to cancel the 2021 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, producer Quint Davis had a sobering conversation wit
The National Fried Chicken Festival has been canceled, the latest event scrubbed from the once-bustling fall calendar in New Orleans as the delta variant is driving record numbers of new infections in Louisiana.

The annual food festival was scheduled for Oct. 23 and 24 with a new location along the New Orleans lakefront, just over the levee from the University of New Orleans' Lakefront Arena. The new home was part of an effort to give the popular event more space and bring it to a different part of the city, away from the prime tourism areas downtown.

The cancellation will be a blow to the many different vendors signed up to take part. While the National Fried Chicken Festival is sponsored by chicken giant Raising Cane's, its focus is on smaller restaurants, food trucks, caterers and other pros with a passion for fried chicken. The event has become a showcase for different styles around the common theme of fried chicken.

This decision was particularly difficult, as the independently owned restaurants that participate in our festival have had an extraordinarily difficult year," said festival founder Cleveland Spears III. "We remain committed to finding other ways to support those restaurants over the coming weeks and months."

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The National Fried Chicken Festival is traditionally held in the fall. The 2020 edition of the festival was also called off because of the pandemic.

+7 Krewe of Red Beans' 'Fest Fest' gives donors a chance to win a New Orleans porch concert Since you cant go to festivals this fall, the Krewe of Red Beans is bringing the festivals to you  and supporting local musicians as well.

Another New Orleans food festival, Beignet Fest, canceled its 2021 plans this week, calling off the event that was scheduled for Sept. 25 in City Park.

Two much larger events for the 2021 fall calendar, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and French Quarter Festival, each rescheduled from their customary spring dates, were also canceled last week.

+10 With Jazz Fest canceled, hit to New Orleans restaurants, vendors goes beyond lost business Workers this week are putting the finishing touches on a bright new paint job at Liuzzas by the Track, part of a spruce-up the owners of the 
Guest Opinion: In City Hall fight, New Orleans once again treats Treme like low-hanging fruit, ripe for plucking
Around 60 unmasked people gathered across from City Hall to protest mask and vaccine mandates Thursday morning, with some peddling outright conspiracy theories with others trying to frame the event as a meeting to discuss government control.

There are plenty of things that concern me about the vaccine but were not anti-vaccine, said organizer Marco Ramos. But we are against the government control that weve seen expanding and expanding.

We live in a country that was built on rebels, that was built on the blood of people that said, Im not gonna stand here and allow whats happening to happen, he added.

Some long-shot mayoral candidates used the event to promote their candidacy and rail against Mayor LaToya Cantrell, including Republican Vina Nguyen and Matthew Hill, who has no party.

This lady needs to be kicked off her throne, Nguyen said of Cantrell.

The protest was organized by Ramos and Joel Duran. Duran did not respond to questions from Gambit.

Ramos, however, did. He is the husband and business partner of Brittany Picolo-Ramos, host of HGTVs Selling The Big Easy. The Ramos own Godwyn Realty, and the show follows Picolo-Ramos and her team [as they] make house hunting fun as they take an enthusiastic approach to buying and selling elegant and historic properties in New Orleans, according to the shows website.

A spokesperson for Discovery, which owns HGTV, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether the network condoned the protest.

In an interview prior to the protest Wednesday evening, Ramos downplayed his involvement in the protest and indicated his wife would not be attending. My involvement is that I'm a part of the Facebook group, I'm an admin of the Facebook group, he said, adding Brittany is not involved in any official capacity, nor is HGTV.

He also said that Neither Joel nor I are against masks, were not against vaccines, and was critical of the protesters who disrupted the Wednesday meeting of Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

It doesnt seem like they accomplished much because the people who were there didnt honor the rules that were set up regarding mask wearing, he said.

As for the decision to ask participants to leave their guns at home, Ramos said that was not in response to any particular concern. I dont have any concern of that. I think its more  making sure everyone knows our intentions are to be respectful and peaceful, he said Wednesday night.

Although Ramos had said his wife would not attend the protest, Picolo-Ramos did in fact come.

In an interview at the event, Picolo-Ramos said if there werent breakthrough cases of vaccinated people who have contracted Covid, she would be the biggest advocate ever for the vaccine.

If the vaccine is totally safe, we had long-term studies, we had proof that you won't get Covid, you won't spread Covid, I would be on that front door being like 'Get your vaccine right now!' she said. I would be the biggest advocate ever because I want people's lives to be saved.

The vaccine has been proven to be safe and effective, and the vast majority of new cases are among people who are not fully vaccinated. From Aug. 5 to Aug 11, 89% of total confirmed Covid cases were in people not fully vaccinated, as well as 80% of Covid-related deaths, according to the Louisiana Department of Health.

No vaccine is 100% effective, and Picolo-Ramos told Gambit shed gotten other vaccines. I'm a fully vaccinated human being, she said. Absolutely fine with it.

One man in attendance passionately insisted the Gambit reporter watch Plandemic, a debunked 26-minute video falsely saying elites were using the virus and vaccines to gain power and which featured discredited scientist Judy Mikovits.

When the reporter did not promise to watch the video, the man said, What you just did was the height of stupidity ... What you did was just disgusting. No wonder our damn media, no one trusts them.

After 30 minutes of speakers, organizers ended the event and said there would be more in the future. The same man promoting Plandemic called out, We cannot count on the media. Its the virus. All we have to do is show ourselves in the street to make sure that we are heard. We have to become the media.

+2 Louisiana's state school board ends meeting early after multiple disruptions from anti-maskers The states top school board was set to discuss Wednesday morning whether it or the governor has final say over whether masks are mandated in 
New Orleans port officials said Wednesday that there isnt any time to waste in moving forward on a planned expansion of container terminals that can handle growing cargo imports from Asia and other overseas markets.

Seeking to counter a rival port expansion plan and resistance from some residents in St. Bernard Parish against the Port of New Orleans planned $1.5 billion container terminal there, Port Nola CEO Brandy Christian made the case that without the terminal, the entire region could lose jobs and economic growth to rival ports in Mobile, Houston and other cities.

"We are at a critical juncture and not only in this market," said Christian, who late last year secured rights to purchase a 1,100-acre property in Violet that will more than double the current ports container capacity.

She noted that the trends in world trade that have favored just-in-time shipping and goods sent to the U.S. in containers have long necessitated a shift in New Orleans port capacity from bulk goods towards modern container terminals. And now, the city and region need to prepare for the larger ships that are set to arrive in coming years after earlier plans and proposals died over the preceding decades.

"We just don't have time for it anymore," she said.

Christian's plea comes as port officials plans for the Violet port expansion, known as the Louisiana International Terminal, have met unexpected resistance from some area residents, who earlier this month pressured the St. Bernard Parish Council to vote unanimously against the project.

The council vote was largely symbolic. But the opposition group of nearby residents say they hope to sway Gov. John Bel Edwards and other state legislators to back them.

Christian and other officials said in a briefing Wednesday that the opposition has been fed by disinformation on social media and elsewhere, which has muddied a compelling economic case for the new container facility.

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Todd Rives, the new top commercial executive at Port Nola, said the economic need for expanding at Violet are clear; as are the consequences of failing to move quickly.

Port Nola board approves land purchase for $1.5B St. Bernard container ship terminal The Port of New Orleans oversight board voted Thursday to move ahead with the purchase of land for a long-planned, $1.5 billion second contain

The container shipping market for the U.S. as a whole has been growing at around 3% annually over the last decade, but it has been growing at twice that rate for Gulf Coast ports. That's largely because mega-ports on the east and west coasts have become jammed with ships, creating long delays that have prompted big importers to look for alternatives. Container ships coming into the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, for example, can wait two weeks or more before they are able unload.

But while New Orleans has seen container volume grow more than the national average, it is lagging well behind Gulf Coast rivals. Particularly worrying, said Rives, has been the huge growth  over 320% over the past five years  in container volume coming through the port of Mobile.

The key to recapturing this market share, he said, is to win business coming from Asia. That in turn means getting big customers to choose New Orleans as one of their import destinations. A key part of Mobile's success, he said, was having Walmart choose to locate its distribution centers there.

Port Nola executives argue that their expansion plan at Violet has clear advantages in terms of its proximity to rail, road and barge transportation links. Also important to shippers, they said, is its location within the New Orleans' area levee system.

They are planning additional community engagements efforts to talk to local residents about the port's impact. But they stressed that they believe the current site is the best on the river, and that a rival port project in Plaquemines Parish wouldn't make economic sense.

Plaquemines Port has its own ambitions to build a $1 billion container terminal about 32 miles closer to the river's mouth. The project's boosters say it could be built with no public money but in a public-private partnership with a developer, LA23Devco.

Port Nola executives said they doubt such a project can be achieved without public support. They noted that while Edwards has not explicitly supported one project over another, his administration has signed off on $15 million to purchase the St. Bernard land needed to move ahead with that project.
The Louisiana Department of Health reported 3,013 hospitalizations and 51 more confirmed deaths in its noon update Thursday.

Confirmed cases increased by 4,144. Another 1,406 cases and 7 deaths were listed as "probable" by the Louisiana Department of Health, for a total of 5,550 new cases and 58 new deaths.

The number of hospitalizations decreased by 9 from the day before, the first drop in patients reported since the state began setting record-breaking numbers earlier this month.

The number of patients in need of ventilators increased by 28, for a total of 476 ventilated patients.

All of Louisiana's nine health regions have 20% or fewer ICU beds available. Six have less than 10% of ICU beds open.

The number of weekly deaths continues to increase, with 320 coronavirus deaths over the last seven days. The week prior, 248 people died, and one month ago the weekly rate was 57.

In Louisiana, around 2,213,602 vaccines have been initiated, about 47.6% of the population, and 1,836,731 have been completed, representing about 39.5% of the population.

No peace: During fourth COVID surge, exhaustion spreads inside Our Lady of the Lake Morgan Babins team was able to revive a coronavirus patient who was on the brink of death this week inside the intensive care unit. It was a 

Note: The Advocate and The Times-Picayune staff calculates daily case count and confirmed death increases based on the difference between today's total and yesterday's total of confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths. The Louisiana Department of Health releases a daily case count on its dashboard that includes probable cases as indicated by a positive antigen test. That case count can be different than the one listed here.

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Here are some of the parishes with the highest single-day increases in confirmed coronavirus deaths, based on the Wednesday report:

Tangipahoa: 8

Orleans: 4

Livingston: 4

Calcasieu: 3

East Baton Rouge: 3

Lafayette: 3

Jefferson: 3

St. Landry: 2

Iberia: 2

Bossier: 2
Just over a year after James White was shot to death while riding his motorcycle on a West Bank street, Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office investigators have made an arrest in his death.

Vincent Goffner Jr., 24, of Bridge City, was booked Tuesday with second-degree murder and being a convicted felon in possession of a weapon, according to arrest records.

"Praise God in the name of Jesus," White's mother, Lorraine White Martin, 67, said. "He took my little boy from me."

James White, 34, of Algiers, was riding his motorcycle on Wayne Avenue near the intersection with the West Bank Expressway near Westwego on the afternoon of July 31, 2020, when someone shot at him, according to authorities.

White was hit multiple times and pronounced dead at the scene.

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+4 No motive or suspect in West Bank shooting death of 34-year-old motorcyclist: JPSO Authorities still don't know who gunned down a 34-year-old man as he was riding his motorcycle near Westwego last week or why someone would ha

The Sheriff's Office did not release any details about Goffner's arrest, including the suspected motive or the evidence linking him to the killing.

In addition to the murder charge, Goffner was booked with several outstanding attachments. He was being held Thursday at the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center in Gretna, with bond set at $810,325.

White, a father of three, was born and raised in Bridge City, according to his mother. He was the youngest of her three children and occasionally worked offshore until the coronavirus pandemic.

"He wasn't a perfect child, but none of us are perfect," Martin said. "He definitely didn't deserve to be killed like that."
Earl Smith, 83, former resident of Moore, OK passed away peacefully at his home in Longmont, CO. Earl was born in Depew, OK to John and Ethel Smith. He retired in 2000 from Rose State University as an accounting Professor. Graveside service will be held at Oakdale Cemetery, Depew, OK on Sept
Loganton, Pa. - Following its ground breaking on May 26, Nicholas Meat LLC has chosen Quandel Construction Group, Inc. as the construction management firm that will oversee the development of its Sustainable Resource Facility (SRF), the first of its kind in the United States.

The new facility will feature waste-to-energy technology and advanced wastewater treatment, allowing the facility to reuse water and generate energy from biogas.

Were very excited to bring Quandel on as the construction management firm for this project, said Brian Miller, Director of Sustainability at Nicholas Meat.

They bring to the project decades of experience in the construction of water and wastewater treatment facilities. We believe Quandel is the right company to help us execute this environmentally conscious project that will bring many benefits to the company and community. Completion of the SRF will be the most meaningful thing we can do to demonstrate our commitment to a sustainable Sugar Valley," Miller said.

The SRF will be equipped with anaerobic digesters that create renewable energy. The process takes place within a closed environment that contains greenhouse gases and odors, and digested solids become nutrient-rich fertilizer for farmland.

Committed to leading, making a difference and building a better future, this project allows Nicholas Meat to positively impact the community and its residents through an advanced wastewater treatment facility with waste-to-energy technology that will provide a quality source of water, said Mark Salak, Quandel Project Executive. We are excited to partner with Nicholas Meat to make this happen for the community and the company."

Quandel will provide oversight of the entire project that will include site work, buildings, anaerobic digesters that generate biogas, wastewater treatment facilities, and ancillary equipment.

Quandel also will be responsible for soliciting and hiring the necessary subcontractors to perform the work and will provide full-time, onsite supervision of those subcontractors.

A project of this magnitude shows the innovative economy within Pennsylvania and the commitment of sustainability in food processing and the construction industry, Salak continued. The SRF not only brings technology to Pennsylvania that will serve as a model throughout the meat processing industry, but it also demonstrates the role agriculture plays in building a strong economy in our state. The construction of the Sustainable Resource Facility is an example of how our food processing can be more sustainable," Salak added.

Quandel has been involved with numerous water and wastewater treatment facilities, completing many projects within the public sector.

In the private sector, they have provided management oversite during construction of a new wastewater treatment facility for a food processing facility.

Initial contracts totaling $8 million dollars have been awarded to Pennsylvania-based companies R.C. Bowman Inc. for the site work and Glenn O. Hawbaker for the retaining walls. Site work is currently under way.

The construction project is expected to take 24 months to complete and cost an estimated $50 million, which is funded solely by Nicholas Meat LLC.
Harrisburg, Pa. - The Pa. Department of Labor is now offering Pennsylvanian's more opportunities in which to improve their skillsets.

Deputy Secretary for Workforce Development Sheila Ireland issued a reminder that over 5,000 free unique virtual training modules are now available through SkillUp PA, a virtual learning platform offered in partnership with Metrix Learning and PA CareerLink.

The program offers free online job training to help workers gain new skills and advance their careers.

SkillUp PA will let Pennsylvanians in any corner of the commonwealth learn new skills online at no cost, said Ireland.

This new virtual job training program is a true win-win for Pennsylvanians who need to enter the workforce or advance their careers as well as the businesses who will get a new pipeline of the skilled workers they need to succeed," Ireland said.

SkillUp PA launched on Sat., Aug. 14. To access SkillUp virtual training.

Some online training modules include:

Accounting/Finance

Clerical

Customer Service

Human Resources

Information Technology

Marketing

Microsoft Office

Project Management

Soft skills such as communication, time management, and professionalism

According to the department of Labor, they are encouraging job seekers to register online with PA CareerLink, or reach out directly to local offices to learn about additional free programs and resources, such as job search and training assistance; adult education classes and workshops; resume assistance; and referral services to partners.

Pa. is the 18th state to implement the SkillUp program. The program is entirely funded with federal money under the Wagner-Peyser program.
Washington, D.C. - Many stores in Pa. carry the brands which the Food and Drug Administration are now saying should be watched for pet health and safety.

"We are issuing this corporate-wide warning letter because inspections of Midwestern Pet Foods, Inc.'s manufacturing plants revealed evidence of violations, which were shared across multiple plants and were associated with the illness or death of hundreds of pets who had eaten the company's dry dog food," reads part of a letter from Steven M. Solomon, MPH, DVM, Director of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Center for Veterinary Medicine.

Midwestern Pet Foods products have been subject to multiple recalls over the last year, primarily involving SPORTMiX brand dry dog foods. The FDA originally conducted an inspection of Midwestern's Chickasha, Oklahoma plant following several reports of illnesses and deaths of dogs that had eaten SPORTMiX food. Samples of the food were found to contain levels of aflatoxin, a poisonous substance produced by common mold, as high as 558 parts per billion. The FDA considers pet food to be adulterated if it contains over 20 parts per billion of aflatoxin.

The company recalled the contaminated products in January following the initial inspection at the Chickasha plant. In March, Midwestern recalled several brands of pet food manufactured at its Monmouth, Illinois plant after samples tested positive for Salmonella.

Currently, none of the recalled products should be available for purchase.

As of August 9, the FDA was aware of over 130 pet deaths and more than 220 pet illnesses that are likely linked to Midwestern pet foods. Not all cases have been confirmed as aflatoxin poisoning through laboratory testing and some cases may have gone unreported, making the count approximate.

The FDA followed up its inspection of the Chickasha plant with a check on the company's three other manufacturing facilities.

The inspections found evidence of significant violations of the Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Food for Animals regulation.

The FDA is now waiting for a written response from the company stating specific steps that have or will be taken to correct their violations. Failure to address the violations promptly may result in legal action against the company.
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Calhoun, GA (30701)

Today

Partly to mostly cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 83F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Clear skies. Low 64F. Winds light and variable.
Local

2 more COVID-19 deaths reported in Floyd County, hospital beds full in region

The deaths of two more Floyd County residents continued to push up the number of people who have died from a COVID-19 infection in the region as hospitalizations continue toward peak levels.

Regionally, over 15 people in other parts of Northwest Georgia died of a COVID-19 infection within the past week: three Bartow County residents, three in Gordon County, one person in Polk County, three people in Paulding County and three people in Whitfield County.

The deaths locally and in the region follow a steep rise in COVID-19 infections from the more easily spread Delta variant.

Serious infections continued to climb in Floyd County on Wednesday as the number of people hospitalized topped the 100 mark. There are 106 people being treated for a COVID-19 infection locally, according to numbers released by the Floyd County Emergency Management Agency.

There are 61 patients infected with COVID-19 at Floyd Medical Center and 45 at Redmond Regional Medical Center.

In Region C  which includes Floyd County  28% of patients hospitalized are COVID-19 patients, according to the Georgia Geospatial Information Office. In that same region, nearly 95% of inpatient hospital beds are in use and all ICU and Emergency Department beds are in use.

The number of people hospitalized in Floyd County is creeping toward peak totals recorded after holidays peaks which began to decline in January. During the peaks there were between 140 to 160 patients hospitalized in Floyd County.

A third Rome City Schools elementary school returned to observing COVID-19 prevention protocols in the first two weeks of school. On Wednesday the school system announced that students at East Central will wear masks and take their lunches in their classrooms for at least two weeks. Visitation at the school will also be restricted.

West End and West Central began following the prevention protocols on Wednesday after an increase in cases.

Each of the schools exceeded a benchmark 1% threshold of confirmed COVID-19 infections per seven-day period of COVID-19 infected students and staff.

Floyd County Schools is continuing to follow essentially no COVID-19 outbreak procedures. Students arent being asked to wear masks and the school system is not quarantining students or staff who have been exposed to an infected person.

Specific schools will only be shut down or move to virtual instruction if too many teachers and staff test positive to actually hold classes, Superintendent Glenn White said earlier. The Floyd County school board will hold a called meeting Friday morning at 8 a.m. to discuss COVID-19 policy.

Booster shots available

Health departments in Northwest Georgia will begin administering a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine for people who are moderately to severely immunocompromised.

According to the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a (third) dose of COVID-19 vaccine should be considered for people with moderate to severe immune compromise due to a medical condition or receipt of immunosuppressive medications or treatments, according to a Georgia Department of Public Health press release.

People should get the same vaccine  Moderna or Pfizer  as they received for their first two doses of the series.

Citing lack of data, the FDA and CDC have not issued guidance for people who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Health departments in the Georgia Department of Public Health Northwest Health District will provide the additional dose of COVID-19 vaccine, on request, if the patient can self-attest to one of the qualifying immunocompromising medical conditions:

 Active treatment for solid tumor and hematologic malignancies

 Receipt of a solid-organ transplant and taking immunosuppressive therapy

 Receipt of CAR-T-cell or hematopoietic stem cell transplant (within 2 years of transplantation or taking immunosuppression therapy)

 Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (such as DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome)

 Advanced or untreated HIV infection

Active treatment with drugs that are immunosuppressive or immunomodulatory.
Rome, GA (30161)

Today

Considerable clouds early. Some decrease in clouds later in the day. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 84F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Mainly clear. Low near 65F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.
Winners of the 2019-20 Shenandoah County Fair pageants are: front row, left to right: Oaklyn Gray, Tiny Miss Shenandoah County Fair; Adalynn Sisler, Little Miss Shenandoah County Fair; Olivia Anderson, Young Miss Shenandoah County Fair. Back row, left to right: Taylor Jennelle, Pre-Teen Miss Shenandoah County Fair; Faith Dellinger, Teen Miss Shenandoah County Fair; Jackie Elbon, Miss Shenandoah County Fair; Emma Haycock, Jr Teen Miss Shenandoah County Fair.
Total grain shipments from the United States and Canada have fallen by 12% as compared to 2020. But ships on the Great Lakes handle so many other goods. Pet coke shipments for instance have soared by 93%.

Pet coke is being exported from the Port of Duluth-Superior and the Port of Toledo to the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and other countries for both steel and cement production, said Bruce Burrows, president and CEO of the Chamber of Marine Commerce.

Iron ore shipments have shot up 23% year over year to 3.5 million tons, while cement shipments rose 25% year over year to 1 million tons.

Cement is being transported from manufacturing plants in Ontario and Quebec to ports across those provinces, as well as across the border to Cleveland, Buffalo and Toledo. We are even seeing cement imported from overseas to Duluth-Superior, Burrows said.

The Port of Duluth-Superior, which sends iron ore shipments to the Northwest Indiana steel mills, has handled more than 15.2 million tons of cargo so far this year and posted the largest July tonnage total since 2015. Cargo is up 40% year over year at the port in Minnesota's Iron Range, which supplies the Region's steel industry.
The Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor was honored for its efforts to improve air safety, including adding an electric security vehicle and charging station.

The 51-year-old deepwater port in Burns Harbor and Portage, which handles cargoes from all over the world, received the Industrial Award from the Northwest Indiana Partners for Clean Air. The Partners for Clean Air Steering Committee decided to recognize the Lake Michigan port for multiple clean air projects, including the electric car it added and the grant it got through the Indiana Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust Fund grant program to put in a charging station.

Partners for Clean Air congratulates the Ports of Indiana-Burns Harbor and encourages others to follow their example by taking voluntary action to support clean air, said Charles Breitenfeldt, Northwest Indiana Partners for Clean Air coordinator for the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.

Many port tenants have switched from diesel to electric or hybrid vehicles in recent years. The port also has planted hundreds of deciduous and coniferous trees to reduce stormwater runoff, boost biodiversity and suppress fugitive dust.
Fans of the outdoors always look forward to Chicago's annual Air and Water Show every summer.

This year, the popular event has been "reimagined." The City of Chicago is instead bringing an exciting air show to downtown Chicago visitors.

The special event will star a solo show and demonstrations by the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, a team that's long been a highlight of past Chicago Air and Water Shows.

The Blue Angels will take to the skies along the lakefront from noon to 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Fans of the Blue Angels not able to see the actual shows can watch a practice session from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday.

The City of Chicago suggests some of the best locations for viewing are along the lakefront between Oak Street and Fullerton Avenue.

According to the City of Chicago press office, the mission of the Blue Angels is "to showcase the teamwork and professionalism of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps through flight demonstrations and community outreach while inspiring a culture of excellence and service to country."

The event is part of Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot's "Open Chicago," which involves safe and creative ways of continuing to reopen the city.
Also on this day in 2020, as Hindus prepared to celebrate the groundbreaking of a long-awaited temple at a disputed ground in northern India, Muslims said they had no firm plans yet to build a new mosque at an alternative site they were granted to replace the one torn down by Hindu hard-liners decades ago. See more top news photos as selected by the Associated Press.
CROWN POINT  A Gary resident who allegedly shot at a man who previously fathered a child with the accused shooters girlfriend has been charged with attempted murder in Lake Criminal Court.

Noah Kenyage Jackson, 23, is accused of firing multiple rounds at another vehicle as they both drove down Central Avenue in Lake Station at around 12:45 a.m. on May 23. No one was injured in the shooting but charging documents indicate three bullets struck the vehicle in such a way that it appears Jackson was aiming at the driver.

The driver of the second vehicle is identified as a man who shares a child with Jacksons girlfriend, and that pair was at a birthday party for their child shortly before the shooting occurred.

Court documents allege that after the party, Jackson and his girlfriend had an argument, and that the womans co-parent said he was aware that Jackson has a problem with him.

More than two weeks after the alleged shooting, on June 12, a Hobart police officer pulled over a black BMW and ordered the driver out of the car near Ridge Road and Martin Luther King Drive in Gary. The driver, identified as Jackson in court documents, refused to get out of the car after being stopped and sped away, leading police onto southbound Interstate 65.
CROWN POINT  A 21-year-old Illinois man is facing seven felony counts after he used a stolen car to try and ram his way free from a pair of Hammond police vehicles early Tuesday morning, according to police and court documents.

Armari Malique Lomax, of Dolton, is being held at the Lake County Jail. Prosecutors have charged him with two counts of battery by means of a deadly weapon and a handful of other theft, weapons and resisting arrest counts in Lake Criminal Court.

According to Hammond police Lt. Steve Kellogg, at around 1:20 a.m. Tuesday officers were alerted to the presence of a stolen 2021 Dodge Charger entering city limits by the citys license plate readers. The car was later found in the parking lot of a hotel in the 7800 block of Indianapolis Boulevard.

Two officers drove up to the parked car and boxed it in from the front and rear, court documents say, but when an officer attempted to arrest Lomax he repeatedly drove the Charger back and forth, spinning the tires and ramming both police vehicles.

Officers eventually deployed a Taser to arrest the driver, Kellogg said, and two guns were located inside the stolen vehicle.
SNAP is one of the most effective and efficient ways to provide food assistance. Families are buying the food they need from local retailers while also stimulating our local economy," said Victor Garcia, CEO of the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana. Its more practical for someone to use their SNAP card at the closest grocery store, than to visit a local food pantry."

Partnering with the Food Bank of NW Indiana to provide food assistance remains a high priority, said Jewel-Osco President Mike Withers. As the Region sees an increase in SNAP recipients, we recognize that having access to healthy foods is more important than ever, and we want to help.

Seniors, students aided

With the grant funds, the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana hopes to scale access to SNAP among eligible households, with particular emphasis on reaching ALICE families, seniors and community college students who are at-risk for hunger. The grant will support a SNAP outreach specialist, transportation, marketing materials, workshops, a hotline, ongoing education, outreach and application assistance.

ALICE is an acronym for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. Essentially, these are households that earn more than the federal poverty level but less than enough to cover the basic cost of living for the county.
"She's been a delight. I don't know of anyone who has served more time," Kozlowski.

Ricci, who received a plaque from Kozlowski, will also be honored Aug. 27 at the Indiana Federation of Republican Women Tribute to Women Dinner in Indianapolis.

Ricci served as the Winfield District chair for 10 years, served as the Mid-Lake Republican Women's club president, treasurer, and scholarship chair and served as the state's District One Director for six years.

"This is quite something. I didn't expect this," Ricci said.

Ricci recalled in the early years of her involvement with the Republican party and starting a group called the Friday Night Club.

"We were the new kids on the block," Ricci said.

Ricci remembered dressing up in an elephant costume for a GOP-sponsored float that took part in the Fourth of July parade in Lakes of the Four Seasons.

"It was hotter than hot and my first time being a showman," Ricci said.

Kozlowski, who presented the new club's charter to Olson, said the new organization will be an extension of the state and national Republican organizations.
The district previously said the extra time will be used for additional math and reading. But some people at the protest, including a mother of three students in Gary schools, Tiffany Swagerty, are worried about kids going to and from school when it is dark out.

One of her children needs to be at the bus stop by 5:45 a.m. and come winter, it will still be dark at that time. Her middle schooler attends Gary Middle School, one of the schools without air conditioning that has already had to close for a few days this year and plans to send students home early Thursday and Friday in anticipation of elevated temperatures.

While speaking on the microphone to other protesters, Swagerty said she went to schools without air conditioning as a child, but wasnt required to wear a mask all day while doing so.

Gary school Advisory Board President Robert Buggs Sr. and advisory board member James Piggee were in attendance at Thursdays protest following an incident last week while they tried to enter West Side Leadership Academy.
Wow the Republicans have finally awakened. Five years of a Russian collusion hoax  who cares? Cities across the nation set on fire by mobs  not to worry. Gutting our energy independence and industrial jobs  OK with that. Galloping Marxism taught in our schools and socialism enacted into law with a phony infrastructure bill  no problem.

But pulling out of the rat hole known as Afghanistan after 20 years and you can hear the howls of outrage all the way from Washington D.C. All you hear from Republicans like Mitch McConnell is what will happen to the people of Afghanistan now. It would be nice if he worried as much about the people in Chicago, Baltimore, Portland, New York and San Francisco. Murder rates through the roof. Criminals released back onto the streets and an open border with no control over who enters the U.S. even if they are COVID-19 positive.
South Korea is airlifting the entire crew from a navy destroyer off the coast of East Africa after hundreds of sailors tested positive for the coronavirus in the militarys worst outbreak of the pandemic.

Two top government officials apologized on Tuesday for the outbreak, in which at least 247 out of 301 sailors have contracted the virus. None of the crew had been vaccinated. Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum told a meeting of health officials that he was very sorry for failing to carefully take care of the health of our soldiers.

In separate remarks, Defense Minister Suh Wook also apologized and said he would look into ways to improve antivirus measures for service members overseas.

Two military planes have been dispatched to transport the sailors back to South Korea, where they will be sent to hospitals or quarantine facilities after arriving on Tuesday.
Times Insider explains who we are and what we do, and delivers behind-the-scenes insights into how our journalism comes together.

There were a lot of late nights. Even nights that became mornings.

The Timess Metro desk spent six weeks this spring and summer documenting nightlife in New York City as more city dwellers became vaccinated and reveling bloomed. From late May through mid-July, nearly 40 photographers and nine reporters went to D.J. parties, bars, backyards and curbside gatherings.

New York at Night, a project in pictures, video and text that published online Friday, is a reminder of all the ways New Yorkers cut loose. Yes, there are wild warehouse parties in Brooklyn. But nightlife is also a dominoes game in the Bronx, a taco stand in Queens or a backyard hangout in Staten Island.

You think of nightclubs, of course, said Meghan Louttit, a deputy Metro editor who helped lead the project, but a goal was to capture the aspects of the city many dont get to see, in all its vibrancy.

The team began by listing types of events it wanted to cover. Organized parties like Papi Juice and Hot Rabbit were important, and the time frame would overlap with Pride Month, the annual celebration of L.G.B.T.Q. rights. But there was also a focus on other kinds of free-spirited gatherings.
Christopher Massimine, whose job as the managing director of the Pioneer Theater Company in Salt Lake City was thrown into doubt after a local television affiliate found that he had embellished his resume with untrue claims, announced Monday that he would resign his post and said that he had long struggled with mental illness.

Massimine announced his resignation shortly after The New York Times published an article about his career, and the discrepancies and errors on the resume that had helped him win the position at the Pioneer, the largest professional theater company in Salt Lake City.

Despite many good things that have happened over the last two years under my direction, effective Aug. 20, 2021, I will resign my position at Pioneer Theater Company in order to address issues in my personal and professional life, stemming from untreated and at times an incorrectly treated mental health condition, he said in a statement.

Massimine, who said that he had battled with mental illness for his entire life, and that most of his friends and colleagues had not known of his condition, had come to the Pioneer Theater from the National Yiddish Theater Folksbiene in New York.
As the highly contagious Delta variant fuels a rise in cases around the United States, more indoor mask mandates are returning or being extended: for Chicagoans, New Mexicans and, now until next year, anyone in the country using public transportation or visiting an airport.

Chicago and New Mexicos mandates, which apply regardless of vaccination status, begin on Friday.

The new rules, announced on Tuesday, come after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended last month that everyone in communities with growing caseloads wear masks indoors regardless of vaccination status.

Officials said the mask requirements were needed to help stop the spread of the virus. Over the past week, the United States has been reporting about 139,800 new coronavirus cases each day on average, an increase of 52 percent from two weeks ago. The number of new deaths reported is up 87 percent, to an average of 696 deaths per day.

Hawaii, Louisiana, Oregon and Puerto Rico have also implemented indoor mask mandates, as have San Francisco and Washington, D.C.
He shared his thoughts on the country, what people seeking a stronger understanding of it should read and what he sees as Americas moral obligation to the Afghan people. These are edited excerpts from the conversation.

How has your sense of Afghanistans future changed over the year?

I was in Afghanistan early in 2003, and in those days, there was virtually no insurgency. There was this very heady optimism about this semi-Jeffersonian democracy, and about where the country was headed  gender equality, rights for girls and women, people being able to participate in an open and representative political process. All of that was in play.

Over the years we adjusted our expectations, and over time we came to expect that, well, that was all a pipe dream, but at least what we can hope for is a compromised sort of democracy, with corruption and all sorts of issues. But at least Afghans in the cities, for sure, appear to be safe. They know theres been a lot of progress in the last 20 years in Afghanistan, and that gave me hope. And of course, over the last couple of years, those hopes have declined. And in the last few days, they have been utterly crushed.

What should people be reading to better understand Afghanistan and Afghan people right now?

They should be reading history books. They should be reading people who really know Afghanistan and know it well. A lot of people have relied on my books to kind of get a view into what Afghanistan is, and thats fine, but I have never intended for my books to be representative of what Afghan life is. I hope people dig much deeper than that and read history books and learn more about Afghanistan in that way.

But there has been an uptick in demand for your books. Is there anything you want people to know who are picking up one of them for the first time?
Walt Disney World in Florida is permanently retiring its free, line-skipping FastPass system and for the first time will charge $15 a person for the privilege, opening up a potentially colossal new revenue stream. Before the pandemic, the No. 1 theme park at the resort, the Magic Kingdom, attracted 21 million visitors annually.

Disney World introduced FastPass in 1999. The decision to retire that offering and join theme parks like Universal Orlando and Seaworld Orlando in charging for speedier access to rides reflects the era: Consumers have become increasingly accustomed to paying surcharges for special access and perks, many of which used to be included in the base price. The airlines have led the stratification.

For most people, Disney vacations are already formidably expensive  entry to one park for one day can easily approach $500 for a family of four. But the company has long signaled that Disney World would eventually charge for what it is now calling Lightning Lane access to rides. That may minimize grumbling. In 2017, Disneyland in California introduced a paid app called MaxPass that visitors could use to book front-of-the-line access. It initially cost $10, although the price soon rose to $20. Some Disneyland customers balked at the fee, but the service ultimately became popular. Disney permanently discontinued MaxPass on Wednesday.

Disney World and Disneyland will now offer the same line-skipping options, which the company unveiled on Wednesday as part of a broad new digital navigation tool. Called Disney Genie, the free tool creates personalized itineraries for visitors based on their selected preferences. You say you like princesses? Head directly to Fantasyland and ride Journey of the Little Mermaid, which currently has a short wait, and then perhaps have an early lunch with Belle at the Be Our Guest restaurant. If you change your plans on the fly (or park conditions change) the service will update with a revised itinerary, much like the way GPS apps reroute as people drive.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Biden administration was working to prevent the Taliban from getting the reserves, a Treasury Department official said.

The I.M.F. is funded with contributions by its 190 member nations, and the United States is the largest shareholder. So its opposition to the Taliban obtaining access to the reserve assets, known as Special Drawing Rights, carries significant weight.

The I.M.F., which was established after World War II to help stabilize the global economy, approved a $650 billion allocation of currency reserves earlier this month as part of an effort to help developing countries cope with the coronavirus pandemic. The reserve assets, which can be exchanged for dollars or other currencies, are divided among countries, and Afghanistan was set to receive its share next week.

The swift toppling of Afghanistans government by the Taliban put the I.M.F. in a difficult position. The agency is guided by its member countries, and if a government is not recognized as legitimate then it cannot gain access to existing or new S.D.R.s, according to a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to speak publicly.

Canada, the European Union and Russia have said publicly that they are not ready to recognize the Taliban as the government in Afghanistan.
WASHINGTON  A federal judge in Alaska on Wednesday blocked construction permits for an expansive oil drilling project on the states North Slope that was designed to produce more than 100,000 barrels of oil a day for the next 30 years.

The multibillion-dollar plan, known as Willow, by the oil giant ConocoPhillips had been approved by the Trump administration and legally backed by the Biden administration. Environmental groups sued, arguing that the federal government had failed to take into account the effects that drilling would have on wildlife and that the burning of the oil would have on global warming.

A federal judge has agreed.

In her opinion, Judge Sharon L. Gleason of the United States District Court for Alaska wrote that when the Trump administration permitted the project, the Interior Departments Bureau of Land Managements exclusion of greenhouse gas emissions in its analysis of the environmental effects of the project was arbitrary and capricious.
A second dose of the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine significantly boosts the levels of antibodies against the coronavirus, the company announced on Wednesday.

We look forward to discussing with public health officials a potential strategy for our Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine, boosting eight months or longer after the primary single-dose vaccination, Dr. Mathai Mammen, the global head of Janssen Research & Development at Johnson & Johnson, said in a statement.

In the meantime, here are answers to some common questions.

Why didnt officials recommend boosters for people who got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine?

All of the vaccines authorized in the United States provide strong protection against severe disease and death from Covid-19. But the booster recommendation was based on data suggesting that the protection provided by the mRNA vaccines against infection and mild disease has been waning over time, officials said on Wednesday.

Even though this new data affirms that vaccine protection remains high against the worst outcomes of Covid, Dr. Murthy said at the briefing, we are concerned that this pattern of decline we are seeing will continue in the months ahead, which could lead to reduced protection against severe disease, hospitalization and death.

But less data is available on the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which was not authorized until the end of February, two months after the mRNA vaccines. (The Johnson & Johnson vaccine uses a modified adenovirus to deliver its instructions to human cells.) In addition, Johnson & Johnson vaccinations were temporarily paused while health officials investigated reports that a very small number of people had developed a rare blood-clotting condition after receiving the vaccine.
In this series for T, the author Reggie Nadelson revisits New York institutions that have defined cool for decades, from time-honored restaurants to unsung dives.

Its a luminous July morning when I arrive in Coney Island and I feel the same excitement I did when I was 9 and, on warm summer Sundays, my father and I would leave our apartment in Manhattan and drive to this southernmost coast of Brooklyn. The Atlantic Ocean looks exactly as it used to  a deep cerulean blue  and the first little girl I see has pink cotton candy stuck in her hair. Already I can smell the ineluctable scent of a Nathans Famous hot dog.

For me, the magic of that old Brooklyn was Passover dinner at my Aunt Lils in Flatbush, my fathers brothers kvetching about the departure of the Brooklyn Dodgers from Ebbets Field in 1957  they would be mad about it for decades  and those trips to Coney Island in the late 1950s, when it was a childs dreamscape of rides and food, of beach and boardwalk, and we would return home sunburned, stuffed with banana frozen custard and drowsy from the days delights.
HOUSTON  In recent days, Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas commemorated the anniversary of Indias independence with a crowd in his office. He mingled with hundreds of Republican supporters at a packed campaign event. He posed with the brother of the famed guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan.

Photographs from the events show that few of those who met with the governor wore masks, and neither did Mr. Abbott, who has prohibited local governments from mandating them.

So when Mr. Abbott tested positive for the coronavirus this week, Texans began questioning the circumstances that may have led to his infection and the efforts to identify those who may have been in close contact with the governor, who was fully vaccinated.

At least 10 other sitting governors  four Democrats and six Republicans  have contracted the virus since the pandemic began, but Mr. Abbotts diagnosis landed in the middle of a pitched battle between the governor and his largest cities over public health measures in schools and as Covid-19 patients are again packing hospitals.
Mr. Austin acknowledged that the United States was not close to where we want to be in terms of getting the numbers through for evacuations. So were going to work that 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and were going to get everyone that we can possibly evacuate evacuated, he said.

He added: As long as we possibly can until the clock runs out, or we run out of capability.

About 5,000 people have been evacuated since the operation started over the weekend.

It was the first news conference by the Pentagons senior leadership since the extraordinary fall of Kabul over the weekend. The disintegration of the Afghan military has been deeply painful for the Pentagon, which spent 20 years and $83 billion building up Afghanistans security forces. But beyond that, the collapse of the Afghan government has left the Pentagon facing questions from veterans of the war and active-duty service members, who have wondered what the point of the sacrifice was.

Both Pentagon leaders tried to put some of those feelings into words. All of this is very personal to me, Mr. Austin said. This is a war that I fought in and led. I know the country, I know the people, and I know those who fought alongside me.

General Milley sought to address American service members who took part in the endeavor directly: For more than 20 years, we have prevented an attack on the U.S. homeland, he said, adding that 2,448 troops lost their lives and 20,722 were wounded in action, and many others suffered the unseen wounds of war.

Marine Corps leaders, in a letter Wednesday, also tried to reassure the corps, which has carried much of the Afghan fight, saying they believe  without question  that your service was meaningful, powerful and important.

General Milley also pushed back on reports in the news media that there were warnings of a rapid collapse of the Afghan military.
In a recent essay in The New York Times, the Pakistani-born artist Shahzia Sikander recalls the first question she was asked when she arrived at her M.F.A. program in the United States: Are you here to make East meet West?

The question chafed. What could those terms possibly mean for Sikander, whose work borrows from and upends the sumptuous and exquisitely detailed Central and South Asian miniature (or manuscript) painting of the 16th to 19th centuries  an art form woven from the intermingling of Safavid, Mughal, and European empires?

In the paintings, drawings, sculpture and animations on view in Shahzia Sikander: Extraordinary Realities at the Morgan Library & Museum, East and West, along with other apparently opposed terms  masculine and feminine, abstraction and figuration, traditional and contemporary, here and there  morph and bleed into each other. One comes away hyper-aware of the ways that our worlds, past, present, and even future, are inextricably linked.
That was just one moment in Mr. Rehbergs decades-long exploration of sound, both as an artist who often recorded under the name Pita and as head of Editions Mego, a label he founded after being a central part of an earlier label, Mego. He was an important figure in the world of experimental music, though his work  some early recordings were made from sounds emitted by a refrigerator  often defied even that label.

Mr. Rehberg died on July 22 in Berlin. He was 53.

His former partner, Isabelle Piechaczyk, said the cause was a heart attack.

In addition to his solo work, Mr. Rehberg collaborated constantly, both with other sound experimentalists and with choreographers and makers of theater. And his label provided a platform for a wide range of artists who in the digital age have been pushing sound composition in all sorts of directions.

I followed Pitas work as a musician and label owner for almost three decades, and he always defied expectations, Peter Margasak, a music journalist and programmer, said by email. He was the first person who made the laptop seem like a genuine tool for musical improvisation for me, manipulating a computer in real time with precision and voluminous possibility. His stewardship of Editions Mego revealed his eternal curiosity and openness, evolving aesthetically and geographically without surrendering an identity rooted in experimentation and innovation.

Mr. Rehberg was born on June 29, 1968, in London to Alexander and Barbara (Allen) Rehberg. As a youth he accumulated a vast record collection and was interested in new sounds of all sorts. In a tribute on the music and cultural website The Quietus, John Eden, who was a year behind him at Verulam, a secondary school for boys, and became a friend, recalled a moment when they both worked at a Tesco grocery.
Welcome to Best of Late Night, a rundown of the previous nights highlights that lets you sleep  and lets us get paid to watch comedy. Here are the 50 best movies on Netflix right now.

A Little More Time

Seth Meyers discussed the messy U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in his Closer Look segment on Wednesday night, blaming members of the Washington elite who he said had misled the public for years about the prospects for success in Americas longest war.

And thats how forever wars happen: People in charge just keep asking for a little more time to turn things around and then, next thing you know, its been 20 years and youve been in Afghanistan longer than it takes for George R.R. Martin to come up with a new Game of Thrones book, Meyers joked.
Spend a bit of time with any progressive teenager, and regardless of your trailblazing bona fides, you might quickly be reduced to a conservative fuddy-duddy. That was the experience the actress and writer Amanda Peet had when her now 14-year-old daughter questioned Peets commitment to feminism after she criticized a scantily clad TikToker.

Well, you know we are on the wrong side of history, right? Peet, 49, said after I told her Id had similar conversations with my own teenage daughters.

So I tried to have this argument with her, she said in a phone interview from Los Angeles earlier this month. And early on, I got very into this idea of someone who thought of herself as a trailblazer and a feminist and now is thought of as part of the system.

Plunk that someone into the middle of the campus culture wars, add romance, and you have the basis of Peets new six-part series for Netflix, The Chair, a sharp and often hilarious satire of contemporary academia disguised as a rom-com. Created by Peet with Annie Wyman, a screenwriter with a Ph.D. in English literature from Harvard, the show, which debuts Friday, stars Sandra Oh as Ji-Yoon Kim, the embattled new chair of a fictional universitys struggling English department. She is the first woman to head the department  and a convenient sacrifice should a head need to roll.
Mysteries can help a plot gallop along even when the book youre reading isnt strictly speaking a mystery, plucked from the crime shelves of your local library. Thats certainly the case for three of the novels on this weeks list: In one, an immigrant searches for her missing husband, in another the return of a prodigal daughter brings buried family secrets to light, and in the third a hard-boiled Sam Spade-ish cryptozoologist stalks mystical creatures through the streets of a Chinese city.

Also up this week: a debut novel about generations of a logging family in Northern California, a riff on E. M. Forsters Maurice that imagines where fate might have carried the lovers after that novels ending, and a fond fictional look at the intersecting lives of some scruffy London characters. In nonfiction, we recommend a contemplative and genial self-help book about time management, as well as two books probing current affairs: one about QAnon, the other about the political era spawned by 9/11. Finally, and happily: The former poet laureate Rita Dove returns with an excellent collection of new work, her first in 12 years, Playlist for the Apocalypse. The title comes from a poem about Shakespeare  who, as Dove would have it, shrugs at our mortal concerns: As for the world / going to hell (alas! alack! whatever), / ditch the dramatics. Hes already done / a number on that handbasket.

Gregory Cowles

Senior Editor, Books

Twitter: @GregoryCowles

PLAYLIST FOR THE APOCALYPSE: Poems, by Rita Dove. (Norton, $26.95.) Doves new book of poems is among her best, our critic Dwight Garner writes. Its about the weight of American history, which Dove treats as news were still actively metabolizing. And its about mortality: This book is the first time Dove has publicly acknowledged that she has  and has had for more than 20 years  a form of multiple sclerosis. Doves books derive their force from how she so deftly stirs the everyday  insomnia, TV movies, Stilton cheese, rattling containers of pills  into her world of ideas and intellection, in poems that are by turns delicate, witty and audacious, Garner writes.

REIGN OF TERROR: How the 9/11 Era Destabilized America and Produced Trump, by Spencer Ackerman. (Viking, $30.) Ackerman, a national security journalist who has been a correspondent for outlets like Wired and The Guardian, contends in his new book that the American response to 9/11 made President Trump possible. The evidence for this blunt-force thesis is presented in Reign of Terror with an impressive combination of diligence and verve, deploying Ackermans deep stores of knowledge, our critic Jennifer Szalai writes. The result is a narrative of the last 20 years that is upsetting, discerning and brilliantly argued.
How has your sense of Afghanistans future changed over the year?

I was in Afghanistan early in 2003, and in those days, there was virtually no insurgency. There was this very heady optimism about where the country was headed  gender equality, rights for girls and women, people being able to participate in an open and representative political process.

Over the years we adjusted our expectations, and over time we came to expect that, well, that was all a pipe dream, but at least what we can hope for is a compromised sort of democracy, with corruption and all sorts of issues. Theres been a lot of progress in the last 20 years in Afghanistan, and that gave me hope. And of course, over the last couple of years, those hopes have declined. And in the last few days, they have been utterly crushed.

What should people be reading to better understand Afghanistan and Afghan people right now?

They should be reading history books. They should be reading people who really know Afghanistan and know it well. A lot of people have relied on my books to kind of get a view into what Afghanistan is, and thats fine, but I have never intended for my books to be representative of what Afghan life is. I hope people dig much deeper than that and read history books and learn more about Afghanistan in that way.

But there has been an uptick in demand for your books. Is there anything you want people to know who are picking up one of them for the first time?

These are stories. This is the perspective of someone who has lived in exile, essentially since 1980. Ive always been very careful about making sure that people dont mistake me for some kind of Afghan ambassador or Afghan representative. I havent lived there in a long time.

But I do have a perspective, and I have a deep affection and a deep emotional connection with the people there, with the land, with the culture, with the history and the heritage. I hope my books provide a little bit of insight on what Afghanistan is, beyond the usual story lines.
The Talibans online takeover

Social media platforms were caught as much by surprise by the Talibans takeover of Afghanistan as Western leaders were. Accounts and content linked to the group are rapidly multiplying, as governments around the world decide whether to officially recognize the Taliban as Afghanistans rulers.

U.S. tech giants like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, which have largely designated the Taliban a terrorist organization, have been put in a tricky position as the Taliban try to establish their authority and legitimize their rule online.

Arent the Taliban already banned from social networks? Mostly, yes. But emboldened by on-the-ground gains, newly created pro-Taliban accounts are openly defying the bans. An analysis by The Times shows that more than 100 new pro-Taliban accounts and pages have been created since last week, while dozens of accounts that were dormant for months or even years on social networks popped back up in recent days.

Facebook has activated an emergency response team to assess the Talibans use of its products, and representatives from YouTube said pro-Taliban accounts were being removed as they are identified. In the meantime, the accounts are working in concert to post videos, images and slogans that rack up hundreds of thousands of views, likes and shares.
China has promised to teach its most indebted companies a lesson. Just not yet.

Huarong Asset Management, the financial conglomerate that was once a poster child for Chinas corporate excess, said Wednesday night that it would get financial assistance from a group of state-backed companies after months of silence about its future. The company also said it had made a $16 billion loss in 2020.

Citic Group and China Cinda Asset Management were among the five state-owned firms that will make a strategic investment, Huarong said without providing more details on how much money would be invested or when the deal would be completed.

Huarong also said it had no plans to restructure its debt but left unanswered the question of whether foreign and Chinese bondholders would have to accept significant losses on their investments.

Investors took the news to be a strong indication that the Chinese government was not yet ready to see the failure of a company so closely tied to its financial system. For months, investors waited for any news of Huarong and its financial future after the company delayed its annual results in March and suspended the trading of its shares in April.
The Food and Drug Administration has warned a pet food manufacturer that its dry dog food may be linked to the deaths of 130 dogs and that its products may have sickened an additional 220 pets.

The F.D.A. said it began investigating the company, Midwestern Pet Foods Inc. of Evansville, Ind., after it voluntarily recalled 20 products in December that were linked to the deaths of 28 dogs. The company expanded the recall in January after tests of certain products showed that aflatoxin, a toxin that is produced by mold, exceeded acceptable levels, the agency said.

Steven Solomon, the director of the F.D.A.s Center for Veterinary Medicine, said in a statement that inspections of the companys manufacturing plants had revealed evidence of violations that were associated with the illness or death of hundreds of pets who had eaten the companys dry dog food.

Image Sportmix-brand dry dog food was among the products that the F.D.A. said contained high levels of aflatoxin, a type of toxin produced by mold that is harmful to animals. Credit... Midwestern Pet Foods

The F.D.A. said that it was aware of more than 130 pet deaths and more than 220 pet illnesses as of Aug. 9 that may be linked to the consumption of Midwestern Pet Foods products. Not all of those cases have been confirmed as aflatoxin poisoning, the agency said, adding that the count may not reflect the total number of pets affected.
Ms. Lynn was at her breaking point when a child welfare worker told her about Bridge Meadows, a new multigenerational housing community for older adults with low incomes, adoptive families or grandfamilies  with a grandparent, adult family member or friend raising a child  like hers. Bridge Meadows, in North Portland, had nine townhouses available for eligible families and 27 apartments for single, older adults. Besides affordable rent, Bridge Meadows would offer social services, like mental health specialists.

Less than three months later, Ms. Lynn was unpacking there. There was a world of weight taken off my shoulders, she said.

More older Americans are finding a haven in the grandfamily housing communities sprouting nationwide. Roughly 2.7 million children are being raised in grandfamilies, and programs like Bridge Meadows aim to provide stable housing. Additionally, such communities can help older adults regain their footing as they contend with unforeseen caregiving expenses, skyrocketing housing costs and a lack of homes that are accessible for older or disabled people.

Comprehensive national data on the growth of such projects over the past decade is scant, experts say. There are at least 19 grandfamily housing programs with on-site services across the United States, financed by a mix of public and private funding, according to Generations United, a nonprofit focused on intergenerational collaboration. Projects are underway in Washington, D.C., and Redmond, Ore., and lawmakers in the House reintroduced the Grandfamily Housing Act, which would create a national pilot program to expand grandfamily housing.

The pandemic has illuminated the nations limited housing options, and households headed by a person 65 and older are rising faster than those in other age groups. There have been grandparents raising grandchildren for a long period of time, said Rodney Harrell, vice president for family, home and community at AARP. Its relatively recently that housing developers have started to pay attention.
When the pandemic hit, the coffee shop sent workers home, and Mr. Atouts salary was cut. Home all day and their income uncertain, the couple began to take the prospect of a music career more seriously. They set up a website and opened a business, Songlorious, writing custom songs for weddings, birthdays and similar events. Within weeks, they had more business than they could handle and began hiring other musicians to help out. Last fall, Mr. Atout quit his railroad job to work on the venture full time.

I think the pandemic kind of forced us into this a little bit, he said. It gave us a nudge where Ive always wanted to do something but I was too scared because I didnt want to lose the stability of my job.

Songlorious is in many ways typical of Covid-era start-ups. It is an online-only business in a field, performing arts, that was heavily disrupted by the pandemic. Its founders started the company at least partly out of financial necessity. And though it began in New York, they are building the business in a midsize city, Chattanooga, Tenn., where they moved in December looking in part for a lower cost of living. Early evidence suggests the increase in start-ups has been strongest outside the big-city downtowns that have been hit hard by the exodus of office workers.

The increase was probably driven, to some extent, by the layoffs that left millions of people out of work early in the pandemic. Researchers at the Kauffman Foundation found that about 30 percent of new entrepreneurs last year were unemployed when they started their businesses, roughly double the prepandemic rate.

The preceding recession, more than a decade earlier, also led to millions of job losses, but entrepreneurship, by a variety of measures, fell sharply and rebounded only slowly. It was accompanied by a financial crisis and a collapse in home values, which made it difficult to get capital to start businesses.

This time may have been different partly because would-be entrepreneurs were more likely to have the wherewithal to pursue their visions. Swift action by the Federal Reserve helped prevent a financial crisis, and home prices boomed.

The government also handed out hundreds of billions of dollars in unemployment benefits, direct checks to households and other aid. Mr. Atout said federal stimulus checks had helped him and Ms. Hodges make ends meet while they got their business running.
The severe drought that has gripped much of the western half of the United States in spring and summer is likely to continue at least into late fall, government forecasters said Thursday.

The outlook for September through November, prepared by meteorologists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, suggests that above-average temperatures are likely across almost all of the West, except for Washington and parts of Idaho, Montana and North Dakota.

Precipitation is expected to be below normal from the Southwest into the Rockies and the Northern Plains.

Together that spells bad news for a part of the country that is already experiencing major effects of drought, including dwindling water supplies, stunted crops, barren grazing lands and exploding wildfires.
The bottles I found came from nine countries. I could have added more, as I also tried delicious wines from Armenia, Cyprus, Croatia, Austria, Argentina and Australia. I didnt include those bottles because they seemed to be available only in New York City, but I mention them as an indication of how the wealth of wonderful wine options continues to expand.

Not that all the wines I am recommending will be available everywhere. Most of these wines are produced in small quantities, and because of the fragmented nature of Americas distribution system for alcoholic beverages, some will be available in some parts of the country, and others elsewhere.

Regardless of whether you can find these particular bottles, you will give yourself the best chance of finding equally satisfying wines if you do two things:

First, you need to find the best wine shop in your area. It may be less convenient than a trip to the supermarket. But you will be rewarded by a far better selection of bottles, chosen by people who care about wine, rather than shelves stocked largely with processed wines and other mass-market products.

Second, as I have argued for many years, the best values in wine are in the range of $15 to $25. You can certainly find good wines for under $15, but they are far fewer, and often less inspirational, though certainly enjoyable.

Many people have taken issue with me, asserting that they are perfectly happy with the wines they buy for less than $10, even less than $5. To which I say, thats great. If you are happy, thats all that matters. But we have the same kind of choice we do when shopping for food: spending less for industrially raised meats and chemically farmed produce, or paying a little more for ingredients that were grown or raised conscientiously, and with more flavor and texture.
In Last Man Standing, subtitled Suge Knight and the Murders of Biggie & Tupac, the British documentarian Nick Broomfield tries to tie up loose ends from his Biggie and Tupac (2002). That movie presented an unproven conspiracy theory that the rap mogul Marion Knight, widely known as Suge, was involved, along with corrupt police officers, in the 1997 shooting death of Christopher Wallace, a.k.a. Biggie Smalls, in Los Angeles, and the 1996 killing of Tupac Shakur in Las Vegas. (Broomfield appears to tacitly roll back that claim in the new film, which gives a different emphasis to the events surrounding Shakurs death.)

The first docs dubious evidence was questioned, and Knight has long denied any involvement in the killings. But the idea behind Last Man Standing, Broomfield explains, is that with Knight now serving a 28-year prison sentence, people are more open to talking. Much of Last Man Standing plays like outtakes. Theres some kick in hearing that Knight apparently kept piranhas and fed them bloodworms, or in seeing footage of a pre-stardom, 17-year-old Shakur, the son of a Black Panther, discussing how the rich and the poor should change places every week.
The Street Fighter, in which his character battled gangsters, was so violent that when it was released in the United States it was said to have been the first movie given an X rating for violence alone.

If nothing else, A.H. Weiler wrote in a brief review in The New York Times in 1975, when the movie played in New York, this Japanese-made, English-dubbed import illustrates that its inane violence deserves the X rating with which it has been labeled. In 1996, when a DVD of the film was released, The Los Angeles Times said it was being presented complete and uncut in all its eye-gouging, testicle-ripping, skull-pounding glory.

The Street Fighter and other Chiba movies made an impression on Mr. Tarantino. In the homage-filled Kill Bill, Vol. 1, he cast Mr. Chiba as the sword maker Hattori Hanzo, who provides Uma Thurmans vengeful character with her weapon. A.O. Scott, reviewing the movie in The New York Times, got the reference but wasnt enamored of it.

Check it out, Mr. Tarantino seems to be saying, Sonny Chibas in my movie, he wrote. How cool is that? Way too cool? Not cool enough? As I said, it depends. The movie-geek in-jokes are sometimes amusing and sometimes annoying.

In any case, Mr. Tarantino brought Mr. Chiba back the next year for Kill Bill: Vol. 2, and he enjoyed a late-career resurgence.
At the most toxic end of Newtown Creek is a 130-foot, 270-ton vessel moored off a crumbling wall, floating near an oil boom and an open sewage pipe. Built in 1978, it was a ferryboat for 25 years, carrying some 100,000 vacationers each summer between Marthas Vineyard and New Bedford, Mass. After being replaced by newer vessels, it was sold in 2005 and eventually made its way down to this dead-end waterway.

In its second life it became an illicit party boat, the site of Burning Man-style raves, and a home to artists and other off-the-grid types. Now, as the creek is being slowly cleaned up ahead of the next wave of gentrification arriving in this part of Brooklyn and Queens, the boat  the Schamonchi  is a rusting symbol in the middle of a multimillion-dollar fight thats pitting environmentalists, artists, and heavy industry in a fight for more control of the waters.

The Schamonchi is also very slowly sinking.
New Yorks Police Department appears to have one of the lowest vaccination rates among city agencies. As of this week, about 47 percent of the departments 36,000 uniformed and 15,000 civilian employees have been vaccinated, said Detective Annette Shelton, a spokeswoman.

By contrast, city officials have said that more than 54 percent of the Fire Departments employees and more than 60 percent of all Department of Education employees are vaccinated. Those figures do not include those who got their shots outside of New York City.

As such, the mask guidance issued this week will likely apply to a large part of the police force.

Ms. Shelton said that officers who did not submit proof that they were vaccinated would be required to wear a face covering at all times while working, whether inside, outside or driving in police vehicles. They would be allowed to remove them while eating or drinking, if they were to have difficulty breathing or were otherwise engaging in reasonable activities like adjusting their masks.

Those officers who did not comply would face appropriate disciplinary action, she said. She and other Police Department representatives did not respond to questions about what penalties officers might face.

The guidance issued this week comes as coronavirus cases have been climbing dramatically in New York City. As of Monday, an average 1,820 new cases were reported every day over a seven-day period, nearly three times the average from one month earlier, which was 607 new cases, according to the citys health department.
I was 4 years old when Saigon fell, so I do not remember any of it. I count myself lucky, since many Vietnamese who survived the end of that war were greatly traumatized by it. The collapse of the American-backed Southern regime began in my Central Highlands hometown, Ban Me Thuot, in March 1975. In less than two months, all of South Vietnam capitulated to the North Vietnamese. Soldiers fled in chaotic retreat among civilians. My mother, brother and I were among them. We left behind my adopted sister. After walking nearly 200 kilometers to escape the advancing North Vietnamese army, the three of us made it to the seaside city of Nha Trang, where we managed to find a boat to take us to Saigon where my father was.

We were lucky; many others werent. My brother remembers dead Southern paratroopers hanging from trees. In Nha Trang, some people fell to their deaths in the sea, trying to clamber onto boats. In Da Nang, desperate soldiers crammed into the luggage compartments of a plane, while the ones left behind threw grenades and fired at the plane.

Images of bodies falling, of people running desperately, are now with us again, from Afghanistans capital, Kabul. Comparisons to Vietnam began early in Americas misadventure in Afghanistan: It was classic mission creep, a quagmire, another forever war. The pessimism was warranted. Two decades, billions of dollars and tens of thousands of deaths later, Taliban forces are now in Kabul, having secured control of the country with dizzying speed. As much as some American leaders resist it, the analogy presents itself again, with the fall of Saigon and resulting catastrophe foreshadowing the possible fate of tens of thousands of Afghans. It is not something the Biden administration is interested in hearing. This is not Saigon, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said over the weekend.

True, the Taliban are not the Peoples Army of Vietnam, and the American evacuation of Saigon, chaotic as it was, was better planned than the American endgame for Kabul. But the Saigon analogy is important because the urgency and the human disaster are similar as is the role that the United States and other nations must play to shape those fates of Afghans. It was therefore disappointing to hear President Biden on Monday defend his Afghanistan policy by focusing on two alternatives  stay and fight or withdraw  while laying the blame primarily at the feet of the Afghan government and army. Blaming Afghans obscures a history of American miscalculation starting with President George W. Bush, and allows Mr. Biden to treat the evacuation of Afghan allies as an afterthought rather than a priority.
But Johnsons decision early in 1965 to send thousands of troops to combat the Vietcong soon halted the momentum of his Great Society agenda and put Democrats on the defensive. A year later, as the war dragged on and protests mounted, Johnsons approval rating dipped below 50 percent. In the midterm contests of 1966, the Republican Party picked up 47 seats in the House, and Democratic governors in eight states were replaced by Republicans  one of them a former actor in California named Ronald Reagan. By 1968, Republicans had taken back the White House, and Democrats never achieved a progressive policy agenda as far-reaching again.

Joe Biden bears far less responsibility for the defeat in Afghanistan than Lyndon Johnson did for the debacle in Indochina. As Mr. Biden mentioned in his address to the nation on Monday, as vice president, he opposed the troop surge ordered by Barack Obama in 2009. He can also claim that he was merely carrying out an agreement Donald Trump signed last year.

Furthermore, unlike the Vietnam War, which provoked a long, scorching debate that divided the country far more bitterly and profoundly than the more limited, if longer, battle with the Taliban ever did, this conflict could soon be forgotten. As the publics attention shifts away from Afghanistan, Mr. Bidens decision may seem less like a failure and more like a sober, even necessary end to a policy that was doomed from the start.

Yet the president and his fellow Democrats face a political environment so daunting that even the slightest disruption could derail their domestic agenda. Even before the Afghan crisis, they needed the vote of every senator from their party to enact their budget blueprint, and Mr. Biden has never had the sky-high approval ratings that allowed Johnson to rule Congress with an iron fist. This week, for the first time, his rating dipped into the 40s. Whatever they manage to accomplish in Congress, Democrats could easily lose their narrow control of both houses in the next midterm elections, especially if Republicans effectively inflame fears about Afghan refugees being resettled in this country.
I dont mean his. I mean our countrys. The United States  including many and probably most of our presidents  is routinely overconfident. We perpetually overreach. And while Biden obviously didnt think we had the might to fix Afghanistan for good, he thought we had the muscle to flee Afghanistan without mortification. Call it a humbler strain of arrogance. Its arrogance nonetheless.

I dont fault him for wanting us out of a war that seemed endless and claimed too many lives and too much treasure. Its the right call.

But he seemed to have much too much faith that the extraction would be quick, clean and relatively painless, just as other American leaders over the past two decades had too much faith that they could nurture a better Afghan government and a stronger Afghan military. To be enamored with American potency is to exaggerate it.

We are indeed potent, and our strength fuels an idealism that overlaps with  and is the upside of  our hubris. Many of us genuinely believe that we can make the world freer and improve the lives of people in lands less blessed than ours. In and immediately after World War II, we did so.

But there are limits. The decades since that war have been a serial education in that, and Afghanistan has long been one of the messiest, ugliest lessons. So why did Biden offer the assurances and articulate the (qualified) optimism that he did? Several possible reasons:

Presidents can become so fed up with reflexive naysayers that they become reflexive yeasayers. They itch too keenly to prove the doubters wrong. Look at Bidens I-told-you-so after the bipartisan Senate vote in favor of the infrastructure bill: He revisited 50 pessimistic statements from journalists who said the legislation was a dead end.
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In the housing wars, two things seem fairly certain.

We, especially those of us who live in California, are in an escalating crisis of unaffordability and homelessness.

Nobody really knows what can be done.

The second point, of course, is quite different from nobody knows what to do. Each side of the housing debate has a raft of prescriptions, whether mass public housing, upzoning, the unfettered building of market-rate apartments, or the construction of thousands of tiny structures for the unhoused. Everyone knows exactly what he or she would do if community boards, historical societies, small-minded local politicians or capitalism werent in the way.

A telling example of the what can we do phenomenon can be found in Berkeley, Calif., where I live. The city has received quite a bit of positive press in recent months for its resolution to end single-family zoning. The stated reason behind the change: to right a historical wrong. In 1916, Berkeley became the first city in the nation to enact single-family zoning as a way for families in the wealthy Elmwood neighborhood to stop the construction of multifamily units that might bring in a poorer class of renters. Despite its progressive reputation, the city has been highly racially segregated throughout its history, with entire neighborhoods that were drawn up with the express purpose of excluding Black and Asian residents. In the early 1960s, the Berkeley City Council passed anti-segregation laws that criminalized housing discrimination. Those laws were quickly challenged by petition and soundly defeated at the polls by white residents who, in addition to showing their displeasure by ballot, burned a cross on the lawn of a progressive mayoral candidate.

Recent history, which has seen a steep increase in rents and housing costs, has simply replaced exclusion with expulsion. In 1970, roughly 25 percent of the citys population was Black. That number had fallen to roughly 8 percent by 2019. The zoning resolution was supposed to address that history and usher in a more equitable, affordable city. But it should be noted that Berkeley simply voted on a resolution to end single-family zoning. Actual changes in zoning will require further campaigning and votes and will almost certainly be met with heightened resistance. And even its most ardent proponents in the City Council have struck a cautionary tone. Its certainly not going to happen overnight, Councilwoman Lori Droste told Berkeleyside. She also spoke of the bill in somewhat abstract terms, calling it symbolic in stating we want to address systemic racism. Councilman Ben Bartlett admitted the change would not create an explosion in housing but, like Droste, said that we cannot ignore that from the outset, zonings sole purpose was to segregate by race, to the detriment of people of color.
The problem is not only that these doctors are inadequately trained, but that operating as rogue actors there is no way to either collect their data or send them a warning about the dangers of a procedure, Dr. Teitelbaum said. When we started recognizing there was a problem with BBL, we were faced with the problem of figuring out how to find these people to get word out to them, and unfortunately there was no way to do it.

Neither Brazilian, Nor a Lift

Its unclear how exactly the Brazilian Butt Lift got its name, since technically nothings being lifted. A Brazilian plastic surgeon named Ivo Pitanguy is credited with pioneering the procedure in the 1960s. It slowly migrated north, eventually gaining popularity in the United States around 2010 thanks to Jennifer Lopez, Kim Kardashian and Nicki Minaj, each of whom is revered for her hind. (The women deny having had any surgical help. Ms. Kardashian got an X-ray during an episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians. Doctors found no implants, though fat grafting was not discussed).

But a January 2020 editorial in the journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery argued that the procedure was actually named in 1996, when the Learning Channel featured a segment with Dr. Leonard Grossman, a board-certified plastic surgeon who liposuctioned fat from a Brazilian woman and injected it into her glutes. The segment was called Building the Brazilian Butt, and a moniker was born. (The authors proposed that the procedure should be called Safe Subcutaneous Buttock Augmentation instead.)

Since then, the amounts of fat injected have only increased. I dont know at what point in time we got into bigger is better, but we put in larger and larger volumes the moment we realized we could, said Dr. Oni Garcia, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Miami.

No one knows for sure what the long-term repercussions are. But Dr. Arthur W. Perry, a board-certified plastic surgeon in New York and New Jersey and an adjunct associate professor of surgery at Columbia, is so worried that he refuses to do a BBL.

What happens to fat when you put a large amount of dead fat into the buttocks? he said. Because thats what it is: Dead fat. We havent even begun to see the cosmetic disasters of people walking around with moonscape buttocks, one cheek bigger than the other.
Julia Felsenthal had always put her writing  for magazines including T  before her painting. Then the pandemic hit and she found herself without many freelance assignments but, because she spends much of her time on Cape Cod, with the ocean close at hand. It was a chance for the artist, who felt more comfortable with portraiture, to give landscape painting a try. She started by taking hundreds of pictures while walking her dog along Nauset Light Beach, then choosing a few to reference as she began to layer watercolor and gouache back in her studio. I really had to figure out how water works, she says, paying attention to whats on the surface and whats underneath. That the ocean is, as she puts it, a mercurial and infinitely complicated thing dovetailed nicely with the tumultuousness of her emotions at the time. In one of the works, 22 of which are on view at Garvey Rita Art & Antiques in Orleans, Mass., bottle-green waves roll in beneath an ominous gray sky. In another, the water is calm and clear and seems to beckon, as if wading into its light-dappled shallows might wash away ones troubles. A portion of the proceeds from Salt Water, which is on view through Sept. 11, will go to the Sipson Island Trust. garveyrita.com.
WASHINGTON  The Federal Trade Commission took new aim at Facebook on Thursday, beefing up its accusations that the company was a monopoly that illegally crushed competition, in an attempt to overcome the skepticism of a federal judge who threw out the agencys original case two months ago.

The suit submitted Thursday contains the same overall arguments as the original, saying that Facebooks acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp were made to create a moat around its monopoly in social networking and arguing that the social network should be broken up. But the updated suit is nearly twice as long and includes more facts and analysis that the agency says better support the governments allegations.

Facebook lacked the business acumen and technical talent to survive the transition to mobile, Holly Vedova, the acting director of the bureau of competition at the agency, said in a statement. After failing to compete with new innovators, Facebook illegally bought or buried them when their popularity became an existential threat.

Facebook responded: There was no valid claim that Facebook was a monopolist  and that has not changed. Our acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp were reviewed and cleared many years ago, and our platform policies were lawful.
Parents of young children with disabilities are suing Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas over his ban on mask mandates in public schools, arguing that the executive order, signed in July, prevents their medically at-risk children from being able to attend school safely.

The federal lawsuit, filed on Tuesday by the advocacy group Disability Rights Texas, opens another legal battlefront over pandemic policy in the state. Mr. Abbotts ban suffered a series of setbacks in lower state courts before the State Supreme Court sided with him on Sunday, ruling that he had the authority to impose such a ban. The court has still to issue a final ruling on the bans validity.

President Biden announced this week that the Education Department would use its broad powers  including possible legal action  to deter states like Texas from barring universal mask mandates in classrooms.

The new lawsuit contends that Mr. Abbotts ban violates federal anti-discrimination laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504, which prohibit the exclusion of students with disabilities from public education. If the suit is successful, Dustin Rynders, a lawyer for Disability Rights Texas, believes that the case could set a national precedent.
It has to be organized and structured and it has to be coordinated, otherwise its going to be a problem for the people who come in, Mr. Negash said. They may not be eligible to become special immigrant visa holders.

Its well intentioned, its wonderful, he added. But as you know, sometimes the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

In a statement, the State Department said: We appreciate community-led efforts to support the Afghan relocation and resettlement process, which reflects the generosity of the American people and the international community. However, we are unable to verify the authenticity or effectiveness of these efforts.

Phil Caruso, a board member at No One Left Behind, a nonprofit that supports Afghan war allies, said the GoFundMe group was one of many trying to organize rescue flights and contact his organization for assistance.

The group, he said, wanted to know if No One Left Behind had flights that it could fund.

All the rescue missions, he said, are facing a thicket of logistical and legal challenges. The most immediate, he said, is ensuring that Afghans can clear Taliban and U.S. checkpoints along the way to the international airport in Kabul and get through the crowds of people outside.

Those boarding the flights must also have visas or be eligible for visas, and the private flights need permission from the State and Defense Departments to land at one of several designated military bases, he said.

Were still trying to work through these logistics now, but theres not a clear answer yet, he said.
For weeks the wildfires in Northern California  which have so far burned more than 1.3 million acres of land  have mostly skipped across sparsely populated areas and have not required mass evacuations.

But the Caldor fire, which began east of Sacramento over the weekend, has changed that equation. As of Wednesday evening, the uncontained blaze had forced about 23,000 residents of El Dorado County to flee or prepare to leave their homes, the governors office reported. Nearly a third of those evacuation notices came on Wednesday in a space of less than six hours.
The wildfires burning in Northern California, including the rapidly expanding Caldor fire east of Sacramento, are affecting more people than simply those forced to evacuate.

On Thursday, air pollution was projected to remain at unhealthy levels  above 150 on the air quality index  in Sacramento and other cities near the blaze.

Anthony Wexler, director of the Air Quality Research Center at the University of California, Davis, said that air quality in the area had been getting worse every day.

I can look right at the sun, he said, and it doesnt bother me at all.

The Caldor, which started last weekend, has already consumed more than 62,000 acres, injuring two people, destroying buildings in the small community of Grizzly Flats and forcing an emergency closure of the Eldorado National Forest. It remained uncontained as of Wednesday evening.
Nursing homes at a crossroads

On Wednesday, President Biden said that all nursing home employees must be vaccinated by Sept. 30. Any facilities that dont comply will not receive federal Medicare or Medicaid funds.

The practical effect of the mandate, nursing home operators said, is that workers will have to be vaccinated or lose their jobs. Only about 60 percent of the nations nearly 1.5 million nursing home employees are vaccinated, far below the industrys goal of having 75 percent vaccinated by the end of June.

Some administrators are thrilled. Its great, said Marita Smith, who runs a nursing home in Seattle. She called the new policy a pretty big deal that would flush out health care professionals who shouldnt be in health care. If individuals dont want to be vaccinated, she said, they put nursing home residents at risk and need to go.

But some prominent officials in the industry argue that the move will exacerbate staffing shortages, which they say could pose a bigger threat than having unvaccinated staff.
A small school district in Los Angeles County will require older students to be vaccinated for Covid-19 if theyre eligible, the districts superintendent said in a letter to families this week.

Although California educators have already been ordered to be vaccinated or else face regular testing, the Culver City Unified School District is believed to be the first in the state  and possibly the nation  to require students 12 and older to be inoculated.

More mandates could be on the way after the Food and Drug Administration grants full approval to the vaccine and allows children under 12 to get it. Both decisions are expected in the coming weeks.

The district also expanded masking requirements for some students and staff members and will require weekly coronavirus testing for both students and employees, regardless of their vaccine status.
The Los Angeles City Council passed on Wednesday a Covid-19 vaccine mandate for nearly 60,000 city workers, including police officers and firefighters, that did not include an option for regular testing.

Other major cities, states, companies, health care systems and the federal government have all passed different vaccine rules. But many, including New York Citys, allow people to skip the shots as long as they are regularly tested for the coronavirus.

Los Angeless rule, as well as one recently announced for much of Seattles municipal work force, removes that option. Los Angeles will only allow medical or religious exemptions.

The vaccine mandate in Los Angeles reflects a broader trend toward harsher measures, from the White House down, to push the Americans who are still not vaccinated to get the shots as the Delta variant ravages the United States.
Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, a Republican in a deeply blue state who has so far resisted issuing a mask mandate or vaccination requirement for schools, came under pressure this week for stricter regulations from the states largest teachers union.

The Massachusetts Teachers Association board of directors voted on Tuesday, 46 to 4, to adopt a vaccine requirement for all eligible students and staff, following up on a unanimous vote August 1 in favor of a mask mandate. The unions president, Merrie Najimy, noted that Governor Baker has resisted taking these steps.

Educators and our unions are doing everything in our power to ensure that public schools and colleges can open safely, she said. We continue to be alarmed by the failure of state political leaders to follow our example.

She added, its as if Governor Baker and other state education officials have learned nothing over the past year and a half.
It was noted by U.S. Census officials last week as an example of a city that experienced significant growth in its perch just outside metropolitan hubs  New Braunfels is between San Antonio and Austin, which also grew at blistering paces over the past decade. There were two others in Texas, a fast-growing state: McKinney, outside of Dallas, and Conroe, which had been enveloped by the sprawling Houston metropolitan area.

In many ways, the story of New Braunfelss expansion is the story of a changing America.

As its population has boomed, with many new arrivals coming from big cities across Texas and states like California, Colorado and New York, the town also become more diverse. The Anglo population has dipped below 60 percent for the first time in recent decades, with Latinos accounting for about 35 percent of residents.

The sheer growth shows no signs of abating.

City officials have set aside at least $30 million for infrastructure initiatives, in addition to more than $600 million for water and wastewater projects undertaken by the local utility company. And more money will be needed in the near future, Mr. Brockman said.

In a visible sign of the boom, permits to build new homes exceeded 1,400 last year, a record for the city, said Jeff Jewell, the citys director of economic and community development. More than 10,000 single-family homes were added over the past 11 years and property values have also skyrocketed, with the median home value jumping 73 percent over the past decade, to $272,000 from $157,000.
Senators Roger Wicker, Republican of Mississippi, Angus King, independent of Maine, and John Hickenlooper, Democrat of Colorado, said on Thursday that they had tested positive for the coronavirus, adding to the number of breakthrough cases among lawmakers.

Senator Wicker is fully vaccinated against Covid-19, is in good health and is being treated by his Tupelo-based physician, his spokesman, Phillip Waller, said in a statement released by his office, adding that the senator was experiencing only mild symptoms.

The announcement from Mr. Wicker came as his home state has shattered previous records for new cases this week, and is now reporting more new cases relative to its population than any other state in the country. Mississippi is averaging 118 new cases a day for every 100,000 people, according to data compiled by The New York Times.

Mr. Kings statement said he was symptomatic but taking recommended precautions.

While I am not feeling great, Im definitely feeling much better than I would have without the vaccine, he said. I am taking this diagnosis very seriously, quarantining myself at home and telling the few people Ive been in contact with to get tested in order to limit any further spread.
The bad behavior in Americas skies shows no signs of letting up.

In response, the Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday proposed more than $530,000 in fines against 34 unruly passengers accused of striking flight attendants, refusing to wear masks and lying in the aisles, among other offenses. A few hours later, American Airlines extended a ban on alcohol sales on planes until Jan. 18, 2022.

These moves coincided with wider attention to a United Airlines memo that flight attendants denounced as a publicity stunt. In it, United Airlines updated attendants about hiring, thanked them for being so friendly and then issued an odd plea.

Please remember that there are designated items onboard that may be used in difficult situations and alternative measures such as tape should never be used, John Slater, Uniteds senior vice president of in-flight services, wrote.

That seemed like a reference to a widely covered incident on Frontier Airlines last month in which crew members taped an aggressive, inebriated passenger to his chair.
British researchers have conducted modeling studies simulating what happens when a person on one side of a barrier  like a customer in a store  exhales particles while speaking or coughing under various ventilation conditions. The screen is more effective when the person coughs, because the larger particles have greater momentum and hit the barrier. But when a person speaks, the screen doesnt trap the exhaled particles  which just float around it. While the store clerk may avoid an immediate and direct hit, the particles are still in the room, posing a risk to the clerk and others who may inhale the contaminated air.

We have shown this effect of blocking larger particles, but also that the smaller aerosols travel over the screen and become mixed in the room air within about five minutes, said Catherine Noakes, professor of environmental engineering for buildings at the University of Leeds in England. This means if people are interacting for more than a few minutes, they would likely be exposed to the virus regardless of the screen.

Dr. Noakes said erecting barriers may seem like a good idea but can have unintended consequences. She conducted a study published in 2013 that looked at the effect of partitions between beds in hospitals. The study showed that while some people were protected from germs, the partitions funneled the air in the room toward others.

So while a worker behind a transparent barrier might be spared some of the customers germs, a worker nearby or customers in line could still be exposed. Dr. Noakes said most screens she has seen are poorly positioned and are unlikely to be of much benefit.

I think this may be a particular problem in places like classrooms where people are present for longer periods of time, Dr. Noakes said. Large numbers of individual screens impede the airflow and create pockets of higher and lower risk that are hard to identify.

To understand why screens often have little effect on protecting people from aerosol particles, it helps to think about exhaled breath like a plume of cigarette smoke, Dr. Marr said.

One way to think about plastic barriers is that they are good for blocking things like spitballs but ineffective for things like cigarette smoke, Dr. Marr said. The smoke simply drifts around them, so they will give the person on the other side a little more time before being exposed to the smoke. Meanwhile, people on the same side with the smoker will be exposed to more smoke, since the barriers trap it on that side until it has a chance to mix throughout the space.
NAIROBI, Kenya  The Africa director at the World Health Organization, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, criticized the decisions by some wealthy nations to start administering coronavirus booster shots, saying the decisions make a mockery of vaccine equity when the African continent is still struggling to get vaccine supplies.

African countries continue to lag far behind other continents in inoculations, with only 2 percent of the continents 1.3 billion people fully vaccinated against Covid-19 so far. Though vaccine shipments have accelerated in recent weeks, African nations are still not getting nearly enough to meet their needs, Dr. Moeti said.

Instead of offering additional doses to their already fully vaccinated citizens, she said, rich countries should give priority to poor nations, some of which are being ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic.

Moves by some countries globally to introduce booster shots threaten the promise of a brighter tomorrow for Africa, Dr. Moeti said in an online news conference on Thursday. As some richer countries hoard vaccines, they make a mockery of vaccine equity.
Mortuaries and crematories have been overwhelmed. The city of Guantanamo, for example, is dealing with a surge of deaths that on some days climbs to about eight times the usual number, a government official said. Cubans are posting heart-wrenching videos of dead relatives, saying that their loved ones died for lack of medical care.

This past weekend, after Cubas prime minister, Manuel Marrero Cruz, said that Cubans were complaining more about doctors and their poor service than they were about the shortages, nearly two dozen young physicians and medical students took to social media to state, one by one: I am publicly declaring that doctors are not to blame for the collapse of the public health system.

The move was a daring step in Cuba, where any public show of discontent may result in the loss of employment or even prison.

Cubas president, Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez, acknowledged recently that the pandemic had exceeded the capacity of the Cuban health care system, but he blamed the U.S. trade embargo for the shortages the country suffers.

While the pandemic has strained medical systems around the world, the calamity in Cuba is particularly significant because the government has for decades held its free health care system up as a signal accomplishment of the socialist revolution. But the growing crisis has revealed a frayed system that, while often producing medical breakthroughs, is also denounced as ill-equipped and underfunded.
Russias military exercises on the border represented another side of its strategy, a show of force to demonstrate its willingness to punish the Taliban if they should step out of line. You can talk to the Taliban but you also need to show them a fist, said Daniel Kiselyov, editor of Fergana, a Russian-language outlet focused on Central Asia.

Beyond Afghanistan, Russia still faces stiff competition from Chinas debt and infrastructure diplomacy in Central Asia, a central thoroughfare of Beijings Belt and Road initiative. And the American oil companies Chevron and Exxon have been pumping crude in Kazakhstan for years. On Tuesday, China and Tajikistan announced a joint border-patrol exercise.

But Russias security presence is predominant. The sprawling military footprint the U.S. established in the former Soviet states of Central Asia to facilitate the invasion of Afghanistan has all but disappeared.

As Edil Baisalov, the Kyrgyz ambassador to Britain, put it succinctly in a telephone interview: The great hour of America in Central Asia has long since passed.

Huge U.S. military bases in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan have long since closed down, along with a major supply line called the Northern Distribution Network that had stretched from as far away as the Baltic nations through Russia and Central Asia to northern Afghanistan.

As the U.S. military effort has wound down, so, too, has Washingtons political influence. The Biden administration made overtures this summer to four of the five former Soviet Central Asian countries  Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan  offering things like aid funding and Covid-19 vaccines in exchange for taking a share of 9,000 Afghan refugees. So far it has found no takers.

Some, like Tajikistan, gladly accepted the money and vaccines while still declining to take the refugees. Today, the Moderna vaccine is available free in government-run medical tents in village bazaars in the mountain region of Badakhshan in Tajikistan, residents say.
The Taliban have said they are not keeping people from the airport who have valid visas and tickets. One commander said they were limiting access to help the international evacuation effort, to avoid the kind of overcrowding and chaos that occurred on Monday, when people swarmed onto the runway and several were killed.

But there have also been reports of Taliban fighters turning away people with proper documentation, and scanning the crowds for former officials to detain.

The threat assessment drafted for the U.N. by an intelligence consulting group, the Norwegian Center for Global Analyses, cited multiple reports that the Taliban had a list of people to question and punish, as well as their locations. Military and police personnel and people who worked for investigative units of the toppled government were particularly at risk, according to the document, which was dated Wednesday.

Already, the Taliban were going door to door and arresting and/or threatening to kill or arrest family members of target individuals unless they surrender themselves to the Taliban, said the document, which was seen by The New York Times.

It contained a reproduced letter dated Aug. 16 from the Taliban to an unnamed counterterrorism official in Afghanistan who had worked with U.S. and British officials and then gone into hiding.

The letter instructed the official to report to the Military and Intelligence Commission of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in Kabul. If not, it warned, the officials family members will be treated based on Shariah law.

Victor J. Blue, Helene Cooper and Jim Huylebroek contributed reporting.
JERUSALEM  Millions in aid will be funneled to impoverished families in the blockaded Gaza Strip under a deal reached by the United Nations and Qatar on Thursday, marking a significant advance in efforts to firm up a cease-fire between Israel and the militant group Hamas.

But the agreement does not address the broader issue of reconstructing Gaza, which suffered immense destruction in the 11-day war between Israel and Hamas in May, according to a diplomat briefed on the deal.

As part of Thursdays deal, 100,000 families in Gaza will each receive $100 monthly starting in September, said Mohammed al-Emadi, Qatars representative to Gaza. The stipends will be financed by the Qatari government and distributed by the U.N. World Food Program, he said. It was unclear how long the arrangement will remain in effect.

In contrast to the delivery of past Qatari payments to Gazans, the money will be transferred through the banking system, Israels defense minister, Benny Gantz, said in a statement. Before the war in May, Israel permitted Qatari officials to carry cash into Gaza for families on a near-monthly basis  a process many Israelis criticized as support for Hamas.
The United States has requested that the United Nations scale back the annual General Assembly meeting in New York next month, making it a mostly virtual gathering, to avoid the superspreader infection risks posed by the pandemics highly contagious Delta variant.

The request, made in a diplomatic note sent by the U.S. Mission to the other members of the global organization, appeared to assure that the worlds biggest diplomatic gathering would be similar to the mostly virtual one held in 2020, or perhaps be even more restricted.

The General Assembly meeting, which starts in mid-September, historically has been one of the busiest events at the United Nations headquarters, with heads of state and government from around the world converging in New York with their diplomatic entourages. The influx of V.I.P.s creates enormous security challenges for the New York Police Department and routinely paralyzes traffic in Manhattan.

Though the United States is the host country, it does not dictate which foreign leaders visit the United Nations to address the General Assembly in what is known as the General Debate. But the organization defers to the host government authorities on matters of health requirements.
A near-vertical cliff wall in the mountains of Shennongjia Nature Reserve, Chinas Hubei Province, is home to over 700 wooden boxes which make up one of the countrys last sanctuaries for native wild bees.

Beekeeping has been carried out in China since at least the 2nd century AD, and roughly half of the worlds supply of honey comes from the Asian country, but few know that over 80% of the native bee population is now extinct. The introduction of the European honey bee (Apis Mellifera) is considered the main cause of the drastic decline of native Chinese bees. It has brought viral diseases, has been known to attack Chinese honeybee hives, and interfere with its mating rituals. Today, the Chinese honey bee (Apis Cerana Cerana) is listed as an endangered species, and the cliff-hanging hives of the Shennongjia Nature Reserve make up one of the few protected sanctuaries in the country.

Photo: Facebook

Popularly known as the wall of hives, this unique bee sanctuary consists of over 700 wooden boxes perched on the side of a steep cliff wall, about 4,000 feet above sea level. The boxes are meant to attract the areas wild bees into settling in, and most of them are indeed inhabited by families of thousands of bees at any given time.

Because the hives are so densely packed together, in order to reach the higher ones, beekeepers have to use the lower boxes as steps, while trying to keep their balance. The ones near the top can only be accessed by rope, from the top of the cliff. Its a difficult task, but a necessary one, as the location of the beehives in an inaccessible place is meant to protect their inhabitants and their honey from bears.

What makes the Shennongjia Nature Reserve so special for beekeeping is the presence of several different climates zones  subtropical, warm temperate, temperate and cold temperate  in a single area, which basically guarantees a truly diverse flora (over 1,131 species of plants) and fauna.

Because of its unique appearance and location, the wall of hives has also become popular with tourists.

Not only is it a place worth visiting, but this cliffside bee sanctuary is a lot better than having tens of thousands of bees living literally in your home
Steve Halsey

Bank directors, CEOs and senior managers who believe the strong focus on corporate Environmental, Social, and Governance policies and actions will fade as the COVID-19 pandemic eases may be risking the future of their enterprises and their own careers. If they believe a little ESG marketing razzle-dazzle can give them cover to conduct business as usual, they should think again.

For years, titans of the oil and gas industry have eloquently addressed environmental concerns backed by token investments in alternative energy and vague promises to reduce their carbon footprints. This amounted to marketing lip service and window dressing while essentially conducting business as usual.

Last May, three global oil and gas giants were shaken from this false reverie. Chevron shareholders voted 61 percent in favor of a proposal directing the company to reduce its total greenhouse gas emissions substantially, and a Dutch court ordered Royal Dutch Shell to cut its carbon emissions by 45 percent by 2030 compared to 2019 levels.

Simultaneously, a shareholder revolt led by a small hedge fund voted three independent directors with extensive environmental expertise to the Board of ExxonMobil. Among those voting for the new directors: the three largest U.S. pension funds, the two biggest advisory services, at least one of the three largest fund managers: BlackRock. Why? Because they understand that climate risk is also a serious investment risk. They also know that broad-market high-ESG indexes are significantly outperforming low-ESG counterparts, according to MSCI and many others.

This article is featured in O'Dwyer's Aug. '21 Financial PR/IR & Professional Services PR Magazine

(view PDF version)

Everyone on Wall Street knows it, too, which is why a global survey of institutional investors released by MSCI in February showed that 77 percent of investors increased ESG investments significantly or moderately in response to COVID-19. This figure increases to 90 percent for the largest institutions with over $200 billion of assets.

Revisiting the four Ps

Corporate commitment to ESG cant be feigned or taken lightly; there are too many eyes watching, reporting, rating or regulating every move. Poor environmental risk scores by global rating organizationssuch as MSCI, ISS and Sustainalyticsare quickly noticed by regulators, customers, investors, business partners and the media. Poor social value practices are easily noticed by unhappy employees, customers and communities.

ESG and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion values must be baked into corporate culture and nurtured from the top-down and bottom-up. It requires revisiting the traditional four Ps of marketingProduct, Packaging, Promotion and Place (distribution). The four closely connected Ps that count most with ESG and DE&I marketing are: Purpose, product, policy and people.

Company purpose

Earlier this year, G&S asked a cross-section of U.S. adults aged 18 and older for their thoughts on company purpose. These findings demonstrate 42 percent of Americans want to hear from corporate leaders about company mission and purpose, and would be more likely to purchase products or services from a given company if it had a stated purpose and carried that purpose out in its policies and practices.

The rising importance of corporate purpose beyond profits started before the pandemic, but COVID-19 magnified its importance. According to the Page Societys groundbreaking research in The CCO as Pacesetter: What It Means, Why It Matters, How to Get There, companies need to move beyond simply defining a corporate purpose to weaving it into the very fabric of the business.

Purpose is no longer just nice to have. Its a business-critical imperative. Senior banking executives must define, live, infuse and connect purpose to their daily actions. It starts by answering two essential questions: What is our reason for being? And what would the world lose if our company no longer existed?

Product and policy

Closely tied to purpose, product and policy in terms of ESG marketing starts with the company itself: Whats the banks purpose? Whats the banks reputation? Has the bank committed to achieving net-zero emissions? Does the bank have a policy for building a portfolio of high-value green loans and investments that reduce climate risk? Does the bank have a policy for integrating ESG risks into its overall business strategy? Does the bank have a policy for reducing discriminatory lending to help disadvantaged people and communities build social equity and wealth?

One ESG opportunity that some banks started implementing during the pandemic is the reduction of restrictive barriers to help dismantle systemic bias and build trust. Too many Americans today are unbanked or underbanked. Many factors have made access to financial products and services challenging for segments of the U.S. population: traditional banking account balance requirements and fees; restrictive and sometimes punitive credit policies; implicit bias in assumptions regarding various consumer demographics; and financial industry culture itself relative to who feels comfortable navigating it.

These dynamics can create a negative impact on the financial stability and social mobility of large segments of the population. They also represent a significant opportunity to broaden customer bases while contributing to a stronger, more equitable economy and society.

One enormous opportunity for banks and credit card companies is consumers in their 20s and 30s. The convenience of Venmo and ApplePay are one reason young people have avoided credit cards. Promoting the reduction of restrictive barriers or elimination of gotcha fees among Millennials and Gen Z are examples of how banks can broaden their customer base while helping fledgling financial consumers become responsible, economically stable citizens. This shift is particularly critical as more workers shift from traditional full-time employment to less codified roles in the gig economy.

Is there risk involved? Certainly, but there are more than 72 million Millennials in the United States today, and most of them need to establish stronger credit ratings. Considering that most of them are just starting to build their personal wealth, can any bank risk ignoring their needs?

People

Does your workforce reflect the ethnic and racial population of your community or region? What about senior management and the Board? While many banks in the U.S. have created Diversity & Inclusion committees to advise senior management, too many banks still have Boards and senior management teams dominated by white men, with a few token women and minorities. Intelligent change takes time, of course, but theres no time to waste.

BlackRock CEO Larry Fink said it eloquently in his January letter to CEOs: A company that does not seek to benefit from the full spectrum of human talent is weaker for itless likely to hire the best talent, less likely to reflect the needs of its customers and the communities where it operates, and less likely to outperform.

The business case for a diverse, inclusive company is compelling. Research by McKinsey shows that the most ethnically diverse companies are 35 percent more likely to outperform the least ethnically diverse companies. Inclusive companies have a 2.3x higher cash flow per employee over a three-year period. According to Deloitte, inclusive teams outperform their peers by 80 percent in team-based assessments. Firms in the top tier for DE&I are 1.8 times more likely to be change-ready and 1.7 times more likely to be innovation leaders. According to research from Glassdoor, 67 percent of job seekers said that a diverse workforce is an important factor to them when considering companies and job offers and that 57 percent of employees want their company to increase diversity.

2020 was an inflection point for ESG

Previous economic crises have tended to reduce corporate emphasis on sustainability and social initiatives in order to focus on financial recovery and survival, but that did not happen in 2020. COVID-19 is a uniquely people-centered crisis compounded by uneven economic impacts and a surge in social justice efforts to address racism and other systemic societal issues.

Corporate leadership is experiencing intensified interest in their ESG policies and actions by all stakeholders: employees, local communities, investors, government and the general public. Considering the overwhelming evidence that companies with high ESG ratings consistently and substantially outperform their peers across all industries, including banking, its a safe bet that smart ESG practices will remain important long after the pandemic has ended.

***

Steve Halsey is Chief Growth Officer at G&S.
Champion picks up Punchh, which provides customer loyalty, offers and engagement solutions for restaurants, convenience stores and other physical retailers. The agency is tasked with developing brand narratives to generate positive local, national and trade media coverage for Punchh. It will also execute an omnichannel strategy to amplify Punchhs digital marketing objectives. We engaged Champion to help us share our expertise in the loyalty and customer engagement space, said Punchh co-founder and CEO Shyam Rao. Champion has outstanding media and brand connections from coast to coast, so were looking forward to a successful partnership.

Pietryla PR & Marketing scoops up Surge for Water, a 501c3 non-profit that provides communities with safe water, sanitation, hygiene and menstrual health solutions. Pietryla will leverage both online tools and traditional PR to help the organization raise the profile of its annual fundraising gala Sept. 18 at Salvage One in Chicago. Pietryla PR & Marketing president Christine Wetzler said that the work is a good fit for us as the agency strengthens its digital and social marketing capabilities. Surge for Water founder and executive director Shilpa Alva said the organization was very glad to find a great fit with Christine and her team at Pietryla PR as we look for ways to keep our organization visible in the news and with donors.

Amendola Communications has been selected by clinical trial technology company Curebase to work on the launch of its Decentralized Clinical Trial software platform. Curebase says that the DCT model revolves around the patient's lifestyle, enabling diverse studies with broader patient populations. "We are excited to leverage Amendola, which brings a stealthy team, strategic healthcare IT expertise, and a long history of proven wins," said Curebase founder and CEO Tom Lemberg.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, a non-political humanitarian organization, is looking for a PR firm to help it increase its visibility and brand awareness in Saudi Arabia.
In response to growing humanitarian needs and severe emergencies, including the earthquake in Haiti and rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, the Irish Red Cross has launched an International Crisis Fund.

They say: "Funds are urgently needed to address the immediate humanitarian needs of people in Haiti, who have been devastated by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake, which has left a reported 1,941 people dead and almost 10,000 injured.

"At the same time, the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated significantly, with millions of people requiring assistance following weeks of heavy fighting."

Red Cross and Red Crescent teams on the ground in Haiti and Afghanistan have been working around the clock to deliver emergency assistance to thousands of vulnerable people. Today, as we mark World Humanitarian Day, the Irish Red Cross is asking for the public to support their appeal.

Many of us feel helpless when we witness the devastating scenes that are playing out across the world. Haiti and Afghanistan are two very different contexts but they both need the support of the Irish people.

Today is World Humanitarian Day and its our duty as humanitarians not to turn away from tragedy as its unfolding in front of us. Many of us will never have first-hand experience of the type of crises that the people of Haiti and Afghanistan are currently facing, but we must stand in solidarity with vulnerable people, no matter where they are in the world, said Catrina Sheridan, Secretary General of the Irish Red Cross.

These are extraordinarily difficult times. With so many crisis across multiple context and regions, it is critical that we intensify our efforts and provide support to our urgent humanitarian work supporting people and communities affected by these crises, she added.

Funds raised through the Irish Red Cross International Crises appeal will allow the Red Cross the flexibility to help where it is needed most and will be used to provide immediate humanitarian support to those affected by crises, such as the ones now faced in Haiti and Afghanistan.

The Irish Red Cross is part of a worldwide network of volunteers that help people across the globe when and where they need it most. Disasters and conflict can have devastating, long-term effects on populations, especially in areas where humanitarian needs are already high.

To donate to the Irish Red Cross Crisis Appeal go to www.redcross.ie
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Albany Times Union. August 17, 2021.

Editorial: Lead the way, New York

THE ISSUE:

The gerrymandering of election districts is harmful to democracy.

THE STAKES:

New Yorks upcoming redistricting will test whether lawmakers are committed to fairness.

Newly released census numbers contained a pleasant surprise: New York added population in the decade following 2010.

The small gain, though, wasnt enough to keep the state from once again losing a congressional seat. Meanwhile, downstate has generally gained residents while many areas upstate remain locked in a long slide.

Among the consequences of the changes is this: The upcoming redrawing of legislative and congressional districts is likely to be contentious  and the temptation to play games in drawing them will be strong.

Gerrymandering, of course, is how politics has long been played by both political parties, leading to districts with notoriously absurd shapes. And with Republicans controlling most state legislatures nationally, there are predictions that congressional districts redrawn to favor the GOP will be all the party needs to retake the House.

For Democrats in Albany, then, the temptation will be to fight fire with fire. Rather than draw fair districts that are compact, contiguous and make visual sense, theyll be tempted to gerrymander out a Republican or two.

Self-interest will also be at work, of course, given that legislative districts drawn to the benefit of Democrats could solidify party majorities in the state Assembly and Senate, perhaps guaranteeing one-party rule.

But Democrats must resist the temptation. They must let New Yorks independent commission, tasked with fairly redrawing the lines, do its work without interference.

After all, its an abuse of power when a political party manipulates how election districts are drawn and essentially chooses which voters it wants. Worse, the scheming contributes to a sense among voters that a rigged system isnt worth trusting, or participating in.

Uncompetitive districts also lead to extremism and discourage bipartisanship, because they require politicians cater only to their base. Even a glance at Congress shows how destructive growing partisanship has been. Competitive districts, by contrast, are good for democracy.

New York can show the nation a better way. Lawmakers can say that in this state, at least, elected officials are committed to fairness.

Yes, we know that probably sounds pollyannish. History tells us that politicians, Republicans and Democrats alike, cant be trusted with this process.

But voters have said they want something better, approving a system in 2014 that creates a commission composed of both Democrats and Republicans to draw proposed maps. The Legislature can either approve the lines  or draw them anew.

Theres a big role ahead for incoming Gov. Kathy Hochul, who could veto the maps chosen by lawmakers. As part of the new and more ethical tone she says she intends to set, Ms. Hochul could insist lawmakers set gerrymandering aside.

Doing so would be good for New York. It would also be good for democracy.



Newsday. August 15, 2021.

Editorial: Use new tools for safer roads

Five weeks ago, Richard Riggs, 75, of Holbrook, died in a car crash reportedly caused by other drivers recklessly weaving in and out of lanes near Exit 39 on the Southern State Parkway in Babylon Town. A police probe of the details of the catastrophe remains active.

Long Islanders will do well to remember this every time they see cars racing in traffic, a serious public safety threat on numerous byways and highways.

One enforcement follow-up could come on a state level. Three Long Island lawmakers recently contacted the state Department of Transportation about a proposal that might help catch the purposely reckless in the act and prosecute them.

For the first time, feeds from video cameras could be recorded and used by New York law enforcement where appropriate. So far, three Long Island state lawmakers  Assemb. Michaelle Solages and State Sens. Todd Kaminsky and John Brooks  have called for the change. Their colleagues in both parties should get behind that and push for it, or propose strong alternatives.

With video cameras already posted on many roads over the years to spot accidents, locate snarls and project travel times, you might well ask why their use wasnt extended to bearing witness to motorists who deliberately pose real-time lethal threats to blameless citizens.

Due to cautions about broadened public surveillance, the original agreement authorizing the cameras barred recordings for use in such investigations. But that privacy commitment makes no sense since the roads are public. How would recording the reckless impinge on privacy any more than mass-transit agencies retaining surveillance feeds of crimes on, say, train platforms?

The legislators letter asks the DOT to require all footage from traffic cameras be recorded and maintained for a period of time so that law enforcement agencies can access it . . . to apprehend perpetrators of traffic crimes and keep motorists safe. Some states dont have recording restrictions. In New Jersey, the period of time to keep the footage is seven days. That sounds like it might work here.

Highway police cant be posted everywhere, and even if they witness dangerous weaving, chasing miscreants seasoned in making evasive moves in traffic sounds neither practical nor safe.

The DOT has yet to respond to the lawmakers appeal but is said to be working on one. Prepare to be disappointed; the agency doesnt have much of a track record of reacting quickly or creatively to problems.

Newsday has reported that since 2016 state police have issued less than 100 tickets for reckless driving, a misdemeanor. Perhaps they should consider video taken by drones that could patrol the roads. Regardless, those who patrol the highways must be more aggressive in apprehending reckless drivers.

The death of Richard Riggs reminds us once again how dangerous driving on Long Island has become and how the efforts to combat it have failed to keep pace.



New York Post. August 18, 2021.

Editorial: Albany better move fast to get federal funds to tenants and landlords

Albany is sitting on billions in federal money meant for tenants and landlords, a new audit out Monday from state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli shows. Yet instead of moving to hand out the funds faster, lawmakers are simply eyeing a new ban on evictions, which will only further hurt both groups.

Of the states $2.6 billion in federal rent-bailout money, less than $100 million has been doled out, the report found  only 4% of the total. Just 7,000 families have received help, of 168,000 applications for assistance.

There are billions in federal aid to help renters who fell behind on payments in the pandemic, but this money isnt getting to them, DiNapoli said. The state can and must do a better job getting this aid into the hands of New Yorkers that could face evictions.

Yet rather than pushing the Cuomo administration to speed up payments, Albany lawmakers are contemplating an extension of the states current eviction ban, which expires at the end of the month. That will leave landlords hanging.

Last week, the US Supreme Court blocked a portion of New Yorks eviction moratorium. And on Monday, a half-dozen lawmakers called for an emergency session of the Legislature to pass a new eviction moratorium. Meanwhile, landlords have their own bills to pay; they get no such moratorium.

Besides hurting building owners, a failure to get out the money by Sept. 30 puts it at risk, under a federal use-it-or-lose-it deadline.

There is enormous need from tenants who fear losing their homes and landlords who need rental assistance to keep their buildings running, pleads Judith Goldiner, the top attorney at the left-leaning Legal Aid Society. And its simply horrifying that months after applications began, only 7,000 households have gotten rent paid.

Shes right. And another eviction ban would only make matters worse. Get moving, Albany.



Advance Media New York. August 18, 2021.

Editorial: NYS Fair opens in the space between summer and surge

The New York State Fair opens Friday. The fair is an apt metaphor for where we are in the Covid-19 pandemic: stuck in an uneasy limbo between a desire to squeeze every last drop of fun out of summer and the risks of doing so amid another surge of the virus.

That adds a layer of decision-making on top of the usual fair choices: sausage or gyro, Ferris wheel or flying swings, fried dough or fried thing on a stick. This year, fairgoers will be evaluating how crowded is too crowded, whether to bring the kids, if taking the bus with a bunch of strangers is the best way to go, or if its wise to skip the fair entirely.

Given the crowds at other summer events, we expect fair die-hards will not be deterred. Just know before you go: Everyone must wear a mask indoors, by order of the county executive. If youre not vaccinated, the advice is to wear a mask indoors and out to protect yourself (and others) from the highly contagious Delta variant. Kids under 12, too young to be vaccinated, should wear masks, too.

The fair is doing what it can to mitigate the spread of Covid-19: offering on-site testing and vaccinations, spacing out vendors and rides, cleaning high-use areas frequently, eliminating cash sales of tickets and parking passes, and spreading out musical acts between the Chevy Court stage and the relatively new Chevy Park stage. The gates will open later, at 11 a.m., and close earlier, at 10 p.m.

Fair Director Troy Waffner says the fair will be ready Friday when the gates open  and the gates will open whether hes ready or not. Under Waffners steady leadership, the fair is rolling with the many curveballs Covid-19 has thrown its way.

Start with waking the fairgrounds from a yearlong slumber. Then, finding replacements when some longtime, iconic vendors dropped out. Unlike other fairs in other states, the New York State Fair remains a celebration of locally grown and prepared food. Despite the uncertainty of touring schedules, the fair managed to book dozens of musical acts in a variety of genres, and for a variety of audiences.

For now, its full steam ahead, with no limits on capacity and a full 18 days planned. Waffner and his staff will be ready to react to changes in the trajectory of the pandemic and any new public health directives from New York state and Onondaga County. The rest of us should be, too.

If you decide to go, its up to you to protect yourself, your loved ones and your fellow fairgoers. Get vaccinated, if you havent done it already. Wear a mask. Play it smart. Have a good time.



Auburn Citizen. August 15, 2021.

Editorial: We dont need another week of Cuomo at helm

In a manner typical of his condescending and ego-driven style of governing, Andrew Cuomo put a timetable on when he would step down from office in disgrace.

In his resignation speech delivered Tuesday, the current governor announced he would walk away from the job in 14 days. He said he needed to stick around for a while so his successor, Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul, could have an orderly transition into the highest state government office.

But the truth is the governor just cant stomach the idea of walking away immediately. But he is only hurting the state, because the truth is he no longer has any practical ability to lead the state. The Legislature has no interest in working with him, and rightfully so. His agency commissioners are figuring out their own personal futures. And the public has lost all respect and interest in heeding his words.

This all comes at a time when the COVID-19 virus is starting to rage again, thanks to the Delta variant and a still-too-low vaccination rate, among other issues.

Two major pandemic-related matters in New York state should be dealt with in clear and decisive actions coordinated by the governors office and the state Legislature: A strong science-driven policy on reopening schools and legislation to fix an issue with the states eviction moratorium cited in a recent Supreme Court decision. Neither can happen with Cuomo in charge, and thats a tremendous disservice to the people of New York.

Kathy Hochul is among the most prepared people to take over as governor as weve ever had. Shes held elected public office at the local, federal and state level, so she knows how the executive branch should interact with Washington and town and city halls. Shes traveled the state and made important connections for several years; shes on a first-name basis with scores of local leaders in New York state who are eager to have her in charge.

There is absolutely no good reason she should not be Gov. Kathy Hochul today.

We urge all of our elected officials to call for the governor to move up his resignation effective date, and allow New York government to have some badly needed stability as soon as possible.

END
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP)  Lieutenant Gov. Kathy Hochul said Wednesday the state has the authority to mandate masks at schools.

Hochul, a Democrat, is set to take office as New Yorks first female governor on Aug. 24, when Gov. Andrew Cuomo will resign in the wake of an independent investigation that found he sexually harassed at least 11 women.

Her assertion about masks in schools is in contrast to guidance from Cuomo, who earlier this month said he lacks the legal authority to impose mask mandates on his own.

In a matter of days, Ill be able to say we will have mask mandates, Hochul said in Queens Wednesday. I just dont have that authority at this time, when Im not going to overstep.

Hochul said that nearly all school leaders and superintendents she's spoken with support a mask mandate in schools. And she said the state could end up lifting a statewide school mask mandate in parts of the state with lower positivity rates.

Mask mandates are something that the Department of Health has the authority to call for, Hochul said, later adding: I believe that well need mask mandates for children to go back to schools and thatll have to be universal, itll be statewide.

Lawmakers this year let Cuomo's emergency COVID-19 powers expire in light of investigations into allegations that the governor has abused his executive power, including by sexually harassing women.

This summer, Cuomo's administration decided not to release long-promised back-to-school COVID-19 guidance  which school leaders had expected to include recommendations about mask-wearing.

Many school leaders have argued that the state Department of Health still has the power to protect public health by requiring masks in schools. Supporters of a mask mandate have pointed out that all children under 12 aren't yet eligible for vaccination, and that wearing a mask can help protect students, staff and families at a time of heightened COVID-19 transmission.

But Cuomo earlier this month argued that any mask mandate would be up to lawmakers.

Cuomo's office didn't immediately respond to request for comment Wednesday.

The seven-day average of COVID-19 infections per-capita is roughly seven times higher now in New York than this time in 2020.

The state says about 115 people with confirmed COVID-19 have died in hospitals and nursing homes in the seven days through Tuesday. That's more than double the state's tally of 47 deaths for that period in 2020.

Hospitalizations are up to 1,888 confirmed COVID-19 patients as of Tuesday, up 38% from the previous Tuesday. New York last saw more than 1,800 patients on May 12.

The number of new infections began surging in July, but there are signs it's slowing: about 30,000 people have newly tested positive for COVID-19 in the seven days through Tuesday, an increase of 15% from the previous week.
Laxman Pai, Opalesque Asia:

The ASEAN-focused private equity and venture capital (PEVC) industry reached a peak of $37bn as of December 2020, having more than doubled over the previous five years ($17bn), said Preqin in its report 'Alternative Assets in Asia-Pacific'.

"Southeast Asia's private equity and venture capital industry is past a tipping point for maturity and growth, with a more dynamic future for deals ahead," it said. The report found that the region is attracting significant amounts of PEVC investments.

The upward trend can be traced to the amount of capital secured by ASEAN-focused PEVC funds, picking up rapidly since 2017 and reaching a peak of $9.6bn in 2019, it said.

Furthermore, these same ASEAN-focused funds secured a total of $33bn in commitments since 2010, as of April 2021. Highlighting the strong performance of the region, the median net internal rate of return (IRR) for 2009-2018 fund vintages, with a focus on ASEAN, stood at a robust 22%, compared to 14% for the rest of Asia.

As Southeast Asia has radically developed into a vibrant technology hub, the sectors that came out top include technology and innovation, owing to the improvements in internet connectivity and affordability, and proving a boost to e-commerce and digital payments.

Against this backdrop, ASEAN-based venture capital industry assets under management reached a record-breaking $16bn, a sum 2.6x the total in 2015. On the deals front, the total value of venture......................

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Opalesque Industry Update - Investcorp, a global provider and manager of alternative investment products, and private capital exchange ADDX - formerly known as iSTOX - announced today a long-term partnership to expand the use of digital securities in the alternative investment or private market space. The collaboration promises a more seamless, coordinated delivery of opportunities to end-investors and will benefit accredited corporate and individual investors, offering them easier access to opportunities that traditionally require high minimum ticket sizes. The first product that was offered under the partnership was a diversified portfolio of US residential properties. The Sunbelt Multifamily Portfolio raised US$150 million from global investors to be invested in five multifamily apartment complexes at near-full occupancy. The properties are in Texas, Arizona, and Georgia, markets experiencing healthy economic and population growth. Following the close of the primary subscription, the fund was listed on the ADDX Exchange for secondary trading in July. Since 1996, Investcorp has acquired more than 900 properties for a total value of more than US$20 billion. According to Real Capital Analytics, Investcorp is the 3rd largest cross-border buyer of US real estate and 4th largest cross-border seller, over the full years of 2019 and 2020. The Sunbelt Multifamily Portfolio is the 20th such US fund that has been launched by Investcorp since 2012. The Investcorp-ADDX partnership could cover a variety of alternative investment opportunities. The two companies will explore possible joint projects in areas such as private equity, real estate, credit management, absolute returns investments, strategic capital, and infrastructure. Investcorp is expanding its Asia footprint, having invested about $500 million in the continent over the past 18 months, in sectors such as technology, healthcare and consumer consumption. Investcorp could potentially make more opportunities available on ADDX's regulated digital securities platform, which currently serves accredited investors from 27 countries, spanning Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Americas. Digital securities, also known as security tokens, make use of blockchain and smart contract technology to automate processes in the life cycle of securities such as equity, bonds, and funds. The innovation reduces the time and cost needed to issue, custodise, and service securities because actions such as capitalisation table management, dividend, and coupon payment, and secondary trades can become digital and self-executing. This efficiency makes it possible to offer private market investments in fractional sizes, which allows investors to take part in opportunities previously out of reach due to high minimums. This in turn enables more diversified portfolios. The ADDX Exchange also gives investors the option of cashing out ahead of maturity. Issuers benefit too - from lower issuance cost, faster speed to issuance, and access to a larger pool of capital. YC Tang, Vice President, Investor Relationship Management, Asia at Investcorp said: "We are pleased to have this partnership with ADDX to provide the segment of underserved investors with an array of diversified alternative investment products through a secure and efficient platform. The Sunbelt Multifamily Portfolio is the first product we offered under this partnership, and we look forward to potentially offering more through this innovative platform, to meet the demands of a growing global marketplace." Oi Yee Choo, Chief Commercial Officer of ADDX, said: "The beauty of this new partnership lies in the fact that Investcorp and ADDX are both experts in the private markets - and yet we do have different geographical and commercial focus areas. When we combine our strengths, there is a fresh dynamism - an exciting, invigorating prospect. Individuals and companies that work with us will have an assurance that their capital is put to work in a smart way and in high-quality products. In the case of the Sunbelt Multifamily Portfolio, the efficiency gains from digital securities meant investors on ADDX could take part in the fund with a minimum amount of US$20,000 - significantly lower than the US$500,000 typically required for private real estate funds." Ms. Choo added: "When we look at the way sovereign wealth funds and large pension funds invest, alternative assets make up a significant and growing share of their holdings because the blend of private and public investments helps to maximise long-term returns. With digital securities enabling fractional sizes, accredited individual investors can now, for the first time, take a similar approach. There is fairer access to economic growth." Founded in 2017, ADDX is fully regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). The financial technology company is backed by Singapore Exchange, Temasek subsidiary Heliconia Capital and Japan government-backed investors JIC Venture Growth Investments (JIC-VGI), and the Development Bank of Japan (DBJ).
Elizabeth (Liz) Marie Dean died peacefully surrounded by family at the age of 88 on July 13, 2021 at the family farm near Knoxville, Iowa, where she had been receiving home hospice care. Liz was born on October 16, 1932 to Alvin and Frances Sheldon Johnson of Kanona, Kansas. She was preceded
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds is lashing out at President Joe Biden after he ordered his education secretary to explore possible legal action against states including Iowa that have blocked school mask mandates and other public health measures meant to protect students against COVID-19
BIG RAPIDS  Got stuff? Need stuff? Either way, the 16th annual All City Yard Sale has you covered.

From 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, vendors and private citizens will sell various items from the parking lot of Big Rapids City Hall, next to the Downtown Farmers' Market.

"One of the nice things about being downtown is that people don't have to go out to the boonies and look for their stuff," organizer Jeanette Fleury said.

Currently, six vendors have signed up, but Fleury expects more.

"We usually get 10-15 private citizens who bring their items in and set up a booth and sell," she said.

Various local organizations also participate, using the yard sale as a fundraiser. One organization, the Big Rapids chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society, has been selling at the All City Yard Sale for the past four or five years.

"Every one of the women in a group brings in things to sell, and they donate it towards the organization," Fleury said. "Whatever money they make, they pay to new teachers, they sponsor new teachers."

Fleury said spaces are still available. Cost is $20 for two parking spaces, or $10 a space.

"They have to bring their own materials in and provide their own furniture set up," Fleury said. "We don't manage the cost of anything, you know, that's all up to them. We don't transport anything for them."

At 2 p.m., anything not sold may either be taken home or donated to the Old Jail for its annual yard sale.

"Bryan (Ridenour) is happy to receive these items that people don't want, and they always donate to charity," Fleury said. "The old jail cell has been around a lot longer than the All City Yard Sale or the Farmers' Market."

Anyone interested in setting up a booth to at the All City Yard Sale may do so by calling Fleury at 231-796-0071.

IF YOU GO

 What: 16th annual All City Yard Sale

 When: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 20

 Where: City Hall parking lot, 226 N. Michigan Ave., Big Rapids
Alas, all good things must come to an end, and summer is no exception. But before we exchange our flip-flops and the beach for jackets and the local high school football game, here's five things to do this weekend.

1. GREAT AMERICAN CROSSROADS CELEBRATION

Close out the summer season at the crossroads of the Pere Marquette and White Pine trails. Reed City's annual festival brings with it a pet pageant, grand parade, car show, petting zoo, tournaments and carnival games. For a full schedule, visit facebook.com/gaccreedcity.

When: Thursday-Sunday, Aug. 19-22

Where: Downtown Reed City

Online: facebook.com/gaccreedcity

2. ALL CITY YARD SALE

Attention all bargain hunters: The 16th annual All City Yard Sale returns to the Big Rapids City Hall parking lot Friday. Browse through items from private citizens and nonprofit organizations without driving all over the county.

 When: 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 20

 Where: City Hall parking lot, 226 N. Michigan Ave., Big Rapids

 More: Interested vendors may reserve a space by calling Jeanette Fleury at 231-796-0071.

3. ARTWORKS BROWN BAG SERIES

It's all about rocks at Artworks. Listen to Dr. Fred Heck, professor emeritus of geology at Ferris State, explain how scientists "read the history of the earth in rock formations" at noon Friday. Then visit the Geology Rocks! exhibit, featuring an interactive science table for kids and the works of artists Steve Ross, Autumn Bildson and Julie Tyslicky.

 When: Noon to 1 p.m. Friday, Aug. 20,

 Where: 106 Michigan Ave., Big Rapids.

 Online: Dr. Fred Heck's presentation also will be streamed on Zoom at tinyurl.com/ArtworksBrownBagSeries.

4. SUMMER WILDFLOWERS

Spend a serene afternoon hiking the open fields at Peterson Natural Area in Stanwood. Learn about different species of wildflowers, butterflies and other pollinators. Organizers recommend wearing long pants.

 When: 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 21

 Where: Peterson Natural Area, 11100 180th Ave., Stanwood

5. FREE ORV WEEKEND

Travel one of the many ORV trails in West Central Michigan during the second, and last, Free ORV Weekend. Riders may use DNR-designated routes and trails Saturday and Sunday without an ORV license or trail permit. Other rules and laws still apply. For more information, visit Michigan.gov/ORVInfo.
BENZIE COUNTY  The Benzie Aquatic Center could be the recipient of a $25,000 grant if it garners enough votes from the public during a 10-day period.

According to Diane Tracy, president of the Benzie Aquatic Center Board of Directors, the nonprofit was chosen from a total of 2,000 applicants for the State Farm Neighborhood Assist grant program. The programs goal is to help good neighbors across the country take an active role in improving their communities.

Of those 2,000 applicants, 200 were selected based on their mission alone and are now competing for votes from the public nationwide. The 40 organizations that get the most votes will get a $25,000 grant.

Voting works like this: anybody over the age of 18 can visit NeighborhoodAssist.com/entry/2039049 and sign up to vote for the Benzie Aquatic Center. Each person can cast up to 10 votes per day per email. They can cast them all on one organization, like the Benzie Aquatic Center, or distribute them among other causes, which can be found at NeighborhoodAssist.com.

Voting is from Aug. 18 through Aug. 27.

Tracy said winners usually log around 40,000 votes during the voting period, and is encourages people to vote for the aquatic center and share the voting link for the aquatic center on their social media accounts.

The aquatic center is one of three Michigan nonprofits selected to be in the final 200, and the only one in northern Michigan.

"This is all about supporting communities, enhancing communities and providing assets communities don't already have, which is what we're trying to do in Benzie County," Tracy said.

Tracy learned about the program from online information about sources of funding for community projects. The Benzie Aquatic Center's application was accepted on June 2.

"If the Benzie Aquatic Center is awarded a grant, it will be used to support the costs of finishing up Phase II of our feasibility study, which we are conducting to assess the viability and sustainability of our proposed project (an indoor pool facility)," said Tracy. "The goal of the Benzie Aquatic Center is to provide a facility for year-round healthful exercise opportunities for all people in the area, from infants to senior citizens."

As for making it as one of the 200 finalists, Tracy said the Benzie Aquatic Center fit the criteria for the grant perfectly.

"We are thrilled about being selected as one of the 200 finalists across the country," she said. "When the initial 2,000 applications were reviewed, they were judged on the basis of three basic criteria: how each nonprofit's cause focuses on an unmet need in the community, how the grant would address the unmet need and how much of a lasting impact on this community the grant would have. The Benzie Aquatic Center aims to improve access to year-round opportunities for fitness, recreation, public safety, therapy, rehabilitation, and community for residents and visitors alike  and would certainly have a lasting impact."

She said she knew the Benzie Aquatic Center had a chance, because in 2013, the Cherry Bowl Drive-In won a similar nationwide contest: the Honda Motor's Project Drive-In advertising campaign.

"The Cherry Bowl Drive-In successfully engaged the community in a national voting campaign in order to receive a state-of-the-art projection system, so we know it's possible for an area that isn't densely populated to have a shot at this kind of contest," Tracy said. "We hope that members of our community will dive in with us and cast their 10 votes each day during the voting period."

Related: Cherry Bowl wins digital conversion
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  A wildfire in the Superior National Forest of northeastern Minnesota has grown to 5 square miles (13 square kilometers) as hot, dry and windy conditions persist, officials said Wednesday.

U.S. Forest Service and other crews have been fighting the fire from the air and on the ground since it was spotted Sunday afternoon near Greenwood Lake, about 15 miles (24 kilometers) southwest of the town of Isabella. The fire covered a little over 3 square miles (7.7 square kilometers) Tuesday morning.

The fire led authorities to evacuate around 75 homes Monday near McDougal Lake. Many dwellings in the area, which is deep in the forest, are seasonal cabins. Some small portions of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area to the north and northeast were closed as a precaution Tuesday due to the blaze and two smaller fires spotted over the weekend in the wilderness.

Among the evacuees were 100 sled dogs from White Wilderness Sled Dog Adventures near Isabella. Owner Peter McClelland sent 50 of his dogs to his kennel near Ely and the rest to stay with fellow mushers. He told WDIO-TV on Tuesday that his dogs were taking it in stride.

The nice thing about the working dog or an animal you work with, youre always used to doing weird things with them and traveling with them and camping with them, McClelland told the station. And so even though this is something the dogs have never done, they key in on you and they know they can trust you. And I know I can trust them.

No injuries and no damage to structures had been reported as of Wednesday. Fire commanders have been making heavy use of water-scooping planes and helicopters to help stop the fire until crews on the ground can contain it.

Nearly 100 major wildfires are burning across a dozen Western states, including devastating fires that are advancing through Northern California.

The forecast for Wednesday in northeastern Minnesota called for temperatures in the high 80s, gusty winds and low humidity amid the ongoing drought that stretches to the West Coast. There's a chance of severe thunderstorms on Friday night, which would bring rain but also lighting, which is a frequent cause of forest fires in northeastern Minnesota.

Wednesday marked the 10th anniversary of the detection of the largest wildfire to hit Minnesota in more than a century. The Pagami Creek Wildfire was caused by a lightning strike east of Ely in the Boundary Waters. It smoldered in a bog for days before erupting to blacken 145 square miles (375 square kilometers), mostly within the wilderness area, including areas north of the Greenwood Lake fire. It wasn't contained until late November 2011. Nobody was seriously injured. Six firefighters had to take refuge in their small personal fire shelters to survive the rapid advance of the blaze.
The following list includes recent reports from the Midland County Sheriffs Office and the Midland Police Department. Compiled by reporter Andrew Mullin.

Sunday, Aug. 15:

9:49 p.m.  A deputy was dispatched to a Lee Township park regarding a vehicle being in the parking lot after dark. The deputy contacted the park employee who located the vehicle and who wanted to lock the gate. The deputy attempted to contact the 29-year-old female owner of the vehicle without luck.

9:18 p.m.  A deputy contacted an 18-year-old Detroit male regarding a reported assault in Coleman. The 18-year-old male advised he was punched after a disagreement with an unknown male. The 18-year-old had minor injuries but did not wish to pursue charges.

9:05 p.m.  A deputy was dispatched to a Larkin Township area to check on the welfare of a male, female, and child whose vehicle was disabled on the side of the roadway. The deputy checked the area and located the disabled vehicle; however, it was unoccupied. A local business owner stated the family was picked up by a friend. The disabled vehicle was off the roadway and was not a traffic hazard.

8:05 p.m.  A deputy was dispatched to a Warren Township location for a report of goats in the roadway causing a traffic hazard. The deputy checked the area and did not locate the goats.

7:42 p.m.  A deputy was dispatched to a Lee Township location regarding a 10-year-old Lee Township female walking on the side of the roadway. The female was located and said that she left her father's residence. The female was returned to her family.

4:13 p.m.  Officers responded to a case of domestic violence on Dublin Avenue.

3:58 p.m.  Officers responded to a two-vehicle crash on Boston Street.

2:37 p.m.  A deputy was dispatched to Warren Township regarding goats in the roadway. The deputy located the goats at an Isabella County residence. The deputy attempted contact at that residence, but got no answer. The owner information was turned over to Isabella County 911, who advised that they would have their animal control follow up on the complaint.

1:32 p.m.  Officers responded to a two-vehicle crash on Eastman Avenue.

1:24 p.m.  Officers responded to a two-vehicle crash on South Saginaw Road.

12:42 p.m.  Officers responded to a three-vehicle injury crash in the area of Isabella Street and East Chippewa River Road.

11:32 a.m.  Deputies were dispatched to Jerome Township after a 48-year-old Jerome Township male got into a verbal argument with his 49-year-old neighbor. There was no assault and both parties were asked to try to get along.

5:45 a.m.  Deputies were dispatched to an Ingersoll Township location regarding a suspicious situation. Dispatch said it received a call regarding a vehicle stopped at an intersection with a male driver passed out in the driver's seat. Deputies contacted the male driver, a 41-year-old Saginaw male. The male was subsequently arrested for OWI and a report was sent to the Prosecuting Attorneys Office.

2:46 a.m.  Deputies were dispatched to Greendale Township regarding an unwanted guest. A 50-year-old female advised that she no longer wanted her daughter's boyfriend at the residence. Contact was made with the highly intoxicated female caller. She advised that she hadn't mean to call 911 and that there were no issues at the residence.
Sammy Wade Ball Jr. was born May 16, 1966 in Bakersfield, CA. He died August 18, 2021 in Shreveport, LA. at age 55 from Covid-19. He was preceded in death by his father, Sammy Wade Ball Sr. He is survived by his wife of 27 years Angela Ball and his 3 children, Bernard, Christian, and Melissa
The open call virtual Zoom auditions for "American Idol" will take place Wednesday, Aug. 25, via custom-built Zoom technology.

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During this season's first round of "American Idol," hopefuls can sign up to audition face-to-face in front of producers and receive real-time feedback for a chance at making "Idol" history and being crowned the next "American Idol" as the groundbreaking show enters season five with ABC and a historic 20th season for the franchise overall.

For the second year in a row, "Idol Across America," the live virtual nationwide search for the next superstar, features auditions days for all 50 states, plus Washington D.C., making auditions easier than ever.

"American Idol" alum Grace Kinstler will be featured during the Illinois auditions, joining hopefuls in the waiting room for Q&A, audition tips and more.

Visit www.americanidol.com/auditions for more information about "Idol Across America" and specific audition details, locations, full eligibility requirements, submission forms, and terms and conditions.

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BLOOMINGTON  The City of Bloomington is requesting comments on the May draft of the Lake Bloomington and Evergreen Lake Watershed Management Plan.

The draft includes a detailed assessment of current conditions such as water quality, pollution loading and existing practices, and notable features and attributes including land use, geology, hydrology and soils. The draft is informed by current and historical data and provides strategic recommendations or projects.

Written comments will be accepted online, by mail or in person at The Hub, 115 E. Washington St., Suite 103 in Bloomington, and at an open house on Aug. 24 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Davis Lodge, 25449 Davis Lodge Road in Hudson. Comments will be accepted until Sept. 20.

After the meeting and all comments have been received, the City will request authorization from the Illinois Environment Protection Agency to finalize the plan.

The City of Bloomington, McLean County Soil and Water Conservation District and Northwater Consulting developed the Lake Bloomington and Evergreen Watershed Management Plan with funding provided by the City of Bloomington, Illinois Farm Bureau and the Illinois EPA's 319(h) Grant.

Community members can view the draft plan and comment form online at cityblm.org/government/departments/public-works/project-updates/draft-lake-bloomington-evergreen-lake-watershed-plan. Questions may also be emailed to jdarter@cityblm.org.

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NORMAL  With students heading back to classes, a majority on the Illinois State University and Illinois Wesleyan University campuses are vaccinated against COVID-19.

ISU reports a vaccination rate of 64% for all of campus and IWU reports at least 79% of students and 83% of employees are vaccinated. The IWU numbers include those who have submitted proof of their first dose and a scheduled date for their second dose, said spokesman John Twork.

All Illinois Wesleyan students are required to respond to a survey reporting their vaccination status and submitting documentation in order to be allowed to return to campus for the fall semester, Twork said.

So far 95% of students have responded to the survey, with 83% of those being vaccinated. The university does not require employee health records, Twork said. Of the 88% of employees who have self-reported, 95% said they are vaccinated.

At ISU, 80% of employees and 61% of students have provided proof of full vaccination. That includes 76% of on-campus students, with another 5% having at least one dose.

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Spokesman Eric Jome expects that number will rise as more people provide documentation to the university and said officials are encouraged by the numbers. The school also held a vaccination clinic during move in, in which 140 doses were administered.

Students moving in on campus had to submit proof of vaccination or proof of a negative test before they could move in, Jome said. He expects the number of students living off campus who have provided proof of vaccination will rise.

Students are required to turn things in and sometimes that comes right up to the deadline, Jome said.

Nationally, colleges are implementing mask and vaccine mandates as COVID cases increase, especially among younger people, with special concern about highly contagious delta variant. Some schools, including Northern Illinois University, have said remote courses will resume if the positivity rate hits a certain threshold.

ISU is requiring non-vaccinated employees and students to test weekly, while IWU is requiring students who are not vaccinated to test every other week.

IWU is hosting its fifth vaccination clinic for students, employees and their family members next week. Both universities plan to resume updating their COVID dashboards with case numbers next week, Jome and Twork said.

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To see the influence Peoria's delegation of lawmakers has in state politics, you need look no further than the progress happening in youth intervention at Glen Oak Community Learning Center and Lincoln Middle School.

It's at those places, according to Carl Cannon, director of ELITE Youth Outreach in Peoria, where you can see how Peoria's lawmakers are impacting things on the ground in the city.

Cannon points directly to working with Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth, D-Peoria, to secure funds for youth intervention programs, like the $1.5 million Gordon-Booth allocated to ELITE and the Peoria Park District's violence prevention program, as an example of what legislators have done for Peoria.

Violence has been on the rise in Peoria this summer, particularly among youth. Cannon said Gordon-Booth recognized this and called ELITE to take action. Cannon says she is a "perfect definition of servant leadership."

"If it weren't for leader Gordon-Booth, we'd be in trouble," Cannon said. "Just like a lot of urban America is right now."

Peoria's delegation of state lawmakers is not the largest, by any stretch, especially when compared with Chicago's. But it nonetheless holds substantial sway in Springfield.

Members of Peoria's delegation pride themselves on an ability to work across the aisle with one another for the good of the region.

But Republican legislators are raising concerns that Peoria's influence could wane under the new legislative district map. Democrats think the concerns are unfounded.

Gordon-Booth is the second-highest ranking member in the Illinois House, behind only Speaker Chris Welch, D-Hillside. Rep. Ryan Spain, R-Peoria, is an assistant leader in the minority party and has garnered respect on both sides of the aisle.

In the Senate, Peoria Democrat Dave Koehler is an assistant majority leader who has been in the Legislature for 15 years. Win Stoller, R-Germantown Hills, is a freshman legislator, but established a rapport with other politicians and even got the attention of Gov. JB Pritzker.

"The fact that we have three of our area legislators in leadership is significant and ... also they work very closely together for the good of the region," said Brad McMillan, executive director of the Institute for Principled Leadership in Public Service at Bradley University.

Spain argues that Peoria has been unique statewide for years because it is one of few areas that have four legislators across both caucuses  a House Republican, a House Democrat, a Senate Republican and a Senate Democrat.

He worries, however, that the new district lines could force the legislators in the new districts to turn their focus farther from Peoria.

For instance, the district Spain represents today runs north nearly to Interstate 80, but goes no farther west than just across the Peoria County line. The revised district would go about 10 miles north of I-80 and west nearly to the Quad Cities. Koehler's Senate district today stretches southwest into Cuba in rural Fulton County, but with the new map it'd go east into another downstate metropolitan area, in Bloomington.

Stoller agreed, saying the new district lines would "dilute" Peoria's influence, and that he didn't understand the logic behind the boundary changes.

"Historically, for many years and decades, we have had two state senators living in the Peoria area, one typically a Democrat and one a Republican," Stoller said. "But under the new map, in the same area, instead of two senators, we will be split into five districts."

Stoller said this "dilutes" Peoria's influence because outside of himself and Koehler, the other senators will come from Bloomington, the Quad Cities and Springfield. Senators Sally Turner (R-Lincoln), Jill Tracy (R-Quincy) and Jason Barickman (R-Bloomington) all reside in districts that now touch the Peoria area in the new map.

"I just see a situation under this map where not only will it not be four legislators that live in Peoria, there will likely be only one, and that will be the one seat that was drawn entirely in the city of Peoria," Spain said.

Local Democrats disagree, and feel the new district lines will increase Peoria's clout statewide.

Democrats say that Koehler's Senate district will be propped up by having two large metropolitan areas within its boundaries.

"I don't think the remap really has any effect on that; Peoria for the most part stays about the same," Koehler said. "The 46th District goes to Bloomington-Normal this time, so that'll change, but that doesn't take anything away from Peoria."

Koehler said he didn't see adding Bloomington-Normal to the district as competition for Peoria and said the cities will benefit each other because of their similarities.

"I don't see any downside, I see a lot of upside," he said.

Conrad Stinnett, head of Peoria's West Bluff Council, said he does not like Peoria and Bloomington being in the same district because the cities have different needs and problems.

Gordon-Booth argued that Peoria fared well in both the House and Senate.

Her district, the 92nd, moved "a few blocks" north, whereas Spain's was pushed out of the northeast of Peoria.

"The entirety of my district is still encompassed entirely within Peoria County, which is the way it's been for probably the last 20-plus years," Gordon-Booth said. "Because of population loss, we had to move probably a quarter of a mile up, but that's about it."

She did say the Senate district, Koehler's 46th, made a "significant shift."

She argued the most important part of the new map and how it impacts Peoria was not the boundaries themselves, but who served within those boundaries. Given that she, Spain and Koehler are all from Peoria and "love Peoria," the city will not be impacted by the changes, she said.

Republicans are challenging the new map in court, making a case that the map should not have been drawn before census data was released, and that the release of census data last week shows unequal population in several districts.

"The maps that Democrats released were highly gerrymandered and written behind closed doors and without the appropriate data," Stoller said. "They're being challenged because of that."

While the new legislative map serves as a point of contention between the two sides of Peoria's delegation, in general Peoria's lawmakers are known for working well together.

All four legislators said they enjoy a strong working relationship that goes beyond party differences, rooted in a mutual care for Peoria.

Gordon-Booth and Spain work particularly closely for members of different parties.

"Although we all have our partisan leanings, that's just the nature of life, we all operate in a very bipartisan way," Gordon-Booth said. "We have great relationships inside and outside of the dome; we consider each other to be friends."

Despite political differences, Spain says, Peoria has a "strong delegation" and says it has "historically been aligned on how to effect positive change for Peoria."

"We work well together because we have a shared love for this community that is the hometown to both of us," Spain said. "It helps that we are about the same age and have been in public service for about the same time. I was elected to (Peoria) City Council in 2007, she was elected to the Legislature in 2008. We've got a lot of history in working together."

Stoller said it was a "pleasant surprise" as a freshman legislator to see how well Peoria's delegation can work together.

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CHICAGO  The pandemic has urged some city dwellers to leave urbanity in favor of locales with more space, including rural areas.

But a new University of Chicago study may have folks rethinking making moves. Marc Berman, associate professor in the department of psychology, co-authored the work that cites cities predict lower depression rates among people, due to the social, socioeconomic and infrastructure networks that one finds in metropolises. Those same networks can lead to rapid increases in social interaction and higher rates of innovation and wealth production.

With a lot of earlier works, there was this kind of romantic notion that more rural and less populated areas were happier and mentally healthy. And this study really counters that. Actually, when we look at the data, we dont see that, Berman said.

Berman and his research team used pre-pandemic data sets derived from the U.S. Census and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in approximately 80 U.S. cities that range in population from 40,000 to 10 million to come up with the studys results. The largest data set was a Twitter one from 2019 that used 80 tweets per user as a depression inventory, to quantify how depressed a Twitter user was.

We analyzed four independent data sets, which allow for consistent assessments of cases of depression across different urban areas in the United States, Berman said. Everybody thinks that bigger cities have more crime, more stress, maybe people are more cold or callous and that would seem to suggest that you get more mental illness or more depression as cities get bigger and we found just the opposite.

Much has been written about the environment and ones health, be it mental or physical. A 2019 NYU School of Medicine analysis found the average life expectancy is as wide as 30 years from one Chicago neighborhood to another  the largest gap in the country. And other studies show the correlation of green spaces with mental health, in urban areas. Berman, an expert on the intersection of psychology and environmental factors, says the U. of C. research is one more pebble in his ongoing work that looks at the impact the physical and social environment has on brains and behavior.

In the U.S., people are so individualistic, Berman said. If you work hard, you can be successful. People look at people who are successful and think theyre just not working hard enough, instead of recognizing that so much of it is out of our control based on environment. Thats what were really pushing in our lab  that its not all about the individual.

With the pandemic highlighting lots of warts in society, Berman is hoping public policymakers are working on making cities more resilient  while keeping peoples mental health in mind. For him, that translates to making more green spaces in cities and making them necessities instead of amenities. It also means altering and improving existing environments to make them safer and easier to move around. Hes hopeful about the Biden infrastructure plan making that happen.

If there are more trees in the neighborhood, theres less crime, Berman said. If people visit parks outside their neighborhood, theres also less crime in their neighborhood, and thats about mobility and access. Its about making it easy. And if you can make it easily accessible, then youre going to see the benefits. If you can get people to interact with each other more, youre gonna get more innovation and youre gonna get less depression.

Next up for Bermans team, looking at different characteristics that may lead to more or less cases of depression in different Chicago neighborhoods. More transportation infrastructure, less depression since its easier to capitalize on the good opportunities the city has.

Its not about the person. Its about the environment, Berman said. You cant expect people living in a really stressful environment to be able to be their best selves, and the flip side is people who live in good environments, saying oh I worked hard and blah blah blah. But you had a lot of opportunities, its much easier to be successful in certain environments. Chicago has great opportunities but if in some neighborhoods you cant get hooked into that, its depressing and those neighborhoods wont be able to reap the benefits.

Thats why we put a huge emphasis on trying to do things to the environment that will allow people to reach their full capabilities. We have to think about cities as gigantic ecosystems, yes there are some negatives but there are also a lot of positives ... cities are really the only way that we can live sustainably with as many people that we have on the planet.

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Tech giants like Uber, Lyft and DoorDash may soon be knocking on peoples doors  but it wont be to deliver a meal or a ride. Instead, theyll be asking for help in their effort to knee-cap protections for the gig workers they employ.

This is what they did last year during a $200 million referendum campaign in California called Proposition 22, which successfully enshrined their drivers status as independent contractors in that state.

In early August, the companies filed a similar ballot initiative in Massachusetts. Other states are in the crosshairs.

These gig-economy goliaths are hell-bent on making sure their workers are considered independent contractors and not employees. Thats because, under state and federal laws, employees are entitled to protections including minimum wage, paid sick leave, safe workplaces, and unemployment and workers comp insurance  while independent contractors enjoy none of these.

As a result, many companies misclassify their employees as independent contractors  cheating them out of their rights while side-stepping employment-related payments they owe.

Unfortunately, the legal tests for who is an employee and who isnt vary from state to state and from one federal law to another, and can be tricky to apply. Thats confusing for workers and employers alike.

But a number of states, including Massachusetts and California, have adopted the simple and worker-friendly ABC test for employee status. It essentially says that those who do the work a company is primarily engaged in are employees, entitled to rights and protections.

Under that test, gig drivers, for example, are clearly employees. In fact, the Massachusetts Attorney General sued Uber and Lyft on precisely that basis; the case is pending. Hence, the gig companies launched their Massachusetts ballot initiative, to replicate Prop 22s surgical excision of a slew of gig workers from employee status under the ABC test.

A lot of Californians think they were hoodwinked into voting yes on Prop 22. Uber and the others claimed misleadingly that if their drivers and delivery workers wanted flexibility, they couldnt be employees. They also pointed to the benefits theyd provide their independent contractors under Proposition 22 (and the Massachusetts initiative): a guarantee of 120% of the state minimum wage, some payment toward health care benefits, and some reimbursement for mileage.

But because these benefits are largely based on the hours and miles that the drivers are actually engaged (not while theyre waiting for or returning from a gig), many workers say theyre illusory. In fact, an analysis from UC-Berkeleys Labor Center estimated the pay guarantee under Prop 22 for Uber and Lyft drivers actually equates to a wage of $5.64 an hour.

In 2017, gig workers totaled one-third of our nations workforce. That percentage has since grown. In 2019, the Federal Reserve reported that 58% of full-time gig workers said they would find it hard to come up with $400 in the event of an emergency.

Passage of the federal Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act would help empower these workers, by including the ABC test in the National Labor Relations Act  expanding nationwide protections when workers act collectively.

But while we wait for federal action, Uber and DoorDash are on the move. So if they come knocking with another Prop 22, tell them youre not interested  because the table scraps theyre offering is hardly the square meal their workers deserve.

Michael Felsen of Jamaica Plain, Mass., retired in 2018 after a 39-year career as an attorney with the Department of Labor.

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CHICAGO  Robin Tillotson remembers her first flight as an escape, and a measure of her mothers love.

Her father had cancer, and her mother sent her and her brother to Los Angeles to spend time with family. Her mother flew them first class, wanting to make sure they were cared for and looked after.

I distinctly remember that plane ride, she said. That was the time when a pilot would let kids come up.

Her mothers devotion to caring for not only others, but also herself, inspired the name of Tillotsons travel company: This I Do For Me.

I can still see her where she was standing, where I was sitting, where my brother was sitting, recalled Tillotson, 62. She said, I bought a purse. Now this, I do for me.

Years later, when Tillotson began thinking about how she wanted to spend time following finishing working full time, she thought of that phrase. Its the name, and the message, behind her travel company, which specializes in trips for 50-plus women.

This is a group of women who might be spending their decades doing many things for other people  watching grandkids, serving at church.

I started noticing that senior women 50-plus tend to put a lot of energy into other things, she said. What was glaring was that they were not necessarily doing anything that was just for them.

She added, After a while, when you are putting that kind of energy into other things and other people, you run out of gas, and thats easy to do and weve all been guilty of that.

A decade ago, she looked at fellow women in their 50s and thought, But what are you doing for yourself?

This thought, combined with her lifelong love of travel, spurred the idea of the company, which she started in 2015. She also launched a podcast, This I Do For Me: Over 50, Black and Fabulous!  in 2019, which most recently interviewed a 78-year-old business owner and encourages Black women to attain their dreams.

Everyone thinks you stop developing at a certain point, she said. Thats not the case. Were constantly growing.

AARPs 2021 travel trends survey showed many hope to get back to planning trips. The group reported that 54% of people ages 56 to 74 plan to travel this year. And for those who arent traveling in 2021, 57% said they are saving cash for future trips.

Tillotson loves seeing people who might have been hesitant to travel then bloom while abroad.

Those who have never traveled overseas tend to be really reticent, a little shy and even nervous, she said. Midway through the actual trip, you start to notice a new level of confidence and comfort.

People are navigating different cultures, seeing things in person, like the Parthenon, theyve only seen in pictures. Theyre learning a lot about themselves, she said. By the end of that trip, the next indicator that an impact was made, they will ask me, Whens the next trip?

The company is a project in addition to her full-time job, working for the city of Chicago. Its what she hopes to do fully after retirement, although she hates that word. Call it refirement, as in fired up for more, or regeneration.

Chicagoan Kathleen Vanna, 74, has been on several of the trips, beginning when Tillotson posted that someone dropped out of an Australian trip, leaving one extra spot. Pals told Vanna she always talked about visiting.

Friends said when will you ever go? You talk about it, she said. I said, Youre right, Im going to go.

She did, and had such a great time with the group of 50-plus women that she signed up for trips later to Greece, and Thailand. She appreciates that Tillotson handled the preparation  its less stressful because shes done the planning  and that there were always options of various restaurants, or doing something alone or with a group or another person.

In the years since the company began, groups have gone to every continent but Antarctica. They made lanterns in Hoi An, Vietnam, and macarons in Provence, France. In every destination, she seeks out theater and diverse eateries and historic sites.

Her years of childhood travel included numerous car trips, as well as studying abroad as a college student. A year in London through an Oberlin College program opened her schedule to weekend trips around Europe, visiting Paris as a 20-something.

Anybody that knows me knows how much I love to travel, she said. Ive always been a traveler.

Every Jan. 1, her company announces a trip, and people can sign up. Groups have included not only Chicagoans but also people in Arkansas, Cincinnati, Texas, California and New York state who have heard about her online or from friends.

Challenges along the way have included the usual trickiness of group travel, and situations like a woman who realized on a ferry she forgot her passport in a hotel safe. A kind stranger already flying to Athens offered to bring it there and meet them.

Of course, like everything else, the pandemic had other plans for a trip to northern Italy. They delayed it once, and again this year. They still plan to go in 2022.

And that will be a big travel year, she hopes. They have a Ghana trip planned, with visits to three places; on a recent night, she was meeting with a traveler who had just signed up for that trip, on a Zoom with her co-lead on the trip, whose parents are native Ghanaians.

Shes ready to keep up the travel  and the telling of people to take that time.

Once you hit 50, life is really just beginning, she said.

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Photo: (Photo : Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images for Netflix)

Laura Prepon, the star of Netflix's "Orange Is the New Black," has revealed that she has not been practicing Scientology since she became a mother in 2017.

In an interview with People, the actress said that becoming a brand-new mom forced her to reflect on her upbringing and find another source that could answer why she's "riddled with anxiety." The actress implied that her beliefs have evolved because of motherhood and affirmed that Scientology is no longer part of her life.

Read Also: Ludacris Gave Debit Cards to His Daughters, Age 6 and 7, To Set Standards

Prepon said she has always regarded herself as an open-minded person raised in a Catholic and Jewish environment. She also studied Chinese meridian theory but finds most comfort and peace these days in meditating with her husband, actor Ben Foster, who is not a Scientologist. The actress said that meditation not only helps her hear her own voice as it's also something that she and Foster can do together.

How She Got into Scientology

According to the Los Angeles Times, Prepon was introduced to Scientology by her former co-star from "That '70's Show," Danny Masterson in 1999. The actor is currently facing three charges of rape, with the victims also suing the Church of Scientology for allegedly letting them sign documents to let Masterson off the hook.

While Prepon was active in the Church, she dated Masterson's brother, Chris, from 1999 to 2007. Like Danny, Chris was also raised as a Scientologist.

But Prepon isn't the first celebrity who has left Scientology. In 2013, Leah Remini said that she decided to leave because her time at the Church didn't send a good message to her daughter, even if she professed that family should always come first.

In 2015, Prepon defended Scientology amid criticisms of its cult-like operation and discrimination. She credited the Church for her successful career as an actress because its "auditing" process encouraged her to tap and deal with her emotions. She even concluded that Scientology is quite like "magic."

Prepon's Life as a Mom

Today, the TV star is more focused on her family unit. She has had a long-term friendship with Foster since she was 18 years old, but they only started dating in 2016. The couple welcomed their daughter, Ella, in 2017 and decided to get married a year later. In February 2020, Prepon confirmed that she gave birth to their second child, a boy.

The 41-year-old mother said her daughter is a determined girl currently obsessed with mermaids when she used to love unicorns. On the other hand, her son has started to socialize with other kids in his playschool, but Prepon described her boy as calm and observant.

The actress said that having kids made her experience an "overwhelming sense of love" that she never thought was possible. After doing "Orange Is the New Black," Prepon said she's enjoying her break from acting with her kids and has been binging on many series and movies at home.

"Now that I have two kids, everything is a family decision," Prepon said when asked when she plans to come back to the set. But she hasn't entirely given up work as she's also a published author and will soon launch PrepOn Kitchen, her cookware products.

Related Article: Angelina Jolie Treats Pax to a Mother-Son Dinner Date in Los Angeles
Photo: (Photo : Mark Sagliocco/Getty Images for The Museum of Modern Art)

"James Bond" star Daniel Craig has revealed that he has no intention of leaving his massive fortune to his kids. The father of two girls said that he finds inheritance "quite distasteful" and vowed not to leave "great sums" of money to the next generation.

In an interview with Candis Magazine in the U.K., the actor said that he plans to give away his fortune before he dies, but his children will not keep most of it. He cited that famous American industrialist Andrew Carnegie parted with his billions before he died in 1919, and he still had enough to give to his family.

"Isn't there an old adage that if you die a rich person, you've failed?" the "James Bond" actor pondered.

Read Also: Madonna's Daughter Lourdes Leon Pays for Her College Fees, Did Not Ask Help From Mom

Daniel Craig's Kids

Craig has a 29-year-old daughter, Ella, with his first wife, Scottish actress Fiona Loudon. He welcomed his second daughter with his wife, British actress Rachel Weisz, in September 2018. The couple has been together since 2011, and Craig has a stepson, Henry, 15, who is Weisz's first child with ex-husband director Darren Aronofsky.

Ella has been following the same career path as her parents and is a stage actress. She also appeared in some movies but has yet to get a breakout role to make her mark in Hollywood. Her parents divorced when she was still a toddler, and Craig said in one interview that he did not regret the decision to end his marriage to Loudon as it was the "mature thing to do."

Rumors have it that Ella will appear in his father's upcoming "James Bond" movie, "No Time To Die," which has been in the works for almost four years. The pandemic further delayed the film, but it will finally make its big-screen debut at the end of September 2021.

Meanwhile, Craig said in 2019 that he feels "exhausted" one year after having a new baby girl, whose name the couple has never revealed in public. He has been spotted taking his daughter for a walk in the park when she was still a few months old. His wife also said that having a baby late in their ages makes them more tired, but they are both having fun tending to their bundle of joy.

Weisz was 48 when she gave birth, while Craig was in his early 50s. The pair agreed that being older parents makes them more patient and flexible.

Daniel Craig's Next Big Hit

Yet there is no stopping an aging Craig from doing more action films. While it's still unclear if he will sign on for more James Bond movies, the actor is rolling with another money-making franchise in the sequel to "Knives Out" on Netflix.

Reports cited that Craig stands to earn $100 million for the said film, making him one of Hollywood's biggest earning actors. He's also set to make a third movie that will secure his nine-figure earnings.

Related Article: Why Quentin Tarantino Vows Not to Share His Fortune With His Mom
Photo: (Photo : CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images)

It's been a tradition for many American families to take back-to-school photos of their children. With the popularity of social media, many parents are also excited to share these images on their profiles. However, a cybersecurity professional has cautioned moms and dads not to overshare their kids' details on the internet.

Cathy Pedrayes' important advice to parents that she posted on TikTok has gone viral for a good reason. With many families eager to post back-to-school chalkboard photos, Pedrayes said that it's not bad if the board says, "First Day of School."

However, Pedrayes pointed out that some boards also include other personal details like the name of the child's teacher or their favorite activities in school. The experts cautioned parents that these are likely not the details they would want strangers on the internet to know about their sons or daughters.

Read Also: Back-to-School Season: Parents Told to Prepare for Rising Costs

In an interview with Today, Pedrayes said she decided to make the short clip because she has seen this trend year after year. Many parents don't realize they are already oversharing "extra vulnerable information" on social media, which cybercriminals could use.

She also advised against posting photos of the kids in their uniform and backpacks or an image where they're standing next to a clear house number or a car license plate. Pedrayes said that celebrity Kim Kardashian, who has her own bodyguards, was robbed in France because the criminals took note of the details of her room, which she posted on social media.

Online Predators Abound

According to the Child Crime Prevention and Safety Center, at least 500,000 active online predators are scouring the internet for victims each day. These predators are into internet pornography, sex trafficking, cyberbullying, and other dangerous activities.

While parents may not have intended to put too much information about their kids online, Donna Rice Hughes of Enough is Enough, a group focused on raising awareness for child dignity on the internet, said that it's still best to act on the side of caution. Hughes reminded parents to be mindful of what they share "at all times" and share the "bare minimum" to prevent any private information from getting to people with malicious intentions.

Additionally, Pedrayes said that even if moms or dads share their children's very detailed back-to-school photos to a private profile, there are still some risks. Someone could hack into the account and find the private photos, or someone in the parents' circles could take a screenshot of the posts. The expert said that majority of child kidnapping victims had been taken by people they are familiar with.

Cybercriminals Target Schools

Amid talks of security on the internet, the Center for Internet Security (CIS) said that they are expecting an 86 percent increase in cybercriminal activities aimed at K-12 school systems this school year. Josh Moulin, the company's director of operations, said that schools have always been high on the target for criminals to gain ransom money, but they could be more vulnerable because of the possibility of remote learning or hybrid in-person and online classes.

Last year, cyberattacks against schools increased by 57 percent. Moulin said that schools dependent on technology would have to ensure that their IT infrastructure is robust from cyber attacks so that the users, mostly children, will be protected.

CIS has been working with various K-12 school districts across the U.S. Ordinarily, these strategies require more planning and scrutiny before the local government approves it, but the pandemic has expedited its implementation.

Related Article: Today's Kids Spend an Average of 9 Hours of Screen Time Every Day, Study Reveals
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James Buduor, a Ghanaian Co-Founder of the Global mentorship platform ADPList and his partner today announced a US$1.3 million in funding from Surge, a rapid scale-up program by Sequoia Capital India for startups in India and Southeast Asia.



ADPList is a platform for people to find, book and meet mentors around the world, providing anyone with access to some of the best minds - starting with the design and product management community.



At present, there is no shared platform that makes cross-border mentoring easy, or offers a global network of mentors with different skill sets and at different levels. In the current creator economy, where people are keen to share, support and teach others, ADPLists instant, one-click access to a global network has made it one of the industrys most prominent platforms.



What initially began as a means for designers to provide peer support, share career opportunities and offer mentorship to others impacted by the pandemic, has since organically grown to over 20,500 mentees, 2,500 mentors, and over 5,000 booked sessions per month.



We started ADPList during the height of the pandemic, and the success of the platform has since shown us that there is a global network of people ready to connect and provide support for others in their communities. The evolution of ADPList today continues to build on the belief that every mentors voice can transform peoples career anxiety to agency, and our platform provides them with an entirely new, accessible and engaging way to do so, said Felix Lee, co-founder of ADPList.



From the first moment I started mentoring with ADPList, I knew it was more than an act of passing on knowledge. After clocking 6000+ minutes across ten time zones with 100+ mentees from more than 15 different counties, I can tell you one thing for sure: Every session is a unique exchange of our lives, our stories and our dreams. There is no better feeling when Amazing Design People find each other! said Michael Tam, Global Design Director at IBM iX.



On ADPList, mentors can indicate their availability on a shared calendar for mentees to select and schedule virtual sessions. Video calls are conducted within the platform along with feedback and ratings after each session. Beyond one-on-one mentoring, the platform also offers small group mentoring, townhall-style talks and other formats.



ADPList started in 2020 as a list of names, sprouted by the founders desire to help the many designers who found themselves out of a job as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. One tab in the open-source spreadsheet focused on mentoring, which received the most clicks. This eventually inspired the founder to build this into a platform, and thats how Amazing Design People List - ADPList - was born.



ADPList mentors work at companies like Spotify, Apple, Twitter, LinkedIn, Nike, Netflix, Twitch, Coinbase and many more.



The company was incorporated in 2021 in Singapore by Felix Lee and James Baduor. Felix is a product designer turned tech entrepreneur. He was the Design Lead at Gotrade and Co-Founder at Packdat, which was acquired in 2018. He completed his studies at Singapore Polytechnic but decided not to go on to university, and instead pursue his entrepreneurial pursuits. Based in Ghana, James is passionate about community and design education and taught himself Webflow and other NoCode tools. He has helped numerous students build design careers and worked with startups to validate their MVPs and launch their products. He is one of Webflows top creators in the world, with the number one most viewed project on the platform.



The funding is supported by prominent angel investors Crystal Widjaja (ex-Gojek executive), JJ Chai (CEO of Rainforest), Quek Siu Rui (Co-Founder & CEO, Carousell), Ting Feng Toh (Co-Founder of GetGo), and Zopim Founders (Royston Tay, Wen Xiang Wu, and Yang Bin Kwok).



ADPList is part of Surges fifth cohort of 23 companies that have developed new digital solutions to help companies and individuals live, work and learn better in a rapidly evolving Southeast Asian landscape.



Founded in 2020 and headquartered in Singapore, ADPList is a platform for people to find, book and meet mentors around the world, providing anyone with access to some of the best minds in the design and product management community. The company is on a mission to democratise mentorship and make it accessible for everyone through a community platform where people can find, book, and meet mentors around the world.



Surge is Sequoia Capital Indias rapid scale-up program for startups in India and Southeast Asia. Surge combines $1 million to $2 million of seed capital with company-building workshops, a global curriculum and support from a community of exceptional mentors and founders. The programs goal is to supercharge early-stage startups and give founders an unfair advantage, right out of the gate. For more information on Surge, visit www.surgeahead.com.



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The Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corporation (GIADEC), Mr. Michael Ansah has narrated circumstances that led to Bosai Minerals' decision to sell its shares.



Bosai Minerals Group from China, a major shareholder of the Ghana Bauxite Company (GBC) has decided to pull out following the Mineral Commission's refusal to renew its mining lease.



However, speaking to Kwami Sefa Kayi in an interview on Peace FM's morning show 'Kokrokoo', Michael Ansah denied the fact that the Minerals Commission is refusing to renew their lease.



According to him, when the Commission received Bosai's application for renewal of their license, "they had to make sure the right things were being done".



"It is the duty of the Minerals Commission to make sure there are no infractions and that the information provided is correct; while all these things were ongoing they wrote a letter in June that they were selling their shares . . . as Ghanaians we need to create the right environment for investors to operate here and we also need to ensure that our laws are not flouted and so if there are some infractions and theyre not corrected, it wont be right . . . they want to sell their shares probably because the scrutiny is too much for them," he explained.



Meanwhile, government will make a decision on whether or not to purchase the shares from Bosai Minerals by the end of August.



Bosai Minerals owns 80 percent shares in the company, while Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corporation (GIADEC) which represents government, owns 20 percent.



Listen to Michael Ansah in the video below







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The Ghana branch of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), has condemned the Anglican priest, Rev Father Balthazar Obeng Larbi, for kissing girls during a church service in a school.

The group in a statement on Wednesday, August 18, 2021, said Sexual harassment and sexual abuse is not a laughing matter and that For far too long, the issue of sexual harassment has been at best side-lined and at worst silenced in the church.



The President of FIDA-Ghana, Afua Brown-Eyeson, who signed the statement said It is now time to challenge cultures of entitlement and abuse of power by clerics which plague women and girls in religious settings.



She added, The reality though is that sexual harassment and abuse by clerics has been in the news for quite a while due to undue influence, duress and fear of religious authority. Though religious authority is regarded highly in Ghana, it should not be used as a cloak to oppress and abuse women and girls who most often need the protection of these clerics.



FIDA, however, applauded the Anglican Church of Ghana for taking this matter seriously by relieving Rev Father Larbi of his duties, providing counselling for the girls and investigating this unfortunate incident.



The group also called on women and girls who have been sexually harassed in churches to come out with their experiences in order to raise awareness of these despicable acts.



Background



Social media platforms went ablaze last Monday, August 16, 2021, when a video showing Rev. Fr Larbi kissing three female students of the single-sex college which trains teachers.



Read also: Kissing priest asked to step aside





He was seen standing by a podium while the three students walked up to him in turns, where he kissed them on their lips.



Wearing a full cassock, the Anglican priest was also seen urging the students to come to him and remove their face masks.



He then kissed them, amid shouts and jubilation from other students in what appeared to be an auditorium.



On Wednesday, August 17, 2021, Rev. Fr Baltharzar Obeng Larbi was directed by management of the college to step aside to facilitate investigations into the matter by the Anglican Church of Ghana.



Below is FIDAs statement



FIDA-GHANA CONDEMNS ANGLICAN PRIEST KISSING FEMALE STUDENTS



Since yesterday, the attention of the country has been drawn to the video published by some media houses and circulating on some social media platforms of an Anglican priest, Rev Father Balthazar Obeng Larbi, kissing girls during a church service in a school. Also circulating are screenshots of chats allegedly posted by students of the same school claiming the incident as the modus operandi of the said reverend father.



Quite disturbing to watch was the jeering and excitement on the faces of onlookers which in no doubt emboldened the perpetrator to continue kissing the girls. Sexual harassment and sexual abuse is not a laughing matter.



For far too long, the issue of sexual harassment has been at best side-lined and at worst silenced in the church. It is now time to challenge cultures of entitlement and abuse of power by clerics which plague women and girls in religious settings. The reality though is that sexual harassment and abuse by clerics has been in the news for quite a while due to undue influence, duress and fear of religious authority. Though religious authority is regarded highly in Ghana, it should not be used as a cloak to oppress and abuse women and girls who most often need the protection of these clerics.



Needless to say, sexual harassment is gender based violence and a violation of the human rights of girls and women and is prohibited in the 1992 Constitution, the Domestic Violence Act and the Labour Act. The Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651) defines sexual harassment as any unwelcome, offensive or importunate sexual advances or request made by an employer or superior officer or a co-worker, whether the worker is a man or woman. The effect of sexual harassment in the academic and professional lives of women has in most situations denied women of their rightful places of merit and contributed to the huge gender gaps in education and the workplace, thus the need for the Affirmative Action Law.



FIDA-Ghana applauds the Anglican Church of Ghana for taking this matter seriously by relieving Rev Father Larbi of his duties, providing counselling for the girls and investigating this unfortunate incident. It is now time for women and girls who have been sexually harassed in churches to come out with their experiences in order to raise awareness of these despicable acts. Being mindful of the possibility of being stigmatised for speaking out, FIDA Ghana would like to inform the public of its Gender Based Violence reporting phone number or whatsapp platform on 0554121205 and website on [email protected] These platforms provides opportunity for victims of violence to report such acts whilst providing a trained lawyer to attend to their legal needs.



FIDA-Ghana appeals to the media houses and persons to be circumspect in sharing the video to protect the identity of the girls as they are victims.



Finally, FIDA-Ghana calls on leaders at every level within religious Institutions to initiate changes and to establish and maintain a culture which abhors sexual harassment and sexual misconduct. In order to make this work, we call on members of religious institutions, students, faculty, staff, and administrators to assume responsibility for promoting a harassment-free environment.



(Signed)



Afua Brown-Eyeson



President, FIDA-Ghana.

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The Managing Director of Ecobank Development Corporation Investments Ltd (EDC), Paul Kofi Mante, during Old Mutuals bra Pa Retirement Salary stakeholder engagement program held in Accra has ascertained that many people retire without plans to maintain cash flow in their lives.



In expressing his worry, Mr. Mante said, A lot of people retire and are rich in assets, but poor in cash flow. This means they may have a big house, but they cant buy food. They may have a big house, but have a medical bill of 5,000gh that they cannot pay.



Mr. Paul Kofi Mante spoke as a panelist on Old Mutuals bra Pa Retirement Salary stakeholder engagement which was themed  Retiring with confidence; how to live a fulfilled life with a retirement salary.



Describing Old Mutuals bra Pa Retirement Salary, the Managing Director of Ecobank Development Corporation Investments Ltd said, This product if taken seriously, could potentially prolong lives. What a product like bra Pa does is to guarantee you cash flow when you retire.



Old Mutual, Ghanas innovative insurance company led the pack by recently launching a pioneering retirement product called With Profit Annuity dubbed bra Pa Retirement Salary to provide a guaranteed stream of income for retirees for the rest of their lives.



The bra Pa (which means good life) Retirement Salary was designed to help retirees experience all the good things they want in retirement. It helps them to enjoy a customized plan tailored towards their unique needs while helping protect what matters most to them in retirement.



To become an bra Pa Retirement Salary beneficiary, one has to be 50 years and above and invest a minimum lumpsum of GHs 20,000 upfront.



In addition to the monthly salaries for individual policyholders, couples can also enjoy Joint Spousal Benefits when they take the policy together. There is also a funeral cover for all policyholders. Mrs. Boateng added.



Old Mutual is an integrated financial services provider with a presence in 13 countries on the African continent. Old Mutual has 176 years of expertise in Life Insurance, Pensions, and Banking Services across Africa. In Ghana, the brand is committed to leveraging the 176 years of expertise to partner with Ghanaians to help them achieve their financial goals.

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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The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) has agreed to suspend their strike action following a consultative meeting with the government and the National Labour Commission today.



The three parties have over the weeks had a rough relationship as the Labour Commission filed legal suit by securing an interlocutory injunction from the High Court to compel UTAG to call off their industrial action but the teachers refused to comply with the court order.



After weeks of negotiations, all the parties have finally come to terms.



In a statement signed by the Education Minister, Yaw Osei Adutwum, and the UTAG President, Prof. Charles Ofosu Marfo, the parties agreed on amicable settlement.



As UTAG calls off their strike, the Labour Commission has also resolved to cancel all legal actions against the lecturers.



" . . whilst the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations in conjunction with the National Labour Commission (NLC) is taking steps to DISCONTINUE all legal processes (i.e., National Labour Commission vs. University Teachers Association of Ghana, Suit. No. IL/0116/2021) against UTAG, UTAG will also take steps to SUSPEND the on-going strike action;



"That government acknowledges the need to improve the working conditions of University Teachers and shall treat this with all the seriousness it deserves," a memorandum of agreement sighted by Peacefmonline.com read.



Read full memorandum of agreement below







Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Deputy Communications Director of the ruling NPP, Mame Yaa Aboagye says President Akufo-Addo will be go into history as the President who provided every community with healthcare in addition to his numerous social interventions.



She was optimistic that President Akufo-Addo will not only be praised for fulfilling his promises regarding the educational sector but also noted for fixing infrastructure challenges in the health sector.



Wisdom is ruling. Wisdom is making progress in the countryAgenda 111 will optimally advance Ghanas healthcare delivery today and the future. We stand for the truth and are committed to it, she stated.



President Akufo-Addo on Tuesday performed a symbolic ceremony at Trede in the Atwima-Kwanwoma District for the official commencement of the Agenda 111 aimed at increasing greater access to healthcare delivery across the country.



The objective, according to him, is to build and equip as many hospitals as possible to enhance Ghanas agenda of becoming a Centre of Excellence in medical care in the West African sub-Region.



In all, a total of 111 hospitals is expected to be constructed nationwide with each costing about US$16.88 million.



The hospitals are scheduled to be completed within 18 months by a team of local contractors.



Facilities include Out-Patient-Department (OPD), Maternity, Obstetrics and Gynaecology Units, Accident and Emergency Units, Male, Female, Paediatric as well as Surgical and Consultation Units.

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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Algeria has decided to review its relations with Morocco, accusing its neighbour of hostile acts.



It follows an investigation into the killing of a man falsely accused of starting wildfires.



"The repeated hostile acts committed by Morocco against Algeria require a review of our relations and the intensification of border controls," the Algerian presidents office said in a statement.



The decision was made in a meeting of the High-Security Council assessing the damage caused by huge wildfires that hit the country.



The authorities have concluded the majority were "criminal acts".



They accuse Morocco of "backing" a separatist group suspected of being involved in criminal activity in the Kabylie region, including the killing of a man falsely accused of starting forest fires.



The Algerian police investigating the killing of Djamel Bensmail by a mob in the province of Tizi Ouzou has released a video of suspects confessing to the crime and to being members of the MAK separatist group.

Source: BBC









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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A presidential aspirant in the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) national elections, Mr Gayheart Mensah has expressed concern about the failure of young to learn from their mistakes.

Mr Mensah said he had observed that the youth of today see nothing wrong with being corrected on the same mistakes on a daily basis.



Speaking with host, Rev. Erskine on the Y-Leaderboard Series on YFMs Myd-Morning Radio Show, he shared that when he was a writer with the Ghanaian Times Newspaper, he hated to see red inks in his writings, hence, his drive was that the next time he wrote, he should not have red inks in his script.



He said he made a conscious effort to improve daily till it got to a time that when he wrote, the news editor did not even look at it because she was confident that there would be no mistakes.



Per his observation, the quest to excel was extremely high back in those days.





I look at people I work with today and the challenge is that no matter how many times you correct them, they come back with the same mistakes and I dont think theyre pride tainted when they have to be corrected with every sentence and every paragraph, he said.



He advised the youth not to take things for granted and constantly seek opportunities to learn and improve their skills.









Source: graphiconline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Charlotte Osei, the former chair of the Electoral Commission, has said that Ghanas approach to addressing issues of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQI) preference is wrong.



Her comment comes a few weeks after the anti-gay bill was introduced in Parliament. The bill would impose a maximum ten-year prison sentence on people who support and advocate same-sex and gay rights.



Individuals and groups would also not be allowed to provide social or medical support to LGBTQ+ people.



When you legislate sin, it is very difficult. It is something that a group believe is a sin, Osei told the Accra-based Joy FM.



To legislate sin, you are not changing the person, you are legislating against the action. And in doing that, depending on the approach you take, you even make the person feel you are not good enough, you are not part of us. That bothers me.



She added: As a Christian, we are told [sic] to hate the sin and love the sinner, so I may not like the whole thing about homosexuality  but as a Christian, God charges, the Holy Spirit convicts, my duty as a Christian is to preach the word and pray. None of us are saints.



Role of churches

The former EC boss, who doubles as a legal practitioner, wants religious bodies, especially the churches, to extend an invitation to LGBTQI to help them feel part of the society.



I would have loved to see churches reaching out to them, encouraging them to come and worship, come lets pray together.



Doing that does not mean that you are endorsing the sin, it means you are loving the sinner and you are hating the sin. But it must be an all-embracing approach. And I think that is what I would love to see at all levels of governance, Osei said.



Background

Known as the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021, the anti-gay bill was read for the first time in Parliament on 3 August 2021. It has since been referred to the committee on constitutional, legal and parliamentary affairs for consideration and report.



The 36-page private members bill aims to provide for proper human sexual rights and Ghanaian family values, proscribe LGBTQ+ and related activities, propaganda for, advocacy or promotion of LGBTTQQIAAP+ and related activities.



It will prohibit a person from providing or participating in any form of surgical services to enable gender reassignment or create a sexual category other than the category a person was assigned at birth, except where the surgical procedure is to correct a biological anomaly, including intersex.



Those who contravene or undermine this provision are liable, on summary conviction, to a term of imprisonment of not less than three years and not more than five years or both.



Moreover, the bill proscribes promotion and advocacy activities directed at children. Thus, any person who uses the media and other electronic channels to produce, procure, market, broadcast, publish or distribute material or information directly or indirectly directed at a child, with intent to evoke the interest of children in an activity, could face a jail term of not less than six years and not more than ten.



The bill seeks beside to provide accused individuals with access to medical help or treatment, and prohibit extrajudicial or inhumane treatment of persons accused of offences under the bill.

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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The Lagos state government in Nigeria has banned street begging and has formed a special team to stop the menace, local media report.



The team is expected to begin operations in the next few days.



A state official in charge of youth and social development told journalists that beggars on the streets were a nuisance to law-abiding citizens.



Olusegun Dawodu said beggars and hawkers, who included children, were being transported from other parts of the country to the city.



He said the business was demeaning and an abuse to humanity, especially the children who were being forced into it.



He added that some of the beggars and hawkers were linked to crime in the city  by assaulting and robbing city residents.



The activities of these people in our streets impede human movement and vehicular traffic, constitute environmental nuisance and security threats, Dawodu is quoted by local media as saying.



The move came days after the police raised the alarm over criminals disguising themselves as beggars and attacking Lagos residents.















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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The General Secretary of the Socialist Movement Ghana (SMG), Mr Kwesi Pratt Jnr, has said the group will be a vehicle that will support rapid growth, development, depth and impact in the country.



He said the group, which is an activist think-tank that was conceived from the Socialist Forum Ghana (SFG), would remain committed to supporting the intellectual struggles of working people against imperialist exploitation and local repression.



Mr Pratt was speaking ahead of the launch of the first congress report of the group in Accra yesterday.



He said the transition of the group from a forum to a movement was not about a change in the commitments of the group.



We remain, as SMG, steadfastly committed to uniting the struggles of all exploited and oppressed people in Ghana and across the world. We continue to stand with all people who resist imperialist aggression, especially those still fighting for national liberation, he said.



Launch



The convener of the SMG, Mr Kyeretwie Opoku, who explained the outline of the report, said the 100-paged illustrated document included all the documents submitted to the congress plenary when the group held its first congress at Winneba from July 30 to August 2 this year.



He said it contained the reports of the five commissions that deliberated constitutional, gender, international, national and youth affairs at the congress.



The report also contained the final resolutions of the congress and solidarity messages the movement received from well-wishers.



He called on the media to be critical of the report and provide the necessary feedback.



We hope that the media will use it as a reference point in the future to hold us accountable for the values and commitments we made at Winneba. And we hope that you will popularise them and the agenda SMG is offering Ghanaians so that they can also evaluate our agenda and help hold us accountable and hopefully join our project to rebuild our country on prosperous, equitable, just and sustained lines to finally achieve Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumahs dream for Ghana and Africa.



Movement



The foreword to the report, which was written by Mr Pratt Jnr., said the SFG, which gave birth to the SMG, launched many projects aimed at advancing popular culture; fighting ignorance and superstition, with science; and generally challenging the neo-colonial order and the raw theft of natural resources for the benefit of the global capitalist class and their elite surrogates in politics and business who posed as leaders of Ghana and Africa.



The projects include the establishment of the Freedom Centre in Accra, where intellectual engagement, cultural manifestations, international solidarity campaigns and domestic progressive struggle are held.





Source: Graphiconline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Former Acting General Secretary of the Convention People's Party (CPP), James Kwabena Bomfeh has fired shots at former President John Dramani Mahama over his statements on the Agenda 111 project by President Nana Akufo-Addo.



As President Akufo-Addo describes the Agenda 111 project as unprecedented, former President John Dramani Mahama has described it as an afterthought and overly ambitious project.



President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Tuesday, August 17, 2021 cut sod for the commencement of works on 88 of the 111 hospital projects indicating to the general public that the hospitals will be completed within 18 months.



So far sites have been identified for 88 of the 111 hospitals, and after cutting the sod, work on the other 87 sites will also commence today [Tuesday].



The acquisition of the remaining 13 sites will be completed shortly for work to begin. Each hospital is being constructed at a cost of $16.88 million, i.e. $12.88 million for construction and $4 million for medical equipment, and all the hospitals are to be completed in 18 months and works will begin on the regional and other hospitals in the latter part of the year, the President said.



But Mr. Mahama doubts the government can complete the project within time.



During his 'Thank You tour' in the Upper East Region, he said; It is only an afterthought that suddenly they realized that they must be doing some infrastructure and Agenda 111 has been conjured with no transparency as to how the money for the projects are going to be procured.



Is it going to lead to more borrowing when we already have such a high level [of debt]? he questioned and stressed the government should avert its mind and try to finish some of those projects including some of those that they themselves have initiated.



In a quick reply to Mr. Mahama, James Kwabena Bomfeh, popularly called Kabila, slammed the former President for having doubts over the project.



According to Kabila, the Agenda 111 is very possible, hence alluding to some policies like the free SHS, One District One Factory among others which the opposition party claimed weren't feasible but the President has done them.



Kabila cautioned Mr. Mahama to be measured in his comments on the project stressing he not being privy to the details of the project doesn't mean the project Committee members are also clueless.



"If you don't have power and don't know all the details, be measured in your utterances. I don't believe that the contractors and scholars who are involved in this project will look on and say we should do this just for show. So, I plead that we should commend the President and encourage them to effectively execute the project," he stated during Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo'.





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Social commentator, Bernard Allotey Jacobs, has shamed naysayers of President Akufo-Addo's Agenda 111 Hospital project.



The Minority in Parliament and NDC 2020 Presidential candidate, former President John Dramani Mahama have cast doubts over the feasibility of the project.



According to the former President, the project is ''only an afterthought that suddenly they realized that they must be doing some infrastructure and Agenda 111 has been conjured with no transparency as to how the money for the projects are going to be procured.



Government should avert its mind and try to finish some of those projects including some of those that they themselves have initiated, he added.



Is it going to lead to more borrowing when we already have such a high level [of debt]? he further questioned.



But Allotey Jacobs strongly believes there will be no impediments in the way of the President in completing the project.



"The feasibility of the project is that it is for Ghanaians, not for NPP, not for NDC but for Ghanaians. And my wish and my dream is that, at the end of the day, we will see all these projects in place; then it will become part of the social interventional projects by the NPP and its government. The talk is too much! . . . that people try to dissuade us from believing in ourselves as Ghanaians," he told host Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM's morning show 'Kokrokoo'.



Allotey Jacobs encouraged President Akufo-Addo to continue to dream big for Ghana stressing "when you dream big, the grace of God supports you".





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The attention of the Leadership of the Ghana National School Feeding Caterers Association has been drawn to some unfortunate reports circulating on some media platforms that caterers of the Ghana School Feeding Programme have made a demand to the President, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to sack the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Hon. Sarah Adwoa Safo.



The Association would like to categorically state that, no such statement has been made by any member at the behest of the Ghana School Feeding Caterers Association and hence, we distance ourselves unreservedly from the story in circulation.



The Association is aware that the Minister received a request for the release of funds for Caterers under the School Feeding Programme and we have been made aware that she has indeed signed the approval for the release of funds to caterers in all the Sixteen Regions of the country. We are currently waiting for the release of the funds to the Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems Limited GHIPSS by the Controller and Accountant Generals Department which is expected before the close of the week.



The leadership of the Association, recently had a very successful and fruitful deliberations with Hon. Sarah Adwoa Safo at her office at the Ministry with regards to the plight of Caterers under the School Feeding Programme where she gave us her firmest assurance that the Ministry is currently working assiduously to resolve all issues under the Ghana School Feeding Programme.



To date, the Leadership of the Ghana School Feeding Caterers Assocation is happy with the work of Hon. Sarah Adwoa Safo.The first of which was the comprehensive audit of the workings of the National School Feeding Program right after she was appointed as Minister. We therefore categorically condemn the mischievous statements made in the media by some so called nameless and faceless caterers of our association.



Leadership through this medium is advising all Caterers under the Ghana School Feeding Programme to verify with the Association before they make any statements which only serves to undermine the work of the Association. We also urge Caterers to exercise restraint as we continually engage our Honorable Minister on how to expedite our payments to our mutual benefit.



The Ghana School Feeding Caterers Association will continually work hand in hand with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, The Ghana School Feeding Programme and all caterers to ensure a smooth running of the programme.







Source: ASANA SALIFU NATIONAL PRESIDENT GHANA SCHOOL FEEDING CATERERS ASSOCIATION 0244873409









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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Former President and 2020 Presidential candidate of the NDC, John Dramani Mahama, has called on President Nana Akufo-Addo to address the developmental needs of the newly created North East region.

The former President is in the region on the second day of his tour of the five northern regions to thank Ghanaians for their vote and support in the 2020 elections.



Speaking at a gathering of party executives and supporters at Nalerigu, Mr Mahama said what makes a region is infrastructural projects and not just boundaries demarcating regions.



He said: "You cannot just create regions in name. The regions must be worthy of being called regions. And it is infrastructure that makes a region a region.



"If you go to Tamale you will know that this is the Northern Region, if you go to Bolga you know that this is the Upper East Region. If you come to Nalerigu it is a shadow of a region".



Mr Mahama added: "We don't only need the regional boundaries to be re-drawn; we need regional infrastructure so that when you come you will say yes, this is the North East Region."



Stating that the NDC is a party that thinks about the people, the former President expressed regret over NDC-initiated projects in the region that have been abandoned by the President Akufo-Addo administration.



"I went and greeted the Nayiri and before that, the Gambagarana and Gambaga Imam and the common refrain is when is this government going to continue the projects that were left-off by the NDC administration," he said.



Among the projects that he said had been abandoned include; a new site for the Gambaga College of Education, Community Day Senior High Schools, and the Nalerigu-Bunkpurugu-Nakpanduri road.



Mr Mahama also decried the increasing spate of armed robberies in the region. He identified low morale and the lack of logistics for the police to fight crime as part of the reasons for the insecurity and called on the government to urgently address the situation.



"The government should avert its mind to the security situation in the northern part of the country. There can be no progress and prosperity without security," he said.





Source: graphiconline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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A fundraising letter received in the mail from the Ontario Progressive Conservative party is shown in North Bay, Ont., in this recent handout photo. The Ontario Progressive Conservative Party is apologizing for sending a letter to supporters that asked for donations on a form that resembled an invoice. A Thursday statement from the party says the correspondence was sent to a "limited group of supporters" by a vendor. The PCs say they didn't intend to mislead people and that they regret the correspondence. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO - Veronica Doyon
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HOUSTON, TEXAS - AUGUST 18: Emergency Room nurses and EMTs tend to patients in hallways at the Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital on August 18, 2021 in Houston, Texas. Across Houston, hospitals have been forced to treat hundreds of patients in hallways and corridors as their emergency rooms are being overwhelmed due to the sharp increase in Delta variant cases. Hospitals are straining to keep up with the surge of new coronavirus patients as schools and businesses continue to reopen. Houston has seen an upward increase in Delta infections, and research is showing the Delta variant to be 60% more contagious than its predecessor the Alpha variant, also known as COVID-19. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
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There's no crystal ball or magic wands in play, unless you count the plexiglass cases holding one of Harry Blackstone Jr.'s floating light bulbs and a relic scepter fashioned from the wood of Harry Houdini's old house.

But there is magic afoot.

In a Charleston-made Brackish bow tie and plaid suit jacket, longtime magician Howard Blackwell makes a lemon appear from an empty cannister and ashy soot arise from a patron's palm after lighting a Voodoo doll on fire.

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He breaks out a spider trapped in his phone, doubles the contents of one person's clasped hand and turns a deck of cards into a miniature plastic fish tank.

He transfers a Sharpie heart from his hand to my palm without using the felt pen to draw it or seemingly touching my palm in the process.

He's bamboozled and confounded us all, a crowd of 50 or so spellbound and awe-struck audience members in the 200-year-old upstairs magic venue on John Street.

And that was just the up-close magic segment at the bar before the real show on stage even began.

Blackwell, a member of the Academy of Magical Arts and former headliner at Hollywood's premier Magic Castle, is back and doing what he knows best: Perplexing and astounding ordinary people with his inexplicable mind tricks.

The magician who had his first paid performance at the age of 14 has had to wait almost exactly a year to display those tricks to an audience in his downtown Charleston theater, Holy City Magic, which he opened in 2019.

The COVID-19 pandemic shuttered his doors last summer, shortly after Gov. Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency that temporarily closed theaters across South Carolina.

Blackwell had only been open a year when he had to make the decision to escape his lease, unable to pay rent, and move out of the space he had spent so much time turning into a mystical oasis.

Decorated with vintage posters, clamshell lights and magic memorabilia, the building was stripped down to basics, and Blackwell went back to conducting his magic tricks at private events around the Lowcountry and beyond.

During the reprieve, he wrote and released his first book "Magicians at War," which chronicles the history of magicians being used by military and intelligence agencies to essentially perform craft for their country. Blackwell, an Air Force Reserve veteran, has a tie to both worlds.

It was June of this year when Blackwell's old landlord reached back out, unable to fill the space and offering it back up to the magician once more.

"I had to do a lot of soul searching, because my corporate business was very lucrative and I had to ask myself if I wanted to take all this time and money and put it into one location again," Blackwell said. "At the end of the day, we had such a great following and were able to open something unique in Charleston that a lot of people absolutely loved. I stepped back and realized I had to bring magic back to downtown Charleston."

On opening night, Blackwell was worried he might be a little rusty. But instead he wowed the crowd with back-to-back-to-back physical phenomena and mentalist mind boggles.

At one point, he alleged he hypnotized an audience member into reading another's mind. The trick checked out, with the hypnotized individual guessing what the other had written down just moments before on an unwatched notebook page.

During another spectacular moment, Blackwell guessed the cards five different patrons had selected in their heads from a deck.

Ann Dickinson, who was visiting her son from San Diego, had never been to a magic show before and admitted her mind was blown.

"I thought it would be a fun experience, but it's really amazing," she said.

Several audience members who were called to participate in a series of tricks returned to their seats eyes wide and jaws dropped.

I personally couldn't figure out a single trick.

Blackwell said he recognized a few faces in the crowd, but most were new. Still, he said his loyal fans were already signing up for August's upcoming shows, which take place on weekend nights. Kid-friendly matinees will take place a few times a month as well.

"I remember looking around at the guest list and seeing fans that had literally come to our shows four weekends in a row," recalls Blackwell from before the pandemic. "That's because it's something different every time they come. I really try to shake up my show quite a bit every weekend."

As he did previously, Blackwell said he expects to extend invitations to traveling magicians from around the country for guest slots in the lineup.

In the meantime, he and assistant Eduardo Pigmantero, owner of the Platia Greek food truck and contestant on an international talent show that has yet to premiere, will be manning the stage.

A painted owl sits on a bookshelf mural surrounding the stage to watch over the crowd and ensure the sorcery is working. It's an ode to the entry method to get into the exclusive Magic Castle in Hollywood, Blackwell said.

But here in town, are all welcome to buy what USA Today has called "Charleston's hot ticket" to see what can only be explained as magic unfold before their very eyes.

You might just leave a believer.
Sharon Ramirez remembers nothing of the accident.

In January, five months before she was supposed to graduate from the College of Charleston at the age of 69, Ramirez was driving when she was hit by another vehicle attempting an illegal U-turn. She suffered a traumatic brain injury, internal bleeding, a fractured ankle and life-threatening blood clots. She is still recovering at home.

"It really made my world spin," Ramirez said. "It just put everything on hold."

That included getting a COVID-19 vaccine. Ramirez said she's wanted one for months, but her primary care doctor warned her against leaving the house with all of her medical complications. So, on Aug. 16, Roper St. Francis brought the vaccine to her instead.

"This is the Pfizer," paramedic Glenn Cook told her, holding up a vial of the vaccine inside Ramirez's West Ashley apartment.

"That's exactly what I wanted to hear," she said.

"This is the vaccine," he explained. "It will not give you COVID."

"I'm a science-minded person," Ramirez told him. "I'm right there with you."

While the federal government is clearing the way for millions of people to get vaccine booster shots in the coming months, there are plenty of adults (and children, for that matter) who still need their first shot  and really want one  but haven't been able to get it for a variety of reasons. Many of them, like Ramirez, are homebound.

More than 2 million South Carolinians are eligible for the vaccine but aren't vaccinated yet, putting this state near the bottom of the country in terms of vaccination rates. Many of those who remain unvaccinated are adamant they don't want the shot, or are at least hesitant about getting one, but some just have trouble leaving home.

It's hard to quantify how many of these patients there are. The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control expanded its at-home vaccine program to residents in all 46 counties in June, and the agency confirmed on Aug. 18 it has so far administered 308 vaccines to homebound individuals across the state.

Cook, who works as the community paramedic for Roper St. Francis' medical transport service, said he isn't aware of any other hospital system in the Lowcountry that is administering vaccines to its patients at home. Trident Health and Medical University of South Carolina officials confirmed neither hospital offers such a program.

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Pre-pandemic, Cook spent most of his days checking in on patients at home who needed follow-up care, often after they'd been hospitalized for surgery, diabetes complications, congestive heart failure or other conditions. Several years ago, the federal Medicare program started penalizing hospitals if patients were readmitted 30 days after discharge. Cook helped ensure that they weren't. He assessed safety issues in the home and conducted evaluations for physicians, among other duties.

Now, he spends all of his time vaccinating many of these same patients. Cook gets all of his referrals directly from the hospital system's doctors. At least 80 percent of the adults he contacts to set up an initial appointment want to get the coronavirus vaccine.

"Only a few people refuse it," he said. "I'm not holding anyone down."

He vaccinates several people a day. The appointments last about 30 minutes because Cook reviews several documents with the patient beforehand. After he administers the vaccine, he waits around for another 15 minutes to make sure they don't develop an allergic reaction. Before he leaves, he sets up an appointment 21 days down the line to administer the second dose.

He told Ramirez that she might experience minor symptoms  headache, soreness  but that those are normal and she shouldn't worry about calling her doctor unless those symptoms persist more than 48 hours.

She wanted to make sure he gave her a vaccine card before he left.

Vaccines at home To schedule an appointment with the Department of Health and Environmental Control's Vaccination Homebound Project, call DHECs Vaccine Information Line at 866-365-8110.

Amanda Biondi, who works as the program director for the Greer Transitions Clinic at Roper St. Francis, said COVID will continue to present problems for the hospital system as the coronavirus keeps mutating. And patients with chronic conditions who have been hospitalized recently are particularly at risk for developing life-threatening symptoms following a COVID-19 diagnosis.

"Really our mission is to seek out patients who have a difficulty navigating the complexities of health care," Biondi said. "Sometimes that takes a grassroots effort  sort of what Glenn is doing."

He does his job with a smile  offering his patients a life-saving vaccine and sometimes a carton of eggs. Cook and his wife run a hobby farm in Berkeley County and his chickens lay dozens of eggs every day. He gives many of them away to his patients.
South Carolina's Department of Health and Environmental Control reported more than 40 COVID-19 deaths on Aug. 19 including 36 confirmed and 7 probable fatalities, representing the highest daily death toll in many months.

DHEC also reported more than 3,200 COVID-19 cases, as the number of patients in intensive care units across the state rises above 80 percent. COVID-19 patients account for approximately 25 percent of those in ICU.

Statewide numbers

New cases reported: 2,116 confirmed, 1,089 probable.

Total cases in S.C.: 550,365 confirmed, 126,066 probable.

Percent positive: 14.6 percent.

New deaths reported: 36 confirmed, 7 probable.

Total deaths in S.C.: 8,964 confirmed, 1,218 probable.

Percent of ICU beds filled (with COVID-19 and other patients): 81.86 percent.

S.C. residents vaccinated

In South Carolina, 54.5 percent of people who are eligible for the vaccine have received one shot, and 46 percent of eligible residents are considered fully vaccinated.

Hardest-hit areas

Greenville (217), Lexington (178) and Charleston (168) counties saw the highest totals of newly confirmed cases.

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What about tri-county?

Charleston County had 168 new cases on Aug. 19, while Berkeley had 108 and Dorchester had 90.

Deaths

DHEC releases county-level data regarding COVID-19 deaths and the ages of those who have died from the virus on Tuesdays. According to the data published on Aug 17, at least 104 people in South Carolina died from the virus Aug. 8-14, and their ages ranged from pediatric (17 and younger) to elderly (65 and older). Horry County recorded 16 COVID deaths that week  the highest number in the state. Health officials have reported that the vast majority of patients who are dying from the coronavirus at this stage of the pandemic are unvaccinated.

Hospitalizations

Of the 1,833 COVID-19 patients hospitalized as of Aug. 19, 461 were in the ICU and 268 were using ventilators.

Student, teacher and faculty cases

DHEC's school dashboard shows, through Aug. 15, there have been 287 probable and confirmed cases among students and employees in the state's public and charter schools during the current school year.

Variants of concern

DHEC sequences a small, random sample of positive COVID-19 cases each week to determine which variants of concern (alpha, beta, gamma and delta) are circulating in the state. According to data published by the agency that is up to date through Aug. 11, 1,626 samples have been identified as variants of concern over the course of the pandemic. More than 380 of those samples have been identified as the delta variant, which health officials say is now the dominant strain in South Carolina.

What do experts say?

Experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say a new study shows the both Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna mRNA vaccines give fully vaccinated adults protection for at least 24 weeks against severe COVID-19 infection.

Go to vaxlocator.dhec.sc.gov to find a vaccine clinic near you.
Kingstree, SC (29556)

Today

Partly to mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 86F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy. Slight chance of a shower throughout the evening. Low 68F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.
Crews at Joint Base Charleston have helped transport Army soldiers and vehicles to Afghanistan to assist with evacuations following the Taliban takeover earlier this week.

Images dated Aug. 14 and released by the Department of Defense show soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg in North Carolina preparing to load onto buses to head to Joint Base Charleston.

Later that day, paratroopers made it onto the runway at Charleston Air Force Base and began loading up in C-17s to fly out to Hamid Karzai International Airport.

"The 82nd Airborne soldiers were deployed to the Middle East in response to the Immediate Response Force activation by the Pentagon in order to move U.S. military personnel to the Middle East to help provide for the safe and secure movement of U.S. citizens, Special Immigration Visa recipients, and vulnerable Afghan populations from Afghanistan," the Pentagon said with the photo release.

Images dated Aug. 16 show airmen from the 437th Aerial Port Squadron directing vehicles into the back of C-17s in Charleston.

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Previously, Joint Base Charleston would not confirm its involvement with the Afghanistan evacuations citing "operational security" risks. After the photos were publicly released by the Pentagon, base officials confirmed involvement with the mission.

Joint Base Charleston's involvement with Afghanistan evacuations was expected. With one of the largest contingents of C-17s in the country, shipping thousands of pounds of equipment and troops to the region and helping evacuate thousands of refugees is well within its capabilities.

South Carolinas presence in Afghanistan has stretched decades. In total, 41 service members from the Palmetto State have died in Afghanistan since U.S. boots touched the ground in 2001, according to a review of data from Military Times and iCasualties.org.

Additionally, five graduates from The Citadel who didnt originally hail from South Carolina perished doing their duty in the Afghan region.
CONWAY  Horry County's school year started Aug. 17, and within two days, COVID-19 cases throughout the area exploded.

HCS is reporting 116 cases of COVID-19, with 104 of them among students and the other 12 among staff.

Additionally, 51 staff members are quarantined, according to the school district's COVID-19 dashboard, which is updated daily.

Due to the Legislature's ban on mask mandates in South Carolina schools, face coverings are not required in the state's fourth-largest school district. However, Spokesperson Lisa Bourcier has said the district is encouraging mask-wearing.

Some COVID-19 precautions the district is taking include contact tracing and disinfecting "high touch areas" like classrooms, restrooms and buses at the end of each day.

While HCS and neighboring district Georgetown County School District chose to align with the legislature and protect its state funding, not every district is doing the same.

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Charleston County Schools and Richland One School District rejected the one-year state law by enacting their own mask mandates.

Of Horry County's 56 schools, 36 reported one or more active cases among students and/or staff, according to the dashboard. None of the schools have more than nine active cases.

Conway High School and St. James Elementary have the highest number of cases, with nine active cases of COVID-19 among students. Additionally, St. James has four faculty in quarantine.

Bourcier was not available for immediate comment Aug. 19 on how the number of faculty in quarantine could be disrupting students learning.

For students or faculty looking to get a COVID-19 vaccine the school district is offering a vaccination clinic from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 21.
MOUNT PLEASANT  The board of a public charter high school facing potential closure met a deadline set by its sponsoring district related to questions about $1.8 million in spending.

Oceanside Collegiate Academy had until Aug. 16 to provide more information about expenses made by the for-profit business that runs it.

Kira Perdue, a member of the schools board, told The Post and Courier via email that documents were sent to the district, the Charter Institute at Erskine, before the end of the day. A reporter asked for the documents and was told to file a public records request for the schools response.

If the information provided doesn't satisfy district staff, the Charter Institute could start a formal revocation review process and the school could close next summer.

District Superintendent Cameron Runyan confirmed that Oceanside responded before the deadline.

Oceanside is among 90 charter schools in South Carolina. Unlike traditional public schools, charters are largely autonomous, with each governed by a school board elected by parents. Each school must also have an overseeing sponsor. The Charter Institute is among two statewide sponsors with authorizing and revocation powers, though a third is in the process of organizing.

Oceanside opened in 2016 and has roughly 675 students. It features a dual enrollment program, which allows attendees to earn college credits while they are still in high school.

The deadline came after nearly a year and a half of back-and-forth between the Charter Institute, Oceanside's board and their lawyers, The Post and Courier previously reported. The $1.8 million in costs under scrutiny involves 529 separate transactions between 2015 and 2020 that were identified in a report by a consultant paid by the Charter Institute.

The report said more documentation was needed to determine if the spending, including lobbying expenses, apparent phone and internet charges, and payments made to employees of the firm that manages the school, were inappropriate or valid.

Among other things, the Charter Institute alleges that Pinnacle Charter Academies, the for-profit Florida company that manages Oceanside, essentially double-billed the school for administrative services that should have been covered by the annual fee it is guaranteed by contract.

Oceanside's board disagreed that Pinnacle ever overcharged the school. Board chairman Marvin Arnsdorff contended to The Post and Courier recently that it, and other charter schools, have been "relentlessly threatened, harassed, ridiculed, ostracized and targeted, without merit or justification."

Oceanside and Pinnacle earlier this year did agree to a flat fee for some expenses, which was expected to save the school up to $250,000 annually.

Pinnacle also manages two other charter high schools in the state  Gray Collegiate Academy in West Columbia and Legion Collegiate Academy in Rock Hill.
Days after the Charleston County School Board ordered a mask mandate, it remains unclear if the district will enforce it.

With cases of COVID-19's delta variant rising across South Carolina, the district's board voted 8-1 on Aug. 16  just two days before school started  to direct staff to implement a mask requirement for students, employees and visitors until Oct. 15.

The requirement goes against an amendment to the state budget, which prohibits districts from using public funds to implement a mask mandate in schools. But board members such as Vice Chairwoman Courtney Waters said they were prepared to take the issue to court.

District officials spent the next day working with lawyers to figure out what that would actually mean. Late Aug. 18, the district released a statement that indicated no students would be turned away for not adhering to the directive on masks.

"The clear expectation from the CCSD Board of Trustees is that all staff, students, and visitors wear facemasks inside school facilities until at least October 15, 2021, in order to help slow the spread of COVID," Board Chairman Erick Mack said in statement released by the school district. "Masks are also required on school buses. We expect everyone to comply with the mask requirement. We also expect the district and school administration to fully implement this requirement without denying any student access to school and their education."

In an Aug. 17 morning interview, Superintendent Gerrita Postlewait said the district had not yet decided on how it would enforce the mandate.

"It's not our desire to deny any child a free and appropriate public education," she said. "Our hope is that over the next week or so we can come together as a community and do everything we can to keep kids safe while maintaining a reasonable position regarding face masks."

The messaging has left parents on both sides of the mask issue confused.

On the night of Aug. 17, the district sent out multiple messages to the families. The first, sent at 4:45 p.m., asked that students and staff "wear their masks in high traffic areas, such as hallways," as well as on school buses.

The district sent out a second message three hours later, clarifying that "masks are required in all parts of the building, including classrooms, for students, staff, and visitors."

"An already confusing process has become even more confusing," said Jeff Hanna, whose daughters attend Camp Road Middle School and Charleston County School of the Arts.

Hanna first heard that the principals would not be enforcing the mask rule on the morning of Aug. 18, the first day of school. Hanna's daughter Collette, who attends Camp Road, has cystic fibrosis, a condition which puts her at high risk for severe illness if she contracts the virus.

The mixed messages have left him anxious about what this could mean for his daughter.

"The numbers around here have been increasing for weeks," Hanna said. "Health officials, doctors  locally and nationally  have been sounding the alarm and they finally did something. Now it's all up in confusion."

Jessica Zeigler sent her first grade daughter at Carolina Park Elementary in Mount Pleasant to school on the first day without a mask.

Zeigler is against the mask requirements and also heard that the district would not be enforcing the mandate. She's only comfortable sending her daughter to school because she's heard the requirement isn't being enforced.

"I don't want my daughter in masks," Zeigler said. "She would not be sitting in school right now if she was forced to wear a mask."

The district remains one of just three in the state to go against the legislative budget proviso. Richland One in Columbia and Colleton County School District have also passed mask requirements.

On Aug. 19, S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson filed a lawsuit against the City of Columbia in response to an emergency ordinance mandating masks in all daycares, middle and elementary schools that fall in its borders.

In the lawsuit, Wilson asked the S.C. Supreme Court to find all local mandates from cities, counties and school boards in violation of a state budget provision that seeks to prevent such rules.

Stephen Fastenau contributed to this report from Columbia.
Defendants wrongfully convicted of a crime in South Carolina have an unexpected new ally: prosecutors.

Under changes made last week to the S.C. Rules of Professional Conduct, prosecutors are required to disclose evidence of innocence discovered after a defendant is convicted of a crime.

South Carolina joins about two dozen other states in adopting such ethics rules for prosecutors, which were first developed by the American Bar Association in 2008.

Some states, including North Carolina and Arizona, have gone further, requiring all attorneys to disclose credible and material evidence of a wrongful conviction to the defendant or his or her attorney.

John Freeman, professor emeritus for the University of South Carolina School of Law, said the new rules emphasize the special role prosecutors play in pursuing justice.

"The prosecutor's job is to see that the right thing is done," Freeman said. "And to protect the public by seeing that justice is as fair as it possibly can be. Not to put people in jail."

Freeman said the rules eliminate ambiguity regarding a prosecutor's responsibilities when new evidence is unearthed that casts significant doubt on a prior conviction.

Ninth Circuit Solicitor Scarlett Wilson said she supported the rule change.

"I think the rule is good and basically 'codifies' what good prosecutors do already," she said.

Under the new rules, when a prosecutor becomes aware of "credible, material" evidence that indicates a defendant was wrongfully convicted, the prosecutor is required to disclose that evidence to the defendant, or the defendant's attorney, as well as the chief prosecutor in the jurisdiction where the conviction was obtained.

A prosecutor who knows of "clear and convincing" evidence of a wrongful conviction in his or her jurisdiction has an ethical obligation to remedy the conviction, the rules state.

Prosecutors will need to determine on a case-by-case basis whether newly discovered evidence requires disclosure, Freeman said, but the rule requires they give serious thought to new evidence.

The new rule also provides hope for wrongfully convicted defendants who have otherwise exhausted their right to appeal, Freeman said.

"What this says, basically, is that so long as there is a possibility of proof surfacing that shows that the guy is innocent, it ain't over," Freeman said. "And, frankly, isn't that the way it should be?"

More than 2,800 defendants have been exonerated of crimes they did not commit since 1989 in the United States, including nine defendants in South Carolina, according to the National Registry of Exonerations.
COLUMBIA  South Carolina's top educator split with Gov. Henry McMaster over who should control the decision-making powers covering masks in schools  local boards or legislators  just as Democrats increased calls for a special session to repeal the Legislature's ban on mandates.

Asked whether he would convene a special session to do so, Senate President Harvey Peeler said that seems futile. The debate in the Senate alone could take weeks, pushing the issue into the fall, when a special session is already planned.

In the meantime, he offered a third option: Principals can ask nicely.

"From a practical, common-sense standpoint, if a school wants a student to wear a mask, ask it like I did in the Senate," said the Gaffney Republican, noting senators complied with his request earlier this year to wear a mask, though he never issued a mandate.

"I think if principals asked in the proper way, they would wear masks. And if you want your child to wear a mask, your child is going to wear a mask," he continued. "But me, as president of the Senate, right now I don't think there are enough votes to even take it up."

Even if a majority of legislators could eventually reach consensus, Peeler said, there's certainly not enough votes to override a potential veto by McMaster.

The colliding philosophies were front and center Aug. 17 as schools around South Carolina are either now in session or about to see a return of thousands of students amid a spike in COVID-19 cases affecting young and old.

In her departure from McMaster, state Education Superintendent Molly Spearman, who is also a Republican, said she believes school boards should be allowed to mandate masks as coronavirus cases increase in their jurisdictions.

I do believe that this issue is best handled by local school boards, Spearman said at a news conference that also drew the state's leading epidemiologist, Dr. Linda Bell.

We have two ways now to make that happen," Spearman continued, a month after warning district leaders they risked losing state funding by mandating masks. "Either the Legislature comes back in, and I have asked them to do that continually, or this ends up in the courts and the courts resolve it. I disagree with the governor on this.

Spearman's comments came as Democrats in the Legislature held their own press event asking for the Legislatures GOP leaders to hold a special session to repeal a state law banning mask mandates in schools. The dozen Democrats want Peeler and House Speaker Jay Lucas to bring the chambers back to undo the ban inserted in the state budget that took effect July 1.

We have seen an alarming rise in COVID cases, said Rep. Pat Henegan, D-Bennettsville, chairwoman of the S.C. Legislative Black Caucus. The last thing the state should do is tie the hands of local government.

The news conference came a day after a bipartisan group of senators  two Democrats and two Republicans  asked Peeler to call the Senate back to deal with the ban. But he cant act alone. Both chambers would need to be in Columbia to repeal or change the law.

Only Peeler and Lucas have the power to force their colleagues back.

Peeler said he's trying to be practical because forcing senators back to Columbia doesn't guarantee a single vote. Even if the Senate eventually voted to repeal the ban, that would send the issue to the House, where the ban originated, he said.

Lucas did not respond Aug. 17 to multiple requests for comment.

The Democrats who want a special session argue it should be locally elected school board members, not the Legislature, deciding whether a school district requires masks amid rising COVID cases.

They pointed to Pickens County as evidence that a lack of mask wearing will result in classrooms and schools being forced to temporarily return to virtual learning. Last week, the Upstate school district switched to online learning just 10 days into its school year after 142 people tested positive for the virus, forcing 634 students  or 4 percent of its student population  into quarantine.

We all want our children in the classroom where they can best learn, said House Assistant Minority Leader Russell Ott, D-St. Matthews.

The numbers of people getting infected look much different now than when the GOP-controlled Legislature voted in June to insert the one-year ban, thinking the pandemic was subsiding. The Legislature should recognize the different circumstances, the Democrats said, while noting no Democrat was among the 71 House members who voted to insert the budget clause during floor debate.

After initially not wanting to fight the law, a growing number of school boards, including Charleston County, are deciding to flout it.

The state of South Carolina cannot sue every school district, said Sen. John Scott, D-Columbia.

Attorney General Alan Wilson has threatened to sue the city of Columbia, the first to push back, for trying to find a workaround to the law by issuing its own mask mandate for elementary and middle schools within city limits.

The law bars school districts from using state or federal funds authorized by the Legislature to enact and enforce a mandate. Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin contends that doesnt prevent local governments from imposing mandates within their borders and enforcing it through local taxes. Wilson disagreed.

So did Lucas and Peeler, who jointly sent Wilson a letter Aug. 6 saying Columbia City Councils actions are in clear and deliberate violation of the plain meaning of the law.

Peeler said that letter was a reaction to a rule-breaker, rather than any personal stance on face masks, saying a "mayor can't just arbitrarily break the law." School districts that mandate masks are breaking the law too, he said Aug. 17.

For his part, McMaster continued to stay on his course that parents should decide whether to send their children to school with masks. He said he doesnt believe the Legislature needs to come back to undo a ban he supports.

Parents are the best experts on their own children, McMaster said. If they want them to wear a mask, then by all means, they should let their child wear a mask. If they dont want their child to wear a mask, they are the expert and they should not be forced by the government to require their child to wear a mask.

Even if the Republican governor changed his mind, he lacks the ability to force the Legislature back on his own.

Democrats countered the governor's messaging is off given the return of the upward trend in COVID cases.

The governor is wrong, plain and simple, said Rep. Wendy Brawley, D-Hopkins. You cannot allow parents alone to make this decision in the middle of a pandemic. Shame on the governor for clouding the issue.  Its our responsibility to admit this was wrong in the middle of a pandemic and needs to be corrected.

At Spearman's media appearance she said she's never been more concerned about the situation as COVID cases spike across the state.

We have got to have a solution to this, Spearman said. Our schools are starting, our educators are worried, and we have parents who are very, very concerned.

Spearman also said the education agency has not conducted a formal survey of how many school employees across the state are vaccinated, but conversations with local superintendents have suggested there is a wide range, with some districts as high as 80 percent of employees vaccinated while others still around 50 percent.

Some school districts are offering incentives for employees to get vaccinated, an approach that Spearman said she fully supports.
Its back-to-school week in the Charleston area.

A few months ago, many were hoping this week would go a little differently than it is now. People were hopeful that the return to school would also be a kind of return to normalcy, that COVID cases would be on the decline and the risks for health risks for students would be low.

But instead, the leadup to the school year has been stressful cases surge in South Carolina, driven by the aggressive delta variant.

Studies from the CDC have shown that having staff and students wear face masks in school is effective, even when theres a lot of spread in the community, and local pediatricians across the state have been encouraging masking in schools.

But South Carolina school districts are being barred from passing mask mandates.

South Carolina lawmakers passed a budget proviso over the summer that says schools cant use public funds to mandate masks.

This week, Charleston County School District and decided to require masks for all students anyway.

Charleston education reporter Libby Stanford breaks down that decision, explains other precautions schools are  and arent  taking and how schools plan to handle COVID-19 cases among their students and staff.

Listen now below or on your podcast app.

Understand SC is a weekly podcast from The Post and Courier that draws from the reporting resources and knowledge of our newsroom to help you better understand South Carolina.

This episode was hosted and edited by Emily Williams.

How to listen:

Related reading:
Syndicated and guest columns represent the personal views of the writers, not necessarily those of the editorial staff. The editorial department operates entirely independently of the news department and is not involved in newsroom operations.
Editorials represent the institutional view of the newspaper. They are written and edited by the editorial staff, which operates separately from the news department. Editorial writers are not involved in newsroom operations.
I commend the editorial staff of The Post and Courier for its unrelenting editorials on Gov. Henry McMaster, the Legislature and Attorney General Alan Wilson as they continue to play politics with the health and well-being of the citizens of South Carolina, in particular those in our schools.

Who would pass legislation threatening to withhold state funding from already underfunded schools for wanting students to wear masks?

Maybe if McMaster, the state Department of Health and Environmental Control and those charged with protecting the common good had done their jobs and worked to get more than 46% of South Carolinians fully vaccinated to date, we wouldnt be in this conundrum.

Better yet, I suggest they ask the 10,000 individuals who tested positive over the last week or the Pickens County school system that recently sent everyone home for another round of remote learning.

McMaster, in justifying his no mask mandate, said that kids couldnt be heard and needed to have their faces seen.

He needs to keep his mask on for the same reasons.

LARRY LADUE

Wespanee Drive

Charleston

Didnt learn from history

Twenty years ago, I was just about the only one in my peer group against the invasion of Afghanistan, and then even more forcefully against the invasion of Iraq.

This is an inevitable tragedy.

And those using the plight of these unfortunate people for opportunistic political gain may not remember that on June 26, former President Donald Trump said: I started the process. All the troops are coming back home. They couldnt stop the process. Twenty-one years is enough. Dont we think? Twenty-one years. (The Biden administration) couldnt stop the process.

The tragedy would have happened if we pulled out five years ago, or five years from now.

More than 170,000 people have died, and we have spent more than $2 trillion, while some military and energy contractors have made billions.

When is the proper time to leave someplace you should not be? When is the best time to plant a fruit tree? The best time is 20 years ago; the next best is today.

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This is not our militarys failure. Our tax dollars made the Afghan governments military one of the best trained and equipped in the region, but we couldnt force on them the will to fight, to embrace democracy, abandon corruption or protect the best interest of the majority of its people.

We should know by now that we cant even totally accomplish that for ourselves. It seems the only real lesson we learn from history is that we dont learn from history.

DANNY KUHN

Murray Avenue

Myrtle Beach

Biden ill-equipped

One thing is abundantly clear as we witness the debacle of our retreat from Afghanistan: President Joe Biden is ill-equipped to lead our nation.

Americans, both Republicans and Democrats, have hesitated to elect senators and legislators, often preferring governors and those with executive experience.

This is for the good and sound reasons that many of the former lack expertise in managing and running an enterprise and the latter have learned from hard-won experience that execution in difficult circumstances is all important.

The collapse of our southern border is Exhibit A in the failure of the president to understand how to manage the influx of immigrants entering the country illegally.

The humanitarian crisis we are witnessing includes towns overrun with immigrants and law enforcement dealing with cartels and gang members taking advantage of the chaos.

Exhibit B is the chaotic withdrawal of our presence in Afghanistan, where once again we are faced with a crisis of Bidens making.

His amateurish approach in Afghanistan is somber evidence that our president is learning, at Americas expense, that decades of talking in the Senate is no preparation for the hard reality of executing the business of governing.

CLARK THOMPSON

Pignatelli Crescent

Mount Pleasant
COLUMBIA  South Carolina Democrats asked the Legislature's GOP leaders Aug. 17 to hold a special session to repeal a state law banning mask mandates in schools.

A dozen Democrats gathered in the Statehouse to call on House Speaker Jay Lucas and Senate President Harvey Peeler to bring the chambers back to undo the ban inserted in the state budget that took effect July 1.

The news conference came a day after a bipartisan group of senators  two Democrats and two Republicans  asked Peeler to call the Senate back to deal with the ban. But he can't act alone. Both chambers would need to be in Columbia to repeal or change the law.

Only those two have the power to force their colleagues back, and Peeler said it seems futile now to do so.

"I appreciate their opinion and their thoughts. They're very able attorneys, and they know the Senate as well as anyone," Peeler said about the letter co-signed by Democratic Sens. Ronnie Sabb and Minority Leader Brad Hutto, and GOP Sens. Sandy Senn and Judiciary Chairman Luke Rankin. "The Senate is not that nimble."

Any debate would be pushed into the fall, he said, when the Legislature will be back anyway to pass a spending plan for billions in federal COVID aid and approve new, post-census voting lines for legislative and congressional districts.

Even if the Senate could agree to repeal the ban, Peeler said, it would then be up to the House, where the clause originated. And even if that chamber agreed, it would face a veto by Gov. Henry McMaster, and there are definitely not enough votes for an override, Peeler said after talking to senators on both sides of the debate.

Lucas did not respond Aug. 17 to multiple requests for comment.

The Democrats who want a special session argue it should be locally elected school board members, not the Legislature, deciding whether a school district requires masks amid rising COVID cases.

They pointed to Pickens County as evidence a lack of mask wearing will result in classrooms and schools being forced to temporarily return to virtual learning. Last week, the Upstate school district switched to online learning just 10 days into its school year after 142 people tested positive for the virus, forcing 634 students  or 4 percent of its student population  into quarantine.

"We all want our children in the classroom where they can best learn," said House Assistant Minority Leader Russell Ott, D-St. Matthews.

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The numbers of people getting infected look much different now than when the GOP-controlled Legislature voted in June to insert the one-year ban, thinking the pandemic was subsiding. The Legislature should recognize the different circumstances, the Democrats said, while noting no Democrat was among the 71 House members who voted to insert the budget clause during floor debate.

"We have seen an alarming rise in COVID cases," said Rep. Pat Henegan, D-Bennettsville. "When it comes to children's welfare, we must do the right thing.  The last thing the state should do is tie the hands of local government."

After initially not wanting to fight the law, a growing number of school boards are deciding to flout it.

"The state of South Carolina cannot sue every school district," said Sen. John Scott, D-Columbia.

Attorney General Alan Wilson has threatened to sue the city of Columbia, the first to push back, for trying to find a workaround to the law by issuing its own mask mandate for elementary and middle schools in city limits.

The law bars school districts from using state or federal funds authorized by the Legislature to enact and enforce a mandate. Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin contends that doesn't prevent local governments from imposing mandates within their borders and enforcing it through local taxes. Wilson disagreed.

So did Lucas and Peeler, who jointly sent Wilson a letter Aug. 6 saying Columbia City Council's actions "are in clear and deliberate violation of the plain meaning" of the law.

Peeler called that letter a reaction to a rule-breaker, rather than any personal stance on face masks, saying a "mayor can't just arbitrarily break the law." School districts that mandate masks will be breaking the law too, he said.

McMaster continued to say Aug. 17 that parents should decide whether to send their children to school with masks or not. He said he doesn't believe the Legislature needs to come back to undo a ban he supports.

But even if the Republican governor changed his mind, he lacks the ability to force the Legislature back on his own.

"The governor is wrong, plain and simple," said Rep. Wendy Brawley, D-Hopkins. "You cannot allow parents alone to make this decision in the middle of a pandemic. Shame on the governor for clouding the issue.  It's our responsibility to admit this was wrong in the middle of a pandemic and needs to be corrected."
COLUMBIA  The board of South Carolina's disabilities agency fired its director for a second time, a day after a judge ruled she was illegally fired earlier this year via a script orchestrated in a secret meeting by its commissioners.

Mary Poole, director since fall 2018, was fired  again  by the Department of Disabilities and Special Needs' board Aug. 19, this time on a 5-2 vote, with former Chairman Gary Lemel repeating his dissent and criticism.

"The illegalities of the action taken, followed by this vote, can have nothing but a negative impact on morale, and I'll add that to the reasons I'll be voting no," said Lemel, the only commissioner to speak publicly on the decision.

The other "no" came from the newest commissioner, Gary Kocher, appointed in May.

Commissioners violated the state's Freedom of Information Act when they fired Poole in February, Circuit Judge Lawton McIntosh ruled Aug. 18 in voiding that termination.

It was a preliminary ruling on Poole's lawsuit filed in June. It accuses commissioners of conspiring to oust her and damage her reputation by using a false narrative  put in a letter and read publicly in a special meeting two weeks after her dismissal  that she mishandled a sexual harassment claim in November.

She says that claim was appropriately resolved and alleges the plot against her actually began several months earlier, after she refused to sign off on raises for several employees.

While McIntosh's order technically made Poole director again, the judge agreed that putting her in charge amid the ongoing lawsuit would be "disruptive." So he temporarily gave Poole her title back while not allowing her to resume the director's role, and he told the commission to vote lawfully within 60 days.

McIntosh also ordered the agency to pay Poole her back wages and benefits for six months, along with her attorney fees. The agency could not provide a total Aug. 19, but Poole's salary was $171,400.

The judge declared email exchanges Jan. 22 and Feb. 16 between four of the commission's six members to be illegal meetings.

"I made some edits, added some detail and tried to divide up the work a little," read the subject line of a Feb. 16 email from now-Chairwoman Stephanie Rawlinson to three other commissioners: Robin Blackwood, Barry Malphrus and former state Sen. David Thomas.

Attached to her email was a 14-part, five-page script for firing Poole, titled "Plan for 2/18/21 Exec Session," complete with contingency plans of what motions to make and what to say under various scenarios, such as if Poole refused to resign or asked to be heard.

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Also included was what to do if Lemel, who wasn't part of the email exchange, refused to ask for Poole's resignation or let them end the closed-door meeting as planned.

"Indisputably, a quorum plotted out this plan by email, and they followed the plan to the 'T' in terms of who would say what," Poole's attorney, Jack Cohoon, told The Post and Courier.

"It's a significant win. Hopefully it's a shot across the bow that FOIA has teeth, and the law needs to be followed," he said.

Since the lawsuit continues, the commission has no comment on the ruling, agency spokesman Tommy Windsor said after the vote.

Beyond back wages, her lawsuit also seeks money for harming her career and ability to get another job in the industry, as well as punitive damages to deter the agency from breaking FOIA law again.

Poole, who's worked in various disability roles over three decades, said she sued to bring what four commissioners did in secret "out into the daylight."

The agency and its board "are in dire need of more transparency," she said. "I believe the court's order will encourage positive reforms. I will continue to advocate for people with disabilities and look forward to restoring my reputation."

McIntosh's order indicates he remains skeptical that commissioners have fully complied with the state's public records law.

He directed each of the four commissioners in the email exchanges to provide him sworn affidavits within 30 days, "under penalty of perjury," promising they've provided Poole's attorney every public document he's entitled to under his March 2 public records request. Any document not yet turned in, McIntosh said, should be attached to the affidavits.

All seven of the agency's governing board members are appointed by Gov. Henry McMaster, with the Senate's consent.

The agency's chief attorney, Constance Holloway, remains the interim director, earning a salary of $168,100. Interviews with candidates for a permanent replacement are being lined up, Windsor said.
@PottstownNews on Twitter

Evan Brandt has been a staff reporter for The Mercury for more than 20 years. He covers municipal, school district, political, state government, federal government and environmental news.
Berks County detectives said they raided Body Health Traditional Chinese Tui Na along Route 422 in Amity Township and arrested a woman on prostitution charges.
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FILE - In this Dec. 19, 2013 file photo, the Library of Congress is seen in Washington. Police were investigating a report Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021, of a possible explosive device in a pickup truck outside the Library of Congress on Capitol Hill and have evacuated the area around the building, two law enforcement officials told The Associated Press.
ABCs George Stephanopoulos interviewed Slow Joe Biden yesterday. ABC News has posted the transcript here this morning.

The interview depicts a president who is a few tacos short of a combo platter. Students of ancient history may recall that Stephanopoulos worked as a self-proclaimed prominent Democratic operative. He now plies his trade under the cover of the mainstream media. The interrogation was not exactly intense.

And yet Biden is president of the United States speaking in the course of a historic national humiliation. His minders in the daycare operation at the White House should have kept him in the basement. The supervision leaves something to be desired.

As for the missing tacos, note Bidens resentment of the questions. He forgets what he said about the fate of Afghanistan only last month. He thinks it important that Afghans fell to their death from a cargo plane leaving Kabul four days ago, rather than two days ago, even though it was in fact two days ago at the time of the interview. At least he recalls hearing something about it.

Dominic Green puts it this way.

I if understand correctly, the things Biden said couldn't happen and General Milley said wouldn't happen are now the things Lloyd Austin can't do anything about & Biden says had to happen?  Dominic Green (@DrDominicGreen) August 18, 2021

It is difficult to select a quotable quote, but this isnt bad:

STEPHANOPOULOS: So when you look at whats happened over the last week, was it a failure of intelligence, planning, execution or judgment? BIDEN: Look, I dont think it was a fa look, it was a simple choice,

He fleshes out the thought in the clip below.

And thats not all. Check out the transcript via the link above for more.
On Tuesday, the Republicans flipped a seat in the Connecticut state senate. Republican Ryan Fazio, a member of Greenwichs local council, defeated Democrat Alexis Gevanter, a gun control advocate. The race was in Connecticuts 36th district, a wealthy suburban pocket not far from New York City. The median household income in this district is around $160,000 per year.

Joe Biden carried this district by 25 percentage points last year, a function of Donald Trumps weakness in the suburbs. But Fazio, the Republican, carried it by 3 points.

Republicans are hailing Fazios victory as a preview of the 2022 congressional midterms. They hope it signals renewed viability with suburban voters.

That hope is reasonable because its reasonable to think that Bidens margins in the suburbs were more a reflection of Trumps unpopularity with upscale voters than a function of underlying Democratic strength. Its also reasonable to think that Biden and his party, in trying to govern from the left, have eroded whatever strength they possessed with these voters less than a year ago.

What did the Connecticut senate candidates advocate? According to the Daily Caller, the Democrat, in addition to his gun control positions, supported universal absentee voting and state funding for Planned Parenthood. The Republican reportedly focused primarily on government spending and deregulation.

The victor says the result is not a Connecticut-specific trend, this is a national trend. Mayoral races in Texas, driven by Latino voters rather than wealthy suburbanites, suggest that he is right.

In related news, a June poll showed that 78 percent of Capitol Hill staffers believe the GOP will take back the U.S. House in 2022. And this was before the Afghanistan debacle.
Sometimes you have to turn to the foreign press to get the straight story on events in America, or events in which American actors feature. Like Joe Bidens botched withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Yesterday, per the Telegraph, the Houses of Parliament delivered an unprecedented rebuke to a US president. Parliaments assessment of Joe Bidens performance was, to put it mildly, unsparing:

Joe Bidens handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal was condemned as catastrophic and shameful on Wednesday. The West could not continue this US-led mission  a mission conceived and executed in support and defence of America  without American logistics, without US air power and without American might, the Prime Minister said in a clear swipe at Washington. MPs from all sides of the Commons were forceful in their criticism. Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, said: The US is, of course, an important ally, but to overlook the fighting of the Afghan troops and forces, and the fact that they have been at the forefront of that fighting in recent years, is wrong. Sir Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat leader, said: The American decision to withdraw was not just a mistake  it was an avoidable mistake, from President Trumps flawed deal with the Taliban to President Bidens decision to proceed, and to proceed in such a disastrous way.

***

Chris Bryant, the Labour MP, called Mr Bidens remarks about Afghan soldiers some of the most shameful comments ever from an American president.

It goes on and on. And this is interesting:

The Telegraph understands Mr Johnson had been attempting to get Mr Biden on the phone to discuss Kabul falling from Monday morning. The pair eventually talked at close to 10pm on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is traveling to Washington next week to meed with Biden. The Jerusalem Post assesses the impact of the Afghan disaster on that meeting:

[N]ow  after the fiasco of the US pullout from Afghanistan  Biden will be coming to the meeting from a much weaker position in the region than if the meeting had taken place last week or before then.

***

[T]he Biden administration acted like it had no idea what had happened in our part of the world, or  to make a comparison Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken do not like  in Vietnam. The US intelligence estimate that was made public was that it would take 90 days for the Taliban to take Kabul; it took them less than a week. The US trained the Afghan military to defend its country from terrorists; the soldiers surrendered to the Taliban. Plus, the US said it would give special immigration visas to Afghans who worked with Americans; only a fraction of them have managed to get out so far, and many thousands of Afghans mobbed the airport in Kabul to try to escape. All of this adds up to a US that has far less credibility to make demands of, and promises to, Israel.

***

[T]he current state of affairs in Afghanistan makes American security assurances weaker and less reliable. Whos to say that the US wont get sick of guaranteeing Israels security and stop doing it, consequences be damned? The same is true of US security assurances when it comes to Iran.

The Biden administration and its press allies can do their best to put a happy face on the Afghan fiasco, but our allies are not fooled. Neither, unfortunately, are our enemies.
Yesterday I wrote about the press release and web page on the investigation of Ilhan Omars 2009 marriage to her brother in A tale of Minnesota crime & politics. Toward the end of my post I noted Miranda Devines New York Post column on the investigation. Last night Devine appeared for a three-minute segment on Tucker Carlson Tonight. I have embedded a clip of the segment below.

Daily Beast contributing editor Justin Baragona purports to take on or take down the segment in Tucker and Guests Source to Prove Ilhan Omar Smear? An Accused Child Sex Trafficker. Baragona writes (emphasis added, links omitted):

For years now, Omara naturalized American citizen born in Somaliahas been dogged by unproven and largely baseless rumors from the right that her ex-husband is actually her biological brother and that she married him so he could obtain American citizenship. As The Daily Beasts Will Sommer wrote back in 2019, the origin of the conspiracy centers on a single anonymous online post on an obscure Somali diaspora forum. Despite no proof surfacing to support the politically motivated smear, Carlsonwho has maligned Omar as living proof U.S. immigration laws are dangeroushas been undeterred, relentlessly promoting the conspiracy on his show and hosting anyone who will breathe more life into it. On Wednesday, he brought on New York Post columnist and Fox News contributor Miranda Devine as the latest person to make the case.

This is Goebbels-level propaganda consistent with the Daily Beasts approach to the case. See, for example, the June 2019 Spectator column Ilhan Omar lawyer: two marriages hard to explain and my July 2019 post Daily Mail versus Daily Beast (discussing a Daily Beast story that Baragona cites). See also my Stand by your sham posts addressing the conspiracy theory nonsense.

We have the testimony of former Omar neighbor Abdi Nur, for example, my first Somali source regarding the sibling relationship between Elmi and Omar, and so much more deriving from the work of Preya Samsundar and David Steinberg. In 2019 I wrote a 13-part series on the state campaign finance board file on its investigation of Omar with the intention of embarrassing the Star Tribune into covering the story.

The Star Tribune got around to it in New documents revisit questions about Rep. Ilhan Omars marriage history, by Patrick Coolican and Stephen Montemayor. The two Star Tribune reporters were unable to come up with a single fact supporting Omars denial of what by that point had become painfully obvious.

Coolican and Montemayor found that begging Omar for an interview that might give them another side of the story proved a thankless proposition. Omar essentially accused the Star Tribune reporters of colluding with right-wing outlets to go after Muslim elected officials or hounding family members

Let me put it this way. There is no other side of the story. Or the other side of the story is, Youre a bigot. Any fool can see that. As for the Daily Beast, they are no fools. They are tools.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley held a press conference yesterday to address the national humiliation in process in Kabul (transcript here, video below). Their performance aggravated the disgrace. One cant help but wonder if these folks have misspent their time absorbed in CRT, white rage, vaccinations, and sundry other distractions. General Milley appears to have been struggling to suppress a little rage of his own.

Austin and Milley are Wynken and Nod. A review of the transcript makes it clear that Blinken (Secretary of State Antony) should also have made an appearance.

Whatever happened to resignation in the case of epic failure? Along with their boss, they have been weighed in the balance and found wanting. Slow Joe is not fully cognizant, period, let alone cognizant of the disgrace for which he is responsible. Austin and Milley are fully cognizant, but they appear to lack something in the shame department.
Are you thinking about going abroad? Although most countries worldwide do require Nigerians to get a visa before arrival, there are over 50 countries where you can enjoy hassle-free travel, fortunately.

Generally speaking, its easiest to travel in Africa where you can visit countries such as Madagascar, Namibia, and Ethiopia with a simple visa on arrival. However, if you are keen to explore a different continent, there are a few options available such as Bolivia in South America or Iran in the Middle East. Whats more, there are several islands in the Caribbean and South Pacific offering easy access to Nigerians too.

If you have a destination in mind for which you need to get a visa before you can travel, make sure youre clued up on the conditions and requirements before you book your trip. You can use a global visa website to find out more about the specific visa policies for each country based on your nationality. In addition, these websites can help with getting e-visas (electronic visas) to many destinations worldwide.

In this article, we will give you an overview of which destinations you can travel to more freely, without needing to go through the process of getting an embassy visa before you take off. We have also included a few destination ideas to help you choose the best holiday for you!

Which Countries Can Nigerians Visit Visa-Free?

Nigerians can visit a total of 20 countries without needing any sort of visa. Travellers are generally granted 30 days entry, but in some countries, it can be more. For instance, if you travel to Benin, Chad, Gambia, Haiti, Saint Kitts and Nevis, or Senegal, you can stay for 90 days. Meanwhile, if you are travelling to Barbados or Dominica, you can stay for a massive 180 days.

Here is the list of visa-free destinations for Nigerian passport-holders:

Barbados

Benin

Burkina Faso

Cape Verde

Chad

Cote dIvoire

Dominica

The Gambia

Ghana

Guinea

Guinea-Bissau

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Haiti

Liberia

Mali

Niger

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Senegal

Sierra Leone

Togo

Vanuatu

Although you wont need any special documents to travel to these destinations, its important you check that your passport will be valid for the entire duration of your trip before you set off.

Where Can Nigerians Get a Visa on Arrival?

The next best thing after visa-free travel is the possibility to get a visa on arrival. This saves you the time otherwise spent at embassies and collecting endless documents needed to get a standard visa. Visas on arrival tend to be quick and easy, and are processed directly at your point of entry into the country. Nigerians can currently visit a total of 25 countries in this way, with the length of stay ranging from 14 to 90 days.

Here is the list of countries offering visas on arrival for Nigerians:

Bolivia

Comoros

Djibouti

Ethiopia

Gabon

Iran

Kenya

Lebanon

Lesotho

Madagascar

Malawi

Maldives

Mauritania

Mauritius

Mozambique

Namibia

Palau

Rwanda

Samoa

Seychelles

Somalia

South Sudan

Suriname

Tuvalu

Uganda

If you are looking to make a longer trip, the following countries grant stays of up to 90 days: Bolivia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Namibia, Madagascar, Malawi, and Seychelles.

In most cases, to be granted a visa on arrival you will need to show a booking for transport leaving the country, so make sure you have this to hand when you travel. Moreover, you may have to provide other documents, so its a good idea to check the policies for your chosen destinations before you leave.

What Should You Do if You Need to Get a Visa for Your Holiday?

For countries requiring a pre-arranged embassy visa, the process to get the document can vary considerably. Each country will have its own rules, requirements and conditions, so the best thing to do is to check with the nearest embassy or consulate of the destination you wish to visit. They will be able to inform you in the following:

What documents and information do you need to provide?

How long it takes to process the visa?

How many days you will be able to stay in the country?

How much does the visa costs?

Its also important that your passport is valid beyond your return date. In addition, there is often a minimum number of months your passport needs to be valid for in order to be granted a visa, so make sure you check this carefully.

Travel Inspiration For Nigerians

Feel like you need a holiday abroad, but youre still thinking about where to go? We have put together a few ideas based on destinations that are either visa-free or offer visas on arrival.

Bolivia

Discover Bolivias fascinating cultural heritage. With numerous indigenous cultures and rich history, there is so much to learn in this country!

Bolivia also boasts incredibly diverse landscapes, from tall peaks to the famous salt flats of Uyuni. Visit Coroico rainforest or Lake Titicaca, the highest lake in the world.

Dominica

Known as a hikers paradise, Dominica is one of the most tropical of the Caribbean islands. Everywhere you go, you will be surrounded by lush vegetation and stunning scenery.

With tall peaks to climb, waterfalls to swim in, and snorkelling spots teeming with marine life, lovers of the outdoors wont want to leave.

Ethiopia

Ethiopia is home to very unique sights, both cultural and natural. These range from historical monuments to endemic wildlife such as the Ethiopian wolf, the Walia Ibex, and the famous Gelada Baboons.

Dont miss the opportunity to marvel at the astonishing colours of the Danakil Depression, or be blown away by the spectacular views from the Simien Mountains, nicknamed the roof of Africa.

Samoa

Is a relaxing beach holiday calling your name? The idyllic island of Samoa is waiting for you! Nestled in the heart of the South Pacific Ocean, a trip to Samoa promises white sandy beaches and crystal clear waters.

Samoans are known for being extremely friendly and laid back, so you can find out all about the local Polynesian culture while you enjoy the warm hospitality on the island.

We hope that this visa information makes planning your next international trip easier. Whether you visit Barbados, Cape Verde, Kenya, or any other country, have an excellent time!
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A health expert, Adesegun Fatusi, has said Nigeria must invest adequately in adolescent health towards achieving sustainable development.

Mr Fatusi, who is the national president of the Society for Adolescent and Young Peoples Health in Nigeria (SAYPHIN), said Nigeria and, indeed, Africa, has the fastest rate of growth of adolescents in the world.

He spoke on Wednesday at a briefing as part of activities to mark the 1st African and 2nd Nigeria conference on adolescent health and development scheduled to hold on August 19.

He said: Unfortunately, Africa contributes the highest proportion of deaths among young people globally. Approximately 5,000 young people die every day and that is almost 1.5 million people across the world every year and they die likely from preventable causes.

Unfortunately the response to adolescents health is weakest in Africa and the responses have not been optimised. And we do know that without optimising our investment in the life of young people, there is no way we can grow our economy.

There is no way we can ensure sustainable development for the future without investing in this aspect of health.

Statistics

According to the United Nations Children Funds (UNICEF), about 1.2 billion people in the world are adolescents and about 1.2 million adolescents die each year mostly from preventable causes.

The international agency said many adolescents lack access to the essential information, quality services, and protective environments they need to stay healthy and well.

It also said an estimated 23 million adolescent girls become pregnant every year. This in turn leads to maternal mortality, majorly linked to child marriage as a leading cause of deaths for girls aged 15-19.

Existing policies

A representative of the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), Chris Ugboko, said the ministry has a national strategic health development plan.

This plan has five pillars which includes 15 priority areas, and the fourth priority area is where adolescent health issues belong.

One of the responsibilities under that priority area is for the development of frameworks which will be used to look at the development and sexual health of adolescents, he said.

Mr Ugboko said the federal government carried out a national assessment of the needs of adolescents across the country, and that the information retrieved guided the development of the nations adolescent health policy.

Since then we have tried to make this policy count and we are making sure its implemented, he added.

He also said collaborations are ongoing between partners and the local governments where cases of adolescent health are mostly found.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has been asked to provide the information on the turnover of MTN, GLO, Airtel, 9 mobile and other service providers to determine the actual levy they are supposed to pay to the Nigerian government.

The House of Representatives Committee on Finance issued the directive on Thursday at the interactive session on the 2022-2024 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF).

The lawmaker flagged the projected revenue from the operating levy submitted by the commission.

The NCC had proposed N82 billion as the operation levy for the year 2022.

However, at the hearing, Sada Soli (APC, Katsina), questioned the representative of NCC, Yakubu Gontor, on the Solution Assurance System.

The lawmaker said the operators only declare what they want to the NCC as their turnover.

Mr Gontor is one of the officials reported by PREMIUM TIMES to be enmeshed in the N122 million fraud.

According to Mr Soli, NCC can generate over N2trillion if it deploys the system.

He explained to the committee that the operators have been shortchanging the country by declaring whatever they wish as their revenue.

Section 3 of the NCC annual operating levy regulations provides that every licensee that is a network operator shall pay to the Commission an annual operating levy assessed at two and a half percentage of licensees net revenue for the relevant period being his gross revenue less its roaming, interconnect and bandwidth cost for the period.

The point is that they are not part of the assessment, they (telecom operators) will just declare a figure and determine what they want to pay and NCC ignorantly takes it.

If they deploy this system, they can generate up to N2 trillion. They know. Because there is so much vested interest in this revenue assurance solution and people are attacking it and the government is not in getting this thing done, otherwise, we can generate up to N2 trillion on this. I can prove this if given the opportunity to do that. Mr Soli said.

Responding to Mr Soli, the NCC rep said the system has not been procured yet, adding That is what we are trying to achieve with the revenue assurance system so that we can also have an independent record of all their revenues. So that by the time they send in their self-assessment and bring in their audited account, we already have all the records of their revenue also.

You know we said we want to use the revenue assurance system to collect data but right now the system is yet to be deployed. The basis of assessment now is the figure they have in their audited account.

We work based on trends that we observe, which is dependent on the average revenue per user that the operators declare, and we also use their subscriber base. We use those parameters to project into the coming years, to be able to come up with a reasonable amount as the annual operating levy that is due. It is a thorough analysis that we do.

The Chairman of the committee, James Faleke (APC, Lagos), while reacting, asked Mr Gontor to provide the committee with the data on subscribers of the major operators.

In his response, Mr Gontor said, MTN has about 52million subscribers, Glo is about 20 something million subscribers, I dont have the exact figure. Etisalat is about 9million, after they had their issues, their subscriber base dropped. Airtel is about 25million subscribers,

Mr Faleke further said that, So in all, we have about 100 million subscribers who in a day must make a call once, at an average of N3. Do you have an idea of the turnover of MTN last year? Do you also have what was paid as tax, of what NCC made from MTN?

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Following the inability of the NCC official to provide the details required, Mr Faleke said, You have to give us a comprehensive list of the turnover of all the operators, the amount paid or realised by NCC in each of these operators for three and half years.

You are to give us comprehensive data, so that we can look at it and agree on your proposal, to see if it is realistic or is good for Nigeria.
As the ongoing strike by a section of Nigerian doctors under the umbrella of National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) entered its third week on Monday, senior medical officials including consultants, and others who are engaged on temporary basis by some of the affected tertiary hospitals, are lamenting heavy workload.

This is as a few patients with critical conditions who are being attended to by these hospitals are complaining of slow pace work at the facilities, among other challenges they claim they now encounter as a result of the strike.

Meanwhile, all efforts to resolve the disagreement with the striking resident doctors may have finally collapsed as the Nigerian government has approached the National Industrial Court (NIC) to seek an order to declare the strike illegal and enforce the no work, no pay rule.

Officials recount ordeal

Joseph Eziechila is the head of clinical services and second in command to the chief medical director (CMD) at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jabi in Abuja. But on Tuesday when our reporter visited the hospital, Mr Eziechila, an ophthalmic surgeon, dropped his titles as he battled to attend to patients in his office.

Apart from four patients who already gained access to Mr Eziechilas office, many others were by his door awaiting their turn to be invited in.

This is as the doctor also struggled to attend to some of his statutory administrative responsibilities.

Mr Eziechila said the hospital decided to reduce the number of cases being attended to at the facility since the industrial action commenced, and that some doctors were engaged on a temporary basis to relieve the few doctors available at work. But all these strategies havent changed things.

He said: I am the number two man in this hospital but I am now combining clinical services with administrative work.

About four doctors broke down last weekend due to stress. Yesterday, the head of the internal medicine unit said even the locum doctors in his team are breaking down. He said they are planning to further downsize treatment and stop receiving new patients.

He said the situation was worsened by the difficulty in attracting more locum doctors to the hospital, saying those available demand higher pay.

He said: Before now, whenever there was a strike like this, I would make a few phone calls and get as many locum doctors as I wanted. But this time, the situation is different. I started calling doctors as soon as the notice was issued but only very few of them showed up despite our promise to pay them more than N200,000.

Hospitals are increasingly becoming ghost places. Some of these doctors see this as an opportunity to write their exams and leave the country because there is high demand for medical professionals overseas due to COVID-19. Countries like the U.K., U.S, Australia and Saudi Arabia are in high demand for doctors. So its funny when the labour minister threatened to sack the striking resident doctors. Who would replace them?

Mr Ezichiela said at least five senior doctors in the hospital have left the country within the last three months.

Like Ezichiela like others

Though resident doctors at the Osun State University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, formerly Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, did not join the national strike, doctors at the hospital are lamenting the increasing number of patients being referred to them.

Bello Olalekan, a family medicine expert and senior resident doctor at the hospital, told this newspaper that since the industrial action commenced, most patients at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital (OAUTH) in Ile-Ife, have been trooping to Osogbo.

Since OAUTH joined the strike, we have been at the receiving end here. There are no spaces for new admission and patients are not taking excuses, he said.

Meanwhile, at the general outpatient department of the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos, PREMIUM TIMES reporter was told that the only consultant on duty usually attends to 10 patients every day since the strike started.

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And most times, even the numbers would have been shared by workers before the patients arrived. So it is as good as not attending to anyone, an attendant at the hospital, who does not want to be named, said.

The situation is the same at the Federal Medical Centre, Ebute Metta, Lagos, where not more than 30 new patients are said to receive medical attention on a daily basis.

We no longer take new patients at the emergency unit except the condition is critically bad, a source at the hospitals emergency unit who does not want to be quoted, told PREMIUM TIMES.

Patients lament

At the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, a young man, who identified himself simply as Buna, expressed regret that his mother who had earlier been scheduled for surgery on August 19 would no longer be attended to.

Mr Buna told PREMIUM TIMES reporter at the hospital that his mother was diagnosed of paget disease of the breast, a rare condition associated with breast cancer, and that they had hoped the surgery would be carried out as planned.

He said many tests were carried out before the diagnosis was confirmed, and that the postponement of the surgery would mean another round of tests to further ascertain the degree of damage whenever a new date would be given.

We were referred to UCH or Enugu but we opted for UCH because of its proximity to Lagos. But here we are now stranded. Now we need to take my mum back home and only hope they call off the strike as soon as possible, Mr Buna said.

As of the time when our reporter visited the hospital, it was unusually calm with almost all the waiting areas empty without both healthcare officials and patients.

At the FMC, Jabi, in Abuja, a 27-year-old mother, Mercy Aigbe, who had visited the hospital with her baby, Ela, said she was tired of waiting for her turn.

She said Ela needed medical attention for her prolonged cough but I am tired of waiting here.

She told our reporter that she already called her husband to consider the option of visiting a private hospital.

Background

The ongoing industrial action by the resident doctors, who constitute the largest number of physicians across Nigerias tertiary hospitals, has continued to take its toll on the countrys already overstretched healthcare facilities.

The doctors grievances are contained in a Memorandum of Action (MOA), endorsed in April by both the striking doctors and the government representatives, including labour and employment minister, Chris Ngige.

They demanded, amongst others, payment of COVID-19 inducement allowance and medical and life insurance for frontline doctors.

The association also decried the undue hardship its members on GIFMIS platform are facing due to the delays in payment of their salaries ranging from three to seven months.

The NARD has rebuffed all entreaties by the government, and also dared consequences following the threats by the labour minister to implement the no work, no pay rule against them.

The ongoing strike, which entered its third week on Monday, is now the longest nationwide strike to be called by healthcare workers in the country since the outbreak of the coronavirus disease in 2020.

The labour ministry, however, during the week approached the National Industrial Court to procure a judgement declaring the doctors strike illegal, and compel them to return to their duty posts.

But when the matter came up in Abuja, the government was not represented by its counsels. The matter was adjourned to September 15 by the presiding judge.

Asked why the labour ministry had no representation at the hearing, Charles Akpan, its spokesperson, said he was not aware of the matter in court.

Mr Akpan also said since the case was adjourned, the minister was yet to give information on the matter.

Meanwhile, an official of the federal ministry of health, who did not want to be mentioned, said the ministry was tirelessly working to ensure the issues are resolved as soon as possible.

NARD unfaced by legal option

Meanwhile, the striking doctors have said they would not be intimidated into submission, saying both the threats of no work, no pay rule and the legal option by the government could not force them back to work until implementation of their demands.

The President of the NARD, Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi, said the striking doctors worry about their patients but that the government has left them with no other option.

He said: An unpaid doctor is an angry doctor and an angry doctor is a dangerous one.
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The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has recorded 1,149 new cases of coronavirus (COVID-19), the highest number of infections in any single day since last February.

With the latest figure, the total number of infections in Nigeria now stands at 184,593.

The NCDC, which disclosed this on its official website handle on Thursday morning said the 1,149 include the 393 reported from Lagos on Tuesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the new infections was an increase from the 357 cases reported on Tuesday.

According to the NCDC, the surge is driven by the highly transmissible Delta variant and the low vaccination rate in the country.

It said that the number of known active cases in Nigeria stood at 14,619, an increase from the 13,756 cases reported on Tuesday.

The public health agency did not state the percentage of the Delta variant in the active cases in the country.

The NCDC stated that seven patients succumbed to the disease on Wednesday and this raised the countrys total fatalities to 2,236.

Specifics

It said the 1,149 new cases were reported from 15 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

According to the NCDC, Lagos reported the highest number of infections with 680 cases, followed by Rivers with 157 and Akwa Ibom with 94.

Oyo State reported 56; Edo 36; FCT 34; Ogun 31; Ekiti 20 and Delta 16.

Abia, Nasarawa and Osun five each; Cross River, four; Plateau three; Sokoto two and Kano one.

The NCDC stated that Nigeria had now successfully treated 167,738 COVID-19 cases in the aftermath of the discharge of 279 Wednesday.

It added that about 2,648,684 samples have been tested for COVID-19 in Nigeria, a country with a population in excess of 200 million people.

As the world struggles to combat variants of COVID-19, the NCDC said it would leave no stone unturned in its efforts to see an end to the pandemic in Nigeria.

The centre appealed to Nigerians to be cautious as they engage in their daily activities, noting that the virus is not a respect a anyone.

NCDC urged Nigerians to take the vaccines, noting that it was still the safest way to curtail infection. (NAN)
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Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Thursday hosted the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus, in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

Mr Secondus arrived at the penthouse of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta accompanied by other leaders of the party at some minutes past 12 p.m.

They immediately went into a private meeting with Mr Obasanjo. The former president is no longer a member of the PDP, having exited the party in 2015.

The visit is coming when some leaders of the party are calling for Mr Secondus removal.

Last week, there were protests at the National Secretariat of the PDP in Abuja, as party members asked Mr Secondus to resign. But the party chairman has, however, said he would not step down.

More details later
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Armed bandits, Tuesday evening, abducted nine students of an Islamiyya school in Sakkai village in Faskari LGA, Katsina State, the police have said.

PREMIUM TIMES spoke to two residents of Faskari, who confirmed the abduction, but said the bandits also kidnapped one of the schools teachers.

The police spokesperson in the state, Gambo Isa, said the children were returning from an evening lesson when they were kidnapped.

Sakkai is a remote village off the road linking Faskari to Yankara, which makes it vulnerable to bandit attacks.

Faskari is one of the 10 frontline local government areas in the state prone to kidnapping and cattle rustling.

People saw the bandits going to Sakkai village where they abducted nine male students from the school. The students are aged between 12 and 19. No teacher was kidnapped, Mr Gambo said.

The students were on their way home from school. They were not abducted in the school. The students met the hoodlums coming into the village to perpetrate their crime, and the hoodlums took the opportunity to grab the students and they took them away on their motorbikes.

A local source, Sani Ayuba, said the bandits were seen leaving some villages near Faskari before the students were declared missing.

Today (Wednesday night), my friend from the village who lives in Faskari town told me that the abductors have not made any demand for ransom. But we feel that they would call the family, Mr Ayuba said.

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An anonymous source said bandits in the camp of the late notorious bandit, Dogo Nabajallah, were suspected of the crime.

Since his death, his boys have intensified their attacks in local communities, possibly to avert being taken for granted by other camps and people of the communities. We are waiting for them to make their demands.

Mr Nabajallah was killed by members of a rival gang in July.

Bandits have been very active in their activities in Katsina State, recording many abductions in the state in the past week.

Apparently frustrated by the rampancy of cases and helplessness of the security agencies, Governor Aminu Masari, on Tuesday, urged citizens to procure arms to defend themselves against the bandits.
The National Industrial Court in Abuja on Thursday rejected a request to order Nigerian resident doctors to suspend their 18-day-old nationwide strike.

The judge, John Targema, in rejecting the ex parte application by a non-governmental organisation, Rights for All International, said he would not issue such an order behind the back of the doctors and other parties sued in the suit.

The judge said issuing a restraining order against the doctors to stop the strike without hearing them would be in breach of their right to fair hearing.

A similar application earlier filed on Wednesday by the federal government along with the ministry of health, was also mentioned in court on Thursday but could not be heard due to non-compliance with procedures.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the strike embarked upon by the doctors on August 2 is already taking its toll on many Nigerians access to healthcare.

The striking members of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), believed to constitute the largest number of physicians across Nigerias tertiary hospitals, are demanding among others, payment of COVID-19 inducement allowance and medical and life insurance for frontline doctors.

Hearing

Rights For All International, an NGO that prides itself as a defender of human rights, had filed its ex parte application on August 16, urging the court to restrain the members of NARD from continuing their strike and order them to return to work.

Being an ex parte motion meant to be deployed in only cases considered urgent, the NGOs application was heard in the absence of the NARD and other defendants on Thursday.

Mr Targema heard just the applicants lawyer, Nnamdi Okere, who painted a picture of an extreme health emergency requiring the doctors to be urgently ordered back to work.

The lawyer cited the recent outbreak of cholera and the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic which has resulted in the death of over 3000 Nigerians.

The strike action amounts to an act calculated to obstruct the smooth running of essential service and therefore callous, ill-conceived, wicked, illegal, unconstitubonal, null and void, Mr Okere wrote in his application.

Mr Okeke accused the resident doctors, classified as essential services workers, of failing to explore available legal remedies before downing tools on August 2.

According to him, the strike has now paralysed the entre health sector across Nigeria, amounting to a denial of Nigerians an access to healthcare, and detrimental to their right under section 33 of the Nigerian constitution.

The courts order is needed to halt the strike to prevent further loss of lives of innocent citizens, he said.

If the resident doctors were not ordered to resume duties, Mr Okere said innocent Nigerians will continue to suffer most irreparable losses.

Ruling

But ruling after taking a short break to take a decision, the judge said he would not grant the application, but rather invite the doctors umbrella body, NARD, and other parties sued as defendants in the suit to come forward to state their side of the case.

Mr Targema said granting the NGOs application without hearing the defendants would amount to a breach of their constitutional right to fair hearing.

The affected parties ought to be put on notice, he said, adding that issuing a restraining order in their absence as requested by the applicant would be in breach of section 31 of the 1999 Constitution.

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The judge therefore ordered that the application and the substantive suit along with other documents filed by the applicant be served on the respondents.

He directed that a proof of service on all the parties must be placed in the courts file.

Mr Targema, who heard the application as a vacation judge, said the next judge taking turns to sit, would fix a date for hearing.

The defendants sued by the applicants include relevant government ministries and ministers who would not be opposed to its suit challenging the legality of the suit.

Those sued as the main targets of the suit are the National Association of Residence Doctors (NARD), its chairman, Uyilawa Okhuaihesuya, and the Nigerian Medical and Dental Association (NMDA).

The rest of the defendants are the Minister of Health, the Federal Ministry of Health, the Minister of Labour and Productivity, and the Attorney General of the Federation.

Governments case stalled

Meanwhile, similar ex parte application jointly filed by the federal ministry of health and the federal government on August 18 could not be heard on Thursday.

The governments lawyer, D. E Kaswe, drew Mr Targemas attention to the application, but the judge said it had yet to be officially assigned to him by the courts president to be heard during the judges ongoing vacation.

NARD is the sole defendant sued by the government in the suit.

The government argues in the case that members of the association embarked on this strike without proper notice as provided by the extant law.

It also said the association being of essential services providers are prohibited by law from embarking on strike.

The continued and sustained industrial action by the defendant/respondent is contrary to public policy and equally endangers the lives of the citizenry, it added.

As of the time of filing this report on Thursday, no date had been fixed for the hearing of the governments application.

Departure

The Thursdays ruling rejecting request to order the suspension of the resident doctors strike is a departure from what has come to be the National Industrial Court (NIC)s predictable disposition towards stopping workers strike.

Always certain of victory, the federal government and some sympathetic NGOs often rush to court to obtain ex parte orders to stop workers from embarking on strike.

Once they obtain the order, the applicants often lose interest in pursuing the main case.

In the last few years, there had hardly been any planned or ongoing industrial action by workers in the health sector or by the larger organised labour without the courts order issued against it.

Last year alone, the court issued an order against NARDs strike and two separate restraining orders in an episode of industrial action being planned by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).

Barely eight days into a strike embarked upon by NARD last year, a judge of the court, Ibrahim Galadima, on September 16, issued an ex parte order directing the resident doctors to end the industrial action.

Mr Galadima had issued the order at the instance of two barely known NGOs, Citizens Advocacy for Social and Economic Rights, and Association of Women in Trade and Agriculture.

About eight days after, on September 24, 2020, the same judge granted an ex parte application filed by a group, Peace and Unity Ambassadors Association, stopping the NLC and te TUC from embarking on a planned strike.

The strike billed to start on September 28 was called to press for the reversal of the hike in electricity tariff and petrol pump price.

The day after granting the NGOs request, the same judge, Mr Galadima, on September 25, granted a similar application filed by the federal government to stop the same strike.

On November 2, 2018, Sanusi Kado of the NIC in Abuja, ordered the organised labour, comprising the NLC and the TUC, not to embark on a planned November 6 strike which was declared to press for the implementation of then new minimum wage.

This followed an ex parte application filed by the federal government through the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation.

Earlier on May 17, 2018, then President of the NIC, Babatunde Adejumo, issued an ex parte ordering health workers under the umbrella of the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) to suspend their one-month-old strike which had started on April 17.

The judge issued the order following an ex parte application by a group, Kingdom Human Rights Foundation International (KHRFI).

Exactly two years earlier, on May 17, 2016, Mr Adejumo, who retired as the president of the NIC last year, issued an order at the instance of the federal government to stop the organised labour from embarking on a strike against a hike in fuel price.

Although, it may be argued that many of the court orders failed to stop the strike actions they were targeted against, they add to the strength of the government when at the negotiation table with the aggrieved workers.
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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has granted bail to a former governor of Abia State, Theodore Orji, earlier arrested by operatives of the anti-corruption agency on Thursday.

Mr Orji was granted an administrative bail after facing hours of interrogation at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja at about 9 p.m. on Thursday, sources familiar with the case told our reporter.

He was, however, asked to return to the EFCC office for further interrogation on Friday.

PREMIUM TIMES had reported that the ex-governor, who had for long been on the commissions watchlist, was intercepted at the Nnamdi International Airport, Abuja at about 10 a.m., and driven to the headquarters of the EFCC in Abuja.

He was quizzed alongside his son, Chinedu, the current speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, who turned himself in this afternoon upon learning of the arrest of his father.

PREMIUM TIMES could not ascertain if Chinedu was granted an administrative bail like his father on Thursday.

Mr Orji, a current senator, and his sons, Chinedu and Ogbonna, have for months been under EFCC investigation for alleged misappropriation of public funds and money laundering.

The ex-governor is alleged to have received N500 million monthly as security vote for eight years as governor of Abia between 2007 and 2015.

Other allegations against him include an alleged mismanagement of N2 billion Ecological Fund and mismanagement of Sure-P Funds.

EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed the detention of the former governor and his speaker son. He, however, declined further comments on the issue.

The EFCC had in February 2020 interrogated Mr Orji and his son over allegations that they diverted N521 billion public funds.

The investigation followed a petition dated March 17, 2017, filed by a group, Fight Corruption: Save Nigeria Group.

The petitioners had accused Mr Orji of diverting N383 billion revenue from the Federation Account, N55 billion Excess Crude revenue, N2.3 billion Sure-P revenue, N1.8 billion ecological funds, N10.5 billion loan, N12 billion Paris Club refund, N2 billion agricultural loan, and N55 billion ASOPADEC money while in office.

According to the petition, the N500 million the former governor allegedly withdrew monthly was not part of the security funds expended on the Nigerian Police, the Nigerian Army, DSS, Navy anti-Kidnapping Squad, anti-robbery Squad, purchase of security equipment and vehicles for the security agencies.

The petitioners also accused Mr Orjis son, Chinedu, of owning about 100 accounts in different banks.

They alleged that the accounts, which run both as corporate and individual, received so much deposit in cash without evidence of job or services rendered.
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The family of the late human rights lawyer, Gani Fawehinmi, has disclosed that Mohammed, the eldest son of the legal icon, died from COVID-19 related complications.

The late Mohammed died on August 11, after a brief illness.

He was 52.

Saheed Fawehinmi, the second child of the family, made this known while addressing journalists at their residence in Lagos.

As stated during the previous press conference, the family could not immediately disclose the cause of our brothers death because we wanted the information to be based on factual medical details especially as may be contained in the death certificate, he said.

Today, however, we are in a position to inform you that our dear brother died from COVID-19 related complications.

He said his late brother had an underlying ailment. He was on a wheelchair for 19 years, being immobile on a wheelchair led to weight gain, he said.

Mr Fawehinmi implored Nigerians to adhere to the COVID-19 protocols and take the vaccines while stating that his brother may have survived if he had taken the jab.

He said Mr Mohammed would be buried on August 27 at the late Gani Fawehinmis compound in Ondo State a brief funeral service.

He said the service of songs and the night of tributes for their late brother would hold on Wednesday at the Archbishop Vining Cathedral in Ikeja from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The two events will be divided into two halves. The night of tributes will enable friends, associates, partners, comrades, human rights activists, pro-democracy, trade union and socialist groups to pay their tribute, he said.

We welcome those who will like to identify with us during these ceremonies but in view of the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic we would ideally appreciate if the crowd is limited.

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The family urged the government to enlighten the public of the disease so that many more Nigerians, especially those whose immune system could easily be compromised because of underlying illnesses, can take the safety measures.

They also called on the government across all levels to invest more in the healthcare system and put an end to the ongoing strike by members of the National Association of Resident Doctors.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said recent statistics have revealed that 40 per cent of Nigerian youth between 18 and 35 years are deeply involved in the abuse of drugs.

Atinuke Aduloju, the chief superintendent of narcotics, NDLEA, made the disclosure during the 7th Annual Constituency Stakeholders Meeting held at the Ojo Constituency 1, Lagos on Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of this years meeting is: Increasing Wave of Drug Abuse, A Threat to Nation Building.

Mrs Aduloju said the statistic was worrisome and showed that the problem had reached an epidemic level in the country.

She added that the rate at which youths were becoming addicted to illicit drugs had reached an alarming state.

What will the country be like if 40 per cent of our underage youths are already into drug abuse and drug trafficking.

The prevalence of drug abuse in Nigeria and the negative impact on public health and safety necessitate that all hands must be on deck to curtail the challenge in our country.

There is no better time than now for all relevant stakeholders to rise up and join the crusade the NDLEA is leading to make our country a better and safer nation, especially for the youths who are the leaders of tomorrow, she added.

The official said the agency was presently undertaking sensitisation on drug abuse and its consequences in tertiary institutions.

Mr Aduloju, who did not disclose the source of her figures, said the agency had embarked on medical evaluation, counseling, and rehabilitation of youths that abuse drugs.

According to her, the agency has also started research programmes to monitor and proffer solutions on the trend of abuse among adolescents, arrest and prosecute drug offenders.

She said schools, communities, voluntary organisations, and religious bodies should also embark on drug abuse treatment and prevention.

A medical practitioner, Nseabasi Ekanem, blamed poor parenting for the increasing wave of drug abuse in the country.

Mr Ekanem said the rate at which youths were becoming addicted to illicit drugs had reached an alarming rate, adding that it could only be addressed if parents pay more attention to their children.

He said drug abuse was not beneficial in any way, but rather cause severe damage to the body system.

The member representing Ojo 1, in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Victor Akande, said the focus of the event was to sensitise parents, teachers, and religious leaders on the disturbing trend of drug abuse in the state.

Mr Akande, who is also the chairman, committee on judiciary, public petition, and LASIEC, said the Lagos Assembly had passed various resolutions on the need to curb the sale and consumption of hazardous drugs and substances.

The lawmaker noted that the youths as future leaders must show concern to their welfare.

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The long-awaited trial for the murder of Thomas Sankara  assassinated in a coup detat which brought exiled former president Blaise Compaore to power  has been set for 11 October, military prosecutors have announced.

Compaore and 13 others have been charged by a military tribunal over the death of Sankara  a charismatic revolutionary figure whom some referred to as the African Che Guevara.

Tuesdays announcement came in a statement from prosecutors at the military tribunal in capital Ouagadougou.

The proceedings, which will be held in public, will begin at 9:00 am local time.

It has taken 34 years for the case to finally come to court. Guy Herve Kam, one of the lawyers representing families of victims, told RFI it was a victory and a time for truth for the families.

Its been a long wait to establish in a clear, precise and public way, who was individually or collectively responsible for the events which led to the tragedy on 15 October 1987, he said.

The accused

The case file finally arrived on the desk of the citys military prosecutors in April.

Sankara case was referred to Burkina Faso court 33 years after his assassination.

Compaore and 12 others face charges of harming state security, complicity in murder and complicity in the concealment of corpses.

Among those accused alongside Compaore is General Gilbert Diendere, Compaores former right-hand man and a former head of the elite Presidential Security Regiment (RSP) at the time of the coup.

Diendere is already serving a 20-year sentence in Burkina Faso for masterminding a plot in 2015 against the West African countrys transitional government.

He is believed to have headed the unit that killed Sankara.

Burkina Faso army chief testifies and denies leading coup attempt

Several members of the presidential guard at that time will also join them in the dock.

But 34 years after the events in question some of those originally accused have already died, according to lawyers for the plaintiffs in the case.

Sankara took power in a coup in 1983, but was killed on October 15, 1987, when he was 37, in a putsch led by Compaore.

Compaore was himself ousted in 2014 by a popular uprising after 27 years in power.

He has always denied ordering Sankaras murder. But even mentioning Sankaras name was taboo in Burkina Faso under his rule.

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However, the case was reopened in 2015 with the installation of a transitional government and in March 2016 a warrant was issued for Compaores arrest.

Now 70, Compaore currently lives in Cote dIvoire, where he fled after being ousted and where he has since taken citizenship.

Unless he chooses to present himself for trial, he will be judged in absentia.

RFI is a Premium Times syndication partner. We have its permission to republish content.

(with AFP)
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, says Nigeria is not a failed state and cannot go the way of Afghanistan where the Taliban has taken the rein of power.

The minister stated this in Washington DC during his engagements with international media organisations including the BBC Radio and Television, Bloomberg and Politico.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the minister is in the U.S. to meet with international media organisations and think tanks on the achievements of President Muhammadu Buharis administration and efforts made so far in tackling insurgency, banditry and all form of criminality.

Speaking with NAN after his respective meeting with the three media organisations, Mr Mohammed said insinuation in certain quarter that the security situation in Nigeria could degenerate to that of Afghanistan was not correct.

He emphasised that Nigeria is winning the war against terror and the country cannot go the way of Afghanistan where Taliban, a terrorist group took over power.

Nigeria is not and will not be a failed state. Yes, we have challenges in some corners of the country but that has not made Nigeria a failed state.

A failed state is one where basic facilities are not available and everything has broken down but, Nigeria is not in that stage, he said.

Mr Mohammed said Nigeria is not at war adding that fake news and disinformation was being used to portray the country in precarious situation.

The minister noted that the development in Afghanistan had proven right the position of President Buhari that when fighting an unconventional war, the country had to be resourceful

If what happened in Afghanistan is something to go by, then the federal government should be given kudos for the way it has handled insurgency in the last couple of years.

The lessons from Afghanistan today is that for over 20 years of American intervention and over a trillion dollar spent and thousands of American lives lost, it took the Taliban just few weeks to recapture Afghanistan.

This should be a lesson for everybody that when you are fighting an insurgency or movement driven by ideology, it is always difficult to overcome and you must be resourceful, deploying both kinetic and non-kinetic approach.

When people were saying we should invite mercenaries, the president was focused and maintained that our military have what it takes.

The president should be given kudos for believing in our military and deploying both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches, he said.

He said while a lot of efforts had been put on kinetic approach, the Nigerian military also engaged in non-kinetic approach, building hospitals, reviving schools, teaching in some of the schools and delivering medical cares to the people in affected areas.

According to the minister, the non-kinetic approach to fighting insurgency in the North-east, had led to droves of insurgents coming out to surrender arms and pledge their loyalty to the government.

He noted that with the recent development of many Boko Haram coming out voluntarily to surrender their arms, the country is winning the war against insurgency.

Speaking on banditry, the minister said bandits were now suffering more casualties than ever before.

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He assured that the delivery of the Super Tucano military platforms by U.S. to the military would will be a game changer in the fight against banditry.

(NAN)
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President Muhammadu Buhari is currently presiding over a crucial security meeting with all the nations security chiefs and relevant cabinet ministers in attendance.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that the meeting was summoned to critically analyse the prevailing challenges of security bedevilling the country with a view to charting the best way forward.

NAN reports that the nations security forces had, in the recent times, taken the battle more robustly to insurgents, bandits and all other criminals troubling the country.

NAN learnt that the meeting is expected to discuss successes being achieved in the renewed onslaught against terrorism, insurgency as well as the deadly activities of bandits across the country.

The presidents spokesperson, Femi Adesina, in a statement on Tuesday, said: The President will be brought up to speed on developments at the Thursday meeting, while plans to bring a decisive end to the challenges will be formulated.

NAN reports that the meeting may also look into the security implications of the reported mass surrender of Boko Haram insurgents and members of their families in the North-east.

The governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum, as well as other top security officials were recently quoted as saying: Insurgents are now surrendering in droves.

In attendance at Thursdays meeting were Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, Chief of Staff to the President, Secretary to Government of the Federation, Ministers of Defence, Justice, Interior, Police and Foreign Affairs as well as the National Security Adviser.

Others were the service chiefs led by the Chief of Defence Staff, Inspector General of Police, Directors General, Department of State Services and The National Intelligence Agency, Chief of Defence Intelligence and other relevant stakeholders.

(NAN)
The House of Representatives Committee on Finance has asked the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA) to reconcile its account with the Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC) which has a liability of N255 billion.

The NPA, according to the FRC, failed to submit its audited accounts for 2019 and 2020 and that the available account has a gross liability of N255 billion.

At the interactive session on the 2022-2024 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) on Thursday in Abuja, the Committee ruled that the NPA should reconcile its accounts with FRC within two weeks.

The NPA, according to the FRC, failed to submit its audited accounts for 2019 and 2020. And the available account has a gross liability of N255billion.

Head of Monitoring of the FRC, Bello Gulmare, told the Committee that the NPA had not been keeping to date with the submission of its audited accounts.

The NPA has only submitted up to 2018 audited financial statement. We are yet to receive 2019 and 2020. Their liability is N255billion. Their general liability is N235billion. In our record, we have remittances of N179.6 billion, that gives rise to a net operating surplus of N255 billion.

Emeka Ezengwu, who represented NPA, explained that the FRC had an outdated account, hence the N255billion liability.

2019 has already been approved by the board, 2020 is ongoing. FRC has not done any reconciliation with the NPA for the past four years.

The figure he is brandishing does not align with what we have. We have done reconciliation with Revenue Mobilization and Fiscal Allocation Commission . We are also engaging the Accountant General (of the Federation) office right now and we have a letter from them inviting us for reconciliation, Mr Ezengwu said.

Reacting to the statement, Mr Faleke said the commission is the body statutory empowered by the constitution to monitor remittances.

By law, when it comes to remittances, this office (FRC) is superior to the Accountant General Office. This is a constitutional officeit is not just created by an act of the National Assembly.

It is important that you reconcile with the FRCyou should be eager to reconcile with them. If their report is laid before the National Assembly, and you are found wanting, it has consequences. So, reconcile within two weeks.

We have ruled that we need a comprehensive list of all agreements reached by NPA with its tenants, indicating how much each of those tenants are supposed to be paying on a monthly or annual basis and copies of the agreements be attached.

We need all the account details of the JVC accounts.

Unambitious revenue target

The committee also frowned at the revenue targets given to the NPA.

Saidu Abdullahi, the deputy chairman of the committee, said the NPA should be given more ambitious revenue targets.

Mr Ezengwu had announced that the 2021 target was N301.7 billion.

He noted that as of June 2021 we have attained N163.5 billion. That should be 54% performance. We are on course to meeting the estimate.

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In 2018, we had N284.36billion, followed by N280.3 billion in 2019 and in 2020 we had N303.58 billion, he said.

Mr Abdullahi said with new projects by the government, particularly the Lekki Seaport, the NPA should be able to generate more revenue.

The committee also queried how the NPA arrived at the revenue projections.

I am seeing a situation that if they should go by year in, at the rate at which they are going, we expect a performance of about N320billion.

We are not challenging the NPA in terms of the target, we are giving..it is not too ambitious the target we are giving them putting them at comfort zone wherein we are not able to get the best out of them.

There is a need to seriously look at these projections. Given that you have operational activities and projects that are coming up, I think we will increase the projection, he said.

In his response, Mr Ezengwu said the calculation was based on a statistical analysis of trends in the sector.

We use statistics to analyse the trend and to be able to look at the next three years,  he said.

The second one is the ship, the length of the vessel and the gross registered tonnagewe also look at the indices of the last five years to determine what to expect in the next four years.

For admin, there are mainly based on agreement. About 80 per cent leases are based on agreements. The indices we use for these projections give us those figures.

We are assuring you that the figures you are seeing are actually the best fit we can give in the medium term.

Mr Ezengwu said the NPA was reviewing the concessionary agreements.
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The national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus, said he visited former President Olusegun Obasanjo to discuss the current happenings in the country.

Mr Secondus was inside the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital meeting with the former President behind closed doors.

At the end of the meeting, which lasted over one hour, Mr Obasanjo and his visitors walked into a conference hall inside the penthouse to speak with journalists.

In his speech, Mr Secondus said he came to Mr Obasanjo as an elder statesman to advise the present government.

I am here with the members of my team and as well as the PDP executives in Ogun State to tap from the wealth of Babas knowledge as a statesman, Mr Secondus said.

Its been very difficult lately because Baba is a global personality, resolving issues across the world. In fact, the last place I learnt Baba visited was Afghanistan, despite the situation in that country, he went there and came back alive.

So, my team and I are very grateful and we give glory to God. We have discussed Nigeria. Nigeria first before any other thing. Yes, we belong to a political party, but if we dont have a country, where do we practice the democracy? We need to have a peaceful country where democracy can thrive and at this point we need Chief Obasanjo to come in with solutions.

We are aware of the insecurity, the poor economy, banditry, kidnapping all over the country; and we cant continue to watch without reaching out to the elders so that they can come to gather and advise the present government. That is the duty of a statesman, Mr Secondus explained.

Mr Obasanjo noted that although the situation of Nigeria is bad, it is not irredeemable.

Those who accompanied Mr Secondus to the meeting include the partys national secretary, Ibrahim Tsauri; national treasurer, Aribisala Adewale; state chairman, Sikirulahi Ogundele and his executive members, among others.

Mr Obasanjo, a former leader in the opposition PDP, left the party angrily in 2015 citing irreconcilable differences with party officials including then president, Goodluck Jonathan, whom he had earlier supported.

The ex-president, who led Nigeria between 1999 and 2007 has not joined any political party since then.

Mr Secondus is currently facing stiff opposition from prominent members of his party, who want him out due to the defections of top officials and dissatisfaction with his perceived poor handling of party activities ahead of the 2023 General Elections.

The PDP lost to the ruling All Progressives Congress in 2015.
our leaders are shameless, selfish and hypocritical. As such, the big task ahead is how to make them create a country that works for everyone. The earlier we come together as a people to demand good governance, irrespective of our religious and ethnic differences, the faster we will move towards the goal of national development. No reason is tenable enough to justify the current level of rascality among Nigerias political class.

Not quite long ago, Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, quietly withdrew his son, Abubakar Al-Siddique, from Capital School, Malali. This was after scoring a cheap political point by enrolling him in a public school in 2019. Al-Siddiques enrolment was characterised by both political and media stunts, with photo ops of him and his father dominating the media space at the time. His withdrawal was, however, done hush-hush.

But for the prying eyes of the media, the withdrawal would have gone unnoticed. We know that Kaduna has been in the news for the wrong reasons in recent times. Kidnap cases have been on the rise and the governor has insisted that he will not negotiate with criminals. Unfortunately, he cant stop the bandits from having their way. So, they have launched special attacks on Kaduna schools, carting away students as they wish.

Between January and July this year, 204 Kaduna schools students have been abducted. This is the official figure by the state Commissioner of Police, Umar Muri. Schools attacked include College of Forestry and Mechanisation, Mando Afaka, where thirty-seven students were kidnapped, and Green Field University, along the Kaduna-Abuja Highway, where twenty-three students were abducted. Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic, Zaria, recorded two kidnapping incidents. The first involved three students and the second, two lecturers and seven students.

At the National Centre for Tuberculosis and Leprosy, Saye, Zaria Local Government Area of the State, eight people were kidnapped, before the Bethel Baptist Academy, Maraban Rido incident, where one hundred and thirty-five students were abducted. Knowing that his son could be a victim, the governor cleverly took him away to be homeschooled. Unfortunately, the majority of Kaduna residents dont have such privilege, hence their children have become objects of attacks.

Meanwhile, as bandits are threatening to kill the 15 students of College of Agriculture and Animal Science, Bakura in Zamfara State, abducted a few days back, Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina State is accusing residents of the State of being too soft on bandits. We should recall that over 300 students were kidnapped from a boys science secondary school in the State in December last year. This same Masari has also been photographed with bandits in the past. But, on Tuesday, the governor said the people of the State have emboldened terrorists by being too afraid of them. He advised his people to arm themselves against their killers. This, he said, despite the absence of any law that permits citizens to carry arms for self-defence. Clearly Masari, in abdicating its role and responsibilities as the chief security officer of his State, has turned the tables on the people. While the people ought to be demanding accountability from him, he is invariably blaming them for being unsafe in their own land. Its like blaming someone whose goods are stolen for exposing them to the thief.

I just pity people who still keep supporting Nigerian leaders on the basis of religious and ethnic sentiments. These leaders are destroying this country, while taking care of themselves and their families in saner countries, whose leaders understand the true meaning of leadership. They send their children to the best schools abroad; their families enjoy the best medical care the world can offer. The other time that our Presidents son was involved in a fatal accident, he was flown to Germany and Nigeria bore the full cost of a first class medical attention given to him. Meanwhile, Nigeria is rated as the world capital for the deaths of children under the age of five. Many of these children are born by the poor; the people these politicians deceive with religion and other ethnic jargons.

Lets get this clear: Religion and ethnicity have nothing to do with development. Those who have visited Islamic countries governed by progressive leaders can attest to the fact that there is hardly any difference between them and the Western world in terms of development. Technologies are adopted and adapted for the comfort and benefit of their people, without questioning the religious backgrounds of the innovators.

Today, Dubai is ruled by 71-year-old Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. This billionaire king is renowned for overseeing the transformation of Dubai into a top business and tourism destination.

Despite being an Islamic state under an autocratic regime, Dubai has continued to attract people of other faiths, cultures and beliefs. Nobody is afraid of visiting Dubai. As a matter of fact, people come from all over the world to spend their vacation in a desert. Sheikh Mohammed himself studied English at a language school in Cambridge, before being trained at the British Armys Mons Officer Cadet School in Aldershot, Hampshire.

How come the only thing that our own leaders do with religion is to impoverish their people? How can anyone explain the ease at which Nigerian leaders live in absolute splendour with their family members, while the people they govern live in squalor and abject poverty? Yet they are always eager to play their religious and ethnic cards at every electoral season. Now, they have started campaigning for the rehabilitation of repentant Boko Haram members.

Dubai boasts of having the worlds tallest building, the Burj Khalifa. That feat couldnt have been achieved without making use of the best of technologies in the world. Other edifices like the Dubai Mall, Dubai Metro, technology park, the Palm Island, etc. are all world-class structures.

How come the only thing that our own leaders do with religion is to impoverish their people? How can anyone explain the ease at which Nigerian leaders live in absolute splendour with their family members, while the people they govern live in squalor and abject poverty? Yet they are always eager to play their religious and ethnic cards at every electoral season. Now, they have started campaigning for the rehabilitation of repentant Boko Haram members. They have been begging bandits to repent and have even reabsorbed some of them into the society, only for those ones to return to their wicked acts.

Perhaps, the people defending bad governance on the basis of religion and ethnicity should be reminded that these criminals are not likely to go near our governors or the President. And should they do, there is more than enough money in Nigerias treasury to pay as ransom for them and their families. Forget about Nigerias indebtedness to the tune of over N33 trillion. These people will pay and still tell us that their release was divine.

Do we remember the testimony of the Niger State Commissioner for Information, Mohammed Idris, recently released by his abductors? He said he didnt pay a dime. To him, his release was as a result of divine intervention. His testimony: As a Muslim, prayer is the best shield against evil. Allah has a way of testing the faith of believers. My abductors regretted their cruel action and I have forgiven them. I urge you to forgive them too.

But the over 136 school pupils kidnapped from Salihu Tanko Islamiyya School in Tegina, Niger State on May 30, are yet to get the same divine intervention. They are still with their abductors 90 days after their kidnap. This is after their parents have paid N50 million in ransom to their abductors.

According to reports, Ali Kachalla, the bandit kingpin holding the pupils has refused to release them, even after collecting the ransom. Rather, he has introduced a fresh demand for six motorcycles. Unfortunately, the distraught parents can no longer raise any more money to meet this fresh demand.

Kachalla has also refused entreaties from Fulani leaders engaged as mediators to secure the release of these children. Interestingly, this Kachalla is not living in the forests. He has his abode among his people. They know him. They know his house. A three-man delegation was even sent to his house to negotiate with him, according to reports. But, he avoided going to his house for many days until the delegation left in frustration. Does it mean that these students and others who have remained with their abductors are not as righteous as the Niger State commissioner, or why havent they also enjoyed divine intervention?

Nigerian doctors have been on strike for weeks now. Expectedly, this hasnt stopped our leaders from travelling abroad to enjoy their world-class medical treatment. President Muhammadu Buhari just returned from the United Kingdom. For the 18 days he was in the Queens land, governance and power relocated with him to the U.K., since he refused to hand over of power to the vice president.

Nigerian doctors have been on strike for weeks now. Expectedly, this hasnt stopped our leaders from travelling abroad to enjoy their world-class medical treatment. President Muhammadu Buhari just returned from the United Kingdom. For the 18 days he was in the Queens land, governance and power relocated with him to the U.K., since he refused to hand over of power to the vice president. Nigerias presidential jet was also stationed in London for his use. Now, our president is back and we should all be happy I guess.

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Yet, this is not how things work in some other countries. I remember a trip to Turkey, where government officials took us round the countrys best hospital. One of the selling points then was that the facility was world-rated and among the very few in the world where, for example, the president of the United States could be treated in the case of an emergency. Turkey is an Islamic country, yet it boasts of world class institutions. I dont want to dwell on the history of Turkey. It is not about any religion. Its all about leaders wanting their countries to compete favourably among the best in the world!

The painful thing is that Nigeria keeps training our medical personnel for the benefit of the developed countries. Over 80 per cent of Nigerian doctors are currently seeking job opportunities abroad, according to Nigeria Health Watch.

I have said this before. The Nigerian government spends at least N3,860,100 to train a medical doctor in its universities. No private university here will do that for less than N10 million. Some charge as high as N3 million per session. Yet, this is far cheaper than what it costs to train doctors in many other parts of the world. For instance, the unit cost of training a doctor in the British National Health Service (NHS) is estimated at between 269,527 and 564,112 for a Foundation Officer 1 and Consultant respectively. No wonder, Britain and quite a number of other countries rush to recruit Nigerias qualified doctors.

A medical doctor in the U.S.A pays an average of $2,398 a month for a 30-year repayment plan (360 payments). In other words, a medical doctor owes taxpayers and government $863,500, paid back in monthly instalments.

Nigeria invests its scarce resources in training doctors, and then they go elsewhere to practise. Government refuses to pay the ones at home. Citizens die needless deaths because doctors are on strike. Does that make sense?

My conclusion is that our leaders are shameless, selfish and hypocritical. As such, the big task ahead is how to make them create a country that works for everyone. The earlier we come together as a people to demand good governance, irrespective of our religious and ethnic differences, the faster we will move towards the goal of national development. No reason is tenable enough to justify the current level of rascality among Nigerias political class.

Olabisi Deji-Folutile is the Editor-in-Chief, franktalknow.com and member, Nigerian Guild of Editors. Email: bisideji@yahoo.co.uk.
Its a lie that Afghans are cowards who wont fight for their country. If the U.S. finds comfort in this lie and the Soviets have conveniently forgotten their own humiliation, choosing instead to mock the U.S. defeat, surely the British  famous for their unwritten laws but yet full of rich tradition  still remember.

In the proverb of journalism, Afghanistan is a convenient shelter, a writers fantasy island from topical issues at home. In the current deluge of news from that country, however, that proverb appears to have lost its meaning.

Theres no need for escape to Afghanistan; the traffic is the other way, while Afghanistans mythical status is being supplanted by lies, damned lies.

One of the big, fat lies, for example, is that Afghans are cowards, too comfortable hiding behind their burkas and poppy fields to fight for their country. Why should anyone die for them?

That was the essence of U.S. President Joe Bidens message to Americans spread all around the world by major U.S. networks. But its a lie, a convenient lie to cover the humiliation of the U.S., after that chaotic and catastrophic pullout, followed by the Talibans retaking of Kabul.

It was always going to be difficult explaining to Americans why after nearly 20 years of U.S. occupation, the Taliban ended up replacing the Taliban, with an orderliness far more exemplary than the transition of power in the last U.S. presidential election.

Are Afghans freeloaders happy to use others as dogs in their own fight?

History tells a different story. The landlocked country roughly the size of Texas, located at Asias crossroads, has been of strategic interest to the world powers in their ideological and proxy wars, not to mention their shameless lust for the countrys mineral resources.

The former Soviet Union has been there. For 10 years (1979 to 1989), the Soviet Union occupied Afghanistan, used it as a buffer post against Western encroachment in the Cold War and ran it with an iron fist. Unbowed, the Afghans toppled the puppet Soviet regime, after three years of a shambolic handover.

Led by the Mujahideen, mostly from the rocky countryside and with support from the West, Afghans fought the Soviets like mad. Over two million Afghan lives or about 11 per cent of its population died in the war. It was a long, brutal war. In spite of the odds and the large casualties, the Afghans neither retreated nor surrendered. They fought to the bitter end.

The war also took a heavy toll on the Soviet Union. By some accounts, at the end of the war, the Soviet Union may have spent over $100 billion in todays money, with an estimated 15,000 soldiers killed, about 35,000 wounded and vital military assets lost.

Of course, the Afghans received plenty of opportunistic help. But a collateral lesson of the Afghan mission is that foreign troops and intelligence are vital in battle, but the war is ultimately won by the people and hardly ever by puppets or mercenaries.

Damned lies about Afghanistan wont help. A Western trope is that the place was always bound to collapse anyway, because its political elite is hopelessly corrupt. That is largely true. But a coin, even a bad one, has two sides.

In the end, however, it was their war and they fought it. Apart from the material losses inflicted on the occupying Soviet forces, they dealt a blow that further weakened the USSR and, according to some writers, hastened the collapse of the Soviet Union shortly after the war ended.

Its a lie that Afghans are cowards who wont fight for their country. If the U.S. finds comfort in this lie and the Soviets have conveniently forgotten their own humiliation, choosing instead to mock the U.S. defeat, surely the British  famous for their unwritten laws but yet full of rich tradition  still remember.

Soviet and British expansionist policy in the 19th and 20th centuries was the major cause of two Anglo-Afghan Wars, both of which left Britain humiliated, disgraced and despondent.

The comment of a British army chaplain in a memoir of the disastrous first Anglo-Afghan war, summarises the point nicely: A war began for no wise purpose, carried on with a strange mixture or rashness and timidity, brought to a close after suffering and disaster, without much glory. Not one benefit, political or military, was acquired with this war.

This does not read like an account of a cowardly country. Or the record from a place where the people depend solely on the benevolence of outsiders to fight their wars.

After defeating the British twice, routing the Soviets and forcing the U.S. in recent days to exhume memes from Vietnam, it is ridiculous to suggest that Afghans are cowards, who prefer to watch others fight their wars.

But I understand. Bidens message about Afghan cowardice was not for the rest of the world: it was for his American audience, who had been led to believe that the ragtag Taliban forces could not return to power in a thousand years.

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After nearly 20 years, about 2,500 U.S. soldiers dead, trillions of dollars in cash, allies in disarray, and a poisoned chalice handed down from the last four presidents, Biden was justified to say: Enough!

To make matters worse, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani ran away without giving his allies a hint. He did not even wait to take copies of his widely celebrated book, Fixing Failed States, when he needed the book most.

He absconded when he should have stayed to repair the broken sovereignty gap he wrote about so glowingly and also to execute the framework for rebuilding his country, never mind rebuilding the world.

But Ghani the man is not Ghani the country. Rather than creating the impression that Ghanis betrayal reflects poorly on the whole country, the U.S. must accept the events of the last few days as its own moment of soul-searching.

The Taliban was not always U.S.s enemy. When America sided with the Mujahideen to supplant the USSR, providing arms, cash and intelligence, little did the U.S. realise they were breeding monsters  and one of the most deadly turned out to be Osama bin Laden, radicalised by the Soviet-Afghan war.

Damned lies about Afghanistan wont help. A Western trope is that the place was always bound to collapse anyway, because its political elite is hopelessly corrupt. That is largely true. But a coin, even a bad one, has two sides.

The military industrial complex in the U.S., specifically the Pentagon and its contractors, cannot pretend that corruption among the so-called Afghan elite was a one-way street. It was mutually beneficial, or as we say in my neck of the woods, both parties scratched each others back.

Describing the squalid flow of largesse in the Afghan mission through inflated contracts and, sometimes, even the supply of poorly refurbished military assets, an article by Andrew Cockburn in the July issue of the Spectator, said it would be mistaken to assume that Pentagon has no strategy for the Afghan war.

In a cringeworthy summary, he described Pentagons strategy as, Dont interrupt the money flow. From Vietnam to Nicaragua and from Korean to Iraq  and now Afghanistan  the U.S. can hardly deny the complicity of its military elite in the corruption that has complicated and prolonged the conflicts. The malaise has also bred a tragic indifference, leading to the loss and destruction of thousands of innocent lives.

I should not be mistaken. The Taliban has a murderous history, which it cannot be proud of. Any state that hunts and murders its own citizens in the name of God or religion, tramples on the rights of women, girls and minorities, as the Taliban notoriously did, should be called out and denounced.

And where they got away with murder before, the Taliban should not expect the world to believe that chewing microphones and hosting press conferences would be substitutes for respecting the rights and freedoms of its citizens and residents. The world is watching keenly.

Its also Americas teachable moment. Yet, with the way the U.S. covered up the massive rigging in the last Afghan election just to prop its ally, its doubtful if any lesson has been learnt.

The Taliban was not always U.S.s enemy. When America sided with the Mujahideen to supplant the USSR, providing arms, cash and intelligence, little did the U.S. realise they were breeding monsters  and one of the most deadly turned out to be Osama bin Laden, radicalised by the Soviet-Afghan war. Things fell apart after 9/11, when Afghanistan sheltered Al-Qaeda and Bin Laden.

The images of scores of Afghans clinging onto U.S. military transport planes, as they climbed out of the Hamid Karzai Airport in Kabul, will haunt, not just the U.S., but the world for a long time. Afghans born in the last two decades have not known peace. But they have seen pictures of greener pastures by friends and relatives, who risked everything to migrate abroad, and they covet that secure life.

These folks are not desperate to escape because theyre cowards, afraid to stand and fight for their country. Perhaps, they have only faint memories of the heritage of courage by their forebears forged in blood and iron in decades of warfare.

Yet, theyre human. Theyre simply responding to the basic human impulse to seek a better life, wherever it is possible. And that, my friend, is not cowardice.

Azu Ishiekwene is Editor-in-Chief of LEADERSHIP.
The media are powerful because readers and listeners consume their products. They therefore derive their power from the audience. The significance of this is that the media should actually be made accountable to the people, not themselves, not the government I propose a framework for a Participatory Media Accountability System, which potentially provides the pathway for a more robust media accountability without undue government interference.

Something happened in Nigeria in 1999 that, perhaps, not many people would remember. In October of that year, the then Governor of Zamfara, Alhaji Ahmed Sani announced the adoption of Sharia, the Muslim penal system, in his State, with effect from January 2000. Soon after, eleven other States in northern Nigeria followed suit.

However, an attempt by the Kaduna State House of Assembly to pass a bill for the adoption of Sharia in the state drew serious protest from the Christian community, who thought the move amounted to the Islamisation of an otherwise religiously diverse State. What started as a peaceful protest on February 21 soon degenerated into one of the most catastrophic religious conflicts that the nation had ever witnessed. Within three days, more than 5,000 people were left dead and an estimated 53,000 people displaced. When President Olusegun Obasanjo visited the scene of the crisis, he described it as the most devastating carnage the country has witnessed since the civil war. The killings and the destructions did not however end in Kaduna. Instant reprisal killings of Muslims and northerners followed in Eastern Nigeria. It took days before peace was restored.

Following the adoption of the Sharia penal system in Zamfara, through to the bloody mayhem in Kaduna and its aftermath, Sharia literally seized the national media space. Apart from providing the platform for elite actors on both sides of the Sharia religious divide to engage in an ideological fight-to-finish, journalists themselves actively took part in shaping, interpreting, articulating, amplifying and projecting views, ideas and discourses on the Sharia controversy.

It is, therefore, not surprising that the media have been widely blamed for laying the foundation for the disastrous riots that rocked Kaduna in February 2000. The late Bilikisu Yusuf, a former newspaper editor herself, observed then that the blame for the violence should be placed on the shoulder of the professionally untrained and irresponsible media that either fraudulently manipulated or ignored facts or manufactured stories and perfected inciting reporting to a tradition.

Lets take a moment to review some of the reports that she, as well as other commentators, including some civil society groups who have studied the crisis, might be referring to.

In his February 25, 2000 column on the Sharia issue, a leading columnist of The Guardian wrote in an article with the title, The Second Jihad:

When Sani Ibrahim [sic] the Governor of Zamfara State, says he would support any state in the South which wants to adopt the Sharia, he is merely invoking the spirit of Alimi, the nemesis of Afonja and Solagberu of Ilorin, and the quip by the Sardauna in the 60s, that they would dip the Koran into the sea. When the Jihadists boast of Arab support for their cause, they only remind us of the terrible role played by the British in strengthening the Hausa-Fulani hegemony.

History is an important element of discourse coding. Here, the writer is actively signaling the Sharia as part of a continuing history of Islamic conquest and domination, and not just a matter of law or social arrangement. He then proceeds to construct an overlapping identity framework of regional and ideological conflicts by framing the Sharia as a procedure for an existing contest between the Muslim North and the Christian South:

The rivalry between the North and the South is vicious also because it is in many ways, a Moslem-Christian rivalry (). One other problem is Obasanjo. He is the finest prong that the South has produced in contemporary Nigerian politics. He just turns out to be a Christian. For a Moslem Northerner, that is like Christianizing the state. It is even worse, the man is a born-again Christian, and he continuously makes a public show if that. Now, they can no longer tell their Arab friends that this is a Moslem country. The struggle to ensure that all non-Moslem symbols are removed from the public spaces is a vicious one. That is why they would burn churches in Ilorin and kill Christians in Kaduna.

Needless to say that the Muslim North vs Christian South categorisation is very simplistic and cannot be supported by any objective analysis, but it was convenient for the we against them discourse that the writer finds necessary to set the stage for the religious war that he feels was the only solution to the Sharia controversy:

The challenge, then, is to stop the Second Jihad. The Ibadan army saved the Yorubas by using force. The British humiliated the Fulani Caliphate through a combination of force and open conspiracy. We must throw everything at the Jihadists. We must force the Northern Moslems to live in a secular state. If that requires having a civil war, well, lets get ready.

As mentioned earlier, one of the consequences of the Kaduna riot was the spate of retaliatory violence in the South-East, where people suspected to be Muslims and Northerners were hunted and killed, while mosques were burnt. This obviously complicated the security situation in the country. However, this writer saw it differently:

In the East, Igbos in Aba and Umuahia have already shown that they are prepared to avenge the death of any Igboman or woman who is sacrificed at the altar of Sharia. Igbos are fighting back so ferociously because their history has shown that almost on a seasonal basis since 1936, the Hausa Fulani love to slaughter the Igbos. That has been so easy however because the Igbos do not always know what is good for them. Look, in 1966, they had all the keys to the nations armoury in their hands. They had to wait until the Hausa-Fulani seized the keys before they started fighting. I am not sure Igbos would like to make such a mistake in the 21stcentury. Even Akwa-Ibomite, who are ordinarily gentle, are fighting back. In the Niger-Delta; the Egbesu Boys, and all other groups are already conducting dress rehearsals. In the South-West, the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) has a standing army of two million, and Ganiyu Adams is still alive.

there is a growing realisation, over time, that the men and women that operate the media do not always serve the public interest. And as we have seen in the particular case of Nigeria, that the press is actually an important ideological weapon in our identity politics, and the emerging separatist contestation over the control of power, resources and socio-cultural identity interests.

It would be difficult not to compare this kind of writing with that which followed the massacre of 50,000 Tutsis by the Hutus in Rwanda in October 1993, precipitating one of the worst genocides ever recorded in human history. A Hutu Newspaper, Dawn of Democracy, tried to justify the massacre thus:

Oppressed for a long time, the Hutu people, like a spring too tightly wound, have expressed their withheld anger against the oppressor, and if it has to be done again, it will be done.

A Tusti newspaper, Crossroads began its own campaign of counter-incitement against the Hutus in January 1994, when it wrote:

All Tutsis must be very clear-headed about confronting the Hutus, using their methods, because they are not the only ones who know how to use the macheteif not, they will roast us all on the pit.

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On the other side of the divide was the Weekly Trust newspaper, publishing from Kaduna at the time of the crisis. In its October 8 to 14, 1999 edition, the newspaper published an interview with the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakyzaky. Below are a few excerpts from the interview:

Trust: How can the Sharia be successfully implemented in any state wishing to do so like Zamfara?

Zakyzaky: Sharia is an Islamic legal system. It is in itself not complete unless as a legal system of an Islamic system which is a complete whole. It is a sort of sub-system. The parent is IslamA country that does not practice Islamic system cannot apply sharia as a legal system

This interview was published only 19 days after the Sharia was launched in Zamfara. Other states in the North had not even declared their intentions to follow; and debates were still raging across the country over its implications for both Muslims and non-Muslims alike. However, the interviewer appeared to have taken a lot for granted. He was not asking whether or even how Sharia should be implemented, but how it could be successfully implemented, and not only in Zamfara specifically, but by any state wishing to do so. In fact, while his subject raises some fundamental questions of applicability, the interviewer seems to be more interested in enlisting his support for the Sharia system.

Trust: Are Muslims in Nigeria so powerless, so emasculated that we cannot live according to the Islamic system? Or, in other words, if we can, cannot people like you who lead an Islamic movement not rise up in such a time as this and guide these people, if you perceive that they are not doing things right, so that they do it successfully?

Zakyzaky: It has to take a natural process. The system which was established by the colonialists were meant to be against the Islamic principlesso, one naturally comes into conflict with the present system running the country, which is anything but Islamic

Trust: All changes in the world are started by recognised leaders. Meaning once a leader rises up and shows the people the right way, they will give him allegiance. So, if in this regard people like you should rise up to give this issue their full support, majority of Muslims would reject the system for Islam.

Zakyzaky: This is what we have been doing. For the last two decades. But we are talking of natural process. You dont accelerate it by force

Trust: The Taliban accelerated the natural process in Afghanistan. And Iran too, as you said.

The earlier question is whether Zamfara, introducing Sharia could not be considered to have made a move towards becoming an Islamic State, and to which the interviewee disagrees, arguing that it is not possible for a state within a country to operate a system, because the whole country maintains a single constitution. In fact, he raised another significant point, regarding the danger of the implementers of Sharia in the State, using the emotions of the people and the yearnings of the people to deceive the people. But the interviewer was not interested in this. It must be noted that at no point in the interview did the subject suggest that Muslims were powerless or emasculated. Those were the interviewers ideas, who soon waxed philosophical, appealing to his subjects presumed sense of duty and actually telling him what to do: if people like you should rise up to give this issue their full support, majority of Muslims would reject the system for Islam. It was not clear what the interviewer meant by rise up, but his subject seems to understand it as meaning accelerate by force and when he says this approach would not work, the interviewer had a ready precedence to appeal to: If the Taliban could accelerate the process in Afghanistan, why cant you do the same in Nigeria? Anyone who is familiar with how the Taliban emerged in Afghanistan would grasp the full implications of what the interviewer is driving at.

in the face of overwhelming evidence, I consider it quite presumptuous, if not downright hypocritical on the side of the media, to project any attempt at media regulation as an attack on democracy and Nigerias democratic survival, while ignoring the reality of the wanton abuse of media power, which equally constitutes real danger to a nations corporate existence.

The Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria assigns a role to the press by virtue of section 22 of the 1999 Constitution, which provides that:

[T]he press, radio, television and other agencies of the mass media shall at all times be free to uphold the fundamental objectives contained in this chapter and uphold the responsibility and accountability of the government to the people.

The 1999 Constitution goes further in section 39 to uphold the rights of every citizen to freedom of expression including freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference.

If we consider that majority of our constitutions have been crafted as part of the process of democratisation, it would be therefore be safe to conclude that the framers of our constitution recognised the freedom of expression and freedom of the press as sine qua non in every democracy. In fact, democracy thrives only when the people have free access to correct information about matters that affect them and are able to use this knowledge to make informed choices and take decisions about their lives.

However, there is a growing realisation, over time, that the men and women that operate the media do not always serve the public interest. And as we have seen in the particular case of Nigeria, that the press is actually an important ideological weapon in our identity politics, and the emerging separatist contestation over the control of power, resources and socio-cultural identity interests.

Therefore, even the most conservative libertarians have come to agree that the press can do with some restraining, even if it is difficult to agree on how to do this. However, government involvement in exercising some measure of control have always met with virulent resistance by the media, leading to charges that government attempts to muzzle the press. We all witnessed how the media reacted to a recent attempt to amend the Nigerian Press Council (NPC) and National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) Acts, designed ostensibly to enable government to assert greater control over the ownership and operations of media establishments.

On July 12, all the newspapers carried the same cover and headline: Information Blackout in screaming block letters, set against a pitch black background and a sad face of a newspaper collage. The rider reads: This is what the National Assembly wants to achieve with the NPC and the NBC (Media) Act Amendment Bills. It is not just against the mediait is about the societys right to know, your right to be heard.

In its editorial the following day, The Guardian wrote:

The civilian toga of the sponsors or their self-acclaimed conversion to democratic norms should deceive no one. The bills are capable of forcing our democracy into darkness. And lest history begins to repeat itself, the National Assembly should, for once, stand for the people, defend civil rule by quashing the obnoxious amendments and shame the enemies of democracy.

The recent proposed amendment is actually a precursor in the so-called Frivolous Petitions Bill 2015, which seeks to impose a two-year prison sentence or N2 million (about US$10,000) fine, or both, on any person who through text message, tweets, WhatsApp, or through any social media posts any abusive statement against any person and/or group of persons or government institution.

Government is understandably worried about the kind of content that is being circulated on a daily basis on both the conventional and the social media, and really wants to do something about these. However, I must say that governments move to take action via legislation alone demonstrated a high level of naivety and a painful lack of historical awareness. Even in a dictatorship, governments attempt to encroach into the media regulatory space has met with deep suspicion, if not outright resistance. Too often, the defence of national security has provided a pretext to those whose real intention was to suppress the media and enthrone the culture of silence.

Having said that, and in the face of overwhelming evidence, I consider it quite presumptuous, if not downright hypocritical on the side of the media, to project any attempt at media regulation as an attack on democracy and Nigerias democratic survival, while ignoring the reality of the wanton abuse of media power, which equally constitutes real danger to a nations corporate existence.

Our ability to make it to another 20 years, however, would depend on what actions we take today as political leaders, as journalists and as ordinary citizens. In our respective spheres of influence, we can make an individual decision not to write, promote or share any content that can only serve to inflame, incite or instigate to violence. Surely, this does not solve all of the problems; but we would have taken a position that enable us to stand tall as part of the solution, rather than a part of the problem.

Sometimes in March, the Ondo State government reported that it had intercepted a group of young men who had travelled to the State from the northern parts of the country, declaring them a security risk. Several leading newspapers reported gleefully on their page one that: 42 Northerners Intercepted in Ondo, or variations of that. How can a Nigerian be intercepted in his own country?! About the same time, a newspaper based in the North also reported, Northern Traders Killed in Fresh Imo Attack.

How come we no longer see anything wrong with this kind of reporting? Because, ultimately, the battle is about power. Rather than a certain pretension to the defence of democracy and freedom, both sides, the media and the government, are actually contesting for power. Like Norman Fairclough noted, those who hold power at a particular moment have to constantly reassert their power; and those who do not hold power are always liable to bid for power. If we understand power, as Michael Foucault does, as a dispersed phenomenon that pervades the society and is in constant flux or negotiation, then we will understand that what is going on between the government and the media is actually a battle for control.

The media seems to gain the upper hand because, unlike the government, its own power is well hidden, even though it is more potent and more dangerous. The media doesnt only get to decide what the people should know about, they also determine what you get to think about and how to think about it; what you should consider important and what you should ignore. As media scholars have noted, news and opinions are ideologies coded in vocabularies. Every headline we write, the metaphors we use, the adjectives we use, the illustrations we use and their position on the pages, which stories goes in the morning belt, how many times a story gets repeated, who gets interviewed on an issue, how much time is allocated; all these are practices of discourse, and discourse is the exercise of power in language form.

Fairclough has noted that the effects of media power are cumulative, working through the repetition of particular ways of handling causality and agency, particular ways of positioning the readersmedia discourse is able to exercise a pervasive and powerful influence in social reproduction because of the very scale of modern mass media and the extremely high level of exposure of the whole populations to a relatively homogenous output.

As usual, the media have argued that the best way to deal with irresponsible behaviour in the media is through the self-regulatory mechanism. This has been the argument since 1964. And there is a lot of merit to it. However, one must wonder whether the media have given enough thoughts to how we plan to make this self-regulation work or this is just the same old reflex argument to push back against any form of control or regulation?

The code of ethics represents the main ideological framework for media self-regulation in most democratic societies, while the Press Council and journalists associations most often act as supervisory and, sometimes, enforcement agencies for this code of ethics. Although we have a robust Nigerian journalists code of ethics, I strongly doubt if most journalists have seen one before. For example, Section 6 of the Nigerian Code of Ethics on discrimination says Journalists should refrain from making pejorative reference to a persons ethnic group, religion, sex, or to any physical or mental illness or handicap. It goes further in Section 11, Public Interest, to say [a] journalist should strive to enhance national unity and public good. We must therefore wonder why, in the face of some of these Codes aimed at restraining journalists from what Clement Jones has described as irresponsible, antisocial or propaganda use of the media, this behaviour has persisted? What this goes to show is that we need more than a few exhortative declarations. The media is right to remain suspicious of governments intentions, given our recent history; however, the media itself must demonstrate a stronger interest in accountability. Unfortunately, the situation has become a lot more complex with the advent of the social media.

Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution is to ensure that no right is conferred on a journalist that is not ordinarily available to every other citizen. This provision has become more relevant with the advent of the social media and the rise of the so-called citizen journalism. Some have argued that the social media is the greatest democratic force in human history. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp, etc. have empowered the people more than anyone would have imagined at the turn of the millennium. The ubiquity and pervasiveness of new media technology makes it almost impossible not to be informed. And as people upload and download, tweet and retweet, share and broadcast on multiple platforms, ordinary citizens have become active agents in the information value chain, not only receiving but also creating and recreating meanings. No force in human history has had such a telling revolutionary effect on society and human relationships.

With the social media, technology has essentially become democracys life support system. Quite ironically however, through the same social media, technology has also become the means by which democracy can easily commit suicide. The rise of fake news signals democracys capacity for self-destruction. While information technology has made it easy for us to manipulate reality in ways that were hitherto considered impossible, social media have made it possible for us to disseminate this distorted reality and fabrications at such an unbelievable speed. A picture taken or fabricated can make it across the country faster than a phone call. The spread of hate and outright instigation to violence and social destabilisation have never been made so easy. Selective disclosure and delicate lies are active tools of propaganda. But this is what fake news does.

If fake news is a weapon of war, as some have strongly suggested, then one can safely conclude that Nigeria is already under attack by Nigerians themselves. As we grapple with the complicated politics of our multiple identities of race, religion and region, the destabilising impacts of fake news make this challenge even more complicated than ever before. As we develop, share and promote contents that accentuate those fault lines, it would be almost impossible to fashion a sense of national cohesion for our country. Without this, it would also be impossible to develop a consensus around those fundamental issues that would move us forward as a nation. The danger contained in information is not the information itself. Rather, it is what people do with the information they receive. All through history, all conflicts have started with words; what people say to themselves and what they say to others.

The long term solution, however, would bring us back to education. Plato said you cannot be wise and be wicked. There is a level that ignorance and lack of education are the real drivers of the risks posed by fake news and other irresponsible use of the media. After all, like I said earlier, the danger is in the content. The more people that are genuinely educated, not only about their rights, but also about their responsibilities to others and to their society, the less number of people you will get who are willing to serve as vendors of fake news or purveyors of hate.

It has been noted that the power of the media does not mechanically flow from their mere existence. The media are powerful because readers and listeners consume their products. They therefore derive their power from the audience. The significance of this is that the media should actually be made accountable to the people, not themselves, not the government. The customer is king. Media contents are commercial products. We therefore need to empower the people, both in terms of capacity and capability to be able to demand this accountability from the media. I propose a framework for a Participatory Media Accountability System, which potentially provides the pathway for a more robust media accountability without undue government interference.

I believe this too is a passing phase in the history of mankind and of our country. The transformation that has happened to our society within the past 20 years is the greatest evidence that the next 20 years may not be the same. Our ability to make it to another 20 years, however, would depend on what actions we take today as political leaders, as journalists and as ordinary citizens. In our respective spheres of influence, we can make an individual decision not to write, promote or share any content that can only serve to inflame, incite or instigate to violence. Surely, this does not solve all of the problems; but we would have taken a position that enable us to stand tall as part of the solution, rather than a part of the problem.

Bolaji Abdullahi is a former Nigerian minister of youth development and sports.

This is the text of a speech delivered at the 12th Year Anniversary of the University of Ilorin Radio, Ilorin, Kwara State.
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Elders of Kogi West senatorial district have asked political parties and other senatorial districts in the state to consider zoning the governorship seat to Kogi West in 2023.

The elders of the socio-cultural group, Kogi West Elders Forum (KWEF), decried the prevailing political imbalance in Kogi State between the three senatorial districts of Kogi East, Kogi Central and Kogi west, and its consequence on the political future of their district.

This is even as they rejected the position of deputy governor in the 2023 gubernatorial election.

This was contained in a communique signed by the chairman of the group, David Jemibewon, on Thursday.

The forum said it is dismayed over the skewed political power play in the state that has denied Kogi West the ability to produce a governor of the state since the creation of the state in 1991 despite their good intention and active participation in previous elections.

They described as unfair the fact that the two other senatorial districts of East and Central have occupied the seat of the state governor for about 21 years  and 25 years by the time the incumbent, Yahaya Bello, leaves office in 2023.

Political parties should consider candidates from Kogi West Senatorial District and we reject running mates in all political parties.

The and all political actors in the state should take conscious note of this demand and support every arrangement that will be the aspiration. And all political parties in the Western Senatorial District must endeavour to work together to stimulate actions that would produce credible candidate(s) leading to their state primary elections in the state.

Political parties in this regard must, however, align with the Eastern and Central Senatorial Districts of the state to accomplish the objective by working to produce a governorship candidate that will be acceptable to all the flanks of the state in the 2023 governorship election, part of the statement read.

While the forum reminded the governor of their support during the last election, they also noted that as an aspiring president, he needs to more than ever before, demonstrate his support for an enduring power sharing and restructuring arrangement at the grassroots level in Kogi State and Nigeria as widely convasssed by all critical and discerning minds in Nigeria.

This demonstration, they said, will show the infallible strength of good character and integrity he poses to lead a multi-ethnic nation like Nigeria.

The elders further said that Kogi West Senatorial District has embellished numbers of qualified candidates that understand the need for good governance that will benefit every part of the state.

They also urged Mr Bello not to allow anyone take the state back to the time when the whipping of sentiment, pettiness and selfishness of interest groups influenced previous administrations to be parochial in the management of the power equation among the various ethnic groups in the state.

The KWEF is one of many groups that have called for zoning of the governorship seat to the senatorial district come 2023.
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The police in Rivers State said they have arrested a suspect in connection with the killing of a man at the Rivers State University (RSU) Port Harcourt on Thursday.

The police spokesperson in the state, Nnamdi Omoni, confirmed the killing of the unidentified victim to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt on Thursday.

According to him, the incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday, leading to panic among residents and business owners in the area.

He said: Information reaching me is that someone was shot dead at the premises of RSU in the morning hours of today.

Upon hearing the gunshots, the police mobilised and arrested a suspect on the scene of the incident while other suspects took to flight, he said.

Mr Omoni, a deputy superintendent of police, said the Commissioner of Police, Eboka Friday, had ordered an investigation into the incident.

Currently, information is still sketchy but we will inform members of the public about the situation as soon as we know more, he added.

The spokesperson of the university, Harcourt Whyte, could not confirm the identity of the deceased.

He, however, told NAN that a student of the university was also attacked by the gunmen.

He said the unnamed 300 level student sustained injury and was currently receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital in Port Harcourt.

Mr White said the incident was not a clash between rival cult groups.

The incident which happened at about 9a.m. this morning was not a cult clash but as a result of an altercation among some young men.

The university is investigating the matter, he said.

(NAN)
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The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has denied responsibility for the killing of a police officer and six oil workers in Imo State on Monday.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how a convoy transporting workers to a facility belonging to the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria were ambushed and the occupants in the bus shot dead by gunmen.

Six of the victims were working with a services company, Lee Engineering Company, which has a contract with Shell, the police spokesperson in Imo State, Mike Abattam, told PREMIUM TIMES.

The police inspector, who provided security for the convoy, was among the victims.

The attack occurred on Monday, which was the day the IPOB had earlier scheduled for a weekly sit-at-home exercise to protest the arrest and detention of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

Though the group had announced the suspension of the weekly exercise two days to it, many people in the region still stayed at home for fear of being attacked.

We have no hands in such barbarity. We are not bandits or terrorists that spill blood, IPOB spokesperson, Emma Powerful, said in a statement on Thursday.

IPOB is a non-violent and peaceful movement whose agenda is the restoration of Biafra. Killing or maiming of innocent lives is not part of our mandate.

IPOB said those who linked the group to the killing of the oil workers are enemies of the struggle for the restoration of Biafra.

IPOB spokesperson, Mr Powerful, said IPOB had no basis to attack the oil workers, having cancelled the sit-at-home order.

IPOB is (a) well structured movement with orderliness and Command-and Control. We are not lawless bandits. Nobody should associate us with barbaric acts typical of blood sucking terrorists, the group said.
The leadership of All Progressives Party (APC) said the party was ready to meet the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the field during the November 6 governorship election in Anambra State.

The Chairman of APC in Anambra, Basil Ejidike, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Awka.

NAN reported that Mr Ejidike was responding to a statement credited to the state Commissioner for Information, C-Don Adinuba.

Mr Adinuba had said that Anambra is not Imo where APC can have its way in a political contest.

The APC chairman said his party was already fine-tuning arrangements to ensure that it emerged victorious during the governorship election.

We are having lots of bigwigs entering APC from other parties and even as we speak, I am in Abuja discussing the modalities for more political heavyweights in the state to join our party.

But, you cannot hear such (a) story concerning APGA because (the) bulk of its members are those using the name of Dim Chukwuemeka Ojukwu to defraud people politically, he said.

Mr Ejidike said it was ridiculous for Mr Adinuba and APGA to compare Imo with Anambra when, according to him, their party had underdeveloped the state in the last 16 years.

When APGA people said Anambra is not Imo, is it in terms of development or what? Can you compare Awka, the capital of Anambra, with Owerri?

Owerri is a modern city with a lot of developmental projects which add to her aesthetics, while Awka is a mere glorified village with most of the streets not tarred due poor leadership of APGA, he said.

Mr Ejidike absolved his party of any involvement in the current crisis rocking APGA.

APGA is not alone in political wrangling faced by parties, but why they cannot solve their problem is because they are incapable of handling it due to its low political standing, he said.

Mr Adinuba had, during a meeting with journalists in his office on Wednesday, accused APC of sponsoring the crisis rocking APGA since after its governorship primaries.

The commissioner, who is the director of media for Charles Soludo Governorship Campaign Council, also said that APC was planning to manipulate the governorship election in the state.

Anambra is not Imo because we cannot afford our state to be like Imo where their governors country home could be attacked and insecurity and non-payment of workers salaries are big issues.

Where do you compare our state with Imo? Is it in terms of agriculture, security, education, health, industrialisation or attracting investments? he queried.

Mr Adinuba, who scored Anambra high in the control and management of COVID-19 pandemic, said APGA had the secret of retaining its grip on the state.

(NAN)

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People of Umudim village in Ekwulumili, Nnewi South Local Government of Anambra State, are living in constant fear over the gully erosion sweeping away homes and farmlands in the area.

Ekwulumili is an agrarian community with a large population of indigenous people and shares boundary with Amichi, Igboukwu, Unubi, Akwaihedi and Orsumoghu.

A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) who visited some of the sites, reported that the massive gully measuring several meters in width and depth was expanding rapidly.

Some of the people directly affected by the erosion said they have lost their ancestral land where they were supposed to build on and cultivate.

Charity Ezeoke, who lives on the side of the erosion, said they live in constant fear of losing their houses  the erosion is only a few metres away from their houses.

Mrs Ezeoke said the erosion has been there since she was a young girl and that efforts made to correct it had failed.

She called on the Anambra Government to relocate them before they lose their lives and properties.

Whenever it rains, the way it pulls trees and earth sounds like an earthquake and makes us live in fear all the time.

Government should help us control the erosion or even come and evacuate us because we dont have peace, she said.

Chukwura Ntagu, an indigene of the town, said the gully had cut them off from their brothers and sisters in neighbouring Umudim village in Amichi whom they have lived and interacted with for ages.

Mr Ntagu said many people have left the town due to the erosion threat while most people are homeless because their lands have been washed away.

It was not as big as this in the past, we used to pass through this place to Ochi in Amichi where we used to have our match-past but it has continued to grow.

This place where I am standing is my ala obi (land inheritance) where I am supposed to build and farm but it has been washed off.

Those of us who live on the bank of the erosion dont sleep whenever it rains, many families have lost their homes and ran to their family members in other locations, he said.

Also speaking, Onyeka Ikejiaku described the situation as a disaster which has negatively affected their livelihood, economic activities and social development.

Mr Ikejiaku said his people are predominantly farmers, and their brothers on the other side of the gully cannot evacuate their produce because the roads had been cut off.

A number of government officials and agencies have been visiting but nothing has been done, that is why we are calling on the Federal Government and State Government to come to our rescue.

All the flash floods from Igboukwu, Oraeri and other communities flow down to the area and empty into babuwa river which goes to Imo state.

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We have been doing our best as directly affected people and as a community to control this but it is not enough, he said.

Stephen Okeke, an elder in the community, who led journalists to the sites, said they were contending with four massive gullies and a few smaller ones.

Mr Okeke said urgent intervention was needed to prevent the area from being completely washed off.

According to him, our people cannot build houses or factories because they have lost their lands. A lot of them have left their ancestral homes and relocated to places where they bought land.

We are in real danger and we are calling on the international community and governments at all levels to come to our rescue, he said.

(NAN)
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The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State has described as timely and appropriate the governments ban on the activities of Tipper and Quarry Owners Association.

The party, which hailed the governments decision, said it was taken in the peoples interest.

The Senior Special Assistant on Special Duties and Strategy to the Governor, Doyin Odebowale, pronounced the ban on Tuesday at a news conference in Akure.

Mr Odebowale described the increase in the price of sharp sand from N25,000 to N60,000 per tipper load as extortion by the association.

The partys reaction is in a statement issued by Alex Kalejaye, the Publicity Secretary, on Wednesday in Akure.

The party is deeply worried about the resolve of the association to increase the price of a tipper load of sand by a huge margin.

As a matter of fact, feelers from the majority of the stakeholders in the state show that the increase would cause excruciating effects on the different end-users, including the struggling segment of the society.

No responsive government would sit back and watch the citizens groan under an oppressive decision, no matter the cover, Mr Kalejaye said.

According to him, the governments timely reaction affirms the fact that the Rotimi Akeredolu-led administration is roundly committed to the well-being of the citizenry.

He explained that it took a government that listened to the yearnings of its people and served dispassionately to always be on its guard.

He said the electorate that entrusted their mandate to the government deserved protection.

Mr Kalejaye said the APC-led administration would explore all positive measures in its quest to ensure an economically buoyant state.

Some of the efforts are already yielding fruits while others are at advanced stages, from which individuals and organisations will benefit in the shortest possible time, he said.

Mr Kalejaye appealed to various associations in the state to show understanding and do their best to avoid imposing hardship on the people.

According to him, every organisation is perceived as a partner in the governments ongoing development strides. (NAN)
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Gunmen have kidnapped the son of a former National Secretary of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Adewunmi Alayaki, on his fathers farm in Isaga-Orile community of Abeokuta North Local Government of Ogun State.

Adedamola Alayaki, 25, was taken away on Wednesday by the kidnappers who later got in touch with the family and requested N20 million.

The father of the victim, a proprietor of a privately owned hospital in Abeokuta, could not be reached as of the time of filing this report, but a family source said the case has been reported to the Lafenwa Divisional Police Headquarters in Abeokuta.

It is true Adedamola Alayaki, the son of Dr Alayaki was kidnapped between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Wednesday while in his fathers farm located in Isaga-Orile of Abeokuta North Local Government Area of Ogun State, the source said.

As I am talking to you now, the kidnappers have gotten in touch with the family demanding N20 million ransom to set the boy free.

Phone calls to the police spokesperson in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi, were unanswered.
The police in Ogun State say they have arrested four suspected serial killers who specialise in robbing and killing point of sale (POS) and Uber drivers in the state.

Abimbola Oyeyemi, the police spokesperson, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.

The suspects, Kehinde Saliu Jelili aka Oluomo, Abiodun Akinola, Johnson Fakeye and Jamiu Akinola were all arrested following a report lodged at Onipanu Divisional Headquarters on the 18th of April 2021, Mr Oyeyemi said.

According to the police, a POS attendant, Aanu Salaudeen, who was under the employment of one Abiodun Odebunmi, reported that her boss left his office at Aparadija the previous day (April 17), to meet a customer with a cash sum of N4 million to be used for POS transaction.

She reported to the police that Mr Odebunmi had not been seen since then, and all calls made to his line did not go through.

According to her, they have earlier done a transaction of N1.5 million with the person who invited his boss the previous day, and that it was the same person, who called his boss to meet him at Ojuore to do another POS transaction of N4 million, the statement partly read.

Mr Oyeyemi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, said upon the report, the policemen at Onipanu commenced investigation into the sudden disappearance of the man.

He added that their efforts paid off when the dead and burnt body of the victim was discovered in an uncompleted building at Arobieye area of Ota without the trace of his assailants.

The case was, thereafter, transferred to the homicide section of the state criminal investigation and intelligence department to unravel the perpetrators of the dastardly act within the shortest possible period, the police said.

Mr Oyeyemi said the homicide team embarked on technical and intelligence based investigation, which led them to Otun Ekiti in Ekiti State, where the suspect was discovered to be hibernating.

On getting to Ekiti, the suspect got wind of the presence of the detectives and quickly escaped to Offa in Kwara State.

With determination to apprehend him, the team continued trailing him and they later got information that he was in Benin Republic, where he had gone to attend the court session of Chief Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho, and that he will soon be coming to Nigeria.

Having gotten the information about the day he will be returning to Nigeria, the team laid ambush for him and got him arrested at the boundary between Ogun and Lagos State, the police said.

The police said the arrested suspect, Kehinde Salihu, confessed killing the victim and informed the police that he deliberately lured the victim to Ota in Ogun State, where he and his gang members were waiting for him with the money he was asked to bring.

They matcheted him to death after collecting the money from him. He stated further that they burnt the victims body in order to cover their tracks. He confessed further that their targeted victims are always Uber and POS Operators.

According to him, one of them will pretend as (a) passenger to the Uber driver, and will lure such driver to where his members were waiting, and as soon as he got to the place, the driver will be hacked to death and the car will be taken away to their receiver, the police statement reads.

Similarly, Mr Oyeyemi said the syndicate had earlier attacked another victim, one Idowu Ademiluyi, at Itori area and snatched his Toyota Corolla car, having matcheted him to the point of death.

The police spokesperson said the arrest of Kehinde Salihu, led the detectives to their receiver, Abiodun Akinola, who is a standby buyer of every proceed of their crime, while the confessional statements of the duo led the police to the other two suspects, Johnson Fakeye and Akinola Jamiu at Atan Ota and Owode Yewa respectively.

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Items recovered from the suspects are one Toyota Camry, one Toyota Corolla and one Toyota Rave 4, whose owners had been murdered.

The commissioner of police in the state, Edward Awolowo, directed police operatives to arrest all members of the gang.

He appealed to members of the public to always disclose their movement to at least one trusted person, whenever they have cause to keep appointment with an unknown person.

Mr Awolowo also directed that the suspects be charged to court as soon as the investigation is concluded.
A businessman, Mutiu Bamgbose, told an Igando Customary Court in Lagos that his wife has a penchant for stealing.

Mr Bamgboye, who filed for divorce, also accused his wife, Aliyah, of infidelity.

My wife is a thief, she is not always satisfied with what I give her, she keeps stealing my money at will, the petitioner said.

The most painful was when she stole my N3 million and squandered it.

Because of her habit, I started keeping my money in the ceiling but she will still enter the ceiling and steal it.

When I could no longer condole it, I opened a bank account and she became angry and made life miserable for me.

It was obvious that my wife does not love me, she is just after my money.

The embattled man accused his wife, who failed to appear in court after being summoned several times, of adultery.

She started having affairs with a married man in our community, I approached the man and warned him seriously to desist from my wife.

The petitioner said that his wife abandoned her matrimonial home and took away all his belongings.

I came home from work and met my house empty, she packed away all my property leaving only the chairs.

She took our twin daughters with her and left the boy behind.

Aliyah is fetish, there was a day I opened her bag, saw charm, I took it to the head of my family, she was summons but she could not explain how she got the charm.

Delivering judgment on Thursday, the President of the Court, Adeniyi Koledoye dissolved the 10-year-old marriage. He held that it was obvious from available testimony and the respondents refusal to appear in court that the marriage had hit the rocks.

Throughout the duration of this case, the respondent refused to honour court processes despite been served severally.

Therefore, the court has no other choice than to dissolve the marriage.

The court hereby pronounces the marriage between Mr Mutiu and Mrs Aliyah Bamgbose, dissolved today.

Both of you henceforth cease to be husband and wife.

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Each of you should go on his or her separate ways unmolested; the court wishes both of you well in your future endeavours, he said.

Mr Koledoye gave custody of the twin (girls) to the respondent and ordered Bamgbose to be pay N10, 000 monthly for their feeding.

The president gave the custody of the male child to the petitioner.

(NAN)
These hot temperatures will likely stick around for a while. Do you still enjoy the outdoors when it gets this hot, or do you prefer to stay indoors in the air conditioning?

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LEWIS [mdash] Richard A. "Corky" Griffin, 71, of Lewis, passed away unexpectedly, Monday, Aug. 30, 2021, at his home. He was born in Lewis on Oct. 7, 1949, son of the late Benjamin Hastings and Evalina Griffin. Corky worked for Cornwright's Lumber Mill for many years. He is survived by his c
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Rain likely. Potential for flooding rains. High 68F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch..

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A steady rain. The rain will be heavy at times. Potential for flooding rains. Low around 60F. Winds NE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 3 to 5 inches of rain expected.
The shareholders of SciBase (publ), reg.no 556773-4768 (the "Company") are hereby summoned to an extraordinary general meeting on Tuesday 7 September 2021.

STOCKHOLM, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The board of directors has, in light of continued spread of the coronavirus and in accordance with the Swedish Act (2020:198) on temporary exceptions to facilitate the execution of general meetings in companies and other associations, decided that the extraordinary general meeting shall be held without physical presence of shareholders, proxies and/or external parties and that the shareholders shall have only the opportunity to vote by mail prior to the meeting.

The Company welcomes all shareholders to exercise their voting rights at the annual general meeting through postal voting as described below. Information on the resolutions passed at the extraordinary general meeting will be published on Tuesday 7 September 2021, as soon as the result of the postal voting has been finally confirmed.

PARTICIPATION

A Shareholder wishing to attend the Meeting shall:

be recorded in the share register maintained by Euroclear Sweden AB on Monday 30 August 2021 ; and

; and notify the Company of its intention to attend the Meeting not later than on Monday 6 September 2021 by submitting a complete voting form and, where applicable, proxies, registration certificates and other corresponding authorization documents in accordance with the instructions under the heading "Information on postal voting" below.

To be entitled to attend the meeting, shareholders whose shares are nominee-registered must, in addition to giving notice of attendance to the Company by casting their postal vote, register such shares in their own names so that the shareholder is recorded in the share register as of Monday 30 August 2021. Such registration may be temporary (so called voting right registration) and request for such registration shall be made to the nominee in accordance with the nominee's routines in such time in advance as decided by the nominee. Voting rights registrations effected no later than the second banking day after 30 August 2021 will be considered in the preparation of the share register.

INFORMATION ON POSTAL VOTING

Postal voting

The shareholders may exercise their voting rights at the meeting only by voting in advance, so-called postal voting, in accordance with Section 22 of the Swedish Act (2020:198) on temporary exceptions to facilitate the execution of general meetings in companies and other associations.

A special form shall be used for postal voting. The form will be available on the Company's website, http://investors.scibase.se/.The postal voting form is considered as the notification of participation at the annual general meeting.

The completed voting form must be received by Eversheds Sutherland Advokatbyra AB no later than Monday 6 September 2021. The form may be submitted by post to Eversheds Sutherland Advokatbyra AB, Attn: Rasmus Nordfaldt Laws, Box 14055, 104 40 Stockholm or via e-mail to rasmuslaws@eversheds-sutherland.se.

The shareholder may not provide special instructions or conditions in the voting form. If so, the vote (i.e. the postal vote in its entirety) is invalid. Further instructions and conditions are included in the form for postal voting.

The shareholders may request in the postal voting form that a resolution on one or several of the matters on the proposed agenda below should be deferred to a so-called continued general meeting, which cannot be conducted solely by way of postal voting. Such general meeting shall take place if the meeting so resolves or if shareholders with at least one tenth of all shares in the Company so requests.

Proxy voting

A shareholder represented by proxy shall issue a power of attorney which shall be dated and signed by the shareholder. If the shareholder postal votes by proxy, the power of attorney shall be enclosed to the form. If issued by a legal entity, the power of attorney shall also be accompanied by registration certificate or, if not applicable, equivalent documents of authority. Power of attorney forms for those shareholders wishing to postal vote by proxy will be available on the Company's website http://investors.scibase.se/.

PROPOSED AGENDA

The Board of Directors' proposed agenda for the meeting:

Opening of the Meeting Appointment of chairman of the meeting Preparation and approval of the voting list Approval of the agenda for the meeting Appointment of one or two persons to verify the minutes of the meeting Determination of whether the meeting has been duly convened Election of Board of Directors Closing of the meeting

PROPOSED RESOLUTIONS

Appointment of chairman of the Meeting (item 2)

The Board of Directors proposes that Johan Engstrom (Eversheds Sutherland) is appointed as the chairman of the meeting.

Preparation and approval of voting list (item 3)

The voting list which is to be prepared based on the meeting's share register and postal votes received is pro-posed as voting list for the meeting.

Election of one or two persons to verify the minutes (item 5)

The Board of Directors proposes that Rasmus Nordfaldt Laws (Eversheds Sutherland), or, if unable to attend the meeting, any of the persons assigned by the Board of Directors, shall verify the minutes. The persons verifying the minutes shall also control the voting list and that received postal votes are correctly reflected in the minutes.

Election of Board of Directors (item 7)

The nominating committee proposes that the Board of Directors is to be composed of five directors.

The nominating committee proposes that Jvalini Dwarkasing is elected as a new member of the Board. Should the meeting resolve in accordance with the proposal, the Board of Directors will be: Tord Lendau (chairman), Diana Ferro, Thomas Taapken, Matt Leavitt, and Jvalini Dwarkasing

A new member of the Board is entitled to remuneration for work in accordance with the renumeration fees resolved by the 2021 Annual General Meeting, in proportion to the actual time served as member of the Board.

Dr Jvalini Dwarkasing

Dr Dwarkasing is currently the Chief Scientific Officer at SkylineDx. She has over 10 years of life science experience with an international track record within oncology having held both research and management positions. Dr Dwarkasing has a strong academic background and a PhD in medical nutrition and pharmacology. Her drive for doing research is patient focus and how to bring science from bench to bedside. Her geographical areas of focus are the US, Europe and Australia.

OTHER

Information

Shareholders have the right to request information from the Board of Directors and the CEO in accordance with Chapter 7 Section 32 of the Swedish Companies Act regarding conditions that may affect the assessment of a matter on the agenda and conditions that may affect the assessment of the Company's financial situation. The Board of Directors and the CEO shall disclose such information if the Board of Directors considers that this can be done without significant damage to the Company. The disclosure obligation also applies to the Company's relationship with another group company, the group accounts and such matters as mentioned above with regard to subsidiaries.

Requests for such information must be submitted in writing to the Company no later than ten days before the meeting, i.e. no later than 28 August 2021, to the Company's address SciBase Holding AB (publ), Box 3337, 103 67 Stockholm, Sverige, Sweden or by e-mail to info@scibase.com. The information is provided by the Company by keeping it available on the Company's website www.scibase.com and at the Company at the above address no later than five days prior to the meeting, i.e., 2 September 2021. The information is also sent to shareholders who have requested it and who have provided their address.

Processing of personal data

For information regarding how your personal data is processed in connection with the meeting, please refer to the privacy policy on Euroclear Sweden AB's website:

https://www.euroclear.com/dam/ESw/Legal/Privacy-no-tice-bolagsstammor-engelska.pdf.

Number of shares and votes in the Company

The total number of shares in the Company at the time of issuance of this notice is 68,475,107. Company does not hold any of its own shares.

Stockholm in August 2021

SciBase Holding AB (publ)Board of Directors

For more information please contact:

Tord Lendau, Chairman of the Board

Tel: +46 708 10 01 67

Email: tordlendau@hotmail.com

Certified Advisor:

Avanza

Tel: +46 8 409 421 20

Email: ca@avanza.se

The information was submitted, through the agency of the contact person set out above, for publication at the time stated by Scibase's news distributor Cision upon publication of this press release.

About SciBase and Nevisense

SciBase AB is a global medical technology company based in Stockholm, Sweden that develops unique point-of-care devices for the evaluation of skin disorders such as skin cancer and atopic dermatitis. SciBase's first product, Nevisense, helps clinicians detect melanoma, the most dangerous type of skin cancer. Further development has led to Nevisense also being used as a tool to assess the skin barrier and non-melanoma skin cancer. Nevisense is based on substantial research and has achieved excellent results in the largest clinical study ever conducted on the detection of malignant melanoma. Nevisense is CE marked in Europe, has TGA approval in Australia and an FDA approval (PMA) in the United States. SciBase technology is based Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) combined with Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms that interpret the varying electrical properties of human tissue to detect malignancies and abnormalities. SciBase Holding AB is listed on First North Growth Market ("SCIB"). Further information is available at www.scibase.com.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/scibase/r/notice-to-attend-extraordinary-general-meeting-in-scibase-holding-ab--publ-,c3399222

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Main/12371/3399222/1455826.pdf SciBase Holding AB (publ) - EGM notice 2021_ENG

SOURCE SciBase
ALEXANDRIA, Va. and PROVIDENCE, R.I., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Affinity Empowering, Inc., a leading provider of the most sophisticated and secure occupational, behavioral, and direct-to-consumer health services, today announced that the West End Community Center (WECC) in Providence has been enrolled in Operation Expanded Testing (OET). WECC is the largest organization and the first to officially enroll in the state of Rhode Island. OET is a federally funded program to provide no-cost, "click and go" COVID-19 surveillance testing to K-12 schools, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), summer school programs, correctional facilities, homeless shelters, select non-profit community centers, and more.

WECC is a non-profit, community organization serving the Providence neighborhoods of the West End, Elmwood, and Upper and Lower Southside. COVID-19 testing for community members will be available weekly, beginning this Friday, August 20, as part of the local "Fresh Food Friday" event.

Interested representatives of K-12 schools and other eligible community organizations are encouraged to visit https://www.affinitytesting.com or to contact Affinity Empowering (email: [email protected], phone: 1-844-631-0469) to learn more about and sign up for the program.

Media Invitation

Media representatives are invited to the WECC grounds this Friday, August 20, from 10 AM to 2 PM, to cover WECC's enrollment into the federal OET program. The testing will be integrated into WECC's "Fresh Food Friday" event, which provides fresh food to the community. WECC staff and community members tested for COVID-19 under OET will be available for interviews and news footage.

"We are always looking for ways to keep our community safe. The availability of free COVID-19 testing gives us information about positivity rates right here in our community. Having this knowledge can inform our community events and bring peace of mind to individuals," said Denise Greene, Executive Director of WECC. "We're grateful to be a part of Operation Expanded Testing and look forward to doing our part for the community."

"At a time where COVID-19 case numbers are on the rise due to the contagious Delta variant, one of the best things we can do to stay safe is to get tested for COVID-19 regularly," said Michael Tkach, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Behavioral Health Officer of Affinity Empowering. "Operation Expanded Testing is a great program because it goes beyond providing money for COVID-19 testing and actually provides the materials and training needed to implement a testing program. We are glad that WECC has enrolled in Operation Expanded Testing and hope more organizations follow suit."

About Operation Expanded Testing

Operation Expanded Testing (OET) is a federally funded program to provide no-cost, "click and go" COVID-19 surveillance testing to congregate settings, including K-12 schools, Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs), summer school programs, correctional facilities, homeless shelters, and select, non-profit community centers. Affinity Empowering, on behalf of Eurofins Clinical, offers the OET program to these institutions in 26 Northeast and Southern states and additional territories. COVID-19 surveillance testing is recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for the safe reopening of schools. Affinity and Eurofins are coordinating OET program implementation in agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in coordination with the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD).

Unlike other federal programs to fund COVID-19 testing, OET has no upfront costs nor paperwork. Interested eligible parties can simply visit Affinity's OET website and click the "Enroll Today" button and provide some basic information. Affinity will then provide the resources and training necessary to establish a COVID-19 testing program at your institution. Using the Assure integrated technology platform, Affinity delivers COVID-19 test results with an average turnaround time of 24 hours. For questions or additional information, visit the website or contact Affinity's 24/7 customer service staff directly (email: [email protected], phone: 1-844-631-0469).

About Affinity Empowering

Affinity Empowering is a leading occupational health, population, and disease management life sciences organization that specializes in providing technology-based solutions and support for overall health and wellness endeavors. In addition to providing occupational health, mental health, and cutting edge, wrap around substance use support, the company also has become a major provider of COVID-19 testing. Its Return to Normalcy program provides COVID-19 consultation, support, and conducts thousands of onsite and at home testing options to safely screen, monitor, and test populations. It currently supports numerous business partners in various fields, ranging from government contracts, universities, top Fortune 100 companies, and major film and television production companies.

For more information, please visit https://www.affinitytesting.com

Media Contacts:

Denise Greene

West End Community Center

(401) 678-6148

[email protected]

Scott Stachowiak

Russo Partners, LLC

(646) 942-5630

[email protected]

SOURCE Affinity Empowering, Inc.

Related Links

https://www.affinitytesting.com


"I am truly humbled and honored to be named a finalist among some of our region's finest financial executives," says Bernstein. "I am also grateful for the opportunity to help grow our company and want to thank the entire All Star family for their hard work, particularly over the past year and a half, which has allowed us to continue to develop and thrive."

"Ken has an active role in All Star's success," adds Keith Shattuck, CEO of All Star Healthcare Solutions. "We are thrilled that he has been named a 2021 CFO Awards finalist; it is well-deserved recognition of his achievements. We owe many of our company's accomplishments to his expertise, absolute dedication, and exceptional leadership, and look forward to his ongoing contributions for years to come."

The South Florida Business Journal will profile the finalists in a CFO Awards special section in its October 15 edition, following an October 14 reception at which the winners in each category will be announced. The list of finalists and special honorees can be found on the SFBJ's website.

About All Star Healthcare Solutions

All Star Healthcare Solutions is one of the fastest-growing healthcare staffing companies in the country. Founded in 2003 and based in Deerfield Beach, Florida, the company places physicians and advanced practitioners on locum tenens (i.e., temporary) assignments and in permanent positions at hospitals, health systems, medical practices, clinics, and other healthcare facilities throughout the United States, delivering exceptional care to patients who might otherwise go without it.

SOURCE All Star Healthcare Solutions

Related Links

http://www.allstarrecruiting.com


WASHINGTON, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- America First Political Committee Chairman KW Miller today demanded that the U.S. Military be fully deployed in Afghanistan to rescue all Americans who were left behind by Joe Biden. America is a 'leaderless nation,' a global embarrassment.

KW Miller and Trump America First Political Committee

"The current U.S. Military senior leadership is completely incompetent and must be immediately replaced. General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will be responsible for the deaths and torture of countless American citizens, Afghanistan interpreters and other support staff left behind in Afghanistan," stated Miller.

"Afghanistan is just the tip of the iceberg in the complete failure of the radical leftist socialist Joe Biden government. The United States if being over-run by hardened terrorist openly walking into the United States at the Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and California 'open borders,'" Miller added.

America has been overtaken by the radical leftist, socialist, and global elites, seeking to destroy our way of life. America is well on the way to $40 trillion in national debt, full welfare nation status, with virtually no manufacturing capabilities, open borders, and the complete breakdown in the rule of law.

"Battle hardened terrorist cells are already in the Unites States and planning to attack our critical infrastructure, making the September 11, 2001 attacks look like amateur hour," Miller added.

KW Miller Addressed the Afghanistan Catastrophe in 'Powerful State of the Union Speech.' The full America First 'State of the Union Speech' is available at the following link: https://youtu.be/hq7WklEane8

About America First Political Committee:

Our mission is to promote conservative political candidates and policy that puts America First. We are dedicated to advancing policies that improve the quality of life for all Americans. As Citizens, we have to take charge of our future through direct action. America is in very serious trouble and on the verge collapse in the rule of law. We must unite immediately work to restore the Republic, the USA. The Country is in our hands, the people, the true Patriots.

America First Contact:

Contact: J. Stephens

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.americafirstpc.org

Phone: 202-495-1505

SOURCE America First Political Committee
DENVER, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Avanta Residential, the single-family rental affiliate of Hunt Companies Inc., announced today that the firm has successfully closed on the purchase of 27 acres of land within the Painted Tree master-planned community in McKinney, Texas. Avanta purchased the site to develop a build-to-rent neighborhood. The Painted Tree master-planned community is located in a rapidly growing area 40 miles north of Dallas.

The single-family rental community will consist of 276 homes and townhomes.

The Avanta community will include a leasing center, club room, fitness center, covered outdoor great room, yoga lawn, and swimming pool with poolside cabanas. Residents will also enjoy green space, pocket parks, and electric car charging stations.

"With this acquisition, Avanta continues its focus to work with best in class master-planned community developers and top tier land developers in the U.S.," said Avanta President Jim Dobbie. "This newest neighborhood is within the Painted Tree development in McKinney and fits a formula that is in the center of the bullseye for our business plan."

The Painted Tree master-planned community is located in a rapidly growing area 40 miles north of Dallas. In addition to being located merely 2 miles from historic downtown McKinney, numerous national retailers are located nearby, including Lowes, Home Depot, Sam's Club, Walmart, and Kroger. Major employers include Raytheon, Space and Airborne Facility. Encore Wire Corporation is headquartered in McKinney. Baylor Scott & White Medical Center McKinney and Baylor Primary Care McKinney are located south of the property.

"We're excited to have Avanta as part of the Painted Tree Master Plan," says Tom Woliver, Co-President at Oxland Group, "Avanta brings a well-designed program that aligns with the Painted Tree vision of providing a wide range of housing options and a high level of amenities that today's consumer is demanding."

Walker & Dunlop arranged the equity financing for the transaction.

Avanta, headquartered in Denver, was formed in 2020 to respond to the increasingly popular purpose-built single-family rental industry. Avanta is continuing to add to its already experienced team to execute on its development pipeline.

In November, Avanta will break ground at Painted Tree and deliver the homes for rent in mid 2023.

About Avanta

Avanta Residential is the single-family rental division of Hunt Companies, Inc. (Hunt). Drawing on Hunt's extensive real estate background and more than $8.5 billion in completed real estate developments, Avanta is positioned to set the standard for the industry by creating neighborhoods comprised of single-family homes for lease. For more information, www.avantaresidential.com.

About Oxland Group

Oxland Group is a full-service real estate development and investment firm that handles every facet of work with principal-level expertise. Decades of experience in residential development and land acquisitions inform Oxland's well-honed approach to capital investment and community building in Texas. The company is funded by JEN Partners, LLC, a New York-based private equity firm whose primary investment platform is residential real estate. Learn more at www.oxlandgroup.com.

About Walker & Dunlop

Walker & Dunlop (NYSE: WD), headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, is one of the largest commercial real estate finance companies in the United States. The company provides a comprehensive range of capital solutions for all commercial real estate asset classes, as well as investment sales brokerage services to owners of multifamily properties. Walker & Dunlop is included on the S&P SmallCap 600 Index and was ranked as one of FORTUNE Magazine's Fastest Growing Companies in 2014, 2017, and 2018. Walker & Dunlop's 950+ professionals in 41 offices across the nation have an unyielding commitment to client satisfaction.

SOURCE Avanta Residential
DALLAS, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Best Lawyers in America has recognized Perry Law P.C. founder Meloney Perry in the 2022 edition for her work in insurance law and insurance litigation. Best Lawyers is the oldest and one of the most prominent peer-review legal guides in the country that honors leading attorneys in their practice areas.

"We are a firm that builds relationships and works to find the right solutions for our clients," said Ms. Perry. "When our peers recognize our hard work, it means a lot."

Serving as a primary counsel for a national insurance firm, Ms. Perry has more than 25 years of experience defending insurance companies in insurance coverage disputes, bad-faith and class-action litigation. She also represents business owners involved in insurance and business disputes in Texas, New Mexico and Colorado. Ms. Perry is a frequent speaker to attorney groups on insurance law and coverage issues.

Over the years, Mr. Perry has earned significant praise from her peers in the industry, including recognition from Best Lawyers and Texas Super Lawyers since 2019. Perry Law is recognized on the 2021 list of Best Law Firms by U.S. News-Best Lawyers.

An active member of the State Bar of Texas Insurance Law Section, Ms. Perry has served in different leadership positions, including the State Bar of Texas Council of Chairs Committee. She is also a fierce advocate for women's issues.

Best Lawyers honorees are selected from nominees who are ranked by current Best Lawyers attorneys in their same practice areas who also provide specific feedback. The publication's editorial team then reviews the votes and comments and ensures the lawyers are in good standing with the ethics committee of their state bars. For a complete list of the 2022 Best Lawyers, visit https://www.bestlawyers.com.

Perry Law P.C. is certified by the Women's Business Enterprise National Counsel as a women-owned law firm focused on insurance coverage and litigation. Our group of attorneys invests in lasting relationships, takes time to understand your business, and makes you the priority. For more information, please visit our website, http://www.mperrylaw.com.

Media Contact:

Sophia Reza

800-559-4534

[email protected]

SOURCE Perry Law P.C.

Related Links

https://www.mperrylaw.com


SALT LAKE CITY, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The trial law firm of Eisenberg Cutt Kendell & Olson has been acclaimed with the publication of The Best Lawyers in America 2022 by Best Lawyers, as well as the release of the 2022 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch and "Lawyer of the Year" awards. A total of seven of the firm's Salt Lake City, Utah attorneys have been honored with one or more of these accolades.

Eisenberg Cutt Kendell & Olson attorneys were listed as below in The Best Lawyers in America 2022 for their legal advocacy on behalf of Salt Lake City residents:

Further, Attorney Jacquelynn D. Carmichael was named the Best Lawyers 2022 Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs "Lawyer of the Year" awardee for Salt Lake City. This award is only given to the Best Lawyers nominee who scored the highest for their legal practice area and geographic location during the selection process.

Best Lawyers' selection process is based entirely on peer review. Top-rated attorneys from every corner of the nation participate in the review, evaluating other attorneys within their areas of practice and location. The Best Lawyers team then gathers, collects, analyzes, and fact-checks the results of the peer review to determine who will be selected for its annual guideeach year, only the top 6% of all the private practice attorneys in the U.S. make the cut.

To recognize the success of skilled early career attorneys, Best Lawyers uses the same peer-review process to choose Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch awardees. Attorney Lena Daggs of Eisenberg Cutt Kendell & Olson earned 2022 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch recognition for her work in Salt Lake City in the following categories:

Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs

Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs

Congratulations to the above seven attorneys on their Best Lawyers acclaim! They have each fought day in and day out to obtain the best possible results for Eisenberg Cutt Kendell & Olson's clients. The firm's recoveries amount to over $400 million in compensation for those injured by negligence.

Eisenberg Cutt Kendell & Olson represents personal injury plaintiffs in Salt Lake City and across the state of Utah. To book a free consultation or learn more about the award-winning firm, please visit eckolaw.com. For more information about Best Lawyers, go to bestlawyers.com.

SOURCE Eisenberg, Cutt, Kendell & Olson

Related Links

https://www.eckolaw.com


OKEMOS, Mich., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The acclaimed trial law firm of Grewal Law PLLC is celebrating the selection of Attorney David S. Mittleman to The Best Lawyers in America 2022 by Best Lawyers for the category of "Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs" in Okemos, Michigan.

Best Lawyers has taken a "Purely Peer Review" approach to developing The Best Lawyers in America since its first edition in 1983, using anonymous lawyer ballots to collect feedback on all nominees. It is, therefore, not possible to earn a spot in the guide without the respect of one's top-rated peers. Overall, only the top 6% of the country's private practice attorneys pass final selection.

Attorney Mittleman's work as the managing litigation attorney of Grewal Law PLLC has earned him a listing in every edition of The Best Lawyers in America since 2009. He expertly handles all aspects of litigation, primarily focusing on cases involving dental, medical, pharmacist, and pharmaceutical negligence. His past work includes participation in over 100 civil trials and a role in securing the largest university sexual assault scandal settlement with Michigan State University. He has also obtained numerous seven-figure verdicts and settlements for his clients throughout Michigan.

Grewal Law PLLC is a full-service law firm known for its success in high-profile cases. If you are looking for award-winning legal representation, visit the firm online at 4grewallaw.com. More information about The Best Lawyers in America can be found at bestlawyers.com/america.

SOURCE Grewal Law, PLLC

Related Links

https://www.4grewallaw.com


MIAMI, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The attorney team at Grossman Roth Yaffa Cohen, a nationally renowned South Florida trial law firm, is celebrating yet another year of Best Lawyers acclaim: Seven firm partners were chosen for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2022, one of whom was given a "Lawyer of the Year" award, and one firm partner was named a Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch recipient.

The seven Grossman Roth Yaffa Cohen attorneys listed in The Best Lawyers in America 2022 appeared as follows:

Further, Attorney Cohen was named a Best Lawyers 2022 Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs "Lawyer of the Year" awardee for the area of Fort Lauderdale. This is one of the most significant Best Lawyers honors an attorney can receive, as it denotes that they scored the highest in their practice area and location during the peer review.

In addition, Attorney William Mulligan of Grossman Roth Yaffa Cohen was named a Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch recipient in the category of "Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs" in Coral Gables. Ones to Watch awards are reserved to recognize early career attorneys; recipients must, however, pass the same selection process as listees in The Best Lawyers in America.

Best Lawyers makes all its selections based on a meticulous peer-review process. After being nominated by a third party, nominees are rigorously reviewed by their peers in terms of their career history and demonstrated legal skills. For accuracy, all listees must go through this peer review each yearno matter how many times they have earned listings before. It is a great honor to have 8 Best Lawyers-acclaimed attorneys at a single firm, particularly one comprising a dozen attorneys like Grossman Roth Yaffa Cohen.

With millions recovered, Grossman Roth Yaffa Cohen has garnered a national reputation for taking on complex cases others turn away, such as those involving severe birth injuries, bridge collapses, aviation accidents, traffic collisions, stem cell therapy malpractice, toxic exposure, and more. If you were injured in South Florida, find out more about how Grossman Roth Yaffa Cohen can help you by going to grossmanroth.com. Information about Best Lawyers can be found at bestlawyers.com.

SOURCE Grossman Roth Yaffa Cohen

Related Links

https://www.grossmanroth.com


ATLANTA, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- BioIQ, an analytics-driven population health and testing platform company for top employers, health plans, and government agencies, announces the release of a new on-demand webinar. This is part of the company's ongoing series of interviews with prominent healthcare thought leaders. In the latest installment, Major General Elder Granger, M.D., USA (Retired), joins BioIQ Founder and President Justin Bellante to discuss how military healthcare strategies and execution can help private sector employers improve employee health.

In the webinar, Dr. Granger shares his unique perspective on healthcare innovation and using data to improve health outcomes and accessibility. This is gleaned from his experience serving as the Deputy Director and Program Executive Officer of the TRICARE Management Activity, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs), Washington, DC. In this role, Dr. Granger led a staff of 1,800 in planning, budgeting, and executing a $22.5 billion Defense Health Program, ensuring the provision of high-quality, accessible care for 9.2 million uniformed Service members, their families, retirees, and others worldwide. Prior to joining TRICARE Management Activity, Dr. Granger led the largest U.S. and multi-national battlefield health system in recent history while serving as Commander, Task Force 44th Medical Command, and Command Surgeon for the Multinational Corps Iraq. Today Dr. Granger is president and CEO of THE 5Ps, LLC, a healthcare, education, and leadership consulting organization.

In the webinar "Using Military Healthcare Strategies to Innovate Health and Wellness Programs for Employers," Dr. Granger and Bellante touch on:

Priorities to effectively manage the health and wellness of large consumer populations

Healthcare best practices used in the military that can also benefit employers, including telehealth enablement and a focus on consumer experience and supply chain management

Lessons learned from military healthcare technology deployment

"Regardless of an employer's mission, be it military, manufacturing, technology or otherwise, making sure that employees are as healthy as they can possibly be is vital to ensuring that workers can focus on the goal at hand," said Dr. Granger. "An effective strategy that is considerate of preventative services, behavioral health, and consistent, quality care is essential to having a medically-ready workforce."

"There are many parallels between the military and large employers when it comes to managing population health on a global scale," said Bellante. "Dr. Granger's insight into military healthcare strategy yields valuable lessons that can help private sector companies improve employee experience and outcomes in workforce health and wellness programs."

Access the full webinar and other on-demand episodes here. To learn more about BioIQ's end-to-end technology platform for supporting at-home testing, health screening, and vaccination access programs, including COVID-19 solutions, visit www.bioiq.com/platform/.

About BioIQ

BioIQ is modernizing the diagnostic testing industry through a national network of labs and customized solutions that support payors, employers, and consumers. By aggregating testing solutions, optimizing lab capacity, and integrating testing with customers' needs and strategies, BioIQ ensures resilience and reliability so that employers and payors can protect workforces and members. With its first-of-its-kind health connectivity platform, BioIQ is uniquely positioned at the convergence of population health and the consumerization and retailization of healthcare to drive the shift to value-based care for payers and employers. Since 2005, BioIQ has launched thousands of successful health testing programs serving millions of participants. For more information, visit www.bioiq.com.

SOURCE BioIQ
ATLANTA, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Cambre & Associates launched charity initiative Cambre Cares in 2020 after witnessing the destruction COVID-19 had on the city of Atlanta. Today, as coronavirus continues to grow in variants, CEO/Founder Glenn Cambre makes a $1,000 donation to Grace Community Fellowship Church and Food Pantry in the Fulton Industrial Blvd Community. The personal injury law firm is also running an in-office food and back-to-school drive throughout the month of August to support the 200 families that visit the food pantry per week. These contributions will provide food, book bags and other school supplies to families and children.

Cambre & Associates makes a $1,000 donation to Grace Community Food Pantry.

"Our food pantry distributes actual groceries. It makes people feel self-sufficient because they can cook and eat open-and-ready food. Our pantry normally serves 200 or more families per week, but COVID-19 has more than doubled the number of families we have served since March 2020," shares GCFC Administrator, Mrs. Margaret Caldwell.

Cambre & Associates' donation to Grace Community Food Pantry will enhance their efforts to feed and aid the underserved populations in the Fulton County area. Many of the people supported by Grace Community Fellowship Church are homeless living in tents or abandoned 18-wheel trucks, under bridges, in hotels with children, seniors living alone, and men & women who reside in ex-offender re-entry programs.

Cambre cares about the community it serves, and it is also an initiative that stands in solidarity with those making strides to impact the lives of others. The delta variant has proven coronavirus's persistence at the detriment of Atlanta residents, employees and underserved populations. Cambre & Associates aims to support Grace Community Food Pantry in a way that enhances their impact.

Poverty-stricken communities have experienced great turmoil with very little resources and information on how to receive a stimulus payment or how to get tested and/or vaccinated. Every day, the homeless are tasked with searching for their next meal and finding ways to raise their children and support their families.

Cambre Cares launched in April 2020 after the onset of the pandemic. The attorneys at Cambre & Associates thanked the healthcare professionals risking their lives on the frontlines at Tanner Medical Center in Carrollton, GA. The medical heroes received a hot meal to keep them energized and healthy.

To learn more about Cambre Cares, please visit: www.cambrecares.com.

Press Contact Information

Chidere Igwe

[email protected]

470-870-7716

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Cambre & Associates donates to Grace Community Food Pantry

Cambre & Associates makes a $1,000 donation to Grace Community Food Pantry.

SOURCE Cambre & Associates
The awards were based on excellence in graphic design, editorial content, and overall effectiveness of communication. Tweet this

Contemporary Pediatrics editorial team member Lois Levine and contributing authors Jennifer Walton, MD; Brandi Kaye Freeman, MD; Yasmin Tyler-Hill, MD; Oliver Brooks, MD; and Lynn Smitherman, MD, were all recognized for the article that appeared in the February 2021 issue. Out of nearly 1,200 entries, only 100 receive a Grand Award, making it an exclusive prize and a great achievement for the publication.

The 2021 APEX awards were based on excellence in graphic design, editorial content, and overall effectiveness and excellence of communication. Now in its 33rd year, the APEX awards program selects winners from the most promising publications that professional communicators can enter.

"There are few topics that generate more passion in media than the topic of racism. It is difficult for most adults to deal with the topic, and this entry brings to the forefront how the topic affects children. This special report on 'Racism in Pediatric Health: How to Talk to Children About Racism' should be required reading not only for pediatric specialists, but for parents as well," said the APEX Awards judging committee. "If nothing were presented other than the table outlining at what ages children are exposed to various racial-awareness milestones and how to provide guidance, this would be an award-winning entry. Not surprisingly, the recommendations on how to speak to children about racial issues also would be helpful in speaking to adults. Without doubt, just a valuable resource for pediatricians."

For more information on the 2021 APEX Grand Awards program and a full list of the winners, click here.

About Contemporary Pediatrics

Contemporary Pediatrics provides pediatricians with timely, trusted, and practical information to enhance their care of children. The multimedia platform features relevant clinical and peer-reviewed articles, summarized guideline updates, case studies, and sensible practice management tips that pediatricians can apply immediately. Contemporary Pediatrics is a brand of MJH Life Sciences, the largest privately held, independent, full-service medical media company in North America, dedicated to delivering trusted health care news across multiple channels.

Contemporary Pediatrics Media Contact

Alyssa Scarpaci, 609-250-4356

[email protected]

SOURCE Contemporary Pediatrics
PROVIDENCE, R.I., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Attorneys at the renowned trial law firm of Decof, Barry, Mega & Quinn, P.C. have been acclaimed by Best Lawyers, a globally respected legal ranking organization, in the 2022 edition of its annual guides, The Best Lawyers in America and Ones to Watch.

Best Lawyers develops both of its annual guides primarily through peer review, asking top-rated lawyers in every corner of the country to participate in evaluating the caliber of the upcoming edition's candidates. Only those who scored the highest are listed in the published edition. Ones to Watch is dedicated to recognizing early career attorneys who pass review; however, according to Best Lawyers, The Best Lawyers in America solely recognizes the top 6% of the nation's private practice attorneys.

The below Decof, Barry, Mega & Quinn, P.C. attorneys were recognized in The Best Lawyers in America 2022 for their skill in advocating for those injured in Providence, Rhode Island:

Patrick C. Barry (Listed since 2020)

(Listed since 2020) Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs



Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs

Mark B. Decof (Listed since 2003)

(Listed since 2003) Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs

Also in Providence, the following Decof, Barry, Mega & Quinn, P.C. attorney was honored with 2022 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch recognition for the very first time:

Timothy J. Grimes

Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs



Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs

Congratulations to the above Decof, Barry, Mega & Quinn, P.C. attorneys on their 2022 Best Lawyers accolades! They have each helped the firm lay down its track record of success, which amounts to over $1 billion in compensation for its clients.

Decof, Barry, Mega & Quinn, P.C. proudly advocates for plaintiffs in catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases. It was the very first firm in Rhode Island to specialize in personal injury litigation and has achieved more verdicts in favor of clients than any other firm in the state. Visit decof.com to learn about how the firm can help. To read more about Best Lawyers, kindly visit bestlawyers.com.

SOURCE Decof, Barry, Mega & Quinn, P.C.
Download FREE Sample

Digital Educational Publishing Market: Innovative marketing strategies by digital education content publishers

Major digital education content publishers in the market are adopting innovative strategies to promote their products and services among students and faculty. For instance, Cengage Learning Holdings II Inc. launched a new subscription model called Cengage Unlimited. It offered full access to more than 675 courses and 20,000 digital titles in 70 disciplines at the cost of USD 119.99 per semester. The Cengage Unlimited subscription model attracted many educational institutions such as the University of Missouri, Liberty University, and Ultimate Medical Academy during August-November 2018. Similarly, VitalSource Technologies LLC announced its plans to simplify its courseware integrations by eliminating access barriers for users and streamline the administrative setup for institutions. Such innovative strategies are helping vendors to expand their customer base, thereby fueling the growth of the global digital educational publishing market.

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As per Technavio, the growing support for digital education through government initiatives will have a positive impact on the market and contribute to its growth significantly over the forecast period. This research report also analyzes other significant trends and market drivers that will influence market growth over 2021-2025.

Digital Educational Publishing Market: Growing support for digital education through government initiatives

Governments across the world are taking various initiatives to boost the penetration of digital technologies in the education sector. For instance, the EC announced the Digital Education Action Plan for the development of digital competence in the education sector in the EU member countries. The plan primarily focuses on the adoption of digital technology devices in educational institutions and the development of digital literacy and skills in students. Similarly, developing countries such as China and India are promoting the use of technology-enabled education through various programs. Many such government support initiatives are boosting the growth of the global digital educational publishing market.

"Factors including a surging shift toward content customization and the growing influence of data analytics in digital education will further aid in proliferating the market growth during the forecast period," according to Technavio.

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Digital Education Publishing Market in US by Product and End-user - Forecast and Analysis 2021-2025

Digital Publishing Market by Type and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2021-2025

Digital Education Content Market by End-user and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2021-2025

Digital Educational Publishing Market: Segmentation Analysis

This market research report segments the digital educational publishing market by End-user (K-12, higher education, and corporate and skill-based) and Geography (North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and MEA).

North America led the digital educational publishing market in 2020, followed by Europe, APAC, South America, and MEA respectively. During the forecast period, North America is expected to register the highest incremental growth of 41% due to the growing adoption of the bring your own device (BYOD) policy, particularly in the US and Canada.

Know more about the in-depth market insights that assist global businesses to obtain growth opportunities.

Download Free sample report

Some of the key topics covered in the report include:

Market Challenges

Market Drivers

Market Trends

Vendor Landscape

Vendors covered

Vendor classification

Market positioning of vendors

Competitive scenario

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contacts

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
NEW YORK, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ed Slott and Company, LLC, the nation's leading provider of technical IRA education for financial advisors, CPAs, insurance agents and attorneys, has been named to ThinkAdvisor's LUMINARIES Class of 2021 for the "Thought Leadership and Education" category. The award is designed to recognize firms making outstanding efforts to better understand and train new and existing industry participants. To view the full list of winners, click here.

"I am incredibly proud of our team for being recognized for our efforts to help educate financial professionals and consumers alike in a time when our industry is in great need of educational resources," said Ed Slott, CPA, the nationally recognized IRA Expert, founder of Ed Slott and Company, LLC and creator of irahelp.com, "From the SECURE Act to the CARES Act to the SEC's Reg. BI, so much is rapidly changing in our industry. Despite a global pandemic, it was our mission to adapt and accelerate our efforts to get advisors and consumers the information they need, and I want to commend my team for adapting and embracing the virtual world in order to do this. Our team worked tirelessly to deliver the most timely and accurate IRA expertise available anywhere."

In addition to providing up-to-the-minute answers to more than 5,000 inbound questions from the media and underserved consumers and professionals, Ed Slott and Company launched its 2-Day IRA Workshop for professionals in a state-of-the-art virtual format in 2020. This format was so successful with its enhanced engagement through interactive chat functionality with the team of IRA Experts that additional virtual training events were added in 2020 and 2021, along with adapting its advanced-level workshops for the 460+ members of Ed Slott's Elite IRA Advisor GroupSM  the premier, ongoing study group for professionals wanting to submerge themselves in retirement distribution planning and tax-saving strategies. The team has been hired for hundreds of keynote presentations and webinars and has provided expert insight to national print publications, radio shows and television broadcasts.

Members of the Class of 2021 LUMINARIES were selected by a distinguished and diverse panel of judges from across the advice industry, as well as by ThinkAdvisor's editorial team. Ed Slott and Company and fellow LUMINARIES winners will be featured at the program's inaugural awards dinner, which is set to take place Nov. 9 at the Mandarin Oriental in New York City.

For more information about Ed Slott and Company, visit irahelp.com.

ABOUT ED SLOTT AND COMPANY, LLC: Ed Slott and Company, LLC is the nation's leading provider of technical IRA education for financial advisors, CPAs and attorneys. Ed Slott's Elite IRA Advisor GroupSM is comprised of more than 460 of the nation's top financial professionals who are dedicated to the mastery of advanced retirement account and tax planning laws and strategies. Slott is a nationally recognized IRA distribution expert, best-selling author and professional speaker His latest books include The New Retirement Savings Time Bomb (Penguin Random House, 2021), Ed Slott's Retirement Decisions Guide: 2021 Edition (IRAHelp, 2021) and Fund Your Future: A Tax-Smart Savings Plan in Your 20s and 30s (IRAHelp, 2021). He has also hosted several public television programs, including his latest, Retire Safe & Secure! with Ed Slott (2021) and is a Professor of Practice at The American College of Financial Services. Visit irahelp.com for more information.

CONTACT

AdvisorPR

(702) 685-7450

SOURCE Ed Slott and Company

Related Links

https://www.irahelp.com


TORRANCE, Calif., Aug. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Emmaus Life Sciences, Inc. (OTC: EMMA), a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company and leader in the treatment of sickle cell disease, announced today that on August 12, 2021, the National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA) of the Kingdom of Bahrain approved a Temporary License for Importation of Pharmaceutical Product for Endari. The Pharmaceutical Products Regulation Department of the NHRA is responsible for ensuring the quality, safety, and efficacy of pharmaceutical products in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Endari, Emmaus' prescription grade L-glutamine oral powder, is approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for treating sickle cell disease in adult and pediatric patients five years of age and older.

With a total population of 1.8 million, the incidence of sickle cell disease in the Kingdom of Bahrain is estimated at 2.1%. Emmaus is in the process of applying for marketing authorization for Endari. In the meantime, the NHRA approval permits the importation of Endari in the Kingdom for up to 12 months to treat sickle cell disease patients on an early access basis to address an unmet medical need. Emmaus estimates that there are approximately 225,000 sickle cell disease patients that are reachable and could potentially be treated with Endari throughout the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

"We are pleased that the NHRA has approved Endari on a temporary basis. Along with the submission of our marketing authorization applications to the Saudi Food and Drug Authority and the Kuwait Food and Drug Control earlier this year, the temporary license approval is another important step in our meeting our commitment to serve sickle cell disease patients in the MENA region," said Yutaka Niihara, M.D., M.P.H., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Emmaus.

George Sekulich, Senior Vice President of Global Commercialization of Emmaus added, "While we prepare our first shipment of Endari to our distributor in Bahrain, we are working to build our relationships with the hematologists and patient advocacy groups in the Kingdom. In addition, Emmaus continues collaborating with clinicians on providing Endari on a named-patient basis in the Bahrain and the wider MENA region."

About Emmaus Life Sciences

Emmaus Life Sciences, Inc. is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery, development, marketing and sale of innovative treatments and therapies, including those in the rare and orphan disease categories. For more information, please visit www.emmausmedical.com.

About Endari (prescription grade L-glutamine oral powder)

Indication - Endari is indicated to reduce the acute complications of sickle cell disease in adult and pediatric patients five years of age and older.

Important Safety Information

The most common adverse reactions (incidence >10 percent) in clinical studies were constipation, nausea, headache, abdominal pain, cough, pain in extremities, back pain, and chest pain.

Adverse reactions leading to treatment discontinuation included one case each of hypersplenism, abdominal pain, dyspepsia, burning sensation, and hot flash.

The safety and efficacy of Endari in pediatric patients with sickle cell disease younger than five years of age has not been established.

For more information, please see full Prescribing Information of Endari at: www.ENDARIrx.com/PI.

About Sickle Cell Disease

There are approximately 100,000 people living with sickle cell disease (SCD) in the United States and millions more globally. The sickle gene is found in every ethnic group, not just among those of African descent; and in the United States an estimated 1-in-365 African Americans and 1-in-16,300 Hispanic Americans are born with SCD.1 The genetic mutation responsible for SCD causes an individual's red blood cells to distort into a "C" or a sickle shape, reducing their ability to transport oxygen throughout the body. These sickled red blood cells break down rapidly, become very sticky, and develop a propensity to clump together, which causes them to become stuck and cause damage within blood vessels. The result is reduced blood flow to distal organs, which leads to physical symptoms of incapacitating pain, tissue and organ damage, and early death.2

1Source: Data & Statistics on Sickle Cell Disease  National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, December 2020.

2Source: Committee on Addressing Sickle Cell Disease  A Strategic Plan and Blueprint for Action -- National Academy of Sciences Press, 2020.

Forward-looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, including statements regarding early access and potential marketing approval of Endari in the Kingdom of Bahrain. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties which change over time, including uncertainties related to marketing approval in the Kingdom of Bahrain and elsewhere in the MENA region and other factors previously disclosed in the company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K/A filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and actual results may differ materially. Such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and Emmaus assumes no duty to update them, except as may be required by law.

SOURCE Emmaus Life Sciences, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.emmausmedical.com


HARRISBURG, Pa., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Zowasel, Africa's frontline agricultural marketplace, has secured a $100,000 investment through the 2021 inaugural UN World Food Programme's "Zero Hunger Sprint," where the company demonstrated its crop marketplace which operates on ThoughtAI's revolutionary artificial intelligence (AI) blockchain.

Through this UN World Food Program (WFP), Zowasel has secured investments from Guinness Nigeria Plc, a Subsidiary of Diageo, and Promasidor Nigeria Limited, a leading pan-African consumer food manufacturer. The funding was awarded on July 30, 2021 during a live event held on Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.

ThoughtAI has developed the first smart digital infrastructure, a completely new blockchain-based artificial intelligence system capable of processing agricultural data and much more. The ThoughtAI system offers real-time market information, supply chain transparency, and accessibility to smallholder farmers across remote communities through its remote Crop Test Center infrastructures. Suitable for both online and offline markets, Zowasel can now ensure traceability and sustainability data directly from grassroot providers.

Zowasel is working with more than 1.5 million smallholder farmers aggregated across its network in northern Nigeria and has recently launched operations across Nigeria's Niger-Delta region to support smallholder farmers across the oil palm and cocoa value chains.

The United Nations WFP developed the "Zero Hunger Sprint" as a platform to encourage innovators to put their ideas into action to eliminate hunger in Nigeria by 2030. The UN agency explains that the Zero Hunger Roundtable is a multi-sector forum aimed at collectively addressing food challenges by fostering innovative approaches. With Guinness Nigeria Plc and Promasidor Nigeria Limited investing in Zowasel, the UN WFP will work with Zowasel to provide a six-month support program designed by the WFP Innovation Accelerator, based in Munich, as well as the Innovation Hub in Eastern Africa based in Nairobi, The goal is to further develop Zowasel's business model and to explore partnerships opportunities.

"We are glad that two giants in the global marketplace, Guinness Nigeria Plc and Promasidor, find our marketplace and its use of ThoughtAI's intuitive technology worthy of investment. We are even more excited about the opportunity, trust, and confidence bestowed upon our young company," says Zowasel Co-founder and CEO, Jerry Oche. "We look forward to working with these amazing companies and harnessing ThoughtAI's blockchain technology to understand and meet their sustainability goals, supply chain, and traceability needs."

ThoughtAI changes the way digital information is processed by embedding every piece of data with artificial intelligence. With ThoughtAI, data literally acts on its own  understanding where it came from, where it is supposed to go, and what it needs to do. This reduces the need for third-party applications, making data processing cheaper, faster, and more efficient for sustainable agriculture operations and virtually any industry that relies on data.

Says ThoughtAI's founder, Professor Andrew Hacker, "The investments from Guinness Nigeria PLC and Promasidor represent a commitment to a more fair, efficient, and sustainable marketplace in Africa, where one doesn't currently exist. It is an investment in ending hunger in Africa, and ThoughtAI is thrilled that our technology supports such an worthy goal."

For Zowasel, this is more than just an investment. Partnerships with Guinness Nigeria Plc and Promasidor provide customer acquisition opportunities, adding to the users of its traceability and sustainability software across the supply chain.

This investment also will allow ThoughtAI, which recently listed its cryptocurrency, THT, on the CoinMetro exchange to improve its technical solutions, helping farmers bolster crop quality and increase productivity to meet demand.

Furthermore, ThoughtAI's smart digital infrastructure provides extra layers of security, protecting Zowasel's marketplace operations and supporting the applications of participating businesses, from every sector. Every piece of data is addressable and encrypted, allowing the owners of the data to determine who has access to it.

Professor Hacker explains, "As we have shown through our partnership with Zowasel, whether it is agriculture, healthcare, high-speed commuter rail, manufacturing, space solar power, or nearly any other industry that relies on data to conduct business, ThoughtAI adds efficiencies and insights that companies need to operate in the future and be competitive and secure in a global marketplace." To repeat, ThoughtAI offers the first smart digital infrastructure.

Visit www.ThoughtAI.org for more information on better business solutions. To access and purchase ThoughtAI's cryptocurrency (THT) on CoinMetro, visit Coinmetro.com.

ABOUT ThoughtAI

Thought AI has re-imagined traditional analytics approaches by embedding data and information with artificial intelligence, allowing digital information to act on its own, essentially eliminating the application layer. This approach combines data and logic into an adaptive AI Solution providing a more helpful, responsive, and higher value solution. ThoughtAI has developed and deployed a completely new architecture designed to utilize and process data by integrating Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, and Data to create powerful, intelligent systems. Learn more at www.ThoughtAI.org.

ABOUT ZOWASEL

Zowasel is an agricultural technology startup developing a sustainable and nature-positive value chain across communities, people, and the planet. The Founder Institute portfolio company is headquartered in the United States. Backed by the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Zowasel is now supported by the UN World Food Program. Learn more at Zowasel.com.

SOURCE ThoughtAI; Zowasel
LONDON, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Finalists have been announced in all investment provider categories of the Growth Investor Awards 2021. We are pleased to announce that Kin Fund Services is sponsoring the Growth Investor of the Year award.

The Growth Investor of the Year

The highest accolade for investment providers, this award recognises outstanding managers demonstrating the best investment performance, the best product and service developments, and the best 'impact beyond investment'.

Augmentum Fintech Plc

Deepbridge Capital

Foresight Group

MMC Ventures

Par Equity

Parkwalk

Puma Investments

"The Growth Investor Awards are the premier awards for Venture Capital in the UK. Kin Fund Services is pleased to be supporting the awards. UK VCs continue to punch significantly above their weight, helping both to reinvigorate the post pandemic economy and generate great returns for investors. All of the nominees are worthy of recognition." Richard Hoskins - Co-Principal, Kin Fund Services

About this year's Growth Investor Awards

Now in their seventh year, the Growth Investor Awards organised by Intelligent Partnership are a landmark event in the investment calendar. With the support of investors, businesses, government and industry bodies, they honour the companies and individuals who go above and beyond to support the UK's growing businesses.

Commenting on the 2021 Growth Investor Awards, Guy Tolhurst, Managing Director of Intelligent Partnership, said: "I'd like to personally thank Kin Fund Services for their sponsorship, and for demonstrating their continued commitment to the UK's growth capital industry We will continue to give these businesses and individuals the recognition they deserve, and we wish every competitor the very best of luck."

More information about the selection process and previous winners is available on the Growth Investor Awards' website: growthinvestorawards.com

About Kin Fund Services

Kin is responsible for providing Fund Management, Custodian, Nominee and Administrator services to many thousands of investors. These range from the British Business Bank, well known global businesses and University endowments, through to private individuals investing a few thousand pounds.

SOURCE Kin Fund Services
Experts discuss how hospital at home can be one of the most significant growth opportunities in healthcare delivery and its possible impact for different stakeholders

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- After more than a decade as a niche offering, hospital-level care at homesome of it offered digitallyis rising, boosted by hospitals seeking to relieve overcrowding during the pandemic, changing patient preference, and insurers interested in lowering healthcare costs. Implementation roadblocks, including patient selection, care management and discharge for home care, will present new challenges and opportunities for a diverse hospital at home (HaH) player ecosystem.

Frost & Sullivan invites you to the upcoming webinar organized as part of the American Telemedicine Association's inaugural Telehealth Awareness Week, "Hospital at HomeA Value-driven and Sustainable Care Model?," on Sept. 2, 2021, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. EDT, to discover growth opportunities in the HaH market. Join Frost & Sullivan experts Kaustubh Savant and Greg Caressi for a panel discussion featuring Dr. Nick Patel, Chief Digital Officer, Prisma Health; Dr. Zenobia Brown, VP & Medical Director, Population Health, Northwell Health; and Karsten Russell-Wood, Portfolio Leader, Post-Acute & Home, Philips Healthcare. Learn from the experiences of others and walk away with actionable strategies for your organization.

For more information and to register for the webinar, please visit: http://frost.ly/670

"The rapid scale-up in the CMS Acute Hospital Care at Home program over the past nine months is another example of the acceleration of global trends driven by the COVID pandemic. As we have seen with other technologies driven by COVID, many lessons have been learned during this short time," observed Caressi, Sr. Vice President, Global Client Lead at Frost & Sullivan. "We look to share perspectives in this webinar to provide insight to other market participants."

"To better understand the opportunity the Hospital at Home model provides, it is important to understand the unique patient journey and the interdependence of different services and technological solutions that enable it," explained Savant, Senior Industry Analyst, Healthcare and Life Sciences at Frost & Sullivan. "Care coordination and digital technology solutions will play a major enabling role in the success of this model."

Listen to others' experiences, participate in a live, interactive question-and-answer session, and walk away with actionable strategies for your organization. Attend this webinar to discover:

HaH has seen phenomenal adoption in the past nine months, and many expect it to continue, but where does it go from here?

How are the health systems/hospitals overcoming implementation and scale-up challenges?

Frost & Sullivan's research points toward strategic partnerships with different technology and care coordination players as a critical approach. What is the commitment needed for the transition?

Remote patient care has transformed from a niche to a significant opportunity. How are technology players like Philips helping health providers capitalize on this?

The event will also be recorded and available for on-demand viewing at http://frost.ly/1ti.



About Frost & Sullivan

For six decades, Frost & Sullivan has been world-renowned for its role in helping investors, corporate leaders and governments navigate economic changes and identify disruptive technologies, Mega Trends, new business models and companies to action, resulting in a continuous flow of growth opportunities to drive future success. Contact us: Start the discussion .

Press Contact:

Mariana Fernandez

Corporate Communications

Frost & Sullivan

[email protected]



SOURCE Frost & Sullivan

Related Links

www.frost.com


"We're honored to be recognized on this year's Inc.5000 list," said GUARDIAN RFID Chief Warrior and President, Ken Dalley. "It's the cumulative result of our team's consistent execution across all areas in our mission to support the 480,000 correctional officers protecting our nation's jails and prisons."



GUARDIAN RFID is the most widely deployed inmate tracking system in the world. Some of the largest law enforcement agencies and jail systems rely on GUARDIAN RFID to strengthen their care, custody, and control mission-set, including the Los Angeles Police Department, Dallas County Sheriff's Office (Texas), Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office (Florida).

"The 2021 Inc. 5000 list feels like one of the most important rosters of companies ever compiled," says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. "Building one of the fastest-growing companies in America in any year is a remarkable achievement. Building one in the crisis we've lived through is just plain amazing. This kind of accomplishment comes with hard work, smart pivots, great leadership, and the help of a whole lot of people."

Methodology

Companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2017 to 2020. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2020. (Since then, some on the list may have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2020 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Growth rates used to determine company rankings were calculated to three decimal places. There was one tie on this year's Inc. 5000. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.'s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.

About GUARDIAN RFID

GUARDIAN RFID is a public safety technology company whose mission is to deliver sustained operational dominance, enable decisive action, and support the care, custody and control mission-set of America's Warriors, the 480,000 correctional officers protecting our nation's jails and prisons. Learn more about GUARDIAN RFID at guardianrfid.com or connect with us across our social media channels: LinkedIn , YouTube , Facebook , and Twitter .

About Inc. and the Inc. 5000 Regionals

The 2021 Inc. 5000 Regionals are ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2017 and 2019. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2019. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2019 is $1 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons.

About Inc. Media

The world's most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States.

SOURCE GUARDIAN RFID

Related Links

http://www.guardianrfid.com


"We're committed to providing a safe AND sensational 10th anniversary Fringe!" -- Founding Festival Producer Erica Fee Tweet this

The 2021 festival will feature more than 120 free shows during its 12 days, including a special, outdoor Fringe Finale on September 25, when it will present SMOKESTACKS music festival, curated and headlined by nationally renowned Rochester band, Joywave.

Fringe 2021 will also feature a beautiful Italian Circus Tent at its downtown hub known as "One Fringe Place." Inside, the world premiere of the Fringe-commissioned Cirque du Fringe: AfterParty  created and directed by festival favorite Matt Morgan  will run nightly.

Also at One Fringe Place, Silent Disco returns, as will the Fringe's 10th annual, free Gospel Sunday and two more annual freebies: Pedestrian Drive-In and Kids Day. The annual Fringe Street Beat  a free, all-styles dance competition  will take place in Martin Luther King, Jr. Park at Manhattan Square.

Because several of the festival's usual indoor venues won't reopen in time, new venues stepped in to provide spaces for the hundreds of local, regional, and national artists who submitted applications in June to perform at the festival.

"Artist-submitted venue shows account for the vast majority of our offerings and are a huge part of our overarching mission: to provide a platform for artists to share their ideas and develop their skills," explains Fee.

From its five-day debut in 2012, the 12-day KeyBank Rochester Fringe Festival has become one of the fastest-growing and most-attended fringe festivals in the U.S. It is also the largest multidisciplinary performing arts festival in New York State. Last year's Virtual Fringe offered more than 170 online productions, connecting artists and audiences around the world. The 2019 Fringe featured more than 650 performances and events  over 200 of them free  in 25+ downtown venues and broke all previous attendance records with more than 100,000 visitors.

Media please note : All Fringe press assets can be found at rochesterfringe.com/press.

SOURCE Rochester Fringe Festival, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.rochesterfringe.com


HONG KONG, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Kingdee International Software Group Co., Ltd. ("Kingdee International", "Kingdee" or the "Company", together with its subsidiaries collectively referred to as the "Group"; Stock Code: 0268.HK) today announced its interim results for the period ended 30 June 2021 (the "Reporting Period"). Focusing on the "Platform + Finance & HR & Tax + Ecosystem" strategy, the Group continued to develop and promote subscription based cloud services. During the reporting period, the revenue from Cloud services increased by 55.1% yoy to RMB1,238 million, accounting for 66.1% of total revenue. Kingdee's subscription ARR (annual recurring revenue) was approximately RMB1.27 billion, an increase of 71.5% yoy. Meanwhile, subscription related contract liabilities achieved growth of 82.2% yoy.

During the reporting period, the Group recorded total revenue of RMB1,872 million, representing an increase of 35.0% as compared with the same period in 2020, and the revenue from the ERP and other business achieved growth of 7.7% yoy. In addition, the Group continued to increase the R&D investment on Kingdee Cloud Cosmic, Constellation, and other cloud services. Loss attributable to the owners of the Company for the period was approximately RMB248 million.

Evolving from ERP to EBC (Enterprise Business Capability), Kingdee has assisted more and more enterprises to boost "enterprise capability". Through persistent exploration in cloud services area and gaining customer trusts, Kingdee was well recognised by global research institutions including the following "only" awards: 1) the only Chinese enterprise SaaS vendor ranked top-five market share in Gartner's 2020 Application Platform Software; 2) the only Chinese enterprise SaaS vendor selected into Gartner's Global Market Guide for Cloud ERP; 3) the only Chinese vendor won IDC's 2020 Global SaaS Customer Satisfaction Award, ranked No.1 in ERP SaaS customer satisfaction; 4) the only Chinese vendor selected into IDC's 2021 Asia Pacific Manufacturing ERP SaaS MarketScape, as a Contender; 5) the only company ranked No.1 market share in IDC's China's Enterprise SaaS ERM market for four consecutive years; 6) the only company ranked No.1 market in IDC's growth enterprise application software market for seventeen consecutive years.

Remarkable growth in Large Enterprise market, and milestone achievement with model customers.

As the industry leading enterprise-class PaaS platform, Kingdee released Cosmic 4.0 version during the reporting period, to maintain the technological advantages and high entry barriers. Cosmic has proved its high stability and high reliability with multiple customers, also certified by Huawei, for passing industry high-standard enterprise scene million concurrent connections stress test. Meanwhile, Cosmic's ecosystem ISV partners amounted to nearly 800, adding several new modules such as pharmaceutical distribution, MES (Manufacturing Execution System), WMS (Warehouse Management System), and CRM (Customer Relationship Management System).

In May 2021, Cosmic's SaaS was rebranded as a new independent brand Kingdee Cloud Constellation. As EBC cloud service for large enterprises, Constellation provides more than 200 modules and features around finance, taxation, HR, supply chain, procurement and manufacturing.

During the reporting period, Kingdee achieved milestone breakthrough with several Cosmic and Constellation model customers, including 1) On-boarded Huawei Global HR Phase One system. Huawei and Kingdee will continue to move forward on the system, jointly building the enterprise digital capability for the future. 2) China Tobacco Yunnan's Cosmic-based integrated ERP system was on-boarded at the beginning of 2021. With stable performance, the customer and Kingdee achieved breakthrough in local substitution and innovation. 3) Constellation modules for Hisense Group Phase Two has been on-boarded, improving scale operating efficiency.

During the reporting period, Kingdee Cloud Cosmic and Constellation recorded RMB160 million in revenue, an increase of 155.4% yoy. Cosmic and Constellation signed 142 new customers in total, including industry leading customers such as China Huaneng Group, Shagang Group, HPGC Renmintongtai, Guangxi Beibu Gulf Investment Group, Hengfeng Paper, and German Continental AG.

Favored by star high-growth Enterprises in Medium Market, and in-depth exploration in industry verticals.

Based on successful digital transformation cases and enterprise management wisdom, Kingdee Cloud Galaxy is poised to help the stable operation of high-growth enterprises. Galaxy offers finance cloud, manufacturing cloud, supply chain cloud, omni-channel marketing cloud, new retail cloud, and especially the industry leading unique "PLM + ERP + MES" integrated solution. As the EBC cloud service for high-growth enterprises, Kingdee Cloud Galaxy focused on industry vertical capabilities, and grew with the booming industry leaders and unicorns, including Phytium, Sensoro, IntelliFusion and EV Power in High-tech industry, PharmaBlock Sciences, Angelalign, Smartee and Mednovo in Life science industry, HMNTech, Huanghe S&T Group Information Industry, Cheersson Industrial and Sunny Precision in Advanced manufacturing industry, as well as leadership in other industry verticals like manufacturing, food and daily chemical, food and beverage. Galaxy has developed standard industry best practices as well as customized solutions. Galaxy solution for HMNTech was included in "Typical Case of Innovative Solutions for Information Technology Applications in 2020" by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).

During the reporting period, Kingdee Cloud Galaxy continued to deepen the industry layout, and successively signed well-known enterprises such as KINGSEMI, Sillumin, Tong Hua Dong Bao Group, Sanyou Medical, ZET, Chiopt Optotech, Huaxin Photoelectricity and Kanhoo. Kingdee Cloud Galaxy registered revenue of approximately RMB680 Million, an increase of over 35.1% yoy, maintained its dollar retention at 87.1%, and accumulated over 22,800 customers. Thanks to the maturity of the industry plan and the signing of direct delivery with its partners, Kingdee Cloud Galaxy's profitability has improved significantly.

Rapid growth in Small & Micro enterprise market, and constructing the finance & tax service ecosystem

During the reporting period, Small & Micro business (SMB) finance cloud service achieved rapid growth with a yoy revenue increase of 72.3%. Kingdee Cloud Stellar and Jingdou Cloud's combined revenue grew by 54.8% yoy. Kingdee KIS Cloud achieved a rapid growth of 329.9% yoy in revenue by promoting old customers of KIS end products to upgrade cloud subscription, and maintained its dollar retention of approximately 91.6%. During the reporting period, Kingdee Cloud Stellar and Ding Talk jointly launched a data standard co-build plan based on the integration of business and finance, promoted the data interconnection among SaaS in the industry in order to realize one-stop digital management of business and finance and help the small and micro enterprises improve the efficiency of fiscal and tax management and business decision-making.

Advance in the ecosystem strategy, to achieve a Win-Win for Kingdee and Partners

During the reporting period, Kingdee strategically invested in Shanghai i-Search Software Co., Ltd. to jointly create intelligent, efficient and innovative RPA applications. Meanwhile, Kingdee invested for the majority shareholding in Beijing Infosin to provide full-life-cycle product solutions for the tobacco industry. Besides, Kingdee actively built strategic ecosystem: it deepened partnership with domestic and foreign consulting and implementation partners such as KPMG, iSoftStone, Chinasoft International, and explored service ecosystem cooperation. Kingdee introduced solution plans for the industry with IaaS players such as Huawei Cloud, Alibaba Cloud, and Tencent Cloud. Collectively working with the Xinchuang ecosystem, Kingdee has passed the adaptation certificates with 11 products of Xinchuang partners, such as Kunpeng, Dameng Database and Kylin Software.

Internal Reform motivated by Xu Shaochun's WeChat Public Account, to enable customer success

Introduction of "Xu Shaochun's WeChat Public Account" aims to promote the culture of "wholeheartedly serving the enterprise customers" across the Group, and has become a major force driving Kingdee's cloud transformation. In the first half of 2021, the Public Account received nearly 5,000 effective consultations, also received over 240 customer appraisals, representing over 110% yoy increase. Customer complaints also declined by 40% yoy. The Public Account has notably pushed forward internal reforms based on the feedbacks, and has built direct customer services and customer success model.

Mr. XU Shaochun, Chairman and CEO of the Group: "Kingdee will continue to execute the cloud subscription transformation strategy, and to fully carry out the strategy of "Platform + Finance & HR & Tax + Ecosystem", in order to consistently user experiences of our products and services. In the next three years, we will create a new Kingdee with subscription revenue. Committed to the philosophy of 'Putting customers at the center, Insisting professionalism in the long-run; Regarding hardworking as the foundation, Keeping a pure heart and pure mind for a long time', Kingdee will wholeheartedly work with every customers on digital transformation, to resolve challenges and achieve growth.

About Kingdee International Software Group Company Limited

Kingdee International Software Group Company Limited ("Kingdee International" or "Kingdee") was established in 1993. It is listed on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (stock code: 0268.HK) and headquartered in Shenzhen, China. Adhering to the core values of "Acting in all Conscience, with Integrity and Righteousness", the Company is committed to helping businesses achieve their growth targets through dedicated services. It strives to provide clients with the most trusted enterprise service platform.

With the exploration in cloud services area, Kingdee has continuously received recognition from renown global and local research institutions. Kingdee achieved the following six major recognitions: 1) the only Chinese enterprise SaaS vendor ranked top-five market share in Garnter's 2020 Application Platform Software; 2) the only Chinese enterprise SaaS vendor selected into Gartner's Global Market Guide; 3) the only Chinese vendor won IDC's 2020 Global SaaS Customer Satisfaction Award, ranked No.1 in ERP SaaS customer satisfaction; 4) the only Chinese vendor selected into IDC's 2021 Asia Pacific Manufacturing ERP SaaS MarketScape, as a Contender; 5) the only company ranked No.1 market share in IDC's China's Enterprise SaaS ERM market for four consecutive years; 6) the only company ranked No.1 market in IDC's growth enterprise application software market for seventeen consecutive years.

Many cloud service products of Kingdee have won the favour of benchmark enterprises, which included Kingdee Cloud Cosmic (new-generation PaaS Platform for enterprises), Kingdee Cloud Constellation (SaaS solution for large enterprises), Kingdee Cloud Galaxy (SaaS solution for medium-sized enterprises), Kingdee Cloud Stellar (SaaS solution for micro and small enterprises). Kingdee has provided software management and cloud services for more than 6.8 million enterprises, governments and organizations across the world.

SOURCE Kingdee
LAS VEGAS, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Jonathan Sirko today announces the launch of Sirko Enterprises with its headquarters based out of Las Vegas, Nevada.

Sirko Enterprises, a national consulting and business management company, was founded and operated by Jonathan Sirko, a United States Marine veteran and a former police officer.

Sirko Enterprises - Consulting and business management

Mr. Sirko shared that there are a variety of challenges that corporations and businesses face today that are better handled by outsourcing the services to a company such as Sirko Enterprises.

Mr. Sirko added that at Sirko Enterprises, they don't only consult you on what to do, Sirko Enterprises also has the ability to initiate recommendations and manage the programs to ensure success.

Sirko Enterprises is also offering staffing services for on-site and remote talent for their clients.

Mr. Sirko enjoys being hands-on with all his clients. Mr. Sirko can be reached by email at [email protected] and by voice or text at 678.294.6568. Sirko Enterprises may be reached at 702.252.3852 or www.sirkoenterprises.com.

Related Images

sirko-enterprises.jpeg

Sirko Enterprises

Sirko Enterprises - Consulting and business management

SOURCE Sirko Enterprises
TSX/NYSE/PSE: MFC SEHK: 945

BOSTON, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Hancock Natural Resource Group (HNRG), a company of Manulife Investment Management, through its affiliate Rio Verde Holding Ltda., recently acquired two operating companies with land use rights to 43,332 hectares of highly productive eucalyptus plantations in Mato Grosso do Sul from Copa Gestao de Investimentos Ltda., ("Copa") on behalf of its clients. The acquisition is the second timberland investment by Manulife Investment Management in the region this year. It is a strategic priority for the firm to expand its timberland portfolio in Brazil and, more broadly, to grow its private markets' global capabilities across real assets, and private equity and credit.

The plantations supply the increasing demand from the bleached eucalyptus kraft pulp mills and benefit from being closely located to the pulp producers. Copa has provided state of the art technology to sustainably grow and maintain the forests which has resulted in top quartile plantations for the region.

"We are pleased to announce this transaction to further build our investment platform in Brazil, which will benefit from the additional size and scale provided by the acquisition of these plantations," said Tom Sarno, global head of timberland investments, Manulife Investment Management. "Finding high-quality assets, and working strategically with key Brazilian counterparties, continues to be a key focus to enhance and diversify clients' portfolios."

Manulife Investment Management manages approximately 5.7 million acres of timberland across the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Brazil and Chile. It also oversees approximately 400,000 acres of prime farmland in major agricultural regions of the United States and in Canada, Chile, and Australia. This is the third acquisition the timberland and agriculture team has closed in South America in 2021.

About Manulife Investment Management Manulife Investment Management is the global wealth and asset management segment of Manulife Financial Corporation. We draw on more than a century of financial stewardship and the full resources of our parent company to serve individuals, institutions, and retirement plan members worldwide. Headquartered in Toronto, our leading capabilities in public and private markets are strengthened by an investment footprint that spans 18 geographies. We complement these capabilities by providing access to a network of unaffiliated asset managers from around the world. We're committed to investing responsibly across our businesses. We develop innovative global frameworks for sustainable investing, collaboratively engage with companies in our securities portfolios, and maintain a high standard of stewardship where we own and operate assets, and we believe in supporting financial well-being through our workplace retirement plans. Today, plan sponsors around the world rely on our retirement plan administration and investment expertise to help their employees plan for, save for, and live a better retirement.

As of June 30, 2021, Manulife Investment Management had CAD $1.0 trillion (US $834 billion) in assets under management and administration. Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit manulifeim.com.

About Copa

Founded in 2012, Copa Investimentos (Copa) is an independent Brazilian investment management firm exclusively focused on timberland and rural real estate investments. Copa manages funds that are involved in the establishment, acquisition and management of plantation forests and rural real estate. The founding partners of Copa Investimentos are working together since 2005, having contributed to the development of the Brazilian timberland investment market. In this period, they participated in the structuring of the first Brazilian timberland funds and of some of the main transactions and investments in the industry. The firm is wholly owned by its executives and Copa's partnership and remuneration frameworks are based on meritocracy and long-term alignment of interests.

SOURCE Manulife Investment Management

Related Links

https://www.manulifeim.com/


HOUSTON, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Mattress Firm , the nation's largest mattress specialty retailer, today announced that it has signed a multi-year extension through 2025 to its current supply agreement with Tempur Sealy International, Inc. (NYSE: TPX). The news highlights Mattress Firm's commitment to providing customers with an expertly curated collection of quality mattresses from the best brands.

Mattress Firm entered into a three-year strategic sales partnership with Tempur Sealy in 2019, bringing a portfolio of innovative and highly sought-after products to consumers through Mattress Firm's 2,300+ locations nationwide, as well as on MattressFirm.com. Mattress Firm and Tempur Sealy partnered over the subsequent months to flawlessly execute an extensive product rollout across the country and train Mattress Firm's 6,200 Sleep ExpertsTM on attributes of Tempur Sealy products that deliver improved sleep to consumers. In January 2021, Tempur Sealy recognized Mattress Firm as the No. 1 Tempur-Pedic Retailer in the U.S. based on the volume of sales achieved during 2020. Mattress Firm also holds this distinction for Tempur Sealy's Stearns & Foster and Sealy brands.

"This extension of our agreement with Tempur Sealy underscores our mutual commitment to a long-term partnership," said John Eck, President and CEO for Mattress Firm. "With the additional certainty provided by this early extension, we are able to approach product innovation and address consumer needs collaboratively, and with renewed focus. We are very optimistic about what we can achieve together in the years ahead."

"Mattress Firm is a valued retail partner for Tempur Sealy, and the extension of our agreement supports our shared goal of improving lives through better, smarter sleep," added Scott Thompson, CEO and Chairman of Tempur Sealy International, Inc.

About Mattress Firm

For the past 90 years, Mattress Firm has made it easy to get a great night's sleep by providing our customers an expertly curated collection of quality mattresses from the best brands. Today, with more than 2,300 neighborhood stores and a robust product offering on mattressfirm.com, we strive to match every customer with their perfect mattress at the perfect price. Our Sleep Experts help more than 3 million people a year find the right solution for their sleep needs. Our selection of mattresses and bedding accessories include leading brands such as Beautyrest, Nectar, Sealy, Serta, Simmons, Sleepy's, Stearns & Foster, Tempur-Pedic, Tuft & Needle, tulo, and Purple. We also offer customers Sleep.com as a go-to resource for learning how to sleep better and feel better. Committed to serving our communities, the Mattress Firm Foster Kids program, in partnership with the Ticket to Dream Foundation, joined forces with local foster care non-profit partners to help children in foster care get better sleep so they can shape a better future. For more information, visit http://www.mattressfirm.com.

Media Contact:

Katie Clark

[email protected]

SOURCE Mattress Firm

Related Links

http://www.mattressfirm.com


BANGALORE, India, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Global Medical Education Market is Segmented by Type (On-campus, Distance), by application (Adult, Kid): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20212027. This report is published on Valuates Reports under Health Education and Medical Training Category.

The medical education market size was valued at USD 74.5 Billion in 2020 and is projected to reach USD 122.8 Billion by 2027 at a CAGR of 7.60%.

Major factors driving the growth of medical education trends are:

An increase in the privatization of medical schools, a rise in the number of medical schools, and a surge in the number of students seeking a medical education, are all contributing to the growth of the global medical education market.

The increasing need for digitalization in the education industry is expected to drive the medical education market. When compared to conventional learning methods, tablet-based, multimedia-enhanced training is seen to improve medical examination results.

Emerging countries are investing in healthcare infrastructure to improve healthcare quality. The increasing infrastructure will trigger the hiring of additional medical personnel. Thus, the worldwide medical education market is projected to benefit as a result of this.

View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/reports/QYRE-Othe-2D465/global-medical-education

TRENDS INFLUENCING THE GROWTH OF THE MEDICAL EDUCATION MARKET

Digitization in the medical education field is expected to drive the growth of the medical education market. Digitization of Medical education offers unparalleled access to fresh study methods through videos and audios, all of which are cost-effective. This cost-effective feature is expected to increase more enrollments during the forecast periods.

Furthermore, CME (continuing medical education) promotes lifelong learning by assisting medical professionals in filling gaps in their professional practice, which is projected to increase the medical education market growth throughout the forecast period.

The increase in the number of medical schools especially in the developing economy is expected to boost market growth. The demographic and epidemiologic shifts in emerging market economies (EMEs) are accelerating. In most of these countries, the population's health is jeopardized by a twin burden of lifestyle-related diseases and emerging and current infectious diseases. This in turn is forcing governments of these regions to be involved in developing the healthcare infrastructure and medical schools.

An increase in the number of private medical schools is expected to further boost the medical education market growth. Over the last several decades, the privatization of medical education has exploded, with the number of private medical schools rapidly increasing. This is majorly attributed to the population boom and inability of the governments to meet the medical needs of society due to both economic constraints and limited infrastructure.

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MEDICAL EDUCATION MARKET SHARE ANALYSIS

In North America, the United States and Canada are the most important markets for medical education. North America has been experiencing rapid expansion and is likely to provide market suppliers with several commercial prospects during the forecast period. The introduction of visual technologies in medical education is one of the primary elements driving expansion in North America.

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MEDICAL EDUCATION MARKET SEGMENTATION

Segment by Type

On-campus

Distance.

Segment by Application

Adult

Kid.

By Region

North America

U.S.

Canada

Europe

Germany

France

U.K.

Italy

Russia

Nordic

Rest of Europe

Asia-Pacific

China

Japan

South Korea

Southeast Asia

India

Australia

Rest of Asia

Latin America

Mexico

Brazil

Rest of Latin America

Middle East & Africa

Turkey

Saudi Arabia

UAE

Rest of MEA

By Company

Apollo Hospitals

TACT Academy for Clinical Training

Zimmer Institute

Olympus

Gundersen Health System

GE Healthcare

Medical Training College.

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SIMILAR REPORTS

- Medical Education Publishing Market is segmented by Type, Electronic Media Publishing, Print Media Publishing, by Application, Individual, Enterprise, School and by various regions.

- VR in Medical Education and Training Market is segmented by Type Hardware, Software, Service, by Application Medical Education, Training and by various regions.

- Nursing Education market size is projected to reach USD 11470 Million by 2027, from USD 9132.4 Million in 2020, at a CAGR of 3.3% during 2021-2027.

- Healthcare Education Solutions market size is projected to reach USD 12360 Million by 2027, from USD 8276.1 Million in 2020, at a CAGR of 5.4% during 2021-2027.

- Medical Simulation for Education Market is segmented by Type Software, Anatomical Models, by Application Hospital, Medical College and by various regions.

- Medical Aesthetics Training Market is segmented by Type, Live Hands on Training, Online Training, by Application Physicians, Dentists, Nurses and by various regions.

- General Medicine Education Publishing market size is projected to reach USD 4281.4 Million by 2027, from USD 3185.4 Million in 2020, at a CAGR of 3.9% during 2021-2027.

- eLearning Market

- Education Software Market

Click here to see my related reports on Medical Education Market

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Expanded Payment Options : Venmo and Paypal will be integrated with Classy Pay this fall, making Classy one of the first platforms to offer both payment options.

: Venmo and Paypal will be integrated with Classy Pay this fall, making Classy one of the first platforms to offer both payment options. Embedded Checkout : Nonprofits will now have the option to embed a checkout form directly on their website, which will streamline a supporter's checkout journey while donating online and increase conversion.

: Nonprofits will now have the option to embed a checkout form directly on their website, which will streamline a supporter's checkout journey while donating online and increase conversion. Recurring Giving: Classy will continue to invest in innovation in recurring giving so donors can engender long-term loyalty and ongoing support for causes they care about. This includes launching new recurring frequencies that include bi-weekly, weekly and daily recurring frequency options in addition to the existing annual, semi-annual, quarterly and monthly recurring frequency options. This enhances an organization's ability to effectively target their campaigns in a cadence that makes the appeal more relevant and appealing to the donor.

Classy will continue to invest in innovation in recurring giving so donors can engender long-term loyalty and ongoing support for causes they care about. This includes launching new recurring frequencies that include bi-weekly, weekly and daily recurring frequency options in addition to the existing annual, semi-annual, quarterly and monthly recurring frequency options. This enhances an organization's ability to effectively target their campaigns in a cadence that makes the appeal more relevant and appealing to the donor. Large-Scale Events: For nonprofits whose revenue relies heavily on events, Classy is investing in a more robust virtual events platform, including hybrid event capabilities. This will also include the launch of Campaign Templating, which allows an organization to create a foundation for all associated campaigns so you don't have to start from scratch. This is especially helpful for nonprofits whose chapters run affiliate events, virtually, in-person, or both, across the country. Other enterprise events features will include tools for managing transaction and participant engagement on the day of an event, communication tools, and other features that enhance the supporter experience.

"At Classy, we design every experience from the perspective of the donor," said Classy CEO, Chris Himes. "Our new product offerings will make the donation journey more intuitive, ultimately driving more social impact for nonprofits."

Leading these new product developments will be Eric Pannese, Classy's new Senior Vice President of Product Management and Design. Pannese joins the Classy team from Medallia, a SaaS-based customer experience management platform, and brings over 20 years of technology experience,13 years of it working with SaaS products across a wide range of verticals, from finance and retail to hospitality.

His deep focus on customer experience will mesh seamlessly with Classy's commitment to a customer-first mentality. By leading product development with the customer top-of-mind, Pannese will help ensure that Classy is continuously delivering cutting-edge technology with products that meet the needs of nonprofits, ultimately driving more funding, and more impact.

"I am thrilled to be a part of Classy, furthering our commitment to customer-forward product development," said Eric Pannese, SVP of Product Management & Design at Classy. " User experience is sometimes overlooked when making decisions on a tight non-profit budget, but it is key to attracting and retaining the donors that will help our customers better meet the needs of the communities that they are serving."

These updates come on the heels of Classy's $118M Series D funding round , where Classy committed to further investing in product development. Pannese's hire along with the new product innovation is just the first step in a long journey to improve technology for nonprofits to move their missions forward.

Learn more about Classy Pay here , and about Classy's leadership team here .

About Classy

Classy is a B Corp Certified Public Benefit Corporation and giving experience platform that enables nonprofits to connect supporters with the causes they care about. Based in San Diego, CA and trusted by thousands of nonprofits, from the fastest-growing nonprofits to some of the world's largest social organizations, Classy's platform provides the formats and flexibility to activate donors when and how they need to by creating more relevant connections to their causes. Since 2011, Classy has helped nonprofits mobilize and empower the world for good by helping them raise over $3 billion on its platform. Classy also hosts the Collaborative conference and the Classy Awards to spotlight the innovative work nonprofits are implementing around the globe. For more information, visit www.classy.org.

CONTACT: Krista Lamp

[email protected]

(619) 535-2263



SOURCE Classy

Related Links

http://www.classy.org


GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Next Wave Impact is proud to announce the winner of its second annual Founders of Color Showcase  change:WATER Labs was named most investable company and earned $300,000 in seed money. In addition, finalists Boddle Learning and DrugViu received investments of $100,000 each. By hosting this annual event, Next Wave Impact, a global impact investor syndicate with more than 200 women investing, offers founders of color a platform to present their companies to a broad audience of investors, funds and angel groups.

Diana Yousef of change:WATER Labs, Inc. L to R: Clarence Tan and Edna Martinson of Boddle Learning, and Kwaku Owusu and Melanie Igwe of DrugViu

According to a recent report by SEC's Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation, only 3 percent of VC-backed founders are African American/Black and Hispanic/Latino and just 3 percent of VC dollars went to women-only founding teams.

"Data confirms that minority-led companies are underfunded so we're taking action," said Alicia Robb, founder of Next Wave Impact. "Now in its second year, the Founders of Color Showcase has amplified truly innovative companies that deserve to be seen and funded."

At the Showcase, the six finalists gained exposure to more than 200 investors from the early-stage investing ecosystem. Next Wave Impact partnered with Loon Creek Capital to set up Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) which provide a nimble, safe and efficient vehicle for investors from diverse sectors and geographies to fund early-stage startups. SPVs brought a half a million dollars in investments to three of the six Founders of Color finalists.

The 2021 finalists were:

Kwaku Owusu and Melanie Igwe of DrugViu

and of DrugViu Clarence Tan and Edna Martinson of Boddle Learning

and of Boddle Learning Diana Yousef of change:WATER Labs, Inc.

of change:WATER Labs, Inc. Troy Clarke and Calvin Mackie of Golden Leaf Energy

and of Golden Leaf Energy Sonja Ebron and Debra Slone of Courtroom5

and of Courtroom5 Janna Westbrook of Provider Pool

Co-hosts of the second annual Founders of Color Showcase included Kachuwa Impact Fund, Beta Boom, Fundr, Stella Angels, Founders First, Women 2.0 and the Angel Capital Association. Company Champions included Chloe Capital, Avestria Ventures, Ad Astra Ventures, Pax Angels, Groundswell Ventures, Atento Capital, Sputnik ATX, New Orleans Startup Fund, Precursor Ventures, SheEO, AT&T Aspire Accelerator and the International Accelerator.

Platinum Showcase sponsors were Aspiration and Anchor Point Foundation, while the Gold sponsors were Kauffman Foundation and Stella Labs. The Bronze sponsors included: Signature Windows, Clean Energy Credit Union, Eleanor Friedman Fund, Ascent CFO Solutions and Loon Creek Capital.

About Next Wave Impact

Based in Colorado, Next Wave Impact is an international movement driving impact, diversity and inclusion in early-stage investing and the entrepreneurial ecosystem through its innovative learning-by-doing progressive fund model and other activities that drive capital to typically underserved entrepreneurs. Learn more at www.nextwaveimpact.com and www.foundersofcolorshowcase.com

Contact:

April Enriquez

805-816-4833  cell

[email protected]

SOURCE Next Wave Impact
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- REACH  Reproductive Endocrinology Associates of Charlotte  the leading fertility center in North Carolina announces the addition of Patrick Mc Phillips as its new Executive Director. Patrick will focus on accelerating the growth of REACH through best possible business solutions, improved services for patients, and expansion of the practice's footprint.

The REACH Providers Patrick Mc Phillips the new Executive Director for REACH

Dr. Seth E. Katz, Medical Director for REACH, states that he is excited to have an accomplished business professional leading the practice. "REACH, like all other healthcare organizations has seen its share of challenges. With the addition of Patrick to our team, we are better positioned to overcome these challenges, increase our growth, and exceed patient expectations.

Accomplished in global business management, Patrick brings to REACH a demonstrated history of working in a broad range of industries including information technology, telecommunications, and healthcare. Patrick holds degrees in French and Economics from Duke University and an MBA from the University of Illinois. He most recently worked in Paris as the Group Head of Global Product Management at Atos, where productivity, quality, and customer satisfaction were top priorities.

"Patient satisfaction and the patient experience are critical to medical practices such as ours and I look forward to working with the talented team at REACH to drive our growth while achieving best-in-class levels off patient satisfaction," stated Mc Phillips.

Patrick is married with three teenage children and in his free time enjoys spending time with them and their new dog. Relocating from France, they are settling in to not only the Charlotte area, but to the US. They are all excited about this new opportunity and for what the future holds, for them and for REACH.

REACH's fertility experts in Charlotte and Lake Norman provide fertility treatments and services year-round without delays. Fertility treatments offered to patients range from those just beginning their fertility journey, to those further along in treatment options, utilizing the most sophisticated and state-of-the-art techniques and procedures available today.

REACH is the leading fertility center in North Carolina, providing individualized compassionate fertility care for over 30 years. The REACH providers and embryology team are widely respected for their superior pregnancy success rates  among the highest in the region. Superior skill and combined experience make REACH the premier source for fertility treatment in the region. For additional information, visit www.NorthCarolinaFertility.com or search for "REACH  Reproductive Endocrinology Associates of Charlotte" on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Media Contact:

Whitney Anders Bland

704.998.7606

[email protected]

SOURCE REACH Fertility Center
DUBLIN, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Scientific & Technical Publishing 2021-2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Coronavirus lockdowns, travel restrictions and trade disruptions made for a challenging year, but these factors did not keep the scientific and technical publishing market from posting underlying growth.

The report found that total sales increased 0.4% to $10.5 billion in 2020. However, currency exchange fluctuations deflated growth. The report estimates growth without the currency impact at 2.8%.

The number of articles published with funding from 33 key research organizations tracked by the analyst grew 10.7% to 525,042 articles in 2020, according to information in the Crossref database.

The National Natural Science Foundation of China is the leading funder, backing 268,588 articles in 2020 - a 9.2% increase from 245,966 in 2019. The U.S. National Institutes of Health is the No. 2 funder of articles with 71,951 in 2020, an 8% increase. The European Commission has a stronghold on the No. 3 positions in the index, growing the number of articles funded by 18.6% as the Plan S open access mandate builds momentum. The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research and Japan's Science and Technology Agency both showed growth in articles funded in excess of 20% in 2020.

There have been more reports of university libraries canceling their journal subscription packages in 2020 and 2021, but most are still subscribing to individual journals based on usage/importance to the researchers and faculty. As individual institutions choose to purchase subscriptions a la carte, their total spend with the large commercial publishers is reduced, but the market leaders are replacing it with the growth of revenue from open access fees. Others are signing transformative agreements, which support the growth of open access.

Pure open access publishers MDPI, PLOS and eLife were also found to be publishing significant numbers of articles backed by the world's largest research funding bodies. The European Commission funded 6,304 articles published by MDPI, 13.3% of all articles funded by the EC in 2020. MDPI also has a strong link to the National Research Foundation of Korea, which funded 2,829 articles published by MDPI in 2020 - 12.3% of all the articles funded by the foundation. PLOS and eLife are strongly linked to the U.S. National Institutes of Health, publishing 1,125 and 944 articles respectively in 2020 that were financially backed by that agency.

The report provides detailed market information for scientific and technical publishing, segmented by delivery medium: journals, books, online content, abstracting and indexing, and other activities (audio, video and CD-ROM). It analyzes trends impacting the industry and forecasts market growth to 2025. The report includes an in-depth review of 10 leading scientific and technical publishers, including Elsevier, IHS Markit, Springer Nature, Clarivate Analytics, John Wiley & Sons, American Chemical Society and others.

The report covers:

The number of new peer reviewed journals launched by year 2017 to present in key scientific & technical subjects: Technology & Engineering, Biological Science & Agriculture, Earth, Space & Environmental Science, Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics.

The number of new scholarly and professional books published per year 2018-2020 for all professional and scholarly titles, technology and engineering, science general and computers.

Underling growth leaders in scientific and technical publishing.

Analysis of competitor books and journal title counts showing the leading subject areas for individual publishers.

Analysis of three years of merger and acquisition activity.

A round up of consortia and university library big deal cancelations, a la carte replacements and transformative agreements.

Journal price increase forecast.

Growth in article's funded for 22 largest science funders worldwide and analysis of the leading publishers by funding body.

Research and development spending trend and forecast for the top 15 countries.

Technical, Scientific & Professional Book Import/Export Trends 2017-2021.

Key Topics Covered:

Executive Summary

Key Facts & Trends

Top Six Hold 46.7% of Scientific & Technical Publishing Market

Journals Are the Largest Scientific & Technical Publishing Activity

Online Content, Fastest-Growing Segment, Surpasses Books in Total Sales

U.S. Holds Off China in R&D Spend in COVID-19 Aftermath

Technical, Scientific & Professional Book Exports Fell in 2020

Chapter 1:Scientific & Technical Publishing Market

Market Size

Journals

Online Content

Books

Abstracting & Indexing (A&I) Services

Other Activities

Elimination

S&T Publishing by Geography

Language Splits and Major Publishing Hubs

North America

Asia-Pacific

Europe

Rest of the World

Currency Impact

Chapter 2: Leading Scientific & Technical Publishers

Elsevier

IHS Markit

Springer Nature

Clarivate Analytics

John Wiley & Sons

Scientific & Technical Publishing Strategy

American Chemical Society

Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Informa

EBSCO

Pearson

MDPI

Frontiers Media

American Society of Mechanical Engineers

Mergers & Acquisitions in the S&T Publishing Market

Chapter 3: Trends & Forecast

Academic Library Trends

Renew, Transform, Cancel: Libraries Are Choosing Their Big Deal Options Very Carefully

Transformative Agreements

Average Journal Prices Increase Every Year

U.S. Holds Off China in R&D Spend in COVID-19 Aftermath

Research Funders and Their Link to Publishing Activity

Technical, Scientific & Professional Book Export Trends

Technical, Scientific & Professional Book Import Trends

Market Forecast

Journals Forecast

Online Content Forecast

Books Forecast

Abstracting & Indexing Forecast

Other Activities Forecast

Elimination Forecast

Early Book Export Picture Reflects Growth

Forecast Leading Publishers



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/svzwin

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.



Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

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SOURCE Research and Markets

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LANCASTER, Calif., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Attorneys from The PARRIS Law Firm obtained a $120 million jury verdict in Lancaster court today in a trial involving a distracted driver who caused a "T-Bone" style accident.

According to the complaint, in February of 2018, the plaintiff was driving his 2015 Dodge Ram in Lancaster, CA when the defendant failed to yield to oncoming traffic at a two-way stop intersection because she was talking on the phone. The impact of the crash was so severe; it caused the plaintiff's truck to rollover multiple times before coming to a stop on its side. "We always hear about the dangers of distracted driving, but it's hard to comprehend until you see the damage that one phone call while driving can cause," said PARRIS Law Firm attorney Khail A. Parris.

Because of the crash, PARRIS Law Firm's clients suffered severe and debilitating injuries that they will have to deal with for the rest of their lives.

The plaintiff sustained several severe injuries including ruptured discs throughout his spine, requiring multiple surgeries, and a significant traumatic brain injury.

This verdict will go a long way in covering the costs of prior and future medical expenses.

Prior to the beginning of trial, defense counsel was found to have withheld evidence relevant to the case. "The Court reprimanded the insurance company lawyers multiple times for obstruction and suppressing key evidenceit's now clear that they intentionally withheld evidence because they were afraid of what would happen if they turned over their client's phone records," said Founding Partner R. Rex Parris. "Given the unethical conduct of their attorneys, this is not only a victory for our clients, but also a victory for the rule of law," Parris added.

"Our client's lives were shattered because the defendant was talking on the phone at the time of the crash," said PARRIS Law Firm attorney Eric N. Wilson. "The fact that they tried to cover it up violates every attorney ethics code in the book," Wilson added.

"It's tragic to think that our clients could have had a very different outcome because the defendant's insurance company went to extreme lengths to hide evidence since they valued profit over people," said Accident Attorneys attorney Brittney M. Baca.

Khail A. Parris, R. Rex Parris, and Eric N. Wilson of The PARRIS Law Firm as well as Brittney M. Baca of Accident Attorneys represented the plaintiffs.

The complaint can be read here. To read the verdict form, click here.

About The PARRIS Law Firm

PARRIS Law Firm has been fighting the car insurance industry in California for over 35 years. Our car accident lawyers understand the tactics that insurance companies will use to prevent you from receiving the financial compensation that you deserve. Rather than struggle with the insurance company, the driver at fault, or the driver's attorneys, let PARRIS be the one to fight for you as you focus on you and your loved ones' recoveries.

Media Contact:

Dante Hickles: (661) 949-2595 [email protected]

SOURCE PARRIS Law Firm
Our choice of Provident as our advisor is the single most significant decision leading to a successful transaction. Tweet this

"Led by Dr. Ahmad Amir, Pacific Eye Surgeons has developed a market-leading clinical reputation in the Central Coast, providing a highly complementary addition to UVP's growing presence in the Southern California market," stated Eric Major, Managing Director at Provident.

About Pacific Eye Surgeons

PES is committed to caring for their patients' vision at every stage of life and their highly qualified physician team, comprised of nine ophthalmologists and three optometrists, ensures top-notch comprehensive care at each of their seven clinical locations. For additional information, visit https://www.paceyemd.com.

About Unifeye Vision Partners

Unifeye Vision Partners was formed to partner with leading eye care providers in targeted markets throughout the United States. The company provides management and support services to ophthalmology and optometry practices, as well as single-specialty eye surgery centers. UVP extends its operations to a network of 89 providers, 29 clinical locations, and 6 ambulatory surgery centers. For additional information, visit http://www.uvpeye.com/.

About Waud Capital Partners

Waud Capital Partners is a leading growth-oriented private equity firm with total capital commitments of approximately $3.2 billion since its founding in 1993. The firm partners with exceptional management teams to build market-leading companies within two industries: healthcare services and business and technology services. Since its founding, Waud Capital has successfully completed more than 325 investments, including platform companies and follow-on opportunities. For additional information, visit http://www.waudcapital.com.

About Provident Healthcare Partners

Provident is a leading healthcare investment banking firm specializing in merger and acquisition advisory, strategic planning, and capital formation for healthcare companies. The firm has a comprehensive knowledge of market sectors and specialties, including a significant track record of success within eye care services. Provident also has unsurpassed experience and insight into the M&A process, which includes working with a number of buyers such as private equity firms and strategic consolidators. For additional information, visit www.providenthp.com or follow on LinkedIn.

Contact:

Provident Healthcare Partners

Gina Casiello

877-742-9800

SOURCE Provident Healthcare Partners LLC

Related Links

https://www.paceyemd.com

http://www.uvpeye.com/

http://www.waudcapital.com

http://www.providenthp.com


SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Rodan + Fields, LLC, a leading skincare brand powered by a direct selling business model and Independent Consultant Community, is announcing the addition of innovative talent to its leadership team. With a renewed focus on step-changing their direct selling business, the Company is pleased to welcome Laura Beitler as Chief Global Sales Officer (CGSO) and Elana Gold as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). These leadership changes are a part of Rodan + Fields' renewed commitment to double down on their roots as a direct seller and advance their life-changing mission around the globe.

Laura Beitler is a direct sales veteran who brings over two decades of channel experience to Rodan + Fields. Ms. Beitler has spent the last 20 years at Mary Kay where she began in the legal function and worked her way up to Associate General Counsel. Driven by her knowledge of the industry and her passion for encouraging and facilitating field leader success, she transitioned to the sales side of the business. Most recently, she held the position of Head of U.S. Sales and Marketing at Mary Kay. As Chief Global Sales Officer for Rodan + Fields, Ms. Beitler is responsible for the Global Sales Organization and business related to the brand's Independent Consultant salesforce. She will lead the Business Development, Field Operations, Field Marketing and Communications, and the Recognition and Learning + Development functions. Ms. Beitler holds a JD and MBA from Texas Tech University.

Elana Gold brings over 25 years of experience to Rodan + Fields, both in and outside the direct selling channel, leading international legacy brands at various stages and complexities to support their growth. She has held leadership positions for companies, including YumBrands, Abbott, as well as New Avon, where she played a critical role leading the company's transformation. As CMO, Ms. Gold will drive the strategy and vision for the R+F brand. She is responsible for Brand Strategy, Creative, Innovation, Corporate Strategy + Insights, Social Media, Loyalty, Digital Marketing + eCommerce, and the Corporate Communications functions. Ms. Gold holds an MBA in Marketing from Wharton and a BA in Russian, German and French from Emory University.

"There couldn't be a more important time for two trailblazers in their own right, Laura and Elana, to join Rodan + Fields as we become a leading direct selling company recognized industry-wide for our community, products and people," said Chief Executive Officer (CEO) & President, Dimitri Haloulos. "It is undeniable that their leadership, passion, and expertise come at a unique stage in our Company's evolution to bring together our Consultant Community, direct selling business model, and product innovation in a more powerful way as we welcome our next era of growth."

In addition to these appointments, Rodan + Fields welcomed Mike Goldwasser as Chief People Officer (CPO) and Marjorie Goux as Chief Legal Officer (CLO) earlier in the year. These leadership additions further strengthen the Company's professional and strategic focus and will help the Company to build upon important organizational capabilities. As CPO, Mr. Goldwasser serves as the Human Resources Business Partner to the CEO and leads the Company's Human Resources organization, overseeing Talent Acquisition + Development, Employee Benefits + Compensation, Employee Engagement, and Office Facilities to support the Company's pursuit in creating a strong and unique culture of prioritizing people and the employee experience. As CLO, Ms. Goux leads the Company's Domestic and International Legal and Regulatory Affairs organization, while also serving as a strategic advisor and key business partner in a variety of capacities to support the Company's growth objectives.

"Our combined leadership team brings the industry knowledge, expertise, and passion that will be critical as we set new goals and reach new heights," said Haloulos. "I am honored to have such a solid leadership team working alongside our Consultant Community and Home Office Team. Together we will change more lives."

About Rodan + Fields

Rodan + Fields was launched in 2002 and founded by Stanford-trained dermatologists Dr. Katie Rodan and Dr. Kathy Fields with the mission of providing dermatology-inspired skincare and an entrepreneurial opportunity to change lives. As the #1 Premium Skincare Brand in the U.S. for the fifth consecutive year, from 2016 to 2020, * Rodan + Fields is proud of its regimen-based skincare and award-winning innovation, powerful direct selling business model and global Independent Consultant community. Products are available through R+F Independent Consultants or on the Rodan + Fields website at rodanandfields.com.

*Source Euromonitor International Limited; Beauty and Personal Care 2021 Edition, retail value RSP terms; all channels; Premium Skincare; US, USA, United States, United States of America; Rodan & Fields, Rodan + Fields

SOURCE Rodan + Fields

Related Links

www.rodanandfields.com


CLEVELAND, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Sherwin-Williams Company (NYSE: SHW) today announced it has signed an agreement to acquire the European industrial coatings business of Sika AG. The transaction is expected to close in the beginning of 2022.

Based in Germany with additional sales and technical support in Poland, Austria and Switzerland, Sika's European industrial coating business engineers, manufactures and sells corrosion protection coating systems for high value interior and exterior steel infrastructure, bridges, airport and rail, wind and energy, chemicals, power transmission and stations, interior linings for oil and gas tanks, vessels, and pipework, and water and wastewater applications, along with fire protection coating systems to protect and preserve steel, wood and concrete building components. Sales of the business were approximately CHF 75 million ($82 million) for the year ended December 31, 2020. The acquired business will become part of the Company's Performance Coatings Group operating segment. Approximately 130 Sika employees are expected to join Sherwin-Williams.

"This transaction fits our strategy of acquiring complementary, high-quality, differentiated businesses that add to our profitable growth momentum," said Sherwin-Williams Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, John G. Morikis. "The business brings us scale, unique technology, a strong sales and marketing team, technical service capabilities, strategically located manufacturing, and leading specification and approval positions, all of which we can leverage further throughout Europe and other regions across the world. Additionally, synergy opportunities give us great confidence in accelerating the already strong financial performance of the business. We look forward to officially welcoming Sika's industrial coating employees to Sherwin-Williams upon the close of the transaction at the beginning of next year."



ABOUT THE SHERWIN-WILLIAMS COMPANY

Founded in 1866, The Sherwin-Williams Company is a global leader in the manufacture, development, distribution, and sale of paint, coatings and related products to professional, industrial, commercial, and retail customers. The Company manufactures products under well-known brands such as Sherwin-Williams, Valspar, HGTV HOME by Sherwin-Williams, Dutch Boy, Krylon, Minwax, Thompson's Water Seal, Cabot and many more. With global headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio, Sherwin-Williams branded products are sold exclusively through a chain of more than 5,000 Company-operated stores and facilities, while the Company's other brands are sold through leading mass merchandisers, home centers, independent paint dealers, hardware stores, automotive retailers, and industrial distributors. The Sherwin-Williams Performance Coatings Group supplies a broad range of highly-engineered solutions for the construction, industrial, packaging and transportation markets in more than 120 countries around the world. Sherwin-Williams shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol: SHW). For more information, visit www.sherwin.com.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements," as defined under U.S. federal securities laws, with respect to sales, earnings and other matters. These statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "believe," "expect," "may," "will," "should," "project," "could," "plan," "goal," "potential," "seek," "intend" or "anticipate" or the negative thereof or comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements are based upon management's current expectations, estimates, assumptions and beliefs concerning future events and conditions. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are necessarily subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside the control of the Company that could cause actual results to differ materially from such statements and from the Company's historical results and experience. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include such things as: general business and economic conditions; the Company's ability to successfully integrate past and future acquisitions into its existing operations, as well as the performance of the businesses acquired; strengths of retail and manufacturing economies and the growth in the coatings industry; changes in the Company's relationships with customers and suppliers; changes in raw material availability and pricing; adverse weather conditions or impacts of climate change, natural disasters and public health crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic; the duration, severity and scope of the COVID-19 pandemic and the actions implemented by international, federal, state and local public health and governmental authorities to contain and combat the outbreak and spread of COVID-19, which may exacerbate one or more of the aforementioned and/or other risks, uncertainties and factors more fully described in the Company's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC); and other risks, uncertainties and factors described from time to time in the Company's reports filed with the SEC. Since it is not possible to predict or identify all of the risks, uncertainties and other factors that may affect future results, the above list should not be considered a complete list. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Investor Relations Contacts: Jim Jaye Senior Vice President, Investor Relations &

Corporate Communications Sherwin-Williams Direct: 216.515.8682 [email protected] Media Contact: Julie Young Vice President, Global Corporate

Communications Sherwin-Williams Direct: 216.515.8849 [email protected]



Eric Swanson Vice President, Investor Relations Sherwin-Williams Direct: 216.566.2766 [email protected]







SOURCE The Sherwin-Williams Company

Related Links

http://www.sherwin.com


SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Sigmoid, a leading data engineering and AI solutions firm, today announced that it ranked 22nd in the San Francisco metro region and 528th overall on the Inc. 5000 ranking of America's fastest-growing private companies.

"We're honored to be part of Inc. magazine's prestigious list. We attribute our incredible growth to our exceptionally talented team who have helped us achieve business resilience during the changing business dynamics and are dedicated to provide world-class data solutions to our clients. I would also like to thank our clients for trusting us to be their strategic data partner," said Lokesh Anand , CEO and Co-Founder of Sigmoid.

Sigmoid's clients include Fortune 500 companies across CPG, retail, BFSI, and technology sectors, who have leveraged their innovations across specialized areas such as multi-touch attribution, MLOps , cloud data warehouse, supply chain analytics and many more.

"Through our in-house L&D university- Takshashila , we are committed to delivering cutting-edge data solutions to our clients by investing in people, technology and data infrastructures. Year-over-year we are seeing an exponential rise in data engineering, ML and open-source innovation, and we will continue to be at the forefront of this tide," added Lokesh.

"The 2021 Inc. 5000 list feels like one of the most important rosters of companies ever compiled. Building one of the fastest-growing companies in America in any year is a remarkable achievement. Building one in the crisis we've lived through is just plain amazing," said Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc.

About Sigmoid

Sigmoid enables business transformation using data and analytics, leveraging real-time decisions through insights, by building modern data architectures using cloud and open source. Some of the world's largest data producers are engaging with Sigmoid to solve complex business problems. Sigmoid brings deep expertise in data engineering, artificial intelligence, and DataOps. Learn more at www.sigmoid.com and on LinkedIn , Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , and YouTube .

About Inc. Media

The world's most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. For more information, visit www.inc.com .

Media Contact

Name - Raghavendra Singh

Email Address - [email protected]

SOURCE Sigmoid
TACOMA, Wash., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Simnovus, a North Carolina-based company, has chosen Dualos, LLC as its U.S.-based federal partner for the sale of its UE Simulator product.

Simnovus + Dualos Partnership logo

Simnovus offers an innovative approach to 5G RAN simulation and validation. The UE Simulator has the capability to validate various application traffic, real life traffic simulations (5G, Nb-IoT, Cat-M and LTE) and interoperability with other nodes. The UE Simulator runs on COTS and SDR, allowing deployment on multiple test beds. The platform supports broad frequency ranges and can support 4x4 MIMO. Scripts are auto-generated and controlled via a powerful and flexible web-based UI. Pricing is subscription-based, allowing for predictable budgeting, and software updates are pushed out across all test beds, leaving no gaps in features. UE Simulator is a turn-on automation-ready prepackaged automation library.

"Simnovus was looking for a partner aligned with our vision of bringing innovative 5G RAN validation solutions to the DOD ecosystem" states Sunil Kalidindi, President of US Sales. "We chose to work with Dualos as they truly understand how to provide comprehensive solutions to their customers by bringing together best-in-class products. The expertise Dualos brings is unique for this sector and we are excited to be working with their great team."

Dualos Vice President Rob Harris adds that "Simnovus complements the strong 5G test portfolio Dualos offers to its US government customers," as customers move away from hardware fixed test solutions to highly configurable software testing Simnovus was a natural fit. "Their 5G RAN simulation and emulation is far superior than any other solution on the market today," Harris says.

More information can be found at www.dualos.com/simnovus.

About Simnovus

Based in North Carolina, Simnovus enables innovators to win the 5G race by enabling continuous test and rapid validation. Our software-oriented approach takes advantage of COTS hardware, so our customers can deploy several testbeds in parallel. Our UE Simulator validates 5G and 4G base stations by simulating thousands of UEs performing various realistic control and user plane traffic patterns. Our network emulator simulates a 5G and 4G network. 5G disruptors worldwide have already partnered with us, and we are expanding rapidly. www.simnovus.com

About Dualos

With decades of experience in business development and product management expertise, Dualos expertly provides go-to-market strategies and business execution for military and aerospace organizations targeting the US Intel Communities and DoD ecosystem. Dualos' subject matter expertise is in test, emulation, and simulation covering the entire electromagnetic spectrum. www.dualos.com

SOURCE Dualos, LLC.

Related Links

https://www.dualos.com


"We believe that SOBRsafe presents an exciting opportunity to recognize our team's outstanding efforts," stated Continental CEO Jim Bardy. "This is an innovative means to manage our existing alcohol policy, with the intent to prove safe operations and potentially reduce insurance premiums. SOBRsafe supports our mission to provide a safe working environment and community, and to encourage healthy living practices."

Followed SOBRsafe Chairman and CRO Dave Gandini, "Continental is an acknowledged industry leader in employee safety and wellness, and we feel that their interest in a pilot program with SOBRsafe is a meaningful validation of our solution. We are proud that a cutting-edge employer such as Continental is evaluating SOBRsafe as a potential partner in safety."

ABOUT CONTINENTAL SERVICES

From humble beginnings as a coffee and vending provider in 1989, Continental has grown into Michigan's largest food management company. Today, its 1,800+ employees provide a wide range of custom dining, refreshment services and catering solutions through an extensive brand lineup. Continental's services are focused on creating engaging experiences with fresh, handcrafted fare in corporate cafes, grab-and-go pantry-style vending markets, at special events and on luxury yacht charters. It is Continental's distinct privilege to serve more than 700 companies in all business and industry sectors throughout Metro Detroit and Lower Michigan. For more information, visit www.continentalserves.com.

ABOUT SOBRSAFE

The annual cost of alcohol abuse in the U.S. is $249 billion. Nearly half of all industrial accidents with injuries are alcohol-related, and workers with an alcohol problem are 270% more likely to have an accident. In response, publicly-traded SOBRsafe has developed a proprietary, touch-based identity verification, alcohol detection and cloud-based reporting system. The technology is transferable across innumerable form factors, including personal wearables, stationary access control and for telematics integration. A preventative solution in a historically reactive industry, it is being readied for deployment for school buses, commercial fleets, workplaces, managed care, young drivers and more. This patent-pending alcohol detection solution helps prevent an intoxicated worker from taking the factory floor, or a driver the vehicle keys. An offender is immediately flagged, and the employer (or parent, rehab sponsor, etc.) is empowered to take the appropriate corrective actions. For more information, visit www.sobrsafe.com.

Forward Looking Statement

SOBR Safe, Inc.'s statements in this press release that are not historical fact and that relate to future plans or events are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can be identified by use of words such as "believe," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements include risks associated with changes in business conditions and similar events. The risks and uncertainties involved include those detailed from time to time in SOBR Safe, Inc.'s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including SOBRSafe, Inc.'s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K.

SOURCE SOBR Safe, Inc.

Related Links

https://sobrsafe.com


DALLAS, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) have reached a Tentative Agreement for Southwest's more than 5,000 Customer Service Employees.

"The parties concluded these negotiations with an agreement designed to reward our hard-working Employees, support future market expansion for Southwest, and increase our overall efficiency," said Vice President of Labor Relations Russell McCrady. "We appreciate the work by both Negotiating Committees, along with the assistance of the National Mediation Board, to get us to this point."

Composed of the Company's Customer Service Agents, Customer Representatives, and Source of Support Representatives, these Employees deliver excellent Customer Service by helping our Customers get to their destinations, whether that is taking a phone call to change a Customer's travel plans or assisting a Customer or fellow Employee on the ground at one of the airports we serve.

The IAM will communicate to its membership the details of the Tentative Agreement and the ratification process.

ABOUT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.

In its 51st year of service, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines Co. continues to differentiate itself from other air carriers with exemplary Customer Service delivered by more than 54,000 Employees to a Customer base that topped 130 million Passengers in 2019. Southwest has a robust network of point-to-point service with a strong presence across top leisure and business markets. In peak travel seasons during 2019, Southwest operated more than 4,000 weekday departures among a network of 101 destinations in the United States and 10 additional countries. In 2020, the carrier added service to Hilo, Hawaii; Cozumel, Mexico; Miami; Palm Springs, Calif.; Steamboat Springs; and Montrose (Telluride), Colo. Thus far in 2021, Southwest has initiated service to Chicago (O'Hare) and Sarasota/Bradenton both on Feb. 14; Savannah/Hilton Head and Colorado Springs both on March 11; Houston (Bush) and Santa Barbara, Calif. both on April 12; Fresno, Calif. on April 25; Destin/Fort Walton Beach on May 6; Myrtle Beach, S.C. on May 23; Bozeman, Mont. on May 27; and Jackson, Miss. on June 6; and will begin service to Eugene, Ore. on Aug. 29; Bellingham, Wash. on Nov. 7; and Syracuse on Nov. 14.

The carrier issued its Southwest Promise in May 2020 to highlight new and round-the-clock efforts to support its Customers and Employees well-being and comfort. Among the changes are enhanced cleaning efforts at airports and onboard aircraft, along with a federal mandate requiring every person to wear a mask at all times throughout each flight. Additional details about the Southwest Promise are available at Southwest.com/Promise .

Southwest coined Transfarency  to describe its purposed philosophy of treating Customers honestly and fairly, and low fares actually staying low. Southwest is the only major U.S. airline to offer bags fly free to everyone (first and second checked pieces of luggage, size and weight limits apply, some carriers offer free checked bags on select routes or in qualified circumstances). Southwest does not charge change fees, though fare differences might apply.

Southwest is one of the most honored airlines in the world, known for a triple bottom line approach that contributes to the carrier's performance and productivity, the importance of its People and the communities they serve, and an overall commitment to efficiency and the planet. Learn more about how the carrier gives back to communities across the world by visiting Southwest.com/citizenship .

Book Southwest Airlines' low fares online at Southwest.com or by phone at 800-I-FLY-SWA.

SOURCE Southwest Airlines Co.

Related Links

http://www.southwest.com


SOUTHAVEN, Miss., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Spectra Laboratories, a wholly owned subsidiary of Fresenius Medical Care North America, the nation's leading provider of kidney care products and services, announces the opening of its new 200,000-square-foot laboratory in Southaven, Mississippi. The new state-of-the-art facility is the company's largest laboratory, and will create more than 300 jobs over the next several years, providing the capacity to serve more patients.

"Our patients rely on timely and accurate lab results to manage kidney failure and guide our care teams in providing the highest quality dialysis services," said Rice Powell, Chief Executive Officer of Fresenius Medical Care. "This new facility offers the perfect location to provide faster turnaround times for our lab services and a strong workforce of employees dedicated to our mission. We appreciate all the cooperation from state and local partners to ensure we could open on schedule this year."

Fresenius Medical Care North America (FMCNA) is a leading provider of kidney care products and services for individuals with chronic renal conditions. Spectra Laboratories offers renal-specific laboratory services, using state-of-the-art equipment, automated specimen processing, and reporting applications. At Spectra's new build-to-suit facility, which is located in the Stateline Business Park, employees conduct comprehensive testing, analysis, and reporting to ensure the best possible care and outcomes for patients.

"This new laboratory enables us to better accommodate long-term needs by introducing state-of-the-art automation capabilities, while expanding our capacity in closer proximity to some of our higher-volume markets," said Ines Dahne-Steuber, President of Spectra Laboratories and SVP of Operational Excellence for FMCNA. "We expect that this location will put us in a tremendous position for future success and expand our ability to serve even more patients providing high quality results."

"Healthcare is a critical industry for Mississippi and we are incredibly excited to welcome Spectra Laboratories to Southaven," said Gov. Tate Reeves (R-MS). "The Spectra team has such an important mission of serving thousands of patients with kidney failure across the country. By choosing our state for this expansion, we are proving how a skilled workforce can adapt to evolving industry trends and attract new businesses."

The Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) has been providing assistance for workforce training and site improvements. MDA also is supporting the project through the Advantage Jobs and Healthcare Industry Zone Incentive programs.

Spectra Laboratories supports more than 250,000 patients and performs more than 70 million tests each year. To learn more, visit www.spectra-labs.com.

About Fresenius Medical Care North America

Fresenius Medical Care North America (FMCNA) is the premier healthcare company focused on providing the highest quality care to people with renal and other chronic conditions. Through its industry-leading network of dialysis facilities and outpatient cardiac and vascular labs, Fresenius Medical Care North America provides coordinated healthcare services at pivotal care points for hundreds of thousands of chronically ill customers throughout the continent. As the world's largest fully integrated renal company, it offers specialty pharmacy and laboratory services, and manufactures and distributes the most comprehensive line of dialysis equipment, disposable products, and renal pharmaceuticals. For more information, visit the FMCNA website.

Media contact:

Brad Puffer

Fresenius Medical Care North America

781-699-3331

[email protected]

SOURCE Fresenius Medical Care Holdings, Inc.

Related Links

https://fmcna.com


JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Three attorneys at the trial law firm of Spohrer Dodd have been honored with coveted listings in The Best Lawyers in America 2022 for their work in Jacksonville, Florida:

Roger J. Dodd (Since 1995)

(Since 1995) Family Law



Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs

Keith Maynard (Since 2022)

(Since 2022) Aviation Law

Robert F. Spohrer (Since 2006)

(Since 2006) Aviation Law



Insurance Law



Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs



Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs



Product Liability Litigation - Defendants

With The Best Lawyers in America, Best Lawyers aims to showcase the top 6% of U.S. private practice attorneys. It develops the annual legal ranking guide through rigorous peer review. It does not tamper with the results of the review; it simply fact-checks all feedback collected to ensure that the published guide is accurate. Attorneys must be nominated by a third party and cannot, under any circumstances, vote for themselves. Only the highest-scoring candidates are chosen as listed lawyers each year. Further, the single highest-scoring attorney in each practice area and geographic location is honored with the title of "Lawyer of the Year."

In addition to his spot in The Best Lawyers in America guide, Attorney Robert F. Spohrer was named the Best Lawyers 2022 Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs "Lawyer of the Year" in Jacksonville.

Attorney Spohrer is the president, CEO, and senior partner of Spohrer Dodd. His legal career spanning 40 years is highlighted by many verdicts and settlements in excess of $100 million. He has been featured by 60 Minutes, 20/20. The Washington Post, NPR, and BBC. He has tried cases in state and federal courts, including in the Supreme Court of the United States. The bulk of his practice comprises insurance claim disputes and aircraft disaster, medical negligence, and product liability cases.

Attorney Dodd is also a senior partner at Spohrer Dodd, as well as a board-certified civil and criminal trial specialist. He is an accomplished lecturer, teacher, and expert witness, having taught in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, Russia, St. Thomas, and throughout the Caribbean. Martindale-Hubbell, Who's Who in the World, and Who's Who in America have recognized him throughout his 45 years of legal practice.

As for Attorney Maynard, he bravely served his country for 23 years in the Maryland Army National Guard in the infantry and aviation branches. After retiring as a Major, his passion for helping the American people enabled him to effectively advocate for Spohrer Dodd clients in cases involving wrongful death, product and premises liability, transportation and aviation accidents, and insurance law.

Spohrer Dodd's attorneys share more than 150 years of experience and have recovered over $1 billion for clients throughout the state of Florida. To schedule a free consultation with a Jacksonville attorney, visit sdlitigation.com. Or to learn more about Best Lawyers, go to bestlawyers.com.

SOURCE Spohrer Dodd

Related Links

https://www.sdlitigation.com


SANTIAGO, Chile, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --

Highlights



SQM reported net income for the six months ended June 30, 2021 of US$157.8 million .

of . Earnings per share totaled US$0.55 for the first half of 2021, higher than the US$0.36 reported for the first half of 2020.

for the first half of 2021, higher than the reported for the first half of 2020. Revenues for the first half of 2021 were US$1,116.5 million .

. Published our audited Annual Sustainability Report.

SQM will hold a conference call to discuss these results on Thursday, August 19, at 12:00pm ET (12:00pm Chile time).

Participant Dial-In (Toll Free): 1-855-238-1018

Participant International Dial-In: 1-412-542-4107

Webcast: https://services.choruscall.com/links/sqm210819.html

Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile S.A. (SQM) (NYSE: SQM; Santiago Stock Exchange: SQM-B, SQM-A) today reported earnings for the six months ended June 30, 2021 of US$157.8 million (US$0.55(2) per share), a 64.7% increase from US$95.8 million (US$0.36 per share) reported for the six months ended June 30, 2020. Gross profit reached US$322.5 million (28.9% of revenues) for the six months ended June 30, 2021, 36.9% higher than US$235.6 million (27.7% of revenues) recorded for the six months ended June 30, 2020. Revenues totaled US$1,116.5 million for the six months ended June 30, 2021, representing an increase of 31.3% compared to US$850.5 million reported for the six months ended June 30, 2020.

The Company also announced earnings for the second quarter of 2021 of US$89.8 million (US$0.31(2) per share), an increase of approximately 76.7% compared to US$50.8 million (US$0.19(2) per share) for the second quarter of 2020. Gross profit for the second quarter of 2021 reached US$185.9 million, 45.4% higher than the US$127.8 million recorded for the second quarter 2020. Revenues totaled US$588.0 million for the second quarter 2021, an increase of approximately 28.3% compared to US$458.5 million for the second quarter of 2020.

SQM's Chief Executive Officer, Ricardo Ramos, stated: "Our earnings during the second quarter 2021 were over 76% higher than earnings reported during the same period last year. This was a result of significantly higher sales volumes across almost all of our business lines. Our strong results were particularly led by lithium and iodine sales volumes, which increased over 90% and almost 40%, respectively. At the same time, our average prices in the fertilizer markets increased approximately 6% in the SPN business line and over 7% in the potassium chloride and sulfate business line when compared to the first quarter of 2021; we expect prices in these business lines to continue increasing during the second half of the year. Our average lithium prices during the second quarter of 2021 were almost 20% higher compared to the first quarter of 2021, as sales contracts signed last year are expiring and a higher percentage of our sales are invoiced based on the current pricing scenario. Our average prices during the second half of the year are expected to increase further as the market continues to tighten and the 2020 contracts continue to expire".

He continued by saying, "In the lithium business, market and price growth continue to exceed our expectations. We believe that global demand could increase more than 40% annually when compared to last year, as sales of electric vehicles during the first half of the year grew more than 150% when compared to the same period last year. We now believe that total global demand could surpass 1 million tons in 2025. Accordingly, our sales volumes could reach over 95,000 metric tons this year, as we work diligently to help meet our customers' growing demand".

"We believe that the positive market conditions we are seeing in all of our business lines will lead to stronger results being reported during the second half of 2021 when compared to the first half of the year led mostly by higher lithium and fertilizer sales prices, and higher lithium and iodine sales volumes. We remain cognizant of the global logistics and container issues being seen around the world and are working to mitigate any potential impacts it could have on our expected second half sales volumes."

Mr. Ramos finished by saying, "We were extremely pleased with the capital increase process that we completed in April this year through which the company raised approximately US$1.1 billion to help finance growth and expansions projects."

Sustainable Development

We continue to maintain sustainability as a core value that constantly urges us to assume new challenges and commitments, aligned with the aspirations of the surrounding communities, our workers, clients, collaborators, and the different stakeholders with whom we interact.

We recently published our annual sustainability report. We have been reporting in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) principles for 11 years, and we meet the requirements of the Global Compact Communication on Progress (COP). An external assurance review of the report was conducted for the second time based on new international requirements and internal goals.

In May 2021, we partnered with the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory, a leading scientific research institution, to collaborate on a study to better understand the sustainability challenges, including a closer look at our carbon emissions, water and energy consumption related to our lithium products, and see how it affects the rest of the value chain. The results of the study were published in June this year and were positive in showing that lithium produced from the Salar de Atacama has a lower carbon, water and energy footprint compared to lithium produced from other sources. This is not only important for us as lithium producer, but also throughout the supply chain.

We invite you to read our Sustainability Report available on our website (www.sqm.com) to learn more about all of sustainability goals and social outreach.

About SQM

SQM is a global company that is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and the Santiago Stock Exchange (NYSE: SQM; Santiago Stock Exchange: SQM-B, SQM-A). SQM develops and produces diverse products for several industries essential for human progress, such as health, nutrition, renewable energy and technology through innovation and technological development. We aim to maintain our leading world position in the lithium, potassium nitrate, iodine and thermo-solar salts markets by:

Ensuring access to the best assets related to our current business lines by expanding our global presence;

Actively searching for attractive minerals allowing us diversification opportunities to replicate and expand our existing mining capacities;

Strengthening our operational, logistical and commercial excellence process from beginning to end, while looking to be a cost leader; and

Maintaining a conservative financial policy which allows us to successfully endure economic cycles that could impact the markets in which we sell.

We are a dynamic company. In pursuit of our objectives, we expect to acquire and develop projects and interests that are consistent with our existing and new businesses, either alone or with joint venture partners. We may also divest, spin-off or sell-down interests that we have acquired to deploy funds for other investments or other purposes in pursuit of our objectives to adjust risk or diversify our asset base.

We are a company built and managed by a culture based on excellence, safety, sustainability and integrity. We work every day to expand this culture through the attraction, retention and development of talent as well encouraging an inclusive and diverse work environment ensuring the unique knowledge and innovation needed to sustain our business. We strive for safe and accident-free operations by promoting conduct that favors the physical safety and psychological well-being of everyone who works directly and indirectly with the Company.

We position ourselves as a leader in sustainability and commit to a sustainable future where we constantly work to responsibly manage natural resources, protect human rights, care for the environment, form close and trusting relationships with our neighboring communities and create value. Within these communities, we support projects and activities with a focus on education, business development, and protection of the environment and historical heritage. We create value for our clients through established commercial models and the production and development of differentiated products that respond to their industry and market specific needs, constantly creating and providing a sustainable improvement in the quality of life. We will continue to create value for all of our stakeholders through responsible management of natural resources, sustainable expansion projects and improvement of our existing operations, with a focus on minimizing our environmental impacts by reducing our carbon, energy and water footprints and working together with our shareholders, employees, customers, suppliers and communities.

For further information, contact:

Gerardo Illanes 56-2-24252022 / [email protected]

Kelly O'Brien 56-2-24252074 / [email protected]

Irina Axenova 56-2-24252280 / [email protected]

For media inquiries, contact:

Maria Ignacia Lopez / [email protected] Pablo Pisani / [email protected]

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as: "anticipate," "plan," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "strategy," "should," "will" and similar references to future periods. Examples of forward-looking statements include, among others, statements we make concerning the Company's capital expenditures, financing sources, Sustainable Development Plan, business and demand outlook, future economic performance, anticipated sales volumes, profitability, revenues, expenses, or other financial items, anticipated cost synergies and product or service line growth.

Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are estimates that reflect the best judgment of SQM management based on currently available information. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that are outside of our control and could cause actual results to differ materially from those stated in such statements, including our ability to successfully implement the Sustainable Development Plan. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Readers are referred to the documents filed by SQM with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, including the most recent annual report on Form 20-F, which identifies other important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are based on information available to SQM on the date hereof and SQM assumes no obligation to update such statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as required by law.

SOURCE Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile, S.A. (SQM)

Related Links

http://www.sqm.com


HONG KONG, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- STAR Systems International (SSI), a market leader in Smart City solutions, today announced the launch of its Atlantis windshield transponder. Atlantis is the industry's first High Security Windshield Transponder certified for Interoperability in Tolling Systems.

Atlantis combines superior read sensitivity, a long read range and embedded crypto data security in a passive transponder. It is tuned for optimal performance when used on the windshield of vehicles. It gives exceptional performance in High Speed and Open Road Tolling environments.

High Security Atlantis Windshield Transponder

"We are excited to introduce the industry's first certified high security and high performance 6C transponder to the Automatic Vehicle Identification (AVI) community," says Robert Karr, CEO of SSI. "With its embedded, over-the-air crypto features, Atlantis is the ultimate transponder for applications that require extra security and data protection, such as access control of high security areas like government buildings, military bases and laboratories while still being a great tolling transponder."

The embedded cryptographic authentication features are based on Advanced Encryption Standard (AES 128) embedded key files and the RAIN RFID standard for Gen2V2 transponders. These features provide up to 2 additional over-the-air security checks with each transmission.

"Atlantis uses cutting-edge crypto technologies to protect data privacy, prevent transponder counterfeiting and ensure that both transponders and readers are authentic," says Stephen Lockhart, CTO of SSI. "In addition, it is certified by the OmniAir Consortium to assure Interoperability for Tolling Systems using the ISO 18000 63 standards. It also meets RAIN RFID, EPC Gen2v2 and ISO/IEC29167-10 standards."

Designed as a vehicle transponder from the ground up using automotive grade materials, Atlantis is made to give years of peak performance, reliability, durability and security.

Atlantis comes with three chip options to cater to different data protection and user memory needs. It is immediately available for order.

About STAR Systems International

Founded in 2013, STAR Systems International (SSI) is a world leader in Automatic Vehicle Identification Technologies. SSI focuses on providing best-in-class transponders, readers and professional consulting services for Smart City Initiatives, including Electronic Tolling (ETC), Congestion/Road Use Charging, Electronic Vehicle Registration (EVR), Express/HOT Lane, Fleet Management, Parking and Secure Access Control applications.

SSI is guided by three principles: Outstanding People, Innovative Products and Service Excellence. These principles reflect the Company's long-term expansive strategy to advance Smart City Technologies. SSI strives to ensure customer success by leveraging the Company's technical expertise and implementation experience.

For more information, please visit www.star-int.net.

Media Contacts



STAR Systems International

Eveline Mou

+(852) 3691-9925

[email protected]

North American Agency

Spectrum Marketing & Communications

Bob Basmadjian

+(908) 884-5249

[email protected]

SOURCE STAR Systems International
Remdesivir reduces mortality by 40% in COVID patients who receive treatment while on low flow oxygen. Tweet this

Researchers compared 286 persons receiving RDV to 852 persons receiving best supportive care, 400 of whom received hydroxychloroquine, in patients hospitalized between Feb. 28, 2020 and May 28, 2020. Providence conducted the study in the time period when Remdesivir was not the standard-of-care, prior to implementation of the FDA emergency use authorization (EUA), thus clinical equipoise existed at the point of prescribing. The mortality rate was reduced by 40% in those treated with Remdesivir compared to best supportive care. Physiologically, the intervention seems effective during the virological phase, and before significant hyperinflammation develops, as described for the dynamic and bimodal COVID-19 disease process.

The pandemic of COVID-19 due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues to severely affect communities around the world and optimal treatments are undefined. A study sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO) suggested no mortality benefit of RDV compared to placebo. In that study, the level of oxygen support was not described in granular detail, potentially masking a mortality benefit when used earlier in the disease course. The National Institute of Health sponsored ACTT-1 study identified a possible mortality benefit in patients requiring low flow oxygen. FDA has approved RDV based on improved time to recovery, but whether mortality is improved remains an open question and affects whether the drug is used in the US and abroad.

With this information, physicians can be better informed when monitoring and treating patients with COVID-19.

About Providence

Providence is a national, not-for-profit Catholic health system comprising a diverse family of organizations and driven by a belief that health is a human right. With 52 hospitals, over 1,000 physician clinics, senior services, supportive housing, and many other health and educational services, the health system and its partners employ more than 120,000 caregivers serving communities across seven states  Alaska, California, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, and Washington, with system offices in Renton, Wash., and Irvine, Calif. Learn about our vision of health for a better world at Providence.org.

SOURCE Providence
BRADY, Texas, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Beginning August, 9, 2021, Texas Right To Know delivered the Omega Brief to open offices of Texas Representatives, Texas Senators, Governor Greg Abbott, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, Speaker Dade Phelan, Department of Public Safety Capitol office, and August 17, overnight delivery to Attorney General Ken Paxton and the State of Department Health and Human Services (DSHS).

Summarized from the July 11, 2021 interview of David Martin, PhD by Reiner Fuellmich, the Omega Brief suggests that the current pandemic is a criminal conspiracy and racketeering enterprise beginning in 1999. The brief includes Dr. Martin's Fauci/COVID-19 Dossier that outlines eight federal criminal charges from evidence contained in patent records. "The Omega Brief is a consolidation of evidence of criminal activity provided by national and international expert witnesses revealing individuals who are responsible for the coronavirus pandemic. There is reasonable evidence that federal agencies under the direction of Anthony Fauci, established treatment guidelines mandating a chosen narrative to direct the actions of state medical boards, physicians, hospital and health provider administrators, and state and local DSHS, with premeditated intent to prevent early treatment to escalate fear and death totals," said Sheila Hemphill, CEO and author.

The following quotes are referenced by paragraph number (PN) of interview, "In 1999, Anthony Fauci funded research at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill  Where the NIAID built, "an infectious replication defective coronavirus" that was specifically targeted for human lung epithelium. In other words, we made SARS and we patented it on April 19, 2002 ." (PN 12)



Per the statement made by Peter Daszak, Head of EcoHealth Alliance reported in the National Academies of Press publication on February 12, 2016, "We need to increase public understanding of the need for medical countermeasures such as a pan coronavirus vaccine. A key driver is the media, and the economics will follow the hype We need to use that hype to our advantage to get to the real issues. Investors will respond if they see profit at the end of the process." (PN 48)



Evidence establishes, that in-order to achieve world distribution of an annual or bi-annual, mandatory influenza and/or coronavirus vaccine, the following possible goals would be necessary.

GOAL #1: Create "The New Normal campaign" for the purpose of "getting people to accept universal pan influenza, pan coronavirus vaccine" as scripted by MERCK in 2004 and adopted by the World Health Organization in 2020. To achieve this goal, the following steps would be necessary: 1. Create simulations and exercises of a pandemic, 2. Create a "new" virus, "though it's really not new", 3. Leak the virus, " there wasn't a lab leak this was an intentional bioweaponization " , 4. Declare national / state / county emergencies, 5. Create media fear and hysteria.



GOAL #2 : "Warp Speed" Vaccine Development.

It was necessary for the CDC, which directs state medical boards and state departments of health services, and the National Institute of Health, which directs physicians and hospital policies, to develop guidelines that would effectively insure there would be no "adequate, approved, or alternative treatment" available in order to meet Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) criteria for COVID-19 vaccine development. These guidelines intentionally prohibited early, effective treatments that would have saved lives to protect COVID-19 vaccine development.

GOAL #3: COVID-19 vaccines manufacturers to conduct trials on children with intent to receive full FDA approval in order for the COVID-19 vaccines to be added the childhood vaccine schedule, so that all "covered persons" are shielded from liability with the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986. With full FDA approval, vaccine manufacturers lose their liability immunity from the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act.

GOAL #4 : Implement worldwide mandates for vaccine compliance with bio-evidenced, identification mark and force vaccine compliance through bio-trackable "passports" to buy, sell, or travel.

"On behalf of Texans and humanity, we plead for Governor Greg Abbott and General Ken Paxton to defend us and enforce SCR 12 to immediately halt state agency and businesses adherence to CDC and NIH guidelines and command actions necessary to prosecute all perpetrators for racketeering and for 'Terror to Intimidate or Coerce a Civilian Population'," urged Sheila Hemphill.

SCR 12 was signed by Governor Abbott on June 16, 2021  "Claiming sovereignty under the Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution over all powers not otherwise enumerated and granted to the federal government by the U.S. Constitution, serving notice to the federal government to halt and reverse certain mandates, and providing that certain federal legislation be prohibited or repealed."

Visit www.theomegabrief.com for information, text updates, and action alerts,

Text "DEFEND" to 855-822-1010.

Media Contact: Sheila Hemphill, CEO Texas Right To Know | [email protected]

SOURCE Texas Right to Know

Related Links

http://www.texasrighttoknow.com


BALTIMORE, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Attorney Christopher T. Casciano, a partner at Brown & Barron, has been chosen as a listed lawyer for The Best Lawyers in America 2022 by Best Lawyers for "Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs" in Baltimore, Maryland. This marks the second year in a row in which Attorney Casciano has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America.

Best Lawyers is known worldwide for its "purely peer review" methodology. It has relied heavily on peer review to develop The Best Lawyers in America since the 1980s, enlisting the help of top-rated attorneys throughout the United States to curate a vetted database of legal professionals. Annually, only the top 6% of all private practice attorneys from coast to coast are honored as listed lawyers.

As a seasoned litigator, Attorney Casciano has earned the respect of his clients and peers alike through his dedicated legal representation. He has solely represented plaintiffs for the entirety of his career, focusing his practice at Brown & Barron on medical malpractice, nursing home abuse, catastrophic injury, and wrongful death. His success has won him acclaim not only from Best Lawyers, but also from Super Lawyers Rising Stars and The National Trial Lawyers, among others.

Backed by over 75 years of combined experience, the attorney team at Brown & Barron has recovered more than $73 million for clients since 2017. When you are injured by negligence, you deserve experienced, knowledgeable legal representationbook a free consultation with a Brown & Barron attorney online at brownbarron.com. To learn more about Best Lawyers, please go to bestlawyers.com.

SOURCE Brown & Barron, LLC
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- With the release of the annual The Best Lawyers in America guide by Best Lawyers, the trial law firm of Rouda Feder Tietjen & McGuinn has been acclaimed yet again. Four of its partners were chosen for inclusion in the renowned guide for their premier legal work in San Francisco, CA:

June P. Bashant (Listed since 2019)

Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs

John M. Feder (Listed since 2013)

Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs



Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs

Cynthia B. McGuinn (Listed since 2008)

Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs



Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs

Timothy G. Tietjen (Listed since 2013)

Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs



Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs

Best Lawyers only leaves room for the top 6% of the nation's private practice attorneys. It requires each nominee, regardless of whether they have been listed previously, to undergo a rigorous peer review to earn a listing. Thus, a spot in its annual The Best Lawyers in America guide is indicative of the respect an attorney has earned from their peers.

Attorneys Bashant, Feder, McGuinn, and Tietjen are very honored to have been listed in The Best Lawyers in America 2022. Thank you to their peers for recognizing their zealous advocacy on behalf of wronged individuals throughout the Bay Area.

Founded in 1980, Rouda Feder Tietjen & McGuinn is nationally renowned for the acumen and aggressive advocacy of its attorney team. Overall, the firm has secured more than $500 million in recoveries for its clients. To book a free consultation, go to rftmlaw.com. For more information about Best Lawyers, kindly visit bestlawyers.com.

SOURCE Rouda Feder Tietjen & McGuinn
KANSAS CITY, Mo., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Samuel K. Cullan, M.D., J.D., an attorney at the nationally acclaimed trial law firm of Cullan & Cullan, has been chosen for a listing in The Best Lawyers in America 2022, an annual legal ranking guide by Best Lawyers.

It is a notable accomplishment to be listed in The Best Lawyers in America, as the annual guide's selection process hinges on the results of a rigorous peer review. Best Lawyers asks top-rated attorneys to review nominees within their geographic and legal practice areas to determine whether a listing in the upcoming edition is warranted. Since only the top 6% of the nation's attorneys are listed in the published guide, the competition is fierce.

In The Best Lawyers in America 2022, Best Lawyers recognized Dr. Sam Cullan for his work in Kansas City, Missouri in the following legal practice areas:

Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs

Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs

Best Lawyers has listed Dr. Sam Cullan in The Best Lawyers in America for his esteemed legal advocacy since 2015. Further, he was named the Best Lawyers Medical Malpractice Law  Plaintiffs "Lawyer of the Year" in Kansas City in 2016, 2019, and 2021. Only the highest-scoring Best Lawyers candidate in each practice area and location is granted the "Lawyer of the Year" award.

Dr. Sam Cullan's in-depth knowledge as a medical doctor, engineer, and attorney helps him recover the full compensation owed to his clients, regardless of the case's complexity. He primarily represents clients in medical malpractice, catastrophic injury, and wrongful death cases. What's more, he is a renowned advocate for those who have sustained brain and spine injuries, as well as for children who have suffered birth injuries at the hands of negligent health care professionals. Super Lawyers, Kansas City Business Journal, and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum have also acclaimed him for his work.

To learn more about Dr. Sam Cullan, Esq. and his practice at Cullan & Cullan, kindly visit doctorspracticinglaw.com. Further information about Best Lawyers may be found at bestlawyers.com.

SOURCE Cullan & Cullan
SINGAPORE, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Sophie's Bionutrients, a next-generation sustainable urban food production technology company, has been named to Forbes Asia's inaugural 100 to Watch List. Published on August 9, the Forbes Asia 100 to Watch list spotlights notable startups on the rise across the Asia Pacific region.

The final 100 was selected from over 900 submissions from the region's accelerators, incubators, SME advocacy organizations, universities, and venture capitalists.

The first microalgae-based food tech company selected by Forbes Asia

Sophie's BioNutrients is the world's first food tech company to use microalgae and patent-pending technologies to develop 100% plant-based and sustainable alternative protein.

The Forbes Asia 100 to Watch List chose the food tech startup for its efforts in creating alternatives to meat and milk and its goal to turn profitable within three years amid growing demand for its microalgae-based products in Europe and North America.

Eugene Wang, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer at Sophie's BioNutrients, said, "Lists like 100 to Watch prove that solving the world's most pressing issues and business growth are not mutely exclusive. We are elated to be chosen by Forbes Asia and hope this demonstrates that investing in sustainability is simply good business," he added.

Microalgae: the superfood of the future

Sophie's Bionutrients believes microalgae -- the mother of all animal and plant life -- is the superfood of the future for its versatility, nutritional value, lack of allergens and impressive scalability for mass production.

Using only 0.02 hectares of land and three days, Sophie's BioNutrients can harvest a tonne of microalgae protein concentrate to be used to develop a variety of meat and seafood-free alternatives to food and beverages.

For more information, please visit https://sophiesbionutrients.com/.

About Sophie's Bionutrients

Sophie's Bionutrients, a B2B food technology company, is on a mission to unleash the limitless possibilities of nature, restore our planet and eliminate food allergies. It aims to achieve this by creating plant-based, protein-rich alternatives to meat and seafood using microalgae, the mother of all animal and plant life.

In 2019, Sophie's Bionutrients won an SGD 1 million grant from Temasek Foundation's The Liveability Challenge. A Foodtech 500 startup and winner of the MassChallenge 2020, Sophie's Bionutrients will open its first urban protein production facility in Singapore in 2021.

About the Forbes Asia 100 to Watch List

The inaugural Forbes Asia 100 to Watch list spotlights notable small companies and startups on the rise across the Asia-Pacific region. When economies worldwide are struggling from the pandemic, these agile companies are on a growth path. Their inclusion in the List comes in part from addressing problems such as improving transportation in congested cities, expanding affordable connectivity in remote regions and preventing food waste.

Methodology

Forbes Asia solicited online submissions and invited accelerators, incubators, SME advocacy organizations, universities, venture capitalists and others to nominate companies. The final 100 was selected from over 900 submissions. To qualify for consideration, companies had to be headquartered in the Asia Pacific, be at least one year old, privately-owned, for-profit, and have no more than US$20 million in their latest annual revenue or total funding through August 1, 2021. Forbes Asia evaluated each submission, looking at metrics such as a positive impact on the region or industry, a track record of strong revenue growth or ability to attract funding, promising business models or markets, and a compelling story.

SOURCE Sophie's Bionutrients

Related Links

https://sophiesbionutrients.com


MIAMI, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Haber Law is pleased to announce the fifth year with multiple attorneys at the firm named as Best Lawyers in America in recognition of their exceptional work. The 2022 edition will feature Managing and Founding Shareholder David B. Haber for his work in Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, and Litigation - Construction; Partner Franchesco (Frank) Soto for his work in Construction Law, Litigation - Construction; and Partner Christopher Utrera for his work in Construction Law.

This year, Mr. Soto has also been recognized with a five-year milestone and he received the Best Lawyers 2022 Construction Law "Lawyer of the Year" award in Miami. Only one lawyer per metro and practice area receives "Lawyer of the Year" status, and this inclusion is awarded to the lawyer who receives the highest voter feedback.

The recognition from Best Lawyers over multiple consecutive years speaks to the caliber of the Firm and its commitment to excellence.

Says Managing and Founding Shareholder at Haber Law, David B. Haber:

"We're known for our dedication to our clients and the important work that we do tirelessly on their behalf. This is a proud moment not only for those of us named Best Lawyers in America but the Firm as a whole, as none of us do it alone. This is an especially big moment for Frank as an esteemed Lawyer of the Year. We are very proud of the success Frank has accomplished with the Firm over the past nine years and as Chair of the Construction Department."

Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Best Lawyers lists are compiled based on an exhaustive peer-review evaluation. Almost 108,000 industry-leading lawyers are eligible to vote (from around the world), with over 13 million evaluations received on the legal abilities of other lawyers based on their specific practice areas around the world.

About Haber Law

Haber Law is a 17-attorney boutique law firm based in Miami, Florida that focuses on construction law, including design and construction defects litigation, complex business litigation, condominium and homeowners association law, and all aspects of real estate law. Additional practice areas include aviation law, bankruptcy and creditors' rights, and family law. The firm is committed to its core values of integrity, service, dedication, innovation, diversity, and success. Haber Law is located on the internet at www.haber.law and can be reached at 305-379-2400.

Media Contacts

Velocitas Interactive Marketing + Public Relations

Patricia Beitler / Abbi Sierra

[email protected] | 305-735-9845

SOURCE Haber Law
BEAUMONT, Texas, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Two Provost Umphrey attorneys have been named Lawyer of the Year for their respective practice groups as part of the Best Lawyers in America 2022 honors.

Equity Partner Edward Fisher earned Lawyer of the Year distinction for his work in mass tort litigation and class actions on behalf of plaintiffs. Attorney Colin D. Moore earned Lawyer of the Year for his work in product liability litigation for plaintiffs with additional recognition for his work in personal injury, mass tort litigation, and class actions.

For a seventh consecutive year, all of Provost Umphrey's equity partners earned placement to the Best Lawyers in America listing. Bryan O. Blevins, Jr., Edward Fisher, Joe J. Fisher II, Matthew Matheny, and James E. Payne received honors for their work with plaintiffs in personal injury and product liability litigation. Blevins and Matheny received additional recognition for their work in mass tort and class actions for plaintiffs.

Additional Provost Umphrey attorneys honored by Best Lawyers in 2022 for their plaintiffs' litigation work include:

Darren Brown : Consumer Law, Mass Torts, Class Actions, Personal Injury, and Product Liability

: Consumer Law, Mass Torts, Class Actions, Personal Injury, and Product Liability Guy G. Fisher : Mass Torts, Class Actions, Personal Injury, and Product Liability

: Mass Torts, Class Actions, Personal Injury, and Product Liability W. Michael Hamilton : Labor and Employment

: Labor and Employment Christopher T. Kirchmer : Mass Torts, Class Actions, Personal Injury, and Product Liability

: Mass Torts, Class Actions, Personal Injury, and Product Liability Jacqueline Ryall : Personal Injury

: Personal Injury John Cowan : Product Liability

: Product Liability D'Juana Parks: Mass Torts, Class Actions, Personal Injury, and Product Liability

Keith Hyde : Environmental Litigation, Mass Torts, Class Actions, Personal Injury, and Product Liability

: Environmental Litigation, Mass Torts, Class Actions, Personal Injury, and Product Liability David P. Wilson : Admiralty and Maritime Law and Personal Injury

Provost Umphrey Attorney Fabiana Baum has been named as Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch for her work in personal injury litigation on behalf of plaintiffs. This award is given to up-and-coming attorneys that demonstrate promising careers.

The Best Lawyers in America is recognized as one of the leading guides to the U.S. legal profession. Surveys from tens of thousands of attorneys nationwide are used to compile the rankings of the nation's top lawyers in various practice areas.

For over 50 years, our firm's mission has remained to seek justice for those who have suffered a personal injury or death due to the wrongful conduct of others. Our attorneys fight for our clients nationwide with offices in Beaumont, Texas, and Nashville, Tennessee. We continue to be one of the most successful trial law firms in the nation by remaining "Hard-Working Lawyers for Hard-Working People." To learn more, visit https://www.provostumphrey.com.

Media Contact:

Sophia Reza

800-559-4534

[email protected]

SOURCE Provost Umphrey Law Firm

Related Links

https://www.provostumphrey.com


BALTIMORE, Md., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its growing global mission, the Urology Care Foundation is proud to announce Una Jeanie Lee, MD and David E. Rapp, MD have been selected as 2021 Urology Care Foundation Humanitarian Grant recipients and will each receive $4,500 in funding. As one of the world's largest urology-specific humanitarian focused grant programs, the Urology Care Foundation Humanitarian Grant supports the extraordinary efforts of individuals, projects or project teams providing direct urologic patient care to people and communities in underserved areas, either within the United States or abroad.

Dr. Una J. Lee: Medicine for Humanity 2021 Urology Care Foundation Humanitarian Grant Recipient Dr. David E. Rapp: Global Surgical Expedition 2021 Urology Care Foundation Humanitarian Grant Recipient

Through Dr. Lee's collaborative efforts with Medicine for Humanity and Mbarara University of Science and Technology, she and the team aim to evolve the obstetrical fistula care model into a self-sufficient, year-round repair, recovery and reintegration program for low-income East African women. A heartbreaking condition, obstetric fistula is often the result of prolonged and obstructed labor, which causes severe childbirth injury to the mother. The World Health Organization estimates in Uganda alone, there are more than 100,000 women enduring life with fistula, and nearly 2,000 women develop this condition each year. For every woman who receives treatment, more than 50 women go without. In Uganda, the magnitude of the problem overwhelms the local capacity and resources.

Dr. Rapp's initiatives will focus on providing urologic surgeries in Belize through the work of Global Surgical Expedition (GSE), a global charity he founded in 2012. Through this grant, Dr. Rapp, in conjunction with the work of GSE, will organize and send surgical teams to sites in Belize to support the delivery of urologic surgical care to men and women suffering from such urologic disease as cancer (renal, penile, bladder), urethral stricture, urolithiasis, as well as life-altering female pelvic medical conditions.

"We are honored to present Drs. Lee and Rapp with the Urology Care Foundation's first Humanitarian Grants," said Harris M. Nagler, MD, President of the Urology Care Foundation. "Both reflect the spirit of true humanitarianism, as they give themselves without expectation of remuneration and provide services to all equally, impartially and cooperatively. Both are truly deserving individuals."

Grants were made possible through funds from the American Urological Association/Urology Care Foundation Humanitarian Endowment, as well as the Urology Care Foundation/Richard J. Fox Foundation Endowment.

Learn more about the Urology Care Foundation Humanitarian Grant Program and the work of Drs. Lee and Rapp.

About the American Urological Association: Founded in 1902 and headquartered near Baltimore, Maryland, the American Urological Association is a leading advocate for the specialty of urology, and has more than 23,000 members throughout the world. The AUA is a premier urologic association, providing invaluable support to the urologic community as it pursues its mission of fostering the highest standards of urologic care through education, research and the formulation of health. To learn more about the AUA visit: www.auanet.org.

About the Urology Care Foundation: The Urology Care Foundation is the world's leading nonprofit urological health foundation, and the official foundation of the American Urological Association. Partnering with physicians, researchers, healthcare professionals, patients, caregivers, families and the public, the Foundation supports and improves urologic clinical care by funding research, developing patient education and pursuing philanthropic support. To learn more about the Urology Care Foundation and its programs visit: www.urologyhealth.org.

Contact:

Christine Frey, AUA

443-909-0839, [email protected]

SOURCE Urology Care Foundation

Related Links

http://www.urologyhealth.org


PHOENIX, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- For the ninth consecutive year, WebPT , the leading rehab therapy software platform for enhancing patient care and fueling business growth, has been named to the Inc. 5000 list of the nation's fastest-growing private companies. With a three-year revenue growth rate of 115%, WebPT is among an exclusive 1.28% of Inc. 5000 companies64 businesses in totalthat have made the list nine times.

"Perhaps the only thing better than securing a spot on the Inc. 5000 list for the ninth year running is doing so alongside some of our incredible Members and other rehab therapy providers," said Nancy Ham, WebPT CEO. "This past year, WebPT has doubled down on both innovation and gritand, as a result, we maintained our reputation as a true industry partner and helped many clinics grow stronger and reach more patients through innovations like Virtual Visits. We look forward to standing side by side with our Members as we all continue to grow in this new normal."

Over the course of WebPT's 13-year history, the company has remained at the forefront of innovation and advocacy in the rehab therapy community. The company has achieved its highest annual number of bookings while maintaining low churn, all of which is driven by the value WebPT offers to the industry. Some of the company's impactful achievements include:

Publishing the fifth edition of the State of Rehab Therapy Industry Report , which included insights from more than 6,700 industry respondents

, which included insights from more than 6,700 industry respondents Empowering thousands of clinics to maintain patient engagement and communication throughout the pandemic by using WebPT Reach , which has allowed members to bounce back from the pandemic faster than the market, reaching 112% of pre-COVID patient volumes early in 2021.

, which has allowed members to bounce back from the pandemic faster than the market, reaching 112% of pre-COVID patient volumes early in 2021. Introducing Digital Patient Intake , which streamlines the patient registration process. To date, WebPT Members have sent over 885,000 intakes since launch earlier this year.

, which streamlines the patient registration process. To date, WebPT Members have sent over 885,000 intakes since launch earlier this year. Launching its new-generation SOAPnotes documentation solution , which recently surpassed one million notes documented.

"Despite the global challenges of the past year, the team at WebPT has remained committed to empowering rehab therapists to reach and treat the millions of people who could benefit from receiving musculoskeletal care," said Heidi Jannenga, PT, DPT, ATC, Co-Founder and Chief Clinical Officer at WebPT. "We remain committed to moving the industry forward by strengthening relationships, advocating for therapists and asserting the value of rehab therapy in healthcare."

In the last year, WebPT has grown to more than 600 employees from across the nation and is currently looking to fill multiple positions within the next few months. To search available opportunities and apply, please visit www.webpt.com/about/careers .

For more information on WebPT, please visit www.webpt.com .

About WebPT, Inc.

With a 40% market share, WebPT is the leading rehab therapy platform for enhancing patient care and fueling business growth. WebPT's product suite provides a robust end-to-end solution covering the entire rehab therapy business cycle, from billing and managing a practice to delivering quality, evidence-based care. With a 99% retention rate and an uptime rate in excess of 99.9% across its entire platform, WebPT is the most-trusted and most-reliable solution in the industry, regardless of practice setting, specialty or size. WebPT's growth has earned it a spot on the Inc. 5000 list of the nation's fastest-growing companies nine years in a row as well as inclusion on the 2018 Healthcare Informatics list of the top 100 U.S. healthcare IT vendors. Learn more at webpt.com.

About Inc. Media

The world's most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit www.inc.com.

SOURCE WebPT

Related Links

https://www.webpt.com/


"The opportunity for students to develop their voices is enhanced by having literary notable as Nikki Giovanni."

Giovanni's early work gained attention as part of the Black Arts Movement; she was called the "Poet of the Black Revolution" because of her forceful and passionate writing about civil rights. Her varied activism has included providing support for other African American women writers. Giovanni currently serves as a University Distinguished Professor at Virginia Tech University.

Established by PVAMU President Ruth Simmons, The Toni Morrison Writing Program seeks to bring visibility to African American writing in the literary canon. Led by Provost Emerita and Professor E. Johanne Thomas-Smith, the program will feature writers reading from their works, conducting masterclasses, teaching, and mentoring other writers. The program will also focus on opportunities to develop the literary interests and talents of young writers. Components include a partnership with area high school English departments, an annual writing contest for K-12 students, and elementary school readings accompanied by informal book discussions with the author.

About Prairie View A&M University: Designated an institution of "the first class" in the Texas Constitution, Prairie View A&M University is the second-oldest public institution of higher education in the state. With an established reputation for producing engineers, nurses, and educators, PVAMU offers baccalaureate degrees, master's degrees, and doctoral degree programs through eight colleges and schools. A member of The Texas A&M University System, the university is dedicated to fulfilling its land-grant mission of achieving excellence in teaching, research, and service. For more information regarding PVAMU, visit www.pvamu.edu.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Candace Johnson

Executive Director of Marketing and Communications

936-261-1566

[email protected]



Marchita Shilo

Communications Manager

936-261-2134

[email protected]

The Office of Marketing and Communications

936-261-1560

www.pvamu.edu/marcomm

SOURCE Prairie View A&M University

Related Links

http://www.pvamu.edu


BEIJING, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Yiren Digital Ltd. (NYSE: YRD) ("Yiren Digital" or the "Company"), a leading digital personal financial management platform in China, today announced its unaudited financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2021.

Second Quarter 2021 Operational Highlights

Wealth Management

Cumulative number of investors served reached 2,538,656 as of June 30, 2021 , representing an increase of 3.1% from 2,462,195 as of March 31, 2021 and compared to 2,223,250 as of June 30, 2020 .

, representing an increase of 3.1% from 2,462,195 as of and compared to 2,223,250 as of . Number of active investors [1] was 385,536 as of June 30, 2021 , representing an increase of 25.5% from 307,107 as of March 31, 2021 , and compared to 102,658 as of June 30, 2020 .

was 385,536 as of , representing an increase of 25.5% from 307,107 as of , and compared to 102,658 as of . Total client assets [2] was RMB14,660.4 million ( US$2,270.6 million ) as of June 30, 2021 , representing an increase of 37.3% from RMB10,678.9 million as of March 31, 2021 , and compared to RMB2,628.8 million as of June 30, 2020 .

was ( ) as of , representing an increase of 37.3% from as of , and compared to as of . Sales volume of investment products amounted to RMB5,343.6 million ( US$827.6 million ) in the second quarter of 2021, representing a decrease of 8.2% from RMB5,823.1 million in the first quarter of 2021 and compared to RMB2,186.2 million in the same period of 2020.

Consumer Credit

Total loans facilitated under loan facilitation model in the second quarter of 2021 reached RMB5.3 billion ( US$0.8 billion ), representing an increase of 6.5% from RMB4.9 billion in the first quarter of 2021 and compared to RMB1.5 billion in the second quarter of 2020.

( ), representing an increase of 6.5% from in the first quarter of 2021 and compared to in the second quarter of 2020. Cumulative number of borrowers served reached 5,558,085 as of June 30, 2021 , representing an increase of 4.7% from 5,309,727 as of March 31, 2021 and compared to 4,917,635 as of June 30, 2020 .

, representing an increase of 4.7% from 5,309,727 as of and compared to 4,917,635 as of . Number of borrowers served in the second quarter of 2021 was 434,153 representing an increase of 25.5% from 345,939 in the first quarter of 2021 and compared to 107,568 in the second quarter of 2020.

Outstanding balance of performing loans facilitated under loan facilitation model reached RMB12,543.7 million ( US$1,942.8 million ) as of June 30, 2021 , representing an increase of 12.4% from RMB11,159.2 million as of March 31, 2021 and compared to RMB4,175.8 million as of June 30, 2020 .

[1] Active investors refer to those who have made at least one investment through our wealth management platform or have had client assets with us above zero in the past twelve months. [2] Client assets refer to the outstanding balance of client assets generated through our platforms, where an asset is counted towards the outstanding balance for so long as it continues to be held by the investor who acquired it through our platform.

"We are pleased to deliver another solid quarter, with continued improvement in profitability and increasingly diversified revenue mix as we further navigate Yiren Digital to become a leading user-centric personal financial management platform," said Mr. Ning Tang, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Yiren Digital. "As we continue to strengthen our competitive edges and drive up our business scale, we have developed sophisticated strategies for different business lines."

"For wealth management, we are further differentiating ourselves by upgrading our services and enriching our product offerings as well as enhancing our capabilities to serve customers with higher investable assets. As of June 30, 2021, total client assets reached RMB14.7 billion, representing an increase of 37% from last quarter. Average client asset per investor further increased by 17% quarter-over-quarter to approximately RMB100,000, and the number of investors who held more than two asset classes on our Yiren Wealth platform grew by 420% from prior year, reflecting a concrete improvement in our customers' overall LTV. "

"For our credit business, we are focusing on high-quality growth and continue to take a proactive approach to transition our target borrower segment into higher-credit quality borrowers, paving the way for the launch of increasingly diversified products. Meanwhile, to echo government's focus on supporting small and micro businesses, starting from the second half of this year, we will further expand our SME segment to better promote inclusive finance."

"In the second quarter, total revenue increased by 49% year-on-year to RMB1.1 billion, of which 25% came from our wealth management business. Driven by enhanced cost control and operating efficiencies, total net income in the second quarter grew by 10% quarter-over-quarter, reflecting a healthy net income margin of 18%,"said Ms. Na Mei, Chief Financial Officer of Yiren Digital. "On the balance sheet side, our cash position remains strong with RMB2.2 billion of cash and cash equivalents as of June 30, 2021, which provides us with sufficient resilience to continue exploring new initiatives and new opportunities, and to meet any new capital requirement that may come."

Second Quarter 2021 Financial Results

Total net revenue in the second quarter of 2021 was RMB1,125.0 million (US$174.2 million), compared to RMB754.7 million in the same period last year. Revenue from wealth management business reached RMB286.8 million (US$44.4 million), representing a decrease of 11.0% from RMB322.4 million in the second quarter of 2020, primarily driven by the spin-off of our legacy business. Revenue from credit business reached RMB838.2 million (US$129.8 million), representing an increase of 93.9% from RMB432.3 million in the second quarter of 2020, primarily driven by an increase in loan volume.

Sales and marketing expenses in the second quarter of 2021 were RMB436.9 million (US$67.7 million), compared to RMB508.5 million in the same period last year. The decrease was primarily due to internal restructuring to optimize operating efficiencies.

Origination, servicing and other operating costs in the second quarter of 2021 were RMB182.7 million (US$28.3 million), compared to RMB165.2 million in the same period last year.

General and administrative expenses in the second quarter of 2021 were RMB127.7 million (US$19.8 million), compared to RMB172.6 million in the same period last year. The decrease was due to enhancement of operational efficiency.

Allowance for contract assets, receivables and others in the second quarter of 2021 was RMB93.4 million (US$14.5 million), compared to RMB168.7 million in the same period last year. The decrease was primarily due to the optimization of product mix, improved asset quality post pandemic as well as further enhancement in the Company's risk management framework.

Income tax expense in the second quarter of 2021 was RMB55.3 million (US$8.6 million).

Net income in the second quarter of 2021 was RMB200.1 million (US$31.0 million), as compared to a net loss of RMB232.2 million in the same period last year.

Adjusted EBITDA[3] (non-GAAP) in the second quarter of 2021 was RMB295.4 million (US$45.8 million), compared to a loss of RMB269.4 million in the same period last year.

Basic income per ADS in the second quarter of 2021 was RMB2.4 (US$0.4), compared to a basic loss per ADS of RMB2.5 in the same period last year.

Diluted income per ADS in the second quarter of 2021 was RMB2.4 (US$0.4), compared to a diluted loss per ADS of RMB2.5 in the same period last year.

Net cash used in operating activities in the second quarter of 2021 was RMB213.0 million (US$33.0 million), compared to RMB64.7 million in the same period last year.

Net cash used in investing activities in the second quarter of 2021 was RMB208.5 million (US$32.3 million), compared to RMB186.7 million in the same period last year.

As of June 30, 2021, cash and cash equivalents was RMB2,192.5 million (US$339.6 million), compared to RMB2,362.3 million as of March 31, 2021. As of June 30, 2021, the balance of held-to-maturity investments was RMB2.2 million (US$0.3 million), compared to RMB3.1 million as of March 31, 2021. As of June 30, 2021, the balance of available-for-sale investments was RMB224.3 million (US$34.7 million), compared to RMB234.6 million as of March 31, 2021.

Delinquency rates. As of June 30, 2021, the delinquency rates for loans facilitated that are past due for 15-29 days, 30-59 days and 60-89 days were 0.5%, 0.8% and 0.7% respectively, compared to 0.5%, 0.8% and 0.6% respectively as of March 31, 2021.

Cumulative M3+ net charge-off rates. As of June 30, 2021, the cumulative M3+ net charge-off rate for loans facilitated in 2018, 2019 and 2020 was 9.9%, 10.5% and 3.7% respectively, as compared to 10.0%, 9.7% and 2.2% respectively as of March 31, 2021.

[3] "Adjusted EBITDA" is a non-GAAP financial measure. For more information on this non-GAAP financial measure, please see the section of "Operating Highlights and Reconciliations of GAAP to Non-GAAP Measures" and the table captioned "Reconciliations of Adjusted EBITDA" set forth at the end of this press release.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

In evaluating the business, the Company considers and uses several non-GAAP financial measures, such as adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin as supplemental measures to review and assess operating performance. We believe these non-GAAP measures provide useful information about our core operating results, enhance the overall understanding of our past performance and prospects and allow for greater visibility with respect to key metrics used by our management in our financial and operational decision-making. The presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("U.S. GAAP"). The non-GAAP financial measures have limitations as analytical tools. Other companies, including peer companies in the industry, may calculate these non-GAAP measures differently, which may reduce their usefulness as a comparative measure. The Company compensates for these limitations by reconciling the non-GAAP financial measures to the nearest U.S. GAAP performance measure, all of which should be considered when evaluating our performance. See "Operating Highlights and Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP measures" at the end of this press release.

Board Composition Change

Mr. Quan Zhou will resign from the board, having fulfilled his term as a board member since January 2015, effective August 19, 2021.

"On behalf of Yiren Digital's Board of Directors, I would like to express my gratitude to Mr. Quan Zhou for his time, dedication and valuable contribution to the Company," said Mr. Ning Tang, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Yiren Digital.

Currency Conversion

This announcement contains currency conversions of certain RMB amounts into US$ at specified rates solely for the convenience of the reader. Unless otherwise noted, all translations from RMB to US$ are made at a rate of RMB6.4566 to US$1.00, the effective noon buying rate on June 30, 2021, as set forth in the H.10 statistical release of the Federal Reserve Board.

Conference Call

Yiren Digital's management will host an earnings conference call at 8:00 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time on August 19, 2021 (or 8:00 p.m. Beijing/Hong Kong Time on August 19, 2021).

Participants who wish to join the call should register online in advance of the conference at:

https://apac.directeventreg.com/registration/event/9992662

Please note the Conference ID number of 9992662.

Once registration is completed, participants will receive the dial-in information for the conference call, an event passcode, and a unique registrant ID number.

Participants joining the conference call should dial-in at least 10 minutes before the scheduled start time.

A replay of the conference call may be accessed by phone at the following numbers until August 27, 2021:

International +61 2-9003-4211 U.S. +1 646-254-3697 Replay Access Code: 9992662

Additionally, a live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available at ir.yirendai.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements constitute "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "target," "confident" and similar statements. Such statements are based upon management's current expectations and current market and operating conditions and relate to events that involve known or unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond Yiren Digital's control. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any such statements. Potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, uncertainties as to Yiren Digital's ability to attract and retain borrowers and investors on its marketplace, its ability to introduce new loan products and platform enhancements, its ability to compete effectively, PRC regulations and policies relating to the peer-to-peer lending service industry in China, general economic conditions in China, and Yiren Digital's ability to meet the standards necessary to maintain listing of its ADSs on the NYSE or other stock exchange, including its ability to cure any non-compliance with the NYSE's continued listing criteria. Further information regarding these and other risks, uncertainties or factors is included in Yiren Digital's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and Yiren Digital does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under applicable law.

About Yiren Digital

Yiren Digital Ltd. is a leading digital personal financial management platform in China. The Company provides customized asset allocation services and wealth management solutions to China's mass affluent population as well as utilizes online and offline channels to provide retail credit facilitation services to individual borrowers and small business owners.

Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (in thousands, except for share, per share and per ADS data, and percentages)



For the Three Months Ended



For the Six Months Ended

June 30,

2020

March 31,

2021

June 30,

2021

June 30,

2021



June 30,

2020

June 30,

2021

June 30,

2021

RMB

RMB

RMB

USD



RMB

RMB

USD Net revenue:



























Loan facilitation services 171,084

542,132

551,373

85,397



529,625

1,093,505

169,362 Post-origination services 126,477

44,786

40,584

6,286



272,997

85,370

13,222 Account management services 300,720

-

-

-



713,886

-

- Insurance brokerage services 19,545

159,704

151,801

23,511



19,545

311,505

48,246 Financing services 1,586

114,932

125,267

19,401



2,236

240,199

37,202 Others 135,277

238,409

256,010

39,651



240,060

494,419

76,576 Total net revenue 754,689

1,099,963

1,125,035

174,246



1,778,349

2,224,998

344,608 Operating costs and expenses:



























Sales and marketing 508,466

405,176

436,882

67,663



1,124,907

842,058

130,418 Origination,servicing and other operating

costs 165,183

174,525

182,667

28,292



268,101

357,192

55,322 General and administrative 172,568

119,865

127,690

19,777



321,609

247,555

38,341 Allowance for contract assets, receivables

and others 168,708

141,232

93,433

14,471



312,093

234,665

36,345 Total operating costs and expenses 1,014,925

840,798

840,672

130,203



2,026,710

1,681,470

260,426 Other income/(expenses):



























Interest income/(expense), net 16,950

(10,980)

(22,782)

(3,529)



42,066

(33,762)

(5,229) Fair value adjustments related to

Consolidated ABFE (32,957)

(27,720)

(20,916)

(3,239)



(58,977)

(48,636)

(7,533) Others, net (3,510)

5,122

14,674

2,273



8,674

19,796

3,066 Total other expenses (19,517)

(33,578)

(29,024)

(4,495)



(8,237)

(62,602)

(9,696) (Loss)/income before provision for income

taxes (279,753)

225,587

255,339

39,548



(256,598)

480,926

74,486 Income tax (benefit)/expense (47,558)

44,373

55,259

8,559



(43,622)

99,632

15,431 Net (loss)/income (232,195)

181,214

200,080

30,989



(212,976)

381,294

59,055





























Weighted average number of ordinary shares

outstanding, basic 185,613,735

167,966,603

167,974,463

167,974,463



185,607,348

167,970,515

167,970,515 Basic (loss)/income per share (1.2510)

1.0789

1.1911

0.1845



(1.1475)

2.2700

0.3516 Basic (loss)/income per ADS (2.5020)

2.1578

2.3822

0.3690



(2.2950)

4.5400

0.7032





























Weighted average number of ordinary shares

outstanding, diluted 185,613,735

169,147,563

169,173,603

169,173,603



185,607,348

169,160,565

169,160,565 Diluted (loss)/income per share (1.2510)

1.0713

1.1827

0.1832



(1.1475)

2.2540

0.3491 Diluted (loss)/income per ADS (2.5020)

2.1426

2.3654

0.3664



(2.2950)

4.5080

0.6982





























Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Cash

Flow Data



























Net cash (used in)/generated from operating

activities (64,721)

(142,011)

(212,993)

(32,988)



497,999

(355,004)

(54,984) Net cash used in investing activities (186,670)

(286,056)

(208,539)

(32,299)



(716,107)

(494,595)

(76,603) Net cash provided by/(used in) financing

activities 39,905

279,400

144,107

22,319



(25,732)

423,507

65,593 Effect of foreign exchange rate changes (86)

(118)

(278)

(43)



1,120

(396)

(61) Net decrease in cash, cash equivalents and

restricted cash (211,572)

(148,785)

(277,703)

(43,011)



(242,720)

(426,488)

(66,055) Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash,

beginning of period 3,237,994

2,707,148

2,558,363

396,240



3,269,142

2,707,148

419,284 Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash,

end of period 3,026,422

2,558,363

2,280,660

353,229



3,026,422

2,280,660

353,229

Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (in thousands)



As of

December 31,

2020

March 31,

2021

June 30,

2021

June 30,

2021

RMB

RMB

RMB

USD















Cash and cash equivalents 2,469,909

2,362,310

2,192,500

339,575 Restricted cash 237,239

196,053

88,160

13,654 Accounts receivable 122,742

148,114

228,554

35,399 Contract assets, net 750,174

917,995

1,063,470

164,711 Contract cost 65,529

62,061

44,684

6,921 Prepaid expenses and other assets 278,591

215,099

213,942

33,135 Loans at fair value 192,156

175,664

112,931

17,491 Financing receivables 1,253,494

1,471,509

1,738,742

269,297 Amounts due from related parties 884,006

911,972

1,064,703

164,901 Held-to-maturity investments 3,286

3,137

2,233

346 Available-for-sale investments 175,515

234,587

224,336

34,745 Property, equipment and software, net 147,193

134,351

123,491

19,126 Deferred tax assets 16,745

13,906

8,629

1,336 Right-of-use assets 105,674

98,467

93,783

14,525 Total assets 6,702,253

6,945,225

7,200,158

1,115,162 Accounts payable 9,903

12,923

64,469

9,985 Amounts due to related parties 970,309

769,744

498,053

77,138 Deferred revenue 50,899

44,408

21,137

3,274 Payable to investors at fair value 52,623

52,082

51,289

7,944 Accrued expenses and other liabilities 1,208,915

1,148,549

1,238,591

191,833 Secured borrowings 500,500

799,200

968,600

150,017 Refund liability 10,845

7,404

6,412

993 Deferred tax liabilities 38,741

76,003

118,654

18,377 Lease liabilities 81,854

76,735

70,114

10,859 Total liabilities 2,924,589

2,987,048

3,037,319

470,420 Ordinary shares 121

121

122

19 Additional paid-in capital 5,058,176

5,058,884

5,065,177

784,496 Treasury stock (40,147)

(40,147)

(40,147)

(6,218) Accumulated other comprehensive income 17,108

16,648

16,139

2,500 Accumulated deficit (1,257,594)

(1,077,329)

(878,452)

(136,055) Total equity 3,777,664

3,958,177

4,162,839

644,742 Total liabilities and equity 6,702,253

6,945,225

7,200,158

1,115,162

Operating Highlights and Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Measures (in thousands, except for number of borrowers, number of investors and percentages)



For the Three Months Ended



For the Six Months Ended

June 30,

2020

March 31,

2021

June 30,

2021

June 30,

2021



June 30,

2020

June 30,

2021

June 30,

2021

RMB

RMB

RMB

USD



RMB

RMB

USD Operating Highlights



























Amount of investment in current investment

products 2,186,210

5,823,057

5,343,601

827,618



4,349,523

11,166,657

1,729,495 Number of investors in current investment

products 30,392

110,072

120,091

120,091



30,142

203,472

203,472 Amount of loans facilitated under loan

facilitation model 1,522,646

4,930,287

5,252,859

813,564



2,263,914

10,183,146

1,577,168 Amount of loans facilitated 2,402,494

4,930,287

5,252,859

813,564



4,241,948

10,183,146

1,577,168 Number of borrowers 107,568

345,939

434,153

434,153



220,731

646,486

646,486 Remaining principal of performing loans

facilitated under loan facilitation model 4,175,751

11,159,179

12,543,745

1,942,779



4,175,751

12,543,745

1,942,779





























Segment Information



























Wealth management:



























Revenue 322,381

263,743

286,839

44,426



738,257

550,582

85,274 Sales and marketing expenses 45,454

38,987

29,044

4,498



112,780

68,031

10,537 Origination,servicing and other operating

costs 39,648

132,510

150,505

23,311



70,493

283,015

43,833





























Consumer credit:



























Revenue 432,308

836,220

838,196

129,820



1,040,092

1,674,416

259,334 Sales and marketing expenses 463,012

366,189

407,838

63,165



1,012,127

774,027

119,881 Origination,servicing and other operating

costs 125,535

42,015

32,162

4,981



197,608

74,177

11,489



























































Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA



























Net (loss)/income (232,195)

181,214

200,080

30,989



(212,976)

381,294

59,055 Interest (income)/expense, net (16,950)

10,980

22,782

3,529



(42,066)

33,762

5,229 Income tax (benefit)/expense (47,558)

44,373

55,259

8,559



(43,622)

99,632

15,431 Depreciation and amortization 24,368

15,151

12,170

1,885



51,539

27,321

4,232 Share-based compensation 2,954

(240)

5,090

788



7,495

4,850

751 Adjusted EBITDA (269,381)

251,478

295,381

45,750



(239,630)

546,859

84,698 Adjusted EBITDA margin -35.7%

22.9%

26.3%

26.3%



-13.5%

24.6%

24.6%

Delinquency Rates (Loan Facilitation Model)

















15-29 days

30-59 days

60-89 days All Loans











December 31, 2015

1.3%

1.9%

1.5% December 31, 2016

0.6%

0.8%

0.7% December 31, 2017

0.5%

0.8%

0.6% December 31, 2018

1.0%

1.8%

1.7% December 31, 2019

0.8%

1.3%

1.0% December 31, 2020

0.5%

0.7%

0.6% March 31, 2021

0.5%

0.8%

0.6% June 30, 2021

0.5%

0.8%

0.7%













Online Channels











December 31, 2015

0.4%

0.7%

0.5% December 31, 2016

0.8%

1.1%

1.7% December 31, 2017

0.3%

0.2%

0.0% December 31, 2018

0.9%

1.7%

1.5% December 31, 2019

1.0%

2.1%

1.6% December 31, 2020

0.6%

1.0%

1.1% March 31, 2021

0.5%

0.9%

0.7% June 30, 2021

0.7%

0.9%

0.8%













Offline Channels











December 31, 2015

1.3%

2.0%

1.6% December 31, 2016

0.6%

0.8%

0.7% December 31, 2017

0.5%

0.9%

0.7% December 31, 2018

1.1%

1.9%

1.8% December 31, 2019

0.7%

0.9%

0.7% December 31, 2020

0.4%

0.6%

0.4% March 31, 2021

0.4%

0.7%

0.6% June 30, 2021

0.4%

0.7%

0.6%

Net Charge-Off Rate (Loan Facilitation Model) Loan

Issued

Period

Amount of Loans

Facilitated

During the Period

Accumulated M3+ Net

Charge-Off

as of June 30, 2021

Total Net Charge-Off

Rate

as of June 30, 2021



(in RMB thousands)

(in RMB thousands)

2015

4,530,824

250,850

5.5% 2016

3,749,815

319,425

8.5% 2017

5,043,494

527,583

10.5% 2018

4,211,573

415,948

9.9% 2019

3,431,443

359,282

10.5% 2020

9,614,819

352,935

3.7% 2021Q1

4,930,287

23,045

0.5%

M3+ Net Charge-Off Rate (Loan Facilitation Model) Loan

Issued

Period

Month on Book



4 7 10 13 16 19 22 25 28 31 34 2015Q1

1.0% 1.9% 2.8% 3.7% 4.3% 4.8% 5.1% 5.3% 5.3% 5.3% 5.2% 2015Q2

1.1% 2.8% 4.2% 5.3% 6.2% 6.7% 7.0% 7.0% 6.9% 6.8% 6.8% 2015Q3

0.6% 2.2% 3.8% 5.0% 5.9% 6.5% 6.7% 6.8% 6.7% 6.7% 6.7% 2015Q4

1.0% 1.5% 2.2% 2.8% 3.1% 3.4% 3.7% 4.0% 4.2% 4.4% 4.4% 2016Q1

0.6% 0.9% 1.3% 1.7% 2.0% 2.2% 2.4% 2.7% 2.9% 3.0% 3.2% 2016Q2

0.6% 1.4% 2.3% 3.0% 3.6% 4.2% 4.8% 5.4% 5.8% 6.0% 6.2% 2016Q3

0.4% 1.7% 2.7% 4.1% 5.3% 6.5% 7.7% 8.6% 9.3% 9.3% 9.5% 2016Q4

0.3% 2.1% 3.8% 5.4% 7.2% 9.2% 10.4% 11.5% 12.4% 12.9% 13.3% 2017Q1

0.3% 1.6% 3.4% 5.3% 7.5% 8.9% 10.0% 10.9% 11.6% 12.1% 12.3% 2017Q2

4.1% 5.8% 7.9% 9.6% 11.3% 12.5% 13.2% 13.9% 14.6% 14.9% 15.1% 2017Q3

0.3% 1.6% 3.5% 4.9% 6.5% 7.6% 8.4% 8.9% 9.4% 9.9% 10.1% 2017Q4

0.2% 2.3% 5.1% 6.5% 7.9% 9.0% 9.7% 10.2% 10.7% 11.2% 10.6% 2018Q1

0.2% 2.9% 5.1% 6.8% 7.2% 7.9% 8.4% 8.7% 9.0% 8.6% 8.1% 2018Q2

0.7% 4.1% 7.1% 9.4% 11.2% 12.4% 13.4% 14.1% 14.3% 14.1% 14.1% 2018Q3

0.2% 2.8% 3.6% 4.5% 5.2% 6.4% 7.0% 7.0% 6.9% 7.0%

2018Q4

0.6% 2.2% 3.4% 5.2% 6.9% 9.0% 9.7% 9.9% 9.6%



2019Q1

0.0% 0.8% 2.0% 3.4% 5.3% 5.9% 6.3% 6.3%





2019Q2

0.1% 1.5% 4.5% 7.5% 8.8% 9.2% 9.9%







2019Q3

0.2% 2.9% 6.8% 9.0% 10.4% 12.0%









2019Q4

0.4% 3.1% 4.9% 6.3% 7.2%











2020Q1

0.6% 2.3% 4.1% 5.2%













2020Q2

0.5% 2.5% 4.2%















2020Q3

1.1% 3.3%

















2020Q4

0.3%





















SOURCE Yiren Digital

Related Links

http://ir.yirendai.com/


HOUSTON, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Thirteen lawyers with premier litigation firm Hicks Thomas LLP have earned recognition in the 28th edition of The Best Lawyers in America, which recognizes the top 4 percent of practicing attorneys in the nation.

Firm Partners John B. Thomas, Robin Harrison, Paul Mitchell, Stephen Loftin, Jay Old and Allen Rustay earned recognition for their expertise in Commercial Litigation. Mr. Thomas earned additional honors for Intellectual Property Litigation, and Mr. Harrison earned additional recognition for Oil & Gas Law.

Additionally, Firm Partner Courtney Ervin earned honors in the area of Energy Law, while J. Stephen Barrick was recognized for his Appellate Law practice, and John Deis earned honors for Construction Litigation.

In his first year on the Best Lawyers list, Firm Partner Stewart Hoffer was recognized in two practice areas: Labor Law Management and Labor and Employment Litigation.

The 2022 edition marks the largest field of Hicks Thomas attorneys to be recognized. The firm credits its success with its commitment to winning and focus on client service.

"Everything we do is done with our clients' overall business goals in mind  it's a promise we've placed first and foremost since we founded this firm," said Mr. Thomas. "So, to be listed among The Best Lawyers in America, which is recognition by our peers, is not only a special honor, but acknowledgment we are on the right path."

Best Lawyers also named three Hicks Thomas attorneys to its list of "Ones to Watch," which recognizes professional excellence in attorneys earlier in their careers. Kasi Chadwick was honored for her work in Commercial Litigation and Labor and Employment Litigation, Kristi Hubbard was recognized for Intellectual Property Law, and Amanda Goldstein earned honors for Commercial Litigation.

The Best Lawyers in America, one of the nation's most respected peer-review attorney guides, is based on confidential client and peer evaluations, as well as extensive editorial research. To read more about Hicks Thomas' Best Lawyers visit: https://www.bestlawyers.com/firms/hicks-thomas-llp/62934/US

Founded in 1997, Texas-based Hicks Thomas LLP is a premier litigation firm representing plaintiffs and defendants across the nation. With offices in Houston, Austin, Beaumont, Amarillo, and Sacramento, California, the firm provides in-depth experience in cases involving oil and gas, environmental, complex commercial, toxic tort, construction, products liability, corporate governance, securities, banking, insurance coverage, transportation, trade secrets and business litigation. Visit the firm at http://www.hicks-thomas.com.

SOURCE Hicks Thomas LLP

Related Links

https://www.hicks-thomas.com


SPRINGFIELD, Mo., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Founded almost 40 years ago, Strong-Garner-Bauer P.C. boasts a team of skilled attorneys acclaimed for their legal prowess and dedication to their clients. The latest of this acclaim comes from Best Lawyers in its 2022 edition: Four of the firm's attorneys were named to The Best Lawyers in America, three of whom were also named "Lawyer of the Year" awardees. Further, two of the firm's early career attorneys were selected as Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch recipients.

Best Lawyers published the very first edition of The Best Lawyers in America in 1983 to recognize top-rated attorneys throughout the United States. Its selections are based on peer review, collecting data on nominees in the form of detailed insight from their peers. The primary question Best Lawyers requires attorneys to ask themselves is, "Would you refer a case to the Best Lawyers nominee in question if you could not take it on yourself?" A listing in The Best Lawyers in America is, therefore, a great honor because it represents the respect of one's peers.

In The Best Lawyers in America 2022, four Strong-Garner-Bauer P.C. attorneys were listed for their work in the following categories in Springfield, Missouri:

Jeff Bauer (2011)

(2011) Insurance Law



Litigation - Insurance



Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs



Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs

Neil Chanter (2012)

(2012) Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs



Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs



Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs

Steven B. Garner (2003)

(2003) Insurance Law



Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs



Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs



Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs

Chandler Gregg (2019)

(2019) Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs



Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs



Professional Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs

The first edition of The Best Lawyers in America to which each of these attorneys was selected is noted by the dates accompanying their names.

As mentioned, three of these attorneys were also named Best Lawyers 2022 "Lawyer of the Year" awardees in Springfield:

Attorney Bauer for Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs

Attorney Chanter for Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs

Attorney Garner for Insurance Law

At least one attorney at Strong-Garner-Bauer P.C. has been named a "Lawyer of the Year" awardee for the past nine years in a row. Only the highest-scoring attorney in every practice area and location earns this title.

Last but not least, the following Strong-Garner-Bauer P.C. attorneys had the privilege of being named 2022 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch recipients in Springfield:

Jacob Lewis

Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs

Nick Smart

Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs



Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs



Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs

This is the second consecutive year in which Attorneys Lewis and Smart have earned the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch title. Although this title is reserved for early career attorneys, recipients must undergo the same review process as nominees for The Best Lawyers in America.

To have six attorneys recognized by Best Lawyers in one year is a major feat; the legal staffers at Strong-Garner-Bauer P.C. certainly have something to celebrate. In addition to industry acclaim, the legal team's hard work has resulted in the resolution of over 130 separate claims worth $1 million each in only the past 11 years. Overall, it has recovered billions of dollars in compensation for injured Springfield residents.

Strong-Garner-Bauer P.C. is a Springfield trial law firm known for its success in representing personal injury plaintiffs. If you or a loved one has been injured by negligence, visit the firm online at stronglaw.com. To learn more about Best Lawyers, go to bestlawyers.com.

SOURCE Strong-Garner-Bauer P.C.
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Los Angeles plaintiff's trial law firm of Greene Broillet & Wheeler, LLP has been honored with the selection of nine of its attorneys to The Best Lawyers in America 2022 by Best Lawyers, as well as three of its attorneys to 2022 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch. Remarkably, this is the second year in a row in which Best Lawyers has honored all of the firm's attorneys.

In selecting listees for The Best Lawyers in America and awardees for Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, Best Lawyers collects and analyzes data through a comprehensive peer review. Top-rated attorneys across the nation participate in the review, evaluating nominees within their geographic regions and legal practice areas.

The nine Greene Broillet & Wheeler, LLP attorneys selected to The Best Lawyers in America 2022 were listed as follows for their work in El Segundo, CA:

Only the top 6% of all United States private practice attorneys are recognized in The Best Lawyers in America each year. Thus, it is a fantastic accomplishment that these nine attorneys have been selected time and again, as indicated by the dates accompanying their names, for inclusion in the trusted guide.

Earning Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch recognition is also quite the feat, as it requires younger attorneys to meet the same high standards met by mid- to late-career attorneys.

The three attorneys at Greene Broillet & Wheeler, LLP below were awarded Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch recognition for their services in El Segundo:

Molly McKibben (First listed in 2021)

Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs



Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs

Christian Nickerson (First listed in 2021)

Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs



Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs

Aaron Osten (First listed in 2021)

Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs



Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs

Greene Broillet & Wheeler, LLP is a Los Angeles trial law firm that exclusively represents plaintiffs in personal injury litigation. To learn more about the firm and its legal services, visit gbw.law. For more information about Best Lawyers, The Best Lawyers in America, and Ones to Watch, kindly go to bestlawyers.com.

SOURCE Greene Broillet & Wheeler, LLP
The 3PL market is poised to grow by USD 287 Billion, progressing at a CAGR of almost 5.35% during the forecast period.

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The legal services will grow at a . This report evaluates suppliers based on compliance with inland and overseas, specialized knowledge, technical abilities, and proven track record. Integrated Facility Management - Sourcing and Procurement Intelligence Report: The integrated facility management will grow at a CAGR of 8.58% during 2021-2025. Prices will increase by 2.25%-3.25% during the forecast period and suppliers will have a moderate bargaining power in this market.

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Table of Content

Executive Summary

Market Insights

Category Pricing Insights

Cost-saving Opportunities

Best Practices

Category Ecosystem

Category Management Strategy

Category Management Enablers

Suppliers Selection

Suppliers under Coverage

US Market Insights

Category scope

Appendix

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SOURCE SpendEdge
PARK RIDGE, Ill., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) is speaking out against an attempt by organized medicine to delay the development and implementation of National Standards of Practice for healthcare professionals by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

In letter to VA Secretary Denis McDonough, state and local physician groups urged the VA to "reconsider its implementation of the National Standards of Practice." The July 29 letter went on to say there needs to be "a meaningful opportunity for stakeholders to provide feedback that is incorporated into the National Standards of Practice for all occupations, especially since the Interim Final Rule (IFR) did not provide a significant opportunity for public comment." The IFR allowed for comment, garnering more than 13,000 comments from stakeholders.

"This is a thinly disguised effort to thwart the VA from allowing non-physician providers such as Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) to practice at the full scope of their skills, education, certification, and licensure," said AANA President Dina Velocci, DNP, CRNA, APRN. "Coming at a time of national crisis, when CRNAs are assisting on the frontlines of the pandemic and working with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) to provide expert care to the sickest patients, it is nearly incomprehensible that we have to keep combatting misinformation and fight these harmful turf wars."

"Implying that the VA is developing this policy without adequate research and input from stakeholders is disingenuous at best and insulting and harmful at worst," said AANA Chief Advocacy Officer Lorraine M. Jordan, PhD, CRNA, CAE, FAAN. "Recognizing and taking steps to ensure that qualified healthcare providers like CRNAs can practice to the full extent of their education and training is consistent with countless recommendations," she added. Dr. Jordan noted that the National Academy of Medicine, the RAND Corporation's Independent Assessment, and the bipartisan Commission on Care have recommended that the VA should move immediately to grant full practice authority to all four advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) provider types, including CRNAs.

The COVID-19 public health emergency has demonstrated the critical need for healthcare professionals to care for veterans highlighting the important role that CRNAs play in our healthcare system, especially when workforce barriers to practice are eliminated.

During the pandemic, the removal of barriers to CRNA practice at the state and federal levels allowed CRNAs to provide critical, lifesaving care to COVID-19 patients, including at VA facilities. The AANA partnered with the VA to allow CRNAs to provide life-sustaining care for veterans across the nation. Through the VA Travel Nurse Corps program, the AANA and the VA created opportunities for CRNAs to work at 157 VHA facilities. CRNAs have provided invaluable support to VHA facilities using their expertise in rapid systems assessment, airway management, managing ventilators, vascular volume resuscitation, placing of invasive lines and monitors, overseeing complex hemodynamic monitoring, emergency preparedness, and resource management.

AANA President Velocci notes that removing barriers to CRNA scope of practice will assist the VA in addressing staffing shortages and reduce long wait times for patients, to ensure that veterans have access to the care they deserve. "This is the right policy as we seek to make healthcare delivery for our veterans more affordable and accessible," she said.

Nurse anesthetists have a proven history of providing impeccable care for soldiers and veterans: "The ability of CRNAs to provide high-quality care, even under the most difficult circumstances, has been recognized by every branch of the U.S. military. CRNAs have full practice authority in the U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force and are the predominant provider of anesthesia on forward surgical teams and our combat support hospitals, where CRNAs staff 90 percent of forward surgical teams," Velocci said. "There is no logical reason why CRNAs should not be able to deliver that same high-quality care to our veterans."

SOURCE American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Accelerant , a technology-fueled insurance platform that empowers underwriters to more effectively and confidently serve small and medium-sized enterprises, today announced the appointment of new board member Wendy L. Harrington, Chief Data and AI Officer at TIAA.

Accelerant specializes in serving a carefully selected and managed network of managing general underwriters and program administrator members and is rebuilding the way that underwriters share and exchange risk to improve outcomes for everyone. Accelerant takes a partner-first approach, using its data platform to help members better understand risk, benefit from insights, and handle operational and regulatory complexity  which drives market leading profitable growth with a focus on the businesses that power our global economy and their niche insurance needs.

"We couldn't be more excited to welcome Wendy to our board. Wendy knows what it takes to build and grow an impactful business. Moreover, Wendy's expertise in technology and data is aligned with Accelerant's commitment to integrated data technology and our vision for the future," said Jeff Radke, CEO at Accelerant. "Wendy also has a valuable global perspective and end-to-end understanding of business and ecosystems, having served as Chief Data and AI Officer to Chief Marketing Officer to entrepreneur to angel investor. With her proven track record for creating companies that redefine a market niche, I look forward to benefiting from her insights as Accelerant continues to scale."

"Accelerant's focus on data and analytics creates a powerful opportunity to build a new insurance ecosystem that will ultimately benefit all players," Harrington said. "I'm excited to bring my experiences to bear to support Accelerant's tremendous progress."

As the Chief Data and AI Officer for TIAA, Harrington launched Nuveen Labs, whose mission is to develop data, analytics, and AI to fuel superior investment capabilities. Prior to joining Nuveen, Harrington was the Chief Marketing Officer for Figure Technologies, a fintech leader and unicorn in consumer finance and blockchain. She joined the company pre-revenue and grew it into a top 5 HELOC lender in less than nine months.

Harrington also served as executive vice president and Chief Marketing Officer for Franklin Templeton Investments, where she led an award-winning team of 675 individuals across 12 countries, enabling the firm's growth from $375B in AUM to over $900B during her tenure. She was responsible on a global scale for brand and advertising, retail and institutional marketing, marketing operations, and analytics. She also spearheaded technology initiatives for distribution and served on the Technology & Operations Council, which governed all major IT investments. Additionally, Harrington advised a variety of leading organizations during her 12 years of consulting with McKinsey & Company and Coopers & Lybrand.

ABOUT ACCELERANT

Accelerant is a technology-fueled insurance platform that empowers underwriters to more effectively and confidently serve small and medium enterprises. We're rebuilding the way that underwriters share and exchange risk by aligning incentives to improve outcomes for everyone, with a focus on the small and medium-sized businesses that power our global economy and their niche insurance needs. As the non-carrier carrier, we offer a full-service risk exchange that supports our carefully selected, best-in-class network of underwriting teams. Our Members focus on serving the property and casualty needs of small and medium-sized businesses. We leverage granular data to deliver unprecedented insight into opportunities, and our specialty portfolio is fully diversified with very low catastrophe, aggregation, or systemic risk. We're proud to have been awarded an AM Best A- (Excellent) rating For more information, please visit www.accelins.com

MEDIA CONTACT

Chelsea Allison

[email protected]

312.775.2856

SOURCE Accelerant

Related Links

http://www.accelins.com


STAMFORD, Conn., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Aircastle Limited ("Aircastle") announced today that it has delivered the final two of four Airbus A320neo aircraft to Frontier Airlines, Inc. this week. These aircraft are equipped with CFM Leap engines containing the latest fuel efficient-low emissions technology. All four deliveries were made from Airbus' final assembly plant in Mobile, Alabama.

About Aircastle Limited

Aircastle Limited acquires, leases, and sells commercial jet aircraft to airlines throughout the world. As of May 31, 2021, Aircastle owned and managed on behalf of its joint ventures 259 aircraft leased to 77 customers located in 43 countries.

Contacts:

Aircastle Advisor LLC

Frank Constantinople, SVP Investor Relations

Tel: +1-203-504-1063

[email protected]

Jim Connelly, SVP ESG & Corporate Communications

Tel: +1-203 504-1871

[email protected]

SOURCE Aircastle Limited

Related Links

http://www.aircastle.com


ATLANTA, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- It is time for Back to School and students need the latest tech to help them through the school year. Tech expert Albert Lawrence has some cool picks for students returning to school for the first time in more than a year.

Back-to-School Tech with Albert Lawrence

APPS THAT HELP WITH BUDGETING

An app that helps families stick to their budget because it's free, is a shopping platform called Ibotta. In fact, they are making sure every child goes back to school with a full backpack and a full lunchbox. In their first-ever "Back-to-School Free For All" event, Ibotta is giving every child in America their back-to-school supplies for free this year. Now through the end of August, they are offering 100% cashback on back-to-school staples from brands like Nature's Own, Skippy and more, available exclusively at Walmart in-store, and at Target and other participating retailers online. For more information, visit ibotta.com.

FOR REMOTE LEARNERS

Back-to-School shopping is different for the remote learner. It is important to have a full set-up as a remote student and Razer is here to help. Register for Razer's Student Education Program and use the code "BACK2SCHOOL" to get up to 20% off select Razer gear now on Razer.com, like a sleek, ergonomic Iskur chair that features a best-in-class and award-winning adjustable lumbar curve. It allows students to stay posture-perfect and focused during long study sessions. Add the Kiyo Pro webcam with light adaptable sensor, and Seiren Mini compact condenser mic that minimizes background noise and students are good to go.

ONLINE SECURITY

Making sure that personal information is secure online is a must. Aura provides easy-to-use, all-in-one digital security protection to keep a family's personal information, devices, and finances safe from online threats. It offers an easy-to-use online dashboard and alerts sent straight to the phone; no expertise required. It is perfect for hybrid learning, keeping students and their home network secure. Aura's experts have resolved more than 150,000 fraud cases, plus it helps to block users from entering scam and phishing sites that may steal personal information. For more information, visit www.aura.com.

COOL AFFORDABLE TECH

Gateway provides affordable options featuring the most up-to-date technology. The new line of Gateway notebooks are available exclusively at Walmart, and outfitted with 11th Gen Intel Core processors for faster startup and powerful connections. They are tuned by THX for balanced and exceptional audio, and equipped with Windows 10 Home, which can be upgraded to Windows 11 when it is available. Featuring an ergonomically engineered design for on-the-go use, these notebooks come in a variety of vibrant colors and screen sizes. They start at just under $200, so there is a Gateway notebook for every budget. Look out for Gateway in their spotted cow boxes. For more information, visit www.gateway.com.

Contact: [email protected]

Source

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Tech Correspondent Albert Lawrence

Back-to-School Tech with Albert Lawrence

SOURCE TipsonTV
PHOENIX, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Alpine 4 Holdings' (OTCQB: ALPP), a leading operator and owner of small market businesses, announces that its subsidiary, Thermal Dynamics International, Inc., was awarded a new $2.2M contract in Africa. This new contract is in addition to a $1M contract for a new project in Europe awarded earlier this month.

Thermal Dynamics International, Inc. (TDII) is an international contracting, fabricator, and project management services company. TDII's primary client is the United States Federal Government, including the Department of Defense (DOD) and Department of State (DOS). TDII specializes in managing complex projects, assets and infrastructure for its customers, including support and services for the engineering, design, logistics and installation of HVAC, Control and Electrical systems in government facilities outside the United States.

John Meiser, President of TDII, commented, "Thanks to the talents of our expert estimating team, we have been awarded this new HVAC contract for $2.2M to be completed in Africa. As international travel continues to open up, we anticipate more contracts to follow with the increased accessibility."

Ian Kantrowitz, a member of Alpine 4's Executive Leadership Team, added, "The strategic acquisition of Thermal Dynamics has quickly proven to be a substantial addition to Alpine 4's ever growing holdings. With the leadership of TDII's President, John Meiser, their elite team creates the necessary solutions to solve the most demanding infrastructure projects around the world with exacting precision. In most cases, TDII is one of only a few companies in the entire U.S. with the capabilities to meet the demand of our special and unique clientele. In other instances, we are simply the only option. It's acquisitions of this caliber that will continue to drive shareholder value through our aggressive growth strategy."

Thermal Dynamics resides in the A4 Defense Systems, Inc. portfolio and is considered a "Stabilizer" company from Alpine 4's DSF business model.

About Alpine 4 Holdings:

Alpine 4 Holdings, Inc. (ALPP) is a publicly traded conglomerate that is acquiring businesses that fit into its disruptive DSF business model of Drivers, Stabilizers, and Facilitators. At Alpine 4, we understand the nature of how technology and innovation can accentuate a business. Our focus is on how the adaptation of new Holdings, including brick and mortar businesses, can drive innovation. We also believe that our holdings should benefit synergistically from each other and that the ability to have collaboration across varying industries can spawn new ideas and create fertile ground for competitive advantages.

Ian Kantrowitz: VP of IR

[email protected]

Forward-Looking Statements:

The information disclosed in this press release is made as of the date hereof and reflects Alpine 4 most current assessment of its historical financial performance. Actual financial results filed with the SEC may differ from those contained herein due to timing delays between the date of this release and confirmation of final audit results. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements including, without limitation, the risks, uncertainties, including the uncertainties surrounding the current market volatility, and other factors the Company identifies from time to time in its filings with the SEC. Although Alpine 4 believes that the assumptions on which these forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, any of those assumptions could prove to be inaccurate and, as a result, the forward-looking statements based on those assumptions also could be incorrect. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this release are made as of the date hereof, and Alpine 4 disclaims any intention or obligation to update the forward-looking statements for subsequent events.

SOURCE Alpine 4 Holdings, Inc.
NEW YORK, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Aperture Venture Capital, a $75M seed-stage venture fund that invests in Black, Latin and female founders building the future of fintech and enterprise software, announced a new partnership with Columbia Venture Community (CVC). Under the terms of the new partnership, Aperture VC will provide CVC's 6,000+ members opportunities to access venture capital and educational information by hosting founder office hours and participating at CVC events. The Aperture x CVC Office Hours are exclusive to founders within CVC and offer entrepreneurs unprecedented access to the fund's managers and extensive resources.

Aperture Venture Capital

Backed by financial industry powerhouses FIS, Truist Financial Corporation and PayPal, the fund offers corporations, endowments and other institutions a scalable solution to the problem of systemic biases in venture capital. The core of the Aperture VC model is its engagement platform - known as the Diversity Investing API - which unlocks critical operating resources for portfolio companies while helping its corporate investors access a pipeline of diverse talent and market innovations. Aperture Founding Partner and Columbia Alum (CC'87) Garnet Heraman says, "We're honored to welcome CVC and its global membership into the Aperture VC ecosystem. We are excited by the potential of CVC to make access to both capital and capabilities more frictionless for diverse founders. And we look forward to partnering with the CVC team to support their mission of making access to venture capital more equitable."

About Aperture VC

Aperture Venture Capital is VC for the Multicultural Mainstream. We have created a new investing paradigm purpose-built to back diverse founders across the US who are building the next generation of game-changing tech companies. Aperture VC's investors are leading corporations, endowments and other institutions committed to building an inclusive economy through partnership and collaboration. Known for the innovative Diversity Investing API platform, we work closely with treasury and corporate ventures units to expand their diversity investing toolbox. Led by seasoned technology investors William Crowder and Garnet Heraman, Aperture VC helps Fortune 500 companies, endowments and institutions rapidly transform DEI strategy into measurable impact that amplifies their bottom line over time.

Press Inquiries: Madelaine Real, [email protected], 213 437 3183

About Columbia Venture Community

Columbia Venture Community is a network of 6,000+ Columbia affiliated members involved in all aspects of entrepreneurship and innovation. Founded in 2006, CVC has hosted more than 400 events around the world. Today, CVC hosts a vibrant digital community, organizes events in 14+ major cities from Silicon Valley to Seoul, and organizes five global problems including a venture matching program and 8-week female founder incubator.

SOURCE Aperture Venture Capital

Related Links

https://aperturevc.com/


LONDON, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --

Highlights

Appointment of Paul Harvey strengthens Appian's senior team

Paul will hold the role of Senior Operating Partner, providing operational oversight to portfolio companies and advising on potential investments

Brings 30 years of experience with some of the world's leading diversified miners, including BHP and South32

Appian Capital Advisory LLP ("Appian" or the "Company"), the investment advisor to long-term value focused private equity funds that invest solely in mining and mining related companies, announces the appointment of Paul Harvey as a Senior Operating Partner ("SOP"), based in Perth, Western Australia.

As SOP, Paul will work alongside the senior partnership committee and Chief Operating Officer Igor Gonzales to provide operational oversight of Appian's portfolio companies, notably the operated assets including Atlantic Nickel's producing Santa Rita nickel-copper-cobalt project and Mineracao Vale Verde's copper-gold Serrote project in Brazil, which recently announced construction completion. Additionally, Paul will provide advice on analysis and evaluation of potential investments and other transactions.

Paul has over 30 years of experience in the global natural resources sector, with the last 20 in executive, operational and project leadership roles, along with significant experience of ESG and related stakeholder issues. Prior to joining Appian he was Chief Operating Officer of South32, where he was responsible for base metals assets, the global manganese business, metallurgical coal and major capital projects. He spent 23 years at BHP, including as president of Nickel West, and President and COO of Ekati Diamonds, joining South32's executive leadership team as Chief Transformation Officer, establishing the company in its demerger from BHP. Paul started his career in underground gold and diamond mining in South Africa with companies including De Beers, and has wide commodity experience including base metals, gold, copper, nickel, metallurgical coal and diamonds.

He is an Australian citizen, holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Mining) from the Western Australian School of Mines, completed the Kellogg Executive Development Program and is a graduate and member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Michael W. Scherb, Founder and CEO of Appian, commented:

"It is fantastic to welcome Paul to Appian in the key strategic role of Senior Operating Partner, where he will be a major addition to our team. His significant experience with some of the world's leading diversified miners will be a real asset for our portfolio companies, bringing a wealth of exposure to a broad range of commodities, coupled with a mixture of leadership, operational and ESG expertise. Likewise, his unique insight will be invaluable for the investment side of the business. Following the close of Fund II and the growing demand for our key commodities I am sure he will play an important role in Appian's next phase of growth."

Paul Harvey, Senior Operating Partner of Appian, commented:

"I am delighted to be joining Appian at such an exciting time for the business, with its very strong track record and even greater potential. The combination of in-house technical and investment expertise gives Appian a unique position in the metals and mining sector, and I look forward to helping the business achieve its growth ambitions while delivering benefits for its stakeholders."

For further information:

Finsbury Glover Hering +44 (0)20 7251 3801 / [email protected]

Charles O'Brien, Richard Crowley, Theo Davies-Lewis

Appian Capital Advisory +44 (0)20 7004 0951 / [email protected]

Michael W. Scherb

About Appian Capital Advisory LLP

Appian Capital Advisory LLP is the investment advisor to long-term value focused private equity funds that invest solely in mining and mining related companies.

Appian is a leading investment advisor in the metals and mining industry, with global experience across South America, North America, Australia and Africa and a successful track record of supporting companies to achieve their development targets, with a global operating portfolio overseeing nearly 5,000 employees.

Appian has a global team of 46 experienced professionals with offices in London, Toronto, Lima, Belo Horizonte and Sydney.

For more information please visit www.appiancapitaladvisory.com, or find us on LinkedIn or Instagram.

SOURCE Appian Capital Advisory

Related Links

https://appiancapitaladvisory.com


Dr. Brito, currently the executive director of The Nicholson Foundation based in Newark, New Jersey, has worn many hats in his accomplished career. He began as a community pediatrician working in Alaska, then he was the medical director for the CHF-founded South Florida Children's Health Project, affiliated with the University of Miami Health System. Before joining The Nicholson Foundation, he served as deputy commissioner for Public Health Services of the New Jersey Department of Health. Dr. Brito has also responded to international health crises in places like Haiti and has been appointed to prominent national bodies, including the National Bioethics Advisory Committee.

In addition to these accomplishments, Dr. Brito provided essential leadership to Children's Health Fund from 2006 to 2011 as its chief medical officer and executive vice president. "Arturo helped increase our impact and greatly expand the reach of services. Our mission to help children living in under-resourced communities thrive is also part of his DNA. We are thrilled he is back at CHF and know that he will take the organization to the next level," stated Dr. Irwin Redlener, co-founder and president emeritus of Children's Health Fund.

In his most recent role at The Nicholson Foundation, Dr. Brito united the foundation's early childhood and health portfolios into a cohesive whole, which allowed it to address some of the most important issues facing children and families in New Jersey more effectively, including adverse childhood experiences and maternal and infant health disparities. He also strengthened the Foundation's connections to state government leadership and helped build enduring cross-sector collaboratives.



"I look forward to working with the national network of dedicated medical, mental health, dental, and social service providers, and supporting their efforts to serve marginalized children and families," said Dr. Brito. "Together, we will advocate for policy change that will ensure that all children in this country have the opportunity to grow to their fullest potential," he added.

"Dr. Brito joins the organization in a critical transition as it charts a new strategic plan that will need his experience as a medical expert, leader, convenor, humanitarian, and visionary," said Herve Sedky, CHF Board chair. "This pandemic is directly affecting the physical and mental health of children and will challenge us to respond to the many and complex needs that communities will face in its aftermath. Dr. Brito is ideally suited to lead us through these extraordinary times."

During this pandemic, CHF-supported partners have played a critical role in keeping many low-income and underserved communities safe through fixed and mobile clinic sites. Around the country, they have used their mobile clinics as coordination hubs for COVID-19 testing operations; more recently, they have been visiting hard-to-reach communities to provide COVID-19 vaccinations and continue primary care services for children and families. As we face another surge of infections due to the Delta variant, Dr. Brito sees continued opportunity to leverage this resource.

"The mobile clinics are a great opportunity to educate children, families, and communities about COVID-19, offer opportunities to get directly tested and vaccinated, or connect them to resources in their communities," explained Dr. Brito. "I just worry that even as we are still in the infectious disease phase looking toward recovery, that we're not focused enough on the health of children and families, particularly those that don't have a means to access mental health counseling. And society needs to put more resources into that area than it has been."

Colleagues congratulate Dr. Brito on his new role:

"CHF is incredibly fortunate to have found an extraordinary leader with extensive experience as a provider in the field and as a leader in state government. Arturo's thoughtful and compassionate approach to advocating for improvements in physical and mental health for our most vulnerable from the perspectives of philanthropist, governmental public health leader, and community pediatrician will serve as an incredible asset during this time of great uncertainty given the known, and yet unknown, impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on children."

-Mary O'Dowd, MPH, former New Jersey health commissioner, and current executive director, Health Systems and Population Health Integration, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences

"Dr. Brito's experience focuses on leveraging partnerships to transform child health. His innovative work has improved systems of care by addressing social determinants of health in the early childhood, behavioral health, and developmental disabilities space. I congratulate Dr. Brito's new role as president and CEO of the Children's Health Fund, and expect his leadership of this organization to create opportunities for collaboration between all those who advocate for children."

-Colleen Kraft, MD, MBA, FAAP, professor of pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 2018 president, American Academy of Pediatrics

About Children's Health Fund

Children's Health Fund is committed to ensuring access to high-quality healthcare for children living in some of the United States' most under-resourced communities. We acknowledge the role that racism and systems of oppression play in shaping health inequities; we support programs that bring comprehensive primary care directly to children where they live, learn, and play; we partner with schools to create a supportive school environment to decrease health barriers to learning, chronic absenteeism, and the impact of trauma for children; and we work to improve the quality of life for families through policy and advocacy efforts that address systemic racism and drive systems change. In times of emergency, Children's Health Fund mobilizes to ensure partners have the resources and tools to provide care to those most in need. Collectively, these efforts help to advance health equity. We support 25 programs that comprise a National Network of community health and educational partners located in 15 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C.

Media Contact: [email protected] , 212-535-9400, ext. 8677

SOURCE Children's Health Fund

Related Links

www.childrenshealthfund.org


CLEVELAND, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Being named to The Best Lawyers in America is one of the legal industry's top honors. And because the Best Lawyers selection process is based purely on peer review, it's also an achievement very few attorneys earn even once in their careers.

But for Michael Becker of The Becker Law Firm, it's become the norm.

With the publication of Best Lawyers 2022, Becker celebrates his 20th year of inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America. In addition to being named in Best Lawyers every year since 2001, Becker has also received the rating service's highest "Lawyer of the Year" distinction in 2012, 2016, and 2018.

Proven Excellence. Proven Results.

Best Lawyers is an attorney rating system known for its annual publication of The Best Lawyers in America. Based entirely on peer review, Best Lawyers compiles its listing using formal nominations and peer evaluations conducted by fellow leading lawyers.

Because of its structured methodology, Best Lawyers is able to recognize attorneys who've demonstrated exceptional knowledge and success in their respective areas of practice while also earning the respect and endorsement of their peers.

Attorney Michael F. Becker

Becker's continued selection to Best Lawyers is a testament to the reputation he's cultivated as a civil trial lawyer.

As Founder and Partner of The Becker Law Firm, Becker has recovered over $500 million in compensation for the firm's clients. From his practice based in Cleveland, he has represented victims and families across the country and has secured notable recoveries in claims involving medical negligence and preventable birth injuries from Maine to Hawaii.

An NBTA Certified Civil Trial Specialist, Becker is also a member of the Inner Circle of Advocates, an invite-only organization with membership limited to the nation's top 100 plaintiffs' trial lawyers. His record of success includes numerous 8-figure settlements for birth injury plaintiffs, some of the largest malpractice judgments in Ohio history, and millions in obstetrical cases turned down by other lawyers.

The Becker Law Firm represents victims and families in a range of serious personal injury, medical negligence, and birth injury claims. For more information, visit: www.beckerjustice.com.

SOURCE The Becker Law Firm

Related Links

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NEW DELHI, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As per the report, Automatic Guided Vehicle (AGV) Market published by Astute Analytica, the market for AGV round the globe is expected to reach US$5.5 Billion over the forecast period 2021-2027. The market is growing at the CAGR of 10.3% during the forecast period 2021-2027.

Request for a Sample Report: https://www.astuteanalytica.com/request-sample/automated-guided-vehicle-market

An Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) is a mobile robot that navigates using a variety of navigation technologies such as long lines or cables on the floor, radio waves, magnets, vision cameras, or lasers. AGVs provide various benefits to the manufacturing and distribution industries, including lower operational costs, improved worker safety, and shorter production times. AGV systems help move and carry products in industrial plants, warehouses, and distribution centers without the necessity of a fixed conveying system or manual intervention. It follows adjustable guide lines to optimize storage, picking, and transportation tasks in a premium space environment. AGVs are widely used due to various advantages, such as lower labor costs, less product damage, higher productivity, and the ability to support automation operations extensively.

The demand for automation is growing in the automotive, healthcare, e-commerce, and food and beverage industries due to the overall requirement for high efficiency. AGV-enabled industrial facility automation can help to meet material handling capacity requirements while saving production time and reducing the risk of human error, among other things. Also, growth in urbanization, along with a significant increase in industrial production, are likely to generate attractive growth opportunities for automated guided vehicle producers. AGVs are programmed with safety and security features, as well as lasers, cameras, and other sensors, allowing them to function safely within a firm, facility, or industry. Increased safety leads to less operational downtime and cost, which is expected to boost many operations' productivity. As a result, this aspect has a substantial impact on the demand for automated guided vehicles. However, the installation of automated guided vehicles necessitates a significant capital investment. Manufacturing firms requires significant amount of investment in high-end AGVs. Small enterprises are also unable to purchase automated solutions, forcing them to rely on traditional/ manual forklift trucks.

Integration of robotics in industry 4.0 generates profitable opportunities in the market

Over the projected period, the growing trend of digitalization, automation, and robotics, as well as the usage of AI and big data analysis in manufacturing processes, will fuel the expansion of the AGV market. The market is benefited from aggressive government investments supporting the implementation of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) solutions, as well as increased penetration of machine learning technology in industrial automation with the help of industry 4.0. According to International Data Corporation (IDC), Canada's IoT spending valued at USD 6.5 billion in 2018, up from USD 2.8 billion in 2013. Manufacturing and industrial products have also played an important role in the Canadian economy for a long time. Industry 4.0 and digital transformation provide the biggest opportunity for Canadian businesses to generate breakthrough goods while also giving a route forward in a rapidly changing digital world.

Request for Discount Pricing At : https://www.astuteanalytica.com/ask-for-discount/automated-guided-vehicle-market

Europe Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) Industry: Top-tier region in the global market

North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa (MEA), and South America make up the global market. Due to the increasing demand for material handling equipment by various manufacturing and retail industries, Europe is expected to have the highest share of the worldwide AGV market in the year 2020, with a share of around 37.3 percent. The rise of the retail business is mostly fueled by rising e-commerce demand, particularly for automated warehousing solutions. According to the e-commerce Europe study, online sales in the region grew by 13% in 2019. As a result of these advancements, market suppliers are progressively implementing automation. ThyssenKrupp's material handling division, for example, is to invest more than $82.5 million in its European warehouse and logistics network.

The rapid rise of the automotive, e-commerce, food & beverage, and healthcare industries in rising economies such as China, India, and South Korea has aided the growth of the AGV market in APAC, which is expected to grow at a CAGR of 12.1% over the projected period. With increased production activity in countries such as India, Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia, the leading companies' significant investment share have started to flow into these nations. India is attracting foreign investment as a result of initiatives like "Make in India". Indonesia and Malaysia are also emerging as leading automotive manufacturers in Southeast Asia, due to low labor costs and rising domestic demand.

Competitive Landscape

Balyo, Bastian Solutions, Inc., Daifuku Co., Ltd., Dematic, E&K Automation Gmbh, Fetch Robotics, Inc., Invia Robotics, Inc., Kmh Fleet Solutions, Kollmorgen, Locus Robotics, Schaefer Systems International, Inc., Scott, and others are among the major firms profiled in the research. The increase in number of participants and their contribution to the market acted as economic pillars to support the growing market. Furthermore, companies are involving consumers in their innovation and expansion efforts, ensuring that they remain competitive among the top companies. New product development, agreements, partnerships, expansions, mergers, and acquisitions are some major strategies used by market players. For instance, to establish an integrated fulfilment solution, Fetch Robotics collaborated with VARGO, a producer and distributor of material-handling systems integration, warehouse execution software, and equipment solutions for major fulfilment and distribution centers. Another player, Hyster-Yale Materials Handling introduced a new 7- to 9-ton lithium-ion battery electric counterbalanced truck for the global market in 2020, featuring both economy and premium performance options. As a result of releasing another AGV product to the market, it has strengthened its position in the AGV market.

Have Any Query Or Specific Requirement? Feel Free To Ask Our Industry Experts At https://www.astuteanalytica.com/request-sample/automated-guided-vehicle-market

Segment Outline

Market size analysis based on revenue and volume distribution in several categories are included in the report's market segments. Magnetic guidance under navigation technology, for example, is expected to rise at a CAGR of 11.6 percent during the forecast period, while laser guidance is expected to have a market share of more than 45 percent in 2020.

Similarly, among all applications, logistics and warehousing dominated the market with around 55 percent share in 2020, while the raw material handling segment is expected to develop at the fastest CAGR of 12.8 percent over the forecast period.

The report provides a thorough analysis of Automatic Guided Vehicles (AGV) Market  Industry Dynamics, Market Size and Opportunity Forecast to 2027, based on the following:

By Product Type

Tow-Vehicles

Unit Load Carriers

Pallet Trucks

Assembly Line Vehicles

Forklift Vehicles

Others

By Battery Type

Lithium-Ion Battery

Nickel-based Battery

Others

By Navigation Technology

Laser Guidance

Magnetic Guidance

Inductive Guidance

Optical Tape Guidance

Vision Guidance

Others

By Application

Logistics and Warehousing

Transportation



Cold Storage



Wholesale & Distribution



Others

Assembly

Packaging

Trailer Loading and Unloading

Raw Material Handling

Others

By End-User Industry

Manufacturing Sector

Automotive



Electronics



Pharmaceuticals



FMCG



Others

Wholesale and Distribution Sector

E-commerce



Retail Chains/Conveyance Stores



Grocery Stores

Hotels and Restaurants

By Region

North America

The U.S.



Canada



Mexico

Europe

Western Europe



The UK





Germany





France





Italy





Spain





Rest of Western Europe



Eastern Europe



Poland





Russia





Rest of Eastern Europe

Asia Pacific

China



India



Japan



Australia & New Zealand

&

ASEAN



Rest of Asia Pacific

Middle East & Africa

& UAE



Saudi Arabia



South Africa



Rest of MEA

South America

Argentina



Brazil



Rest of South America

Find more research reports on Industrial and Heavy machinery Industry by Astute Analytica

Delivery Robot Market  Industry Dynamics, Market Size, And Opportunity Analysis and Forecast To 2027

About Astute Analytica

Astute Analytica is a global analytics and advisory company which has built a solid reputation in a short period, thanks to the tangible outcomes we have delivered to our clients. We pride ourselves in generating unparalleled, in depth and uncannily accurate estimates and projections for our very demanding clients spread across different verticals. We have a long list of satisfied and repeat clients from a wide spectrum including technology, healthcare, chemicals, semiconductors, FMCG, and many more. These happy customers come to us from all across the Globe. They are able to make well calibrated decisions and leverage highly lucrative opportunities while surmounting the fierce challenges all because we analyze for them the complex business environment, segment wise existing and emerging possibilities, technology formations, growth estimates, and even the strategic choices available. In short, a complete package. All this is possible because we have a highly qualified, competent, and experienced team of professionals comprising of business analysts, economists, consultants, and technology experts. In our list of priorities, you-our patron-come at the top. You can be sure of best cost effective, vsalue added package from us, should you decide to engage with us.

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SOURCE Astute Analytica
FRANKLIN LAKES, N.J., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE: BDX) (the " Company " or " BD ") today announced the early tender results for its previously announced tender offers to purchase for cash (i) any and all of the Company's 2.894% senior notes due 2022 and 3.300% senior notes due 2023, each listed in the first table below (the " Any and All Notes "), and (ii) in the order of priority set forth in the second table below, up to the applicable Maximum Tender SubCap of each of the Company's 3.875% senior notes due 2024, 3.734% senior notes due 2024 and 3.363% senior notes due 2024, each listed in the second table below (collectively, the " Maximum Tender Offer Notes " and together with the Any and All Notes, the " Securities " and each a " series "), subject to an aggregate maximum tender cap of $1,285,000,000 (the " Aggregate Maximum Tender Cap "). The tender offers are being made pursuant to the terms and conditions set forth in the offer to purchase, dated August 5, 2021, as amended by the Company's press release dated August 10, 2021 (as so amended, the " Offer to Purchase ") upsizing the Aggregate Maximum Tender Cap. The Company refers investors to the Offer to Purchase for the complete terms and conditions of the tender offers.

As of the previously announced early tender date and time of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on August 18, 2021 (the " Early Tender Date "), according to information provided by Global Bondholder Services Corporation, the tender and information agent for the tender offers, the aggregate principal amount of each series of Securities set forth in the tables below under "Principal Amount Tendered at Early Tender Date" has been validly tendered and not validly withdrawn in the tender offers. Withdrawal rights for the Securities expired at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Early Tender Date.

Any and All Notes Title of Security CUSIP Number Principal Amount Outstanding U.S. Treasury Reference Security Bloomberg Reference Page Fixed Spread Early Tender Payment (1)(2) Principal Amount Tendered at Early Tender Date Aggregate Principal Amount Accepted for Purchase 2.894% senior notes due 2022 075887BT5 $1,535,000,000 0.125% UST due 5/31/2022 Bloomberg FIT 3 Screen +20 bps $30 $877,602,000 $877,602,000 3.300% senior notes due 2023 075887BK4 $293,850,000 0.125% UST due 2/28/2023 Bloomberg FIT 4 Screen +25 bps $30 $128,149,000 $128,149,000

Maximum Tender Offer Notes Title of Security CUSIP Number Principal Amount Outstanding Maximum Tender SubCap Acceptance Priority Level U.S. Treasury Reference Security Bloomberg Reference Page Fixed Spread Early Tender Payment (1)(2) Principal Amount Tendered at Early Tender Date Aggregate Principal Amount Accepted for Purchase 3.875% senior notes due 2024 075887BL2 $176,330,000 N/A 1 0.375% UST due 7/15/2024 Bloomberg FIT 1 Screen +25 bps $30 $32,719,000 32,719,000 3.734% senior notes due 2024 075887BF5 $1,375,000,000 $500,000,000 2 0.375% UST due 7/15/2024 Bloomberg FIT 1 Screen +35 bps $30 $688,724,000 $500,000,000 3.363% senior notes due 2024 075887BV0 $1,750,000,000 N/A 3 0.375% UST due 7/15/2024 Bloomberg FIT 1 Screen +20 bps $30 $1,378,486,000 $752,281,000

(1) Per $1,000 principal amount. (2) The Total Consideration for Securities validly tendered prior to or at the Early Tender Date (as defined below) and accepted for purchase is calculated using the applicable Fixed Spread and is inclusive of the Early Tender Payment.

The applicable consideration (the " Total Consideration ") offered per $1,000 principal amount of each series of Securities validly tendered and accepted for purchase pursuant to the applicable tender offer will be determined in the manner described in the Offer to Purchase by reference to the applicable fixed spread for such Securities specified in the tables above plus the applicable yield based on the bid-side price of the applicable U.S. Treasury Reference Security specified in the tables above at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on August 19, 2021. The " Late Tender Offer Consideration " is equal to the Total Consideration minus the Early Tender Payment. The Company expects to announce the pricing of the tender offers later today.

Only holders of Securities who validly tendered and did not validly withdraw their Securities at or prior to the Early Tender Date are eligible to receive the Total Consideration for Securities accepted for purchase. Holders of Securities who validly tender their Securities after the Early Tender Date but prior to or at the expiration date will be eligible to receive the Late Tender Offer Consideration. Holders will also receive accrued and unpaid interest on Securities validly tendered and accepted for purchase from the last interest payment date up to, but not including, the date the Company makes payment for such Securities.

The Company has satisfied the financing condition in respect of the tender offers and expects to make payment for the Any and All Notes and Maximum Tender Offer Notes that were validly tendered prior to or at the Early Tender Date and that are accepted for purchase on August 20, 2021, which we refer to as the early settlement date.

Because the aggregate principal amount of 3.734% senior notes due 2024 tendered and not validly withdrawn would exceed the applicable Maximum Tender SubCap and the aggregate principal amount of Maximum Tender Offer Notes tendered and not validly withdrawn would exceed the Aggregate Maximum Tender Cap, the Company will not accept for purchase all such Maximum Tender Offer Notes that have been tendered. Rather, the Company will accept Maximum Tender Offer Notes of each applicable series for purchase on a prorated basis. The Company will accept all of the Any and All Notes tendered and not validly withdrawn as of the Early Tender Date. Since the tender offers for the Maximum Tender Offer Notes are fully subscribed as of the Early Tender Date, the Company does not expect it will accept any Maximum Tender Offer Notes tendered after the Early Tender Date. Any and All Notes tendered after the Early Tender Date and prior to or at the expiration date of the tender offers for the Any and All Notes will be accepted for purchase in the manner described in the Offer to Purchase.

On August 13, 2021, the Company issued notices of redemption for the Any and All Notes. The Company will redeem any Any and All Notes that are not tendered and accepted in such tender offers on September 13, 2021 in accordance with the indenture governing the Any and All Notes.

Information Relating to the Tender Offers

Barclays Capital Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. are the lead dealer managers for the tender offers. BNP Paribas Securities Corp. is the co-dealer manager for the tender offers. Investors with questions regarding the tender offers may contact Barclays Capital Inc. at (800) 438-3242 (toll free) or (212) 528-7581 (collect) or Citigroup Global Markets Inc. at (800) 558-3745 (toll-free) or (212) 723-6106 (collect). Global Bondholder Services Corporation is the tender and information agent for the tender offers and can be contacted at (866) 924-2200 (toll-free) or (212) 430-3774 (collect).

None of the Company or its affiliates, their respective boards of directors, the dealer managers, the tender and information agent or the trustee with respect to any Securities is making any recommendation as to whether holders should tender any Securities in response to any of the tender offers, and neither the Company nor any such other person has authorized any person to make any such recommendation. Holders must make their own decision as to whether to tender any of their Securities, and, if so, the principal amount of Securities to tender.

The full details of the tender offers, including complete instructions on how to tender Securities, are included in the Offer to Purchase. Holders are strongly encouraged to read carefully the Offer to Purchase, including materials incorporated by reference therein, because they contain important information. The Offer to Purchase may be downloaded from Global Bondholder Services Corporation's website at www.gbsc-usa.com/BectonDickinson or obtained from Global Bondholder Services Corporation, free of charge, by calling toll-free at (866) 924-2200 (bankers and brokers can call collect at (212) 430-3774).

This press release is for informational purposes only and is not an offer to buy, or the solicitation of an offer to sell, any of the Securities and the tender offers do not constitute an offer to buy or the solicitation of an offer to sell Securities in any jurisdiction or in any circumstances in which such offer or solicitation is unlawful.

About BD

BD is one of the largest global medical technology companies in the world and is advancing the world of health by improving medical discovery, diagnostics and the delivery of care. The company supports the heroes on the frontlines of health care by developing innovative technology, services and solutions that help advance both clinical therapy for patients and clinical process for health care providers. BD and its 70,000 employees have a passion and commitment to help enhance the safety and efficiency of clinicians' care delivery process, enable laboratory scientists to accurately detect disease and advance researchers' capabilities to develop the next generation of diagnostics and therapeutics. BD has a presence in virtually every country and partners with organizations around the world to address some of the most challenging global health issues. By working in close collaboration with customers, BD can help enhance outcomes, lower costs, increase efficiencies, improve safety and expand access to health care.

Contacts:





Media: Investors: Troy Kirkpatrick Kristen M. Stewart, CFA VP, Public Relations SVP, Strategy & Investor Relations 858.617.2361 201.847.5378 [email protected] [email protected]

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain estimates and other forward-looking statements (as defined under federal securities laws) regarding BD's performance, including in relation to the consummation of the tender offers. All such statements are based upon current expectations of BD and involve a number of business risks and uncertainties. Actual results could vary materially from anticipated results described, implied or projected in any forward-looking statement. With respect to forward-looking statements contained herein, a number of factors could cause actual results to vary materially. These factors include, but are not limited to, the factors discussed in BD's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We do not intend to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof except as required by applicable laws or regulations.

SOURCE BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company)

Related Links

www.bd.com


IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2021 edition of The Best Lawyers in America has been published, and Attorney Marshall Silberberg, founding partner of the Law Office of Marshall Silberberg, has been honored with a 32nd consecutive year of acclaim in the globally recognized guide by Best Lawyers and U.S. News & World Report.

In The Best Lawyers in America 2021, Attorney Silberberg was listed for the following legal practice areas:

Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs

Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs

The curation of The Best Lawyers in America comprises a rigorous selection process based on peer review, as Best Lawyers strives to create a vetted, unbiased guide. Thus, every single candidate for the guide must undergo the selection process, no matter how many times they have been listed previously. All candidates must also be nominated by a third party for consideration.

According to Best Lawyers, "Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area."

Each year, no more than 6% of all private practice attorneys in the nation pass final selection and are recognized in the published register. It is, therefore, a great privilege to be celebrating 32 years of The Best Lawyers in America listings, as Attorney Silberberg has the honor of doing.

Since the establishment of the Law Office of Marshall Silberberg 15 years ago, Attorney Silberberg has tried over 200 medical malpractice cases on behalf of injured Orange County residents. Under his leadership, the firm has recovered over $500 million in compensation for the plaintiffs of personal injury cases.

If you are seeking legal representation in a case concerning medical negligence, catastrophic injury, child injury, birth injury, car accidents, or elder abuse, among others, Attorney Silberberg and his team of attorneys will fight tooth and nail to maximize your recovery. Visit the firm online at silberberglaw.com today. To learn more about The Best Lawyers in America, visit bestlawyers.com/america.

SOURCE Law Office of Marshall Silberberg

Related Links

https://www.silberberglaw.com


SHANGHAI, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Cango Inc. (NYSE: CANG) ("Cango" or the "Company"), a leading automotive transaction service platform in China, today announced its unaudited financial results for the second quarter of 2021.

Second Quarter 2021 Financial and Operational Highlights

Total revenues were RMB946.7 million ( US$146.6 million ), a 245.5% increase from RMB274.1 million in the same period of 2020, meeting the Company's previous guidance range. The increase was mainly driven by the increased amounts of both financing transactions the Company facilitated and car trading transactions in the second quarter of 2021.

( ), a 245.5% increase from in the same period of 2020, meeting the Company's previous guidance range. The increase was mainly driven by the increased amounts of both financing transactions the Company facilitated and car trading transactions in the second quarter of 2021. Car trading transactions revenues were RMB522.5 million ( US$80.9 million ), or 55.2% of total revenues in the second quarter of 2021.

( ), or 55.2% of total revenues in the second quarter of 2021. Automotive financing facilitation revenues were RMB303.3 million ( US$47.0 million ), a 111.2% increase from RMB143.6 million in the same period of 2020.

( ), a 111.2% increase from in the same period of 2020. After-market services facilitation revenues were RMB51.9 million ( US$8.0 million ), compared to RMB52.5 million in the same period of 2020.

( ), compared to in the same period of 2020. The amount of financing transactions the Company facilitated in the second quarter of 2021 was RMB7,789.7 million ( US$1,206.5 million ). The total outstanding balance of financing transactions the Company facilitated was RMB48,637.8 million ( US$7,533.0 million ) as of June 30, 2021 .

( ). The total outstanding balance of financing transactions the Company facilitated was ( ) as of . M1+ and M3+ overdue ratios for all financing transactions that remained outstanding and were facilitated by the Company were 1.35% and 0.69 %, respectively, as of June 30, 2021 , compared to 1.23% and 0.54%, respectively, as of March 31, 2021 .

, compared to 1.23% and 0.54%, respectively, as of . The number of dealers covered by the Company was 47,740 as of June 30, 2021 , compared to 47,017 as of March 31, 2021 .

Mr. Jiayuan Lin, Chief Executive Officer of Cango, commented, "We entered the second quarter with a focus on navigating major challenges primarily associated with the global chip shortage. We are pleased with our second quarter performance, and thanks to solid progress in our car trading transactions business, we delivered a 245.5% year-over-year growth in total revenues, meeting our previous guidance range. The ongoing chip supply shortage, which has slowed down production and consumption in the entire auto industry, impacted our business to a certain extent and we expect the impact to linger in the second half of 2021. However, we remain dedicated to advancing key elements of our strategy and believe our solid business fundamentals give us considerable flexibility to navigate uncertain and stressful times. In late May, we launched our B2B service platform 'Cango Haoche' integrating car information with transactions, logistics, finance and insurance to directly address pain points for car dealers in the lower-tier markets. In addition, we introduced an updated service account of 'Cango Cheshenghuo' on WeChat also in the second quarter, offering consumers a one-stop service covering purchases, usage and maintenance of cars. With 'Cango Haoche' and 'Cango Cheshenghuo,' we have empowered B-end car dealers and served C-end car owners, further enhancing the bond between dealers, users and us."

"Looking ahead, we expect the impact of the supply chain-related challenges in the auto market to remain unresolved in the near term. However, we will closely monitor the situation and adapt accordingly, while staying true to our original goals and upholding our commitment to facilitating easy and enjoyable car purchase experiences for our consumers," Mr. Lin concluded.

Mr. Yongyi Zhang, Chief Financial Officer of Cango, stated, "Our second quarter financial performance was in line with our expectations. Total revenues came in at RMB946.7 million, more than tripling from a year ago. We also recorded a net income of RMB557.7 million in the second quarter. While uncertainty stemming from global chip supply chain disruptions are ongoing, we remain committed to improving our operating efficiency while continually investing in the business to deliver more value to our dealers, partners and users. We fully believe that this will enable us to continue creating value for our shareholders well into the future."

Second Quarter 2021 Financial Results

REVENUES

Total revenues in the second quarter of 2021 increased by 245.5% to RMB946.7 million (US$146.6 million) from RMB274.1 million in the same period of 2020. Revenues from car trading transactions in the second quarter of 2021 were RMB522.5 million (US$80.9 million), continuing to serve as an important revenue contributor. Revenues from automotive financing facilitation and after-market services facilitation in the second quarter of 2021 were RMB303.3 million (US$47.0 million) and RMB51.9 million (US$8.0 million), respectively.

OPERATING COST AND EXPENSES

Total operating cost and expenses in the second quarter of 2021 were RMB933.5 million (US$144.6 million) compared to RMB207.4 million in the same period of 2020. This was mainly due to the related costs incurred by car trading transactions business. Primarily as a result of the increase in revenues from car trading transactions, sales and marketing expenses, general and administrative expenses and research and development expenses each decreased as a percentage of total revenues in the second quarter of 2021, compared to the same period of 2020.

Cost of revenue in the second quarter of 2021 increased to RMB697.8 million ( US$108.1 million ) from RMB102.8 million in the same period of 2020. As a percentage of total revenues, cost of revenue in the second quarter of 2021 was 73.7% compared to 37.5% in the same period of 2020, and the change was primarily due to an increase in the amount of car trading transactions. For automotive financing facilitation and after-market services facilitation, cost of revenue as a percentage of relevant revenues was around 41.6% in the second quarter of 2021.

( ) from in the same period of 2020. As a percentage of total revenues, cost of revenue in the second quarter of 2021 was 73.7% compared to 37.5% in the same period of 2020, and the change was primarily due to an increase in the amount of car trading transactions. For automotive financing facilitation and after-market services facilitation, cost of revenue as a percentage of relevant revenues was around 41.6% in the second quarter of 2021. Sales and marketing expenses in the second quarter of 2021 were RMB60.9 million ( US$9.4 million ) compared to RMB42.4 million in the same period of 2020. As a percentage of total revenues, sales and marketing expenses in the second quarter of 2021 was 6.4% compared to 15.5% in the same period of 2020.

( ) compared to in the same period of 2020. As a percentage of total revenues, sales and marketing expenses in the second quarter of 2021 was 6.4% compared to 15.5% in the same period of 2020. General and administrative expenses in the second quarter of 2021 were RMB64.7 million ( US$10.0 million ) compared to RMB66.0 million in the same period of 2020. As a percentage of total revenues, general and administrative expenses in the second quarter of 2021 was 6.8% compared to 24.1% in the same period of 2020.

( ) compared to in the same period of 2020. As a percentage of total revenues, general and administrative expenses in the second quarter of 2021 was 6.8% compared to 24.1% in the same period of 2020. Research and development expenses in the second quarter of 2021 were RMB15.6 million ( US$2.4 million ) compared to RMB12.9 million in the same period of 2020. As a percentage of total revenues, research and development expenses in the second quarter of 2021 was 1.7% compared to 4.7% in the same period of 2020.

( ) compared to in the same period of 2020. As a percentage of total revenues, research and development expenses in the second quarter of 2021 was 1.7% compared to 4.7% in the same period of 2020. Net loss on risk assurance liabilities in the second quarter of 2021 was RMB35.9 million ( US$5.6 million ) compared to a net gain of RMB42.9 million in the same period of 2020.

INCOME FROM OPERATIONS

Income from operations in the second quarter of 2021 was RMB13.2 million (US$2.1 million), compared to RMB66.7 million in the same period of 2020.

FAIR VALUE CHANGE OF EQUITY INVESTMENT

Fair value change of equity investment in the second quarter of 2021 was a gain of RMB603.4 million (US$93.5 million) compared to nil in the same period of 2020. The gain in the second quarter of 2021 is mainly due to the investment in Li Auto. As of June 30, 2021, Cango held 8,000,000 American Depositary Shares of Li Auto. Each American Depositary Share of Li Auto represents two Class A ordinary shares of Li Auto.

NET INCOME

Primarily due to the fair value change of the Company's investment in Li Auto, net income in the second quarter of 2021 was RMB557.7 million (US$86.4 million). Non-GAAP adjusted net income in the second quarter of 2021 was RMB578.3 million (US$89.6 million). Non-GAAP adjusted net income excludes the impact of share-based compensation expenses. For further information, see "Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measure."

NET INCOME PER ADS

Basic and diluted net income per American Depositary Share (ADS) in the second quarter of 2021 were RMB3.85 (US$0.60) and RMB3.75 (US$0.58). Non-GAAP adjusted basic and diluted net income per ADS in the second quarter of 2021 were RMB3.99 (US$0.62) and RMB3.89 (US$0.60). Each ADS represents two Class A ordinary shares of the Company.

BALANCE SHEET

As of June 30, 2021, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of RMB1,498.9 million (US$232.2 million), compared to RMB1,631.0 million as of March 31, 2021.

As of June 30, 2021, the Company had short-term investments of RMB3,127.2 million (US$484.3 million), compared to RMB2,627.6 million as of March 31, 2021.

Business Outlook

For the third quarter of 2021, the Company expects total revenues to be between RMB700 million and RMB750 million. This forecast reflects the Company's current and preliminary views on the market and operational conditions, which are subject to change.

The Company's investment in Li Auto and the change in fair value of investment due to the price volatility of the stock may have a significant impact on the Company's third quarter of 2021 financial results.

Share Repurchase Program

Pursuant to the share repurchase program announced on March 2, 2021, we had repurchased 5,397,207 American depositary shares ("ADSs") with cash in the aggregate amount of approximately US$48.4 million up to July 31, 2021.

Conference Call Information

The Company's management will hold a conference call on Thursday, August 19, 2021, at 9:00 P.M. Eastern Time or Friday, August 20, 2021, at 9:00 A.M. Beijing Time to discuss the financial results. Listeners may access the call by dialing the following numbers:

International: +1-412-902-4272 United States Toll Free: +1-888-346-8982 Mainland China Toll Free: 4001-201-203 Hong Kong, China Toll Free: 800-905-945 Conference ID: Cango Inc.

The replay will be accessible through August 26, 2021, by dialing the following numbers:

International: +1-412-317-0088 United States Toll Free: +1-877-344-7529 Access Code: 10159690

A live and archived webcast of the conference call will also be available at the Company's investor relations website at http://ir.cangoonline.com/.

About Cango Inc.

Cango Inc. (NYSE: CANG) is a leading automotive transaction service platform in China connecting dealers, financial institutions, car buyers, and other industry participants. Founded in 2010 by a group of pioneers in China's automotive finance industry, the Company is headquartered in Shanghai and engages car buyers through a nationwide dealer network. The Company's services primarily consist of automotive financing facilitation, car trading transactions, and after-market services facilitation. By utilizing its competitive advantages in technology, data insights, and cloud-based infrastructure, Cango is able to connect its platform participants while bringing them a premium user experience. Cango's platform model puts it in a unique position to add value for its platform participants and business partners as the automotive and mobility markets in China continue to grow and evolve. For more information, please visit: www.cangoonline.com.

Definition of Overdue Ratios

The Company defines "M1+ overdue ratio" as (i) exposure at risk relating to financing transactions for which any installment payment is 30 to 179 calendar days past due as of a specified date, divided by (ii) exposure at risk relating to all financing transactions which remain outstanding as of such date, excluding amounts of outstanding principal that are 180 calendar days or more past due.

The Company defines "M3+ overdue ratio" as (i) exposure at risk relating to financing transactions for which any installment payment is 90 to 179 calendar days past due as of a specified date, divided by (ii) exposure at risk relating to all financing transactions which remain outstanding as of such date, excluding amounts of outstanding principal that are 180 calendar days or more past due.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measure

In evaluating the business, the Company considers and uses Non-GAAP adjusted net income, a non-GAAP measure, as a supplemental measure to review and assess its operating performance. The presentation of the non-GAAP financial measure is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. The Company defines Non-GAAP adjusted net income as net income excluding share-based compensation expenses. The Company presents the non-GAAP financial measure because it is used by the management to evaluate the operating performance and formulate business plans. Non-GAAP adjusted net income enables the management to assess the Company's operating results without considering the impact of share-based compensation expenses, which are non-cash charges. The Company also believes that the use of the non-GAAP measure facilitates investors' assessment of its operating performance.

Non-GAAP adjusted net income is not defined under U.S. GAAP and is not presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. This non-GAAP financial measure has limitations as analytical tools. One of the key limitations of using Non-GAAP adjusted net income is that it does not reflect all items of expense that affect the Company's operations. Share-based compensation expenses have been and may continue to be incurred in the business and are not reflected in the presentation of Non-GAAP adjusted net income. Further, the non-GAAP measure may differ from the non-GAAP information used by other companies, including peer companies, and therefore their comparability may be limited.

The Company compensates for these limitations by reconciling the non-GAAP financial measure to the nearest U.S. GAAP performance measure, all of which should be considered when evaluating the Company's performance. The Company encourages you to review its financial information in its entirety and not rely on a single financial measure.

Reconciliations of Cango's non-GAAP financial measure to the most comparable U.S. GAAP measure are included at the end of this press release.

Exchange Rate Information

This announcement contains translations of certain RMB amounts into U.S. dollars ("US$") at specified rates solely for the convenience of the reader. Unless otherwise stated, all translations from RMB to US$ were made at the rate of RMB6.4566 to US$1.00, the noon buying rate in effect on June 30, 2021, in the H.10 statistical release of the Federal Reserve Board. The Company makes no representation that the RMB or US$ amounts referred could be converted into US$ or RMB, as the case may be, at any particular rate or at all.

Safe Harbor Statement

This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates" and similar statements. Among other things, the "Business Outlook" section and quotations from management in this announcement, contain forward-looking statements. Cango may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the SEC, in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Cango's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: Cango's goal and strategies; Cango's expansion plans; Cango's future business development, financial condition and results of operations; Cango's expectations regarding demand for, and market acceptance of, its solutions and services; Cango's expectations regarding keeping and strengthening its relationships with dealers, financial institutions, car buyers and other platform participants; general economic and business conditions; and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in Cango's filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of this press release, and Cango does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

Investor Relations Contact

Yihe Liu

Cango Inc.

Tel: +86 21 3183 5088 ext.5581

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Cango_Group

Emilie Wu

The Piacente Group, Inc.

Tel: +86 21 6039 8363

Email: [email protected]

CANGO INC.

UNAUDITED INTERIM CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET

(Amounts in Renminbi ("RMB") and US dollar ("US$"), except for number of shares and per share data







As of December 31,

2020

As of June 30,

2021







RMB

RMB US$















ASSETS:













Current assets:













Cash and cash equivalents





1,426,899,576

1,498,947,545 232,157,412 Restricted cash - current





9,693,008

34,767,022 5,384,726 Short-term investments





4,342,356,612

3,127,171,118 484,337,131 Accounts receivable, net





141,594,170

157,050,941 24,324,093 Finance lease receivables - current, net





2,035,397,525

1,717,714,853 266,040,153 Short-term consumer financing receivables, net





23,168

- - Financing receivables, net





20,105,893

43,575,286 6,748,952 Short-term contract asset





364,618,635

714,635,512 110,682,946 Prepayments and other current assets





558,360,959

887,766,346 137,497,498 Total current assets





8,899,049,546

8,181,628,623 1,267,172,911















Non-current assets:













Restricted cash - non-current





878,299,140

845,590,108 130,965,231 Goodwill





145,063,857

145,063,857 22,467,530 Property and equipment, net





10,311,971

21,032,036 3,257,448 Intangible assets





44,887,871

44,683,992 6,920,669 Long-term contract asset





281,374,110

474,407,237 73,476,325 Deferred tax assets





170,951,082

374,774,207 58,045,133 Finance lease receivables - non-current, net





1,454,499,864

1,186,837,807 183,817,769 Other non-current assets





261,495,158

427,327,797 66,184,648 Total non-current assets





3,246,883,053

3,519,717,041 545,134,753 TOTAL ASSETS





12,145,932,599

11,701,345,664 1,812,307,664















LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY













Current liabilities:













Short-term debts





355,816,940

779,104,385 120,667,903 Long-term debtscurrent





1,228,783,730

1,122,603,494 173,869,141 Accrued expenses and other current liabilities





324,734,202

352,398,112 54,579,517 Risk assurance liabilities





460,829,299

642,664,973 99,536,129 Income tax payable





87,132,455

388,784,530 60,215,056 Total current liabilities





2,457,296,626

3,285,555,494 508,867,746















Non-current liabilities:













Long-term debts





977,791,191

836,810,348 129,605,419 Deferred tax liability





330,765,029

171,705,298 26,593,764 Other non-current liabilities





4,870,616

2,479,512 384,028 Total non-current liabilities





1,313,426,836

1,010,995,158 156,583,211 Total liabilities





3,770,723,462

4,296,550,652 665,450,957































Shareholders' equity













Ordinary shares





204,260

204,260 31,636 Treasury shares





(56,419,225)

(356,910,505) (55,278,398) Additional paid-in capital





4,591,455,557

4,624,962,530 716,315,480 Accumulated other comprehensive income





(115,386,427)

(147,245,016) (22,805,349) Retained earnings





3,955,354,972

3,283,783,743 508,593,338 Total Cango Inc.'s equity





8,375,209,137

7,404,795,012 1,146,856,707 Total shareholders' equity





8,375,209,137

7,404,795,012 1,146,856,707 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY





12,145,932,599

11,701,345,664 1,812,307,664

CANGO INC.

UNAUDITED INTERIM CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF

COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

(Amounts in Renminbi ("RMB") and US dollar ("US$"), except for number of shares and per share data)







Three months ended June 30,

Six months ended June 30,







2020

2021

2020

2021







RMB

RMB US$

RMB

RMB US$

























Revenues





274,054,751

946,746,211 146,632,316

520,052,725

2,070,532,922 320,684,714 Loan facilitation income and other related income





143,604,125

303,346,685 46,982,419

263,332,523

715,037,501 110,745,207 Leasing income





69,275,783

64,708,395 10,022,054

143,557,538

137,836,071 21,348,089 After-market services income





52,472,658

51,866,024 8,033,024

101,528,861

114,395,515 17,717,609 Automobile trading income





6,228,508

522,544,976 80,931,911

7,601,416

1,094,109,857 169,456,038 Others





2,473,677

4,280,131 662,908

4,032,387

9,153,978 1,417,771 Operating cost and expenses:























Cost of revenue





102,817,046

697,786,112 108,073,307

193,414,759

1,466,833,661 227,183,605 Sales and marketing





42,437,952

60,885,719 9,429,997

88,212,181

118,729,278 18,388,824 General and administrative





66,040,192

64,658,358 10,014,304

123,451,858

126,048,975 19,522,500 Research and development





12,901,613

15,638,883 2,422,155

25,458,298

29,233,130 4,527,635 Net (gain) loss on risk assurance liabilities





(42,928,191)

35,903,834 5,560,796

33,957,484

57,642,765 8,927,727 Provision for credit losses





26,119,771

58,636,181 9,081,588

70,214,542

99,268,133 15,374,676 Total operation cost and expense





207,388,383

933,509,087 144,582,147

534,709,122

1,897,755,942 293,924,967

























Income (Loss) from operations





66,666,368

13,237,124 2,050,169

(14,656,397)

172,776,980 26,759,747 Interest and investment income





21,675,128

4,128,041 639,352

50,808,295

22,369,008 3,464,518 Fair value change of equity investment





-

603,413,645 93,456,873

-

156,488,012 24,236,907 Interest expense





(369,637)

(234,274) (36,284)

(1,736,923)

(813,242) (125,955) Foreign exchange gain (loss), net





621,774

(938,526) (145,359)

(3,439,945)

(735,132) (113,857) Other income





7,317,072

7,568,769 1,172,253

25,790,703

11,176,345 1,730,995 Other expenses





(527,390)

(193,817) (30,018)

(581,495)

(6,479,822) (1,003,597) Net income before income taxes





95,383,315

626,980,962 97,106,986

56,184,238

354,782,149 54,948,758 Income tax expenses





(25,152,250)

(69,243,099) (10,724,390)

(20,639,459)

(70,915,821) (10,983,462) Net income





70,231,065

557,737,863 86,382,596

35,544,779

283,866,328 43,965,296 Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling interests





-

- -

3,646,196

- -

























Net income attributable to Cango Inc.'s shareholders





70,231,065

557,737,863 86,382,596

31,898,583

283,866,328 43,965,296 Earnings per ADS attributable to ordinary shareholders:























Basic





0.47

3.85 0.60

0.21

1.93 0.30 Diluted





0.47

3.75 0.58

0.21

1.89 0.29 Weighted average ADS used to compute earnings per ADS attributable to ordinary shareholders:























Basic





150,605,540

144,829,122 144,829,122

150,789,465

147,012,155 147,012,155 Diluted





150,819,440

148,579,948 148,579,948

151,899,153

150,005,282 150,005,282







































































































Other comprehensive (loss) income, net of tax























Foreign currency translation adjustment





(5,444,800)

(42,140,854) (6,526,787)

23,229,550

(31,858,589) (4,934,267)

























Total comprehensive income





64,786,265

515,597,009 79,855,809

58,774,329

252,007,739 39,031,029 Total comprehensive income attributable to Cango Inc.'s shareholders





64,786,265

515,597,009 79,855,809

55,128,133

252,007,739 39,031,029

CANGO INC.

RECONCILIATIONS OF GAAP AND NON-GAAP RESULTS

(Amounts in Renminbi ("RMB") and US dollar ("US$"), except for number of shares and per share data)



Three months ended June 30,

Six months ended June 30,



2020

2021

2020

2021



(Unaudited)

(Unaudited) (Unaudited)

(Unaudited)

(Unaudited) (Unaudited)



RMB

RMB US$

RMB

RMB US$





















Net income

70,231,065

557,737,863 86,382,596

35,544,779

283,866,328 43,965,296





















Add: Share-based compensation expenses

22,096,880

20,522,138 3,178,474

45,415,178

40,433,303 6,262,321 Cost of revenue

905,973

783,983 121,424

1,862,024

1,454,657 225,298 Sales and marketing

4,706,635

4,004,166 620,166

9,673,432

7,521,055 1,164,863 General and administrative

15,335,232

14,987,159 2,321,215

31,518,128

29,678,982 4,596,689 Research and development

1,149,040

746,830 115,669

2,361,594

1,778,609 275,471





















Non-GAAP adjusted net income

92,327,945

578,260,001 89,561,070

80,959,957

324,299,631 50,227,617 Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling interests

-

- -

3,646,196

- - Net income attributable to Cango Inc.'s shareholders

92,327,945

578,260,001 89,561,070

77,313,761

324,299,631 50,227,617











































Non-GAAP adjusted net income per ADS-basic

0.61

3.99 0.62

0.51

2.21 0.34 Non-GAAP adjusted net income per ADS-diluted

0.61

3.89 0.60

0.51

2.16 0.33





















Weighted average ADS outstandingbasic

150,605,540

144,829,122 144,829,122

150,789,465

147,012,155 147,012,155 Weighted average ADS outstandingdiluted

150,819,440

148,579,948 148,579,948

151,899,153

150,005,282 150,005,282

SOURCE Cango Inc.
CHICAGO, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Cboe Global Markets, Inc. (Cboe: CBOE), a leading provider of global market infrastructure and tradable products, today announced its Board of Directors has declared an increased quarterly cash dividend of $0.48 per share of common stock for the third quarter of 2021, representing a 14 percent increase from the prior quarter's dividend of $0.42 per share.

"We are pleased to raise our dividend for the 11th consecutive year, a testament to Cboe Global Markets' strong financial position and ability to consistently return capital to our shareholders," said Ed Tilly, Chairman, President and CEO of Cboe Global Markets. "As we execute on our growth initiatives, we are confident that our strategies will continue to drive Cboe forward and further build long-term value for our shareholders."

The third-quarter 2021 dividend is payable on September 15, 2021, to stockholders of record as of August 31, 2021.

About Cboe Global Markets, Inc.

Cboe Global Markets (Cboe: CBOE), a leading provider of market infrastructure and tradable products, delivers cutting-edge trading, clearing and investment solutions to market participants around the world. The company is committed to operating a trusted, inclusive global marketplace, providing leading products, technology and data solutions that enable participants to define a sustainable financial future. Cboe provides trading solutions and products in multiple asset classes, including equities, derivatives and FX, across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. To learn more, visit www.cboe.com.

CBOE-D

CBOE-OE

Cboe, Cboe Global Markets, Cboe Volatility Index, and VIX are registered trademarks of Cboe Exchange, Inc.

SOURCE Cboe Global Markets, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.cboe.com


TAMPA, Fla., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc., the parent company of Checkers & Rally's iconic drive-thru restaurants, announced today Ali Chunara and Shamsu Charania have been identified by franchise research firm, Franchise Business Review, as being one of 2021's Franchise Rock Stars.

Ali Chunara and Shamsu Charania were selected from nearly 25,000 franchisees, representing 224 brands that participated in Franchise Business Review's research over the past 18 months.

The Franchise Rock Stars recognized were nominated by their franchise brand leadership in one of eight categories as franchisees who set admirable examples when it comes to leadership, business acumen, financial and professional success, and contributing to their community. Categories included: Giving Back, Women, Millennials, Veterans, Family-Owned, "Freshmen", Top-Performers, and Multi-Unit Owners. Mr. Chunara and Mr. Charania were honored in the Multi-Unit Owners category.

"There are so many success stories out there and thousands of inspiring franchise owners who are living their dreams of business ownership that it was incredibly difficult to narrow down the list," said Eric Stites, CEO of Franchise Business Review. "In the end, we chose individuals who are exceptional examples of achieving success through the franchise model and exemplify a strong work ethic and a real commitment to their business and community. The franchise owners on this year's list have shown that with hard work, perseverance and the support of a strong franchise system, anyone can find success, no matter their background or previous experience. We are thrilled to recognize these individuals as Franchise Rock Stars."

Mr. Chunara and Mr. Charania head The Falcons Group, which operates 32 Checkers locations throughout Georgia, South Carolina and Alabama. Most recently, the Group expanded its enterprise last November by opening two new Checkers drive-thru restaurants in Athens and Jonesboro, Georgia as well as an additional location this summer in the downtown Atlanta market near Georgia State University. Mr. Chunara has been in the food industry for almost 40 years working with a diverse selection of national brands. He guides the company through ever-changing franchisor and government regulations and uses the resources he has gained throughout his career to secure deals not available to the public. His excellent reputation and decision-making abilities play a pivotal role in leading the company to new heights. Mr. Charania started his restaurant career at Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen while he attended the University of Arizona, and acquired his very first franchise, a Dunkin' & Baskin Robbins, in his hometown of Atlanta after college. That single location grew into a franchising group comprising over 50 locations and four brands.

"Ali and Shamsu are invaluable members of our franchise community, and we couldn't be happier for their success," said Robert Bhagwandat, Sr. Director of Franchise Development at Checkers & Rally's. "Their tireless efforts to foster and grow the Checkers & Rally's brand with the utmost pride has been key to our ability to bring our craveable food to as many people as we can. Congratulations to Ali and Shamsu on this deserved recognition."

Mr. Charania commented: "The entire Checkers & Rally's team has been supportive of our work since the day we engaged, and we're honored to receive this acknowledgement from Franchise Business Review."

Visit FranchiseBusinessReview.com to see the full list of 2021 Franchise Rock Stars .To learn more about Checkers & Rally's franchise opportunities, please visit checkersfranchising.com.

About Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc.

Based in Tampa, Fla., Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc., an iconic and innovative drive-thru restaurant chain known for its bold, craveable food, famous fries, exceptional value, and people-first attitude, operates and franchises both Checkers and Rally's restaurants. With 836 restaurants and room to grow, Checkers & Rally's is a proven brand with flexible building formats that is aggressively expanding across the country. Checkers & Rally's is dedicated to being a place where franchisees and employees who work hard can create opportunities for themselves, their families, and their communities. In recent years, the brand has earned several of the industry's most prestigious awards including: Best Franchise Deal and "Best Drive-Thru in America" by QSR Magazine; Top Food and Beverage Franchise by Franchise Business Review; the "Hot! Again" award from Nation's Restaurant News; "#1 Most Craveable Fries" by Restaurant Business; and has consistently been ranked on Entrepreneur's Franchise 500.

About Franchise Business Review

Franchise Business Review (FBR) is a leading market research firm serving the franchise sector. FBR measures satisfaction and engagement of franchisees and publishes various guides and reports for entrepreneurs considering an investment in a franchise business. Since 2005, FBR has surveyed hundreds of thousands of franchise owners and over 1,100 leading franchise companies. FBR publishes free and unbiased franchisee satisfaction research reports throughout the year online at http://www.FranchiseBusinessReview.com. To read our publications, visit https://franchisebusinessreview.com/page/publications/.

SOURCE Checkers & Rally's Restaurants, Inc.
LOS ALTOS, Calif., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Foundation for Climate Restoration (F4CR), a nonprofit dedicated to restoring the climate to pre-industrial levels of CO 2 , has seen increasing awareness and momentum around the urgent implementation of climate restoration practices.

The Foundation for Climate Restoration has seen increasing awareness and momentum around the urgent implementation of climate restoration practices.

Local governments across the country have acknowledged the necessity of climate restoration and embraced a range of related resolutions . In December 2017, Montgomery County declared Emergency Climate Mobilization , which initiated large-scale efforts to remove excess atmospheric carbon. It also outlined greenhouse gas emissions reductions of 80% by 2027 and 100% by 2035.

In April 2019, Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) introduced H.Con.Res 35 , which expressed Congress' commitment to creating solutions for climate restoration to ensure a safe and healthy climate for future generations. This declaration of commitment has helped set the stage for broad support of climate restoration at the local level.

Santa Clara County implemented its Climate Restoration Emergency Resolution in January 2020, calling for the immediate mobilization of resources and labor to mitigate, restore, and prepare for climate change-related impacts. At Davos 2020, Sanjeev Khagram, Dean of Thunderbird School of Global Management, issued his trillion dollar market opportunity report, " Global Climate Restoration for People, Prosperity and Planet ," on the heels of launching the Global Carbon Removal Taskforce . In November 2020, the City of Orlando announced their Climate Emergency Declaration , which recognizes the existence of a climate emergency and supports mobilization efforts that will return us to safe, pre-industrial levels of atmospheric carbon.

In September 2020, Pope Francis delivered an earnest message on the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, stating that "climate restoration is of utmost importance, since we are in the midst of a climate emergency."

In May 2021, California State Senator, Henry Stern, chair of the Senate Natural Resources & Water Committee and the Joint Legislative Committee on Emergency Management, introduced a bill on climate restoration, CA SB-582 , that requires the state board to ensure that statewide greenhouse gas emissions are reduced to at least 80% below the 1990 level by 2030.

"It is heartening to know that a greater number of state and local leaders from across the country are aware of climate restoration," said Henry Stern, a California State Senator who chairs the Senate Natural Resources & Water Committee and the Joint Legislative Committee on Emergency Management. "As the UN report this week made crystal clear, the speed at which we can translate that awareness into action will dictate what the future holds for our children and the generations that follow."

In June 2021, California State Senator, Josh Becker, introduced "The Net-Zero Concrete and Cement Bill" ( SB-596 ), which will help California reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the production of concrete and its main ingredient, cement.

And a number of school districts, including Cold Spring Elementary , Oroville Union High School , Alameda Unified School , and the Massachusetts Association of School Committees , have passed resolutions calling for climate restoration action.

F4CR has also seen an uptick in the establishment of grassroots chapters globally. There are now 19 chapters around the world, spanning from the U.S. to Italy, and Liberia to Australia. The chapter in Madagascar has recently partnered with the country's Ministry of Vocational Training to provide the unemployed with mass training in climate restoration skills and technologies. Under this plan, 70% of new jobs will be in the climate restoration sector, with the aim of curbing unemployment and progressing towards the global target of eliminating 50 billion tons of CO 2 from our atmosphere.

Additionally, there has been a surge in youth support of F4CR initiatives, with current Youth Climate Restoration Leaders from 19 countries and over 500 applicants for the Ambassador Program from all six continents.

"We at the Foundation know that mitigation and adaptation alone are not enough," said Dr. Erica Dodds, Interim CEO, F4CR. "So we are thrilled to see our governments, leaders, and youth embracing climate restoration. This brings us one step closer to the widespread implementation of climate restoration practices, which is critical to protect our climate and our communities for generations to come."

About the Foundation for Climate Restoration

The Foundation for Climate Restoration (F4CR) is a nonprofit whose mission is to catalyze action to restore the climate by 2050. It uses global dialogue and initiatives to unite the public, policy-makers, and technical and business experts behind the common goal of reversing global warming and restoring a healthy climate for future generations. The F4CR encourages and spotlights achievable solutions to permanently remove excess carbon dioxide from our atmosphere. For more information visit www.f4cr.org.

Media Contact:

Alexandra Pony

250.858.0656

[email protected]

SOURCE Foundation for Climate Restoration
HONG KONG, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CNOOC Limited (the "Company", SEHK: 00883,NYSE: CEO, TSX: CNU) today announced its 2021 interim results for the six months ended June 30, 2021.

In the first half of 2021, faced with the complicated situation, the Company further strengthened its business strategy, firmly advanced various production and operation tasks, and scaled new heights in reserves and production. The commencement of major projects inspired all employees. Thanks to such efforts, we achieved outstanding operating results. Net oil and gas production hit a record high and net profit achieved a significant increase, once again presenting satisfactory performance to shareholders.

Adhering to value-driven exploration strategy, the Company achieved encouraging results. In the first half of the year, 9 new discoveries were made and 14 oil and gas structures were successfully appraised, which further consolidated the Company's resource base for sustainable development. In China, Kenli 10-2 structure was efficiently appraised with proved in-place volume of nearly 100 million tons of oil. High yield gas flow was obtained from the test in the Baodao 21-1 structure, which initially demonstrated its prospect of becoming a gas field with reserve of 100 billion cubic meters. In overseas, two discoveries of Uaru-2 and Longtail-3 in the Stabroek block of Guyana were made, and the aggregate recoverable resources exceeded over 9.0 billion BOE in total.

Six of the new projects planned for the year have safely commenced production, and other projects under construction progressed steadily. In addition, the Company implemented multiple measures to develop the potential of oil and gas producing fields, resulting in stable volume increase. In the first half of the year, net oil and gas production reached a record high of 278.1 million BOE, representing a year-over-year ("YoY") increase of 7.9%. In particular, the net production in offshore and onshore China reached 192.8 million BOE, representing a YoY increase of 10.8%.

During the period, the Company's first offshore large-sized independent deepwater gas field, Lingshui 17-2 has commenced production. The world's first 100,000-ton deepwater semi-submersible production and storage platform, China's self-developed "Shenhai-1" energy station, serving the gas field, has been put into operation, breaking through a number of key core technologies and making a milestone of our capability in 1,500m deepwater exploration and development. It also helps further enhance the Company's capability on increasing reserves and production, speeding up the process of low-carbon emission.

We insisted on improving quality, reducing cost and enhancing efficiency, firmly grasped the opportunity of oil price recovery, thereby achieving a significant increase in earnings, which further proved the excellent capability of our management. In the first half of this year, the oil and gas sales revenue reached RMB100.63 billion, up by 51.7% YoY, net profit amounted to RMB33.33 billion, and earnings per share was RMB0.75, representing a significant YoY increase of 221.0%. Despite the general trend of rising commodity prices and other adversities, we managed to consolidate cost competitiveness, with an all-in cost of US$28.98 per BOE and the operating cost of US$7.31 per BOE. The capital expenditure of the Company in the first half of the year was RMB36.0billion.

In light of the Company's solid financial performance, and to share the fruits of the Company's growth, the Board of Directors has decided to declare an interim dividend of HK$0.30 per share (tax inclusive) for the first half of 2021.

Mr. Wang Dongjin, Chairman of the Company, said, "In the first half of 2021, facing with a complicated external environment, the Company focused on its own development, solidly pushed forward with all major tasks, increased reserves and production. Our competitive cost advantage was further consolidated, net profit increased substantially, and once again delivered outstanding performance in production and operation. Looking forward, with concerted efforts and determination to forge ahead, we will strive to advance the high-quality development and achieve the annual production and operation goals, constantly improve the ability to create value, and reward shareholders with outstanding performance."

-End-

Notes to Editors:

More information about the Company is available at http://www.cnoocltd.com .

*** *** *** ***

This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding expected future events, business prospectus or financial results. The words "expect", "anticipate", "continue", "estimate", "objective", "ongoing", "may", "will", "project", "should", "believe", "plans", "intends" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements.

These statements are based on assumptions and analyses made by the Company in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that the Company believes are appropriate under the circumstances. However, whether actual results and developments will meet the expectations and predictions of the Company depends on a number of risks and uncertainties which could cause the actual results, performance and financial condition to differ materially from the Company's expectations, including but not limited to the Company and its controlling shareholder being listed in the list of the U.S. for sanction against companies with alleged ties to the Chinese military, those associated with fluctuations in crude oil and natural gas prices, macro-political and economic factors, changes in the tax and fiscal regimes of the host countries in which we operate, the highly competitive nature of the oil and natural gas industry, environmental responsibility and compliance requirements, the Company's price forecast, the exploration and development activities, mergers, acquisitions and divestments activities, HSSE and insurance policies and changes in anti-corruption, anti-fraud, anti-money laundering and corporate governance laws. For a description of these and other risks and uncertainties, please see the documents the Company files from time to time with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Annual Report on Form 20-F filed in April of the latest fiscal year. Consequently, all of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements. The Company cannot assure that the results or developments anticipated will be realised or, even if substantially realised, that they will have the expected effect on the Company, its business or operations.

*** *** *** ***

For further enquiries, please contact:

Ms. Jing Liu

Manager, Media & Public Relations

CNOOC Limited

Tel: +86-10-8452-3404

Fax: +86-10-8452-1441

E-mail: [email protected]

Bunny Lee

Porda Havas International Finance Communications Group

Tel: +852 3150 6707

Fax: +852 3150 6728

E-mail: [email protected]

SOURCE CNOOC Limited

Related Links

http://www.cnoocltd.com


MARIETTA, Ga., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Cogitate has expanded RPS's Personal Lines digital platform for multiple personal property lines for new business and post-sale services. Within this digital platform, RPS Underwriters and Retail Agents use innovative built-in messaging, intelligent workflows for seamless collaboration with stakeholders across the value chain, and real-time alert notifications.

RPS has implemented multiple lines of business within personal property such as HO6, HO3, HO5, and DP3 for both new business sales (rate, quote, application, bind, and issue) and post-sale services like Endorsements, Cancellations, Reinstatements, and Renewals. Agents and Underwriters are given the same view and an Administrative Portal allows for creation and modification of underwriting rules. As well, real-time alerts are now available for Underwriters and Agents while processing the account (vs. use of only email, PDFs, etc.).

Integrated into RPS's MyRPS portal, this innovation seamlessly integrates real-time with RPS's existing management system and document management system. Another addition is the integration with a leading eSignature provider to simplify and accelerate the user experience. Further digital acceleration includes 3rd party data prefill from data providers like Google Maps, Zillow, e2Value, HazardHub, and more, to fast-track (in seconds) risk information collection, validation, and the quoting process.

Arvind Kaushal, Co-Founder & CEO of Cogitate, explains, "Our digital platform will empower RPS's channel partners with modern future-ready technology that improves distribution with on-demand access and insight to grow their businesses. RPS will also be able to provide an optimal digital customer experience similar to digital MGAs. During the integration, RPS will continue to do business as usualas their current processes will be uninterruptedsince Cogitate's Platform can seamlessly integrate with existing core insurance systems."

"We are very excited about working with Cogitate," said Brian Foley, Personal Lines Practice Leader for RPS. "Our promise is to help agents come through for their clients. Cogitate's innovative digital platform will further strengthen our ability to deliver on that promise and offer an unmatched customer experience. Also, this technology offers straight-through processing with built in workflows for Underwriter approvals which will make it easy for our channel partners and clients to do business with us."

About Cogitate Technology Solutions

Cogitate Technology Solutions, Inc., develops innovative technology products for the Property & Casualty Insurance Industry. Cogitate helps a variety of insurance providers transform their business models to create a competitive advantage in a time of rapid industry change. Cogitate's next-generation technology products enable insurance carriers, brokers, MGAs, and agents to accelerate digitalization and expand their businesses. Cogitate is Headquartered in Marietta, GA, and has a major development center in Navi Mumbai, India. For more information, please visit www.cogitate.us.

Additional Resources

Cogitate DigitalEdge Insurance Platform

Cogitate Digital Insurance

Cogitate Distribution Management

Cogitate Intelligent Claims

Media Contact:

Michael Palmisano

954 Digital, Inc.

[email protected]

1904 Leland Drive, Marietta,

GA 30067 USA.

Web: https://www.cogitate.us/

Blog: https://cogitate.us/blog/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cogitate-technology-solutions/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Cogitate-Technology-Solutions-313805012108651

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ctsimumbai

All other registered trademarks, trademarks, or service marks belong to their respective companies.

SOURCE Cogitate Technology Solutions, Inc.

Related Links

https://www.cogitate.us


MELBOURNE, Fla., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Lauren Przybyl, Good Day Fox 4 Dallas/Fort Worth anchor, is joining the Preeclampsia Foundation as the honorary chair of the virtual Promise Walk for Preeclampsia Wherever event happening Saturday, August 28, 2021, to raise awareness of life-threatening hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

Lauren Pryzbyl and Family

The cause is personal: Lauren was 33 weeks pregnant with her second child when her blood pressure started elevating. Concerned about preeclampsia, a life-threatening pregnancy condition characterized by high blood pressure and organ dysfunction, her doctors admitted her to the local hospital, where they administered steroid shots to strengthen her unborn baby's lungs.

Though she was discharged, only a few days later, her husband Shane took her back to the hospital when she knew that something just didn't feel right.

"It was the worst pain of my life," Lauren said. "I couldn't move my neck, my back, my shoulders." Her care providers found that Lauren's blood pressure had spiked to twice its normal level and that her liver was failing. She had developed HELLP syndrome, a severe form of preeclampsia that affects the liver and platelets. They would have to deliver her baby immediately.

Thankfully, Lauren and her baby boy Beck made it through their experience and came home to her husband and three-year-old daughter Landry. Some mothers aren't that fortunate: globally, 25% of all HELLP syndrome cases end in maternal death.

Today, Lauren uses social media, her role as a news anchor, and her partnership with the Preeclampsia Foundation to raise awareness of pregnancy complications.

"As chair of this year's virtual Promise Walk Wherever, I am using my voice to reach other women and let them know that they are not alone in their pregnancy experiences," said Lauren. "I look forward to ensuring the Preeclampsia Foundation is around for other moms like me for years to come through the work we do today."

The Promise Walk for Preeclampsia is the signature awareness and fundraising event of the Preeclampsia Foundation, typically held in 30+ locations across the United States. In 2020, however, the Foundation pivoted to ensure its community stayed connected through the national "Promise Walk Wherever" which challenges the community to participate wherever they are.

"Our mission became even more critical with the arrival of COVID-19," said Foundation Chief Executive Officer Eleni Tsigas. "We know some prenatal and postpartum appointments have become virtual, but we also know that COVID presents new risk for pregnant patients. Being aware of signs and symptoms and monitoring blood pressure remains critically important to patient care."

That's why funds from this year's Promise Walk will go to support programs like the Foundation's Cuff Kit, introduced last year so that at-risk patients can receive a home blood pressure monitor and education kit when being monitored through telehealth appointments. To date, the program has distributed over 10,000 kits. Lauren is encouraging everyone to join her team "Great Mommy Moments" at www.promisewalk.org or start a team of their own. Then, on Saturday August 28, the public can tune into the Foundation's Facebook page for a live day of videos, stories, a virtual auction, and healthcare information, including guest speaker Dr. Rachel Bond of the Association of Black Cardiologists, who will speak about the long-term risks of preeclampsia and what women can do to manage their heart health.

At 8 pm (EST), candles will be lit in households all over the country to honor survivors and hold in remembrance those moms and babies lost to preeclampsia.

Form a team, walk on your own or join Lauren's team to win prizes and participate in the walk from wherever you are on Saturday, August 28.

About the Preeclampsia Foundation

The Preeclampsia Foundation is a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established in 2000 to improve the outcomes of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy by educating, supporting, and engaging the community, improving healthcare practices, and finding a cure. We envision a world where preeclampsia and related hypertensive disorders of pregnancy no longer threaten the lives of mothers and babies. For more information, visit www.preeclampsia.org .

Contact: Laney Poye

321.421.6957

[email protected]

SOURCE Preeclampsia Foundation
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Attorneys David P. Meyer and Matthew R. Wilson, Principals at the law firm of Meyer Wilson, were selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2022.

Both attorneys were also awarded the publication's highest distinction as a Best Lawyers "Lawyer of the Year" in their respective areas of practice:

David P. Meyer was named a 2022 Columbus Best Lawyers "Lawyer of the Year" in Professional Malpractice Law  Plaintiffs. He was previously named a "Lawyer of the Year" in 2015 and 2021.

was named a 2022 Columbus Best Lawyers "Lawyer of the Year" in Professional Malpractice Law  Plaintiffs. He was previously named a "Lawyer of the Year" in 2015 and 2021. Matthew R. Wilson was named a 2022 Columbus Best Lawyers "Lawyer of the Year" in Mass Tort Litigation / Class Action  Plaintiffs.

Peer-Reviewed Ratings

Best Lawyers is a legal rating service that recognizes attorneys who have demonstrated exceptional knowledge and success in their areas of practice. Because selections are based entirely on peer review, Best Lawyers honorees are viewed as leaders held in the highest regard by their colleagues.

Given its stringent criteria and emphasis on peer evaluations, no more than 5% of all practicing attorneys are named to the final Best Lawyers publication. Only one attorney in each practice and geographic area  the one who has received the most votes from peers  is given the Best Lawyers "Lawyer of the Year" award.

A Nationwide Practice Backed by Results

As Principals of Ohio-based Meyer Wilson, David P. Meyer and Matthew R. Wilson have helped their practice earn national acclaim in complex class actions, mass torts, and investment fraud and misconduct claims.

David P. Meyer, Managing Partner and lead attorney for the firm's investment loss practice, has been named to The Best Lawyers in America since 2011 and is a 3-time "Lawyer of the Year" recipient. Meyer has represented over 1,000 investors nationwide in cases involving investment fraud, broker misconduct, and FINRA arbitration. His record of success includes the largest jury verdict in Ohio history: a $261 million recovery against Prudential Securities on behalf of hundreds of retirees.

At the helm of Meyer Wilson's class action and mass tort practice, Matthew R. Wilson has prosecuted cases against powerful defendants in high-stakes litigation involving defective products, consumer protection violations, wage left, medical information privacy, deceptive advertising, and securities fraud. Wilson has served as court-appointed class counsel in many national-scale cases involving Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) violations. His record of success in these cases includes some of the largest TCPA settlements and a total recovery amounting to more than $300 million in cash for consumers.

Meyer Wilson is a U.S. News "Best Law Firms" Tier 1 rated practice that serves wronged consumers, investors, and victims nationwide. For more information, visit: www.meyerwilson.com.

SOURCE Meyer Wilson

Related Links

http://www.meyerwilson.com


DDC, most well-known for its data-based, goal-driven solutions, including freight billing, customs brokerage processing, and IT outsourcing  has experienced continued growth despite the challenges of 2020.

"It's an honor to be recognized as one of the fastest-growing companies in the nation two years in a row," said Art Zipkin, company President and Chief Commercial Officer. "It spotlights how our entire team steps up and continually rises to fulfill the needs of our clients."

Not only have the companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 been very competitive within their markets, but this year's list also proved exceptionally resilient and flexible given 2020's unprecedented challenges.

"Building one of the fastest-growing companies in America in any year is a remarkable achievement, says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. "Building one in the crisis we've lived through is just plain amazing. This kind of accomplishment comes with hard work, smart pivots, great leadership, and the help of a whole lot of people."

The Inc. 5000 list showcases the top privately held companies in the country. DDC's continued growth may be a sign of a shift in the mindset of the majority as they embrace the role of technology in the transportation and logistics sector.

A recent DDC study found that many in the industry fast-tracked initiatives to combat the ripple effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on transforming their operations to become leaner, more agile, and more efficient. This included moving away from manual processes and increasing connectivity and communication with external resources.

"Our continued growth not only is a testament to our industry embracing the concept of hiring the best talent to do the job, no matter where in the world they are located," explained Chad Crotty, DDC's VP of Sales. "It is also a direct result of expanding our service capabilities for our partners," he said.

Among the 2021 Inc. 5000, the average median three-year growth rate soared to 543 percent, and median revenue reached $11.1 million. Together, those companies added more than 610,000 jobs over the past three years.

To learn more about DDC FPO and its services, please visit DDCFPO.com.

About DDC FPO

DDC FPO is a strategic business process outsourcing (BPO) partner for today's leading transportation and logistics providers that enables clients to focus on core competencies and achieve their goals. As the freight-focused member company of The DDC Group  a worldwide network of BPO companies  DDC FPO is able to serve clients in over 30 languages across North America, UK, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. Solutions include data-based, goal-driven front and back office programs such as Freight Billing, Customs Brokerage Processing, and IT Outsourcing, among others. To learn more, visit www.ddcfpo.com .

SOURCE DDC FPO LLC
TURKU, Finland, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- DelSiTech Ltd, the leader in silica based ophthalmic drug delivery technologies with its headquarters in Turku, Finland, and Visus Therapeutics, Inc., a Seattle-based American clinical-stage company developing innovative eye care solutions for patients globally, today announced an exclusive licensing and collaboration agreement pertaining to the development of a range of novel long-acting ocular therapeutics. The agreement, exclusive to therapeutic assets held by Visus Therapeutics, signals the continued commitment of both parties to develop leading solutions for patients around the world across six unique development programs targeting the management of ocular diseases of the back and front of the eye.

Management of ocular disorders affecting the posterior segment continues to pose a central challenge in drug development today. Ailments can be highly debilitating and significantly lessen patients' quality of life or even lead to blindness if left untreated, while treatments remain highly invasive. Additionally, ocular diseases of the anterior segment can be equally debilitating and represent significant burdens on public health; however, current treatment options can be extremely inefficient with regimens requiring excessive daily dosing, a regimen that is also often deviated from due to lifestyle and routine, hindering the treatment's efficacy.

The development of effective remedies, while challenging, relies heavily on innovative approaches taken by ophthalmology centric companies such as Visus Therapeutics. Furthermore, the need for long-term therapeutic relief for typically chronic ocular disorders has remained largely unaddressed, perpetuating the significant treatment burdens experienced by patients receiving frequent intra-ocular injections or demanding topically administered regimens.

"By expanding our portfolio to include investigational drugs for glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration and leveraging this innovative drug delivery technology, Visus is well positioned to develop a new generation of therapies that could potentially change the standard of care for these sight-threatening conditions," said Ben Bergo, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer at Visus Therapeutics. "This represents a significant step forward in our strategy as we evolve into an innovation-driven ophthalmic platform company armed with differentiated, patent-protected assets driven by a world-class leadership team."

DelSiTech's Silica Matrix, an innovative drug delivery technology platform, enables the long-acting controlled release of both small drug molecules as well as biologics in a wide range of tissues, including the intravitreal space inside the eye, for durations in excess of several months, presenting an alternative to frequent invasive procedures, or in the case of topical treatments, truly once daily dosing. Many small molecule drugs are poorly retained in the eye, often eliminated in a matter of hours from the vitreous body or less in the case of topically administered treatments. In these instances, a controlled release dosage form would be the only viable option for treating the diseases of the posterior and anterior segment.

Dr. Lasse Leino, Chief Executive Officer of DelSiTech commented, "DelSiTech has a long-standing keen focus on ophthalmic drug delivery, as an area where we feel that patients still remain largely unsupported. This critical unmet need continues to motivate us to forge alliances with leading ophthalmic drug developers such as Visus Therapeutics, who are able to create solutions at the forefront of ophthalmic research. We are truly excited to be playing a role in the future of long-acting ophthalmic medicines, now with this agreement, across such a substantive range of products."

About DelSiTech

DelSiTech Ltd., located in Turku, Finland, is the leading technology specialist in biodegradable silica-based controlled release of small molecule drugs, biologics and viral vectors. It develops and commercializes its proprietary, drug delivery technology in collaboration with a number of pharma and biotech companies to turn their ideas into novel drug products. For more information, see www.delsitech.com.

About DelSiTechTM Silica Matrix

Silica Matrix is an advanced delivery technology platform for parenteral and local administration of injectable and implant dosage forms as well as eye drops. The proprietary technology is based on silica (SiO2) matrix into which the molecule or therapeutic agent of interest is embedded using a process called sol-gel. The resulting Silica Matrix is non-porous, biocompatible and it can be designed to biodegrade by matrix dissolution at the desired rate to ensure a tightly controlled release of the active substance over periods of days up to many months or a year.

About Visus Therapeutics

Visus Therapeutics is a clinical-stage company focused on developing innovative ophthalmic therapies to improve vision for people around the world. With offices in Seattle and Orange County, Calif., its lead clinical candidate is BRIMOCHOL, an investigational drug designed to be a once-daily eye drop to correct for the loss of near vision associated with presbyopia. In parallel, Visus Therapeutics is focused on advancing its pipeline of early-stage ophthalmic product candidates with applications in ocular surface disease, glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration. For more information, visit www.visustx.com.

SOURCE DelSiTech
CHERRY HILL, N.J., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, today released the results of its annual Money Matters survey, revealing a systemic savings issue among the underbanked and unbanked communities.

This year's survey, which targeted the underbanked and unbanked, found that despite a recovering economy, Americans are still struggling to save or maintain a strong financial standing, with only 11% of underbanked respondents having a savings account. The term unbanked describes individuals who do not use banks or credit unions for their financial transactions and do not have a checking nor savings account. Underbanked consumers have either a checking or savings account, but also rely heavily on alternative financial services.

More than half of underbanked and unbanked respondents (54% and 52%, respectively) said that they save/put aside less than $50 a month. Among this segment, one-half of the underbanked (48%) and unbanked (53%) do not have enough savings to cover three weeks of living expenses, with just one in five (21%) of those consumers able to fund $1,000 or more on short notice.

In addition to the financial challenges to afford basic needs, just over one-quarter (26%) of the unbanked admit that they do not have any means to pay for emergency expenses. When it comes to accessing emergency funds, the average underbanked American uses credit cards (58%, vs. 43% among the unbanked) and, more recently, stimulus checks (74% vs. 55%).

"While the pandemic has prompted many Americans to reevaluate their savings, we continue to see the greatest challenges impacting populations that do not have access to mainstream financial services and products," said Alissa Van Volkom, Head of Consumer Deposits, Products and Payments at TD Bank. "Maintaining a healthy savings is key to preparing for unexpected hardships, which reinforces the need for more accessible and inclusive account offerings and resources that support long-term financial wellness."

Social Media Emerges as a Potential Source for Financial Advice

From a change in work lifestyle to cutting down unnecessary expenses, the pandemic forced many individuals to re-evaluate and reprioritize how they deal with money.

Despite the belief that the pandemic urged more money-consciousness, the unbanked community still did not seek out external advice amid lifestyle and financial challenges. In fact, many underbanked (36%) and unbanked (44%) respondents shared that they do not receive financial advice. For those who did, the primary channel was from friends or family (27% and 25%, respectively).

On the other hand, social media proved to be an emerging source for financial advice, with more than one-in-four respondents (29%) from both underbanked and unbanked groups stating they are open to receiving advice via this channel.

Hidden Fees Remain a Top Concern

Despite banks shifting to help consumers during COVID-19, including waiving fees and suspending some monthly payments, fees remain top of mind among underbanked and unbanked communities. Nearly one-half of unbanked respondents cited high fees and hidden fees as their primary concerns (48% and 40%, respectively).

"The importance of a safe and affordable banking account has never been clearer than during the pandemic  but fear of fees can keep consumers from accessing mainstream financial products," said Jonathan Mintz, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund. "We created the Bank On National Account Standards with this in mind, requiring low monthly costs and no overdraft or insufficient fund fees  and we are thrilled to Bank On certify TD Bank's TD Essential Banking account."

Supporting TD Customers

TD Bank recently launched TD Essential Banking, a low-cost, no-overdraft-fee deposit account. Customers are able to bank with no minimum daily balance requirements. This account is designed to meet the needs of more customers, in more communities, by providing additional affordable access to mainstream financial services. For more information on TD's Essential Banking account, please visit our website.

In addition to the new account offering, TD Bank made changes to its overdraft policy. All TD deposit account customers will benefit from these updates, which went into effect at the beginning of August.

To best support customers, TD Bank is also expanding its suite of financial education tools, offering accessible and customized resources across a variety of important topics. This includes the addition of new content to the TD Bank Learning Center, which offers tools, resources and learning modules for managing money and reaching financial goals, including a student budget calculator and budget worksheet. TD will also incorporate financial education into its customer onboarding and retention programming, with plans to partner with TD customer service representatives to identify specific needs and deliver targeted resources to customers via SMS text message and other communication channels.

Survey Methodology

The study was conducted among a representative group of 1,002 respondents, 500 Underbanked and 502 Unbanked across the United States from July 16-22, 2021. The unbanked describes individuals who do not use banks or credit unions for their financial transactions and have neither a checking nor savings account. Underbanked consumers have either a checking or savings account, but also rely on alternative financial services. The survey was hosted by global research company MARU/Matchbox.

About MARU/Matchbox

Maru is a world leading CX and Insights Software & Advisory Services company. Maru was founded to disrupt the data and insight delivery industry with a combination of Software & Advisory Services delivering data in real-time via a unique service model. Maru helps its clients make informed decisions in near real-time by combining proprietorial software, deep industry experience and access to the best minds in research. Maru's flexible service model means our clients can choose to self-serve our Software directly to create, launch and analyze projects; or choose to utilize our Software with knowledgeable support from insights experts. Maru successfully delivers major national and international CX and CEM programs for Enterprise organizations.

About TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank

TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, is one of the 10 largest banks in the U.S., providing more than 9.5 million customers with a full range of retail, small business and commercial banking products and services at more than 1,220 convenient locations throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Metro D.C., the Carolinas and Florida. In addition, TD Bank and its subsidiaries offer customized private banking and wealth management services through TD Wealth, and vehicle financing and dealer commercial services through TD Auto Finance. TD Bank is headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J. To learn more, visit www.td.com/us. Find TD Bank on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TDBank and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TDBank_US and www.twitter.com/TDNews_US.

TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, is a member of TD Bank Group and a subsidiary of The Toronto-Dominion Bank of Toronto, Canada, a top 10 financial services company in North America. The Toronto-Dominion Bank trades on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges under the ticker symbol "TD". To learn more, visit www.td.com/us.

SOURCE TD Bank

Related Links

http://www.TDBank.com


CHICAGO, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new market research report "Digital Oilfield Market by Solution (Hardware, Software & Service, and Data Storage Solutions), Processes (Reservoir, Production, Drilling Optimizations, Safety Management), Application (Onshore and Offshore), and Region  Global Forecast to 2026", published by MarketsandMarkets, the global Digital Oilfield Market size is expected to grow from an estimated USD 24.3 billion in 2021 to USD 32.0 billion by 2026, at a CAGR of 5.6%, during the forecast period. The key drivers for the digital oilfield market include new technological advancements in oil & gas industry; increased return on investment in oil & gas industry; and growing need for maximizing production potential from mature wells.

Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=904

By application, the onshore segment is the largest contributor in the digital oilfield market during the forecast period.

The onshore segment is estimated to lead the digital oilfield market. North America was the largest market for onshore application segment in 2020. Increasing number of onshore oil & gas and mature fields is expected to drive the digital oilfield market. Onshore wells are extensively drilled globally, with more oil and gas production potential from regions such as the Middle East, North America, Africa, and Asia Pacific. The demand for digital oilfield services and solutions in the onshore application segment is increasing as the cost incurred in oil & gas activities such as drilling and well completion is less onshore compared to the offshore application. The complexity in deepwater drilling, along with the increasing adoption of digital oilfield techniques in regions such as the Middle East and North America, where the maximum oilfields are located onshore, is expected to drive the market for the onshore segment.

By solution, the hardware solutions segment is expected to be the largest contributor during the forecast period.

The hardware solutions segment is estimated to lead the digital oilfield market during the forecast period. The hardware solutions segment includes distributed control systems (DCS), supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), smart wells, safety systems, wireless sensors, programmable logic controller (PLC), computer equipment & application hardware, process automation manager, and human-machine interaction instrument, which is responsible for surveillance and communication data transfer in both onshore and offshore fields. The market for hardware solutions segment is driven by the growing need to reduce nonproductive time, which increases emphasis on such hardware components offered by this segment. Europe is estimated to hold the largest share of the digital oilfield market, followed by North America because of the growing need for reducing manual intervention and rising demand for big data management are expected to drive the market for digital oilfield market.

Browse in-depth TOC on "Digital Oilfield Market"

324  Tables

57  Figures

293  Pages

View Detailed Table of Content Here: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/digital-oilfield-market-904.html

By process, the production optimization segment is expected to be the largest contributor during the forecast period.

The production optimization held the largest share of the digital oilfield market, by process in 2020. The growth of the production optimization segment is driven by the need to improve production efficiency. The market for the production optimization in Europe is expected to grow at the 5.8% CAGR during the forecast period.

Europe is expected to be the largest market during the forecast period.

Europe accounted for the largest share of the global digital oilfield market in 2020. The scope of the European market includes the UK, Norway, Russia, and the Rest of Europe. The Rest of Europe includes Denmark, Italy, and Germany, among others. According to the International Energy Agency, the total crude oil produced by the region in 2019 was 17.1 million barrels per day, which declined by 0.05% as compared to 2018. Moreover, new explorations and field development activities are increasing, thus increasing the opportunities for developing new fields digitally.

Moreover, Europe is a leading region for offshore activities as the oil operators and oilfield service (OFS) providers are targeting the new fields and reserves from the UK and Norwegian continental shelf. For instance, Equinor, a Norwegian oil upstream operator, explored oil in the Johan Sverdrup field, which was under development, and started production in 2019. In the Johan Sverdrup, Equinor awarded a contract to Alcatel Submarine for reservoir management. Such projects create a strong market for digital oilfields in Europe. As per the BP Statistical Review 2020, Russia and Norway held approximately 72.2% of the total oil reserves in the European region in 2019. As per the EIA, countries such as Russia, France, Ukraine, and Poland have considerable shale gas resources, and further development of these reserves in these countries is expected to drive the growth of the digital oilfield market in the region. According to Baker Hughes' Worldwide Rig Count report for March 2019, the rig count in the European region had observed a consistent growth from the last six months. This growth trend creates opportunities for the digitalization of more oil fields in the region. Also, the rising Brent prices and the demand for the Brent basket are driving the digitalization of oil fields in Europe. Digitalization helps in creating an accurate analysis of the data, thus decreasing the time of production from the wells.

The European Unconventional Oil and Gas Assessment (EUGOA) study incorporates data for a total of 82 shale formations within 38 geological basins covering 21 countries of Europe. These untapped sources create opportunities for new field developments in the region, which will demand the digitalization of the oil fields. The European Union has also revised its offshore regulatory regime and incorporated new regulations on the safety of oil and gas operations. According to the new regulations, the oil & gas companies are mandated to submit a special report before commencing any offshore drilling operations in the region on the major possible hazards that their operations may have on the environment.

Speak to Analyst: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/speaktoanalystNew.asp?id=904

The key players in the Digital Oilfield Market include companies such as Halliburton (US), Schlumberger (US), Baker Hughes (US), Weatherford International (US), and NOV (US).

Browse Adjacent Markets: Energy and Power Market Research Reports & Consulting

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SCADA Oil & Gas Market by System Architecture (Hardware Components, Software Solutions (Cloud Based & Others), and Services), Value Stream (Upstream, Midstream, and Downstream), and by Region - Trends and Global Forecast to 2022

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Electrical SCADA Market by Architecture (Hardware, Software, and Services), Component (Master Terminal unit, Remote Terminal unit, Human Machine Interface), Application (Generation, Transmission, and Distribution), and Region - Global Forecast to 2022

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/electrical-scada-market-250093732.html

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MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions.

Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model  GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve.

MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets.

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Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/digital-oilfield-market.asp

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SOURCE MarketsandMarkets
LONDON, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Digital Science, a technology company with a vision of a trusted and collaborative research ecosystem driving progress for all, is pleased to announce the launch of a new version of its popular Dimensions platform - Dimensions Life Sciences & Chemistry (Dimensions L&C) - focused on life sciences and chemistry research activities.

Dimensions L&C analyzes more than 120 million scientific publications, millions of patents, grants and clinical trial documents. It is both larger than other databases, and unlike traditional manually curated tools, applies up-to-the-minute semantic text analysis tools and ontologies, providing powerful up-to-date discovery functionality previously unavailable at such scale.

In the past, literature search tools required the user to know exactly what they wanted to find, narrowing down the relevant results and confirming or invalidating pre-defined hypotheses. Thanks to insights systematically captured in ontologies and computational power, researchers can get answers to complex and diverse queries directly from the source content.

Users can search for small molecules, chemical reactions and gene sequences, validate biomarkers, understand disease mechanisms and identify drug targets. They can also quickly discover relevant chemical information in broader life sciences and chemistry research areas working with a chemistry structure editor and a biosequence search for nucleotides and proteins. Different from other products, data is identified in full-text documents on a daily basis, creating a highly comprehensive and up-to-date resource.

Digital Science recently announced a collaboration with OntoChem ( www.ontochem.com ). Dimensions L&C uses the ontologies from OntoChem, which include around 40 million concepts and 100 million synonyms from more than 35 knowledge domains such as compounds, proteins, diseases, drugs, materials, methods, devices or species, enabling a high quality, context sensitive knowledge discovery tool.

Christian Herzog, CEO Dimensions, said: "There is an ever growing publication haystack and researchers need to find the needles of information quickly and efficiently. In the past you needed to know what to ask the search engine in order to find it, but with Dimensions L&C, we are now providing next generation discoverability for life sciences and chemistry researchers: an ontology driven retrieval engine which identifies relationships and links in more than 120m publications - allowing the researcher to move on from search to AI-supported discovery."

Dimensions is used by scientists, academic institutions, funders and industry. Its database offers the most comprehensive collection of linked data in a single platform; from grants, publications, datasets and clinical trials to patents and policy documents. Because Dimensions maps the entire research lifecycle, research can be followed from funding through output to impact. It has transformed the way research is discovered, accessed and evaluated.

Digital Science is a technology company working to make research more efficient. We invest in, nurture and support innovative businesses and technologies that make all parts of the research process more open and effective. Digital Science's Consultancy group works with organisations around the world to create new insights based on data to support decision makers. Visit www.digital-science.com and follow @digitalsci on Twitter.



Contact:

[email protected]

SOURCE Digital Science

Related Links

https://www.digital-science.com


NEW YORK, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As the country continues to navigate return-to-work realities, questions and concerns abound for businesses that rely on corporate travel. DWELLoptimal Inc (www.dwelloptimal.com), leverages technology to deliver customizable best-in-class, extended--stay and hybrid work solutions, allowing business travelers to be their most productive selves. The firm announced today it has partnered with M Moser Associates (https://www.mmoser.com/en/) as its lead design architect in its pursuit of achieving that goal.

M Moser Associates has a global presence and track record of success completing over 8,000 projects in 45 countries over the past 40 years in business. Their strategy, design, and engineering experts focus on the people that inhabit the spaces they conceptualize.

"We are prioritizing work in the context of this new hybrid model, and M Moser's position as the pre-eminent workplace strategy firm made them the obvious choice to help us design optimal environments for corporate use," said Craig James, Founder and CEO of DWELLoptimal Inc.

"We are excited to partner with DWELLoptimal to implement game-changing optimizations for work | life experience; and to use our holistic design process to create balanced, healthy, high-performance environments where people and organizations can meet and exceed their potential," said Dr. Christine Bruckner, FAIA Director at M Moser Associates.

Enabling Hybrid Work

While the corporate apartment concept has been around for decades, DWELLoptimal stands apart from an increasingly crowded landscape of branded accommodations. Created to optimize the work|live equation for corporations, DWELL places the focus for business travel on one underlying deliverable  productivity.

Equipped with robust workplace, technology, and well-being features, DWELLoptimal tailored environments serve to meet personal and professional needs. It's a formula designed to keep increasingly mobile employees and top performers functioning at a high level.

In the quest for the best and most diverse talent, DWELLoptimal offers corporates an opportunity to use real estate as an attraction and retention tool. "We create secure work|live environments that are designed for high-value employees to actually be valuable," James says. "Why wouldn't you give your employees access to more productive environments?"

For press inquiries, contact Charlie Bernard at [email protected].

About DWELL optimal | Where Business Lives

DWELLoptimal is a real estate technology company that provides a new standard in productivity-focused design for extended stay business travelers. The DWELL platform ushers in new efficiencies for the corporate traveler through technology-enabled, responsive environments that cater specifically to the needs of business. DWELLoptimal provides corporate clients with an integrated software platform for managing utilization, controlling unit environments remotely and allowing employees to tailor elements of their work|live spaces. The DWELL mission is to 'standardize and optimize' corporate extended-stay travel, enabling business travelers to be their most productive selves.

About M Moser Associates

M Moser Associates is a global architecture, design, strategy and delivery firm with more than 1,000 professionals networked across Asia, India, Europe, and the Americas. Since 1981, we have helped transform organizations large and small as they've expanded locally and globally, providing solutions that meet the unique needs of their business and their people.

Today, work happens everywhere, and the purpose of the office and the role it serves for employees is evolving. We believe that now, more than ever, a company's physical workplace is a critical resource for creation, socialization and culture building. At M Moser, we work as one integrated team to align the physical, social and digital elements of your workplace and create healthy, agile and resilient virtual and physical spaces where people can connect, collaborate and do their best work  wherever they may be.

SOURCE DWELLoptimal Inc

Related Links

http://www.dwelloptimal.com


HOUSTON, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Eight lawyers with Jordan, Lynch & Cancienne PLLC have earned recognition in the 28th edition of The Best Lawyers in America, which recognizes the top 4 percent of practicing attorneys in the country.

Firm Partners Kevin Jordan, Walter Lynch, Michael Cancienne and Alaina King Benford have been recognized for a second year in a row. Mr. Jordan and Mr. Cancienne were honored for their expertise in Commercial Litigation. Mr. Lynch was recognized as a leading personal injury litigator for defendants, and Ms. King Benford was honored for her Eminent Domain and Condemnation work.

"We built our firm on one very important idea: our clients come first," said Mr. Jordan. "To have eight attorneys recognized by Best Lawyers  by our peers  is not only an honor, it's confirmation our firm and our attorneys are absolutely on the right path. It doesn't get better than that."

Best Lawyers also named four Jordan Lynch & Cancienne attorneys to its list of "Ones to Watch," which recognizes professional excellence in attorneys earlier in their careers. Attorneys Caroline Carter, Jeb Golinkin, Kelly Hill and Callan B. Edquist received honors for their work in Commercial Litigation. This is Mr. Edquist's first year to be recognized by Best Lawyers.

The Best Lawyers in America is one of the most respected peer-review attorney guides in the country. It is based on confidential client and peer evaluations, as well as extensive editorial research. To read more about Jordan Lynch & Cancienne's Best Lawyers visit: https://www.bestlawyers.com/

Jordan, Lynch & Cancienne PLLC is a Houston-based civil trial law firm whose lawyers have a proven courtroom track record in high-stakes litigation nationwide. They represent clients as both plaintiffs and defendants in commercial disputes, construction matters, products liability, toxic torts, trade secret, and catastrophic personal injury claims. Flexibility in fee structuring is a hallmark of the way the firm does business. To learn more, visit the website at https://www.jlcfirm.com/.

Media Contact:

April Arias

800-559-4534

[email protected]

SOURCE Jordan, Lynch & Cancienne PLLC

Related Links

https://www.jlcfirm.com


SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Electromedical Technologies, Inc. (OTCQB: EMED) (the "Company"), a pioneer in the development and production of bioelectronic devices designed to relieve chronic, intractable and acute pains by using frequencies and electro-modulation, clarifies and corrects its previously published press release disclosing comparative results from the six months ended June 30, 2021 versus June 30, 2020.

Six Months ended June 30, 2021 Highlights

Revenue increased to $369,394 up from $351,625 , a roughly 5% increase over the six months ended June 30, 2020 .

up from , a roughly 5% increase over the six months ended . Selling, General, and Administrative expenses increased by approximately $842,435 , to $2,367,254 , up 55% from the $1,524,819 recorded during the six months ended June 30, 2020 .

, to , up 55% from the recorded during the six months ended . Net loss from operations was ($2,089,192) versus ($1,255,702) during the six months ended June 30, 2020 .

versus during the six months ended . Total net loss increased to ($3,334,916) , or ($0.10) per share, from ($1,291,496) , or ($0.07) , for the six months ended June 30, 2020 .

About Electromedical Technologies

Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, Electromedical Technologies, Inc. is a commercial stage, FDA cleared, bioelectronic medical device manufacturing company initially focused on the treatment of various chronic, acute, intractable, and post-operative pain conditions. Through University collaboration agreements, the Company is working to develop a comprehensive research program in defining the effects of electro-modulation on the human body. By studying the impacts of electrical fields in cell signaling and effects on virus assembly and immune responses, the Company's goal is to reduce pain and improve overall human wellbeing. The Company's current FDA cleared product indications are for chronic acute post traumatic and post-operative, intractable pain relief. For more information, please visit www.electromedtech.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

This release contains forward-looking statements that are based upon current expectations or beliefs, as well as a number of assumptions about future events. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements and the assumptions upon which they are based are reasonable, we can give no assurance or guarantee that such expectations and assumptions will prove to have been correct. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by the use of words like "may," "will," "should," "could," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "believe," "intend," or "project" or the negative of these words or other variations on these words or comparable terminology. The reader is cautioned not to put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, as these statements are subject to numerous factors and uncertainties, including but not limited to: adverse economic conditions, competition, adverse federal, state and local government regulation, international governmental regulation, inadequate capital, inability to carry out research, development and commercialization plans, loss or retirement of key executives and other specific risks. To the extent that statements in this press release are not strictly historical, including statements as to revenue projections, business strategy, outlook, objectives, future milestones, plans, intentions, goals, future financial conditions, events conditioned on stockholder or other approval, or otherwise as to future events, such statements are forward-looking, and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements contained in this release are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made.

Corporate Contact:

Electromedical Technologies, Inc.

Hanover International

Tel.: +1-888-880-7888

Email: [email protected]

https://electromedtech.com

SOURCE Electromedical Technologies, Inc.

Related Links

https://electromedtech.com


DUBLIN, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Encyclopedia of Islam and the Islamic World - 1st Edition" directory has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Never before has the need for accurate, balanced, in-depth information on Islam been greater. In the "Encyclopedia of Islam and the Islamic World" experts from around the world - eminent scholars in anthropology, economics, history, law, literature, political science, religion, sociology, and women's studies - examine all aspects of one of the world's three great religions and its peoples.



No other reference work provides such a comprehensive and accessible treatment of this subject from historical and contemporary points of view.



Key Facts:

400 A-Z articles in 1100 pages, spanning 2 volumes

Articles range from 250 - 5000 word essays

200 black & white and colour illustrations and maps.

Importance Of This Work:

This is the only accessible, yet comprehensive, reference on Islam and the Muslim world

The global conflicts involving Muslim countries and communities demonstrate the ever-increasing need for information and understanding on this subject.

Benefits For Readers:

Essay from expert contributors drawn from around the world

Appendices contain: timeline of Islam and genealogy charts to put events and people in context

Short definitions, biographies, and essays examine the interconnectivity of the social, economic, political, and religious institutions

Bibliographic sources open up a world of continued learning

Fully cross-referenced to help explore related topics.

For more information about this directory visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/7mcgln

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

U.S. Fax: 646-607-1904

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets

Related Links

http://www.researchandmarkets.com


STOCKHOLM, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- EQT Infrastructure V has signed an agreement to co-invest alongside EQT Infrastructure IV in EdgeConneX ("the Company"). Once the transaction is complete, each fund will have an equal ownership stake in the Company.

EdgeConneX is a fast-growing data center platform focusing on demand from the cloud-, content-, and network customer ecosystem, and the Company offers a differentiated combination of hyperscale and edge data centers.

Following the acquisition by EQT Infrastructure IV in 2020, additional growth and development opportunities have been identified, such as winning additional customer contracts, expanding the business' footprint through a proactive build approach in key markets and pursuing accretive M&A. EQT Infrastructure V's participation will help to capture these opportunities and secure support and execution of EdgeConneX's full potential plan that was developed over the last year. The closing of the transaction is expected in Q3 2021. With the acquisition of a stake in EdgeConneX, EQT Infrastructure V is expected to be 55-60 percent invested (including closed and/or signed investments, announced public offers, if applicable, and less any expected syndication), and EQT Infrastructure IV is expected to be 80-85 percent invested.

About EQT

EQT is a purpose-driven global investment organization with more than EUR 71 billion in assets under management across 27 active funds. EQT funds have portfolio companies in Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Americas with total sales of approximately EUR 29 billion and more than 175,000 employees. EQT works with portfolio companies to achieve sustainable growth, operational excellence and market leadership.

More info: www.eqtgroup.com

Follow EQT on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram

About EdgeConneX

EdgeConneX provides a full range of data center solutions worldwide, from Hyperlocal to Hyperscale, from purpose-built to build-to-order, working closely with customers to offer choice in location, scale and type of facility. Delivering flexibility, connectivity, proximity and value, EdgeConneX is a global leader in anytime, anywhere and any scale data center services for a diverse portfolio of industries, including Content, Cloud, Networks, Gaming, Automotive, SaaS, IoT, HPC, Security and more.

More info: www. edgeconnex.com

CONTACT:

Contact

EQT Press Office, [email protected]

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/eqt/r/eqt-infrastructure-v-to-co-invest-in-edgeconnex,c3399897

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Main/87/3399897/1456359.pdf Press Release_EQT Infrastructure V to co-invest in EdgeConneX https://news.cision.com/eqt/i/edge-image,c2945504 Edge Image

SOURCE EQT
This industrial base expansion effort will allow United Safety Technology to increase production capacity of nitrile gloves in locations to be determined, increasing the domestic production capacity by 216M nitrile gloves per month by February 2023.

This effort was led by the DOD's Defense Assisted Acquisition in coordination with the Department of the Air Force's Acquisition COVID-19 Task Force (DAF ACT). HHS' Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) funded this effort through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act to support industrial base expansion for critical medical resources.

"We were excited to work with EverGlade Consulting to help us navigate the procurement process," explained Dan Izhaky, Chairman and CEO of United Safety Technology, Inc. "EverGlade's expertise was critical to our ability to submitting a successful proposal, navigating the negotiation and getting off to a great start with the DOD," he concluded.

UST was founded in 2020 by a group of entrepreneurs with the goal of re-shoring PPE manufacturing back to the USA. They recognized that in addition to the shortage, much of the PPE that was coming in from foreign sources was unsafe and unreliable.

"We're thrilled to be working with UST," commented Eric Jia-Sobota, CEO of EverGlade Consulting. "The repatriation of the PPE supply chain pipeline is critical to our national response to not only the current pandemic but future pandemics as well," he concluded.

About EverGlade Consulting

EverGlade Consulting is a Washington, DC based consulting firm that helps clients navigate the federal landscape. We are inspired by technology-driven companies whose focus is to secure non-dilutive funding through the federal government. We offer services ranging from proposal support through the implementation of systems to comply with federal regulations at agencies including BARDA, the DOD, HHS, NIAID, and DTRA.

For additional information about EverGlade Consulting, visit: https://www.EverGlade.com

Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE EverGlade Consulting

Related Links

www.everglade.com


NEW YORK, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Inc. magazine today announced that Experity Ventures, LLC is No. 653 on its annual Inc. 5000 list, the most authoritative ranking of the nation's fastest-growing private companies. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economy's most dynamic segmentits independent small businesses. Intuit, Zappos, Under Armour, Microsoft, Patagonia, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000.

Experity Ventures, LLC

Joseph Greco, Experity Founder and Chairman, commented, "We are excited and honored to be recognized as part of this prestigious list and to be ranked within the top 15% of companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000. Our growth rate is the culmination of a focused and creative vision and outstanding execution from our dedicated and talented team. We are really just getting started and have our sights on continuing our impressive growth and innovation initiatives."

"The entire Experity Ventures team continues to drive outstanding results with a disciplined, risk-managed approach to our growing position in the uncorrelated, alternative asset space. I am particularly proud of the challenges that we have been able to overcome and continue our growth amid the economic challenges of a global pandemic. We look forward to continuing this trajectory malongside our valued partners as the Experity story continues to unfold," said Ryan Silverman, CEO.

Not only have the companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 been very competitive within their markets, but this year's list also proved especially resilient and flexible given 2020's unprecedented challenges. Among the 5,000, the average median three-year growth rate soared to 543%, and median revenue reached $11.1 million. Together, those companies added more than 610,000 jobs over the past three years.

Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at www.inc.com/inc5000. The top 500 companies are featured in the September issue of Inc., which will be available on newsstands on August 20.

"The 2021 Inc. 5000 list feels like one of the most important rosters of companies ever compiled," says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. "Building one of the fastest-growing companies in America in any year is a remarkable achievement. Building one in the crisis we've lived through is just plain amazing. This kind of accomplishment comes with hard work, smart pivots, great leadership, and the help of a whole lot of people."

Media Contact:

Ryan Silverman

[email protected]

CEO

About Experity Ventures

Experity Ventures, founded in 2019, is the parent company for ProMed Capital, MedSolve, Thrivest Legal Funding, LLC / dba Thrivest Link, Nexify Capital and Nexify Solutions.

ProMed and MedSolve are leading providers of medical receivables funding solutions to healthcare providers, surgery centers and diagnostic and related facilities throughout the U.S. that provide medical services to patients who have been injured as a result of a personal injury accident or event.

Thrivest Link is a direct-to-market pre-settlement legal funding company that has successfully provided thousands of non-recourse advances to individuals with pending litigation while providing injured plaintiffs with funds to pay bills and meet essential expenses during the long and complicated litigation process.

Nexify Capital has entered into several strategic financing and operational partnerships with legal funding companies in the United States. Nexify Solutions develops and markets best-in-class enterprise and workflow software for the legal funding marketplace, which is designed to automate pre-settlement funding from intake to decision analytics, to servicing and payoff, while offering full accounting and reporting capabilities. Experity has offices in Philadelphia, New York, Nevada and Florida.

For more information on Experity, please visit www.experityventures.com.

More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000

Methodology

Companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2017 to 2020. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2020. (Since then, some on the list may have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2020 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Growth rates used to determine company rankings were calculated to three decimal places. There was one tie on this year's Inc. 5000. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.'s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.

About Inc. Media

The world's most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including web sites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Vision Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit www.inc.com.

For more information on the Inc. 5000 Vision Conference, visit http://conference.inc.com/.

Related Files

Inc. 5000 Color Medallion Logo-600pxw.png

Related Images

image1.png



SOURCE Experity Ventures, LLC
Carnivore Meat Company is a family owned and operated business that gained recognition for their exceptional growth beginning in 2019 and have continually been recognized for their efforts. Most recently, they were ranked No. 155 in the Midwest Regionals Inc. 5000 list for 2021.

Carnivore Meat Company has been crafting natural frozen and freeze-dried pet food, treats and snacks since their founding in 2012. Even before the company launched, their flagship brand, Vital Essentials took on a life of its own. "Vital Essentials has been an integral part in our company's growth and in actualizing our mission to deliver our delicious and nutritious, ultra-premium pet food to pet parents, who want us or need us, anywhere in the world," says Melissa Olson, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Carnivore Meat Company.

Not only have the companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 been very competitive within their markets, but this year's list also proved especially resilient and flexible given 2020's unprecedented challenges. Among the 5,000, the average median three-year growth rate soared to 543 percent, and median revenue reached $11.1 million. Together, those companies added more than 610,000 jobs over the past three years.

Carnivore Meat Company is no stranger to exceeding growth expectations with its 141% 3-year growth rate. The company has always taken an innovative approach to their products, manufacturing and even how they do business with others. A key component of their success is the ability to envision emerging market opportunities and proactively aligning the organization to remain on the cutting edge, anticipate accelerated growth and always look for ways to say "YES" to fuel the exponentially growing consumer demand for ultra-premium freeze-dried products.

"Carnivore's Culture has been integral and, in many ways, the catalyst to our rapid growth and success. Our pioneering and innovative mindset, the ability to 'shift on the fly' and our commitment to helping each other get a little better every day are a few examples of our intentional and purposeful approach to the business and the ever changing and rapidly growing industry we serve" states Lanny Viegut, CEO and owner of Carnivore Meat Company. "I'm very proud of our people and blessed that our clients ranging from distributors to retailers to consumers, along with our suppliers, support us in the way they do."

Growth in the pet industry is at an all-time high as more pet parents enter the marketplace and begin their search for pet foods that solve problems like sensitive skin, allergies and weight loss. The COVID-19 pandemic saw a drastic increase in pet ownership to a record breaking 70% in the US, according to the American Pet Products Association (APPA) 2021-2022 National Pet Owners Survey.

There are thousands more people seeking out healthy foods for themselves and their pets, creating numerous opportunities in not just pet food but in all pet related categories as well. Carnivore Meat Company saw an immense surge in sales during the pandemic, but even before that, their sales were on a continual growth trajectory as more pet parents became aware of the ingredients in what they feed their pets and how that affected their pet's health and wellbeing.

"With consumer demand on the rise, Carnivore Meat Company will be investing in more machinery, talent and facility expansions throughout this year and well into 2022. The company's 2019 Sustainability Initiative is in full force to increasing capacities and production efficiencies while intentionally reducing their carbon footprint. The Inc 5000 recognition is just one testament to how much we've grown over the past few years and we will continue to proactively position ourselves for what we believe is a long-term, rapid growth trend in the ultra-premium pet consumable space" says Olson.

"The 2021 Inc. 5000 list feels like one of the most important rosters of companies ever compiled," says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. "Building one of the fastest-growing companies in America in any year is a remarkable achievement. Building one in the crisis we've lived through is just plain amazing. This kind of accomplishment comes with hard work, smart pivots, great leadership, and the help of a whole lot of people."

About Carnivore Meat Company

Carnivore Meat Company is an award-winning manufacturer of ultra-premium raw frozen and freeze-dried pet food and treats. The Green Bay, Wisconsin company's rapidly growing brands include Nature's Advantage , Vital Essentials , VE RAW BAR and Vital Cat , which are distributed to over 6,000 retailers nationwide, in 14 international markets and online to Chewy.com, Amazon, PetFlow.com and others. Long considered a raw pet food pioneer, the company's freeze-dried products division supplies private label, co-packing and ingredients to customers globally. Carnivore Meat Company is family owned and has been recognized for its growth accomplishments and manufacturing excellence with a number of awards in recent years, including Greater Green Bay Chamber Growth Award, Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year Award, Governor's Export Achievement Award, Greater Green Bay Chamber Manufacturing Award of Distinction and Inc 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies. www.carnivoremeat.com

Methodology

Companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2017 to 2020. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2020. (Since then, some on the list may have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2020 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Growth rates used to determine company rankings were calculated to three decimal places. There was one tie on this year's Inc. 5000. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.'s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.

About Inc. Media

The world's most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including web sites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Vision Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit www.inc.com.

Media Contact: Melissa Olson | [email protected] | D: 920-367-4063 | C: 920-615-2460

Carnivore Meat Company LLC., P.O. Box 9227, Green Bay, WI 54308-9227

SOURCE Carnivore Meat Company

Related Links

http://www.carnivoremeat.com


MARGATE, Fla., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- For the past decade, Florida Career College (FCC) in Margate has been serving the community by providing vital access to quality, short-term vocational and career training programs in high-demand verticals like healthcare, business, skilled trades, and information technology.

This commitment was recognized when FCC Margate was honored with the 2021 School of the Year Award by the Florida Association of Postsecondary Schools and Colleges (FAPSC) during the annual FAPSC conference awards program on Friday, August 6.

Florida Career College

"Since the day our doors opened, all of us at FCC Margate have remained committed to making a positive impact in the community through everything that we do," said Mikkel Dixon, FCC Margate Executive Director. "We strive to drive personal and community transformation by empowering students to make a positive and enduring life change. We do this by preparing students with the knowledge and skills they need  both personally and professionally  to succeed. It is truly rewarding work, and we are grateful for this prestigious recognition from FAPSC."

FCC is a member of FAPSC, which serves as an advocate for high-quality career schools and colleges in the state. Established in 1956, FAPSC recognizes excellence in the educational sector with awards during its annual conference.

The FAPSC awards committee selected FCC Margate for School of the Year based on outstanding practices that support and enhance student excellence; significant contributions to private post-secondary education; exceptional commitment to employee and faculty excellence; and important contributions to the local/state community.

"Florida Career College is extremely proud of the achievements in Margate and the contributions this thriving campus has made to the community since opening in 2011," said Dr. Fardad Fateri, President and CEO. "The Margate campus is a leader in our network of schools for their robust student retention, consistently excellence student and employee satisfaction scores, and strong track record of career placement success. Congratulations for this well-deserved honor!"

"The City of Margate is extremely proud of Florida Career College's recognition as School of the Year," said Margate Mayor Arlene R. Schwartz. "We applaud the personalized educational experience offered at the Margate Campus, the dedication of the teachers and staff, and recognize these as important reasons our residents entrust FCC for their educational needs and career advancement. Congratulations!"

Community Impact, On and Off Campus

Over the past several years, FCC Margate has conducted extensive service to the community both on and off campus. The school regularly hosts blood drives for local blood banks, enlists student volunteers for a variety of community service projects, and has partnered with several non-profit organizations for charitable fundraisers.

For example, FCC Margate partnered with the nonprofit 100 People Project to collect donated food items to create Thanksgiving meal kits for families in need during the height of the coronavirus pandemic. The effort provided a Thanksgiving meal, including a turkey, for more than 500 families.

FCC Margate also partners with 100 People Project to collect donated backpacks and school supplies as part of an annual "Back to School" community give-away event, which provides essential items for area students and teachers in need.

"At Florida Career College, we believe that education is a driving force in the community, and supporting the 100 People Project's efforts to supply local teachers and students is one of the many ways we strive to support our community," Mikkel said.

Obsessed With Student Success

One testament to FCC Margate's commitment to excellence is Dalis Cruz, Director of Education, who was also honored by FAPSC as the Administrator of the Year for 2021.

"You can feel the positive, supportive atmosphere here from the moment you walk through the doors," Dalis said. "I really enjoy the diversity of the students and their eagerness to make something of themselves. Our students  we think of them like family. We get to know them. We really care about them, and they see how we as colleagues really care about each other."

"Student success is not just a saying on our campus - it's a lifestyle. We work day in and out to provide the best atmosphere, skills and training to our students and their success means the world to each and every one of us. I'm so grateful to be a part of such an amazing team and even more proud to see every student cross over into their new careers on graduation day," said Instructor Shiresse Ramos.

"The energy at this school is amazing and this is a fantastic team," said Juana Valdes, Senior Admissions Professional.

"FCC Margate is the catalyst for drive and passion, where innovative minds and hearts work together to make every student a winner of their educational career," said Savitria Guthrie, Associate Director of Education.

"I love working at FCC Margate because not only do I find Joy in helping students succeed, but I also have the opportunity to pour into our students. I remind them that they are scholars, I encourage them to continue pushing forward," said Instructor Ashley Zephir.

"Perhaps the best tribute to the important work at FCC Margate can be found in the success of students like Felicia Collings, a Medical Assistant Technician student who was honored with one of 10 FAPSC Foundation scholarships this year," Mikkel added. "Or George Sullivan, who turned his life around through education at FCC Margate and is now a published author. We have helped hundreds of students succeed."

About Florida Career College

Florida Career College (FCC) is an accredited, employee-owned post-secondary career education system with campuses locations in Florida and Texas. FCC offers programs in high-demand fields such as health care, business and skilled trades. Each program is designed to provide every student with the skills, knowledge, and training they need to be successful in their future careers. Students can train for entry-level careers and start building their future in as few as 10 months. For more information visit www.floridacareercollege.edu

Media Contact:

Joseph Cockrell

(949) 812-7749

[email protected]

SOURCE Florida Career College

Related Links

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MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Detroit-based First Independence Bank, one of only 18 Black-owned full-service banks in the country, has filed an application to open a branch in the Twin Cities.

Five banks in the Twin Cities  Bank of America, Bremer Bank, Huntington Bank, U.S. Bank and Wells Fargo  are each supporting First Independence Bank's arrival with capital, research, marketing and other services to assure its start-up and long-term success.

"Each of our companies has doubled down on investments in racial equity within our own organizations and the communities we serve over the past year," said Tim Welsh, vice chair, U.S. Bank consumer and business banking. "The events of that year also showed us the value of thinking and acting differently. So, we asked ourselves what could we do, working together, beyond what we were doing on our own? Helping to support an established, Black-owned bank's expansion into this region rose to the top of the list."

For First Independence Bank, the Twin Cities branch will be the 51-year-old enterprise's first outside of its home state of Michigan. It will be located at 3430 University Ave. SE in Minneapolis. The location is a former bank branch that Wells Fargo has donated to Project for Pride in Living (PPL), which is working with First Independence Bank on its expansion into the market.

"We are fortunate to find a site on a major thoroughfare, making it accessible to the large cross-section of residents and businesses that a bank needs to be economically viable," First Independence Bank chairman and CEO Kenneth Kelly said. "Being on a light rail line and a bus route is a plus for the under-resourced communities we hope to serve, particularly the Black community. So is the opportunity to be part of an established commercial area with few nearby banking options." He added that the site also has a drive-through for added convenience, and space to host education sessions and community gatherings.

The branch is expected to open early November. A second location at Lake Street and Hiawatha Avenue is possible in the future, Kelly noted.

"We are thrilled to be working with these five banks to open a branch in the region," Kelly said. "Banks are beacons of hope in their communities, and we intend to be that for the people of Minneapolis, St. Paul and the rest of the Twin Cities, particularly those who are unbanked or underbanked throughout the region."

Damon Jenkins, formerly Wells Fargo's district manager for Minneapolis, has joined First Independence Bank as senior vice president and Twin Cities regional market president.

Kelly said First Independence Bank's decision to open in the Twin Cities came easily after discussions that began in April with several Black business, religious, nonprofit and other community leaders in the region.

"Since First Independence Bank prioritizes services to the Black community and under-resourced businesses and individuals, it was important to me to listen to these leaders about what the community needs and how the bank could make a difference. They welcomed me generously and offered important guidance," said Kelly. As a result, housing will be a major focus for First Independence Bank in the Twin Cities. "Our innovative home loan programs will help reduce one of the largest disparities in the country between Black and white homeowners." The branch also will offer customers ATM and debit card use at any Huntington and Wells Fargo ATM location with no ATM service fee, a loan program to help establish a credit score or repair personal credit, virtual financial education sessions, and more.

One of the leaders with whom Kelly met was Marcus Owens, executive director of the African American Leadership Forum, who began his career in financial services. "The addition of a full-service Black-owned bank will open more opportunities to build wealth, which is critical not only for the Black community but for the entire region," he said.

Helping to bring a competitor into the market might seem counterintuitive, Laurie Nordquist, Wells Fargo's Central lead region president, observed. "But for the five of us, the case is clear. Black households are more than five times more likely than white households to be unbanked. We need to continue our efforts for outreach and inclusion while also supporting a Black-owned bank. This is not an 'either-or' propositionit's a 'both-and' proposition. Supporting a bank like First Independence Bank, with its history and know-how, is part of the change we are collectively working to make in the financial services ecosystem."

Jeanne Crain, president and CEO of Bremer Financial, added that, as a qualified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), First Independence Bank is able to tap into a special CDFI Fund that allows for more favorable lending rates to individuals and businesses in low-income areas. And, although Black-owned businesses exist in many industry sectors in the Twin Cities, the region lacks an established, Black-owned bank. "That's a gap that First Independence Bank is uniquely able to help fill," Crain said.

The choice to work with First Independence Bank also was easily made, according to Michael Jones, chair of Huntington for Minnesota and Colorado. "First Independence Bank has a strong track record and Kenneth Kelly is highly regarded in the industry," he said. "Several of our banks also already have relationships with First Independence Bank." Prior to its merger with Huntington, TCF and First Independence Bank had a partnership in Detroit, which continues today under the Huntington name. U.S. Bank has worked with First Independence Bank through the Federal Treasury Mentor-Protege Program since 2019, and Wells Fargo made an equity investment earlier this year.

"The First Independence Bank branch also will be a point of pride for the entire region," said Katie Simpson, Bank of America Minneapolis/Saint Paul president. "Of more than 5,000 banking institutions in the U.S., only 18 are Black-owned  down from 48 in 2001. Few metro areas can say that a Black-owned bank is part of their community. Now the Twin Cities will be one of them." In addition to today's announcement, Bank of America provided a low-cost deposit to expand lending and made an equity investment in First Independence Bank in 2020.

About First Independence Bank

First Independence Bank is the 7th largest Black-owned commercial bank in the United States. It offers a variety of high-quality banking services from managing accounts to personal loans, mortgages, consumer education and investments. First Independence bank has three locations and offers banking solutions online and digitally through its mobile app. Established in 1970, the bank continues to be a responsible leader, efficiently serving the financial needs of its community, its businesses and its customers nationwide. First Independence Bank is a member of FDIC and Equal Housing Lender. For more information visit http://www.firstindependence.com.

About GREATER MSP

GREATER MSP is the economic development partnership for the 15-county Minneapolis Saint Paul region. Over 300 leading businesses, universities, cities, counties, philanthropies, and others are working together to accelerate the competitiveness of the regional economy and drive inclusive economic growth through job creation, capital investment and the execution of strategic initiatives. For more information go to greatermsp.org.

Electronic Press Kit: https://www.greatermsp.org/pages/press-kit/

SOURCE GREATER MSP
SUNNYVALE, Calif., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- GE Appliances (GEA), a Haier company, and Google Cloud today announced a multi-year partnership to build innovative technologies to elevate the consumer experience in the kitchen and in homes. As the company continues to reinvent itself and the appliance business, GEA turned to Google Cloud for its world-class expertise in data, analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML) to accelerate this evolutionand will integrate these capabilities into its entire appliance development process, from ideation to the production line.

The two companies will work together to develop the next generation of smart appliances with Google Cloud Vision AI. And GEA will benefit from Google Cloud's seamless integration with other Google platforms and technologies such as Android and Google Assistant.

"As the fastest-growing appliance manufacturing company in the United States and with more than a century of industry experience, we are committed to continuing our evolution and fulfilling our promise to deliver the best appliances to our owners and customers," said Viren Shah, CDO of GE Appliances. "Bringing together Google and GE Appliances to co-innovate and build advanced technologies is a key driver propelling this evolution forward."

Google Cloud will also support GEA in enhancing its AI-enabled intelligent product platform, which provides appliance owners with personalized features, insights, and energy-saving recommendations. For commercial customers, the platform will help manage fleets of appliances, decrease unplanned downtime, extend product life, and ultimately reduce their total cost of ownership.

"GE Appliances is an award-winning, smart home innovator that gives consumers the forward-thinking features and capabilities they want and expect," said Dominik Wee, Managing Director Manufacturing and Industrial at Google Cloud. "Marrying GEA's expertise in smart home appliances with Google Cloud's data analytics and AI/ML will deliver industry-leading, innovative appliances and digital experiences that will delight consumers for years to come."

Additional Resources

About GE Appliances

At GE Appliances, a Haier company, we come together to make "good things, for life." We're creators, thinkers and makers who believe anything is possible and there's always a better way. We're a company powered by our people, made stronger through our diversity  allowing us to grow closer than ever before to our owners, anticipate their needs and enhance their lives. In 2021, we were certified as a Great Place to Work, named one of the Best Companies for Multicultural Women by Seramount (formerly Working Mother Media), earned the Achievers 50 Most Engaged Workplaces award, received a perfect score for the fourth year in a row on the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index, and named one of the Top 100 Internship Programs by WayUp.

Since 1907, we've built innovative, quality products that are trusted in half of all U.S. homes. We sell appliances under the Monogram, Cafe, GE Profile, GE, Haier and Hotpoint brands. Our products include refrigerators, freezers, cooking products, dishwashers, washers, dryers, wine & beverage centers, air conditioners, small appliances, water filtration systems and water heaters. To learn more about our company, brands, Corporate Citizenship efforts, economic impact, and working for GE Appliances, visit geappliancesco.com .

About Google Cloud

Google Cloud accelerates organizations' ability to digitally transform their business with the best infrastructure, platform, industry solutions and expertise. We deliver enterprise-grade solutions that leverage Google's cutting-edge technology  all on the cleanest cloud in the industry. Customers in more than 200 countries and territories turn to Google Cloud as their trusted partner to enable growth and solve their most critical business problems.

SOURCE Google Cloud
A new survey released today by Getaway revealed the importance of employees taking free time, as half (50%) of all employed Americans believe that free time allows them to decompress from the stresses and pressures of their life, and 2 in 5 (40%) say having free time helps them strengthen relationships with their family, friends and romantic partners . Despite the benefits that free time has, the majority of employed Americans (83%) report they face at least one obstacle to finding free time , such as feeling there's something urgent that requires their attention, fear of letting their team, clients or customers down, feeling they need to work all the time to advance their career, or thinking they aren't good enough if they don't work all the time. The survey also found that 1 in 4 employed Americans feel that even when they do take free time, like vacation, they still need to be accountable at work , and younger employees are even more likely to feel this way (Gen Z: 33%, Millennials: 25%, Gen X: 26%, Boomers: 16%). Getaway is combating this through collective rest and shutting down business operations entirely.

"Employee burnout as a result of the lack of work-life balance in our country is a problem that runs deeper than the past year, and it requires more than a one-time fix," said Jon Staff, CEO and Founder of Getaway. "Labor Week is not only a way to thank our teams who have been working tirelessly to keep all sides of the business running smoothly, but also a way to cement our commitment to being part of a cultural shift to better work-life balance where free time is encouraged and celebrated. For Getaway to be true to its mission and vision - that free time is a right, and a ritual worth protecting - we need to practice what we preach. We are taking this week to prioritize and celebrate all of our workers and the people who make our business possible."

Getaway was founded in 2015 as a result of Staff's own work stress and burnout. Getaway's tiny cabins were designed to be a space for undistracted time that allows guests to slow down from their busy routines, disconnect from work and technology, and reconnect to themselves and their loved ones. With Labor Week, Getaway is reimagining Americans' relationship with work, recognizing the hard work that employees put in year-round deserves to be celebrated longer than one day, and encouraging all employees to honor their free time. Getaway is investing in collective rest initiatives like Labor Week and encourages other businesses to do the same.

The Labor Week initiative is an extension of Getaway's ongoing commitment to providing work-life balance for employees:

Getaway implemented a permanent remote work policy for its HQ team to better support employees' home lives and is encouraging employees to work in a place that inspires them and makes them happy.

All Getaway employees receive 20% off of annual working days - the equivalent of a four-day work week.

As a hospitality company, committing to a standard schedule is even more nuanced, and the company recognizes some employees will have to work nights, weekends, and holidays to ensure a great guest experience. To balance this, Getaway offers one Friday off a month, called a "Getaday," which acts like a floating holiday.

The company gives 20 mandatory vacation days to all full time employees which they must take annually. Research shows that people are more creative and productive when they take time off. To incentivize employees to take their days, vacation time missed is noted in performance reviews.

Getaway respects colleagues' off days and hours, encouraging team members to stay offline during their off time and requiring them to set an autoresponder so they are less tempted to jump into their inbox while on vacation.

"It's exciting to be at the vanguard of a fast-changing culture. Having time off to look forward to is such a motivator for all of us, however we choose to spend it," said Nick Authenrieth, Northeast Regional Director at Getaway. "That this luxury also applies to all of our part-time employees is totally unprecedented in most of our work lives, especially in hospitality. I am very grateful to watch Getaway continue to evolve, and always for the better."

In 2020, Getaway saw a 150% increase in bookings year-over-year and nearly 100% occupancy on its existing portfolio as people looked for a way to safely travel to socially distant destinations during COVID-19. Earlier this year, Getaway announced a $41.7 million Series C funding round led by Certares, with continued support from existing investors. The Series C funding is helping to accelerate the development and opening of new properties, including new Outposts in the Midwest and the Southeast that opened in April 2021 and an Outpost near Seattle, Getaway's second Outpost in the Pacific Northwest, opening later this year. As Getaway continues to expand as a result of the rise in nature tourism and domestic travel, the company will seek more ways - like Labor Week - to support its employees while providing people around the country with mindful escapes and free time.

Study Methodology

The study was commissioned by Getaway and conducted by Kelton Global, a Material Company, between July 30 and August 4, 2021 among 1,089 employed Americans ages 18+. Results of any sample are subject to sample variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and affected by the number of interviews and the level of percentages expressing the results. In this particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 3.1 percent, from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with all personas in the universe represented by the sample. The margin of error for any subgroups will be slightly higher.

About Getaway

Getaway is a health and wellness hospitality company on a mission to make space in the world for free time, offering mindful escapes to tiny cabins nestled in nature where guests can take a break from work, WiFi, and routines. Getaway builds Outposts, collections of tiny cabins, within a two-hour drive of major cities, outfits them with the comforts of home, and rents them by the night. Everything about the experience, from the location of the land to the design of the cabins and the lack of WiFi and cell service, is designed to help guests unplug from the stress of daily life, reset, and embrace simple pleasures like nature and a campfire. Getaway has 15 Outposts with over 580 cabins located outside of Atlanta, Austin and San Antonio, Boston, Charlotte and Raleigh, Chicago, Cleveland and Pittsburgh, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Nashville, New York, Portland, and Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.getaway.house .

SOURCE Getaway

Related Links

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BANNOCKBURN, Ill., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Great Lakes Credit Union Scholarship Committee recently selected and awarded $1,000 scholarships to six students. The scholarship program is available to any qualifying member, no matter their age or education level. The funds can be used to help pay tuition, accommodations, books, etc. at colleges of the winners' choice.

"We are committed to empowering our members with the resources and tools they need to achieve greatness in their lives," says Steve Bugg, President & CEO of Great Lakes Credit Union. "One of those essential tools is education, and we're thrilled to support these members on their educational journey."

This year, candidates were asked to submit a video essay with their application, making the application process more dynamic by showing not only academic accomplishments but also digital and social media skills.

Congratulations to the winners of GLCU's 2021 Education Scholarship:

Elicia Frelix

Elliana Zerr

Greta Franke

Jessica Pozezinski

Juliel Ravago

Mariama Bah

Visit glcu.org/scholarship for future scholarship opportunities and for more information.

About Great Lakes Credit Union

Founded in 1938, GLCU continues to be a growing staple in our communities. As a not-for-profit financial cooperative, chartered by the State of Illinois and insured by the NCUA, we are guided by a dedicated volunteer Board of Directors and seasoned leadership team and are proud to serve more than 80,000 members with over $1 billion in assets. We are headquartered in Northern Illinois and have 12 branch locations and more than 170 fee-free ATMs locally. GLCU also belongs to the CO-OP Shared Branching Network. Members can access accounts nationwide at over 5,600 institutions with thousands of locations in 50 states, and at any of their 30,000 surchargefree COOP ATMs. All 200+ employee-owners pride ourselves on building lifelong relationships with our member-owners and providing them with financial education during all life stages. Learn more at glcu.org.

Media Contact:

[email protected]

(847)578-7327

Related Images

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GLCU logo

Great Lakes Credit Union

SOURCE Great Lakes Credit Union
FACTS AT A GLANCE Edition: 7; Released: April 2021 Executive Pool: 902 Companies: 44 - Players covered include BASF Corporation; Clariant AG; Cryotech Deicing Technology; DowDuPont, Inc.; Global Ground Support LLC; Inland Technologies; JBT Corporation; Kilfrost Group PLC; UTC Aerospace Systems; Vestergaard Company A/S; Weihai Guangtai Airport Equipment Co., Ltd. and Others. Coverage: All major geographies and key segments Segments: Equipment (De-Icing Trucks, Sweepers, Other Equipment) Geographies: World; United States; Canada; Japan; China; Europe (France; Germany; Italy; United Kingdom; and Rest of Europe); Asia-Pacific; Rest of World.

Complimentary Project Preview - This is an ongoing global program. Preview our research program before you make a purchase decision. We are offering a complimentary access to qualified executives driving strategy, business development, sales & marketing, and product management roles at featured companies. Previews provide deep insider access to business trends; competitive brands; domain expert profiles; and market data templates and much more. You may also build your own bespoke report using our MarketGlass Platform which offers thousands of data bytes without an obligation to purchase our report. Preview Registry

ABSTRACT-



Global Aircraft De-Icing Market to Reach $1.8 Billion by 2026

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Aircraft De-Icing estimated at US$1.4 Billion in the year 2020, is projected to reach a revised size of US$1.8 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 4.9% over the analysis period. De-Icing Trucks, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to record a 4.6% CAGR and reach US$1.2 Billion by the end of the analysis period. After a thorough analysis of the business implications of the pandemic and its induced economic crisis, growth in the Sweepers segment is readjusted to a revised 5.4% CAGR for the next 7-year period.

The U.S. Market is Estimated at $382.3 Million in 2021, While China is Forecast to Reach $290.9 Million by 2026

The Aircraft De-Icing market in the U.S. is estimated at US$382.3 Million in the year 2021. China, the world`s second largest economy, is forecast to reach a projected market size of US$290.9 Million by the year 2026 trailing a CAGR of 4.7% over the analysis period. Among the other noteworthy geographic markets are Japan and Canada, each forecast to grow at 4.5% and 4.1% respectively over the analysis period. Within Europe, Germany is forecast to grow at approximately 4.7% CAGR.

Sweepers Segment to Reach $452 Million by 2026

In the global Sweepers segment, USA, Canada, Japan, China and Europe will drive the 5.2% CAGR estimated for this segment. These regional markets accounting for a combined market size of US$235.5 Million in the year 2020 will reach a projected size of US$343.1 Million by the close of the analysis period. China will remain among the fastest growing in this cluster of regional markets. Led by countries such as Australia, India, and South Korea, the market in Asia-Pacific is forecast to reach US$96.8 Million by the year 2026. More

MarketGlass Platform

Our MarketGlass Platform is a free full-stack knowledge center that is custom configurable to today`s busy business executive`s intelligence needs! This influencer driven interactive research platform is at the core of our primary research engagements and draws from unique perspectives of participating executives worldwide. Features include - enterprise-wide peer-to-peer collaborations; research program previews relevant to your company; 3.4 million domain expert profiles; competitive company profiles; interactive research modules; bespoke report generation; monitor market trends; competitive brands; create & publish blogs & podcasts using our primary and secondary content; track domain events worldwide; and much more. Client companies will have complete insider access to the project data stacks. Currently in use by 67,000+ domain experts worldwide.



Our platform is free for qualified executives and is accessible from our website www.StrategyR.com or via our just released mobile application on iOS or Android

About Global Industry Analysts, Inc. & StrategyR

Global Industry Analysts, Inc., (www.strategyr.com) is a renowned market research publisher the world`s only influencer driven market research company. Proudly serving more than 42,000 clients from 36 countries, GIA is recognized for accurate forecasting of markets and industries for over 33 years.

CONTACTS:

Zak Ali

Director, Corporate Communications

Global Industry Analysts, Inc.

Phone: 1-408-528-9966

www.StrategyR.com

Email: [email protected]

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SOURCE Global Industry Analysts, Inc.

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TSX-V: GBR



VANCOUVER, BC, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Great Bear Resources Ltd. (the "Company" or "Great Bear") (TSXV: GBR) (OTCQX: GTBAF) today provides an update regarding its ongoing fully funded $45 million 2021 exploration program at its 100% owned flagship Dixie Project in the Red Lake district of Ontario.

Significant improvements in the forest fire situation in Northwestern Ontario have allowed the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) of Ontario to remove a work suspension order which was originally issued on July 21st, which had restricted industrial activities over a large area of the Province. With the work suspension rescinded on August 18th, Great Bear will now commence Phase 2 drilling, consisting of:

Ongoing expansion drilling of the LP Fault below 450 metres depth, and along strike beyond the 4 kilometre long Phase 1 grid drilling area, Any additional infill drilling of the Phase 1 LP Fault grid drilling area that may be required, Expansion and infill drilling of the Hinge, Limb and Arrow zones, and Testing of new regional targets at Dixie.

Drills are expected to be active on the Dixie property as of Monday, August 23rd.

About the Dixie Project

The Dixie Project is 100% owned, comprised of 9,140 hectares of contiguous claims that extend over 22 kilometres, and is located approximately 25 kilometres southeast of the town of Red Lake, Ontario. The project is accessible year-round via a 15 minute drive on a paved highway which runs the length of the northern claim boundary and a network of well-maintained logging roads.

The Dixie Project hosts two principal styles of gold mineralization:

High-grade gold in quartz veins and silica-sulphide replacement zones ( Dixie Limb , Hinge and Arrow zones) . Hosted by mafic volcanic rocks and localized near regional-scale D2 fold axes. These mineralization styles are also typical of the significant mined deposits of the Red Lake district.

. Hosted by mafic volcanic rocks and localized near regional-scale D2 fold axes. These mineralization styles are also typical of the significant mined deposits of the district. High-grade disseminated gold with broad moderate to lower grade envelopes (LP Fault). The LP Fault is a significant gold-hosting structure which has been seismically imaged to extend to 14 kilometres depth (Zeng and Calvert , 2006), and has been interpreted by Great Bear to have up to 18 kilometres of strike length on the Dixie property. High-grade gold mineralization is controlled by structural and geological contacts, and moderate to lower-grade disseminated gold surrounds and flanks the high-grade intervals. The dominant gold-hosting stratigraphy consists of felsic sediments and volcanic units.

About Great Bear

Great Bear Resources Ltd. is a well-financed gold exploration company managed by a team with a track record of success in mineral exploration. Great Bear is focused in the prolific Red Lake gold district in northwest Ontario, where the company controls over 200 km2 of highly prospective tenure across 4 projects, all 100% owned: The flagship Dixie Project, the Pakwash Property, the Sobel Property, and the Red Lake North Property, all of which are accessible year-round through existing roads.

Qualified Person and NI 43-101 Disclosure

Mr. R. Bob Singh, P.Geo, VP Exploration, and Ms. Andrea Diakow P.Geo, VP Projects for Great Bear are the Qualified Persons as defined by National Instrument 43-101 responsible for the accuracy of technical information contained in this news release.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

"Chris Taylor"

Chris Taylor, President and CEO

www.greatbearresources.ca

Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements

This release contains certain "forward looking statements" and certain "forward-looking information" as defined under applicable Canadian and U.S. securities laws. Forward-looking statements and information can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may", "will", "should", "expect", "intend", "estimate", "anticipate", "believe", "continue", "plans" or similar terminology. The forward-looking information contained herein is provided for the purpose of assisting readers in understanding management's current expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes.

Forward-looking information are based on management of the parties' reasonable assumptions, estimates, expectations, analyses and opinions, which are based on such management's experience and perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, and other factors that management believes are relevant and reasonable in the circumstances, but which may prove to be incorrect.

Such factors, among other things, include: impacts arising from the global disruption caused by the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak, business integration risks; fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions; fluctuations in securities markets; fluctuations in spot and forward prices of gold or certain other commodities; change in national and local government, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments; risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining (including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations pressures, cave-ins and flooding); discrepancies between actual and estimated metallurgical recoveries; inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities and indigenous populations; availability of increasing costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development (including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals from government authorities); and title to properties.

Great Bear undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information except as required by applicable law. Such forward-looking information represents management's best judgment based on information currently available. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual future results may vary materially. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information.

SOURCE Great Bear Resources Ltd.

Related Links

https://greatbearresources.ca/


The said agreement stipulates the transfer of the ownership of the Iracemapolis factory's land, buildings, machinery and any other properties except for personnel to GWM. And it is expected to be done by the end of 2021. After taking over the factory, GWM will introduce advanced production, quality control, environmental protection and information management concepts that are in line with its global manufacturing standards, so as to build the factory into a smart production base catering to the demands of Brazil and other South American countries. At the same time, the factory will create nearly 2,000 jobs there, drive the development of local industries engaged in supporting, R&D and other services, promote the further transformation and upgrading of the local industrial mix, and contribute more profits and taxes to the Brazilian government.

In fact, South America has served as one of the important strategic markets of GWM, which started to deploy in Chile as early as 2007, and has achieved remarkable results. The first PICKUP and HAVAL SUV models sold were popular among local users, which reinforced GWM's determination to further venture into the South American market. Brazil tops all South American countries in terms of economic strength, land area and population, and serves as one of the seven largest automotive markets in the world, with immense potential for automobile consumption. In addition, GWM has taken Brazil as an important strategic market for enhancing its presence in South America, and it is committed to studying the preference of local consumers and changes in the automotive market. In this case, after acquiring the Iracemapolis factory, GWM will leverage the geographical advantages to advance its development and the implementation of its strategies in the South American market, benefiting local users with intelligent, safe and high-end travel experience.

Nowadays, GWM's sales have been increasing amid COVID-19, which continues to hit international automotive markets. In the first seven months of 2021, GWM's international sales rose by 176.2% year-on-year, which enhanced its confidence in globalization. The Iracemapolis factory, as an important base for exploring the South American market, further demonstrates GWM's strategic ability to seek progress in adversity. In the future, GWM's "global layout" is taking shape, with factories to cover China, Russia, Thailand, India, Brazil and other strategic markets and uniting the 500 sales networks worldwide. This will help to further expand GWM's global presence, contribute to its ambitious goal of selling 4 million vehicles globally by 2025, and enhance its confidence and strength to "win the Chinese market and venture into the world".

SOURCE GWM
In the wake of a disaster, clean water is not only vital for hydration but also for preventing secondary health emergencies resulting from lack of sanitation and hygiene. The earthquake relief effort launched as Tropical Storm Grace slammed Haiti with heavy rain and flooding, complicating the disaster response as the country also contends with political instability and the coronavirus pandemic.

"While it breaks my heart to see Haiti suffering again, this emotion only drives me to do more"

Clean water for the emergency earthquake relief effort is being produced at GivePower's solar-powered desalination plant on the Haitian island of La Gonave, which remains intact and operational. The Solar Water Farm Max was completed in May of 2020 and produces up to 70,000 liters of clean water each day. The system was originally funded, in part, by World Hope International.

"This relief effort is very personal for me, as one of the cities hardest hit, Les Cayes, is my hometown," said Getro Deliscas, GivePower's Solar Water Farm Site Manager in Haiti. "While it breaks my heart to see Haiti suffering again, this emotion only drives me to do more to help my Haitian brothers and sisters. I am grateful to be in a position where I can be of assistance, and I am grateful to GivePower and our partners for their support as we act quickly to deliver critical water to those who need it most."

"Clean water is a necessity every day, and especially in a disaster situation," said John Lyon, CEO and President of World Hope International, which launched the Solar Water Farm with GivePower in La Gonave last year. "We've mobilized a rapid humanitarian response in the aftermath of another powerful earthquake to hit Haiti thanks to the incredible talent and hard work of local staff, such as Getro. His leadership is a perfect example of our mission in action; empowering people with tools to solve big problems in their own communities."

With support from World Hope International, CORE, WISH and World Central Kitchen, Deliscas, his team, and a host of local volunteers bottled and delivered an initial 9,500 liters of water to communities at the epicenter of the 7.2 magnitude earthquake on Tuesday. Amazon's donation of 17,000 20-liter containers to World Hope International will enable the daily deliveries to grow in the coming days. The Solar Water Farm will continue to meet the water needs of the local La Gonave community in addition to supporting the disaster response.

The earthquake has officially claimed the lives of more than 2,100 people to date. More than 12,000 people have been reported injured and an unknown number are still missing. UNICEF estimates that 1.2 million people, including 540,000 children, have been affected by the earthquake in some way. Recent events are a devastating blow to the country, which is still recovering from a deadly quake in 2010 that destroyed the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince and several other cities in the region.

"World Central Kitchen is a team of food first responders, we mobilize with the urgency of now to get fresh meals to those who need them most," said Nate Mook, CEO of World Central Kitchen. "We're grateful for GivePower and World Hope International's support and water for the Haitian community. The situation is evolving quickly and has been especially challenging with the increasing number of patients injured from the earthquake, COVID, and difficulty gathering medical supplies. We are just honored to support and do our part."

"We are so grateful for this partnership with World Hope International and GivePower," said Ann Lee, CEO and Co-founder of CORE. "This comes at a critical time and will be a game-changer, enabling us to quickly deploy teams on the ground to support life-saving operations to those most impacted by the crisis. After working in Haiti to build sustainable communities for over a decade, our priority is to assist the Haitian government and local organizations by supporting the immediate needs of the Haitian people while developing a long-term recovery plan."

About GivePower

GivePower is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to extending the environmental and social benefits of clean, renewable energy around the globe. GivePower uses solar and battery storage technologies to deliver essential services to the developing world. The organization has helped bring clean power and clean water to underserved communities in more than 20 countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America. Visit GivePower at www.givepower.org. Follow GivePower on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

About World Hope International

World Hope International addresses global poverty with sustainable, grassroots solutions with programs that promote dignity and build opportunity and hope in the communities it works alongside of globally. World Hope International responds to both acute crises and systemic challenges, partnering with local communities to implement the most sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions  initiatives that belong to the communities and are centered on their visions for a better future. The organization does it all through strong relationships with faith-based and secular organizations, churches, and governments and individuals who share its compassion for those who have been marginalized, excluded, and not listened to. Visit www.worldhope.org to learn more or follow World Hope International on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Media Contacts

Julia Pyper

[email protected]

Heather Hill

[email protected]

SOURCE GivePower

Related Links

http://www.givepower.org


Reached over $800 million in total transaction volume and 1 million separate earnings paid out, compared to $40 million and 200,000 from the previous year respectively

in total transaction volume and 1 million separate earnings paid out, compared to and 200,000 from the previous year respectively Continued to provide one of the highest earn rates in the market, over 15% despite market volatility and recent crypto price crash

Plans to expand from current crypto deposit and management platform; to provide new services and experiences for all crypto investors

SEOUL, South Korea, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Haru Invest, a service brand name of Block Crafters, formerly known as HaruBank, celebrated its second year of operations by announcing $800 million in total transaction volume, a $760 million increase from $40 million recorded after its first year. With users from over 100 different countries, Haru Invest's Asset Under Management grew by 1500%, also showing a huge increase in separate earnings paid out (from 200,000 to 1 million) during the same period.

The key driver of growth has been Haru Invest's consistent performance in the volatile cryptocurrency market. Haru Invest has been consistently providing highly competitive earn rates, over 15% APR for its lock-up products, to its investors - even throughout the recent crypto price crash in May. Despite Haru Invest offering products that allow flexible withdrawals, over 90% of its users have locked-up their crypto assets to enjoy the high earn rates.

To consistently provide high earn rates for its users, Haru Invest utilizes best strategies with algorithmic trading by its own internal trading team and its long-term strategic partners. Some of the strategies include arbitrage trading, market neutral strategy and spread trading. All partners must pass Haru Invest's many strict selection criteria such as

Firms must have an annual trading volume of at least $100,000,000

Firms must provide at least 18-months of trading history

Firms must present low volatility and profits above industry average.

Having achieved incredible growth over the last 12 months, Haru Invest is looking to go beyond the current crypto deposit and management platform to provide more services for its existing and potential investors. One addition expected in 2021 is Haru Switch, a unique cryptocurrency swapping market whereby users can carry out instant or reserved crypto exchanges. Users will also be able to contribute to the swap pool for earnings; with most of the transaction fees going back to the users.

"It is incredible to see the growth we saw over the last 12 months and this is just the beginning for us. We are following our vision of creating a new paradigm in finance by breaking all barriers and are working towards providing financial freedom to all our investors. With new services expected to come, we will continue to provide the best crypto experience, surfing the rough waves of this crypto market," said Hugo Lee, CEO of Haru Invest.

SOURCE Block Crafters

Related Links

blockcrafters.com


COLUMBUS, Ohio, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Health in Motion Network (HIMN) announces Ray Shealy as the company's new President and Chief Innovation Officer. Shealy joins Co-founder and CEO Brian Slusser and Co-founder Richard Scholz to amplify existing capacities through strategic national acceleration. Shealy immediately contributes the value of his 25-plus years of executive leadership in settings ranging from start-up to Fortune 500. HIMN innovates digitally enhanced healthcare delivery through Dispensed Care Management, leveraging community pharmacists as a trusted market differentiator.

Slusser comments, "Ray has consistently proven his vision and talent for successfully generating healthcare solutions that meet a need. His knowledge about the entire lifecycle of a company, from ideation to execution to expansion, is vitally beneficial as HIMN deploys its digital health platform through pharmacies nationwide."

"Healthcare continues to evolve and find ways to improve through new technologies," says Shealy, adding, "That intrinsic energy is exciting for its opportunity. HIMN is capitalizing on existing trends, elevating the role of pharmacy in care delivery and care management, in coordination with patients and other providers, using leading-edge technology that preserves the value of the personal interaction while making the most of data integration. We see upsides for all stakeholders, throughout the healthcare system."

HIMN's approach uniquely combines data from wearable medical devices, electronic health records, lab reports, and prescription data, centralized in a platform designed to materially improve existing pharmacy and medical systems. Focusing on sustainable, systemic impact, platform functionality includes consolidated record-keeping, efficient communication with the patient/consumer, provider coordination, and workflow optimization, among other features.

HIMN's core team of executives and advisors possess deep and relevant subject matter expertise, including multiple instances of having grown early-stage companies to large-scale success. Shealy's addition to the company indicates strong positioning for near-term progression.



Media Contact: Alec Slusser, [email protected]



SOURCE Health in Motion Network

Related Links

https://healthinmotionnetwork.com/


PORTLAND, Ore., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report, titled, "Hospital-Acquired Infection Control Market by Product & Service (Sterilization, Cleaning & Disinfection Products, Protective Barriers, and Endoscope Reprocessing Products), Infection Type (Hospital Acquired Pneumonia, Bloodstream Infections, Surgical Site Infections, Gastrointestinal Infections, Urinary Tract Infections (UTI), and Others), and End User (Hospitals & Clinics, Ambulatory Surgical Centers, and Others): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20222030." According to the report, the global hospital-acquired infection control industry generated $19.95 billion in 2020, and is expected to generate $25.00 billion by 2030, witnessing a CAGR of 4.6% from 2022 to 2030.

For Right Perspective and Competitive Insights, Get Sample Report at: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/11359

Drivers, restraints, and opportunities

Increase in incidence of hospital-acquired infections, rise in likelihood of epidemic or pandemic outbreaks, and surge in chronic disease incidences drive the growth of the global hospital-acquired infection control market. However, fatal effects of chemical disinfectants hinder the market growth. On the other hand, high potential in emerging countries creates new opportunities in the coming years.

Covid-19 Scenario

Manufacturers of hospital-acquired infection (HAI) control products have been expanding their production capacities for medical nonwovens such as gloves, masks, and gowns to cater to the increase in demand with an outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Increase in the number of Covid-19 cases and rise in need for safety of healthcare workers are projected to increase the demand for protective barrier products and disposable hospital supplies. This would present new avenues for manufacturers of HAI control products.

With rise in number of surgeries performed at hospitals and need for safety and prevention of cross-contamination in clinics, the demand for sterilization and cleaning and disinfection products would also rise.

The protective barriers segment to maintain its lead position during the forecast period

Based on product & service, the protective barriers segment held the largest share in 2020, accounting for more than three-fourths of the global hospital-acquired infection control market, and is estimated to maintain its lead position during the forecast period. This is due to surge in adoption of medical nonwovens such as surgical drapes, face masks, and gowns with increase in Covid-19 cases, rise in number of surgeries, and surge in public awareness toward personal hygiene. However, the sterilization segment is projected to witness the largest CAGR of 5.9% from 2022 to 2030, owing to rise in hospital-acquired infections (HAI), surge in outsourcing of sterilization services, re-introduction of ethylene oxide sterilization, and increase in the incidence of chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and other autoimmune diseases.

Do You Have Any Query Or Specific Requirement? Ask to Our Industry Expert: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/11359

The hospitals and clinics segment to continue its leadership status throughout the forecast period

Based on end user, the hospitals and clinics segment accounted for the highest share in 2020, contributing to more than three-fourths of the global hospital-acquired infection control market, and is projected to continue its leadership status throughout the forecast period. Moreover, this segment is expected to portray the fastest CAGR of 4.8% from 2022 to 2030. This is attributed to increase in the geriatric population that is more susceptible to various chronic diseases, surge in volume of surgical procedures carried out in hospitals, and increase in number of hospitals & clinics worldwide. The report also analyzes the segments including ambulatory surgical centers and others.

North America to continue its dominant share by 2030

Based on region, North America contributed to the largest market share in terms of revenue in 2020, holding more than one-third of the global hospital-acquired infection control market, and is expected to continue its dominant share by 2030. This is due to increase in adoption of sterilization & disinfection products along with contract sterilization services and surge in need for hospital-acquired infection control measures to minimize the prevalence. However, Asia-Pacific is estimated to manifest the fastest CAGR of 5.4% during the forecast period, owing to rise in awareness related to personal hygiene, surge in the number of surgical procedures, availability of trained medical professionals, and favorable reimbursement policies in the healthcare system.

Leading Market Players

3M Company

Belimed AG

Ecolab Inc.

Fortive (Advanced Sterilization Products)

Getinge AB

Matachana Group

Miele Group

MMM Group

Sotera Health LLC

Steris Plc. (Cantel Medical Corporation)

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We have also published few syndicated market studies in the similar area that might be of your interest. Below are the report title for your reference, considering Impact of Covid-19 Over This Market which will help you to assess aftereffects of pandemic on short-term and long-term growth trends of this market.

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Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain.

We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Allied Market Research CEO Pawan Kumar is instrumental in inspiring and encouraging everyone associated with the company to maintain high quality of data and help clients in every way possible to achieve success. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry.

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SOURCE Allied Market Research
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- HR Collaborative is honored to announce its inclusion in the 2021 Inc. 5000. It is the second time that the HR firm has been ranked in the prestigious annual list of the fastest-growing private companies in America.

The criteria for the Inc. 5000 are based on percentage growth in revenue over a three-year period. For the 2021 rankings, that period was between 2017 and 2020. By the nature of the calculation, it's easier to rank early in a company's history but more difficult as a company becomes more established.

"To be included for a second time, after eight years in business, is a real credit to the HR Collaborative team who work so hard for our continued growth and success," said Beth Kelly, president and visionary at HR Collaborative.

For Kelly, making the list after a year like 2020 was especially meaningful.

The inclusion spotlights the flexibility, resilience, and dedication of HR Collaborative staff as they helped clients navigate through the pandemic while also navigating the pandemic themselves. It also highlights a renewed focus from business leaders on the strategic impact of HR and the importance of investing in their talent.

"The people at HR Collaborative are humble and hardworking. Our focus is always on making work better for our clients," shared Kelly. "Being recognized as one of the fastest-growing businesses in the country allows us to raise our heads, look around, and see that we've built something special and that we bring a unique and important service to the clients and communities we serve."

About HR Collaborative

HR Collaborative is a women-owned and led full-service HR firm dedicated to making work better. With more than 400 years of practitioner experience, they fill in the HR gaps that small to mid-sized organizations have today and walk alongside them to build sustainable people practices for tomorrow. To learn more about HR Collaborative, visit https://hrcollaborative.com/

Media Contact

Greg Collette, Marketing Lead

HR Collaborative

616.333.0982

[email protected]

SOURCE HR Collaborative

Related Links

https://hrcollaborative.com/


"Conventional ICE-powered vehicles face intense competition from powertrain electrification, resulting in lower cost and increased range. Further, with the declining trend of ICE-powered vehicles sales, EVs (BEVs and PHEVs) and even full hybrid electric vehicles (FHEVs) are likely to grow at an impressive rate," said Bharath Kumar Srinivasan, Senior Industry Analyst, Mobility at Frost & Sullivan. "From an opportunity perspective, with the continued demand for lowering emissions and fuel consumption, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) should offer direct injection and boosting technologies based on regional preferences, cost, and performance."

Srinivasan added: The global push toward a carbon-neutral economy is leading to ever-stringent regulations, which are impacting regions, with some already committing to the ICE ban while others are still working toward specific commitments. The introduction of the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP) across key global markets will also help standardize fuel economy calculations and emissions.

Key regional insights include:

North America : With the new government supporting stricter emissions norms and reinstating California's capacity to set its own emission standards, downsizing and boosting technologies will find increased adoption, along with 48V mHEVs, to improve emissions and fuel economy.

: With the new government supporting stricter emissions norms and reinstating capacity to set its own emission standards, downsizing and boosting technologies will find increased adoption, along with 48V mHEVs, to improve emissions and fuel economy. Europe : Diesel vehicle sales will continue to decline, while mild hybrids will witness high growth rates. Extended lockdowns across Europe in 2021 and slower economic growth will slow European automotive sales recovery in 2021, with the 16 million unit sales of 2019 getting breached only in 2022.

: Diesel vehicle sales will continue to decline, while mild hybrids will witness high growth rates. Extended lockdowns across in 2021 and slower economic growth will slow European automotive sales recovery in 2021, with the 16 million unit sales of 2019 getting breached only in 2022. ASEAN : Continuing its position as a manufacturing hub, ASEAN is focusing on emission cuts through blended fuels, with vehicle electrification playing a supporting role in mild hybridization in the form of 12V systems.

: Continuing its position as a manufacturing hub, ASEAN is focusing on emission cuts through blended fuels, with vehicle electrification playing a supporting role in mild hybridization in the form of 12V systems. China : While EVs will continue to grow, government support for hybrid vehicles will result in increased adoption of vehicle hybridization by the OEMs in 2021, with the share of conventional ICE vehicles continuing to shrink.

: While EVs will continue to grow, government support for hybrid vehicles will result in increased adoption of vehicle hybridization by the OEMs in 2021, with the share of conventional ICE vehicles continuing to shrink. India : Demand for diesel powertrains in India will increase with expected launches from India's key OEM Maruti Suzuki, while the more stringent CAFE regulations in 2022 will increase powertrain electrification.

Global Powertrain Outlook 2021 is the latest addition to Frost & Sullivan's Mobility research and analyses available through the Frost & Sullivan Leadership Council, which helps organizations identify a continuous flow of growth opportunities to succeed in an unpredictable future.

About Frost & Sullivan

For six decades, Frost & Sullivan has been world-renowned for its role in helping investors, corporate leaders and governments navigate economic changes and identify disruptive technologies, Mega Trends, new business models, and companies to action, resulting in a continuous flow of growth opportunities to drive future success. Contact us: Start the discussion

Global Powertrain Outlook 2021

MG04

Contact:

Melissa Tan

Corporate Communications

T: +65 6890 0926

E: [email protected]

http://www.frost.com

SOURCE Frost & Sullivan

Related Links

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Board members include top global supply chain management executives and academics

TEMPE, Ariz., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Institute for Supply Management (ISM) announced its 2021-2022 Board of Directors during the Annual ISM Membership Meeting in Carlsbad, California on August 19, 2021. Two new Board members were introduced, and Board member, Kristopher Pinnow, CPSM, vice president, global supply chain at Collins Aerospace was elected as Board Chair for a two-year term. The Board consists of senior business leaders representing diverse industries, whose insights and careers align with ISM's mission to advance the profession.

"Our new Board offers an impressive range of knowledge and professional expertise," said ISM Chief Executive Officer, Thomas W. Derry. "With this new group of leaders and diverse insights, ISM remains committed to its mission and supporting the success of global supply chain management professionals."

The following two new leaders join the ISM ranks for a three-year term, to be completed in 2024.

Joe Matthews, MBA, Vice President of Purchasing and Diversity Officer, Gentex

Joe Matthews is head of the global sourcing function Gentex, where he was appointed as the company's first diversity officer in 2018. He joined Gentex in 2010 as a purchasing manager and in 2013 was promoted to purchasing director, with additional responsibilities for supply chain management. His team was responsible for all direct and indirect material goods and services, logistics spend, customs compliance and supplier diversity. In 2014, Joe was promoted to vice president of purchasing.

His supply management resume includes positions at Delphi, Whirlpool Corporation and Management Engineers (now PwC Strategy&). Matthews received a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. He has a master's of engineering, industrial engineering and operations research degree and an MBA from Cornell University.

He serves on the boards for Lighthouse Immigrant Advocates and the Couch Inc., is board chair for OESA's Diversity & Inclusion Council, and sits on Supply Chain Management Advisory Board at Grand Valley State University. He was recently named one of the top 100 diversity officers by National Diversity & Leadership Conference.

"ISM is an outstanding organization that has a global impact in advancing the procurement profession. Thus, I am both humbled and excited to serve on the Board for my first term," said Joe Matthews. "I am truly looking forward to leveraging my sourcing and diversity, equity, and inclusion leadership experiences in fulfilling ISM's mission".

Judith Whipple, Ph.D., Bowersox-Thull Endowed Professor of Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Faculty Director of the Master of Science in Supply Chain Management Program, Eli Broad College of Business at Michigan State University

Judith Whipple, Ph.D., has extensive teaching experience at the undergraduate and graduate levels, instructing in the full-time MBA, Executive MBA, MS-SCM and doctoral programs in the Eli Broad College of Business at Michigan State University (MSU) in East Lansing, Michigan.

Whipple was awarded the MSU Teacher Scholar Award for excellence in teaching and research, the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) Educators Conference Teaching Innovation Award, and multiple best published paper awards, including the Bernard J. La Londe Best Paper Award from the Journal of Business Logistics.

She previously directed the Food Industry Management Program at MSU. Her research interests include supply chain integration and collaboration, supply chain security and risk management, and supply chain organizational design. Whipple was selected as a DC Velocity magazine Rainmaker in 2013.

"I am honored to join the Board of Directors of ISM, which has a long-standing history of providing exceptional value to supply management and procurement professionals through various educational, networking, leadership, and certificate opportunities," said Judith Whipple, Ph.D., "I was a doctoral student when I first became involved with the organization, and I really enjoyed the interaction between industry and academia. I hope to contribute as a member of the Board by continuing to foster industry-academia interaction while also encouraging future supply management professionals."

In addition, the following directors continue their tenure in guiding ISM and the profession.

Camille Batiste , CPSM, C.P.M., is the senior vice president, global supply chain and procurement at Archer Daniels Midland Company.

is the senior vice president, global supply chain and procurement at Archer Daniels Midland Company. Norbert Dean , CPSM, is the vice president, sourcing, supply chain and site services at Carnival Cruise Line.

is the vice president, sourcing, supply chain and site services at Carnival Cruise Line. Thomas W. Derry is chief executive officer at ISM.

is chief executive officer at ISM. Kimberly De Witt , CPSM, is senior director, procurement and material control at CF Industries.

is senior director, procurement and material control at CF Industries. Miguel Gonzalez is the chief procurement officer at DuPont.

is the chief procurement officer at DuPont. Michelle Hawkins , PMP, is the senior vice president, strategic procurement at Charter Communications.

is the senior vice president, strategic procurement at Charter Communications. Kristopher Pinnow , CPSM is the vice president, global supply chain at Collins Aerospace.

is the vice president, global supply chain at Collins Aerospace. Hemant Porwal , CPSM , is executive vice president, supply chain and operations at WESCO Distribution, Inc.

, is executive vice president, supply chain and operations at WESCO Distribution, Inc. Stacey Taylor is the chief supply chain officer at TriMark USA .

is the chief supply chain officer at TriMark . Jeffrey P. Wincel , MBA, D.Min., is an executive advisor and strategic procurement and supply consultant.

is an executive advisor and strategic procurement and supply consultant. Susanna Zhu is the vice president, U.S. supply chain and manufacturing at The Hershey Company.

The ISM Board of Directors represents a dedicated group of supply management practitioners who are driving procurement's transformation forward. For more information on the ISM Board of Directors, please visit: ISMWorld.org.

About ISM

Institute for Supply Management (ISM) is the first and leading not-for-profit professional supply management organization worldwide. Its 50,000 members in more than 90 countries around the world manage about US$1 trillion in corporate and government supply chain procurement annually. Founded in 1915 by practitioners, ISM is committed to advancing the practice of supply management to drive value and competitive advantage for its members, contributing to a prosperous and sustainable world. ISM empowers and leads the profession through the ISM Report On Business, its highly-regarded certification and training programs, corporate services, events and the ISM Supply Chain Capability Model. For more information, please visit ismworld.org.

Contact: Jessica Boyd, 480.752.6276, ext. 3085

[email protected]

SOURCE Institute for Supply Management

Related Links

https://www.ismworld.org


Not only have the companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 been very competitive within their markets, but this year's list also proved especially resilient and flexible given 2020's unprecedented challenges. Among the 5,000, the average median three-year growth rate soared to 543 percent, and median revenue reached $11.1 million. Together, those companies added more than 610,000 jobs over the past three years.

Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at www.inc.com/inc5000. The top 500 companies are featured in the September issue of Inc., which will be available on newsstands on August 20.

"The 2021 Inc. 5000 list feels like one of the most important rosters of companies ever compiled," says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. "Building one of the fastest-growing companies in America in any year is a remarkable achievement. Building one in the crisis we've lived through is just plain amazing. This kind of accomplishment comes with hard work, smart pivots, great leadership, and the help of a whole lot of people."

As Intelligent Blends moves into another year of growth and innovation, customers can expect to see the release of several new products, a continued commitment to fair-trade, sustainable practices and thoughtful growth that reflects their passion for creating high-quality coffees, teas and beverages the right way.

About Intelligent Blends

Intelligent Blends is a privately held, sustainable manufacturer of single-serve and bagged beverages, including coffees and teas, based in Southern California. The company offers co-packing and hospitality solutions for partners worldwide, while boasting several in-house brands that are distributed through select e-commerce and retail sites. With a commitment to creating high-quality, sustainable options for customers and partners, Intelligent Blends offers unmatchable services and products that are easy and cost-effective, while never losing sight of the infinite possibilities that come from flexibility, innovation and a passion for what you do.

More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000

Methodology

Companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2017 to 2020. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2020. (Since then, some on the list may have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2020 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Growth rates used to determine company rankings were calculated to three decimal places. There was one tie on this year's Inc. 5000. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.'s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.

About Inc. Media

The world's most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including web sites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Vision Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit www.inc.com.

For more information on the Inc. 5000 Vision Conference, visit http://conference.inc.com/.

SOURCE Intelligent Blends
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Involta , an industry-leading hybrid IT, cloud computing, and data center services company, is proud to announce it has been named one of the fastest-growing private companies in America by Inc. 5000. This designation marks the ninth time the company has been included on this list, ranking 4,598 on Inc.'s 41st annual edition of fastest-growing companies.

The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economy's most dynamic segment  its independent small businesses. Involta joins Intuit, Zappos, Under Armour, Microsoft, Patagonia, and many other well-known names that first gained national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000.

Involta was first inducted into the list in 2010, ranking 43, and has demonstrated consistent revenue growth ever since. As a nine-time member of the Inc. 5000, Involta increased its revenue by 56% from 2017 to 2020. The company also had an 18% increase in employees during that period and rose more than 300 positions in rank from 2020 to 2021.

"We are very pleased with the growth we were able to achieve during a year that was so uncertain for many businesses," comments Bruce Lehrman, Co-Founder and CEO at Involta. "The unusual business climate makes being included in the Inc. 5000 list an even greater accomplishment. Our goal remains focused on empowering our clients by providing the people, processes and technology to transform their organizations, allowing them to focus on their core business."

Not only have the companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 been very competitive within their markets, but this year's list also proved especially resilient and flexible given 2020's unprecedented challenges. Among the 5,000, the average median three-year growth rate soared to 543%, and median revenue reached $11.1 million. Together, those companies added more than 610,000 jobs over the past three years.

"The 2021 Inc. 5000 list feels like one of the most important rosters of companies ever compiled," says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. "Building one of the fastest-growing companies in America in any year is a remarkable achievement. Building one in the crisis we've lived through is just plain amazing. This kind of accomplishment comes with hard work, smart pivots, great leadership, and the help of a whole lot of people."

The recognition is the pinnacle in a growing number of awards, designations and recognitions Involta has earned in the last year. In June, the company announced it has been KLAS Rated and Reviewed for Partial IT Outsourcing . This esteemed recognition marks the first KLAS designation for Involta, further advancing the company's mission to enable healthcare organizations to transform digitally. The company has appeared multiple times on CRN's top lists, including the 2021 Fast Growth 150 , 2021 Solution Provider 500 and Tech Elite 250.

Recently, the company also acquired assets of SecureData 365 in Canton, Ohio. In the last 12 months, Involta joined forces with Radware and VMware, earning the company VMware Cloud Verified status .

Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at www.inc.com/inc5000 . The top 500 companies are featured in the September issue of Inc., which will be available on newsstands on August 20.

For more information about Involta, visit www.involta.com .

About Involta

Involta, an award-winning national IT service provider and consulting firm, orchestrates digital transformation journeys by using well-defined and rigorous processes to deliver hybrid cloud solutions, consulting and data center services tailored to their clients' business drivers. By pairing strategic consulting with the unique ability to leverage owned colocation facilities and infrastructure assets, Involta empowers businesses across the country with the security and reliability they require.

Involta's ongoing mission to help clients optimize performance begins with partnership. The personalized approach starts with understanding its clients' needs and earning their trust to ultimately deliver Superior Infrastructure and Services, Operational Excellence and People Who Deliver, in keeping with the brand promise. Involta provides clients with the power to transform their technology and the freedom to focus on their core business.

Media Contact:

JSA

1.866.695.3629

[email protected]

More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000

Methodology

Companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2017 to 2020. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2020. (Since then, some on the list may have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2020 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Growth rates used to determine company rankings were calculated to three decimal places. There was one tie on this year's Inc. 5000. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.'s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000 .

About Inc. Media

The world's most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including web sites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Vision Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit www.inc.com .

For more information on the Inc. 5000 Vision Conference, visit http://conference.inc.com/ .

SOURCE INVOLTA, LLC

Related Links

http://www.involta.com/


New York, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Iweb Inc. announced that it completed the acquisition of 100% of Tingo Mobile, PLC, a Nigerian limited company and has filed to change its name to Tingo Inc, has applied to Finra to process its name change and allocate a new trading symbol to reflect its new business focus of Tingo Mobile Plc. The company completed the Tingo Mobile Purchase from Tingo International Holdings, Inc. in an all stock deal for a consideration of 928 million Class A Common shares, and 65 million Class B common Shares valuing Tingo Mobile at $3.7 Billion USD, one of the most valuable Fintech companies to ever emerge from Africa.

The company also announced the appointment of a new CEO, CFO, and President, Dozy Mmoubosi age 43, has been appointed as CEO of the public company replacing Anthony Moore who stepped down as CEO but who will remain in his role as Chairman.

Mr. Dozy Mmobuosi, Co-founded Tingo Mobile PLC (Nigeria) in the year 2001 and is the Group Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Mmobuosi has vast global experience in South- East Asia, China, United Arab Emirates, Bulgaria, USA and the UK. An adviser to corporate clients, steering the strategy and design of business plans (investments, acquisition, and organic growth) into new global markets across three continents he has directed significant operating growth of Tingo with over $600 million in annual revenue. In 2001 Mr. Mmobuosi founded Fair Deal Concepts Limited, now Tingo Mobile Plc (Nigeria). In 2002 he led the design and launch of Nigeria's first SMS Banking Solution which a large bank still use today. From 2013 Mr. Mmobuosi Led a team of 123 Chinese and Nigerian engineers to setup 2 mobile phone assembly facilities in Nigeria (Lakowe and Lugbe). These facilities have produced over 20 million mobile devices which have been distributed across Nigeria. Mr. Mmobuosi is currently co-sponsoring a special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC (Africa Acquisition Corp, Inc), targeted at acquiring a natural resources company in Africa. Mr. Mmobuosi received a BSc in Political Science in 2001 and an MSc Economics in 2003 from Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma, Edo State (Nigeria). In 2007, he received a PhD in Rural Advancement from UPM Malaysia. The Board believes Mr. Mmobuosi's experience, knowledge and leadership will benefit the Company and make him a valuable member of the Board.

Mr. Dakshesh Patel age 60, has been appointed as CFO of Tingo Inc., he is currently Group Chief Financial Officer of Tingo International Holdings, Inc. and has extensive experience in banking. Mr. Patel was formerly Chief Financial Officer of NatWest's Global Debt and Investment Banking division with 110 staff under his stewardship and structured and led the first CDO in Europe for the NatWest Corporate Debt book with two placements with a total value $10 billion. Following acquisition of Greenwich Capital in 1996, Mr. Patel assumed responsibility for all aspects of the finance function for both the capital markets and structured finance activities. Mr. Patel at NatWest was also the Finance Director of the Global Structured Finance & Investment Banking (NatWest Markets) responsible for global team of 50 people and also served as Financial Controller, Banking & Specialised Finance (NatWest). From 1991-1994 Mr. Patel was manager, leasing and tax (NatWest) where he set up new leasing unit in conjunction with business head. Mr. Patel also Co-founded Longbridge Capital, a finance consultancy operating in Europe, Africa and Asia, e-Logistics, a transport management business, and Yespay, a payment gateway acquired by Worldpay. Mr. Patel additionally, has worked with NBW Partners UK where he was advising a leading global shipping group in the management of their treasury operations and as Managing Director Gerken Capital Associates, a San Francisco based alternative asset fund manager with core focus on venture capital and private equity investment products. Mr. Patel was also Co-Founder and Board Member of eLogistics UK where he raised $10m in VC financing to develop the initial business concept and led an MBO of the business. Mr. Patel has also worked at Deloitte Haskins & Sells, London, Abu Dhabi, and Southern Africa where he was lead manager responsible for major listed corporations in Southern Africa and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority. Mr. Patel earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting and Finance from Ealing College, London and also has a Certification with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Zimbabwe. The Board believes Mr. Patel experience and knowledge will benefit the Company and make him a valuable member of the Board.

Dr. Chris Cleverly, has been appointed as President of Tingo Inc., Dr. Cleverly, age 54, after completing a law degree at Kings College London LLB, was called to the Bar in 1990, following which he established Trafalgar Chambers on Fleet Street, becoming "the youngest head of barristers' chambers in the last century" according to the Sunday Times. During this period Mr Cleverly was a regular presenter on Channel 4 and contributor to the other main channels, radio and newspapers. Since then he has been board member of a number of companies in UK, India, China and Africa both listed on regulated exchanges and private in a number of sectors. As CEO of Made In Africa Foundation, Dr. Cleverly was co-architect and founder of the $1.5 billion Africa50 fund with the African Development Bank which has been lead investor in a number of large scale renewable energy projects. He is also very experienced in the cryptocurrency space as CEO of blockchain payments gateway KamPay.io, advising blockchain protocol Cardano and as contributing writer to CoinTelegraph. Dr. Cleverly has advised a number of UK PLC's on their entrance into African markets, including negotiation of oil blocks, mineral concessions and banking licences. He also advises the UK Government on development issues and African governments on investment issues. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Reading University in 2014 and has recently completed a course in Circular Economy and Sustainability Strategies at the University of Cambridge Judge Business School. His portrait is held by the National Portrait Gallery in London. The Board believes Mr. Cleverly's experience and knowledge will benefit the Company and make him a valuable member of the Board.

Tingo is a device and a service technology company focused on creating digitally inclusive ecosystems in the AgriTech and FinTech sectors in Africa. TINGO posted total revenue figure of $616 million dollars in 2020 and an EBITDA of $220 million dollars (figures based on NGN/USD exchange rate of 360), TINGO is confident that these figures will be exceeded by its expansion across Africa and natural progression of the TINGO business in Nigeria.

Tingo Mobile is Nigeria's leading technology and Device as a Service platform aimed at accelerating digital commerce, especially in Agri-Tech & Fin-Tech verticals in Nigeria. Tingo helps farmers acquire mobile phones through a unique mobile phone leasing scheme, connecting them to mobile and data networks through its virtual mobile network and connecting farmers to markets, services, and resources via Nwassa, its digital AgriTech marketplace platform. That commenced operations April 2021, Tingo also launched a beta version of Tingo Pay  a B2C FinTech app aimed at providing financial services including mobile wallets, payment processing and access to specialist lenders and insurers to users inside and outside of the agriculture value chain, and will soon be adding Crypto currency options such as Bitcoin, Etherium, Cardano, and KamPay than will be traded via Coinfield.

Tingo Mobile has over 9 million subscribers and have supplied almost 30 million mobile devices since 2014.

About Tingo see www.tingogroup.com

Tingo has four core business drivers:

Mobile Phone Leasing : Tingo has distributed almost 30 million mobile handsets since 2014 and will continue to replace the devices of its installed customer base every three years.

: Tingo has distributed almost 30 million mobile handsets since 2014 and will continue to replace the devices of its installed customer base every three years. Mobile Voice and Data Service : Through a Mobile Virtual Network, Tingo provides its customers with voice and data services.

: Through a Mobile Virtual Network, Tingo provides its customers with voice and data services. Nwassa Platform : Tingo's proprietary AgriTech platform, Nwassa, supports Nigeria's agricultural value chain with market access.

Tingo processes 500k daily transactions with a value of over $8 million, which provides its installed customer base with access to agricultural markets for their crop. Farmers and cooperatives are also supported with packaging, warehousing, and cargo logistics

Tingo provides its customers with digital wallet services, which enable them to send and receive domestic payments, monitor cash flow in real time and securely hold money.

Tingo provides access to other third-party services such as utility bill payment, virtual airtime top-up, insurance services, and alternative lending solutions.

: Tingo's proprietary AgriTech platform, Nwassa, supports Nigeria's agricultural value chain with market access. Tingo processes 500k daily transactions with a value of over $8 million, which provides its installed customer base with access to agricultural markets for their crop. Farmers and cooperatives are also supported with packaging, warehousing, and cargo logistics Tingo provides its customers with digital wallet services, which enable them to send and receive domestic payments, monitor cash flow in real time and securely hold money. Tingo provides access to other third-party services such as utility bill payment, virtual airtime top-up, insurance services, and alternative lending solutions. Tingo Pay: Since the launch of Nwassa platform Tingo has been a dominant player in the B2B FinTech vertical. Tingo has entered the B2C FinTech vertical to extend our B2B play to mass market use cases beyond agriculture.

Market Opportunity

Africa is the second-largest continent by land mass and population. The continent is also the youngest by far, with a median age of 18 years for its 1.3 billion people. Tingo believes the building blocks for growth in Africa's agriculture industry are in place and that Tingo is well positioned in this space to participate in the upside.

Compelling fundamentals

Strong demographic potential: Sub-Saharan Africa's population is growing at 2.7% a year, which is more than twice as fast as South Asia (1.2%) and Latin America (0.9%). That means Africa is adding the population of France (or Thailand) every two years. At the current growth rate, the continent's population will double by 2050. The median age across the continent is 18 years, thirteen years younger than the median age in South America the next youngest continent according to the World Bank. Africa's youthfulness represents a significant opportunity for material growth in demand for agricultural commodities. This younger generation is also being born into a "networked" world and is more comfortable using technology to achieve their goals. Improving business conditions: Africa's governments are paying more attention to improving business conditions for entrepreneurs and small businesses on the continent. Sub-Saharan Africa's World Bank Doing Business rank has improved by c.20 points from 45 in 2004 to 65 in 2020. Tingo believe this trend will continue and encourage establishment of more new ventures across all economic sectors including the agriculture industry. Investor appetite remains robust: Africa attracted $407 billion of Foreign Direct Investments between 2014 and 2018 (c. $80 billion per annum on average). Investments are increasingly focused on services and industrial sectors. Only 20% of investments are in extractive industries - a clear reversal from as recently as 2008 when 55% of FDI was aimed at resource extraction, Tingo believes FDI into Africa will help resolve significant infrastructure constraints and position the Agric value chain for value creation.

Nigeria is the largest economy and the most populous country in Africa and is therefore central to the continent's growth story.

Agriculture is central to African lives and livelihoods. 60% of sub-Saharan Africans are small holder farmers and Agriculture accounts for 23% of the region's GDP. In Nigeria, Agriculture employs 66% of the workforce and represents 26% of GDP.

Nigeria's suboptimal agriculture productivity is driven by several factors including broken linkages with demand centres, inefficient capital allocation for purchase of inputs, and underdeveloped and fragmented access to services. Tingo aims to play a key role in resolving each of these issues.

Access to technology: Tingo is a key access point to the digital economy for millions of rural farmers in Nigeria, by providing affordable access to mobile devices and the internet.

Access to markets: Tingo users can connect with vendors and suppliers for affordable access to inputs and services. Tingo also connects farmers with buyers who purchase crops every year.

Access to Financial Services: Through Tingo Pay, its proprietary mobile wallet application, users can execute several transactions. These include credits into the Tingo Pay wallet, and transfers from the Tingo Pay wallet for bill payments and P2P (peer to peer payments). Tingo will continuing to add services to this application to meet customer needs.

Dozy Mmobousi CEO, of Tingo stated "This merger represents international recognition and validation of the hard work and dedication of my team and I in building Tingo to the outstanding business we are today. Through the years we have continued to support our customers across the entire agricultural value chain by creating an ecosystem which provides access to technology, digital financial services, agri-produce trading and distribution in Nigeria. We remain committed to ending poverty and hunger, achieving food security, improving nutrition and promoting sustainable agriculture. Our ecosystem also aims to promote digital and financial inclusion and create jobs which empower societies in Nigeria. This merger provides us with access to global debt and equity capital markets which will allow us to scale our proven model to support other countries across Africa."

Chris Cleverly, President of Tingo said "TINGO is Africa's largest digital agricultural ecosystem and with over 9 million active customers is a highly successful payment gateway. It is important that we embrace emerging technologies such as DeFi, Stable Tokens and disruptive eCommerce platforms as they are necessary to solve the issues that burden the world such as malnutrition and financial inclusion. African food security is Global food security, and we will use every legitimate tool at our disposal to ensure no child starves or society is destabilised through hunger."

Anthony Moore, Chairman of Tingo stated I am delighted that we have completed the Tingo acquisition and to congratulate as well as welcome Dozy Mmobuosi as CEO, ''It has been noted in recent years the rapid adoption and deployment of Blockchain by the Telecoms Industry and the global announcements almost weekly of the acceptance of Crypto, we feel the marriage of TINGO in Africa with the well-established "Coinfield" Crypto Exchange that we have agreed to acquire will place in a perfect position to implement this natural evolution to integrate Tingo's 9,000,000 customers with Coinfield for Crypto Currency trading in Africa. Africa is a Continent that is showing great readiness and willingness to adapt and adopt to new technologies and Binance the world's largest Crypto Exchange recently released a report stating that Nigeria is the number one most attractive new market for Crypto trading in the World. With its young demographic, high smartphone penetration, lack of legacy infrastructure Africa has the greatest potential for blockchain and cryptocurrency of any region. Coinfield provides the know-how and has the history to deliver on this. TINGO with an already huge customer base will expand rapidly and will become the dominant digital payment platform in the world's fastest growing economy''

About iWEB, IWEB, is a technology development and services company that has just completed the acquisition of Tingo Mobile, Nigeria and has an agreement to acquire "Coinfield" a regulated global Crypto Exchange established since 2018, that offers Crypto Trading in 198 Global Markets the acquisition plans were announced on 26th July 2021, and anticipated to complete very soon additional information visit: www.iweb.company and www.coinfield.com

Safe Harbor Statement: This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements and information, as defined within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and is subject to the Safe Harbor created by those sections. This material contains statements about expected future events and/or financial results that are forward-looking in nature and as such are by definition subject to risks and uncertainties.

Authorized by Fung Hok Wai, President,

Contact the company: Fung Hok Wai, Director, Hong Kong, Email: [email protected]

Investor Relations and Press contact: Alex Lightman, Director Tingo Inc, in Los Angeles, California. Email: [email protected]

Tingo Inc Contact: Rory Bowen, Chief of Staff, Tingo Inc.

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE IWEB, Inc.
MOLINE, Ill., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --John Deere (NYSE: DE) today announced it has agreed with Hitachi Construction Machinery to end the Deere-Hitachi joint venture manufacturing and marketing agreements. John Deere and Hitachi will enter into new license and supply agreements, which will enable John Deere to continue to source, manufacture, and distribute the current lineup of Deere-branded excavators in the Americas.

As a result of the new agreements, the following changes will go into effect on Feb. 28, 2022, contingent upon regulatory approval.

John Deere will acquire the Deere-Hitachi joint-venture factories in Kernersville, NC ; Indaiatuba, Brazil ; and Langley, British Columbia , Canada.





; Indaiatuba, ; and , Canada. John Deere will continue to manufacture Deere-branded construction and forestry excavators currently produced at the three Deere-Hitachi factories. These locations will discontinue production of Hitachi-branded excavators. John Deere will continue to offer a full portfolio of excavators through a supply agreement with Hitachi.





John Deere's marketing arrangement for Hitachi-branded construction excavators and mining equipment in the Americas will end; Hitachi will assume distribution and support for these products.

"For many years, John Deere and Hitachi enjoyed a mutually successful partnership in the Americas," said John Stone, president, John Deere Construction & Forestry Division and Power Systems. "As we turn the page to a new chapter of Deere-designed excavators, we remain committed to supporting our customers of today and tomorrow."

"Looking to the future, John Deere will build on our legacy of quality and productivity and accelerate development of industry-leading technology and machinery that answers the fundamental need for smarter, safer, and more sustainable construction so our customers can shape tomorrow's world," Stone continued.

John Deere and Hitachi began a supply relationship in the early 1960s; then in 1988 the companies started the Deere-Hitachi manufacturing joint venture to produce excavators in Kernersville, NC. In 1998, Deere-Hitachi expanded the relationship to include the production of forestry swing machines at Deere-Hitachi Specialty Products in Langley, BC. In 2001, John Deere and Hitachi combined their marketing and distribution efforts in the Americas. In 2011, excavator manufacturing was expanded with the addition of the Deere-Hitachi Brazil factory in Indaiatuba, Brazil.

The agreement is subject to the receipt of certain required regulatory approvals as well as certain other customary closing conditions.

About John Deere

Deere & Company (www.JohnDeere.com) is a world leader in providing advanced products, technology, and services for customers whose work is revolutionizing agriculture and construction  those who cultivate, harvest, transform, enrich, and build upon the land to meet the world's increasing need for food, fuel, shelter, and infrastructure.

SOURCE Deere & Company

Related Links

www.deere.com


DALLAS, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- For the third consecutive year, every attorney at Texas trial and appellate firm Johnston Tobey Baruch has earned placement on the list of The Best Lawyers in America.

Featured in the 2022 edition are Randy Johnston, Robert Tobey, Chad Baruch and Coyt Johnston. Randy Johnston and Mr. Tobey also earned additional "Lawyer of the Year" recognition, a special designation reserved for the lawyers who receive the highest overall peer feedback.

"I am so proud of this firm and the outstanding work ethic of this team," said Johnston Tobey Baruch managing shareholder Mr. Baruch. "To be included among the country's top leading practitioners is a great honor, but knowing this type of recognition can only be obtained from the feedback of our peers is one of the best affirmations we can receive."

First published in 1983, The Best Lawyers in America list has become widely regarded as a respected reference guide to legal excellence. It is the U.S. legal industry's oldest peer-review guide for showcasing the country's top attorneys.

Firm co-founder Randy Johnston has been featured in Best Lawyers since 2013. This is the second consecutive year he has earned Dallas-Fort Worth "Lawyer of the Year" honors for his work in legal malpractice law.

Mr. Tobey also earned "Lawyer of the Year" honors for Dallas-Fort Worth for his expertise in legal malpractice litigation. He is a former president of the Dallas Bar Association.

This is the ninth Best Lawyers selection for Mr. Baruch based on his work in appellate law. He is Board Certified in civil appellate law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

Coyt Johnston has been listed in Best Lawyers every year since 2016 for his work in commercial litigation and mergers and acquisitions litigation.

About Johnston Tobey Baruch:

Johnston Tobey Baruch is a dynamic law practice based in Dallas. Its trial and appellate attorneys have a broad range of litigation, arbitration and appellate experience. They are pioneers in the handling of legal and accounting malpractice, investment fraud and business disputes. They also have an enviable track record with insurance bad faith matters, commercial litigation and fiduciary litigation, as well as civil, family and criminal appeals for many prominent Texas companies and individuals. For more information, visit https://www.johnstontobey.com/.

Media Contact:

Jennie Bui-McCoy

800-559-4534

[email protected]

SOURCE Johnston Tobey Baruch

Related Links

https://www.johnstontobey.com


LONGVIEW, Texas, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- National legal guide The Best Lawyers in America has recognized six Ward, Smith & Hill attorneys in its 2022 listing for their intellectual property, patent and personal injury litigation work.

Best Lawyers is the oldest and one of the most prestigious peer review legal guides in the nation, selecting honorees based on nominations and input from lawyers in the same practice areas and geographic regions. For a complete list of the 2022 Best Lawyers, visit https://www.bestlawyers.com.

Ward, Smith & Hill founder Johnny Ward has earned Best Lawyers honors since 2016 for his work in intellectual property litigation. Name partner Wesley Hill and Of Counsel T. John Ward also earned the same recognition, with Mr. Hill receiving additional honors for his work in patent law.

Name partner Bruce A. Smith earned placement for his representation of clients in personal injury litigation on both the plaintiff and defense sides.

Partner Charles "Chad" Everingham IV received honors for his intellectual property litigation and patent litigation work, and partner Claire Abernathy Henry also was recognized for patent litigation.

In addition, partner Andrea L. Fair made the Best Lawyers: "Ones to Watch" list for the second year for intellectual property litigation. That designation recognizes midcareer attorneys who have been in practice typically for five to nine years and who exemplify outstanding professional excellence in their practice. For the full list of Best Lawyers and Ones to Watch honorees, visit https://www.bestlawyers.com/.

Known for high-stakes intellectual property trials, the firm successfully served as local counsel on a team that secured a $502.8 million patent infringement win against Apple Inc. for infringing on VirnetX's patents. The firm also helped secure a $62.7 million award for Solas OLED Ltd. against Samsung Display Company Ltd. over infringement of screen display patents in Samsung Galaxy phones.

Longview, Texas-based Ward, Smith & Hill, PLLC, has tried more than 350 cases to verdict, earning a national reputation in high-stakes disputes involving complex commercial litigation, intellectual property law, oil and gas matters, bad faith insurance claims, and serious personal injury claims. The firm frequently assists lawyers nationwide in complex cases before Texas juries. To learn more about the firm, visit http://www.wsfirm.com.

Media Contact:

Sophia Reza

214-559-4630

[email protected]

SOURCE Ward, Smith & Hill, PLLC

Related Links

http://www.wsfirm.com


Moss Landing is a flagship project in which Vistra is developing advanced energy storage capacity, for which LG Energy Solution has provided batteries for the first 400MW/1.6GWh of capacity using its latest innovative Transportable Rack (TR1300). The project is also the world's largest lithium-ion battery energy storage project, and LG Energy Solution's innovative product development and effective on-site support reduced installation time and costs, and strengthened customer value.

The Moss Landing project will enable the transformation of California's energy system to more clean renewable resources, reducing greenhouse gas emissions while enhancing reliability of the power grid. With the cooperation between LG Energy Solution and Vistra, emissions-free electricity is being supplied to 300,000 households when it is needed most.

For LG Energy Solution, the project represents its commitment to customer value. Even in the face of a shipment crisis caused by COVID-19, LG Energy Solution worked tirelessly to ensure it stayed on schedule, aided by the simplified installation of TR1300 that saved construction time and costs while maximizing safety and energy density.

"LG Energy Solution's innovative battery technology and commitment to this project played an important role in successfully building the Moss Landing Energy Storage Facility," stated Claudia Morrow, Vistra's SVP of Development and Strategy. "We share a goal of facilitating a nationwide transition to zero-emission energy and, as more intermittent renewables come online, battery projects like this play a vital role in building a more reliable grid."

"As the California blackouts of August 2020 and heat waves in the West Coast gain national and even global attention, the role of battery energy storage in supplying energy and ensuring quality control becomes even more important to us as well," said Youngjoon Shin, LG Energy Solution's SVP of ESS Business. "Based on our timely experience with the Moss Landing Energy Storage Facility, LG Energy Solution will act as a solutions partner for the expansion of battery energy storage throughout the United States, further contributing to renewable energy for the climate."

Meanwhile, LG Energy Solution recently announced their ESG vision to become a leading eco-friendly company. Under the vision "We CHARGE towards a better future", LG Energy Solution aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, transitioning all business operations to RE100 by 2030 and establishing virtual circular value chain for resources by 2025.

About LG Energy Solution

LG Energy Solution is a global leader delivering advanced lithium-ion batteries for Electric Vehicles (EV), Mobility & IT applications, and Energy Storage Systems (ESS). With 30 years of experience in advanced battery technology, it continues to grow rapidly towards the realization of sustainable life. With over 24,000 employees working within its robust global network that spans the US, Europe, Asia, and Australia, LG Energy Solution is more committed than ever to developing innovative technologies that will bring the future energy a step closer. For more information, please visit https://www.lgensol.com.

About Vistra

Vistra (NYSE: VST) is a leading Fortune 275 integrated retail electricity and power generation company based in Irving, Texas, providing essential resources for customers, commerce, and communities. Vistra combines an innovative, customer-centric approach to retail with safe, reliable, diverse, and efficient power generation. The company brings its products and services to market in 20 states and the District of Columbia, including six of the seven competitive wholesale markets in the U.S. and markets in Canada and Japan, as well. Serving nearly 4.3 million residential, commercial, and industrial retail customers with electricity and natural gas, Vistra is one of the largest competitive electricity providers in the country and offers over 50 renewable energy plans. The company is also the largest competitive power generator in the U.S. with a capacity of approximately 39,000 megawatts powered by a diverse portfolio, including natural gas, nuclear, solar, and battery energy storage facilities. In addition, Vistra is a large purchaser of wind power. The company owns and operates a 400-MW/1,600-MWh battery energy storage system in Moss Landing, California, the largest of its kind in the world. Vistra is guided by four core principles: we do business the right way, we work as a team, we compete to win, and we care about our stakeholders, including our customers, our communities where we work and live, our employees, and our investors. Learn more about our environmental, social, and governance efforts and read the company's sustainability report at https://www.vistracorp.com/sustainability/.

SOURCE LG Energy Solution

Related Links

https://www.lgensol.com


RALEIGH, N.C., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- NORTH CAROLINA CYBER ACADEMY, one of the state's two statewide virtual charter schools, today announced that limited openings remain as the school year gets underway. As of August 19, approximately 300 openings for students Kindergarten through 12th grade remained. The deadline for applications is August 20, 2021.

NCCA accepts any North Carolina student into its virtual program regardless of circumstances. NCCA is a public charter school, so there are no fees or tuition required to attend. The school has been in operation since 2015 and is 100% virtual. All teachers are NC certified, and they teach to the North Carolina standards. In person interaction is limited due to COVID 19 this year, but field trips, clubs, and other gatherings for testing and socializing will resume when feasible.

"While other virtual schools for NC students have already closed enrollment, we still have several hundred openings that can be filled this year," said Martez Hill, School Superintendent.

"We are proud to serve a vital purpose during normal times but are especially proud of work we are prepared to do during a pandemic," said Hill.

North Carolina Cyber Academy, one of two statewide virtual charter schools in North Carolina, is still accepting applications for the 2021-2022 school year. NCCA

NCCA follows the standard North Carolina approved curriculum and is approved by the State Board of Education. What sets us apart from other schools is our ability to provide a personalized, quality education that meets the needs of families seeking alternatives to traditional brick and mortar environments.

Enrollment can be done online at https://www.myncca.com/enroll.

SOURCE North Carolina Cyber Academy

Related Links

https://www.myncca.com/


WASHINGTON, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Lupus Foundation of America and Lupus Canada announced Zahi Touma, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Medicine with the University of Toronto; Clinician-Scientist, Staff Rheumatologist, University Health Network/Mount Sinai Hospital and Michelle Barraclough, PhD, post-doctoral research fellow, University Health Network, as the 2021 Lupus Canada Catalyst Award recipients for their study examining cognitive dysfunction and fatigue in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Drs. Touma and Barraclough will be researching the causes of cognitive dysfunction in patients with lupus. Cognitive dysfunction can affect up to 75% of people with lupus, which often manifests in the form of cognitive fatigue, or "brain fog." Brain fog can be a common and disruptive symptom of lupus, routinely reported by patients in clinic. The study aims to look at ways of grouping people with lupus according to causes of cognitive problems to help develop future studies to test treatments and ultimately improve these symptoms. The study will use a brain imaging technique known as functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to compare the brains of people with lupus to healthy volunteers. This will show if the brains of people with lupus must work harder during cognitive tasks and could explain feelings of "brain fog" due to cognitive dysfunction.

"Cognitive dysfunction is highly prevalent in people with lupus and a commonly reported symptom, however there are limited treatment options available," shared Dr. Touma. "Because of the support of the Lupus Foundation of America and Lupus Canada, we will be able to improve the assessment of cognitive function in people with lupus and further research in this critical area to ultimately help with future clinical trials and improve the lives of those living with the disease."

The Lupus Canada Catalyst Award supports and provides funding for one year to Canadian researchers at any stage in their career as they embark on innovative research projects that can advance the lupus field and significantly impact the lives of people with lupus.

"Our partnership with Lupus Canada and the Catalyst Grant program shows the importance of uniting together to support researchers working on groundbreaking studies that can improve the lives of those living with lupus," said Stevan W. Gibson, president and CEO, Lupus Foundation of America. "Understanding the cognitive impacts of lupus is of critical importance to improving the quality of life for all those that are impacted by this disease."

"Working together with the Lupus Foundation of America through the Lupus Canada Catalyst Grant program we are ensuring research that can greatly impact people living with lupus has the support it needs while we invest in the brightest lupus researchers in North America," shared Malcolm Gilroy, Volunteer President, Lupus Canada. "The important work of Drs. Touma and Barraclough studying cognitive dysfunction and fatigue in lupus has incredible promise to improve one of the most common symptoms for those living with lupus, and one that greatly affects their daily lives."

Learn more about the Lupus Canada Catalyst Grant and the 2021 awardee.

About the Lupus Foundation of America

The Lupus Foundation of America is the national force devoted to solving the mystery of lupus, one of the world's cruelest, most unpredictable and devastating diseases, while giving caring support to those who suffer from its brutal impact. Through a comprehensive program of research, education, and advocacy, we lead the fight to improve the quality of life for all people affected by lupus. Learn more about the Lupus Foundation of America at lupus.org.

About Lupus Canada

Lupus Canada is a non-profit organization dedicated to the mission and vision of improving the lives of Canadians living with lupus through research, advocacy, public awareness and education. No other Canadian organization provides a bigger opportunity to make an impact on lupus and those who live with this debilitating disease. Learn more about Lupus Canada at lupuscanada.org.

Contact:

Mike Donnelly

[email protected]

(202) 349-1162

SOURCE Lupus Foundation of America

Related Links

www.lupus.org


RICHMOND, Va., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Markel Corporation ("Markel") (NYSE: MKL) and CBP, Inc. ("Buckner") announced today that they have entered into a definitive agreement for Markel to acquire a majority interest in Buckner. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2021. Additional terms were not disclosed.

As a fourth-generation family business, Buckner operates one of the world's largest crane rental fleets by total lifting capacity, serving large commercial contractors in the construction of wind turbines, stadiums, manufacturing facilities, and other complex projects. In addition to equipment rental services, Buckner provides its clients with lift planners, field technicians, operators, and engineers  a complete team with top tier technology and years of practical experience in the field. Buckner was established in 1947 in Graham, North Carolina as CP Buckner Steel, by Clyde Preston Buckner to install reinforcing rods used in large concrete projects. Since that time, the company has grown to employ 220 people across multiple locations and has become the industry leader in heavy lift (>300-ton capacity) crawler cranes.

"For nearly 75 years, we have built and distinguished this company  willing to change and adapt for the good of our employees and our customers, always putting the company and its future first," said Doug Williams, CEO, Buckner. "Today Buckner is in a position of strength, and our partnership with Markel adds to that. We gain additional support for our growth ambitions yet change nothing about our approach, remaining the humble, hardworking family we have always been. We are excited to continue as managers and owners of this great business knowing this is the right 'forever' decision for Buckner."

Markel, through its subsidiary Markel Ventures, makes long term investments in high quality companies.

"Through four generations, Buckner has been family owned and operated, serving the complex needs of its customers in the heavy construction industry each and every day", said Tom Gayner, Co-CEO, Markel Corporation. "When its customers need a lift -- and a heavy one at that -- Doug, Meredith, Michael and the entire Buckner team are there to make sure the work is done safely, swiftly, and in the spirit of partnership, just as you would expect of a business built for the long haul."

Visit Buckner on the web at bucknercompanies.com.

About Markel

Markel Corporation is a diverse financial holding company serving a variety of niche markets. The Company's principal business markets and underwrites specialty insurance products. In each of the Company's businesses, it seeks to provide quality products and excellent customer service so that it can be a market leader. The financial goals of the Company are to earn consistent underwriting and operating profits and superior investment returns to build shareholder value.

Through its subsidiary Markel Ventures, Markel makes investments in high-quality businesses. The Markel Ventures businesses operate with a high degree of autonomy and have the shared goal of positively contributing to the long-term financial performance of Markel Corporation.

Visit Markel Corporation on the web at markel.com.

Disclaimer

Some of the statements in this release may be considered forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Markel's and Buckner's beliefs, plans or expectations, are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on Markel's and Buckner's current plans, estimates, and expectations. There are risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or suggested by such statements. Neither Markel nor Buckner assumes any obligation to update this release (including any forward-looking statements herein) as a result of new information, developments, or otherwise. This release speaks only as of the date issued.

SOURCE Markel Corporation

Related Links

www.markel.com


HUDDINGE, Sweden, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --

April  June

Financial summary for the quarter

Net turnover amounted to SEK 0.9 (4.0) million.

(4.0) million. The loss before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) amounted to SEK -17.1 (-12.4) million. Basic and diluted earnings per share amounted to SEK -0.35 (-0.52) and SEK -0.35 (-0.52) respectively.

(-12.4) million. Basic and diluted earnings per share amounted to (-0.52) and (-0.52) respectively. Cash flow from operating activities amounted to SEK -21.9 (-23.3) million.

(-23.3) million. Liquid assets and short-term investments at the end of the period amounted to SEK 247.8 (94.9) million.

Significant events during the quarter

On April 16 , it was announced that Magnus Christensen had been appointed interim CEO of Medivir. He took up his new role in connection with Medivir's AGM on May 5, 2021 .

, it was announced that had been appointed interim CEO of Medivir. He took up his new role in connection with Medivir's AGM on . On April 19 , it was announced that the overall results from the first part of the phase Ib study with MIV-818 were positive with a good safety and tolerability profile. Thus, the starting dose for the second part of the phase Ib study could be determined.

, it was announced that the overall results from the first part of the phase Ib study with MIV-818 were positive with a good safety and tolerability profile. Thus, the starting dose for the second part of the phase Ib study could be determined. In May, positive results from an investigator-initiated phase II clinical study of remetinostat in patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) were released on clinicaltrials.gov.

In May, the design for the upcoming phase 1b /2a combination study with the company's leading candidate drug, MIV-818 against liver cancer, was presented. In the study, MIV-818 will be administered in two combinations, with either lenvatinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, or pembrolizumab, an anti-PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor.

January - June

Financial summary for the period

Net turnover amounted to SEK 10.8 (11.4) million.

(11.4) million. The loss before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) amounted to SEK -24.3 (-33.1) million. Basic and diluted earnings per share amounted to SEK -0.57 (-1.49) and SEK -0.57 (-1.49) respectively.

(-33.1) million. Basic and diluted earnings per share amounted to (-1.49) and (-1.49) respectively. Cash flow from operating activities amounted to SEK -23.3 (-40.0) million.

(-40.0) million. Liquid assets and short-term investments at the end of the period amounted to SEK 247.8 (94.9) million.

Significant events after the end of the period

In July, Malene Jensen was appointed Vice President Clinical Development. She will assume her role on September 6, 2021 .

was appointed Vice President Clinical Development. She will assume her role on . In August, it was announced that data from the MIV-818 phase 1b study will be presented at the ESMO Congress in September.

study will be presented at the ESMO Congress in September. In August, the positive results from the phase II study with remetinostat against basal cell carcinoma were published in the scientific journal Clinical Cancer Research.

In August, it was announced that Medivir, through a renegotiated multi-party agreement, strengthens the business development potential for remetinostat.

Conference call for investors, analysts and the media

The Interim Report January - June 2021 will be presented by Medivir's interim CEO, Magnus Christensen.

Time: Thursday, August 19, 2021, at 14.00 (CET).

Phone numbers for participants from:

Sweden + 46 8 505 583 55

Europe +44 33 3300 9271

US +1 646 722 4902

The conference call will also be streamed via a link on the website: www.medivir.com

The presentation will be available on Medivir's website after completion of the conference.

CEO's message

The clinical development of MIV-818 remains in focus. Positive topline results in the phase 1b monotherapy study. The design determined for the phase 1b/2a combination study in the clinical MIV-818 program.

Medivir's central task is to advance the clinical program for our leading candidate drug MIV-818, which has the potential to be a liver-directed, orally administered drug that can help patients with various cancers of the liver. This work has also characterized our operations also in the past quarter.

In April we were able to announce that the results from the first part of the phase 1b study with MIV-818 were positive with a good safety and tolerability profile. Thereby, we were also able to determine the starting dose for the second part of the study, where we combine MIV-818 with standard treatment. Data from the first part of the phase 1b study will be presented at the ESMO scientific conference in September.

Due to its unique mechanism of action, MIV-818 is attractive to combine with a multitude of other drugs for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We have been working on refining the design for the next step in the clinical program, the upcoming phase 1b/2a combination study with MIV-818, and at the end of May we presented how the study is structured. MIV-818 will be administered in two combinations, either with lenvatinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, or with pembrolizumab, an anti-PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor.

The study is an open-label, multi-center phase 1b/2a study that begins with a dose escalation part to determine the recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D). This is followed by the expansion study (phase 2a) with an initial evaluation of the safety and efficacy of the combinations of MIV-818 with lenvatinib or pembrolizumab. The study will include patients with HCC who have progressed on, or are intolerant of, first line standard therapy.

We plan to recruit the first patient for the combination study in the second half of 2021. However, we cannot guarantee that the Covid-19 pandemic will not affect our schedule.

MIV-818 is proprietary and wholly owned by Medivir, i.e. we do not have to pay any future milestones or royalties to any third party.

We have two more drug development projects in the clinical development phase, remetinostat, and MIV-711. Medivir does not conduct clinical development of these projects on its own, but instead seeks partners for further development.

During the quarter, positive results were published from an investigator-initiated clinical phase II study of remetinostat in patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). The study was conducted at the Stanford University School of Medicine in California, USA. The primary objective of the study was to assess the effects of topical remetinostat on biopsy-proven SCC and SCC in situ tumors. In August, the positive results from the phase II study with remetinostat in patients with BCC were also published in the scientific journal Clinical Cancer Research.

The results are very promising and provide further support for the potential of remetinostat as a treatment for a number of skin-associated cancers in addition to cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). Medivir renegotiated in August a multi-party agreement with the originators of remetinostat and TetraLogic Pharmaceuticals Corporation and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society regarding the financial obligations for remetinostat in order to create better conditions for business development.

Medivir's birinapant project, for the treatment of solid tumors, was outlicensed to the American company IGM Biosciences at the beginning of the year. IGM has the global and exclusive rights to develop birinapant. According to IGM's Q2 report, they plan to initiate clinical trials with birinapant in combination with their proprietary antibody IGM-8444 during 2021.

At Medivir's AGM on May 5, former CEO Yilmaz Mahshid was elected new board member and Uli Hacksell was elected chairman of the board. This guarantee continued scientific vitality and business acumen in the Board's work.

In July, Malene Jensen was recruited as Vice President Clinical Development and a member of the company's management team. With extensive experience in clinical development, Malene will focus on the clinical studies with MIV-818.

I am really impressed by the determination and dedication shared by all Medivir employees. The goal is to develop an effective drug against liver cancer through MIV-818. Given that this work continues to show good results, it could make a big difference for patients and for healthcare and thus also for the company's shareholders.

Magnus Christensen

Interim CEO and CFO

For further information, please contact

Magnus Christensen, interim CEO and CFO, +46 (0)8 5468 3100

E-mail: [email protected]

This report has not been subject to auditors' review.

The information was submitted for publication at 08.30 CET on August 19, 2021

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/medivir/r/medivir-ab---interim-report-january---june-2021,c3399251

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Main/652/3399251/1455854.pdf MEDIVIR AB a" INTERIM REPORT JANUARY a" JUNE 2021 (PDF)

SOURCE Medivir
400+ Doctors, Physician Assistants, Nurse Practitioners, Registered Nurses, and Therapists Planned to be Hired within 18 Months

TORONTO, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Medivolve Inc. ("Medivolve" or the "Company") (NEO: MEDV) (OTC: COPRF) (FRA: 4NC), a healthcare technology and services company, has announced plans to hire a network of 400+ medical professionals within the next 18 months. Doctors, physician assistants, registered nurses, nurse practitioners, and therapists are needed to expand the Company's clinical diagnostic network. The hiring process will begin immediately to support Medivolve's proactive plans to provide healthcare services beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Medivolve has placed an unprecedented priority on improving the healthcare access for Americans," said David Preiner, CEO of Medivolve. "Medivolve's hiring initiative represents our next opportunity to make investments that will transform the health care system, allowing us to use every lever to support all Americans getting access to high-quality care no matter where they live."

Actively licensed healthcare professionals, public health professionals, medical and nursing students are all encouraged to apply and join Medivolve's team. Candidates should be enthusiastic about attempting to correct what they see as flaws in the American health-care system, including high costs, inefficiency, waste, poor patient experience, and medical errors.

"At a time when burnout is on the rise, these new opportunities, whether full-time or consultant positions, provide the opportunity for higher pay and the development of new skills," says Preiner.

Those interested in applying to become a part of the Medivolve team can apply at wwe.medivolve.net.

About Medivolve, Inc.

Medivolve, Inc. (NEO:MEDV; OTC: COPRF; FRA:4NC) is a healthcare technology company that seeks to reinvent the US healthcare system by leveraging a bespoke telehealth platform, a clinical diagnostic network, and a data-driven AI framework to improve patient care.

The company was born out of the healthcare crisis; to rethink, relearn and ultimately, reimagine a better way for the healthcare system to operate. Our network of retail collection sites play an important role in recovery by giving all Americans access to fast, accurate, and inexpensive clinical services when and where they need it. These centers will also play a pivotal role in diagnostic testing, vaccinations, and other point-of-care services. We are building disruptive technologies to make it easier and faster to identify, treat, and prevent medical issues. In doing so, we are working to give patients a holistic and empowered view of their personal health.

Our long-term mission is to permanently fix systemic issues in the nation's fragmented, overly complex, and expensive healthcare system. Medivolve's next phase of growth is about pivoting the model and putting the pieces together to build a profitable, SaaS-based health-tech company. We are bringing data-driven clinical diagnostics, physician recommendations, and prescription medications directly to people, all powered by a singular, streamlined technology network. Our team is united by a powerful, singular purpose: harnessing the transformative power of technology to create healthier lives. Underpinned by a bespoke, AI-driven platform, we're developing a stealth system that constantly gets smarter, takes the guesswork out of diagnostics, and flags critical health issues immediately to deliver an unparalleled level of personalization for each patient. We are determined to push the boundaries of what's possiblenot just for our business and our shareholders, but for physicians and patients, and for the future of healthcare. We are striving to achieve a continuity of care never seen before, a game changer for our business and for patients in the communities we serve.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Information

This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the hiring of medical professionals; or the advancement of revenue streams and business models for Medivolve. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance, or achievements of the Company, as the case may be, to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

NEITHER THE NEO EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER HAS REVIEWED OR ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

SOURCE Medivolve Inc.

Related Links

www.medivolve.net


LOS ANGELES and BEIJING, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Mitra microsampling device from US-based Neoteryx is now registered as a Class I in vitro diagnostic (IVD) medical device with the Chinese Health Authority in China. The Mitra device met all regulatory approval requirements of the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA), formerly known as the China Food and Drug Administration. The Mitra is a medical device intended for remote use by anyone to collect a small blood sample using a simple finger-stick method. The Mitra device has an absorbent tip that is designed with volumetric absorptive microsampling technology. The patented VAMS tip on the Mitra device allows even untrained users to easily collect a fixed-volume microsample of blood that is precise enough for analysis in a lab. Mitra devices can be used at home or out in the field and are currently used around the world for remote research studies, clinical trials and programs, and public health surveys.

Mitra devices from Neoteryx approved for specimen collection for healthcare and research use in China. Mitra devices come in a plastic cartridge that protects specimen samples during collection, shipping and storage.

Research centers, laboratories and hospitals or clinics in China can send Mitra devices to their research volunteers or patients who wish to remain safe at home or who live in remote areas without transport. With Mitra devices available in China, researchers and healthcare professionals will be able to get blood samples without requiring people to visit a hospital or facility for an in-person blood draw. The small Mitra device makes it easy for anyone to collect a high-quality blood sample for validated lab testing. The data gathered from Mitra microsamples can be used for scientific research and clinical diagnostics.

"The Chinese NMPA registration confirms that Mitra devices from Neoteryx have met all regulatory and quality standards in China and can be imported into the country for use in both research and clinical applications," said Loc Huynh, MS, RAC, Regulatory Affairs and Quality Director, Neoteryx.

After specimen microsamples are collected onto Mitra devices, they are stored and shipped inside a protective plastic cartridge, which is sealed in a specimen bag that fits into a large mailing envelope for sending to a lab via regular mail. Mitra microsamples are analyzed in the lab as dried blood samples. Dried blood microsamples can be used for serology studies, therapeutic drug monitoring, and managing chronic illness such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease. Remote specimen collection with Mitra devices is ideal for remote patient monitoring of pediatric or elderly patients or for virtual clinical trials and public health studies where people can participate from home.

About Neoteryx

Neoteryx LLC, a medical device company in Southern California, delivers simple, quantitative, and automatable microsampling solutions. Its Mitra device facilitates remote specimen collection and transportation of blood and other biological fluids to improve human health, reduce laboratory costs and enable new models of care. Neoteryx's customers include scientific researchers, laboratories and health providers working to advance telemedicine, pharmaceutical development, biotechnology research and clinical diagnostics. For more information, visit www.neoteryx.com.

Media Contact:

Cathy Cordova, Neoteryx Marketing Director

(714) 609-8114

[email protected]

SOURCE Neoteryx
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today HCM research and advisory firm Aptitude Research and Fountain, the world's leading all-in-one applicant tracking system for high volume hiring, unveiled new data suggesting recruiters are under pressure to fill a large number of positions in today's labor market. The new study surveyed 420 recruiting employees at the talent acquisition director level and above -- across all industries and company sizes -- in a series of interviews from February-July 2021.

State of High Volume Hiring Recruitment Report

Majority of Companies Challenged by High Volume Hiring Needs, Recruitment

Almost two-thirds (65%) of companies surveyed said they have high volume hiring demands, defined in the study as needing to fill over 1,000 positions in a short period of time or receiving more than 1,000 applications per position. Positions that need to be filled include: gig workers and hourly roles, customer service and call center representatives, healthcare staff, seasonal financial services (e.g., tax professionals, accountants), data entry specialists and statisticians -- in addition to other positions businesses need to scale quickly or that have experienced sudden growth need to fill. But companies are not seeing as many candidates applying for jobs this year: almost 7 in 10 companies stated that they are getting fewer candidates applying for jobs this year than last year. In addition, 48% of respondents say they are having difficulty finding quality hires.

"Unlike traditional corporate recruitment, high volume hiring needs are extremely time-sensitive, and speed defines success," said Sean Behr, CEO of Fountain. "Our new data suggests companies need to simplify, optimize and automate as much of the candidate journey as possible to decrease time-to-hire. Businesses that are unable to scale their hiring to meet demand risk negative business outcomes."

High Candidate Drop-Offs Reported During Apply Phase

Not only are businesses struggling to find applicants, they are also having issues with candidates dropping off, and this is happening early on in the process. Forty-three percent of companies say the area where most candidates drop-off is during the apply phase. When asked why candidates are dropping off early in the process, recruitment professionals cited that those who had applied had found other jobs (47%) or had a poor candidate experience (46%). This indicates that easy apply continues to be a challenge in high volume recruitment. Indeed, 1 in 3 companies state that the application process takes longer than 30 minutes for high volume roles, and 1 in 2 companies do not have a mobile-optimized application process. Companies also identified issues with the employer brand and not wanting to work for the company (25%,) as well as candidates dropping off when they find out the pay (34%).

Companies Investing in Tech, But Neglecting Key Elements of Hiring Journey

Sixty-five percent of companies with high volume recruitment needs are not satisfied with their current applicant tracking systems (ATS), and 82% are increasing their investment in technology this year. Yet when asked what areas companies will reevaluate, recruitment marketing (24%), screening (22%) and sourcing (20%) remained top of the list, suggesting that recruiters are focused on early phases of talent acquisition. And only 27% of enterprise companies are planning to automate more than 50% of their talent acquisition processes this year, and most of those companies are just automating the application process.

"It's critical for recruiters to understand the candidate journey for high volume roles, which is different from traditional hiring," said Madeline Laurano, founder of Aptitude. "Our data shows while companies are investing in ways to identify the right talent, they are neglecting the interview, assessment and onboarding phases. Businesses also need to work on shortening and simplifying the apply process, investing in self-scheduling solutions during the interview process and communicating with candidates using the tools they want to use, like text messages."

Recruiters Prefer High Volume Workers to be Vaccinated

Although the government is not mandating vaccinations, employers can still ask job applicants about their COVID-19 vaccination status as they try to protect staff and customers. Fifty-nine percent of companies are asking their high volume workers to get vaccinated in 2021.

CONTACT:

Jessica Jaffe

Sift PR

[email protected]

(415) 497-9474

About Fountain

Fountain's all-in-one high volume hiring platform empowers the world's leading enterprises to find and hire the right people through smart, fast, and seamless recruiting. Candidates can apply anytime, anywhere in minutes, right from their phone. Automated and customizable processes streamline the candidate experience and save time for recruitment teams so they can scale with growing hiring needs. Advanced analytics provide end-to-end process visibility so managers can make swift, data-driven decisions. Throughout the candidate journey the openly integrated platform enables companies to find, qualify and convert more applicants. Fountain's global customers hire over 1.2 million workers annually in 78 countries.

Learn more at www.fountain.com or connect via Twitter, LinkedIn or the Fountain blog.

About Aptitude

Aptitude Research is a leading human capital management (HCM) research and advisory firm. Our in-depth research and vendor assessments help HR leaders develop a deep understanding of the HCM technology landscape, including talent acquisition and engagement, to ultimately make better purchase decisions. Our flagship research, The Aptitude Index Report: Talent Acquisition Systems (2021), delivers a comprehensive look at talent acquisition trends and technology. This knowledge, combined with our consulting and advisory services, enables companies to save time, money and improve the recruiting, hiring and workforce management experience. Founded by leading analyst Madeline Laurano and based in the Boston area, Aptitude Research provides a wealth of HCM expertise to companies, vendors and investors. View our recent and upcoming research at www.AptitudeResearch.com or connect with us on Twitter or LinkedIn.

SOURCE Fountain

Related Links

http://www.fountain.com


OSLO, Norway, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --

Significantly improved operating revenues by 25 percent and EBITDA by 43 percent compared to Q1 2021.

Revised FY 2021 guidance based on current market developments.

Continued high chartering activity in Q2 2021 bringing the EBITDA backlog to more than USD 500 million .

Q2 and six-month 2021 results:

MPC Container Ships ASA ("MPCC" or the "Company", together with its subsidiaries the "Group") today published its unaudited financial report for the six-month period ended 30 June 2021.

Total revenues of USD 68.8 million in Q2 2021 (Q1 2021: USD 54.9 million ).

in Q2 2021 (Q1 2021: ). EBITDA of USD 31.9 million in Q2 2021 (Q1 2021: USD 22.3 million ).

in Q2 2021 (Q1 2021: ). Net profit of USD 12.0 million in Q2 2021 (Q1 2021: USD 3.5 million ).

in Q2 2021 (Q1 2021: ). Utilization of 96.9% in Q2 2021 (Q1 2021: 99.2%).

Average time charter equivalent ("TCE") of USD 13,437 per day in Q2 2021 (Q1 2021: USD 10,502 per day).

per day in Q2 2021 (Q1 2021: per day). Cash and cash equivalents of USD 46.3 million as at 30 June 2021 . Equity ratio of 58.8% and leverage ratio of 37.7%.

As at 30 June 2021, the Group owns and operates 64 container vessels, whereof 56 are fully owned and 8 are operated in a joint venture.

The Company revises its guidance for FY 2021, with expected revenues in the range of USD 320-325 million and expected EBITDA in the range of USD 210-215 million. The guidance is subject to certain assumptions, including the sale of one of the Company's 2,800 TEU container vessels being successfully finalized and executed.

CEO Constantin Baack comments in relation to the announcement:

"The positive momentum in the container market is strengthening, supported by very strong fundamentals resulting in a further tightening of the availability of assets. Due to the upward trend in global trade and growing inefficiencies in the logistical chains there are no indications whatsoever of a weakening market before at least well into 2022.

In these market conditions the Company has completed a total of 42 fixtures in 2021 and expanded the fleet with additional 11 vessels, locking in favourable rates and consequently improving the EBITDA backlog to a total of more than USD 500 million. The visibility for 2021 is vastly improved, allowing the Company to revise the FY 2021 guidance.

Continuing to adhere to the moderate leverage strategy, we will continue to optimize our financial structure to achieve a more optimal balance sheet. Following that, the Company is well positioned to pay dividends in 2022."

Q2 and six-month 2021 earnings call and webcast:

The Company will host a webcast for the presentation of the Q2 2021 results commencing on Thursday 19 August 2021 at 15:00 hours CEST / 09:00 hours EDT. The presentation will be made available on the Company's webpage (https://www.mpc-container.com/en/financial-reports/) prior to the earnings call. There will be a Q&A session after the presentation.

The event is being streamed. It is recommended that you listen via your computer speakers. Please note that for optimal viewing, it is recommended not to use VPN, but instead to connect directly to the internet. Please disable pop-up blockers in order to view the content in its entirety.

The live webcast can be accessed through the following link:

https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/wjb6tesa

Alternatively, participants may dial in to the earnings call using the below dial-in information:

Norwegian LocalCall Dial-In (Oslo): +47 23 96 02 64

US LocalCall Dial-In (New York): +1 (631) 510-7495

International/Toll Attendee Dial-In: +44 (0) 2071 928000

Conference ID: 7363477

Following the earnings call, a post-call recording of the webcast will be made available on the Company's webpage (https://www.mpc-container.com/en/financial-reports/).

The above information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.

Further information and contact:

For further information, please contact [email protected].

About MPC Container Ships ASA:

MPC Container Ships ASA (ticker code "MPCC") was formed in April 2017. Its main activity is to own and operate a portfolio of container ships serving intra-regional trade lanes. The Company is registered and has its business office in Oslo, Norway. For more information, please see our website: www.mpc-container.com .

Forward-looking statements:

This announcement includes forward-looking statements. Such statements are generally not historical in nature, and specifically include statements about the Company's plans, strategies, business prospects, changes and trends in its business, the markets in which it operates and its restructuring efforts. These statements are made based upon management's current plans, expectations, assumptions and beliefs concerning future events impacting the Company and therefore involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this news release. Consequently, no forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. When considering these forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind the risks described from time to time in the Company's regulatory filings and periodical reporting. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Company to predict all of these factors. Further, the Company cannot assess the impact of each such factor on its business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to be materially different from those contained in any forward-looking statement.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/mpc-container-ships-asa/r/mpc-container-ships-asa-reports-q2-and-six-month-2021-results,c3399352

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Public/17513/3399352/b092b6c55d0495c3.pdf MPCC H1 2021 Financial Report

SOURCE MPC Container Ships ASA
LEHI, Utah and NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- MX, the financial data platform and leader in modern connectivity, today announced it is helping Goalry, a finance platform and "virtual goal mall," to enable its customers to take control of managing their financial lives. With MX's data platform to power its one-stop-shop solution, Goalry customers will see improvements in their efforts to increase their savings, retirement, and in paying off debts.

"We loved MX from the beginning because it was always about more than just the accomplishment of the financial goal, but the financial empowerment and memories that are made when you achieve your goals," said Ethan Taub, Founder and CEO of Goalry. "The connection with MX was immediate because we're helping people with life management -- taking action on their goals and socializing what you're doing with your life."

With help from MX, Goalry quickly incorporated its personal financial management features into the Goalry experience. Lacking the resources to recreate everything on its own, Goalry was able to move faster with help from the MX team.

"It would have taken us years to create this on our own," said Taub. "Working with MX has been amazing for that reason alone."

Goalry uses MX's aggregation capabilities and money management tools to provide its customers with a unified money experience. Members are given a single "Member Key" that grants them access to unlock various financial service "stores." When a financial account is added in one store, it is also instantly available to the member at any other store in the mall. By allowing customers to connect all of their financial data in one place, Goalry is enabling its customers to take control of managing their financial lives.

"We share a common vision with Goalry to make finances as they should be for the millions of Americans who want simpler and more efficient tools," said Nate Gardner, Chief Customer Officer of MX. "Through this partnership Goalry customers can better control their financial lives which ultimately improves the quality of their entire life."

About MX

MX, the financial data platform and leader in modern connectivity, helps organizations everywhere connect to the world's financial data and turn raw, unstructured data into their most valuable asset to deliver intelligent and personalized money experiences. MX connects more than 16,000 financial institutions and fintechs providing the industry's most reliable and secure data connectivity network. Additionally, MX powers 85% of digital banking providers, as well as thousands of banks, credit unions, and fintechs, with a combined reach of over 200 million consumers. To learn more, follow us on Twitter @MX or visit www.mx.com .

About Goalry

Goalry is a fintech platform and virtual 'goal mall'. Similar to a regular mall, it provides a single location to access and shop for different solutions that help people reach their goals. Goalry offers easy-to-use money tools with playful life management features to give members an immersive experience on three floors. A single member key grants access to each of the floors to unlock financial service 'stores', finance education and a social community. Goalry also acts as a comparison-shopping website, giving consumers the best possible chance at finding the right product. Please visit www.goalry.com for more information.

Contact:

Tom Cook

[email protected]

SOURCE MX

Related Links

http://www.mx.com


RESTON, Va., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Leidos (NYSE:LDOS), a FORTUNE 500 science and technology leader, was awarded the Fully Integrated Lifecycle Mission Support Services 2 (FILMSS 2) contract by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to provide program, science, engineering, operations and project management support at the agency's Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, California. The single award cost-plus fixed-fee and indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract holds an approximate value of $270 million. It includes a two-year base period and three one-year options.

"For decades, Ames has accelerated scientific discovery through global research and collaboration," said Jim Moos, Leidos Civil Group president. "As a company founded and fueled by science, we are pleased to continue supporting critical research missions that will advance human exploration in deep space."

As the FILMSS 2 prime contractor, Leidos will perform essential activities that enable Ames' high-end research. This support will include program management, mission implementation, instrument development and collaborative technology advancement for Ames' virtual institutes. Leidos will also provide assistance to multiple research disciplines, including life sciences, astrobiology, aeronautics and lunar sampling.

Ames is one of ten NASA field centers. Among other core areas of expertise, the center conducts astrobiology and life science research while ensuring space missions remain cost-effective. Ames leverages virtual institutes that bring scientists together from across the globe to virtually collaborate on world-class research and development for NASA.

The Leidos team will leverage the expertise of its vast portfolio to support this research. These assets include Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., which serves as the technical support contractor for the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, and the Leidos Innovations Center (LInC). The LlnC operates out of Dynetics, a wholly owned subsidiary of Leidos, as the company's research and development arm for advanced technologies.

Leidos has supported many of NASA's critical missions for over 60 years.

About Leidos

Leidos is a Fortune 500 technology, engineering, and science solutions and services leader working to solve the world's toughest challenges in the defense, intelligence, civil, and health markets. The company's 43,000 employees support vital missions for government and commercial customers. Headquartered in Reston, Va., Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $12.30 billion for the fiscal year ended January 1, 2021. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com.

Statements in this announcement, other than historical data and information, constitute forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause our actual results, performance, achievements, or industry results to be very different from the results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Some of these factors include, but are not limited to, the risk factors set forth in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended January 1, 2021, and other such filings that Leidos makes with the SEC from time to time. Due to such uncertainties and risks, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof.

Contact:

Melissa Duenas

(571) 526-6850

[email protected]

Thomas Doheny

(571) 474-4735

[email protected]

Alyssa Pettus

(571) 992-5499

[email protected]

SOURCE Leidos Holdings Inc.

Related Links

http://www.Leidos.com


LOS ANGELES, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- M5 Productions tackles homelessness and mental illness in the psychological thriller "Mateo & Cliff". The film stars Actor/Producer Phillip E. Walker, "Westworld & Kevin Hart's Guide to Black History", as Phillip E. Walker as Mateo, a homeless man battling mental health issues who confronts his alter (younger self), Cliff, portrayed by Terrence Prince, "Swag Inc," in this emotionally compelling feature short.

NEW PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER "MATEO & CLIFF" TACKLES THE COMPLEXITIES OF HOMELESSNESS & MENTAL HEALTH

The film also stars Sianna Lyons as Nicole. Mateo & Cliff is an affirming and suspenseful story about a homeless man's struggle with mental health issues to feel safe, whole, and sane through Cliff his younger self. The film is in post-production and is scheduled for release in May 2022 to usher in and raise awareness of Mental Health Awareness Month (MHAM #breakthestigma).

Ogechi Musa, "Friction, The Hodge, and Midst", helmed the project as writer/director. Musa was motivated to tell a story that depicts all facets of homelessness triggered by mental health issues when the pendulum of life swings in an unforeseen direction. The promise of a career, relationship and success are all upended when Cliff slowly devolves into Mateo. The confrontation between "Mateo & Cliff" spirals into palpable violence as Mateo slowly becomes unhinged. The film gives a front seat view of what it means to suffer from Homelessness and Mental Health issues, while shining a light on the complexities of those who have been wounded both physically and emotionally. Mateo & Cliff is meant to bring awareness of the courage it takes to be a survivor and to draw attention to an issue that has become a national epidemic. Musa is an amazing director with a unique vision of the world. Her skill in creating psychological intensity that brings the characters to life draws the audience in.

In recognition of, and solidarity with Mental Health Awareness Month (MHAM), "I can't think of a more thrilling and timely film project to draw attention to the movement. Mateo & Cliff are the kind of characters any director dreams of bringing to life," says Musa.

Contact

Nea Simone Media Relations

BESPOKE Media Marketing

(424) 291.2031 - Office (424) 567.1360 - Direct

[email protected]



Related Images

mateo-cliff.png

Mateo & Cliff

NEW PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER "MATEO & CLIFF" TACKLES THE COMPLEXITIES OF HOMELESSNESS & MENTAL HEALTH

SOURCE M5 Productions, LLC
PRINCETON, N.J., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Rising COVID activity has led to the return of visitation restrictions for hospitals in some parts of New Jersey.

Under color-coded visitation guidelines adopted across the state's hospitals, the Southeast and Southwest regions of the state are now at level yellow. Level yellow generally allows hospitalized patients to receive just one visitor at a time, with precautions such as masking and symptom screening. However, visitors are not allowed for COVID patients or those who are immunocompromised, except under certain circumstances approved by the care team. Those circumstances include care being provided to pediatric patients or patients with an intellectual, developmental, or other cognitive disability.

New Jersey's visitation color codes were developed by the New Jersey Hospital Association in November 2020. The visitation levels are reassessed weekly based on COVID-19 levels in the community and hospital capacity within the region. Until this month, all four of the state's regions have been in level green, which generally allows two visitors at a time, since mid-May.

The system is designed to limit COVID spread and protect those within the hospital, while also providing uniformity for patients and their loved ones. Additional information on the color codes is available at www.njha.com/coronavirus/hospital-visitation-codes.

"The added visitation precautions are triggered by the rise in COVID cases and hospitalizations across New Jersey, attributable to the highly contagious Delta variant and individuals who are not yet vaccinated," said NJHA President and CEO Cathy Bennett.

From mid-July to mid-August, New Jersey data shows a 7-day average increase of 271.6 percent in new cases and 168.5 percent in hospitalizations. According to the New Jersey Department of Health, the Delta variant accounts for 96 percent of cases, based on a sampling of positive tests from the last two weeks of July.

"The current trajectory of new infections shows some of the fastest spread of COVID that we have seen since the spring of 2020," said Bennett. "The new variants are more contagious. We encourage everyone to get vaccinated to stop the spread of COVID-19 and avoid further impact to our schools and businesses, as well as our patients, visitors and healthcare professionals."

The Southeast region includes the counties of Atlantic, Cape May, Monmouth and Ocean, while the Southwest region spans Burlington, Camden, Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties. Patients and visitors are encouraged to confirm with their hospital any added visitation rules, screening or precautions in place.

SOURCE New Jersey Hospital Association (NJHA)

Related Links

http://www.njha.com


CEDAR KNOLLS, N.J., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program, Inc. (NJMEP) is expanding to provide local manufacturers with easier access to training and consulting services. NJMEP is opening a brand-new training facility in Bellmawr, New Jersey to serve manufacturing businesses in South Jersey. This new facility is fully staffed and ready to host professional development training courses and workshops. In addition to NJMEP's suite of effective training options, the NJMEP Pro-Action Education TeamTM invested in innovative Augmented Reality welding equipment and CNC equipment to provide hands-on training to help alleviate the skills gap in these in-demand areas. On August 19th, NJMEP's board and prominent state legislators will be in attendance for a ribbon-cutting ceremony where they can tour the facility and see demonstrations of this ground-breaking new training equipment.

"It's our responsibility to ensure that every manufacturing business in New Jersey has the option to take advantage of our services as New Jersey's MEP center. We've always been able to serve South Jersey-based manufacturers from our Cedar Knolls headquarters, but the opening of the Bellmawr training center makes it even easier for these businesses to upskill their staff and engage with NJMEP," explained John W. Kennedy, Ph.D., CEO, NJMEP.

Kennedy continued, "New Jersey is home to over 11,000 manufacturing and STEM firms. These businesses are located all around the state. The opening of our Bellmawr office not only marks a milestone in NJMEP's growth, but it is a massive step forward for the industry by extending our support of New Jersey manufacturing firms. It's a big day for our state and our industry,".

The ribbon-cutting ceremony will be the official launch of the South Jersey training center. The Bellmawr facility has been given the name the 'Chris DePace' training center to commemorate one of NJMEP's longest-running Account Managers who lost his life to COVID-19 complications. As South Jersey-based manufacturers recover from the disruptions caused by the pandemic, they can take advantage of the training being offered or consulting services available at the 'Chris DePace' training center in Bellmawr, New Jersey.

About NJMEP:

NJMEP is a private, not-for-profit organization that improves the profitability and competitiveness of New Jersey's manufacturers. Backed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), NJMEP enables organizations to enhance their productivity and efficiency, reduce costs, and improve employee performance.

For more than 25 years, NJMEP has used its extensive network of connections and a proven track record of success to help manufacturers adapt to the latest innovative technologies and best practices to realize more than $5.4 Billion in value. Our services are categorized into the following three areas: Operational Excellence, Innovation and Growth Strategies, and Workforce Development. NJMEP also has a signature philanthropic program, Manufacturing Cares, which is designed to provide a platform for manufacturers to give back to the community by pooling charitable efforts to increase our impact.

SOURCE New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program

Related Links

https://njmep.org/


This underrepresentation of people of color in upper management contrasts, according to the panel, with countries such as China, Vietnam, India and others that have developed diverse, well-organized, expert-level manufacturing teams. These competitors are able to investigate business opportunities objectively, solve complex problems efficiently and build new and better products. By contrast, U.S. manufacturing is fielding a team that is short staffed and partially divided as it goes up against some of the world's best. Compounded by a U.S. worker shortage and a skills gap, this situation is sobering.

"Manufacturing in the U.S. is at a crossroads of technological convergence and post-pandemic shift," said Robert Willig, executive director and CEO of SME. "Opportunities in the industry have never been better, with significant numbers of good, high-paying jobs abounding; but at the same time, we face a significant skills gap and shortage of workers. We must appeal to a broader pool of workers from all communities, including diverse ones, and they must see viable, realistic career opportunities and feel appreciated and fully included to be a part of them."

Willig cited a 2015 McKinsey study that shows the value in investing in greater diversity and inclusion. Companies in the top quarter for racial and ethnic diversity are 35 percent more likely to have financial returns above their respective national industry medians, he said, which is big for any industry, not to mention that's it's simply the right thing to do. Plus, manufacturing offers a pathway to economic progress and success to millions of people, providing good paying jobs and helping communities across the nation.

The panel members, who bring diverse backgrounds of manufacturing experience and technical focus, included:

Invent the Change CEO Jay Flores

Montez King, executive director, National Institute for Metalworking Skills

Allen Reid , chief human resources officer, Materion

, chief human resources officer, Materion Dauod Thompson , managing director, Process Intel

, managing director, Process Intel Electro Soft CEO Karla Trotman

The panel specified several areas for improvement regarding recruiting and retaining the diverse workforce they felt were needed to up the competitiveness of American manufacturing, including:

Identifying and Ridding the Workplace of Unconscious Cultural Bias  Unconscious cultural bias can come in the form of a slight, an offhand remark or a blind spot that keeps a supervisor from seeing an employee's management potential, which can frustrate people of color and limit development opportunities. Identifying and eliminating the many forms of unconscious cultural bias can be difficult, said Trotman, because these assumptions, values, and beliefs can be submerged and hidden beneath the surface. She suggests manufacturers consider bringing in an outside party to audit their organization and identify unconscious bias and other issues that may affect their workforce.

Workers need some degree of cultural competence  the ability to communicate with, understand and work effectively with people across cultures  to understand how cultures, assumptions and experiences differ, said Reid. This enables them to communicate, respond and work more seamlessly as a team.

Developing a Career Path with Mentorship and Apprenticeship for Manufacturing Workers  New employees should be integrated into mentorship programs that pair them with experienced workers to share information about the job, tasks, and culture, said Reid. He stressed that mentorships are especially important for employees who may not have had much experience in the workplace. As a worker's tenure matures, he recommends other opportunities, such as apprenticeships, which he said are great at fostering connection.

Establishing a Connection to the Community Through Communication and Outreach  You can create a corporate culture that has diverse talent lining up at the door and diverse customers ready to do business if you simply reach out into the community and educate it and its student base about what your workforce does and what types of workers you need to secure your future, said Flores. If it wasn't for a little bit of outreach and communication with the community surrounding Rockwell Automation, the company for which he first worked, he would have had no idea what was going on in their building, which he passed every day going to school. Even if your outreach doesn't result in those students joining your organization, they could become a customer or future client with a good understanding or what you do and what you stand for.

Creating a Training Pathway that Leads to Manufacturing  With recruitment of skilled production workers currently averaging 70 days and with six out of 10 positions going unfilled, increasing hiring efforts among people of color is a positive way to narrow manufacturing's skills gap, according to the panel. One way that the Southeastern Pennsylvania Manufacturing Alliance (of which Trotman is a co-chair) addressed this is through creation of a boot camp. The 70-member alliance created its own pathway to readiness for workers by investing in a training provider to infuse workers with a foundation in manufacturing upon completion. The result: about 80 percent of the five groups that have completed the boot camp have become employed.

Individuals who have fulfilling careers in manufacturing can also take it upon themselves to reach out to young people to demystify manufacturing, Reid said, "There is this old saying, 'Each one, reach one.' You really can change the course of someone's life."

Click the link, The Promise of Inclusion, to view the panel discussion in its entirety; click "How to include more people of color in management" to read the Smart Manufacturing article.

About SME

SME connects manufacturing professionals, academia and communities, sharing knowledge and resources to build inspired, educated and prosperous manufacturers and enterprises. With nearly 90 years of experience and expertise in events, media, membership, training and development, and also through the SME Education Foundation, SME is committed to promoting manufacturing technology, developing a skilled workforce and attracting future generations to advance manufacturing. Learn more at sme.org, follow @SME_MFG on Twitter or facebook.com/SMEmfg.

SOURCE SME

Related Links

http://www.sme.org


TACOMA, Wash., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- PABCO Roofing Products, an innovative manufacturer of asphalt shingles for homeowners in the Western U.S., announces the promotion of Phil Bonnell to president of PABCO Building Products, LLC. Previously senior vice president at PABCO Building Products, Bonnell will now oversee the shingle-maker's overall production, distribution, sales, and marketing strategies.

Bonnell's primary responsibility will be to increase the company's competitive strengths and identify new opportunities for growth. PABCO Roofing will continue to identify innovative technologies, aesthetic designs, and superior manufacturing methods to make its shingles best-of-breed at all price points.

The building and maintaining of strategic relationships  raw material suppliers, distributors, local-market contractors, architects, builders, and customers  are also PABCO Roofing priorities. With an understanding that its long-term corporate goals are directly tied to the success of its partners, PABCO Roofing upholds fair and transparent business practices and an unfaltering steadfastness to stand behind its products.

"As a family-owned business, we have the exceptional flexibility to focus on what's good for the company in the long-term  especially its relationships and its reputation," said Phil Bonnell, president, PABCO Building Products. "I see my job as a facilitator for the success of each of our staff members and as a protector of the unique status the PABCO Roofing brand enjoys in the industry."

New Members of the PABCO Roofing Team

Mike Tessier, Territory Manager

Tessier joins PABCO Roofing as territory manager for Montana. His responsibilities include maintaining relationships with the company's trusted network of roofing contractors throughout the state. Tessier, a veteran of the U.S. Navy, has worked for numerous building-products companies in both manufacturing and distribution capacities over his nearly three-decade career.

Mike Matsen, Regional Manager

Matsen was recently promoted to regional manager for Washington, Alaska, and British Columbia. His responsibilities include overseeing sales in his region, supporting local roofing contractors, ensuring accurate and on-time delivery of PABCO Roofing products, and advancing the company's family-focused culture in all internal and external communications. Matsen, a graduate of the University of Washington Foster School of Business, has been representing suppliers to the building-products industry for more than two decades, successfully working with customers and partners throughout his career.

About PABCO Roofing Products

Since 1984, PABCO Roofing Products has been creating best-in-class roofing materials for its customers. The company stands apart by offering its clients a full range of premium products with the personalized service of a trusted local business. PABCO Roofing Products is a family-focused company that truly values its relationships and delivers a quality product and exceptional service each and every time. PABCO Roofing Products is a division of PABCO Building Products, LLC which services the building industry in the western United States and Canada. For more information, please visit www.pabcoroofing.com, Facebook, Houzz, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube.

SOURCE PABCO Roofing

Related Links

http://www.pabcoroofing.com


BEIJING, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Puxin Limited (NYSE: NEW) ("Puxin" or the "Company"), a successful consolidator of the after-school education industry in China, today announced that, it has received a notice (the "Notice") from the New York Stock Exchange (the "NYSE") dated August 18, 2021, notifying Puxin that it is below compliance criteria in connection with the performance of trading price of Puxin's American depositary shares (the "ADSs").

Pursuant to Section 802.01C of the NYSE's Listed Company Manual, a company will be considered to be below compliance criteria if the average closing price of its security is less than US$1.00 over a consecutive 30 trading-day period. Once notified, the company must bring its share price and average share price back above US$1.00 within six months following receipt of the notification. The Company can regain compliance with Section 802.01C at any time during the cure period if the share price is at least US$1.00 on both the last trading day of any calendar month within the six-month cure period and the average share price over the 30 trading days preceding the end of that month. In the event that at the expiration of the six-month cure period, both a US$1.00 closing share price on the last trading day of the cure period and a US$1.00 average closing share price over the 30 trading-day period ending on the last trading day of the cure period are not attained, the NYSE will commence suspension and delisting procedures.

The Notice has no immediate impact on the listing of the Company's ADSs, which will continue to be listed and traded on the NYSE during the cure period subject to continued compliance with the other listing requirements of the NYSE.

To address this issue, the Company intends to monitor the market conditions of its listed securities and is still considering its options.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements made under the "safe harbor" provisions of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, without limitation, statements regarding the Company's future share price and the Company's ability to cure the price deficiency within the required cure period. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "may," "would," "expect," "anticipate," "future," "intend," "aim," "plan," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "project," "continue," "confident" and similar statements. The Company may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its reports filed with or furnished to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Any statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements that involve factors, risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such factors and risks include, but not limited to the following: its goals and strategies, its ability to achieve and maintain profitability, its ability to attract and retain students to enroll in its courses, its ability to effectively manage its business expansion and successfully integrate businesses it acquired, its ability to identify or pursue targets for acquisitions, its ability to compete effectively against its competitors, its ability to improve the content of its existing courses or to develop new courses, and relevant government policies and regulations relating to the Company's corporate structure, business and industry. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All information provided in this press release is current as of the date of the press release, and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update such information, except as required under applicable law.

About Puxin Limited

Puxin Limited (NYSE: NEW) ("Puxin" or the "Company") is a successful consolidator of the after-school education industry in China. Puxin has a strong acquisition and integration expertise to effectively improve education quality and operational performance of acquired schools. Puxin offers a full spectrum of K-12 and study-abroad tutoring programs designed to help students achieve academic excellence, as well as prepare for admission tests and applications for top schools, universities and graduate programs in China and other countries. For more information, please visit http://www.pxjy.com/.

Contacts

Puxin Limited

Investor Relations

Phone: +86-10-6269-8930

E-mail: [email protected]

ICA Investor Relations (Asia) Limited

Mr. Kevin Yang

Phone: +86-21-8028-6033

E-mail: [email protected]

SOURCE Puxin Limited

Related Links

www.pxjy.com


For over 60 years, Keystone Fire Protection Co. has been a trusted provider of fire protection equipment and life safety services in commercial and industrial settings. In 1986, John M. Lawlor, current owner and CEO of Keystone Fire, took over the family business. Since 1986, Keystone Fire has acquired several businesses and become a regionally recognized brand of excellence. To ensure continuity of the business, and to help the future growth strategy, John and Lisa Lawlor will be maintaining their presence in the Company.

"Much of our growth in the last 10 years has been through strategic acquisitions, which has strengthened our market share and complemented our product and service offerings," Lawlor said. "But the competition to acquire good companies has become fierce, and we were looking to pair with a financially strong partner who shared our same values and visions for growth. We could not have found a better partner than Pye-Barker Fire."

"Keystone Fire is an exciting acquisition for Pye-Barker Fire, as it allows us to enter into a new market," said Bart Proctor, CEO of Pye-Barker Fire. "This further advances our strategic vision of being a fully integrated and self-performing national provider of fire and life safety services. The Keystone Fire name is synonymous with excellence, and we are thrilled to have them join the family."

About Pye-Barker Fire & Safety

Pye-Barker Fire & Safety is a leading provider of fire and life safety protection services across 96 locations spanning 23 states in the Continental US with headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. Since its founding in 1946, Pye-Barker Fire's core values have been unwavering in providing honest and reliable service through its highly trained and dedicated employees. Pye-Barker Fire invests heavily in providing best-in-class training for its team while offering industry competitive benefits. To learn more about Pye-Barker Fire, visit www.pyebarkerfire.com.

Contact:

Chuck Reimel

(910) 612-6252

[email protected]

SOURCE Pye-Barker Fire & Safety
Sara Glenn, Chief Operating Officer, Canada, Caribbean, Mexico & Central America at Accor is optimistic for the remainder of this year even though it is a "work in progress." In her Spotlight On interview , she goes on to say that it has been "during this very challenging time that we saw a necessary opportunity to reexamine our operations and focus on what is critical for all of our guests, employees, owners, and brands, and to simplify to be able to meet the changing needs of our stakeholders while still providing incredible experiences."

"Our guests are seeking out differentiated and enriching travel experiences, more authenticity, and meaning especially through local discovery."

Samantha Hardcastle writes a piece on how tumultuous change is a catalyst for nostalgia, with most people romanticizing the past. "It's a huge part of the human experience, with nearly 15 million photos tagged with #Nostalgia, and 54 million photos tagged with #ThrowbackThursday on Instagram."

She draws parallels between travel and nostalgia saying "one of the greatest appeals of travel is to step into a place only to be transported to a completely different point in time" and encourages teams to explore "the moment in time we wish to transport our guests to, and what are the sights, smells, songs, even inanimate objects." Read Feeling Nostalgic? So are your Guests here

Michael Bennett, Chief Marketing Officer for Cendyn talks about how maintaining guest-centricity alongside adaptable technology is easier said than done in a tech-infused world in his article What is a Customer Data Platform and what can it do for my hotel?

He explores the difference between a CDP and a CRM, taking a closer look at what a CDP is for hotels, how it can enhance the guest journey, and what your hotel can achieve with a CDP.

Read the full article here

The ILHA's East Coast Chapter Open House took place at The Dubliner at the Phoenix Park Hotel in Washington D.C. It was a momentous occasion as the chapter was formed at the beginning of the pandemic by Ofra Gelman, Principal, Dwell Design Studio , and was the first time everyone could meet face-to-face. Bruce Wardinski, Chairman and CEO, Playa Hotels & Resorts donated a three-night stay to the luxury, all-inclusive Hilton La Romana in the Dominican Republic. Proceeds went to ServiceSource , the Chapter's non-profit charity partner.

Don't miss out on the ILHA's 10th annual INSPIRE21 conference on investment and innovation in luxury hospitality at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows, Santa Monica on December 2-3. Join us for informative sessions on the facts and strategies you need to know to help your business grow.

Register now and get up to 40% off your tickets today.

About the International Luxury Hotel Association

The International Luxury Hotel Association is the luxury hospitality's preeminent association promoting, unifying and advancing the industry through insight, opinion and research.

ILHA reaches an audience of more than 500,000 hotel professionals in 90+ countries and produces LUXURY HOTELIERS Magazine, ILHA SmartBrief and the INSPIRE SUMMITS in Europe and North America. They also run LinkedIn's largest hospitality and travel group which ranks in the top 100 of the more than 10 million professional groups on LinkedIn. Connect with us on theilha.com , hospitality and travel forum , ILHA Facebook , ILHA Instagram , ILHA Twitter , ILHA YouTube

SOURCE International Luxury Hotel Association

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http://luxuryhotelassociation.org


The hires signal the digital marketing agency's continued growth and expansion following inclusion on the Inc. 500 list and The Tampa Bay Business Journal's Fast 50 list of Tampa Bay's fastest-growing privately held companies. Roger West climbed to the No. 3 spot after experiencing 664.49% revenue growth over the past three years.

Salim Rouwayheb will be responsible for helping Roger West meet growing client needs in the email marketing, campaign development and demand generation arena. Rouwayheb brings more than 10 years of in-depth technical and design experience, with cross-functional expertise in platform operations, CRM systems, marketing automation and customer journeys. Rouwayheb most recently worked for the Vanguard Group in Philadelphia. He holds a Bachelor of Arts and Science degree in graphic design and marketing from Cleveland State University.

Kendra Mahon joins the agency as Director of Client Services, where she will oversee Roger West's account management team to ensure exceptional service delivery, client success and satisfaction across all client relationships. Mahon is an experienced agency account executive specializing in brand management, creative services and client communications. She joins Roger West from PPK, where she was marketing director. Mahon holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications and writing from the University of Tampa.

"We're excited to welcome Salim and Kendra to the Roger West team. Our agency has experienced incredible growth over the past year, and we're grateful for the opportunity to expand our team along with our offered services. We have found two incredible professionals who are not only experts in their field, but passionate about client service. It's that passion and commitment to helping clients reach their goals that sets them apart and makes them a great fit for Roger West," said Michael Westafer, Founder and CEO at Roger West.

Roger West continues to develop its team for continuous growth and client success. These new onboards are critical elements of the agency's development strategy to better serve clients across all industry verticals.

ABOUT ROGER WEST

Roger West Creative & Code is a full-service digital marketing agency that helps companies build brands, generate leads, and keep customers inspired and engaged. Founded in 2007 and based in Tampa, Florida, Roger West is a member of the 2021 Inc 500 and has won dozens of major awards but is most proud of consecutive designations as a Top Place to Work. The agency drives client growth through brand development, website design, messaging strategy, content marketing, paid search, social media, lead generation, custom coding and more. www.rogerwest.com.

SOURCE Roger West Creative & Code

Related Links

http://www.rogerwest.com


Months of planning leads to design of a marketing campaign using leading edge data to support the Rite Aid launch

VANCOUVER, BC, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Rritual Superfoods Inc. ("Rritual" or the "Company") (CSE: RSF) (FWB: 0RW) (OTCQB: RRSFF) is excited to announce that the Company is launching a comprehensive marketing campaign to support the national rollout of Rritual products with Rite Aid throughout the USA.

The Rite Aid national rollout represents a major achievement for the Rritual brand. It validates both supply and demand for the category, while validating Rritual's product quality and the rapidly growing interest of consumers in functional superfoods. Rritual is striving to not only lead this emerging category, but to define it. A significant part of achieving that goal is accomplished through gaining the trust and support of consumers through top tier retailers such as Rite Aid and CVS.

Rritual Superfoods comprehensive marketing campaign to support Rite Aid's national rollout combines a geo-targeted marketing initiative, with in-store merchandising and RiteAid.com brand building programs. Internal leadership has worked aggressively with agency partners to develop this leading-edge marketing campaign designed to build significant brand awareness for Rritual and drive consumers to Right Aid point of sale locations throughout the USA.

"As we have stated previously, Rritual's retail strategy is disruptive, the Company is aiming at national retailers rather than regional rollouts in order to gain market share and category defining leadership," said Mr. David Kerbel, Rritual CEO and Director. "Working with our agency partners, our team has developed a program that will maximize the opportunity for growth with Rite Aid, and very importantly deliver data from which we can draw insights to strengthen our marketing programs going forward."

About Rite Aid Corporation

Rite Aid Corporation is on the front lines of delivering healthcare services and retail products to more than 1.6 million Americans daily. Our pharmacists are uniquely positioned to engage with customers and improve their health outcomes. We provide an array of whole being health products and services for the entire family through over 2,400 retail pharmacy locations across 17 states. Through Elixir, we provide pharmacy benefits and services to approximately 4 million members nationwide. For more information, www.riteaid.com.

About Rritual

Rritual is a fast-growing functional superfood company that creates natural wellness products which support a holistic approach to a healthy lifestyle. The company is poised to dominate a segment where demand and sales are growing exponentially. Under the executive leadership with over 100 years of CPG pedigree, Rritual has launched distribution to major retailers and is positioning itself as a leader in the functional health and wellness industry as a superfood platform. Rritual markets organic wellness products in the United States through initial retail rollout which includes over 10,000 points of sale and through www.rritual.com.

Follow Rritual on Twitter , LinkedIn , Facebook , and Instagram .

Functional Foods Market

According to Grandview Research*, it is estimated that the global functional food market is projected to reach $275 billion by 2025, growing at 7.9% each year with consumers putting more emphasis on health and wellness.

*https://www.grandviewresearch.com/press-release/global-functional-foods-market

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking statements") that relate to Rritual's current expectations and views of future events. Any statements that express, or involve discussions as to, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, through the use of words or phrases such as "will likely result", "are expected to", "expects", "will continue", "is anticipated", "anticipates", "believes", "estimated", "intends", "plans", "forecast", "projection", "strategy", "objective" and "outlook") are not historical facts and may be forward-looking statements and may involve estimates, assumptions and uncertainties which could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those expressed in such forward-looking statements. No assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements included in this news release should not be unduly relied upon. These statements speak only as of the date of this news release. In particular and without limitation, this news release contains forward-looking statements relating to the Company's plans to leverage third party manufacturing and logistics, the Company's broader retail distribution plans and the Company's other plans, focus and objectives.

Forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Rritual's control, which could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those that are disclosed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the impact and progression of the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors set forth under "Forward-Looking Statements" and "Risk Factors" in the final long form prospectus of the Company dated February 26, 2021 and available under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Rritual undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for Rritual to predict all of them or assess the impact of each such factor or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. Any forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.

SOURCE Rritual Superfoods Inc.

Related Links

https://rritual.com/


SUMMIT, N.J., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Seqirus, a global leader in influenza prevention and a business of CSL Limited (ASX:CSL), today announced plans to accelerate the development of its next generation of messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine technology, self-amplifying messenger RNA (sa-mRNA), with the creation of a dedicated sa-mRNA program and senior leadership appointment.

Seqirus is currently developing a number of sa-mRNA-based influenza vaccine candidates, with pre-clinical results demonstrating promise as compared to more traditional influenza vaccine technologies. The company is targeting the commencement of clinical trials for both seasonal and pandemic influenza vaccine candidates in the second half of 2022.

"While the COVID-19 pandemic has brought mRNA vaccines to prominence, Seqirus has been researching sa-mRNA as a viable influenza vaccine technology for a number of years and is now forging ahead into clinical trials to ensure we build the best possible technology platform for both seasonal influenza and pandemic response, more broadly," said Stephen Marlow, General Manager at Seqirus. "As part of Seqirus' investment in this next-generation sa-mRNA technology, I'm proud to announce the appointment of Roberta Duncan in the newly-created role of Vice President, mRNA Program Lead, who will execute a cross-functional effort across the Seqirus enterprise to drive this exciting advancement on our differentiated influenza portfolio from development through to commercialization."

mRNA vaccines help protect against infectious diseases by giving instructions to cells in the body to make a protein, stimulating the immune response and leaving a blueprint to recognize and fight future infection.1 Self-amplifying mRNA, the next generation version of today's mRNA technology, also instructs the body to replicate mRNA, amplifying the amount of protein made.2 This could enable vaccine manufacturers to potentially develop more effective vaccines with a smaller dosage and with lower rates of reactogenicity, underscoring the application in both pandemic and seasonal settings.2 In preclinical research, sa-mRNA technology demonstrated the potential to raise stronger cellular responses and generate significantly higher antibody titers at the same dose level as mRNA.2

Based on its longstanding heritage in influenza, Seqirus is well positioned to make strategic investments in both the development of its existing platforms and in longer-term, high opportunity development activities. While its current focus remains on influenza, Seqirus is also exploring the potential for sa-mRNA vaccines in other disease areas. Seqirus sees this technology as an important element in its R&D pipeline, in addition to its adjuvanted, cell-based influenza vaccine (aQIVc) candidate, a highly flexible platform for rapid pandemic response, regardless of influenza virus strain, which is currently in Phase 2 clinical trials.3,4,5

"As the industry leader in influenza vaccines, we recognize the important role that we must play to develop this platform, today and for years to come," said Roberta Duncan, Vice President, mRNA Program Lead. "It's an exciting time for the industry and for Seqirus, as we continue actively pursuing technological advances to improve influenza protection and help safeguard our communities around the world against this potentially serious virus."

Seqirus produces influenza vaccines across its global manufacturing network, which includes facilities in the U.S., U.K. and Australia. Seqirus is currently considering a number of global locations to establish scaled manufacturing capabilities for its sa-mRNA platform technology.

Seqirus continually works on improving the effectiveness of its seasonal and pandemic influenza vaccines through investment in optimization of current technologies and developing new, transformative approaches to future vaccine development. Seqirus remains committed to collaborating with other partners to advance its understanding of how the human immune system responds to influenza, and the implications for development of next generation vaccines that better protect against influenza.

Roberta Duncan

Vice President, sa-mRNA Program Lead

Roberta Duncan joined Seqirus in 2017 as Head of Business Operations, Shared Services and Clinical Compliance (BOSS-CC). In 2019, Roberta was promoted to Executive Director of R&D Portfolio and Program Management & Business Operations, Shared Services (PPM-BOSS), where she was responsible for ensuring the Seqirus R&D portfolio aligned to and met the company's strategic objectives. In June 2021, Roberta was appointed Vice President, mRNA Program Lead, responsible for the execution of the Seqirus mRNA program.

Roberta has nearly 25 years of global experience in the pharmaceutical sector in program management, clinical development, asset strategy, business operations and team leadership. She earned her BA in Biochemistry from New York University and a dual MBA in International Management from Krannert School of Management (Purdue University) and TiasNimbas Business School (Tilburg University, The Netherlands).

About Seasonal Influenza

Influenza is a common, contagious seasonal respiratory disease that may cause severe illness and life- threatening complications in some people.6 Influenza can lead to clinical symptoms varying from mild to moderate respiratory illness to severe complications, hospitalization and in some cases, death.6 The CDC recommends annual vaccination for individuals aged six months and older, who do not have any contraindications.7 Because transmission of influenza viruses to others may occur one day before symptoms develop and up to five to seven days after becoming sick, the disease can be easily transmitted to others.6 Estimates from the CDC report that during the 2019/20 influenza season, there were an estimated 405,000 influenza-related hospitalizations in the U.S.8 Since it takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop in the body that help protect against influenza virus infection, it is recommended that people get vaccinated before influenza begins spreading in their community.9 The CDC recommends that people get vaccinated by the end of October.9 For non-pregnant adults, getting vaccinated too early (for example, in July or August), should be avoided, unless there is concern that later vaccination may not be possible, as it can be associated with reduced protection against influenza infection later in the flu season.9 However, getting vaccinated later can still be beneficial and vaccination should continue to be offered throughout the influenza season, even into January or later.9

About Pandemic Influenza

Pandemic influenza, is a contagious airborne respiratory disease which is unpredictable in timing and severity.10 The risk of influenza-associated morbidity and mortality is greater with pandemic influenza than with seasonal influenza because there is likely to be little or no pre-existing immunity to the virus in the human population.11 Four influenza pandemics have occurred over the past century, with the 1918 pandemic being the most severe in recent history, estimated to have killed up to 50 million people worldwide.12 According to the WHO, a novel influenza A virus such as the highly pathogenic avian A (H5N1) strain can cause severe disease and have a high mortality rate.13 If the influenza A (H5N1) virus were to change and become easily transmissible from person to person while retaining its capacity to cause severe disease, the consequences for public health could be catastrophic, with an estimated 60% mortality rate.13

About Seqirus

Seqirus is part of CSL Limited (ASX: CSL). As one of the largest influenza vaccine providers in the world, Seqirus is a major contributor to the prevention of influenza globally and a transcontinental partner in pandemic preparedness. With state-of-the-art production facilities in the U.S., the U.K. and Australia, and leading R&D capabilities, Seqirus utilizes egg, cell and adjuvant technologies to offer a broad portfolio of differentiated influenza vaccines in more than 20 countries around the world.

About CSL

CSL (ASX:CSL) is a leading global biotechnology company with a dynamic portfolio of life-saving medicines, including those that treat hemophilia and immune deficiencies, as well as vaccines to prevent influenza. Since our start in 1916, we have been driven by our promise to save lives using the latest technologies. Today, CSL  including our two businesses, CSL Behring and Seqirus - provides life- saving products to more than 100 countries and employs more than 27,000 people. Our unique combination of commercial strength, R&D focus and operational excellence enables us to identify, develop and deliver innovations so our patients can live life to the fullest. For more information about CSL Limited, visit www.csl.com .

For more information visit www.seqirus.com and www.csl.com .

Intended Audience

This press release is issued from Seqirus USA Inc. in Summit, New Jersey, USA and is intended to provide information about our global business. Please be aware that information relating to the approval status and labels of approved Seqirus products may vary from country to country. Please consult your local regulatory authority on the approval status of Seqirus products.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements, including statements regarding future results, performance or achievements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performances or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are based on assumptions and subject to risks and uncertainties. Given these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.

USA-CRP-21-0046

MEDIA CONTACT

Maria Tortoreto

+1 (201) 248-5208

[email protected]

REFERENCES



1 CDC. (2021). Understanding mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/mrna.html. Accessed August 2021.

2 Vigel, B., Lambert, L., Kinnear, E., et al. (2018). Self-Amplifying RNA Vaccines Give Equivalent Protection against Influenza to mRNA Vaccines but at Much Lower Doses. American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy.

3 CDC. (2020). Cell-Based Flu Vaccines. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/cell-based.htm. Accessed August 2021.

4 Camilloni B, Neri M, Lepri E, Iorio AM. Cross-reactive antibodies in middle-aged and elderly volunteers after MF59-adjuvanted subunit trivalent influenza vaccine against B viruses of the B/Victoria or B/Yamagata lineages. Vaccine. Jun 2009;27(31):4099-103. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2009.04.078.

5 Kavian N, Hachim A, Li AP, et al. Assessment of enhanced influenza vaccination finds that FluAd conveys an advantage in mice and older adults. Clin Transl Immunology. 2020;9(2):e1107. doi:10.1002/cti2.1107.

6 CDC. (2019). Key Facts about Influenza (Flu). Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/keyfacts.htm. Accessed August 2021.

7 CDC. (2021). WG Considerations and Proposed Influenza Vaccine Recommendations, 2021-22 . Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/meetings/downloads/slides-2021-06/03-influenza-grohskopf-508.pdf. Accessed August 2021.

8 CDC. (2021). Estimated Influenza Illnesses, Medical visits, Hospitalizations, and Deaths in the United States  20192020 Influenza Season. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/burden/2019-2020.html. Accessed August 2021.

9 CDC. (2021). Who Needs a Flu Vaccine and When. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/vaccinations.htm . Accessed August 2021.

10 CDC. (2016). Pandemic Basics. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-resources/basics/index.html. Accessed August 2021.

11 WHO. (2021). How pandemic influenza emerges. Retrieved from: https://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/communicable-diseases/influenza/pandemic-influenza/how-pandemic-influenza-emerges. Accessed August 2021.

12 WHO. (2017). Pandemic Influenza Risk Management: A WHO guide to inform and harmonize national and international pandemic preparedness and response. Retrieved from: https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/259893/WHO-WHE-IHM-GIP-2017.1-eng.pdf;jsessionid=4421F16879D2F8B96481F8D0C745C7F3?sequence=1. Accessed August 2021.

13 (WHO). (2012). Influenza: H5N1. Retrieved from: https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/influenza-h5n1. Accessed August 2021.

SOURCE Seqirus

Related Links

http://www.seqirus.com


Businesses that miss the deadline - but still start a new plan - face additional monitoring and testing. Tweet this

Safe harbor 401(k)s feature a variety of benefits and savings for business owners seeking to lower taxes, save for retirement and help attract and retain top talent. The safe harbor plan design automatically satisfies IRS plan testing requirements and enables the option for any employee, including high earners, to maximize their 401(k) contributions. Businesses that miss the deadline - but still start a new plan - face additional monitoring, testing, and potential limitations on how much owners and other higher earners can contribute each year.

Starting today, ShareBuilder 401k is offering a $200 discount to businesses with employees that commit to a new plan by September 27 - representing the lead time needed to meet the October 1 safe harbor deadline.

"Many small businesses think they're too small to offer 401(k) benefits or that it might be too complicated or costly to get started," said Stuart Robertson, CEO of ShareBuilder 401k. "These are common myths as costs are minimal and tax deductible. Additionally, providers like ShareBuilder 401k offer all index funds that keep expenses for employees low - helping them keep more of their money in the market for retirement."

All 401(k) plans except Solo 401(k)s are subject to government tests to ensure the plan is serving the best interest of all employees and not just high earners. While matching isn't required to offer a 401(k) plan, a safe harbor 401(k) requires a company to provide an immediately vested match to automatically satisfy non-discrimination testing.

About ShareBuilder 401k

ShareBuilder 401k is a leading digital 401(k) provider specializing in low-cost, all-ETF retirement products and resources for small- to mid-sized companies, including owner-only businesses. Founded in 2005 and now serving more than 6,500 businesses across the US, ShareBuilder 401k is a pioneer of the index-based 401(k), digital quoting and purchasing of retirement plans, and providing investment management (ERISA 3(38)) services for every client's fund roster. ShareBuilder 401k is committed to further expanding access to retirement plans and leading more Americans to save through intuitive technology, low costs and quality education and support. More information on the company can be viewed online at: https://www.sharebuilder401k.com/

Contact: Dan Branley,

[email protected],

(206) 914-1231

SOURCE ShareBuilder 401k
CHICAGO, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new market research report "Single-use Bioreactors Market by Product (System, 2D, 3D Media Bag, Filtration Assemblies), Molecule (mAbs, Vaccine), Cell type (Mammalian, Bacteria), Application (R&D, Process Development), End User (Biopharma, CROs & CMOs) - Global Forecast to 2026", published by MarketsandMarkets, the global Single-Use Bioreactors Market is projected to reach USD 8.8 billion by 2026 from USD 3.4 billion in 2021, at a CAGR of 21.1% during the forecast period.

Browse in-depth TOC on "Single-use Bioreactors Market"

235  Tables

32  Figures

207  Pages

Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=49113750

Increasing adoption of SUBs among small companies and startups, reduced automation complexity, ease in the cultivation of marine organisms, reduced energy and water consumption, the growing biologics market, technological advancements in SUBs, and increasing Biopharmaceutical R&D are factors driving the growth of this market.

Single-use bioreactor systems accounted for the largest share of single-use bioreactors market

Based on product, the single-use bioreactors market is categorized into single-use bioreactor systems, single-use media bags, single-use filtration assemblies, and other products such as single-use vessels, tubing, connectors, control systems, and probes/sensors, among others. The single-use bioreactor systems segment dominated the single-use bioreactors market in 2020. SUB systems offer benefits such as lower capital investment, lower operating expenses, and lower environmental footprint, thus driving the growing adoption of these systems in biopharma applications.

Stirred-tank SUBs accounted for the largest share of single-use bioreactors market

Based on type, the single-use bioreactors market is categorized into wave-induced SUBs, stirred-tank SUBs, bubble-column SUBs, and other bioreactors such as hybrid bioreactors and SUBs with vertically perforated discs. The stirred-tank SUBs segment dominated the single-use bioreactors market in 2020. The stirred-tank SUBs are highly preferred in the cultivation of aerobic microbial cultures as it promote greater oxygen transfer and reduced engineering challenges such as heat removal, mass transfer, and higher agitation rates.

The contract research organizations (CROs) and contract manufacturing organizations (CMOs) is the fastest-growing end user segment of the single-use bioreactors market

Based on end users, the single-use bioreactors market is segmented into pharmaceutical & biopharmaceutical companies, contract research organizations and contract manufacturing organizations (CROs and CMOs), and academic & research institutes. The contract research organizations (CROs) and contract manufacturing organizations (CMOs) segment is projected to register the highest CAGR in the single-use bioreactors market during the forecast period. The increasing outsourcing of R&D and manufacturing services by pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies is expected to support the growth of the CROs & CMOs segment.

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North America accounted for the largest share of the single-use bioreactors market

North America accounted for the largest share of the single-use bioreactors market, followed by Europe in 2020. The large share of the North American regional segment can be attributed to the presence of a well-established biopharmaceutical industry and major players operating in the single-use bioreactors market.

The prominent players operating in the single-use bioreactors market are Sartorius Stedim Biotech (France), Thermo Fisher Scientific (US), Danaher Corporation (US), and Merck KGaA (Germany).

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Single-use Assemblies Market by Product (Bag Assembly, Filtration Assembly, Bottle Assembly, Mixing Assembly), Application (Filtration, Storage), Solution (Standard, Customized), End User (Pharmaceutical, Biopharma, CMOs, CROs)  Global Forecast to 2026

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/single-use-assemblies-market-46226549.html

Single use Bioprocessing Market by Product (Media Bags and containers, Bioreactors, Mixers, Assemblies), Application (Cell Culture, Mixing, Storage, Filtration, Purification), End User (Biopharma Companies, CROs, CMOs) - Global Forecast 2026

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/single-use-bioprocessing-market-231651297.html

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Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model  GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve.

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SANTIAGO, Chile, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --SORCIA CHILE SPA (SORCIA), a subsidiary of the US company, SORCIA MINERALS LLC, reached a new agreement with RJR SALAR SPA (RJR), to expand the territory to explore lithium reserves in 9,000 hectares of the Salar de Tambo, near the town of Colchane, border with Bolivia.

The agreement is in addition to the one signed in May, also with RJR SALAR SPA, for the exploration of another 2,100 hectares in the Salar de Maricunga. Sorcia intends to utilize an innovative, highly sustainable technology, developed by the Canadian company, INTERNATIONAL BATTERY METALS (IBAT), and licensed by Sorcia Minerals LLC. This technology allows for the production of Lithium through Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE), without utilizing evaporation pools [and without leaving any type of rejection on the salars], and recovering and reinjecting more than 90% of the extracted brine in its natural state, so the absorption of water resources are minimum.

The development and exploration of these salars will be carried out in conjunction with the UNIVERSITY OF SANTIAGO DE CHILE (USACH), SORCIA's strategic partner for research, development and implementation of new technologies that are sustainable for the non-metallic mining industry. Through the use of IBATs noninvasive modular mobile lithium extraction facilities, the operation and facilities can be dismantled, without damaging or modifying the structure of the salar.

As it nears completion of its the first commercial plant which will be integral to providing feedstock to our planned hydroxide roll out in Europe, Sorcia and its strategic partner, USACH, are excited to meet the growing worldwide demand for lithium while being environmentally conscious through the use of cleaner technologies to preserve resources and guarantee the living conditions of local communities.

Contact:

[email protected]

Badajoz 45, piso 17, Las Condes

Santiago - Chile

Ph: +562 32102041

Ph: +562 32102042

Ph: +1(917) 8096970

SOURCE Sorcia Minerals LLC
"With Jiang Li heading up the innovation side of Spartech, we can continue to advance our plastic solutions to new levels," said John Vandeven, Spartech CIO and Vice President of Technology. "He will also lead new material platform development that includes unique packaging solutions as well as support our focus on sustainability initiatives."

Jiang has been with Spartech for five and a half years and previously held product development positions at Pactiv in Rochester, NY, and Advanced Composites in Nashville, TN. Jiang Li holds a PhD in chemistry from Vanderbilt University and an MBA from the Olin School of Business at Washington University in St. Louis.

About Spartech

Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri with a unique innovation center and 14 manufacturing facilities located throughout the United States, Spartech is a leading plastics manufacturer of engineered thermoplastic materials and specialty packaging products. Meeting exacting standards for everything from food and healthcare packaging, including sustainable solutions, to aerospace, medical devices, protective barriers and automotive applications, Spartech continues to make a world of difference with sustainable, diverse, reliable, and innovative products including Polycast, Royalite, PreservaPak, Korad, and UltraTuf. https://spartech.com/

Media Contact:

For Spartech

Sheldon Ripson

[email protected]

636-751-5733

SOURCE Spartech

Related Links

https://spartech.com/


Speclipse, which began as a developer of cancer diagnosis devices, was founded in 2015 by a group of master and doctorate degree holders from Stanford University in the USA. The company's first product, the Spectra-Scope, is a skin cancer diagnosis device that, in 2020, acquired overseas medical device certifications in Australia, Europe, and Brazil. The company is now building a sales network that spans over 20 countries worldwide.

Speclipse's Spectra-Scope uses Laser-induced plasma spectroscopy (LIPS) technology to enable the real-time, non-invasive diagnosis of skin cancer. Since the device has 95% sensitivity and 87% specificity, it can reduce the performance of unnecessary biopsies while increasing patient comfort and convenience.

Speclipse is expanding the application of its laser spectroscopic technique and artificial intelligence technology - originally used for tissue diagnostics - to blood analysis. The company's laser spectroscopic technology overcomes the limitations of existing blood analysis technologies in that it can simultaneously detect small variances in various blood biomarkers. Speclipse also uses Al and deep learning technologies to process and analyze large amounts of blood spectroscopic data, thereby enabling the early diagnosis of gastric cancer and Alzheimer's disease. These technological developments are expected to change the paradigm of the liquid biopsy field in the near future.

Sung Hyun Pyun, Founder and CEO of Speclipse, said, "The Spectra-Scope targets a type of skin cancer that is highly prevalent among Caucasians. In the United States, the skin cancer biopsy market alone is estimated to be worth KRW 12 trillion. When doctors find a suspicious skin lesion, they tend to examine it with a dermascope and then decide whether to perform a biopsy. However, there are cases where the doctor - because of his or her skill level - makes the wrong decision on whether the lesion needs to be biopsied. Speclipse's technology can be used to avoid these incorrect diagnoses." He added, "Expanding Speclipse's laser spectroscopic AI-based diagnostic technology from skin examination to blood analysis will be a game changer in the liquid biopsy market for many different types of cancers in addition to skin cancer, which was previously very difficult to diagnose in its early stages."

For more detailed information on Speclipse, visit www.speclipse.com.

About Speclipse

Established in 2015, Speclipse (www.speclipse.com) was founded by Sung Hyun Pyun, a graduate of Stanford University and former consultant at Boston Consulting Group. The company is being recognized worldwide for its technological prowess, and it is the only Korean company that was selected as a Top 10 Dermatology Solution Providers by Medtech Outlook, a magazine for US healthcare professionals. Speclipse began with skin cancer diagnostics and is now expanding its business scope to include blood analysis. Several biotech VCs, including SB, are actively supporting the company as shareholders.

About Born2Global Centre

Born2Global Centre (www.born2global.com) is a full-cycle service platform for global expansion. Since its inception in 2013, Born2Global has been setting the standard for a successful startup ecosystem as the main Korean government agency under the Ministry of Science and ICT. Born2Global has expanded and transformed startups to be engaged, equipped and connected with the global market.

Media contact

Speclipse: [email protected]

Born2Global Centre: [email protected]

SOURCE Born2Global Centre
WASHINGTON, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- AM LLC , a public health firm supporting federal, state and local health departments, along with K-12 partners, to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in communities, is pleased to announce that Steven Crim has joined our executive team as AM's Chief Government Affairs Officer.

Crim brings with him years of experience as a government affairs professional with a demonstrated history of success managing multiple complex and simultaneous public affairs projects. He has provided strategic public affairs and government affairs consulting to businesses and organizations on a variety of issues, including public safety and health care. Before that he served as a Director of Public Affairs, and Senior Advisor to Maryland Governor Larry Hogan.

Most recently, Crim served in the State of Maryland's Department of Budget and Management where he provided strategic and communications expertise to the department during the pandemic. He also led an interagency workgroup focused on improving Maryland's vaccine rollout by breaking down healthcare data silos and ensuring equitable demographic distribution across the state.

His strong professional skills in creative problem solving, strategic planning, and team building make him an excellent partner in fostering the constructive relationships we need with local, state and regional government agencies committed to safely reopening schools this fall.

"I am excited to join my colleagues at AM LLC and grateful for the opportunity. To me, AM represents the future of public health and serves as a model for how we'll manage pandemics in the future, of which COVID-19 is probably the first of many," he says.

AM LLC is currently working nationwide with multiple states and public health agencies on testing, contact tracing, and vaccination programs. Counties, states, or K-12 partners that are interested in partnering with AM for COVID-19 mitigation support should contact Dr. Christopher K Orlea at [email protected].

AM LLC was purpose-built to work with partners addressing large-scale public health challenges. AM LLC is able to design and quickly deploy tailored and scalable workforce solutions to help your organization with all aspects of contact tracing, testing, and vaccine programming. Learn more at https://amllc.co/.

Media contact: Dylan Martinez, [email protected]

SOURCE AM LLC

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SEATTLE, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Cambridge International, the world's largest provider of international education programs, announced last week the results of its June 2021 exam series. Washington students in the Cambridge program showed tremendous resilience and hard work this year to overcome the obstacles brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic to ensure students' education could progress.

The University of Cambridge is ranked among the top 10 universities worldwide, and its Cambridge program is an internationally benchmarked K-12 educational system aligning curriculum, teaching and learning, and assessment. Cambridge Advanced (for AS and A Level) exams offer students across the country the opportunity to earn college credit while in high school, including at all Washington public higher education institutions. Last year alone, by earning credit for their Cambridge exams, students and parents saved over $3 million dollars in college tuition for WA higher education institutions. Further, over 850 universities in the U.S., including all Ivy League colleges and many state systems, recognize the Cambridge Advanced program. Cambridge Advanced is also recognized by colleges and universities worldwide.

Currently, Tukwila School District, Morton School District, Bethel School District, Lake Washington School District, and Federal Way Public Schools, offer the Cambridge program. In 2021, all Cambridge schools in Washington were able to safely administer exams. These exams were graded by Cambridge International, as done in prior years. The resilience shown in Washington has ensured the opportunity for students to receive college credit.

"We congratulate all of our students on their results today. This past year was challenging, but we recognize the incredible work and commitment of our schools and their teachers in helping our students to achieve their qualifications," said Mark Cavone, Regional DirectorNorth America of Cambridge International. "We were excited to see the enthusiasm from educators across the state to return to administering these important end-of-course exams in person, and their willingness to work together to do so safely and fairly. We are so pleased to see Washington students demonstrating that they've developed the necessary skills to further their studies or start their careers."

Each year, nearly 1 million students study in Cambridge programs worldwide, making more than 2 million exam entries. First introduced in the U.S. in 1995, the Cambridge International program has grown rapidly in popularity. More Cambridge Advanced coursework and exams are now taken in the US than in any other country, and Cambridge International partners with schools across 35 states and the District of Columbia.

About Cambridge International

Cambridge International prepares school students for life, helping them develop an informed curiosity and a lasting passion for learning. We are part of Cambridge Assessment, a department of the University of Cambridge. Our international qualifications are recognized by the world's best universities and employers, giving students a wide range of options in their education and career. As a not-for-profit organization, we devote our resources to delivering high-quality educational programs that can unlock learners' potential.

https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/usa/

SOURCE Cambridge International

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https://www.cambridgeinternational.org


TAMPA, Fla., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Tampa General Hospital is releasing the COVID Chronicles 2.0 video diary; a unique and powerful behind-the-scenes look at what it's like to work during the pandemic.

These are the men and women sacrificing everyday to care for the community at the 1041-bed academic medical center, Tampa General Hospital.

The COVID Chronicles are a raw, unfiltered reality of what's currently happening behind closed doors at Tampa General, as told by team members. Tampa General produced a series of these video diaries last year during the height of the pandemic. With cases surging at an all-time high, Tampa General empowered team members to share their voices once again. More editions of the COVID Chronicles will be forthcoming.

Here is the video link to COVID Chronicles 2.0_Volume 1:

https://vimeo.com/589344036

See them. Hear them. Support them. Do your part. Get vaccinated today. #WeAreTGH #COVID19

ABOUT TAMPA GENERAL HOSPITAL

Tampa General Hospital, a 1,041-bed non-profit academic medical center, is one of the largest hospitals in America and delivers world-class care as the region's only center for Level l trauma and comprehensive burn care. Tampa General Hospital is the highest-ranked hospital in the market in U.S. News & World Report's 2021-22 Best Hospitals, and one of the top 4 hospitals in Florida, with five specialties ranking among the best programs in the United States. Tampa General is the safety net hospital for the region, caring for everyone regardless of their ability to pay, and in fiscal 2020 provided a net community benefit worth more than $182.5 million in the form of health care for underinsured patients, community education and financial support to community health organizations in Tampa Bay. It is one of the nation's busiest adult solid organ transplant centers and is the primary teaching hospital for the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. With five medical helicopters, Tampa General Hospital transports critically injured or ill patients from 23 surrounding counties to receive the advanced care they need. Tampa General houses a nationally accredited comprehensive stroke center and its 32-bed Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit is the largest on the West Coast of Florida. It also is home to the Jennifer Leigh Muma 82-bed Level IV neonatal intensive care unit, and a nationally accredited rehabilitation center. Tampa General Hospital's footprint includes 17 Tampa General Medical Group Primary Care offices, TGH Family Care Center Kennedy, TGH Brandon Healthplex, TGH Virtual Health and 19 outpatient Radiology Centers. Tampa Bay residents also receive world-class care from the TGH Urgent Care powered by Fast Track network of clinics, and they can even receive home visits in select areas through TGH Urgent Care at Home, powered by Fast Track. As one of the largest hospitals in the country, Tampa General Hospital is first in Florida to partner with GE Healthcare and open a clinical command center that uses artificial intelligence and predictive analytics to improve and better coordinate patient care at a lower cost. For more information, go to www.tgh.org.

Media Contact: Karen Barrera | Assistant Director of Communications and Partnerships

(813) 844-8725 (direct) [email protected]

SOURCE Tampa General Hospital

Related Links

http://www.tgh.org


BANGALORE, India and JOHANNESBURG, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Tata Elxsi, a global leader in design and technology services, has collaborated with DStv Media Sales, a globally recognised and awarded media sales organisation and part of MultiChoice Group, to consult and collaboratively build a vision for DStv Media Sales (DMS) that addresses current challenges while also positioning DMS for future growth.

DMS specializes in advertising on DStv's digital platforms, linear channels, and GOtv. Its mission is to assist global and local companies in reaching a larger audience across Africa and expanding their brand presence with unique platforms and creative advertising.

The major transformation goals were to establish an integrated cross-platform for linear and digital Ad sales workflows. The technology platform support the entire process, from media insights and analytics, bespoke campaign design and budget allocation, to campaign management, optimisation, and post-campaign expenditure analysis.

The transformation consulting team at Tata Elxsi created a playbook for Digital Transformation of DMS Business operations and further developed and integrated a complete Digital Transformation solutions, including a custom Programmatic Trading Portal that powerfully blends design and digital technologies to make it intuitive, easy and simple for the DMS specialists, brand managers and media planners to develop and deploy omni-channel advertising campaigns.

The Digital Transformation initiative was carefully planned and implemented in multiple stages, ensuring integration with both Linear and Digital platforms. Automation further helped to significantly improve productivity and business outcomes for the DMS teams by simplifying digital workflows and approval processes.

Furthermore, the platform implements AI-based technologies to assist price modelling, and provides insights and analytics to optimise campaign outcomes.

"DStv media sales has always been deliberate about driving change within the advertising marketplace. This latest innovation is a way to help us transform. As Africa's most loved storyteller, we are excited about the long-term prospects of the business and the opportunities advertisers can experience from our Ad media platform. Tata Elxsi been a key partner in helping us transform how we engage with advertisers and brands to maximise campaign outcomes and reach their target audiences, all through a transparent and easy digitally enabled platform and process," said Fahmeeda Cassim Surtee, Chief Executive Officer at DStv Media Sales, MultiChoice Group.

"DStv Media Sales focus has been on digitalization as the essential means to ensure our business operates efficiently, saves cost, and consistently delivers superior customer experience. As a strategic transformation and innovation partner, Tata Elxsi continues to conceptualise and implement solutions such as Shoppable TV, Advanced AI Based pricing modelling, and more, to ensure we are constantly innovating and making DStv the advertising platform of choice in the region," said Rani Bisal, Head of Business Optimization at DStv Media Sales, MultiChoice Group.

"We are delighted to collaborate with DStv Media Sales in their digital transformation journey of Ad Platforms, enriching lives and keeping audiences entertained anytime and anywhere through our engineering creativity. We are proud to be a part of this journey and look forward to a long term collaborative partnership," said Sreekumar, VP Media and Communication at Tata Elxsi.

About Tata Elxsi

Tata Elxsi is a global design and technology Services Company. Tata Elxsi works with leading MSOs, content providers and studios to develop innovative services and applications that create subscriber stickiness and drive revenue growth.

Tata Elxsi is working on various aspects of the Ad-media domain. Our AdTech services ensure profitability with increased inventory fill rates. We offer services that help improve performance across Ad Platforms, Ad Processes, Ad Operation, and Ad Technologies. Please click the link for more information on our AdTech offerings

About DStv Media Sales

DStv media sales division was established about 20 years ago as part of MultiChoice Group, providing dynamic media solutions; handling commercial airtime, on-air sponsorships, content integration, and online sales across a variety of 130+ channel brands on linear TV, VOD, social media, and digital platforms.

For more information, please visit www.dstvmediasales.com

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/742257/Tata_Elxsi_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Tata Elxsi
CHICAGO, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Technology Advisors Inc. (TAI), a digital transformation company and CRM consultancy, is proud to announce it has reached the Platinum tier in HubSpot's partner program. HubSpot is one of the world's premier CRM and marketing automation solutions, centering its automation approach around its signature flywheel.

Technology Advisors partnered with HubSpot in 2019 and has since grown its HubSpot consultancy to include HubSpot onboarding, training, support, and customization. Within the HubSpot ecosystem, Technology Advisors has become very well-known for its best-in class services to migrate data into HubSpot from other solutions and integrate various software solutions with HubSpot.

This achievement exemplifies Technology Advisors' commitment to delivering exceptional software, migration, and integration consultation with this top-tier CRM and marketing solution. TAI's team has built experience and knowledge with the CRM, Marketing Hub, Sales Hub, Service Hub, and Operations Hub to offer a comprehensive suite of services and solutions for its clients. Platinum partners reach this level by executing best-practice implementations for clients, demonstrating a deep knowledge of the solutions, and steadily expanding customer acquisition and retention.

"Hitting the Platinum Partner tier is a huge accomplishment and speaks to the quality of work that Technology Advisors brings to each and every one of their clients. Their unparalleled ability and experience of integrating various technologies and/or migrating data from a different system to HubSpot makes them one of the go-to partners that customers, prospects, and the internal HubSpot team. With a laser focus on customer success and a deep understanding of migrations, integrations, and CRM implementations, Technology Advisors is well equipped to help our customers deliver amazing customer experiences with HubSpot's CRM platform. If you're looking for help getting your tech stack in order, Technology Advisors should be at the top of your list. They are exceptional," says Sophie Salzman, Principal Channel Account Manager at HubSpot.

"We are thrilled to hit this milestone with HubSpot, but we're not surprised. When we commit to an initiative for our customers, we not only follow through, but we also strive to exceed expectations. Our HubSpot-specific integration, migration, implementation, and support plans are built to drive success for our customers, and we look forward to continuing that work as we further expand our partnership," says Molly Anderson, Technology Advisors' Director of Sales.

Technology Advisors is a software consultancy focused on digital transformation initiatives and CRM optimization. The goal of TAI is to help customers drive more revenue by successfully utilizing their software mix for automation, departmental alignment, and streamlined services. To learn more about the HubSpot services offered by Technology Advisors, please visit www.techadv.com/solutions/hubspot.

About Technology Advisors

Technology Advisors Inc. (TAI) is a business software consulting company out of Chicago that specializes in custom software integrations and enterprise-level CRM projects. The company helps businesses in various industries select and implement CRM, marketing automation, business intelligence tools, customer service solutions and other business software. TAI is uniquely positioned to personalize CRMs through its internal team of developers who customize the platform for clients' individual needs. The company continues to expand its software offerings and development to create tailored software experiences for its customers.

Press Contact:

Danine Pontarelli

847.655.3415

https://www.techadv.com

SOURCE Technology Advisors

Related Links

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JOHNSON CITY, Tenn., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Since relocating its headquarters from Seattle, WA, to Johnson City, TN, in early 2020, LabConnect has experienced significant growth adding 100 new jobs in the State of Tennessee and is excited to open a new 20,000 square foot facility dedicated to clinical kit assembly.

"LabConnect's lab services growth story has been remarkable and has been driven by the company's ability to offer unique and innovative solutions that simplify clinical trial complexity," said Chief Executive Officer Tom Sellig. "The State of Tennessee, Northeast Tennessee Regional Economic Partnership and the Tennessee Valley Authority have been instrumental in supporting LabConnect's continued expansion to support the growing needs of the biopharma industry."

Senator Marsha Blackburn and Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger, of Tennessee, formally welcomed the company at a ribbon-cutting celebration for the LabConnect facility expansion on Wednesday, August 18, 2021. LabConnect's total footprint in the Johnson City, TN, campus has increased to 88,000 square feet from 55,0000 square feet at the time of the 2020 announcement.

"When these projects are completed at the end of September, we will have tripled capacity in our critical operational areas," said Chief Operating Officer Barry Simms. "In addition to the significant expansion of the kit division and the biorepository expansion completed in 2020, expansions are also currently underway in other critical areas as well as aggressive hiring to staff the operations."

LabConnect's success has been driven by a focus on complex therapies such as cell and gene therapy studies. The welcoming culture of East Tennessee and strategic partnerships with the state, local service, and medical providers has greatly supported its growth. The company is the area's leader of the clinical research community and is pleased to have chosen Tennessee as its official location while continuing to maintain a global network of labs, sponsors, and partners. LabConnect continues to look forward with future growth plans providing high quality clinical trial support services for the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries.



For more information, visit www.labconnect.com.

About LabConnect

Connect with LabConnectthe preeminent provider of central laboratory support services for analytically and logistically complex studies such as immuno-oncology, cell and gene therapies, and rare & orphan diseases. We offer unique and innovative services that have been specifically designed to meet the exacting demands of today's clinical trials. Our worldwide scope of services includes routine and specialized testing, real-time sample tracking, data integration, biorepository, sample processing and specialized functional outsourcing. Leading the evolution in central laboratory services since 2002, our services are customized to fit the unique needs of your trial. Get connected by requesting a proposal at www.labconnect.com or via email at [email protected].

SOURCE LabConnect

Related Links

http://www.labconnect.com


OREGON CITY, Ore., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Softwood Lumber Board (SLB) announces funding for carbon transparency projects in partnership with the United States Endowment for Forestry and Communities (the Endowment). The funds will support coordinated research exploring the creation of resources and tools to enhance expertise and data across the wood product value chain. Three priority projects will address questions from the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) sector regarding wood's carbon accounting to show how wood products and forests mitigate carbon emissions and the impacts of climate change.

"The SLB is funding these initiatives as a key step in addressing the built environment's impact on climate change," explained Cees de Jager, SLB President and CEO. "Wood products, and the forests they come from, are natural climate solutions which can sustainably support the built spaces we need for generations to come."

"Forests and wood products are an attractive option for carbon reduction commitments," said Pete Madden, Endowment President and CEO. "To make informed decisions, stakeholders are asking for more up-to-date information on forest carbon and wood products. Our joint efforts build on earlier investments aimed at improving data transparency."

Earlier this year, a team of subject matter experts, including the American Wood Council, the National Alliance of Forest Owners, and several forestry and wood products stakeholders, gathered to evaluate how existing and new research and tool development can meet stakeholder needs to better understand the carbon and environmental impact of growing and using wood products across the full value chain.

The AEC community is interested in sustainability metrics associated with wood products used to design and build today's low- and zero-carbon buildings. Beginning this month, the SLB and the Endowment are exploring opportunities to provide information about woodshed carbon balance and create a consistent framework with forestry information at regional levels.

The partnership will also investigate methods of communicating sustainability and fiber sourcing data clearly and concisely for customers and other interested audiences. Because of the multitude of uses for wood products and the potential environmental impacts related to delivering the product to the customer, wood environmental product declarations (EPDs) do not currently include transportation from a mill to a building site (the A4 lifecycle stage). Planned research will review reporting methodologies with the goal of providing a clearer and more complete picture of the carbon impacts of wood transportation.

For more information about the work underway to address wood's role as a climate solution, please contact the SLB at [email protected].

About the Softwood Lumber Board:

The Softwood Lumber Board (SLB) is an industry-funded initiative established to promote the benefits and uses of softwood lumber products in outdoor, residential, and non-residential construction and to increase demand for appearance and softwood lumber products. Through strategic investments in pro-wood communications, standards development, design and engineering assistance, research, demonstrations, and partnerships, the organization seeks to make softwood lumber the preferred material choice from both an economic and environmental standpoint.

For more information about the Softwood Lumber Board, visit www.softwoodlumberboard.org.

About U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities

The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities (the Endowment) is a not-for-profit public charity working collaboratively with partners in the public and private sectors to advance systemic, transformative, and sustainable change for the health and vitality of the nation's working forests and forest-reliant communities. To learn more about the Endowment, please visit our website at www.usendowment.org.

Media Contact

Kabira Ferrell

Softwood Lumber Board

[email protected]

Related Images

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Softwood Lumber Board logo

SOURCE Softwood Lumber Board
NEW YORK, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Swiss Helvetia Fund, Inc. (NYSE: SWZ), a non-diversified registered closed-end investment company (the "Fund"), announced today that due to concerns regarding COVID-19 the location of the Fund's 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders will be held at 125 Broad Street, New York, New York at the offices of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP. The previously announced date and time of the Annual Meeting, September 9, 2021 at 1:00 p.m., will not change.

As described in the Fund's proxy statement for the Annual Meeting, only stockholders of the Fund as of the close of business on July 15, 2021 are entitled to participate in the Annual Meeting. Those stockholders planning to attend the Annual Meeting must register in advance with the Fund's administrator, U.S. Bank Global Fund Services, and agree to comply with the identification, security and COVID-19 protocols required to enter the premises, including proof of vaccination. Accordingly, stockholders that plan on attending the meeting in person must contact Jennifer Lima, U.S. Bank Global Fund Services at 414-248-4023 or [email protected] not later than the close of business on September 7, 2021. Eligible stockholders of the Fund that are unable to attend the Annual Meeting in person but are interested in listening to the Meeting and to a presentation by the Fund's investment adviser should contact Jennifer Lima, U.S. Bank Global Fund Services at 414-248-4023 or [email protected] for the dial-in details.

About The Swiss Helvetia Fund, Inc.

The Fund (www.swzfund.com) is a non-diversified, closed-end investment company seeking long-term capital appreciation through investment in equity and equity-linked securities of Swiss companies. Its shares are listed on the NYSE under the symbol "SWZ." The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing generally in Swiss equity and equity-linked securities that are traded on a Swiss stock exchange, traded at the pre-bourse level of one or more Swiss stock exchanges, traded through a market maker or traded over the counter in Switzerland. The Fund also may invest in Swiss equity and equity-linked securities of Swiss companies that are traded on other major European stock exchanges.

Closed-end funds, unlike open-end funds, are not continuously offered. Typically, shares of closed-end funds are sold in the open market through a stock exchange. Shares of closed-end funds frequently trade at a discount to net asset value. The price of the Fund's shares is determined by a number of factors, several of which are beyond the control of the Fund. Therefore, the Fund cannot predict whether its shares will trade at, below or above net asset value.

The Fund is managed by Schroder Investment Management North America Inc.

About Schroder Investment Management North America Inc.

Schroder Investment Management North America Inc. and Schroder Investment Management North America Limited, investment advisors registered with the U.S. SEC, are units of Schroders plc (SDR.L), a global asset management company with approximately $832.2 billion in assets under management as of June 30, 2021. Schroder's clients include major financial institutions including banks and insurance companies, as well as local and public authorities, public and private pension funds, endowments and foundations, intermediaries and advisors, as well as high net worth individuals and retail investors. The firm has built one of the largest networks of offices of any dedicated asset management company with more than 560 portfolio managers and analysts covering the world's investment markets, offering a comprehensive range of products and services. Schroder Investment Management North America Inc. provides asset management products and services to clients in the U.S. and Canada.

Schroder Investment Management North America Inc. is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Schroders plc, a U.K. public company with shares listed on the London Stock Exchange.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy, nor shall there be any sale of the Fund's shares in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the laws of such state or jurisdiction.

Contact:

Jennifer Brogadir

212-641-3863

SOURCE The Swiss Helvetia Fund, Inc.

Related Links

www.swzfund.com


DUBLIN, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Electrocardiogram (ECG) Machine Market - Forecasts from 2021 to 2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Global electrocardiogram (ECG) machine market is projected to witness a CAGR of 5.18% during the forecast period to reach a market size of US$7.087 billion by 2026, increasing from US$4.977 billion in 2019.



Electrocardiogram (ECG) is a non-invasive medical test that records the electrical activity of the heartbeat over a period of time. ECG monitoring devices such as resting ECG, stress ECG, and Holter monitors help to identify and provide information about abnormal functioning of the heart. The surge in the number of patients being diagnosed with heart diseases will proliferate the market growth during the forecast period. According to Healthline, in the United States, in 2018, 30.3 million adults were diagnosed with heart diseases, and every year 6, 47,000 Americans die due to heart-related diseases, making it the leading cause of death in the country. The changing lifestyle in many regions across the globe has led to an increase in the obese population which is prone to a continuous risk of suffering from heart diseases. According to the World Health Organization, approximately 650 million people were obese, worldwide and this number is expected to increase every year. To meet the increasing demand of patients, the need for ECG machines for regular or continuous monitoring of cardiac health will be required. In addition, the rapidly increasing geriatric population is further elevating the need for cardiac monitoring, thereby increasing the demand for ECG machines.



Also, technological advancements in ECG devices such as portable and handheld, have made the ECG procedure easier and more popular as patients can use the machines at the convenience of their homes, instead of going to the hospitals. Furthermore, substantial amounts are being funneled into research and development by key market players to develop advanced and error-free ECG machines which will further boost the market growth over the projected period.



By type, the Holter monitors segments is expected to hold a dominant market share as it is portable and records the electrical activity of the heart continuously over 24 hours or longer without being in the hospital premises. By end-users, the hospital's segment is estimated to have a significant market share owing to the rising number of treatments and surgeries being taking place, globally for which electrocardiogram machines are required. Geographically, the Asia Pacific region is expected to witness the highest CAGR over the projected period due to increasing investments in this region by key market players and improving healthcare infrastructure in this region. Also, due to the increase in the geriatric population in countries such as Japan and India will further propel the market growth. North America is estimated to hold a notable market share owing to the flourishing healthcare industry and the presence of key market players in this region.



Growth Factors.

Increasing incidence of cardiovascular diseases in people.

The number of patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases (CVD) across the globe has been on a constant rise. The stable increase in the numbers is likely to increase the requirement for ECG monitoring and subsequently the demand for electrocardiogram machines. According to the American Heart Association, in the United States in 2019, coronary events are expected to occur in about 1,055,000 individuals, including 720,000 new and 335,000 recurrent coronary events. The increasing incidence of cardiovascular diseases in people will drive the growth of the market during the forecast period as it will increase the number of patients who will require the ECG monitoring procedure.

Rise in the geriatric population.

The increase in the geriatric population worldwide is further projected to support the market growth of electrocardiogram machines in the long run. According to the United Nations, in 2019, the geriatric population was 703 million persons, nationwide. The number of older persons is projected to double to 1.5 billion in 2050, this will fuel the market growth during the forecast period as the geriatric population is more likely to require regular ECG monitoring which in turn will increase the demand for electrocardiogram machines.



Restraints.

Unfavorable reimbursement policies.

The major restraint for the electrocardiogram machines market is the unfavorable reimbursement policies associated with it. Many medical claim providers and medical insurance companies do not reimburse the ECG claims, which makes patients apprehensive about going forward with the procedure as it is a costly affair. The unfavorable reimbursement policies may hamper the market growth as if the patients are unable to claim the expenses, they will try to avoid the ECG monitoring procedure which in turn will restrict the market growth of the electrocardiogram machines.



COVID-19 impact On Electrocardiogram (ECG) Machine Market.



The Covid-19 pandemic moderately impacted the global electrocardiogram machines market as due to the nationwide lockdown restrictions; many patients deferred their ongoing treatments and postponed their visits to the hospital to avoid public places which hampered the market growth of electrocardiogram machines. However, the patients who required ECG monitoring on an urgent basis did go forward with the procedure which stabilized the market growth. Also, the patients suffering from chronic and cardiovascular diseases witnessed a huge spike in numbers due to being affected by the virus, which resulted in the increasing demand for ECG monitoring, subsequently contributing to the growth of the electrocardiogram machine market.



Competitive Insights

The market leaders are Koninklijke Philips N.V., CardioComm Solutions, Inc., SCHILLER AG, Nihon Kohden Corporation, Mortara Instrument, General Electric Company, and BioTelemetry, Inc. The key players in the market implement growth strategies such as product launches, mergers, and acquisitions, etc. to gain a competitive advantage over their competitors. For Instance, in December 2020, CardioComm Solutions, Inc. entered into a technology integration agreement with LiveCare Corporation and a Value-Added Reseller and Distribution Agreement with Alliance Tele-Med, to provide integrated ECG remote monitoring through the LiveCare Link coupled with the device and telemedicine platform.



Key Topics Covered:



1. Introduction



2. Research Methodology



3. Executive Summary



4. Market Dynamics

4.1. Market Drivers

4.2. Market Restraints

4.3. Porters Five Forces Analysis

4.3.1. Bargaining Power of Suppliers

4.3.2. Bargaining Power of Buyers

4.3.3. The threat of New Entrants

4.3.4. Threat of Substitutes

4.3.5. Competitive Rivalry in the Industry

4.4. Industry Value Chain Analysis



5. Electrocardiogram Machine Market Analysis, By Type

5.1. Introduction

5.2. Holter Monitors

5.3. Portable Handheld ECG Monitors

5.4. Wireless ECG Machine



6. Electrocardiogram Machine Market Analysis, By End-User

6.1. Introduction

6.2. Hospitals

6.3. Ambulatory Care Centers

6.4. Home Care



7. Electrocardiogram Machine Market Analysis, By Geography

7.1. Introduction

7.2. North America

7.2.1. United States

7.2.2. Canada

7.2.3. Mexico

7.2.4. Others

7.3. South America

7.3.1. Brazil

7.3.2. Argentina

7.3.3. Others

7.4. Europe

7.4.1. United Kingdom

7.4.2. Germany

7.4.3. France

7.4.4. Italy

7.4.5. Spain

7.5. The Middle East and Africa

7.5.1. Saudi Arabia

7.5.2. Israel

7.5.3. Others

7.6. Asia Pacific

7.6.1. Japan

7.6.2. China

7.6.3. India

7.6.4. Indonesia

7.6.5. Taiwan

7.6.6. Thailand

7.6.7. Others



8. Competitive Intelligence

8.1. Competitive Benchmarking and Analysis

8.2. Recent Investment and Deals

8.3. Strategies of Key Players



9. Company Profiles

9.1. Koninklijke Philips N.V.

9.2. CardioComm Solutions, Inc.

9.3. SCHILLER AG

9.4. Nihon Kohden Corporation

9.5. Mortara Instrument

9.6. General Electric Company

9.7. BioTelemetry, Inc.



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/c4syck

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

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[email protected]



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SOURCE Research and Markets

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EDISON, N.J., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Three New Jersey Attorneys from the New Jersey law firm of Levinson Axelrod, P.A. have been selected for inclusion in the 2022 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

Ronald Grayzel : Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs ( Recognized since 2014 ).

: Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs ( ). Richard Marcolus : Workers' Compensation Law  Claimants ( Recognized since 2015 ).

: Workers' Compensation Law  Claimants ( ). James Dunn : Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs (Recognized since 2016).

Being named to Best Lawyers is a distinction that speaks volumes about the reputations attorneys have cultivated among their colleagues. Using exhaustive peer-review surveys, Best Lawyers asks fellow members of the bar to vote for candidates they deem to have demonstrated exceptional knowledge and success in their areas of practice. Attorneys who earn a final spot on the list are viewed widely by their peers as leaders in their fields.

Given Best Lawyers' stringent selection process, very few attorneys earn this honor.

Proven Advocates with a Record of Success

Grayzel, Marcolus, and Dunn  all Partners at Levinson Axelrod  have helped their firm recover more than $350 million in verdicts and settlements in the just the past 5 years.

All three are certified by the New Jersey Supreme Court as Specialists  Grayzel and Dunn in Civil Trial Law and Marcolus in Workers' Compensation  and all have cultivated careers of impressive results:

Ronald Grayzel has been recognized by Best Lawyers since 2014. A Certified Civil Trial Lawyer, Grayzel has won large verdicts and settlements in civil claims involving motor vehicle accidents, medical negligence, defective products, workplace injuries, and toxic exposure. He has been named to New Jersey Super Lawyers since 2006 and in 2016 was named among the "Best Lawyers in New Jersey " 2016 as published in The New York Times

has been recognized by since 2014. A Certified Civil Trial Lawyer, Grayzel has won large verdicts and settlements in civil claims involving motor vehicle accidents, medical negligence, defective products, workplace injuries, and toxic exposure. He has been named to since 2006 and in 2016 was named among the "Best Lawyers in " 2016 as published in The Richard Marcolus is a NJ Supreme Court Certified Workers' Compensation Lawyer who began his legal career after earning his living as a carpenter in construction. Still a member of NRCC Carpenters Local #253 Union, Marcolus has championed the rights of injured workers in and outside of the courtroom. Most recently, he was a vocal supporter for passing laws that protect First Responders and essential workers who contract COVID-19 in the course of their jobs.

is a NJ Supreme Court Certified Workers' Compensation Lawyer who began his legal career after earning his living as a carpenter in construction. Still a member of NRCC Carpenters Local #253 Union, Marcolus has championed the rights of injured workers in and outside of the courtroom. Most recently, he was a vocal supporter for passing laws that protect First Responders and essential workers who contract COVID-19 in the course of their jobs. James Dunn has leveraged his insight as a Certified Civil Trial Lawyer to help victims who have suffered losses due to the negligence of others. Recognized by Best Lawyers since 2016, Dunn has secured millions in compensation for clients and numerous multi-million dollar results in cases involving electrical shock, auto accidents, and construction accidents. Dunn is the former President of the Middlesex County Trial Lawyers Association and currently serves as President of the N.J. Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates.

Levinson Axelrod, P.A. is a personal injury and workers' compensation law firm that has been fighting for victims across New Jersey since 1939. With multiple office locations around the state each staffed by at least one Attorney who is Certified in Civil Trial Law or Workers' Compensation by the New Jersey Supreme Court, the firm has recovered over $1 billion for its clients  more than $350 million of which has been recovered in the last 5 years alone.

For more information, visit: www.njlawyers.com.

SOURCE Levinson Axelrod, P.A.

Related Links

http://www.njlawyers.com


TMMI, high resolution video technology pioneer, expands into artificial intelligence with co-development agreement. Tweet this

TMMI President, Michael Kozole made the announcement stating, "TMMI has always focused on high quality, cutting-edge, video technology since its beginning in 1990. Over the recent months, TMMI has assembled this opportunity to bring together an association of top-level talent and shared technology development with CodeBaby, that will create emotionally intelligent avatars that deliver all-new experiences in artificial intelligence with greater access to a broad base of businesses and consumers".

The CodeBaby teams come with over 20 years of experience in animation, gaming and artificial intelligence. Founded in 2001, CodeBaby attracted the attention of two doctors in Alberta, Canada, who had co-founded a video game company (Bioware) in 1995. Following a successful sale of Bioware, these doctors joined CodeBaby in 2008 and developed proprietary tools which allowed clients to implement beautifully animated training courses and tutorials with little technology expertise. They built CodeBaby into a company that leveraged gaming expertise to drive interaction and retention for Fortune 500 customers such as United Healthcare, BCBS of Maryland, Guardian Life Insurance Company and MetLife within healthcare, financial services, and eCommerce.

Nfinity Avatars, a company focused on artificial intelligence and natural language processing, acquired CodeBaby in 2016, combining the two companies' proprietary processes to convey empathy in avatar conversations. Nfinity Avatars and its predecessor company (IdAvatars) was one of the first 100 companies to commercialize IBM Watson technology for clients such as the Veterans Administration, Bayer GmbH and Intel. Nfinity Avatars changed its name to that of its acquired company, CodeBaby in 2021.

President and CEO, Norrie Daroga stated, "We believe our development association with TMMI is critically relevant to today's world. We will utilize our animation and game technology teams in England and Portugal to design multi-connectivity avatars that go beyond traditional "artificial intelligence" experiences to "emotional intelligence" experiences bringing a whole new level of visual engagement for the end users so critical in the emerging post-COVID world."

TMMI TECHNOLOGY

TMMI TRUDEF Video Player: A Universal Windows Platform (UWP) compliant with a custom internal video pipeline and TMMI TRUREZ hardware accelerated up-scaler designed to improve HEVC and other new generation video CODEC's visual quality for high resolution on big screen displays.

TMMI Mini PC X: A powerful small form factor Windows 10-64 computer based on Intel NUC Kit NUC8i7HNK and NUCC8i7HVK. Simultaneous use of up to 6 simultaneous 4k displays are supported.

TMMI's Legacy Video Technology: The TRUDEF VDK3 Fractal Video codec developed for cinema quality 4K & 8K video playing directly from physical media

Inquiries should be directed to [email protected] or call toll free: 800-806-2148.

About TMM, Inc.

TMM, Inc. (OTC PNK: TMMI or Total Multimedia, Inc.), is a high-resolution video technology company that has specialized in digital video compression, video scaling and high-quality image management. It was founded in 1990 and pioneered fractal video. The company has diversified to integrate software platforms creating enhanced quality solutions.

Safe Harbor Statement:

The information provided herein may include forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, and Section 21E of the Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements include, in particular, statements about our plans, strategies, business prospects, and the ongoing and future development of our technologies. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected, including without limitation, the impact of competitive products, the ability to meet customer demand, the ability to manage growth, acquisitions and development of technology, equipment, or human resources, the effect of economic business conditions and the ability to attract and retain skilled personnel. Neither management nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of the forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements in this press release are made as of the date hereof, based on information available to us as of the date hereof, and subsequent facts or circumstances may contradict, obviate, undermine, or otherwise fail to support or substantiate such statements.

SOURCE TMM, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.tmmi.us


RAIPUR, India, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Stratview Research announces the launch of a new research report on Tooling Board Market by End-Use Industry Type (Transportation, Aerospace, Wind Energy, Marine, and Others), by Product Type (Epoxy Tooling Board and Polyurethane Tooling Board), by Application Type (Composite Applications and Non-Composite Applications [Design & Styling, Model & Tooling, and Others]), by Density Type (600-800 kg/m3, 800-1000 kg/m3 and above 1000 kg/m3), and by Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World), Forecast, Competitive Analysis, and Growth Opportunity: 2021-2026.

This strategic assessment report, from Stratview Research, provides a comprehensive analysis that reflects today's tooling board market realities and future market possibilities for the forecast period of 2021 to 2026. After a continuous interest in our tooling board market report from the industry stakeholders, we have tried to further accentuate our research scope to the tooling board market to provide the most crystal-clear picture of the market. The report segments and analyses the market in the most detailed manner to provide a panoramic view of the market. The vital data/information provided in the report can play a crucial role for the market participants as well as investors in the identification of the low-hanging fruits available in the market as well as formulate growth strategies.

Tooling Board Market: Highlights

Tooling boards are generally made from polymer-filled materials, when these boards are bonded together, they shape larger blocks which are used to produce molds, prototypes, and master models. There are mainly two types of tooling boards widely used across industries, namely epoxy tooling boards and polyurethane tooling boards.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the demand for tooling boards varies from industry to industry. Transportation and aerospace industries, the two major markets, witnessed hefty declines amid the pandemic, whereas wind energy and marine industries, relatively small markets, witnessed lesser declines over the same period. Overall, the global tooling board market experienced a low double-digit decline in 2020, reaching a value below US$ 0.3 billion.

An expected recovery in the economy coupled with the surge in vehicle productions is among the key factor signaling towards the industry's take-off to a healthy recuperation, helping the market stakeholders to rebound at a promising CAGR of 6.1% to reach US$ 0.4 billion in 2026.

Click Here for Running Through the Table of Contents: https://www.stratviewresearch.com/toc/1849/tooling-board-market.html

Based on the end-use industry, transportation is expected to remain the largest segment of the market during the forecast period. The wide usage of tooling boards for making composite tools, parts, and molds for automotive and motorsports have led to a huge dominance of the segment in the total market. The aerospace industry also holds a sizeable market demand with substantial usage of epoxy tooling boards in the industry for composite applications.

Based on the application type, non-composite application is expected to remain the larger segment of the market during the forecast period in the wake of their wide use in tooling applications. The non-composite application segment is further divided into the use type as design & styling, model & tooling, and others. Among non-composite applications, the model & tooling segment holds significant dominance and will continue to dominate due to its suitability for making master models and molds for different end-use industries. Composite tooling board holds a smaller share but represents strong growth potential during the forecast period.

Based on the density type, the market is segmented as 600-800 kg/m3, 800-1000 kg/m3, and above 1000 kg/m3. The 600-800 kg/m3 segment is likely to maintain its dominance during the forecast period due to its suitability towards a wide range of temperatures for making master models and patterns in different end-use industries, making it the most suitable tooling board segment.

In terms of regions, Europe is expected to remain the largest market for tooling boards during the forecast period. On the other hand, Asia-Pacific is rich with lucrative growth opportunities over the forecast period as China and India are the key emerging countries with soaring demand for tooling boards. Different regions are dominant in different market segments. For instance, the aerospace and marine market segments are dominated by the North American region, whereas the transportation (including motorsports) market segment is dominated by the European region.

Register Here for a Free Sample of the Report: https://www.stratviewresearch.com/Request-Sample/1849/tooling-board-market.html#form

The global market for tooling boards is highly consolidated with the presence of a handful number of players. Furthermore, there has been a continuous consolidation in the market with the big players acquiring the smaller ones. For instance, Polytek Development Corporation, Inc., a leading global supplier of tooling boards for a wide range of industries, acquired BCC Products, Inc. After the acquisition, Polytek Development Corporation successfully leaped ahead in the market with the added capabilities and expansion of its product portfolio.

The supply chain of this market comprises several nodes including raw material suppliers, tooling board manufacturers, distributors, tier players, and OEMs. Key players in the tooling board market are

AIP Aerospace, Inc. (American Industrial Partners)

Trelleborg AB (Trelleborg Applied Technologies)

Base Group

Rampf Group, Inc.

Huntsman Advanced Materials

Sika Axson

Polytek Development Corporation (BCC)

China Guangzhou Lihong Mould Material Co. Ltd.

Alchemie Ltd

Elantas (Part of Atlanta )

) Coastal Enterprises (Precision Board).

Report Features

This report provides market intelligence in the most comprehensive way. The report structure has been kept such that it offers maximum business value. It provides critical insights on the market dynamics and will enable strategic decision making for the existing market players as well as those willing to enter the market. The following are the key features of the report:

Market structure: Overview, industry life cycle analysis, supply chain analysis.

Market environment analysis: Growth drivers and constraints, Porter's five forces analysis, SWOT analysis.

Market trend and forecast analysis.

Market segment trend and forecast.

Competitive landscape and dynamics: Market share, product portfolio, product launches, etc.

Attractive market segments and associated growth opportunities.

Emerging trends.

Strategic growth opportunities for the existing and new players.

Key success factors.

This report studies global tooling board market and has segmented the market in five ways, keeping in mind the interest of all the stakeholders across the value chain. Following are the five ways in which the market is segmented:

Tooling Board Market Size, Share & Forecast, by End-Use Industry Type

Transportation (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Aerospace (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Wind Energy (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Marine (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Others (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Tooling Board Market Size, Share & Forecast, by Product Type

Epoxy Tooling Board (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Polyurethane Tooling Board (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Tooling Board Market Size, Share & Forecast, by Application Type

Composite Applications (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Non-Composite Applications

Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)



Use Type Analysis: Design & Styling, Model & Tooling, and Others)

Tooling Board Market Size, Share & Forecast, by Density Type

600-800 kg/m 3 (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

800-1,000 kg/m 3 (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Above 1,000 kg/m3 (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Tooling Board Market Size, Share & Forecast, by Region

North America (Country Analysis: The USA , Canada , and Mexico )

Europe (Country Analysis: Germany , France , the UK, and Rest of Europe )

Asia-Pacific (Country Analysis: Japan , China , India , and Rest of Asia-Pacific )

Rest of the World (Country Analysis: Brazil , and Others)

Stratview Research has several high value market reports in the composites industry. Please refer to the following link to browse through our reports:

https://www.stratviewresearch.com/market-reports/composites.html

About Stratview Research:

Stratview Research is a global market intelligence firm providing wide range of services including syndicated market reports, custom research and sourcing intelligence across industries, such as Advanced Materials, Aerospace & Defense, Automotive & Mass Transportation, Consumer Goods, Construction & Equipment, Electronics and Semiconductors, Energy & Utility, Healthcare & Life Sciences, and Oil & Gas.

We have a strong team of industry veterans and analysts with an extensive experience in executing custom research projects for mid-sized to Fortune 500 companies, in the areas of Market Assessment, Opportunity Screening, Competitive Intelligence, Due Diligence, Target Screening, Market Entry Strategy, Go to Market Strategy, and Voice of Customer studies.

Stratview Research is a trusted brand globally, providing high quality research and strategic insights that help companies worldwide in effective decision making.

Stratview Research has launched 'Composights', an online portal which offers free thought leadership reports, whitepapers, market report synopsis and much more for Composites and allied industries, worth US$ 20,000 every year.

Click here to sign up (No costs involved): https://www.stratviewresearch.com/composights/sign-in

For enquiries, please contact:

Stratview Research

E-mail: [email protected]

Direct: +1-313-307-4176

SOURCE Stratview Research
MONTVALE, N.J., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Trafera , one of the leading providers of technology-driven education products and services to the K-12 and higher education markets has selected Eduscape to continue expanding its ecosystem of resources for schools. Eduscape is the leading provider of professional development and innovative learning solutions in the K-12 market.

"At Trafera, we're not just interested in selling computing hardware, we're committed to helping schools use our technology to transform student learning outcomes and engagement. Our partnership with Eduscape strengthens this ability by equipping educators with the tools and knowledge they need to connect technology with enhanced future-ready teaching and learning strategies," stated Chad Dehmlow , Vice President of Innovative Initiatives at Trafera.

The partnership will offer Trafera's customers Google Workspace Certified Training Solutions, Microsoft 365 Global Training, and an education-focused consultancy practice to support the Google Admin Console and Microsoft Intune. In addition, Trafera has already started offering Eduscape's professional development solutions, including a customized, online learning path for Google Workspace and a Google Admin Audit program.

This also marks Trafera's debut in the coding and STEM Education market with the Photon robot ecosystem, which not only offers the award-winning coding robot, but learning kits across various disciplines including Social Emotional Learning, Sustainable Energy, Physics, Early Education and more.

"We are honored to be partnered with Trafera. From the onset, we recognized how genuinely committed the Trafera team is to their customers' success. The Eduscape team is excited to continue supporting that success and advancing student outcomes together," stated Alex Urrea, Founder and CEO of Eduscape.

About Trafera

Trafera is an industry-leading, nationwide provider of Chromebooks, laptops, and classroom technology with a particular focus on K-12 education. Built on a foundation of fast, personalized service, Trafera partners with schools to provide unique solutions and rock-solid support that helps them focus on inspiring their students and achieving their educational goals

About Eduscape

Eduscape is the leading professional learning solutions provider to K-12 education; we advance education for all learners and help school leaders "rethink learning." The company is comprised almost entirely of former educators who have delivered exemplary professional learning solutions to more than 800,000 educators across 48 states and 13 countries.

Contact:

Jennette Rowan

+1-201-497-6621

[email protected]

SOURCE Eduscape
Technavio offers in-depth market insights that assist global businesses to obtain growth opportunities.

Buy Traffic Lights Market Report Now

Factors such as increasing road traffic accidents, and the growth of road transport infrastructure investment will offer immense growth opportunities for the market vendors. To leverage the current opportunities, market vendors must strengthen their foothold in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments. The traffic lights market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will accelerate during the forecast period.

To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download a free sample

https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR43272

Traffic Lights Market 2020-2024: Segmentation

Traffic Lights Market is segmented as below:

Product

Incandescent



LED

Geographic

North America



Europe



APAC



South America



MEA

Traffic Lights Market 2020-2024: Vendor Analysis and Scope

Some of the major vendors of the traffic lights market in the Electrical Components & Equipment industry include ARCUS USA Inc., European Safety Systems Ltd., Federal Signal Corp., General Electric Co., LITE-ON Technology Corp., North America Traffic, Peek Traffic Corp., SWARCO AG, Traffic Technologies Ltd., and Trastar Inc. To help businesses improve their market position, Technavio's report provides a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the market. To leverage the current opportunities, market vendors must strengthen their foothold in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments.

The report also covers the following areas:

Traffic Lights Market size

Traffic Lights Market trends

Traffic Lights Market industry analysis

The improving traffic flow regulations will offer immense growth opportunities. However, issues with the coordination of signal timings, the negative impact of weather on traffic lights, and the improper placement of traffic lights may impede the market growth.

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Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the traffic lights market are designed to provide entry support, customer profile & M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support.

Related Reports on Industrials Include:

Fiber Optics Market Report -The fiber optics market size is expected to grow by USD 3.18 billion and record a CAGR of 6.71% during 2021-2025. Get a free sample report.

Gas Insulated Switchgear Market Report -The gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) market size is expected to grow by USD 8.44 billion and record a CAGR of 8.07% during 2021-2025. Get a free sample report.

Traffic Lights Market 2020-2024: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2020-2024

Detailed information on factors that will assist traffic lights market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the traffic lights market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

The growth of the traffic lights market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of traffic lights market vendors

Table of Contents:

Executive Summary

Market Landscape

Market ecosystem

Value chain analysis

Market Sizing

Market definition

Market segment analysis

Market size

Market outlook: Forecast

Five Forces Analysis

Five forces summary

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

Market Segmentation by Product

Market segments

Comparison by Product

Incandescent - Market size and forecast

LED - Market size and forecast

Market opportunity by Product

Customer landscape

Overview

Geographic Landscape

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

North America - Market size and forecast

- Market size and forecast Europe - Market size and forecast

- Market size and forecast APAC - Market size and forecast

South America - Market size and forecast

- Market size and forecast MEA - Market size and forecast

Key leading countries

Market opportunity by geography

Market drivers

Market challenges

Market trends

Vendor Landscape

Overview

Landscape disruption

Vendor Analysis

Vendors covered

Market positioning of vendors

ARCUS USA Inc.

Inc. European Safety Systems Ltd.

Federal Signal Corp.

General Electric Co.

LITE-ON Technology Corp.

North America Traffic

Peek Traffic Corp.

SWARCO AG

Traffic Technologies Ltd.

Trastar Inc.

Appendix

Scope of the report

Currency conversion rates for US$

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

Technavio's in-depth market research reports now include a thorough analysis of the COVID-19 impact on various markets to help industry leaders navigate their business through the new normal. Receive Latest Free Sample Report in Minutes

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contact

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
BERKELEY, Calif., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- UPSIDE Foods , the leading company in cultivated meat, poultry and seafood (also known as cell-cultured meat) announced today that it has signed a partnership with Dominique Crenn, the co-owner and chef of the three-Michelin-starred restaurant Atelier Crenn in San Francisco. Under the partnership, Crenn will provide culinary counsel and recipe development. Following regulatory review, Crenn will also serve UPSIDE's cultivated chicken in her world-renowned restaurant Atelier Crenn. This is the first partnership in the cultivated meat industry with a three Michelin star chef.

Crenn shares UPSIDE's vision that food can be a force for good, which is a critical foundation for the partnership and collaboration. Crenn previously removed meat from all Crenn Dining Group's restaurants in 2019 due to concerns about the environmental footprint of meat production on our current food system. This partnership with UPSIDE Foods will be the first time Atelier Crenn serves meat since 2018.

"When I tasted UPSIDE Chicken for the first time, I thought, this is it! This is the future of food. The look, smell, and sear  UPSIDE Chicken is just delicious," said Dominique Crenn. "People are finally waking up to the downsides of conventional meat production, which led me to remove meat from my menus several years ago. Chefs need to lead the way in making more conscious product choices. I am excited to be collaborating with UPSIDE Foods and am looking forward to bringing meat back to Atelier Crenn that is delicious and better for the world."

UPSIDE Chicken looks, tastes and cooks like chicken because it is real chicken. Humane, efficient, and, most importantly, delicious, it is created by growing animal cells without the need to raise and slaughter animals. UPSIDE products are real meat -- not plant-based, vegan or a meat alternative.

"I have long-admired Dominique's passion for sustainability. She is relentless in her pursuit, without ever compromising on flavor or creativity, and we are honored to have a chef of her caliber join us as we prepare to debut UPSIDE Chicken to the world," said Uma Valeti, CEO and founder of UPSIDE Foods. "She is a visionary who knows the future of food is about creating and empowering a more sustainable global food system."

Dominique Crenn is the first chef UPSIDE Foods has partnered with as the company approaches commercialization. Upon completing regulatory review and opening its first-of-its-kind production facility custom-built for cultivated meat production, the company plans to partner with additional chefs and restaurants in the U.S., followed by commercial rollouts in grocery stores and markets worldwide.

More details on the UPSIDE experience at Atelier Crenn will be released in the future. For more about UPSIDE Chicken, visit www.upsidefoods.com .

About UPSIDE Foods

Based in Berkeley, CA, UPSIDE Foods (formerly known as Memphis Meats) is developing methods to cultivate meat directly from animal cells, without the need to breed or slaughter animals. The company released the world's first cultivated meatball in February 2016 and the world's first cultivated poultry in March 2017. It aims to bring to the market delicious, real meat that is significantly better for the environment, animals and public health, while claiming a share of the $1.4 trillion global market for meat. For more information, please visit www.upsidefoods.com .

About Dominique Crenn

Dominique Crenn is many things: chef, restauranteur, entrepreneur, best-selling author, activist, and breast cancer survivor. Recognized as a leader in gastronomic storytelling, Crenn is the first and only female chef in the United States ever awarded three Michelin Stars, and one of only five in the world. Crenn's eponymous bar, Bar Crenn is the only bar in North America ever awarded a Michelin Star.

As a chef, Crenn focuses on cuisine as a craft and uses the community as an inspiration for her work. Based on the French word for studio, restaurant Atelier Crenn can be defined as chef Crenn's workshop. This is a concept driven by chef Crenn's modern vision for fine-French cuisine, where art is at the forefront. Crenn is also the co-owner of Petit Crenn and Bar Crenn, located in the Bay Area. As an author, Crenn has written a best-selling cookbook, Metamorphosis of Taste, and her recently published memoir Rebel Chef: In Search of What Matters, was voted one of the best biographies and memoirs of 2020 by Amazon book editors. Additional accolades among her many include the 2018 James Beard Award for Best Chef: West, and in 2019, Atelier Crenn came in at No. 35 on the list of the World's 50 Best Restaurants.

Crenn is on a mission to heal the world through food and activism, and heal the planet by advocating for a more sustainable way of life.

Media Contact

David Kay

[email protected]

SOURCE UPSIDE Foods

Related Links

http://www.upsidefoods.com


HOUSTON, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- U.S. Legal Support (USLS), the market leader in litigation support, today announced a new chapter in company leadership. Founding CEO Charles F. Schugart and President Peter J. Giammanco are stepping back from their day-to-day roles with USLS.

Effective today, leadership of the company will transition to two current USLS executives. Jimmie Bridwell, current USLS Chief Operating Officer, will become Chief Executive Officer. Kellen Smith will become USLS President, in addition to continuing in her current role of Chief Financial Officer. Bridwell and Smith are joined on the executive team by Myke Hawkins, current Chief Commercial Officer of USLS.

Schugart and Giammanco will remain involved with the company as members of the Board of Directors and as advisors to the new executive leaders.

"Pete and I have focused our last 25 years working tirelessly as partners to build and grow USLS into the dominant litigation support firm it is today," outgoing CEO Charles Schugart said. "We did it working side by side for so many years  together, and with each and every one of the valuable employees we consider members of our USLS family. We are so grateful for their trust in us and their contributions to our collective successes."

In a Town Hall with U.S. Legal Support's 1,000+ employees today, Schugart and Giammanco expressed their confidence in the executive team's vision and skills.

"Jimmie, Kellen and Myke and the entire executive team have individually and collectively demonstrated the dedication and tenacity it takes to lead us into the future. We are confident they can seize the ample opportunities that lie ahead for USLS. From the foundation that we built together with the entire USLS team, we are certain they will harness their collective power and strength to achieve great outcomes," Giammanco said.

Bridwell and Smith described their vision for the evolution of USLS  a vision that balances continuity and growth.

"Even though Charles and Pete will be stepping into new roles on the Board, our shared commitment to the future of USLS will not change," Bridwell said. "USLS will focus on service, innovation in the legal support market, and building a commercial function that will fully support our sales team. We know our clients rely on us to provide extraordinary service in a challenging environment, and we will exceed their expectations."

"Charles and Pete's confidence in our ability to carry on their legacy and build on the foundation they laid over the past 25 years is both humbling and exciting," Smith said. "I am honored to take this next step forward with USLS, with this executive team, and with the entire USLS team so we can continue to build an amazing company, together."

About U.S. Legal Support

U.S. Legal Support was founded in 1996 based on a single, somewhat audacious goal: become the first nationwide, all-inclusive litigation support company. Over two decades later, we have over 1,000 employees, a network of nearly 5,000 independent court reporting professionals and 5,000 interpreters/translators. We provide on-demand access to more than 12,000 offices in over 2,700 cities across the country. We cover more than 350,000 depositions each year and retrieve more than 400,000 records. To date, we've acquired over 25 companies  15 in a 3-year period alone.

Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE U.S. Legal Support, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.uslegalsupport.com


USClaims, the longest operating pre-settlement funding company in the U.S., announced Haven Brady as new CMO Tweet this

Mr. Brady brings extensive brand, marketing, and customer acquisition expertise to his new role. Prior to joining USClaims, he served as the Head of Digital Marketing and Customer Acquisition at the nation's leader in personalized healthcare, MDVIP, where he implemented sales and marketing growth strategies, and supported the expansion of their network of doctors and patients. Previously, he was Global Director of Lead Generation at Laureate Education in Baltimore, MD.

"USClaims is a great company with strong values, an inspiring vision, and an excellent history of ethical service in the financial lending space. I look forward to helping CEO, Mr. Steve Bashmakov continue to share the story behind how litigation funding can be simple. A very bright and energized team is in place here. The synergy exists for great ideas to be executed that will redefine the future of pre-settlement funding that changes lives," said Mr. Brady.

Prior to joining USClaims, Mr. Brady gained valuable digital marketing experience in the Financial, Higher Education, Healthcare and Professional Services industries. He operates at a global and national level with the ability to identify opportunity and lead his team to success. His marketing mission is to seize all opportunities for USClaims which will amplify brand visibility, customer experience, marketing operations, and strategic growth. Mr. Brady holds a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration from LaSalle University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

About US Claims: USClaims (www.USClaims.com) for 25 years has been one of America's largest providers of non-recourse financial support to personal injury victims, some of whom may have suffered catastrophic injuries from defective products, unsafe premises, motor vehicle accidents, and other types of accidents. This financial support provides the injured plaintiff the means to pay bills and endure the often long and arduous litigation process. USClaims is here to help you and your attorney stay in the fight. For additional information on USClaims' pre-settlement funding, please call (877) 872-5246 or visit USClaims.com.

SOURCE USClaims

Related Links

https://usclaims.com/


LOS ANGELES, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Venbrook Group, LLC (Venbrook) , one of the largest independent insurance distribution and services firms in the U.S., announced today the acquisitions of RD Parisi Associates, Inc. (RD Parisi) and David Morse and Associates (DMA) . Since partnering with Parthenon Capital, a leading growth-oriented private equity firm, in 2020, the company has experienced a year of rapid growth and completed multiple acquisitions.

Based in New Jersey, RD Parisi offers a complete range of employee benefits products with a team of experts well-versed in the latest on healthcare reform changes, requirements, and compliance issues. RD Parisi complements Venbrook's already robust employee benefits division and expands Venbrook's presence on the East Coast. RD Parisi was advised on the transaction by Kenneth Helfer, President and Managing Partner of Helfer & Associates LLC.

Headquartered in Glendale, CA, DMA is an industry leading independent adjuster servicing more than 40 states nationally with over 150 locations. DMA further enhances Venbrook Claims Services division's world-class suite of adjusting, investigation, subrogation, and claims administration services. DMA was advised on the transaction by Waller Helms Advisors.

With the addition of RD Parisi, DMA, and earlier investments in Megan Insurance and ComStar Insurance Solutions , Venbrook has continued to accelerate its growth over the last year and now employs over 600 associates under the Venbrook brand. The addition of Alison Myers and her team at Megan Insurance expanded Venbrook's team of professionals providing best-in-class employee benefits solutions and services. Meanwhile, Wayne Swanson and his experienced underwriting team at ComStar further enhanced Venbrook's already deep expertise in providing bespoke specialty programs to the commercial real estate industry.

"Joining forces with RD Parisi and DMA marks an exciting milestone in Venbrook's evolution," said Jason Turner, Venbrook President and CEO. "We have long admired both companies, their business acumen and culture. Their unparalleled expertise and world-class talent are a great addition to our company. With Parthenon's ongoing support through financial growth capital and strategic expertise, we continue to see a very bright future of growth."

"We couldn't be happier to join the Venbrook fold," said Duke Snider, CEO of DMA. "In these changing times, we have remained decidedly old school, with service at a customer's fingertips and always with a human touch. Partnering with Venbrook will allow us to continue to deliver the same level of service our clients have come to expect. Venbrook has a stellar team starting with Jason."

"Venbrook has an outstanding industry reputation and leadership team. We're thrilled with the acquisition and the ability to offer our clients a broader portfolio of products and services through the Venbrook platform," said Rob Parisi, Founder and President of RD Parisi. "We'll continue delivering the same level of personalized customer service our clients have always valued and now with more capability and resources. Truly, it's a win for everyone."

"When we first invested in Venbrook in 2020, we saw an incredible opportunity to partner with an energetic team and back an aggressive plan for both organic and strategic growth," said Andrew Dodson, Managing Partner at Parthenon Capital. "We are pleased to continue to support that plan with these acquisitions and remain extremely optimistic about Venbrook's growth trajectory."

About Venbrook

Venbrook Group, LLC is a holdings company with subsidiaries engaged in retail broking, wholesale broking, programs, and claims services. Venbrook caters to a national client base across myriad industries with divergent needs. Venbrook's team of experts and industry specialists' partner with their clients to manage their risks, create security, promote growth and add value by delivering best-in-class insurance products and programs.

Venbrook continues to build partnerships to expand its insurance platform while continuing to invest in its infrastructure and talent. Venbrook is headquartered in Los Angeles with various locations across the country. For more information, please visit venbrook.com .

SOURCE Venbrook Group, LLC

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https://venbrook.com/


In their first joint interview on The Shawn Ryan Show , the four men of Blackwater USA's Raven 23 Tactical Support Team sit down with Shawn Ryan to discuss the complete system failure of the U.S. government, a corrupt court system, and incompetent journalists that demonized them as war criminals and convicted them before standing trial, despite their innocence.

In an extensive interview, Dustin Heard, Evan Liberty, Nick Slatten and Paul Slough discuss their ordeal as well as their experience in battle, their time in prison, their faith, and reuniting with their families.

The men also talk about Raven 23: Presumption of Guilt , the podcast that sparked renewed interest in their case by proving dozens of instances of judicial misconduct, hidden evidence, and a politically motivated show trial.

Investigative journalist Gina Keating, the co-writer and producer of that podcast, also joins Shawn to talk about the years of research and production that went into proving the men's innocence.

Beginning his show by referring to the shootout as "the most controversial gun fight in the Iraq war, and perhaps in American history," Ryan provides the four men the opportunity they never got in court or from the mainstream media - the opportunity to tell their side of the story.

It quickly becomes obvious why the U.S. government wanted these men kept silent. After years of faithful service in both the military and as contractors with Blackwater, the men were accused of war crimes that they did not commit. The U.S. government's chief investigator was an Iraqi National Police colonel with suspected ties to two different terrorist organizations. Keating provides documents and film from her years-long investigation with co-writer and co-producer Mike Flaherty that they used in their podcast.

Listening to Keating and the men tell the story and its origins in then-Vice President Joe Biden's determination to overturn the dismissal of their case provides an eerie foreshadowing of current events. The interview was released just days after the United States' botched exit from Afghanistan, leaving thousands of Afghan allies deserted and abandoned by the Biden administration. All were disposable heroes who had outlived their usefulness in the eyes of President Biden.

After a 2014 trial rife with prosecutorial and judicial misconduct, a Washington DC jury convicted Heard, Liberty, Slatten and Slough of killing and wounding Iraqi civilians amidst a gun battle in Baghdad at the height of violence in the war in Iraq. Heard, Liberty and Slough were sentenced to 30 years in prison.

Slatten was tried twice more, and sentenced to life in prison on a single murder charge in 2018. After a massive community effort to bring attention to the case, President Donald Trump pardoned the men on Dec. 22, 2020.

Ryan, a former Navy SEAL and CIA contractor, scored the first-ever group interview with the four former contractors. The episode also features a surprise appearance by U.S. Navy Chief Eddie Gallagher, the former Navy SEAL who was unjustly charged with war crimes stemming from his eighth and final combat deployment.

After eight months of pre-trial confinement and an intense legal battle, Gallagher was found not guilty. Gallagher and his wife, Andrea formed The Pipe Hitter Foundation to support U.S. service members who find themselves in the same legal crosshairs simply for doing their jobs.

Gallagher revealed that The Pipe Hitter Foundation board of directors had authorized an immediate $12,500 in emergency relief grants for the four men and has started a fundraiser to retire Raven 23's outstanding legal bills and get them back on their feet. To make a donation, visit the Pipe Hitter Foundation Homepage @ Pipehitterfoundation.org .

Raven 23: Presumption of Guilt, a production of ThinkAgain Studios , can be found on all podcast platforms. Two final episodes were released on Thursday.

About Vigilance Elite

Vigilance Elite was founded in 2015 by former Navy SEAL and CIA Contractor Shawn Ryan. The Shawn Ryan Show, a Vigilance Elite production, focuses on delivering impactful interviews with impactful guests. For additional information visit vigilanceelite.com.

Shawn Ryan: [email protected], 629-333-8117



Dena Cruden, executive director, Pipe Hitter Foundation: 858-925-3174

SOURCE Vigilance Elite

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https://www.vigilanceelite.com


MERIDIAN, Miss., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Vital Care Infusion Services, the nation's number one pharmacy franchise business for infusion services, announced today the signing of nine franchise agreements that will expand its presence in Arkansas, Florida, Texas, South Carolina, Kansas, Georgia, and Pennsylvania. These new signings come on the heels of the company's record-breaking success in 2020, where it reported a 40% increase in revenue year-over-year. Vital Care's surge in franchise development is fueled by the accelerated growth of the home infusion industry as pharmacies across the nation have reported an unprecedented demand for in-home therapies as a result of the pandemic.

"The pandemic has created a surge in demand for home and specialty infusion providers, an industry that was already in high demand prior to the increasing need for in-home services. As the only franchise system in our category, we're proud of the proven business model we've developed that our franchisees can execute as they provide our vital services to their local communities," said Christian VonDrehle, Director of Franchise Sales. "The proprietary processes and systems we've developed and rolled out systemwide over the past several years position us to equip our franchisees with unparalleled resources and support from the moment they sign their agreement to long after they're fully open and running. We are growing the Vital Care brand in underserved areas that need more access to healthcare providers and services alike, and we look forward to further expanding our presence across the U.S. through our accelerated franchise development efforts."

Alongside these recent signings, Vital Care opened six new locations last year and plans to open more than five new locations this year. The brand is actively seeking experienced pharmacists, multi-unit franchisees, and health care executives to develop new pharmacies in targeted and underserved markets across the U.S., including states like North Carolina, South Carolina, Indiana, West Virginia, Ohio, Wisconsin, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico and Maine.

Founded in 1986, Vital Care is the nation's number one pharmacy franchise business for infusion services and has grown to over 60 franchised pharmacies across two dozen states. The brand's mission is to partner with pharmacy owners across America to provide patients with professional, compassionate, safe, and cost-effective infusion services. Its vision is to be the infusion provider for the communities it serves, improving the lives of patients and health care professionals through access to the best service possible.

Vital Care franchised pharmacies provide infusion services such as anti-infectives, parenteral and enteral nutrition, inotropic agents, immunoglobulin, and many biologics and biosimilars, in addition to other key therapies that are able to be safely administered in the home setting and alternate sites of care. All locations comply with federal and state standards for preparation of sterile products and are also accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC).

About Vital Care Infusion Services

Vital Care is the number one franchised pharmacy and infusion services provider in the United States. For over three decades, our passion has been improving the lives of patients and healthcare professionals through locally owned franchise locations across the United States. We have over 60 franchised pharmacies across two dozen states serving communities in underserved markets. To learn more about Vital Care Infusion Services, please visit www.vitalcareinc.com.

Contact

Chelsea Bear

Fish Consulting

[email protected]

954-893-9150

SOURCE Vital Care Infusion Services

Related Links

http://www.vitalcareinc.com


"The U.S. is a key strategic market for many companies. However, compliantly operating an entity can be challenging." Tweet this

The U.S. market entry solution includes a complete suite of services to help clients navigate key challenges:

Entity Solutions and Ongoing Corporate Compliance: weConnect helps clients determine the best location to set up and incorporate their business and the optimal structure as they grow. Registered Agent and corporate secretarial administration is also streamlined through weConnect.

weConnect helps clients determine the best location to set up and incorporate their business and the optimal structure as they grow. Registered Agent and corporate secretarial administration is also streamlined through weConnect. Payroll & Benefits Solutions: When entering the U.S., it is extremely hard for companies to broker competitive benefits to secure top talent; weConnect makes this possible and easily accessible. weConnect handles all payroll processes and provides competitive benefit options ranging from standard to ultra-competitive packages.

When entering the U.S., it is extremely hard for companies to broker competitive benefits to secure top talent; weConnect makes this possible and easily accessible. weConnect handles all payroll processes and provides competitive benefit options ranging from standard to ultra-competitive packages. Accounting Solutions: weConnect manages both the statutory accounting and the foundational monthly accounting process, delivered in the client's global policy. Clients can access the accounting book, bills and invoices via browser and mobile app for unlimited users.

weConnect manages both the statutory accounting and the foundational monthly accounting process, delivered in the client's global policy. Clients can access the accounting book, bills and invoices via browser and mobile app for unlimited users. Banking Solutions: Banking challenges can be a barrier to getting businesses set-up in the U.S. weConnect saves time and error by helping clients understand their limited options.

Banking challenges can be a barrier to getting businesses set-up in the U.S. weConnect saves time and error by helping clients understand their limited options. Tax Solutions: With 50 states requiring different tax regimes, the U.S. market is a complex tax jurisdiction. weConnect's experts handle all global, national, local and sales tax compliance, starting with an initial tax advisory call to formulate a plan for future growth.

weConnect's workforce spans the globe with over 200 global team members and over 1,000 local colleagues in 56 countries. weConnect has helped over 3,000 clients expand their businesses to more than 120 countries around the world.

The U.S. market entry solution strengthens the company's global presence and provides seamless support in a country where services are more fragmented than any other country in the world. weConnect offers one true global solution - with one team, one process, and one system that enables clients to scale infinitely and be laser-focused on their core business.

About weConnect:

weConnect is the world's fastest-growing, privately owned global expansion and compliance company. weConnect's mission is to disrupt the compliance industry by making it easier than ever for companies to legally enter and operate in any country. Using practical solutions and optimal technologies for employer of record, incorporation, accounting, payroll and tax compliance, weConnect allows clients to focus on securing optimal talent and growing their businesses to all corners of the globe. Details can be found at goweconnect.com .

SOURCE weConnect

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goweconnect.com


CHICAGO, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Calling all engaged couples! The Magnificent Mile Association, in partnership with The Wrigley Building's Centennial Celebration and supported by key media sponsor, Modern Luxury Weddings Chicago, is offering up to 50 couples a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for elopement-style weddings or civil union celebrations at one of Michigan Avenue's most iconic locations on Sunday, September 26 during Marriages on The Mile  Weddings at Wrigley.

50 couples can Enter to Win a free elopement on The Magnificent Mile at The Wrigley Building Plaza on September 26. Tweet this The Magnificent Mile Association, in partnership with The Wrigley Building's Centennial Celebration, invites 50 couples to enter to win an elopement on The Magnificent Mile in Chicago for FREE on September 26, 2021. Unions for "Marriages on The Mile - Weddings at Wrigley" will take place outdoors underneath the iconic Wrigley Building bridge during the larger "Meet Me on The Mile" closed street celebration along Michigan Avenue. Enter at themagnificentmile.com. Photo by Jamie & Eric Photography.

The entry form for Marriages on The Mile  Weddings at Wrigley is open for application until 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, August 31. Winning couples will be notified by Wednesday, September 1. The Grand Prize winner of the Overnight Honeymoon Package will be notified by Wednesday, September 8.

This romantic and free wedding ceremony is timed perfectly, as the COVID-19 Delta Variant is on the rise and many couples may be considering alternatives to formal indoor weddings in the coming months. The unique, enter-to-win opportunity offers a chance to say, "I Do" outdoors, surrounded by some of Chicago's most iconic architectural treasures.

Marriages on The Mile - Weddings at Wrigley is part of The Association's larger Meet Me on The Mile Sunday Spectacle on September 26, with free activities and programming occurring all day from 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. on a closed Michigan Avenue from Illinois Street south to Wacker Drive, including a closed-for-pedestrian-access-only DuSable Bridge.

Ceremonies will take place between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. outdoors underneath the iconic Wrigley Building Bridge (410 N. Michigan Ave.). Weddings will be conducted by judges of the Circuit Court of Cook County.

"We are so proud to celebrate The Wrigley Building turning 100-years-old this year," comments Bradley Borowiec, Vice President of The Wrigley Building. "We've seen hundreds of couples get engaged under the shades of terra cotta, and now, couples can help us celebrate 100 years by putting their special mark on this day. Marriages on The Mile  Weddings at Wrigley is an incredible opportunity to come together at an iconic Chicago location for a day of festive activity around the unions, while also welcoming participants for the wider Meet Me on The Mile festivities."

Couples entering to win a spot for Marriages on The Mile  Weddings at Wrigley can expect:

An iconic outdoor wedding venue at The Wrigley Building, an opportunity not offered to the public

Circuit Court of Cook County volunteer Judge to officiate the ceremony

volunteer Judge to officiate the ceremony Unprecedented access to a closed DuSable Bridge for post-ceremony photos

Up to two witnesses, plus underage children, allowed to stand with the couple during the ceremony

Opportunity to invite even more guests to the post-ceremony Meet Me on The Mile celebration

celebration Chance to win the Grand Prize Honeymoon Overnight Package on The Magnificent Mile

Exclusive Modern Luxury Weddings swag bag and offers from area businesses

And more exclusive perks from participating partners!

Additional programming for the September 26 Meet Me on The Mile Sunday Spectacle will include Mode on The Mile pop-up fashion elements, Murals on the Mile art installations, live music, kid's and family programing, al fresco dining, and more. Guests can RSVP for free in advance. The full programming lineup will be announced after Labor Day. Please continue to visit the Meet Me on The Mile website for updates.

Marriages on The Mile  Weddings at Wrigley is sponsored by Modern Luxury Weddings Chicago. Meet Me on The Mile is presented in partnership with the City of Chicago and supported by the 42nd Ward, the 2nd Ward, World Business Chicago, Walgreens, Tamar Productions, Lifeway Foods, 875 North Michigan Avenue (The Former John Hancock Building), The Wrigley Building (410 N. Michigan Ave.) and Pioneer Court (401 N. Michigan Ave.). For additional sponsors and sponsorship opportunities, please visit Meet Me on The Mile online.

The Magnificent Mile Association was founded in 1912 and is a private, nonprofit membership organization with a mission of preserving, promoting, and enhancing one of Chicago's most unique, multi-use neighborhoods.

CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS

SOURCE The Magnificent Mile Association
GUANGZHOU, China, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Yatsen Holding Limited ("Yatsen" or the "Company") (NYSE: YSG), a leading Chinese beauty company, today announced that it will release its second quarter 2021 financial results on Thursday, August 26, 2021, before the open of the U.S. markets.

The Company will hold a conference call on Thursday, August 26, 2021 at 7:30 am Eastern Time (7:30 pm Beijing/Hong Kong Time) to discuss the financial results. Listeners may access the call by dialing the following numbers:

United States (toll free): +1-888-346-8982 International: +1-412-902-4272 Mainland China (toll free): 400-120-1203 Hong Kong (toll free): 800-905-945 Hong Kong: +852-3018-4992 Conference ID: 10159579

A live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available on the Company's investor relations website at http://ir.yatsenglobal.com/.

A replay of the conference call will be accessible by phone one hour after the conclusion of the live call at the following numbers, until September 2, 2021:

United States: +1-877-344-7529 International: +1-412-317-0088 Replay Access Code: 10159579

About Yatsen Holding Limited

Yatsen Holding Limited (NYSE: YSG) is a leading player in China's beauty market with a mission to create an exciting new journey of beauty discovery for consumers in China and around the world. Founded in 2016, the Company has launched and acquired seven color cosmetics and skincare brands including Perfect Diary, Little Ondine, Abby's Choice, Galenic, DR.WU (its mainland China business), Eve Lom and Pink Bear. The Company's flagship brand, Perfect Diary, is one of the top color cosmetics brands in China in terms of online retail sales value. Leveraging its digitally native direct-to-customer business model, the Company has built a platform with core capabilities which enables it to launch and scale multiple brands quickly while offering a wide selection of products to a growing variety of customers. The Company reaches and engages with customers directly both online and offline, with expansive presence across all major e-commerce, social and content platforms in China.

For more information, please visit http://ir.yatsenglobal.com/

For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

In China:

Yatsen Holding Limited

Investor Relations

E-mail: [email protected]

The Piacente Group, Inc.

Emilie Wu

Tel: +86-21-6039-8363

E-mail: [email protected]

In the United States:

The Piacente Group, Inc.

Brandi Piacente

Tel: +1-212-481-2050

E-mail: [email protected]

SOURCE Yatsen Holding Limited

Related Links

www.yatsenglobal.com


YouScience, the largest provider of industry-recognized certifications, offers a solution to learning loss: pretesting. Tweet this

In March 2020, YouScience merged with Precision Exams to establish a revolutionary education technology company offering an innovative solution for career discovery, exploration, preparation, and connection. The company uses science-based brain games to identify innate abilities (a.k.a. aptitudes) and connect them with real-world careers and offers over 200 certification exams that span across the 16 National Career Clusters.

Pretesting from YouScience provides a method to overcome learning loss for secondary educators. Each exam is written by subject-matter experts that align the content therein to the academic standards. When used at the beginning of a course, pretesting provides teachers with a calculated measure of students' previous knowledge of a particular topic. It helps to measure the learning that did take place while identifying where gaps may have formed because of a break from school, virtual learning, or any number of things. Using the report data, teachers can plan their curriculum accordingly.

Secondary school teachers across the country are already taking advantage of the pretesting option with YouScience and have the success to show for it. Robert Kovi, a district CTE Director in Connecticut, said, "Precision Exams were a natural fit as they are already aligned to national standards and many of the textbooks and curriculum we already use."

Kovi reported the teachers in his school were able to have more informed discussions using the data provided to guide conversations and instructional decisions. Many are also using the pretesting feature to set yearly learning goals for their students and using single exams for benchmarking throughout the year.

"Coming out of remote learning, we're realizing just how important benchmark testing is in guiding the educational experience," said Edson Barton, CEO of YouScience and cofounder of Precision Exams. "Educators can use pretesting to make data-driven decisions to best serve their students and prepare them for the future. Each year, they can learn more and optimize their lesson structure to improve knowledge retention and curriculum efficacy."

YouScience aims to help teachers build strong foundations that equip students with the knowledge, skills, and education pathways that lead to college and career readiness, and more importantly, success. From aptitude and career discovery to pretesting and industry-recognized certifications, YouScience connects industry needs to qualified employees straight out of high school.

All 200+ certification exams are created by subject-matter experts, based on academic standards and current industry needs; they are updated regularly to support evolving industry demands. If you're interested in learning more about pretesting or exploring the library of certifications, click here.

About YouScience

YouScience empowers intentional individual success by aligning talent, education, and industry. With revolutionary career guidance and industry-recognized certifications, we empower individuals to uncover their natural talent, validate their skills and knowledge, and pursue their best-fit educational pathways. To learn more, visit www.youscience.com.

SOURCE YouScience

Related Links

http://www.youscience.com


"World Photography Day is an annual, worldwide celebration of the art, craft, science and history of photography. It promotes sharing photography, enhancing photography skills, and community building. The Zenfolio team's dedication to the future of photography and our commitment to ongoing photography education makes this the perfect opportunity to show support of World Photography Day in a tangible and impactful way." says John Loughlin, Zenfolio CEO.

The market leading website builder will be empowering photography students with cutting-edge technology and unrivaled resources to help them take their photography to the next level. Aspiring student photographers can sign up for a free subscription to the Portfolio plan of up to 3 years by visiting the website https://zenfolio.com/studentsubscription before September 15, 2021.

This initiative will help photography students get a strong start with fun-to-build, modern website templates, customizable portfolios, digital image delivery and a selection of feature rich plans that will grow with them.

The new, reimagined Zenfolio platform includes three plans, Portfolio, PortfolioPlus and the newly released ProSuite. Following the successful launch of Portfolio and PortfolioPlus, which cater to the needs of aspiring photographers, ProSuite has been built specifically for the pro-photographer. With the introduction of the robust ProSuite tier, Zenfolio takes another major step in providing the most advanced solution for photographers at every stage of their career.

About Zenfolio

Zenfolio Inc, a Centre Lane Partners company, offers advanced business solutions enabling photographers to easily show, share and sell their images. For more than a decade, Zenfolio has proudly served photographers around the globe and is voted #1 by pro photographers.

For more information visit zenfolio.com

SOURCE Zenfolio

Related Links

http://zenfolio.com


As a very large and complex business, Zurich refocused its automation efforts, to cut through the intricate systems it had developed over the years. As with any digital transformation effort, Zurich realized that top-down buy-in from C-level executives was absolutely key in future-proofing its business.

In 2018, Zurich UK brought its continuous improvement and automation teams together, providing an opportunity to refresh its operating model and automate the right things, at speed. Instead of siloed units, three units focused on new development and one on ring-fenced production.

The changes have allowed Zurich to rapidly increase automation's exposure across the business, using 68 Blue Prism robots to carry out 140 processes, supporting 85% of Zurich UK's functions. In the year following the refresh, 88,583 hours were saved by robots processing manual activity.

To ensure that Zurich was nurturing its workforce of the future, it set up an Automation Academy. To kickstart the Academy, it called upon employees who were passionate about reimagining the way they work for the better. Once graduated, employees become either active developers or business function automation advocates, helping to identify automation opportunities to shape the roles of the future from within the business.

Stephen Aldred, continuous improvement & automation manager at Zurich Insurance, said: "To get any kind of success in automation, you need to understand the human element. You need to understand why people are fearful about it. You need to understand what training is required. Our CEO is passionate about workforce sustainability and we are immensely proud of the automation academy program that we have delivered. There's now no exec member that doesn't have automation as a topic on their agenda."

With high demand for Academy places, the business aims for at least one automation pod in all business functions, enabling faster automation based on specific business function requirements.

Alongside Zurich's ROM efforts, Blue Prism is continuously improving the capabilities of the AI-empowered digital workers. These capabilities will make it even easier for businesses to program automations faster, increase the scope of automations, orchestrate their digital workforces intelligently alongside human counterparts and, most importantly, drive intelligent automation at scale across the enterprise.

Eric Tyree, head of AI and innovation at Blue Prism, said: "Zurich Insurance is a quality example of what can be achieved with top-down buy-in for intelligent automation and a clear vision for its workforce. With a robust, agile, and ever-improving robotic operating model, Zurich and its workforce are well prepared for the increasingly competitive environment that lies ahead."

Notes to editors:

Blue Prism is a global leader in enterprise robotic process automation (RPA) and intelligent automation, transforming the way work is done. We have over 2,000 customers in over 170 countries and 70 industry verticals, 30% in the Forbes Global 2,000, creating value with new ways of working by unlocking efficiencies and returning millions of hours of work back into their businesses. Our enterprise digital robots offer high-scale automation that is secure, smart, accessible to all, enabling centrally managed human and digital workforces of the future and freeing up humans to re-imagine work. To learn more visit www.blueprism.com and follow us on Twitter @blue_prism and on LinkedIn .

 2021 Blue Prism Limited. "Blue Prism", the "Blue Prism" logo and Prism device are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Blue Prism Limited and its affiliates. All Rights Reserved.

SOURCE Blue Prism

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http://blueprism.com/


A look at the major movers on the London market on Wednesday

Oriole Resources PLC is shining after the second positive update in two days on its Senala project in Senegal.

Its partner in the project, IAMGOLD Corporation has the option to spend up to US$8mln to earn a 70% interest .

Following a new reverse circulation drilling programme, Oriole chief executive Tim Livesey, said: "Excellent results from this... programme, targeting previously identified but as yet unquantified gold mineralisation at FareFar South and FareNorth, continue to support our belief that the c.6 km trend at the Fare prospect has ample potential to host a stand-alone resource.

"Not only are these RC drilling results indicative of the typical grades considered mineable in West African orogenic gold systems but the intersection of significant mineralised widths, often close to surface, points to the huge untapped potential at Fare."

The news has seen Oriole's shares climb 6.65% to 0.51p.

2.42pm: Likewise jumps on first day of dealings

Floor coverings group Likewise Group PLC has stepped out smartly in its first day on AIM.

The Yorkshire business, founded just three years ago, has seen its shares jump from the 25p placing price to 30.91p, a 12.6% gain.

It raised 10m, which it will use to hire more staff, make acquisitions and expand its distribution network to the south and south west of the country.

At the placing price the company was valued at 48.1mln. Chief executive Tony Brewer has set a goal of growing that to 200mln and increasing its market share from 3% to 10% (video interview here).

The company's directors took place in the offer, with Brewer himself paying 100,000 for 400,000 shares.

He said: "Likewise is delighted to be listed on AIM in order to create access to capital and accelerate our growth aspirations."

12.05pm: Balfour Beatty drops as UK construction business still struggles

Construction and engineering group Balfour Beatty PLC has lost ground after its latest results.

First half revenues were broadly flat, while it moved from an operating loss of 14mln last year to a 60mln profit.

But its UK construction business was still loss making, and it flagged up a contingent liability on a high-rise development in London (relating to a stone facade) which could cost up to 50mln.

The company has also decided to no longer bid for fixed price residential property projects in central London.

Nicholas Hyett, equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: Losses on London property construction contracts mean Balfours UK construction business has not made any progress year-on-year. Given the group was struggling with the complete closure of the construction industry 12 months ago thats a particularly poor result.

"In future the group will avoid fixed-price residential property contracts in central London altogether. That may avoid repeats of past blunders, but it continues a trend of Balfour restricting where it operates. So long as theres enough work to do in its remaining markets thats no bad thing, but construction is a notoriously fickle business and work quickly dries up when the economy takes a turn for the worse."

Its shares are down 7.21% or 23p to 296p.

10.56am: BrandShield Systems boosted by payment processing contract

Cybersecurity specialist BrandShield Systems PLC has keyed up a share price rise after detailing a new contract win.

It has expanded its presence in financial services by signing a deal with a company in the payment processing sector.

BrandShield will provide protection services against phishing and impersonation attacks, from monitoring threats to taking them down.

It said: "Payment processing customers suffer from large scale impersonation attacks which act as the gateway to further fraudulent activity targeting both online customers and online retailers, the legitimate recipients of the targeted payments. The brand reputation suffered by the legitimate payments platform can be extreme in terms of negative publicity and confidence amongst retailers and customers in the vast eCommerce space."

BrandShield shares are 4.73% or 0.86p better at 19.11p.

10.01am: SDX Energy under pressure after disappointing gas field update

( , , ) has seen a leak in its share price after a disappointing update from the South Disouq gas field in Egypt.

After drilling on the Hanut prospect in South Disouq - where SDX has a 55% interest - it found good quality sands but these were not charged with gas.

It said that Hanut was "a unique subsurface feature in the South Disouq acreage" so it believed the result of this exploration well would have limited impact for the rest of the area.

Chief executive Mark Reid said: "Whilst the result of this well is disappointing, I remain positive about the remaining prospectivity in the area which has not been materially impacted. In particular, I am encouraged by the proof of reservoir quality sands ... in the South Disouq area as this derisks further close by prospectivity. The company will now be working towards moving these prospects to drill-ready status for a 2022 campaign and looks forward updating the market on its campaigns in West Gharib and in Morocco in the remainder of the year."

But the company's shares have fallen 10.35% or 1.5p on the news to 13p.

8.58am: Novacyt climbs on COVID-19 test updates

Diagnostics group ( ) is in demand after a positive update on its COVID-19 tests.

Half year revenues grew by more than 50% to 94.7mln, with 54mln of than coming from a mixture of overseas sales and a growing UK private testing market, lessening the company's reliance on business from the Department of Heath and Social Care. Indeed the DHSC sales are currently in dispute.

Meanwhile it has been awarded a new contract for the supply of its Promate COVID-19 tests to the NHS, worth up to 4.7m .

UK private market sales, which currently includes COVID-19 testing in film, media, travel and corporate industries, increased significantly in the second quarter.

It said: "The company expects continued strong growth in private testing as markets and travel re-open and, as the Northern Hemisphere heads into winter, the potential for higher infection rates will increase the need for COVID-19 testing. Since the start of 2020, the company has launched 16 new CE-IVD products, and expects to launch a further 10 by the end of 2022.

"The company therefore reiterates revenue guidance of 100mln for the full year, excluding DHSC revenues, as announced on 22 June 2021."

Its shares are up 14.9% or 45p at 347p.

Also heading higher is cloud platform specialist ( ).

It has added 5.33% or 2p to 39.5p after recognition from Microsoft.

The US giant has awarded LoopUp its 'Calling for Microsoft Teams Advanced Specialization'.

This goes to Microsoft partners that demonstrate "deep knowledge, extensive experience, and proven success in the deployment and management of Microsoft Teams Calling and Phone System."
Chinese consumers accounted for 35% of luxury goods sales in 2019 and 28% in 2020

Concerns about a potential slowdown in China are likely to impact the performance of the luxury goods sector, according to broker UBS.

The luxury sector is highly exposed to Chinese consumers, who accounted for 35% of sales in 2019 and 28% in 2020.

UBS said in a note that investor concerns were driven by fears of renewed COVID restrictions in China, a potential economic slowdown and the risk of anti-wealth flaunting policies in the country.

The Chinese government is calling for regulation of excessively high incomes and encouraging high-income groups and enterprises to return more to society, which could bring potential volatility to the Chinese luxury market, the broker noted.

Given luxury goods' relatively high Chinese exposure and its valuation (currently trading at around 90% premium to the MSCI Europe Index, above its historical around 50% average), we think the ongoing China concerns could weigh on the sector in the near term, UBS explained.

Although the impact on sales, if any, at this stage may be difficult to estimate, we note that based on the history these concerns could drive a period of a de-rating vs the market.

Among the luxury goods companies most exposed to Chinese consumers are ( ) ( ), The Swatch Group, Richemont and Prada, UBS said.

Burberry share were 5.4% lower at 1,834p in afternoon trade.
Mastercard has thrown everything at trying to prevent this claim going forward, but today its efforts have failed," said former financial ombudsman Walters Merricks

( ) can be sued for 10bn in what will be the UKs biggest ever class action trial, after the Competition Appeal Tribunal overturned its previous decision.

Back in December, the Supreme Court upheld an appeal court ruling that a previous decision by the CAT throwing out the claim had applied the wrong test.

This week the CAT accepted that decision and authorised the case, which is expected to be good news for litigation funding specialists.

Former financial ombudsman Walters Merricks brought what was a 14bn claim against the credit and debit card group alleging that admin charges levied on purchases were too high and led to people paying higher prices than necessary between May 1992 and June 2008.

The landmark UK case is being brought on behalf of all people aged 16 and over who bought goods and services from a UK business that accepted Mastercard between these dates, unless they opt out of the lawsuit.

If the case is successful, around 46mln consumers could be entitled to about 300 each.

Mastercard has thrown everything at trying to prevent this claim going forward, but today its efforts have failed," said Merricks in a statement.

The tribunals ruling heralds the start of an era of consumer-focused class actions which will help to hold big business to account in areas that really matter.

Mastercard said the claim was being driven by lawyers and organisations primarily focused on making money for themselves.

It added: The decision today reduces the value of this spurious claim by more than 35%. Mastercard is confident that over the coming months a review of key facts will further significantly reduce the size and viability of the claim.
"Care homes are integral to the British service economy and Vista Care represents the best of the sector with a future facing and innovative offering that gives the people it cares for the best possible experience," said MBH boss Callum Laing

( , , ) has agreed its second acquisition in the health care sector, with the purchase of UK home care agency provider Vista Care Solutions.

It is the companys fifth purchase of the year and its 17th since the start of 2020.

Vista Care, which includes Nottingham, Newham and Redbridge city councils among its clients, generated unaudited revenues for the year to 31 May 2021 of 3.3mln.

MBH will pay a total consideration for the acquisition of between 3.3-4mln, settled by way of convertible notes which will convert into MBH shares at the lower of the 30-day volume weighted price preceding the conversion date or 0.80 per share.

The addition of Vista Care expands MBHs health vertical, following the acquisition early in 2020 of Samuel Hobson House, a care home based in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

The company highlighted that Vista Care is looking to grow by increasing bed count, but also bearing in mind environmental impact, the design and technology of their services and recording and reviewing progress.

MBH chief executive Callum Laing added: Care homes are integral to the British service economy and Vista Care represents the best of the sector with a future facing and innovative offering that gives the people it cares for the best possible experience. Were proud to welcome the team on board and look forward to taking the next steps to growth alongside them.

MBH have used roughly 37mln of its bond programme for acquisitions so far, leaving a balance of 13mln still spare if required.

So far, 73mln shares have been issued, with roughly 70% of MBH shares owned by the principals of each subsidiary company in the group.

The company estimated that at least 40% of the principals are engaged in repeat monthly purchases of shares on-market and the board said it is currently reviewing executive share ownership guidelines to ensure that executive board members now and in the future are also fully aligned with all other shareholders.
It said the geological formation consists mostly of "red bed" sediments and is analogous to the Rotliegendes found beneath the Kupferschiefer in Poland and Germany

The company said it also intersected salt, a key element of sediment-hosted copper mineralized systems

( , ) reported that drilling has intersected sediment-hosted copper mineralization visible over about two metres at the Tsenken N1 target in its Lost Cities-Cutucu project in southeastern Ecuador.

The company said it also intersected salt, a key element of sediment-hosted copper mineralized systems. Scout drilling continues for sediment-hosted copper at Tsenken N1 and for silver-zinc at the Tiria-Shimpia target area.

"We recognized early on that the copper-silver within the project is of Kupferschiefer style, and this was confirmed by Professor Gregor Borg, an international expert on the subject, chairman and CEO Keith Barron said in a statement.

Essentially, what we have are multiple levels of sandstone with organic plant material, which is now carbon in the Jurassic-aged Chapiza Formation, he added.

Aurania said the geological formation consists mostly of "red bed" sediments and is analogous to the Rotliegendes found beneath the Kupferschiefer in Poland and Germany. The carbon in the Chapiza has acted as a chemical reductant, causing the dissolved copper to fall out of solution where oxidized, copper-charged groundwaters come in contact with the carbon.

At this point, we still do not know the grade and thickness of these copper and silver mineralized carbon beds, nor how many individual stacked beds occur on our concessions, Barron said.

We do know through mapping that we are dealing with multiple beds.

South America-focused Aurania is a mineral exploration company engaged in the identification, evaluation, acquisition and exploration of mineral property interests, with a focus on precious metals and copper. Its flagship asset, The Lost Cities - Cutucu project, is located in the Jurassic Metallogenic Belt in the eastern foothills of the Andes Mountain range of southeastern Ecuador.

Contact the author at stephen.gunnion@proactiveinvestors.com
Empress Royalty CEO Alexandra Woodyer Sherron joined Steve Darling from Proactive to bring news, the upcoming company has received their first gold revenue from the Sierra Antapite gold mine in Peru. The companys stream is on 4.5% of the payable gold production for the first 11,000 gold ounces and 1% thereafter for life-of-mine.

Woodyer Sherron talks more about that project and also about their pipeline and the revenue that exists within it.
Lucknow, Aug 19 : The Uttar Pradesh government has constituted a Wednesday constituted a two-member committee, headed by a DG-rank police officer, to look into all the aspects of the FIRs pertaining to the woman and her companion who had tried to set themselves ablaze outside the Supreme Court premises, earlier this week.

The two had accused police officials and a judge of conspiring against them at the behest of jailed BSP MP Atul Rai, whom the woman had earlier accused of rape.

Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Avanish Awasthi, told reporters that the committee would comprise DG, Police Recruitment & Promotion Board (UPPRPB), R K Vishwakarma, and ADG, Women Power Line (1090), Neera Rawat.

The committee will submit its report in two weeks.

A senior home official said that the committee would probe the entire case including the FIRs lodged by the accused and the ones registered by the rape survivor and her associate against the accused.

The team will also look into the charge sheet filed by the police and the non-bailable warrant issued against the rape survivor and her associate.

DG (UPPRPB) would decide how many members he would have in his team for support. The DG may also visit Varanasi in connection with the probe.

Meanwhile, the state government has suspended police inspector Rakesh Singh and Sub-Inspector Girija Shankar Yadav, who were the investigation officers in the case.

It is noteworthy that before attempting self -immolation outside the Supreme Court, the woman and her associate had livestreamed a video message on social media accusing BSP MP Atul Rai, then Varanasi SSP Amit Pathak, former IG Amitabh Thakur and other police and judicial officers of harassing them.
New Delhi, Aug 19 : He has been sketching and drawing all his life, picking up notes from around him, working and re- working on these forms to integrate them into his personal style and using them as his reference points for paintings and sculptures.

From the large body of A. Ramachandran drawings and sketches, Vadehra Art Gallery in the capital selected works from 1965 to the present day for the exhibition 'A Lifetime of Lines'. "They are testimonies of how I think, talk to myself and express different emotions according to different subjects. I consider my drawings as my conversational language and not the more restrained and disciplined language of my paintings and sculptures," said major contemporary artist A. Ramachandran.

Recipient of the Padma Bhushan honour, Ramachandran, who started his career with realism, which reflected the angst of urban life, but shifted to myths in the 80's admits, "While in my early days, I was influenced by the Mexican artists whose works I felt were closer to ours than other European artists, there was also a realisation that myth was a part of collective consciousness of the people which could be effectively used to interpret one's world without imitating any artist. My 'Yayati', the monumental work I did for Ebrahim Alkazi is one of the finest examples of that," said the artist who did his doctoral thesis on Kerala mural painting.

Stressing that his education at Santiniketan has been instrumental in shaping him in multiple ways, and 'A Lifetime of Lines' is a testimony to that, the artist, who designed the granite bas-relief sculpture at the Rajiv Gandhi Memorial at Sriperumbudur, near Chennai which extends for 125 feet and has a height of nearly 20 feet remembers that right from the first year, students are asked to go out and study from nature and the sketching process is much different from western traditions.

"Nandalal developed a concept of structural drawings. Benode Behari and Ramkinkar developed that further. Unlike in the western tradition, students at Santiniketan are encouraged to look at the structure of an object rather than the externals. Everything in nature is in fact based on this principle. From the main stem, the number of veins that spread out decides the shape of the leaf. It can be one central vein which makes an oval shape or three veins of a leaf bifurcate like a leaf of a cotton plant. In short, the external shape depends on the structure of the vein of the leaf. Same is with the human body. The skeletal system determines the shape of human beings, animals or birds. These understandings give you a complete knowledge of structure rather than the external skin surface. This is the most important lesson I learnt from Santiniketan which I use as the grammar of my art practice." For someone who completed his Master's degree in Malayalam and also studied classical Carnatic music from the age of five to sixteen, Ramachandran, who has also written and illustrated numerous picture books for children published in India, Japan, Britain and the United States feels the evolution of the language from neo- classical to modern literature gave him an indication how Indian art could also develop from the grass root level to become an authentic language of our time instead of just borrowing from Europe. "Similarly, music must have given me an inherent rhythm and pattern to enrich my pictorial language," feels the artist, a major retrospective of whose work was organised by the National Gallery of Modern Art (New Delhi) in 2003.

Lamenting the failure of developing an Indian tradition of imparting art education, which is still heavily dependent on the western model, except at Santiniketan, he says that European art, generally being realistic has definite principles like perspective, caste shadow and Chiaroscuro to create shapes and forms from a realistic point of view. 'It is high time that we devise a new system of art education in India. The way Santiniketan masters experimented by introducing traditional techniques, understanding our classical art by taking students to Ajanta, Ellora, Mahabalipuram, Konark and other important places to make them understand not only the political history of India, but also the artistic values of our ancestors and imbibe their qualities in our present-day expressions." The artist, who unlike many of his contemporaries, did not go abroad after his education but decided to teach at Jamia Jamia Millia Islamia in the capital says that like Nandalal Bose, Ramkinkar Baij and Benode Behari Mukherjee, he had no desire to learn any further than learning on his own. "I also went back to Kerala to continue my research on Kerala murals. All these contributed to my development as an Indian artist." Fascinated by the Bhil tribe during his journeys to Rajasthan, the artist discovered many lotus ponds which he continued to visit for decades and paint. Now only one or two have remained while the others have been converted into bathing ghats.

"The idea of making places of tourist attraction is based on cleaning up the wild ponds of lotus which contain a complete life system of birds, insects, snakes, fishes, and many other forms of life which are destroyed when you clean them up and ugly concrete structures come up in its place. My paintings are testimony of the disappearance of that beautiful piece of nature from the world." Even now working from 10 am till evening in his studio, and going to Rajasthan whenever he can, Ramachandran smiles that he never has to wait for any 'inspiration' to work. "I am forever charged to do my work -- be it paintings, sculptures, drawings or sketches. No partying, no socialising -- only planning for the next exhibition," says the artist who is currently working on a complete set of eight 'lotus pond' paintings, some measuring 40' X 6'.

(Sukant Deepak can be reached at sukant.d@ians.in)
Los Angeles, Aug 19 : Hollywood actress Jessica Alba is sending her children Honor, Haven, and Hayes to school in September.

However, she says her children, whom she shares with husband Cash Warren, are worried about going back to school after spending over a year being homeschooled amid the Covid pandemic, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

While Alba is concerned about the spread of the virus, her children are worried about "social-emotional issues" that come with school life, such as "fitting in" and "doing well" in class.

She told People magazine: "For me, the health aspect of COVID is much more at the forefront of my mind. But for the kids, a lot of their stuff is still really social. They really care about what their friends think. It's the more social-emotional (issues) - bullying, and being made fun of and fitting in, doing well and grades." "I try to talk to them about what's within their control and try not to expose them to too much that's sort of out of their control." To help ease her children's worries, Alba has been getting them involved in "meditation" as well as "calming" foods.

Talking about her eldest child, Honor, Alba said: "We just try to do a relaxing ritual or listen to a meditation or have some tea, to calm the nerves. And we had to find (breakfast) foods that are calming for her and don't make her stomach upset." Meanwhile, the actress recently said therapy sessions helped her learn how to "communicate" with Honor.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Agra, Aug 19 : A prominent Muslim cleric of the 17th century Jama Masjid in Agra, has been booked for allegedly saying that recitation of national anthem inside the mosque was 'un-Islamic'.

Two days ago, a group led by a local BJP leader Ashfaq Saifi, had entered the mosque, hoisted the Tricolour and sung the anthem to mark the Independence Day.

The FIR against Shaher Mufti, Mazidul Kudhush Khubaeb Roomi, 75, was registered by local police on the basis of a complaint filed by a mosque management committee member and local leader Haji Aslam Qureshi.

Apart from the complaint, police also took note of an audio clip in which the cleric can be heard purportedly slamming the flag hoisting inside the mosque. He can also be heard saying that it was an act of sacrilege.

Roomi's son Hummdul Khudhush was also named in the FIR.

Station house officer (SHO) of the Mantola police station, Vinod Kumar, said, "The FIR was registered under IPC sections 153-B (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration), 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) and 508 (act caused by inducing person to believe that he will be rendered an object of the divine displeasure) and section 3 of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971." Qureshi, the complainant and the host of the programme, said, "By releasing an audio opposing the Independence Day programme, Mufti Roomi has attempted to disturb the public peace and harmony." BJP leader Ashfaq Saifi said, "Mufti and his son should realise that they have insulted the national honour. They should apologise for it. We recited the national anthem, hoisted the national flag and chanted 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' in the mosque. An unnecessary controversy has been created by the Shaher Mufti and his son over the event." Several local Muslim leaders came out in support of the city Mufti.

They claimed that a flag was always hoisted at the main gate of the mosque but never inside the place of worship.

Vice president of All India Jamiat-ul Quresh, Haji Jamilluddin Qureshi, said, "The Independence Day programme was organised in a part of the mosque where people offer prayers. This has never happened in the past. The mosque should not be dragged into such a controversy." President of Bhartiya Muslim Vikas Parishad, Sami Agha, said, "Usually, flag hoisting is done at the entrance of religious site. This controversy was created for political gains as elections are approaching. Shahar Mufti is like a father figure to us, the entire community is feeling insulted by the FIR registered against him."
Lucknow, Aug 19 : As a special gift to women in Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said that the UP State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) will offer free services to women in its buses of all categories, on the occasion of 'Raksha Bandhan'.

The free bus travel facility will be available for 24 hours, from August 21 midnight till August 22 midnight.

The Chief Minister has also ordered intensive patrolling by the police to ensure women's safety.

The government has asked police to ensure that people adhere to the social distancing norms and strictly follow the guidelines issued in view of the Corona pandemic.

The guidelines say that no public programme should be held on Raksha Bandhan and that people should celebrate the festival in their houses.

Meanwhile, a number of women's organisations have urged the Chief Minister to allow sweet shops and rakhi vendors to remain open on Sunday, which is otherwise a weekly curfew, in view of Raksha Bandhan.

-- Syndicated from IANS
Chennai, Aug 19 : Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian on Thursday said the state's first genome sequencing analysis laboratory to detect Coronavirus variants like Delta will soon be opened in the state.

In a statement, the Minister said that the facility will be inaugurated by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, which is coming up at the DMS campus, will be opened within the next ten days.

The statement said that equipment worth Rs 3 crore has been purchased for this and five technicians from Tamil Nadu were sent to InSTEM, Bengaluru for training.

The state health minister said that in Tamil Nadu 2.70 crore people have been vaccinated so far. Out of this 2,03,07,691 people have received their first dose and 48,58,628 people their second dose of vaccine.

He also said that 2,74,011 pregnant women and 1,95,934 lactating mothers have received the vaccine in the state of Tamil Nadu.

Ma Subramanian said the Tamil Nadu health department has stopped administering the first dose of Covaxin to people as the state needs four lakh doses of the vaccine for the second jab. The state health minister said that as two doses of Covaxin are administered at a gap of 28 days, there is a shortage.

The state health minister also said that he has sent a letter to the Union Health ministry informing that a minimum of four lakh doses of the vaccine is required to administer the second dose of the vaccine.

He said that as of now the state has received 39,08,250 doses of Covaxin and 36,31,545 doses had been administered to the people. He also revealed that private hospitals have a stock of 2,12,937 doses of vaccine.

He said that the state has presently 8,89,877 doses of vaccine in stock and is expected to receive 27 lakh doses as part of the state's August month allocation from the Union health ministry within 13 days.

He also said that around 1.28 lakh people have benefitted in a fortnight after the Chief Minister launched the 'Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam' which is taking health care to the doorsteps of people.

Ma Subramanian told IANS, "We are on top vigil for the presence of variants and the new laboratory to test genome sequencing would be of help to detect these variants. Regarding vaccine, we are expecting more quantity in the next couple of days."
Montreal, Aug 19 : Host China and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) have announced dates for the UN Biodiversity Conference, which includes the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP-15) from October 11-15.

An official opening will take place online, followed by final negotiations on the post-2020 global biodiversity framework during face-to-face meetings in Kunming in China from April 25 to May 8, 2022, it was announced on Wednesday.

The opening meeting will address agenda items essential to the continued operations of the biodiversity convention and its two Protocols. It will also include a high-level segment to be held on October 12-13 and expected to produce a Kunming Declaration adding political momentum to the Framework negotiations.

Huang Runqiu, Minister of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China, said, "China will continue to work with the Parties of the Convention and the Secretariat to overcome the adverse impact of the global epidemic on the conference, fulfill the obligations of the host country, steadily advance the preparations, and make all efforts to host a landmark conference." At the two-week in-person Kunming meetings next spring, global framework agreement will be presented for final consideration and decision by CBD's 196 Parties.

CBD Executive Secretary, Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, calls the two-step summit process essential given ongoing uncertainties created by Covid-19 and the necessity for face-to-face meetings to conclude the complex global framework negotiations.

"Addressing the challenge of halting ongoing losses of species and genetic diversity and the damage to our ecosystems will determine the well-being of humanity for generations to come," she says. "Protecting nature's invaluable contributions to people requires that we harmonize our policies and actions at every level. The global biodiversity framework, based on the best available science and evidence, is fundamental to meeting these needs." Says Mrema: "Convening virtually throughout the pandemic has limited the times for essential global meetings of CBD Parties, bureau and subsidiary bodies to narrow windows. The Secretariat extends deep gratitude to all participants worldwide for their extraordinary consideration, dedication and cooperation to advance negotiations as far as they have in these extraordinary circumstances." Most immediate among the next virtual meetings will further refine and revise the framework, the first official draft which was released on July 12 proposes 21 targets for 2030 including, among others: At least 30 per cent of land and sea areas globally (especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and its contributions to people) conserved through effective, equitably managed, ecologically representative and well-connected systems of protected areas (and other effective area-based conservation measures).

Also, a 50 per cent of greater reduction in the rate of introduction of invasive alien species, and controls or eradication of such species to eliminate or reduce their impacts and a $200 billion increase in international financial flows from all sources to developing countries.
Washington, Aug 19 : US President Joe Biden said that he did not see a way to withdraw from Afghanistan without "chaos ensuing".

Biden, who is facing mounting criticism from the public over the chaotic evacuation, defended his decision to withdraw the US troops from Afghanistan while speaking to ABC News on Wednesday, reports Xinhua news agency.

Asked if the US drawdown could have been handled better, Biden replied: "No, I don't think it could have been handled in a way that ... but the idea that somehow, to have gotten out without chaos ensuing, I don't know how that happens." "One of the things we didn't know is what the Taliban would do in terms of trying to keep people from getting out," he said.

"They're cooperating, letting American citizens get out... But we're having some more difficulty having those who helped us when we were in there." He also said that the US military could extend its mission in Afghanistan beyond August 31 to evacuate Americans on the ground.

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on Tuesday that the Taliban informed the US that they would provide safe passage of civilians to Kabul airport.

Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said on Wednesday that US military flights had evacuated over 2,000 people in the last 24 hours and nearly 5,000 people over the last several days.

The US Embassy in Afghanistan earlier in the day issued a security alert saying "the US Government cannot ensure safe passage to the Hamid Karzai International Airport".

According to media reports, up to 15,000 Americans still remain in Afghanistan.

At a Pentagon briefing on Wednesday, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said about 4,500 US troops had arrived in Kabul, but their mission was to secure the airport.

"We don't have the capability to go out and collect up large numbers of people." US troops on the ground had no hostile interaction with the Taliban, and the lines of communication with the insurgent commanders remain open, he said.

Austin said that the US military is working hard to get more people evacuated while noting "we're not close to where we want to be in terms of getting the numbers through".

The Pentagon said on Tuesday that it could have the capacity to evacuate as many as 5,000 to 9,000 per day at best effort.

Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani left the country on Sunday as the Taliban forces entered the capital of Kabul and took control of the presidential palace.

The United Arab Emirates Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation confirmed on Wednesday that the country had welcomed Ghani and his family into the country "on humanitarian grounds".

"He is no longer a figure in Afghanistan," said Sherman when asked about US reaction to Ghani's whereabouts.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Mexico City, Aug 19 : Mexico has authorised the emergency use of the US-manufactured Moderna vaccine against Covid-19, the country's Undersecretary of Prevention and Health Promotion Hugo Lopez-Gatell said.

The Mexican official confirmed on his Twitter account on Wednesday that the Federal Commission for the Protection against Health Risks "issued the authorisation for emergency use of the Moderna vaccine", reports Xinhua news agency.

"We have eight approved vaccines with this one, all safe, quality and effective," Lopez-Gatell said.

Earlier, the Ministry of Health stated that as of Tuesday, 78,765,073 vaccine doses had been administered in the country.

Mexico aims to immunise its residents through a national plan with an investment of about $1.6 billion.
Brussels, Aug 19 : The instability in Afghanistan is likely to lead to an increased migratory pressure, and the European Union (EU) is preparing for all scenarios, European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson said.

Johansson issued a statement on Wednesday following a meeting of EU Interior Ministers, saying that the bloc shouldn't wait for refugees to reach the borders of its member countries, instead, it should prevent people from heading towards it through unsafe, irregular and uncontrolled routes run by smugglers, reports Xinhua news agency.

She added that the EU cannot abandon people in immediate danger in Afghanistan.

"Journalists, NGO staff and human rights advocates in Afghanistan are among those who are most at risk, women in particular," Johansson said.

"I have called on member states to step up their engagement on resettlement, to increase resettlement quotas to help those in need of international protection and to offer complimentary legal pathways." She added that the Commission stands ready to help in the coordination between member states and provide the necessary additional financial support on "this important work strand".

Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin also said on Wednesday that "Seamless cooperation is required now in the international community to secure the rights of women and civilians in Afghanistan".

Strong international determination is now needed for not allowing the situation in Afghanistan to deteriorate, she told a press conference.

According to EU statistics, some 550,000 Afghans have now been internally displaced since the beginning of the year, in addition to 2.9 million already internally displaced at the end of 2020.

Also on Wednesday, 85 Afghan citizens landed in Rome in the framework of an airlift operation Italy was carrying out to evacuate local collaborators and their families in Afghanistan.

In Belgium, three military transportation planes left the country's Melsbroek military air base on the same day in preparation for the Afghanistan evacuation operation.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Washington, Aug 19 : US President Joe Biden will host Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett at the White House on August 26, Press Secretary Jen Psaki said.

"Prime Minister Bennett's visit will strengthen the enduring partnership between the US and Israel, reflect the deep ties between our governments and our people, and underscore the US' unwavering commitment to Israel's security," Psaki was quoted as saying in a statement on Wednesday.

"The President and Prime Minister Bennett will discuss critical issues related to regional and global security, including Iran.

"The visit will also be an opportunity for the two leaders to discuss efforts to advance peace, security, and prosperity for Israelis and Palestinians and the importance of working towards a more peaceful and secure future for the region," she added.

Bennett's visit is not expected to last more than 48 hours due to Covid-19 precautions, The Times of Israel quoted sources in the Prime Minister's Office as saying.

It will be his second foreign visit since taking office in June, following an earlier trip to Jordan to meet with King Abdullah.
Geneva, Aug 19 : The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has appealed to international donors to step up their financial and political support for the war-torn Afghanistan, and vowed to continue its humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people.

"We have been present in Afghanistan since 1987. As we speak, there is absolutely no evacuation or withdrawal. The ICRC is indeed in the country," Christine Cipolla, the ICRC's regional director for Asia and the Pacific, told Xinhua in an interview on Wednesday.

"I have a team there of 1,800 staff. My colleagues are deployed everywhere in the country, not only in Kabul, but in more than 10 provinces," she said, stressing that the ICRC has "a strong mandate and willingness" to stay in the country.

Established in 1863, the ICRC, headquartered in Geneva, acts as the guardian of international humanitarian law. Its mission is to help people affected by conflict and armed violence around the world.

"At present, the situation in Kabul is quiet," Cipolla said.

"There is no fighting in town. The same goes for the rest of the country for the time being. However, there is fear, there is anxiety, the situation is still very uncertain, particularly during this transition period where much is unknown.

"What is very much known are humanitarian needs," she added.

The Taliban carried out a swift takeover of the country's capital Kabul on Sunday.

On Monday, US President Joe Biden said he stood by his decision to withdraw American troops from Afghanistan, while acknowledging Kabul's collapse came much sooner than Washington had anticipated.

Asked whether the US' withdrawal was to blame for the return of the Taliban and the humanitarian situation on the ground, Cipolla said: "That's more a political question on which the ICRC will not comment. What I know, however, is that the population of Afghanistan has been through tremendous suffering. We are talking about decades of war.

"The ICRC supports a number of health care centers in the country, and hospitals. Over the last nine days, in Kandahar where we're supporting hospitals, we have seen and helped treat 4,000 people, which is a massive influx compared to previous years.

"We also have hundreds of thousands of people that have been displaced internally, and had to flee because of the fighting.

"Last but not least, the damage to infrastructure, critical infrastructure such as hospitals, electricity supply or water supply that have been damaged and will require repair." On Tuesday, the Taliban said it intends to form an inclusive government in Afghanistan and does not want to have any internal or external enemies.

Asked what she expected from the new government, Cipolla said: "We have contact with the Taliban leadership on our safety, on our access, but also on our way that we can continue performing in the country, we can continue being there with the people of Afghanistan in order to carry out our humanitarian work.

"Those assurances in terms of security guarantees have also been renewed from the Taliban in recent days." Cipolla stressed that more international financial and political support will be urgently needed in the months to come.

"Financial support will be very important. The ICRC still needs $32 million in order to work in the country," she said.
San Francisco, Aug 19 : Microsoft has changed the way default apps are assigned in the upcoming Windows 11, make it extremely difficult for users to switch default browsers if they miss the first and only prompt. The move has left rivals like Google, Mozilla Firefox and Opera fuming.

According to a report in The Verge, if you forget to set your default browser at first launch of Windows 11, the experience for switching defaults is now very confusing compared to Windows 10.

"The default app prompt in Windows 11 that you'll only see once," the report said on Wednesday.

In Windows 11, there's a prompt that appears when you install a new browser and open a web link for the first time.

It's the only opportunity to easily switch browsers in Windows 11 which, once missed, will ask you to set defaults by file or link type instead of a single switch.

"Chrome and many other rival browsers will often prompt users to set them as default and will throw Windows users into the default apps part of settings to enable this," the report noted.

The Microsoft move has received criticism from other browser players.

"We have been increasingly worried about the trend on Windows. Since Windows 10, users have had to take additional and unnecessary steps to set and retain their default browser settings. These barriers are confusing at best and seem designed to undermine a user's choice for a non-Microsoft browser," Selena Deckelmann, senior vice president of Firefox, told The Verge.

Hiroshi Lockheimer, Google's head of Android, Chrome and Chrome OS added: "This from the company that claims to be the most open, with 'the most choice'." "I hope this is just a developer preview thing, and the shipping version of Windows 11 lives up to their claims. This is far from 'choice,'" he was quoted as saying.

Opera, another rival to Microsoft Edge, said that its is "very unfortunate when a platform vendor is obscurifying a common use case to improve the standing of their own product".

Microsoft was yet to comment on the report.

The tech giant has started testing its new Office Office UI, which is designed to complement Windows 11, with rounded corners and subtle changes.

The main changes are a rounded look to the Office ribbon bar, with subtle tweaks to some of the buttons throughout Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
New Delhi, Aug 19 : Amazon on Thursday said it has made India's first celebrity voice feature on Alexa available with the legendary Amitabh Bachchan, and the users in India can add his amazing voice to their Alexa experience on Echo devices for an introductory price of Rs 149 for one year.

The customers need to press the mic icon on the Amazon shopping app (Android only) and say "Alexa, introduce me to Amitabh Bachchan" to start the purchase and interact with Bachchan's voice using the wake word 'Amit ji'.

The company said that the celebrity experience features content handpicked by Bachchan includes stories from his life, a selection of poems by his father, tongue twisters, motivational quotes, and more.

"Working with Amazon to introduce my voice on Alexa was a new experience in bringing together the magic of voice technology and artistic creativity. I am excited that my well-wishers can now interact with me via this new medium and looking forward to hear how they feel about this," said Bachchan.

In addition to this unique and entertaining content, customers can also ask for music, set alarms and get weather updates in Bachchan's signature style.

"Creating the world's first bi-lingual celebrity voice required us to invent & re-invent across almost every element of speech science - wake word, speech recognition, neural text-to-speech and more," said Puneesh Kumar, Country Leader for Alexa, Amazon India.

Amazon Alexa in September last year announced a partnership with Bachchan to create a unique voice experience for its Indian fans.

Alexa in the US already has voices of several celebrities like Samuel L. Jackson, but this is the first time that the Indian Alexa has received the voice of a Bollywood celebrity.

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
New Delhi, Aug 19 : The annual budget actually does not inform people beyond telling them how much money is proposed to be spent on what. It also gives the amount of money spent the previous year. But all the money spent means nothing in the light of what Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi said in the 1980s that for every rupee spent only 16 paise reaches people. That being so, has Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government delivered anything better? "When the Modi government completed five years, I thought I should write an account of the performance of the government. Then I thought: Since I am a party MP, people might think that I am writing the book to flatter those in power. So I gave up the idea. But it was in the back of mind all the time. I thought it was necessary in a democracy for people to know what is going on," K.J. Alphons, the live-wire former bureaucrat and current Rajya Sabha member, told IANS in an interview of the book, "Accelerating India - 7 Years of Modi Government" (OakBridge), that he has edited.

"Nobody had ever written a comprehensive book on the performance of any government...I decided that the country deserved to have the most authoritative information. Who had the most authoritative information? Who else better than former Secretaries to the Government of India, who were responsible for implementation on the ground for a particular sector and former Chief Secretaries? "I had other yardsticks as well: they should have been officers of great integrity and honesty. They had to be politically neutral as well," Alphons explained.

To this extent, "Accelerating India" qualitatively and quantitatively evaluates the policies of the government in the last 7 years and their impact on the citizens and the nation. The book focuses on 25 key sectors, including Education, Digital Revolution, Agriculture, Industry, Environment, Rural Development, Sanitation, Energy, Infrastructure, Health, and Economy.

Each chapter is contributed by domain experts and eminent civil servants with experience in the sector, giving their insights and understanding on the influence and impact of the various government policies and schemes in accelerating India.

Some of these sectors have witnessed a complete overhaul, while others have been streamlined to bring in efficiency. The book aims to present an objective and empirical analysis of the journey that the Indian democracy has traversed under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi and the road ahead in each of the sectoral domains covered.

Releasing the book, Vice President M.Venkaiah Naidu appreciated the efforts of the 28 eminent authors who contributed its 25 essays in the and referred to Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) as the defining moment in the transformative journey of governance in India.

Highlighting the importance of inclusivity, he emphasised that the benefits of developmental programmes must reach all segments of society, especially the most vulnerable and marginalized, pointing to path-breaking schemes such as Aspirational Districts programme to accelerate development in areas which were lagging.

He also lauded the government for setting an ambitious target of providing tapped water connections to nearly 20 crore households by 2024.

The Vice President said that as India celebrates 75 years of Independence, it is also the time to evaluate the progress of the constitutional promise of a "dignified life" to the common man. The right to a dignified life, without discrimination against any individual or community "is a pledge we have given to ourselves at the beginning of our Republic, to be upheld at all times", he said.

Highlighting the importance of skills and opportunities in improving living standards of the people, the Vice President suggested that along with good education, we need to equip our youth with the requisite skill set for them to achieve success. He called upon the private sector to complement the government's efforts in skilling the youth and making them conversant with the latest technologies to improve their employability.

Lauding the government for creating a dedicated Skill Development Ministry, Naidu expressed happiness that industry leaders, through CSR funds and NGOs, are contributing to this sector. He advised that every industry must have a skill development centre to up-skill trainees and employees.

Naidu also underscored the importance of improving infrastructure, creating a conducive business environment and adopting the latest technology to fully tap the inherent skills and talent among people.

This is not to say that the book is without its flaws and one of the most glaring is the chapter on the defence sector that glosses over the fact projects worth some Rs 3 lakh crore are stuck largely due to bureaucratic bottlenecks, long-winded procedures and commercial and technical wrangling.

One of the most critical of these is the Indian Air Force (IAF) requirement of Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCAs) to phase out its ageing fleet of Soviet era MiG-21s acquired in the 1960s The IAF had floated a tender in 2007 for 126 aircraft with the proviso that 18 would be purchased in a fly-away condition and the remaining would be progressively manufactured in India by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) under a Transfer of Technology (ToT) agreement. Six companies were initially in the fray and after a laborious series of trials, the choice was whittled down to two -- the Dassault Rafale and the Eurofighter Typhoon and finally to the Rafale.

The final negotiations were then bogged down on a clause inserted by India that while HAL would manufacture the aircraft, the "responsibility" would be that of Dassault. The French, quite naturally dug in their heels on this. Then, in 2015, the tender was scrapped after Modi, during a visit to Paris, announced that India would purchase 36 Rafale jets in fly-away condition.

These jets began arriving in July 2020 and while one full squadron of 18 aircraft has been raised, another is in the process of being raised and the process is likely to be completed by the end of the year.

Two things have happened in the midst of all this: the IAF has floated another tender, this time for 110 aircraft while its sanctioned strength has plunged from 42 squadrons to only 30. This, at a time when the IAF has to be prepared for a two-front war - with Pakistan and China.

"Every Prime Minister who has been in power has done something good for the country," Alphons writes in the Epilogue. From Jawaharlal Nehru "who loved the country passionately" and laid the foundation of science and management education to Manmohan Singh, who brought economic expertise into governance, "many of them had their share of failures, some colossal".

"Then Modi stormed into power, a novice to the capital, but with a hard reputation for delivering what he promised as chief minister of Gujarat. He brought with him a reputation for integrity and clarity...The facts speak for themselves. I strongly believe that he has initiated policy reforms and implemented them like never before, with a huge sense of purpose," Alphons writes.

"That's why it is important for all those who are formulating policy to read this book to get a comprehensive idea of what has been done. This book is important for all those who support this government, as they should know why they support the government. This book is important for all the critiques of the government as they also should know the facts before they criticise. It is important for every citizen to read the book because he has the right to know what has been done by the government elected by him," Alphons said during the interview.

(Vishnu Makhijani can be reached at vishnu.makhijani@ians.in)
Chennai, Aug 19 : With schools in Tamil Nadu for classes IX to XII all set to reopen from September 1, the state health department has issued a standard protocol wherein all the students are to be screened within a week of reopening.

The SOP also made it mandatory that all the teachers and school staff be vaccinated. The students who are eligible to take vaccines must also be inoculated, a statement from the state health department on Wednesday said.

Schools have been asked to disinfect areas such as water tanks, kitchens, canteen, washrooms, libraries, laboratories and transport vehicles. Frequently touched surfaces such as desks and benches and other equipment also must be disinfected, as per standard protocol.

The SOP also said that standard distance has to be maintained in classes and chair or benches have to be kept wide apart - at least 6 feet distance from each other. Temporary spaces or bigger outdoor spaces can be used for conducting classes. If weather permits classes can be held outdoor.

Temporary spaces and larger rooms like laboratories and libraries, computer rooms, or auditoriums can be used to conduct classes to maintain a safe distance.

Social distancing norms have to be followed in staff rooms, canteens, and other areas of the schools.

Schools can be run in shifts, 50 per cent of students should be allowed to attend school every alternate day to ensure social distancing norms. The schools are not allowed to conduct functions or celebrations and strict SOPs have to be adhered to.

Assemblies can be conducted in their respective classrooms, outdoor spaces, or halls under the guidance of the teachers. Signs and markings must be made in classrooms, libraries, laboratories, outside washrooms, handwashing areas, school kitchen, bus parking areas as well as entry and exit to schools.

Covid appropriate behaviour must be communicated to teachers, students, parents, staff, and members of management committees through online or offline modes. Pamphlets, public announcements can be made on Covid appropriate behaviour like hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, disinfection of frequently touched surfaces, and safe distancing.

Tamil Nadu School education minister, Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi told IANS, "We will be taking utmost care for the health and safety of students, teachers, and staff members and all the SOPs as far as Covid is concerned have to be maintained as and when the schools reopen for students of higher classes."
New York, Aug 19 : The early Covid-19 vaccination campaign in the US prevented nearly 1,40,000 deaths and three million corona cases by the second week of May, according to a new study.

The study, published online by the journal Health Affairs, estimates the number of lives saved between December 21, 2020 to May 9, 2021 in each of the 50 states and Washington, DC. As a result of early vaccination efforts, the average state experienced five fewer deaths from Covid-19 per 10,000 adult residents.

Adjusting for population size, New York saw the largest estimated reduction, with 11.7 fewer Covid-19 deaths per 10,000 adult residents. Hawaii observed the smallest reduction, with 1.1 fewer Covid-19 deaths per 10,000 adult residents.

"The findings provide support for policies that further expand vaccine administration to enable a larger proportion of the nation's population to benefit," said Christopher Whaley, policy researcher at RAND, a nonprofit research organisation.

"Our results suggest that further efforts to vaccinate populations globally and in a coordinated fashion will be critical to achieving greater control of the Covid-19 pandemic," added Sumedha Gupta, first author of the study and an economist at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.

The economic value of the lives saved during the study period is estimated to be between $625 billion and $1.4 trillion. Through the end of 2020, the US federal government had allocated $13 billion dollars for vaccine development and manufacturing, the researchers said.

The US continues to be the worst-hit country with the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 3,71,48,877 and 6,24,209, respectively, according to Johns Hopkins University.

More than 59 per cent of the US population has received at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccines, with 50.9 per cent fully vaccinated, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Dubai, Aug 19 : Former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has claimed that he "was forced to leave Kabul and decided to leave my country in order to prevent bloodshed".

Ghani made the statement on Wednesday night, in an address compatriots in their native language Pashto, during a live Facebook broadcast from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), reports Xinhua news agency.

"If I had stayed, I would be witnessing bloodshed in Kabul," he said.

He also issued a rebuttal against his critics who said he left Afghanistan hastily, saying that "those who think that I fled should not judge if they don't know all the details".

"They were going room-to-room to find me," Ghani said.

"Their decision was this: Whatever happened 25 years ago was going to be repeated. The President of Afghanistan once again was going to be hanged in front of the people's eyes, and such a shameful history would have been once again been repeated." Ghani was referring to former President Mohammad Najibullah Ahmadzai, who was killed by the Taliban in 1996.

Ahmadzai's body was hanged from a traffic light pole outside the Presidential Palace.

Ghani has been bitterly criticised by former ministers for leaving the country suddenly as Taliban forces entered Kabul.

Ghani left his country on Sunday night after the Taliban took control of the presidential palace in Afghan capital Kabul.

He said he left Kabul on the advice of his security officials.

On Wednesday, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation confirmed that the country welcomed Ghani and his family "on humanitarian grounds".

The location of Ghani's spouse Rula Ghani and the former second vice president Sarwar Danesh is not clear.

But Ghani's first vice president Amrullah Saleh has said he is in Afghanistan.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Bengaluru, Aug 19 : Former Karnataka chief minister B.S. Yediyurappa flew off to the Maldives, taking a break from a hectic political activity even after he had stepped down from the coveted post.

There is no official communication from him or family members on a foreign trip. However, sources close to his family said that Yediyurappa left India on Wednesday with his son B.S. Vijayendra, daughters and grandchildren to the Maldives.

He will return to Bengaluru after a 3-day trip. Yediyurappa has emerged as a power centre of the ruling BJP government after anointing Basavaraj Bommai to the post of Chief Minister.

Yediyurappa will spend quality time with his family members especially grandchildren taking a break from the routine political activities, sources said.

He recently tried to pacify miffed Tourism Minister Anand Singh who was adamant that he would not take part in the Independence Day celebrations. Later, he agreed to hoist the national flag.

Yediyurappa has announced that after the Ganesh Chaturthi he would take up a tour of the state to strengthen the party keeping in mind the next assembly elections. The tour will begin from the constituencies in which BJP has suffered defeat, Yediyurappa had stated.
Paris, Aug 19 : A massive wildfire raging in France's southern tourist region of Var has claimed the lives of two people and forced around 10,000 people to evacuate, local authorities have confirmed.

"Unfortunately the toll has grown. We have today 24 injured, including 5 firefighters. They are lightly injured. And we deplore two victims," said Evence Richard, the prefect of Var, at a press conference on Wednesday.

Interventions were difficult due to the wind which changed regularly, he added.

Nearly 1,200 firefighters are still on the ground battling the fire which has burned 7,000 hectares.

Around 10,000 people have evacuated.

A total of 14 reception centres were set up in seven municipalities in the region.

On Wednesday afternoon, an eighth campsite was evacuated.

The Mediterranean region has been suffering from raging wildfires along with sizzling temperatures this summer.

Large fires have already ravaged parts of Greece, Turkey, Italy, Spain and Algeria.
London, Aug 19 : UK lawmakers criticised Prime Minister Boris Johnson's handling of the situation in Afghanistan amid the Taliban takeover of the war-torn country.

Speaking at an emergency session of Parliament on Wednesday, Johnson told the MPs the collapse of Afghanistan's government happened faster than expected, but denied his government "was unprepared or did not foresee this", reports Xinhua news agency The emergency session to discuss the rapidly evolving situation in Afghanistan, came as thousands of British nationals and local support staff are still left stranded in Afghanistan while scenes of chaotic evacuation in Kabul's airport shocked the world.

"There's been a major miscalculation of the resilience of the Afghan forces and staggering complacency from our government about the Taliban," said Keir Starmer, leader of the main opposition Labour party.

Starmer referred to the fact that the United States decided in February 2020 to withdraw its forces in Afghanistan, which afforded Britain 18 months to prepare for what would follow.

"The very problems we are confronting today in this debate were all known problems, and there has been a failure of preparation," he said.

"The lack of planning is unforgivable. The Prime Minister bears a heavy responsibility," he added.

Theresa May, the former Prime Minister, was also critical of his successor's handling of the Afghan situation.

"Was our understanding of the Afghan government so weak? Was our knowledge of the position on the ground so inadequate?" May asked.

"Or did we just feel that we have to follow the US and hope that, on a wing and a prayer, it would be all right on the night?" Lawmakers also scrutinized the US decision to withdraw and President Joe Biden's criticism of Afghan forces' surrender.

Tom Tugendhat, a Conservative MP and chairman of parliament's foreign affairs committee who himself served in Afghanistan, said he, like other veterans, felt "anger, grief, and rage".

"To see (Biden) call into question the courage of men I fought with, to claim that they ran, is shameful," he said.

The UK government's resettlement plan for Afghan refugees, announced hours before Wednesday's parliament session, was also called into question during the debate as lawmakers said the plan was far from enough to deal with the crisis.

According to the "bespoke" resettlement plan, the UK will take in up to 20,000 Afghans "in the long-term," with up to 5,000 being in the first year.
Kabul, Aug 19 : The Taliban met former Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation Abdullah Abdullah as the insurgent group is seeking to form a new government in the war-torn country.

The meeting on Wednesday night came after former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani left Afghanistan following the Taliban's takeover of most parts of the country, including the capital city of Kabul, on Sunday, reports Xinhua news agency.

Karzai, who was the President from 2001 to 2014, has been leading efforts to ensure a peaceful transfer of power in Afghanistan, according to media reports.

TOLO News said that Wednesday's meeting took place in Abdullah, but there were no further details of the discussions.

On Tuesday the Taliban confirmed to TOLO News that they seek to establish an inclusive government in Afghanistan.

A Taliban official told TOLO News that the results of their discussions with Afghan politicians and representatives from the international community about forming an "inclusive government" will be made public soon.

Sources close to Karzai and Abdullah said that Amir Khan Motaqi, a senior member of the Taliban leadership, in a meeting with Afghan politicians on Monday pledged to establish an inclusive government.

"The discussion is how can an inclusive government be established that is accepted by all and that will lead society toward prosperity," TOLO News quoted Gul Rahman Qazi, a close aide to Karzai.

Since the US troops started to pull out of Afghanistan on May 1, the Taliban has been advancing quickly on the battlefield. During the past two weeks, the group has captured most of Afghanistan's territories.

The fast-evolving situation in Afghanistan has aroused deep concerns in the international community.

On Wednesday, various countries voiced their call for restraint and peace in the war-battered country.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi agreed on the importance of establishing peace and stability in Afghanistan in a telephone call.

"Much attention was paid to the events unfolding in Afghanistan. Willingness to contribute to the establishment of peace and stability in this country was expressed," the Kremlin said in a statement.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country welcomes the "moderate" statements made by the Taliban leaders in Afghanistan.

"We have already stated that we can receive the leaders of the Taliban. We maintain this attitude today. We also welcome the moderate statements made by the Taliban leaders," Erdogan said during a televised interview.

Meanwhile, in the face of mounting criticism, US President Joe Biden has been defending his decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan.

In an interview with ABC News on Wednesday, the President said that the US military could extend its mission in Afghanistan beyond August 31 to evacuate Americans on the ground.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Kolkata, Aug 19 : In a major blow to the West Bengal government, a five-member bench of the Calcutta High Court on Thursday handed over the investigation of serious crimes like rape and murder in the post-poll violence to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and formed a three-member team to investigate the lesser criminal offences.

The court also directed the state government to immediately process the compensation for the victims of the post-poll violence.

Accepting the National Human Rights Commission's recommendation, the five-member bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal, Justice I.P. Mukerji, Justice Harish Tandon, Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Subrata Talukdar directed that the investigation into the violence following the April-May election in Bengal will be conducted by a special team to be set up by the CBI.

The CBI will be investigating into the serious crimes like rape and murder. A separate division bench has been formed to monitor the CBI investigation.

Similarly, the division bench also formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate lesser crimes that happened after the elections.

Senior officers like Kolkata Police Commissioner Soumen Mitra, Suman Bala Sahoo and Ranveer Kumar will be a part of the SIT. The investigation by the SIT will be monitored by a retired judge of the Supreme Court. Both the CBI and SIT will have to give their initial reports to the court after six weeks.

The Court has directed the State of West Bengal to immediately process the compensation for the victims of the post-poll violence. The court also rejected the allegations of bias raised by the state government against the National Human Rights Commission, a team of which had submitted a fact-finding report to the court as per its directions.

The violence after the election had attracted the attention of the nation as BJP had accused the Trinamool of unleashing its thugs to kill party workers, attack women members, vandalise houses, and loot shops and offices belonging to its leaders.

The Bengal government had hit back saying that the reports of violence were greatly exaggerated, with fake videos and images circulated to create incorrect narratives.

On May 4 the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had taken suo motu cognisance of the matter and had requested the DIG (Investigation) to constitute a team of officers of the Investigation Division of the Commission to conduct an on-the-spot fact finding investigation.

On July 18, the High Court directed the NHRC to constitute a committee that will examine complaints filed by persons who were allegedly displaced during the post-poll violence in West Bengal. Earlier, the High Court had also constituted a committee comprising members nominated by the NHRC, SHRC and SLSA to coordinate rehabilitation of displaced persons from the Entally constituency.

In its controversial report, the NHRC slammed Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her government over the alleged incidents of violence, and accused them of "appalling apathy". The NHRC recommended a CBI probe into "grievous offences like murder and rape", and said these cases should be tried outside the state.

Calcutta High Court on August 3 had reserved judgment on a batch of petitions pertaining to the alleged post-poll violence in West Bengal. The Union had submitted before the court that it was willing to extend the services of central investigating agencies such as the CBI and the NIA (National Investigation Agency) pursuant to the court's orders.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Hyderabad, Aug 19 : Even as Hyderabad police continued its efforts to crack the alleged gangrape of two women at government-run Osmania Hospital, a girl has claimed that she was raped by an autorickshaw driver while she was returning home from workplace on the night of August 17.

The 20-year-old, a resident of Santosh Nagar, lodged a complaint with the police that the auto driver raped her when she was on her way back from a lab in Mylardevpalli, where she works as a technician.

She alleged that the auto driver diverted the vehicle to another route, took her to an isolated place and sexually assaulted her.

The complaint was registered at Santosh Nagar police station on August 18. Police reportedly found many inconsistencies in her statement. She was sent for medical examination. However, police found no prima facie evidence to corroborate her claim.

Police sources said she was now being questioned to find why she lodged the complaint. It is suspected that the woman did this to save herself from being scolded by the family as she was returning late.

A Pharmacy student had lodged a similar complaint in February this year. The 19-year-old had alleged that an auto driver abducted her while she was returning home from college and he along with his friends raped her. Police had found her in a semi-undressed and 'traumatic' state in Ghatkesar on the outskirts of Hyderabad.

Rachakonda police, which investigated the case, found it to be a false complaint. The CCTV footage showed that she never took an auto rickshaw. Police found that she cooked up the story as she wanted to run away from her house. A few days after police found her complaint to be fake, the girl died by suicide at her uncle's house.

The young woman from Santosh Nagar lodged the rape compliant even as the police were trying to solve the mystery behind the alleged gang rape of two women at Gandhi Hospital.

A 38-year-old woman early this week lodged a complaint with the police that she and her elder sister were raped by a lab technician and his friends at the hospital. The complainant and her sister were accompanying her brother-in-law who was admitted to the hospital.

The complainant's 40-year-old sister remained untraced. Police were questioning the lab technician and a security guard but both have denied the allegations.
Washington, Aug 19 : As water levels continued to drop and historic drought conditions persisted, the US government has declared first-ever restrictions this week on the use of the Colorado River, a vital water source in the country's southwest.

The water cutbacks to be imposed next year will impact the states of Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico, with California and Colorado potentially not far behind, reports Xinhua news agency.

The Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) officials warned that more restrictions "will likely be necessary in the very near future".

"What we'd hoped we'd never see is here," BOR deputy commissioner Camille Touton said in a press conference.

The declaration will impact some 40 million people who rely on the Colorado River for drinking water and irrigation, and was triggered by continuing declines in water levels at Lake Mead and Lake Powell, which supply water to Southern California, Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico.

In anticipation of imminent mandated restrictions, California's Metropolitan Water District (MWD) declared a water supply alert, calling for reduced usage by some "19 million customers across six counties", KTLA-TV News reported.

The action, "intended to prevent the need for more severe restrictions", called for voluntary reduction in usage by residents and was the first "supply alert" in seven years, according to the Los Angeles Times.

MWD's move was triggered by the BOR news that Lake Mead, the largest man-made reservoir by volume in the US, was at its lowest level since having been built in 1936 and that restrictions would be implemented next year.

Lake Mead feeds water storage facilities for much of Southern California, including Los Angeles and San Diego.

Colorado River restrictions were a catalyst for Tuesday's Water Alert, and also prompted by the small Sierra Nevada snow pack in 2021 and the drought conditions throughout the Southwest, officials said.

The unprecedented federal action, long-anticipated by scientists and on the heels of a bevy of local restrictions already in place, was a bitter blow to farmers who rely on the river for their livelihood.

"This is all going to be cut off," said Nancy Caywood, pointing at a 100-acre parcel of land that world "turn to dust" due to the cutbacks.

Caywood, whose grandfather bought the southern Arizona farm in the 1930s during the Great Depression, told CNN on Tuesday that her family's livelihood and future would be in jeopardy with the upcoming restrictions.

Caywood's water came via Lake Powell, located some 500 km northeast of Lake Mead on the Colorado River.

It is a massive 185-mile-long man-made lake on the Arizona-Utah border created by the Glen Canyon Dam in 1963.

Lake Powell, the second-largest man-made reservoir in the country, used to store 24-million acre-feet of water, but is currently only 32 percent full, the lowest level ever recorded, BOR officials said.

Agriculture-rich Pinal County, south of Phoenix, capital city of Arizona, would be directly impacted by the water shortage as well, as 65 per cent of its water comes from the Colorado River Basin.

"That will be reduced next year, and potentially the year after that as well," ABC-News reported.

Historic drought experienced for the majority of the past two decades will not change for some time, Kim Mitchell from Western Resource Advocates told ABC.

Mitchell told the media that "we need to learn to adapt to changing conditions by reducing our demand", words that ring hollow to many Arizona farmers like Caywood, whose farms faced a barren future.

Agriculture in Arizona contributes more than $23.3 billion to the state's economy and employs 162,000 workers, according to agriculture.az.gov.

Proactively, Utah imposed water restrictions 10 weeks ago.

On June 1, Syracuse City of the state adopted water restrictions and began enforcement, and officials said last week that "conditions have been improved", with water usage decreasing and storage increasing.

The five driest states are Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Arizona and New Mexico, with Colorado numbered the seventh and California is the most extreme in summertime, according to currentresults.com.

The Colorado River is the fifth longest river in North America, and arguably the aorta of life through US arid southwest, flowing 2,330 km from Colorado through Utah, Arizona, Nevada and Southern California, and ultimately runs into the Gulf of Mexico, according to World Atlas.
New Delhi, Aug 19 : Gursimran Khamba, one of the co-founders of AIB, is back in action with the satirical comedy show 'Chalo Koi Baat Nahi'. Gursimran has written the show along with comedian Amit Tandon.

Sharing the process of writing the show, Gursimran told IANS: "We used to select an overall theme and talk about all the insights that we had on the subject - observations, stuff we've seen already done around the subject, if we had any material around it already prepared, etc. All the newer insights are something we collated and then discussed what would be the most fun way to present that insight to the audience. That ultimately led to the creation of the kind of material that exists in the show." Talking about the collaboration with Amit Tandon, he said, "Very fun. I have a great working relationship with Amit. I've known him since my days doing stand-up in Delhi and I'm super glad we finally got to build a show together that merged both our points of view." 'Chalo Koi Baat Nahi' will be hosted by Vinay Pathak and Ranvir Shorey, who will be coming together on-screen after almost a decade. It also features Kavita Kaushik, Karan Wahi, Suresh Menon and Atul Khatri alongside talent from the digital world such as Ankush Bahuguna and Kriti Vij amongst others.

One of the pioneers in stand-up comedy in the digital space, Gursimran shares about the boom of comedy shows on OTT. He said, "I think it's excellent. Like Amit always says, earlier we were a community now we are an industry. When we started, we had to go around begging restaurants to give us space to tell jokes and now it is a full-blown industry with so many voices and points of view. I'm really excited as to where it will go next." 'Chalo Koi Baat Nahi' will be released on August 20 on Sony LIV.
Jammu, Aug 19 : A junior commissioned officer (JCO) of the Army was killed on Thursday in a gunfight with the terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district.

Defence ministry spokesman, Lt. Colonel Devender Anand said, "Today during an encounter with the terrorists in Thanamandi area of Rajouri, one JCO of Rashtriya Rifles suffered bullet injuries.

"The JCO was immediately evacuated to the nearest medical facility, but later he succumbed to injuries." Reports said the operation against the terrorists continued in the area.
Jalalabad, Aug 19 : Several provinces across Afghanistan witnessed protests with Afghans taking to the streets holding the countrys national flag, which is no longer in use since the Taliban took Kabul city.

Residents in the eastern provinces of Nangarhar, Kunar and Khost on Wednesday publicly rallied under the Afghan national flag, Afghan media reported.

Violence was reported in protests in Nangarhar and Khost provinces in clashes between Taliban members and protesters, and there were reports that one demonstrator was killed in Jalalabad city.

The Taliban have stated that next government will decide on the national flag.

"May my life be sacrificed for this flag," said Ahmad, a resident in Nangarhar.

"We hoisted our flag in the centre of the bazaar, our national flag is our national identity," said Tahzibullah, a resident in Kunar.

After taking control, the Taliban replaced Afghanistan's national flag in some parts of the country with its own white flag.
Amaravati, Aug 19 : Senior YSRCP leader and Rajya Sabha member V. Vijayasai Reddy on Thursday said the state government is readying 6,000 hospital beds and 140 oxygen plants by September 15.

"Jagan's government is taking regular initiatives to deal with coronavirus in the state. By September 15, 6,000 hospital beds and 140 oxygen plants will be ready," said Reddy.

According to the MP, the state government is spending Rs 300 crore on oxygen plants.

In a recent Covid review meeting, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy took stock of precautions to be taken for a possible third wave.

He also directed officials to make arrangements to test symptomatic students for Covid as schools have reopened from Monday.

Meanwhile, the Rajya Sabha member took a dig at some sections for claiming that Visakhapatnam is unsafe and vulnerable to rising sea levels.

"Do not believe in the fake publicity on Visakhapatnam. Among port cities in the country, this is in the front row of safety," said Reddy.

Citing ocean safety officials, the MP said there is no threat that the city would get submerged under water.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Dehradun, Aug 19 : The farms in the hilly villages of Uttarakhand, have been under regular attacks from wild animals over the last few years. These constant attacks have left several people dead, cattle injured, crops and buildings damaged and farmlands barren.

Recently, the plantation technique of seed bombing has been mooted as a solution to this problem. Seed bombs, or balls of seed covered in soil, are being thrown in the forests to ensure food for wild animals is available in the forest itself, thus negating the need for them to attack the farms. The campaign, which started in 2017, has now spread to the entire state, including Dehradun, Tehri and Nainital.

Since 2017, when the seed bombing initiative began, the number of hectares of crops damaged has dropped (though it rose again last year). Similarly, the number of injuries to humans, cattle and buildings have been fluctuating. So while the data suggests the results of the campaign are inconclusive still, it has continued to receive support from the community, civil society and government.

NGOs like the Reliance Foundation have also embraced the campaign. Kamlesh Gururani, Project Head of the Foundation says, "For the last three years, we have been throwing seeds in the forests of Uttarkashi which appear to have grown. In the next few years, we will be able to come to a conclusion on whether this method is effective or not. This year we have decided to mark a specified place to scatter the seed bombs. Then we will also be able to monitor them. We will also assess whether there has been any marginal increase in the yield of the farmers as compared to earlier. But to restrict the wildlife to the forest, we have to make arrangements for water along with food. Chalkhals have also been made at some places for this," he said.

The seeds of the campaign: The seed bomb campaign was started in the state by Dwarka Prasad Semwal, Secretary, Himalayan Paryavaran Jadi Booti Agro Sansthan (JADDI), Uttarkashi, a non-governmental organisation focused on environmental conservation. Explaining the idea behind the campaign, Semwal said, "We planted bare seeds in the forest in 2017 but most of the seeds were lost, eaten by birds and trampled by animals. We did not even achieve one per cent success. To protect the seed, we made a ball of soil, manure and water and put two seeds in it. We named them beej (seed) bombs. We started this campaign on a small scale in a few villages and then took it to the entire state." Today, the campaign is active in many villages of Uttarkashi, where women and youth together make seed bombs and scatter them in the forests. Seed bombs are prepared in the month of June-July just before the onset of rains as the seeds are most likely to germinate in wet soil. The clay balls are dried in the shade for three to four days until they are neither too hard nor too soft before being taken into the forest.

Tulsi Devi, the former village head of Nathuakhan village of the Ramgarh block in Nainital is optimistic about these seed bombs. "We made seed bombs with seeds of pumpkin, gourd, zucchini, cucumber, corn and pulses. Just before the rains, some seed bombs were thrown towards the forest. If we grow these vegetables and fruits near the forest, then our agriculture will survive. This is our third year of making seed bombs," she said.

The seeds are chosen carefully, in accordance with altitude and soil, said Dwarika Prasad. His NGO consulted with several experts like the Vice-Chancellor of HNB Garhwal University, Dr Annapurna Nautiyal; NK Singh, Assistant Horticulture Officer at Uttarkashi; Dr Pankaj Nautiyal, Krishi Vigyan Kendra at Chinyalisaur, and few others to pick the seeds.

This year, seed donations are also being sought from the community. Semwal explained, "There is a feeling of conservation attached to seed donation. Many people have donated seeds; some give two, some give 10." Akash Nautiyal, a member of the Mangal Youth Foundation of Uttarkashi, said that they have been asking for seed donations from every house they go to. "Farmers keep traditional seeds in their homes even today, which they sometimes give to us," he said.

In Nainital, Jagdish Chandra Jitu works closely with the local youth for the seed bombing campaign. He returned to his village, Nathuakhan, last year after the pandemic struck. "Looking at what Dwarika Prasad Semwal ji was doing, I also made seed bombs and threw them in the forest during the lockdown last year. After 10-15 days many seed bombs were seen sprouting. The places where we had thrown the seed bombs are now green. It is our endeavour to take this campaign forward every year. Then we will see good results from it." A zero-budget success story:

Dr Arvind Darmora, director, Parvatiya Vikas Shodh Kendra (Centre for Mountain Development), HNB Garhwal University in Srinagar tehsil, Uttarakhand, believes that the success rate of seed bomb campaigns is very high, especially relative to the costs involved when compared to large-scale government plantations. "Despite spending lakhs of rupees, plantation programmes are only successful to the tune of 20-30 per cent. But the seed bomb campaign is up to 80 per cent successful," he explained. Beej bombing, meanwhile, is a zero budget campaign where seeds, soil and fertilizers are all sourced through enthusiastic community participation.

Darmora recalled an example of the students of Kamad Intermediate College in Uttarkashi who left seed bombs in the forests of Buda Kedarnath from Anyar Khal in Uttarkashi. "A nursery of about three lakh plants has been prepared there. This campaign is strengthening people's bond with the forest," he said.

Savitri Saklani, a teacher of Rajkiya Kanya Vidyalaya (Government Girls School) in Cheenakholi village of Dunda block of Uttarkashi, said she and her students were also inspired by the seed bombing campaign. "The students collected soil, manure and seeds. We made over a thousand seed bombs. There is a forest near our school. The girls threw the seed bombs in the forest. Only girls here go to the forest to get grass for their homes. So, when they went, they also took the seed bombs with them and left them in the forest," said Saklani.

Dr Rajnish Singh, the Chief Horticulture Officer of Uttarkashi, stated that despite the dangers that forest fires pose to these young plants, he has been suggesting seed bombing to villagers who come to him with complaints about wild animals destroying their crops. Sandeep Kumar, former Divisional Forest Officer of Uttarkashi has been promoting it as a solution to landslides. The seed bomb experiment was also tried in parts of the Rajaji Tiger Reserve, where forest guards walk in the forest carrying seed bombs, according to SS Rasaily, Additional Chief Conservator of Forests in Uttarakhand Forest Department.

In addition to enthusiastic support from the forest department, many important people like Governor Baby Rani Maurya and former Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat have been endorsing the campaign, especially during the Harela festival (a folk festival in Uttarakhand). So while the jury is still out on whether seed bombs are enough to meet the stated objective of reducing man-animal conflict in Uttarakhand, the community is determined to keep trying.

(The author is a Dehradun-based freelance journalist and a member of 101Reporters.com, a pan-India network of grassroots reporters)
Dubai, Aug 19 : Former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, who fled the country earlier this week following the fall of Kabul to the taliban, has pledged to return.

Ghani made the statement on Wednesday night during a live Facebook broadcast from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

"I am in the (United Arab) Emirates but I will soon return to my country," he said, noting that he is "in consultations with others" before his return home.

Ghani noted that he will continue working "to achieve justice for Afghans" .

"I was forced to leave Kabul, I did not want to be the reason for bloodshed in the capital," he said.

He also issued a rebuttal against his critics who said he left Afghanistan hastily, saying that "those who think that I fled should not judge if they don't know all the details".

"They were going room-to-room to find me," Ghani said.

"Their decision was this: Whatever happened 25 years ago was going to be repeated. The President of Afghanistan once again was going to be hanged in front of the people's eyes, and such a shameful history would have been once again been repeated." Ghani was referring to former President Mohammad Najibullah Ahmadzai, who was killed by the Taliban in 1996.

Ahmadzai's body was hanged from a traffic light pole outside the Presidential Palace.

The former President underlined that he does not believe himself to be a traitor.

"I did not betray the home country and ask everyone not to pay attention to rumours, we wanted peace for Kabul and did not want it to be destroyed. I hope that the war in Afghanistan will end," he said.

"Our armed forces are not responsible for this failure, politicians are to blame." Ghani also stressed that he was engaged in talks with the Taliban to ensure security of Kabul and a peaceful transfer of power.

On August 15, Ghani flew out of Afghanistan several hours before the Taliban entered Kabul without a fight and established full control over the capital.

Vice President Amrullah Saleh declared himself the caretaker president according to the national constitution and in absence of the president, calling to put up armed resistance against the Taliban.

Western countries are evacuating their nationals and embassy staffers.

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
New Delhi, Aug 19 : Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday vowed to fight for the people and be the voice of those being silenced.

In an instagram post, the Congress Lok Sabha MP from Kerala's Wayanad said, "With your blessings I renew my pledge to fight for our people. To be a voice for those being silenced. To stand up for those who are forced to kneel. To defend the rights of those who face grave injustice. To hear the cries of those in pain." Along with the post, Rahul shared a photograph of a senior citizen taken during his recent Kerala visit.

Rahul Gandhi has been critical of the Centre and has been raising his voice over several issues.

He has criticised the Modi-led government over the fuel price hike, alleged Pegasus snooping row, three farm laws and several others in recent times.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi, Aug 19 : A large portion of the Afghan Air Force has ended up in neighbouring Uzbekistan, after hundreds of service members used US-supplied planes and helicopters to flee the Taliban, The Wall Street Journal reported citing American officials.

At least 46 of the aircraft crossed over Afghanistan's border into Uzbekistan since August 15, when the Taliban seized Kabul and the government collapsed, the officials said.

The planes and helicopters carried a total of 585 members of Afghan forces with them, the officials said.

A handful of airplanes also ended up in Tajikistan, also on Afghanistan's northern border.

The US embassies of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.

The migration of the aircraft comes as Washington is only beginning to tally up how much of the billions of dollars in US-supplied hardware has ended up with the Taliban.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Ayodhya : , Aug 19 (IANS) Mahant Dharam Das, the seer of Hanuman Garhi temple in Ayodhya, has filed a police complaint against Ram Mandir Trust secretary Champat Rai, all trustees, MLA Deep Narayan Upadhyay, Ayodhya mayor's nephew Rishikesh Upadhyay and sub-registrar of Faizabad tehsil for criminal conspiracy, fraud and misusing the funds donated by devotees of Lord Ram in buying Nazul land.

Dharam Das is the disciple of late Mahant Ram Abhiram Das, who had reportedly placed the idols inside the disputed structure on December 22 midnight in 1949.

Das, a prominent face of Ram Mandir Movement and one of the main litigants from Hindu side in the Ram Janmabhoomi title suit, lodged the complaint at Ram Janmabhoomi police station.

He has accused the members of temple trust of criminal conspiracy, fraud and misuse of funds donated for Ram temple construction. Das has also named Faizabad sub-registrar S.B. Singh as accused.

He told reporters, "The office of sub-registrar was not aware that 'Nazul' land was sold twice-how is this possible? Mahant Devendra Prasadacharya had sold this plot of 676 square metres to Deep Narayan, nephew of Ayodhya mayor Rishikesh Upadhyay, for Rs 20 lakh in February. Deep Narayan sold it to the trust for Rs 2.5 crore in May. The value of this land, as per DM circle rate, is approximately Rs 35 lakh." He also named BJP MLA from Gosaiganj (Ayodhya) Indra Pratap Tiwari and trustee Anil Mishra for being witnesses in the deal.

He demanded sacking of Rai as secretary and handing over responsibilities of the trust to seers of Ayodhya.

"The government should not get involved in temple construction," said Das.

While none of the trustees were willing to comment on the development, Prakash Gupta, the in-charge of camp office, said, "If it is Nazul land, complaint should have been filed with Nazul officers, not police. We bought land and paid money--where is corruption in this?"
Lucknow, Aug 19 : The All India Muslim Personal Law Board will soon launch a 'law journal' to dispel misinformation about Sharia laws and to create awareness about legal rights and court judgments on minority issues.

"There is a need for educating people about the aspects of Sharia related to Personal Law. The law journal to be published in English and Urdu will have information on the legal rights of minorities and the various court judgments on minority issues in a simplified manner," the board said.

In its working committee meeting held online recently, the board has decided to launch the journal in both English and Urdu.

It was also decided by members, under the leadership of Maulana Raabey Hasani Nadwi, to launch a campaign for protection of waqf properties in the country.

"Some groups are asking for the present Waqf Act to be scrapped and political moves are also being made around this. We condemn this. A peaceful movement, Tafaffuz-e-Auqaf, will be run in the country by the board to safeguard our waqf properties," the board said.

"Majority of these properties have been encroached upon by Muslims themselves. The campaign will apprise Muslims and waqf mutawwalis against such encroachments and ask them to secure the lands," it further said.

The board also condemned the demolition of Masjid Ghareeb Nawaz in Barabanki by the district administration earlier in May and expressed satisfaction over the board's legal progress on the case.
Lucknow, Aug 19 : After Samajwadi Party MP Shaifur-Rehman Barq, it is now renowned poet, Munawwar Rana, who has come out in the support of Taliban.

Rana said that he believes that Taliban has done no wrong by taking over the control of Afghanistan.

"Taliban has actually liberated their country," he told reporters.

The 68-year-old poet further said that India has no reason to worry from Taliban in Afghanistan.

"Taliban are not terrorists, they can be called 'aggressive", he added.

He further said, "If you look at the history, Afghans have never done anything bad to India. India should not be afraid of the Taliban. There was not much happening in that country, but not a single incident where any Indian was harmed by any Taliban or Afghan has been reported." The poet went on to slam the US for their 20-year occupation of Afghanistan and said, "Only they (Afghans) know how they have spent the last 20 years. For Americans, killing a human being is like killing an ant and they do not care." When asked about Taliban's act of destroying Buddha statues in Bamiyan, Munawwar Rana asked, "Yahan Ram mandir banane ke liye masjid tod diya...usko kya kahiyega? Was that not sacred?" Munawwar Rana was recently in controversy when he said that if chief minister Yogi Adityanath returns to power next year, he would be forced to leave Uttar Pradesh.
Mumbai, Aug 19 : Actor Shreyas Talpade is all excited about his upcoming short film titled 'Speed Dial' and is looking forward to his "first eve" short film.

The film is directed by Kushal Srivastava and produced by 8 PM Premium Black Music CDs.

"Working on 'Speed Dial' has been a really fun and interesting experience for me. Honestly, if you think of it, this is my first short film ever and I am happy that I've shot with Kushal and his team which is equally enthusiastic. The character of Kabir is very relatable and I'm sure a lot of people will know exactly what he's going through. In situations like that, everyone would love a bit of luck and magic to help them out. Audiences are definitely in for a few fun twists and turns with Speed Dial," said Shreyas.

The film follows the story of Kabir, essayed by Shreyas, who is a contemporary 'everyman' and an introvert to such an extent that he can't even express his one-sided love to his childhood crush Ayesha. With Ayesha about to get married to someone else, Kabir is about to take a drastic step when luck shines on him, turning his world around for the better.

Commenting on the announcement of the film, Amar Sinha, COO, Radico Khaitan said - "We've realized that digital content has been a catalyst for us during this past year where we've been able to successfully connect and engage with our consumers that have been stuck at home. With Short films, we are looking to further expand our digital presence and we see great potential in creating short format content that can capture the imagination." 'Speed Dial', also features - Aksha Pardasany, Rahul Kapoor, Rajat Bhagat, B Shantanu, Dipoo Srivastava and Iqbal Azad - and it releases on August 24, on 8 PM Premium Black Music CDs YouTube channel.
New Delhi, Aug 19: The celebration of Afghanistan's Independence Day today, is pitting the Taliban, the new rulers of Kabul against young patriots, who are proud to anchor their national identity with their country's flag. The rift between the Taliban and the young brigade ignited after the Taliban tried to replace the Afghan national flag, traced to King Amanullah, with their own. High octane emotions quickly flared leading to a free-for-all between the two. Injuries and deaths followed.

On Wednesday, the city of Jalalabad became a flashpoint in the battle of the flags, showcasing the clash between competing national identities and ideologies.

In Jalalabad, people took out a procession in support of their traditional national tricolour. They took down the white Taliban flag and replaced it with the national flag, causing the Taliban security to open fire. Local media reported that the firing killed two and injured others.

The Jalalabad incident energised a social media storm, which, in turn triggered an outpouring of solidarity, persuading people to display their allegiance to the national tricolour in massive numbers.

"Martyr of the national flag. Today in Jalalabad, Zahidullah, the head of Sahar Broadcasting Association, was martyred by the Taliban for raising the national flag," wrote an Afghan activist sharing the pictures. Most of them who have come out in support of the Afghan national flag are youth who have been raised in free Afghanistan.

In Nangarhar, hundreds of people raised their Afghan flags, urging the Taliban to respect and not change it.

The nationalistic spirit is now spreading like wild fire.

"Taliban opened fire on demonstrators in the eastern city of Khost, #Afghanistan, this footage purportedly shows. Reports of multiple deaths and injuries after residents took down the white Taliban flag and replaced it with the black, red and green flag of Afghanistan," Afghan journalist Frud Bezhan shared the picture of people coming out with the national flags.

According to the BBC Pasto, "Chaos broke out during the protest, and videos released by local media showed some gunmen firing in the air to disperse people. Local sources said at least one person was injured in the shooting." Is it Sparks of national civil resistance against the insurgents?

Despite the Taliban's military take over, and the fleeing of the elected government, Afghans are adamant to celebrate Independence Day today.

Ironically, Afghanistan has the unusual distinction of having never been colonised. It celebrates Independence Day nonetheless. In Afghanistan, "Independence Day" marks the signing of a treaty between Afghanistan's then king, Amanullah Khan, and Britain on August 19, 1919. The treaty committed London to stop interfering in Afghan affairs. In the presence of a British envoy, King Amanullah declared Afghanistan to be "entirely free, autonomous and independent, both internally and externally".

Since then, Afghanistan has marked 102 Independence Day celebrations. Less than half of them occurred outside the shadow of wars and dark ages, yet they were celebrated regardless. To quote King Amanullah's original declaration of independence, it ought to mean something that applies both "internally and externally".

In recent decades, much attention has been devoted to celebrating the dream- if not the reality- of "freedom" from the rule of terrorist organisations.

The three colours of Afghanistan's flag - black colour represents its troubled 19th century history as a protected state, red represents the blood of those who fought for independence and the green reflects hope and prosperity for the future. The emblem of Afghanistan in the centre.

So, what does independence mean in Afghanistan? In 2021, it is difficult to say. But the message is clear. As a post on Twitter says: "Keep the Flag undisputed...changing this Flag is dividing Afghans...Don't give opportunity to the spoilers....Taliban should think over it...they cannot control many fronts for too long through barrel..Win hearts and minds." An anti-Taliban front is already visible in Panjshir, where the First Vice President Amrullah Saleh has issued a self-declaration of being the "caretaker president". He has called other nations to support him in the fight against the Taliban.

(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative
New Delhi, Aug 19: In the Afghan minefield, all players- regional and global are hedging their bets. With a capricious Taliban at the helm in Kabul, countries are keeping their cards close to their chests.

However, Turkey is an exception as it sees itself as a peace-maker in war-torn Afghanistan.

Ankara looks at Turks and Afghans as historical allies, therefore, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wants to extend his influence further in the country where American influence is ebbing. He has already said that he is willing to hold talks with different Taliban groups to bring about unity between the different factions. Erdogan feels that through active Turkish involvement and diplomacy, he can help Afghanistan avoid a civil war.

Turkey has already begun to welcome statements emanating from Kabul's new rulers. These include Taliban's assurances to foreigners and diplomatic missions as well as some of the reassuring messages about protecting Afghan women.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told media persons on Tuesday that Turkey is "keeping up the dialogue with all sides, including the Taliban". He added that though Turkey has dropped the plans to guard the Kabul airport, it is still willing to provide technical and security assistance if the Taliban requested it. He justified talking with the Taliban by adding that this is a pragmatic path in the current circumstances.

For the moment it seems the Turkish-Taliban communication is a one-way street. The Taliban has not commented on the Turkish proposals or offers of mediation. Experts say that of all the main players in the Afghan field, the Turks have the least influence with the Taliban.

But that has not dampened Turkey's enthusiasm about extending its role in Afghanistan. Erdogan, who is active in Libya, Syria, Azerbaijan and other Muslim countries is keen to extend his area of influence to include Afghanistan.

Ankara is stitching up a coalition of sorts to carve out a bigger role for itself. Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar visited Islamabad to discuss Afghan developments. The visit was reciprocated by Pakistan President Arif Alvi, who recently met Erdogan in Istanbul.

Turkey is also in touch with Qatar, where the infamous Doha Peace Accord was signed between the US and the Taliban on 29 February 2020, which helped precipitate the Afghan crisis. Turkey is building a triumvirate between Ankara, Doha and Kabul's new regime.

Ankara also sees an important role for itself in anticipation of an inflow of Afghan refugees. By managing the refugees, who see Europe as their final port of call, Turkey can curry favour with the European Union as well.

Turkey has already burnt its fingers with the Taliban over stationing troops at the Hamid Karzai airport in Kabul. Not just the Taliban, even the opposition is against Erdogan's plans to keep soldiers in Afghanistan.

They think it is a risk the lives of soldiers in the Taliban-ruled country. Turkey still has about 500-600 soldiers in the country who were part of the NATO coalition.

(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative
New Delhi, Aug 19: President Joe Biden's promise to evacuate over 20,000 at-risk Afghans who have been working with the US government appears to have run into the Taliban barrier as many of these individuals are facing an uphill task in reaching the airport.

Some of these individuals are still in the provinces and have to go through several Taliban check-points before they can reach Kabul. Many of those who are in Kabul are unable to reach the airport as they cannot get past the gun-toting Taliban fighters who have set up barriers at crucial points.

An Afghan interpreter working with the Australian government was shot in the leg on Wednesday morning while he was on his way to the airport along with his family to board a military flight to Australia, according to a report in the Guardian.

Audio messages provided to the Guardian include voices of Australian personnel and their translators stationed inside the Kabul airport warning visa holders not to approach the area. Photographs show the Afghan national being treated for a gunshot wound to the leg.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg admitted in an interview on CNN that at-risk Afghans were facing a problem in reaching the Kabul airport. He said that NATO was in touch with the Taliban leadership to allow such individuals to come to the airport.

India's embassy staff in Kabul had also been held up for a day as they could not reach the Kabul airport on Monday but eventually contact was established with the Taliban leadership to enable them to board the Indian Air Force plane at the Hamid Karzai Airport on Tuesday. Armed Taliban fighters had escorted the Indian contingent to the airport.

CNN chief reporter in Kabul confirmed that the at-risk Afghans were terrified and facing a problem in reaching the airport.

The Taliban has agreed to "a safe passage" for civilians and this is what the US and NATO want to see unfolding on the ground. The Taliban also knows the world is watching and have become a lot savvier than their earlier rule as was reflected in the first press conference they hosted in Kabul on Tuesday.

A U.S. official told Reuters "too many things have to go 100 percent correctly" to execute the plan to move out those going through the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) process. The Pentagon had drawn up plans to evacuate up to 22,000 SIV applicants, their families and other at-risk people.

Biden announced his intent to start evacuating at-risk Afghans in July, after which only 2,000 Afghans have been flown to the United States.

"It's a nice goal to have, but realistically it's going to be a challenge," Reuters cited the U.S. official as saying.

US National security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Monday that the White House had received reports of people being beaten outside the airport even though the Taliban had agreed to allow civilians safe passage.

The deadline for the evacuation mission is August 31 so it appears to be a race against time. But, of course, there is always the possibility of extending the last date.

(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative
Bengaluru, Aug 19 : After the Taliban took over Afghanistan, Melvin, a resident of Ullal in Karnataka's Mangaluru and working as a technician at a hospital in Kabul, has safely returned to his homeland amid all the chaos there.

Melvin recounted the horrors he encountered in Afghanistan, after his return on Wednesday.

"We were stranded in the Kabul airport for two days without food. I was lucky and could board the direct flight to India as my workplace was in the close vicinity of the airport. There was a mad rush at the airport after flights landed during nights," he explained.

Indians boarded onto different flights headed for different destinations like London, Dubai and Norway. Many Indians have landed in foreign countries and are quarantined there, he said.

"My brother, who also worked in Afghanistan, could not get a direct flight to India. I could speak to him twice and he informed me that he is on a flight heading to Qatar," he said.

"I was picked up by a C-17 Globemaster flight on August 16. I reached Jamnagar base in Gujarat. From there I went to New Delhi and reached my home town," he said.

Many from Mangaluru are stuck in Afghanistan. The Indian Air Force is struggling hard to bring all of them back to the country and different companies are also joining hands to shift their employees out of Kabul, he stated.

"The situation in Kabul is chaotic. My workplace was a secure place and I was not subjected to horrific things that people were subjected to outside. I was there for years and did not face any challenges like this one. Nothing could be said about what is going to happen in Afghanistan. The withdrawal of the American army allowed the Taliban a free run," he said.

"Local Afghans who worked with us were not allowed to go to their homes due to Corona and they stayed back at the workplace. Now, in the changed situation there is a problem with food already," Melvin says.

Meanwhile, the family members of two religious preachers who got stuck in Afghanistan are worried over their safety. Father Jerome Sequera from Mangaluru and Father Robert Rodriguez from Teerthahalli in Shivmogga district have told their families over the phone that they are presently in a safe location. They said they were trying to reach Kabul international airport.

Gerome Sequera is working as the head of an international NGO in Kabul. He has spoken to his brother Vincent Sequera and informed him that he has moved to a nearby safe place from Kabul. His family members are coordinating with authorities to bring them back to India.

Gerome told his family that he tried to get into Kabul airport on Sunday. But, the Taliban took over the airport by then and it was chaos after that. The Taliban controlled the mad rush and people were allowed to board flights without any security checks.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka government has appointed a nodal officer to coordinate with the Centre in bringing back the people from the state stuck in Afghanistan.

Additional DGP (CID) Umesh Kumar has been appointed as the nodal officer and a helpline (080 2209 4498) is also announced for the people to seek help. The people have been requested to provide all information regarding their relatives stuck in Afghanistan.
New Delhi, Aug 19 : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is likely to reach national capital on Thursday evening to meet BJP central leadership.

Sources said that the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister is likely to meet BJP chief J.P. Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to discuss party's poll preparedness in the state. It is learnt that Uttar Pradesh BJP president Swatantra Dev Singh and state unit general secretary Sunil Bansal have reached the national capital.

Sources said that BJP poll preparedness for next year's assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh will be the main agenda of the meeting.

"Chief Minister Adityanath is likely to discuss poll preparation and upcoming programs till the election with Nadda and Shah," sources said.

It is also learnt that public response to the ongoing 'Jan Ashirvad Yatra' will also be discussed.

Newly inducted ministers of the union cabinet are seeking blessings from people during 'Jan Ashirvad Yatra'. And with an eye on next year's assembly polls, seven ministers from Uttar Pradesh are inducted in the union cabinet. Of the newly inducted ministers from UP, except Anupriya Patel of Apna Dal all are from the BJP.

"Public response collected during the Yatra of union ministers in the state will be discussed to understand the situation on the ground. During the yatra, ministers interacted with people and collected their feedback," a party leader said.

During the course of yatra union ministers have visited places of religious importance, addressed public meetings, oversaw the implementation of centrally sponsored programmes and vaccination drives, and they have interacted with people.

This is the third visit of Yogi Adityanath to Delhi since June. Amid speculation of a change of guard in Uttar Pradesh, Adityanath visited the national capital for two days and met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Nadda and Shah. Last month during the monsoon session of parliament, he was present in the Nadda meeting with MPs from the state.
Seoul, Aug 19 : Samsung Electronics was the top smartphone vendor in Latin America in the second quarter, a report showed on Thursday, although its market share dropped from a year earlier.

Samsung represented 37.3 percent of smartphone shipments in Latin America in the April-June period, defending its leading status, according to market tracker Counterpoint Research.

However, its second-quarter market share was down from 42.5 percent a year ago.

"Samsung was the most affected due to the constraints related to its Vietnam factory," said Tina Lu, a principal analyst at Counterpoint Research. "Brazilian manufacturing also had supply issues." The South Korean tech giant was the leading brand across major Latin American countries, except Mexico and Peru, where the company trailed behind Motorola and Xiaomi, respectively, reports Yonhap news agency.

Motorola was the runner-up in the Latin American smartphone market in the second quarter with a 22.3 percent market share, followed by Xiaomi, which increased its market share to 11.4 percent from 4.9 percent a year earlier.

ZTE came in fourth place with a market share of 4.4 percent followed by Apple with 3.8 percent.

South Korea's LG Electronics, which terminated its money-losing mobile business, was the No. 3 brand in Brazil and Argentina but failed to stay in the top five.

"LG still has some demand, but Samsung, Motorola, ZTE and others are quickly grabbing its volume," Counterpoint Research said.

The market researcher added smartphone shipments in Latin America increased 41.8 percent from a year earlier but declined 6.5 percent compared with the first quarter.
New Delhi, Aug 19 : Several Afghan nationals living in Delhi flocked to the Australian, US and Canadian embassies here on Thursday in the hope of getting visas. After the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, the Afghan diaspora is desperate to migrate to some other country as their visas for India have either expired or are about to expire.

Some Afghan nationals said they have been told by the embassies that they will accept them as refugees in their countries and give them visas.

Muskan, an Afghan citizen, told IANS, "We got a message from them that you come to the embassy, you will get a form to fill, while we will cooperate with all the Afghan citizens in Delhi." "Now they said that they will give a link to fill information," she said.

Muskan has been living in Delhi for the last few years and has recently completed her studies.

Sahil, another Afghan national, told IANS, "We were told by the embassy that we will give visas, but nothing has been done so far. For us, it is very expensive to live in Delhi as house rent is too high." "If our landlord comes to know that we are Afghans, they will increase the rent. At present, I am working in a shop but I am paid only Rs 4,000 per month and I work 12 hours a day," he said.

Meanwhile, embassy officials have spoken to some Afghan citizens and asked them to share information.

Ruksar, an Afghan national, told IANS, "We are very saddened by the recent developments in Afghanistan. We have come to the US embassy for help. We are requesting all these embassies." "We are also human beings, we need help, I am heartbroken to see situation in Afghanistan. I have been living here for almost 10 years." He added, "We thank the Government of India, for letting us live here. But it will be difficult for us to continue in India. Here, it is also very difficult to find work." Some Afghan women were seen crying outside the embassy, they said their relatives are trapped back there and no information is coming to them about their whereabouts.

As per the process, Afghan nationals will first have to send an email to the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) who will send them to the embassy for visas. But Afghan citizens allege that the UNHCR office does not respond.
Islamabad, Aug 19 : At least three people were killed and over 30 others injured in an explosion in Pakistan's Punjab province on Thursday.

The incident took place in Bahawalnagar district, reports Xinhua news agency According to Dawn news, the blast went off during an Ashura procession and videos circulating on social media showed police and ambulances rushing towards the site of the incident.

Youm-e-Ashur, the 10th of Moharram, is being observed across the country with due solemnity to pay homage to the supreme sacrifice rendered by Hazrat Imam Hussain and his companions at Karbala.
Udupi : , Aug 19 (IANS) Thirty-four-year-old Harish Bangera, an air-conditioning technician reunited with his family on Wednesday after spending as many as 600 days in a prison in Saudi Arabia for a blasphemous Facebook post he didn't make.

Harish was arrested on December 22, 2019, for making blasphemous remarks about Mecca and using abusive language about the King of Saudi Arabia on Facebook.

However, the Karnataka police who took up the investigation of the case found that the contemptuous remarks were posted by two persons in the Udupi district by creating a fake Facebook Id in the name of the victim.

The police arrested the accused persons, Abdul Huyez and Abdul Thuyez in October 2020. The family of Bangera submitted the investigation reports to the Saudi authorities and finally managed to get him released from Saudi prison.

Bangera arrived at Kempegowda International Airport on Wednesday said, he thanks the Karnataka police for finding the real culprits. He further thanked everyone who helped his family to get him released. Though the submissions were made, the courts in Saudi were not operating due to Covid-19. "Otherwise, I could have been released much earlier," he said.

Bangera was welcome by his wife Sumana, daughter Hansika and friends.
New Delhi, Aug 19 : The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Kerala High Court not to disburse any amount from Rs 2 crore, which was allocated for owner of fishing boat "St Antony", on which two fishermen were killed by Italian marines in 2012.

A bench comprising justices Indira Banerjee and V. Ramasubramanian was hearing a plea by seven surviving fishermen, who were also on the fishing vessel, seeking compensation. The fishermen contended that they were also eligible for compensation and claimed they were also injured in the incident. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta suggested this plea can be sent to the Kerala High Court, which has been asked to monitor the disbursement of compensation. The top court observed that notice to the vessel owner is required, because any modification in the order will impact his share in the compensation.

"The notice of this application be given to the boat owner", said the bench. It also asked the Kerala High Court not to disburse any amount to the boat owner in terms of the June 15, 2021 order.

In their plea, the fishermen have sought a stay on the disbursement of the compensation amount till their claims are also decided.

The top court on June 15, had closed the criminal proceedings in India against the two Italian marines, Massimilano Latorre and Salvatore Gironew. They were accused of killing two Indian fishermen. The Italian had agreed to pay Rs 10 core in compensation to the heirs of the deceased and the boat owner.

The top court noted that India had agreed to the compensation of Rs 10 crore and republic of Italy has deposited it, which has been transferred to the top court's registry. "We are satisfied with the compensation and the ex-gratia paid over and above earlier. This is a fit case to close all proceedings in India under Article 142 of the Constitution," said the top court then.

The top court had ordered transfer of Rs 10 crore to Kerala High Court registry out of which Rs 4 crore each should be paid to the two victims' families and Rs 2 crore to the boat owner.
Guwahati/Imphal, Aug 19 : The Assam Rifles troopers recovered three improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and other explosive materials along India-Myanmar unfenced border in Manipur, foiling an attempt to target the security forces by the outlawed militants, officials said on Thursday.

A defence spokesman said that the Chassad battalion of the Assam Rifles under the Spear Corps of the Army foiled the attempt to attack the security forces by detecting and recovering IEDs and other explosive materials including sticks, detonators and safety fuses.

He said that based on credible input regarding movement of insurgents, a search operation was launched by Assam Rifles troops near India-Myanmar border in eastern Manipur's Kamjong district adjoining Myanmar.

The recovered IEDs and other explosive material were handed over to Kamjong Police for further action.
San Francisco, Aug 19 : Micro-blogging site Twitter is updating its API v2 so that developers can look up its Spaces social audio rooms.

The company said that it could allow them to share information about Spaces more easily outside the Twitter app, The Verge reported on Wednesday.

Twitter has been rapidly improving Spaces, but before now, you could only see them on Twitter's own apps. But starting on Wednesday, "all developers using the new Twitter API v2 will be able to look up live or scheduled Spaces using criteria like Spaces ID, user ID, or keyword," Twitter said.

The report said that it sounds like it means that a developer can use that information to point you to a Space from within their own app.

This doesn't appear to mean that developers will be able to let you listen to or attend Spaces inside their apps, however -- it sounds like you will still only be able to attend a Space on Twitter, the report said.

Despite that limitation, the new features could be an enticing carrot for developers to adopt Twitter's API v2, the company's rebuilt API that launched in August, according to the report.

For some time, the company opted to limit how developers could build upon Twitter and integrate it into their services and apps, but the ongoing updates to API v2 seem to signal that Twitter is continuing to welcome developers into the fold once again, it added.
New Delhi, Aug 19 : The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has recommended a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities in the purchase of 1,000 low-floor buses by the Delhi government.

According to a letter written to the Chief Secretary of the Delhi government on August 16, the Home Ministry's Additional Secretary (UT) Govind Mohan said that a three-member committee was constituted by the Government of NCT Delhi for a detailed enquiry into the matter.

"The matter has been examined in this Ministry and with the approval of competent authority, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has been requested to take necessary action for undertaking Preliminary Enquiry on the matter by the Central Bureau of Investigation," the letter reads further.

The Delhi BJP unit had in June alleged a scam involving crores of rupees in the purchase of the 1,000 low-floor buses by Delhi administration. It also demanded the resignation of the transport Minister Kailash Gehlot and Delhi Transport Corporation Managing Director Vijay Bidhuri.

BJP MLA Vijender Gupta had approached the Lt. Governor for an enquiry committee after alleging irregularities in the terms of the purchase and maintenance contracts.

He alleged that in January 2021, the Delhi government had placed a work order of 1,000 low-floor buses costing Rs 890 crore. Along with the order for purchase, it also took out the tender for the annual maintenance of the buses for Rs 350 crore per year, he said, adding that this too was handed over to the same bus suppliers.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Hyderabad, Aug 19 : The Hyderabad police on Thursday arrested Karvy Stock Broking Limited Chairman C. Parthasarthy for allegedly defaulting the loan taken from IndusInd Bank.

The Central Crime Station (CCS) police made the arrest after registering a case against Karvy Stock Broking Limited (KSBL) on the basis of a complaint filed by the bank.

Parthasarthy will be produced before a city court later in the day, a police official said.

The IndusInd bank had granted a loan of Rs 185 crore to KSBL in 2019 on depositing the securities and guarantees to the bank but the company failed to repay. It was alleged that the KSBL illegally transferred Rs 138 crore to other companies.

Two other banks had also lodged the complaint against KSBL but for now the police have taken action only in connection with the case registered on IndusInd Bank's complaint.

HDFC Bank, in its complaint, alleged that KSBL defaulted the loan taken in 2019. The stock broking company had taken a loan of Rs 350 crore against shares but only repaid Rs 142 crore. The bank said the remaining balance loan amount of Rs 208 with Rs 38 crore interest remain unpaid.

In November 2019, The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) banned KSBL over client defaults worth Rs 2,000 crore. The company was banned from taking on new clients and executing trades for existing customers.

This followed an investigation by the National Stock Exchange (NSE) which found that Karvy had allegedly sold client stocks pledged with it through associated entities. The regulator had told depositories not to act upon any instructions by Karvy Stock Broking on the basis of powers of attorney given to the brokerage house in order to prevent further misuse of client securities.
Gandhinagar, Aug 19 : The Gujarat High Court on Thursday stayed several sections of the Gujarat government's Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Act, 2021 popularly known as the 'Love Jihad' Act. The court has banned filing of the FIR saying that it cannot be done unless it was proved that the girl was falsely implicated.

The Court put a stay on several sections of the amended Act against forced religious conversion by marriage. The sections which were put on hold include the one that termed interfaith marriage as a reason of forceful conversion.

In the recent budget session of the Gujarat state Assembly, the state government had passed the Amendment bill and it was brought into force from June 15 this year after getting the nod from the governor. This Amendment has been challenged by two petitions. One is moved by Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind and Jamiat Ulama Welfare Trust and the other is moved by an Ahmedabad resident Mujahid Nafees.

The petitions submitted that the amended law went against the basic principles of marriage and violated Article 25 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to propagate, profess and practice any religion.

The court on Thursday put a stay on Sections 3, 4, 4A, 4B, 4C, 5, 6 and 6A of the Act.

The division bench of Chief Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Biren Vaishnav's interim order came during the hearing on a number of petitions challenging the provisions of this law.

It ruled, "We are of the opinion that pending further hearing, rigors of section 3, 4, 4a to 4c, 5, 6 and 6a shall not operate merely because the marriage is solemnised by a person of one religion with that of another religion without force, allurement or fraudulent means and such marriages cannot be termed as marriage for the purpose of unlawful conversion." The HC added, "This interim order is to protect the parties which solemnised interfaith marriages from unnecessary harassment." "The HC also made a good observation and banned filing of the FIR by a third person, asking how can they decide whether a marriage was carried out for religious conversion," Mujahid Nafees, one petitioner told the media on Thursday.

When asked, Gujarat deputy chief minister Nitin Patel said, "Whenever such rulings are passed by concerned courts, our legal department and other technical sections look into it. Once we receive this interim order and after our legal experts looking into, the government will decide the future course of action."
Chennai, Aug 19 : Former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and senior leader of AIADMK, Edappadi K Palaniswami has said that the DMK government is interested only in the politics of vendetta and vindictiveness. He was speaking to media persons after meeting Tamil Nadu Governor Bhanwarilal Purohit.

He said that the DMK government was trying to protect the accused in the Kodanad murder and burglary case and is trying to put the blame on the AIADMK and malign the party. He said that the Kodanad case was already in court and asked how the Chief Minster can state that probing the case was an election promise of the DMK.

He said that all the witnesses in the Kodanad case have been examined and that only the final hearing is pending before the court. Palaniswami said that the ruling DMK is showing undue interest in maligning the AIADMK and to protect the accused.

The former CM was accompanied by AIADMK leaders and former ministers, D Jayakumar, SP Velumani and P Thangamani. The visit is important as the AIADMK has been conducting a series of programmes against the DMK for victimizing the party leaders and former ministers by foisting cases and conducting police searches and raids.

The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Unit of the state police had conducted raids at the premises of AIADMK leaders S.P. Velumani and M.R. Vijayabhaskar and this has led to the AIADMK coming out full throttle against the government.

The meeting of the AIADMK delegation with the Tamil Nadu Governor gains significance in the backdrop of the raids conducted at the premises of Velumani and Vijayabhaskar. The party feels that the DMK government is deliberately trying to frame AIADMK leaders in the Kodanad estate murder and burglary case.

Palaniswami also alleged that the DMK government was trying to fudge the Covid-19 figures. "The state is reporting more than 1800 fresh Covid-19 cases a day and instead of focusing on containing Covid-19, the government is behind the Kodanad murder case," he added.

He said that the state government has cancelled almost all the welfare projects that were initiated by the AIADMK government.

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New Delhi, Aug 19 : Actor Jackie Shroff has his diaries full with a slate of releases lined up. He will be seen in films such as 'The Interview: Night of 26/11' and the much awaited and talked about movie 'Sooryavanshi', where he will be seen playing an antagonist.

Talking about his character in the Akshay Kumar-starrer, Jackie in an exclusive chat with IANS said: "I can't talk about it much. It's a main part. They always introduce their villain right, in the film, they have introduced me in this." 'Sooryavanshi' marks the fourth instalment of filmmaker Rohit Shetty's cop universe after 'Singham' franchise and 'Simmba'. The film stars Akshay as Anti-Terrorism Squad chief DCP Veer Sooryavanshi and also features Katrina Kaif .

It was initially locked for theatrical release on March 24, 2020 but got pushed due to the Covid-19 lockdown. The new release date given was April 30 this year, however it was delayed once again.

The 64-year-old actor too does not know when the film will see the light of day.

"I don't know when it'll come. They are all waiting because it is a big film. So they will wait for the cinema halls to open. Theatre experience is different." The film revolves around Veer Sooryavanshi, the chief of the Mumbai Anti-Terrorism Squad and his team who join forces with Inspector Sangram Bhalerao and DCP Bajirao Singham to stop a terrorist group planning to attack Mumbai.
New Delhi, Aug 19 : The UN Biodiversity Conference, which includes the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP-15), will be convened virtually between October 11-15, announced the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

Meanwhile, the final negotiations on the post-2020 global biodiversity framework will be conducted during the face-to-face meetings in Kunming, China, from April 25 to May 8 in 2022, the CBD Secretariat said in a statement.

The opening meeting will address agenda items essential to the continued operations of the biodiversity convention and its protocols.

It will also include a High-Level Segment to be held on 12 and 13 October and expected to produce a 'Kunming Declaration' adding political momentum to the framework negotiations.

The 10th meeting of Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CP-MOP 10) and the 4th meeting of Parties to the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization (NP-MOP 4) too will be held next spring.

Minister of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China, Huang Runqiu, said that at the two-week in-person Kunming meetings next spring, a global framework agreement will be presented for final consideration and decision by the CBD's 196 parties. India too is a signatory to the Convention.

Meanwhile, CBD Executive Secretary, Elizabeth Maruma Mrema said, "Addressing the challenge of halting ongoing losses of species and genetic diversity and the damage to our ecosystems will determine the well-being of humanity for generations to come. Protecting nature's invaluable contributions to people requires that we harmonize our policies and actions at every level." "Convening COP-15 in two parts will enable maximum progress on the several remaining difficult issues prior to our conclusive face-to-face sessions in Kunming," she added.

The year 2021 is a crucial year for ecological transition and climate, with a number of global events, such as the Conference of the Parties of the three Rio Conventions on Climate Change, Biodiversity and Desertification; the launch of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration; the United Nations Food Systems Summit and the United Nations Ocean Conference, taking place in the next few months.
New Delhi, Aug 19 : The Women and Child Development Department of the Delhi government has urged people to donate to the Delhi Child Welfare Fund, which will be used for children.

The department has also asked citizen of Delhi to share details of children who have been left orphaned or have lost one of their parents due to Covid pandemic.

"If you know a child who has lost one or both parents to Covid-19, call Childline on 1098 or mail us the details of such a child at scpsdelhi@gmail.com, a circular issued by WCD Department said.

The government has urged people to make contribution for the purpose, asserting that, "Donate and do your bit for children by contributing towards Delhi Child Welfare Fund to secure well-being of children in need of care and protection and for their rehabilitation." With this, the government hopes people will come forward to sponsor various developmental schemes such as residential care, subsistence support, education, medical and mental health, vocational training and skill development, foster care, sponsorship, aftercare and others.

The Women and Child Development Department of the Delhi government will undertake a survey to identify children who have been orphaned during the Covid-19 pandemic, an official said on Friday.

Earlier in July this year, the department had appointed 20 welfare officers to conduct the survey in different childcare homes, institutions and district offices in the city to find out the number of children who have lost one of their parents during the Covid pandemic. The Delhi government has planned to give a compensation of Rs 2,500 per month to such children.

As per the officials in DCPCR, over 2,000 children in Delhi have lost either one or both their parents due to Covid-19 pandemic, of which 67 of them lost both their parents, since the pandemic outbreak in March last year.

As many as 651 children have lost their mothers and 1,311 children lost their fathers to the infection, according to an earlier report of DCPCR.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had on May 14 said his government would bear the cost of education and upbringing of the children orphaned during the pandemic.

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New Delhi, Aug 19 : With India ratifying a global treaty that eventually aims to phase out a heat-trapping substance -- hydrofluorocarbons or HFCs -- and replace them with climate-friendly alternatives, experts on Thursday said this will encourage the air-conditioning and refrigeration industry to develop more efficient cooling technologies faster.

Following seven years of negotiations, the 197 Montreal Protocol parties reached a treaty in October 2016 in Kigali in Rwanda, under which developed countries will start phasing out HFCs by 2019, while the developing countries, including India, will phase them out at a baseline of 2024-2026 and a freeze date of 2028.

The baseline year determines the level at which the HFC consumption in countries is capped.

According to TERI and the Natural Resources Defence Council (NRDC), the main advantage to India in ratifying the Kigali Amendment will be to help boost domestic manufacturing and employment generation goals.

The ratification would signify that India is ready to compete in the market for low-global warming potential (climate-friendly) refrigerants, which will spur domestic innovation and attract international investments.

They say this will help India in achieving climate change and cooling commitments. India is one of the few countries on track to meet its climate commitments under the 2015 Paris Agreement. Ratifying Kigali would further accelerate this progress.

Also by ratifying the Kigali Amendment India would strengthen influence and goodwill around the globe and help bolster its efforts to establish smart policies and bylaws, including energy efficiency while phasing down HFCs.

Responding to India's decision on Wednesday to phase out HFCs to prevent depletion of the ozone layer, Prima Madan, Lead Consultant (Energy Efficiency and Cooling), NRDC India Program, told IANS: "India has exemplified its climate leadership by ratifying the Kigali Amendment." "There is a big opportunity for the country to be on course for an early phase down of HFCs, through domestic innovation, which would also make Indian industry globally competitive in climate-friendly cooling products. India's move fits in well with its plan for a green recovery, as we build back better." Added Alex Hillbrand, HFC Advocate, Climate and Clean Energy and International Program with the NRDC: "The Montreal Protocol community has long looked to India for its leadership on ozone and climate protection and today it has, yet again, answered the call.

"India's Kigali Amendment ratification is among the most significant of any country, and brings us to the cusp of universal ratification among the world's biggest economies." The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while giving the nod, also announced developing a national strategy for phasing out HFCs by 2023 after consultation with industries.

Chandra Bhushan, CEO of iFOREST, who was conferred with the Ozone Award by the UN-Environment, told IANS the ratification also signals India's intention to ramp up greenhouse gas emission reduction.

"The global warming potential of HFCs is a thousand times more than carbon dioxide. The ratification means India will have an HFC consumption and production freeze in 2028, a 10 per cent reduction in 2032, and an 85 per cent reduction by 2047. In doing so, India alone will reduce two to six billion tons of carbon equivalent emissions through 2050. This is equal to two years of India's current annual emissions." Globally, the HFC phase-down is expected to prevent the emission of up to 105 million tonne CO2e of greenhouse gases, helping to avoid up to 0.5 degrees Celsius of global temperature rise by 2100 while continuing to protect the ozone layer.

"The Kigali Amendment is a legally binding treaty, which creates clear obligations for government authorities and private actors to take time-bound action," said Bhushan.

The ratification is also viewed by the government to lead to "co-benefits" of achieving energy efficiency gains, maximizing economic and social benefits.

It is also expected to boost domestic markets and innovation for new generation alternative refrigerants and related technologies. The ratification also means India will have access to global financial and technical cooperation, including technology transfer, crucial for an energy transition.

(Vishal Gulati can be reached at vishal.g@ians.in)
Bengaluru, Aug 19 : A special court in Bengaluru on Thursday granted bail to former Karnataka minister Vinay Kulkarni in connection with the 2016 murder case of a BJP worker in Dharwad.

Kulkarni, who was minister in the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government, was accused of conspiring the murder his political opponent and zilla panchayat member Yogesh Gowda.

The Supreme Court had granted him bail in the murder case earlier but he had to stay in prison as he couldn't obtain bail regarding the destruction of evidence case.

Now, with the special court's order granting him conditional bail, Kulkarni would be released from prison in Belgavi where he has been lodged for the last nine months, but can't go to his native district Dharwad until the court approves.

Gowda was hacked to death on June 15, 2016 and though the family accused Kulkarni, then a minister, the Siddaramaiah government did not take any action against him.

The BJP carried out protests and made an issue in the elections. Former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyuppa vowed in election rallies that he would send Kulkarni to jail if the BJP is voted to power.

When the BJP came to power, the case was handed over to the CBI and Kulkarni and his relatives were arrested in connection with the case.
Mumbai, Aug 19 : Bollywood actress Ananya Pandey said that even though she takes social media trolls with a pinch of salt (and in fact considers them to be her fans too), it really hurts her when her family gets trolled.

Panday was most recently trolled for her comments on the Korean boy band, BTS. In 2019, she launched the 'Be Positive' initiative against social media bullying.

Appearing in the chat show 'Pinch Season 2' by Arbaaz Khan, Panday said, "If people troll me, I take it in a positive way, but it upsets me when they start saying things about my mom, dad and even my little sister. I don't hate my haters; in fact, I feel they are my biggest fans because they are constantly checking on me." Panday, who'll be seen next in the action film 'Khaali Peeli' with Ishaan Khatter, said, "I have always felt that the answer to hate should be love. I started 'So Positive' so that people who have no one to talk to, can reach out to someone. Always talk to someone you trust. It can be your teacher, parents, or the cyber police."
New Delhi, Aug 19 : The BJP's 'Jan Ashirwad Yatra' involving newly-inducted Union Cabinet ministers seeking people's blessings commenced across states on Thursday.

While the new Ministers of State (MoS) had taken out the Yatra for three days from August 16-18, the newly-inducted Cabinet ministers are taking out the Yatra for three days from August 19-21.

Apart from seeking blessings, the Yatra is also aimed at telling people "how the opposition parties, primarily the Congress, did not allow Prime Minister Narendra Modi to introduce these ministers, who came from ordinary backgrounds, in both Houses of the Parliament on the first day of Monsoon Session".

The Union ministers are also utilising the Yatra as an opportunity to explain to the people about the welfare measures adopted by the Modi government in the last seven years.

Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur, who was promoted during the recent Cabinet reshuffle, took out the Jan Ashirwad Yatra in Himachal Pradesh on Thursday.

Similarly, Union Labour Minister and BJP national General Secretary Bhupender Yadav sought people's blessings in Rajasthan. He had earlier sought people's blessings in Haryana.

Meanwhile, Union Culture and Tourism Minister G. Kishan Reddy started his Yatra after offering prayers to Lord Sri Venkateswara Swamy at Tirumala. During his Yatra, Reddy paid respects to martyrs at the Amar Jawan statue and visited the vaccination centre at the Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences Hospital (SVIMS) in Tirupati.

According to party leaders, Reddy will cover eight Lok Sabha and 17 Assembly constituencies.

Similarly, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya sought people's blessings in his home state Gujarat, while Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri participated in the Yatra in South Delhi along with local BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri.

All the new Cabinet ministers have reached their home states for the first time after being inducted into the Union Cabinet last month.

BJP national General Secretary and the convenor of the Yatra, Tarun Chugh, had said earlier, "All the 39 newly inducted ministers in the Union Cabinet will seek people's blessings during the three-day long Jan Ashirwad Yatra in 19 states.

"Together, all the ministers will cover 19,567 km, 212 Lok Sabha constituencies and 265 districts across the country."
Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 19 : Even as the state sees Covid running rampant, Kerala Tourism spots have all opened after ensuring that all in the locations have undergone vaccination.

State Tourism Minister P.A. Mohamed Riyas on Thursday went for an hour-long rafting and kayaking on the placid waters of Anjarakandi river in Kannur district. The minister, who is the son-in-law of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, has been proactive ever since the government decided to open up tourism activities and through this act, he has sent the message loud and clear that Kerala Tourism is all set to promote river and adventure tourism in a big way.

Riyas, accompanied by wife Veena Vijayan, rafted through the 3-km stretch of the river from Pinarayi to Parapram, enjoying the spectacular view of the lush coconut-palm fringed setting, punctuated by mangroves.

"Water tourism has great potential for Kerala. It is also a safe getaway for families during the pandemic. Rafting and kayaking through our rivers will be an unforgettable experience. No serious effort had so far been made to develop river tourism in Kerala, but the government has now chalked up plans to tap this sector in a big way as it would help increase the footfalls of both the foreign and domestic tourists in substantial numbers," said Riyas.

He also said more tourists could be attracted to North Malabar if the proposed river cruise tourism project is linked to adventure tourism.

"The government will look into creating an adventure tourism circuit linking the rivers of Kerala. Necessary infrastructure would be developed in key points of the circuit. The completion of the waterway project will impart an added momentum to the aqua tourism in the state," he added.

The waterway project, traversing through 11 districts, will provide tourists with the opportunity to cruise through the ancient water highways. Around 50 tourism spots are to be created along the banks of the 633-km West Coast Canal (WCC) from Kovalam in the south to Kasaragod in the north.
New Delhi, Aug 19 : Reacting to a Calcutta High Court order for a CBI probe into cases of post poll violence in West Bengal, the BJP on Thursday said the court order gave a clear message that anarchy has no place in the country.

Bharatiya Janata Party national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said, "Calcutta High Court has given an important order on post poll violence in West Bengal. Some of the important points of the order are that the five-judge bench unanimously spoke about the need for a court-monitored CBI probe. The High Court gave a strong message and made it clear that anarchy has no place in India." "The bench unanimously said that those innocent people who suffered harassment, or those who lost their family member should get justice and it cannot be delivered without a fair investigation," Bhatia said.

Calling Mamata Banerjee a failed Chief Minister, Bhatia said, "She failed to ensure security of people during post poll violence and killing. She also failed to get justice for the people." Referring to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) report on post poll violence and the court order, Bhatia said, "State police had not addressed people's complaints after violence broke out following the victory of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the state government allegedly protected the criminals." He mentioned that the court ordered that the CBI will probe the matter and all the evidence collected so far will be handed over to the agency.

Bhatia pointed out that the judiciary has shown that if a Chief Minister supports anarchy then it will step in to secure the people.

BJP West Bengal co-incharge Amit Malviya tweeted, "The voluminous documents forming part of the record reflects the cry of the deprived persons. The court cannot be a mute spectator nor should it be apathetic to the voices of the persons who felt aggrieved but must rise to the occasion and protect rights." BJP national general secretary (organisation), B L Santhosh tweeted, "Kolkata HC pronounced judgement on @AITCofficial engineered post poll violence in West Bengal. Court monitored CBI probe into all murder and rape cases and SIT probe headed by retired Supreme Court just about all other violence cases . SATYAMEVA JAYATE ....!!! Karma always haunts."
Mumbai, Aug 19 : The employees of Jet Airways have approached the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) seeking quashing of the NCLT's approval to the resolution plan of Kalrock-Jalan consortium.

The appeal comes after the emloyees rejected the resolution plan.

The plea by the Bharatiya Kamgar Sena (BKS) and the Jet Airways Cabin Crew Association have cited concerns on unpaid salary dues and continuity.

In the voting process of employees, only 35.1 per cent approved the plan while 3.2 rejected it, and 61.6 per cent abstained from the voting. As such, the proposal for ex-employees and workmen of Jet Airways (India) Ltd, put forward by Murari Lal Jalan and Florian Fritsch, has lapsed, the consortium informed employees on Thursday.

The admitted claims of employees stood at Rs 1,265 crore, while the consortium has proposed Rs 52 crore to settle their claims.

According to employees, the airline owes at least Rs 3 lakh to each employee which may well go up to Rs 85 lakh, while now each employee is being offered a total of around Rs 23,000, which one employee, who did not want to be named, described as "peanuts".

The plan proposes to pay each workman of the corporate debtor Rs 11,000 cash, Rs 5,100 cash as medical expense reimbursement for the parents of the workmen, Rs 5,100 cash as school fee reimbursement for children of the staff, Rs 1,100 for stationery for children of the staff and one-time mobile phone recharge of Rs 500.

This cash payment will be made out of the contingency fund (Rs 8 crore). Additional amounts, if required, will be utilised out of the proceeds of sale of assets received by the corporate debtor.
San Francisco, Aug 19 : Apple is censoring words and phrases relating to politics, religion, democracy and human rights -- which customers can engrave on its products -- in mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, CitizenLab has revealed.

An interdisciplinary laboratory based at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, University of Toronto, CitizenLab's research found that part of Apple's mainland China political censorship bleeds into both Hong Kong and Taiwan.

"Much of this censorship exceeds Apple's legal obligations in Hong Kong, and we are aware of no legal justification for the political censorship of content in Taiwan," said the report that came out on Wednesday.

An analysis found that the company filters 1,045 keywords in China, compared to 542 in Hong Kong, 397 in Taiwan, 206 in Canada, 192 in Japan, and 170 in the US.

"We present evidence that Apple does not fully understand what content they censor and that, rather than each censored keyword being born of careful consideration, many seem to have been thoughtlessly reappropriated from other sources," the team noted.

"In one case, Apple censored 10 Chinese names surnamed Zhang with generally unclear significance. The names appear to have been copied from a list we found also used to censor products from a Chinese company," they added.

Keywords filtered in China include politics, resist, wave of democracy, and human rights.

For AirTag engravings limited to four characters, Apple does not allow response to the "8964" engraving. The error message says: "Please resubmit your engraving message. Personalize with your initials, lucky numbers, and favorite emoji." The 8964 number refers to the Tiananmen Square protests, which took place on June 4th, 1989.

In Hong Kong, banned phrases include double universal suffrage, Umbrella Revolution and freedom of the press for engraving.

In Taiwan, Apple customers are not allowed to reference high-ranking members of the Chinese Communist Party like or the banned religious movement.

Apple responded to CitizenLab report, saying: "We try to not allow requests which could represent trademark or intellectual property violations, are vulgar or culturally insensitive, could be construed as inciting violence, or would be considered illegal according to local laws, rules, and regulations of the countries and regions where we personalise and where we ship." "We handle engraving requests regionally. There is no single global list that contains one set of words or phrases. Instead, these decisions are made through a review process where our teams assess local laws as well as their assessment of cultural sensitivities," said Apple's chief privacy officer Jane Horvath.

"To a large degree, this is not an automated process and relies on manual curation. At times, that can result in engraving requests being mistakenly rejected and we have a process in place to review and correct those situations when they occur," Horvath added.
Amaravati, Aug 19 : Telugu Desam Party (TDP) national general secretary Nara Lokesh on Thursday appealed to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy to immediately come to the rescue of private school teachers.

"I bring to your urgent attention an issue that remains under-reported and unrecognized by the government. The first and second waves of the coronavirus pandemic have left thousands of private teachers in financial and mental turmoil," said Lokesh.

Considering this predicament, especially in the light of a private school owning couple committing suicide recently in Kurnool district, he demanded that the state government provide immediate assistance.

The TDP's second in command advised the Chief Minister to learn from Telangana and Karnataka which doled out financial assistance and provisions to the beleaguered private teachers.

"Similarly, there must be immediate financial and in-kind transfers to their families in the short-term in AP, on the lines of what other governments have done," he noted.

According to Lokesh, there are 12,000 private schools in Andhra, providing employment to nearly 1.25 lakh teachers who are receiving only 60 per cent to 70 per cent of their salaries, including lack of clarity on retrenched teachers.

"Thousands of teachers in private schools have been receiving salaries irregularly since the lockdowns began in March 2020. Over the last five months, nearly 5 lakh members of the teaching and non-teaching staff working in schools, colleges and universities have borne the brunt of the economic recession resulting from the Covid pandemic," he observed.

He reminded that several Telugu and English dailies reported how private school teachers were forced to sell vegetables, do manual labour, work as construction labourers and take up other odd jobs to make ends meet.

"There is an instance of a Telugu lecturer with a PhD in Kadapa who was forced to do agricultural labour to support his family. Another Telugu teacher from Nellore was forced to sell bananas to sustain himself and his family amid the Covid pandemic," Lokesh lamented.

Highlighting that these are only a fraction of several such tragic stories, Lokesh said caring for them and ensuring their dignity and livelihood will ensure that these teachers' services to our current and future generations will continue.

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New Delhi, Aug 19 : The All India Institute of Medical Science may see its Officers Association going on strike by the end of this month to press for their demands, including cadre review "which has not been done for last 30 years".

The Officers Association of AIIMS has submitted a memorandum to the AIIMS administration with their demands, saying cadre review has not been done since 1992 and the Health Ministry and AIIMS should seriously consider the matter.

Officers Association of AIIMS President Ajeet Singh said that they have written many times to the Health Ministry in the past, but got no response.

"Now the Health Minister has also changed, but our demands are still unanswered. We are requesting the AIIMS administration to undertake a cadre review which has not been done for last 30 years. Once the cadre is reviewed, the employees of Officers Association AIIMS can be promoted, but no consideration has been given so far," said.

The association's other demands include the review of AIIMS's contribution in national pension scheme. Ajeet Singh claimed that other government offices contribute 14 per cent in the NPS, but AIIMS offers only 10 per cent.

He also said that Delhi's AIIMS, Chandigarh AIIMS, and PGI Puducherry Hospital fall under the same category, but all are being given different pay scales. "A coordination committee was constituted in 2012 at Deputy Director level with Delhi AIIMS, Chandigarh AIIMS, and PGI Puducherry to solve such issues but all has gone in vain and nothing has been achieved," he said.

If the AIIMS administration will not respond to our demands, we will go on strike by the end of this month, he warned.
New Delhi, Aug 19 : Against the export target of 60 lakh metric tonnes (LMT), contracts of about 70 LMT have been signed and more than 60 LMT sugar has been lifted from the sugar mills as on August 16, the government said on Thursday.

Also, a record value of sugarcane worth nearly Rs 91,000 crore has been purchased by sugar mills in 2020-21 to facilitate export of surplus sugar and diversion of sugar to ethanol to ensure timely payment of cane dues, said a release issued by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.

In the past few years, sugar production in the country has been more than the domestic consumption. The Central government has been encouraging sugar mills to divert surplus sugar to ethanol and has been providing financial assistance to the sugar mills to facilitate export of sugar, thereby improving their liquidity, and enabling timely payment of cane price dues to the farmers.

In the last three sugar seasons -- 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 -- about 6.2 LMT, 38 LMT and 59.60 LMT of sugar has been exported, respectively.

In the current sugar season 2020-21 (Oct-Sept), the government is providing assistance of Rs 6,000/MT to facilitate export of 60 LMT of sugar.

Against the export target of 60 LMT, contracts of about 70 LMT have been signed, more than 60 LMT has been lifted from the sugar mills and over 55 LMT has been physically exported from country as on August 16, 2021.

Some sugar mills have also signed forward contracts for export in the ensuing sugar season 2021-22. Export of sugar has helped in maintaining demand-supply balance and stabilising domestic ex-mill prices of sugar.

In order to find a permanent solution to deal with the problem of excess sugar, the government is encouraging sugar mills to divert excess sugarcane to ethanol, which, in turn, is blended with petrol.

It not only serves as a green fuel but also saves foreign exchange on account of crude oil import; revenues generated from sale of ethanol by mills also help the sugar mills clear cane price dues of the farmers.

In the last two sugar seasons -- 2018-19 and 2019-20 -- about 3.37 LMT and 9.26 LMT of sugar has been diverted to ethanol, respectively. In the current sugar season, more than 20 LMT is likely to be diverted.

In the ensuing sugar season (2021-22), about 35 LMT of sugar is estimated to be diverted; and by 2024-25, about 60 LMT of sugar is targeted to be diverted to ethanol, which would address the problem of excess sugarcane/sugar as well as delayed payment issue because the farmers would get paid immediately.

However, as the adequate ethanol distillation capacities would be added only by 2024-25, export of sugar will continue for another 2-3 years.

In the past three sugar seasons, about Rs 22,000 crore revenue was generated by sugar mills/distilleries from the sale of ethanol to the oil marketing companies (OMCs).

In the current sugar season, about Rs 15,000 crore revenue is being generated by sugar mills from sale of ethanol to OMCs, which has helped sugarcane mills make timely payment of cane dues to the farmers.

In the previous sugar season of 2019-20, about Rs 75,845 crore cane dues were payable, out of which Rs 75,703 crore has been paid and only Rs 142 crore arrears are pending.

In the current sugar season of 2020-21, sugarcane worth about Rs 90,872 crore has been purchased by the sugar mills, which is a record, against which about Rs 81,963 crore cane dues have already been paid to the farmers, the ministry release said.
Srinagar, Aug 19 : An activist of Apni Party was shot dead by militants on Thursday in J&K's Kulgam district, police said.

Police sources said Ghulam Hassan Lone, an activist of Apni Party, was shot dead in Devsar area of Kulgam.

"Militants fired at him from close range. He was shifted to hospital for treatment where he succumbed.

"A manhunt has been started to trace the assailants," a source said.
New Delhi, Aug 19 : A Delhi court, while discharging Congress MP Shashi Tharoor in the case related to death of his wife Sunanda Pushkar, said there is nothing on record to show he had "provoked, incited or induced the deceased to commit suicide", and that she might have felt distressed or mentally disturbed with his alleged extra-marital relation, "but mental disturbances does not constitute the offence of abetment".

In the 176-page order, special judge Geetanjali Goel said: "There is nothing to demonstrate any overt act on the part of the accused (Tharoor) and only on the ground that he continued the alleged affair with MT (a Pakistani journalist) (even if it is assumed) and exchanged messages with her, it cannot be presumed that he had abetted the commission of suicide by the deceased." The court added the prosecution has not been able to point out even one instance where the accused had done something purposefully which facilitated the commission of the offence.

"There is no material whatsoever against the accused, much less any positive act to instigate or aid the deceased in committing the suicide, even if it is assumed that the death was a suicide. As such, it is not shown, even prima facie, that the offence under Section 306 IPC is made out against the accused," said the court.

The court observed that Pushkar might have felt distressed or mentally disturbed with the alleged extra-marital relation of the accused, but mental disturbance does not constitute the offence of abetment.

The court further added even it cannot be said that a person subjecting a woman to cruelty is guilty of abetment unless something is brought on record. "Even for instigation, the intention to provoke, incite, urge or encourage doing of an act is an essential factor but the record does not bear out any such intention on the part of the accused," it said.

The prosecution had argued that Tharoor had continued the affair with MT despite his assurance not to continue the same and this showed wilful misrepresentation and instigation by misrepresentation.

Junking this contention, the court said: "There is nothing on record to show that the accused did some act in order to irritate or annoy the deceased until she reacted or strongly persuaded or advised the deceased to do some act with the intention to provoke, incite, urge or encourage the latter to commit suicide." The court on Wednesday had pronounced the order discharging Tharoor. Pushkar was found dead on the evening of January 17, 2014. Initially, Delhi Police investigated it as a murder, with an FIR registered under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), but then it charged Tharoor under Sections 306 (abetment of suicide) and 498A (cruelty by husband).
Singapore, Aug 19 : People who were infected with SARS in 2003 and recovered are able to produce antibodies that can potentially neutralise all known Covid-19 variants of concern, scientists have found.

The findings, published in The New England Journal Of Medicine, could pave the way for the development of a booster jab, which may involve targeting the SARS-CoV-1 virus responsible for the SARS epidemic in 2003, the Strait Times reported.

A team from the Duke-NUS medical school and the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID), found that the antibodies can also tackle other potential animal coronaviruses, offering a broader spectrum of protection for future variants and coronaviruses.

Among the coronavirus family, one viral sub-group relies on the ACE2 molecule -- a protein found on the surface of many cell types -- to enter human cells. Neutralising antibodies are able to prevent the viral spike protein from binding with the ACE2 molecules in human cells.

"Both SARS-CoV-1 and the SARS-Cov-2 virus, which causes Covid-19, belong to this group, as well as a number of coronaviruses circulating among animals such as bats, pangolins and civets," Professor Wang Linfa from the Duke-NUS Emerging Infectious Diseases (EID) programme was quoted as saying.

"Collectively, this group of viruses is known as the sarbecovirus, which has the potential to jump from animals to humans, and could start the next pandemic, although the exact route of transmission still remains unknown," he added.

The SARS-CoV-1, SARS-CoV-2 viruses, and the sarbecoviruses have similar antibody-binding sites, which can be targeted by a pan-sarbecovirus neutralising antibody to prevent infection.

For the study, the team recruited eight people who recovered from SARS-CoV-1, 10 healthy people and 10 people who recovered from Covid-19 and compared the immune response of the three groups before and after they were vaccinated with the Covid-19 vaccine.

Before getting vaccinated, people who recovered from SARS had detectable neutralising antibodies against the SARS-CoV-1 virus, but had little to no antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, Dr Wanni Chia, a research fellow at the Duke-NUS EID programme was quoted as saying.

But after taking two shots of the Pfizer Covid vaccine, they displayed high levels of neutralising antibodies against both viruses, and a broad spectrum of antibodies against 10 sarbecoviruses that were examined, she noted.

The team now aims to develop a vaccine booster to increase protection for the Covid-19 variants, and potential SARS-CoV-3 or SARS-CoV-4 disease, the report said.

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New Delhi, Aug 19 : MGF Developments Ltd has filed an FIR against officials of its erstwhile joint venture partner Emaar India, including Emaar Properties Group CEO, Amit Jain.

The FIR alleges offences of fraud, cheating, criminal breach of trust, and criminal conspiracy under the provisions of Sections 406, 409, 420, 467, 468, 471, and 120 B of the IPC.

MGF Developments Ltd, with its subsidiary companies, have complained in the FIR that Emaar officials, fraudulently and unauthorisedly, forged Board Resolutions of MGF subsidiary companies and executed general power of attorney (GPA) in favour of Emaar in respect of land owned by the subsidiaries of MGF.

As per the allegations, Emaar, on the basis of fraudulent GPA, entered into collaboration agreement in respect of the said land with a local builder of Gurugram, who thereupon has applied for license for development of affordable group housing in Sector 81, Gurugram including the said land of MGF subsidiaries.

As per MGF, the license is in the process before the DTCP and once the license is issued in respect of such land, the prospective buyers of the said proposed project are bound to suffer. MGF has said that its subsidiary companies, for no wrong done on their part, shall unnecessarily be fastened under the provisions of RERA for the said project.

In a statement on the FIR, Emaar India said that as a responsible corporate and a law abiding company, it ensures that it is always in compliance with prescribed laws of the land.

"Emaar India is one among the leading realty companies with a presence of over 15 years in Indian realty sector. As a responsible corporate and a law abiding company, we ensure that we are always in compliance with prescribed laws of the land. We have full faith in the country's judiciary and will cooperate with the required legal process," it said.

Both MGF and Emaar have been fighting legal tussles.

In January, Emaar India accused MGF Group and its Chairman Shravan Gupta of trying to illegally transfer a land parcel in Okhla.

In a statement, Emaar had cautioned against dealing with MGF Group, Gupta and associates in respect of the land parcel which was valued at nearly Rs 500 crore in 2008 and may be valued much higher now. Emaar had also issued a public notice to this effect.

Emaar Properties, entered the Indian real estate market by investing about Rs 7,000 crores in a joint venture with Shravan Gupta-owned and controlled MGF Development in 2005. The two partners parted way in 2016 through a demerger process by way of court of law.

Emaar has also sought compensation of Rs 2,400 crore and a detailed investigation from the NCLT into the alleged fraudulent and illegal acts of Gupta, Shilpa Gupta, MGF and associates in breach of fiduciary responsibility and trust imposed by the Dubai-based realty giant in the joint venture Emaar MGF Ltd. Emaar has also sought a bank guarantee of minimum Rs 2,400 crore to secure its losses.
New Delhi, Aug 19 : On the occasion of the 77th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister late Rajiv Gandhi, the Indian Youth Congress, the National Students Union of India and the Congress Seva Dal will organise several programmes, including blood donation camps.

IYC national media head, Rahul Rao said that on Sadbhavna Diwas, the birth anniversary of the former Prime Minister, the IYC will organise a photo exhibition in Delhi, sports, cultural events, run for nation and blood donation camps all across the country.

IYC President Srinivas BV said, "Rajiv Gandhiji was the architect of modern India, who worked towards making India strong and self-reliant, the country is still reaping the benefits of his vision." He said that it was his foresight that has put India in the ranks of strong, modern nations.

"Under the leadership of Rajiv Gandhi, India had touched the dimension of development. He focused on the upliftment of every section of the country and worked to strengthen them. Rajiv Gandhiji paved the way for development in the country through establishment of peace," he said.

Srinivas said that Rajiv Gandhi, who became the Prime Minister at the age of 40, created modern India and is called the architect of Digital India and the father of information technology and telecommunication revolution.

The NSUI will also organise a blood donation camp to mark the birth anniversary of the former Prime Minister.

NSUI national secretary Lokesh Chugh said, "NSUI has taken a step forward towards well being by planning a blood donation camp, as Rajiv Gandhi believed that blood donation camps can save many precious lives." The Congress Seva Dal will take out a 'Loktantra Bachao Tiranga Yatra' from the party headquarters to Veer Bhumi.

The Seva Dal said that it is also organising a protest rally against the anti-people policies of the central government.

Rajiv Gandhi was born on August 20, 1944, and was India's sixth Prime Minister. He took office after the assassination of his mother and then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, in 1984.

Born to Feroz and Indira Gandhi, the former Prime Minister was assassinated on May 21, 1991, during a public rally in Tamil Nadu's Sriperumbudur near Chennai.

He was posthumously awarded India's highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna.

His birth anniversary is celebrated as Sadbhanwna Diwas.
New Delhi, Aug 19 : The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed mining baron Gali Janardhana Reddy, accused in the multi-crore illegal mining case, to visit and stay in Karnataka's Ballari district for a period of eight weeks.

A bench of Justices Vineet Saran and Dinesh Maheshwari said: "It is directed that the condition imposed to not visit these three places in bail order be modified." The top court modified the condition imposed by it in its January 20, 2015 bail order to allow Reddy to visit and stay in Ballari for eight weeks.

Reddy was granted bail in illegal mining case registered by the CBI on December 7, 2009. He was then ordered not to visit Ballari in Karnataka, and Ananthpuram and Kadapa districts in Andhra Pradesh.

The bench noted that the trial has not even commenced, and that the petitioner has not violated any bail condition even when he visited Ballari. It observed the trial court should endeavour to expedite the trial, as his lawyers argued that the CBI has not made any effort to do so.

Opposing Reddy's plea, the CBI said he was an influential person and should not be allowed to visit Ballari as most of the witnesses in the case belonged to the place. Additional Solicitor General Madhvi Divan contended that he has attempted to subvert the judicial process, therefore the bail condition ought not be modified.

The top court said the modified bail condition was subject to Reddy intimating the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of his visit.

Reddy, represented by senior advocates Mukul Rohatgi and Ranjit Kumar, in his application for modifying the bail conditions, contended that the trial in the case has yet not commenced and he shouldn't suffer for it. Counsel further added that certain stay orders were granted in applications by other co-accused, for which Reddy cannot be held responsible.

As Divan said that the 2015 bail order was consensual and he should not be allowed now to seek its modification, Reddy's lawyers pointed out that the CBI had filed charge sheets in the case as well as a memo on July 16, 2021 before the court of principal special judge, Hyderabad, stating that investigation is complete.

The top court has listed the matter for further hearing in the third week of November.
New Delhi, Aug 19 : Moving ahead in the Darbhanga railway station explosion case, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is all set to question arrested Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Abdul Karim Tunda for his alleged role in giving training for the configuration and assembling of the bomb that exploded in a parcel on the Secunderabad-Delhi Express train.

Tunda who was arrested in 2013 by the Delhi Police. The official said that the agency has got the vital inputs that Tunda had trained Mohammad Nasir Khan, who planted the bomb in the train on June 15 this year.

The official said that the agency has arrested four persons in connection with the case. They include Imran Malik and Khan (both brothers) and members of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) who were arrested from Hyderabad on June 30; Mohammad Salim Ahmed aka Haji Salim and Kafil aka Kafeel, both residents of Uttar Pradesh's Kairana and arrested on July 2.

The official pointed out that Tunda shares good relations with Pakistan-based Iqbal Kana, on whose instructions the bomb was planted in the Secunderabad-Darbhanga Express train. The official said that Tunda was arrested after being on the run for over two decades in August 2013. Tunda had come in contact with Kana in 2009.

The official said that during the questioning of the arrested accused, the role of Tunda came to light. A NIA spokesperson had earlier in a statement said that preliminary investigation had revealed a trans-national conspiracy hatched by top operatives of the proscribed terror outfit LeT to execute terror acts across India and cause large-scale damage to life and property.

The NIA had said that acting under the directions of Pakistan-based handlers of Lashkar, Khan and Malik had fabricated an incendiary IED and packed it in a parcel of cloth and booked the same in a long-distance train from Secunderabad to Darbhanga. The anti-terror probe agency pointed out that this was aimed at causing an explosion and fire in a "running passenger train", resulting in huge loss of lives and property.

The official said that Khan was also sent to Pakistan in 2012 where he got the training in configuring the bomb and was also asked to meet Kana and other Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) officers. Khan returned to India after six months and remained inactive till 2020. Even his brother Nasir was also in touch with Kana, the official said.

Digging more into the role of other accused Ahmed, a resident of Kairana, the official said that he was also in touch with Kana as they are from the same village. The official said that brothers Khan and Malik had met at the residence of Ahmed in February 2021 and finalised the plan of planting an IED in a moving train so casualties and extensive damage to property can be caused. Ahmed also arranged Rs 1.6 lakh for Khan and Malik for carrying out explosion.

Terming Ahmed a close associate of Pakistan-based LeT operative Kana, the NIA official said: "Ahmed was acting as a key intermediary between Kana and arrested brothers Khan and Malik. He was also involved in channelling funds sent by Kana that were used in executing the terror act." The official said that Ahmed had visited Pakistan on a number of occasions. The anti-terror probe agency will also probe the hawala transaction dealings between the LeT handlers based in Pakistan and their members in India. The source revealed that Ahmed has also been questioned by a team of the Intelligence Bureau and several other agencies.

Following the blast, a case was registered in Bihar's Muzaffarpur on June 17. The NIA had taken over the probe on June 24.

(Anand Singh can be contacted at anand.s@ians.in)
New Delhi, Aug 19 : The Taliban are intensifying their hunt for people who worked for and collaborated with NATO and the US forces, according to a UN document.

The confidential paper was produced by the Norwegian Centre for Global Analyses, which provides the UN with intelligence information.

"The Taliban are arresting and/or threatening to kill or arrest family members of target individuals unless they surrender themselves to the Taliban," the BBC reported.

It said that those at particular risk are people with positions in the military, police and investigative units.

"The Taliban have been conducting advance mapping of individuals prior to take take-over of all major cities," it said.

It added that the militants are screening for individuals while permitting some evacuation of foreign personnel from Kabul airport, but the situation there remained "chaotic".

According to the report, the Taliban are recruiting new informer networks to collaborate with the new regime.

Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid had said on Tuesday that the insurgent group does not wish to "repeat any conflict, any war".

"We want to do away with the factors for conflict. Therefore, the Islamic Emirate does not have any kind of any kind of hostility or animosity towards anybody," Mujahid had said in his first press conference since the Taliban overthrew the Afghanistan government.

He added that all animosity "has come to an end".

"We would like to live peacefully. We do not want any internal enemies or external enemies," he had said, as reported by Geo News.

The Taliban would not seek retribution against former soldiers and members of the Western-backed government, the spokesman had said, adding that the movement is granting an amnesty for former Afghan government soldiers as well as contractors and translators who worked for international forces.
Toronto, Aug 19 : Canada's decision to ban direct flights from India till September 21 while allowing vaccinated family-class passengers and students from all other countries has not gone down well with the Indo-Canadian community.

As a result of the ban, Indian students and family-class returnees are taking indirect routes to reach Canada, costing them $4,000-$6,000 per person.

They are travelling to Canada via Mexico, the Maldives, Doha, Belgrade and Cairo, where they stop for two to 10 nights before taking a Covid test and boarding onward flights.

The Canadian government said that passengers coming from India "via an indirect route will continue to be required to obtain a valid Covid-19 pre-departure test report from a third country -- other than India -- before continuing their journey to Canada".

The Canadian authorities suspect that travellers from India are using fake documents about Covid vaccination.

As direct flights from countries such as Pakistan continue to land here, many in the Indo-Canadian community see the ban as a discriminatory move against India.

Indo-Canadian aviation expert Hemant Shah said Canada's decision is guided by political reasons.

"Why only India? When you talk about human rights, why this discrimination against India when Indo-Canadians are a major part of Canada's workforce, and Indian students pump billions into Canada's economy," he asked.

Satish Thakkar, chairman of the Canada-India Foundation, said the ban has created a lot of confusion in the community because Covid cases are coming down in India even as other countries show signs of an uptick.

"Passengers from India take shots of Covishield which is approved by the WHO and Canada. If you allow people with two doses from other countries, the same should apply to travellers from India. If you allow them via third countries, why not directly," Thakkar asked.

Toronto-based Rishi Kapoor of Nanak Flights said the ban on direct flights is bleeding travellers from India.

"If the authorities here suspect Covid tests, they should issue a list of approved labs so that the travellers can get vaccinated there before coming to Canada," Kapoor said.

However, Brig (retd) Nawab Heir, who heads the Veterans' Association of Ontario, said the ban on India flights has been extended in view of the threat of the Delta variant.

"There have been reports of some Delta cases around Brampton and some people have been caught with fake test certificates and flouting rules," he said.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Chennai, Aug 19 : The US Consulate General, Chennai launched its Madras Week celebrations with a virtual tour titled "America in Chennai" - Sites, Streets, Structures.

This was organized by the United States-India Educational Foundation (USIEF) in collaboration with the University of Madras.

US Consul General in Chennai Judith Ravin joined Indian Fulbright-Nehru alumnus Prof Suresh Sethuraman on the virtual tour.

The Fulbright Program, the US State Department's flagship international exchange program is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year.

In her remarks, Ravin said: "Today, we not only celebrate the Fulbright Program's 75th anniversary but also the founding day of the city called Madras, which is now Chennai. I would like to remind everyone that American Center Chennai, housed inside the US Consulate building, has a special corner dedicated to the city's famed historian, S. Muthiah, one of the founders of Madras Day." During his lecture, Prof Suresh Sethuraman, an archaeologist and architectural historian, shared unusual and fascinating facts about Chennai's historic links to America.

He said "Chennai boasts of several sites, streets, and structures that have strong America connections - the St. Mary's church within Fort St. George where Elihu Yale of Yale University fame got married in 1680, the Ice House on Kamarajar Salai where ice from Massachusetts was stored in the nineteenth century, the YMCA building opposite the Madras High Court built with financial aid from the US." He said that information about these connections is available in archival records in the United States and in Chennai and added that this was a good occasion to recall and celebrate these little known links.

He said that the local government authorities and the owners/custodians of these structures/sites could consider putting up appropriate signages highlighting these unique historic connections for the benefit of local citizens, researchers and tourists.

The US Consulate General Office said that on August 25, USIEF, in collaboration with the US Consulate General Chennai will present a virtual panel discussion: Gana, Koothu, Cutcheri: How Chennai Rolls as a UNESCO Creative City to continue its 75th-anniversary celebration of the Fulbright program worldwide and to mark the occasion of Madras Week.

The webinar with eminent women from the cultural field will discuss what makes Chennai a creative city, with a look at the history of Chennai's diverse music traditions, as well as what it means to be recognised as a UNESCO Creative City for citizens, musicians and policymakers.
Mumbai, Aug 19 : Actor Tanuj Virwani, who plays 'Major Bhau in 'Cartel, gives an insight on how it feels to depict a gangster on screen.

According to the actor, besides all the power, influence and money, one still can't comprehend the magnitude of how terrifying the dark world can be.

He says: "When I act, I allow myself to be vulnerable and truly immerse myself as I step into the shoes of the character. I realised that being a gangster is not easy at all, you are constantly on the edge, worried about getting caught or about who will turn their back on you next." The 34-year-old actor, who's known for web shows like 'Code M' and 'Inside Edge', further shares the nuances of being part of the crime world.

Tanuj adds: "Most importantly, your family is constantly under the radar, regardless of whether they are involved. I can't imagine living in a world where I can trust almost no one. Behind all the power, there is a lot of fear. And this show brings all these issues on-screen." 'Cartel' will be streaming from August 20 on MX Player's MX Gold and ALTBalaji.
Kabul, Aug 19 : Several people have been killed after Taliban fighters shot at crowds in Afghanistan for waving the national flag at an independence day rally, leading to mass panic and stampede, a witness said, a day after three people were killed in a similar protest, The Guardian reported on Thursday.

Demonstrations in the city of Asadabad, in which white Taliban flags were torn down, were among the first signs of popular opposition to the Taliban since their stunning advance across the country and the capture of Kabul on August 15.

It was unclear if the casualties resulted from the firing or from the crowd crush it triggered, said a witness, Mohammed Salim.

"Hundreds of people came out on the streets. Several people were killed and injured in the stampede and firing by the Taliban," Salim said.

A Taliban spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.

Afghanistan celebrates its independence from British control on August 19 and there were signs that it had galvanised dissent against the Taliban across the country.

Hundreds of protesters, including women, gathered in Kabul brandishing the national flag and shouting "our flag, our identity".

Taliban fighters surrounded some of the protesters, shouting and firing rounds in the air in an attempt to disperse the crowds.

At Abdul Haq Square, one protester climbed a flag pole to pull down the white Taliban flag and replace it with the black, red and green national flag.

On Wednesday, three people were killed when Taliban fighters fired at protesters waving the national flag in Jalalabad.

Afghan vice-president, Amrullah Saleh, who is trying to rally the opposition to the Taliban under his leadership, expressed support for the protests.

"Salute those who carry the national flag and thus stand for dignity of the nation," he said.
Chennai, Aug 19 : Days before his marriage, a youth in Tamil Nadu's Ambur suffered burn injuries in his face, shoulder, and arm when two unidentified motorcycle-borne men hurled acid on him, police said on Thursday.

The attack on Shameel Ahamed, who was to marry a woman from Chennai on the coming Monday, occurred on Wednesday.

He was admitted to a private hospital in Vellore after first aid in Government General Hospital, Ambur.

Ahamed is a worker in a leather footwear manufacturing company and had gone to visit some friends after work when he was attacked.

The culprits are yet to be identified but police have registered a case under Section 326 (voluntarily causing grievous injuries by using acid) of the Indian Penal Code.

A team of police officers led by Deputy Superintendent of Police, Ambur, N. Saravanan, had reached the spot and have questioned several local people to get a tip-off on the attackers.
New Delhi, Aug 19: About three hours drive from Kabul is Panjshir, a northern province still free from Taliban rule. With the Hindu Kush mountain range providing a natural fortress, the valley had taken control of its own security since the times of Ahmad Shah Massoud - better known as the 'Lion of Panjshir' for his heroics against the Soviets, Al-Qaeda and the Taliban.

It is in these high passes now that another anti-Taliban coalition seems to be forming. As chaos rules in the rest of Afghanistan, the flag of the Northern Alliance was raised in Panjshir a few days ago.

Let us look at some players who will play a key role in the new resistance movement: Ahmad Massoud

Son of Ahmad Shah Massoud and now the leader of the National Resistance Front, the 32-year-old holds a bachelor's degree from London's King's College and has also studied at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. After returning home in 2019, the junior Massoud has spent a considerable time reuniting followers of his legendary father. Now, with the fall of Kabul to the Taliban, Ahmad Massoud has emerged as one of the main leaders of the resistance movement. Pictures and videos of him having talks with Amrullah Saleh, the Vice President in the Ashraf Ghani regime, have emerged as they plan their next move ahead with other commanders.

"My father never forgot this as he fought against the Taliban regime. Up until the moment he was assassinated on Sept. 9, 2001, at the behest of the Taliban and al-Qaeda, he was fighting for the fate of Afghanistan but also for the West. Now this common struggle is more essential than ever in these dark, tense hours for my homeland," Massoud wrote in an opinion piece for The Washington Post on Wednesday.

"I write from the Panjshir Valley today, ready to follow in my father's footsteps, with mujahideen fighters who are prepared to once again take on the Taliban. We have stores of ammunition and arms that we have patiently collected since my father's time, because we knew this day might come," he added insisting that under the Taliban control, Afghanistan will become "ground zero of radical Islamist terrorism" where "plots against democracies" will be hatched once again.

General Bismillah Mohammadi The defence minister in Ghani government, Mohammadi has vowed to "liberate the nation from terrorists" after the Taliban takeover. On Wednesday, he tweeted "Where are you, my house is cold" with a photograph of Ahmad Shah Massoud, his former boss. Having led the Afghan army and also country's interior ministry in the past, Mohammadi is expected to contribute extensively to the resistance movement against the Taliban regime.

"I am not so unscrupulous as to sit around a table with the killers of thousands of defense forces and innocent civilians, and declare my support for this terrorist group. And religious Afghanistan can not rule. We will liberate Afghanistan from these terrorists. History will judge Ghani, the lover of his gang!," Mohammadi has said in a series of tweets over the past few days, thus making his intentions clear.

Amrullah Saleh Calling himself Afghanistan's "legitimate" caretaker president after Ghani fled the country, the former Vice President also comes from the Panjshir valley and has been a huge follower of Ahmad Shah Massoud. Saleh has been reaching out all leaders to secure their support and consensus in the fight against the Taliban and said that he will never bow to the "Talib terrorists", an act which will betray the soul and legacy of his hero Ahmad Shah Masoud who remains "the commander, the legend and the guide" for him, forever.

"Nations must respect the rule of law, not violence. Afghanistan is too big for Pakistan to swallow and too big for Talibs to govern. Don't let your histories have a chapter on humiliation and bowing to terror groups," he tweeted a little while ago.

(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative
New Delhi, Aug 19 : The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to hear the plea of a woman seeking cancellation of bail of her mother, who along with her husband and son, has been allegedly accused of hatching conspiracy for the "honour killing" case of her husband in 2017.

Senior lawyer Indira Jaising submitted before a bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana that it is a fit case for cancellation of bail. The top court had earlier cancelled the bail of woman's brother in the matter.

Jaipur-based Mamta had married Amit Nair, hailing from Kerala, against the wishes of her parents and brother in 2015. Nair was shot dead allegedly by a hired killer in 2017.

The bench, also comprising Justices Surya Kant and Aniruddha Bose, issued notice in the matter. It was argued that the mother of the woman had allegedly played an active role in the killing of her son-in-law, and counsel contended that the woman's mother and father have been wrongly granted bail in the matter.

The bench observed that it will consider the plea for cancellation of bail of father later when the woman files a separate petition.

The Supreme Court had last month cancelled the bail of the woman's brother, who was accused of conspiring to murder his Keralite brother-in-law, shot dead in front of his pregnant wife in an alleged case of honour killing.

It had set aside a Rajasthan High Court order, which granted bail to the woman's brother. The bench had said: "We are of the considered opinion that the order dated December 1, 2020 passed by the High Court of Judicature for Rajasthan, Bench at Jaipur, impugned herein is not sustainable. The same is accordingly set aside and the bail granted to respondent No. 2 is cancelled." The bench said: "We, therefore, direct the respondent No 2, Mukesh Chaudhary to surrender before the court of upper district and sessions judge, Jaipur City. We make it clear that we have not expressed any opinion on the merits of the case and the trial court shall consider the case being uninfluenced by any of the observations herein."
New Delhi, Aug 19: Despite the Taliban rebuff over Turkish boots at the Kabul airport, Ankara is determinedly pushing ahead with its Afghan agenda. President Reccep Tayip Erdogan sees space to move Turkish influence into the vacuum created by the US.

On Wednesday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu made phone calls to the foreign ministers of Russia, South Korea, Australia, China and Tajikistan to discuss the Afghan imbroglio.

Separately, Erdogan has reiterated that he is willing to talk to different Taliban groups to bring about rapprochement. Erdogan wants to bring "calm" to the war-torn country. He said: "For the calm of the people of Afghanistan, the well-being of our Turkish kinsmen living in the country and protecting the interests of our country, we are open to any cooperation".

Even as it keeps a sharp eye on the developments in Afghanistan, Turkey wants its Central Asian influence to extend seamlessly into Afghanistan. Afterall the South Asian nation touches Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan, where Turkey has an ethnic and linguistic commonality.

Ankara wants to pick up the pieces in landlocked Afghanistan, in a similar fashion it did in Central Asia after the collapse of the Soviet Union. "Turkey filled up the gaps in the republics after the break-up of the USSR. At that time, it rendered vital support in the fields of infrastructure and in shoring up the economy of the Central Asian Republics", an expert told India Narrative.

Many people from the republics travelled to Turkey to take up employment. Erdogan wants an encore but Afghanistan is not Central Asia and neither are its new rulers upholders of a secular order that is so perceptible in Central Asian Republics.

Simply put, the Taliban does not see things Erdogan's way.

Experts also see Erdogan paying lip service to the cause of the common Afghans. The Turkish strongman may reiterate support to Afghanistan but he is also building a wall on the Iran border to keep the Afghan people out. Turkey plans to construct a gigantic 295-km long wall, of which about 60 odd kms (40 miles) is complete in its eastern Anatolian region of Van. The wall has come up exactly when the war-weary Afghan wants to escape conflict.

Turkey has also opened up discussions with Islamic brother Pakistan to ensure that Afghans do not flood Turkey. For that matter, Pakistan too has closed its borders with Afghanistan citing two reasons--that the displaced Afghans are likely to spread the coronavirus pandemic and that it has already been sheltering too many Afghans refugees.

It is not as yet clear as to how will Ankara and Islamabad manage to keep the Afghan refugees out of their borders. Both want a bigger say in the Afghan pie but none wants the Afghan people on their land.

Despite the repeated offers of intervention from a Muslim brother, the militant group finds the Western NATO imprint on the 600-odd Turkish troops. The Taliban militants, married to a hard core Islamist ideology, are clear they do not want Turkey on their soil as they see it as part of the occupation force.

The irony is that despite being person non-grata in Afghanistan, Turkey is not giving up. In the latest communication, foreign minister Cavusoglu has said that Turkey is waiting for the Taliban to form a government so that Ankara can hold talks.

(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative
United Nations, Aug 19 : As events in Afghanistan elevate concerns about international security, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said on Thursday said that the global community should call out the hypocrisy of countries that protect terrorists "with innocents' blood on their hands".

Speaking at the Security Council on the international threat of terrorism, he drew attention to the roles of Pakistan and China in providing support to terrorist groups without mentioning the two by name.

"Unfortunately, there are also some countries who seek to undermine or subvert our collective resolve to fight terrorism. This cannot be allowed to pass.

"When we see state hospitality being extended to those with innocents blood on their hands, we should never lack the courage to call out their double-speak," Jaishankar said.

"Whether it is in Afghanistan or against India, groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) continue to operate with both impunity and encouragement," he said.

"It is, therefore, vital that this Council does not take a selective, tactical or complacent view of the problems we face. We must never countenance sanctuaries for terrorists or overlook their raising of resources," he said.

In what is seen as a reference to Beijing's attempts to protect individuals and groups linked to Pakistan-backed LeT and JeM, he said: "Don't place blocks and holds on listing requests without any reason." Reiterating his action plan against terrorism, he said the Council in tackling terrorists and terrorist groups should "enlist and delist objectively, not on political or religious considerations".

Jaishankar warned that "in our own immediate neighbourhood, ISIL-Khorasan (ISIL-K) has become more energetic and is constantly seeking to expand its footprint. Events unfolding in Afghanistan have naturally enhanced global concerns about their implications for both regional and international security".

He called for early adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism proposed by India.

It has been blocked by some countries that try to defend some terrorists as "freedom-fighters".

Jaishankar said, "Summon the political will: don't justify terrorism, don't glorify terrorists. No double standards. Terrorists are terrorists; distinctions are made only at our own peril." He said that despite the international efforts to tighten legal measures against financing terrorist organisations, they still receive money.

"The flow of funds has continued and rewards for killings are now even being paid in Bitcoins!" Expressing his solidarity with all the victims of terrorism, Jaishankar said that while the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attack on the US comes up next month, "the 2008 Mumbai terror attack is imprinted in our memories. The 2016 Pathankot air base attack and the 2019 suicide bombing of our policemen at Pulwama are even more recent".

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter at @arulouis)
Panaji, Aug 19 : Goa will decide on opening up of schools in the state after the popular Ganesh Chaturthi festival, according to a decision taken by the steering committee on Covid management in the state on Thursday.

The Committee, headed by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, met at his official residence to discuss the Covid situation.

"The Chief Minister suggested to have a meeting (of the committee) after Ganesh Chaturthi for deciding about the opening of high schools and higher secondary schools," a government spokesperson said.

The Ganesh Chaturthi festival, the biggest Hindu festival in the state, begins on September 10.

"The Chief Minister urged the school staff including teaching and non-teaching staff to undergo the vaccination and later on a decision can be taken related to students. He also stressed the need for students, studying outside the state, to be vaccinated," the spokesperson also said.

Two persons died due to Covid-related complications on Thursday, taking the total death toll due to Covid in the state to 3,180.
New Delhi, Aug 19 : China has been establishing close relations with various countries with the aim of serving its security interests.

Whether it is the Uighur issue or tracking those whom China suspects of being involved in anti-China activities or those having indulged in financial crime, Chinese intelligence has been actively pursuing such targets across the world.

Healthy relations are exploited by the Chinese to extract mileage on the security front to serve their purpose, as per the Russian daily 'Nezavisimaya Gazeta'.

The daily mentions that Chinese law enforcement officers have an operational base in Dubai which they often use for such purposes. According to the daily, the Chinese have locations in Dubai where they detain people of their interest, who are involved in one of the above mentioned crimes.

According to the daily, a private agency that carried out an investigation reported about the testimony of 26-year-old Wu Huan, who was detained for eight days, as well as two Uighurs.

The woman fled from China to the UAE, as her fiance was considered a dissident by the Chinese authorities. Chinese officials kidnapped her from her hotel and placed her in a villa that had been turned into a prison. As per the daily, the investigating agency found that the villa where Wu Huan was kept also had two Uighurs under detention.

The report further mentions that Wu Huan was interrogated and forced to sign a document stating that her boyfriend was torturing her. Ultimately, she was released and travelled to Ukraine where she applied for asylum in the Netherlands.

Nezavisimaya Gazeta further mentions that this woman's story is a firm confirmation that China is increasingly using its international influence to detain its citizens abroad.

Wu was unable to point out exactly where she was being held. However, reporters saw or heard evidence that indirectly corroborated her statement -- stamps on her passport, recording on the phone of questions posed to her by a Chinese official, SMS texts that she sent to a Chinese pastor living in Dubai who helped her to flee Dubai etc.

Nezavisimaya Gazeta quotes Yu Jiechen, an Assistant Professor at the Sinica Academy in Taiwan, to state that China is doing everything it can to bring some citizens back to the country -- both through official means, through extradition treaties, and unofficially.

In most cases, visas are cancelled or families left back at home are being pressured. This is especially the case with Uighurs who have been extradited or returned to China on suspicion of terrorist ties. From 2014 to this day, 1,327 Uighurs have been detained or returned to their homeland.

China and the UAE have deep economic and political ties with extradition treaties and agreement on judicial cooperation signed between them.

In late 2017 and early 2018, local authorities expelled at least five Uighurs to China. The UAE appears to have become a hub for Chinese intelligence gathering on Uighurs in the Middle East, as per 'Nezavisimay Gazeta'. The paper mentions that according to Uyghur linguist Abduveli Ayup, China has also been using some Uighurs for espionage work under threat.

Interestingly, when the daily approached Pavel Troshchinsky, head of legal research at the Institute of the Far East of the Russian Academy of Sciences, with a question about what is known about Chinese prisons abroad, he responded by stating that "this is unprovable. After all, the United States is waging an information war against China".
Hyderabad, Aug 19 : The alleged gangrape of two women at the government-run Gandhi Hospital here turned out by fake as one of the two sisters who was missing was traced by police and revealed that there was no sexual assault.

Police registered a case three days ago on a complaint by a woman, who alleged that a hospital employee and his friend raped her when she was in hospital with her elder sister and brother-in-law, who was admitted for treatment of liver and kidney-related complications.

A lab technician, a security guard and some other suspects had been picked up for questioning.

The 38-year-old complainant had alleged that the lab technician confined her to a room for four days, drugged and raped her. She claimed that his friend also sexually assaulted her. The complainant alleged that her elder sister, 40, was also raped by the lab technician and that she went missing.

The complaint of the alleged gang rape at Telangana's largest state-run healthcare facility had sent shock waves. A case was registered at Chilkalguda police station and the investigators scanned the footage of CCTV cameras in the hospital and surroundings to trace the missing woman.

The police could finally trace her on Thursday and she revealed that there was no sexual assault. The police found that two sisters from Mahabubnagar district regularly drink toddy. As they could not get the toddy for five days while in Gandhi Hospital, they began to show withdrawal symptoms. One of them went out of hospital on August 11 enquiring for toddy and lost her way.

The other woman, who remained in hospital, developed friendship with a security guard and they had consensual sex.

As her elder sister had not returned to the hospital, she cooked up the rape story and lodged a complaint with the police.

The missing woman was finally traced in Himayatnagar area on Thursday.

A police officer said the medical examination also revealed that there was no rape.

The two sisters, along with the patient, had come to Gandhi Hospital on August 5. The man was discharged on August 13. He returned home with his son but his wife and sister-in-law were found missing. The patient's son returned to the hospital in search of his mother and aunt. He found his aunt, who told him that they were raped in the hospital.

Telangana State Women Commission chairperson Sunitha Laxma Reddy had also visited the hospital on Tuesday and spoke to Superintendent Dr Raja Rao.

The hospital authorities had also formed a committee to probe the incident. The lab technician was suspended pending inquiry.

The superintendent maintained that there was no scope for such an incident to have occurred in the hospital premises, as 189 out of 209 CCTV cameras were functioning and it has adequate number of security guards and a police outpost.
New Delhi, Aug 19 : The Samyukt Kisan Morcha on Wednesday claimed that the Independence Day announcement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the Minimum Support Price (MSP) has been increased by 1.5 times is incorrect and the announced MSP is not being realised by all farmers despite his commitment in the Parliament.

"Farmers of the country have realised fully that they cannot depend on the Prime Minister's hyped claims, false promises and spin-narratives, or his 'jumlas'. The hollow claims around remunerative Minimum Support Prices (MSP) stands exposed fully, in addition to the jumla on 'doubling farmers' incomes'," a release from the Morcha said.

"The undependable statements of the Prime Minister lie exposed when we look at the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) reality, more than a year after the pompous announcement. AIF is a 13-year scheme with disbursements till 2023-24. As on August 6, 2021, only Rs 4,503 crore has been sanctioned under AIF for 6,524 projects including 'in-principle' sanctions (4.5 per cent of the so-called 'sanction' announced last year itself). As per a Rajya Sabha response on July 23, 2021, only Rs 746 crore has been disbursed (0.75 per cent of the grand announcement)," the Morcha claimed.

On the 'National Mission on Edible Oils and Oil Palm' with an outlay of Rs 8,844 crore announced on Wednesday, the release said that the emphasis on oil palm cultivation is of concern to many, from health and environmental points of view, apart from corporations such as Patanjali ready to capture the market. "What is striking, however, is that Modi government's mission on edible oils has no solutions placed on the market front for the farmers," it said.

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha also warned that Punjab farmers' unions have announced a protest on Thursday during which they will block rail and road traffic on Jalandhar Highway, as sugarcane farmers of the state have been agitating for payment of pending arrears of more than Rs 200 crore due to them from the last crushing season.
Bengaluru, Aug 19 : Karnataka's Muzrai, Haj, and Wakf Minister Shashikala Jolle on Thursday announced Rs 1 lakh financial aid for Muslim women suffering from cancer, heart problems, and other major health ailments requiring surgeries.

The Karnataka Wakf Foundation for Women Development will provide aid to the needy women and the government has set aside Rs 1.74 crore funds in the current financial year for this purpose, she said.

Steps will be taken to create awareness about this programme among the people, Jolle said. "I didn't know about it until I took charge as the minister. Every legislator should have knowledge about the programmes offered and it will be communicated to them," she said.

Jolle said that there are 1,600 cases pending in the court in connection with encroachment of 8,480 acres of land belonging to the Wakf board. The report regarding encroachment by former Karnataka State Minorities Commission Chairperson Anwar Manappadi has been presented in the Assembly, she said.

She maintained that she liked this portfolio as she was a devout person.

Denying corruption charges levelled against her, she also maintained that she did not know about 'zero traffic' arranged for her at the time of the swearing-in ceremony so she reach the venue in time after her arrival from Delhi. The state High Court has taken note of this and issued notice to the minister and the Police seeking details.
Srinagar, Aug 19 : Two policemen and a civilian were injured on Thursday in Srinagar after militants hurled a grenade at a security force party, police said.

Police sources said militants hurled a grenade at a joint team of police and the CRPF in old city Saraf Kadal area.

"Two policemen, identified as Javaid Ahmad Bhat and Abdul Majid Bhat, and a civilian identified as Fayaz Ahmad were injured in this incident.

"The injured have been shifted to hospital and attending doctors have described their condition as stable," a source said.

"The area was immediately cordoned off for searches," the source said.
Tirupati, Aug 19 : Union Minister for Tourism and Culture, G. Kishan Reddy, on Thursday accused the Andhra Pradesh government of repackaging Central government projects and claiming credit for them.

Speaking to the media here, Reddy said that except for Central government programmes, there has been no development in the YSRCP-ruled state.

Stating that the Central government has been sanctioning funds and schemes rationally, the Union minister said that the state government's failure to contribute its share of funding has resulted in the delay of many Central schemes that were cleared long back.

Reddy also recounted the support extended by the Central government to the state in facing the Covid pandemic.

"In addition to vaccine doses required by the state, the Centre also provided 4,500 ventilators to Andhra Pradesh during the peak of Covid-19," he said.

Speaking of his ministry's plans, Reddy said that 'Dekho Apna Desh', a scheme aimed at encouraging locals to visit domestic tourism sites, would be launched shortly.

Apart from this, the government is also planning a tourism development roadmap for the next calendar year.
New Delhi, Aug 19 : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday said it has arrested a manager of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and a private person in connection with Rs 2 lakh bribery case.

A CBI spokesperson said that the agency has arrested Gagan Negi, Manager of FCI's regional office in Chandigarh, and Ravinder Singh aka Bunty, proprietor of Bunty Enterprises, and a case was registered against the two and unknown others.

In the FIR, it has been alleged that Singh, a resident of Amritsar and doing business of sale and purchase of rice, was, in connivance with Negi, obtaining undue business from FCI by manipulating the process of procurement and e-auction of foodgrains.

"CBI laid a trap and caught both the accused including Singh and Negi while giving and accepting bribe of Rs 2 lakh," he said. He also said that the agency carried out searches at the premises of accused at Chandigarh, Zirakpur and Amritsar.

Both were produced before a court at Chandigarh after expiry of two days police custody, and were sent to 14 days judicial custody.
Chennai, Aug 19 : Tamil Nadu Finance Minister P.T.R. Thiaga Rajan on Thursday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi must thank the Tamil Nadu government and Chief Minister Stalin for increasing the Centre's revenue by Rs 3.55 crore per day as the state has reduced the petrol price by Rs 3 per litre.

Participating in the discussion in the revised Budget 2021-22 in the Assembly, the Minister, citing statistics from the petroleum companies, said that in the period from August 1 to August 13, the average sale of petrol was 91,88,000 litres per day, but after the reduction of petrol prices, sales touched to 1,03,17,000 litres per day.

These figures states that on average the sale has increased by 11.29 lakh litres or 12 per cent from August 14, Rajan said.

This increased the coffers of the Central government by 3.55 crore per day, he said, but added that he was not sure whether the trend would continue.

The minister also said that if this trend continued, the Union government would get a revenue of Rs 1,200 crore annually.
New Delhi, Aug 19 : Supported by competitive and cutting-edge technology, the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) will be the foundation for bigger industries in India, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said on Thursday.

"New business enterprises are heavily dependent on scientific technology and for the industry and also the big and small enterprises to realise their optimum utilisation in contemporary India, not only scientific applications but also scientific temper and scientific attitude will be essential for success," he said in his keynote address at the 7th India International MSME Expo Summits 2021 here, according to an official statement.

He also asked the scientific community to share successful R&D outcomes with the industries and corporate houses.

Noting that MSME Ministry has set a target to enhance its contribution to GDP up to 50 per cent by 2025 as India becomes a $5 trillion economy, he said: "With around 36.1 million units, MSMEs contribute around 6.11 per cent of the manufacturing GDP and 24.63 per cent of the GDP from service activities. Moreover, it is the second largest employment generating sector after agriculture as it provides employment to around 120 million persons in India." With low investment requirements, operational flexibility, and the capacity to develop appropriate indigenous technology, small and medium enterprises have the power to propel India to new heights, he said.

Referring to the huge unexplored business opportunities in bamboo sector, the Minister said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to exempt home-grown bamboo from the purview of the Indian Forest Act has helped in bringing ease of doing business in the sector for the young entrepreneurs.

He said that the increase in import duty on bamboo sticks/agarbatti from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, has given a huge boost to domestic Agarbatti manufacturing as nearly 5-6,000 crore Agarbattis were imported every year from countries like South Korea, Vietnam, and China. "But there has been no import of raw batti since September 2019 and local bamboo produce is being used for this," he added.

The Minister said many agri start-ups, through suitable use of science and technology, are not only providing lucrative livelihood for themselves but also for their peers. On the call given by Modi for doubling the farmer's income by 2022, he said that the focus of agricultural and allied sectors, and researchers "should be on productivity rather than production".
New Delhi, Aug 19 : Union minister for the Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), G. Kishan Reddy, said on Thursday that the revival of North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation Limited (NERAMAC) along with the Oil Palm Mission will contribute in doubling the income of farmers in the Northeast region.

"The revival of NERAMAC will ensure remunerative prices for the Northeast farmers and provide better farming facilities and training to them," he said.

The Oil Palm Mission aims to increase additional area under cultivation by 6.5 lakh hectares, thereby reaching the target of 10 lakh hectares in the next five years.

"India is the largest edible oil importer in the world and imports 133.50 lakh tonnes costing Rs 80,000 crore. The decision taken under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership will help us be self-reliant besides cutting our import bill, thus contributing to his vision of 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat'," the minister said.

He also said that the government has identified the Northeastern region as a special focus area and the target set for the region in the next five years is more than 50 per cent of the overall target of 6.5 lakh hectares set for the entire nation.

Highlighting the experience of states like Mizoram, which ranks among the top five cultivators of oil palm in the country, Reddy said, "The farmers of states such as Mizoram already have significant oil palm cultivation experience and we can leverage their expertise in the rest of the Northeastern states." The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) had on Thursday approved a package of Rs 77.45 crore for the revival of NERAMAC, a central public sector enterprise under the DoNER ministry.
Guwahati/Itanagar, Aug 19 : With private airline Flybig launching its operations on the new route connecting Assam's Guwahati with Arunachal Pradeshs Tezu on Thursday, air connectivity powered by the Regional Connectivity Scheme -- UDAN -- expanded further in the hilly northeastern region, officials said.

According to Airport Authority of India (AAI) officials, Flybig on Thursday started direct flight services from Guwahati's Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport to Tezu in eastern Arunachal Pradesh's Lohit district.

A water cannon salute was accorded to the first flight at the newly developed Tezu airport, where a new terminal building spread across an area measuring 4,200 sq mt, a runway and a new Air Traffic Control tower are being developed at a cost of Rs 140 crore.

India's scheduled commuter airline Flybig operates flights to Indore, Bhopal, Raipur, Kolkata and five airports in northeast India -- Guwahati, Rupsi, Dibrugrah, Pasighat and Agartala -- along with the newly-added Tezu. It also offers charter services from Delhi to Shillong.

Thursday's flagging off function was attended by Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, the state's Aviation and Tourism Minister Nakap Nalo, and AAI's Regional Executive Director Ravi Kant, among others.

Ravi Kant said that the AAI has always been pivotal in connecting the remote and small places through air transportation, and the expansion of air connectivity in the northeastern states would boost tourism and trade in the region.

The ATR-72 type aircraft of the FlyBig would operate on the Guwahati-Tezu-Guwahati route every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.

A FlyBig statement said that commemorating India's 75th Independence Day, the airline is offering a special fare of Rs 75 for Army officers, their immediate family members and senior citizens, honouring their exemplary service to the nation.

"In order to reinforce its network, the airline is adding two new aircraft to its fleet in September and another two in October. The new planes would be stationed at Guwahati and Indore hub," the statement said.

An AAI official said that the RCS-UDAN scheme would offer flight fares lower than the normal rates.

The scheme was launched by the Union Civil Aviation Ministry in October 2016 to stimulate regional air connectivity and make air travel affordable to the common people.

Currently there are 15 airports in the northeast region -- Guwahati, Silchar, Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Tezpur, Lilalabari and Rupsi (Assam), Tezu and Pasighat (Arunachal Pradesh), Agartala (Tripura), Imphal (Manipur), Shillong (Meghalaya), Dimapur (Nagaland), Lengpui (Mizoram) and Pakyong (Sikkim).

The AAI at a cost of Rs 650 crore is also developing the Hollongi airport near Arunachal capital Itanagar, to boost air connectivity in the mountainous areas.
Hyderabad, Aug 19 : Navy chief Admiral Karambir Singh said on Thursday that the Indian Navy has expanded its presence far and wide with the aim of protecting India's maritime interests.

"Our navy has spread far and wide with the aim of protecting India's maritime interests," he told reporters on the sidelines of the closing ceremony of the 35th edition of the 'Hyderabad Sailing Week'.

The Chief of Naval Staff pointed out that Indian Navy has been regularly operating across the oceans. "We have gone to the South China Sea and to the Pacific and as we speak today we have a ship in the United Kingdom," he said.

Admiral Singh said Indian Naval ships were deployed for anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden, and were also securing and protecting Indian crude oil carriers in the Strait of Hormuz as most of the country's oil and gas comes from the Gulf.

He noted that for the first time in the history, four yachtsmen from India participated in the recent Olympics and performed very well there. "Our aim would be that our youth get inspired towards sailing by these four men," he said.

The Navy chief congratulated all the participants and award winners and said their performance is going to motivate and inspire the youngsters. "This national ranking event continues to rise in stature, expanding participation and attracting the best talent in the country to provide perfect launch pad for our budding sailors," he said.

Hyderabad Sailing Week-2021 was jointly hosted by the EME Sailing Association, the Secunderabad Sailing Club, and the Laser Class Association of India.

EME Sailing Association Commodore, Lt Gen T.S.A. Narayanan, complimented the sailors on high standard of sailing and competitive spirit displayed by all participants.

The event witnessed a total participation of 102 sailors from prominent sailing clubs across the country.
Kolkata, Aug 19 : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will be camping at SSKM -- the state-run tertiary referral hospital -- once in a week along with senior bureaucrats to make on-the-spot survey for further upgradation of the healthcare system in the state.

It will be the first occasion since the time of the first Chief Minister of the state, Bidhan Chandra Roy, who was also a medical doctor by profession, that a Chief Minister will spend regular hours at a city hospital.

"Healthcare is an important sector for me. The health secretary himself sits at the Swasthya Bhavan. So we have decided to camp at SSKM every Thursday. If I am not in the city, it would be held every 15 days. The purpose of my visit is to address health related issues as early as possible with better monitoring and coordination," Banerjee, who also holds the health portfolio, said during her visit to the SSKM on Thursday evening.

"Many new projects are also coming up at SSKM, including a new cancer hospital in collaboration with the Tata Memorial. I can also monitor the developments taking place at the hospital," she added.

Banerjee will camp at the SSKM along with Chief Secretary H.K. Dwivedi and senior officials of the health department, including Health Secretary N.S. Nigam, to carry out an in-depth study of the infrastructure available in the state-run hospitals.

Banerjee also asked SSKM Director Manimoy Bandyopadhyay to set up the necessary infrastructure so that it can accommodate a dozen officials who would be present with her during her visits to the hospital every week.

The Chief Minister would visit the hospital at 4 pm every Thursday and would be present there for the next three to four hours.

The Chief Minister's decision comes at the time when the state government has introduced Swasthya Sathi Card that provides health insurance coverage for every 10 crore people of the state. The state government has also introduced free treatment at the government healthcare establishments.

"The Chief Minister wants to oversee the execution of different projects personally. She wants to see the implementation of the projects so that the people are not left out of the government benefits. She will personally monitor all the health-related developments and instruct the officials for the fast implementation of the projects," an official said.

Talking about a second cancer hospital that is coming up in Siliguri, Banerjee said that she has asked G.K. Dhali of IPGMER, who had earlier visited Siliguri in connection with setting up of the hospital, to once again visit north Bengal as there are reports of rise in Covid cases on the Sikkim border.

When asked about the condition of her leg, in which she had received injuries during Assembly election campaign at Nandigram and had subsequently campaigned on a wheelchair, Banerjee said: "Last week only there was an MRI on my ankle. It is yet to heal completely and it is still swollen. They (doctors) are saying that it would take another one-and-a-half months to heal completely."
Amaravati, Aug 19 : The Andhra Pradesh Education Department on Thursday that it has compiled details of children left orphaned by Covid for providing free education.

It said that it had identified 4,033 children, out of which 1,659 children are students of government schools, while 2,150 are studying in private schools. The orphans include 524 infants, according to the department.

The state government had ordered the Education Department to compile this information, following the Supreme Court directions that free education should be provided to the affected children.

It has also called for submission of monthly reports on the condition of children who have lost their parents to the pandemic.
Bhubaneswar, Aug 19 : The luxurious Vande Bharat Express train will be connected to Shree Jagannath Dham Puri in Odisha soon, Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Thursday.

"Puri is one of the most popular tourist and religious destinations in the world and has rich cultural significance. Development of Puri station is underway and plan is there to bring Vande Bharat Express to Puri," he told the media during his visit to Puri.

During his Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced that 75 Vande Bharat trains will be introduced connecting every corner of the country in 75 weeks of Amrit Mahotsav of Independence.

Vaishnaw, along with Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, arrived in Odisha on Thursday to take part in the 'Jan Ashirwad Yatra' and were given a rousing welcome at the airport. This is the first visit of the two ministers to Odisha, after reshuffle of the Union council of ministers on July 7.

Soon after reaching here, both the leaders visited Jagannath Temple in Puri. As the temple has not been reopened for devotees from other places excluding Puri, both the leaders paid obeisance at the Singhadwara (Lions Gate). BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra also accompanied them.

The leaders also visited the Satyabadi Bana Bidyalaya. Pradhan said he was very keen to visit the school on his first visit to Odisha after taking charge as Education Minister. He interacted with the teachers and students studying there.

After returning from Puri, they visited the BJP party office, where a grand welcome ceremony was organised for them. Addressing party workers, Vaishnaw said the Prime Minister has always given emphasis for Mission Purvodaya, for the development of the area.

As per schedule, Vaishnav left for Rayagada on the Hirakhand Express. He will visit Koraput, Jeypore, Nabarangpur, Bhawanipatna, Bolangir and arrive in Bhubaneswar on August 22.

Pradhan will hold programmes in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, and Khurda.
Gurugram, Aug 19 : The Gurugram police have arrested a man who carried a reward of Rs 5 lakh on his arrest for carrying out about half-a-dozen fraudulent withdrawals from different banks, the police said on Thursday.

The accused has been identified as Praveen Mittal (48), a resident of Sonepat, Haryana.

During questioning, the accused disclosed that he had carried out six such fradulent withdrawals, including three in Gurugram, and one each in Palwal, Sampla and Ballabhgarh.

The accused also said during interrogation that he worked with the loan department of a government bank.

"He used to steal money from the accounts of people via net banking by updating his own mobile number instead of the account holder's, after obtaining information related to people's bank accounts. The accused used steal money to buy jewellery and other valuables," said Subhash Boken, spokesperson of the Gurugram police.

A complaint related to the fraud was filed by Leela Ram of Mohammadpur Jharsa village in Gurugram in June 2019 with the Sector-37 police station.

The complainant, who is a farmer, told the police that his land was acquired in 2019 for which had received Rs 1,65,00,000 as compensation. But some unknown person fraudulently withdrew about Rs 1,37,46,308 from his bank account.

Following the complaint, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted to probe the matter. The Haryana police had also announced Rs 5 lakh reward for the fraudster's arrest.

"The accused will be produced before a local count on Friday. The accused will be interrogated thoroughly about other incidents and his accomplices," Boken said.
New Delhi, Aug 19 : Counsel for the Afghanistan government wrote to the Supreme Court registry on Thursday seeking adjournment in a case before the top court where it is a petitioner.

The lawyer, appearing for the Embassy of Afghanistan here, said in his letter that Afghanistan is in turmoil, he is unable to get instructions from the Ambassador or the Embassy and sought six weeks adjournment in the matter.

At this, a bench of Justices Vineet Saran and Dinesh Maheshwari queried the lawyer: "Do you think that situation will be settled in six weeks?" The lawyer replied that he is not clear whether things will be settled then, but he may get instruction from the new regime. "We should pray that things will be settled," said the lawyer.

The top court, in its order, said: "In view of letter circulated by learned counsel for the petitioner seeking an adjournment of six weeks, let the matter be listed after six weeks." The matter is connected with a dispute between Afghanistan and a Delhi-based contractor. The dispute, which is connected with certain repairs and refurbishment done by the company at the Embassy, has been ongoing since 2010.

The Delhi High Court had passed an order in favour of the contractor, and the Embassy challenged this order in the apex court. The dispute is to settle whether the arbitration can be carried out in India or Afghanistan.
Agartala, Aug 20 : An MLA of the ruling BJP in Tripura, Arun Chandra Bhowmik, has reportedly asked the party workers to attack the Trinamool Congress leaders in 'Talibani style' when they arrived at the Agartala airport from Kolkata.

The BJP, however, distanced itself from the matter, saying it is the legislator's personal view, and not that of the party.

While addressing a function in south Tripura's Belonia on Wednesday, Bhowmik, who's also a senior lawyer, alleged that incited by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, some Trinamool leaders are coming to Tripura to attack the BJP government.

"Whenever Trinamool leaders arrive at the Agartala airport from Kolkata, they should be attacked in Talibani style," the septuagenarian politician said during the function, which was organised to felicitate Union Minister of State Pratima Bhowmik, the first Central minister from Tripura.

A video clip of his comments went viral on social media, inviting widespread criticism.

Incidentally, Bhowmik was the Chairman of the Trinamool unit in Tripura before joining the BJP in 2017.

Few days back, Tripura Assembly Deputy Speaker Biswa Bandhu Sen, who is also the BJP MLA from Dharmanagar, had asked people to physically attack the "Left minded government employees".

Trinamool leader Subal Bhowmik has strongly criticised the reamrks of both Arun Bhowmik and Sen, saying that the party leaders in Kolkata are taking legal steps against the two BJP leaders.

Demanding the arrest of Arun Bhowmik and Sen, the Trinamool leader claimed that the party leaders were harassed on Wednesday night at a hotel in Agartala where they are staying.

"The incident happened after the BJP MLA made this provocative remark. Our party's national General Secretary (Abhishek Banerjee) and many other leaders were attacked in Tripura earlier this month by the BJP workers and goons, and even the Tripura police registered false cases against them," Subal Bhowmik told the media.

Meanwhile, the chief spokesperson of Tripura BJP, Subrata Chakraborty, said that the comments made by Arun Bhowmik were entirely his own views and the party cannot take any responsibility for them.

When contacted, Arun Bhowmik said that he used the word 'Talibani' to make people understand that the way the Trinamool is trying to harm the BJP government in Tripura, it needed a strong reaction.

"The use of the word 'Talibani' might create a misunderstanding, but my intention was just to narrate how to counter them with all seriousness to prevent Trinamool's attempts to create troubles in Tripura," the BJP lawmaker said.

With an eye on the Assembly polls in Tripura scheduled in 2023, Trinamool leaders, including Abhishek Banerjee and several ministers and MPs, are frequently visiting Tripura since last month to build the organisation and garner support in the BJP-ruled state.
New Delhi, Aug 20 : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the national capital on Thursday and discussed BJP's poll preparedness in the northern state which is scheduled to go to the polls next year, sources said.

BJP chief J.P. Nadda, the party's Uttar Pradesh unit chief Swatantra Dev Singh and state unit general secretary Sunil Bansal were also present in the meeting held at Shah's official residence here.

The meeting lasted for over three hours.

Sources said that BJP's poll preparedness for next year's Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh was the main agenda of the meeting.

"Shah, Nadda, Adityanath and others discussed BJP's poll preparations and the party's upcoming programmes till the elections," sources said.

The sources further said that the BJP's strategy to reach out to all sections of the society was also discussed at the meeting.

"Plans to win every caste and community were part of the discussion as the party is working hard to gain support of everyone," sources said.

It is also learnt that public response to the ongoing 'Jan Ashirwad Yatra' was also discussed.

With an eye on next year's Assembly polls, seven leaders from Uttar Pradesh were inducted into the Union cabinet last month. Of the newly-inducted ministers from Uttar Pradesh, barring Anupriya Patel of Apna Dal, all are from the BJP.

This was the third visit of Adityanath to Delhi since June. Amid speculation of a change of guard in Uttar Pradesh, Adityanath had earlier visited the national capital for two days and met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Nadda and Shah.

Last month during the Monsoon Session of the Parliament, the UP CM was present in a meeting with MPs from the state with Nadda.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
United Nations, Aug 20 : India will assume a pivotal role in the global fight against terror when it takes over the chair of the Security Council's Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) next year, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar announced on Thursday.

He said that India will be taking over the leadership of the CTC from Tunisia and hopes to build on the gains from Thursday's meeting of the Council on terrorism threats that he presided over.

Addressing reporters outside the Security Council chamber after the meeting, he said that he was happy that "a very strong, substantive, clear press statement" was adopted by the Council that addresses the key concerns of India.

"All Security Council members with one voice endorsed a zero-tolerance approach to terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. We are clear that there cannot be double standards and distinctions cannot be made," he said.

The press statement issued by India's Permanent Representative T.S. Tirumurti as the Council President for the month expressed "unwavering commitment to strengthening international cooperation to prevent and combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations".

It reaffirmed "that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security, and that all acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed".

It also called for strong measures to prevent terrorism financing.

Getting the unambiguous statement on terrorism approved by the fractured Council was a mark of the diplomatic leadership by India.

With Thursday's meeting, India has successfully completed the three signature initiatives of its presidency, which were focused on maritime security, technology and peacekeeping, and counter-terrorism, Jaishankar said.

He said that the meetings came up with substantive and forward-looking outcomes, including a Security Council Resolution on protecting peacekeepers which demands punishment for crimes against peacekeepers.

Asked about the cross-border terrorism plaguing India, he recalled the country's long experience with the menace and noted that he mentioned the dangers from Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).

In his speech he had said that the groups "continue to operate with both impunity and encouragement" and declared that the Council should "never countenance sanctuaries for terrorists or overlook their raising of resources".

On relations with Afghanistan after the Taliban seized power, he said that the historical relations with the people of Afghanistan will continue.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter at @arulouis)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Two new species belonging to rare ant genera Parasyscia and Syscia from the Eastern Himalayas Image Source: IANS News

Two new species belonging to rare ant genera Parasyscia and Syscia from the Eastern Himalayas Image Source: IANS News

Two new species belonging to rare ant genera Parasyscia and Syscia from the Eastern Himalayas Image Source: IANS News

Bengaluru, Aug 20 : Entomologists from Bengaluru based Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment (ATREE) have discovered two new species of rare ants, from the Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary (EWS) in Arunachal Pradesh.

After extensive exploration in the EWS and extensive studies, a team of researchers led by Dr. Priyadarsanan Dharma Rajan (Senior Fellow), Aswaj Punnath, Sahanashree (ATREE, Bengaluru), and Dr Aniruddha Marathe (IISc, Bengaluru) could find something interesting - two new species of rare ants, Parasyscia ganeshaiahi and Syscia indica.

This new discovery was published in the latest issue of the journal ZooKeys.

As the ATREE is celebrating its silver jubilee in 2021, one species is named as Parasyscia ganeshaiahhi in honour of one of its founders Prof. K.N. Ganeshaiah, an eminent ecologist, thinker and writer who was instrumental in establishing the Insect Taxonomy and Conservation Laboratory in ATREE.

ATREE senior research fellow, Dr Priyadarsanan Dharma Rajan told IANS that Parasyscia ganeshaiahi (New species of ants) has a distinct yellowish brown body with numerous macropunctures and smooth interspaces.

"The collection site sits deep inside the forest at an elevation of 1400 m above sea level where there are no signs of anthropogenic disturbances. Parasyscia ganeshaiahi is unique from all its congeners in India with its remarkable yellowish brown coloured body and 11-segmented antennae," he explained and added that the other species, being the first record of that ant genus from India is named as Syscia indica.

Elated over his team's discovery, Priyan explained that all other Parasyscia species in India have 12-segmented antennae.

"Parasyscia are small, cryptic ants that usually nests in decaying logs or under rocks. With the present discovery, the genus consists of 52 valid species, distributed in Afrotropical, Australasia, Indomalaya, Malagasy, Oceania and Palearctic biogeographic regions. In India, seven species of Parasyscia were known before and six of them are reported endemic to the region. This is the first time the genus has been recorded from Arunachal Pradesh, Northeast India," he claimed.

He said that the new species of ants were located in the Himalayan foothills of West Kameng District of Arunachal Pradesh, the Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary which is a haven for ecologists, nature enthusiasts and adventurers. "Hidden behind the Pakke Tiger reserve and Tenga Army Cantonment area, the steep hills of EWS stretches across 218 square kilometers. These hardly disturbed forests harboured between an elevation of 500m to 3250m from the sea level, conceals many surprises to the ecologists," he said.

While another author of this discovery, Aswaj Punnath said that Syscia are rare ants usually encountered in leaf litter, rotting wood, and soil habitats. "In Asia, Syscia has been known from China, Japan, Sri Lanka and Thailand. The genus lacks any verified record in India. Hence the present discovery of Syscia indica from Arunachal Pradesh marks the first record of this rare ant genus from India," he added.

The team claimed that with the present discovery, 39 valid species of Syscia are known in the world.

"Syscia indica is a blind ant with a reddish-brown coloured body and numerous, relatively small, closely-spaced punctures. The species was found deep inside the Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary at an elevation of 1600 m above sea level and named in reference to India," the researchers said in their paper published in the latest issue of the journal ZooKeys.

The entomologists further stated that a large number of ants live hidden beneath the leaf litter and many have a secret lifestyle.

"Many such litter ants are still elusive to science. The newly discovered subterranean ants are rarely encountered in the field and are therefore hard to collect. We used the non-conventional method, the Winkler extractor -where the forest litter and debris are collected, sifted and filtered through a large cloth funnel - for collecting these ants," the researchers explained.

Priyan added that the ATREE entomologists have collected more than 200 species of ants or almost 25 per cent of Indian ant fauna from EWS, which includes several new taxa and new reports to India. "Extensive exploration of the Eastern Himalayan region in the future, especially by using non-conventional collection methods, would help us to find more such rare ants," he said.

The senior research fellow also acknowledged that Dr W.S. Udayakantha from the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka provided vital information about closely relates species to confirm the studies. "This study was supported by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT, Government of India), National Mission on Himalayan Studies (MoEF&CC, Government of India) and John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation," he stated.
Bengaluru, Aug 20 : Expressing deep concerns about the findings of The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, climate and socio-economic experts on Thursday observed that Bengaluru city will face acute drinking water shortage in the coming years.

Participating in a webinar entitled Responding to Climate Change: What should Karnataka and India do? that was organised by the Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC) here, Centre of Economic Studies and Policy, ISEC, Professor Krishna Raj highlighted the issue of high carbon economy that has resulted in rise of temperature by one degree Celsius, which in turn costed around 5 per cent of the GDP.

"If the same trend continues at such alarming levels in change of temperatures, Bengaluru city will face acute drinking water shortage in the coming years with the reduction in water availability in the Cauvery River basin mainly due to variation in precipitation levels," he said.

He also cautioned that though India wants to increase its forest cover aimed at reducing CO2 levels by 2030, deficient climate finances may limit realising the climate targets.

"As per the Climate Policy Initiative on Global Climate Finance, 2019, 44 per cent and 56 per cent respectively constitute public and private finances. And the main concern is that about 93 per cent of the total public and private finances flow to mitigation activities and adaptation activities receive less than 7 per cent. Therefore, it would be difficult to achieve the desired results," he said and added that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) AR 6 report has concluded that the Earth's climate is getting so warm that temperatures in about a decade will probably go past the warning level.

Centre for Ecological Economics and Natural Resources, ISEC's Assistant Professor Balasubramaniam warned that in Karnataka, 65 per cent of the households were highly vulnerable to rising temperatures.

"Global warming's worst affected population in Karnataka will belong to scheduled caste, scheduled tribe, elderly population, women, and children," he said.

Centre for Research in Urban Affairs, ISEC Professor Kala S. Sridhar debunked the theory that urbanisation leads to global warming using time series data from World Development Indicators.

According to her, urbanization does not affect agricultural income and in some specifications, urbanization has actually led to increased agricultural income.

"Only way forward to reduce climate change is to increase the need to depend on renewable sources of energy and reduce vehicle emissions in cities by encouraging public transport," she said.

Associate Professor, Centre for Research in Urban Affairs, ISEC Manasi said that over exploitation of ground water in peri urban areas given their positioning since they belong either to rural or urban areas, thus being vulnerable to climate change risks.

Drawing from a micro level study conducted on vulnerabilities in Karnataka, reference was made to land use change and groundwater overuse resulting in an increase in defunct borewells and negligence of water bodies. She also indicated the need for micro level studies for better understanding of local problems and finding innovative solutions to achieve Climate Action.

Economic Advisor to UP's Chief Minister, who moderated the discussion Prof. K.V. Raju, in his remarks, stated that further empirical research studies are to be taken up for policy on mining, renewable resources given its importance in the current context.
United Nations, Aug 20 : Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said that he is ready to talk to the Taliban that has taken over Afghanistan amid fears of widepread human rights abuses.

"I'm ready to speak myself when it is clear with whom should I speak, for what purpose," he said on Thursday at a briefing for reporters.

While answering a question about contacts with the Taliban, he said, "I have not spoken myself, but our people in Afghanistan are in close contact with the Taliban and very strongly conveying that message" of respect for human rights and preventing the use of the territory by terrorists.

Guterres said that he was in touch with Qatar, which has facilitated talks between the Taliban, the previous Afghan government and other countries and is now working on getting an inclusive government installed in Kabul.

"I was in close contact yesterday, the day before yesterday, with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar (Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani)," Guterres said. "We are following the Qatar Initiative and supporting it. Let's hope that there will be a way for an inclusive government in Afghanistan." He said that the only leverage the international community has with the Taliban is its quest for legitimacy and all nations should be united and "speak with one voice" to be able to use this bargaining power.

The conditions that the Taliban would have to meet for recognition are "full respect for human rights, and, in particular, the question of women's rights," allowing the evacuation of people in danger, and assuring that the territory is never be used again by any terrorist organisation, he said.

Asked if he would seek from the Council a broader mandate in Afghanistan, Guterres said that it has to be reviewed but that it would depend on how the situation develops there.

"If we are successful on this (of getting Taliban agreement on the terms), I think there is a perspective for a renewal of the (Security Council) mandate with one kind of characteristics. If things go wrong, of course, we will have to look into a mandate adapted to whatever will come," he said.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter at @arulouis)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
United Nations, Aug 20 : France has rescued some Indians trapped in Afghanistan and taken them to Paris, according to India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.

He told reporters here on Thursday, "I thanked the French Foreign Minister (Jean-Yves Le Drian) yesterday because as part of what France did, they also took back some Indians to Paris." "I think that was the right thing to do," he said.

The priority for India is repatriating Indians stranded in Afghanistan that has been taken over by the Taliban, he said.

He said that India was in contact with the United States on bringing home Indian from Afghanistan because it controls the Kabul airport.

India has flown in some people from Afghanistan on Air Force planes.

He said, "The immediate issue that we are looking at is really the repatriation of our nationals, in the case of India. India's nationals, other countries have their concern." "We are working with international partners in this regard, especially, principally the United States because they control the airport," he added.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, meanwhile, ruled out the United Nations taking control of the international airport in Kabul, which now serves as the main gateway for repatriations.

"I don't think we have the capacity to run the airport. We can cooperate, obviously, with all the parties, if our presence is considered useful, but to think the UN can run the airport in the present circumstances, knowing what our presence is on the ground is, of course, I think not realistic," he said at a separate briefing for reporters.

One of the conditions that the Taliban will have to fulfil before there can be international recognition is enabling the evacuation "without problems those people that would be in danger," he said.

US President Joe Biden, who rushed thousands of troops to control the airport, has said that he would consider having them stay beyond the August 31 deadline if needed to complete the evacuation of US citizens.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter at @arulouis)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi, Aug 20 : Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday expressed his gratitude towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi for ensuring supply of pure drinking water in all schools and Anganwadi centres in Jammu and Kashmir ahead of the stipulated time.

Taking to twitter, he said, "Jammu & Kashmir is becoming synonymous with peace and prosperity under the leadership of Narendra Modi. I express my gratitude towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat for ensuring supply of pure drinking water in all schools and Anganwadi Centres of Jammu & Kashmir before time".

"Previous Governments deprived citizens of Jammu & Kashmir of development for decades and only cared for their own families. Modi has initiated a new era of development which connects poor citizens to the mainstream and as a result Jammu & Kashmir is marching ahead in all fields," Shah further said in another tweet.

Under the Jal Shakti Minister's scheme, the 22,422 schools and 23,926 Anganwadi centres of Jammu and Kashmir will have tap water supply ahead of schedule.

In October last year, Shekhawat launched a 100-day campaign to provide potable piped water supply in schools and Anganwadi centres.

Under the Jal Jeevan Mission, the states and Union Territories are to ensure that during the campaign, Gram Sabhas were convened at the earliest to pass a resolution for providing safe water in all schools, anganwadi centres and other public institutions in the village in the next 100 days.

Jal Jeevan Mission aims at the universal coverage of provision of tap water connection to every rural home by 2024 with the special focus on women and children.

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
AI Exosphere Joins NVIDIA Inception For Project Hail aka Haily AI "After being invited to the NVIDIA Inception program and hearing all the excellent work and support, NVIDIA is doing; we knew this was the best fit for our startup," said Sal Peer, CEO of AI Exosphere.

AI Exosphere Joins NVIDIA Inception With A Potentially Disruptive AI Assistant Named Haily

AI Exosphere today announced it has joined NVIDIA Inception, a program designed to nurture startups revolutionizing industries with advancements in AI and data sciences.

AI Exosphere is focused on developing the Haily AI business assistant which is set to help increase inclusion, accessibility, and scalability to the online marketplace.

NVIDIA Inception will allow AI Exosphere to have enough resources to train our AI Business assistant, Haily AI. With the additional go-to-market support, new technology training and access, we feel confident in delivering the world's first inclusive fully scalable business AI assistant.

The program will also offer AI Exosphere the opportunity to collaborate with industry-leading experts and other AI-driven organizations.

"After being invited to the NVIDIA Inception program and hearing all the excellent work and support, NVIDIA is doing; we knew this was the best fit for our startup," said Sal Peer, CEO of AI Exosphere.

NVIDIA Inception helps startups during critical stages of product development, prototyping and deployment. Every NVIDIA Inception member gets a custom set of ongoing benefits, such as NVIDIA Deep Learning Institute credits, marketing support, and technology assistance, which provides startups with the fundamental tools to help them grow.

About AI Exosphere

At AI Exosphere, we are focused on Project Hail (Haily) an AI voice business assistant able to take complex digital actions and act in a sales and customer support role.

Media Contact:

Sal Peer. CEO

AI Exosphere, LLC

hello@aiexosphere.com

(407) 900-7083
I would also like to express my gratitude to all of the attorneys and staff at Szaferman Lakind for their hard work, dedication and support throughout such a challenging year.

Szaferman, Lakind, Blumstein & Blader has five (5) attorneys included in The Best Lawyers in America 2022 list issued by BL Rankings, LLC* for their work in five legal sub-practice areas in the Princeton-Metro area.

The attorneys featured in the 2020 list include:



Barry D. Szaferman - Family Law

Brian G. Paul - Family Law

Arnold C. Lakind - Commercial Litigation, Land Use & Zoning

Craig J. Hubert - Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs

Jeffrey M. Hall - Land Use & Zoning, Real Estate Law

All of the Szaferman Lakind attorneys selected have been included in the Best Lawyers list for six years or more.

According to Best Lawyers, Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.

Thank you to Best Lawyers for including my colleagues and me in this prestigious list, commented Co-Managing Partner Barry Szaferman. I would also like to express my gratitude to all of the attorneys and staff at Szaferman Lakind for their hard work, dedication and support throughout such a challenging year.

Founded in 1977, Szaferman Lakind is a full-service, Martindale-Hubbell AV-Preeminent law firm that was listed among U.S. News  Best Lawyers Best Law Firms from 2014 through 2021. Based in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, Szaferman Lakind has 30+ attorneys who provide legal representation to businesses, investors, professionals, families and individuals in several areas, among them family law, general and commercial litigation, personal injury, estate and business planning and business law. To contact Szaferman Lakind please call 609.275.0400 or visit http://www.szaferman.com.

*The Best Lawyers in America list is issued by BL Rankings, LLC. A description of the selection methodologies can be found at bestlawyers.com/methodology. Szaferman Lakind was selected to U.S. News  Best Lawyers Best Law Firms list. The Best Law Firms list is issued by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers. A description of the selection methodologies can be found at bestlawfirms.usnews.com/methodology.aspx No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.
AudienceFirst Media, a Moore company, is excited to announce that the company has been selected by Feeding America as their broker of record and to provide strategic management and data processing. AudienceFirst Media will be applying strategic analysis and data processing techniques that include file conversion, merge purge, package splits and more.

AudienceFirst Media will be working with Feeding America to create strong, tactically targeted campaigns to increase donor acquisition and response rates while applying leading-edge data-processing techniques. Together, AudienceFirst Media, an expert strategy and management company, and Feeding America, the nations largest domestic hunger-relief organization, aim to help provide food to the 42 million people that may face hunger this year.

Feeding America looks forward to working with the AudienceFirst Media team to help support our ever-growing and important mission, said Alyson Morris, senior manager, donor acquisitions. Our mission is to advance change in America by ensuring equitable access to nutritious food for all in partnership with food banks, policymakers, supporters and the communities we serve. With AudienceFirst Medias expertise and strategies, we will be able to increase our reach and impact to continue to help our neighbors facing hunger.

With a nationwide network of over 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs, Feeding America has laid the foundation to provide food to hunger-relief charities and communities in need in every county and parish in the United States. Feeding America sources, rescues and distributes food, creates opportunities to increase financial stability, and inspires people and policymakers to help.

With our performance-driven approach and advanced data processing techniques, AudienceFirst Media will provide Feeding America with the insights and results they need to continue providing the life-changing services needed to fight hunger in our nation, said Gretchen Littlefield, chief executive officer of Moore.

It is a privilege to be working with Feeding America, said John Ernst, president of AudienceFirst Media. Their mission to combat hunger in the United States and connect with charities and relief programs all over the country is not only remarkable but a mission that has become increasingly important during these tough times. AudienceFirst Media looks forward to helping Feeding America continue to build their supporter base by using data to create successful campaigns that help them grow exponentially.

For more information about AudienceFirst Media visit audiencefirstmedia.com.

About Feeding America

Feeding America is the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States. Through a network of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs, we provide meals to more than 40 million people each year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Visit feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

About AudienceFirst Media

AudienceFirst Media, a Moore company, is a recognized industry leader in data solutions with unmatched expertise in creating successful data-driven integrated strategies for nonprofits, publishers, catalog, and retail clients across a wide range of verticals. We deliver forward-thinking strategies that effectively identify the best audiences to optimize performance, maximize investment and monetize your data assets.

About Moore

Moore is a global leader in performance-driven marketing solutions focused on all facets of the consumer experience. With over 3,000 employees in 36 locations across the country, Moore is dedicated to helping clients fulfill their missions. The organization provides services including strategic consulting, creative development, media planning and buying, as well as research and analytics, production management and product fulfillment, database services and public relations to nonprofit, association, commercial and government clients and is a key contributor to strengthening these sectors.
Everyday Saints: a celebration of memorable people he encountered during a half century of ministry. Everyday Saints is the creation of published author George Ault, a pastor who is now retired after 46 years of ministry serving in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Arizona in addition to the previous 24 years serving as a chaplain in the US Army Reserves, from which he retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. George and his wife, Claudia, recently celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary. They have one son, Larry, who is married to Gina, and three grandsons: Michael, Nathan and Andrew.

Over the course of fifty years of pastoral ministry, thousands of people crossed the path of Dr. George Ault. Most of these were ordinary people he recognized as exuding special gifts of courage, faith, love, joy and hope. Dr. Ault thinks of these people as everyday saints, not because they were perfect, but because of their simple gifts and their willingness to share themselves with the world in which they lived.

In a world that immerses us in the lives of the stars, George Ault celebrates the common person. These are men and women who will not make the headlines, but live their lives with quiet nobility. And in doing so, they become exceptional, leaving their mark for the rest of us to contemplate.

Most of the everyday saints in this book are no longer with us. However, they are still vibrantly alive in Ault's memory. These everyday saints were his teachers in the trenches of life as he learned about loving and caring for others by their example. How he developed and grew was as a direct result of these kinds of amazing people who crossed his path.

Sharing in the lives of these everyday saints and experiencing what they demonstrated with their lives was a blessing for Ault. These everyday saints continue to bless all who peer over the pages of this book. Even a small glimpse of these everyday saints will cause anyone to marvel and believe in the potential to become a better person.

Look around. Everyday saints are everywhere.

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, George Aults new book is a heartwarming and inspiring book for readers of all ages.

But the real power in this book is not solely in the stories and the restoration of belief in humankind. It is in the expectation that such stories, like that beloved hymn, might inspire in the reader a belief that she, too, is a saint. In her can be found the likelihood that one single act can change a life for the betternot through some grand or miraculous, noble, or extraordinary effort. But with a smile, a prayer, a gift, an apology, a serendipity that was spontaneous and that communicated to the recipient that they mattered.

I know George Ault well. What he fails to mention in this book is that there are many, myself included, who would add him to the book we would write about the saints we have met along the way. What you have here is not just a remarkable collection of stories that will inspire and remind you that human beings are Gods hands and feet. What you really have here is a declaration that there is power in seeing the goodness that surrounds us.

-Rev. Dr. John C. Dorhauer, General Minister and President, United Church of Christ

View a synopsis of Everyday Saints on YouTube.

Consumers can purchase Everyday Saints at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about Everyday Saints, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.
Were tremendously proud to be back on the Inc. 5000, especially after such a punishing year for healthcare

Inc. magazine today revealed that Azalea Health Innovations (Azalea Health) is No. 2,846 on its annual Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the nations fastest-growing private companies. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economys most dynamic segmentits independent small businesses. Intuit, Zappos, Under Armour, Microsoft, Patagonia, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000.

Were tremendously proud to be back on the Inc. 5000, especially after such a punishing year for healthcare, said Baha Zeidan, CEO and co-founder of Azalea Health. Thank you to all our employees who made this achievement possible. Your tireless dedication to rethinking and innovating health IT for the needs of all healthcare providers has made this possible. And thank you to our clients who have been with us on this journey. We will continue to put your needs first and innovate with you to make our solutions work for you.

Not only have the companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 been very competitive within their markets, but this years list also proved especially resilient and flexible given 2020s unprecedented challenges. Among the 5,000, the average median three-year growth rate soared to 543 percent, and median revenue reached $11.1 million. Together, those companies added more than 610,000 jobs over the past three years.

Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000. The top 500 companies are featured in the September issue of Inc., which will be available on newsstands on August 20.

The 2021 Inc. 5000 list feels like one of the most important rosters of companies ever compiled, says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. Building one of the fastest-growing companies in America in any year is a remarkable achievement. Building one in the crisis weve lived through is just plain amazing. This kind of accomplishment comes with hard work, smart pivots, great leadership, and the help of a whole lot of people.

The award follows a recent KLAS Research report that found Azalea Health was the only EHR technology vendor other than Epic to grow its share of the market in 2020, gaining a net of four new acute care hospitals. Azalea was also recognized as the 20th fastest growing lower middle market company in Georgia in the recent Georgia Fast 40 awards. Azaleas continued growth is a testament to Azaleas unwavering support for its clients through a year of unprecedented challenges, as well as the ability of Azaleas cloud-based health IT solutions to improve care quality and support financial stability.

More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000

Methodology

Companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2017 to 2020. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2020. (Since then, some on the list may have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2020 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Growth rates used to determine company rankings were calculated to three decimal places. There was one tie on this years Inc. 5000. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.

About Inc. Media

The worlds most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including web sites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Vision Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com.

For more information on the Inc. 5000 Vision Conference, visit http://conference.inc.com/.

About Azalea Health

Azalea Health Innovations (Azalea) is on a mission to empower underserved healthcare providers with a health IT platform that improves patient care and profitability. Offering a 100% cloud-based integrated platform, Azalea delivers electronic health records, revenue cycle management, data insights and telehealth solutions designed for rural and community practices and hospitals. Quick to deploy and intuitive to use, Azalea solutions ensure better care coordination and communication  enabling better outcomes and a meaningful competitive advantage. The Azalea platform also provides tools and resources to help clients meet their Meaningful Use requirements, as well as strategies to navigate accountable care and alternative payment models. Above all, Azalea strives to deliver a simplified EHR experience that is loved by all who use it.

For more information, visit http://www.azaleahealth.com.
Beachly's Popular Beach Subscription Box This year and last have been marked by challenging market conditions, but our team's focus, hard work and dedication to the Beachly vision has fueled our impressive growth

Beachly Brands today revealed that for the 2nd consecutive year, the company has been named to Inc. Magazines annual list of Americas fastest growing private companies - the Inc. 5000. At No. 372 overall and No. 24 in the Retail category, Beachly is now among a select list of elite companies to rank in the top 500 multiple times.

The Beachly Brands team, and I are honored to be named to the Inc. 5000 and ranked in the top 500 for the second year in a row, said Beachly Brands Founder & CEO, Kevin Tighe. This year and last have been marked by challenging market conditions, but our teams focus, hard work and dedication to the Beachly vision has fueled our impressive growth and positioned us for long term success.

Not only have the companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 been very competitive within their markets, but this years list also proved especially resilient and flexible given 2020s unprecedented challenges. Among the 5,000, the average median three-year growth rate soared to 543 percent, and median revenue reached $11.1 million. Together, those companies added more than 610,000 jobs over the past three years.

Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000. The top 500 companies are featured in the September issue of Inc., which will be available on newsstands on August 20.

The 2021 Inc. 5000 list feels like one of the most important rosters of companies ever compiled, says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. Building one of the fastest-growing companies in America in any year is a remarkable achievement. Building one in the crisis weve lived through is just plain amazing. This kind of accomplishment comes with hard work, smart pivots, great leadership, and the help of a whole lot of people.

About Beachly Brands

Beachly Brands is the leading subscription retailer of beach apparel, accessories and beauty products. Founded in 2016, by entrepreneur, Kevin Tighe, & professional surfer, Mark Healey, the Oceanside, CA based company launched with the mission of connecting enthusiasts around the world to beach life through its offering of beach-inspired subscription and direct to consumer brands. Today, the Beachly Brands portfolio consists of Beachly Beach Subscription Boxes for both men and women, Beachly Beauty and Beachly Boutique. The company is also partnered with SeaTrees where a portion of proceeds from each sale are allocated toward kelp restoration projects in Southern California. Learn more at http://www.beachly.com

CONTACT:

Madeline Johnson

madeline@beachly.com

More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000

Methodology

Companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2017 to 2020. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2020. (Since then, some on the list may have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2020 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Growth rates used to determine company rankings were calculated to three decimal places. There was one tie on this years Inc. 5000. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.

About Inc. Media

The worlds most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multi-platform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including web sites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Vision Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com.
For the third consecutive year, Binary Defense, a leader in the cybersecurity market, announced that it was named to Inc. Magazines annual Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in the nation, ranking at #2,985.

Despite a year that challenged the way many organizations conduct business, Binary Defense remained on a path of growth in 2020. Earlier this year, Binary Defense was named a Leader in the Forrester Wave: Managed Detection And Response, Q1 2021 report, with the research report noting its strong practitioner leadership and exceptional cybersecurity research as differentiators. The organization hired in 2021 for additional roles in software development, threat intelligence and other key positions.

Weve been on a growth trajectory from day one when the company was founded in 2014, and we are proud to be among the Inc. 5000 again this year, said Mike Valentine, Chief Executive Officer at Binary Defense. Cybercriminals used the pandemic to prey upon critical organizations like hospitals and infrastructure, and arent showing signs of stopping. Its never been more important for businesses to strengthen their cyber defenses. We plan on growing and scaling as our clients grow, easing their burden of trying to stay on top of threats of ransomware and other types of compromise.

The company grew 129% during the measured three-year period, measuring 98 employees at the end of 2020, up from 86 the prior year. Binary Defense was also among the Top 40 fastest-growing cybersecurity firms on the Inc. 5000 list. In Ohio, Binary Defense is the only security company in the state that made the list. In addition, the company is among Ohios top 100 fastest-growing firms, and in the top 25 in the Northeast Ohio region.

The 2021 Inc. 5000 list feels like one of the most important rosters of companies ever compiled, says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. Building one of the fastest-growing companies in America in any year is a remarkable achievement. Building one in the crisis weve lived through is just plain amazing. This kind of accomplishment comes with hard work, smart pivots, great leadership, and the help of a whole lot of people.

###

About Binary Defense

Binary Defense is on a mission to make the world a safer place through enhanced cybersecurity. With this in mind, we developed proprietary and sophisticated MDR software, recruited top security talent, and built a world-class 24/7 SOC to better protect businesses from cyberattacks. Binary Defense believes our unique approach resolves CISOs biggest challenges such as limited in-house security expertise, lack of cutting-edge resources and the significant time investment required to ensure protection from todays threats.

We protect businesses of all sizes using a human-driven, technology-assisted cybersecurity solutions including Managed Detection and Response, Security Information and Event Management, Threat Hunting and Counterintelligence.

In addition to receiving the Inc. 5000 Fastest-Growing Company three years in a row, Binary Defense has gained national recognition for its cybersecurity service offerings. Most recently, Binary Defense MDR was named a Leader in the Forrester WaveTM: Managed Detection And Response, Q1 2021 report.

The company is headquartered in Stow, Ohio at 600 Alpha Parkway. For more information, please contact David White at David.White@binarydefense.com.

About Inc. Media

The worlds most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including web sites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Vision Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com.
The Black Diamond Coatings, Inc. Team Celebrates Inc. 5000 Recognition It took the whole team working harder than ever under extraordinary circumstances to have our best year ever during a time that was challenging for so many other businesses.

Black Diamond Coatings, Inc., a manufacturing company specializing in commercial-grade paver sealers, polymeric sand, and premium home cleaning products, announced today that it was named one of Americas fastest-growing private companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 List. The company ranks among the top 20% of Inc. 5000 honorees, ranking #955 overall with over 500% growth over the past 3 years. Black Diamond Coatings growth positions it 37th among the fastest growing manufacturers in the US and 80th among the fastest-growing companies in Florida.

This recognition represents years of dedication to quality, innovation, outstanding customer service, and just plain hard work. Especially in 2020, it took the whole team working harder than ever under extraordinary circumstances to have our best year ever during a time that was challenging for so many other businesses, said David Warren, President of Black Diamond Coatings. While other companies had to streamline and furlough workers, we were able to nearly double the size of our team after moving into a new manufacturing facility with almost 13,000 additional square feet of space.

Black Diamond Coatings adds this prestigious recognition to a growing list of recent achievements, including inclusion in two 2021 Tampa Bay Business Journal Lists: the Largest Veteran-Owned Businesses in Tampa Bay and the Largest Manufacturers in Tampa Bay.

The company also announced in early August the upcoming Fall launch of a completely new product line and brand: OBSESS. Weve never been satisfied with the status quo. Years ago, we were the first manufacturer of hardscape sealer and polymeric sand to begin selling direct-to-consumer online; now were ready to bring the same innovative spirit and commitment to performance into a brand new product category, said company VP Heather Warren. We expect our OBSESS line of cleaning products to deliver exceptional growth for Black Diamond Coatings going into 2022.

Not only have the US companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 all shown incredible growth individually, they added 2,563,592 jobs over the past three years, and their aggregate revenue was $248 billion in 2020 with a median growth rate of 167%. The Florida companies ranked on the Inc. 5000 contributed 6% of the national revenue growth with an even higher median growth rate of 199%. They added 24,199 new jobs over the past 3 years.

About Black Diamond Coatings, Inc.

Based in Brooksville, Florida, Black Diamond Coatings (http://www.bdcbrands.com) is an innovative veteran-owned national producer of environmentally friendly sealers for concrete, pavers, and stone, industry-leading polymeric sand, and premium home cleaning products. Since its beginning, Black Diamond Coatings has prioritized quality ingredients, superior results, and outstanding customer service. All Black Diamond Coatings products are proudly made in the USA.

About Inc. Media

Founded in 1979 and acquired in 2005 by Mansueto Ventures, Inc. is the only major brand dedicated exclusively to owners and managers of growing private companies, with the aim to deliver real solutions for todays innovative company builders. Inc. took home the National Magazine Award for General Excellence in both 2014 and 2012. The total monthly audience reach for the brand has been growing significantly, from 2,000,000 in 2010 to more than 20,000,000 today. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com.

The Inc. 5000 is a list of the fastest-growing private companies in the nation. Started in 1982, this prestigious list has become the hallmark of entrepreneurial success. Complete results of the 2021 Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.
Quincy L. Branch - President/CEO of Branch Benefits Consultants As a successful independent agency Leslie Saunders Insurance Agency has been able to support local charities and other community-based initiatives via countless donations and volunteer hours, which is important to us.

The Leslie Saunders Insurance Agency, the only woman-owned certified insurance, benefits, and training company in the United States has agreed to acquisition by Branch Benefits Consultants, Nevadas largest minority owned independent insurance agency. The acquisition will allow for expanded services to the customers as well as create jobs and more opportunities nationwide; fueling the economy.

As with any company one has owned for over 20 years, deciding a business succession process is a complex decision. Being always forward-thinking, Leslie Saunders was clear when the time and partner were right. I knew it was time to sell while there was upside potential, and a new generation to scale the business in ways I couldnt, says Leslie Saunders, President of the Leslie Saunders Insurance Agency. After extensive research, I found the perfect buyer to fit the needs of my clients and couldnt be more thrilled about the future.

The partnership acquisition with Leslie Saunders Insurance Agency for me is first about legacy preservation, says Quincy L Branch, President and CEO of Branch Benefits Consultants. Being a 2nd generation insurance agency owner, I see and understand the value of what Leslie has built over her 30+ year career. LSIA has been an asset to the ACDBE airport programs and I look to ensure that it continues, he adds.

For professionals such as Mrs. Saunders and Mr. Branch, strategic business deals go beyond revenue and job creation. It feeds to the community as well, which is more important now than ever. Mr. Branch notes, as a successful independent agency Leslie Saunders Insurance Agency has been able to support local charities and other community-based initiatives via countless donations and volunteer hours, which is important to us. Both believe that having connections to all the airports in the US will allow the firm to continue to have an impact in numerous communities across the United States.

Official management change was completed on 12/31/20 and the company will assume the new brand as of 1/1/2021.

About Leslie Saunders Insurance Agency

Leslie Saunders is the only certified woman-owned insurance, benefits and training company in the U.S. WBE/DBE certifications extend to all 50 states and Puerto Rico, covering 240 airports and providing a range of insurance products for corporate and public entities. The company designs and implements employee benefits plans and creates and deploys HR training systems for small and large businesses alike, including many women-owned firms, airports and airport concessionaires. Travel, trip cancelation and pet insurance are also available. LSI also offers general liability, workers compensation, as well as aircraft liability for drones, helicopters and jets. For more information about Leslie Saunders Insurance Agency, Inc. Visit http://www.lesliesaunders.com for more info.

About Branch Benefits Consultants

Established in 2011, Branch Benefits Consultants, (BBC) has successfully expanded on the agency partnership first established in 2000 by then sister company Branch-Hernandez & Associates. As Nevada largest minority owned independent insurance agency, BBC was quickly established itself as one of the premier agencies in the industry. As a company that values and embraces diversity, CEO Quincy Branch cultivates a team of insurance professionals that specialize in personal, commercial and employee benefits products offerings. Learn more at http://bbc-ins.com
"There is nothing pro-life about sowing suspicion about vaccines or super-spreading feverish lies from the dregs of the Internet. We pray that Burke will fully recover, recant the misleading ideas he has so recklessly advanced, and encourage the faithful to respect life by getting vaccinated.

Catholics for Choice, which uplifts and amplifies the voices of the majority of Catholics who believe in reproductive freedom, criticized Cardinal Raymond Burke today for repeatedly spreading dangerous disinformation about the coronavirus pandemic and COVID-19 vaccines. Burke  a far-right reactionary and a former high-ranking Vatican official  recently tested positive for the virus and is receiving intensive care in his home state of Wisconsin.

Catholics for Choice President Jamie L. Manson said:

We at Catholics for Choice are genuinely sorry to hear about the suffering that Cardinal Burke is currently enduring due to COVID-19, despite our conscientious objections to his harmful positions on a range of issues, from abortion rights to LGBTQ equality to the role of women in the church. But even as we keep him in our thoughts and prayers, we are morally obligated to hold him accountable for his choice to consistently amplify outlandish and dangerous disinformation throughout the coronavirus pandemic. It is unconscionable for any religious leader, let alone one with Burkes influence, to amplify deadly falsehoods and lead the faithful so gravely astray from the truth of medical science.

Burkes history of promoting junk science, conspiracy theories, and vaccine skepticism is almost as old as the coronavirus pandemic itself. In a virtual address to a global anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQ extremist group in May of 2020, he parroted an outrageously false Internet conspiracy theory that COVID vaccines would implant microchips into recipients bodies that would allow them to at any moment be controlled by the state. In that same speech, given as the pandemic ravaged the globe, Burke slammed lockdowns (not how God has called us to live), condemned mandatory vaccination, and called vaccines developed with fetal cell lines abhorrent. That December he gave a homily in which he advanced the Great Reset theory, which falsely states that the pandemic is being used by as a pretext by global elites to manipulate citizens and impose a one-world economy. In January of 2021, Burke lied that universal vaccination would lead to one-world government. And just this month, Burke led a conference at a shrine he founded in Wisconsin at which attendees were required to receive Communion in their mouths and encouraged to use the communal holy water because, they were told, it contained a special blessing against contagious viruses. Burke tested positive for COVID shortly thereafter.

Cardinal Burke has spent his entire ecclesiastical career waging unholy war against contraception, abortion rights, and equality for women and LGBTQ people  all in the name of being pro-life, said Manson. But there is absolutely nothing pro-life about sowing suspicion about lifesaving vaccines or super-spreading feverish lies from the dregs of the Internet. Creating confusion among Catholics in the midst of a global pandemic has only exacerbated suffering and death. We pray that Cardinal Burke will fully recover, recant the misleading ideas he has so recklessly advanced, and encourage the faithful to respect life by getting vaccinated.

Catholics for Choice shapes and advances sexual and reproductive ethics that are based on justice, reflect a commitment to a persons well-being and respect, and affirm the capacity of all people to make moral decisions about their lives.
Our team has been beating the odds each and every year since we kicked off our business as a zero revenue company back in 2016. Our growth and our success, now well into 8 figures in revenue, is owed entirely to the hard work of the great people that make up our team & the great customers we serve.

Inc. Magazine this week revealed that Corporate Armor has been included on the 2021 Inc. 5000, the most prestigious annual ranking of Americas fastest-growing private companies. Corporate Armor came in at #943, meaning theyve out-grown over 80% of Americas privately owned companies. In addition, Corporate Armor was the fastest growing company in the Hickory-Newton-Lenoir Metro area, ranked #27 overall in the state of North Carolina and came in at #23 in the field of IT System Development. CEO Luke Walling says, Our team has been beating the odds each and every year since we kicked off our business as a zero revenue company back in 2016. Our growth and our success, now well into 8 figures in revenue, is owed entirely to the hard work of the great people that make up our team & the great customers that we serve every day."

Corporate Armor makes it easy to select and source hard to find & understand advanced IT products and solutions, supplying gear critical to keeping small medium and large businesses running in todays complex hybrid office & remote work environment.

The Inc. 5000 list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economys most dynamic segmentits independent small businesses. Intuit, Zappos, Under Armour, Microsoft, Patagonia, and other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000.

Not only have the companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 been very competitive within their markets, but this years list also proved especially resilient and flexible, given 2020s unprecedented difficulties. Among the 5,000, the average median three-year growth rate soared to 543 percent, and median revenue reached $11.1 million. Together, those companies added more than 610,000 jobs over the past three years.

Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000. The top 500 companies are featured in the September issue of Inc., which will be available on news-stands on August 20.

About Corporate Armor, a Temprano Techvestors Company

At Corporate Armor, we take the pain out of sourcing your next IT product or project. From self-service to white glove service, we make it easy to buy, renew or license your next software or hardware purchase. From network infrastructure to endpoint security, we have you covered. To learn more, visit http://www.corporatearmor.com

About Inc. and the Inc. 5000

Companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2017 to 2020. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. They are U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2020. The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2020 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Growth rates used to determine company rankings were calculated to three decimal places. There was one tie on this years Inc. 5000. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.
Trident has a long-standing commitment to serving the educational needs of past and present members of the military. Our continued involvement with CCME allows us to strengthen this commitment and expand the resources available to military students around the world. - Esmeralda Silva.

The Council of College and Military Educators (CCME) held its annual Professional Development Symposium in Washington, D.C. in June under the theme, Bridging the Gaps  Credentials that lead to Sustainable and Successful Outcomes.

CCMEs primary goal is to address the educational needs of the men and women who serve or have served in the U.S. Armed Forces.

At this years all-virtual event, representatives from the U.S. Armed Forces and multiple educational institutions, including Trident, served on panels, and led discussions centered around improving educational resources for members of the military.

The organization that would become CCME got its start in the 1970s, when a group of Education Services Officers (ESOs) met regularly to share ideas on how to best meet the needs of military personnel seeking a college education. Educational institutions who supported the military were soon brought into the fold.

Esmeralda Silva, Tridents VP of Strategic Alliances and Outreach Services, is President of CCMEs Executive Board for 2020-21. She has held leadership positions with CCME for the past five years, including Vice President.

Trident has a long-standing commitment to serving the educational needs of past and present members of the military, states Esmeralda Silva. Our continued involvement with CCME allows us to strengthen this commitment and expand the resources available to military students around the world.

Dr. Mickey Shachar, Full-time Professor in Tridents College of Health and Human Services, presented a session on The Trident Concept. James Shiver, Manager of Tridents Center for Career Planning and Workforce Strategies, presented on student-centric career services during COVID.

Learn more about CCME.

About Trident University International

Founded in 1998, Trident University International is a member of the American InterContinental University System, which is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org). Trident uses the EdActive learning approach, which employs case-based learning in an online setting to teach real-world relevant critical thinking skills designed to enhance the lives and education of students. Trident offers quality associate, bachelors, masters, and doctoral degree programs and certificates, led by a qualified faculty team, over 80% of whom have doctoral degrees. Trident has over 32,000 alumni, of which more than 27,000 have a military affiliation, and has received acknowledgements from Washington Monthly, Military Times, and Military Advanced Education & Transition for their dedication to student success. Visit http://www.trident.edu or call at (855) 290-0290 to learn more about Trident's wide range of educational options.


Dr. Sofia Lyford-Pike, MD In my reconstructive work, my job quite literally is to help patients smile again. Yet all procedures, including cosmetic treatments, have the ability to positively influence patients lives and, specifically, their confidence. Said Dr. Lyford-Pike.

The Hilger Facial Plastic Clinic announced today that their own Dr. Sofia Lyford-Pike, a skilled facial plastic, and reconstructive surgeon, has been honored as one of a select group of doctors to appear on the 2021 Minnesota Monthly Top Doctors list. To be selected for the list, doctors must be nominated by their peers who answer the question posed by the magazine, If you or a loved one needed medical care, which doctor would you recommend?

As a partner at The Hilger Facial Plastic Clinic, Dr. Lyford-Pike performs a wide selection of minimally invasive and surgical procedures. This includes everything from administering injectables and various skin treatments to performing reconstructive facial surgeries that change patients lives.

We are so fortunate to have found Dr. Lyford-Pike after a long search for the perfect addition to our clinic. Said Dr. Hilger. It comes as no surprise to us that Dr. Lyford-Pike would be honored as part of the Minnesota Top Doctors list as she is regarded as an extremely talented facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon by fellow physicians in our field. Dr. Hilger went on to say that the clinic expresses heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Lyford-Pike for her latest accomplishments.

In addition to her work at The Hilger Facial Plastic Clinic, Dr. Lyford-Pike also performs complex reconstructive head, neck, microvascular, and free flap surgeries at the University of Minnesota. She is also the head of the Facial Paralysis Center at the University of Minnesota, where her focus is on surgical solutions to help patients regain expression after trauma.

In my reconstructive work, my job quite literally is to help patients smile again. Yet all procedures, including cosmetic treatments, have the ability to positively influence patients lives and, specifically, their confidence. Said Dr. Lyford-Pike.

Dr. Lyford-Pike continued, Its an honor to be recognized for my work, especially by my peers of fellow surgeons who understand the ongoing education, research, and skill development that we all undergo to continue to practice at our very best.

To learn more about Dr. Lyford-Pike or to schedule a consultation with her, visit http://www.hilgerfacialplastic.com.

About Dr. Sofia Lyford-Pike

Dr. Sofia Lyford-Pike is an accomplished facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon with board certification by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and certification by the American Board of Otolaryngology. She studied medicine at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, where she also did her residency in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. She completed the Dr. Peter Hilger M.D. Fellowship in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and was recently welcomed to The Hilger Facial Plastic Clinic as a partner. Dr. Lyford-Pike is also the mother of 3 sons and is an avid traveler who loves to visit her extended family around the world. Learn more about Dr. Lyford-Pike at https://www.hilgerfacialplastic.com/about/sofia-lyford-pike.


Trilogy Mentors rebrands as Pearl and launches new website, TutorwithPearl.com With the pandemic accelerating the adoption of remote teaching and hybrid learning environments, Pearl is perfectly positioned to service the incredible demand for tools that cater to this new educational paradigm shift."

Growing edtech startup Trilogy Mentors announced today the completion of its extensive rebranding initiative in response to the companys evolution from a blended tutoring startup to the leading all-in-one tutor management software. The rebrand includes a new name, Pearl, a new website, TutorwithPearl.com, as well as a host of new features on its platform.

Our progression from tutoring company to edtech SaaS was the driving force behind our decision to rebrand, said John Failla, Founder and CEO of Pearl. Just like the transformation of a pearl from a grain of sand into a beautiful gem, our companys story has been one of evolution, too. Our new identity, Pearl, is a symbolic reflection of both our companys ongoing growth and the development of the minds of the students in the educational process.

Over the last year, Trilogy Mentors has cemented its status as a market leader in tutoring software solutions for individual tutors and educational institutions. The edtech startup experienced a 400% user growth between academic years 2020-2021, with a user base totaling 7,000 nationwide, and facilitated over 1,500,000 minutes of instruction.

Fueled by Seed funding totaling $2.1M, the companys rapid growth reflects the surging demand for tutoring to mitigate the catastrophic learning loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. On March 11, 2021, the federal government earmarked $28 billion for learning loss in the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief fund. Within a few months of the ARP being signed into law, Pearl was hard at work partnering with states, districts, and educational institutions to help them stand up tutoring programs overnight and pull on the federal funds for programing.

With the pandemic accelerating the adoption of remote teaching and hybrid learning environments, Pearl is perfectly positioned to service the incredible demand for tools that cater to this new educational paradigm shift, said Failla. The fact that the average tutoring company on our platform doubled the size of their business from November 2020 to March 2021 is a testament to the strength of our platform to help tutors scale their online tutoring businesses.

In conjunction with this rebranding announcement, Pearl is revealing a few new improvements to its suite of tools for tutors, including:



A more robust virtual classroom. Pearl is partnering with Twilio to make their virtual classroom tool more accessible and easier to use.

A new customizable storefront. The Pearl platform now offers every organization the opportunity to build a custom storefront to directly market and sell their tutoring services (and receive payment for services upfront).

Improved user management tools. Onboarding, matching, messaging, and scheduling are some of the daily headaches tutoring admins deal with, and so Pearl built the tools required by tutors to not only manage their users, but also to improve the engagement amongst their students, parents, and tutors.

Over the coming months, were excited to complete our website design overhaul, rolling out a few more pages on the site as well as tweaks to the platform dashboard and tools, said Failla. Well continue to make improvements to the product features and functionality to meet the evolving needs of the amazing tutors and the students who use our platform.

To learn more about Pearl, visit their new website TutorwithPearl.com.

You can also follow them on Facebook and LinkedIn.

About Pearl

Launched in 2016, Pearl (formerly Trilogy Mentors) began as a local Richmond area tutoring company, helmed by John Failla. Within a few years, Failla realized that the remote learning trend was here to stay and that there was no all-in-one platform to help tutors manage the increasingly hybrid learning environment and to scale their business. And so he pivoted the company, developing it into the leading tutor management software it is today. Pearl empowers educational institutions and tutoring companies to focus on tutoring, not tech, with its easy-to-use, scalable platform. To learn more about Pearl, start a free trial, or book a demo, visit TutorwithPearl.com.
Our end users can now design and consume reports that connect directly to Google BigQuery without complicated setup.

Exago Inc. today announced a major update to its flagship embedded business intelligence solution, Exago BI, that adds support for data warehouse Google BigQuery.

Version 2021.1.8 of Exago BI expands existing support for cloud-hosted data warehouses used to store and analyze large amounts of data. Now Exago BI customers looking to house and process millions or billions of records may choose between Snowflake, Amazon Redshift, and Google BigQuery for their warehousing needs.

Exago being able to connect to BigQuery means that our end users can now design and consume reports that connect directly to that warehouse without complicated setup, says VP Development Peter Fernandes.

This is especially valuable to companies who are already using BigQuery.

Exago co-founder and CTO Stew Meyers says data warehouses play a key role in enterprise data preparation, allowing organizations to optimize their records for business use. Warehoused data is easier for business intelligence end users to navigate and results in more efficient querying, he adds.

Google BigQuery bills itself as a highly scalable, low-cost alternative to traditional cloud-hosted databases. Features include built-in machine learning and artificial intelligence integrations, natural language processing, and the ability to analyze petabytes to exabytes of data at exceptional speeds.

About Exago

Exago Inc. was founded in 2006 with the objective of helping SaaS providers give their users an easy, flexible, powerful, ad hoc reporting and analytics solution. Today, the flagship product, Exago BI, is the premiere embedded BI solution for leading companies like Walmart, Deloitte, Lockheed Martin, Datto, Kronos-UKG, Transactis-Mastercard, DealerSocket, Vivify Health, and KPMG who chose for it embedding and seamless integration with their customer-facing web applications. To learn more about Exago BI, visit http://www.exagobi.com.
Courtesy of Jody Overstreet/ATIA Fairbanks is indeed an Aurora City. People come from all over the world to chase the aurora in Fairbanks and the far north.

Explore Fairbanks is pleased to announce the Aurora City Sweepstakes! Due to the fact that Fairbanks is one of the best places on earth to view the northern lights, we crafted an aurora viewing and winter adventure package for a lucky winner and their guest. The sweepstakes offers an extraordinary five-night trip including airfare to view the aurora from unique accommodations - four in Fairbanks and one above the Arctic Circle.

Fairbanks is indeed an Aurora City. People come from all over the world to chase the aurora in Fairbanks and the far north. Spanning all four seasons and nine months of the year, Aurora Season runs August 21 through April 21. Fairbanks is a world-famous aurora viewing city because of its location directly under the Auroral Oval, a ring-shaped region hovering over the far north where northern lights activity is concentrated. Furthermore, Fairbanks distance from coastal weather and minimal light pollution (due to low population density), consistently contribute to clear, dark skies and optimum aurora viewing.

In many ways, Fairbanks is synonymous with the northern lights. In what other city can you find subdivisions, power plants, construction companies, veterinary clinics, publications, restaurants, street names, lodges, tours and so much more all named for the aurora borealis? Its not a coincidence that the Geophysical Institute (one of the worlds foremost aurora research centers) is located at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. And one doesnt have to wonder why the Poker Flats rocket range, where scientists shoot rockets into active auroras to collect data, is stationed just 27 miles north of the citys center. Just as it isnt a surprise that the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports current aurora forecasts on their front page or that the Explore Fairbanks website has a one-of-a-kind real-time Aurora Tracker.

Likewise, dwellings in the Fairbanks area have been built with the express purpose of aurora viewing in mind, including picturesque lodges and log cabins, remote yurts, well-appointed viewing spaces and posh igloos. Many Fairbanks accommodations will give patrons a wake-up call when the aurora appears. Also, local entrepreneurs have crafted a multitude of exciting ways travelers can simultaneously see the lights and enjoy quintessentially Alaskan activities. In our charmed Aurora City you can combine late night dog mushing, snowmachining, ice fishing, flightseeing and more with aurora viewing.

Enter the sweepstakes between August 19 and August 31, 2021, via 1) following our page on either Instagram or Facebook, 2) liking the Aurora City Sweepstakes post and 3) filling out a short form on our website at http://www.explorefairbanks.com/auroracity. The winner of the Aurora City Sweepstakes will be announced on September 2, 2021.

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About Explore Fairbanks

Explore Fairbanks is a non-profit marketing and management organization whose mission is to be an economic driver in the Fairbanks region by marketing to potential visitors and optimizing the visitor experience. Explore Fairbanks markets Fairbanks as a year-round destination by promoting local events, attractions and activities to independent travelers, group tour operators, travel agents, meeting planners and the media as well as by developing public policy and infrastructure to achieve marketing objectives. Explore Fairbanks encourages travelers to Explore Fairbanks Responsibly. Find out more at explorefairbanks.com.
I am immensely proud of the passion and unwavering commitment of our team to place healthcare professionals where theyre needed most."

Fastaff Travel Nursing and US Nursing Corporation earned recognition by Inc. Magazine on the annual Inc. 5000 list, a prestigious ranking of the nations fastest growing private companies.

Started in 1982, the list has become the hallmark of entrepreneurial success. It represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economys most dynamic segmentits independent small businesses. Microsoft, Dell, Dominos Pizza, Pandora, Timberland, LinkedIn, Yelp, Zillow, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000.

We are honored to be selected for recognition on this impressive list of companies, said Bart Valdez, Chief Executive Officer of CCRR, Inc; the parent of the combined healthcare staffing platforms comprised of Fastaff, LLC; Stella.ai; trustaff Management, LLC; and U.S. Nursing Corporation. I am immensely proud of the passion and unwavering commitment of our team to place healthcare professionals where theyre needed most. The rapid growth we saw despite the challenges of the last year and a half is a testament to the dedication and entrepreneurial spirit they bring to their jobs every day.

Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.

The companies on this years Inc. 5000 have followed so many different paths to success, says Inc. editor in chief Scott Omelianuk. Theres no single course you can follow or investment you can take that will guarantee this kind of spectacular growth. But what they have in common is persistence and seizing opportunities.

The 2021 Inc. 5000 is ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2017 and 2020. To qualify, companies must be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independent.

About Fastaff Travel Nursing

Over 30 years ago, Fastaff pioneered the practice of Rapid Response travel nurse staffing. Since then, the company has grown to become the leading crisis provider of experienced nurses to hospitals experiencing urgent and crucial situations nationwide. With a guaranteed delivery in ten days or less, and often in 24-48 hours, Fastaff is recognized as the most reliable partner to ensure uninterrupted high-quality patient care in hospitals, healthcare systems and communities facing turbulent times. Fastaff provides enriching employment opportunities to nurses while also providing the highest pay in the industry to meet acute staffing needs and provide unparalleled patient care.

Visit http://www.fastaff.com for more information and connect with Fastaff on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn.

About U.S. Nursing

Since 1989, U.S. Nursing has been working with healthcare facilities and nursing professionals to provide comprehensive staffing solutions during labor disputes. U.S. Nursing has staffed or helped avert more than 95% of all healthcare labor disputes nationwide, and is the pioneer and industry leader for comprehensive services throughout strike preparation and implementation.

When facing an organized labor strike, U.S. Nursing helps facilities negotiate from a position of strength. In the event of a job action, U.S. Nursing will provide a core group of proven and experienced healthcare professionals who can hit the ground running to ensure continuous, quality patient care.

Visit http://www.usnursing.com for more information.

About Inc. Media

Founded in 1979 and acquired in 2005 by Mansueto Ventures, Inc. is the only major brand dedicated exclusively to owners and managers of growing private companies, with the aim to deliver real solutions for todays innovative company builders. Inc. took home the National Magazine Award for General Excellence in both 2014 and 2012. The total monthly audience reach for the brand has been growing significantly, from 2,000,000 in 2010 to more than 20,000,000 today. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com.
Businesses are asking their service providers to deliver tools and access to services powered by technologyand were delivering. This means helping clients market, sell, and service their customers not just faster, but smarter." - Shane Stiles, President of Gate 39 Media

Gate 39 Media, a full-featured marketing agency and technology consulting firm dedicated to serving the financial and agricultural industries, announced that for a second consecutive year, it has ranked in Inc.s annual list celebrating the 5,000 fastest-growing privately held companies in America placing at #3202.

With three-year revenue growth of 115%, Gate 39 Media joins rank alongside past recipients such as Microsoft, Oracle, and Intuit. To achieve this milestone, the agency has focused on its core services to meet the growing demand for digital solutions across marketing, sales, and operations for its core niche of financial and agricultural clients.

Growth in digital marketing has been fueled by the ongoing trend in firms investing deeper into their CRM, Sales and Digital Marketing stacks, particularly around HubSpot. Gate 39 Media helps them derive useful and actionable analytics, automation, AI, and execute their marketing and sales initiatives more effectively.

In technology, Gate 39 Media plays a key role in helping companies leverage the power of the cloud. Beyond basic cloud web hosting, the agency helps businesses leverage the advanced tools available in Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services, including the latest innovative web services. Cloud technology is a key component of the growth in Gate 39 Medias custom financial and agriculture application development services powered by the cloud, including data and application integration via the growing number of APIs available.

The transition to digital marketing and service, including automation, insights, AI, and cloud services has accelerated since the start of the pandemic, comments Gate 39 Media President Shane Stiles. Retail, small businesses, and enterprise customers are asking their service providers to deliver tools and access to services powered by technologyand were delivering. This also means helping clients market, sell, and service their customers not just faster, but smarter. Our inclusion in the 2021 Inc. 5000 list for a second year highlights the demand for smart digital solutions fueling our growth.

Gate 39 Media is an award-winning HubSpot Platinum Solutions Partner Agency and a Gramercy Institute Financial Content Marketing Award winner. The firm was also named as an Agency of the Year Finalist in the 2021 Tearsheet Acquire Awards.

View Gate 39 Medias ranking profile at https://www.inc.com/profile/gate-39-media and learn more about Gate 39 Media at http://www.gate39media.com.

About Gate 39 Media

Gate 39 Media is a financial services marketing agency and technology consulting firm providing complete solutions for the financial, agricultural, and professional services industries since 2001. Headquartered in downtown Chicago, Gate 39 Media serves exchanges, financial advisors, brokerage firms, hedging consulting firms, agribusinesses, an array of funds, FinTech firms, and emerging managers and advisors. Gate 39 Media is a HubSpot Platinum Solutions Partner and was ranked an Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Company for 2020 and 2021.

To learn more visit http://www.gate39media.com.
Anthem Foundation Health Equity Database: Percentage of community-based organizations engaging in the 5 health equity focus areas The result of this collaboration is a powerful example of how we can harness the valuable work community based organizations and local leaders are doing to address the realities of our communities and peoples lives, said Shantanu Agrawal, M.D., Chief Health Officer at Anthem, Inc.

Anthem Foundation and CHC: Creating Healthier Communities today announced the development of a health equity database and new typology for defining community partnerships. This database identifies organizations working on the social determinants of health (SDOH), factors known to influence health, and their community connection points. The preliminary results of the project, conducted in Central Indiana, provide a compelling snapshot of the extensive amount of work underway to address health equity and lay the groundwork for improving collective action aimed at improving community health outcomes. This database is the first of its kind created in Central Indiana, and Anthem and CHC have plans to replicate it and share its benefits and learnings nationally.

The result of this collaboration is a powerful example of how we can harness the valuable work community based organizations and local leaders are doing to address the realities of our communities and peoples lives, said Shantanu Agrawal, M.D., Chief Health Officer at Anthem, Inc. As partners in our community, the Anthem Foundation is excited to see how this collaboration will help efforts to advance health and social equity not only in Indiana but across the country.

As part of a continued commitment to community health and advancing health equity, Anthem Foundation partnered with CHC: Creating Healthier Communities to understand the breadth and scope of health equity work underway in Central Indiana. The project began in June 2019 with a landscape assessment and survey of nearly 300 local, state, and national organizations serving the Greater Indianapolis community. CHC partnered locally with Health by Design and the Indiana Public Health Association to identify and illustrate the interconnected activities of organizations working across the five health equity focus areas: economic stability, education, social and community matters, health and healthcare, and neighborhoods and the built environment.

Anthem Foundation understands we need to focus beyond just the programs and services that address health equity, said Thomas G. Bognanno, president and CEO of CHC: Creating Healthier Communities. Together, were going deeper to understand the entire ecosystem of civic infrastructure that advances community health and wellbeing. I am optimistic that we willafter decades of collective workbegin to see measurable improvements. Anthem is blazing a trail for the country.

The Anthem Foundation health equity database for Central Indiana features descriptive information from over 150 organizations. Not only does the database identify an extensive amount of work in progress across all five health equity focus areas, but also, the results reveal that a significant number of organizations are working across multiple focus areas. Preliminary results of the assessment found that 11% of respondents are working in all five health equity focus areas, and 18% are working in four of five focus areas. Preliminary results also indicated that organizations are prioritizing Economic Stability work, with 72% of respondents engaged in this focus area.

To advance the national discourse around health equity, this project also created a new typology for defining community-based organizations as Super Connectors, Super Contributors, or Priority Focused, based on the number of health equity focus areas in their purview and partnerships within their network. Creating this new typology gives shared language to this emerging field and helps advance the work in Indiana and beyond.

There is a growing recognition and understanding that our zip code is more important than our genetic code in shaping how well and how long we live, said Kim Irwin, Health by Design executive director. Documenting the work underway in Central Indiana and beyond to address the connections between public health and factors like jobs, wages, education, food access, and transportation allows for better alignment and coordinated action among partners invested in improving the wellbeing of people and places.

The results of this project have implications for both Central Indiana and communities across the country working to understand and address these complicated issues. In most communities, leaders and organizations from every sector have acknowledged the significant influence of health equity and the social determinants of health on health and quality of life. However, given the complexity of the work, it is difficult for communities to keep track of and have a clear understanding of who is doing what and how everyones work is connected. Without this clarity, communities cannot properly leverage collective action models. Using the health equity database, organizations working in and across the many focus areas can identify and connect with each other more easily and effectively plus tap into a vast inventory of work underway across the region. The Anthem Foundation health equity database can provide communities with a valuable resource to connect, enhance, and improve health equity interventions.

For more information about the database, methodology, or results, please visit https://anthem.chcimpact.org/

About CHC: Creating Healthier Communities:

CHC: Creating Healthier Communities, formerly Community Health Charities, is a catalyst for good health, bringing communities, nonprofits, and businesses together around a shared commitment to better health and wellbeing. Together with partners, CHC works to address the barriers to good health and equity and create resilient communities where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. CHC represents thousands of high-impact nonprofits, connecting them with resources from our corporate, foundation and government partners to power transformative change. For more information, visit https://chcimpact.org or @chcimpact.

About HbD: Health by Design, Indiana Public Health Association:

Health by Design works at the intersection of the built environment and public health, collaborating across sectors and disciplines to ensure Indiana communities have neighborhoods, public spaces and transportation infrastructure that promote active living for all. Health by Design achieves its goals by advocating for policy change, building community capacity, convening diverse partners, educating on best practices, facilitating dialogue, promoting smart design, and providing technical assistance.

The Indiana Public Health Association, which builds capacity among public health professionals and partners to achieve health equity and well-being for all across the state of Indiana, is managed through Health by Design.

About Anthem Foundation:

The Anthem Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Anthem, Inc. and through charitable contributions and programs, the Foundation promotes the organizations commitment to improving lives and communities. Through strategic partnerships and programs, the Foundation addresses the social drivers that will help create a healthier generation of Americans in communities that Anthem, Inc. and its affiliated health plans serve. The Foundation focuses its funding on critical initiatives that make up its Healthy Generations Program, a multi-generational initiative that targets: maternal health, diabetes prevention, cancer prevention, heart health and healthy, active lifestyles, behavioral health efforts and programs that benefit people with disabilities. The Foundation also coordinates the companys year-round Dollars for Dollars program which provides a 100 percent match of associates donations, as well as its Volunteer Time Off and Dollars for Doers community service programs. To learn more about the Anthem Foundation, please visit http://www.anthem.foundation and its blog at https://medium.com/anthemfoundation.
What an honor to be recognized on this exciting growth list again. After last year, we did not rest on our laurels. We have added experienced industry talent to our organization, and we will be moving into a new, larger facility next month.

Inc. magazine today revealed that Flip Electronics is No. 1024 on its annual Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the nations fastest-growing private companies. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economys most dynamic segmentits independent small businesses. Intuit, Zappos, Under Armour, Microsoft, Patagonia, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000.

Jason Murphy, CEO of Flip, stated, What an honor to be recognized on this exciting growth list again. After last year, we did not rest on our laurels. We have added experienced industry talent to our organization, and we will be moving into a new, larger facility next month. This strategy will allow us to continue our explosive growth trajectory. I want to thank every customer, partner, client, and especially our Flip family who have made the past year another success story! Without the support of everyone, we wouldnt be where we are today. I am looking forward to many more years helping our customers avoid the pain points of obsolete electronic components.

Not only have the companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 been very competitive within their markets, but this years list also proved exceptionally resilient and flexible given 2020s unprecedented challenges. For example, among the 5,000, the average median three-year growth rate soared to 543 percent, and median revenue reached $11.1 million. Together, those companies added more than 610,000 jobs over the past three years.

Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000. In addition, the top 500 companies are featured in the September issue of Inc., which will be available on newsstands on August 20.

The 2021 Inc. 5000 list feels like one of the most important rosters of companies ever compiled, says Scott Omelianuk, Editor-in-Chief of Inc. Building one of the fastest-growing companies in America in any year is a remarkable achievement. Building one in the crisis weve lived through is just plain amazing. This kind of accomplishment comes with hard work, smart pivots, great leadership, and the help of a whole lot of people.

About Flip Electronics

Based in Atlanta, Georgia, Flip Electronics has been an authorized distributor of obsolete semiconductor and electronic components since 2015. Flip works closely with their OEM and contract manufacturer clients and considers every aspect of the logistics and supply chain process while delivering exceptional solutions to best suit clients needs. These services help avoid costly shutdowns and provide customers with the confidence that they are not dealing in the grey market. With industry-leading suppliers and knowledge and supply chain management expertise, Flip assists clients in the sourcing, pricing, and delivery of all their component needs. In addition, Flips focus on global trends in manufacturing makes it a leader in the electronics industry.

CONTACT: Learn more at Flipelectronics.com, or call 800.958.4578, or email info@flipelectronics.com

Contact: Allen Maag

Email: al.maag@maagcommplus.com

Phone: 602.363.6038

More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000

Methodology

Companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2017 to 2020. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. In addition, they must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2020. (Since then, some on the list may have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2020 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Growth rates used to determine company rankings were calculated to three decimal places. There was one tie on this years Inc. 5000. Companies on the

Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.

About Inc. Media

The worlds most trusted business-media brand, Inc., offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across various channels, including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition of inclusion in the 5000 allows the founders of the best companies to engage with an exclusive community of their peers and confers the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Vision Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com. For more information on the Inc. 5000 Vision Conference, visit http://conference.inc.com/.
Inc. magazine today revealed that Universal Processing, the leading payment processing provider for minority-owned businesses, is number 3958 on its annual Inc. 5000 list  a prestigious ranking of Americas fastest-growing private companies.

Founded in 2003, Universal Processing specializes in helping underserved businesses accept all forms of payments, from credit card and debit cards to EBTs and online payments. Known for its integrity and dedicated 24/7 multilingual support, the company has grown to become the leading provider of payment processing services to minority-owned businesses in the U.S.

Universal Processing registered an impressive 79 percent three-year revenue growth, earning it a place on the coveted Inc. 5000 list. While the business continues to focus its efforts as a payment processing provider for the underserved, the company has cemented itself as an up-and-coming fintech company with the success of its customizable POS solution, uServe.

This past year has challenged each one of us here at Universal Processing. Ours was an industry that was deeply affected by the pandemic, Universal Processing Founder and CEO Saint Hung recalled. Even so, we remain committed to our mission of serving our merchant partners. During our mask donation campaign, we sourced and personally delivered over 14,000 masks to under-supplied hospitals. While businesses were forced to closed, we helped with applications for emergency loans, aided in petitions for the reduction of rent, and provided free online ordering websites. This award affirms our commitment to our founding principles. Our success this year is shared with the merchant partners that have triumphed in the face of great adversity.

Not only have the companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 been very competitive within their markets, but this years list also proved especially resilient and flexible given 2020s unprecedented challenges. Among the 5,000, the average median three-year growth rate soared to 543 percent, and median revenue reached $11.1 million. Together, those companies added more than 610,000 jobs over the past three years.

The Inc. 5000 represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economys most dynamic segmentits independent small businesses. Intuit, Zappos, Under Armour, Microsoft, Patagonia, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000.

The 2021 Inc. 5000 list feels like one of the most important rosters of companies ever compiled, says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. Building one of the fastest-growing companies in America in any year is a remarkable achievement. Building one in the crisis weve lived through is just plain amazing. This kind of accomplishment comes with hard work, smart pivots, great leadership, and the help of a whole lot of people.

Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000. The top 500 companies are featured in the September issue of Inc., which will be available on newsstands on August 20.

Companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2017 to 2020. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2020. (Since then, some on the list may have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2020 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Growth rates used to determine company rankings were calculated to three decimal places. There was one tie on this years Inc. 5000. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.

About Universal Processing

Universal Processing, LLC is a registered ISO of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. Concord, CA and the Commercial Bank of California. The company is committed to empowering the underserved with powerful payment processing tools and exceptional 24/7 multilingual service and technical support. In 2020, Universal Processing launched uServe POS. The powerful and affordable point of sale solution allows restaurants to handle the most complicated splits and modifiers while allowing unprecedented control over the systems interface and workflow. Universal Processing has five offices nationwide in Manhattan, NY; Flushing, NY; Arcadia, CA; Houston, TX; and Chicago, IL. The company serves over 13,000 businesses nationwide and manages over $2.0 billion in annual revenue.

For more information, visit https://www.uprocessing.com/

About Inc. Media

The worlds most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multi-platform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 allows the founders of the best businesses to engage with an exclusive community of their peers and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Vision Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc.

Contact: Eva Jiang, marketing@uprocessing.com
Forward Financing's office in downtown Boston In a year when small businesses needed our support more than ever, our team worked diligently to ensure our customers had the resources they needed to make it through the pandemic. - Justin Bakes, co-founder & CEO

Forward Financing, a leader in alternative small business financing, has been named No. 3527 on Inc. magazines annual Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the nations fastest-growing private companies.

This recognition on the Inc. 5000 list is a testament to our teams incredible resilience and commitment to serving our small business customers, says Justin Bakes, the companys co-founder and CEO. In a year when small businesses needed our support more than ever, our team worked diligently to ensure our customers had the resources they needed to make it through the pandemic. Moving forward, were going to continue to invest in what we do best: providing a best-in-class customer experience and building advanced technology that transforms the small business financing industry.

Inc. magazine uses a three-year revenue growth rate to determine the rankings. Between 2017 and 2020, Forward Financings revenue grew by 96%, earning its spot as one of the top 100 fastest-growing companies in the Boston metro area.

To support this revenue growth, the company doubled its headcount over the same period. Prioritizing its outstanding work-life balance and excellent customer service, growing the companys size was essential to meet the surging demand.

In addition to Inc.s revenue growth recognition, Forward Financing has also been named a Boston Business Journal Best Places to Work, Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year, and American Business Awards Best Customer Service Department of the Year.

The 2021 Inc. 5000 list feels like one of the most important rosters of companies ever compiled, says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. Building one of the fastest-growing companies in America in any year is a remarkable achievement. Building one in the crisis weve lived through is just plain amazing. This kind of accomplishment comes with hard work, smart pivots, great leadership, and the help of a whole lot of people.

Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.

About Forward Financing

Forward Financing is a Boston-based financial technology company that provides fast, flexible working capital to small businesses nationwide. Their dedicated account representatives and advanced proprietary technology help customers spend less time finding capital and more time growing their businesses. With a simple online application, business owners can trust that Forward Financing works to get them approvals within minutes, funding within hours, and personalized support when they need it most.

Since 2012, Forward Financing has expanded Main Streets access to capital by providing over $1 billion in funding to nearly 30,000 small businesses. The company is A+ rated by the Better Business Bureau and Excellent / 4.9 stars on Trustpilot.com. Forward Financing was named a Best Place to Work by both the Boston Business Journal and Built In Boston, and has been named by both Inc. magazine and the Boston Business Journal as one of Massachusetts fastest-growing companies each year since 2017. Forward Financing is committed to helping more small business owners succeed and achieve their full potential. To learn more, visit http://www.forwardfinancing.com.

More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000

Methodology

Companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2017 to 2020. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2020. (Since then, some on the list may have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2020 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Growth rates used to determine company rankings were calculated to three decimal places. There was one tie on this years Inc. 5000. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.

About Inc. Media

The worlds most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including web sites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Vision Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com.
To ensure that people with disabilities such as blindness, dyslexia, low vision, or mobility impairment have access to high-quality education, G-W has partnered with Benetechs Bookshare initiative to make reading easier. Through Bookshare, the worlds largest accessible ebook service, G-W can offer accessible titles in a wide variety of formats, free of charge, to all qualifying students in the United States through the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP).

Students using G-W accessible resources can read in the way that works best for themwhether its listening to a book; using word-level highlighting; adjusting reading speed, font, and color; or using other tools that customize the reading experience for their particular learning needs.

Preparing students for life and career is our goal, and part of that process is working to eliminate any barriers to learning, said John Flanagan, President of G-W. Our partnership with Benetechs Bookshare initiative helps us meet the needs of all students by providing accessible materials that build skills for their future success.

G-W is also working toward its accreditation as a Global Certified Accessible (GCA) publisher.

Benetech is committed to ensuring that every student regardless of ability can access the books and information they need to read, learn, and achieve, said Brad Turner, VP and GM Global Education and Literacy at Benetech. Schools can choose G-W textbooks with the peace of mind that they will be able to easily provide learning materials in alternative formats for their students with dyslexia, vision loss, and other reading barriers through Bookshare. G-Ws work towards becoming a Global Certified Accessible publisher further underscores their commitment to serving the learning needs of all students at the same time and with equal importance.

About G-W Publisher

Established in 1921, G-W publishes print and digital instructional materials for Career and Technical Education and Health Education. G-W collaborates with outstanding authors, trustworthy reviewers, and industry-focused trade associations to provide quality, standards-based content with effective pedagogy.

Learn more at http://www.g-w.com and on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

About Benetech and Bookshare

Benetech is a nonprofit that empowers communities with software for social good. Benetechs work transforms how people with disabilities read and learn and enables human rights defenders and civilians to pursue truth and justice. Benetech is constantly pursuing the next big social impact. Visit http://www.benetech.org.

Bookshare, a Benetech initiative, is an ebook service that makes reading easier. Members can access a huge collection of ebooks and read their way with the most customizable ebooks for people with reading barriers.

Learn more about Bookshare at http://www.bookshare.org.
Were excited to make this years Inc. Top 5000 list, because this past year presented additional headwinds. Despite a pandemic, supply-chain challenges, and new safety protocols, our team of essential employees continued to deliver. - Holloway CEO Brian Maxted

The Holloway Group was named the fastest-growing Ag and Natural Resources company in the 2021 Inc. Magazine 5000, the most prestigious ranking of the nations fastest-growing private companies.

Holloway didnt just make the top 5,000 for the first time, it came in first among companies in the "Ag and Natural Resources" industry  ranking No. 1,253 overall on the annual list.

Founded in 1932 as H.M. Holloway Inc., a gypsum mine located in Lost Hills, Calif., Holloway has grown into a multi-unit group helping the environmental, agriculture, logistics and mining industries grow.

Were excited to make this years Inc. Top 5000 list, because this past year presented additional headwinds, Holloway CEO Brian Maxted said. Despite a pandemic, supply-chain challenges, and new safety protocols, our team of essential employees continued to deliver. Whether it was on the environmental side, continuing to manage waste streams from all over the state, to delivering the essential products and services the agriculture industry needs to grow, our incredible team didnt skip a beat.

Holloway President Vard Terry, who has been with the company for nearly 50 years, echoed those sentiments.

Thanks to everyone in the Holloway family for their hard work and dedication over the past year, Terry said, and to all of our long-standing customers and partners who kept working with us to keep the industries we serve moving forward.

Holloway was recognized on the list after seeing revenue growth of 383.2% from 2017 to 2020, as Holloway Agriculture has expanded beyond being the trusted gypsum supplier to Californias top growers, providing a host of other products and services, from soil amendments to agronomy consulting, to complete orchard removal and redevelopment, with partners AgSoilworks.

In recent years, Holloway has also evolved its Lost Hills facility to reuse its nine decades of mining pits into a Class III non-hazardous Industrial Waste Landfill, providing sustainable, full-circle waste management services.

Holloway's logistics unit then leverages its established channels to efficiently haul thousands of tons of ag and waste materials every day.

We dont take a lot of time to look back, but weve really come a long way, and Im really proud of the team and how everyone has come together  particularly during a pandemic year, Holloway COO Dan Allen said. Our crew is as good as it gets, and that shows in the quality of products and services were delivering. Were committed to doing everything we can to provide safe, practical and sustainable solutions to all of our clients.

Being in Incs Top 5000 puts Holloway in elite company, Inc. Editor-In-Chief Scott Omelianuk said, adding those listed are among the top .07% of companies in the country, in terms of growth.

The 2021 Inc. 5000 list feels like one of the most important rosters of companies ever compiled, Omelianuk added. Building one of the fastest-growing companies in America in any year is a remarkable achievement. Building one in the crisis weve lived through is just plain amazing. This kind of accomplishment comes with hard work, smart pivots, great leadership, and the help of a whole lot of people.

The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economys most dynamic segmentits independent small businesses. Intuit, Zappos, Under Armour, Microsoft, Patagonia, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000.

Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.

To learn more about all of The Holloway Groups business units, visit hmholloway.com.

About The Holloway Group

Founded in 1932 as H.M. Holloway Inc., a gypsum mine located in Lost Hills, Calif., Holloway has grown into a multi-unit group of privately held, affiliated companies in the agricultural, environmental, mining, and logistics industries.

Headquartered in Bakersfield, Calif., Holloway Agriculture is a full-service, one-stop shop operation, working with growers from planning stages through materials delivery and application, while also assisting with waste collection and other elements of farm management.

Ultimately, Holloways goal is to provide its customers with the greatest return on every dollar invested in their soils.

Learn more at http://www.hmholloway.com.

About Inc. Media

The worlds most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including web sites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Vision Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com.
Choosing the right car insurance can be daunting for many persons. When choosing the perfect insurance plan, the amount of deductible is important. Safe drivers can save money on their insurance by lowering their premiums after choosing a higher deductible., said Russell Rabichev, IMC

Compare-autoinsurance.org has launched a new blog post that presents what drivers should know about car insurance deductibles.

For more info and free car insurance quotes online, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.org/what-are-car-insurance-deductibles-and-how-do-they-work/

A car insurance deductible is the amount of money a policyholder pays out of pocket in the event of an accident or other claim. However, not every deductible is the same and there are plenty of options out there. There are pros and cons of a higher deductible with a lower premium, or of a lower deductible with a higher premium.

To better understand deductibles, drivers should know the following:



What is a deductible? A car insurance deductible refers to the amount of money the policyholder is required to pay if he is in an accident or needs to file a claim. After the deductible is paid, the insurance policy kicks in to cover the rest.

How do deductibles work? For example, if a policyholder chooses a deductible worth $1,000, this means that amount will have to be paid towards an accident or claim before the insurance kicks in. Therefore, if the policyholder's claim amount is at $7,500, the policyholder will have to pay the first $1,000 and the insurance company will pay the remaining $6,500. Choosing a higher deductible is a good way to save money on insurance premiums. Deductibles and premiums are generally inversely proportional, meaning that higher deductibles equal lower premiums, and lower deductibles equal higher premiums.

How to choose a car insurance deductible? Before choosing a deductible, drivers should analyze several factors. Their driving record is one of the most important factors. The likelihood of being involved in a car crash can influence the amount of the deductible. If the policyholder is leasing the vehicle, then he will likely need to pay a deductible. Some leases and liens require a specific deductible, while others leave the policyholders with more options. The budget of each policyholder is also important. Some car owners can afford to pay a higher monthly premium in order to enjoy a lower deductible, while others cant do that and go for a higher deductible with lower premiums. Also, not all types of car insurance plans come with a deductible. The liability insurance doesnt require one. On the other hand, comprehensive coverage, collision coverage, and mechanical breakdown insurance require a deductible.

Other deductible types. A less common type of deductible is the diminishing deductible, also called disappearing or vanishing deductible. This is an optional coverage that can be added to the vehicle's collision deductible to reduce the policyholder's out-of-pocket expenses if they are involved in a car crash. With a diminishing deductible option, the deductible is immediately decreased and continues to decrease substantially every term the policyholder remains accident-free. Depending on the starting deductible, this could mean reducing the deductible down to zero.

When do drivers have to pay their car insurance deductible? The policyholder will have to pay the deductible whenever they file a claim with their insurers. If a policyholder gets involved in an accident that he did not cause, the other driver that caused the accident can pay for the damage suffered by the policyholder through their insurance company. However, if the policyholder has collision coverage, he has the option to file a claim at his insurer, pay the deductible, and seek reimbursement through the at-fault drivers insurance company though a process called subrogation. If the at-fault driver is uninsured, the policyholder will have to pay the deductible if they have uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.

For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.org/

Compare-autoinsurance.org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc.
Done Right Merchandising "Making the Inc 5000 list for the 5th consecutive year is a testament to the hard work of our employees."

Inc. magazine today revealed that Done Right Merchandising is No. 3,569 on its annual Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the nations fastest-growing private companies. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economys most dynamic segmentits independent small businesses. Intuit, Zappos, Under Armour, Microsoft, Patagonia, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000.

"Making the Inc 5000 list for the 5th consecutive year is a testament to the hard work of our employees. It is thanks to their dedication and commitment that Done Right Merchandising has grown into one of the preferred retail merchandising companies in the U.S.," said Greg Lewis, chief executive officer at DRM. "Most importantly, honors like the Inc. 5000 demonstrate how our emphasis on achieving results for our retailer clients is paying off. We look forward to continued growth and success in the coming years and thank our clients and partners who trust us with their business."

Not only have the companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 been very competitive within their markets, but this years list also proved especially resilient and flexible given 2020s unprecedented challenges. Among the 5,000, the average median three-year growth rate soared to 543 percent, and median revenue reached $11.1 million. Together, those companies added more than 610,000 jobs over the past three years.

Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000. The top 500 companies are featured in the September issue of Inc., which will be available on newsstands on August 20.

The 2021 Inc. 5000 list feels like one of the most important rosters of companies ever compiled, says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. Building one of the fastest-growing companies in America in any year is a remarkable achievement. Building one in the crisis weve lived through is just plain amazing. This kind of accomplishment comes with hard work, smart pivots, great leadership, and the help of a whole lot of people.

About Done Right Merchandising:

Done Right Merchandising is a retail services provider that specializes in new store setups, remodels, merchandising resets, and fixture installations. DRM was founded in 2006 and has since grown to become a preferred partner for top retailers and brands across the country.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Brent Lewis

704-662-7183

blewis@donerightmerchandising.com

More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000

Methodology

Companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2017 to 2020. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2020. (Since then, some on the list may have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2020 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Growth rates used to determine company rankings were calculated to three decimal places. There was one tie on this years Inc. 5000. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.

About Inc. Media

The worlds most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including web sites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Vision Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com.

For more information on the Inc. 5000 Vision Conference, visit http://conference.inc.com/.
Were so honored to be included in the Inc 5000 list this year. We wouldnt be here without the dedicated employees that make up the Jay Group team and the incredible clients who put their faith and trust in our service.

Inc. magazine today revealed that Jay Group has qualified for the annual Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the nations fastest-growing private companies. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economys most dynamic segmentits independent small businesses. Intuit, Zappos, Under Armour, Microsoft, Patagonia, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000.

Were so honored to be included in the Inc 5000 list this year. We wouldnt be here without the dedicated employees that make up the Jay Group team and the incredible clients who put their faith and trust in our service. We remain committed to delivering exceptional service to our clients and supporting the company culture that has made us a great place to work for 56 years. We are dedicated to careful and profitable growth to support our employees and further investment in strategic technologies and automation.  Blake Dudek, President and COO.

Jay Groups growth has many contributing factors  an expertise in Direct-to-Consumer and digitally native brands has rapidly expanded its client base as this industry has grown. The shift in consumer buying habits driven throughout the pandemic towards marketplaces and consumer goods has been supported by Jay Group Services, such as health & wellness (nutraceuticals, supplements, protein, vitamins) and personal hygiene (toilet paper, deodorant, PPE). These factors have made Jay Group well positioned to respond to this shift through years of preparation and investment in technology, talent and systems.

Not only have the companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 been very competitive within their markets, but the list as a whole shows staggering growth compared with prior lists as well. The 2021 Inc. 5000 achieved an incredible three-year average growth of over 500 percent, and a median rate of 165 percent. The Inc. 5000s aggregate revenue was $209 billion in 2019, accounting for over 1 million jobs over the past three years.

Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at the Inc. 5000 website. The top 500 companies are also being featured in the September issue of Inc., available on newsstands August 18.

The companies on this years Inc. 5000 come from nearly every realm of business, says Inc. editor-in-chief Scott Omelianuk. From health and software to media and hospitality, the 2021 list proves that no matter the sector, incredible growth is based on the foundations of tenacity and opportunism.

The annual Inc. 5000 event honoring the companies on the list will be held virtually from October 23 to 27, 2021. As always, speakers will include some of the greatest innovators and business leaders of our generation.

About Jay Group

Jay Group is a U.S. company that has been an industry-leading provider of warehouse inventory management, eCommerce fulfillment, and specialty packaging services for over 56 years. Some of the world's most trusted and well-known brands rely on Jay Group to ensure their product is delivered accurately and on time.

With three US facilities strategically located in Pennsylvania and Reno, Nevada, Jay group is a 3rd generation family business. Founded in 1965 by the late Jay Chryst, the company is led by his daughter Dana Chryst, CEO, and her son Blake Dudek, President and COO. Together with their team, they carry the companys traditions, values and commitment to excellence.

More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000

Methodology

The 2021 Inc. 5000 is ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2016 and 2019. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2016. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2019. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2016 is $100,000; the minimum for 2019 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.

About Inc. Media

The worlds most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com.
Educational institutions are often lucrative targets for cybercrime because of the massive amounts of personal data they store for faculty, staff and students

Infosec Institute, a leading cybersecurity education company, today announced it has partnered with the Midwestern Higher Education Compact (MHEC) to bring market-leading cyber education solutions to colleges and universities within its 12 member states, as well as members of the New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE), Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) and Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE).

MHEC is statutorily-created in its member states and dedicated to strengthening postsecondary education through cost-savings initiatives and policy solutions informed by research and the expertise of regional leaders. Through partnerships with solution providers like Infosec, MHEC helps save colleges and universities millions of dollars annually.

Educational institutions are often lucrative targets for cybercrime because of the massive amounts of personal data they store for faculty, staff and students, said Jack Koziol, Infosec CEO and founder. We look forward to empowering midwestern higher education faculty and staff with the knowledge and skills to stay cyber secure at work, school and home with our market-leading security awareness and training platform, Infosec IQ.

The new partnership brings over 2,000 Infosec IQ security awareness and training resources to 47 states.

The higher education landscape is extremely variable, and often vulnerable as threats to information technology security continue to grow, stated Jennifer Dahlquist, vice president at MHEC. We know that information technology managers face constant changing threats related to the data and information that they are required to keep secure. Institutions in our Midwest region identified a critical need to have readily available contracts for security services and we are pleased to have Infosec as one of the selected vendors for IT security training.

A Leader in the 2020 Forrester Wave for Security Awareness & Training, Infosec IQ equips organizations with everything needed to prepare employees to detect, report and defeat cybercrime. The platform also features the newly released Infosec IQ Cybersecurity Culture Survey, an innovative way for Compact members to measure security culture by analyzing employee attitudes and perceptions towards cybersecurity and security training efforts.

MHEC technology contracts are available to higher education institutions (public and private not-for-profit) within the member states of the Compact. Additionally, these contracts are available for use by member state K-12 districts and schools; cities, counties, local subdivisions; state government; and non-profit organizations (education-related only).

Learn more about the MHEC and Infosec partnership.

About Midwestern Higher Education Compact

As an interstate compact, the Midwestern Higher Education Compact (MHEC) brings together midwestern states to develop and support best practices, collaborative efforts and cost-sharing opportunities. Through these efforts, it works to ensure strong, equitable postsecondary educational opportunities and outcomes for all. Member states of MHEC are Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. See MHECs website for more information about eligibility to participate in MHEC member states, or states in the New England Board of Higher Education, Southern Regional Education Board or the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education.

About Infosec

Infosec is the leading cybersecurity education company helping IT and security professionals advance their careers and empowering employees to be cyber-safe at work and home. Its mission is to equip individuals and organizations with the knowledge and skills to confidently outsmart cybercrime. More than 70% of the Fortune 500 have relied on Infosec Skills to develop their security talent and teams, and more than 5 million learners worldwide are more cyber-resilient from Infosec IQs security awareness and phishing training. Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Infosecs Resources Blog for the latest news, or visit infosecinstitute.com for more information.
The best time to insulate a warehouse is just after construction.

Insulation4Less, an online store for insulation solutions with 18 years of industry expertise, explained when is the right time to insulate a warehouse.

Warehouse insulation can be applied to both existing warehouses and buildings under construction, the experts said.

The cheaper and recommended option is to envelop a newly constructed warehouse in one of the recommended insulation types such as:



Prodex

Fiberglass

Spray foam

Cellulose

Aerogel

Bubble insulation

When applied to the newly constructed warehouse, the insulation materials are placed on the structure directly without the need to dismount or rip the already installed panels or existing insulation layers. This allows even the non-qualified construction workers to insulate the building.

Retrofitting, on the other hand, is the more complex process, said Insulation4Less experts. Insulating an existing warehouse means either adding to the old insulation layers or stripping the old layers to replace them with new materials.

As such, retrofitting is a more expensive and time-consuming option that calls for professionals help to ensure that new insulation is installed properly and up to code.

Whether insulating an old warehouse or new construction, owners will enjoy:

Greater indoor temperature control

Moisture control

Protection of the people inside from heat-exposure

Noise reduction

Investment protection by securing good conditions for the stored products

Energy bills reduction

Environmental carbon footprint reduction

Prevention of birds, bugs and mice settling in and damaging items and equipment

For more in-depth recommendations and insulation options, interested parties can visit Insulation4Less.com website.

About Insulation4Less:

Headquartered in Houston, TX, Insulation4Less is an online store for insulation solutions for metal and non-metal buildings, pole barns and home structures such as walls, floors and roofs.
To be included in the Inc. 5000 for the seventh time is a tremendous honor and a direct reflection of the Isos Technology team's hard work and perseverance.

Isos Technology, a leading provider of IT consulting services and an Atlassian Platinum & Enterprise Solution Partner, announced today that it was named to the Inc. 5000, Inc. magazine's prestigious ranking of the nation's fastest-growing private companies. The magazine ranked Isos Technology No. 2,504 on its Inc. 5000 list for 2020. This list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economys most dynamic segmentits independent small businesses. Intuit, Zappos, Under Armour, Microsoft, Patagonia, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000.

"To be recognized by Inc. magazine as one of the nation's fastest-growing private companies is a huge accomplishment," said Thad West, CEO of Isos Technology. "But to be included in the Inc. 5000 for the seventh timethat is a tremendous honor and a direct reflection of the Isos Technology team's hard work and perseverance. I couldn't be more proud of our team and our commitment to providing smart, agile solutions for business automation and software development. This recognition is an incredible validation of our efforts."

Not only have the companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 been very competitive within their markets, but this years list also proved especially resilient and flexible given 2020s unprecedented challenges. Among the 5,000, the average median three-year growth rate soared to 543 percent, and median revenue reached $11.1 million. Together, those companies added more than 610,000 jobs over the past three years.

Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000. The top 500 companies are featured in the September issue of Inc., which will be available on newsstands on August 20.

The 2021 Inc. 5000 list feels like one of the most important rosters of companies ever compiled, says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. Building one of the fastest-growing companies in America in any year is a remarkable achievement. Building one in the crisis weve lived through is just plain amazing. This kind of accomplishment comes with hard work, smart pivots, great leadership, and the help of a whole lot of people.

About Isos Technology

Isos Technology helps the companies that are changing the world. As a premier Atlassian Platinum and Enterprise Solution Partner, we make organizations Atlassian tools work more efficiently and effectively for them, with the least amount of disruption, so that they can focus on their business priorities. Since 2005, our Atlassian-certified team has tackled some of the toughest problems companies face across ITSM, Scaled Agile, DevOps, migrations, and integrations, and helped hundreds of organizations in both the private and public sector get the most value out of their technology investment. Headquartered in Tempe, Arizona, and with offices across the U.S., Isos Technology has been recognized as an Atlassian Partner of the Year in both the ITSM and Enterprise categories, an Inc. 5000 Fastest-Growing Private Company, and a CIOReview Most Promising Agile Consulting Company. For more information, visit isostech.com.

For More Information Contact:

Isos Technology

Lexi Hocker

lexi.hocker@isostech.com

More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000

Methodology

Companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2017 to 2020. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2020. (Since then, some on the list may have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2020 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Growth rates used to determine company rankings were calculated to three decimal places. There was one tie on this years Inc. 5000. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.

About Inc. Media

The worlds most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including web sites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Vision Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com.

For more information on the Inc. 5000 Vision Conference, visit http://conference.inc.com/.
Jay Kamhi, CEO of WB Capital (Kamhi World) Although our products sold in record numbers and earned us recognition on the Inc. 5000, our success wasnt about sales figures; our success was about being able to create products that uplifted spirits during a time when humor, smiles, and laughter were all in critically short supply.

Inc. magazine today revealed that WB Capital (Kamhi World) is No. 940 on its annual Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the nations fastest-growing private companies. This is WB Capitals second consecutive inclusion on the list, which represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economys most dynamic segment -- its independent small businesses. Intuit, Zappos, Under Armour, Microsoft, Patagonia, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000.

From my earliest days as a teenager selling novelty toys on the sidewalks of New York City, my purpose has always been to find or create fun, humorous products that make people laugh and smile, said Jay Kamhi, CEO of WB Capital (Kamhi World). With the heightened levels of stress and anxiety generated worldwide by COVID-19, the need for smiles and laughter was never greater, and this global need became a real incentive for our company. Although our products sold in record numbers and earned us recognition on the Inc. 5000, our success wasnt about sales figures; our success was about being able to create products that uplifted spirits during a time when humor, smiles, and laughter were all in critically short supply.

Not only have the companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 been very competitive within their markets, but this years list also proved especially resilient and flexible given 2020s unprecedented challenges. Among the 5,000, the average median three-year growth rate soared, and median revenue reached $11.1 million. Together, those companies added more than 610,000 jobs over the past three years.

Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000. The top 500 companies are featured in the September issue of Inc., which will be available on newsstands on August 20.

The 2021 Inc. 5000 list feels like one of the most important rosters of companies ever compiled, says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. Building one of the fastest-growing companies in America in any year is a remarkable achievement. Building one in the crisis weve lived through is just plain amazing. This kind of accomplishment comes with hard work, smart pivots, great leadership, and the help of a whole lot of people."

Kamhis journey has been documented in leading publications including Entrepreneur and Washington Post. From his Talking Pens featuring the voice and likeness of political figures like Donald Trump and Hilary Clinton, to a full line of pop-up greeting cards with light and music that are disrupting the greeting card industry, Kamhis career as a novelty toy innovator is renowned. Beyond these successes, however, Kamhi says his greatest joy comes from the opportunity to share his insights and lessons learned over his remarkable career to teach, encourage, and inspire the next generation of emerging entrepreneurs.

CONTACT:

Crystal Gorges

The PR Group

727-447-4992 x103

crystal.gorges@theprgroup.com

More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000

Methodology

Companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2017 to 2020. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2020. (Since then, some on the list may have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2020 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Growth rates used to determine company rankings were calculated to three decimal places. There was one tie on this years Inc. 5000. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.

About Inc. Media

The worlds most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including web sites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Vision Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com.

For more information on the Inc. 5000 Vision Conference, visit http://conference.inc.com/.
Krooks and O'Hara Named to Best Lawyers 2022

Best Lawyers in America has recognized Bernard A. Krooks, JD, CPA, LLM, CELA, AEP (Distinguished) and Amy C. OHara, Esq., partners in the law firm Littman Krooks LLP, for excellence in Trusts & Estates and Elder Law. A listing in Best Lawyers is widely regarded by both clients and legal professionals as a significant honor conferred on a lawyer by his or her peers.

Krooks is a founding partner of the law firm Littman Krooks LLP and Chair of its Elder Law and Special Needs Department. He has been included in Best Lawyers guide to legal excellence in the U.S. in the field of Elder Law and Trusts & Estates every year since 2008. Krooks is a nationally-recognized expert in all aspects of elder law and special needs planning. He is a member of the Estate Planning Hall of Fame by the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils (NAEPC). He is also past President of the Board of Directors of the Arc of Westchester, the largest agency in Westchester County serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

This is the second year that OHara has been named to Best Lawyers. Along with Krooks, she is recognized as a Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA) by the National Elder Law Foundation. She is Treasurer of the Board of Directors of the Special Needs Alliance, a national organization comprised of attorneys who practice law and advocate for people living with special needs and disabilities, the elderly, and their families. OHara is also President of the Board of Directors of Westchester Disabled on the Move, Inc., a not-for-profit organization that aims to improve the quality of life and the rights for all people with disabilities.

Read more about Krooks and OHara.

About Littman Krooks LLP

Littman Krooks provides sophisticated legal advice and the high level of expertise ordinarily associated with large law firms along with the personal attention and responsiveness of smaller firms. These ingredients, which are the cornerstone of effective representation and are necessary to a successful lawyer/client relationship, have become the foundation of the firms success.

Littman Krooks LLP offers legal services in several areas of law, including elder law, estate planning, special needs planning, special education advocacy, and corporate and securities. Their offices are located at 399 Knollwood Road, White Plains, New York and 655 Third Avenue, New York, New York. Visit us at http://www.littmankrooks.com/.
Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence.

Livesay & Myers, P.C. proudly announces that two of our attorneys have been included in the 2022 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Additionally, six lawyers from the firm have been recognized in the 2022 Edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch.

Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence.

Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, the newest award initiative from Best Lawyers, recognizes attorneys who are earlier in their careers for professional excellence in private practice.

"Best Lawyers was founded in 1981 with the purpose of highlighting the extraordinary accomplishments of those in the legal profession. After three decades, we are proud to continue to serve as the most reliable, unbiased source of legal referrals worldwide," said Best Lawyers CEO Phillip Greer.

Lawyers on The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch lists are divided by geographic region and practice areas. They are reviewed by their peers based on professional expertise, and undergo an authentication process to make sure they are in current practice and in good standing.

Livesay & Myers, P.C. congratulates the following lawyers named to 2022 Best Lawyers Publications:

The Best Lawyers in America

Matthew H. Smith - Family Law

Andrew Tank - Family Law

Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch

Ariel Baniowski - Family Law

Laila Raheen - Family Law

Brianna Salerno - Family Law

Jamel Rowe - Family Law

Amanda Kimble - Family Law

Emily Neuhausen - Family Law

About Livesay & Myers, P.C.

Livesay & Myers, P.C. is an award-winning family law firm with offices in Arlington, Fairfax, Manassas, Fredericksburg and Leesburg, Virginia. The firm was founded in 2003 by partners James Livesay and Kevin Myers. By 2016, the firm had made the annual Virginia Lawyers Weekly list of Virginias Largest Law Firms, debuting at #64 and moving up to #49 by the 2021 edition. Livesay & Myers, P.C. appears in the 20182021 Editions of the U.S. News - Best Lawyers listing of Best Law Firms as a Tier 2 firm in Family Law for the Washington, D.C. region.
We were able to grow very rapidly when it was very difficult to grow anywhere in the world.

LOANFLIGHT.COM ranks No. 761 on the 2021 Inc. 5000, with 3-year revenue growth of 627.44% Inc. Magazine reveals annual list of Americas Fastest-Growing Private Companies  the Inc. 5000.

Inc. magazine revealed that LoanFlight.com is No. 761 on its annual Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the nations fastest-growing private companies. LoanFlight.com joins the Inc. 5000 list for the first time with a 627% increase in revenue over the past three years. The company also ranked on the list as the #42 fastest growing financial services company in the country. Last month, LoanFlight.com was named the fourth-fastest-growing company in Tampa by the Tampa Bay Business Journal.

LoanFlight.com knows no one wants to pay more for a mortgage than they have to. The digital mortgage lender has leveraged that mindset and best-in-class technology to reverse engineer the business and provide loan products with zero lender fees and nationally leading rates. LoanFlight.com is a marketing automation and sales optimization company that happens to lend money to homeowners. That efficiency and subsequent savings is passed back to the borrower in the low-rate and zero-lender fee structure.

Paul Blaylock, LoanFlight.com founder and CEO, said, We were able to grow very rapidly when it was very difficult to grow anywhere in the world. Blaylock doubled down on that bet and moved the companys offices to downtown Tampa in 2020. Blaylock continued, We believe it will give LoanFlight.com a huge advantage over the coming years when it comes to talent acquisition, retention and work-life balance.

The company offers a rapid mortgage loan officer training program. This enables an employee new to the mortgage industry to work beside seasoned professionals while learning the business and, ultimately, obtaining their professional licenses.

Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region and other criteria, can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000. The top 500 companies are featured in the September issue of Inc., which will be available on newsstands on August 17, 2021.

The 2021 Inc. 5000 list feels like one of the most important rosters of companies ever compiled, says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. Building one of the fastest-growing companies in America in any year is a remarkable achievement. Building one in the crisis weve lived through is just plain amazing. This kind of accomplishment comes with hard work, smart pivots, great leadership and the help of a whole lot of people.

If you are interested in joining the growing team at LoanFlight, please visit https://www.loanflight.com/careers; to get a mortgage quote, please visit https://apply.loanflight.com/#/milestones?app_source=Inc5000.

CONTACT:

Angela Medlar

angela.medlar@loanflight.com

813-435-5496 ext. 202

About LoanFlight.com

LoanFlight.com was established in 2016 and is a direct lender for conventional and government refinances and purchases. The company is licensed in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota and Texas.

More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000

Methodology

Companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2017 to 2020. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independent  not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies  as of December 31, 2020. (Since then, some on the list may have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2020 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Growth rates used to determine company rankings were calculated to three decimal places. There was one tie on this years Inc. 5000. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.

About Inc. Media

The worlds most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including web sites, newsletters, social media, podcasts and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the Inc. 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Vision Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com.

For more information on the Inc. 5000 Vision Conference, visit http://conference.inc.com/.
Provides engineering-driven innovations in the rebuilding, distribution and aftermarket support of Chrysler vehicle electronics. I could not be more proud of the team weve assembled to reinvent how the automotive electronics remanufacturing industry does business

Inc. magazine today revealed that MAKS ENTERPRISES is No. 563 on its annual Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the nations fastest-growing private companies. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economys most dynamic segmentits independent small businesses. Intuit, Zappos, Under Armour, Microsoft, Patagonia, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000.

While ranking #563 overall nationally, MAKS came in at #93 within the state of California, #39 in the greater Los Angeles Metropolitan area, and #24 amongst all US Manufacturers.

I could not be more proud of the team weve assembled to reinvent how the automotive electronics remanufacturing industry does business, said Mak Cabessa, founder and CEO of MAKS. Clearly, we must be getting a few things right. My gratitude extends not only to our dedicated, innovative employees whose hard work is being recognized here, but to the many suppliers, vendors, and partners who continually provide us outstanding service and support, and to our customers who put faith in us to serve their needs.

Not only have the companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 been very competitive within their markets, but this years list also proved especially resilient and flexible given 2020s unprecedented challenges. Among the 5,000, the average median three-year growth rate soared to 543 percent, and median revenue reached $11.1 million. Together, those companies added more than 610,000 jobs over the past three years.

MAKS Enterprises official ranking can be seen here. Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000. The top 500 companies are featured in the September issue of Inc., which will be available on newsstands on August 20.

The 2021 Inc. 5000 list feels like one of the most important rosters of companies ever compiled, says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. Building one of the fastest-growing companies in America in any year is a remarkable achievement. Building one in the crisis weve lived through is just plain amazing. This kind of accomplishment comes with hard work, smart pivots, great leadership, and the help of a whole lot of people.

MAKS Enterprises LLC (d.b.a MAKS TIPM Rebuilders), was founded in 2017 and has rapidly grown to become a leading industry innovator in the rebuilding of motor vehicle electronics. Having started with the Totally Integrated Power Module (TIPM) which is the electronics nerve center found in all Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and RAM vehicles produced since the early 2000s, MAKS Enterprises is now expanding into additional automotive electronics categories with the mission to provide consumers rebuilt auto electronics better and more resilient than new, and at a fraction of the cost.

CONTACT: Jeff Vetterick, Director of Sales & Marketing.

+1-818-798-5558

Jeff@tipmrebuilders.com

http://www.tipmrebuilders.com

Follow us on: LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube

More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000

Methodology

Companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2017 to 2020. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2020. (Since then, some on the list may have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2020 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Growth rates used to determine company rankings were calculated to three decimal places. There was one tie on this years Inc. 5000. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.

About Inc. Media

The worlds most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including web sites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Vision Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com.

For more information on the Inc. 5000 Vision Conference, visit http://conference.inc.com/.
A back-slapping, hat-tipping welcome addition to the endless attraction of Wyatt Earp and the OK Corral. It is the best Earp book in years. ~ Scott Dyke, Western Historian and Author of the Column Meandering the Mesquite

Western historian Mark Warren has logged more than 6 decades of study in the Earp story, visiting the places where Wyatt Earp played his part in history and cobbled together a remarkable life. After interviewing the top researchers in the Earp field from Georgia to California, Warren has given readers a real understanding of the Earp story, not by trying to explain the man, but by letting the reader experience Earps motivations, aspirations, shortcomings, and tragedies. Was Wyatt Earp the hero that legend has taught us? Or was he the greatly flawed opportunist that some revisionist historians have suggested? This trilogy presents a balanced answer to those questions.

Reviewer Quotes:

Woven with clarity and colorful prose, Warren leads readers on an odyssey to 1879 Tombstone where we feel the desert dust and hear spurs jangling An accomplished researcher, Warren is ever-faithful to the facts ~Denise McAllister, quoted from Roundup Magazine and True West Magazine.

"Warrens masterful research and vivid descriptive skills again shine through as he wraps up his trilogy. The Historical Novel Society

A good book offers the ultimate escape. Its armchair travel to those wild places of the imagination. And if the best of books allows us to escape to new realms, then I would have to say that Warrens books took me to places I had previously not expected to visit, but Im really glad I went there. Peta Stevallai, New Zealand Booklovers

Quote from Warren: When I was seven years old I checked out a book from my elementary school library and read the so-called biography of Wyatt Earp. The story reached down inside me and gripped my soul. Why? Courage has always fascinated me, and whether or not it was courage or lack of fear (two very different ideas) that governed Wyatt Earps actions, he had my attention. It would be many years before I would discover that this early Earp book was highly fictionalized. The real story, I learned, was more complicated and much more interesting.

About the Books:

The Long Road to Legend  Young Wyatt Earp grows up on the Iowa frontier and learns the balance of servitude to a demanding father and the self-esteem of independent fortitude. In California he is introduced to an adage that will forever haunt him and his failed ambitions to be a businessman: that, like most men, he might have to settle for less. After a year of marriage his wife and child die, leaving him in a wasteland of misery that leads him into trouble with the law. Eventually, he pulls himself up and embraces an occupation for which he seems to be perfectly suited: an officer of the law.

Born to the Badge  As a policeman in Wichita and Dodge City, Wyatt earns a reputation as a no-nonsense officer who will back away from no man. The economy of these towns depends upon cattle drives from Texas and the roughshod drovers who accompany them. In the height of the cattle season, the towns bustle with activity, including wild drunken sprees intended to test the mettle of Kansas lawmen. Wyatt proves himself time and again as he faces down the likes of Mannen Clemens, Melvin King, and Clay Allison. In Texas he meets a man whose name will be forever linked with his own. Doc Holliday is a testy, Southern ex-dentist turned gambler, who is dying from tuberculosis. By giving Wyatt information about the train robbers, Doc offers the first thread in an unlikely friendship that will weave the two mens lives into a common story that will be told through the ages.

A Law Unto Himself  Drawn to the silver boom in Tombstone, Arizona Territory, Wyatt and his brothers start anew with aspirations to strike it big in business. Fate seems to have other plans for Wyatt, as he reverts to the foot-soldier status of a hard-nosed enforcer of the law. Enemy lines are drawn between the Earps and the cow-boy rustlers, finally culminating in the famed gunfight near the O.K. Corral. When the Earps prevail in this face to face battle, the cow-boys resort to midnight back-shooting, killing one Earp and maiming another. When the courts cannot adjudicate over perjuring outlaws, Wyatt Earp takes the law into his own hands and dispenses a personal justice that will elevate his name into American legend.

Book ISBNs:

The Long Road to Legend - 978-1493053391

Born to the Badge  978- 1493053414

A Law Unto Himself - 978-1493053438

These books are available through all major book distributors!

About the Author - Warren has written extensively about nature for local and national magazines. He lectures on Native American history and survival skills, and Western Frontier History presenting at museums and cultural centers around the country. His Wyatt Earp, An American Odyssey trilogy was honored by WWAs Spur Awards, The Historical Novel Society and the 2020 Will Rogers Medallion Awards under the original hardback editions, Born to the Badge (2018) and Promised Land (2019.) His published books include Two Winters in a Tipi (Lyons Press 2012), Secrets of the Forest (A four volume nature series from Lyons Press 2020), Wyatt Earp, An American Odyssey (a trilogy from TwoDot August 2021), Indigo Heaven (Cengage, July 2021), The Librarian, The Cowboy and the Groomsman from the anthology Librarians of the West: A Quartet (Cengage, September 2021), Song of the Horseman (Speaking Volumes, August 2021), Last of the Pistoleers (Speaking Volumes, October 2021).
IORT - Intraoperative Radiation Therapy "Unlike traditional whole breast radiation which may impact surrounding tissues, IORT only impacts the tumor bed. This makes IORT an especially appropriate treatment for older patients who may need to consider certain comorbidities that increase with age. -- Maria C. E. Jacobs, M.D.

For decades, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) recommended forgoing post-lumpectomy radiation therapy for women over the age of 70, believing that the patients natural life expectancy was shorter than the chance the cancer would recur in 5 or 10 years.1 While the governing body has recently revised these guidelines, many in the oncology community still hesitate to endorse External Beam Radiation Therapy (EBRT) for elderly patients because of potential side effects such as skin rashes and blistering or fear the treatment will exacerbate existing comorbidities such as heart disease and emphysema.2

This National Senior Citizens Day, Sat., August 21st, Mercy Medical Center is emphasizing that there is another option besides the difficult decision between the secondary risks that come with weeks of daily external radiation or no radiation at all. Intraoperative Radiation Therapy (IORT) is a single dose of targeted radiation delivered from inside the breast while the patient remains asleep immediately following the removal of the tumor. The 20-year TARGIT-A international clinical trial compared IORT to EBRT, and long-term data consistently demonstrated no difference in local and distant breast cancer control, breast preservation, and breast cancer mortality.3

Treating breast cancer in senior citizens can present a special challenge for physicians, having to weigh the positive outcomes of post-operative radiation treatment verses the side effects specifically detrimental to older patients, said Maria C.E. Jacobs, M.D., Director of Radiation Oncology at Mercy. IORT addresses this issue. Unlike traditional whole breast radiation which may impact surrounding tissues, IORT only impacts the tumor bed. This makes IORT an especially appropriate treatment for older patients who may need to consider certain comorbidities that increase with age.

The current average life expectancy for women in the United States is over 81 years. The NCCN now advises those treating older adults to define them based on functional status rather than chronologic age Advanced age alone should not be the only criterion to preclude effective treatment that could improve quality of life (QOL) or lead to survival benefit in older patients.4

EBRT involves treating the entire breast from the outside and although the radiation therapy is directed to the breast rather than the surrounding tissues, the proximity of the heart, lungs and skin limit the dose of radiation that can be given at any one time. This leads to a prolonged treatment course of 3-6 weeks following surgery. The IORT treatment administers the radiation dose from inside the breast precisely where it is needed, allowing the radiation oncologist to deliver a much higher dose at one time.

The effectiveness of IORT was investigated in an international study called the TARGIT-A Trial, in which the Intrabeam System from ZEISS was used. Following lumpectomy, the randomized clinical trial compared risk-adapted partial breast single dose targeted intraoperative radiotherapy to 3-6 weeks of post-operative whole breast radiotherapy. Long term follow-up of 2,298 patients in the US, UK, Europe, Canada, and Australia demonstrated no difference in the long-term survival without local recurrence; survival without a mastectomy; and survival without distant metastatic disease. In addition, there were 41% fewer deaths from other causes (such as cardiovascular causes and other cancers).3

Founded in 1874 by the Sisters of Mercy, Mercy Medical Center is a university-affiliated Catholic hospital with a national reputation for womens health care. For more information about IORT at Mercy Medical Center, visit the Mercy website at http://www.mdmercy.com or call 1-800-M.D.-Mercy.

REFERENCES

National Comprehensive Cancer Network. Breast Cancer (Version 5.2020), July 15, 2020

https://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/pdf/breast.pdf

Radiation for Breast Cancer, American Cancer Society, September 18, 2019

https://www.cancer.org/cancer/breast-cancer/treatment/radiation-for-breast-cancer.html

Long term survival and local control outcomes from single dose targeted intraoperative radiotherapy during lumpectomy (TARGIT-IORT) for early breast cancer: TARGIT-A randomized clinical trial, BMJ, August 19, 2020

https://www.bmj.com/content/370/bmj.m2836.full.pdf

National Comprehensive Cancer Network. Older Adult Oncology (Version 1.2021), January 2021

https://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/pdf/senior.pdf
The Inc. 5000 list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economys most dynamic segment--its independent small businesses. Our growth has been consistent year over year, and weve continued to see that into 2021", said Gary Hutchinson, President at Modality Solutions. "This is especially meaningful this year as our clients have continued to turn to us as a critical partner despite the ongoing global pandemic.

Inc. Magazine has again named Modality Solutions to the publications annual Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of Americas successful, fast-growing private companies. Modality Solutions, a leading biopharmaceutical cold chain engineering firm, has demonstrated strong growth, even amid challenging times.

This is the third consecutive year that Modality Solutions has been recognized by Inc. magazine for being a top growing private company. Modality Solutions experienced tremendous growth in 2020, with revenue increasing forty-eight percent (48%) over the last three years.

Our growth at Modality Solutions has been consistent year over year, and weve continued to see that into 2021, said Gary Hutchinson, co-founder and President. This is especially meaningful this year as our clients have continued to turn to us as a critical partner despite the ongoing global pandemic. Our ability to help our clients achieve regulatory success, including those working on emergency use authorizations or accelerated approval pathways, has allowed us to have very significant growth even amidst economic uncertainty.

The Houston-based firm was ranked the fastest growing engineering firm in the Inc Texas Regionals.

This recognition joins other Modality Solutions accolades in the past year:



Modality Solutions was No. 179 fastest growing private company on the Inc Regionals in Texas list

Modality Solutions was featured on NBCs Today Show about its role in COVID-19 vaccine logistics

Modality Solutions was tapped for multiple industry articles, including for BioProcess International, Pharmaceutical Outsourcing, and Pharma Manufacturing

Modality Solutions executives spoke at key industry events, notably Biomanufacturing World Summit, Bio Supply Management Alliance, and Executive Platforms Thought Leader Series

The 41st annual Inc. 5000 list represents a unique look at the most successful, private companies in the United States. The Inc. 5000s aggregate median revenue was over $55 billion, accounting for nearly 610,000 new jobs over the past three years. Complete 2021 results can be found here.

About Modality Solutions

Founded in 2011, Modality Solutions is the leading validation engineering, regulatory guidance expert, advanced testing, and cold chain optimization firm serving the biopharmaceutical cold chain industry. Its focus is on the successful and rapid regulatory approval of a drug companys therapy and its cold chain optimization. The ISO 9001:2015 certified engineering firm specializes in integrating cold chain operations, developing transport validation strategies, supporting global regulatory applications, and enabling clinical trial operations in developing countries. It conducts transport simulation testing with its unique Advantage Transport Simulation Laboratory.

For more information, please visit Modality-Solutions.com. You can also follow us on LinkedIn.
Xiaoling Tomb of the Ming Dynasty on Nanjing's Purple Mountain. We are delighted to be partnered with PHG Consulting once again to share the wonders of Nanjing with North American travelers, said Ms. Jibin Ge, Director of Foreign Exchange and Cooperation Division for the Nanjing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism.

The Nanjing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism and global travel and tourism marketing leader PHG Consulting have begun their fourth consecutive year of working together to generate awareness for the destination in the North American market. PHG Consulting will handle social media and public relations for Nanjing, in addition to managing the destinations English-language website GoToNanjing.com and providing travel trade support.

While Chinas borders remain closed, the destination will continue posting inspirational social media content on its Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter channels to encourage travelers to dream of a future trip to Nanjing. In early 2022, Nanjing will launch an engaging Distance Learning themed campaign that will provide consumers with an educational look at the destinations top attractions, enticing them to visit once international travel resumes. Recognized as one of the four great ancient capitals of China, Nanjing has served as the capital city of 10 Chinese dynasties and regimes for a total of more than 1,800 years and is home to some of the countrys most significant historical sites.

We are delighted to be partnered with PHG Consulting once again to share the wonders of Nanjing with North American travelers, and we look forward to the day we can once again welcome international visitors to our city, said Ms. Jibin Ge, Director of Foreign Exchange and Cooperation Division for the Nanjing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism.

About Nanjing

Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu Province, is situated in the Yangtze River Delta area 190 miles northwest of Shanghai. Recognized as one of the four great ancient capitals of China, Nanjing has served as the capital city of 10 Chinese dynasties and regimes for a total of more than 1,800 years. A sophisticated metropolis and a modern center of history, education, and culture, Nanjing is home to some of the countrys most significant historical attractions such as the Xiaoling Tomb of the Ming Dynasty, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; Dr. Sun Yat-sens Mausoleum; The Presidential Palace; and a City Wall that dates back more than 600 years. Popular attractions also include Chinas oldest public library and one of the countrys first museums, the Nanjing Museum.

Nanjing is accessible by Nanjing Lukou International Airport (NKG) with daily flights from North America. Three train stations  Nanjing Railway Station, Nanjing South Railway Station, and Nanjing West Railway Station  connect Nanjing to all of Chinas major cities, including Shanghai, which is a 90-minute ride via bullet train or three hours by car.

For more information on Nanjing, visit http://www.GoToNanjing.com or follow the destination on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or YouTube @GoToNanjing.
On behalf of our thousands of clients nationwide, the team at Cory Watson Attorneys congratulates this outstanding group of lawyers for their achievement and well-deserved recognition.

Cory Watson Attorneys is proud to announce that 19 of the firms attorneys were recognized for their legal excellence in the 2022 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

BEST LAWYERS 2022

The eight attorneys named as the 2022 Best Lawyers in Birmingham include:

Ernest Cory, Co-Founder & Managing Shareholder



Mass Tort Litigation/Class Action  Plaintiffs

Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs

Leila H. Watson, Firm Co-Founder & Principal



Mass Tort Litigation/Class Action  Plaintiffs

Medical Malpractice Law  Plaintiffs

Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs

Product Liability Litigation  Plaintiffs

Douglas A. Dellaccio, Jr., Principal Attorney



Mass Tort Litigation/Class Action  Plaintiffs

Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs

Product Liability Litigation  Plaintiffs

Elizabeth E. Chambers, Principal Attorney



Mass Tort Litigation/Class Action  Plaintiffs

Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs

Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs

Rick DiGiorgio, Principal Attorney



Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs

Jerome Tapley, Principal Attorney



Consumer Protection Law

Mass Tort Litigation/Class Action  Plaintiffs

Stephen Hunt, Jr., Principal Attorney



Mass Tort Litigation/Class Action  Plaintiffs

Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs

Hirlye Ryan Lutz, Principal Attorney



Mass Tort Litigation/Class Action  Plaintiffs

BEST LAWYERS: ONES TO WATCH 2022

Eleven of our firms talented attorneys received 2022 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch recognition. The Ones to Watch category honors attorneys who are typically five to nine years into their careers and have demonstrated outstanding professional excellence in private practice.

Joel Caldwell, Attorney



Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions  Plaintiffs

Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs

Andrew S. Herring, Attorney



Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions  Plaintiffs

Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs

Product Liability Litigation  Plaintiffs

Nina Towle Herring, Attorney



Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions  Plaintiffs

Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs

Product Liability Litigation  Plaintiffs

Lauren S. Miller, Attorney



Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions  Plaintiffs

Medical Malpractice Law  Plaintiffs

Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs

Mitchell Theodore, Attorney



Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions  Plaintiffs

Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs

Product Liability Litigation  Plaintiffs

Tiffany Webber Carpenter, Attorney



Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions  Plaintiffs

Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs

Hannah Cory, Attorney



Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions  Plaintiffs

Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs

Nicolas Gutierrez, Attorney



Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs

R. Andrew Jones, Attorney



Product Liability Litigation  Plaintiffs

Hamilton Jordan, Attorney



Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions  Plaintiffs

Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs

Taylor Pruett, Attorney



Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions  Plaintiffs

Brett Thompson



Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions  Plaintiffs

Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs

On behalf of our thousands of clients nationwide, the team at Cory Watson Attorneys congratulates this outstanding group of lawyers for their achievement and well-deserved recognition.

________________________________________

ABOUT BEST LAWYERS

Best Lawyers is one of the oldest and most respected peer-review publications in the legal profession. Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers has become the definitive guide to legal excellence. Best Lawyers lists are compiled based on an exhaustive peer-review evaluation. Corporate Counsel Magazine has called Best Lawyers the most respected referral list of attorneys in practice. To learn more, visit BestLawyers.com.

________________________________________

ABOUT CORY WATSON ATTORNEYS

Cory Watson Attorneys is a nationally recognized personal injury law firm with offices in Birmingham, Alabama; Memphis, and Nashville, Tennessee. The firm has recovered more than $3 Billion for clients across the country. Cory Watson Attorneys are frequently at the forefront of major class actions and multidistrict litigations involving dangerous pharmaceuticals and product liability, and are often appointed to leadership positions in national cases. Firm practice areas include Personal Injury, Product Liability, Class Action, Asbestos, Business & Commercial Litigation, Dangerous Pharmaceuticals, Defective Medical Devices, and Environmental/Toxic Torts
Dr. Jonathan Lee

Oak Health Center, Southern California's premier comprehensive mental health outpatient care organization, is pleased to welcome Dr. Jonathan Lee, M.D., to its Fullerton office. Dr. Lee is certified by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

Serving patients in both English and Mandarin, Dr. Lee has extensive training and experience in treating people of all ages from all walks of life (inpatient/outpatient, mood and anxiety, eating disorders, concurrent/substance use disorders, ADHD, marginalized, and ethno specific, to name a few examples). He is most passionate about assisting transition-aged youth through the often turbulent transition to adulthood.

Dr. Lee believes in a comprehensive approach to psychiatry. In addition to medication management, he finds it important to incorporate the use of psychotherapy to help his patients find their path to mental health wellness.

When asked about joining Oak Health Center, Dr. Lee had this to say: I'm so excited to be able to do the work I've been trained to do with such a vibrant, cohesive collective at Oak Health. I cannot wait to bring my whole self to serve people in need of mental health help.

To make an appointment with Dr. Lee, patients may call the Oak Health Center Fullerton office at 714-706-0206 or send an email to contact@oak.care

More information about the growing Oak Health team is available at http://www.oak.care/our-team

About Oak Health Center

Oak Health Center offers comprehensive mental health outpatient care through our team of psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, psychologists, therapists, and tele-behavioral health clinicians. With the increasing prevalence of mental illness, the company is looking to make a positive impact on this struggling population. To learn more, visit http://www.oak.care.
Onyx+East Carmel Design Studio I think the growth we are seeing in terms of team member numbers is a testament to Onyx+Easts dedication and continued success in the local and Florida communities, said Kelli Lawrence, Onyx+East CEO.

Onyx+East has hired 20 new employees this year, growing its head count from 20 to 43 in its Indianapolis headquarters. The company has expanded its footprint in Indianapolis and Carmel as well as in St. Petersburg and Tampa, resulting in the recent hiring surge. January to date, they have had a combined 176 homes under construction in both states and unveiled its first design studio in Carmel, located at 1000 3rd Avenue South West, Carmel, IN 46032.

I think the growth we are seeing in terms of team member numbers is a testament to Onyx+Easts dedication and continued success in the local and Florida communities, said Kelli Lawrence, Onyx+East CEO. We take pride in offering beautiful, liveable townhomes, condos and single-family detached homes to anyone from first-time homebuyers to empty-nesters. With the addition of our new Carmel design studio, we further personalize the home design process, allowing buyers to experience firsthand the many selections we offer.

The new 3,500 square foot design studio creates an office presence for Onyx+East in Carmel, located near the Melange community.

By appointment only, buyers or prospective buyers can view a wide range of layout options as well as cabinets and appliances on display. The new studio is another way Onyx+East provides an exceptional home-buying experience.

The design studio is a sort of creative hub, a place where buyers wildest design and lifestyle dreams become reality, said Cathy Patrick, Design Studio Manager. Bringing your vision to life is so much more enjoyable when you can experience all of your options firsthand. You can be confident in your decisions, which is important because you will actually have to live with those decisions.

In addition to the new Carmel design studio, Onyx+East is expanding in the Fountain Square and Kennedy-King neighborhoods. This adds to their existing communities and single-family homes in desirable Indianapolis neighborhoods including: Downtown, Friends and Neighbors, Herron-Morton, Hillside, Mapleton-Fall Creek, Monon 16 and Windsor Parkand in Carmel: City Center, Spring Mill and the Village of WestClay.

In Florida, Onyx+East has one community under construction in the popular EDGE District of St. Petersburg and has six communities planned to be in development by mid-2022.

Onyx+East builds new-construction homes in locations that provide convenience, practicality, and most importantly, walkability and bikeability. All Onyx+East homes provide a variety of open-concept floor plans that flex so its residents can live comfortably and efficiently.

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ABOUT ONYX+EAST

Onyx+East develops residential properties in desirable neighborhoods with convenience and modern living in mind. By making a conscious effort to research and consider lifestyle, preferences and experiences that residents want, Onyx+East created a for-sale lifestyle product people desireincluding open floor plans with practicality, walkability and bikeability in mind. Through creativity, innovation and sustainability, Onyx+East develops communities that are changing the way people live, work and do life in multiple cities. Visit onyxandeast.com to learn more.
We are sincerely thankful to our major Home Improvement Channel customers, business partners, associates, and suppliers. This would not be possible without their collaboration, support and encouragement

PF WaterWorks, a Houston based consumer products company, achieved more than 270% growth over the three-year period and made it to the Inc. magazines annual Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the nations fastest-growing private companies.

PF WaterWorks is an innovation leader in the home improvement industry inventing and commercializing home improvement products. Since its inception 14 years back, PF WaterWorks has leveraged its patented innovative designs and successfully commercialized several unique problem-solving products viz. SinkGENIE, ClogFREE, EasyPOPUP, HairFREE, SinkSTRAIN, DecoDRAIN, PermaFLOW, TankBRACE, TubSTRAIN, DrainEASY, PushEASY, HairSTRAIN, TubMAGIC, TankBRACE, HingeHANGER and many more. Most of these innovations are sold through major Home Improvement Channels  both in stores and online and have been featured by Popular Science, DIY Network, HGTV, This Old House, Chicago Tribune, Houston Business Journal, This New House, Houston Chronicle, and many more. Most recently the latest innovation SinkGENIE No Mess, Easy Clean P-Trap was featured on Fox and Friends last week.

We are truly honored to be recognized for our continued success and featured on this esteemed list of the countrys fastest-growing private companies. We are sincerely thankful to our major Home Improvement Channel customers, business partners, associates, and suppliers. This would not be possible without their collaboration, support and encouragement alongside our large investments in developing a robust intellectual property portfolio that differentiates our products. said Sanjay Ahuja, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, PF WaterWorks. Securing the No. 1697 rank on the Inc. 5000 in our first entry to the list is a testament to the longtime dedication of our team as well as a growing recognition for our innovative products among consumers. Our goal is simple, innovate to make peoples life easier and continue to add value to our channel partners

The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economys most dynamic segmentits independent small businesses. Intuit, Zappos, Under Armour, Microsoft, Patagonia, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000. The 2021 Inc. 5000 list feels like one of the most important rosters of companies ever compiled, says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. Building one of the fastest-growing companies in America in any year is a remarkable achievement. Building one in the crisis weve lived through is just plain amazing. This kind of accomplishment comes with hard work, smart pivots, great leadership, and the help of a whole lot of people.

PF WaterWorks is one of only 88 Houston area companies and one of 8 in Houston, one of 31 in Texas and one of 335 nationwide amongst consumer products companies to make the Inc. 5000 list for 2021. Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.

About PF WaterWorks

Founded in 2007, PF WaterWorks is a Houston based minority owned, technology, product development, marketing and distribution company offering revolutionary consumer products that solve an unsolvable problem by incorporating entirely new ideas and functions and making life easier for homeowners, property managers, contractors, and builders. For more information visit - PF WaterWorks, FaceBook, Twitter, LinkedIn.

About Inc. Media

The worlds most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including web sites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Vision Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com.
Today, Rhombus Energy Solutions, Clean Fuels Michigan, and the Electrification Coalition hosted US Congresswoman Debbie Dingell and several Michigan state and local elected officials at the Rhombus Energy Solutions Dearborn, Michigan facility. The delegation toured the Rhombus facility, which manufactures market-leading bidirectional DC fast chargers for medium- and heavy-duty (M/HD) electric vehicles (EVs) such as public transit buses, school buses, delivery vans, and municipal vehicles. After the tour, the hosting organizations and the delegation of elected officials conducted a short press conference to discuss how American job creation and a cleaner environment are some of the critical benefits of the transportation electrification funding in the Federal Infrastructure Bill.

We cant wait another second to invest in American workers and the future of the auto industry, said Rep. Dingell. Thats why Im committed to ensuring we have sufficient funding for electric vehicle charging infrastructure in any infrastructure package or budget reconciliation. Todays visit to Rhombus Energy Solutions emphasizes the need to invest in electrifying the transportation sector through domestic manufacturing, which leads to keeping good-paying union jobs here at home  especially in the heart of the auto industry in Michigan.

As the new Federal Infrastructure Bill goes into force, transportation sector electrification, and in particular M/HD vehicle electrification, will accelerate significantly. The electrification of M/HD vehicles is particularly important for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, as these vehicles create nearly 40% of the transportation sectors air pollution while only constituting roughly 5% of transportation sector vehicles.

Rhombus Energy Solutions represents exactly the kind of jobs that investment in vehicle electrification can produce, said Jane McCurry, Executive Director of Clean Fuels Michigan. Electrifying medium- and heavy-duty vehicles is critical in reducing greenhouse gases and eliminating diesel heavy particulate pollution. Creating Michigan jobs at the same time doubles the value of these investments.

At the same time, the Biden Administration is increasing the threshold and reducing or eliminating waivers to the Buy America Act, with the intent that the Federal Infrastructure Bills funds (and federal money in general) should overwhelmingly be creating jobs in the USA. For US EV OEMs and charging network operators who are utilizing federal money, knowing that Rhombus designs and manufactures chargers in the USA provides them with another source for cutting-edge DC fast chargers for electric vehicles.

Continued investment in the electrification of transportation is critical to the American economy and our energy security, said Ben Prochazka, Executive Director of the Electrification Coalition. China and Europe are currently outpacing us in these investments, and we have some serious catching up to do. Companies like Rhombus are proof of the economic opportunity that awaits if we allocate our resources to maintain American competitiveness in the global automotive marketplace.

Rhombus is very excited to have hosted this congressional delegation at the Rhombus Dearborn facility, said Rick Sander, CEO of Rhombus Energy Solutions. We believe that the creation of solid, high-quality American jobs is critical to maintaining US technology superiority, and we welcome the investment in electrifying the US transportation sector that is provided by the upcoming Federal Infrastructure Bill.

Rhombus Energy Solutions will be showcasing its Made in the USA products at the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo Conference in Long Beach, Calif, in Booth 1807 during the show floor hours on Tuesday August 31st, Wednesday September 1st, and Thursday September 2nd. We will also be highlighting our products at the Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Technology Expo in Novi, Mich. September 14th through September 16th in Booth 810. If you wish to meet with the Rhombus team, please send an email to news@rhombusenergy.com.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

About Rhombus Energy Solutions:

Rhombus develops and manufactures next-generation bi-directional electric vehicle charging infrastructure, high-efficiency power conversion systems and energy management system (EMS) software for vehicle-to-grid (V2G) capable electric vehicle fleet charging, energy storage and microgrid applications. The high reliability of our solutions is the result of decades of experience developing high-power systems for a variety of applications and deployment scenarios, including UL-1741-SA system-to-grid solutions. For more information, please visit http://www.RhombusEnergy.com.

Rhombus Energy Contact:

Carolyn Paynton

Carolyn@RhombusEnergy.com

+1 888 978 6564

About Clean Fuels Michigan:

Clean Fuels Michigan is a nonpartisan nonprofit trade association dedicated to accelerating the transition to clean transportation in Michigan. Representing a coalition of leading businesses and organizations, Clean Fuels Michigan strives to make Michigan a bright, prosperous, and sustainable national leader in clean fuels. For more information, please visit cleanfuelsmichigan.org.

Clean Fuels Michigan Contact:

Jane McCurry

jmccurry@cleanfuelsmi.org

+1 517 249 2128

About the Electrification Coalition:

The Electrification Coalition is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that promotes policies and actions to facilitate the widespread adoption of electric vehicles in order to reduce the economic, public health and national security risks created by Americas dependence on oil. Learn more at http://www.electrificationcoalition.org.

Electrification Coalition Contact:

Julie Sutor

jsutor@electrificationcoalition.org

970-409-9461

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Freedom Financial Network Recognition on the corporate philanthropy list underscores our commitment to the Bay Area, and is a symbol of the work we do to invest in people close to our home.

Freedom Financial Network (FFN) has ranked as a top company in the San Francisco Bay Area in both corporate philanthropy and the fintech industry.

Top 100 Bay Area Corporate Philanthropists

The San Francisco Business Times recently named FFN to its list of Top 100 Bay Area Corporate Philanthropists. The list, which looks at contributions from 2020, included FFN as No. 81.

The corporate philanthropy list celebrates the Bay Areas most generous corporate citizens, and recognizes those companies that give their resources. The annual list recognizes top corporate philanthropists ranked by local cash giving, and includes for-profit companies and nonprofit health care organizations that made contributions to Bay Area-based charitable organizations in San Francisco, San Mateo, Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, Santa Clara, Solano and Sonoma counties.

Recognition on the corporate philanthropy list underscores our commitment to the Bay Area, says Jeff Staley, managing partner at FFN. It is a symbol of the work we do to invest in people close to our home. FFN was founded in San Mateo in 2002, and continues to maintain its headquarters there.

Largest Fintech Companies in the Greater Bay Area

The publication also named FFN to its list of the Largest Fintech Companies in the Greater Bay Area. The list ranks companies that have offices in Bay Area counties by number of employees. With 200 employees in its San Mateo headquarters, FFN ranked No. 27 out of 67 companies. FFN employs an additional 2,000 in the Phoenix area.

Our company is focused on helping American consumers reduce debt, build wealth and achieve financial freedom, says Andrew Housser, co-founder and co-CEO of FFN. Being part of this respected group of financial services companies is a testament to the work we are doing to improve the financial health of people throughout the country.

Freedom Financial Network (http://www.freedomfinancialnetwork.com)

Freedom Financial Network is a consumer financial services company that empowers everyday Americans to move forward towards a better financial future. Products and services include the Freedom Debt Relief program, FreedomPlus personal loans, Lendage mortgage products, and the Bills.com education and resource site.

Headquartered in San Mateo, California, Freedom Financial Network also operates an office in Tempe, Arizona, and employs more than 2,200. The company has been voted one of the best places to work in both the San Francisco Bay area and the Phoenix area for several years.

Contact: Erica Bigley, ebigley@freedomfinancialnetwork.com, 415-710-9006
Silotech Group, Inc. Headquarters, San Antonio, TX Silotech has sustained growth over a 3-year period at the rate of 63%.

Inc. magazine today revealed that Silotech Group, Inc. is No. 4409 on its annual Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the nations fastest-growing private companies. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economys most dynamic segmentits independent small businesses. Microsoft, Dell, Dominos Pizza, Pandora, Timberland, LinkedIn, Yelp, Zillow, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000.

"We are honored to once again be included on the Inc. 5000 this year.

Creating dedicated lines of business for our Salesforce and Managed Services practices to go along with our existing Cyber, Intel, and Enterprise IT has bolstered our growth resulting in being included on this prestigious list for the 7th consecutive year. Congratulations to all the Inc. 5000 companies." Tiffany Tremont, President & CEO, Silotech Group, Inc.

Not only have the companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 been very competitive within their markets, but this years list also proved especially resilient and flexible given 2020s unprecedented challenges. Among the 5,000, the average median three-year growth rate soared to 543 percent, and median revenue reached $11.1 million. Together, those companies added more than 610,000 jobs over the past three years.

Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000. The top 500 companies are featured in the September issue of Inc., which will be available on newsstands on August 20.

About Silotech Group

Silotech Group, Inc. is an SBA 8(a), 8(m), HUBZone, Service-Disabled Veteran, Woman Minority-Owned Small Business. Since 2008, Silotech has been providing a full spectrum of business services inclusive of Salesforce Development Enterprise Architecture, Application Development, Cyber Security Services, Legacy System Modernization, Mission Support, Program Management, and extensive Education Services. Silotech continues to expand and further its support of Federal Government and Commercial clients by providing unrivaled (agile) technical solutions focused on data, enterprise platforms, service engagement, and customer workforce development through trust-driven collaborative relationships. As a Salesforce integrator, we are committed to innovation in digital transformation. The addition of Salesforce to our other lines of business of Advanced Cyber, Intelligence Solutions, Managed IT/Security Services and Enterprise/Cloud IT has transformed continues to spur our growth in the commercial and federal sector.

More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000

Methodology

Companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2017 to 2020. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2020. (Since then, some on the list may have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2020 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Growth rates used to determine company rankings were calculated to three decimal places. There was one tie on this years Inc. 5000. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.

About Inc. Media

The worlds most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including web sites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Vision Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com.

For more information on the Inc. 5000 Vision Conference, visit http://conference.inc.com/.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Tanner Holmes

913-220-3018

Tanner.holmes@solasalons.com

Sola Salon Studios Announces Grand Opening of Highland Park, IL Location

Safe, fully-equipped individual studios now available for rent

Sola Salon Studios, the premier salon studios concept for established salon professionals, celebrates the grand opening of its newest salon in Highland Park, IL conveniently located on 2nd St, between Central Ave and Elm Place in downtown Highland Park, across the street from Renaissance Place.

The new Sola location features a collection of 38 boutique, move-in-ready salon studios with floor-to-ceiling walls and glass doors that fully close. This unique layout and intentional design allows stylists to operate their individual businesses in the safety of a completely private one-on-one space.

Our Open House celebrating the completion of construction, hosted by Sola Salon Studios and local franchisee Tanner Holmes will occur on Sunday, August 22nd from 12pm to 4pm is open to all!

"We are thrilled to offer Solas boutique salon concept in Highland Park There are incredible possibilities for salon professionals with an entrepreneurial spirit to expand their businesses here, while ensuring the upmost safety standards for their clients," said Holmes, owner of Sola Salon Studios in Highland Park. Were excited to welcome so many skilled professionals into our salon to serve the community.

Sola provides a turnkey environment for experienced hairdressers, estheticians, nail technicians, massage therapists and makeup artists. Studios are equipped with:



Private space with oversized sliding/locking door

Floor-to-ceiling sound-insulated walls

High-end hydraulic chair and modern custom cabinetry

Full spectrum lighting to emulate natural daylight

Utilities and WiFi included in weekly rental fee

On-site laundry facilities and other shared amenities

Since its inception in 2004, Sola has grown to more than 545+ locations throughout the U.S., Canada, and Brazil. Sola also recently launched BeautyHive, an e-commerce platform providing a convenient, economical way for Sola independent beauty professionals to get their backbar supplies without the hassle of distributors or store visits. BeautyHive is the latest platform that Sola has created for its stylists with the goal of making their lives easier and helping their businesses grow. Sola has remained committed to technology and innovation to better support its rapidly growing community of more than 16,000 independent beauty professionals. With proprietary tools like its SolaGenius application and BookNow website feature, the brand continues to be regarded as the leading franchise concept in the salon studios sector.

As the most dominant brand in the salon studios segment, we have created a turnkey solution for hundreds of thousands of beauty professionals to explore a better life as an entrepreneur. We are driven by our desire to use real estate to help aspiring business owners achieve their dreams and live their best lives, said Christina Russell, CEO of Sola Salon Studios. With a wide variety of proprietary resources and tools, such as state-of-the-art technology and integrated marketing features, we ensure that our Sola beauty professionals are set up for long-term success from the very beginning.

The Sola Salon Studios located at 1883 Second Street, Highland Park IL 60035 offers 38 studios and 7,700 square feet of first-class amenities for salon professionals and their clients. Private studios are still available for rent. For more information or to take a tour, visit https://www.solasalonstudios.com/locations/highland-park , call Tanner Holmes at 913-220-3018 or email tanner.holmes@solasalons.com.

ABOUT SOLA SALON STUDIOS

In 2004, Sola Salon Studios was established with the opening of its first location in Denver, Colorado. Now with more than 545 locations open in the U.S., Canada and Brazil, Sola is proud to offer 16,000+ independent beauty professionals the freedom and benefits of salon ownership without the risk and overhead of opening a traditional salon. Its innovative salon model empowers hairdressers, estheticians, nail techs, massage therapists and other like-minded professionals to take control of their lives and their careers. Sola provides beauty professionals with beautiful, fully-equipped salon studios alongside the support and tools they need to launch their salon business in no time. For more information, please visit http://www.solasalonstudios.com.
The 2021 Volkswagen Atlas

Neftin Westlake Volkswagen in Thousand Oaks, California, in a refreshing move, has come up with a suite of vehicle protection plans that aims to offset the extortionate and unexpected expenses of vehicle maintenance. This array of plans and products was designed keeping in mind that the manufacturers warranty sometimes fails to bear the complete expenses of certain damages in new and pre-owned vehicles. However, now, with the help of this reputed dealerships line of vehicle protection products, customers can look beyond the manufacturers warranty in instances of their cars being totaled, damaged, or stolen. This line of meticulously designed protection plans also comes through in the events of mechanical breakdowns, thefts, minor and major damages.

The vehicle protection plan offers the following products to the shoppers



Vehicle Service Contracts, that provide customers protection for the road that lies ahead of them and step in with an array of perks right where the manufacturers warranty ends.

Guaranteed Auto Protection (GAP), that covers the cost of repair of the vehicle in the event of a total loss when the auto insurance caps.

Select Protection, a plan that is customizable according to every customers needs and fits well into their budget. The Select Protection plan also comes with Emergency Roadside Service.

Universal Security Guard, a theft-deterrent where retro-reflective labels are applied to some specific areas of a car. These labels warn potential thieves that the vehicle is protected. This protection plan also steps in to bear the costs of any theft-related expenses.

It is important to note that these protection plans might have certain restrictions and might not be available in every state. Customers are encouraged to visit the dealerships website at Neftin Westlake Volkswagen or dial (855) 416-8566 to learn more about the same. They can also visit the dealership located at 3550 Auto Mall Drive, Thousand Oaks, CA 91362 to get in touch with a representative.
PNAs hybridize with complementary nucleic acid segments with higher affinity and specificity than natural ON, interfering with higher efficiency with target genes.

Peptide nucleic acids (PNAs), developed by Peter Nielsen in the early 90s, constitute synthetic analogues of DNA and RNA, where the phosphodiester backbone of these natural oligonucleotides (ON) is replaced by a pseudopeptide structure. PNAs hybridize with complementary nucleic acid segments with higher affinity and specificity than natural ON, interfering with higher efficiency with target genes. Moreover, the unnatural backbone of PNAs makes them highly resistant to enzymatic degradation.

These characteristics make them valuable tools for various applications, from diagnostics to therapeutics. Limitations to their versatility include poor water solubility and low nuclear targeting capability. However, these have been successfully circumvented by the introduction of chemical modifications to PNA sequences, such as cell-penetrating peptides, which have been proven to be highly valuable in drug delivery and gene therapy. Just as for peptides, PNAs can be obtained through standard SPPS procedures.

Register for this webinar to hear a brief introduction of these ON analogues and address the synthesis of a target peptide-PNA sequence, particularly highlighting the differences between manual and automated approaches, using the Symphony X peptide synthesizer from Gyros Protein Technologies, and the challenges we faced during this process.

Join Dr. Luisa Aguiar, Post-Doctoral researcher at Paula Gomes Lab, University of Porto in a live webinar on Friday, September 10, 2021 at 10am EDT (3pm BST/UK).

For more information, or to register for this event, visit Synthesis of Peptide-Peptide Nucleic Acid Conjugates.

ABOUT XTALKS

Xtalks, powered by Honeycomb Worldwide Inc., is a leading provider of educational webinars to the global life science, food and medical device community. Every year, thousands of industry practitioners (from life science, food and medical device companies, private & academic research institutions, healthcare centers, etc.) turn to Xtalks for access to quality content. Xtalks helps Life Science professionals stay current with industry developments, trends and regulations. Xtalks webinars also provide perspectives on key issues from top industry thought leaders and service providers.

To learn more about Xtalks visit http://xtalks.com

For information about hosting a webinar visit http://xtalks.com/why-host-a-webinar/


This SSPA legislation is exactly what NSSTA has supported across the nation for many years so that injured people and their families are not deprived of the financial security that structured settlements provide.

The National Structured Settlements Trade Association (NSSTA), whose mission includes preserving structured settlements as sources of long-term financial security for injury victims and their families, applauds the State of New Hampshire for enacting a Structured Settlement Protection Act (SSPA). Last week Governor Chris Sununu signed into law Senate Bill 134, which includes the SSPA. Now all 50 states and the District of Columbia have SSPAs protecting people with structured settlements against predatory purchases of their rights to receive future payments. NSSTA President Michael Goodman says, This SSPA legislation is exactly what NSSTA has supported across the nation for many years so that injured people and their families are not deprived of the financial security that structured settlements provide.

NSSTA is grateful for strong support from legislators, attorneys and allies in New Hampshire including the bills primary sponsor, Senator Sharon Carson and Marissa Chase, Executive Director of the New Hampshire Association for Justice (NHAJ). Among its many protections, the New Hampshire SSPA requires that any sale of structured settlement payment rights receive advance court approval, following an in-person hearing, based on the courts determination that the sale is in the best interest of the settlement recipient and his or her dependents.

NSSTA Board Member and New Hampshire resident Ryan Jandreau says, I could not be more pleased with Governor Sununus signing of SB 134. It reflects the latest and best protections that have been enacted in other States, starting with the model legislation originally developed by NSSTA. NSSTA Board Member Peter Early adds As a New Hampshire resident Im thrilled that structured settlement recipients in my home state now enjoy the same SSPA safeguards that apply to other settlement recipients across the country, wherever they live.

For a small, specialized organization like NSSTA, securing enactment of SSPAs nationwide  initially over vigorous opposition from settlement purchasers  is a signal achievement. Since early 1998, when Kentucky became the first State to enact an SSPA based on the model developed by NSSTA, SSPA legislation has received unstinting, nationwide support not only from NSSTA members, but also from the American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCI), the American Council of Life Insurance (ACLI), the American Association for Justice (AAJ) and their State affiliates, among many other allies. Beginning in 2000, the National Conference of Insurance Legislators (NCOIL) and its Workers Compensation Committee also provided key impetus for enactment of similar SSPAs in many States, by adopting successively improved versions of the legislation as the NCOIL Model Structured Settlement Act.

NSSTA Executive Director Eric Vaughn sums it up like this. It is the strength and dedication of NSSTA members, its leaders and its allies for decades that make the difference with work like this for the individuals and their families with structured settlements, so their financial lives are secure and they have the peace of mind they deserve.

About NSSTA: The National Structured Settlements Trade Association (NSSTA) is the leading voice of the structured settlement industry, representing more than 1,200 professional structured settlement consultants, life insurance industry leaders, property casualty company claims professionals and lawyers in the United States and Canada. A structured settlement is a tax-free stream of periodic payments paid to an injured party by the defendant typically through the purchase of an annuity issued by highly rated and state-regulated life insurance companies. NSSTA is celebrating more than 35 Years of Advocacy and Action in 2021.

For more information about NSSTA: https://nssta.com/
We are thrilled that PCF Insurance Services recognizes the hard work it takes to build an agency and even more impressed that they show it by sharing its success with each of its partners and employees" John Peterman, owner and principal of The Peterman Group.

PCF Insurance Services (PCF) announced the completion of a strategic partnership with The Peterman Group, based in Montgomeryville, Pennsylvania. As part of the partnership, The Peterman Group Owners and Agency Principals, John Peterman, Todd Peterman, and Mike MacNeal will become owners and partners of PCF Insurance Services.

Founded in 1937, The Peterman Group was founded on traditions that implement three key valuesintegrity, industry leadership, and excellence. The Peterman Group has instilled these values in the way they do business while providing insurance and loss control consultation services to their local residents and the business community.

The Peterman Groups dynamic leadership and strong traditional values made it a natural fit for the PCF family, said Peter Foy, chairman, CEO, and founder of PCF Insurance Services. John and Todd understand how to keep their team energized for growth in a competitive marketplace. PCFs resources will provide the traction that will drive its growth to new and great heights.

The Peterman Group will continue to provide a true, concierge client experience that is unique to the insurance industry. The Peterman Group will also continue to offer specific resources using advanced technology coupled with consulting expertise, while still providing a personal feeling that its clients have come to know and trust.

The Peterman Group becomes the latest of a large list of successful insurance agencies to benefit from PCFs extensive infrastructure of resources and services. The partnership between PCF and The Peterman Group will allow the agency to simplify its business functions with finance and accounting, human resources, information systems, carrier relations, communication and marketing, and growth operations.

In addition, The Peterman Group will have access to a premier selection of Network Benefits including the PCF University, the Employee Equity Program, and opportunities to collaborate and discuss business opportunities with other PCF partners.

We have always wanted to do the right thing for the right reasons, said Todd Peterman, owner, and principal of The Peterman Group. By partnering with PCF, it not only allows us to do the right thing for our agents and employees, but our clients will see the fantastic benefits and growth opportunities as well!

We are thrilled that PCF Insurance Services recognizes the hard work it takes to build an agency and even more impressed that they show it by sharing its success with each of its partners and employees, added John Peterman, owner and principal of The Peterman Group.

Learn more about The Peterman Group: https://petermangrp.com/

###

About PCF

Founded in 1987 and headquartered in Salt Lake City, UT, PCF is a full-service insurance brokerage firm offering complete risk management solutions with a broad array of property & casualty, life and health, commercial, employee benefits, and workers' compensation insurance products. PCFs growing network and partnership philosophy drives greater access to the nations leading carriers and enables brokers to offer integrated risk management solutions bespoke to client challenges. Due to its scale and growth, PCF is a top 30 broker in the United States by revenue. Additional information can be found at https://www.pcfins.com/.

About The Peterman Group

Founded in 1937 and headquartered in Montgomeryville, Pennsylvania, The Peterman Group is committed to providing the most cost-effective, comprehensive insurance program to protect its clients assets. A main goal for The Peterman Group is to bring its clients risk management program to new heights in both quality and performance. The Peterman Group offers a full line of insurance products on a retail, wholesale and program basis. Additional information can be found at https://petermangrp.com/.
Crimson Cup has given us the confidence to grow knowing we have our coffee supplies consistent and taken care of. We wouldnt be in the position of growth or operate three locations without Crimson Cup in our corner. - Preston Moon, Coffee Jerks

A growing chain of local, independent coffee shops is bringing good coffee without the fuss to coffee lovers in Oklahoma City, Edmond and Yukon, Oklahoma.

In November 2018, Partners Kenny Wooldridge and Preston Moon opened the first Coffee Jerks in Oklahoma City, with support award-winning coffee roaster Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea.

Investor Chris Rutherford was so impressed with their first Coffee Jerks that he decided to back the partners in developing more locations. Less than two years later, they opened Coffee Jerks Deer Creek in Edmond, Oklahoma.

With two successful shops up and running, the team developed a third location In July 2021, Coffee Jerks Yukon opened in the Oklahoma City suburb of Yukon.

Our passion is delivering you the best cup of coffee with a smile, Moon said. Were humbled by the welcome weve received from customers in Oklahoma City, Edmond and, now, Yukon!

The partners learned how to open and run their coffee shops through Crimson Cups 7 Steps to Success coffee shop startup program.

The program grew out of a book written by Crimson Cup Founder and President Greg Ubert.

Now in its second printing, Seven Steps to Success: a Commonsense Guide to Succeed in Specialty Coffee has guided over 200 entrepreneurs in 30 states to open and run profitable coffee shops.

Its our great pleasure to work with Kenny and Preston in starting and expanding Coffee Jerks, Ubert said.

Their dedication to serving terrific coffee and supporting their local community has earned them a stellar reputation and loyal customer base.

As a one-stop shop for independent coffee shops, Crimson Cup supplies award-winning coffee, coffee business expertise and industry leading coffee shop supplies.

The roasters 7 Steps to Success program turns entrepreneurs with little to no coffee experience into owners of thriving coffee shops.

We teach new owners everything they need, starting with choosing a profitable location and writing a strong coffee shop business plan, Ubert said.

From there, we consult on an efficient layout, choosing equipment, hiring and training employees and more.

The initial consulting concludes with a full week of hands-on training by a 7 Steps consultant, who travels to the new shop to teach drink preparation, customer service, cost management and marketing, among other topics.

The trainer stays on site to help through opening day, then returns a few months later for grand opening celebrations.

After the grand opening, Crimson Cup consultants remain just a phone call away to answer questions and help resolve any issues.

Coffee Jerks Yukon was one of 10 new independent coffee shops that opened through the 7 Steps program in the first half of 2021. At least eight more plan to open before the end of the year.

The Oklahoma shops join a growing number of Crimson Cup customers who have opened more than one location.

Crimson Cup has given us the confidence to grow knowing we have our coffee supplies consistent and taken care of, Moon said. They offer an excellent product, training support and access to continuing education.

We wouldnt be in the position of growth or operate three locations without Crimson Cup in our corner.

Creating a popular local brand is another key to the shops success. Were known for our friendly staff and terrific coffee, Moon said.

Owning multiple shops helps lower supply costs and increases brand awareness. One challenge is the communication between shops. Were working on that.

The partners agree the best part of owning a coffee shop comes from being a positive influence in the community. Among other initiatives, they sponsor events and offer a discount to public employees.

The name Coffee Jerks comes from a job Wooldridges grandmother held as a teenager.

Minnie Colleen Wooldridge worked as a drugstore soda jerk in her hometown of Watonga, Oklahoma, where she met husband Melvin Wooldridge.

Growing up, Wooldridge spent most Friday nights with his grandparents. Saturday mornings, he baked with his grandmother or took a trip to a local coffee shop with his grandfather, where he ordered a maple donut.

The funny thing is, I hated coffee, Wooldridge said. But because my grandpa was drinking it, I wanted to drink it. So, from a young age, I forced myself to drink coffee until I liked it. Now, I absolutely love it.

When he came up with the idea to open a coffee shop, he decided to honor the grandfather who showed him the value of work and the grandmother who taught him to love and be kind.

I wanted to create something that would continue their legacy and create a conversation about their life and the love they showered daily on their loved ones, Wooldridge said.

A lot of people think jerk is an offensive term, like, Youre a jerk. The term actually comes from the jerking motion that soda jerks used to make sodas.

So, when customers come into our shops and are greeted with a smile, sometimes theyre confused. Its kind of funny because they expect that were jerks.

My hope is, Oklahoma City, Edmond and Yukon are full of jerks, and everybody comes and visits our coffee shops.

The shops use the hashtags #beajerk and #drinklocal on social media to promote their brand to Oklahoma coffee lovers.

Customers say the coffee, roasted by Crimson Cup, is better than the big coffee chains.

Among other national honors, Crimson Cup won 2017 and 2020 Good Food Awards, which recognize the countrys best-tasting, most sustainably sourced coffees.

As an owner of three independent coffee shops, Moon offered this advice for prospective coffee shop owners: You need to be involved in the daily operations or youll lose control of your brand.

All three Coffee Jerks locations serve coffee with a smile seven days a week.



Visit the new Coffee Jerks Yukon at 825 East Main Street in Yukon. Follow the shops Facebook and Instagram pages for news and updates.

The original Coffee Jerks operates at 2820 Northwest 122nd Street in Oklahoma City. Follow their Facebook and Instagram pages for the latest news.

Coffee Jerks Deer Creek is open at 17784 North MacArthur Boulevard in Edmond. Learn more at the shops Facebook and Instagram pages.

About Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea

Columbus, Ohio coffee roaster Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea is celebrating 30 years of Coffee + Community. Since May 1991, Crimson Cup has roasted sustainably sourced craft coffee for consumers and wholesale coffee customers. It is a 2020 Good Food Award winner, 2019 Golden Bean Champion for Small Franchise/Chain Roaster and Roast magazines 2016 Macro Roaster of the Year.

Through its 7 Steps to Success coffee franchise alternative program, the company teaches entrepreneurs to run independent coffee houses in their local communities. By developing a coffee shop business plan, entrepreneurs gain insight into how much it costs to open a coffee shop.

Crimson Cup also supports life-enriching projects through its Friend2Farmer initiatives, promoting the education, health, sustainability and economic growth of small-plot coffee farmers and their communities.

Crimson Cup coffee is available through over 350 independent coffee houses, grocers, college and universities, restaurants and food service operations across 30 states, Guam and Bangladesh. The company also operates several Crimson Cup Coffee Houses and a new Crimson retail flagship store. To learn more, visit crimsoncup.com, or follow the company on Facebook and Instagram.
Town Square Mortgage has been named to the 2021 Inc. 5000 list, it's sixth consecutive appearance. We attribute our fast-paced growth to our dedicated team members who live and breathe our family culture every day and to our clients who place their trust in us to help them achieve the American Dream of homeownership," said Lisa A. Thomas, CEO of Town Square Mortgage.

Inc. magazine has announced that Dallas-based Town Square Mortgage was named to its 2021 Inc. 5000 list for the sixth consecutive year (20162021). The Inc. 5000 is the most prestigious ranking of the nations fastest-growing private companies. Town Square Mortgage had a three-year revenue growth of 162 percent, more than double its growth from its 2020 listing.

Town Square Mortgage ranked Number 2,563 in 2021; Number 4,363 in 2020; Number 3,624 in 2019; Number 3,072 in 2018; Number 2,434 in 2017; and Number 4,563 in 2016.

"We are proud to be recognized by Inc. Magazine as one of the fastest-growing privately held companies in America for the sixth consecutive year, said Lisa A. Thomas, CEO of Town Square Mortgage. We attribute our fast-paced growth to our dedicated team members who live and breathe our family culture every day and to our clients who place their trust in us to help them achieve the American Dream of homeownership."

Town Square Mortgage has grown significantly in its current markets and is continuing to expand by adding branches throughout the United States. In 2021, it opened its first branch in California, located in Irvine, Calif.

In June 2021, Town Square Mortgage announced its partnership with Havenly Financial Inc., a mortgage technology company based in Newport Beach, Calif. This partnership is designed to drive growth by empowering the company to be at the forefront of mortgage technology, enabling its team to become more competitive, more client-focused and more operationally efficient.

The 2021 Inc. 5000 list is one of the most important rankings of companies ever compiled, says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. Building one of the fastest-growing companies in America in any year is a remarkable achievement. Building one in the crisis weve lived through is just plain amazing. This kind of accomplishment comes with hard work, smart pivots, great leadership and the help of a whole lot of people.

Companies on this years Inc. 5000 proved especially resilient and flexible given 2020s unprecedented challenges. Among the 5,000 companies, the average median three-year growth rate soared to 543 percent, and median revenue reached $11.1 million. Together, the Inc. 5000 companies added more than 610,000 jobs over the past three years.

Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region and other criteria, can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000. The top 500 companies are featured in the September issue of Inc., which will be available on newsstands on August 20.

About Town Square Mortgage

Founded in 2009, Town Square Mortgage is an all-inclusive mortgage lender dedicated to finding each of its clients the home loan that meets their specific needs. A preferred mortgage lender, the company has built a strong reputation by serving the needs of homebuyers, real estate professionals and builders. Town Square Mortgage offers a full spectrum of financing options to choose from to meet a homebuyers needs. By having the loan process in-house, Town Square Mortgage has the resources to provide its clients and partners with a seamless process, offering personalized support and updates to make sure that all milestones are met to secure efficient closing times.

# # #
Triumph Play Systems' Bailey Loaded swing set made from Northern White Cedar. It was like someone flipped a switch and phones started ringing off-the-hook.

Inc. magazine today revealed that Triumph Play Systems is No. 1441 on its annual Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the nations fastest-growing private companies. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economys most dynamic segmentits independent small businesses. Intuit, Zappos, Under Armour, Microsoft, Patagonia, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000.

We were in the middle of expanding our manufacturing facility when Massachusetts schools closed because of the pandemic. The phones went silent for about a week. We got really nervous, said Michael Wooding, CEO of Triumph Play Systems. Then it was like someone flipped a switch and phones started ringing off-the-hook. My team didnt miss a beat. Everyone got to work and made it happen. We wouldnt be an Inc 5000 company without them. I am extremely lucky to be surrounded by such great people.

Not only have the companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 been very competitive within their markets, but this years list also proved especially resilient and flexible given 2020s unprecedented challenges. Among the 5,000, the average median three-year growth rate soared to 543 percent, and median revenue reached $11.1 million. Together, those companies added more than 610,000 jobs over the past three years.

Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000. The top 500 companies are featured in the September issue of Inc., which will be available on newsstands on August 20th.

The 2021 Inc. 5000 list feels like one of the most important rosters of companies ever compiled, says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. Building one of the fastest-growing companies in America in any year is a remarkable achievement. Building one in the crisis weve lived through is just plain amazing. This kind of accomplishment comes with hard work, smart pivots, great leadership, and the help of a whole lot of people.

Triumph Play Systems, located in Ashburnham, Massachusetts, is a custom manufacturer and retailer of residential white cedar swing sets and playground equipment. They work directly with each customer from design to delivery to ensure each Triumph play set is perfect in every way. They have a network of installers throughout the US, and ship directly to the customer world-wide.

More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000

Methodology

Companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2017 to 2020. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2020. (Since then, some on the list may have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2020 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Growth rates used to determine company rankings were calculated to three decimal places. There was one tie on this years Inc. 5000. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.

About Inc. Media

The worlds most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including web sites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Vision Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com.

For more information on the Inc. 5000 Vision Conference, visit http://conference.inc.com/.
"The system that TruBlue provides is simple to follow, and if you are willing to work hard, you can see fast success. We are proof of that.

TruBlue Total House Care, a fast-growing, 60-plus unit home maintenance and service franchise, has hit the mid-year mark of 2021 with nearly double year-over-year system-wide growth. This growth has been driven, in large part, by the success of its newest franchise partners.

Were incredibly proud of the numbers were seeing from our newest franchisees, said Sean Fitzgerald, president of TruBlue. Over the past few months, some of our newest owners are off to the fastest start we have seen in TruBlue history, hitting record-breaking sales within their first month of business.

Mark and Julie Odell, who recently opened TruBlue Total House Care of Centennial in the Denver, Colorado market, are one such example: the couple broke the brands first-month sales record back in February of this year. The third rookie franchisees in six months to crush the companys all-time sales numbers, the couple said their success is a reflection of the need for TruBlues services, something the COVID crisis has only served to heighten, paired with their own efforts within the local community.

More and more seniors are choosing to stay at home and age in place, rather than moving to an assisted living community, said Mark. This was already a growing trend before the COVID-19 pandemic and now, the desire to stay at home has exploded. Seniors want to remain in their homes but their children and loved ones are worried that something will happen if they are alone. At TruBlue, we have the opportunity to ensure that seniors homes are as safe as they can be.

Theres an enormous market for what were doing, and I dont think I wouldve known that without digging into it, added Julie. Theres incredible room for growth; this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Just 11 months after opening TruBlue Total House Care of East Lexington, Kentucky, Daniel Elswick and Casey Martin shattered TruBlues monthly sales record in March of 2021. In addition to unprecedented demand, the pair credits their success to TruBlues solid business model and support systems.

TruBlue puts its franchisees in position to be successful right away, said Casey. Daniel and I knew we had the work ethic, but we had no idea how to start a business. Thats why we invested in TruBlue. The system they provide is simple to follow, and if you are willing to work hard, you can see fast success. We are proof of that.

According to the National Council on Aging, 90% of seniors say they plan to remain in their homes for the next five to 10 years, a trend that has continued to grow following the COVID-19 pandemic, creating a sizable need for home maintenance and care services geared towards seniors.

As more seniors remain at home, TruBlue works to accommodate their specific needs through safety assessments, modifying their homes as needed to reduce the risk of falls and other health hazards. And unlike traditional home maintenance brands, TruBlues assistance doesnt stop once the modifications are done. The brands Helping Hands Around the Home service builds on its initial maintenance and repair service by offering ongoing, in-home help to assist seniors with small projects that might otherwise provide a challenge, such as moving furniture and changing a lightbulb.

With ambitious goals for the rest of 2021 and into the future, the rapidly growing brand is positioned to revolutionize the way families protect their loved ones and allow them to safely age in place.

As a country, we are experiencing a change in how and where people want to grow old, said Fitzgerald. We provide a service that is attractive and helpful to aging seniors and their families and its one that is certainly in high demand. We are thrilled by the early success that our newest franchise owners have seen and we look forward to continuing this forward momentum through the end of the year and into 2022.

To learn more about franchising with TruBlue, visit http://www.trubluefranchise.com.

About TruBlue Total House Care:

TruBlue Total House Care provides a helping hand around the house  inside and out. TruBlues services include to-do list chores, handyman services, house cleaning, maintenance, yard work, emergency repairs, seasonal work and preventative maintenance, all handled by a personal House Care Manager. TruBlue strives to provide affordable, worry-free living for seniors and hassle-free living for busy adults by providing full-service, trustworthy house care services. TruBlue franchise owners are required to complete the Senior Home Safety Certification program through Age Safe America. As specialists, TruBlue franchisees will be able to perform Senior Home Safety Assessments and can make those recommended safety modifications if needed.
Sarah Wilson, Head of TuneCore UK

Leading independent DIY digital music distributor TuneCore, owned by Paris-based global digital music company Believe, has named Sarah Wilson to Head of TuneCore UK, with additional oversight of Ireland, New Zealand and Australia. She will report to Faryal Khan-Thompson, Vice President, International.

Over the course of the last year, TuneCore expanded from having operations in 7 countries to a current count of 14 countries across 4 continents, by far the most of any independent digital music distributor. Wilson, based in London, will focus on managing and building the companys artist roster, while seeking partnerships and opportunities for growth.

Wilsons experience lies solidly within the music industry, having worked at Universal Music UK as Vice President, International Marketing and at The Orchard in Artist Services. She spent 13 years at Beggars Group, rising through the ranks within the international department, beginning as Sales & Promo Manager and ascending to Director of International. She has worked with Beggars Groups most celebrated artists including Adele, Radiohead, The National, MIA, Bon Iver, across labels XL, 4ad, Rough Trade, Matador and Young.

Said Wilson, I am thrilled to take on this wonderful role at TuneCore, a dynamic and future-facing company. Coming off the back of a growth phase during lockdown there is so much potential for continued expansion in the territories Im overseeing. I expect the current business landscape to change rapidly over the next few years. Im grateful to Faryal and the team at TuneCore/Believe for inviting me into their fold and cant wait to dive in!

Commented Khan-Thompson, As TuneCore continues to grow internationally, it is important to have strong leadership in place overseeing the UK, one of the worlds biggest music markets. With Sarah, we have an experienced executive with deep roots in the UK music industry and Im looking forward to working closely with her to build TuneCores global footprint.

About TuneCore

TuneCore is the global platform for independent musicians to build audiences and careers  with technology and services across distribution, publishing administration and a range of promotional services. TuneCore Music Distribution services help artists, labels and managers sell their music through Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Deezer, TikTok, Tencent and more than 150 download and streaming stores worldwide, while retaining 100 percent of their sales revenue and rights for a low annual flat fee. TuneCore Music Publishing Administration assists songwriters by administering their compositions through licensing, registration, worldwide royalty collections, and placement opportunities in film, TV, commercials, video games and more. The TuneCore Artist Services portal offers a suite of tools and services that enable artists to promote their craft, connect with fans, and get their music heard. TuneCore, part of Believe, is headquartered in Brooklyn, NY, with offices in Los Angeles, Nashville, Atlanta, and Austin, and operates globally through local teams based in the UK, Germany, France, Belgium, Italy, Russia, Brazil, Mexico, Nigeria, South Africa, India, Japan and Singapore across 4 continents. http://www.tunecore.com

About Believe

Believe is one of the worlds leading digital music companies. Believes mission is to develop independent artists and labels in the digital world by providing them the solutions they need to grow their audience at each stage of their career and development. Believes passionate team of digital music experts around the world leverages the Groups global technology platform to advise artists and labels, distribute and promote their music. Its 1,270 employees in more than 50 countries aim to support independent artists and labels with a unique digital expertise, respect, fairness and transparency. Believe offers its various solutions through a portfolio of brands including TuneCore, Believe, Nuclear Blast, Naive, Groove Attack and AllPoints.

Believe is listed on compartment A of the Euronext Paris stock exchange (Ticker: BLV.PA, ISIN : FR0014003FE9)

http://www.believe.com

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Apple Valley Hyundai Offers Pro-Certified Lifetime Powertrain Warranty

Apple Valley Hyundai, a Hyundai dealership located in Winchester, Virginia, is now offering a pro-certified lifetime powertrain warranty on all new vehicle purchases. This offer is also available on select used vehicles that meet certain criteria. This offer is available on pre-owned vehicles that are less than five years old and have less than 80,000 miles on the odometer.

The limited lifetime powertrain warranty covers the following parts for as long as the customer decides to use the vehicle:

1. Engine parts like intake manifold, exhaust manifolds, timing gears, timing chains, belts, cylinder block, cylinder heads, rotor housings, etc. Other parts such as the oil pump, water pump, oil pan, turbocharger, flywheel, and flexplate are also covered under this offer.

2. Transmission parts like transaxle case, transfer case, torque converter, and transmission case are also included.

3. The drivetrain assembly and its internal parts including axle housings, driveshafts, and driveshaft yokes along with the FWD and RWD powertrain are also covered under this warranty offer.

Interested residents of the area can visit the dealership website https://www.applevalleyhyundai.com for more information. They can also contact the sales team of the dealership at 855-463-5530. Apple Valley Hyundai is located at 2934 Valley Ave., Winchester, VA. The dealership is open for business Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. and Mike Johns From civil rights to space rights, we are having to explore equity, inclusion and diversity on an entirely new level ...

We Are Digital, a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization dedicated to digital literacy, equitable access to the #FutureOfWork and space travel for underserved communities worldwidetoday announced the appointment of legendary civil rights leader Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., as the Chair of the We Are Digital advisory board, effectively immediately.

We are delighted to welcome Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. to the We Are Digital Board, states Mike Johns, founder and board member of We Are Digital. Dr. Chavis has distinguished himself as a civil rights leader for more than 60 years and brings broad, deep knowledge, as well as a range of expertise and passion to the table. His experience, expertise and guidance will further strengthen our efforts to promote digital literacy and future of work skills for underserved communities around the world. We look forward to his contributions.

Over the course of his expansive career, Dr. Chavis has been an iconic advocate for equality and inclusion. In 1993, he was selected as the Executive Director and CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)the youngest to hold that office. Chavis later served in 1995 as the National Director of the Million Man March. Since 2001, Dr. Chavis has served as CEO and Co-Chairman of the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network (HSAN). Since 2014, Dr. Chavis has been the president and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), the national trade association of 230 African American owned newspapers and media companies throughout the United States. In July 2021, President Joe Biden acknowledged Dr. Chavis for his leadership of the Black Press of America.

It is an honor to be appointed Chair of the We Are Digital advisory board alongside other esteemed leadersparticularly at such a critical time. As a global society, we are having to explore equity, inclusion and diversity on an entirely new level. I am committed to working with We Are Digital to ensure that young people and underserved communities globally are not left behind, but rather at the forefront of this new frontier, Dr. Chavis emphasized.

Mike Johns, the founder of We Are Digital believes it is essential that children be prepared for the workforce of 2030 and 2040. The future of work requires a set of skills that are not taught in schools today. The American education system needs to be radically refocused in order to remain relevant and to adequately prepare students for the workforce of tomorrow," Johns states.

About We Are Digital

We Are Digital is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization comprised of members from around the world who are committed to the promotion of digital literacy and ethics. We Are Digital works with companies and institutions to offer branded, for-credit and non-credit programs that empower students with education and skills to help them out-pace the changing job market. We Are Digital programs are ADA, FERPA, CCPA, and SOC-2 compliant and integrate perfectly with major learning management systems including Canvas, Blackboard and Brightspace, so that faculty and students can access the programs in a familiar environment. Students graduate with a co-branded certificate and access We Are Digital career services to help them reach their goals. We Are Digitals approach is anchored by keen insight into the #FutureOfWork, upskilling, diversity and inclusion, democracy and governance, internet policy and government, health data, personal data, big data, ethics and distributed ledger technology. In addition to educating students, the We Are Digital network of experts and professionals develop and facilitate multi-stakeholder discussions and debates for solutions-focused strategies to ensure equitable reorientation between civil society, government and business. The We Are Digital advisory board humbly boasts celebrated innovators and leadersincluding the legendary civil and human rights leader, Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. best-selling author and motivational speaker, Dr. George Fraser, three-time world heavy weight champion Lennox Lewis, and U.S. Army Brigadier General Arnold N. Gordon-Bray. To learn more about We Are Digital and its initiatives, visit: http://www.WeAreDigital.ai.

About Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr.

Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. is a 60-year veteran leader in the U.S. Civil Rights Movement. Dr. Chavis is an acclaimed author, international entrepreneur, chemist, ordained minister and now the executive producer and host of the The Chavis Chronicles on PBS televisionwhich reaches over 90 million households across the nationincluding the PBS premium World Channel. Headed into its second season, The Chavis Chronicles half-hour weekly show features open, meaningful and diverse conversations about current global affairs, while amplifying the continuing evolution of Hip-Hop cultureand now more than everspace exploration and technological innovations throughout the African diaspora. Dr. Chavis journalistic analysis explores the intersections between civil rights, human rights and space rightsin an effort to ensure that equity, access, diversity, and inclusion are at the forefront as we enter into this new frontier. Dr. Chavis is currently president and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA)representing the Black Press of America, based in Washington, DC.

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SOCIAL

#WeAreDigital

#FutureOfWork

#SpaceRights

#CivilRights2SpaceRights

#TheChavisChronicles

#BlackPressDigital

#HipHop
Max Humphreys porch design for the Designer Show House at the Western Design Conference will include Old Hickory Furniture, as seen in the pages of his book Modern Americana. The eclectic and artful house features six life-size spaces exclusively designed for the WDC Exhibit + Sale.

The Western Design Conference Exhibit + Sale is thrilled to welcome guests back to the in-person, four-day Jackson Hole event this September, celebrating the finest functional art inspired by the West and introducing six top interior designers  including celebrity designer and author of new book Modern Americana, Max Humphrey  all turning their hands to Western style for the highly-anticipated Designer Show House. Constructed in the middle of the 28,000-square-foot showroom, the eclectic and artful house features six life-size spaces exclusively designed for the WDC Exhibit + Sale.

The 2021 Show House will be revealed at the Opening Preview Party + Fashion Show on Thursday, Sept. 9, at the Snow King Events Center in Jackson, Wyoming, and guests are free to tour the house at their leisure throughout the four-day event, which runs through September 12. As Executive Director Allison Merritt recently told "Architects + Artisans" in an interview about the return of the in-person 2021 Western Design Conference, the event will be Responsibly Wild and adhering to all CDC recommendations.

Beginning with a spectacular rustic front porch designed by Max Humphrey of Portland, Oregon, the Designer Show House opens with a theme that Humphrey calls a little bit country, a little bit rock n roll. A patinaed metal shed roof shelters benches filled with vintage grain sack pillows, large throw pillows and camp blankets against a custom-designed horseshoe wallpaper and accompanied by select Old Hickory Furniture along with some of the designers favorite found treasures. Humphrey spontaneously coined the term Modern Americana to describe his signature style during a 2018 interview, and his popular book of the same name was published in April 2021. Acclaimed as a design changemaker and named one of Country Livings 100 most creative people, Humphreys interiors are featured in media from Architectural Digest to the Wall Street Journal.

Entering the Show House, WDC guests are greeted by the hallway designed by New West Fine Art, a contemporary art gallery in Jackson in an exclusive partnership with artist and Jackson native Connor Liljestrom. Working primarily in oil and mixed oil media, Liljestrom explores themes inspired by his life in the Tetons, mythologies, Hollywood and pop culture, natural history, colonialism and the canon of Western art history.

From the artful hallway, guests enter the living room created by 2019 WDC Best Interior Design award-winner Anne Buresh Interior Design with offices in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Jackson, Wyoming. Buresh looks forward to returning to the Show House with a fresh look bridging the South and the West, blending traditional with contemporary, feminine with masculine, and highlighting a well-traveled lifestyle. A striking wallpaper mural wraps the space, furnished with custom pieces, French antiques and a dramatic black-and-white image by Austrian photographer Josef Hoflehner.

Guests can then venture to the custom library designed by Old Hickory Furniture and Gibbs Smith Publishing. The timelessly appealing book-lined space for the Show House will feature some 100 Western-themed books, all available for purchase. Montana photographer Audrey Hall and author Chase Reynolds Ewald, authors of home design titles "Rustic Modern" and "Cabin Style" among others, will be on hand to sign their latest coffee table tome, Bison, Portrait of an Icon, and Max Humphrey will be signing his Modern Americana with contribution by Chase Reynolds Ewald.

Across the hall, guests can relax in the sitting room, featuring work by Jacksons Emily Janak Interiors and Fighting Bear Antiques, and Alley Modern and More, providing a contemporary approach to iconographic Western motifs. The sitting room collaboration will showcase Thomas Molesworth, Stickley and mid-century rattan furniture with touches of soft-textured accessories in ikat and florals combined with Navajo weavings and contemporary art, providing a modern look with subtle touches of the past.

And finally, the Show House features a combination kitchen, dining and living room by Jackson Holes Harker Design, also returning to the Show House and winner of the 2018 WDC Best Interior Design award. The multi-purpose space will feature a rustic 12-foot dining table crafted from old timbers with inset dovetails, a custom sectional sofa using leather and Belgian linen and a custom coffee table made from salvage wood inlaid with antique metal butterflies, all accompanied by a full kitchen installation complete with appliances and separate island.

WDC Tickets are $20 for an Exhibit + Sale day-pass, September 10-12, 2021, and include daily Artitude Adjustment Happy Hours at 2 p.m. VIP early entry and reserved seating for the Preview Party + Fashion Show on Thursday, September 9, 2021, is available for $125 per person, $50 general admission; both include open bars. The Designer Show House at the Western Design Conference Exhibit & Sale is sponsored by Deanna Briggs, Jackson Hole Sothebys International Realty.

About the Western Design Conference Exhibit + Sale:

The annual Western Design Exhibit + Sale is a four-day, multimillion-dollar event that brings together craftspeople, collectors, interior designers, architects, and fashion designers with a love of the West. The Western Design Conference was founded 29 years ago in Cody, Wyoming, to promote contemporary artists working in historical American craft methods. The Western Design Exhibit + Sale moved to Jackson Hole in 2007, where Executive Director Allison Merritt continues the strong commitment to Western arts in Wyoming while expanding the reach of the show. Additional information, including schedules and tickets, is available at westerndesignconference.com and on Facebook and Instagram.
Wiss, a full-service accounting and business advisory firm, today announces that Alex Volpi will lead Wiss newly formed Technology Advisory practice.

As the Technology Advisory Practice Leader, Volpi will advise clients on how to leverage existing and new technologies to create a business advantage, including: technology process reviews, strategic software selections and software implementation support focusing on ERP, CRM, Point of Sale, and operational systems across a variety of industries.

Our small business clients know that technology can help them streamline their operations and become more competitive, but many struggle with which technologies to prioritize and in choosing the right software, said Paul Peterson, Managing Partner, Wiss. Alex will be working closely with our clients to help them strategize and choose the right solutions.

Volpi joins Wiss from CohnReznick LLP where he was a Senior Consultant in their Technology Advisory Practice. Here he provided IT strategy, software implementation, system selection and IT due diligence services for the firms clients. He was also a pre-sales consultant with Infor for 2 years, and taught a few semesters of business system related courses at CUNY SPS in New York City.

Wiss can help in identifying opportunities for improvement within a clients current technology landscape, as well as providing recommendations to support an organizations future business goals and aspirations, said Volpi. The number of vendor offerings in the market can be overwhelming, which is why making the correct software selection is more important than ever.

Volpi has a B.S. Accounting from Siena College.

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About Wiss

Founded in 1969, Wiss is the go-to accounting and growth partner for more than five thousand private companies. Our right-sized solutions range from tax, audit, and law firm services to comprehensive business advisory including staffing, mergers, acquisitions, and personal finance consulting. Collectively or a la carte, our expertise brings businesses and their owners closer to where they want to be  whatever the market dynamics or industry conditions. For more information, go to https://wiss.com.
Wolfpack Publishing has been listed as one of Inc. Magazines fastest growing private companies for 2021. This prestigious, exclusive list is comprised of the most successful independent small businesses in the United States over the past year.

Wolfpack was ranked 1,508 due to its outstanding revenue growth of 314% over the last three years. It was also the highest-ranked publishing company on the list. The editors of the magazine called Wolfpack an (a)ward-winning indie publisher specializing in fiction novels, while leveraging the e-book format and author-friendly contracts.

Mike Bray, Wolfpacks CEO said, We are honored to be recognized as one of the fastest growing private companies in the country and as a leader in the publishing industry. This achievement was only made possible by the tireless efforts of our dedicated employees, our talented roster of authors, and our loyal readers who continue to purchase and enjoy our books. We look forward to building on our success while we expand our efforts in the months and years to come.

Companies listed on the 2021 Inc. 5000 are not only competitive within their markets, but they have proven to be especially resilient given 2020s unprecedented challenges. Among the 5,000 companies that made the list, the average median growth rate was 167% while total revenue exceeded $248 billion. Together, those companies added more than 2,500,000 jobs.

Scott Omelianuk, Editor-in-Chief of Inc. Magazine, said, The 2021 Inc. 5000 list feels like one of the most important rosters of companies ever compiled. Building one of the fastest-growing companies in America in any year is a remarkable achievement. Building one in the crisis weve lived through is just plain amazing. This kind of accomplishment comes with hard work, smart pivots, great leadership, and the help of a whole lot of people.

About Wolfpack Publishing

Founded in 2013, Wolfpack Publishing is an award-winning independent publishing company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. Named as one of the fastest-growing independent publishers of 2020 by Publishers Weekly and one of Inc. Magazines fastest-growing private companies in 2021, Wolfpack Publishing embraces the rise and opportunities created by online bookstores and their limitless virtual bookshelves. The company is also expanding its presence in the paperback market in 2021 through a distribution deal with Ingram Publisher Service.

Wolfpack Publishing imprints include CKN Christian Publishing and the new teen/young-adult imprint, Wise Wolf Books.
World Amenities Owner / Managing Director Paul Hodge was also honored as a finalist in the San Diego Business Journals 40 NEXT Top Business Leaders Under 40. We are thrilled to be recognized on Inc. magazines Inc. 5000. It is a distinct honor and supports our commitment to our customers. In 2020 we pivoted to PPE salescontributing to both saving lives and generating a 40 percent business revenue rescue, said Hodge Past News Releases RSS World Amenities Moves Manufacturing...

World Amenities, Inc., a trusted global supplier of signature skincare brands and custom amenities, makes its first appearance on Inc. magazines annual Inc. 5000 list based on three-year revenue growth of 51 percent.

The Inc. 5000 list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economys most dynamic segment--its independent small businesses. Ranked No. 4725, the San Diego-based firm was one of 27 travel and hospitality firms on the national list and the only hospitality company among San Diegos 107 companies on the Inc. 5000.

The 2021 Inc. 5000 list feels like one of the most important rosters of companies ever compiled, says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. Building one of the fastest-growing companies in America in any year is a remarkable achievement. Building one in the crisis weve lived through is just plain amazing. This kind of accomplishment comes with hard work, smart pivots, great leadership, and the help of a whole lot of people.

In addition to the 2021 Inc. 5000 recognition, World Amenities Owner / Managing Director Paul Hodge was honored as a finalist in the San Diego Business Journals 40 NEXT Top Business Leaders Under Forty 2021. In the August 2 announcement, it reports more than 250 nominations were submitted. Honorees were chosen based on stringent executive leadership and community involvement criteria.

World Amenities is thrilled to be recognized on Inc. magazines Inc. 5000. It is a distinct honor and supports our commitment to our customers. In 2020 we pivoted to PPE salescontributing to both saving lives and generating a 40 percent business revenue rescue, said Owner and Managing Director Paul Hodge. In addition, I am grateful to the San Diego Business Journal for its annual under forty awards program that features the best-of-the-best young business leaders in our city. It was only with the support of my team at World Amenities that I met the criteria for the recognition.

The Inc. list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economys most dynamic segmentits independent small businesses. Intuit, Zappos, Under Armour, Microsoft, Patagonia, and many well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000.

According to the publisher, not only have the companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 been very competitive within their markets, but this years list also proved especially resilient and flexible given 2020s unprecedented challenges. Among the 5,000, the average median three-year growth rate soared to 543 percent, and median revenue reached $11.1 million. Together, those companies added more than 610,000 jobs over the past three years. Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including World Amenities company profile can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.

To view World Amenities Inc. 5000 company profile, visit https://www.inc.com/profile/world-amenities.

To learn more about World Amenities, Inc., visit its website at https://www.worldamenities.com.

About World Amenities, Inc.

Founded in 2015, World Amenities is a trusted leading global supplier of quality luxe skincare-based brands and custom amenities, necessities, and accessories. The company brings a wealth of 20 years of experience in the innovation, production, and distribution of advanced skincare and cosmetic brands to more than 70 global markets in 40,000 plus hotels, salons, spas, medical and educational sites. World Amenities is an influencer on the hospitality industrys standards and expectations. It uniquely designs, formulates, customizes, and manufactures each personal care guest room amenity, with artisanal skills and cosmetic-quality ingredients. To ensure the footprint World Amenities leaves is as small as possible, all products are environmentally friendly, recyclable, and biodegradable. For more information, go to http://www.worldamenities.com
The subscription e-newsletter platform Substack has already made its mark on the media business, but will it do the same for book publishing? Authors including Elle Griffin, John McWhorter, Maggie Stiefvater, and Matt Taibbi use the service to serialize new books or publish short stories exclusive to their newsletter audiences, but to date, the platform is still only dipping its toes into the book business. Still, Substack provides authorsthe latest of whom is Anand Giridharadas, an editor-at-large for Time, political analyst for MSNBC, and former New York Times correspondentwith some interesting options upon which to capitalize.

Giridharadas will serialize the first two chapters of his 2014 book, The True American: Murder and Mystery in Texas, in his newsletter, The.Ink, which goes out, he said, to an audience of "tens of thousands" of free subscribers and a smaller list of paid subscribers. The book, PW wrote in its starred review, "follows the encounter between Mark Stroman, a racist ex-con in Dallas who went on a killing spree targeting men he wrongly thought were Arabs after 9/11, and Raisuddin Bhuiyan, a Bangladeshi-born convenience-store clerk who was shot by Stroman but survived." It is, our reviewer said, "an affecting story of forgiveness and redemption" centered around "the authors penetrating portraits of the two men." The book has sold nearly 15,000 copies in all print formats at outlets that report to NPD BookScan.

Over the course of eight days, Giridharadas will publish the first two chapters of the bookeach one focusing on one of its two principal characters and broken into four newsletters eachin both text form and audiobook segments, which will also be offered free of charge via Audible. (The first installment was published today.) The excerpts will be sent via newsletter and live in blog form as web pages on The.Ink, hosted by Substack. Giridharadas will also open his paid subscriber Zoom sessions to all for virtual book club discussions beginning on August 31. The arrangement is particularly interesting considering that the book has already been publishedand that its publisher, W.W. Norton, greenlit the project without any licensing fees.

Giridharadas said that, considering the white supremacist trend in conservative politics in America and current events in the Middle East, the book is even more timely now than it was in 2014. He said that he and his literary agent at the time, Steven F. Wasserman at Brown Rudnick, had trouble finding a buyer, with Norton making the only offer. (Giridharadas is now represented by Lynn Nesbit at Janklow & Nesbit, and is currently at work on his second book for Knopf.)

"In retrospect, it was a very weird time for the book to come out," Giridharadas said. "Because it was very much about these two men and these currents in America, post-9/11. But within a year of it coming out, the summer of 2015, the kind of ideas, resentments, and I would even say political philosophy that animated Mark Stromanthat way of looking at the world was now a dominant political tendency in American life at the highest levels of presidential politics. That stuff had always been there in America, but it hadn't been in the place that it very quickly was: literally eating and swallowing one of the two major political parties."

Giridharadas saw the possibility of a new audience now, but "books only land once, and in this case, I had this ongoing frustration or sense of a missed opportunity." So he contacted Norton, telling them he wanted "to give this book another shot at the conversation, and to land in the conversation now that these very dark portents of the book have have kind of materialized and become not fringe-y things but central things."

At first, Giridharadas said, he and his publisher talked about "very conventional things, like, do I write a new foreword? Or do we reissue the book with a new cover?" But Norton didn't see a reissue as the way to go.

"In this case, we chose not to reissue," Alexa Pugh, v-p and publishing manager at Norton Trade Paperbacks, wrote in an email to PW. "One of the first (though not only) things we look for in a reissue candidate is the need to refresh the package to appeal to a new readership, often a more modern one if the book was published many years ago. But we agreed that the cover has held up nicely since it original publication in 2014, which lent support to the idea of pursuing a different method to get the book back out there. We also saw other ways that Anand could make the connection to current events outside of adding new material to the book itself in a new edition, such as through the book club hell be conducting as part of the newsletter campaign."

Ultimately, both parties landed on using Giridharadas's newsletter, which he launched last August, positing that its intimate nature, and the personal connection he has developed with its readers through it, would be their best shot at bringing the book back into the conversation. It was a new arrangement for both parties, and not without its challenges. Giridharadas, for one did not like the idea of licensing the content. But Norton agreed to let him reuse the first two chapters without any financial arrangement. Pugh noted that Audible "was also happy to coordinate with us" to include audio excerpts matching the serialized chapters at no cost.

"Were always looking for new and creative ways to brings more readers to our backlist, especially as signs show thats where readers attention has been turning," Pugh said of the arrangement. "Anand pitched this idea to us and it seemed like a fantastic way to directly target a key audiencefans of Anands work who may not be familiar with or had the opportunity to engage with The True Americanat a time when the themes of the book seem more relevant than ever."
New York City, NY (11385)

Today

Rain. Potential for flooding rains. High 73F. Winds ENE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a half an inch..

Tonight

Thunderstorms in the evening giving way to steady rain overnight - it will be heavy at times. Potential for flooding rains. Low 62F. Winds NE at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 3 to 5 inches of rain expected.
New York City, NY (11385)

Today

A steady rain early. Showers with perhaps a rumble of thunder developing in the afternoon. Potential for flooding rains. High 74F. Winds ENE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms, some heavy in the evening, then periods of rain later at night. Potential for flooding rains. Low 62F. Winds NE at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 3 to 5 inches of rain expected.
Pennsylvania blew away its COVID-19 delta-variant surge case record by more than a thousand in the Thursday update of the state Department of Health dashboard.

The state saw 3,451 new cases, and the pandemic total is knocking on the door of 1.26 million. The prior record for the surge was 2,332 reported Wednesday.

That daily number beats any day in the spring 2020 initial outbreak, but is still about a fourth of the top days of the winter surge, and less than the top days of the spring minisurge.

Berks had 82 new cases Thursday, third most of the delta surge. The pandemic total reached 49,883 and is knocking on the 50,000-milestone door.

Berks had 2.3% of the new cases. The county at 429,000 residents has 3.3% of the state population.

The seven- and 14-day Berks case averages continued to increase, jumping several points each to 72 and 62, respectively.

The county view data tracker of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has Berks in high community spread, with a seven-day case average of 108.3 per 100,000 residents.

The seven-day period for that tracker ends Tuesday, so the 92- and 82-case days since then are not yet factored in. The tracker is updated daily at 8 p.m.

The high community spread category, the top level designation, kicks in at 100 cases per 100,000 population over the prior seven days.

Nearly all of eastern, northeastern and south central Pennsylvania are in high community spread. Some counties rates are bouncing above and below the 100 mark.

Most of the nation is in high community spread with very little of the country below substantial.

Each new case is a new person testing positive. The averages smooth the uneven reporting of test results.

The state dashboard update reflects the numbers at the end of the prior day, in this case Wednesday.

Hospitalizations and deaths

Berks had 27 hospitalized COVID patients, according to the Thursday update, with seven in intensive care. The number hospitalized has slid this week.

The Reading Hospital dashboard update Thursday morning showed 16 patients, with four in intensive care and two discharges in the preceding 24 hours, and no deaths.

Reading has the bulk of the COVID hospitalizations.

There were no new deaths of Berks residents reported in the state update, and that total remained at 1,045, where it has been since July 23.

Pennsylvania overall continued its upward march in COVID hospitalizations with another 32 for a total of 1,307 that now includes 338 in intensive care.

The intensive care column was an increase of six.

The state added 22 COVID deaths for a pandemic total of 28,040.

Vaccinations

Vaccinations continued a familiar trend: up.

The number of completed inoculations has been increasing, signifying the earliest Berks and other Pennsylvania residents seeking vaccinations in the delta surge are getting second doses.

For Berks, 455 more were completed, according to the dashboard, with 30 more partials. The totals of the columns were 191,462 and 23,261, respectively.

Across the state, completed inoculations increased by about 11,000 and partials by 2,543. That indicates 13,000 or more residents started the process since a very high percentage of shots are of the two-dose vaccines, Pfizer and Moderna.

There have been reports nationally of more than 1 million people who have received third shots, many by some means of deception.

We have no evidence that people have provided false information to vaccine providers in order to receive an unauthorized third shot, said Mark ONeill, health department COVID-19 press secretary.

The preparation continues for third shots for the immunocompromised.

Health department spokeswoman Maggi Barton emailed this comment:

The Department of Health is already working with vaccine providers to effectively and efficiently administer third shots of Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for immunocompromised individuals to further protect Pennsylvanians. The CDC has indicated that about 2.7% of the population falls under the immunocompromised category. If that is true in Pennsylvania, that would be approximately 250,000-300,000 doses.

A more full accounting of the vaccinations effort is available at the CDC county tracker site. That site also accounts for vaccinations done at VA facilities, nursing homes and other efforts under direct federal supervision.

Those numbers Thursday showed 205,893 Berks residents age 12 and older fully vaccinated, including 195,700 age 18 and older, which is 59.7% of that demographic.
An Afghanistan under Taliban rule means death and destruction for Afghan women and girls. These are the same women and girls the United States spent two decades working to empower and equip for lives of freedom and self-sufficient success. It is sickening to think of them at the mercy of the Taliban. It is shameful to think we have betrayed our allies in such a disastrous way and frightening to observe the incompetence of the current administration.

When women are actively involved and respected in their communities, those communities are more stable. After the 9/11 terror attacks, the Bush administration emphasized that womens empowerment in Afghanistan and throughout the Middle East would lead to a less threatening and more stable region. It was in our countrys best interest to continue to help make that happen.

In a 2001 radio address, first lady Laura Bush aptly said that this fight was for the rights and dignity of women. She traveled to meet with Afghan women and girls to hear about their thirst for education and opportunity. Together with USAID, Mrs. Bush launched the American University of Afghanistan.

Since then, the United States Agency for International Development says student enrollment grew from 900,000 male students to more than 9.5 million students, 39% of whom are girls. The Center for Strategic and International Studies confirmed that literacy rates, GDP per capita, women's rights, the ability of girls to go to school have vastly improved in the last 20 years. Thats the sort of freedom Americans have brought.

Endangering them all is President Bidens decision to pull our troops to meet an artificial and political deadline of the 20th anniversary of 9/11. This decision begs this crucial question: Do the rights and dignity of Afghan women matter less than those of American women? We believe they do not.

During the Bush administration, the International Womens Issues Office at the U.S. State Department created the International Women of Courage Award. This award recognizes women from around the globe who have demonstrated exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for justice, womens empowerment, and human rights. The women are typically celebrated in March and brought to Washington to receive recognition.

During the early years, we specifically chose two women from Afghanistan to highlight the plight of women there and to celebrate their strength and resilience. We wanted their example to give hope to other Afghans and show that change is possible. Just this past March, Secretary of State Antony Blinken presented the honorary International Women of Courage Award posthumously to seven Afghan women who were assassinated in 2020 while serving their communities.

The State Department wanted to underscore the alarming trend of increased violence against women and girls in Afghanistan and draw attention to those brave women and girls who continue to press on in defense of their hard-won gains and in the face of high rates of violence against Afghan women.

Their stories are vivid examples that under Taliban rule, women will be slaughtered or sent back to the Dark Ages.

Gen. Sharmila Frough, the head of the Gender Unit in the National Directorate of Security (NDS) was one of the longest-serving female NDS officers, having served as chief of the anti-kidnapping division and working undercover combating criminal networks. Gen. Frough was assassinated in an IED explosion targeting her vehicle in March 2020 in Kabul.

Maryam Noorzad was a midwife who served remote locations in Wardak and Bamyan provinces before working for Medecins Sans Frontieres Kabul PD13 hospital. On May 12, 2020, three gunmen attacked the maternity ward of the hospital, but Maryam refused to leave her patient, who was in labor. The two women, and the patients newborn baby, were killed in the delivery suite.

Fatima Rajabi was a 23-year-old police officer originally from Ghazni Province and a member of the anti-narcotics division. She was traveling to her home village in Jaghori district in a civilian minibus in July 2020 when the Taliban stopped the vehicle and took her captive. Two weeks later, the Taliban killed her and sent her remains, which had gunshot wounds and signs of torture, to her family.

It is hard to believe the Biden administration was honoring these Afghan women just a few months ago and today has left them behind. There are many more who will be targeted and killed as the Taliban continues to exert control over Afghanistan. This administration and Congress must act immediately to prioritize emergency assistance and safe passage to these Afghan women and girls. We cannot ignore the brutality that is the Taliban.

Andrea Bottner is the founder of Bottner Strategies and was the director of the International Womens Issues Office at the U.S. State Department during the George W. Bush administration.
Daniel Radcliffe says his much-discussed dance scene on Miracle Workers was "incredibly fun" to film.

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The 32-year-old actor discussed his viral voguing scene on Miracle Workers: Oregon Trail during Wednesday's episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

Radcliffe plays Ezekiel Brown in Oregon Trail, the third season of Miracle Workers. In the show's Aug. 3 episode, Radcliffe performed "She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain" while shirtless and wearing chaps and a feather boa.

On The Late Show, Radcliffe said it took him "a long time" to learn the dance.

"Like, I'm not somebody that, like, you know, grew up dancing. But if you give me choreography and time, I can, like, learn it," the star said.

"We had an amazing choreographer ... and vogueing had specifically been asked for by the writers," he added.

Radcliffe also worked with vogueing specialist Thomas Matos to learn the dance.

"He sent me all these videos. He taught me the baby version of it, because I can't do one percent of one percent of what he does," he said. "But, yeah, it was an insane, incredibly fun day."

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Miracle Workers is an anthology comedy series that airs on TBS. The series is created by Simon Rich and co-stars Steve Buscemi , Geraldine Viswanathan, Karan Soni and John Bass.

Radcliffe is best known for playing Harry Potter in the Harry Potter films. He will next star with Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum in the upcoming film The Lost City of D.
Sonny Chiba died Thursday of COVID-19 complications at age 82. The Japanese Times reported and Variety confirmed the martial arts actor's death.

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The Times reports that Chiba contracted the virus at the end of July. He was hospitalized with pneumonia on Aug. 8.

According to Variety, Chiba studied Karate beginning in 1957 and earned his black belt in 1965. He later earned black belts in additional martial arts ninjutsu, shorinji kempo, judo, kendo and goju-ryu karate.

Born Sadaho Maeda, Chiba took the name Shinichi Chiba when he began acting in 1959. New Line Cinema executive Robert Shaye named him Sonny when he distributed his martial arts films.

Chiba's Japanese 1970s martial arts movies Battles Without Humanity: Deadly Fight in Hiroshima, Champion of Death and Karate Bear Fighter made him an action star. Quentin Tarantino paid tribute to Chiba's Street Fighter franchise with a monologue in True Romance that Christian Slater delivers.

Tarantino later cast Chiba as samurai sword maker Hattori Hanzo in Kill Bill. Chiba starred in other American movies such as The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift and Aces: Iron Eagle III.

With over 200 film and television credits, Chiba acted from 1959 until the present. According to IMDB, Chiba has one more film, Bond of Justice: Kizuna in post-production, for release this year.

Chiba directed two movies, 1990's Rimeinzu: Utsukushiki yuusha-tachi and 2007's Oyaji.
Money Heist will feature two new characters in Season 5.

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Netflix shared photos Thursday featuring new cast members Miguel ingel Silvestre and Patrick Criado.

Silvestre plays Rene, the love of Tokyo's (irsula Corbero) life, while Criado portrays Rafael, Berlin's (Pedro Alonso) son.

The photos show Tokyo (Corbero) getting close to Rene (Silvestre), while Berlin (Alonso) is seen posing while resting his hand on Rafael's (Criado) shoulder.

Netflix said viewers will "find out more" about the characters in Season 5. Money Heist's fifth and final season will be split into two parts.

Money Heist, aka La Casa de Papel, is a Spanish series that follows a group of robbers as they plan and execute assaults on banks in Spain. Netflix released a trailer for Season 5, Part 1 earlier this month.

Series creator ilex Pina previously said Season 5 will be the show's "most epic and exciting" season.

"We've spent almost a year thinking about how to break up the band. How to put the Professor on the ropes. How to get into situations that are irreversible for many characters. The result is the fifth part of La Casa De Papel," Pina said.

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"The war reaches its most extreme and savage levels, but it is also the most epic and exciting season," he added.

Season 5, Part 1 premieres Sept. 3 on Netflix.
Netflix explores the friendship between Muhammed Ali and Malcolm X in the new trailer for upcoming documentary, Blood Brothers.

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The pair's deep bond and eventual fallout is showcased in the clip released Thursday employing archival photos and video.

Friends and family of the two icons including Malcolm X's daughter, Ilyasah Shabazz, Muhammed Ali's daughter, Maryum Ali, and brother, Rahman Ali, appear in the documentary to offer insights into the duo alongside the Rev. Al Sharpton.

"They defined a whole generation to be themselves and be bold," Sharpton says.

Blood Brothers is coming to Netflix on Sept. 9.

Muhammed Ali died at age 74 in 2016 after a 32-year battle with Parkinson's disease. Malcolm X died at age 39 in 1965, the victim of an assassination in New York.

Sony Pictures Television is developing a drama series inspired by the life of Malcolm X.
Scarlett Johansson and her husband, Colin Jost, on Wednesday announced the birth of their first child together.

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Jost, 39, announced the birth in a post on Instagram and Marcel Pariseau, a representative for the 36-year-old Johansson, confirmed the birth to People.

"OK, OK, we had a baby," Jost wrote. "His name is Cosmo. We love him very much."

Jost, a Saturday Night Live host, previously mentioned their pregnancy news during a stand-up performance at The Ridgefield Playhouse in Connecticut on Sunday.

Johansson, the star of Disney's Black Widow, married Jost in an intimate ceremony last October.

She had previously been married to actor Ryan Reynolds and journalist Romain Dauriac with whom she shares 7-year-old daughter Rose.
Born Sept. 10 1934, passed away peacefully on July 8, 2021 in Boca Raton, Fla. He was preceded in death by his wife, Shirley. A private celebration of life to be held at Birch Lake at a later date. He is survived by his three children, Brenda (David) Springs, Lisa (Steve) Victory and Carl (S
About the author: John Roth, of Traverse City is in his first term in the Michigan House serving residents in the 104th District, which includes all of Grand Traverse County.
Athens, GA (30605)

Today

Cloudy skies early will become partly cloudy later in the day. Slight chance of a rain shower. High near 85F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

A mostly clear sky. Low 66F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
As cases of the COVID-19 delta variant increase throughout the nation, questions about booster shots, hospitalizations and vaccine hesitancy leave many frustrated. As part of The Red & Blacks health news coverage, we are publishing weekly reports on news relating to COVID-19 and its recent statistics.

Major updates

On Tuesday evening, the Athens-Clarke County Mayor & Commission unanimously authorized an incentive program to encourage more residents to get the COVID-19 vaccine. The incentive program will offer recipients a $100 gift card for each shot they receive and will be available to those who live, work or go to school in the county.

According to state health officials, new cases of COVID-19 as well as current hospitalizations are on the rise in Georgia due to the highly contagious delta variant. COVID-19 cases in Georgia are at their second-highest level ever, surpassed only by the peak in cases last January.

Some medical institutions are turning people away due to a lack of space. From Aug. 8-14, about 86.4% of COVID-19 cases in the southeastern U.S. were delta variant cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Amid rising COVID-19 cases, Athens is the third major city in Georgia to reinstate a mask mandate, following Atlanta and Savannah. Masks are now required in all public buildings within Clarke County. Private buildings can opt out of the mandate by posting a sign stating they do not consent to the enforcement of the ordinance.

We are prepared to offer booster shots for all Americans beginning the week of Sept. 20 and starting eight months after an individuals second dose, said the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in a joint statement with medical experts on Aug. 18. We would also begin efforts to deliver booster shots directly to residents of long-term care facilities at that time, given the distribution of vaccines to this population early in the vaccine rollout and the continued increased risk that COVID-19 poses to them.

Additionally, the Georgia Department of Public Health is conducting a series of pop-up events to get more Georgians vaccinated in an effort to stem the spread of COVID-19. Walk-in vaccines will be available at the Say Yes Summer events, which are free and do not require appointments, insurance or identification.

On Thursday, a co-hosted vaccine event by UGA and DPH will take place at the Tate Plaza between 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Data breakdown: University of Georgia

The University of Georgia has opened up campus completely in-person with a focus on vaccinating the community.

UGA previously mandated vaccines for measles in 1990. During that time, 680 students and 60-80 university workers were suspended and were unable to attend courses or work on the UGA campus because they did not present documentation of a current measles vaccine. Despite these efforts in the past, no such rule has been implemented for the COVID-19 vaccine.

Instead, the University Health Center is providing new incentives to urge people to get vaccinated. Faculty, staff and students who receive their COVID-19 vaccine at the UHC or the Tate Center Mobile Clinic can enter a drawing to win a $100 Visa gift card. Ten people will be chosen at random each Friday for the following four weeks to receive a gift card.

The lack of COVID-19 screening alongside the lack of a vaccine mandate is instilling frustration and worries among some students and faculty as students return to Athens from different locations far and near.

According to The Associated Press, throughout the nation, college students and staff are worried about how easy it is for people to obtain fake vaccination cards.

UGA reported 90 COVID-19 cases over the week of Aug. 9-15, higher than the 58 cases during the week of Aug. 2-8. The positivity rate was about 3.13% for this week.

The university conducted 384 surveillance tests during the week of Aug. 9-13, a decrease from the 420 tests from Aug. 2-6.

There is still a chance of an uptrend in COVID-19 cases as different mutations of the coronavirus are found in Georgia and as people ease public health guidelines.

Students and faculty may book a vaccine appointment at the UHC Vaccine Portal or get vaccinated at any University System of Georgia school. Students may also get tested for COVID-19 at the UHC with walk-in appointments.

Data breakdown: Athens-Clarke County

Last week, Clarke County saw an increase of new confirmed COVID-19 cases compared to the week before.

From Aug. 13-18, the county reported 387 new confirmed cases, compared to 283 from Aug. 7-12, according to the Georgia DPH. The countys seven-day average positivity rate was 14.6%.

This week, ACC reported one confirmed COVID-19 death.

According to the Georgia Geospatial Information Office, the number of current hospitalizations in Region E  which includes ACC and several surrounding counties  increased last week. On Aug. 18, there were 201 hospitalized COVID-19 patients, compared to the 150 on Aug. 13.

According to the Georgia DPH, about 40% of the county is fully vaccinated. This percentage is below what is needed to achieve herd immunity, when enough people are vaccinated to stop or severely slow transmission of the virus. Previous research has shown that herd immunity is achieved in communities where at least 70% of residents are vaccinated.

Data breakdown: Georgia

Statewide, the weekly rate of new confirmed COVID-19 cases has increased due to the delta variant, which is more infectious than previous strains of the coronavirus. The delta variant is as contagious as chickenpox, according to an internal CDC document obtained by The New York Times.

With this wave, Georgia cases have reached their second-highest peak ever, surpassed only by the peak in January of this year.

The number of confirmed deaths in the state increased  Georgia recorded 149 confirmed COVID-19 deaths between Aug. 13-18 compared to the 114 between Aug. 7-12.

Georgia reported 43,226 confirmed COVID-19 cases between Aug. 13-18, an increase of about 9,000 from 34,304 between Aug. 7-12. The states seven-day average positivity rate increased to 17.3% on Aug. 18.

According to the Geospatial Information Office, the number of current COVID-19 hospitalizations in the state increased from about 4,100 on Aug. 13 to about 4,760 on Aug. 18.

According to the DPH, about 4.3 million Georgians have been fully vaccinated, or about 42% of the state. In comparison, the U.S. has a current vaccination rate of 50.5%. Approximately 5 million Georgians, or 49% of the state, have received only the first dose. According to 2019 estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, Georgia has a total population of about 10.6 million.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said double masking is likely more effective than wearing a single mask, according to a CNBC article. Double-masking has been shown to block over 92% of potentially infectious particles from spreading to others, according to a CDC study.

According to the CDC, fully vaccinated individuals should wear a mask indoors if in an area of substantial or high transmission. Currently, the CDC says Clarke Countys level of community transmission is high. The CDC has also released guidelines for vaccinated individuals to still try their best to follow social distancing, wear masks and frequently wash hands even if they have been vaccinated.
Nick Mason, founder of the Manhattan Short Film Festival, says it has grown into a global event with viewers watching throughout the United States and 20 other countries.
Kenansville, NC (28349)

Today

Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Potential for severe thunderstorms. High 87F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms in the evening. Partly cloudy skies overnight. Low 67F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
Greenville, NC (27833)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms in the morning becoming more widespread in the afternoon. Potential for severe thunderstorms. High 87F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms in the evening will give way to partly cloudy skies overnight. Low 68F. SW winds shifting to NW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
Brattleboro, VT (05301)

Today

Cloudy with rain developing later in the day. High around 70F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Rain. Potential for heavy rainfall. Low 56F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 2 to 3 inches of rain expected.
Beckley, WV (25801)

Today

Periods of rain. Potential for flooding rains. High 69F. SSW winds shifting to NW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch..

Tonight

Rain showers early with mostly cloudy conditions late. Low 54F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP)  Mike Spann, a Marine turned CIA officer, felt a duty to go to Afghanistan in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

In one of his last phone calls home to check on his children, he told his father he was hopeful they would gather information to locate the mastermind of the attacks, Osama bin Laden, his father recalled.

Spann was killed days later, on Nov. 25, 2001, during a prisoner uprising at the fortress where he had been questioning extremists. The 32-year-old CIA paramilitary officer from Winfield, Alabama, was the first of 2,448 American service members to be killed in combat in Afghanistan.

Spanns father said he was disgusted by images of Americas chaotic withdrawal Monday showing people, desperate to escape the Taliban takeover, clinging to the side of a departing U.S. military jet.

It makes me sick to my stomach when I see it. Its disheartening. Its shameful, I think. I think its shameful that we would do this, Johnny Spann said.

The elder Spann had just dropped off his granddaughter in Birmingham when he had to pull over and look at the images on his cellphone after hearing them described. The scenes of people plunging to their deaths from the plane reminded him of the Americans who jumped from the towers of the World Trade Center, he said.

Spann said he is not opposed to Americans leaving Afghanistan but disagrees with the timing and how it was done. With the Taliban takeover, his mind goes immediately to the Afghans who helped his son and other Americans.

They are going to die. They are going to kill them. And how can someone stomach that when we know we made them promises? There is no telling how many people we would have lost if those people hadnt helped us, he said.

Mike Spann always seemed destined for the military.

As a teenager, he had Marine flags plastered on his ceiling and walls. During family trips, he would always want to go by military battlefields and landmarks. Near his graduation from Auburn University, he announced he was joining the Marines, a decision some questioned because he was a young husband.

Dad, Ive always wanted to be a Marine. If I dont do it now, Ill never have another opportunity, his father recalled him saying.

After the Sept. 11 attacks, Mike Spann felt a duty to go to Afghanistan even though the decision would mean leaving his two daughters, infant son and wife.

The span of the war can be measured in Spanns three children, just youngsters when their father died but now grown.

In the years since his sons death, Johnny Spann has become obsessed with learning the details  tracking down the autopsy report, photos and speaking to people who worked with his son in his last days. He is also sharply critical of President Joe Bidens withdrawal decision.

Much of the work his son and others did has been undone, he said, but that doesn't make their contributions meaningless.

They helped us keep America safe, and thats what they were doing for 20 years. They did their job. They did what they were supposed to do. They did what they were told to do. But they didnt die in vain," he said.

His son, he said, went to find bin Laden: "He died before we found Osama bin Laden, but I think that maybe some of the things he did helped us get to that point.

The elder Spann cautioned people not to think that the threat to America has ended with the withdrawal from Afghanistan.

This war is not over. Weve just conceded territory that we took, he said.
EAST LYME  Residents will have an opportunity to weigh in on how the town spends its first batch of COVID-19 relief funds from the American Rescue Plan during a special town meeting early next month.

The meeting, scheduled by the Board of Selectmen Wednesday, will be held to consider spending $280,557 out of the $5.4 million that East Lyme expects to receive from the federal government over the next year.

East Lyme is among the Connecticut cities and towns expected to receive a total of $2.55 billion in ARPA funds, according to the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities.

How they chose to spend that money, and who gets a say in the process, is largely up to individual towns, though the federal government has set some parameters. For example, cities can use the money to invest in infrastructure projects or to cover lost revenues, but they cannot be deposited into pension funds.

Some towns have set up ad-hoc committees to determine the best uses for the money, while others have left those decisions up to existing boards and commissions.

East Lyme First Selectman Mark Nickerson said the towns charter requires officials to seek approval from a town meeting before spending the funds. Before scheduling that meeting, he said the Board of Selectmen had selected several projects to put forward for funding, and that the Board of Finance had also weighed in with its approval.

That way, the public has a way to sound off in three different meetings, Nickerson said, adding, We think the most prudent way of doing it is through the regular process.

The Board of Selectmen voted unanimously Wednesday to schedule the Sept. 1 town meeting, which will begin at 7 p.m. in the upper meeting room of the East Lyme Town Hall.

Among the projects included in the funding package are: $5,129 for Wi-Fi improvements at Town Hall, $10,000 for the towns contribution toward the purchase of a refrigerated truck for the Shoreline Kitchen and Food Pantry, $14,428 to purchase equipment to facilitate hybrid public meetings, $44,000 for security cameras, $75,000 to fund two positions at East Lyme Youth Services, and $132,000 to replace three dishes that transmit the signal used by the towns Emergency Public Safety Management.

These are the kinds of things that we didnt want to put off, Nickerson said Wednesday, things we wanted to put up front because there is a growing need immediately.

Selectmen will begin discussing ideas for the round of spending from ARPA funds in the coming weeks.
A report issued by Legistorm.com, a government affairs website, claims that U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser failed to report in a timely way that his wife and children purchased as much as $600,000 worth of stock at the depths of the pandemic stock market crash.

The report from Legistorm noted that Meuser, R-9, Dallas, disclosed the information Wednesday, Aug. 11, with the House Clerks office, more than a year after the law requires.

Each of the stocks have soared since then, according to the report.

This was simply human error, Meuser said in a statement. The House Ethics Committee has been made aware, and I have received no word from the committee that a rule has been broken besides late reporting. The rules are very clear, and unfortunately this is a case of human error.

Legistorm noted that Meusers dependent children purchased between $107,023 and $555,000 worth of stock in Visa Inc., Walt Disney Co., Microsoft Corp. and Googles parent, Alphabet Inc. between March 26 and 31, 2020.

It notes that his wife purchased between $3,003 and $45,000 worth of Visa, Microsoft and Alphabet stock on March 26, 2020.

Of the stocks, Alphabet has increased more than 150% since purchased by the Meusers, according to Legistorm.

The Alphabet purchase alone could have netted the family as much as $150,000 or more, but broad ranges provided in the disclosures make it impossible to know how much, the report notes.

I want to be very clear, I nor did anyone provide any direction to make specific stock trades since I have entered office, Meuser said. I had any brokers involved in my personal financial business instructed and educated on the House Ethics Committees requirements for Members of Congress, this was done and they were thoroughly instructed.

Since entering Congress, I have had no dialogue related to personal investments other than what is allowed related to mutual funds. The reallocation of assets occurred without my knowledge, and my broker who handled the transaction did so legally, and at his own discretion. Unfortunately, I have been made aware that my broker failed to report this reallocation in a timely manner.

Under the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act, or the STOCK Act, members of Congress must disclose their financial transactions within a specified 45-day reporting window.

Under the management arrangement, the manager is legally empowered to act with limited power of attorney to make buys and sell on behalf of the accounts. The manager is not required to get approval or input from Congressman Meuser before transacting, a statement shared by Meuser from an unnamed account manager said. In all cases, it was an administrative error on the part of manager in failing to report the trades to the appropriate regulatory body within the designated time frame.

Other members who recently failed to do so include Democratic Reps. Lori Trahan (Mass.), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Fla.), Kathy Castor (Fla.) and Cheri Bustos (Ill.), as well as Republican Sens. Rand Paul (Ky.) and Tommy Tuberville (Ala.), and Reps. Steve Chabot (Ohio) and August Pfluger (Texas), according to the Legistorm report.

Forbes also cited Republican Reps. Blake Moore (Utah) and Pat Fallon (Texas) as having been late with reporting.

The Washington Post reported Pauls wife bought stock in drug maker Gilead Sciences in February 2020.
Hollywood star Gal Gadot can do every difficult job with ease as her social media handles are proof of that. The Wonder Woman actor was recently seen pumping her breast milk while getting ready for a shoot. The actor also shared a smile with her team while doing her job as a mother.

Gal Gadot proves she is a 'Wonder Mother'

Actor Gal Gadot and her husband, Yaron Varsano, welcomed their third daughter Daniella earlier this year. While doing her motherly duties, Gadot was seen pumping her breast milk in a white robe in her latest Instagram post. She also had a cape tied to her neck, as her team was applying makeup and doing her hair. She was wearing very light jewellery along with her robe. In the caption, she wrote, "Just me, backstage, being a mom ." Several Hollywood celebrities reacted to Gadot's photo. One of the users wrote, "The pump is real." while praising her normalise breastfeeding.

With her breast pump photo, Gal Gadot entered the list of female actors who have been normalising breastfeeding since World Breastfeeding Week. Earlier, Bollywood actor Dia Mirza shared her thoughts on breastfeeding during an interview with Mid-day. The actor shared it has become important to normalise breastfeeding and develop safe places for new mothers to breastfeed their children.

Loki actor Sophia Di Martino also once shared how her costume for Marvel Studios series was made breastfeeding-friendly as she was a working mother. She shared a photo of her costume and wrote, "Its not easy being a working Mama (Understatement!) #christinewada designed Sylvies costume and had the genius idea of adding concealed zippers for easy access so that I could use my hands-free @elvie pumps easily (pictured) and nurse my baby between takes. Its little (big) things like this that made it possible for me to do my job AND be a parent. Im forever grateful ."

Gal Gadot names her third-born Daniella

Gal Gadot was blessed with another baby girl in June 2021. The actor took to her Instagram handle to share a family photo with her 60 million followers. In the photo, one of her daughters was seen holding her youngest one. In the caption, Gadot revealed she had named her third born Daniella. She wrote, "My sweet family I couldnt be more grateful and happy (and tired ) we are all so excited to welcome Daniella into our family. Im sending all of you love and health. GG ." Several celebrities, including Priyanka Chopra, congratulated Gadot and her family in the comment section.

IMAGE: GAL GADOT'S INSTAGRAM
Netflix insider trading scam was recently revealed when five people, including three ex-employees of Netflix, used confidential subscriber growth information to trade in Netflix stock illegally and earned around $3.1 million. Securities and Exchange Commission recently filed a complaint against them. The five alleged accusers have been charged in the Federal Court of Seattle while four of them have agreed to plead guilty.



All about the Netflix Insider Trading Scam

According to the reports by Netflix, as the five persons were illegally charged with civil counts of insider trading by the Securities and Exchange Commission, they have agreed to a civil judgement with the penalties imposed by the court. Sung Mo Jun, one of the alleged offenders, worked as a software engineer from 2013-2017. Complaint by SEC stated that he tipped off his brother, Joon Mo Jun and friend Junwoo Chon, about the companys subscriber growth number. The SEC has claimed that Joon Mo Jun and Chon used that information to trade on Netflix stock while Chon made $521,000 of which he shared $60,000 with Sung Mo Jun. The complaint also states that Joon Mo Jun made $215,000.

Another ex-employee, Ayden Lee, who worked as a software engineer at Netflix from 2016-2021 was repeatedly asked to provide Sung Mo Jun with confidential subscriber numbers. According to the complaint, Jun then shared the information with his friend and his brother and eventually, Chon made $1.1 million, Sung Mo Jun made $453,000, and Joon Mo Jun made another $813,000 on illicit trades.

Sung Mo Jun was also friends with another Netflix employee, Jae Hyeon Bae, who participated with Chon, Joon Mo Jun and Sung Mo Jun in the Netflix insider trading case and connected through a messaging channel called Rage Against the Market, in which they discussed stock trades. Though Bae was only charged in the SEC complaint and not in any criminal case.

Chon appeared in Federal Court on Wednesday and pleaded guilty for insider trading. His attorney released a statement in which he said that Chon was a naturalized citizen from South Korea who has lived in the Puget Sound area since 1988 and has never previously been involved in criminal conduct. Attorney Todd Williams, who represented Joon Mo Jun, also released a statement in which he said that he had accepted responsibility for his actions detailed in the information filed by the Government and was looking forward to resolving the matter and moving on with his life. On the other hand, Lees attorney stated that his client did not profit at all from the scheme and was taking full responsibility for his actions.

Spencer Wang, the VP of investor relations, has quoted in the book stating that the subscriber number was top-secret and could be used by investors to make a lot of money and that anyone at Netflix who leaked it could go to jail. He further revealed that he was shocked during the first week in the company when he received an email with the subscriber number included. When he asked the CEO about how many people had access to it, he stated that any employee could sign up for it.

IMAGE: DAVID BALEV UNSPLASH
A Walrus named 'Wally' has become a source of concern for a number of boaters in Ireland. The Arctic walrus is a large animal, weighing in around 800 kilograms, and has wreaked havoc on smaller boats by attempting to board them. According to accounts, the enormous creature has sunk two boats off the coast of West Cork and damaged other vessels worth thousands of euros.

Wally prefers taking a break on land or in tiny boats

According to Wales Online, Seal Rescue Ireland (SRI), wildlife rescue service, has made a request for the donation of a disused flotation cushion that will allow the walrus to rest. It is said that the massive animal prefers to take a break on land or in tiny boats. As a result, during the walrus's six-week stay in the Isles of Scilly in July, the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) in the UK assisted in the installation of a floating pontoon for him.

BDMLR has now presented their plan to Melanie Croce, director of Seal Rescue Ireland (SRI). She stated that they have never done anything like this before, so they are learning a lot as they go along. BDMLR is assisting them, and they are also collaborating with Orca Ireland and the West Cork Animal Welfare Group. If Wally is ever seen in the region again, the floating sofa will be placed in the harbour. Their goals are to create a safe place for the Walrus, to efficiently monitor it, to protect the creature from disturbance, and to avoid property damage, she added. Wally's natural behaviour should be allowed to continue, according to Croce, but SRI will intervene if human interactions with the animal threaten to distress it.

People should maintain 100 metres of distance from the Walrus

People should stay at least 100 metres away from the walrus and appreciate it from afar, according to SRI. The wildlife rescue service team has requested anyone who sees the animal, to call the rescue organisation instead of posting the location on social media. The walrus will have to swim a considerable distance back to Iceland or Norway, according to Croce, but sea ice, which the walrus needs to rest on, has "significantly receded" during the summer months. She went on to say that if the walrus travelled today, he would have a "very long swim," and that he would require a place to rest.

Image- @Cloud9weather1/Twitter
Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij discussed the COVID-19 pandemic at a webinar organised by the Government of Thailand, on Wednesday. Vij, after attending a webinar, said that it was a matter of pride that Thailand has asked and learned about the strategies adopted by his government to curb the spread of COVID-19. Vij said that the experiences of the States health ministry were shared in order to implement the same in the foreign country.

Haryana shares its model of Home isolation with Thailand

The Haryana health minister shared his State governments strategies in handling the Delta variant of the coronavirus with Thailand. Following the webinar, the minister informed reporters that the Thai government will now try to implement the same in their country. The minister said that the Thai officials appreciated the Haryana model of home isolation, which helped prevent the spread of the virus. The credit for the same was handed to the doctors and Corona Warriors.

"Haryana is probably the first state which has participated in the webinar to share the experiences of preventing COVID infection with the officials of any foreign government...in future also we are ready to hold such webinars with any country in the world," the health minister said. Speaking about the increased testing in the state, Vij said that 1.40 crore individuals have been vaccinated in Haryana so far.

The minister said that the government is actively working on preventing a possible third wave of coronavirus in the state and added that the same was discussed in the webinar as well. According to Vij, the two governments also discussed ways to curb and control the possible third wave, which has been predicted by several health experts. The minister claimed that the state of Haryana is in plans to become self-sufficient for oxygen supply. Vij also informed that information about the line of treatment during black fungus was also shared with the Thai government.

COVID situation in Haryana

Haryana reported 21 fresh COVID-19 cases taking the state's infection tally to 770,266 on Wednesday. The State also suffered one fatality in the Yamunanagar district which took its death toll to 9,662. According to the health department's daily bulletin, six among the new cases were reported from Gurgaon and five were from Faridabad. Currently, Haryana has an active case tally of 666, while the recovery rate stands at 98.66 per cent.

(Image: PTI/ Pixabay)
Amrullah Saleh Lauds Protests In Favour Of Afghanistan Flag; Warns Pakistan Of Humiliation

Leading the resistance against the Taliban, ex-Afghanistan Vice President Amrullah Saleh on Thursday expressed his support for people hoisting the national flag. Since the terror outfit captured Kabul on August 15, it has started removing the Afghanistan national flag from key buildings and replacing it with its own flag. However, this has met with protests in several cities including Jalalabad and Khost.

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Navjot Sidhu's Advisor Malvinder Singh Mali Terms Kashmir A 'Separate Country', Sparks Row

In a shocking development, Navjot Singh Sidhu's advisor Malvinder Singh Mali described Kashmir as a separate 'country' in his Facebook post and is now facing flak. The August 17 post of Mali talks about the 1947 agreement made with Kashmir's King Hari Singh. The Congress leader's post also attacks the Union Government's decision to scrap Article 370 and questions, 'What was the meaning of Article 370 and 35 A, which gave special state status to Kashmir in the Constitution of India?'

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BJP Welcomes HC's Verdict On Bengal Poll Violence, Says 'Mamata Failed To Deliver Justice'

After the Calcutta HC ordered a CBI-probe into the West Bengal post-poll violence case, the BJP hit out at the TMC citing the scathing remarks of the court. Addressing a press conference on Thursday, BJP leader Gaurav Bhatia noted that the ruling of the HC was crucial since the decision had been unanimously passed by the 5-bench judge. He asserted that the court's order for a CBI probe had highlighted that justice could only be possible with 'fair investigation' something that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had failed to do.

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Taliban Declares Afghanistan As 'Islamic Emirate' On Its 102nd Independence Day

On the occasion of Afghanistan's Independence Day on August 19, the Taliban officially declared the country as an 'Islamic Emirate.' The fundamentalist group on Thursday changed Afghanistan's name to 'Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,' a term that it had coined during its reign between 1996-2001. The country had gone back to its previous name and had dropped 'Islamic Emirate' in 2001 after the Taliban was ousted by the US troops post the deadly twin towers attack.

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Afghan Commando Calls For 'resistance 2.0' Against Taliban, Reaches Panjshir With Team

With a request to all 'friends' for support, Afghan commando Sarfaraz on Thursday arrived in Panjshir to intensify 'RESISTANCE 2.0'. Along with the Commando General Hasib Panjshiri, General Hamid Saifi, Commander Khalid Amiri has also reached the country's Panjishir district to join Amrullah Saleh who he referred to as the 'leader'. Earlier, the Commando of Homeland Security under the Ministry of Defense had said that he and his team will do 'whatever' needed to fight the Taliban who has taken over Kabul.

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UP CM Yogi Adityanath Slams 'shameless' Taliban Sympathizers; 'They Should Be Exposed'

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday slammed the Opposition leaders 'who were shamelessly supporting the Taliban' while speaking at the Legislative Assembly. The Chief Minister spoke briefly on the state's infrastructure development, women empowerment, development in the agriculture sector, and COVID condition. CM Yogi said that those sympathizing with the Taliban should not talk about women welfare.

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Delhi: Eight Hospitals, Including AIIMS, To Soon Have Mini Fire Stations

To prevent the loss of patient's lives and life-saving equipment, soon eight hospitals in Delhi will have mini fire stations on their premises. AIIMS will be the first among the eight to have such a facility. It has chosen an area in its premises where a fire station will be built. Randeep Guleria Director of AIIMS had a word in this respect with Delhi Fire Service Chief Atul Garg. Both have joined hands to save lives and life-saving equipment. With this step, they are hoping that no more patients will suffer due to any fire tragedies in the future.

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Uttarakhand Government Asks People To Share Details Of Kin Stranded In Afghanistan

Uttarakhands state government has asked people to inform the district administration in case they have any relatives stuck in Afghanistan. The inquiry is part of the initiative by the state government to reunite the stranded relatives with the ones staying in the state. Additional Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan has asked people to submit documents like names of their relatives stranded in Afghanistan, their passports and other relevant details to the nearest district administration office.

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Gujarat HC Stays Some Provisions Of Anti-Love Jihad Law To Prevent Harassment Of Couples

In a blow to the BJP government's move to outlaw 'Love Jihad', the Gujarat High Court passed an interim order on Thursday staying certain provisions of The Gujarat Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Act, 2021. This law against forcible conversion through marriage was passed in the state Assembly on April 1 after a day-long discussion. However, Congress voted against the bill with its MLA Imran Khedawala alleging that it targets only the Muslim community. While the anti-Love Jihad legislation became law received the assent of Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat on May 22, it was notified on June 15.

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Mamata Banerjee Predicts TMC Win In 2023 Tripura Polls; BJP Leader Likely To Jump Ship

After consolidating her position in West Bengal, CM Mamata Banerjee exuded confidence in TMC winning the 2023 Assembly election in Tripura. The BJP-IPFT combine is currently in power in Tripura under the leadership of Biplab Deb with 43 seats in the 60-member state Assembly. Addressing a press briefing on Wednesday, the TMC supremo opined that the welfare schemes of West Bengal should be implemented in Tripura as well.

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Chang Jae-bok, South Korea's ambassador to India, paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat in New Delhi on Thursday, August 19. According to an official announcement, the Ambassador also handed President Ram Nath Kovind his letter of credence. He also paid a visit to the National Gandhi Museum.

On August 17th, Ambassador Chang Jae-bok visited SD Biosensor, a Korean company, which produces COVID-19 rapid antigen diagnostic kits. Ambassador Chang expressed his appreciation of the SD biosensor for presenting itself as a successful example of a Korean company in India. pic.twitter.com/cuZHCDHYoX  Korea Embassy India (@RokEmbIndia) August 18, 2021

South Korea ambassador paid a visit to Raj Ghat and met President Kovind

At the National Gandhi Museum, the ambassador met Tara Gandhi Bhattacharjee, Mahatma Gandhi's granddaughter and the museum's chairwoman, and discussed the relevance of Gandhi's nonviolence and peace teachings in today's world, according to the release. South Korean President Moon Jae-in had also visited the memorial and paid his respects during his official trip to India previously in 2018.

President Kovind accepted credentials from envoys of Holy See, Nigeria, Austria and Republic of Korea in a virtual ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan today.



Details: https://t.co/heunvtApCa pic.twitter.com/HIUtXCQTPj  President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) August 18, 2021

How is the Afghanistan crisis a warning to South Korea?

The chaotic withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan underscores the urgency for South Korea to gain full operational control of its military, the head of the country's ruling Democratic Party said on Wednesday. The messy withdrawal of US soldiers from Afghanistan highlights the need for South Korea to regain full operational control of its military, according to the leader of the country's ruling Democratic Party. "The Afghanistan crisis should be used as an opportunity to further nurture the will and ability of a strong independent defence by recovering wartime OPCON," Rep. Song Young-gil wrote in a Facebook post on Wednesday.

South Korea and North Korea relations

In a war, the chief of US Forces Korea, presently Gen. Paul LaCamera, would command the joint US and South Korean force. South Korean President Moon Jae-administration in's has sought to speed up the process of taking full control of the military. As per reports, he stated, that they need not only the importance of the ROK-U.S. alliance but also an attitude of self-defence that our country will protect itself, and that the Republic of Korea is at a level that cannot be compared with North Korea in terms of its military power. He was citing the South's F-35 fighter jets and other advanced hardware.

ROK-U.S. alliance

He reportedly further stated that far from being able to invade the South, the survival and maintenance of the system is desperate in North Korea. The remarks come as US and South Korean troops undertake scaled-down joint military drills that will last until August 26. Pyongyang was enraged by the drills last week, saying that they would spark a "security crisis" on the peninsula. By May 2022, the South Korean administration had aimed to complete the transfer of wartime operational responsibility. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has thrown a wrench in the transfer plans, and no formal schedule has been established.

IMAGE: @BLEDSTRATFORUM - Twitter
UNSC: Jaishankar Details India's Approach To Afghan Crisis, Focus On 'Ensuring Security'

India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday addressed the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in New York where he detailed India's approach to the Afghanistan crisis. Addressing the media after the session, S Jaishankar responded to a question on how India will deal with the Taliban saying that the country's focus was to ensure the safe return of Indian nationals from the war-torn nation. He also asserted the historical relationship between Afghans and Indians would continue to remain as it was, and would guide India's approach towards Afghanistan in the coming future.

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Afghanistan Crisis LIVE Updates: Ahmad Massoud Vows Resistance; IMF Blocks Access To Funds

India evacuates its embassy staff and soldiers from Afghanistan as US does a hasty withdrawal after 20 years of war with Taliban. The terror group has ousted the Ghani govt and taken over Kabul.

Check Live Updates Here

Pegasus Row: SC Refuses To Stay West Bengal Govt's Judicial Inquiry, Issues Notice

The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to stay the West Bengal government's notification forming a judicial commission to inquire into the Pegasus row. On July 26, the Mamata Banerjee-led government appointed a Commission of Inquiry comprising ex-SC judge Madan Lokur and former Calcutta High Court Chief Justice Jyotirmay Bhattacharya under the Commission of Inquiry Act. It was tasked to investigate the facts and circumstances related to the purported illegal hacking of phones of various police officials, politicians, MLAs, journalists, activists and other judges.

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J&K: Terrorists Open Fire At CRPF Personnel In Kulgam, Search Operations Underway

A day after a Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) leader was shot dead in Kashmir's Kulgam district, terrorists opened fire at Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) forces on Wednesday. As per on-ground information brought exclusively by the Republic Media Network, the CRPF jawans were on a routine check operation when they confronted terrorists who started firing in an attempt to flee the spot. No reports of injury or causalities have been received yet. The terrorists, however, managed to escape.

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In Fight Against Taliban, Resistance Front Leader Ahmad Massoud Urges West To Supply Arms

With growing pushback against the Taliban's rule, National Resistance Front of Afghanistan leader Ahmad Massoud urged the Western nations to supply arms and ammunition. He is the son of late Afghan politician and military commander Ahmad Shah Massoud who is revered for his heroic fight against the Taliban. Tragically, he was assassinated by suicide bombers on September 9, 2001, two days before the 9/11 terror attack.

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Ashraf Ghani Posts First Video Message After Escaping Afghanistan; Defends Decisions

After fleeing Afghanistan, President-in-exile Ashraf Ghani on Wednesday addressed the world on his official Facebook page. Ghani, who is presently in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on 'humanitarian grounds', fled the country right after surrendering to the Taliban as it breached the capital city-Kabul, in a bid to 'prevent further bloodshed'.

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Vaccinated Persons Infected With Delta Variant Less Likely To Have Severe Illness: Study

The Delta variant (B.1.617.2) has the potential to infect both the vaccination individuals and those who haven't been inoculated, a new study revealed on Monday. However, it found that the proportion of patients progressing to severe illness and mortality was lower in the vaccinated group. Approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee of ICMR-National Institute of Epidemiology, this study enrolled 539 out of the 3790 COVID-19 patients who visited triage centres in Chennai between May 3 and 7 when the second wave was at its peak.

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Haryana Minister Attends Thailand Webinar, Says Proud To Share State's COVID-19 Strategy

Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij discussed the COVID-19 pandemic at a webinar organised by the Government of Thailand, on Wednesday. Vij, after attending a webinar, said that it was a matter of pride that Thailand has asked and learned about the strategies adopted by his government to curb the spread of COVID-19. Vij said that the experiences of the States health ministry were shared in order to implement the same in the foreign country.

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Punjab Congress Secretary Switches To AAP With 100 Associates Ahead Of 2022 Assembly Polls

Punjab Congress faced a major setback after its senior leader and former state secretary Kulwant Singh Sidhu joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) along with hundreds of his associates on Wednesday. The major blow to the party came ahead of the state assembly elections scheduled to be held in 2022.

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Out Of Power In Bihar, RJD Seeks To Expand Base In Jharkhand With Tejashwi's Monthly Visit

Out of power in Bihar for 4 years, RJD is now looking to expand its presence in Jharkhand where it managed to win only a single seat in the 2019 Assembly polls. On Wednesday, RJD Leader Tejashwi Yadav held a meeting with party leaders from Jharkhand such as Jai Prakash Narayan Yadav, Satyanand Bhokta and Sanjay Prasad Yadav in this regard. Speaking to the media later, the former Bihar Deputy CM asserted that he would visit Jharkhand on the third Sunday of every month to review the party's functioning.

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IMAGE: Republicworld
At least 90 political, human rights, and advocacy groups globally have dispatched a letter to Apple requesting the tech giant to scrap the plan of scanning all iPhones to detect images or messages related to child sexual abuse material (CSAM). An Apple spokesperson on Aug. 18 reportedly said that the company was now facing hurdles about privacy and security concerns, according to multiple reports.

Advocacy groups that are expected to raise the issue with Apple have stated that while the move would help protect children and curb child pornography, Apples scanning of iPhones without prior user consent threatens the privacy and security of iPhone users worldwide. Apple is taking the wrong approach to meeting them, the signatories including the Washington, DC-based nonprofit Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) said in a statement on Wednesday.

Apple plans to use hashesthe digital fingerprints of filesof content that has been previously reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and unidentified other child safety organizations. This means every photo a user wants to upload to iCloud will be scanned and evaluated, CDT warned.

Washingtons CDT cautioned, that hash-based identification of problematic content is a blunt tool and the governments will push Apple to expand the use of its hash database beyond scanning content in iCloud. Once Apple introduces the capability of client-side scanning for CSAM, it will open the door to demands for such scanning to occur on all images stored on the phone, it said. The firm questioned Apples misguided plan as it asked Apple to halt such surveillance of the encrypted Messages and iCloud file storage services on iPhones worldwide.

Groups also fear that the procedure may later backfire as it might be exploited to censor protected speech, as well as prove to be disastrous for children that may be the victims, advocacy groups argued in the declassified document accessed by the news agencies. Some of the overseas signatories were now questioning Apples decision citing the encryption and privacy concerns and subsequent breach of the legal systems and privacy laws across many countries. Sharon Bradford Franklin, co-director of the CDT Security and Surveillance Project told UK broadcasters that Apples move was disappointing and upsetting as the company had previously donned the reputation in defense of the encryption.

'Dire consequences' of Apple's mechanism

Several signatories were now addressing the issue of nonconsensual scanning of the Apple software and deployment of image detection systems that violate some of the countries digital regulations. The procedure might result in the weakening of the encryption, the global advocacy groups argued, adding that there may be dire consequence of this mechanism later on.

Among the signatories that objected to Apples recent announcement are India, Mexico, Germany, Argentina, Ghana, and Tanzania that have staunchly opposed the device or iMessage scanning. It would also threaten the kids privacy when images stored on the cellphone of the parents are detected, although Apple argues that it would attempt to blur nudity in childrens images allowing company to inspect only after parents were informed. But the advocacy groups and security experts fear that Apples sexually explicit images classifier will make mistakes and will scan all images sent to and from a child account in Apples Family Sharing service.
Jeff Bezos owned Blue Origin has filed a lawsuit against the US government challenging a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) moon landing contract awarded to SpaceX, raising the stakes in a heated standoff over the multibillion-dollar lunar lander programme.

The lawsuit's details haven't been made public since the filings are sealed. Blue Origin, however, has claimed that the lawsuit is an effort to correct defects in the procurement process revealed in NASA's Human Landing System (HLS), which is the formal name of the programme at the centre of this legal tussle. It aims to use private-sector contracting to develop, manufacture, and test the spacecraft that will place astronauts on the moon for the first time in over five decades.

NASA announced in April that it will award SpaceX a $2.9 billion contract

After previously promising to give numerous contracts to promote the construction of at least two competing lunar landers, NASA stated in April that it will only award SpaceX a single $2.9 billion contract, citing cost as a main reason for the decision. NASA did not receive all of the funding requested for the HLS programme from Congress.

Blue Origin had previously sought review of the contracting decision through the US Government Accountability Office (GAO), but the GAO sided with NASA and refused the request. NASA said in a statement on Monday that it was "notified" of Blue Origin's assertions in court and is now analysing the circumstances of the matter. The NASA statement adds that the agency will offer an update on the path forward for returning to the Moon as fast and securely as possible under Artemis, a space programme aimed at reaching astronauts to the moon.

According to court documents filed with the US Court of Federal Claims, a judge has granted Blue Origin's request to keep the court complaint under seal, claiming that making the information public would expose proprietary information, trade secrets, and confidential financial information, as well as cause "severe competitive harm."

PR battle between Blue Origin and SpaceX

A public relations battle has erupted between SpaceX and Blue Origin, who are controlled by two of the world's wealthiest men, Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, respectively. SpaceX's intentions to use its Starship vehicle, a gigantic experimental rocket being tested in South Texas, for the HLS mission have been dubbed "very difficult and high risk" by Blue Origin. Meanwhile, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has been mocking Blue Origin's claims on Twitter for weeks, stating that if "lobbying & lawyers could get you to orbit, Bezos would be on Pluto."

(Image- @FutureJurvetson/Twitter)
Denmark says that a plane with 84 people who had been evacuated from Afghanistan has landed in Copenhagen and were now on safe ground in Denmark. On Twitter, Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod wrote Thursday that the evacuation is still in full swing and we are working hard to evacuate the last local staff, interpreters and other groups from Kabul.

Danish media said that those aboard the plane reportedly were locally hired people and interpreters who had worked for Denmark. No further details were available.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
The first Spanish plane carrying evacuees from Afghanistan arrived at Torrejon Air Base in Madrid early Thursday as evacuation efforts from Kabul continued. Only 53 evacuees arrived in this plane, five of them Spanish. Spain reportedly intends to transport 500 people from Afghanistan, including embassy staff and those Afghans who worked with them, along with their families.

The plane, Airbus A400 left from Dubai on Wednesday to pick up the first group of evacuees. A second military cargo plane that flew from Spain this week is still in Dubai. A third plane, equipped for medical evacuations, is also to head for Dubai. The evacuees will remain in military facilities for quarantine. Spain is one of a number of Western nations airlifting people out of Afghanistan following the lighting Taliban takeover of the country.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
Thousands of protesters gathered in Riga on Wednesday to rally against mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for staff in education and some other sectors. The Baltic News Service, the region's main news agency, said that number of protesters exceeded the maximum number of people allowed at public gatherings.

Up to 3,500 people participated in the protest, BNS reported, quoting police, and added that most protesters did not wear face masks or observe social distancing rules. On Thursday, police said it launched probes after a few minor incidents, including the smashing of a police car window and firecrackers being used, were reported.

The protest wrapped up at around midnight. Similar protests have been held in countries across Europe in recent weeks, Including France, Italy and Lithuania.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
After holding a rare meeting with the United Arab Emirates (UEA) National Security Adviser Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed al-Nahyan, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, on Wednesday, said that relations between Turkey and the UAE have made some progress over the past few years.

Notably, the two nations have treaded on decades of bilateral tensions and rivalry, reshuffling the geopolitical order in the Middle East and North Africa and waging endless proxy wars in the Horn of Africa and the eastern Mediterranean.

On 18 August, although, embarking on a new era of enduring conciliatory rhetoric, President Erdogan received Emirates' National Security Adviser and the two headed to the Presidential Complex in Ankara for talks. Even as Turkeys Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu had earlier asserted that there was no reason to mend ties with the United Arab Emirates even if UAE took a positive step, the Turkish leader, on Wednesday, argued that the instability in the regional diplomacy with allies and partners was normal.

This comes after decades of Ankaras scathing attacks against the UAE lambasting its regional policies, which Turkey stated, were absolutely not friendly.

President @RTErdogan received the UAE's National Security Advisor Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan at the Presidential Complex. pic.twitter.com/qe9yejUYhB  Turkish Presidency (@trpresidency) August 18, 2021

In the rare de-escalation of the UAE-Turkey rivalry on Wednesday, Erdogan and UAEs Zayed al Nahyan discussed bilateral and regional developments with a key focus on cooperation and economic partnerships between the two Islamic middle eastern nations, Turkeys Communications Directorate revealed in an official statement. Former foreign minister and diplomatic adviser to the UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan, Anwar Gargash, hailed the meeting as historic and positive on his official Twitter handle.

The UAE continues to build bridges and consolidate relations, and just as the priorities of prosperity and development drive our internal direction, it is also the locomotive of our foreign policy, Anwar Gargash tweeted.

UAE to make 'serious investments' in Turkey

Addressing the Turkish press, President Erdogan said that the UAE was, in fact, considering making "serious investments" in Turkey if negotiations went as planned. "I am also considering meeting with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, the Turkish president said, expressing his desire to meet the UAE crown prince.

Turkeys dialogue with senior UAE officials is part of the countrys recent efforts in smothering ties with Arab nations and easing tensions over rival claims to Eastern Mediterranean waters, conflict in Libya and Yemen, and the Gulf disputes, and instead fostering economic cooperation.

"In this meeting we discussed what type of investment could be made in which areas," Erdogan said in a television interview, adding that he plans to meet with the de facto leader of Abu Dhabi, Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, to further strengthen ties. "They have a very serious investment target, an investment plan, the Turkish leader said.

The recent meeting comes in the backdrop of Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu making a rare phone call to his Emirati counterpart Abdullah bin Zayed for exchanging congratulatory messages over the holy month of Ramadan. Reports suggest that Ankara has also been holding dialogue with Jordan and Israel via its intelligence agency to recalibrate bilateral ties.
The United States has urged more than 150 countries planning to consider giving a video address at the annual meet instead of sending their governments leader to New York to address the assembly in person at the U.N. General Assembly next month. The US is hoping that fewer leaders attend the assembly to prevent it from becoming a super-spreader event. The U.S. Mission sent a note to other 192-member nation ns and also urged for other U.N.-hosted meetings to be virtual. The note said that such meetings in New York needlessly increase the risk to our community, New Yorkers and the other travellers.

According to The Associated Press, the U.S. note said that Bidens administration has shown concern regarding the scheduled presence of Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the incoming General Assembly President Abdulla Shahid. These two will be hosting high-level events on climate change, vaccines, the 20th anniversary of the U.N. World Conference Against Racism, food systems and energy. The note said, The United States is willing to make every effort to make these important events on shared priorities successful in a virtual format. The U.N. sent a notification in July to inform the world leaders that they can attend their annual gathering in person or can deliver a pre-recorded speech, in case COVID-19 restrictions prevent them from travelling. The annual meet is known as the General Debate and will be hosted from September 21-27. The note by the United States said, we strongly feel that the General Debate should be the only event held with in-person participation during high-level week. In light of current health concerns, heads of delegation should consider delivering their statements to the U.N. General Assemblys General Debate by video. If delegations choose to travel to New York for the General Debate, the United States requests delegations bring the minimum number of travellers necessary.

Which countries are planning to attend?

A provisional list of speakers contains 127 heads of state and government who are planning to attend in person. Those world leaders include U.S. President Joe Biden, Frances Emmanuel Macron, Turkeys Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Venezuelas Nicolas Maduro, the UKs Boris Johnson, Israels Naftali Bennett and Indias Narendra Modi. The list also contains 26 other government ministers like Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Chinas Deputy Premier Han Zheng. There are 38 leaders who have confirmed that they will not be attending. Leaders like presidents of Iran, Egypt and Indonesia will not be attending the event. Afghanistan's former president, Ashraf Ghani, was scheduled to travel to New York as well, but his government was forced out of the county by the Taliban.

(With inputs from AP)
On Wednesday, as per a cabinet statement released, Kuwait will restart commercial flights to India and Egypt, among other nations which were earlier suspended due to the surge in the COVID cases. This decision has been taken while complying with COVID-19 procedures put in place by a ministerial committee. According to the administration, the proposal also involves restarting flights to Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Nepal.

Early travelling regulations

On the recommendation of health officials, the Gulf state has halted commercial flights from a number of nations, including India. Kuwait's directorate general of civil aviation announced in April that any passengers travelling from India, whether directly or via other nations, will be denied entry unless they have spent at least 14 days outside of India.

Previously, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) removed the restriction on travellers from India and five other nations entering the country from August 5th onwards. Whilst also travel restrictions from India to the UAE remain in force. It states that those Indians travellers who have a legitimate residency permit and have been completely vaccinated for at least 14 days prior to travel are explicitly excluded.

Passengers coming from the nations where flights have been halted will be permitted to travel via National Emergency and Crisis Management Authority (NCEMA) airports beginning from 5th August if they produce negative PCR tests taken 72 hours before departure, per NCEMA on Twitter.

The officials said that final destination permission will be required. Further separate lounges for travelling passengers at UAE departure airports would be arranged. The commercial flights from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka to Dubai have been suspended by the prominent UAE airlines, Etihad and Emirates earlier.

As per travel warnings cited by ANI, previously Emirates stated that they will halt flights till August 7 while Etihad has maintained the ban until August 2. When the second wave of COVID-19 swept the nation, from April 22, international flights connecting India to Dubai were halted. Travellers on the other, hand were allowed to travel from the Gulf countries to India.

The previous decision for unvaccinated passengers

Previously, on July 29, Kuwait's government stated that people who have not been vaccinated will be prohibited from travelling abroad. It was stated that the rule would go into force from August 1st. While children below the age of 16 and those passengers who have acquired a Health Ministry permit are excluded from the travel prohibition. Exemptions would also be given to pregnant women with satisfactory proof of pregnancy. As per the authorities, Kuwaitis who have received one dose of the Coronavirus vaccination have been expected to fly abroad from May 22.

(Image Credit: Pixabay)
Sunni fundamentalist group Taliban captured Afghanistan on Sunday, ending weeks of blitz. The resumption of ultra-austere rule triggered panic and chaos amongst the residents many of whom chose life-threatening ways to escape. While hundreds of thousands of people flocked to Kabuls Hamid Karzai International Airport with hopes to board repatriating flights to the west, others chose less risky but more tenacious path-crossing land borders. As the Taliban increased its presence, hundreds of people began their westward journey, cross Iran to reach Turkey.

We came out of necessity. The Taliban have attacked our country and now they control it, we hope that the Turkish government (accept us), one of them, Feroz Seddiqi, told the AP. He explained that they had scaled a mountain to reach Turkey, enduring thirst and hunger.

Istanbul's migration authority, on Wednesday, announced that over 37,000 foreigners were deported from Turkey since the beginning of the year. Out of the aforementioned, more than 12,000 were Afghan natives who had been living in the central Asian state. Pertaining to the refugee influx, the Erdogan administration has begun the construction of a modular concrete wall which is expected to cover a 64 km land stretch by the end of 2021.

Journey to Istanbul

Anybody who wants to enter Turkey from Afghanistan must complete the perilous job of walking hundreds of miles, often with limited food and water. In the way, the refugees are asked to give $600-4000 to smugglers, who are tasked with providing proper transportation in the country. Once inside the Mediterranean state, these internally displaced people face the biggest challenge- finding a means to livelihood.

According to the UN, Turkey currently hosts over four million refugees, approximately 3.7 million of them are Syrian, but Afghans are the second-largest group. Meanwhile, the exodus has triggered anti-migrant sentiments amongst the Turkish you who now feat the loss of opportunities to Afghans.

Reasons behind anti-migrant stance

Turkey has been battered with a severe economic and political crisis for the past few years. The crisis, exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic, has also led to small businesses being shut down and employment rising to a never-seen-before level. Now, with the influx of Afghans, there has been a fear of Turkish youth being denied the much-vaunted opportunities on their own land.

All Images: AP
An earthquake of 4.5 magnitude on the Richter scale hit Afghanistan in the early hours of August 19, Thursday. As per the National Center for Seismology, the epicentre was about 122 kilometres Northeast of Kabul.

The tremors shook the war-ravaged country around 11 am, as per the Indian Standard Time, the National Center for Seismology informed. It occurred at a depth of 92km from the surface of the earth's crust. At a latitude of 35.53 and longitude of 69.84, the seismic activity also shook areas of the Hindu Kush mountain range. National Center for Seismology, India took to Twitter to announce initial details about the earthquake. Take a look at the post :

Earthquake of Magnitude:4.5, Occurred on 19-08-2021, 11:22:49 IST, Lat: 35.53 & Long: 69.84, Depth: 92 Km ,Location: 122km NNE of Kabul , Afghanistan for more information download the BhooKamp App https://t.co/abxHYJonry@ndmaindia @Indiametdept pic.twitter.com/9mQVHm8kfg  National Center for Seismology (@NCS_Earthquake) August 19, 2021

The second quake in one week

The earthquake is the second in a week to have shaken the war-torn country. The first tremor took place earlier this week in the southeast of Fayzabad in Afghanistan around 6 am. The shock was measured to be of 4.5 magnitudes on the Richter scale. The earthquake occurred about 92km below the earth's surface and at a cross-section of 36.65(latitude) and 71.30 (longitude).

The country and its surrounding area were under the grip of subsequent earthquakes on August 13. As many as five seismic movements were recorded near Kabul, Chal, Khalafgan and Tajikistan. An earthquake of magnitude 4.3 on the Richter scale occurred on August 18 about 59km from Khalafgan around 3 pm local time.

The simultaneous earthquakes in a week come at the heels of the Taliban's swift annexation of Kabul. In recent major developments, the cad group has renamed Afghanistan as the 'Islamic Emirate' on its 102nd independence day. Meanwhile, President Ashraf Ghani fled the country to isolate himself in Tajikistan.

This is a piece of breaking news, more details soon.

With inputs from @NCS_Earthquake/Twitter

Image: Representative Image
As the Taliban takes complete control over Afghanistan, a local news agency on Thursday shared a video of an Afghan refugee camp in Qatar. The video showcases the plight of the Afghan refugees in the camp. While complaining that they have no air-conditioning system, one of the refugees in the video said that there was only one toilet at the camp. The Afghan refugees can be heard complaining about the hot weather and lack of other services.

From #kabulairport to #Qatar

The plight of the #Afghan refugees in the refugee camp in Qatar. They blame that they have no air-conditioning system with only one toilet and shower for all, while they complain about hot weather and lack of services. #Afghanistan #Talibans pic.twitter.com/p4pB9m5qKK  Asvaka -  News Agency (@AsvakaNews) August 19, 2021

Taliban takes over Afghanistan

The Taliban took over Afghanistan as they captured the country's capital Kabul on August 15. President Ashraf Ghani surrendered to the extremist group and fled the country. Taliban's infiltration came just a few days before the US forces were officially about to withdraw their troops from Afghanistan on September 11.

Terrifying visuals from war-torn Afghanistan emerged on the web as thousands of civilians flocked to the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul to leave the city. Taliban has been blocking Afghans from reaching the Kabul airport. Taliban had briefly taken over Afghanistan in 1996 up to 2001 and enforced a strict interpretation of Sharia, or Islamic law.

(Image: Twitter-@AsvakaNews)
The European Union recently accused Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko of orchestrating the arrival of thousands of people at the borders of Lithuania, Latvia and Poland in retaliation for sanctions imposed on the former Soviet republic.

In a statement, the 27-nation bloc condemned Belarus for its aggressive behaviour in organising illegal border crossings with migrants. Condemning the direct attack as an attempt to destabilise the bloc, the EU said that Belarus was pushing asylum seekers across its border.

This aggressive behavior  is unacceptable and amounts to a direct attack aimed at destabilizing and pressurizing the EU, the 27-nation bloc said.

It added, The European Union will need to further consider its response to these situations in order to increase its effectiveness and to deter any future attempts to instrumentalize illegal migration in this manner.

According to the Associated Press, migrant movements have spiked dramatically after the European Union slapped sanctions on Belarus officials. So far, over 4,100 asylum-seekers have illegally crossed from Belarus into Lithuania. Poland has said that it had deployed nearly 1,000 troops to its border with Belarus in a bid to help border guards cope with a surge of migrants who were trying to enter the country.

Following an increase in migrant movements, Slovenia, which holds the blocs rotating presidency until the end of the year, said that EU nations are determined to take all necessary measures to effectively protect all the EU external borders, by counteracting Belarus aggression. They also recognize the need to strengthen the entire external border of the European Union to prevent illegal border crossings in the future.

Lukashenko accused of 'exploiting' migrants

It is worth noting that many of the migrants were believed to have arrived in Belarus by plane on commercial flights from Iraq. For now, those flights have stopped due to the EUs threat to impose visa restrictions on Iraqi citizens and officials. However, earlier this week, Lithuanias border guard released video footage which it said reveals that migrants are being pushed across the border into EU territory by Belarus riot police. Another clip showed several people cross into Lithuania and immediately return to Belarus to be filmed by Belarus officials.

EU Parliament President David Sassoli has accused Lukashenko of exploiting these poor people, men and women. I have seen these outrageous actions when officials push people across the border. It is both an issue of human rights, and also a question of protecting the border of the EU, Sassoli said. He added, It is an organized activity of the Lukashenko regime.

In a separate statement, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas also accused Lukashenko of launching a hybrid attack against the bloc by channelling migrants to Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Poland in retaliation for the EUs sanctions. Kallas said that this is no refugee crisis but is a hybrid attack on the EU. Merkel, on the other hand, said that she would raise the issue with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

(With inputs from AP)
After the Afghanistan government collapsed with the Taliban take over of Kabul, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Wednesday, August 18, has informed that Germany is set to provide 10 million euros (USD 11.7 million) for a program to support people in Afghanistan.

German Foreign Minister said, "We are looking into the period after the evacuation, I spoke about this with representatives of German human rights organizations... These days, many representatives of NGOs, science, and culture addressed us. In recent years, they have maintained a close partnership with civil society (in Afghanistan) which they would like to continue to support".

He added, "To ensure this, we are creating a support fund for those who campaigned for human rights, freedom of science and culture, we want to expand specific protection programs for Afghanistan... and we are allocating immediately 10 million euros for this," he added.

Earlier on August 16, German Chancellor Angela Merkel had described the Taliban's Afghanistan takeover as "bitter, dramatic and terrible".

Addressing a televised news conference Merkel had said, "This is a particularly bitter development. Bitter, dramatic, and terrible...it is terrible for the millions of Afghans who have worked for the freedom of a society".

'France won't abandon Afghanistan'

Clarifying his stance on the Afghanistan crisis, President Emmanuel Macron on Monday, August 16, promised that France would not abandon Afghans who worked for his country from translators to kitchen staff, as well as artists, activists, and others under threat from the Taliban. He informed that both France and Germany will propose a European plan to manage migration flows from Afghanistan to escape the Taliban. The French President called on nations to support Afghanistan while terming it an absolute urgency".

He added that two military transport planes with special forces were due to fly to Kabul but the exact timing is not scheduled as the United States temporarily shut down the Kabul airport to civilian and military flights.

UN's Antonio Guterres on Afghanistan crisis

Secretary-General of the UN, Antonio Guterres, on Tuesday, August 17, has appealed to the world to receive Afghan refugees and refrain from deportations. On August 16, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) had held its second meeting on Afghanistan in 10 days, as the country was taken over by the Taliban capturing Kabul.

He had said, I remind all parties of their obligation to protect civilians, I call upon the Taliban and all parties to respect and protect international humanitarian law and the rights and freedoms of all persons".

(With ANI input)

(Image credit: AP)
Sri Lanka Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa on August 18 reaffirmed Sri Lankas continued support to the people of Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover. The insurgent group had hijacked Kabul on Sunday after the Afghan president, Ashraf Ghani, fled the country. Currently, the situation in Afghanistan is unstable and the Taliban leaders, on the other hand, are discussing future government plans in Doha as they are looking to run the country on their own set of rules.

While taking to Twitter, Rajapaksa informed that he spoke to former Afghan President Hamid Karzai in a bid to inquire about the ongoing developments unfolding in the war-torn country and further reaffirmed Sri Lankas support for Afghans.

Spoke to the Former President of #Afghanistan @KarzaiH to inquire about the ongoing developments unfolding in his country and reaffirmed #SriLankas continued support to the People of Afghanistan. pic.twitter.com/nXnYsQGXS5  Mahinda Rajapaksa (@PresRajapaksa) August 18, 2021

Afghanistan awaits a new government

Meanwhile, in the first sign of engagement with the Taliban since the ouster of the Afghanistan government, key political leaders such as Hamid Karzai and Abdullah Abdullah met Anas Haqqani on Wednesday. The former Afghanistan president has formed a Coordination Council along with High Council for National Reconciliation of Afghanistan chairman Abdullah Abdullah and former Prime Minister Gulbuddin Hekmatyar to ensure a peaceful transfer of power. However, talks between the two sides were stuck owing to certain "unacceptable conditions" imposed by the Taliban.

Now, there are talks on the Taliban's top leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar likely to become the next President of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.' Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar is the co-founder and political chief of the terrorist group headed by Haibatullah Akhundzada. Taliban has asserted that the terror outfit does not intend to take revenge on anyone. Promising that the foreign embassies in Kabul will be given full security, he also claimed that women will enjoy all rights "within the framework of Islam."

The last time the Taliban was in control of the country in 1996-2001, a severe clampdown on the freedom and security of women was witnessed in Afghanistan. The extremist group had enforced stringent rules for women based on their interpretation of Islamic law, stopping women from leaving the house without the company of a male relative. The group had also banned girls from attending school and women from working outside the home. They were also banned from voting.

(Image: AP)
Kathmandu, Aug 19 (PTI) Nepal's main opposition CPN-UML, the largest communist party of the country, has officially split, with one of its factions led by dissident leader Madhav Kumar Nepal applying for registering a new political party, after the government backed a controversial ordinance to make it easier for political parties to split.

Nepal on Wednesday submitted an application at the Election Commission (EC), for registering a new political party named CPN-UML (Socialist).

Earlier on Wednesday, on the recommendation of the Council of Ministers, President Bidya Devi Bhandari issued an ordinance to amend the Political Parties Act 2071, aimed at easing the procedure for political parties to split.

The amendment ordinance stipulates that 20 per cent or more members of the parliamentary party and the central committee of a political party can split their mother party.

Before the amendment, provisions of the Political Party Act required dissidents to have the support of 40 per cent of members in the parliamentary party and the central committee to split their mother party.

The ordinance introduced by the Sher Bahadur Deuba government has led to splits in at least two parties, marking what observers say an unprecedented political event, The Kathmandu Post reported.

The ordinance was introduced by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba-led government on Tuesday, to make it easy for the dissidents to split their mother parties, The Himalayan Times reported.

The ordinance is likely to help Madhav Kumar Nepal-Jhalanath Khanal faction of the CPN-UML faction that has been playing a crucial role in the formation of the current coalition government, and is vital to ensure its continuity.

Earlier, former Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli had also tried to issue the ordinance seeking to make it easy to split the party. However, his move was met with fierce criticism within the CPN-UML resulting in the President rescinding the decision.

The registration of a new party by Nepal brings to end a long-standing feud between him and former Prime Minister Oli in the UML.

Nepal, a former prime minister, had gone against the party and supported the then Opposition alliance in its bid to topple the government led by Oli.

On Tuesday, Oli had expelled Nepal and 13 other lawmakers.

After applying for the new party, Nepal issued a statement alleging that Oli had pushed the communist movement towards dissolution.

There is a need to reorganise and transform the UML. So we have decided to register the CPN UML (Samajbadi). I urge all to participate in this movement and support us. I appeal to all to mobilise to strengthen the communist movement and mega campaign for democracy and nationalism, said Nepal.

The new ordinance on Wednesday also facilitated the Mahantha Thakur led faction of the Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP) to register for a new party.

According to JSP's Rakesh Mishra, party leaders including Mahanta Thakur and Rajendra Mahato, went to the EC to apply to get a new political party registered.

The name of the new party will be Samajwadi Party Nepal (Democratic). With this, the key Madhesi party has also officially split into two. PTI SBP NSA AKJ NSA

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
Rising temperature driven by climate change has led to the melting of the glacier. It is due to the rising temperature that the southern peak of Sweden's highest mountain Kebnekaise has lost two metres in height in the past year, according to Stockholm University. The findings of the study have been published in the journal, Taylor and Francis online.

Shrinking of Swedish mountain Kebnekaise

Researchers on August 14, 2021, measured The southern peak of Sweden's highest mountain Kebnekaise at 2 094,6 meters above sea level at Tarfala Research Station. It has lost almost two metres in height in the past year. The measurement made on August 7, 2020, showed that the south peak's height was 2 096,5 meters above sea level. Stockholm University has informed that it is the lowest height that has been measured since the measurements started in the 1940s. According to the study, the ice summit of Kebnekaise has been slowly melting down due to climate change. In August 2018 this peak, which for a long time has been the highest in Sweden, reached an elevation a few decimetres lower than the nearby situated northern summit in solid rock.

According to the study, the thickness of the ice was surveyed twice using a helicopter born radar system. In August 2018, researchers at Tarfala Research Station for the first time found that the southern peak of Kebnekaise was lower than the northern peak on the same mountain. According to Stockholm University, the decrease in the peak and the changed appearance of the drift can be explained by rising air temperature and changing wind patterns, which affect where the snow accumulates in the winter. On an average, the entire drift has decreased in thickness by 0.5 meters since 2020. The height of the ice summit of Kebnekaise follows the trend in the mass balance of the nearby Storglaciaren.

IMAGE: Unsplash/RepresentativeImage
After Ashraf Ghani fled the war-torn country, a power tussle could be seen in Afghanistan. In the latest development, Mohammad Zahir Aghbar, Afghanistan's ambassador to Tajikistan, on Wednesday, announced himself as first deputy head of the country. This comes after Afghan's First Vice President Amrullah Saleh declared himself as the "legitimate caretaker President." Citing Afghanistan constitution, Saleh said that states "in the absence, escape or death of the president, the first vice president becomes the caretaker."

Tajikistan ambassador also cites Afghan constitution for Saleh's position

According to a report by Afghanistan based news channel, TOLO News, the Tajikistan ambassador came in the support of Afghanistan's first vice president and reiterated the same reason behind Saleh's current positioning. However, Mohammad Zahir's move was apprehended as his long desire to become the deputy president of the country. In his first comments after Ghani left Afghanistan, in a Facebook post, he said that he left the country in order to avoid "bloodshed" as Kabul fell to the Taliban and terrorists entered the Afghanistan presidential palace.

Russian embassy: Ghani fled with cars full of cash

However, irrespective of Ghani's claim, the Russian embassy in Kabul, said Ghani fled from Kabul with four cars and a helicopter full of cash. The report quoted embassy spokesman Nikita Ishchenko as saying that "the collapse of the regime ... is most eloquently characterized by how Ghani escaped from Afghanistan: four cars were filled with money, they tried to shove another part of the money into a helicopter, but not everything fit. And some of the money was left lying on the tarmac." However, the embassy spokesman failed to profer any concrete evidence to support her allegations against Ghani.

Afghan Defense Minister urges Interpol to arrest Ghani

Meanwhile, Afghan Defense Minister Bismillah Khan Mohammadi called on Interpol to arrest President Ashraf Ghani, who abdicated and fled from Afghanistan, for "selling out the motherland." "Those trading and selling out their motherland should be punished and arrested," Mohammadi wrote on Twitter, adding hashtag #InterpolArrestGhani.

On Wednesday, the Afghan embassy in Tajikistan also requested Interpol to detain Ghani on embezzlement charges. It is worth noting that the Taliban entered Kabul on Sunday and took control of the presidential palace. The terrorist group is now everywhere in the capital, walking the streets of Kabul with ease and with "American weapons in hands."

(With inputs from ANI)

(Image Credit: AP/ @E_Aghbar/ @VirajSinghIFS/ Twitter)
At least two Hong Kongers accused of foreign collusion against the Chinese government and campaigning for international sanctions on the Peoples Republic pleaded guilty under the city's national security law on Thursday. The case, linked to jailed pro-democracy media mogul Jimmy Lai, involves pro-democracy activist Andy Li, 31, and paralegal Chan Tsz-wah, 30, who were detained on charges of "colluding with foreign forces to endanger China's national security" according to multiple reports. The duo had pleaded guilty for organizing and inciting the pro-democracy mob to take part in an unauthorized assembly in 2019.

PRC has arrested more than 130 Hong Kongers under the draconian national security linked to publishing advertisements and articles in global newspapers appealing for sanctions against the communist regime of China. The two Hong Kongers now pleading guilty were taken into custody for leading a group of democracy protesters that supports the jailed pro-democracy media tycoon Lai who also faces the national security charge. Li was also previously jailed in China for being part of the group of 12 people that were detained by the mainland authorities for resonating pro-democracy sentiments while they were en route to Taiwan in Aug. 2020.

[A student of Hong Kong University, center with green mask, is escorted by police officers after a home search in Hong Kong. AP Photo]

As he agreed to the charges of having links with Lai, the hardcore China critic jailed under National Security Law on charges of illegal assembly and lobbying for sanctions, Li told prosecutors that he would like to say sorry. High Court Judge Alex Lee then dropped two other charges against him before adjourning the court until January 3, 2022. Both Chan and Li face potential life imprisonment as they were remanded in custody until the next hearing. The two Hong Kongers were arrested during the political crackdown. Li was held by the Chinese coast guard while allegedly trying to flee to Taiwan by boat, while Chan was accused of helping Li with escaping the autonomous city. Under the controversial national security law, China criminalizes acts of secession, subversion, foreign collusion, and terrorism.

[Pro-democracy activist Raphael Wong gestures, signifying the "Five demands - not one less," outside a local court in Hong Kong. AP Photo]

First detention under Security Law made in July 2020

Hong Kong police on July 2020 made their first arrests under the security law after it detained seven people for showing materials with pro-independence slogans, of which three were women. People were gathered to mark the 23rd anniversary of Hong Kong's handover to China, where they also protested against the security law. Hong Kong police said gatherings of more than 50 people are banned in the city keeping in mind the coronavirus restrictions and used tear gas and pepper spray to disperse the crowd. The security law was signed into effect on June 30 by Chinese President Xi Jinping and gives sweeping powers to Beijing in Hong Kong's internal affairs that critics argue will further suffocate the freedoms enjoyed by the residents of the former British colony. The bill has also garnered widespread condemnation from governments and business people across the world, who have warned China of reciprocal actions.
United Nations, Aug 19 (PTI) The United Nations has moved about 100 of its personnel from Afghanistan to Kazakhstan in view of the security and other constraints in Kabul and they will return to the country as conditions permit, according to the spokesman of the UN chief.

The Taliban took control of Afghanistan on Sunday.

Their sudden victory, which comes as the US withdraws from the country following a 20-year-war, has sparked chaos at Kabul's airport, from where America and allied nations are trying to safely evacuate thousands of citizens and allies.

Stephane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, told reporters on Wednesday that the group of about 100 UN personnel from across the system travelled from Kabul to Almaty, where they will continue their work remotely.

He said the UN thanks the Government of Kazakhstan for the offer to host a temporary remote office of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan.

As the Secretary-General told the Security Council on August 16th, the United Nations presence in Afghanistan will adapt to the security situation," Dujarric said.

"In light of the security and other constraints in Kabul and other parts of the country at the moment, it was decided to move a part of the UN staff out of the country. Personnel will return to Afghanistan as conditions permit, he said.

Guterres had said that the United Nations presence will adapt to the security situation but had stressed that we will stay and deliver in support of the Afghan people in their hour of need. Dujarric added that the UN is committed to staying and delivering in support of the Afghan people in their hour of need. The majority of humanitarian personnel remain in Afghanistan, providing vital assistance to millions in need.

He said the remote presence will provide close support to the UN familys continuing work on the ground in Afghanistan.

This is a temporary measure intended to enable the UN to keep delivering assistance to the people of Afghanistan with the minimum of disruption while, at the same time, reducing risk to UN personnel. Ramiz Alakbarov, Deputy Special Representative, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Afghanistan, said in a statement that the UN in Afghanistan reiterates its commitment to stay and deliver aid to millions of people in need in the country.

While some UN personnel that are not location-dependents temporarily been relocated, the majority of humanitarian personnel are staying to support the humanitarian response in line with the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence.

The humanitarian community  both the UN and non-governmental organisations  remain committed to helping people in Afghanistan. While the situation is highly complex, humanitarian agencies are committed to supporting vulnerable people in Afghanistan who need us more than ever, Alakbarov said.

Dujarric added that the office in Almaty will be staffed by a relatively small number of international personnel.

The safety and well being of all our staff, national and international, is a matter of paramount importance to the UN," he said.

"Again, without disclosing any information that may endanger colleagues, I can assure you that a significant amount of work is being undertaken as we speak, specifically to safeguard national staff. And we're continuing to explore every avenue possible to further support national personnel. He said Alakbarov has been in touch with senior Taliban officials on the ground in Kabul. I'm not... I don't have any details about any other contacts that have been had. On why the UN personnel were not relocated earlier, Dujarric said the scenes at the airport were rather chaotic. We had to bring in a plane from the outside. It took quite a bit of time and of work to coordinate with the parties on the ground, parties in the air, and others to ensure that this relocation could go smoothly.

Discussions with the Kazakh authorities, [to] whom we are extremely grateful, were ongoing. They were finalised. And I can't underscore our thanks to our friends in Almaty for having allowed us to open up this satellite office. A relocation is exactly that, it is a relocation, he said.

The Almaty office has been set up to host about 100 international staff, people who don't need to be on location to do their work. It is a way of lightening the footprint for obvious, obvious reasons, so it is a relocation. They will go back...when we feel the situation allows it. I can tell you we are doing our utmost to safeguard our national staff and their dependents, whether thats having those who will stay in the country or those who may come out," he said.

"The big difference between working for the United Nations and a nation is that we are not a nation, right? We are not a nation that issues visas. So there are all sorts of administrative hurdles that have to be negotiated and discussed. But the national staff is very much on the forefront of what we are trying to do every day," he added. PTI YAS NSA AKJ NSA

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Over the years, human inference in marine wildlife has caused serious harm to the environment and the cruel practice of shark finning is one such activity that has been a matter of serious concern. Although this has been banned in some countries, it is still prevalent in several others. In order to protect sharks from such cruel practices, the government of the United Kingdom has decided to ban the import and export of detached shark fins. International Ocean Minister Lord Goldsmith said on 15 August, that the UK will stop the cruel practice of shark finning, which causes thousands of sharks to die terrible deaths.

What is shark finning?

Shark finning is a gruesome practice of cutting off the fins of sharks before throwing them back into the sea alive, where it dies a slow and painful death due to suffocation. This practice is prevalent in many countries as shark fins are highly valued, particularly in China. On average 70-100 million sharks across the world are killed each year for their fins.

Shark finning banned in UK waters but trade continues

"We have decided to ban the import of detached shark fins as well as shark fin products. The practice is also unforgivably wasteful and our action will not only help boost shark numbers, but it will also send a message that we do not support any such industry that forces species to the brink of extinction," Goldsmith said in a press statement. He added that although the practice of shark finning is banned in UK waters, the trade continues and can cause a serious threat to the future of these magnificent creatures. Applauding the UK government's move, Ali Hood, director of conservation for the Shark Trust, said that it is encouraging to see the UK addressing the fin trade as an element of overfishing and also ramping up its engagement in domestic and international shark conservation issues.

143 out of 500 species of shark are listed as "under threat"

It is worth mentioning here that under the International Union for Conservation of Nature, at least 143 out of 500 species of shark are listed as "under threat" with many other species ranging from "vulnerable" to "critically endangered." The UK has a strong track record in marine conservation with its Blue Belt programme and the ban will further maintain its position as a world leader in protecting animal welfare. The UK is also leading a global campaign for the protection of at least 30% of the worlds land and ocean by 2030. The campaign has been supported by as many as 80 countries across the world.

(Image: Shutterstock)
DENVER (AP)  The FBI said Wednesday that its agents are joining a criminal investigation into an alleged security breach of a rural Colorado county's voting equipment.

The agents are working with Mesa County prosecutors to determine if there was a criminal violation, FBI spokeswoman Courtney Bernal said in a statement.

The federal probe comes after Colorado's Secretary of State Jena Griswold alerted federal cyber security officials within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security of the suspected breach. The federal officials confirmed the alleged breach would not pose significant election risks at this point, Griswold said earlier this week.

Griswold last week accused Mesa County Clerk and Recorder Tina Peters of directing staff to turn off video surveillance of its voting equipment before a May 25 software update and allowing a non-employee into the elections office at that time.

Griswolds office identified the man, but refused to say anything more about who he is or why he was there. The Associated Press isnt naming him until more information becomes available about him. He has not been charged with a crime.

Peters spoke about Griswolds inquiry into the alleged security breach at an event last week in South Dakota hosted by My Pillow chief executive Mike Lindell who has become well-known for his unwavering support of Trump and efforts to overturn the 2020 election because of widespread fraud. A range of election officials across the country including Trumps former attorney general, William Barr, have confirmed that widespread fraud did not take place.

Peters said that Griswold's investigation is an attempt at a takeover of Mesa Countys elections in one of Colorados last Republican strongholds.

Griswold, who is a Democrat, also appointed Mesa County Treasurer Sheila Reiner to supervise the countys upcoming elections and a three-person advisory committee to assist Reiner. Griswold also ordered Mesa County to replace its voting equipment due to the posting of the countys voting equipment passwords on a far-right blog.

Griswold on Monday said in a statement that two hard drive images from Mesa County election servers were obtained by election conspiracy theorists.

Her office said they believe one of the hard drive images was taken on May 23 from a secure room where the election equipment was stored and accessed by Peters, the non-employee and another county elections employee.

Colorados voting system has been praised by officials, including former Trump-appointed Homeland Security Secretary Kristjen Nielsen, as one of the safest in the nation.

The states election procedures were developed under both Republican and Democrat-appointed Secretary of States.

___

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.

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NEW YORK (AP)  Rudy Giuliani wants to limit what federal investigators can see on his electronic devices to dates specified on search warrants that resulted in raids on his residence and office, according to a former federal judge appointed to oversee disputes over what criminal prosecutors get to look at.

Barbara Jones, a former Manhattan judge, filed a one-page order on Wednesday in Manhattan federal court that invites lawyers on both sides of the dispute to make their legal arguments over the issue by Sept. 8 before a federal judge who appointed her as special master decides the issue. The date-range on the warrants, which remain sealed, was not specified in the order.

Investigators are probing Giulianis interactions with Ukrainian figures to see if he violated a law governing lobbying on behalf of foreign countries or entities.

Jones was appointed to ensure prosecutors do not see materials protected by attorney-client and other privileges that were seized in the late-April raids on ex-President Donald Trumps former personal attorney.

Federal agents seized 18 electronic devices from Giulianis residence and his firm, Giuliani Partners LLC. Theyve returned at least 11 devices belonging to Giuliani but have said seven more devices belonging to Giuliani and others at his firm required more time to unlock without access to passcodes.

Giuliani, the former New York City mayor and one-time presidential candidate, has not been charged with a crime. He has said all of his activities in Ukraine were conducted on behalf of Trump. At the time, Giuliani was leading a campaign to press Ukraine for an investigation into Joe Biden and his son, Hunter, before Biden was elected president.

Prosecutors through a spokesperson declined to comment.

Lawyers for Giuliani did not immediately return messages seeking comment.

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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP)  The head of the South Dakota National Guard said Wednesday that Gov. Kristi Noem didnt tell him she would use a private donation for the deployment to the U.S. border with Mexico until after the mission was already planned.

Noem's decision to accept a $1 million donation from a Tennessee billionaire last month was met with hefty criticism from those who said it allowed a private donor to commandeer a military force. But Maj. Gen. Jeffery Marlette told a legislative budgeting committee Wednesday that the donation was not a factor in planning the deployment.

Our National Guard is not for hire, he told lawmakers. Nowhere in this planning process was there a discussion of, Ill go send the Guard if I can find somebody to pay for it.

The Republican governor last month described the $1 million donation offer from billionaire Republican donor Willis Johnson as a surprise that came as she was deciding whether to send police officers or National Guard troops, as well as how to fund the deployment. The state was responding to a request from Texas and Arizona to send law enforcement officers under an agreement between states to assist during emergencies

The costs for the two-month deployment will likely run over Johnson's $ 1 million. Marlette said the Guard expects to spend over $1.3 million by the middle of September. That will be paid from the state emergency and disaster fund, which is overseen by an agency tasked with preparing the state for natural disasters or other emergencies. Marlette's donation will flow through the fund, but lawmakers questioned how much money the fund already has and whether they will be asked to fund it during next year's legislative session.

Marlette defended the deployment of 48 soldiers as helping halt the flow of drugs , calling the border a doorway for meth and other dangerous drugs in South Dakota. He said Guard members have seen evidence of Mexican cartels fighting over control of the border crossings.

Our governor said this is a national security, this is a drug issue, this is important to South Dakota, Marlette told the lawmakers.

National Guard members have also assisted families who are crossing to claim asylum, including at one point helping deliver a baby and performing CPR on a dying 2-year-old child, Marlette said.

The governor said she was considering extending the National Guard's deployment after visiting the National Guard members last month, but Marlette said he did not have any updates on whether the deployment would last beyond another month. Guard members are paid a daily rate ranging from $200 to $248, plus a daily food allowance of $55. Those salaries, plus the costs of transporting equipment, paying for hotels and transportation, make up the bulk of the expense for the deployment, according to Marlette.

Several lawmakers questioned how the deployment would be funded if the governor decides to extend it. Democratic Sen. Reynold Nesiba said the state funding issue was complicated by the private donation.

Noem's office did not immediately respond to questions on whether she would extend the deployment and how the state would pay for it. She said last month she would favor having Texas pitch in funds for an extension to the deployment but that she also would be open to receiving private donations once again.

South Dakota is also expected to send 125 soldiers for a yearlong deployment as part of a separate federal mission later this year. That deployment will be funded by the federal government.

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DETROIT (AP)  Federal prosecutors recommended a nine-year prison sentence Wednesday for a man who said he worked on a wild plan to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Ty Garbin, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy just four months after being arrested, deserves credit for substantially assisting investigators, Assistant U.S. Attorney Nils Kessler said in a court filing.

Garbin did not wait to see what his chances were of escaping accountability. He knew what he had done, knew it was wrong, and took action, Kessler said.

The FBI last October said it broke up a plot to kidnap the Democratic governor by anti-government extremists who were upset over Whitmer's coronavirus restrictions. Garbin and five other men were charged in federal court, while others were charged in state court with aiding them.

Garbin, 25, is the only federal defendant to plead guilty. He will be sentenced on Aug. 25 in federal court in Grand Rapids. The other cases are pending.

He said he and others trained with weapons in Munith, Michigan, and Cambria, Wisconsin, and discussed the plan to storm the Capitol and kidnap the governor.

The plot, he said, eventually switched to Whitmers second home in Antrim County.

In September, the six men trained at Garbins property near Luther, Michigan, constructing a shoot house to resemble Whitmers vacation home and assaulting it with firearms, according to his plea agreement.

U.S. District Judge Robert Jonker will have flexibility in setting a sentence. In a court filing, Garbin's attorney didn't ask for a specific prison term but a punishment that would be less than nine years.

Garbin's discontent began when coronavirus restrictions on the economy slashed his $28-per-hour wages, attorney Gary Springstead said.

He was skeptical of unchecked government power to begin with, young and impulsive, personally aggrieved and psychologically predisposed to try to control his feelings of anxiety and vulnerability by taking control of a situation, Springstead said.

But after being charged, Garbin 'manned up,' accepted responsibility for his actions, and then set about doing everything in his power to make amends for his actions," the lawyer said.

___

Follow Ed White at http://twitter.com/edwritez

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The US on August 18 said that it shared the same goal on Afghanistan as frequent adversaries China and Russia, which have moved to work with the triumphant Taliban. While speaking during a press conference, US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman pointed to a statement issued by the UN Security Council, that called for an inclusive new government. She said that the statement speaks to the fact that everyone is in the same place, which is calling on the Taliban to ensure justice and equal rights and inclusion, for there to be no violence, for people to be able to leave when they can.

So, I think right now there is very strong unanimity, Sherman said while responding to a question whether the US, China, Russia, along with other powers, are on the same page in Afghanistan.

Russia and China have stepped up contacts with the Taliban after the US decided to withdraw from the war-torn country, ending a 20-year military involvement. Both the nations are seen as eager to avoid instability and safe havens for Islamist extremists who carry out attacks. China has even said that it is ready to enhance friendly and cooperative relations with Afghanistan after the Taliban re-conquered the country.

China, Russia on Taliban takeover

China supports forming of an open and inclusive government in Afghanistan with the consultations of other factions. The Chinese government official said that the insurgents must comply with their pledge of not permitting any terrorist forces especially the 'Uyghur militant group' from Xinjiang province, called the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM). Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told the media briefing on Wednesday that, Chinas position on the Afghan issue is consistent and clear while answering a question about when Beijing would facilitate diplomatic recognition to the Taliban.

If we have to recognise a government, the first thing is that we will need to wait until the government is formed," he said. We hope there will be an open, inclusive and broadly representative regime in Afghanistan. Only after that, we will come to the question of diplomatic recognition," he added.

Russia, on the other hand, has said that the Taliban had made Kabul safer in the first 24 hours than it had been under the Ghani government. Russian ambassador to Afghanistan Dmitry Zhirnov said that there was looting on the streets as the Ghani regime fell. Stating that Russia had foreseen the Taliban takeover, Russian President Vladimir Putin's special representative on Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov said that Russia had been in talks with the Taliban for the past seven years. Russia apart from China and Pakistan has already offered friendly relations with the Taliban government in Afghanistan, in spite of the UN imploring nations to not do so.

(Image: AP)
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Rong Chhun and two other activists are given harsh penalties, lawyer says.

Police officers provide security at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court in Cambodia during the announcement of the verdict in the trial of Rong Chhun and two other activists Aug. 18, 2021.

A court in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh on Wednesday sentenced prominent union leader Rong Chhun to two years in jail for his criticism of the governments handling of a longstanding border dispute with neighboring Vietnam.

Rong Chhun, who is also a member of the Cambodia Watchdog Council (CWC) umbrella NGO of unions representing teachers, workers, farmers, and students, was jailed at Prey Sar Prison on Aug. 1, 2020, a day after his arrest for claiming the government has allowed Vietnam to encroach on Cambodian farmland along the border.

The Phnom Penh Municipal Court also ordered Rong Chhun to pay 2 million riels (U.S. $490) in fines, along with the maximum two years prison term for his charge of incitement to commit a felony in violation of Article 945 of Cambodias penal code.

The court sentenced two other activists, Sar Kanika and Tun Nimol, each to serve 20 months in jail and pay the same fine. The court also ordered the three activists to pay about 400,000 riels in compensation to the Cambodia Border Affairs Committee.

Following the judges announcement, Rong Chhun, Sar Kanika, and Tun Nimol shouted unjust, The court is not independent, and its verdicts are given under political influences.

Court officials then asked the three activists to sign their names in a blank book. Rong Chhun refused, but the other two signed.

Guards at the court forbade anyone to visit Rong Chhun following the verdict, citing COVID-19 concerns.

The three defendants have asked their defense lawyer Sam Sokong to appeal against the lower courts decisions.

Speaking to RFAs Khmer Service, defense attorney Sam Sokong said the verdicts against his clients are harsh.

As a lawyer, I am disappointed with the verdicts, he said. Based on the evidence and the law, my clients should have been acquitted of all charges.

We even saw a maximum punishment handed down that I rarely ever see, and the civil compensation is also harsh and not equivalent to the [alleged] damage, he added.

About 20 observers, including diplomats, attended the courts announcement of the verdict.

Rong Chhuns nephew Rong Vichea told reporters in front of the courthouse that he would not accept the verdict against his uncle, describing it as unfair and saying the court had not reached its decision independently.

I am very sad and cannot accept it. The court sentenced a nationalist who is innocent to two years in jail. This shows a double standard [in justice] in Khmer society, he said.

Tun Nimols wife Chhey Srey Ny told RFA that she has urged the court to release her husband, saying he and the other activists are innocent.

Ny Sokha, president of the local rights group ADHOC told RFA that NGOs were saddened with the courts decision and that the trio had not committed any crime. Freedom of expression and the right to peaceful gatherings are basic rights protected by the Constitution, he said.

The verdict against Rong Chhuns verdict will now intimidate and discourage people, especially Cambodias youth, from speaking freely about border issues, he said.

The border is a sensitive issue between Cambodia and Vietnam so the court has shown its lack of independence by handing down these verdicts, he said.

An emotional Ouk Chhayavy, president of the Cambodian Independent Teachers Association (CITA), told RFA that she was sad that the countrys Ministry of Justice cannot be relied on by the Cambodian people.

We all have lost confidence in [the ministry]. Rong Chhun is an individual who focused on border issues and human rights violations in Cambodia. Rong Chhun worked to promote human rights, but human rights in Cambodia is on the decline, she said.

When I listened to the verdict, I was so hurt to see Rong Chhun in such poor health, and that he was not given the right to speak out.

In response to criticism of the verdict, Ministry of Justice spokesman Chin Malin told the pro-government online newspaper Fresh News that anyone wanting to help Rong Chhuns legal case should provide evidence and not make allegations if they want the court to drop charges or grant appeals against the verdicts.

Rong Chhuns verdict does not represent intimidation or pressure against freedom, but rather promotes freedom and the rule of law in a democratic society, he said.

Pablo Kang, Australias ambassador to Cambodia, wrote on Twitter that the verdicts for the three activists were disheartening.

He said the harsh verdicts were for what most would see as the peaceful expression of legitimate albeit controversial points of view, rather than incitement.

[Cambodia] should be better than this, he said.

U.S. Ambassador W. Patrick Murphy also tweeted criticism of the verdict, saying, The conviction of respected union leader Rong Chhun raises serious questions about freedom of speech protected in Cambodias constitution and essential to the functioning of a democracy.

The judicial system should not be abused to silence peaceful activists, he wrote.

Longstanding border issues

Unresolved border issues between Cambodia and Vietnam, both former French colonies from the 1860s to 1954, have sparked incidents in the past, with the construction by Vietnam of military posts in contested areas quickly challenged by Cambodian authorities in Phnom Penh.

In June 2015, activists from the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) were attacked by Vietnamese villagers when they went to inspect an area in Svay Rieng province where they said a road built by authorities in Vietnams Long An province had encroached into Cambodian territory.

A joint communique signed by Cambodia and Vietnam in 1995 stipulates that neither side can make any changes to border markers or allow cross-border cultivation or settlement pending the resolution of outstanding border issues.

Reported by RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Samean Yun. Written in English by Eugene Whong.
The Chinese government is considering amending its new 'three-child policy' to allow couples to have four or more children without facing punishment, state media reported.



A draft amendment to the Population and Family Planning Law submitted to the standing committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) on Aug. 17 removes any punishment for having four or more children, state news agency Xinhua reported.



If passed, the amended law will quietly remove upper-level limits on how many children couples can have, although the official policy of the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is to encourage couples to have three children.



The CCP unveiled new plans at the end of to boost flagging birth rates and reverse population aging, raising the official limit on the number of children per couple from two to three.



The change came five years after the CCP scrapped a historic policy limiting most couples to just one child, which gave rise to decades of human rights abuses, including forced late-term abortions and sterilizations, as well as widespread monitoring of women's fertility by officials.



The amendments to the law were discussed at a Politburo meeting on "Optimizing Fertility Policies to Promote Long-Term and Balanced Population Development."



The Politburo concluded that "education and guidance should be provided to promote marriage and family values among marriage-age young people," adding that tax and housing incentives would also be in the pipeline for couples wanting to have children.



Among the support measures planned by the government include improvements to prenatal and postnatal care, a universal childcare service, and reduced education costs for families.



The government has since issued a ban on after-school and vacation tutoring, in a major blow to the private tutoring industry.



Crushing education costs

China implemented its infamous "one-child policy in 1979, fearing a massive population explosion. But its fertility rate stood at around 1.3 children per woman in 2020, compared with the 2.1 children per woman needed for the population to replace itself.



Raising children in China is a costly business, with parents stretched to find money for even one child's education. While state-run schools don't charge tuition until the 10th year of compulsory education, they increasingly demand nominal payments of various kinds, as well as payments for food and extracurricular activities.



There are signs that the people who do most of the mental, physical, and emotional work of child-bearing and raising may not readily step up to solve the government's population problems, however.



In a poll posted to the official Xinhua news agency account on the Weibo social media platform after the announcement, 29,000 out of 31,000 respondents said they wouldn't consider having more children.



Beijing resident Ye Jinghuan said the thought that families would be prepared to have four or more seemed absurd to her.



"Basically, city-dwellers are unlikely to be having four kids," Ye said. "It's very rare, and is usually to do with accidents or the mother's medical condition not allowing an abortion."



"Most of the people in my social circle have one or two, but mostly one."



"If you have a fairly high annual income, you can afford a nanny," Ye said. "It's pretty expensive raising a kid in a city, where a single can of milk powder costs 300 yuan."



Population as weapon?

According to Xinhua, the Aug. 17 meeting of the NPC standing committee reviewed several draft amendments to current family planning law.



Among them are proposals to delete articles 41 and 42 of the Population and Family Planning Law.



Article 41 provides for fines to be paid to the state for every birth in excess of current limits, while Article 42 provides for administrative punishments and workplace disciplinary action for anyone breaching current limits.



However, it was unclear whether all family planning bureaus would be forced to stand down if the amendments are passed.



Zhang Jianping, a current affairs commentator in the eastern province of Jiangsu, said the state has no business telling people how many children they can have.



"Family planning rules infringe on human rights and should be abolished," Zhang said. "Family planning policies are a form of administrative intervention, which is unconstitutional."



Yang Haiying, a lecturer at Japan's Shizuoka University, said the CCP still regards the Chinese population as a strategic advantage.



"They have realized that their population is their greatest weapon, and they want more people around to obey them," Yang said.



Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
A prominent activist who tried to flee Hong Kong for democratic Taiwan and a legal worker have pleaded guilty to charges under a national security law, connected to jailed pro-democracy media mogul Jimmy Lai.



Activist Andy Li, 30, and paralegal Chan Tsz-wah, also 30, are charged with "collusion with foreign forces" alongside Lai.



Li told the court: "I agree to the facts and I would like to say sorry."



Li and Chan allegedly "conspired" with Lai's aide Mark Simon and activist Finn Lau, now in exile, to ask foreign governments to impose sanctions on Hong Kong.



The charge carries a maximum punishment of life imprisonment, and has also been used to target Lai and senior editorial staff at the now-shuttered Apple Daily newspaper.



The case was adjourned until Jan. 3, 2022.



Meanwhile, a relief fund set up to pay bail for those arrested in the 2019 protest movement has announced it will shut down amid a city-wide crackdown on public dissent and political opposition under a national security law imposed by the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP).



The 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund said in a statement on its Facebook page that it would cease operations despite strong public donations.



But its banking arrangements were conducted through another group, the Alliance for True Democracy, which is the latest of several civil organizations to wind down since the national security law took effect on , 2020.



"We have been notified by the directors of the Alliance that they intend to wind up in the near future. This means the Fund will no longer have a bank account it can use, and therefore cannot continue to operate," it said.



"We thank the members of the public who have been giving us their unfailing support by their donations and encouragement [as well as] those who have come to us for help in their predicament and their families for the trust they placed in us," it said.



File photo of the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund, set up to pay bail for those arrested in the 2019 protest movement in Hong Kong, which has announced it will shut down amid a crackdown on public dissent and political opposition. Credit: RFA Forced to halt operations

It said it would destroy all personal data linked to donors and beneficiaries.



The Fund had also provided beneficiaries with emergency financial and legal support.



The Aug. 18 announcement came after secretary for security Chris Tang declined to confirm whether or not the 612 Fund is currently under police investigation.



But he said groups that disband could still face investigation.



"Even if these organizations dissolve of their own accord, any crimes they committed won't not be written off," Tang told reporters after the Fund's announcement.



"However, the harm to society would be somewhat reduced if they disband of their own accord," he said.



Tang warned that any organization that promotes violence or has "unusual" financial transactions with foreign organizations will be pursued by police, under the national security law.



Fund trustee and former lawmaker Margaret Ng told a news conference that the Fund had stopped taking any new cases immediately following the announcement.



"The Fund has been forced to cease operations before it was able to complete its mission," Ng said. "I feel deep regret about that, but it was a miracle of historic proportions that the people of Hong Kong were able to create it and bring it this far."



"The 612 Fund is no more," she said. "There are still countless forms of private support, both large and small, but it's not the same."



More arrests expected

Ng said she hadn't heard any news of a police investigation into the Fund's membership, activities or finances so far.



"We can't be too scared or worried about that," Ng said. "All we can do is be very careful not to break the law."



"We must take care every step of the way, and have the banks check our accounts carefully," she said.



At the time of closure, the Fund still had 1,200 live cases on its books, including a 2019 protester identified only as Mr. S.



"Since the protest movement and political upheavals in Hong Kong, there has been no help from the current system," he told reporters. "Young people and people caught up in the political turmoil can only be sure of getting help from civil society groups."



He said police are continuing to investigate cases linked to the 2019 protest movement, and that it is hard to estimate how many more arrests could follow.



More than 100 opposition politicians, activists and protesters have been arrested so far on charges under the national security law, including allegations of secession, subversion and terrorist activities, with more than 10,000 arrested under pre-existing laws for their part in the protest movement.



"They are continuing to prosecute people involved in the movement, so the eventual number is still unknown," Mr. S said. "I think it's sad for the people involved in those future cases."



"They will no longer have access to such solid support from a civil society organization," he said.



However, he said a volunteer-run support hotline would continue to provide advice to those targeted in the ongoing crackdown.



Meanwhile, a Hong Kong court on ruled that public order charges of the kind frequently used to target participants in the 2019 pro-democracy protest movement can be extended to people who weren't present at the scene.



The city's Court of Appeal found that anyone who encouraged or promoted an "unlawful assembly or riot" could be held liable under the Public Order Ordinance, even if they weren't physically present, under the legal notion of "joint enterprise."



"If there is sufficient evidence to establish their liability... they are no longer innocent people exercising their freedom of expression," the court said.



"They have crossed the permissible line and become a perpetrator to an unlawful assembly or riot and should be held liable as such," judges Jeremy Poon, Andrew Macrae, and Anthea Pang found.



Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
Four years after prominent human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng disappeared from his cave dwelling home in the northern Chinese province of Shaanxi, his wife Geng He has continued to speak out about his disappearance. Geng, who escaped to the U.S. with her son and daughter in , spoke to RFA's Mandarin Service about her latest campaign for Gao:



Aug. 13 [2021] marked four years after Gao Zhisheng was kidnapped by the CCP, 1460 days ago. We have had no news of Gao Zhisheng since then. I am calling for international sanctions against Hu Minglang, former director of the Shaanxi provincial police department, Xu Datong, its current director, and Zhuang Changxing, secretary of the Shaanxi provincial political and legal affairs committee.



That includes freezing their assets and expelling any of their immediate family members living overseas. I also want sanctions on the current and former ministers for public security for failing to stop the Shaanxi provincial police departments misbehavior. My aim is to seek sanctions against them.



In the 12 years since I arrived in the United States, I haven't stopped trying to find him. And to no avail. There is still no news of him, and he being held hostage somewhere. I am trying anything I can think of. Anything I can.



He is really nice man. When we were in the army, I was part of an all-women's company, and the rules were very strict. Sometimes we would get hungry when we were done training because we couldn't get enough to eat, but we weren't allowed to go out and buy anything. The women soldiers used to write notes to him when he was our CCP branch secretary, asking him to bring us dough twists and apples, stuff like that.



We wrote to him every day, to get him to collect our money. It was quite a hassle for him. I thought he took it very well. He would do anything for his female soldiers.



We are still married, and I am still waiting for him, staying steadfast, because he is a really good person. Someone who does good for society. The world needs someone like him. I didn't find out about a lot of his life until I went overseas. I really admire him. I feel as if we are comrades-in-arms now.



I throw myself into work and stay busy. Whenever I have too much time on my hands, to let my mind wander, or take a nap, it's always his image I see. It's as if there is a huge black hole that tries to draw me in. He is down there in the hole, and he needs me to save him. Then I snap out of it and turn my mind back to the job at hand.



Human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng, in undated photo taken during house arrest in Beijing. Credit: Gao Zhisheng I want to stay cheerful, because I don't have time for this. I want to work, I want to find my husband, and I want our child to be reunited with my husband. I really struggled the first couple of years [after we came to the U.S.], and I was in a pretty poor state. I was also worried something might happen to me. I even wrote a letter to my children. I still feel guilty [because] kids need a father. They need his love, but the family was torn apart in turmoil, and so there is no security for them.



[When I last spoke with Gao on the phone, in ] he was full of confidence as always. He hates to talk about the bad stuff, unpleasant things. I basically told him that the kids were happy, that they were doing well. I wanted him to have a sense of how they were growing up. He loved that; he really needed to hear it.



I haven't read the book he published. Sometimes my daughter tells me about it. I can't bear to read it. I don't want those scenes in my mind. I know he writes about being tortured, and I can't bear that. I really can't bear it. He was so broken when he got out of prison back in . He had almost no teeth, and he could barely walk. It's been four years. When I think about it, I can't swallow my food. What will he be eating, with no teeth?



I never thought of him as a hero. I think he is a really good person, and the things he does have always moved me. I have always felt that I am his wife, and a homemaker, and that I need to take care of the family, look after the kids, and be there for him.



I have always felt that what he did was right ... and yet the family suffered endless intimidation and persecution. Around Lunar New Year this year, I managed to get through to his older brother, and I also spoke to his sister in Shandong, without realizing that she was worried that she could be persecuted too.



The kids are doing pretty well, though. Our daughter works, and our son will graduate from high school next year, and will soon be in college.



Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
Talks between U.S. President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy have been moved back to August 31 from August 30.



Ukrainian Foreign Ministry Dmytro Kuleba told reporters on August 19 that the decision was made due to an expansion of Zelenskiy's program during his visit to Washington in late August.



"Since the program of the visit has been expanded, the meeting between the presidents of Ukraine and the United States, President Biden and President Zelensky, will take place on August 31. We have agreed with the United States to postpone this date for one day," Kuleba said.

Last month, Biden's administration said Zelenskiy would make his official visit to Washington on August 30 while Congress is on summer recess.



At the time, a bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers responded by calling on the Biden administration to reschedule the visit to allow Congress an opportunity to meet with Zelenskiy.

Based on reporting by UNIAN and Ukrayinska Pravda
Human Rights Watch (HRW) is urging Iranian authorities to redouble efforts to respond effectively to the COVID-19 pandemic, saying their prohibition on the import of U.S. and U.K.-produced vaccines, a lack of transparency, and mismanagement are exacerbating the already dire impact of the coronavirus in the country.



With the number of deaths and hospitalizations on the rise and a reported shortage of hospital beds and medicine in Tehran and other cities, the New-York-based human rights watchdog said on August 19 that the country should use "all resources necessary to secure lifesaving vaccines" and transparently communicate and enforce "effective and clear vaccination and other safety guidelines."



Irans death toll from COVID-19 exceeded 100,000 on August 19 with 564 fatalities recorded in the past 24 hours, according to the Health Ministry. The total number of confirmed COVID-19 infections reached nearly 4,600,000 after 31,266 new cases were reported over the past day.

Meanwhile, COVID-19 vaccines are in short supply, with about 5 million people having received the required two doses as of August 18 -- out of a population of 85 million, according to the Health Ministry.



"Public trust is a crucial factor in managing the public health crisis, yet Iranian authorities' track record of repeated failure is happening again," Tara Sepehri Far, an Iran researcher at HRW, said in a statement.



HRW cited the August 14 arrest of six human rights lawyers and activists who were said to be working on filing a complaint against authorities' mismanagement of the crisis. One of them was later released, while the five others remain in detention.

Meanwhile, senior officials have made statements that have "severely interfered with the procurement of lifesaving vaccines and sowed disinformation among Iranians," it said.



In January, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei announced that the import of [the COVID-19] vaccines made in the U.S. and U.K. are prohibited, and claimed that the vaccines are completely untrustworthy.



The Iranian Red Crescent Society later announced that plans to import 150,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine donated by a U.S. charity had been canceled.



Iranian authorities have publicly promoted the production of a domestic vaccine, but HRW said no clear information regarding its safety and efficacy had been released, and production appeared to be "seriously behind schedule."



The group said the escalating health crisis and widespread criticism of the way the authorities have handled it may force the government to reverse the prohibition on U.S.- and U.K.-produced vaccines.



On August 10, President Ebrahim Raisi ordered the government to allocate resources to import vaccines, while Khamenei said that jabs should be acquired via "every possible way."



Instead of blaming sanctions and delays in importing vaccines, as well as each other, for the slow rollout of Irans vaccination drive, the authorities "should make use of every available resource to respond to the outbreak," according to HRW, including by providing access to "timely and accurate information" about the pandemic, making protective equipment available for frontline workers, and providing access to affordable and safe testing.



The Iranian government should also "publish all procurement contracts as well as an up-to-date vaccine supply and delivery index with price details, date of delivery, and number of doses."



Meanwhile, the United States, which has imposed broad sanctions on Iran should ensure that the Iranian people have "swift, unencumbered, and equitable access to safe, effective, and affordable" vaccines.



In June, the U.S. Treasury Department issued an additional general license for transactions and activities involving the delivery of face masks, ventilators, and oxygen tanks, vaccines and the production of vaccines, COVID-19 tests, air-filtration systems, and field hospitals.

With reporting by RFE/RL's Radio Farda
Russians living in Siberia's Altai Mountains make a living by cutting the antlers off Maral deers. The dried antlers are sold for more than $300 per kilogram to China and South Korea, where people believe they help boost libido and longevity. But animal rights groups call the practice cruel and barbaric.
Jailed Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny has urged Russian voters to use a Smart Voting strategy, a project designed by his team to promote candidates to defeat Kremlin-linked figures, in the September elections.

In a statement on Instagram on August 19, exactly one month before the elections, the outspoken critic of President Vladimir Putin again called the Kremlin-backed ruling United Russia party "a party of scoundrels and thieves" who "are scared of our Smart Voting."

The system, which gives voters a list of the candidates deemed most likely to defeat their United Russia rivals regardless of their party affiliation, is one of the last tools Navalny and his allies have at their disposal after a crackdown this summer outlawed his movement as "extremist" and jailed opposition voices across the country.

"They've declared half the country extremists to grab all the constituencies," Navalny wrote in the post, published a day before the first anniversary of his poisoning with what several laboratories in the West said was a military nerve agent, something Russia has dismissed as a Western smear campaign against it.

Navalny was imprisoned after returning to Russia in January from his recuperation in Germany after he survived the poison attack in August 2020 in Siberia. He has accused Putin of ordering his assassination, something the Kremlin denies.

"They haven't let the strong candidates [take part] in the election. Now even the ones that aren't that strong are being removed from the race -- they're scared of Smart Voting," he said, calling on followers to sign up to the system's mobile-phone app to implement a system Navalny's political network has been implementing for several years.

On September 19, Russia will vote to choose members of the Russian parliament's lower chamber, the State Duma, 39 regional parliaments, and nine regional governors.

In the run-up to the voting, the Kremlin has cracked down on opposition political figures and independent media as the popularity of United Russia and Putin has been declining amid Kremlin's efforts to deal with an economy suffering from the coronavirus pandemic and years of ongoing international sanctions.

In his post, Navalny called on Russians to download the Smart Voting applications to their phones before the strategy's website is blocked by the authorities.

His team is hoping that enough voters will use the system to at least reduce United Russia's margin of victory and to cause it potential embarrassment in places like Moscow and St. Petersburg, where anti-Kremlin feeling has traditionally run higher.

"In this last month that is left [before the elections] bring a couple of friends and acquaintances to the Smart Voting. Let us join forces and at least try it," Navalny said.

United Russia secured a super-majority in the last parliamentary elections in 2016, but its rating stood at 27 percent earlier this month, its lowest in 13 years, according to a state pollster.

Kremlin sources have admitted that discontent across the world's largest country over stagnant or falling living standards could hurt the ruling party at the ballot box. But they have scoffed at the notion the Smart Voting system could impact the election.

Nonetheless, a spoiler tactic of enlisting candidates with the same name as opposition candidates who are likely to be successful in the vote has proliferated in recent months.

Under the scheme, minor officials or citizens unknown to the general public are approached with an offer to adopt the first and last name of a popular opposition candidate, usually changing their passport details to make the change official and then registering as rival candidates in their own right.

Occasionally, spoilers who already have the same name as an opposition candidate are found.

The hope of those behind such machinations is that a substantial number of voters who support the opposition candidate in that district will cast their ballots for the namesake candidate by mistake.
Russia's media regulator, Roskomnadzor, has notified RFE/RL that it has filed in court the first of a new set of 130 protocols against the independent media outlet for violating Russia's controversial "foreign agent" law requiring the labeling of content.

According to Roskomnadzor, the first 10 protocols of the new set have been sent to Moscow's Tver district court. Earlier in June, the media watchdog informed RFE/RL that the 130 protocols it was preparing envision a total fine of 71.5 million rubles, or about $964,000.

The new cases come on top of some 650 protocols Roskomnadzor filed in court against RFE/RL's Russian Service and several of its Russian-language platforms in the first seven months of the year.

Russia's "foreign agent" legislation was adopted in 2012 and has been modified repeatedly. It requires nongovernmental organizations that receive foreign assistance and that the government deems to be engaged in political activity to be registered, to identify themselves as "foreign agents," and to submit to audits. Later modifications of the law targeted foreign-funded media.

In 2017, the Russian government placed RFE/RL's Russian Service, six other RFE/RL Russian-language news services, and Current Time on the list.

Earlier this year, Russian courts began imposing large fines against RFE/RL for failing to mark its articles with a government-prescribed label as required by new rules adopted in October 2020.

The fines Russian courts have ordered RFE/RL to pay so far amount to almost 250 million rubles ($3.4 million). RFE/RL has been appealing the protocols, but Russian courts so far have rejected hundreds of the appeals.

RFE/RL has called the fines "a state-sponsored campaign of coercion and intimidation." U.S. President Joe Biden raised the issue of Kremlin pressure against RFE/RL's Russian-language services at a June 16 summit with President Vladimir Putin.

Earlier this month, when the summons was issued for a new wave of fines, RFE/RL President Jamie Fly said: "We reject this effort to censor our content and silence our journalists. We are committed to continuing to serve the Russian people."

In early June, Fly said Russia is attempting to fine RFE/RL's Moscow bureau out of existence with the law.

"This concerted pressure on RFE/RL and other independent media in Russia is only hurting the Russian people by depriving them of information choice," Fly said. "We will redouble our efforts to provide objective news and information to our audiences across Russia despite these outrageous attacks on our operations."

In May, RFE/RL sued the Russian authorities over the situation in the European Court of Human Rights. In June, RFE/RL's lawsuit was registered at the court.

The European Union has also called on Moscow to repeal the "foreign agent" law.

RFE/RL is an editorially independent media company funded by a grant from the U.S. Congress through the U.S. Agency for Global Media. Each week, nearly 7 million people access RFE/RL's news portals in Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has accused Russian authorities of trying "to create a rift" within Crimean society as he tried to put the international spotlight back onto the Russian-occupied peninsula. Crimea has been occupied by Russia since 2014. Ukraine is convening a multinational meeting in Kyiv featuring representatives of 40 countries called the Crimea Platform.
ZMIYINIY ISLAND, Ukraine -- President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has lamented that the crisis in Crimea has fallen from global attention, and he pledged to "raise from the knees" the fate of the Black Sea peninsula annexed by Russia seven years ago.

In an interview with Ukrainian media, including RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, Zelenskiy said he also wants to raise awareness of residents, including Crimean Tatars and others, who have been detained or prosecuted by the region's Russian-backed administration.

"A big victory for us is to raise this issue from its knees, which simply does not exist in the [media] landscape," Zelenskiy said in the interview which took place on August 9 on Zmiyiniy Island, a rocky Black Sea islet some 300 kilometers from the shores of Crimea.

Zelenskiy spoke days before his government convenes a multinational meeting in Kyiv featuring representatives of 40 countries. The gathering, called Crimea Platform, is set to coincide with events to mark 30 years of Ukrainian independence.

WATCH: Zelenskiy Takes Aim At Russia Ahead Of International Meeting About Crimea

Russia took control of Crimea from Ukraine in March 2014 after sending in troops, seizing key facilities, and staging a referendum dismissed as illegal by more than 100 countries. A month later, war broke out in eastern Ukraine, pitting Ukrainian government forces against Kremlin-backed separatists in a conflict that has killed more than 13,200 people to date.

Rights groups and Western governments have denounced what they describe as a campaign of repression by Russian authorities targeting members of the Turkic-speaking Crimean Tatar community and others who have spoken out against Moscow's takeover of the peninsula.

Persecuted Tatars

Zelenskiy said many around the world knew of the fate of Oleh Sentsov, the filmmaker who served five years in a Russian prison before being released in 2019 as part of a prisoner exchange.

But Zelenskiy argued that most people in the West were unaware of the plight of others in Crimea who face persecution, such as Server Mustafayev, who was among a group of seven Crimean Tatars handed lengthy prison terms by a Russian court in September 2020.

All were found guilty of being members of Hizb ut-Tahrir, an Islamic group that is banned in Russia but is legal in Ukraine.

Despite international pressure, Russia has rejected all talk of returning Crimea to Ukraine; Moscow spent billions of dollars building a massive bridge linking the peninsula directly to the Russian mainland. Russia's Black Sea naval fleet is based at the historic Crimea port of Sevastopol.

Still, Kyiv is hoping the Crimea Platform meeting in Kyiv will provide a "mechanism" to pressure Moscow, according to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.

Asked if he was disappointed that only 40 countries would attend the Kyiv forum, given that more than 100 refuse to recognize Moscow's seizure of Crimea, Zelenskiy argued that this was an "incorrect comparison."

"All these countries, 100 and more, support Crimea (as part of Ukraine); they continue to support us, and that number has not dropped," Zelenskiy told reporters. "The question is whether these 100 countries will support us with sanctions [against Russia]; they are ready to support us with statements, that 'We understand,' that they consider it an occupation, this annexation, but nothing more."

Economic Sanctions

Following the annexation, the United States and the European Union, and other Western nations hit Russia with economic sanctions, as well as for funding and supplying weaponry to separatists in eastern Ukraine. Those sanctions remain in place.

Kyiv, which maintains sizable cross-border trade with Moscow, has announced several rounds of sanctions on Russian persons and entities. In March, Kyiv imposed financial penalties on dozens of Russian officials and organizations, including a raft of firms doing business in Crimea.

"There are states -- the United States of America, Germany, France, Great Britain -- that can really, decisively act against certain officials of the Russian Federation or temporary officials of Crimea with their sanctions, and if they have something, somewhere abroad," Zelenskiy said. "We are working with them so that they introduce such sanctions, [that] they are effective."

The Crimea meeting also comes as Zelenskiy prepares to travel to Washington, D.C. for his first meeting with President Joe Biden -- something the Zelenskiy government hopes will serve as a major sign of support from the White House.

During the meeting, Biden is expected to declare "unwavering support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of Russia's ongoing aggression" in the Donbas and Crimea regions," according to press reports.

Nord Stream 2

Energy issues are also expected to top the agenda, including Nord Stream 2, the Russian natural gas pipeline which bypasses Ukraine's transit network, depriving Kyiv of transit fees. The Biden administration earlier this year refused to block final completion of the undersea pipeline, which will bring Russian gas directly to Germany.

In July, the United States and Germany reached agreement to allow the completion of Nord Stream 2 despite concerns it will undermine the energy security of Ukraine and other Eastern and Central European countries.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is scheduled to travel to Kyiv on August 22, told Zelenskiy last month that Ukraine would remain a transit route for Russian gas even after Nord Stream 2 is built.

During the interview, Zelenskiy also mentioned plans to beef up Ukraine's naval presence in the Black Sea region, with plans to build a "big flotilla by 2035."

"It will include corvettes, military vessels, and small submarines, as well as naval bases," Zelenskiy said, saying that the EU, Britain, and United States all back such plans.

Written by Tony Wesolowsky based on reporting by Hanna Andriyevska
The West Warwick Town Council awarded citations Tuesday night to two police officers who saved a baby that was choking during the I Love America Days carnival. Pictured from left: Officer Nicholas Santilli, Officer Ricardo Erilus, Breana Marfeo and her baby Isabella Torres and WWPD Chief Ernest Lavigne pose for a photo after Santilli and Erilus received their citations.
Richmond, KY (40475)

Today

Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy in the afternoon. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 78F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Clear skies. Low near 55F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.
Rocky Mount, NC (27804)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms in the morning, then mainly cloudy during the afternoon with thunderstorms likely. Potential for severe thunderstorms. High 86F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms in the evening will give way to partly cloudy skies overnight. Low around 65F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
Rutland, VT (05701)

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Cloudy. High 68F. Winds light and variable..

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Rain showers in the evening will evolve into a more steady rain overnight. Potential for heavy rainfall. Low 54F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%. Rainfall around a half an inch.
Danvers, MA (01923)

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Considerable cloudiness. Occasional rain showers in the afternoon. High 74F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%..

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Periods of rain. Rain may be heavy late. Potential for heavy rainfall. Low 59F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 2 to 3 inches of rain expected.
Sanford, NC (27330)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms in the morning, then mainly cloudy during the afternoon with thunderstorms likely. Potential for severe thunderstorms. High 84F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

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Scattered thunderstorms during the evening, then partly cloudy overnight. Low 64F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
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NASA's Mars Curiosity rover has marked its ninth anniversary on the Red Planet, commemorating nearly a decade on its surface to investigate and send data to Earth. By sharing a panoramic snapshot of the Martian surface to its audience, the joy is extended to them.

And, although it appears to be a computer image, it is the beauty of Mars.

NASA Curiosity Rover sends Panoramic Photo of Mars

NASA is commemorating the 9th anniversary of the Curiosity Rover's arrival on Mars, making it the second-longest mission on Mars behind Opportunity's, which lasted an incredible 15 years. The space agency said the rover's anniversary of NASA's Curiosity is unlike any other, as it went on a trek on Mars' "Rafael Navarro Mountain."

The scenery is stunning and literally out of this planet. It depicts the brown rock surface and orange glow of Mars' iron-rich atmosphere. The site is noteworthy because it has a unique combination of enhanced clay and salty minerals known as 'sulfates.' NASA explained that the Red Planet is a "clay-bearing unit."

What is more intriguing is that the surface of Mars exhibits indicators or pieces of evidence that it formerly had water and that they were transported from one location to another by water.

Mars used to be a water-rich or "wet" planet, implying that it was previously a livable environment altered by a catastrophe.

Curiosity Rover Hiked to Rafael Navarro Mountain

Curiosity transmitted the photograph over on August 17, and it was received by the orbiting spacecraft. NASA said that Curiosity had a mission on July 3 that examined the Rafael Navarro mountain and merged over 129 pictures into the stated panoramic shot.

ALSO READ: NASA's Curiosity Rover Detects Unusual Bump in Mars; Ends Up on Bedrock

Curiosity's purpose is to learn everything it can about Mars, which is exactly what it has done for the past nine years, from its first landing in 2012.

According to a Science Times report, NASA wants to recreate life on the Red Planet using 3D models on Earth for people to live on Mars.

NASA Mars 2020

Curiosity's nine-year stay on Mars has demonstrated that it has contributed significantly to NASA and human exploration of Mars. The rover has now bored 32 holes on Mars to gather rock samples and examine its components to identify the surface and current elements of Mars.

The rover landed in the Gale Crater in 2012 and spent time exploring the area, especially "Mount Sharp," which has an eight-kilometer trek up its hillside.

Even if NASA continues to rely on wheeled rovers such as Curiosity and the existing Perseverance, you may expect a significant shift in their space exploration strategy in the future.

According to Robothusiast, NASA launched the Breakthrough, Innovative, and Game-Changing (BIG) Idea Challenge. The task is for university students to give fresh ideas on how to construct planetary rovers.

This could mean that new rovers will not use wheels like Curiosity and Perseverance in the future. They will jump, balloon, tumble, float, or even crawl instead.

Curiosity will continue to pique our interest till then.

RELATED ARTICLE: Mars Curiosity Rover Detects Whimsical Rocks on Red Planet

Check out more news and information on Space in Science Times.
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Archaeogenetics has been the staple of ancient discoveries, including buried cultures and artifacts in many parts of the globe. The field of archaeogenetics has been utilized for many studies and plays a great part in tracking the past of Europe as it thrives on the Neolithic and Bronze ages.

However, even though the continent seems to have completed tracing its ancestral roots, not all of the regions are actually able to. To cover the missing genetic clues around Europe, experts have attempted to sequence genomes of ancient remains that were unearthed from the various excavation sites located in modern-day Croatia.

The study was made possible with the collaborative effort of experts from the Institute for Anthropological Research, Max Planck Institutes for Evolutionary Anthropology, the Science of Human History (Jena), the University of Vienna, and the Croatian company Kaducej Ltd.

Europe's Missing Ancestry Found in Croatia's Ancient History

Croatia is a historical region that includes many clues from the ancient times. The region served as a crossroad between different cultures and diverse populations of early humans and civilizations alike. Croatia was utilized in the past as a migration link between the Danubian corridor and the Adriatic coast.

Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History and the University of Vienna expert, as well as the author of the study, Suzanne Freilich, said in a report by PhysOrg that human remains are not sufficient in the area even though the region is a pillar for the ancient population and migration.

Freilich added that the lack of ancient human subjects in the area limits the possibility of uncovering the social status and genetic ancestry.

The archaeology team set out an investigation to find the missing pieces and complete the puzzle of Croatia's ancient history. The investigation included two different sites of easter Croatia. The sites differ in their contained historical clues.

The first site is structured as a Middle Bronze Age necropolis comprised of several burial artifacts, including cremations and inhumations. The other site is also an evident ancient burial ground that is abundant in Middle Neolithic individuals.

Middle Bronze Age and Middle Neolithic Age in Croatia's Necropolis

ALSO READ: DNA Sequencing of Ancient Maya City of Tikal Suggests Greenery and Parks at the Center of the Bustling City

Croatia's two necropolises contained various genomes from a total of 28 ancient individuals. Each of the genomes was sequenced to find the historical past of each person, such as education, residency, and other social patterns, as well as to track their ancestry throughout history.

The Middle Bronze Age site is located at the Jagodnjak-Krcevine necropolis and dates back to 1,800 to 1,600 BCE. The era was the surge of the Transdanubian Encrusted Pottery Culture, which relates to the recovered human remains that originated from the Dalmatian coast.

The Middle Neolithic site is located in the region of Beli-Manastir Popova zemlja, where the Sopot culture is abundant in between 4,700 and 4,300 BCE. Most of the remains buried in the necropolis were children, with many women identified. Almost all of the buildings contained bodies that were found to be related to each other.

The archaeogenetic investigation will conduct further studies and will go bigger than the community-wide examination. The study was published in the journal Scientific Reports, titled "Reconstructing Genetic Histories and Social Organisation In Neolithic And Bronze Age Croatia."

RELATED ARTICLE: Babylonians Used Pythagorean Theorem, Right Triangle Calculations, 1,000 Years Before Pythagoras Was Born

Check out more news and information on Archaeology in Science Times.
Candyman was always more than a surface level horror film. The 1992 film dealt with class, race and trauma. But almost 30 years later, a new version in theaters Aug. 27 reclaims and recenters the narrative around the Black experience.

The original film took the seeds of a Clive Barker short story set in a Liverpool slum and transported it to Chicagos Cabrini-Green housing projects, where the Boogeyman was Black and the lens to the world was a white female doctoral student studying urban myths. The film was both praised and the subject of pointed critiques from Black filmmakers who noted the regressive racial stereotypes.

There`s no question that this film plays on white middle-class fears of black people, actor-director Carl Franklin told the Chicago Tribune at the time. It unabashedly uses racial stereotypes and destructive myths to create shock.

Franklin said it was, irresponsible and racist.

But it was also successful enough to spawn two sequels and proved to be a formative film for a young Jordan Peele, who saw it as a landmark for representation. Following the success of Get Out, Peele and his Monkeypaw Productions set their sights on a Candyman film and signed up-and-coming filmmaker Nia DaCosta to direct.

DaCosta had just one indie under her belt, the well-received crime drama Little Woods, when her agent got wind of a Jordan Peele Candyman project.

I always told (my agent) what I wanted to do and I made Little Woods, which was a really great experience, but I also really wanted to do bigger films, genre films and horror and Marvel movies, DaCosta, 31, said. He introduced them to my work and it just ended up working out...I dont want to pitch for something if I dont really have a clear idea and a passion for what it will be. I think they responded to that level of detail and the passion that I had.

Described as a spiritual sequel to the first film, Peele, who co-wrote the script, and DaCostas Candyman put their subjects, a successful gallery director, Brianna (Teyonah Parris), and her visual artist boyfriend Anthony (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), in modern day Chicago. They live in a luxury apartment in a now gentrified Cabrini-Green. But the rot of the past lingers. A longtime resident played by Colman Domingo tells Anthony about the Candyman lore and soon the haunting and the body horror begin anew.

The art world is very glitzy, glamorous and Brianna is very wealthy and lives in this amazing apartment and Chicagos a gorgeous city," DaCosta said. I wanted to really juxtapose that beautiful, lush world with the horrors within.

Abdul-Mateen II predicts Candyman will be a conversation-starter.

Outside of the entertainment value, there is an opportunity to really talk about the state of the world, Abdul-Mateen II said. Theres a history of unwanted marks becoming celebrated for reasons that we dont want to be celebrated for. This movie deals with that and says what happens when you take our stories back.

The themes arent just backdrops either. The script has characters discussing gentrification and privilege. One character even says white people, Love what we make, but they dont love us. It was a line that DaCosta felt was especially important to have in the film.

Sometimes you just have to make the subtext text, DaCosta said. It really spoke to how as long as we are behaving a certain way and as long as were producing something that is being consumed or has a place either in a consumerist way or in a respectability way, were fine. But once you step out of that, once...someone dares to talk back to a police officer or whatever then there is a problem.

Although its a distinctly different film than Get Out, with different sensibilities, Candyman is poised to inspire and provoke in similar ways.

Its truly an examination of who we are right now in our culture and hopefully helping to move the needle and help it get better by going to these dark spaces and unpacking the terror within, the true terror, said Domingo. Especially the terror that people with Black and brown skin live with every day.

The film was completed in late 2019 for a planned 2020 release but was delayed several times over the past year because of the pandemic. Domingo said after the last year of racial reckoning. its the perfect time for the film to come out.

I think that its timely that it did not come out last year, that we needed to deal with what we were dealing with and be out on the street, raising our voices together to finally having a moment to step back and examine again, Domingo said. I think were willing to do the work now.

Candyman will also be a breakthrough moment for DaCosta, whose star is continuing to rise with higher profile studio projects.

She really is like an old school director, Domingo said. She knows what she wants. Shes a very, very elegant director. You see it in every frame of this film.

Two weeks after she wrapped Candyman, DaCosta immediately went into The Marvels, a sequel to Captain Marvel," thats expected to come out next year. The superhero pic reunites her with Parris, who plays Monica Rambeau.

DaCosta has hardly had time to take stock of her own quick ascent in an industry where Black female directors are vastly underrepresented in big budget filmmaking.

This is like my third movie in four years, which is crazy for any sort of person. But I remember a couple of years ago (my manager and I) were like, well five years ago this would not be my career, DaCosta said. "Im really grateful for it and excited that more spaces are opening up....Im hoping by making more movies and doing different kinds of movies that more space will be opened up for others."

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Follow AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ldbahr
After being closed for 11 months, Seattle's historic College Inn Pub has officially reopened under new ownership.

Housed in the basement of the 112-year-old College Inn building on University Way N.E., the pub has been a staple in the U District for students and faculty alike for nearly 46 years. However, the former owners were forced to shutter the watering hole in July 2020 due to the financial hardships brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and indoor dining restrictions.

While many thought it was the end of the road for the longtime hangout, the bar was eventually bought by two longtime patrons: Jen Gonyer-Donohue and Al Donohue. Along with the help of local restaurateur Seth Howard  who also owns Collin's Pub and Last Drop Bottle Shop  the three set out to preserve the bar for the next generation of students, but emphasized they would not rush the reopening.

The team spent the past 11 months updating electrical systems and kitchen equipment and also refinished the woodwork to help the bar retain its original feel. And soon, the watering hole plans to offer outdoor seating as construction on a large deck is underway.

GENNA MARTIN/SEATTLEPI.COM

"We are thrilled to be able to offer open air seating soon, which seems more important than ever in this pandemic," Howard said in a news release Wednesday.

While most menu items remain the same with grinders and nachos, the new owners added house-made meatballs and marinara and more local beer options from breweries like Cloudburst, Ravenna and Maritime as well as more house cocktail options.

For its part, the University of Washington will resume most in-person classes in the fall, bringing more students back to campus. The university has also issued a COVID-19 vaccine requirement for both students and staff before classes resume in the fall to keep the community safe from outbreaks.

"We look forward to welcoming everyone in the neighborhood and UW community back for a pint and nachos," said Donohue. "The College Inn Pub has risen from the COVID ashes, but still remains in the basement."

Other historic bars and restaurants have also gone through changes in ownership amid the pandemic: Ballard's nearly century-old Lockspot Cafe was put up for sale in May and later sold in July. The 133-year-old Jules Mae Saloon in Georgetown temporarily shuttered in July 2020 before a longtime patron stepped in to keep its legacy alive.
PHOENIX (AP)  An Arizona state senator who resigned after being arrested early this month on child molestation charges has been indicted, the Maricopa County Attorney's Office announced Thursday.

The indictment charges Tony Navarrete with six felony counts related to sexual contact he's accused of having with a boy. He's charged with one count for alleged contact with a second boy.
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From Sarah Feldberg, Deputy Director of Product and Strategy:

The San Francisco Chronicle has sold the film/TV rights to The Jessica Simulation: Love and loss in the age of A.I. to Universal Television to develop as a limited series.

Dozens of Hollywood production companies inquired about acquiring the rights to the project, with seven ultimately bidding for the rights to the story, which has been read by more than 500,000 people since publishing July 23. Blindspot creator Martin Gero, whose Quinns House production company has a deal with Universal, will be the writer and executive producer for the project. Storied Media Group represented The Chronicle in the auction; the terms of the deal havent been finalized.

We see this as a way to extend our journalism onto new platforms so that it can find even bigger audiences, said Chronicle Editor in Chief Emilio Garcia-Ruiz. In partnering with Martin Gero and his Quinns House production company, we selected someone who not only shared our love for this story, but hes also very well positioned to get the project developed through his partnership with Universal.

Written by Chronicle narrative writer Jason Fagone, The Jessica Simulation is about 33-year-old Joshua Barbeau, who is still mourning his fiancee, Jessica, eight years after her death from a rare liver disease. Barbeau turns to a mysterious website and uses Jessicas old texts and Facebook messages to create an A.I. chatbot in her voice. Through a conversation stretching over months with the A.I. version of Jessica, Barbeau grapples with his grief and confronts what it means to move forward.

The A.I. technology here is wild, but I was really drawn to the human element  the strange and beautiful love story that played out between Joshua and Jessica, in life and even after her death, said Fagone. Theres something universal about it, too, because grief is universal. It was a privilege to tell it, and Im looking forward to seeing it adapted for the screen.



Fagone talked to Fifth & Mission host Cecilia Lei about the story on the podcast.

On SFChronicle.com, The Jessica Simulation was a collaborative effort. Fagone worked with Investigative Editor Lisa Gartner on the story, with copy editing by Peter Erikson.

It was clear to me from the moment that Jason pitched it that Joshua and Jessicas story was special, said Gartner. Too many of us have lost loved ones in the pandemic. Through Jasons reporting and writing, I knew we could tell an important, empathetic story about grief, technology and how theyre colliding.

Photographer Chloe Ellingson and Deputy Director of Visuals Emily Jan contributed the photographs, with design and development by former Chronicle intern David Deloso, Designer Daymond Gascon, Senior Newsroom Developer Evan Wagstaff and Creative Director Danielle Mollette-Parks.

About The San Francisco Chronicle

The San Francisco Chronicle (www.sfchronicle.com) is the largest newspaper in Northern California and the second largest on the West Coast. Acquired by the Hearst Corporation in 2000, The San Francisco Chronicle was founded in 1865 by Charles and Michael de Young and has been awarded six Pulitzer Prizes for journalistic excellence. The staff won ONA Online Journalism Awards for General Excellence in 2020 and for Breaking News coverage in 2019 and 2020. Follow us on Twitter at @SFChronicle.
From Director of News Demian Bulwa:

Were thrilled to announce that Sara Libby is joining The Chronicle as the politics editor, overseeing coverage from the Bay Area, Sacramento and Washington, D.C.

Libby comes to our newsroom from Voice of San Diego, a nonprofit investigative news outlet, where she has been managing editor. A graduate of the USC Annenberg School of Journalism, she had previously served as an editor at Politico, TPM and the Los Angeles Daily Journal. Her writing has appeared in The Atlantic, Slate, CityLab, the Los Angeles Times and elsewhere.

In her new position, Libby will oversee a range of coverage critical to our readers, covering elections and policy debates on the local, state and national levels; holding public officials accountable; and explaining what the countrys biggest political battles  over civil rights, housing, water, education and climate change, among other issues  mean for Bay Area residents every day.

The Chronicles political team has broken some of the biggest stories in recent memory, including Gov. Gavin Newsoms ill-fated trip to the French Laundry in the Napa Valley amid the pandemic. It produces voter guides and investigates waste and fraud. Senior political writer Joe Garofoli hosts the Its All Political podcast, and his columns are a must-read for those who care about power and influence in California.

About The San Francisco Chronicle

The San Francisco Chronicle (www.sfchronicle.com) is the largest newspaper in Northern California and the second largest on the West Coast. Acquired by the Hearst Corporation in 2000, The San Francisco Chronicle was founded in 1865 by Charles and Michael de Young and has been awarded six Pulitzer Prizes for journalistic excellence. The staff won ONA Online Journalism Awards for General Excellence in 2020 and for Breaking News coverage in 2019 and 2020. Follow us on Twitter at @SFChronicle.
Last month, the median sale price for a Bay Area house was $1.3 million. It took about eight days for most homes to be snatched up in Santa Clara County. And just last week, a Walnut Creek four-bedroom still badly charred by a fire sold for $850,000 after attracting 13 offers.

Despite it all, a new report by the California Association of Realtors suggests that the regions housing market may be leveling off after months of record-breaking prices, bidding wars and ever-increasing anxiety about unaffordability.

The market is kind of normalizing after having been just so imbalanced for such a long time, said Jordan Levine, the associations vice president and chief economist. We do expect that the pace of home sales and the price of home sales will moderate.

The median cost of a single-family home in the Bay Area dipped 3.6% in July compared to the previous month, the report found, and prices declined or plateaued in all but two of the regions nine counties. The number of homes sold last month compared to June dropped significantly in several counties, including a 26% decline in Napa County and a 21% dip in San Francisco.

The biggest regional price drop in July was a 7.7% decrease in Sonoma County, to a median $761,700 sale price, followed by a 7.3% dip in San Mateo County to $2.1 million. Prices dropped 5% in San Francisco, to a median $1.9 million, and stayed flat in Alameda County at $1.3 million.

Still, all price changes are relative in one of the worlds most expensive housing markets. Julys Bay Area home prices were still 24% higher than the same time last summer. And while the pandemic changed the dynamic in many local housing markets, California home prices have long been boosted by more systemic factors like restrictive zoning laws, uneven property taxes and a consistent lack of new housing.

Linda Ngo has seen how these cycles play out before. The Coldwell Banker real estate consultant grew up in Marin and found herself at the center of the exodus from San Francisco last year, when Millennials and other clients were moving out of the city and into homes with offices and outdoor space in Oakland, Marin, Livermore and beyond.

In the last few months, shes seen another shift. Where homes in Marin were regularly going for 15% or more over the asking price as recently as this spring, many are now going for more like 5% over. It was rare a few months ago to see houses last more than about a week on the market, but some are now available for 20 days or more.

I am seeing that demand soften a little bit, Ngo said. Now that companies are talking about having their employees come back to the office part time, people are realizing that maybe they do need to go back to the city.

Across California, demand for houses continues to outpace the supply of homes for sale, with 70% of homes sold last month going above the asking price, the California Association of Realtors report found. Another recent analysis by mortgage site HSH.com concluded that it takes an annual income of $254,532 in San Jose and $208,015 in San Francisco to afford the average mortgage  far more than the $129,444 needed in San Diego or $86,833 in Portland.

All the housing competition in recent months has also highlighted glaring inequities in the Bay Area market. Backlash to homeless encampments and concern about renter evictions are both hitting a boiling point as emergency pandemic programs wind down. Some people who already own homes have also spoken out about problems like potential racial bias in determining the value of a house.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

One thing Levine will be gauging in the coming months is whether more homes go up for sale, and if familiar seasonal buying patterns  busier in the summer, calmer in the winter  return after being derailed during pandemic shutdowns. One wild card, he said, is what may happen with the rise of the delta variant of the coronavirus.

It seems like every time the public health numbers get worse, folks get more interested in housing, he said. Those suburban markets in particular start to punch above their weight.

Ngo said shes still seeing a domino effect, where former San Francisco dwellers move to houses in places like Oakland and help boost the prices there, in turn encouraging existing homeowners to sell and take the proceeds to more affordable places like the Sacramento area.

Lately, Ngo has also been seeing more interest from investors as ordinary home buyers grapple with fatigue from unfruitful searches. Some are just waiting to see what happens, hoping theres still a bigger dip to come.

A lot of people think theres no way this market can keep going like this, Ngo said. But I think theyre wrong.

Lauren Hepler is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: lauren.hepler@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @LAHepler
Good morning, Bay Area. Its Thursday, Aug. 19, and investigators are mystified by the deaths of a family of three on a Mariposa County hiking trail. Heres what you need to know to start your day.

Over the past few days, wildfires have stunned Northern California with their speed, ferocity and destructive power.

The Cache Fire in Clearlake broke out Wednesday, fanned by gusty winds and prompting evacuations. In El Dorado County, the Caldor Fire exploded from 6,000 to 54,000 acres in just 24 hours, forcing evacuations and exhibiting what officials called unprecedented fire behavior.

Meanwhile, firefighters Wednesday continued to battle the month-old Dixie Fire, which grew more than 31,000 acres in 24 hours, threatening the town of Susanville.

 Beyond hazardous: Heres how bad Tahoe air quality has been this summer.

 What data shows about Dixie Fires rapid growth and how its different.

 PG&E outages affecting thousands in Bay Area: What to know about the public safety shut-offs.

 Federal judge investigating PG&Es role in Dixie Fire orders utility worker to appear in court.

 Newsom pledges stronger wildfire response during visit to devastated Big Basin State Park.

 Live Updates on the latest California wildfire news + California fire map: Track the latest wildfires across the state. Air quality map: See ratings near you.

Coronavirus Updates

Jessica Christian/The Chronicle

While unvaccinated people continue to bear the brunt of delta-driven coronavirus cases, more breakthrough infections are occurring than previously expected.

Only recently has there been data showing unvaccinated versus vaccinated cases in the Bay Area, with six counties now sharing case rates by vaccination status.

Susie Neilson shares available data from each county to see what it can and cannot say about vaccine protection from the delta variant.

 Certain immunocompromised patients can now receive a third dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna coronavirus vaccine in San Francisco.

 Bay Area health officials say they are ready to scale up to administer boosters. Heres how that will happen. Also: What you need to know about getting a booster shot.

 The TSAs mask mandate on commercial flights, buses and trains has been extended through Jan. 18.

 The alarming rise of COVID-19 cases in the Bay area has prompted organizers of the popular Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival to rethink this years plans.

 COVID in California: Latest news and updates.

Around the Bay

 Definitely bizarre: Remote hiking area where Northern California family was found dead treated as a hazmat site.

 BART station shooting case: California attorney general will review second police officers role in killing of Oscar Grant.

 School district accused of negligence: Husband of Dublin school board member killed at food giveaway files claim.

 Witness information sought: Family of late Bay Area rapper Zumbi hires lawyers to investigate cause of death at Berkeley hospital.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

 Deadly spate of shootings in S.F.: Police investigating four killings in five days amid surge of gun violence.

 Taking firearms makers to court: S.F. District Attorney Chesa Boudin and anti-gun-violence advocates to sue ghost gun manufacturers.

 Many uncertainties: Muni Metro could expand to Fishermans Wharf and the Richmond, if S.F. finds the funds to make it happen.

 Supervisors seek go-ahead: Santa Clara County wants to close an airport tied to high lead levels in kids. Will the FAA let it?

 Getting ready: Democratic leaders gear up for the recall election and its biggest opponent, voter apathy. From Joe Garofoli: Whats behind Gavin Newsoms advice to not vote for a recall replacement candidate.

Chronicle Food

Michelle Chou

Rob Lam swore hed never serve another plate of his stunt-turned-viral nightmare $72 crab fried rice at Lily in San Francisco. But now, the chef has resurrected it  at $500 a plate, and for a good cause.

The crab fried rice will return to the modern Vietnamese restaurant starting next Wednesday, with the proceeds going to local community organizations. Only 10 orders total will be available for dine-in only by reservation every week on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Lam said he wanted to leverage the response to Chronicle critic Soleil Hos recent story about the dish.

Read more from Elena Kadvany.

 Japanese curry hit Hinoya is already opening a new location in Berkeley.

Bay Briefing is written by Kellie Hwang and Anna Buchmann and sent to readers email inboxes on weekday mornings. Sign up for the newsletter here, and contact the writers at anna.buchmann@sfchronicle.com and kellie.hwang@sfchronicle.com.
With on-the-job outbreaks of the coronavirus on the rise across California, state workplace safety regulators once again find themselves racing to update rules on vaccines, masking and a host of other virus prevention measures.

During a meeting of the Cal/OSHA Standards Board Thursday, members said the soonest they are likely to vote on new rules potentially designed to tamp down outbreaks is December, after the surge in cases driven by the highly infectious delta variant are expected to spike.

That means, under current statewide rules, vaccinated people do not have to wear masks while unvaccinated people do, although workers can self-attest that they have been vaccinated without showing proof. Social distancing and capacity restrictions are also not in force.

In the Bay Area, eight of the nine Bay Area counties require universal masking indoors, with Solano County as the exception. Rules for workplaces enforced by Cal/OSHA are separate than what is required by state and county health departments in other public spaces, however.

Board member Laura Stock said during the meeting that a report from state health officials last week indicated that workplaces outbreaks reported to county health departments continue to rise, particularly among unvaccinated workers.

Stock said breakthrough cases in vaccinated people are also to blame, and that data show front line workers make up about a quarter of workplace infections, with Latino workers continuing to be disproportionately affected.

Labor and business representatives also pleaded with the board to more regularly gather and release accurate data on workplace outbreaks. They said that would make it easier to accurately update the emergency statewide standard originally adopted in November and updated with looser masking and other restrictions in June.

We are 19 months into this pandemic, and the fact that we dont have data on this is a little embarrassing, Michael Miller with the California Association of Wine Grape Growers said during public comment.

Rob Moutrie with the California Chamber of Commerce urged the board to update its rules to plan for the future and adopt a standard that will still be applicable next year and beyond.

The board did away with masking restrictions for vaccinated people at work in June, along with social distancing and other measures to roughly coincide with the states June 15 reopening that has since set off a surge of cases in California.

We need a standard for COVID-19 that can be responsive to the situation on the ground, said Stephen Knight, executive director of the worker safety nonprofit Worksafe.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

Anne Katten with the California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation noted the boards rules, which only require indoor masking for unvaccinated people, Lag behind CDC and state guidelines, and urged them to adopt changes that can be adjusted based on statewide and local infection levels.

But gathering that information has proved a challenge for local and state health departments.

Under a state law that took effect this year, all businesses have to take steps to prevent the spread of the virus in the workplace, and are required to report to county health departments when an outbreak occurs.

That data is then reported to the California Department of Public Health, which breaks it out by industry, but the process has been imperfect. Stock said public information on outbreaks available from the CDPH Often lags behind given the time to capture and record data.

Chase DiFeliciantonio is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: chase.difeliciantonio@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ChaseDiFelice
The Pacific Gas and Electric Co. worker who found damaged power equipment near the origin point of the monstrous Dixie Fire has been ordered to appear in federal court next month for questioning.

U.S. District Judge William Alsup on Wednesday told PG&E to produce the employee in person at a hearing Sept. 13 in San Francisco. Alsup indicated that he and attorneys would question the unnamed worker.

PG&E previously said that one of its electric employees found a tree on a power line, blown fuses and flames spreading near where the Dixie Fire started last month by the Cresta Dam in the Sierra Nevadas Feather River Canyon.

The Dixie Fire has since destroyed more than 1,200 structures and burned 635,000 acres around Lake Almanor, making it the second largest wildfire in Californias recorded history. It was 33% contained Wednesday afternoon.

Alsup oversees PG&Es criminal probation arising from the 2010 San Bruno gas pipeline explosion. He has heavily scrutinized the company over its role in wildfires and has asked about its possible link to the Dixie Fire.

PG&E told The Chronicle it was aware of Alsups latest order, which included 17 follow-up questions about the Dixie Fire. The company said it would respond by the judges Aug. 31 deadline.

In a separate order Tuesday, Alsup asked PG&E another series of questions about the Dixie Fire. One of them asked whether a drone that interfered with early firefighting efforts was being flown by an off-duty PG&E contractor.

Alsup referred to information that he said the company had previously provided to its court-appointed monitor.

PG&E spokesman James Noonan said in an email that the company would update the court on what appears to be a misunderstanding based on early reports and preliminary information. He reiterated information PG&E relayed to Alsup on Monday, saying the company was not aware of any evidence showing that one of its contractors was flying a drone close to where the Dixie Fire started in mid-July.

Separately, the leader of the California Public Utilities Commission said Wednesday that her agency may soon impose more oversight on PG&E.

CPUC President Marybel Batjer said in a letter to PG&Es top executive that she had told her staff to review the companys pattern of self-reported missed inspections and other self-reported safety incidents.

Specifically, Batjer said she was responding to PG&E admissions that the company had missed inspections of various electric facilities. She also said the company had missed internal goals for tree trimming and had failed to find dry rot in certain distribution poles. Many of the problems had occurred in high-fire threat areas, she said.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

The review could move PG&E further along a six-step process of escalating regulatory enforcement created as a condition of the companys exit from bankruptcy protection last summer. The sixth and strictest step in the enforcement process could result in PG&E losing its operating license.

PG&E was already in the first and least strict step of the process in April after regulators found that the company did not properly prioritize tree trimming along its power lines most at risk of causing wildfires in 2020. The move required PG&E to create a plan detailing how it would rectify the issue this year.

The CPUC and I hold customer safety as a top priority and expect leadership from PG&E to execute on its safety responsibilities, Batjer said. This is a message PG&E has heard from us more times than should be necessary.

PG&E said in a statement that it welcomes the commissions fact-finding review of issues which we have identified, self-reported, and are working to correct.

J.D. Morris is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jd.morris@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @thejdmorris
San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin is suing the manufacturers of three companies that make and distribute untraceable ghost guns, touching off what appears to be a first-of-its-kind legal battle against the type of weaponry that made up nearly half of the citys firearms recovered in gun killings last year.

The suit, filed jointly alongside law firm Keker, Van Nest & Peters and the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, alleges that the manufacturers violated state laws that require them to apply for serial numbers, and that they misled consumers into believing the unserialized weapons were legal.

The companies named in the suit are Blackhawk Manufacturing Group, GS Performance and MDX Corp., three companies that Boudin said were responsible for producing a large share of the firearms found in California.

The companies did not respond to requests for comment.

The suit seeks monetary penalties as well as a court order that would bar the companies from shipping their products into the state.

Ghost guns pose a grave threat to public safety, Boudin said in a Wednesday statement announcing the lawsuit, noting that theyre readily available for purchase by children and people legally prohibited from owning guns. Together we will confront the severity of the gun violence epidemic at its source.

Ghost guns have increasingly appeared in the aftermath of Bay Area robberies, gang shootings and homicides, and are often sought out by criminals who can buy them without a background check and have them shipped almost anywhere in the U.S.

The weapons come in parts or disassembled kits, and online how-to videos make assembly easy for anyone with an internet connection.

Since the weapons come in pieces, theyre not technically considered firearms and can be shipped without serial numbers. So unlike conventional firearms, which can be traced back to the original buyer if found at the scene of a crime, ghost guns take away a crucial investigative function for police.

Those who purchase ghost guns are legally required to register the firearm with the U.S. Department of Justice to receive a serial number, subjecting the owner to the same background check as any other gun. But theres no oversight on this law and, as a result, critics say, little compliance.

Police in San Francisco, Oakland and other large cities have seen exploding rates of ghost gun seizures over the past year after recording almost none a few years back.

In San Francisco, police seized 164 ghost guns last year  a more than 2,600% increase from the six they confiscated in 2015  and have processed over 150 so far in 2021. Police Chief Bill Scott recently told The Chronicle that 44% of the recovered guns used in San Francisco homicides last year were ghost guns, compared to 6% in 2019.

Oakland police said ghost guns accounted for 22% of all firearms Oakland police confiscated by March of this year, compared to 7% in 2019.

Boudin said the proliferation of ghost guns has undermined the ability to hold gun offenders accountable. The untraceable weapons are specifically built to evade compliance with state and federal laws that allow police and prosecutors to investigate and charge cases, he said.

What weve seen is that theyre both easier for people to get who shouldnt have them, and harder for law enforcement investigators to trace, track and prosecute, Boudin said.

The three manufacturers named as defendants are based in California, and they delivered kits to investigators who ordered them.

We made fully functional, highly lethal firearms that had no serial numbers, all just by placing an order online and having these kits delivered, Boudin said.

The complaint states that the manufacturers often advertise their products as legal but fail to disclose additional steps buyers need to take  like obtaining a serial number  to remain on the right side of the law.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

The focus on consumer protection violations gives the District Attorneys Office a clear opportunity to step in, said Hannah Shearer, litigation director at the Giffords Law Center.

Theyre misleading their customers about the legality of their products, and thats how they make all their sales, Shearer said.

Mattie Scott, a San Francisco-based activist who lost her son and nephew to shootings, said the lawsuit comes at a time of critical urgency to find new approaches to end gun violence.

Decades of rising gun violence, especially in communities of color, have demonstrated that the current punitive approaches through the criminal justice system have not worked to end gun violence, said Scott, president of the California chapter of the Brady anti-gun-violence group.

San Franciscos gun violence is up by 95% this year over last, according to police data, an epidemic that tracks with cities across the country. The nonprofit research group Gun Violence Archive reported 56 deaths per day by gunfire across the country this year, compared to an average of 41 deaths per day over the past seven years.

Other local and national officials have recently taken steps to curb the sale of ghost guns. San Francisco Supervisor Catherine Stefani recently authored legislation that would make San Francisco the first city in the state to ban the possession and sale of ghost gun kits and parts.

The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in San Francisco Superior Court, has the potential to be precedent-setting, Boudin said.

It is our hope that not only will we immediately deter the ghost gun manufacturers from shipping guns to San Francisco, he said, but that we will make law that will facilitate enforcement against all ghost manufacturers that ship anywhere in the state of California.

Megan Cassidy is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: megan.cassidy@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @meganrcassidy
Heres a message from the U.S. government to immigrants, whether your presence is legal or illegal: We will no longer call you aliens.

While President Biden has halted some of Donald Trumps most visible attempts to close the nations doors  building a wall at the Mexican border and banning U.S. entry from a group of mostly Muslim nations  he has not yet delivered on his campaign promise to reassert Americas commitment to asylum-seekers and refugees and end Trumps assault on our values and our history as a nation of immigrants.

But Biden has changed the governments immigration vocabulary. Words arent deeds, but theyre a start.

Shortly after taking office, Biden issued an executive order Feb. 2 calling for welcoming strategies that promote integration, inclusion and citizenship, including the terms used to describe entrants.

In April, the border policing agencies, U.S. Customs and Border Protection as well as Immigration and Customs Enforcement, told their officers to remove aliens from their vocabulary. On July 23, Jean King, director of the Justice Departments Executive Office of Immigration Review, issued an order directing the nations immigration judges, who are Justice Department employees, to refer to individuals appearing in their courts as non-citizens or migrants rather than aliens.

The Biden administration is also backing legislation that would reword the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act, and other federal laws, to replace alien with other terminology. California has already taken that step with its own laws, under legislation signed by Gov. Jerry Brown in 2015.

The verbiage, at least, contrasts with the tone of the past four years, when Trump regularly proclaimed the dangers of criminal illegal aliens, despite studies showing lower rates of crime among immigrants, both documented and undocumented, than for the nation as a whole.

We consider them essential workers, but were totally fine calling them illegals and aliens, said Jose Antonio Vargas, referring to his fellow undocumented immigrants who work in such fields as health care, crop harvesting and fire prevention. We dont want to recognize the humanity of the people.

Vargas, who migrated from the Philippines with his family at age 12, worked as a reporter for The Chronicle and the Washington Post before founding the media advocacy group Define American 10 years ago. Language, he said, dictates the framing of the conversation about immigration.

As immigration scholar Kevin Johnson, now the law school dean at UC Davis, put it in a 1997 law review article, Persons have rights while aliens do not. In a recent interview, Johnson observed that the term implies something that is not human, and its not us.

Some on the other side of the debate share the viewpoint that words matter.

We use the term illegal alien because theyre here illegally, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said in a Twitter post in April, after the federal agencies told their officers to change their language. This kind of weakness and obsession with political correctness is why were having a crisis on the border.

The term alien is precise, accurate, and in no way offensive, Robert Law, a former Trump administration immigration official, said on the website of the restrictionist Center for Immigration Studies. To suggest otherwise is to suspend reality.

A similar message came from the Supreme Courts conservative majority in a February 2018 ruling allowing the government to lock up immigrants indefinitely, without bail, while awaiting a hearing on their possible deportation or right to asylum. In a 31-page majority opinion, Justice Samuel Alito used the word alien or aliens more than 130 times  observing, for example, that even once inside the United States, aliens do not have an absolute right to remain here.

It was also a frequent theme for Trump, who opened his first presidential campaign in 2015 by portraying Mexican immigrants as rapists and drug dealers.

One of his last acts in office was to declare Nov. 1, 2020, two days before the presidential election, as a National Day of Remembrance for Americans Killed by Illegal Aliens.

Trump also tried, unsuccessfully, to strip federal funds from San Francisco and other sanctuary cities that refused to take part in federal immigration enforcement  cities that, he declared in his 2020 State of the Union speech, were releasing dangerous criminal aliens to prey upon the public.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

Biden has ended the governments campaign against sanctuary cities and dropped a Trump administration rule that denied legal status and work permits to non-citizens who accept federal benefits, like Medicaid or food stamps. He has allowed unaccompanied minors  though not adults  to enter the United States while seeking asylum during the pandemic and has reunited a small number of the thousands of parents and children separated at the border by his predecessors policies.

And the $3.5 trillion budget legislation moving through Congress, with support from Biden and Democratic leaders, includes a path to citizenship for the millions of undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children and granted legal status under President Barack Obamas program of Deferred Access for Childhood Arrivals, a program that Trump tried to repeal.

But Biden has largely continued Trumps shutdown of the Mexican border to new entrants during the coronavirus pandemic. He has maintained another Trump policy expanding immigration officers authority to deport migrants immediately without a hearing on their claim for asylum. And he has renewed federal contracts authorizing many local police departments to make immigration arrests on their own.

While Republicans like Cotton accuse Biden of open-border policies that have led to a crisis at the Mexican border, the American Civil Liberties Union says the president and his Homeland Security secretary, Alejandro Mayorkas, are not doing enough to reverse the drastic restrictions of the Trump administration and to end the ongoing trauma inflicted by Americas inhumane immigration enforcement system.

But the atmosphere has changed in the nations immigration courts, where non-citizens seeking to remain in the U.S. will no longer be referred to as aliens, except in citations to the longstanding federal laws that Biden wants to repeal. Its a term that many judges had reportedly stopped using in court hearings long ago, though it has still appeared in their written decisions.

Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, a daughter of immigrants, are starting with language, and I think thats where they should start, said Vargas, the undocumented immigrant and founder of Define American. But now they have to deliver.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko
JANESVILLE, Lassen County  Thousands of firefighters continued their assaults Thursday on several massive wildfires burning across Northern California, including two menacing blazes in the Sierra Nevada that contributed to smoky skies across the Bay Area.

One of the most challenging efforts is the campaign to rein in the behemoth, month-old Dixie Fire, which grew to nearly 700,000 acres while containment held at 35%. The second-largest fire in Californias recorded history, its flattened more than 1,200 structures, including about 650 single-family homes in the northern Sierra by Lake Almanor. Three first responders have been injured.

Resources to help contain the fire have been stretched thin because of the large number of fires burning in California and other states, federal officials said.

Firefighters said they had maintained aggressive engagement on the east side of the fire near Janesville, and rotary aircraft had helped crews working in the Genessee Valley.

On Janesville Grade Road, small and large tankers repeatedly dumped retardant on the flames.

Were going to keep pounding it, a Cal Fire firefighter said as a tanker rumbled overhead. Several minutes later, however, the valley below filled with smoke and the planes ceased their drops.

Instead, helicopters moved in and made water drops. Other helicopters flew over the edge of the fire, peering at its progress and plotting the firefight. Nearby, water tankers filled portable rubber pools with water and a crew prepared to hike in and combat the flames.

Farther south in the Sierra, the menacing Caldor Fire remained completely out of control as it burned through the Eldorado National Forest south of Pollock Pines in El Dorado County. More than 100 structures have been destroyed and nearly 7,000 more were threatened by the 68,000-acre fire. It has injured two people since it started Saturday near the community of Grizzly Flats, which was subsequently devastated by flames.

Maranie R. Staab/Special to The Chronicle

Officials said fire activity was relatively calm early in the day but picked up after about 3 p.m., burning through steep drainages stuffed with dead and fallen vegetation. Californias severe drought has provided ample fuel for the Caldor Fire, drying trees and brush to levels not typically seen until late September, according to Cal Fire.

As of late Thursday afternoon, the fire remained south of Highway 50 and had not yet crossed the critical route that links the Sacramento area to the south side of Lake Tahoe. But the fire was just a few hundred yards away from the highway, said Cal Fire operations section chief Eric Schwab. He said the fire had been spreading east, away from most structures in the area.

The Dixie and Caldor fires were among 13 large wildland blazes being fought by more than 11,000 firefighters across California on Thursday. More than 1.4 million acres have burned since the start of the year, as the state sinks deeper into drought conditions exacerbated by rising temperatures linked to climate change.

The flames filled Bay Area skies with smoke, prompting air-quality officials to issue Spare the Air Alerts for Thursday and Friday. Wood-burning devices were banned while the alerts are in effect, and people were urged to stay inside if they could smell smoke.

Weather forecasters expect Bay Area air quality to begin improving Friday, as winds from the ocean push wildfire smoke east. That pattern should persist over the weekend, said Brian Garcia, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Monterey.

But Garcia said the incoming wind gusts could also fuel the growth of new grass fires in the Bay Area, should any sparks set them off.

The fuels are still very dry, and any sort of wind kind of makes all our hairs stand up on the backs of our necks, Garcia said. Grass fires can really take a run in these types of conditions.

In Lake County, the Cache Fire that broke out Wednesday and destroyed dozens of structures in the Clearlake area was 75 acres and 40% contained Thursday evening, officials said.

Law enforcement leaders said they were not aware of any deaths or missing people in connection with the fire. They said firefighters were initially responding to an oven fire Wednesday when they saw a column of smoke rising from the southeast corner of town, where they found debris, cars and vegetation burning amid winds that exceeded 20 mph.

Fire Tracker Follow wildfires across the state Latest updates on wildfires burning across Northern and Southern California

Near the east side of the raging Dixie Fire, Joe Egan and his daughter Rylie zipped up and down dirt roads on ATVs amid smoldering logs and occasional flashes of flames as they searched for 700 head of cattle Thursday morning.

The Egans, who came equipped with a pickup truck and cattle trailer, and two ATVs, were either rescuing cows or trying to drive them away from the active areas of the Dixie Fire as it spread east and south above Janesville.

They found just eight, which they trucked to their land in Janesville but hadnt spotted any more. Theyre scattered everywhere, said Joe, who has five allotments allowing cattle to graze in the Plumas National Forest.

As Rylie, who also works as an ER nurse in Reno, waited for her dad to return from a cow-searching expedition, she gave directions to various out-of-town firefighters, and asked each one, Havent seen any cattle, have you?

No one had.

This is the third straight year fires have burned through the Egans grazing areas.

Its an every-year thing now, Rylie said.

San Francisco Chronicle staff writer Lauren Hernandez contributed to this report.

Michael Cabanatuan and J.D. Morris are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com, jd.morris@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ctuan, @thejdmorris
An alleged scooter-riding vandal accused of smashing the windows of 20 Chinese-owned businesses in San Francisco is facing 33 criminal charges, including hate crime allegations, prosecutors said Monday.

Between April and this month, officials said 36-year-old Derik Barreto took a slingshot, pipe or hammer to the windows of Chinese businesses along the Ocean Avenue corridor and in the Mission, using a scooter as his mode of transportation.
After a sharp rise in new coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in the Bay Area over the summer, the numbers appear to be plateauing or even dropping  although they remain at worryingly high levels.

Cases are leveling off in the Bay Area because weve been aggressively trying to control this through a variety of means, said Dr. George Rutherford, an infectious disease expert at UCSF.

Since the beginning of August, the seven-day average of new daily cases in the Bay Area has hovered just under 23 infections per 100,000 residents.

Thats lower than in national hot spots such as Arkansas and Tennessee, where weekly new cases have reached the 50s or 60s per 100,000 and hospitals are under enormous strain. But it is still far above the ratio of fewer than 5 new cases per 100,000, which is considered a safe level of community transmission by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

While the daily rates vary wildly by individual counties in the region  with some seeing the numbers climb while others experience a drop-off  the overall trend reflects the unrelenting, unpredictable nature of the highly contagious delta variant of the virus.

Things are coming down a little bit, Dr. Grant Colfax, San Franciscos health officer, said during a briefing Thursday. We dont know if its going to go back up, plateau or go down.

The seven-day average of daily cases in San Francisco has stayed around 22 cases per 100,000 residents for the past two weeks, with more than 100 people hospitalized on any given day. The picture is the same in many other Bay Area counties. Contra Costa has reported a steady average of 28 daily cases per 100,000 residents over the past two weeks, with about 220 people hospitalized; and Santa Clara County is consistently reporting 16 cases a day per 100,000 residents, with more than 200 people hospitalized.

In Sonoma County, Weve been holding at an elevated but stable level of 19.9 new cases per 100,000 residents, Dr. Sundari Mase, county health officer, said Wednesday. While our case rate has been holding relatively steady, we continue to see a steep rise in our hospitalizations.

Hospitalizations have been rising across in the Bay Area overall, more than tripling from July 18 to Aug. 18. Hospitalizations typically level off well after cases because it can take a while for infected people to need inpatient treatment.

The good news is that virus mitigation measures appear to be working.

We should all be worried that theres a lot of COVID circulating in the population, said Dr. Catherine Blish, an immunologist at Stanford. But its also important to note that this is something thats been true throughout the pandemic  that what we see in the hospital today is a result of what happened most likely two to three weeks ago, and we only started to ask people to go back to masking and so forth several weeks ago.

Eight of the nine Bay Area counties  Solano being the exception  now require everyone to wear masks indoors in public, regardless of vaccination status. And one of the strictest measures in the nation, San Franciscos citywide vaccine mandate, goes into effect Friday. It requires all residents age 12 and older to show proof of vaccination before engaging in some indoor activities like drinking or dining.

San Francisco has clearly turned the corner (not that it cant un-turn if we get careless), Dr. Robert Wachter, chief of the Department of Medicine at UCSF, tweeted Thursday.

In Los Angeles County, the first county to reinstate a mask mandate, the increase in daily COVID-19 cases has already slowed significantly over the last few weeks, notes Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, a professor specializing in infectious diseases at UCSF.

Health experts are watching closely as children go back to school in person, with masks required but limited remote learning options and no physical distancing requirements.

Youre going to see cases in schools, Rutherford said. But he added that because children under 12 are not yet eligible to get vaccinated and the delta variant is so infectious, it will likely prompt more compliance with safety protocols  outside of the classroom as well as inside it.

Going back to school has gotten people worried and motivated, he said.

Dr. Robert Siegel, a virology expert at Stanford, said that cases could again trend upward if rules are relaxed while the delta variant remains prevalent.

Jana Asenbrennerova/Special to The Chronicle

The virus tracks peoples behavior, he said. But the fact is that if we go back to those behaviors again, it will rise.

More Information Correction: An earlier version of this article misstated hospitalization numbers in the Bay Area. They have been corrected and are higher than previous figures. See More Collapse

The delta variant, more than twice as infectious as the original coronavirus and nearly as contagious as chickenpox, has upended much of the regions progress against the pandemic, even in populations that are highly vaccinated.

With about 54% of its residents fully vaccinated, California averages 10,000 new cases a day, a tenfold increase since July 1, with COVID-19 hospitalizations rising more than fivefold during that time for the state and the Bay Area.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

A sustained decrease in cases will require more people to get vaccinated, the experts said.

For delta, we need at least 85% of the population to be vaccinated to feel confident, Chin-Hong said. In San Francisco, 71% of residents are fully vaccinated.

Chin-Hong is optimistic that the Bay Area will get there, especially once children younger than 12 are eligible for the vaccine, given how strong the vaccine uptake has been among those 12 to 17 in the region.

Even if youre vaccinated, try to convince somebody else to get vaccinated, Siegel said.

Between increased vaccinations and a temporary boost in natural immunity coming from recent cases, Chin-Hong said we are likely to see a dip in cases soon. He added that unless even more people get vaccinated, we will probably see another surge in the winter.

He also thinks that booster shots for the immunocompromised will help slow the increase in cases as well. San Francisco and Marin County health officials announced Wednesday announced that they will offer a third dose of the Pfizer or Moderna coronavirus vaccine to certain immunocompromised patients to help boost immunity.

Still, new variants might behave in unpredictable ways, Siegel said.

The delta variants behavior basically has taken everyone by surprise, he said. I dont think weve seen all the tricks this virus has to put out there.

Moving forward, Chin-Hong said he thinks that we will continue to see small waves of coronavirus infections, but he hopes that the rate of vaccination will keep hospitalizations low.

We will have to learn to live with COVID because its probably not going to go away, he said. The question is, how much as a society are we willing to live with the fact that you might get a cold, or are we going to have zero tolerance for that?

Time will tell, he said.

San Francisco Chronicle staff writer Trisha Thadani contributed to this report.

Aidin Vaziri and Danielle Echeverria are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: avaziri@sfchronicle.com, danielle.echeverria@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @DanielleEchev
The surge in Bay Area cases appears to be leveling off, experts say  but at a level that is too high for comfort. And while the vaccines work well, its increasingly clear that breakthrough cases among the vaccinated are more common than initially expected. Here is Bay Area data by county on breakthroughs in unvaccinated versus vaccinated people. California is not likely to update its workplace pandemic standards again until December.

Resources on COVID-19 and Californias reopening:For detailed maps and new city-by-city Bay Area data, check out The Chronicles Coronavirus Tracker. To get regular updates on our coverage, sign up for our coronavirus newsletter.

Latest updates:

Grace Cathedral manates vaccinations: We will be requiring that everyone 12 years and above will need to show proof of vaccination before entry into Grace Cathedral, church officials wrote on Thursday. The rule will start on Aug. 24 with Yoga on the Labyrinth, and cover all services and events on Aug. 29.

Exploratorium issues vaccination mandate: The Exploratorium in San Francisco announced Thursday that it will require proof of a COVID-19 vaccination for all visitors age 12 and older starting Friday. As a science institution, we are following the data on COVID-19 and public health guidance that strongly indicate vaccinations are the most effective way to protect ourselves and our community from COVID-19, the Exploratoriums statement said. As proof of vaccination, it will accept an original or copy of the CDC record of shot, documentation from a health care provider, or a digital record from the state of California or approved private company.

Texas will not enforce ban on school mask mandates: The Texas Education Agency said Thursday said that Gov. Greg Abbotts ban on mask mandates in schools will not be enforced due to court challenges pending from districts against the governors order. In its public health guidance Thursday the agency said the bans provisions are not being enforced as the result of ongoing litigation. Further guidance will be made available after the court issues are resolved.

S.F. gets tough on employees who defy vaccination rules: San Francisco is moving to suspend 40 employees in the police, fire and sheriffs departments who refused to disclose whether they are vaccinated against the coronavirus, a step that shows how seriously officials are taking the citys vaccine mandate for its employees. According to the Department of Human Resources, the city is recommending a 10-day unpaid suspension for the 21 employees in the Sheriffs Department, 11 in the Police Department and eight in the Fire Department. Read the full story in The Chronicle.

People want to know: It seems that the list of peoples questions about how to avoid getting infected has only grown in pandemic times. Dr. Bob Wachter, chair of the UCSF Department of Medicine, tweeted Thursday: I seem to be spending half my time answering booster questions, the other half answering "Is it safe to...?" questions. Today's winner in Category 2: Aqua Zumba.* Wachters answer to the latter: * No masks.

Los Angeles County reported to surpass 25,000 pandemic deaths: Los Angeles County reported 35 additional COVID-19 deaths Thursday, based on an analysis of public health data by the Los Angeles Times, pushing the region past 25,000 total fatalities over the course of the pandemic. The county has recorded the most deaths of any county in the United States.

American Airlines extends ban on alcohol sales into January 2022: American Airlines confirmed Thursday it will extend a ban on the sale of alcohol in airplanes main cabins through Jan. 18, Reuters reports. The decision dovetails with a government extension this week on mask mandates for airplanes and airports.

Maskless flyers face $9,000 fines as FAA tackles unruly passengers: The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday proposed $531,545 in civil penalties against 34 airline passengers for unruly behavior  with some facing $9,000 fines for defying mask requirements. That pushed total fines for the year past $1 million, according to a report from Reuters.

California school district requires eligible students to get vaccinated: Culver City Unified, which is located in Los Angeles County, has become one of the first school districts in the state to require all eligible students, teachers and staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19. The district will also require students and teachers to be tested for the coronavirus weekly to attend school in person.

Cases leveling out  whats that mean?: After a sharp rise of new coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in the Bay Area over the summer, the numbers appear to be plateauing or even dropping  although they remain at worryingly high levels. Experts see mandates and Bay Area strong vaccination rates as drivers of the plateau. But rates of infection are still far higher than the less-than-5 new cases per 100,000 that is considered a safe level of community transmission by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Read the full story to understand the numbers in context.

Marin County offers mass booster day: Marin County is encouraging some immunocompromised people to take advantage of a special clinic to get booster shots on Saturday at the Marin Center on the fairgrounds. The clinic will offer third doses to patients who have received two shots of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine more than 28 days ago and who: have HIV infection; are organ or stem cell transplant recipients taking medicine to suppress the immune system; have been receiving cancer treatment; or are receiving high-dose corticosteroids or other drugs. Appointments are encouraged. People should bring an ID, their COVID-19 vaccination card, health insurance or medical coverage card if they have one. People must attest that they are eligible for the third dose.

California not likely to update workplace pandemic standards until December: With on-the-job outbreaks of the coronavirus on the rise across California, state workplace safety regulators once again find themselves racing to update rules on vaccines, masking and a host of other virus prevention measures. During a meeting of the Cal/OSHA Standards Board Thursday, members said the soonest they are likely to vote on new rules potentially designed to tamp down outbreaks is December, after the surge in cases driven by the highly infectious delta variant are expected to spike. Read the story here.

UCSF Medicine official says San Francisco has clearly turned a corner: Bob Wachter, chair of the Department of Medicine at UCSF, tweeted that the city has clearly turned a corner, but cautioned that it could still U-turn. Chronicle reporter Aidin Vaziri looks at the numbers across the Bay Area as they level off.

Three senators report infections: Sens. Angus King (I-Maine), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) all announced they had tested positive for the coronavirus despite being vaccinated. Read more from CNN.

Washington state reports highest COVID hospitalizations yet: Authorities say there are more people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Washington state than at any time during the pandemic, the Associated Press reports. Cassie Sauer, president of the Washington State Hospital Association, says there were 1,240 people with coronavirus in state hospitals. The previous peak was about 1,100 in December. Sauer says until the recent uptick in cases and hospitalizations due to the delta variant, the COVID-19 hospitalization rate in the state had been holding steady at 300 to 350 people. The numbers began increasing in early July and have been doubling about every two weeks.

Pediatric group pleads with FDA to move quicker with vaccines for children: With more than 120,000 COVID-19 cases were reported among children between Aug. 5 and 12, accounting for about 18% of the total weekly case count in the United States, the American Academy of Pediatrics is asking federal authorities to prioritize vaccines for those under age 12 as schools reopen. In a letter sent to the Food and Drug Administration earlier this month, the group urged the agency to work "aggressively toward authorizing safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines" for children. "Simply stated, the delta variant has created a new and pressing risk to children and adolescents across this country, as it has also done for unvaccinated adults," wrote Dr. Lee Savio Beers, president of AAP.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

CDC study finds mRNA vaccines protect against severe COVID for 6 months: Researchers for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines give fully vaccinated adults protection for at least 24 weeks against severe COVID-19 requiring hospitalization.

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass unveils 2021 plans amid COVID surge: The fourth wave of the coronavirus pandemic has driven the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass online for a second consecutive year, organizers announced Thursday, Aug. 19. See the online lineup here.

Heres what Bay Area data tells us about how delta is impacting the vaccinated: This summers delta-driven coronavirus surge has infected far more unvaccinated people than vaccinated ones. Still, its becoming increasingly clear that breakthrough cases among the vaccinated are more common than initially expected. Read the story here.

Attending a big indoor event in California? Youll need to be vaccinated or tested: California tightened its pandemic rules for large events, as officials continued to plead with holdouts to get fully vaccinated. At indoor gatherings of 1,000 people or more, attendees will have to present proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test within 72 hours. Read the story here.

COVID booster shots  the latest info on when and how to get them in the Bay Area: The Biden administration announced that it was preparing to offer COVID-19 vaccine booster shots to all Americans starting Sept. 20. Heres everything the Bay Area needs to know about the vaccine booster rollout and when you can get yours.

California cracks down on mega event entry rules: California on Wednesday announced tougher entry requirements for mega events. Proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours before an event starts, will be required for indoor gatherings where 1,000 or more participants or spectators are attending, health officials said in a release. The requirement previously applied just to for venues where 5,000 or more people gathered an indoor event, and self-attestation was allowed in lieu of actual proof of vaccination. Officils said the delta transmissions high transmissability necessitated stricter measures.

Disappointing study results on using blood plasma to slow COVID-19: Use of blood plasma from people who have recovered from COVID-19 to slow the disease in high-risk, infected patients has produced surprising and disappointing results, the National Institutes of Health announced Wednesday. A final clinical trial was stopped in February due to lack of efficacy, an NIH news release said. We were hoping that the use of COVID-19 convalescent plasma would achieve at least a 10% reduction in disease progression in this group, but instead the reduction we observed was less than 2%, said a statement from Dr. Clifton Callaway, trial principal investigator and emergency medicine professor at the University of Pittsburgh.

Booster shots available in S.F. for most vulnerable: San Francisco will now offer a third dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna coronavirus vaccine to certain immunocompromised patients, including those who have had organ transplants, have received treatment for blood cancers or are in the advanced stage of an HIV infection. The citys Department of Public Health announcement Wednesday aligns with recent advice from the both the state and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Read the full story here.

L.A. says city workers must get shots by Oct. 5: The Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday voted to require full COVID-19 vaccinations by Oct. 5 for all city employees except for those who have medical or religious exemptions. Petitions for those specific exemptions will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and those who receive exemptions will have to have weekly COVID-19 tests, according to a statement from the office of City Council President Nury Martinez.

Mayor outlines delta variants devastating toll in S.F.: Even with at least 79% of eligible San Franciscans now fully vaccinated, Mayor London Breed said the super-infectious delta variant is still wreaking havoc on the city. On Wednesday, she made a plea for holdouts to get their shots. I am getting calls on a regular basis hearing about friends who have passed away because they have contracted COVID, she said None of those people were vaccinated. With public schools reopening this week, the city is experiencing its third-highest peak of new daily cases since the start of the pandemic, with 115 residents hospitalized with COVID-19. Breed said all of those who are not yet vaccinated are at high risk: Its not a matter of if you will catch the virus. Its a matter of when.

Biden conditions Medicare funding on nursing home staff vaccinations: Continuing to seek ways he can force vaccination among those who have not gotten shots, President Biden said Wednesday he will require nursing home staff to be vaccinated as a condition for those facilities to continue receiving federal Medicare and Medicaid funding. If you work in a nursing home and serve people on Medicare or Medicaid you also will be required to get vaccinated, he told a White House briefing. Vaccination rates among ursing home staffs trail the rest of the country. He referenced data showing highly vaccinated nursing home staff is associated with at leat 30% less COVID-19 cases among longterm care residents.
This summers delta-driven coronavirus surge has infected far more unvaccinated people than vaccinated ones. Still, its becoming increasingly clear that breakthrough cases among the vaccinated are more common than initially expected.

Up until recently, Bay Area residents were unable to see how cases broke down by vaccinated versus unvaccinated residents. But thats starting to change. Six of the regions nine counties  Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, Santa Clara and Sonoma  now display case rates by vaccination status on their websites. Several have also begun sharing local hospitalization rates by vaccination status. (Mercury News data reporter Harriet Rowan first pointed out this data in a recent Twitter thread.)

The Chronicle gathered the available data to see what it can and cannot tell us about vaccines protectiveness against the delta variant. Overall, the numbers show that vaccination is still making a massive difference in Bay Area residents susceptibility to infections and severe COVID-19. Still, delta appears to have weakened this protective effect somewhat in recent weeks.

The broad theme from the data is it mirrors what we know nationally and globally, in terms of Israel and the U.K., that vaccinated people can have breakthrough infections, Peter Chin-Hong, a professor of medicine specializing in infectious diseases at UCSF, told The Chronicle.

Chin-Hong noted that San Francisco has a higher proportion of breakthrough cases than other counties in the Bay Area. Thats possibly because S.F. is denser than other Bay Area counties, or perhaps because tourists began re-entering the city over the summer when the city had lifted mask requirements and other restrictions. San Franciscos own public health website claims its case rates are higher than the state overall, both among vaccinated and unvaccinated residents, because of the Citys robust testing and system of data tracking.

However, Chin-Hong urged caution in interpreting the data counties have released so far.

Its possible vaccinated people are getting tested more than unvaccinated ones, Chin-Hong said. Conversely, its also possible vaccinated people might be getting tested less than unvaccinated people, because theyve been told breakthrough cases are rare and because they have very mild to no symptoms. Additionally, case rates in certain counties might be lower if coronavirus testing resources are more scarce, or harder to take advantage of.

The bottom line, Chin-Hong said, remains the same regardless of how you look at the data.

The real prize is even though you get an infection, youre farther from getting hospitalized or getting ICU admissions and dying than if you were unvaccinated, he said.

Below is a detailed look at the latest county data, but first some caveats. The counties latest case rates vary, with some reporting data up through the 14th and some only through the 5th. Additionally, the effect of vaccination might be underestimated by the counties data, as all six included partially vaccinated people in with the unvaccinated. Partially unvaccinated people, who received one dose of either Pfizer or Moderna, have some degree of protection against delta.

San Francisco

As of Aug. 4, the seven-day average new case rate for fully vaccinated San Franciscans was about 24 cases per 100,000, according to the San Francisco Department of Public Health. Case rates were nearly twice as high for unvaccinated or partially vaccinated residents  about 44 new cases for every 100,000 unvaccinated residents.

Again, thats not as big a difference in case rates than one might expect. But the protective effects of vaccination are clearer when comparing hospitalization rates. San Franciscos current hospitalization rate for unvaccinated individuals is nearly 79 per 1,000 cases, or 7.6 times higher than its hospitalization rate for vaccinated cases. Its hospitalization rate among vaccinated individuals is 10.3 per 1,000 cases.

Chin-Hong works in a San Francisco hospital, and he said that in his experience, hospitalizations for vaccinated individuals are extremely rare, and have thus far happened only to immunocompromised people. The data bears out his observations: Of the citys 675,000-plus fully vaccinated individuals, only 35 have ever been hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Aug. 6, according to the citys public health website. Thats only about 5 per 100,000.

Local data does not break down breakthrough cases by age, but CDC data shows that nationally, three-fourths of breakthrough cases leading to hospitalization or death happen in people aged 65 and older. Additionally, because vaccinated people are older as a group than unvaccinated ones, hospitalization rates for the currently vaccinated are likely higher than they would be if the entire population were fully inoculated.

Alameda

Alameda Countys average daily case rate as of Aug. 9 was 9.6 per 100,000 fully vaccinated residents, compared to 28.3 per 100,000 for unvaccinated or partially vaccinated residents, according to its website.

The county has not yet published hospitalization data by vaccination status on its website, but spokesperson Neetu Balram provided The Chronicle with data for June and July. In June, just 3 out of every 100,000 fully vaccinated individuals were hospitalized; it was over six times higher for unvaccinated people, at 18.7 hospitalizations per 100,000.

As of July, the latest month with data available, monthly hospitalization rates for vaccinated people are still relatively low  the county had 9.8 hospitalizations per 100,000 fully vaccinated individuals, compared to 50.6 hospitalizations per 100,000 unvaccinated individuals.

Contra Costa

As of Aug. 10, the average new daily case rate for fully vaccinated Contra Costa residents was 9.7 per 100,000 total population, whereas it was 53.3 new cases per 100,000 total residents.

The county does not currently provide data on hospitalization by vaccination status, but did release summary-level hospitalization data to The Chronicle. Over the course of May, June and July, fully vaccinated residents, despite currently making up 76% of the countys population, make up only 20% of hospitalizations, Contra Costa health spokesperson Brittany Paris told The Chronicle, demonstrating the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines at preventing hospitalization.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

This proportion appears to be holding steady in August: Unvaccinated and partially vaccinated residents outnumber fully vaccinated ones in hospitalizations by a 4-to-1 ratio this month so far, according to county health spokesperson Karl Fischer.

Marin

The average daily case rate for unvaccinated and partially vaccinated Marin County residents was 35.2 per 100,000 as of Aug. 14. Thats more than three times higher than the average daily new case rate for fully vaccinated residents, which was 10.6 per 100,000 residents.

The county has not yet provided hospitalization data to The Chronicle or on its website.

Santa Clara

Santa Claras average daily new case rate for unvaccinated and partially vaccinated residents was 26.3 cases per 100,000 residents as of Aug. 5, while the case rate for fully vaccinated residents was 8.5 cases per 100,000 residents.

The county currently does not publish data on hospitalization rates by vaccination status, though a county spokesperson told The Chronicle it aims to have this data available within the next several days.

Sonoma

As of Aug. 10, Sonomas average daily new case rate for unvaccinated and partially vaccinated residents was about 37 per 100,000, nearly five times higher than the case rate for fully vaccinated residents, at 7.6 per 100,000.

The county did not respond when asked for data about its hospitalization rates broken down by vaccination status.

Susie Neilson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: susie.neilson@sfchronicle.com

Correction: This story originally originally cited CDC data finding that three-fourths of serious or fatal breakthrough cases in the U.S. happen in people aged 65 and older. The data actually show that three-fourths of breakthrough cases leading to hospitalization or death are among this age group.
HONG KONG (AP)  Two Hong Kongers pleaded guilty Thursday to conspiring to collude with foreign forces as well as Next Digital founder Jimmy Lai to endanger national security, local media reported.

In a separate case, local media reported seven pro-democracy activists pleaded guilty to organizing and inciting others to take part in an unauthorized assembly held in 2019.

The cases are part of a broad crackdown on dissent following anti-government protests that roiled the semi-autonomous Chinese territory in 2019. The protests were sparked by concerns that Beijing was infringing on the freedoms promised to the former British colony when it was handed to Chinese control in 1997.

In the first case, activist Andy Li and legal assistant Chan Tsz-wah pleaded guilty to a conspiracy where they sought to attract international sanctions against Beijing and the Hong Kong government, according to the South China Morning Post newspaper.

Lawyers for the defendants in both cases could not be reached for comment and calls to the court went unanswered.

Li was one of 12 Hong Kongers who last year attempted to leave Hong Kong by boat and travel to the self-ruled island of Taiwan. They were detained at sea by mainland authorities and 10 of them were sentenced to prison on the mainland for crossing borders illegally.

Li served seven months in Shenzhen jail before returning to Hong Kong, where he was remanded in custody.

The seven activists appearing in court in the second case included Raphael Wong, the former chairman of the League of Social Democrats political party, and Figo Chan, who led the Civil Human Rights Front, a now disbanded group that organized protests.

I was protesting based on the principle of civil disobedience. One of the key elements of civil disobedience is to accept the charges. So that is what we are going to do later, to plead guilty, Wong said Thursday ahead of the proceedings.

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Another key element is that the people carrying out civil disobedience actions know being jailed is just part of the process, he said. We are not worried about being jailed. Instead, we hope we can achieve democracy after this process.

Local news outlets Ming Pao and Stand News later reported all seven pleaded guilty.

Beijing responded to the 2019 protests by imposing a strict new national security law last year that has effectively criminalized much of the opposition to the government and silenced dissent.

Most of the citys most prominent activists, including Joshua Wong and Lai, the media mogul, are currently behind bars. Many of them were prosecuted for taking part in unauthorized protests in 2019.

Of the seven defendants on Thursday, only Wong was not held in custody prior to appearing in court. The other six are currently behind bars after being convicted of other offences related to their activism.
WARREN, Maine (AP)  The second of two men imprisoned for the 1983 murder of a 19-year-old Maine woman has died, one week after his accomplice's death.

Joseph Albert, 77, who was serving a 70-year-sentence for the death of Justine Gridley, died Tuesday at the Maine State Prison in Warren, according to a release from Corrections Commissioner Randall Liberty.
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  A conservative law firm asked the state Supreme Court to toss out Dane County's new mask mandate Wednesday, saying county health officials overstepped their authority.

Public Health Madison and Dane County, the joint city-county health department, issued a requirement Tuesday that everyone older than 2 wear a mask indoors as a way of slowing COVID-19 cases caused by the delta variant. The order goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. Thursday.

The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty filed an original action with the Supreme Court late Wednesday afternoon challenging the order, asking the justices to issue a temporary injunction blocking the order and then take the case directly without waiting for it to work its way through any lower courts.

If the court takes the case WILL stands an excellent chance of winning it. Conservative-leaning justices hold a 4-3 edge on the court and earlier this year they killed Democratic Gov. Tony Evers' statewide mask mandate, finding that the governor needed legislative approval to keep extending it.

WILL filed the Dane County challenge on behalf of Sun Prairie resident Bryant Stempski. The law firm argues in the filing that the mandate is a draconian abuse of power that should have gone through the county board and Madison's common council. The action states that Stempski doesn't want his tax dollars spent on enforcing an illegal mandate.

PHMDC officials said an email to The Associated Press that they're confident the mask requirement is legal. They declined further comment.

Dane County finished the two weeks from July 26 to Aug. 8 averaging 82 COVID-19 cases and 34.5 hospitalizations daily, according to PHMDC's latest data. Two people died of the disease during that span. Nearly 70% of all county residents had been vaccinated.

Meanwhile Wednesday, the University of Wisconsin-Madison announced students and staff who can't or won't show proof of vaccination will have to undergo weekly COVID-19 testing, the school announced Wednesday.

The mandate will go into effect Aug. 30, the school said in a news release. Students and staff who refuse the tests will be held accountable, the release said. It didn't elaborate. Asked about the consequences for not getting tested, UW-Madison spokeswoman Meredith McGlone said those details would be shared with those who are affected.

The university implemented an indoor mask mandate earlier this month. The same day Republicans who control the Legislatures rules committee voted to require the UW System obtain the panels approval before implementing any COVID-19 policies.

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McGlone referred questions about whether the testing mandate has rules committee approval to UW System officials. System spokesman Jack Jablonski pointed to a statement Gov. Tommy Thompson issued in late July. Thompson said then the biggest threat to in-person classes this fall would be attempts to strip the system of tools it can use to address outbreaks. Thompson added that the system would continue to act independently to ensure campuses remain open.

Mike Mikalsen, an aide to the committee's leader, Sen. Steve Nass, also didn't immediately respond to a message.

___

Follow Todd Richmond on Twitter at https://twitter.com/trichmond1
Surveying the recently scorched earth of Big Basin Redwoods State Park with the nations top environmental official this week, Gov. Gavin Newsom acknowledged that it might be time for mandatory statewide water restrictions  in six weeks or so.

What is he waiting for?

Its certainly not evidence of extraordinarily dry conditions that has yet to materialize. California is in its worst drought in about half a century, with 88% of the state experiencing at least extreme drought, the second-driest classification on the U.S. Drought Monitors scale. Nearly half the state, including the East Bay and North Bay, are at the driest level, exceptional drought.

Lake Shasta, the states largest reservoir, has fallen below a third of capacity, according to the Department of Water Resources. Lake Oroville, the second-largest, is not quite a quarter full, having reached an all-time low and forced officials to close a hydroelectric plant powered by its water for the first time in over 50 years of operation. The state water board this month cut off Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta watershed diversions to farmers.

Meanwhile, extraordinarily dry vegetation and conditions are fueling another round of catastrophic wildfires, including the second-largest on record, darkening skies with months still left in the fire season.

And yet Newsom, joining Environmental Protection Agency chief Michael Regan in the park overrun by wildfires near Santa Cruz last year, said he wasnt in a hurry to require cities and residents to save water. Asked whether he would impose conservation mandates as predecessor Jerry Brown did during the last drought, Newsom noted his executive order last month encouraging Californians to voluntarily curtail water use by 15%. He added that he would likely have more to say by the end of September as we enter potentially the third year of this current drought, helpfully reminding his audience that the hydrological year begins on Oct. 1.

But it doesnt take a doctorate in political science to notice that would also place the decision just beyond Sept. 14, when Newsom faces a recall attempt. With all due deference to the struggle to keep his polls above water, the need for stricter conservation measures is already abundantly clear.

This commentary is from The Chronicles editorial board. We invite you to express your views in a letter to the editor. Please submit your letter via our online form: SFChronicle.com/letters.
SACRAMENTO  Conservative radio host Larry Elder, the Republican front-runner to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom if he is defeated in the Sept. 14 recall election, once said women should tolerate some crude language and behavior from men in the workplace and that sexual harassment doesnt hold women back in their careers.

Elder outlined his views on workplace conduct in his 2000 book, The Ten Things You Cant Say in America, in which he said hypersensitivity can harm camaraderie and productivity among employees.

Smart women simply overlook some boorish behavior by men, he wrote. Off-color jokes and stupid remarks may be irritating, but a smart woman deals with this.

Elders campaign did not respond to repeated requests for comment from The Chronicle on Thursday, though he released a statement challenging Newsom to a one-on-one debate.

His statements about boorish behavior appeared in a section under the heading Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Doesnt Hold Women Back. Elder also wrote that while many men are pigs, a womans best defense against inappropriate behavior is to show competence, so that she is valuable to her employer.

The revelation comes amid a long national reckoning on sexual harassment and abuse, and as Elders views toward women draw growing scrutiny, emerging as a central issue in the tight recall contest.

Politico reported Thursday that Elders former fiancee and longtime radio producer, political activist Alexandra Datig, said he waved a gun at her during a heated argument in 2015, while he was high on marijuana.

My fear was great, and I understood I needed to de-escalate, Datig told Politico, saying she locked herself in a downstairs bedroom and ended their engagement after the incident.

Elder denied the allegation in a series of tweets, saying he never brandished a gun at anyone. He said he would stay focused on the issues that led more than 1.7 million California voters to petition for a recall.

People do not get into public life precisely because of this type of politics of personal destruction, Elder wrote. I am not going to dignify this with a response  its beneath me.

A day before the Politico story was published, Datig  formerly the producer of The Larry Elder Show, his nationally syndicated show out of Los Angeles  posted a video on Twitter demanding that Elder release her from a nondisclosure agreement she signed, so she can share concerns about him.

Im very concerned voters of California are not being presented with all of the facts about Larry Elder ... voters have a right to know the truth about who theyre electing, Datig said in her video.

Efforts by The Chronicle to interview Datig were not immediately successful.

Elders views on sexual harassment in the workplace have not been previously reported, though Huffpost.com reported last week that Elder called sexual assault allegations against former President Donald Trump childs play during a Fox News interview in 2017.

Theres no indication that Elder has reconsidered his views on sexual harassment since the publication of his 2000 book, which he wrote almost two decades before the #MeToo movement targeted sexual harassment and assault. The book can still be purchased through Elders website and online retailers.

In his book, Elder said a woman who feels aggrieved should take her concerns to managers at her workplace. But he advised smart women to refrain from reporting some level of inappropriate language or behavior.

Elder wrote that a smart woman offended by a colleague makes it clear to the speaker that she finds the remark unfunny and inappropriate. He added, But hypersensitivity creates an atmosphere where everybody walks on eggshells, no one knows what to say to each other, and camaraderie and productivity suffer.

Laura Kray, an expert on the role of gender in the workplace and faculty director of the Center for Equity, Gender and Leadership at the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business, called Elders views incredibly outdated.

In a nutshell, its frightening, Kray said. I dont see this as progress in any way. It almost seems like it has to be a joke, although, sadly, I know its not.

Kray said a workplace that allows some inappropriate behavior to be overlooked creates a culture of victim blaming, an environment where women feel pressured to play along with unwanted comments or behavior and fear retaliation if they speak out.

If that is widespread and prevalent in an organization, then they are vulnerable to lawsuits about the work environment, she said. A reasonable woman in that environment would find it to be hostile.

Elders comments about women have been condemned by a few of his Republican opponents in the race, the most vocal being former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer.

During a debate in Sacramento on Tuesday, Faulconer denounced Elder for what he portrayed as misogynistic claims. He cited a passage from Elders 2002 book, Showdown: Confronting Bias, Lies, and the Special Interests that Divide America, in which Elder defended hiring discrimination against pregnant women.

Elder wasnt present at the debate. In the book, he wrote that employers making hiring decisions should be able to ask women if they intend to have children because it could raise costs for the business.

Are there legitimate business reasons for a venture capitalist to ask a female entrepreneur whether and when she intends to have children? Hell, yes, Elder wrote.

Faulconer called Elders stance bulls and challenged other Republicans on the ballot to similarly denounce his views. He also cited a 2000 column in which Elder stated that Democrats easily manipulate women because women know less than men about political issues, economics and current events.

Thats not who we are as Californians, Faulconer said on the debate stage. As governor, Im going to make sure that California daughters have the same opportunities as California sons.

Caitlyn Jenner, the former reality TV star and another Republican in the race, took to Twitter to slam Elder on Thursday. She said his view on pregnancy discrimination is outrageous and speaks volumes about the type of person he is.

During an online news conference on Wednesday, Elder stood by his remarks about pregnancy and hiring decisions, though he noted that numerous federal and state laws prohibit such discrimination.

I believe that government should not be intruding into the relationship between an employer and an employee, he said. I know there are all sorts of laws and rules and regulations that prevent that. But I wonder whether or not its wise for government to be interfering like this.

Dustin Gardiner is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dustin.gardiner@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dustingardiner
As recall ballots started landing in California mailboxes, former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer finally made his move in the race by doing something his fellow Republican candidates wouldnt: call out GOP front-runner Larry Elder for misogynistic statements.

Or call bulls on the conservative talk show host, as Faulconer said multiple times during our conversation Wednesday, just like he did on the debate stage Tuesday in Sacramento. And he was likely to do so again Thursday when he, San Diego businessman John Cox and Placer County Assemblyman Kevin Kiley were to debate in San Francisco  again without Elder, who declined an invitation to defend his comments.

By calling B.S. on Elder, Faulconer is carving out his place in the race as the only moderate Republican among the major candidates, a zone his competitors dare not tread in for fear of alienating Californias GOP base, many of whom remain staunchly loyal to Donald Trump and Trumpism.

The recall election is scheduled for Sept. 14, but all registered voters are receiving ballots by mail and many may return those ballots before September.

What got Faulconer fired up at Tuesdays debate in Sacramento was what Elder wrote in his 2002 book, Showdown: Confronting Bias, Lies, and the Special Interests that Divide America. As my colleague Dustin Gardiner reported, Elder defended hiring discrimination against women who plan to become pregnant, suggesting its OK for employers to ask women if they intend to have kids because it could raise costs for the business.

Are there legitimate business reasons for a venture capitalist to ask a female entrepreneur whether and when she intends to have children? Hell, yes. Elder wrote.

Elder didnt back off his remarks during an online press conference Wednesday, saying that I believe that government should not be intruding into the relationship between an employer and an employee. I believe that a female employer could ask questions of a female employee or a male employee that directly impacts on whether or not that person is going to be available to work full time.

I know there are all sorts of laws and rules and regulations that prevent that, Elder said. But I wonder whether or not its wise for government to be interfering like this.

Faulconer was incredulous Wednesday that Elder doubled down on it.  Its just crazy.

Im going to be a governor that stands up for working women. We dont allow discrimination in the workplace. Thats a basic value, Faulconer told me Wednesday, pointing out that both his mother and wife were working mothers and that he is the father of a daughter. Im going to make sure that Californias daughters have the same opportunities as Californias sons.

Neither of the other Republicans on the stage Tuesday  Cox and Kiley  criticized Elder for his comments. Their silence didnt do the GOP brand any favors at a critical time in the race.

We need common sense back in Sacramento, but you cant restore common sense with a candidate who has offended, attacked and criticized working women in California, and he wont even defend his comments by showing up to debate, Faulconer told me.

Faulconer promised to be a governor whos not afraid to stand up as I did (Tuesday) and call bulls when you need to. Im going to stand up and do whats right. Thats what youre supposed to do as governor.

That is the Faulconer that many political observers thought they would see in this campaign. He pitched himself as a different kind of Republican  at least in the year 2021  and yet a throwback to one familiar to previous generations of Californians, a moderate. He supports abortion rights. He doesnt demonize immigrants or want to build a wall on the U.S-Mexico border like Cox does. He speaks passable Spanish.

He believes in climate change  even if, as The Chronicle has reported, he once lobbied for an auto industry group.

But lets be real, there is a strategic element to all this B.S. calling: Faulconer needed to make a move and grab an open lane. Elder is leading in the polls. He was the first-place choice among recall candidates of 18% of likely voters in a July Berkeley IGS survey, while Faulconer and Cox had 10% support each.

Thats hardly a mandate. The most important number from that survey: 40% of the likely voters were undecided. Faulconer told me Wednesday that his campaigns internal polling shows that the number of undecideds has remained largely the same.

So hes trying to appeal to people beyond the conservative base that Elder is locking up. The Berkeley survey found that 31% of Republicans preferred Elder, more than twice as many as backed Faulconer (13%).

Faulconer is looking for Democrats and independents who dont trust Newsoms pleading to vote no and leave the second part of the recall ballot blank. Some Democrats worry that strategy might lead to the most conservative Republican  Elder, as the polls say now  becoming governor.

Should Newsom be recalled, his replacement would only need to win a plurality of the votes.

Im asking Democrats, independents and Republicans to use their vote and elect a governor whos going to reflect California values, Faulconer told me.

This represents a return to form for Faulconer, who regularly boasts about twice being elected mayor in a blue city (San Diego) in a blue state.

But he also has tried to cover his bases with conservatives. He didnt vote for Trump in 2016 (he wrote in former House Speaker Paul Ryan), but backed Trump in 2020. Top Newsom strategist Ace Smith regularly tweets out photos of Faulconer standing next to Trump in the Oval office to remind voters of Faulconers support.

Or, Smith used to do that regularly when Faulconer was a front-runner. Now Smith tweets photos of Elder and Trump.

Nevertheless, Faucolners support of Trump after watching him for four years in office could be a deal-breaker to disillusioned Democrats and independents looking for a replacement candidate to support who isnt as conservative as Elder, Cox or Kiley.

When asked why he voted for Trump in 2020, Faulconer told me, I clearly believe that that was the best economic path forward.

He added that Gavin Newsom wants to make this election all about Trump because he doesnt want people to focus on his own failures, Faulconer said. It wasnt Donald Trump that caused homelessness to explode.

But Faulconer isnt running against Newsom in the recall. Hes running against 44 other candidates, and his focus is on the man ahead of him in the polls: Elder.

The problem for Faulconer is that Elder refuses to attend debates  including one held Thursday in San Francisco  unless Newsom shares the stage with him. Elders campaign reiterated to me this week that the Los Angeles native doesnt plan to participate in a circular firing squad among Republicans.

Faulconer said Elders refusal to debate is really about being out of touch.

Theres a reason why hes not debating, and he wont defend these positions, Faulconer said. What else is he hiding?

Joe Garofoli is The San Francisco Chronicles senior political writer. Email: jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @joegarofoli
By 2050, San Franciscos Muni Metro system could expand to Fishermans Wharf and connect the citys west side neighborhoods along a key north-south corridor  if the city musters the political will and secures the billions of dollars it would cost to build up its rail network.

The potential expansion of San Franciscos flagship light rail system is just one part of the citys ongoing big-picture efforts to create a transportation blueprint for a city that has grown in the past decade and expects to keep growing in the coming decades.

Staff proposals discussed earlier this week by the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agencys Board of Directors envision expanding the still-in-the-works Central Subway project  which will take T-Third Street riders to Chinatown  to Fishermans Wharf. SFMTA staff also are proposing the creation of a new Muni Metro line that would run east-west along Geary Boulevard from downtown to the Richmond District and north-south along 19th Avenue through the Sunset District, according to an agency rendering.

But many uncertainties remain before the city commits to these proposals. Theres no funding secured yet for these proposed expansions, and previous major projects have taken years of planning and design before actual construction began.

Source: SFMTA

Some board members also pondered whether the pandemic will lead to long-term disruptions in how people use public transit in the city and questioned whether any future rail expansions should first include southeast neighborhoods with limited transit options.

Were living through a highly uncertain time  lets put it that way  and when youre uncertain of where the future is taking you, I dont think thats when you want to build a subway down 19th Avenue, board Director Steve Heminger said.

Tuesdays discussion of San Franciscos Transportation 2050 plan also highlighted the heavy financial lifts facing the citys already cash-strapped transportation agency. SFMTA estimates it will need $31 billion in the next 20 years to fund its capital needs. Any major transit expansion projects will also have to compete with a backlog of deferred maintenance needs that have grown larger in recent years as the agency steered capital funds to sustain transit service.

Expanding and improving Muni accounts for one-third of the $31 billion cost estimate. Potential revenue sources could include increasing the citys parking tax.

Agency officials said Tuesday theyre proposing these Muni rail expansions, still many years away from even becoming a potential reality, because they cover major corridors and neighborhoods where less-expensive bus service wont be able to meet a projected growing demand. The 38-Geary bus lines, for example, are among the citys most trafficked routes, with a pre-pandemic weekday ridership of more than 55,000 passengers. The Geary lines have been among the core lines SFMTA preserved throughout the pandemic because of their high ridership.

There are a few places in the city where there are too many passengers for buses to carry, even if we run them extremely frequently, Kansai Uchida, an SFMTA principal transportation planner, told the Board of Directors.

There is a lot of work to be done to define what these projects could look like, including extensive community outreach, as well as planning and design, Uchida said.

City leaders are still in the process of crafting a transportation strategic plan, dubbed Transportation 2050, which will guide the citys transportation priorities in the coming decades.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

The citys transportation planning efforts also include a downtown congestion pricing study meant to account for the projected rise in traffic congestion as the Bay Area grows in population. These pillars are all connected. City officials have acknowledged, for example, that the success of a congestion pricing program hinges on better public transit options.

Were planning for transformational projects that can help San Francisco make progress on our goals around equity, safety and clean air, said Tilly Chang, executive director of the San Francisco County Transportation Authority. Chang said the citys long-term transportation planning will help us identify community priorities and position our next-generation major investments for federal and state infrastructure funds that we hope are on the horizon.

Muni Metros latest expansion, the Central Subway project, is scheduled to open for passenger service in spring 2022, according to SFMTA. Originally scheduled to open in 2019, the Central Subway will be completed more than two years late because of setbacks.

The citys leaders discussed long-term transit goals as Muni faces an uncertain recovery from the pandemic.

The SFMTA restored more transit service Aug. 14, but Jeffrey Tumlin, the agencys director, has said the city cant bring back Muni to pre-COVID levels without a stable new source of revenue. Though the agency has received more than $1 billion in federal pandemic relief funds, the agency risks insolvency if it restores transit service too quickly, he said.

This fall, the agencys Board of Directors will consider options for the next wave of service restorations early next year  a decision that has created contentious debate among city leaders and transit riders over Munis near-term future. The options include bringing back some lines as they were before the pandemic, eliminating some lines in favor of boosting service on others, or a hybrid of the two.

Ricardo Cano is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: ricardo.cano@sfchronicle.com
San Francisco is moving to suspend 20 employees in the police, fire and sheriffs departments who refused to disclose whether they are vaccinated against the coronavirus, demonstrating how seriously officials are taking the citys vaccine mandate for its employees.

The employees will receive a letter from their department heads Thursday that outlines the consequences for failing to report their vaccination status by the Aug. 12 deadline. According to the Department of Human Resources, the city is recommending a 10-day unpaid suspension for the 11 employees in the Police Department, seven in the Fire Department and two employees in the Sheriffs Department.

Hundreds of employees in other departments  including Department of Public Health and the Municipal Transportation Agency  who have not reported their status could receive similar letters next week. The city is still working on finalizing who will receive those letters.

The health and well being of city employees and the public we serve are top priorities during our emergency response to COVID-19, according to the letter, obtained by The Chronicle. Your failure to comply with the vaccination status reporting requirement endangers the health and safety of the citys workforce and the public we serve.

The letters will arrive as San Francisco grapples with a surge in coronavirus cases fueled by the delta variant, with the unvaccinated making up the overwhelming majority of those who are hospitalized or killed by the virus. The data shows that the vaccines are extremely safe and very effective at preventing severe COVID-19.

San Francisco was the first large city in the country to require all municipal employees to be vaccinated against the coronavirus, unless they have a valid religious or medical exemption. All employees had to report their vaccination status to the city by Aug. 12, and those without valid exemptions must be inoculated 10 weeks after the Food and Drug Administration fully approves the vaccines. The Department of Human Resources already gave employees a two-week extension to report their status.

The city has said failure to get the shots could eventually lead to employees losing their jobs.

The vaccines are currently under emergency use authorization but are expected to get full approval soon.

While the city is recommending that the employees be suspended, its up to their managers to make a final decision that employees can appeal.

The overwhelming majority of the citys 36,000-person workforce said they are vaccinated, but there are still about 4,300 employees who have not gotten the shots.

According to city data, many of the unvaccinated are frontline workers, including at least 634 employees in the Municipal Transportation Agency, 500 in the Police Department, 490 in the Department of Public Health, 242 in the Fire Department and 190 in the Sheriffs Department.

Earlier this month, the Deputy Sheriffs Association, which represents the citys sheriff's deputies, threatened a wave of resignations if the city enforces its policy requiring vaccinations for its employees,

Paul Kuroda / Special to The Chronicle

Meanwhile, a San Francisco firefighter sued the city last week over the requirement that all municipal employees report their vaccination status and eventually get vaccinated. In a San Francisco Superior Court filing last week, Eigil Qwist said the mandate violates the religious freedom of city employees, even though he may apply for a religious exemption.

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The suit asks for an emergency restraining order against the city that would prohibit it from asking for vaccine status and requiring vaccination as a condition of employment.

The suit says Qwist objects to requiring employees to share their vaccination status because it is our religious belief that it is important to keep said information to ourselves and not let it fall into the hands of those who do not have our best interests at heart.

Legal experts have said employers can in fact require employees to get vaccinated.

Qwist was among the nearly 200 employees who attempted to rebuff the mandate and other COVID-19-related protocols  like testing and mask wearing  by submitting identical, conspiracy-tinged letters to the Department of Human Resources. The letters suggested the city is infringing upon their God-given and constitutionally secured rights.

When reached by phone Thursday, Qwist said he is fighting for choice and rights, but declined to comment further.

Trisha Thadani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tthadani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @TrishaThadani
Otavio Camargos luck had run out, a few times. Working as a mover for the startup Lugg, the cargo van he relied on for work was stolen. He bought a truck to replace it, but crashed that while on the job earlier this year. He tried renting a van, but some days a full shift of heavy lifting would see him net less than $100, and sometimes nothing at all, he said.

He wasnt injured in the crash, but his earnings took a hit since he was only able to work as a helper, making less money assisting other movers with cars until he could get his insurance payout and buy a new vehicle. The drop in earnings also meant he was struggling to keep up with rent and bills, including supporting two children and making rent on a room in Richmond where he lives.

But then his luck turned around, when a check arrived in the amount of $2,500 from a nonprofit called The Solidarity Fund by Coworker.

If I hadnt had this money, I dont know what I would have done, Camargo said.

The fund started in 2017 as the brainchild of Liz Fong-Jones, a former Google employee and early labor organizer at the company. She originally conceived of the fund as a way to support employees at the company who faced retaliation for organizing activities and for raising concerns about sensitive contracts like the companys now defunct Project Dragonfly to create a censored search engine in China.

The funds goal is to help tech workers with workplace organizing, part of a worker-to-worker approach to grassroots fundraising that its founders hope will be a new front in the burgeoning tech labor movement. In that vein, Camargo applied for the money after hearing about it during meetings with his coworkers about trying to change the operating model at Lugg, including drawing up a petition to send to the company about working conditions.

Fong-Jones said she pledged $100,000 of her own money to create the fund and approached others at Google to donate as well. When she decided to leave Google, she accepted an offer of close to that amount in stock to walk away more quickly.

That sum became the seed for the $112,000 first round of the fund, distributed to 44 tech workers in $2,500 increments with no strings attached, although the goal is to support labor organizing efforts across the industry. Applicants have to meet the basic criteria of being tech workers and having been involved in some kind of organizing activity

Fong-Jones, who is on the Solidarity Fund board, partnered with Coworker.org, a workplace organizing site founded by Jess Kutch, to understand how to form a legal entity to distribute the money and to draw on that groups history of online labor organizing in tech and other industries.

The fund and Coworker.org share some staff, but are legally and financially separate.

Kutchs group helped the fund incorporate as a non-traditional 501(c)(4), a nonprofit that under the tax code is run exclusively to promote social welfare. That also means donations are not tax deductible, but the fund can give out money without running afoul of federal prohibitions on political activities by more common 501(c)(3) nonprofits.

At the end of the day unionism and solidarity unionism is political, Fong-Jones said.

Other fund recipients in the Bay Area have used the money for more overt political and organizing purposes.

Eddy Hernandez, a former Uber engineer, donated his sum to two groups  Rideshare Drivers United and Gig Workers Collective. Hernandez said he left Uber because he felt the company didnt offer the same support to its contract drivers as it did to employees like himself.

(Drivers) were out risking their health and their lives to keep things going during the pandemic while employees like himself worked safely from home, he said. In light of Ubers campaign along with Lyft and Postmates to cement drivers contractor status in California through Proposition 22 last year, he wanted to support efforts to fight the initiative with the funds.

Jessica Christian/The Chronicle

Former software engineer Felipe Ventura used the money to organize group therapy sessions for a small group of Black and Latinx tech workers to help them connect over shared identity and cope with the stresses of the pandemic.

Ventura said the sessions, which ended in May, focused on a range of topics from the protests last year over policing and racial justice, to explorations of race and beyond.

It was the type of community that I was looking for and couldnt find in my own workplace, Ventura said. My immediate community was not there because we were all sheltering in place.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

The fund is currently raising money for a next round of grants and is taking applications and donations. The idea has evolved over time, and whether it becomes an ongoing project depends on how much money it can raise. Each round starts with $12,500 to fund a minimum of five $2,500 stipends. So far its raised almost $120,000 and given away almost all of it.

The future is still both uncertain and filled with possibilities, said Laurence Berland, a former Google employee who said he was fired for his organizing activities while at the company and who is on the Solidarity Fund committee that looks at applications.

Berland said he wants to raise enough money to start supporting tech workers in legal cases, potentially like the one he is involved in at the National Labor Relations Board alleging he and others were unfairly terminated.

I have this pie-in-the-sky idea to do legal support for all kinds of workplace issues, Berland said, including mistreatment and harassment. He said as the idea of what the fund is for has evolved, he can see it moving beyond just the tech industry, but that requires more money.

Some applicants were rejected not because their cause wasnt worthy, Berland said, but because they werent tech workers or their work was more community rather than labor organizing. I would love to not have that kind of criteria, he said. What we need to have fewer criteria is more money.

Shauna Gordon-McKeon is a freelance web developer who donated a couple hundred dollars to the fund last year. She said she donated to reach across the divide that separates workers like herself from what she called Invisible co-workers, like contract and gig workers.

Berland said hed prefer to see the fund grow organically based on smaller donations like Gordon-McKeons, although that could also hamper how much the group can raise and help people.

Still, grassroots fundraising makes it easier to distribute the money more equitably he said, compared to taking a grant from a large foundation. When you take money its not explicit strings are attached, but theres always a certain amount of expectation.

Chase DiFeliciantonio is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: chase.difeliciantonio@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ChaseDiFelice
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One of Californias last family-owned ski areas was sold this week, after being run by the same mom-and-pop owners for the past 45 years.

For a generation, Dodge Ridge Ski Area, an 862-acre resort in the mountains east of Sonora (Tuolomne County), has been synonymous with Frank and Sally Helm, who live in the area and have decided to retire. The resort sold for an undisclosed amount to a new pair of owners: Invision Capital, a private investment firm in Chicago, and Karl Kapuscinski, president and CEO of Mountain High Resort, a similarly modest ski area in the San Gabriel Mountains east of Los Angeles.

Dodge Ridge has truly been a love in our life. Weve put our heart and soul into this place, said Sally Helm, 65, who was CEO of the resort. Frank, 82, was the resorts board chair. Were at a good point now where we can say weve had a good run, we have a great team and we have a great new owner.

Kapuscinski, born in Vermont, worked his way up the ski industry, managing ski resorts in his home state of New York, Minnesota and Washington, in addition to the Southern California resort. He has known the Helms for 25 years and said he always had his eye on Dodge Ridge, which boasts the closest ski slopes to the Bay Area and is adjacent to a growing market in the Central Valley.

That fits the model Ive used when Ive looked at resorts, Kapuscinski said. We think of it as a solid day and weekend area with a lot of potential to be realized.

Dodge Ridge Ski Area

Dodge Ridge Ski Area

At the top of Kapuscinskis to-do list is introducing snowmaking equipment, building out a network of mountain biking trails and adding more snow play opportunities for non-skiers  measures that will bring the resort in line with its contemporaries and competitors and help steel the business against low snow years.

Lift upgrades or expansions could come in one to five years, Kapuscinski said.

Dodge Ridge opened in 1950 with just one chairlift and a rope tow. Frank Helms family, which operated a Chevrolet dealership in Modesto, bought the ski area in 1976. Frank and Sally were married in 1992 and ran the resort as co-leaders until now.

Along the way, the resort tripled in size and added lifts and terrain parks but maintained its identity as a down-home resort geared primarily toward families and nascent skiers and snowboarders.

It still has the very genuine feel of a mountain community. Everybody knows everybody, Sally Helm said. Its a place for the people who live around California and only see each other there that one time of year. Im not sure youll find that at a large corporate area.

The common thread linking most ski areas across the West is their scrappy beginnings in the mid-20th century. Many were the passion projects of can-do mountain lovers dipping their ski tips into entrepreneurship for the first time. Like Dodge Ridge, these operations came about on the back of just one or two lifts or T-bars per site and served a small cohort of early, wool-clad downhill skiers.

It used to be that all the individual entrepreneurs were shoulder to shoulder in how they were building the industry, Sally Helm said.

Eventually those resorts blossomed and evolved into the backbone of todays multibillion-dollar ski industry, replete with luxury hotels and year-round tourism activities. In that landscape, Dodge Ridge has stuck out by maintaining its independence and local ownership while countless U.S. ski areas have been snapped up by private equity firms and consolidated by multinational conglomerates.

The benefits to skiers of corporate ownership are numerous: multi-resort passes, advanced snowmaking, quality ski schools and instruction, and consistent standards of operation. But there are costs as well. Mega-resorts in high-profile ski destinations are often overrun whenever powder falls, and they tend to attract high-end travelers whose idea of a good time is sometimes at odds with the local communitys interests.

Kapuscinski is aware of these developments and says the plan for Dodge Ridge is to maintain the resorts family-friendly vibe and keep the current managers in place. Hed like to add the resort to the Powder Alliance, a pass program offering three days at 15 different resorts in the U.S., Canada and Japan.

We dont want to turn it into Tahoe, Kapuscinski said. We just want to enhance whats already there.

Dodge Ridge Ski Area

Invision Capital manages and partners with more than a dozen companies across a range of sectors, including waterfront equipment manufacturing and air transportation.

After Dodge Ridge announced the sale on Tuesday, comments began flowing to the resorts Facebook page from skiers thanking the Helms for decades of happy memories on the mountain.

So bittersweet for me, one commenter wrote. I am so happy that Frank and Sally get to retire, but they have always been a part of my familys Dodge experience. It will be strange not to be greeted with a hug from Sally.

Sally Helm will remain on the resorts board of directors. While she is looking forward to retirement  she and Frank are world travelers and avid hikers  the thing she might miss the most about Dodge Ridge is the buzz of anticipation in late fall when her whole staff waits for the first flakes of snow to signify the start of winter.

Bringing the team together, watching the weather, getting ready to get the ski resort open, she said. Honestly, the snow there is absolutely magical.

Gregory Thomas is The Chronicles editor of lifestyle & outdoors. Email: gthomas@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @GregRThomas
New reports paint a clearer portrait of the Northern California family who were found dead Tuesday after being reported missing just a day earlier.

John Gerrish, Ellen Chung and their 1-year-old daughter Miju  as well as their family dog  were found dead at the Devil's Gulch area in the south fork of the Merced River in the Sierra National Forest, the Mariposa County Sheriff's Office said.

Deputy Kristie Mitchell told media outlets that the cause of death could have been a "carbon monoxide situation."

"Thats one of the reasons why were treating it as a hazmat situation, Mitchell said.

The Fresno Bee also reported that "exposure to toxic algae" could have been a possibility for their deaths. There were no indications of acute trauma, Mitchell told the Bee.

The family relocated to Mariposa from San Francisco during the COVID-19 pandemic when Gerrish was presented an opportunity to work remotely for good, the Bee reported.

Gerrish was a software engineer at Snapchat, reported the Bee; Chung was in graduate school to become a family and marriage therapist.

Before relocating to Mariposa, both were avid concert and festivalgoers; social media posts dating back to 2017 show Gerrish and Chung at shows with large groups of friends.

The two wanted to raise Miju in a "quiet, slow-paced environment" surrounded by nature, in a setting unlike the hustle and bustle of San Francisco.

The family's Sunday hike was intended to be just a daylong hike, which prompted concern from multiple family friends when they didn't come back home.

Steven Jeffe, a family friend, used the phrase "freaky and strange" to describe his friends' death.

Were all just devastated, Jeffe told the Bee. They were really beloved by the people. A super generous, sweet and loving couple that was devoted to their daughter."

The California Department of Justice and sheriff's office workers are investigating their deaths. Their death is being handled as a hazmat and coroner investigation.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Starting out along the Lost Coast Trail from the Needle Rock Visitors Center in Sinkyone Wilderness State Park, it was apparent that something was different. I had hiked the same trail almost exactly one year before, snapping numerous pictures of the golden bluffs. This time, though, some of the vegetation had dried and withered early, turning from the color of straw to a dark, lifeless brown.

We had driven more than 100 miles through yellowish air unnaturally thickened by wildfire smoke to reach Californias most remote coastline. And while the air was clear on this side of the ridgeline  which is why the parking lot was full  we had not escaped the drought.

That isnt to say our hike and the rest of our weekend getaway on the Lost Coast and its only town, Shelter Cove, was not worthwhile. We ate delicious food, drank good wine and craft beer, visited landmarks, communed with nature and fell asleep to the crashing sea.

Still, there was no getting around it: Every aspect of our vacation was colored by disaster.

Ashley Harrell

The trip began on Friday morning with our drive toward Shelter Cove, and as we turned off Highway 101 toward the Lost Coast, our backs to the haze of the Monument Fire, we felt ready for a getaway. My friend had never visited Shelter Cove, so I told her the story of how 50 years ago, developers built an airstrip there, flew in potential investors and convinced them to buy property. One small detail left out of their discussion: This was the most secluded area in the state, accessible only by a long and treacherous dirt road. Also, some of the plots were unbuildable or eroding into the sea.

Although the road is fully paved now, the town remains quiet and isolated, with barely any cell service, only a few businesses and a population of about 580. There are only a handful of overnight accommodations in town, so we felt lucky to have scored a suite at the Tides Inn, which is known for its seafront location and friendly innkeepers.

Because of COVID-19, though, our contactless check-in involved a key in a box and some instructions on a piece of paper. We understood why, of course (even as a vaccinated person, Ive recently worried about catching and spreading the virus), but I missed the human contact. After unpacking a bit and preparing homemade whiskey cocktails, we set out on a coastal hike, admiring the Listerine-green waves, the barking sea lions and the Cape Mendocino Lighthouse, which stood on a 400-foot cliff and endured the wrath of the coast for more than 100 years.

Ashley Harrell

That evening, we dined at Gyppo Ale Mill, a sleek brewery with excellent bar food and craft beer. On the front of our menus was a note: We kindly ask you to be patient with us, it read. Due to our location and current state of the restaurant industry, we are VERY understaffed. Further, we try our best to keep everything on our menu, but please be patient if we happen to have run out of an item. The note closed with a hiring announcement and instructions for applying.

In chatting with owner Julie Peacock, I learned that the town and restaurant have lately seen an influx of visitors, which has been tough given the staffing challenges. Meanwhile, COVIDs been causing a bit of a rumor mill around here, Peacock says. One time the entire cove shut down because there was confusion between a couple getting a COVID test versus them having COVID. That said, two staff members at Gyppo did test positive, Peacock says, and had to quarantine then test negative before returning to work. The closest hospital is 45 minutes away in Garberville.

Despite the difficulties the restaurant has faced, our flight of craft beer, deep fried cauliflower appetizer, and salmon burgers were top notch, the service was impeccable, and a patio firepit kept us toasty. Upon returning to the inn, we watched "Sister Act" on cable and felt transported to a simpler time. Then the folding waves lulled us to sleep.

Ashley Harrell

Shopping for breakfast and lunch the next morning at Shelter Cove General Store, subtle signs of the apocalypse returned. When my friend asked about whether there were T-shirts for sale, an employee ignored her. When she asked a second question, same result. Another employee stepped in to assist, but we started to wonder: Would some people in this town prefer that visitors stay home? And might they have a point?

On our way out, we noticed a wildfire evacuation packet on the countertop, and soon after, drove by a sign at the fire station: Is your to-go bag packed? Remember Paradise and Greenville. Traveling the curvy road out of town and toward Sinkyone Wilderness, we thought about the limited ways to evacuate Shelter Cove. And how did people receive a warning without cell service?

From the busy parking lot at the trailhead, nearly all of the visitors were headed south to Bear Harbor, including a few hikers carrying surfboards. We opted to trace the coastline north instead. We walked through gullies, across bridges and over bluffs, and on one occasion spotted a herd of Roosevelt elk with offspring in tow. Down at Jones Beach, we found washed up kelp and jellyfish, and from high above some of the other beaches, we could hear giant pebbles being dragged across each other by the waves. Wsssshhh.

Ashley Harrell

The hike was peaceful, and we could count the number of other hikers we encountered on two hands. Upon our return, we saw that the parking lot had filled completely, and camp host Paul Barth told us that campsites down at Bear Harbor were now fully booked. A newly refurbished barn near the visitors center was still available for the night, and we wished we could have stayed. But the Lost Coasts most famous winery, Briceland Vineyards, was calling.

We hadnt managed to book a tasting, but upon finding out we were vaccinated, co-owner Andrew Morris opened the gate. The pandemic had traumatized him, Morris explained. We took seats at tables set up 20 feet from where Morris and his wife poured wine and water and shared the story of their familys vineyard.

We tasted sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, a couple of pinot noirs and petit verdot, which had long been used as a blending grape for Bordeauxs world-famous wines. We bought three bottles, which Ive been doing more and more of. Lately large alcohol purchases make me feel prepared, like at least Ive got a plan.

Ashley Harrell

That night we ate Venezuelan food at Mi Mochima, and it was so expertly prepared that we forgave the place for running out of its Saturday special  lobster empanadas  as well as its popular slow-cooked pork ribs before 6:30 p.m. The restaurant was full, and about 20 tables were in the hands of just a couple of servers, which led to complaints from some customers. We just sipped our wine and enjoyed each morsel of shrimp empanada, beef kebab, fried calamari and garlic shrimp. In the corner, a young musician strummed soulful Latin rhythms on the guitar.

Stuffed and tipsy, we made our way home and studied the preview channel, finally settling on a "Saved by the Bell" rerun where Jessies stepbrother comes from New York and immediately starts blackmailing everyone. We were appalled by how bad the writing was but watched anyway and found ourselves mesmerized and laughing hysterically.

The next morning, we ate breakfast on the porch, staring out at the sea, wondering how soon our hotel would be swallowed by it. When we look back on this trip in 25 years, we will know it wasnt perfect. More than anything, though, I think well want to go back.

Ashley Harrell
LATEST Aug. 20 10 p.m. The Caldor Fire burning near Tahoe ballooned to 75,845 acres and remained at zero percent containment, according to Cal Fire's Friday evening update.

Aug. 20, 6:15 a.m. California's Caldor Fire near Tahoe benefited from an inversion layer, with warm air trapping cooler air at the surface, on Thursday morning, but by 3 p.m. the weather shifted and fire activity picked up with the blaze ballooning to 68,630 acres by the evening.

More for you News This is what you need in your wildfire preparedness kit,...

Cal Fire said in its evening incident report that the fire is being fueled by highly flammable trees that have died and fallen over due to lack of rain. What's more, the vegetation is dry and parched after back-to-back dry winters and the fuel moisture content of the trees and shrubs is at the level you'd expect to see in late September, the agency said.

KCRA reported from the fire's eastern edge Friday morning along the Mormon Emigrant Trail and found many hotspots in the heavy timber.

With the more favorable conditions on Thursday morning, there was the opportunity to assess the damage the blaze has left in its path in the communities of Grizzly Flats where an unknown number of structures was destroyed.

Amid the ruins, there was some good news.

ABC News reported that many buildings at Leoni Meadows Camp, a summer camp for kids in Grizzly Flats, survived flames.

The fire has been active for six days and remains zero percent contained.

Aug. 19, 7:58 p.m. The Caldor Fire in El Dorado County continues to grow Thursday evening, blackening 68,630 acres, according to the latest update from Cal Fire.

Allison Dinner/Getty Images

The blaze is still zero percent contained.

Aug. 19, 8 a.m. A fierce Northern California wildfire burning in El Dorado County 20 miles southwest of Lake Tahoe grew from 62,586 acres Wednesday night to 65,474 acres Thursday morning, officials said. The Caldor Fire still has no containment, but Cal Fire said the outlook for Thursday is promising.

The state's firefighting agency said in its morning incident report that growth was "moderated overnight due to increased humidity." Spotting, when winds throw burning embers ahead of the blaze and start new fires, contributed to most of the increased spread.

The presence of an inversion layer, with warm air trapping cooler air at the surface, dampened fire activity Thursday morning, but as that lifts through the day, more spot fires, especially on the fire's north and northeast, are expected.

Santiago Mejia/Hearst Newspapers via Getty Images

To the north, firefighters are focused on protecting the community of Pollock Pines and holding the fire to the south of Highway 50.

"That's our containment line we're hoping to hold," said Cal Fire spokesperson Keith Wade. "That will continue through the next few days. That's an operation goal."

To the northeast, Wade said crews are protecting the communities of Kyburz, Whitehall and Strawberry.

"There were some evacuation warnings in Amador County yesterday afternoon and evening," he said. "As of now, it's just a warning, not an order."

Santiago Mejia/Hearst Newspapers via Getty Images

The Caldor Fire ignited in heavy timber in the Eldorado National Forest near the small town Grizzly Flats on Saturday and burned a destructive path through the community of about 1,200 people.

While officials say the number of structures destroyed is undetermined, photos from the aftermath show an elementary school, a post office and homes that were turned into piles of ash.

Illustration: SFGATE/ Getty Images

The region is home for many and a popular summer recreation spot for others.

"My husband is watching his childhood go up in flames. Friends houses gone, his familys houses evacuated - the fire creeping closer to the cabin where we got married and the vineyard he proposed to me #CaldorFire," a Twitter user shared.

Fire crews on the blaze were initially limited, but Wade said more firefighters have arrived and there are more than 600 people fighting flames. He said there are also more resources to "take the firefight to the sky," and with weather conditions improving, aircraft will be dropping fire retardant Thursday.
Anthony Pidgeon/Redferns

For the second-straight year, the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass music festival in San Francisco will be held virtually.

More for you News Bay Area summer concerts and festivals calendar

"After consultation with our team of COVID safety advisors, and in close communication with City Of San Francisco, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass has reached the difficult conclusion that we are not able to hold the festival in Golden Gate Park this year," organizers announced Thursday. "We cant waver from our mission of providing the safest and most magical musical environment, with all the care and consideration for our festivalgoers and artists, that has been at the heart of Hardly Strictly for over two decades."
ALISTRATI, Greece (AP)  Persephone is a tour guide in Greece, but perhaps not the type people are used to.

Billed as the worlds first robot tour guide inside a cave, Persephone has been welcoming visitors since mid-July to the Alistrati Cave in northern Greece, 135 kilometers (84 miles) northeast of the city of Thessaloniki.

The multilingual robot covers the first 150 meters (roughly 500 feet) of the part of the cave that is open to the public. In the remaining 750 meters (2,400 feet), a human guide takes over.

The robot was named Persephone because, according to one version of the ancient Greek myth, it was in a nearby plain that Pluto  the god of the underworld who was also known as Hades  abducted Persephone, with the consent of her father Zeus, to take her as his wife.

The robot can give its part of the tour in 33 languages and interact at a basic level with visitors in three languages. It can also answer 33 questions, but only in Greek.

Nikos Kartalis, the scientific director for the Alistrati site, had the idea of creating the robot when he saw one on TV guiding visitors at an art gallery. Seventeen years later, "we got our funds and the robot guide became a reality, Kartalis told The Associated Press.

The robot was built by the National Technology and Research Foundation and cost 118,000 euros ($139,000).

We already have a 70% increase in visitors compared to last year since we started using the robot, says Kartalis. People are enthusiastic, especially the children, and people who had visited in the past are coming back to see the robot guide."

It is something unprecedented for them, to have the ability to interact with their robot by asking it questions and the robot answering them, he said. Many foreign visitors couldnt believe Greece had the capacity to build a robot and use it as a guide in the cave.

The robot moves along a walkway, passing through an ornate landscape of stalactites and stalagmites. These varied formations can reach 15 meters (50 feet) tall and are seen throughout the cave's nearly 1 kilometer (1.6-mile) walkway, which is accessible to people with limited mobility.

This cave is one of the most beautiful, not only in Greece but in Europe, as well," says Kartalis. It has stalactites and stalagmites in many shapes and colors, even red."

He said the cave was 3 million years old and was first explored in 1974 by the Hellenic Speleological Society and a team of Austrian speleologists. It opened to visitors in 1998.

Persephone, with a white body, black head and two luminous eyes, moves on wheels, guiding visitors to the first three of eight stops along the walkway. She can do two more stops, but her low speed slows down the tour, which is conducted in three languages simultaneously. Persephones creators are considering ways to speed her up.

The robots begins by saying: My name is Persephone, I am the daughter of the goddess Demeter and the wife of Pluto, the god of the underworld. I welcome you to my under Earth kingdom, the Alistrati Cave.

Many visitors are intrigued by the robot guide.

It was surprising for me. Ive never experienced such a thing. Actually, honestly, I prefer a live guide, but its interesting doing it this way. And I like the pace of the robot. It goes slower, so I can look around, said Patrick Markes, a Czech visitor.

Markes listened to the first three stops from the robt in his native language and the rest in English from a human tour guide.

I should thank Persephone, our robot, she said very fine things, said Christos Tenis, a Greek visitor. Im impressed by the cave. Of course, we had a flawless (human) guide, she explained many things. Im very impressed."

Persephone is not the only technology used inside the cave. There's a cellphone app in which a visitor, scanning a QR code, can see the Alistrati Beroni. Thats a microorganism that is only found in this cave, in the huge mounds of bat droppings left behind when the cave was opened and the bats migrated elsewhere.

Evdokia Karafera is one of the tour guides who partners with the robot.

It is helpful, because it speaks many languages. Theres just a little delay in the touring, she said. "Most find it fascinating, especially the children, and find it interesting that it speaks many languages.

Karafera insisted, however, that human tour guides cannot be completely replaced.

Robots, at some point in the future, will take over many jobs. But I believe they cannot replace humans everywhere," she said. (Visitors say) the robot is interesting, original, but cant substitute for the human contact with the guide and the conversation we can have on the way back.

__

Follow Kantouris on Twitter at https://twitter.com/CostasKantouris.
The ex-fiancee of conservative radio host Larry Elder  the current polling front-runner to replace California Gov. Gavin Newsom if he is recalled Sept. 14  has come forward alleging abusive behavior that includes the candidate allegedly brandishing a gun toward her while high on marijuana.

Alexandra Datig was Elder's longtime radio producer and entered a nondisclosure agreement after breaking off an 18-month engagement with him in 2015. She has repeatedly tweeted at Elder asking him to release her from her NDA in recent weeks, to no avail. Datig is now a conservative blogger who has endorsed San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer and spoke to Politico's Carla Marinucci for an article published Thursday containing multiple explosive allegations.

Datig portrayed Elder "as a marijuana user who would often become threatening or insistent with her, including in his repeated demands that she get a 'Larrys Girl' tattoo to show her devotion to him," Marinucci reported. Datig said she got the tattoo and Elder displayed a "large" nude portrait of her with the tattoo on her lower back for visitors to their home.

She said she broke off the engagement after an incident in which Elder, allegedly high, brandished a .45 caliber handgun towards her during an argument.

Datig said that during the argument, Elder "walked over to the nightstand, opened the door, took out the gun" and "checked if it was loaded  while [she] was talking."

The Elder campaign did not respond to requests for comment from Politico or SFGATE. A few hours after the story broke, Elder issued a series of tweets denying the accusations.

"I have never brandished a gun at anyone," he wrote. "I grew up in South Central; I know exactly how destructive this type of behavior is. Its not me, and everyone who knows me knows its not me. These are salacious allegations."

Both the Faulconer and Newsom campaigns told Politico that Datig has no link to them, and Datig said she violated her NDA because she found it important to speak about Elder's views toward women, which have drawn scrutiny of late. In 2000, Elder penned an op-ed in which he wrote, "Women know less than men about political issues, economics, and current events."

"Gavin Newsom is the devil you know," Datig said. "Larry Elder is the devil you think you know.

You can read the full report at Politico's website.
Guaranteed loan approval; receive funds in 24 hours. No credit check; interest rates starting at 0%; only low application fee required. These statements may sound pretty good to a small-business owner in desperate need of capital.

But, as the old saying goes, If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is, says Carolina Martinez, CEO of CAMEO, Californias statewide micro-business network. Just because its the most frequent appealing solution youre hearing doesnt mean its the right solution, she says.

Many small businesses are still recovering from the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and with the end of the Paycheck Protection Program and bank loan approvals below 20%, scammers and predatory lenders are taking the opportunity to move in on businesses that are searching for funding.

Protect yourself from potential bad actors and find legitimate capital for your business with these four tips.

1. BE WARY OF SPEED

Fast isnt always better when youre looking for business funding. Be wary of the speed sell, says Tom McHale, president of Pursuit, a community lender operating in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.

Although some online lenders excel in terms of speed, predatory lenders can rush you through the loan process to push you into an expensive product without fully understanding the terms.

Youre going to pay significantly higher rates and fees for that money than you would for traditional financing that might take a little more time, McHale says.

He recommends that businesses look for lenders that allow them to speak to a representative directly  rather than just a bot or live chat  so that you can ask questions and understand the loans terms and conditions.

And if a lender is unwilling to show you the terms and rates of the loan upfront, thats a red flag.

2. NEVER PAY MONEY UPFRONT

Dont pay money upfront for an opportunity to get a loan, says Frank LaMonaca, chair of the Southeastern Connecticut chapter of SCORE, a network of volunteer mentors that supports small businesses across the country. You shouldnt have to ever do that.

A reputable online lender wont charge any fees unless youre approved for a loan. If a lender wants money just to look at your application, thats a dead giveaway, La Monaca says.

Nobody should be asking you for $2,500 to apply for a loan. You should be able to apply free of charge, he says.

Similarly, dont trust emails that appear to be from government agencies asking for personal information such as your Social Security number, requesting payment upfront or guaranteeing loan approval. The U.S. Small Business Administration recommends being on the lookout for these phishing scams, as well as other types of grant fraud and loan fraud, especially those related to COVID-19 relief assistance.

3. EXPLORE ALL OF YOUR LENDING OPTIONS

Businesses may have more options available for financing than they realize.

Understand your power in the marketplace, LaMonaca says. There is a variety of loan programs to choose from, including those designated for specific types of businesses, such as women-owned businesses, minority-owned businesses and veteran-owned businesses.

Community development financial institutions, known as CDFIs, nonprofit lenders and reliable online financial service companies can offer loans with affordable rates and competitive terms  even for new businesses or those that cant qualify for bank funding.

Some of these lenders, like CDFIs, may be able to help businesses burdened with predatory loans refinance into better products, Martinez says.

You can search for local CDFIs through the SBA website , as well as through organizations like Opportunity Finance Network, the national association of CDFIs. Reading reviews and referring to resources like the Small Business Borrowers Bill of Rights can help you find reliable online lenders as well.

4. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH THE RIGHT EXPERTS

If youre unsure of how to find the right financing for your business needs  or want to make sure that youre not signing onto a bad deal  turn to the experts. You can work with an accountant, lawyer or other financial expert to help you through the process and to even review your loan application and agreement.

The majority of CDFIs are equipped with an entire ecosystem of support to help small businesses assess their financial status, business models and strategies, as well as access capital, Martinez says.

Additionally, organizations like SCORE and local SBA-administered Small Business Development Centers offer business consulting services for free. You can search their websites to find experts in your area to work with your business, and browse additional online resources.

LaMonaca stresses the importance of building a team and fostering relationships to help you run your business: The best business owners dont go it alone. The best have really good people around them, he says.

___________________________

This article was provided to The Associated Press by the personal finance website NerdWallet. Randa Kriss is a writer at NerdWallet. Email: rkriss@nerdwallet.com.

RELATED LINKS:

NerdWallet: How to apply for a small-business loan in 4 steps

SBA.gov: SBA programs scams and fraud alerts

Small Business Borrowers Bill of Rights
CALUMET CITY, Ill. (AP)  A vehicle left the road and crashed into a bus stop in suburban Chicago on Thursday, killing one person and injuring two others, authorities said.

The crash occurred about 2 p.m. in Calumet City, police said.
ST. LOUIS (AP)  Police in St. Louis are investigating a shootout between two men inside a St. Louis store that left one of them dead and the other injured.

Officers were called Wednesday afternoon to an Auto Zone store in the the Benton Park West neighborhood for reports of two men shooting at each other inside the store, police said.
WORCESTER, Mass. (AP)  Two major airlines are offering flights from New England's second largest city to New York City.

JetBlue is set to restart its route from Worcester, Massachusetts to New York City on Thursday evening while Delta Air Lines says it will begin offering a new route from Worcester Regional Airport in November.
Charles Rex Arbogast/AP

Look up at street lights and rooftops in some of Americas poorest neighborhoods today and you might spot what looks like a small box or dish. These are ShotSpotter recording devices, acoustic sensors paired with algorithms designed to identify gunshots and get the police on the scene more quickly.

But as the American criminal justice system outsources some of societys weightiest decisions to algorithms and computer code, AP identified a number of serious flaws in one of the countrys most popular police technologies: Shotspotter acoustic gunshot detection. Prosecutors are increasingly relying on evidence produced by Shotspotter to bolster criminal cases. But that evidence has not held up in some courtrooms.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)  Afghanistans president, driven out by the Taliban, is the latest leader on the run to turn up in the United Arab Emirates. Others who found refuge here include Spains disgraced former king and two Thai prime ministers.

In nearby Qatar, meanwhile, the Taliban's political leaders have been given refuge for years.

Qatar and the UAE have much in common, despite their sharp political differences. The two Gulf Arab states have close security partnerships with the United States and both have taken in political fugitives and exiled leaders on the run.

The skylines of Doha, Abu Dhabi and Dubai offer an array of stunning high-rise towers and opulent five-star hotels. Man-made coastlines provide reclusive, palatial waterfront properties  plenty of options for political exiles looking for privacy and a place to park their money.

But most importantly, these cities built by vast underground reserves of oil and gas provide near-guaranteed security to controversial, once powerful figures. Iris-scanning technology at the airport, untold numbers of security cameras, and widespread surveillance helps ensure protection  as does an autocratic grip on power.

It's perhaps why Afghan President Ashraf Ghani surfaced in Abu Dhabi after the Taliban swept into Kabul on Sunday and why the Taliban's political leaders have for years resided in Qatar.

The UAE announced late Wednesday it had accepted hosting Ghani and his family, citing humanitarian grounds  even as members of his own government slammed the Afghan president for his escape from Kabul.

Over the past year, Qatar has hosted talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government, and before that, between the Taliban and the United States as Washington hashed out the terms of its withdrawal from Afghanistan and an end to its 20-year war. Top Taliban political leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar returned to Afghanistan this week from his residence in Qatar.

The role the UAE and Qatar have played as hosts to wanted politicians and top figures gives them potential leverage  political chips that can be played or held for a later date.

Qatar has positioned itself as the go-to mediator with the Taliban. It was a risky bet, especially considering the optics with the wider public, but it paid off, said Cinzia Bianco, Gulf research fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations.

Now, Qatar is well-positioned to be the first contact point for regional and international players who want to explore the possibility of engaging with the Taliban ... without compromising themselves, she added.

The Taliban's capture of Kabul was so swift that by nightfall the same day, gun-toting Taliban commanders were seated at Ghani's desk in the presidential palace. Meanwhile, thousands of Afghan citizens and foreigners are still scrambling to flee the country.

Just this week, a senior U.S. military commander met face-to-face with the Taliban in Doha to negotiate the safe passage of thousands of people wanting to leave Afghanistan, underscoring the crucial role Qatar is playing amid the muddled U.S. exit.

The UAE and Qatar are also staging grounds for key U.S. military operations. Qatars al-Udeid Air Base hosts some 10,000 American troops. Americans also fly out of the al-Dhafra Air Base near Abu Dhabi.

Each country is positioning itself in the best way possible to pursue its interests in this crisis, said senior Mideast adviser at Crisis Group, Dina Esfandiary.

She says that while Qatar's bet as regional mediator seems to have paid off, it remains to be seen how it will work out in the long term. For its part, the UAE aims to show its ally the United States that it too is a reliable partner, she said.

From his new base in the UAE, Ghani released a video statement Wednesday, for the first time since escaping Kabul. He made a point of mentioning he was forced to leave Afghanistan with one set of traditional clothes, a vest and the sandals he was wearing.

To live in the UAE, however, he'll need a lot more than that. The country's cost of living is as sky-high as its towers, even if some support is offered.

Afghanistans ambassador to Tajikistan accused Ghani on Wednesday of stealing $169 million from state coffers and said he'd call for his arrest via Interpol. Russia's embassy in Kabul alleged that Ghani fled Kabul with four cars and a helicopter full of cash. He had so much money he couldn't fit it all, and left cash lying on the tarmac, Russias state news agency RIA Novosti quoted the embassy spokesperson as saying.

The AP could not independently verify the claims. The Western-backed Afghan government he presided over has long been rife with corruption.

Ghani joins a roster of high-profile exiles who've sought shelter in the UAE in past years. Some have resided in Abu Dhabi, others in the UAE's commercial and tourism hub of Dubai.

Siblings and former Thai prime ministers, Thaksin Shinawatra and Yingluck Shinawatra  the former ousted in a military coup amid charges of corruption, the other fleeing a criminal conviction  are among them.

For years before her return to Pakistan where she was assassinated in 2007, so did ex-Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. Another ex-Pakistani prime minister, Pervez Musharraf, maintains his base as Dubai. He was sentenced at home to death for treason, a sentence that a high Pakistani court later annulled.

Others include former Spanish King Juan Carlos, who is facing financial probe; Palestinian figure Mohammed Dahlan, who was banished by his party and sentenced to prison, and Ahmed Ali Abdullah Saleh, the eldest son of Yemen's longtime leader who was also assassinated.

___

Follow Aya Batrawy on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ayaelb
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BRUSSELS (AP)  Well before U.S. President Joe Biden took office early this year, the European Union's foreign policy chief sang his praises and hailed a new era in cooperation. So did almost all of Washington's Western allies.

The EU's Josep Borrell was glad to see the end of the Trump era, with its America First, and sometimes America Only policy, enthralled by Biden's assertion that he would lead, not merely by the example of our power, but by the power of our example.

Sunday's collapse of Kabul, triggered by Biden's decision to get out of Afghanistan and a U.S. military unable to contain the chaos since, certainly put a stop to that. Even some of his biggest fans are now churning out criticism.

Borrell was among them, this time aghast at Biden's contention that our mission in Afghanistan was never supposed to have been nation-building, coming in the wake of Western efforts over much of the past two decades to sow the seeds of the rule of law and assure protection for women and minorities.

"State-building was not the purpose? Well, this is arguable, a dejected Borrell said of Biden's stance, which has come under criticism in much of Europe.

And for many Europeans steeped in soft power diplomacy to export Western democratic values, Biden's assertion that, our only vital national interest in Afghanistan remains today what it has always been: preventing a terrorist attack on American homeland, could have come from a Trump speech.

EU Council President Charles Michel underscored the different stances when he said in a tweet Thursday that the rights of Afghanis, notably women & girls, will remain our key concern: all EU instruments to support them should be used.

French Parliamentarian Nathalie Loiseau, a former Europe minister for President Emmanuel Macron, put the unexpected EU-Biden disconnect more bluntly: We lived a little bit the great illusion, she said. We thought America was back, while in fact, America withdraws.

It was no better in Germany, where a leading member of German Chancellor Angela Merkels center-right Union bloc, Bavaria Gov. Markus Soeder, called on Washington to provide funding and shelter to those fleeing Afghanistan, since the United States of America bear the main responsibility for the current situation.

Even in the United Kingdom, which has always prided itself on a its special relationship with Washington and now, more than ever, needs U.S. goodwill to overcome the impact of leaving the EU, barbs were coming from all angles.

Former British Army chief Richard Dannatt said, the manner and timing of the Afghan collapse is the direct result of President Bidens decision to withdraw all U.S. forces from Afghanistan by the 20th anniversary of 9/11."

At a stroke, he has undermined the patient and painstaking work of the last five, 10, 15 years to build up governance in Afghanistan, develop its economy, transform its civil society and build up its security forces," Dannatt said Wednesday in Parliament.

"The people had a glimpse of a better life  but that has been torn away.

Biden has pointed to the Trump administration deal negotiated with the Taliban 18 months earlier in Doha, Qatar, which he says bound him to withdraw U.S. troops, as setting the stage for the chaos now engulfing the country.

Still, Biden putting much of the blame on Afghan forces for not protecting their nation has not gone down well with Western allies, either.

Conservative Parliament member Tom Tugendhat, who fought in Afghanistan, was one of several British lawmakers taking offense.

To see their commander-in-chief call into question the courage of men I fought with, to claim that they ran, is shameful, Tugendhat said.

Chris Bryant, from the opposition Labour Party, called Bidens remarks about Afghan soldiers, some of the most shameful comments ever from an American president.

In Prague this week, Czech president Milos Zeman said that, by withdrawing from Afghanistan, the Americans have lost their status of global leader.

But despite all the criticism, there is no doing without the United States on the global stage. America remains vital to the Western allies in a series of other issues, in particular taking action against global warming.

After climate change disasters across much of the globe this year, the EU will be counting heavily on Biden to stand shoulder-to- shoulder in taking effective measures at the November COP26 global conference in Glasgow, Scotland, to speed up action to counter global warming.

Europe and Washington also have enough trade disagreements to settle to realize that despite the debacle of Afghanistan, there is much more that unites than divides them. A need for American power and help remains, even in Afghanistan.

Before Fridays meeting of NATO foreign ministers, some Alliance nations have acknowledged they will be pleading to Washington to stay even longer in Afghanistan than it will take to bring all U.S. citizens home, wanting to make sure their people get out too.

We and a number of other countries are going to the Americans to say: Stay as long as possible, possibly longer than necessary, Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Sigrid Kaag said.

____

Associated Press writers Mike Corder in The Hague, Netherlands; Sylvia Hui in London; Karel Janicek in Prague and Colleen Barry in Milan contributed.
MARTINEZ, Calif.  Ahmed Azizi, a former interpreter for U.S. Special Forces in Afghanistan, is living between two worlds.

Last week he was in Kabul embracing his parents and an entourage of two dozen brothers, cousins and nephews who tearfully waved and wondered when they might see him again.

This week, Azizi finds himself in a house a few blocks from a freeway that whisks him off to downtown San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge, the places he dreamed of when he was living in a military outpost battling insurgents in southern Afghanistan.

Azizi is one of tens of thousands of Afghans who have resettled in the United States in the two decades since the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan. They say they feel lucky to have left the turmoil of Afghanistan but fear for their relatives who remain there.

Azizis American story so far: He is a Muslim man sponsored by a Jewish organization and living across the street from an evangelical church in a California subdivision.

Life is beautiful, Azizi told me.

On Wednesday, when we arranged to meet at his house, Azizi said he would text me his address. But he did not know the name of his street, so he sent me the latitude and longitude as if he were still somewhere in a remote Afghan outpost.

Azizi and his wife, Tamanna Rasteen, both 28, have spent the past few days wandering through the Bay Area wide-eyed.

Azizi said he was impressed with the discipline shown by California drivers.

In Kabul there are some traffic lights at intersections, but no one follows them, he said.

He noticed how people keep to themselves in California. No one asked him who he was, where he was from.

Everybody is busy with their own business, he said.

Rasteen said she was impressed by the buildings. They looked sturdy to her. In San Francisco, she was intrigued that some people wore jeans that sagged halfway down their legs, she said.

But this was small talk.

Behind the smiles, it was not difficult to detect the deep ambivalence they harbored about leaving their families behind. Azizi became glassy eyed when he recounted his fathers parting words last week: Take care of yourself. Take care of your wife. God bless you.

Azizi said he did not realize  no one realized, he said  that as he was leaving the country, it was on the precipice of regime change. When his plane took off, Afghanistan had a government. When he arrived in California on Thursday, it was in shambles. Three days later, as he was settling into his new home in Martinez, the Taliban  the enemy he had helped fight for three years  had declared victory.

I asked Azizi whether he had trouble separating his old life from his new life and how much he thought about his three years serving with U.S. troops.

He recounted a shooting that seems like a poignant statement on the difficulties of the U.S. war in Afghanistan. In July 2019, Azizi traveled to an Afghan army base in Uruzgan province, southwest of Kabul. He was interpreting for U.S. troops when a barrage of bullets fatally wounded two U.S. soldiers. An Afghan army soldier inside the base had targeted the Americans, according to an account by the Stars and Stripes newspaper, which identified the two slain soldiers as Brandon Jay Kreischer, 20, and Michael Isaiah Nance, 24.

I was new to the job, Azizi said. It was a very difficult time.

From the time he became a military interpreter in 2018, Azizi said he felt like he was a marked man. The job came with constant reminders of its dangers. One fellow interpreter was killed in battle. Another was tracked down and slain in front of his family while on leave. Two others were killed near their homes, one decapitated with a knife.

Every single minute and second I was scared, Azizi told me.

His flight last week to the United States landed in Washington, D.C., and it was only when he arrived at his hotel, a Holiday Inn in Virginia, that he said he finally felt safe.

Now in California, he is embarking on the next chapter.

We are starting from zero here, he said.

Jewish Family & Community Services East Bay, the organization helping him, is paying his rent for now.

In a few weeks he will get his green card, allowing him to find employment.

His goal, he said, is to enlist in the U.S. military.

This country gave me this opportunity, he said. This country gave me a new life.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
In August 1991, a group of hard-line Communist Party officials tried to remove Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev from power. The move sent shock waves around the world, which feared a rollback of Gorbachevs reforms and his efforts to end the Cold War. The putsch collapsed in three days as throngs took to the streets of Moscow in defiance. The events dramatically weakened Gorbachevs rule and precipitated the collapse of the 74-year-old Soviet Union about four months later.

Associated Press writer Ann Imse covered the failed coup. Thirty years later, the AP is making a version of her story available, with photos.

Soviet Hard-liners Seize Power From Gorbachev

By ANN IMSE

Associated Press Writer

MOSCOW (AP)  Communist hard-liners backed by tanks and troops seized power today from President Mikhail S. Gorbachev in a coup that threatened the reforms he used for six years to transform the Soviet Union and end the Cold War.

Vice President Gennady Yanayev said he was taking over as acting president under a state of emergency, supported by an eight-member committee that includes the KGB and top military and police officials.

Gorbachev was detained at his vacation home in the Crimea, said a spokesman for Boris Yeltsin, president of the Russian republic.

Yeltsin quickly moved into the forefront of resistance to the takeover. He ordered Soviet soldiers, police and KGB agents to follow his command on the territory of the sprawling Russian republic, which includes Moscow.

In the capital, where thousands of protesters confronted soldiers on tanks and armed personnel carriers, Yeltsin climbed atop one military vehicle and urged the Russian people to fight back with an immediate general strike.

Im not going to order my troops to shoot Boris Yeltsin, one military commander was quoted as saying.

It was unclear if the confrontations would lead to large-scale resistance to the coup.

No injuries or deaths were immediately reported in the protests.

Late today, the official Soviet news agency Tass reported Yeltsins condemnation of the coup and his call for a general strike, a move that may reflect feuding between pro- and anti-coup factions at the agency.

Yeltsin also received support from leaders of the republics of Kazakhstan and the Ukraine.

As President Bush joined other Western leaders in condemning the coup, there were also reports of a new crackdown in the breakaway Baltic republics.

Yanayev (pronounced yah-NEYE-yeff), at his first post-coup news conference, denounced the Yeltsin-led resistance as dangerous and irresponsible ... fraught with the potential of armed conflict.

But he added: We will do our utmost not to use force against civilians. Yanayev claimed that Gorbachev is now on vacation in an undisclosed safe place.

He is very tired after all these years, and he will need some time to get better. We hope  he will take office again, he told reporters.

The emergency decree announcing the takeover early today had said Gorbachev, 60, was unable to perform his duties for health reasons. However, there has been no recent indication he was ill.

Gorbachev was to have returned to Moscow today for Tuesdays signing of a treaty, opposed by hard-liners, that would have given the restive republics more power at the expense of the Communist central government.

In Moscow, hundreds of armored vehicles poured into the streets, and long columns of tanks churned up the pavement. Dozens of armored vehicles surrounded the Russian Federation building.

The vehicles later backed off several hundred yards and the intervening space filled with hundreds of pro-Yeltsin demonstrators. They used barricades of trucks, buses and bricks to protect the building and Yeltsin inside.

Late in the afternoon, most of the armored vehicles around the Russian headquarters had left.

Russian deputies reported that 38,000 copies of Yeltsins appeal to the people of Russia have been printed up and were being distributed at airports and train stations.

More than a hundred members of the Russian legislature gathered at the Russian Parliament and decided to split up into groups and talk to soldiers throughout Moscow, hoping to persuade them not to support the coup.

In the rain-soaked streets of central Moscow, many of the protesters engaged in shouting matches with Soviet soldiers.

We wont stand for it! cried Muscovite Alexander Muzhin.

Its our army. They will support us, said Gasha Kolchin, a 20-year-old medical student at Moscow State University, as he rode on a tank in a downtown street, clutching a red-white-and-blue, pre-revolutionary Russian flag.

We are not afraid. We are sure that democracy will win in our country, he said.

President Bush, who cut short a Maine vacation to return to Washington, put aid to the Soviet Union on hold and urged Western allies to do likewise. He was highly critical of the overthrow of Gorbachev by a very hard-line group, saying it violated the Soviet Constitution.

Coups can fail, Bush said. What hasnt been heard from yet is the people of the Soviet Union.

Western leaders said they expected Moscow to honor international commitments in arms control and other matters. Bush and Gorbachev signed a historic Strategic Arms Control Treaty on the reduction of nuclear weapons only weeks ago.

Reports said some internal airports around the country were being closed, although airlines said operations were apparently normal at Moscows international airport.

Military action was reported in other Soviet republics. The Soviet military commander of the Baltics informed the governments of the three republics he was assuming control and they faced arrest if they resisted, Latvian officials said.

Soviet warships reportedly blocked the main harbor in Estonia and troops silenced Lithuanian television and radio.

If needed, I will put my head on the block because we cant retreat, said Estonian President Arnold Ruutel.

Former Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze, a key architect of Gorbachevs reform-minded international policies, said the West should move to back reformers in the Soviet Union.

The West should show its solidarity with reform movements in the country. What is happening now is a tragedy for the West, for the Soviet Union and for the East as well, he told The Associated Press.

Some independent Soviet media were silenced, and word of the takeover came from official outlets, such as the Tass news agency.

The new ruling committee announced it assumed emergency powers at 6 a.m. today (11 p.m. EDT Sunday). Yanayev, who took over as acting president, said the changes were temporary and did not mean a renunciation of reforms or affect the Soviet Unions international commitments.

Even so, the takeover threw into question Gorbachevs policies of creating a free-market economy, granting autonomy to the nations republics and carrying out arms control agreements with the United States.

It was unclear if Yanayev, 53, a little-known provincial official when Gorbachev chose him as his deputy in December, held the main power or if he was merely a figurehead.

The decree banned disruptive demonstrations and strikes and said disobedient elected officials and political parties would be suspended. It said a committee would be created to establish control over the media and that a curfew may be necessary.

The new Union Treaty that Gorbachev was to have signed Tuesday was opposed by hard-liners, who said it would effectively hobble the central governments power and transfer authority to the republics. The hard-liners said that the 15 republics would be subject to national laws.

Sources said the overthrow had been in the works since Friday. That day, a former Gorbachev aide and reformer, Alexander Yakovlev, had said publicly that Stalinist hard-liners were plotting a coup. He also resigned from the party.

The hard-liners also moved against reformists outside Moscow. Announcers on Leningrad television read the Tass announcement and said Leningrads reformist mayor, Anatoly Sobchak, had been removed from office.
PHOENIX (AP)  An appeals court on Thursday rejected an effort by the Arizona Senate to keep secret records of its ongoing review of the 2020 election in Maricopa County that are in the possession of the contractors conducting the recount.

The Arizona Court of Appeals ruled that the documents sought by the watchdog group American Oversight detailing how the recount and audit are being conducted are public and must be turned over.

Republicans who control the Senate argued that because the records are maintained by its contractors, they were not subject to public records law and that legislative immunity applies. But the court said that was not the case.

The court said the main contractor, Florida company Cyber Ninjas, was subject to the records law because it was performing a core government function that the Senate farmed out.

"Allowing the legislature to disregard the clear mandate of the (public records law) would undermine the integrity of the legislative process and discourage transparency, which contradicts the purpose of both the immunity doctrine and the (law)," acting presiding Judge Maria Elena Cruz wrote for the three-judge panel.

"The requested records are no less public records simply because they are in the possession of a third party, Cyber Ninjas, Cruz wrote later in the ruling.

The ruling upholds a decision by a Maricopa County Superior Court judge, who has ordered the Senate to turn over the records by Aug. 31.

The Senate has taken radical positions to obstruct basic public access to information about its so-called audit," Austin Evers, American Oversight's executive director, said in a statement. It has tried to get away with outsourcing the audit to a third party and argued that the public has no right to enforce transparency laws against them.

Kory Langhofer, the Senate's lawyer, said they planned to appeal to the Arizona Supreme Court.

The unprecedented partisan recount and review of election results in the state's most populous county was prompted by former President Donald Trump's loss in the state and his contention without evidence that he lost in Arizona and other battleground states because of fraud.

Senate Republicans issued subpoenas to Maricopa County for all 2020 ballots, the machines that counted them and other data in the states most populated county.

The materials were given to contractors with little to no election experience for what Senate President Karen Fann calls a forensic audit. Election experts say the 2020 election was secure and well-run, and the contractors are using bizarre and unreliable procedures. Maricopa County has refused further participation.

The results of the audit and hand recount are expected to be handed over to the Senate next week. A date for public release has not been announced.
BAMAKO, Mali (AP)  Gunmen ambushed a Malian army convoy in central Mali on Thursday, killing at least 15 soldiers, the army said, just days after another attack in the country's north left several dozen civilians dead.

The soldiers had been heading from the town of Douentza to Boni when it came under attack by a vehicle that exploded as it passed, the Malian military announced. Intense gunfire soon followed, the statement said.
Angela Lang/CNET

SEATTLE (AP)  A 50-year-old Bellevue, Washington man who made more than $1.5 million by using inside information to trade in Netflix securities has pleaded guilty in federal court.

Junwoo Chon is scheduled to be sentenced on December 3, said Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa Gorman.
RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP)  A former VFW leader has been sentenced in federal court to life in prison after pleading guilty to sexually exploiting a minor and attempted enticement of a minor using the internet.

The Rapid City Journal reports Adam R. Swift, 31, of Box Elder, was sentenced on Tuesday. He is the former commander of VFW Post 1273 in downtown Rapid City and the former judge advocate for the South Dakota VFW, though his membership was revoked following an investigation of the allegations against him.
There are over 10,000 firefighters battling unprecedented blazes in California. But that's not enough, and the state is having a hard time finding more as flames rage across the western U.S. and Canada.

Twelve major wildfires are burning in the Golden State, forcing 31,000 people to flee their homes. Dry winds raking Northern California helped the Caldor Fire east of Sacramento jump from 6,500 acres Tuesday night to more than 65,000 by Thursday morning, all but destroying the town of Grizzly Flats and hospitalizing two people with serious injuries.

In a bleak sign of climate change, the infernos are part of a dramatic wildfire season spanning the Northern Hemisphere, with flames burning everywhere from Siberia to Greece and France, and smoke reaching the North Pole for the first time on record. There are about 100 large, active fires across the western U.S. alone, so finding additional resources for California is difficult, and the firefighters deployed are exhausted. The pandemic has also made cross-border aid harder.

"Our folks have been fighting fire for nearly two months now," Tony Scardina, deputy regional forester with the U.S. Forest Service, said during a press conference with California officials. "They're tired, they're fatigued, they're digging lines for 16 hours a day for 14 days straight."

Firefighters may get a break Thursday as the high winds that have been raking the state are forecast to ease by afternoon. It's been a long time in coming.

The U.S. West has been gripped by a drought so severe that Colorado River water will be rationed for the first time, and Southern Californians are being asked to conserve. Western Canada, which typically sends crews to help with U.S. wildfires, smashed the country's all-time heat records this summer and has flames burning from the Pacific Coast to the other side of the Rocky Mountains.

Some 6,500 federal firefighters already are deployed to California, Scardina said.

California has tapped National Guard members from as far away as Louisiana and West Virginia to help. But the state isn't able to pull in firefighters from other countries as easily as it once could, said Thom Porter, director of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire. The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has limited the ability of other countries to send help. And crews from Mexico are already battling Canada's fires.

"We're having a very difficult time," Porter said. "There are resources out there that are being shared internationally, but those resources are already committed."

High winds Tuesday and Wednesday prompted California's largest utility, PG&E Corp., to cut power to about 48,000 homes and businesses in 13 counties to prevent electrical lines from sparking more blazes if they toppled from high winds. More than half of those customers had power restored by Thursday morning, with the rest expected to be back online by evening, the utility said.

The winds helped fuel the Caldor Fire's startling growth, and state fire officials on Wednesday pulled crews off of other blazes to fight it. Investigators haven't determined how many homes burned in Grizzly Flats, population 1,200. Footage from local television stations showed much of the town in ruins, with an elementary school and homes charred to rubble.

"This has been an incident that developed really quickly and has grown extremely fast," said Mike Blankenheim, a unit chief with Cal Fire. "It's outpaced the models on a two-to-one basis."

But the same winds also kept other fires growing. The month-old Dixie Fire in the northern Sierra Nevada Mountains has now become the first known blaze in California's history to burn all the way from the range's western foothills, up over its crest and down into the valleys to the east, Porter said.

"We don't have any record of that happening before," he said. By late Wednesday, the Dixie Fire had scorched more than 660,000 acres and destroyed more than 650 residences, Cal Fire said.

This year is on pace to become California's worst fire seasons ever. On Monday, the state broke a milestone of 1 million acres burned, the earliest it has ever reached that mark. So far this year, 6,540 fires have torched at least 1,800 structures in the state. But no deaths were reported through Wednesday.

Across the Northern Hemisphere, wildfires are sweeping areas left unusually dry this summer by drought and extreme heat blamed on climate change. A wildfire burning near the French Riviera killed two people this week and injured at least 27. At least five people have been killed this month by wildfires in southern Italy. And a blaze outside Athens is forcing villages to evacuate.

As drastic as California's fire season has been so far, it is still weeks away from its peak, when the Santa Ana and Diablo winds start to blow from the east. As summer weather patterns give way to fall, large high-pressure systems typically build over the Great Basin of Nevada and Utah, sending winds rushing from the east to low-pressure systems that often develop off the Pacific coast.

These winds dry out and heat up as they cross California's mountain ranges, allowing them to fan any sparks they catch into major fires. Four of the state's five most destructive fires occurred in October and November.

State officials urged residents to pay attention to the speed with which fires are spreading and to be ready to evacuate if needed.

"Remember every acre in California can and will burn some day," Porter said. "Just make sure that you're ready when it does."

- - -

Bloomberg's Mark Chediak, Naureen S. Malik and Josh Saul contributed to this report.
SAN BERNARDINO (AP)  One of two police officers shot while trying to arrest a gunman suspected of wounding a Southern California sheriffs deputy was released from the hospital on Thursday.

The San Bernardino SWAT officers killed the gunman during a shootout Wednesday in neighboring Highland east of Los Angeles, authorities said.
LANSING, Mich. (AP)  Central Michigan University will require all students, faculty and staff to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or participate in weekly COVID-19 testing for the fall semester, the university announced Thursday.

Several other universities in Michigan have mandated COVID-19 vaccines in anticipation of the fall as concerns rise about the highly contagious delta variant.
NEW YORK (AP)  Chuck Close, a painter, photographer and printmaker best known for his monumental grid portraits and photo-based paintings of family and famous friends, has died. He was 81.

His attorney, John Silberman, said Close died Thursday at a hospital in Oceanside, New York. He did not give a cause of death.

Close, whose professional highlights include a solo exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York in 1973, was known for using a grid structure for the representation of an image in nearly all of his works, which he said helped him break the face down into incremental units.

Time consuming and labor intensive, he produced a plethora of paintings that dissect the human face of such luminaries as President Bill Clinton, composer Philip Glass and the artist himself.

His works have been displayed in museums, galleries and even the New York City subway.

In 2017, Close faced accusations of sexual harassment from some women who said he made inappropriate sexual comments when they had gone to his studio to potentially be models for him in prior years.

He told The New York Times that he had spoken to the women about their bodies as part of evaluating them as models, and apologized for causing any discomfort.

Close, who had been diagnosed with dementia-related conditions in 2013, also had serious mobility issues after suffering a spinal artery collapse in 1988, requiring him to use a wheelchair.

In Closes work, the pixilated images are filled with tiny abstract colored shapes, individual brushstrokes or even the artists fingerprints. When viewed from a distance, the individual marks miraculously resolve into a surprisingly realistic face, the Akron Art Museum in Ohio said in describing Closes paintings and prints for an exhibition titled Familiar Faces: Chuck Close in Ohio Collections.

Born in Monroe, Wisconsin, Close graduated from the University of Washington, Seattle, and received a MFA from Yale University.

He was married twice, both of which ended in divorce, and is survived by two daughters.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP)  A startup company co-founded by former Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen is funding a new, 1 million-watt solar farm in the city of Jackson.

The company, named Clearloop, plans to break ground on the solar farm on Sept. 2, according to a news release issued by the startup Wednesday. The farm will provide enough energy to power 200 homes, the company said.
TACOMA, Wash. (AP)  Taxpayers will not pay the Pierce County, Washington, sheriffs legal costs in state and county investigations surrounding his January confrontation with a Black newspaper carrier.

The Pierce County Council voted Tuesday to deny Sheriff Ed Troyers request for legal representation at county expense, The News Tribune reported.

In an August letter to council obtained by The News Tribune, Troyer asked to hire outside legal counsel, saying his job is 24/7 and therefore he was working at the time of the incident.

The Washington state Attorney Generals Office has opened an investigation into whether Troyer made a false 911 call saying the newspaper carrier was threatening him.

Council Chairman Derek Young, D-Gig Harbor, said while the council debated whether the encounter was part of Troyers duties as sheriff, it is the councils decision whether to provide Troyers legal representation.

Even if we think he was representing the county, its up to our discretion, Young said.

Four members voted to reject Troyers request and three voted to approve it.

Troyer has indicated legal counsel is needed for interviews investigators are requesting, Young said during the meeting.

Council member Ryan Mello, D-Tacoma, said before the vote the sheriff was not acting in an official capacity.

In public comments, he said he did not identify himself as a sheriff, he was not in public vehicle and did not have a badge, Mello said in the meeting. Those data points lead me to say that the taxpayers should not pay for the criminal defense.

Troyer was elected as sheriff in November with 64% approval. Previously, he was the public information officer for the department for 19 years.

On Jan. 27, Troyer confronted Sedrick Altheimer, who was delivering newspapers. Troyer got in his personal vehicle without his badge or weapon and said he went to catch a license plate of the car he believed to be suspicious.

Altheimer eventually stopped and asked Troyer what he was doing.

Troyer called 911 and asked dispatchers to send a patrol car or two but told dispatchers at least three times he was threatened by Altheimer.

The emergency call triggered an officer in trouble response, and 42 officers, deputies and troopers began responding. Nearly all were called off after Tacoma officers arrived and found no danger.

Altheimer denies threatening Troyer. A Tacoma police officer wrote in a report the sheriff told him Altheimer never made threats. Troyer later told The News Tribune that Tacoma police misunderstood him when he said he didnt want anything done about the carriers alleged threat.

Troyer has repeatedly said he did not racially profile Altheimer.

The confrontation prompted the County Council to open a fact-finding investigation in April and the state Attorney Generals Office to start the criminal investigation. One of the charges being considered against Troyer is criminal false reporting for telling the 911 operator Altheimer threatened him.

Additionally, Altheimer has filed a $5 million claim for damages against Pierce County. The claim is the first step in suing a government agency.

The claim says Altheimer suffered emotional distress from the racial profiling, false arrest and unnecessary use of excessive force of this man whose only crime was being a black man in a white neighborhood.

Prosecuting Attorney Mary Robnett has yet to decide whether the county government will represent Troyer if a lawsuit is filed, spokesperson Adam Faber said.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)  The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday set aside a federal judges ruling from last year that had paused a long-standing order requiring the Oregon State Hospital to admit certain patients within seven days.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. District Judge Michael W. Mosman in May 2020 modified a 2002 court order requiring the state psychiatric hospital to admit people no longer than seven days after theyve been found unable to aid and assist in their own defense.

His decision removed the time limit on keeping those patients in jail to accommodate the state hospitals limited admissions policy as the pandemic worsened.

Advocacy group Disability Rights Oregon has long protested Mosmans decision, saying that leaving patients in jail violates their constitutional rights. The group appealed the decision to the 9th Circuit, urging the judges to consider the constitutional rights of patients awaiting trial.

The judges sided with Disability Rights Oregon on Monday, asking Mosman to reassess his modification to the admissions policy for aid-and-assist patients. The court said Mosman could have considered putting a time limit or adding other accountability measures into his modification.

An open-ended modification order is inconsistent with the urgent need to transfer individuals  out of jails, the 9th Circuit decision said.

Emily Cooper, Disability Rights Oregons legal director, told The Oregonian/OregonLive that the organization hopes Mosman will determine that a modification to the admissions policy is no longer necessary.

On Wednesday, Disability Rights Oregons legal team filed a motion asking the court to restore the 2002 court order, which would require the state hospital to go back to admitting patients no more than seven days after theyve been deemed unable to aid and assist in their own defense.

Aria Seligmann, an Oregon Health Authority spokesperson, said the state hospital will continue its current practice of admitting 19 to 23 patients every week under its COVID-19 precautions and wait for the judge to act on the appellate decision.

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This story has been updated to correct the 9th Circuit Court's decision. The court set aside a federal judges ruling from last year and now the judge must review his decision on the admissions policy at the psychiatric hospital.
DALLAS (AP)  A Dallas-area real estate agent pleaded guilty Thursday to participating in the Jan. 6 raid on the U.S. Capitol in which five people died.

Frisco realty broker Jennifer Leigh Jenna Ryan entered her plea in a virtual hearing before a Washington, D.C., judge after agreeing to cooperate with prosecutors. In return, federal authorities agreed to drop prosecution of other counts against her.

Court records showed that Ryan, 51, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of knowingly parading, demonstrating and picketing inside the Capitol during a riot supporting Donald Trumps presidency. The count carries punishment of up to six months in jail and a $5,000 fine. Under her plea deal, Ryan also agrees to pay $500 in restitution. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 4 in Washington.

Ryan was arrested on Jan. 15 and charged with multiple counts after she shared photos and videos on social media, including a video in which she says, Were gonna go down and storm the Capitol, in front of a bathroom mirror, according to the FBI criminal complaint. The FBI also said Ryan live-streamed a 21-minute Facebook video of her and a group walking toward the Capitol.

We are going to (expletive) go in here, Ryan said in the video as she approached the top of the stairs on the west side of the Capitol building. Life or death, it doesnt matter. Here we go.

She then turned the camera to expose her face, the complaint noted, and said, Yall know who to hire for your Realtor, Jenna Ryan for your Realtor. Nearly halfway through, Ryan appears to have made it to the front door, chanting, USA, USA and Here we are, in the name of Jesus.

The riot was prefaced by a rally at which Trump urged the mob to fight for his presidency. At the time of her arrest, Ryan told KTVT-TV in Fort Worth that she was a normal person, that I listen to my president who told me to go to the Capitol. At the time, she said she deserved a presidential pardon from Trump. No pardon was forthcoming.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Democratic-led congressional committees are vowing to press President Joe Bidens administration on what went wrong as the Taliban swept to power in Afghanistan and the United States left scores of Americans and thousands who helped them over the years in grave danger.

The anger from members of both parties is palpable and will test an administration seeking to notch signature domestic policy achievements on infrastructure, health and social programs before next years midterm election. Several hearings are likely this summer and fall, plunging Biden's national security team into a bipartisan cross-examination that will be unlike anything they've faced during the president's first year in office.

Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said lawmakers will investigate what he described as the Biden administrations flawed execution of the U.S. withdrawal. He said President Donald Trumps actions will also be part of the review, citing that administrations flawed negotiations with the Taliban, which led to the U.S. and the Taliban signing a peace agreement in February 2020 to end Americas longest war.

The Committee will seek a full accounting for these shortcomings as well as assess why the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces collapsed so quickly, Menendez said in a statement.

He noted that Congress was told repeatedly the Afghan forces were up to the task of securing the country. The American and Afghan people clearly have not been told the truth" and deserve answers, he said.

Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said he has invited Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to testify. A hearing could take place as soon as next week.

The situation in Afghanistan is rapidly changing and it is imperative that the administration provide the American people and Congress transparency about its Afghanistan strategy," Meeks said.

Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said he would work with other committees to ask tough questions about why we werent better prepared for a worst-case scenario."

We owe those answers to the American people and to all those who served and sacrificed so much," Warner said.

Images of panicked Afghans clinging to a departing U.S. military jet at the Kabul airport reinforced the fears that many lawmakers were voicing in recent months as they urged the administration to streamline the process for getting interpreters and others who had helped the United States out of the country.

Lawmakers and their staffs are now fielding calls from veterans and families of those individuals stranded in Afghanistan and trying to get out. One congressional aide, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly, said they had forwarded nearly 50 names to the State Department for transport out of the country  mostly interpreters, but also their family members and 10 journalists.

A group of 47 lawmakers wrote the administration Wednesday seeking more guidance on evacuation plans. They said their offices were working around the clock to help those trying to get out, but our staff cannot adequately do this without a clear understanding of the process and plan currently underway." The group, led by Rep. Sara Jacobs, D-Calif., called for a classified briefing if necessary.

It is this Administrations moral obligation to leverage all available resources to help as many people as possible to safety in the United States. There is no time to waste," the lawmakers wrote.

The top congressional Republicans, Rep. Kevin McCarthy and Sen. Mitch McConnell, asked Biden on Wednesday for a classified briefing with the gang of eight  the top Democrats and Republicans on the House and Senate intelligence committees as well as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, McCarthy and McConnell.

McCarthy and McConnell said they want a briefing on the number of Americans still in Afghanistan and the plans to evacuate those outside Kabul. Their letter prompted Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill to tweet that she had already requested such a meeting. He also said House members will receive an unclassified telephone briefing Friday and an in-person briefing Tuesday.

The Trump administration agreed late in its term to withdraw U.S. forces from Afghanistan in May 2021, with the president saying last year, Now its time for somebody else to do that work. But Republicans are intent on reminding Americans that it was Biden who was in charge when the Taliban took over.

The world is watching as one of the greatest foreign policy failures in American history plays out," the lead Republicans on three committees with jurisdiction over Afghanistan-related issues said in a letter to Biden.

Due to your failure to adequately plan, there are now more than twice the number of U.S. forces in Afghanistan than when you took office," Reps. Michael McCaul of Texas, Mike Rogers of Alabama and Devin Nunes of California wrote.

The GOP lawmakers questioned how long the Hamid Karzai International Airport will remain under American control for evacuations and why the administration failed to adjust the withdrawal plans when the Afghan government's instability became apparent. They also pressed for answers on how Biden plans to dismantle terror groups in Afghanistan and prevent another Sept. 11-style attack on the U.S.

Veterans in Congress from both parties are livid with how the withdrawal has played out. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., who flew missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, said it's up to Congress to get accountability from the administration and ensure the necessary resources to process visas for Afghan interpreters and others who worked with American forces.

What were seeing is not only do they not even have the chance to get out, its so chaotic, many of them are caught in Taliban lines already and losing their lives, Kinzinger said. "Its a sad, sad moment.

Biden national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters the administration did dramatically accelerate the process for issuing visas to interpreters and others and provided a substantial number to them and their families. He defended the decision not to evacuate more people earlier.

The Afghan government and its supporters, including many of the people now seeking to leave, made a passionate case that we should not conduct a mass evacuation lest we trigger a loss of confidence in the government," Sullivan said. Now, our signaling support for the government obviously did not save the government, but this was a considered judgment."

Sullivan added that when a country concludes 20 years of military action in a civil war in another country, you have to make a lot of hard calls, none with clean outcomes. What you can do is plan for all contingencies. We did that."

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Associated Press writer Padmananda Rama contributed to this report.
The fight over redrawing political maps is just ramping up in state legislatures and nonpartisan commissions around the country. But both Republicans and Democrats already are planning for major showdowns in the courts.

For months, Democrats and Republicans have been laying the groundwork for a complex, 50-state legal battle over the once-a-decade process of redistricting. Both parties are preparing for a changed legal climate  where federal courts are newly hostile to claims of unconstitutional partisan gerrymandering and state courts could create a patchwork of rulings. And it will all play out in a tightened timeframe, thanks to pandemic-related delays.

Experts say that adds up a challenging landscape for Democrats, who have in the past won major court victories by proving Republicans deliberately used maps to disenfranchise Democratic voters. Some are predicting far fewer dramatic court interventions, despite plans for a more aggressive strategy.

There will be a lot of litigation, but in a lot of ways the tools will be less sharp than they used to be, said Michael Li of the Brennan Center for Social Justice in New York City.

Democrats began filing preemptive lawsuits in April, well ahead of last week's release of the Census' detailed population data used to draw the lines for Congress, statehouses and school districts around the country. Still, the most significant lawsuits are yet to come, and probably won't be filed until states begin to produce maps over the next few months.

After the 2010 redistricting cycle, courts eventually tossed out maps drawn by Republicans in four states. The courts found Republicans improperly used voters race and party affiliations to draw lines that favored their candidates  a practice known as gerrymandering. The judges redrew the maps in Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Texas to give Democrats a better chance of winning congressional seats. Without that intervention, the GOP would currently control the House of Representatives.

But legal experts are skeptical there will be such dramatic reversals in court this time. They note that the conservative majority on the U.S. Supreme Court has already cut off one avenue for legal challenges, ruling that striking down partisan gerrymanders is no longer the role of federal courts. That makes it less likely that courts intervene, experts said.

The one way the dynamic could change is if Congress passes an ambitious election bill known as the For the People Act, which would, among other provisions, outlaw partisan gerrymandering. But the legislation is stuck in the Senate, where Democrats have been reluctant to change rules to eliminate the 60-vote threshold needed to overcome a Republican filibuster blocking the measure.

The longer odds of litigation are particularly ominous for Democrats, who start the process at a significant disadvantage. They control line-drawing in states with 75 House seats, while the GOP controls the process in states with 187 seats.

Democrats have a lot more incentive to litigate because they would have a lot more to gain, said Jason Torchinsky, general counsel to the National Republican Redistricting Trust.

Kelly Ward Burton, executive director of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, which coordinates litigation for that party, agreed that Democrats will be aggressive. We fully anticipate being in court in the states where Republicans control the redistricting process and where they intend to gerrymander, she said.

Burton said she's not too concerned about the Supreme Court's 2019 ruling that federal courts cannot overturn partisan gerrymandering, because racial gerrymandering remains illegal under federal law. In the states Democrats are most worried about where the GOP controls the process  Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Texas  party affiliation often runs along racial lines, with Black, Latino and Asian American voters more likely to be Democratic and white voters more likely to be Republican.

But Li warned that's a double-edged sword. Democrats can argue Republican gerrymanders are racial, rather than partisan, but GOP lawyers can just tell judges they were following the Supreme Court's direction and looking only at party, not race. The Supreme Court has created this weird binary  if it's on the racial side, it's bad, but if it's on the partisan side, it's okay, he said.

Republicans in the North Carolina legislature  who have complete control over the process because the state's Democratic governor cannot veto a redistricting bill  have already taken advantage of that dynamic by formally declaring they won't use racial data in drawing lines.

Tom Saenz, president of the Mexican-American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, said he still expects there to be plenty of successful racial gerrymandering cases, especially because populations of voters of color swelled so significantly in the recent census data. The Voting Rights Act still requires the creation of majority-minority districts in areas where a compact legislative district could be drawn that way, and due to the continued growth of several racial and ethnic groups there are more of those places than ever before, Saenz said.

That won't always help Democrats  Saenz notes that, in some states like California, his group has fought with white Democrats over the creation of majority Latino districts. And he noted another obstacle  the tight timelines of redistricting this decade. The Census data used to draw the maps was released six months late due to COVID-19 and legal disputes over how the Trump administration ran the survey. That means courts may only have a few weeks to act before the 2022 elections formally kick off with deadlines to file to run in state primaries. Often, redistricting cases take months if not years to decide.

We have to engage in triage, Saenz said. In some cases we may have to allow an election to go by with bad lines.

Though several lawsuits have already been filed, they're mainly opening salvos trying to gain advantage before line-drawing begins in earnest. Democrats have sued in Louisiana, Minnesota and Pennsylvania, arguing that deadlock is inevitable between those states' GOP-controlled legislatures and Democratic governors, so courts need to get ready to draw lines. Republicans are filing public records requests to see if they can challenge the way the Census calculated people living in college dorms and other large residential areas.

Still, the only significant litigation so far has come in Illinois, where the Democratic-controlled state legislature redrew its own state maps without waiting for the Census data so as not to miss a legal deadline and have redistricting power handed to the courts. Republicans and civil rights group are suing to overturn those maps.

Though federal courts will no longer be able to strike down gerrymanders due to reliance on partisanship, state courts remain free to. The willingness of state judges to do that may depend on their party, legal analysts say. It depends on who your state judges are, said Edward Foley, a law professor at The Ohio State University.

In the Southern states where redistricting legal battles are likely to run hottest, the state supreme courts are largely controlled by Republicans. Florida's was Democratic in the previous decade and overturned the GOP redistricting plan then, but it is now majority Republican. North Carolina's, once solidly Democratic, is now more evenly divided.

Absent congressional action it's going to be a decade of extreme gerrymandering, Foley said. I doubt that you'll get much judicial relief.

This story corrects the name of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, not the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund
ATLANTA (AP)  Georgia's Republican governor issued an executive order Thursday that bans cities from requiring businesses to enforce local restrictions aimed at curbing the coronavirus pandemic, but what impact, if any, the measure would have on new mask requirements in Atlanta, Savannah and other cities was not clear.

At a news conference announcing the order, Gov. Brian Kemp said some people in the state want to go back into lockdown mode and close businesses. He said his order will prevent local governments from forcing businesses to be the citys mask police, the vaccine police.

It came amid an explosion of new virus cases around the state that is straining hospitals.

The fact is that small businesses across our state should not be punished by local governments just because they are trying to make a living, pay their employees and save their livelihoods, Kemp said.

He said he was concerned about measures in Atlanta and Savannah  two cities controlled by Democrats  but he did not name any specific regulation or proposal.

Both cities have mask requirements, but it was not immediately clear that either city's mask orders would be affected by the governor's order. Savannah's mask requirement applies to city buildings, hospitals, schools and a few other places, but not businesses.

Kemp said Thursday his order pertained to the private sector, and local governments had the right to do something on their properties.

Atlanta requires masks at businesses, but says the requirement will be enforced against individual customers, not the businesses themselves.

Savannah Mayor Van Johnson said his order remains in place, and the city's elected servants will take additional action if needed.

It is disappointing, but not surprising, that amid historic COVID-19 infections and abysmal vaccination rates, Governor Brian Kemp would again attempt to proactively pre-empt local governments like Savannah from protecting themselves by following the science," he said in a statement.

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms' office said Bottoms has followed the science and data from the onset of this pandemic.

Masks save lives, and it is absurd we must continuously defend such a simple, straightforward fact, a statement from the office said.

Bottoms tweeted a local news article about Kemps order and wrote above it, The gift that keeps on giving...

In July 2020, Kemp sued Atlanta after it required masks in public despite orders from his administration that made them optional. He argued that local governments cant impose measures that are more or less restrictive than those in his statewide executive orders, but he later dropped the suit.

At least two other cities in the state  Decatur and Athens  are under mask requirements, but both allow businesses to opt out.

The state's latest COVID surge is fueled by the delta variant of the virus among people who are unvaccinated.

Health care providers at some of Georgia's largest hospital systems warned Thursday about the increasing toll of the latest surge on younger patients, hospital staffs and healthcare capacity as they implored people to get vaccinated, wear masks and avoid large gatherings.

The unfortunate thing is we dont have the luxury of saying, Were full, and were closed," said Robert Jansen, chief medical officer at Atlanta's Grady Health System. "Were not a hotel, so people will continue to come and our staff will continue to cope and well continue to find places to take care of these patients, but it is going to be difficult and its not going to be easy and it wont make people happy.

Jansen said the hospital's emergency room is facing a tsunami of infected patients, forcing staff to divert ambulances to other hospitals for quicker care. Hospitals are mostly seeing people who are unvaccinated.

Jansen spoke at a news conference with doctors and a nurse from five other hospital systems: Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Emory Healthcare, Piedmont Healthcare, Northeast Georgia Health System and Wellstar Health System.

Statewide, 89% of hospital ICU beds were in use Thursday, and nearly 4,850 people were hospitalized with COVID-19, according to state data. At just 42%, the state's vaccination rate continues to stay well below the national average.

Children's Healthcare is seeing more young children and teenagers infected this time around, said Chief Medical Officer James Fortenberry. He urged students, staff and visitors at schools to follow guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics to wear masks, which remain optional in many districts.

"We owe it to our kids to do everything that we can to protect them, he said.

Parents at Cobb County schools  the state's second largest district  planned to hold another rally later Thursday to push the district to require masks. Dozens of Cobb County residents rallied last week for a mask mandate. They were met by roughly two dozen protesters who want masks to remain optional in the district.

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Associated Press writer Jeff Martin contributed to this report. Follow APs coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic.
LAWRENC, Kan. (AP)  A dog that was stabbed at a Lawrence grocery store in an attack that killed its owner is expected to recover, the Lawrence Humane Society said in a social media post.

The post said that the dog, named Bear, sustained a stab wound to his side early Wednesday in the attack at a Dillons store. The dogs owner, 66-year-old Daniel Evan Brooks, of Lawrence, died in the attack.
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (AP)  Another former fraternity member at Bowling Green State University was indicted in the death of a pledge during an alleged hazing ritual.

A grand jury indicted a 22-year-old former student Wednesday on charges that include involuntary manslaughter. An attorney for the man declined to comment.
JACKSON, Miss. (AP)  Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi has tested positive for COVID-19 and is in isolation, his spokesperson said Thursday.

Senator Wicker tested positive this morning for the COVID-19 virus after immediately seeking a test due to mild symptoms," his communications director, Phillip Waller, said in a statement. "Senator Wicker is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, is in good health, and is being treated by his Tupelo-based physician. He is isolating, and everyone with whom Senator Wicker has come in close contact recently has been notified.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP)  The remnants of tropical storm Fred closed roads and flooded basements Thursday in parts of upstate New York, and forecasters warned more flooding was possible.

As much as 4 inches of rain fell in parts of western and central New York, swelling creeks and rivers.

About 10 families evacuated their homes in the rural town of Western in central New York as waters rose.

Ive got three roads that are closed and 15 that have flooding, said Western town Supervisor Diane Butler, who noted the town is still recovering from a tornado last month that downed trees and damaged homes.

Butler said there were no injuries.

Tropical Depression Fred blew into the northeastern U.S. on Wednesday after closing highways and cutting power to thousands in the South.

Rain continued over parts of New York on Thursday.

Officials from the Cayuga County sheriffs office in the Finger Lakes tourist region said they were barricading roads as they warned on social media that flooded roads may be washed out or have heavy currents.

About 7,000 customers scattered around New York were without power Thursday morning, with the heaviest concentrations in central New York.

There was a tornado warning overnight in the Hudson Valley, though it was not clear if one touched down.
BEIRUT (AP)  The leader of Lebanon's militant Hezbollah group said Thursday that an Iranian fuel tanker will sail toward Lebanon within hours, warning Israel and the United States not to intercept it.

The delivery, organized by the Iran-backed Hezbollah, would violate U.S. sanctions imposed on Tehran after former President Donald Trump pulled America out of a nuclear deal between Iran and world powers three years ago.

Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said in a televised speech that the tanker, carrying diesel fuel, will be followed by others to help ease Lebanons crippling fuel shortage that has paralyzed the country for weeks.

Lebanon is going through an unprecedented economic meltdown, including a severe fuel crisis.

Hours after Nasrallah's comments, Lebanese President Michel Aoun's office announced that U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea told him the United States would help Lebanon get electricity from Jordan and facilitate the flow of Egyptian gas through Jordan and Syria to northern Lebanon.

Shea told Aoun that negotiations are ongoing with the World Bank to pay for Egyptian gas and to fix cables and pipelines that will be used, according to the statement.

There was no immediate comment from the U.S. State Department or the American Embassy in Beirut. Shea, the U.S. ambassador, spoke about the crisis in Lebanon with the English service of the Saudi-owned Al Arabiya TV on Thursday.

In his speech, Nasrallah did not say how Lebanon would pay for the fuel. Earlier, he had said Tehran could be paid in Lebanese pounds. The currency has lost more than 90% of its value since the country's economic crisis began in October 2019.

I would like to say that at the moment the tanker sails out ... it will be considered in Lebanese territory, Nasrallah said and blamed the West for what he called an undeclared siege of Lebanon that triggered the current crisis.

Hezbollah and its allies accuse the U.S. and some Gulf Arab nations of punishing Lebanon because of Hezbollah's military activities in other countries, including Syria and Iraq.

Neighboring Syria has blamed Israel for mysterious attacks that have targeted oil tankers heading from Iran to Syria this past year.

For weeks, Lebanese have been waiting in long lines at petrol stations to fill their tanks. Diesel shortages amid severe power cuts have shut down thousands of private generators, leading to lengthy blackouts and even shortages of bread. Some hospitals have warned that patients could die because of shortages of diesel fuel that powers their generators.

The shortages are blamed on smuggling, hoarding and the cash-strapped Lebanese governments inability to secure deliveries of imported fuel.

Lebanon has for decades suffered electricity cuts, partly because of widespread corruption and mismanagement. The Mediterranean nation of 6 million  including 1 million Syrian refugees  is near bankruptcy.

The situation deteriorated dramatically last week after the central bank decided to end subsidies for fuel products. The decision will likely lead to a hike in the prices of almost all commodities in Lebanon.

Nasrallah said his group does not aim to defy anyone, by arranging the fuel shipment from Iran, but added that we cannot stand idle amid the humiliation of our people whether in front of bakeries, hospitals, gas stations and darkness at night.

Hezbollahs opponents are likely to be angered by Nasrallah's remarks as importing Iranian oil may lead to U.S. sanctions on Lebanon.

Former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, a harsh critic of Hezbollah, warned in tweets that an Iranian fuel shipment could plunge Lebanon into more conflict.

On Thursday, Coral, one of the largest fuel companies in Lebanon, said it was running out of gasoline. A tanker that's bringing in supplies has been stuck off the Lebanese coast for eight days because of paperwork, it said. The company warned it won't be able to resupply gas stations for the first time since it was founded.

Im trying to find solutions for the Lebanese people, Shea, the U.S. ambassador, told Al Arabiya English. Weve been talking to the governments of Egypt, Jordan, the government here (Lebanon), the World Bank. Were trying to get real, sustainable solutions for Lebanons fuel and energy needs.
HONG KONG (AP)  Hong Kong police said Thursday that they seized 195 million Hong Kong dollars ($25 million) worth of illegal drugs as part of a monthslong investigation, the largest seizure of the year.

Police said the drugs, including 148 kilograms (326 pounds) of crystal methamphetamine and 86 kilograms (189 pounds) of heroin, were uncovered Wednesday in an industrial building. A suspect was arrested and was due to appear in court Friday.
CONCORD, N.H. (AP)  A New Hampshire man who secretly recorded a teenage exchange student getting in and out of the shower was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, officials said Thursday.

Law enforcement authorities were alerted after the 15-year-old boy notified operators of the exchange student program that he'd discovered a camera hidden inside a device that looked like a pen in a bathroom in the host home.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)  Tennessee hospitals warned Thursday that the intensive care units are full in nearly every hospital in the state's major metropolitan areas, pleading with Tennesseans to get vaccinated and wear masks while not going so far as to criticize Gov. Bill Lee's executive order allowing parents to opt their children out of mask mandates in K-12 schools.

Meanwhile, U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona warned Tennessee in a letter sent Wednesday that the executive order might violate federal law.

The Tennessee Hospital Association told residents in its statement the hospitals in metropolitan areas with full ICUs are the same ones that normally accept transfers from smaller hospitals of the sickest patients.

This means that if you or a loved one need treatment for any type of serious healthcare problem like a severe injury, heart attack, or stroke, you may not be able to access the care you need, when you need it, the statement reads.

It cites Tennessee Department of Health data from May and July that found at least 88% of these COVID hospitalizations and 94% of COVID deaths are among unvaccinated individuals.

Separately, a Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Vanderbilt School of Medicine report released Thursday found that hospitalizations have increased more than tenfold in a little more than a month, the fastest rate of increase seen during the pandemic.

These trends suggest that if recent growth continues, Tennessee may soon eclipse high-water marks in ICU and ventilation use last seen in January, the report states.

It warns that while those people who have previously contracted COVID-19 have some immunity to the virus, research suggests they are twice as likely to become infected with the delta variant as vaccinated people. Also, while there are some breakthrough infections among the vaccinated, those infections rarely reach the severity of the infections among the unvaccinated.

In Shelby County, where a mask mandate for indoor public spaces begins Friday, hospital emergency department directors sent a letter to area mayors saying emergency rooms there are operating dangerously over capacity.

It is projected that hospitalized coronavirus patients will double by the end of the month and increaseTN--Virus Outbreak-Tennessee sixfold by the end of September in Shelby County, which is Tennessees most populous and includes Memphis, the letter said.

That increase would produce more admitted COVID patients than the city has hospital beds for on any normal day, the letter said. These are greater numbers than we have yet faced in the pandemic and do not account for non-COVID patient emergencies such as stroke, heart attack and trauma.

Hospitals may have to begin choosing which patients receive care based on their probability of survival, the letter said.

Both the Vanderbilt report and the hospital group's statement emphasize that mask-wearing can help stop the spread of COVID-19. Lee's executive order Monday came after a few school districts issued mask requirements for their students. In Williamson County, where masking has been particularly divisive, 23% of elementary students have opted out of the mask requirement, according to an email from schools spokesperson Angie McKee.

The Republican governor's executive order does not apply to private schools that set their own mask mandates but would allow parents of private school students to opt out if the school was simply following a government-issued mask requirement.

Districts that have announced mask requirements for students and others entering the schools include Davidson County and Shelby County, the state's largest school district. Both districts said they would keep the mandates in place while reviewing Lee's order.

The Wednesday letter from Cardona supports the districts' rights to set their own policies.

Tennessees actions to block school districts from voluntarily adopting science-based strategies for preventing the spread of COVID-19 that are aligned with the guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ... may infringe upon a school districts authority to adopt policies to protect students and educators as they develop their safe return to in-person instruction plans required by Federal law, it states.

In response to the Biden administration's letter, Gov. Lee tweeted Thursday that parents know better than the government whats best for their children.

The U.S. Education Department said on its website that policies that ban mask mandates could amount to discrimination if they lead to unsafe conditions that prevent students from attending school. The agencys Office for Civil Rights can issue a range of sanctions up to a total loss of federal education funding in cases of civil rights violations.

As of Wednesday, 13,045 people had died in Tennessee from COVID-19.

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Follow APs coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic.
Rowdy airline passengers have now racked up a record $1 million in potential fines this year, a toll of the tumult in the sky as travelers have returned after most were grounded by the pandemic in 2020.

The Federal Aviation Administration announced the latest cases Thursday, involving 34 travelers who flew between January and May. Their offenses ranged from refusing to wear a face mask, as required by a federal rule, to punching a flight attendant in the nose.

Those are just the latest among dozens of enforcement cases that the FAA called part of its crackdown against passengers who interfere with airline crews.

Airlines have reported about 3,900 incidents of unruly passengers this year, and three-fourths involve refusal to wear a mask, according to the FAA.

Alcohol is another common factor. American Airlines on Thursday extended its ban on alcohol sales in the main cabin through Jan. 18, matching the timing of the federal mask mandate. American still sells alcohol to passengers in business and first-class sections.

An FAA spokeswoman confirmed that $1 million is a single-year record for proposed fines against passengers, who can appeal. The FAA has started investigations against 682 travelers this year, smashing the previous high of 310 in 2004.

The latest round of cases includes two fines that could top $40,000.

On a JetBlue flight in May, a man threw his carry-on bag at other passengers, grabbed a flight attendant by the ankles and put his head up her skirt before he was restrained with plastic ties. The FAA wants to fine him $45,000.

The FAA is seeking a $42,000 fine against a man who refused to wear a mask on another JetBlue flight in May and threatened other passengers, including making stabbing gestures toward some. Crew members confiscated a bag containing a substance the man was snorting, then armed themselves with ice mallets before police took him off the plane.

The FAA did not identify any of the passengers, including a man who allegedly punched a flight attendant in the nose during a third JetBlue flight. Although police were called in several cases, it was not clear how many of the passengers called out by FAA face criminal charges.

This month, the head of the FAA asked airport officials around the country to work with local law enforcement to prosecute more cases. The FAA does not have authority to file criminal charges.

Air travel in the U.S. has returned to nearly 80% of pre-pandemic levels, but airlines have cut the number of flights by a similar amount, resulting in crowded planes.

Bad weather and lack of crews after airlines cut staff last year have contributed to tens of thousands of canceled and delayed flights this summer, according to figures from tracking service FlightAware, making travel even more stressful than before.
When two young, female scientists met in Wichita, they first bonded over their love of grasslands and conservation.

Now, affectionately referring to themselves as Grasslands PR team, they recently founded an educational nonprofit organization called Grassland Groupies, which works with all ages to help people appreciate the natural beauty around them and understand the need to protect it, The Wichita Eagle reported.

Once the nations largest ecosystem, grasslands are in trouble. With only 1% of the tallgrass prairie remaining, and most of it contained within Kansas, time may be running out to save them.

Grasslands could be key in the fight against climate change, as the ecosystem is extremely good at sequestering carbon out of the atmosphere. With about 80% of its biomass under the ground, prairies and grasslands can literally store the greenhouse gas beneath the earth.

Grasslands were the first to be bulldozed and paved over because it doesnt look like a thriving ecosystem, but it is, said Rachel Roth, one of the co-founders and self-proclaimed bird lady.

Roth and her counterpart, Nicole Brown, the bug lady, have made it their mission to spread their education worldwide, helping different nations appreciate their grasslands. Locally, they lead lectures, guided hikes and other hands-on learning, but they hope to reach a larger audience through their podcast, The Best Biome.

Every country has their Kansas with grasslands that are overlooked, Roth said. Maybe no one loves it, but its ours. We have something no one else in the world has. Its ours to care for and protect.

While they ask for payment for their educational work, Brown said they never want to turn people away. They also accept donations online to help others offset the cost.

Political advocacy is also part of Grassland Groupies core mission. Most recently they joined 200 other organizations in asking lawmakers to prioritize conservation funding for private landowners under the Farm Bill.

Roth and Brown met while working as educators at The Great Plains Nature Center, in north Wichita. Theyre focusing on education because nature education has traditionally been emphasized for youth, and as children grow up, their appreciation for the natural world tends to decline.

Thats why its so important to reach adults and teens, Roth said.

Roth, who cant sing Home on the Range without crying, gets goosebumps and Brown tears up when they talk about the prairie and what its like to spend time in it, feeling the grass and hearing the wind blow in this diverse landscape. Theyre dedicated to trying to save this underdog of nature.

I love the overlooked weirdos, Brown said. You dont have to know the name of every bug or plant, you just have to know its out there and appreciate it  When I step into a prairie, I feel at peace, calm and grounded. All else melts away.
ONAWA, Iowa (AP)  A Mapleton man has been sentenced to 50 years in prison in the shooting death of teenager.

Jay Neubaum, 18, was sentenced Thursday for second-degree murder in the death of 16-year-old Joseph Hopkins. Neubaum was convicted in May.
LANSING, Mich. (AP)  A Michigan man will go to trial on terrorism charges after allegedly threatening the life of a legislator and falsely reporting a bomb in the state Capitol.

Michael Varrone, 49, of Charlotte about 20 miles southwest of Lansing, was bound over Thursday by Lansing District Judge Kristen Simmons. He was arrested in January and could face up to 20 years in prison.
JACKSON, Miss. (AP)  The owner of a now defunct health care business has been sentenced to five years in prison and ordered to repay more than $4 million illegally received by defrauding Medicaid, state officials said.

Regina Thomas, of Bolton, Mississippi, pleaded guilty to five counts of Medicaid fraud and was sentenced Tuesday by Hinds County Circuit Court Judge Faye Peterson, Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch said in a news release.
NACHES, Wash. (AP)  New go now and other evacuation notices were issued near a wildfire northwest of Naches.

Fire incident managers said on Thursday afternoon personnel went door to door telling people living along State Route 410 from the intersection of Highway 12 to Little Naches and Bumping Lake Road to evacuate immediately. Others in the area were told to be ready to leave.
Alberto Pezzali/AP

LONDON (AP)  A 13-day hunger strike by former Nepalese Gurkha soldiers came to an end Thursday after the British government agreed to enter talks with the Nepalese Embassy over equal pensions for veterans.

The agreement came a day after one of the veterans, 60-year-old Dhan Gurung, was admitted to the hospital with heart problems.
RENO, Nev. (AP)  Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto is urging firefighters, scientists, teachers and moms to help form new strategies to deal with increasingly unhealthy air quality in Nevada caused by wildfires that continue to worsen and no relief in sight in the years ahead.

This is something thats happening all the time now, the Nevada Democrat said at a roundtable gathering in Reno Wednesday with experts who shared their challenges and frustrations on numerous fronts.

The 10 worst days for small particulate pollution over the past 22 years in the Reno-Sparks area all have been recorded in the past 11 months, said Brendan Schneider, an air quality specialist for the Washoe County Health District.

The Regional Emergency Medical Services Authority's paramedics are responding to 52% more respiratory distress calls than normal, including 458 already this month compared to a month-long norm of 350, said Adam Heinz, REMSAs executive director of integrated health.

Smoke also has forced cancellation of 52 Care Flights this year that are critically important to rural areas that need the helicopters to transport patients from remote areas to medical centers in Reno and Las Vegas, he said.

Wildfire smoke also appears to be contributing to COVID-19 transmissions. It's made it more difficult to keep schools safe, deliver meals to low-income seniors and allow first-responders to meet dual demands of raging wildfires and a resurgent pandemic, the experts said.

A recent Desert Research Institute study of patients at Renown regional medical center in Reno suggests COVID-19 cases increased nearly 18% during high levels of wildfire smoke in 2020, said Daniel Kaiser, a DRI researcher.

Washoe County schools faces a Catch-22 with COVID inside and smoke outside," said Adam Searcy, the district's facilities boss. He said they've been working to replace filters and upgrade air flow systems to try to flush the building with fresh outside air, except on days like today.

Kacey KC, Nevada's state fire warden and forester, said front-line responders to COVID-19 and wildfires are the same people.

These people arent getting a break," she said. It used to be six months up, six months down.

Local fire chiefs joined Cortez Masto around the tables in a conference room in the federal building beneath a smoky haze in Reno Wednesday with environmental scientists, medical researchers and a northern Nevada organizer for the Moms Clean Air Force.

They agreed with her belief they need to learn more about the long-term impacts of poor air quality on firefighters who man the front lines in the battles to snuff out the flames.

As far as I know, nobody is studying it, she said Wednesday. It makes sense to me weve got to start to capture data. There is no data apparently. This a concern I know is not going away.

Charles Moore, chief for the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District, said firefighters take extraordinary precautions" to protect firefighters responding to blazes in a warehouse with toxic chemicals but not out on wildfire lines.

Reno Fire Chief Dave Cochran said exposures to unhealthy air quality are to some extent unavoidable" during a wildland blaze. He recommended developing new protective equipment for responders because existing versions often are not practical on fire lines in 100-degree temperatures."

If theres any upside to the latest blankets of thick smoke, Cortez Masto said its getting the attention of politicians in Washington from regions outside the West.

Western state senators get it, she said. But this is the first time Ive heard from some of our eastern senators because theyre smelling the smoke in their air on the East Coast. They are saying to me, Oh, my gosh, how are you doing out there?

Cortez Masto told reporters after the event that should help Western lawmakers make their case for why we need to put these dollars and make this bold, big investment in wildfire suppression and recovery and preparation, and put money into the federal agencies budgets as well.

Does it make it easier? Absolutely.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP)  Kim Nuckles has been appointed director of West Virginia's Equal Employment Opportunity Office.

Gov. Jim Justice announced Nuckles' appointment Wednesday.

Nuckles will remain state coordinator of the Americans with Disabilities Act, a role she has served since 2012, the governor's office said in a news release.

Nuckles will work to ensure state compliance with equal employment laws and practices to prevent workplace harassment and discrimination. Shell conduct outreach through training, literature and materials, as well as collaborate with other agencies and groups to promote diversity and inclusion, the statement said.

It is especially exciting for me to use my experience as the State ADA Coordinator to work to continue improving both accessibility and fairness within West Virginia state government for all of its citizens, Nuckles said.

Nuckles earned her law degree from West Virginia University in 2001.
BIGELOW, Ark. (AP)  Officials at an Arkansas high school physically tore out pages from the school's published yearbook that included references to the U.S. Capitol riot, George Floyd and COVID-19, claiming "community backlash," an action the Student Press Law Center condemned as censorship.

The SPLC, a nonprofit that defends the First Amendment rights of student journalists and their advisers at high school and college levels, and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette both requested documentation regarding the community backlash.

Hadar Harris, executive director of SPLC, said when asked for documentation regarding the community backlash, Heidi Wilson, the superintendent at East End School District, could not produce any.

I have done an extensive search and I dont have anything responsive, Wilson replied in an email to the newspaper on Aug. 10.

It is painfully clear that you did not remove these pages from the yearbook for any legally justifiable reason, wrote Harris in an email Friday to Wilson. In fact, even the legally dubious reason you gave about the so-called community backlash failed to hold up under closer scrutiny. A public records request served on your office seeking any records reflecting any community backlash against the yearbook turned up nothing."

According to the Democrat-Gazette, it appeared the two-page timeline depicting news events from 2020 and 2021, including the U.S. Capitol riot and the police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Daunte Wright, were ripped out by hand.

The spread outlined important world events that took place during the 2020-2021 academic year, including the 2020 election, the impact of COVID-19, the death of George Floyd, and more. The reason cited for the removal of the already-published content was that school officials were at the receiving end of community backlash over the yearbook spread, wrote Harris.

The yearbook adviser, Meghan Clarke Walton, resigned over the censorship issue. She also taught English and journalism at the school.

I did not authorize the removal of these pages, nor do I support it in any way," she said. "Deciding to resign was the most difficult decision I have ever made. However, I needed to stand up for myself and for the students who created that yearbook spread.

Walton said more than 100 distributed yearbooks had the pages removed. About 15 yearbooks that were sold during the first day of distribution are the only ones that have all the pages.

In the letter, Harris also demands administrators to reprint the censored pages of the yearbook along with a written apology, strongly suggesting" the reprint and apology be distributed by Sept. 15.

Wilson could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)  Amid a surge in coronavirus cases, Gov. Kate Brown announced Thursday that Oregon is expanding its COVID-19 vaccine requirement to include all teachers, educators, support staff and volunteers in K-12 schools.

Hospitals across the state are near capacity, and some have no available intensive care unit beds. In the western Oregon town of Roseburg, a COVID-19 patient died in a hospital emergency department while waiting for an ICU bed.

"We need your help, grace and kindness, CHI Health Medical Center staffers said Thursday on the hospital's Facebook page. The hospital had expanded ICU care onto other floors, but even that wasn't enough.

This patient died in the Emergency Department waiting for an intensive care unit bed, the staffers wrote, adding that they are reeling from the extraordinary onslaught of new cases and hospitalizations this devastating virus has caused.

No details about the patient, who died Wednesday, were released.

Teachers are the latest to be added to the growing statewide vaccine mandate, which also includes health care workers and state employees. They must be fully vaccinated by Oct. 18 or six weeks after a COVID-19 vaccine receives full approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, whichever is later.

There are those who will disagree with the actions Im taking today, Brown, a Democrat, said during Thursday's news conference. But school is starting across the state, and COVID-19 poses a threat to our kids. Our kids need to be protected, and they need to be in school. And thats why Im willing to take the heat for this decision.

In addition, Brown announced weekly testing for health care workers will no longer be an option for those who want to avoid vaccination. The only opt-out of the requirement is either a medical or religious exemption.

Brown said the decision to eliminate the weekly testing option is because there are not enough resources to stand up weekly testing systems while also responding to the current hospitalization crisis.

This is about having enough trained health care professionals to treat patients," Brown said. "For over 17 months, they are being stretched to their absolute limits, providing life-saving treatments for the patients in their care.

Oregon's mandate is similar to the one announced in Washington state on Wednesday, which along with K-12 teachers also includes employees at the states colleges and universities. Last week, California announced a mandate that covers both public and private schools, but allows testing instead of vaccination. Earlier this month, Hawaii required all Department of Education staffers to disclose their vaccination status or face weekly testing.

In an effort to keep Oregon students safe in the upcoming school year and minimize disruptions to in-person instruction, Brown announced last month that masks would be required regardless of vaccination status in K-12 schools. Currently, children younger than 12 are not eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

Weve seen school districts in the South being upended by COVID-19, with thousands of students quarantined, because they opened without robust safety measures," Brown said. "Our kids need to be in the classroom full time  we have to do everything we can to make that happen.

The Oregon Education Association applauded the governor's mandate, saying the measure will help improve safety in our schools and in our communities.

In addition, on Friday a statewide mask mandate was reimplemented; everyone in Oregon who is 5 years or older, regardless of vaccination status, must wear a mask in indoor public spaces.

The increased health and safety measures come as Oregon's health system is hammered by COVID-19 cases.

I cant overstate this: What we are going through right now is unimaginable, said Jeff Absalon, the chief physician executive for St. Charles Health System in Bend. We are seeing an incredible surge of patients. ... We are overwhelmed. This is really a dire situation.

On Wednesday, there were just 41 intensive care unit beds available in the state. Oregon's hospitalization records have been shattered day after day as the highly transmissible delta variant spreads across the state.

As of Wednesday, 845 coronavirus patients were hospitalized in Oregon  five fewer than the previous day, which is the hospitalization record for the state. Before this month, the hospitalization record was 622 in November, during a winter surge and when vaccines were not yet available.

In addition, Oregon set a new daily case record for the state with 2,971 identified coronavirus cases on Thursday.

More than a third of the states 652 adult ICU beds are being used for COVID-19 patients. Health officials say the overwhelming majority of hospitalized virus patients are unvaccinated. Around 27% of adults in the state remain unvaccinated.

Health officials say that more than 85% of cases reported between Aug. 1 and Aug. 14 were among unvaccinated people. To date 5.8% of all vaccine breakthrough cases  fully vaccinated people who test positive for the coronavirus  have been hospitalized and less than 1% have died.

Our health care system is on the verge of collapse in parts of the state. In coming weeks, every Oregon hospital could be over-topped, said Patrick Allen, director of the Oregon Health Authority.

For weeks, Oregon health officials have warned that COVID-19 cases, fueled by the highly transmissible delta variant, would fill hospitals by September if infection rates didnt slow significantly. Now, a little more than halfway through August, 94% of the states hospital beds for adults and 93% of ICU beds are full.

Health officials say patients are spending days in emergency departments because critical care beds arent available and hospitals are converting outpatient rooms to ICU units.

On Friday, 500 National Guard members will be deployed to serve as equipment runners in the most stricken hospitals and help with testing.

In an attempt to keep hospital beds open, health systems across Oregon have opted to postpone elective procedures, nurses and physicians say they are overwhelmed, and health officials are desperately urging people to get vaccinated and wear masks.

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Selsky reported from Salem, Oregon. Sara Cline is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP)  Three parents are suing over a northwest Arkansas school district's decision to require face masks after a judge blocked the state's mask mandate ban, as the state reported its biggest one-day jump in cases in seven months.

The lawsuit filed Wednesday over the Bentonville School District's mandate argues the local school board had no authority to impose the requirement. The parents are asking a Benton County judge to temporarily block the district from enforcing the ban while they challenge it.

The parents are forced to choose either to exercise their fundamental liberty interests in refusing to place face coverings on their children against their will or for the children to face expulsion from school," the lawsuit said.

Public health officials have urged schools to require masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus due to the highly contagious delta variant. The state's virus cases rose by 3,549 on Thursday, the Department of Health said.

Thursday marked the biggest one-day jump the state has seen since Jan. 6, when it reported more than 3,700 new cases. Asa Hutchinson said students' return to classes statewide this week is one reason for the spike.

Arkansas ranks fourth in the country for new cases per capita, according to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University researchers. The state's COVID-19 hospitalizations rose by 38 to 1,410, and the state reported 16 new deaths from the virus.

Hutchinson said 118 public school districts and charter schools have imposed mask mandates since Arkansas' ban on them was blocked. The requirements cover more than half of the state's public school students.

Our legal counsel is currently reviewing the matter and we look forward to a vigorous defense of our district," Leslee Wright, a spokeswoman for the Bentonville School District, said in a statement.

Hutchinson, a Republican, has said he regretted signing the mask mandate ban and agreed with the judge's decision against the law.

What we see is that school districts are weighing this decision very carefully, theyre listening to people and theyre making a judgment based upon what they see is the best health outcome for students in their district," Hutchinson said.

The state is delivering more than 500,000 high filtration face masks to public schools this week, Hutchinson said, with 325,000 specifically designed for children.

A state lawmaker on Thursday also said she tested positive for COVID-19 and was isolating at home. Republican Rep. Julie Mayberry said she tested positive on Wednesday and had few symptoms other than pain in her leg and hip.

Mayberry received her second dose of coronavirus vaccine on Aug. 12. Mayberry had received her first dose in March but had delayed getting the second one after having an adverse reaction. The lawmaker said she decided to get the second dose this month because of the rise in cases due to the delta variant.

During a special session earlier this month, Mayberry sponsored one of two bills rejected by a House committee that would have amended the state's mask mandate ban to allow some schools to require them. That session adjourned hours before the state's mask mandate ban was blocked.
PORTLAND, Maine (AP)  An American Airlines jet that departed from Bangor made an emergency landing at the Portland International Jetport Thursday morning, officials said.

The Bombardier CRJ900 landed normally and taxied to a gate where passengers deplaned like on any other flight, Zachary Sundquist, the airport's assistant director, told News Center Maine.
WARSAW, Poland (AP)  Poland's prime minister vowed Thursday that his country would stand firm and block migrants, mostly from Iraq and Afghanistan, who have been seeking to enter from neighboring Belarus.

Poland accuses the authoritarian government of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko of sending the migrants across its border, creating a humanitarian crisis.

(The migrants) are people with whom I sincerely sympathize, but they are an instrument, a tool in the hands of Mr. Lukashenko, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, told a news conference.

He vowed that Poland would not succumb to this type of blackmail.

Hundreds of soldiers have been deployed to the border and at least 100 kilometers (60 miles) of barbed wire have been laid as Poland seeks to prevent the migrants from entering.

Several dozen people, mainly from Iraq and Afghanistan, have been wandering for several days in the border zone, near the town of Usnarz Gorny. Polish authorities do not want to let them in while Belarus doesn't want to let them back.

Fundacja Ocalenie (Salvation Foundation), a humanitarian group that sent activists to the border, said there were 32 people from Afghanistan there, among them women and sick people.

The foundation posted a photo of migrants being surrounded by Polish border guards and soldiers. One showed what they said was people from Afghanistan who had carried a cat with them.

Meanwhile, Poland has sent 100 soldiers to Afghanistan to evacuate Poles and Afghans who worked with the Polish mission, vowing to show solidarity to them.
PHILADELPHIA (AP)  An armed man suspected of shooting someone in an apartment led police on a vehicle chase that ended with an exchange of gunfire on a Philadelphia street and police fatally shooting him.

Police officers responded to a report of a domestic disturbance involving an armed man at an apartment complex around 2 p.m. Wednesday in Middletown, a suburb of Philadelphia, authorities said.

An officer spotted Terrence Bey, 29, of Philadelphia, who fit the suspect's description. The officer walked toward Bey and called out to him, but Bey ran to the back of a building in the complex. The officer ran after Bey but lost sight of him shortly before he heard a gunshot and glass breaking, authorities said.

The officer soon discovered a man in an apartment had been shot in the face and went to assist him, authorities said. Meanwhile, Bey got in a vehicle and fled the complex.

Officers from several police departments in Bucks County pursued Bey in his vehicle. Bey crossed into Philadelphia where a Middletown police vehicle eventually pulled in front of his vehicle, stopping him in a busy street. A Lower Makefield police officer then said he saw Bey pointing a handgun at him.

The Lower Makefield officer rammed Beys vehicle and took cover under his dashboard, and said he then heard multiple shots. Bey exited his vehicle and the officer said he saw him again point his handgun at the officer as he crossed the road.

Another Lower Makefield officer then fired at least one round at Bey that apparently did not hit him. A Philadelphia officer then shot Bey at least once, fatally injuring him.

Bey was pronounced dead at the scene. No officers or bystanders were injured. Authorities did not release any information about the condition of the man who was shot at the apartment complex.
HONG KONG (AP)  Two Hong Kongers pleaded guilty Thursday to conspiring to collude with foreign forces as well as Next Digital founder Jimmy Lai to endanger national security, local media reported.

In a separate case, local media reported seven pro-democracy activists pleaded guilty to organizing and inciting others to take part in an unauthorized assembly held in 2019.

The cases are part of a broad crackdown on dissent following anti-government protests that roiled the semi-autonomous Chinese territory in 2019. The protests were sparked by concerns that Beijing was infringing on the freedoms promised to the former British colony when it was handed to Chinese control in 1997.

In the first case, activist Andy Li and legal assistant Chan Tsz-wah pleaded guilty to a conspiracy where they sought to attract international sanctions against Beijing and the Hong Kong government, according to the South China Morning Post newspaper.

Lawyers for the defendants in both cases could not be reached for comment and calls to the court went unanswered.

Li was one of 12 Hong Kongers who last year attempted to leave Hong Kong by boat and travel to the self-ruled island of Taiwan. They were detained at sea by mainland authorities and 10 of them were sentenced to prison on the mainland for crossing borders illegally.

Li served seven months in Shenzhen jail before returning to Hong Kong, where he was remanded in custody.

The seven activists appearing in court in the second case included Raphael Wong, the former chairman of the League of Social Democrats political party, and Figo Chan, who led the Civil Human Rights Front, a now disbanded group that organized protests.

I was protesting based on the principle of civil disobedience. One of the key elements of civil disobedience is to accept the charges. So that is what we are going to do later, to plead guilty, Wong said Thursday ahead of the proceedings.

Another key element is that the people carrying out civil disobedience actions know being jailed is just part of the process, he said. We are not worried about being jailed. Instead, we hope we can achieve democracy after this process.

Local news outlets Ming Pao and Stand News later reported all seven pleaded guilty.

Beijing responded to the 2019 protests by imposing a strict new national security law last year that has effectively criminalized much of the opposition to the government and silenced dissent.

Most of the citys most prominent activists, including Joshua Wong and Lai, the media mogul, are currently behind bars. Many of them were prosecuted for taking part in unauthorized protests in 2019.

Of the seven defendants on Thursday, only Wong was not held in custody prior to appearing in court. The other six are currently behind bars after being convicted of other offences related to their activism.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP)  Officials in some Kansas communities are battling a rise in COVID-19 cases by mandating masks for kids, issuing emergency orders and requiring vaccines.

The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Kansas has risen over the past two weeks from 605.14 new cases per day on Aug. 3 to 797.14 new cases per day on Tuesday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

In the Lawrence area, Douglas County leaders approved a health order Wednesday that will require children ages 2 to 12 to wear masks while in indoor public spaces. The decision followed four hours of public comment that included jeering and interruptions from a largely maskless crowd, the Lawrence Journal-World reports.

Douglas Countys health officer, Dr. Thomas Marcellino was momentarily drowned out by laughter and heckling from the crowd when he tried to explain the reasoning for the order. One person called him a liar and disgusting, and some in the crowd started chanting no more masks.

One public commenter even compared maskless children being excluded from activities to racial segregation.

There are various exceptions to the proposed order, including youth with a medical condition, mental health condition or disability that prevents wearing a face covering.

In the Wichita area, hospital status was changed to critical Wednesday, as about 150 COVID-19 patients fill beds there, The Wichita Eagle reports.

Amid the increase, Sedgwick County health officer Dr. Garold Minns is considering proposing that masks be worn again. He said he should reach a decision before the end of the week, although the Sedgwick County Commission will have the final say on any mask mandate.

In the Topeka area, Shawnee County is once again under a state of disaster emergency regarding COVID-19, The Topeka Capital-Journal reports.

This is projected to get worse, so in order to not let it get worse, we need to do some mitigation strategies, said Dusty Nichols, the countys COVID-19 incident commander.

He said the declarations issuance puts state officials on notice that Shawnee County is maxed out on resources in terms of dealing with COVID and might ask them for help. The declaration also sends a message to the public that local hospitals are running low on resources necessary to deal with COVID, Nichols said.

Im hoping that people kind of start paying attention to our resource shortages, he said. The reason were at this level is because mitigation strategies are not working, or they would work if people would follow them.

In the Hutchinson area, cases also were rising, with 70% of staff out in the treasury and tag departments, according to Reno County treasurer Brenda Kowitz. The Hutchinson News reported that hours have been reduced to address the staffing issues.

Meanwhile, employees of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, will be required to either receive the COVID-19 vaccine or take weekly tests under a new policy that takes effect Sept. 6.

The Unified Government provides critical services for the community, and we must ensure that we have a workforce that is capable of providing the services upon which the public depends, Unified Government County Administrator Doug Bach said in a news release.
MOSCOW (AP)  When the Taliban swept over Afghanistan, Russia was ready for the rapid developments after working methodically for years to lay the groundwork for relations with the group that it still officially considers a terrorist organization.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov emphasized this week that Moscow was in no rush to recognize the Taliban as the new rulers of Afghanistan, but he added there were encouraging signals of their readiness to let other political forces join the government and allow girls into schools.

The Taliban was added to the Russian list of terrorist organizations in 2003, and Moscow has not yet moved to remove the group from the list. Any contact with such groups is punishable under Russian law, but the Foreign Ministry has responded to questions about the seeming contradiction by saying that its exchanges with the Taliban are essential for international efforts to stabilize Afghanistan.

Unlike many other countries, Russia said it wouldn't evacuate its embassy in Kabul, and its ambassador quickly met with the Taliban for what he described as constructive" talks after they took over the capital.

The Soviet Union fought a 10-year war in Afghanistan that ended with its troops withdrawing in 1989. Since then, Moscow has made a comeback as an influential power broker in international talks on Afghanistan. It has worked continuously to cultivate ties with the Taliban, hosting their representatives for a series of bilateral and multilateral meetings.

We have maintained contacts with the Taliban for the last seven years, discussing many issues, Kremlin envoy on Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov said earlier this week. We saw them as a force that will play a leading role in Afghanistan in the future even if it doesn't take all power. All those factors, along with guarantees given to us by the Taliban's top leaders, give us reason for a calm view of the latest developments, although we remain vigilant.

A month before Taliban militants unleashed their offensive that ended with the seizure of Kabul, their delegation visited Moscow to offer assurances that they wouldn't threaten the interests of Russia and its ex-Soviet allies in Central Asia  a sign that they consider ties with Russia a priority.

Taliban spokesman Mohammad Sohail Shaheen said during a visit last month to the Russian capital that "we wont allow anyone to use the Afghan territory to attack Russia or neighboring countries, noting that we have very good relations with Russia.

Russian diplomats say they trust the group's assurances, noting the Taliban's focus on fighting the Islamic State group, which Moscow sees as the main threat from Afghanistan. Moscow also has hailed the Taliban's pledge to combat drug trafficking and stem the flow of drugs from Afghanistan via Central Asia.

Russian ambassador to Kabul, Dmitry Zhirnov, praised the Taliban as reasonable guys following a positive and constructive meeting" this week. He added that the Taliban guaranteed the embassy's security.

Russian diplomats are doing all they can to consolidate the contacts they have established with the Taliban, Moscow-based analyst Alexei Makarkin said in a commentary. Russian representatives cast the Taliban as moderate and responsible, acting as their advocates in the public sphere.

He argued that the Taliban might not try to project their influence to the ex-Soviet Central Asian nations for now, but that could change later after securing a hold on Afghanistan.

The Taliban's leaders will be unlikely to launch an expansion now, but that doesn't mean that they won't take such steps in the future, Makarkin observed, noting that multiple factions inside the Taliban may have varying goals.

Despite the Talibans assurances, Russia has held a series of joint war games with its allies in Central Asia in recent weeks to underline its pledge to help them fend off any possible security threats from Afghanistan. The latest of those drills began in Tajikistan this week.

While cultivating contacts with Taliban officials, Russia will be unlikely to move quickly to formally recognize their government, at least not until the group is removed from the United Nations list of terrorist organizations.

It's premature to say that we would make any unilateral political steps, Lavrov said this week.

Kabulov, the Kremlin envoy, emphasized that Moscows recognition of the Taliban will hinge on whether they will govern the country in a responsible way in the near future, and proceeding from that, the Russian leadership will make the necessary conclusions. He added that Russia would only take the Taliban off its list of terrorist organizations after the U.N. Security Council decides to remove it from its terror list.

Russian diplomats argued that the U.S.-led campaign in Afghanistan helped change Afghan perceptions of the Soviet invasion and made many local leaders willing to accept Moscows mediation.

When Washington went to war with the Taliban after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks for harboring Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida, Moscow offered a helping hand, welcoming U.S. bases in the Central Asian nations of the former Soviet Union to support operations in Afghanistan. But as U.S.-Russia relations have grown increasingly strained, Russia grew more critical.

Still, Moscow and Washington have continued to coordinate their diplomatic moves on Afghanistan, and Russian officials have angrily rejected the allegations last year that Moscow paid the Taliban to kill U.S. soldiers.

The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in December 1979, driven by fears that the U.S. was trying to establish a foothold there after losing Iran to the Islamic Revolution. The Soviet plans for a quick campaign bogged down in fierce resistance by the U.S.-backed guerrillas, known as mujahedeen, or holy warriors. The Soviet Union lost more than 15,000 troops, according to official count, while estimates of civilian casualties in that period have varied widely, from more than 500,000 up to 2 million.

Many in Russia gloated over the quick collapse of the U.S.-backed Afghan government, pointing out that President Mohammad Najibullah's communist government held on for three years after the Soviet withdrawal until Moscows aid completely halted following the 1991 collapse of the USSR.

"The regime created by the Americans tumbled down even before they left, thats a principal difference, Kabulov said, adding that he and others in Russia didn't expect such a fast meltdown.

Franz Klintsevich, the first deputy head of the defense and security committee in the lower house of Russian parliament, told The Associated Press that the U.S. has left behind huge arsenals of weapons that fell into the Taliban's hands.

Who would make such gifts to terrorists after fighting them for 20 years? said Klintsevich, a veteran of the Soviet war in Afghanistan.

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Harriet Morris in Moscow contributed.
GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Ariz. (AP)  Authorities are asking the public for information about a Hungarian man who traveled to Las Vegas and whose vehicle was found at Grand Canyon National Park.

The family of Gabor Berczi-Tomcsanyi, 45, reported him missing to Las Vegas police. Authorities determined he recently traveled to the Grand Canyon as part of an extended trip to the U.S. Southwest, Grand Canyon spokeswoman Joelle Baird said Thursday.

The silver Honda Accord he was driving was located at a Grand Canyon visitor center on Aug. 9, with his belongings in it. Searches by ground and from the air at the park's South Rim and below the rim have turned up no sign of him so far, Baird said.

We don't really have any additional clues that would lead us to other areas of the park where he might be, she said.

Las Vegas police Officer Aden OcampoGomez said Berczi-Tomcsanyi was reported missing July 29 and that he stayed at The Mirage resort on the Strip.

Investigators believe Berczi-Tomcsanyi arrived at the Grand Canyon's South Rim on July 19. He did not have a backcountry permit or lodging reservations at the park, Baird said. It's not uncommon for vehicles to be parked in any of the lots for weeks at a time, she said.

Officials are urging anyone who saw him or interacted with him recently to contact investigators at the Grand Canyon. He was believed to be traveling alone.
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  About 130 former workers at window and door manufacturer in Merrill are receiving payments from a $650,000 settlement with the company reached after the Wisconsin Department of Justice sued.

The lawsuit filed in February alleged that Semling-Menke Company, Inc., failed to provide employees with the required 60-days notice it was ceasing business operations. The company shut down on Dec. 31, 2019.
SINGAPORE (AP)  Singapore will launch its first quarantine-free travel program for vaccinated people arriving from Germany and Brunei, and ease restrictions for visitors from Hong Kong and Macao as it seeks to reopen its borders after fully vaccinating over 75% of its population, the government said Thursday.

As the global COVID-19 situation evolves, we will continue to adjust our border measures with the appropriate safeguards to ensure public health and safety, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore said.

Previously, only Singapore residents and those with employment or student passes were allowed to enter the country.

From Sept. 8, visitors from Germany and Brunei can apply for a Vaccinated Travel Pass to enter Singapore, regardless of their reason for traveling. They must take multiple coronavirus tests, including pre-departure, on arrival, and post-arrival, in lieu of a quarantine.

Travelers must also have stayed in their country of departure, either Germany or Brunei, or in Singapore before that, for at least 21 consecutive days before departing for Singapore. Other requirements include insurance that covers COVID-19 medical treatment.

Separately, tourists from Hong Kong and Macao who have spent three consecutive weeks in those cities can apply to enter Singapore from Aug. 26. They also will not need to quarantine if they test negative on arrival and isolate themselves until the test results are available.

However, transport minister S. Iswaran said there are no more plans to establish a Singapore-Hong Kong travel bubble. The planned air travel bubble had earlier been aborted twice because of spikes in virus cases.

While Singapore is easing travel restrictions, Hong Kong has taken a different approach and will tighten entry restrictions from Friday, raising quarantine periods for vaccinated travelers with a positive antibody test from medium-risk countries to 14 days.

Previously, travelers from medium-risk countries such as Singapore and Canada needed to quarantine for only seven days in Hong Kong if they were fully vaccinated and tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP)  The economy continues to grow in rural parts of 10 Plains and Western states , according to a new monthly survey of bankers in the region, but some bankers in the region are worried that worsening drought could threaten their operations.

The overall Rural Mainstreet economic index dropped slightly in August to 65.3 from Julys 65.6. Any score above 50 suggests a growing economy, while a score below 50 suggests a shrinking economy.
COVID precautions have turned many parts of our world into a giant salad bar, with plastic barriers separating sales clerks from shoppers, dividing customers at nail salons and shielding students from their classmates.

Intuition tells us a plastic shield would be protective against germs. But scientists who study aerosols, airflow and ventilation say that much of the time, the barriers do not help and probably give people a false sense of security. And sometimes the barriers can make things worse.

Research suggests that in some instances, a barrier protecting a clerk behind a checkout counter may redirect the germs to another worker or customer. Rows of clear plastic shields, like those you might find in a nail salon or classroom, can also impede normal airflow and ventilation.

Under normal conditions in stores, classrooms and offices, exhaled breath particles disperse, carried by air currents and, depending on the ventilation system, are replaced by fresh air roughly every 15-30 minutes. But erecting plastic barriers can change airflow in a room, disrupt normal ventilation and create dead zones where viral aerosol particles can build up and become highly concentrated.

If you have a forest of barriers in a classroom, its going to interfere with proper ventilation of that room, said Linsey Marr, professor of civil and environmental engineering at Virginia Tech and one of the worlds leading experts on viral transmission. Everybodys aerosols are going to be trapped and stuck there and building up, and they will end up spreading beyond your own desk.

There are some situations in which the clear shields might be protective, but it depends on a number of variables. The barriers can stop big droplets ejected during coughs and sneezes from splattering on others, which is why buffets and salad bars often are equipped with transparent sneeze guards above the food.

But COVID spreads largely through unseen aerosol particles. While there is not much real-world research on the impact of transparent barriers and the risk of disease, scientists in the United States and Britain have begun to study the issue, and the findings are not reassuring.

A study published in June and led by researchers from Johns Hopkins, for example, showed that desk screens in classrooms were associated with an increased risk of coronavirus infection. In a Massachusetts school district, researchers found that Plexiglas dividers with side walls in the main office were impeding airflow. A study looking at schools in Georgia found that desk barriers had little impact on the spread of the coronavirus compared with ventilation improvements and masking.

Before the pandemic, a study published in 2014 found that office cubicle dividers were among the factors that may have contributed to disease transmission during a tuberculosis outbreak in Australia.

British researchers have conducted modeling studies simulating what happens when a person on one side of a barrier  such as a customer in a store  exhales particles while speaking or coughing under various ventilation conditions. The screen is more effective when the person coughs because the larger particles have greater momentum and hit the barrier. But when a person speaks, the screen does not trap the exhaled particles  which just float around it. Although the store clerk may avoid an immediate and direct hit, the particles are still in the room, posing a risk to the clerk and others who may inhale the contaminated air.

We have shown this effect of blocking larger particles, but also that the smaller aerosols travel over the screen and become mixed in the room air within about five minutes, said Catherine Noakes, professor of environmental engineering for buildings at the University of Leeds in England. This means if people are interacting for more than a few minutes, they would likely be exposed to the virus regardless of the screen.

Noakes said erecting barriers may seem like a good idea but can have unintended consequences. She conducted a study published in 2013 that looked at the impact of partitions between beds in hospitals. The study showed that while some people were protected from germs, the partitions funneled the air in the room toward others.

So although a worker behind a transparent barrier might be spared some of the customers germs, a worker nearby or customers in line could still be exposed. Noakes said most screens she has seen are poorly positioned and are unlikely to be of much benefit.

I think this may be a particular problem in places like classrooms where people are present for longer periods of time, Noakes said. Large numbers of individual screens impede the airflow and create pockets of higher and lower risk that are hard to identify.

To understand why screens often have little impact on protecting people from aerosol particles, it helps to think about exhaled breath such as a plume of cigarette smoke, Marr said.

One way to think about plastic barriers is that they are good for blocking things like spitballs but ineffective for things like cigarette smoke, Marr said. The smoke simply drifts around them, so they will give the person on the other side a little more time before being exposed to the smoke. Meanwhile, people on the same side with the smoker will be exposed to more smoke since the barriers trap it on that side until it has a chance to mix throughout the space.

Most researchers say the screens most likely help in very specific situations. A bus driver, for instance, shielded from the public by a floor-to-ceiling barrier is probably protected from inhaling much of what passengers are exhaling. A bank cashier behind a wall of glass or a clerk checking in patients in a doctors office may be at least partly protected by a barrier.

A study by researchers with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in Cincinnati tested different-sized transparent barriers in an isolation room using a cough simulator. The study, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, found that under the right conditions, taller shields, above cough height, stopped about 70% of the particles from reaching the particle counter on the other side, which is where the store or salon worker would be sitting or standing.

But the studys authors noted the limitations of the research, particularly that the experiment was conducted under highly controlled conditions. The experiment took place in an isolation room with consistent ventilation rates that did not accurately reflect all real-world situations, the report said.

The study did not consider that workers and customers move around, that other people could be in the room breathing the redirected particles and that many stores and classrooms have several stations with acrylic barriers, not just one, that impede normal airflow.

While further research is needed to determine the impact of adding transparent shields around school or office desks, all the aerosol experts interviewed agreed that desk shields were unlikely to help and were likely to interfere with the normal ventilation of the room. Depending on the conditions, the plastic shields could cause viral particles to accumulate in the room.

If there are aerosol particles in the classroom air, those shields around students wont protect them, said Richard Corsi, incoming dean of engineering at the University of California, Davis. Depending on the airflow conditions in the room, you can get a downdraft into those little spaces that youre now confined in and cause particles to concentrate in your space.

Aerosol scientists say schools and workplaces should focus on encouraging workers and eligible students to be vaccinated, improving ventilation, adding HEPA air-filtering machines when needed and imposing mask requirements  all of which are proven ways to reduce virus transmission.

The problem, experts say, is that most people in charge of erecting barriers in offices, restaurants, nail salons and schools are not doing so with the assistance of engineering experts who can evaluate airflow and ventilation for each room.

People should not panic when they see transparent barriers, but they should not view them as fully protective, either. Workers and students who have transparent shields around them should continue to wear a mask to lower risk, Corsi said.

Airflow in rooms is pretty complicated, he said. Every room is different in terms of the arrangement of the furniture, the height of the walls and ceilings, the vents, where the bookshelves are. All of these things have a huge impact on the actual flow and air distribution in a room because every classroom or office space is different.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
Mohammad Khalid Wardak had no intention of leaving Afghanistan. The high-profile national police officer had worked alongside American special forces and even went on television to challenge the Taliban to a fight. He planned to stand with his countrymen to defend his homeland after U.S. forces were gone.

Then with stunning speed, the government collapsed. His president fled the country. And now Khalid, as he's called by his friends, is in hiding and desperately hoping that American officials will repay his loyalty by helping him and his family escape almost certain death.

But time  and U.S. policy  are not on his side. Translators, interpreters and others who worked for the U.S. in Afghanistan are eligible to apply for special immigrant visas, but current Afghan military members or police officers are not, supporters say. The State Department said they might be eligible for refugee status, but Khalid's supporters say his family needs to get out now.

His friends in the U.S. military say he's a brother in arms who helped save countless lives, and they are pleading for help  from members of Congress, the Defense Department and the State Department  to get Khalid and his wife and four children inside the Kabul airport and at least evacuated to another country.

It is this nation's duty to help those who helped us and were loyal to us and their country for so long and have nothing left," said Army Special Forces Sgt. Major Chris Green, who worked with Khalid and is among several current and former military members pressing his case. "It's our duty to ... just help them survive. Thats where we are at this point, just helping them survive."

Khalid and his family have applied for refugee status based on their fear of persecution, Green said.

Those like Khalid who are top Taliban targets because of their work with U.S. forces deserve special consideration, said Robert McCreary, a former congressional chief of staff and White House official under President George W. Bush, who has worked with special forces in Afghanistan.

Those working to save Khalid said they had support from some members of Congress, including Delaware Sen. Chris Coons and Connecticut Rep. Jim Himes, both Democrats. Neither of their offices returned phone and email messages.

Theyre shouting his name in the street, looking for him, hunting for him. And the fear is if they get a hold of him and his family, they are going to make an example out of them, McCreary said.

Khalid came to the rescue in March 2013, when a special forces detachment in eastern Afghanistans Wardak Province suffered an insider attack: Someone dressed in an Afghan National Security Forces uniform opened fire, killing two Americans.

When the outpost was almost simultaneously attacked from the outside, a U.S. commander called on Khalid, who within minutes raced into the valley with a quick-reaction force to defend his American partners.

In 2015, when Khalid lost part of his right leg in a rocket-propelled grenade attack, friends in the U.S. military helped get him medical care and a prosthetic leg outside the country. A month later, he was again leading special police operations in Afghanistan alongside the U.S., Green said.

Along the way, he helped apprehend al Qaeda and Taliban leaders. He went on to serve as police chief in Ghazni Province and then Helmand Province, where he was wounded again last month in a mortar attack and continued to direct the resistance from his hospital bed.

Khalid was  is  a true patriot to Afghanistan, but also resolute in support to the Americans," said Green, who said he saw Khalid's bravery and leadership many times.

That included his willingness to go on television and radio to tell citizens exactly what our operations were ... how we were protecting the Afghan people and the Americans, and then daring the Taliban to drop their terrorist methods and come fight him face to face, Green said.

Without a doubt, they know who he is, added Green, who said Khalid and his family are running from one location to another just to stay hidden.

"Its just unimaginable terror, unimaginable fear.

For now, Khalid, his wife and their four sons, ages 3 to 12, are literally hiding in a closet, said Ryan Brummond, a special forces commander who worked with Khalid in 2013 to track down high-level insurgents.

He was so dedicated to the United States special forces and to the cause of a better life for all of us," said Brummond, now in his fourth year of medical school in North Carolina. Khalid is that person who has fought and stood by us for years and years and years.

Khalid's family almost certainly will not be able to get past the Taliban guarding the entrance to the Kabul airport, especially with documentation that would identify them  both to the Taliban who might kill them and Americans who might be able to help.

McCreary said Khalid and his family should be eligible for special immigrant visas or refugee status because he no longer works for the Afghan government. He pushed back on criticism from President Joe Biden and others that Afghanistans police and army let the country fall to the Taliban without a fight.

People in Khalids situation ... had no plans of leaving Afghanistan, McCreary said. They were staying there to fight to the end.

Heavy fighting raged in Helmand Province for two months before Khalid and other fighters were completely surrounded by the Taliban last week and their location overrun, McCreary said. Then on Monday, the Afghan government fell.

"Theres no more police force or army for them to serve in, and we dont have a way to expedite ... getting them into secure areas in Afghanistan and then getting them evacuated, Green said.

The work of changing that is painfully slow, he said, as the U.S. focuses on processing applications from those who already have applied for visas or refugee status. But the first step, he said, is to get them out of Afghanistan.

We can figure it out from there, Green said, adding that many in the U.S. military would gladly offer to help.

Without a doubt, any one of us would take these guys, these police officers, these Afghan soldiers into our homes, with their families, and do anything we could do to help them just continue to live, Green said.

For the moment, though, those who helped the U.S., are now just absolutely left hanging out in the cold, he said.

McCreary warned that time is running out: It's just such an urgent, high-profile situation that it is really tearing us up. We know whats going to happen, and its not good.

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Associated Press Writer Matt Lee in Washington contributed to this report.

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Follow Alex Sanz on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/alexsanz
BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP)  Vermont officials told the U.S. Department of Agriculture secretary on Thursday that farm efforts to reduce phosphorus runoff and federal money to support that work are paying off to improve the water quality of Lake Champlain.

Federal funding and programs are critical to continuing that work, they said.

Agriculture has been responsible ... for more than 90% of all reported phosphorus reductions in Vermont, so it's been very impressive, state Agriculture Secretary Anson Tebbetts said at a roundtable meeting with U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and Sen. Patrick Leahy. Collaborations between state, local and federal partners is critical to farmers reaching those goals, said Vermont Natural Resources Secretary Julie Moore.

The Environmental Protection Agency mandated that Vermont clean up the lake. Excess phosphorus can lead to toxic algae blooms that have turned up in parts of the lake.

The reductions since Vilsack's visit to Vermont in 2014 have come from pay-for-practice programs that have been cost-effective, according to Tebbetts. For example, in 2014, Vermont had 5,000 acres of cover crop and the amount reached 36,000 acres in 2020, he said.

Cover crops are plantings that reduce erosion and enhance soil health.

Over one-third of Vermont's annual crop land is now cover cropped, so that's progress and that doesn't happen without the resources by the state and also by the USDA, he said.

Vermont had 1,000 acres of conservation tillage in 2014, and last year had 11,000 acres, Tebbetts said.

The state is also now signing up farmers for a new program supported by the USDA that will pay farmers on a per-pound basis for any phosphorus reductions achieved beyond what is required, he said.

Vermont, New York and Quebec have been working together for nearly 30 years to reduce phosphorus pollution in the lake, said Moore.

Vermont has taken an all-in approach, meaning we're asking everyone  farmers, municipalities, forest land owners, waste water treatment plant operators and homeowners to do their part while also pursuing opportunities for nature-based solutions, including wetlands restorations and riparian buffer improvements, she said.

The agency's most recent report published in January documented 22.2 metric tons of phosphorus load reduction from all sectors, Moore said.

Richmond farmer Dave Conant said over the last few years he's seen an incredible commitment by the greater agriculture community to adopt innovative and effective practices such as cover cropping, conservation tillage and manure injection into fields, he said.

I have seen more positive changes in the last few years than I've seen in my lifetime," he said.

Vilsack said the USDA is putting together a climate-smart agricultural plan for the administration.

And much of what you talked about today you will see in that plan, he told the panel. You will see a desire to invest heavily in soil health. You'll see a focus on not just climate-smart agriculture practices but those that adapt and mitigate to the impacts of climate; you'll will see a focus the need for data and the ability of spreading that data down into the local and regional areas so decisions can be made at the ground level. You'll see an increased interest in research and development.
WASHINGTON (AP)  As President Donald Trumps administration signed a peace deal with the Taliban in February 2020, he optimistically proclaimed that we think well be successful in the end. His secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, asserted that the administration was seizing the best opportunity for peace in a generation.

Eighteen months later, President Joe Biden is pointing to the agreement signed in Doha, Qatar, as he tries to deflect blame for the Taliban overrunning Afghanistan in a blitz. He says it bound him to withdraw U.S. troops, setting the stage for the chaos engulfing the country.

But Biden can go only so far in claiming the agreement boxed him in. It had an escape clause: The U.S. could have withdrawn from the accord if Afghan peace talks failed. They did, but Biden chose to stay in it, although he delayed the complete pullout from May to September.

Chris Miller, acting defense secretary in the final months of the Trump administration, chafed at the idea that Biden was handcuffed by the agreement.

If he thought the deal was bad, he could have renegotiated. He had plenty of opportunity to do that if he so desired, Miller, a top Pentagon counterterrorism official at the time the Doha deal was signed, said in an interview.

Renegotiating, though, would have been difficult. Biden would have had little leverage. He, like Trump, wanted U.S. troops out of Afghanistan. Pulling out of the agreement might have forced him to send thousands more back in.

He made that point Monday, saying in a televised address from the White House that he would not commit to sending more American troops to fight for Afghanistans future while also harkening back to the Trump deal to suggest that the withdrawal path was predetermined by his predecessor.

The choice I had to make, as your president, was either to follow through on that agreement or be prepared to go back to fighting the Taliban in the middle of the spring fighting season, Biden said.

The Taliban takeover, far swifter than officials from either administration had envisioned, has prompted questions from even some Trump-era officials about whether the terms and conditions of the deal  and the decisions that followed after  did enough to protect Afghanistan once the U.S. military pulled out.

The historic deal was always high-wire diplomacy, requiring a degree of trust in the Taliban as a potential peace partner and inked despite skepticism from war-weary Afghans who feared losing authority in any power-sharing agreement.

The Doha agreement was a very weak agreement, and the U.S. should have gained more concessions from the Taliban, said Lisa Curtis, an Afghanistan expert who served during the Trump administration as the National Security Councils senior director for South and Central Asia.

She called it wishful thinking to believe that the Taliban might be interested in lasting peace. The resulting agreement, she said, was heavily weighted toward the Taliban, contributed to undermining Afghan President Ashraf Ghani  he fled the country Sunday and is now in the United Arab Emirates  and facilitated the release of 5,000 Taliban prisoners without a commensurate concession from the Taliban.

They wanted U.S. forces out, and they wanted to take over the country militarily, and they believed that they could do that, Curtis said of the Taliban. That was just crystal clear.

The agreement called for the U.S. to bring down its forces to 8,600 from 13,000 over the following three to four months, with the remaining U.S. forces withdrawing in 14 months, or by May 1.

Biden, in an ABC interview that aired Thursday, said he was confronted with that deadline soon after taking office: Do I say were staying? And do you think we would not have to put a hell of a lot more troops? Even without Trumps deal, Biden said he wouldve tried to figure out how to withdraw those troops and that there is no good time to leave Afghanistan.

The agreement stipulated commitments the Taliban were expected to make to prevent terrorism, including obligations to renounce al-Qaida and prevent that group or others from using Afghan soil to plot attacks on the U.S. or its allies. Though the agreement bound the Taliban to halt attacks on U.S. and coalition forces, it did not explicitly require them to expel al-Qaida or to stop attacks on the Afghan military.

The agreement provided significant legitimacy to the Taliban, whose leaders met with Pompeo, the first secretary of state to have such interactions. There were also discussions of them coming to the U.S. to meet with Trump.

Stlll, Trump spoke cautiously about the deals prospects for success, warning of military firepower if bad things happen. Pompeo similarly said the U.S. was realistic and restrained, determined to avoid endless wars.

U.S. officials made clear at the time that the agreement was conditions-based and the failure of intra-Afghan peace talks to reach a negotiated settlement would have nullified the requirement to withdraw.

One day before the Doha deal, a top aide to chief U.S. negotiator Zalmay Khalilzad said the agreement was not irreversible, and there is no obligation for the United States to withdraw troops if the Afghan parties are unable to reach agreement or if the Taliban show bad faith" during negotiations.

Those negotiations were intended to begin within a month of the deal being signed but were delayed amid disputes between the Taliban and the Afghan government over prisoner releases. Amid fits and starts, the negotiations had not produced any outcome by the time Biden announced his withdrawal decision in April. Nor have they done so since.

Miller said it was the right approach and necessary to force Ghani into negotiations. He said the Doha deal was always supposed to be phase one of the process, with the next part being the U.S. using its leverage to have Ghani negotiate on a power-sharing deal with the Taliban.

Obviously, he was not jazzed by that, but he was going to do it  or he was going to be removed, Miller said. We were going to put some serious pressure on him to make him cut a deal with the Taliban.

In hindsight, though, said Curtis, the U.S. should not have entered the Doha talks unless we were prepared to represent the Afghan governments interests. It was an unfair negotiation, because nobody was looking out for the interests of the Afghan government.
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP)  West Virginias Supreme Court has launched a new program that uses technology to promote safety and access in cases involving sexual assault and domestic violence.

Chief Justice Evan Jenkins announced the initiative Wednesday in Cabell County Family Court in Huntington, The Herald-Dispatch reported. It allows victims in domestic violence and sexual assault cases to apply for protection petitions and appear for court hearings from a remote location.
LONDON (AP)  What is being done to distribute COVID-19 vaccines globally?

Several groups are working to get shots to poor countries, but they're falling far short of what's needed to curb outbreaks around the world.

Among the efforts is COVAX, which relies on donations from rich countries and private funders. The group has missed its own distribution targets largely because it didnt have the resources to secure vaccine supplies early on in the pandemic.

As of mid-August, COVAX has distributed about 207 million doses to 138 countries and territories. That's compared with more than 417 million doses distributed in just the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

COVAX was created last year to try and ensure vaccines are distributed fairly and is led by public health agencies including the World Health Organization. Without enough purchased vaccines, COVAX is now relying on donated shots from wealthy countries, but most of the pledged doses won't be delivered this year.

Logistics are another problem. To get vaccines from COVAX, countries have to show how they'll distribute the shots and prioritize high-risk people like health workers and the elderly. But some countries that are in desperate need of vaccines haven't been able to show they can carry out such plans and lack the funds to carry out immunization campaigns.

Other groups have been stepping in to help. In July, the African Union said it bought 400 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson shot for 45 African countries. China, Russia and the U.S. have donated millions of vaccines to countries. And in June, the leading industrial nations known as the Group of Seven said they would donate 1 billion doses to poor countries. The G-7 countries are Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States.

Still, that's far short of the 11 billion doses WHO says are needed to stop the pandemic.

To protect people at high risk for severe illness in poor countries, WHO has urged rich countries to immediately donate more doses and to stop plans for immunizing children and giving booster doses.

We are making conscious choices right now not to protect those in need, said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

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The AP is answering your questions about the coronavirus in this series. Submit them at: FactCheck@AP.org. Read more here:

Do the COVID-19 vaccines affect my chances of pregnancy?

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What should I know about the delta variant?
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  The number of fully vaccinated people in Wisconsin who were hospitalized with COVID-19 more than doubled from February to July, but the more contagious delta variant was still an exponentially greater threat to the unvaccinated, state Department of Health Services data released Thursday shows.

The unvaccinated were three-times as likely to test positive for COVID-19 as the unvaccinated in July, the health department data showed. The unvaccinated were hospitalized at a rate 3.7-times higher than the vaccinated and the risk of dying was 10-times higher for the unvaccinated.

The COVID-19 vaccines are still doing their job by stopping the spread of many new infections, and by preventing severe illness, hospitalization, and death, said department Secretary Karen Timberlake in a statement. However, because no vaccine is perfect, some breakthrough cases are expected, the health department said.

In February, among those who were vaccinated there were nearly 57 confirmed or probable cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 people in the state. In July, that increased to just over 125 cases per 100,000 vaccinated people, health department data shows.

In February, there were nearly 386 cases per 100,000 people and in July that stood at 369.

In July, the rate of hospitalization for vaccinated people was 4.9 per 100,000 compared with 18.2 per 100,000 for the unvaccinated. And the death rate was 0.1 per 100,000 for the vaccinated and 1.1 per 100,000 for the unvaccinated.

Deaths and hospitalizations are at a level in Wisconsin not seen since February, an uptick health officials blame on the more contagious delta variant. The seven-day average of new cases as of Thursday was 1,223 and the seven-day average of deaths was five.

As of Thursday, 727 people were hospitalized due to COVID-19, a level not seen since January when the vaccine was not yet widely available, according to the Wisconsin Hospital Association.

Just over 50% of the state's total population, and nearly 61% of adults, have been fully vaccinated.

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This story has been corrected to show the percentage of the states population that has been fully vaccinated is just over 50% not 54%, and among adults, 61% not 64%.
By Megan Munce

Bay City News Foundation

From academics to pandemics, California teenagers are seeking out more help from friends, parents and teachers to cope with their situation, according to a survey released Thursday by Blue Shield of California.

Between July and August, Blue Shield of California asked 500 California students aged 13 to 18 about their mental health before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results illustrate the negative toll on mental health from several overlapping concerns from the past year -- the pandemic, racial injustice and climate change.

Academic performance still topped the chart, with nearly 80 percent of survey respondents saying they were nervous about getting good grades. However, over 70 percent said they were worried about catching COVID-19 in school or elsewhere. Climate change was also a large source of anxiety, with over half of teenagers nervous about wildfires and droughts in California.

Meanwhile, more than half of teenagers of color were concerned about coping with racial justice issues as they return to school.

Though the state's reopening in June caused some improvement, the ongoing pandemic continues to impact teenagers' mental health. Prior to the pandemic, only 34 percent of respondents reported they were in fair or poor mental health. Between the beginning of the pandemic and reopening, however, half of teenagers said they were in fair or poor mental health, and 42 percent say that's true of their mental health today.

The lagging recovery is driven in large part by disproportionate decreases in mental health for Latinx and Asian teenagers.

According to results, every ethnic group surveyed reported having poorer mental health during the pandemic than prior to it, as well as having slightly better mental health after reopening.

Despite the added difficulties, the survey results also indicated that teenagers are reaching out to others to help them through their difficulties. Over half of survey respondents said they talked about mental health with their friends, while 46 percent said they've spoken with a parent or guardian, 20 percent with a teacher and 18 percent with a professional counselor or therapist.

In response to the survey results, Blue Shield of California is urging schools to be aware of the extra challenges teenagers are facing this year and provide additional support, flexibility and empathy.

"During these unprecedented times, parents, teachers and other caring adults can help make this transition as easy as possible for teens by maintaining an open dialogue," Jennifer Christian-Herman, executive director of behavioral health at Blue Shield of California, said in a statement. "Carve out time to check-in and encourage children and teens in your life to have those conversations about how they are feeling returning to school."

Parents, educators and students can learn more about mental health resources for youth by visiting https://bluesky.blueshieldca.com/.

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PHOENIX (AP)  The Arizona Supreme Court on Thursday allowed a new tax on high earners approved by the states voters in November to remain in effect while a lower court determines if money it raises for schools will exceed a constitutional spending limit, but the lifeline may be short.

The ruling from the high court was likely a brief win for education proponents who backed Proposition 208's new tax. The court rejected as unconstitutional the part of the voter initiative that classified the money as school grants exempt from the spending limit. And it said if the trial court decides that the spending limit is exceeded, it must declare Proposition 208 unconstitutional and void it entirely.

That appears likely  the court noted that the estimated revenue from the initiative will put school spending several hundred million dollars over the cap.

A dissenting opinion from Justice Ann Scott Timmer said the framework the court imposed to analyze the spending limit almost certainly dooms the measure.

Republican Gov. Doug Ducey called the ruling a win for the state and taxpayers.

There is a clear legal path to Prop 208 being knocked down entirely, its only a matter of time, Ducey said in a statement. "The out-of-state proponents of this measure drafted bad language, and now they are paying the price.

The Invest in Education Act was backed by education advocates across Arizona and was an outgrowth of a 2018 teacher strike that resulted in educators getting a 20% pay raise but fell short of other major school funding boosts. Major funding for the campaign came from an Oregon group that advocates for public education.

The state is near the bottom nationally in spending on schools despite an increase in funding backed by Ducey.

Groups that worked to get Proposition 208 on the ballot issued a statement via Twitter slamming the high court and calling the decision politically motivated.

Joe Thomas, president of the state teacher's union and a member of the coalition backing the initiative, said the ruling makes it even more important for voters who backed the measure to sign petitions to block a massive income tax cut passed by the Legislature this year.

Theres funding in those tax cuts, to where the Legislature and governor could recreate Invest in Ed next year," Thomas said. "They have plenty of money to do that. So its not a lack of money, its that they dont want to invest in schools, and that's unfortunate.

The court rejected opponent's arguments that Proposition 208 required a 2/3 vote to be enacted as required for tax increases imposed by the Legislature. But the court said it cant yet tell whether the money it raises can be legally spent so it sent the case back to the lower court.

The Supreme Court threw a version of the initiative off the ballot in 2018 after ruling it was poorly written, but backers came back with a revised version last year, winning a slim voter approval.

Proposition 208 was expected to raise more than $800 million per year for K-12 schools by boosting income taxes on high-earning Arizona residents.

The challenge was filed by Republican legislative leaders and business groups, who argue the tax would damage the economy by discouraging the wealthy from living or investing in the state. Ducey also is fiercely opposed and had said he hopes the Supreme Court finds it unconstitutional. Ducey has appointed five of the court's seven members.

The Legislature gutted parts of the tax in the session that ended in June, but backers of the Invest in Education Act are collecting signatures to block the new tax cuts and asking voters to repeal them.

The court was focused on the spending limit during oral arguments in April. Justice Bill Montgomery noted that about $600 million of the new cash might not be able to be spent if the court finds it was not legal for an exemption in the initiative to dole out the money as grants.

Thursday's ruling did just that.

Writing for the court, Chief Justice Robert Brutinel said declaring the entire initiative unconstitutional if it caused school spending to exceed limits at any point was the only way to properly analyze the case, and said suggestions embraced by Timmer that excess money could be spent in later years was unworkable.

The partial dissent urges that even though the act may be unconstitutional in some years, it could be constitutional in others, allowing it to lurch along even though it contains no provision to account for hundreds of millions of dollars in unspent revenues in years in which it is not operational, Brutinel wrote. With respect, once the measure requires expenditures that we all agree would be unconstitutional, it renders the entire act incoherent and unworkable ... 

Timmer, the lone dissenter, said the majority was wrong because there were several ways the money could be spent without exceeding the constitutional spending limit and they ignored them.

Declaring all of Prop. 208 unconstitutional throws out the constitutional baby with the unconstitutional bathwater, Timmer wrote.

Proposition 208 imposes a 3.5% tax surcharge on income above $250,000 for individuals or above $500,000 for couples. The Legislatures budget analysts estimated it would bring in $836 million a year.

Proponents unsuccessfully argued that distributing the money through grants to schools is often used to avoid triggering the spending limit.

Backers also plan to argue in the lower court that the spending limit is now set artificially low and that resetting it to its proper place will allow all of the initiative's tax to be spent despite the court's ruling on the grant provision.

But the Legislature enacted a new tax category that would exempt small business income now taxed on personal returns from the Proposition 208 tax. If that stands, it will cut about $292 million from the tax revenue schools would get under the initiative.

All those factors will come into play as the trial court takes up the case. But backers will have no wiggle room under the guidelines the high court set for the trial court.
If Gavin Newsom gets recalled from his role as California governor next month, it appears he may not have a home in the Bay Area to move back to.

The governor's property in Marin County sold in May, after his recall election became a certainty, records reveal.

The mansion in the woodsy suburb of Kentfield over the Golden Gate Bridge was originally listed in 2019 but didn't sell. At the time Newsom had just left the governor's mansion in Sacramento for a more "kid-friendly" home in Fair Oaks, 14 miles from the capitol.

Newsom, who grew up in San Francisco, and wife Jennifer Siebel Newsom moved to the mansion at 11 Rock Road in Kentfield in 2011 shortly after the former mayor of San Francisco became California's lieutenant governor.

Although the couple had been close to renting in the Presidio, Newsom told SFGATE at the time, "We drove up the driveway and said, 'Wow, this is it.'"

Realtor.com

The 1,800-square-foot mid-century manor with unobstructed views of Mt. Tam and the bay, complete with pool, spa and olive trees, was bought by the Newsoms for $2.145 million in 2011. In May of this year Newsom off-loaded it for $5.895 million, records show.

The New York Post reports that the Newsoms sank $330,000 into remodeling the house before first attempting to sell in 2019.

Check out the property in this promotional video from Vanguard.
If you think the most expensive home ever sold in Las Vegas would be a baroque estate with elaborate fountains, gold-leafed furniture, and mirrored walls reflecting crystal chandeliers, you're so three decades ago. Or you're Wayne Newton.

Luxury homes in Vegas are now highly sophisticated, especially on the exclusive hillsides surrounding the valley. Those hills offer views of the Strip that can be observed and appreciatedfrom a distance.

The epitome of the aesthetic that celebrates both the beauty of the desert and the glitz of Sin CIty is a sleek, 15,000-square-foot mansion dubbed Vegas Modern 001.

It's a design so emblematic of the area that the term "Vegas Modern" was trademarked by the home's developers, the designers/builders Blue Heron.

Vegas Modern 001 street view Realtor.com

Their creation sold in late June for $25 million, the highest price ever paid for a private residence in the Las Vegas area.

But it won't be the last. The new owner, the billionaire LoanDepot founder Anthony Hsieh (no relation to the late Zappos magnate and legendary Las Vegas supporter Tony Hsieh), agreed to lease the home back to Blue Heron for two years. That leaseback will allow the developers to showcase their work to other deep-pocketed buyers, in the hope of building even more modern masterpieces.

Inside Vegas Modern 001

I'd done my research and scoped out numerous photos and videos of the property before I made my way up to the cushy McDonald Highlands precipice where Vegas Modern 001 is perched.

But no two-dimensional image could have prepared me for what I'd see when I passed through the intentionally narrow front gate. I found an awe-inspiring view of the valley below, framed by water, stone, and glass.

Views of the Las Vegas Strip Realtor.com

Blue Heron's senior product designer, Logan Ziegler, guided my tour. He was not kidding when he told us that Vegas Modern 001 is a "constant journey of surprise,"

He planned my visit to take place at sunset, so I could see the dazzling desert colors of the day give way to the sparkling, velvety colors of the night.

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Watch: Washington, DC's Most Expensive Home Is a Diplomat's Dream

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The views are so mesmerizing that visitors could easily become distracted, miss a step, and soak their Louboutins. Ubiquitous cobalt-hued pools flow through and around the house. An intriguing walkway ends abruptly at a tranquil pool.

Vegas Modern 001 entry Realtor.com

Blurred lines of living space

Speaking of aquatic features, the property has no less than three swimming pools. One sits right in the middle of the great roomsort of.

Cast aside your ideas of indoor and outdoor life, because interior is a relative term applied to this home. Many of the walls are made of glass, and silently disappear with the touch of a button.

Is this space a living room or a patio? Is this an indoor pool or an outdoor pool? Or is this luxurious tub outside or in? In most cases, the home provides you with the flexibility to choose and define your spaces, based on your mood.

One of three swimming pools Realtor.com

Wild for the walls

I've never been so intrigued by the walls of a houseeven those disappearing transparent glass walls.

If there is a plain white wall anywhere in the home, I missed it.

Some of the walls are made of natural materials, like wood, marble, stone and glass tiles. Many are lined with floor-level planters filled with succulents.

My personal favorite walls were made of a warm, peachy-colored Metaquartzite stone, unique to Las Vegas. The rock was sourced from the nearby Mojave desert and processed by local artisans.

Unique walls Realtor.com

Hidden features behind the walls

Another fascinating feature of those walls? The passageways, water closets, and endless storage spaces hidden behind them.

Door knobs and pulls are declasse in this mansion. In Vegas Modern 001, it's all about gently pressing the right panel on the wall to reveal one of the nine bathroom facilities.

That may strike some people as overly complex, but the layout of Vegas Modern is actually very simple:

There are three stories built on a 1.26-acre mountainside lot, with as many rooms as possible oriented toward views of the valley below.

The largest 3-bedroom home ever?

Visitors are often surprised to learn there are only three bedrooms in the 15,000-square-foot home,

But what the home lacks in quantity of bedrooms is made up for in quality. The master suite, on the main level, features a sunken sleeping area, a reflection pool, and a kitchenette. The suite has two tubs and showers, both inside and out.

Master suite with sunken sleeping area Realtor.com

Master bathroom with two tubsone inside, one out Realtor.com

Calling the other two bedrooms "guest suites" does them a disservice.

One is dubbed the "Sky Suite," because its views and reflections make you feel as if you're soaring above the Earth. It features a walk-in closet with a washer and dryer, as well as a kitchenette.

Sky suite Realtor.com

The other bedroom suite opens to a spacious living-room-style deck, with a fire pit and a dramatic oculus opening overhead.

Second suite Realtor.com

Large balcony with oculus Realtor.com

Beyond the bedrooms

While it only offers three bedrooms as currently configured, several other rooms could easily be converted to additional bedrooms, among them a light-filled office casita.

Office casita Realtor.com

Much of the square footage accommodates an endless array of entertaining spaces. Lounge and living room areas with giant screen TVs and cozy built-in seating can be found throughout the home.

Great room Realtor.com

Open-air great room Realtor.com

You'll also find elegant bars on every floor. One of those bars boasts transparent, geometric lucite barstoolsspecifically selected not to detract from the black marble bar behind them.

Bar with lucite barstools Realtor.com

Game room bar Realtor.com

Great room bar Realtor.com

Much of the home's furniture was custom-made to fit the Vegas Modern aesthetic, and all furnishings were included in the final sale price.

There are also four full modern kitchenstwo inside, two outside, and there are numerous kitchenettes throughout the residence. I quickly lost count of them all, but it's safe to say no one will ever be far from sustenance.

Main indoor kitchen Realtor.com

Outdoor kitchen Realtor.com

Design philosophy

The builders were hyperaware of designing Vegas Modern to appeal to all the senses. They incorporated a biophilic design aesthetic, highlighting the convergence of living spaces with nature.

As Ziegler told me, "The connection to naturewater, plants, stonein the house is calming."

Bath lounge Realtor.com

Beyond the natural world, the home also employs the latest in smart home technology. A smart ecosystem allows residents to sync the home with their circadian rhythm, shifting the lighting and temperature inside to be in harmony with the outdoors. It's also been outfitted with the largest residential solar array in the region.

I came to realize that every square footevery square inchof Vegas Modern 001 has a plan and a purpose.

Understanding and absorbing all the features and amenities would take me a while, but I imagine that's part of the intrigue of living in a home of this stature.

Overhead view Realtor.com

Shortly after this sale was announced, a wealthy buyer from California set another residential real estate record.

Land records show a buyer paid $36 million for four contiguous parcels in the Las Vegas area's elite Summit Club. The lots are currently vacant, but rumor has it that the buyer plans to build a lavish estate on the property. We'll keep you posted on its progress.

The post The House Always Wins: We Went Inside Las Vegas Most Expensive Home appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com.
You are now listening to the sounds of the New Generation. A podcast created for those who desire a new way of gaining information rather than reading a traditional newspaper. In our show we will discuss everything from sports, pop culture, politics, and local news. To stay up to date on our latest episodes every week be sure to follow us on your favorite podcast service. And dont worry, we keep it short.
The families of Connecticut soldiers who were killed years ago fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan say its been painful to watch the terrorist group quickly regain control of the country, igniting chaos and panic as America ends two decades of war there.

Its very tragic, discouraging and sad, said Bob Keiser, the stepfather of Andrew Pedersen-Keel, a 28-year-old Army special forces captain from Madison killed in Afghanistan in 2013.

The last couple of days have been almost like reopening the wound a bit - to see whats happening, Keiser said. Its a humanitarian crisis now. But you know, Andrew liked what he was doing there, and he felt he was making a difference.

Keiser is not alone in feeling disappointed over how Americas 20-year war in Afghanistan - the longest ever in US. history - ended in chaos as U.S. troops left and the Taliban quickly regained control of the country they once ruled.

On Aug. 6, Taliban fighters began overrunning the major provincial capitals in the country and nine days later pushed into the capitol, Kubal, virtually unchallenged. Panicked Afghans earlier this week swarmed Hamid Karzai International Airport seeking to escape the country.

Cameras captured disturbing footage of people surrounding planes and desperately clinging to a military transport plane as it took off, and several dying after they fell. In all, seven people were reportedly found dead at the airport this week.

Military families told Hearst Connecticut Media they never believed Afghanistan would necessarily become a free and peaceful democracy resembling life in the U.S. But they also said they didnt expect the country their sons paid the greatest sacrifice to help liberate would collapse so quickly.

They worried about the fate of refugees, interpreters and other Afghan civilians who supported the U.S military, as well as the damage to Americas standing that could be caused by such a disorganized exit.

There are 30,000 families who need to get out of there, Keiser said. I dont know how you get them out.

Patricia Parry, the mother of Navy SEAL Brian Bill, a 31-year-old Stamford native killed in Afghanistan when his helicopter was shot down in 2011, said shes not happy over the way the withdrawal has unfolded.

I feel that my son was a remarkable young man and he believed in what he did, and I think what he did was very honorable, Parry said.

But I feel very let down by what has evolved and somewhat betrayed, Parry added, referring to Americas withdrawal. I dont think it was handled very well, and we have sent a message of weakness to the world.

The U.S. invaded Afghanistan following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people. The goal was to eliminate Osama Bin Laden, his Al-Qaeda network and the Taliban to ensure Afghanistan could never again be used as a base to attack America.

The U.S. spent more than $1 trillion in Afghanistan including to develop and support a national army, but in recent days it essentially melted into the background as the Taliban surged. The U.S. has since recalled 6,000 U.S. troops to restore order at the airport and protect ongoing evacuations.

Earlier in the week, Reuters reported that the Taliban wanted peaceful relations with other countries and would respect the rights of women within the framework of Islamic law. However, US senators this week said they are receiving regular reports regarding the targeting, threatening, kidnapping, torturing and assassinations of women for their work, according to The New York Times.

During the Talibans rule between 1996 and 2001, the militants stopped women from working and administered punishments, including public stoning. Girls were not allowed to go to school and women had to wear all-enveloping burqas to go out, Reuters pointed out.

By mid-week, finger pointing was well underway in the U.S. over the image of a chaotic American withdrawal. President Joe Biden declared that leaving Afghanistan was the right decision and some Congressional leaders began calling for hearings to examine how the exit was handled.

Walking away

Andrew Pedersen-Keel attended the United States Military Academy and eventually worked his way up to Special Forces captain.

On the morning of March 11, 2013, Pedersen-Keel was concluding a patrol briefing when a 20-year-old Afghan jumped into the back of an Afghan police pickup truck, grabbed the machine gun mounted on the truck bed, and shot the Special Forces team. Pedersen-Keel was mortally wounded.

In the wake of his sons death, Keiser founded APK Charities, along with his mother, Helen Pedersen-Keiser. The charity seeks to raise awareness and support for active, retired, wounded and fallen troops and their families, and provide financial aid.

APK Charities mission is to serve as a bridge connecting our society and our Armed Forces, opening our hearts and minds to serve those who protect us, the organization says on its website.

Keiser said coverage of Afghanistan brought back memories of Andrew.

It does because, to be honest, over time you think about other things, Keiser said. Now, its all about Afghanistan and the places he was stationed.

He said interpreters who worked with his son - each unit in Afghanistan had an interpreter to bridge the language gap - had already relocated to Virginia.

Andrews interpreters are in the states, Keiser said. We have been in contact with them, and they are asking if we can help [with others left behind]. They have family over there. There is nothing we can do, and thats a sinking feeling.

Many observers of Afghanistan say there is justified concern over reprisals by the Taliban against anyone who helped or supported the American military effort.

Was it worth it?

Keiser said Afghan veterans he talks with are dismayed over what they are seeing on television.

Some feel like why were we there? Was it worth it at all? Keiser said. Thats kind of the reaction. Some react like [my wife] and say they did make a difference. I dont think anyone expected Afghanistan was going to become America. Its just sad to think nothing ever changes.

Keiser added: What you see at the airport, its desperation. I remember Vietnam. I remember what happened there. Its just smacking you in the face. There probably needed to be a different way to handle it.

Brian Bill, an elite Navy Seal, was on a nighttime mission on Aug. 6, 2011, when the Chinook helicopter he was riding in was shot down by enemy fire, killing all onboard.

Parry, his mother, said she shakes her head when she thinks about how the withdrawal is being handled.

Its tragic that he lost his life in a country we are walking away from, said Parry. We were not going to change Afghanistan or run the country. Our mission was to go over there and send a message.

Parry said that the right time for the U.S. to have left Afghanistan was after Osama Bin Laden was killed in May 2011.

The purpose was to make sure that nothing like 9/11 ever happened again, Parry said. Leaving is not the issue; its that the message we are sending that you can attack us because we dont stand strong.
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP)  UNITED NATIONS  The head of the U.N. food agency in Afghanistan says a humanitarian crisis is unfolding with 14 million people facing severe hunger following the Taliban takeover of the country.

Mary Ellen McGroarty, the World Food Programs country director, said in a video briefing to U.N. correspondents from Kabul on Wednesday that the conflict in Afghanistan, the nations second severe drought in three years, and the social and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic have pushed an already dire situation into a catastrophe.

McGroarty said over 40% of crops have been lost and livestock devastated by the drought, hundreds of thousands of people were displaced as the Taliban advanced, and winter is fast approaching. Really the race is on to get food where its most needed, she said.

WFP reached 4 million people in May and plans to scale up to reach 9 million over the next couple of months, but there are many, many challenges, she said.

McGroarty called for a halt to the conflict and urged donors to provide the $200 million needed to get food into the country so it can get to communities before winter sets in and roads are blocked.

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MORE ON THE CRISIS IN AFGHANISTAN:

 Taliban violently disperse rare protest days after takeover

 Mullahs rise charts Talibans long road back to power

 Taliban allowing safe passage from Kabul in US airlift

 In Talibans 7-day march to power, a stunning string of wins

 US agencies scrub websites to protect Afghans left behind

 Find more AP coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/afghanistan

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HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

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UNITED NATIONS  The United Nations says its sending about a third of its 300 international staff in Afghanistan to Kazakhstan to work remotely on a temporary basis in light of the volatile situation in the country.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric announced on Wednesday that about 100 U.N. personnel were traveling from Kabul to Almaty, Kazakhstans largest city, to work in a temporary satellite office.

He said the majority of the U.N.s humanitarian staff remain in Afghanistan, providing vital assistance to millions most in need.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the U.N. Security Council on Monday following the Taliban takeover of the country that the U.N. is committed to staying in Afghanistan and helping millions of people, but he also said the 193-member world organization will adapt to the security situation.

This is a temporary measure intended to enable the U.N. to keep delivering assistance to the people of Afghanistan with the minimum of disruption while at the same time reducing risk to U.N. personnel, Dujarric said. Personnel will return to Afghanistan as conditions permit.

In addition to the international staff, the U.N. and its agencies have about 3,000 Afghan employees.

Dujarric said a significant amount of work is being undertaken, as we speak, specifically to safeguard national staff.

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WASHINGTON  U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says the U.S. military doesnt have the capacity at this point to extend security forces beyond the perimeter of the Kabul airport in order to get more civilians safely evacuated out of Afghanistan.

Afghans and aid organizations have said that citizens are having a hard time getting past the Taliban and into the airport, in a mass exodus triggered by the insurgents rapid takeover of the country and its capital on Sunday.

Austin told reporters at a Pentagon press conference on Wednesday that the U.S. is working to get as many people through the evacuation process and out of the country as quickly as possible, but were not close to where we want to be.

The Pentagon says that about 5,000 civilians have been taken out of Afghanistan so far, but officials have said they want to get to a goal of getting a maximum of 5,000 to 9,000 people out a day.

Austin said that securing the airport is the paramount mission right now and he doesnt want to do anything to detract from that. He said the U.S. military doesnt have the capability to go out and collect large numbers of citizens and get them to the airport.

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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates  Afghan President Ashraf Ghani defended his decision to flee Kabul in the face of the Taliban advance, describing it as the only way to prevent bloodshed. He also denied claims by his countrys ambassador to Tajikistan that he had stolen millions of dollars from state funds.

Ghani posted a video on his Facebok page late on Wednesday, confirming that he was in the United Arab Emirates. He thanked Afghan security forces in his message, but also said that the failure of the peace process led to the Taliban snatching power.

He also indirectly tried to quash an accusation by Afghanistans ambassador to Tajikistan that he had stolen $169 million from state funds.

He claimed that he was forced to leave Afghanistan with one set of traditional clothes, a vest and the sandals I was wearing.

Accusations were charged in these days that money was transferred, these accusations are fully baseless. he said.

Ghani left Afghanistan on Sunday just as the Taliban approached Kabul.

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ANKARA, Turkey  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says he welcomes the Talibans recent moderate statements and is willing to meet with Taliban leaders for the good of the Afghan people and Turkeys interests.

Erdogan also told Kanal 7 television on Wednesday that Turkey was determined to stand by Afghanistan, regardless of who is in charge of the country.

Our relevant institutions have been in contact with the Taliban for a while. We have previously stated that we can host the Taliban leaders. We maintain this stance, Erdogan said. We are ready for any kind of cooperation for the peace of the Afghan people, the well-being of our ethnic Turkic brothers in the country and to protect our interests.

The Turkish leader described the Talibans approach toward majority-Muslim Turkey as being careful and very sensitive.

I hope that the same sensitivity will continue from now on, he said.

On Turkeys proposal for Turkish troops in Afghanistan to carry on running and guarding Kabuls airport, Erdogan said Turkeys continued military presence would strengthen" the Taliban's hand internationally and make things easier for them.

Erdogan said a total of 552 Turkish nationals have so far been evacuated from Afghanistan.

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ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan  Turkmen diplomats in Afghan cities of Herat and Mazar-e-Sharif have met with the Taliban there on Wednesday, Turkmenistans Foreign Ministry said, describing the meetings as friendly, positive and constructive.

The energy-rich Central Asian nation that shares a border with Afghanistan has an embassy in Kabul and consulates in Herat and Mazar-e-Sharif. All three missions have been operating as usual after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan on Sunday. Taliban fighters are guarding the outer perimeter of the missions, the ministry said.

Turkmenistans general consuls in Herat and Mazar-e-Sharif and the Taliban representatives discuss issues related to the implementation of duties of the Turkmen consular organization in the northern provinces of Afghanistan and organizational and other matters" related to the missions, the ministry said. It added that Turkmen officials have regular contacts with the Taliban regarding security along the Afghan-Turkmenistan border.

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MOSCOW  Afghanistans ambassador to Tajikistan has accused Afghan President Ashraf Ghani of stealing $169 million from state funds and has called on international police to arrest him.

Ghani fled Afghanistan on Sunday, just as the Taliban approached Kabul, and his whereabouts remained unknown until Wednesday, when the United Arab Emirates said it has accepted him and his family on account of humanitarian considerations.

Ambassador Mohammad Zahir Aghbar told a news conference on Wednesday that Ghani stole $169 million from the state coffers and called his flight a betrayal of the state and the nation.

The ambassador did not elaborate or explain his claim further.

Aghbar also promised to file a request to the Interpol to arrest Ghani. Shahriyor Nazriev, director of the Interpols National Central Bureau in Tajikistan, told Russias state news agency RIA Novosti that they havent received such a request yet.

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SKOPJE, North Macedonia  North Macedonias prime minister says the country is increasing to more than 450 the number of Afghan refugees to whom it is offering temporary shelter.

Zoran Zaev said on Wednesday that these are people who have closely collaborated with Western forces in Afghanistan over the past 20 years, and include human rights activists, journalists and students.

The first are expected to arrive in North Macedonia by the end of the week. Initially, authorities had said they would accept 186 people.

The center-right main opposition VMRO-DPMNE party complained, noting that North Macedonia is one of the poorest countries in Europe and that richer countries should take Afghans in.

The Afghans will be put up in motels, resorts and hotels, at the expense of international organizations, as well as the United States.

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BERLIN  German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke by phone on Wednesday with U.S. President Joe Biden about the situation in Afghanistan, her office said.

During the call, Merkel stressed the importance of enabling as many Afghans as possible who supported German military and civilian efforts in the country to leave. The two leaders agreed to fly out as many people in need of protection as possible, her office said.

Germanys foreign minister said his countrys ambassador in Kabul has begun talks in Doha with Taliban representatives to ensure they allow Afghans to reach the airport.

Heiko Maas said Germany has flown more than 500 people out of Afghanistan, including about 200 Afghan citizens, since Sunday and we want to continue doing so in this quantity in the coming days.

Maas said the assumption is that the window for evacuation flights will be limited but all those in positions of responsibility on the ground, in particular the United States, are trying to use this time as best as possible.

He added that according to his information there are currently hundreds, if not thousands of people massed outside the gates of the airport, and sporadic outburst of violence.

Maas said Germany is also trying to bring supplies of food to Kabul to provide for those waiting to be evacuated, and has a Medevac plane in the region.

Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said Germany would do everything to get as many local staff out of Kabul as possible.

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LJUBLJANA, Slovenia  Slovenias foreign minister says the small Alpine state is ready to accept up to five Afghan staff who had worked for the European Union mission in Afghanistan.

Anze Logar said on Wednesday that for the time being, Slovenia will not offer taking in additional refugees from Afghanistan.

EU foreign ministers have agreed that member states should do their utmost to assist Afghans who have worked with the bloc over the past 20 years and bring them safely to Europe, avoiding possible reprisals by the Taliban.

Slovenias state STA news agency reported that according to Logar, there are between 400 and 500 people who fall into this category.

Slovenia, which is currently heading EUs rotating presidency, is run by a right-wing conservative government that has strongly advocated anti-migration policies and the influx into Europe of refugees from the war-ravaged countries in the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

___

ROME  Italian Defense Minister Lorenzo Guerini says 1,500 Italian military personnel are working non-stop to provide safe transport out of Afghanistan for Afghans who worked with Italy and their families.

Italy on Wednesday increased the number of its Air Force aircraft involved in the mission from seven to eight. The aircraft are shuttling between Kabul, Kuwait and Rome in the humanitarian airlift.

After 86 passengers arrived late Wednesday afternoon in at Romes Leonardo da Vinci airport, two C130J planes took off from Kuwait for Kabul, where they will embark 103 persons, the defense ministry said. Earlier in the day, an Italian Army official told reporters in Rome that Italys goal is to evacuate as many as possible who are in need  not just those who had worked with Italys forces in Afghanistan  as long as security conditions allow.

___

TEHRAN, Iran -- Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has discussed the situation in Afghanistan with his Chinese and Russian counterparts.

The Iranian presidents website, president.ir, reported on Wednesday that he talked on the phone with Chinese President Xi Jinping and told him Iran was ready to cooperate with China in establishing security, stability and peace in Afghanistan, as well as on issues regarding the development, progress and prosperity for Afghans.

Raisi said: We believe that the departure of foreigners, as well as past experiences in this country, has highlighted the need for the support and participation of all Afghans to ensure the security and development of Afghanistan more than ever.

Raisi separately spoke with Vladimir Putin and was quoted by the website as saying that stability must be established in Afghanistan as soon as possible.

Raisi was quoted as saying that establishing security and peace in Afghanistan has always been emphasized by Iran and we believe that all Afghan active groups should work together to establish stability in the country as soon as possible and make the U.S. withdrawal to a turning point for lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan.

Raisi also praised what he described as Iranian-Russian cooperation in Syria, where the two have over the past years boosted Syrian President Bashar Assads government and turned the tide of war in Assads favor and called for Iran and Russia to increase the interaction between Tehran and Moscow.

___

ANKARA, Turkey  Turkeys defense ministry says a Turkish Air Force plane has ferried some 200 Turkish citizens from Kabul to Pakistan as nations continue to evacuate their citizens after the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan.

The group was expected to be flown back to Istanbul later on Wednesday on board a Turkish Airlines plane that was being sent to Islamabad to collect the evacuees, an airline official said.

A defense ministry official said all of those being evacuated were Turkish nationals. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to make public statements.

Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey;

___

TERMEZ, Uzbekistan  Uzbekistan has taken in several hundred Afghan refugees, a Russian state-funded media outlet reported Wednesday.

The Sputnik Uzbekistan news site said about 150 Afghans, including 17 women and children, have been temporarily placed in a camp near the Uzbek-Afghan border in the southeastern Surkhandarya region of Uzbekistan. They have all been tested for coronavirus, and no infections have been registered among them.

In addition, some 650 Afghan servicemen who arrived to Uzbekistan by plane have been temporarily housed in a COVID-19 hospital near a local military training site, the report said.

A diplomat in Uzbekistan confirmed to The Associated Press that the ex-Soviet country has taken in a number of Afghan soldiers and was not sending them back to Afghanistan any time soon. The Afghan soldiers will stay in a tent camp while the weather is good. The diplomat spoke anonymously because he was not authorized to talk to the media.

There have been conflicting reports about how many Afghan refugees Uzbekistan has admitted. Uzbekistan has not signed the 1951 Refugee Convention and hence does not have any asylum procedures.

Agnieszka Pikulicka-Wilczewska in Termez, Uzbekistan;

___

LONDON  Britains ambassador to Kabul says his team has got days, not weeks to speed up the evacuation of British nationals and Afghans who worked with U.K. forces.

Laurie Bristow said his team helped 700 people fly out on military flights on Tuesday, and the goal is to help 1,000 people each day.

We are trying to scale up the speed and pace over the next couple of days, he told Sky News. Were working on the basis of days, not weeks, so we really do have to get those numbers through.

Gen. Nick Carter, head of the British armed forces, said he expected seven aircraft to head to Kabul to enable another 1,000 people to leave on Wednesday.

Bristow said the Taliban are supporting the operation and his team is working with them where we need to, at a tactical, practical level.

My assessment is that they see it as in their interests to help it to happen in an orderly and clear way, he said. Obviously its in our interests for them to see it that way.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said earlier on Wednesday that authorities had so far secured the safe return of 306 British citizens and 2,052 Afghans, with a further 2,000 Afghan applications completed and many more being processed.

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WASHINGTON  The Pentagon says that 2,000 people  including 325 American citizens  were evacuated from Afghanistan in 18 flights over the past 24 hours, just days after the Talibans stunningly swift takeover of the country.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby says the U.S. military is still working toward its goal of getting a maximum of 5,000 to 9,000 people out a day.

He said on Wednesday that the U.S. military says its talking regularly with the Taliban to help get Afghans into the airport, and also to improve the paperwork process, including for Afghans who have applied for Special Immigrant Visas.

Kirby also said that U.S. troops have fired warning shots along the airport perimeter as a crowd control measure. He said there are now about 4,500 U.S. troops on the ground to secure the airport and help the airlift, and several hundred more are expected to flow in over the next 24 hours.

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BEIRUT  Save the Children is warning that the unfolding crisis in Afghanistan is exacerbating what was already an extremely dire situation in the country.

The aid organization's regional director for Asia, Hassan Noor, says the aid group paused its Afghanistan operations and closed its offices as of Sunday, pending an assessment of the security situation. The group has 1,500 national staff in the country and had been working in 10 of Afghanistans 34 provinces, reaching hundreds of thousands of children.

Speaking to journalists at an online press briefing, Noor said the future of Afghanistans population, particularly women and children, was very concerning, particularly with regards to how their humanitarian needs will be met.

Even before this latest conflict, Afghanistan held the worlds largest internally displaced population, with 2.9 million people displaced across the country at the end of 2020. Hundreds of thousands have fled their homes in the past few weeks as the Taliban advanced.

Noor said Save the Children has decided to remain in Afghanistan for now and is committed to resume delivering aid as soon as the security situation allows.

___

ROME  An Italian Air Force jet has ferried 86 passengers to Romes main airport from Kabul.

The Foreign Ministry said the passengers who arrived on Wednesday afternoon included Italians as well as European Union and NATO personnel plus numerous Afghan citizens who worked with Italy and their family members.

Italian Army Col. Diego Giarrizzo told reporters at the airport that in addition to hundreds of previously designated Afghan citizens, the number of those needing evacuation will grow since the humanitarian air bridge continues as long as security conditions allow.

Wednesdays flight was the second such evacuation mission this week, and Italy said it is deploying a total of seven military jets to fly passengers out of Kabul airport.

Well make every effort to bring out as many as possible, the colonel said.

Among those arriving in the latest flight was a female Italian humanitarian aid worker.

Giarrizzo said Kabul airport security conditions were currently OK but stressed that they are very fluid. U.S., British and Turkish military forces were helping to keep the airport entrance more orderly, he added.

Asked about efforts to help terrified women flee Kabul, Giarrizzo said that of all those who need (to leave) and make a request, we are trying to bring them via this humanitarian air bridge to Italy. We will evaluate them swiftly....do everything possible, considering this is a humanitarian emergency.

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BRUSSELS  NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says he will chair an emergency meeting of foreign ministers from the 30-nation military alliance on Friday to discuss developments in Afghanistan.

Stoltenberg tweeted on Wednesday that he has convened the videoconference to continue our close coordination and discuss our common approach on Afghanistan.

On Tuesday, Stoltenberg blamed a failure of Afghan leadership for the swift collapse of the countrys Western-backed armed forces, but he conceded that NATO must also address flaws in its military training program.

NATO has been leading international security efforts in Afghanistan since 2003 but wound-up combat operations in 2014 to focus on training the national security forces. NATO helped build up an army some 300,000 strong, but that force withered in the face of the Taliban offensive in just days.

Stoltenberg says that around 800 civilian personnel from NATO countries continue to work in Afghanistan, many in Kabul helping with air traffic control, refueling and communications at the airport.

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COPENHAGEN, Denmark  Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Denmark had set up an air bridge between Kabul and Copenhagen via Islamabad in Pakistan, and has evacuated 84 people, including local Afghan employees and interpreters.

She said that the Taliban takeover means the rules of the game were changed in a short time and the situation is very chaotic.

Frederiksen also said: This was not the way we wanted to leave Afghanistan.

Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod said a base had been established in Islamabad for the airlifts. The operation is in full swing. We do everything we can, he added.

The Scandinavian countrys Defense Minister Trine Bramsen said Denmark also has been able to evacuate Danes, Norwegians and Americans

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ANKARA, Turkey  Turkeys defense minister says at least 62 evacuation flights were made from Kabuls international airport in the past two days, after security was restored at the airfield.

Hulusi Akar told state-run Anadolu Agency on Wednesday that Turkish troops and other NATO soldiers were involved in the effort to restore calm at the airport. Turkish air force planes were meanwhile, evacuating Turkish citizens from Afghanistan, he said.

Turkey last month took over running the airport as U.S. troops were completing their pullout from the country.

Akar also said Turkey was engaged in talks with the United States, other NATO allies as well as other nations over Ankaras proposal for Turkish troops to continue protecting and operating the airfield.

We have stated that we are considering continuing our work if the necessary conditions are met, Akar was quoted as saying. He did not elaborate.

Meanwhile, the first military cargo plane sent by Spain to Kabul has left the airport, but Spains defense ministry is not yet giving any more details on how many people are on board or who they are.

The Dutch defense ministry says that a C-17 military transport plane has flown out of Kabul carrying around 35 people with Dutch, Belgian, German and British passports. The plane is headed for Tbilisi in Georgia.

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WASHINGTON  The U.S. State Department has released a joint statement signed by about two dozen nations expressing concern for the rights of Afghan women and girls and urging those in power in Afghanistan to guarantee their protection.

Wednesdays statement was signed by the United States, Britain, the European Union and 18 other countries. It says the statements signatories are deeply worried about the Afghan womens rights to education, work and freedom of movement in the wake of the Taliban takeover.

Afghan women and girls, as all Afghan people, deserve to live in safety, security and dignity, it said. Any form of discrimination and abuse should be prevented. We in the international community stand ready to assist them with humanitarian aid and support, to ensure that their voices can be heard.

It went on to add that the world will monitor closely how any future government ensures rights and freedoms that have become an integral part of the life of women and girls in Afghanistan during the last 20 years.

Since sweeping into Kabul on Sunday and taking over the country, the Taliban insist they have changed and wont impose the same draconian restrictions they did when they last ruled Afghanistan, all but eliminating womens rights.

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PRAGUE  The third Czech evacuation flight in three days has left the Afghan capital of Kabul and is heading for Prague.

Foreign Minister Jakub Kulhanek says Afghan interpreters with their families, including children, and Afghan nationals with permanent residency in the Czech Republic are onboard the flight Wednesday.

Defense Minister Lubomir Metnar says there are 62 passengers on the flight plus crew.

The previous two flights from Kabul to Prague on Monday and Tuesday carried a total of 133 people, including Czech and Afghan nationals and two Polish women.

Four Afghans are being transported at the request of another European Union member state  Slovakia  that has pledged to grant asylum to 10 Afghans who recently cooperated with EU states. Slovakia's transport plane has yet to receive approval to fly to Kabul.

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WARSAW, Poland  The Polish government says it's in the process of evacuating people from Afghanistan, most of them Afghans who have worked with the Polish mission there.

Poland has sent three military planes to Afghanistan to carry out the evacuations.

A government official, Michal Dworczyk, said 250-260 people have expressed a wish to be evacuated, but that not all of them might be able to reach the Kabul airport to leave. Officials said Wednesday that a first group of 50 people was flown from Kabul to Uzbekistan.

Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said a Dreamliner was on its way to Uzbekistan to bring the people to safety in Poland.

Some of those being evacuated are Polish citizens but the majority are Afghans who have worked with Poles in Afghanistan.

___

TIRANA, Albania  Albania is preparing for the arrival of Afghans who worked with Western peacekeeping forces in Afghanistan and are now threatened by the Taliban.

A students campus in the capital, Tirana, is among places that will temporarily shelter the Afghans while the United States processes their visa requirements. Some hotels at the nearby port city of Durres will also take in Afghans.

Government sources, who spoke anonymously under regulations, said that about 300 Afghans are expected to arrive on a military plane late on Wednesday.

Albania was among the first to offer temporary shelter to the Afghans leaving their country after all Western military left and the Taliban have usurped the power.

But some Albanians were upset. Llesh Perkola, a Tirana resident in the capital Tirana, wondered who had decided so fast to shelter them. Perkola said that Albania is a small country and bringing that many people from Afghanistan is not a good thing.

Others say Albanians were in the same position after the collapse of the communist regime and the anarchy of 1997. Ylli Suberaku, 66, remembers Albanians fleeing the country toward the worlds streets. They were welcomed and integrated in the societies of the host countries.

U.S. Ambassador to Tirana Yuri Kim said Tuesday: Weve been deeply moved by the gesture of the Albanian people, the decision to give temporary refuge to those who are in greatest need.

Llazar Semini in Tirana, Albania;

___

KABUL, Afghanistan  Afghanistans former president has met with a senior leader of a powerful Taliban faction who was once jailed and whose group has been listed by the U.S. as a terrorist network.

Former President Hamid Karzai and Abdullah Abdullah, a senior official in the ousted government, met with Anas Haqqani as part of preliminary meetings that a spokesman for Karzai said would would facilitate eventual negotiations with Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the top Taliban political leader.

The U.S. branded the Haqqani network a terrorist group in 2012, and its involvement in a future government could trigger international sanctions.

The Taliban have pledged to form an inclusive, Islamic government, although skeptics point to its past record of intolerance for those not adhering to its extreme interpretations of Islam.

___

BEIJING  China says it is waiting for the establishment of an open, inclusive, and widely representative government in Afghanistan before it decides on the issue of recognition.

If we are going to recognize a government, we will have to wait till the government is formed, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said on Wednesday.

Only after that, will we come to the question of diplomatic recognition, Zhao told reporters at a daily briefing.

Zhao reiterated Beijings hopes for a a smooth transition following the Talibans sweep to power to avoid further violence or a humanitarian disaster.

China will continue to support the peaceful reconstruction of Afghanistan and provide assistance to Afghanistans economic and social development within its capacity, Zhao said.

The Taliban must make good on its commitment not to give shelter to terrorists or allow foreign elements to operate within its territory, singling out the East Turkestan Islamic Movement that Beijing blames for attacks in its northwestern region of Xinjiang, which shares a narrow, remote border with Afghanistan.

Beijing long called for the U.S. to leave Afghanistan, but has condemned what it calls the hasty retreat of American forces for the current instability.

China has sought good relations with both the former Afghan government and the Taliban, hosting the groups top political leader, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, for talks with Foreign Minister Wang Yi late last month.

___

MADRID  The European Unions top diplomat says that it is necessary to talk with the Taliban to secure the evacuation of foreign nationals and those Afghans who have worked with NATO forces.

I said that we must speak with them and some people found that scandalous, Josep Borrell, the EUs High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, told Spanish National Radio on Wednesday. But how are we supposed to open a safe passage to the airport if we are not speaking with those who have taken control of Kabul?

Borrell said his main concern is the immediate situation of those needing help to immediately leave the country for fear of reprisals.

We have seen images of crowds on the landing strips that make the operation of the airport difficult. We hope that the situation can be controlled and that our planes can land and take off, but to be frank, I dont know, Borrell said. Where we need to act is not so much in the airport itself, which the American army has under its control, but in how to get those who need to leave to the airport.

My responsibility is to identify and help move those who have worked with us, Borrell said. (But) that does not exclude the EU from opening its arms to other people.

What has happened in Afghanistan is a defeat for the entire western world and we all must have the courage to accept that, he said.

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ISLAMABAD -- Pakistan is issuing visas upon arrival to all diplomats, foreigners and journalists who want to leave Kabul over security concerns.

Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said on Wednesday that since Sunday, 900 foreigners including diplomats and staff working for international organizations have arrived in Pakistan from Kabul via air travel.

He said transit visas were also being issued to foreigners upon arrival from Afghanistan at airports and land crossings so that they could travel on to their home countries.

Ahmed said hundreds of Pakistanis and Afghans crossed into Pakistan from two key land border crossings in recent days.

He said all Pakistanis who want to leave Afghanistan will be brought back over the coming two days.

___

BERLIN  Germany will send up to 600 army personnel to Kabul to help evacuate German citizens and former Afghan local embassy staff.

Chancellor Angela Merkels Cabinet on Wednesday okayed the mission which started Monday. Germanys Bundestag Parliament will have to vote on the military mission as well which is likely going to happen next week.

Every armed foreign deployment of the German army has to be approved by parliament in Germany.

Normally this has to happen before the start of the deployment but in this case, because of the imminent danger German citizens were exposed to in Afghanistan, Cabinet and parliament were also allowed to approve the mission in retrospect, German news agency dpa reported.

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KABUL, Afghanistan  Afghanistans central bank governor says that the country has some $9 billion in reserves abroad and not in physical cash inside the country.

Ajmal Ahmady, the head of Afghanistans Central Bank, wrote on Twitter on Wednesday that the majority of that  some $7 billion  is being held in U.S. Federal Reserve bonds, assets and gold.

Ahmady says Afghanistans holding of physical U.S. dollars is close to zero as the country did not receive a planned cash shipment amid the Taliban offensive that swept the country last week.

The next shipment never arrived, he wrote. Seems like our partners had good intelligence as to what was going to happen.

He noted the lack of U.S. dollars likely will see the afghani depreciate and inflation rise, hurting the poor in the country. Getting access to those reserves likely will be complicated by the U.S. government considering the Taliban a sanctioned terror group.

The Taliban won militarily - but now have to govern, he wrote. It is not easy.

___

LONDON  The British government says it will welcome up to 5,000 Afghan refugees this year, and a total of 20,000 Afghans will be offered a way to settle in the U.K. in the coming years.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said late Tuesday: We owe a debt of gratitude to all those who have worked with us to make Afghanistan a better place over the last 20 years.

The new Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme will focus on women, children, and others who have been forced to flee their home or face threats of persecution from the Taliban.

Opposition parties have criticized the plan for not going far enough to make a real difference. Nick Thomas-Symonds, of the Labour Party, said the proposal did not meet the scale of the challenge.

British lawmakers are returning to Parliament Wednesday for an emergency session to discuss Afghanistan. Johnson is set to tell lawmakers there must be an immediate increase in aid to Afghanistan to avert a humanitarian crisis erupting in the country following the Talibans seizure of power.

___

ANKARA, Turkey  Turkey has has denied reports claiming that it has given up on plans to continue running Kabuls airport, saying it was awaiting the results of ongoing talks between the Taliban and several Afghan politicians.

We hope that they reach an agreement through peaceful means, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told Hurriyet newspaper in comments that were printed on Wednesday. After these (talks) take place, we can talk about these things.

Turkey, a NATO member whose some 600 troops provided security at the international airport in Kabul, has proposed to continue running and protecting the airport following the withdrawal of U.S. and NATO troops. The Taliban has said it wants all NATO troops to leave Afghanistan.

Cavusoglu meanwhile, defended the governments decision to engage in talks with the Taliban, following criticism from opposition parties.

This does not mean that we espouse their ideology. Everyone is being pragmatic, he said.

The minister also came under criticism for saying the government welcomes positive messages from the Taliban.

We said, We welcome their messages, but we said that we are cautious, that is, we should see these (messages) applied in practice, Cavusoglu said.

___

ISLAMABAD  The British prime minister and German chancellor have called their Pakistani counterpart about the rapidly evolving situation in Afghanistan, the foreign ministry said in an overnight statement.

It was their first contact with Imran Khan since the Taliban took control of the country Sunday.

According to Pakistans foreign ministry, Khan told Germanys Angela Merkel that an inclusive political settlement was the best way forward for resolving the conflict in Afghanistan.

In a separate statement, the ministry said Khan also received a call from the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and Khan passed along a similar message.

___

KABUL, Afghanistan  The Taliban have blown up the statue of a Shiite militia leader who had fought against them during Afghanistans civil war in the 1990s.

The statue depicted a militia leader killed by the Taliban in 1996, when the Islamic militants seized power from rival warlords.

Abdul Ali Mazari was a champion of Afghanistans ethnic Hazara minority, Shiites who were persecuted under the Sunni Talibans earlier rule.

The statue stood in the central Bamyan province, where the Taliban infamously blew up two massive 1,500-year-old statues of Buddha carved into a mountain in 2001. The Taliban claimed the Buddhas violated Islams prohibition on idolatry.

___

CANBERRA, Australia  Australia has evacuated the first 26 people, including Australian and Afghan citizens, from Kabul since the Taliban overran the Afghan capital, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Wednesday.

An Air Force C-130 Hercules transport aircraft landed at an Australian military base in the United Arab Emirates with the 26 who included a foreign official working for an international agency, Morrison said. The remainder were Australians and Afghans.

This was the first of what will be many flights, subject to clearance and weather and we do note that over the back end of this week, there is some not too favorable weather forecast, Morrison said.

Two Hercules and two larger C-17A Globemaster transport aircraft will make further evacuation flights.

Australia plans to evacuate 130 Australians and their families plus an undisclosed number Afghans who have worked for Australian soldiers and diplomats in roles such as interpreters.

Australias goal is to evacuate 600 people, according to media reports. Morrison did not provide a number. Our goal is as many as we can, as safely and as quickly as we can, he said.
To the Editor:

The economic development strategy in Shelton amounts to letting the tail wag the dog. In downtown, along the Bridgeport Avenue corridor, and more recently even in Huntington, we have poorly planned development projects that dont fit the area being pushed through to the detriment of our city.

When a land use decision is made, it impacts the community for decades to come.

It doesnt cost a lot of money to plan properly. We dont have to raise taxes to do so. We have to collaborate, engage stakeholders and professionals and admit that one person or a favored developer, doesnt know everything.

A plan should provide an informed vision and road map to improve and develop an area over time. This gives an investor an understanding of what a community wants in an area and builds out a vision. An area-specific (downtown, Bridgeport Avenue corridor, etc.) planning effort looks at the area comprehensively, including roadway infrastructure, parking, transportation, environmental sensitivities, appropriate uses and regulations, safety and aesthetics, and maximizes and connects assets of the area, like the riverfront. In this scenario, the dog wags the tail and a well-planned and well-functioning area results, rather than the piecemeal mess we find ourselves in.

Shelton could have the best downtown in Connecticut given the riverfront and the bones of the area. What we have is, sad. We have developments approved that are out of scale for the area. Overbuilt money grabs. Density without proper on-site parking, creating a mess for residents, visitors and business owners.

As if that is not bad enough, we have land use decisions being made that cripple our ability to maximize the waterfront into the future. And, our roadway infrastructure has not been addressed or in some cases was poorly addressed, creating public safety concerns and traffic nightmares.

To top that off, the quality of some of the developments leaves much to be desired and has resulted in major headaches for our residents. You deserve better.

The Bridgeport Avenue corridor needs a thoughtful and well-planned approach as well. We have a major stalled development that is now blight. We have increased vacancies throughout the corridor. We have numerous, aggressive proposals to add more apartments and hundreds of thousands of square feet of additional retail space. Development and growth is good and important when it fits a community. Absent any plan or vision, we have out-of-whack proposals. You deserve better.

We need to know the service drain and impact of these projects. We need to examine how much retail space can succeed given the market and projections for the future. We need to understand just how many apartments we can handle given the impact on emergency services, schools and other services that are already stretched. We have missed many opportunities to make the corridor work better for vehicles and other modes of transportation. Again, once a land use decision is made, we live with it for decades.

We have great opportunities to continue to grow our grand list and add great services and amenities to our city. We need new leadership to get us on a better path for the future. When I am mayor, we will bring the approach, I outlined above. We will level the playing field for businesses and investors and get the quality that we deserve. When I am mayor, the dog will wag the tail.

David A. Eldridge (D),

Shelton mayor candidate
Shippensburg, PA (17257)

Today

Periods of rain. Rain may be heavy late. Potential for flooding rains. High 68F. Winds ENE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 3 to 5 inches of rain expected..

Tonight

Becoming partly cloudy after some evening rain. Potential for flooding rains. Low 56F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch.
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Actors Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi's much awaited romantic film 'Love Story' will have a theatrical release on September 10.

The film has been ready for release but was on hold due to the pandemic and lockdown. It was earlier scheduled to release in April this year.

Chaitanya took to Instagram to make the announcement on Wednesday. Uploading a still from the film, he captioned it: "This Vinayaka Chaitvi is extra special. #Lovestory releasing in theatres near you on Sep 10."

Sai Pallavi, too shared the news on her Instagram stories.

Earlier, there were multiple speculations around the film going for an OTT release. However, the official announcement has put that to rest.

Directed by Sekhar Kammula, the film also stars Devayani, Rao Ramesh, Posani Krishna Murali, Rajeev Kanakala and Easwari Rao in pivotal roles.

Text: IANS

Images: Naga Chaitanya, Sai Pallavi, Love Story
These Indian workers have been working at the different projects in Afghanistan and are anxiously waiting to return to India after the Taliban took full control of the country on August 15, 2021.

New Delhi, Aug 19 (IANS) The government has decided to rescue Indian workers on priority and steps are being taken to contact them at the earliest, sources said here on Thursday.

Amid reports of clashes between Taliban militia and the Afghan Army in some places like Jalalabad and Khost, it has become challenging for Indian authorities to contact Indian workers and bring them back to Kabul safely, the sources further said.

The Indian authorities are also considering treating other government documents like Aadhaar card or voter identity cards for those whose passports were taken away by the local employers who ran away from the cities fearing Taliban, they added.

Many Indian workers have complained to the Indian officials that their passports were deposited with their employers and they do not have them to travel back to India.

The External Affair Minister Dr S. Jaishankar has already reiterated that bringing back Indians from Afghanistan was the top priority of the Government.

In the last meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday asked officials to bring Indians back from Afghanistan at the earliest.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has set up an 'Afghanistan Cell' to coordinate repatriation and related matters and they are in constant touch with the representatives of the Afghan Sikh and Hindu communities.

With the closure of the Indian Embassy in Kabul, these workers have been facing problems in contacting the Indian authorities; however, the Indian officials have assured them that steps are being taken to resolve this issue at the earliest.

The Government is in constant touch with the US officials in Kabul for the safe return of these workers and also waiting to reopen the Kabul airport, an official who was privy to these developments said on condition of anonymity.

Reacting to the problems being faced by the Indian workers, the West Asia expert and senior journalist Qamar Agha said that the Indian government was fully capable of handling this situation and will evacuate all Indians from Afghanistan. "India has a vast experience in evacuating thousands of its citizens from Iraq, Kuwait and other conflict zones in the past. Of late, we have also brought not only our people from Yemen but also foreign nationals who were stuck there safely," Agha said.

The major problem is that Afghanistan is a land locked country and the Pakistan has blocked their land routes so they will be evacuated by air only and we have military transport aircrafts, Air India planes which were successfully used in emergency evacuation in past and this time too, the Government will successfully rescue all Indians safely", the official added.

--IANS

ams/skp/
As many as 95 leaders from the party, including 58 from the existing Central Committee, applied to the Election Commission for the establishment of Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (Socialist) to be headed by Madhav Kumar Nepal, with former prime minister Jhala Nath Khanal in the second rank, the Xinhua news agency reported.

Kathmandu, Aug 19 (IANS) The Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist), the largest political party in Nepal, is heading for split on Wednesday as the faction led by senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal applied for the registration of a new party.

The disputes between Madhav Kumar Nepal and K.P. Sharma Oli, chair of the CPN (UML), had deepened after the Nepal faction supported the bid for the premiership by Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba against Oli and helped Deuba win a vote of confidence on July 18 by garnering a majority of votes in the House of Representatives.

"We have applied for the registration of a new party," Metmani Chaudhary, a Central Committee member from the Nepal faction and a member of the House of Representatives, told Xinhua. "We had to opt for a split following continuous humiliation by the Oli faction."

He said the new party will join the government once the Election Commission formally registers it. As many as 23 lawmakers from the CPN-UML were siding with the Nepal faction as it opted for a split.

An ordinance to amend Political Parties Act-2017 recommended by the Deuba government on Monday was promulgated by President Bidya Devi Bhandari on Wednesday, making it easier for a political party to split as it asks for any group to have control of only 20 per cent of members of the Central Committee or the Parliamentary Party to register a new party, instead of the original 40 per cent for control of both the Central Committee and the Parliamentary Party.

Raj Kumar Shrestha, a spokesman at the Election Commission, said along with the Nepal faction from the CPN-UML, a faction from the Janata Samajbadi Party has also applied for the formation of a separate party.

"The commission will study both applications and formally register the parties if they comply with the existing legal provisions," Shrestha told Xinhua, adding that "the commission will take a decision in 45 days at most."

--IANS

int/rs
The donations were part of a European Union effort to supply vaccines and test kits to countries that are lagging behind in their vaccination roll-out, the Xinhua news agency reported.

Valletta, Aug 19 (IANS) Malta has donated 40,000 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine and the same amount of rapid test kits to Libya, according to the country's Health Minister Chris Fearne.

Fearne's announcement on Twitter on Tuesday included photos of the vaccines and test kits being loaded onto an Air Malta plane bound for Libya, a war-torn country in North Africa.

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus commended Malta for the gesture, in a reply to Fearne's tweet.

Meanwhile, WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge also thanked the Maltese government. "You show that international solidarity and national leadership go hand in hand. No one is safe until everyone is safe," he tweeted.

According to the latest WHO figures, as of Wednesday there have been 284,618 confirmed cases of Covid-19 and almost 4,000 deaths from the disease in Libya. The country has a population of almost 11 million, and had administered 764,233 doses as of August 9.

Malta has vaccinated over 85 per cent of its adult population, and around 90 per cent of those who were eligible to receive the vaccine, including children over 12 years old.

--IANS

int/rs
Ankara looks at Turks and Afghans as historical allies, therefore, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wants to extend his influence further in the country where American influence is ebbing. He has already said that he is willing to hold talks with different Taliban groups to bring about unity between the different factions. Erdogan feels that through active Turkish involvement and diplomacy, he can help Afghanistan avoid a civil war.

However, Turkey is an exception as it sees itself as a peace-maker in war-torn Afghanistan.

Turkey has already begun to welcome statements emanating from Kabul's new rulers. These include Taliban's assurances to foreigners and diplomatic missions as well as some of the reassuring messages about protecting Afghan women.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told media persons on Tuesday that Turkey is "keeping up the dialogue with all sides, including the Taliban". He added that though Turkey has dropped the plans to guard the Kabul airport, it is still willing to provide technical and security assistance if the Taliban requested it. He justified talking with the Taliban by adding that this is a pragmatic path in the current circumstances.

For the moment it seems the Turkish-Taliban communication is a one-way street. The Taliban has not commented on the Turkish proposals or offers of mediation. Experts say that of all the main players in the Afghan field, the Turks have the least influence with the Taliban.

But that has not dampened Turkey's enthusiasm about extending its role in Afghanistan. Erdogan, who is active in Libya, Syria, Azerbaijan and other Muslim countries is keen to extend his area of influence to include Afghanistan.

Ankara is stitching up a coalition of sorts to carve out a bigger role for itself. Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar visited Islamabad to discuss Afghan developments. The visit was reciprocated by Pakistan President Arif Alvi, who recently met Erdogan in Istanbul.

Turkey is also in touch with Qatar, where the infamous Doha Peace Accord was signed between the US and the Taliban on 29 February 2020, which helped precipitate the Afghan crisis. Turkey is building a triumvirate between Ankara, Doha and Kabul's new regime.

Ankara also sees an important role for itself in anticipation of an inflow of Afghan refugees. By managing the refugees, who see Europe as their final port of call, Turkey can curry favour with the European Union as well.

Turkey has already burnt its fingers with the Taliban over stationing troops at the Hamid Karzai airport in Kabul. Not just the Taliban, even the opposition is against Erdogan's plans to keep soldiers in Afghanistan.

They think it is a risk the lives of soldiers in the Taliban-ruled country. Turkey still has about 500-600 soldiers in the country who were part of the NATO coalition.

(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com)

--indianarrative
"Unfortunately the toll has grown. We have today 24 injured, including 5 firefighters. They are lightly injured. And we deplore two victims," said Evence Richard, the prefect of Var, at a press conference on Wednesday.

Paris, Aug 19 (IANS) A massive wildfire raging in France's southern tourist region of Var has claimed the lives of two people and forced around 10,000 people to evacuate, local authorities have confirmed.

Interventions were difficult due to the wind which changed regularly, he added.

Nearly 1,200 firefighters are still on the ground battling the fire which has burned 7,000 hectares.

Around 10,000 people have evacuated.

A total of 14 reception centres were set up in seven municipalities in the region.

On Wednesday afternoon, an eighth campsite was evacuated.

The Mediterranean region has been suffering from raging wildfires along with sizzling temperatures this summer.

Large fires have already ravaged parts of Greece, Turkey, Italy, Spain and Algeria.

--IANS

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HDFC Bank will raise funds by issuing Additional Tier-1 bonds in the international markets. In July, the Board of Directors of the bank had contemplated raising of long-term funds through the issuance of US$ Basel-III Compliant Additional Tier-1 Bonds in the international markets, subject to market conditions.

"We hereby inform you that the Bank had approved the issuing of debt instruments in the form of the Notes, subject to market conditions," HDFC Bank said in a regulatory filing on Monday.

It added that an offering memorandum has been prepared and shall be made available to the prospective investors in relation to the contemplated issue of notes. The notes will not be offered or sold in India under the applicable laws, including the Companies Act, 2013, as amended from time to time.

Around 1.20 p.m., shares of HDFC Bank on the BSE were trading at Rs 1,530.95, higher by Rs 5.85 or 0.38 percent from its previous close.
MedPlus Health Services, Pharmacy retail chain has filed preliminary papers with SEBI to secure 1,639 crore through an initial share sale. The initial public offering (IPO) comprises fresh issuance of equity shares worth 600 crore. According to the draft red herring prospectus (DRHP), the companys offer for sale (OFS) includes equity shares by promoter and existing shareholders, aggregating up to 1,038.71 crore.

The OFS comprises equity shares aggregating up to 450 crore by Lone Furrow Investments, equity shares of up to 500 crore by PI Opportunities Fund - I and Rs 88.71 crore of equity shares by other shareholders.

Proceeds of the fresh issue would be used for funding working capital requirements of the company's subsidiary, Optival.

Axis Capital, Credit Suisse Securities (India), Nomura Financial Advisory and Securities (India) and Edelweiss Financial Services have been named as merchant bankers to suggest the company on the IPO.

MedPlus was founded in 2006 by Gangadi Madhukar Reddy. From operating 48 stores in Hyderabad, MedPlus has become the countrys second-largest pharmacy retail network with 2,000 stores. It offers a wide range of products that includes pharmaceutical and wellness products such as medicines, vitamins, medical devices and test kits, and FMCG products such as home and personal care products, including toiletries, baby care products, soaps and detergents and sanitizers.
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Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Every era of art is defined by its divisions and contrasts and we each have our preferences. Is it possible to love Beethoven and Mozart equally? Can one feel the same admiration for Tolstoy and for Dostoevsky? What about Picasso and Matisse? In the visual arts, the age-old distinction is between line and colour. Commentators would write about the line of Michelangelo and the colour of Titian, or the line of Ingres and the colour of Delacroix. Line usually meant drawing or composition while colour was a measure of expression. The masters of line were seen as cold, cerebral and calculating, while the colourists were passionate and energetic. One artist worked from the mind, another from the heart. There are hot and cool kinds of jazz and hot and cool artists. Jackson Pollock is the very model of a hot painter, whose swirling, dancing rhythms defined action painting. His contemporary, Mark Rothko, was decidedly cool: withdrawn, meditative, tragic, a creator of soft-edged rectangles of paint soaked into the canvas. Nicolas Poussin was known for his austere style. Credit:Picturenow/Universal Images/Getty In Poussin as a Painter, Richard Verdi comes to the defence of a great French classicist renowned for his froideur  not coldness, but more like a sense of reserve. Nicolas Poussin (1594-1665) has had this reputation since the late 1600s when a dispute raged between the Poussinists (drawing and the ideal) and the Rubenists (colour and naturalism). The French Academy was split between those who favoured the bravura of Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) and those who preferred Poussins more austere style. Peter Paul Rubens, here in a 1630 self-portrait, was known for a more bravura style. Credit:Heritage Images/Getty When the connoisseur Roger de Piles compiled his Balance of Painters (c.1708), in which he ranked famous artists for composition, drawing, colour and expression, he scored Poussin poorly alongside Rubens. It was the beginning of a period in which the artists popularity suffered and quantities of his work were sold to the English and the Germans.

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It took the French Revolution to restore Poussins fortunes in his native country. The leading painter of the era, Jacques-Louis David was an admirer and an emulator. The Jacobins saw Poussins idealism and rigidity reflected in their own severe moral code. The artist would remain a great favourite under Napoleon Bonaparte, who once declared: Our school is feeble, one must return to think in the ways of Poussin. Poussin rated poorly behind Rubens in a 1708 survey: The Judgement of Paris by Rubens, one of 22 versions. Credit:Getty Since then, Poussins fan club has continued to flourish, although it is an elite establishment. Among artists, he has been praised by the likes of Reynolds, Constable, Turner, Cezanne, Derain and Picasso, but his greatest appeal has been among art scholars. Verdi is happy to endorse the view that Poussin is the painter for people of intelligence, but he also discerns an intensely aspirational art, capable of inciting the viewer to seek and inhabit a better world. The Holy Family on the steps by Poussin (1684) Credit:Heritage Images/Getty Poussin was the favourite artist of connoisseur-turned-spy Anthony Blunt, who admired his classical ideals of reason, harmony, balance, economy, moderation, clarity and concentration. Loading If these are the qualities one values most in an artist then Poussin reigns supreme. His paintings are constructed with an exacting sense of composition that ensures even the smallest details contribute to the whole. In Landscape with the Body of Phocion Carried out of Athens (1648), one may draw a diagonal line that starts with the stretcher bearer in the left foreground, and ascends in stages, passing a single figure, then a trio of smaller figures, before grazing the tip of a distant building. Its maddeningly precise but only one element in a complex design that allows us to journey in our minds along the path upon which Phocions body has been carried.

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Poussin was always adding architectural elements that helped with his harmonies. In Eliezer and Rebecca (1648), the well at which the Biblical meeting takes place has been equipped with an angular column topped by a mysterious stone sphere that allows a visual rhyme to be sustained throughout the composition. Its the Old Master equivalent of Hitchcocks Maguffin  the device that exists only because it was needed by the plot. In Poussins Eliezer and Rebecca(1648), the well at which the meeting takes place has been equipped with an angular column topped by a mysterious stone sphere. Credit:Getty There is a solid, stately feeling about Poussins classicist paintings, never to be found in the swirling, fleshy extravagances of his baroque rival, Rubens. This quality emerges to its best advantage in paintings such as The Arcadian Shepherds (1638-40) and The Holy Family on the Steps (1684), where the monumental simplicity of the figure groupings makes a powerful impression on the viewer. In more ambitious crowd scenes the rhythms and connections are mind-boggling in their complexity, but despite the drama, one always struggles to find the breath of life in Poussins paintings. To the Victorian critic, John Ruskin, these ghastly works were never impressive. Even Delacroix, who held his forebear in high esteem, complained that Poussins figures looked as if they were cut out, never quite melting together. Its the Old Master equivalent of Hitchcocks Maguffin  the device that exists only because it was needed by the plot. One finds this stiffness everywhere in Poussins paintings. His figures resemble statues, with gestures and expressions of frozen melodrama. This is apparent in a work such as The Holy Family with Ten Figures (1649), where the central group looks as if has been snipped out and glued onto an antique cityscape. The impression is boosted by the familys brightly coloured robes, in primary shades of red, blue, yellow, plus white. I confess Ive often tried to like Poussins work but struggle with its enduring stoniness and those bursts of outlandish colour that only make matters more unsettling. Its disarming then to encounter the sincere enthusiasm of writers such as Richard Verdi, who find proof of the artists genius in those same aspects of a picture.

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Herein lies the paradox of Poussin: a perfectionist who pushed his works so far towards the ideal that they became not just unnatural but almost the antithesis of nature. Put one of his figure paintings alongside a Caravaggio and they seem cartoon-like. His immaculate compositions are claustrophobic in their precision, crying out for that touch of incompleteness the Japanese know as wabi-sabi. The Arcadian Shepherds (Et in Arcadia ego), circa 1638, can be found in the Louvre. Credit:Heritage Images/Getty Loading In Poussins work, one may savour the spectacle of a cool painter working hard to keep his hot impulses at bay. This reflects the personality of an active, romantic youth who became a grave, peintre-philosophe. He will use colour as a code that draws attention to the most important figure in a painting, such as the Virgin Mary, usually shown in robes of eye-popping red and blue. Verdi finds that the chilling classicism of Poussins The Massacre of the Innocents (c.1627-28) only serves to intensify the anguish and cruelty of the scene. But its a singularly weird picture, featuring a sword-wielding soldier in a hot red cloak stepping lightly on a bulky baby while the mother, in a golden dress, stares open-eyed and open-mouthed  all against a backdrop of a clear blue sky. The art historian, Walter Friedlaender, called the work static  a supreme put-down for such an action-packed scenario. Verdi quotes the artists claim that he could sing different tunes at the same time but in many instances, his immaculate compositions display an unsettling dissonance. The telltale use of colour denotes a passionate temperament seething beneath a cool and classical facade. Its ironic that contemporary viewers may not appreciate Poussin for his much-vaunted perfection, but those moments of anarchy that jolt us out of our visual complacency. Richard Verdi, Poussin as a Painter: From Classicism to Abstraction, Reaktion Books, 366pp, $79.99 johnmcdonald.net.au

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Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Improvisation is a muscle weve all had to flex briskly since the beginning of the pandemic, but its something German violinist Jonas Zschenderlein has been doing since he was a teenager. The Frankfurt-based musician, who specialises in early music and Baroque repertoire, was supposed to be in Sydney 12 months ago making his Australian debut with the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra. But like most of us, his plans were thwarted. Its early July when I first speak to him, and he is on Day 9 of hotel quarantine and preparing for live performances in Sydney and Melbourne. His melodies drift in and out like a warm breeze: Jonas Zschenderlein in action. Credit: I did some YouTube yoga this morning, Zschenderlein, 26, tells me via Zoom. Ive been learning Japanese during quarantine. I watch a Japanese woman teaching yoga. It also helps to calm me down. He tells me its a good way to get up with a fresh mind and not be distracted by the phone or media stuff. It gives me some relaxation. Its Zschenderleins first time in Australia  and relaxation is probably eagerly welcomed. Quarantine is a pretty crazy way to be introduced to a new country.

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I speak to him again a few weeks later in the final days of July, when Sydneys lockdown has just been extended for a further month. The concerts are off but he is still in good spirits. Following four full days of rehearsals, he and the musicians of the Brandenburg Orchestra have just recorded a live version of the program. They wore masks and kept a 1.5-metre buffer between one another. Before each rehearsal, and on recording day, the musicians underwent a rapid COVID-19 test, the 15-minute on-the-spot screening that has been relied on by arts industries over the course of the pandemic. Loading It will look great, Zschenderlein tells me. It was a fun time, and were all so grateful we could do this.

Zschenderlein has been focusing on early music and Baroque repertoire since he was 12. That summer he saw a poster on a noticeboard calling for a youth orchestra specialising in Baroque music. It was the first of its kind in Germany. My father suggested I try it, Zschenderlein says. And I was curious. A love of early music and Baroque music permeates his family. Zschenderlein is the youngest of three boys; his mother plays harpsichord and keyboard and his flautist father plays the traverso, a traditional Baroque flute made from boxwood, ebony or grenadilla. We all played an instrument, Zschenderlein says. It was just the way to go in my family  it was quite organic.

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Zschenderlein grew up listening to old vinyl recordings  Nikolaus Harnoncourts Bach Christmas Oratorio and Sigiswald Kuijkens 1990 recording of Bachs Violin Sonatas and Partitas among his favourites. Zschenderlein was taken by the Belgian violinists clean interpretation on period instruments. I was in that atmosphere and space and culture with that kind of music, he says. I was introduced to this music in a very natural way. But his personal devotion to early music was not love at first sound. Zschenderleins first violin teacher had a Baroque violin that the teenager tried and dismissed at first playing. I tried it out and it was horrible, I really didnt like it, he says. The sound was so rough. We all played an instrument. It was just the way to go in my family  it was quite organic. Jonas Zschenderlein But he continued to play in Germanys first Youth Baroque orchestra. We had great teachers, so this was pushing my interest in Baroque music, he says. Everyone around me was so enthusiastic about it. We were practising the usual program during the day, but in the evening we did Early Music chamber music and it was such a huge experience for me because up until then I was just on my own. I went to the Youth Baroque orchestra and every day there was a new piece to play. We played so much together. It was so much fun. I ask him to help me understand what it is about Baroque music that drew him in. Its interesting that you transitioned to Baroque violin very early on and focused on early music, I say. Especially in the early teenage years, when usually the big romantic concertos are more enticing and seductive to a young person. I know as a former player myself, all I wanted to do when I was a teenager was show off with virtuosic runs and lush, exultant displays of emotion.

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Zschenderlein laughs. I found Baroque and early music more fun, he says. I was drawn to it. There were more opportunities to play chamber music with other people, and it wasnt just solo repertoire. You could do solo and chamber. You cant do Bach justice: Composer Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750). Credit: In chamber music, when you play with other people, you dont decide on everything immediately, he adds. You dont say: OK, so this part is always going to be forte and this part will always be piano. Sometimes in a concert youll do the opposite. You just show the musicians around you and it makes them more attentive. The recorded concert will open with a Bach pasticcio written by Paul Dyer, artistic director of the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, who founded the group 32 years ago. The pasticcio will be an expansive tribute to Bachs life, weaving together a selection of his solo and chamber works. Musicians will enter the stage individually, stepping into columns of light as an actor narrates a script by broadcaster and conductor Christopher Lawrence on the life of the German composer, offering an intimate vision of Bachs instrumental works. Zschenderlein will open the second half of the program, leading the ensemble in a performance of Bachs Violin Concerto in E major before guest directing one of Bachs biggest orchestral works, the Orchestral Suite No. 3. You cant do Bach justice, Zschenderlein says. You interpret the music based on what you know from the sources from that time. But theres a lot of intuition. I would say it is 80 per cent intuition and 20 per cent thinking.

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Online videos of Zschenderlein performing demonstrate this unique musical ratio. In 2018, Sony Music released his first solo album, Pure|Violin Sonatas by Bach, Corelli, Von Westhoff and Montanari, a record coloured with bubbling, polished, silky tones. Its an ephemeral auditory experience. His melodies drift in and out like a warm breeze. His Adagio from Bachs Violin Sonata in G major is unobtrusive, atmospheric and enchanting. His bowing is deceptively breezy. Zschenderlein recording a virtual concert with the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra. Credit:Australian Brandenburg Orchestra Theres a spaciousness and swagger in the way he carves the phrasing in his rendition of Corellis Sonata Op. 5, No. 5 in G minor. He displays an electrifying tenderness that can only be achieved through years of delicate attention to detail. Its a sensitivity and alertness that also surfaces in the way he talks about his craft. Loading Whats important to think about when playing Baroque is to be spontaneous, he says. Its always going to be different. Today sounds different to yesterday. Youre always trying to create something in the most natural way. Nature is unpredictable and tumultuous, yet somehow Zschenderlein has injected its aura into his rendering of music written more than 500 years ago.

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Immigration Minister Alex Hawke has not committed to match the UK and Canadas promise to bring in 20,000 Afghan refugees.

Mr Hawke told the ABC that Australias promise to accept 3000 Afghan refugees will be a floor but wouldnt provide an estimate for how high the intake might ultimately be. This figure comes out of this years existing humanitarian cap of 13,750 people.

Mr Hawke says women and children will be prioritised. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

We know it will go up and it will be a bigger number and we will continue to update people as the humanitarian crisis and the situation evolves after the immediate emergency of the evacuation from Kabul, he said, adding families, minorities, women and girls would be prioritised.

There were 76 people evacuated overnight, including Australian citizens. Mr Hawke said some Australians had come forward in the past 24 to 48 hours and Australia had also offered New Zealand citizens passage.

Afghan nationals who worked in Defence or Foreign Affairs are being given the same priority as Australian citizens and permanent residents.

Everyone has been caught short by the situation that is unfolding, he said.

Asked whether he thinks the Taliban have changed, he said he was sceptical.

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He said one test to determine whether the Taliban can be trusted is whether they meet their international obligations to the countries on the ground who are trying to evacuate people.

Meanwhile former SAS captain and federal MP Andrew Hastie has rebuked the notion Australias rescue mission in Afghanistan is behind the eight-ball, saying the government resettled 430 Afghans in the past three months alone.

Our government was ahead of the curve. We started packing up several weeks, months ago in fact, he told reporters in Perth.

Mr Hastie said every interpreter who went out on the ground got shot at or exposed to roadside bombs has had their case resolved by the government.

He said he was surprised at the speed at which the Taliban had wiped out the gains made by NATO forces in the country over the past two decades.
Dalys book Sydney Boom Sydney Bust (1982), written while he was professor of geography at the University of Sydney, is an irreverent study of Sydneys obsession with property speculation. One chapter, Subdividers, Speculators and the Games People Play, shows how precisely Daly understood Sydney and its dynamics  driving into the real heart of matters.

Geographer, raconteur and academic critic of urban planning folly Maurie Daly gained an international following for the clarity and insightfulness of his analysis of city and place.

A natural sportsman, he surfed and ran, played cricket, squash, and golf, and inspired his brood on the arts and intrigues of many sports. Keen on rugby, in the stands and in his armchair, following the ups and downs of the Wallabies, Maurie knew the solution, if only they asked! Eclectic in his tastes, in 1996 he wrote the 100-year history of the Sydney Sports Club, long associated with AFL.

Of Australian Irish Catholic stock, one of five children, Maurice Maurie Timothy Daly was born on December 6, 1939 in Penshurst to Patrick (wool classer, cobbler, blue-collar worker), and Kathleen (nee Hanrahan, housewife). Both parents, particularly Kate, valued education and were great proponents of their children getting a good education.

Maurie attended Marist Brothers Kogarah, a high school which fostered his religious formation, his intellect, and love of sport, especially cricket. He played rugby league in a school that churned out many St George NRL players.

Maurie joined the Marist Brothers Juniorate in Mittagong and was a resident in Dundas when he first started at the University of Sydney on a Commonwealth Scholarship. But before he turned 21, he had left the novitiate.

Former ABC journalist and NSW minister Bob Debus met Maurie in 1961-62 while studying geography at Sydney University. Debus noticed his precocious curiosity, humility, and no-nonsense response to jargon and woolly thinking. Daly graduated with first-class honours in geography, in three years instead of four. They were to remain lifelong friends.
PIZZA SUPREMO Jack Cowin just keeps winning. The Canadian-Aussie businessman last month had a satisfying victory when the Hungry Jacks founder won a local bunfight with Perths Dog Swamp Shopping Centre over the ownership of a Hungry Jacks drive-in. But it is his shareholding slice of publicly listed Dominos Pizza where he has really hit payday. Forget baking bread. The pandemic has clearly been good for lovers of takeaway pizza. Online sales were up a mouth-watering 21.5 per cent to $2.93 billion, while network sales soared 14.6 per cent to $3.74 billion. This week the company announced a dividend is 85.1c a share, of which 70 per cent was franked. This meant that Cowins 23,066,390 shares earned him a payday of $19.6 million,

While Dominos chief executive Don Meij, with 1,800,001 shares, scored $1.53 million in dividend payments. As the saying goes, in a gold rush sell pans, in a pandemic sell pizza. MAVERICKS CAUSE Neurosurgeon to the stars Charlie Teo faced the NSW Medical Council to fight for his right to continue operating on patients. The controversial brain cancer specialist - who was unmasked during an investigation in this paper two years ago calling into question his billing structure, his approach to treating cancers other doctors deem inoperable and inappropriate comments in the workplace - faced the medical watchdog on Thursday with full details of the complaints yet to be disclosed. The Council has the capacity to suspend the surgeon from practice, impose conditions, or dismiss the complaints. Teo was expected to vigorously defend all allegations. But the colourful doctors practice isnt the only fixture in his portfolio that could endure knock-on effects from the regulators probe. Teo still sits as a director of the Charlie Teo Foundation. Billed on its website as different, game changing and pure Charlie, the charity raises funds for cutting-edge cancer research and counts corporate lawyer Valentina Stojanovska Cal, recruitment firm Heidrick and Struggles managing director Guy Farrow and former Virgin Australia boss John Borghetti on its board.

Prominent philanthropist Kerry-Anne Johnston resigned in January and Australian Racing Group chief executive Matt Braid resigned in late 2020. The foundation has raised more than $14 million since its inception in 2018, including donations of more than $2 million in the last financial year, in addition to a JobKeeper supplement of about $65,000. Actor Russell Crowe helped the cause in June with a fundraising drive in memory of his late father Alex Crowe, and a commitment to match every dollar raised. So what does Teos latest date in the medical court mean for the charity? The charity is believed to be waiting for an outcome before deciding its next steps. Teo did not respond to requests for comment on Thursday. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the states other healthcare watchdog, the NSW Health Care Complaints Commission indicated it could be some time before the matters are put to bed. The Commission has completed a number of investigations in relation to Dr Charlie Teo and these matters have been referred to the Commissions independent Director of Proceedings. A further related investigation is being finalised. POOL PARTY Theres been an exciting development on the home front for high-profile property executive Penny Ransom.
Former NSW Labor minerals minister Ian Macdonald and union boss John Maitland will face a retrial in September next year over allegations they engaged in misconduct surrounding the granting of a mining exploration licence near Singleton in 2008.

The men originally faced trial in the NSW Supreme Court in 2017 and were jailed after Mr Macdonald was convicted of two counts of wilful misconduct in public office and Mr Maitland was convicted of two counts of being an accessory before the fact.

Former minerals minister Ian Macdonald arrives at court last year. Credit:Renee Nowytarger

In February 2019, the convictions were quashed and a retrial was ordered after the Court of Criminal Appeal found the trial judge misdirected the jury about the state of mind required to find Mr Macdonald guilty.

The court found Mr Macdonald could only be found guilty if he had solely used his ministerial power for the illegitimate purpose of benefiting Mr Maitland and Doyles Creek Mining.
Terror in Shanghai

Days of bombardment and air raids are spreading terror and destruction in Shanghai. The Japanese launched a series of air attacks on Chinese strategic positions, doing great damage and crippling the Shanghai radio station. Japanese transports are continually arriving, and 50,000 regular troops are expected in Shanghai shortly. It is predicted that the equivalent of a fascist regime will be established in Japan to take charge of the conduct of the war.

Word from abroad

American women are more smartly dressed than English women, and wear colours very well. Parisian women also are extremely smart, but too hard and artificial looking. Strangely enough, regarding them from the point of view of all social grades, the women of Milan are the smartest of all, in my opinion, said Miss Margaret Ross, of Hillside, Holbrook, NSW, who arrived in Sydney by the Strathaird yesterday after a world tour.

Bright idea
This has resulted in an unprecedented and exponential spread of the virus, a lockdown with no end in sight, and a far greater negative impact on the NSW economy than a two-week lockdown would have caused. Barrington Salter, Neutral Bay When a natural disaster (such as flood or fire) occurs, authorities pull no punches. The word please is used infrequently. The police message is You must leave your house immediately. COVID-19 deserves a similar unvarnished response. Berejiklians repeated use of the phrase please be advised is an indication that she does not want to offend anyone in case she loses their vote. Daniel Andrews, Mark McGowan, Steven Marshall, Andrew Barr, Jacinda Ardern and Annastasia Palaszczuk do not pull their punches. They are not afraid to say you must stay at home. That is why their infection figures are in double digits, not hundreds. COVID-19 is a formidable adversary and it will only be defeated by leaders brave enough to use every weapon in their arsenal.

Mike Reddy, Vincentia And still we dont go to level 4 restrictions? Anything to protect her original mistake from being proven to be the major cause of this outbreak. Get out of the way, Gladys, and let an intelligent leader take over so we can get back to normal life in some meaningful timeframe.

Gary Bigelow, Teralba Stop the sale of public assets before theres nothing left The desire by governments to privatise our assets thereby creating monopolies continues to amaze (Corporate roads plan a budget bomb, August 19). Likewise, the obsession that public transport needs to be profitable. Why should there be tension between safety and turning a profit? There are many examples of our taxes being spent without concern on non-profitable assets  government schools, libraries, parks and beaches, hospitals, war memorials, state and national art galleries and, dare it be mentioned, even the state and federal governments. Miles Harvey, Newtown Once again, the NSW Coalitions dirty DNA is revealed  privatising public assets while furiously shopping around the big firms for an accountancy trick to hide the true cost from their constituents. Can we please show these spivs and self-righteous hypocrites the door before there is nothing left to sell.

Phil Bradshaw, Naremburn

The Berejiklian government has apparently resorted to hiding its finances under tricky accounting, offering splendid results every budget day. Unfortunately, the laws have changed, so that accounting has become more transparent and hiding under shells is now not so clever. It is surprising that the governments Transport Asset Holding Entity (dont you love that waffly name?) isnt registered in the Cayman Islands.

Donald Hawes, Peel Government plans to privatise the states transport system would only benefit the buyer at the expense of the public, through rising fares and reduced services. When I studied economics it was believed public transport had to be run by governments as it could not be successfully run on a profit basis. This is even more so these days with the disparity of incomes in the Australian economy. If one has never lived in poverty or on a low income they cannot understand the many problems caused by privatisation of essential services.

Barry OConnell, Old Toongabbie Our young, ambitious NSW Treasurer, Dominic Perrottet, clearly enjoys his high profile and is beginning to fancy himself as one of Ms Berejiklians successors. If this latest exposure of semantic trickery (ie. your setting up the Transport Asset Holding Entity) to help balance the states books is how you sleep well at night, then youre clearly too clever for your own boots, let alone those of a future premier.

Nathan English, Lilyfield Successive governments obsession with restructuring and gutting once great organisations that provided high-level technical and operational advice in favour of softer, commercially based operational advice, leaves us in a potentially risky position in terms of maintenance costs v bottom line results, as one expert opinion suggests. Where once good technical advice came from the likes of SRA, RTA/RMS, PWD, MSB, we are now reliant on such advice from PWC, KPMG, EY etc. My concern is that we will be left with SFA.

David Corry, Como West PMs reply again found wanting

Scott Morrisons return to demonising genuine refugees arriving on our shores by boat demonstrates that his ego is the impediment to action. He, and the relevant ministers, are spouting figures going back years of our generous acceptance of Afghan refugees while simultaneously saying other countries arent doing any better. Our treatment of Afghan temporary visa holders, our exclusion of Afghan refugees in Indonesia from applying to come to Australia and our chaotic scramble to rescue Australian citizens and workers in Afghanistan is heartbreaking. Morrison does not seek to unite Australians but to divide us. His response now, as on so many occasions is too little and too late. Jennifer Raines, Newtown After reading Garth Callenders article suggesting that there were four positives in our participation in the invasion and subsequent 20-year occupation of Afghanistan (Four reasons going into Afghanistan wasnt a waste, August 19). The first three points he raised were all about the improvement in the ADF. I ask, is it OK to take military action against a country and its people, who have done nothing to us, to improve the quality of our guns, personnel and tactics? His fourth point about Afghans experiencing democracy and treatment of women is part of the Australian governments embellishment of why we went there. Time will tell the effectiveness of this claim. Ron Brown, Wallsend There were 128 seats on an Australian plane leaving Afghanistan, and we only took 26 Afghans. I think when I watched the news this week there were plenty of people desperate to leave. Shame on us. We cant leave anyone behind especially those who helped the Australian and allied forces. Their lives are at risk and this is the thanks we give them.

Jane Armitage, Mosman Too little, too late, the Prime Minister states that at least 3000 Afghan refugees will be able to come to Australia in the next 10 months. Now he just needs to organise Taliban-Uber to drive them to the airport. Graham Cochrane, Balmain Unnecessary Hazzard If there was such a thing as ProstateScreen NSW for the early detection of prostate cancer, would the health minister now cancel all services because of COVID-19?

Helen Blake, Mortlake Brad Hazzard dismisses concerns about the closing of BreastScreen during the pandemic. He advises us to ... go to your doctor if you have symptoms. He doesnt seem to understand that once you develop symptoms (usually a lump), the cancer is well advanced. Matches his previously displayed attitude to women. Toni Lorentzen, Fennell Bay Leading from behind The PM may be backing Qantas on staff jabs (PM backs approach by Qantas on staff jabs, August 19). Thats because hes leading the nation from the back on this like so many other issues.

Once again, he fails to lead, letting employers like SPC and Qantas go where they need to go, without any government-led framework in which they can operate. Hes letting them take the legal risks while he cheers them on, like a World War I general, from behind the front. His government needs to pass laws, so employers have a sound legal basis on which to establish staff and customer vaccination policies.

Tony Powell, MacMasters Beach

As healthcare organisations and airlines mandate vaccination against COVID-19, it is likely that pressure will increase on all companies to follow suit. Also, it will make life for those unvaccinated more difficult.

Gillian Baldwin, Windradyne Its time the federal government stood up. Vaccines reduce sickness, hospitalisation and deaths. For vaccinations to be effective most of us need to be inoculated. Stand up Scott Morrison and make a decision that is good for the country. Legislate so that employers can mandate compulsory vaccination. David Cahill, Northwood Dodging responsibility The Big Australian is attempting to obtain environmental credibility by selling its fossil fuel assets and walking away from responsibility for the environmental degradation that it has caused (Miners slick move from oil a nod to the environment, August 18). One coal mine that BHP is having problems selling, the biggest in NSW, has been revalued from an asset worth $550 million to a liability of $275 million (Moving the goal posts: BHP drops price to offload mine, August 19).

Surely BHP must underwrite all rehabilitation costs as part of the sale process even if it ignores all the damage to the worlds environment that it has been party to by the burning of the fossil fuels that have added so much to their profits for decades.

Keith Woodward, Avalon Beach

BHPs abnegation of its responsibility for the carbon emissions of the business units they are selling off to Woodside is not relieved by or included in that sale. If it were the sale price would be zero  or less. It isnt opting out of emitting any carbon, just pushing it elsewhere. This transaction will not reduce global carbon emissions by a single tonne.

Andrew Taubman, Queens Park Give teachers a break Whether teachers are doing Zoom lessons or using paper packages, they are working (Principal defends teachers amid free time criticism, August 19). They are the ones preparing the teaching and work packages however they are delivered. No one else will photocopy them and put them together. Teachers do not have personal assistants. In some schools, it is not possible to teach by Zoom as there are students who cannot access this type of learning. Whatever approach is used, there are those students who do not do the work. The teacher is not the parent/guardian at home with them and is sometimes helpless to do anything under those circumstances. I know teachers are working hard from observation and conversations with them, some well into the evening as they juggle the home learning/teaching they have to do. Give teachers a break.

Augusta Monro, Dural No contest of ideas Like so many informed political insiders, Niki Savva tells us it was Labors progressive agenda that lost the last election, when objective observers could tell you it was Bill Shorten (Albanese steers towards win, August 19). The Coalition and Clive Palmer had only one message  dont vote for Bill. It worked. The idea that there was a contest of ideas and Labor lost is wrong. Phil Bradshaw, Naremburn Fully vexed

I am intrigued by the number of people who are wearing masks with their noses poking out above. Do they not breathe through their nose or are they under the misapprehension that the virus only enters through the mouth? Bill White, South Grafton I received an SMS yesterday from the Australian Passport Office telling me to renew my passport to be travel-ready. I wish. Judith Fleming, Sawtell Dead cat bonce

We plan to delay purchasing implements to enable Ruth to cut Ians hair until a photo of Alison Stewarts husbands new hairdo appears in the Herald (Letters, August 19). Ian and Ruth Falconer, Turramurra There are many and various mens hairstyles like the crew, the mohawk, rats tail and the mullet. This had me ruminating over the state of my uncontrollably uncut hair, and a suitable name for my over-the-ears-long-COVID-style messy mop. Im calling it the earmuff cut. Richard Stewart, Pearl Beach A hosing down
A casual worker at a prominent Brisbane hotel claims he had his rights stripped when his employer denied him the opportunity to get a COVID-19 vaccination.

It comes as the Queensland Council of Unions repeated its calls for businesses to create incentives for workers to get vaccinated, including days off or paid leave, even for casual workers.

The worker, who wished to remain anonymous, said access to healthcare in the country was a right. Credit:Cloe Read

The employee at South Banks Emporium Hotel said a call came in on Monday night from the nearby Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre vaccination hub, explaining there were leftover Pfizer vaccines available for hotel staff.

But he claimed that when he asked his supervisor if he could go get the vaccine, he was told he could not leave during work hours.
Building just a portion of the Suburban Rail Loop will cost up to $50 billion  the Andrews governments original estimate for the entire 90-kilometre line when it was announced three years ago.

The project, a mostly underground railway connecting Cheltenham in the south-east with Werribee in the west in a loop around the city, is now widely expected to cost closer to $100 billion.

Premier Daniel Andrews and Transport Minister Jacinta Allan unveiling the planned Suburban Rail Loop just before the 2018 election. Credit:Joe Armao

On Thursday, the government released a 400-page investment case examining the largest infrastructure project ever conceived by an Australian state government, revealing the projects costs and timelines for the first time. The report also revealed that the trains running on the line would be automated and driverless.

The document release follows revelations published in The Age that the project was promised to voters before the 2018 election without a strong planning, transport and economic case.
A man accused of trying to elicit sex from a woman and threatening her, all while he allegedly posed as a health department official, remains in custody after withdrawing an attempt to get bail.

Police allege Abdulfatah Awow made threats of a sexual nature to a woman at her Burwood home on July 14 while claiming he was an authorised officer from Victorias Department of Health.

The man is facing 13 charges before the Ringwood Magistrates Court. Credit:Louie Douvis

Mr Awow was arrested last week and appeared before Ringwood Magistrates Court on Thursday, on a video link from custody, on 13 charges including attempting to procure sexual penetration by threats or fraud, and stalking.

The 25-year-old had planned to seek bail but withdrew his application before his hearing began.
More than 90 Australians and Afghans evacuated out of Afghanistan will arrive in Perth on Friday morning as Australia desperately tries to secure landing spots at Kabul airport to rescue more citizens and Afghan visa holders after the takeover by the Taliban.

Afghans wanting to board flights still face a perilous journey to the airport with a total of 12 people killed in and around the airport since the Taliban seized the city on Sunday and reports of the Taliban deterring people who arent foreigners from leaving.

In addition to a Royal Australian Air Force flight that collected 26 people on Wednesday morning, 76 Australians and Afghan nationals were able to board a British aircraft late on Wednesday night. It is expected more Afghan nationals with Australian visas will be able to board American and British military flights over the coming days, while Australia is also trying to secure its own landing spots for RAAF aircraft.

The Australians are being taken to Australias forward operating base in the Middle East, Al Minhad Airbase, south of Dubai. The first flight back to Australia was scheduled to take off on Thursday night Australian time and arrive in Perth, where the passengers will undertake 14 days quarantine.
Almost 90,000 extra trips were taken on Sydneys public transport on Wednesday compared to the same time last month, despite pleas for people to stay home as cases continue to climb one week before the lockdown is scheduled to end.

As mobility across Sydney increases on transport and roads, Premier Gladys Berejiklian gave her strongest indication yet that NSWs strategy is now focused on being the first state to accept life with COVID-19.

NSW recorded 688 new cases on Thursday and Ms Berejiklian said the state cant live in our bubble forever, conceding it was a challenge NSW was confronting earlier than hoped but one other states would have to follow.

Every state has to live with the fact that once you get to 80 per cent double dose and your population is allowed to live more freely, that the Delta variant will creep in, Ms Berejiklian said.
A year out from a 2014 election, then-opposition leader Daniel Andrews made an ambitious promise to remove 50 level crossings in his first two terms of government.

Until that point, Labors hope of making the Coalition the first single-term government in Victoria since 1955 seemed overly ambitious.

Daniel Andrews speaking to the media last month to announce the removal of the Edithvale level crossing.

Thats not to say things were looking good for Denis Napthine. A leadership change, a rogue crossbench MP and increasing unhappiness with the Abbott government in Canberra were always going to make it difficult on polling day, but the level-crossing plan was a game changer.

Labor clearly identified that voters love an infrastructure promise, and this wasn't just one, but 50. The policy gave every marginal seat MP and candidate the opportunity to promise action at a local level, while the Napthine government put all its political eggs in the East West Link basket.
London: Despite the chaotic end to its presence in Afghanistan, the United States still controls billions of dollars belonging to the Afghan central bank, money that Washington is making sure remains out of the reach of the Taliban.

About $US7 billion ($9.7 billion) of the central banks $US9 billion ($12.5 billion) in foreign reserves are held by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the former acting governor of the Afghan central bank said on Wednesday, and the Biden administration has already moved to block access to that money.

Afghans waited for hours to withdraw money as the Taliban advanced on Sunday. Credit:AP

The Talibans access to the rest of the money could also be restricted by the long reach of US sanctions and influence. The central bank has $US1.3 billion in international accounts, some of it euros and British pounds in European banks, the former official, Ajmal Ahmady, said. Remaining reserves are held by the Swiss-based Bank for International Settlements.

Ahmady said that the Taliban had already been asking central bank officials where the money was.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Afghanistans president, driven out by the Taliban, is the latest leader on the run to turn up in the United Arab Emirates. Others who found refuge here include Spains disgraced former king and two Thai prime ministers.

In nearby Qatar, meanwhile, the Talibans political leaders have been given refuge for years.

Qatar and the UAE have much in common, despite their sharp political differences. The two Gulf Arab states have close security partnerships with the United States and both have taken in political fugitives and exiled leaders on the run.

Fled to UAE: Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. Credit:AP

The skylines of Doha, Abu Dhabi and Dubai offer an array of stunning high-rise towers and opulent five-star hotels. Man-made coastlines provide reclusive, palatial waterfront properties  plenty of options for political exiles looking for privacy and a place to park their money.
PHILIPSBURG:--- On August 18th, 2021; an urgent meeting was held with the Minister of VSA, the head of Inspection, and the Secretary-General of the Ministry of TEATT.

In an effort to ensure compliance with the COVID- 19 protocols within businesses, the Ministry of VSA, TEATT, and Justice have joined forces to ensure maximum compliance.

Approaching the end of lockdown in 2020, businesses were required to enforce COVID-19 protocols for reopening (Annex A COVID-19 guidelines for businesses), the guidelines for these protocols were provided by Government and can be found on www.sintmaartengov.org/government/vsa/healthupdates/novelcoronavirus/pages/lockdown.aspx

The Minister believes that strict enforcement of these measures will aid in preventing the spread of COVID-19, along with the scale-back of Nightlife business hours, which is currently in effect. Ottley emphasized that there will be a zero tolerance approach for violators, whereby businesses will be penalized by monetary fines or in extreme cases, closure of business.

These measures have been available to the Public and business communities for over one (1) year, yet it seems as though some businesses have become complacent and measures have been disregarded, stated Minister Ottley.
PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor, Omar Ottley met with St. Maarten Development Fund (SMDF) Director, Ms. Makhicia Brooks to gain insight into the application process, as well as the approval criteria and grounds for denial of applications, especially those related to the seniors.

The Minister took note of the complaints coming in from seniors claiming they were being denied assistance and he shared these concerns with Ms. Brooks. In light of the Ministers concerns, Ms. Brooks mentioned that SMDF has created a special option for seniors with a valid Sint Maarten issued identification, to have their applications reviewed manually and evaluate their circumstances. Seniors who were denied and would like their application reviewed can contact SMDF directly at telephone number + 1 (721) 554-3219.

Ms. Brooks explained the application process to the Minister and stated that if the senior resides within a household that surpasses the total household income threshold, the system would automatically deny the application. She informed Minister Ottley that SMDF has approximately 13,700 persons registered for the program, of which 1,218 persons are above the age of 65.

The seniors are categorized in two groups: Category 1; are elderly persons who applied independently and Category 2: are elderly persons who applied as part of other households.



The Director of SMDF also shed light on why persons were receiving WhatsApp messages from a number in the Netherlands informing them that they were denied. Ms. Brooks explained that to keep cost low they use WhatsApp to communicate with applicants/recipients. She stated that they used numbers from the Netherlands in order to be able to send out mass messages, as the platform used to send out mass messages does not recognize the 721 number. SMDF sends out messages in batches of up to 7000 messages at once and when persons receive these messages is dependent on the processing times, as they are automated messages.

Ms. Brooks clarified that the vast majority of applicants were approved and denials are based on the household income threshold, the fact that the applicants information could not be verified or that the applicants information was used in more than one application. The Minister was enlightened to learn that 75% of the applicants submitted valid Sint Maarten issued identification.

SMDFs director indicated that at present they have a total of 4,700 households registered for assistance, which surpasses the amount of households that was registered under the previous program (Red Cross 4,500) and that the foundation will be able to assist approximately 300 more households before the application process closes.
When the City of Somerset bought the former Cundiff Square property, they paid for the demolition of the buildings that were on the property. J.D. Chaney of the Kentucky League of Cities said he could not find evidence of there being a conflict of interest with Mayor Alan Keck being the mayor and on the University of Somersets board of directors.
n 2019, SomerHarvest was held with the long table down the middle of East Mt. Vernon Street. The community fall-themed meal sponsored by Somerset Junior Womens Club returns Sept. 9, but will be held at different tables spread out around the Judicial Center Plaza.
Somerset resident and attorney Jay McShurley addresses Mayor Alan Keck during Monday's City Council meeting. McShurley said Keck's involvement in the lease deal between the City and the University of Somerset was a conflict of interest.
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From the Paradise: Learn to create murals, a popular, public form of art

Jordyn Brennan, the artist behind Faribaults newest mural Love for All, will teach a mural painting class at The Paradise Center for the Arts Aug. 25-26. (Photo courtesy of Jordyn Brennan)

Visual artist, painter, quilter, potter Julie Fakler loves the murals that fill downtown Faribault.

The murals give you time to pause and take in what the artist is trying to convey to the public/audience, said Fakler, the visual arts and education director at the Paradise Center for the Arts.

The Faribault Mural Society, responsible for most of the murals, uses public art as a force to enhance the local economy, build community pride and promote tourism. Over the years, theyve accomplished this mission with the installation/painting of 10 murals located throughout the city.

Recently, Faribault acquired another mural, following a request from city leaders to create something Instagram worthy. This time it was Jordyn Brennans Love for All mural, which stands two stories tall and faces First Avenue NW (between Third and Second streets NW). It is intended to serve as a reminder to spread love to all.

Brennan, a Wisconsin native, will hosting a mural painting class from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Aug. 25-26 at The Paradise Center for the Arts. She says the two-day workshop will give community members young and old an opportunity to paint one of the walls at the Paradise. Though painting a mural can be intimidating at first, Brennan says that during the workshop students can learn simple ways to take their ideas and turn them into a well-designed mural. Additionally, they will learn techniques on how to transfer their design from small sketches to a large-scale mural.

A sense of belonging

Though all murals have been painted by different artists, they generally represent Faribaults unique history.

While painting the mural, Fakler recalls Brennan stopping by the Paradise for a visit. All Paradise staff attended the ribbon cutting ceremony, and executive director Heidi Nelson developed the idea to ask Brennan to teach a class at the Paradise. Fakler says the Paradise was fortunate enough to fit into Brennans busy schedule.

She sees many values to having murals/public art in downtown.

Murals beautify the downtown. They tell a visual story about our community. Jordyns mural focuses on Faribaults diversity, and being all inclusive, to welcome all, said Fakler. Whether that be one of Faribaults many historic murals or Jordyns mural with the simple message of LOVE. Strong communities support the arts and Im proud to be living and thriving in Faribault.

Growing up, Brennan says art always came naturally, but it wasnt until college when she started taking it seriously. Shes grateful for her art professors at Upper Iowa University who encouraged and helped guide her to where she is today.

Always a lover of murals and the wow factor that large-scale paintings can have, during college Brennan was able to take jobs painting large logos for businesses in town, something she particularly enjoyed. In 2019, she painted her first, real mural on a large, two-story building. From start to finish, she fell in love with the process of mural painting. She especially loved getting to take an idea on paper and bring it to life on such a large scale.

Its extremely rewarding to climb down from the ladder and see the wall come to life, said Brennan. After that first mural I started searching for more mural projects to apply to. Since then, I have a total of eight different murals throughout the Midwest and I hope to continue to do many more in the future.

Brennan feels fortunate to have painted multiple murals in Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota, and particularly enjoys getting to meet and work with so many wonderful people in each community.

Every place I go I get to meet community members who I stay in touch with well beyond the completion of the mural, said Brennan. Each project is unique and so are the people which is what makes each project special.

Along with teaching a class at the Paradise, Brennan also teaches drawing and painting classes at the Maple Grove Arts Center in Maple Grove, The Minneapolis College of Arts & Design and Art in Motion in Holdingford. Currently, Brennan is attending graduate school in Minneapolis. Though that takes up quite a bit of her time, Brennan says she is always looking for more places to teach and share her love for art.

Brennan is most looking forward to meeting and getting to know participants in next weeks classes.

We all come from different backgrounds with knowledge and life experiences to share and I am always excited to connect with and learn from everyone who attends, said Brennan.

She hopes attendees of her class leave with a better understanding of what goes into painting a mural, and feel more comfortable and confident in painting at a large scale. Her dream is for people to leave the class and be excited to go out into their communities and make more art. Brennan believes murals have the power to bring joy, excitement and a sense of belonging to communities and she says shed love nothing more than for this class to kick start that.

As a muralist in society, Brennan says, I am super grateful to be able to do what I love in so many wonderful communities. It is truly such an honor.

TAKE A LOOK  Bishop Henry Benjamin Whipple  Central Park, 430 Second Ave. NW  Bridging Us To Our Past, Alexander Faribault  Fifth St. NW, (Between First Ave. NW and Central Ave.)  Bruce Smith, 1941 Heisman Trophy Winner  Fifth St. NW, (Between First Ave. NW and Central Ave.)  Faribault Annual Pet Parade since 1939  Central Park, 430 Second Ave. NW  Fleur de Lis murals  Fourth St. NW/Hwy. 60 (Between First Ave. NW and Central Ave. NW)  Flowers  Next to DuFour's Cleaners, Fifth ST. NW (Between Central Ave. NW and First Ave. NE)  Ice Skating on the Straight River  Fourth St. NW/Hwy. 60 (Between Central Ave. NW and First Ave. NE)  Love for All  First Ave. NW (Between Third Street and Second Street)  Rotary mural featuring restored downtown clock  Fourth St. NW/Hwy. 60 (Between First Ave. NW and Central Ave. NW)  Tilt-A-Whirl, A family classic since 1926  Fourth St. NW/Hwy. 60 (Between First Ave. NW and Second Ave. NW)
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Dinosaurs delight, educate at Steele County Free Fair

Jurassic Kingdom allows children at the Steele County Free Fair to interact with creatures like a life-size tyrannosaurus rex while educating them on fossils, dinosaur species and Earths prehistoric history. (Julian Hast/southernminn.com) Being nibbled at by a baby triceratops is one of many highlights of the interactive Jurassic Kingdom at the 2021 Steele County Free Fair. (Julian Hast/southernminn.com) Host Miss Kala educates viewers with a fossil exhibit in between visits from various dinosaurs, handled and sometimes inhabited by owner Hernan Colonia. (Julian Hast/southernminn.com)

Steele County Free Fairgoers may not remember the Jurassic era having so many screaming children.

Thanks to Jurassic Kingdom, a live-action show in which kids at the fair can interact with friendly dinosaurs, learning about the age of the dinosaurs can be a fun, memorable  and sometimes loud  experience.

At least twice a day during the fair at the Townsquare Media Family Area, host Miss Kala kicks off Jurassic Kingdom with a fossil presentation. Featuring footprints, teeth and eggs from millennia past, her exhibit is punctuated by visits from life-size dinosaur puppets inhabited by owner Hernan Colonia.

Among other dinosaur friends, Jurassic Kingdoms lineup includes Terry the pterodactyl, a newborn triceratops, a full-grown velociraptor and a 2-year-old tyrannosaurus rex. The show also features the celebrity dinosaur Blue, the velociraptor from the 2015 movie Jurassic World.

Within 15 minutes of the start of the first Wednesday afternoon show, the bleachers facing the stage were full of excited children and their families. Kids sat on their parents shoulders eating corn dogs and cheese curds, and rocked the gate back and forth in anticipation. Others tried to persuade their parents to buy them the souvenirs being sold by Colonia.

When Kala came out onto the stage and the music started blaring, the crowd erupted into cheers. That cheering was repeated when a tyrannosaurus rex needed encouragement to stand up straight, to show the audience how tall it was.

As various species of dinosaurs took turns interacting with the brave young crowd, lucky kids standing at the shows gates got to have their hats chewed by a triceratops, and ducked, screaming, when the larger dinosaurs tails swept over their heads.

They also learned about the importance of taking care of the planet. For example, not only should kids be throwing away their trash, Kala said, but any other trash they see lying around, too. Trash is trash, after all, she said.

When the various dinosaurs approached the crowd, biting with their harmless teeth at the childrens hands and hair, some kids ran back from the gates to clutch their parents legs. Others reached out to the heads of the dinosaurs.

Standing in line for a photograph with the tyrannosaurus rex, young children talked about what they liked about the show.

For Vera Garland, there with her mother, Kelly, the best part was how real the dinosaurs looked and sounded.

Holden Kos, who loves dinosaurs, came because he likes how big they are and how loud they roar. A voracious reader of dinosaur books, he was excited to see a show like Jurassic Kingdom at the fair.

Traveling to fairs and festivals around the country since 2014, Fair Manager Scott Kozelka said he first saw the group at the 2018 National Convention and tried to bring them to the 2019 fair, but they were already booked. They planned to come to the Steele County Free Fair for the first time in 2020.

With that year in the rear-view mirror, young dinosaur lovers can finally enjoy their late but much-anticipated arrival.
Associated Press writers Lolita C. Baldor, Darlene Superville, Matthew Lee, Eric Tucker, Alexandra Jaffe and Mary Clare Jalonick in Washington and Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin contributed to this report.
Artificial intelligence is growing by leaps and bounds and has been present in different areas of people's daily lives through chatbots, personal assistants to platforms integrated in cars such as autopilots. However, many errors are still logged when using speech recognition services.

One of the companies that is taking advantage of this technological boom is the Yucatecan startup SoldAI , a firm that dared to bet on artificial intelligence in the mainly tourist environment of the Mexican peninsula.

SoldAI was born five years ago with an Israel Cauich team and since then, the firm has gone from having zero clients in the southeast to having a global portfolio with clients such as Ab InBev, T-Systems, PepsiCo, Nestle, Grupo Bimbo, and Axtel . It has a team of 18 people and focuses on creating algorithms focused on improving the assistance that corporations provide to their clients, consumers and providers through messaging and voice solutions.

When we published the article in 2018, it gave us the entrance to have a business relationship with Google. We have talked with the company since then, exploring the options of doing things together , commented the CEO and founder of the startup, Israel Cauich . "The fact of entering the accelerator is something very motivating for the team because it will help us make improvements in our technology and optimize our business model."

They recently launched the Comportia platform to create chatbots, Voxia that turns a chatbot into a telephone assistant and AI Chat that automates contact center and service desk interactions allowing people who act as agents to interact in the conversations that chatbots have with customers. users.

Image: Courtesy SoldAI

SoldAI Google's relationship began in 2018 when its team was awarded among the best scientific articles of the Mexican Congress of Artificial Intelligence ( COMIA ) in Merida, organized by the Mexican Society of Artificial Intelligence ( SMIA ). Under the title "Google Speech Recognizer Bug Fixes Using Phonetic Distance Metrics," they came in third place. In the results they managed to reduce by up to 30% the wrong phrases in the transcription of commercial audio-to-text conversion services such as Google's.

"Undertaking in Yucatan was complicated in some aspects, especially in the technological validation part because the entity is not characterized by being a place where there are artificial intelligence development companies," Cauich commented in statements to Entrepreneur in Spanish .

During the experiments that led to the results expressed in the document, 451 examples were recorded with Google's voice recognition service, which threw errors and after applying the correction algorithm designed by SoldAI, the relative improvement was 13 percent. in the proportion of wrong words and up to 30% in inaccurate sentences.

This alternative is independent from Google's voice recognition service and can be used with others such as Amazon's, Apple's Siri, and IBM's Watson, as it is strengthened with the use of a dictionary of phrases ad hoc to the context of the service in turn. and you can even add words in other languages such as foreign words, idioms and regionalisms.

Israel Cauich / Image: Courtesy SoldAI

Today SoldAI is part of the group of startups of the first generation of Google's Cloud Accelerator in Latin America, an accelerator that in its global editions have participated recognized brands in Latin America such as Ben & Frank , Canasta Rosa , Conekta , Uala , Platzi , Konfio , La Haus , Ripio, CompareOnline , Tienda Nube , Miroculus and Justo .

The Google Cloud Accelerator LATAM program , in which they will participate for 12 weeks together with 9 other startups in the region. The winners will have the support of dozens of mentors and experts in artificial intelligence and machine learning, Google Cloud, business and access to capital, digital marketing, organizational culture, among other specialties.

Copyright 2021 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
In a new study of Paycheck Protection Program lending, researchers estimate that between 10 percent and 15 percent of loans approved in Connecticut went to borrowers who may have been double dipping or otherwise taking too much money from the relief program  in some cases unintentionally, but others with fraudulent aims.

Congress included PPP as one of several relief packages in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act in an effort to keep people off unemployment benefits, with loans to be forgiven for businesses that did not lay off employees during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The percentage of problem loans originated for Connecticut recipients were below most other states, researchers at the University of Texas at Austin determined. Nationally, the study flags 1.2 million loans with major question marks based on multiple criteria, with millions more open to questions based on any one element they studied.

UT researchers lay the blame primarily on rat-a-tat approval of loans by FinTech lenders that have proliferated over the past several years, offering online finance platforms as an alternative to standard banks and credit unions.

Across three installments of the program in Connecticut, more than 119,300 business loans got approved for $9.9 billion in PPP funding, helping support more than a million jobs. To date, just over 48,000 loans have been forgiven in Connecticut, adding up to $5.1 billion in support for payroll, rent, utilities and other costs for companies that did not lay off workers.

Nationally to date, the federal government has disbursed nearly $800 billion across 11.8 million loans.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal told Hearst Connecticut on Wednesday he has reviewed the UT study and did not quibble with the findings, adding the federal government has ample resources to recover funds through the False Claims Act and other laws.

Weve asked for transparency from the outset of this program  the Trump administration was very loath to provide it, Blumenthal said Wednesday. One way or another, if there is any fraud or misuse of funds under this program it should be pursued and the money recovered. ... Tragically, there is nothing novel about this kind of fraud.

Lenders were allowed to charge fees to process PPP loans, with the U.S. Treasury bearing the risk of any defaults. Banks had little notice to put together systems to process loans, incurring complaints afterward for websites crashing and other issues in approving loans and later paperwork.

As of April 2021, fintech lenders accounted for 70 percent of loans originated through the Paycheck Protection Program, which borrowers could get forgiven if they kept workers on their payrolls for the terms of their loans. After JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America, the next three biggest generators of PPP fees were the fintech lenders Cross River, Capital Plus, and Harvest.

Due to the focus on the rapid distribution of funds, the PPP did not include robust verification requirements, UT researchers John Griffin, Sam Kruger and Prateek Mahajan state in their report. The sheer scope of the tens and hundreds of thousands of suspicious loans originated by many [fintech] lenders suggests that many lenders either encouraged such loans, turned a blind eye to them, or had lax oversight procedures.

Square, Intuit, and Capital One are singled out for comparatively low instances of PPP loans flagged by the study, with the authors hypothesizing those companies have client bases dominated by legitimate businesses that rely on them for a suite of financial services with associated auditing.

The UT researchers based their analysis on several measures including loans to businesses that were not registered; multiple businesses listed at single residential addresses; abnormally high compensation per employee; and large inconsistencies in jobs reported with another government program.

The study hypothesizes that authorities have yet to detect the vast majority of problem PPP loans issued through online lenders. The House Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis has opened probes into loans extended by multiple online lenders.

In March, the Office of Inspector General issued a report on the issue of duplicate PPP loans, determining that $692 million was awarded to 4,260 borrowers who appeared to double dip from the program based on an analysis of tax identification numbers and other information.

Not all of those were due to fraud, however, with some the result of borrowers putting in duplicate applications on the assumption they made errors in their initial applications, or that they were somehow not entered into the system.

A federal Pandemic Response Accountability Committee has been probing disbursements, under Robert Westbrooks who spent five years as inspector general overseeing the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp.

Where evidence of fraud is found, the Department of Justice has been indicting borrowers. DOJ charged nearly 100 people last year who sought $260 million via applications DOJ alleges were fraudulent, across both individual companies and organized crime rings.

In early May, federal prosecutors in Ohio included a pair of Connecticut residents in an indictment of such a ring in which SBA awarded $3.3 million under PPP and the smaller Economic Injury Disaster Loan program. Formal pleas have yet to be entered online in the case.

Three days later, real estate developer and Stamford resident Moustapha Diakhate, 45, was charged with bank and wire fraud after receiving $2.9 million in PPP funds issued by Citibank for five businesses he has registered in his name: Ansonia Developers LLC, Winsbay Inc., Buyers Association Group LLC, Washington Management LLC and Diakhate Capital Inc. On Tuesday, DOJ and Diakhates attorney filed a joint request for more time for substantive conversations and to obtain input from Citi.

A DOJ spokesperson in New Haven told Hearst Connecticut on Wednesday that other investigations are under way, without specifying how many and their focus.

Includes prior reporting by Peter Yankowski and Tara ONeil.

Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-842-2545; @casoulman
Elm Street in New Canaan is getting a little bit of Beverly Hills when a new real estate agency opens at the end of the month.

The Agency, a Los Angeles-based company founded by Mauricio Umansky, is slated to host the ribbon cutting of its first Connecticut location on Aug. 31. Umansky has been featured on Million Dollar Lisiting on Bravo, not to mention The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, alongside wife Kyle Richards. And when the franchise officially opens its doors, both Umansky and Richards are expected to make an appearance, though managing partner at The Agency, Cliff Smith, said that Richards' attendance is dependent on her filming schedule.

In a July 26 Police Commissions meeting, Smith said that Bravo and Netflix would be on hand. However, Shannon Martino, an agent at the Agency, later said that would not be the case.

In the meeting, Smith requested that South Avenue from Morse Court to Elm Street be closed from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. for the ribbon cutting. In his request, he said the reason for the road closure was due to the celebrities in attendance as well as the founder of The Agency." Last week, The Agency confirmed Umanskys appearance on Instagram, offering the chance for guests at the ribbon cutting to meet him.

Smith and fellow managing partner Todd David Miller were previously with the Higgins Group, though they told Hearst Connecticut back in March that they were drawn to The Agency for its West Coast appeal and its social media-savvy marketing strategies.

The West Coast tends to be ahead of us in terms of their marketing, Miller said. People really know [The Agency] brand quite well on the East Coast, ... and thats due to the social media presence as well as the television shows that our CEO has been on.

Miller said in an email that The Agency's arrival to New Canaan is a chance to lead the charge in enhancing the way real estate marketing in Connecticut is done.

"We look at The Agency's opening in New Canaan as part of a new movement in the way people should be marketing their homes," he said. "The Agency is ahead of the curve in its marketing style with a fresh point of view. Their innovative approach sells homes quicker with a higher list to final sales price ratio. Cliff Smith and I look forward to implementing these new marketing strategies in New Canaan."

Smith noted that the town also seems to be looking forward to the company's opening.

"The ribbon cutting event has been really well received by the town," he noted in an email. "We are expecting upwards of 200-300 guests."

Correction: This article has been updated to reflect the correct name of managing partner Todd David Miller.
STAMFORD  The Board of Ethics has voted to not issue a public reprimand against city Rep. Anabel Figueroa after a subgroup of the board found that the longtime representative had violated Stamfords ethics code.

The ethics board launched an investigation into Figueroa, D-8, after a fellow city representative, Jonathan Jacobson, D-12, lodged a complaint against her around the beginning of this year. His complaint was over Figueroa speaking out and voting against the reappointment of Myrna Sessa, a Board of Ethics member who had investigated a different complaint against Figueroa in 2019.

Three members of the Board of Ethics investigated Jacobsons complaint. Three other members held a series of public hearings and then voted in favor of finding that Figueroa had violated a part of the Code of Ethics related to debating and voting on a matter while having a conflict of interest.

Jacobson told Hearst Connecticut Media on Thursday that he had no opinion on the Board of Ethics vote.

Figueroa, however, said she was very pleased with the outcome.

She told Hearst Connecticut Media on Thursday that she stood by the criticisms of the Board of Ethics that she made when she voted against Sessas reappointment last year.

I expressed my great concerns about reappointing each of the sitting members of the Board of Ethics, said Figueroa, who was elected in 2001 and is running for reelection this year. Particularly, I expressed my opinion that the Board of Ethics had issued advisory opinions that were wrong and costly to the taxpayers. There have been too many mistakes and no accountability. The city of Stamford deserves better.

In the 2019 case, Figueroa took part in a vote on a police chief nominee when her son was a Stamford police officer. Sessa had led a group of Board of Ethics members who investigated that complaint. The proceeding ended in a stipulated agreement between the investigators and Figueroa in February 2020.

Sessas reappointment came before the full Board of Representatives in August 2020.

In a memorandum of decision issued last month, ethics board members said that when it came to Sessas reappointment, Figueroa had a personal interest that created a divided loyalty which influenced or impaired the independence of her judgment as a representative. Figueroa therefore had a conflict of interest, they said, and she failed to disclose it and recuse herself from the discussion and vote.

The ethics board debated whether to issue a public reprimand for about an hour during a meeting Wednesday evening.

It would seem to me that those who participated in this effort would think that there should be some conclusion at the end of it, that its just not left hanging in the air. Otherwise, maybe the efforts are for naught, said Allan Lang, the chairman of the board. Why would the code have a provision for some kind of a sanction if it wasnt meant to be used?

The Code of Ethics states that anyone found in violation may be issued a public reprimand by the Board of Ethics.

Lang was one of the board members who conducted the public hearings and voted in favor of finding that Figueroa had violated the code. Another member of that subgroup, Fred Springer, argued that the board should take no further action.

My feeling is weve done our job, Springer said. We put it through a proper hearing. We considered all of the testimony, all of the facts, came to a conclusion and sent our conclusion to the Board of Reps to do with as they so choose. Thats as far as Im prepared to go.

But ethics board member Thomas Hynes said they should find out whether the Board of Representatives intended to take any action on the memorandum of decision.

If theyre not, then I think we are obliged under the (ethics code) to consider making a public reprimand, Hynes said.

Stephen Conover, an attorney who served as counsel to the Board of Ethics members who held the public hearings, said the memorandum of decision is already publicly available.

Id be naive to assume that it has not been impactful in some fashion so as to fit the description or the definition of reprimand, and the definition of reprimand is a public rebuke, Conover said.

The board then considered a motion to delay its decision on whether to reprimand Figueroa until Lang spoke with President Matthew Quinones about whether he expected the Board of Representatives to take any kind of action.

According to the ethics code, a violation by an elected official may be considered dereliction of official duty, a cause of removal from office under Stamfords charter. Removal requires three-quarters of the Board of Representatives voting in favor. The board can also censure members.

I frankly dont believe that the Board of Representatives would take any action, particularly if it requires  a vote in favor of some sanction by three quarters of the membership of the board, Lang said.

Therefore, Lang said, the Board of Ethics had two choices: issue a reprimand or just say Weve done our job. Its been made public. Everybodys aware of the violation of the code.

Board member Benjamin Folkinshteyn called a public reprimand needless.

I dont think a public reprimand is going to move the ball forward in any meaningful way, he said.

The motion to delay failed. The motion to not issue a reprimand passed on a 5-1 vote, with only Hynes opposed. Sessa recused herself from the discussion about Figueroa and didnt vote.

brianna.gurciullo@hearstmediact.com
NEW HAVEN  Ready to fly from New Haven to Florida?

Avelo Airlines, the new airline coming to Tweed New Haven Regional Airport, will begin service Nov. 3 with nonstop flights to four Florida destinations: Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Orlando and Tampa, Avelo, airport and city officials announced today.

And thats just the beginning, Avelo Chairman and CEO Andrew Levy said at a press conference at the airport. Avelo plans to add destinations over time, he said.

One-way introductory fares will start at $59, and are no available at AveloAir.com, Levy said.

Were excited to bring more choice, everyday low fares and the Avelo Soul of Service to Connecticut, Levy said. Connecticut told us they want more convenient and affordable options for flying to Florida and we listened.

These four sought-after, sun-soaked destinations are an ideal winter retreat and the smooth small-airport experience that distinguishes HVN will ensure our customers depart relaxed and ready for some fun in the sun, he said.

Levy said hes bullish on New Haven and expects to draw passengers from all over Connecticut, but especially from southern Connecticut.

Our business is about driving down the cost of travel and stimulating travel with lower prices, Levy said. He said Avelo has put down a lot of capital to get ready to serve New Haven and I dont view it as anything other than a long-term commitment.

It will begin with three planes based at Tweed, with more on the way soon, he said.

Avelos fifth destination from New Haven, which he hopes to add by the end of the year, also likely will be in Florida, Levy told Hearst Connecticut Media. After that, assuming things go as expected, destinations such as Chicago, Detroit, Washington, D.C., and Atlanta might be in order, Levy said.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who spoke at the press conference along with Levy, Avelo Vice President of Customer Experience Vicky Stennes, Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz, New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker, Tweed New Haven Airport Authority Executive Director Sean Scanlon and Jorge Roberts, CEO of Tweeds manager, Avports LLC, made his preference abundantly clear.

Did somebody say Washington, D.C.? Blumenthal asked. Washington, D.C.!

I love Tweed, Blumenthal said. Its so accessible.

He said its OK that Avelo and Avports are not household words ... because this industry needs a shakeup. ... Youre going to offer consumers better service. ... Youre going to listen to your customers, which a lot of airlines are refusing to do right now.

Blumenthal called Avelo coming to Tweed a new era and a milestone moment.

This is the peoples airport, said Scanlon. This is the airport for New Haven, East Haven and other area communities to use, he said.

Avelo, which announced May 6 that it would begin serving Tweed in the fall and make Tweed its first East Coast base of operations, will be the first airline to offer nonstop flights between New Haven and Florida.

The start of its service will mark the first time Tweed has served more than two destinations at a time since the airports mid-1990s peak, when it offered United service to Chicago, United Express service Washington, D.C., USAir Express service to Philadelphia and Continental Express service to Newark.

Airport and local officials previously have said that Tweeds expansion will create 1,000 new construction jobs and 175 permanent jobs. Avelo is currently hiring more than 100 New Haven-based employees, Levy said.

I think its a really exciting day for the airport and the state, said Tweed New Haven Airport Authority Executive Director Sean Scanlon.

This is what I came here to do, he said. Since Scanlon arrived in late 2019, Everybody said, We want more flights, we want more flights he said.

The deal were working on for $100 million in improvements, including lengthening Tweeds runway from 5,600 feet to 6,635 feet, building a new, 75,000-square-foot terminal on the East Haven side and moving Tweeds entrance to the East Haven side while signing a 43-year lease with longtime airport manager AvPorts, is important, Scanlon said. But everyone said, We want more flights.

Scanlon said he expects Avelo to announce additional destinations soon.

I think their timing is coinciding with a time that people are looking to go south, during the winter, Scanlon said. But I believe this is just the beginning and by the early part of next year, or even later this year, there will be other markets. ... This is just the beginning of what I think will be a long partnership with Avelo.

Scanlon told the Tweed New Haven Airport Authority, which met Wednesday, that it was a historic day ... This is something that people in this area have been seeking for decades, he said.

He called it a really big step, adding, but it also is not the last step. ... There will be much more exciting news to come, both from Avelo and other carriers.

Mayor Justin Elicker called it an exciting development to allow people more options for travel to fun destinations, especially as people feel more enthusiasm about the leisure travel.

I think this is the start of what I hope will be some additional flights to other locations, as well, Elicker said.

He said he hopes it will help activate our economy and provide more convenient air travel for people,but also prove to the region and the community that we can be sensitive to neighborhood concerns while improving the airports ability to serve the traveling public.

The Florida airports Avelo will fly to are Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Fort Myers Southwest Florida International Airport, Orlando International Airport and Tampa International Airport.

Avelos service to and from Tweed is another clear step toward transforming Tweed New Haven into a more vibrant and sustainable airport, one that can help grow jobs and serve as an economic driver for our region, Scanlon said.

For years the people of southern Connecticut have been asking for more options when it comes to flights and  starting this November  that will be a reality, he said. While today is very exciting, it is truly just the beginning and we look forward to a continued and growing partnership with Avelo here at HVN.

In a related matter, the City Plan Commission heard 21/2 hours of testimony Wednesday night in a public hearing on Tweeds application for site plan review and coastal site plan review related to the renovation of the existing and former terminal buildings, as well as a flood plain permit and special permit to add about 270 parking spaces by converting the decommissioned cross-wind runway, to accomodate Avelo.

The commission took no action, however, tabling the matter and continuing the public hearing until 6 p.m. next Wednesday to try to finish up.

The new parking was listed as 266 spaces on the agenda but Project Manager Amy Chiu told the commission is would be 271 spaces. The plans call to reconfigure what are now the terminal and the administration building into departures and arrivals buildings, she said.

Site Engineer Jesse Erickson of Jviation, a Woolpert Company, said the plan aimed to use existing pavement, reduce the amount of paved surfaces on the site and add stormwater retention capacity, and would not affect neighboring properties.

The more than 20 people who spoke or submitted public testimony including both opponents and supporters of the plan.

Gabriela Campos Matteson of Stewart Street said she was concerned about the plan and the additional traffic it would bring through the neighborhood. Tweed has not been a good neighbor, she said.

East Haven resident Lorena Venegas said the applicants presentation was lacking key information and that Tweed already floods during heavy rains. She was one of several residents who expressed concerns about climate change and how it might affect the airport in the future.

Dawn Hocevard, president and CEO of BioCT, was one of several speakers in support of expansion at Tweed, saying, The bioscience industry is growing in Connecticut and this and other development projects will help ease the backups and make it easier for people to get in and out of Greater New Haven, she said.

For New Haven to continue to grow as a bioscience hub, we need ease of travel, Hocevard said.

Avelo  Americas first new airline in nearly 15 years  began flying from Los Angeles Hollywood Burbank Airport in April, with a concentration on leisure destinations.

Avelo will operate single-class, 147-seat Boeing 737-700 Next Gen airplanes at Tweed to provide a more comfortable, mainline jet experience than the small regional jets that historically served the airport, the airline said.

Since it began flying, Avelo has operated more than 1,250 flights with only three cancellations  delivering a 99.8 percent completion factor, the airline said. During the same period, Avelo had an 85 percent on-time arrival performance. In July it reported a 92 percent on-time performance and zero cancellations, it said.

Avelo has committed to invest $1.2 million at Tweed as part of $4 million in improvements to upgrade and modernize facilities, including the existing terminal on the New Haven side of the airport, which is owned by New Haven and straddles the New Haven-East Haven border, with much of its property located in East Haven.

As the local operator of Tweed New-Haven for more then 20 years, we are extremely excited that Avelo Airlines will soon be starting these new non-stop flights from Connecticut, said Jorge Roberts, CEO of Avports, a subsidiary of Goldman Sachs.

Both Avports and Avelo have made clear that we believe in the long-term future of HVN and its ability to serve more flyers from the surrounding region, Roberts said. In the coming months, we look forward to hiring for new jobs at the airport to support this increased activity.

mark.zaretsky@hearstmediact.com
The family that owns Purdue Pharma had hoped a reformulated version of Oxycontin would help rein in the burgeoning opioid crisis a decade ago, a member of the Sackler family said Thursday in court testimony that once again stopped short of an apology or acceptance of responsibility for the epidemic.

Mortimer D.A. Sackler was the third member of the wealthy family to testify in a hearing, held by videoconference, on whether a judge should accept Purdues plan to reorganize into a new company no longer owned by family members.

Ive said and my family have said the fact that OxyContin, a product that was sold to help people and reduce pain, also went out and got diverted and hurt people, it is horrible. It got to me, it got to our family. It was not at all what was intended, Sackler said under questioning from Tad Robinson ONeill, assistant attorney general of Washington, one of the states suing Purdue.

I believe that if youre in a position to help, you have a responsibility to help," Sackler said. "Were here trying to get this settlement done so we can get these vast sums to these communities to these people to help them.

ONeill asked if that was an apology  something no Sackler relative has given amid the crisis.

Mortimer D.A. Sackler didnt say it was. Were sorry if a medicine that we put out that was intended to relieve pain caused pain, he said.

Sackler served more than two decades on Purdues board of directors and for a time was a vice president, though he said he had no official duties in that role.

It was important to the board that the market share of abuse-deterrent opioids grew because we believed and were told repeatedly by management that abuse-deterrent opioids saved lives, he said.

Maryland Assistant Attorney General Brian Edmunds, attempting to build a case that Sackler family members have a responsibility for the crisis, responded: Youre saying its a humanitarian cause?

Sackler replied, I wouldnt put it in those words, but we were always trying to do the right thing, find the right balance.

It was the third day in a row that U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Robert Drain, based in White Plains, New York, heard testimony from a member of the Sackler family, which has long sought to stay out of the spotlight for its business activities.

Drain sounded as if he was crying as he referenced letters from people affected by Purdues products before ending the hearing abruptly in the late afternoon.

One of the letters, from Tamara Graham of St. Petersburg, Florida, described her brother who became addicted to OxyContin. If the Purdue Pharma people had to watch a video of what the people addicted to Oxycodone go through, maybe they would understand the pain that they have caused to the people addicted to the drug and their families, she wrote.

Mortimer D.A. Sacklers sister Kathe Sackler also testified Thursday, saying she believes her family has a moral responsibility to help fix the crisis.

Activists in the opioid crisis see Purdue as key in igniting it. Richard Sackler, who testified Thursday, told Purdue's sales force in a 1996 event to launch OxyContin that there would be a blizzard of prescriptions that will bury the competition. Years later when misuse of the drug became apparent, he described the abusers as the culprits and the problem," in an email.

OxyContin was reformulated to make it harder to crush for snorting or injection for a faster high. But as it turned out, overdoses only rose after it was introduced, with most of the new deaths linked initially to heroin and more recently to illicitly produced fentanyl and other synthetic opioids. In all, more than 500,000 deaths in the U.S. have been linked to opioid overdoses since 2000.

On Tuesday, David Sackler testified that family members would contribute $4.5 billion in cash and control of a charity fund as part of the settlement only if one provision stayed in the plan  providing protection from all present and future lawsuits over opioids and Purdue activity for family members.

A day later, Richard Sackler  who is David Sacklers father and Mortimer D.A. Sacklers cousin, and who served at different times as president and chairman of Purdues board  told the court that he did not believe he, his family or the company had any responsibility for the opioid crisis in the U.S.

Purdue, based in Stamford, Connecticut, pleaded guilty to criminal charges relating to its opioid practices in both 2007 and last year, but no members of the Sackler family have admitted wrongdoing or been charged with any crimes.

In a separate settlement announced last year with the U.S. Department of Justice, Sackler family members agreed to pay $225 million but again admitted no wrongdoing.

The bankruptcy being sought by the company is a means to settle 3,000 lawsuits filed by state and local governments, Native American tribes and others.

Under the proposed plans, the Sackler family members would give up ownership of the company and future profits would go largely to abate the opioid crisis. Family members would also contribute a total of $4.5 billion in cash and control of charitable funds.

Most of Purdues creditors who have voted on the plan say they support it, but Maryland and eight other states are among those pushing back. They object largely to the legal protections it would extend to members of the Sackler family.

Drain said he was interested in hearing from lawyers in arguments starting Monday on whether some of the protections could be narrowed. He has said he expects to decide next week whether to confirm the plan.
STAMFORD  Jodi Clark-Lopezs son hasnt been inside a Stamford school building since March 2020 and shed like to keep it that way for the time being.

But with the state recently telling school districts that remote learning will not be allowed in the fall, Clark-Lopez and other parents are left to make the tough decision of sending their children back into buildings, or shifting to homeschooling.

Clark-Lopez created a change.org petition late last week calling for a distance learning option when school resumes at the end of this month. By early Monday afternoon, roughly 100 people had signed it.

The letter reads, In light of current events, we feel that our children and families will be put into a precarious and dangerous position if they were to return to in person schooling before a vaccine is approved for them.

Currently, only people who are 12 years of age or older can secure the COVID-19 vaccine.

The highly contagious delta variant of the virus has contributed to rising numbers of infected children across the country. While the chances of a child experiencing serious symptoms still remain low, there have been many cases nationally of young children having to go to the hospital, and in more severe cases, dying from the virus.

Clark-Lopezs son Isaac is going to turn 12 in early November, making him eligible for the vaccine. Shed prefer to wait out the first few months of the school year in distance learning.

Why cant all the kids choose to do it if thats their choice? she asked. We should be given the option because they cant get vaccinated.

She added, These are our kids lives. Even if one life is lost, its way too many.

Last month, when the option of remote learning still seemed possible, the school district sent out a survey to families. Among the questions was whether or not distance learning should stay.

According to Katherine Murphy, a data manager for Stamford Cradle to Career, the survey results showed that about 970 parents, or 22 percent of those with children between kindergarten and seventh grade, said they would use remote learning if offered.

Last year, Stamford created a standalone Distance Teaching and Learning Academy, or DTLA. The academy had its own roster of teachers, for the most part, and students in the program received instruction entirely online during the year. About a fourth of all students were in the academy, though that number declined significantly toward the end of the school year once school buildings re-opened to fulltime in-person instruction.

Even though the distance learning academy is currently not in the works for the fall, remote learning will not be entirely eliminated in Stamford.

In her weekly message, Superintendent Tamu Lucero said students who are forced to quarantine or isolate would be able to follow along virtually with their classes from home.

In that same communication, Lucero laid out the basics of the districts reopening plan, which will include requiring students and staff to wear a mask inside school buildings and on school buses. The protocols also call for social distancing of at least three feet in all classrooms, and six feet with a barrier when students take off their masks to eat or drink.

As mentioned in an earlier message, to date, there is no option for general remote learning in Connecticut, she wrote. However, all school districts are required to consider specific individual student needs and develop plans for individual families, as applicable.

David Bednarz, spokesperson for Gov. Ned Lamont, could not immediately be reached for comment.

While there have been plenty of stories of students struggling in distance learning, and many being completely disengaged with school, some students thrived in the at-home model.

Clark-Lopez counts her son as one of those students.

Chris Lehew, the father of twin 7-year-olds, also raved about the experience his children received with remote learning.

His children are reading at a second grade level, he said, thanks to the small group instruction they received online from a literacy specialist at the school.

We couldnt be happier, he said, of the experience, while recognizing that his children are missing out on the social aspect of school.

Still, with the delta variant gaining steam, Lehew said he wondered why there doesnt seem to be the same level of safety and hesitancy in re-opening schools as there was last year.

Delta is a whole different animal and all the mitigation factors we put into school last year  why wouldnt we do it this time? he asked. I cant think of a rational reason why you would want to do it last year and not this year.

Hes concerned that unvaccinated students in tight quarters will only result in greater spread of the virus.

Some kids are going to get really sick in this district, he said.

Both Clark-Lopez and Lehew said they are seriously considering home schooling for the next semester, as remote learning seems unlikely with just two weeks left before Stamford schools reopen.

I know there is an option for the home schooling, Clark-Lopez said. But Im not a teacher.

ignacio.laguarda@stamfordadvocate.com
Milton, PA (17847)

Today

Periods of rain. Rain becoming heavy at times in the afternoon. Potential for flooding rains. High 68F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 3 to 5 inches of rain expected..

Tonight

Rain diminishing to a few showers late. Potential for flooding rains. Low 54F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall possibly over one inch.
Published: 19 August 2021

Prices of old single-family houses grew by 8.3 per cent in April to June from the previous year

In the second quarter of 2021, prices of old single-family houses rose by an average of 8.3 per cent in the whole country from the previous year. Compared with the previous quarter, prices of old single-family houses increased by 3.1 per cent. These data derive from Statistics Finlands Index of real estate prices, which is compiled by utilising data from the real estate transaction register of the National Land Survey of Finland. The statistics cover single-family houses located on own plot.

Development of prices in old single-family houses, index 2015=100

In municipalities with over 100,000 inhabitants prices rose by 13.3 per cent from the year before. In municipalities with 60,000 to 100,000 inhabitants prices went up by 8.3 per cent, in municipalities with 20,000 to 59,999 inhabitants by 6.9 per cent and in municipalities with under 20,000 inhabitants by 6.6 per cent.

In the whole country, the average price per square metre for old single-family houses was EUR 1,767 in the second quarter of 2021. The price per square metre was highest in Greater Helsinki, where the price per square metre was EUR 3,728. In municipalities with over 100,000 inhabitants the price per square metre was EUR 2,641 and in municipalities with under 20,000 inhabitants EUR 1,352.

In the second quarter, prices of single-family house plots rose by 15.2 per cent in the whole country from the year before. From the previous quarter, prices of plots increased by 11.4 per cent. The average price per square metre for a single-family house plot was EUR 26.5 and the average size of sold plots was 2,713 square metres.

In the second quarter of the current year, around 5,070 transactions of old single-family houses were made, which is about 36 per cent more than in the corresponding period of last year. In the second quarter of 2021, around 1,590 transactions of single-family house plots were made, which is 76 per cent more than in the second quarter of 2020.

Source: Real estate prices, Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Petri Kettunen 029 551 3558, Anu Ramo 029 551 3450, asuminen.hinnat@stat.fi

Head of Department in charge: Hannele Orjala

Publication in pdf-format (300.0 kB)

Updated 19.8.2021

Referencing instructions: Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Real estate prices [e-publication].

ISSN=2342-8902. 2nd quarter 2021. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 1.9.2021].

Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/kihi/2021/02/kihi_2021_02_2021-08-19_tie_001_en.html
Published: 19 August 2021

Government R&D funding in the state budget for 2020

The funding of research and development activities for 2020 has become revised in relation to the preliminary figures. According to Statistics Finland, a total of EUR 2,286.6 million was budgeted for research and development in the state budget for 2020, which is considerably less than indicated in the preliminary data. The preliminary budget funding for 2020 published in February (25 February 2021) included total funding for disruptive circumstances caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, but funding for disruptive circumstances has been removed from the final R&D funding data, because the potential share of actual R&D funding cannot be reliably estimated from this funding for business development.

According to the funding organisations, the majority of R&D funding was directed at universities' R&D activities. Business Finlands research and development funding was approximately EUR 575.6 million in the budget for 2020. The research appropriations of the Academy of Finland were EUR 524.8 million in 2020. Examined by socioeconomic objective, the majority of funding was targeted not only at universities research and development activities and general advancement of science, but also at the promotion of industrial production and technology, which is mainly financed by Business Finland and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. Most of general advancement of science involves research funding for the Academy of Finland.

R&D funding in the state budget for 2019 to 2020 by funding organisation

R&D funding in the state budget for 2019 to 2020 by socioeconomic objective

Compared to 2019, government R&D funding grew in all organisations with the exception of university hospitals. Examined by socioeconomic objective, growth was greatest in addition to the largest objective categories in research activity related to environmental protection, which includes research on the identification, origin and reasons for various environmental problems. In total, government R&D funding grows by around EUR 278 million from 2019 to 2020.

The revised figures for 2020 can be found in the database tables .

Source: Government R&D funding in the state budget, Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Heidi Pirkola 029 551 3246, tiede.teknologia@stat.fi

Head of Department in charge: Katri Kaaja

Publication in pdf-format (171.7 kB)

Updated 19.8.2021

Referencing instructions: Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Government R&D funding in the state budget [e-publication].

ISSN=2489-3250. 2020. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 1.9.2021].

Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/tkker/2020/tkker_2020_2021-08-19_tie_001_en.html
As many as 12,996 vaccine doses from Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson&Johnson were administered in the last 24 hours, of which 9,316 represent the first dose, and 3,650 the second dose, according to a briefing released on Thursday by Romania's National COVID-19 Vaccination Coordination Committee (CNCAV).

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign on December 27, 2020, there have been 9,640,934 doses administered to 5,161,459 people, of whom 5,033,534 received the full scheme.

There have been 4 adverse reactions, all of the general type, recorded in the last 24 hours, Agerpres informs.

Since the beginning of the vaccination campaign there have been 16,938 adverse reactions for COVID-19 vaccines, 1,808 local type and 15,130 general type.
The Government has approved, in its Thursday sitting, a decision regarding the granting of humanitarian aid, to the Republic of Korea, consisting of 450,000 doses of Moderna anti-COVID-19 vaccine.

According to a release of the Health Ministry, transport will be ensured, depending on a case-by-case scenario by the Korean side or by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, through TAROM National Company, and will be coordinated by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, through the Emergency Situations Department - the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations, together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Korean authorities and the European Commission, depending on the case, Agerpres informs.
Prime Minister Florin Citu said that the "Anghel Saligny" National Investment Plan will be discussed by the Government "next week, at the latest," after obtaining the necessary approvals.

"I don't know if it will be discussed, if it has the approvals, if not, we will discuss it next week, at the latest. Let's call it, as it is now called, the ''Anghel Saligny" National Investment Plan, which is a plan for Romanians, and I would like to say again that it has nothing to do with mayors, it is a plan that will be implemented by mayors, but it is a plan that develops the communities in Romania, just as no ministry or ministry budget does not belong to the respective minister. We have budgets that develop Romania," said Florin Citu.

Asked about a statement by the President of the Senate, Anca Dragu, according to whom the local development programme should be monitored by the Government, the Prime Minister said: "I agree with the monitoring and I told the coalition that I also agree with the "early warning" systems, if we see that a programme does not work well, then let's stop it.
The Plenum of the Chamber of Deputies was informed on Thursday in an extraordinary session about a bill approving Emergency Ordinance (OUG) 88/2021.

Chairman of the meeting Laurentiu Leoreanu, presented the information on Emergency Ordinance 88/2021 for the ratification of the Agreement between the Government of Romania and the International Telecommunication Union on hosting, organising and financing the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference in September 2022, signed in Geneva on June 30, agerpres reports.

The Chamber of Deputies is the first chamber notified about the bill, with the Senate being the decision-making chamber in this case.
The so-called Export Promotion Program was in fact a luxury trip scheme funded by taxpayers' money to the benefit of a small group of companies, many under the umbrella of Romania's National Exporters and Importers Association - ANEIR, the representatives of the Economy Ministry said after ANEIR announced on Thursday having filed a criminal complaint against Minister Claudiu Nasui.

According to the Ministry, about half of the companies using the Export Promotion Program were not in the export business at all.

"That's how they deemed fit to respond to the fact that we turned off the public money tap they had been feeding on since the time of Prime Minister Nastase. The so-called Export Promotion Program was in fact a luxury trip scheme on taxpayers' money used by a small group of companies, most of which grouped within ANEIR. As a relevant piece of information, about half of the companies using this scheme were not even exporters. The Ministry has filed several criminal complaints in this case, but did not issue a statement. The prosecutor's office will issue a statement when those cases are solved," the Ministry representatives said in a reaction sent to AGERPRES, Agerpres informs.

The National Exporters and Importers Association announced on Thursday having filed with the General Prosecutor's Office a criminal complaint against Economy Minister Claudiu Nasui, accusing him of abuse of office and attack on the interests of the national economy.
The authorities' mandating the check of the Covid digital certificate at hotel reception desks will be inevitable if the 4th pandemic wave escalates, the president of the Romanian Hotel Industry Federation (FIHR) Calin Ile told AGERPRES on Thursday.

"There are concerns [within the hotel sector] about the 4th wave that threatens the hotel activity starting this fall, and this is why our message is for everybody to get vaccinated, as this is the only solution at international level. We, as members of the European umbrella association of hotels, restaurants and cafes HOTREC are following what other countries do, the digital certificate at hotel check-in has already been implemented and if the 4th wave gains steam, this will be the only measure we can also embrace in order to continue our activity. We can no longer accept general restrictions: if there's an alarming evolution of the pandemic, I think the only solution is to enforce restrictions on those who are not vaccinated or do not have a Covid certificate," said Calin Ile.

The FIHR president estimates that such a measure would not reduce the number of hotel customers, as the majority thereof are already vaccinated, Agerpres informs.

"I don't know in detail about the breakdown by vaccinee categories, but let's not forget that Romania has a large rural area, where the vaccination coverage is lower, but if we look at urban centers or the population traveling for vacation, we would see that the vaccination rate is somewhat more acceptable, even if it's not yet at the level of Western countries. So, looking just at hotel customers, we would see that the vaccination rate is higher, so the risks shouldn't be that serious. In addition, there is probably the population that acquired immunity through the disease, so normally the situation should not compare to what happened last fall," said Calin Ile.

The FIHR president estimates that in the following autumn months, tourism business will be 25 percent higher than in autumn 2020, even if a 4th wave were to gain ground.

Catalin Ile participated today in the event where international hotel group Accor announced the launch in Romania of the hotel brands Tribe and Adagio, which will operate at a new location in Bucharest, Nest + Basarab, to be built in the coming years in the Basarab Bridge neighborhood.

The Tribe Bucharest Basarab Hotel and the apartment complex in the Adagio Bucharest Basarab Hotel will be accommodated in the future Nest + Basarab building located on Miron Costin Street, and are planned for opening in 2024.

The 4-star Tribe Bucharest Basarab Hotel will have 85 rooms and will offer customers affordable luxury conditions.

The apartment complex in the Adagio Bucharest Basarab Hotel will have 115 rooms and apartments for guests seeking the comfort of an apartment served by hotel services. The Adagio concept offers rather a living space than a hotel room so that guests have space for sleep, meals, relaxation and work.

The project for the construction of the two hotels is now at the stage of obtaining the necessary building permits.

The investment in the entire complex amounts to 50 million euros.
The Romanian Foreign Ministry (MAE) reports in a press statement that Aurescu underlined Romania's commitment to continuing supporting the institution-building process in Palestine, including by contributing to the provision of scholarships in Romania, the number of which is increasing for Palestinian students. Also, the head of the Romanian diplomacy highlighted the constant support of Romania for the development of the EU-Palestine relationships, including by concluding an association agreement proper.

The two dignitaries also exchanged views on the Middle East peace process, with Aurescu reiterating Romania's continued support for the implementation of the two-state solution, Israel and Palestine coexisting in peace and security, based on international law, emphasising the need to implement confidence-building measures designed to facilitate the resumption of direct dialogue between the parties. He mentioned Romania's readiness to contribute to the international community's effort to resume direct negotiations between the parties by creating the necessary conditions.At the same time, the two diplomats exchanged views on recent developments in Afghanistan, with Aurescu presenting the ongoing efforts of Romania to repatriate Romanian nationals still on Afghan soil.In conclusion, Aurescu voiced confidence that the new ambassador's term of office will be marked by an upward dynamic of bilateral political dialogue, as well as an uptake in the frequency of diplomatic contacts, stating his full support for achieving such goals, Agerpres informs.
Four migrants from Afghanistan were caught trying to leave Romania, through the Varand Border Crossing Point, hidden in a truck going to Germany, the Arad Border Police informs on Thursday.

The truck was driven by a Romanian, who was transporting, according to the delivery documents, coils for electric cables, for a German company.

"Following the thorough control of the means of transport, four foreign nationals were discovered inside the truck, hidden in the cargo compartment. The persons were taken to the border police headquarters for investigations. During the preliminary verifications, the border police established that they are citizens of Afghanistan, aged between 14 and 19, asylum seekers in Romania," the same source specified.

The border police is still investigating in this case.

At the same time, at the Curtici Border Crossing Point, the authorities caught a Libyan citizen who presented an identity card with the insignia of the Belgian authorities at the border control, which turned out to be false. The 30-year-old man was traveling on the train running on the Brasov-Budapest route, and the border police found that the document presented "does not meet the formal and substantive conditions of an authentic one, being totally false."

In this case, the border guards are investigating for falsity regarding the identity and fraudulent crossing of the state border in a continuous form, Agerpres informs.
According to a press release of the MAE sent on Thursday, during the meeting, the head of the Romanian diplomacy and the German ambassador to Bucharest welcomed the excellent level of bilateral relations, of strategic nature, between the two states, defined by an intense political-diplomatic dialogue and strong ties at the interpersonal, social and economic level.

Minister Bogdan Aurescu also welcomed the level of bilateral trade, Germany being for many years the first trading partner of Romania and the third investor in our country, with the two interlocutors agreeing on the need to strengthen sectoral cooperation.The two officials went on to reconfirm that the German minority in Romania and the Romanian citizens living in Germany represent a solid bridge between the two states.Bogdan Aurescu reiterated the important role of the Joint Bilateral Committee on the German Minority in Romania, whose last meeting took place in Brasov, on July 7-8, 2021. The two diplomats mentioned the importance of close coordination at the level of the European Union and within NATO, respectively at regional level, based on common objectives and values.The Romanian official also underscored Romania's firm and clear attachment to the fundamental values of the European Union and European integration, which makes our country a reliable partner of Germany at the Union level and highlighted the strong support of the Romanian society for the rule of law and democratic values.At the same time, he underscored Romania's full support for the democratic reform effort of the new Government of the Republic of Moldova, a support shared by Germany as well.The two interlocutors also exchanged views on the recent developments in Afghanistan, with the head of Romanian diplomacy pointing out the ongoing efforts of the Romanian authorities to bring back home Romanian citizens still on Afghan soil.Minister Bogdan Aurescu wished success to the new ambassador in his new mission, assuring him of the full support of the Romanian authorities for the strengthening of the bilateral relationship, with a strategic character, with Germany, Agerpres informs.
Chairman of the National Liberal Party (PNL) Ludovic Orban said today that the party is a promoter of Romanian values, a constant supporter of modernization and development, but that it rejects "all progressive neo-Marxist currents which are lately making their way into the minds of some Romanians."

"The PNL is a promoter of Romanian values, of Romanian traditions, of the Romanian personality and identity, of the specifics that confer us uniqueness. The PNL is a party that supports the fundamental institutions in Romanian society: the Church, the family, the Romanian village, the Romanian culture. It is a party which, while constantly supporting modernization and development, rejects all the progressive neo-Marxist currents that have been lately making their way into the minds of some Romanians. We are a party strongly anchored into the tradition of the Romanian nation, a party that has been a partner of the Church throughout history, a supporter of Christian values and morality, and which will act in the same manner from now on," Orban said after submitting his candidacy for a new term at PNL's helm, Agerpres informs.
Over 2,000 artists of 38 countries will create 600 events starting on Friday, for 10 days, at the Sibiu International Theater Festival (FITS), a press release of the organizers informs.

"The 28th edition of the Sibiu International Theater Festival (FITS) starts on Friday, and, over 10 days, will transform Sibiu into the international capital of theater, dance, music, circus and acrobatics, through a diverse program that reunites great names of the show arts and representations in world premiere. FITS is to take place between August 20 and 29, 2021, and the topic of this year, 'Building hope together', is transposed into reality by an edition that brings together 2,000 artists from 38 countries, over 600 events and 100 shows broadcast online. The festival is a celebration of the show arts, which present artistic manifestations from the entire world, created by names such as: Charlotte Rampling, Israel Galvan, Denis O'Hare, Helmut Sturmer, Yoshi Oida," the FITS release shows.

On the first evening of the Festival, the public is invited to the Main Square, at the Symphonic Concert of the Romanian Chamber Orchestra, directed by Cristian Macelaru, the day's program being completed by theater shows, exhibitions, acrobatics and will conclude with the traditional firework show near the Theater grounds, Agerpres informs.

"It's an edition, without using grand words, almost heroic, that we do with indescribable joy, but also immense efforts. The fact that we can think a different kind of normality together, which would move forward our dreams, our hopes, our power to create, the power to believe and the joy of meeting beauty, is the linchpin of all we must do. I must thank all those who are making this effort and who've understood how important the assumption and commitment we prove actually is," said the president of FITS, actor Constantin Chiriac.

The new FITS mobile app can now be downloaded freely from the App store and Google Play Store.AGERPRE
Prime Minister Florin Citu on Thursday said he will tell representatives of the energy market that he wants to understand what was happening with the rising prices and also wants to get sure that the conditions of a competitive market are met in Romania as well.

He was asked what would be the topics to be addressed at his meeting on Thursday, at the Victoria Palace, with the Minister of Energy, Virgil Popescu, and with the representatives of ANRE (the National Energy Regulatory Authority), Transelectrica, OPCOM and the Competition Council, and he said:

"I have two goals today, at that meeting. First of all, I would like to understand what is happening with the increase in prices. I know very well that there are several explanations, like the increase in prices for those green certificates and so on. At the same time, I called the Competition Council, because there is a big difference from liberalisation, from free market to competitive market, and I want to make sure that in Romania we also meet the conditions of a competitive market, because, in the end, free market means one thing, but only if you have a competitive market can the prices decrease. So, we have to make sure that we also have a competitive market, that is why the Competition Council is there as well," said Florin Citu.

On Thursday, the PM handed over to the new minister, Dan Vilceanu, the portfolio from the Ministry of Finance, which he held as an interim for almost 45 days, Agerpres informs.
President Klaus Iohannis has decorated, on Thursday, several personalities, among them, Austria's Ambassador in Bucharest, Isabel Rauscher, who was presented with the National Order for Merit in the rank of Grand Officer.

"As a sign of appreciation for the important involvement in the development and deepening of bilateral relations between Romania and the Republic of Austria, President Klaus Iohannis granted the National Order for Merit in the rank of Grand Officer, to Her Excellency, Ms. Rauscher Isabel, the Ambassador of the Republic of Austria to Romania," shows a release sent to AGERPRES by the Presidential Administration.

The president also signed the decrees to decorate the honorary consul of Romania in Estoril, Bonte Alain, and the Secretary of the European Commission for Democracy through Law - the Venice Commission, Simona Granata-Menghini, Agerpres informs.

"As a sign of appreciation for the important personal contribution, had along the years, in the process to consolidate and develop bilateral relations between Romania and the Portuguese Republic, President Klaus Iohannis granted the National Order for Merit in the rank of Commodore to Mr. Bonte Alain, honorary consul of Romania in Estoril," the quoted release mentions.

Simona Granata-Menghini was granted the National Order Faithful Service in the rank of Commodore.

"As a sign of particular appreciation for the promotion of the values of democracy, of human rights and the rule of law, for the availability with which she supported dialogue with the Romanian authorities, President Klaus Iohannis granted the National Order Faithful Service in the rank of Commodore to Ms. Granata-Menghini Simona, director, secretary of the European Commission for Democracy through Law, the Venice Commission," the Presidential Administration informed.
Prime Minister Florin Citu said on Thursday that the Romanian Air Force aircraft that having flown a Romanian national from Kabul to Islamabad will return to Afghanistan to take over 14 more Romanians, who have to be brought to the airport.

"This morning I spoke with General Ciuca; it is true that the aircraft arrived in Kabul, one person arrived at the aircraft, the aircraft returned to Islamabad, 14 people had not arrived, the aircraft returns to Kabul to take the others as well. We are now trying to see how we bring them to the airport; the aircraft remained in Islamabad and will return for the other Romanians. We also have requests from other countries to bring their nationals to Romania," Citu said at the Ministry of Finance, where he handed over the finance portfolio to the new minister, Dan Vilceanu.

The prime minister explained that they are trying to find solutions to bring the other Romanians who are to be evacuated from Afghanistan to the airport in Kabul.

"We are monitoring, we are trying to find solutions; there are several channels through which we work. I cannot tell you more about exactly how we are working. I cannot tell you anything about the Romanian military operation at this moment," Citu said, Agerpres informs.
The National Association of Romanian Exporters and Importers (ANEIR) forwarded the General Prosecutor's Office a criminal complaint against the Minister of Economy, Claudiu Nasui, accusing him of abuse in office and attack on the interests of the national economy.

"For 8 months of insisting actions to all public authorities to legalize the MEAT (Ministry of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Tourism ed.n) leadership, which halted, without a legal basis, PPE 2021 (The Program for Promoting Exports), after failing the unprofessional OUG (Government Emergency Ordinance) initiated by MEAT regarding the liberalization of promoting exports and after the current budget rectification MEAT did not foresee any sum for organizing Romania's national pavilions at the international fairs, yesterday (Wednesday, August 18, 2021 ed. n) we forwarded to the General Prosecutor's Office - on behalf of the employers and professional organization from the Export Council of Romania - the criminal complaint against the Minister of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Tourism, Nasui Claudiu", says a press release sent by ANEIR to AGERPRES on Thursday.

In the document signed by Mihai Ionescu, the executive chairman of ANEIR and co-chairman of the Export Council of Romania, the Minister of Economy is accused of abuse in office, "by blocking, once instated, the program for promoting exports, thus violating the provisions of OUG nr. 120/2002, and by his refusal to budget PPE 2021, thus violating provisions of Law 30/1999 and of the current ruling program of 2020-2024, approved by Parliament", Agerpres informs.

Furthermore, Nasui is accused of attack on the interests of the national economy and exporters, by forbidding, without any legal basis, to organize Romania's national pavilions at the international fairs, where exporters present their offers of goods and services (to signing new export contracts) "which led to the increase of the deficit of Romania's trade and balance of payments, as well as significant losses for companies, violating provisions of the Government Decision (HG) no. 296/2007".

The establishment of a criminal organized group, made up by the Minister of Economy and the secretaries of state in his command, who sabotaged the Export Council activity by not participating - even though they were officially summoned - in any of the Export Council reunions since being appointed and until now, violating provisions of HG no. 486/2004. The attempt to sabotage the state budget and the de minimis assistance, by initiating two months ago an OUG draft which - at our complaint, included - did not receive the agreement of the authorising institutions," the ANEIR representatives say.

According to the quoted source, the documents which attest these accusations can be found at the Ministry of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Tourism, where the Export Council Secretariat is operating.
A Romanian Air Force military aircraft landed safely at Kabul International Airport, where it took over a Romanian citizen, an employee of a NATO agency.

"The inter-institutional task force, which continued to work 24/7 to ensure the evacuation of Romanian nationals who have expressed their option to be repatriated from Afghanistan, informs that a first flight to Kabul by a Romanian military aircraft took was a success , and it managed to evacuate a Romanian national. The Romanian Air Force's military aircraft landed safely at Kabul International Airport at night. In addition to the aircraft's military personnel, a mobile consular team of the Foreign Ministry (MAE) was also on board, ready to provide special assistance. Taken over to the board at this stage were a Romanian national, an employee of a NATO agency, already at the international airport in Kabul, who was opted for evacuation," according to a MAE press statement released on Thursday.

According to MAE, the particularly difficult and dangerous security conditions in Kabul meant that access of other groups of Romanian nationals to the airport could not be achieved until the presence of the Romanian aircraft at the airport, although there was such a prospect.

"It should also be noted that access to the airport is hampered by check-in procedures at various checkpoints and the high number of people interested in arriving at the airport, while entering the airport is itself a complex process. In fact there are other nationals of other European or NATO member states who could not get to the airport to be picked up by the aircraft sent by their governments. Given that most of the Romanian nationals having opted for evacuation are in locations outside the international airport, the Interinstitutional Task Force has taken complex steps, through specific channels, to ensure their transfer to the airport. The Interinstitutional Task Force also maintains permanent contact with Romanian nationals in various locations in Kabul," according to MAE.

After taking over the Romanian national, the aircraft took off for Islamabad, where it arrived safely, being assisted on arrival by the staff of the Romanian Embassy in Pakistan, Agerpres informs.
Romania's black market in tobacco declined 2.5 percentage points in July 2021 from May, to 7.7% of total consumption, according to data with Novel Research.

According to the Novel Market study, in July, the largest decrease in the illicit cigarette trade was reported in the regions Sud-Vest (almost 6 pp, to 5.7%), Nord-Vest (minus 5.4 pp, to 9.2%) and Vest (minus 5.1 pp, to 8%).

"Although in significant decline (minus 5.1 pp), the region of Nord-Est continues to be the most affected by smuggling, at 20.2%, the highest level compared to the rest of the country. Black market increases are noted in the South-East (plus 2 pp to 7.6%) and Central region (plus 1.3 pp to 1.3%). From the point of view of the origin of the products for the the black market, the share of "cheap whites" continues to increase by 3.9 pp, to over 66%, Moldavia decreases by 3.4pp to 12.3%, and Ukraine and Serbia remain relatively constant compared with May 2021," says Marian Marcu, general manager of Novel Research.

Ileana Dumitru, director of legal and public affairs at British American Tobacco (BAT), says that the significant decrease in smuggling, even in the context of easing COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, is due to the efforts of law enforcement in partnership with the private sector.

Also in the first half of 2021, border police seized more than 1,442,500 packs of cigarettes, about 57.5 tonnes of tobacco and 475 kg of hookah tobacco, and identified and dismantled four groups organised to commit the crime of contraband in cigarettes, in which 44 people were identified. "People involved in illicit cigarette trade come from Romania, Moldova, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Hungary and Serbia," according to Border Police Inspector General Liviu Bute.

In 2019, tobacco companies paid about 3.6 billion euros into Romania's national budget, meaning 1.6% of GDP. In 2020, the tobacco sector became the strongest taxpayer in Romania, Agerpres informs.
Under a EU-funded cross-border project for the improvement of the training and response capacity of professional emergency services, the Mobile Emergency Resuscitation and Extrication Service (SMURD) included, the safety and protection of the population in the region of Moldova and the Republic of Moldova will increase.

The SMURD 2 cross-border project launched on Thursday at the Iasi Palace of Culture is carried out with European funds worth 10 million euros.

The project's opening conference took place in Iasi in the presence of the head of the Emergency Department Raed Arafat, the head of the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations (IGSU), Major General Dan Paul Iamandi, Secretary of State with the Moldovan Interior Ministry Alexandru Oprea, Secretary of State with the Moldovan Health Ministry Zinaida Bezverhni, representatives of local and county authorities, Metropolitan Teofan of Moldova and Bucovina, representatives of the Roman Catholic Diocese, Agerpres informs.

The project is aimed at increasing the safety and protection of the population by improving the training and intervention capacity of professional emergency services, SMURD included, in the cross-border area.

"The project strengthens our already existing cooperation. My colleagues are already contemplating a project that strengthens cross-border cooperation, particularly in situations such as a pandemic, a major earthquake or something of the like. It is clear that such emergencies know no borders and it is clear that we need to take action together, to work together. This requires more clear working procedures between the two sides," said Secretary of State Raed Arafat.

SMURD regional coordinator, Professor Diana Cimpoesu, explained that the project covers the area on the border between Romania and the Republic of Moldova and will see the setting up of a training ground for the special training of emergency personnel; seven landing platforms for air interventions, of which three in Romania and four in the Republic of Moldova; two new SMURD points in the Republic of Moldova; two Emergency Reception Units in the Republic of Moldova; a set of common emergency response procedures; increased operational capacity in the Republic of Moldova through the acquisition of 14 special vehicles for SMURD missions.

"Through the SMURD 2 project we acknowledge our achievements and also prove continuity. Also, the diversification of the project partners implies some time specific challenges, amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic situation. We carry out this project through permanent dialogue, creativity, mutual trust and flexibility. It's also a good opportunity to perform certain evaluations," said Secretary of State with the Moldovan Interior Ministry Alexandru Oprea.

The 10 million euro project running between July 28, 2019 - December 27, 2022 receives 6.42 million euros in non-reimbursable financing through the European Neighborhood Instrument (ENI).

"We are also extremely pleased at the inclusion of the health system in the SMURD 2 project and that we now have a chance for a sound development of the emergency medical system. Leaving all bureaucratic procedures aside, there are people out there who are saved thanks to this cooperation. We hope to have many other projects implemented, and that SMURD 3, SMURD 4 and, why not, SMURD 10 will follow," said Zinaida Bezverhni, Secretary of State with the Moldovan Health Ministry.
Social Democrat deputy Bogdan Ivan Gruia said on Thursday that he asked the Prosecutor General "to shed light" in Florin Citu's appointment as Prime Minister of Romania and his exercising the mandate of government head, while having been "criminally convicted by a US court".

"The Romanians have the right to know the truth! I asked Romania's Prosecutor General Gabriela Scutea to shed light on Florin Citu's appointment to Prime Minister of Romania and his exercising the mandate of Premier, although he has been found guilty of a criminal offense by a US court. I also called on the President of Romania, Klaus Werner Iohannis, to support the enforcement of the law and of the principles of the rule of law, for which a national referendum was called, which was validated by the overwhelming majority of Romanians. We want these principles of law to be respected and applied in the case of each Romanian, regardless of whether he is an ordinary man or the Prime Minister of Romania," the Social Democrat deputy wrote on Facebook.

He adds that he wants to see if in 2021 Romania "it is possible to know if the country's Prime Minister is criminally embattled or not", Agerpres informs.

"Just that! The Romanians deserve to know the truth, and the law must be there for everyone!," Bogdan Ivan Gruia wrote.
Two young people from Syria, aged 22 and 23, respectively, were caught by the Giurgiu border police while trying to enter Romania illegally, through the Giurgiu border crossing point, hidden in a truck loaded with tires that were supposed to be taken from Turkey to Slovakia.

"At the Giurgiu border crossing Point, a 61-year-old Bulgarian citizen driving a truck, who was supposed to transport tires from Turkey for a company in Slovakia, according to the delivery documents he had, presented to the border police for control. The police discovered two young men hidden in the back of the truck," according to a press release of the Giurgiu border crossing point.

During the investigation, the border police established that the detainees were two young people from Syria. They told the authorities that they boarded the means of transport while on Turkish territory, without the driver's knowledge, and intended to reach Germany, Agerpres informs.
World-renowned jazz and blues performers are part of the line-up of the 9th edition of the Brasov Jazz & Blues Festival that will take place September 2-5.

"This is a special edition of the festival that brings to fruition the concept of a complete music festival. The festival's bill of plays feature concerts by with internationally acclaimed bands as well as local bands, creative workshops and masterclasses in musical themes, outdoor film screenings, activities for children and families during daytime and a vinyl record fair to take your favorite music home. As befits a festival of this caliber, its music evenings will blend into the night at the jam session concerts," according to the festival's organisers.

The events of the festival will take place in Piata Sfantul Ioan (main stage), Piata Brassad' (the Raiffeisen stage), and also in the Nicolae Titulescu Central Park.

As many as 38 artists from eight countries will take to the main stage of the festival, including Laura Cox (France), Kirk Fletcher (USA), Madalina Paval Live Orchestra (Romania), Sax Gordon (USA), Lars Kutschke Band (Germany /Hungary), Dana Gillespie (UK), Joachim Palden Trio (Austria), Isabella Lundgren (Sweden), Nguyen Le Streams Quartet (France, USA, Canada).

This year's edition of the Brasov Jazz & Blues Festival will open to the rhythm of Transylvanian blues with a Nightlosers concert. The concert will take place in Piata Brassai, Brasov, on September 2 at 20:00hrs; admission will be free.

The international stage of the festival will open on September 3 by Laura Cox - a "badass Rock'n'Roll lady", who captivates her audience with her forceful solos and an irresistible voice. Next on stage will be Kirk Fletcher - an artist who has the reputation of a performer not to be missed.

Opening the second evening of concerts will be Madalina Paval Live Orchestra, followed by Sax Gordon & LK Band.

One of the surprises of this edition is the presence in Romania for the first time of a complete artist whose life defies fiction - the British Dana Gillespie, a composer, producer and performer with over 60 albums in her discography. Accompanied by the trio of pianist Joachim Palden, co-founder of the legendary Austrian group Mojo Blues Band, she will perform, for the first time in Romania, on the big stage of the festival on September 4.

The last evening of the festival is dedicated to jazz, and the public is invited to two very special recitals.

The Swedish Isabella Lundgren will also perform for the first time in Romania, on September 5.

The festival will end with the latest project by Vietnamese-born Parisian guitarist Nguyen Le, Streams, in a quartet formula that comprises New York percussionist John Hadfield, French vibraphone player Illya Almar and Canadian double bassist Chris Jennings.

Tickets and season tickets for the concerts in Piata Sfantul Ioan are on sale online on www.biletebrasov.ro, and they are available at a discount until August 20.

Brasov Jazz & Blues Festival is organised by the Fanzin Cultural Association and co-financed by the Brasov County Council and the Brasov City Hall, Agerpres informs.
Theres two prevailing viewpoints for why a shortage has been an issue for so long. Groups like the American Trucking Association say not enough people want to be truckers and are pushing for deregulation, like letting 18-year-olds drive cross-country. But organizations that represent truckers often say wages and conditions are too poor to encourage people to stick around in the long-haul industry.

That may be intentional, Burks said. It takes about six months to train a new driver for the road, and the lower wage paid to new drivers makes it worth it to not invest in keeping older drivers around, he said. The average turnover of a long-haul trucking job is 94%, meaning almost all long-haul truckers stay at a job less than a year. A turnover rate that high is nearly unheard of in the rest of the economy, Burks said, and likely plays into the shortage narrative.

To the hiring managers in this segment, it sure looks like a shortage, he said. On the other hand, despite the shortage they perceive, they have been successfully operating their businesses under these conditions for more than 30 years.

Signing bonuses
"We Germans" by Alexander Starritt, Little Brown & Co. Decades after WWII, a former German soldier pens a letter to his grandson reckoning with the impossible decisions he faced during his time as a soldier and then as a Russian Gulag prisoner, his guilt as a Nazi participator, and the difficulty of post-war life. Wracked with shameboth for himself and for Germanythe grandfather explains his dark rationale, exults in the courage of others, and blurs the boundaries of right and wrong.

Nonfiction

"Carry: A Memoir of Survival on Stolen Land" by Toni Jenson, Ballantine. As a Metis woman, Toni Jensen is no stranger to the violence enacted on the bodies of Indigenous women, on Indigenous land, and the ways it is hidden, ignored, forgotten. In prose at once forensic and deeply emotional, Toni Jensen shows herself to be a brave new voice and a fearless witness to her own difficult historyas well as to the violent cultural landscape in which she finds her coordinates. Carry is a powerful, poetic memoir about what it means to exist as an Indigenous woman in America, told in snapshots of the authors encounters with gun violence.
Documentarian Nanfu Wangs latest film, In the Same Breath, which premiered this week on HBO Max, had quite a rapid turnaround. Depicting the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in China, the film debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in January. But its no less thoughtful, carefully constructed and inquisitively insightful than any of Wangs other films, an approach that has become her hallmark in a career thats been marked by one remarkable film after the next.

Wang, who was born and raised in southeast Chinas Jiangxi province, was educated in the United States at Ohio University and New York University. Her work has consistently probed at the oppressive Chinese government through an intimate and human perspective, and In the Same Breath turns its lens on how that manifested during the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically focusing on the messaging and information, and sometimes misinformation, presented by the state-run news media.

While the Chinese media attempted to downplay the severity of the pandemic early on, including obfuscating the number of deaths, as well as presenting rosy human-interest stories about how well doctors were fighting the deadly disease, Wang, who was visiting her mother in China in January 2020 as the pandemic began, sent cameras into the hospitals to capture what was happening. She contrasts her footage and interviews of grieving families with the propaganda presented in the news media. She then juxtaposes the highly controlled Chinese media landscape, where freedom of speech is forbidden and citizen journalists arrested, with the anti-lockdown protests in the U.S. and viral misinformation spread via social media, where perhaps freedom of speech ultimately led to more misinformation and mistrust. Ultimately, she imagines a world where the pandemic was taken seriously and governments transparently shared information, though that reality will never be an option at this point.
CLAYTON  St. Louis County for now has no authority to impose a mask mandate that officials there already rescinded, and have no intention of enforcing anyway, a judge ruled Thursday.

Circuit Judge Ellen Nellie Ribaudo issued a preliminary injunction Thursday within an hour of a virtual court hearing at which lawyers on both sides of the countys July 26 mask order reported they could not reach a compromise. Twice this week, the judge had ordered them to negotiate for the sake of public health.

This courts decision is purely one of the relevant laws, Ribaudos order said. The court notes that the COVID-19 pandemic has been a political issue since it first emerged in this country and has continued to be a political flash point for many. The court implored for the parties to work together for the benefit of the public to find common ground as this virus continues to be a very real and significant danger to the state of Missouri, St. Louis County, and the world.

The injunction orders St. Louis County to include the ruling on county websites, social media pages and wherever the mask order is also published.
We have police departments telling us we need to disband our entire police department because I have 70% of my officers who have participated in federal gun cases, Leopold said, not mentioning specific departments.

Attorneys for the city and county argued the new law violates the U.S. Supremacy Clause and also the state constitution.

Robert Dierker Jr., St. Louis deputy city counselor, said the city, St. Louis County and Jackson County are already being directly affected by this statute and we are asking at a minimum that the court, you know, tell us what federal laws were not supposed to enforce.

State Solicitor General John Sauer said the city and countys lawsuit is aimed at striking down the entire law, not seeking guidance on how the law will work.

They didnt bring that case, Sauer said, also rebutting arguments the city and county made challenging the constitutionality of the law.
Fort Zumwalt School Board member Thomas Emmons moved to Florida with his family in June, in possible violation of eligibility rules for elected officials.

Emmons posted to Facebook June 15 a picture of a U-Haul outside a home with the caption Well, St. Charles County, I dont know if this is goodbye forever but it is goodbye for now. The next day, Emmons said he and the family were celebrating our first day as Florida residents at Disney World!

Missouri law requires that school board members are registered voters in their districts. Emmons, 39, is registered to vote in the Fort Zumwalt district. He is not registered to vote in Florida.

Under federal law, citizens cannot be registered to vote in a state they dont live in, even if they own property in that state.

You may only register to vote in the state that you consider to be your primary place of legal residence, according to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission.

Emmons said in an interview Tuesday that he was relocated to Florida for his job, two years into a three-year term on the board, which expires in April 2022.
Its great to be back at the state fair, Parson told the crowd.

He said the past 18 months were the most difficult hes faced because of the pandemic.

Among the casualties was last years fair, which was turned into a slimmed-down youth livestock show.

But, despite the ongoing threat of a summer surge of the delta variant, he added, Were on the right track in this state.

Parson took a moment during his speech to ask for a moment of silence in honor of Steve Walsh, who died Thursday morning from complications related to COVID-19.

Walsh, who served as communications director for U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler, is married to Rep. Sara Walsh, R-Ashland. Neither were vaccinated.

Speaking to the maskless crowd, Parson repeated his belief that government shouldnt mandate face coverings or vaccinations that could temper the spread of a deadly respiratory virus.

You dont need the governor of Missouri to tell you what you need to do, Parson said.
International Institute President Arrey Obenson said his organization is already being stretched.

Finding appropriate housing for everyone in one of the hottest real estate markets in recent memory is perhaps the biggest challenge.

We will have to get creative as a community to respond to the need, Obenson said.

It was not immediately clear what assistance other organizations would provide, though Jones noted President Joe Biden has set aside $500 million to aid Afghan refugees.

Other speakers at the news conference sought to further emphasize the opportunity in St. Louis and the desperate situation Afghans are fleeing after the fall of a U.S.-backed government last weekend.

Azizullah Ahmadi told a story of how as a boy, Taliban fighters detained him simply for carrying a book.

Peter Lucier, a Marine veteran who served in Afghanistan, said the people coming over had fought side by side with Americans and should be treated accordingly.

We owe these people a debt, he said.
JEFFERSON CITY  Gov. Mike Parsons administration has inked a contract with a newly formed organization aimed at boosting Missouris stagnant COVID-19 vaccination rate.

The $2.5 million contract with the Missouri Immunization Coalition is the latest attempt by the administration to jumpstart vaccinations in an attempt to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

The purpose of the Missouri Immunization Coalition is to improve the health of Missourians by reducing the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases, focusing on COVID-19, through immunization education, advocacy, promotion and statewide partnerships, the contract notes.

The hiring of the Columbia-based organization comes as Missouris vaccination has remained sluggish. According to the Department of Health and Senior Services, more than 56% of the states residents are not fully vaccinated against the deadly respiratory disease.

For the week ending Friday, the department said 93,580 people were vaccinated for an average of 13,369 shots per day.

But, with just 43.1% of the population fully vaccinated, the rise of the delta variant has contributed to a summer surge of hospitalizations and deaths after the virus spread had slowed in the spring.
ST. LOUIS  Nearly 6,000 city employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct. 15 or undergo weekly coronavirus tests under a new policy announced Wednesday by Mayor Tishaura O. Jones.

St. Louis is joining the ranks of major public and private sector employers across the country who are requiring vaccination to protect public health, Jones said in a statement issued amid a continuing surge of COVID cases in Missouri and nationally.

By encouraging vaccinations, we help keep our hospitals running, protect our children and save lives.

Personnel Director Richard Frank, who administers St. Louis civil service system, said he had issued a regulation reflecting the mayors position on addressing the pandemic.

Under the new rule, employees who dont want to be vaccinated for religious or medical reasons can opt for weekly testing.

City workers who get vaccinated by the deadline still will qualify for $100 gift cards the city previously offered to spur employees to do so.
Pinkham, who supervises and sets policy for the Corps' civil works, wrote that he is committed to having the Army be a leader in the federal governments efforts to ensure thorough environmental analysis and meaningful community outreach.

The Corps needs "to thoroughly review areas of concern, particularly those with environmental justice implications, Pinkham wrote.

Major construction has been on hold since the Corps agreed in November to reconsider its permit for the plants in Welcome, where the Census Bureau estimates that nearly 97% of the 880 residents are Black.

Pinkhams tweet and letter provide little detail about what procedures the Corps intends to use, said an emailed statement from FG LA. The company will continue to work with the Corps as we receive more guidance on the additional evaluation and has no further comment at this time," it said.
We say there is a strong case here Ms. Meng was dishonest, Frater said. We met our burden."

By not disclosing Huaweis true relationship with Skycom, Meng put HSBC at risk of violating U.S. sanctions against Iran, he said.

HSBC was deprived of a fair opportunity to take the action it needed to take, Frater told the judge.

He said Meng was honest in parts of her meeting with an HSBC executive, but she didnt tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

Frater said the defense is trying to blame the victim in saying it was the banks decision to transfer money from Skycom through the U.S.

Chinas government has criticized the arrest as part of U.S. efforts to hamper its technology development. Huawei, a maker of network equipment and smartphones, is Chinas first global tech brand and is at the center of U.S.-Chinese tension over technology and the security of information systems.

Meng, who attended the hearing wearing an electronic monitoring device on her ankle, followed the proceedings through a translator.

Whatever the judge's decision, it will likely be appealed.
Mesa County Clerk and Recorder Tina Peters condemned Griswolds inquiry into the alleged security breach at an event last week in South Dakota hosted by My Pillow chief executive Mike Lindell, who has become well-known for his unwavering support of former President Donald Trump and efforts to overturn the 2020 election because of widespread fraud. A range of election officials across the country, including Trumps former attorney general, William Barr, have confirmed that widespread fraud did not occur.

Peters said Griswold's investigation is an attempt at a takeover of Mesa Countys elections in one of Colorados last Republican strongholds. Peters also alleged the investigation is an attempt by Griswold and Colorado's Democratic Gov. Jared Polis to control the way you vote," she told the South Dakota audience.

The dispute is the latest illustration of how the November 2020 election that is a distant memory for many remains front and center for some far-right Trump supporters. A Republican-led audit of Arizona ballots has been going on for months despite any evidence to support the review.
The largest current fire in the West, known as the Dixie Fire, is the first to have burned from east to west across the spine of California, where the Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountains meet, the state's fire chief said.

It was also one of several massive fires that have destroyed areas of the timber belt that serve as a centerpiece of the state's climate reduction plan because trees can store carbon dioxide.

We are seeing generational destruction of forests because of what these fires are doing, Porter said. This is going to take a long time to come back from.

Although the Dixie Fire is only a third contained and remains a threat, dozens of fire engines and crews were transferred Wednesday to fight the Caldor Fire, which exploded in size southwest of Lake Tahoe and ravaged Grizzly Flats, a community of about 1,200. It covered 84 square miles (217 square kilometers).

Dozens of homes burned, according to officials, but tallies were incomplete. Those who viewed the aftermath saw few homes standing. Lone chimneys rose from the ashes, little more than rows of chairs remained of a church and the burned out husks of cars littered the landscape.
In 2019 after proposals to extend the tax and fee failed to pass, legislative attorneys advised Democratic leaders that they could prolong the technology fee and a payroll tax with simple majorities. Republicans sued and the state Supreme Court ruled unanimously that extending revenue measures required supermajorities.

Senate Minority Leader James Settelmeyer, a plaintiff in the case, accused Democrats of knowingly violating the constitution to push through their agenda. Democrats drew $7.8 million from the state highway funds to facilitate the reimbursements.

Republican Sen. Pete Goicoechea said lawmakers and the department should proceed knowing that the funds owed to DMV customers didn't belong to them, while Democrats stressed the importance of ensuring the reimbursement process didn't land them in court again.

We should have agreement so that we dont end up in the same spot a year from now and have to spend another $8 million to refund a couple million dollars, Democratic Assemblywoman Maggie Carlton said. Were already spending more money on it than we probably should  money that could go to a lot of other places.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP)  U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm heard from industry officials Wednesday about what it will take to boost renewable energy development in New Mexico and across the nation as the Biden administration pushes its initiatives to reduce emissions and address climate change.

Granholm took notes during a roundtable discussion on her two-day swing through the Western state, saying she was all ears and planned to take what she learned back to the White House.

Developers and policy experts said without more transmission infrastructure and a cohesive grid, renewable energy will be stranded in remote spots like rural New Mexico and that opportunities for economic development will be hampered as a result.

This stuff is as important as building highways. It's as important as building hospitals and schools, said Fernando Martinez, executive director of the New Mexico Renewable Energy Transmission Authority. The only way we're going to accomplish this ... is that we really do need a predictable regulatory landscape.
West Virginia has lost thousands of jobs in the past decade as companies and utilities explore using other energy sources such as natural gas, solar and wind.

Democratic candidates for president have struggled in recent years to connect with voters in West Virginia, in part due to a push toward clean energy under the Obama administration. Still, despite his promises, coal did not come roaring back under President Donald Trump, though he again won the state of West Virginia in 2020 by an overwhelming margin in his unsuccessful bid for re-election.

Earlier this year, the United Mine Workers Union, the nations largest coal union, said it would accept Bidens plan to move further away from coal and other fossil fuels in exchange for a true energy transition that includes thousands of jobs in renewable energy and spending on technology to make coal cleaner.

In June, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm joined Manchin, the only Democrat currently holding statewide elected office in West Virginia, on a tour to promote the Biden administration's plans to involve the once-booming coal state in the development of clean energy.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP)  San Francisco's district attorney said Wednesday he is suing three California companies that make and distribute ghost guns, the untraceable, build-it-yourself weaponry that accounted for nearly half the firearms recovered in gun killings in the city last year.

District Attorney Chesa Boudin announced the lawsuit at a news conference, alongside advocates of tougher gun laws.

The suit names Blackhawk Manufacturing Group, GS Performance and MDX Corp., three companies that are not based in San Francisco but are responsible for producing a large share of the firearms found in the city and elsewhere in the state, Boudin said.

Guns are flooding our streets. Enough is enough, Boudin said. It is not enough to wait until after someone has been shot and killed by a firearm. We must get to the root of the problem.

Boudins lawsuit comes amid mounting criticism over his response to rising crime rates and a wave of anti-Asian violence in the city, which has been routinely video-recorded and spread virally. Critics say the citys most powerful law enforcement officer is intolerably lenient, particularly toward those responsible for rampant theft, drug abuse and street crimes.
Ribaudo also was critical of some who had claimed victory after the temporary injunction was issued.

In a time where our hospitals are near or at capacity in their ICUs from COVID-19 patients, where surgical procedures are once again being put off due to the strain on our hospitals from COVID-19 patients and people are being infected at rates significantly higher than many other areas of our Country how can one claim victory," she wrote.

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, who sued over the mandate, praised Ribaudo's latest decision in a news release, saying that he would not stop in my fight against government overreach.

Page said in a tweet that he was confident that people would continue wearing masks to protect themselves & their community from COVID-19."

Schmitt, a Republican, also has filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn a mask mandate in Kansas City. The Kansas City Council on Thursday voted 10-2 to extend the mandate until Sept. 23.

Kansas Citys mandate, which was scheduled to end Aug. 28, applies to people over the age of 5 in indoor spaces regardless of vaccination status, with some exemptions.
A radical new Missouri law declaring federal firearms restrictions unenforceable in the state isnt even in effect yet, and already its hampering efforts to confront gun violence. The law, passed this year by state Republicans and set to go into effect Aug. 28, will fine any Missouri law enforcement agency that enforces federal gun laws.

The U.S. Department of Justice reports that at least a dozen Missouri law enforcement officers have already pulled out of joint state-federal task forces regarding gun violence for fear of violating the new state statute. Several Missouri police agencies are planning to stop sharing ballistics evidence in a national database used to solve gun crimes. Is this really the legacy that the supposed party of law and order wants?

The Second Amendment Preservation Act would impose $50,000 fines on any Missouri police agency whose officers knowingly enforce federal gun laws. If that sounds unconstitutional in a federal system of government, it is. The Civil War settled that question. But since when do Missouris legislative Republicans put the Constitution above their political imperative to pander to the nuttiest corners of the states gun culture?
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Shares puts on free Investor Events throughout the year across the country. They provide an opportunity for investors to learn more about companies on the stock market and hear from a range of investment experts including fund managers and Shares journalists.
In July 2021 the Iranian Navy put the fourth Moudge (Mowj) class frigate, the Dena, into service. The latest of these ships is the Dena and described as a Light Frigate. These ships are actually heavily armed and haphazardly equipped corvettes. Iran plans to put seven into service and three more are under construction with uncertain service dates because of the difficulty in finding the needed warship components.

The first Moudge, the Jamaran, entered service in 2010 after at least six years under construction. The second one, the Damavand, entered service in 2015. This one was built in a Caspian Sea shipyard and took six years to complete. In early 2018 it ran aground while entering port in bad weather. Satellite photos showed it partially submerged. The ship was refloated and towed to a shipyard for repairs, where it was declared complete after 18 months. Despite that the ship is not yet back in service. This may be due to problems with equipment damaged when the ship was partially sunk. Getting necessary electronic and mechanical components is always a problem when building these ships. For example, the third Moudge, the Sahand, entered service at the end of 2018 after eight years of construction efforts. This one was more heavily armed and equipped for long-distance voyages of up to 150 days if accompanied by a supply ship. To demonstrate this, Sahand recently travelled to the Atlantic, accompanied by a tanker/supply ship. This was mostly a publicity stunt.

It is unclear how long the latest Moudge was under construction because Iran carries out a lot of this work in a shed, to protect the new warship from the elements during five or more years of construction effort. Iran now tries to keep quiet about warship construction efforts because of the unpredictable delays.

Iran has had little access to foreign shipbuilders since the 1980s, and by 2000 had developed the capability of building their own warships. These are crude but they float and their weapons generally work. Construction takes place in the commercial shipyards that Iran has developed since the 1990s to repair existing commercial ships and build smaller tankers and cargo carriers. This eventually led to warships, which is a common trend for nations seeking to build their own. Before the monarchy was overthrown in 1979, Iran bought modern warships from foreign suppliers, a practice still common among Persian Gulf oil states. Only the UAE has developed some warship construction capability, mainly as part of its effort to prepare the economy for less dependence on oil income.

The locally built Iranian surface ships are small craft (1,500-ton corvettes and 2,200-ton frigates) while the submarines are largely of the miniature variety. Construction of warships is a sideline in the commercial shipyards and only a few warships are being built at a time. Construction is also proceeding slowly so that, apparently, mistakes in the previous ships can be discovered and fixed.

Currently, the only major surface warships it has are four of the new corvettes/frigates, three elderly British built frigates (1,540 tons each), and two U.S. built corvettes (1,100 tons each). There are about fifty smaller patrol craft, ten of them armed with Iranian versions of Chinese anti-ship missiles. Chief among these is the Nasr 1. There are a few dozen mine warfare, amphibious, and support ships. The three most powerful ships in the fleet are three Russian Kilo class subs. Most of the foreign built ships are serving way past their retirement date. This includes the Kilos and most of the fifty mini-subs, most built in Iran. There are several thousand marines and twenty or so aircraft and helicopters.

The Iranian Navy is led by officers who think along more conventional lines than their government. Western ship commanders generally have good professional relationships with their Iranian counterparts, even when the Iranian Navy is under orders to give Western ships a hard time. If an Iranian captain reports by radio that he has his orders it means he will follow through with whatever bizarre actions he has been ordered to carry out but will be apologetic about it to his foreign peers.

The Iranian Navy has fewer options than the Revolutionary Guard, simply because the navy has fewer and larger (easier to spot and hit) ships. Since 2005 the navy has generally been stationed on the Indian Ocean and the Caspian Sea, while the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) navy has been given responsibility for the Persian Gulf and protecting all those Iranian oil facilities along the coast. Actually, the Revolutionary Guard is there more as a threat to Arab oil fields and tankers because the Arabs and their Western allies have control of the air and can destroy Iranian oil fields and tankers that way. What the IRGC hopes to do at sea is create as formidable a threat as possible, even if this threat, in the form of suicidal speedboats and missile boats backed up by shore-based anti-ship missiles, is short-term. In the long run, any Iranian naval power is toast.

In Iran, the IRGC has its own Navy of the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution. The main job of the IRGC is to protect the religious dictatorship from the Iranian armed forces and a growing number of angry Iranians. As a result, the IRGC Navy has about as many personnel (23,000), including marines and naval aviation as the Iranian Navy. The IRGC force has about 40 large missile and torpedo boats (100-200 tons each) and over a thousand smaller craft, many of them just speedboats with dual outboard engines and machine-gun mounts.

The IRGC builds its own small boats and regularly holds highly publicized ceremonies to induct new boats into the IRGC Navy. The IRGC operates most of the 1,500 small boats used by the naval and coast guard forces. Because of this, opponents have had to develop two sets of tactics for dealing with Iranian naval forces. Irans two navies are very different from each other. The traditional navy exists alongside the less well equipped, but more fanatical, forces of the IRGC. Both forces are equipped, trained, and led very differently. The IRGC force is sworn to defend the religious dictatorship while the regular navy strives to defend Iran.
In the South China Sea, a late July British-led international FONOP (freedom of navigation operations) in the South China Sea was revealed to be less of a proper FONOP than advertised. None of the eight ships in the task force came within 22 kilometers of any of the Chinese islands (many of them artificial) built as military bases and declared sovereign Chinese territory, despite international treaties China agreed to and a 2016 international court ruling against China. In past FONOPS the American and other warships deliberately ignored the 22 kilometer territorial waters rule, much to the displeasure of China. The commander of the British task force apparently had unpublicized orders to limit the impact of the FONOP, which is meant to confirm international access and defy Chinese claims to offshore resources across most of the South China Sea and control over who enters these waters. The late July FONOP was carried out by a carrier task force led by the new British carrier Queen Elizabeth, accompanied by seven other ships, including an American destroyer and frigates from the Netherlands, Britain and Singapore. There were also two other Singapore Navy ships (an amphibious assault vessel and an offshore patrol vessel. The carrier is also accompanied by a British SSN (Nuclear Attack sub) but the status of that vessel is rarely discussed because it is submerged nearly all the time.

Another problem with Chinese attitudes towards borders and territorial claims is going on along much of the 4,000-kilometer Indian border. In late 2018 China and India agreed to establish multiple hotlines along their border and also between the defense ministries of China and India. On August 1st the sixth of these hotlines was established. It connects military commanders in India (Sikkim) with their Chinese counterparts across the border in Khamba Dzong (Tibet). These new hotlines were a revival of a failed 2016 effort to work out and agree to details of a hotline for commanders on both sides of the LAC (Line of Actual Control). Also known as the MacCartney-MacDonald Line the LAC is the unofficial border between India and China. The LAC is 4,057 kilometers long and is found in the Indian States of Ladakh, Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Himachal, and Arunachal. On the Chinese side it is mostly Tibet. China claims much territory that is now considered part of India. There have been several thousand armed and unarmed confrontations over the last decade as one side or the other accuses foreign troops of crossing the LAC. The 2016 agreement fell apart when India went ahead, despite Chinese protests, and expanded its military ties with the United States while also undertaking massive improvements to military infrastructure near the border in the areas where Chinese troops were a growing presence and a constant threat. China had taken the lead improving roads and stabling more military bases close to the border. India was catching up after 2016, building over three dozen new roads to the more remote border areas. New bases for ground troops and warplanes were built and training exercises now included tests of how well ground and air reinforcements could reach the contested border areas. China considered all this an act of aggression. The need for hotlines was now more urgent than ever and after two years China agreed to resume the hotline negotiations.

August 18, 2021: The government has begun a long-anticipated rescue effort for state-owned banks and other finance firms that are considered too big to fail. Such firms are defined as likely to trigger failures among large firms and lead to a major recession. The first rescue involved Huarong Asset Management; one of four asset management firms established by the government in 1997 to manage the growing bad debt problem that became very visible during the late 1990s financial crises throughout East Asia. Huarong is getting a $23 billion loan to deal with current and near-future debt and provide time to carry out an orderly sale of assets. The immediate trigger for the bailout was the release of 2020 financial results, which showed Huarong losing $16 billion and crippling its ability to meet financial obligations in 2021. If that happened Huarong would be bankrupt and that would reduce international confidence in Chinese financial institutions and the $12 trillion Chinese credit market. The severe problems with Huarong began in 2018 when Lai Xiaomin, its director since 2012, was charged with corruption. The investigation and prosecution revealed that Lai Xiaomin had received over $250 billion in bribes between 2008 and 2018. His trial was a major embarrassment for the government because Lai Xiaomin was a senior party official and a bank regulator before he took over at Huarong. He was sentenced to death and executed in January 2021.

The government has been playing down the fact that bad (unlikely to be repaid) loans totaling several hundred billion dollars threatens the stability of the entire banking system. A growing number of large firms have been unable to repay bonds that came due recently. This sort of thing would not be ominous except for the fact that the defaulting firms are carrying dangerously high debts. Most of that debt is held by banks that have dangerously large amounts of bad debt. Worst case is a number of these debt-laden banks cease operations, causing other such banks to also fail. On paper China has the resources to handle this sort of thing but as a practical matter large cash reserves are only part of the rescue solution. A greater problem is that no one knows how much bad information many banks have been reporting. A banking crash would be an unpredictable collapse of banks and other financial institutions that could disrupt, or even paralyze, the Chinese financial system for an extended period. The government has tried to deal with this vulnerability gradually but that plan was disrupted by the economic costs of covid10 in China, escalating disputes with major trading partners and Lai Xiaomin and the looming collapse of Huarong Asset Management. China has been aggressive overseas, especially with high-risk investments and threatening financial retaliation against countries that do not support China. This use of financial diplomacy often backfires when larger victims, like Australia, push back. Japan suffered a major debt crisis. A growing number of Chinese government and business leaders believe China is headed for the same fate as Japan in the 1990s, when a real estate bubble triggered a violent and long-lasting reduction in economic growth. The Japanese had allowed a huge real estate bubble to develop and when economic growth stalled for a bit a lot of the real estate loans became bad debt and that created an economic crisis Japan is still dealing with. The Japanese were angry and, as a democracy, elected new politicians. China is not a democracy and a banking crisis similar to what Japan went through in the 1990s will create a lot of angry Chinese who cannot, as the saying goes, vote the rascals out (of office). In China that degree of public anger means revolution, or at least a lot more disorder. China also has a huge real estate bubble, very inefficient, compared to most Western nations, government spending policies and rapidly escalating labor shortages. There are also deficits in social spending, like taking care of the impoverished elderly. Chinese problems, in addition to being similar to those of Japan, are also considerably worse because of greater corruption, pollution and political oppression. Japan is a democracy while China is still a communist police state and that means the crises in China will not be handled peacefully as it was in Japan. Worse, for Chinese and the rest of the world, is that the Chinese financial crisis may be as poorly managed as the many state-owned firms that created the financial risks. As a police state, with the largest Internet censorship operation in the world, and laws punishing those who report news the government disagrees with, it takes longer for the details of high-level corruption to reach most Chinese. A financial system collapse would be impossible to hide, which is the main reason Lai Xiaomin was executed and the government declared the debt-crisis a matter of national security.

August 17, 2021: China has increased the pace of building a new petroleum pipeline between China and North Korea. The existing one was built in 1975 and has long needed replacement because it runs under the Yalu River. For most of 2021 China had slowed or halted construction work as a way to pressure North Korea to do what China tells it to do.

August 16, 2021: Noting the recent takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban, China warned Taiwan and other nations that opposed Chinese territorial demands, especially in the South China Sea, that the Americans would abandon them as well. Not exactly the same situation but it made for a scary press release.

August 12, 2021: Off one of the Pescadores (Penghu) islands between Taiwan and China, a Taiwan coast guard ship challenged Hexing 566, a small Chinese fuel/supply ship, as it entered Taiwanese waters. The Chinese ship refused to turn around and it was boarded and the crew of seven arrested. The Hexing 566 was taken to a nearby port and impounded.

August 5, 2021: The government quietly ordered Chinese state-owned firms to violate some of the American economic trade agreements and stop buying some American products.

August 4, 2021: In the south, across the border in India (Ladakh State) Chinese forces pulled back their troops from Gorga, one of the key bits of disputed territory in Ladakh. Both nations had concentrated thousands of troops along the shore of Pangong Lake and in September 2020 both agreed to halt their operations on the Indian border and continue negotiations. The 12th round of these negotiations recently ended and China quickly carried out its agreement to pull back from Gorga. Both sides declared victory but China was the actual winner because now a thousand square kilometers of additional Indian territory along Panglong Lake is under Chinese control. By the end of 2020 the two sides had agreed to pull most of their forces back because of the frigid weather in the high mountains surrounding Pangong Lake. China has been slow to carry out all those withdrawals. These mutual withdrawal negotiations began in mid-2020 and China has regularly reneged on all or part of the withdrawal agreements. China would, however, agree to another round of negotiations. The 11th round of negotiations took place in April 2021 and China again refused to carry out all the agreed-on withdrawals. With the recent Chinese withdrawal these are still two positions that China had agreed to withdraw from but has not yet actually complied with yet. These numerous and often futile negotiations are standard tactics for China, which often end with China permanently in possession of some of the disputed territory.

This was not unexpected and was another example of the Chinese SSSN (Shove, Stop, Stand Fast, Negotiate) tactics, which have once again prevailed, as they have many times in the recent past. China initially expressed no interest in retreating but was willing to negotiate. These tactics are particularly when the cold weather season approaches, putting India under intense domestic political pressure to accept the Chinese offer. China believes they will prevail by repeating their SSSN and push Indian forces out of all the disputed areas along their common border. SSSN is slow and it would take decades to grab all the Indian territory claimed by China. As long as China maintains a stronger military than India and can keep more troops near the disputed border areas, India will not feel confident to defend forcefully and risk a large-scale battle on the border.

While China has been withdrawing troops from forward positions that have them within sight of Indian forces, there has been a continuing build-up of logistical capabilities. China is building more roads to the border areas and establishing more supply storage and distribution facilities. Since the Ladakh dispute is largely along the shores of Pangong Lake, China has increased its naval capabilities in this lake, which is largely in Tibet and connected to Chinese claims on Indian territory. This is the longest lake in Asia and part of the 134-kilometer-long lake extends 45 kilometers into the Indian Ladakh region. The portion of the lake shore in dispute has no native population. The only people who visit the area are soldiers from India or China. For that reason China is moving more armed boats to the lake, some of them capable of carrying fifty troops and their weapons.

Indian efforts to get China to negotiate a more permanent settlement of border disputes are not working. This is again demonstrated as India tries to get negotiations going over the new dispute on the shore of Pangong Lake. The Chinese will issue vague press releases but they will not negotiate a final settlement. Even when they negotiate a deal the Chinese tend to see these permanent agreements are temporary ceasefires.

August 1, 2021: Down south in Myanmar (Burma), the military declared themselves the provisional government, six months after they forcibly replaced the elected government. China promptly recognized the provisional government and just called it the government. There were vague assurances from the military government of new elections but few voters believed the voting would be free and fair. The Burmese generals found that this coup was not as easy as the last one in 1962. This time there was much less compliance and a lot more defiance. In fact, most Burmese acted the way they voted, despite the greater firepower and, so far, resolve of the generals. The army has trashed the economy and put more and more Burmese out of work and without access to food, the Internet or the banking system. The resistance continues. The generals have become more dependent on their Chinese business partners. China had also been partners-in-crime with the generals before the last military government ended in 2010 and elections were allowed. The Chinese connection may be the vital key to victory, or fatal flaw, in the coup plan. It all depends on how much Burmese are willing to resist China. The military imported $2.5 billion worth of military gear since 2010, China provided 58 percent of it and Russia 33 percent. Now these weapons were being used against the nationwide uprising. China is also offering something new they have developed; a very effective and extensive Big Brother level surveillance in China and is willing to export that tech. An elected Burmese government would never divert the huge sums required to purchase and install the surveillance system. The Burmese military is another matter, especially now that it has taken over the government again. With the military back in charge China sees major export sales to Burma looming. Better surveillance capabilities will provide immediate help to suppress the rebels. China faces huge economic losses if the current coup fails. China is a major foreign investor in Burma and those projects often displace Burmese illegally and without compensation.

July 28, 2021: T he majority faction of the Afghan Taliban sent a team of senior officials to China where they met with Chinese foreign ministry officials to follow up on the recent Taliban declaration that they considered China a friend and that the Uighur Moslems from northwest China would no longer be allowed into Afghanistan once the Taliban took over. This Taliban faction has its headquarters in Pakistan and has enjoyed sanctuary there since 2002. About a third of the Afghan Taliban do not trust Pakistan or any of their friends. One of these dissident factions actively allied itself with Iran. There is a Pakistani Taliban that wants to replace the current Pakistani government and actively attacks Chinese projects in Pakistan. The Pakistan-backed Afghan factions are eager to do business with China. The main Chinese demands are to ensure that Chinese investments are unmolested and that heroin and other drugs produced in Afghanistan are not smuggled into China. The Afghan could not work out a deal with China, at least until they actually controlled Afghanistan, especially the north, where the tiny (76 kilometer) border with China is.

July 25, 2021: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has apparently agreed to obey China from now on. China has openly criticized Kim for not adopting economic and political policies that have worked in China. Kim had earlier refused because allowing a more open and free economy as well as a more rational spending policy would mean the end of the North Korean nuclear and ballistic missile program and a weakening of the police state control the Kim family has installed over the last 70 years. That led to more and more economic sanctions. In 2021 China was the only donor of food. Until recently, China refused to send food because North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was not following orders. Kim recently wrote several letters to the Chinese leader that convinced China that North Korea would obey in the future. Among the Chinese demands was that Kim stop arresting or firing senior military and political officials for being pro-Chinese. Kim has long believed that China was developing friendly ties with many senior North Korea officials in order to prepare for a possible coup against the Kim family because of continued mismanagement, incompetence and disregard for China or the North Korean population. China believed that North Korea was going to end up like the Soviet Union and other East European communist governments three decades ago when all those communist governments collapsed because of poor economic performance and mismanagement in general. Kim Jong Un became obsessed with going his own way because that has long been important to Koreans in general, especially with regard to Big Brother China. Covid19 and continued economic pressure from China and the United States proved too much for Kim to handle. Or so it appears. For Kim to remain in Chinas good graces Kim must obey all Chinese requests or else. This will not be good for North Korea and the ruling Kim dynasty. North Korea expects some prompt Chinese help with covid19 and the economy. North Korea has not been able to obtain covid19 vaccine because it does not trust the Chinese or Russian vaccines and insists on obtaining Western vaccines with a proven track record. That has been difficult, mainly because of the difficulty outsiders encounter in dealing with North Korea. The other problem is the damage done to the economy because of covid19 and continued sanctions. North Korea has a miniscule GDP (about $25 billion in 2020), which is pathetic compared to South Koreas $1.6 trillion that is one of the ten highest in the world. On a per-capita basis South Korean GDP is more than 20 times larger than North Korean. Per capita GDP of China and Russia is more than five times larger than North Korea. North Korea is an island of poverty in a sea of prosperity.

July 24, 2021: China complained that the American TV network (NBC) that had bought the U.S. broadcasting rights to the current Olympic Games was not showing a map of China that included Taiwan and the South China Sea as Chinese territory. Taiwan has been independent of China for over 70 years and the Philippines calls large portions of the South China Sea that they have a legal claim to the West Philippine Sea.

July 23, 2021: Iraq revealed that China was the major customer for Iraqi oil, currenting receiving 40-44 percent of what Iraq exports.
Top 10 Reasons Why Streaming Media West is Better Than NAB and IBC

In late June, Mobile World Congress officially kicked off the return to in-person conferences for our industry and, with apologies to T.S. Eliot, did so not with a bang but a whimper. The event usually brings more than 100,000 to Barcelona, but this year, a paltry 10,000 attendedhalf of them from Spain. That doesnt bode well for NAB, and rumors are swirling that IBC wont happen in person. We can speculate on the reasons, but they all share one thing in common: Theyre mostly pertinent to massive shows with many international attendees.

But Streaming Media West is another kind of event entirely, and from what I hear, Im not the only one who cant wait to get back to Huntington Beach in November. Here are 10 reasons why Streaming Media West is better than the big shows (with photos below!):

Its more intimate. More time for real learning and networking. Less time spent running from one hall to another. Sure, you wont rack up the steps on your fitness app, but theres a great running and biking path along the beach. Yes, theres a beach. A real one, not like that one in Amsterdam. Its close to Los Angeles. Some of the big-name companies in our space still have travel restrictions, but theyve got local employees and executives. If youre a sponsor, you dont need to blow half your marketing budget to exhibit, and you dont need to spend $10K for a barista at your booth. (No long lines at the Hyatt Starbucks either!) The fish tacos at Petes Sunset Grille. Does Apple speak at NAB, IBC, or much of anywhere else besides Apple events? No, but Apples Roger Pantos has been a mainstay at Streaming Media West. The cream of the crop of video engineering talent will be there. Thats why Netflix, Hulu, Facebook, and Google have recruited at our shows. This is our 24th Streaming Media West, and people come back every year. Youre sure to run into old friends and make new ones. Did I mention theres a beach?

The full program will be online soon. Visit the conference website for information on attending, sponsoring, and exhibiting.

Apple's Roger Pantos at Streaming Media West 2019

Networking under the stars

You don't get this view in Vegas ...

Or this one ...

Old friends Chris Knowlton and Jeff Tapper on the beach

The infamous Grotto

Come on in ... the water's fine!

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Herzliya, Israel and Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - August 18, 2021) - Innocan Pharma Corporation (CSE: INNO) (FSE: IP4) (OTCQB: INNPF) (the "Company" or "Innocan"), is pleased to announce that, following the early indications of its CBD Loaded Exosomes platform (CLX), the Company has issued a notice to Ramot, the Technology Transfer Company of Tel Aviv University (TAU), declaring the Company's intention to exercise its option to enter into a full Research and License Agreement with Ramot (the "Agreement").



Figure #1 (left): Prof. Dani Offen, of TAU, Iris Bincovich InnoCan CEO;Figure #2 (right): Iris BincovichInnoCan CEO and M.S.c Nataly Yom-Tov.

To view an enhanced version of Figure 1 and Figure 2, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6922/93469_66bb9a763493f857_002full.jpg.

It is expected that the agreement, once entered, will grant InnoCan a worldwide exclusive license to advance and to commercialize the products that will be developed from the technology.

Given the meaningful achievements in the development of the CLX, Innocan has concluded to execute its option based on the agreement with Ramot, and to step up this deep and meaningful co-operation which serves as a significant milestone in the Company's strategic commercialization strategy.

Keren Primor Cohen, Ramot's CEO said: "I am excited about Innocan's election to exercise its option to receive a license and am looking forward to the continuation of a fruitful and meaningful collaboration with the company."

Iris Bincovich, InnoCan's CEO said: "In light of the positive and exciting results of the CLX project, Innocan is pleased to move forward with entering into the Agreement to obtain worldwide exclusive rights for the development and commercialization of products to be manufactured and marketed based on the CLX technology developed at the Tel Aviv University. Tel Aviv University has a long and successful track record of developing and commercializing innovative health care products."

InnoCan's project with TAU is aimed at developing a breakthrough technology platform that enables the delivery of cannabinoids by loading them on Exosomes to be delivered to a specific body organ.

About Innocan

Innocan Pharma is a pharmaceutical tech company that focuses on the development of several drug delivery platforms containing CBD. Innocan Pharma and Ramot at Tel Aviv University are collaborating on a new, revolutionary exosome-based technology that targets both central nervous system (CNS) indications and the Covid-19 Corona Virus using CBD. CBD-loaded exosomes hold the potential to help in the recovery of infected lung cells. This product, which is expected to be administered by inhalation, will be tested against a variety of lung infections.

Innocan Pharma signed a worldwide exclusive license agreement with Yissum, the commercial arm of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, to develop a CBD drug delivery platform based on a unique-controlled release liposome to be administered by injection. Innocan Israel plans, together with Professor Berenholz, to test the liposome platform on several potential conditions. Innocan Israel is also working on a dermal product that integrates CBD with other pharmaceutical ingredients as well as the development and sale of CBD-integrated pharmaceuticals, including, but not limited to, topical treatments for the relief of psoriasis symptoms as well as the treatment of muscle pain and rheumatic pain. The founders and officers of Innocan Israel each have commercially successful track records in the pharmaceutical and technology sectors in Israel and globally.

For further information, please contact:

For Innocan Pharma Corporation:

Iris Bincovich, CEO

+972-54-3012842

info@innocanpharma.com

Lytham Partners, LLC

Ben Shamsian CPA | Vice President

Direct: 646-829-9701; Cell: 516-652-9004

shamsian@lythampartners.com

NEITHER THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER HAVE REVIEWED OR ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

Caution regarding forward-looking information

Certain information set forth in this news release, including, without limitation, information regarding research and development, the entering into of the Agreement, collaborations, the potential for treatment of conditions and other therapeutic effects resulting from research activities and/or the Company's products, requisite regulatory approvals, and the timing for market entry, is forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. By its nature, forward-looking information is subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, some of which are beyond Innocan's control. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by Innocan, including expectations and assumptions concerning the anticipated benefits of the products, satisfaction of regulatory requirements in various jurisdictions and satisfactory completion of requisite production and distribution arrangements.

Forward-looking information is subject to various risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results and experience to differ materially from the anticipated results or expectations expressed in this news release. The key risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to: general global and local (national) economic, market and business conditions; governmental and regulatory requirements and actions by governmental authorities; and relationships with suppliers, manufacturers, customers, business partners and competitors. There are also risks that are inherent in product distribution, including import / export matters and the failure to obtain any required regulatory and other approvals (or to do so in a timely manner) and availability in each market of product inputs and finished products. The anticipated timeline for entry to markets may change for a number of reasons, including the inability to secure necessary regulatory requirements, or the need for additional time to conclude and/or satisfy the manufacturing and distribution arrangements. As a result of the foregoing, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking information contained in this news release concerning the timing of launch of product distribution. A comprehensive discussion of other risks that impact Innocan can also be found in Innocan's public reports and filings which are available under Innocan's profile at www.sedar.com.

Readers are cautioned that undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking information as actual results may vary materially from the forward-looking information. Innocan does not undertake to update, correct or revise any forward-looking information as a result of any new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/93469.
FILE PHOTO: Roger Wicker (R-MS) speaks during a news conference to introduce the Republican infrastructure plan, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., April 22, 2021. REUTERS/Erin Scott

By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Three U.S. senators - Republican Roger Wicker of Mississippi, Democrat John Hickenlooper of Colorado and independent Angus King of Maine - disclosed on Thursday they had tested positive for COVID-19.

All three had been vaccinated against the coronavirus.

Hickenlooper, 69, said on Twitter he had "tested positive for a breakthrough case of COVID-19. I feel good but will isolate per docs instructions. Im grateful for the vaccine."

Wicker, 70, the top Republican on the Democratic-led Senate Commerce Committee, was fully vaccinated against COVID-19, had experienced mild symptoms, is in good health and is being treated by his Mississippi-based physician, his office said.

King, 77, was tested as a precaution after he began feeling unwell on Wednesday, his office said.

"While I am not feeling great, I'm definitely feeling much better than I would have without the vaccine," King said in a statement, adding he "began feeling mildly feverish" on Wednesday.

The Senate last week wrapped up its work in Washington for the month and is set to return for legislative business on Sept. 13.

More than 70 members of the House of Representatives and Senate have been diagnosed with COVID-19, according to GovTrack, a nonpartisan organization.

U.S. Representative Ron Wright, 67, died in February after testing positive for COVID-19 the prior month, making the Texas Republican the first member of Congress to die from the disease.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said this month he tested positive, also despite being vaccinated. Graham completed a 10-day self-quarantine and returned to the Senate.

Other senators who previously tested positive and recovered include Rick Scott of Florida, Mike Lee of Utah, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Will Dunham and Peter Cooney)
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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Tribune News Service)  Two soldiers accused of wearing their Army uniforms to help them smuggle migrants in Texas have pleaded guilty.

Ralph Gregory Saint-Joie, 18, and 21-year-old Emmanuel Oppongagyare pulled up to a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint near Hebbronville in June wearing their military-issued uniforms, officials said.

Oppongagyare, who was driving a four-door sedan, told agents he was going from Zapata, Texas, to San Antonio. Asked why he seemed to be taking an indirect route, Oppongagyare replied he was following his GPS, officials said.

Then a K-9 unit detected either drugs or humans in the trunk and it was opened, revealing a man and woman from Mexico hiding inside, officials said. They told authorities that they crossed the Rio Grande and paid to be driven from a stash house.

Oppongagyare said he was recruited by someone he met through Saint-Joie and was given $100 for gas with the promise of additional payment when he arrived in San Antonio, officials said.

The man who hired Saint-Joie and Oppongagyare told the soldiers to wear their uniforms to avoid questioning, officials said.

At the time of their arrest, both men were stationed at Fort Hood near Killeen. Saint-Joie was an active-duty member of the U.S. Army and Oppongagyare was in the Pennsylvania National Guard, officials said.

Both could go to prison up to 10 years.

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In this July 9, 2013, file photo, traffic flows through the main gate past a welcome sign in Fort Hood, Texas. (Tony Gutierrez/AP)

Justice
Alabama Army National Guardsman Sgt. Kellice Armstrong, 49, died from COVID-19 two weeks after testing positive for the virus, according to family. (Armstrong family)

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (Tribune News Service)  An Alabama Army National Guard soldier died over the weekend while on active-duty status.

Sgt. Kellice Armstrong, 49, of Montgomery, died Saturday, according to Alabama Army National Guard officials.

According to the Army Times, Armstrong died from COVID-19 two weeks after testing positive for the virus. His sister, Angela Armstrong, also confirmed to AL.com he died from COVID and described him as a wonderful man.

Armstrong was a soldier with the Guards 2025th Transportation Company, 711th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 122nd Troop Command. He died while deployed in support of the Southwest Border mission.

Armstrong joined the Alabama Army National Guard in November 2006, serving as a 92A, Army Automated Logistical Specialist and a 75D, Personnel Records Specialist.

His awards and decorations included the Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with M Device, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, and the Overseas Service Ribbon.

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Buy Photo Two members of the Vermont Army National Guard walk down the flight line at Camp Bondsteel in Kosovo. The Vermont battalion deployed to in July for a rotation lasting at least nine months. (Slobodan Lekic/Stars and Stripes)

CAMP BONDSTEEL, Kosovo  The U.S.-led NATO force that has been keeping the peace for more than 20 years is on guard against disinformation campaigns aimed at stoking inter-ethnic tensions in Europes youngest nation, officials said.

Security in Kosovo remains stable overall. But Washington and its NATO allies have no plans to reduce the Kosovo Force  or KFOR  which is still considered essential in maintaining peace between the Albanian majority and Serb minority, whose rivalry erupted in a war in the late 1990s in which at least 10,000 people died.

I have no indication of any U.S. drawdown, said Col. Brey Hopkins, who commands the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Mountain) of the Vermont Army National Guard, which arrived in Kosovo in July for a regular nine-month deployment.

After a bombing campaign in 1999, the international coalition evicted Serb troops from what was then a southern province of a greatly reduced Yugoslavia. Kosovo, about 90% of whose 1.8 million people are ethnic Albanians, unilaterally declared independence from Serbia in 2008. But Belgrade insists that it remains Serbian territory.

Buy Photo Col. Brey Hopkins, right, talks to Capt. Jeffrey Jace Rivard of the Vermont Army National Guard at Camp Bondsteel in Kosovo. The U.S.-led NATO force has helped keep the peace between rival Albanians and Serbs in Europes youngest nation since a brief war in 1999. (Slobodan Lekic/Stars and Stripes) Buy Photo A blast wall with the emblems of units that have rotated through Camp Bondsteel since it was established after a brief NATO bombing campaign in 1999 that ended Serbian rule in the province. The Vermont Army National Guard arrived at the Kosovo base in July for a regular rotation lasting about nine months. Plans call for it to be replaced by a unit from the Virginia National Guard in 2022. (Slobodan Lekic/Stars and Stripes) Buy Photo The road outside the main gate to Camp Bondsteel, the largest U.S. base in Kosovo, was renamed in 2016 after the son of President Joe Biden. Beau Biden, who served at the base in 2001, died of cancer in 2015. (Slobodan Lekic/Stars and Stripes)

Since then, the two sides have engaged in sporadic talks aimed at resolving the decades-old ethnic rift.

They agreed last year at the White House to normalize some economic and energy issues, but there has been no progress on the political dispute. The main sticking point remains Kosovos insistence that Belgrade recognize its independence, which Serbia refuses to even discuss.

While Kosovo has been recognized by the U.S. and most EU nations, Belgrade has relied on support from Russia and China in its bid to maintain its claim to its former province.

The purpose (of KFOR) is to keep a secure and safe environment in order to allow the politicians on both sides the breathing space they need to sit down at the table and discuss how to resolve their differences, said Hopkins, who also heads KFORs Regional Command East headquartered at this austere base.

Buy Photo Camp Bondsteel in central Kosovo is an austere base that houses about 1,000 NATO troops, mostly Americans. (Slobodan Lekic/Stars and Stripes)

After his unit completes its deployment, it will be followed by the Virginia Army National Guard next spring. Each rotation typically lasts between nine to 12 months.

KFOR currently includes about 3,600 peacekeepers from 27 nations. The United States has the largest contingent, with 660 troops, most of them based at this sprawling facility in central Kosovo.

Italy has 542 soldiers and Hungary nearly 400. Some countries, such as Sweden or tiny Montenegro, contribute just a couple of officers each.

The U.S. group, which during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan became known as the Forgotten Battalion, has traditionally been the biggest part of the NATO force, which has shrunk steadily from a high of about 50,000 in 2000.

Despite its relatively small size, it consists of elements from 11 state National Guards, as well as Army Reserve and active-duty troops. While the headquarters and maneuver battalion are from Vermont, the aviation task force is made up of troops from the Connecticut, Maryland, New Hampshire and Puerto Rico National Guards.

Security has improved vastly in the past several years, Hopkins said. Most incidents between Kosovars and Serbs now involve derogatory graffiti, with occasional flare-ups of stone throwing and petty crime.

Still, KFOR keeps a close eye on possible sources of inter-ethnic tensions, including information operations by both sides, Hopkins said.

He did not identify any culprits, but Serbias pro-government media has been running numerous alarmist stories about the situation in Kosovo, claiming that Serbs there are under daily attack by extremist Albanians, and demanding that KFOR allow Serbian police and army units to deploy in order to defend their compatriots. These have been countered by reports in some Albanian-language outlets, which also have stoked tensions.

The primary point is to track those information operations to make sure they dont become a destabilizing factor, Hopkins said.

Several U.S. service members interviewed at Bondsteel said they were glad to be contributing to the peace. Soldiers who had served in the Balkans previously said they were surprised by the amount of economic progress in the region since the early 2000s.

Buy Photo Pvt. Katja Langmaid, 28, from Swanton, Vt., is part of a liaison team monitoring mainly Serb communities living among the majority Kosovo Albanians. Although ethnic tensions still exist, she says both groups seem happy to work with the U.S. forces. (Slobodan Lekic/Stars and Stripes)

Pvt. Katja Langmaid, from the 186th Brigade Support Battalion, said she particularly enjoys her work as a member of the liaison team monitoring an ethnic Serb community located in a majority-Albanian area, where tensions still occasionally rise up.

We go out to meet with the populace, the village elders and policemen to feel the pulse of the place, said the 28-year-old from Swanton, Vt.

The reception has generally been very good, she said.

Langmaid said she enjoys visiting old fortresses that dot the landscape, adding that she plans to spend her leave traveling in Europe.

Just being here, the history in Europe is so much older than what we have in the U.S., she said.

Buy Photo Spc. Timothy Gillis, 30, of Denton, Md., is a maintainer with the 169th Aviation Regiment of the Maryland National Guard. At Camp Bondsteel he maintains the bases UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters. (Slobodan Lekic/Stars and Stripes)

Guardsmen normally get a full month of leave after Kosovo as well as rest and recreation breaks during the deployment without charge to their leave time.

There could be a lot worse deployments than Kosovo, said Spc. Timothy Gillis, of the Maryland Army National Guard's 169th Aviation Regiment, a Denton, Md. resident who serves as a helicopter mechanic. Its my first deployment and I plan to make the best of it.

Camp Bondsteel, set among rolling hills and farmland near the town of Ferizaj in central Kosovo, covers about 955 acres. The perimeter is about 7 miles long at the base, which houses about 1,000 troops from the U.S., Turkey, Poland and Latvia in wooden barracks.

Sgt. 1st Class Will Newell, 46, who served in the Balkans in the 1990s, said hes glad to be at Camp Bondsteel because it gives him a chance to see how much progress has been made since the wars that affected the region more than two decades ago.

It makes my heart happy to see it good now, for lack of a better term, said Newell, of Milton, Vt. When we were here before, everything was very fresh. There were a lot of people displaced, there were a lot of families shattered (and) towns and villages.

To be back in this area and see things moving well forward and people getting along well  its a full circle.
Buy Photo A Coast Guard HC-130J Super Hercules long-range surveillance aircraft arrived at Yokota Air Base on Aug. 12, 2021. (Juan King/Stars and Stripes)

YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan  An HC-130J Super Hercules that stayed a short time on the Yokota flight line seemed like a good fit for this Air Force airlift hub in western Tokyo.

But its red-and-white livery set it apart as property of the U.S. Coast Guard. The aircraft and its crew, normally based at Air Station Kodiak, Alaska, arrived Aug. 12 in Japan as part of Operation North Pacific Guard, according to Air Force Staff Sgt. Jessica Avallone, a spokeswoman for the 374th Airlift Wing at Yokota.

The C-130 and its crew of seven stayed only a few days, said Coast Guard Cmdr. Steven Stowers at Yokota, but another crew is scheduled to take its place next week.

North Pacific Guard, an annual operation, targets illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing on the high seas. The Coast Guard typically commits a surface vessel and a C-130 to the operation. The fisheries enforcement program is one area in which the United States and China, more often at cross-purposes in the Pacific, on paper are expected to work together.

The operation is a joint endeavor of nations of the North Pacific Rim, also including Japan, Russia, South Korea and Canada, that aims to curtail illicit fishing, according to a Coast Guard news release from the 2020 operation.

Each nation is responsible for providing surface and air patrols and sharing intelligence that guide those patrols to make at-sea inspections that target illicit fishing activity.

The China Coast Guard sent two of its vessels from Shanghai on July 31 to cruise the North Pacific as part of the enforcement program, the state-run Global Times reported at the time.

The Chinese ships will be on patrol for 31 days, according to the Global Times.

The U.S. Coast Guard did not respond to a query Monday by Stars and Stripes seeking further information on this years North Pacific Guard.

In 2020, the Coast Guard cutter Munro, which arrived Sunday in the Western Pacific for a months-long deployment with the Navys 7th Fleet, patrolled the Bering Sea for two months as part of North Pacific Guard, according to the Coast Guard. The Munro in July 2020 worked alongside the Russian Border Guard vessel Kamchatka, according to a post on the Munros Facebook page.

North Pacific Guard originally targeted illegal driftnet fishing but expanded to counter all forms of illicit fishing in the North Pacific Ocean, according to the Coast Guard. The operation covers 3 million square miles of open ocean.

Last year, the Coast Guard said the Munro boarded 11 fishing vessels for inspections at sea and found 14 potential violations of fisheries conservation and management measures. Three of those vessels were Chinese-flagged squid fishing boats, on which serious potential violations were detected.

The remainder of that unspecified number of Chinese fishing boats afterwards left the area, according to the Coast Guard.

Juan King
An MV-22 Osprey lands on the flight deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan on Oct. 29, 2013. (Michael Lieberknecht/U.S. Navy)

CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa  The Marine Corps on Wednesday told Japanese authorities on Okinawa that two pieces that fell from an MV-22B Osprey last week were much larger than the Marines first described them.

A spokesman for the Okinawa Defense Bureau, an arm of the Japan Ministry of Defense, on Thursday said that information raised more questions.

There was no explanation on how the mistake was made, the bureau spokesman said. We are currently waiting for additional information from the U.S. side.

The Osprey crew reported a panel and a piece of fairing missing when the tilt-rotor aircraft returned around 9:30 p.m. Aug. 12 to Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Ginowan. The crew had flown back, mostly over water, from the Central Training Area, according to 1st Marine Wing spokesman Maj. Ken Kunze on Monday.

The Marines told the defense bureau the panel measured 14 by 18 inches and the fairing measured 9 by 3, Kunze said at the time.

Wednesday, the Marine Corps corrected that information and told the bureau the panel was actually about 3  by 2  feet and nearly an inch thick, a bureau spokesman told Stars and Stripes by phone Thursday. The panel is normally situated above the cockpit, he said.

He said the fairing, from the right engine cover, measures 17 by 17 inches.

The crew did not see the parts fall from the aircraft and no injuries or damage have been reported, Kunze wrote in an email to Stars and Stripes on Monday.

Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki said he was infuriated by the incident and called for an immediate cessation of flight operations at the U.S. base. The Marines declined to do so.

Prefectural officials said they were equally confused by the error.

The panel suddenly became bigger, a prefectural spokesman told Stars and Stripes by phone on Thursday. Until we receive confirming information, I dont think there is much to say.

Government spokespeople in Japan typically speak to the media on condition of anonymity as a condition of their employment.

On Thursday, Kunze attributed the error to darkness and strict reporting requirements.

They got back in the middle of the night, and they have to report those within a few hours, he said by phone to Stars and Stripes. With it being on the top, and the wing, and it was dark, that was their best estimate at the time.

The Marines sent the correct measurements to Japanese and prefectural officials as soon as they had them, he said.

The pieces have still not been found, Kunze said. He said they were likely lost over water and may wash up on shore.

The Marine Corps is investigating the cause of the incident.

Matthew M. Burke Mari Higa
The guided-missile destroyer USS Higgins, shown here in the Western Pacific in 2013, arrived at Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, with the destroyer USS Howard on Aug. 16, 2021. (Carla Ocampo/U.S. Navy)

YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan  Two replacement destroyers took up their new stations at the home of the U.S. 7th Fleet this week, and another destroyer with a 25-year history in the Indo-Pacific region departed.

The USS Higgins and the USS Howard, two Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers, arrived at Yokosuka Naval Base on Monday, according to a U.S. Navy news release that day.

Wednesday, the guided-missile destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur steamed for San Diego, where its scheduled for maintenance with the 3rd Fleet, according to the U.S. Pacific Fleet.

The Curtis Wilbur was the first U.S. destroyer deployed to Japan with the Aegis Combat System, a naval weapons system for air and fleet defense against enemy aircraft and cruise missiles, according to a Pacific Fleet news release.

The destroyer arrived in 1996 and during its stay in the Western Pacific took part in Operation Tomodachi, the recovery effort that followed the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in eastern Japan, humanitarian relief in East Timor, sanctions enforcement against North Korea and many other missions.

For the last 25 years, the Steel Hammer of the Fleet boldly sailed the Indo-Pacific as part of the long grey line of warships of Destroyer Squadron 15 that maintained the freedom of the seas and protection of our national interests, the Pacific Fleet quoted Capt. Chase Sargeant, commander of Task Force 71, as saying.

The Higgins and the Howard are now part of the 7th Fleets Destroyer Squadron 15, a component of Task Force 71, which frequently deploys with the USS Ronald Reagan carrier strike group.

These two ships will be an integral part of the 7th Fleet team for years to come, Sargeant said in the release.

The two destroyers are replacing sister ships the USS McCampbell and the USS Stethem, both of which departed the region over the past three years for modernization, 7th Fleet spokesman Lt. Mark Langford told Stars and Stripes in an email Tuesday.

The Stethem left in 2019 for San Diego and the McCampbell left in July 2020 for Portland, Ore.

Both the Higgins and the Howard have seen prior service with the 7th Fleet.

The Higgins commissioned in 1999 in May 2018 conducted a freedom-of-navigation patrol with the guided-missile cruiser USS Antietam through the South China Sea near the Paracel Islands.

Most recently, the Higgins was part of the USS Carl Vinson carrier strike group.

The Howard, commissioned in 2001, has routinely operated in the Eastern Pacific and Western Pacific regions. It completed a seven-month deployment with the 7th Fleet in 2014, and was also part of the USS Nimitz and Carl Vinson carrier strike groups, according to the U.S. Navy.
An EA-18G Growler taxis toward the runway at Ault Field as a P3C Orion performs a low approach at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island on March 29, 2019. (Paul Seeber/U.S. Navy)

MOUNT VERNON, Wash. (Tribune News Service)  More than two years after lawsuits were filed over Naval Air Station Whidbey Islands growing EA-18G Growler fleet and increasing practice flights, the issue of whether the Navy adequately assessed the environmental and public health impacts of such growth remains tied up in court.

The two lawsuits filed July 9, 2019 by the state of Washington and the nonprofit Citizens for the Ebeys Reserve, were combined in October of that year. Thousands of pages in briefings, declarations and motions have been filed since.

Representatives of Citizens of Ebeys Reserve (COER) and the broader coalition Sound Defense Alliance said during an online event Tuesday that while the case appears far from over, those behind it have hope  and remain committed to their fight.

Never in the decades our community has fought have we gotten this far ... We should be very encouraged, COER co-founder Paula Spina said.

While the lawsuit is pending, members of Sound Defense Alliance are considering other steps, including potential lawsuits over wildlife based on new science, and urging the Navy to study relocation of the Growlers to a less populated area.

Thats our No. 1 priority this year, Sound Defense Alliance Legislative Chair Maryon Atwood said. The presence of the Growlers impacts every aspect of life in Northwest Washington.

Spina said COER supports relocating the Growlers and related jet flight activity somewhere that it doesnt harm people or the environment.

COER was a founding member of the Sound Defense Alliance, which includes many nonprofit organizations and individuals opposed to Growler jet practice flights interrupting everything from school to dinner to sleep.

The impact is felt quite widely, Sound Defense Alliance Board President Anne Harvey said.

Navy Public Affairs Officer Mike Welding said the Navy has no intention of moving the Growlers, which make up the Department of Defenses Electronic Attack Wing, from NAS Whidbey Island.

The Growlers have the ability to land on aircraft carriers, and require their pilots to regularly practice such takeoffs and landings.

Harvey said the problem is that those practice flights bring with them deafening noise. The noise has brought complaints from the Skagit Valley to Forks.

At least 50 community members, most from the Coupeville area on Whidbey Island, took part in the online event Tuesday. Rick Oltman said that as the event began, a jet had just passed overhead.

Make Matsuno said jet noise has brought major challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has forced many interactions to take place online. Erica Sugatan said the noise forces her indoors, and even then she has to cover her ears.

I cant go outside and enjoy the weather, she wrote in the event chat.

Spina said the Navys decision to expand its Growler fleet  announced with the publication of an environmental impact statement, or EIS, in 2019, that said it would bring 36 more of the aircraft to NAS Whidbey Island by 2022  is regularly making life hell here in central Whidbey.

When the expansion is complete, the number of Growlers at the base will total 118, and aircraft activity will have increased from 90 to 360 hours a year.

That activity includes flights over surrounding communities and public lands including COERs namesake Ebeys Landing  a site that includes a state park and a national historical reserve. It also includes flights over Deception Pass State Park, and Spina said many noise complaints come from nearby Camano Island and La Conner.

The entire Salish Sea region has had it with jet noise, she said.

Harvey said the real-time noise monitoring the Navy is conducting under the National Defense Authorization Act of 2020 is a win for the Sound Defense Alliance, although the group is doing its own monitoring to cross-check the Navys data.

The Navy began its monitoring in late 2020 and recently completed its fourth and final weeklong survey. The monitoring is taking place at 12 sites from Whidbey Island to the Olympic Peninsula.

The monitoring was done Dec. 13-19, March 28-April 3, June 6-12 and Aug. 8-14, according to the Navy. It was conducted during a variety of high, moderate and low-level flight activities.

The Navy is expected to submit a report on the monitoring results to Congress by the end of the year.

Meanwhile, the Sound Defense Alliance is eager to find out if the new White House administration and new Navy leadership is more sympathetic to its concerns.

We have all kinds of new opportunities that are really exciting to us, Harvey said.

The groups representatives said their goal is to see balance restored between military priorities and community needs.

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(c)2021 the Skagit Valley Herald (Mount Vernon, Wash.)

Visit the Skagit Valley Herald (Mount Vernon, Wash.) at www.goskagit.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Buy Photo Masks are now mandatory indoors at the Naval Support Activity Naples Capodichino and Gricignano di Aversa sites, regardless of vaccination status, the base said in a post to its Facebook page Thursday. (Erik Slavin/Stars and Stripes)

NAPLES, Italy  The high number of delta variant cases of COVID-19 in Italy's southern Campania region has triggered a mandatory indoor mask order at Naval Support Activity Naples, base officials said Thursday.

Indoor masks at the NSA Naples Capodichino and Gricignano di Aversa sites are now mandatory regardless of vaccination status, the base said in a post to its Facebook page. Mask wearing outdoors is required if social distancing of 6 feet or more cannot be maintained.

Italy reported 69 COVID-19 deaths Wednesday, an increase over 54 the day before, according to the Italian Health Ministry. New infections grew to 7,162 from 5,273. In Campania, 336 people with COVID-19 were in the hospital Wednesday and another 20 were in intensive care. There were 558 new cases.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says community transmission levels are substantial when new cases average 50 to 99.99 per 100,000 people over seven days.

Exceptions to the NSA Naples mandatory indoor mask order include people in their own home, those working alone in an office with a closed door, or those eating or drinking with proper social distancing.

Children under 2 years old, people with a documented medical necessity and those actively working out in a gym also were excluded from wearing a mask indoors, the base said.
Joel Courtney as Lee and Meganne Young as Rachel in "The Kissing Booth 3." (Netflix/TNS)

In the trilogy-capping Netflix rom-com "The Kissing Booth 3," heroine Elle Evans (Joey King) has a lesson to learn: prioritize yourself in the journey to love.

But one character grasped that message early and quietly: Rachel, played by Meganne Young.

The 31-year-old South African actress reprises the role of Rachel, a thoughtful, creative student at Los Angeles Country Day High School and love interest to Elle's best friend Lee Flynn (Joel Courtney) in the threequel, which started streaming last week.

While Elle remains the focus of "The Kissing Booth 3"  embarking on a summer mission to finish a childhood bucket list with Lee, while deciding whether or not to join boyfriend Noah (Jacob Elordi) at Harvard in the fall  Rachel's maturity, intuitiveness and decisive pursuit of self slowly take center stage.

While Rachel is an aspiring interior designer  and the visual arts are not Young's strong suit  she sees parallels between herself and her character, notably the strength of her reserved nature.

"I went to film school ... and people would always think I was in makeup or wardrobe because I was really quiet," Young said recently by phone. "I was like, 'Oh, am I supposed to be loud? Is that confidence? Is that what you need to be an actor?' It rattled me for the first few years, but as I've gotten older and the more that I've worked on sets, I've become quite empowered in my quietness. I love that for Rachel, and I think that's something that's really similar between us."

As a child, Young sought to be the center of attention. Her love for performing spurred her to seek out the stage, but moving from country to country shaped her understanding of the human condition. Born in Johannesburg but a "Cape Town girl" at heart, Young is a self-described "expat baby" who has lived in Nigeria, Switzerland and more, thanks to her father's work.

"That experience made me quite adaptable and interested in other people's perspectives and stories. I wanted to explore all these different avenues, all these different roads, and the best way I could come up with to do that was acting. If I had not been an actor, I probably would have studied psychology because I'm always interested in why people make the choices they make. I think that is so key to acting," said Young.

Young said that she believes perspective does change when navigating different countries, cultures and practices. Those lived experiences made her attentive to societal gaps, the importance of nuance and perception beyond the black-white binary.

"Sometimes I worry that we want to boil everything down and make it simple, instead of finding that complexity, trying to understand it, embrace it and work within it. When you simplify things, that's when you start pushing out other groups, especially minorities," Young said. "I love complexity. I live for that. That is why I work in this industry ... but I also understand for a lot of people, it's intimidating. I don't think we can shy away from it if we really want to fix things."

Her first-ever performance in front of an audience was as a student at the Grange School in Lagos, Nigeria, where she played a sugar plum fairy in a Christmas performance. Fast forward to 2018 and Young received an email from her agent: More "Kissing Booth" films were to come (the first was an unexpected Netflix hit), but the future of her character was still unknown.

When she went home to Cape Town for Christmas, she was met with a holiday surprise.

"I sat down with [director Vince Marcello and producer Michele Weisler] and they told me face to face what was going to happen with Rachel through both movies. I just was so excited," Young said. "Something I was really taken with when I first read the script was seeing how she's quite an even-keeled character. She doesn't want to overstep, but she also wants to assert herself and be true to herself and her feelings."

After Rachel and Lee locked lips in the first "Kissing Booth," Young saw her character's importance grow. In "The Kissing Booth 3," Rhode Island School of Design-bound Rachel reevaluates her future with Lee after Elle and Noah's relationship hits the rocks.

"I hate saying that love is not enough," said Young, referencing a line from the movie. "Because I am such a romantic. But ... as you get older and you start investigating more serious relationships, you have to take in other factors. At the end of the day, you have to take care of yourself. If you aren't happy and there's too much strain on your relationship, for whatever reason, you need to make sure that you feel safe enough to navigate it then make decisions based on that."

As Young navigates her career, she says a dream of hers is to play a character that seems brash, tough and "ugly" at first glance and "bring compassion into that." Her hope is to challenge herself, tell "engaging and relatable" stories, and compel audiences to see different perspectives.

"I would love to do an action movie, to be seen so differently to what I appear as. That's kind of the goal. It's so easy to feel like you can look at me on paper, you can make an assumption based on all these things that you know about me. Sometimes I feel that I've been limited in people's eyes. ... I think such an important part of being human is that growth, that evolution. I think you should change your mind," Young said.

In "The Kissing Booth 3," both Elle and Rachel are presented with choices. The question is who they're making decisions for: themselves or to please the people around them. Young hopes that audiences take a note from Rachel and understand it's not a mistake to look after yourself.

"[Rachel] really looks at what's happening around her and she checks in with herself and she makes choices," Young said. "They're not easy choices, but she makes choices that she feels are best and will protect her. Finding that trust in yourself  I hope people take that away [from the film], and knowing that what is meant for you will come back to you. If that doesn't come back, that means that there's something else meant for you."
BAMAKO, Mali  Gunmen ambushed a Malian army convoy in central Mali on Thursday, killing at least 15 soldiers, the army said, just days after another attack in the country's north left several dozen civilians dead.

The soldiers had been heading from the town of Douentza to Boni when it came under attack by a vehicle that exploded as it passed, the Malian military announced. Intense gunfire soon followed, the statement said.

The attack has not been claimed, but bears the mark of armed groups linked to al- Qaeda that have been active in the region for years. Islamic extremists grabbed control of major towns across northern Mali in 2012.

A French-led military operation the following year dispersed the militants, but they have mounted frequent attacks against Malian soldiers and U.N. peacekeepers in the years since. Islamic extremists have also made inroads into central Mali, destabilizing the region.

France, the former colonial power, has announced it will withdraw more than 2,000 troops from its anti-extremism force in Africa's Sahel region by early next year.

Islamic militants, though, have continued to launch devastating attacks, and hundreds of civilians have died this year in a series of massacres targeting villages along Mali's border with Niger.
Palm trees are buffeted by the winds of Hurricane Grace in Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo state, Mexico, Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021. (Marco Ugarte/AP)

TULUM, Mexico  Hurricane Grace struck Mexico's Caribbean coast just south of the ancient Mayan temples of Tulum on Thursday, tearing the roofs off some homes, knocking out power to thousands and keeping tourists off white sand beaches as it crosses the Yucatan Peninsula.

The Category 1 storm had already soaked earthquake-damaged Haiti, Jamaica and the Cayman Islands en route to a direct hit on the Riviera Maya, the heart of Mexico's tourism industry. Grace's center struck just south of Tulum at 4:45 a.m. CDT with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.

As it moved over land, Grace weakened to a tropical storm Thursday afternoon with 50 mph (85 kph) sustained winds. But it was already on the verge of leaving the peninsula and heading into the Gulf of Mexico, where it was expected to regain force. It was centered about 50 miles north-northeast of Campeche and was moving west at 15 mph (24 kph).

Forecasters said the storm was likely to again be at hurricane strength when it hits the Mexican mainland's central Gulf coast Friday night or early Saturday.

In Tulum, some families passed harrowing hours sheltering from cracking trees and flying debris.

Vehicles lay under a metallic structure brought down by the winds of Hurricane Grace in Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo state, Mexico, Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021. (Marco Ugarte/AP)

Around 2 a.m. Thursday, as Grace's eye churned just offshore, Carlos Gonzalez grabbed his 1 1/2-year-old son and ran from his home with his wife to a public school converted into a shelter for dozens of families. The light from his cell phone helped them find their way through the dark streets.

"The only thing I have left is what I'm wearing," the 35-year-old construction worker said. "I knew my house wasn't going to stand it because it's made of cardboard. When the wind came I was really scared and decided to leave."

Miguel Angel Garcia decided to stay. On Thursday, he used a machete to hack at a tree trunk that had fallen onto his home's roof.

"The wind came and they told us we should get to the school, but we didn't have time because the trees started coming," said the 33-year-old waiter. "We decided to stay and not go out into the street and leave it up to God."

Many streets were blocked by fallen limbs and trees that pulled down power lines, leaving thousands in the dark.

Most businesses remained closed, but the few that opened saw long lines of residents waiting to buy tortillas and other food.

Quintana Roo Gov. Carlos Joaquin said the storm had knocked out power to some 84,000 customers in Cancun and 65,000 in Playa del Carmen, Cozumel, Puerto Aventura and Tulum. But he said there were no reported deaths.

Cancun's international airport reopened Thursday afternoon.

One lane of the highway between Playa del Carmen and Tulum was blocked by a fallen road sign. A gas station was destroyed when a large pavilion blew down, smashing two cars.

The state had opened shelters and evacuated some hotels and residents ahead of the storm's arrival. Grace missed the popular cruise ship destination Cozumel and came ashore south of Playa del Carmen, where the downtown, usually thumping with music and clubgoers, was eerily desolate Wednesday night. Authorities had ordered all businesses closed and people inside by 8 p.m.

State authorities said that as of last week, the region was hosting about 130,000 tourists and hotels were more than half full despite the pandemic.

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AP journalist Dan Christian Rojas in Cancun contributed to this report.
Buy Photo A woman in central Tokyo wears a mask against the coronavirus and carries an umbrella against the rain on Aug. 13, 2021. (Akifumi Ishikawa/Stars and Stripes)

TOKYO  Japans capital city logged a second consecutive day of more than 5,000 people newly infected with the coronavirus.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government reported 5,534 new coronavirus cases Thursday, according to public broadcaster NHK. The city has reported more than 5,000 new cases five times since Aug. 5. The pandemic peak in Tokyo, so far, was 5,773 on Aug. 13, according to metro data.

About 3,800 people are hospitalized in the city, with 274 of them in serious condition, according to the city and NHK.

Japan reached a new high Wednesday with 23,987 new cases, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. Another 30 people died, according to Johns Hopkins.

More than 39% of Japans population, or 49.4 million people, are fully vaccinated, the center reported.

U.S. military bases in Japan on Thursday reported 14 people had contracted the virus.

The Marine Corps said 11 people associated with its force on Okinawa tested positive, according to a Facebook post by Marine Corps Installations Pacific.

Okinawa prefecture reported another record-breaking day Thursday with 768 new cases, seven more than the previous record set Wednesday, according to the prefectural Department of Public Health and Medical Care. Also, one person died, the prefecture reported.

Naval Air Facility Atsugi, 26 miles southwest of Tokyo, said three people turned up positive in tests Thursday, according to a news release from the base.

Two were identified as close contacts and the third is a recent arrival to Japan. The air facility has 10 people under observation.

Stars and Stripes reporter Mari Higa in Okinawa contributed to this report.
Navy Capt. Steve Stasick, left, officer In charge of construction at Marine Corps Marianas, briefs Maj. Gen. Edward Banta, commander of Marine Corps Installations Command, at Camp Blaz, Guam, on June 28, 2021. (Andrew King/U.S. Marine Corps)

The Navy let two more construction contracts this week totaling $134.5 million for facilities on Camp Blaz, the new Marine Corps base on Guam expected to absorb troops relocated from Okinawa.

Cadell-Nan Joint Venture, of Montgomery, Ala., was awarded a $36.5 million contract Tuesday to build the warehouse at Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz, according to a news release that day from Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command.

In a separate release on the same day, the command announced that Black Construction-Tutor Perini Joint Venture, based at Harmon, Guam, won a $98 million contract to build the bachelor officer quarters.

The Navy has awarded $936.5 million in contracts to build portions of Camp Blaz since the Marine Corps commissioned the base in October 2020. Its the first new Marine installation since the activation in 1952 of Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany in Georgia.

Camp Blaz is expected to accommodate 5,000 members of the III Marine Expeditionary Force who are set to move in over the next five years from Okinawa.

Japan is paying $3 billion to build portions of Camp Blaz, including the officer quarters and the warehouse, under the Defense Policy Review Initiative, an agreement to relocate some Marine Corp aviation assets from Okinawa. The United States is spending another $5.7 billion.

Will Boudra, Guam program management office director for Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Pacific Guam, said in the release that with the officer quarters contract, all 18 construction projects in the agreement for fiscal year 2021 have been awarded.

Plans for the bachelor officer quarters call for a housing tower and one-story common area wing. The building is scheduled for completion May 2024.

The warehouse is expected to be completed by 2023.

This project provides general support warehouse required for storage and administrative space to support the distribution management office, base supply, food services, and general services administrative daily operations, said Grant Nakata, said Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Pacific design manager, in the release.

Cadell-Nan, the warehouse builder, already has two contracts worth approximately $304 million to build three of eight planned bachelor enlisted quarters at the base, according to the companys website.

The contract announcements this week cap a series of awards since October.

Chugach Consolidated Solutions LLC, of Anchorage, Alaska, won an $8 million contract Aug. 13 to build a combat training facility, according to a Navy news release.

Core Tech-HDCC-Kajima LLC, of Tamunig, Guam, won two contracts Aug. 5 worth $579.5 million to build the remaining five multistory barracks and a fire station. The company in May received a $45 million contract to build the Blaz medical and dental clinic.

Only 1,300 Marines will be permanently stationed at Camp Blaz, with another 3,700 coming as a rotational force.
Mohammad Khalid Wardak is seen in Afghanistan on Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021, after the U.S. military and its allies rescued him and his family. (AP)

Time was running out for Mohammad Khalid Wardak, a high-profile Afghan national police officer who spent years working alongside the American military. Hunted by the Taliban, he was hiding with his family in Kabul, constantly moving from place to place as they tried  and failed  several times to reach a rendezvous point where they could be rescued.

Time was running out for Mohammad Khalid Wardak, a high-profile Afghan national police officer who spent years working alongside the American military.

Hunted by the Taliban, he was hiding with his family in Kabul, constantly moving from place to place as they tried  and failed  several times to reach a rendezvous point where they could be rescued.

After at least four attempts in as many days, the family finally was whisked away by helicopter Wednesday in a dramatic rescue  called Operation Promise Kept  carried out under cover of darkness by the U.S. military and its allies, said Robert McCreary, a former congressional chief of staff and White House official under President George W. Bush, who has worked with special forces in Afghanistan.

The rescue of Khalid, as hes called by friends, came after frantic efforts by his supporters in the U.S. military, who said he was a brother in arms who helped save countless lives and faced certain death if found by the Taliban. They sought help from members of Congress and the Defense and State departments.

I dont think people understand the chaos that is reigning right now in the capital, the brutality and the efficient lethality the Taliban are using ... to ensure their rise to power as they eliminate their greatest threat, which are these military and special police, said U.S. Army Special Forces Sgt. Major Chris Green, who worked with Khalid in Afghanistan.

Khalid and his family were unable to get inside the airport where the Taliban controlled the entrances. He was widely known because of his position as police chief in southern Afghanistans Helmand province and from television appearances, including one in which he challenged the Taliban to a fight, supporters said.

Green said he was incredibly happy ... elated, when he learned that Khalid and his family were safe, noting that some of his American rescuers had worked alongside Khalid, which he called serendipitous.

McCreary said multiple allies, including the British, helped, and that Khalid, his wife and their four sons, ages 3 to 12, were safe in an undisclosed location under the protection of the United States.

Officials said other Afghan partners, including police and military, also deserved to be saved and that more rescue efforts were in progress, but they could not discuss details.

Khalids friends said he had no intention of leaving Afghanistan, and planned to stand with his countrymen to defend his homeland after U.S. forces were gone. But the government collapsed with stunning speed, and the president fled the country.

He fought until he had nothing left to fight with, Green said. He was wounded. He was surrounded. His forces were not being resupplied. And echelons above him in the government had already begun to make their exit plan ... and striking deals. So people like him who were fighting were left stranded, and they were left without support.

McCreary said Khalid originally sought protection only for his family while he kept fighting. Khalid and other fighters were completely surrounded by the Taliban last week and their location overrun, McCreary said.

When the Afghan government fell, thats when we quickly changed gears to also work on getting him to safety.

At one point, rescuers lost contact with Khalid for several days, and we all assumed that that he was killed, McCreary said. Just last week, we thought it was over, and then we were just going to ... keep working harder to protect his family.

Khalids supporters said it would have been unthinkable to leave him behind after his years of partnership with Americans.

Khalid came to the rescue in March 2013, when a special forces detachment in eastern Afghanistans Wardak province suffered an insider attack. Someone dressed in an Afghan National Security Forces uniform opened fire, killing two Americans.

When the outpost was almost simultaneously attacked from the outside, a U.S. commander called on Khalid, who within minutes raced into the valley with a quick-reaction force to defend his American partners.

In 2015, when Khalid lost part of his right leg in a rocket-propelled grenade attack, friends in the U.S. military helped get him medical care and a prosthetic leg outside the country. A month later, he was again leading special police operations in Afghanistan alongside the U.S., Green said.

Along the way, he helped apprehend al-Qaeda and Taliban leaders. He went on to serve as police chief in Ghazni province and then Helmand province, where he was wounded again last month in a mortar attack and continued to direct the resistance from his hospital bed.

Khalids family has applied for refugee status in the U.S. based on fear of persecution, but its unclear how long that process might take or if they will be approved. Translators, interpreters and others who worked for the U.S. in Afghanistan are eligible to apply for special immigrant visas, but current Afghan military members or police officers are not, supporters said.

His supporters said it was most important to get them out of harms way and then figure the rest out later. People who are top Taliban targets because of their work with U.S. forces deserve special consideration, McCreary said.

No one wants to live with the guilt of turning our backs or not ... honoring our promises, McCreary said. That commitment and the collaboration it took to rescue Khalid makes you proud to be an American.
World figures who have found refuge in the United Arab Emirates include from top left: Former Palestinian Fatah leader Mohammed Dahlan; Spains King Juan Carlos; Thailand's former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra; and from bottom left, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani; and Pakistan's former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. (AP)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates  Afghanistan's president, driven out by the Taliban, is the latest leader on the run to turn up in the United Arab Emirates. Others who found refuge here include Spain's disgraced former king and two Thai prime ministers.

In nearby Qatar, meanwhile, the Taliban's political leaders have been given refuge for years.

Qatar and the UAE have much in common, despite their sharp political differences. The two Gulf Arab states have close security partnerships with the United States and both have taken in political fugitives and exiled leaders on the run.

The skylines of Doha, Abu Dhabi and Dubai offer an array of stunning high-rise towers and opulent five-star hotels. Man-made coastlines provide reclusive, palatial waterfront properties  plenty of options for political exiles looking for privacy and a place to park their money.

But most importantly, these cities built by vast underground reserves of oil and gas provide near-guaranteed security to controversial, once powerful figures. Iris-scanning technology at the airport, untold numbers of security cameras, and widespread surveillance helps ensure protection  as does an autocratic grip on power.

It's perhaps why Afghan President Ashraf Ghani surfaced in Abu Dhabi after the Taliban swept into Kabul on Sunday and why the Taliban's political leaders have for years resided in Qatar.

The UAE announced late Wednesday it had accepted hosting Ghani and his family, citing humanitarian grounds  even as members of his own government slammed the Afghan president for his escape from Kabul.

Over the past year, Qatar has hosted talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government, and before that, between the Taliban and the United States as Washington hashed out the terms of its withdrawal from Afghanistan and an end to its 20-year war. Top Taliban political leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar returned to Afghanistan this week from his residence in Qatar.

The role the UAE and Qatar have played as hosts to wanted politicians and top figures gives them potential leverage  political chips that can be played or held for a later date.

"Qatar has positioned itself as the go-to mediator with the Taliban. It was a risky bet, especially considering the optics with the wider public, but it paid off," said Cinzia Bianco, Gulf research fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations.

"Now, Qatar is well-positioned to be the first contact point for regional and international players who want to explore the possibility of engaging with the Taliban ... without compromising themselves," she added.

The Taliban's capture of Kabul was so swift that by nightfall the same day, gun-toting Taliban commanders were seated at Ghani's desk in the presidential palace. Meanwhile, thousands of Afghan citizens and foreigners are still scrambling to flee the country.

Just this week, a senior U.S. military commander met face-to-face with the Taliban in Doha to negotiate the safe passage of thousands of people wanting to leave Afghanistan, underscoring the crucial role Qatar is playing amid the muddled U.S. exit.

The UAE and Qatar are also staging grounds for key U.S. military operations. Qatar's al-Udeid Air Base hosts some 10,000 American troops. Americans also fly out of the al-Dhafra Air Base near Abu Dhabi.

"Each country is positioning itself in the best way possible to pursue its interests in this crisis," said senior Mideast adviser at Crisis Group, Dina Esfandiary.

She says that while Qatar's bet as "regional mediator" seems to have paid off, it remains to be seen how it will work out in the long term. For its part, the UAE aims to show its ally the United States that it too is a reliable partner, she said.

From his new base in the UAE, Ghani released a video statement Wednesday, for the first time since escaping Kabul. He made a point of mentioning he was forced to leave Afghanistan "with one set of traditional clothes, a vest and the sandals" he was wearing.

To live in the UAE, however, he'll need a lot more than that. The country's cost of living is as sky-high as its towers, even if some support is offered.

Afghanistan's ambassador to Tajikistan accused Ghani on Wednesday of stealing $169 million from state coffers and said he'd call for his arrest via Interpol. Russia's embassy in Kabul alleged that Ghani fled Kabul with four cars and a helicopter full of cash. He had so much money he couldn't fit it all, and left cash lying on the tarmac, Russia's state news agency RIA Novosti quoted the embassy spokesperson as saying.

The AP could not independently verify the claims. The Western-backed Afghan government he presided over has long been rife with corruption.

Ghani joins a roster of high-profile exiles who've sought shelter in the UAE in past years. Some have resided in Abu Dhabi, others in the UAE's commercial and tourism hub of Dubai.

Siblings and former Thai prime ministers, Thaksin Shinawatra and Yingluck Shinawatra  the former ousted in a military coup amid charges of corruption, the other fleeing a criminal conviction  are among them.

For years before her return to Pakistan where she was assassinated in 2007, so did ex-Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. Another ex-Pakistani prime minister, Pervez Musharraf, maintains his base as Dubai. He was sentenced at home to death for treason, a sentence that a high Pakistani court later annulled.

Others include former Spanish King Juan Carlos, who is facing financial probe; Palestinian figure Mohammed Dahlan, who was banished by his party and sentenced to prison, and Ahmed Ali Abdullah Saleh, the eldest son of Yemen's longtime leader who was also assassinated.
An Afghan child sleeps on the cargo floor of a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III, kept warm by the uniform of the C-17 loadmaster, during an evacuation flight from Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 15, 2021. (U.S. Air Force)

Military personnel are working around the clock at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar to facilitate the U.S. airlift from Afghanistan this week, while others launched clothing drives and volunteer efforts, base residents said.

People dragged cots and mattresses into their offices in an operations center, said one resident Wednesday, who asked not to be named because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

Cargo plane and refueler activity in the air suggested crews were about on target for the Pentagons one-flight-per-hour pace for the evacuation, said the resident, who wanted to highlight the flex and give the operation required, referring to added workloads and hardships.

Its going to put strains everywhere, he said of the effect the mission would have on personnel, facilities and equipment.

Marines assigned to the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit await a flight at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, Aug. 17, 2021. Personnel at the base are working to airlift and house people arriving from Afghanistan. (Mark Andries/U.S. Marine Corps)

The rapid Taliban advance last week caught the Biden administration flat-footed, leaving tens of thousands of Americans, allies and desperate Afghans stuck in the country awaiting the possibility of evacuation  if they can get into the airport, which is surrounded by armed Taliban militants.

The U.S. could have the capacity to evacuate 5,000 to 9,000 people each day at full throttle, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters Thursday.

But a day earlier at Al Udeid, people were already scrambling to prepare the base as the flights started arriving, the resident said.

Officials appeared not to have planned for security escorts from the flight line. Some airmen were surprised at the end of a normal shift to be suddenly assigned the extra duty earlier this week, the resident said.

A Marine checks two civilians during processing through a checkpoint during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport, Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 18, 2021. (Victor Mancilla/U.S. Marine Corps)

The influx has also put pressure on some base services, with dumpsters filling up so fast that an email went out telling all personnel to begin crushing their trash. The bases water supply, which is already limited in summer, may also be strained.

Still, some service members were looking to do whatever they could to help, a discussion on a Facebook group for base residents showed.

The most important thing I do in my time here is not even going to be during work hours, one group member said on a personal page earlier this week.

People were volunteering at one of the hangars after work, that user said in response to a question about how to pitch in. A call went out for volunteers to assist with force protection, another user said.

I volunteered today, another commenter said. They kind of need help everywhere.

A boy is processed through a checkpoint during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport, Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 18, 2021. (Victor Mancilla/U.S. Marine Corps)

People were organizing a clothing and shoe drive. Hygiene supplies were also needed, one commenter said, though evacuees were being given shampoo, towels and bar soap.

U.S. Air Forces Central referred inquiries on the evacuations to the Pentagon, which did not respond to questions about Qatar or other sites.

An Afghan at the base was forced to leave behind almost all of his belongings, he told Stars and Stripes by phone, and the one bag he did bring with his wallet and other important documents was stolen as he pushed through the crowd outside the airport. He and four family members arrived in Qatar with little more than the clothes on their backs.

I dont have anything, said the Afghan, a U.S. green card holder who declined to be named for fear the Taliban may target his family members left behind.

After arrival in Qatar, he and his wife and children were taken to a hangar where they stayed overnight. There were some free clothes and sandals, but he struggled to find something that fit him and was too exhausted after several sleepless days to keep looking, he said.

Civilians prepare to board a plane during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport, Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 18, 2021. U.S. Marines are assisting with the evacuation of people from Afghanistan following the Taliban's takeover. (Victor Mancilla/U.S. Marine Corps)

He and others underwent COVID-19 tests and were then moved to an area with its own dining facility and laundry, he said.

Thats likely a quarantine area, dubbed Q town, which the base resident described as a fenced compound with about 15 buildings and beds for about 1,000 people. It was full, he said. Beds were also set up in the gyms and two base theaters, while those and other morale facilities were closed, giving residents few options for taking a break to unwind.

In one good sign, the dining facilitys warehouse seemed to have stocked up, he said, and so far the cafeterias on base were handling the added demand well.
President Joe Biden salutes as he arrives at Fort Lesley J. McNair in Washington, on Monday, Aug. 16, 2021. (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP)

WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden says even with the Taliban in power in Afghanistan, he sees a greater threat from outposts of al-Qaida and its affiliated groups in other countries, and that it was no longer "rational" to continue to focus U.S. military power there.

"We should be focusing on where the threat is the greatest," Biden said in an interview that aired on ABC's "Good Morning America" Thursday.

"And the idea we can continue to spend a trillion dollars, and have tens of thousands of American forces in Afghanistan, when we have North Africa and Western Africa  the idea we can do that and ignore those looming problems, growing problems, is not rational."

Biden has said repeatedly that America will not send significantly more forces to fight in Afghanistan. The U.S. has not had tens of thousands there for several years and had 2,500 to 3,000 deployed there when Biden took office.

Biden named Syria and East Africa as places where the Islamic State group poses a "significantly greater threat" than in Afghanistan and said that ISIS has "metastasized." He said while the U.S. doesn't have a sizable military presence in a place like Syria, it does have an "over the horizon capability to take them out."

The comments come as the Biden administration has faced sharp criticism for the timing and direction of the Afghanistan withdrawal, after the Taliban came to power more quickly than administration officials predicted. The swift takeover by the Taliban prompted scenes of chaos and violence as thousands of Afghans and Americans sought to flee the country.

Biden also pushed back against concerns about the treatment of women and girls in the country, arguing that it's "not rational" to try to protect women's rights around the globe through military force. Instead, it should be done through "diplomatic and international pressure" on human rights abusers to change their behavior.

Up to 15,000 Americans remain in Afghanistan after the Taliban took full control of the nation last weekend. Biden said during the same interview that he's committed to keeping U.S. troops in Afghanistan until every American is evacuated, even if that means maintaining a military presence beyond his Aug. 31 deadline for withdrawal.

Pressed repeatedly on how the administration would help Americans left in the nation after Aug. 31, Biden said, "If there's American citizens left, we're gonna stay till we get them all out."

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said earlier Wednesday that the U.S. military does not have the forces and firepower in Afghanistan to expand its current mission from securing the Kabul airport to collecting Americans and at-risk Afghans elsewhere in the capital and escorting them for evacuation.

The question of whether those seeking to leave the country before Biden's deadline should be rescued and brought to the airport has arisen amid reports that Taliban checkpoints have stopped some designated evacuees.

"I don't have the capability to go out and extend operations currently into Kabul," Austin said. "And where do you take that? How far do you extend into Kabul, and how long does it take to flow those forces in to be able to do that?"

Austin, a retired four-star Army general who commanded forces in Afghanistan, spoke at his first Pentagon news conference since the Taliban swept to power in Kabul on Sunday.

He said the State Department was sending more consular affairs officers to speed up the processing of evacuees.

"We're not close to where we want to be" in terms of the pace of the airlift, Austin said.

He said he was mainly focused on the airport, which faced "a number of threats" that must be monitored.

"We cannot afford to either not defend that airfield or not have an airfield that's secure, where we have hundreds or thousands of civilians that can access the airfield," he said, adding that talks with the Taliban were continuing to ensure safe passage for those evacuating.

Austin said there were about 4,500 U.S. troops at the airport, maintaining security to enable the State Department-run evacuation operation that has been marked by degrees of chaos and confusion.

Biden, however, told ABC that there wasn't anything his administration could have done to avoid such chaos.

"The idea that somehow, there's a way to have gotten out without chaos ensuing, I don't know how that happens," he said.

Senior U.S. military officers were talking to Taliban commanders in Kabul about checkpoints and curfews that have limited the number of Americans and Afghans able to enter the airport.

John Kirby, the chief Pentagon spokesman, said that over 24 hours about 2,000 people, including 325 American citizens, had left aboard 18 flights by U.S. Air Force C-17 transport planes. The number of departing Air Force flights was likely to be similar in the coming 24 hours, Kirby said, although he said he could not estimate how many people they would carry.

Nearly 6,000 people had been evacuated by the U.S. military since Saturday, a White House official said Wednesday night.

Kriby said the administration was considering its options for dealing with a separate but related problem  the abandonment by Afghan security forces of an array of military equipment, weapons and aircraft that have fallen into the hands of the Taliban or other militant groups.

"We don't, obviously, want to see our equipment in the hands of those who would act against our interests or the interests of the Afghan people and increase violence and insecurity inside Afghanistan," Kirby said. "There are numerous policy choices that can be made, up to and including destruction." He said those decisions had not yet been made.

Kirby said several hundred more U.S. troops were expected to arrive at the airport by Thursday.

An Air Force unit arrived overnight that specializes in rapidly setting up and maintaining airfield operations, Kirby said. And he said Marines trained in evacuation support have continued to arrive and will assist in getting civilians onto flights.

The top congressional Republicans, Rep. Kevin McCarthy and Sen. Mitch McConnell, asked Biden on Wednesday for a classified briefing with the "gang of eight"  the top Democrats and Republicans on the House and Senate intelligence committees as well as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, McCarthy and McConnell.

McCarthy and McConnell said they want a briefing on the number of Americans still in Afghanistan and the plans to evacuate those outside of Kabul. Their letter prompted Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill to tweet that she had already requested such a meeting. He also said House members will receive an unclassified telephone briefing Friday and an in-person briefing Tuesday.

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Associated Press writers Lolita C. Baldor, Darlene Superville, Matthew Lee, Eric Tucker, Alexandra Jaffe and Mary Clare Jalonick in Washington and Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin contributed to this report.
The moon rises over Beirut, Lebanon as it remains in darkness during a power outage on Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021. Lebanon has faced months of severe fuel shortages that have prompted long lines at gas stations and plunged the small country, dependent on private generators for power, into long hours of darkness. (Hassan Ammar/AP)

BEIRUT  The leader of Lebanon's militant Hezbollah group said Thursday that an Iranian fuel tanker will sail toward Lebanon "within hours," warning Israel and the United States not to intercept it.

The delivery, organized by the Iran-backed Hezbollah, would violate U.S. sanctions imposed on Tehran after former President Donald Trump pulled America out of a nuclear deal between Iran and world powers three years ago.

Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said in a televised speech that the tanker, carrying diesel fuel, will be followed by others to help ease Lebanon's crippling fuel shortage that has paralyzed the country for weeks.

Lebanon is going through an unprecedented economic meltdown, including a severe fuel crisis.

Hours after Nasrallah's comments, Lebanese President Michel Aoun's office announced that U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea told him the United States would help Lebanon get electricity from Jordan and facilitate the flow of Egyptian gas through Jordan and Syria to northern Lebanon.

Shea told Aoun that negotiations are ongoing with the World Bank to pay for Egyptian gas and to fix cables and pipelines that will be used, according to the statement.

There was no immediate comment from the U.S. State Department or the American Embassy in Beirut. Shea, the U.S. ambassador, spoke about the crisis in Lebanon with the English service of the Saudi-owned Al Arabiya TV on Thursday.

In his speech, Nasrallah did not say how Lebanon would pay for the fuel. Earlier, he had said Tehran could be paid in Lebanese pounds. The currency has lost more than 90% of its value since the country's economic crisis began in October 2019.

"I would like to say that at the moment the tanker sails out ... it will be considered in Lebanese territory," Nasrallah said and blamed the West for what he called an undeclared siege of Lebanon that triggered the current crisis.

Hezbollah and its allies accuse the U.S. and some Gulf Arab nations of punishing Lebanon because of Hezbollah's military activities in other countries, including Syria and Iraq.

Neighboring Syria has blamed Israel for mysterious attacks that have targeted oil tankers heading from Iran to Syria this past year.

For weeks, Lebanese have been waiting in long lines at petrol stations to fill their tanks. Diesel shortages amid severe power cuts have shut down thousands of private generators, leading to lengthy blackouts and even shortages of bread. Some hospitals have warned that patients could die because of shortages of diesel fuel that powers their generators.

The shortages are blamed on smuggling, hoarding and the cash-strapped Lebanese government's inability to secure deliveries of imported fuel.

Lebanon has for decades suffered electricity cuts, partly because of widespread corruption and mismanagement. The Mediterranean nation of 6 million  including 1 million Syrian refugees  is near bankruptcy.

The situation deteriorated dramatically last week after the central bank decided to end subsidies for fuel products. The decision will likely lead to a hike in the prices of almost all commodities in Lebanon.

Nasrallah said his group does not aim to "defy anyone," by arranging the fuel shipment from Iran, but added that "we cannot stand idle amid the humiliation of our people whether in front of bakeries, hospitals, gas stations and darkness at night."

Hezbollah's opponents are likely to be angered by Nasrallah's remarks as importing Iranian oil may lead to U.S. sanctions on Lebanon.

Former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, a harsh critic of Hezbollah, warned in tweets that an Iranian fuel shipment could plunge Lebanon into more conflict.

On Thursday, Coral, one of the largest fuel companies in Lebanon, said it was running out of gasoline. A tanker that's bringing in supplies has been stuck off the Lebanese coast for eight days because of paperwork, it said. The company warned it won't be able to resupply gas stations for the first time since it was founded.

"I'm trying to find solutions for the Lebanese people, Shea, the U.S. ambassador, told Al Arabiya English. "We've been talking to the governments of Egypt, Jordan, the government here (Lebanon), the World Bank. We're trying to get real, sustainable solutions for Lebanon's fuel and energy needs."
Army Maj. Gen. William D. Hank Taylor speaks Aug. 16, 2021, at a news briefing at the Pentagon about the crisis in Afghanistan. (Lisa Ferdinando/DOD photo)

Thirteen U.S. Air Force C-17 cargo jets removed some 2,000 people from Taliban-controlled Kabul during the past day, Pentagon officials said Thursday, acknowledging issues at the citys airport hindered efforts to boost the number of evacuees.

Since Saturday, some 7,000 people had been evacuated on U.S. military flights out of Kabuls Hamid Karzai International Airport, the last Afghan ground in American hands, said Army Maj. Gen. Hank Taylor, the Joint Staffs deputy director for regional operations. He and other Pentagon officials have said for several days that the United States has aimed to evacuate 5,000 to 9,000 people per day on more than 24 military flights.

Taylor said Thursday that the U.S. military has enough planes near Afghanistan to accomplish those goals, but it would only be able to ramp up the number of evacuation flights when there are enough eligible people cleared for flights inside the airport gates. The general said the military and State Department had opened new gates at the airport in an effort to increase the flow of eligible evacuees onto the airfield.

The demand in the queue will drive the number of [flights] that we fly, said John Kirby, the Pentagons top spokesman. We believe that we will soon begin to see an opening up of the aperture, and we're hopeful that that means a more consistent increase in the flow [of evacuees onto the airport].  And, so I think we're poised to see an increase, but I want to be careful before I make predictions.

Taliban fighters, who captured Kabul on Sunday forcing the collapse of the U.S.-backed Afghan government, have established checkpoints just outside the airport, but Kirby said as of Thursday they had not threatened or attacked Americans or others inside the airport, known as HKIA. American military commanders at HKIA were in regular contact with the local Taliban commanders, who had assured they would allow safe passage to the airport for Americans and Afghans with the proper paperwork to leave the country, Kirby said.

However, news reports and social media posts through Thursday showed Taliban fighters harassing, and in some cases assaulting, Afghans attempting to get to the airport. Jeff Schogol, the Pentagon reporter for Task & Purpose, on Thursday tweeted a video he said he received from an Afghan showing people in Kabul trying to get to the airport as gunfire erupts.

An Afghan man sent me this video which he said was raked outside Kabul airport today. How are Americans and Afghans supposed to get through this? pic.twitter.com/PjRTvof5p5  Jeff Schogol (@JeffSchogol) August 19, 2021

Reports described crowded, often chaotic scenes just outside the airport gates, where thousands have flocked trying to flee the country in fear of a return to the Islamist rule of the Taliban that the group enforced from 1996 to 2001.

Taylor reported several hundred more American troops flew into the Kabul airport by Thursday, bringing the total to about 5,200 U.S. service members who are charged with ensuring the security of the small, single-runway airport. Pentagon officials have said the troops include Marines who specialize in embassy security and evacuation operations, special operations troops, an Air Force unit conducting air traffic control operations, and thousands of infantrymen from the Marine Corps and Army.

Those troops are confined to the airport, Kirby said, when asked whether the Pentagon had authority to expand the security perimeter around HKIA or to enter Kabul to help trapped Americans or U.S-allied Afghans travel to the airport.

I'm not going to talk about the potential of any future decisions one way or another, Kirby said. That would be a policy decision. We are focused on security at the airport.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Wednesday that U.S. troops in Afghanistan had no capability to safely enter the city to seek out large numbers of evacuation hopefuls.

On Thursday, U.S. Navy F/A-18 fighter jets from the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier flew high-altitude armed overwatch flights over Kabul, Taylor said. Those flights were not a new occurrence, the general said, adding the U.S. military has routinely flown such aircraft over Kabul in recent days, though the Pentagon had not disclosed that information.

The flights were not meant as a show of force to the Taliban, Taylor insisted. Instead, they were meant to provide commanders at HKIA the ability to quickly respond in the case of a security incident.

The ability to provide close-air support is something that needs to be immediate if a condition on the ground ever required that, he said.

Austin, in his first public comments since Afghanistan fell to the Taliban, promised Wednesday an increase in the flow of evacuees and an all-out effort to get as many people out of Afghanistan as possible until the clock runs out on the mission. President Joe Biden told ABC News on Wednesday that he hoped to have that mission completed by Aug. 31, the date he had previously set for U.S. troops to be out of Afghanistan, but he would consider extending that deadline if Americans seeking evacuation remained in the country.

Biden said the United States believes there are between 10,000 and 15,000 Americans remaining in Afghanistan. He said the U.S. has identified another 50,000 to 65,000 Afghans and their family members who are eligible for evacuation by the American military because they have worked with the U.S. government or are at-risk of punishment by the Taliban.

If theres American citizens left, were going stay to get them all out, Biden said in the interview with ABCs George Stephanopoulos. Americans should understand that were going to try to get it done before Aug. 31. If we dont, well determine at the time whos left.
EAST ST. LOUIS, Mo. (Tribune News Service)  A federal grand jury here has indicted a Missouri Army National Guardsman and two Defense Department subcontractors and accused them of conspiring to steal and sell sensitive military equipment and uniforms.

The scheme involved outright stealing of military uniforms and the diversion of equipment that was supposed to be scrapped and recycled for resale, including LED video screens, a high frequency radio, military night vision sights, a military antenna system, military flight helmets and a military infrared thermal imager, prosecutors said.

These allegations are very serious, U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft said in a statement. Any theft of government property harms the taxpayers, but worse, items such as equipment and uniforms could easily fall into the wrong hands and threaten the safety of our service members.

The indictment names Brandon Schulte, 43, of Jefferson City, Jody Joe Stambaugh, 50, of Nashville, Illinois, and Gary Stambaugh, 77, of Fayetteville, Illinois.

The Stambaughs co-owned Stambaugh Enterprises, a scrap metal company in Mascoutah with a Defense Department subcontract to pick up scrap metal from Scott Air Force Base and a National Guard facility in Jefferson City, prosecutors said. They were prohibited from reusing or refurbishing any military equipment or selling it to others who would do the same, prosecutors said. But the Stambaughs sorted through truckloads of gear to find items that could be used or sold, prosecutors said. They also submitted false certificates of destruction for the items, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said Brandon Schulte was responsible for storing and disposing of military property at the Jefferson City National Guard facility. The Stambaughs received thousands of pounds of uniforms and other unauthorized, sensitive military property, prosecutors said, when they were only authorized to take scrap metal. Failing to properly dispose of uniforms and other items could endanger troops overseas, prosecutors said, if obtained by terrorists or others.

Schulte conspired with the Stambaughs from 2015 to 2018, then lied about it to federal agents in 2019, prosecutors said.

The Stambaughs face three charges of theft and one conspiracy charge and Schulte faces one charge each of conspiracy and making a false statement.

They are scheduled to plead not guilty Sept. 1 in U.S. District Court in East St. Louis.

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Buy Photo Sens. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, left, and Roger Wicker, R-Miss., confer before a Senate Armed Services subcommittee hearing on Navy and Marine Corps readiness, Dec. 12, 2018, on Capitol Hill. Sens. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., Angus King, I-Maine, and John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., announced Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021, that they have tested positive for the coronavirus (Joe Gromelski/Stars and Stripes)

WASHINGTON  Sens. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., Angus King, I-Maine, and John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., announced Thursday that they have tested positive for the coronavirus, becoming the latest members of the Senate to announce breakthrough infections in recent weeks.

Earlier this month, Sen. Lindsey O. Graham, R-S.C., said he had tested positive for the virus. All four senators have been vaccinated.

In a statement, Wicker's communications director, Phillip Waller, said the senator tested positive Thursday morning "after immediately seeking a test due to mild symptoms."

"Senator Wicker is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, is in good health, and is being treated by his Tupelo-based physician," Waller said. "He is isolating, and everyone with whom Senator Wicker has come in close contact recently has been notified."

King announced that he took a test Thursday morning at his doctor's suggestion after he had begun feeling "mildly feverish" on Wednesday. The test came back positive.

"While I am not feeling great, I'm definitely feeling much better than I would have without the vaccine," King said in a statement Thursday afternoon. "I am taking this diagnosis very seriously, quarantining myself at home and telling the few people I've been in contact with to get tested in order to limit any further spread."

King also noted the steps he has taken since last year to protect himself and others, including "driving up and back to Maine dozens of times rather than flying until only recently, Zoom calls instead of attending Senate hearings in person, voting quickly on the floor while remaining masked, regular testing for me and my staff, and receiving the vaccinations when it was my turn to get them earlier this year."

Later Thursday afternoon, Hickenlooper announced that he had tested positive with a breakthrough case of the virus.

"I feel good but will isolate per docs instructions," Hickenlooper said in a tweet. "I'm grateful for the vaccine (& the scientists behind it!) for limiting my symptoms. If you haven't gotten your shot-get it today! And a booster when it's available too!"

King is 77 and a prostate cancer survivor. Wicker is 70, Graham is 66 and Hickenlooper is 69.

While the summer spread of the virus's more-contagious delta variant has meant rising case numbers again in many parts of the country, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that breakthrough infections remain rare. The potential for those breakthrough cases to carry viral loads similar to that of unvaccinated people means that the possibility of transmission remains.

On Tuesday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, R, announced that he had tested positive for the coronavirus. In a video posted on Twitter, Abbott said that he has been vaccinated against the coronavirus "and that may be one reason why I'm really not feeling any symptoms right now."

Abbott is among the Republican governors who have resisted public health mandates aimed at stemming the tide of the delta variant.

The Washington Post's Paul Kane contributed to this report.
Buy Photo Members of a military honor guard stand at attention as Army veteran Ron Raczak arrives at the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021, just as a downpour of rain subsides prior to an Honor Flight ceremony that paid tribute to veterans from World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes)

WASHINGTON  More than 100 veterans  some standing, others in wheelchairs  gathered shoulder-to-shoulder Wednesday in front of the World War II Memorial, saluted the American flag and sang the national anthem in unison.

The veterans were part of the first Honor Flight in 17 months. The Honor Flight Network, which sends veterans to Washington to see the war memorials, suspended flights at the start of the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020.

Honor Flight trips have long been called, the experience of a lifetime for veterans, but todays long-awaited return has made the emotions of experiencing these memorials indescribable, said David Smith, president and chairman of the Honor Flight Network board of directors.

Wednesdays Honor Flight was the first of 124 scheduled flights for the remainder of 2021. In total, about 8,300 veterans are scheduled to come through Washington in that time frame.

After a heavy rain Wednesday afternoon, the sun broke through the clouds just in time for a short ceremony. The 113 veterans on the Honor Flight gathered for photos, then a Color Guard presented flags. The group recited the Pledge of Allegiance, sang the national anthem, listened to taps and took a moment of silence. They also took a few minutes to walk around the memorial before loading back onto their charter buses, which would take them to their next stop.

The veterans in Washington on Wednesday came from Chicago. Their group included 76 Vietnam War veterans, 34 Korean War veterans and 3 World War II veterans.

Navy veteran Steve Williams takes in the sights at the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021, at the conclusion of an Honor Flight ceremony that paid tribute to veterans from World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. (Carlos Bongioanni/STARS AND STRIPES)

Vietnam War veteran Steven Williams, 73, was part of the group. Williams, a Navy veteran from Downers Grove, Ill., had never been to Washington, D.C., and he hadnt been on an airplane in 20 years. He signed up for an Honor Flight several years ago and was put on the waitlist.

When they called, I was surprised, actually, Williams said. I didnt think Id ever get called.

Billy Reed, 75, was also surprised to get the call. Reed, an Army veteran who served in Vietnam, joined the Honor Flight waitlist in 2007. He and four other veterans from his post-traumatic stress disorder group were all included on the same flight, he said.

Buy Photo Army veteran Billy Reed, right, shares a laugh with fellow veterans at the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021, prior to the start of an Honor Flight ceremony that paid tribute to veterans from World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes)

Carol Harlow, communications officer for the Honor Flight Network, said the 2021 season would be abbreviated. Typically, about 25,000 veterans are invited to Washington on Honor Flights each year from March through November.

Besides the shorter season, there are fewer veterans this year because the group is trying to implement social distancing. In addition, the network is requiring all veterans, guardians and volunteers to be vaccinated against the coronavirus or take a coronavirus test 72 hours before the flight departs, Harlow said.

The network is planning for multiple groups to arrive during the weekend of Sept. 11, as well as Veterans Day on November 11. The group is expected to reach the milestone in October of providing 250,000 trips to veterans in the 16 years since Honor Flight was founded.

Buy Photo Marine Corps veteran Gene Meske arrives at the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021, as the rain pours down prior to an Honor Flight ceremony that paid tribute to veterans from World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes) Buy Photo A moment of silence is observed at the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021, during an Honor Flight ceremony that paid tribute to veterans from World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes) Buy Photo Air Force veteran Mike DiCosola takes in the sights at the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021, at the conclusion of an Honor Flight ceremony that paid tribute to veterans from World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes)
Buy Photo Veterans Affairs Building in Washington, D.C. (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes)

The Biden administration moved Thursday to grant 323,000 people who are severely disabled automatic federal student loan forgiveness to the tune of $5.8 billion, setting the stage for reforms to a process that is widely criticized as cumbersome and onerous.

"The Department of Education is evolving practices to make sure that we're keeping the borrowers first and that we're providing relief without having them jump through hoops," Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said on a call with reporters Thursday. "I've heard from borrowers over the last six months that the processes are too difficult so we're simplifying it."

By law, anyone who is declared by a physician, the Social Security Administration or Department of Veterans Affairs to be totally and permanently disabled is eligible to have their federal student loans discharged. The benefit has never been widely publicized, so few have taken advantage. And when they do, many are met with tedious paperwork and requirements.

There is a three-year monitoring period in which borrowers must submit annual documentation verifying their income does not exceed the poverty line. The requirement routinely trips up people who wind up having their loans reinstated. To ease the burden, the Biden administration in March waived the paperwork requirement during the coronavirus pandemic, retroactive to March 13, 2020, when President Donald Trump declared a national emergency.

On Thursday, Cardona said the Education Department will indefinitely extend the income waiver. The department will also pursue the elimination of the requirement altogether through the negotiated rulemaking process in October. The federal agency is proposing new rules to provide automatic disability discharges for anyone identified as eligible through data matching initiatives with Veterans Affairs and the Social Security Administration.

In 2016, the Education Department partnered with the two other agencies to identify eligible borrowers. While the department removed the application requirement in 2019 for veterans, it did not do the same for people identified through the SSA match. Only half of the people identified through the SSA match have received the discharge, according to the Education Department.

A bipartisan coalition of congressional lawmakers, including Sens. Chris Coons, D-Del., and Rob Portman, R-Ohio, had urged Trump to automatically discharge the debt, much like his administration had done in 2019 for permanently disabled veterans. But the Trump administration failed to act, while hundreds of thousands of disabled borrowers defaulted on their loans.

A Freedom of Information Act request made by the D.C.-based nonprofit National Student Legal Defense Network found over 517,000 individuals as of May had not received relief.

Asked about the discrepancy between the May figure and the 323,000 announced Thursday, Ben Miller, a senior adviser at the Education Department, said the older figure likely includes duplicates that may be showing up in multiple matches. He assured the latest figure accounts for all of the borrowers currently on the books.

"Obviously, we anticipate there will be new matches each quarter," Miller said. "This is not just a one-time action."

Eligible borrowers will receive notice of their approved discharge in September and the department expects cancellation will occur by the end of the year. People who wish to opt-out of forgiveness will be given the opportunity. While borrowers will not be subject to federal income taxes on the canceled debt, they may encounter state taxes.

Consumer groups had urged the Biden administration to automatically discharge the federal student loans of eligible borrowers, rather than require them to submit an application for debt forgiveness. Many were disappointed when the Education Department announced the income waiver in March without automating the process. Advocates praised the administration Thursday for stepping up.

"This is a life-altering announcement for hundreds of thousands of student loan borrowers with disabilities," Dan Zibel, chief counsel at the National Student Legal Defense Network. "Today's step is another indication that the Department is listening to the voices of student loan borrowers."
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough listens during President Biden's first full Cabinet meeting at the White House on July 20, 2021. MUST CREDIT: Washington Post photo by Demetrius Freeman. (Demetrius Freeman)

WASHINGTON  A group of senior Trump administration alumni this week launched a nonprofit group to try to extend the former president's effort to offer veterans more access to private medical care and other policies while diminishing President Joe Biden's priorities at the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Veterans 4 America First Institute is modeled after the America First Policy Institute, the post-Trump group that launched in April with a multimillion-dollar budget and is one of several efforts by former Trump administration officials to push his priorities. The new effort is led for now by volunteers who said they are committed to "effective management and accountability" at VA and the Defense Department, with a particular focus on what they called an intransigent VA bureaucracy.

President Donald Trump sought to expand private health care to veterans  long a priority for conservatives but not seconded by Biden  and the group's leaders said that continuing to press for private coverage would be a primary goal.

Founding members of the group, which plans a publicity campaign, include Darin Selnick, a former senior adviser to VA and the Trump White House Domestic Policy Council; Peter O'Rourke, who served briefly as the agency's acting secretary after other senior roles; Camilo Sandoval, a Treasury Department and VA alumnus whose last role was chief information security officer for the White House budget office; Jason Beardsley, who served in senior roles at the Pentagon and VA; and Reed Rubinstein, former deputy associate attorney general at the Justice Department.

The advisory board includes Keith Kellogg, a retired Army lieutenant general who was Trump's acting national security adviser and chief of staff of the National Security Council.

Leaders of the new effort insist they are nonpartisan. "Our point is not to be partisan or point a finger at the current secretary," Selnick said in an interview. "But we have the expertise to come up with solutions and advance them."

It is clear, however, that the new effort is intended to pressure VA Secretary Denis McDonough, particularly in the area of private health-care options.

Selnick said McDonough is "going backwards" on Trump and Congress's commitment to encourage veterans to seek care from private doctors, by allowing wait times for these appointments to grow and, in Selnick's view, by pushing patients to be seen at VA instead of in the community.

VA press secretary Terrence Hayes said in an email of the new group: "VA has no comment as it pertains to this or any other group of former VA staff members. We are solely focused on our sacred obligation of providing the absolute-best health care and access to benefits for our Veterans."

The debate over private health care for veterans enrolled in the VA system has taken center stage in recent years, following a scandal over long wait times at the agency's Phoenix hospital. Conservatives have favored more options outside the system, while Democrats and their allies in the labor movement have argued that the government system overall offers the best care.

VA had referred about 31% of veterans to appointments with private doctors by the end of the Trump administration, according to agency figures. McDonough has praised the government system and said it provides top-notch care.

"The Secretary encourages Veterans to use VA health care more often than not because we have a remarkable continuum of care program and offer outstanding providers for our Veterans," Hayes said in an email. McDonough "also fully supports the use of community care when it results in the best outcomes for Veterans."

Hayes said that through the first three quarters of this year, referrals to private doctors and outpatient care in the VA system have grown from the previous year, when the number dropped during the pandemic.

While complete data won't be available until Sept. 30, the volume of appointments with VA and outside doctors "is trending to be near pre-pandemic levels," he said.

McDonough, who was White House chief of staff to President Barack Obama, has focused his tenure on fighting the coronavirus pandemic among veterans and VA's health-care staff, preventing suicides by veterans, fixing a failing Trump-era effort to modernize veterans' health records and expanding benefits to former service members who were exposed to toxic substances.

This is not the first veterans' group started by Trump alumni. David Shulkin, Trump's first VA secretary, in March launched Policy Vets, a weekly podcast with former American Legion executive director Louis Celli with guests including lawmakers, veterans and a variety of experts. But Policy Vets' focus is more practical, highlighting issues from prosthetics management and long-term care to gender equality and disparities in care, according to its website.

With a relative few political appointees to oversee a workforce of more than 400,000, the VA bureaucracy in the past came under withering criticism from some Trump officials as ineffective and, in some cases, resistant to administration policies. Trump officials also clashed with the powerful unions that represent the agency's workers.

"Our veterans . . . bear the burden of bureaucratic mismanagement and political ineptitude," O'Rourke, Veterans 4 America's president, said in a statement. He did not cite examples.

Paul Lawrence, who led the Veterans Benefits Administration under Trump and serves on Veterans 4 America's advisory board, said McDonough's team has contributed to long waits for benefits during the coronavirus pandemic, although Biden was not inaugurated until nearly a year into the crisis.

Lawrence cited a long-standing shortage of doctors who administer exams to document medical conditions under consideration for disability benefits. He said he put a plan in place before leaving office to hire more contract doctors, but McDonough has not yet implemented it.

Lawrence also said that by allowing thin in-person staffing levels at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, an arm of the National Archives that provides veterans with vital paper records they need to obtain benefits, VA has delayed the process for thousands of applicants.

Hayes said the pandemic and concern for veterans' safety forced the agency to pause in-person exams last April. In the past five months, as more exams have been conducted in person, the backlog of pending exams has been reduced by 26%.

He said the inventory of requests to VA for documents from the records center has now dropped to pre-pandemic levels, with responses in three to four days after much of the staff in St. Louis was recalled to the office to speed up processing.
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.
With face masks now mandatory when accessing essential services, supermarkets are enforcing the practice, with one chain providing masks for those that come without one.

Countdown and Fresh choice supermarkets have masks available and there are greeters ensuring people wear one before entering the store.

Countdown general manager corporate affairs, safety and sustainability Kiri Hannifin says in stores today customers will see signage reminding them that masks are a condition of entry.

We have been vocal advocates for the mandatory use of masks in supermarkets as an extra layer of safety for our team and customers, says Kiri.

If customers become aggressive and refuse to wear a mask, the advice from the New Zealand Police is that our supermarket team members should not enforce this as it is simply too dangerous.

We strongly hope that all New Zealanders will do the right thing and wear masks so that our team arent put in this position.

New World and PaknSave supermarkets will not allow people in store if they are not wearing a face covering, says Foodstuffs head of corporate affairs and CSR Antoinette Laird. Foodstuffs own New World and PaknSave stores.

It is a government requirement that unless a person has an exemption, our staff and customers wear a face covering while in-store and our teams will be managing this on entry to the store.

At alert level 4 stores are required to manage the number of people in store at any one time so asking customers to wear a face covering on entry will simply be another action they will employ.

Antoinette says police have advised them if a customer refuses to wear a face mask, stores should contact the police.

Should a customer refuse to wear a face covering and not fall within an exemption then we would encourage them to try our online offering.

Our advice is #maskupNZ, its the best way to keep yourself, your family and our teams safe.

A SunLive team member visited Countdown Bethlehem yesterday, before the use of face masks was mandatory and they say most people shopping were wearing them.

Some people were wearing them incorrectly with their noses not covered and one woman had her mask hanging off one ear, they say.
It is the question on everyone's minds as they wake up to Day three of Alert Level 4 today, will the lockdown be extended?

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will announce any alert level changes at 3pm following a meeting with her Cabinet ministers this afternoon.

She has already signalled Auckland and the Coromandel Peninsula will be in alert level 4 for seven days, while the rest of the country has been given a stay-at-home order for at least three days.

Epidemiologist Professor Michael Baker says the government simply won't know enough about the outbreak to ease restrictions today.

"The trouble for the government is that they really won't have enough of that information to make a decision to take the rest of New Zealand out of alert level 4.

"I'm pretty certain that they'd want to wait a few days longer, or perhaps give it a full week, before they might review that decision, simply because they won't have enough knowledge about that."

Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone.

He says it's still unclear if the virus has spread beyond Auckland, but rapid Covid-19 testing and wastewater testing will clarify this picture in the coming days.

It's almost guaranteed Auckland will remain at alert level 4, Baker says.

Auckland Business Chamber chief executive Michael Barnett says a lockdown extension will come as no surprise to the city's businesses.

"I think Auckland having so many of the quarantine hotels made it almost inevitable that there was going to be a community case and I think an acceptance that it would be sometime soon."

Barnett says the government swiftly reinstating its wage subsidy and resurgence support payment schemes has given businesses certainty going into the lockdown.

There are now more than 100 locations of interest.

Yesterday, genome sequencing found the current positive cases are a close match to a recent returnee from Sydney, who arrived on a managed red zone flight on August 7.

It's a promising link to the border that has Covid-19 modeller Professor Shaun Hendy guessing the scale of the outbreak could be much smaller than initially feared.

He anticipates the number of people infected in the community at the time the outbreak was first detected could scale back to "several dozen".

This is pending Hendy running more numbers for an updated model, which has since returned numbers similiar to initial predictions.

"The good news is that that later introduction date means that the virus has been in the community for a shorter period of time. That means we're probably not looking at many other undetected chains of transmission.

"However, when we look at the case numbers that that we've found so far, and when those people were likely infected, we had a very, very rapid spread late last week, going into the weekend."

Hendy says it's unlikely the government will ease alert level 4 restrictions, given the lingering possibility people may have been exposed to the virus and travelled around the country.

"I think we're going to have to wait a while until we can rule out transmission to other parts of the country.

"Certainly down the track if we don't see cases emerge in the South Island it can probably anticipate coming out of alert level 4 earlier, but given the scale of what we're potentially dealing with here in Auckland we do need to be cautious about that approach."

***

This is an official Covid-19 ALERT.

All of New Zealand is now at Covid-19 alert level 4.

The alert level will be reviewed after 3 days for all areas EXCEPT Auckland & Coromandel Peninsula which is likely to remain at level 4 for an initial period of 7 days.

A community case of Covid-19 has been identified.

Stay at home where possible & follow the Alert Level 4 guidelines. This will stop the spread of Covid-19 and SAVE LIVES.

Everyone is asked to:

Wear a mask and keep a 2 metre distance from others whenever you leave your home.

If you are sick, call your doctor or Healthline on 0800 358 5453 for advice about getting tested.

Keep on scanning QR codes whenever you leave your home.

Practice good hygiene - wash hands often.

Services including supermarkets, pharmacies, clinics & petrol stations will stay open at Alert Level 4. Face coverings are mandatory for all people - both employees and customers - at businesses and services operating at Alert Level 4 involving customer contact.

For more information on Alert Level 4 go to [the government website www.covid19.govt.nz]
Bay of Plenty

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Dairy owners across the Bay of Plenty and wider New Zealand are asking police for greater protection against robberies during level four lockdown measures.

More than 4000 owner-operated dairies and service stations have stepped up as essential businesses during the current restrictions.

Bosses have launched the plea for enhanced police support  particularly in the countrys emptier central business areas where it is feared existing problems could intensify during lockdown conditions.

Dairy and Business Owners Group chair, Sunny Kaushal, says the corner dairy has once again come to the fore to as an essential business, but is calling for more assistance from law enforcement.

Dairies, convenience stores and service stations are everywhere Kiwis need us to be and are open when Kiwis need essential items, says Sunny.

Yet with almost a robbery every day, the current lockdown could make us more of a target.

As robberies cause huge mental distress and sadly injury as well as property damage, a robbery could close a dairy when a community needs it the most.

We are asking our good friends at the police to keep an extra eye on dairies and service stations during trading hours and especially late at night after non 24/7 businesses close.

This is especially the case in our emptier central business areas where there are big existing problems as well as in remote and rural locations too.

As well as extra police protection, Sunny has also called for dairy and service station staff to be classed as frontline essential workers when it comes to Covid-19 vaccination priority.

And he claims with the right reforms, dairies will be better equipped to service New Zealands team of five million both during and after lockdown.

Dairy and service station workers must be prioritised for Covid-19 vaccinations, says Sunny.

Much talk has been about the supermarkets, yet again, despite dairies helping to stop non-essential travel to supermarkets.

Thats why dairies and service stations are not just for Covid. We are going to tell the Commerce Commission that we could offer Kiwis much cheaper goods if they undertake real supermarket reform.

Instead of spending taxpayers' money to get a new supermarket chain to set up shop here, the Commerce Commission needs to focus upon the supermarkets grip over grocery wholesaling, distribution and logistics.

Security, vaccinations and grocery reform will help dairies to keep servicing the team of five million, not only now, but well after this lockdown ends.
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TAHLEQUAH [mdash] Glen R. Haddock, born March 14, 1938 in Bakersfield, California to Johnny Aaron and Beulah Bea (Fredrick) Haddock passed away in his home August 24, 2021, at the age of 83 years 5 months and 10 days with his family holding his hands. Glen was the youngest of his twin sister
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Scattered thunderstorms during the evening becoming more widespread overnight. Low 78F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
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Why it matters: Earlier this year, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said during an interview that Windows 11 is designed to offer "the most choice." However, a recent preview build suggests otherwise. The company is changing the way app defaults are set in Windows in a way that has sparked criticism from browser makers, after it became clear that Microsoft is effectively complicating browser choice.

Since launching its Chromium-based Edge browser, Microsoft has been trying hard to push it onto Windows 10 users through various methods. It has set it as the default after large Windows updates, given "tips" on how to switch to its one and only "recommended" browser, and even pushed full-screen ads within the out-of-box experience when you set up a new Windows 10 PC.

When the Redmond giant announced Windows 11, it made an excellent first impression, but it was relatively short-lived. The company eventually explained that you'd need TPM to run it, and Windows 10 users will have to wait until next year to receive it as a free upgrade. Then it quickly became apparent that you'll need a relatively new CPU to run it, a requirement that may or may not be relaxed upon release.

If these annoyances weren't enough, it looks like Microsoft is also making sure you won't be able to easily avoid its web browser in this next-gen version of Windows. In Windows 10, switching to an alternative like Firefox or any of the other Chromium-based browsers such as Chrome, Opera, Vivaldi, and Brave is as easy as installing it and then going to Settings -> Apps -> Default Apps and setting it as default. Most browsers will also ask you if you want to make them the default upon installation.

Microsoft is changing how you set app defaults in Windows 11 to the point where you'll have to be very careful, or you'll miss your only easy chance to switch to a different web browser. Right after installing an alternative browser and opening a web link, users are presented with the option to select a preferred browser and a box telling Windows to "always use this app."

That latter part is crucial, as omitting this step will effectively set Edge as the default app not only for web links, but also for .pdf, .svg, and several other file types. This will make life harder for many users (especially the non-tech savvy ones among us), but Microsoft told The Verge this move is the result of customer feedback. That said, the company also recognizes the potential backlash that could ensue, so it's ready to "make improvements" if it learns that users don't like how these changes work.

As expected, the competition in the web browser space is disappointed by the move, but they also aren't completely surprised by it. Mozilla sees it as a trend that's been going on for years, and other browser makers believe Microsoft is once again using Windows to shoehorn users into using first-party apps. As for Google's take on this, senior vice president of Chrome, Android, Chrome OS, Play, and Photos says he hopes these changes won't make it into the final version of Windows 11.
In context: Last week, a hacker who stole more than $600 million in various cryptocurrencies began returning the ill-gotten gains. The hacker had exploited a weakness in the Poly Network platform of multiple blockchains to pull off the heist. At the time, he had returned almost half of the funds stolen.

This week nearly all of the crypto stolen from Poly Network has been returned, but then something bizarre happened. Instead of turning the thief, who Poly Network refers to as Mr. White Hat, over to authorities, the company hired him to be its Chief Security Advisor and gave him a $500,000 bug bounty for finding the exploit.

Poly Network said that it maintained constant communication with Mr. White Hat as he returned the crypto. He expressed concerns with the platform's "security and overall development strategy." The company was impressed enough with his abilities that it offered him a senior-level position at Poly Network.

#PolyNetwork has no intention of holding #mrwhitehat legally responsible and cordially invites him to be our Chief Security Advisor. $500,000 bounty is on the way. Whatever #mrwhitehat chooses to do with the bounty in the end, we have no objections. https://t.co/4IaZvyWRGz  Poly Network (@PolyNetwork2) August 17, 2021

"We are also counting on more experts like Mr. White Hat to be involved in the future development of Poly Network since we believe that we share the vision to build a secure and robust distributed system," Poly Network wrote in a blog post. "Also, to extend our thanks and encourage Mr. White Hat to continue contributing to security advancement in the blockchain world together with Poly Network, we cordially invite Mr. White Hat to be the Chief Security Advisor of Poly Network."

At first glance, it may appear that Mr. White Hat was trying to undo his actions since there was no way to convert the already flagged cryptocurrency. However, when Poly Network offered him the $500,000 bounty, he turned it down. The company sent it to him anyway and told him to do whatever he wanted with it. The company said he had expressed that he may give it to the blockchain security community.

Regardless of whether Mr. White Hat was a benevolent security researcher or an actual black hat hacker that screwed up, hiring black and white hats is not uncommon. The general philosophy seems to be one of, who better to protect your network than the one who broke into it.

Image credit: B_A
What just happened? Japans largest automaker is feeling the lingering effects of the pandemic-induced semiconductor shortage. Toyota has confirmed that it will suspend production across several of its plants and production lines in Japan, resulting in a 40 percent reduction in production for the month of September.

A spokesperson told The Wall Street Journal that Toyota is reducing factory output by between 40 percent and 60 percent in North America this month, resulting in 60,000 to 90,000 fewer vehicles rolling off assembly lines. Things arent expected to get much better next month, either, with another 80,000 fewer vehicles lost to low production anticipated in North America.

Curiously enough, Toyota told The Journal that it doesnt expect the lowered output to impact employment.

Toyota isnt the only automaker feeling the crunch. Both Ford and GM this week said they were planning additional downtime at various factories across North America in the coming weeks. According to researcher AutoForecast Solutions, Ford has produced about 160,000 fewer F-150 pickup trucks this year due to the chip shortage. GM expects to make roughly 100,000 fewer vehicles in North America in the second half of 2021.

As recently as last month, Toyota was singing the praises of having built up a stockpile of chips to protect itself from the global semiconductor shortage.

Share value in Toyota is down a little more than four percent on the news as of this writing.

Image credit Carlos Aranda, Ant Rozetsky
(Photo : GettlyImages/ SOPA Images ) FBI watchlist

FBI's secret terrorist watchlist was exposed on the internet. The said watchlist consists of 1.9 million records, including the agency's classified no-fly records.

The watchlist was left exposed on an Elasticsearch cluster because it had no password to protect.

FBI's Watchlist Involves Millions of People

Bob Diachenko, a Security Discovery researcher, discovered numerous JSON records in an exposed Elasticsearch cluster back in July, according to SecurityWatchWeek.

Diachenko discovered that the 1.9 million-strong record set contained people's personal information, including their complete names, country citizenship, gender, date of birth, passport details, and no-fly status.

The server was indexed by two search engines: Censys and ZoomEye. This means that Diachenko was not the only one who saw the list.

According to BleepingComputer, given the nature of the exposed fields, the list appears to be a no-fly list or one that is similar to a terrorist watchlist.

Also Read:The FBI Can Still Spy On You Even If You're Using Tor And Don't Ask Why

Additionally, the researcher noticed some elusive fields like "nomination type," "tag," and "selectee indicator," that he said he didn't understand.

Diachenko stated that the only valid guess that he got given the nature of the data was that it was a terrorist watchlist because there was a specific field tagged "TSC_ID." Sources told BleepingComputer that TSC stands for Terrorist Screening Center.

FBI Terrorist Screening Center

FBI's TSC is used by numerous federal agencies to manage and share consolidated information for counterterrorism purposes. The FBI maintains the classified watchlist called Terrorist Screening Database, also known as the no-fly list.

These types of databases are regarded as highly sensitive, considering the important role that they play in helping the national security and law enforcement tasks.

Terrorists or anyone suspected of being a terrorist and posing a national security threat is automatically nominated for placement on the watchlist at the agency's discretion.

The list is referenced by all airlines in the country and multiple government agencies such as the Department of Defense, Department of State, Customs and Border Protection, and Transportation Security Authority to check if a passenger is allowed by fly, inadmissible to the United States, or assess their risk for different other activities.

The FBI has also included those who sent bomb threats to airlines on the list.

The FBI has also used the list to arrest a large ring of criminals back in June.

Server Taken Offline

Diachenko discovered the database on July 19. He said that it had a Bahrain IP address, according to Gizmodo.

On the same day, Diachenko reported the data leak to the US Department of Homeland Security or DHS.

The exposed server was taken down on Aug.9, which was three weeks after he discovered it.

Diachenko wrote in his report that he does not know why it took the DHS so long to shut the server down, and he does not know whether any unauthorized parties were able to access it.

The researcher considers the data leak to be very serious, considering watchlists can expose those who are suspected of illegal activity but not charged with any crime.

Diachenko said that in the wrong hands, the list could be used to harass, target, oppress or persecute those on the list, including their families. It could also cause a lot of personal and professional issues for people who have not done anything wrong but has their name included in the list.

Related Article: Parler Capitol Riot Threat Reports Sent to FBI Ahead of Jan. 6, Claims Amazon Ban as 'Unlawful'

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Netflix now supports Apple's Spatial Audio, and it is available for the iPhone and iPad devices, with regards to streaming with capable devices.

This means that users can maximize the use of their Spatial Audio devices like the AirPods and HomePods, as well as Netflix's Dolby Audio and the 5.1 channel which streams the best possible sounds on content.

The most popular streaming company in the world was known to be focusing on its gaming ventures, but it is great to see that it still found ways to improve its original video-on-demand service.

Netflix Rolls Out Support for Apple Spatial Audio

Netflix has not specifically announced this to the public, and it was initially discovered by Redditors in the United Kingdom, saying that they have used an iPhone for this venture.

Some users say that they are on the iOS 15 Beta, meaning that they have the latest version of the operating system and not the regular releases of Apple with the iOS 14. These Redditors argue that the features of the iOS 15 beta would allow the use of the Spatial Audio feature, provided that they are using or are connected to a stereo source.

The OP or the person which originally posted the subreddit thread said that they were using an iPhone XS Max for the device, and an AirPods Max as its output.

The Spatial Audio is turned on for their usage and was supported by Netflix as they were streaming the videos, films, or series. Having it turned on via the Settings or Control Center ensures its usage in the iOS 15, as what these Redditors have discussed and revealed via their usage of the feature.

Read Also: Apple Watch Data Led to the Arrest of a Group of New York Robbers Who Stole $500K Cash

iPhone, iPad Devices Only

There were no specific films or series that the Spatial Audio would only work with, and it seems to have been available for Redditors as long as they were on the iPhone or iPad, as well as a compatible output.

The feature only works with the iPad and iPhone devices only for now, as others who use the Apple TV with the tvOS Beta do not know if the app works or not. Additionally, most users that have reported this progress or achievement were a part of the iOS 15 Beta.

Does Spatial Audio Work for the iOS 14?

It seems like this feature would not work with the iOS 14.6 or later, despite being the one released to the public as of the moment, and where the Spatial Audio has been released with.

However, it is still worth trying that people check this out, especially as they are using the latest version of the iOS 14, and has a device that is capable to output a Spatial Audio feature.

Furthermore, it was unclear for both Apple and Netflix, with regards to the support or release of the feature, as it was not revealed by both companies. Currently, Netflix has no announcements regarding this support, and it would most likely be revealed by the company for future releases, and possibly the iOS 15.

Related Article: How to Watch Netflix on Nintendo Switch Even If it is Not Officially Supported by the Console

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A Diabetes Robot Implant would make use of magnetic insulin ingestibles to help users get their needed dose that would help regulate their blood sugar in the body. This venture was created by Italian doctors and researchers, which is a pain-free method of injecting an insulin shot to the body, without the use of needles.

Not everyone is fond of needles and pricks, and there are a lot of innovations with regards to alternatives in these procedures that would help people avoid the entire experience.

The University of Newcastle has debuted a novel way of using saliva to test blood sugar, as opposed to the device called "electrocapillary fill device," which needs actual blood samples.

Diabetes Implant: Needle and Pain-Free Insulin Shot

The research entitled "A fully implantable device for intraperitoneal drug delivery refilled by ingestible capsules" has revealed the world's first diabetes implant that is meant to supply the body with the right levels of insulin.

This would avoid the use of injecting the drug to one's skin or veins, which is known to be painful and can sometimes prove to be a hard task when done by one's self.

The device, called PILLSID (PILl-refiLled implanted System for Intraperitoneal Delivery), is under study and conceptualization, particularly as it would be on a person's body for a long time, and meant to help those that face hardships with diabetes.

The main focus of this device would be for Type 1 Diabetes, otherwise known as "Juvenile Diabetes" which is mostly known to start for people at their early stages in life. The process of having one's insulin-generating cells process and create the sufficient need of the body is impeded by this disease, hence the need for external shots.

Read Also: Medical Experts From Harvard Discover That NORMAL Rice Increases Blood Sugar Levels!

How Does it Work?

A one-time implant made by the researchers from the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies said that it would be inserted into a person's abdomen, and would be left there as long as they need it. It would be charged wirelessly and would help magnet insulin capsules and store them, and releasing them when needed.

Having a Robot or Device Within, Is It Dangerous?

The capsules would be magnetic, and as it is ingested, the implant would help guide it in the abdominal tract, where it would be waiting at one side to process the pill. It would resemble the process of drinking a capsule or medicine for other diseases, and surpass the daily injections using needles.

While the robot is only at 165 grams, it would not be that much of a weight or a heavy device inside. Also, the researchers have ensured that this would be safe within people's guts, and would do more good than harm their insides.

Currently, the PILLSID is under study, and there are no hospitals accredited to use the technology yet.

Related Article: Walmart to Sell Insulin at Almost Half the Price with First Private Drug Brand called 'ReliOn'

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
MSI, one of the leading manufacturers of high-end gaming accessories, has recently unveiled MEG X570S Ace Max, its newest motherboard. The new product is said to be a well-rounded motherboard with surprising capabilities.

Some of its new features are the following: Intel Wi-Fi 6E support and 18-phase power delivery, which features 90 A power stages.

MSI Reveals Upcoming Ace Max Motherboard

Besides the two newest features of MSI MEG X570S Ace Max, we could also see that it still has DDR4-5300 support, 2.5 GbE, and four slots for PCIe 4.0 x 4 M.2.

According to a report by Anandtech on Wednesday, Aug. 18, its magnificent design features an all-black appearance accentuated by a touch of gold. Some areas are reportedly RGB-lit.

For the storage of the Ace Max motherboard, it would boost its SATA drive support along with RAID supports for eight SATA ports (0, 1, and 10 arrays).

Moreover, it looks forward to improving its M.2 storage thanks to its M.2 Xpander-Z Gen4 S M.2 PCIe 4.0 addon card.

When it comes to memory, the DDR4-5300 will help stabilize the motherboard due to its 128 GB memory space.

There is also a dedicated cooling fan for its CPU, together with six chassis fans, and support for a single water pump through its eight 4-pin headers.

The MSI MEG X570S Ace Max will be a more dominant motherboard compared to its predecessor, X570 Ace, in terms of power delivery.

The former will be relying on 90 A power stages while the latter only utilized 60 A power stages.

Read Also: SolidRun Launches SOM, ClearFog Pro CN9130 Modules--Prices, Specs and Where to Purchase

MEG X570S Ace Max Port Supports and Other Features

For those who are wondering about the i/o features of the new Ace Max motherboard, here are they:

3 USB 3.2 G2 Type-A

1 USB 3.2 G2x2 Type-C

4 USB 2.0 ports

4 USB 3.2 G1 Type-A

Realtek RTL8125B 2.5 GbE controller (Ethernet)

Intel AX210 Wi-Fi 6E wireless interface (WiFi)

Realtek ALC4082 HD audio codec

ESS Sabre 9018Q2C DAC.

At the moment, there is no official price yet for the new MSI motherboard. According to the report, it is expected to arrive in the next few months.

MSI Collabs With EK to Launch MSI MPG X570S CARBON EK X

Besides the approaching Ace Max motherboard, MSI has released another product called the EK-Quantum MSI MPG X570S CARBON EK X, as per Tweaktown.

For the best experience, the company decided to go with black color for its design. The motherboard will also sport an RGB-led strip.

What's fascinating about this motherboard is it supports CPUs such as AMD Ryzen 5000, 5000 G-Series, 4000 G-Series, 3000 G-Series, 3000 Series, and even 2000 Series.

Besides the above-mentioned feature, it also includes a $40 EK-Leak tester which was already included with the motherboard.

In April, a new AMD X570 Motherboard was seen With Ryzen 7 5700G APU. At that time, it was believed that the chipmaker was now on its way to producing more Cezanne APUs.

In May, another company, Kingston, disclosed details about its DDR5 Kits. According to the company, the overclocking fans would enjoy it since it would be much faster compared to the previous kits.

Related Article: MSI Gaming NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Restock Spotted Selling for Just $155 Over Its SRP! Least Marked Up GPU?

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : Image from Epic Games Store) Epic Games Store Self-Publishing Beta | Everything You Need to Know

Epic Games Store has just announced its self-publishing beta! The new self-publishing beta will be opened for the Epic Games Store game developers and publishers.

Epic Games Store Self-Publishing Beta

According to the story by BleedingCool, this is going to be the official beginning of getting the EGS to where Steam currently is where different independent game devs will be able to publish their work on the platform without the need to go through the lengthy process with yet another publisher.

The new beta would offer up new tools to help the whole streamlining of the process for developers to set up their very own product pages and adding achievements, offers, pricing, and even upload builds and updates.

In order to learn more about the Epic Games self-publishing beta, more information can be found on the Epic Games FAQ.

Developer Portal Publishing Tools

The new Epic Games Store publishing tools are a suite of new tools within the new Developer Portal for developers to be able to set up their very own product pages, pricing, achievements, offers, builds, and also updates on the official Epic Games Store.

This is for developers to be able to publish without much dependence on the official Epic Games Store team.

Epic Games noted that the closed beta test is in order for them to be able to stress test the toolset and be able to improve it with the help of developers' feedback.

This will reportedly be done while increasing the total number of games and apps on the Epic Games Store.

This is the very first step towards opening up the store in order for all developers to submit products.

Epic Games Store Closed Beta

All publishers and developers can finally submit their products for consideration in the Epic Games Store closed beta.

The store will select new participants on a certain case-by-case basis. However, games that are VR only as well as non-game products are still not yet eligible to be included.

Existing EGS publishers and developers should also contact their own Business Development Manager in order to discuss their participation.

Games that have multiplayer functionality should support crossplay across all other PC storefronts.

Meanwhile, the messy feud between Epic Games and Apple is still continuing up to today.

Read Also: NFT Games Yield Farming for 'Axie Infinity' and More | How Do Players Get Paid? Lessons from Elk Academy

Product Details Page

This is due to customers expecting to be able to connect with their own friends on the exact same platform, and breaking this particular expectation would lead towards a poor customer experience.

Users are free to use any particular solution for crossplay, third-party systems that aren't locked to a certain store, and the free Epic Online Services.

All products that are reportedly published on the Epic Games Store should run, launch, and also be consistent with the given product description that is presented to users through the Product Details Page or PDP.

Another huge question being asked now is if Google will really buy Epic Games or not?

Related Article: GTA Remastered Trilogy Confirmed | Any Sign of GTA VI?

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
South Korean tech giant Samsung has confirmed that it would be ditching advertisements soon on its stock apps in mobile. The electronics company said that it would implement the changes before 2021 ends.

With that, applications like Samsung Pay and Samsung Weather would likely be affected by the decision.

Samsung Apps to Go Ad-Free Soon

South Korea-based news outlet Yonap first reported Samsung's announcement about ads.

According to the report, TM Roh, the president of the firm, stated that the Samsung apps would now be "free of ads."

"Samsung has made a decision to cease the advertisement on proprietary apps including Samsung Weather, Samsung Pay, and Samsung Theme. The update will be ready by later this year," the statement about the implementation read.

Currently, the company pointed out that at the moment, the most updated smartphones still have ads. However, Samsung said that even though they generate profits for the firm, it would right away be removed to improve the experience of its users.

Usually, the tech titan is used to launching updates during November or December. These updates are specifically created for the UI software.

It is expected that around those months, we would not see any ads appearing in Samsung stock apps. The company still did not specify further information about the upcoming changes.

Samsung Values User's Mobile Experience

According to Samsung, they would still prioritize the mobile experience of the users. The South Korean conglomerate would also look after the feedback of the people on their products so that they would execute further developments on their technology.

For the Galaxy phone maker, gaining money through ads does not always equate to profit.

Samsung said that it felt like a "bad call" to put ads in the applications, TechRadar reported on Thursday, Aug. 19.

The advertisements in the apps are essential for the developers to at least collect some money from their creations. Removing ads would spell huge adjustments for them since the tech companies might lose revenue from these changes.

That said, Samsung would need to consider the process before jumping into it by imposing some alternatives for it.

In return, the company is guaranteed to give full satisfaction to its customers by removing unnecessary ads on the platform. Despite the drops in revenue that could happen, users could potentially prefer to use more Samsung apps than other applications.

Read Also: Samsung Pay: How to Store Your Vaccination Card

How to Remove Ads in Samsung Smartphone

Many are easily annoyed by the presence of tons of ads when opening an app. All over the Samsung platform, some advertisements are convenient to remove, while others often anger multiple users at once.

For this reason, there is a guide that you should follow if you want to stay away from annoying ads. The easiest step to do is to refrain from using Samsung apps in the first place.

However, there are times that you can't uninstall them. For that part, you have to take more steps to deal with them. You can start by disabling the default apps and place them in the App Drawer. Deleting Samsung apps will not consume a long time, and that it would only usually take around five minutes to complete.

Additionally, you can try installing AdGuard to block unnecessary ads in your apps.

Related Article: Samsung SmartTV Users Complain Of Sneaky Pop-Up Ads In Movies

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Apple's CSAM detection tool, which is part of the child protection policy of the Cupertino giant, is coming to iOS 15 and iPad OS 15 despite warnings from security experts.

The extent of the clamor against the detection feature of Apple even triggered the employees of the tech giant to flood its internal Slack channel as they voiced out their concerns about the upcoming tool.

Apple CSAM Detection Feature: How it Works

In hindsight, the CSAM detection feature, or the child sexual abuse material detection tool, is slated to debut on the upcoming iOS 15 and iPadOS later this fall.

The scanning tool enables Apple to scan the uploaded iCloud photos, contrary to earlier reports saying that the CSAM tool could access even the online library of iPhone users.

As per MacRumors, upon detecting any photos containing child abusive content, Apple will start the manual review process, which involves real people. Then, if the photo is confirmed to be child-abusive, the Cupertino giant will report the criminal activity to the police.

CSAM Detection and Security Experts

By the looks of this intention, it is the right thing to do to help protect younger folks out there.

However, some security experts point out the possibility of the feature being abused when it gets to the wrong hands, such as an authoritative government.

What's more, some experts are raising the possibility of the detection tool to be used beyond CSAM. But Apple assured its users that the feature is specifically designed to combat the child abusive content, adding that they will decline any requests beyond its primary use.

Read Also: Apple Appeals Corellium Copyright Lawsuit Verdict After Losing in 2020-Separate to Recent Settlement

How to Stop CSAM Detection Tool from Photos from Your iPhone or iPad

With all that said, some iPhone and iPad users are now worried about the detection feature that will start rolling out on the next major update of the iOS and iPad OS.

Don't fret, there is an option to stop Apple from scanning your personal photos, according to LifeHacker.

It is now clearer that the CSAM scanning tool only looks into the images that you upload on iCloud.

That said, just to make it crystal clear, the detection system will not scan photos that a user sends via end-to-end encrypted apps, namely Telegram or WhatsApp. Yet again, it is contrary to early warnings saying that it could infiltrate end-to-end encryption, making its function useless.

To stop the detection tool from scanning your photos, here's what you need to do.

Open Settings app

Select Photos section

Toggle iCloud Photos to disable syncing your photos to the cloud

Then, click "Download Photos and Videos" to get all of your media from the iCloud library.

Related Article: Apple iPhone Future Phones Could Ditch Lightning for USB-C due to New Law

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
WHO (World Health Organization) explained that vaccine booster is inessential, for now. The international health department released its statement on Wednesday, Aug. 18.

Related Article: New Study Explores the Use of Wearable Tech and Telehealth in Parkinson's Disease Treatment

Officials explained that governments should not implement vaccine boosters until the most vulnerable individuals across the globe are vaccinated. Once all the individuals with the weakest immune system received their jabs, the implementation of vaccines boosters could be advised.

WHO's announcement came after the U.S. government officials confirmed that they are planning to make booster shots widely available across the country, which could happen on September 20.

They considered doing this since the new COVID-19 Delta variant is still increasing the daily infection cases in the United States.

However, Soumya Swaminathan, the World Health Organization's chief scientist, rejected the plan of the U.S. officials.

"We believe clearly that the data today does not indicate that boosters are needed," added Swaminathan.

WHO Says Vaccine Booster is Not Yet Needed

According to Reuters' latest report, the World Health Organization wants to see more documents proving that the COVID-19 vaccine booster is needed.

Also Read: Researchers Genetically Tweak Woman's Immune System Cells to Send Severe Lupus Into Remission | CAR T-Cell Immunotherapy

On the other hand, WHO Senior Adviser Bruce Aylward also shared his thoughts about the planned boosters.

He explained that the COVID-19 vaccines across the world are enough. But, most of these medicines are not actually going to the right places. Aylward added that vaccines are dispersed in an incorrect manner since there's no right order.

The health agency's senior adviser also explained that government officials across the world need to make sure that vulnerable people receive two vaccine doses before they implement COVID-19 vaccine boosters to other individuals.

In other news, the Moderna mRNA HIV vaccine could enter its phase 1 experimental research. On the other hand, some experts are concerned about the rising clone antibodies since new variants could emerge from these identical cells.

Vaccines Could Create Superimmunity Cells?

Science Mag reported that a new study showed that COVID-19 vaccines could make SARS survivors develop their super immunity cells.

The new research titled "Pan-Sarbecovirus Neutralizing Antibodies in BNT162b2-Immunized SARS-CoV-1 Survivors," was published in The New England Journal and Medicine claimed that these new immunity systems are efficient against Delta, Beta, Alpha, and other new variants.

For more news updates about WHO and other health-related topics, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
ADA [ndash] Services for Joyce Evelyn Summers, 82, of Ada are 10 a.m. Friday at the Criswell Funeral Home Chapel, Rev. Harold Holt will officiate. Burial will follow at Rosedale Cemetery. The family will receive relatives and friends Thursday, from 5-7 p.m., at Criswell Funeral Home. Mrs. Su
Inside Louisianas hospitals, the battle against COVID-19 is as dire as ever. Patients in the states COVID wards, mostly unvaccinated, are dying in droves. People suffering from strokes and heart attacks cant find open beds. And the military is sending in reinforcements to back-up weary doctors and nurses.

Earlier in the pandemic, situations like this sparked capacity restrictions, widespread event cancellations, broad adherence to mask mandates and a move to virtual schools.

But this time, that's just not happening.

Besides an indoor mask mandate, Gov. John Bel Edwards has shied away from reinstating the sort of capacity limits and curfews that held steady during even the most relaxed periods of the pandemic. And hes unlikely to issue new restrictions anytime soon.

Last week, the Democratic governor said he believes mask-wearing and vaccinations should be enough to reverse the rapid uptick in infections, and said he doesnt plan on issuing additional restrictions before his latest proclamation expires on Sept. 1.

Some public health experts dont think thats enough.

We should be in lockdown right now, said Susan Hassig, a Tulane University epidemiologist.

We have thousands of cases being detected everyday. We have hospitalizations that have overcome our capacity. When this happened in March 2020, we shut down. When it happened in the summer, we backed up. We havent done anything in terms of reducing capacity and density indoors, Hassig said.

Dr. Catherine ONeal, the chief medical officer at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge, said she was hopeful that infections would turn around after the mask mandate went into effect. But two weeks into its implementation, daily case counts continue to rise.

If we dont see an improvement by next week, we should consider new mitigation measures, said ONeal, an infectious disease expert and professor at LSU.

Dr. Joe Kanter, the states top public health official, said Edwards has assured him nothing is off the table in terms of mitigation measures. The governor has repeatedly said that hes not going to let the hospitals be overrun, Kanter noted.

+3 Her husband helped her fight cancer. Then COVID took him. 'I don't know how to do life without him' Rachel Guillory and her husband were supposed to travel to MD Anderson in Houston to treat her Stage IV stomach cancer at the end of this mont

On Thursday, the Louisiana Department of Health reported that 3,013 patients were hospitalized with COVID -- a slight drop from the previous days numbers but still far higher than any prior wave. The number of patients on ventilators rose to 476, inching closer to records set in the early days of the pandemic, when the intervention was more commonly used.

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Another 51 people died with COVID on Thursday, pushing the weekly death toll to 320. Last week, 248 people died, and one month ago, the weekly rate was 57 deaths.

The onslaught of COVID patients continues to push Louisianas hospitals to the limit. And everyone, vaccinated or not, is suffering the consequences.

Ochsner Health, the states largest hospital system, canceled 1,160 surgeries and procedures last week because they didnt have the bed-space or staff to provide the necessary care. And on Wednesday, the hospital shut down its surgical hospital in Lafayette to redeploy doctors and nurses to COVID wards.

COVID vaccine instead of community service? Some judges giving defendants the choice. Several Baton Rouge-area judges have been offering defendants on probation the option of getting a COVID vaccine to reduce or eliminate their 

Ochsner normally accepts around 50 patients a day from smaller hospitals who dont have the expertise to treat conditions like sepsis, fractures, gastrointestinal bleeds and kidney and heart failure. Last week, with no space to spare, they rejected 150 transfer requests from 90 different facilities, leaving those patients stranded with substandard care.

ONeal said her hospital is preparing for a breakdown in the health care safety net. She said if the current surge doesnt subside soon, hospitals wont have the bandwidth to take care of patients who experience everyday injuries, like car accidents or summer heat strokes.

New Orleans has started requiring proof of a COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test to go inside restaurants, bars and other indoor venues, including the Caesars Superdome. But given the political outrage stirred by a simple face covering requirement, its unlikely Edwards will go as far as New Orleans with its restrictions.

+7 Fraternities, rapper Boosie boost COVID vaccine efforts on Baton Rouge college campuses Vaccines may be optional at LSU, but theyre the price of admission for students who want to party on campus for rush week.

The Democratic governor has defended the current mitigation measures by saying hes doing everything thats been recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Louisiana is the only state in the Deep South to reinstate its mask mandate.

ONeal said part of the problem is theres really no guidance except in general terms from the CDC on which activities are safe and which are not right now.

Of course, its not as if the public needs the government to tell them whats safe, ONeal said. Now 17-months into the pandemic, the public health advice remains the same: wear a mask, stand six-feet apart, decrease your social activity and get vaccinated.

Edwards said, Just because some common sense mitigation measure is not being mandated doesnt mean that it ceases to be common sense.

But outside of emergency rooms and ICUs, it often seems like the public-health emergency is over. Thousands of students are returning to in-person learning; bars and restaurants are packed like sardines; and this Saturday, American Idols Laine Hardy will hold a concert at the Lamar Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales.

ONeal said that in a place like Ascension Parish, where 23% of COVID tests are coming back positive, theres no reason to be holding a large gathering like that. Officials with the venue did not return repeated requests for comment.

One in four people who go to that concert will be positive, ONeal said. I just hope that everybody is taking their communitys best interest to heart in considering their social activities right now.
Editor's note: This is a discrete chapter of a larger story about the strain on Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center as the hospital faces Louisianas fourth  and worst  wave of the coronavirus.

When Gretchen Blank of St. Amant first visited her husband in Our Lady of the Lakes coronavirus intensive care unit, he didnt recognize her.

Under layer upon layer of personal protective equipment, including a gown, gloves, an N95 mask, a surgical mask and a face shield, he thought she was a nurse. It wasnt until she spoke that he realized she was his wife.

Blank described the pain of visiting her sick husband in the hospital as a reporter and photographer from The Advocate | The Times-Picayune spent time in the hospitals coronavirus ICUs this week. The newspaper agreed not to publish any identifying information about patients unless they consented to it, but Blank agreed to publicly share her and her husbands stories because she said she wanted to save other families from enduring the hardship her family is facing.

Wesley Blank, 56, is on a ventilator in the hospitals special disease unit, for its sickest coronavirus patients. Blank visits him every day.

+15 No peace: During fourth COVID surge, exhaustion spreads inside Our Lady of the Lake Morgan Babins team was able to revive a coronavirus patient who was on the brink of death this week inside the intensive care unit. It was a 

Neither of them was vaccinated before he got sick. Blank said she and her husband were adamantly opposed: They worried about side effects, and thought they were healthy enough to shake off COVID if they got infected.

Blank had a change of heart about the vaccine after her husband  a very healthy man, never sick a day in his life  was knocked down by the virus. Shes gotten her first dose of the Moderna vaccine and will go back next month for her second. Her arm was slightly sore. Her husband was unable to breathe.

This is what made me have peace with it, she said. If youre going into battle, you want every possible protection. If youre not vaccinated, you have nothing.

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You dont want to be here, she added.

The vast majority of the 3,000-plus coronavirus patients crowding Louisianas hospitals are unvaccinated. Across the coronavirus wards at Our Lady of the Lake, Baton Rouge General and Ochsner Health Systems Baton Rouge campus, 427 patients are unvaccinated, versus 49 patients who received the vaccine.

There is a treatment, said Dr. James Ford, a pulmonologist and critical care physician treating The Lakes sickest COVID patients. Get the vaccine.

Blank carried rosaries, wore earrings with Mary on them and leaned on her Catholic faith. When a hospital chaplain asked if he should give her husband the anointing of the sick sacrament.

Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy, she repeated after him. She said that the sacrament made her heart feel full again.

She pulled back her husbands bedsheet while he lay on his stomach to help him breathe. The Rev. Don Ajoko placed his gloved fingertips on her husbands arm, pressing oil into his skin.

Give life and health to our brother, he prayed.
More Louisiana schoolchildren reported testing positive for the deadly coronavirus last week than during any week last school year, which ended in May.

Its yet another indicator of the alarming prevalence of the virus, particularly the more infectious delta variant that has come to dominate the state.

The Louisiana Department of Health released this information Wednesday in a weekly report on COVID-19 cases in K-12 schools. That reporting was suspended over the summer but has resumed with the start of the 2021-22 school year.

The state health agency plans to resume similar reports next week for colleges and universities.

Overall, 2,094 students in elementary and secondary schools reported to their schools between Aug. 9 and Sunday that theyd contracted the virus. The previous peak was 1,738 in the first week in January, which was also the peak of the third wave of the virus to hit Louisiana.

The new numbers stand out because only 528 public and private schools in Louisiana participated in the survey. Thats roughly three out of 10 schools in the state. The remaining 1,200-plus schools in the state didn't report.

The new data mirrors new record case counts among school-age children in the state, also released Wednesday. A total of 5,637 children ages 5 to 17 tested positive during the week that ended Aug. 11. Thats 510 cases more than the week before and more than double than the peak of the previous wave of cases, also set in the first week of January.

+8 COVID in Louisiana schools: As students return to campuses, infection rates are worse than ever Like many other educators, Kelli Joseph thought the worst was over. Yet, the superintendent in rural St. Helena Parish is once again starting 

Participation was notably greater in the past, but it's unclear how much more. Thats because the state health agency is now releasing how many schools report any information at all in a given week. Last year, it released only the number of schools in any given week that had enrolled in the states K-12 reporting system, whether they participated that week or not.

It's unclear how many schools were enrolled last year, but were not participating. But it's clear that more schools were participating in the past.

For instance, only 43 out of the states 64 parishes had schools reporting cases in their schools. In the first week of January, 57 out of the states 64 parishes had schools reporting cases.

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St. Tammany topped the state last week with 303 students testing positive, nine shy of its previous record. It also topped the state with 53 of its staff members testing positive. It had 56 of its schools reporting.

Orleans had the second most cases among students, 262, which was three times as many as its previous peak of 82 students, during the first week last December. Sixty-nine of its schools reported data.

Lafayette had 67 cases among students (11th in state) and 37 among staff (3rd in state). That's from 29 schools reporting.

DeSoto, Jefferson, Lafourche, St. Bernard, St. Mary, Tangipahoa and Washington parishes all reported far more cases in a week than they ever had before.

Schools in Ascension and East Baton Rouge parishes also reported high, though not record, numbers of students testing positive of 129 and 108, respectively. They had 27 and 31 schools reporting, respectively.

Livingston Parish reported just 19 students testing positive for the virus, but had only nine schools reporting.

These high numbers of cases start Aug. 9, a week after Gov. John Bel Edwards reimposed a mask mandate for those gathering indoors, including those in K-12 schools.

The numbers also come after many educators and students have at least started their vaccinations. As of Monday, nearly 32% of 12- to 17-year-olds had received at least one vaccination shot.

Also, many schools in Louisiana educated students only part of last week.

Nevertheless, even with universal masking, schools may be at more risk since almost all schools have shifted to full in-person instruction and away from the virtual instruction which was much more common last year.
The Baton Rouge region is nearing single-day records for fatalities from COVID-19 this week as a wave of death sweeps across Louisiana, caused by the delta variant of the coronavirus.

The 12-parish capital region logged 23 deaths on Tuesday. That's the second-most of the pandemic so far, behind only the 24 deaths reported on April 21, 2020, according to data from the Louisiana Department of Health. East Baton Rouge Parish and rural-suburban parishes to its east are driving the areas rise in deaths since vaccines became available in March, the data show, with more deaths than the nine other parishes in the region combined.

Right now we have the most cases weve ever seen, said Dr. Gina Lagarde, medical director for LDH Region 9, which encompasses Tangipahoa, Livingston and St. Helena Parishes. And when you have more cases, youre of course going to have an increase in deaths.

The spike in deaths around Baton Rouge is a microcosm of whats happening statewide, as deaths catch up to a weeks-long surge in COVID-19 cases  the states worst of the pandemic. That surge is driven by the extremely contagious delta variant, which is running rampant in sparsely vaccinated communities and pushing Louisianas hospitals to the breaking point.

+8 Top health official heckled by anti-maskers, anti-vaxxers as misinformation spreads amid COVID surge As doctors and nurses battle against the worst wave of COVID-19 to befall Louisiana, public health officials struggle to combat a pervasive al

Statewide, Louisiana logged 98 new deaths on Tuesday, the most since 111 deaths were reported on January 17.

The 12-parish region includes both heavily-populated centers like East Baton Rouge and more rural areas like Tangipahoa. But rising deaths in the area are not exclusively being driven by the more populated centers, an Advocate analysis of LDH and U.S. Census Bureau data shows.

Since March 28, East Baton Rouge Parish has accounted for about 44.5% of deaths in the region  a proportion of fatalities commensurate with its population, which comes to 44.6% of the capital areas roughly 1.024 million residents. But less-populated areas are also driving up regional death rates: Tangipahoa is home to 13% of capital area residents, yet it has reported 19% of the deaths in the region since March 28.

The highly-virulent delta variant thrives in unvaccinated communities where it can move easily from host to host, doctors say. It has spread swiftly in Tangipahoa Parish, where just 32.3% of residents are fully-vaccinated compared to 38% of Louisiana residents.

Patients are developing severe symptoms much faster than in previous waves, according to doctors and first responders working in the region.

+12 Louisiana nurse who vaccinated 2,000+ against COVID honored: 'It's no reason for nobody to die now' After nurse Carla Brown lost her husband to COVID-19 after bringing the virus home from her job, she made it her personal mission to save ever

Its hard to say at this point how the deaths in this wave compare to past waves from a statistical perspective, said Dr. Robert Peltier, Chief Medical Officer for Hammonds North Oaks Health System. But now, patients seem to get sick a day or two earlier: On day four, say, as opposed to on day five.

Scientists are still working to determine whether the more-contagious variant also makes people sicker. In Louisiana, people infected with delta have undoubtedly escalated faster than before, doctors say. Its also more of a challenge to save them.

A COVID patient in last summers wave might get better after 40 days on a ventilator, according to Peltier  the most dire level of care, where a person is anesthetized and lies motionless, a tube inserted into their lungs while a machine breathes for them.

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Hes seen very few patients on ventilators survive past 20 days this summer, Peltier said.

The capital regions main ambulance service is transporting more people to hospitals than ever in the pandemic. Its also answering lots of calls for people who are scared about their symptoms and just want to be checked on, said Justin Cox, a spokesperson for the company, Acadian Ambulance Service.

It seems like theres been a quicker escalation from (minimal) symptoms to shortness of breath, Cox said. People are doing a quicker spiral than before, deteriorating quicker. ... and the variant has no rhyme or reason about who its infecting.

This time, hospital deaths dont necessarily capture the full picture of the viruss impact, said Lagarde.

These deaths are not just among the hospitalized, said Lagarde. You have people dying of COVID who have not made it to a hospital, or who have possibly died of a complication from a comorbidity resulting from COVID.

Elsewhere in the capital region, some communities on Tuesday ended months-long pauses in new deaths from the virus. Assumption Parish counted two new deaths, the parishs first recorded casualty to the virus since February.

Louisiana COVID numbers: 98 confirmed deaths reported as hospitalizations surpass 3,000 The Louisiana Department of Health reported 3,012 hospitalizations and 98 more confirmed deaths in its noon update Tuesday.

Pointe Coupee Parish logged one death, its first since May.

As rules have shifted in response to the delta variant, including the reinstatement of Gov. John Bel Edwards mask mandate, Peltier called on residents to have faith that the rules are being changed for a reason.

Delta changed things, he said. Call it a different virus, if you want. Recommendations that were made before certainly need to be altered as time goes on. But it doesnt mean they werent right at the time for what we were dealing with.

In seeing the droves of people his ambulance company has picked up and taken to the hospital in the past month, Cox is sure of one thing.

I just know what my eyes are telling me, said Cox, and that is that people who receive the COVID vaccine have a better end result than people who do not receive the vaccine.

Metro Editor Kelly P. Kissel contributed to this report.

Editor's note: This file was updated Aug. 18 to clarify a quote from Dr. Robert Peltier.
Foster Campbell: Louisiana is an energy state, but not in the old-fashioned way
Its not every day that Winchelsea, population 1633, hosts the world premiere of a movie. But then its not every day a movie gets made about the rural towns most famous former resident either. So far, in fact, its only happened twice.

On Saturday night, the Globe Theatre will host the first public screening of Marjorie Lawrence: The World at her Feet, a documentary celebrating the career of the woman who was born in nearby Deans Marsh in 1907, moved to Winchelsea with her family in her early teens, and left in her early 20s with dreams of conquering the grand opera houses of Europe.

Remarkably, she did just that, and so much more. A feted soprano, she starred at the Paris Opera and the Met in New York, performed for then-president and first lady Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt at the White House, and for the Queen Mother (then just the plain old Queen) in Buckingham Palace.

Horse throat: Marjorie Lawrence astounded audiences in New York in 1936 by riding a horse into flames onstage during the finale of Wagners Gotterdammerung.

She was the most famous Australian woman in the world in the 1950s, but now shes largely forgotten, says Wayne Groom, who has made the movie with his partner Dr Carolyn Bilsborow. Like most people, I had no idea who she was until last year when I read Richard Davis 2012 book Wotans Daughter, and I thought, wow, what a life.
Theres a new name in the race to succeed House of Representatives Speaker Tony Smith in the Victorian electorate of Casey. Hello Peter Bain, a former Family First Party candidate before he defected to the Liberals. He has spent 25 years in commercial executive roles and at not-for-profits including World Vision.

Bain was a contender for the seat of Dunkley, a preselection race eventually won by Sharn Coombes, a barrister and former contestant on reality TV show Survivor. Well, you would be, wouldnt you?

Bain is joining other Casey hopefuls in the Liberal preselection race: City of Melbourne councillor and barrister Roshena Campbell, who is married to Herald Sun journalist James Campbell; law firm owner Grant Hutchinson; sales and partnerships manager Aaron Violi, who worked for Senator James Paterson; management consultant Andrew Asten, a former Alan Tudge staffer; interior designer and wildlife lover Donalea Patman; and prominent oncologist and Guardian columnist Ranjana Srivastava. The mix is sure to excite the Liberal Party base.

The official list has not been released, but Bains name came to light as a result of human error. A party official sending out an email forgot to conceal the names of the candidates on the address list.

In other preselection news, the Greens have selected Sonya Semmens as their candidate to run for the blue-ribbon Liberal seat of Higgins. Nope, we hadnt either.
Helge was born in Denmark on September 27, 1929. He completed a four-year apprenticeship and a two-year diploma course in Art & Design in Copenhagen. From 1955-57 he participated in an American/Scandinavian student exchange programme working in Denver Colorado with the silversmith, Stig Gusterman. Part of his time was spent living and working with the Navajo Indians, a Native American people in New Mexico, where he developed a particular interest in the organic modular shapes and structures of the adobe housing.

Helge was part of a professional partnership, Larsen & Lewers, formed with Darani Lewers in 1961. It was a unique example of two people integrating and developing a collaborative art practice in which their ideas and material execution were indistinguishable. They pioneered the development of contemporary jewellery within the broader context of Danish design in Australia and forged an artistic reputation of international renown.

Returning to Denmark in 1957, Larsen worked as a master jeweller in Copenhagen and with Harald Jensen established Solvform, a successful jewellery and silversmith studio and shop. He first met Darani when she walked into their shop seeking experience and training. Having enjoyed his time in the United States he took her on, at first believing her to be American. Darani trained for nine months with Helge and Harald and after further travel in Europe returned to Australia, persuaded by her mother, the Modernist painter Margo Lewers, that Sydney was ready for new forms of creative expression in contemporary jewellery, as an alternative to the conservative and imitative commercial designs that prevailed.

He was well established in Denmark in 1960. However, when the prospect of becoming sole proprietor of Solvform came up, he chose instead to join Darani in Australia.

Soon after his arrival in Sydney in 1961 he and Darani set up their first workshop in George Street, The Rocks. There they completed work developed in Copenhagen for an international exhibition of Modern Jewellery 1890 -1961 for the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths, in association with the Victoria and Albert Museum. They were also preparing for their first Australian exhibition at Macquarie Galleries in Sydney. The exhibition at Macquarie Galleries received critical acclaim along with opportunities to exhibit around Australia. Thus began a career as leaders in the new movement of jewellery and silverware; in a working partnership that spanned their life together they staged over 70 solo exhibitions, contributed to numerous group exhibitions, as well as undertaking many major commissions.

Helge Larsen and Darani Lewers at the Seaforth workshop.

In 1962 Darani and Helge bought an artists house at Seaforth on Sydneys Middle Harbour, where they lived and worked for the next sixty years. While they worked toward exhibitions their son Tor, and daughter Pia spent many hours in the studio learning to use the tools for their own projects. A way of life that established the creative connections within the family along with an understanding of the commitment to work and live as an artist. They also collaborated with their parents on large-scale commissions for liturgical and ceremonial work, including a suspended light fitting for the New Parliament House, Canberra and mace for the University of Technology Sydney and University of Western Sydney.
Movement data from last weekend shows Melburnians engaging in what experts have called thousands of small transgressions with the potential to drive COVID-19 infections higher, as the effect of 200 days of lockdown takes an emotional toll.

Google mobility data compiled by The Age reveals that across the state last Friday and Saturday, people were moving more than at any time since mid-July last year when complacency prompted Premier Daniel Andrews to plunge the state into stage-four lockdown and mandatory mask-wearing.

Last weekend saw a spate of breaches including an organised takeaway pub crawl in Richmond and an engagement party in Caulfield North attended by 69 guests. The couple involved in the illegal party have received $5400 fines. Two of their parents were also fined and other guests are being interviewed.

Some metropolitan municipalities including Glen Eira and Bayside recorded their highest lockdown movement levels last week, ahead of a number of mystery cases appearing in St Kilda.
Victorian COVID-19 response commander Jeroen Weimar has apologised to Melbournes Jewish population after he mentioned members of the Orthodox community were among those who tested positive during a coronavirus briefing, saying it was a poor choice of words.

Mr Weimar, while describing on Wednesday the diversity of people who had caught COVID-19 in St Kilda and surrounding suburbs, mentioned that a member of the Orthodox Jewish community was among the positive cases.

Victorian COVID-19 response commander Jeroen Weimar. Credit:Justin McManus

We have accountants, we have architects, we have a sex worker, we have members of the Orthodox Jewish community, and we have a pizza guy who worked in a pizza shop in Glen Eira, Mr Weimar said.

In a message sent to Dr Dvir Abramovich, chairman of the Anti-Defamation Commission (ADC), a Jewish-Australian community organisation, Mr Weimar said he was hugely disappointed his words were interpreted as a criticism of the Orthodox Jewish community.
Specialist police are combing waterways in Melbournes north-west for the remains of a missing South Australian man they fear was murdered inside a Hells Angels clubhouse.

Kerry Giakoumis, 29, from Adelaide, was last seen at the Hells Angels clubhouse on Lipton Drive in Thomastown during the early hours of June 10 last year.

Kerry Giakoumis

Investigators said Mr Giakoumis had travelled to Melbourne from Adelaide five days before with two outlaw motorcycle gang associates to work as a concreter.

Detective Superintendent Paul OHalloran said investigators believe the 29-year-old was not a patched member of the Hells Angels outlaw motorcycle gang but knew members in South Australia.
The WA Opposition has used Parliaments question time to cast doubt over statements made this week by Attorney-General John Quigley relating to the appointment of Perth Casino Royal Commissioner Neville Owen.

Mr Quigley was quoted in a media outlet saying he supported the decision despite learning of Mr Owens close personal and business connections to Perth billionaire Kerry Stokes.

WA Attorney General John Quigley. Credit:Philip Gostelow

But in Parliament on Thursday, Opposition leader Mia Davies challenged that comment.

Is it true that you told a journalist on August 3, that if you had known of the business and personal connections between Justice Owen and Mr Kerry Stokes, you would not have supported the decision to appoint Justice Owen?
The effort to provide COVID-19 vaccinations to Western Australias Aboriginal population has simply not been good enough, according to the states health minister.

Roger Cook has called out the federal government, which has been responsible for inoculating First Nations people in Australia, for not making enough progress as his jurisdiction starts a pilot program with mining company Rio Tinto where the iron ore giant facilitates the vaccination of its workforce as well as the regional communities it operates in.

WA Health Minister Roger Cook tours a Rio Tinto screening facility with the companys iron ore chief executive Simon Trott at Perth Airport. Credit:Peter de Kruijff

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents have been a priority group for vaccination but only a small percentage have received at least one dose. WA is the worst performer out of all states and territories with eight per cent of the cohort fully vaccinated and 16 per cent having had one jab.

Federal Labor Senator Patrick Dodson, who lives in Broome in the Kimberley region where 40 per cent of the population is Aboriginal, has been scathing of the federal government.
The morning after former prime minister Bob Hawke died, a man knocked at the door of his Sydney home. He had flowers and a letter in hand, which in part read: You have given us a beautiful life, thank you Bob, we love you. A former Chinese student living in Australia, the man was one of more than 42,000 people eventually granted asylum when Mr Hawke, during an emotional speech, offered them protection after the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre in Beijing.

Years after he made the offer, it was revealed that Mr Hawke had not consulted his cabinet on the decision, and when he finished his speech was told, You cannot do that, Prime Minister, to which he responded: I just did. It is done.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says he hopes Australia can take more than 3000 Afghans. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Contrast that with this weeks message from Prime Minister Scott Morrison. The overthrow of Ashraf Ghanis government in Afghanistan has been a shocking reality check for anyone who thought Western intervention could sustain a long-term viable democratic government able to maintain security in its own land.

The Talibans rapid takeover has turned the Wests withdrawal into a chaotic and dangerous operation. The Australian government estimates there are about 200 Australian citizens, permanent residents and families still in Afghanistan, as well as 300 to 400 Afghans with a connection to Australia.
Sure, were all locked in our homes and the goal posts for freedom keep getting moved. But, the good news is that there is a brand new streaming service in town to keep us all entertained in our confinement. Paramount Plus is here with plenty of new shows and movies.

And sure, with Netflix, Stan (owned by Nine, which owns this masthead), Binge, Amazon Prime, Disney Plus, Apple TV+ ABC iView, Nine Now, Seven Plus, Ten Play, SBS On Demand, Kanopy, YouTube, the library, and free-to-air TV, we perhaps werent desperate to sign up to another $9 a month streaming service. But, Paramount Plus has Lana Parilla starring in a new season of Why Women Kill, and if thats not worth $9 Im not sure what is.

Allison Tolman and Lana Parrilla in season 2 of Why Women Kill. Credit:Sarah Coulter/Paramount+

The rebranded 10 All Access (which itself was a rebrand of CBS All Access) actually has a pretty decent if not overly extensive exclusive line-up, so its worth checking out at least for the 7-day free trial period. And while you can watch it in a web browser on a computer, heres how to get it on your TV so you can see it on the big screen.

Its easiest if you have an Android TV (Hisense, Philips, Sharp and Sony are the main brands with this operating system), because then you can just download the Paramount Plus app from the Play Store. The app itself is free to download, and then you just need to log in to start watching.
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Steve Wildsmith was an editor and writer for The Daily Times for nearly 17 years; a recovering addict, he now works in media and marketing for Cornerstone of Recovery, a drug and alcohol treatment center in Blount County. Contact him at wildsmithsteve@gmail.com.
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A Marine assigned to the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit escorts Department of State personnel to be processed for evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport, in Kabul, Afghanistan on Aug. 15, 2021. (Sgt. Isaiah Campbell/U.S. Marine Corps via AP)

2,000 Evacuated From Afghanistan Over Past 24 Hours, Including 325 Americans: Pentagon

Some 2,000 people have been flown out of the U.S.-held airport in Afghanistan over the past 24 hours, U.S. military officials told reporters in Washington early on Aug. 19.

That includes more than 300 Americans, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said.

Americans, Afghans, and a slew of others have rushed to Kabuls Hamid Karzai International Airport to try to flee the country before Americas planned Aug. 31 withdrawal date.

The pace of evacuations stayed flat day over dayaround 2,000 people were evacuated in the 24 hours leading up to early Aug. 18, including 325 Americansdespite officials expressing hope that they could soon fly 9,000 people out per day.

Most of the non-American passengers are Afghans who have been granted special immigrant visas and are en route to military bases in the United States.

The U.S. military has made space for 22,000 such special immigrants, most of whom in some way helped U.S. forces during the decades-long war in the Middle Eastern country.

We want to take care of our fellow Americans  but we also want to take care of at-risk Afghans and special immigrant visa applicants, Kirby told reporters at the Pentagon. Were not holding up a plane just to fill it with Americans and then sending it off. We are processing people as fast as we can and getting them onto their onward stations. Its a balance, and were trying to strike that balance every day.

Since the start of evacuations on Aug. 14, U.S. flights have taken approximately 7,000 evacuees from Afghanistan. It isnt clear how many were Americans. Asked how many Americans were still in Afghanistan, Kirby said he didnt know.

The State Department would be a better place to go for an estimate on how many Americans are in Afghanistan or in or around Kabul. That is not something the military would know, Kirby said, two days after he estimated 5,000 to 10,000 Americans were in the country.

The State Department told The Epoch Times in an email that it believes there are 5,000 to 10,000 U.S. citizens in Afghanistan. The agency described the number as a rough estimate.

President Joe Biden said in an interview released earlier on Aug. 19 that there may be as many as 15,000 Americans still in Afghanistan.

In this still image taken from video, people gathered outside the airport react to gunfire, in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug. 18, 2021. (Asvaka News via Reuters)

U.S. Army soldiers assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division patrol Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug. 17, 2021. (U.S. Air Force/Senior Airman Taylor Crul via Reuters)

Americans have been urged to make their way to the airport, though theyve also been told their safety cant be guaranteed.

The U.S. military is sticking to the airport and is in regular communication with the Taliban terrorists, who took over Afghanistan on Aug. 15 after the United States pulled out most of its remaining troops. The military has refused to go out and help Americans safely reach the airport, and top leaders have offered mixed messages on whether any Americans will be left behind.

Were going to get everyone that we can possibly evacuate evacuated. And Ill do that as long as we possibly can until the clock runs out or we run out of capability, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters on Aug. 18.

Biden, however, told ABC News earlier that day that if American citizens are still in Afghanistan when Aug. 31 arrives, were going to stay till we get them all out.

Other foreigners are also rushing to the facility, as are Afghans who fear being stuck in the country when the Americans withdraw and the Taliban imposes sharia law.

The chaos has included both Taliban fighters and U.S. troops firing gunshots in the air to try to control the desperate crowds.

To try to meet the huge demand for flights, the military opened a new gate to the airport, which is surrounded by Taliban fighters who are letting some people through checkpoints.

U.S. officials hope this leads to faster processing, particularly for the special immigrant applicants.
U.S. Attorney John Durham speaks to reporters on the steps of U.S. District Court in New Haven, Conn., on April 25, 2006. (Bob Child/AP Photo)

44 Senate Republicans Demand John Durham Report Be Made Public

The pending report from special counsel John Durham, who was tasked with investigating the origins of the FBIs TrumpRussia probe, should be released to the public, Senate Republicans argued in a letter this week.

More than 40 Republican senators, including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), signed a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland asking that Durham, a former U.S. attorney, be allowed to continue his investigation and that his report is released to the public.

There have been questions about whether Durhams investigation will lack funding past the end of the federal governments fiscal year on Sept. 30. He was tapped by then-Attorney General William Barr to investigate the FBIs operations when it surveilled former President Donald Trumps 2016 campaign. Barr elevated Durham to become special counsel in October 2020.

The Special Counsels ongoing work is important to many Americans who were disturbed that government agents subverted lawful process to conduct inappropriate surveillance for political purposes, the Republican senators letter reads. The truth pursued by this investigation is necessary to ensure transparency in our intelligence agencies and restore faith in our civil liberties. Thus, it is essential that the Special Counsels ongoing review should be allowed to continue unimpeded and without undue limitations.

The Republicans called on Garland to make a pledge to release the full report and allow Durham to investigate past September.

We are over two years into the investigation of how the ObamaBiden FBI spied on an incoming president, and we still do not have answers. Americas national security apparatus was weaponized to take down President Trump, and the American people deserve to know how this occurred, Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), who is leading the effort, said in a statement.

In recent months, however, there have been scant reports about the progress of Durhams investigation. According to an Aug. 13 report from The Wall Street Journal, Durhams investigation is still active and is presenting evidence to a grand jury. The WSJ report cited anonymous sources.

If Durham presents evidence before a grand jury, it suggests that hes considering more criminal charges beyond the case against former FBI lawyer Kevin Clinesmith, who pleaded guilty to altering an email about former Trump campaign aide Carter Page. During the 2016 campaign, Page was placed under FBI surveillance in an operation that was later flagged in a December 2019 report (pdf) conducted by the Department of Justices inspector general, who found errors and omissions in how the agency operated.

The Department of Justice didnt respond to a request for comment by press time.
A Back Porch Legacy

How small deeds done with great love leave a mark for generations

Craig Dierksheide is a man people will remember.

I had met Craig many years ago at a movie theater. Life was different now for each of us, but especially for Craig. He had been diagnosed two and a half years previously with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), commonly known as Lou Gehrigs disease. The average life span is two to five years from diagnosis.

Yes, life was different, and Craig was living with the end in mind.

He and his wife, Katie, had made a significant impact on my friend Jodies marriage. The wisdom Craig and Katie shared, both by word and example, had deeply moved both her and her husband.

It was a crisp afternoon on a February day in the South, and Jodie and I were going to visit Craig. She had only recently reconnected with him.

When we discussed the meeting, Craig mentioned having a back porch talk. I liked that idea.

One year after his diagnosis, his doctors prognosis was six months due to a rapid respiratory decline. His daughters wedding scheduled for the next fall was quickly moved to March to beat the death deadline.

When he passed that six-month period, he told us he took great pleasure in telling the doctor that he was wrong. The doctor then stated, It must be because you were in great shape before you were diagnosed. He paused with the timing of a great comic or perhaps to build the effort for a deeper breath and then continued the story.

I told him, Well, that makes you wrong twice, Doc. We broke out in laughter.

We laughed a lot that day. We also shed some tears. Craig could have shed tears over his losses, the little deaths that occur when disease chips away at the life we expect to keep living. However, Craigs tears came when telling the stories of kindness that came his way.

As the afternoon progressed, I began to understand the breadth and depth of who Craig is and who Craig and Katie are together. I began to understand their legacy building, that is, how they had lived their lives and what they would leave in this world. He shared stories of many of these back porch visits, sometimes with a laugh and sometimes with tears when the stories of kindness overwhelmed him.

He asked about my work in Rwanda. I shared how God spoke so very clearly that Rwanda was my place and my purpose, and yet it has evolved as God brought like-minded dreamers into my path and legacy builders to build a hospital in Rwanda with Africa New Life Ministries.

He grew quiet and then declared, I dont believe I have a legacy, certainly nothing that I could place my finger on.

Friends, lean in closer and hear this: We all leave legacies of some kind. They can be unintentionally good or unintentionally bad. My entire purpose of writing on legacy is to let anyone know that having a legacy that is chosen, tended to, and shared leads to a purpose-filled life that leads to a meaningful life, and ultimately a very important ingredient of a good death.

Craig then asked, Pamela, why did you come today? Warmth exploded through my heart as the answer bubbled up. Craig, I came to tell you about your legacy. Actually, it was God who came to tell Craig his legacy, and Jodie and I just happened to be the vessels he used. Craig, however, was like many of us, he couldnt see his legacy because he only thought legacy came in big packages. Well, it doesnt.

I paused for a moment with the weightiness of that statement. Craig, I came to tell you about your legacy. That is a pretty bold statement to make about someone I had only briefly met before. However, it was all the back porch visits that came before mine that told Craigs story. I felt them in that moment of revelation. I was changed. Wisdom moments, kindness moments, authentic moments, settling in like a blanket over my shoulders taking the chill from the air.

I paused for a moment. The truth is, Craig, most folks dont inspire others to return kindness. They dont inspire a back porch visit many years after crossing seasons of life together. It is all the years of your caring for others that has built a legacy of relationships saturated with kindness.

He lived on a porch of influence and was using what time he had left to continue to build into others. This was his wisdom and his legacy. And friends, if we could have those ingredients in our legacy, well, that would just be like running the race as if to win the prize.

Living with ALS had changed their lives radically. They were radically adaptive, radically optimistic, and radically thankful. As we left, I felt lighter, stronger, changed.

The next day, I thoughtfully considered his universal words of wisdom as I read a letter he had written to a class of nursing students that he and Katie had visited.

Craig advised they consider some of the larger factors in their lives, how lucky they were to be born in America and how important it is to invest in your family.

He also challenged them to take full advantage of what this life could offer:

Dont be average.

Dont just get a job and do the same thing your entire life.

Dont settle.

Dream big.

Make a bucket list and start working on ittoday.

For myself, I looked at my children as babies and marveled at the miracle of creation. From my back porch, I now watch the big, black, starry sky and wonder whats out there and how big our universe may be. I realize with full confidence that there is something infinitely grander than us who created us, and I am thankful for our Creators imagination. Get right with God and realize all of us are here for a very short time. Whats next is where it really gets good.

I realized from my time with Craig and in this letter that I witnessed a man doing big things in small ways. He has continued to build his legacy despite being in what he jokingly referred to as a race to the finish line.

Craig was using the power of his influence to teach people fundamental truths about life.

Not long after this visit, people who knew Craig gave him a birthday parade that Jodie said could be seen for miles.

It raised $7,500 for ALS. Craig texted me to share the news, calling it the BEST BIRTHDAY EVER!

I am encouraged by the truth that a lasting legacy is most often found by the imprint we leave in the lives of others. Mother Teresa so beautifully expressed this principle: Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love. Craig and Katie have built a legacy around this principle and long after we are all gone, generations will be affected.

For more information about ALS, go to als.org.

To join Craigs legacy, give in his name to the South Carolina ALS Association at the following link: www.als.org/donate

Dr. Pamela Prince Pyle is a board-certified internal medicine physician, who was one of three physicians selected in 1992 by Carolina Health Specialists to begin the first hospital-based internal medicine practice outside of a university setting in the United States. In 2009, Dr. Pyle began traveling to Rwanda for medical work with Africa New Life Ministries and was instrumental in the founding and growth of the Dream Medical Center in Kigali. She is the author of A Good Death: Learning to Live Like You Were Dying, coming in 2022. To learn more visit PamelaPrincePyle.com
A pickup truck is parked on the sidewalk in front of the Library of Congress' Thomas Jefferson Building, as seen from a window of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, on Aug. 19, 2021. (Alex Brandon/AP Photo)

Suspect Arrested, No Bomb Found After Active Bomb Threat Near Library of Congress

The U.S. Capitol Police late Thursday determined that the area around the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., is safe, and that there was no bomb in a truck as claimed by a suspect who sparked an active bomb threat near Capitol Hill.

The suspect, 49-year-old Floyd Ray Roseberry, was taken into custody on Thursday afternoon, according to a statement from the U.S. Capitol Police. Video footage taken from the scene appeared to show the D.C. bomb threat suspect get out of his truck and surrender to law enforcement.

The suspect drove a black pick-up truck onto the sidewalk in front of the Library of Congress at about 9:15 a.m. ET, according to the Capitol Police statement.

The Capitol Police said they were responding to a suspicious vehicle before announcing on Twitter at around 10:30 a.m. ET that there was an active bomb threat in the area.

During a midday press conference, Capitol Police Chief Thomas Manger told reporters that officials were in communication with the driver of the truck, who told the responding officer on the scene that he had a bomb.

And what appeared, the officer said, appeared to be a detonator in the mans hand, Manger said. We immediately evacuated the nearby buildings.

U.S. Capitol Police vehicles and other emergency vehicles respond as police investigated reports of a suspicious vehicle near the U.S. Capitol in Washington, on Aug. 19, 2021. (Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters)

According to photos posted on social media that allegedly show the incident, a man is seen sitting in a dirty black truck near the Library of Congress.

Photos posted online by news outlets showed police had cordoned off an area around the vehicle. Footage showed a heavily armed officer with a gas mask as dozens of construction workers ran out of nearby buildings.

In a news release Thursday evening, Capitol Police said that officers searched the truck and did not find a bomb, but did find possible bomb making materials.

Authorities investigate a pickup truck parked on the sidewalk in front of the Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building, in Washington, on Aug. 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Capitol Police said they are working closely with the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia to determine the charges for Roseberry.

Roseberry, a bald man with a goatee, was seen in a video livestreamed on Facebook expressing antigovernment sentiments, while appearing to hold a large metal cannister.

The revolutions on, its here, Roseberry said in the video. Im ready to die for the cause.

Crystal Roseberry, his ex-wife who said she divorced him about eight years ago, told Reuters that he was previously diagnosed with schizophrenia and had threatened her with firearms in the past.

The FBI wrote in a statement that its Washington field offices National Capital Response Squad was also investigating and responding to the incident. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) was also responding.

Orange, Silver, and Blue line trains were bypassing the Capitol South Metro station amid the investigation, according to the Metro transit authority.

The Senate and House of Representatives are not in session at the moment, and most lawmakers were not in their offices at the time of the active bomb threat, although some people were still working in the buildings.

Mimi Nguyen Ly contributed to this report.
A mother adjusts the protective mask on her child as she enters the St. Lawrence Catholic School on the first day of school after summer vacation in north of Miami, on Aug. 18, 2021. (Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images)

Another Florida County Imposes School Mask Mandate in Defiance of State Rule

The school board in Floridas Hillsborough County voted on Aug. 18 to impose a mask mandate on school children, in defiance of a state rule put in place by the administration of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.

The board voted 52 in favor of the mask mandate, which allows parents to opt-out only with a doctors note, according to Fox 13.

The doctors note requirement for opting out is similar to the one imposed by Alachua County, which is already under investigation by the state for violating the emergency rule, which requires school districts to allow parents to opt their children out of wearing masks.

The states Department of Health and Department of Education adopted the rule earlier this month in response to an executive order issued by DeSantis.

The order called on state agencies to create protocols to protect school children against the spread of COVID-19. The order specifically required the resulting rules and actions to be in line with the states Parents Bill of Rights, specifically in terms of protecting the parents right to decide whether their children should wear masks.

The Florida Board of Education voted on Aug. 17 to investigate Alachua and Broward counties for violating the emergency rule. Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran determined that theres probable cause that the two districts violated state law by imposing blanket mask mandates on students in public schools.

Every school board member and every school superintendent have a duty to comply with the law, whether they agree with it or not, Corcoran wrote in memos to the board regarding the two school districts.

While the district may not agree with the safety protocols set forth by the Surgeon General in the emergency rule, the Surgeon General is the person who, under the law, sets protocols to control COVID-19 in schools.

The DeSantis administration threatened to punish the counties that are violating the rule by withholding funds equal to the salaries of the offending county school board members and superintendents. The Biden administration intervened in the dispute by promising to replenish any funds taken away from the school district with $7 billion in taxpayer money allocated to Florida schools in the pandemic relief package.

President Joe Biden warned on Aug. 18 that governors who ban school mask mandates could face legal action from the federal government, and directed Education Secretary Miguel Cardona to take additional steps to protect our children.

This includes using his oversight authority and legal action, if appropriate, against governors trying to block and intimidate local school officials and educators, Biden said at the White House. Were not going to sit by as governors try to block and intimidate educators protecting our children.

In an appearance on Fox News, DeSantis responded to Bidens comments.

He is obsessed with having the government force kindergarteners to wear masks all day in school, DeSantis said. In Florida, we believe that thats the parents decision. Joe Biden thinks the federal government should come and overrule the parents and force these young kids to wear these masks.

Youve got to wonder, where are your priorities that youre so obsessed with this issue and so obsessed with taking away parents rights, and youre letting Afghanistan burn, our border burn and so many other things in our country fall to pieces.
Arizona Supreme Court Gives Partial Victory to Opponents of High-Earner Tax Increase for Education

The Supreme Court of the State of Arizona refused to block Proposition 208, which authorizes a new income tax for high earners approved by voters last year that would provide direct funding to schools, but at the same time, the court found that the mechanism for distributing the extra revenue to schools violates the state constitution.

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, a Republican opposed to the tax increase that was expected to generate upwards of $800 million per year for K12 schools, was jubilant after the ruling.

The Supreme Court has said it plainly and clearly: Prop 208 is, in their words, unconstitutional, Ducey said in a statement.

As one Justice put it: The framework almost certainly dooms the measure. There is a clear legal path to Prop 208 being knocked down entirely, its only a matter of time. Todays ruling is a very positive one for the state and for taxpayers. The out-of-state proponents of this measure drafted bad language, and now they are paying the price.

Petitioners had sued, arguing that the ballot initiative approved by voters violated the Arizona Constitution because it authorized a tax. They said the constitution provided that a tax could only be adopted by a two-thirds vote of the state legislature.

They argued that voters couldnt enact laws that the state constitution prevents the legislature from enacting and that the proposition unconstitutionally restricts the legislatures authority to appropriate general funds.

On Feb. 10, 2021, Judge John Hannah Jr. of the Superior Court in Maricopa County denied a request for an injunction. On June 15, he rejected arguments against the ballot measure, except for the question of whether the funding violated state spending rules.

Chief Justice Robert Brutinel wrote the courts opinion on Aug. 19 in Fann v. State of Arizona, in which five of the justices concurred. One justice, Ann Timmer, concurred in part and dissented in part. The lead petitioner, Karen Fann, a Republican, is the president of the Arizona Senate.

Arizona voters narrowly approved Proposition 208 on Nov. 3, 2020, by a margin of 51.75 percent to 48.25 percent, or 1,675,810 votes to 1,562,639, according to Ballotpedia.

Public education groups supported the measure after a 2018 teachers strike led to teachers receiving a 20 percent pay increase but failed to secure other school funding increases they wanted.

The ballot initiative enacted a 3.5 percent income tax over and above the existing 4.5 percent income tax rate on income above $250,000 (for single filers) or $500,000 (for joint filers) and directed the new revenue to finance teacher and classroom support staff salaries, teacher mentoring and retention programs, career and technical education programs, and the Arizona Teachers Academy (ATA).

The ATA isnt an actual school; its a scholarship fund that covers tuition and mandatory fees for participating teacher certification programs. Scholarship recipients must agree to teach in an Arizona public school for one year for each year of scholarship funds they receive.

The petitioners sued to challenge the constitutionality of the tax created by Proposition 208, as well as the initiatives characterization of the direct funding as grants, exempt from the Education Expenditure Clause in the Arizona Constitution. The petitioners also asked the court to enjoin the collection of that tax pending the resolution of their legal challenge, which continues in a lower court, according to the court opinion.

We hold that the direct funding provision does not fall within the constitutional definition of grants in article 9, section 21 of the Arizona Constitution, and Prop. 208 is therefore unconstitutional to the extent it mandates expending tax revenues in violation of the Education Expenditure Clause, Brutinel wrote for the court. The court also held that the remaining non-revenue-related provisions of Proposition 208 are not separately workable and thus not severable.

But because we cannot determine at this preliminary stage of the case the extent to which, if any, such funding will exceed the constitutional expenditure limitation, we decline to enjoin the imposition of the tax, pending further proceedings in the trial court.

In addition, the court found that Proposition 208 didnt violate article 9, section 22 of the Arizona Constitution, known as the Tax Enactment Clause, because that clause does not apply to voter initiatives. Therefore, the bicameralism, presentment, and supermajority requirements found therein are inapplicable to Prop. 208.

Timmer wrote in her dissenting opinion that the analytical framework the court used to look at the spending limit almost certainly dooms the proposition.
Signage for people to stay home is seen at Federation Square in downtown Melbourne, Australia, on August 6, 2021, (Con Chronis/AFP via Getty Images)

Australian City Hits 200 Days of Lockdown Since Beginning of Pandemic

The state of Victoria hit a new milestone on Aug. 19, with its residents spending 200 days under lockdown since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020.

The lockdown has taken a mental and commercial toll on the state.

The frustration and the fatigue is showing, Tony Bartone, the former president of the Australian Medical Association president told the Today on Aug. 18.

It is a really precarious time, and the next week or so will dictate that, he said.

We have seen a stubborn bunch of days with 20-plus cases and almost half of those cases infectious in the community.

Authorities in Victoria have extended the states sixth lockdown by another two weeks after the initial lockdownwhich began on Aug. 4failed to quash an emergence of COVID-19 infections.

A near-deserted street in downtown Melbourne, Australia on Aug. 6, 2021,(Con Chronis/AFP via Getty Images)

Victorian Opposition State Member of Parliament James Newsbury has also pointed to the rising mental health toll from the lockdowns.

Today, there are 12 Victorians in hospital with COVID2 in ICU, he wrote on Twitter.

This week, 148 teenagers will be rushed to hospital after self-harming and suffering suicidal thoughts  The mental health shadow pandemic is real.

In recent weeks, several notable cases of public health order breaches have emerged, including 69 individuals coming together for an engagement partya move that attracted a massive $350,000 in fines.

Ian Hickie of the University of Sydneys Brain and Mind Centre said Melbournians were suffering under a prolonged chronic stress situation due to ongoing lockdowns.

In the face of what appears to be ineffective government action and confusion  people dont want to remain helpless and tired, he told ABC.

They act to feel better, and they act in ways they believe are appropriate. They believe they are low risk, and they are doing things that actually help them to get by.

Australian state leaders have adopted tough measures to deal with small outbreaks of COVID-19; these efforts have ramped up in recent months to contend with the newer, more viral Delta strain of the virus.

Australia and New Zealand have enjoyed relatively low infection and death rates from COVID-19 by global standards; thisalong with public support for tough measureshas motivated state leaders to use lockdowns and restrictions readily.

The Victorian capital, Melbourne, has taken a battering due to extended lockdowns, with its commercial office market recording its lowest demand levels since the 1990s.

In contrast, demand for office space across other capital cities has remained steady.

While office markets have shown pleasing resilience, challenges remain. Lockdowns continue, and the impacts of the pandemic are still working through the economy, so CBD recovery needs to be a priority for governments at all levels, Ken Morrison, CEO of the Property Council of Australia, said in a statement.
A teacher writes an equation on a whiteboard during a maths lesson at a secondary school in London, England, on Dec. 1, 2014. (Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)

Australia Falling Behind on Passion and Performance in Maths

Australias youth are becoming less proficient and less interested in maths, causing a serious decline in national maths standards.

The Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) revealed that in 2018, Australia fell to the OECD average for maths for the first time according to PISA testing results.

Using 2003 results as a benchmark, the decline amounts to around a years worth of schooling.

PISA tests 15-year-old students in OECD countries on maths, science, and reading every three years.

We are a developed, wealthy Western country with justifiably high aspirations for our students, so we must take notice of these results, ACER deputy CEO Sue Thomson said.

The director of the Australian Mathematics Science Institute (AMSI), a national voice for maths in the country, noted that while Asian neighbours such as Taiwan and Hong Kong have maintained good results, it was a different story for Western countries, including Australia.

Both the relative and absolute performance have been declining, AMSI Director Tim Marchant told The Epoch Times.

The Maths Problem

Marchant believes the most significant problem is the major shortfall of maths teachers in the country.

The shortage means around 30 percent of young high school students are taught by teachers without formal training in maths.

About 50 percent of principals report that maths teacher vacancies are the hardest to fill in secondary school, Marchant said. So because of that, theres more out of field teachers, and those teachers will have less confidence in teaching maths, obviously.

A student learning mathematics during a lesson in primary school in Berlin, Germany, on April 14, 2010. (Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)

Another factor was due to the trend of parents and children placing less value on the subject.

More kids in Year 8about 50 percentdont like mathematics compared to other countries, Marchant said, noting it leads to less participation in maths during senior high school years.

An article for the Actuaries Institutes magazine found that participation in Year 12 intermediate and advanced maths subjects in the country was low and has declined further over time.

It said that in 1998, an estimated 47 percent of Australian Year 12 students studied intermediate or advanced maths. That figure has now fallen to around 30 percent.

Currently, around 12 percent of boys and 7 percent of girls choose to undertake advanced level maths in Year 12.

These low levels are not an encouraging sign for Australias maths professions, the authors David Barnes, Martin Mulcare, and Margarita Psaras wrote. It is [also] disappointing that as many as 25 percent of Year 12 students in NSW are not studying any mathematics in Year 12.

Mathematics is not compulsory for senior high school students in New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, and Victoria.

Students attend a class at Alexandria Park Community School in Sydney, Australia, on May 4, 2016. (AAP Image/Paul Miller)

However, Marchant said the issue of making maths compulsory for Years 11 and 12 was complicated.

We (AMSI) dont necessarily think math should be compulsory in Year 11 and 12, he said. But we want to encourage school kids that are both talented at mathematics and interested in mathematics to keep going with it.

Barnes, Mulcare, and Psaras said many students deliberately choose not to study higher maths because mastering the subject requires repeating the same types of questions and making a lot of mistakes, which can be frustrating.

Repetitively getting the wrong answer may affect a students confidence, resulting in decreased participation, they said.

Problem Solving Method

With the shortage of teachers highlighted as the leading issue, Marchant believes it is critical first to increase the number of qualified maths teachers if Australia wants to reverse the decline.

He said an AMSI program focused on supporting maths teacher development in 20 low socio-economic schools had a large positive impact, especially for primary school teachers.

Primary school teachers just do a general qualification. Theyre not trained in math in any specific way, so they will not have a lot of confidence to teach maths, Marchant said. So we think its important that we start there at the beginning.

Students inside a classroom at school in the Coogee suburb of Sydney, Australia, on June 17, 2013. (Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images)

Formally retraining teachers in maths would also be valuable, and Marchant said Australia could follow Irelands successful retraining program.

Improving the curriculum during the 2021 national curriculum review could have been another piece of the puzzle to improving maths.

However, Marchant said AMSI were unified in their strong opposition to the new curriculum because it only lowered standards further by delaying and removing the teaching of many fundamental concepts.

We also believe that the new curriculum places too much emphasis on problem-solving rather than fluency and mastery of key concepts, he said.

Pending Need for Numbers

Australias need for a competent domestic skilled workforce has been highlighted after COVID restrictions cut off the stream of skilled migration.

Companies have reported they are struggling to find employees to work in data and analytics, financial maths, engineering, and many other fields.

The mining industry also previously said that it needed the best and brightest students, particularly in maths.

Its really important that we have our own domestic workforce fill all these jobs, Marchant said.

He said if these problems are not solved, there would not be enough highly-skilled Australians to do the jobs, which will prompt high tech companies will move overseas.

I think we need to encourage all groups in our society to participate fully in the opportunities because I think that will lead to the best outcome for the country, Marchant said.
Australian Education Minister Alan Tudge speaks to the media during a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on Aug. 4, 2021. (AAP Image/Lukas Coch)

Australias Proposed Curriculum Must Be Rewritten With Fundamental Changes: Education Minister

Australian Education Minister Alan Tudge has told the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) that it must substantially rewrite its draft national curriculum or it will not be approved.

The proposed curriculum that was released in April attracted heavy criticism across all subjects, including the removal of all references to Australias democratic and Judeo-Christian heritage in history.

Your draft, however, diminishes Australias western, liberal, and democratic values, Tudge wrote in a letter to ACARA, as reported by The Australian. The overarching impression from the curriculum is that the main feature of western civilisation is slavery, imperialism, and colonisation.

The Epoch Times has not seen the letter.

Tudge criticised the ideology over evidence approach that ACARA took to the curriculum, urging the ACARAs board to seriously consider feedback from education experts who have expressed deep concern over the lowered education standards of the proposal.

Some of these groups, such as Australias peak mathematics association, believe that the current draft will take Australian kids backwards, he said. If the current draft is simply tweaked, it will not be supportedit needs fundamental changes.

Tudge, who became the education minister in Dec. 2020, has made it his major goal to return Australia to the top group of education nations.

He previously said there was an issue where graduating teachers are insufficiently prepared to teach in classrooms because of the heavy focus on theory and lack of focus on evidence-based teaching methods.

Therefore, the new curriculum should emphasise evidence-based practices, particularly in fundamental subjects like reading and maths.

However, to my great frustration, evidence-based practices have not been consistently embedded in your (ACARAs) current draft, Tudge wrote. There is still too much emphasis on whole-language learning of reading and insufficient emphasis on phonics.

Thirty years ago, determining the best way to teach reading may have been a legitimate debate, but it is not now,  he said. The teaching of phonics is vital.

Meanwhile, the Australian Mathematics Science Institute (AMSI) has been particularly critical for the weakened maths standards in the new curriculum through the delay and removal of key concepts.

They also disagreed with the curriculums strong emphasis on problem-solving before key concepts were learnt because mastering fundamentals was needed before problem-solving could be effective.

AMSI Director Tim Marchant previously told The Epoch Times that the members were unified in their strong opposition to the proposed curriculum and were pursuing changes.

Senator Eric Abetz said Tudges call to rewrite its curriculum draft was an essential step to ensure education prevails over ideology.

Abetz said ACARA needs to prioritise fundamentals and cease the focus on Australias past faults rather than many successes.

The relentless Leftist denigration of Australias great history, one of the most successful, prosperous countries in the world, is typical of the rot besetting our education and university sector, which teaches our teachers, Abetz said in a statement.

Tudge told ACARA it needed to seize the current opportunity to lift the nations education standards, while Abetz said he looked forward to a more balanced curriculum.

One that doesnt shy away from the ills of the past but also examines how and why Australia became one of the most successful countries in the world, Abetz said.
Beijing Announces the Crimes of Sacked Gestapo Head

The Chinese Communist Party announced on Tuesday the crimes committed by Peng Bo, former deputy director of both its internet censorship agency and its Gestapo-like secret police office, who was sacked five months ago in March.

Peng Bos ideals and beliefs collapsed, and he had been disloyal to the party, deviated from the Party Central Committees decisions on the online public opinion struggle, [and] gave up on positions taken to manage the internet, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) anti-corruption watchdog, said on its website on Aug. 17. [Peng] engaged in superstitious activities  and illegally received large amounts of property.

The 64-year-olds case is being closely watched by Chinese because of the special positions Peng held in the party.

The announcement described Pengs title as the deputy director of the Central Leading Group on Preventing and Dealing with Cults, a Gestapo-like security agency under both the CCP Central Committee and the State Council.

The group, also known as the 610 Office, was established on June 10, 1999, and was tasked with the sole mission of implementing the persecution and eradication of Falun Gong, a spiritual practice that teaches the values of truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance.

As a secret arm of the regime, the 610 Office doesnt have an official website; its difficult for the public to know who works for the office from public information.

But the office has gained notoriety. Accumulating evidence shows that the office has the power to leverage the forces of the CCPs national security, public security, and judicial resources to detain and torture Falun Gong practitioners all around the country.

Falun Gong practitioners take part in a parade marking the 22nd anniversary of the start of the Chinese regimes persecution of Falun Gong, in Washington on July 16, 2021. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times)

The announcement also noted Pengs prior position as deputy director of the Chinese Cyberspace Administration (CAC)Chinas central internet regulator.

The Chinese regime heavily censors the internet and social media platforms for content not in alignment with party policies or which challenge the party-approved version of history or current events as presented in state media, such as the partys tight control over religious expression.

The CAC provides direction as to what is permissible expression for each level of government, internet companies, and the internet trolls that the party uses to further capture public opinion.

Before his appointment at the CAC, Peng worked for the Beijing Youth Daily, operated by the Beijing city government; the financial newspaper China Industrial and Commercial Times, owned by the CCPs chamber of commerce; the China Youth Press, a subsidiary of the Communist Youth League Central Committee; and the propaganda bureau of the CCP Central Committee.

Along with being expelled from the ruling party, Peng has been stripped of all pay and benefits and is being referred for criminal prosecution for numerous violations of discipline and on suspicion of bribery, the CCDI said.

The announcement didnt give any examples or details of Pengs crimes.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Asylum seekers pass U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers while crossing an international bridge from Mexico into the United States in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, on March 17, 2021. (John Moore/Getty Images)

Biden Admin to Double Number of Asylum Officers at Border, Empower Them to Accept or Reject Arrivals

WASHINGTONPresident Joe Bidens administration unveiled a plan to overhaul the U.S. asylum system on Wednesday, including a doubling of staff to try to speed processing of immigrants arriving at the southern border, where arrests have soared to 20-year highs.

The proposed rule would authorize asylum officers to accept or reject migrants claims for protection soon after they cross the border, bypassing backlogged U.S. immigration courts where cases often take years to be resolved by judges.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement that the regulation would allow the United States to more promptly and efficiently consider asylum claims of individuals while ensuring fundamental fairness.

The rule could take months to finalize, and would not immediately replace a current policy to expel most border crossers during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Biden administration aims to hire an additional 1,000 asylum officers and another 1,000 support staff, a senior DHS official told Reuters ahead of the announcement. The hiring spree would more than double the current crop of about 800 asylum officers and could be funded either by Congress or immigration application fee increases.

We hope that we will be able to assess claims within three months of arrival, the senior official said. A lot of that will depend on the number of asylum officers that are hired.

It is the biggest proposed change to the asylum system since Biden took office in January, and a key part of a 21-point immigration plan unveiled in July.

Arrests at the U.S.-Mexico border have risen to their highest monthly levels in two decades, with Republicans hammering Biden for his rolling back of many of former President Donald Trumps immigration policies.

If we can determine who is a legitimate asylum seeker and who is not earlier in the process, I think that drives down some of the incentives for irregular migration, the official said.

The Biden administration expects to roll out the plan in phases, first applying it to asylum-seeking families based on where they were encountered and their destination in the United States.

Bidens planned overhaul is overshadowed by his decision to keep in place a Trump-era border policy known as Title 42, which allows border officers to immediately expel anyone illegally crossing the border without a hearing as a measure to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

Expedited Removal, No Detention

The proposed rule, to be formally published in the Federal Register on Friday, will go through a 60-day period of public comment, followed by a government review. The process could stretch into early 2022, the DHS official said.

If about 2,000 asylum staffers are hired, the regulation would cost about $438 million in the coming fiscal year, which begins on Oct. 1, according to a government estimate.

The regulation would allow migrants who apply for asylum through this process to be released from custody instead of held in detention as their cases are processed on a fast-track basis.

The new rule could trigger backlash among both immigration hardliners and liberals, since it would allow immigrants to be released, but at the same time could speed up deportations for those who lose their cases.

By Ted Hesson. The Epoch Times contributed to this report.
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett makes a media statement for the COVID-19 pandemic status, at the Prime minister's office in Jerusalem, on Aug. 18, 2021. (Abir Sultan/Pool via Reuters)

Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Set to Discuss Iran Strategy at Meeting Next Week

WASHINGTON/JERUSALEMStalled nuclear talks with Iran will be at the top of the agenda when U.S. President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett meet next week.

The President and Prime Minister Bennett will discuss critical issues related to regional and global security, including Iran, said White House press secretary Jen Psaki in a statement announcing the leaders first in-person meeting at the White House on Aug. 26.

Talks between Tehran and six world powers to revive the nuclear pact ditched three years ago by Bidens predecessor Donald Trump have stalled since they began in April.

The Israeli leader opposes the deal being revived. It views a nuclear-armed Iran as an existential threat.

Tehran denies seeking the bomb, though a U.N. atomic watchdog report on Tuesday seen by Reuters showed the country accelerating its enrichment of uranium to near weapons-grade.

Regional tensions rose over a July 29 attack on an Israeli-managed tanker off the coast of Oman that Israel, the United States, and Britain blamed on Tehran. Iran denied any involvement in the suspected drone strike in which two crew members were killed.

Conflict has also flared between Israel and Lebanons Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorist group.

The White House meeting will come less than three weeks after U.S. Central Intelligence Agency Director William Burns held talks in Israel with Bennett on Iran.

Bennett said at a news conference that the meeting will focus on Iran but the White House also touted an opportunity for the two leaders to discuss efforts to advance peace, security, and prosperity for Israelis and Palestinians.

The Israeli leader said he planned to come to the meeting very focused with a policy of partnership that aims to curb Irans destabilizing, negative regional activity, its human rights abuses, terrorism, and preventing its nearing nuclear breakout.

By Trevor Hunnicutt and Maayan Lubell
Afghan people sit as they wait to leave Kabul airport on Aug. 16, 2021. After a stunningly swift end to Afghanistan's 20-year war, thousands of people mobbed the city's airport trying to flee Taliban terrorists. (Wakil Kohsar/AFP via Getty Images)

Biden Reveals How Many American Citizens Might Still Be in Afghanistan

President Joe Biden during a Wednesday ABC News interview revealed there may be about 15,000 Americans stuck in Afghanistan as U.S. forces hastily attempt to evacuate them at the Kabul airport.

Also trying to escape are tens of thousands of Afghans who either fought alongside or provided assistance to the United States but fear reprisal attacks from the Taliban, an extremist group that took over most of the country and its capital this week.

Biden told ABC News George Stephonopoulous that U.S. officials estimate there are between 10,000 to 15,000 Americans in Afghanistan and added that the estimate were giving is 50,000 to 65,000 Afghan allies, including family members.

A day later, on Thursday, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said he doesnt know how many Americans are still inside Afghanistan.

Americans should understand that were gonna try to get it done before Aug. 31st, Biden said in the interview, his first one since the Taliban took over the country. The president said the U.S. military will attempt to evacuate all Americans out of the South Asian country by that date.

Earlier this week, a spokesman for the Taliban warned in a Sky News interview that U.S. forces need to withdraw from the country by Sept. 11, which is the date of the terrorist attacks that toppled the Twin Towers 20 years ago.

Outside the Kabul airport on Thursday, there were scenes of chaos, according to video footage posted online. The video shows what appears to be Afghan security forces or possibly foreign security forces opening fire while people scream. Details about the incident are not clear, and The Epoch Times cannot verify its authenticity.

Kabul airport now

pic.twitter.com/743y2AULrh  Bruno Macaes (@MacaesBruno) August 19, 2021

For how the withdrawal and evacuation are being handled, the Biden administration has received significant bipartisan criticism. Biden, in response, has blamed the Afghan government and army for refusing to fight the Taliban, although neither he nor the other U.S. officials have been able to provide clear answers about how Washington is handling the evacuation and security situation at the Kabul airport.

The president also received flack for remaining on vacation at the Camp David presidential retreat for several days. According to Federal Aviation Administration records, Biden is scheduled to head to his home state of Delaware for several days. On Wednesday, Biden spoke about COVID-19 booster shots but didnt stay for questions from reporters about Afghanistan.

Before the withdrawal, the president said in July that the process would be secure and orderly, while U.S. intelligence assessments predicted that the government would not collapse in just days. During the ABC News interview, the president appeared to change his mind and said there would be no way the withdrawal could be handled without chaos ensuing.

At one point, Biden said that while he didnt trust the Taliban, they were cooperating with the U.S. military.

Im not sure I would have predicted nor would you or anyone else, that when we decided to leave that theyd provide safe passage for Americans to get out, the President.

The Taliban is considered a terrorist group by a number of federal agencies and governments around the world, accused of harboring terrorist networks like al-Qaeda and the Haqqani network.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, in a news conference Wednesday, said that Taliban members are checking the documentation of people trying to enter the airport. However, State Department Deputy Secretary Wendy Sherman said the group is denying Afghan civilians from reaching the airport, accusing the terrorist group of reneging on its commitment to the United States.

We dont have the capability to go out and collect large numbers of people, Austin also said.
President Joe Biden gestures as he delivers remarks on the COVID-19 response and the vaccination program in the East Room of the White House on Aug. 18, 2021 in Washington, DC. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Biden Says al-Qaeda Bigger Threat Than Taliban, Claims Group in Existential Crisis

President Joe Biden says there is a significantly greater threat from al-Qaeda and its affiliated groups in other countries than the Taliban in Afghanistan as he defended his administrations turbulent withdrawal.

In an interview with ABCs Good Morning America, Biden stressed that the United States should shift its focus on places where terrorist threats are considered the greatest.

There is a significantly greater threat to the United States from Syria  East Africa, the president said on Wednesday. There is a significantly greater threat from other places in the world than from the mountains of Afghanistan.

We should be focusing on where the threat is the greatest, he said. We can continue to spend a trillion dollars, and have tens of thousands of American forces in Afghanistan, when we have North Africa and Western Africathe idea we can do that and ignore those looming problems, growing problems, is not rational.

Biden also claimed the Taliban is going through an existential crisis and that the designated terrorist group isnt seeking a legitimate position on the global stage.

I think theyre going through sort of an existential crisis about [whether or not] they want to be recognized by the international community as being a legitimate governmentIm not sure they do, he said.

Biden also pushed back against concerns about the treatment of women and girls in the country, arguing that its not rational to try to protect womens rights around the globe through military force. Instead, it should be done through diplomatic and international pressure on human rights abusers to change their behavior.

Taliban terrorists patrol in a neighborhood in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug. 18, 2021. (Rahmat Gul/AP Photo)

During the interview, Biden defended his administrations handling of the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the war-torn nation after the Afghan capital, Kabul, was taken unopposed by the terrorist group last week.

Biden has faced backlash over the timing and direction of the withdrawal, but the president told ABC that he believes chaos was unavoidable.

When asked if the exit could have been handled better in any way, he said, No. I dont think it couldve been handled in a way thatwere going to go back in hindsight and look but the idea that somehow there was a way to have gotten out without chaos ensuing, I dont know how that happens.

Up to 15,000 Americans remain in Afghanistan after the Taliban took full control of the nation on Aug. 15. Biden said during the same interview that hes committed to keeping U.S. troops in Afghanistan until every American is evacuated, even if that means maintaining a military presence beyond his Aug. 31 deadline for withdrawal.

Pressed repeatedly on how the administration would help Americans left in the nation after Aug. 31, Biden said, If there are American citizens left, were gonna stay till we get them all out.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

From NTD News
U.S. President Joe Biden gestures as he delivers remarks on the COVID-19 response and the vaccination program in the East Room of the White House on Aug. 18, 2021. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Biden to Mandate COVID-19 Vaccines for Nursing Home Staff

President Joe Biden has announced that nursing home facilities nationwide must require staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19 if they wish to continue receiving Medicare and Medicaid funding.

Today Im announcing a new step, Biden said in remarks at the White House on Aug. 18. If you work in a nursing home and serve people on Medicare or Medicaid, you will also be required to get vaccinated.

The new policy would apply to more than 15,000 nursing home facilities across the United States, which employ approximately 1.3 million workers and serve about 1.6 million residents.

More than 130,000 residents of nursing homes have sadly, sadly, over the period of this virus, passed away. At the same time, vaccination rates among nursing home staff significantly trail the rest of the country, Biden said.

With this announcement, Im using the power of the federal government as a payer of health care costs to make sure we reduce those risks to our most vulnerable seniors. These steps are all about keeping people safe and out of harms way.

The mandate will be issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in the form of an emergency regulation and could take effect by September. According to data compiled by the agency, approximately 60 percent of nursing home staff are vaccinated against COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP virus.

If you visit, live, or work in a nursing home, you should not be at a high risk for contracting COVID from unvaccinated employees, Biden said.

It marks the first time the White House has threatened to withhold federal funding to ramp up vaccination rates.

A health care worker fills a syringe with Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in Los Angeles on Aug. 11, 2021. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images)

In recent weeks, the president has approved rules requiring that federal workers provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination or face regular testing, travel restrictions, and mask mandates. The Pentagon on Aug. 9 said that it will require all active-duty military personnel to be vaccinated.

All three COVID-19 vaccines are being administered in the United States under emergency use authorization. Officials have suggested that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine could become Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved as soon as this month.

The mandate comes amid a surge in cases of the more infectious Delta COVID-19 variant nationwidenow accounting for at least 80 percent of cases.

The White House said in a fact sheet that several states have already rolled out COVID-19 vaccine mandates for nursing home staff, and this action will ensure consistent and equitable standards across the country.

We need to go faster. Thats why Im taking steps on vaccination requirements where I can, Biden said.

Earlier on Aug. 18, federal health officials announced that they plan to begin the distribution of COVID-19 booster shots next month. National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Francis Collins said that nursing home residents, health care providers, and the elderly are likely to be prioritized for the shots.
US Black Hawk Helicopters Captured by Taliban as Horrified Senators Demand DOD Audit

Likely billions of dollars of American weapons and vehicles are now in the hands of the Taliban extremist group after the collapse of the Afghan government and army, with numerous videos and photos surfacing online showing Taliban members seizing the equipment.

Photos have circulated of Taliban members holding American M-4 carbines and M-16 rifles rather than AK-47s or AKMs. Other images and videos showed the Taliban surrounding U.S. Black Hawk helicopters and A-29 Super Tucano attack aircraft.

On Aug. 18, several Republican senators demanded the Department of Defense (DOD) provide full accounting over the weapons and equipment that were captured by the Taliban, considered by several agencies as a terrorist organization.

As we watched the images coming out of Afghanistan as the Taliban retook the country, we were horrified to see U.S. equipmentincluding UH-60 Black Hawksin the hands of the Taliban, Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and two dozen other senators wrote to Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin this week.

Taliban seizes $6,000,000 US Blackhawk helicopters https://t.co/b110kK1knz pic.twitter.com/EIWAdlk59W  Robert Spencer      (@jihadwatchRS) August 15, 2021

It is unconscionable that high-tech military equipment paid for by U.S. taxpayers has fallen into the hands of the Taliban and their terrorist allies, the Republicans added. Securing U.S. assets should have been among the top priorities for the U.S. Department of Defense prior to announcing the withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Some experts said that the Taliban capture of U.S. hardware has more of a psychological impact, rather than a practical impact.

When an armed group gets their hands on American-made weaponry, its sort of a status symbol. Its a psychological win, said Elias Yousif, deputy director of the Center for International Policys Security Assistance Monitor, according to The Hill.

Yousif said the development is problematic for a number of reasons.

Clearly, this is an indictment of the U.S. security cooperation enterprise broadly, he added. It really should raise a lot of concerns about what is the wider enterprise that is going on every single day, whether thats in the Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa, East Asia.

Military vehicles transferred by the U.S. to the Afghan National Army in February 2021. (Afghanistan Ministry of Defense/via Reuters)

Taliban stand guard at an entrance gate outside the Interior Ministry in Kabul, on Aug. 17, 2021. (Javed Tanveer/AFP via Getty Images)

The Office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, established by Congress in 2008, has said that about $83 billion was spent on developing and sustaining the Afghan police and army over two decades. Between 2003 and 2016, the United States transferred nearly 600,000 weapons, 76,000 vehicles, 163,000 communication devices, 208 aircraft, and surveillance and reconnaissance equipment to the Afghan forces, according to a 2017 Government Accountability Office report.

Between 2017 and 2019, the United States provided Afghan army forces with 4,702 Humvees, 2,520 bombs, 1,394 grenade launchers, 20,040 hand grenades, and 7,035 machine guns, stated the Office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction.

Yousif told The Hill that its likely the Taliban would be able to use advanced aircraft or weaponry but stressed they wont be able to keep the aircraft in the air for long.

They may be able to manage a flight or two or to operate them in some really limited capacity in the short term, but without long-term sustainment, maintenance, servicing, that sort of thing, it wouldnt turn into a robust or useful military capability, he said. It took the Afghans and the United States a long time to develop an indigenous air capability, and even then, they were reliant on the United States to keep those planes in the sky.

Small arms such as M-16s, he said, are of more concern.

The Taliban has seized AAFs UH-60 Black Hawk & Mil Mi-8/17 helicopters at the Kandahar Airport. pic.twitter.com/GGjKAzoNzH  Status-6 (@Archer83Able) August 14, 2021

They are easy to maintain, easy to learn how to use, easy to transport, Yousif told the outlet. The concern for all small arms is that they are durable goods and they can be transferred, sold. Weve seen this before where a conflict ends and the arms that stay there make their way to all parts of the world.

When pressed for comment, White House officials said it isnt clear how many weapons or vehicles were seized.

We dont have a complete picture, obviously, of where every article of defense materials has gone, but certainly a fair amount of it has fallen into the hands of the Taliban, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters on Aug. 17. And obviously, we dont have a sense that they are going to readily hand it over to us at the airport.

And Sullivan made reference to the Black Hawk helicopters that were taken, blaming the Afghan army for not defending themselves.

Those Black Hawks were not given to the Taliban, he said. They were given to the Afghan National Security Forces to be able to defend themselves at the specific request of [Afghan] President [Ashraf] Ghani, who came to the Oval Office and asked for additional air capability, among other things.
Book-Banning, Censorship, and the Stifling of Free Expression

Commentary

The American Booksellers Association (ABA) is a trade organization for Americas dwindling number of independent, non-chain bookstores. These community-based stores serve a unique role in promoting the open exchange of ideas, the ABAs website declares.

Unless, it would seem, the ideas are deemed objectionable by the progressive powers that be. Then, the ABA switches from promoter of open exchange to an iron-fisted censor worthy of the 17th-century Puritans who banned all books that criticized their Massachusetts theocracy.

Nor is the ABA alone as an organization ostensibly devoted to the values of free speech and a free press exemplified in the Constitutions First Amendment, but in actuality an enforcer of canceling whatever products of speech and press are ruled out-of-bounds by a left-leaning cultural establishment. Publishers and librarianswho also pay lip service to the First Amendment and its valueshave been almost as craven.

Case in point: the ABAs treatment of Abigail Shriers best-selling Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters. Shrier, a veteran journalist, cites research studies to argue that the current surge of teenage girls deciding theyre born into the wrong body and are actually boys is simply a reaction to adolescent anxieties, encouraged by social media, that doctors are grossly mistreating with radical body-altering surgeries and prescriptions of massive amounts of male hormones that can destroy the girls prospects for future fertility.

The Economist magazine picked Irreversible Damage as one of its Books of the Year for 2020and so the ABA included the book, now in paperback, along with promotional materials paid for by its conservative publisher, Regnery, in a July 2021 mailing to 750 independent bookstores.

Within days, Casey Morrissey, a self-described trans bookseller and book buyer at Brooklyns Greenlight Bookstore, was complaining on Twitter that the book was anti-transbecause it failed to adhere to the transgender-activist dogma that a persons self-described gender is a biological reality, and if that persons body doesnt conform, correction by whatever medical means necessary is appropriate, even if that person is a child.

Do better, Morrissey tweeted on July 14, and was promptly joined by other booksellers tweeting similar sentiments. Transgender activists have alreadyalthough so far unsuccessfullytried to pressure online retailers such as Amazon not to carry Shriers book.

The ABAs apology on Twitter came within hours: This is a serious, violent incident that goes against ABAs ends policies, values, and everything we believe and support. It is inexcusable.

That wasnt good enough for the activist booksellers, however (Were extremely disappointed and angered to see the ABA promoting dangerous, widely discredited anti-trans propaganda, the Harvard Book Store wrote in a tweet). So on Aug. 9, after consulting with the ABAs Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee (yes, the ABA has one of those), the organizations CEO, Allison Hill, issued a 1,400-word breast-beating statement that read like the product of a Maoist struggle session.

In the future, Hill promised, all the organizations promotional material would be screened to exclude books exhibiting hate speech under the U.N.s definition: pejorative or discriminatory language with reference to a person or a group on the basis of who they are.

Included as an object of Hills abjection was a blooper that an ABA staffer had made while electronically assembling a promotion package. One of the books on the list was Blackout, a 2021 collection of young-adult stories by black authors about black teens who fall in love during an electrical-power outage. The ABA employee had mistakenly included a cover image of the 2020 best-seller Blackout: How Black America Can Make Its Second Escape From the Democrat Plantation by Candace Owens, a black conservative activist. Under ordinary circumstances, the employees error would have been one of those things that can happen when book titles are identical and deadlines loom. But Hill, in an earlier statement (pdf), dubbed the mistake irresponsible and racist and promised staffers would attend diversity and inclusion training.

The ABA controversy over Shrier and Owens comes on the heels of other recent incidents of outright censorship in the book world. In 2018, the publishing conglomerate Macmillan took what it considered a brave stand for freedom of the press. Its then-CEO John Sargent defied a demand from Donald Trump that it halt the publication of Michael Wolffs Fire and Fury, a purported tell-all about his administrations inner workings.

We need to respond strongly  for all authors and all their books, now and in the future, Sargent wrote.

Yet now, in 2021, a Macmillan imprint, Picador, has made it clear that all authors doesnt include authors who arent sufficiently sensitive to todays ever-changing identity politics. Picador is working with British poet Kate Clanchy to updatethat is, rewriteher award-winning memoir Some Kids I Taught and What They Taught Me to meet current standards of sensitivity. Clanchys narrative about her years as a teacher won high praise when Picador released it in 2019, but recently a Twitter mob started denouncing the book as a racist and ableist screed.

Clanchy had described some of her ethnic-minority students as having chocolate-coloured skin and almond-shaped eyes and two autistic students as unselfconsciously odd. On Aug. 6, Picador issued an apology and promised that the book would be rewritten in future editions. Even Clanchy herself felt obliged to join the self-criticism session: I know I got many things wrong, and welcome the chance to write better, more lovingly, she wrote.

Finally, theres the American Library Association (ALA), the librarians trade organization whose watchword is freedom to read. The ALAs Banned Books Week (this year from Sept. 26 to Oct. 2) focuses on controversial books that activist groups, typically on the political and religious right, have tried to get removed from the shelves of public libraries. But the ALA now has a book-banning problem of its own involving controversial books: six Dr. Seuss books for children written mostly during the 1950s by the beloved author and illustrator Theodor Geisel.

Some of those booksIf I Ran the Zoo and To Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Streethave been childhood icons for generations of Americans, but Dr. Seuss Enterprises, which holds the copyrights to Geisels works, has decided that some of the illustrations are racially insensitive: They portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong. The company has withdrawn all six books from future publication. The ALA refuses to describe the companys actions as censorship.

Dr. Seuss Enterprises has not made a call for libraries or schools to remove the books from collections, Deborah Caldwell-Stone, director of the ALAs Office for Intellectual Freedom, told the media. But thats exactly what is happening in local public libraries all across America, where the six Seuss books either are no longer available or can be read only with restrictions. The ALA has yet to speak out on this issue.

If this situation seems Orwell-esque or Stalin-esque, thats because it is. Organizations and institutions that for years have championed themselves as defenders of free expression now explicitly or implicitly support the stifling of free expression. They havent endorsed book bonfires yet, but they seem awfully close.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Nurse and Army veteran Renee Langone administers a Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to US Air Force (active duty reservist) Dr. Pei-Chun McGregor at the West Roxbury VA Medical Center in Boston, Mass., on Dec. 23, 2020. (Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images)

Boosters? I Dont Want Your Stinkin Boosters!

Commentary

Our governmentthe current administration and its presidentis now announcing that those who took COVID-19 vaccines must take a booster.

But who can trust the opinion of our governmentany part of it, all those self-perpetuating enclaves of moribund bureaucratsgiven whats going on in Afghanistan? Its laughable.

Its not just the gang who couldnt shoot straight. Its the gang that shoots its own people and leaves millions of women to suffer the most brutal oppression on the planet.

Trust them?

That this booster announcement was made now, in the face of the monstrous Afghanistan debacle, is an all-too-transparent attempt to say dont look there, look herehere being, as always, COVID-19, the ever-ready pandemic that has been used to manipulate and prevent the American people from living anything close to normal lives for going on two years.

In fact, as I type, our president has suddenly appeared on our television screens talking about COVID-19 and advocating boosters with not a word about the thousands on deaths door across the seas, and he doesntneedless to saytake a single question.

As we used to say in the sixties, Hell, no. I wont go!

Or, to paraphrase the John Huston/Bogart classic The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, Boosters? I dont want your stinkin boosters! (It was badges in the original.)

The Pfizer jabs apparently no longer really work. They have worn out early, like a set of tires before their time.

The booster is supposed to alleviate this, but how many boosters? One every six months? Every three months? Weekly?

Which variant will it preventthe Delta, the Lambda, the Delphic Oracle?

No matter. According to three extraordinaryand brave under the circumstancesdoctor/scientists whose briefing for some members of the Tennessee legislature I attended via Zoom last week, the Pfizer booster, at least, doesnt even work against the Delta variant.

Reason: The Pfizer booster is just more of the exact same vaccine that people took in the first place and was never designed for Delta, which didnt exist at the time.

But  but  but  what if one is invented for Delta? Well, the gentlemen said, it would be pointless. The Delta variant itself will be gone in roughly a month and a half, moving on to the next one, Lambda and so forth, as viral variants almost always do.

So what to do if we abjure the essentially useless vaccine? (They cited Israel, where nearly everyone is vaccinated, and the country is in the midst of a renewed epidemic.)

Make sure to take plenty of vitamin D and C and zinc daily. Have either hydroxychloroquine (Trump was right about this one, the vaccines not so much) or ivermectin on hand and a doctor who can instruct you on the protocols, maybe get you a monoclonal infusion or some Regeneron if you should contract COVID-19.

Time is the most important thing to beat the disease. If you have symptoms, get tested immediately and, if positive, begin treatment as soon as possible. If you react quickly, you will almost always be okay and avoid the much-talked-about long-haul COVID.

As for masks, they pointed to Japan, where 98 percent of the population wears them and the pandemic is as widespread as anywhere else. (Dont tell that to esteemed Nobelist in medicine New York Mayorfor nowBill de Blasio.

And who were these doctor/scientists whose advice runs counter to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Anthony Fauci, and our president?

Kooky conspiracy theorists and professional naysayers?

One was Dr. Robert Malone, the inventor of the core technology behind mRNA vaccines. (How could he know anything?) A fascinating talk on his discovery by Malone reveals how, and how long ago, it happened.

The other was Dr. Ryan Cole, a dermatopathologist from Boise, Idaho, who advocates for individuals rights to decide what they put in their body, just like we did in the 60s (Our bodies, ourselves.)

The third was Dr. Peter McCollough, one of the most renowned cardiologists and epidemiologists in the world at the Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas and who is called, along with Cole, one of the Paul Reveres of our time.

You can listen to his testimony before the Texas Committee on Health and Human Services. It told me more about COVID-19 and its treatment than I have ever learned from Fauci, or from anyone else for that matter.

Not surprisingly, all three of these gentlemen are under constant attack by the traditional (read: governmental) medical establishment. McCollough is even being sued by Baylor, his alma mater, in an attack on scientific free speech by the university thats reminiscent of Galileo and the medieval church.

The doctor had an interesting answer about how his colleagues reacted to his apostasy, even though it was governed by patient research and the data.

He said he saw fear in their eyes, fear that he might be right.

This reaction tracks with what I, and I would imagine many others, have experienced over the last few years in their relationswork, friends, and familyin any number of areas of social and professional life.

Theres good reason Tucker Carlson says at the end of his nightly show that hes the enemy of conformity and groupthink.

We all should be.

Stay healthy.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
In this file photo, Anaheim Mayor Harry Sidhu discusses the need to reopen Orange County theme parks after they were closed due to the pandemic in Anaheim, Calif., on Sept. 16, 2020. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

California Auditor: Anaheim Finances Now at High Risk of Distress

Fiscal problems have been particularly unkind to the City of Kindness, as Anaheim, California, residents call their home city. According to a new report by California Auditor Elaine M. Howle, Anaheim was added to the high (worst) category for overall risk of financial distress in the state.

Just 12 of the 423 cities scored by Howle were ranked as high in the report. Anaheim was one of five additions to that category, the others being Lompoc, Modesto, Montebello, and Torrance. Those cities bucked the states overall fiscal improvement, despite COVID-19 problems.

Although the states economic outlook is positive, 12 cities face significant fiscal challenges when we consider other factors like pension obligations, Howle wrote.

Those problems existed before COVID-19 hit.

Specifically for Anaheim, the problems include:

General fund reserves that are so low that residents may experience reductions in key services the city provides, such as fire, police, road maintenance, and parks.

Anaheim has only enough cash and investments to cover 80 percent of its unpaid bills at year-end. A city should have at least 150 percent cash and investments to that effect.

General fund revenues have decreased, on average, by 1 percent over the past few years. This may constrain the citys ability to respond to economic changes and pay rising costs of services.

Anaheims pension obligations are its largest problem. Its projected annual payments to the California Public Employees Retirement System in fiscal year 202728 are significant compared to its current total government revenues.

Other post-employment benefits fundingknown as OPEBlargely includes retiree health and dental funding. In Anaheim, its funded at only 37 percent of costs. Funding should be at 80 percent or higher.

Howles conclusion: Anaheim is at risk of financial hardship and must immediately evaluate and respond to its weak financial position to prevent the reduction of city services.

COVID-19 hit Anaheim hard in 2020, due to Disneyland being shut down. But according to a separate calculation by the auditor, Anaheim received adequate stimulus funds from the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to cover COVID-19 revenue losses. Only 18 Golden State cities didnt receive enough stimulus funds to recover pandemic losses, the only one in Orange County being Laguna Beach.

Anaheim has been near the bottom of California cities for a long time, former state Sen. John Moorlach told The Epoch Times. During his six years in office, he was the only CPA in the Legislature. Theyve been overly reliant on Disneyland. Theyre a classic full-service city.

That means all of their services, such as park maintenance, fire, and police, are provided by city employees. Newer cities, such as those in South Orange County, commonly contract out services to the county, or even private companies, reducing costs and long-term obligations.

So what can the city of Anaheim do to improve its financial standing?

A short-term fix for any city is renegotiating OPEB, Moorlach said. That would help a balance sheet quickly.

Moorlach negotiated just such a deal in 2006 with the Orange County Public Employees Association. At the time, he was the county treasurer-tax collector and had just been elected to become a supervisor, but had yet to take that new office. Retiree medical liabilities of $1.4 billion were cut by a third. A challenge was rejected in 2012 in federal court.

Anaheim long has been near the bottom of Moorlachs own ranking of Orange County cities. He uses the unrestricted net position on the citys Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports as a measure, believed to be the most accurate. His June ranking pegged Anaheim in 32nd place of Orange Countys 34 cities for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020. Its per capita unrestricted net deficit was $1,761.

Put another way, a family of four in Anaheim owes $7,044 for those unfunded liabilities.

The only worse cities were Brea, with a $2,000 unrestricted net deficit, and Costa Mesa with $2,190.

The auditors website also provides Excel spreadsheets for 423 California cities for the past four fiscal years.

One data point for Anaheim for fiscal 201920 jumps out from the dataaccrued pension liabilities: $28.7 billion.
Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou leaves her home in Vancouver to go to B.C. Supreme Court on March 25, 2021. (The Canadian Press/Jonathan Hayward)

Canadian Judge Reserves Decision on Huawei CFO Mengs Extradition Case

A Canadian judge on Aug. 18 reserved her decision on whether to extradite Huawei Technologies executive Meng Wanzhou to the United States, saying she will announce the date of her ruling in October.

Associate Chief Justice Heather Holmes adjourned the hearing by saying she will likely announce on Oct. 21 when she will rule about whether Menga Chinese national who is chief financial officer for Huawei and daughter of its founder, Ren Zhengfeiwill be extradited to stand trial in the United States. Ren was a former director of telecoms research in the Chinese militarys General Staff Department.

Meng was arrested on a provisional warrant at Vancouver International Airport at the request of the United States on Dec. 1, 2018. She is accused of misleading HSBC bankers about Huaweis business dealings with Iran-based company Skycom Tech Co. Ltd.a move that put HSBC at risk of violating U.S. trade sanctions against Iran. Both Meng and Huawei have denied the charges. Lawyers in Canada representing Meng have sought to convince the court to not extradite her.

If the judge rules to extradite Meng, the final decision to send her to the United States to face criminal charges will lie with Canadas justice minister, David Lametti.

Defense lawyers have argued that the case should be tossed out as a remedy to a series of alleged abuses Meng has sufferedwhich ranged from an alleged abuse of process by Canadian police and border officers, to the U.S. governments alleged withholding of crucial details from Canada in an alleged attempt to mislead the court.

But in his final submissions, Justice Department lawyer Robert Frater disputed the defenses claims.

We say there is a strong case here Ms. Meng was dishonest, Frater said. We met our burden.

By not disclosing Huaweis true relationship with Skycom, Meng put HSBC at risk of violating U.S. sanctions against Iran, he said.

HSBC was deprived of a fair opportunity to take the action it needed to take, Frater told the judge.

He said Meng was honest in parts of her meeting with an HSBC executive, but she didnt tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

Frater said the defense is trying to blame the victim by saying it was the banks decision to transfer money from Skycom through the United States.

In a statement on Twitter, Huawei Canada said the company has been confident in Ms. Mengs innocence and has trusted the Canadian justice system from the start.

Accordingly, Huawei has been supporting Ms. Mengs pursuit of justice and freedom. We continue to do so today, it stated.

The case has soured CanadaChina relations. Shortly after Mengs arrest, the Chinese regime arbitrarily detained two Canadians, Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig, on charges of alleged espionage, a move widely seen as a retaliation against Canada. On Aug. 11, a Chinese court sentenced Spavor to 11 years in prison.

Kovrigs trial was conducted in March. It isnt clear when he will be sentenced.

Separately, a Chinese court last week upheld a death sentence against Canadian citizen Robert Schellenberg, who was convicted of drug charges in China. Schellenberg has been detained in China since 2014. He was originally sentenced to 15 years in prison in late 2018, but shortly after Mengs arrest, he was brought back to court and handed a death sentence in a one-day retrial.

Beijing has rejected the suggestion that the cases of the Canadians in China being influenced in response to Mengs case in Canada, although it has warned of unspecified consequences unless Meng is released.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, testifies during a Senate hearing on the federal COVID-19 response in Washington, on March 18, 2021. (Susan Walsh/Pool/Getty Images)

CDC Director: Annual COVID-19 Shots After Booster Not Expected

The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said an annual COVID-19 booster shot isnt anticipated, suggesting that a third dose may adequately strengthen the long-term protection of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.

When asked about the need for annual booster doses, Dr. Rochelle Walensky said, I dont want to say never, but we are not necessarily anticipating that you will need this annually.

It does look like after this third dose, you get a really robust response, and so we will continue to follow the science both on the vaccine side but also on the virus side, she said during a CBS News interview on Aug. 19.

On Aug. 18, Walensky and other federal health agency chiefs said during a joint news conference that they will recommend boosters to individuals eight months after receiving their second COVID-19 mRNA vaccine dose, starting Sept. 20. The CDC and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) havent authorized the doses yet.

During the CBS interview, Walensky said that several studies showed the vaccines made by Pfizer and Moderna showed waning effectiveness against the Delta variant of the virus that causes COVID-19.

Weve also been in collaboration and discussions with our international colleagues and they are starting to see  presentation of worsening infection in the context of their breakthroughs, she said.

Walensky was referring to three different studies published on Aug. 18 on the CDC website, including one from the CDCs COVID-19 Response Team and the Vermont-based Lantana Consulting Group that found the mRNA vaccines efficacy against infection plummeted to around 53 percent in July, falling by about 22 percent from May.

Inside the United States, some experts questioned the CDCs data.

The message I got from reading all three [studies] was that there may be some reduction in infection protection with Delta in nursing homes, but no data about waning protection from severe disease or hospitalization, Dr. Walid Gellad, professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburghs School of Medicine, wrote on Twitter.

The recent U.S. proposals to provide booster shots now have been flagged by some health experts as unethical and premature. The World Health Organization (WHO) went on the offensive this week, saying that wealthier nations such as the United States should prioritize donating vaccines to poorer nations.

Other critics, such as former President Donald Trump, accused the CDC and FDA of promoting boosters to bolster profits for pharmaceutical companies.

Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) tweeted that the FDA and CDC are misleading the public.

Just last month, CDC & FDA said no booster needed. At the time, they worried that the truth about long term vaccine efficacy would cause vaccine hesitancy,' the Kentucky Republican wrote. They ignored widely available data and drug manufacturers, because both indicated efficacy had dropped significantly.

Earlier this year, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said that its likely that people will have to receive a vaccine booster dose every 12 months, similar to the annual flu shot. His comments drew pushback from White House officials at the time.

President Joe Biden in an ABC News interview aired on Aug. 19 said that both he and First Lady Jill Biden will get booster shots.

Its something that I think, you know, because we got our shots all the way back in, I think, December, so its past time, Biden told ABCs George Stephanopoulos. Yes, we will get the booster shots.

Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly spelled CDC Director Rochelle Walenskys name. The Epoch Times regrets the error.
A view of Bagram Air Base after all U.S. and NATO troops left, some 43 miles north of Kabul, Afghanistan, on July 2, 2021. (Zakeria Hashimi/AFP via Getty Images)

Demilitarizing US Bases Isnt so Easy: Afghanistan War Vet

Former President Donald Trump said this week that the U.S. military should have destroyed its permanent bases before withdrawing from Afghanistanan action thats probably too late to take by now, according to a Marine Corps veteran whos performed such operations.

During an Aug. 17 interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, Trump lamented the Talibans seizure of U.S. military equipment left abandoned at unmanned U.S. bases.

We have billions of dollars of brand new equipment. Take the equipment out. And then take the soldiers out, Trump said. And frankly, I said, Take the soldiers out. But before you leave, blow up all the forts. Because we built these forts that are now being used by the enemyits not even believable.

By now, its too late to properly demilitarize major bases such as the ones in Kandahar and Bagram, according to Defense Priorities senior fellow Gil Barndollar, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran twice deployed to Afghanistan who has experience in demilitarizing bases.

You cant just demilitarize a base, which would be anything from reducing it to getting rid of it altogether. I demilled a patrol base in Afghanistan in 2011, and it was literally a scorched mark on the desert when we were done with it, Barndollar told The Epoch Times during an Aug. 16 press conference. Prior to that, it had housed close to a company of Marines. So, thats a process that involves engineering assets.

Simply bombing bases is both ineffective and dangerous to civilians, Barndollar says.

Just bombing something from the airone, theres a high possibility of civilian casualties. A lot of Afghans in the rural areas will swarm into a base and loot it of anything they can take, so theres a serious risk of civilian casualties if you think youre just going to level something from the air, Barndollar said.

And second, its really not that effective. You need to bring in heavy-equipment engineering assets, and take it apart and bulldoze it piece by piece.

Rather than undertake this demilitarization process, U.S. officials planned for the military bases to be used by Afghan security forces.

But that plan collapsed along with the U.S.-backed government. The Associated Press reported on Aug. 15 that the Taliban captured Bagram Air Base, and videos have been circulating in recent days that show the Taliban apparently plundering Black Hawk helicopters and other U.S. military equipment from the Kandahar airfield.

The pace of this surprised everybody, Barndollar said. We thought these bases were going to be handed over to reasonably coherent Afghan security forces.

At an Aug. 18 press conference, reporters asked whether the military could retake Bagram Air Base, since that would presumably facilitate the outflow of more Americans and Afghan refugees. Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, responded that doing so would have required the help of the now-defunct Afghan military.

Securing Bagram is a significant level of military effort of forces, and it would also require external support from the Afghan Security Forces, Milley said.

When pressed on why the military abandoned Bagram in the first place, Milley said he and his colleagues had tough decisions to make, because of resource constraints.

Our task given to us at that time was to protect the embassy in order for the embassy personnel to continue to function with their consular service and all that, Milley said. If we were to keep both Bagram and the embassy going, that would be a significant number of military forces that would have exceeded what we had or stayed the same or exceeded what we had.

Some observers have expressed concern that China may move into the abandoned bases.

Former CIA analyst Michael Scheuer is one of those voices. Scheuer has been mired in controversy in recent years due to comments promoting political violence and conspiracy theories. However, he remains a leading authority on Afghanistan, and is widely credited with sounding unheeded warnings within the CIA throughout the 1990s about Osama bin Laden.

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Steve Coll, in his history on the Afghanistan war, said that after Scheuer was ousted from the CIA, many of his colleagues hunting bin Laden kept photos of Scheuer hanging in their officeslike shrines.

Moving into the U.S. bases would give China a new strategic foothold in the Middle East, Scheuer told The Epoch Times.

Those are [U.S.] bases, at least the ones in Bagram and Kandahar, that can accommodate strategic bombers. If the Chinese get a hold of them, the runways will still be there, and theyll be usable, he said. And with their main ports in the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and the giant port in southern Pakistanthose airports plus the harbors, which are navy-capable, give them a really powerful place in the center of Asia.

However, Defense Priorities Policy Director Benjamin Friedman said he doesnt think the Chinese Communist Party will make the same mistake as the Russians and Americans made by invading Afghanistan.

Chinas not going to rush into Afghanistan behind us because theyre not foolish enough to jump into what could be a messy and destabilized situation, Friedman said at the Aug. 16 press conference organized by Defense Priorities. I dont think theyre that foolish.
A family walks past Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., on Dec. 21, 2020. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel via AP)

Disney World Tweaks Mask Policy, Optional for Outdoors

ORLANDO, Fla.Walt Disney World is tweaking its face mask policy.

Starting Thursday, the theme park resort in Florida will allow visitors to choose whether or not to wear face coverings in outdoor lines, outdoor theaters, and outdoor attractions. Masks had been required previously.

Face coverings will remain optional in outdoor common areas. They will still be required for visitors age 2 and up at all indoor locations, such as restaurants, theaters, and transportation with the exception of ferry boats.

Disney World closed for two months last year at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and reopened more than a year ago with strict safety guidelines that involved masking, social distancing, and crowd limits.

Last spring, Disney World officials started allowing visitors to go without masks in outdoor common areas.

Last month, Disney officials said the company will be requiring all salaried and non-union hourly employees in the United States who work on site to be fully vaccinated.
WeChat app is seen on a smartphone on July 13, 2021. (Dado Ruvic/REUTERS/Illustration)

Dozens of China Apps Warned Over Breaching Data Transfer Rules

Chinas Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) reported 43 apps on Wednesday for illegally transferring user data, warning companies to fix the issue within a week.

The illegal behavior included transferring users location and contacts, and harassing users with pop-up windows, according to an MIIT statement.

The ministry said if the 43 apps, which included Tencent Holdings Ltd.s WeChat, Tencent Map, and Tencent Video, were not fixed within the set week then punishment would follow.

The authority also called out Alibabas e-reading app, iQiyis video streaming app, and travel agency Trip.coms platform.

MIIT has issued eight rectification lists this year to its homegrown tech companies, and apps included were accused of illegally collecting users personal data.

Last month, the ride-hailing company Didi Chuxing was ordered to take down its apps from the countrys app stores. Chinas cybersecurity regulator claimed the company had illegally collected and used personal data. This move came days after the company raised $4.4 billion in its U.S. IPO.

A taxi driver uses the Didi Chuxing app while driving along a street in Guilin City, in Chinas southern Guangxi Province on May 13, 2016. (Greg Baker/AFP/Getty Images)

WeChat said on July 27 that it temporarily stopped registering new users as its security technology was upgraded to align with relevant laws and regulations. Three days before the announcement, Beijings anti-monopoly regulator fined WeChats parent company an estimated $77,100 for its anti-competitive behavior in Chinas music market.

Recently, the regimes tightened grip has expanded to overseas-based companies.

On Aug. 5, the U.S.-based language-learning app, Duolingo, was found unavailable to download on Android app stores in China, including those operated by Huawei Technologies, Tencent Holdings, and Xiaomi.

The Chinese authorities kept silent on the apps disappearance, but Beijing has banned education institutions providing overseas courses to Chinese students while announcing a crackdown on for-profit after-school tutoring courses on July 24.

In the first six months of this year, over 370 apps were taken down with MIIT claiming those companies refused to rectify their operations after receiving a warning, state-media Chinanews.com said.

On Tuesday, Beijings anti-competitive regulator issued a set of draft rules restricting the use of user data and banning unfair competitions.
Members of North Carolinas Task Force 11, based in New Hanover County, are shown during rescue efforts in Canton, N.C, on Aug. 17, 2021. (New Hanover County Fire Rescue via AP)

Dozens Reported Missing In North Carolina After Powerful Storm Sparks Floods, Outages

Over 30 people are missing in North Carolina after severe flooding and power outages caused by Tropical Storm Fred have ravaged parts of the state.

In Haywood County, 35 people were reported missing and 10 to 15 bridges severely damaged, the countys emergency services officials announced Wednesday night. Aerial and water rescue missions were dispatched to the hardest hit areas, and engineering teams were sent in to assess the damage and construct temporary bridges, according to the county.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper issued a state of emergency Wednesday evening in response to Tropical Storm Fred, activating emergency operations plans.

Approximately 250 public safety personnel are conducting rescue operations by boat and aircraft, Cooper said in a Twitter statement Wednesday. Haywood and Transylvania counties were especially hit hard last night, seeing as much as 12 inches of rain.

More than 50,000 people lost power and 98 people were rescued, according to Cooper. Video footage shows houses and cars submerged in floodwaters.

Rains began in North Carolina late Monday as Tropical Storm Fred reached the East Coast, according to the Associated Press, with flash floods breaking out Tuesday.

North Carolina is all too familiar with devastating flood events, and we will continue to monitor and provide support from the state level, Cooper said. Our prayers are with those families and businesses affected, and we want to thank everybody involved in rescue efforts.

Meanwhile, the storm diminished in size as it made its way up the East Coast, according to AccuWeather.

By Ailan Evans

From The Daily Caller News Foundation

Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
Reenactment of the "Tiger Bench" torture method that is routinely used to persecute prisoners of faith in Chinese detention centers and labor camps. (Courtesy of Minghui.org)

Entire Family Dies in the CCPs Persecution of Faith, Teen Son Orphaned

An entire family in China has been tortured to death in the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) ongoing persecution of faith, leaving behind a 13-year-old boy.

Even before the young boy was born, his parents had been arrested and persecuted multiple times because of their faith in Falun Gong (also known as Falun Dafa), a traditional Chinese self-cultivation and discipline that has been violently persecuted by the CCP since July 1999.

Over 13 years ago, new mother Yang Xue, her 9-month-old baby son, and her persecuted elderly mother were brought into a detention center in Suizhong County, Liaoning province, where they learned Yangs husband had died in police custody, reported the Falun Dafa Information Center.

Fan Dezhen, who weighed 150 pounds and was healthy before the arrest, was 55 days into his detention when he died; he was only 33 years old.

When Fans family saw his dead body in the morgue, they were left in shock. His face was twisted, eyes wide open, limbs bruised, and anus loose; there was an inch-long cut on his abdomen, and he was merely skin and bones. The family inquired about his severely bruised body, but a guard said, Dead people are all like this!

Fan Dezhen died at the age of 33 after enduring persecution in China. (Courtesy of Minghui.org)

In the years that followed, Yangs parents, too, were persecuted to death for the same reason. Last year in November, Yang herself succumbed to death at the age of 41 after enduring years of abuse and distress. Their teen son is now orphaned and left to fend for himself in the communist country.

The family tragedy resulting from the CCPs persecution detailed in this report is just one of the countless many where young children are left orphaned after their families are persecuted to death for refusing to give up their faith.

Father Persecuted for Faith

Yang, who studied fine arts at Yanshan University in Hebei province, worked as a designer in Shenyang, Liaoning province, before returning to her hometown in Suizhong County to work as an art teacher.

She and her husbandlike millions of other Chinese peoplepracticed Falun Gong. However, after former CCP leader Jiang Zemin launched a nationwide campaign of persecution to eradicate the peaceful practice in July 1999, countless law-abiding adherents were pronounced state enemies overnight, leading to mass arrests across China.

A large group of Falun Gong adherents practice their meditation exercise in Shenyang city, China, before the persecution of the practice began. (Courtesy of Minghui.org)

Fan decided to stand up for his spiritual belief and honor his fundamental right to freedom of faith, so he went to Beijing in 2001 to appeal for his rights to practice. However, he was detained at the Huludao City Labor Camp, Liaoning province, for a period of three years.

To coerce him into renouncing his faith, prison guards shocked him with electrical batons and brutally beat him. The persecution deformed his face and left his body injured and swollen.

In October 2002, Fan went on a hunger strike to protest the persecution. Guards ordered criminal inmates to force-feed him after cuffing his wrists and shackling his ankles onto a metal bed frame all day. During one of the torture sessions, a feeding tube that was forced into Fans lungs almost choked him to death.

As Fans health deteriorated, the officials released him to avoid being blamed for his condition. After a period of time, to escape constant harassment from communist officials, Fan left his home and did odd jobs in order to make ends meet. However, he still couldnt escape police monitoring and surveillance.

In 2004, when visiting another Falun Gong adherents house, a police officer who was already waiting inside the house arrested him. He was arrested for the second time and detained in Huludao City Detention Center, and was again mercilessly beaten and force-fed. He wasnt released until hed been persecuted to the brink of death, once again.

His third arrest occurred on Sept. 17, 2005, when he was working on the second floor of Huludao City House Appliance Shopping Mall and a few plainclothes police arrested him at 2:00 p.m. During his second detention at Huludao City Labor Camp, he was again tortured brutally before being released.

His last arrest before dying was on Feb. 25, 2008. The Suizhong County Domestic Security Division had arrested both Fan and his wife along with 11 other Falun Gong adherents on that day.

Fifty-five days after being in the detention center, on April 20, Fans family learned from the head of the detention center, Wang Xueping, that he had suddenly died from malnutrition.

Fans mother-in-law, Yiwho herself had faced detention and persecution at the infamous Masanjia labor camp in 2001fainted on hearing the news. After she regained consciousness, she questioned Wang: I just came here six days ago and delivered 200 yuan for him. When I asked you how he was doing, you told me he was having two meals each day and was in good spirits. How did he just die suddenly?

However, another police officer angrily told the family: Even if we beat him to death, what can you do?

Later, in the morgue, Fans father demanded to videotape his deceased sons bodily injuries, but the guards refused and announced that the cremation would happen the next day. At the crematorium, officers demanded family to sign the cremation agreement, which had fabricated details of the death.

The family refused to comply and said, He was tortured to death, why should we sign it? He died at your place, you should be responsible for it! To which the head of the detention center replied that they have no evidence.

Yi insisted on hiring a lawyer to investigate the cause of her sons death. However, the guards cremated Fans body that day without his familys consent.

Entire Family Passes Away

Fans elderly in-laws were not spared persecution, either. Yi, despite her old age, was constantly harassed; her condition dramatically worsened after Fans death in 2008. In 2011, Yi was once again arrested for her faith. She died at the age of 59, on April 20, 2013. A year later, Yis husband, who was in his 60s, also died.

Yangs family tried seeking justice for Fan, but authorities refused by saying that no one would dare to investigate the case. In order to block Fans wife from filing more complaints to readdress the case, the authorities in Suizhong sentenced Yang to prison for four years. As she was still breastfeeding her son, she was allowed to serve prison time at home.

Faced with continued harassment, Yang was often forced to go into hiding. While her young son, who grew up without a father, would consider every kind man who bought him gifts or treated him nicely as his dad.

On Nov. 2, 2020, Yang lost her life at the age of 41 after enduring years of trauma.

Her teen son is left without a family.
A sign of the EPA at its building in Washington on Sept. 21, 2017. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP Photo)

Environmental Protection Agencys Reporting on Chemicals Questioned

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has moved to change the way it gathers data on commercial chemicals under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), prompting concerns from some environmental activists at a time when the agency is already under scrutiny after whistleblowers allegations that its fast-tracking dangerous chemicals because of industry pressure.

Three Democratic congressional committee heads have written to the agency seeking a response to the claims.

The TSCA, signed into law by President Gerald Ford in 1976, was most recently revised in 2016 through the bipartisan Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, the House version of which passed 398-1. While the original TSCA had grandfathered in more than 60,000 chemicals that were already on the market, the Lautenberg Act mandated that the EPA assess the safety of chemicals already being sold.

The TSCAs Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) rule requires manufacturers, including importers, to report information every four years on chemicals produced and used in commerce.

The changes to the CDR, discussed at a public webinar on July 27, would introduce Tiered Data Reporting (TDR) for chemicals. The EPAs presentation states that the CDR would collect fewer data from manufacturers, while TDR would introduce three sequential datasets for chemicals identified for prioritization: a dataset for prioritization candidates, a dataset for prioritized chemicals, and a risk evaluation/risk management dataset for those chemicals.

The first two datasets would require reports three months after the date of listing, while the final dataset would require a report four to six months after listing.

EPA is seeking to ensure that data collection strategies using more of the authorities available to EPA provide timely, relevant, and specific information tailored to better meet the agencys basic chemical data needs related to TSCA, while minimizing the burden on industry stakeholders, an EPA spokesperson told The Epoch Times in an email.

By collecting specific data in a timely sequence that is relevant to the current needs of EPA, the agency is ensuring that it has the information necessary to fulfill its mission under TSCA and protect human health and the environment without unduly burdening the information providers.

On Aug. 5, the EPA met with representatives from the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) to discuss EDFs concerns with the tiered data collection strategy. According to the EPAs summary of that meeting, the EDF expressed concerns that the new rule would decrease the amount of information gathered about individual chemicals.

In a donor appeal sent Aug. 13, the EDF wrote that the proposed changes would significantly reduce what we know about thousands of chemicals in use today, even though this information is crucial for EPA to do its job.

A spokesperson from the EDF declined to comment on the Chemical Data Reporting rules change or the EDFs appeal to its supporters.

While the planned rule would reduce the CDR data collected per chemical, if proposed and finalized, it would not reduce the number of chemicals for which CDR reporting is required, and through the TDR would add additional reporting requirements for selected chemicals, an EPA spokesperson said in an email.

According to an EPA spokesperson, the proposed TDR rule is still under development, informed by feedback from the public meeting and comments received.

The move comes alongside recent allegations from four EPA whistleblowers of corruption in the EPAs Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, which administers the TSCA. As reported in The Intercept, the whistleblowers offered detailed evidence of pressure within the agency to minimize or remove evidence of potential adverse effects of the chemicals, including neurological effects, birth defects, and cancer.

Democratic leaders of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce drafted a letter to the head of the EPA, Michael S. Regan, requesting a response to the allegations.

The Committee has a longstanding interest in ensuring EPAs implementation of TSCA is based on sound science, wrote Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-N.J.), Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chair Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), and Environment and Climate Change Subcommittee Chairman Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.). We also firmly believe EPAs scientific staff must be able to perform their work of protecting human health and the environment free from inappropriate interference and retaliation.

The allegations made by the four whistleblowers are troubling, and, if true, raise serious concerns about EPAs implementation of TSCA and about protections for EPA employees.

The EPA spokesperson didnt immediately respond to a request for comment on the whistleblowers allegations, while Republican and Democratic lawmakers didnt immediately respond to requests for comment on the proposed TSCA changes or the whistleblowers allegations.
Illegal immigrants stand behind a fence inside the newly built refugee camp in the Rudninkai military training ground, some 38 kilometers (23.6 miles) south from Vilnius, Lithuania, on Aug. 4, 2021. (Mindaugas Kulbis/AP Photo)

EU Holds Illegal Immigrant Talks, Accuses Belarus of Hybrid Warfare

BRUSSELSEuropean Union ministers are holding emergency talks on Wednesday in response to allegations that Belarus is deliberately sending illegal immigrants to Lithuania as part of a hybrid warfare campaign to destabilize the Baltic EU member country.

The ministers are holding a videoconference in a so-called integrated political crisis response format. Such meetings are usually called to organize a response to natural disasters or terror attacks. Foreign policy, border, asylum, and law enforcement officials are taking part.

Movements of people across the border have spiked dramatically since the EU imposed sanctions on Belarus officials. The measures were imposed after President Alexander Lukashenko ordered a crackdown on opponents and protesters after claiming victory in a vote last year that the West denounced as rigged. His main election challenger fled to Lithuania.

Members of the Lithuanian Police Anti-terrorist Operations Unit ARAS arrive at the refugee camp in the village of Vydeniai, Lithuania, on July 10, 2021. (Mindaugas Kulbis/AP Photo)

The aim of Wednesdays meeting is to determine concrete measures and forms of assistance to the affected states in managing and containing illegal crossings at the border with Belarus, also from the aspect of security at this section of the external EU border, the Slovenian EU presidency said.

The videoconference comes after Poland said it deployed nearly 1,000 troops to its border with Belarus to help border guards cope with a surge of illegal immigrantsmostly from Iraqtrying to enter the country.

More than 4,100 illegal immigrants have arrived in Lithuania so far this year and are being sheltered in temporary camps across the country.

Lithuanias border guard service released video footage on Wednesday that it said reveals that immigrants are being pushed across the border into EU territory by Belarus riot police. Another video showed several people cross into Lithuania and immediately return to be filmed by Belarus officials.

Members of the Lithuania State Border Guard Service patrol on the border with Belarus, near the village of Purvenai, Lithuania, on July 9, 2021. (Mindaugas Kulbis, File/AP Photo)

After talks with Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte on Wednesday, EU Parliament President David Sassoli accused Lukashenko, once dubbed Europes last dictator, of exploiting these poor people, men and women.

I have seen these outrageous actions when officials push people across the border. It is both an issue of human rights, and also a question of protecting the border of the EU, Sassoli said. It is an organized activity of the Lukashenko regime.

On the eve of the meeting, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas accused Lukashenko of launching a hybrid attack against the 27-nation bloc by channeling migrants to Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Poland in retaliation over the EUs sanctions.

We agree that this is hybrid aggression that uses human beings, Merkel said after their talks in Berlin. Kallas said that this is no refugee crisis, but this is a hybrid attack on the European Union.

Merkel said she would raise the issue with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Friday.

By Lorne Cook and Liudas Dapkus
Facts Matter (Aug. 18): $83B Spent on Afghan Army Ends Up in Taliban Hands: Guns, Ammo, Helicopters, Rockets

There are currently about 11,000 Americans who are stuck in Afghanistan. However, it appears that they are being left alone and allowed to evacuate.

Meanwhile, after taking over provincial capitals, as well as Kabul, the Taliban was able to seize billions of dollars worth of American military equipment. This includes guns, ammunition, rocket launchers, as well as Black Hawk helicopters.

And lastly, as thousands of Afghans are fleeing the country, the United States government is opening its borders and setting up temporary housing in Texas and Wisconsin.

Resources:

 AMAC:

https://ept.ms/3bzYr8f

 Afghan airport:

https://ept.ms/2W5Qrqo

https://ept.ms/2W3FmWr

https://ept.ms/2WavCtP

 Afghans in America

https://ept.ms/2W4Jzt9

 Biden Vacation:

https://ept.ms/3AW6XrY

 Military Weapons:

https://ept.ms/3mbhZp3

https://ept.ms/2XIqpdr

 Veterans Interview:

https://ept.ms/2W5QIcU

 DHS Terror Warning:

https://ept.ms/3xUyk3r

 Taliban Spokesman:

https://ept.ms/3D1VGYH

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The entrance to the ConocoPhillips Alaska Inc. building is seen in downtown Anchorage, Alaska on April 8, 2020. (Yereth Rosen/Reuters)

Federal Judge Revokes Permits for Major Alaska Oil Project

A federal judge said on Aug. 18 that the U.S. government failed to properly conduct environmental reviews for a multibillion-dollar oil project in Alaska and has voided permits issued for the drilling.

Work on ConocoPhillipss Willow oil project, which could produce up to 160,000 barrels of oil per day if carried out, was halted because of the judges order to redo the reviews.

U.S. District Court Judge Sharon Gleason, an Obama appointee, said reviews conducted by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) violated federal law because they excluded foreign greenhouse gas emissions from an analysis of alternatives.

Those alternatives were also wrongly developed based on the view that ConocoPhillips had the right to extract all possible oil and gas from its leases, she wrote in the 110-page ruling.

Environmental groups sued the bureau last year, alleging the government didnt perform a thorough, transparent, and careful analysis of potential impacts of the project, which was set to be constructed in the National Petroleum Reserve.

Gleason sided with the groups, finding a biological opinion the service offered, which said the project probably wouldnt jeopardize polar bears or negatively impact polar bears critical habitat, was arbitrary and capricious.

FWS contemplated that at least some biologically significant disturbances of polar bears would occur distinct from hazing, but FWS nonetheless quantified that non-lethal take of polar bears at zero. This constitutes error and is therefore arbitrary and capricious under the Administrative Procedure Act, Gleason wrote.

Defendants were told to move forward consistent with the opinion.

This is a huge deal, Siqiniq Maupin, executive director of the Sovereign Inupiat for a Living Arctic, the lead plaintiff in the lawsuit, told the Anchorage Daily News. This will actually stop the entire project, they will have to do everything over again.

The Department of Interior, which includes BLM and FWS, told The Epoch Times in an emailed statement that in a lengthy decision, the district court identified a number of issues in the environmental reviews and approvals issued in 2020.

The department is analyzing the ruling.

ConocoPhillips officials didnt immediately respond to a request by The Epoch Times for comment.

The project was approved during the Trump administration late last year. The Biden administration defended it in court.

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy, a Republican who was an intervening defendant, said the ruling from a judge trying to shelve a major oil project on American soil does one thing: outsources production to dictatorships and terrorist organizations.

This is a horrible decision. We are giving America over to our enemies piece by piece. The Willow project would power America with 160,000 barrels a day, provide 1000s of family-supporting jobs, and greatly benefit the people of Alaska, he said in a statement.

Republican state Sens. Josh Revak and Peter Micciche also criticized the ruling.

As a world-leader in environmentally responsible resource development, Alaska should not be held hostage by a small group of litigious environmental activists. I encourage an appeal of this decision to a higher court capable of a broader, more balanced view, Micciche said in a statement.
U.S. agents carry out an operation to arrest illegal immigrants in New York on Sept. 26, 2019. (ICE)

Federal Law Prohibiting Deported Immigrants From Reentering US Is Unconstitutional Due to Racism: Judge

A federal judge on Aug. 18 ruled that a 92-year-old law that blocks illegal immigrants who have been deported from reentering the United States violates the U.S. Constitution because its racially discriminatory.

U.S. District Judge Miranda Du, an Obama appointee, found in favor of illegal immigrant Gustavo Carillo-Lopez, a Mexican native who was charged with reentering the country after being deported twice.

Du said Carillo-Lopez established that Section 1326 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), which bars reentry to deported immigrants, was enacted with a discriminatory purpose and that the law has a disparate impact on Latinx persons.

Latinx is a progressive term that refers to Hispanics.

Du also said the government failed to show that the section would have been enacted absent racial animus.

As proof, the judge cited Border Patrol statistics that show that the majority of illegal immigrants apprehended at the southern border were of Mexican descent in 2000, 2005, and 2010.

A U.S. lawyer defending the government in the case didnt respond to a request for comment.

In an earlier filing opposing Carillo-Lopezs motion, U.S. attorneys described his argument as thin.

Congress passed a law, the Undesirable Aliens Act, criminalizing unlawful reentry in 1929. Statements made at the time by members of Congress showed a racist intent, the plaintiff argued.

The law was replaced by the INA in 1952.

That means the plaintiffs argument, which centered on the motivation behind the 1929 law, failed, defendants asserted.

Fundamentally, because the 1929 law has been replaced, Defendants only argumentthat Congresss allegedly impermissible motive in 1929 forever taints subsequent illegal reentry lawsfails. Even assuming Congresss 1929 illegal reentry law was wholly the result of impermissible racial animus, well-established doctrine holds that such legislative history would have no bearing on the law enacted by a subsequent Congress in 1952, they wrote.

They also argued that the high number of Mexican and Latin American people charged with illegal reentry wasnt proof of discrimination, but a product of geography.

Du rejected those arguments.

Border Patrol picks up illegal immigrants who have just crossed the Rio Grande from Mexico into Del Rio, Texas, on July 20, 2021. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

She said the passage of the more recent act was informed by the law passed in 1929.

The 1952 reenactment did not cleanse Section 1326 of its racist origins and was also motivated by discriminatory intent, she wrote.

She also described herself as unpersuaded by the governments position on potential discrimination.

It cannot be the case that the mere over-policing of certain locationshere the Southern border as opposed to the Northern borderprevents a specific group from raising equal protection challenges. Or that because Mexican citizens will likely make up more unlawful reentries because they are a higher percentage of the overall illegal alien population, they cannot raise equal protection challenges. Ultimately, the law still bears more heavily on those individuals than others, which is the standard that Carrillo-Lopez has met here. The Court accordingly finds that Section 1326 disparately impacts Latinx individuals, she wrote.

The ruling means illegal reentry charges cannot be filed unless an appeal is filed.

In fiscal year 2020, 19,654 such charges were filed. Nearly 97 percent of the charged were men, and over half had a prior criminal history, according to the U.S. Sentencing Commission.

Some cheered the ruling, including Kelly Lytle Hernandez, a history professor at the University of CaliforniaLos Angeles, whom Du cited.

We won!!! In Nevada, Judge Du has declared 1326 (unlawful entry into the US) to be racist and therefore unconstitutional, Hernandez, who describes herself as an abolitionist, wrote on Twitter.

Former Rep. Julian Castro (D-Texas) also signaled support, claiming the law has an incredibly racist history and speculating that the Biden administration wouldnt appeal the ruling.

Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, responded by saying members of Congress should try to intervene if the administration doesnt appeal.

Congress passed the law, after all, he wrote on Twitter.
Federal Parties Take Note: PCs Surprise Win in Nova Scotia Shows Polls Cant Be Trusted

The stunning electoral upset in the Nova Scotia provincial election must have some federal Liberal Party strategists concerned to say the least.

There have been four provincial elections held since the COVID-19 pandemic began. In every one of those elections, the governing party increased its seat counts. Citizens appeared willing to reward incumbent parties at the ballot box for their pandemic management. This trend surely is part of what inspired the Trudeau Liberals to call a snap election this fall.

With the provincial Liberal government being soundly trounced by the Progressive Conservatives in Nova Scotia a mere month before Canadians go to the federal polls, the Liberals must be sweating their decision to call an election at least a little right now.

As with so many elections in the last few years, pollsters have proven themselves to be unreliable in predicting electoral outcomes. Polling had consistently shown the Nova Scotia Liberals enjoying a comfortable lead with one in June indicating a 28-point spread ahead of the PCs. While some recent polling did indicate that the gap was quickly closing in Nova Scotia, no major polls predicted a PC win much less a strong majority.

There is little doubt that favourable polling during the pandemic inspired the Trudeau Liberals to pull the electoral pin to try to grab a majority government. The wisdom of that strategic choice is now in question.

We cant draw too many direct parallels between the Nova Scotia election outcome and the federal election though. There were some stark differences between that provincial campaign and the current federal one.

The electoral win for premier-designate Tim Houstons PCs cant really be considered a victory for conservatives or conservative values. The Nova Scotia PCs pivoted sharply to the progressive side of the electoral spectrum to win the race. Houston promised to outspend every other party with an increase of almost half a billion in health expenditures. There was also a raft of other individual spending initiatives proposed from dog adoption credits to grants for clearing the sidewalks of seniors from snow. Tim Houstons party proposed the most goodies and it resonated with the most voters. They didnt win on even a hint of a fiscally conservative platform.

The Nova Scotia NDP under Gary Burrill found a strong wedge issue with proposed rent control that helped keep Liberal gains at bay as well. Housing prices have been booming in Halifax and it has been putting heavy pressure on low- and fixed-income citizens. Burrills targeted campaign offering relief from rent increases resonated well with a strong segment of the population. While gains in Jagmeet Singhs NDP would likely come at the expense of the Trudeau Liberals, federal campaigns dont typically provide the kind of localized, niche issues that provincial parties can capitalize upon.

Another surprise that came from the Nova Scotia election was the strong re-election of independent MLA Elizabeth Smith-McCrossin.

Smith-McCrossin had been ejected from the PC caucus last June for apologetically taking part in anti-lockdown protests in her constituency. Independent candidates rarely win elections, but Smith-McCrossin bucked that trend by comfortably defeating a star Liberal candidate and sending her PC competitor into a distant third place finish.

I dont expect that this indicates that we will see a trend of independent candidates elected across Canada by any means. Smith-McCrossin was clearly a very popular local candidate, and she was riding on a very localized issue with provincial border-crossing access in her constituency of Cumberland North. Smith-McCrossins election does indicate that the electorate is more ornery with lockdown restrictions than some may expect. We may see some unexpected electoral volatility in some federal ridings as some local candidates capitalize on a citizenry thats growing tired of restrictions.

We cant read too much into the Nova Scotia election results but we cant discount them either. Polling remains unreliable and voters are willing to change party allegiances for the right campaign.

While OTooles CPC hasnt proposed a spending binge as the Nova Scotia PCs did, his platform isnt terribly distant from that of the Liberals in spending promises. While a win for the federal Liberals may have been considered a lock just a few weeks ago, we may be just one wedge issue from another electoral upset. Nova Scotias election has proven that taking the support of the electorate for granted with a snap election call can be a risky endeavour.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Hundreds of people run alongside a U.S. Air Force C-17 transport plane as it moves down a runway of the international airport, in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug. 16. 2021. (Verified UGC via AP)

First-Come, First-Serve: US Embassy Says Military Cant Ensure Safe Passage to Kabul Airport

The U.S. Embassy in Kabul said Wednesday the federal government and military cannot ensure the safe passage to the Kabul airport after Taliban extremists took over the capital as video footage shows throngs of people trying to enter the facility.

The United States government cannot ensure safe passage to the Hamid Karzai International Airport, the U.S. Embassy wrote in a security alert issued on Wednesday, adding that the security situation in Kabul continues to change quickly, including at the airport.

Meanwhile, the embassy said that a large number of individuals have registered for flights out of Afghanistan, while space on these flights is available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Some White House officials have estimated that as many as 10,000 Americans remain in Afghanistan. More than 80,000 Afghans, including those who worked with the U.S. government and could face Taliban reprisals, are awaiting approval to escape.

At the same time, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters that the U.S. military does not have the capability to go out and extend operations in Kabul to find trapped Americans.

Were going to work 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and were going to get everyone that we can possibly evacuate evacuated. And Ill do that as long as we possibly can until the clock runs out or we run out of capability, he added, which drew condemnation from GOP lawmakers who said the U.S. military does indeed have the ability to continue the evacuation.

Taliban terrorists patrol in a neighborhood in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug. 18, 2021. (Rahmat Gul/AP Photo)

Austin continued, We cannot afford to either not defend that airfield, or not have an airfield thats secure where we have hundreds or thousands of civilians that can access the airfield at will and put our forces at risk.

Such comments were sharply criticized by Republicans, including Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), a retired Army ranger who served in Afghanistan.

The Biden administration abandoned Americans in Afghanistan, forcing them to seek safety without support of our government. Entirely and unequivocally unacceptable, he told Fox News Wednesday.

And the security situation outside the Kabul airport appears dire, despite assurances made by Pentagon officials in recent days, according to State Department officials.

Afghan people sit as they wait to leave Kabul airport on Aug. 16, 2021. After a stunningly swift end to Afghanistans 20-year war, thousands of people mobbed the citys airport trying to flee Taliban terrorists. (Wakil Kohsar/AFP via Getty Images)

Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, the second-highest-ranking U.S. diplomat, on Wednesday confirmed reports that the Taliban are preventing some Afghans from getting to the airport. Some videos uploaded online showed apparent Taliban members hitting people with sticks and whips who were trying to get into the facility.

We have seen reports that the Taliban, contrary to their public statements and their commitments to our government, are blocking Afghans who wish to leave the country from reaching the airport, Sherman told reporters, adding that many, many Americans are arriving at the airport.

I will tell you this, in spite of the obstacles, many, many Afghans in all of the categories, are finding their way to the airport, she said.
Students are seen inside a classroom at a high school in Shanghai, China, on May 7, 2020. (Aly Song/Reuters)

From E-commerce to Education, Chinas Season of Regulatory Crackdown

SHANGHAIChinas months-long regulatory crackdown on an array of private companies has unsettled tech upstarts as well as decades-old firms, ushering in a new, uncertain environment.

Top antitrust regulator the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) issued sweeping draft rules on Tuesday governing online competition as the cabinet updated rules for operators of information infrastructure that experts say target data-rich firms.

Here are sectors facing tougher regulatory measures:

E-commerce

Traditional e-commerce has been one of the biggest targets with a record fine of $2.75 billion in April for Alibaba over its choose one from two feature that bars vendors from selling on rival sites.

Smaller companies also faced fines over issues of consumer rights and labor.

In May, rival JD.com was fined 300,000 yuan ($46,000) over false information on food products.

In late July, the regulator ordered better protection for workers of food delivery firms.

Tuesdays draft laws are widely expected to affect the sector by reining in fake reviews and inflated public metrics, while barring the use of data or algorithms to hijack traffic or influence user choice.

Gaming and Social Media

Regulators have yet to directly target gaming and social media firms, but fierce criticism from state media over issues from celebrity watching to video game addiction have spurred big share sell-offs, or changes by the companies.

Weibo Corp, which runs a Twitter-like service, dropped a ranking feature after the Peoples Daily newspaper, backed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), criticized celebrity hype by social media this month.

In August, the Economic Information Daily described online gaming as spiritual opium, generating a storm that wiped $60 billion off the market value of industry giant Tencent Holdings at one point.

Tencent later announced curbs on minors access to its most popular game, Honor of Kings.

Education

Publicly listed tutoring firms saw massive sell-offs after regulations last month barred private, for-profit tutoring companies from raising capital overseas among other limits.

Social media giant ByteDance laid off staff in its education unit, Reuters reported, while online tutoring company VIPKid stopped lessons by foreigners.

Online Finance

In November, shortly before what would have been a record share sale by Ant Group Co Ltd, draft rules by banking regulators set tighter controls on online lending, where the company was a giant player.

They also set limits on cross-provincial online loans and capped loans to individuals.

A day later, the central bank halted Ant Groups IPO, and in April, the regulator ordered the separation of its payment and personal finance businesses.

Ride-Hailing

In June, the Cyberspace Administration of China told top ride-hailing company Didi Chuxing to stop accepting new users, days after it was listed on the New York Stock Exchange, a measure that knocked about a fifth off its share price.

Analysts and investors say the Didi measures have more to do with big data and overseas listings by Chinese firms than competitive practices. Draft rules ordered data-rich Chinese firms to run a security review before listing overseas.

Bitcoin

In May, three financial regulators widened curbs on cryptocurrency by barring its use for payment or settlement by banks and online firms, as well as exchanging it for fiat currencies and halting investments by fund managers.

Provincial governments later curbs on bitcoin mining unleashed a wave of shutdowns, with state-linked tabloid Global Times estimating short-term closures of 90 percent.

Property

In July, the housing ministry and seven regulators took aim at the property management sector with a notice that chipped more than a tenth off the CSI 300 Real Estate sub-index.

As the economy emerges from its 2020 coronavirus slump, authorities tightened curbs this year on real estate borrowing to prevent any asset bubble, setting caps for developers and banks.

Whats Next?

Investors are watching healthcare closely after the State Council, or cabinet, urged lower prices of medicines and reforms in June.

Tech firms will also brace for a data security law that mandates risk assessments and reports to authorities, as well as a law to protect the personal information that governs the storage of user data.
People arrive to receive COVID-19 vaccinations at the Fairfax Government Center vaccination clinic in Fairfax, Va., on May 13, 2021. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)

George Mason University Grants Professor Exemption From COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate After Lawsuit Filed

George Mason University has granted a medical exemption from its COVID-19 vaccination mandate to Todd Zywicki, a professor at the universitys Antonin Scalia Law School who filed a lawsuit against the mandate two weeks ago.

In a statement, the New Civil Liberties Alliance (NCLA), serving as legal counsel for Zywicki in the lawsuit, announced the update on Aug. 17.

Zywicki filed suit against the university over the COVID-19 vaccine mandate in early August, claiming that he has fully recovered from the disease, and vaccination is unnecessary and potentially risky for him.

Zywicki gained national attention because he wrote an op-ed about his case, which was published in The Wall Street Journal. In the piece, he cited a March 2021 study that suggests that COVID-19 survivors are more likely to experience severe side effects from vaccination than those who have never been infected.

I am gratified that George Mason has given me a medical exemption to allow me to fulfill my duties this fall semester in light of unprecedented circumstances, Zywicki said in a statement. Thanks to NCLA, we have increased public awareness that vaccinating the naturally immune is medically unnecessary and presents an elevated risk of harm to COVID-19 survivors.

Zywicki contracted and recovered from COVID-19 in the spring of 2020. However, George Mason refused to give him a medical exemption from its vaccination mandate. Even multiple antibody tests have shown that Zywicki has a robust level of immune protection, and his immunologist, Dr. Hooman Noorchashm, concluded that it is not medically necessary for him to get a COVID-19 vaccine.

Mason is not currently exempting individuals who previously had COVID-19 from the vaccination requirement, as such an exemption is not consistent with the guidance issued by the CDC, George Masons counsel said in a letter to Zywickis attorney on July 30.

In July, George Mason required that all students, faculty, and staff must be vaccinated. Faculty and staff must either submit proof of full vaccination by Oct. 1 or have an approved medical or religious exemption. Otherwise, they will face disciplinary action, including unpaid leave or possible loss of employment.

NCLA is pleased that GMU [George Mason] granted Professor Zywickis medical exemption, which we believe it only did because he filed this lawsuit, NCLA said in a statement. Nevertheless, NCLA remains dismayed by GMUs refusalalong with many other public and private universities and other employersto recognize that the science establishes beyond any doubt that natural immunity is as robust or more so than vaccine immunity.

For that reason, NCLA said it would continue to explore litigation against the university.

University officials didnt immediately respond to a request by The Epoch Times for comment.

George Mason granted a medical exemption to Zywicki and assured him that he wouldnt be subject to disciplinary action. But he has to wear masks, maintain social distancing, and be tested for COVID-19 once per week on campus at no cost to himself, the NCLA statement reads.

A recent study from Oxford University also found that COVID-19 vaccines provide as much protection as having had COVID-19 before through natural infection. The study examined the effectiveness of vaccines made by AstraZeneca and Pfizer.

Last week, Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett declined to block Indiana Universitys COVID-19 vaccine mandate, offering no explanation for her decision.

At least one plaintiff in the case was refused a medical exemption by the university, even though the plaintiff fully recovered from COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus.

GQ Pan and Jack Phillips contributed to this report.
An election worker processes absentee ballots at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, on Nov. 2, 2020. (Megan Varner/Getty Images)

Georgia Election Board Votes to Open Bipartisan Probe in Fulton County

The Georgia State Election Board has voted to appoint a bipartisan panel to review the management of elections in Fulton County, an inquiry that could lead to the replacement of the countys election board by a state board-appointed interim superintendent.

The inquiry is the first of its kind under the election law Georgia Republicans passed in the aftermath of the 2020 elections. The law authorized the states election board to audit the management of elections in any county at the request of local state lawmakers.

The state board appointed Stephen Day, a Democratic appointee on the Gwinnett County election board; Ricky Kittle, a Republican appointee on the Catoosa County election board; and Ryan Germany, general counsel for Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a Republican, to the panel.

Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, a former secretary of state, applauded the action.

Fulton County has a long history of mismanagement, incompetence, and a lack of transparency when it comes to running electionsincluding during 2020. I fully support this review, he wrote on Twitter.

Democrats criticized the decision. Fulton County Board of Commissioners Chairman Robb Pitts, a Democrat, had previously voiced opposition to the new election law that he said would be used to target Fulton County.

This is the result of a cynical ploy to undermine faith in our elections process and democracy itselfit is shameful partisan politics at its very worst, he said on Aug. 18.

Fulton County has a long history of election problems, including long lines, inefficiency in reporting election results, and other problems, according to University of Georgia political science professor Charles Bullock. The issues were especially acute during last years primary, prompting the State Election Board to enter into a consent order with the county that included appointing an independent monitor.

That monitor, Carter Jones, spent nearly 270 hours observing the countys election processes from October through January. He said he saw sloppy practices and poor management, but no evidence of any dishonesty, fraud, or intentional malfeasance.

Georgia conducted two recounts, one by machine and another by hand, of the 2020 election. Both recounts confirmed Joe Biden as the winner of the 2020 election by 12,000 votes over then-President Donald Trump.

Trump had claimed that the election was rigged. He and his legal team particularly targeted a number of issues in Fulton County. The U.S. Congress certified Joe Biden as the winner of the 2020 election on Jan. 6.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Taliban fighters and local residents sit on an U.S. provided Afghan National Army Humvee vehicle along the roadside in Laghman province on Aug. 15, 2021. (AFP via Getty Images)

House Republicans Will Introduce Bill to Require Biden Administration to Detail the Amount of US Weapons Seized by Afghan Taliban

House Armed Services Committee Republicans told the Daily Caller News Foundation that they are planning to introduce a bill that would force the Biden administration to tell them how much U.S. military equipment was seized by the Taliban.

The GOP lawmakers said they would introduce the bill in September, during the full committee markup of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

Earlier this week, the Associated Press reported that the Taliban took control of billions of dollars in U.S. military equipment and weapons after the sudden surrender of the U.S.-trained Afghan military. This all happened in the wake of President Joe Biden ordering all troops out of Afghanistan.

The BidenHarris administration has failed to provide an accounting of U.S. equipment now in the hands of the Taliban, Armed Services Ranking Member Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) said in a statement to the Daily Caller. Republican Members on the Armed Services Committee demand to know this information and we plan to offer legislation at our markup to require the BidenHarris administration to detail what they have lost to the Taliban.

The Epoch Times did not immediately get a response from Rep. Rogers office on details about the upcoming legislation.

Photos and video footage over the past week showed large caches of weapons, including M-16 rifles and Humvees, being commandeered by the Taliban, considered by some governments to be a terrorist organization. Taliban members were seen holding American-made M-4 carbines and M-16 rifles that were discarded by Afghan military units.

When asked about the captured military equipment and weapons and whether American forces are attempting to prevent them from falling into the hands of the group, Maj. Gen. Hank Taylor responded: I dont have the answer to that question.

The Associated Press reported that the Taliban captured an array of modern military equipment when they overran Afghan forces who failed to defend district centers. Bigger gains followed, including combat aircraft, when the Taliban seized provincial capitals and military bases with stunning speed, topped by capturing the biggest prize, Kabul, over the weekend.

A U.S. defense official on Monday confirmed the Talibans sudden accumulation of U.S.-supplied Afghan equipment is enormous. The official was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and so spoke on condition of anonymity.

Besides the billions of dollars in weapons and military equipment, Republicans are pressing the Biden administration to reveal how they plan to get American citizens and allies out of Afghanistan.

Biden said that the U.S. forces are working to get the approximately 15,000 Americans out of Afghanistan but did not articulate the details of the administrations plan to do so.

U.S. House and Senate Republicans are demanding that Biden share his plan with top congressional leaders of how the United States will bring Americans back from Afghanistan.

It is of the utmost importance that the U.S. Government account for all U.S. citizens in Afghanistan and provide the necessary information and means of departure to all those Americans who desire to leave the country, the GOP leaders wrote.

The Epoch Times reached out to the Department of Defense.

Jack Phillips and AP contributed to this report.

Correction: A previous version of this story misstated the state Rep. Rogers represents. It is Alabama. The Epoch Times regrets the error.
How Google Targets Conservatives and Perpetuates CCP Propaganda

In an episode of Crossroads titled To Target Trump, Google Rewrote Its News Algorithms, Joshua Philipp interviews Google whistleblower Zach Vorhies, former Google employee and now a reporter with Project Veritas. In the interview, Vorhies talks about the tactics and motives behind Googles actions, which he claims is the worlds most dangerous totalitarian global organization.

He talks about how Google specifically rewrote their news algorithms to go after President Trump. He reveals actual slides from the company scoring system built around the fight that Trump was having at the time with former FBI Director James Comey over Russian collusion. Vorhies explains how Google built a clustering mechanism where it could use trigger words and key phrases to make one story a continuation of another story, forming a super story that spanned eight days or so. He says this tactic is not a result of demand or increasing market share in the United States and its not because these are stories people are following or really want to have on the forefront. Competitors like DuckDuckGo are exploding because people dont like what Google is doing.

He talks about the way Google allows the mainstream media to stay on top of the search and news index. Each page has a rank score and Googles scores are based off what the mainstream media and Wikipedia say. This is a problem because Wikipedia has now gone from using primary sources to using secondary sources, which essentially allows the mainstream media to create a narrative, and use everything else to perpetuate it. If Wikipedia uses a quote or information from a slanderous article, the statement may be retracted from the article after further evidence comes out, but the narrative will not be retracted from Wikipedia. Vorhies refers to this system as a defamation laundering engine.

The episode explains how the page rank in Google used to change slowly, but now the changes happen rapidly due to the authoritarian nature changing rapidly. For example, if a user quotes Fauci or the CDC on information they said a year ago, that post is going to be labeled as false information. Now that Google rapidly changes the narrative almost monthly, it has to have an automatic way to shift the definition of truth and frame the narrative around that.

He says it is an intentional move based on ideology, citing when Google went IPO, it had a constitution and promised stockholders and the world that it would be politically neutral. Since then, Google turned on a dime when the wrong presidential candidate got elected to office through the democratic process. The only reason for changing the original approach was political, in Vorhies opinion.

Vorhies talks about his time working at Google and that although he was not on the Fake News Team specifically, Google has a transparent internal structure which allowed him to search what the Fake News Team was working on. He did that in 2016, when the CEO said the company was censoring so-called fake news in the election. He looked at the design documents which led to other documents and downloaded them as proof.

The documents showed the fake news examples that Google was using to label other information as fake news, and he found that the censored news was all about Hillary Clinton. It was then that Vorhies realized this censorship wasnt about whether the news was true or not, it was about putting a thumb on the election scales. In other words, Google was using the label of fake news to stifle actual legitimate reporting by creating an algorithm to define fake news and let it continue to do it automatically.

To Target Trump, Google Rewrote its News Algorithms | Crossroads [Trailer]

Watch the full episode here.

Vorhies also found a project called Machine Learning Fairness, which has to do with algorithmic reranking and classification of data on the internet. What this system does is build classifiers, which is a specialized collection of artificial intelligence trained to identify and label information either as racist, misinformation, untrue, etc. Google uses these to label information in real-time as it comes out. When the company built the system, it had humans go through and label information based on their own beliefs. Those labels were then scored and input into a machine, where the machine expands on that score and can run on new input it has never seen before, then label it accordingly. This can even be done on images, for example labeling the American Flag as a right wing hate symbol and the machine will censor any future pictures with an American Flag.

Vorhies spoke of seeing a Youtube algorithm with about 30 classifiers in real-time on youtube videos, so when a video was posted it would be transcribed and classified based on the words. This classification would happen immediately. At a flick of a switch they can figure out what to blacklist, or what to supress, or what to demonetize. He clarifies that it doesnt mean all classified content is blacked out, but it can keep that user from making money off of it as well as reroute the traffic flow around that video.

In perhaps the most concerning part relating to privacy, Vorhies says even if you turn off location on your Android, the tower triangulation will still pick up your location, giving Google full monitoring of everyone using an Android phone. He even said they have hidden operating systems that run even when the power to your computer is turned off. He says there are exploits everywhere that are not yet made available to the public. So although businesses have firewalls, with these exploits others can get past those firewalls and then it is game over.

This new, unknown software has serious implications for national security, as seen with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) already infiltrating advanced military equipment. Philipp talked about the Electronics Intelligence Branch of the CCP, which targets satellites. It can potentially change data going in and out of satellites. Since American fighter jets receive targeting information from satellites, this ability is extremely concerning and dangerous.

Vorhies and Philipp talked about the CCP releasing a policy that any company doing business in China or with China, has to follow the directives of the CCP, meaning Google, as well as every single other company. If the CCP sanctions an individual, such as it did with Mike Pompeo, these companies have to enforce those sanctions as well. Philipp poses the question of what happens if the United States enters a war with China? Where do the loyalties of these companies lie if they are controlled by the CCP?

Vorhies says Google has neither boundaries nor borders, which means everything America develops as intellectual property for defense and security can be owned by the CCP. He says we need to have an investigation and that we are in the dark, not knowing how far they have penetrated into our war systems. I hope we dont get into war with them because we might find out that all of our systems are deeply compromised and that we dont quite have the military that we thought we did because a lot of it just goes down because of electronic warfare that theyre able to leverage against us.

When asked why Vorhies wrote his latest book, Google Leaks: A Whistleblowers Expose of Big Tech Censorship, which cost him his career among other attacks and push back, he said I wanted to give Americans and people who love America and love the freedoms and liberties, I want to give them one final chance to be able to stop this thing. Vorhies talks about his experience working at Google, where he knew censorship was happening while at the same time Google was deriding everyone who speculated about censorship and labeling them as conspiracy theorists.

Vorhies says that because of his book, we can prove that Google is essentially operating as a foriegn propaganda intelligence outlet. Theyre not pro-American, they are trying to destabilize America and subvert it. He says now that we know what is happening, we can take the necessary steps to break it up, put some chains on it, and more importantly use other technologies. When all else fails, the fact that people are now moving to other technologies like DuckDuckGo and these other services means that weve got a shot at using the free market in order to overcome totalitarianism.

Crossroads premiers every Wednesday and Friday at 6 p.m.exclusive on EpochTV.

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Emily Allison Emily is a writer for The Epoch Times and a freelance political journalist. With an extensive background in Political Communication and Journalism, she is committed to serving her country by bringing the truth about important issues of the day to the American people.
Staff are seen preparing AstraZeneca vaccine doses inside the Melbourne Showgrounds COVID-19 Vaccination Centre in Australia on July 20, 2021. (Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

Industry and Government Agreement for Vaccination Plan While Unions Fight Against Mandates

Businesses, unions, and the government have agreed to work together to develop a plan that will encourage workers to get vaccinated without resorting to vaccine mandates.

On Wednesday, Industrial Relations Minister Michaelia Cash lead a virtual roundtable discussion with 50 employer groups, union, and government leaders to discuss how to approach and support workplace vaccinations.

It was a positive meeting and really pleasing to see employer groups and unions come together in the spirit of co-operation, Cash said. It was clear from the discussion that participants are united in the goal to have as many Australians as possible vaccinated against COVID-19.

Major airline Qantas is the latest company to make COVID-19 vaccines mandatory for all staff as part of workplace safety measures.

However, some unions are disputing mandated vaccination policies around Australia, such as for New South Wales construction workers and SPC workers.

Construction union CFMEU has firmly positioned themselves against mandatory vaccinations for their workers and said they opposed any blanket no jab, no job policy.

Ultimately though, medical decisions must be a matter for an individual acting on the advice of their doctor, and workers should not be punished for acting according to their own personal circumstances, CFMEU Queensland said in a statement.

CFMEU NSW Secretary Darren Greenfield said they had been arguing with the state government to support individual choice and to lift the mandatory vaccination restriction.

We do call on the government to release the pressure on members who do not want to get the vaccination, never will get the vaccination because thats their personal choice, and allow them to get back to work, Greenfield said in a message on Facebook.

Independent MP Craig Kelly said he stood with the CFMEU in its position to support informed choice.

I never ever thought Id be saying this, but I STAND WITH THE CMFEU, Kelly wrote on Telegram. Good on the CFMEU for positioning themselves on the side of freedom!

Kelly said the issue of mandatory workplace vaccinations showed a new political divide, not about being Left or Right, but Authoritarian or Freedom.

Meanwhile, SPC had been in discussions with the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) around their policy to require all onsite workers to be vaccinated by November.

However, discussions fell through after both sides could not come to concessions. The union said mandatory vaccination policies were up to public health officials while SPC refused to back down on their decision.

A law firm is also preparing huge class actions against state and federal governments to fight against mandated vaccinations for aged care workers and construction workers.
Its Not Why We Left. Its How We Left | Truth Over News

After 20 years, the United States is leaving Afghanistan.

The problem is not that we left. That day was going to come eventually. It is how we left.

Despite having ample time to plan an orderly withdrawal, the Biden administration somehow managed to create the biggest foreign policy disaster in a generation.

The imagery of a country plunged into total chaos, of helicopters evacuating embassy personnel, and of desperate Afghans clinging on to planes has left an indelible mark around the world.

Global foes like China have taken note, wasting no time to explicitly threaten war with Taiwan.

Welcome to Truth over News with Jeff Carlson and Hans Mahncke.

Follow EpochTV on Facebook and Twitter
Jeffersonian Ice Cream

Thomas Jefferson first encountered ice cream as the ambassador to France, and brought back a special French ice cream maker, called a sorbetiere, to Monticello. Ice was harvested from the Rivanna River in the winter and stored in Monticellos ice house, then used throughout the year to preserve meat and butter, but also to chill wine and make ice cream. (Jefferson lamented not being able to get real vanilla beans for his dessert.)

Thomas Jeffersons ice cream recipe. (Library of Congress, Manuscript Division)

This recipe is based on one Jefferson wrote in his own hand after discovering ice cream, and is considered the first ice cream recipe recorded by an American. Jeffersons original recipe called for all cream, but I recommend substituting one cup of milk for cream, as I have done below.

6 egg yolks (look for deep orange-colored ones)

1 cup white sugar

3 cups cream

1 cup milk

1 vanilla bean

Add the egg yolks and sugar to a small bowl. Hand whisk until the egg yolks are incorporated into the sugar. Set aside.

In a heavy saucepan, add the cream, milk, and vanilla bean and place over medium heat. Slowly heat the mixture until small bubbles begin to appear around the edge of the pan. Remove from the heat. Cool enough to remove the vanilla bean and open the pod to scrape the seeds into the mixture.

Whisking all the time, slowly and gradually pour the warm milk/cream mixture into the egg/sugar mixture. Return to the saucepan. Stirring constantly, reheat the mixture over low heat until the mixture is thick enough to coat a spoon. This is a custard, sometimes called an ice mix. Do not let the mixture boil or it will curdle. Remove from the heat and let cool.

For the best results, age the custard by refrigerating overnight. This will improve the whipping qualities of the mix and the finished body and texture of the ice cream.

When the custard mix is chilled, add the mixture to your ice cream maker, remembering that the mixture will almost double in volume as the stirring blades churn air into the mixture, and process according to manufacturers instructions. If you want to make a flavored ice cream, add about 1 1/2 cup of pre-prepared and chilled fruit puree to the custard about 10 minutes after churning has started.
ICE agents arrest an illegal alien during an operation in Baltimore, Md., on Nov. 22, 2019. (ICE)

Judge Blocks Biden Administration From Limiting Arrests of Illegal Immigrants

President Joe Bidens administration cannot, for now, curtail arrests of illegal immigrants, a federal judge ruled on Aug. 19, delivering another setback to the White Houses immigration agenda.

U.S. District Judge Drew Tipton, a Trump nominee, granted a preliminary injunction sought by the states of Texas and Louisiana against two memorandums issued by Biden administration officials earlier this year that sought to prioritize certain categories of illegal immigrants.

The case involves an immigration law provision that stipulates that illegal immigrants who had committed crimes shall be taken into federal custody after theyre released, but the Biden administrations memos attempted to direct Immigration and Customs Enforcements (ICE) resources to detain illegal aliens based on the nature of the crime. Texas and Louisiana argued that Bidens memo would prevent ICE agents from arresting and deporting other illegal aliens who had criminal histories.

Not included in the two memos were categories for illegal aliens convicted of serious drug offenses or crimes of moral turpitude.

The two states have seen rising costs related to detention facilities and an increase in crimes traceable to the memos, Tipton wrote in the 160-page order.

The Court concludes the potential harms to the States arising out of the Memoranda outweigh any potential harms to the Government. The Court also concludes the public interest is served, rather than undermined, by an injunction, he wrote.

U.S. lawyers argued that the memos did prioritize certain categories of illegal immigrants but didnt preclude action against ones that fell outside those categories.

They also asserted that the Department of Homeland Security has longstanding discretion over the enforcement of immigration laws and the agencys efforts shouldnt be interfered with.

But Tipton concluded that the government appeared to have failed to consider some of the effects of the new guidelines, including whether they would drive up crimes since some criminal illegal aliens were excluded from the priorities outlined in the memos.

In sum, the Governments failure to rationally explain and connect the basis for the new guidance, along with the Governments failure to consider certain relevant factors and alternative policies, establish that there is a substantial likelihood that the reprioritization is an arbitrary and capricious policy, he wrote.

Additionally, the judge said the agency appeared to be neglecting federal law that outlines immigration enforcement.

The preliminary injunction is in effect pending a final resolution of the case or until a further order from the court or an appeals court.

With Tiptons order, ICE officers now have broader powers and can go after a broader range of illegal immigrants. His ruling also requires the federal government to report back by Sept. 3 on changes to enforcing immigration law.

After the White House-directed memos were issued, ICE arrested far fewer illegal immigrants each month than during the same months in 2020.

Harris County, Texas, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, the presidents nominee to lead ICE, told senators last month during a nominating hearing that he viewed the drop in arrests as concerning.

In my experience I would like to see more data to see what other factors may have played into that to better understand the numbers, he said. It is concerning, so I would make sure, again, that were being strategic and were prioritizing properly that we could go after those individuals that pose the greatest threat to our communities.

Gonzalez said he believed illegal immigrants ordered removed from the United States should be deported.

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) said he was heartened by the responses. I think they do put you in significant tension with this administrations policiesIm personally fine with that, I hope you go and enforce the law vigorously, I dont know what the White House will think of your answers but Im heartened by what Ive heard so far.

Tiptons ruling is the latest blow to the White Houses immigration agenda amid dozens of executive orders issued by Biden during his nascent presidencymany of which rescinded Trump-era policies including Remain in Mexico and construction of the border wall along the U.S.Mexico border.

Earlier in the year, the judge blocked Bidens proposed 100-day moratorium on most ICE deportations, saying the directive violated immigration law. Another federal judge last week ordered the Biden administration to reinstate President Donald Trumps Remain in Mexico policy that requires asylum-seekers to stay in Mexico for the remainder of their immigration court proceedings.

The Department of Homeland Security didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.

Jack Phillips contributed to this report.
Judge Blocks Louisiana Medical Schools COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate

A federal judge on Tuesday blocked a Louisiana medical school from requiring students to receive COVID-19 vaccinations as a condition of attendance for the fall semester.

The lawsuit was brought by Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry on behalf of three students at the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM), a private institution that operates six locations across southern United States, including one housed on the campus of the University of Louisiana-Monroe (ULM).

Although VCOM claimed no wrongdoing and argued that its vaccination policy was meant to ensure safety of all students, employees, and patients, U.S. District Judge Terry A. Doughty of the Western District of Louisiana ruled in favor of the students, granting them a temporary restraining order against the vaccine mandate.

According to the complaint, the VCOM students filed written dissents for exemptions from the schools COVID-19 vaccination requirement, citing Christian beliefs and concerns over the yet-to-be fully approved vaccines. They said their requests were denied and they faced retaliation for unwilling to get vaccinated.

These complaints have included recordings of conversations with VCOM staff engaging in harassing and coercive conduct targeting students who have exercised their right to opt-out of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, Landry said in July.

Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry (C) speaks during a press conference at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, on Jan. 22, 2020. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

The students continued their lawsuit, even after Landry withdrew from the case and VCOM ultimately granted them religious exemptions, because of restrictions that come with the exemption. Under the medical schools current vaccination policy, all students who are not vaccinated must wear a mask at all times on campus, disclose their unvaccinated status to their labmates, and not participate in certain clinical training programs that are required for graduation.

While Louisiana law permits schools to exclude unvaccinated students from attendance in the event of an outbreak on campus, such exclusion must be approved by the states public health department, Doughty wrote in the courts order (pdf). VCOM does not have a recommendation from the Louisiana Department of Public Health to exclude from attendance unimmunized students.

In addition, the same statute does not permit colleges to judge or restrict a student dissent, which can be based upon religious beliefs or any other reason, Doughty said, noting that the medical school violated the statute when it accepted the students dissents but placed restrictions upon them.

Rather than restrictions, VCOMs only options are either to allow the dissenting students to attend VCOM or obtain approval from the Louisiana Department of Health to exclude unimmunized students from admission, the order read.

Even if [Louisiana law] allows for restrictions to be placed upon a students dissent, the restrictions placed by VCOM on Plaintiffs are excessive, Doughty added. Restrictions that keep students from completing their curriculum defeat the purpose of having the right of dissent.

Doughty also pointed to the fact that VCOM shares space with ULM, a public university that doesnt have a vaccine mandate. Although VCOM has an interest in protecting its students, its students are allowed to attend ULM functions, participate in ULM intramural events, study in the ULM library, and mingle with ULM students, who are not required to get the vaccine, he wrote.

Landrys office said in a press release it welcomed the decision, calling it a win for Louisianans who have sincerely held religious convictions and other reservations about the vaccines.

The bottom line is that the law and constitution still apply, said Solicitor General Liz Murrill, who worked with the students on behalf of Landry. We are grateful to Judge Doughty for protecting their rights and upholding the rule of law, and we will continue to work toward an acceptable resolution.

VCOM-Louisiana did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Defense attorney Thomas Otake, (L) facing camera, embraces Geoffrey Thom, as defense attorney Crystal Glendon, (R) facing camera, embraces her client Christopher Fredeluces after Judge William Domingo rejected murder and attempted murder charges against the officers in the fatal shooting of a teenager, preventing the case from going to trial, at district court in Honolulu, Hawaii, on Aug. 18, 2021. (Cory Lum/Pool/Honolulu Civil Beat via AP)

Judge Rejects Charges for Hawaii Officers in Teens Killing

HONOLULUA Hawaii judge on Wednesday rejected murder and attempted murder charges against three Honolulu police officers in the fatal shooting of a teenager, preventing the case from going to trial.

District Court Judge William Domingo, in a ruling from the bench, said there was no probable cause that the officers committed the crimes they were accused of.

He noted the teenager, 16-year-old Iremamber Sykap, led the officers on a high-speed chase immediately before the April 5 shooting, refusing commands to stop. He said the incident only ended after Sykap was shot and the car fell into a canal.

Honolulu prosecutors filed charges against the three officers after a grand jury decided not to indict them, arguing a trial should be held regardless. Its the first time in more than 40 years that a Honolulu police officer has been charged in a fatal shooting.

Officer Geoffrey Thom was charged with murder. Prosecutors said he fired 10 rounds at Sykap through the rear window of the car after it stopped at an intersection. Officers Zackary Ah Nee and Fredeluces, who also opened fire, were charged with second-degree attempted murder.

If there was no pursuit in the beginning, and there were just people in the car and officers just came up and started shooting from behind without any type of provocationbut thats not what we have here, Domingo said.

The officers silently hugged their attorneys and supporters after Domingo spoke. A few supporters of the officers gasped in delight in courtroom, where spectators were required to sit 6 feet (1.8 meters) apart to observe pandemic social distancing guidelines.

The shots were fired after Sykap weaved in and out of traffic while traveling up to 80 mph (130 kph) as he led police on a high-speed chase along highways and city streets. His brother was injured in the shooting.

The car came to a stop after being surrounded by police vehicles on a city street. The officers stood near the car, ordering the occupants to get out.

The reasonable person would think, well, you know, is it over? And its not over at that point, Domingo said. The judge said the car started moving again, putting the officers in danger, and thats when Thom fired his weapon.

Police say the Honda was stolen and linked to an escalating series of crimes in the days prior, including a purse snatching, a burglary, and an armed robbery.

Honolulu Police Officers Geoffrey Thom (R), Christopher Fredeluces (2nd R), and Zackary Ah Nee (3rd R) sit in Judge William Domingos courtroom before a preliminary hearing begins, in Honolulu, on July 20, 2021. (Cory Lum/Pool/File/Honolulu Civil Beat via AP)

Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Christopher Van Marter had argued in court that the officers werent in danger at the time of the shooting. He said Thom displayed a breakdown in judgement, restraint, and discipline in that there was no reason for him to start blasting 10 rounds into that car.

Were talking about taking a persons life with a gun. A government employee. Hes supposed to be disciplined, exercise restraint, only do something if necessary, Van Marter said.

Domingos ruling came after a preliminary hearing held to determine whether there was probable cause for the charges.

Malcolm Lutu, the president of State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers, said in a statement that the police union was pleased that the legal system ruled in favor of the officers for a second time.

Today isnt a day of celebration, rather, it proves that the officers decision making was justified. It does not take away from the tragedy of what happened and the impact that it has on many families, he said.

The Honolulu prosecutors office said it was very disappointed by the ruling. It said Prosecutor Steve Alm would hold a news conference on Monday to discuss the case.

Last month, a police evidence specialist testified that a pellet gun that looked like a firearm was found in the car Sykap was driving. Police said they also found two magazines, one with real ammunition and one that was empty. But they did not find real firearms in the car.

Police also testified that officers found a backpack several blocks away from the shooting that came from a suspect who fled the vehicle. The backpack contained an inoperable blank-firing revolver, which is similar to devices used as movie props or at track-and-field events.

Honolulus chief medical examiner testified that Sykap was hit by eight shots, including one to the back of the head and a fatal wound in the upper back, which tore his aorta. The medical examiner said toxicology results showed methamphetamine in Sykaps blood.

The case comes a year after nationwide protests over racial injustice and police brutality in other parts of the United States. Some in the Micronesian community say Sykaps shooting highlights the racism they face in Hawaii.

Sykap was born in Guam, a U.S. territory, to parents who were from Chuuk in the Federated States of Micronesia.

By Audrey McAvoy
A city worker measures the statue of Christopher Columbus at Marconi Plaza as they build a cover in the South Philadelphia neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pa., on June 16, 2020. (Matt Slocum/AP Photo)

Judge Rules Columbus Statue in Philadelphia Can Remain

PHILADELPHIAA statue of Christopher Columbus can remain in south Philadelphia, a judge ruled, reversing the citys decision to remove it after the explorer became a focus of protesters amid nationwide demonstrations after the police killing of George Floyd.

Last years decision to remove the now-boarded-up statue from Marconi Plaza was unsupported by law and based on insufficient evidence, Common Pleas Court Judge Paula Patrick said.

It is baffling to this court as to how the city of Philadelphia wants to remove the statue without any legal basis. The citys entire argument and case is devoid of any legal foundation, Patrick wrote.

The ruling Tuesday overturns a decision in September by a city licensing board that upheld a July 2020 decision by the city historical commission to remove the 144-year-old statue. The judge wrote that the city failed to provide an adequate opportunity for public input about its future.

A city representative expressed disappointment and officials were exploring all options including a possible appeal.

Attorney George Bochetto, who represents the Friends of Marconi Plaza, said the plaintiffs were ecstatic. He said he would immediately seek an order to remove a wooden box constructed by city crews around the statue following clashes between protesters and residents.

In Philadelphia, a city with a deep Italian heritage, supporters say they consider Columbus an emblem of that heritage. Mayor Jim Kenney said Columbus was venerated for centuries as an explorer but had a much more infamous history, enslaving Indigenous people, and imposing punishments such as severing limbs or even death.

After the June 2020 unrest, Kenney characterized removing the statue as a matter of public safety. Patrick, however, wrote that the city had failed to provide evidence that the statues removal was necessary to protect the public, calling the confrontations isolated civil unrest.

In western Pennsylvania, a Columbus statue in a Pittsburgh park was also covered up last fall and its removal ordered, but a community group there also filed suit. A western Pennsylvania judge declared an impasse in June and sent the dispute to mediation.

Statues of Columbus were earlier removed in nearby Camden, New Jersey, and Wilmington, Delaware. In Richmond, Virginia, a statue of Christopher Columbus was torn down, set on fire and thrown into a lake. In Columbia, South Carolina, the first U.S. city named for Columbus, a statue of the explorer was removed after it was vandalized several times, and a vandalized statue in Boston also was removed from its pedestal.

Floyd died May 25, 2020, after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee into his neck for several minutes even as he pleaded for air and stopped moving.
British citizens and dual nationals residing in Afghanistan board a military plane for evacuation from Kabul airport, Afghanistan, on Aug. 16, 2021. (LPhot Ben Shread/UK MOD Crown copyright 2021/Handout via Reuters)

Kabul Evacuation: Planes Never Leave Empty Says UK Defence Minister

British military planes never leave Kabul empty, according to the British defence minister, in response to reports of some flights leaving without any evacuees on board.

The UK was absolutely ploughing through the numbers, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told the BBC on Aug. 19, following stories of Taliban checkpoints at the airport hampering the movement of Afghans and expats to the planes.

Wallace gave the example of the most recent flights, which he said carried 115 and 138 apiece.

Many of the flights out of the country were at full capacity, he said.

I cant vote for the other nations, but our planes never leave empty, he said. If we have spaces on them, we offer them up to other nations. We took out some NATO interpreters recently, weve taken out some people from other neighbouring states within Europe.

According to Wallace, between seven and 10 RAF planes were taking off every day.

He also told Times Radio he didnt think many other nations had been sending empty planes out.

People disembark an RAF military transport aircraft carrying evacuees from Afghanistan International Airport in Dubai which is serving as a staging post on the way to the UK on Aug. 19, 2021 (Giuseppe Cacace/AFP via Getty Images)

Kabul has been relatively calm since the arrival of Taliban forces at the weekend, but with some reports of violence. The airport, however, which offers the only route out for expats and for those Afghans terrified of reprisals, has been the epicentre of chaos and tension.

Twelve people have been killed in and around the airport since then, a NATO and a Taliban official said, according to Reuters. According to the Taliban official, the deaths were caused either by gunshots or by stampedes.

Gunmen unleashed sustained fire into the air on Thursday at several entrances to the airport, sending the crowds, including women clutching babies, scattering. It was not clear if the men firing were Taliban or security staff helping U.S. forces inside.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on the morning of Aug. 18 that the UK had secured the safe return of 306 UK nationals and 2,052 Afghan nationals as part of its resettlement programmewith a further 2,000 Afghan applications completed and more being processed.

Wallace said UK troops would stay in Afghanistan as long as the United States forces are running the airport.

The British ambassador to Afghanistan Sir Laurie Bristow has said Foreign Office personnel hope to get at least 1,000 people out of the country every day. His warning that there were days, not weeks left to complete the mission was echoed by Wallace, who said that every hour counts.

PA contributed to this report
This 2018 portrait released by the U.S. Department of Justice shows Connecticut's U.S. Attorney John Durham. (U.S. Department of Justice via AP)

Leaks Show Durham Probe Is Making Progress

Commentary

Recent media reports point obliquely to significant developments in John Durhams special counsel investigation. Hes using a grand jury to subpoena documents and witness testimony regarding the FBIs illegal spying operation against Donald Trumps 2016 presidential campaign.

Now, stories in The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post say Durham may be looking to make criminal charges against lower-level FBI agents, as well as outside sources who passed false information to federal law enforcement.

If thats accurate, the latter category could include political operatives, foreign spies, big-name Beltway lawyers, journalists, and computer experts. But current and former government officials say the reports seem intended to shape the narrative on behalf of those Durham may really have in his crosshairssenior FBI officials, including former Acting Director Andrew McCabe.

Since the November election, Ive expressed skepticism regarding Durhams investigation. Without Durhams former boss, Attorney General William Barr, holding anyone accountable before the 2020 vote, there was nothing stopping the FBI and other federal agencies from continuing to interfere in elections on behalf of their preferred candidates. There was also nothing ensuring that Durham would be allowed to continue his probe with a Trump loss.

With Durham now working under the auspices of President Joe Bidens Justice Department, his ability to make his findings public, never mind bringing charges, might be limited. According to the reports, Durhams witnesses want Attorney General Merrick Garland to shut him down. And the president likely concurs.

Biden was the No. 2 official in an administration that spied on a presidential campaign and then Trumps transition team. He offered advice on how to frame Trumps national security adviser Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn. Even a man in cognitive decline as Biden appears to be would see that allowing his co-conspirators to be exposed to legal risk might tempt them to detail his role in full.

And if he crosses the FBI, the president isnt the only Biden family member who might regret it. Recent reports show that the bureau protected his son Hunter by burying evidence not only of his financial relationships with corrupt foreign officials, but also of a possible blackmail scheme targeting him with the purpose of compromising U.S. national security.

Should Biden fail to protect the FBI from Durham, the FBI might stop shielding his son from the law.

And yet Durham is clearly making headway or else sources wouldnt be leaking their concerns to the press.

Without a doubt, the sources for these stories are present or past FBI officials who are trying to pre-emptively downplay what Durham has, said one senior congressional aide. Leaking ahead of bad Russiagate news to bend the narrative their way is their MO. The same FBI leakers did the same thing before the DOJ inspector generals report on FISA abuse came out, said the aide, referring to the December 2019 account of how the FBI deceived a secret court to obtain a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrant to spy on the Trump campaign.

According to the current round of leaks, Durham prosecutors have focused on people outside the FBI who provided information that helped fuel the 2016 investigation. That includes both those who passed information directly to the FBI and, writes the Journal, those who passed it on to others who later shared it with the FBI.

Thats a broad category with a long list attached, implicating famous and infamous Washington political personalities as well as Christopher Steele, the British ex-spy who put his name to a dossier of falsified reports alleging Trumps ties to Russian officials.

The list would also include Steeles clients, Glenn Simpson and Peter Fritsch, co-founders of Fusion GPS, the Washington firm hired by the Hillary Clinton campaign to smear the 2016 Republican candidate. Another Fusion contractor, Nellie Ohr, would also be on that listshe passed information to her husband, Justice Department lawyer Bruce Ohr, who relayed it to the FBI. Having served as an intermediary for the FBI and Steele and Simpson as well, he, too, would be under the spotlight.

Lots of Clinton allies would be on the hot seat. Campaign lawyer Michael Sussman passed information to FBI general counsel James Baker regarding a clandestine link between computer servers for the Trump Organization and Alfa Bank, a Russian financial institution. The FBI investigated the tip and found nothing. Durham called the cyber-experts who first made the claims about the so-called secret server hookup to testify.

Others in the Clinton circle who would be on the list include Mrs. Clintons counselor Sidney Blumenthal, who played relay man for a second dossier falsely alleging Trump was compromised by Russia. Those reports were written by another Clinton hand, Cody Shearer, and passed by Blumenthal to State Department official Jonathan Winer, who relayed the false information to the FBI through Steele.

And theres Stefan Halper, the longtime Beltway political operative whom the FBI employed as a confidential human source. He falsely alleged that Flynn had been compromised in a Russian honeypot operation. Former CIA Director John Brennan would be a big catch. In 2017 congressional testimony, he boasted that the information and intelligence he shared with the bureau served as the basis of the FBIs TrumpRussia investigation. While Durham interviewed him for eight hours last summer, Brennans spokesman said the former spymaster wasnt a suspect or a target.

A name that keeps popping up in news reports is Steeles so-called primary sub-source, Igor Danchenko. The former Brookings Institution researcher told the FBI that his information regarding Trumps Russia connections came from several sources inside Russia. But five Russian nationals whom Danchenko claimed as sources recently signed affidavits swearing that they didnt provide him with any information found in the Clinton-funded dossier. So it seems certain Danchenko lied to the FBI.

And that was always the FBIs second parachute. Danchenko was set up from the outset to be the fall guy. On the front end, he helped credential the dossier to make it look genuine if the FISA court started asking questions: Steeles primary sub-source for the Trump information was a real Russian who had real Russian sources. And if the FBIs plot was discovered, theyd claim they werent criminal, just incompetentthey got fooled by Russian disinformation, i.e., Danchenkos information.

It seems the leakers have positioned him to play the sap here, too. The message theyre sending is that the probe will stop at Danchenko and maybe some other low-hanging fruit but everyone else is in the clearClinton lieutenants, spies, and especially the senior FBI officials who drove the operation. Otherwise, it will amount to a grossly politicized effort to target the opponents of the former president.

Its not hard to see the FBIs angle.

I doubt the investigation is only about people who lied to the FBI, said Kash Patel, the former national security prosecutor who led Rep. Devin Nuness (R-Calif.) investigation into the FBIs TrumpRussia probe. Its not like the FBI suddenly realized they had a bunch of losers who were lying to them. The FBI knew they were lying. Our investigation proved that the FBI knew that the credibility of their sources was zero.

The Durham investigation is almost certainly about the senior FBI officials who staged the lies.

They basically forged a FISA warrant and took it to a federal judge to spy on the Trump campaign, Patel said. Id be looking at Lisa Page, Peter Strzok, and Andrew McCabe, referring to the FBI cell that managed the anti-Trump plot.

Patel notes that McCabe lied about leaking to the media regarding the investigation into Hillary Clintons emails.

And he got caught by the inspector general, Patel said. Why wouldnt they do the same thing here? The stories coming out now are in publications the FBI used in the past to deflect away from their own corruption.

If Durham does come down on the FBI, well see the media take over the narrative and drive it against him. Prestige press organizations will do anything to protect their sources, especially if theyre dirty cops who pushed an illegal espionage operation against a president they didnt like.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Mark Barrott, 54, who West Yorkshire Police are trying to trace after his wife, Eileen Barrott, was found dead at a property in the Whinmoor area of Leeds, in an undated handout. (West Yorkshire Police/PA)

Man Arrested in Scotland on Suspicion of Murdering Wife

A man being sought over the murder of his wife has been arrested in Scotland, police said.

Mark Barrott, 54, from Leeds, was detained by Police Scotland in the Elgin area at about 4.30 a.m. on Thursday.

He was arrested on suspicion of the murder of 50-year-old nurse Eileen Barrott, who was found dead at the couples home in Naburn Fold, Whinmoor, on Sunday.

West Yorkshire Police said he will be brought back to the force area, where he will be interviewed by detectives from the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team.

Leeds murder suspect Mark Barrott has been arrested in Scotland this morning. Our thanks to everyone who contacted us with information during this appeal.https://t.co/JWeHa2qyDi  West Yorkshire Police (@WestYorksPolice) August 19, 2021

Senior investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Vanessa Rolfe said, we would like to thank all the members of the public who contacted us with information, and also our colleagues in Police Scotland for their assistance and support with this investigation.

The force had previously urged Barrott to hand himself in and issued appeals after he was seen in Edinburgh and Aberdeen and was traced to an address in Elgin, but he had left.

Neighbours of the couple said they had lived in their terraced house for about 20 years and have two grown-up childrena son and a daughter.

By Tom Wilkinson
Man Dies in Ibiza When Ferry Crashes Into Boat at Night

MADRIDOne man was killed and another injured when a ferry smashed into a small boat entering the port of the Spanish island of Ibiza at night, Spanish police said Wednesday.

Spains Civil Guard said the man who died was decapitated in the crash that occurred late Tuesday. The survivor was taken to the hospital after being rescued from the water, police said.

Police are investigating and not ruling out that it could have resulted from an accident. Local media reports said the small craft may not have had any lights on.

The police were told about the crash by a bystander who heard the impact. The ferry was not damaged.
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan holds a news conference at the Maryland State Capitol in Annapolis, Md., on Aug. 5, 2021. (Courtesy of Bahaudin Mujtaba via AP)

Maryland Looks to Rake in More Than $4 Billion If Federal Infrastructure Bill Is Enacted

Maryland would receive billions of dollars from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act if it is passed by the U.S. House of Representatives and signed into law.

Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, has pushed for the bill during his tenure as chairman of the National Governors Association. In a statement, he praised the bills Aug. 10 passage by the U.S. Senate.

This historic bill will grow jobs, expand economic opportunity, and enhance our national security all without raising taxes, Hogan said. Its overwhelming and bipartisan passage in the Senate is a testament to the fact that this bill has not been driven by the conventional top-down partisan political process. It was driven by leaders and citizens across the country who have been demanding for years that elected officials in Washington on both sides of the aisle finally take action to address Americas crumbling infrastructure.

A fact sheet released by the Biden administration outlines how much Maryland would receive for some projects:

The state would receive $4.1 billion over five years to repair roads and highways. Roughly 2,201 miles of highway are deemed to be in poor condition.

An additional $409 million would be awarded to repair or replace the states 273 bridges already deemed to be in poor condition. The money is set to be released over a five-year period.

Maryland could compete with other states for an additional $12.5 billion in the Bridge Investment Program and another $16 billion in funds set aside for major projects.

The state would receive $1.7 billion over five years to improve public transportation.

Maryland would receive $63 million as part of a national initiative to expand electric vehicle charging stations throughout the country. An additional $2.5 billion is available and would be awarded based on applications from the states.

Approximately $100 million would be allocated for improved broadband coverage across the state. Nearly 11 percent of the states households dont have an internet subscription and 2 percent live in an area where there is no broadband infrastructure. About 17 percent of Maryland residents would be eligible for a program that helps low-income families afford internet access.

Hogan said he hopes the bill will not get mired in partisan politics.

As the bill advances, we cannot allow the priorities of the American people to be hijacked by partisan politics or the extremes in the House, he said. The overwhelming majority of Americans support this bill and believe it should not be tied to any other legislation.

By Kim Jarrett
Serve these mussels immediately, with plenty of bread for dipping and the wine left in the bottle for sipping. (Audrey Le Goff)

Moules Marinieres: 10-minute Mussels to Transport You to the French Coast

The French have long had a love affair with mussels. According to local lore, they have a shipwrecked Irishman to thank for that.

In 1235, as the story goes, Patrick Walton was shipwrecked in Aiguillon Bay, off the Atlantic coast of Vendee, France. Starving, he stuck two wooden poles in the water and attached a net in between to trap fish and seabirds. The story doesnt mention whether he ended up catching any fish, but Walton soon noticed hundreds of mussels latching onto the submerged wood. He shared his discovery with locals, and thus began the practice of mussel farming on wooden polesmoules de bouchotalong the French Atlantic coastline.

However, to this day, this story has been contested by the people of Vendee, who claim that this technique has been a local tradition of the region since the 10th century, long before Waltons discovery.

In any case, mussels are now cultivated all along the western French coastline, from the Atlantic Charente-Maritime region, south of Vendee, all the way up to Hauts-de-France on the North Sea, passing through Brittany and Normandy, respectively the second-largest and largest producers of mussels in the country. Each region has its own way of cooking musselsusually with cream in Normandy or cider in Brittanybut moules marinieres, hailing from Vendee, are by far the most renowned.

Quick and casual, moules marinieres are the Frenchs favorite way to enjoy mussels: steamed in dry white wine and spruced up with shallots, parsley, and butter. The word mariniere, translating loosely to sailor-style, refers to the blue and white striped blouse often worn by sailors and locals on the French Atlantic coast. Briny and aromatic, the dish is a bistro staple, one I inevitably order whenever I visit the French coastline.

Choosing and Preparing Mussels

Moules marinieres may be a regional specialty, but you can easily make them at homeand transport yourself to the French coast in just 10 minutes.

Mussels are delicious, relatively easy to find, and affordable. In France, their peak season is from late summer through late spring. A common saying dictates that you should only eat mussels in months containing the letter rthat is, from September through April, when theyre at their best.

In the United States, almost all mussels are cultivatedfarmed in natural bodies of waterso youll likely always find a variety thats in season throughout the year. For moules marinieres, any common variety of mussels will work, including blue or black (most likely to be found at your local shop), Mediterranean, or green-lip (almost always imported from New Zealand). They can vary in size, brininess, and flavor intensity, but rather than assessing their flavor profile, you should simply choose the ones that are fresh and in seasontheyll likely taste the best and be the most sustainable option as well.

After buying your mussels, a quality check and cleaning are often necessary. Place the mussels in your kitchen sink and look for any shells that are open. If the shell doesnt close when you press on it, the mussel is dead and you can discard it. Keeping only the fresh-smelling and tightly-closed mussels, pass them under cold water and brush them quickly with a vegetable brush to pull off any beards.

Mussels are best cooked the same day on which you buy them.

Choosing the Wine

To steam your mussels, opt for a dry white wine. In comparison to sweet wine, a dry white has a refreshing acidity and subtler fruit aromas that wont overpower the mussels, but simply let their natural, briny flavor shine.

Ideally, reach for a bottle hailing from Frances southern Atlantic coast, where moules marinieres originated. The region is renowned for producing exceptional dry nouveau white wines, which are bright and lively from limited aging time. Theyre perfect for cooking moules marinieresand for sipping alongside them as well.

Moules Marinieres

This simple, aromatic pot of mussels can be cooked in 10 minutes and is best enjoyed immediately. Serve with a crusty baguette for mopping up the briny juices, frites, or a simple green salad on the side and the leftover wine in the bottle to drink. Place one or two extra bowls on the table for empty shells.

Although not traditional, some people like to add a splash of heavy cream to the sauce (about 1/4 cup) at the end. These moules marinieres a la creme are just as delicious, but the rich, creamy broth makes them best-suited for festive occasions.

Serves 4

4 pounds fresh mussels

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened at room temperature, divided

1 tablespoon flour

2 shallots, peeled and minced

4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

1 cup dry white wine

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

Inspect the mussels and discard any with open shells. Scrub the mussels clean under cold water, removing any beards.

In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of the butter with the flour. Mix with a fork until it becomes a paste. Set aside.

In a large pot over medium heat, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the shallots and garlic and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the shallots are translucent but not caramelized yet.

Increase the heat to medium-high and add the white wine and the mussels. Stir, cover with a lid, and let steam for about 4 to 5 minutes, shaking the pot occasionally and peeking in every 30 seconds. As soon as the mussels have opened up, use tongs or a slotted spoon to transfer them to a large bowl. Cover the bowl with the pot lid to keep the mussels warm.

Add the butter-flour paste to the white wine sauce still in the pot and mix until incorporated. Let simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, until slightly thickened.

Return the mussels to the pot. Sprinkle with black pepper and fresh parsley and stir. Serve immediately, dividing the mussels between serving bowls and pouring the juices from the pot over the top.
Tourists visit the Potala Palace, a UNESCO heritage site, during a government organized visit for journalists in Lhasa, Tibet, China, on June 1, 2021. (Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)

Chinese Regime Calls for Tibet to Accept Communist Rule 70 Years After CCP Takeover

Chinas Communist Party marked the 70th anniversary of its taking control of Tibet with a call for the region to embrace the regimes rule.

At the iconic Potala Palace, a sacred Buddhist site in Tibets capital Lhasa, Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang spoke on Aug. 19 in front of a tightly-vetted crowd of 20,000 people, casting the Party as the savior that peacefully liberated Tibetan peasant slaves.

Tibet could only develop and prosper by adhering to the Partys leadership and the socialist path, said Wang, who also heads the regimes mostly nominal political advisory body and is a member of the Partys top decision-making body, the Politburo Standing Committee.

Chinese communist troops marched into the vast Himalayan region in 1951, forcing Tibetan leaders to accept a treaty that promised to uphold Tibets existing political system, regional autonomy, and religious freedom.

The 14th Dalai Lama, who turned 86 this year, fled on foot to India in 1959, after the Chinese military crushed a Tibetan uprising. Around 80,000 people soon followed him, according to the exiled Tibetan government.

While the regime claims that it liberated Tibetan peasants from an oppressive theocracy, critics and activists say that Beijing had instead embarked on a campaign of cultural genocide in the unique Buddhist region, which had been largely independent of central Chinese rule for most of its history.

Tibetan Buddhist pilgrims walk the kora at a shrine on the shore of the high altitude saltwater Namtso lake during a government-organized visit for journalists in Namtso, Tibet, China, on June 2, 2021. (Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)

Over the years, the regime has forced monks and nuns to return to secular life and handed harsh sentences, as long as 20 years, to some monks, according to human rights groups.

A 2020 report by think tank Jamestown Foundation also found militarized vocational training campssimilar to those that hold more than 1 million Uyghurs in Xinjiangappearing in Tibet.

Wang, in his speech at the ceremony, took a victorious tone, gloating over what he described to be a harmonious and stable Tibet, where different ethnicities love each other like tea and salt, in a reference to the smoky, salty local beverage known as butter tea.

He said the Party has defeated the separatist and sabotage activities by the Dalai [Lama] group and overseas hostile forces and successfully eliminated extreme poverty in the region.

Related Coverage Xi Jinping Eyes Clampdown on Chinas Rich in Bid to Redistribute Wealth

Intensifying cultural assimilation and patriotic education seem to be in store for Tibetans. Stressing a need to deepen the publics acceptance of the Party and socialism with Chinese characteristics, Wang called for all-rounded efforts to push Tibetans to write and speak the standardized mandarin language and develop shared symbols and images of the Chinese nation.

Broadcast footage of the event, live-streamed nationwide through Chinese state media, prominently featured a solo portrait of Chinese leader Xi Jinping that towered over the audience, a scene reminiscent of the personality cult built around the Partys first ruler, Mao Zedong.

Later in the day, Wang joined about 600 people to watch a performance with segments touting the Tibetans purported gratitude toward the Party.

The festive mood wasnt shared among the Tibetan diaspora.

Judging by developments in Tibet over the past 70 years, the Tibetan people have no cause for jubilation, International Campaign for Tibet, a Washington-based advocacy group, said in a statement.

Chinese policies have turned Tibet itself into an open-air prison, it added.

A Tibetan Buddhist woman holds prayer beads as he spins a prayer wheel at a local shrine in Lhasa, Tibet, China, on June 3, 2021. (Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)

It cited a new internal code of conduct forbidding Tibetan officials from practicing religious beliefs. According to the group, the new policy first began circulating in April and bans Party members who hold official positions from wearing Buddhist beads, displaying religious signs on government vehicles, donating money to monasteries, and paying religious pilgrimage. The officials were also told to discourage their family members from religious practices.

After 70 years of oppression, the only thing the Tibetan people need peaceful liberation from today is Chinas brutality, the group stated.
Jailed Taliban are seen during an interview to The Associated Press inside the Pul-e-Charkhi jail in Kabul, Afghanistan on Dec. 14, 2019. (Rahmat Gul/AP Photo)

Prisoners Released by Taliban in Afghanistan Pose Serious Concern to US Security, Republicans Warn

The thousands of prisoners freed by the Taliban in Afghanistan after the terrorist group took over the country pose a serious concern to the security of the United States, top Republicans in the House of Representatives warned national security adviser Jake Sullivan on Wednesday.

Prisoners freed from Pul-e-Charkhi prison and Bagram Air Base, among other lockups, are reported to include Taliban terrorists, senior Al-Qaeda operatives, and former Guantanamo Bay detainees.

This development is found to be more troubling considering recent reports of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General [Mark] Milleys observation that terror groups like Al-Qaeda could build up in Afghanistan much sooner than earlier intelligence estimates suggested. With the very real prospect that seasoned terrorist operatives now roam freely in a Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, we write to urgently request information on how the U.S. Government plans to mitigate threats to U.S. interests and the homeland, the Republicans wrote to Sullivan.

Theyre asking for detailed information on the prisoners, including whether the U.S. government is aware of any who were previously involved in plotting terror attacks against the United States.

As the American people prepare to mark the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, we are soberly reminded of the dangers posed to the homeland by threats borne out of terror safe havens, like Afghanistan, Rep. John Katko (R-N.Y.) and two other top Republicans said.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

Sullivan told reporters on Tuesday that the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan was presenting broad challenges.

We will remain persistently vigilant against the terrorism threat in Afghanistan, Sullivan said, asserting that the United States has proven in other places that we can suppress terrorism without a permanent military presence on the ground.

White House national security advisor Jake Sullivan speaks at a press conference in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House in Washington on Aug. 17, 2021. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

We are going to have to deal with the potential threat of terrorism from Afghanistan going forward, just as we have to deal with potential threat of terrorism in dozens of countries, in multiple continents around the world, he added.

Katko, Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), and Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) also linked the threat to the crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border, where thousands of people are crossing illegally every day.

Border agents have encountered known or suspected terrorists from far-flung countries. The outgoing Border Patrol Chief said recently that Unprecedented numbers of known or suspected terrorists have crossed the southern border in recent months.

As part of their inquiry, the lawmakers want to know whether the intelligence community and U.S. immigration enforcement officials are sharing information related to known or suspected terrorists seeking to exploit vulnerabilities along the southwest border.

Katko is the top Republican on the House Homeland Security Committee. McCaul is the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Rogers is the top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee.
Qantas Makes COVID-19 Vaccines Mandatory For Staff

Australias major airline and international carrier Qantas is making vaccines mandatory for all staff as part of its efforts to ensure workplace safety.

Frontline employees, including cabin crew, pilots, and airport workers, will all need to have received their two shots of a COVID-19 vaccine by Nov. 15. The remainder of its staff will need to be vaccinated by the end of March next year.

Qantas noted that employees who decline the vaccine will need to provide a medical certificate explaining why they should be exempt, while noting that they will apply strict guidelines for approving any exemptions.

Airline CEO Alan Joyce said that having a fully vaccinated workforce will safeguard the airlines staff against the virus, and protect its customers and the communities that the airline services.

One crew member can fly into multiple cities and come into contact with thousands of people in a single day. Making sure they are vaccinated given the potential of this virus to spread is so important, and I think its the kind of safety leadership people would expect from us, Joyce said.

We provide an essential service, so this will help guard against the disruptions that can be caused by just one positive COVID-case shutting down a freight facility or airport terminal.

Joyce explained that he believes vaccinations are the only way to end the cycle of lockdowns and border closures, which are needed for Qantas and Jetstar employees to return to work.

Since vaccines became available, weve strongly encouraged all of our people to get the jab and are offering paid time off to get it done. We were really pleased to see from the survey that more than three-quarters of those who responded have already rolled up their sleeve at least once, and 60 percent have had both jabs.

The airline said they came to the decision to make the vaccine a condition of employment after they surveyed 22,000 staff on the topic and received 12,000 responses. Of those, 89 percent had already been vaccinated or were planning to be.

The survey showed that three-quarters thought that it should be a requirement for all employees to be vaccinated and that they would be concerned if other employees had not received a jab.

Only 4 percent of respondents said they would not be getting the vaccine.

The decision to make the COVID-19 vaccine a condition of employment for Qantas comes as unions, businesses, and industry bodies have stated that they agree with the government that the COVID-19 vaccination should be voluntary.

In a rare joint statement, the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) and Business Council of Australia (BCA)the peak bodies for unions and the business community respectivelysaid: We believe that for the overwhelming majority of Australians, your work or workplace should not fundamentally alter the voluntary nature of vaccination.

Employers and unions recognise that for a small number of high-risk workplaces, there may be a need for all workers in a workplace to be vaccinated to protect community health and safety. These are serious decisions that should not be left to individual employers and should only be made following public health advice based on risk and medical evidence, the statement read.

But the ACTU and the BCA did call on governments and the National Cabinet to ensure that where mandatory vaccination requirements are necessary, they are implemented through the use of nationally consistent Public Health Orders.

Further, after meeting with Attorney General Michaela Cash on Aug. 18, the Australian Industry (AI) group chief executive Innes Willox said that industry groups now view vaccine mandates as being the role of employers, not the government, reported news.com.au.

The meeting was told that businesses seeking to mandate vaccinations should obtain legal advice to ensure any such decision was lawful and reasonable, Willox said.

It cemented the view for us that it would be employers who would need to decide if they were on secure legal ground to mandate in the absence of rare COVID vaccination health orders, the chief executive said.

Mandating of vaccinations will not be appropriate in all workplaces, but it will be for some. It will not be surprising if more businesses that are public facing or have workers in proximity announce decisions to mandate vaccinations over the months ahead.
Pro-democracy activist Raphael Wong gestures, signifying the "Five demands, not one less," outside a local court in Hong Kong on Aug. 19, 2021. (Vincent Yu/AP Photo)

Report: Two Hongkongers Plead Guilty to Foreign Collusion

HONG KONGTwo Hong Kongers pleaded guilty Thursday to conspiring to collude with foreign forces as well as Next Digital founder Jimmy Lai to endanger national security, local media reported.

In a separate case, local media reported seven pro-democracy activists pleaded guilty to organizing and inciting others to take part in an unauthorized assembly held in 2019.

The cases are part of a broad suppression of dissent following anti-government protests that roiled Hong Kong in 2019. The protests were sparked by concerns that Beijing was infringing on the freedoms promised to the former British colony when it was handed to Chinese control in 1997.

In the first case, activist Andy Li and legal assistant Chan Tsz-wah pleaded guilty to a conspiracy where they sought to attract international sanctions against Beijing and the Hong Kong government, according to the South China Morning Post newspaper.

Lawyers for the defendants in both cases could not be reached for comment and calls to the court went unanswered.

Li was one of 12 Hong Kongers who last year attempted to leave Hong Kong by boat and travel to the self-ruled island of Taiwan. They were detained at sea by mainland authorities and 10 of them were sentenced to prison on the mainland for crossing borders illegally.

Li served seven months in Shenzhen jail before returning to Hong Kong, where he was remanded in custody.

Police offices stand guard as pro-democracy activist Raphael Wong arrives at a local court in Hong Kong. A trial opens for seven prominent Hong Kong pro-democracy activists including Wong. Aug. 19, 2021. (Vincent Yu/AP Photo)

The seven activists appearing in court in the second case included Raphael Wong, the former chairman of the League of Social Democrats political party, and Figo Chan, who led the Civil Human Rights Front, a now-disbanded group that organized protests.

I was protesting based on the principle of civil disobedience. One of the key elements of civil disobedience is to accept the charges. So that is what we are going to do later, to plead guilty, Wong said Thursday ahead of the proceedings.

Another key element is that the people carrying out civil disobedience actions know being jailed is just part of the process, he said. We are not worried about being jailed. Instead, we hope we can achieve democracy after this process.

Local news outlets Ming Pao and Stand News later reported all seven pleaded guilty.

Beijing responded to the 2019 protests by imposing a new draconian national security law last year that has effectively criminalized much of the opposition to the government and silenced dissent.

Most of the citys most prominent activists, including Joshua Wong and Lai, the media mogul, are currently behind bars. Many of them were prosecuted for taking part in unauthorized protests in 2019.

Of the seven defendants on Thursday, only Wong was not held in custody prior to appearing in court. The other six are currently behind bars after being convicted of other offenses related to their activism.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) (L) and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) speak to reporters outside the White House after a meeting with President Joe Biden in Washington, on May 12, 2021. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Republican Congressional Leaders Call on Administration to Brief Gang of Eight on Afghanistan

House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) sent a letter (pdf) on Wednesday evening to President Joe Biden requesting a Gang of Eight classified briefing on the status of Americans inside Afghanistan.

It is of the utmost importance that the U.S. Government account for all U.S. citizens in Afghanistan and provide the necessary information and means of departure to all those Americans who desire to leave the country, the GOP leaders wrote.

In this situation, the Gang of Eight would include the four congressional leaders from the House and Senate and the Chair and Ranking Members, of the House and Senate Select Committees on Intelligence.

The briefing would be given to McCarthy, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), McConnell, House Intelligence Chair Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Ranking Member Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Ranking Member Marco Rubio (R-Fla.).

Biden told ABC News George Stephanopoulos that U.S. officials estimate there are between 10,000 to 15,000 Americans in Afghanistan and added that the estimate were giving is 50,000 to 65,000 Afghan allies, including family members.

A state department spokesperson recently told reporters that the number of U.S. citizens inside Afghanistan cannot be confirmed.

McCarthy and McConnell want the Biden administration to provide information about how many Americans remain in Afghanistan and their location; the administrations plan to communicate with those citizens and evacuate those outside of Kabul; the Talibans security posture inside Kabul as it relates to the ability of Americans to travel to the airport; and the status of talks with the Taliban regarding the safety of U.S. citizens.

Earlier this week, a spokesman for the Taliban warned in a Sky News interview that U.S. forces need to withdraw from the country by Sept. 11, which is the date of the terrorist attacks that toppled the Twin Towers 20 years ago.

Outside the Kabul airport on Thursday, there were scenes of chaos, according to video footage posted online. The video shows what appear to be Afghan security forces or possibly foreign security forces opening fire while people scream. Details about the incident are not clear, and The Epoch Times cannot verify its authenticity.

Photos and video footage over the past week showed large caches of weapons, including M-16 rifles and Humvees, being commandeered by the Taliban, considered by some governments to be a terrorist organization. Taliban members were seen holding American-made M-4 carbines and M-16 rifles that were discarded by Afghan military units.

When asked about the captured military equipment and weapons and whether American forces are attempting to prevent them from falling into the hands of the group, Maj. Gen. Hank Taylor responded, I dont have the answer to that question.

Jack Phillips contributed to this report.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping (on screen) delivers a speech during the celebrations of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on July 1, 2021. (Wang Zhao/AFP via Getty Images)

Safeguarding Chinese Dissidents and How the World Can Use Xi Jinpings Power Grab Against Him

Commentary

Ive written earlier in these pages on how Chinas judiciary, flawed to start with, has been deteriorating further with each passing year of Xi Jinpings leadership and how that deterioration is a natural and logical outcome of his attempt to gain stronger political control over not only the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), but the country and its people as a whole.

Such stronger control also necessitates expanding Beijings control of Chinese nationals, or ethnic Chinese, outside of China.

In short, the CCP cant achieve its set goals without strengthening its ability for long-arm policing, not only over its neighbors, but far and wide, including in North America and Europe. The vigor with which this is pursued should make it clear to any observer that this latter part is considered key to this campaign.

It also happens to be right here, in the international arm of its campaign, where Western lawmakers, often at a loss at how to respond to Chinese power grabs, have the opportunity to take action that not only limits such expanded influence and safeguards the ever-growing diaspora of Chinese human rights defenders who have fled China, but take action that puts pressure on the CCP to roll back some of these developments in China, thus affecting China itself and helping the Chinese people.

China carries out a significant and growing array of blatantly illegal operations on foreign soil. Occasional media reports will highlight brazen kidnappings, but more often than not, such actions take place away from the limelight, in South East Asia and Central Asia.

In the United States and Canada, as well as other places, theres a growing body of evidence of how police officers travel to destination countries to carry out targeted and systematic campaigns to harass and intimidate those critical of the CCP. In San Francisco, a car was painted to resemble a Chinese police cruiser and driven around neighborhoods with large ethnic Chinese populations.

In Europe and the Middle East, a growing body of evidence is coming to light on how the CCP targets exiles and threatens them into becoming spies in their respective communities. Going after Chinese abroad by threatening family or loved ones still in China is routine.

Wu Huan (R) and Wang Jingyu stand together in a safe house in Ukraine on June 30, 2021. Wu claims that she was held for eight days at a Chinese-run black site in Dubai along with at least two Uyghurs, in what may be the first evidence that China is operating a secret detention facility beyond its borders. She was on the run from the threat of being sent back to her home country because of her support of her fiance, Wang, a perceived Chinese dissident. (AP Photo)

However, a significant amount of the Chinese regimes expanded reach is through cooperation with foreign governments, and it isnt only Central Asian dictatorships or illiberal regimes in South East Asia, but also the United States, Canada, a variety of European governments, and beyond that enable this.

This concerted and systematic strategy of expanding the reach of Chinas extraterritorial policing over ethnic Chinese (even non-Chinese citizens) requires our cooperation, and we are, often without proper diligence and risk assessment, giving the CCP a helping hand. There are instances where such cooperation is made intentionally because the cooperation is also sought, if for different purposes, by Western governments. But many times its a result of ignorance, and we merely sleepwalk into such agreements, not realizing the reasons why China is seeking them, nor the consequences that come with them.

By challenging Chinas seeking of expanded judicial cooperation, on account of the deterioration of law in China and the increased repression on civil society, and refusing to expand such cooperation and initiating a whole-of-government review of existing forms of cooperationbecause theyre myriadWestern governments can not only limit Chinas growing power abroad, but put real pressure on China to reverse its domestic policy in this regard.

Chinas strategy is simple.

Through seeking to sign often insignificantin practical termsmemorandums of understanding (MOU) on potential cooperation regarding readmission agreements, information sharing on corruption-related issues, cooperation on disguised extraditions, and extradition treatiesthe jewel in the crownChina is expanding its international reach, but also step-by-step building legitimacy for such cooperation.

The fact that some of those sought and gained forms of cooperation have yet to have had significant practical outcomes shouldnt detract from just how important such developments are: What the CCP is doing is laying the foundation for legitimizing such cooperation and, for each agreement, creating leverage toward others to sign yet more of them, slowly building up to seeking full extradition treaties with a growing range of countries.

Just recently, Safeguard Defenders exposed a number of such developments, from Switzerland having a secret agreement allowing access to the Schengen area of agents of the MPS to UNODCSthe U.N. agency in charge of cross-border and corruption crime cooperationsigning an MOU with Chinas National Supervision Commission (NSC) and refusing to release its content to whats happening in Cyprus right now.

Due to an extradition case in Cyprusthe first test in a courtroom of having a Chinese national extradited to Chinaa spokesperson from the Cyprus Ministry of Justice appeared in court for cross-examination, where it was made clear that, prior to signing the extradition treaty, no due process on its potential implications was performed. As to why Cyprus had signed such an agreement, it could only defend its action by saying that other countries had signed, so why shouldnt it?

It was less than a year ago when Belgium, at the heart of the EU, had its extradition agreement with China ratified. In fact, it happened after the EU had called on all of its member states to suspend similar agreements with Hong Kong. This year, Cyprus extradition agreement went into effect, as did Moroccos. Turkeys and Austrias are likely to be ratified at any moment.

The most dispiriting part about all of this is that its made possible due to ignorance among foreign ministries across Europe and beyond. Theyre equally unaware as to why China is so desperately seeking such agreements and what purpose they play in the CCPs larger policy to consolidate power at home and extend it abroad.

When Xi came to power, only about 12,000 Chinese nationals sought asylum. In 2020, that number had reached nearly 110,000and increasing compared with 2019, despite the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the world. More than 600,000 Chinese have fled China in this manner since Xi came to power, not including refugees (about 200,000 Chinese refugees at the time of writing) and thoselikely the vast majoritywho simply move out of China without seeking asylum. Nor does this include Hongkongers, now leaving the city in record numbers.

Theres nothing to indicate that these trends will subside, but rather, it looks as though theyll increase. Via operations Foxhunt and Skynet, China now claims to have returned nearly 10,000 people through deportations, extraditions, but primarily via supposedly voluntary returnsbut the real number is far higher.

A crowd gathers outside of the West Kowloon Magistrates Courts, where 47 dissidents charged under the Beijing-imposed national security law were about to appear in court, in Hong Kong on March 1, 2021. (Adrian Yu/The Epoch Times HK)

With an ever-growing amount of Chinese nationals leaving China, dissidents forming groups abroad, and insiders who flee the country, the need for the CCP to expand its reach is only growing stronger by the dayand its use of both legal and illegal means will expand.

This desperate need by the CCP must be used against it. Full review of judicial cooperation is needed, current negotiations must be informed by these developments, and existing cooperation, when used for this purpose, needs to be suspended.

It needs to be made clear that the CCPs policy in China is the reason why it will be refused what it wants and that only by revising its policy at home will it be allowed to be taken as a responsible actor abroad, and that until that happens, foreign governments will no longer allow the CCP to expand its reach abroad.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
An employee sanitizes shopping carts at the entrance of a Target in Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood, on March 29, 2020. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune/TNS)

Sales, Profit Soar Again at Target; a $100 Billion Year Is in Sight

By Nicole Norfleet

From Star Tribune

MINNEAPOLISTarget Corp. is still growing faster than it did before the pandemic, and executives on Wednesday signaled they expect no letup in the months ahead.

Sales grew 8.9 percent in May, June, and July, which is the second quarter of Targets fiscal year, on top of record growth of more than 24 percent during the same time last year.

More people returned to shopping in stores at the beginning of the summer and back-to-school shopping has been healthy, executives of the Minneapolis-based retailer said.

Our theme for this quarter was growth on top of growth, Brian Cornell, the companys chief executive, said in a call with analysts. But you should expect that theme to continue going forward.

Same-store sales grew 8.7 percent as store visits, or traffic, rose 13 percent. Digital sales rose 10 percent. Targets profit rose 7.4 percent.

Traffic has been very consistent and it has been consistently strong and we are very excited about the early momentum in back-to-school and back-to-college as well, said Christina Hennington, Targets chief growth officer.

The companys board decided to begin a new share repurchase effort, even with Target shares trading at all-time highs and nearly twice as expensive as a year ago. It agreed to $15 billion in share repurchases that will start after the company finishes the current share purchase authorization, which still has $1.8 billion to go.

The company paused stock buybacks in spring 2020 when the pandemic spawned economic uncertainty, and it resumed them later in the year. Target bought about $1.5 billion worth of its shares in this latest quarter.

The new share repurchase plan reflects our confidence in the sustained, strong performance of our business, chief financial officer Michael Fiddelke said.

Target beat Wall Street earnings expectations with total revenue of $25.2 billion. It earned $1.82 billion, or $3.65 a diluted share, which beat the Zacks consensus estimate of $3.48. A year ago, Target earned $1.69 billion, or $3.35 a diluted share.

Targets stock fell about 1.5 percent in midday trading to around $251 a share.

Though Target has done a good job lapping record quarters from last year, the level of growth will likely not be sustainable as the spending power of consumers becomes more normal, said Brian Yarbrough, an analyst at Edward Jones.

There have been a couple things going on with the consumer that have been a positive tailwind  that will not be a positive tailwind as we move throughout 2021 and into 2022, Yarbrough said. Number one, you had the government stimulus right and that kind of dried up and all of a sudden the government started sending out these child tax credit checks.

Apparel has rebounded since the beginning of the pandemic with customers snatching up swimwear, kidswear and young contemporary clothing to lead product categories with double-digit growth. It was followed by food and beverage that had low double-digit growth.

Target said its own branded products grew in the mid-teens. This week Target launched its own cat and dog food brand Kindfull as well as a limited-edition collection of childrens clothing, home goods, and books by childrens author and illustrator Christian Robinson. Select Target stores are also opening mini Ulta Beauty sections this week.

Our commitment is to continue to accelerate our owned brands at a faster rate than our base, Hennington said.

Even as more people began to return to more normalized routines as people across the country became vaccinated, customer chose to use same-day services like drive-up and order pickup for more than half of digital sales. But the growth in such was more tempered at about 55 percent compared to the triple-digit percentage growth last year when the pandemic changed shopping habits for many.

Target continues to expand the categories of what can be picked up via drive-up and there is potential to grow into other capabilities like people being to drop off their returns via drive-up, said John Mulligan, Targets chief operating officer.

As part of plans to spend $4 billion a year on initiatives such as opening small and midsize stores and store remodels, Target opened two new flow centers, which send small shipments to stores more frequently, in the quarter. More than 100 full-store remodels are also currently underway and 19 new stores have opened.

For the second half of the year, Target leadership expects high single-digit percentage growth in comparable sales, which is near the high end of the guidance range it estimated in the first quarter. Already sales in the back-to-school season are off to a good start, the company said.

With $48.7 billion in sales through the first half of its fiscal year, Target is on pace to surpass $100 billion for the full year. Only two other Minnesota-based companiesUnitedHealth and Cargillhave surpassed the $100 billion annual revenue threshold.

Growing concern about the delta variant has added more uncertainty to what the second half of the year will look like for retailers. This week, the U.S. Department of Commerce reported retail sales fell about 1 percent nationally last month.

We continue to see a very optimistic consumer thats certainly shopping with caution wearing masks more and more across the country but we are seeing tremendous resilience in the consumer today and our traffic patterns I think represent that, Cornell said.

2021 StarTribune. Visit at startribune.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin speaks to the press at the Pentagon on Aug. 18, 2021. (Oliver Douliery/AFP via Getty Images)

Secretary of Defense: US Cant Collect Large Numbers of Americans From Afghanistan

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said on Aug. 18 that the military doesnt have the capacity to collect large numbers of Americans who may be struggling to escape Afghanistan.

Austins remarks were in response to questions about the Taliban allegedly blocking Afghan allies from reaching Kabuls international airport, as well as concerns about the possibility of thousands of Americans being stranded in Afghanistan if the military sticks to its Aug. 31 withdrawal deadline.

Austin and the State Department gave differing accounts of whats happening on the ground in Kabul.

We will continue to coordinate and deconflict with the Taliban, and make sure that those people who need to get to the airfield have the right credentials to ensure passage, Austin said. And the Taliban has been checking those credentialsand if they have them, they have allowed them to pass.

However, in an Aug. 18 statement, the U.S. Embassy in Kabul said that the United States government cannot ensure safe passage to Hamid Karzai International Airport.

Shortly afterward, Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, the second-highest-ranking U.S. diplomat, confirmed in a press conference reports that the Taliban are preventing some Afghans from getting to the airport. Some videos uploaded online show apparent Taliban members hitting people with sticks and whips who were trying to get into the facility.

We have seen reports that the Taliban, contrary to their public statements and their commitments to our government, are blocking Afghans who wish to leave the country from reaching the airport, Sherman told reporters, noting that many, many Americans, U.S. residents, and Afghans at risk have been arriving at the airport.

I will tell you this, in spite of the obstacles, many, many Afghans in all of the categories are finding their way to the airport.

Austin told reporters that the United States will continue to rely on diplomacy with the Taliban rather than using force. The roughly 4,500 troops on the ground are required to defend the airport, he said, stressing the importance of preventing another deadly incident with citizens flooding the runway.

The forces that we have are focused on security of the airfield. You know what happens if we lose the ability to provide that security. I dont want to detract from that [reports of people struggling to reach the airport]but we have to make sure we can not only secure the airfield, but defend it as well, Austin said.

A reporter pressed Austin on the issue of whether more could be done to evacuate Americans, pointing out that there are special forces on the ground that have the capacity to extract Americans from around Kabul and beyond. But Austin said those forces are unable to collect the large numbers of people that need evacuation.

I would draw a distinction between extracting someone in extreme circumstances versus going out and collecting large numbers of American citizens, he said. We dont have the capability to go out and collect large numbers of people.

Mark Milley, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was also at the Aug. 18 press conference, and he provided an update on the outflow of evacuees. According to Milley, there are two main entry points for people to get to the Kabul airportone processing about 150 evacuees per hour, and the other about 350.

Reports have estimated up to roughly 15,000 Americans remaining in Afghanistan, as well as untold tens of thousands of people who assisted the United States over the last 20 years.

Unsatisfied with the answers, one reporter questioned Austin and Milley about why theyre leaving the tens of thousands of Afghans whove helped us over the past 20 years behind rather than doing more militarily. Austin said theyre doing all they can.

As I said, were going to evacuate everybody that we can physically, possibly evacuate, Austin said. And well conduct this process for as long as we possibly can.

Some national security commentators took issue with the reporters questions, accusing the press of being tougher when the United States tries to exit a war than when its trying to start one.

[Milley and Austin] are saying the Taliban is allowing people with visas, documentation, etc. to leave. The media keeps giving them hypotheticals, bringing up unconfirmed reports, basically begging them to start fighting again, Defense Priorities fellow Richard Hanania wrote on Twitter.

America creates the TSA, sees air travel and airports get worse for decades, fails to control anything for 20 years in Afghanistan. Media: Why cant Biden pull off a perfect withdrawal from the Kabul airport in a country where the government just collapsed?

Jack Phillips contributed to this report.
Sen. Joe Manchin: The Coal Industry Has To Be Saved

In a notable break with progressives, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) said in an interview that the coal industry will be saved, has to be saved, because the country cant survive without it.

Others in the Democratic Party have asserted that the coal industry contributes to global warming and that it should be replaced with other sources of clean energy like wind turbines, solar panels, and alternative, low-to-zero emission fuels. Sen. Bernie Sanderss (I-Vt.) budget resolution includes provisions to encourage green energy sources and to discourage traditional energy sources. In 2016, then-presidential candidate Hillary Clinton threatened to put the coal industry out of business.

Manchin has long been castigated by some progressives for his moderate policy positions. This defense of the coal industry is his latest break with the left wing of his party.

However, the West Virginia Democrats defense of the coal industry is not surprising. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, coal is the energy source for a staggering majority of electricity generation in his state.

In May 2021, coal provided nearly five million MWh of electricity to West Virginia, while the next most used source, natural gas, provided less than 300 thousand MWh. Green energy sources in the state provide even less: hydroelectric accounts for 134 thousand MWh and non-hydroelectric renewables (like biomass, solar, and wind) account for only 106 thousand MWh. This means that nearly 91 percent of all electricity in the state is sourced by burning coal. In short, West Virginia would simply not be able to abandon coal over any brief timespan.

Manchin went one step further and repudiated the idea that Americas coal industry was polluting the world and the climate. He argued that it has no effect whatsoever compared to the impact of Asia. According to the International Energy Agency, this is true. China surpassed the United States in carbon emissions in 2006; by 2018, the country pumped nearly twice as much carbon dioxide into the atmosphere as the United States.

Manchin proposed another solution: If you want to help clean up the climate, youre gonna have to find the technology through innovation to capture the carbon [released from burning coal] and utilize it. Moreover, Manchin believes that there will eventually be a transition to other sources of energy like atomic fusion, hydrogen gas, and nuclear power. While he looks forward to the adoption of these kinds of alternative fuels, he strongly rejects a sudden transition to these power sources.

This commitment to phasing coal out gradually puts Manchin in conflict with Sanders and other progressives. While presenting the $3.5 trillion budget resolution on the Senate floor, Sanders said that $265 billion would go toward funding an extremely aggressive transformation of the U.S. energy system away from fossil fuels.

While Manchin voted before the Senate went into recess to move the bill to debate out of courtesy to [his] colleagues, he also said that he was not making any promises to vote for it when it came back to the Senate. Beyond opposing this extremely aggressive transformation from coal, a move that would hurt his constituents, Manchin has expressed opposition to the extraordinary price tag of the bill and has voiced concerns elsewhere about the effect it would have on the national debt.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) must hold his thin coalition together to get Sanderss budget passed. Even if House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) can calm Democratic disagreement in the House, Manchins commitment to protecting the coal industry makes it increasingly unlikely that the resolution will make it to the presidents desk.
Senate Moderates Joining With House Moderates, Imperiling Bidens Agenda

Troubles continue among congressional Democrats loose coalition of members as moderates in both chambers try to pull the party towards the center and progressives try to push it further left.

Recently, Democrats have squabbled over whether Sen. Bernie Sanderss (I-Vt.) $3.5 trillion budget resolution and the $1.2 trillion Senate-passed infrastructure bill should be considered together. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has expressed that she intends to force a vote on both bills at the same time as part of what Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) called President Joe Bidens two-track strategy.

But some moderate Democrats in the House are opposed to this move. In a letter addressed to Pelosi, the nine signatoriesReps. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), Carolyn Bordeaux (D-Ga.), Filemon Vela (D-Texas), Jared Golden (D-Maine), Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), Vincente Gonzalez (D-Texas), Ed Case (D-Hawaii), Jim Costa (D-Calif.), and Kurt Schrader (D-Ore.)urged the speaker to consider the infrastructure bill separately from the budget resolution.

We urge our House colleagues to follow the same path as the Senate: vote first on the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and then consider the budget resolution, the letter reads. It continues that the Senates passage of the infrastructure bill is a bipartisan victory for our nationthe largest investment in infrastructure in a century. They rejected the idea that the House should hold off on considering the Senate infrastructure bill for monthsuntil the reconciliation process is completed  With the livelihoods of hardworking American families at stake, we simply cant afford months of unnecessary delays and risk squandering this once-in-a-century, bipartisan infrastructure package. Its time to get shovels in the ground and people to work.

They concluded by saying that they will not consider voting for a budget resolution until the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passes the House and is signed into law. In this they would join the 212 House Republicans, who will undoubtedly oppose passage of the pricey budget resolution. This move would be enough to negate House Democrats slim nine-seat majority, bringing a vote on both proposals at the same time to be rejected 221-211.

But Pelosi is facing an equal challenge from House progressives, who have said that they will not vote to pass the infrastructure bill without passing the budget resolution. Pelosi, for her part, has expressed frustration with the nine House moderates, calling the letter amateur hour. She also said that the two-track solution is the consensus and that the votes in the House and the Senate depend on us having both bills.

Now, two prominent Senate Democrats have joined the fray in the House. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), the two most outspokenly moderate Democrats in the upper chamber, are reportedly advising the nine signatories of the letter in the House.

Manchin in particular has been a target of progressive irritation. For Senate Democrats to pass any legislation with their razor-thin 50 votes (plus one from the vice president), every single Democrat must be on board. But Manchin has frustrated these plans with his disagreement on some progressive policies. For example, the senator has said publicly that he would not vote to remove or reform the filibuster, a position that kills any Senate hopes to force through legislation unpopular with Republicans. Though he voted to forward Sanderss budget resolution, he expressed that the vote was only out of courtesy for [his] colleagues and warned that he wasnt making any promises about how he would vote when the resolution came back to the upper chamber.

Sinema has also clashed with prominent progressives. In a tweet, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) criticized Sinema for not supporting Sanderss budget.

Good luck tanking your own partys investment on childcare, climate action, and infrastructure while presuming youll survive a 3 vote House margin  especially after choosing to exclude members of color from negotiations and calling that a bipartisan accomplishment, Ocasio-Cortez wrote.

Just Democracy, a group that describes itself as a coalition of grassroots racial justice groups and social justice groups from across the country calling for structural change to our democracy, starting at its foundation, is also unhappy with the Arizona senator. The group is taking donations for a six-digit ad campaign against Sinema, accusing her of prioritizing the Jim Crow filibuster over voting rights for black and brown Arizonans.

Now, these two enemies of congressional progressives are joining with the nine moderate House Democrats, a move that further imperils Sanderss budget proposal. The two senators are advising the caucus on how to negotiate with Biden, who wants the two pieces of legislation passed together as part of his build back better agenda, and with House leadership.

With this development, the future of both the infrastructure bill and the budget resolution are uncertain. Schumer can spare no defections in the Senate. In the House, Pelosi can spare no more than three. And seemingly, those defections are inevitable for Pelosi either way. If she pushes through the infrastructure bill first, she will lose the progressives and fail to pass the legislation; if she pushes through the two bills together, she will lose the nine and fail to pass the legislation. With Manchins and Sinemas entry into the stalemate, the passage of either piece of Senate-passed legislation will require that one side relents or that the two wings reach an agreement. Still, this puts moderate Democrats in a hugely advantageous bargaining position, as both chambers need their support to override Republican objections.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks at the State Department in Washington, on Aug. 2, 2021. (Brendan Smialowski/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)

State Department Mum on Why It Killed Pompeos Crisis Evacuation Unit

Officials at the U.S. State Department declined on Aug. 19 to say why Secretary of State Antony Blinken paused a special evacuation unit formed by his predecessor, even as the firestorm of reaction to the bungled Afghanistan withdrawal intensified.

In June, Blinken signed off on the departments fiscal year 2022 budget justification request submitted to Congress that included a notation that, while $50.8 million was sought for the Crisis and Contingency Response (CCR) program, the department has paused implementation pending a policy review.

When asked by The Epoch Times Why was [CCR] paused, is that still States intent, and is [CCR] being utilized now in the Kabul evacs, the department spokesman declined to respond.

Instead, the spokesman repeated a statement previously provided to media inquiries, saying:

It is important to note that not only would the proposed [CCR] not have introduced any new capabilities to the department, it was never formally established. Some administrative steps were taken before its establishment was paused, but the day-to-day operations of the team have not changed.

Every requirement the department delivered on last year, and, since the proposed establishment of the bureau, can be delivered on today in the same manner if appropriate to do so.

But interviews on Aug. 19 with former senior State Department officials indicate the CCR program had been up and functioning effectively for months when Blinken and his team took over operations following his Jan. 26 Senate confirmation.

A former official pointed to the State Departments evacuation of U.S. citizens from Wuhan, China, at the outset of the pandemic caused by the CCP virus, which is also known as the novel coronavirus.

This was the group of brave Americans that rescued more than 800 people from Wuhan in February 2020, when we knew little about the virulence of the virus and danger of that mission, the former official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The Epoch Times.

These committed civil servants are heroes, and the American citizens and Afghans who helped in the anti-terrorism fight could use their expertise right now.

Then-State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus described the Wuhan evacuation as a joint effort by the Department of State, the CDC, HHS, the Department of Defense, and state and local authorities to bring home Americans in need. In total, we evacuated over 800 passengers from Wuhan.

Throughout the pandemic, the State Department evacuated an estimated 100,000 U.S. citizens from locations around the world, the official said.

Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley described the present evacuation effort from Kabul as likely the second-largest such operation by the United States since more than 20,000 Americans were rescued during a destructive volcanic eruption in the Philippines in 1991.

The CCR was specifically authorized by then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Sept. 21, 2020, to be developed from the departments existing OpMed program.

Congress was notified Oct. 13, 2020, about the new organization, and the official reorganization plan was approved Nov. 16, 2020. The official standup of CCR was ordered on Dec. 23, 2020.

Pompeo viewed the CCR as needed to upgrade the departments ability to prevent a repeat of the Benghazi tragedy in Libya in 2012, when Islamic terrorists stormed a U.S. facility there, killing three security personnel and Ambassador Christopher Stevens before U.S. forces arrived on the scene.

As was often the case with new initiatives during President Donald Trumps tenure in the White House, the creation of CCR prompted opposition from among the departments career ranks.

Diplopundit reported in October 2020 that many career employees are said to be up in arms about the rapid formation of this new bureauwhich happened in a span of just four monthswith apparently no input from the field.

Regarding the present confused situation in Afghanistan, another former senior official told The Epoch Times that the French are doing armed runs into Kabul to get their people, and that they and the Brits will do that until they get everyone they want out and then they will pack up and go without telling us.

As The Epoch Times has reported, Biden told ABC News George Stephanopoulos that U.S. officials estimate there are between 10,000 and 15,000 Americans in Afghanistan, and the estimate were giving is 50,000 to 65,000 Afghan allies, including family members.

Americans should understand that were going to try to get it done before Aug. 31, Biden said in the interview, his first one since the Taliban took over the country. The president said the U.S. military will attempt to evacuate all Americans out of the South Asian country by that date.

Earlier this week, a spokesman for the Taliban warned in a Sky News interview that U.S. forces need to withdraw from the country by Sept. 11, which is the date of the terrorist attacks that toppled the Twin Towers in New York 20 years ago.

Congressional correspondent Mark Tapscott may be contacted at: mark.tapscott@epochtimes.nyc. Follow him on Twitter at @mtapscott and on Parler at @Mtapscott.
Stunning Photos Capture Women Harvesting Waterlilies From Vietnams Mekong Delta

A Vietnamese photographer has captured a stunning series of photos of women harvesting long-stemmed waterlilies along the Mekong Delta. The rich, vibrant colors and sweeping lines lift profound works of art from this humble annual practice.

The Lilies Harvest series was taken in Long An province, photographer Pham Huy Trung, 42, told The Epoch Times by email. Whenever water season comesAugust to Novemberfarmers are eager to crop food and vegetables on the rivers for their family.

Especially the waterlily, he explained, which is one kind of charming and colorful flower that grows around the area of the flooding fields. They look elegant in the middle of dark water.

Waterlilies bloom in the early morning. As the Mekong Delta resides about 100 kilometers from Trungs home in Ho Chi Minh City, he starts the day early himself, reaching the delta in sync with the rising sun and the start of the farmers lily-washing and packing process.

In Trungs photos, the faces of the farmers are largely obscured by their traditional conical hats, yet their actions speak a thousand words: lilies, in their thousands, are picked and fanned out across the surface of the water before being placed inside wooden boats for delivery to markets and restaurants.

The shapes and colors of the women and the flowers, says Trung, are remarkable spirits of the pictures, imploring the viewer to observe them in peace and silence.

These lilies are found in the color of deep pink-white and are known as ghost flowers, which bloom only at nightand grow naturally in the mud of the delta without needing to be tended to. While waterlilies are often sold as decorations, some parts are edible and sold to restaurants, according to VN Express, and the plant can be used to make tea.

Trung left a career in telecommunications to become a full-time, self-taught photographer five years ago. His photos are collaborative; whenever he comes across a beautiful scene, he will research the area and the best time of day to take photos, and will ask his friends for input on how to make the composition as beautiful as possible.

The most challenging aspect of photographing the lilies of the Mekong Delta, according to Trung, was finding harmony between the wind, light, flowers, water, and people. Thus, patience seems the most important characteristic of a photographer, he explained.

Trungs Lilies Harvest series, which is also shot with a droneshared on Instagram among many other of his workshas captured an international audience. He has won numerous awards for his skill in nature photography, including the Sony World Photo Award, SkyPixel Photo Contest, and the 35Award, according to Bored Panda.

For Trung, the future of his art has no limits. He simply plans to keep walking and finding precious moments to enjoy and share with the world.

Every person has a moment of sadness, silence, or happiness in life, but after all, it is the first step for us to go further, he told The Epoch Times. Please take a shot of it, make it more beautiful, keep it, and share it.

Share your stories with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.com, and continue to get your daily dose of inspiration by signing up for the Epoch Inspired newsletter at TheEpochTimes.com/newsletter
Students wait to receive the Pfizer vaccine for Covid-19 at Qudos Arena, in Sydney, Australia, on Aug. 9, 2021(Dean Lewins-Pool/Getty Images)

Sydney Delta Outbreak Heading Towards 3,000 Cases per Day: Medical Expert Warns

Sydneys Delta strain outbreak could increase to over 3,000 new infections per day, according to one prominent microbiologist, who is calling for restrictions in the region to be extended.

Professor Brendan Crabb, director of the medical research body, the Burnet Institute, issued the warning on Aug. 19. He said the situation in Australias most populous stateNew South Wales (NSW)could escalate into a catastrophe and that it was of national concern.

We are in a steam train that is heading towards a cliff, not heading towards a station, which is where we should be going, Crabb told the Today show.

Last time I spoke on this program, we had 97 cases 30 days ago. We are now at 600. If we speak again in 30 days, it will be three to 4,000 cases, he added.

That is what were on track for at the moment, he said. Thats a catastrophe from a health point of view. This is when our health system is now straining, really straining.

This picture, taken on Aug. 14, 2021, shows a man riding his bike through an empty Cahill expressway in Sydney as Australias biggest city implementing tighter Covid-19 restrictions. (Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images)

Crabb called for a reset of uniform restrictions to extend across the entire state, rather than the previous approach of targeted lockdowns on suburbs or local government areas (LGAs) with infections.

I think we need to draw a line and reset around a program of uniformity, where everything is the same for every person, of clarity, simple set of rules force every person and every business, he said.

Without this, we face being like Italy was in March 2020. Like the UK was through much of 2020. Like we have seen in places where hospital beds are overflowing and devastating the whole community. That can happen here.

On Aug. 19, NSW recorded its highest case count at 681 new infections. Most of the state is currently under lockdown.

The Greater Sydney region was originally placed under a five-week lockdown due to an outbreak of the Delta variant of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus.

However, this lockdown was extended by another four weeks on July 28, with the government citing low vaccination rates as the reason behind the stay-at-home orders.

As of this week, police have also ramped up enforcement of public health orders, with the government granting extra powers, including the power to shut non-compliant businesses and to issue $5,000 fines.

Despite the prolonged lockdown and increasing vaccination rates, infections are still growing.

The federal government has also had to step in, and along with the NSW government, provide support grants to businesses impactedor forced to closeunder the lockdowns.

Most of the Australian population is currently under lockdown, with NSW, Greater Darwin and Katherine in the Northern Territory, Melbourne, and the Australian Capital Territory implementing tough lockdowns in an attempt to contain the Delta outbreak.

Australia and New Zealand have enjoyed relatively low infection and death rates from COVID-19 by global standards; thisalong with public support for tough measureshas motivated state leaders to more readily implement lockdowns, restrictions, and border closures.

However, evidence is emerging that prolonged lockdowns are causing serious mental health issues for the population.

Lifeline Australia, a suicide prevention and mental health hotline, recorded its highest ever volume of calls on Aug. 2, at 3,345 calls

Lifeline 13 11 14
Taliban Carrying Out Door-to-Door Manhunt: Intelligence Group

The Taliban terrorist group is carrying out a highly organized door-to-door manhunt for people on their wanted list, according to the head of a nonprofit providing intelligence to the United Nations.

They have lists of individuals and even within the very first hours of moving into Kabul they began a search of former government employeesespecially in intelligence services and the special forces units, Christian Nellemann, head of the Norwegian Centre for Global Analyses, told the BBC Thursday.

The RHIPTO Norwegian Centre for Global Analyses is a nonprofit that undertakes analytical, assessment, training, and other forms of support for the U.N.

Nellemann said the Taliban have a more advanced intelligence system when moving into all major Afghan cities, including the capital of Kabul.

That not only could lead to mass executions, but also a mass reveal of the intelligence networks that the West has provided Afghanistan.

So this could undermine severely a number of our Western intelligence services, Nellemann added.

In a statement released Thursday, the G7 Foreign Ministers meeting also said its deeply concerned by reports of violent reprisals in parts of Afghanistan.

The alleged move is contrary to recent statements of the Taliban. The group announced complete amnesty to Afghans on Tuesday.

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan with full dignity and honesty has announced a complete amnesty for all Afghanistan, especially those who were with the opposition or supported the occupiers for years and recently, Enamullah Samangani, a member of the Talibans cultural commission, stated on Afghan state television.

Later that day at the Talibans first official press conference, spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid reassured the safety of Afghansincluding those who worked with the United States and allied forces.

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid (L) gestures as he speaks during the first press conference in Kabul on Aug. 17, 2021 following the Taliban stunning takeover of Afghanistan. (Hoshang Hashimi/AFP via Getty Images)

We will pardon all those who became masters against jihad, and this special pardon is because we do not want war again, and to let war be repeated and the elements of the war remain, Mujahid said.

We are assuring the safety of all those who have worked with the United States and allied forces, whether as interpreters or any other field that they worked with them, Mujahid added.

In Thursdays press briefing, State Department spokesman Ned Price acknowledged he had seen a similar report.

We know that at least one NGOIve seen a report that at least one NGO has put together with this. Im just not in a position to confirm those details, Price said. Every time we see a detail like this, we take it extraordinarily seriously and we do everything we can to follow up on it.

Most Afghan fighters would likely not be able to get special immigrant visas, but there are other pathways to safety, Price added, without providing details.

About 2,000 people were flown out of the U.S.-held airport in Afghanistan over the past 24 hours, U.S. military officials told reporters on Thursday in Washington.

Among them, there are nearly 300 Americans. Most of the non-American passengers are Afghans who have been granted special immigrant visas and are en route to military bases in the United States, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said.

Zachary Stieber contributed to this report.
Waheedullah Hashimi (C), a senior Taliban commander, gestures as he speaks with Reuters during an interview at an undisclosed location near the AfghanistanPakistan border on Aug. 17, 2021. (Stringer/Reuters)

Taliban Official: No Democracy in Afghanistan, Council Will Likely Rule

The Taliban terrorist group is considering using a council to govern Afghanistan after taking over the country, while leaving the movements supreme leader, Haibatullah Akhundzada, in overall charge.

Akhundzada would likely play a role above the head of the council, who would be akin to the countrys president, Taliban official Waheedullah Hashimi, who has access to the groups decision-making, said in an interview near the AfghanistanPakistan border.

One of Akhundzadas deputies could play the role of president,' he added.

The power structure that Hashimi outlined would bear similarities to how Afghanistan was run the last time the Taliban was in power from 1996 to 2001. Then, supreme leader Mullah Omar remained in the shadows and left the day-to-day running of the country to a council.

The Talibans current supreme leader has three deputies: Mawlavi Yaqoob, son of Mullah Omar, Sirajuddin Haqqani, leader of the extremist Haqqani network, and Abdul Ghani Baradar, who heads the Talibans political office in Doha and is one of the founding members of the group.

The way the country will be governed is still being worked out, according to Hashimi. But he ruled out democracy.

There will be no democratic system at all because it does not have any base in our country, he said. We will not discuss what type of political system should we apply in Afghanistan because it is clear. It is Sharia law and that is it.

Sharia law is based on the Koran and is infamous for permitting execution for a range of actions, including defaming Islam, and harsh punishments for others, such as amputation for theft.

Under Sharia law, a husband can discipline his wife at will and prevent her from leaving the house without his permission. Its also used to force women to don burkas, or clothing that covers all of their bodies except for their eyes.

Taliban officials have claimed theyll form an inclusive government in response to demands from U.S. and international officials, but also said they would respect womens rights only within the bounds of Sharia law.

Taliban terrorists patrol in a neighborhood in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug. 18, 2021. (Rahmat Gul/AP Photo)

The Taliban declared an Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan after taking over the country on Sunday, hearkening back to its rule between 1996 and 2001.

While in power then, the terrorist group banned women from working outside their homes and attending school. They also could not go out in public without a male escort and were forced to wear a burka.

As of now, women are being allowed to work and go to school.

The Taliban has claimed to be acting peacefully but has brutally put down multiple protests in Afghanistan in recent days, killing an undetermined number of people. The group has also allegedly been whipping and beating people in Kabul as thousands try to reach the U.S.-held airport to escape before America fully withdraws.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, meanwhile, who fled the country as the Taliban took over, said Thursday from exile in the United Arab Emirates that he left to prevent bloodshed.

All my colleagues in the West told me that if I didnt leave, things would be worse. I could have stayed and started a war, but I had a responsibility to my people, and I didnt want to start a bloodbath like in Syria and Yemen, he said.

If I had stayed, I would have been executed, he added.

Also Thursday, Afghanistans top peace official Abdullah Abdullah and Hamid Karzai, another former president, met with a delegation from the Haqqani network extremist group, a faction of the Taliban.

Reuters contributed to this report.
A pro-life activist holds a sign outside the U.S. Supreme Court during the 48th annual March for Life in Washington on Jan. 29, 2021. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Texas Ban on Common 2nd-Trimester Abortion Method Upheld by Appeals Court

A Texas law effectively banning an abortion procedure commonly employed during second-trimester pregnancies in the United States was upheld by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals on Aug. 18, reversing a ruling last year by a three-judge panel of the same court.

The 2017 law, which imposes civil and criminal penalties on physicians who perform dilation and evacuation abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy without first ensuring that the unborn child doesnt have a detectable fetal heartbeat, has never been enforced.

The dilation and evacuation (D&E) method accounts for the majority of second-trimester abortions in the United States. Eleven percent of abortions in the country take place after the first trimester, and national estimates suggest that the D&E method accounts for roughly 95 percent of these procedures, according to the Guttmacher Institute.

The full 17-member Fifth Circuit said on Aug. 18 (pdf) that a lower federal court erred when it permanently blocked the law after ruling that it imposes a substantial obstacle in the path of women who wish to have pre-viability abortions.

Physicians found to have violated the measure would face a prison term of up to two years.

Nine judges on the New Orleans-based appeals court joined in ruling in favor of the Texas statute, with five judges dissenting and three recused from the case.

The judges in the majority opinion said that viewing the law, known as Texas Senate Bill 8 in court records, through a binary frameworkthat either D&Es can be done only by live dismemberment or else women cannot receive abortions in the second trimesteris to accept a false dichotomy.

Instead, the record shows that doctors can safely perform D&Es and comply with SB8 using methods that are already in widespread use, the judges said.

Texas Senate Bill 8 centers on the idea that the state never repealed laws enacted before the 1973 Supreme Court decision in favor of the plaintiffs in Roe v. Wadewhich in essence ruled abortion to be a constitutional right.

Texas Right to Life Director of Media and Communication Kimberlyn Schwartz said that the decision marks a long-awaited victory for Texans.

Anyone can see the cruelty of dismemberment abortions, ripping a childs body apart while her heart is still beating. Were grateful the judges recognized this horror, Schwartz said in a statement.

Elissa Graves, legal counsel for the conservative Christian nonprofit Alliance Defending Freedom, said in a statement that the law is both human and constitutional.

Texas has the right to respect the life of unborn children, she said.

Center for Reproductive Rights President and CEO Nancy Northup said in a statement that the group is considering all of its legal options regarding the decision.

Texas has been hellbent on legislating abortion out of existence, and it is galling that a federal court would uphold a law that so clearly defies decades of Supreme Court precedent, Northup said. At a time when the health care needs of Texans are greater than ever, the state should be making abortion more accessible, not less. There is no question that todays decision will harm those who already face the greatest barriers to health care.

According to the Center for Reproductive Rights, courts have struck down similar D&E abortion bans in other states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, and Oklahoma.

Reuters contributed to this report.
Three US Senators Get COVID-19 Despite Being Fully Vaccinated

Three U.S. senators on Thursday said they tested positive for COVID-19 despite being fully vaccinated against the virus that causes it.

Sens. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), 70, Angus King (I-Maine), 77, and John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), 69, are the latest prominent U.S. officials to contract so-called breakthrough infections of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus.

Wickers spokesman, Phillip Waller, said the senator tested positive on Thursday morning after seeking a test due to mild symptoms.

Senator Wicker is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, is in good health, and is being treated by his Tupelo-based physician. He is isolating, and everyone with whom Senator Wicker has come in close contact recently has been notified, Waller said in a statement.

King said hes been taking precautions since March 2020, including wearing a mask, social distancing, and driving back and forth to Washington instead of flying.

Despite all my efforts, when I began feeling mildly feverish yesterday, I took a test this morning at my doctors suggestion, and it came back positive. While I am not feeling great, Im definitely feeling much better than I would have without the vaccine. I am taking this diagnosis very seriously, quarantining myself at home and telling the few people Ive been in contact with to get tested in order to limit any further spread, King said in a statement.

Hickenlooper said Thursday he also tested positive despite being fully vaccinated.

I feel good but will isolate per docs instructions, he wrote on Facebook.

Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) is seen in Washington on Aug. 8, 2021. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images)

Other politicians, including Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, have experienced breakthrough COVID-19 infections in recent weeks.

Studies show that protection against infection is waning among the vaccinated. That prompted U.S. health officials to announce Wednesday that they are, pending authorization from drug regulators, advising even healthy adults to get a booster COVID-19 shot.

The available data make very clear that protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection begins to decrease over time following the initial doses of vaccination, and in association with the dominance of the Delta variant, we are starting to see evidence of reduced protection against mild and moderate disease, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky and other officials said in a joint statement.

SARS-CoV-2 is another name for the CCP virus.

Still, officials say the vaccines are holding up against severe disease and hospitalization and are encouraging people who have not gotten a jab to go get one.

The statement from Wickers office did not include that advice, but the ones from King and Hickenlooper did.

I urge everyone to remain vigilant, follow the guidance from health professionals, and get vaccinated if you havent been, King said.

CCP virus infections in the United States are on the rise since early July. There were over 157,000 new cases on Wednesday, according to the CDC, up from 16,774 on July 5.

Hospitalizations with COVID-19 and deaths attributed to the disease are also increasing. Jurisdictions reported 1,054 new deaths on Aug. 18, the first time that figure has been above 1,000 since March 12.
U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Hank Taylor speaks during a news briefing at the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., on Aug. 16, 2021. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Top General: Armed F-18 Planes on Standby Amid Kabul Airport Chaos

The U.S. military has placed armed F-18 jets on standby amid the evacuation chaos at the Kabul airport, a U.S. general said on Aug. 19.

The jets are on standby if the need for air support arises and to ensure the safety of U.S. troops and operations, Maj. Gen. Hank Taylor said in a comment to reporters.

Several thousand American military troops were deployed to the airport, as numerous Americans, Afghans, and others try to evacuate the country after the Taliban took over Kabul over the past weekend. The deployment of F-18s is the latest development in an increasingly tense and chaotic situation, as the Taliban extremist group appears to be tightening its grip after video footage and reports show the group stopping people from getting to the airport.

The ability to provide close air support is something that needs to be immediate if a condition on the ground ever required that, Taylor said.

When asked about whether the planes would carry out airstrikes, neither he nor Pentagon spokesman John Kirby, who was standing nearby, provided an answer.

We are going to have at our disposal the resources to carry out our mission safely.  Its the prudent and responsible thing to do, Kirby said.

Overnight, about a dozen C-17 cargo planes removed about 2,000 people, according to the officials, who said that about 7,000 people have been removed from Afghanistan so far. Kirby and other officials said that the deadline for evacuation is Aug. 31, although President Joe Biden told ABC News that the U.S. mission in Kabul will continue past that deadline.

Officials previously said they would lift between 5,000 and 9,000 people out of the country each day. It isnt clear how many Americans remain in Afghanistan, according to Kirby and Taylor, although Biden confirmed to ABC News that between 10,000 and 15,000 remain.

The U.S. military footprint in Kabul is we have 5,200 troops on the ground. Kabul Airport remains secure and open, Taylor said. There are multiple gates that are now open and have entry, which will help expedite processing.

Although the Taliban said that its members will allow governments to let all Westerners and some Afghans through to board flights out of the country, there have been reports that they blocked journalists. ABC News reporters who were trying to get to the airport were blocked by two armed Taliban members who appeared to question their credentials and forced them into their vehicles, which was caught on camera and aired by Good Morning America on Aug. 19.

Video footage from Aug. 18 and 19 also shows apparent Taliban members firing shots at crowds of people, whipping them with various objects, and shouting at them to get back near the airport.

State Department Deputy Secretary Wendy Sherman confirmed reports that Taliban extremists were blocking Afghans from going to the airport. Afghans who had worked alongside the U.S. military during the 20-year conflict could be at risk of reprisal attacks, torture, or execution at the hands of the Taliban, human rights groups fear.

Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly said the F-18 jets were operated by the U.S. Air Force. The Epoch Times regrets this error.
A helicopter carrying a water bucket flies past the Lytton Creek wildfire burning in the mountains near Lytton, B.C., on August 15, 2021. (The Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck)

Total Active Wildfires Climb in B.C., but Crews Exploit Cooler Weather in Fire Fight

Crews are making progress against several destructive wildfires in British Columbia even as the latest statistics show the total number of fires in the province is edging toward 300 again.

Data from the Ministry of Forests and Emergency Management BC show 291 wildfires were blazing in the province late Wednesday and more than 8,500 square kilometres of land has been lost since the start of the fire season on April 1.

An evacuation alert was replaced by an all clear notice late Wednesday for more than 400 properties on the northwest flank of the roughly 811 square kilometre White Rock Lake fire east of Kamloops.

On the northeast flank, the City of Armstrong has lifted an evacuation alert for about 5,000 residents but other evacuation orders and alerts are still postedncluding one along the northwest shores of Okanagan Lake where flames destroyed more than 70 properties this week.

The BC Wildfire Service says 3,849 firefighters and other personnel, including 539 from outside the province, are battling wildfires in all areas of B.C., with the focus on the hard-hit Kamloops and Southeast fire centres.

They are being helped by cooler conditions and a chance of showers through Sunday, but temperatures are set to rise over much of southern B.C. next week, while the fire danger map shows risk in the Kamloops centre has returned to moderate from low after last weeks rain.
Toyota workers inspect the new Lexus ES vehicles at a Toyota plant in Miyawaka, Japan, July 6, 2012. (Yoko Kubota/Japan--Tags: Transport Business/File Photo/Reuters)

Toyota to Cut Production by up to 60 Percent Due to Parts Shortage

A pandemic-driven parts crunch is forcing Toyota to cut production by 40 percent in assembly plants in Japan and by as much as 60 percent in North America.

Japans top automaker said in an Aug. 19 factory operation notice that it would be slashing production by around 40 percent across 14 plants in Japan, while a company representative told The Epoch Times in an emailed statement that it plans cuts of between 40 and 60 percent at most of its North American plants.

In both cases, the company blamed the spread of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus for disrupting parts supplies.

Due to COVID-19 and unexpected events with our supply chain, Toyota is experiencing additional shortages that will affect production at most of our North American plants, the representative told The Epoch Times. While the situation remains fluid and complex, our manufacturing and supply chain teams have worked diligently to develop countermeasures to minimize the impact on production.

In North America, Toyota is projecting a reduction of around 60,000 to 90,000 vehicles in August, as well as a reduction of 80,000 vehicles in September, the representative said, noting that the numbers could change, as the situation remains very fluid.

We do not anticipate any impact to employment at this time, the representative said.

Toyota operates 10 plants in the United States and 14 in North America.

Workers assembling fourth-generation Toyota Prius cars on the production line at the companys Tsutsumi assembly plant in Toyota City, Aichi prefecture, on Dec, 8, 2017. (Toshifumi Kitamura/AFP via Getty Images)

In Japan, production will halt completely in September at the vast majority of its plants, with a range of models impacted by the cuts, including the Prius hybrid, the Land Cruiser sport utility vehicle, and the Corolla subcompact.

While Toyota declined to specify whether the disruption pertains to components other than those that contain semiconductors, the widely reported global chip shortage has been a major disruptive force in the automaking industry and beyond.

German car manufacturer Volkwagen said on Aug. 19 that the chip supply crunch could force it to slow production in the fall, a move that would add to cuts announced earlier this year.

We currently expect supply of chips in the third quarter to be very volatile and tight, a Volkswagen representative told Reuters. We cant rule out further changes to production.

Ford announced on Aug. 18 that itll temporarily shut its Kansas City assembly plant, which builds its best-selling F-150 pickup truck, due to a semiconductor-related parts shortage, with the one-week shutdown slated to begin on Aug. 23.

Automobiles have become increasingly dependent on semiconductors for everything from safety features such as airbag deployment and emergency braking assistance to computer management of engines for better fuel economy and performance.

While the United States remains the global leader in chip design, roughly 80 percent of semiconductor foundries and assembly and test operations are concentrated in Asia.

The spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP virus, has disrupted semiconductor manufacturing, with carmakers now facing stiff competition from the sprawling consumer electronics industry for the reduced supply of chips.

Washington has recognized the vulnerability of foreign semiconductor supply chain reliance, with Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo calling the lack of chip production in the United States a national security risk.

President Joe Biden has called for increased investment to revitalize U.S. chip manufacturing, while bipartisan efforts on Capitol Hill have sought to bolster domestic semiconductor supply chains by incentivizing manufacturing in the United States.
Truth Tellers: Tchaikovsky and His Reaching Toward Sublimity

A young student, having just met the elder Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, made a remark suggesting that composers wrote initially by inspiration. Tchaikovsky, he recalled, made an impatient gesture with his hand and said with annoyance: Ah, young man, dont be trite! You cant await inspiration, according to musicology professor David Brown in Tchaikovsky Remembered.

What is needed is work, work, and work. Inspiration is born only of work, and during work. Every morning I sit down to work. If from this nothing comes today, Ill sit down tomorrow at the very same work. Thus, I write for one day, for two, for ten days, not despairing if nothing comes, for on the eleventh day, you will see, something will come.

Inspiration is one of the great mysteries. The word derives from both Greek and Latin, and means literally the breathing in of either air or spirit. Certainly, Tchaikovsky was not talking about air when he was talking about inspiration. It was the entrance of the spiritsometimes called Gods Spirit, sometimes called the Holy Spiritinto his mind and his heart. It usually came, as Tchaikovsky told the student, after much labor, but it sometimes appeared unbidden, an uninvited guest, driving him to the point of madness just as it drove Handel when he wrote the Messiah, and Beethoven when he wrote Missa Solemnis.

It first approached Tchaikovsky when he was very young. Brown writes that Tchaikovskys governess, Fanny Durbach, recalled discovering him in the nursery one night, his eyes glistening. When asked what was the matter, he replied: O, the music! But there was no music to be heard at that moment. Get rid of it for me! Its here, here, said the boy, weeping and pointing to his head. It wont give me any peace!

It never gave Tchaikovsky any peace, but his struggles with it produced a wealth of inspired music, music of the spirit. It is infectious. It is an assurance far greater than reason can provide: That what is beautiful, what is good, what is truthful are the final realities, the rock for us to stand on. It is the message of the ages told by prophets and poets, painters and composers, of every time and every culture.

A few of his pieces seem to me especially inspired. Oddly enough, they are not among the most celebrated compositions, but they have filled this listener with wonder and sustained him in difficult times for more than half a century. Setting academics aside, I share them with the reader adding a few personal observations.

Portrait of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, 1893, by Nikolai Dmitriyevich Kuznetsov. Tretyakov Gallery. (PD-US)

Russian Laborers

When Tchaikovsky was 31, he heard a peasant singing at his work. He sang a plaintive folksong, born of the soil, reflecting the ancient brooding soul of the Russian people.

It can be heard in the slow movement of Tchaikovskys first string quartet. A violin plays the melancholy phrases, simply harmonized and modestly developed. It is the song of Russias common laborers, whose spiritual depth, kindness, and piety the composer knew well. It tells us what the psalmist tells us: They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.

At a concert of his music, Tchaikovsky, who was sitting next to the venerable Leo Tolstoy, saw that Russias greatest writer wept during this passage. It was the highest honor of my life, he wrote in his diary. And what a marvel it must have been for the composer to see the power of his music realized in the tears of the man he most admired.

Others were moved as well. The Moscow Gazette wrote that after the music had ended the listeners sat silent, afraid to disturb its spell.



Looking for Peace

When Tchaikovsky was 38, he suffered much inner turmoil because of a failed marriage, difficulties in business, and difficulties of conscience. He abdicated Moscow for the country, its beauty and its simple ways.

An illustration by Samokish-Sudakovskaya from the 1908 edition of Russian author Alexander Pushkins novel Eugene Onegin. Tchaikovskys opera based on the novel reveals a desire to return to a life close to nature. (PD-US)

The opening scene in his opera Eugene Onegin, written at this troubled time, seems to have been born of a desire to describe a happy, peaceful way of living, close to the healing influences of nature and the kindness of simple people. Harvesting has come to an end at a small estate, and following tradition, peasants bring a decorated sheaf of wheat to their mistress. A feast has been prepared for them, and they sing their harvest songs, radiant with sheer joy over the abundant fruits of their labor.

At Midlife

When Tchaikovsky was 40 years old, religion had begun to play a more profound, more significant role in his thoughts. He was deeply moved by Massenets oratorio Marie-Magdeleine.

I was so impressed by the way Massenet knew how to express the eternal purity of Christ, that I shed floods of tears. Wonderful tears! Hail the Frenchman who knew how to make them flow, he wrote to his younger brother Modest Ilyich Tchaikovsky, a dramatist. Under its influence I have composed a song to the words of Alexei Tolstoy. The tune is inspired by Massenet.

Tchaikovsky was inspired by Jules Massenets oratorio Marie-Magdeleine. The photo is from Musical Memories by Camille Saint-Saens, published in 1919. (PD-US)

Tchaikovskys tune, the entire work, is indeed inspired. I Bless You Forest shows rapture entering the heart of a humble pilgrim. Forest, valleys, rivers, the great blue heavensall Gods own handiworkgalvanizes his spirit and his love for humankind. Oh, if only I could hold, you, brothers, friends, enemies, all of nature, in my embrace!

Just as Tchaikovsky was inspired by Massenet, the great baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky was inspired by Tchaikovsky. 

When the composer was 41, he wrote to Modest about an awakening love of Russian liturgical music. I was deeply impressed, indeed shaken by the beauty of the service which cannot be compared with anything else.

He wrote to his friend and patron, Nadezhda von Meck, as translated by Galina von Meck in To My Best Friend: I dearly love the vesper service. To stand in the half-darkness searching for an answer to the eternal questions  to be roused from reveries when the choir begins to singoh! I love it all tremendously.

The opening movement of his Vesper Service, Op. 52 begins with Psalm 104: Bless the Lord, oh my soul. Tchaikovsky, in his setting of the text, uses the traditional Greek chant known to him from childhood, removing, however, its Byzantine austerity by gently smoothing the melodic contours, and harmonizing it in a warm, characteristically Russian manner. It is in accord with the style of Russian church architecture and icon painting, he wrote, again, to Modest.

The result is sublime. When the psalm has ended, the choir sings Glory to the Father to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Surely, it is the same spirit that entered Tchaikovsky as a child and gave him no peace. It is passed on to us; it is impossible to describe, or explain, or prove. We each must find it for ourselves.
Understanding the Constitution: How the Document Was Composed

Commentary

The Constitutions Framers were familiar with a long line of Anglo-American documentary landmarks, of which the most famous was the Magna Carta and the most recent were state constitutions and the Articles of Confederation.

But in drafting the U.S. Constitution, the framers composed a document unique for its balance and beauty.

The Constitutional Convention commenced business in late May 1787. Over the next two months, it debated and adopted a series of resolutions. In late July, it created a special committee to hammer the resolutions into a first draft. The committee consisted of four leading lawyers and a former president of the Confederation Congress (Nathaniel Gorham of Massachusetts). Its chairman was John Rutledge of South Carolina, an outstanding judge later to serve briefly as chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. This group was called the Committee of Detail. The other delegates adjourned while the Committee of Detail worked.

On Aug. 6, the delegates reconvened and examined the committees draft. It began with a We the People preamble and consisted of 23 articles. It was a very competent job, but its style was unremarkable.

The convention then debated the committee draft clause by clauseapproving some provisions, rejecting some, amending others. On Sept. 10, the convention directed a new committee to produce a final version. This was the Committee of Stile [sic] and Arrangement.

The Committee of Stile

As was true of the Committee of Detail, four of the five members of the Committee of Stile were lawyers. They were William Samuel Johnson of Connecticut (chairman); Alexander Hamilton of New York; Gouverneur Morris, resident of New York but representing Pennsylvania; and Rufus King of Massachusetts. The non-lawyer was James Madison of Virginia.

As proficient as the Committee of Detail had been, those on the Committee of Stile were of an even higher order. Johnson had a degree from Yale and honorary degrees from both Harvard and Oxford. He had served in the Stamp Act and Confederation Congresses. He later became a U.S. senator and the first president of Columbia College (now Columbia University).

Hamilton was an acknowledged genius, an impoverished child without a family who had become a military figure and then a leader of the New York bar. Morris, a future U.S. senator and diplomat with a fondness for classical Latin literature, had served the Confederation as a member of Congress and as assistant superintendent of finance. As a member of Congress, King had been largely responsible for the decision to ban slavery in the Northwest Territories. Like Morris, King later served as a U.S. senator and diplomat. Madison was very widely read in a host of subjects, including law and political science (he particularly admired Aristotles Politics), and he had been instrumental in bringing the convention together and facilitating its deliberations.

To focus all this talent on drafting the Constitutions final version, the convention disregarded the rules of regional balance previously followed in committee staffing.

Morris performed most of the actual writing, but we can be sure that every member of this brilliant group had much to contribute.

The Constitution might have been as boring as most power-granting documents were. The Committee of Stiles great achievement was to create from prosaic material a product inspirational, beautiful, and grand.

The Division by Articles

Under Morriss pen, the Constitution was reduced from 23 articles to seven. The new number couldnt have been accidental: Seven resonates in the Western biblical and literary tradition.

So also does the number three. There had been a practice of treating each house of the legislature as a separate branch of government, and the Committee of Detail had devoted separate articles to the House of Representatives and to the Senate, as well as to the executive and the courts. But the Committee of Stile combined the House and Senate into a single Article, thereby reducing the number of branches to the special number of three.

Hence, the Constitution has a threefour division: three articles on the three branches of government, followed by four articles on other subjects. This mirrored the structure of traditional liberal arts education: First the trivium of three basic subjects, then the quadrivium of four advanced subjects. (If this connection seems to be tenuous, consider again the backgrounds of the drafters.)

Organization of Articles I, II, and III

In an earlier essay, I pointed out that the Constitution is fundamentally a document granting enumerated (listed) powers. In other words, it has common characteristics with powers of attorney and similar agency agreements, trust instruments, and corporate charters and bylaws.

In fact, Articles I, II, and III are each nearly freestanding enumerated-power documents. Each outlines and conveys authority to a separate unit of government. Each follows a common 18th-century pattern for enumerated-power documents. That pattern is:

(1) Preamble (if any), with designation of the grantor and grantee;

(2) Organizational details;

(3) Listing of powers; and

(4) Limitations and (perhaps) other details.

This pattern didnt necessarily follow the lines of the numbered sections, and thats true of the Constitution as well.

Articles I, II, and III each begin with a preamble identifying the grantee of the powers to be conveyed. The preamble to Article I is All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States. The preamble to Article II is The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. The preamble to Article III is, The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish.

Many commentators, and indeed the Supreme Court, have treated the latter two as vesting clauses conveying power rather than as preambles. But thats not correct. Its an error arising from ignorance of 18th-century drafting practice.

After its preamble, each Article explains how the relevant branch of government is organized, enumerates the powers granted to that branch, and adds limitations and restrictions.

Consider Article II (the president) as an example. The first sentence is the preamble. The rest of Section 1 outlines the presidents term of office, mode of election, qualifications, and similar information. Sections 2 and 3 enumerate most of his powers. Section 4 authorizes impeachment, thereby limiting the office.

To be sure, the Constitution also includes inter-branch relationships that weaken the organizational pattern. For example, the presidents enumerated power to veto bills appears in Article I, rather than in Article II. The Senates authority to approve or reject presidential nominees and treaties appears in Article II instead of Article Ialthough that was because in the 18th century, appointing officers and approving treaties were considered to be part of the executive authority.

The Last 4 Articles

After the trivium of Articles I, II, and III, follows the quadrivium. Article IV collects rules designed to make the union more perfect (complete). Among these are regulations governing relationships among the states, provisions for the admission of new states, and provisions for federal territories and property.

Article V enumerates the powers granted to various assemblieslegislatures and conventionsacting in the amendment process. The subtleties in this Article are such that they merit their own essay. They include a carefully constructed set of parallel and alternative routes to amendment. Of the two proposal procedures and the two ratification procedures, one in each pair focuses on the states without neglecting the nation, while the other focuses on the nation without neglecting the states.

Article VI encompasses three sections: Section 1 mandates the federal government to pay debts incurred under the Confederation and therefore grants authority to do so. Section 2 states that the Constitution is the supreme law of the land. This, like some other provisions in the Constitution, is an example of what lawyers call a rule of construction. It sets forth explicitly what a careful and objective interpreter would draw from the text anyway.

Article VIs Section 3 requires oaths of all federal and state officials. Under Founding Era law, this effectively limited office holding to theists, because only a person who believed in God could take a legal oath. Otherwise, Section 3 barred religious tests.

Article VII requires ratification by at least nine of the 13 states for the Constitution to become effective among those states. The nine-state minimum better ensured that a majority of the people, as well as a supermajority of the states, approved the Constitution.

Article VII reflects the fact that the ratifying states were using their reserved powers to replace the Articles of Confederation with a new government. Critics have long claimed that the states were bound by the unanimity demanded by the Articles. As I explained in a previous essay, this claim is wrong: Its based on misreading the constitutional process and then-established law.

The Bill of Rights

James Madison proposed the constitutional amendments that became the Bill of Rights in the First Federal Congress (1789). His original plan was to interweave the amendments into the Constitutions text.

However, Congress concluded that this would be clumsy and would upset the original Constitutions careful organization. So Congress placed the Bill of Rights at the end, and that procedure has been followed for amendments ever since.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
US Families Mid-Adoption Trying to Get Afghan Children Out

After five frustrating years mired in bureaucratic delays, Bahaudin Mujtaba and his wife Lisa had hoped to finally bring the 10-year-old Afghan boy theyre adopting to their home in Florida this year for a chance at a different future.

But with the collapse of the Afghan government, the couple is desperately trying to get the boy, Noman, on a flight out of Kabulgoing anywherebefore the chance to leave disappears.

In the chaos following the Taliban takeover, Noman and another family tried to get to the airport Tuesday through clogged streets, checkpoints, and gunfire but were forced to turn back.

Mujtaba, who spoke to the boy and the family early Tuesday, said they hope to try again to get to the airport.

I have tears in my eyes this morning and my wife has tears in her eyes, he said. I couldnt really say much else other than Go for it and Be careful.

The Talibans dramatic takeover of Afghanistan has reverberated worldwide, and for families like the Mujtabas, the fallout has been swift, deeply personal, and potentially life-altering. Knowing the terrorist group is almost certain not to uphold the adoption agreements from the collapsed Afghan government, the American couples best hope is to get the boy out, fast.

Once they get to the airport, its just a matter of waiting time. But its a matter of waiting a few hours or a few days, Bahaudin Mujtaba said. Noman is currently in the custody of another family trying to leave.

Maybe they can get the boy to a nearby country. Maybe Pakistan. Wherever they go, hes willing to fly there and meet him.

But the first goal is to get him out of Afghanistan safely, Mujtaba said.

Its unclear how many among the throngs of people trying to flee Afghanistan include potential adoptive children. One other U.S. family, based in Indiana, is working with the same adoption agency as Mujtaba and is trying to get a 2-year-old boy out of the country.

Mary King, executive director of Frank Adoption Center in Wake Forest, North Carolina, is working with the families and said they had full permission from Afghan courts to bring the children to the United States and finalize the adoptions. They were awaiting U.S. visas, but everything changed in the past few days.

This all came about much faster than any of us anticipated, so we dont know, she said. We have put them on every list. Weve filled out every form weve been told about. Their names are everywhere we can get them, as far as with the appropriate U.S. authorities. And so now we are waiting to hear what may happen next.

U.S. adoptions from Afghanistan are relatively rare compared with adoptions from other countries, according to State Department data. From 1999 through 2019, 41 Afghan children were adopted by U.S. families. Thats far fewer than other countries in the region, including 148 children from Iran and 667 from Pakistan. Other countries, like China, Ukraine, and Colombia, have seen thousands of children adopted by U.S. families over the past two decades.

Noman Mujtaba (L) and Bahaudin Mujtaba in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Dec. 21, 2017. (Courtesy of Bahaudin Mujtaba via AP)

The process in Afghanistan required working through the Afghan Family Court, which limited the guardianship process to Muslim parents. Families that receive permission from the court can then bring a child to the United States to finalize an adoption, according to the State Department.

But under Taliban rule, its all but certain not to be permitted now, Mujtaba said, especially from a family based in the United States.

Mujtaba and his adoption agency have reached out to Florida Sen. Marco Rubios office for help. Mujtaba has even offered to go to Afghanistan with the U.S. military, offering his familiarity with the language and culture in return for a chance to bring the boy home.

Rubios office confirmed it is working with Mujtaba and the adoption agency but did not offer more details about what options the senators staff was pursuing.

Mujtaba and his wife agreed to adopt Noman, a distant relative, after Mujtaba met him during a visit to Kabul five years ago.

I just basically fell in love with this little boy. And based on hearing everything, then we knew we had the means and the motivation to help him, he said.

The childs mother died of cancer, leaving the boy with his adult brothers and elderly father who is unable to care for him. Mujtaba described Noman as a little boy who has big dreams. He loves music, gets top grades in school, and wants to become an engineer or a doctora profession Mujtaba said the boy may be drawn to because hes had to meet with so many doctors.

Noman appears to have diabetes and other medical issues, possibly stemming from nutrition problems, but Mujtaba said its not totally clear if the doctors in Afghanistan gave him the right diagnosis or the treatments.

Thats the environment, unfortunately, that youre in, in Afghanistan, he said. Were not really sure exactly what the problems might be, once we get here. Hes fine for a period of time and then, unfortunately, hes not.

Mujtaba is a U.S. citizen who emigrated from Afghanistan 40 years ago. After the Taliban was displaced two decades ago, he returned in 2005 to the country of his birth for the first time in 20 years. Hes visited Noman 10 times over the past years, staying three to five weeks at a time.

His wife, who is American, has never been to Afghanistan or met the boy in person because it seemed too dangerous to bring her, Mujtaba said.

King, whose agency primarily handles international adoptions, said her agency processed another adoption from Afghanistan in 2017, but theyve never had to deal with a collapsed government. She said her team is working with the families to get the children out, hoping to secure emergency visas amid a situation she described as very, very scary.

Im watching this as their social worker. I cannot fathom what they themselves are feeling and what these little boys are feeling, she said.

Mujtaba, a professor at Nova Southeastern University, said that though the adoption process had felt drawn out, they were hopeful that they were close until about a week ago.

But now, hes not sure when or if they will be able to bring the boy to his new home in Fort Lauderdale.

I think that thats in jeopardy now, he said.

By Michelle L. Price
President Joe Biden delivers remarks in the East Room of the White House in Washington on Aug. 18, 2021. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

US Troops to Continue Evacuations of Americans in Afghanistan Until We Get Them All Out: Biden

President Joe Biden said in an interview on Wednesday that his administration plans to keep U.S. troops in Afghanistan until all Americans who seek to leave have been evacuated.

In an interview with ABC News, Biden was pressed by host George Stephanopoulos repeatedly about what the administration will do if Americans and their Afghan allies are still evacuating from Afghanistan after Aug. 31.

In a follow up question, Stephanopoulos asked, So Americans will have to understand that troops might have to be [in Afghanistan] beyond Aug. 31? which is Bidens planned deadline to conclude the U.S. military mission in the now Taliban-ruled country.

No, Americans should understand that were going to try to get it done before Aug. 31, Biden responded.

But if we dont, the troops will stay? Stephanopoulos asked.

If we dont, well determine at the time whos left, Biden responded. And if theres American citizens left, were gonna stay till we get them all out.

Biden said earlier that if evacuations can ramp up from 5,000 to 7,000, theyll all be out by his deadline.

An estimated 10,000 to 15,000 Americans were still in Afghanistan after the Taliban was left full control of the country on Aug. 15 as the U.S.-backed government fled. Biden said the United States will do everything in our power to evacuate Americans and U.S. allies.

When asked whether the commitment to stay held for Afghan allies and their families, Biden said, The commitment holds to get everyone out that, in fact, we can get out and everyone who should come out.

Stephanopoulos quoted an estimated 80,000 Afghan allies and their families looking to flee the country, while Biden had a lower estimate of 65,000 people.

Separately on Wednesday, the U.S. embassy in Kabul said in a security alert that the U.S. government was not able to ensure safe passage to the airport in Kabul.

Please be advised that a significant number of individuals have registered and space on these flights is available on a first come, first serve basis. You may be required to wait at the airport for a significant amount of time until space is available, the embassy added.

The embassys message came as Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters that the U.S. military does not have the capability to expand its current mission from securing the airport to finding and escorting Americans and Afghans who want to flee the country.

He said that 4,500 U.S. troops have been maintaining security at the airport.

He added, Were going to work 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and were going to get everyone that we can possibly evacuate evacuated. And Ill do that as long as we possibly can until the clock runs out or we run out of capability.

Austin said that the pace of the evacuations is not close to where we want to be.

Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, the second-highest-ranking U.S. diplomat, on Wednesday confirmed reports that the Taliban are preventing some Afghans from getting to the airport. Some videos uploaded online showed apparent Taliban members hitting people with sticks and whips who were trying to get into the facility.

We have seen reports that the Taliban, contrary to their public statements and their commitments to our government, are blocking Afghans who wish to leave the country from reaching the airport, she said.

National security adviser Jake Sullivan on Tuesday also acknowledged reports that some people were being turned away or pushed back or even beaten while trying to travel to Kabul airport.

Jack Phillips contributed to this report.
A TV grab taken from a video released by the World Health Organization (WHO) shows WHO Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus attending a virtual news briefing on COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) from the WHO headquarters in Geneva on April 6, 2020. (AFP via Getty Images)

WHO Criticizes US, Other Wealthy Countries Over COVID-19 Booster Shots

A senior World Health Organization (WHO) official reiterated the organizations criticism against wealthy nations planning for COVID-19 booster shots, arguing that those nations should be working on producing and donating vaccine doses to poorer countries.

Were planning to hand out extra life jackets to people who already have life jackets, while were leaving other people to drown without a single lifejacket, said Mike Ryan, the director of the WHOs health emergency program, on Wednesday as the Biden administration announced that it would work to provide booster shots by Sept. 20.

The African director of WHO, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, also made a critical comment on Thursday, although she didnt specifically refer to the United States.

Moves by some countries globally to introduce booster shots threaten the promise of a brighter tomorrow for Africa, she said at a news conference. As some richer countries hoard vaccines, they make a mockery of vaccine equity.

And WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who previously called for a global moratorium on booster shots, doubled down on Wednesday.

What is clear is that its critical to get first shots into arms and protect the most vulnerable before boosters are rolled out, he said. The divide between the haves and have nots will only grow larger if manufacturers and leaders prioritize booster shots oversupply to low- and middle-income countries.

President Joe Biden on Thursday said that both he and his wife, Jill Biden, plan to get booster shots when they are available. Earlier in the day, the heads of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), National Institutes of Health, and the Surgeon General said they recommend the third shots, though the FDA and CDC havent approved them and have not fully approved any COVID-19 vaccine.

In an ABC News interview, Biden, who is also facing an unfolding military related crisis in Afghanistan, defended his administrations choice to offer the additional shot in the near future.

Were providing more to the rest of the world than all the rest of the world combined, Biden said. Were keeping our part of the bargain.

Earlier, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy downplayed concerns the United States was providing a booster shot in lieu of producing and donating vaccines for poorer nations. He said that both the booster shots and donations can be done simultaneously.

Murthy and other federal health officials said that several recent studies showed that Pfizer and Moderna vaccines efficacy rate against the Delta variant has dropped in recent months, saying that people who got their second dose eight months ago qualify for a booster shot.

Inside the United States, some health experts said the White Houses announcement on Wednesday is unethical and premature.
Wildfire Raging Near French Riviera Kills 2, Injures 27

BORMES-LES-MIMOSAS, FranceA wildfire near the French Riviera killed two people and was burning out of control Wednesday in the forests of the popular region, fueled by wind and drought. Over 1,100 firefighters were battling the flames and thousands of tourists and locals were evacuated to safer areas.

The fire started Monday evening 40 kilometers (24 miles) inland from the coastal resort of Saint-Tropez. Whipped up by powerful seasonal winds coming off the Mediterranean Sea, the fire had burned 7,000 hectares (17,300 acres) of forest by Wednesday morning, local officals said.

The prefect of the Var region, Evence Richard, told reporters that two people were killed. The local prosecutor said the bodies were found in a home that burned down near the town of Grimaud. An investigation has been opened to formally identify the victims.

At least 27 people, including five firefighters, have suffered smoke inhalation or minor injuries from the blaze, the prefecture of the Var region said. Authorities closed a highway north of the fire area on Wednesday afternoon due to the thick smoke.

In the Gulf of Saint-Tropez, huge water-bombing planes could be seen swooping down to fill their bellies with water to dump across the flaming Riviera backcountry.

The end of the day brought new risks, because the airborne battle against the blaze by nine water-dropping aircraft and two planes spreading fire retardant must stop at night. Reinforcements to give firefighters on the ground periodic rests were coming in from northern France and elsewhere.

A fire rages near Le Luc, southern France, on Aug. 17, 2021. (Daniel Cole/AP Photo)

The wildfire has forced about 10,000 people to flee homes, campgrounds and hotels, sending them to sleep in temporary shelters, the prefect tweeted. Among them were over 1,000 people who stayed around a gym in the seaside resort of Bormes-Les-Mimosas where authorities supplied food and water.

Vassili Bartoletti and his family, who are from northeastern France, were evacuated early Tuesday from a campground where they had been vacationing.

Around midnight, someone knocked at our door and told us to take our belongings and leave. At the end of the alley, we could see the red flames, he told The Associated Press. So we left hastily.

Bartoletti said his 6-year-old son was very anxious about the fire.

I showed him the map. I showed him we were far away, that weve been moved to a safe place in Bormes-Les-Mimosas, he said.

Evacuated campers play cards in a gymnasium in Bormes-les-Mimosas, southern France, on Aug. 18, 2021. (Daniel Cole/AP Photo)

Last month, while the family was on vacation on the Italian island of Sardinia, a major blaze there for three days threatened the town where they had rented a house. They did not have to evacuate but endured smoke in the air and saw water-dumping planes and helicopters going back and forth repeatedly.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who has been vacationing in a nearby coastal fortress, visited the fire zone on Tuesday and praised the firefighters for their work.

French officials warned that the fire risk would remain very high through Wednesday because of hot, dry weather. Temperatures have reached 40 degrees Celsius (104 F) in recent days.

Wildfires have swept across the Mediterranean region in recent weeks, leaving areas in Greece, Turkey, Italy, Algeria and Spain in smoldering ruins. In Greece on Wednesday, a major wildfire northwest of Athens, the capital, decimated large tracts of pine forest for a third straight day.

In neighboring Albania, hundreds of hectares (thousand of acres) have burned over the last month. Police reported Wednesday that a former deputy minister has been arrested for arson.

In Spain, authorities in the central region of Castilla y Leon said firefighters had established a perimeter around a blaze that has consumed at least 12,000 hectares (29,650 acres) this week. A fire on the Canary Islands was also brought under control after singeing 300 hectares (740 acres) of farmland.
A San Diego resident and former health care worker speaks at the San Diego County Board of Supervisors meeting in San Diego, Calif., on Aug. 17, 2021. (San Diego Board of Supervisors/Screenshot via The Epoch Times)

Youre Taking Away My Right to Live My Life: San Diego Resident Says of Countys COVID-19 Restrictions

Many San Diego residents attended a county board of supervisors meeting on Tuesday to express their fury and disappointment over the countys COVID-19 restrictions, such as lockdowns, universal masking requirements, and vaccination mandates.

Mariam, a former health care worker and first-generation Afghan American, told the board that she has been left completely disappointed by the countys decisions in managing public health and COVID-19the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus.

My family came here from Afghanistan. They ran away from the Taliban, from the rule that they were going to do over us, Mariam said during the hearing. You know what you guys are? Youre acting like terrorists.

I want to live my life. And you guys are taking that away from me, just like they take it away from my people.

And Im going to tell you, Im a warrioran Afghan warriorand were not gonna back down because we havent backed down and were still not gonna back down, Mariam added.

In June, San Diego County issued a health order (pdf) saying persons and entities may still be subject to California public health guidelines and standards, such as universal indoor maskingregardless of vaccination statuson public transit, in schools, or health care settings. For unvaccinated individuals, mask mandates are required in indoor public settings and businesses.

A mom also told the board that she was speaking up on behalf of her children: What type of a mother would I be if I could not stand up for my children?

She said it is important for her school-age children to learn proper annunciation, phonics, and smiles, through laughter and play.

We need to see your smiles, she said.

My children and myself will no longer deal with Californias political theater of the masks  We the people have spoken. We will not back down. The silent majority is no longer silent, the mom continued. As a mother, I will never back down for my freedom and for the rights of my children.

Emily Archuleta, another county resident, claimed that mandating vaccines as a condition of employment is in violation of Americans constitutional rights and will further hurt the economy.

We choose what we say, we choose our religion, we choose what we eat, if we drink, if we smoke, if we drive, our sexual orientation, our choice if we choose to have an abortion, how is the choice to have a vaccine different? Archuleta asked.

Youre meeting with resistance because you are mandating this, Archuleta said. Let people choose.

Archuleta also noted that peoples right to choose hasnt been stripped from them in other health epidemics. Lets look at obesity, killing 300,000 with many other health consequences, yet we still sell junk food, Archuleta noted. We give people the choice to do what they want with their body.

A sign reminds people masks are for everyone in Los Angeles, Calif. on July 19, 2021. (Frederic J.Brown/AFP via Getty Images)

One registered nurse, Heather Covell, told the board that she just resigned because of the vaccine mandate introduced for workers in health care.

I actually resigned from my job yesterday as a registered nurse because of this state mandate to be vaccinated, Covell told the board.

California announced on Aug. 5 that it is mandating COVID-19 vaccines for all workers in health care settings. All health care workers who wont have access to virus testing options must be fully vaccinated by Sept. 30.

I was no problem working in the health care system over the last 18 months without a vaccine. But now, all of a sudden, Im a threat to public health Covell said. Tell me where this makes sense.

What youre doing is youre creating a health care crisis, she added. We already have a nursing shortage in America. So now in San Diego County, I know for a fact, there are several hospitals that are operating on an all bed crisis.

At least 120 people addressed the board of supervisors during the heated four and a half-hour public hearing, KUSI reported. The vast majority of speakers were opposed to the countys mandating of COVID restrictions like masks and vaccines.

Students sit behind barriers and use tablets during an in-person English class at St. Anthony Catholic High School during the COVID-19 pandemic in Long Beach, Calif., on March 24, 2021. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)

The board of supervisors and the countys health and human services agency havent responded to a request from The Epoch Times for comment.

At the end of the hearing, Nathan Feltcher, the chair of the five-member board, said that he would continue to trust and rely on the advice of the states appointed health care experts and doctors in the face of pressure and intimidation.

The board approved some COVID-19-related spending (pdf), including $4.6 million in funds to establish, expand, and sustain a public health workforce.
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP)  President Joe Biden has invited Prime Minister Naftali Bennett to Washington next week to discuss Iran as well as Israel's relationship with the Palestinians, the White House said Wednesday.

The long-expected visit with Israel's new prime minister will take place Aug. 26 amid tensions with the Islamic Republic and Israel's fragile truce with militant Hamas rulers in Gaza following an 11-day war in May.

The meeting will underscore the United States unwavering commitment to Israels security, according to the statement from presidential spokeswoman Jen Psaki. The leaders, she said, will discuss critical issues related to regional and global security, including Iran.

Bennett, meanwhile, described the upcoming meeting as important. His office said Bennett and Biden will discuss a series of diplomatic, economic and security issues, especially the Iranian nuclear program.

The Israeli leader made no mention of the cease-fire efforts with Hamas  even as an Egyptian mediator was in the country  or pledges by the U.S. and Israel to bolster Hamas' rival, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

The meeting next week will be the first between the American and Israeli leader  and Bennett's first diplomatic trip as prime minister  at a sensitive time for the security of the Middle East. Politically, both men want to show a steady hand at the helm of their respective governments in the wake of the Israel-Gaza war and the collapse of Afghanistan's government on Biden's watch.

Both nations want to put the brakes on Iran's conduct in the region and on its nuclear program. But they diverge on the key question of reinstating the 2015 nuclear accord. Former President Donald Trump pulled America out of that agreement in 2018.

Biden campaigned on restoring the deal, with changes to address Iran's conduct. Bennett and his predecessor, Benjamin Netanyahu, staunchly oppose the accord and have vowed that Israel will act against Iran on its own if need be.

For Bennett, strengthening Israel's relationship with its strong ally, the U.S., is especially important as he leads a coalition government of eight parties from across the political spectrum. Under the coalition deal, Bennett, a founder of the Israeli settlement movement, will step down in 2023. Centrist Yair Lapid, now Israel's foreign minister, will then take the top job.

For Biden, it's a chance to change the subject from the Taliban's blitz across Afghanistan and the collapse of the U.S.-backed government there after 20 years.

While Bennett, who leads a small hard-line party that opposes major concessions to the Palestinians, made no mention of the Palestinians, the White House did  a reflection of human rights concerns for Palestinians among some in Biden's party.

The visit will also be an opportunity for the two leaders to discuss efforts to advance peace, security, and prosperity for Israelis and Palestinians and the importance of working towards a more peaceful and secure future for the region, the White House said.

There have been no substantive talks between Israel and Abbas' government in over a decade. With relations chilly, and the Palestinians divided between rival governments, the prospects for resuming negotiations appear slim.

But Bennett has indicated he would like to improve ties and bolster the Palestinian economy. This week, Israeli authorities postponed a meeting in which hundreds of new homes in West Bank settlements were to be approved. It was unclear if the delay was the result of American pressure.

The 11-day war between Israel and militant Hamas rulers inflicted heavy damage on Gaza. Some 254 Palestinians were killed, including at least 67 children and 39 women, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Twelve civilians, including two children, were killed in Israel, along with one soldier.
LES CAYES, Haiti (AP)  Two doctors at hospitals treating earthquake victims in Haitis capital have been kidnapped, forcing one of the institutions to declare a two-day shutdown in protest, officials said Thursday.

The abductions Tuesday and Wednesday dealt a major blow to attempts to control criminal violence that has threatened disaster response efforts in Port-au-Prince.

Dr. Workens Alexandre, who was seized, was among the countrys few orthopedic surgeons, desperately needed for quake victims with broken limbs. An official at the Bernard Mevs Hospital said 45 of the 48 quake victims being treated at the facility needed orthopedic surgery.

Gangs in the rough Martissant neighborhood on the capitals outskirts had announced a truce earlier in the week to allow aid efforts to go through to the southwestern part of Haiti, which was hit hardest by Saturday's earthquake.

It was unclear if those gangs were involved in the latest abductions, but the founder of the DASH network of affordable hospitals, Dr. Ronald La Roche, said criminals have engaged in kidnappings far beyond Martissant.

The Tuesday kidnapping of another doctor, an obstetrician who was on his way to perform an emergency cesarean delivery, occurred in Petionville, long considered one of the safer and wealthier areas of the capital. The doctor's patient and her child both died due to the delay in treatment.

We are furious at these people, La Roche said of the kidnappers. They are responsible for the death of this woman and her child.

Of the supposed truce with gangs in Martissant, he said, We cannot depend on that.

We feel that the gangsters are getting more daring, said La Roche, whose network of eight hospitals and clinics were closing to nonemergency cases in protest of the kidnapping.

The DASH hospitals are treating 27 earthquake victims, and they  and any emergency cases  will continue to receive care.

Kidnappers have contacted the families of both doctors, but there is no information on ransom demands.

The official at the Bernard Mevs Hospital, who asked not to be identified because of safety concerns, said the problem has gotten so bad that a program has been set up so that doctors can stay in hospital rooms for two or three days to avoid the risk of travel.

The quake killed nearly 2,200 people and injured more than 12,000. The abductions in Port-au- Prince directly affect the transfer of patients from overwhelmed hospitals in the quake zone.

Prime Minister Ariel Henry, himself the former head of neurosurgery at Bernard Mevs Hospital, had already recognized that the government cannot depend on the gang truce.

I have already given orders that for traveling from Port-au-Prince to the south, security be provided on the route from Martissant to the worst hit areas, he said Wednesday.

Meanwhile a group of 18 Colombian volunteer search-and-rescue workers had to be escorted out of the quake-hit city of Jeremie under police protection after a rumor circulated that they had been involved in the July 7 assassination of President Jovenel Moise.

That killing, which is still unsolved, is suspected of being carried out by a group of Colombian mercenaries.

The Colombians rescuers had arrived only a day before. Local news outlets reported that a Jeremie city council member went on a radio station and incited people to go after the Colombian team, whose members had patches on their uniforms with the colors of the country's flag. The rescuers took refuge at a civil defense office.

They were later taken to the local airport under police protection, said Wadson Montisino Cledanon, head of the Jeremie civil protection office.

___

This story has been edited to correct the spelling of the prime minister's last name.
Following St. Louis announcing that the area will take in upwards of 1,000 Afghan refugees and building on earlier bills signed into law to protect immigrant and refugee communities, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed House Bill 709 and House Bill 2790 into law.

These bills help provide legal representation for immigrant residents in Cook County and launch statewide public information campaigns to ensure immigrants and refugees in Illinois know their rights.

"The legislation Im signing today builds on our nation-leading efforts to make Illinois a welcoming state for immigrants and refugees," Pritzker said. "Im proud that these critical protections advance our mission to give our immigrant neighbors the equitable representation they deserve. Everyone should feel safe and secure in the place they call home and I remain committed to ensuring that our efforts to protect immigrant communities define what it means to live, work, and thrive in Illinois."

HB 709 requires the Illinois Department of Human Services, in consultation with other state agencies, to conduct public information campaigns to help educate immigrants of their rights under the U.S. Constitution and Illinois laws.

The public information campaign will include resources and contact information for organizations that can help protect the rights of immigrant communities. This applies to refugees, asylum seekers, and other noncitizens residing in Illinois, regardless of their immigration status. The information will be posted in high-traffic public areas, such as train stations, airports, and highway rest stops.

HB 709 is effective immediately.

HB 2790 creates a path for the Cook County Public Defenders Office to represent immigrants in removal proceedings in Cook County. The legislation ensures there are no jurisdictional conflicts, such as lawsuits against the county to prevent or prohibit public defenders from representing clients in federal immigration court.

In counties with a population of more than 3 million, the bill states that a public defender can act as an attorney to noncitizens without a fee or an appointment in immigrant cases. The law is limited to circumstances located within the geographical boundaries of the county where the public defender is appointed, unless the board authorizes representation outside of the county.

If an individual who does not speak English as a first language is being detained and faced with representing themselves in immigration court, this legislation helps ensure they have fair and equitable representation.

Earlier this month, the governor signed a package of legislation that strengthens the TRUST Act, expands protections for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients, and creates the Illinois Immigration Impact Task Force. Pritzker also issued an Executive Order creating the Welcoming Illinois Office.

Previously, the governor signed legislation that banned the establishment of private, for-profit immigrant detention centers and prevented landlords from wrongfully using a tenants immigration status against them. The administration also provided undocumented students with access to state financial aid. During the pandemic, the administration offered a significant relief for Illinois families, regardless of their immigration status, to protect their health and economic security.

HB 2790 is effective Jan. 1, 2022.
EDWARDSVILLE  For Chancellor Randy Pembrook, one of his goals for SIUEs 2021 fall semester was a return to the traditional college experience, or at least as much as possible during a pandemic.

The first of two move-in days for freshmen at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville started Wednesday, kicking of the process. That will be followed by move-in days for upperclassmen on Friday and Saturday.

The move-in process is better than it was a year ago, Pembrook said Wednesday morning at Bluff Hall as first-year students arrived, and a year from now it should be even better. Were continuing to evolve to the new normal and its great to see the students moving in.

This is an energizing day for the university, to have the students come back after the summer and start to get situated.

On Saturday, SIUE will have a community engagement day and on Sunday the formal welcome and class photograph takes place.

While there will still be plenty of online courses at SIUE when the fall semester starts Monday, the four-day student move-in process is part of the return to on-campus instruction that started last spring.

We estimate that well have about 9,000 people who are on ground in some way this semester, including 2,500 to 3,000 people in the residence halls, Pembrook said.

It will create this dynamic feeling on campus. Theres an energy and a life around campus when you have the students here on ground.

This will be Pembrooks last time experiencing the fall semester move-in as chancellor. Hes retiring at the end of the 2021-22 academic year.

SIUEs Mallory Sidarous, director of housing, also at Bluff Hall Wednesday, echoed Pembrooks comments about the freshmens arrival to the campus.

Were excited to be welcoming around 1,200 new students over today and tomorrow, she said. Its a little bit different than our typical move-in process, but weve de-densified the process and spread it out over two days.

Student volunteers, known as Movers and Shakers, as well as faculty and staff volunteers were in plenty supply.

Last year we did the move-in process over five days, including our first-year students and upperclassmen, and we didnt have the volunteers, said Sidarous, who noted that said student move-in days are always a highlight on SIUEs academic calendar.

We like to say its a well-oiled machine and organized chaos in a good way, Sidarous said, laughing. Depending on what building they live in, they check in at a designated location.

While inside theyre vehicle, students wait for Sidarous staff to call their line number and then the student pulls in front of their residence hall. Volunteers help them unload.

They do that pretty quickly, Sidarous said. Then they park their car and theyre able to go up and spend as much time as needed in their student room to get settled in.

SIUE students, likewise, also gave a thumbs-up to the move-in experience.

Freshman Makayla Rowes entire family helped her. The suburban Chicago students boyfriend and best friend also helped her Wednesday at Bluff Hall.

Its actually been pretty easy and theyre pretty organized, said Rowe, a double major in business administration and Spanish.

I thought there would be a lot more chaos. Ive had a million questions and Ive only been here for 20 minutes, but theyre very friendly and they answered all of them.

Decatur freshman David Reelles mother and aunt helped him move. The biological sciences major plans to go into genetics or pre-med.

Its not too confusing, oddly enough, he said. I figured it would be a hectic day, but its been pretty straightforward, and I appreciate that. I did my packing last-minute yesterday, but it worked. I got everything ready in time.

Parents helped move in freshman Trinity Mosier, from Houston, Texas, who had some jitters.

Its been weird because I live 800 miles from here and we drove all day yesterday, said the music education major. I guess its what I expected in terms of moving into college for the first time. Its nerve-wracking and exciting at the same time. I think its great that they provide the student volunteers to help us.

Nearby New Athens freshman Blake Robison made a short trip. who is majoring in mass media with a minor in meteorology.

Its nerve-wracking and its weird not living in my own house because Ive been there all my life, said the mass media major, whos getting a minor in meteorology. His sister helped him.

I think Im prepared, but its going to be hard to get used to, he said. Today is definitely a big step for me.

He also said he appreciated the volunteers helping him move in.

The next few days Im just going to get used to being on campus, and find out where everything is, he said.

Student volunteers typically number around 500, but last year the pandemic made the Movers and Shakers sit out.

There are about 150 Movers and Shakers this year, including Lluvia Lugo-Batres, a junior from Dodge City, Kansas. The exercise science major also is in the process of becoming an occupational therapist.

I just wanted to get more involved on campus since it will be my first full year here, said Lugo-Batres, who transferred from Dodge City Community College last January. I figured this would be a perfect opportunity since the school year is just starting with all of the new faces. If they have any questions about the campus or any organizations, I will gladly help to answer them.

All faculty, staff and students have been required to complete weekly COVID-19 testing, since Aug. 9, by Friday of the first week before going to any SIUE campus (Alton, East St. Louis, Edwardsville or clinical sites), and each week thereafter.

Individuals can request an exemption from required screening testing if they meet certain criteria, including proof of vaccination.

SIUE will continue to enforce a mask requirement for all of its indoor facilities, except for individual residence hall rooms and individual offices.

We rolled out testing starting last week, because our School of Pharmacy and our School of Dental Medicine were in session, said Jeffrey Waple, vice chancellor for Student Affairs. Our staff and faculty who have been on ground have been tested and we will continue testing throughout the fall.

The amount of faculty, staff and students who submitted vaccination cards is just amazing, he said. Were hoping that around 60 to 65 percent of faculty, students and staff will have submitted vaccination cards by the first week or two or school.

Prior to the pandemic, including 2019, SIUE had one move-in day for freshmen and one day for upperclassmen. But Pembrook said that this years schedule, with two days for each group, could be the standard for the future.

It feels a little more relaxed because when we did it in one day, it was a little hectic between finding (parking) spots and traffic backing up, Pembrook said. Doing it this way, we have people spread out a little more, and we have more help for the people who are moving in.
News

Soaky Mountain forgoes hearing, accepts suspension

SEVIERVILLE  As part of an agreed order with the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission, Soaky Mountain Waterpark will not sell beer or alcohol for the rest of the year and must submit a new security plan for the facility.

The state commission cited the park earlier this year after a fatal shooting in the parking lot that was allegedly committed by an intoxicated woman who had been drinking in the waterpark.

The ABC recommended suspension of Soaky Mountains license to sell alcohol, but the waterpark could have sought a hearing that would likely not take place until the waterpark closed for the fall  meaning any suspension could carry over to next year.

Instead, Soaky Mountain signed an agreed order Wednesday morning that said it will cease selling beer and alcohol Thursday, Aug. 19, and wont resume doing so until May 14 of next year. The park opened on May 15 this year, and a spokesperson indicated they would open on weekends in mid-May of 2022.

The agreed order also allows the waterpark to resolve the matter without admitting guilt in regards to the violations.

However, the agreement also gives Soaky Mountain 30 days to submit to the agency a security plan to ensure adequate security at the premise, which security plan must be approved by the agency.

It calls for measures to prevent sales of alcoholic beverages to intoxicated persons and minors under the age of 21.

Security guards must wear uniforms and be easily identifiable, and all security personnel must be registered with the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance.

Security guards should be physically present throughout the establishment, not just at the door, the order states. Security guards must monitor and regularly patrol the exterior of the building including parking lots.

The park must have at least one security guard on duty per bar that is open in the park, and security personnel cannot perform other roles such as server or bartender.

They must have an additional security supervisor on duty at all times as well.

The order also calls for the park to preserve all security footage for at least 72 hours, and to preserve video of any crime or any act that might result in litigation for a year.

The park agreed to employ off-duty deputies from the Sevier County Sheriffs Office from time to time to enhance physical presence throughout the park.

Soaky Mountain will remain on probation for a full year after the suspension is lifted.

A violation of the terms of the agreement could result in penalties up to revocation of the license, and any new citations will result in an immediate suspension of seven days per violation in addition to other penalties.

The TABC cited the park twice this year over complaints it wasnt following the law and order clause of its alcohol sales license.

Soaky Mountain paid a $1,500 fine after the first citation, which noted Sevierville Police had been called to the attraction or to Wilderness in the Smokies Resort eight times between June 1 and July 15 over fights and other disturbances involving intoxicated customers.

The waterpark is owned by Wilderness.

Within days after that citation was issued, the waterpark was the scene for other incidents including a large fight and then, on July 31, a fatal shooting in the parking lot.

Thirty-one-year-old Sarah Romine is accused of fatally shooting one person and wounding another in the incident; police reports indicated Romine was intoxicated and had been drinking in the waterpark before the incident.

Police arrested two other people on alcohol-related charges during the incident.

After that incident, the state issued a second citation that recommended suspension of the parks liquor license.

In a statement issued Wednesday, Soaky Mountain Manager Dave Andrews presented the agreement as a voluntary suspension that was supported by the state and by the Sevierville Beer Board.

The safety of our employees, our loyal season pass holders and the other guests who visit our family waterpark is paramount, he said. We exist to provide opportunities for our guests to have fun and make memories together.

What happened in our parking lot was a senseless act of violence, and we remain committed to helping the Sevierville Police Department with their investigation. We are grateful to everyone who reacted quickly to apprehend the suspect, and our thoughts and prayers are with the victims family.

The Alcoholic Beverage Commission, overseen by the state, governs sale of drinks with more than 8% alcohol by volume.

The Sevierville Beer Commission regulates beer sales, and can also take action related to the waterpark.

Sevierville spokesman Bob Stahlke said Monday the board doesnt have any actions pending against Soaky Mountain, but could still consider taking action after the final decision on the ABC citation.

The summer season for the waterpark is coming to a close.

According to its website, Soaky Mountain will have more limited hours starting Aug. 23, and after Sept. 6 will only be open on weekends.

It closes for the year Sept. 26.

Contact Jeff at jfarrell@themountainpress.com or Twitter at @jeffmtnpress
Elizabethtown, KY (42701)

Today

A shower is possible early. Sunshine along with some cloudy intervals. High 79F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph..

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A mostly clear sky. Low 57F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.
Elizabethtown, KY (42701)

Today

Sunshine along with some cloudy intervals. High 79F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

A mostly clear sky. Low 57F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.
Government asks businesses to prepare for Company Isolation Rules

BANGKOK: Thailands Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) has instructed businesses to prepare for company isolation rules for close contacts of positive COVID-19 cases and to accelerate the use of antigen test kits (ATKs) on their employees.

COVID-19economicshealth

By National News Bureau of Thailand

Thursday 19 August 2021, 05:43PM

Photo: NNT

CCSA assistant spokeswoman Apisamai Srirangsan said the Department of Medical Sciences (DMS) is speeding up programs to educate firms on how to use ATKs correctly, as well as stepping up company isolation measures. The company isolation principle is similar to other isolation measures implemented in Bangkok, reports state news agency NNT.

Ms Apisamai said the DMS is also urging firms to ensure that they are ready to provide shelter for personnel. Businesses must be able to accommodate more than 100 infected employees and ensure the safe disposal of waste.

According to the DMS, people tend to contract the virus in the workplace, before carrying it to their family members. Bangkok and its adjacent provinces are still recording the most new COVID-19 cases each day.
No bail for protest leader Penguin with COVID-19

BANGKOK: Thanyaburi Court yesterday (Aug 18) rejected a bail request for Parit Penguin Chiwarak and seven others charged in connection with a protest in front of the Region 1 Border Patrol Police headquarters in Pathum Thanis Khlong Luang district on Aug 2.

COVID-19Coronavirushealthpolitics

By Bangkok Post

Thursday 19 August 2021, 11:00AM

Parit Penguin Chiwarak is taken into detention last September pending trial on sedition and lese majeste charges. Photo: Bangkok Post file

Lawyer Krisadang Nujaras said the court argued there was no reason to reverse the detention order.

Mr Krisadang also said three protest leaders - Promsorn Weerathamcharee, Sirichai Nathuang, and Mr Parit - are confirmed to have COVID-19.

The lawyer said he believed they contracted the virus while in detention as they tested negative before being detained.

He said prison officials have also turned down a request to transfer the trio to Thammasat University Hospital for treatment.

Meanwhile, the Corrections Department yesterday gave details on the health condition of the protest leaders.

Deputy department director-general Thawatchai Chaiwat said doctors at the Medical Correctional Hospital examined Mr Promsorn, Mr Parit and Mr Sirichai who were sent there for COVID-19 treatment.

According to doctors, Mr Parit had a headache, coughed phlegm, and body aches for three days.

However, his vital signs and the amount of oxygen in his blood were normal.

His breathing was normal and he was able to eat and sleep normally.

Mr Parit is categorised as a yellow-coded patient with no severe symptoms as he weighs over 90kg and has asthma as an underlying health condition.

Doctors have administered him with Favipiravir, asthma relief inhalers and other medication for symptomatic treatment, Mr Thawatchai said.

Mr Sirichai is categorised as a green-coded patient with mild symptoms, and he has been given Favipiravir, Mr Thawatchai said, adding the same diagnosis was given about Mr Promsorn.

All three have received close medical attention, he added.
Phukets main fishing port to shut down to stem COVID outbreak

PHUKET: The Phuket Fishing Port on Koh Siray, east of Phuket Town, will shut down for 14 days to have all operators and fishing crews operating out of the port tested for COVID-19 following a spate of infections on board fishing boats using the port.

COVID-19Coronavirushealthmarineeconomics

By The Phuket News

Thursday 19 August 2021, 11:38AM

The Phuket Fishing Port will close for 14 days starting tomorrow to clamp down on COVID infections spreading through the fleet. Photo: PR Phuket

The Phuket Fishing Port will close for 14 days starting tomorrow to clamp down on COVID infections spreading through the fleet. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

The Phuket Fishing Port will close for 14 days starting tomorrow to clamp down on COVID infections spreading through the fleet. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

The Phuket Fishing Port will close for 14 days starting tomorrow to clamp down on COVID infections spreading through the fleet. Photo: PR Phuket

The Phuket Fishing Port will close for 14 days starting tomorrow to clamp down on COVID infections spreading through the fleet. Photo: PR Phuket

Somyot Wongbunyakul, President of the Phuket Fishermens Association, made the request yesterday (Aug 18) for the port to close and mass testing to be conducted.

The port will close tomorrow (Aug 20).

Mr Somyot said that most of the fishermen working out of the port are healthy and more than 90% of the fishermen at the port have completed two vaccination injections.

However, last week there was [southwest] monsoon weather and the boats were unable to go fishing. About 40 boats stopped fishing temporarily for about seven to eight days because of the weather, Mr Somyot said.

This caused the fishermen to disembark from the boats and come ashore, and come in contact with those infected with COVID-19 in the community. They then returned to the boats, leading to infections on the boats, he explained.

In the past, there had never been any infections on the boats, Mr Somyot said.

The outbreak of infections on board fishing vessels led to discussions with commercial fishing boat operators, who suggested that the Phuket Fishing Port close for 14 days so that all people working at the port and those working on the fishing boats could be tested, Mr Somyot continued.

Any people found infected could then receive treatment and any high risk contacts can observe quarantine on board the boats, he said.

Mr Somyot noted that eliminating COVID from the commercial fishing fleet will take time.

Even if the infections disappear, it will take more time to control fully, but all operators are willing to cooperate, both at the Phuket Fishing Port and at the smaller fishing piers, he said.

Because more than 90% of the fleet are trawlers, most of the work requires them to be at sea for at least 10 days at a time, and from discussions with operators measures have been put in place so that when the boat enters the harbour, all crews are strictly prohibited from leaving the harbour. This had previously been announced, he said.

Along with efforts by officials at the port, an intercepting checkpoint has been set up to prevent any crewmen from leaving the port, he said.
Phuket Town main fresh market reopens, second market ordered to remain closed

PHUKET: The Phuket City Municipality Fresh Market 1 on Ranong Rd in the heart of Phuket Town, and the Downtown Market located on the opposite side of the road, reopened today (Aug 19) after a spate of more than 100 infections saw a seven-day lockdown of the immediate area.

COVID-19Coronavirushealth

By Eakkapop Thongtub

Thursday 19 August 2021, 06:03PM

While the lockdown in the heart of Phuket Town was lifted yesterday, health officers went to conduct a testing among 353 people living in Phuket Town at the the petanque venue at Saphan Hin. A total of 14 people tested positive  11 Thais and three migrant workers  reported Phuket City Municipality.

Meanwhile, the Phuket City Municipality Fresh Market 2, located on Ong Sim Phai Rd near Robinson department store, has been ordered to remain closed for another full week, after more COVID-19 infections have been found linked to the market.

The market was already serving a seven-day closure order and was expected to reopen on Saturday (Aug 21).

The market will now remain closed until Aug 27, or until the market has met the required sanitation standards and been assessed and approved safe by officers from the Disease Control Department, Phuket City Municipality has announced.

The order issued by Phuket Town Mayor Saroj Angkanapilas yesterday (Aug 18) explained that several workers at the market had tested positive for COVID-19 on Aug 12, and more infected cases were found by the mass testing of local residents and market workers on Tuesday (Aug 17).

Before its current closure, the fresh market near Robsinson had only just reopened on Aug 7 after being ordered to close for cleaning due to vendors and migrant workers at the market testing positive for COVID-19.
MIDDLETOWN  The lawyer of an Alabama woman accused of killing her boyfriend says he is considering several possible defense arguments, including coercive control.

Melody Christensen was arrested in an East Hartford hotel in March, four days after police said she fatally shot her boyfriend inside a Middletown home.

Christensen, who was 45 when she was arrested, was charged with murder and illegal discharge of a firearm.

Christensen is on house arrest after being released on $1 million bond. She has an electronic monitoring device and is prohibited from leaving the state and possessing firearms or ammunition.

A judge has denied her repeated requests to modify the conditions of her release.

Christensens attorney, Anthony Spinella, said the terms of his clients release prohibit her from getting a job.

The state does not want the court to modify the conditions of her release because of the seriousness of the crime, Spinella said Wednesday. Christensen is now looking for jobs that she can do from home, he said.

Spinella said they are considering several options for his clients defense.

The case really comes down to my client's mindset at the time, he said. We are exploring different options, including the defense of coercive control.

Spinella pointed out the state legislature recently added coercive control to the definition of domestic violence under the so-called Jennifers Law, which was named for Jennifer Dulos and Jennifer Magnano  Connecticut residents who police were killed by abusive husbands.

The identity of Christensens boyfriend has not been released because Middletown police withhold the names of victims of domestic violence.

According to an arrest warrant, Middletown police were called to a South Main Street home following the report of four gunshots March 1. The witness who called said he heard a woman saying she was going to shoot someone, the warrant affidavit states.

The witness also reported he heard a man saying, point the gun at me, according to the affidavit.

Christensen then called 911, saying she and her boyfriend were shot and he was dead, according to the warrant affidavit.

The affidavit states Christensen told responding officers she was afraid of the man, and this is what I have to do to protect myself. Christensen was bleeding from a gunshot wound to her upper left chest, the warrant affidavit said.

Police found a trail of blood from the entrance to the bedroom, and confiscated a .38-caliber Taurus revolver, according to the warrant affidavit. Officers determined it was unregistered. However, Christensen had an Alabama pistol permit from December 2020, according to the warrant affidavit.

The victim was on his back on the couch, the warrant affidavit said, with gunshot wounds to his left arm and upper torso. He was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead, police said.

The warrant affidavit said Christensen told officers she and the victim were sleeping when she awoke to loud noises by an upstairs neighbor. When she told the man she was going to talk to the person, he threw a TV remote at her, which hit her in the head, according to the warrant affidavit.

Christensen told officers he jerked her up, shoved her into the TV and it fell over, the warrant affidavit said. The warrant affidavit states the two argued and scuffled, and when the man hit Christensen, the gun fired a bullet into her arm. When the man hit her again, Christensen shot him, according to the warrant affidavit.

An autopsy concluded the victim had seven gunshot wounds, including both entry and exit wounds, the warrant affidavit said.

Injuries to the victim appeared to be defensive in nature, and consistent with him raising his arm to defend himself from the gunshots before they were fired, police said in the warrant affidavit.

Christensen had no visible marks, bruising or visible injuries to her face or neck area, the warrant affidavit said.

Police said Christensen said she bought the weapon with the victim in mind, and there was no indication he possessed firearms or threatened the use of deadly physical force prior to that time, the warrant affidavit said.

Christensen has never been convicted of a crime, authorities said.

She is next expected in Superior Court at Middletown on Oct. 5.
Montreal, CA (H4T1V6)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun early, then becoming cloudy later in the day. High 23C. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph..

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Mostly cloudy skies early will become partly cloudy late. Low near 13C. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.
Montreal, CA (H4T1V6)

Today

Partly cloudy skies during the morning hours will become overcast in the afternoon. High 23C. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph..

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Considerable clouds early. Some decrease in clouds late. Low around 13C. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.
Have an interesting bit of news youd like to see mentioned in the Along the Way column? Email it to Emma Leeuwenburgh at news@thesunchronicle.com.
ROME (AP)  One of Italy's most wanted men, an alleged major cocaine trafficker who investigators say bought two stolen Van Gogh paintings on the black market with drug money, has been arrested in Dubai, Naples-based police said Thursday.

Raffaele Imperiale, an alleged kingpin in the Naples-based Camorra organized crime syndicate, was arrested on Aug. 4, Italy's state police and financial crimes police corps said in a joint statement.

Imperiale, 46, was being held in the United Arab Emirates while Italys justice ministry completes extradition procedures.

Italian authorities had been seeking him since January 2016 for alleged money laundering and international drug trafficking as part of organized crime activity, according to the Italian Interior Ministry. He was considered one of Italy's most dangerous fugitives.

He was able to construct an imposing network of international drug trafficking, in particular in cocaine,'' the police said. According to Italian investigators, Imperiale started as an international broker" in the drug trade in the early 2000s, with his ties to powerful Camorra clans surviving various feuds among Naples mobsters.

Imperiale is "a top exponent of international drug trafficking and money laundering, who accumulated huge amounts of illicit wealth thanks above all to cocaine sales,'' said Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese.

In 2016, two Van Gogh paintings stolen in 2002 from an Amsterdam museum were found stashed in a non-descript farmhouse on property owned by Imperiale in the Naples-area town of his birth, Castellamare di Stabia.

The wealth illicitly accumulated allowed him to buy on the black market two Van Gogh paintings of unquantifiable value, police said. They referred to the 1882 View of the Sea at Scheveningen and a 1884-1885 work, "Congregation leaving the Reformed Church in Nuenen,'' which had been stolen from the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.

Italian financial police found the paintings wrapped in cotton sheets, stuffed into a box and hidden behind a wall in a bathroom. The artworks were discovered as part of a seizure of property from Imperiale and another reputed Camorra drug kingpin.

Police noted that Imperiale gave an interview this year to Naples daily newspaper Il Mattino in which he denied any link to the museum theft and claimed he bought the paintings because he is a passionate lover of art.

"I bought them directly from the thief, because the price was attractive,. But most of all because I love art,'' Imperiale was quoted as telling the newspaper. He made no secret of having lived in Dubai for several years.

Investing in art, real estate and legitimate businesses like hotels, restaurants and pharmacies is increasingly common among Italian mobsters awash in drug trafficking proceeds, according to Italian investigators.

Shortly before the Van Gogh paintings were discovered, Italy's financial police seized some 40 houses in Spain that they alleged Imperiale had gotten with illicitly acquired revenue.

Italian anti-Mafia investigators have following Imperiale's activities for years. The arrest of a close Imperiale associate who supervised the importation of cocaine from Venezuela led to the 2013 seizure of 1,330 kilos (roughly 1.5 tons) of the drug in Paris, according to Italian police.

Italian news reports said Imperiale lived for about 10 years in Amsterdam while allegedly directing drug shipments to Italy and then moved to Madrid and eventually Dubai.

Dutch daily newspapers De Telegraaf reported that he took over one of Amsterdams marijuana-selling coffeeshops in 1996.

___

Mike Corder in Amsterdam contributed to this report.
While President Biden tries to blame Donald Trump or even Afghans themselves for the collapse of Afghanistan to the Taliban, the real lesson is the failure of progressive policies there. The unmitigated disaster for Americas armchair nation-builders is reminiscent of Custers Last Stand in 1876, when the inept U.S. colonels entire force was slaughtered by enemy Indian tribes.

Missing in action for days, Biden finally emerged to pretend that the problem is Afghans supposedly not having the will to fight. This was after the Afghan president handpicked by liberals, an American-educated academic with progressive political beliefs, had fled the country in a helicopter.

Just a few weeks ago, the progressive chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark Milley, had defended indoctrinating U.S. soldiers in the tenets of critical race theory. He pompously declared to Congress, I want to understand white rage and Im white.

Trump was blistering in his criticism of Milley back then, declaring that General Milley ought to resign, and be replaced with someone who is actually willing to defend our military from the leftist radicals who hate our country and flag.

General George Patton, our finest and toughest field commander of the 20th century, believed in reincarnation. One thing we know for certain: Patton did not return as General Milley.

No doubt disliked by Afghan soldiers as much as he is here, in July Milley misled the public by declaring to reporters that the Afghan Security Forces have the capacity to sufficiently fight and defend their country. But defend their country for whom: Biden and his ideological twin who quickly abandoned his post and fled?

The departed Afghan president Ashraf Ghani was installed as president by liberals after a disputed election that took months to resolve. Like Biden, President Ghani is an elderly, low-energy man who promoted progressive policies having little connection with reality or what the Afghan people want and believe in.

Like Biden, President Ghani failed to attract genuine support among ordinary Afghans as Trump does so well with many Americans. The equivalent of woke ideologies and policies were being pushed on that rugged country, and of course no Afghans would risk their lives to defend what they do not believe in.

Feminist policies were being imposed on Afghans who have a deep-rooted patriarchal culture that is the opposite of what liberals demand. The vast majority of adult Afghan men cannot read or write, yet liberals insisted on building schools to indoctrinate Afghan girls and young women with secular progressive beliefs.

For those old enough to remember the fall of Saigon, as the last U.S. helicopter lifted off the roof of the U.S. embassy, that horror was repeated as Afghans clung to U.S. transport planes while they taxied down the runway. Deaths by people dropping off the departing airplanes trigger painful reminders of victims falling from the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001.

Biden seems to have timed his pullout from Afghanistan, not to minimize deaths and destruction, but to facilitate photo-ops for him on the upcoming 20-year anniversary of 9/11. Instead, on Sept. 11 Americans will need to be on high alert for a potential copycat attack, either here or in European countries that foolishly admitted too many Muslim immigrants from hostile countries.

Trump responded by properly calling for Bidens resignation, before China and other rogue nations exploit his weakness as the Taliban just did. The same European leaders who enjoyed treating Trump with disdain probably now wish he never left the White House, as Europe prepares to be overrun by Afghan refugees.

Do you miss me yet? Trump asked last week, and with each passing day we miss him more. In four entire years of Trumps leadership nothing like this catastrophe occurred, and barely six months into the presidency of Biden the wheels are already coming off.

The coming flood of refugees from Afghanistan may be what liberals really want, just as they have tolerated over a million impoverished migrants crossing our southern border. This was another monthly surge in July of illegal aliens pouring in, with record-high levels of COVID among them.

To be clear, Afghanistan is not a defeat for Americas brave soldiers and Marines, who served so courageously in Afghanistan under terrible and frightening conditions. In late 2001, merely 3,000 American troops swiftly accomplished what seemed impossible, by seizing control of the country from Al Qaeda for harboring 9/11 terrorists.

But progressives and an effete occupant of the White House have snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. This failure was not on the battlefield, but in the misguided ideology of those who attempted to impose political correctness on a country that is the antithesis of it.

John and Andy Schlafly are sons of Phyllis Schlafly (1924-2016) and lead the continuing Phyllis Schlafly Eagles organizations with writing and policy work.
3 1 of 3 John Badman|The Telegraph Show More Show Less 2 of 3 John Badman|The Telegraph Show More Show Less 3 of 3





ALTON  A group of at least 10 people, most of whom appeared to be fire investigators, were climbing over, in and around the downtown Alton McDonalds restaurant, 717 E. Broadway, Wednesday morning, two months after the early morning fire that destroyed the building.

Alton firefighters received a call about 5:30 a.m. on June 17 reporting smoke coming from the roof of the building. Firefighters arrived to find a fire in or near an HVAC unit on the northeast corner of the roof. The fire had apparently been burning for some time and soon after firefighters arrived the HVAC unit collapsed partially through the roof.
EDWARDSVILLE  A Granite City man charged with aggravated domestic battery was among a variety of felony charges filed Wednesday by the Madison County States Attorneys Office.

Eldon E. Perry, 30, of the 600 block of Barkley Street, Granite City, was charged Aug. 17 with aggravated domestic battery, a Class 2 felony.

The case was presented by the Madison County Sheriffs Department.

According to court documents, on Aug. 17 Perry strangled a household or family member by wrapping his legs around the waist of the victim and pulling back on his neck.

Bail was set at $60,000.

Other felony charges filed Aug. 17 include:

 Kyle J. Rill, 35, of the 4700 block of Nameoki Road, Granite City, was charged with domestic battery (second subsequent offense), a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Madison County Sheriffs Department. According to court documents, on Aug. 12 Rill hit a household or family member in the face with his fist. It was noted he has a prior conviction for domestic battery out of Madison County in 2008. Bail was set at $15,000.

 Christopher N. Raines, 40, of the 300 block of Higbee Street, White Hall, was charged with two counts of aggravated unlawful restraint, both Class 3 felonies. The case was presented by the Madison County Sheriffs Department. According to court documents, on Aug. 14 Raines, while armed with a knife, refused to allow two people to leave his vehicle, and threatened to harm them with the knife. Bail was set at $50,000.

 Byron S. Burris, 42, of St. Louis, was charged with two counts of child abduction, both Class 4 felonies. The case was presented by the Alton Police Department. According to court documents, between June 30 to Aug. 9 and Aug. 6 to Aug. 9, violated a court order regarding custody of a 1-year-old boy by concealing or detaining the child, and assisting another person in the abduction. Bail was set at $50,000.

 Denorris M. Houston, 35, of Cincinnati, Ohio, was charged with unlawful possession of cannabis with intent to deliver, a Class 3 felony. The case was presented by the Illinois State Police. According to court documents, on July 25 Houston was found to be in possession of between 500-2,000 grams of cannabis. Bail was set at $15,000.

 Christopher J. Schrage, 44, of Breese, was charged with unlawful possession of methamphetamine, a Class 3 felony. The case was presented by the Highland Police Department. According to court documents, on Aug. 17 Schrage was found to be in possession of less than five grams of methamphetamine. Bail was set at $15,000.

 Wendell L. McCallister, 55, of the 13700 bloc of Timberline Road, Highland, was charged with retail theft under $300 (second subsequent offense), a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Highland Police Department. According to court documents, on May 28 McCallister took shoes and socks valued at less than $300 from the Highland Walmart, 12495 Illinois 143, Highland. It was noted he has a prior conviction for theft out of Madison County in 2020. Bail was set at $15,000.
EDWARDSVILLE  A Granite City man was found guilty Thursday in the sexual assault/abuse of a 6-year-old child in 2020.

A jury found John Webb, 54, guilty of one count of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, a Class X felony; and two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, both Class 2 felonies.

The jury deliberated for less than two hours before returning the guilty verdict.

We appreciate the jurors resolution in convicting this child abuser, Haine said. The true hero in this case is the courageous seven-year-old victim. She stood up in court, told the jurors about the terrible things that happened to her, and made sure that justice could be done here. We will be seeking the maximum possible prison sentence for the defendant for his appalling criminal abuse of this child.

An investigation began in August 2020 when Granite City police responded to a complaint involving Webb and the victim, a then-6-year-old girl. According to court documents the incidents occurred between Feb. 9, 2019 and Aug. 7, 2020. Charges were filed Aug. 10, 2020 after an investigation by police with the assistance of the Madison County Child Advocacy Center.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant States Attorneys Alison Foley and Emily Bell.

The predatory criminal sexual assault of a child charge is a Class X felony, and is punishable by up to 60 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. The aggravated sexual abuse charges are Class 2 felonies, and are punishable by up to seven years in the Illinois Department of Corrections on each charge. Associate Judge Ron Slemer presided over the case.

Sentencing will be set at a future date.
The day before he was supposed to start fourth grade, Francisco Rosales was admitted to a Dallas hospital with COVID-19, struggling to breathe, with dangerously low oxygen levels and an uncertain outcome.

It wasnt supposed to be like this, thought his frightened mother, Yessica Gonzalez. Francisco was normally healthy and rambunctious. At 9, he was too young to get vaccinated, but most of the family had their shots. She had heard kids rarely got sick from the coronavirus.

But with the highly contagious delta variant spreading across the U.S., children are filling hospital intensive care beds instead of classrooms in record numbers, more even than at the height of the pandemic. Many are too young to get the vaccine, which is available only to those 12 and over.

The surging virus is spreading anxiety and causing turmoil and infighting among parents, administrators and politicians around the U.S., especially in states like Florida and Texas, where Republican governors have barred schools from making youngsters wear masks.

With millions of children returning to classrooms this month, experts say the stakes are unquestionably high.

Very high infection rates in the community are really causing our childrens hospitals to feel the squeeze, said Dr. Buddy Creech, a Vanderbilt University infectious disease specialist who is a helping lead research on Modernas vaccine for children under 12. Creech said those shots probably wont be available for several months.

Im really worried, said Dr. Sonja Rasmussen, a pediatrician and public health expert at the University of Florida. Its just so disappointing to see those numbers back up again.

While pediatric COVID-19 hospitalization rates are lower than those for adults, they have surged in recent weeks, reaching 0.41 per 100,000 children ages 0 to 17, compared with 0.31 per 100,000, the previous high set in mid-January, according to an Aug. 13 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Dr. Francis Collins, head of the National Institutes of Health, calls the spike in cases among children very worrisome.

He noted that over 400 U.S. children have died of COVID-19 since the pandemic began. And right now we have almost 2,000 kids in the hospital, many of them in ICU, some of them under the age of 4, Collins told Fox News on Sunday.

Health experts believe adults who have not gotten their shots are contributing to the surge among grownups and children alike. It has been especially bad in places with lower vaccination rates, such as parts of the South.

While it is clear the delta variant is much more contagious than the original version, scientists are not yet able to say with any certainty whether it makes people more severely ill or whether youngsters are especially vulnerable to it.

As experts work to answer those questions, many hospitals are reeling. Those in Texas are among the hardest hit. On Tuesday, they reported 196 children being treated with confirmed COVID-19. That compares with 163 during the previous peak, in December.

At Texas Childrens Hospital in Houston, the nations largest pediatric hospital, the number of youngsters treated for COVID-19 is at an all-time high, said Dr. Jim Versalovic, interim pediatrician-in-chief. In recent weeks, the vast majority have had delta infections, and most patients 12 and up have not had shots, he said.

It is spreading like wildfire across our communities, he said.

At times this month, his hospital system has diagnosed 200 children with COVID-19 a day, with about 6% of them needing hospital care. On some days, the number of children in the hospital with COVID-19 has exceeded 45.

Versalovic said he suspects hospitalizations of children are up simply because so many are getting infected, not because the delta variant makes people more seriously ill.

At Childrens Medical Center in Dallas, where Francisco is being treated, the number of patients with COVID-19 climbed from 10 during the week of July 4 to 29 during the week of Aug. 8.

Francisco is improving and expected to recover, but his mother is worried and is considering home-schooling him. The virus "is really dangerous,'' she said.

The delta surge is yet another test for the nation's schools, which are dealing with students who fell behind academically as a result of remote learning or developed mental health problems from the upheaval.

Outbreaks have already occurred at reopened schools in the South that are facing resistance to mask-wearing.

In Texas, some school administrators are mandating masks in defiance of the governor and state Supreme Court. Among them is Michael Hinojosa of the Dallas school system, one of the states largest districts.

This delta variant is different, and the numbers are really significant in the county, he said. Were going to continue our mask mandate to keep students safe, to keep parents safe, to keep families safe and most importantly our teachers, who are on those front lines.

Although dozens of students and staff have already been sickened by the virus since the Dallas districts 180 schools began reopening on Aug. 5, the numbers are far lower than when in-person learning resumed in the spring, Hinojosa said.

Knowing the toll the pandemic has taken on children, Hinojosa is determined to keep his schools open.

We know theyve been scarred by it, he said. Thats why they need to be back with their friends and teachers.

In DeSoto, a Dallas suburb, schools are also requiring masks, and Superintendent DAndre Weaver said there has been no pushback from parents, perhaps, he added, because many are Black and know their community was hit hard earlier in the pandemic. Some considered keeping their children home because of the governors opposition to school mask requirements, Weaver said.

As a parent and an administrator, Weaver said the delta surge is a major concern, its a major frustration. Its a big fear.

His own two girls started first and second grade this week, and the first thing he has been asking when he picks them up after school is How do you feel? Do you have a sore throat?" Weaver said. I know many parents are in the same boat.

While he knows many children suffered during virtual learning last year, Weaver said, We have no choice but to prepare that as an option.

___

Follow AP Medical Writer Lindsey Tanner at @LindseyTanner.

___

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
ALTON  Funeral arrangements for former State Sen. Bill Haine, who died Monday, include visitation Friday and services Saturday.

Public visitation will be 4-8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 20, at Elias, Kallal and Schaaf Funeral Home, 1313 W. Delmar, Godfrey.

Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 21, at St. Marys Catholic Church in Alton, with burial to follow at St. Patricks Cemetery.

Haine, 77, died Aug. 16.

Haine had served in numerous elected offices over a more-than 40-year career, including service on the Madison County Board, Madison County Transit District Board, as Madison County States Attorney and the Illinois Senate. After retiring from the senate he was appointed to the Illinois State Board of Elections.

Bill dedicated his life to public service, beginning by serving his country in Vietnam, holding several local elected offices and ultimately having a storied career in the senate, said Illinois Senate President Don Harmon in a written statement. His focus was always on serving the people of the Metro East, and he frequently worked across party lines to do so.

That was echoed by the leadership of both the Democratic and Republican parties in Madison County.

Bill was a true warrior and champion for our region, and we will all sorely miss him, said Madison County Democratic Party Chairman Randy Harris. Bill was a tireless advocate for working families and the entire Metro East. Bill had a passion for helping and making a difference in peoples everyday lives. His dedication to both his faith and family was to be admired and celebrated.

Senator Haine was a true advocate for all of the citizens of the 59th District, as well as the entire Madison County region, Republican Party Chairman Ray Wesley said. He spent his entire life serving his country and the people of Illinois through his service as a veteran of the U.S. Armys 1st Air Cavalry Division, a Madison County Board member, Madison County States Attorney and Illinois State Senator.

Wesley noted that Haine worked tirelessly for the residents of Madison County throughout his career as a public servant and will be remembered for his ability to work in a bipartisan fashion to make sure everyone in his district was fairly represented.

State Sen. Rachelle Aud Crowe, D-Belleville, who won Haines seat after his retirement, said she had known him for many years, starting in the Madison County States Attorneys Office, where she was an assistant states attorney.

Bill was a dedicated and committed public servant and an even better person, she said. As a U.S. Army veteran and elected official, Bill was a true leader for our region and worked to ensure quality educational opportunities for students across the state. His legacy and accomplishments, as well as many peoples fond memories of his unwavering strength and courage, will last for many years to come.

Chief Circuit Judge Bill Mudge, who succeeded Haine as states attorney, said Haine touched the lives of many judges in this circuit as a friend, mentor or boss.

His work as a Madison County Board member, Madison County States Attorney and senator was exemplary, Mudge said. He will be greatly missed by us all.

Haine was born Aug. 8, 1944, at the former St. Josephs Hospital in Alton, to the late James Delos and Mary Alice Haine. He married Anna Francis Schickel in Loveland, Ohio, and she survives. Also surviving are seven children, 38 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

He received a bachelors degree from Saint Louis University, then he enlisted in the U.S. Army, serving with the 1st Air Cavalry Division and earning a Bronze Star for Meritorious Service in Combat Operations.

After leaving the military he received his law degree from Saint Louis University.

His legal career began as a clerk for Fifth District Appellate Court Judge George Moran. Haine then became an assistant public defender and began private practice with Randy Bono in Wood River.

His first political campaign came when he was still in the U.S. Army in Vietnam, when he ran for a seat with the Alton City Council and lost.

He was elected to the Madison County Board and served from 1978 to 1988, when he was elected Madison County States Attorney. During that time he was also chairman of the Madison County Transit District Board.

He served as states attorney for 14 years until his appointment to the Illinois Senate after the retirement of Evelyn Bowles. He was in the senate for 16 years, retiring in 2018. He was later appointed to the Illinois State Board of Elections and was serving on that board at the time of his death.
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Power couple: Shonnel Malani and wife Malika

Pictured with his glamorous wife, this is the 41-year-old leading the buyout of vast tracts of Britain's world-renowned defence industry.

Shonnel Malani is a managing director at the London branch of American private equity behemoth Advent International, where his work has included overseeing the takeovers of Laird and Cobham.

He may not be a household name, but he is a central player in one of the biggest debates about British business in recent times.

And his current task is to orchestrate Advent's attempt to snap up Ultra Electronics for 2.6bn through Cobham, a company he chairs following last year's controversial takeover.

Ultra's work includes making cutting-edge submarine-hunting equipment for the Royal Navy. The FTSE 250-listed group's board gave the green light to the deal earlier this week. But Advent's move has been seen as audacious by many in the City. And it raised alarm bells the moment it was announced among industry experts worried the sale will compromise national security and accelerate the hollowing out of Britain's defence industry.

Malani has resolutely stayed out of the public spotlight since he began spearheading Advent's advance on some of the country's top industrial groups. In his professional life, the married father-of-two has spent his career in finance and raced quickly up the corporate ladder.

In his personal life, he is a guitar player, a keen runner, and perhaps unexpectedly a Harry Potter buff. He lives with his family in a 5m mansion in Surrey. Malani, who is a British citizen, was born in India and attended Bishops Cotton Boys' School in Bangalore.

He graduated from Canada's prestigious McGill University with a finance degree in 2002, before beginning his career as an investment banker at Morgan Stanley. He then moved to private equity titan Bain Capital before studying for an MBA at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School between 2007 and 2009, where the alumni include Elon Musk, Warren Buffett and Donald Trump.

MALANI also has an MPA  Masters in Public Administration  from the University of Pennsylvania's Fels Institute of Government. His time at the Ivy League college overlapped with that of his future wife, Malika, who was also studying for an MBA.

Luxury living: Malani owns a 5million mansion in Surrey

She went on to a career in finance that included stints at Lehman Brothers, JPMorgan, Brookfield Asset Management and Fremont Realty Capital. After Wharton, Shonnel Malani joined Centerbridge Partners and within two years had moved to Advent, where he has put in more than a decade's service.

He has since been instrumental in the 1.2bn takeover of antenna-maker Laird, where he now sits on the board. Malani is also a director of Rubix, which was formed after Advent bought Brammer, a Cheshire-based distributor of industrial repair kits, for 222m.

But perhaps the biggest test of his dealmaking skills came during the 4bn battle for Cobham  a takeover that pitted him against politicians, the founding Cobham family and the military establishment. Advent had promised to be a 'long-term investor' in the Dorset-based company, which was founded by Sir Alan Cobham in 1934 and pioneered air-to-air refuelling technology.

Cobham had been struggling for several years under poor management and an attempt to move into industries outside defence that went disastrously wrong. But under chief executive David Lockwood it had been turning itself around, meaning its share price would almost certainly have gained ground in future. Even Cobham's bosses admitted the deal was at a low price.

Music buff: Malani is a keen guitar player

But Cobham's takeover was slammed by opponents including the founding Cobham family, former Tory minister Lord Heseltine, the ex-head of the navy Admiral Lord West, as well as MPs and former bosses. At the time of the takeover, Malani had said a series of undertakings agreed with then-Business Secretary Andrea Leadsom had provided 'important long-term assurances' for customers and staff on jobs and future investments.

But within 18 months it had been restructured, chopped up, and prize businesses had been sold. Advent did not break any of the guarantees  but critics now say that the very fact that Cobham was dismantled so extensively show that the assurances were weak and that any future ones will likely also be worthless.

Malani et al have set the Ultra offer at a tempting 35, or 63pc higher than before any announcements were made. This is a huge premium by City standards. But now the precedent set by Advent  and by extension Malani himself  over the initial Cobham deal threatens to derail his third major takeover in four years.

Military figures and politicians  including Defence Committee chairman Tobias Ellwood and Lord West  are urging the Government to intervene. But should Malani succeed in seizing control of Ultra, he will cement his position as a major player in Britain's vital defence industry, albeit with little public scrutiny such is the secretive nature of his private equity world.
Consulting firm Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) has threatened its US staff with unpaid leave if they don't get their Covid vaccines within the next 75 days.

The New York business, which also employs more than 800 white-collar workers in the UK, has ordered all staff to 'show up for work in our offices on September 7'.

They must provide proof of vaccination, an email sent to US staff stated. If they have not had both jabs, they should continue to work from home but must tell their boss about 'their future vaccination plans'.

Consulting firm Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) has threatened its US staff with unpaid leave if they don't get their Covid vaccines within the next 75 days

The email, posted on its website, added: 'Unvaccinated employees have 75 days to get vaccinated and show proof of vaccination. Any remaining unvaccinated employees will be placed on unpaid leave of absence beginning October 31 for up to 6 months.'

It came as Australian airline Qantas told 26,000 staff to get vaccinated or risk being fired. Frontline staff such as cabin crew and pilots will have until mid-November, while the rest have until March.

A&M, which specialises in advising businesses which are struggling, said vaccinations were not mandatory for its UK workforce. It has not ordered its UK staff to come back to their offices, spread across London, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow and Leeds, though many are understood to be returning under their own steam.

It said: 'Local guidance and availability of vaccines varies country by country. In the UK, we are strongly encouraging full vaccination for our employees at the earliest opportunity.'

It added that in the US, exceptions would be granted for pregnant women. Wall Street has been much more forthright than its UK peers in efforts to get workers back to the office.

Citigroup and Morgan Stanley have ordered staff returning to be vaccinated. JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs have encouraged jabs  anyone who doesn't must wear masks and get tested at least weekly.
Lloyds Banking Group, the UK's biggest mortgage lender, is aiming to buy 50,000 homes by the end of the decade, the Financial Times has reported.

The banking giant launched Citra Living last month to try and satisfy the growing demand for private rental housing across the country, but the FT also believes the move is motivated by a need to diversify its sources of income.

The newspaper's website said it had seen an internal job advertisement from Citra Living outlining some long-term targets including a 'strategic challenge' to own 10,000 properties by the end of 2025, with another 40,000 coming by 2030.

Diversifying: The Financial Times believes Lloyds Bank's move into the private rental business is motivated by a need to diversify its sources of income

This would make it a larger company than Grainger, the country's biggest private residential landlord, and give it an estimated balance sheet of 4billion and 300million in pre-tax profit.

It has already purchased 45 flats at the Fletton Quays development in Peterborough as part of a separate target to acquire 400 homes this year followed by the same amount in 2022.

Citra may consider 'M&A (mergers and acquisitions) opportunities and/or strategic alliances' to help it reach the targets, the advert added.

Previously, the bank has been cautious about the new division's potential, with finance chief William Chalmers saying expansion into the private rental market would be 'on a limited basis while we explore the area'.

Several big-name fund management groups and insurers have entered the private rental market in recent years, including Legal & General and M&G. John Lewis also recently announced plans to convert unused floor space in its department stores into rental homes.

The switch from small-scale private landlords follows changes in tax rules which ended tax breaks on on mortgage interest and put limits on private residence relief.

Departure: Antonio Horto-Osario recently ran Lloyds for ten years and helped oversee a turnaround of the firm's finances after the Global Financial Crisis in 2008/09

It led to an exodus of such landlords from the private rental sector and worries that there might be too few rental homes available in the future.

A Lloyds spokeswoman said: 'As highlighted at launch, Citra Living will initially start small, with a focus on buying and renting good-quality, newly-built properties. This will be achieved by working alongside leading housebuilders to address the increasing demand for rental properties.

'The aim is to gradually provide incremental stock to the UK rental market over the coming years.'

The FT's report comes in the opening week of Charlie Nunn's tenure as chief executive of the bank following a nine-year period at HSBC where he rose to become the global head of personal banking and wealth management.

He replaces Antonio Horta-Osario, who ran Lloyds for ten years and helped oversee a turnaround of the firm's finances after the Global Financial Crisis in 2008/09 when the UK Government took a majority stake in the bank.

He successfully brought the bank back to both profitability and fully private ownership again, and slashed 200billion in toxic assets off the bank's balance sheet. Lloyds also completed its first acquisition since the financial crisis when it bought credit card business MBNA.

The coronavirus pandemic did lead to another difficult period for the bank as it recorded a 602million half-year loss after setting aside billions in anticipated loan losses and was forced to suspend dividend payouts to preserve capital.

But just before the Portuguese-born boss left his position, the FTSE 100 titan recorded 1.9billion in first-quarter profits thanks to an improving economic outlook that meant it could release more than 450million in loan loss provisions.

In late July, it posted another set of profitable results and announced that it had acquired savings and pensions group Embark for 390million. Lloyds said the deal would bring another 410,000 customers under its control and complement its its wealth management arms.

Shares in Lloyds Banking Group ended trading 1.9 per cent down 43.8p on Thursday.
Ultra Electronics shares lost ground after Kwasi Kwarteng ordered an investigation into its takeover by Advent International.

In a victory for the Mail, the Business Secretary this week intervened in the 2.6billion deal.

He also banned Ultra  which makes crucial precision control systems for the military and commerical aerospace  from sharing any sensitive details about its work with the Government and armed forces with its American private equity suitor.

Ultra Electronics, which makes crucial submarine-hunting kit for the Royal Navy, has been banned from sharing any sensitive details about its work with its US private equity suitor

The intervention means Kwarteng could block the takeover on national security grounds  and even if he does not, it could drag out the process.

Ultra's stock slipped 1.7 per cent, or 56p, to 3308p. It is still trading below the offer price of 3500p per share.

Ultra's stock was worth 2156p in June before any talks of Advent making an offer for the firm were announced.

Analysts said the slight trip in the share price meant investors had broadly expected the intervention.

Nicholas Hyett, equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: 'It's a bit of a wait-and-see game.'
Hundreds of former Debenhams workers are taking legal action after losing their jobs with just a few days' notice  some by text message or Zoom call.

Lawyers say there was a 'complete failure' to follow the statutory process, and that the workers' employment rights were breached.

Details of the claims come as the department store's former private equity owners  who extracted more than 1billion of dividends despite saddling the chain with enormous debts and costs  face mounting pressure to help cover a 32million deficit in its pension fund.

The closure of Debenhams stores has cost 18,500 people their jobs over the last 12 months. Staff are angry they were not given the 45-day minimum consultation period for redundancy

The staff, some with decades of service, are angry they were not given the 45-day minimum consultation period for redundancy, which would have allowed them time to look for other jobs.

They argue Debenhams should have collectively consulted with employees for 45 days leading up to the redundancies  made during 2020 and 2021 when the chain was operated by Department Store Realisations Limited, a company overseen by administrators FRP  but didn't.

Closure of the chain has cost 18,500 people their jobs over the last 12 months.

There are at least two separate group actions to employment tribunals, each involving hundreds of ex-employees.

Law firm Simpson Millar is representing 500 former workers, while SDM Legal is taking action on behalf of almost 300 people. If successful, the pay-outs would be made through the Government Insolvency Service.

SDM is representing staff who worked at a number of stores in England and Scotland, offices in Taunton, Somerset, and the company's warehouse and distribution centre in Peterborough.

A spokesman said: 'Some of our clients have worked for Debenhams for their entire working life and so the administration, the way in which the redundancy process was handled and the widely-reported issues regarding the alleged pension deficit is a devastating reality.'

The maximum award per claimant is 90 days' pay  with each award varying depending on each individual salary.

If the tribunal is successful, the Government will underwrite up to eight weeks of the 90 days. Payments for those made redundant after April 6 this year are capped at 544.

One affected worker, who had a 20-year career at a store in Scotland having started part-time as a teenager, said: 'We were working in the stores packing online orders during lockdown but at the beginning of March we were given just a day or two's notice that we were losing our jobs.

'We were simply given details of how to apply for the Government's statutory redundancy scheme, then that was it. The administrators washed their hands of us.'

Staff who were at work were told the news in person while others were invited to join a video call.

The worker, who has since found a new job, received 6,000 in statutory redundancy pay but argues he should have received 12 weeks rather than days' notice  allowing him time to find a new job  along with payments to reflect his years of service.

He added: 'There were people with mortgages, two or three kids, couples who were both losing their jobs at the same time. The cut to pensions as well is a very bitter pill to swallow, to be sure.'

Debenhams' administrators, FRP, said it was difficult to abide by the statutory consultation period as decisions had to be taken on a day-by-day basis including sudden needs to reduce costs.

A spokesman said: 'In normal circumstances an employer proposing to make redundancies would embark on a period of consultation with its employees.

'But this is rarely possible in insolvency where the options available are limited, particularly in an unpredictable and challenging trading environment.'

However, Damian Kelly, head of employment law at Simpson Millar, said: 'While many people would as-sume that Debenhams would not have to follow the correct employment procedures because it had gone into administration, they still have a duty under current employment law legislation to carry out a proper consultation with staff at risk of redundancies.'
Sir Terry Leahy looks set to make a dramatic comeback into British supermarkets following a 7billion bid for Morrisons.

Private equity group Clayton Dubilier & Rice  which counts the former Tesco chief executive as a key adviser  last night struck a deal to buy Morrisons for 285p a share.

The offer trumped an earlier 272p a share bid worth 6.7billion from rival private equity group Fortress and puts CD&R in pole position to seize control of the British grocer.

Shares in Morrisons were up 4.2 per cent to 291p just shortly after the London stock market close on Friday.

Private equity group Clayton Dubilier & Rice  which counts the former Tesco boss Sir Terry Leahy (pictured) as a key adviser  last night struck a deal to buy Morrisons for 285p a share

Leahy, 65, is understood to have been instrumental in the deal.

The agreement, announced last night after the stock market closed, will spark speculation that Leahy could take a place on the Morrisons board  possibly as chairman.

Unveiling the deal, he said: 'CD&R is delighted to have the opportunity to support the management of Morrisons in executing their strategy to grow and develop the business.

'The grocery sector in the UK is undergoing great change and we believe Morrisons is well placed, with CD&R's support, to succeed in this environment. CD&R values Morrisons' distinctive business model and is committed to supporting it.'

The battle for Morrisons started back in June when CD&R offered 230p per share, or 5.5billion.

This was countered by private equity rival Fortress which offered 254p per share, or 6.3billion in July. Fortress then sweetened its own bid to 272p per share or 6.7billion two weeks ago.

The Morrisons board had backed the Fortress bids. But last night it swung behind CD&R and Leahy.

Directors have said shareholders should vote in favour of the takeover at a meeting due in early October.

Morrisons chairman Andrew Higginson said: 'The Morrisons board believes that the offer from CD&R represents good value for shareholders while at the same time protecting the fundamental character of Morrisons for all stakeholders.

'CD&R have a strong record of developing, strengthening and growing the businesses that they invest in and they share our vision for Morrisons' future.

'This, together with the strong set of intentions that they have set out today, gives the Morrisons Board confidence that CD&R will be a responsible, thoughtful and careful owner of an important British grocery business.'

The Morrisons board, which had previously backed a deal by Fortress, has now backed CD&R

Danni Hewson, a financial analyst at investing platform AJ Bell, said there was still 'a real possibility' that Fortress may raise its offer.

But he added: 'However, Clayton, Dubilier and Rice always seemed like the more natural fit for the Yorkshire business.

'Its forecourt operation might require a few tweaks to please the UKs competition watchdog but adding Morrisons to the portfolio will put them in a strong position to be at the forefront of the switch to electric.

'It wont hurt shareholder sentiment that retail royalty Sir Terry Leahy is a senior advisor on this deal and he took the opportunity last night to play on emotions, spotlighting his relationship with the late Sir Ken Morrison. But ultimately this is a numbers game and in business sentiment often only goes so far.'
Savers are on track to have half the retirement fund they could after choosing cash over stocks for their nest eggs.

Hundreds of thousands of Britons have a Lifetime Individual Savings Account (Lisa), which gives them a government bonus of up to 1,000 a year on top of any interest earned.

The Isas can be used to either save for a first home or retirement, and savers can opt for either a cash or a stocks and shares account. They can pay in up to 4,000 a year and receive a 25 pc government bonus until they reach 50.

Looking ahead: Savers are on track to have half the retirement fund they could after choosing cash over stocks for their nest eggs

But if you withdraw your money for any other reason you are penalised and can be left with less than you put in.

The stock market is known to outperform ordinary cash savings rates over time, but research for Money Mail has found that most Lifetime Isa savers putting money away for retirement are using simple cash saving accounts.

The survey, by broker AJ Bell, found at least one in three people with Lifetime Isas was using theirs as a retirement fund. However, three in five of those savers had an ordinary cash account.

AJ Bell figures reveal that a 30-year-old who saves the maximum 4,000 a year until age 50 would have 174,706 upon reaching 60 if investing in cash which grew at a rate of 2.7pc every year.

Yet the same saver could have a pot worth 404,874 if they invested in a stocks and shares Lisa that grew 5pc every year, once fees of 0.3 pc were deducted.

Neil Lovatt, commercial director at mutual Scottish Friendly, says more needs to be done to stop savers losing out to cash accounts.

How do Lifetime Isas work? Lifetime Isas allow under-40s to save for a home and retirement at once. The Government offers free top-ups worth up to 32,000 if you max out your fund during your younger to middle-aged years. Read our full guide here.

He says: 'This is yet another example of the disjointed approach to regulation we're seeing across [savings] wrappers. We already have explicit regulation in the case of drawdown pensions politicians should be taking much firmer action.'

Lifetime Isas can be opened by people aged between 18 and 39.

The average age of those using a cash Lifetime Isa to save for retirement in our survey was 36. HM Revenue & Customs figures show that 545,000 savers where long-term investors should be warned about investing in cash-type assets.

'Yet outside of pensions, we're seeing no action being taken on cash- dominated long-term investments. This is a market failure, pure and simple.

'The industry, regulators and put money into a Lifetime Isa in the 2019/20 tax year. The top-paying Lifetime Isa rate is 0.8pc from Nottingham Building Society. Savers using a cash Lifetime Isa for retirement can transfer their money to a stocks and shares Lisa without penalty.

Laith Khalaf, financial analyst at AJ Bell, says: 'The Lifetime Isa is a pretty good way for basic-rate taxpayers to save for retirement, but those who opt for cash will likely end up with much smaller pots than those who invest in shares. 'Seeing as money in a Lifetime Isa is actually locked away until you're 60, if you're saving for retirement, it definitely makes sense to choose shares over cash over such a long time frame.

'There will be ups and downs from investing in the stock market, but over the longer term this approach almost always delivers superior returns to cash.

'Investors in their 20s, 30s and 40s who have so far plumped for cash Lifetime Isas to save for retirement should give serious thought to switching across into stocks. Their future selves will probably thank them heartily.'

You can also open more than one Lifetime Isa, but you can only pay into one each tax year.

It comes as figures from wealth manager Quilter found that withdrawal charges hit a total of 33million in the 2020/21 financial year  up from 10 million the year before, and 5 million the year before that. Exit penalties are levied on your whole pot at 25pc, which actually works out at a loss of just over 6pc of your own savings.

If you saved 4,000 in one year and got the 25pc bonus of 1,000, the 25pc penalty would be 1,250 on the total of 5,000. So, you'd not only lose the 1,000 bonus, but 250 of your own money, too.

Rachael Griffin, financial planning expert at Quilter, says: 'Lifetime Isas are neither an Isa, with the flexibility to withdraw money at any time, or a pension, which has generous tax relief but requires savers to lock-up their money to at least age 55.

'They were a muddled idea to start with and the Government should carefully consider their place in the long-term future of the UK's savings system.'
Ike O'Neal, Heard County Braves. ONeal rushed for 89 yards on 17 carries with 2 touchdowns in the Braves 26-10 win over Pepperell on Friday.

M.J. Morris, Carrollton Trojans. Morris completed 15 of 22 passes for 273 yards and three touchdowns in Carrolltons win agains Johns Creek .

Cameron Bolton, Central Lions. In his first start as a freshman, Bolton rushed 36 times for 201 yards and scored three touchdowns.

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Rachel Ravina is a journalist covering news and lifestyle features in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. She grew up in Blue Bell and graduated from Penn State. She's also a news enthusiast who is passionate about covering topics people want to read.
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ALBANY - Several Capital Region technology leaders will be the keynote speakers at the New York State Innovation Summit, which is being held Nov. 8 and Nov. 9 at the Turning Stone Resort in Oneida County.

Speakers include Andy Marsh, the CEO of Plug Power, the Latham fuel cell maker; Guha Bala, the president of Velan Studios, the Troy video game developer, and Gregg Lowe, CEO of Cree, a power electronics chips maker that has operations in Albany and outside Utica. The event is sponsored by the state and FuzeHub, the Albany nonprofit that helps manufacturers across the state.


The latest in New York politics This article was featured in the Capitol Confidential newsletter. Sign up here to get it each morning.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomos administration, Jeffrey Gural told the audience in scathing remarks lasting several minutes, "ran a criminal operation." Gural, who owns the Tioga Downs casino in the Southern Tier, said in an interview that the believes in 2014  after New York legalized full-scale casino gambling  Cuomos administration had rigged the process of bidding out the three initial licenses to casino operators. (TU)

In the days since the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban, state elected officials, across the political aisle, have called for support to increase the number of visas for Afghans who helped America in its war over the last 20 years. Advocates, though, noted that beyond state officials lobbying federal officials, there is little they can do to help bring people to New York. Instead, they said the issue for states is funding assistance for the refugees if and when they do arrive. (TU)
HUDSON  A seven-year battle over the future of Hudsons waterfront is coming to a head.

The battle has included mobbed public hearings, lawsuits, hundreds of public comments, and has outlasted three chairs of the Hudson Planning Board, which is tasked with deciding whether an existing industrial operation on the waterfront must go through a lengthy environmental review to continue.

A. Colarusso & Son, which loads barges on the waterfront with dump trucks of gravel and other rock aggregate from its quarry in the adjacent town of Greenport, argues its operation should continue without the lengthy review, and is proposing to reroute its heavy truck traffic from the citys streets to a private haul road.

But opponents contend the cacophonous and dusty operation ruins the citys limited waterfront and is incompatible with Hudsons contemporary economy, arguing the company has willfully violated the city's zoning and should be shut down. They say there are better ways to get the trucks off city streets.

The Battle Over St. Lawrence Cement

Hudsons current dispute has much in common with the fight over the proposed St. Lawrence Cement plant in the 2000s, which was documented in the film "Two Square Miles." A Swiss cement company proposed building a plant larger than the entire city, spending tens of millions on the ultimately unsuccessful permit process.

Though the current battle is over a far smaller operation, and one that already exists, many of the characters are the same: The opposition is spearheaded by two activists, Sam Pratt and Peter Jung, who helped lead the opposition to St. Lawrence.

Pratt reflected on how the economy of Hudson had changed through the years.

The entire industrial history of Hudson has really, in many ways, both built the city and, in the last half-century, held it back enormously, Pratt said.

Hudson went through many industries through its history, beginning as a whaling town before becoming a commercial port, then switching to manufacturing and cement. Two decades ago, antique dealers and artists began moving in, until now the citys economy is based around on tourism.

Pratt contrasted Hudsons waterfront with Hudson river towns that built their waterfronts out with an eye on commercial recreation, such as Newburgh, Catskill and Coxsackie.

Hudsons waterfront is far more compact, about a mile in length. However, about a third of it is taken up by wetlands. The remainder is mostly occupied by the Amtrak rail line, Colarusso & Sons dock operation and a private boat club, leaving a small chunk for a public park.

This is not the direction Hudson needs to go, not just for environmental or quality of life reasons, but for economic reasons, Pratt said. Youve got this absolutely unique and irreplaceable areashipping out wholesale gravel is about the least beneficial way to use it.

Rezoning for Recreation

Hudsons current waterfront controversy began at the end of the last one.

In 2011, after the St. Lawrence Cement battle, Hudson rezoned its waterfront with an eye toward recreation. However, the new zoning allowed for the continuation of existing commercial dock operations on the waterfront as a non-conforming use  as long as there were no additional improvements on the land.

The commercial dock operation in question was owned by St. Lawrence Cement in 2011, but it was sold and resold until St. Lawrences entire former landholdings  the commercial dock, the quarries in adjacent Greenport where the plant would have been built, plus a third chunk of land  was bought by Colarusso & Son in 2014.

The company then proposed constructing a private haul road from its quarries in Greenport to its docks in Hudson that would circumnavigate most of the city. There was a dispute between Hudson and Greenport as to which municipality's planning board would review the project, a dispute settled in October 2016 by the state Department of Environmental Conservation, which chose the Greenport Planning Board as lead agency to review the proposal.

The planning board gave the haul road a neg dec, a decision stating the project would have minimal impacts to its surroundings and therefore would not need to go through a thorough review. After a light review, Greenport approved the haul road.

However, Colarusso & Son decided to replace the bulkhead at its dock and install 2,000 tons of rock along the shoreline in late 2016. Though they applied for the proper permits from the DEC and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, for some reason the company never sought permission from the citys planning board for the improvements, as was required under the new waterfront zoning.

Hudson argued the clandestine improvements knocked the companys operation off its non-conforming use status and required the company to apply to the city planning board for its entire operation in Hudson  both the dock operation and the last bit of the proposed haul road  as though it were a newly proposed project.

Colarusso & Son sued the city, and, in a hard-to-misinterpret state Supreme Court decision in January 2019, Judge Michael H. Melkonian sided with Hudson.

The companys failure to apply to the Hudson Planning Board for the improvements cannot be condoned by the court, according to the decision. Simply put  by undermining the citys zoning laws, [Colarusso & Son] commenced the project at their own risk.

The company is now seeking permits from the city's planning board to continue its operation, though the company can continue to fill barges at its docks until a decision is made.

Colarusso & Son

Colarusso & Son was founded in 1912 by Antonio Colarusso, according to Paul Colarusso, Antonios great-grandson and the current president of the company.

The company mines, manufactures and transports rock aggregate such as gravel and asphalt, as well as using these materials to build projects for the county and state governments. It has won nearly $20 million in state contracts alone since the beginning of 2020, according to the Office of the State Comptroller.

Paul Colarusso called the last three years in front of the planning board frustrating.

Im hesitant to say anything bad about the planning board, because its changed over the course of this [process], but its been frustrating in that its taking so long, Colarusso said, adding the process had sped up over the last six months.

There have been four different planning board chairs since the process began, with the current chair, Stephen Steim, taking over earlier this year.

Colarusso, when asked if his company benefits Hudson, said they employ nearly 200 people, some of them Hudson residents, as well as paying taxes on their land, which is valued by the city as just under $5 million, according to property tax rolls.

Constructing the proposed haul road  the one approved by the Greenport Planning Board that must now be approved by the Hudson Planning Board  solves a liability issue for the company, Colarusso said.

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If we can get our trucks out of the city, we have less potential of something terrible happening, he said.

Giant dump trucks ferrying gravel from Colarusso & Sons quarries to its docks currently drive through the center of Hudson, following the narrow state truck route, traveling through residential neighborhoods and a commercial district before roaring along the waterfront.

That was the motivation for this whole thing at the very, very beginning: to get our trucks out of the city so were not exposed to any kind of liabilities that could happen, Colarusso said. God forbid, a little kid chases a ball in front of a truck.

An Environmental Justice Issue

Along with Sam Pratt and Peter Jung, a third local activist from the St. Lawrence Cement battle is involved in the Colarusso & Son issue. But shes on the other side, backing the company's plans to reroute their trucks.

Linda Mussmann, supervisor of Hudsons 4th Ward, views the controversy as an environmental justice issue. The companys trucks run down Columbia Street in Hudson, which is inhabited by low-income and working-class residents, many of Bengali or African American heritage, as well as Bliss Towers, Hudsons public housing project.

Its about the poorest people in Hudson paying the biggest price, she said. There seems to be a deaf ear to people that live with it on a daily basis  its not a population thats going to rush in and write letters and hire lawyers and carry on  theyre a population that is working 2-3 jobs to get ahead in life and living with these trucks.

One hundred eighty-four trucks heading towards the Colarusso & Sons docks were observed at an intersection by the waterfront on an August day in 2020, according to a traffic analysis by Creighton Manning Engineering  about 10 percent of all traffic at the intersection.

Mussmann worried about diesel fumes, noise and the possibility of someone being hit by a truck as they drive through the pedestrian-heavy neighborhoods.

She also mentioned the effects the heavy trucks have on buildings  she said her own business on Columbia Street shook when they passed by  and blamed recent road collapses on the trucks, though Hudson Department of Public Works Commissioner Rob Perry said the collapses were the fault of sinkholes spawned by the 200-year-old sewer system running below Columbia Street, not the trucks.

Mussmann said the haul road had already gone through endless scrutiny in front of the Greenport Planning Board  an assertion contested by Peter Jung, who called the process insufficient  and was now forced to repeat the process through the Hudson Planning Board.

I think [the Hudson Planning Board] has made this issue as complicated as it could possibly be, she said.

Jung said there were other ways to get the trucks off the citys streets, pointing to $100,000 in state money secured by Assemblywoman Didi Barrett to study an alternate state truck route. Colarusso & Sons trucks, as mandated, follow the state truck route through much of the city before turning off to get to the docks.

For decades, truck traffic has been both a quality of life and a safety issue in the two-square mile City of Hudson, Barrett said in a statement. (With the study) I hoped that the data collected would help Hudson and the surrounding towns work together to formulate an alternative truck route to reduce the volume of tractor trailers traveling through the narrow streets of Hudson, and I understand that process is currently underway.

The Future of the Waterfront

The decision currently before the Hudson Planning Board is whether or not to give Colarusso & Sons entire operation a neg dec, as the Greenport Planning Board did with the haul road, or a pos dec, which would force the company to go through a lengthy review in order to continue operations.

The lengthy review could easily take an additional year, Colarusso said, adding that if the Hudson Planning Board declines to grant the company a permit to continue operations after the lengthy review, he plans to sue.

The company will also sue if the planning board gives the company a permit, but adds conditions that we feel are unnecessary, arbitrary or capricious, Colarusso said.

The planning board is nearing a decision. A special meeting will be scheduled later in August to further examine the issue.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP)  A fourth business executive faces criminal charges stemming from a federal investigation into a failed multibillion-dollar project to build two nuclear reactors in South Carolina, authorities announced Wednesday.

Jeffrey A. Benjamin was a former senior vice president for Westinghouse Electric Co., the lead contractor to build two new reactors at the V.C. Summer plant. South Carolina Electric & Gas Co. parent company SCANA Corp. and state-owned utility company Santee Cooper spent nearly $10 billion on the project before halting construction in 2017 following Westinghouses bankruptcy.

He now faces multiple felony counts of fraud, according to an indictment.

Benjamin, who supervised all nuclear projects for Westinghouse, received information throughout 2016 and 2017 that the two V.C. Summer reactors were behind schedule and over budget, prosecutors said.

But he repeatedly told SCANA and Santee Cooper that the project was on schedule, hiding the construction's true timeline from the utility companies, the indictment alleges.

He was fired from Westinghouse in March 2017, shortly before the company filed for bankruptcy.

The collapse of the V.C. Summer project spawned multiple lawsuits, some by ratepayers who said company executives knew the project was doomed and misled consumers and regulators as they petitioned for a series of rate hikes. The failure cost ratepayers and investors billions and left nearly 6,000 people jobless.

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Benjamin could face up to twenty years in prison and a $5,000,000 fine if convicted.

Three top-level executives have already pleaded guilty in the multi-year federal fraud investigation, and all are awaiting sentencing as they cooperate with investigators.

Former SCANA Corp. Executive Vice President Stephen Byrne agreed last summer to tell investigators everything he knows about the lies and deception SCANA and its subsidiary South Carolina Electric & Gas used to keep regulators approving rate increases and maintain support from investors.

Kevin Marsh, SCANAs former CEO, signed a plea deal on felony fraud charges in November.

And Carl Churchman, another Westinghouse official, pleaded guilty in June to lying to federal authorities.
The remnants of Tropical Storm Fred soaked the region throughout the morning, but meteorologists said the area was mostly spared from flooding.

The heaviest rain fell north of the Thruway with the Adirondack Mountains hit the hardest. Saratoga Springs was hard hit by a morning downpour that soaked city streets and the track at Saratoga Race Course.

But the flooding that was feared along streams and in low-lying urban areas around the Capital Region did not materialize.

The National Weather Service said the heaviest rain was mostly over for the area but rain will fall sporadically in the afternoon.

Things were different in outlying areas. Heavy rain had meteorologists with the National Weather Service warning that the Mohawk River might flood near the Delta Dam in Rome. Some flooding was expected in Litchfield County, Conn., too.

Earlier Thursday, the Weather Service issued tornado warnings for parts of Greene, Columbia, and Ulster counties and meteorologists said isolated tornadoes remain possible in the mid-Hudson Valley and the southern Berkshire Mountains in western Massachusetts and Litchfield County in western Connecticut.

There were no reports of tornado strikes.

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A flash flood watch is in effect for the Capital Region until 8 p.m. Thursday. The rain is expected to remain heavy through the morning before tapering. It should be over by nightfall though rain could resume early Friday morning.

Fred, which has been downgraded to a tropical depression, was moving over upstate as the sun rose Thursday morning. The storm is on a trajectory that will send it through New England.

Though more rain could hit early Friday, the day should be mostly dry before more rain moves in on Saturday and Sunday.
SARATOGA SPRINGS - Two brothers who allegedly punched in the head a 56-year-old retired corrections officer, who then fatally hit the pavement, are now facing first-degree manslaughter charges, city police said.

Jordan and James Garafalo, ages 38 and 27, both of Saratoga Springs, allegedly punched Mark French in the head on Saturday night as they were both leaving Clancy's Tavern on Caroline Street. According to French's friend, Kevin Gordon, French hit his head on the pavement and went into cardiac arrest. He was placed on life support at Albany Medical Center Hospital. French, who was a pancreatic cancer survivor, died on Sunday.

Police Lt. Robert Jillson said in a press statement that "based upon the change in circumstances, a medical examination of French and further investigation," the brothers now face the additional charge of manslaughter. First-degree manslaughter is when a suspect, with intent to cause serious physical injury to another person, causes the death of the person or of a third person.

George LaMarche, who is representing Jordan Garafalo, said his client pleaded not guilty to the charge at his arraignment on Thursday. He also said that this is not a manslaughter case.

"Look, Mr. French's death is tragic," LaMarche said. "But let's be clear, he was not murdered. ... There was never any intent by the Garafalo brothers to cause any serious physical injury and certainly no intent based on any of the evidence to cause death."

He said French had "a clear understanding on how to use force" and was involved in an attack on the Garafalo brothers as the two were pulled out of the bar.

"They were kicked, stomped, punched, beaten before this strike occurred," LaMarche said. "There is a lot more evidence to come out. We look forward to that. Again, it's tragic. No one deserves to lose their life and our hearts go out to his family and friends. But Mr. French wasn't an innocent bystander and considering it was a single punch, not multiple punches ... no weapons, no guns. A man fell down and lost his life."

James Garafalo is currently being defended by the county public defender, but is seeking a private attorney, LaMarche said.

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Initially, the Garafalos, who are connected with a paving business in Wilton, were charged with assault.

At the time of the incident, French, who was living in South Carolina, was visiting his son, who was also allegedly assaulted by the brothers. French was celebrating his winnings at the Saratoga Race Course with his son and friends.

Both men were arrested on Saturday and remain in Saratoga County jail.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP)  A Canadian judge reserved her decision Wednesday on whether a senior executive for Chinese communications giant Huawei Technologies should be extradited to the U.S. after a Canadian Justice Department lawyer wrapped up his case by saying theres enough evidence to show she was dishonest and deserves to stand trial in the U.S.

Associate Chief Justice Heather Holmes said that on Oct. 21 she will likely announce when she will rule on whether Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer for Huaweis Technologies and daughter of its founder, will be extradited.

Meng was arrested at Vancouvers airport in late 2018 at the request of U.S. authorities. Her arrest infuriated Beijing, which sees her case as a political move designed to prevent Chinas rise.

The U.S. wants Meng extradited to face fraud charges, alleging she committed fraud by misleading the HSBC bank about the companys business dealings in Iran. It accuses Huawei of using a Hong Kong shell company called Skycom to sell equipment to Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions.

Defense lawyers have argued there isnt enough evidence to justify her extradition.

But in his final submissions, Justice Department lawyer Robert Frater disputed defense claims there is no evidence Meng made any misrepresentations that put the bank at risk of violating sanctions.

We say there is a strong case here Ms. Meng was dishonest, Frater said. We met our burden."

By not disclosing Huaweis true relationship with Skycom, Meng put HSBC at risk of violating U.S. sanctions against Iran, he said.

HSBC was deprived of a fair opportunity to take the action it needed to take, Frater told the judge.

He said Meng was honest in parts of her meeting with an HSBC executive, but she didnt tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

Frater said the defense is trying to blame the victim in saying it was the banks decision to transfer money from Skycom through the U.S.

Chinas government has criticized the arrest as part of U.S. efforts to hamper its technology development. Huawei, a maker of network equipment and smartphones, is Chinas first global tech brand and is at the center of U.S.-Chinese tension over technology and the security of information systems.

Meng, who attended the hearing wearing an electronic monitoring device on her ankle, followed the proceedings through a translator.

Whatever the judge's decision, it will likely be appealed.

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The case has soured relations between Canada and China.

Entrepreneur Michael Spavor and a former Canadian diplomat were detained in what critics labeled hostage politics after Huaweis Meng Wanzhou was arrested Dec. 1, 2018, at the Vancouver airport. They were were arrested in China in apparent retaliation for Mengs arrest.

A Chinese court this month sentenced Spavor to 11 years in prison for spying.

In another case, the Higher Peoples Court of Liaoning province in northeast China rejected an appeal by Canadian Robert Schellenberg, whose 15-year prison term on drug smuggling charges was increased to death in January 2019 following Mengs arrest.

Meng remains free on bail in Vancouver and is living in a mansion.

Beijing denies there is a connection between Mengs case and the arrests of Spavor and Kovrig, but Chinese officials and state media frequently mention the two men in relation to whether or not Meng is allowed to return to China.

Canada and other countries, including Australia and the Philippines, face trade boycotts and other Chinese pressure in disputes with Beijing over human rights, the coronavirus and control of the South China Sea. The United States has warned American travelers face a heightened risk of arbitrary detention in China for reasons other than to enforce laws.

China has tried to pressure Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus government by imposing restrictions on imports of canola seed oil and other products from Canada.

Meanwhile, Beijing is blocking imports of Australian wheat, wine and other products after its government called for an investigation into the origin of the coronavirus pandemic.
BEIRUT (AP)  The leader of Lebanon's militant Hezbollah group said Thursday that an Iranian fuel tanker will sail toward Lebanon within hours, warning Israel and the United States not to intercept it.

The delivery, organized by the Iran-backed Hezbollah, would violate U.S. sanctions imposed on Tehran after former President Donald Trump pulled America out of a nuclear deal between Iran and world powers three years ago.

Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said in a televised speech that the tanker, carrying diesel fuel, will be followed by others to help ease Lebanons crippling fuel shortage that has paralyzed the country for weeks.

Lebanon is going through an unprecedented economic meltdown, including a severe fuel crisis.

Hours after Nasrallah's comments, Lebanese President Michel Aoun's office announced that U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea told him the United States would help Lebanon get electricity from Jordan and facilitate the flow of Egyptian gas through Jordan and Syria to northern Lebanon.

Shea told Aoun that negotiations are ongoing with the World Bank to pay for Egyptian gas and to fix cables and pipelines that will be used, according to the statement.

There was no immediate comment from the U.S. State Department or the American Embassy in Beirut. Shea, the U.S. ambassador, spoke about the crisis in Lebanon with the English service of the Saudi-owned Al Arabiya TV on Thursday.

In his speech, Nasrallah did not say how Lebanon would pay for the fuel. Earlier, he had said Tehran could be paid in Lebanese pounds. The currency has lost more than 90% of its value since the country's economic crisis began in October 2019.

I would like to say that at the moment the tanker sails out ... it will be considered in Lebanese territory, Nasrallah said and blamed the West for what he called an undeclared siege of Lebanon that triggered the current crisis.

Hezbollah and its allies accuse the U.S. and some Gulf Arab nations of punishing Lebanon because of Hezbollah's military activities in other countries, including Syria and Iraq.

Neighboring Syria has blamed Israel for mysterious attacks that have targeted oil tankers heading from Iran to Syria this past year.

For weeks, Lebanese have been waiting in long lines at petrol stations to fill their tanks. Diesel shortages amid severe power cuts have shut down thousands of private generators, leading to lengthy blackouts and even shortages of bread. Some hospitals have warned that patients could die because of shortages of diesel fuel that powers their generators.

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The shortages are blamed on smuggling, hoarding and the cash-strapped Lebanese governments inability to secure deliveries of imported fuel.

Lebanon has for decades suffered electricity cuts, partly because of widespread corruption and mismanagement. The Mediterranean nation of 6 million  including 1 million Syrian refugees  is near bankruptcy.

The situation deteriorated dramatically last week after the central bank decided to end subsidies for fuel products. The decision will likely lead to a hike in the prices of almost all commodities in Lebanon.

Nasrallah said his group does not aim to defy anyone, by arranging the fuel shipment from Iran, but added that we cannot stand idle amid the humiliation of our people whether in front of bakeries, hospitals, gas stations and darkness at night.

Hezbollahs opponents are likely to be angered by Nasrallah's remarks as importing Iranian oil may lead to U.S. sanctions on Lebanon.

Former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, a harsh critic of Hezbollah, warned in tweets that an Iranian fuel shipment could plunge Lebanon into more conflict.

On Thursday, Coral, one of the largest fuel companies in Lebanon, said it was running out of gasoline. A tanker that's bringing in supplies has been stuck off the Lebanese coast for eight days because of paperwork, it said. The company warned it won't be able to resupply gas stations for the first time since it was founded.

Im trying to find solutions for the Lebanese people, Shea, the U.S. ambassador, told Al Arabiya English. Weve been talking to the governments of Egypt, Jordan, the government here (Lebanon), the World Bank. Were trying to get real, sustainable solutions for Lebanons fuel and energy needs.
The federal government deliberately targeted Black Lives Matter protesters via heavy-handed criminal prosecutions in an attempt to disrupt and discourage the global movement that swept the nation last summer in the wake of the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd, according to a new report released Wednesday by The Movement for Black Lives.

Movement leaders and experts said the prosecution of protesters over the past year continues a century-long practice by the federal government, rooted in structural racism, to suppress Black social movements via the use of surveillance tactics and other mechanisms.

The empirical data and findings in this report largely corroborate what Black organizers have long known intellectually, intuitively, and from lived experience about the federal governments disparate policing and prosecution of racial justice protests and related activity, the report stated.

The report, which was first shared with The Associated Press, argues that as the uprisings in the summer of 2020 increased, so did police presence, the deployment of federal agents and prosecution of protesters.

Titled Struggle For Power: The Ongoing Persecution of Black Movement By The U.S. Government," the report details how policing has been used historically as a major tool to deter Black people from engaging in their right to protest and weaken efforts to draw attention to issues impacting Black Americans. It also drew a comparison to how the government used Counterintelligence Program techniques to disrupt the work of the Black Panther Party and other organizations fighting for Black liberation.

We want to really show how the U.S. government has continued to persecute the Black movement by surveillance, by criminalizing protests, and by using the criminal legal system to prevent people from protesting and punishing them for being engaged in protests by attempting to curtail their First Amendment rights, said Amara Enyia, The Movement for Black Lives' policy research coordinator.

It is undeniable that racism plays a role," Enyia said. It is structurally built into the fabric of this country and its institutions, which is why its been so difficult to eradicate. Its based on institutions that were designed around racism and around the devaluing of Black people and the devaluing of Black lives.

In the report, published in partnership with the Creating Law Enforcement Accountability & Responsibility clinic at City University of New York School of Law, The Movement for Black Lives is calling for amnesty for all protesters involved in the nationwide protests.

The group, also known as M4BL, is demanding reparations from the government that includes an acknowledgment and an apology for the long history of targeting movements in support of Black life and Black liberation. It also is pushing for passage of the BREATHE Act, proposed federal legislation that would radically transform the nations criminal justice system, and ending the use of Joint Terrorism Task Forces in local communities.

The report also points to the stark difference in how the government handled the COVID-19 protests against local government shutdowns and mask mandates amid the pandemic during the same period. It analyzes 326 criminal cases initiated by U.S. federal prosecutors over alleged conduct related to protests in the wake of Floyd's murder and the police killings of other Black Americans, from May 31, 2020, to Oct. 25, 2020.

A key finding of the report was that the push to use federal charges against protesters came from top-down directives from former President Donald Trump and former Attorney General William Barr. M4BL and the Creating Law Enforcement Accountability & Responsibility clinic, also known as CLEAR, found that in 92.6% of the cases, there were equivalent state level charges that could have been brought against defendants.

Among those cases where comparable state level charges could have been brought, 88% of the federal criminal charges carried more severe potential sentences than the equivalent state criminal charges for the same or similar conduct.

We saw U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr overnight go from expressing some level of sympathy for racial justice protesters to labeling them as radical and violent agitators with absolutely no basis for that sort of characterization, said Ramzi Kassem, founding director of CLEAR and a law professor at the City University of New York, adding that Barr and Trump used the arrests and prosecutions to justify the hostile rhetoric aimed at protesters. All of this was very transparently aimed at disrupting a Black-led movement for social justice that was happening both spontaneously and in an organized fashion nationwide.

Race data was only available for 27%, or 89 of the defendants. And of that number, 52% were identified as Black. Of the Black defendants, 91% were identified as male.

The known proportion of Black defendants compared to the proportion of Black people in the United States, per the latest census data, indicates that Black defendants were dramatically overrepresented, the report stated.

Seventy-two cases, or 22.1%, involved charges with mandatory minimum sentences. And 67 cases, or 20.6%, involved offenses where defendants are alleged to have attempted, conspired, or aided and abetted an underlying crime without having actually committed the underlying criminal conduct.

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Portland, Oregon, led in the number of charges brought for protest-related activity, making up 29% of federal charges. Chicago, Las Vegas, Washington, D.C., and Minneapolis followed.

Richard Wallace, founder of Equity and Transformation in Chicago, said over the past summer he witnessed overly aggressive policing by law enforcement officers who levied accusations of rioting and looting at protesters who were peacefully protesting. Wallace said he is deeply concerned for those who have been charged.

Coming from Chicago, where (Black Panther Party leader) Fred Hampton was killed and where, Martin Luther King came and said this is one of the most segregated cities he ever saw, we have a very keen historic lens as it relates to state violence, and Black movement, said Wallace, whose organization, also known as EAT, was founded by and for formerly incarcerated and marginalized Black people and focuses on individuals who operate within the informal economy.

What we saw in Illinois and across the country was this reverberation of Black power. And so, at all costs, the state is about dismantling that right, dismantling that in every possible way," he said.

The report also raises concerns about the involvement of Joint Terrorism Task Forces and found 20 cases that explicitly referenced task force involvement. The government greatly exaggerated the threat of violence from protesters, the report says.

Makia Green, a liberation organizer and co-conductor of the Washington D.C.-based group Harriets Wildest Dreams, fully supports the report's findings and calls for action. Green believes President Joe Biden needs to fulfill his campaign pledges of supporting Black Americans and addressing the root causes of white supremacy, by pushing for amnesty for protesters. Green said Congress also needs to support legislation to overhaul the criminal justice system.

Regardless of how we are often painted, activists are people who have the audacity to believe that we can live in a better world, where people are safe, where people are not afraid of being murdered by the police, Green said. There are attempts to stifle our movement but it is truly a reflection to our supporters, to our allies, and to the folks who showed up in the streets last year, of how beautiful and powerful this movement is.

___

Stafford reported from Detroit. She is a national investigative writer with The Associated Press Race and Ethnicity team. Follow her on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/Kat__Stafford.
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP)  Lieutenant Gov. Kathy Hochul said Wednesday the state has the authority to mandate masks at schools.

Hochul, a Democrat, is set to take office as New Yorks first female governor on Aug. 24, when Gov. Andrew Cuomo will resign in the wake of an independent investigation that found he sexually harassed at least 11 women.

Her assertion about masks in schools is in contrast to guidance from Cuomo, who earlier this month said he lacks the legal authority to impose mask mandates on his own.

In a matter of days, Ill be able to say we will have mask mandates, Hochul said in Queens Wednesday. I just dont have that authority at this time, when Im not going to overstep.

Hochul said that nearly all school leaders and superintendents she's spoken with support a mask mandate in schools. And she said the state could end up lifting a statewide school mask mandate in parts of the state with lower positivity rates.

Mask mandates are something that the Department of Health has the authority to call for, Hochul said, later adding: I believe that well need mask mandates for children to go back to schools and thatll have to be universal, itll be statewide.

Lawmakers this year let Cuomo's emergency COVID-19 powers expire in light of investigations into allegations that the governor has abused his executive power, including by sexually harassing women.

This summer, Cuomo's administration decided not to release long-promised back-to-school COVID-19 guidance  which school leaders had expected to include recommendations about mask-wearing.

Many school leaders have argued that the state Department of Health still has the power to protect public health by requiring masks in schools. Supporters of a mask mandate have pointed out that all children under 12 aren't yet eligible for vaccination, and that wearing a mask can help protect students, staff and families at a time of heightened COVID-19 transmission.

But Cuomo earlier this month argued that any mask mandate would be up to lawmakers.

Cuomo's office didn't immediately respond to request for comment Wednesday.

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The seven-day average of COVID-19 infections per-capita is roughly seven times higher now in New York than this time in 2020.

The state says about 115 people with confirmed COVID-19 have died in hospitals and nursing homes in the seven days through Tuesday. That's more than double the state's tally of 47 deaths for that period in 2020.

Hospitalizations are up to 1,888 confirmed COVID-19 patients as of Tuesday, up 38% from the previous Tuesday. New York last saw more than 1,800 patients on May 12.

The number of new infections began surging in July, but there are signs it's slowing: about 30,000 people have newly tested positive for COVID-19 in the seven days through Tuesday, an increase of 15% from the previous week.
ALBANY  A coalition of labor unions and power companies is pushing for more options, including hydrogen and dispatchable power, in the states push toward a carbon-free electric grid by 2040.

Contending that goal will be hard to reach under the current guidelines, they say subsidies for clean energy need to go beyond wind and solar and include technologies like hydrogen or cleaner forms of gas and even nuclear.

They contend that is what is needed to reach the goal of a totally green energy system in the next 19 years  a goal set forth in the state's 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.

You need something thats available 24/7, said Gavin Donohue, president and CEO of the Independent Power Producers of NY, a group representing power plant operators. Solar and wind, he explained, produce little or no power at certain times, such as calm or cloudy days or at night.

The IPPNY and a coalition of labor unions, including the AFL-CIO and construction trade unions, on Thursday filed a petition with the state Public Service Commission seeking the expansion.

One way this could be accomplished would be through a new tier or subsidy category for hydrogen or dispatchable power.

Much of their argument centers on what they say is the PSCs role in defining zero emission power production.

Notably, the CLCPA does not define zero emission sources, leaving it to the Commission to establish this critical aspect, reads part of their petition.

The Commissions silence on these matters creates uncertainty in the electricity market and investment community, thereby potentially delaying, unnecessarily, the development of resources that are both zero emitting and capable of meeting electric system needs,

The petition also calls for robust union protection rules, an apprenticeship program and a Buy American policy for new power equipment.

It builds on concerns by the power industry and others that increasing solar and wind power may not be enough to go totally carbon-free by 2040.

On Thursday, for instance, the states Independent System Operator, which oversees and helps run the states power grid, showed that 98 percent of the electricity being produced as of midday came from traditional sources such as natural gas, nuclear or hydropower. Of the total, 64 percent came from fossil fuels such as natural gas. Included in the 98 percent were hydro and nuclear power, both which are considered emissions-free.

The bottom line was that, according to real-time tracking of the grid, solar and wind on Thursday were generating barely 2 percent of the states power.

To be sure, solar and wind are still relatively new on the scene and more of these projects are going up each month. And solar/wind supporters say advances in battery technology mean that power from these sources will be stored for cloudy and windless days.

Still, the filing with the PSC represents a new step by two potent political forces  organized labor and power companies, many of which are owned by deep-pocketed investment firms  to ensure a greater say in the push toward a carbon-free future.

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Members of the Public Service Commission are appointed for fixed terms, but the petition could also be seen as a test for incoming Gov. Kathy Hochul.



Current Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who leaves office amid a series of scandals next week, was widely believed to have much influence over the PSC since he appointed the members and could reappoint them to their terms when they are up. How much Hochul may use her influence in that sphere is not known yet.

There are potential controversies here. The IPPNY and unions note that the New York Power Authority, a quasi-public power generator, is already developing a pilot hydrogen power program on Long Island.

But some environmentalists oppose hydrogen on a number of fronts. The process of extracting hydrogen from water uses a lot of energy. So even if the hydrogen combustion produces water as its only emission, the process of making the fuel isnt carbon-free.

There is also wariness of another hydrogen technique in which the fuel is extracted from methane  which comes from natural gas.

Additionally, using dispatchable power could mean relying on natural gas plants that are dispatched, or turned on, only during periods of power shortages such as hot days when air conditioners use up a lot of electricity. The state already contains peaker plants or older oil or gas plants that fill a similar role.

Some solar technology is also using molten salt batteries to store electricity that can be dispatched when needed.

The Public Service Commission said it will consider the petition.

Given that we are very much interested in looking at new, creative solutions to create a clean-energy economy, we will carefully review the petition and see how it fits into the broader goals of the CLCPA, the PSC said in a prepared statement.

rkarlin@timesunion.com  518-454-5758  @RickKarlinTU


Federal prosecutors want former NXIVM president and co-founder Nancy Salzman to potentially serve more than three years in prison for targeting those who broke NXIVM orthodoxy or criticized the organization as Keith Raniere's fiercely loyal second-in-command.

A prosecution memo filed late Wednesday in Brooklyn federal court detailed the 67-year-old Halfmoon womans unyielding devotion to Ranieres teachings, including Salzman's untroubled parroting of Raniere's claims that some little children are perfectly happy having sex with adults and that women experience "freedom" during rape.

"Many of the NXIVM teachings promulgated by Nancy Salzman disparaged or humiliated women and blamed victims of abuse," stated the memo written by Assistant U.S Attorney Tanya Hajjar.

The prosecutor asked Senior U.S. District Judge Nicholas Garaufis to sentence Salzman on the high end of federal sentencing guidelines that, at the time of her plea, recommended a range of imprisonment between 33 and 41 months. Salzman, known as Prefect in the cult-like organization she founded with Raniere in 1998, pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy in March 2019. She will be sentenced on Sept. 8 in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn.

Ranieres teachings, which Nancy Salzman helped to create and promote, were designed to maintain power and control over NXIVM members, Hajjar stated. The defendant instructed NXIVM members that anyone who challenged Raniere or NXIVM, including family members and friends, were suppressives and must be avoided.

Hajjar said Salzman altered tapes that were to be used as evidence in a civil suit in New Jersey after NXIVM sued cult expert Rick Ross and others and, in turn, faced counterclaims. Salzman removed portions of the tapes where she made unsubstantiated health claims, such as that NXIVM programs could cure poor eyesight. NXIVM's lawyers presented the doctored tapes as unedited evidence, the memo said.

Hajjar included a preview of victim statements Salzman is likely to hear at sentencing. The prosecutor said they reflected Salzman's treatment of NXIVM members who made "ethical breaches" for a supposed lack of work ethic, failure to lose weight, exhibition of "pride," "playing the victim" or causing negative publicity for NXIVM or Raniere.

One victim told the judge of participation in a purported "cure" for Tourette's syndrome, stating the time with Salzman during the study "made me painfully aware of why there are ethics boards and protocols in the field of clinical psychology. ... Sessions with [the defendant] broke me, and they broke me fast.

Another victim, who at 15 was sexually victimized by Raniere, said Salzman promoted Ranieres poisonous and predatory falsehoods to an unsuspecting audience. She said it included the notion that girls were ready for sex as soon as they could physically conceive and that women enjoy the "out-of-control experience that comes from being raped." The victim said Salzman used "all the same twisted ideas (Raniere) used to groom me and abuse me.

Prosecutors at Raniere's trial showed jurors a tape recording of the "Vanguard" telling disciples that the age of consent (17 in New York) is as young as 12 in places. "Often when you counsel people who were, say, children of what you call abuse ... some little children are perfectly happy with it until they find out what happened later in life and then it's more society that abuses them" Raniere said.

Salzman repeated those words during a meeting of Jness, a woman's group in NXIVM, in the Apropos restaurant on Route 9 in Halfmoon.

Salzman has since renounced Raniere, her onetime lover and guru , who was convicted at trial in 2019 of sex trafficking, forced labor conspiracy and racketeering charges. He is serving a 120-year sentence in an Arizona prison.

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Salzman wrote a letter to Garaufis, prior to his recent sentencing of her daughter, Lauren Salzman, blasting Raniere as a sexual predator and "likely a psychopath." Lauren Salzman, 45, a former high-ranking NXIVM member who became the government's star witness against Raniere, pleaded guilty to racketeering and racketeering conspiracy. She received five years probation at her July 28 sentencing.

Nancy Salzman took a degree of credit for her daughter's cooperation, telling the judge. "When I made the decision to plead guilty and seek to cooperate, I suggested that Lauren do the same."

The prosecution's memo made no mention of the elder Salzman's cooperation. It did, however, recall that over two decades, Salzman exalted Ranieres teachings and ideology and demanded absolute commitment and deference to Raniere."

In her guilty plea, Salzman admitted she conspired to commit identity theft by trying to obtain names and passwords of email accounts of perceived "enemies" of NXIVM, whose names were in files kept in her basement. She admitted she conspired to alter records in an official proceeding, a reference to the doctored tapes.

Salzman's sentencing will be the fifth of the six co-defendants charged in 2018. In addition to Raniere and Lauren Salzman, actress Allison Mack received three years in prison for racketeering and racketeering conspiracy; Seagrams heiress Clare Bronfman is serving nearly seven years in prison for conspiring to conceal and harbor undocumented immigrants for financial gain, and fraudulent use of identification; and NXIVM bookkeeper Kathy Russell awaits sentencing for visa fraud.
SARATOGA SPRINGS  To say that steeplechase jockey Thomas Garner wanted this one would be a gross understatement.

He had been waiting for Wednesday for the past three weeks. He had to win the Grade I, $150,000 Jonathan Sheppard (formerly known as the New York Turf Writers Cup).

Mission accomplished. The Mean Queen and Garner got to the winner's circle 21 days after an incident in another jump race left Garner without a sure win and with a double dose of embarrassment.

The Mean Queen, the 4-5 favorite, won the 2 3/8-mile Jonathan Sheppard over nine fences by 4 3/4 lengths.

On July 21, Garner and The Mean Queen were on their way to certain victory in the Jonathan Kiser Novice Stakes when the 5-year-old mare ducked in and unseated Garner. That day, Garner could not get off the track fast enough.

"I walked to the weighing station, got in the car and went straight home," Garner said. "I didn't want to speak to anyone. For that to happen, especially at a place like this, which I love, it was actually heartbreaking. There was no one more gutted or upset about that than me. I'm just glad I made it better (Wednesday)."

The Mean Queen was also part of a good story for trainer Keri Brion. She also trained the second-place finisher Baltimore Bucko and French Light, who finished third. Brion worked 11 years for trainer Jonathan Sheppard, for whom the race was renamed this year. Sheppard, who won this race 15 times, retired earlier this year.

"I remember when they said that this race was going to be named after him," Brion said. "I was thinking, I hope I have just one (entrant). I hope I can win this 15 times."

The Mean Queen was timed in 4:40.14 over the yielding turf course and paid $3.60, $2.90 and $2.60.

Baltimore Bucko, the 9-2 second choice, and rider Richard Condon finished a nose in front of French Light and Jamie Bargary.

The Mean Queen has now won five of seven career starts over the hurdles.

No word on Maxfield's next race

Trainer Brendan Walsh said he has no definite plan yet for Maxfield, who finished second to Knicks Go in the Whitney Stakes on Aug. 7.

"We will decide over the next few weeks," Walsh said by cellphone from Kentucky.

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The goal for Maxfield, whose Whitney loss was just his second in nine career starts, is the Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar in California on Nov. 6. How he gets there is what Walsh has to figure out.

He said the 4-year-old son of Street Sense would "probably" have one more race before the Classic. He said Maxfield would not run in the Jockey Club Gold Cup here on Labor Day weekend.

Walsh said he will return to Saratoga on Friday. He said Maxfield came out of the Whitney in good shape

"I thought it was a good effort," he said. "He got beat by a very good horse. When Knicks Go gets out on the lead like that, especially when he gets out on the lead like that, he is a very, very, very hard horse to beat. We got beat by, arguably, the best horse in the country."

The Bolton Landing

Chi Town Lady (5-1) recovered from a stumble at the start and went on to win the $120,000 Bolton Landing for 2-year-old fillies at 5 1/2 furlongs on the Mellon turf.

Ridden by John Velazquez and trained by Wesley Ward, Chi Town Lady has won both her career starts. She won the Bolton Landing by 1 3/4 lengths. She ran the distance in 1:05.87 on the yielding course and paid $12.80, $7.50 and $5.60. Stablemate Poppy Flower, ridden by Jose Ortiz, finished second and Kneesnhips and Eric Cancel finished third.
ALBANY  In the days since the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban, state elected officials, across the political aisle, have called for support to increase the number of visas for Afghans who helped America in its war over the last 20 years.

Advocates, though, noted that beyond state officials lobbying federal officials, there is little they can do to help bring people to New York. Instead, they said the issue for states is funding assistance for the refugees if and when they do arrive. Over the last four years, about 5,000 refugees have come to New York, according to data from the state's Bureau of Population. The issue is particularly acute around housing.

"A huge gap still ... for refugees is around housing," said Jill Peckenpaugh, director of the Albany field office for the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants. Rental relief, she said, has not typically adjusted with the rise in costs and in many cases has stayed stagnant for years, leaving refugees, as they enter the job market, in a tough spot.

The state budgeted $3 million for additional refugee services this year, particularly in Western New York, where most refugees have been located in recent years. It's unclear if the additional dollars, in anticipation of an influx of refugees from Afghanistan, will be enough to meet the needs of the nonprofits, especially if the federal government approves additional visas.

"We don't want to leave people stranded with no language skills," state Sen. Sean M. Ryan said. The Buffalo Democrat, who fought for the $3 million in this year's budget, said he supports "increased money for refugee resettlement, because it's a fantastic humanitarian thing for New York state to do and it's of vital economic importance to upstate cities."

The state also funds a baseline of longstanding refugee programs through the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance; last year it spent $10 million on its programs, much of which came from federal funds, which is less than half of the money it had five years, prior to the Trump administration. This year, less than $345,000 has been spent, according to contracts filed with the state comptroller's office, and last year it spent $4.1 million.

Refugee assistance advocates often see programs funded by the federal government, intended to provide immediate assistance, to last for a matter of weeks. States sometimes provide additional funding to help sustain and stabilize refugees with programs that are intended to give them tools to avoid dire poverty in America.

The support for additional state funds to help prop up the refugees that people across the political aisle are calling for to come here is a less straightforward question.

Democrats welcome additional funding for the programs, but are not necessarily calling for any immediate action to ensure those stop-gaps are met, if they are in fact needed with additional visas granted for potential refugees from Afghanistan.

Republicans are not necessarily closing the door on additional funding either, which would counter previous stances when its members have typically voted against additional refugee resettlement funds.

"My focus is on encouraging elected leaders at the state and federal levels to work together to protect those who put their lives on the line to assist U.S. military personnel during our 20 years in Afghanistan  including the interpreter for my unit in Afghanistan and his family," Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt said in a statement to the Times Union.

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Earlier in the week, Ortt, who joined the New York National Guard after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, released a statement calling for additional Special Immigrant Visas. In 2008, Ortt served as a combat mentor and advisor to the Afghan National Police in Kandahar City.

"When Taliban forces took the city just a few days ago, my first thought was of the men and women I served with and those Afghans we so proudly worked with to help protect and build a safer, more stable and more peaceful Afghanistan." Ortt said in the statement. "I worried for their lives and the well-being of their families and contemplated the risk they took to help support our mission."

Ortt did not specify whether he would support additional funding for refugee resettlement programs, something advocates say would be one of the best ways state can show their support, but he also did not say would oppose it.

"This moment in time is not about partisan politics," Katy Delgado, spokeswoman for the minority office, said in a statement. "It's about taking care of those who have supported the United States military and ensuring their safety."
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Officials at an Arkansas high school physically tore out pages from the schools published yearbook claiming community backlash, an action the Student Press Law Center condemned as censorship
From left to right: Titusville City Council Member Bill McCrillis, Goodwill Northeast Ohio and Northwest Pennsylvania CEO Phillip Johnston, Mayor Jon Crouch, City Manager Neil Fratus and Council Member Sara Jones attend the Goodwill store ribbon cutting.
A bankruptcy judge has approved a proposal by the Boy Scouts of America to set up an $850 million fund to compensate tens of thousands of men who say they were sexually abused as youngsters by scout leaders
A man who claimed to have a bomb in a pickup truck near the U.S. Capitol has surrendered to law enforcement after an hourslong standoff that prompted a massive police response and the evacuations of government buildings and businesses in the area
The head of the South Dakota National Guard says Gov. Kristi Noem didnt tell him she would use a private donation for the deployment to the U.S. border with Mexico until after the mission was already planned
Remote Apple Call Center Workers Complain About Plans for AI Video and Audio Monitoring

Apple (News - Alert) call center workers have complained that the company plans to install cameras and other technology to monitor them when working from home. Reports from a variety of sources reveal the company has issued new contracts allowing it to monitor employees using AI-powered cameras, voice analytics and storage of data about workers' family members.

Employees of call center company Teleperformance (News - Alert) in Colombia, one of the main call center companies used by Apple, reported on the new system. The contracts reportedly ask workers to consent to video cameras being installed in their homes or on computers. The cameras are meant to be angled toward the workspace, so workers may be recorded and monitored in real time.

The contracts also have a provision for workers to consent to the use of AI video analysis tools that are capable of identifying "restricted" objects within the workspace, including cell phones.

"The contract allows constant monitoring of what we are doing, but also our family," a Bogota-based worker told NBC News. "I think it's really bad. We don't work in an office. I work in my bedroom. I don't want to have a camera in my bedroom."

The contracts also reportedly ask workers to share data and images relating to any children in the household under the age of 18 who may be picked up by the video and audio monitoring tools. They also have provisions for giving biometric data like fingerprints and taking polygraph tests.

Teleperformance workers have allegedly been told they will be moved off the Apple account if they refuse to sign the new contract. The call center company's software already reportedly scans for video breaches of work rules and sends information to managers. Workers are flagged as idle if they fail to use their mouse and keyboard for a certain amount of time, and must also enter a "break mode" in the software to leave their desks.

Albanian employees of Teleperformance, many of whom work on Apple's UK account, have complained to the Albanian Data Protection Commissioner about similar proposals to introduce video monitoring in their homes. The country has barred the call center company from using cameras to monitor staff working from home as a result.

Apple "prohibits the use of video or photographic monitoring by our suppliers and have confirmed Teleperformance does not use video monitoring for any of their teams working with Apple," said Nick Leahy, a spokesperson for Apple. The company also said it had audited Teleperformance in Colombia this year and did not find any "core violations of our strict standards. We investigate all claims and will continue to ensure everyone across our supply chain is treated with dignity and respect."

Edited by Luke Bellos
[August 19, 2021] Academy of a Private Investor Andrey Khorvatov Launches Program to Boost Financial Literacy in Russia

MOSCOW, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Financial literacy rates differ enormously between the major advanced and emerging economies in the world. According to a recent World Bank Report, on average, 55 percent of adults in the major advanced economiesCanada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United Statesare financially literate. In contrast, the major emerging economiesthe so-called BRICS (Brazil, the Russian Federation, India, China, and South Africa)on average, 28 percent of adults are financially literate. Financial literacy was based on correctly answering 3-out-of-4 finance-related questions. "Our educational systems are outdated and not built to keep up with the fast-paced world of finances and banking not to mention cryptocurrences. As a financial mentor, I see the importance of helping people understand the basics and benefits of investing as well as the potential of emerging technologies such as blockchain and cryptos," said financial and investment expert and visionary, Andrey Khovratov.



Khovratov, an internationally recognized investor and mentor, has launched an ambitious project to raise the level of financial literacy in the existing BRICS countries. Starting in his homeland of Russia, he's working with the Interagency Coordination Commission to implement its Strategy for the Improvement of Financial Literacy in the Russian Federation in 20212023. This first step was taken to focus on improving the financial understanding and wellbeing of Russian individuals and families. "Financial freedom is not magic or rocket science. It is a fundamental human right. The problem is that people don't have the tools. They lack information, how to reach it. That's the real problem that we need to fix. For the 1.7 billion people who are unbanked globally and those lacking financial literacy, cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology could be a direct path to financial freedom," said Khovratov.

As a dedicated mentor and successful investor, Khovratov says that sharing his knowledge about finances is a very fulfilling activity. He is committed to helping as many individuals and families as he can to achieve financial freedom by giving them the right tools, training, and mentorship to ensure their success. The first meeting of the Academy of a Private Investor course was recorded on the Zoom platform in 12 different languages. The topics covered include the basics of investing, finance, blockchain technology and history, types of tokens and incomes, and more. For more information about attending this training, click HERE. Editor's notes Academy of a Private Investor is the most effective training system for preparing private investors. The company's goal is to give members full understanding of the science of investing. The sooner you learn everything related to this term, the faster you will obtain absolute freedom. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1598152/Andrey_Khovratov.jpg

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[August 19, 2021] Cloopen Group Holding Limited (NYSE: RAAS) Announces Financial Results for Second Quarter 2021

BEIJING, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The thriving stay-at-home economy that emerged in 2020 unleashed the potential of the cloud-based communications market. Rising alongside the ongoing improvement of the communications infrastructure, the market is entering a golden age. The cloud-based communications market in China will continue to grow rapidly in the coming years and is expected to exceed RMB100 billion by 2024, according to a report from China Investment Corporation (CIC). With the sector's anticipated growth, industry players are fulfilling expectations by continually delivering notable performances. Recently, Cloopen Group Holding Limited (NYSE: RAAS) ("Cloopen" or the "Company") announced its financial results for the second quarter of 2021. According to the report, the Company's revenues for the second quarter were RMB274 million, representing a 47.9% increase year-over-year or a 33.9% increase quarter-over-quarter. Its core CC (Cloud-based Contact Center) solutions business performed especially well, achieving revenues of RMB108 million, an increase of 105.1% year-over-year. In terms of profitability, the Company's gross margin increased to 43.1%. Adjusted EBITDA loss was RMB29.966 million, while adjusted EBITDA loss margin (as a percentage of revenue) decreased markedly to 10.9%, a nearly 6% decrease year-over-year and an 18% decrease quarter-over-quarter.









Three-month Period Ended, June 30, June 30, June 30, 2020 2021 2021 RMB RMB USD (in thousands, except for per share data) Revenues

185,255



273,905



42,422

Cost of revenues

(113,856)



(155,805)



(24,131)

Gross profit

71,399



118,100



18,291





















Operating expenses:

















Research and development expenses

(36,644)



(61,970)



(9,598)

Sales and marketing expenses

(46,643)



(72,842)



(11,282)

General and administrative expenses

(46,240)



(79,664)



(12,338)

Total operating expenses

(129,527)



(214,476)



(33,218)

Operating loss

(58,128)



(96,376)



(14,927)





















Other income (expense):

















Interest expenses

(4,141)



(119)



(18)

Interest income

479



1,265



196

Loss from disposal of subsidiaries, net

(335)



(4)



(1)

Share of income (loss) of equity method investments

(1,021)



8



1

Change in fair value of warrant liabilities

722









Impairment loss of long-term investments





(15,667)



(2,427)

Foreign currency exchange gains (losses), net

(270)



4,028



624

Loss before income taxes

(62,694)



(106,865)



(16,552)

Income tax benefit

529



1,232



191

Net loss

(62,165)



(105,633)



(16,361)



Cloopen optimized revenue structure by increasing proportion of businesses with higher gross margins Cloopen, began to provide cloud-based communications solutions in 2014, went public in the US in February of this year, becoming the first Chinese SaaS company to do so. After over a decade of development, the Company's businesses now include communications platform as a service (CPaaS),Cloud-based Contact center (CC) and Cloud-based Unified Communications and Collaboration(UC&C). In terms of revenue composition, CPaaS revenue reached RMB115 million in the second quarter,maintaining organic growth rate of 13% year-over-year. The high-margin CC and UC businesses contributed more than 50% of total revenue for the first time, and CC solutions contributed significantly to revenue growth. In recent years, the CC solutions market has maintained rapid growth, attracting the attention of the industry's powerful players. Against the backdrop of a thriving market, Cloopen delivered positive news regarding its CC solutions business. During the reporting period, the Company's CC business achieved revenues of RMB108 million, an increase of over 100% year-over-year. Two factors account for the exceptional performance of the CC business. First, Cloopen's acquisition of CRM software provider EliteCRM in March of this year and its integration enabled strategic synergies. Second, the Company expanded its CC business by adding CRM and CPaaS products, producing a compound sales effect and further growing market share. Another part of Cloopen's revenue composition consists of UC&C solutions, which include IM and CV services. Compared to CPaaS and CC solutions, the UC&C solutions business is smaller in volume, having achieved revenues of RMB49 million in the second quarter, an impressive increase of 74.9%. In addition to strong revenues, Cloopen's performance showed laudable profitability. The financial report revealed the Company's gross margin to be 43.1%, compared to 38.5% in the second quarter of 2020. Cloopen's improved profitability was primarily driven by an increase in the proportion of the Company's higher gross margin businesses. According to previous financial reports, the gross margins of Cloopen's CC and UC&C businesses are considerably higher than that of its CPaaS business. In the second quarter of this year, the proportion of the Company's higher gross margin businesses surpassed 50% for the first time, boosting the overall gross margin while significantly optimizing the Company's revenue structure. Meanwhile, the Company's reduced the red ink considerably, with an adjusted EBITDA loss of RMB29.966 million. According to Chinese information platform Zhitong Caijing, Cloopen's second quarter financial report showed overall positive results in its core financial data, once again demonstrating indications of growth. Potential for growth in the industry Cloopen is situated within a thriving industry. As aforementioned, the cloud-based communications industry is expected to become a RMB100 billion market in the near future. The CIC report indicated that the cloud-based communication solutions market increased from RMB16.3 billion in 2015 to RMB35.7 billion in 2019, representing a compound annual growth rate of 21.7%. The market is expected to maintain strong growth momentum. CIC forecasted that the market is expected to reach RMB100 billion by 2024, with a compound annual growth rate of 23.3% during the 2019 to 2024 period. Cloopen has the potential for greater growth in this market. The cloud-based communications market consists of three major segments: CPaaS, CC and UC&C. Cloopen boasts a comprehensive product portfolio that covers the three major segments CPaaS, CC and UC&C, enabling the Company to accommodate a multitude of business scenarios and provide customers with versatile solutions. Cloopen also has a competitive edge due to its technology and customer base. First let's consider technological advantages and look at Cloopen's newest product developments as an example. At the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in June 2021 (WAIC 2021), Cloopen debuted Rongxi Robot, which features intelligent voice response systems and outbound solutions, intelligent training capabilities, and AI-assisted customer support. By combining the technologies operating at every level  algorithms at the bottom, AI data in the middle, and AI applications at the top, the Company delivered a comprehensive upgrade of CC solutions that can be applied to the full customer lifecycle. Next let's examine Cloopen's customer base. According to the financial report, the Company had 12,976 active customers as of the end of June this year, with a dollar-based net customer retention rate of around 110%. A large customer base combined with a high retention rate helps provide the Company's with stable revenues. Aside from its strong performance, the outlook for the Company's future development is also promising. In terms of its industry, Cloopen conducts business in a fast-growing industry that has entered a golden age. In terms of its performance, there has been continual evidence of the Company's growth. One can expect Cloopen to further unlock its growth potential, owing to its dominant position in product offerings, research and development, and customer base. SOURCE Cloopen

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[August 19, 2021] CRN Recognizes Kyligence on the 2021 Emerging Vendors List

SAN JOSE, Calif., Aug. 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kyligence , originator of Apache Kylin and developer of the AI-augmented data services and management platform Kyligence Cloud, announced today that CRN  , a brand of The Channel Company , has named Kyligence to its 2021 Emerging Vendors list in the Big Data category. This annual list honors new and up-and-coming technology vendors that have proven their commitment to innovation and growth within the larger IT channel.

Organizations featured on the listall six years old or youngerare selected across eight different categories: cloud, data center, security, big data, mobility, Internet of Things (IoT), storage, and networking/unified communications. Chosen by the CRN editorial team, this annual list highlights the new and innovative technology suppliers that have shown an unwavering commitment to delivering the latest technology services and solutions through the IT channel. Its rewarding that CRN recognized Kyligence as a vendor in the big data industry that has demonstrated innovation in the channel community, said Li Kang, Head of North America, Kyligence. We pride ourselves on our continued commitment to serving our customers and helping our channel partners succeed by providing them with the solutions they need to make data-driven decisions with confidence. With a commanding grasp of the IT industrys unique needs, technology vendors featured on the CRN 2021 Emerging Vendors list allow solution providers to tackle complex IT market challenges, increase bottom-line revenue across the board, and deliver customer-facing solutions that ensure the IT channels ongoing success well into the future. The CRN 2021 Emerging Vendors list honors forwar-thinking technology suppliers that are redefining IT channel success by focusing on innovative products that help customers overcome the complex and ever-changing IT demands, said Blaine Raddon, CEO of The Channel Company. Solution providers in search of the latest innovative technologies can depend on the Emerging Vendors list as a trusted resource.



The CRN 2021 Emerging Vendors list is featured in the August 2021 issue of CRN Magazine and online at www.CRN.com/EmergingVendors . Tweet this: @Kyligence Honored as @CRN Emerging Vendor #cloud #BI #bigdataanalytics https://kyligence.io/newsroom/

About Kyligence

Founded by the creators of Apache Kylin, Kyligence Cloud provides an intelligent analytics performance layer that sits between data sources and BI tools. Kyligence features an AI-Augmented learning engine to ensure peak performance and vastly simplified data modeling. The result is sub-second query response time for BI, SQL, OLAP, and Excel users even against petabytes of data.



Kyligence is headquartered in San Jose, CA. Investors include Redpoint Ventures, Cisco, China Broadband Capital, Shunwei Capital, Eight Roads Ventures (the proprietary investment arm of Fidelity International Limited), and Coatue Management. Kyligence serves a global customer base that includes UBS, Costa, Appzen, McDonalds, YUM, LOREAL, Porsche, Xactly, China Merchants Bank, and China Construction Bank.



Follow Kyligence on LinkedIn and Twitter .

About The Channel Company

The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education, and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers, and end users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequaled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. www.thechannelco.com Follow The Channel Company: Twitter , LinkedIn , and Facebook  2021 The Channel Company, LLC. CRN is a registered trademark of The Channel Company, LLC. All rights reserved. Kyligence Contact:

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33 Vine Communications

pr@kyligence.io

781-835-7118 The Channel Company Contact:

Jennifer Hogan

The Channel Company

jhogan@thechannelcompany.com



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[August 19, 2021] Epson Signs Advanced Industrial Products as Distributor in Kentucky and West Virginia

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Epson Robots, the #1 SCARA robot manufacturer in the world,1 today announced it signed Advanced Industrial Products (AIP), an award-winning factory automation and robotics supplier, as an official distributor of Epson Robots automation solutions. As manufacturers look to automate small, intricate processes as well as pick-and-place and assembly applications, this new partnership makes automation attainable, simple and affordable to AIP customers in the states of Kentucky and West Virginia. Epson's cost-efficient, easy-to-use solutions combined with AIP's highly technical sales staff and engineers will help open the doors to build new relationships in automotive, food, beverage, and medical markets. "We take pride at AIP in providing exceptional customer service with our knowledgeable, highly-trained technical sales and engineer teams to help make the pre- and post-sale process seamless," said Jack Lopipero, President, AIP. "Epson's high level of attentiveness and business values translate into outstanding support to distributor partners, making them an ideal manufacturer to work with. In fact, AIP was so pleased to learn Epson shares a similar business model that we can leverage moving forward to deliver the best experience for customers." AIP offers the full lineup of award-winning Epson Robots automation products, including the extensive portfolio of SCARA, 6-Axis robots and integrated options. Epson's affordable robot solutions combined with outstanding quality and support offers AIP customers a broad spectrum of products to meet automation needs. "Epson's customer first philosophy coupled with AIP's hands-on, customer-centric approach makes them an ideal partner," said Tom Versfelt, vice president of Channel and Commercial Sales, Epson America. "AIP has demonstrated phenomenal customer service and support, solidifying its reputation as an industry leader in supplying automation system solutions in the Kentucky and West Virginia area. We arethrilled to help support their growth as a business and work together to break into new markets of automation."



About Advanced Industrial Products, Inc.

Advanced Industrial Products, Inc. (AIP) offers customers engineered automation system solutions provided by their highly trained associates. AIP is an industry leader committed to outstanding customer service, engineering, and technical support. AIP's goal is to consistently improve the value delivered to their customers, suppliers, and associates. AIP is positioned to help customers reduce their supplier base with product support for world-class manufacturers of industrial automation, robotics and maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) components. With technical engineering support, AIP helps customers design, engineer, install and initiate new projects and make improvements to existing systems. AIP also provides customers with hands-on training classes taught by their own factory-trained engineers. For more information, visit https://www.aip-usa.com/ or contact rfq@aip-usa.com.

About Epson Robots

Epson Robots is a global leader in PC-controlled precision factory automation, with well over 100,000 units sold worldwide1 and a product line of hundreds of models of easy-to-use SCARA, Cartesian and 6-Axis robots based on a common PC-based platform. Building on a 35-year heritage, Epson Robots today delivers robots for precision assembly and material handling applications in the aerospace, appliance, automotive, biotechnology, consumer product, electronics, food processing, medical device, pharmaceutical, plastics, semiconductor, and telecommunication industries. For more information, visit www.epsonrobots.com About Epson

Epson is a global technology leader dedicated to co-creating sustainability and enriching communities by leveraging its efficient, compact, and precision technologies and digital technologies to connect people, things, and information. The company is focused on solving societal issues through innovations in home and office printing, commercial and industrial printing, manufacturing, visual and lifestyle. Epson's goal is to become carbon negative and eliminate use of exhaustible underground resources such as oil and metal by 2050. Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, the worldwide Epson Group generates annual sales of around JPY 1 trillion. global.epson.com/ Epson America, Inc., based in Los Alamitos, Calif., is Epson's regional headquarters for the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. To learn more about Epson, please visit: epson.com. You may also connect with Epson America on Facebook (facebook.com/Epson), Twitter (twitter.com/EpsonAmerica), YouTube (youtube.com/epsonamerica), and Instagram (instagram.com/EpsonAmerica). 1 Epson internal sales data through 2020. EPSON is a registered trademarks and EPSON Exceed Your Vision is a registered logomark of Seiko Epson. All other product brand names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Epson disclaims any and all rights in these marks. Copyright 2021 Epson America, Inc. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/epson-signs-advanced-industrial-products-as-distributor-in-kentucky-and-west-virginia-301358572.html SOURCE Epson America, Inc.

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[August 19, 2021] HCL Appoints New Leader in Brazil to Fuel Latin American Growth

HCL Technologies (News - Alert) (HCL), a leading global technology company, has appointed Fabiano Funari as the country head for Brazil. Funari joined the organization to spearhead HCL's growth for all industries and capabilities in Brazil, where HCL employs more than 800 people across its national headquarters in Sao Paulo and delivery centers in Sao Paulo, Sau Leopoldo and Curitiba. HCL services more than 30 clients across Brazil. Funari has held leadership positions at various global technology companies. He has a successful track record in sales and service delivery and a deep understanding of the local marketplace, including its needs and unique characteristics. He brings digital transformation, cloudification and deep IT expertise, combined with 20 years of experience and passion in helping customers through the challenges they face for continued competitive growth. "I'm excited to lead and be part of HCL's dynamic team in Brazil, a country that's home to innovative firms eager for a technology company to provide world-class solutions," Funari said. "With HCL's presence in Latin America, we'll be able to continue to deliver top services to new and existing customers." With Funari's appointment, HCL continues to widen its global footprint, provide digital transformation services across all industries and add to its customer roster. Its existing customer base will also benefit from HCL's expansion in Latin America at a time when global connection has become crucial. HCL Corporate Vice President Anil Ganjoo will serve as the corporate sponsor for the region. About HCL Technologies HCL Technologies (HCL) empowers global enterprises with technology for the next decade, today. HCL's Mode 1-2-3 strategy, based on its deep-domain industry expertise, client-centricity and entrepreneurial culture of Ideapreneurship, enables businesses to transform into next-gen enterprises. HCL offers its services and products through three business units: IT and Business Services (ITBS), Engineering and R&D Services (ERS) and Products & Platforms (P&P). ITBS enable global enterprises to transform their businesses through offerings in the areas of applications, infrastructure, digital process operations and next-generation digital transformation solutions. ERS offers engineering services and solutions in all aspects of product development and platform engineering. P&P provides modernized software products to global clients for their technology and industry-specific requirements. Through its cutting-edge co-innovation labs, global delivery capabilities and broad global network, HCL delivers holistic services in various industry verticals, including Financial Services, Manufacturing, Technology and Services, Telecom and Media, Retail and CPG, Life Sciences and Healthcare, and Public Services.



As a leading global technology company, HCL takes pride in its diversity, social responsibility, sustainability, and education initiatives. For the 12 months ended June 30, 2021, HCL had consolidated revenue of $10.54 billion. Its more than 175,000 Ideapreneurs operate out of 50 countries. For more information, visit www.hcltech.com.

Forward-looking Statements Certain statements in this release are forward-looking statements, which involve a number of risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including but not limited to the statements containing the words 'planned', 'expects', 'believes',' strategy', 'opportunity', 'anticipates', 'hopes' or other similar words. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding impact of pending regulatory proceedings, fluctuations in earnings, our ability to manage growth, intense competition in IT services, business process outsourcing and consulting services including those factors which may affect our cost advantage, wage increases in India, customer acceptances of our services, products and fee structures, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, our ability to integrate acquired assets in a cost-effective and timely manner, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-timeframe contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, the success of our brand development efforts, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies /entities in which we have made strategic investments, withdrawal of governmental fiscal incentives, political instability, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, and unauthorized use of our intellectual property, other risks, uncertainties and general economic conditions affecting our industry. There can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements made herein will prove to be accurate, and issuance of such forward-looking statements should not be regarded as a representation by the Company, or any other person, that the objective and plans of the Company will be achieved. All forward-looking statements made herein are based on information presently available to the Management of the Company and the Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210819005464/en/

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[August 19, 2021] Nuvolo Announces Largest Solution Update to Date with Their Q3 2021 Release

PARAMUS, N.J., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Nuvolo, the world's fastest-growing workplace software company, today announced the launch of its Q3 2021 updateknown as the Norway releasefeaturing some of the most innovative updates to date. The release reflects Nuvolo's ongoing commitment to continuously meet the ever-changing needs of its customers. Following a $32 million series C funding round, the company has almost doubled the size of its workforce which is driving the acceleration of a two year roadmap. Building upon existing features of Nuvolo Connected Workplace while also adding a host of new capabilities and user experience improvements, highlights of the release include: Fully re-designed and optimized user interfaces for the Real Estate solution, the Planned Maintenance (PM) function within the Maintenance solution and more.

The addition of Nuvolo OT Security with Industry-Leading Standards, utilizing best practices or the implementation of device security procedures developed by Mayo Clinic.

Fully re-designed Calibration user interface, reducing the number of clicks by 60-70%.

A new timesheet function that allows users to track their time for non-work order activities such as meetings, training and projects.

Microsoft  Office 365 integration that bi-directionally synchronizes Nuvolo Space Reservations with Office Room Resource appointments and meetings.

Office 365 integration that bi-directionally synchronizes Nuvolo Space Reservations with Office Room Resource appointments and meetings. What-if scenario planning for work order routing to allow greater control over the dispatching and prioritization of work orders.

Significantly improved mobile app performance.



Norway release with all of our customers," said Asim Rizvi , Chief Product Officer, Nuvolo. "As a fully-connected integrated workplace management system (IWMS), Nuvolo Connected Workplace helps organizations achieve enterprise-wide digital transformation. Our most recent funding round will accelerate our global expansion while enabling us to continue delivering the kinds of innovative updates our clients expect from a modern workplace management system." Nuvolo names its releases after countries in alphabetical order. The next release, Oman, is scheduled for Q4 2021.

About Nuvolo

Nuvolo is the global leader in modern, cloud-based connected workplace solutions, Built on NOW. We provide a single platform to manage all people, all physical locations, all assets and all work. Industries served include healthcare, life sciences, retail, government, higher education, technology, financial services and enterprise. Nuvolo is headquartered in Paramus, N.J., with a global workforce located throughout North America, Europe and Asia. Contact: Nuvolo@mww.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nuvolo-announces-largest-solution-update-to-date-with-their-q3-2021-release-301358653.html SOURCE Nuvolo

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[August 19, 2021] Simplicity raises $8.5M in seed investment to battle misinformation by supporting the voices of local governments

SAN FRANCISCO and BRATISLAVA, Slovakia, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Simplicity, a smart communication platform for municipalities and its residents, announced the closing of an additional $8.5 million investment round in the fight against misinformation and hoaxes in support of local government. The company's further expansion to the U.S. is backed by Venture to Future fund, Zero Gravity Capital, and Angel investors syndicate, who trust the platform to simplify the communication between cities and residents. More than ever, it is crucial to deliver announcements from the local government to residents instantly. Simplicity app collects, aggregates, and delivers all the critical and official updates from the municipalities, hospitals, police, libraries, and other city sources. Information is delivered to citizens via smartphone notifications based on residents' preferences. It is essential to stay informed with reliable information, not miss anything crucial or get lost in a heap of fake news. Thanks to the previous investment, the number of local governments using the Simplicity platform has grown to 100 cities in Europe and Israel. The current goal is to reach the same number of cities in the U.S. Funds raised will improve the technology behind the application and power the expansion within existing and new markets in the U.S., Europe, and Israel. "The idea for the Simplicity app came from our university studies in Denmark, Scandinavia, where we've noticed a lack of important announcements in the city we've lived in. With the Simplicity app, citzens will never miss the official information about new restrictions, roadblocks, deadlines for taxes and fees, or city emergencies," said co-founder Juraj Gago. "Residents need one source delivering relevant, local updates from trusted sources in real-time. Simplicity is that source. All in one place. No ads. No fake information. No privacy issues. Delivered in real-time. Always accessible on your smartphone," added co-founder Andrej Krupa.



Statistics show that more than eight-in-ten Americans get information from digital devices rather than traditional media, which contributes to a faster spread of unreliable and fake news. The platform battles this by directly connecting residents with their city and giving them a reliable news source to turn to. "I'm glad to be a part of the fantastic Simplicity team and support this startup both as an investor and AI technology mentor. It is exciting to participate in building a platform that revolutionizes the way millions of people live and communicate in cities," said Roy Ramon, Managing Partner of Zero Gravity Capital.

"Simplicity provides the most efficient platform for communication between the municipality and its citizens. Compared to social media, it does not act upon false information or unverified sources but rather provides users with reliable updates. In addition, it involves people in public/local life and improves interaction with local governments, which supports the smart city concept," explains Matej Riha, Chairman of the Board of Venture to Future Fund. About Simplicity: Simplicity is a resident-centric app simplifying the life of the residents in cities across Europe heading to the U.S. market. Users can expect the most critical notifications from city, police, fire departments, and other government entities within the platform. Sophisticated AI systems deliver personalized notifications based on the interests of every citizen. Residents have up-to-date information about interesting events in their city as well. All announcements and news are delivered purely from trusted and official city institutions. For more information, visit https://onesimplicity.com. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1597457/Simplicity_1.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1597458/Simplicity_2.jpg View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/simplicity-raises-8-5m-in-seed-investment-to-battle-misinformation-by-supporting-the-voices-of-local-governments-301358703.html SOURCE Simplicity

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[August 19, 2021] Spire Global Receives DASA Next-Gen Space Tech Funding for RF Signals Detection and Geolocation Project

Spire Global, Inc. (NYSE: SPIR) ("the Company" or "Spire"), a leading provider of space-based data, analytics and space services, today announced significant funding awarded by Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA), a UK Government-backed program, as part of its Space to Innovate Campaign's Themed Competition. The award, which represents the largest funding to date awarded to a Scottish innovator, will support the demonstration of radio frequency (RF) signals detection and geolocation from multiple satellites in Spire's low earth orbit (LEO) nanosatellite constellation. The RF spectrum is frequently at risk of unauthorized use, interference or manipulation and as a result, the monitoring of RF activity has become increasingly important to government entities. Spire's capabilities in building and operating LEO multi-payload satellites capable of collecting and analyzing a wide variety of signals can play a crucial role in supporting this monitoring process. The company will demonstrate its ability to geolocate RF signals emitted near the Earth's surface, focusing on L-Band SATCOM signals, and investigate further geolocation techniques using Spire nanosatellites designed and manufactured in Glasgow, Scotland. The Space to Innovate Campaign was launched in collaboration with DASA and the Defence Technology Laboratory (Dstl) space program, to promote space resilience and operational effectiveness. The campaign seek proposals that can maintain the UK's freedom of action in the space domain by developing future space technologies that enhance and protect space military and civil potential.



The campaign format is unique from other DASA competitions and comprises space-related challenges that will be released in 'drops' throughout 2021 and 2022. This approach enables greater variation of contract values and durations to be issued by DASA, which provides larger and longer contracts for more mature technologies, whilst also enabling less mature innovations to be explored. Theresa Condor, EVP & GM Spire Space Services at Spire Global Inc., said: "It is an honor for us to be selected by DASA for this mission in support of the UK Government and its defense activities and to be recognized as part of Scotland's innovative space technology scene. Using Spire expertise in signal detection and geolocation, the project will take advantage of our capabilities as a space services provider and utilize the expertise and heritage of our low earth orbit nanosatellite constellation, consisting of more than 100 satellites and 17 ground stations globally."

Debra Carr, Innovation Partner at DASA, said: "I'm thrilled that Spire has been awarded this funding - the largest award we have given to an innovator in Scotland. They are a fantastic company to work with, and their impressive technology that helps us understand the present and potential impact of RF signal detection and geolocation is a great showcase of Scottish contributions to the space domain. This fund decision further reinforces the unique type of technologies that Scotland can offer defense." About Spire Global, Inc. Spire is a leading global provider of space-based data, analytics, and space services, offering access to unique datasets and powerful insights about Earth from the ultimate vantage point so that organizations can make decisions with confidence, accuracy, and speed. Spire uses one of the world's largest multi-purpose satellite constellations to source hard to acquire, valuable data and enriches it with predictive solutions. Spire then provides this data as a subscription to organizations around the world so they can improve business operations, decrease their environmental footprint, deploy resources for growth and competitive advantage, and mitigate risk. Spire gives commercial and government organizations the competitive advantage they seek to innovate and solve some of the world's toughest problems with insights from space. Spire has offices in San Francisco, Boulder, Washington DC, Glasgow, Luxembourg, and Singapore. To learn more, visit http://www.spire.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210819005258/en/

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[August 19, 2021] Yemen - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Sydney, Aug. 19, 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/Yemen-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses/?utm_source=GNW

A large proportion of the population requires humanitarian assistance, and there is little disposable income for services upon which telcos can generate revenue. Essential telecom infrastructure, such as mobile towers and fibre cabling, has often been targeted, destroyed, or damaged by the opposing sides in the ongoing conflict. These difficulties have proved to be a disincentive to telcos investing in infrastructure, with the result that the country lacks basic fixed-line infrastructure, and mobile services are based on outdated GSM. This has prevened the development of a mobile broadband sector, or the evolution of mobile data services.







The ownership of telecommunication services, and the scrutiny of associated revenues and taxes, have become a political issue in Yemen. In 2019 the recognised government moved Tele Yemens headquarters from Sanaa to Aden in a bid to regain control of the company.







Until telecom infrastructure can be improved across Yemen, and until civil unrest eases, there will be little progress for the sector. MTN Group in mid-2021 confirmed its intension to exit the country, having incurred losses for several years, and considered that continuing its presence in this market was no longer worth its while.







Key developments:



Progress is made on the Africa-1 cable, improving Yemens internet bandwidth;

Yemen continues to face challenges including civil conflict and famine, causing disruption to economic growth and investment in telecom infrastructure.

MTN Yemen looking to improved political stability before it can complete its exit from the country.

Companies mentioned in this report include:





AdenNet, TeleYemen, Public Telecommunications Corporation (PTC), Yemen Mobile, Sabafon, MTN Yemen, Y Telecom, Emergency Telecommunications Cluster (ETC), DARE submarine cable consortium





Read the full report: https://www.budde.com.au/Research/Yemen-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses/?utm_source=GNW

Nicolas Bombourg: nbombourg@budde.com.au Europe office: +44 207 097 1241 Oceania Office: +61 280 767 665

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[August 18, 2021] MiSalud Raises $5M To Launch a Personalized Digital Health and Wellness Platform for the Underserved US Hispanic Community

MiSalud Inc. announced raising $5M and launching the beta version of their digital health platform. MiSalud, which means My Health in Spanish, aims to make healthcare more inclusive by offering personalized healthcare services to US Hispanics through its mobile app and platform. The pandemic highlighted many longstanding problems with healthcare access in Hispanic communities. According to the CDC, Hispanics were nearly three times as likely to be hospitalized from Covid-19, and 2.3 times as likely to die from the virus. Longstanding inequalities in the healthcare system also contribute to Hispanics being 23% more likely to be obese, 24% more likely to have uncontrolled hypertension, and an astounding 50% more likely to die from diabetes. Hispanics are also three times more likely to be uninsured and are less likely to have a primary care physician. MiSalud aims to combat these inequalities by making culturally-sensitive medical and wellness services available in real-time, in the patient's native language, via its mobile platform. MiSalud was co-founded by Dr. Devon Huff, who grew up in Oxnard, a majority Hispanic town in Southern California. Both his father and his grandfather were physicians for the community. "Hispanics account for 20% of the US population, and in states like California and Texas, that number goes up to 40%. Many are essential workers - important members of the global food and manufacturing supply chain," shares Huff. "But unfortunately, most Hispanics don't have Spaish-speaking physicians in their communities. Which contributes to one-third of Hispanic women and nearly half of Hispanic men not having a primary care doctor. Those rates are 60% higher than the US average and higher than any other ethnic group."



MiSalud offers a unique combination of personalized preventative wellness services, along with traditional healthcare via Spanish speaking physicians. "There are hundreds of digital health services in English, and some of these services have even been translated to Spanish. But most of that technology is built with an English-language bias. We are creating a system that is culturally relevant, and thus inclusive," says Wendy Johansson, co-founder and Chief Product Officer. MiSalud was inspired by the experience of Bismarck Lepe, founding CEO of both Wizeline and Ooyala. "My parents came to the US as migrant field workers. We used to travel between Mexico, California, and Washington State, following the fruit harvest from April to December," says Lepe, co-founder and Executive Chairman of MiSalud. "Because of the cost, we wouldn't see doctors until we were back in Mexico in December. And now, despite having good insurance and financial means, my mother still goes to Tijuana for medical care. She feels more comfortable with someone who understands her language and culture."

Pivotal Ventures, a Melinda French Gates company, with Magnify Ventures is the largest investor in the round. "There's been a massive acceleration in digital health over the last several years, and during the pandemic in particular. But many families have been left behind. Hispanic adults in the US represent the largest 'sandwich generation' population, caring for both older adults and children at the same time. We are thrilled to invest in MiSalud and help eliminate health and wellness boundaries for underserved and overburdened Hispanic families," says Joanna Drake, Managing Partner at Magnify. "MiSalud is using technology to make comprehensive, affordable healthcare available to all," says Miriam Rivera, CEO, founder and General Partner at Ulu Ventures. "We are delighted to be supporting a diverse team, including a Latino founder, in a company focused on bringing health equity to the LatinX community." Rounding out the list of investors: Lowercase Capital, Rise Capital, and strategic investor, Entravision. Angel investors Alex Bitoun, Sumit Agarwal, Belsasar Lepe, and Isaac Saldana also contributed. MiSalud is currently in closed beta and will launch publicly later this year. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210818005775/en/

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[August 19, 2021] Alkaline Fuel Cell Power Corp. Provides Milestones to Commercialization

New Micro-CHP system powered by hydrogen, which has zero CO 2 emissions

emissions Multiple patent filings anticipated

Commercialization of New System continues to advance

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alkaline Fuel Cell Power Corp. (NEO: PWWR) (Frankfurt: 77R, WKN: A3CTYF) ("AFCP" or the "Company"), a company engaged in the development and production of alkaline fuel cell heat and power systems for residential, industrial and commercial markets worldwide, today provides shareholders the milestones and objectives to commercialization of a micro-combined heat and power (Micro-CHP) system (the New System) being built within a 4kW system prototype that features a lower cost with higher energy density, and is adaptable for deployment across new applications. AFCPs New System is expected to be delivered in a compact, containerized format that will allow for ease of scalability to accommodate higher output capacities and represents a cleaner alternative energy source for domestic and commercial buildings across Europe. With hydrogen serving as the power source, AFCPs New System offers benefits to decarbonise industrial processes, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and offer a cleaner energy solution. Hydrogen has the potential to serve as a feedstock, a fuel or energy, offering numerous potential uses with zero CO 2 emissions. These factors also make hydrogen essential to support the European Unions commitment to reach carbon neutrality by 2050 while striving to achieve zero pollution. AFCP Milestone Summary AFCP intends to apply for six patents in connection with its new, Micro-CHP alkaline fuel cell technology over the coming 12 months;

Completion of the first electrode and stack production for the prototype system is expected by the end of March, 2022;

Completion of the first full 4kW system in a laboratory configuration is anticipated by the end of 2022;

Receipt of Conform European (CE) accreditation (a European Union product traceability system) along with the installation of the first of two 4kW prototype systems is forecast by the end June, 2023; and

Achieving commercialization of the New System is targeted for the end of 2024.

While the Company actively strives to advance commercial production of the New System and meet the milestones outlined above, work will steadily continue on ongoing design, development, assembly and testing of lab-scale systems. Following refinement of the overall system design based on results from lab-scale testing, AFCP can move to development, assembly and testing of field trial systems, which feature regular monitoring and support. The Company will then undertake regulatory testing and refinement of the system design and continue with development of ancillary equipment such as system enclosure options, with the final phases including confirmation of shipping, installation, commissioning and final spport documentation in concert with commercialization.



About Alkaline Fuel Cell Power Corp. The Company is focused on the development, production and commercialization of micro-combined heat and power (micro-CHP) systems based on alkaline fuel cell technology. A fuel cell is a clean electrical power conversion/generation system, akin to small power stations that provide electricity and an equivalent amount of heat for various purposes. Based on hydrogen powered alkaline fuel cell technology, our technology offers an energy source that generates zero CO 2 emissions with pure water as the only by-product, making it ideally suited for residential and small- to medium-sized power markets. We believe Fuel Cell Power is well positioned to become a positive contributor to the global demand for clean energy, particularly in Europe where demand outpaces supply, and current technology remains inadequate to meet market needs. Further information is available on our website at https://www.fuelcellpower.com/ and we encourage investors and other interested stakeholders to follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Our common shares are listed for trading on the NEO Exchange (NEO) under the symbol PWWR and on the Frankfurt Exchange under symbol 77R and WKN A3CTYF.

For further information, please contact: Gerard Sauer

Chairman of the Advisory Board

+3214574648

info@fuelcellpower.com Cindy Gray

Investor Relations

+1 (403) 705-5076

info@5qir.com Eugene Beukman

Director

+1 (604) 687-2038

info@fuelcellpower.com Forward-Looking Information This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. These statements relate to future events or future performance. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking statements or information. In certain cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as plans, expects or does not expect, is expected, estimates, forecasts, intends, anticipates, believes or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might, occur or achieve. Forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the Companys technology, intellectual property, business plan, objectives and strategy. Forward-looking statements and information are provided for the purpose of providing information about the current expectations and plans of management of the Company relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such statements and information may not be appropriate for other purposes, such as making investment decisions. Since forward-looking statements and information address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. The forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and no undertaking is given to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws. The forward-looking statements or information contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. NEITHER THE NEO EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE NEO EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.



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[August 19, 2021] iMocha launches AI-EnglishPro to empower organizations build winning customer-facing teams

PUNE, India, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Adding to its impressive list of innovations, iMocha has launched its latest assessment tool, AI-EnglishPro to enable organizations assess the Business English proficiency of candidates, objectively and accurately. AI-EnglishPro provides recruiters and hiring managers an unbiased, AI-powered, and effortless way to test the candidates' fluency in Business English and build winning customer-facing teams. The assessment tool is particularly useful during university recruitment or campus hiring, lateral recruitment and Learning & Development programs in an organization. The tool has been developed keeping in mind the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). The framework, combined with Natural Language Processing (NLP) tools, Comutational Linguistics, and Text Analysis, gives an accurate picture of the candidate's competency in Business English.



AI-EnglishPro has been built to assess the four fundamental dimensions of language competency: clarity, precision, understanding and context. These provide a holistic 360-degree view of a candidate's level of proficiency in Business English. Moreover, using contextual understanding, AI-EnglishPro also provides comparative reports on how each candidate measures as compared to other candidates who have taken the test. Sujit Karpe, iMocha's Co-founder and CTO, on this launch said, "Most of the existing English language assessments test a candidate's basic English knowledge such as grammar, structure, comprehension, etc. But Business English is about establishing clarity in communication, breaking down complex ideas into simpler, bite-sized messages that everyone can understand, and it is about understanding context as well as content. Since several existing English language assessments do not factor in this requirement, we decided to take it upon ourselves to create something that shows actual results, and not just vague overviews."

"Several existing English competency tests are often biased. They focus on accents more than proper usage and clarity. But iMocha, continuing with the resolve of ensuring diversity across all areas, removed factors that might give an undue advantage to native English speakers. We have made our AI-EnglishPro bias-free, as all assessments should be," said Amit Mishra, iMocha's Co-founder and CEO. About iMocha iMocha is the world's largest AI-powered digital skills assessment platform that helps organizations build winning teams. iMocha empowers organizations to thoroughly assess employees and candidates for identifying and benchmarking their skills proficiency according to industry or company standards. The organization serves 300+ clients globally including Fujitsu, Ericsson and Capgemini, among many others. For more information, visit the website. Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1597843/iMocha_Launches_AI_EnglishPro.jpg

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[August 19, 2021] JAIN Online part of JAIN (Deemed-to-be University) Announces Online Accredited Degree Programs towards ACCA Professional Qualification

JAIN Online will roll out new-age programs like Bachelor of Commerce (International Finance & Accounting), BBA International Finance, Master of Commerce International Finance, and MBA International Finance in association with ACCA to fast track their learning journey and gain a globally recognized professional qualification BENGALURU, India, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- JAIN (Deemed-to-be University)'s online education platform, JAIN Online, has announced the launch of four UGC entitled online degrees - Bachelor of Commerce (International Finance & Accounting), BBA International Finance, Master of Commerce International Finance, and MBA International Finance.



Accredited by ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants), the programs offer a complete evaluation of the regulation, syllabus, and assessments. Further, the ACCA affiliation allows students to claim exemption from appearing for nine subjects out of the 13 papers. These programs will offer learners a unique opportunity to earn an industry-recognized degree while simultaneously preparing for their ACCA qualification. JAIN Online will deliver these programs in partnership with International Skill Development Corporation (ISDC).

Tom Joseph, Director - New Initiatives, JAIN (Deemed-to-be University), said, "In the changing digital world, professional accountants add significant value, where a lot of transactional work is getting automated. Employers are looking for professional accountants who are strategic and complete finance professionals. These programs in integration with ACCA qualification will be a platform to train students to be the well-qualified workforce of tomorrow. With this initiative, we would like to overcome the geographical challenges and provide an opportunity to capable students to have dual qualification and scale up on their employability scores." The online degree programs will engage the students through a practical approach with a curriculum integrated with the ACCA qualification. JAIN Online will also host live interactions sessions with the faculty and industry experts on a state-of-the-art Learning Management System (LMS). About JAIN Online JAIN Online, a part of the JAIN (Deemed-to-be University), is one of the leading online education providers offering over 70+ specializations at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. JAIN Online delivers career-enhancing opportunities for learners in Indian and global markets by equipping learners with future-ready skills in many technical areas. With technology-enabled learning and international partnerships, JAIN Online is committed to reshaping the careers of technology professionals in some of the high-demand verticals. Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1597999/JAIN_Online_Logo.jpg

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[August 19, 2021] HillTopBazaar Reports Surge in Mobile Use of Its Digital Marketing Platform

CORK, Ireland, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As online marketing becomes a primary source of income for an increasing population, global digital marketing firm HillTopBazaar publishes data regarding activity in the past few months, since its establishment. Interestingly, in the summer months, a significant volume of the campaigns created were from mobile and tablet devices, when compared to other brands providing the same services. "We've put a lot of effort into our infrastructure and platform, in order to make it as friendly as possible to all types of browsers and devices," explained Michael Ross, Business Development Director for HillTopBazaar. "We know that during the summer months, when the children are not in school, people find themselves out of the house for many hours during the day. We alo know that effective digital marketing must come in hand with a constant 'feeling of the pulse'. That's why being suitable for mobile devices was key to us when we designed our platform - and the results show that we did something right."



Marketing suited for 2021 Aside from mobile usage, HillTopBazaar's data also shows steady activity volume at all hours, showing that the platform has become popular throughout the world. This is mainly thanks to the fact that digital marketing is facilitated in over 140 different languages. Additionally, the company's experts also assist in suiting content to different regions throughout the globe, at no extra cost.

"We believe in service, not just a cliche, but as a base to our strategy as a company," added Ross. "Our platform's users know that they can put their minds at ease when working with us, because we turn every stone in order to give them the optimal experience and working conditions. It has been our way from day one, and I promise that it is not going to change." About HillTopBazaar Founded by a team of experts from the digital marketing sector, the company has managed in a short time to become a key factor in the industry , providing services to thousands of users from around the world. Using HillTopBazaar's platforms, freelance marketers can create content online, publish it and monitor results - all with an easy-to-use mechanism. Security standards are the highest in the industry, with content encryption and fund segregation being a norm for all of the company's activity online and offline.

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[August 19, 2021] SUSE Boosts Its AWS Marketplace Offerings with Professional Services

- AWS customers can now access SUSE consulting, training and premium support services alongside SUSE software to simplify and enhance digital business - SUSE is one of the first Linux OS providers to offer premium support and deployment services directly in AWS Marketplace NUREMBERG, Germany, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- SUSE, a global leader in innovative, reliable and enterprise-grade open source solutions, today announced the availability of SUSE Professional Services  including consulting, training and premium support services  in AWS Marketplace. Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS) customers can now access SUSE professional services alongside already-available SUSE software, simplifying their business processes and enhancing their ability to meet the demands of the digital economy. SUSE is one of the first Linux operating system providers to offer premium support and consulting services directly in AWS Marketplace. "Over the past couple of years, SUSE has seen significant movement by our customers to public cloud providers such as AWS," said Kenny Stewart, head of SUSE Global Services and Support. "We've always been committed to going where our customers need to go, so we've worked with AWS to ensure customers can obtain the consulting, training and premium support services they need, right in AWS Marketplace with their SUSE technology solutions. It's another way to help ensure they can innovate everywhere." Chris Grusz, director of Business Development, AWS Marketplace, Service Catalog, and AWS Control Tower at AWS, said, "We are delighted SUSE's offerings are now available in AWS Marketplace, giving our shared customers more options and greater confidence as tey run their applications on the cloud."



By working with AWS, SUSE now offers cloud users complete solutions that include both software and related professional services, customizing each offer to meet unique customer needs. As mission-critical applications are increasingly moving to the cloud, SUSE services help ensure they run optimally in the cloud, minimizing downtime and boosting customers' businesses in their respective markets. "The ability to purchase in AWS Marketplace is very beneficial as it standardizes the license terms and cuts down on contract execution time, while still providing flexibility through private offers," said Abhi Shanmugan, director, Enterprise Architecture - Apps and Integration at Phillips 66. "We are pleased that SUSE is providing their different products in AWS Marketplace."

SUSE Global Services help simplify, accelerate and modernize customer infrastructure with fixed-cost offerings designed to help enterprises discover the right open source solutions to achieve business outcomes, design solutions that will speed implementation, deploy solutions confidently to realize rapid ROI, and optimize solutions and reduce business disruption through direct relationships with SUSE professionals. For more information, see www.suse.com/services. About SUSE

SUSE is a global leader in innovative, reliable and enterprise-grade open source solutions, relied upon by more than 60% of the Fortune 500 to power their mission-critical workloads. We specialize in Enterprise Linux, Kubernetes Management, and Edge solutions, and collaborate with partners and communities to empower our customers to innovate everywhere  from the data center, to the cloud, to the edge and beyond. SUSE puts the "open" back in open source, giving customers the agility to tackle innovation challenges today and the freedom to evolve their strategy and solutions tomorrow. The company employs nearly 2000 people globally and is listed in the regulated market (Prime Standard) of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. For more information, visit www.suse.com. Forward-Looking Statements

Any statements in this press release about future expectations, plans and prospects for the company, including statements containing the words "aims," "targets," "will," "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "expects," and similar expressions, may constitute forward-looking statements and should be read with caution. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including competitive landscape, development of customer deals, reliance upon customer relationships, management of growth and acquisitions, the possibility of undetected software issues, the risks of impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and economic downturns, pricing pressures and the viability of the Internet. In addition, any forward-looking statements included herein represent views as of the date of this press release and these views could change. The Company does not have any obligation to update its forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to change and should not be relied upon as representing the Company's views as of any date other than the date of this press release. Copyright 2021 SUSE LLC. All rights reserved. SUSE and the SUSE logo are registered trademarks of SUSE LLC in the United States and other countries. All third-party trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/224623/suse_logo.jpg

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[August 19, 2021] LSE Joins Hedera Governing Council to Advance Blockchain Research for Social Good

DALLAS and LONDON, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Hedera Hashgraph , the most used, sustainable, enterprise-grade public network for the decentralized economy, today announced LSE as the newest member of its Governing Council. The Hedera Council, designed to be the most decentralized governance model for a public ledger, comprises up to 39 global organizations that are from a diverse array of industries and geographies and that each run an initial network nodes. LSE joins the Hedera Governing Council to advance the university's growing research and commercial outreach in Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLTs), providing opportunities for students and faculty related to hackathons, thought leadership, and research opportunities aimed at adding to the body of knowledge around distributed ledger technologies. LSE will become the second Hedera Council member from the higher education sector, after London peer UCL joined the organization in May 2020 . "Upholding our responsibilities for pioneering academic research, we quickly recognised the enormous opportunities public and private blockchain can play in future digital transformation. Joining the Hedera Governing Council provides a significant step forward in extending our research collaboration and knowledge sharing of digital transformation. In doing so, we aim to significantly extend our research footprint in understanding how DLT and blockchains can play a positive impact on society in pioneering digital sustainable projects," said Carsten Sorensen, Dr Carsten Sorensen, Associate Professor (Reader) in digital innovation, Department of Management. The team leading the LSE Blockchain / DLT initiatives are recognizd as being at the forefront of academic and thought leadership on digital platforms and Web 3.0. The team has first-hand experience in collaborating with central banks, regulators, and industry practitioners in advancing and bridging the gap between research, innovation, and application of DLTs, and will run a Hedera network node alongside other council members. "Impacts of covid-19 and climate change are demanding new intellectual models of how we work, live and play together in a metaphysical world. The underlying features of a blockchain, act as a coordination technology, which can create efficient marketplaces, from typically illiquid environments that are not naturally connected or trustworthy. Thus, blockchains will give rise to emerging business models and opportunities, as shared ledgers will change organizational and institutional structures of an economy," said Thamim Ahmed, Senior Research Associate, LSE.



For Hedera, LSE's inclusion on the Hedera Governing Council will provide it with an extensive network of academics and industry partners to collaborate with who are at the forefront of thought leadership on digital platforms and web 3.0. In addition, by collaborating with the team leading the LSE Blockchain / DLT Centre, Hedera and its partners will be able to gain critical expertise in areas such as Treasury and Coin Economics Committee (CoinCom). "As a world renowned, top-ranked academic institution, LSE's inclusion on the Hedera Governing Council is a fantastic development for our community, and the entire decentralized economy. LSE's motto is the 'betterment of society,' and this ethos will transcend to aiding a greater understanding of future digital transformation, aided by public distributed ledgers. The team at the LSE have built up an outstanding reputation in advancing the research sharing capabilities of the industry, which we recognize as a significantly important addition to the Hedera Governing Council," said Mance Harmon, CEO and Co-founder of Hedera.

About Hedera Hashgraph

Hedera is the most used, sustainable, enterprise-grade public network for the decentralized economy. The platform is governed by a council of the world's leading organizations, including Avery Dennison, Boeing, Chainlink Labs, Dentons, Deutsche Telekom, DLA Piper, EDF (Electricite de France), eftpos, FIS (WorldPay), Google, IBM, LG Electronics, The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), Magalu, Nomura Holdings, Shinhan Bank, Standard Bank Group, Swirlds, Tata Communications, University College London (UCL), Wipro, and Zain Group. For more information, visit www.hedera.com, or follow us on Twitter at @hedera, Telegram at t.me/hederahashgraph, or Discord at www.hedera.com/discord. The Hedera whitepaper can be found at www.hedera.com/papers . About LSE

LSE Enterprise was set up by the London School of Economics and Political Science to enable and facilitate the application of its academic expertise and intellectual resources. The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) is an?internationally renowned?university?specialising?in the social sciences. Its expertise spans a wide range of disciplines from economics, politics and law, to sociology, health policy, accounting and finance.??? As one of the most international universities in the world,?the School's?diversity of people, ideas and interests make it an?exciting?centre?for research, teaching and public engagement.? Established in 1895, the original vision of LSE as 'a community of people and ideas, founded to know the causes of things, for the betterment of society' remains true to this day.??It?continues to use its research-led expertise to influence governments, NGOs, businesses and others to help tackle the world's most pressing problems. For more information visit? lse.ac.uk ?? For Media Enquiries

Zenobia Godschalk

E: pr@hedera.com Matt Turner

Wachsman

E: Hedera@wachsman.com

T: +353 87-794-2017 View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lse-joins-hedera-governing-council-to-advance-blockchain-research-for-social-good-301358475.html SOURCE Hedera Hashgraph

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[August 19, 2021] KuCoin Futures Exceeds 3 Million Users on Its Second Anniversary

VICTORIA, Seychelles, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- KuCoin, a global leading crypto exchange welcomes two-year anniversary of their Futures service. The service keeps growing fast thanks to outstanding support from KuCoin users. KuCoin Futures was launched in August 2019 and ushers in its second anniversary. Since the initial launch, the platform has become one of the top 10 global Futures trading platforms on the market today. The team fondly remembers the day when they introduced the first Bitcoin Perpetual contract. Today, that investment mechanism spans over 60 different cryptocurrencies on KuCoin. The number of contract users increased by 260% and the open interests (OI) increased by 15 times compared to last year. "The user interface and experience of KuCoin Futures have improved dramatically over the years. Initially, it was only accessible through a web portal, but it has become a full-fledged web and mobile app experience," said Johnny Lyu, CEO of KuCoin, "In addition, many cryptocurrency enthusiasts rely on their smartphones for trading purposes, and KuCoin acknowledges that trend early. These factors all contribute to KuCon Futures surpassing 3 million registered users in two years."



After the initial success of the Bitcoin perpetual contract, the KuCoin Futures platform began introducing support for more currencies and services. The first step was Delivery contracts to create an example for the broader crypto futures trading industry. Then, after enabling more support for hedging and arbitrage, the team introduced numerous mainstream and promising cryptocurrency contracts to promote exposure diversification. With support for 13 languages and the LITE version to help novices get acquainted with Futures Trading, KuCoin continues to raise the bar. Last year, the team introduced the KuCoin Futures Brawl, gamifying the concept of crypto futures trading. Over 200,000 users partook in this event and confirmed it was a fun experience.

The future outlook for KuCoin Futures includes further upgrades for leverage and initial margin ratios of certain contracts. Additionally, users can expect more innovative products and features, including the KCS contract launch in Q4 2021. Cross-collaterals are another important feature coming later this year, paving the way for KuCoin Futures trading system 2.0, slated for a 2022 release. To celebrate the two-year anniversary of the KuCoin Futures launch, the team began an anniversary carnival on August 18, 2021. During the event, a total of $1 million USDT in bonuses will be awarded to users. That giveaway follows on the heels of the warm-up $100,000 bonus giveaway, awarding users with trial funds and deduction coupons based on their historical futures trading volume. About KuCoin Launched in September 2017, KuCoin is a global cryptocurrency exchange for over 400 digital assets. It currently provides Spot trading, Margin trading, P2P fiat trading, Futures trading, Staking, and Lending to its 8 million users in 207 countries and regions around the world. In 2018, KuCoin secured $20 million in Round A funding from IDG Capital and Matrix Partners. According to CoinMarketCap, KuCoin is currently the fifth biggest crypto exchange. In 2021, Forbes named KuCoin as one of the Best Crypto Exchanges of 2021. For more information, visit

https://kucoin.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kucoin-futures-exceeds-3-million-users-on-its-second-anniversary-301358677.html SOURCE KuCoin

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[August 19, 2021] Maxar Awarded $26M Contract to Continue Development and Support for NGA's Open Mapping Platform

Maxar Technologies (NYSE:MAXR) (TSX:MAXR), a trusted partner and innovator in Earth Intelligence and Space Infrastructure, today announced it has been awarded a five-year contract worth up to $26.4 million by the U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) to sustain and enhance the National System for Geospatial Intelligence Open Mapping Enclave (NOME). Under the agreement, Maxar will continue to provide engineering, software development and geospatial tradecraft in support of NOME. The web-based NOME platform enables a community of vetted U.S. government users to create and update geospatial features in a crowdsourced "living map." NOME was initially developed to support NGA's foundation mapping mission, but the platform emerged as a powerful tool to perform unclassified mission support remotely throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Increasingly, users also leverage the platform to create features for further dissemination across multiple networks and to train artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) models. "Maxar is excited to continue building upon the 10 years of development that have gone into NOME," said Tony Frazier, Maxar's Executive Vice President of Global Field Operations. "We look forward to further advancing the platform and its applications, to include NGA mission support, AI/ML initiatives and research." This award, which builds upon a previous Small Business Innovation Research Phase III program, marks the first time NOME has been funded through a standalone contract. "NOME is a highly effective mission enabler for the agency's distributed workforce," said James Griffith, Director of Source (News - Alert) at NGA. "Looking ahead, we will continue to integrate NOME with NGA's Global Enhanced GEOINT Delivery (G-EGD) program and to leverage opportunities for partnerships and participation across the National System for Geospatial Intelligence." About Maxar

Maxar is a trusted partner and innovator in Earth Intelligence and Space Infrastructure. We deliver disruptive value to government and commercial customers to help them monitor, understand and navigate our changing planet; deliver global broadband communications; and explore and advance the use of space. Our unique approach combines decades of deep mission understanding and a proven commercial and defense foundation to deploy solutions and deliver insights with unrivaled speed, scale and cost effectiveness. Maxar's 4,400 team members in over 20 global locations are inspired to harness the potential of space to help our customers create a better world. Maxar trades on the New York Stock Exchange and Toronto Stock Exchange as MAXR. For more information, visit ww.maxar.com.



About NGA

NGA delivers world-class geospatial intelligence that provides a decisive advantage to policymakers, warfighters, intelligence professionals and first responders. NGA is a unique combination of intelligence agency and combat support agency. It is the world leader in timely, relevant, accurate and actionable geospatial intelligence. NGA enables the U.S. intelligence community and the Department of Defense to fulfill the president's national security priorities to protect the nation.

For more information about NGA, visit us online at www.nga.mil, Facebook, Twitter, Flipboard, SoundCloud or YouTube. Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements and other information included in this release constitute "forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") under applicable securities laws. Statements including words such as "may", "will", "could", "should", "would", "plan", "potential", "intend", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate" or "expect" and other words, terms and phrases of similar meaning are often intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Forward-looking statements involve estimates, expectations, projections, goals, forecasts, assumptions, risks and uncertainties, as well as other statements referring to or including forward-looking information included in this presentation. Forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from the anticipated results or expectations expressed in this presentation. As a result, although management of the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. The risks that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to, the risk factors and other disclosures about the Company and its business included in the Company's continuous disclosure materials filed from time to time with U.S. securities and Canadian regulatory authorities, which are available online under the Company's EDGAR profile at www.sec.gov, under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com or on the Company's website at www.maxar.com. The forward-looking statements contained in this release are expressly qualified in their entirety by the foregoing cautionary statements. All such forward-looking statements are based upon data available as of the date of this presentation or other specified date and speak only as of such date. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements in this presentation as a result of new information or future events, except as may be required under applicable securities legislation. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210819005020/en/

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[August 19, 2021] Carrington Charitable Foundation's Round Up Program Has Raised More Than $200,000 for Veteran initiatives

For the past decade, the Carrington Charitable Foundation (CCF) has supported nonprofit organizations and communities across the United States through causes that reflect the interests of Carrington leaders and our Associates. In Sept. 2019, CCF introduced a Round Up program for Carrington Mortgage Services (CMS) customers that provides them with an easy way to support the great work CCF is doing in communities across America by "rounding-up" their monthly mortgage payment to the nearest dollar, with the additional amount being made as a donation to CCF. In addition to rounding up, borrowers also can elect to donate an additional $1, $5 or an amount of their choosing. To date, the CCF Round Up program has raised more than $200,000 to support programs for combat wounded Veterans across the United States. "CCF Round Up is very similar to what customers can do at grocery stores and retail stores to support nonprofits," said Shelly Lawrence, Executive Director of Community Relations, Carrington Charitable Foundation. "When Carrington customers round up for CCF, they're providing critical support to our Veteran-focused programs. It is also a way for Carrington clients to become a part of and support our mission." CCF supports Veterans through initiatives that provide: Mobility: CCF financially supports The Veterans Airlift Command (VAC). Working with a network of volunteer aircraft owners and pilots, the VAC provides free private air transportation for Veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts and their families.

CCF financially supports The Veterans Airlift Command (VAC). Working with a network of volunteer aircraft owners and pilots, the VAC provides free private air transportation for Veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts and their families. Stability: Carrington House provides custom, adaptive homes for catastrophically injured Veterans. To date, Carrington House has built 27 homes for deserving Veterans, each designed to meet the special needs of wounded Veterans and their families - with the most recent home being completed this month. With this most recent home completion Carrington House is now shifting towards supporting a housing initiative for struggling Gold Star Families.

Carrington House provides custom, adaptive homes for catastrophically injured Veterans. To date, Carrington House has built 27 homes for deserving Veterans, each designed to meet the special needs of wounded Veterans and their families - with the most recent home being completed this month. With this most recent home completion Carrington House is now shifting towards supporting a housing initiative for struggling Gold Star Families. Purpose: This pillar is focused on a Veteran's struggle transitioning to a civilian life post service. CCF supports the operating budget of the Travis Mills Foundation, a retreat for wounded Veterans to help return a sense of normalcy after traumatic injuries.

This pillar is focused on a Veteran's struggle transitioning to a civilian life post service. CCF supports the operating budget of the Travis Mills Foundation, a retreat for wounded Veterans to help return a sense of normalcy after traumatic injuries. Prosperity: CCF assists Veterans during their transition back to civilian life by supporting and providing opportunities with other like-minded nonprofits like The Honor Foundation, which offers programs aiding Veterans in the transition from military to civilian life.



Carrington House homes for wounded Veterans. These included homes for U.S. Army Specialist Matthew Melancon, who endured amputations of both legs, a life-threatening MRSA infection and many reconstructive surgeries following an improvised explosive device (IED) attack in Afghanistan in 2011; U.S. Army Sergeant 1st Class Matthew Miles, who was severely wounded when an IED destroyed his vehicle in Afghanistan in 2007; and U.S. Marine Corporal Michael Jernigan, who lost his eyes and vision in Iraq in 2004 after being hit with 155 mm artillery shells while on patrol, and who later endured more than 30 complex operations. "We are humbled and incredibly grateful that Carrington customers have chosen to round up to support these important Veteran programs," said Rosemary Rose, Chairman, Carrington Charitable Foundation. "Their donations are making an important difference in the lives of service members who have given so much to protect and preserve the freedoms we all hold dear."

To learn more about the Veterans whom CCF supports, please visit: carringtoncf.org/signature-programs. The Carrington Charitable Foundation Through its collective associates made up of Carrington leaders and employees, the company's nonprofit organization, Carrington Charitable Foundation, contributes to the community through causes that reflect the interests of Carrington Associates. For more information about Carrington Charitable Foundation, and the organizations and programs it supports through specific fundraising efforts, please visit: carringtoncf.org. For more information about the Carrington Companies, visit: www.carringtonhc.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210819005035/en/

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[August 19, 2021] BrainBox AI to Showcase Its Innovative Technology at the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference

The only Canadian company, and one of ten globally, chosen for prestigious Tech For Our Planet program at COP26, designed to spark environmental change and help the world reach its net zero targets MONTREAL, Aug. 19, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - BrainBox AI, a pioneer in predictive and self-adaptive commercial building technology, is proud to announce its participation in the Tech For Our Planet challenge program, an initiative at the upcoming 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) empowering new technology that is accelerating the global goal of carbon neutrality. BrainBox AI has been selected by the UK Government to display its technology in Challenge 3  Thinking Smart, which is dedicated to solutions that can capture and share data to better predict and manage energy consumption. In the three months leading into COP26, which will be held in November in Glasgow, BrainBox AI will demonstrate the benefits of grid-interactive buildings to achieve net zero objectives for the electrical grid. A market leader in the cleantech and proptech sectors for its commercial building technology, BrainBox AI is one of just ten start-up companies chosen to participate in the program, which is run by the UK Government and PUBLIC, a leading govtech company dedicated to helping solve public sector issues. "BrainBox AI is excited to present our groundbreaking artificial intelligence technology as part of COP26's showcase of some of the top companies helping to save our planet for future generations," says Sam Ramadori, President of BrainBx AI. "The recent IPCC Report laid out in stark terms how the Earth is transforming in unprecedented ways. Reducing carbon emissions and other greenhouse gases may be our only chance to limit destruction to our climate. By implementing technologies like BrainBox AI in one of the world's greatest energy consumers, buildings, we can turn the tide and help the real estate industry play its part in stopping the effects of climate change."



BrainBox AI offers artificial intelligence (AI) to combat climate change by making commercial buildings smarter and more efficient. Its flagship product, currently installed in over 100,000,000 sq. ft. of real estate across 17 countries, combines AI and cloud computing to create a fully autonomous commercial heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) solution. Through seamless communication with building management systems (BMS), the technology optimizes HVAC systems in real-time, permitting the existing infrastructure to become predictive and self-adaptive, while significantly reducing energy consumption and emissions. BrainBox AI's deep learning and cloud-based computing algorithms produce a saving in total energy costs of up to 25%, a 20 - 40% reduction in carbon footprint and a 60% increase in occupant comfort. Building operators can also see up to 50% extension in the service life of the HVAC equipment. This month, BrainBox AI activated its global monitoring network, which provides 24/7 support and HVAC system analysis to its customers around the world. In 2020, BrainBox AI was recognized by TIME as one of the Top 100 best inventions and by CB Insights as one of the Top 100 AI start-ups redefining industries in 2021. The company is also a member of the MaRS Discovery District, the largest urban innovation hub in North America.

About BrainBox AI BrainBox AI was created in 2017 with the goal of redefining building automation through artificial intelligence to be at the forefront of a green building revolution. Headquartered in Montreal, a global AI hub, BrainBox AI has a workforce of over 100 employees and supports real estate clients in numerous sectors, including office buildings, airports, hotels, multi-residential, long-term care facilities, grocery stores and commercial retail. BrainBox AI works in collaboration with research partners including the US Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the Institute for Data Valorization (IVADO) as well as educational institutions including Montreal's Ecole de technologie superieure (ETS) and McGill University. Learn more about BrainBox AI. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/brainbox-ai-to-showcase-its-innovative-technology-at-the-26th-united-nations-climate-change-conference-301358800.html SOURCE BrainBox AI

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[August 19, 2021] Peru - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Sydney, Aug. 19, 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/Peru-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses/?utm_source=GNW

The extent of the decline, however, will take some time to recover from fully. It will likely be two to three years before penetration rates return to the peak levels last seen in 2018. This is especially true given the overwhelming influence of mobile on Perus telecommunications market, which now commands almost 95% of all connections.



Perus fixed-line teledensity continued its slow but relentless decline into obscurity, dropping below 7% at the start of 2021. Investment in network infrastructure, where it exists, is mainly focused on rolling out fibre cable for fixed broadband services in (mainly) urban areas. Fixed broadband penetration inched higher to reach 8.4% at the end of 2020, a positive result that reflected the shift to working from home during enforced lockdowns at the start of the year. Yet Peru has a relatively low level of computer use, and prices for fixed broadband ervices are among the highest in Latin America. The overwhelmingly preferred internet access platform will remain the smartphone, with a further 8.6% growth in the number of mobile broadband subscriptions expected in 2021.









One drawback to success in the mobile broadband market has been the decision in January 2021 by Googles parent company Alphabet to shut down Project Loon. This global endeavour involved the use of high-altitude balloons to provide internet access to remote, underserved areas around the world. In Peru, Loon had signed a deal with Telefonica to provide internet services in areas of the Amazon rainforest as part of the Telefonica/Facebook Internet para Todos (IPT) project launched in 2018. However, Alphabet was unable to make the venture financially sustainable.









Key developments:



5G services launched using existing concessions, but spectrum auctions delayed to late 2021.

Regulator fines Movistar and Claro for breaching MNP rules, imposes new requirements on Movistar to provide customers with greater transparency, announces $415 million investment to extend LTE coverage to 2,600 underserved areas.

MTC issues Fibertel with a 20-year MVNO licence to offer B2B-focused services and dark fibre access over a nationwide fibre network.

Pacific Cable lands at Lurin.

Eutelsat Communications enters JV with Telespazio allowing the latter to use Ku Band capacity on the EUTELSAT 117 West B satellite to provide telecom services to 1,300 underserved areas in the Peruvian Amazon.

This report includes the regulator's market data reports to march 2021, telcos' financial and operating data updates for H1 2021, Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, assessment of the global impact of Covid-19 on the telecoms sector, and other recent market developments.

Companies mentioned in this report:





Telefonica del Peru (Movistar), America Movil (Claro Peru), Americatel Peru (Entel), Viettel Peru (Bitel), Gilat To Home Peru, Flash Mobile, Cuy Movil, Fibertel.





Read the full report: https://www.budde.com.au/Research/Peru-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses/?utm_source=GNW

Nicolas Bombourg: nbombourg@budde.com.au Europe office: +44 207 097 1241 Oceania Office: +61 280 767 665

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[August 19, 2021] Regrow to Attend Cannabis Conference Aug. 24-26 to Engage with Cannabis Business Operators, Showcase New Company Messaging

San Diego, California, Aug. 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NewMediaWire -- Regrow (the Company), the premier supply chain management cloud platform designed specifically for the cannabis industry, announced today that members of the Regrow sales and customer service team will be attending Cannabis Conference 2021 as the Company continues to build strategic relationships with cannabis cultivators throughout North America.

Cannabis Conference 2021 will take place Aug. 24-26 at Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Regrow members will be available for one-on-one meetings during the three-day event with interested operators. To schedule a meeting, contact info@regrow.io. The timing could not be better to meet with business leaders on the frontlines of therapidly evolving cannabis space, said Regrow CEO Rob Woodbyrne. As demand for cannabis products and flower grows, business owners increasingly need a technology solution that provides both transparent and efficient processes to achieve maximum yields within budget. Additionally, we have implemented some exciting updates to our communication strategy to best convey how Regrow can assist growers with their day-to-day operations.



Designed by software engineers and experienced technology executives, the Regrow software service allows cultivators to analyze performance metrics of their strains, formulations, harvests, workforce, pest management tasks, vendors and monitor environmental measures to increase the efficiency of their operation. This service allows cultivators to fully configure the metrics that matter most to their business, such as the cost per gram in production, time to market and overall increased yield and margins. The Regrow software eliminates the manual recording of tasks that contributes to costly human error, which allows for measurable profitability gains across an organization. For more information on Regrow visit regrow.io or to be a part of Regrows limited phase one launch contact info@regrow.io.

About Regrow

Regrow is a first-of-its-kind cloud platform designed specifically to help cannabis operators increase their yields, maximize their canopy space, automate workflows, manage work forces and ensure documented compliance in all areas of the supply chain. Designed by software and process experts passionate about cannabis and helping scale the industry, Regrows platform helps companies automate manual tasks, reduce costs, avoid supply shortages, and create dynamic workflows that help to maximize yields and increase profitability. Driven by a core continuous improvement philosophy, Regrows platform is configurable to specific business needs and easily adaptable to a companys scaling objectives, offering prescriptive solutions while conforming to unique business requirements. Public Relations Contact:

CMW Media

Cassandra Dowell regrow@cmwmedia.com 858-264-6600

www.cmwmedia.com



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[August 19, 2021] Enable, the SaaS Solution for B2B Rebate Management, Secures $45 Million Series B

Enable, a cloud-based software solution for B2B rebate management, has secured a $45 million Series B funding round to continue to fuel the company's growth plans. The round is led by Norwest Venture Partners with participation from previous investors, Menlo Ventures (News - Alert) and Sierra Ventures, along with several angel investors. This latest round brings the company's total funding to $62 million. In addition to the raise, Sean Jacobsohn, Partner at Norwest Venture Partners, will join Enable's Board of Directors. Launched in 2016, Enable's software is used by procurement and finance professionals in distribution and manufacturing across over 50 industries so that they can have an easy, seamless solution to execute and track their full rane of trading programs. These departments were previously using manual tools and disparate systems that brought numerous errors and miscalculations resulting in 4% of potential rebate revenue going unclaimed. Enable is helping its clients automate their rebate management processes, so that they can maximize the performance of their B2B deals while improving financial transparency and operational efficiency.



"We're pioneering a new category of software to help our clients succeed with rebate management in a way that enables them to better serve their customers while also accelerating profitable growth," said Andrew Butt, Co-founder & CEO of Enable. "It's been incredible to watch how our product has disrupted an outdated industry and we're excited for what the future has in store as we continue to expand." The funding comes at a time of rapid growth for the company. Enable has tripled its revenue and customer base since its Series A raise just last year and has more merchants and suppliers in the UK and US than any other comparable software solution. The funds will be used for Product Innovation, Customer Success, and Go To Market roles.

"Manufacturers and distributors spend trillions of dollars in rebates each year. Enable has found a unique opportunity in the supply chain to help ensure the end-to-end rebate management process is streamlined on one central platform, maximizes profitable growth, and that these dollars are accurately accounted for," said Sean Jacobsohn, Partner at Norwest Venture Partners. "We couldn't be more excited to partner with Enable on the journey to help suppliers and distributors be more aligned and in control of their trading agreements." ABOUT ENABLE Enable is a modern, cloud-based software solution for B2B rebate management. Companies use Enable to create, execute, and track their full range of trading programs. The user-friendly software empowers distributors, wholesalers, and manufacturers to make better trading decisions to drive mutually profitable growth, while improving cash flow and reducing risk. The company has offices in San Francisco, CA (News - Alert) and Stratford-upon-Avon, UK. For information, visit https://enable.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210819005273/en/

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[August 19, 2021] Fidelity Q2 2021 Retirement Analysis: Despite Ongoing Uncertainty, Retirement Account Balances and Contributions Increase as Workers Begin to Feel More Positive

Fidelity Investments, a market-leading workplace benefits company and America's No. 1 IRA provider1, today released its quarterly analysis of more than 30 million IRA, 401(k), and 403(b) retirement accounts. Although many Americans are still addressing challenges posed by the pandemic, Fidelity's Q2 analysis highlights positive results across retirement account balances, contributions, and savings behaviors. Average retirement account balances increased to record levels for the third consecutive quarter, with long-term retirement savers seeing significant gains. In addition, Baby Boomers2 increased their contributions to 401(k) and IRA accounts, while the average 401(k) savings rate reached a new high. Positive investing behavior, including a decreasing number of outstanding 401(k) loans, was complemented by positive investor sentiment, with workers reporting reduced levels of stress and anxiety.3 Highlights from Fidelity's Q2 2021 analysis include: Retirement accounts see modest growth, reach record levels for the third consecutive quarter. The average IRA balance4 was $134,900, a 4% increase from last quarter and a 21% increase from Q2 2020. The average 401(k) balance5 increased to $129,300 in Q2, a 4% increase from Q1 and up 24% from a year ago. The average 403(b) account balance6 increased to a record $113,300, an increase of 6% from last quarter and 24% higher than in Q2 2020. Average Retirement Account Balances







Q2 2021 Q1 2021 Q2 2020 Q2 2011 IRA $134,900 $130,000 $111,500 $72,200 401(k) $129,300 $123,900 $104,400 $73,000 403(b) $113,300 $107,300 $91,100 $56,300

Baby Boomers boost contributions as retirement approaches. As the youngest Baby Boomers enter their late 50s, Fidelity found that many investors in this generation are increasing their contributions to their retirement accounts. A record 18.2% of Baby Boomers made a "catch-up" contribution 7 to their 401(k) in Q2, with 58% of Boomers making the maximum catch-up contribution of $6,500 by the end of last year. Among Baby Boomers with an IRA, Fidelity found that the average contribution amount increased 17% over Q2 2020 to $3,570, while the total number of IRA contributions among Baby Boomers increase 57% when compared to the same quarter last year. The average 403(b) contribution rate for Baby Boomers increased to 10.9% in Q2.

As the youngest Baby Boomers enter their late 50s, Fidelity found that many investors in this generation are increasing their contributions to their retirement accounts. A record 18.2% of Baby Boomers made a "catch-up" contribution to their 401(k) in Q2, with 58% of Boomers making the maximum catch-up contribution of $6,500 by the end of last year. Among Baby Boomers with an IRA, Fidelity found that the average contribution amount increased 17% over Q2 2020 to $3,570, while the total number of IRA contributions among Baby Boomers increase 57% when compared to the same quarter last year. The average 403(b) contribution rate for Baby Boomers increased to 10.9% in Q2. Individuals taking a long-term approach to retirement savings continue to see gains. The overall average balance for individuals who have been in their 401(k) plan continuously for 10 years crossed the $400,000 threshold for the first time, reaching $402,700 in Q2. Among women investors, the average 10-year continuous 401(k) balance reached $324,700 in Q2. The average balance for 403(b) investors who have been in their plan for 10 years reached $233,300, nearly 3x the average 10-year continuous balance in Q2 2011.

The overall average balance for individuals who have been in their 401(k) plan continuously for 10 years crossed the $400,000 threshold for the first time, reaching $402,700 in Q2. Among women investors, the average 10-year continuous 401(k) balance reached $324,700 in Q2. The average balance for 403(b) investors who have been in their plan for 10 years reached $233,300, nearly 3x the average 10-year continuous balance in Q2 2011. 401(k) savings rate reaches record level as younger workers increase their contributions. The average 401(k) employee savings rate reached a record 9.3% in Q2. Over the last year, more than one in three (38%) of 401(k) savers have increased their savings rate, while only 7% of workers have decreased their 401(k) savings rate since Q2 2020. More than half of Gen Z2 workers (54%) increased their 401(k) savings rate over the last year, while 43% of millennials2 have increased their savings rate since Q2 2020. "The pandemic is clearly fueling a shift in how Americans prioritize their work, health, personal lives and financial well-being, so it's encouraging to see a continued improvement of retirement savings rates and individuals expressing more feelings of hope and fewer feelings of stress," said Kevin Barry, president of Workplace Investing at Fidelity Investments. "As the world continues to navigate the pandemic, we'll continue to support employers, and their employees, with the tools and information they need to keep their retirement savings on track." Decreasing 401(k) loans, steady investment behaviors as workers feeling a return to normal While many workers, and their employers, continue to face financial uncertainty due to the ongoing impact of the pandemic, recent Fidelity research and positive investment behavior in may indicate that workers are starting to feel more stability and a sense of normalcy. A recent survey3 of Fidelity 401(k) plan participants found that the percentage of workers who reported feeling stressed dropped from 41% last November to 27% this May, while the percentage of workers who reported feeling anxious dropped 37% to 20% during the same period. At the same time, the percentage of workers who reported feeling hopeful increased from 32% to 42% between November and May, while the percentage of individuals that reported feeling calm increased 20% to 32% during the same time period. The positive sentiment among 401(k) savers is also reflected in investor behavior, specifically in the areas of 401(k) loans and asset allocation. Here are several examples of positive investing behaviors in Q2: The percentage of outstanding 401(k) loans remained at a record low. Less than one in five (17.5%) individuals had an outstanding loan from their 401(k) in Q2, a record low percentage and consistent with the percentage of outstanding 401(k) loans in Q1. While some workers may still have to tap their 401(k) to help address a financial challenge, the long-term trend of decreasing loan usage continued in Q2.

Less than one in five (17.5%) individuals had an outstanding loan from their 401(k) in Q2, a record low percentage and consistent with the percentage of outstanding 401(k) loans in Q1. While some workers may still have to tap their 401(k) to help address a financial challenge, the long-term trend of decreasing loan usage continued in Q2. Fewer individuals are making changes to the asset allocation within their 401(k). Only 5.3% of 401(k) savers made a change to their asset allocation in Q2, the lowest percentage since Q4 2019. Of the 401(k) savers that made a change to their allocation, 80% only made just one change in the quarter. For more information on Fidelity's Q2 2021 analysis, click here to access Fidelity's "Building Financial Futures" overview, which provides additional details and insight on retirement trends and data. About Fidelity Investments Fidelity's mission is to inspire better futures and deliver better outcomes for the customers and businesses we serve. With assets under administration of $11.0 trillion, including discretionary assets of $4.1 trillion as of June 30, 2021, we focus on meeting the unique needs of a diverse set of customers: helping more than 35 million people invest their own life savings, 22,000 businesses manage employee benefit programs, as well as providing more than 13,500 wealth management firms and institutions with investment and technology solutions to drive growth. Privately held for 75 years, Fidelity employs more than 47,000 associates who are focused on the long-term success of our customers. For more information about Fidelity Investments, visit www.fidelity.com/about-fidelity/our-company. Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC, Member NYSE, SIPC

900 Salem Street, Smithfield, RI 02917 Fidelity Distributors Company LLC

500 Salem Street, Smithfield, RI 02917 National Financial Services LLC, Member NYSE, SIPC

200 Seaport Boulevard, Boston, MA 02110 991919.1.1

 2021 FMR LLC. All rights reserved. ____________________________ 1 Based on Cerulli Associates' "Top-10 IRA Providers by AUA, 4Q 2018 - 4Q 2020." 2 Generations as defined by Pew (News - Alert) Research: Baby Boomers are those people born between 1946 and 1964, Gen X are those people born between 1965 and 1980, Millennials are those people born between 1981 and 1996, Gen Z are people born between 1997 and 2012. 3 Based on a quantitative online survey among 1585 Fidelity plan participants. This survey was conducted by Ipsos, an independent third-party research firm, on behalf of Fidelity in September 2020, December 2020 and May 2021. 4 Fidelity business analysis of 11.6 million IRA accounts as of June 30, 2021. 5 Analysis based on 23,600 corporate defined contribution plans and 19.8 million participants as of June 30, 2021. These figures include the advisor-sold market but exclude the tax-exempt market. Excluded from the behavioral statistics are non-qualified defined contribution plans and plans for Fidelity's own employees. 6 Based on Fidelity analysis of 10,354 Tax-exempt plans and 7.3 million plan participants as of June 30, 2021. Considers average balance across all active plans for 5.4M unique individuals employed in tax-exempt market. 7 IRS regulations allow participants 50 and older to add an extra $6,500 per year in "catch-up" contributions, bringing the total for 401(k) contributions for 2021 to $26,000. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210819005197/en/

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[August 19, 2021] Announcing Gravyty 4.0: This is AI for Fundraising

BOSTON, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As the first and leading artificial intelligence (AI) company serving the Social Good sector, Gravyty has seen unprecedented growth in the demand for fundraiser enablement powered by AI. Today, the company introduces Gravyty Version 4.0, which brings donor data security to all customers, creates unprecedented pathways to expand the culture of philanthropy across organizations, connects donor journeys to major giving, scales infrastructure for industry-leading implementation times, and more. "Less than five years ago, we predicted that AI would empower fundraisers to operate more efficiently than ever before thought possible. Gravyty was founded to lead this transformation and create technology specifically for nonprofit organizations," said Adam Martel, CEO of Gravyty. "As these efficiencies continue to improve and organizations see new and increased giving come from their fundraising teams, Gravyty's AI fundraiser enablement tools are no longer a luxury but a necessity. Gravyty has experienced massive growth in the last year, and we're excited to push the limits again with the release of Gravyty 4.0." Hundreds of nonprofit organizations across education, mission-based causes, and healthcare manage millions of donors each month with Gravyty. Gravyty prepared for this growth in the past year by investing in the technical infrastructure to ensure customers could focus on the most critical part of their day: engaging with donors and prospects. As a result, organizations can expand the culture of philanthropy, connect donor journeys to giving, experience an unprecedented fast and complete implementation, and protect donor data like never before. Gravyty 4.0 includes: Gravyty Guard For All Customers With data security being the top concern at every nonprofit organization, Gravyty met the moment to help organizations protect their donor data by addressing the problem like no other technology provider in the nonprofit sector with the introduction of Gravyty Guard. Gravyty Guard is the industry's first AI-enabled human layer security solution specifically designed for the rigors of fundraising. Due to the overwhelming importance of this innovation, Gravyty Guard is now included for all Gravyty customers to ensure that organizations protect their most important assets, donor data. Gravyty Guard protects nonprofit organizations and their well-intentioned employees from unintentional data breaches, which account for 85% of all violations. Protecting against three key areas: email infiltration, data exfiltration, and anomalous behavior, Gravyty Guard alerts fundraisers to potential data breaches and empowers leaders to build policies that fit our increasingly digital world. Threats that Gravyty Guard helps organizations protect against include phishing and spear phishing, unauthorized data transfers, and abnormalities like misdirected emails, and accidentally sending personally identifiable information (PII) specific to nonprofit donor data. Gravyty Connect+ Good stewardship involves timely and personal gift acknowledgment. Great stewardship includes multiple personal touchpoints throughout the year from someone directly impacted by a gift. Gravyty Connect empowers nonprofit leaders to expand a culture of philanthropy at their organization. Gravyty Connect+ takes the concept a monumental step forward, prompting appropriate and consistent outreach to any donor throughout the year. Early users f Connect+ love the product because it empowers them to demonstrate their interest in donors and build relationships rather than just solicit prospects. For example, many of Gravyty's mid-level giving officers use Connect+ to thank and cultivate donors with multiple touchpoints throughout the year before soliciting the next gift. This technique, backed by Gravyty's AI, creates on-ramps for future major gift donors.



Gravyty LIVE Upgrades Since the launch of Gravyty LIVE, hundreds of customers have received expert one-on-one guidance from Gravyty's expert fundraising professionals to align AI-enabled donor engagement with their organization's strategy, resulting in giving outcomes that would otherwise have been impossible. Gravyty 4.0 includes amazing updates, including Gravyty LIVE Analytics and Donor Journeys to this experience, tying giving back to fundraising outreach activity.

"The insights that Gravyty LIVE Analytics provide to fundraising leaders are transformative," explained Lisa Alvezi, Gravyty's VP of customer success. "Through Gravyty LIVE Analytics, fundraising leaders understand precisely how outreach drives giving results or uncovers alarming gaps. And, because Gravyty LIVE aligns strategy with technology, we're able to fine-tune and alter approaches, so they directly impact the bottom line in positive ways." Gravyty LIVE Analytics empowers leaders to ask about their team's outreach effectiveness, how many donors fundraisers are connecting with, and the types of donors they aren't spending enough time with. These reports identify specific opportunities that are left on the table. For example, Gravyty LIVE Analytics helped one organization use portfolio saturation reporting and donor journeys to uncover an alarming trend with LYBUNT donors. Leadership and Gravyty promptly adjusted strategy and aligned the AI to focus on this donor segment, securing an additional $1.75M in gifts in just six months. Donor Journey reporting is a fascinating piece of Gravyty LIVE Analytics. People give to people. Now, leaders can precisely understand which touchpoints lead to giving outcomes. Whether it's first-time gifts, increased giving, or major gifts with Gravyty Donor Journeys, it's never been easier to visualize the results of an organization's interactions with a donor. Gravyty LIVE Analytics is free to all Gravyty LIVE customers using email integration. Streamlined Implementation Gravyty rebuilt the entire implementation infrastructure in anticipation of growth, allowing quicker, easier onboarding for new customers. As customers are onboarded in record numbers, they also see a record-breaking implementation process and speed. "When we look at the giving outcomes Gravyty delivers back to its customers, the only way to describe it is transformational. We want to deliver that value as quickly as possible. By investing in the implementation team and infrastructure, we've truly developed a world-class implementation process that's amazingly fast, often less than four weeks from kick-off to launch," said Marijana Radic Boone, Gravyty's Director of Data Solutions and Implementation. Email Integration Gravyty email integration unlocks unprecedented opportunities for productivity and donor data security for fundraisers. The tool runs seamlessly in the background, providing fundraisers with a first-of-its-kind lens into their donors through engagement alerts, analytics on their outreach, and writebacks directly into the CRM. Engagement Alerts empower fundraisers to ask some of the most pressing questions about their outreach. Did my email to this donor hit the right topic? Did I make the right ask? Fundraisers see when donors open, click, and respond to messages, so they can objectively evaluate relationships.

empower fundraisers to ask some of the most pressing questions about their outreach. Fundraisers see when donors open, click, and respond to messages, so they can objectively evaluate relationships. Email Analytics allow fundraisers to definitively assess which activities are the best use of their time. Gravyty's email analytics empower fundraisers to qualify and disqualify donors and prospects with conviction by measuring the effectiveness of their outreach.

allow fundraisers to definitively assess which activities are the best use of their time. Gravyty's email analytics empower fundraisers to qualify and disqualify donors and prospects with conviction by measuring the effectiveness of their outreach. Seamless Writebacks of Gravyty-prompted outreach into the CRM or database eliminates time-consuming menial tasks. Gravyty captures a fundraiser's initial email, the response, and that chain moving forward for anyone in a fundraiser's portfolio. Additionally, organizations never fear losing relationship data with seamless writebacks when fundraisers transfer in and out of portfolios or jobs. Special Campaigns Gravyty now makes special campaigns automated and approachable for fundraisers by mobilizing gift officers around a single initiative with the click of a button. Gravyty's AI seamlessly prioritizes donors for special campaigns based on an organization's giving criteria, keeping fundraisers in control of every relationship, regardless of the ongoing campaign. Many customers use Gravyty Special Campaigns so fundraisers maintain personalized and clear messaging as they incorporate 3-2-1 fiscal year-end campaigns, days of giving, and 24-hour appeals into their outreach. Gravyty fundraisers have achieved 100% portfolio saturation for special campaigns with these features while approaching even the largest donors appropriately and thoughtfully. Control Center Gravyty's Control Center is the self-serve resource that helps fundraisers fine-tune efficiencies and time savings. Control Center provides access to on-demand admin tools that empower fundraisers to command the AI that drives donor outreach. The Gravyty Control Center is a fundraiser's single destination for customizing options such as: Finding stewardship opportunities

Planning birthday outreach to donors

Adjusting out-of-office settings

Searching follow-up notes

Pausing & triggering new Gravyty prompts

Adding administrative assistants to outreach to help fundraisers manage responses and book meetings. SOC 2 Security As the market-defining leader of AI for fundraising, Gravyty is the first technology of its kind to complete the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) System and Organization Controls 2 (SOC 2) Type 1 audit, meeting the most rigorous standards of security compliance. SOC 2 compliance is an accreditation developed by the AICPA. To qualify for SOC 2, Gravyty demonstrated, via an independent third-party audit conducted by Wolf & Company, PC, that it has controls in place to ensure the security, availability, and processing integrity of users' data. Gravyty passed each section of this audit, which included three rounds of review, with top-level compliance. To learn more about Gravyty 4.0 and how Gravyty's customers are meeting the moment and crushing fundraising goals, schedule a demo . Media Contact

Kevin Leahy

833-472-8989

316922@email4pr.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/announcing-gravyty-4-0-this-is-ai-for-fundraising-301358120.html SOURCE GRAVYTY

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[August 19, 2021] Forge Nano and Mineral Commodities Enter Into MOU to Produce ALD-Coated Natural Graphite Anode Powders

DENVER, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Mineral Commodities Ltd., Perth l, WA, Australia, and Forge Nano Inc., Colorado, USA have signed a memorandum of understanding ("MOU") for the use of Forge Nano's proprietary Atomic Layer Deposition coating technology ("ALD"). Forge Nano's surface engineering platform technology will be used to apply atomic level coatings to Mineral Commodities' natural graphite materials. Dr. Surinder Ghag, MRC's Chief Technology Officer, explains: "By combining our high-quality natural graphite with Forge Nano's ALD coating technology, we can produce a high-performing, cost-competitive graphite anode powder for lithium-ion batteries. We're very excited about this long-term partnership as we target sustainable European anode production in the coming years. This collaboration enables the Company to continue building its technical expertise as it moves towards demonstrating a downstream process for graphite spheronization, purification and coating." Paul Lichty, Forge Nano's Chief Executive Officer, adds: "We are excited to be fully supporting Mineral Commodities as a key technology partner in their path towards large-scale anode powder production. Our high-throughput ALD coating technology will enable them to compete with established anode producers globally. The collaboration adds to our growing set of partnerships in the graphite anode space, a testament to the value of our technology." Why does the ALD coating process work so well for graphite anode powders? ALD coatings on graphite anode pwder stabilize the surface defects. This ALD stabilization results in better anode powders with higher discharge capacities, longer life, and improved rate performance. Batteries using ALD-stabilized graphite show increased cycle life, reduced capacity fade, increased conductivity, and greater stability under a variety of conditions such as high voltage, fast charge, or high/low temperature storage and operation. Additionally, Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) is a potential replacement for carbon coatings on natural graphite powders, a process that few companies have the know-how for.



About Forge Nano Forge Nano is a global leader in surface engineering and precision nano-coating technology, using Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD). The Company's proprietary technology and manufacturing processes make angstrom-thick coatings fast, affordable, and commercially viable for a wide range of materials, applications, and industries. Forge Nano's suite of ALD and PALD equipment and services covers the full spectrum from lab-scale tools to commercial-scale manufacturing. Over the last year, Forge Nano has received major support and signed meaningful partnerships with Volkswagen, LG Technology Ventures, Mitsui Kinzoku, Air Liquide, and Sumitomo Corporation of Americas.

About Mineral Commodities Mineral Commodities Ltd is a global mining and development company with a primary focus on the development of high-grade mineral deposits within the mineral sands and battery minerals sectors. The Company is a leading producer of zircon, rutile, garnet and ilmenite concentrates from its Tormin Mineral Sands Operation, located on the Western Cape of South Africa. In October 2019, the Company completed the acquisition of Skaland Graphite AS, the world's highest-grade operating flake graphite mine and one of the only producers in Europe. The planned development of the Munglinup Graphite Project, located in Western Australia, builds on the Skaland acquisition and is a further step toward an integrated, downstream value-adding strategy. MRC's Graphite vision is to be a supplier of high quality, low emission, sustainably manufactured, natural graphite active anode material to meet the fast-growing demand for sustainably manufactured lithium-ion batteries. CONTACT

Michael Talarico

Marketing Director

316990@email4pr.com

(720) 259-8579 View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/forge-nano-and-mineral-commodities-enter-into-mou-to-produce-ald-coated-natural-graphite-anode-powders-301358725.html SOURCE Forge Nano

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[August 19, 2021] Dominican Republic - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Sydney, Aug. 19, 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/Dominican-Republic-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses/?utm_source=GNW





A show of stability in the face of widespread disruption is a sure sign of strength in the sector, yet the Dominican Republic remains behind most of its counterparts in the Latin American region, especially in terms of fixed-line network coverage. Mobile penetration is more on a par with the regional average, but at penetration levels of around 88% there is still ample opportunity for growth.





In terms of growth, the standout winner was once again the mobile broadband segment. The market is expecte to see close to 8% growth in 2021, building further on the gains it already made in 2020 when lockdowns and work-from-home rules encouraged many people to find ways to upgrade their internet access and performance. The limited coverage of fixed-line broadband networks makes mobile the first, if not only, choice for most people in the country.











Key developments:





Telecom industry regulator Indotel releases 5G Auction Calendar, with selection of winners expected to be announced in September 2021.

National electricity distributor Empresa de Transmision Electrica Dominica (ETED) instructed to open its internal fibre network to provide commercial fixed broadband services.

$115 million loan provided by the Inter-American Development Bank to the Dominican Republic to help finance broadband infrastructure projects in under-served parts of the country.

This report includes the regulator's market data reports and telcos' financial and operating data updates to Q1 2021, Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, assessment of the global impact of Covid-19 on the telecoms sector, and other recent market developments.

Companies mentioned in this report:





Claro Dominicana (America Movil); Altice Dominicana; Orange Dominica; Tricom; Viva (Trilogy Dominicana); Centennial Dominicana; BEC-Tel; Wind Telecom; Onemax.





Read the full report: https://www.budde.com.au/Research/Dominican-Republic-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses/?utm_source=GNW

Nicolas Bombourg: nbombourg@budde.com.au Europe office: +44 207 097 1241 Oceania Office: +61 280 767 665

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[August 19, 2021] Armorblox Joins Internet2's Research and Education Community as Industry Member

Armorblox, a cybersecurity innovator that helps organizations communicate more securely over email, today announced that it has joined Internet2, a non-profit, member-driven advanced technology community that provides a secure high-speed network, cloud solutions, research support, and identity and access management services tailored for research and education. Internet2 convenes universities, government agencies, non-profit affiliates, regional and state education networks, corporations, and international partners-and through them supports more than 80,000 community anchor institutions such as K-12 schools, community colleges, public libraries, health care facilities, museums, and other cultural and performing arts organizations. Armorblox's Internet2 membership furthers its ability to collaborate with Internet2 higher education, affiliate, federal affiliate, and industry members. The membership also provides Armorblox with opportunities for participation in working groups, testbeds, and projects with a focus on meeting the unique needs of the research and education community. Email security risk is a reality for every educational institution. The 2021 Verizon (News - Alert) Data Breach Investigations Report found that 50% of breaches in the Education sector involved social engineering. Around 80% of these social engineering breaches involved Pretexting as a tactic, which is heavily associated with Business Email Compromise (BEC). Email attacks like BEC, vendor fraud, impersonation, and credential phishing target the human layer of educational institutions by replicating known business workflows and often hiding the payload within email language and context. Armorblox, a 2020 Gartner (News - Alert) Cool Vendor in Cloud Office Security, analyzes thousands of signals across identity, behavior, and language to stop these advanced email attacks. By connecting over APIs and seamlessly integrating with Microoft Office 365 and Google (News - Alert) native email security, Armorblox provides an easy-to-use email security platform that stops hard-to-detect attacks. Armorblox also helps prevent sensitive data from falling into the wrong hands over email and reduces phishing response times by automating large parts of customers' abuse mailbox remediation.



"We are excited to welcome Armorblox to Internet2 and look forward to their active participation and valuable contributions in support of research and education," said Ben Fineman, Director of Industry Engagement at Internet2. "Industry members play an essential role in supporting Internet2's mission of empowering U.S. research and education through their commitment to working together to build strategic engagements and capabilities that extend leading-edge scholarship and research." "Scammers increasingly target universities by hijacking timely occasions such as commencement or student onboarding, to create plausible, hard-to-detect fraudulent messages with the ultimate goal of stealing money or data," said RuthAnne Bevier, Senior Information Security Advisor at Caltech. "Armorblox has been a very effective partner in preventing these targeted threats that get past our other email security layers from making it to our users' inboxes."

"Educational institutions have an email attack surface that increases with every new semester," said DJ Sampath, Co-founder and CEO at Armorblox. "We are delighted to engage with the active Internet2 community to continually align with their security priorities, share targeted email attacks we have seen in the wild, and contribute to research efforts that further national and global education." About Armorblox | www.armorblox.com

Armorblox secures enterprise communications over email and other cloud office applications with the power of Natural Language Understanding. The Armorblox platform connects over APIs and analyzes thousands of signals to understand the context of communications and protect people and data from compromise. Over 56,000 organizations use Armorblox to stop BEC and targeted phishing attacks, protect sensitive PII and PCI (News - Alert) , and automate remediation of user-reported email threats. Armorblox was featured in the 2019 Forbes AI 50 list and was named a 2020 Gartner Cool Vendor in Cloud Office Security. Founded in 2017, Armorblox is headquartered in Sunnyvale, CA and backed by General Catalyst and Next47. About Internet2 | www.internet2.edu

Internet2 is a non-profit, member-driven advanced technology community founded by the nation's leading higher education institutions in 1996. Internet2 serves 320 U.S. universities, 59 government agencies, 45 regional and state education networks and through them supports more than 80,000 community anchor institutions, over 1,000 InCommon participants, and 56 leading corporations working with our community, and 70 national research and education network partners that represent more than 100 countries. Internet2 delivers a diverse portfolio of technology solutions that leverages, integrates, and amplifies the strengths of its members and helps support their educational, research and community service missions. Internet2's core infrastructure components include the nation's largest and fastest research and education network that was built to deliver advanced, customized services that are accessed and secured by the community-developed trust and identity framework. Internet2 offices are located in Ann Arbor, Mich.; Denver, Colo.; Washington, D.C.; and West Hartford, Conn. For more information, follow @Internet2 on Twitter (News - Alert) . View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210819005282/en/

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[August 19, 2021] Jordan - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Sydney, Aug. 19, 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/Jordan-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses/?utm_source=GNW

This policy has helped the country rise in the league tables for digital connectivity and internet readiness, and it has also attracted investment from foreign companies. During the ongoing global pandemic, the start-up sector has been further encouraged to develop solutions to combat the crisis, while other efforts have facilitated e-government services and encouraged businesses to adapt to new methods of working through their own digital transformation.



These developments have been supported by the highly developed mobile sector, led by three major regional players which have near-comprehensive LTE network coverage. Orange Jordan has also focussed on building up its FttP infrastructure, with the network covering about 618,000 premises by mid-2021.





BuddeComm notes that the outbreak of the Coronavirus continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains all around the world. During this time, the telecom sector to various degrees is likely to experience a downturn in mobile device and ICT equipment production, while it may also be difficult for network operators to source necessary equipment or manage workflows when maintaining and upgrading existing infrastructure. Overall progress towards 5G may also be postponed or slowed down in some countries.









On the consumer side, spending on telecoms services is likely to be impacted by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes. It is largely unknown what the long-term impacts will be as the crisis develops. However, though challenging to predict and interpret, these have been acknowledged in the industry forecasts contained in this report.







In addition, the report covers the responses of the telecom operators, as well as government agencies and regulators, as they react to the crisis to ensure that citizens can continue to make optimum use of telecom services. This can be reflected in subsidy schemes and the promotion of tele-health and tele-education, among other solutions.





This BuddeComm report provides statistics and analysis on the key sectors of Jordans telecom market, presenting an overview of the regulatory environment, the fixed network operators and services, telecom infrastructure, mobile operators, and mobile infrastructure, supported by statistics. The report includes a range of subscriber forecasts.







Recent developments:



Government encourage Jordans digital transformation, spurred by demands arising from responses to the pandemic;

Two additional cable systems to be added to the Blue-Raman cable system;

Fast take-up of LTE brings penetration rate to over 98%;

Umniah and JEPCO partner to deploy fibre-broadband networks;

Report update includes the regulator's the regulator's 2019 annual report, market data to December 2020, operator data to Q2 2021, Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, assessment of the global impact of Covid-19 on the telecoms sector, recent market developments.

Companies mentioned in this report include:





Orange Jordan, Zain Jordan, Batelco/Umniah





Read the full report: https://www.budde.com.au/Research/Jordan-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses/?utm_source=GNW

Nicolas Bombourg: nbombourg@budde.com.au Europe office: +44 207 097 1241 Oceania Office: +61 280 767 665

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[August 19, 2021] TestingXperts Achieves UiPath Gold Partnership Status

Mechanicsburg, PA., Aug. 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TestingXperts (Tx), a leading next-gen QA & software testing services provider, is delighted to announce it has achieved Gold partner status from UiPath, a leading enterprise automation software company. The Gold Partner recognition is granted by UiPath to partners having an Automation Center of Excellence (COE), a strong RPA business practice, a certified pool of UiPath experts and a proven track-record of delivering high-quality enterprise automation solutions.

TestingXperts is a leading UiPath Test Suite partner enabling seamless test automation services and solutions using UiPath Test Suite for clients across industries around the world. Txs UiPath Test Suite Center of Excellence (TSCoE) has more than 40 certified RPA professionals with critical atomation skills. Txs testing professionals continue to deliver seamless UiPath Test Suite automation services to its global clientele. For example, TestingXperts led the implementation of UiPath Test Suite at Spotify, worlds largest music streaming service provider.



Speaking about this partnership, Manish Gupta, CEO, TestingXperts, said, We are pleased to become a UiPath Gold partner, the global leader in RPA and automation. We are excited to be able to offer solutions based on UiPath products to our clients. UiPath Test Suite, coupled with other UiPath products, allow us to rapidly increase automation test coverage to test a wide range of applications and RPA solutions. Were pleased to welcome TestingXperts as a Gold partner in the UiPath Business Partner Program. Achieving Gold status is a testament to the companys exceptional experience, scale, and capability in delivering high-quality service and deployments to customers, said Cherlyn Chin, Vice President of Global Partners and Alliances at UiPath. Helping customers plan, implement, and manage testing of automations is a critical component of scaling to the fully automated enterprise.

About TestingXperts:

TestingXperts is a Next-Gen QA & Software Testing Services provider, co-headquartered in London, UK, and Mechanicsburg, PA in USA, with offices in Netherlands, Singapore, and India. TestingXperts suite of testing services covers Test Advisory, Functional and Non-Functional testing specializing in Automation, Digital, DevOps, Agile, Web, Mobility, IoT, Big Data and Artificial Intelligence, etc. TestingXperts help clients globally transform their QA function to achieve zero production defects, reduce QA cycle times up to 80% and lower overall QA costs up to 60% with its Next-Gen Testing Solutions, Modern Testing Approach, Skilled Teams, and a Global Delivery Model. Media contact:

Deepak Jaidka

marketing@testingxperts.com



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[August 19, 2021] Payments Global Market Report 2021: COVID-19 Impact and Recovery to 2025 & 2030 - ResearchAndMarkets.com

The "Payments Global Market Report 2021: COVID-19 Impact and Recovery to 2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global payments market is expected to grow from $466.29 billion in 2020 to $517.68 billion in 2021 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11%. The market is expected to reach $735.39 billion in 2025 at a CAGR of 9.2%. Major players in the payments market are PayPal (News - Alert) , Square, Inc., Apple Inc, Amazon Payments, Flagship Merchant Services, GoCardless, Bitpay, Stripe, Payline Data, and FIS. The payments market consists of sales of payments services by entities (organizations, sole traders, and partnerships) that are engaged in facilitating payment transfers between individuals, companies, or both. The payments industry consists of establishments primarily engaged in processing money transfers and payments between various accounts. This includes all institutions involved in payment processing such as banks, non-banking financial institutions, and others. Revenue generated from the payments market includes all the processing and services fees levied by the banks and financial institutions for payment processing. The integration of biometric authentication technology in payments is a key trend gaining popularity in the payments market. Biometric authentication is a specific and significant payment method that integrates and offers accuracy, effectiveness, and protection within a single package. The methods of authentication include fingerprint scanners, facial recognition, iris recognition, pulse tracking, and venous mapping. The payments market is segmented by type into credit transfer, direct debit, check payment, cash deposit, and by application into banks, non-banking financial institutions, others. In November 2020, Refinitiv, a London-based financial services company acquired GIACT for an undisclosed amount. The acquisition of GIACT's fraud prevention capabilities brings new offerings to Refinitiv's customers by nhancing and broadening Refinitiv's digital identity verification and document proofing solution. GIACT is a USA based financial services company.



The outbreak of COVID 19 is expected to drive the growth of the payments market over the forecast period. Contactless payments are becoming a preferred payment method in the current pandemic situation because less human contact is required. Contactless payment systems at the point of services, such as facial recognition, Quick Response (QR) codes, or Near-field Communication (NFCs), will render the virus less likely to spread to others via payment exchanges. In the first quarter of 2020, the credit card giant Mastercard announced a 40% increase in contactless payments as the global pandemic deepened. Therefore, the widespread of coronavirus is expected to propel the contactless payment market growth in the forecast period. The increasing frauds in payments impacted the growth of the payments market. Payment fraud is a form of fraudulent or unlawful transaction carried out by a cybercriminal. Fraudsters use third-party platforms such as e-commerce portals to defraud consumers to pay for products or items that are never shipped.

Key Topics Covered: 1. Executive Summary 2. Payments Market Characteristics 3. Payments Market Trends and Strategies 4. Impact of COVID-19 on Payments 5. Payments Market Size and Growth 5.1. Global Payments Historic Market, 2015-2020, $ Billion 5.1.1. Drivers of the Market 5.1.2. Restraints on the Market 5.2. Global Payments Forecast Market, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion 5.2.1. Drivers of the Market 5.2.2. Restraints on the Market 6. Payments Market Segmentation 6.1. Global Payments Market, Segmentation by Type, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion Credit Transfer

Direct Debit

Check Payment

Cash Deposit 6.2. Global Payments Market, Segmentation by Application, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion Banks

Non-Banking Financial Institutions

Others 6.3. Global Payments Market, Segmentation by End-user Industry, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion Retail

Banking and Financial Service

Telecommunication

Government

Transportation

Others 7. Payments Market Regional and Country Analysis 7.1. Global Payments Market, Split by Region, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion 7.2. Global Payments Market, Split by Country, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion Companies Mentioned PayPal

Square Inc.

Apple (News - Alert) Inc

Amazon Payments

Flagship Merchant Services

GoCardless

Bitpay

Stripe

Payline Data

FIS

Bank Of America

Industry And Commercial Bank Of China

Citibank

JPMorgan Chase

Wells Fargo And Company

Capital One (News - Alert)

ACI Worldwide

MasterCard

Fiserv

Visa

Alipay

American Express

Samsung (News - Alert) Electronics

National Merchants

Google Pay

X-Payments

Braintree

First Data Corporation

Adyen For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/5umar0 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210819005514/en/

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[August 19, 2021] For the 9th Time, Clarity Software Solutions, Inc. Appears on the Inc. 5000, Ranking No. 4631 With Three-Year Revenue Growth of 55 Percent

MADISON, Conn., Aug. 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Inc. magazine recently revealed that Clarity Software Solutions, Inc. is No. 4631 on its annual Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the nations fastest-growing private companies. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economys most dynamic segmentits independent small businesses. Intuit, Zappos, Under Armour, Microsoft, Patagonia, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000.

Ranking on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies for the 9th time is truly an honor, said Steve Mongelli, President & CEO, Clarity Software Solutions, Inc. As many other companies, we were presented with several challenges in 2020 which our incredible team seamlessly overcame. Our continued growth illustrates the dedication of that team and the steadfast support of our valued clients. Not only have the companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 been very competitive within their markets, but this years list also proved especially resilient and flexible given 2020s unprecedented challenges. Among the 5,000, the average median three-year growth rate soared to 543 percent, and median revenue reached $11.1 million. Together, those companies added more than 610,000 jobs over the past three years. Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at www.inc.com/inc5000. The top 500 companies are featured in the September issue of Inc., which will be available on newsstands on August 20. The 2021 Inc. 5000 list feels like one of the most important rosters of companies ever compiled, says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. Building one of the fastest-growing companies in America in any year is a remarkable achievement. Building onein the crisis weve lived through is just plain amazing. This kind of accomplishment comes with hard work, smart pivots, great leadership, and the help of a whole lot of people.



About Clarity Software Solutions, Inc.

Clarity Software Solutions, Inc. provides technology driving healthcare engagement through multimodal communications. As an industry leader, Clarity assists clients to optimize customer relationships by enhancing flexibility and control over the management and delivery of their communications. Clarity is headquartered in Madison, Connecticut, serving various healthcare organizations throughout the country. With their Accelerate Member Engagement offering, consultative services are provided to enhance welcome and plan lifecycle correspondence, driving increased participation in member activities and benefits. Claritys custom solutions are built within secure web-based technology, are easy to use and allow a single communication to be published to any media type - print, web, mobile, or email. For more information, visit clarityssi.com. More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000

Methodology

Companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2017 to 2020. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2020. (Since then, some on the list may have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2020 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Growth rates used to determine company rankings were calculated to three decimal places. There was one tie on this years Inc. 5000. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000. About Inc. Media The worlds most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including web sites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Vision Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit www.inc.com. For more information on the Inc. 5000 Vision Conference, visit http://conference.inc.com/.

CONTACT: April Begin abegin@clarityssi.com (203) 453-3999 x 501

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[August 19, 2021] UltiSat Selects Richard Koucheravy as New VP of Business Development to Drive Growth and Expand Presence in Evolving Markets

GAITHERSBURG, Md., Aug. 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- UltiSat, a global provider of critical communications solutions, announced today that Richard Koucheravy has joined the company as its new Vice President of Sales & Business Development. Richard joins UltiSat from Lockheed Martin, where he worked in various growth focused roles over the past seven years. Most recently, he was the Senior Director of Business Development for U.S. Government Programs at Sikorsky Aircraft, acquired by Lockheed in 2015. As a new Vice President at UltiSat, Richard will oversee the companys business development organization and have primary responsibility for driving revenue growth through new customers and programs, as well as expanding presence in emerging market segments.

UltiSat has a renewed focus on growth, with particular attention in rapidly evolving markets like airborne communications, said David Myers, UltiSat president and CEO. So, when looking for a new leader for our business development function, we wanted to augment the companys expertise in satellite and wireless communications with someone who brings deep customer experience in the tactical arborne mission environment. Richards commercial leadership experience combined with his military background make him a very well-rounded and welcome addition to the team.



Prior to Lockheed Martin, Richard spent more than 28 years in the U.S. Army as a helicopter pilot, maintenance officer and planner-strategist. He is a veteran of combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq and peacekeeping operations in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Prior to his military retirement in 2013, at the rank of Colonel, Richard served in multiple capacities in the Pentagon on the Army Staff from 2009 to 2013. In his ultimate assignment, he led programming and budgeting efforts for the Armys aviation research, development, and acquisition portfolio, valued at more than $6B annually. Richard is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and holds both a masters degree in Military Arts & Sciences from the U.S. Armys Command & General Staff College and an Executive MBA from Benedictine College.

About UltiSat

UltiSat is a global provider of end-to-end solutions for managed networks, airborne communications, specialized global wireless, and advanced engineering services. Customers in government, humanitarian-aid, and critical infrastructure markets have unique communications requirements and greater demand for resiliency. Our portfolio includes a range of products and services leveraging satellite, terrestrial and wireless technologies, combined with in-house engineering, systems integration and global field service. UltiSat leverages a 25+ year heritage deploying solutions in over 120 countries to specialize in secure communications and networking for missions of high consequence. For more information visit www.ultisat.com. For more information contact: lori.hawk@ultisat.com



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[August 19, 2021] Dentsu Expands Global Google Technology Practice with Two Leadership Appointments

dentsu international (https://www.dentsu.com/) has appointed two senior leaders to its Global Google (News - Alert) Technology practice; Alex Langshur will be the practice lead, with Seth Hammac appointed the practice growth lead. Together, Langshur and Hammac will drive partner relationships, growth opportunities, and integrated marketing and advertising technology solutions for clients. In his role, Langshur will set the global strategy for how dentsu partners with Google and focus on the expansion of dentsu's community of Google Marketing Platform (GMP) and Google Cloud Platform (GCP) experts. Langshur assumes this new role following over a decade of leadership as founder and co-CEO of Cardinal Path, a Merkle Company. During his tenure, Langshur grew the company to be one of the largest resellers of Analytics 360 in North America. The web analytics, search optimization, and marketing consulting firm has been a Google partner for over 16 years and is a Google Marketing Platform reseller. "As an industry veteran, I'm honored to be appointed the Global Google Technology practice lead. Cardinal Path has a long history as a Google partner, and I'm excited to integrate the proven strategies from Cardinal Path across Merkle and dentsu's powerful network of brands," said Langshur. "I'm looking forward to growing this best-in-class team of Google experts who will help drive partnership relationships and solutions." Hammac brings to Merkle and dentsu a track record of digital advertising experience across agencies, publishers, startups, and largeorganizations. He has helped both small and large companies navigate the complex digital landscape and how to take control of their customer data. Prior to joining Merkle, Hammac worked for Deloitte (News - Alert) , leading sales, business development, and go-to-market activities for the Google alliance.



"The dentsu and Google partnership brings together the power of Google's media and technology with the insights and customer expertise of dentsu, enabling us to help clients navigate the digital disruption in today's marketplace," said Hammac. "I'm excited to join the Merkle and dentsu teams and to help grow our Google practice globally." Highlights of dentsu's expanding Google Technology practice include:

#1 reseller of Analytics 360 in North America

$5 billion in global media spend

Google Cloud Certified Partner with specialization in Marketing Analytics

270+ Google Marketing Platform certified specialists

190+ Google Analytics architects and analysts

40+ Google Cloud Platform certified architects

105+ Google Cloud experts

Looker Verified Partner "Our technology partners play a crucial role in enabling the customer experience across every touchpoint, including marketing, sales, service, and commerce," said Dave Paulus, EVP, global alliances lead at Merkle/CXM. "We are excited to have Alex and Seth assume these leadership roles - they both bring unmatched experience and leadership to dentsu's Google practice." To learn more about dentsu's Google Technology practice, visit https://www.dentsu.com/us/en/global-alliance-partners/google-partnership. About dentsu:

Part of dentsu, dentsu international is made up of six leadership brands - Carat, dentsu X, iProspect, Isobar (News - Alert) , dentsumcgarrybowen, Merkle, and supported by its specialist brands. dentsu international helps clients to win, keep and grow their best customers and achieve meaningful progress for their businesses. With best-in-class services and solutions in media, CXM and creative, dentsu international operates in over 145 markets worldwide with more than 45,000 dedicated specialists. www.dentsu.com About Merkle

Merkle is a leading data-driven customer experience management (CXM) company that specializes in the delivery of unique, personalized customer experiences across platforms and devices. For more than 30 years, Fortune 1000 companies and leading nonprofit organizations have partnered with Merkle to maximize the value of their customer portfolios. The company's heritage in data, technology, and analytics forms the foundation for its unmatched skills in understanding consumer insights that drive hyper-personalized marketing strategies. Its combined strengths in performance media, customer experience, customer relationship management, loyalty, and enterprise marketing technology drive improved marketing results and competitive advantage. With 12,000 employees, Merkle is headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, with 50+ additional offices throughout the Americas, EMEA, and APAC. Merkle is a dentsu company. For more information, contact Merkle at 1-877-9-Merkle or visit www.merkleinc.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210819005436/en/

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[August 19, 2021] OTC: ILUS, ILUS International (Ilustrato Pictures International Inc), Appoints Experienced Electric Vehicle Engineer and Announces its Commercial Electric Utility Vehicle Range

NEW YORK, NY, Aug. 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NewMediaWire -- ILUS International Inc (OTC: ILUS) is a M&A company focused on acquiring and developing technology-based companies globally. Having already completed three acquisitions in 2021, the company has recently signed two Letters of Intent for the acquisition of two US companies and is currently negotiating five acquisitions in total. ILUS has developed, manufactures, and already sells the worlds first 6-wheeled electric utility vehicle known as the E-Raptor. With a range of up to 60 miles and a loading capacity of 3,500 pounds, the E-Raptor 6x6 is the leading heavy duty electric utility vehicle for industrial, agricultural, and commercial applications. ILUS is now expanding on its current vehicle to offer a comprehensive E-Raptor range of commercial electric utility vehicles (UTVs). This range will offer zero emissions, small to medium load bearing capacity with off-road and on-road capability for the purpose of carrying out specific tasks with more efficacy than traditional passenger vehicles. In addition to the E-Raptor 6x6 UTVs, ILUS will offer a 4x4 version, Flatbed version in 4x4 and 6x6 derivatives and an E-Raptor response vehicle with 2 or 4 seats and customizable accessory packages for the public safety sector. The E-Raptor 4x4 is designed to have increased speed and manoeuvrability along with the ability to carry up to 2,200 pounds, making it suitable for multiple applications such as rapid emergency response, maintenance, agriculture, and construction. The Flatbed will be able to transport up to 3,500 pounds and have a longer load-bed than the standard 4x4 or 6x6 vehicle, making it suitable for hauling larger goods in various utility applications. The E-Raptor response vehicle will be road legal on most roads which are posted up to 40 mph/64 kph, and it will include additional safety and comfort features such as 3-point seatbelts, a glass windshield with wipers, LED turn signals, greater suspension travel and adjustable seats for up to 4 passengers. This type of vehicle has already been requested by customers and partners and will be used for applications like campus or perimeter surveillance, event safety and last mile passenger transport, such as within large hotels and resorts. To speed up development of the commercial electric UTV range, ILUS has recently appointed Kemal Cifti as its Senior Vehicle Engineer for electric vehicles. Kemal brings more than 15 years experience to the team, with a successful track record in the research, development, and design of Electric Vehicles. As a qualified Mechanical Engineer, Kemal worked for the automotive manufacturer, Daimler AG for 13 years where he fulfilled several senior roles, including that of Daimlers Senior Project Manager in Japan where he worked on multiple electrical vehicle projects including Mercedes-Benzs next generation Urban eTruck. Before joining ILUS, Kemal was working as Deputy Director of the R&D Centre for Volkan Firefighting Vehicles, one of Europes largest Firefighting vehicle and equipment manufacturers. ILS Managing Director, John-Paul Backwell, said the following of Kemals appointment and the new commercial electric UTV range: We are adding so many valuable members to our team and Kemals broad range of skills and experience will be a huge asset to us. With the growing requirement for commercial zero emissions vehicles and the success of our E-Raptor 6x6 combined with the experience we have on our team, increased manufacturing capacity and a growing global distribution network, it makes complete sense for us to push forward with a more comprehensive electric UTV range that will follow in the footsteps of the current E-Raptor 6x6 and lead the industry with its performance, capability and reliability.



ILUS new commercial electric UTV range will be manufactured in the new European facility, which ILUS is in the process of acquiring. In this facility, ILUS will also be manufacturing FireBugs lightweight co-polymer vehicle bodies and rapid response vehicles which will be distributed globally. Vehicle solutions for the US will be assembled in the US with components and vehicle bodies from the European factory, or with components coming from ILUS new US acquisitions. Nick Link, CEO of ILUS, concluded with the following: With the ability to manufacture on a large scale in Europe and with added manufacturing capability in the US, it is possible for us to expand our horizons and deliver even more innovative and disruptive technology to the global market. Yes, we are building on our strong second quarter and we are on track to deliver even better results in the third quarter, but we are also building a sustainable business which will deliver record breaking results in 2022 and beyond.

For further information on the companies please see their communication channels: Website: https://ilus-group.com Twitter : OTC_ILUS Contact: Email: IR@Ilus-Group.com Source: ILUS Related Links https://ilus-group.com Forward-Looking Statement Certain information set forth in this press release contains "forward-looking information", including "future-oriented financial information" and "financial outlook", under applicable securities laws (collectively referred to herein as forward-looking statements). Except for statements of historical fact, the information contained herein constitutes forward-looking statements and includes, but is not limited to, the (i) projected financial performance of the Company; (ii) completion of, and the use of proceeds from, the sale of the shares being offered hereunder; (iii) the expected development of the Company's business, projects, and joint ventures; (iv) execution of the Company's vision and growth strategy, including with respect to future M&A activity and global growth; (v) sources and availability of third-party financing for the Company's projects; (vi) completion of the Company's projects that are currently underway, in development or otherwise under consideration; (vi) renewal of the Company's current customer, supplier and other material agreements; and (vii) future liquidity, working capital, and capital requirements. Forward-looking statements are provided to allow potential investors the opportunity to understand management's beliefs and opinions in respect of the future so that they may use such beliefs and opinions as one factor in evaluating an investment. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and undue reliance should not be placed on them. Such forward-looking statements necessarily involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual performance and financial results in future periods to differ materially from any projections of future performance or result expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although forward-looking statements contained in this presentation are based upon what management of the Company believes are reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by applicable securities laws. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") has provided guidance to issuers regarding the use of social media to disclose material non-public information. In this regard, investors and others should note that we announce material financial information via official Press Releases, in addition to SEC filings, press releases, Questions & Answers sessions, public conference calls and webcasts also may take time from time to time. We use these channels as well as social media to communicate with the public about our company, our services and other issues. It is possible that the information we post on social media could be deemed to be material information. Therefore, in light of the SEC's guidance, we encourage investors, the media, and others interested in our company to review the information we post on the following social &media channels: website: https://ilus-group.com Twitter : OTC_ILUS Note: ILUS Coin does not sit within ILUS International Inc (Ilustrato Pictures International Inc) so the public are recommended to follow the correct Media Channels relating to the public company OTC: ILUS.



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[August 19, 2021] Roger West Makes Key Hires in High-Growth Areas of Email Marketing and Client Strategy

TAMPA, Fla., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Roger West (www.rogerwest.com), an award-winning digital marketing agency, has strengthened its client offerings with the addition of Salim Rouwayheb as Director of Email Marketing Strategy and Kendra Mahon as Director of Client Services. The hires signal the digital marketing agency's continued growth and expansion following inclusion on the Inc. 500 list and The Tampa Bay Business Journal's Fast 50 list of Tampa Bay's fastest-growing privately held companies. Roger West climbed to the No. 3 spot after experiencing 664.49% revenue growth over the past three years. Salim Rouwayheb will be responsible for helping Roger West meet growing client needs in the email marketing, campaign development and demand generation arena. Rouwayheb brings more than 10 years of in-depth technical and design experience, with cross-functional expertise in platform operations, CRM ystems, marketing automation and customer journeys. Rouwayheb most recently worked for the Vanguard Group in Philadelphia. He holds a Bachelor of Arts and Science degree in graphic design and marketing from Cleveland State University.



Kendra Mahon joins the agency as Director of Client Services, where she will oversee Roger West's account management team to ensure exceptional service delivery, client success and satisfaction across all client relationships. Mahon is an experienced agency account executive specializing in brand management, creative services and client communications. She joins Roger West from PPK, where she was marketing director. Mahon holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications and writing from the University of Tampa. "We're excited to welcome Salim and Kendra to the Roger West team. Our agency has experienced incredible growth over the past year, and we're grateful for the opportunity to expand our team along with our offered services. We have found two incredible professionals who are not only experts in their field, but passionate about client service. It's that passion and commitment to helping clients reach their goals that sets them apart and makes them a great fit for Roger West," said Michael Westafer, Founder and CEO at Roger West.

Roger West continues to develop its team for continuous growth and client success. These new onboards are critical elements of the agency's development strategy to better serve clients across all industry verticals. ABOUT ROGER WEST Roger West Creative & Code is a full-service digital marketing agency that helps companies build brands, generate leads, and keep customers inspired and engaged. Founded in 2007 and based in Tampa, Florida, Roger West is a member of the 2021 Inc 500 and has won dozens of major awards but is most proud of consecutive designations as a Top Place to Work. The agency drives client growth through brand development, website design, messaging strategy, content marketing, paid search, social media, lead generation, custom coding and more. www.rogerwest.com. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/roger-west-makes-key-hires-in-high-growth-areas-of-email-marketing-and-client-strategy-301358772.html SOURCE Roger West Creative & Code

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Biocom California to Host DE&I Leadership Summit for Life Sciences Industry

Biocom California, the association representing the California life science industry, today announced the inaugural Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) Leadership Summit, a virtual event to further ignite action around DE&I in California's life sciences industry, will be held on Thursday, August 26 from 9:00 am-1:00 pm PT.

"We remain dedicated to taking measurable action towards improving our industry and supporting our member companies through functional resources and programs to assist in their internal and external DE&I goals," said Joe Panetta, president and CEO of Biocom California. "This year's DE&I Leadership Summit is the first of hopefully many events to reflect on what more can be done to advance a thriving and representative industry."

The event will feature a keynote presentation from Dr. Leeno Karumanchery, co-founder and head of behavioral sciences at MESH/Diversity, an organization dedicated to empowering DE&I professionals with strategic support, tools, metrics and data. The event will also feature fireside chats with industry leaders and roundtable discussions around necessary conversations about advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace. For additional information on the DE&I Leadership Summit and registration details, please visit the event's website.

The DE&I Leadership Summit is part of Biocom California's overarching commitment to address social and economic inequities for Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) in the life science industry, drive accountability and catalyze lasting change that supports a more diverse, equitable and inclusive community. Biocom California assembled its DE&I Taskforce in 2020, and in June 2021, developed the DE&I Member Pledge - a platform to outline the commitments Biocom California has made to support and engage in DE&I initiatives and to support member companies in their efforts to implement DE&I initiatives.

"By creating a space to honestly assess how current DE&I initiatives are progressing and learn from other peers, we aim to empower industry leaders with the ability to foster communities that are more diverse, equitble and inclusive," said Karmin Noar, executive director of Biocom California Institute, an affiliate of Biocom California. "This event supports our mission to bring about sustained change through ongoing guidance and providing accessible resources that build awareness and prompt measurable action."







About Biocom California

Biocom California is the leader and advocate for California's life science sector. We work on behalf of more than 1,400 members to drive public policy, build an enviable network of industry leaders, create access to capital, introduce cutting-edge STEM education programs and create robust value-driven purchasing programs.

Founded in 1995 in San Diego, Biocom California provides the strongest public voice to research institutions and companies that fuel the local and state-wide economy. Our goal is simple: to help our members produce novel solutions that improve the human condition. In addition to our San Diego headquarters, Biocom California operates core offices in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area, satellite offices in Washington, D.C. and Tokyo, and has a continuous staff presence in Sacramento. Our broad membership benefits apply to biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical device, genomics and diagnostics companies of all sizes, as well as to research universities and institutes, clinical research organizations, investors and service providers.

For more information on Biocom California, please visit our website at www.biocom.org. Connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter (News - Alert) (@BIOCOMCA).

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210819005288/en/
[August 19, 2021] CAES Semiconductors Makes Television Debut

Tomorrow's World Today, a cutting-edge television show for the latest developments on sustainability, technology and innovation, will feature CAES, a leader in advanced mission-critical electronics for aerospace and defense, in Season Four of its Emmy-nominated television show. Premiering on August 21, the episode explores the science behind how CAES is pioneering solutions that enable the world's most critical missions. For more than 30 years, CAES engineers have expertly designed a complete line of microelectronics to enable spacecraft and satellites that demand reliability in high cosmic radiation and extreme temperatures without degradation to its electronics and computers. Field Reporter Greg Costantino traveled to the CAES' facility in Colorado Springs, Colorado, to hear about CAES' space heritage and to take a hands-on tour of the manufacturing, testing and packaging of its radiation-hardened microelectronics. Costantino explores how this CAES technology is powering space missions, such as the Mars Perseverance Rover, and is also supporting the medical imaging industryin computed tomography (CT) scanners.



"It's an exciting time for space exploration, and we're pleased to be able to shine a light on executing high tech in the harshest places on and off earth," said Mike Elias, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Space Systems Division, CAES. "Viewers will truly enjoy this episode," said Julian Taylor, Executive Producer and Director of Tomorrow's World Today. "It's fascinating to explore the rigorous process that something as small as a semiconductor needs to follow in order to be useful in space."

Season Four, Episode Five of Tomorrow's World Today featuring CAES will air on Saturday, August 21, at 8:30 am EST on the Science Channel and Sunday, August 22, at 6:30 a.m. EST on the Discovery Channel. It will also be available to stream on DiscoveryGo and ScienceGo the following week. About Tomorrow's World Today Tomorrow's World Today is an Emmy-nominated television show that focuses on finding a better way for us to live more sustainable lives. We spotlight the latest in technology and sustainability in four different areas: inspiration, creation, innovation, and production and our field reporters travel the world in search of the innovative pioneers who are utilizing our natural and technological resources. New ideas are the source of innovation. What will you do with yours for tomorrow's world, today? About CAES CAES is a pioneer of advanced electronics for the most technologically challenging military and aerospace trusted systems. As the largest provider of mixed-signal and radiation-hardened technology to the aerospace and defense industry, CAES delivers high-reliability RF, microwave and millimeter wave, microelectronic and digital solutions that enable our customers to ensure a safer, more secure planet. On land, at sea, in the air, in space and in cyberspace, CAES' extensive electronics and enhanced manufacturing capabilities are at the forefront of mission-critical military and aerospace innovation. www.caes.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210819005532/en/

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[August 19, 2021] Kazakhstan Responds to Stati "Notice of Dispute"

On Monday 16th August 2021, the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Kazakhstan responded to a notice of dispute issued by King & Spalding LLP, the legal counsel of the Stati family. In its response, the Ministry exposed a series of false statements made by the Statis, presented evidence of their fraud and encouraged King & Spalding to initiate arbitral proceedings immediately. The Ministry was responding to the notice issued by the Statis on 5 August through the press, which threatened the filing of a new arbitration under the Energy Charter Treaty due to the ongoing refusal by the Republic of Kazakhstan to settle on an award which was secured by the Statis through the use of fraud. A new arbitration would provide the opportunity for a free and fair review of the Statis' fraud by an independent arbitral tribunal capable of examining all of the new undisputed evidence that has come to light since the original arbitration ended and which the Statis systematically avoid. For this reason, the notice by the Statis cannot be considered an honest attempt to settle a dispute and is rather designed to mislead the public and their partners. Kazakhstan would welcome and strongly encourages the initiation of a new arbitration procedure. Background The Republic of Kazakhstan refuses to engage with individuals who have been clearly shown to engage in a systematic behaviour of fraudulent criminal schemes for over a decade. It is now evident that, starting with the arbitration against Kazakhstan under the Energy Charter Treaty filed in 2010, the Statis have engaged in a campaign of bad faith, fraudulent litigation against the Republic. In a letter from KPMG Audit LLP to the Stati Parties dated 21 August, the international accounting firm undertook the extraordinary action of withdrawing all of its audit reports for the Statis' financial statements because of unrebutted evidence of th Statis' fraud. The unprecedented nature of this move has been also confirmed independently by a PWC report.



With the mounting evidence that is now available, the fraud and other illegal and unethical conduct committed by the Statis, with the support and guidance of their legal counsel, has been confirmed in reports issued by multiple world-leading independent experts, including Professor George Bermann, Professor Bernard Hanotiau, Professor Christoph Schreuer, Professor Kaj Hober, Professor Catherine Rogers, Dr Patrik Scholdstrom, Mr Stefan Cassella, as well companies including PwC. Moreover, the English High Court of Justice concluded prima facie that the Stati Parties obtained the arbitral award against Kazakhstan by fraud whilst also being under criminal investigation in Luxembourg Finally, their former Chief Financial Officer, Artur Lungu, admitted key elements of the fraud under cross-examination in sworn testimony. In addition to the unlawful conduct by the Statis as it pertains to this long-running dispute, their systematic criminality seems to extend to other cases as well, with companies belonging to the Statis having been sanctioned by the U.S. government for "contributing to the ongoing crisis in South Sudan because they are a source of substantial revenue that, through public corruption, is used to fund the purchase of weapons and other material that undermine the peace, security, and stability of South Sudan rather than support the welfare of the South Sudanese people."

The only solution to remedy the unlawful conduct by the Statis for the past decade and to end this long-running dispute from the perspective of the Republic of Kazakhstan is for the Statis to vacate the fraudulent Award, any court decisions recognizing the Award, and pay the Republic the amounts that have been ordered by various national courts and compensation in an amount equal to the damage caused by their illegal schemes. The Republic of Kazakhstan is steadfast in its resolve and will not be influenced by the Statis' propaganda and black PR campaign. An online version of the press release including links to relevant documents can be found here: https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/adilet/press/news/details/242664?lang=en. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210819005591/en/

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[August 19, 2021]

Classroom Management Systems Market 2021-2025: Dell Technologies Inc., Faronics Corp., and HP Inc. Emerge as Dominant Market Players | Technavio

NEW YORK, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The global classroom management systems market size is expected to grow by USD 4.21 billion during 2021-2025, progressing at a CAGR of over 16% during the forecast period. Dell Technologies Inc. (US), Faronics Corp. (Canada), HP Inc. (US), Impero Solutions Inc. (UK), and Lenovo Group Ltd.(China) are some of the emerging dominant market players contributing to the market's growth.

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Increasing emphasis on collaborative learning tools, rising adoption of cloud-based management tools, and surging adoption of blockchain technology are some of the major factors propelling the market growth. In addition, the increase in the number of virtual schools, and the rise in personalized learning coupled with gamification are prominent trends likely to influence the market's growth positively during the forecast period. However, factors such as rising safety and privacy issues, increasing use of open-source platforms, and lack of digital expertise among teachers might hamper market's growth.

More details: www.technavio.com/global-classroom-management-systems-market-industry-analysis

Classroom Management Systems Market: End-user

The report segment the market by end-users in higher education and K-12 users. Higher education was the largest segment of the market in 2020. The growth of this market segment is primarily due to the rising demand for software solutions that can be used to control students' behavior in classrooms and provide a great medium of collaborative learning. In addition, classroom management systems market vendors are increasingly concentrating on the higher education sector as these students are well-versed with video conferencing, gamification, social networks, and browsing websites, making the integration of the classroom management system in the learning process easy.

Classroom Management Systems Market: Geographic Landscape

North America ranked first as the largest region, while MEA was the smallest region in 2020. In addition, 37% of the growth will originate from North America due to the growing emphasis on mobile learning, particularly, in the US and Canada. K-12 and higher education students of these advanced economies are aware of the existing technologies and the technical know-how of these systems. Furthermore, a strong focus of the US government on improving the quality of education by introducing the Common Core Standards (CSS) in both K-12 and the higher education sectors will further accelerate the classroom management systems market growth during the next few years.

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Related Reports:

K-12 Blended E-Learning Market by Product and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2021-2025







Education Apps Market by End-user and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2021-2025

Academic and Corporate LMS Market in US by End-user and Application - Forecast and Analysis 2021-2025

Next Gen Learning Management System (LMS) Market for Higher Education by Application and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2021-2025

Companies Covered

APLAF Inc.

ClassDojo Inc.

Creatrix Campus

Dell Technologies Inc.

Faronics Corp.

HP Inc.

Impero Solutions Inc.

Lenovo Group Ltd.

NetSupport Ltd.

Providence Equity Partners LLC

What our reports offer:

Market share assessments for the regional and country-level segments

Strategic recommendations for the new entrants

Covers market data for 2020, 2021, till 2025

Market trends (drivers, opportunities, threats, challenges, investment opportunities, and recommendations)

Strategic recommendations in key business segments based on the market estimations

Competitive landscaping mapping the key common trends

Company profiling with detailed strategies, financials, and recent developments

Supply chain trends mapping the latest technological advancements

Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Technavio's in-depth research has direct and indirect COVID-19 impacted market research reports.

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Classroom Management Systems Market 2021-2025: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2021-2025

Detailed information on factors that will assist in classroom management systems market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the classroom management systems market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

The growth of the classroom management systems market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of classroom management systems market, vendors

Table of Contents:

Executive Summary

Market Landscape

Market ecosystem

Value chain analysis

Market Sizing

Market definition

Market segment analysis

Market size 2020

Market outlook: Forecast for 2020 - 2025

Five Forces Analysis

Five Forces Summary

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

Market Segmentation by End-user

Market segments

Comparison by End-user

Higher education - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

K12 - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Market opportunity by End-user

Market Segmentation by Deployment

Market segments

Comparison by Deployment

On premise - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Cloud based - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Market opportunity by Deployment

Customer landscape

Overview

Geographic Landscape

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

North America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Europe - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 APAC - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

South America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 MEA - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Key leading countries

Market opportunity by geography

Market drivers  Demand-led growth

Market challenges

Market trends

Vendor Landscape

Overview

Vendor landscape

Landscape disruption

Vendor Analysis

Vendors covered

Market positioning of vendors

APLAF Inc.

ClassDojo Inc.

Creatrix Campus

Dell Technologies Inc.

Faronics Corp.

HP Inc.

Impero Solutions Inc.

Lenovo Group Ltd.

NetSupport Ltd.

Providence Equity Partners LLC

Appendix

Scope of the report

Currency conversion rates for US$

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

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[August 19, 2021] Strong Client Focus Draws Advisor with Nearly $200 Million to Ameriprise

Financial advisor Jason Williams recently joined the independent channel of Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (NYSE: AMP) from BB&T Securities, LLC in Winchester, Virginia with nearly $200 million in client assets. Williams joined the firm for the opportunity to be independent and align with a client-focused firm that offers a wide range of products and services. Williams will also join The Myrias Group, which is led by Ameriprise private wealth advisor John Everson, CFP, MS. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210819005547/en/ Jason Williams, Ameriprise Financial Advisor with The Myrias Group in Winchester, Virginia. Photo courtesy of Jason Williams. After a merger happened at his previous firm, Williams started exploring other firms, evaluating each one's culture and services for high-net worth clients, including product platform, trust services, lending and banking products, insurance capabilities, estate and retirement planning, and investment services. He found Ameriprise exceeded what he was looking for in each of these categories. "The deision to move firms after 27 years is all about finding the best home for my clients," said Williams. "I was looking for an independent firm that offered the depth and breadth of solutions my clients need. I found Ameriprise values the clients I've built relationships with and gives me the flexibility to continue providing them excellent service."



Williams was looking to join an established team, and he found that at Ameriprise. His Ameriprise field vice president Athena McGuire helped him interview a variety of financial advisors at the firm, and he found that The Myrias Group was the right fit. "John and his team have the same focus I do, which is to help clients build and sustain wealth, and confidently achieve the goals that matter most to them," said Williams. "The team takes a highly collaborative approach to solving client needs, which is what I wanted for my clients."

The Myrias Group was established in 2015 and manages $850 million in client assets. The team, who work out of five offices across Virginia and West Virginia, also includes private wealth advisors Andy Huggins, CFP and Stewart Barnes, CFP, APMA, 11 other financial advisors, and nine support staff members. Ameriprise has continued to attract experienced, productive advisors, with approximately 1,700 joining the firm in the last 5 years.1 To find out why experienced financial advisors are joining Ameriprise, visit ameriprise.com/why. About Ameriprise Financial At Ameriprise Financial, we have been helping people feel confident about their financial future for more than 125 years. With extensive advisory, asset management and insurance capabilities and a nationwide network of approximately 10,000 financial advisors, we have the strength and expertise to serve the full range of individual and institutional investors' financial needs. Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM and federally registered CFP (with flame design) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board's initial and ongoing certification requirements. Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC. Member FINRA and SIPC.  2021 Ameriprise Financial, Inc. All rights reserved.

1 Ameriprise Financial 2020 10-K. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210819005547/en/

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[August 19, 2021] ROSEN, RESPECTED INVESTOR COUNSEL, Encourages ATI Physical Therapy, Inc. f/k/a Fortress Value Acquisition Corp. II Investors With Losses Over $100K to Secure Counsel Before Important October 15 Deadline in Securities Class Action - ATIP

WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, announces the filing of a class action lawsuit on behalf of: (a) purchasers of the securities of ATI Physical Therapy, Inc. f/k/a Fortress Value Acquisition Corp. II (NYSE: ATIP) between April 1, 2021 and July 23, 2021, inclusive (the "Class Period"); and/or (b) investors who held Fortress Value Acquisition Corp. II ("FVAC") Class A common stock as of May 24, 2021 and were eligible to vote at FVAC's June 15, 2021 special meeting. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than October 15, 2021. SO WHAT: If you purchased ATI 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 ATI class action, go to http://www.rosenlegal.com/cases-register-2132.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 October 15, 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 LawFirm 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 firm's 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) ATI was experiencing attrition among its physical therapists; (2) ATI faced increasing competition for clinicians in the labor market; (3) as a result of the foregoing, ATI faced difficulties retaining therapists and incurred increased labor costs; (4) as a result of the labor shortage, ATI would open fewer new clinics; and (5) as a result of the foregoing, defendants' positive statements about ATI's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages. To join the ATI class action, go to http://www.rosenlegal.com/cases-register-2132.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 investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn (News - Alert) : https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter (News - Alert) : https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook (News - Alert) : https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210819005625/en/

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[August 19, 2021] Private Wireless Networks Offer Benefits and Choices for Enterprises

BELLEVUE, Wash., Aug. 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- With modern enterprises becoming increasingly distributed and autonomous, wireless networks have a pivotal role in providing them with increased bandwidth, spectrum, and reliability. 5G Americas, the wireless industry association and voice of 5G and LTE in the Americas, today announced the publication of Private and Enterprise Networks detailing different operating models, network architectures, tools, opportunities and challenges those operators and enterprises face in deploying private networks.

As digital transformation sweeps across entire industries, enterprises and verticals are increasingly demanding dependable, predictable communications across potentially widely distributed centers of operation. Enterprise applications are becoming both more rigorous and precise in their requirements for spectrum, bandwidth, and fine-grained control of applications and containers  regardless of access technology or operating model. Said Chris Pearson, President of 5G Americas, Private and enterprise network planning takes into consideration many factors like identity management, authentication, onboarding, authorization, and policy definition  as well as integrate efficiently into an existing enterprise IT network. According to 5G Americas, private enterprise networks of the future could likely be a hybrid network that combines both Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) and non-3GPP access and operatin models. 3GPP technologies will add new spectrum and deterministic radio access, but enterprises will likely incorporate both 3GPP and non-3GPP elements into networks that will be managed one of three ways: by the enterprise, by the mobile network operator, or as separate networks running in parallel.



Private and Enterprise Networks was developed and written by a 5G Americas technical work group led by network engineering experts from Cisco and Intel. It includes the following topics: Identifies various network operating models and architectures

Discusses operating model options faced by private or enterprise operators

Explores tools available to speed deployment of private networks to meet individual enterprise needs

Said Michael Recchione Principal Engineer  Mobility CTO of Cisco and project co-leader of the white paper, One size definitely does not fit all when it comes to satisfying the very specific needs of an individual enterprise or private network operator. There are many combinations of models, tools, and architecture that can be combined for successful dynamic collaboration.

Rajesh Kalathil, Product Manager and Strategic Planner, Intel Data Platforms Group and project co-leader added, These private networks are important to the growing and diverse business requirements across a variety of industries. Fortunately, the advances in the open-source community along with our reference designs solve complexities and support enterprises in achieving a faster time to market. To download the free white paper, please visit: https://www.5gamericas.org/private-and-enterprise-networks/ About 5G Americas: The Voice of 5G and LTE for the Americas 5G Americas is an industry trade organization composed of leading telecommunications service providers and manufacturers. The organizations mission is to facilitate and advocate for the advancement and transformation of LTE, 5G and beyond throughout the Americas. 5G Americas is invested in developing a connected wireless community while leading 5G development for all the Americas. 5G Americas is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington. More information is available at 5G Americas website and Twitter. 5G Americas Board of Governors Members include AT&T, Ciena, Cisco, Crown Castle, Ericsson, Intel, Liberty Latin America, Mavenir, Nokia, Qualcomm Incorporated, Samsung, Shaw Communications Inc., T-Mobile US, Inc., Telefonica, VMware, and WOM. Contact:

5G Americas

Viet Nguyen

+1 206 218 6393

Viet.Nguyen@5GAmericas.org



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[August 19, 2021] APOLLO Insurance Partners With Landlord Credit Bureau to Offer Their Landlord and Tenant Members Seamless Access to Digital Insurance

APOLLO Insurance Solutions Ltd. ("APOLLO Insurance") Canada's leading online insurance provider, has partnered with Landlord Credit Bureau to offer users an entirely digital experience. Members will now have instant access to insurance at the palm of their hand. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210819005087/en/ APOLLO Insurance partners with Landlord Credit Bureau (Photo: Business Wire) Launched in 2019, APOLLO Insurance now offers the largest selection of online insurance in Canada, through brokers and embedded partnerships like this one. Landlord Credit Bureau believes in partnering with companies that benefit its members, making their lives easier. Through APOLLO, consumers can get a quote and purchase insurance in five minutes, from any device, 24/7. "Landlord Credit Bureau offers an incredible service to Canadian landlords and tenants by providing tenants the opportunity to build and rebuild their credit while enabling landlords to increase their revenue," said APOLLO Vice President of Partnerships Josh Pillsbury." Combined with APOLLO's ability to offer immediate fulfillment through a digital insurance experience, this embedded integration will result in significant savings for members while also reducing their risk." Landlrd Credit Bureau's mission is to empower the businesses and lives of landlords and property managers while enriching the lives of responsible tenants. LCB provides the means and tools to secure better renters while reducing the frequency and impact of delinquencies and drive operating efficiencies. They provide tenants seeking to establish or rebuild their credit with a liberating way to improve their credit. In doing so, Landlord Credit Bureau enables landlords to increase revenue and profit while decreasing the time it takes for responsible tenants to unlock and access future credit-related rewards for themselves and their loved ones.



"APOLLO is making it easy for Canadians to shop for insurance. Partnering with them means Landlord Credit Bureau can now provide our members with access to insurance whenever, wherever they need it" said Zac Killam, CEO of Landlord Credit Bureau. "Our landlords and tenants appreciate services that are designed with them in mind, APOLLO certainly delivers on this promise." APOLLO's proprietary technology platform, the APOLLO Exchange, transacts insurance business in real-time and leverages extensive data and sophisticated algorithms to quote, collect a payment, create and deliver policies. Thousands of types of small businesses and individuals are able to buy online without human intervention.

About APOLLO Insurance APOLLO is Canada's leading online insurance provider. Our proprietary platform, the APOLLO Exchange, allows insurance agents and their customers to purchase their policy immediately, from anywhere, on any device, 24/7. Unlike traditional paper-based processes, APOLLO leverages extensive data and sophisticated algorithms to quote, collect a payment, and issue policies for thousands of types of small businesses and individuals without human intervention. Through traditional agents and embedded finance partnerships, APOLLO is redefining the distribution of insurance.

For more information, visit: https://apollocover.com/ About Landlord Credit Bureau Landlord Credit Bureau's mission is to empower the businesses and lives of landlords and property managers while enriching the lives of responsible tenants. LCB provides the means and tools to secure better renters, reduce the frequency and impact of delinquencies and drive operating efficiencies while providing tenants - seeking to establish, or rebuild credit - with a liberating way to improve their credit. In doing so, Landlord Credit Bureau enables landlords to increase revenue and profit while decreasing the time it takes for responsible tenants to unlock and access future credit-related rewards for themselves and their loved ones. For more information, visit: https://landlordcreditbureau.ca/ View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210819005087/en/

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[August 19, 2021] Eagle Eye Networks Body Camera for the Commercial Market Wins 2021 New Product of the Year Award

Eagle Eye Networks, the global leader in cloud video surveillance, is the winner of a Security Today New Product of the Year award for its 4G, direct-to-cloud body camera designed for the commercial market. The Security Today New Product of the Year award "honors the outstanding product development achievements of security equipment manufacturers whose products are considered to be particularly noteworthy in their ability to improve security. In its 13th year of the independently juried contest, winners were honored in 43 product award categories." Eagle Eye was the winner in the Video Surveillance Cameras - Body-Worn category. Released in June, the Eagle Eye Networks Body Camera provides commercial customers with affordable access to feature-rich, professional-grade body camera services, which improve staff safety and accountability, trigger immediate response, and provide valuable evidence, all while protecting assets and keeping communities safe. Secure 4G and Wi-Fi capabilities, two-way audio, geo-tagging, and alarm features combine withEagle Eye Networks true cloud infrastructure for an unrivaled body camera offering for retail, guarding companies, in-home service companies, and other commercial entities.



"During the pandemic, we've seen the growing trend of more in-home, curbside, and remote services. In 2021, retail stores, restaurants, guard companies, delivery services, emergency services, and other commercial entities are looking for high quality, affordable body cameras for security, quality assurance, and business efficiency," said Dean Drako, Eagle Eye Networks CEO. "We believe our new body camera can fill that need, and we're honored that Security Today has recognized our new body camera for the commercial market with this award." Security Today magazine is a leading industry media brand providing technology, education, and solutions for security professionals. Winners of the award are featured on the Security Today website and will be highlighted in the November/December issue of Security Today.

ABOUT EAGLE EYE NETWORKS Eagle Eye Networks is #1 in cloud video surveillance worldwide. Our 100% cloud managed solutions provide cloud and on-premises recording, bank-level security and encryption, and broad analog and digital camera support - all accessed via the web or mobile applications. Businesses of all sizes and types utilize Eagle Eye solutions for operational optimization and security. All products benefit from Eagle Eye's developer friendly RESTful API platform and Big Data Video Framework . Eagle Eye sells its products through authorized global resellers and installation partners. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, USA, Eagle Eye has offices in Europe and Asia-Pacific. For more information, please visit www.een.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210819005691/en/

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[August 19, 2021] Jeremy McFadden Joins Canary Speech as CFO

PROVO, Utah, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Canary Speech announced Aug. 19 that Jeremy McFadden has agreed to join the company as CFO. McFadden will report directly to Henry O'Connell, CEO for Canary Speech. Leader in speech and language industry makes strategic hire of accomplished finance expert. McFadden most notably completed a successful exit of Acessa Health Inc. to Hologic Inc., the largest women's health medical technology company in the world, with an $80 million upfront purchase and on-going earn-out opportunities for shareholders. As CFO of Acessa Health, McFadden successfully led the business through an FDA approval and launched a new generation technology ovr the span of 12 months.



McFadden received a master's degree of science in financial accounting from Brigham Young University and a bachelor's degree of science in financial accounting. McFadden's business experience in the healthcare industry and financial background are both timely and beneficial to Canary. "Jeremy will become an immediate contributor to the company with his extensive experience in the medical market space and his background in finance, specifically his experience managing startup companies through acquisition. Jeremy will play an important role as a member of Canary's executive team," stated Henry O'Connell, founder and CEO of Canary Speech.

McFadden has excelled professionally in the healthcare space, having spent the last six years as CFO of two medical technology start-up companies, and 12 years at Philips Healthcare where he accepted expanding roles and responsibilities as a leader in the finance function. In joining Canary Speech, Jeremy McFadden comments, "I am passionate about bringing innovative medical technologies to clinicians and individuals that provide them the very best options for their healthcare needs. As a leader in the speech-as-biomarker space in the healthcare industry, Canary Speech is uniquely positioned to identify human conditions sooner and less invasive than traditional clinical assessments. I'm thrilled to join the exceptional team at Canary Speech. " ABOUT CANARY SPEECH

Canary Speech is the global leader in the speech digital biomarker industry by achieving real time vocal analysis on as little as 40 seconds of speech using smart devices. The Utah-based company enhances patient care and outcomes by improving quality of care and quality of life with its patented AI speech technology. Canary Speech technology also provides the opportunity to enhance telemedicine and remote medical services. For more information, visit www.canaryspeech.com. Press Contact:



Rachel Noack

801-615-0688

rachel@canaryspeech.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jeremy-mcfadden-joins-canary-speech-as-cfo-301359339.html SOURCE Canary Speech

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[August 19, 2021] Yext, Inc. to Report Second Quarter Fiscal Year 2022 Financial Results on September 2, 2021

NEW YORK, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Yext, Inc. (NYSE: YEXT), the AI Search Company, today announced that its second quarter fiscal year 2022 results will be released on Thursday, September 2, 2021, after the close of the market. The company will host a conference call at 4:30 p.m. (ET) / 1:30 p.m. (PT) to discuss its financial results with the investment community. A live webcast of the event will be available on the Yext Investor Relations website at http://investor.yext.com . A live dial-in is available domestically at (877) 883-0383 and internationally at (412) 902-6506, passcode 3063525.



A replay will be available domestically at (877) 344-7529 or internationally at (412) 317-0088, passcode 10159332, until midnight (ET) September 9, 2021. About Yext

Yext (NYSE: YEXT) is the AI Search Company and is on a mission to transform the enterprise with AI search.

With the explosion of information and data online, search has never been more important. However, while the world of consumer search has innovated over time, enterprise search has not. In fact, the majority of enterprise search is powered by outdated keyword search technology that only scans for keywords and delivers a list of hyperlinks rather than actually answering questions. Yext, the AI Search Company, offers a modern, AI-powered Answers Platform that understands natural language so that when people ask questions about a business online they get direct answers  not links. Brands like Verizon, Vanguard, Subway and Marriott  as well as organizations like the U.S. State Department and World Health Organization  trust Yext to radically improve their business with answers-led AI search. For further information, contact: Investor Relations:

Jeff Houston

ir@yext.com Public Relations:

Amanda Kontor

pr@yext.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/yext-inc-to-report-second-quarter-fiscal-year-2022-financial-results-on-september-2-2021-301359390.html SOURCE Yext, Inc.

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[August 19, 2021] ARRIA NLG Named to Carahsoft ITES-SW2 Contract to Support U.S. Army Enterprise Infrastructure Goals

MORRISTOWN, N.J., Aug. 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ARRIA, A leading provider of NLG, Natural Language Generation Technology, today announced that it has been named a manufacturer on the Information Technology Enterprise Solutions  Software 2 (ITES-SW2) contract for the U.S. Army Computer Hardware Enterprise Software and Solutions (CHESS). This contract is held by Carahsoft Technology Corp., The Trusted Government IT Solutions Provider, and is effective through August 30, 2025.

ITES-SW2 is a firm-fixed price, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract vehicle for commercial off-the-shelf software products and related services and hardware. The contract has no fees, and ordering is open to all Army, DoD and Federal agencies and authorized systems integrators on a worldwide basis. Under this contract, Carahsoft provides software, software maintenance, and ancillary services from ARRIA NLG to support Federal agencies enterprise infrastructure goals. A truly data-driven culture, like the Army, DOD and Federal Government agencies, need a data literacy strategy, that democratizes data, engages its stakeholders and gets rapid user adoption. Arria humanizes the way we interact with data. Thats how you otimize the business value of data, said Sharon Daniels, CEO, Arria NLG. We are excited to be named to the ARMY-ITES-SW2 contract and we believe that the partnership with Carahsoft is a great fit.



Arria NLG is a form of artificial intelligence that transforms structured data into natural language. Through data analysis, knowledge automation, language generation and tailored information delivery, Arria software replicates the human process of expertly analyzing and communicating data insights. Arria dynamically turns data into written or spoken narrativeat machine speed and on a massive scale. ARRIA NLG software, software maintenance, and ancillary services are available through Carahsofts ITES-SW2 Contract W52P1J-20-D-0042. For procurement information, contact Carahsofts ITES-SW2 contract team at (703) 871-8681 or ITES-SW2@carahsoft.com; or visit Carahsofts dedicated ITES-SW2 contract resource center. To learn more about ARRIA NLGs offerings under ITES-SW2, contact ARRIA-NLG at https://www.arria.com/contact/

About ARRIA NLG Arria is the world's leading provider of natural language generation (NLG) technology. The Arria Language Platform drives Arrias technology suite as well as industry led product solutions  giving data the power of language to accelerate the communication and understanding of data insights and actionable intelligence. Contact Media Contact: Lyndsee Manna

Lyndsee.manna@arria.com Links:

www.arria.com



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[August 19, 2021] The Westaim Corporation Reports 2021 Second Quarter Results

The Westaim Corporation ("Westaim" or the "Company") (TSXV:WED) today announced its unaudited financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2021. Westaim recorded a net profit of $10.9 million ($0.08 earnings per diluted share) and a net profit of $20.0 million ($0.14 earnings per diluted share) for the three and six months ended June 30, 2021, respectively, compared to a net loss of $0.1 million ($0.00 loss per diluted share) and a net loss of $20.6 million ($0.15 loss per diluted share) in the three and six months ended June 30, 2020, respectively. Westaim's adjusted earnings, excluding unusual items, was a net profit of $11.6 million ($0.08 earnings per diluted share) and a net profit of $20.7 million ($0.14 earnings per diluted share) for the three and six months ended June 30, 2021, respectively, compared to a net profit of $4.8 million ($0.03 earnings per diluted share) and a net loss of $0.8 million ($0.02 loss per diluted share) in the three and six months ended June 30, 2020, respectively. At June 30, 2021, Westaim's consolidated shareholders' equity was $340.5 million and the Company had 143,186,718 common shares ("Common Shares") outstanding. Book value per fully diluted share was $2.38 (C$2.95) at June 30, 2021, compared to $2.24 (C$2.85) at December 31, 2020, an increase of 6.3% YTD 2021. Key Results for the three months ended June 30, 2021 include: Skyward Specialty: Skyward Specialty reported net income of $13.4 million in Q2 2021 compared to $0.9 million in Q2 2020 (excluding unusual items, the net income in Q2 2021 was $14.9 million compared to $12.1 million in Q2 2020). Westaim recorded net income from its share of Skyward Specialty of $4.9 million in the quarter compared to $2.2 million in Q2 2020. Improved underwriting performance resulted in a combined ratio of 93.6% in Q2 2021 compared to 96.2% in Q2 2020 primarily due to strategic actions taken over the past year to re-underwrite the portfolio and improved industry market conditions. Underwriting actions over the past year are being reflected as an improvement in loss ratio excluding CATs and prior year development of 65.9% in Q2 2021 vs. 71.8% in Q2 2020. Skyward Specialty's investment income continued to deliver consistent results in Q2 2021 at $13.4 million compared to $13.4 million in Q2 2020. The year-to-date result from investment income is notable at $25.6 million in 2021 compared to a loss of $4.3 million in 2020 from unrealized losses on equity holdings reported in the first half of 2020. Arena FINCOs: Arena FINCOs net income was $2.7 million (+1.6% net return) for Q2 2021 compared to $1.4 million (0.9% net return) in Q2 2020. During the quarter, the Arena FINCOs were able to stay fully invested in productive, yield-earning investments which delivered year-to-date net income of $10.1 million (+6.2% net return) for 2021 compared to a loss of $2.0 million (-1.1% net return) for 2020. Arena Investors: Arena Investors' net income was $4.2 million in Q2 2021 versus a loss of $0.8 million in Q2 2020. Westaim recorded its share of net income from Arena Investors of $2.2 million in the quarter compared to a net loss of $0.4 million in Q2 2020. Committed AUM at June 30, 2021 of $2.3 billion was an increase from $2.0 billion at December 31, 2020. Due to closing subsequent to the end of the quarter, as of August 2, 2021 estimated committed AUM grew further to $2.6 billion. The increase in income was primarily the result of an 160% increase in revenue in the quarter over the prior year due to stronger incentive fees from higher returns in the managed funds and stronger management and servicing fees from an increase in fee-paying AUM compared to Q2 2020. Fee-paying AUM at June 30, 2021 was $1.7 billion compared to $1.0 billion at June 30, 2020. "We are pleased to report consecutive quarterly earnings by following our strong performance in Q1 of $0.06 earnings per share with $0.08 in Q2. We believe, each of the businesses is benefiting from the foundation built over the past several years and have the expertise in place to continuously evolve and grow to deliver earnings for shareholders," said Cameron MacDonald, President and Chief Executive Officer of Westaim. "To assist shareholders in their deeper dive into our Q2 2021 results from each of our businesses, Westaim has again included on our website an 'Investor Presentation'. We are encouraged by the positive business momentum and pipeline of opportunities at Skyward Specialty, Arena FINCOs and Arena Investors to continue to enhance shareholder value." "As we are encouraged by the earnings momentum of our businesses, Westaim intends to undertake a normal course issuer bid ('NCIB') through the facilities of the TSX Venture Exchange (the 'TSXV'). Commencement of the NCIB is subject to the approval of the TSXV. Under the NCIB, Westaim intends to repurchase, on an opportunistic basis, up to 10% of the public float at the commencement of the NCIB (currently 11,331,704 common shares). We believe this will be an attractive investment and a desirable use of a portion of Westaim's corporate funds." This press release should be read in conjunction with Westaim's unaudited consolidated financial statements and management's discussion and analysis for the three and six months ended June 30, 2021 and 2020 which were filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. These documents and the Company's Q2 2021 Investor Presentation can be found and on the Company's website at www.westaim.com. Non-GAAP Financial Measures Westaim uses both International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS") and non-generally accepted accounting principles ("non-GAAP") measures to assess performance. The Company cautions readers about non-GAAP measures that do not have a standardized meaning under IFRS and are unlikely to be comparable to similar measures used by other companies. Book value per share, adjusted profit and comprehensive income excluding unusual items, and adjusted earnings per share - diluted are non-GAAP measures. Readers are urged to review Section 15 Non-GAAP Measures in Westaim's Management's Discussion and Analysis in respect of its audited consolidated financial statements for the six months ended June 30, 2021 and 2020 (the "MD&A") for additional disclosure regarding these measures. The financial information relating to Skyward Specialty, Arena Investors and Arena FINCOs contained in the MD&A is unaudited and has been derived from the financial statements of the related entities. Readers are cautioned that the Skyward Specialty financial information and certain Arena Investors and Arena FINCO financial information, including any non-GAAP measures contained therein, has not been reconciled to IFRS and so may not be comparable to the financial information of issuers that present their financial information in accordance with IFRS. About Westaim Westaim is a Canadian investment company specializing in providing long-term capital to businesses operating primarily within the global financial services industry. The Company invests, directly and indirectly, through acquisitions, joint ventures and other arrangements, with the objective of providing its shareholders with capital appreciation and real wealth preservation. Westaim's strategy is to pursue investment opportunities with a focus towards the financial services industry and grow shareholder value over the long term. Westaim's investments include significant interests in Skyward Specialty, Arena Investors and Arena FINCOs. Skyward Specialty, the HIIG Partnership, Arena FINCOs, and Arena Investors are defined in the notes to Westaim's unaudited consolidated financial statements for the six months ended June 30, 2021 and 2020 and the MD&A. Westaim's Common Shares are listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the trading symbol WED. J. Cameron MacDonald, President and Chief Executive Officer or

Robert T. Kittel, Chief Operating Officer

The Westaim Corporation

info@westaim.com

(416)969-3333







The Westaim Corporation Financial Highlights (millions of U.S. dollars except share and per share data) Highlights Three months ended June 30 Six months ended June 30 2021 2020 2021 2020 Revenue and net change in unrealized value of investments $ 10.5 $ 3.7 $ 23.2 $ (20.1 ) Net recovery of expenses (expenses) 0.4 (3.7 ) (3.2 ) (0.4 ) Income tax expense - (0.1 ) - (0.1 ) GAAP profit (loss) and comprehensive income (loss) $ 10.9 $ (0.1 ) $ 20.0 $ (20.6 ) Adjusted profit (loss) and comprehensive income (loss) excluding unusual items1 $ 11.6 $ 4.8 $ 20.7 $ (0.8 ) GAAP earnings (loss) per share - basic $ 0.08 $ - $ 0.14 $ (0.14 ) GAAP earnings (loss) per share - diluted $ 0.08 $ - $ 0.14 $ (0.15 ) Adjusted earnings (loss) per share - diluted1 $ 0.08 $ 0.03 $ 0.14 $ (0.02 )

June 30, 2021 December 31, 2020 Assets Cash $ 9.7 $ 8.7 Income tax receivable - 0.1 Other assets 1.5 1.6 Investments 384.9 366.9 $ 396.1 $ 377.3 Liabilities Accounts payable and accrued liabilities $ 11.7 $ 11.0 Income tax payable - 0.3 Preferred securities 40.3 39.2 Derivative warrant liability 0.9 1.0 Site restoration provision 2.3 4.9 Deferred tax liability 0.4 0.4 55.6 56.8 Shareholders' equity 340.5 320.5 Total liabilities and shareholders' equity $ 396.1 $ 377.3 Number of common shares outstanding2 143,186,718 143,186,718 Book value per fully diluted share - in US$1 $ 2.38 $ 2.24 Book value per fully diluted share - in C$1 $ 2.95 $ 2.85 1 Non-GAAP measure. See Section 15, Non-GAAP Measures of the MD&A for a reconciliation to the most comparable IFRS figures. 2 At June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, an aggregate of 3,034,261 RSUs, 10,428,337 stock options and 14,285,715 warrants were also outstanding. Details regarding these RSUs, stock options and warrants are disclosed in the Company's public filings including its quarterly and annual financial statements which are available under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Period end exchange rates: 1.24095 at June 30, 2021 and 1.27395 at December 31, 2020. Except for statements of historical fact contained herein, information in this press release may constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities laws. Other than statements of historical fact, all statements that involve various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors are "forward-looking statements". There can be no assurance that such statements will prove accurate. Results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Readers of this press release are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these "forward-looking statements". Except as otherwise required by applicable law, Westaim expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The information provided herein does not constitute an offer or solicitation regarding any investment products offered by Arena Investors. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210819005769/en/

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[August 19, 2021] TPG Pace Tech Opportunities Announces Effectiveness of Registration Statement and a Special Meeting Date of September 14, 2021 in Connection with Its Proposed Business Combination with Nerdy

TPG Pace Tech Opportunities (NYSE: PACE), today announced that its registration statement on Form S-4 (the "Registration Statement") in connection with its previously announced proposed business combination (the "Business Combination") with Nerdy ("the Company" or "Nerdy"), a leading platform for delivering live online learning, has been declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (" SEC (News - Alert) "). The Registration Statement provides important information about TPG Pace Tech Opportunities, Nerdy and the Business Combination. TPG Pace Tech Opportunities also announced today a record date of August 16, 2021 (the "Record Date") and a meeting date of September 14, 2021 for its extraordinary general meeting (the "Special Meeting") to approve the Business Combination. The closing of the Business Combination is subject to approval by TPG Pace Tech Opportunities' shareholders, and the satisfaction of other customary closing conditions. The Business Combination is expected to close promptly after the Special Meeting. Upon closing, the combined company is expected to remain listed on the New York Stock Exchange with its common stock and warrants trading under the new ticker symbols, "NRDY" and "NRDY WS", respectively. The meeting will be held at 10:00 am Eastern Time, on September 14, 2021 at https://www.cstproxy.com/tpgpacetechopportunities/2021 and at the offices of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., located at 1114 Avenue of the Americas, 32nd Floor, New York, NY 10036. TPG Pace Tech Opportunities has determined that the meeting will be a hybrid virtual meeting conducted via live webcast in order to facilitate stockholder attendance and participation. To register and receive access to the hybrid virtual meeting, registered shareholders and beneficial shareholders (those holding shares through a stock brokerage account or by a bank or other holder of record) will need to follow the instructions applicable to them provided in the proxy statement. TPG Pace Tech Opportunities recommends all stockholders vote in advance of the Special Meeting by telephone, via the Internet or by signing, dating and returning the proxy card upon receipt. Your Vote FOR ALL Proposals Is Important, No Matter How Many or How Few Shares You Own. If you have any questions or need assistance voting, please contact Morrow Sodali LLC, our proxy solicitor, by calling (800) 662-5200, or banks and brokers can call collect at (203) 658-9400, or by emailing pace.info@investor.morrowsodali.com. Important Information Neither the SEC or any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of the securities to be issued in connection with the Business Combination, or determined if the Registration Statement is accurate or adequate. About TPG TPG is a leading global alternative asset firm founded in 1992 with $96 billion of assets under management and offices in Beijing, Fort Worth, Hong Kong, London, Luxembourg, Melbourne, Mumbai, New York, San Francisco, Seoul, Singapore, and Washington D.C. TPG's investment platforms are across a wide range of asset classes, including private equity, growth equity, impact investing, real estate, secondaries, and public equity. TPG aims to build dynamic products and options for its investors while also instituting discipline and operational excellence across the investment strategy and performance of its portfolio. For more information, visit www.tpg.com or @TPG on Twitter (News - Alert) . About TPG Pace Group and TPG Pace Tech Opportunities TPG Pace Group is TPG's dedicated permanent capital platform. TPG Pace Group has a long-term, patient and highly flexible investor base, allowing it to seek compelling opportunities that will thrive in the public markets. TPG Pace Group has sponsored seven SPACs and raised more than $4.4 billion since 2015. TPG Pace Tech Opportunities is a publicly listed (NYSE: PACE) special purpose acquisition company, which raised $450 million in its October 2020 IPO along with $150 million of forward purchase agreements in order to seek a business combinationwith a leading technology company that complements the experience and expertise of our management team and TPG and is a business that TPG's transformative operating skills and strategic advice can help improve. For more information, visit https://www.tpg.com/pace-tech-opportunities.



About Nerdy Nerdy is a leading curated direct-to-consumer platform for live online learning. Nerdy's mission is to transform the way people learn through technology. The Company's purpose-built proprietary platform leverages technology, including AI, to connect learners of all ages to experts, delivering superior value on both sides of the network. Nerdy's comprehensive learning destination provides learning experiences across 3,000+ subjects and multiple formats-including one-on-one instruction, small group classes, large format group classes, and adaptive self-study. Nerdy's flagship business, Varsity Tutors, is one of the nation's largest platforms for live online tutoring and classes. Learn more about Nerdy at https://www.nerdy.com/.

No Offer or Solicitation This communication is for informational purposes only and is neither an offer to purchase, nor a solicitation of an offer to sell, subscribe for or buy any securities or the solicitation of any vote in any jurisdiction pursuant to the proposed Business Combination between Nerdy and TPG Pace Tech Opportunities or otherwise, nor shall there be any sale, issuance or transfer or securities in any jurisdiction in contravention of applicable law. No offer of securities shall be made except in a transaction exempt from registration under the Securities Act or by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act, and applicable regulations in the Cayman Islands. Additional Information and Where to Find It In connection with the proposed Business Combination, TPG Pace Tech Opportunities filed the Registration Statement, which has become effective. Additionally, TPG Pace Tech Opportunities will file other relevant materials with the SEC in connection with the proposed Business Combination. The materials filed or to be filed by TPG Pace Tech Opportunities with the SEC may be obtained free of charge at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Investors and security holders of TPG Pace Tech Opportunities are urged to read the proxy statement/prospectus and the other relevant materials when they become available before making any voting or investment decision with respect to the proposed Business Combination because they contain or will contain important information about the Business Combination and the parties to the Business Combination. Participants in the Solicitation TPG Pace Tech Opportunities, Nerdy and their respective directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the shareholders of TPG Pace Tech Opportunities in connection with the proposed Business Combination. Investors and security holders may obtain more detailed information regarding the names, affiliations and interests of certain of TPG Pace Tech Opportunities' executive officers and directors in the solicitation by reading TPG Pace Tech Opportunities' Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended December 31, 2020, filed with the SEC on May 14, 2021, and the Registration Statement and other relevant materials filed with the SEC in connection with the Business Combination when they become available. Other information concerning the interests of participants in the solicitation, which may, in some cases, be different than those of their shareholders generally, will be set forth in the proxy statement/prospectus relating to the Business Combination when it becomes available. Forward Looking Statements The information included herein and in any oral statements made in connection herewith include "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements, other than statements of present or historical fact included herein, regarding the proposed Business Combination, TPG Pace Tech Opportunities' ability to consummate the transaction, the benefits of the transaction and TPG Pace Tech Opportunities' future financial performance following the transaction, as well as TPG Pace Tech Opportunities' strategy, future operations, financial position, estimated revenues and losses, projected costs, prospects, plans and objectives of management are forward-looking statements. When used herein, including any oral statements made in connection herewith, the words "outlook," "believes," "expects," "potential," "continues," "may," "will," "should," "could," "seeks," "approximately," "predicts," "intends," "plans," "estimates," "anticipates," the negative of such terms and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. These forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and assumptions about future events and are based on currently available information as to the outcome and timing of future events. Except as otherwise required by applicable law, TPG Pace Tech Opportunities disclaims any duty to update any forward-looking statements, all of which are expressly qualified by the statements in this section, to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or any new information. TPG Pace Tech Opportunities cautions you that these forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond the control of TPG Pace Tech Opportunities. These risks include, but are not limited to, (1) the inability to complete the transactions contemplated by the proposed Business Combination; (2) the inability to recognize the anticipated benefits of the proposed Business Combination, which may be affected by, among other things, competition, and the ability of the combined business to grow and manage growth profitably; (3) any inability of Nerdy to adequately protect its intellectual property; (4) any security breaches, loss of data or other disruptions; (5) any loss of key employees, including Nerdy's Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer; (6) effects on TPG Pace Tech Opportunities' public securities' liquidity and trading; (7) the market's reaction to the proposed Business Combination; (8) the lack of a market for TPG Pace Tech Opportunities' securities; (9) TPG Pace Tech Opportunities' financial performance following the proposed Business Combination; (10) costs related to the proposed Business Combination; (11) changes in applicable laws or regulations; (12) the possibility that the novel coronavirus ("COVID-19") may hinder TPG Pace Tech Opportunities' ability to consummate the Business Combination; (13) the possibility that COVID-19 may adversely affect the results of operations, financial position and cash flows of TPG Pace Tech Opportunities or Nerdy; (14) the possibility that TPG Pace Tech Opportunities or Nerdy may be adversely affected by other economic, business and/or competitive factors; and (15) other risks and uncertainties indicated from time to time in documents filed or to be filed with the SEC by TPG Pace Tech Opportunities. Should one or more of the risks or uncertainties described herein and in any oral statements made in connection therewith occur, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results and plans could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. Additional information concerning these and other factors that may impact TPG Pace Tech Opportunities' expectations and projections can be found in TPG Pace Tech Opportunities' initial public offering prospectus, which was filed with the SEC on October 8, 2020, and the Registration Statement. In addition, TPG Pace Tech Opportunities' periodic reports and other SEC filings are available publicly on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210819005790/en/

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[August 19, 2021] DDC Ranks on Inc. 5000 Fastest-Growing Companies for Second Consecutive Year

EVERGREEN, Colo., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- DDC FPO, the most trusted business process outsourcing (BPO) partner in transportation and logistics, has been named one of the fastest-growing companies by Inc. 5000 for the second consecutive year. DDC ranked 3,780 on Inc.'s annual ranking of the nation's fastest-growing private companies, highlighting the company's continued growth. In addition to this accomplishment, DDC FPO was also ranked as an Inbound Logistics Top 100 IT Provider earlier this year. DDC, most well-known for its data-based, goal-driven solutions, including freight billing, customs brokerage processing, and IT outsourcing  has experienced continued growth despite the challenges of 2020. "It's an honor to be recognized as one of the fastest-growing companies in the nation two years in a row," said Art Zipkin, company President and Chief Commercial Officer. "It spotlights how our entire team steps up and continually rises to fulfill the needs of our clients." Not only have the companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 been very competitive within their markets, but this year's list also proved exceptionally resilient and flexible given 2020's unprecedented challenges. "Building one of the fastest-growing companies in America in any year is a remarkable achievement, says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. "Building one in the crisis we've lived through is just plain amazing. This kind of accomplishment cmes with hard work, smart pivots, great leadership, and the help of a whole lot of people."



The Inc. 5000 list showcases the top privately held companies in the country. DDC's continued growth may be a sign of a shift in the mindset of the majority as they embrace the role of technology in the transportation and logistics sector. A recent DDC study found that many in the industry fast-tracked initiatives to combat the ripple effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on transforming their operations to become leaner, more agile, and more efficient. This included moving away from manual processes and increasing connectivity and communication with external resources.

"Our continued growth not only is a testament to our industry embracing the concept of hiring the best talent to do the job, no matter where in the world they are located," explained Chad Crotty, DDC's VP of Sales. "It is also a direct result of expanding our service capabilities for our partners," he said. Among the 2021 Inc. 5000, the average median three-year growth rate soared to 543 percent, and median revenue reached $11.1 million. Together, those companies added more than 610,000 jobs over the past three years. To learn more about DDC FPO and its services, please visit DDCFPO.com. About DDC FPO

DDC FPO is a strategic business process outsourcing (BPO) partner for today's leading transportation and logistics providers that enables clients to focus on core competencies and achieve their goals. As the freight-focused member company of The DDC Group  a worldwide network of BPO companies  DDC FPO is able to serve clients in over 30 languages across North America, UK, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. Solutions include data-based, goal-driven front and back office programs such as Freight Billing, Customs Brokerage Processing, and IT Outsourcing, among others. To learn more, visit www.ddcfpo.com . View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ddc-ranks-on-inc-5000-fastest-growing-companies-for-second-consecutive-year-301359471.html SOURCE DDC FPO LLC

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As a public service and because we've been a garbage blogger for at least two weeks . . . Probably more.

We offer a public service and go through some of the more interesting headlines from the so-called Kansas City "paper-of-record" . . . No, not Facebook.

Here's the www.TonysKansasCity.com dead-tree collection . . .

Dead-Tree in defense of Mexican Border chaos . . .

'Dehumanizing' myths blaming Mexican immigrants for COVID surge are baseless, experts say Since Day One, the COVID-19 pandemic and racism have been near inseparable. When the coronavirus first appeared in the United States, people of Asian descent were attacked - and continue to be -while being blamed for the pandemic, leading to a rise in racist encounters ranging from verbal to physical assault.

People still write letters???

Letters: KC readers discuss offensive comic, Biden's responsibility and JoCo sheriff The Greater Kansas City Interfaith Council is concerned about The Star's publication of an offensive "The Argyle Sweater" comic strip by Scott Hilburn on the Aug. 4 comics page. (9B) It used a scatological pun at the expense of sensitivities within our community's Muslim population.

Newsletter deep thoughts but no laughs . . .

On The Vine: What we do when the world burns It's odd, but it almost seems easy to forget turmoil when you yourself are not in crisis. I suppose I should only speak for myself. You let me know if you sympathize with the sentiment. Though the world has seemingly, strangely slowed down since March 2020, the days are still nonstop.

You decide . . .
Ive been working here for over 20 years, and if I had a nickel for everytime someone came up with a this will turn Trenton around! idea, Id have a shoebox full of nickels.

So when the states voters handed Trenton a lay-up of an idea for a way to help move the city forward, all the city fathers (and mothers) had to do was embrace the future.

Instead, the Trenton City Council is holding the future at arms length while holding their nose, and as a result, they are taking what legitimately mightve been Trentons best hope for an economic resurgence and are puff, puff, passing it away.

Yep, were talking weed, marijuana, cannabis, mary jane, reefer, dope, herb  I can go on  ganja, chronic, grass, skunk 

You get the idea.

Anyway, recreational weed was legalized by New Jersey voters last year by a 2-to-1 margin, and Trenton voters went for it at a 4-to-1 margin. And right now, the states municipalities have until Aug. 21 to craft ordinances that would either allow or disallow adult-use marijuana businesses from opening in their towns and cities.

Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora has said he wanted, at minimum, 10 retail establishments in the city.

The Trenton City Council, however, is offering five situated in these zones: Enterprise Avenue, the Route 1 industrial area, and the Roebling area.

Youll note zero of them are downtown.

This is a massive mistake at what mightve been a golden opportunity for Trenton to welcome city residents and suburbanites to a marijuana haven. Everyone always wants to see a thriving downtown scene in Trenton, and virtually everyone who has tried has failed. Theres generally more metaphorical tumbleweeds than people post 5 p.m. on a normal day, nevermind during COVID.

But if the council would get out of their own way and allow numerous marijuana retail establishments to open up downtown? Well, that would have the potential to dramatically change the look and feel and downtown.

Just picture it: Younger people gathering downtown to buy and use marijuana will translate to younger people staying downtown to eat in restaurants which would translate to more businesses staying open longer which would translate to more people hanging out which would translate to more businesses opening up.

The above scenario may be a little pie-in-the-sky, but its also A) possible and B) not going to happen if the council gets its way.

Listen: Marijuana is here to stay. Everyone may as well get used to it. And while many suburban towns are busily wringing their hands about where and how many dispensaries they will allow, Trenton has a chance to take the bull by the horns (the bong by the handle? The joint by the roach clip? The bowl by the stem?) and become a market leader in marijuana.

In fact, Id go as far to say Trenton  or, really, any place in New Jersey where there is a downtown area  can change the complexion of their downtowns overnight by embracing marijuana culture.

The Trenton City Council is making a huge mistake and giving up a chance to turn downtown around. Nothing else has worked in the last two decades, thats clear enough.
Johnstown, PA (15901)

Today

Rain, heavy at times early. Potential for flooding rains. High around 65F. Winds NE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 2 to 3 inches of rain expected..

Tonight

Rain showers in the evening, then clear overnight. Low near 50F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
Johnstown, PA (15901)

Today

Rain, heavy at times early. Potential for flooding rains. High 67F. Winds NE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 2 to 3 inches of rain expected..

Tonight

Rain showers in the evening, then clear overnight. Low 52F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
CLINTON - Vernon Lee Kispert, 84, of Clinton passed away August 30, 2021. He was born on April 27, 1937, to Bernice and Elwood Kispert. Vernon is survived by his loving wife Ginny and daughter Shawna Kispert; stepchildren: Wayne (Nancy) McClara of Blanford, Bob (Judy) McClara of Mena, AR, Ma
State officials revealed during a public health commission announcement Wednesday that they intended to revamp testing efforts in the coming weeks as demand for COVID-19 testing surges along with the Delta variant of the virus.
Tribune-Star file/Joseph C. Garza2020 results: Vigo County Election Board Chairman Kara Anderson talks to a film crew on Nov. 5, 2020, at the Vigo County Courthouse. Neither Indiana State University nor Boot City is on a preliminary list of Vigo County voting centers for 2022 that was OK'd by the board on Wednesday.
This is a must see, must visit place in Doha. The Desert Rose building alone is truly stunning and so unique, it really is quite breathtaking.



In the museum you can listen to the stories of how Qatar came to be. The stories are told by a lot the elders including Sheikh Faisal. You truly do learn about the ancient history of Qatar and the economy, about pearl gathering, trading and the oil boom. You could spend a good couple of hours at the museum, there is a wealth of things to see and do.



Theres ample parking spaces with shade and as there is a trek from the car park to the museum, theres buggies to get you from your car to the museum and back again.



Well marked bathroom facilities, including disabled facilities.



There are two shops, either side of the foyer, one for children and one for the grown ups.



Outside there are some amazing vintage cars to look at and a restaurant as well as a cafe.


Good for: Child-friendly

Dining options: Dinner, Lunch, Breakfast, After-hours, Takeout

Description: Mels Diner is a popular Family Owned and Operated American Classic Diner located in the heart of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, just minutes from Gatlinburg, Sevierville, and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Since 1993, Mels Diner has offered its guests a classic 50s diner experience with great American classic food and atmosphere. Mels has all of the classic food that you can expect from 50s style diner, from hearty breakfast meals to juicy burgers and also legendary banana splits. Mels also has a complete line of limited-edition T-shirts and other gifts to remind you of your time in Pigeon Forge. So what are you waiting for? Check out one of the most visited restaurants in all of Pigeon Forge the next time youre in town!
Hello guys! I'm traveling to Kyiv for two weeks and will be arriving Kyiv next Wednesday. I've already read the rules listed on the visitukraine.today website, but I still have a few question regarding entering the country and I hope you could help.

1. I'm from the US and I'm already fully vaccinated with Moderna. I have the CDC COVID vaccination record card that shows my name, date of birth and when did I get vaccinated. Is this card alone enough or do I still need extra documentation? My concern is that the border inspector may not recognize the card and ask for more information.

2. I have already purchased a insurance policy from visitukraine.today. Should I print out the insurance contract in paper or will they accept digital form?

3. Similar to the above, should I print out the booking confirmation of my hotel and flight ticket? Will they ask for such documents at the border control?

Thank you guys in advance!
BRISTOL, Conn. (AP)  A Connecticut firefighter who died two days after falling ill at a blaze that destroyed a 19th century building was laid to rest Thursday as hundreds of emergency responders from across the region came to pay tribute.

Bagpipers and drummers played as firefighters carried the casket of Colin McFadden out of Saint Matthew Church in his hometown of Bristol, where a private service was held.

Before the casket was placed in the back of a vintage fire truck bound for St. Joseph's Cemetery for the burial, an official rang a bell nine times to honor McFadden's service to the fire department. Firefighters from numerous departments who gathered outside the church saluted.

He was a keystone kind of guy that you could always count on, Richard Lambert, captain of the Bristol Community Emergency Response Team, told The Hartford Courant. "If there was a list of people who were going to participate, he was always on the top of the list.

The 26-year-old volunteer with the Burlington Volunteer Fire Department died at a hospital on Aug. 12 two days after collapsing at the fire in New Hartford. Relatives said he suffered a brain hemorrhage caused by an undiagnosed acute form of leukemia.

He was remembered as an active community volunteer who loved firefighting and an advocate for people with autism. He was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome as a child and spoke to state lawmakers and the media on Autism Awareness Day at the state Capitol in 2015 when he was 19, his family said in his obituary.

During the coronavirus pandemic, he helped direct traffic for testing and food distribution sites and made N95 masks on his two 3D printers for staff at UConn Health, his family said.

McFadden, who lived in Bristol not far from the Burlington firehouse he served for six years, was one of nearly 100 area firefighters who responded to the Aug. 10 blaze in New Hartford.

Two other firefighters suffered minor injuries fighting the blaze at New Hartford House, which was built in 1850 and contained businesses and apartments. None of the 22 residents was injured, but several pets went missing. The cause remains under investigation.

Gov. Ned Lamont ordered all U.S. and state flags to be flown at half-staff in McFadden's honor. The order will be lifted at sunset Thursday.
Tucson, AZ (85741)

Today

Variably cloudy with scattered thunderstorms. Potential for heavy rainfall. Low around 70F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Variably cloudy with scattered thunderstorms. Potential for heavy rainfall. Low around 70F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.
At the IDEF 2021 International Defence Industry Fair, Ukraine and Turkey have discussed cooperation between the two countries in the aviation and space industries.

Deputy Prime Minister - Minister for Strategic Industries Oleh Urusky wrote about this on his Facebook page, Ukrinform reports.

"The Ukrainian side is ready for mutually beneficial cooperation in the field of aircraft engine construction, joint use of outer space, creation of rocket carriers and satellite platforms," Urusky wrote.

According to him, the parties also discussed the creation of technology parks in Ukraine: "We discussed the issue of involving the Turkish side in the creation of domestic industrial parks. Turkey has good experience in this matter, as several dozen such structures are successfully operating in the country.

He also informed the Turkish side about the improvement of Ukrainian legislation in the field of investment and offset policy, which should lead to the removal of obstacles and the creation of favorable conditions for the organization of military-technical cooperation with other countries.

Urusky added that as part of the IDEF 2021 exhibition, he met with Turkish Deputy Minister of Industry and Technology Cetin Ali Donmez, President of the Turkish Scientific and Technical Research Council TUBITAK Hassan Mandal and Baykar Makinas CEO Haluk Bayraktar. The Ukrainian delegation was acquainted with the products of leading Turkish companies, including ASELSAN, Roketsan, TAI, TEI and STM.

The Ukrainian delegation, headed by Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Strategic Industries Oleh Urusky, participates the IDEF 2021 defense exhibit, which is held in Turkey.

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The German government has appointed Georg Waldersee as its special representative for the Ukraine gas transit.

That's according to the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, Ukrinform reports with reference to Deutsche Welle.

With this appointment, the German government is fulfilling its obligations under the agreement with the United States to resolve the dispute over Russia's Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.

Waldersee had already served as the German government's representative for gas transit to Ukraine in 2019, when negotiations were underway to extend the gas transit contract.

The ministry said in a statement that the German government would "advocate the extension of the gas transit agreement between Ukraine and Russia by up to ten years" to ensure gas transit after the end of the current contract, which expires on December 31, 2024.

The special representative will have to mediate on both sides and also vis-a-vis the EU Commission, the United States and third countries in order to achieve an extension of the gas transit contract, which will be in the interests of all parties. His tasks will include, among other things, conducting bilateral talks, exploring compromise lines and involving third countries. The special representative will be organisationally attached to the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and energy. However, he will also work closely with the Federal Foreign Office.

Photo: Getty Images
Deputy Head of the Ukrainian President's Office Roman Mashovets and Head of the NATO Representation to Ukraine Alexander Vinnikov have discussed the further development of relations between Ukraine and NATO, the President's Office has reported.

According to the report, both parties discussed at their meeting the development of Ukraine's relations with the North Atlantic Alliance in the context of the country's Euro-Atlantic integration.

They paid special attention to defense reform, the improvement of national legislation in the field of security and defense and the advisory assistance of foreign partners.

Mashovets said Ukraine's course for NATO membership remained unchanged and spoke in detail about certain aspects of legislative work, which fully takes into account the norms and rules of the Allies.

Mashovets also briefed Vinnikov on the situation in eastern Ukraine and prospects for its development.

"The creation of a system of national resilience in Ukraine, the development of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and their role in the implementation of the Law on National Resistance recently adopted by the Verkhovna Rada were discussed in more detail," the report said.

Vinnikov, in turn, said that NATO's position on its full and unconditional support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression remained unchanged and emphasized the importance of expanding practical cooperation in this regard. He also introduced the new staff of the NATO Representation to Ukraine.

Mashovets thanked Vinnikov for his personal contribution to the development of Ukraine's relations with the Alliance.

Photo credit: president.gov.ua
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has enacted three decisions of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC), Ukrinform reports.

According to the Presidents Office, under decree No.366/2021, Volodymyr Zelensky put into effect the NSDCs decision of June 18, 2021 "On military and technical cooperation of Ukraine with particular states.

Decree No.367/2021 enacts the NSDCs decision of July 30, 2021 "On certain issues of implementation of state policy in the field of state border protection.

In addition, under decree No.369/2021, the President put into effect the NSDCs decision of July 30, 2021 "On the state of the national healthcare system and urgent measures to provide citizens of Ukraine with medical care. This NSDCs decision stipulates that the Cabinet of Ministers has to develop and approve by December 1 the Strategic Plan for Healthcare System Development until 2030, defining deadlines and people responsible for implementation and clear mechanisms to ensure equal access of citizens of Ukraine to timely, safe and secure quality emergency, primary, secondary (specialized), tertiary (highly specialized), palliative care and rehabilitation in the healthcare. NSDC Secretary Oleksiy Danilov has been tasked with exercising control over the implementation of the NSDC decision enacted by the decree.

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Ukraine will file a communication at the International Criminal Court on the unlawful transfer of prisoners from the occupied Crimea to the remote areas of the Russian Federation.

"In a new communication, we identified additional 275 victims of illegal transfer," Head of the Prosecutor's Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea Ihor Ponochovny said at a press conference on August 18, Ukrinform reports.

According to Ponochovny, the new communication is a continuation of the previous two on the transfer of 189 prisoners, submitted to the ICC in 2016-2017.

Read also: EU considers sentencing of four Crimean Tatars by Russian court illegal

The information about illegal actions of the occupying power of Crimea is obtained during the investigation of a criminal case under Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (violation of laws and customs of war).

In general, Ponochovny said, 464 citizens of Ukraine are serving their sentences in Russia, testifying to the unlawful deportation or transfer of the population from the occupied territory and falling under Article 8 of the Rome Statute.

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Forty-four foreign delegations will take part in the inaugural summit of the Crimea Platform. Fourteen foreign delegations will be led by heads of state and government.

"On August 23, 44 countries and international organizations, including 14 heads of state, government, and the European Union, will become the founders of the Crimea Platform," Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba said at an online briefing on Thursday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

In particular, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Moldova, Slovenia, and Finland will be represented at the level of presidents. The President of the European Council will also take part in the Crimea Platform.

Romania, Georgia, Croatia, and Sweden will be represented at the level of prime ministers.

Two countries  Switzerland and the Czech Republic  will be represented by the speakers of parliaments.

Fourteen countries will attend the summit at the level of foreign ministers: Turkey, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Austria, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Ireland, Denmark, Bulgaria, Montenegro, and North Macedonia.

Britain and Portugal will be represented by defense ministers, while the United States will be represented by the transportation secretary, a special envoy of President Joe Biden.

Norway will be represented by the Secretary of State to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The European Commission will be represented by Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis, NATO  the Deputy Secretary General, the Council of Europe and GUAM will be represented at the level of the Secretary General.

Seven countries  New Zealand, Malta, Japan, Australia, Cyprus, Canada, and Greece  will be represented by ambassadors.

"So, a total of 44 foreign delegations and 45 participants together with Ukraine. I want to emphasize that these countries become the founders of the Crimea Platform regardless of the level of representation," the Ukrainian minister emphasized.

He also noted that the Crimea Platform had already surpassed all previous international events hosted by Ukraine in the number of high-level delegations represented at the summit.

"Ukraine has never hosted such an international event before," Kuleba said.

The Crimea Platform is a new consultative and coordination format initiated by Ukraine to step up the efficiency of international response to the occupation of Crimea, respond to growing security challenges, increase international pressure on Russia, prevent further human rights violations, protect victims of the occupation regime, and achieve the main goal: to de-occupy Crimea and restore Ukraines sovereignty over the peninsula.

The Platform is to operate at several levels: heads of state and government, foreign ministers, inter-parliamentary cooperation, expert network.

The activity of the Crimea Platform will be officially launched at the inaugural summit in Kyiv on August 23, 2021.

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President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky currently sees direct talks with the Russian president as the only way to release Crimean political prisoners and expects to work out new solutions during the Crimea Platform.

All the lists [for prisoner exchanges] were formed thanks to the work of our Ombudsperson. The issue of political prisoners is the most important for us. Unfortunately, it is completely blocked. To date, I see no other way out except direct talks with the Russian president on Crimean prisoners. It is possible that we will be able to work out new solutions during the Crimea Platform, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with Crimean journalists published by the Ukrayinska Pravda online media outlet, Ukrinform reports.

Zelensky noted that he had a list of issues to discuss with all leaders at meetings of any format and assured that he always raised the issue of Crimean prisoners.

Unfortunately, Russia holds the lever of decision, linking political prisoners with the occupation of Crimea. The Kremlin does not view these people as Ukrainian political prisoners because they do not admit that they occupied Crimea, the President stressed.

According to Zelensky, Russians separate the lists of those who stay in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, those Ukrainians who stay in Crimea or are already in Russia. At the same time, Ukraine combines these lists and insists that the all for all exchange must cover the Crimean residents as well.

I also call on the leaders of those countries who support us to work actively and put pressure on the Russian president. The president of the Russian Federation can easily return our prisoners to us, even if he does not believe that they are political prisoners. We are ready for exchanges and any steps to bring back our Crimeans, Zelensky stressed.

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Members of the U.S. Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) Band have arrived in Kyiv to participate in the festive events dedicated to the 30th anniversary of Ukraine's independence.

The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv wrote about this on Twitter, Ukrinform reports.

Welcome to the U.S. Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) Band that have just arrived in Kyiv to commemorate Ukraines 30th anniversary of independence!, reads the report.

Welcome to the U.S. Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) Band that have just arrived in Kyiv to commemorate s 30th anniversary of independence!  support for  as it seeks to defend its sovereignty & maintain its independence is stronger than ever. #Ukraine30 #PartnershipStrong pic.twitter.com/NKvRoCbwNr  U.S. Embassy Kyiv (@USEmbassyKyiv) August 18, 2021

The embassy noted that the United States supports Ukraine in its aspirations to defend its sovereignty and maintain its independence is stronger than ever.

As reported, as part of the celebration of the 30th anniversary of Ukraine's Independence, festive events will take place throughout the country, which will last from August 22 to 24.

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On August 18, Ambassador of Ukraine Oleksandr Balanutsa met with Director of Kuwait National Museum Salman A. Bolnd to discuss the work of the embassy on the introduction of Ukrainian-language audio guide in Kuwaiti museums.

The Embassy of Ukraine in Kuwait wrote about this on its website, Ukrinform reports.

The parties also discussed the prospects of enhancing cooperation in the field of archaeological researches, organization of travelling exhibitions of the folk art and other subjects related to the museum sciences, reads the report.

As a reminder, on August 11, 2021, Ambassador of Ukraine to Kuwait Oleksandr Balanutsa met with CEO of My Travel for Tourism Consultancy Company Khalid Alwasm. During the meeting, a touristic guide and an interactive map of Ukraine in Arabic was represented.

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Some 64% of respondents support Ukraine's accession to the EU, and 54% of Ukrainians want their country to be part of NATO, according to a survey conducted by the Rating sociological group.

The results of the study were presented at a press conference on Thursday, August 19, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"The dominant foreign policy vector in Ukraine is European and Euro-Atlantic integration. In all questions concerning the views on Ukraine's future on the international stage, at least half of those polled confirmed their pro-Western aspirations. In particular, 64% are in favour of [Ukraine's] accession to the EU and 54% support its accession to NATO. Most of those who support Ukraine's European future are the youngest people (16-24 years old): 66% of them are in favour of [Ukraine's] joining NATO, and 75% are in favour of it joining the EU. Even in the oldest categories, at least half of the respondents back Ukraine's movement in the western direction," the study revealed.

In general, 80% of respondents would support the proclamation of Ukraine's independence if this process took place today. Only 15% would not support the idea, and 5% were undecided. The highest level of support for Ukraine's Independence was recorded among respondents born after 1991 - 87%. There are also more pro-independence among residents of the western and central regions and among more well-off people. Despite the differences, at least two-thirds of each of the demographic groups would support Ukraine's declaration of independence today.

Some 75% of respondents identify themselves as Ukrainian citizens (11% do not), while 26% identify themselves as Europeans, and 21% see themselves as "Soviet people." Among the representatives of the independence generation, 86% identify themselves as citizens of Ukraine and 40% as Europeans. Older people consider themselves less European, but more often than others identify themselves as "Soviet people."

The relative majority of respondents (57%) said they were generally satisfied with their lives, 21% hold the opposite view, and 23% were neither happy nor unhappy with their lives.

The poll surveyed 20,000 Ukrainians aged 16 and older living in all regions, except for the temporarily occupied territories of Crimea and eastern Ukraine.

The poll's margin of error does not exceed 1% across Ukraine and 4% across a particular region.
The decision of the European Commission on mutual recognition of digital COVID certificates issued by Ukraine and the EU shows a high level of trust in our country.

"Today, the European Commission adopted a decision on mutual recognition of digital COVID certificates issued by Ukraine and the EU ... The decision of the European Commission shows a high level of trust in Ukraine and makes Ukrainians' trips to Europe easier," Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal posted on Telegram, Ukrinform reports.

Ukrainian digital COVID certificate allows to travel to the European Union without impediment and is now recognized within the EU. he added.

Earlier, the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine informed that the European Union officially recognized that the Ukrainian COVID certificates in the Diia application corresponded to the European ones.

A COVID certificate is a document in the Diia application which will confirm the status of vaccination, negative PCR test result, or recovery from coronavirus disease. The certificate will appear next to other digital documents in the application.

On August 20, the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine, and the Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine will hold a briefing to inform about the project, its technical part, how everything will work, and when Ukrainians will be able to travel with COVID certificates in the Diia application.

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Ukrainian COVID certificates will be accepted in the countries of the European Union from August 20.

The decision was made by the European Commission on Thursday, Ukrinform reports with reference to the ECs press service.

The Commission adopted today three equivalence decisions for North Macedonia, Turkey and Ukraine. This means that the countries will be connected to the EUs system and that COVID certificates issued by North Macedonia, Turkey and Ukraine will be accepted in the EU, as of tomorrow, under the same conditions as the EU Digital COVID Certificate, reads the statement.

As noted, North Macedonia, Turkey and Ukraine agreed to accept the EU Digital COVID Certificate for travel from the EU to their countries.

The European Commission underscores that their participation in the EUs Digital COVID Certificate will thus facilitate safe travel to and from the EU.

I am pleased to see that the list of countries implementing a system based on the EU Digital COVID Certificate is growing steadily and we are setting standards internationally. This will help to facilitate safe travel, also beyond the borders of our Union, EU Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders said.

Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, Oliver Varhelyi welcomed the three countries and noted that our partners are an integral part of opening up [for travel] safely together.

I welcome Ukraine, North Macedonia and Turkey in our Digital COVID Certificate system and look forward to more of our neighbours connecting soon.

The three decisions adopted today will enter into force as of tomorrow, August 20 2021 and are available online.

Earlier, the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine informed that the European Union officially recognized that the Ukrainian COVID certificates in the Diia application corresponded to the European ones.

A COVID certificate is a document in the Diia application which will confirm the status of vaccination, negative PCR test result, or recovery from coronavirus disease. The certificate will appear next to other digital documents in the application.

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Women walk among makeshift tents in a camp for internally displaced people in Mazar-e Sharif city in northern Afghanistan.  UNHCR/Edris Lutfi

The people of Afghanistan need our support now more than ever. Our organizations are committed to helping and protecting them. We will stay in Afghanistan and we will deliver.

At the start of 2021, half the population of Afghanistan  including more than 4 million women and nearly 10 million children  already needed humanitarian assistance. One third of the population was facing crisis and emergency levels of acute food insecurity and more than half of all children under 5 years of age were malnourished.

Those needs have risen sharply because of conflict, drought and COVID-19. Since the end of May, the number of people internally displaced because of conflict and in need of immediate humanitarian aid more than doubled, reaching 550,000.

We echo the UN Secretary-Generals call for all parties (including the Taliban) to cease all violence and comply with international humanitarian law and human rights. They must allow and facilitate safe, rapid and unimpeded access for humanitarian workers  both male and female staff  so they can deliver aid to civilians in need wherever they are.

The humanitarian operation will also depend on funding, movement within, to and from Afghanistan, and access to health facilities. The critical role of front-line humanitarian organizations must be supported.

All parties must protect civilians and respect the rights and freedoms of all. Today we reiterate our commitment to promoting the rights of everyone in Afghanistan, including women and girls. Important gains made in recent years  including on gender equality and girls access to a quality education  must be preserved. And much more needs to be done to realize the rights of women and girls. We will continue to engage to make sure this happens. Civilians must also be allowed to seek safety and protection, including the right to seek asylum.

We call on Governments to keep borders open to receive Afghan refugees fleeing from violence and persecution and refrain from deportations. This is not the time to abandon the Afghan people. Member States must provide all possible support to Afghan nationals at risk, including a moratorium on repatriations. We urge neighbouring countries to ensure the protection of Afghans displaced across their borders.

We call on donors to remain steadfast in their support for humanitarian operations in Afghanistan and to support resilient livelihoods. The humanitarian community reached almost 8 million people in the first half of 2021 with aid. Timely funding saves lives, protects livelihoods, eases suffering and prevents further displacement. A total of US$1.3 billion is required to reach almost 16 million people with humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan; only 37 per cent of required funds have been received, leaving a shortfall of almost $800 million.

The international community has spent decades working with the people of Afghanistan to make progress. Now the international community must continue to support the people of Afghanistan if those gains are not to be reversed. Humanitarian funding must be sustained.

Now, as always, we remain committed to the people of Afghanistan and will do everything possible to stay and provide assistance, especially to the most vulnerable.



Signatories
An assistant environment officer, Ehsanul Hoque works on disaster preparedness and restoring the environment in the Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh.  UNHCR/Hannah Macdonald

Name: Ehsanul Hoque, 40, from Bangladesh.

Why did you become an aid worker?

My home is in a coastal district very near to the sea and from my childhood weve been experiencing cyclones and floods. I can remember the 1991 cyclone. My younger sister and I took shelter under the bed with just one lantern, and we were praying to God. The country didnt have the capacity to manage these types of emergencies and more than 130,000 people died in coastal areas and islands.

At university I studied environmental science and later I did development studies for my post-graduate degree. So, these two apparently divergent disciplines helped me understand situations from different angles. I learned that Bangladesh is disaster prone and highly vulnerable to climate change, and if I can do something in the humanitarian sector that would be good.

Im thankful to UNHCR for giving me the opportunity to volunteer in Uganda. That opened my eyes to the vulnerability of displaced people. Over 40 per cent of refugees are hosted in countries that are highly vulnerable to climate change, and over 70 per cent of internally displaced people.

What is the most rewarding / challenging thing about your job?

My current job offers some solutions to prepare for or avert disasters, so thats the most rewarding part. Now Im working on [disaster] preparedness with nature-based solutions. These are solutions that sustainably manage and restore ecosystems and biodiversity while simultaneously improving human well-being. They can also capture and store greenhouse gases. For example, we are protecting stream banks with grass hedging and planting, which improves biodiversity, sequesters atmospheric carbon to the soil and reduces the risk of streams becoming clogged and flooding.

Were implementing many slope stabilisation activities that can really reduce slope failures and flooding, and thats very associated with the protection of refugees, which is the core mandate of UNHCR.

The challenge with nature-based solutions is that it takes time. Its challenging to convince people this is the best and most sustainable way.

Ehsanul documents water quality data for a degraded stream in the camp.  UNHCR/Sultan Mahmud

How has the climate emergency impacted your work?

The camps here in Bangladesh are in the paths of major cyclones and there is this competition for space in hilly terrain. When a disaster happens, this amplifies the impact.

Recent flooding in the camps damaged over 6,000 shelters and forced more than 25,000 refugees to seek shelter in communal facilities or with other families. Rainfall data confirms a sharp increase in rainfall for the month of July in recent years.

This is why for the Bangladesh operation, climate action should be a major focus of emergency preparedness.

See also: Floods bring new misery for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh camps

If we prepare now, from today, then well be reaping the benefits for many years to come and it would save huge resources, and that would be our contribution to the next generation, for our children and our grandchildren. Wed not only be contributing to this operation, but to greater humankind.

It is good to know that the UN has already committed to neutralizing its carbon emissions. Im one of the focal points for the Greening the Blue initiative (to reduce the UN Systems environmental footprint) which means keeping an inventory of our carbon emissions.

What was your best day at work?

In 2017 and 2018, the refugees, and staff even, were suffering with the hot sun  there was not a single bit of shade. Now, when I go to the field, I become happy every time I see all the trees. The result of the LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) distribution is that the demand for firewood reduced by 80 per cent. Refugees are not going to the forest anymore. And that leads to a best day. On 2 August, an elephant mother gave birth to a calf in the forest. That means this elephant got pregnant around the end of 2019 and that coincides with our distribution of LPG reaching 100 per cent of refugees. It means the elephants are feeling less disturbed.

Ehsanul briefing UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner Raouf Mazou on environment activities in the camps.  UNHCR/Louise Donovan

What was your worst day at work?

Our unit formed a youth environment club. At one of these sessions, all the host community and refugee youth members were sitting on either side of the room, and the CiC (camp-in-charge) asked them to introduce themselves. The host community youths started to stand up and say their names and schools. Then I was thinking, Oh my God, what will the refugee children say? Because theyre not studying in school, and theyre not from any district of Bangladesh.

I became so emotional because I realized the sad reality that the identity we often impose highlights our differences, and not our universal identity as human beings.

After an awkward pause, the CiC intervened and asked the refugee youths to share their names and camp numbers. Working with young people helps us promote shared learning and social cohesion.

How has the COVID crisis impacted your work?

With the restrictions imposed to contain the spread of COVID-19 and activities limited to critical ones by the authorities, we can barely go to the camps. Unfortunately, many environmental activities arent considered critical and are not allowed, but LPG distribution, considered as essential, has continued, and we support our partners and refugee volunteers [to carry on with some other activities]. Weve also come up with remote monitoring of things like human-elephant contact, and the management of the nursery for trees that we grow and plant out in the camps.


The land art installation exhibition outdoors at the Farley Center for Peace, Justice and Sustainability takes place every other year. This year, the fifth, 26 artists have joined together for the largest show yet -- with art made entirely of natural materials.
If hes approved by Congress, Chuck Sams would be the first Native American to be national parks director.
Dr. Artin Mahmoudi, a pulmonologist and intensive care specialist at Adventist Health Sonora, is urging the community to get vaccinated against COVID-19 in the midst of a deadly surge that he says could have been prevented.
Hugh Oscar Walton, 71, of Gray, and formerly of Sparta, passed away Friday, Aug. 27, 2021. Graveside services for Hugh Walton will be conducted on Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021, at 11 a.m. in the Sparta City Cemetery. Hugh was born on Jan. 20, 1950, in Greensboro, Ga. to the late James Thomas "Sl
Union Springs, AL (36089)

Today

Mostly sunny skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 89F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Variably cloudy with scattered thunderstorms. Low around 70F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.
1st Floor Criss Library  Chuck Hagel arrived in Vietnam in December 1967 on the eve of the deadliest year for U.S. military personnel in Vietnam. Throughout 1968, he and younger brother, Tom, fought in the Mekong Delta and Saigon (today Ho Chi Minh City) as part of the 2nd Battalion, 47th Infantry Regiment. During their time in the same squad--a rarity for brothers in the military--they each saved the others life. Hagel left Vietnam in December 1968. Tom followed him home in early 1969.

In-Country, At Home: Hagel and Vietnam begins with Hagels entrance into the U.S. Army and basic training in April 1967 and follows him as he lands in Vietnam, welcomes his brother to the unit, is promoted to Sergeant, and survives a year in the Mekong Delta. The exhibit concludes with a look at Hagels brief tenure as Deputy Administrator of Veterans Affairs at the Veterans Administration and his participation in the groundbreaking for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Artifacts on display include a replica armored personnel carrier (APC) made for Hagel by his artist brother, Mike, the shovel Hagel used to break ground for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in 1982, and Hagels two Purple Heart certificates. Photographs, letters home, and other documents from Hagels Army service, along with his support of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and tenure at the Veterans Administration, make up the rest of the exhibit.

UNO alum Chuck Hagel later served as a U.S. Senator (NE-R) from 1997 to 2009 and as U.S. Secretary of Defense from 2013 to 2015. When he left the U.S. Senate, he donated his records to UNO. They became the U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel Archives. Hagel continues to be active at UNO and supportive of the Hagel Archives. A majority of the documents in this exhibit were donated by Hagel in December 2020.

Now Open for Research

The U.S. Senate Chuck Hagel Archives is available for use in person at Archives and Special Collections on the first floor of Criss Library. Newly available for research is the Legislative Files series, the largest and most content-rich set of material in the Hagel Archives. Hagels legislative files cover almost every issue that arose in legislation or was prominent at the national level from 1997 to 2009. Significant events and topics include the Clinton impeachment proceedings in 1998-1999, a contested presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gore in 2000, the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, U.S. involvement in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the economic downtown of 2007-2009, and disaster and drought assistance for Nebraska's rural areas.

For more information about all the records available for research, visit the finding aid for the Hagel Archives. Archives and Special Collections is open to researchers Monday-Friday 9 A.M. - 5 P.M. Appointments are not required, but may be requested in advance.

This exhibit was curated by Lori Schwartz, Hagel and Technical Services Archivist.
Today (19th August 2021), Gold Rates in Pakistan is 94,100 per 10 grams, and the rate of Gold is 109,800 per tola. See prices of 22k, 24k, 21k and 18 karat Gold Prices of all cities here.

Gold Rate in Pakistan today on 19th August 2021 - Per Tola Gold Rate in Pakistan today is 109,800 for 24-Karat, 100,603 for 22-Karat.

Per 10 gram Gold Rate in Pakistan today is 94,100 for 24-Karat, 86,258 for 22-Karat.

UrduPoint brings you the latest prices for gold rates, silver rates on a daily basis and updates the rates every hour.

Gold Rate in Pakistan Today

Karachi is the center of the gold market in Pakistan because Gold prices are set by the Karachi Sarafa Market. All other cities set the gold price according to the Karachi Sarafa Bazar Association for Gold Price. According to the below table, the gold rates in different cities such as Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, Quetta, Multan and Peshawar are the same.

Location 24k 10g 24k per tola 22k 10g Pakistan Rs 94,100 Rs 109,800 Rs 86,258 Karachi Rs 94,100 Rs 109,800 Rs 86,258 Lahore Rs 94,100 Rs 109,800 Rs 86,258 Islamabad Rs 94,100 Rs 109,800 Rs 86,258 Rawalpindi Rs 94,100 Rs 109,800 Rs 86,258 Peshawar Rs 94,100 Rs 109,800 Rs 86,258 Quetta Rs 94,100 Rs 109,800 Rs 86,258 Sialkot Rs 94,100 Rs 109,800 Rs 86,258
ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 19th Aug, 2021) Louvre Abu Dhabi and Swiss watchmaking brand Richard Mille have revealed the jury for the inaugural edition of their contemporary art exhibition Louvre Abu Dhabi Art Here 2021 and The Richard Mille Art Prize.

Composed of four members, the jury has been drawn from diverse artistic spheres including curatorial, architectural and institutional. The distinguished panel will first select a shortlist of artists to participate in the upcoming exhibition, from the ongoing open call for proposals, and following the exhibition launch will award a $50,000 cash prize to the 2021 recipient of The Richard Mille Art Prize.

The 2021 jury members are Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Chairman of UAE Unlimited, an art collector and patron of the Centre Pompidou, the British Museum, Sharjah Art Foundation, and an honorary patron of Art Dubai; Christine Macel, the Chief Curator at the Musee national dart moderne, Centre Pompidou and an art critic; Hala Warde, founding architect of HW Architecture, long-term partner of Jean Nouvel and the lead of the Louvre Abu Dhabi project; and Dr. Souraya Noujaim, Louvre Abu Dhabis Scientific, Curatorial and Collections Management Director.

"Louvre Abu Dhabi Art Here 2021 breathes new life into the role of the museum by not merely celebrating the past, but rooting and contextualising contemporary art in its present setting through interactions and links with contemporary artists," said Dr.

Noujaim. "We are happy to launch this new chapter in collaboration with Richard Mille, marking Louvre Abu Dhabis continued extension into contemporary art and highlighting our ever-present dedication to local artistic talent. For this first edition, we are privileged to have the support and expertise of our esteemed jury members, who have demonstrated their commitment to Louvre Abu Dhabi and their strong interest in the local contemporary art scene."

The artists shortlisted by the jury will showcase their work in the Louvre Abu Dhabi Art Here 2021 exhibition, on view from 16th November 2021 to 27th March 2022 in the museums Forum, a space of interaction and exchange dedicated to contemporary art. From among these shortlisted artists, the jury will select the recipient of the first edition of The Richard Mille Art Prize.

For this inaugural year, UAE-based artists are invited to submit proposals around the theme of Memory, Time and Territory, with the exhibition and prize shining a spotlight on local talent as part of the UAEs wider 50th National Day celebrations. Proposals from the open call may be submitted until 11th September 2021 via the Louvre Abu Dhabi website.
(@FahadShabbir)

Moscow, Russia, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Aug, 2021 ) :Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Thursday that armed resistance to the Taliban is forming in Afghanistan's Panjshir Valley, led by deposed vice-president Amrullah Saleh and Ahmad Massoud, the son of a slain anti-Taliban fighter.

"The Taliban doesn't control the whole territory of Afghanistan," Lavrov told reporters at a press conference in Moscow following a meeting with his Libyan counterpart.

"There are reports of the situation in the Panjshir Valley where the resistance of Afghanistan's vice president Mr Saleh and Ahmad Massoud is concentrated," he said.

Lavrov also reiterated his call for an inclusive dialogue involving all political players in Afghanistan for the formation of a "representative government".

The Panjshir Valley northeast of Kabul is Afghanistan's last remaining holdout, known for its natural defences.

According to images shared on social media, Saleh and Massoud, the son of slain Northern Alliance leader Ahmed Shah Massoud, are pulling together a guerrilla movement to take on the Taliban.

Moscow has been cautiously optimistic about the new leadership in Kabul and is seeking contact with the militants in an effort to avoid instability spilling over to neighbouring ex-Soviet states.

While the United States and other countries rushed to evacuate their citizens from Kabul, Russia said its embassy will continue to function.

Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters on Thursday that the Taliban are "actively restoring order" and have demonstrated their "intent to dialogue".

She said at her weekly press briefing that the militant group -- known for its severe treatment of women -- is "ready to take into account the interest of citizens, including... women's rights".

Earlier this week, Russia's ambassador to Afghanistan Dmitry Zhirnov met with the Taliban in Kabul, hailing on state television a "positive and constructive" meeting.

The Kremlin has in recent years reached out to the Taliban -- which is banned as an "extremist" group in Russia -- and hosted its representatives in Moscow several times, most recently last month.
Le Luc, France, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Aug, 2021 ) :Dropping winds and cooler temperatures raised hopes Thursday that France's worst summer wildfire could be contained, as firefighters entered a fourth day of battling a blaze that has killed at least two people.

The fire started on Monday evening at a motorway stop in the south of France with flames ripping through the arid Plaine des Maures nature reserve towards the glitzy Riviera resort of Saint-Tropez.

More than 1,000 firefighters have been in action, using helicopters and water-dropping Canadair aircraft, while 10,000 residents and holidaymakers have been evacuated in the area.

"The fire is still not contained, but we're counting on the conditions today to be able to announce it when we are completely sure," said fire chief Loic Lambert.

Asked if more victims were likely, he replied that most of the scorched areas had been checked by firefighters.

The fire is the latest in the Mediterranean region that has also seen major blazes claim lives in Greece, Turkey, Italy and Algeria in recent weeks, with numerous officials blaming climate change.

The region has long faced seasonal wildfires linked to its dry and hot weather in the summer, but climate scientists warn they will become increasingly common because of man-made global warming.
Bamako, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Aug, 2021 ) :Suspected jihadists mounted an ambush Thursday on an army convoy in central Mali that left 11 soldiers dead and 10 wounded, nine of them seriously, the army said.

"A bomb-laden vehicle exploded, followed by intense gunfire" in the late-morning attack, the army said in a statement, calling the casualty toll "provisional", while a military official blamed the carnage on "terrorists", the usual term for jihadists.

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Mexico City, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Aug, 2021 ) :Maria Herrera's life fell apart when first two and then another two of her sons disappeared. Now she dedicates her life to the search for them -- and thousands more missing in violence-wracked Mexico.

Jesus Salvador, then 24, and Raul Trujillo, 19, vanished in August 2008 after going to trade gold in Guerrero, a southern state plagued by cartel turf wars.

Two years later Gustavo, 28, and Luis Armando, 25, went missing in the eastern state of Veracruz, another hotspot for criminal gangs working with corrupt police.

Both had helped with the search for their brothers while criss-crossing the country for their work as part of the family's gold trading business.

Asking too many questions can be deadly in Mexico and one theory is that corrupt cops got rid of the pair after they realized they were searching for missing persons.

Their mother, now 72, has turned to any authority willing to listen and spent her savings on private detectives to investigate what she considers to be "forced disappearances." "The real criminals are in power," Herrera said in her small house in the State of Mexico, which she has left countless times to tour the country with photos of her children and to support other families to do the same.

Still, she holds out hope "that our voice is heard, that it resounds and that society unites and wakes up," said Herrera, who is assisted in her quest by her husband and four other children.

Because of her tenacity, she has been hailed as a "hero" by the Mexico office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

- 'I felt helpless' - More than 76,000 disappearances have been reported in Mexico since 1968, according to a national registry of the missing.

Nearly 98 percent of them have happened since 2006, when the government deployed the military in the war on powerful drug cartels, triggering a spiral of violence.

Since then there have been more than 300,000 murders, which the government blames mostly on organized crime.

According to Human Rights Watch, the militarized strategy has resulted in widespread rights violations including enforced disappearances and extrajudicial executions.

Herrera has given up hope of finding her four missing sons alive, but she wants to find their remains to achieve some sort of closure.

"I was hoping that I would find my children. But when -- far from finding them and feeling the joy of being together -- another two disappeared, that's when I felt helpless and thought I have no choice but to help others," Herrera said.

"Now we scream. They turned us into wild animals because when they touch your cubs, you defend them with your life," she said.

In 2011, during talks between victims and the government, she rebuked then-president Felipe Calderon for his strategy against drug trafficking, "My children were honest and hardworking boys and they were victims of your war," she screamed.

- 'Living in fear' - Disappointed with the response of the government, in 2013 Herrera and her other children created a network bringing together search organizations from around the country.

In 2016 they helped to launch a national search brigade that has discovered clandestine graves in several parts of Mexico, where criminals often bury their victims in hard-to-reach places.

"I never imagined it would come to this. I was a happy woman selling clothes," said Herrera, whose mother taught her from an early age to help those in need.

She receives daily calls from families of the disappeared asking for guidance.

Since 2008 she has assisted thousands of people searching desperately for missing relatives -- both through official channels and in the field.

She has learned how to hammer metal rods into the ground to release the smell of decaying flesh, and to work painstakingly with picks and shovels to avoid damaging bones.

Despite now being a recognized figure, she too worries for her safety.

Being a human rights defender in Mexico "is the most difficult thing there is because you are just living in fear that at any moment they will silence you."
Le Luc, France, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Aug, 2021 ) :Hundreds of firefighters struggled for a third day Wednesday to contain France's worst wildfire of the summer near the glitzy Riviera resort of Saint-Tropez which has left two dead and forced thousands of residents and tourists to flee.

The fire is the latest to hit a Mediterranean region that has seen an onslaught of blazes claim lives in Greece, Turkey, Italy and Algeria in recent weeks, with numerous officials blaming climate change.

The fire near Saint-Tropez has scorched some 5,000 hectares in a region known for its forests, vineyards and fauna since it broke out in the Plaine des Maures nature reserve on Monday evening.

The blaze spread further north on Wednesday evening, although firefighters said the wind which had fanned the flames all day had finally dropped and temperatures were falling.

"We must remain humble and careful, but we must take the opportunity to hit this fire", said Commander Florent Dossetti.

"We are going to treat the edges and the hot points before resuming the fight tomorrow, metre by metre," Dossetti added.

Var's senior local official, or prefect, Evence Richard said two people had been found dead, including one whose charred body was discovered in the village of Grimaud.

Investigators were seeking to identify the corpse, which was so badly disfigured that "nothing can indicate whether it is a man or a woman", prosecutor Patrice Camberou said. "The house was completely destroyed by fire," he added.

There were fears the body could be that of a young woman staying in a holiday home in the village who was reported missing on Monday.

The other victim was a man, authorities said.

Twenty-four people have been lightly injured in this fire, including five firefighters, Richard said.

As for the thousands evacuated from holiday homes and camping sites, Richard said "we will re-evaluate the situation at the end of the afternoon... but for now a return is not on the agenda.

Around 1,200 firefighters were deployed, some using high-pressure hoses and water-bombing planes and helicopters to control the flames.

- 'Battle is ongoing' - High temperatures and strong winds forced local authorities to evacuate around 7,000 people from homes and campsites, the Var prefecture said Tuesday, many to the safety of municipal buildings and schools.

Among them were 1,300 people staying at a campsite in the village of Bormes-les-Mimosas down the coast from Saint-Tropez.

Others fled the village of La Garde-Freinet, but there were no new evacuations overnight, the fire service said Wednesday.

"We started smelling the smoke around 7 pm, then we saw the flames on the hill," said Cindy Thinesse, who fled a campsite near Cavalaire on Monday evening.

"We hesitated, but when we saw that, we decided to leave," she told AFP.

"The coming hours will be absolutely decisive" for the firefighting effort, President Emmanuel Macron, who has been taking his summer break on the Mediterranean coast, said during a visit to first responders on Tuesday evening.

While Macron added that "the battle is ongoing and the fire has not yet been contained, stabilised," he said that the firefighters' courage had managed to "avoid the worst".

- 'Climate change hotspot' - The Mediterranean basin has long faced seasonal wildfires linked to its dry and hot weather in the summer, but climate scientists warn they will become increasingly common because of man-made global warming.

A draft UN assessment seen exclusively by AFP says that fire seasons will also last longer in the Mediterranean, which it called a "climate change hotspot".

The French fire is believed to have started near a motorway stop some 30 kilometres (18 miles) northwest of Saint-Tropez.

"We've never seen it spread with such speed, it was three or four times the usual," La Garde-Freinet's mayor Thomas Dombry told AFP.

"Half of the Plain des Maures nature reserve has been devastated," said Concha Agero, deputy director of the French Office of Biodiversity.

Charred power lines lay on the ground Tuesday, and many trees were burnt around their trunks but their branches were intact, suggesting the fire had ripped through at speed.

But after a calm night, on Wednesday technicians began trying to restore phone and electricity lines.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Mogadishu, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Aug, 2021 ) :At least two people were killed and five wounded Thursday after a suicide bomber detonated a device inside a cafe in the Somali capital Mogadishu, police and witnesses said.

The suicide bomber targeted a tea shop near a crowded junction in northern Mogadishu which was reportedly frequented by members of the Somali security forces as well as civilians.

The Al-Qaeda-linked group Al-Shabaab claimed the attack through their Shahada news Agency, according to the US monitoring group SITE.

The early-evening attack, which sent debris flying outside, killed two members of the security forces and injured five people, said Mohamed Ali, a traffic policeman who was at the scene.

"Pieces of metal and destroyed plastic seats were strewn around the whole area," said Abdukadir Sagaalle, an eyewitness.

Al-Shabaab, which is fighting to overthrow Somalia's internationally-backed government, regularly attacks government and civilian targets in Mogadishu.

Last month, the jihadists claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing on a crowded tea shop in Mogadishu that killed at least 10 people and wounded dozens.

The group controlled Somalia's capital until 2011 when it was pushed out by African Union troops, but still holds territory in the countryside.

str/amu/db
ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Aug, 2021 ) :Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiative, Asad Umar on Thursday said India could not suppress Kashmiris' struggle for freedom even if it tried for next seventy years.

Sharing a video of Kashmiri children, who were chanting anti-India and pro-freedom slogans besides parsing Pakistan, the minister said the message given by these Kashmiri children was worth listening.

He said seventy years have passed but India failed to suppress freedom struggle of Kashmir using brutal force and the message of these children was indicative that even if India tried for next seventy years, it would not be successful.
WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th August, 2021) US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab held a telephone conversation and discussed ways to safeguard Afghans and foreigners in Afghanistan after the rapid Taliban takeover, the State Department said.

"Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke today with UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab about continued coordination in Afghanistan, including ... the safety and security of all Afghan and international citizens," State Department spokesperson Ned price said in a readout of the conversation on Wednesday.

Blinken and Raab also discussed ways to encourage adherence to international obligations in the country, where some 4,500 US troops now remain guarding the final evacuation from Kabul airport, Price said.

Earlier on Wednesday, Raab said the United Kingdom will also be looking at the creation of an international contact group on Afghanistan.

The United Kingdom is planning to convene a special meeting of Group of Seven leaders to consider a concerted and co-ordinated response to the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, Raab added.
MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th August, 2021) Eleven soldiers have been killed and another ten wounded in an attack on a military convoy in central Mali, the armed forces said on Thursday.

The convoy was ambushed between the villages of Nokara and Boni. At first, a car bomb exploded, then the military came under fire, the statement said.

The armed forces added that nine soldiers sustained serious injuries.
MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th August, 2021) Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin will attend a meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council in Kyrgyzstan, where the deepening of integration within the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) will be discussed.

"On August 19-20, in Cholpon-Ata (Kyrgyz Republic), Mikhail Mishustin will take part in a regular meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council.

The heads of government of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia will discuss urgent tasks of deepening integration within the Eurasian Economic Union," the Russian government said.

Particular attention is expected to be paid to the functioning of the domestic market, the formation of common markets of gas, oil and oil products, transport issues, the prospects for creating an institution of insurance support for mutual and foreign trade of the Union member states.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

LONDON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th August, 2021) UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson discussed the situation in Afghanistan with his Italian counterpart Mario Draghi by phone, the UK Prime Minister's Office said in a statement.

"The Prime Minister spoke to Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi this evening about the situation in Afghanistan.

The leaders shared their understanding of the current situation on the ground and agreed to work together to help the urgent evacuation of our nationals and others," the statement said.

"The Prime Minister outlined his five-point proposal for the international community to support the people of Afghanistan and to contribute to regional stability," it said.
(@FahadShabbir)

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th August, 2021) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has strongly condemned the deadly attack in Niger's western region of Tillaberi.

On Wednesday, UNICEF Regional Director for West and Central Africa Marie-Pierre Poirier said that at least 37 civilians had been killed by several attacks in Tillaberi.

Without specifying a group responsible for the incident, Poirier stressed that thus had been the third such attack in the area this year.

"I strongly condemn the attacks on civilians in Niger's Tillaberi region & am deeply concerned about the impact on the humanitarian situation," Guterres wrote on his Twitter page on late Wednesday.

The UN secretary-general also reaffirmed the organization's commitment support Niger in its effort aimed at countering and preventing violent extremism as well as achieving sustainable development.
Concord, NH  A short time ago, this weeks U.S. Marshals  New Hampshire Joint Fugitive Task Force Fugitive of the Week, RJay Ladd surrendered to the fugitive task force outside of the Belknap County Jail. Ladd, 21 years-of-age was last known to reside in either Laconia or Belmont. Mr. Ladd had been featured just yesterday as the U.S. Marshals  New Hampshire Fugitive of the Week. The Belknap County Superior Court had issued an arrest warrant for Ladd after he had failed to appear on a charge of felonious sexual assault on a child under the age of 16, but over the age of 13.



As part of the search for RJaye Ladd, he was featured as the Fugitive of the Week on August 18th. This feature was aired on WTPL-FM, WNTK-FM, WTSN-FM, WEMJ-FM, The Union Leader, The Nashua Telegraph, The Patch, Manchester Information, the Manchester Ink Link, The Rochester & Lebanon Voice and prominently featured on the internet. The Fugitive of the Week continues to be a very successful tool that has resulted in the location and arrest of over 500 fugitives since its implementation in 2007. Additionally, the Fugitive of the Week was distributed statewide to all law enforcement officers in New Hampshire.



As a result of the Fugitive of the Week program, a large number of tips were received pointing to possible locations and associates of Ladd. After members of the task force conducted several interviews, the task force attempted to contact Mr. Ladd. Later in the day on Wednesday, Mr. Ladd contacted members of the task force and indicated that he would surrender at the Belknap County Sheriffs Office on Thursday morning.



On Thursday morning, Ladd arrived at the Belknap County Sheriffs Office as directed where he was arrested without incident and booked into the jail. Ladd will be held without bail pending his initial court appearance later today.



Since the inception of the U.S. Marshals - New Hampshire Joint Fugitive Task Force in 2002, these partnerships have resulted in over 8,218 arrests (Updated as of 12/16/2020). These arrests have ranged in seriousness from murder, assault, unregistered sex offenders, probation and parole violations and numerous other serious offenses. Nationally the United States Marshals Service fugitive programs are carried out with local law enforcement in 94 district offices, 85 local fugitive task forces, 8 regional task forces, as well as a growing network of offices in foreign countries. Additional information about the U.S. Marshals Service can be found at http://www.usmarshals.gov. ####



Americas First Federal Law Enforcement Agency


Valdosta, GA (31601)

Today

Partial cloudiness early, with scattered showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. High 88F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Isolated thunderstorms during the evening hours. Skies will become partly cloudy overnight. Low 73F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.
The Catholic Bishops of Ireland are calling on the Irish government to do more for forcibly displaced people fleeing from Afghanistan, calling it an opportunity to showcase Ireland's commitment to protecting human rights.

By Lisa Zengarini

Ireland has committed to accept 150 refugees fleeing from the Talliban in Afghanistan under the Irish Refugee Protection Programme. Addressing the emergency Security Council meeting on Afghanistan, the Irish Ambassador to the UN has also appealed for safe and reliable humanitarian access for its people.

While welcoming the move, Bishop Alan McGuckian, Chair of the Council for Justice and Peace of the Irish Catholic Bishops Conference, has urged that the bureaucratic process be accelerated and that the acceptance of additional refugees in Ireland should be considered as a policy priority.

Wealthier nations should do more for refugees

Ireland, as one of the wealthier nations of the world must do more for forcibly displaced people in terms of welcome and integration through State and community supports, the Bishop said on Wednesday. Our hearts are deeply moved by the panicked scenes of people fleeing, but it should not take such scenes and circumstances to force governments to act."

82.4m forcibly displaced people worldwide

According to the UNHCR, at the end of 2020 there were 82.4m forcibly displaced people worldwide. However, 85% of these are being looked after in the least wealthy nations, with only 15% being accommodated in the wealthier countries of the world, including Ireland, Bishop McGuckian noted.

According to the Irish Justice and Peace Chairman, this unfolding crisis presents Ireland with another opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to the protection of human rights, including access to education for all, and to welcome the stranger among us.

Welcome, protect, promote and integrate refugees

In the interest of justice and peace, refugees should be welcomed and integrated in our communities, he further emphasized, recalling Pope Francis call to welcome, protect, promote and integrate them.

The values of our Irish faith tradition teach us that outreach, encounter and authentic dialogue can bring the true peace that the world needs at this time.

Bishop McGuckian concluded by urging people to pray for the safe protection of the people of Afghanistan and other war-torn regions of the world.
The leader of the United Nations has sent a special message of comfort and support to the suffering people of Haiti, assuring and promising them that they are NOT alone in their hour of greatest need, brought about by last Saturday`s grim 7.2 earthquake.

By James Blears

The lashing rains of Tropical Storm Grace are not yet done with the southwestern peninsula of Haiti, which was crushed by the devastating earthquake. Revised assessments now reveal 60,000 homes have been destroyed, thousands more are unsafe, two thousand or more people have died, and hundreds more have been injured.

In the midst of Mother Nature`s absolute worst, UN Chief Antonio Guterres has spoken across borders, frontiers and oceans assuring Haitians: "You`re NOT alone. We stand by your side during these trying times. The United Nations continues to assist those affected, with humanitarian aid, medical supplies, health care, clean water, shelter...and more." The UN has also donated eight million dollars of immediate emergency funding.

Clarissa Etienne, the Director of the Pan American Health Organization, is highlighting the urgent need for medical specialists coupled with medicines and rescue experts, stressing there could still yet be people alive, trapped and running out of time.

Setting aside mundane political and ideological differences, Mexico, Colombia, Panama, the Dominican Republic, the United States, and even Venezuela - which itself is suffering acute shortages of daily staples - have sent everything they can. US search and rescue teams are working around the clock, battling exhaustion, trying their utmost, and then some, to save as many as they can. It`s providing a lifeline for people who`ve literally reached the end of the line.
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Afghan President Ashraf Ghani is in the United Arab Emirates after fleeing Afghanistan earlier this week as the Taliban seized control, the UAE said Wednesday.



"The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation can confirm that the UAE has welcomed President Ashraf Ghani and his family into the country on humanitarian grounds, the ministry said in a statement.



Ghani fled Afghanistan on Sunday before Taliban fighters arrived in Kabul without resistance. Ghani posted on Facebook that the Taliban have won and that he left Afghanistan to prevent a flood of bloodshed.



Until Wednesday, it was believed Ghani had fled to Oman, Tajikistan or Uzbekistan.



After ruling Afghanistan from 1996-2001, the Taliban were ousted by the U.S-led invasion that followed the September 11, 2001, terror attacks. They recaptured Afghanistans major cities in only 10 days this month with relatively little bloodshed after 20 years of war that killed hundreds of thousands of people.



U.S. President Joe Biden earlier this week admitted the Talibans seizure of the country was surprisingly fast but still defended the withdrawal of U.S. troops.



Afghan political leaders gave up and fled. The Afghan military collapsed, without trying to fight  American troops cannot and should not be fighting and dying in war that Afghan forces arent willing to, Biden said.



Some information for this report came from the Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
Too often, the judicial system can overlook convicted prisoners who cant afford to hire lawyers, especially in developing countries like Kenya. But one aid group, Justice Defenders, has been training inmates how to write appeals, represent themselves, and gain back their legal rights.
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The judicial system can often overlook convicted prisoners who cant afford to hire lawyers. But one aid group in Kenya, Justice Defenders, has been training inmates how to write appeals, represent themselves, and gain back their legal rights. Brenda Mulinya reports from Nairobi.
Students in America are returning to class for a new school year just as the number of Delta variant COVID-19 cases increase around the country. Experts say children seem to be more vulnerable to this variant, raising questions about how to protect students.
The United Nations relocated about 100 international staff from Afghanistan to Kazakhstan on Wednesday, as the international community waits to see if the situation will stabilize after the Taliban seized control on Sunday.

"This is a temporary measure intended to enable the U.N. to keep delivering assistance to the people of Afghanistan with the minimum of disruption, while at the same time, reducing risk to U.N. personnel," U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters.

The staff will be relocated to a temporary office in the Kazakh city of Almaty where they will work remotely.

The organization had about 300 international staff on the ground in Afghanistan until now, and about 3,000 national staff.

"It is a way of lightening the footprint, for obvious reasons," Dujarric said, noting they would return when the U.N. feels "the situation allows it."

He added that the organization is working hard to protect Afghan staff members and their families.

"We are continuing to explore every avenue possible to support national personnel," Dujarric said.

Caroline Van Buren, the U.N. Refugee Agency representative in Afghanistan, told reporters in a video briefing that some national staff want to stay, while others want to leave, particularly women.

"Especially the women," Van Buren said. "They are very concerned about whether they will be able to work. Male staff are concerned about their female children, whether they will be able to go to school. Today, I got reaction from some women who felt that the situation was getting back to normal, but the majority of the women, if they could leave, they would leave."

The UNHCR has urged neighboring countries to keep their borders open and to not refuse Afghans seeking asylum.

Van Buren noted that most Afghans do not have the travel documents or visas required to travel abroad, so many have left through irregular channels. She said some 20,000 to 30,000 people have been leaving weekly, mostly to Iran, and some to Pakistan.

Human rights violations

There have been reports of growing human rights abuses, particularly directed at the female population, which suffered severe repression under the Taliban in the 1990s.

The UNHCR representative said her office had reports of women not being allowed to go to work in some areas or not being allowed to move without a close male relative.

"Even though this is not reported in all areas, we are getting some of these reports, and this is, of course, of real concern," she said.

U.N. Women said Wednesday it is following developments with "grave concern."

"We call on Afghanistan to secure the fundamental human rights of all, including women and girls, and to meet their obligations to protect civilians and to provide humanitarians with unimpeded access to deliver timely and life-saving services and aid," U.N. Women said in a statement. "Women's and girls' rights must be at the core of the global response to the current crisis."

Meanwhile, the U.N. Children's Agency, UNICEF, said it has not had any indication that the Taliban will prevent girls from attending school.

"This is a period of transition in Afghanistan. No one can predict what happens next," UNICEF Afghanistan representative Herve Ludovic De Lys told reporters from Kabul. "But I can tell you that as recently as yesterday, primary and secondary schools were open in Herat in the west, and in Marouf, in the south of the country, 1,500 children were in school, including 500 girls."

He said it was also an encouraging sign that on Tuesday, Afghanistan's health commission asked all doctors, nurses and health workers to return to work, including women.


The United States is reaching out to dozens of countries to host at-risk Afghans while accelerating the evacuation of American citizens and diplomats.

Early Wednesday, U.S. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris received a briefing by the White House national security team on the situation in Afghanistan.

They discussed efforts to accelerate evacuations of U.S. citizens, Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) applicants and other vulnerable Afghans, and to facilitate safe passage to Hamid Karzai International Airport, plus the monitoring of potential terrorist threats, a White House official said.

In a separate call, the White House said Biden spoke with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the need for close coordination on the provision of humanitarian aid for vulnerable Afghans in country as well as support for neighboring states.

The White House said the U.S., Germany and Britain have agreed to hold a virtual Group of Seven leaders meeting next week to discuss a "common strategy and approach.

Tuesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with his counterparts from U.S. allies, including Canada, Kuwait and Qatar, about the rapidly evolving situation in Afghanistan, as well as efforts to bring vulnerable Afghans to safety.

As the U.S. continued to evacuate Americans and diplomats, Kuwait and Qatar said they were facilitating the transit of U.S. citizens and embassy personnel through their countries.

Canada was also helping to host at-risk Afghans.

"The secretary expressed his profound appreciation to Canada for resettling 20,000 vulnerable Afghans and for Canadas ongoing coordination with international efforts to address the situation in Afghanistan, according to a State Department statement.

U.S. Undersecretary for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland was said to be leading the U.S. outreach efforts to dozens of countries, including in the Balkans and Africa, to host Afghan refugees.

We deeply appreciate Ugandas generous offer of assistance to host Afghanistan evacuees on a temporary basis. We have not yet made a final determination of assistance requirements in Uganda and discussions with the government of Uganda concerning the situation in Afghanistan are ongoing, a State Department spokesperson told VOA.

White House Correspondent Patsy Widakuswara contributed to this report.


Taliban fighters captured major areas in quick succession on their way to seizing Afghanistans capital, Kabul, Sunday, 20 years after U.S.-led forces knocked the group from power. Here are some of its key leaders.

Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada

He is the Talibans supreme leader, a position he took following the death of his predecessor, Akhtar Mansour, in a 2016 U.S. drone strike. He previously served as a senior judge in the court system during the Talibans earlier rule of Afghanistan. After the 2001 U.S. invasion, he fled across the border into Pakistan. His public profile has been limited, mainly consisting of the release of messages during Islamic holidays.

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar

Baradar is the Talibans deputy chief for political affairs and one of the groups co-founders. He also fled to Pakistan in 2001 and in 2010 he was arrested in the city of Karachi in a joint raid by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency and Pakistani counterterrorism forces.

As the administration of former U.S. president Donald Trump pursued peace talks with the Taliban in 2018, it persuaded Pakistan to release Baradar. He went on to oversee the groups negotiation team during talks in Doha, Qatar, and met with then-U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in September 2020.

Baradar flew to the city of Kandahar on Tuesday, returning to Afghanistan for the first time in 20 years.

Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob

The son of Taliban founder Mullah Omar, who died in 2013, he oversees the groups military operations and serves as a deputy leader. Akhundzada appointed him to the post in May 2020. He previously served as the head of the Talibans military commission for about half of Afghanistans provinces. A United Nations report in June said Yaqoob and another top leader, Sirajuddin Haqqani, oppose peace talks and favor a military solution.

Sirajuddin Haqqani

He leads the Haqqani network, a militant group designated by the United States as a foreign terrorist organization in 2012 and one behind some of the deadliest attacks against U.S.-led coalition forces during the war. Haqqani is the son of Haqqani network founder Jalaluddin Haqqani and serves as a deputy leader of the Taliban.

The U.S. Justice Department has offered a $10 million reward for information leading to Haqqanis capture.

Mawlavi Abdul Hakim

Hakim is a hardline cleric and close confidant of Akhundzada. He led the Talibans negotiating team at the Doha peace talks and also headed the groups own judicial system it enforced in areas it controlled in Afghanistan.

(Some information for this report came from the Associated Press, AFP and Reuters.)
LUSAKA, Zambia (AP)  Business quickly returned to normal in Zambia a few days after veteran opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema was declared president-elect and the incumbent president Edgar Lungu conceded his election defeat.

Citizens brushed aside concerns of violent chaos that had been prevalent in the tense days before and after voting day last week. Traffic is busy in the capital, Lusaka, while businesses and markets reopened.

Many residents are still marveling at the southern African country's rapid return to normal.

When Aahil Phiri saw a convoy of police and military vehicles zoom toward Hichilemas residence, he didn't know what to make of it.

I thought Oh my God, they're going to arrest him again! Then I thought No, they cant arrest him using those luxury cars. Thats not how they took him in the past, he said. I was confused.

But the convoy was carrying security commanders going to pledge allegiance to Hichilema, the man who had been arrested several times and once charged with treason.

Several other low-ranking police officers had already taken their place at Hichilemas palatial residence on the outskirts of the capital, Lusaka, to be in charge of security for the 59-year old businessman turned politician.

Zambia has established a reputation as one of Africa's stable democracies, with regular elections and peaceful transfers of power since founding president, the late Kenneth Kaunda, introduced multi-party democracy and subsequently accepted defeat in 1991.

However, fears of a reversal of those gains emerged recently as Lungu closed some media houses and detained critics, such as Hichilema.

Lungu had deployed military onto the streets and had signaled that he would contest the results in which he lost by a large margin to Hichilema. But hours later he conceded, even calling Hichilema my brother. Later the two rivals were pictured together, smiling.

Zambia's peaceful transition from one leader to another, from one political party to another is a major shot in the arm for democracy not just in Zambia but well beyond its borders, said Nic Cheeseman, professor of politics at the University of Birmingham.

Along with Malawi, Zambia is now one of the only countries in the world that managed to move towards democracy during the pandemic, he told The Associated Press, referring to the neighboring country where an opposition leader was also recently elected.

As a result, Africa is leading the way when it comes to good news stories  and that will inspire activists and pro-democracy groups across the continent, said Cheeseman, who was in Zambia to follow the elections.

Zambia has shown the world that after all, Africa is capable of handling its own affairs, tweeted Ernest Bai Koroma, former president of Sierra Leone, who led the African Union's mission observing the elections.

Opposition supporters in Zimbabwe, Zambia's southern neighbor, are watching enviously.

"I salute the Zambian army, police, intel (intelligence) and the electoral commission for the exemplary professionalism and independence. Africa leads! Zimbabwe, you are next, tweeted Nelson Chamisa, Zimbabwe's main opposition leader. Zimbabwe has a history of disputed polls and the same party has ruled the country since it achieved independence in 1980.

Some analysts are cautious though, noting that unlike some African countries, Zambias institutions have a history of respecting vote outcomes.

In the meantime, Zambians are just happy that the countrys democracy has passed a stern test.

This is the Zambia we want, the Zambia we know!" said Gift Nyirongo, one of scores of street vendors who are again out on Lusakas busy streets selling everything from food to clothes, kitchenware and medicines. "We can now start looking for money to feed our families without fear of bloodshed.
A Zimbabwean, Hatirarami Momberume, who allegedly married and impregnated a 14-year-old girl that died while giving birth, is expected to appear before a Mutare magistrate on Friday, facing charges of statutory rape.

Momberume, also known as Evans Momberume, was arrested after police appealed for help following the death of Anna Machaya.

According to the state prosecutor, Tirivanhu Mutyasira, Momberume failed to appear in court on Thursday as police were still verifying information about the death of Anna Machaya and not her cousin, Memory Machaya, initially identified on social media platforms as the one who died while giving birth. Memory is alive. Memory Machayas father has been identified as Ernest Machaya.

Indications are that police want to also file charges against Anna Machayas parents, Edmore Machaya and Shy Mabika, who allegedly falsified her date of birth.

Memory Machayas father has been identified as Ernest Machaya.

The United Nations, Female Students Network and various other organizations protested over the death of Anna Machaya and urged the Zimbabwe Republic Police to arrest the person who married and impregnated Anna Machaya.

VOA correspondent Loidharm Moyo contributed to this article
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MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  Minnesota State Fair officials on Wednesday strongly urged fairgoers to mask up inside and outside, but stopped short of imposing any mask or vaccination mandates to fight the highly contagious delta variant of the coronavirus.

The updated guidance urges attendees to wear masks indoors, whether vaccinated or not; outdoors in crowded settings, especially for the unvaccinated; and at some booths where vendors will require everyone inside to wear a mask.

Fair officials acknowledged that as the Great Minnesota Get-Together returns after a one-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the new guidance could put a dent in attendance, which normally tops 2 million.

We understand that by urging rather than requiring people to follow current guidance, many of our usual fair fans will not be comfortable attending, the guidance said. We ask that those who attend do so because they are willing to follow our health guidance  not because its mandated, but because its the right thing to do.

Minnesota's is one of several Midwestern state fairs this year where masks generally aren't required and vaccines are free. Visitors who cant get vaccinated ahead of time can get a COVID-19 shot at North End Event Center during the fair, which opens Thursday Aug. 26 and runs through Labor Day.

The guidance noted that the vast majority of new COVID-19 cases in Minnesota are among unvaccinated people. The fair isn't requiring proof of vaccination or recent negative tests, but urged fairgoers who haven't been vaccinated yet to do so.

We are largely an outdoor event with plenty of eating and drinking," officials said. "Mandating masks fairgrounds-wide would be extremely difficult for our organization to enforce, so we are urging you to pitch in and do whats right. Particularly if you go inside, simply put a face covering on for the time youre shopping or visiting an exhibit.

To spread people out, the fair urged visitors to consider attending on a weekday rather than a weekend. The fair's website will have a regularly updated gauge indicating how busy the fairgrounds are.

Masks will be required, regardless of vaccination status, in the Care & Assistance and First Aid buildings and in the North End Event Center, where people can go to donate blood or get a vaccine. The unvaccinated are also required to wear masks to ride a trolley on the fairgrounds. Many people get to the fairgrounds via public transit; federal regulations require passengers to wear masks on buses and while waiting for them.

Minnesota is offering unvaccinated residents who get their first shot by Sunday $100 Visa gift cards as a reward. And officials added a new incentive Wednesday: Adults who get vaccinated at a pop-up clinic outside U.S. Bank Stadium before Saturday's Vikings game against Indianapolis will be eligible to enter a draw for two pairs of tickets in the stadiums luxury Medtronic Club for the Vikings-Packers game on Nov. 21. The first 100 people who are vaccinated at the clinic, near the light rail station, also will be able to choose from a variety of autographed Vikings mini helmets, regardless of age.
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Carson City, NV USA (36.5 km S of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 20-30 s : In my parked car, I felt like the entire car was shaking side to side. I thought a person was doing it,but it was pretty powerful. It lasted about 25 seconds. I felt aftershocks about 10:50pm. Pacific Time | One user found this interesting.

Carson City, Nevada (10.9 km WNW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / very short : quick rumble & then movement. very quick. | One user found this interesting.

Mogul, Washoe, Nevada (43.7 km NNW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s 2 seconds of rattling | One user found this interesting. (reported through (reported through our app / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s

Carson city Nevada (8.8 km WNW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) Shaking | One user found this interesting. (reported through (reported through our app / Light shaking (MMI IV)

Carson city / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single vertical bump / very short : Very slight bump feeling. My hanging decorations moved slightly. | One user found this interesting.

Tod Jennings, 804 Jeanell Dr. Carson City, NV 8970 / Very weak shaking (MMI II) : Heard it more than felt it. | One user found this interesting.

2203 bordeaux st carson city nv / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / single lateral shake / 1-2 s : A jolt. Felt like something hit the front of home | One user found this interesting.

Reno NV (33.9 km NNW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s Short, smooth, swaying. Lampshade swayed. I live on the 4th floor of an apartment building. The 4th floor is the top floor. | One user found this interesting. (reported through (reported through our app / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s

Carson City, NV / Light shaking (MMI IV) / complex motion difficult to describe / 2-5 s : A jolt, then a quick rolling shake. | One user found this interesting.

Laying in bed (5.9 km NW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s : Sounded like something crashed outside my house | One user found this interesting.

Kitchen (8.7 km WNW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single vertical bump / very short One quick bang. Like something hit the house. | One user found this interesting. (reported through (reported through our app / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single vertical bump / very short

Carson city / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : The doors to my shower were shaking | One user found this interesting.

2358 eastwood dr Carson city nv / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single lateral shake / very short : Never felt an earthquake like that | One user found this interesting.

Carson City (9.1 km NW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single vertical bump / 1-2 s I thought my dog jumped on my bed. I only felt a single jolt. | One user found this interesting. (reported through (reported through our app / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single vertical bump / 1-2 s

Carson City, nv (9.2 km WNW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Strong shaking (MMI VI) / complex motion difficult to describe / very short : A little shaking at first then felt one huge bump! | One user found this interesting.

In bed / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : A rumbling and creaking sound. | One user found this interesting.

Johnson Lane, Douglas, Nevada (12.3 km SW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : Light shaking.

Daly City, San Mateo, California (290.2 km WSW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / complex motion difficult to describe / 5-10 s

near Greenfield, Lyon, Nevada (33.8 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / simple rolling (tilting sideways along one direction) / very short : Sitting in the floor and it felt like a loud rolling ball and a boom

Johnson Lane, Douglas, Nevada (12.3 km SW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : Light shaking.

Daly City, San Mateo, California (290.2 km WSW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / complex motion difficult to describe / 5-10 s

Carson City, Nevada (7.7 km WNW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / very short

Nevada City, Lyon (17.1 km NE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / vibration and rolling / 1-2 s (reported through our app / Weak shaking (MMI III) / vibration and rolling / 1-2 s

Carson City, Nevada (8.2 km WNW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single lateral shake / very short (reported through our app / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single lateral shake / very short

Carson City / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single vertical bump / 1-2 s : A jolt, with a loud rattle.

Dayton NV. 407 Valley Cir / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s : I felt the quake strongly. It shook the bed.

Dayton, nv / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / 1-2 s

Huntington Beach (617.4 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / simple rolling (tilting sideways along one direction) / 5-10 s

Mound house NV / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : Very loud boom like sound with the shaking of my bed and other i teams in the bedroom

Mound House (9.5 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / very short : Light shaking

yorba linda / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 10-15 s

Dayton Nevada / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single vertical bump / 2-5 s : A big jolt

Carson city / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / vibration and rolling

Carson City / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s : I was on the top floor of my 2 story house and my boyfriend and I both felt it mildly shaking, everything was kinda moving but nothing cracked and everything stayed where it was.

Placerville, ca / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single lateral shake / 1-2 s

Mound house NV / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : Very loud boom like sound with the shaking of my bed and other i teams in the bedroom

South lake tahoe (30.9 km SW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single vertical bump / 1-2 s : Just felt my bed bump

Meyers South Lake Tahoe California / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single lateral shake / very short

carson city, nv / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s : I heard the rumbeling coming first and as it drew nearer I felt the house shake and heard ratteling of things for maybe 2 seconds. Then off it traveled.

Silver Oak, Carson city 89703 / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s

south lake tahoe (33.4 km SW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / very short : me and my sister felt one like gust of a shake while sitting in bed. thought someone must have hit the wall really hard or something and then checked to see it was an earthquake. i felt my whole bed just shift.

CARSON CITY, NV / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / very short

Carson City / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / very short

Carson city nv / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

Dayton, Nevada / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

laying in bed watching tv / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating

Meyers South Lake Tahoe California / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single lateral shake / very short

Carson City / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single vertical bump / very short

Dayton Nevada / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single vertical bump / 2-5 s

Dayton, Nevada / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single vertical bump / very short

Reno / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / very short

Dayton / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single lateral shake / 1-2 s

Carson City / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 2-5 s : Rolling from south to north.

Carson City, NV / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single vertical bump / very short

Carson city (10 km NW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single vertical bump / very short (reported through our app / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single vertical bump / very short

Carson City Nevada / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single vertical bump / 1-2 s : Jolt and rattle with lamp swaying

Carson city (10.7 km WNW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single vertical bump / 1-2 s (reported through our app / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single vertical bump / 1-2 s

Carson city / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single lateral shake

Carson city, Nevada / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single lateral shake / very short : Quick shake
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Spears. Photo: Getty Images

Ventura County Sheriff Captain Eric Buschow tells Vulture that his department is currently investigating an alleged battery incident involving Britney Spears and one of her employees.

He said on Monday, August 16, his deputies responded to a call about a dispute in which a female employee told the deputies that Spears struck her. Sheriffs interviewed the staff member, but Buschow would not comment on whether they were able to speak to Spears about the incident.

According to TMZ, the incident involved one of Spearss longtime housekeepers who was concerned about the well being of one of Spearss dogs. The housekeeper reportedly was concerned about the health of the dog and took it to the vet. When she returned, TMZ reports that Spears confronted her and they argued about the dogs health; Spears allegedly slapped the phone out of the housekeepers hands.

Buschow said that deputies are currently investigating and will forward their report to the Ventura County District Attorneys Office, who will make the determination regarding whether the alleged incident constitutes a misdemeanor battery.

Spearss attorney Mat Rosengart told Vulture in a statement, This is overblown sensational tabloid fodder  nothing more than a manufactured he said she said regarding a cell phone, with no striking and obviously no injury whatsoever. Anyone can make an accusation but this should have been closed immediately.

The Sheriffs office has acknowledged that the incident was classified as a very minor misdemeanor and confirmed there were no injuries.

Buschow also confirmed that on August 10, a week before the alleged battery incident, Britney herself called the sheriffs to report a theft.

When Deputies arrived, they were told that she changed her mind and didnt want to file a police report, said Buschow.

Other outlets reported that Britney placed the call because one of her dogs was missing from her house, but Buschow said that because Britney did not file a police report he would not speculate on the reason why she called.

This story is developing and will be updated accordingly.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Biden administration will require that nursing home staff are vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition for those facilities to continue receiving federal Medicare and Medicaid funding.

President Joe Biden announced the move Wednesday afternoon in a White House address as the administration continues to look for ways to use mandates to encourage vaccine holdouts to get shots.

The new mandate, in the form of a regulation to be issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, could take effect as soon as next month.

Hundreds of thousands of nursing home workers are not vaccinated, according to federal data.

Alabama Nursing Home Association President & CEO Brandon Farmer issued the following statement on the announcement that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will require nursing home staff to be vaccinated for COVID-19:

Our association is working to learn more about President Bidens plan to require nursing home employees to be vaccinated for COVID-19. We expect the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will issue details soon. Once we have those details, we will help our members understand and implement the requirement.

The Alabama Nursing Home Association (ANHA) has supported COVID-19 vaccinations for nursing home staff and residents from the beginning. We conducted a large-scale COVID-19 vaccination education campaign for staff and residents and are actively working to increase vaccinations among residents and staff. Alabama is ahead of its neighboring states and several other states in the percentage of nursing home residents and staff who are vaccinated. The percentages have increased each week the federal government has released new data and we are moving in the right direction.

The ANHA and its member nursing homes are working to fully defeat COVID-19 and continue to follow guidance and protocols from the state and federal governments.
Saturday is going to be the first time former President Donald Trump is back in Alabama since 2017.

There's a Trump Rally going on this weekend in Cullman and it's expected to bring out thousands of people.

If you're coming to the rally, make sure you leave your pepper spray, umbrellas, and any vapes or e-cigarettes at home or in your car.

Everyone who comes to the rally on Saturday will get screened by the Secret Service and those are just some of the many items not allowed inside the venue. We have a full list below.

They are going to be passing through a TSA type security clearance checkpoint, so things that they wouldnt carry on an airplane, they dont need to bring to the event either. So, theyre very limited in what they can carry into the event," said Jeffery Warnke, a captain of the Cullman Police Department.

Cullman is going to be filled with law enforcement this weekend for the Trump Rally.

Between Secret Service and local law enforcement agencies, it's going to be a well-protected area.

We have all hands on deck for our department and we have a collaborative effort with numerous law enforcement agencies around that are assisting in this effort," Warnke said.

The Cullman Police Department has more than 60 officers working the rally. The sheriff's office is assisting in traffic, and other law enforcement agencies, like the Morgan County Sheriff's Office, will help out wherever needed.

We could expect anywhere from 20,000 to 60,000 people. We dont know, and we wont know until those folks show up," he said.

The city is getting ready for tens of thousands of visitors for the second straight weekend. So, Warnke asks everyone to be patient when driving like they were for Rock the South.

Rock the South brought in about 50,000 people from all over, and the Trump Rally is expected to do the same.

WAAY 31 spoke with a few of Trump's Front Row Joe's. One of whom is visiting from Wisconsin, and another from Florida. They told us we can expect people to come from almost every state.

"This is going to be a huge rally," said Mike Boatman.

Boatman is part of Trump's Front Row Joe's. He traveled down to Cullman from Indiana on Sunday, and he's been camping out since.

Trump hasn't been in Alabama since 2017. So, Boatman said he expects thousands of people to come out.

Alabama is Trump country and its going to be huge. I cant wait," he exclaimed.

One of the owners of the Valley Tavern and Grille, Corey Sandlin, said the crowds were noticeable on Wednesday.

I mean it, definitely a lot of extra people here. I mean, just going through town, you can tell, I mean, its a big deal," said Sandlin.

They received a lot of business from people visiting for Rock the South and they anticipate the same for the Trump Rally.

Hopefully there will be some people from out of town coming in. We expect to get some of that traffic also," he said.

Local and state officials told WAAY 31 that about 40,000 people are expected to come to the rally.
The Alabama Nursing Home Association says it's waiting for more information regarding the federal COVID-19 vaccination requirement for nursing home employees.

On Wednesday, President Joe Biden announced that nursing homes across the country are at risk of losing their Medicare and Medicaid funds if their staff does not get the shot. The president says the new requirement could drop cases among nursing home residents by 30 percent!

Larry Plott visits with his 87-year-old mother, Mildred, at Burns Nursing Home on Friday, August 14, 2020. The two were able to have a close, in-person visit with the aid of a specially built plexiglass box. Larry Plott visits with his 87-year-old mother, Mildred, at Burns Nursing Home on Friday, August 14, 2020. The two were able to have a close, in-person visit with the aid of a specially built plexiglass box.

"If you visit, work or live in a nursing home, you should not be at a higher risk of getting COVID from unvaccinated employees," President Biden said.

The Alabama Nursing Home Association says they've worked to educate every staff and resident at their nursing homes to get the COVID vaccine.

Spokesperson John Matson adds that once they have all the information, they will start working with nursing homes across the state to implement the requirement.

"We think this is the best way that we can eradicate COVID19 from our buildings is having as many residents and staff as possible vaccinated," Marson said.

Right now, nearly 52% of nursing home employees in Alabama are fully vaccinated while 81% of nursing home residents are also fully vaccinated.
A Morgan County jury has found a Decatur man guilty in a Thanksgiving weekend 2019 murder.

Abdullah El-amin Sayyed-El, 52, was convicted Thursday by a Morgan County jury, Morgan County District Attorney Scott Anderson announced in a news release.

Sayyed-El was convicted of killing Latonya Rasheed on Nov. 29, 2019 at their home in Decatur. Officers responded about 10:30 p.m. to a shooting call and found Rasheed suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest.

Decatur Police Department officers determined the only other person in the home at the time of the shooting was Sayyed-El, who claimed Rasheed shot herself.

More from the release:

Forensic evidence presented at trial demonstrated that it was scientifically impossible for Rasheed to have intentionally shot herself. The jury deliberated for approximately three hours before returning a guilty verdict.

After the verdict, Chief Assistant District Attorney Garrick Vickery said We are relieved for Ms. Rasheeds family that this trial is over. We hope it brings them some measure of peace and closure.

District Attorney Scott Anderson stated Based upon this defendants criminal history, I fully expect for the court to sentence him to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Thats the sentence I think is just, and thats the sentence we will be requesting.

Sayyed will be sentenced in October. Because of his prior felony convictions, he faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

The four-day trial was presided over by Judge Jennifer M. Howell. The case was prosecuted by Chief Assistant District Attorney Garrick Vickery.
Former Limestone County Sheriff Mike Blakely will have a former state Supreme Court Chief Justice working for his defense during his sentencing hearing Friday morning.

Court documents show Sue Bell Cobb will join Blakely's defense team in a limited role.

Cobbs role will only be for the sentencing hearing.

She served as Chief Justice for the Alabama Supreme Court from 2007 until 2011. She was the first woman ever to hold that position.

Blakely is due to go before the judge Friday morning to learn his punishment after being found guilty by a jury of two felonies.

Blakely has remained in jail since his conviction.

WAAY 31 news will be in court Friday morning when Blakely is sentenced.
Madison County health leaders say they are facing a pivotal point in the new surge of Delta variant fueled virus hitting the state.

In a 24 hour period this week, three more people died of Covid in Madison County.

Inside Huntsville Hospital, their entire ICU space is full, just like the rest of the states hospitals, with dozens of critical patients being treated outside of traditional ICU beds.

Official said Wednesday the Covid positively rate in Madison County is sitting at 18.5 percent.

I think what we are talking about here is a great deal of unnecessary suffering and a great deal of unnecessary death, Madison County Health Officer Dr. Karen Landers said. Everyone has suffered in one way or another in the pandemic, no one has been left unscathed and some people have suffered more than others, but we all collectively share a level of suffering.

Inside Huntsville Hospital main, inpatients range in age from 3 to 95. And its the younger age groups that are seeing big spikes in cases as kids head back to the classroom.

We do not have as many pediatric ICU beds and pediatric beds in Alabama because usually we dont need them but we have at least at this moment 40+ kids hospitalized in the state and 9+ kids are on respiratory support sometimes people say to me I heard it was eight when you said its nine but keep in mind people are going to ventilators even as I am speaking people will be admitted to the hospital even as I am speaking, Dr. Landers added.

The infant to 17-year-old age group makes up 14 percent of the total cases right now in Alabama.

Dr. Ingrid Roig is an Infectious Disease Specialist and represents the Madison County Medical Society. She spoke during the Covid-19 briefing Wednesday as well and described frustrations over people not seeking out the vaccine.

We are going to have more deaths and unfortunately Image.jpegit seems we are going to have to see more deaths to realize we are not individuals we are a community so any decision that we take we have to take it as a community. Any decision that you take when you go to a gathering or you go to a concert it will impact your community it will impact the people you live with it will impact your kids, your children, Dr. Roig said.

Alabama currently has the lowest vaccination rates in the entire nation.
The Huntsville City School System is changing how it manages students and staff members who are in close contact with people who test positive for coronavirus.

Starting Monday, the system will require those who have been exposed to temporarily isolate from schools and activities. This could last from 10 to 14 days.

More than 100 new teachers are joining Huntsville City Schools this year. More than 100 new teachers are joining Huntsville City Schools this year.

This follows current Alabama Department of Public Health guidance.

More from the school system:

COVID-19 CASE EXCLUSION - Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 or are reported to ADPH as being suspected of having COVID-19 should isolate and will be excluded from HCS schools, campuses, and other buildings. The isolation/exclusion time period for a person that tests positive for COVID-19 is 10 days from symptom onset or 10 days from the date a test is administered.

CLOSE CONTACTS EXCLUSION  Students who are close contacts to COVID-19 positive individuals will be excluded from HCS schools, campuses, and other buildings for 14 days. HCS employees who are close contacts to COVID-19 positive individuals will be excluded from HCS schools, campuses, and other buildings for 10 days.

Currently, the exceptions to exclusion include:

 Asymptomatic, fully vaccinated individuals;

 Asymptomatic individuals that tested positive for COVID-19 within 90 days and have recovered; and

 Asymptomatic students in the k-12 indoor classroom setting that consistently wear masks that were distanced by 3 feet or more of a positive individual that also wore a mask.

Understanding that these close contact exclusions may be present challenges for our HCS employees, the Superintendent and her Preventative Measures Team are developing procedures for temporary exclusion leave. The Superintendent will seek authorization from the Board to implement these procedures during the Board meeting on Tuesday, August 24 at 6:00 pm. The Superintendent will share details about the planned procedures during that Board meeting.

The district is in the process of developing a COVID-19 Dashboard. The dashboard will be updated weekly and will be published once available.

Students will use Schoology to access assignments. Additionally, packets may be available upon request. We ask families for their support and flexibility as we work to provide a safe and healthy learning environment.
Decatur, IL (62521)

Today

Some clouds in the morning will give way to mainly sunny skies for the afternoon. High 81F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Clear skies. Low around 55F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.
Organisers call off illegal rave but not everyone wants to leave.

Police are set to break up a massive illegal rave near Viterbo, north of Rome, after organisers finally gave in to demands to call it off last night ahead of its scheduled end date on 23 August.

Local media reports that since dawn today there is a heavy police presence around the site of the 'mega rave party' - now in its sixth day - on the shores of Lake Mezzano.

The majority of people left the 'Space Travel' festival last night however several hundred partygoers - mainly foreigners according to media reports - have decided to keep partying.

Hundreds of camper vans from all over Europe at the illegal rave. Photo Tusciaweb.

The unauthorised event, which began on Friday night, has attracted thousands of people from across Europe and has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons.

There has been at least one fatality - the body of a 25-year-old man was found in the lake on Sunday night - with unconfirmed reports of the death of another man from a heart attack.

There have also been reports of two rapes, at least three young people taken to hospital in an alcoholic coma, and one hospitalised for covid-19.

Some news outlets reported that a baby was born during the rave, others cited local residents who say they saw the bodies of dogs left to die in the sun.

Until now police have adopted a soft approach, choosing mediation over force, in an attempt not to aggravate a situation described as "out of control" by Lazio regional health councillor Alessio D'Amato.

Security forces, which have faced criticism for not breaking up the party, have been monitoring the site for several days, stopping people from accessing the illegal event.

Environmentalists are concerned about the damage caused to the lake's delicate ecosystem, with the large crowds and loud music causing "serious damage" to the many wild animals and birds living in the area.

Cover photo ANSA
Rome swaps cobbles for asphalt, and vice-versa, on streets in the city centre, causing much debate in the capital.

Rome's historic cobblestones are in the news again as the mayor Virginia Raggi continues the city's project to dig up and relocate the 'sampietrini' from a number of prominent streets in the centre.

Works are underway on Via Nazionale, a busy central thoroughfare, where the iconic basalt stones are being dug up and replaced with more traffic-friendly asphalt.

The mayor says the newly-tarmacked Via Nazionale will be safer for motorbikes and mopeds, adding that when the works are finished the street will have a new bicycle path.

The traditional sampietrini, or sanpietrini, have already been removed from the nearby Via IV Novembre where a thin strip of cobbles remains along the side of the road as a reminder of the past.

The cobbles are set to be taken from other busy streets too, including Viale Aventino near the Circus Maximus, and moved to streets with little or no traffic, notably Via del Corso.

The sampietrini will remain however in the central Piazza Venezia which has recently been repaved.

Rome swaps sampietrini for asphalt on Via Nazionale.

The removal of the cobblestones - despite their subsequent redeployment elsewhere - has led to objections from traditionalists and some local politicians who throw about terms like "barbarians" and "sacrilege."

Tourists and visitors to Rome have also voiced their concerns that part of the city's heritage is being lost.

The plan, however, is perfectly acceptable to many of the city's residents who say that heavy traffic and a lack of maintenance renders the sampietrini a dangerous and outdated form of road surface for the modern era.

Roman drivers have a love-hate relationship with the cobblestones which are particularly treacherous for motorini, especially when it rains, and they make for a bumpy drive in cars and buses.

The connection between Rome and the sampietrino dates back to the end of the 16th century when they were first used in the area around St Peter's - hence their name - under the pontificate of Sixtus V.
So the flight of highly remunerated financiers to the relative safety of non-U.K. financial centers will probably continue. But while next years figures will reflect any increase in million-earners in Frankfurt or Paris, they wont capture any further diminution in London. The EBA says it wont be publishing the relevant data for the U.K.  its yet another victim of Brexit.
Another startling peculiarity of container shipping is just how concentrated the industry has become. The top ten container lines control more than 80% of global capacity and theyve established three powerful alliances to broaden service coverage and ensure their large ships are filled. The U.S. Department of Justice dropped a two-year antitrust investigation of the industry in 2019 but the Biden administration has put the container lines on alert again. Its targeting the high fees that exporters are obliged to pay for the extra time freight sits in a terminal and for extended use of a container. The Federal Maritime Commission is conducting an audit of these demurrage and detention charges as well as congestion surcharges. U.K. business groups are urging the Competition and Markets Authority to investigate high shipping costs.
Lorenz, on the other hand, argues that trying to read every email puts you at the mercy of other peoples priorities rather than allowing you to set your own. One might add that when we develop the habit of checking frequently, our physiology gets into the act. The linguist Naomi Baron, in her fine 2015 book Words Onscreen, points out that each time we hear that email ping notification, our brain delivers a squirt of dopamine, an addictive neurotransmitter that keeps us returning for more. She adds, with heavy irony: Which would you prefer: staying glued to Platos Apology or having a shot of dopamine?
The cherry on top is a 10-year contract to manage assets for NN itself. If fund management is more stable than investment banking, running assets for an insurer is even better. The value here may not be so much in the quantum of the portfolios taken on, but in the stickiness attached to them. In turn, the deal reinforces Goldman Sachs Asset Managements status as a key adviser to insurers and pension funds managing their liabilities. Adding heft in environmental, social and governance investing, and obtaining a platform for potential expansion in retail asset management, are further bonuses.
Hong Kongs exemption rules exist because this arrangement is essential for maintaining the necessary operation of society and the economy, and for ensuring an uninterrupted supply of all daily necessities to the public, according to the territorys Covid-19 portal. In their current incarnation, though, these measures seem more like arbitrary loopholes waiting to be exploited. (Since when was filming a TV series a necessary operation?) Its worth asking whether the government has been able to define what these guidelines are supposed to mean for the citys 7.5 million residents, when some of its Covid-prevention tactics end up causing more harm than good. Policy flip-flops have thrown travelers plans into disarray with little warning and consideration, and many families remain separated.
In 2015, preachers daughter Merkel couldnt just watch the refugees suffering and do nothing, so she let them come. In 2021, no Western leaders appear susceptible to such emotion. The U.S., German, Dutch and other governments want to be selective about whom they take, and they want proof that the potential refugees actually did something tangible for them in Afghanistan. The U.S. promise to Afghan allies, reflected in the bureaucracy-mired Special Immigrant Visa program and in President Joe Bidens words in July  There is a home for you in the United States if you so choose, and we will stand with you just as you stood with us  is narrow: it concerns only those who worked for the U.S., and can prove that they did. The same is true of U.S. allies promises. The British Council, for example, has acknowledged that some of its present and former staff have been rejected under the U.K.s Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy.
Wednesdays general booster decision is different. It rests on data coming out of the U.S. and Israel showing that breakthrough infections among vaccinated people are on the rise. That fact has been interpreted to mean that the immunity conferred by vaccines is waning. But it could just as easily indicate nothing more than an inevitable rise attributable to the more infectious delta variant, which is now dominant but which hadnt been detected when the first rounds of vaccines were administered.
Sharia is cited as either a source or the source of legislation in many constitutions across the Muslim world. Women are most affected by the provisions concerning family or personal status. That often means they dont have the same rights as men when it comes to matters such as marriage, divorce and inheritance. Their rights vary from country to country, reflecting the latitude that political leaders take in interpreting what it means to base law on sharia. For example, Iraqs 2005 constitution is among those that guarantee equality between the sexes. Meanwhile, in Iran, women have limited freedom of movement and face edicts on what they can wear. In Saudi Arabia, where the Muslim holy city of Mecca is, sharia was interpreted until recently to limit womens travel and employment and their right to drive a vehicle.
Analysts remain split on how best to assess the success of the PPP and the related Economic Injury Disaster Loan program. The Government Accountability Office puts the spending at $910 billion, of which $800 billion is PPP money. Any assessment, however, will rely on the release of more sweeping data about the push from the government and borrowers. Its also becoming clearer that fraud may have been much more rampant than originally understood, although the likelihood of massive misappropriation because of lax supervision was obvious from the start. Any funds that wound up in the wrong pocket or were steered toward insiders also blunted the programs effectiveness.The GAO, a nonpartisan federal agency that provides auditing and analysis to Congress, has flagged looming abuses for more than a year. Several months ago, it warned that the SBAs oversight and analysis of PPP and EIDL funding was insufficient and that the agency lacked a formal fraud risk assessment program. It noted that the SBAs inspector general had detected the possibility of widespread potential fraud in the EIDL program and had, along with federal prosecutors, seized ill-gotten EIDL and PPP loans. Some cases involved identity theft and money laundering, along with bank and wire fraud. A GAO report released a few weeks ago found that the SBA had improved some of its monitoring but that its loan forgiveness plan lacked important public guidelines and suffered from communication problems with lenders.
As the pandemic raged in 2020, a patchwork of federal, state and local moratoriums prevented evictions in many cases. In September, after the initial federal moratorium expired, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention temporarily halted evictions of renters earning up to $99,000 a year (up to $198,000 in the case of couples) in the name of preventing the coronavirus from spreading. During that hiatus, the CDC urged states to deploy some $47 billion in federal rental assistance that was allocated in two tranches, in December and March. But the moratorium expired on July 31 with most of the money still unspent. After a failed bid by Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives to extend the moratorium, as President Joe Biden had urged them to, the CDC again stepped in, issuing a targeted 60-day extension covering areas hard-hit by the delta variant of the coronavirus. That means about 90% of tenants are protected from eviction through October 3.
Recently, though, I have been dealing with personal criticism from my editor, Tom the Butcher, who contends that my palate is actually immature, because, he says, like a toddler I seem to categorically dislike, and whine about, many foods. Outraged, I began to list the foods I do not like, and, indeed, I discovered there were more than a few. What Tom does not understand, though, is that this is a matter of mature, informed discrimination, not childish biases. I therefore Proclaim that a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that I should declare the causes which impel me to these opinions. Let Facts be submitted to a candid world:
The Committee to Protect Journalists  which since January had steadily been hearing from journalists worried about a Taliban takeover  is keeping a priority list of those most at risk. This week, the group received 500 requests for assistance in just a two-day period. By the third day, the list had doubled. The organization has heard four reports from journalists whose homes were searched by the Taliban; CPJ is also investigating reports that the Taliban assaulted journalists at a protest in Jalalabad.
Most of them didnt know how to swim, Hafstein said. People were just drowning by the scores. Its in my own family history as well. My great-grandfather drowned along with three of his sons, in plain view of his wife and younger children. Not 50 feet from shore, but nobody could swim. Icelandic authorities decided that every child in the island country should learn. By the 1920s and 1930s, swimming was a mandatory part of school, and local swimming societies and municipalities were building pools across the country.
The bathroom, in home or hotel, Froelich says, has to be the hardest-working room. In the morning, it has to be all about efficiency and making it easy for you to get ready, feel confident, so that you can go out into the world and take on your day. Then it has to do a 180 at days end. Its the last place you visit before you go to bed, and you have to relax. It has to be calming, it has to make it easy for you to unwind at the end of the day.
Anyone in a school building who tests positive for the virus will be required to isolate for at least 10 days. If unvaccinated students and staff are in a classroom with someone who has the virus, they do not have to quarantine if everyone is properly masked. Based on these rules, it is unlikely that an entire class  or large portion of a class  would need to quarantine, which was a common occurrence last academic year.
They connected with fishing fanatics across the country, who shared tips, took them out on their boats, offered sleeping accommodations. When a certain fish came slowly, they despaired of finishing in a year. But then fortune would smile  like on an incredible five-day sprint through New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and Utah  and We realized we might actually be able to finish this before school, Luke said.
Now is not the time to end the stated public health emergency  not only because of the limitations it will put on our State response but also because of the message that it sends to the public at large about the urgency of this situation, particularly as we prepare to send our children back to school, read the letter, signed by House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones (D-Baltimore), Majority Leader Eric G. Luedtke (D-Montgomery) and four other Democratic leaders.
A studio was set up at the rehabilitation facility, and Mr. Close learned to paint with a brush strapped to his right hand. But he used a wheelchair for the rest of his life. The sums fetched by his paintings made it possible to adapt his studios  in Manhattan and the Hamptons (and in his later years in Miami and Long Beach, N.Y.)  to his disability. Machines moved the large canvases so he could reach each part of them while seated.
And there are scores of officers who over the years have not had their police powers suspended permanently, but were kept on desk jobs as a result of controversy. The officers charged in the death of Freddie Gray all remain on the force but work in administrative roles across the agency. The late Sgt. Lou Hopson was prevented from carrying a gun due to a domestic violence conviction but continued working in the juvenile booking section.
The first scheme, according to the indictment, involved Dupree, Johnson, Taylor and Tyler from May to June of 2019. The four officers conspired to defraud three banks by orchestrating the withdrawal of money from their own accounts via ATMs, prosecutors allege. The officers coordinated the submission of police reports to PGPD, the indictment said, then submitted false claims to their banks seeking reimbursement.
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Perry was one of several D.C. students killed on the way home from school during the 2017-2018 academic year. That spurred a citywide effort to provide more resources for safe passage programs to ensure that children could get to school and home again safely. KIPP DC students and staffers were part of that effort, and the charter network started providing a shuttle that would take students to and from the NoMa-Gallaudet Metro station each school day.
Irans government, concerned about its own economic implosion and a worsening wave of the coronavirus, says it has instructed border guards not to admit Afghans. But it has also reportedly set up refugee camps in three border provinces for fleeing migrants who reach there, saying they will only temporarily be allowed to stay. While Irans border is more tightly controlled than that of Pakistan, it has long served as a way station for Afghans trying to get farther west, many of them trying to cross the northern part of the country into Turkey.
Prosecutors handling the state case described a new narrative Wednesday in which Kurson allegedly used spyware between September 2015 and March 2016 to monitor his then-wife, obtaining her passwords so he could access her Gmail and Facebook accounts. His former wife, to whom he was still married at the time, told police in South Orange, N.J., that Kurson terrorized her through email and social media causing her problems at work and in her social life, according to his criminal complaint.
The Second Amendment Preservation Act is about protecting law-abiding Missourians against government overreach and unconstitutional federal mandates, Parson said in a statement provided to The Washington Post on Wednesday. We will reject any attempt by the federal government to circumvent the fundamental right Missourians have to keep and bear arms to protect themselves and their property. Throughout my career, I have always stood for the Constitution and our Second Amendment rights, and that will not change today or any day.
The telescope is to be the largest and most powerful of its kind in the world. The National Solar Observatory said the Inouye telescope will be able to reveal features three times smaller than anything scientists are able to currently see on the Sun.
Is there a remote possibility that they dont have to be? Maybe the Taliban has noticed that the country it has conquered in 2021 is not the one it decamped from in 2001  nor is it the quiet, pre-Soviet-era Afghanistan I grew up in, where women wore short skirts, hippies lounged in teahouses, and you could drive across Kabul in minutes unencumbered by checkpoints or barricades fortified with concertina wire. Still, while the Taliban was busy launching RPGs at police cadets, the country was transforming. Over the last 20 years, Afghanistan formed a robust base of educated urban professionals. Young Afghans, male and female, went to school and learned to code. They became software engineers and programmers. Via social media, they engaged with the outside world on human rights, the environment, and racial and social justice. While the Taliban occupied itself firing at Afghan soldiers, young Afghans learned guitar and drums and formed alt-rock garage bands. They bought millions of cellphones and texted their votes for their favorite performers on Afghan Star, the countrys version of American Idol. By 2020, more than 9.5 million children were enrolled in school, 39 percent of them girls  compared with only 900,000 in 2001, overwhelmingly boys. Young women entered the workforce to help rebuild a country the Taliban left decimated and bankrupt. Afghan life expectancy rose from 56 in 2001 to 65 in 2021. The mortality rate for children under the age of 5 dropped by 50 percent. Thousands of miles of road were built  hospitals, schools and mosques, too. The Taliban knows them. It bombed many of them.
The governor has said: No, you cant do that. You cant take the safety precautions that you think are in the best interests of the community and to protect children,  Castro said, referring to Abbotts banning of mask mandates in Texas schools. And then, when he gets covid, [he] does everything that he possibly can to make sure that hes okay . . . things that ordinary Texans, everyday Texans would not have access to.
We need to protect these American lives and every individual that fought with us and every promise we made to them. We need to get them out of the country into a third country to be able to screen them before we bring them in, McCarthy said. The president should be working on this day and night, not hiding, not vacationing, but getting the job done because we will do it. We will work together to make this happen.
The State Department approved 137 visas between Jan. 1 and March 31, resulting in more than 650 people approved for relocation to the United States. Successful applicants for what is known as special immigrant visas, or SIVs, can bring immediate family members. The pace picked up after that, and the State Department says it reached a rate of 800 per week at the start of August, just before the Taliban takeover of the country and the shuttering of the U.S. Embassy in Kabul.
Veterans 4 America First Institute is modeled after the America First Policy Institute, the post-Trump group that launched in April with a multimillion-dollar budget and is one of several efforts by former Trump administration officials to push his priorities. The new effort is led for now by volunteers who said they are committed to effective management and accountability at VA and the Defense Department, with a particular focus on what they called an intransigent VA bureaucracy.
In the lawsuit, the plaintiff alleges that Schaefer began grooming her in 2002 while she was a freshman after she came to him to learn more about the United Methodist Churchs stance toward LGBTQ people. She had been raised Catholic and, as a lesbian, was looking for a more inclusive faith.
Ive been seeing a lot of think tanks and strategy sessions in hopes of new ideas emerging, she told Religion News Service. But so often the people invited to the table are the same people who have always been atthe table and the methods for making decisions and spending money also havent changed. Some of the best work is emerging among the leaders we exclude and dismiss.
As Afghanistans once-again rulers, the Taliban would refrain from retributory violence and respect womens rights  at least so far as Islam allows. It would forgive domestic rivals and seek good relations with longtime foreign enemies. It would, in short, be entirely different from the way the group behaved during its last run in power, a calamitous five years that left the country a ruined pariah.
Afghanistans central bank governor said Wednesday that the Taliban would have access to only a fraction of a percentage of the countrys $9 billion international reserve, most of which is held in banks in the United States. The Biden administration froze Afghanistans funds in recent days to gain leverage over the militants. But that move also risks strangling the economy of Afghanistan, a deeply impoverished country that is heavily dependent on U.S. and international aid.
Seven years after Russia annexed Ukraines Crimean Peninsula and backed separatists in the east of the country, the conflict has shown no signs of ending. About 13,000 people have been killed, though the last large-scale fighting was more than four years ago. Tensions in the region spiked this spring when Russia massed troops and military hardware along the border in what it said were military exercises.
On Thursday, Coral, one of the largest fuel companies in Lebanon, said it was running out of gasoline. A tanker thats bringing in supplies has been stuck off the Lebanese coast for eight days because of paperwork, it said. The company warned it wont be able to resupply gas stations for the first time since it was founded.
Tomohiro Usui, professor at the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, said soil on Phobos is likely to be a mixture of material from the moon itself and material from Mars that was spread by sandstorms. Collecting samples from multiple locations on Phobos could provide a greater chance of obtaining possible traces of life from Mars than obtaining soil from a single location on Mars, he said.
Sharon Murray sits near her hurricane-damaged home in Raceland. (Go Nakamura for The Post)

With resources scarce and infrastructure burdened, Gov. John Bel Edwards tells evacuees: "Do not return here."
Marilyn Sue Lents, 84, of Washington, passed away at 10:58 a.m. Monday, Aug. 30, 2021 at Ketcham Memorial Center. She was born Sept. 1, 1936, in Washington, Indiana, to the late Icel and Mary Kirk. Marilyn married Carol "Chick" Lents on Aug. 4, 1995, and he survives. She enjoyed tending to h
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One question causing angst is whether to ask if someone  be it a friend, relative or your dentist  is vaccinated. Short of carrying flashing vaccinated signs above our heads, the only way to find out if someone has had a COVID-19 jab is through conversation (or, if theyve posted a vaxxie on social media). But do we have the right to ask such a private question? Yes, we do, according to The Ethics Centre executive director Dr Simon Longstaff, particularly if youre expecting to be in close proximity with that person. The notion that you can make an informed decision about who you deal with and under what conditions [seems] uncontroversial, he says. It comes down to asking in a way that isnt offensive or challenging. Dr Longstaff recommends starting by simply volunteering your own status  Just so you know, Ive been vaccinated  because it signals you think its important, creating an expectation of reciprocation. A friend is likely to disclose, Dr Longstaff says, but a service provider may choose not to, at which point youre entitled to choose not to engage with them if youre worried about transmission to yourself or others.

Professor Leask is less convinced that we have the right to ask people if theyre vaccinated. She says that while we need high vaccination rates, we also need to have healthy social functioning for our overall wellbeing. If the way we try to encourage and require vaccination ends up being so imposing ... it creates a whole new set of conflicts and hardships, she says. The notion that you can make an informed decision about who you deal with and under what conditions [seems] uncontroversial. Dr Simon Longstaff Although Professor Leask hopes that more people will choose to be upfront about their vaccine status to reassure others, her position on asking someone is that it depends on your level of rapport. You do need to broach it sensitively with friends and family, Professor Leask says. It might be perfectly fine to ask your mum or sister if shes going to vaccinate, but with the clear intention that youre concerned about her health first.

When it comes to asking a service provider, Professor Leask believes its best not to, and let government worry about the regulatory structures that will protect us. And remember, she says, if were fully vaccinated and wearing a mask, and your hairdresser is wearing a mask, the risk of transmission is markedly reduced. The person who just hasnt gotten around to it yet If someone wants to be vaccinated but isnt yet, Professor Leask says that laziness is rarely a reason. Rather, its often because they are isolated and unaware of government advice, or they are struggling to find supply, get an appointment or use the booking system. If someone tells you they havent been able to get vaccinated yet, her advice is to ask if you can help them book in.

Practical knowledge is one of the biggest factors in driving vaccination, Professor Leask says. People are so confused because the recommendations have chopped and changed so much ... Simply helping them figure out what theyre eligible for, where they can get it, when and how, is a great practical thing you can do. Practical knowledge is one of the biggest factors in driving vaccination. Professor Julie Leask Dr Longstaff adds that sometimes when people are under stress, their world view narrows, so they might not see the significance to the wider community of lagging with their vaccine booking. It doesnt mean theyre a bad person, it may mean theyre really struggling to cope, he says. The key to these conversations is to practise the skill of listening. Credit:iStock

The person who is waiting for Pfizer The advice from authorities regarding the AstraZeneca vaccine has been confounding, to say the least, with fluctuating recommendations following fears of a very rare clotting condition, known as thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome. This has left some people so-called Astra-hesitant and waiting to be eligible for Pfizer once more doses land on our shores, while the Delta variant continues to wreak havoc. Data from a June survey, conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, shows that 15 per cent of unvaccinated Australians are waiting for a different vaccine. Professor Leask says we cant skirt over the fact that a person is being asked to take a risk, albeit very small, with the AstraZeneca vaccine. But in the setting where there are outbreaks, its perfectly reasonable to encourage and recommend it. She says the best approach is to first respect that there is a choice to be made  having AstraZeneca now, or waiting for Pfizer  then explain the risk calculation.

There are pros and cons to each of those options, but right now the benefits of getting the vaccine far outweigh any risks, she says. The risk is small: its about one in 50,000 of getting TTS and less than one in 1 million of dying. One in 50,000 is like a single person in the MCG or SCG, and the rest of those people  49,999  will be fine and have a good level of protection against COVID-19, particularly severe disease. In the setting where there are outbreaks, its perfectly reasonable to encourage and recommend it. Professor Julie Leask Professor Leask adds that people should be aware that we know how to spot early signs of clotting, which helps to reduce the severity of the illness. People can, of course, choose to wait, Professor Leask says, but they need to plan how theyll reduce the COVID-19 risk to themselves and others in the meantime. They may be waiting for a while ... It might be three weeks, or it might be months.

The person who is vaccine hesitant We must first recognise this: not everybody who questions vaccination is a conspiracy theorist or anti-vaxxer. They may have various genuine reasons, including a phobia of needles, a history of anaphylaxis, concerns for their health or a fear of the unknown. Dr Longstaff stresses the importance of taking the views of others entirely seriously. One of the biggest mistakes when encountering someone who has an alternative point of view is to begin by trying to change their mind, he says. The person then starts to defend their position without ever hearing what you might have to say. This can also solidify their beliefs because theyre reciting their arguments.

Loading On the other hand, Dr Longstaff says, sincerely hearing someone out  and letting them know you understand their concerns  will remove their need to defend themselves, and gives you knowledge to unpick under what conditions they would or wouldnt get vaccinated. Professor Leask recommends starting the conversation by listening and asking questions. You might want to ask straight up, Do you think youll get vaccinated? The aim is to figure out what their attitude is, rather than make assumptions. If you jump in with your answers too early, and you havent fully explored all the barriers and issues for someone ... your comments wont match where theyre at, and then the conversation will begin to fail. Helpful phrases when talking to someone who is vaccine hesitant Do you have any plans to vaccinate at the moment?

What are some of your concerns?

I think its reasonable to be looking to get information about [insert concern].

I can see youve done a lot of thinking about this.

Can I tell you about my experience?

I thought a lot about this decision too. Can I tell you why I decided to get the vaccine?

Im not sure about that. Lets look it up together.

I saw a website recently that seemed to answer this really well, can I share the link with you?

Can I show you how to check your eligibility and make a booking, in case you change your mind?

Id really love you to get vaccinated. I want to see you protected against COVID-19 because all of us are going to encounter it in our lives. Its not going away.

Have you thought about what not vaccinating might mean for you and your family?

If youre not planning to vaccinate, how are you going to best protect yourself and others?

Lets leave it for now, but maybe we can talk about it again later?

Its important to validate someones concerns as reasonable and ensure they know youve heard them, Professor Leask says. It can be a harsh environment for the vaccine hesitant, so you need to create a safe space and build rapport. Next, try to gently direct them to quality information that relates to them. Ask: Do you mind if I share what I learnt? Or: Can I help you find the information that might address your concerns? The National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance and the Department of Health are great places to look. One of the biggest mistakes when encountering someone who has an alternative point of view is to begin by trying to change their mind. Dr Simon Longstaff Loading Professor Leask also recommends trying to detect what someones motivation might be to vaccinate, then reinforce it. You might need to elicit what it is by asking, What do you think the benefits of vaccination might be? Then, say, I agree, Im concerned about this as well.
The Taliban has resumed its grip on power in Afghanistan after taking control of the capital, Kabul, on Sunday. The speed with which Taliban forces reclaimed the country has sparked chaotic scenes at Kabuls airport as Afghans, foreigners and diplomats try to flee.

For the past 20 years, young Afghans have grown up under a relatively liberal US-backed government, with access to education and work for girls and women, social media and other freedoms.

Does anyone really expect Taliban 2.0 to be any different to the entity of 20 years ago and retain those freedoms? The early signs are ominous.

Overnight protests in Jalalabad turned deadly, with Taliban gunmen killing several people and wounding more than a dozen others.
Some of the most populated parts of Sydney and Melbourne could fall short of key vaccination targets despite rapid rollout of inoculations, potentially leaving hundreds of thousands of people in at-risk communities exposed to COVID-19.

Health experts say its crucial to know which areas are falling behind so concerted efforts can be made to increase rates, but also to know where future outbreaks could occur.

People queuing for vaccines in Brighton-Le-Sands, in Sydneys south, on Wednesday. Credit:James Brickwood

The federal government has set a target for the nation and all states and territories to fully vaccinate 70 per cent of the eligible population before Australia can move into the transition phase of the planned four-phase recovery from the pandemic. The country can move to the third consolidation phase with fewer restrictions once those vaccination rates reach 80 per cent.

The target is a jurisdiction-wide average and does not take into account possible differences within a state or territory.
Washington: US President Joe Biden has said he does not believe it would have been possible to extract US troops from Afghanistan without the chaotic scenes that have taken place in recent days.



Asked in an interview with American ABC News whether the withdrawal could have been handled better, Biden said: No...The idea that somehow, theres a way to have gotten out without chaos ensuing, I dont know how that happens.

US President Joe Biden says chaos during Afghanistan pullout is to be expected. Credit:AP

Bidens first interview since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan followed remarks by General Mark Milley, Americas top military officer, that there had been no intelligence to indicate that the Afghan security forces and government would collapse as quickly as they did.

Biden said the stunning demise of the Afghan government following two decades of support from western nations showed that it was well past time to end the war.
Mississippis top health official concluded on Wednesday that the state with the nations second-lowest vaccination rate is now suffering through the worst part of the pandemic, in a week in which more than 20,000 students have been quarantined for exposure to coronavirus.

Mississippi State Health Officer Thomas Dobbs acknowledged the severity of the states health crisis, which has seen a surge in cases among the unvaccinated population overwhelm hospitals, leaving only a handful of intensive care unit beds still available for dozens of patients who need them.

Medical supplies are lined up at a field hospital et up in one of the University of Mississippi Medical Centres car park. Credit:AP

We are clearly at the worst part of the pandemic that weve seen throughout, and its continued to worsen, Dobbs said at a news briefing.

Were seeing higher and higher numbers of not just cases but hospitalisations, people in intensive care units, life support. And sadly, as weve seen, additional deaths are going to follow. Without a doubt we have surpassed our previous peaks by a substantial margin, and we expect to see that continue.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says the origin of the new COVID-19 outbreak in Auckland has been traced to a person returning from a managed flight from New South Wales.

At a daily health briefing, Ardern said the returned Kiwi arrived in Auckland on August 7, was tested on August 8 and received the positive result on August 9.

Our cases are most likely to have come from the traveller, said Ardern. This is a most significant development.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern offers some positive news about the outbreak.

On Wednesday Ardern had said the virus had originated in Australia. Identifying the carrier of the virus was expected to help authorities get a grip on the outbreak.
Wilmington, DE (19810)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms in the morning becoming more widespread in the afternoon. Potential for severe thunderstorms. High 78F. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected..

Tonight

Showers and thundershowers in the evening, then overcast overnight with occasional rain. Potential for flooding rains. Low 61F. SSE winds shifting to N at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected.
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I cover a range of stories for WDRB, but really enjoy tracking what's going on at our State Capitol. I grew up on military bases all over the world, but am a Kentuckian at heart. I'm an EKU alum, and have lived in Louisville for 30 years.
FILE - In this May 11, 2020, file photo, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear puts on a face mask after speaking to reporters at the Capitol in Frankfort, Ky. (Ryan C. Hermens/Lexington Herald-Leader via AP)


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STAMFORD  A man was fatally stabbed early Wednesday morning in Glenbrook, police said.

The identity of 42-year-old man, who died from wounds resulting from the stabbing, had not been released by police as of Wednesday evening, as officers were still in the process of notifying his next of kin.

Lt. Tom Scanlon said the stabbing, which has been ruled a homicide, was reported to police by a third party around 1:10 a.m.

Investigators have since identified two crime scenes, one on Culloden Road and the other on Hamilton Avenue, according to Scanlon.

Scanlon said they believe the stabbing occurred on Culloden Road, thought he did not specify where on the street.

Police had portions of Hamilton Avenue near Culloden Road, where a white car sat with its doors open, taped off early Wednesday morning as they investigated the scene.

It was in that area, police said, where a car carrying the injured man pulled up to a group of people and asked for help.

Two police were also seen parked further down the block in front of a home located at 150 Culloden Road on Wednesday. Police have not commented on the propertys connection to the investigation.

More information will be released as the investigation progresses, Scanlon said.

This is the fifth homicide of the year, according to Capt. Richard Conklin, commander of the Bureau of Criminal Investigations.

The last homicide in the city was the fatal shooting of 32-year-old Lwidji Brun at his Ursula Place home on May 18. Police have since made three arrests in that case.

Police have made arrests in all but one of this years homicides  the untimely death of a 56-year-old woman at the Stamford Manor apartment complex at 26 Main St. on April 20, which was only recently ruled a homicide.
The towns of Fairfield, Westport and Easton have come together to issue a temporary townwide mask policy requiring all residents over the age of 2 to wear masks indoors in public places, whether vaccinated or not.

It goes into effect Monday.

The policy comes as a regional response to the spread of the delta variant, and because nearby cities Norwalk, Bridgeport and Stamford have already put mask policies in place.

Transmission doesnt stop at our borders, and since the governor has left it up to local authorities rather than a statewide approach, we are forced to look at a regional one, Fairfield First Selectwoman Brenda Kupchick said.

Fairfield and Westport were moved into the states red category on Thursday, the highest classification for the average daily rate. Easton was already classified as red.

The Fairfield Health Departments contact tracers are interviewing families in which multiple household members, regardless of vaccination status, are testing positive presumably due to the high transmissibility of the predominant delta variant, Kupchick said.

As of Wednesday, Fairfield County became the fifth county in Connecticut to be moved into the the high transmission category, the most severe level as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

I am grateful that Westporters recognize the importance of wearing masks and getting vaccinated, Westport First Selectman Jim Marpe said. It is for our physical and mental health and safety that we remain vigilant, and at the same time, be respectful to others who may have differing opinions.

We have come a long way in combating this virus, he continued. While this development may seem like a step backward, it is undoubtedly necessary until the time comes when all have the capacity to be vaccinated and COVID-19 is a more manageable, non-life-threatening virus. We are stronger together.

Kupchick said the masking policy is temporary as the town will continue to watch the data and modify as conditions improve.

Indoor public spaces that require masks include retail establishments, restaurants, gyms, workout studios, galleries, museums, performance spaces, places of worship and government buildings.

Town officials said businesses may still require proof of vaccination to enter, but a mask will also be required.

With school starting soon officials also ask residents to be mindful of transmission

We want to make sure that cases do not spike and jeopardize our ability to safely get the kids into their classrooms, Easton First Selectman Dave Bindelglass said.

With hospitalizations in Fairfield County on the rise, sitting at 82 as of Thursday morning, town leaders said the most effective way to prevent serious illness and hospitalization is to get vaccinated.

The state Department of Public Health reports the majority of hospitalizations in Connecticut are among unvaccinated individuals.

The COVID- 19 vaccine is the most powerful tool against infection and severe illness, but the increasing number of breakthrough infections after vaccination are a reminder that no vaccine is 100 percent effective, said Mark Cooper, the director of the health district that serves Westport, Weston and Easton.

Cooper said as long as there continues to be COVID cases in Westport, it is important to continue the use of the other tools at our disposal to reduce transmission such as masking when indoors and in large outdoor crowds, washing hands, social distancing and limiting gathering sizes.

This is particularly important as we approach the start of the new school year and to those young people who are unable to be vaccinated as they return to the classroom, Cooper said.
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...FLASH FLOOD WATCH NOW IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING... The Flash Flood Watch is now in effect for * Portions of New Jersey...and Pennsylvania...including the following areas...in New Jersey...Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, Somerset, Sussex, and Warren. In Pennsylvania...Berks, Carbon, Delaware, Eastern Chester, Eastern Montgomery, Lehigh, Lower Bucks, Monroe, Northampton, Philadelphia, Upper Bucks, Western Chester, and Western Montgomery. * From Wednesday morning through Thursday morning. * The remnants of Hurricane Ida will pass through the region Wednesday through early Thursday morning. Periods of heavy rain and scattered thunderstorms associated with this low will result in widespread 4 to 6 inches of rain, with locally higher amounts likely exceeding 6 inches by Thursday morning. Combined with wet antecedent conditions, this will lead to numerous instances of flash flooding, some of which may be significant. * Flooding of creeks, streams, urban areas, and poor drainage areas is likely in the areas of heaviest rain. Water is likely to cover the roads, especially in low-lying areas. Moderate to major flooding is possible along some main stem rivers, and roads and structures near these rivers may be flooded. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... You should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action should Flash Flood Warnings be issued. &&
Today is Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021. Let's get caught up.

Here are today's top stories, celebrity birthdays and a look back at this date in history:

TOP STORIES

Biden: Troops will stay in Afghanistan to evacuate Americans

WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden said he is committed to keeping U.S. troops in Afghanistan until every American is evacuated, even if that means maintaining a military presence there beyond his Aug. 31 deadline for withdrawal.

Biden also pushed back against criticism that the U.S. should have done more to plan for the evacuation and withdrawal, which has been marked by scenes of violence and chaos as thousands attempted to flee while the Taliban advanced.

In an interview Wednesday with ABC News George Stephanopoulos, Biden said the U.S. will do everything in our power to evacuate Americans and U.S. allies from Afghanistan before the deadline.

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EPA bans pesticide linked to health problems in children

The Biden administration said Wednesday it was banning use of chlorpyrifos, a widely used pesticide long targeted by environmentalists, on food crops because it poses risks to children and farm workers.

The Environmental Protection Agency acted after a federal appeals court ordered the government in April to determine quickly whether the pesticide is safe or should be prohibited.

During the Obama administration, the EPA had initiated a ban, but the agency reversed that decision shortly after President Donald Trump took office in 2017. President Joe Biden has pledged a review of more than 100 of his predecessor's environmental regulatory actions.

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Click on the links below for full version of today's top stories. Keep scrolling for a look back at this day in history and today's celebrity birthdays:

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IMAGE OF THE DAY

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TODAY IN HISTORY

+14 Today in history: Aug. 19 In 1960, a tribunal in Moscow convicted American U2 pilot Francis Gary Powers of espionage, and more events that happened on this day in history.

+5 Today in sports history: Aug. 19 In 1921, Detroits Ty Cobb gets his 3,000th career hit at age 34, the youngest player to reach that plateau. See more sports moments from this date:

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ...
(WFSB) - President Joe Biden officially unveiled his administration's plan to roll out COVID-19 vaccine booster shots to Americans.

Federal health officials said everyone should get a booster shot 8 months after receiving their second shot.

Biden administration to offer COVID booster shots starting Sept. (WFSB)- The Biden Administration said it wants to start offering COVID booster shots to all American adults starting in September.

Gov. Ned Lamont said Connecticut has the vaccines and enough clinics. If needed, larger vaccine clinics could come back to the state.

Booster shots will be available starting Sept. 20 if the Food and Drug Administration approves the plan.

U.S. health officials recommended that all Americans get booster shots to increase their protection, especially as the Delta variant spreads.

The plan outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention called for the extra dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.

Doctors weigh in on COVID booster shot recommendation On Wednesday, U.S. health officials and medical experts announced that COVID booster shots will be offered this fall.

Health officials said the vaccines are effective in reducing risk of severe disease, hospitalization and even death. However, new evidence showed that protection decreases over time.

This will boost your immune response, Biden said. It will increase your protection from COVID-19. Its the best way to protect ourselves from new variants.

However, the World Health Organization is pushing back. It said that Americans getting third shots will take vaccines away from countries that still don't have enough initial doses.

"I do not accept the idea that we have to choose between America and the world, said Vivek Murthy, U.S. Surgeon General. We clearly see our responsibility to both."

Based off the latest numbers, nearly 200 million Americans have received at least one shot. Thats about 60-percent of the total population.

A booster plan is still being developed for recipients of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
HARTFORD, CT (WFSB)  Gov. Ned Lamont nominated Charlene Russell-Tucker to serve as commissioner of the Connecticut State Department of Education.

This nomination comes after the resignation of Miguel Cardona, who was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve as the secretary of the U.S. Department of Education.

Russell-Tucker has been serving at the State Department of Education for more than 20 years in several roles, including most recently as deputy commissioner, in which she has been responsible for overseeing educational supports and wellness priorities.

Gov. Lamont appoints acting Dept. of Education Commissioner Governor Ned Lamont announced on Wednesday the appointment of Charlene Russell-Tucker to serve as acting commissioner of the Connecticut State Department of Education.

Since March, she has been serving as the agencys acting commissioner.

Governor Lamont said Russell-Tuckers leadership during this interim period has been so impressive that he asked her to permanently fill the position.

Charlene has many years of experience working with school districts across Connecticut and Ive heard nothing but praise about her leadership style and effectiveness, Governor Lamont said. Our administration has set strong goals when it comes to improving outcomes for our next generation so they are prepared to fill jobs that lead them through successful careers. I appreciate Charlenes dedication to the students and families of Connecticut, and Im excited to have her continuing in this leadership capacity.

I am humbled to be given the opportunity to continue to lead the incredible team at the Connecticut State Department of Education as we join forces with educators and stakeholders to build a nation-leading education system that is resilient to the challenges we face and inclusive of all our students and families, Russell-Tucker said. Thank you to Governor Lamont and the State Board of Education their confidence in my leadership.
STORRS, CT (WFSB)  The University of Connecticut said employees at the Storrs and regional campuses, as well as those who work at UConn Health in Farmington, will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Interim President Dr. Andrew Agwunobi notified the University community on Tuesday of the new requirement.

Back in June, the university said all students would need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 before returning to campus in the fall.

All UConn students required to get a COVID vaccine before returning to campus All students will need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 before returning to the University of Connecticut campus.

As of Wednesday, the university said 96 percent of incoming residential Storrs students are fully or partially vaccinated. They said 92 percent of Stamford residential students are fully or partially vaccinated.

Employees must show evidence of vaccination by Oct. 15, or request and receive an exemption or deferral, which would require them to be tested weekly.

A university spokesperson said most faculty have been vaccinated.

Personally I couldnt wait to get the vaccine because I have a family member who died from COVID, so I know that it is real and it is out there," said Stephanie Reitz, UConn's spokesperson.

UConn has about 9,800 full- and part-time employees. About 5,100 at the Storrs and regional campuses (Hartford, Stamford, Avery Point, Waterbury) and about 4,700 at UConn Health.

Classes begin Aug. 30.
Office Assistant, Rome, Italy

Organization: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

Country: Italy

City: Rome

Office: FAO Rome

Closing date: Wednesday, 8 September 2021

CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST - VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT : 2102320

Office Assistant

Job Posting: 18/Aug/2021

Closure Date: 08/Sep/2021, 9:59:00 PM

Organizational Unit : CFI

Job Type: Staff position

Type of Requisition : General Service

Grade Level : G-3

Primary Location: Italy-Rome

Duration : one year with possibility of extension

Post Number : 0023906, 1017810

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are bas ed on date and time settings of your personal device

Staff in the General Service category are recruited locally from the Primary Location area, which is where the office is located

FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture

Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented member nations and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply

Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold our values. FAO has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and FAO, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination.

All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks

All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality

The incumbent may be re-assigned to different activities and/or duty stations depending on the evolving needs of the Organization.

Organizational Setting

The Investment Centre (CFI) promotes investment in food security, agriculture, rural development, natural resource management and agro-processing in developing countries and countries in transition, assisting governments and country stakeholders, main development partners, in particular international financing institutions with the strategic planning and implementation of their investments to achieve food security and nutrition, make agriculture, forestry and fisheries more sustainable and productive, reduce rural poverty, make food value chains more efficient and inclusive and promote climate change adaptation and/or mitigation. CFI is a multidisciplinary centre composed of four regionally focused services, namely Eastern, Central and Southern Africa Service, Asia and the Pacific Service, Europe and Central Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean Service, and Near East, North Africa, and West Africa Service. The post nr. 0023906 is located in CFIE and post nr. 1017810 is located in CFIC.

Main Purpose

The Office Assistant performs a variety of routine administrative transactions and office support functions contributing to the smooth and efficient running of the work unit.

Supervision Received/Exercised

The Office Assistant reports to one or more Professional staff and receives guidance from a higher graded Office Assistant/ Executive Associate. He/she acts independently in routine matters and consults with Supervisor(s) on new and/or more complex issues and procedures. Supervision received provides for technical and procedural guidance and on-the-job learning. He/she acts independently in routine matters and consults with supervisor(s) on new and/or more complex issues and procedures. Supervision received provides for technical and procedural guidance and on-the-job learning.

Working Relationships

The Office Assistant interacts with a variety of colleagues from within the work unit. Interactions relate to the exchange of routine information and the provision of standard office support services.

Key Functions/Results

Type, format and draft routine correspondence; collate tables, reports, presentations, publications, and other documentation;

Receive, screen and direct telephone calls and visitors; respond to routine internal and external enquiries and/or refer to appropriate contacts /units;

Enter, retrieve, structure and update selected information and data from various sources (e.g. Intra-/Internet, office files, etc.); present results in standard format;

Set up and maintain office files and reference systems according to standard procedures;

Initiate, view and track a variety of administrative transactions in the computerized financial / travel / human resources systems;

Support the organization and administration of meetings, workshops and events (e.g. arranging for meeting rooms and other facilities.

Assist with arranging for travels: organize transport, logistics, accommodation, documents;

Ensure availability of office supplies and appropriate maintenance of office equipment;

Perform other duties as required.

Impact Of Work

The Office Assistant participates as part of a team in the provision of administrative and office support services. Actions reflect on the immediate and wider work unit.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING Minimum Requirements

Education: Secondary School Education Experience: Two years of relevant experience in office support work Languages: Working knowledge (Level C) of English and limited knowledge (Level B) of one of the other FAO languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish). IT Skills: Knowledge of the MS Office applications, Internet and office technology equipment

Competencies

Results Focus

Teamwork

Tags central asia climate change climate change adaptation continuous improvement fisheries food security human resources knowledge sharing latin america logistics natural resource management north africa office assistant rural development rural poverty southern africa support services transparency value chain west africa

Communication

Building Effective Relationships

Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical Skills

Knowledge of the communication and documentation standards

Knowledge of corporate computerized financial / travel / human resources systems and administrative procedures and policies

Desirable Qualifications And Skills

For both positions (0023906 in CFIE and 1017810 in CFIC):

Good knowledge of consultant recruitment and travel corporate procedures

Knowledge of Letters of Agreement procedures, and experience in its preparation and monitoring;

Knowledge of CFI investment operations and partners

Working knowledge of French or Spanish (Level C) would be an asset For position 1017810 in CFIC: Experience in secretarial duties/front office support operations would be an asset

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified applicants may include an assessment exercise and a technical / competency-based interview.

FAO staff are expected to adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO,

Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview, processing)

Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/

The length of the appointment for internal FAO candidates will be established in accordance with applicable policies pertaining to extension of appointments

General Service Staff are recruited locally. To be eligible for this position, candidates must be nationals of the country of the duty station or possess an existing visa/work permit, and reside within commuting distance of the duty station at the time of the application."Commuting distance" means the distance within which staff members can travel daily between their place of work and their residence.

No international benefits will be payable as selected candidates are recruited locally and paid in the local currency of the office location

Other similar positions may be filled from this vacancy notice

For additional information visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/

REMUNERATION A competitive compensation and benefits package is offered. For information on UN salaries, allowances and benefits, click on the following link: http://www.un.org/Depts/OHRM/salaries allowances/salary.htm

HOW TO APPLY

To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile. Once completed, please apply and submit your application, with language certificates as attachments. Only language proficiency certificates from UN accredited external providers and/or FAO language official examinations (LPE, ILE, LRT) will be accepted as proof of the level of knowledge of languages indicated in the online applications. FAO reserves the right to request candidates to undertake a language test in the future, as appropriate

Incomplete applications will not be considered

Only applications received through the recruitment portal will be considered

If you need assistance please contact: Careers@fao.org

Link to the organizations job offer: https://unjobs.org/vacancies/1629315325600
Willmar, MN (56201)

Today

Sunny, along with a few afternoon clouds. High 79F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy during the evening followed by cloudy skies overnight. Low around 60F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.
Today

Overcast. Areas of patchy fog. Low 67F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.

Tonight

Overcast. Areas of patchy fog. Low 67F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.

Tomorrow

Mostly cloudy skies early will become partly cloudy later in the day. High 82F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph.
Inside Hook

After watching Daniel Craig play the Aston-Martin-driving, tailored-suit-wearing spy James Bond for the last 15 years, its easy to conflate the actor with the character. But its good to remember the Englishman behind 007 is actually pretty down to earth; hes been known to drink Guinness instead of shaken martinis, and he comes from humble beginnings where he left home as a teenager and never looked back.

That upbringing, where Craig felt he had to rely on himself rather than his parents, may be part of the reason why the 53-year-old actor recently said that he doesnt plan on passing on a significant inheritance to any of his children.
The Westport Country Playhouse is providing three nights of complimentary tickets to essential workers for upcoming performances that will be taped for a future national television broadcast.

A limited number of tickets will be available for first responders, teachers, frontline workers and other community groups to attend the theater's "Stars of Stage from Westport Country Playhouse." The three nights of performances will include concerts from Broadway performers like Shoshan Bean of "Wicked" and "Waitress" on Aug. 31, Gavin Creel of "Hello, Dolly!" and "The Book of Mormon" on Sept. 1 and Brandon Victor Dixon of NBC's production of "Jesus Christ Superstar" and "Hamilton" on Sept. 2.
Wilton Center was buzzing with activities this past Saturday with the return of our Street Fair and Sidewalk Sale. Old Ridgefield Road was filled with shoppers, families, furry friends, children, volunteers, familiar faces and new neighbors all eager to explore Wilton Center!

We would like to show our appreciation to everyone who volunteered their time to make this event possible for our community. Thank you to our local heroes from the Wilton Police Department, Fire Department, and Wilton Volunteer Ambulance Corps. for showcasing their vehicles and educating our young guests at the event.
Contributed photo

One of the Four Pillars of The American Legion is Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation. In essence, we support and aid all veterans who have served in our nations military, in several different ways, with many programs. From assisting a veteran with submitting a claim to the Veterans Administration for disability benefits, to programs such as Operation Comfort Warriors to female veteran specific assistance, we are here for you, the veteran.

A primary reason that I became attracted to the Legion is that in return for all these support systems, we ask for absolutely nothing. A membership is not even required to approach us for help. One of the lines a Legionnaire recites when we open a meeting with The American Legions Preamble, which is to consecrate and sanctify our devotion, to mutual helpfulness. This is the final line in the Preamble and speaks volumes as to who we are and outlines one of our primary missions.
Winchester, VA (22601)

Today

Showers and thundershowers likely. Potential for flooding rains. High 73F. Winds ESE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected..

Tonight

Showers in the evening, then partly cloudy overnight. Potential for flooding rains. Low 54F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
TORONTO - An Ontario legislator who refused to get vaccinated against COVID-19 was removed from the governing Progressive Conservative caucus on Thursday.

Ontario PC MPP Rick Nicholls is pictured in his office at the Queens Park Legislature, in Toronto on Thursday, August 19, 2021, after he held a news conference to announce that he would not get vaccinated against COVID-19. Nicholls is one of the two PCs who was told to get a COVID vaccine by today or get kicked out of caucus. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

TORONTO - An Ontario legislator who refused to get vaccinated against COVID-19 was removed from the governing Progressive Conservative caucus on Thursday.

Premier Doug Ford defended the party's decision to oust Rick Nicholls, saying elected officials must "lead by example" on vaccination.

Ford said Nicholls, who represents Chatham-Kent-Leamington, also won't be permitted to seek re-election as a Tory candidate after he "failed to provide a legitimate reason" for not getting vaccinated.

"It is my expectation that every PC caucus member and candidate not only support the role vaccines play in the fight against COVID-19, but also be vaccinated to protect themselves and the people in their community," Ford said in a statement.

He wrote that elected officials "must rightfully be held to a higher standard," adding their work puts them in regular interaction with the public and those vulnerable to the virus.

Nicholls and Scarborough Center representative Christina Mitas were both given a deadline of 5 p.m. on Thursday to show proof of vaccination or a medical exemption.

Ford said Mitas provided a medical exemption statement from a physician and will stay in caucus, taking "additional precautions" while carrying out her duties. His office did not provide details on what medical exemptions to vaccination were considered acceptable for caucus members.

Nicholls told a news conference earlier on Thursday that he made the "personal choice" not to get vaccinated and wouldn't be immunized against the virus.

"Under no circumstances will I, nor should any Ontarian, be forced or coerced to do something against their will," he said.

Nicholls left the news conference after taking one question from the media and did not elaborate on his personal reason for not taking the vaccine.

Doug Speirs | Uplift A weekly review of funny, uplifting news in Winnipeg and around the globe that is delivered to your inbox each Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Ford, who is fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and has urged all Ontario residents to get immunized, has previously said he wouldn't make the vaccine mandatory, because he considers it a constitutional right not to take the shots.

Nicholls said he "took the premier at his word that vaccination is a choice and that all Ontarians have a constitutional right to make such a choice." He said he raised his concerns about the policy with Ford.

The directive applying to Tory caucus members was stricter than measures announced by Ford's government this week affecting workers in education, health care other high-risk settings.

Those policies would see unvaccinated workers subject to regular COVID-19 tests before coming to work.

The province also announced on Thursday that Ontario Public Service employees would need to be regularly tested if not vaccinated against the virus.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 19, 2021.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The United States struggled Thursday to pick up the pace of American and Afghan evacuations at Kabul airport, constrained by obstacles ranging from armed Taliban checkpoints to paperwork problems. With an Aug. 31 deadline looming, tens of thousands remained to be airlifted from the chaotic country.

Afghan security guards stand on a wall as hundreds of people gather outside the international airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021. The Taliban declared an amnesty across Afghanistan and urged women to join their government Tuesday, seeking to convince a wary population that they have changed a day after deadly chaos gripped the main airport as desperate crowds tried to flee the country. (AP Photo)

WASHINGTON (AP)  The United States struggled Thursday to pick up the pace of American and Afghan evacuations at Kabul airport, constrained by obstacles ranging from armed Taliban checkpoints to paperwork problems. With an Aug. 31 deadline looming, tens of thousands remained to be airlifted from the chaotic country.

Taliban fighters and their checkpoints ringed the airport  major barriers for Afghans who fear that their past work with Westerners makes them prime targets for retribution. Hundreds of Afghans who lacked any papers or clearance for evacuation also congregated outside the airport, adding to the chaos that has prevented even some Afghans who do have papers and promises of flights from getting through.

It didnt help that many of the Taliban fighters could not read the documents.

In a hopeful sign, State Department spokesman Ned Price said in Washington that 6,000 people were cleared for evacuation Thursday and were expected to board military flights in coming hours. That would mark a major increase from recent days. About 2,000 passengers were flown out on each of the past two days, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said.

Kirby said the military has aircraft available to evacuate 5,000 to 9,000 people per day, but until Thursday far fewer designated evacuees had been able to reach, and then enter, the airport.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin pauses while speaking during a media briefing at the Pentagon, Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Kirby told reporters the limiting factor has been available evacuees, not aircraft. He said efforts were underway to speed processing, including adding State Department consular officers to verify paperwork of Americans and Afghans who managed to get to the airport. Additional entry gates had been opened, he said.

And yet, at the current rate it would be difficult for the U.S. to evacuate all of the Americans and Afghans who are qualified for and seeking evacuation by Aug. 31. President Joe Biden said Wednesday he would ensure no American was left behind, even if that meant staying beyond August, an arbitrary deadline that he set weeks before the Taliban climaxed a stunning military victory by taking Kabul last weekend. It was not clear if Biden might consider extending the deadline for evacuees who aren't American citizens.

At the airport, military evacuation flights continued, but access remained difficult for many. On Thursday, Taliban militants fired into the air to try to control the crowds gathered at the airports blast walls. Men, women and children fled. U.S. Navy fighter jets flew overhead, a standard military precaution but also a reminder to the Taliban that the U.S. has firepower to respond to a combat crisis.

Afghan security guards stand on a wall as hundreds of people gather outside the international airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021. The Taliban declared an amnesty across Afghanistan and urged women to join their government Tuesday, seeking to convince a wary population that they have changed a day after deadly chaos gripped the main airport as desperate crowds tried to flee the country. (AP Photo)

There is no accurate figure of the number of people  Americans, Afghans or others  who are in need of evacuation as the process is almost entirely self-selecting. For example, the State Department says that when it ordered its nonessential embassy staff to leave Kabul in April after Bidens withdrawal announcement, fewer than 4,000 Americans had registered for security updates. The actual number, including dual U.S.-Afghan citizens along with family members, is likely much higher, with estimates ranging from 11,000 to 15,000. Tens of thousands of Afghans may also be in need of escape.

Compounding the uncertainty, the U.S. government has no way to track how many registered Americans may have left Afghanistan already. Some may have returned to the United States but others may have gone to third countries.

At the Pentagon, Kirby declined to say whether Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had recommended to Biden that he extend the Aug. 31 deadline. Given the Taliban's takeover of the country, staying beyond that date would require at least the Taliban's acquiescence, he said. He said he knew of no such talks yet between U.S. and Taliban commanders, who have been in regular touch for days to limit conflict at the airport as part of what the White House has termed a safe passage agreement worked out on Sunday.

In this photo made available by Britain's Ministry of Defence, a civilian charter flight arrives at a British midlands airport (exact location withheld) from Kabul on Wednesday Aug. 18, 2021. The flight carried eligible Afghans under the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy Programme along with British Nationals who were based in Afghanistan. (SAC Samantha Holden RAF via AP)

I think it is just a fundamental fact of the reality of where we are, that communications and a certain measure of agreement with the Taliban on what we're trying to accomplish has to occur, Kirby said.

Of the approximately 2,000 people airlifted from the airport in the 24 hours ended Wednesday morning, nearly 300 were Americans, Kirby said. U.S. lawmakers were briefed Thursday morning that 6,741 people had been evacuated since Aug. 14, including 1,762 American citizens and Green Card holders, according to two congressional aides.

Although Afghanistan had been a hotspot for the coronavirus pandemic, the State Department said Thursday that evacuees are not required to get negative COVID-19 results.

Afghan security guards stand on a wall as hundreds of people gather outside the international airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021. The Taliban declared an amnesty across Afghanistan and urged women to join their government Tuesday, seeking to convince a wary population that they have changed a day after deadly chaos gripped the main airport as desperate crowds tried to flee the country. (AP Photo)

A blanket humanitarian waiver has been implemented for COVID-19 testing for all persons the U.S. government is relocating from Afghanistan, the department said. Medical exams, including COVID-19 tests, had been required for evacuees prior to the Talibans takeover of Kabul, which added extra urgency to efforts to get at-risk Afghans out.

Doug Speirs | Uplift A weekly review of funny, uplifting news in Winnipeg and around the globe that is delivered to your inbox each Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Additional American troops continued to arrive at the airport. As of Thursday there were about 5,200, including Marines who specialize in evacuation coordination and an Air Force unit that specializes in emergency airport operations. Biden has authorized a total deployment of about 6,000.

Hoping to secure evacuation seats are American citizens and other foreigners, Afghan allies of the Western forces, and women, journalists, activists and others most at risk from the fundamentalist Taliban.

Afghan security guards stand on a wall as hundreds of people gather outside the international airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021. The Taliban declared an amnesty across Afghanistan and urged women to join their government Tuesday, seeking to convince a wary population that they have changed a day after deadly chaos gripped the main airport as desperate crowds tried to flee the country. (AP Photo)

Will U.S. troops go beyond the airport perimeter to collect and escort people? Austin suggested on Wednesday that this was not currently feasible. We don't have the capability to go out and collect large numbers of people, he told reporters.

Austin added that evacuations would continue until the clock runs out or we run out of capability.

Afghans in danger because of their work with the U.S. military or U.S organizations, and Americans scrambling to get them out, also pleaded with Washington to cut the red tape that has complicated matters.

If we dont sort this out, well literally be condemning people to death, said Marina Kielpinski LeGree, the American head of a nonprofit, Ascend. The organization's young Afghan female colleagues were in the mass of people waiting for flights at the airport in the wake of days of mayhem, tear gas and gunshots.
DOVER, Del. (AP)  A bankruptcy judge on Thursday approved a proposal by the Boy Scouts of America to enter into an agreement that includes an $850 million fund to compensate tens of thousands of men who say they were sexually abused as youngsters by Scout leaders and others.

FILE - This Feb. 18, 2020, file photo shows the headquarters for the French Creek Council of the Boy Scouts of America in Summit Township in Erie County, Pa. Attorneys recently reached a tentative agreement that could help pave the way for the Boy Scouts of America to exit bankruptcy. A Delaware judge has set a Thursday, Aug. 12, 2021 hearing on a proposed $850 million agreement between the Boy Scouts and attorneys representing about 70,000 child sex abuse claimants. (Christopher Millette/Erie Times-News via AP, File)

DOVER, Del. (AP)  A bankruptcy judge on Thursday approved a proposal by the Boy Scouts of America to enter into an agreement that includes an $850 million fund to compensate tens of thousands of men who say they were sexually abused as youngsters by Scout leaders and others.

But the judge also rejected two key provisions of the deal, potentially jeopardizing the agreement that the organization had been hoping to use as a springboard to emerge from bankruptcy later this year.

Following three days of testimony and arguments, Judge Laura Selber Silverstein granted the BSAs request to enter into an agreement involving the national Boy Scouts organization, roughly 250 local Boy Scout councils, and attorneys representing some 70,000 men who say they were sexually abused as youngsters decades ago while engaged in Boy Scout-related activities.

The agreement was opposed by insurers who issued policies to the Boy Scouts and local councils, attorneys representing thousands of other abuse victims, and various church denominations that have sponsored local Boy Scout troops.

It was not immediately clear how Thursday's ruling will affect the future of the bankruptcy case, given that she rejected two significant provisions in the restructuring support agreement.

Basically, everybodys going to have to go back to the drawing board, said Paul Mones, an attorney representing hundreds of abuse claimants. I think this is going to cause a reset.

FILE - In this Feb. 18, 2020, file photo, Boy Scouts of America uniforms are displayed in the retail store at the headquarters for the French Creek Council of the Boy Scouts of America in Summit Township, Pa. Attorneys recently reached a tentative agreement that could help pave the way for the Boy Scouts of America to exit bankruptcy. A Delaware judge has set a Thursday, Aug. 12, 2021 hearing on a proposed $850 million agreement between the Boy Scouts and attorneys representing about 70,000 child sex abuse claimants. (Christopher Millette/Erie Times-News via AP, File)

While ruling that BSA officials exercised proper business judgment as required under the law in entering into the agreement, the judge refused to grant a request that the Boy Scouts be allowed to pay millions in legal fees and expenses of attorneys hired by law firms that represent tens of thousands of abuse claimants.

Silverstein said she had several concerns about the fee request, including whether the ad hoc group called the Coalition of Abused Scouts for Justice is duplicating efforts by the official victims committee appointed by the U.S. bankruptcy trustee, and whether the coalition is making a substantial contribution to the case.

The judge also noted that coalition attorneys had emphasized last year that their legal fees would be paid by individual law firms they were representing, and that abuse claimants would not be responsible for those costs.

Silverstein said any payment of legal fees by the Boys Scouts, or by the victims fund, which was also contemplated in the agreement, comes directly or indirectly out of their clients pockets, and indeed the pockets of all abuse victims."

Any funds diverted from abuse victims, especially to pay an obligation of their lawyers, needs to be closely examined, she said.

Silverstein also denied the BSAs request under the agreement for permission to withdraw from an April agreement in which insurance company The Hartford would pay $650 million into the fund for abuse claimants in exchange for being released from any further liability.

Silverstein said the Hartford settlement was a separate issue from the agreement, and that the BSAs attempt to use the agreement as a vehicle to back out of that deal was improper.

You cant just roll up any relief you want and put it in a request to approve an (agreement), she said. ... The request to determine debtors obligations or, conversely, Hartfords damages, is not appropriate in this context.

A spokesperson for The Hartford said the company declined to comment.

Irwin Zalkin, an attorney for abuse claimants who opposed the agreement, said the judge gutted key conditions that supporters were hoping to box her into.

"In my view the (agreement) has been rendered toothless, Zalkin said.

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The Boy Scouts of America issued a statement describing the ruling as an important development in the case. The BSA also indicated that it would be submitting a court filing regarding the timing of a hearing that was scheduled to start Wednesday. The hearing is to determine whether the judge approves a disclosure statement that explains the Boy Scouts' reorganization plan to creditors. Approval of the disclosure statement is required before ballots can be sent to abuse claimants to vote on a plan.

The Boy Scouts, based in Irving, Texas, sought bankruptcy protection in February 2020 in an effort to halt hundreds of individual lawsuits and create a huge compensation fund for thousands of men who were molested as youngsters by scoutmasters or other leaders. Although the organization was facing 275 lawsuits at the time of the filing, it is now facing some 82,500 sexual abuse claims in the bankruptcy case.

Under the agreement, the Boy Scouts would contribute up to $250 million in cash and property to a fund for victims of child sexual abuse. The local councils, which run day-to-day operations for Boy Scout troops, would contribute $600 million. In addition, the national organization and local councils would transfer their rights to Boy Scout insurance policies to the victims fund. In return, they would be released from future liability for abuse claims.

Opponents of the deal argued that BSA officials failed to fully inform themselves or exercise proper business judgment in entering into the agreement. They noted that the Boy Scouts board of directors never adopted a resolution approving the agreement, and that decision-making authority was delegated to an executive committee and a handful of people on a bankruptcy task force.

Having reviewed the evidence, I conclude that debtors were sufficiently informed to make this decision, Silverstein said. And while a specific (board) resolution would have been preferable, the evidence is clear that debtors approved the transaction.

A court is particularly ill-suited to address strategic business decisions such as this one, the judge added. Debtors may ultimately may be wrong in their assessment, but that is not the test of business judgment.
LOS ANGELES (AP)  California's Sept. 14 recall election could remove first-term Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom from office. Mail-in ballots, the form of voting most Californians use, already have arrived at voters homes.

LOS ANGELES (AP)  California's Sept. 14 recall election could remove first-term Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom from office. Mail-in ballots, the form of voting most Californians use, already have arrived at voters homes.

The contest is unfolding as the state sees a surge in coronavirus cases from the delta variant and the return of masks and other mandates and restrictions in many places. There are raging wildfires in Northern California and an unrelenting homeless crisis.

Republicans are hoping for an upset in a heavily Democratic state, where the GOP hasnt won a statewide election since 2006. The election is being closely watched nationally as a barometer of the public mood heading toward the 2022 elections, when a closely divided Congress again will be in play.

So, how did California arrive at this point? Here are some answers:

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WHAT IS A RECALL ELECTION?

California is one of 20 states that have provisions to recall a sitting governor, 19 through elections. The state law establishing the rules goes back to 1911 and was intended to place more power directly in the hands of voters by allowing them to remove elected officials and repeal or pass laws by placing them on the ballot.

Recall attempts are common in the state, but they rarely get on the ballot and even fewer succeed. The only time a governor was recalled was 2003, when Democrat Gray Davis was removed and voters replaced him with Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger.

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WHY IS THERE A RECALL DRIVE AGAINST NEWSOM?

The answer is simple and complicated.

The simple part: Californians grew angry during the pandemic. Whipsaw stay-at-home orders by Newsom, crushing job losses from business closures, shuttered schools and the disruption of daily life soured just about everybody. Many of lifes routines were cut off at some point if not altogether, whether trips to the beach or lunches at a favorite taco joint.

The complicated part: In a state with nearly 40 million people there are many grievances, including Californias wallet-sapping taxes, rising food and gas prices, the threat of water rationing to contend with a long-running drought and the continuing threat of wildfires. As governor, Newsom is a ready target for that resentment.

He is also being hit by fallout from a multibillion-dollar fraud scandal at the state unemployment agency while weathering a public shaming for going maskless while dining out with friends and lobbyists at an exclusive restaurant last fall, while telling residents to stay home for safety.

___

HOW DOES THE ELECTION WORK?

Voters are being asked if Newsom should be removed, yes or no, and then who should replace him. They will choose from a list of replacement candidates. If a majority of voters approve Newsoms recall, the candidate who gets the most votes becomes governor. If Newsom is recalled, his replacement could be elected with just a fraction of the votes. With dozens of candidates dividing those ballots, its possible a winner could get 25% or less.

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WHAT REPLACEMENT CANDIDATES HAVE ENTERED THE RACE?

There are 46 names on the certified ballot, though former Congressman Doug Ose withdrew this week after suffering a heart attack. The 24 Republican candidates include talk radio host Larry Elder, Kevin Faulconer, the former San Diego mayor; businessman John Cox, who was defeated by Newsom in 2018; Caitlyn Jenner, a reality TV personality and former Olympian; and Assemblyman Kevin Kiley.

There are nine Democrats, 10 independents, two Green Party members and one Libertarian. No Democrat with political stature decided to run  the best-known Democratic candidate is real estate agent and YouTube star Kevin Paffrath. Most of the candidates are largely unknown and have not mounted credible campaigns.

___

WHAT ARE CANDIDATES PROMISING?

Faulconer has proposed ending the state income tax for individuals making up to $50,000 and households up to $100,000 as part of a plan to make the state more affordable for the middle class. Cox sought to gain attention by campaigning with a 1,000-pound (450-kilogram) Kodiak bear, which he said represented the need for beastly changes in the state, and also is calling for a historic tax cut.

Elder has promised to bring a fresh eye and common sense to Democrat-dominated Sacramento, and has said he would swiftly lift state mask and vaccine mandates. Kiley has said he would immediately end the pandemic state of emergency, which would automatically wipe out all state and local orders issued under it.

___

WHAT IS NEWSOM SAYING ABOUT THE RECALL?

For months, Newsom steered around questions about a possible recall election, saying he wanted to focus on the coronavirus, vaccinations and reopening schools. But in March, he launched an aggressive campaign strategy, fundraising, running ads attacking the recall and doing national TV and cable interviews. He has acknowledged that people were anxious and weary after a difficult year dealing with the virus and restrictions.

Newsom, who was elected in a 2018 landslide, sees the recall as an attack on Californias progressive policies. Democrats say the effort to remove him is being driven by far-right extremists and supporters of former President Donald Trump. The recall is backed by state and national Republicans, but organizers argue they have a broad-based coalition, including many independents and Democrats.

The governor spent much of 2020 on the defensive. But he has benefitted from a record state budget surplus that allowed him to tour the state to announce vast new spending programs, including $12 billion to fight homelessness; checks up to $1,100 for millions of low and middle-income earners who struggled during lockdowns; and $2.7 billion to pay for all of the states 4-year-olds to go to kindergarten for free.

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HOW PRECARIOUS IS NEWSOMS HOLD ON HIS JOB?

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In the depths of the pandemic, Newsoms popularity was tumbling and he appeared imperiled, with widespread unrest over long-running school and business closures. Many business owners were infuriated by what they saw as Newsoms heavy-handed restrictions that had some open and close several times. Others rebelled against mandatory mask-wearing rules.

Earlier this year, a reopened economy and the astounding windfall of tax dollars helped Newsom recover his standing. However, when Newsom fully reopened the state on June 15 virus cases were near record lows. Since then cases have been climbing, particularly among the unvaccinated.

Los Angeles County, which accounts for a quarter of the state's population, re-imposed a mandatory mask order on people who are indoors at public places, even if theyre vaccinated. California also is requiring K-12 students to wear masks when they go back to classrooms. Such an order could hurt Newsom, especially among those who felt he didnt do enough to reopen schools last year.

Newsom himself has been warning the race is close, and Democrats fear many of their voters are shrugging at the contest while Republicans and conservatives are eager to vote.

Still, Newsom has an advantage over his GOP foes  California is one of the country's most heavily Democratic states. Democratic voters outnumber Republicans by nearly 2-to-1, and the party controls every statewide office and dominates the Legislature and congressional delegation.

Republicans last won a statewide election in 2006, when Schwarzenegger was reelected.
CHICAGO (AP)  Michael Williams wife pleaded with him to remember their fishing trips with the grandchildren, how he used to braid her hair, anything to jar him back to his world outside the concrete walls of Cook County Jail.

A pedestrian walks with a dog at the intersection of South Stony Island Avenue and East 63rd Street where the ShotSpotter technology is in use above the crossroads on Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2021, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

CHICAGO (AP)  Michael Williams wife pleaded with him to remember their fishing trips with the grandchildren, how he used to braid her hair, anything to jar him back to his world outside the concrete walls of Cook County Jail.

His three daily calls to her had become a lifeline, but when they dwindled to two, then one, then only a few a week, the 65-year-old Williams felt he couldnt go on. He made plans to take his life with a stash of pills he had stockpiled in his dormitory.

This undated photo provided by the family in August 2021 shows shooting victim Safarian Herring of Chicago. Samona Nicholson, Herrings mother, said he once studied at Le Cordon Bleu culinary school, and dreamed of starting a food-truck business. Two weeks before being fatally shot in May 2020, he had survived a shooting at a bus stop. Nicholson, who called her son "Pook," arranged for him to stay with a relative where she thought hed be safe. (Courtesy of Samona Nicholson via AP)

Williams was jailed last August, accused of killing a young man from the neighborhood who asked him for a ride during a night of unrest over police brutality in May. But the key evidence against Williams didnt come from an eyewitness or an informant; it came from a clip of noiseless security video showing a car driving through an intersection, and a loud bang picked up by a network of surveillance microphones. Prosecutors said technology powered by a secret algorithm that analyzed noises detected by the sensors indicated Williams shot and killed the man.

I kept trying to figure out, how can they get away with using the technology like that against me? said Williams, speaking publicly for the first time about his ordeal. Thats not fair.

Williams sat behind bars for nearly a year before a judge dismissed the case against him last month at the request of prosecutors, who said they had insufficient evidence.

Williams experience highlights the real-world impacts of societys growing reliance on algorithms to help make consequential decisions about many aspects of public life. Nowhere is this more apparent than in law enforcement, which has turned to technology companies like gunshot detection firm ShotSpotter to battle crime. ShotSpotter evidence has increasingly been admitted in court cases around the country, now totaling some 200. ShotSpotters website says its a leader in precision policing technology solutions that helps stop gun violence by using sensors, algorithms and artificial intelligence to classify 14 million sounds in its proprietary database as gunshots or something else.

But an Associated Press investigation, based on a review of thousands of internal documents, emails, presentations and confidential contracts, along with interviews with dozens of public defenders in communities where ShotSpotter has been deployed, has identified a number of serious flaws in using ShotSpotter as evidentiary support for prosecutors.

APs investigation found the system can miss live gunfire right under its microphones, or misclassify the sounds of fireworks or cars backfiring as gunshots. Forensic reports prepared by ShotSpotters employees have been used in court to improperly claim that a defendant shot at police, or provide questionable counts of the number of shots allegedly fired by defendants. Judges in a number of cases have thrown out the evidence.

ShotSpotters proprietary algorithms are the companys primary selling point, and it frequently touts the technology in marketing materials as virtually foolproof. But the private company guards how its closed system works as a trade secret, a black box largely inscrutable to the public, jurors and police oversight boards.

The companys methods for identifying gunshots arent always guided solely by the technology. ShotSpotter employees can, and often do, change the source of sounds picked up by its sensors after listening to audio recordings, introducing the possibility of human bias into the gunshot detection algorithm. Employees can and do modify the location or number of shots fired at the request of police, according to court records. And in the past, city dispatchers or police themselves could also make some of these changes.

Amid a nationwide debate over racial bias in policing, privacy and civil rights advocates say ShotSpotters system and other algorithm-based technologies used to set everything from prison sentences to probation rules lack transparency and oversight and show why the criminal justice system shouldnt outsource some of societys weightiest decisions to computer code.

When pressed about potential errors from the companys algorithm, ShotSpotter CEO Ralph Clark declined to discuss specifics about their use of artificial intelligence, saying its not really relevant.

The point is anything that ultimately gets produced as a gunshot has to have eyes and ears on it, said Clark in an interview. Human eyes and ears, OK?

____

This story, supported by the Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting, is part of an ongoing Associated Press series, Tracked, that investigates the power and consequences of decisions driven by algorithms on peoples everyday lives.

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A woman walks past one of the many closed businesses along East 79th Street in Chicago on Friday, Aug. 13, 2021, in a neighborhood on the South Side near where the shooting of Safarian Herring took place in May 2020. (AP Photo/Mark Black)

A GAME CHANGER

Police chiefs call ShotSpotter a game-changer. The technology, which has been installed in about 110 American cities, large and small, can cost up to $95,000 per square mile per year. The system is usually placed at the request of local officials in neighborhoods deemed to be the highest risk for gun violence, which are often disproportionately Black and Latino communities. Law enforcement officials say it helps get officers to crime scenes quicker and helps cash-strapped public safety agencies better deploy their resources.

ShotSpotter has turned into one of the most important cogs in our wheel of addressing gun violence, said Toledo, Ohio Police Chief George Kral during a 2019 International Association of Chiefs of Police conference in Chicago.

Researchers who took a look at ShotSpotters impacts in communities where it is used came to a different conclusion. One study published in April in the peer-reviewed Journal of Urban Health examined ShotSpotter in 68 large, metropolitan counties from 1999 to 2016, the largest review to date. It found that the technology didnt reduce gun violence or increase community safety.

The evidence that weve produced suggests that the technology does not reduce firearm violence in the long-term, and the implementation of the technology does not lead to increased murder or weapons related arrests, said lead author Mitch Doucette.

ShotSpotter installs its acoustic sensors on buildings, telephone poles and street lights. Employees in a dark, restricted-access room study hundreds of thousands of gunfire alerts on multiple computer screens at the companys headquarters about 35 miles (56 kilometers) south of San Francisco or a newer office in Washington.

Forensic tools such as DNA and ballistics evidence used by prosecutors have had their methodologies examined in painstaking detail for decades, but ShotSpotter claims its software is proprietary, and wont release its algorithm. The companys privacy policy says sensor locations arent divulged to police departments, although community members can see them on their street lamps. The company has shielded internal data and records revealing the systems inner workings, leaving defense attorneys no way of interrogating the technology to understand the specifics of how it works.

We have a constitutional right to confront all witnesses and evidence against us, but in this case the ShotSpotter system is the accuser, and there is no way to determine if its accurate, monitored, calibrated or if someones added something, said Katie Higgins, a defense attorney who has successfully fought ShotSpotter evidence. The most serious consequence is being convicted of a crime you didnt commit using this as evidence.

The Silicon Valley startup launched 25 years ago backed by venture capitalist Gary Lauder, heir to Estee Lauders makeup fortune. Today, the billionaire remains the companys largest investor.

ShotSpotters profile has grown in recent years.

The U.S. government has spent more than $6.9 million on gunshot detection systems, including ShotSpotter, in discretionary grants and earmarked funds, the Justice Department said in response to questions from AP. States and local governments have spent millions more, from a separate pool of federal tax dollars, to purchase the system.

The companys share price has more than doubled since it went public in 2017 and it posted revenue of nearly $30 million in the first half of 2021. Its hardly ubiquitous, however. ShotSpotter's website lists 119 communities in the U.S., the Caribbean and South Africa where it operates. The company says it has deployed 18,000 sensors covering 810 square miles (2,100 square kilometers).

In 2018, it acquired a predictive policing company called HunchLab, which integrates its AI models with ShotSpotters gunshot detection data to purportedly predict crime before it happens.

That system can forecast when and where crimes are likely to emerge and recommends specific patrols and tactics that can deter these events, according to the companys 2020 annual report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company said it plans to expand in Latin America and other regions of the world. It recently appointed Roberta Jacobson, the former U.S. ambassador to Mexico, to its board.

Late last year, a Trump administration commission on law enforcement urged increased funding for systems like ShotSpotter to combat firearm crime and violence.

And amid rising homicides, this spring, the Biden administration nominated David Chipman, a former ShotSpotter executive, to head the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

In June, President Joe Biden encouraged mayors to use American Rescue Plan funds  aimed at speeding up the U.S. pandemic recovery  to buy gunshot detection systems, to better see and stop gun violence in their communities.

Michael Williams sits for a portrait in his South Side Chicago home Tuesday, July 27, 2021. Williams was behind bars for nearly a year before a judge dismissed the murder case against him in July at the request of prosecutors, who said they had insufficient evidence. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

SOMETHING IN ME HAD JUST DIED

On a balmy Sunday evening in May 2020, Williams and his wife Jacqueline Anderson settled in at their apartment building on Chicagos South Side. They fed their Rottweiler Lily and German shepherd Shibey. Anderson fell asleep. Williams said he left the house to buy cigarettes at a gas station.

Looters had beaten him to it. Six days before in Minneapolis, George Floyd had been killed by police Officer Derek Chauvin. Four hundred miles away (640 kilometers), in Williams neighborhood, outrage boiled over. Shops were torn up, store windows broken, fires burned.

Williams found the gas station destroyed, so he said he made a U-turn to head home on South Stony Island Avenue. Before he reached East 63rd Street, Williams said Safarian Herring, a 25-year-old he said he had seen around the neighborhood, waved him down for a ride.

I didnt feel threatened or anything because Ive seen him before, around. So, I said yes. And he got in the front seat, and we took off, Williams said.

According to documents AP obtained through an open records request, Williams told police that as he approached an intersection another vehicle pulled up beside his car. A man in the front passenger seat fired a shot. The bullet missed Williams, but hit his passenger.

It shocked me so badly, the only thing I can do was slump down in my car, he said. As Herring bled all over the seat from wounds to the side of his head, Williams ran a red light to escape.

I was hollering to my passenger Are you ok? said Williams. He didnt respond.

Williams drove his passenger to St. Bernard Hospital, where medical workers rushed Herring into the emergency room and doctors fought to save his life.

Two weeks before being picked up by Williams, Samona Nicholson, Herrings mother, said the aspiring chef had survived a shooting at a bus stop. Nicholson, who called her son Pook, arranged for him to stay with a relative where she thought hed be safe.

Doctors pronounced Herring dead on June 2, 2020, at 2:53 p.m.

For days after the shooting Williams wife said he curled up on his bed, having flashbacks and praying for his passenger.

Three months after Herrings death, the police showed up. Williams recalls officers told him they wanted to take him to the station to talk and assured him he did nothing wrong.

He had a criminal history and spent three different stints behind bars, for attempted murder, robbery and discharging a firearm, records show.

That was all when he was a younger man. Williams said he had moved on with life, avoiding legal trouble since his last release more than 15 years ago and working numerous jobs.

At the police station, detectives interrogated him about the night Herring was shot, then took him to a holding cell.

They just said that they were charging me with first-degree murder, Williams said. When he told me that, it was just like something in me had just died.

ShotSpotter equipment overlooks the intersection of South Stony Island Avenue and East 63rd Street in Chicago on Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2021. An Associated Press investigation, based on a review of thousands of internal documents, emails, presentations and confidential contracts, along with interviews with dozens of public defenders in communities where ShotSpotter has been deployed, has identified a number of serious flaws in using ShotSpotter as evidentiary support for prosecutions. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

ITS NOT PERFECT

On the night Williams stepped out for cigarettes, ShotSpotter sensors identified a loud noise the system initially assigned to 5700 S. Lake Shore Dr. near Chicagos historic Museum of Science and Industry alongside Lake Michigan, according to an alert the company sent to police.

That material anchored the prosecutors theory that Williams shot Herring inside his car, even though the case supplementary report from police did not cite a motive nor did it mention any eyewitnesses. There was no gun found at the scene of the crime.

Prosecutors also leaned on a surveillance video showing that Williams car ran a red light, as did another car that appeared to have its windows up, ruling out the possibility that the shot came from the other cars passenger window, they said.

Chicago police did not respond to APs request for comment. The Cook County States Attorneys Office said in a statement that after careful review prosecutors concluded that the totality of the evidence was insufficient to meet our burden of proof," but did not answer specific questions about the case.

As ShotSpotters gunshot detection systems expand around the country, so has its use as forensic evidence in the courtroom  some 200 times in 20 states since 2010, with 91 of those cases in the past three years, the company said.

Our data compiled with our expert analysis help prosecutors make convictions, said a recent ShotSpotter press release. Even during the pandemic, ShotSpotter participated in 18 court cases, some over Zoom, according to a recent company presentation to investors.

But even as its use has expanded in court, ShotSpotters technology has drawn scrutiny.

For one, the algorithm that analyzes sounds to distinguish gunshots from other noises has never been peer reviewed by outside academics or experts.

The concern about ShotSpotter being used as direct evidence is that there are simply no studies out there to establish the validity or the reliability of the technology. Nothing, said Tania Brief, a staff attorney at The Innocence Project, a nonprofit which seeks to reverse wrongful convictions.

A 2011 study commissioned by the company found that dumpsters, trucks, motorcycles, helicopters, fireworks, construction, trash pickup and church bells have all triggered false positive alerts, mistaking these sounds for gunshots. Clark said the company is constantly improving its audio classifications, but the system still logs a small percentage of false positives.

In the past, these false alerts  and lack of alerts  have prompted cities from Charlotte, North Carolina, to San Antonio, Texas, to end their ShotSpotter contracts, the AP found.

In Fall River, Massachusetts, police said ShotSpotter worked less than 50% of the time and missed all seven shots in a downtown murder in 2018. The results didnt improve over time, and later that year ShotSpotter turned off its system.

The public school district in Fresno, California, ended its ShotSpotter contract last year, after paying $1.25 million over four years and finding it too costly. Also, parents and board members were concerned that district funds meant to help high-needs students were used to pay for ShotSpotter, said school board trustee Genoveva Islas.

We were at the point where George Floyd had been murdered and there was a lot of push around racism and discrimination in the district. There was this mounting questioning about that investment in particular, Islas said.

Some courts, too, have been less than impressed with the ShotSpotter system. In 2014, a judge in Richmond, California, didnt allow ShotSpotter evidence to be used during a gang murder conspiracy case, although the accused man, Todd Gillard, was still convicted of being involved in a drive-by shooting.

The expert testimony that a gun was fired at a particular location at a given time, based on the ShotSpotter technology, is not presently admissible in court, because it has not, at this point, reached general acceptance in the relevant scientific community, ruled Contra Costa Superior Court Judge John Kennedy.

In a Chicago case, prosecutors had surveillance videos of gang member Ernesto Godinez in a neighborhood where an ATF agent was shot after dark  but none showing him actually shooting a gun. At a 2019 trial, they entered ShotSpotter data to show gunshots originated from the location where video evidence indicated Godinez was when shots rang out. This month, a federal appeals court ruled that a trial judge erred by not vetting the reliability of ShotSpotter data before letting jurors hear it. Nonetheless, the split three-judge panel concluded that other evidence prosecutors presented was enough to uphold Godinezs conviction.

ShotSpotter says its constantly fine-tuning its machine learning model to recognize what is and isnt a gunshot sound by getting detectives and investigators to add crime scene observations to its system. As a part of that process, which they call ground truth, ShotSpotter asks patrol officers to add and notate shell casings, bullet holes, gather witness testimony and other evidence of gunfire using its software.

We have the opportunity to make the machine classification better and better and better because we get real-world feedback loops from humans, Clark said.

Several experts warned that training an algorithm based on a set of observations submitted by police risks contaminating the model if harried officers  perhaps inadvertently  feed it incomplete or incorrect data.

Im kind of aghast, said Clare Garvie, a senior associate with the Center on Privacy & Technology at Georgetown Law. You are building an inherent uncertainty into that system, and you are telling that system its fine. You are contaminating the reliability of your system.

ShotSpotter said the more data it receives from police, the more accurate its model becomes. The company says their system is accurate 97% of the time.

In the small number of cases where ShotSpotter is incorrect, providing feedback to the algorithm can improve accuracy, the company said.

Beyond the ShotSpotter algorithm, other questions have been raised about how the company operates.

Court records show that in some cases, employees have changed sounds detected by the system to say that they are gunshots.

During 2016 testimony in a Rochester, New York, officer-involved shooting trial, ShotSpotters engineer Paul Greene was pressed to explain why one of its employees reclassified sounds from a helicopter to a bullet. The reason? He said its customer, in this case the Rochester Police Department, told them to.

The defense attorney in that case was dumbfounded: Is that something that occurs in the regular course of business at ShotSpotter? he asked.

Yes, it is. It happens all the time, said Greene. Typically, you know, we trust our law enforcement customers to be really upfront and honest with us.

Testifying in a 2017 San Francisco murder trial, Greene gave similar testimony that an analyst had moved the location of its initial alert a block away, suddenly matching the scene of the crime.

Its not perfect. The dot on the map is simply a starting point, he said.

In the Williams case, evidence in pretrial hearings shows that ShotSpotter initially said the noise the sensor picked up was a firecracker, a classification the companys algorithm made with 98% confidence. But a ShotSpotter employee relabeled the noise as a gunshot.

Later, ShotSpotter senior technical support engineer Walter Collier changed the reported Chicago address of the sound to the street where Williams was driving, about 1 miles (1.6 kilometers) away, according to court documents. ShotSpotter said Collier corrected the report to match the actual location that the sensors had identified.

Collier worked for the Chicago Police Department for more than two decades before joining ShotSpotter, according to his LinkedIn profile. After Williams was sent to jail, his attorney requested more information about Colliers training. The attorney, Brendan Max, said he was shocked by the companys response.

In court filings, ShotSpotter acknowledged: Our experts are trained using a variety of on the job training sessions, and transfer of knowledge from our scientists and other experienced employees. As such no official or formal training materials exist for our forensic experts.

Law enforcement officials in Chicago continue to stand by their use of ShotSpotter. Chicagos three-year, $33 million contract, signed in 2018, makes the city ShotSpotters largest customer. ShotSpotter has been at the heart of the police departments intelligence-action cycle for predictive policing that uses gunshot alerts to identify areas of risk, according to a presentation obtained by AP.

Late last month, on July 22, Attorney General Merrick Garland flew to Chicago to announce a new initiative to combat gun violence and toured a police precinct, looking on as officials showed him how they use ShotSpotter.

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

The next day, Williams hobbled into Courtroom 500 leaning on his wooden cane, dressed in tan jail garb and sandals, as a sheriffs deputy towered over him. He had been locked up for 11 months.

Williams lifted his head to the famously irascible Judge Vincent Gaughan. The 79-year-old Vietnam veteran looked back from high on his bench and told Williams his case was dismissed. The reason: insufficient evidence.

ShotSpotter maintains it had warned prosecutors not to rely on its technology to detect gunshots fired inside vehicles or buildings. The company said the disclaimer can be found in the small print embedded in its contract with Chicago police.

But the company declined to say at what point during Williams nearly yearlong incarceration it got in touch with prosecutors, or why it prepared a forensic report for a gunshot that allegedly was fired in Williams vehicle, given the fact that the system had trouble identifying gunshots in enclosed spaces. The report itself contained contradictory information suggesting the technology did, in fact, work inside cars. Clark, the companys CEO, declined to comment on the case, but in a follow-up statement, the company equivocated, telling AP that under certain conditions, the system can actually pick up gunshots inside vehicles.

Max, Williams attorney, said prosecutors never disclosed any of this information to him, and instead dropped charges two months after he subpoenaed ShotSpotter for the companys correspondence with states attorneys.

The judge agreed to schedule a hearing in the coming weeks about whether to release ShotSpotters operating protocol and other documents the company wants to keep secret. Max, who requested it, said such material could be used to cast doubt on the validity and reliability of ShotSpotter evidence in cases nationwide.

My client did not deserve to have his liberty taken away based on unscientific, unproven evidence, Max said. Given the history of flawed forensic evidence in our courts, we cant let ShotSpotter be the next thing that racks up wrongful convictions.

At 9 p.m. on July 22, Williams walked out of Cook County Jail into the hot Chicago night. He had no cellphone, no wallet, no ID. Williams said authorities hadnt let him make a phone call or returned anything to him. A spokesman for the Cook County Sheriffs Office, which operates the jail, said Thursday that staff returned all Williams clothes and personal belongings that the facility held and that Williams had easy access to free departure-area phones.

He was picked up by his attorney, and Anderson, his wife of 20 years, was waiting at home. When her husband stepped out of his attorneys car, she took him in her arms and cried.

That first night at home, Anderson made ribs and chicken, cornbread and macaroni and cheese.

But Williams couldnt eat on his own. Hed beat COVID-19 twice while in jail, but had developed an uncontrollable tremor in his hand that kept him from holding a spoon. So Anderson fed him. And as they sat together on the couch, she held onto his arm to try and stop the shaking.

For her part, Herrings mother believes police had the right suspect in Williams. She blames ShotSpotter for botching the case by passing on, then withdrawing what she called flimsy data.

Williams remains shaken by his ordeal. He said he doesnt feel safe in his hometown anymore. When he walks through the neighborhood he scans for the little microphones that almost sent him to prison for life.

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The only places these devices are installed are in poor Black communities, nowhere else, he said. How many of us will end up in this same situation?"

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Mendoza reported from Newark, California. Associated Press Writer Roselyn Romero in San Luis Obispo, California, contributed to this report.

Contact APs global investigative team at Investigative@ap.org

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Click here for statements provided by ShotSpotter in response to questions submitted by The Associated Press for this article.
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP)  Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds' office is illegally delaying the release of public records related to its $26 million, no-bid coronavirus testing contract, a pair of new lawsuits contend.

FILE - In this Thursday, April 30, 2020 file photo, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds is seen on a monitor as she updates the state's response to the coronavirus outbreak during a news conference at the State Emergency Operations Center, in Johnston, Iowa. A new lawsuit contends that Reynolds' office is illegally delaying the release of public records related to the state's $26 million, no-bid coronavirus testing contract. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, Pool, File)

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP)  Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds' office is illegally delaying the release of public records related to its $26 million, no-bid coronavirus testing contract, a pair of new lawsuits contend.

Reynolds and her offices public records custodian, attorney Michael Boal, are the latest officials to be accused of violating open records laws by a Utah-based company investigating testing programs in several states.

Paul Huntsman, chairman of the board of the Salt Lake Tribune newspaper, launched Jittai to seek public records related to Test Utah and similar programs in Nebraska, Iowa and Tennessee. He is funding the requests and vowing to make public the findings, saying he wants to know how well the programs worked and whether public funds were used for private gain.

Suzette Rasmussen, an attorney for Jittai who previously served as chief records officer for former Utah Gov. Gary Herbert, filed two nearly identical lawsuits this week in Polk County against Reynolds and Boal. They allege that Reynolds office for more than five months has refused to timely and meaningfully respond to records requests related to the Test Iowa program.

In two separate requests, Rasmussen in March asked the governor's office for correspondence related to Nomi Health, a Utah startup that was selected to run the program.

The lawsuits say Boal requested on July 20 that she provide particular search terms to look for records electronically, and Rasmussen responded the same day.

Governor Reynolds and Boal have knowingly refused to make the records available for Rasmussen for examination and copying," the petitions state.

The lawsuits ask a judge to order the pair to comply with the open records law, enjoin them from future violations for one year, assess damages and award attorneys fees.

The lawsuits also ask the court to order Reynolds' and Boal's removal from office if they are found to have engaged in a prior open records law violation for which damages are assessed.

Iowa law says courts shall issue an order removing a person from office for a second such violation, but it's unclear whether that would apply to Reynolds. The Iowa Constitution gives lawmakers, not the courts, the power to impeach and remove the governor for misconduct.

The governor's spokesman had no immediate comment.

Rasmussen has filed other lawsuits seeking records from Utah Gov. Spencer Coxs office, Nebraska's state epidemiologist and the Iowa Department of Public Health.

Rasmussen said Thursday that she and her clients are investigating how the testing contracts were signed, the validity of the testing and the unprecedented use of political connections and political power in pushing these projects forward.

Reynolds has said that she decided to copy Utahs drive-thru testing program after receiving a tip from Iowa-born actor Ashton Kutcher, who was friends with a software executive working on it.

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Iowa signed an emergency $26 million contract with Nomi Health in April 2020 to obtain 540,000 coronavirus tests, which were produced by Utah-based Co-Diagnostics. Utah tech firms Domo and Qualtrics also worked on parts of the program, which has since changed to at-home testing and currently faces a backlog for kits.

Nomi Health has been paid more than $35 million in all, according to Iowas online checkbook.

The lawsuits against Reynolds comes as the governors office has faced increasing criticism for tightly controlling information during the pandemic and refusing to acknowledge or fulfill many open records requests. Randy Evans, director of the Iowa Freedom of Information Council, said recently the states compliance with the law is the worst he has seen in 50 years as an Iowa journalist.

The case Rasmussen filed last month against Iowas health department and records custodian Sarah Ekstrand seeks correspondence between department director Kelly Garcia and officials in Utah, Nebraska and Tennessee related to the testing programs.

Ekstrand told Rasmussen in April that she anticipated having the requested fulfilled in five days, but no records had been released by late July, according to the lawsuit.

The health departments former longtime spokeswoman, Polly Carver Kimm, has filed a wrongful termination lawsuit alleging that the governors office pushed her out for releasing public information and data requested by news outlets. State lawyers representing the governor and her spokesman have argued in that case that the open records law is not a well-recognized public policy and therefore gives no legal protections to at-will employees who fulfill requests.
HONOLULU (AP)  The project director of a new solar telescope in Hawaii that will be the most powerful of its kind hopes scientists will be able to start observations at the facility in three months.

HONOLULU (AP)  The project director of a new solar telescope in Hawaii that will be the most powerful of its kind hopes scientists will be able to start observations at the facility in three months.

The Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope, at the summit of Haleakala volcano on Maui, was supposed to open last fall. But Thomas Rimmele told Hawaii Public Radio on Wednesday that COVID-19 travel restrictions set back construction on its critical systems.

He hopes the current schedule wont be affected by newly surging coronavirus cases and any additional restrictions. Rimmele was expecting to return to Maui as early as this week.

November 15 is what were shooting for. We just had a big review, the final construction review that was conducted by the National Science Foundation, Rimmele said. (The scientists) are getting really anxious to get their observations and data done.

The telescope has received about 100 proposals from researchers for an initial observing window of two-and-a-half months. Picking which scientists get to go first depends heavily on atmospheric conditions and what objects are visible on a given day.

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He said one quarter or even a fifth of the proposals may be approved for the first cycle.

We are highly oversubscribed and people will have to submit proposals again for the next cycle, he said. Thats just how it works.

The telescope is to be the largest and most powerful of its kind in the world. The National Solar Observatory said the Inouye telescope will be able to reveal features three times smaller than anything scientists are able to currently see on the Sun.

The Hawaii Supreme Court in 2016 affirmed a permit for the solar telescopes construction.

The next year, more than 100 protesters tried to block a construction convoy heading to the telescope site, citing the sacredness of Haleakalas summit. Maui police arrested six people.

Protests against another telescope planned for a different mountain and island  the Thirty Meter Telescope at the summit of Mauna Kea on the Big Island  have prevented construction crews from working on that project.
SINGAPORE (AP)  Singapore will launch its first quarantine-free travel program for vaccinated people arriving from Germany and Brunei, and ease restrictions for visitors from Hong Kong and Macao as it seeks to reopen its borders after fully vaccinating over 75% of its population, the government said Thursday.

FILE - In this May 19, 2021, file photo, commuters wear face masks and practice social distancing to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus while onboard a subway in Singapore. Singapore announced Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021, that it is launching a travel bubble with Brunei and Germany from Sep. 8, Singapore government also says travel bubble with Hong Kong is off permanently as can't launch in a sustainable way. (AP Photo/Zen Soo, File)

SINGAPORE (AP)  Singapore will launch its first quarantine-free travel program for vaccinated people arriving from Germany and Brunei, and ease restrictions for visitors from Hong Kong and Macao as it seeks to reopen its borders after fully vaccinating over 75% of its population, the government said Thursday.

As the global COVID-19 situation evolves, we will continue to adjust our border measures with the appropriate safeguards to ensure public health and safety, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore said.

Previously, only Singapore residents and those with employment or student passes were allowed to enter the country.

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From Sept. 8, visitors from Germany and Brunei can apply for a Vaccinated Travel Pass to enter Singapore, regardless of their reason for traveling. They must take multiple coronavirus tests, including pre-departure, on arrival, and post-arrival, in lieu of a quarantine.

Travelers must also have stayed in their country of departure, either Germany or Brunei, or in Singapore before that, for at least 21 consecutive days before departing for Singapore. Other requirements include insurance that covers COVID-19 medical treatment.

Separately, tourists from Hong Kong and Macao who have spent three consecutive weeks in those cities can apply to enter Singapore from Aug. 26. They also will not need to quarantine if they test negative on arrival and isolate themselves until the test results are available.

However, transport minister S. Iswaran said there are no more plans to establish a Singapore-Hong Kong travel bubble. The planned air travel bubble had earlier been aborted twice because of spikes in virus cases.

While Singapore is easing travel restrictions, Hong Kong has taken a different approach and will tighten entry restrictions from Friday, raising quarantine periods for vaccinated travelers with a positive antibody test from medium-risk countries to 14 days.

Previously, travelers from medium-risk countries such as Singapore and Canada needed to quarantine for only seven days in Hong Kong if they were fully vaccinated and tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies.
KABUL - WASHINGTON  Amid the chaos and confusion at the airport, the United States said it had taken at least one step to ease requirements for those seeking to leave: COVID-19 tests.

Taliban fighters pose for photograph in Wazir Akbar Khan in the city of Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021. The Taliban declared an "amnesty" across Afghanistan and urged women to join their government Tuesday, seeking to convince a wary population that they have changed a day after deadly chaos gripped the main airport as desperate crowds tried to flee the country. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

KABUL - WASHINGTON  Amid the chaos and confusion at the airport, the United States said it had taken at least one step to ease requirements for those seeking to leave: COVID-19 tests.

Although Afghanistan had been a hotspot for the coronavirus pandemic, the State Department said Thursday that evacuees are not required to get a negative COVID-19 result to travel.

A blanket humanitarian waiver has been implemented for COVID testing for all persons the U.S. government is relocating from Afghanistan, the department said.

It referred questions about how the matter would be handled once evacuees arrive in the United States to the Department of Health and Human Services. Medical exams, including coronavirus tests, had been required for evacuees prior to Talibans weekend takeover of Kabul, which added extra urgency to efforts to get at-risk Afghans out of the country.

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MORE ON THE CRISIS IN AFGHANISTAN:

 Taliban suppress more dissen t as economic challenges loom

 Afghan president latest leader on the run to turn up in UAE

 US struggling to speed Kabul airlift amid hurdles, glitches

 Afghanistan war unpopular amid chaotic pullout: AP-NORC poll

 Afghan officer who fought with US forces rescued from Kabul

 Misread warnings helped lead to chaotic Afghan evacuation

 Afghans plead for faster US evacuation from Taliban rule

In this photo made available by Britain's Ministry of Defence, a civilian charter flight arrives at a British midlands airport (exact location withheld) from Kabul on Wednesday Aug. 18, 2021. The flight carried eligible Afghans under the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy Programme along with British Nationals who were based in Afghanistan. (SAC Samantha Holden RAF via AP)

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 Find more AP coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/afghanistan

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HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

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BERLIN  German public broadcaster Deutsche Welle says the Taliban shot and killed a family member of one of their reporters in Afghanistan and severely injured a second family member.

The broadcaster said in a statement on Thursday that Taliban fighters were looking for the Deutsche Welle reporter and searching homes in western Afghanistan. It said other family members managed to escape.

Deutsche Well says the reporter himself, whose identity was not revealed, is already based in Germany where he is also working. Deutsche Welle didnt give further details on the killed and injured family members or say where and when exactly in Afghanistan the killing took place.

The director of Deutsche Welle, Peter Limbourg, sharply condemned the killing saying that, the killing of a close family member of one of our journalists by the Taliban is incredible tragic and a proof for the imminent danger that all of our workers and their families are exposed to in Afghanistan.

He added: The Taliban are obviously conducting organized searches for journalists in Kabul and the provinces. Time is running out.

Limbourg added that the homes of at least three other Deutsche Welle reporters were searched by the Taliban in Afghanistan in recent days and weeks.

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UNITED NATIONS  The head of the Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies is calling on the U.N. Security Council to seriously and urgently consider declaring Kabul a safe zone and sending a U.N. peacekeeping force to protect it.

Davood Moradian said in a briefing to the council on Thursday that this would allow Afghanistans rival factions to come to an inclusive political settlement while working to mitigate the unfolding catastrophe.

Afghans pass a Spanish soldier after arriving on a Spanish Air Force plane carrying Spanish nationals and Afghans at the Torrejon military base as part of the evacuation process in Madrid, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Paul White)

He told members by video from an undisclosed location outside Afghanistan that he was at Kabul airport 48 hours ago watching the chaos and the unfolding catastrophe as he and others tried to get flights out of Afghanistan and people were racing down the runway trying to get on a U.S. military plane.

It was shared human desperation, helplessness and fear, Moradian said. He said one passenger who fell to the ground from the plane was reportedly a member of Afghanistans national football team.

Moradian said the Taliban takeover is not the end of the military and political crisis in Afghanistan. The past four decades have shown, he said, that a military solution is just a brief pause to the next phase of the war.

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VICTORIA, Canada  Canada's prime minister says Canadian Armed Forces assets and personnel have arrived on the ground in Afghanistan to co-ordinate at the tactical level with the United States and other allied partners.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Thursday that this will help get Canadians, Afghans and their families to safety. Trudeau says two CAF C-17s will make regular flights into Kabul to support evacuation efforts.

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WASHINGTON  Federal officials will allow U.S. airlines and other aircraft operators to make evacuation flights into Kabul if they get permission in advance from the Pentagon.

The Federal Aviation Administration issued a notice to pilots that spelled out details on Thursday.

Due to a lack of high altitude air traffic control services, U.S. operators and pilots must receive authorization from the FAA to overfly Afghanistan, the FAA said in a statement. Any U.S. or foreign operator flying into Hamid Karzai International Airport must obtain prior permission from the U.S. Department of Defense.

The main U.S. airlines that fly long-haul international flights did not immediately comment on whether they planned to operate evacuation flights.

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UNITED NATIONS -- The U.N. counterterrorism chief is urging the Security Council to use all tools at its disposal to prevent Afghanistan from being used as a platform or safe haven for terrorism.

He also notes that a recent U.N. report says the extremist Islamic State group has expanded its presence in Afghanistan.

People arrive on a Spanish Air Force plane carrying Spanish nationals and Afghans at the Torrejon military base as part of the evacuation process in Madrid, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Paul White)

Undersecretary-General Vladimir Voronkov reminded the 15-member council on Thursday that several members of the Taliban, which took over the country last weekend, remain on the U.N. sanctions blacklist as designated terrorists. He also noted concerns by some council nations at the Talibans release of prisoners affiliated with al-Qaida and IS, also known by its Arabic acronym Daesh.

The counterterrorism chief said IS militants remain focused on reconstituting their former control in Iraq and Syria, waging an insurgency against security forces.

However, it is the lack of a comprehensive solution to the situation of thousands of individuals with alleged links to Daesh who remain stranded in Iraq and Syria that could shape the future terrorist threat landscape over the medium to long term, not just locally but globally, Voronkov said.

He said the pace of repatriations by member states is too slow considering the scale of this humanitarian, human rights and strategic security priority, which only grows more complex as time passes.

And I think because of this development in Afghanistan, it could create even more dangerous environment in these camps with unpredictable consequences, Voronkov warned.

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WASHINGTON  The Pentagon says the U.S. military is ramping up evacuations out of Afghanistan, and that 7,000 civilians have been taken out of the country since August 14.

Army Maj. Gen. Hank Taylor told reporters that 12 C-17 aircraft departed with 2,000 evacuees over the past 24 hours. Speaking at a Pentagon briefing Thursday, Taylor said the military now has enough aircraft to get 5,000-9,000 people out a day, depending on how many have been processed and other factors, such as weather.

There are now about 5,200 U.S. troops at the airport, a number that has been steadily increasing in recent days.

We are ready to increase throughout, said Taylor. His comments came amid ongoing chaos at the Kabul airport as Afghans and other civilians desperately try to get on flights out of the country in the wake of the Taliban takeover on Sunday.

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said there has been no Taliban violence against U.S. personnel, and that the U.S. hasnt seen the group obstruct American citizens trying to leave. There have been widespread reports of Taliban violence against Afghans, including efforts to prevent them from getting to the airport.

He declined to say whether Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin believes it will be necessary to continue the operation beyond August 31. And he said there have been no discussions with the Taliban for an extension.

President Joe Biden has said he will continue military evacuations of Americans until all those who want to leave are evacuated.

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A family walks towards a COVID testing center after arriving on a Spanish Air Force plane carrying Spanish nationals and Afghans at the Torrejon military base as part of the evacuation process in Madrid, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Paul White)

LONDON  Police say a five-year-old boy who fell to his death from a hotel in the north England city of Sheffield was an Afghan refugee.

South Yorkshire Police have appealed for information following the boys death in what was reported to be a fall from the ninth floor of Sheffields Metropolitan Hotel at around 2.30pm on Wednesday.

According to local media, the boy arrived in the U.K. with his family a few weeks ago, before arriving in Sheffield earlier this week.

The boys father is reported to have worked in the British Embassy in Kabul.

Local media said the other eight to 10 Afghan families staying at the hotel were being moved to another.

Like others, Britain is trying to evacuate its own nationals as well as Afghan allies after the Taliban seized control 20 years after being driven from power by a U.S.-led international force following the 9/11 attacks.

Following the tragedy, the Refugee Council has called for a review of accommodation offered to those fleeing the Taliban.

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ROME  Italian Premier Mario Draghi and Russian President Vladimir Putin have together analyzed the situation on the ground in Afghanistan as well as its regional implications, Draghis office said.

During Thursdays phone call, the two leaders also assessed guidelines that could inspire action of the international community in various contexts with the aim to restore Afghanistans stability, fight terrorism and illegal trafficking and protect womens rights, a statement from the office said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is due to meet with Draghi and with his Italian counterpart next week in Rome, with Afghanistan high on the geo-political matters on the agenda.

Draghi on Thursday also discussed the Afghan crisis with French President Emmanuel Macron, including management of the migration flows and the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the country.

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PARIS  French non-governmental groups, lawyers and activists are asking President Emmanuel Macron take bold action to welcome Afghan migrants fleeing their Taliban-run country.

An Afghan woman waits in a COVID testing center after arriving on a Spanish Air Force plane carrying Spanish nationals and Afghans at the Torrejon military base as part of the evacuation process in Madrid, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Paul White)

We demand simplification of the immigration procedure, a faster reunion of families, a broad and long-term resettling of Afghan families seeking asylum, and the end of all expulsions toward Afghanistan, Henry Masson, the president of La Cimade, a French NGO advocating for undocumented people, told The Associated Press on Thursday.

La Cimade is among six NGOs and unions circulating a petition to make those demands heard. It has been signed by more than 11,000 people so far.

France, which withdrew its military from Afghanistan in 2014, has brought out about 400 people from Kabul on three evacuation flights this week, primarily Afghans who worked with the French government or French groups in Afghanistan. But many more are trying to flee, fearing reprisals from the Taliban for their work with Western organizations.

Macron said Monday that France would do its duty to protect those who are most at risk, but also said Europeans must protect ourselves against significant irregular migratory flows.

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ISLAMABAD  A delegation of prominent Afghan leaders and officials has warned that a Taliban government will not survive for long if it repeats past mistakes.

The delegation, headed by Afghan parliament speaker, Mir Rehman Rehmani, spoke to reporters in Islamabad on Thursday, after meeting Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and other government and military officials this week. The Afghans arrived in the Pakistani capital on Monday, a day after the Taliban swept into Kabul and took over Afghanistan.

A former Afghan vice president, Mohammad Younis Qanooni, said the future government in Afghanistan should be inclusive, with the participation of all ethnic groups.

We oppose a rule by one party or group, he said.

Khalid Noor, a prominent politician, said the Taliban cannot rule by force in Afghanistan. He says they have taken power by force, but warned their rule would be short-lived if they didnt respect the rights of the people.

Other members of the Afghan delegation include Salahud-din-Rabbani, Ahmad Zia Massoud and Ahmad Wali Massoud.

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MOSCOW  Russia has blamed Afghanistans president for precipitating the Taliban takeover of the country by dragging his feet on negotiating a comprehensive peace deal.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday that Afghan President Ashraf Ghani had every opportunity over the past three years to ensure the success of an inter-Afghan peace process and help a gradual formation of an inclusive government involving all ethnic and political factions.

Afghans sit with a Red Cross worker in a COVID testing center after arriving on a Spanish Air Force plane carrying Spanish nationals and Afghans at the Torrejon military base as part of the evacuation process in Madrid, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Paul White)

She added that Ghani, who fled the country just as the Taliban swept into Kabul on Sunday in a lightning offensive, had missed the chance for a peaceful settlement and bears responsibility for what happened.

Moscow long has been critical of Ghani, accusing him of stonewalling proposals for an inclusive government during the protracted talks with the Taliban and other Afghan factions in the past.

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COPENHAGEN, Denmark  Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod said on Thursday that more than 300 locally hired people, interpreters, employees of non-governmental organizations and family members have been evacuated from Afghanistan.

The 320 people have been flown to Islamabad, Pakistan, from where they will fly in two planes to Denmark on Friday. He declined to say what nationalities they were.

Earlier in the day, a plane with 84 people evacuated from Afghanistan landed in Copenhagen. Danish media said that those aboard the plane reportedly were locally hired people and interpreters who had worked for Denmark. No further details were available.

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WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden says the Taliban have not changed but are going through an existential crisis about whether they want legitimacy on the global stage as theyve taken over Afghanistan.

In an interview on ABCs Good Morning America, Biden said that hes not sure the Taliban want to be recognized by the international community as being a legitimate government.

He also said that the threat from al-Qaida and their affiliate organizations is greater in other parts of the world than it is in Afghanistan, adding that its not rational to ignore the looming problems posed by al-Qaida affiliates in Syria or East Africa, where he said the threat to the U.S. is significantly greater.

We should be focusing on where the threat is the greatest, Biden said, in defense of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Biden also pushed back against concerns about the treatment of women and girls in the country, arguing that its not rational to try to protect womens rights around the globe through military force. Instead, it should be done through diplomatic and international pressure on human rights abusers to change their behavior.

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MOSCOW  Russia has offered to provide its aircraft to fly Afghans willing to leave the country to any nations willing to host them.

An Afghan woman gets the coronavirus test on arriving on Spanish airforce plane carrying Spanish nationals and Afghans after it landed at the Torrejon military base as part of the evacuation process in Madrid, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Paul White)

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday that Moscow would be ready to offer its planes to airlift any number of Afghan citizens, including women and children to any foreign countries that would be interested in accommodating them.

Zakharovas statement came as thousands of Afghans are desperate to flee the country fearing that the Taliban will reimpose a brutal rule after taking over Kabul on Sunday.

Afghans and aid organizations have said that people desperate to leave are having a hard time getting past the Taliban and into Kabuls international airport. Military evacuation flights have continued at the airport, but Taliban militants fired shots in the air on Thursday to try to control the crowds.

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WARSAW, Poland  The Polish government says it has evacuated its last citizens from Afghanistan.

Marcin Przydacz, a deputy foreign minister, said on Thursday that at the moment, all Poles with whom we had contact have left Afghanistan. However, he also said he couldnt exclude the possibility that others might still appear.

The evacuations being carried out so far by Polish authorities have included Poles and people who actively worked for a democratic Afghanistan in cooperation with Poland, Przydacz said.

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PRAGUE  The Czech leaders declared the countrys effort to evacuate the Czech nationals and the Afghans who have worked with them a mission accomplished.

Three Czech evacuation flights in three days transported almost 200 people from Kabul to Prague by Wednesday night.

Foreign Minister Jakub Kulhanek says 170 Afghan nationals were among them, including all the local staffers at the Czech Embassy in Kabul and interpreters who helped the Czech armed forces during NATO missions and their families. Also, the Afghans who have a permanent residency in the Czech Republic were included.

Four Afghans were transported at the request of another European Union member state Slovakia. Czech embassy staff and two Polish nationals were also evacuated.

Weve saved everyone we wanted to, Prime Minister Andrej Babis said on Thursday. The mission has been accomplished.

A Czech NGO that helps army veterans says several interpreters with families who have helped the Czechs still need to be rescued.

People leave a Spanish airforce plane carrying Spanish nationals and Afghans after it landed at the Torrejon military base as part of the evacuation process in Madrid, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Paul White)

Foreign Minister Jakub Kulhanek says that a possible transport in such cases will be coordinated with the allies.

Kulhanek said the successful rescue operation was a big miracle. He described the situation in Afghanistan as a total and unexpected collapse... a tragedy that nobody could be ready for.

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ISTANBUL  A top Afghan official says he and other top officials left Kabul on Monday on board a Turkish Airlines flight to Istanbul with the help of the Turkish Embassy.

Babur Farahmand, deputy chief of Afghanistan High Council for National Reconciliation, told The Associated Press in Istanbul that other senior officials on board the flight included Second Vice President Sarwar Danish, Foreign Minister Hanif Atmar, intelligence chief Ahmad Zia Saraj, former foreign minister and politician Rangin Dadfar Spanta.

Farahmand said he and some other officials reached the Hamid Karzai International Airports military airfield in Kabul on Sunday evening. They spent the night inside the military compound waiting for the flight. Various countries facilitated the Afghan officials entry into airport but Turkish government facilitated the flight, he said.

Earlier, Turkeys Hurriyet newspaper reported that as many as 40 Afghan officials arrived in Istanbul on Monday on board a Turkish Airlines flight. The plane with 324 passengers on board, took off from Kabul with several hours of delay due to the chaos at the airport.

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MOSCOW  Russias top diplomat on Thursday reiterated a call for a broad dialogue between all political forces in Afghanistan, noting that the Taliban do not control the entire territory of Afghanistan yet.

Speaking at a news conference in Moscow, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov pointed to reports ... about the situation in the Panjshir Valley, where the resistance forces of Afghan Vice President (Amrullah) Saleh and Ahman Massod have been gathering.

He said that it makes Moscows stance on the necessity of a dialogue between all rival forces and groups even more consistent. Russia has been calling for one when all of Afghanistan was engulfed in a civil war, and continues to urge it now, when the Taliban have taken power in Kabul, in the majority of other cities, in the majority of Afghanistans provinces.

We support the same thing  a nationwide dialogue that will lead to a representative government, Lavrov said. This, with the support of Afghan citizens, will work out agreements on the final make-up of this long-suffering country.

Earlier this week, the minister stressed that Moscow was in no rush to recognize the Taliban as the new rulers of Afghanistan. Russia had labeled the Taliban a terrorist organization in 2003, but has since hosted several rounds of talks in Afghanistan, most recently in March, that involved the group.

Moscow, which fought a 10-year war in Afghanistan that ended with Soviet troops withdrawal in 1989, has made a diplomatic comeback as a mediator, reaching out to feuding Afghan factions and cultivating ties with the Taliban as it has jockeyed with the U.S. for influence in the country.

People leave a Spanish airforce plane carrying Spanish nationals and Afghans after it landed at the Torrejon military base as part of the evacuation process in Madrid, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Paul White)

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ROME  A plane carrying some 202 Afghans, including an activist and medical researchers affiliated with an Italian think-tank, have arrived in Rome in the latest airlift fleeing the country overtaken by the Taliban.

The Italian foreign ministry said Italy was committed to evacuating those who collaborated with Italy and who are threatened, such as women and children.

One of the passengers was Zahra Ahmadi, whose brother lives in Venice and apparently helped rally diplomatic efforts to get her out. Other passengers were affiliated with the Veronesi Foundation, which supports medical research, especially for women, and hosted Afghan doctors in the past.

Italy has been flying groups of Afghans out at a clip of two or more flights a day, transferring them to a plane in Kuwait and then onto Rome. The new arrivals are then tested for the coronavirus and placed in mandatory quarantine, as called for by current Italian health regulations.

Italy had one of the largest military contingents during the two-decade NATO and U.S.-led operation in Afghanistan.

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BUDAPEST, Hungary  More than two dozen Hungarian nationals evacuated from Kabul arrived in Frankfurt, Germany early Thursday, and will likely be transported to Hungary later in the day, deputy foreign minister Levente Magyar told reporters.

The air evacuation of the 26 Hungarians was carried out by Hungarys military allies with a stopover in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan. The evacuees had worked as private security contractors at the Dutch embassy in Kabul before the citys takeover by the Taliban. Magyar did not say which allies were involved in the operation.

A separate evacuation mission was launched from Hungary early Thursday, which will attempt to recover other Hungarians still in Afghanistan and some Afghan citizens who assisted Hungarian military forces, Magyar said. Not all of the Hungarian citizens awaiting evacuation have yet made it to Kabul airport, he added.

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LONDON -- Britains foreign secretary is rejecting calls to resign for not interrupting his holiday on the Greek island of Crete to make a call to help translators flee Afghanistan.

According to the Daily Mail newspaper, Dominic Raab did not call his Afghan counterpart Hanif Atmar on Friday after officials suggested he urgently do so in order to arrange help for those who supported British troops.

Two days later, the Taliban captured Kabul and Raab cut short his holiday and headed back to the U.K. to deal with the crisis.

People queue to be tested for COVID-19 after leaving a Spanish airforce plane carrying Spanish nationals and Afghans after it landed at the Torrejon military base as part of the evacuation process in Madrid, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Paul White)

Defense Secretary Ben Wallace told BBC radio that the suggested phone call would not have made any difference whatsoever given the Afghan government was melting away quicker than ice.

Keir Starmer, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, said on Twitter: Who wouldnt make a phone call if they were told it could save somebodys life?

Lisa Nandy, Labours foreign affairs spokesperson, was one of many to call for Raabs resignation after what she described as yet another catastrophic failure of judgment.

On entering 10 Downing Street, Prime Minister Boris Johnsons office, Raab was asked if he would resign. In response, he said no.

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BEIRUT  An al-Qaida-linked group in Syria is congratulating the people of Afghanistan for the dear victory achieved by the Taliban.

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or the Levant Liberation Committee, compared the Talibans control of much of Afghanistan with the early Muslim conquests.

The group, also known as HTS, is the most powerful faction in rebel-held parts of northwest Syria. Over the past months it has been working on improving its image by distancing itself from extremist ideology.

Some of the founding members of the group  which used to be known as the Nusra Front  include Arab commanders who were close to Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan. Many of them were killed in U.S. drone attacks in Syria over the past years.

In 2017, Brett McGurk, then top U.S. envoy for the coalition battling the Islamic State group, said that Syrias northwestern province of Idlib had become the largest al-Qaida haven since Afghanistan in bin Ladens days.

In a statement released late Wednesday, HTS said no matter how long it takes, righteousness will end up victorious. It added: Occupiers dont last on usurped lands no matter how much they harm its people.

HTS said it hopes that insurgents in Syria will be also victorious by learning from the experience of the Taliban to remove the government of President Bashar Assad, its adversary in the countrys 10-year conflict.

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BRATISLAVA, Slovakia  The first evacuation flight from Kabul organized by the Slovak government has landed in Slovakia.

Czech Republic's Prime Minister Andrej Babis addresses media during a press conference in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021. The Czech leaders declared the country's effort to evacuate the Czech nationals and the Afghans who have worked with them a mission accomplished. Three Czech evacuation flights in three days transported almost 200 people from Kabul to Prague by Wednesday night. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Foreign Minister Ivan Korcok says a total of 20 passengers were onboard, 16 Slovak nationals and four Afghans among them, including a 10-month old baby. It was the full capacity of the military transport plane.

Four other Afghan nationals who were working with the Slovak armed forces were transported onboard of a Czech evacuation flight and flown to Slovakia overnight.

Defense Minister Jaroslav Nad said the members of Slovak armys special forces had to use weapons to secure the passengers safe transport to the plane. He cited a deteriorating situation at the airport but declined to give details.

Prime Minister Eduard Heger says his country is coordinating further steps with allies.

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WARSAW, Poland -- A second airplane carrying people evacuated from Afghanistan has landed in Warsaw.

The plane landed on Thursday morning, following one that brought people late Wednesday.

Poland has deployed 100 soldiers to Afghanistan to help with the evacuations of Polish and Afghan citizens. Those evacuated are first transported to Uzbekistan by military transport and then brought to Poland on civilian airliners.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has shared images on Facebook of some of those being evacuated.

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ROME  Two more Italian C130s have brought nearly 200 Afghan citizens out of Kabul, as Italy continues its evacuation of people who worked with Italian forces and their families following the Taliban takeover of the country.

The Defense Ministry said the passengers aboard the two flights were transferring Thursday to other aircraft in Kuwait, and from there would continue onto Rome.

Italy has vowed to evacuate as many Afghans as it can, particularly those who worked with Italian forces during the nearly two-decade long NATO and U.S.-led operation in the country.

With the arrival in Rome later Thursday of the latest evacuees Italy says it will have airlifted out some 500 Afghans.

Afghans take selfie wit Taliban fighters during patrol in the city of Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021. The Taliban celebrated Afghanistan's Independence Day on Thursday by declaring they beat the United States, but challenges to their rule ranging from running a country severely short on cash and bureaucrats to potentially facing an armed opposition began to emerge. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

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KABUL, Afghanistan  Afghanistans steel factories association is concerned scrap metal smuggling abroad has increased and exhausted supplies, putting thousands of workers at risk of losing their jobs.

Abdul Nasir Reshtia, chief executive of the association says that with borders reopening, Afghanistans scrap metal is being smuggled once again to neighboring countries.

Reshtia warns that in next ten days, the smuggling will push factories to close as they cannot operate without scrap metal.

Former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani had banned the export of scrap metal to support Afghan steel factories so they could compete with imported steel from neighboring countries.

Reshtia says that he has not been able to reach the Taliban leadership to share his concerns.

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BUCHAREST, Romania  Romanias foreign ministry says that a military aircraft has evacuated a single Romanian citizen from Kabul airport to Islamabad.

It said in a statement that the particularly difficult security conditions in Kabul meant that the access of other groups of Romanian citizens to the airport could not be achieved.

The C-130 Hercules aircraft, which evacuated a NATO employee on Wednesday evening, had military personnel and a mobile consular team onboard ready to provide specialized assistance. It is set to return to Kabul airport to continue evacuating Romanian citizens, officials said.

Authorities said that at the time of the operation there were 33 Romanian citizens registered as present in Afghanistan.

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THE HAGUE, Netherlands  A Dutch military transport plane has arrived in Amsterdam carrying people evacuated from Kabul.

The Ministry of Defense says that a C-17 plane landed late Wednesday night at Schiphol airport. On board were 35 Dutch nationals along with citizens from Belgium, Germany and the United Kingdom.

Taliban fighters display their flag while on patrol in Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021. The Taliban celebrated Afghanistan's Independence Day on Thursday by declaring they beat the United States, but challenges to their rule ranging from running a country severely short on cash and bureaucrats to potentially facing an armed opposition began to emerge. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

The government says it has now airlifted 50 Dutch nationals out of Kabul. A Dutch consular crisis team along with dozens of troops to protect the personnel flew into the Afghan capital on Wednesday.

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BRUSSELS  The European Union said Thursday that 106 staff members of EU delegations and their families had safely left Afghanistan but said that some 300 still remained behind.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Thursday that the first plane with EU staff had landed in Madrid, from where they will be relocated among the 27 EU member states.

There are still 300 more Afghani staff of European Union delegations blocked on the streets of Kabul trying to reach the airport and trying to have a seat on some of the European Union member state flights, Borrell told a EU parliament committee.

He insisted that these people have loyally promoted and defended the unions interests and values in Afghanistan over many years, adding that it was the EUs moral duty to protect them and to have to save as many people as possible.

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MADRID  Spain has evacuated 53 people from Afghanistan on its first flight to airlift Spanish citizens and Afghan workers and their families from Kabul.

The military cargo plane landed at an airport near Madrid on Thursday morning with five Spaniards and 48 Afghans on board. An unspecified number of children were included.

Spain has two more planes prepared to continue with the evacuation of Afghan workers and their families.

All the passengers received a COVID-19 test on arrival and were attended by police so that they could ask for international protection, the government said in a statement.

The airport also received a flight from the European Union External Action service with five Afghan families on board. Spains government has offered to take in additional evacuees from EU partners and care for them until they can be distributed to other countries of the bloc.

We are still working to evacuate those Afghans who worked with Spain in the quickest manner possible and guarantee their security along with those people who have worked with the EU, said Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Albares.

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COPENHAGEN, Denmark  Denmark says that a plane with 84 people who had been evacuated from Afghanistan has landed in Copenhagen and were now on safe ground in Denmark.

On Twitter, Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod wrote Thursday that the evacuation is still in full swing and we are working hard to evacuate the last local staff, interpreters and other groups from Kabul.

Danish media said that those aboard the plane reportedly were locally hired people and interpreters who had worked for Denmark. No further details were available.

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WARSAW, Poland  Polands president has approved the deployment of a 100-person military contingent to Afghanistan to help secure the evacuation of Polish citizens and the citizens of other countries in coordination with allies.

President Andrzej Duda signed the order late Wednesday for the mission, and which is to last until Sept. 16.

Meanwhile, a first plane carrying a group of people who were evacuated from Afghanistan landed at Warsaws military airport late Wednesday, said Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak. The group was first taken from Kabul by military plane to Uzbekistan and from there was transported on to Warsaw.

Since Tuesday, Polish forces have been carrying out an operation to evacuate Poles and Afghans who previously cooperated with the Polish military or diplomatic mission or who helped otherwise with western groups.

Those who arrived in Warsaw will have to go into quarantine.

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WASHINGTON  The Biden administration has suspended all arms sales to the government of Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover of the country.

In a notice to defense contractors posted Wednesday, the State Departments Political/Military Affairs Bureau said pending or undelivered arms transfers to Afghanistan had been put under review.

In light of rapidly evolving circumstances in Afghanistan, the Directorate of Defense Sales Controls is reviewing all pending and issued export licenses and other approvals to determine their suitability in furthering world peace, national security and the foreign policy of the United States, it said.

The notice said it would issue updates for defense equipment exporters in the coming days.

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WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden says hes committed to keeping U.S. troops in Afghanistan until every American is evacuated, even if that means maintaining a military presence there beyond his Aug. 31 deadline for withdrawal.

In an interview with ABC News George Stephanopoulos on Wednesday, Biden said that the U.S. will do everything in our power to get Americans and U.S. allies in the nation out before the deadline. Pressed repeatedly on how the administration would help Americans left in the nation after Aug. 31, Biden finally affirmed, if theres American citizens left, were gonna stay till we get them all out.

Up to 15,000 Americans remain in Afghanistan after the Taliban took full control of the nation. The Biden administration has received criticism for the scenes of violence and disorder in recent days as thousands attempted to flee while the Taliban advanced.

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But during the same interview, Biden suggested there wasnt anything the administration couldve done to avoid such chaos. The idea that somehow, theres a way to have gotten out without chaos ensuing, I dont know how that happens, he said.

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WASHINGTON  The International Monetary Fund says that the new Taliban government in Afghanistan will not at the current time be allowed to access loans or other resources from the 190-nation lending organization.

In a statement Wednesday, the IMF said it would be guided by the views of the international community.

The statement said, There is currently a lack of clarity within the international community regarding recognition of a government in Afghanistan, as a consequence of which the country cannot access SDRs or other IMF resources.

SDRs are special drawing rights which serve as a reserve that IMF member countries can tap into to meet payment obligations.
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP)  The upcoming season will likely be the Arizona Coyotes' final one at Gila River Arena.

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP)  The upcoming season will likely be the Arizona Coyotes' final one at Gila River Arena.

The city of Glendale announced Thursday that it will not renew its agreement with the franchise beyond the 2021-22 season. The city tweeted it wants to focus on larger, more impactful events and uses for the arena.

We are disappointed by todays unilateral decision by the City of Glendale to break off negotiations on a multi-year lease extension agreement, Coyotes President and CEO Xavier A. Gutierrez said in a statement. We are hopeful that they will reconsider a move that would primarily damage the small businesses and hard-working citizens of Glendale. We remain open to restarting good-faith negotiations with the City.

Most importantly, the Coyotes are one hundred percent committed to finding a long-term arena solution here in Arizona, and nothing will shake our determination to do what is right for our organization, residents of the entire Valley and, most important, our fans.

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The Coyotes have played at Gila River Arena since moving from America West Arena, which they shared with the NBA's Phoenix Suns, in downtown Phoenix in 2003. The Coyotes have operated on an annual lease since 2016 after the Glendale City Council voted to opt out of a long-term agreement.

Arizona had a deal with Arizona State University to build a shared arena but the school backed out.

The Coyotes have been searching for new home since Glendale backed out of its lease agreement, possibly closer to the more populous suburbs east of Phoenix. New owner Alex Meruelo has said he plans to keep the franchise in Arizona.

The Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum  the Arizona State Fairgrounds arena that opened in 1965 and hosted the NBA's Phoenix Suns and the WHA's Phoenix Roadrunners and an assortment of minor-league hockey teams  is a possible interim destination. It seats 13,730 for hockey.

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EDMONTON - The federal election isn't expected to produce much change in the Prairies provinces, but some political experts say if there are ridings to watch, they are in urban areas.

Liberal candidate Ralph Goodale marks his voter card at Marion McVeety Elementary School in his Wascana Constituency on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2008 in Regina. The federal election isnt expected to produce much change in the Prairies provinces, but some academics in political science say if there are ridings to watch, they are in urban areas.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Troy Fleece

EDMONTON - The federal election isn't expected to produce much change in the Prairies provinces, but some political experts say if there are ridings to watch, they are in urban areas.

The 2019 federal vote saw the Conservatives take over all 14 ridings in Saskatchewan. The Tories also won all but one seat in Alberta and half of the ridings in Manitoba.

One of the biggest upsets was longtime Liberal Ralph Goodale, then public safety minister, losing his Regina-Wascana seat to the Conservatives.

Christopher Adams, an adjunct political studies professor at the University of Manitoba, says he expects the big changes that happened in the West two years ago will mostly remain in place.

But he says the shrinking popularity of Progressive Conservative Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister due to his governments response to the COVID-19 pandemic might play to the Liberal party's advantage.

"The provincial Progressive Conservative  its brand is somewhat tarnished right now, much like the United Conservative Party for (Premier) Jason Kenney in Alberta," Adams says.

"That might have an impact on the Conservative vote in the federal ridings in this election in Winnipeg specifically."

He says ridings to watch are in the provincial capital, particularly Winnipeg South and Charleswood-St. James-Assiniboia-Headingley.

"As Winnipeg South goes, so goes the nation," Adams says.

Last election, Liberal Doug Eyolfson lost his Charleswood-St. James-Assiniboia-Headingley seat to Conservative Marty Morantz. The two face each other again this year.

Howard Leeson, professor emeritus at the University of Regina's department of politics and international studies, says the urban riding Goodale lost in 2019 is worth watching, but he doesn't think the Liberals can take it back.

"Broadly speaking, they have almost no organization in Saskatchewan," Leeson says of the Liberals. "(The party) has been in serious decline here for several decades and they've really done nothing on the ground to recover that."

He says a non-urban constituency in northern Saskatchewan is also of interest.

The Liberals have recruited Buckley Belanger to run in Desnethe-Missinippi-Churchill River. Belanger recently stepped down as legislature member there for the Saskatchewan NDP.

"Politics up there is very, very local. It's a very big constituency, which is heavily Indigenous, and the politics is quite different from that in the south," Leeson says.

Belanger has a good chance of winning, he says, and could be in a Liberal cabinet.

"I think that would be a good thing for Indigenous people, in terms of the kinds of services they need up there."

Although the NDP is the official Opposition in each Prairie province, Leeson says it's a different party federally.

"There has always been a fair gulf between the federal leadership and provincial leaderships on questions of natural resources in particular.

"But in Saskatchewan it's even gotten worse with the present leader (Jagmeet Singh), who has not paid much attention to Saskatchewan at all."

The rift has also played out in Alberta. In the last election, NDP leader and former premier Rachel Notley said she would not support Singh because of his opposition to the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion.

Lisa Young, a political science professor at the University of Calgary, says she doesn't expect any major gains for the party in Alberta.

The only NDP riding is Edmonton Strathcona, a stronghold for the party for more than a decade.

"The Alberta provincial NDP is a pretty centrist party on a lot of issues, particularly around the environment and development of energy resources," she says.

"Even if people might be saying that they are going to vote for the federal NDP in Alberta  outside of a few places in Edmonton  that may not happen once they take a closer look at the difference between the federal NDP and the provincial NDP."

Young says the ridings to watch are in Calgary and Edmonton, where the Liberals could win seats.

The Liberals, including former natural resources minister Amarjeet Sohi, lost every riding they held in 2019 to the Conservatives.

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Young says there could be a tight race in Edmonton Centre, where Liberal Randy Boissonnault is looking to take his seat back from Conservative James Cumming.

She also says the Liberals have good chances in Calgary Skyview, Calgary Confederation and Calgary Centre.

While the true battleground in Canada will be in Ontario and parts of Quebec, Young says the Liberals are expected to use the Alberta premier's unpopularity outside the province against the Conservatives.

"We've seen some signals that the federal Liberals are going to run against Premier Jason Kenney in some ways, especially in how they have been criticizing the way the pandemic has been dealt with," she says, referring to Alberta lifting most of its COVID-19 restrictions.

"They might be trying to say, 'Look, Canada, you don't want to be governed in the way Alberta is being governed.'"

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 19, 2021.
OTTAWA - Ongoing complaints about roadblocks in Kabul and bureaucratic hurdles in Ottawa tempered any sense of relief on Thursday after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau revealed on the campaign trail that the Canadian military has arrived back in Afghanistan to help with evacuation efforts.

Hundreds of people gather near a U.S. Air Force C-17 transport plane at the perimeter of the international airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, Aug. 16, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Shekib Rahmani

OTTAWA - Ongoing complaints about roadblocks in Kabul and bureaucratic hurdles in Ottawa tempered any sense of relief on Thursday after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau revealed on the campaign trail that the Canadian military has arrived back in Afghanistan to help with evacuation efforts.

The Department of National Defence Canada announced this week that two C-17 transport aircraft had been deployed to conduct regular flights out of Kabul, and Trudeau revealed while campaigning as Liberal party leader in Victoria that the first troops are now on the ground.

"Canada has personnel on the ground now and we'll have more personnel arriving later today to help with the processing," he said, adding the images out of Kabul have been heartbreaking and that government remains committed to helping hundreds of Afghans who helped Canada.

Those Afghans include former interpreters and support staff as well as their families who are now at risk of Taliban arrest or worse for having worked with the Canadian military and other organizations after the militant group took over the country.

Defence Department spokeswoman Jessica Lamirande said in an email Thursday that the C-17s have been reconfigured to maximize the number of passengers they can carry and have begun to fly in and out of Kabul.

Our CAF teams will be given a list of vetted and vulnerable individuals, and will be assisting those individuals onto flights, Lamirande added.

These flights can be expected to have foreign and Afghan nationals who have been accepted under the immigration programs of other nations. In turn, other nations have, and will continue to, extract Canadian citizens or Afghans who are destined for (or eligible for immigration to) Canada.

Yet questions and concerns remained about exactly how interpreters and their families would make it to those Canadian military planes  and what would happen if they were fortunate enough to actually get on board.

One interpreter who spoke to The Canadian Press on Thursday shared videos of the scene outside the airport, where crowds of Afghans had gathered in the hopes of finding an avenue to escape the country. The videos show U.S. soldiers firing into the air to keep the crowd at bay.

The interpreter, whose identity is being shielded to protect his safety, says he worked with the Canadian military in Panjwaii district from 2010-2013 and is now hiding from the Taliban in Kabul with his three young children and wife.

It is very scary for the last five days because everybody's very scared, he said. Everybody's afraid of the Taliban.

Retired major-general Denis Thompson, one of numerous Canadian veterans working to help former Afghan colleagues and their families, says Taliban checkpoints represent the main challenge in getting people to the airport and away to safety.

How do you get people out of their safe houses, through the Taliban checkpoints and onto the airfield in a safe manner and in a manner where they're not delayed so long that they actually missed a flight, Thompson said in an interview.

American officials have said they are in talks with the Taliban amid reports some insurgent fighters have been turning back or detaining people who are trying to get out of the country while others have let asylum seekers through without hindrance.

Unless the Taliban shift their posture significantly, which is something the international community and Canada are working on, it is going to be very, very difficult to get many people out, Trudeau said.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said U.S. forces on the ground at Kabul airport are helping allied countries get their nationals out of Afghanistan.

We obviously are  willing to support the movement, safe movement of citizens of our allies and partners, he told a briefing Thursday.

Getting to the airport is only one challenge. Stephen Watt, whose organization Northern Lights Canada has been working with hundreds of former interpreters, says the next obstacle is getting past the U.S. military checkpoints and onto a plane.

Watt and others have complained for weeks about IRCCs handling of the crisis. That includes complicated forms for Afghans to fill out, unrealistic and confusing application requirements and complete silence from the department after paperwork has been submitted.

The interpreter who spoke to The Canadian Press said he submitted his paperwork weeks ago with help from Northern Lights Canada and the Afghan-Canadian Interpreters group but has yet to receive confirmation that it was received, let alone that he and his family have been approved.

Veterans and advocates have echoed those same stories, with scared Afghans checking their phones dozens of times per day to see if there is an email from IRCC or waiting for that life-saving phone call telling them a plane is on its way and that they need to get to the airport.

Without such confirmations, Watt said most interpreters and their families wont be able to get past the U.S. checkpoints and onto a plane.

One of the things that you do need to get through the blockade is a G-number, which is Canada's tracking number to show that you are in the system, he said.

And because of this whole shambolic situation where Canada is not responding to emails and not processing people, a large majority of people we're talking to do not have G-numbers. So how are they going to go through the airport?

Watt said some did receive a message on Thursday, but it was from the Canadian Embassy in Lebanon saying they are now required to get a medical test. Other former interpreters reported needing a negative COVID-19 test before they could board a flight.

While Trudeau was unaware of the COVID-19 test requirement, Immigration Minister Marco Mendicinos office later said it has been lifted.

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Watt said such messages underscore the confusion and frustration that have marked Canadas evacuation efforts to date.

Veterans have been working with the Canadian military on a consolidated list of verified interpreters, and Thompson suggests the government needs to get those people and their families on a plane to a third country like Kuwait now where their paperwork can be processed.

Asked about processing paperwork in a third country, Lamirande said the military was working with Canadian diplomats and immigration officials as well as the United States and other allies, including on evaluating potential processing requirements at transition points en route to Canada.

In the meantime, as night fell in Kabul, the interpreter who spoke to The Canadian Press said he was praying to receive a message confirming his familys ability to escape in the morning, at which point they would risk the Taliban checkpoints and hopefully leave the country.

Tomorrow morning, hopefully I will get an actual response, an actual email, he said. Then I will go.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 19, 2021.
OTTAWA - Ross Dickson has never attended an election event or debate, but the profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on his life has finally made him interested in following the federal campaign closely.

Animal rights lawyer Camille Labchuk is photographed in Toronto, Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston

OTTAWA - Ross Dickson has never attended an election event or debate, but the profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on his life has finally made him interested in following the federal campaign closely.

"Me and all my friends, I don't want to say generation, but everyone I know, we're even more politically charged," the 29-year-old said.

"I am now definitely committing to watching, attending debates online and trying to ask as many questions as possible because these (politicians) are going to spend our tax money in dumb ways."

A few days after the campaign began, some Canadians are not following the race yet while others have started paying attention to the parties' promises as the effects of the pandemic have raised their awareness of politics.

Sixty-two per cent of respondents to a recent survey conducted by Leger in collaboration with The Canadian Press said they would follow the campaign either closely or very closely.

"Not a bad level of public engagement, all things considered," said Andrew Enns, Leger's executive vice-president.

The online survey of 2,007 Canadians, conducted Aug. 13 to 15, cannot be assigned a margin of error because internet-based polls are not considered truly random samples.

Enns said the poll shows that voter attentiveness is lower among those who are 18 to 34 years old compared to the older population.

"That would reflect the general tendencies in terms of who's ultimately going to turn out and vote in this campaign."

While Dickson was growing up in the Scarborough neighbourhood of Toronto as the son of two deaf parents, his family always relied on the promises of political parties regarding public services for people with disabilities.

Now a database administrator at a private health clinic, Dickson said governments should prioritize addressing the housing, climate and health care crises Canadians are facing. Federal governments have not yet put in place any transformative policies to fix the fundamental issues the pandemic has exacerbated, he said.

"People are losing their apartments. People are immigrating here, promised a good life, and they're actually tricked, basically, into working low-wage jobs and there's no hope of getting out. School is expensive. Everything is expensive," he said.

He said guaranteeing universal basic income is an example of a policy he would like to see included in federal parties' platforms, especially after the success of the Canada Emergency Response Benefit in helping struggling Canadians during the pandemic.

The executive director of Apathy is Boring, a non-partisan organization that works to educate young voters and get them involved in politics, said parties can attract more young voters to their campaigns by including issues that matter to them in their platforms.

Samantha Reusch said whether or not young people trust that federal parties can meaningfully address their priorities determines how much they will engage with the election campaign.

"I've never met a young person who doesn't care about anything," she said.

Candidates and the media should show the ties between the policies of federal parties and the lives of young people, Reusch said.

"That way, they can make those connections and allow (young people) to find space within that process."

Ottawa University law professor Errol Mendes said parties should be clear about the foundations of their political approaches and the goals they want to achieve in the short, medium and long-term to respond to the needs of society in order to engage more people.

"That's not happening," he said.

"I'm afraid I have to say the media is part of the problem. It always comes into a horse race: Who's up, who's down, who's always looking really bad, etc. And that's really not conducive, in the long run, to how democracies should work and to thrive."

Camille Labchuk, a voter who is extremely engaged in politics, said she is driven by frustration at federal inaction on the policies she cares about. But that same frustration might force others to give up and not follow the news, said the animal rights lawyer and former Green party member.

"I can understand how for other people it leads them to turn out of the democratic process, because they don't see politicians addressing their priorities."

The 37-year-old has been following politics since 2004. She ran in the 2006 election as a Green candidate and was the press secretary of the former Green leader Elizabeth May in 2008. She also ran in a 2014 byelection in a Toronto riding for the party.

"I get probably most of my commentary and insight from Twitter because it's just such a hub of knowledge sharing and hot takes on issues, which is important during campaigns," she said.

Labchuk said she is already following the election campaign very closely since two of her top priorities, the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change, are on the agendas of almost all parties.

She said the virus that causes COVID-19 likely jumped from an animal species to humans, like many other infectious diseases, and the next pandemic could emerge on a factory farm in North America.

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"We really need a conversation about not simply what we're doing to get COVID under control, but what we're going to do to prevent the next pandemic," she said.

She said the wildfires in the West and the drought in the Prairies are two examples of the severe effects the climate crisis is having on Canadians.

"This is definitely already a matter of intense concern for Canadians."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 19, 2021.

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This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship.
Canadians observing the Taliban's swift takeover of Afghanistan say they're skeptical of the group's claims that women's rights will be respected under Islamic law.

Taliban fighters patrol in the Wazir Akbar Khan neighborhood in the city of Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Rahmat Gul

Canadians observing the Taliban's swift takeover of Afghanistan say they're skeptical of the group's claims that women's rights will be respected under Islamic law.

Recalling the period of Taliban rule in the 1990's, they worry the regime change will bring back a world in which girls can't attend school, women aren't allowed to work, and many are subject to rape and forced marriages.

"We're very worried about the possibility of gross human rights violations, many of which will be borne by women and girls," said Sarah Keeler, a spokeswoman for the not-for-profit Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan.

Keeler said her organization's Canadian staff are in contact with women they've worked with in Afghanistan, as well as those who've benefited from their efforts in the country -- the group raises funds to support teachers and for education supplies, among other things.

The organization has received reports of Taliban members going to homes in Kabul to collect information on residents while extrajudicial killings have been reported in smaller provinces, she said.

While some prominent Afghan women have spoken out about their fears of being targeted, Keeler said any female in the country could be at risk.

"We're talking about any mother who sends her daughter to university, women who spoke out against the Taliban in any kind of public forum ... those who worked for any kind of civil society organizations or the public sector," she said. "It's a wide swath of society that is now at risk."

Shahrzad Mojab, a University of Toronto professor who specializes in threats to women's rights and education, said progress for feminism in Afghanistan has remained limited.

"There was a lot of funding provided by mostly white liberal feminists for four different women's NGOs over the last 20 years, she said. "Afghan women have managed to take advantage of these funding programs, but the best analysis of what is happening is that young Afghan women are outraged by both the corrupt western-backed government of Afghanistan, as well as fearful of a future under Taliban."

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Mojab said she isn't convinced by the Taliban's latest promises of reform for women, arguing there's no room for womens rights under Sharia law.

"Nothing should be framed within the rule of Sharia in the country. And no matter the so-called amnesty the Taliban is promising, this is not going to happen," she said. "Sharia law, by itself, is authoritarian, dictatorial and exclusionary. And it is a game against the rights and well-being of women."

Saddia Rahmanyar, a 23-year-old Toronto resident whose parents fled Afghanistan in the late 1990s, said her extended family in the country have heard the Taliban's claims on a more moderate stance towards women but are skeptical.

With much of the country in chaos, however, Rahmanyar said her relatives have no choice but to hope the Taliban's apparently altered stance is borne out by actions.

"For the moment they're promising people that yes, girls can still go to school and yes, girls can still work," she said. "But people are just waiting to see what their actual true colors are."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 19, 2021.
OTTAWA - The main national party leaders' scheduled public appearances for Thursday, Aug. 19.

OTTAWA - The main national party leaders' scheduled public appearances for Thursday, Aug. 19.

All times are local.

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau

10 a.m.  Announcement on support of seniors. Veterans Memorial Lodge, 4579 Chatterton Way Victoria, B.C.

_____

Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole

9 a.m. -- Erin O'Toole will make an announcement and hold a media availability, 3021 Cedarview Road, Nepean, Ontario

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6:05 p.m. -- Erin OToole will hold a virtual telephone town hall in New Brunswick, Broadcast Centre, 4th floor, Westin Hotel, 11 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa

7:35 p.m. -- Erin OToole will hold a virtual telephone town hall in Ontario, Broadcast Centre, 4th floor, Westin Hotel, 11 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa____

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh

9:30 a.m.  Heath care announcement, southeast corner of 78 Street and 112 Ave NW, Edmonton.

12 p.m.  Visit to local businesses with Edmonton NDP candidates Blake Desjarlais and Heather McPherson.

1:50 p.m.  Photo opportunity, visit NDP Edmonton Griesbach candidates Blake Desjarlais campaign office and to speak with supporters.
There were placemats, clothes, bedsheets, shower curtains, a blonde wig and a hemorrhoid pillow.

A blade attachment for a Magic Bullet blender, lightbulbs, shampoo and a sealed plastic bag containing a length of rope were also up for grabs.

Soaring online retail has paved the way for a new kind of in-person shopping experience at Krazy Binz Liquidation, a Canadian discount chain that opened in Winnipeg Aug. 12.

The model is simple: the chain buys overstock and returned items from various online retailers, ships them to its stores and mixes them in bins for shoppers to browse.

On the floor of the McPhillips Street store Tuesday, plywood bins stretched out in rows. A few of the middle rows were empty, having already been picked clean, but the rest were piled with goods.

ALEX LUPUL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Prices are reduced every day until new stock arrives.

On Tuesday, all items cost $3. People crowded, often shoulder to shoulder, along the troughs of goods in a manner that recalled pre-lockdown shopping, although most wore face masks.

Charles Carroll was revelling in the hunt.

"Im a bargain hunter for at least the last 30, 40 years," said Carroll. At his feet sat one of the blue Ikea bags handed out at the front door. It was packed full, a tangle of electrical cords flopped over the edges.

"I freaking love it," he said. "Its like an addiction."

It's a new spin on liquidation sales. The difference is that prices are reduced every day until new stock arrives.

ALEX LUPUL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Charles Carroll with a bag full of items he plans to purchase at Krazy Binz.

Prices are set at $25 when stock arrives on Thursday and are reduced to $10 on Friday and Saturday before falling to $8 Sunday, $6 Monday, $3 Tuesday and, finally, a loonie on Wednesday.

"People will go through them, sort them out, take all the expensive items. The next day well drop the price," said co-owner Belal Daoud.

Joanne Reyes, the mother of a three year old, was buying a toy xylophone.

"They grow up so fast, so you want something cheap," said Reyes, noting her childs interests change rapidly. "Its perfect for people who dont have that much of a budget."

Maya Beckerson was less impressed.

ALEX LUPUL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Krazy Binz Liquidation buys overstock and returned items from various online retailers, ships them to its stores and mixes them in bins for shoppers to browse.

"I dont really want to touch anything," said the 15-year-old, who was using a pair of barbecue tongs to rummage through the heaps. "I think theres a lot of people here, especially with COVID now. And everyones touching everything. Its overwhelming in the sense of people and the amount of stuff."

Krazy Binz launched its first three stores simultaneously in Hamilton, Kitchener and Cambridge, Ont., during the first wave of the pandemic, said Daoud.

"It was really challenging to deal with the capacities," he said. "We had to limit the shopping time."

On the surface, business appears to be booming for the company. In the short time since the first stores opened, Krazy Binz has opened another five locations in Ontario, Alberta and, now, Manitoba.

But expansion for Daouds business is more a matter of necessity than an indication of profits, he said.

"To be honest, its not about success; its about the stream that we have," he said. "Right now were not making any money."

ALEX LUPUL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS On Tuesday, all items cost $3. People crowded, often shoulder to shoulder, along the troughs of goods in a manner that recalled pre-lockdown shopping, although most wore face masks.

The business model requires purchasing huge quantities in order to be able to offer the prices it advertises, he said.

However, Daoud said the company is trending in the right direction. Hes hopeful it can continue to grow. The 17-year liquidation-industry veteran said he noticed bin stores popping up around the U.S. about seven years ago. Theyve survived, and he believes the stores will succeed in Canada, too.

"We hope to stay in business as long as they keep supplying us," he said. "If there are supplies, well keep expanding."

Daoud said the company employs more than 350 people, including approximately 50 in Winnipeg.

Krazy Binz is temporarily located at 1375 McPhillips St. There are plans to move to a permanent home at 947 St. James St., a former Staples.

cody.sellar@freepress.mb.ca
Tired of living in the concrete jungle of Winnipeg for more than a month, Amanda Martin is eager to get back home to the pristine wilderness of Little Grand Rapids.

Tired of living in the concrete jungle of Winnipeg for more than a month, Amanda Martin is eager to get back home to the pristine wilderness of Little Grand Rapids.

She is one of roughly 1,500 residents from Little Grand Rapids First Nation and Pauingassi First Nation who have been forced to stay in Winnipeg hotels while crews battle wildfires and Manitoba Hydro fixes downed poles.

"I didn't want to come," Martin, 33, said about being in Winnipeg.

In July, she learned that she and her family had a day to pack and leave. Now, Martin and three of her children stay in the Residence Inn by Marriott. Her kids use the pool and hotel activity room. It's not bad, she said  but, she wants to get home soon.

"I just hope I'm home before Christmas," said Clifton Keeper, another member of Little Grand Rapids who is staying at the hotel.

Evacuees have heard different messages: chiefs have said everyone will head back north this fall, but there have been rumblings the move might be delayed until March because of the difficult of fixing the power lines.

There is no power in either First Nation. Wildfires have scorched approximately 800,000 hectares of land east of Lake Winnipeg, a provincial spokesperson said.

About 100 poles that carry power to the two communities are out of service and. Fixing them is a "top priority," Manitoba Hydro said Thursday.

"There is no timeline as of yet," said Jason Small, a spokesman for the Canadian Red Cross, about when evacuees will return home. "We are here to provide support for the communities until they determine that it's time to go home, and then we will provide the support to help them get back."

Manitoba Hydro estimates it will take six to eight weeks to fully restore service to the communities.

The utility accessed the area by helicopter last week. It hired a line construction contractor to help restore power, and now, crews and materials are streaming in.

It expects to begin line repair and pole replacement work as of Aug. 23. Weather, newfound damage as crews hit the ground and dealing with poles set in rock outcrops are potential concerns, Manitoba Hydro said in its release.

In Winnipeg, evacuees believe it's the lack of power, not wildfires, that is responsible for the delay in getting home.

"We're just waiting patiently," Keeper said. "It's pretty quiet. We're looking out for each other here."

As of Wednesday, there were 124 active wildfires in Manitoba. Other First Nations to be evacuated this summer, including Bloodvein First Nation, have returned to their communities.

On Thursday, the province announced it would lift fire and travel restrictions in most areas, effective Friday at 8 a.m. Restrictions will remain in place in Area 4, which includes Little Grand Rapids and Pauingassi. It encompasses the area from Lake Winnipeg to the Ontario border, and Poplar River in the north to Wanipigow River in the south.

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The Red Cross has been helping wildfire evacuees since early July, including health supports, co-ordinating flights, setting up hotels and meals, and offering hygiene kits and recreational activities.

Chad Duck, 24, has been taking martial arts lessons and swimming during his time in Winnipeg.

The Little Grand Rapids First Nation member wants to return home, but only when it's safe. He said he hears complaints from older community members.

"It's hard for them to adjust to city life," Duck said. "They're used to fishing and hunting."

Duck said it will be best to head north when the smoke and fires have cleared.

gabrielle.piche@freepress.mb.ca
A growing number of Manitoba school divisions is exceeding public health guidelines for the 2021-22 academic year by requiring all students and staff to arrive at school masked on Sept. 7.

A growing number of Manitoba school divisions is exceeding public health guidelines for the 2021-22 academic year by requiring all students and staff to arrive at school masked on Sept. 7.

"It immediately de-stressed the return to school for me," said Fiona Cook, a Grade 4-5 teacher in the Louis Riel School Division.

On Tuesday, Cooks employer announced it would be among the divisions to mandate mask-use indoors when physical distancing is not adequate.

Manitobas back-to-school plan touts a "near-normal" return, with an emphasis on recommendations rather than mandates when it comes to face coverings, COVID-19 vaccination and physical distancing protocols. In contrast to last school year, during which face coverings were mandatory for anyone in Grade 4 or older, school visitors of all ages are being encouraged to don masks.

"I really hope that the more businesses that keep enforcing masks, and the more that people keep doing that, that maybe the province will change its mind about rescinding (the mask mandate). I certainly hope so," said Cook, who, next month, will welcome a class of elementary schoolers that is not yet eligible to get vaccinated.

When Education Minister Cliff Cullen unveiled the school plan earlier this month, he indicated the province would not stand in the way of boards that decide to take additional public health measures.

Division leaders sought clarity on what that meant during a meeting with provincial and public health officials on Tuesday. Not long after the meeting, Louis Riel, Seven Oaks and the Division scolaire franco-manitobaine solidified their mask mandates.

"I wish we didnt have to wear masks, but I dont want to take any chances," said Alain Laberge, superintendent of DSFM. "At the end of the day, my job is to make sure I have school environments that are safe for everyone."

Louis Riel is going so far as to make medical-grade masks, which will be provided by the division, mandatory for all staff, students and visitors in its schools and on school buses.

In St. James-Assiniboia, the 2020-21 status quo will remain in effect this year  meaning masks will be a universal requirement on school buses and mandatory in schools for all students in Grade 4 and up. For younger students, cohorting, physical distancing and "developmentally appropriate periods of mask-wearing" will be in place.

Notably, teachers across the province set aside time for mask breaks, children do not have to wear masks during lunch or snack times and there is flexibility with masking outdoors.

River East Transcona trustees met Wednesday night to discuss making face coverings compulsory.

Pembina Trails and Winnipeg School Division are still holding out for the province to implement a universal mandate in K-12 classrooms; both divisions have written to the ministry of education to express their support for the measure.

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Senior information officer Radean Carter said Manitobas largest school board is hopeful the province will take the lead because public health is a provincial responsibility, but trustees are prepared to take whatever steps are necessary to keep students safe.

Among the public health measures in place, schools in WSD have been directed to maximize the fresh air exchange within their buildings. In DSFM, the suspension of community use of schools will remain in effect to limit contacts in buildings.

Louis Riel is exploring the idea of voluntary disclosure of vaccination status for both staff and students who are eligible to be immunized.

Cook, who is fully immunized, said she would be interested in knowing whether the parents of the children in her class are vaccinated.

maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @macintoshmaggie
COVID-19 vaccinations have become a key political issue at all levels of government in Manitoba, as other jurisdictions make shots mandatory for everyone from nurses to politicians.

COVID-19 vaccinations have become a key political issue at all levels of government in Manitoba, as other jurisdictions make shots mandatory for everyone from nurses to politicians.

Point Douglas Coun. Vivian Santos, the only Winnipeg city councillor who hasnt been vaccinated, said getting the shot is a personal choice.

"At the end of the day, I encourage everybody to get all the information, as much as possible, so that they can make an informed decision," she said.

This week, Ontario announced it would compel staff in universities, schools and personal care homes to get vaccinated, provide proof of a medical reason not to do so, or undergo a "COVID-19 vaccination educational session."

The University of Manitoba, University of Winnipeg and Red River College are also requiring those who visit their campuses this fall to be fully immunized. The three largest post-secondary institutes in the province sent out releases on the subject simultaneously Thursday morning.

On Tuesday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford pledged to remove MPPs from his PC caucus if they didnt get their first shot by this evening.

The Manitoba NDP called on the PCs to follow suit Wednesday, and asked the Speaker to limit house proceedings to MLAs who are fully vaccinated.

"Its time for the government to step up," wrote NDP house leader Nahanni Fontaine.

"Getting the vaccine is the most important thing Manitobans can do to protect our communities and end the pandemic."

In Manitoba, the two MLAs who have not been fully vaccinated, Infrastructure Minister Ron Schuler and Seine River MLA Janice Morley-Lecomte, both declined to comment on the idea that Manitoba would follow a similar path.

"Everything is up to an individual and their personal choice, and Ill respect peoples personal choices," Morley-Lecomte said.

Schuler was at an event relating to building trades. "Im going to focus on this today," he said in response to three questions about vaccines.

Both stood behind MLA Heather Stefanson as she announced her run for PC leader.

Stefanson said she did not intend to compel MLAs to get vaccinated.

JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS PC MLA Heather Stefanson, who announced her candidacy for the leadership of the Manitoba PC party Wednesday, said she did not intend to compel MLAs to get vaccinated.

"I would rather encourage people to get vaccinated; thats where Im at," said Stefanson, although she said Premier Brian Pallister is mulling a requirement for certain front-line government employees to get a shot.

"There are things that we will be looking at over the course of the next little while, to make sure we have the greatest protection for Manitobans," she said.

"Thats something that is being probably discussed and contemplated right now."

Separately, ministers Cathy Cox, Alan Lagimodiere and Jon Reyes refused to comment on the idea of their unvaccinated colleagues being turfed from caucus.

"We know that vaccines are the way to really emerge from this virus. So, thats my comment," Cox said, while Lagimodiere said, "Its important that we follow the lead of our medical team in Manitoba here, and follow the recommendation that they make moving forward."

Federally, the NDP and Liberals have demanded all candidates be fully vaccinated, while Conservative Leader Erin OToole said candidates without shots will have to do daily COVID-19 rapid tests.

Provencher MP Ted Falk is the only Manitoba MP who has refused to say whether hes vaccinated, and his office didnt reply to the Free Press Wednesday.

Falk told a podcast in April that he was "not completely sold on this vaccination," saying the shots were created quickly and "may be fine," but he downplayed the consequences of COVID-19 on peoples health.

Winnipeg Conservative MP Raquel Dancho, who is currently knocking on doors as she seeks re-election in Kildonan-St. Paul, will be using rapid tests.

Dancho is due for her second shot in late August, meaning she wont be fully immune until mid-September.

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"We continue to follow all public health measures to help keep our community safe during Justin Trudeaus unnecessary fourth-wave election," her office wrote. "The local campaign supports this measure and is engaging a vendor to secure rapid tests."

Santos has said she has a medical reason that prevents her from getting vaccinated, but she refused to say if a doctor advised her against getting a shot.

Manitoba public health officials say there are exceedingly rare cases where someone should not get a COVID-19 vaccine, and that no one as of July 21 had been told not to get a shot due to allergies.

Santos was also mum at the prospect of the city requiring vaccines for its staff, or for the public to access services. "Im going to make no comment at this time," she said.

 with files from Temur Durrani

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
Young people surveyed by Manitoba's children's advocate say they need better mental health and addiction services, as well as anti-poverty programs.

Young people surveyed by Manitoba's children's advocate say they need better mental health and addiction services, as well as anti-poverty programs.

The advocate, an independent office of the Manitoba legislature, consulted with almost 300 young people who live in various regions of the province. A report based on their feedback, "The Right to Be Heard", was published Thursday.

Generally, youth in the north were more likely to say they are concerned about poverty and substance abuse, while those living in Winnipeg were more likely to select racism and mental health issues.

"A report like this allows us a really incredible opportunity to sit down internally and think about how the projects that we have underway, how the projects that were maybe considering embarking on, align with what youth want us to be focused on," said acting children's advocate Ainsley Krone said.

She said the report marks the first time such a large-scale listening tour was conducted. Almost 300 Manitoba young people, most between 14 and 17, with about half living in Winnipeg, participated in focus groups and an online survey. In-person interviews had to be cancelled because of the pandemic.

The advocate presented to more than 1,000 youth as part of the preparation for the report.

The majority of the kids involved in the report  79 per cent  said they wanted more mental health and addiction services.

"Youth themselves are saying, enough with the wait-lists. When we need services, we need to be able to access them," Krone said.

More than 50 per cent of youth surveyed said their communities were dealing with substance use, mental health issues and poverty.

"Youth talked about the interconnectedness of racism, mental health, substance use, violence and poverty in rural and remote communities in our province, we heard that access to transportation is also a barrier to accessing adequate health-care services," Krone said.

More recreation programs and better access to sexual health and cultural services were raised as solutions.

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The answers provided by Manitobas young people underscore the urgent need for the province to address on issues that the advocates office has raised since 2018, Krone said.

"Youth were clear with us that they want to see less talk and more action from people in power, including from our office. They want their voices and opinions listened to and taken into consideration when decisions are being made," she said.

"They have a clear message to all adults in the province: enhancing the youth mental health and addictions systems in this province needs to be prioritized."

The advocates office is planning a provincewide tour to speak with community leaders about issues that affect young people.

malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: malakabas_
Two men have been charged with gunning down a man in a suspected gang attack outside a private girls school during a sunny afternoon in June.

Two men have been charged with gunning down a man in a suspected gang attack outside a private girls school during a sunny afternoon in June.

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Dahir Abdi, 19, and Theodoros Kyriakakos, 21, both of Winnipeg, were arrested Tuesday and charged with first-degree murder in the death of 29-year-old Kyle Anthony Braithwaite just steps away from Balmoral Hall School in West Broadway on June 14.

The two accused were detained in custody.

Witnesses described hearing four or five gunshots in rapid succession, before a black car peeled off from the scene. Two nurses, who happened to be in the area near Young and Balmoral streets, performed CPR on the victim in the middle of the street.

Police will only say the shooting wasn't random, but in June, a community outreach worker with experience working with street gangs said the crime was related to a dispute between the Mad Cowz and B-Side.

On two occasions, Kyriakakos pleaded guilty to drug possession, once in December 2018 and again in July 2019. He was fined both times. He was on supervised probation after taking a car without the owners consent in 2018. He had been initially charged with robbery in that incident.

Abdi has no adult criminal record.
Manitobas major universities and colleges have announced COVID-19 immunization mandates in a co-ordinated effort to make the public-health measure a requirement on campuses across the province.

Manitobas major universities and colleges have announced COVID-19 immunization mandates in a co-ordinated effort to make the public-health measure a requirement on campuses across the province.

Louis Riel first division poised to require workers be vaccinated Click to Expand Google maps Posted: 5:34 PM Aug. 19, 2021 Staff members in the Louis Riel School Division are slated to become the first public school employees in Manitoba to be mandated to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Read Full Story

The University of Manitoba, University of Winnipeg, Red River College, Canadian Mennonite University, Assiniboine Community College and the University College of the North announced students and staff must have two doses of vaccine to attend classes.

"Its a message on a united front. A commitment to students, the faculty, and staff. Its not about competing, who can do it first, its just about doing the right thing for Manitoba students and employees, and doing it together," said Jan Stewart, interim provost and vice-president academic at the U of W.

School leaders undertook extensive consultation with public health officials, legal experts, students, academics, staff and the department of advanced education, leading up to the Thursday bulletins.

Bioethicist Arthur Schafer said it was inevitable that local post-secondary institutes announced vaccine mandates before fall classes.

While many details still have to be hashed out, this is the smart way forward.  Brendan Scott, president of the U of Ms students union

"There was a very strong pressure from faculty, from staff, from students and, also, I think the fact that many other leading Canadian universities have already announced that they are requiring mandatory vaccination, was bound to establish a trend," said Schafer, founding director of the Centre for Professional and Applied Ethics at the U of M.

Members of the U of M community are expected to have received their first dose of vaccine by Sept. 22 and their second before November. The school has yet to announce accommodation logistics for those who cannot be immunized or don't want a vaccine.

"While many details still have to be hashed out, this is the smart way forward," said Brendan Scott, president of the U of Ms students union.

A summer UMSU survey yielded overwhelming support for a vaccine mandate, he noted.

Recent U of W back-to-school polls also found thousands of students and employees  more than 90 per cent of whom indicated they are fully immunized  want compulsory immunization.

JESSE BOILY / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES On the U of W campus, anyone who is authorized to visit must enter via controlled access points and show proof of full vaccination within a specified time frame.

On the downtown campus, anyone who is authorized to visit must enter via "controlled access points" this fall and show proof of full vaccination within a specified time frame.

Staff, students and academics who are unvaccinated and provide medical verification will be exempt from the policy and permitted on campus. However, those who are simply unwilling to get a shot will have to continue with remote learning or show proof of a negative COVID-19 test.

The downtown campus will be closed to the public until at least 2022.

Red River College has unveiled its own tailored mandate, under which two doses of vaccine are required for students and employees to attend its campuses this fall. The college expects first doses to have been received by Sept. 10 and followup shots completed by Oct. 17.

ANDREW RYAN / FREE PRESS FILES Red River College president Fred Meier said the measure will ensure students and staff can safely participate in very fulsome hands-on and applied learning activities this fall.

College president Fred Meier said the measure will ensure students and staff can safely participate in "very fulsome" hands-on and applied learning activities this fall.

The college has indicated appropriate documentation is necessary for medical and religious or creed-based exemptions, although it is finalizing the details of its accommodation process.

"This is a good-news day," said Scott Forbes, president of the Manitoba Organization of Faculty Associations. "Were delighted to see university administrations across the board doing the right thing."

The organization has been outspoken throughout the summer in its campaign to implement vaccine mandates on campuses. Forbes indicated the advocacy work is not quite done, however, given not all schools have matching mandates.

"This is a goodnews day. Were delighted to see university administrations across the board doing the right thing.  Scott Forbes, president of the Manitoba Organization of Faculty Associations

Brandon University stopped short of announcing a strict requirement that all community members be immunized to access campus in the fall.

In a release Thursday, the university indicated it will not require vaccines, but they will be "strongly encouraged." Other schools, including the Universite de Saint-Boniface, also continue to mull mandates.

Forbes, a biology professor at U of W, called his employers policy "the gold standard," since it relies on the provinces vaccine-card system.

maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @macintoshmaggie

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An inmate at the Stony Mountain Institution is suing corrections officers and the federal attorney general, claiming officers were away from their posts during a stabbing in which he was severely injured.

An inmate at the Stony Mountain Institution is suing corrections officers and the federal attorney general, claiming officers were away from their posts during a stabbing in which he was severely injured.

Christopher Calamusa, 30, was watching television in a common area of the prison two years ago when he was attacked by a group of inmates and stabbed multiple times. He had injuries to the hand, face and head.

In a statement of claim, Calamusa alleged five corrections officers were "absent from their stations," and failed in their duty to protect him.

Calamusa is seeking general and aggravated damages, and asking the attorney general of Canada and corrections officers to cover medical expenses and compensate him for future loss of income.

The Aug. 11, 2019, attack began when Calamusa was punched in the back of the head by a fellow inmate, court filings claim. That attacker was joined by three others, who beat and stabbed Calamusa with a weapon, leaving him with seven stab wounds to the head and face.

Calamusa reportedly suffered fractures in his hands, scarring to his face, permanent facial nerve damage and "permanent cognitive deficits." Court documents state Calamusa suffers from post traumatic stress disorder and is in need of professional counselling.

Calamusa says his attackers took advantage of the alleged absence of five corrections officers who "abandoned their duty to guard and protect him" that evening.

"Theres a duty of care. Just because youre incarcerated doesnt mean you forfeit your section seven (charter) right to life, liberty and security," said one of Calamusa's lawyers, Ethan Pollock, in an interview Wednesday.

"Were here to ensure incarcerated individuals are safe while under the purview of corrections Canada."

When corrections officers did intervene, the documents allege Calamusa was shot with a rubber bullet and sprayed with pepper spray before being taken to a Winnipeg hospital.

"During the attack, Calamusa required the immediate protection and assistance from the defendant corrections officers," court documents state. "He received none."

Documents state Calamusa needed a plate inserted in his head and in his hand, and will need further corrective surgeries, which he claims are a "direct consequence of the negligence" of corrections officers.

The claim further argues Calamusa, who was a general labourer before his incarceration, will suffer future loss of income as a result of his injuries.

Calamusa was given an eight-year sentence in 2014 after being convicted of attempted murder and aggravated assault for stabbing a 20-year-old man at a birthday party in Kingston, Ont.

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Pollock noted Calamusa remains in custody but has been transferred out of the province.

No statement of defence has been filed.

In a statement, Correctional Services Canada said it reviewing the claim and takes the allegations "very seriously."

"CSC staff and senior management strive to ensure that our work to rehabilitate offenders is done safely and with the utmost professionalism," said spokesperson Jeff Campbell.

julia-simone.rutgers@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @jsrutgers
The Taliban are celebrating the first Afghan Independence Day under their rule since before the 9/11 terror attacks. The Winnipeg mother of a soldier who killed himself in 2004 shortly after serving in Afghanistan said she feels his death was in vain .

Whats happening today

The E-Mart convenience store was the scene of a fatal arson. (Alex Lupul / Winnipeg Free Press files) Honouring slain store owner: A memorial walk to honour Jung Ja Shin, the convenience store owner killed in an arson in the Osborne Village area, is happening tonight. "She was just so happy. Just always had the biggest smile on her face, an area resident said. You know that she was just pouring her heart into this store and into this community. Police are searching for a suspect, seen in security video, in a total of four fires. Malak Abas reports. Read More Federal election

Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole speaks in Quebec City on Wednesday. (Ryan Remiorz / The Canadian Press) On campaign trail today: NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh will speak on health care in Edmonton. Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole will make an announcement in Nepean, Ont., and take part in two virtual telephone town halls for voters in New Brunswick and Ontario. In Victoria, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will make a Liberal announcement on support for seniors. The Canadian Press reports. Read More Pallisters popularity: A political studies professor says the shrinking popularity of Premier Brian Pallister might help the federal Liberals in next months election, particularly in two ridings. The Canadian Press reports. Read More Taking tests: Winnipeg Conservative MP Raquel Dancho will have to do daily COVID-19 rapid tests until the federal election is nearly over. She has yet to get her second vaccination shot, and her partys leader said candidates who arent fully vaccinated will have to be tested daily. Another Conservative, Ted Falk, is the only Manitoba MP who has refused to say whether he is vaccinated. Dylan Robertson reports. Read More Weather

Your forecast: A mix of sun and cloud with a 30 per cent chance of showers and risk of thunderstorms from this afternoon until at least early Friday morning, a high of 26 C, humidex of 34 and peak winds from the northwest at 20 km/h gusting to 40 beginning this afternoon. In case you missed it

(Paul Chiasson / The Canadian Press files) Making masks mandatory: An increasing number of school divisions are requiring students and staff members to wear masks when classes resume next month. Maggie Macintosh reports. Read More Hit-and-run driver IDd: A relative of a senior who was struck and killed by a large truck downtown earlier this month says her family is relieved police have identified the driver. Read More On this date

On Aug. 19, 1966: The Winnipeg Free Press reported FBI agents arrested Canada's most-wanted fugitive, Georges Lemay, in Las Vegas. He was being sought internationally after a "spectacular" Montreal bank robbery. In London, England, fears grew that a suspect wanted in the deaths of three policemen had laid false clues to elude hundreds of armed officers searching for him. Today's front page

Get the full story: Read today's e-edition of the Winnipeg Free Press Read More
There is no question that COVID-19 has had devastating consequences in long-term care for residents, staff and families. Media provided heart-wrenching stories about conditions in care homes and pictures of residents peering through windows. Numerous reports have been documenting the factors that contributed to the disaster, identifying once again what needs to change.

Opinion

There is no question that COVID-19 has had devastating consequences in long-term care for residents, staff and families. Media provided heart-wrenching stories about conditions in care homes and pictures of residents peering through windows. Numerous reports have been documenting the factors that contributed to the disaster, identifying once again what needs to change.

However, as is often the case in disasters, there are signs of light emerging from the devastation. Here we highlight three promising developments based on our current research project, "COVID-19, Families and Long-Term Care."

Family councils

First, as we have learned through our interviews with family members, more people are participating in family councils and more family councils are becoming highly effective in shaping policies and practices.

A family council is composed of family and friends of a long-term care homes residents. Although family councils are allowed in Ontarios Long-Term Care Homes Act, the groups are intended to be self-led and democratically run, and determine their own goals. Within their overall purpose of improving quality of life for residents, their roles can include education, peer support and pursuing positive changes in homes and in the long-term care system. Whether there is a family council and how it operates varies with each home and is determined by it.

In Ontario, family councils are included in the legislation governing long-term care but are not required. Certainly, family councils have long played a critical role. But not all homes have had active councils and not all councils have taken the kind of action that pandemic practices have spurred.

During the pandemic:

Cut off from daily life in care homes and limited in the impact they could have individually, more family members joined the councils.

Frustrated by the poor communications from care homes, more councils became highly effective communicators.

Provoked by confusing government directives, councils more thoroughly investigated the directives in order to become critical sources of information for families and even sometimes for the management.

More councils have furthered their efforts both in relation to the home and in relation to government, connecting through family council networks and sharing information across jurisdictions to broaden their advocacy work. At the same time, the pandemic has made more people in the general population aware of conditions in long-term care and determined to demand change.

Essential contributions

Second, the prohibition against families entering care homes made their essential contributions visible. As we have long learned in our research, families  by which we often mean women  do much more than hug. They prepare culturally appropriate food and activities, purchase supplies and clean clothes and assist in eating and in walking. They monitor, advocate and interpret, and they brush teeth and comb hair  to name only some of the ways they fill the gaps in care.

For example, one woman who visited her aunt said: "I would wash her face. I would cut her hair, which she preferred I do rather than hiring somebody. And I would help her stay groomed. Her hands were often dirty, so I would soak her hands to get them cleaned up. Id help her clean her dentures, brush her teeth, brush her mouth really. And I would help her with calling to family."

She also cleaned her aunts wheelchair, and cleaned up anything she noticed that didnt look good. She called staffs attention to her aunts needs, such as her missing eyeglasses. And she would take her aunt outside. "I would take her outside, which is a big thing for me because theyre not entitled to fresh air. I would take her outside as much as I could even if it was just a spin down to the sidewalk and back. And she loved actually being outside and smelling the air and seeing even the traffic go by. I mean, she didnt care what it was. It was just like being part of life."

With family visits prohibited, none of these aspects of care were provided for her aunt in the wake of COVID-19.

Although staff shortages were clearly critical during the pandemic, family absences exposed the extent to which chronic staff shortages before the pandemic have made homes dependent on relatives every day for a wide range of care.

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Essential care

Third, the prohibition against visitors, combined with the enforced isolation of residents in their rooms and the push for staff to focus on clinical care, highlighted the essential nature of both social care and of those services often dismissed as supplementary. These include food, clothing, housekeeping and laundry.

After the Canadian Armed Forces deployed members to provide assistance in long-term care homes during the COVID-19 crisis, a report emphasized the absence of these essential services and the absence of vital social care. Specifically, it noted "not having witnessed any psychosocial support for these residents," the lack of clean linen and lack of access to sufficient nutrition.

The haunting pictures of residents in the windows and the reports of death from isolation also speak to a lack of social care. Clinical care is undoubtedly necessary, but COVID-19 makes it obvious it is not sufficient for life.

There is no question that we will have to work hard to make sure that this time the lessons learned from the pandemic do not get lost once again as the immediate crisis passes. This includes supporting families and family councils. It also means recognizing the full range of essential care.

Pat Armstrong is a distinguished research professor of sociology, Jacqueline Choiniere is an associate professor in the school of nursing and Ruth Lowndes is a research associate in the department of sociology at York University. Hugh Armstrong is professor emeritus of social work and political economy at Carleton University. James Struthers is professor emeritus of Canadian studies at Trent University.

This article was first published at The Conversation Canada: theconversation.com/ca.
IN the year 2000, five years after the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan, nobody elsewhere cared what happened in that landlocked, benighted country. It was ruled by angry rural fanatics who tormented the local people with their demented rules for proper Islamic behaviour, but it was not a military or diplomatic priority for anybody.

Opinion

IN the year 2000, five years after the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan, nobody elsewhere cared what happened in that landlocked, benighted country. It was ruled by angry rural fanatics who tormented the local people with their demented rules for proper "Islamic" behaviour, but it was not a military or diplomatic priority for anybody.

It is about to return to that isolated and isolationist existence. Neither then nor now do the Taliban even have a foreign policy. They are more like a franchise operation whose various elements share certain basic principles  e.g. foreigners, women and democracy are bad  but whose members are primarily focused on local issues and personal ambitions.

This is not the first time that the country has been in such a mess, and about the only useful thing the current lot of foreign invaders can do on their way out is offer refuge abroad to as many as possible of the Afghans who trusted their promises. That will certainly not be more than 10 or 20 per cent of those who earned their protection.

The Russians and the Americans share the blame for this catastrophe. Its hard to believe that an uninvaded Afghanistan could have peacefully evolved into a prosperous democratic society with equal rights for all, but "uninvaded" is the only condition in which it could conceivably have approached that goal.

There was the germ of such a locally led modernization process in the overthrow of the king in 1973 and the proclamation of an Afghan republic. Other Muslim-majority states have made that transition successfully  Turkey did, for example, despite its current government  but the Afghan attempt did not prosper.

Violent resistance by traditional social and religious groups started at once, and the tottering new republican regime was overthrown in 1978 by a bloody military coup. The young officers who seized power were Marxists who imposed a radical reform program.

They gave women the vote and equal access to education, carried out land reforms, and even attacked the role of religion. By 1979, the Marxist regime was facing a massive revolt in conservative rural areas, and one faction asked for Soviet military help.

The moribund Communist leadership in Moscow agreed, and 100,000 Soviet troops entered the country. The subsequent war devastated the invading country for a decade  with much help from the United States.

"The day that the Soviets officially crossed the (Afghan) border, I wrote to President Carter: We now have the opportunity of giving to the U.S.S.R. its Vietnam War," said former U.S. national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski . He immediately started sending money and weapons to the rural rebels who later became the Taliban.

It took 10 years, $40 billion of clandestine U.S. military aid, and around a million Afghan dead, but by 1989 the Taliban and their various Islamist rivals forced the Russians to pull out. Shortly afterward the Soviet Union collapsed, and Brzezinski arrogantly but implausibly claimed credit for it.

"What is most important to the history of the world?" he asked. "The Taliban, or the collapse of the Soviet empire? Some stirred-up Muslims or the liberation of Central Europe and the end of the Cold War?" In reality, the Soviet Union was heading for collapse anyway, but the "stirred-up Muslims" turned out to be a fairly large problem.

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The Taliban took power in Kabul in 1996 after a long all-against-all war among the various Islamist groups, and ruled most of the country badly and brutally for five years. Then an Arab Islamist called Osama bin Laden abused the hospitality of the Taliban leader Mullah Omar by launching the 9/11 attacks against the United States in 2001.

Bin Laden may not even have told Mullah Omar about the attacks in advance. The "need to know" principle for secret operations argues against it, as does the possibility that Mullah Omar might have forbidden the attacks because he didnt want to be invaded.

An American invasion was inevitable after 9/11, because some spectacular retaliation was politically necessary. That led to another 20 years of war: the Taliban against another set of foreigners who understood little about the countrys recent history and why it made local people profoundly mistrustful of "helpful" foreigners.

Even now, Americans dont realize how closely they have recapitulated the Soviet experience in the country. The ending that is now unfolding was foreordained from the start, although it has taken twice as long to arrive because the United States is much richer than Russia. Nevertheless, the aftermath will also be the same.

The various factions of the Taliban will split, mostly on ethnic lines, and another civil war of uncertain length will follow. The rule of the winners will be as cruel and arbitrary as it was last time. And the rest of the world will rapidly lose interest, because Afghanistan wont pose a serious threat to anywhere else.

Gwynne Dyers new book is The Shortest History of War.
What did we learn on the first unofficial day of the race to replace Progressive Conservative leader and Premier Brian Pallister? First and foremost, it's going to be super difficult for anyone involved in the Tory government to credibly distance themselves from a profoundly unpopular premier and his equally unpopular policies.

What did we learn on the first unofficial day of the race to replace Progressive Conservative leader and Premier Brian Pallister? First and foremost, it's going to be super difficult for anyone involved in the Tory government to credibly distance themselves from a profoundly unpopular premier and his equally unpopular policies.

An excellent case could be found on Wednesday, when Tuxedo MLA Heather Stefanson, a key member of Pallister's cabinet for the past five-plus years, announced she was resigning as health minister to commit her time to winning the leadership of the PC party. She claims to have the support of 24 members of the Tory caucus.

Without any prompting from journalists, Stefanson said her first act as premier would be to drive a stake through the heart of Bill 64, the cryptically named Education Modernization Act.

JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Heather Stefanson said she wants to strike a different tone than Premier Brian Pallister. She would advance reconciliation with Indigenous Manitobans and she promised to scrap the hugely controversial school reform Bill 64. (John Woods / Winnipeg Free Press)

Quietly, Tory MLAs have expressed their concern about blowback from Bill 64, which would dramatically reduce both the number and influence of school divisions. However, there were no public signs of dissent.

But there was Stefanson, and key cabinet colleagues such as Education Minister Cliff Cullen, applauding loudly when the woman who would be premier said her government would kill the bill.

Her announcement, and the reaction from her supporters, raises interesting questions, starting with an obvious one: where were they when Bill 64 was introduced?

In June, Cullen was still extolling the virtues of Bill 64 when he announced the launch of a website to counteract "misinformation" about its impact on public education. "We encourage Manitobans to be part of this amazing opportunity to improve the education system," Cullen stated in a news release.

It was hard to look at the smile on Cullen's face as he applauded Stefanson's promise to kill Bill 64 and not wonder how this horrendous excuse for an education plan ever made it to the order paper in the first place.

Quietly, Tory MLAs have expressed their concern about blowback from Bill 64, which would dramatically reduce both the number and influence of school divisions. However, there were no public signs of dissent.

Does this mean Bill 64 is dead? It's not entirely clear.

It is hard to imagine that Pallister, who remains the premier for the time being, will allow his caucus to bully him into dropping it from the legislative calendar. Bill 64 is slated for a second reading, and another vote in the legislature, in early October. Will that session be delayed and if not, will all 24 members of Team Stefanson vote against their own government?

To be fair, this is not a dilemma of Stefanson's making, not really. This is the predicament that confronts any elected member of the Pallister government who makes a bid to lead the party.

Pallister is very unpopular, as are many of his central policies. Does a leadership hopeful abandon all of those policies and leave themselves open to awkward questions about why they didn't speak up sooner? Or do they just pledge to continue the work of that leader, no matter how unpopular (in this case) he may be?

Stefanson's carefully scripted answers to the most likely of questions from journalists shows she is fully aware of her predicament. It should be noted that beyond her promise to kill Bill 64, Stefanson gave no indication she was willing to walk away from any of Pallister's other plans or accomplishments.

For example, she refused to concede there is a crisis in Winnipeg emergency rooms despite clear, empirical evidence to the contrary.

Manitoba entered the pandemic with its hospital system reeling from a badly implemented reorganization of emergency medicine that left city ERs profoundly understaffed. When the pandemic hit hard in the second and third waves, our ERs were quickly overwhelmed.

Only Manitoba had to airlift patients to other provinces because of a lack of ER capacity. Stefanson not only disputed the notion this was evidence of a crisis, she offered no explanation about why it happened.

Pallister is very unpopular, as are many of his central policies. Does a leadership hopeful abandon all of those policies and leave themselves open to awkward questions about why they didn't speak up sooner? Or do they just pledge to continue the work of that leader, no matter how unpopular (in this case) he may be?

Nor, did she have much to say about a pandemic response that twice produced the worst outbreaks on the continent. In Stefanson's account, the government's response has always been based on "evidence and the best advice" from public health officials. That is categorically untrue, as Pallister repeatedly dragged the pandemic response away from science and into the dangerous realm of politics.

In lauding her own accomplishments, Stefanson repeatedly tried to reduce her role in the pandemic to the vaccine implementation, the one bright spot in what has been a horrible overall response from government.

When it was pointed out she has been invisible for most her time as health minister, she claimed she was working "diligently behind the scenes." When reporters pressed her about not being available to speak about the ER staffing crisis, she suggested she was talking to lots of people, just not journalists.

Dan Lett | Not for Attribution A weekly look at politics close to home and around the world that is sent every Tuesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

If this is all Stefanson has to offer  a pledge to kill Bill 64 and an attempt to escape culpability on the horrid pandemic response  then she may find the future does not quite unfold the way she wants it to.

With the show of force she mustered for her launch, there is every reason to believe Stefanson is the front-runner, but unless she can credibly distance herself from Pallister, she may find that her leadership destiny takes her straight past the premier's office to the opposition benches of the legislature.

dan.lett@freepress.mb.ca
A new program for men is underway at NorWest Co-op Community Health.

The Mens Relationship Counselling and Support program is designed for men who have been abused in an intimate partner relationship and/or if they themselves have been abusive toward someone in a relationship.

"Were finding a lot of people are identifying themselves as having both experienced abuse in a relationship and been abusive," said Chelsea McClelland, the programs family violence counsellor.

The program offers individual and group counselling.

"Interested male-identifying individuals can access therapeutic counselling and group programming to assist them in becoming more aware and knowledgeable of intimate partner violence, to help with behaviour change and improvements in relationships, to increase safety of themselves and others, and to gain support with leaving abusive relationships," a news release from NorWest said.

Later this summer, NorWest will also launch an anger management component, with additional programs to come this fall, McClelland said. Language interpreters are also available to support one-on-one counselling.

McClelland said the program, which is partially funded by the Province of Manitoba, aims to fill a gap in services. She noted men make up the majority of family violence perpetrators, yet there arent many supports for them.

"We seem to see violence, family violence, or violence against women as just a womens issue, rather than being a mens issue  which (it) clearly is  because theres a lot of men that are involved in this issue. So why is there a gap?

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"I would say it has to do a lot with our society, and just how were structured around patriarchy, and the history of colonization, and  weve kind of erased men from the picture or from accountability or responsibility."

Manitoba had the second-highest rate of intimate partner violence among Canadian provinces in 2019, according to Statistics Canada. The rate of intimate partner violence was 607 per 100,000 for that year. The rate of women experiencing domestic violence was 4.2 times higher than men. The overall number of victims increased by two per cent from 2018.

McClelland said theres a lot of stigma and shame surrounding men who have been abused and therefore incidents go unreported. She said its time to change that.

"I think that we need to make it safe for boys to be able to talk about their feelings and to talk about their emotions and to be able to be themselves."

People interested in the program can contact McClelland at 204-914-9078 for more information.

NorWest Co-op Community Health, based in the Burrows-Keewatin neighbourhood, runs health and wellness programs and services at various locations across Winnipeg. Visit norwestcoop.ca for additional information.
Manitobas major universities and colleges have announced COVID-19 immunization mandates in a co-ordinated effort to make the public-health measure a requirement on campuses across the province.

Manitobas major universities and colleges have announced COVID-19 immunization mandates in a co-ordinated effort to make the public-health measure a requirement on campuses across the province.

Louis Riel first division poised to require workers be vaccinated Click to Expand Google maps Posted: 5:34 PM Aug. 19, 2021 Staff members in the Louis Riel School Division are slated to become the first public school employees in Manitoba to be mandated to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Read Full Story

The University of Manitoba, University of Winnipeg, Red River College, Canadian Mennonite University, Assiniboine Community College and the University College of the North announced students and staff must have two doses of vaccine to attend classes.

"Its a message on a united front. A commitment to students, the faculty, and staff. Its not about competing, who can do it first, its just about doing the right thing for Manitoba students and employees, and doing it together," said Jan Stewart, interim provost and vice-president academic at the U of W.

School leaders undertook extensive consultation with public health officials, legal experts, students, academics, staff and the department of advanced education, leading up to the Thursday bulletins.

Bioethicist Arthur Schafer said it was inevitable that local post-secondary institutes announced vaccine mandates before fall classes.

While many details still have to be hashed out, this is the smart way forward.  Brendan Scott, president of the U of Ms students union

"There was a very strong pressure from faculty, from staff, from students and, also, I think the fact that many other leading Canadian universities have already announced that they are requiring mandatory vaccination, was bound to establish a trend," said Schafer, founding director of the Centre for Professional and Applied Ethics at the U of M.

Members of the U of M community are expected to have received their first dose of vaccine by Sept. 22 and their second before November. The school has yet to announce accommodation logistics for those who cannot be immunized or don't want a vaccine.

"While many details still have to be hashed out, this is the smart way forward," said Brendan Scott, president of the U of Ms students union.

A summer UMSU survey yielded overwhelming support for a vaccine mandate, he noted.

Recent U of W back-to-school polls also found thousands of students and employees  more than 90 per cent of whom indicated they are fully immunized  want compulsory immunization.

JESSE BOILY / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES On the U of W campus, anyone who is authorized to visit must enter via controlled access points and show proof of full vaccination within a specified time frame.

On the downtown campus, anyone who is authorized to visit must enter via "controlled access points" this fall and show proof of full vaccination within a specified time frame.

Staff, students and academics who are unvaccinated and provide medical verification will be exempt from the policy and permitted on campus. However, those who are simply unwilling to get a shot will have to continue with remote learning or show proof of a negative COVID-19 test.

The downtown campus will be closed to the public until at least 2022.

Red River College has unveiled its own tailored mandate, under which two doses of vaccine are required for students and employees to attend its campuses this fall. The college expects first doses to have been received by Sept. 10 and followup shots completed by Oct. 17.

ANDREW RYAN / FREE PRESS FILES Red River College president Fred Meier said the measure will ensure students and staff can safely participate in very fulsome hands-on and applied learning activities this fall.

College president Fred Meier said the measure will ensure students and staff can safely participate in "very fulsome" hands-on and applied learning activities this fall.

The college has indicated appropriate documentation is necessary for medical and religious or creed-based exemptions, although it is finalizing the details of its accommodation process.

"This is a good-news day," said Scott Forbes, president of the Manitoba Organization of Faculty Associations. "Were delighted to see university administrations across the board doing the right thing."

The organization has been outspoken throughout the summer in its campaign to implement vaccine mandates on campuses. Forbes indicated the advocacy work is not quite done, however, given not all schools have matching mandates.

"This is a goodnews day. Were delighted to see university administrations across the board doing the right thing.  Scott Forbes, president of the Manitoba Organization of Faculty Associations

Brandon University stopped short of announcing a strict requirement that all community members be immunized to access campus in the fall.

In a release Thursday, the university indicated it will not require vaccines, but they will be "strongly encouraged." Other schools, including the Universite de Saint-Boniface, also continue to mull mandates.

Forbes, a biology professor at U of W, called his employers policy "the gold standard," since it relies on the provinces vaccine-card system.

maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @macintoshmaggie

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In Philadelphia, a city with a deep Italian heritage, supporters say they consider Columbus an emblem of that heritage. Mayor Jim Kenney said Columbus was venerated for centuries as an explorer but had a much more infamous history, enslaving Indigenous people and imposing punishments such as severing limbs or even death.

After the June 2020 unrest, Kenney characterized removing the statue as a matter of public safety. Patrick, however, wrote that the city had failed to provide evidence that the statue's removal was necessary to protect the public, calling the confrontations isolated civil unrest."

In western Pennsylvania, a Columbus statue in a Pittsburgh park was also covered up last fall and its removal ordered, but a community group there also filed suit. A western Pennsylvania judge declared an impasse in June and sent the dispute to mediation.
The Wisconsin Black Student Union and others led an effort to remove the boulder, as they perceived it to be a symbol of past racism and hatred. On Aug. 6, funded by private donations, the 42-ton boulder was moved to university-owned land, and will be referred to as a glacial erratic.

Perhaps there were those offended by the one-time usage of a racial slur nearly 100 years ago, but we also have to make an assessment on what types of symbols or behaviors will necessitate a response. Its still simply a rock, and you can make the choice whether to be offended by a slur used many years ago, or simply see the rock as an example of the natural history of the area.

Instead of working on ways to bring people groups together, many are working with agendas to attempt to divide Americans based on their race, a complete reversal of the integration of society fought for so valiantly for the past several generations.

On Aug. 11 FoxBusiness story stated, American Express subjected its employees to a series of critical race theory training sessions that encouraged staff to rank themselves on a hierarchy of privilege. Where do folks get their white privilege?
Unvaccinated Wisconsin residents are almost three times as likely to catch COVID-19 and nearly four times as likely to be hospitalized for the coronavirus than their fully vaccinated peers, according to new data from the state Department of Health Services.

The data, posted on the DHS website Thursday, also show fully vaccinated people experience a 10-fold reduction in their risk of dying from COVID-19  which has seen increased transmission across the state due in large part to the more contagious delta variant.

DHS Secretary Karen Timberlake said in a statement that the overwhelming majority of people who are contracting COVID have not been fully vaccinated.

With the original strain of COVID-19, an infected person was likely to infect two other people, who were then likely to infect two additional people for a total of six cases from one infection, she said. With the delta variant, an infected person is likely to infect about five people, who are then likely to infect 25 people for a total of 30 cases from one infection.
Brian Landers apparently does not get it. The tragic death of Officer Ella French, and the wounding of her partner are things we all abhor, and the community does everything it can to prevent those crimes from happening, and to hold those responsible fully accountable for their crimes.

George Floyd was handcuffed and immobilized on the ground when he was killed by a cop, a sworn law enforcement officer, who murdered him merely because he could. The community had not done much to prevent those injustices. Officer Derek Chauvin got off relatively lightly, because he was a cop. A civilian would have gotten life without possibility of parole for a murder of the same nature.

The public outrage Landers laments is about how the community responds to some, but not all, murders. Officer French's death will be fully atoned, Floyd's, not so much.

Law enforcement officers are not the enemy, but bad law enforcement officers are an enemy. Law enforcement agencies have to become accountable for how, and why, bad law enforcement officers are given a badge. Holding law enforcement accountable is not demonizing.

What we need to support is equal justice for all. I hope Landers would agree.

Timothy Henney, Portage
If you are a man reading this, I am sure you love other men too. If you are a woman reading this, you probably love other women too. So why is it hard for some people to accept that love between two men or two women is unnatural? Its not, and we are all living proof of it.

You haters will say that loving friends and family is different than loving someone you are intimate with. That is what you may not understand. Attraction is much different from love. Attraction leads us to intimacy, but love leads us beyond that. And whether it is attraction or love, who am I to say what beauty one holds to another? Why is the relationship between two lovers, a married couple, two friends, or two family members any business or yours or mine?

That is why it is still beyond me why gay and lesbian relationships are still struggling to be accepted. Why is it that some people will read about the Pride event, or this column, and find disdain in it? Are they so unhappy in their own relationships that they cannot stand to see love flourish in other forms?
Sibanye-Stillwater broadens its sponsorship with Wits University

Wits University and Sibanye-Stillwater today signed a Memorandum of Understanding regarding a sponsorship of some R52 million over a 10-year period.

The Sibanye-Stillwater sponsorship will support and enhance Wits' Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment and includes renaming and refurbishing the AMIC deck  the bridge that extends over the M1 freeway in Johannesburg and links the Universitys Braamfontein Campus East with Braamfontein Campus West. This corridor enables students, guests and academics to traverse these two campuses freely and safely.

Braamfontein Campus West is the site of the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, the recipient of the sponsorship. Subsequently, the bridge will be renamed the Wits Sibanye-Stillwater Infinity Bridge.

This is a Flagship Centenary Project for the University, which celebrates 100 years of academic excellence in 2022.

This significant investment into higher education will also be allocated to the following four key pillars within the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment (FEBE):

FEBE endowment fund

Scholarships for disadvantaged students

Support of academic pipeline

Special projects fund: Investment in the future workforce of engineers and geoscientists

This investment will assist postgraduate students (researchers and future academic leaders) financially; support Faculty projects that are expected to have a positive societal impact; and capacitate an educational pipeline to ensure the continuous delivery of excellent education.

Mr. Neal Froneman, Sibanye-Stillwater CEO, said: We are mindful of the business imperative to maintain a strong pipeline of young and diverse talent and the provision of quality tertiary education is a vital requirement if we are to sustain the mining industry and grow the economy.

The Wits Sibanye-Stillwater Infinity Bridge will be a literal and metaphoric gateway to the future for the students, ensuring safe access to education and for the mining industry in particular, providing a platform for success globally. It reinforces both the legacy of Sibanye-Stillwater and Wits University individually and as a partnership.

The unveiling and launch of the Wits Sibanye-Stillwater Infinity Bridge is planned for October 2022 at the culmination of the Wits Centenary Campaign and its 100th birthday month.

Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of Wits, said: For some time now Wits University has walked the research and development path with Sibanye-Stillwater. A natural extension of this relationship is the refurbishment and renaming of the Wits Sibanye-Stillwater Infinity Bridge, which represents a formal investment in the sustainability of Wits and the Faculty.

As the bridge has stood for more than 30 years, renewal in every respect is absolutely timely. The bridge epitomises the strength of academic and industry partnerships towards mutually beneficial support and service. The Wits Sibanye-Stillwater Infinity Bridge is not only a physical manifestation of our enduring relationship, but now ensures strong support for knowledge-generation and high-level skills development as well as infinite sustainability of the system that delivers this.

This sponsorship is in addition to the long-standing partnership between Sibanye-Stillwater and Wits University, which has since 2014 enabled learners from different backgrounds to pursue careers in mining, engineering, finance, human resources and STEM fields. STEM refers to a learning approach that integrates science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is proposing an increase in the number of walleye fish someone can catch in Oneida Lake each day.

The possession limit is set at three per day right now, and the proposal would bump that up to five.

"The walleye population in Oneida Lake is at a record high and we no longer need to maintain a reduced daily limit," said DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos. "This proposal encourages the increased harvest necessary to help sustain this outstanding fishery for years to come."

The DEC is accepting public comments on the proposal through Oct. 17.

Scientists have tracked the walleye population in Oneida Lake for the past seven decades.
ROME, N.Y.  River Street in Rome is completely underwater following heavy rains that caused flooding around waterways like the Mohawk River.

Mayor Jacqueline Izzo went out with members of the Department of Public Works to assess some of the flood damage near the Mohawk River, Lake Delta and Wood Creek.

New York State Canal Corporation has oversight over the Mohawk River, and the city is asking for help monitoring water levels near East Dominick Street.

DPW will also keep an eye on the flooding in other areas and close impassable streets where necessary.

Flooding has been reported in and around Pinti Field and Guyer Field parks as well.

People are advised never to drive down flooded roads because the pavement underneath may have been washed away.
After lows this morning of 64-71, highs today reached 85-93. However, much of the area was 89-92. Heat indices peaked at 91-106, but they were 95-100 for much of the viewing area.

A few t'showers are still possible through the evening with risk of a funnel. Any t'shower will be slow-moving, resulting in isolated heavy rainfall. However, there will be more dry areas than wet & rainfall will vary signficantly over a small distance near these cells. It will be a situation of one spot gets 1" & 1-2 miles down the road there is little to nothing.

An isolated shower is possible overnight with patchy dense fog & lows 65-71.

A couple to few isolated t'showers are possible tomorrow with highs 88-94 with heat indices 94-106 with a light wind.

Meanwhile, severe weather outbreak will be underway later tomorrow from Kansas to Minnesota & the Dakotas. Line of severe storms will run from central Missouri to eastern Iowa by 11 p.m.

Wildfire smoke will greatly thin & exit that area, allowing for robust, unfettered severe development. There may be enough wildfire smoke in the low-levels to increase tornado risk that what is currently seen in that area. It could result in a localized to regional tornado outbreak in that region.

We will begin to pick up the high clouds blowing off those severe storms tomorrow night with lows near 70 to the lower 70s.

Although the strongest mid & upper wind fields for organized severe storms will be northwest of our area, it still appears a split in the upper & mid-level jets will promote strong rising air motion for storms near our area.

At first, it looked like we would be in-line for these storms, but there is increasing confidence that this developing area/large complex or MCC of heavy storms with some severe risk (thought not risk like the western Corn Belt to Plains & western Great Lakes corridor) will be southwest of us.

We will pick up the overcast from this complex of storms Saturday morning & it is possible that we may have a few spotty storms from Iowa storms' outflow boundary & potential gravity waves interacting between the old Iowa storms & the storm complex southwest of our area.

I went for 30% coverage of showers & storms Saturday morning.

Parameters suggest ENHANCED RISK over a large area west of us Friday PM, then MARGINAL to SLIGHT RISK to southern Illinois Friday late night-Saturday morning with flash flooding risk.

We will monitor.

The overcast should then thin & as strong low-level jet veers, complex southwest of us should weaken. However, a pronounced MCV from it may pop new storms with some severe risk south & southeast of our area Saturday.

For us, cumulus towers should develop as overcast thins & we heat up to 86-91 with heat indices 92-103 Saturday.

Some scattered storms will likely pop with weak surface cold front in eastern Illinois & these will move eastward, impacting us in the late afternoon-evening.

An isolated severe storm is possible. Parameters do suggest MARGINAL RISK for severe.

As for Sunday, wind should be north to northeast with highs 83-89 with heat indices dropping to 87-95 with a few isolated shower/t'showers possible.

Dangerous heat is possible Monday-Thursday of next week as dew points rise to 77-82 over the area with highs 90-95. Heat indices of 100-115 are possible.

A couple to few isolated storms are possible Monday-Tuesday, but the timing for more widespread, organized storms is shifting to more mid to late next week.

Two main time frames of storms are possible with parameters suggesting SLIGHT RISK for the area. Right now, new data suggests that risk would be Wednesday & Thursday PM.

It looks like smoke will be thin enough at this point for the storms to largely be unfettered & free to go up. However, we will watch prounounced warm cap in Oklahoma to Missouri & make sure it does not migrate too much farther northeastward.

We will also watch for any wildfire smoke in the lower levels & its impacts on the main storm threats.

Brief stint of cooler weather is possible after that followed by overall warmer & drier than normal regime for the first half of September before it is wetter briefly & then we see a cool shot of fall-like weather after September 14. This, before we heat up again substantially in late September.

On a side note, watch near the Florida area & along the East Coast for tropical storms & hurricanes.

In the meantime, "Henri" (west of Bermuda) looks to be shifting track a bit more west. So, rather than a Nova Scota impact, it appears that it may bring Massachusetts to Maine to Nova Scota impacts by very late weekend to early next week. NHC has it as a hurricane up to near Nantucket, then weakens it to tropical storm at this point.
CLINTON COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI)  Elected officials are condemning what they call a "senseless" act of violence that left two relatives dead.

The shooting happened at about 4:15 p.m. Wednesday at the NHK Seating of America plant on State Road 28 near I-65.

As News 18 previously reported, police arrested 26-year-old Gary C. Ferrell II after he crashed his blue Ford Focus in a high-speed chase near Frankfort.

He's accused of shooting and killing 21-year-old Promise Mays and her 62-year-old grandmother, Pamela Sledd, in the parking lot as they walked into work.

First responders found Mays and Sledd dead in the parking lot with multiple gunshot wounds.

Frankfort Mayor Judy Sheets and Clinton County Commissioners President Josh Uitts in Facebook posts described the shooting as "senseless."

"I was very saddened to hear of the senseless and tragic murders that took place late this afternoon at the NHK West Plant here in Clinton County," Uitts wrote in the statement. "In the days ahead, join me in keeping the employees of NHK and their families in our thoughts. Especially, the family of the victims."

In an interview with News 18, Sheets say it's something no one ever imagined would have happened here.

"You're sitting there on pins and needles wondering who is this? Is it going to be a relative? Is it going to be somebody you know? So it was very hard emotionally I think for a lot of people," she says.

A spokesperson for NHK said in a statement, "We are shocked and saddened by these events, and our prayers and sympathy go out to the friends, families and co-workers of the victims."

NHK paused production Thursday with plans to resume full operations Friday, according to a post on the company's Facebook page.

The shooting led the Subaru of Indiana Automotive plant in Lafayette to also suspend production Thursday, according to SIA spokesperson Craig Koven.

NHK Seating is a parts-supplier for SIA that manufactures seats and other safety units.

"Our sympathy and thoughts are with the employees of NHK and the family of the deceased," Koven said in a statement.

Ferrell is awaiting formal charges from the Clinton County prosecutor.
, 94 year old Mutual resident, died Friday, August 27, 2021 at his home. Graveside funeral services will be at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, September 1, 2021 at the Mutual Persimmon Cemetery. See full obituary at www.billingsfuneralhomewoodward.com
Chicago is reinstating its indoor mask mandate as COVID cases rise again in the city, health officials announced Aug. 17.
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All North Wales councils set to offer safe homes for Afghan refugees

All six local authorities in North Wales have committed to offering safe havens to at-risk Afghan refugees fleeing their homeland.

The pledge came after Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised that up to 5,000 Afghans would be give refuge in the UK this year, with up to 20,000 over the longer term.

There are around 10 families from Afghanistan who have or are in the process of being resettled in North Wales but that number is expected to increase following the Talibans dramatic return to power on Sunday.

MPs were recalled to Parliament early from their summer break for an emergency sitting today, three days after Afghanistan fell to the

Taliban, following the withdrawal of United States and United Kingdom forces from the country.

The Taliban swept in to take control of the nations capital of Kabul, putting at risk thousands of Afghans who worked with the occupying powers and sparking fears of a refugee crisis.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service, asked the regions six local authorities to confirm if they would be willing to rehome some of those desperately trying to escape the country which borders Iran and Pakistan.

The return of the Taliban to power has heightened the need for safe havens, raising particular fears over the future of women and girls, as well as for the safety of former government officials and translators who supported the western military forces.

The House of Commons was recalled early from its summer recess, to debate the crisis and to formalise plans for a Home Office funded Afghan Resettlement and Assistance Programme.

During the debate, Prime Minister Boris Johnson reiterated a promise that thousands of Afghans would be given sanctuary in the UK, as a result of the Taliban takeover.

Andrew Morgan, leader of the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA), said that if every part of the UK took refugees fleeing Afghanistan, less than a handful of families would be housed in each area.

I wouldnt want it on my conscience that we see in a months time that a number of individuals and families are being killed in Afghanistan when we had the opportunity to help them come here, he added.

The Welsh Governments Minister for Social Justice, Jane Hutt, said it was working very hard with our local authorities, and indeed with the UK government, to ensure that we can do what we can to provide support in the right places to find homes for people fleeing the situation in Afghanistan.

We are working towards being a nation of sanctuary.

North Wales councils confirmed how many Afghan refugees are already living here and their intention to take in more.

Anglesey:

According to Anglesey Council the authority is supporting the UK Governments scheme with hopes to resettle one Afghan family within housing on the island.

No arrivals had made it so far, however.

Gwynedd:

Gwynedd Council says that two individuals had already been housed after fleeing Afghanistan, with the authority committed to housing more.

The leader, Cllr Dyfrig Siencyn, added The images emerging from Afghanistan at the moment are tragic, and we, as a council, are committed to doing everything within our power and resources we have available to provide refugees with a home, and support for them to resettle within their new communities.

We have been working with the Home Office for some weeks to accelerate our plans to house Afghan refugees following recent developments in the country.

Conwy:

Last month councillors in Conwy backed plans to house one Afghan family in the county.

The report noted that the authority would be expected to provide an integration package including accommodation, advice and assistance covering employment, welfare benefits, housing, health, education and utility supply, and registration with GPs with assistance in securing school places for school aged children and cash support.

Denbighshire:

According to Denbighshire Council, one family has already been offered accommodation in the county.

A council spokesman added: In November 2019, the Councils Cabinet committed to supporting the UK Resettlement Scheme and under this scheme we have been able to offer accommodation to one family under the Afghan Relocation Assistance Programme.

Wrexham:

Last month it was revealed that Wrexham was initially asked to take in a total of five families as part of the Home Offices Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy.

However, the local authority has offered to provide accommodation for double that amount to ensure people arent left behind.

Cllr Hugh Jones, the councils lead member for people, said: We recognise a particular case for these workers who have done a very important job in supporting our armed forces and our whole presence in Afghanistan.

They put their lives at risk in order to do that and its important that theyre not left stranded.

We feel that apart from our human responsibility to respond to these people, we have a duty of care as they have given service to our country and to our armed forces in particular.

This is why instead of going for five families, weve offered to support with 10.

Flintshire:

Flintshire Council is also committed to backing the scheme, but did not reveal how many families they hoped to welcome.

Chief Officer for Housing and Assets, Neal Cockerton, said: Flintshire will be supporting the Afghan Resettlement and Assistance Programme and is currently working with a number of agencies to understand specific requirements and details of such assistance.

By Gareth Wyn Williams, Jez Hemming and Liam Randall, Local Democracy Reporters
Deadline looms for parents to update Child Benefit for 16 year olds

HM Revenue and Customs ( HMRC ) is reminding parents and carers they have until 31 August 2021 to confirm whether their teenagers are staying in full-time education or training beyond 16.

Last week, teenagers across the UK received their GSCE or Scottish National Certificate results and many are now considering their future. If they decide to continue their full-time education or training, parents or carers will be eligible to continue receiving Child Benefit payments for their child.

HMRC has sent reminder letters to families receiving Child Benefit for their child in the last year of school or home education. If their child is staying in education beyond age 16, parents or carers must notify HMRC by the end of August, or their Child Benefit will be stopped.

It is quick and easy to update Child Benefit records via GOV.UK. Alternatively, parents or carers can return the 297b form sent to them by HMRC.

Child Benefit is paid to eligible parents or carers who are responsible for a child under 16, or under 20 if they are in full-time non-advanced education or approved training.

Parents or carers receiving Child Benefit and who also have an income over 50,000 (or their partner does), may have to pay the High Income Child Benefit Charge via an annual Self Assessment tax return.

Post Office card accounts are closing

From 30 November 2021, HMRC will stop making payments of Child Benefit, Guardians Allowance and tax credits, into Post Office card accounts.

HMRC is reminding any Child Benefit and tax credits customers who use this account to receive their payments, that they will need to notify HMRC of their new bank, building society or credit union account details. HMRC is encouraging customers to act now so they do not miss any payments once their Post Office account closes.

They can contact HMRC s helpline (0345 300 3900) or use their Personal Tax Account. To find out how to open a bank account, visit Citizens Advice.

Find out more about Child Benefit for 16-19 year olds.
After spending more than a decade behind bars for a murder he didn't commit, a judge cleared a man's name today. Paul Garrett initially pleaded guilty to the murder of Velma Tharpe in 2000, but it was another man's DNA investigators found at the scene. news 4's Michael Warrick spoke to an em
NASHVILLE, TN (WSMV) - Businesses and residents around Demonbreun Street will soon notice more police presence.

Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake made the announcement after talking with business owners on Demonbreun St. on Wednesday morning.

Since April the area has had 3 shootings, one of them, within the past weekend.

It drives away business and it's bad for our regulars. We work hard to get people in. we work hard to provide a safe environment and it's just the bottom falls out situation I guess, said Josh Griffin, the General Manager at Tin Roof, a business that he says has been in the area for about 20 years.

Chief Drake said theyre going up to 8 officers that will patrol the Demonbreun Street area. On Tuesday, Metro placed Sky Cop on the street as well to record and monitor the area.

Weve always had a door staff on especially late into the evening but as a response to the increased violence over the last 10 months. Weve stepped up and weve started having armed guards. We have armed security at both entrances which weve never had to do in the 9 years that Ive been, Griffin at Tin Roof said.

Metro Police discuss recent violence on Demonbreun Metro Police Chief talked with the media and business owners on Wednesday morning about the recent violence on Demonbreun Street.

Griffin was one of the many Demonbreun business owners who spoke with Chief Drake to express their concerns with the uptick in violence.

It's disheartening. Ive been with Tin Roof since 2012, so Ive been here 9 years. weve seen more violence in the last 10 months than we have in the last 9 years of me being here, Griffin said.

It saddens me to see that people that come here to enjoy our city or people that live in this city have to worry about danger so were going to do all that we can, said Chief Drake.

The fatal shooting on April 17 that also injured another person is one example of the recent violence. The latest shooting happened early Sunday morning and left one man critically injured.

I wanted to come out and reassure everyone that were going to work with them. Were going to provide more sources, Chief Drake said

Some in the area told News 4 the business Vibes Bar and Lounge on Demonbreun plays a role in the reason for the violence. News 4 asked Chief Drake about it and he says they plan to investigate.

Were going to put them on notice that people are saying this is whats going on. Were going to investigate that. And if we determine they are the problem, then we have a process in place and we will deal with that as well. A business can be shut down permanently. We can get an injunction on it. So were going to do whatever we can to establish this back to a safe area, Chief Drake said.

Metro Police searching for 4 people involved deadly shooting on Demonbreun Street in April Investigators are looking for four people involved in a deadly shooting in downtown Nashville in April.

I think weve been involved to the degree where the resources at Midtown Hills werent enough, so I reached out to Chief Green and Chief Drake to bring in other bureaus, other divisions to offset staffing that we needed to make this place thrive, said Commander Widener from Midtown Hills Precinct.

To help stop the violence, additional officers on foot and mounted patrol officers will be implemented.

Were going to have our mounted horse patrol. Were going to have our DUI and aggressive driving units as well, Chief Drake said.

Its fulfilling to know that they are taking notice and they are going to act. I just hope its enough to quell the violence, Griffin at Tin Roof said. It's an added comfort level for all of our guests to walk outside and see police officers and have their presence and know were all working together for the same outcome, he added.

Metro police the keeping the area safe isnt a temporary move

Commander Widener is going to keep following up, 30 days, 60 days. Ill keep getting those reports as well, Chief Drake said. Long term what Id like to do is as some of these businesses get camera systems, we can tie into the camera system and work with them as well, he added.

Harm is more than just the person that was shot. Of course, our concern is with him and his recovery but youre talking about the quality of life issues. thats what were here to talk about, Commander Widener said.

Chief Drake said he will also be pushing for license plate readers because he believes it will aid in curbing the violence.

Businesses on Demonbreun will meet again with Metro Police Midtown Hills precinct on Monday to continue the safety conversations.
Right now, almost 1,500 travel nurses are needed here in the state. Tennessee is the fourth highest state in demand. news4's Marissa Sulek talked with a nurse moving here to music city in a few weeks and explains what drew her here.
Filmmaker Ken Loach has been expelled from the Labour Party. He tweeted on Saturday:

Labour HQ finally decided Im not fit to be a member of their party, as I will not disown those already expelled. Well  I am proud to stand with the good friends and comrades victimised by the purge. There is indeed a witch-hunt  [Labour leader Sir Keir] Starmer and his clique will never lead a party of the people. We are many, they are few. Solidarity.

Ken Loach (Credit: Filmoteca de Catalunya/Flickr)

Loachs expulsion is the culmination of a filthy political campaign. The immediate pretext was his support for four groups proscribed from the Labour Party last monthResist, Socialist Appeal, Labour in Exile and Labour Against the Witch-Hunton grounds of entryism and alleged anti-Semitism. But his card has been marked for some time in a campaign led by the Blairite right of the party and Zionist groups.

In 2018, Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel smeared Loach as an anti-Semite after the Free University of Brussels decided to award him an honorary doctorate. Moshe Kantor, President of the European Jewish Congress, condemned the decision as an endorsement of someone who has played fast and loose with the historical record to the point of trivialising the Holocaust.

These vile slanders were based on an effort the previous year, led by the Guardian, to manipulate quotations from an interview Loach gave on the 2017 Labour Party conference to suggest he approved of Holocaust denial.

This February, the Oxford University Jewish Society and the Board of Deputies of British Jews led a campaign to bar Loach from speaking at the university, which saw him accused of a history of blatant anti-Semitism. These despicable accusations centred on Loachs involvement with Jim Allens play Perdition in 1987, on Zionists collusion with the Nazis in Hungary.

Loach made himself a target by speaking out against the witch-hunt of Labour members opposed to Zionism and critical of the state of Israel. His comment to the BBC in reference to the Labour Party conference in 2017 was, All history is our common heritage to discuss and analyse. The founding of the State of Israel, for example, based on ethnic cleansing, is there for us to discuss... So dont try to subvert that by false stories of anti-Semitism.

After Panorama released its hatchet job documentary, Is Labour Anti-Semitic? in 2019, Loach commented, That was probably the most disgusting programme Ive ever seen on the BBC. Disgusting because it raised the horror of racism against Jews in the most atrocious propagandistic way, with crude journalism  and it bought the propaganda from people who were intent on destroying [now former Labour leader Jeremy] Corbyn.

Loachs popularity, based on a record of serious artistic concern for the fate of working people over more than six decades, shielded him from the consequences of these statements for a time. But as a high-profile representative of Labours long abandoned reformist ideology, and of support for the Palestinians, his eventual fate was sealed.

The response of the Labour left

What is more remarkable than Loachs expulsion by the right is the feeble response of the Labour leftsomething Starmer evidently counted on in expelling so well-liked a figure. Its members were able to summon little more than stern words in pro-forma tweets before moving on to next business. The Socialist Campaign Group of Labour MPs used it as another opportunity to appeal to Labour members to stay in the party and help it return to socialist and international principles.

Corbyn speaking at a leadership election rally to his supporters in August 2016 (Credit: Paulnew/Flickr)

Corbyns own tweet merely expressed sympathy for Loach who has made outstanding films from Cathy Come Home to I Daniel Blake, directed brilliant broadcasts for Labour, and has always stood with the oppressed. He deserves our respect and solidarity.

In other words, Farewell Ken, good luck in your life outside Labour.

Nothing more could be expected. Corbyn has either allowed or directly participated in the expulsion of Labour members on trumped-up anti-Semitism charges, including some of his closest and most prominent supporters, beginning with Ken Livingstone. The fact that Corbyn himself has had the party whip removed, on the basis of claims that he minimised the extent of anti-Semitism, changes nothing. Corbyn is engaged in an unprincipled legal battle to try and win back his right to sit as a Labour MP. He will not allow a trifle such as Loachs expulsion to queer his pitch to the partys leadership that he can be trusted to do whatever is demanded of him.

Responses to Corbyns tweet break down into three categories.

Right-wingers have taken advantage of his refusal to oppose, or even reference, the anti-Semitism witch-hunt to post in the theme of its his [Loachs] willingness to excuse racism thats the issue, not his film making.

Another group sharply questioned what exactly Corbyn was proposing to do about the attack, with one asking, Why are you clinging to a pro austerity, pro ruling class Labour Party?

The final set of responses urge Corbyn, Time for you and Ken to launch a new Party.

But Corbyn and Loach are at the end, not the start, of their political journeys.

Corbyn, who is the younger of the pair at 72 years of age, has never given the slightest indication of breaking with the Labour Party. His energies since being ousted as Labour leader have been directed toward promoting his Peace and Justice Project talking shop.

Loach, 85 years old, has been involved with multiple new left parties in the last twenty years, all of which have been defined by their orientation to the Labour and trade union bureaucracy and all of which have come to nothing.

A new left party: Respect-Unity

The first of these was the Respect-Unity coalition, which he stood for in the 2004 elections to the European Parliament and whose national council he sat on.

Respect was established by the pseudo-left Socialist Workers Party (SWP) as a broad coalition, which they hoped would consolidate the alliance of anti-war Labour MPs, trade union bureaucrats, Stalinists, Greens, Liberal Democrats and Muslim groups that came together in the Stop the War Coalition in opposition to the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

The SWP sought above all to create a vehicle for left Labour MPs and trade union bureaucrats it anticipated would break from Labour in opposition to Tony Blair. This would allow them to maintain their restraining influence over the working class by advocating a few minimal reforms, hopefully in conjunction with a few like-minded trade union bureaucrats, with the SWP given choice roles as advisors.

Inveterate political opportunist George Galloway, the sole Labour MP the party felt required to expel for his vocal opposition to the Iraq War, was chosen to head the party and led it into ever more open and degrading alliances with the Muslim petty bourgeoisie. However, no other MP ever left Labours ranks, with Corbyn continuing his tame protests on the backbenches.

George Galloway (Credit: Vince Millett/Flickr)

Analysing Respect in 2004, the Socialist Equality Party (SEP) wrote on the World Socialist Web Site, An appraisal of its origins and programme shows that Respect has been established in order to prevent a genuine political break with Labourism. It is based on the explicit rejection of any possibility of constructing a socialist party based on the working class

The only pretence of socialism constituting a component of its programme is Respects call for a handful of social reforms to be enactedones it judges that will appeal to the working class without alienating other elements within its desired constituency, including disillusioned Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and Muslim clerics.

Respect split in 2007 between a wing led by Galloway and another by the SWP. The SEP wrote, While both sides seek to blame the other for the break-up, the split is the shipwreck of a shared political project that was based on the most pragmatic and opportunist considerations. The hoped-for breakaway of Labour lefts never materialised, leaving only Galloway, whose politics the SWP excused one day and found intolerable the next.

Galloways wing, with which Loach identified, came under the tutelage of Socialist Resistance leader Alan Thornett, who wrote in International Viewpoint in 2008 that the failure of Respect was due to the models of political organisation and habits of engagement with the rest of the left adopted by some self-proclaimed Trotskyist organisations.

By this Thornett meant that even the SWP was not opportunist enough to secure the backing of a supposed left faction of Labour and the trade unions. The task of left groups was to not let formal programmatic agreement get in the way of the realities of organisation and class struggle on the groundthat is, total political submission to the pro-capitalist Labour and trade union bureaucracy.

The SEP described Thornetts missive as one of the most unalloyed presentations of the cynical, unprincipled and anti-socialist politics behind all such efforts to construct new parties from the decaying fragments and breakaways from the old social democratic and Stalinist organisations.

A new left party: Left Unity

Both wings of Respect faded into obscurity, but Thornetts rotten words were heeded. After backing the Socialist Party/Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) unions Trade Union and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) in the 2012 London Mayoral elections, Loach, an ally of Thornetts since he broke with Trotskyism in 1975, acted on his advice to establish a new party, Left Unity, in 2013 with the aim of unit[ing] the diverse strands of radical and socialist politics in the UK.

Left Unity advanced the tamest of reformist programmes, dismissing all talk of revolutionary politics and principle as ideological lumber.

The SEP characterised Left Unity as a political manoeuvre led by Alan Thornetts Socialist Resistance group, the British section of the Pabloite United Secretariat of the Fourth International. It is seeking to emulate what it calls broad left party initiatives in other countries, particularly the Left Party of Jean-Luc Melenchon in France, Syriza in Greece, and Die Linke in Germany.

All three of these are led by factions of the old Stalinist and social democratic bureaucracies, advancing a minimal programme of reforms as a means of blocking a more fundamental shift to the left by the millions of workers who have grown to hate and despise their parent bodies. All are staffed by a middle-class layer of careerists, who have operated for years on the periphery of the old parties and in the trade unions and who now offer their services as propagandists of new bureaucratic and anti-socialist formations.

What once again lent Left Unity its particularly sorrowful existence was the lack of any Labour lefts prepared to leave their comfortable existence to join this new venture. It took on the character of a jilted party-to-be, touting the spirit of 45 in reference to Clement Atlees post-war Labour government while the real, existing Labour Party continued on its Blairite course.

Left Unitys political orientation was summed up in its response to Corbyns surprise election as Labour leader. Several hundred members, including many of its most prominent, Loach among them, immediately abandoned their creation to join the Labour Party. This was, Socialist Resistance wrote, not a break with the idea, which we have long defended, of building radical left parties to the left of social democracy across Europe; rather it is the continuation of such a policy by a different route.

Jeremy Corbyn (left) and Keir Starmer at an event during the 2019 General Election (Credit: AP Photo/Matt Dunham, File)

With Loachs expulsion, this idea has come to its inevitable conclusion. The reign of the Labour left under Corbyn was defined by continual capitulation before the right, the sabotage of any efforts to throw out the Blairites, the abandonment of the fight against austerity and war, the demobilisation of the working class, and acquiescence before a witch-hunt seeking to brand all opposition to Zionism as anti-Semitism. Loach is only the latest person to discover that, for Corbyn, no sacrifice is too great to preserve Labour Party unity.

The way forward

Outside of the struggle for socialist principles, an orientation to the working class and a revolutionary perspective, calls for a new party are nothing but a call for a rebranded version of the same rotten politics that have led the working class to disaster.

In their article on Loachs expulsion, the SWP writes that staying inside the Labour Party ultimately means refusing to break free of the constraints imposed by the right That constant bind with the right makes Labour a dead end for the left. Loach himself knew this when he spent decades trying to build an alternative.

But the SWPs answer is for another failed alternative of building a smaller still nominally reformist vehicle dominated by the most pernicious anti-working class, anti-socialist force on which the entire Labour and trade union bureaucracy has relied for decades to preserve its dominationthe spineless political cowards of the Corbynite left. The real lesson of the failure of Corbynism and of Loachs expulsion is the absolute necessity of building an independent Marxist party of the working class, to which the SWP and similar formations, rooted in the labour bureaucracy and articulating the interests of privileged sections of the middle class, is deeply hostile.

Workers around the world are entering into struggle. At every stage and in every country, they find themselves in conflict with the nationalist, pro-capitalist trade unions and international equivalents of the Labour Party. For the working class to carry forward its struggle requires a decisive break with these forces, developing a new political leadership which seeks to unite the international working class in an independent party on a revolutionary socialist programme.

The SEPs orientation is to the working class, not to the bureaucracy that acts as a political and industrial police force for big business. We call for the incipient rebellion against the Labour and trade union bureaucracy to be given organisational and political expression, through the formation of rank-and-file committees and by the advanced workers and youth joining and building our party and its sister parties in the International Committee of the Fourth International.
Yesterdays UK parliamentary debate on Afghanistan had a funereal air, punctuated by bitter cries of betrayal from the Conservative government benches that were replicated by Labour MPs.

A collective howl of anguish, despite inevitable references to the fate of women, girls, gays and the Afghan people under the Taliban, was motivated solely by the defeat suffered by British imperialism.

The anger of the criminals and blowhards in the House of Commons was directed as much against the United States as the Taliban, with denunciations of both the Biden and Trump administrations. And Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his key frontbench team were denounced from the right, not the left, for relying too much on Washington and not being able to independently project Britains predatory ambitions on the world arena.

The rout in Afghanistan has assumed a significance similar to if not greater than the Suez crisis in 1956, as a symbol of British imperialisms decline and the desperate need to claw back a place in the sun even in defiance of US imperialism.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer speaking in Parliament (credit: UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor)

Johnson exhibited no trace of his usual bravado. He tried to placate his critics by praising the supposed achievements of the 20 years of war and occupation of Afghanistan, while bluntly stating the military and political realities facing the UK.

Replying to hostile questions from his predecessor as Tory leader, Theresa May, he said that the UK came up against hard reality. Afghanistan was an occupation led by the US, which could not continue without US military might once President Donald Trump announced a pull-out last year and President Joe Biden carried it through last week. No matter the sincerity of those calling for a non-US led military response, there was no appetite among any of the UKs other partners for a continued military presence and hadnt been since the official combat mission ended in 2018.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmers reply began with a hymn of praise to the occupation of Afghanistan. A disastrous week, an unfolding tragedy should not detract from the fact that, instead of rule by the Taliban, a fragile democracy emerged. By no means perfect, it had prevented international terrorist attacks, won liberty for women and allowed Afghans to dream of a better future.

These boons were all won by the sacrifice by the Afghan people and over 150,000 UK personnel including members across this house.

Speaking to the military, Starmer emoted, Your sacrifice was not in vain, you brought stability, reduced the terrorist threat and enabled progress. We are all proud of what you did. He reiterated the trope of every right-wing demagogue in history, including Hitler, of a betrayal of those whose sacrifice deserves better than this, thanks to the staggering complacency from our government about the Taliban threat. Johnson, he added, was a threat to national security

When Tory MP Sir Iain Duncan Smith asked Starmer whether he agreed that Bidens statement blaming Afghan forces for not fighting the Taliban was shameful, he agreed thats wrong.

The tone set by Starmer was continued by the Tories, starting with May who said, We all understand the importance of American support, but I do find it incomprehensible and worrying that the UK was not able to bring together an alternative alliance of countries to continue to provide the support necessary to sustain a government in Afghanistan I am afraid I think this has been a major setback for British foreign policy.

Things reached a new low with every speech by an MP who has served in the armed forces. Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Tom Tugenhadt, a former officer in the intelligence corps in Iraq and then Afghanistan, was treated to silent awe by MPs. He attacked Bidens calling into question the courage of men I fought with once again as shameful, continuing, Those who have not fought for the colours they fly should be careful about criticising those who have.

He called on the UK to make sure that we are not dependent on a single ally, on the decision of a single leader, that that we can work together with Japan and Australia, France and Germany, with partners large and small and make sure we hold the line together. His emotional diatribe won a round of applause.

Tobias Elwood, chair of the defence select committee and a former captain in the Royal Green Jackets, said he regretted there would be no vote today that would show the government did not have the support of parliament. The UK should have more confidence to pursue its own strategy. We have the means, the hard power, the connections to lead. What we require is the backbone.

Johnny Mercer, a former Army captain, declared that people who sign up for the military do not serve the American flag, they serve the British flag. It dishonours their service to simply say: the Americans have left, we are leaving. Soldiers are not trained to lose, and we're not trained for ministers to, in a way, choose to be defeated by the Taliban.

Not to be outdone, Labours Dan Jarvis, an Iraq and Afghanistan veteran and member of the parachute Regiment, asked of Afghan army personnel, Where were we in their hour of need? We were nowhere, that was shameful.

One Blairite scoundrel after another sought to demonstrate their jingoistic bona fides. Former Shadow Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper added disturbing and distressful to the now obligatory shameful in her description of events. Chris Bryant referenced the plight of gay men to bemoan the most sudden collapse of any foreign and military policy objective on the part of the UK since Suez, and you might argue further back.

Shadow Foreign Secretary Lisa Nandy said, This is an unparalleled moment of shame for this government, which was behaving as if they have no agency and no power We have so much to be proud of as a country, Mr Speaker. Can it again include our government?

What then of those who are supposed to stem this tide of nationalist warmongering and cut through the lying defences of a filthy war of colonial conquest? Ex-Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, having participated in a small demonstration by the Stop The War Coalition outside parliament along with a handful of Labour left MPs, strained every sinew in his efforts not to unduly antagonise his audience.

After calling on the UK to allow all Afghan collaborators with the occupation into the country, he advanced a critique of the war that never mentioned anyone involved in starting it or waging it for two decadesincluding Labours former leaders, Tony Blair and Gordon Brownand certainly nothing critical of Starmer and company.

He offered instead a history lesson that proves wars in Afghanistan do fail three in the 19th century and a number in this century. There were, he concluded, some serious historical lessons to be learned here about how we take major foreign policy decisions and a need for sober reflection on the disaster which has happened in Afghanistan.

The debacle in Afghanistan, following on from Iraq, Libya and Syria, the desperate crisis provoked by Brexit, and the protracted economic and social tensions amplified by the pandemic, have derailed the strategic ambitions of British imperialism. Its political representatives gathered in Westminster yesterday have all but lost their heads in response, dreaming of a return to the glory days of Empire just as darkness is falling.

Outside of parliament, meanwhile, millions of working people opposed to these wars, who see these same MPs as the architects of their own hardship and suffering, will come to see the debacle in Afghanistan as an indication that they too can challenge and defeat Britains mighty ruling elite.
US military evacuations from Kabul were stepped up Wednesday with the agreement of top Taliban leaders, who have arrived in the Afghan capital and begun establishing a new government to replace the US puppet regime that collapsed on Sunday.

Some 2,000 US citizens and Afghan associates were flown out of Kabul on Wednesday, and the US military said it would be able to increase the airlift to 9,000 a day once all runways at the main airport are cleared. There were at least 4,000 US troops at the airport and a total of 6,000 were expected once the full deployment was carried out.

Taliban fighters pose for photograph in Wazir Akbar Khan in the city of Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

General Frank McKenzie, head of the US Central Command, negotiated the evacuation protocol with senior Taliban leaders at Doha, Qatar, on Sunday, and he flew secretly into Kabul on Tuesday to oversee it, according to press reports. McKenzie did not give any interviews or have any publicized meetings with the Taliban during his visit.

The spectacle of the top US commander stealing into the airport with the permission of the victorious guerrilla movement against which he was fighting is a stark demonstration of the debacle suffered by American imperialism in Afghanistan.

No amount of vilification of the deposed Afghan government by the White House can conceal the fact that it is the US government, and the Biden administration, which have suffered a devastating defeat, not merely its puppet in Kabul.

Similarly, when Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Mark Milley were asked at a Pentagon press conference Wednesday whether they planned to extend the military perimeter at the Kabul airport to establish evacuation routes for Americans who might be trapped in the city, they flatly acknowledged that they could not do so.

Not only did the American troops not have the capability to expand into the city, Milley said, but to attempt it might weaken their grip on the airport, the sole lifeline not only for those seeking evacuation, but for the American troops themselves.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby revealed that US commanders were speaking to Taliban commanders multiple times a day to avoid military conflicts between US and Taliban soldiers. The airlift is expected to continue to August 31, a date set by President Biden for completion, with as many as 9,000 people a day removed from the country.

However, in an interview with ABC News George Stephanopoulos, parts of which were aired Wednesday evening, Biden for the first time indicated that the troop withdrawal deadline might be extended past August 31. If theres American citizens left [after August 31], he said, were going to stay until we get them all out.

The top political leader of the Taliban, Abdul Gani Baradar, who had been heading the negotiations in Qatar, arrived in Afghanistan Tuesday for the first time in 10 years. He spent most of that period in jail or under house arrest in Pakistan, before he was released in 2018 at the urging of the Trump administration to take the leading role in talks with the United States.

In Washington, both Democratic and Republican congressmen and senators bemoaned the swift collapse in Afghanistan and attacked the Biden administration for its decision to pull out the last 2,500 US troops. The departure of the US forces became a trigger for the collapse of the puppet regime, which took only 11 days once the Taliban launched a military offensive.

In the ABC News interview partially aired on Wednesday, Biden told Stephanopoulos that he knew very well that there would be no leaving without chaos ensuing in Afghanistan.

This is a remarkable admission, and underscores that all the assurances given by a succession of US presidentsBush, Obama, Trump and now Biden himselfabout progress in Afghanistan were a pack of lies.

All of these presidents, and a succession of Pentagon bosses, ambassadors and military commanders, were aware of the corrupt and unpopular character of the puppet regime in Kabul. All of them concealed this reality from the public, while portraying the US military intervention as a war against terrorism and for democracy and womens rights.

The real nature of the puppet regime was summed up by columnist David von Drehle in the Washington Post, who observed, You could fit all the genuine supporters of deposed Afghan President Ashraf Ghani into his getaway car and still have room for the piles of cash (Ghani reportedly escaped the country with $164 million, arriving Wednesday in the United Arab Emirates, where he will enjoy a luxurious exile).

The American media continues its near-unanimous hostility to the speech delivered by Biden on Monday, in which he defended his decision to withdraw. It continues its unrelenting pro-military propaganda, portraying the US occupation in Afghanistan as a defense of the Afghan people, after multiple revelationsincluding those by WikiLeaks and Julian Assangeof US war crimes against the population.

This campaign is aimed at preserving the essential ideological premise of imperialism and neo-colonialismthat the imperialist military is holding the line between civilization and savageryfor future use in other countries targeted by Washington, or even in Afghanistan itself, should conditions permit.

One report, by CNN Business, suggested the real material interests underpinning the 20-year US war. Headlined The Taliban are sitting on $1 trillion worth of minerals the world desperately needs, the article noted that while one of the poorest countries in the world, Afghanistan was sitting on mineral deposits worth nearly $1 trillion, including not only iron, copper and gold, but also rare earth minerals and perhaps most importantly, what could be one of the worlds biggest deposits of lithiuman essential but scarce component in rechargeable batteries and other technologies.

Decades of civil war had prevented the exploitation of this potential wealth, but now, the article warned, China, which shares a border with Afghanistan and has maintained contact with the Taliban, was in a position to gain an advantage in the world market.

Even in defeat, American imperialism maintains its focus both on potential sources of profit and its wider struggle for global dominance. Biden emphasized this aspect of his decision to withdraw from Afghanistan is his speech Monday, referring to our true strategic competitors, China and Russia as more important antagonists for his administration.
Bessemer warehouse on eve of unionization vote (WSWS Media)

Earlier this month, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ruled that Amazon officials unjustly interfered in a unionization effort in Bessemer, Alabama earlier this year and recommended that the election be re-run.

According to the NLRB, Amazons dissemination of anti-union propaganda throughout the facility and installing a mailbox on its property, under the view of security cameras, to collect ballots destroyed the laboratory conditions [for the vote] and justifies a second election. The NLRBs official ruling is due to be announced later this month, when it is expected to formally side with the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU).

The ruling was hailed by pseudo-left outfits, such as the Democratic Socialists of America, Labor Notes and Jacobin magazine, who claim that Amazons union-busting campaign contributed to the RWDSUs defeat. In fact, the union was defeated because workers did not see any advantage in bringing it in, under conditions where the union itself pointedly refused to connect the campaign to any demands relating to working conditions, wages or COVID-19 safety measures. Only 13 percent of workers eligible to vote cast ballots in favor.

What is notable about the Amazon campaign, in comparison to the mass struggles which built the unions a century ago, is the degree to which it has relied almost exclusively upon the direct support from the capitalist state. The NLRBs intervention is the second time that the US federal government, under Democratic President Joseph Biden, has intervened on behalf of the unionization effort. Earlier this year, Biden recorded a video featuring an unprecedented endorsement of the RWDSU campaign in Bessemer. The fact that Biden staked both his own reputation and the prestige of his office on this campaign was a clear indication that he saw in it a pressing strategic interest for American capitalism.

What accounts for the Biden administrations continued insistence on installing a union at Amazon?

The American capitalist class faces an unprecedented economic, social and political crisis. Nearly six months after Biden declared that by summer time the US population would be able to mark our independence from COVID-19, the country is once again facing an upsurge of the pandemic.

In addition, the federal unemployment benefits and the eviction moratorium are being ended. In many circumstances, benefits for those small businesses and individuals in dire need simply never arrived. Millions of people face the prospect of a winter of deep suffering alongside the constant threat of the coronavirus.

Meanwhile, billionaires, including Amazons own founder and former-CEO Jeffrey Bezos, have seen their wealth and financial holdings expand by trillions since 2020. According to Forbes, the worlds billionaires increased their wealth from $8 trillion in 2019 to $13 trillion now.

While Biden was elected because he presented himself as a more rational alternative to the Republican Partys Donald Trump, he has continued all the basic policies of his predecessor. This includes the rapid reopening of schools across the country while lying about the threats of COVID-19. The rapid growth of the pandemic, particularly among children, will inevitably produce fresh eruptions of social anger among workers, parents and teachers across the country.

Now with the debacle in Afghanistan, American imperialism faces a crisis of legitimacy both at home and abroad. At the same time, the humiliating collapse of the two-decade war in Afghanistan will only accelerate preparations for new and deadlier conflicts, including with nuclear-armed China.

Under these conditions, American capitalism needs some means of trying to contain the upsurge of class struggle and enforce social stability and labor peace at home while it prepares for new wars. Above all, the ruling class needs a means of containing the growth of socialist politics within the working class.

Capitalism has such means with the unions, which have pitched themselves to the state and the corporations for decades as a critical means of suppressing the class struggle. This was put most bluntly in 2018 by a lawyer for the AFSCME public employees union in the Supreme Court case Janus v. AFSCME, when he told the justices, Union security is the tradeoff for no strikes. Without safeguarding the institutional interests of the unions, he warned, you can raise an untold specter of labor unrest throughout the country.

In a certain sense, Biden is following the playbook established by Franklin Roosevelt during World War II, the last major crisis of world capitalism, when he worked with the unions to enforce an unpopular no strike pledge for the duration of the war, in exchange for state-sanctioned measures such as the automatic dues check-off, which began to insulate the union bureaucracy from popular pressure from below.

This was anticipated by the exiled leader of the Russian Revolution, Leon Trotsky, who wrote in 1938, In periods of acute class struggle, the leading bodies of the trade unions aim to become masters of the mass movement in order to render it harmless. This is already occurring during the period of simple strikes, especially in the case of the mass sit-down strikes which shake the principle of bourgeois property. In time of war or revolution, when the bourgeoisie is plunged into exceptional difficulties, trade union leaders usually become bourgeois ministers.

World War II, however, ended 76 years ago. Roosevelts use of the unions to try to ensure labor peace took place at a time when the unions were being built as part of a mass upsurge of class struggle. The opposite is the case now: The growth of the class struggle today inevitably reveals the rot and decay of the official unions, including their complete hostility to the workers they long since ceased to represent. Therefore, they are compelled to rely even more directly on support from the capitalist state.

Having long presided over plant closures and layoffs while lining their own pockets with bribes, corporate stocks and other sources of wealth, the union executives are now actively collaborating in the reopening of schools and workplaces and are even collaborating with management to cover up infections and deaths. In 2020, despite the immense social conflict unleashed by the pandemic, the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics officially recognized only eight major work stoppages, the third lowest level since 1947.

However, a major feature of the past year has been the growth of wildcat strikes and other spontaneous forms of opposition within the working class, including opposition to the treachery of the unions. According to the Institute for New Economic Thinking, since March 2020, when the pandemic first was declared, there have been over 1,400 work stoppages in the US. The report notes, [w]hile the pace of strikes is slightly slower than when the pandemic began  It seems, once more, workers have had enough.

The article continues, No longer are union leaders calling for strike votes with strict control of strike activity. It says, Now workers, often in nonunion workplaces, are coordinating online and simply walking out 

While the White House backs the RWDSUs claim of interference, no doubt there are also behind-the-scenes discussions between Biden and Amazon Chairman Jeff Bezos, in which the former is attempting to explain to the latter that the alternative is not between a union and no union, but between a struggle of Amazon workers which is controlled at the outset by the trade union apparatus, or the development of rank-and-file committees that function as genuine organizations of working-class struggle.

The Biden administrations second intervention on behalf of the RWDSU comes less than a month after the betrayal by the UAW of 2,900 striking Volvo Trucks workers in the New River Valley (NRV) region of Virginia. The struggle pitted the Volvo workers, eager to fight for improvements in their wages and benefits after being forced to take considerable cuts over the last decade, against both the company and the treachery of their own union.

Rather than accepting the corporate-union gang-up, striking workers formed the Volvo Workers Rank-and-File Committee (VWRFC) with the help of the Socialist Equality Party to provide workers a rallying point of opposition to the UAW-Volvo conspiracy. While the strike was ended by Volvo and the UAW, who resorted to strike busting by forcing workers to accept a contract they had previously rejected, the strike and the rank-and-file committee drew strength from workers internationally. Workers voted down a trio of rotten offers placed in front of them by company and the union.

Significantly, shortly after the strike, Biden paid a visit to the Mack Trucks facility in Pennsylvania. Mack Trucks is owned by Volvo, and the plant handles parts from NRV. In his speech from the plant, the pro-union Biden did not even mention the strike or the authoritarian maneuver to shut it down. This is a clear indication that the Biden administration is seeking to elevate the union apparatus to prevent any struggles from breaking from its grip.

Biden and the unions, meanwhile, are devoting fresh resources to the unionization drive at Amazon. The Teamsters union, which presides over working conditions at UPS that are in some respects even worse than at Amazonwarehouse workers at the delivery giant begin at a mere $13 per hourhas announced that it will commit all of its resources to organize at Amazon.

Should the RWDSU or the Teamsters enter Amazon workplaces, workers will find themselves in the same two-front war as the striking Volvo workers. To defend their interests, they will be compelled to form their own rank-and-file committee, independent of the unions, as their Amazon coworkers in Baltimore, Maryland have done.
The Postal Workers Rank-and-File Committee (PWRFC) calls on workers to vote NO for EBA 2021 and oppose the underhanded attempt by the Communications, Electrical and Plumbers Union (CEPU) to impose a sell-out enterprise agreement (EA) at Australia Post (AP). Ballot papers have now been sent out for the postal vote, which closes on August 27.

After reaching an in-principle agreement (IPA) on the new EA with AP management, the union promised to conduct meetings in which workers could discuss the agreement and raise questions prior to the vote. In a deliberate bid to suppress open discussion, and opposition to the IPA, the CEPU elected to carry out short briefings at individual workplaces, rather than online meetings open to the entire membership.

Australia Post delivery van (Photo: Wikimedia/Orderinchaos)

In response to the rapid spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, this plan was abandoned as it was deemed too dangerous for union officials to visit AP facilities. By contrast, management and the union not only allowed AP employees to continue working at those same facilities, they actively intervened to ensure that New South Wales government restrictions did not apply to postal workers. As a result, AP workers have been forced to endanger their health, every day, in the countrys most dangerous coronavirus hotspots.

The CEPU did not call a national online meeting for three weeks after announcing the IPA.

On Wednesday August 4, CEPU President Shane Murphy, along with other union officials and AP management figures, conducted two separate half-hour meetings to discuss the agreement and call on postal workers to approve it.

These meetings were anti-democratic and anti-worker through and through. How could workers freely ask questions, or object to the proposed EA, with management present? The character of these meetingsas sales pitches for the sell-out union-management dealwas a clear demonstration of the orientation of the CEPU as an industrial police force of management.

The meetings were announced to members the previous night, in a text message from the union, which did not contain a link to the meetings, but to a CEPU how to vote page, instructing workers to vote yes.

At some facilities, television screens were put up to allow members to watch the livestream, but workers were only able to ask questions or raise concerns by logging in on their phones, via QR codes, passed around on the morning of the meeting. The timing of the meetings, at 6:30 a.m. and 7:30 a.m., during working hours, was chosen to ensure postal workers would not be able to participate fully.

Murphy lauded the deal and claimed the 3 percent per annum wage rise was above average, compared to that of other government workers. He added that, taking into account superannuation increases, the deal would net workers an 18.4 percent increase in total monetary benefits, over the course of the EA. This is a completely disingenuous attempt to double-count the 3 percent pay rise. In fact, there is no separate increase to superannuation under the IPA.

The 3 percent wage deal is a pay cut in real terms. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) has increased by 3.79 percent, since the second quarter of 2020, and is continuing to rise.

The IPA does nothing to reverse the attacks we have endured for years under successive agreements, which have seen the wages and conditions of postal workers decline. The fact is, this agreement continues the descent.

The CEPU claims 3 percent is above the going rate, but we take no comfort from the fact that our brothers and sisters in other industries and government sectors have also been sold out by their unions. In addition to pay cuts, these workers have endured privatisation and massive job cuts, overseen and implemented by the unions and Labor governments.

The union has claimed that the Terms of Reference (TOR), worked out in closed-door discussions with management, will protect jobs, but it does no such thing. Instead, the entire emphasis is on facilitating further restructuring, which will inevitably entail retrenchments and cuts to conditions.

The TOR, dated July 13, but not made available to workers until August 2, states in clause 3.2 that, under the new delivery model: The NWG [National Working Group] will be responsible for developing a framework for delivery operations that:  (c) provides Australia Post with ongoing sustainability, flexibility, profitability and service reliability; (d) meets the current and future needs of Australia Post and the Australian community;  (g) provides Australia Post with the necessary framework to remain competitive in the markets in which it operates; (h) ensures that Australia Post can continue to invest and grow for the future.

The TOR goes on to state, in clause 3.3: The Parties acknowledge that the needs of Australia Post, its customers and the community will continue to evolve over time, particularly as letters continue to decline, and there will be an ongoing need to review the delivery model, from time to time, in accordance with changes to Australia Posts business, to ensure it meets community and customer expectations as well as meeting the CSO [community service obligations]. The Parties commit to conducting a joint review on the delivery model, achieved under this TOR, no later than 18 months from execution of this TOR.

In other words, the CEPU is committing workers to an ongoing restructuring process, demanded by management to provide Australia Post with ongoing sustainability, flexibility, profitability and service reliability at the expense of jobs and working conditions.

The unions orientation was starkly demonstrated last year when the CEPU went behind workers backs to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with management, pledging to enforce the Alternative Delivery Model (ADM). The MOU included a 12-month no-strike clause, designed to ensure the workers anger did not disrupt the transition to the ADM.

Under the ADM, postal workers were assigned two beats instead of one, which they worked on alternate days, substantially increasing the volume of mail each worker had to deliver. Thousands of posties were transferred from letter mail to parcel delivery, while others were made floaters, who could be moved from one duty to another and shunted between facilities, in order to satisfy the operational demands of AP with the minimum number of workers.

All of this took place under the previous union-management agreement, which is identical to the IPA, now being pushed by the CEPU, in all aspects other than the paltry wage rise.

The CEPU enthusiastically promoted the official end of the ADM as a victory for postal workers. The reality is, the new delivery model is driven by the same motivationsmaximising profitability and preparing APs lucrative parcel division for privatisation.

The TOR makes clear that this process will be overseen and determined by a steering committee, comprising senior AP management and union leaders. This is far from rank and file workers having a say in the development of the new delivery model, through Local Working Groups (LWGs), as the union has previously claimed.

The LWGs, which will include representatives of management and the CEPU, as well as postal workers, will be empowered only to apply the levers established by the steering committee and the NWG.

The real purpose of the LWGs is to integrate a small set of workers into the restructuring offensive, to provide a phoney stamp of approval for whatever changes management decides to implement. Workers should reject with contempt this move to involve them in the increased exploitation of themselves and their co-workers.

This is a sell-out deal, in line with decades of EAs imposed by unions in every industry including AP. Working people have seen their conditions eviscerated and the destruction of permanent jobs under the enterprise bargaining system, established by Labor and the unions.

In the past four decades, the unions have been completely transformed into pro-corporatist adjuncts of management. These organisations in no way represent the interests of the working class.

The PWRFC urges all AP workers to vote NO on the proposed EA, which will only continue the exploitation of postal workers and deepen the assault on pay and conditions. We call on postal workers to join the PWRFC and build rank-and-file committees, independent of the unions, in their own workplaces.

The PWRFC demands:

 COVID-19 Vaccinations must immediately be made available to all postal workers, on company time and with no loss of income or sick leave, if time is needed to recover from any side effects. No worker should be forced to work without having received at least one vaccine shot. Postal workers must be issued with medical-grade personal protection equipment while in depots and doing deliveries.

 Pre-emptive COVID-19 testing must be made available at all AP sites, for all workers. Any workers who return a positive result, or are deemed close contacts, must self-isolate and be given all the necessary material and medical support to ensure a full recovery.

 Rank-and-file committees must be elected, independent of management and the unions, to organise and fight for the protection of workers health and safety. These committees will give regular reports to the workers and make the necessary recommendations.

 10 percent wage increases per year, with absolutely NO trade-offs. Postal workers must receive a living wage to meet the escalating cost of living.

 All fixed-term contract workers and casuals must be given full-time positions.

 Increase full-time staff to deal with extra parcels and reduce the workload on existing staff.

 One beat, one postie. Recast beats on the basis of finishing within rostered hours. Rank-and-file committees must be established to plan and control the organisation of beats and other aspects of production.

 Increase annual leave by two weeks. Return the Authorised Holiday to the Christmas period, as previously established.

 These measures have to be financed by expropriating the profits extracted from Australia Post workers.

 Australia Post must be transformed into a genuine public utility, under real public ownership and the democratic control of the working class, to meet the needs of society, including the basic social right to a secure and affordable postal service.

Securing these demands will require a political fight, not just against management and the unions, but against Australias draconian anti-strike laws and all the major political parties, which defend them.

This must be the first step in a political and industrial struggle to place Australia Post and other essential services under democratic workers control, and fight for a socialist reorganisation of the economy, based on satisfying human need and securing workers social rights.

We invite all AP and other delivery workers to contact us to discuss this perspective.
Nades, Priya, Kopika and Tharnicaa. (Credit: @hometobilo)

The High Court of Australia last week ruled against four-year-old asylum seeker Tharnicaa Murugappan, the youngest of a family of four from Biloela, a town in central Queensland. Without providing any real explanation, two judges summarily rejected her application to appeal against a decision to deny her a protection visa to stay in Australia.

As a result, the threat of deportation to Sri Lanka again hangs over the head of Tharnicaa and her family, with their fate left in the hands of federal Liberal-National Coalition government.

After Tharnicaa developed a life-threatening blood condition due to improper medical treatment, the family was flown to Perth, the state capital of Western Australia, in June following three years of being locked up in immigration prisons, most recently on the remote Christmas Island outpost in the Indian Ocean.

Despite widespread anger over the familys treatment, and a long and determined campaign by the people of Biloela demanding the familys freedom and return to their hometown, the government placed the family in community detention in Perth.

Eventually Tharnicaas father and mother, Nades and Priya, as well as her six-year-old sister Kopika, were granted bridging visas, but the family was barred from returning to Biloela.

The two High Court judges simply said the appeal has insufficient prospects of success to warrant a grant of special leave. No other explanation was provided, despite the prominence of the case and the strong popular support for the family. Tharnicaas was one of four refugee cases before the court that day, all likewise summarily dismissed.

The decision upholds a Full Federal Court ruling that dismissed an appeal by the family to lift the governments ban on Tharnicaas visa application, even though that court also found that the infant had been denied procedural fairness. In the Federal Court, Justice Mark Moshinsky had declared that her claim did not meet the criteria for a visa.

This is not the first time the High Court has ruled against the family. In previous legal appeals the court upheld the governments decision to refuse asylum applications for Nades, Priya and Kopika.

The family has been in a more than three-year battle against deportation since the government seized them from their family home in Biloela in a pre-dawn raid in March 2018 involving the para-military Border Force, police and security guards.

Carina Ford, the familys lawyer, indicated that the latest court ruling has all but exhausted the legal avenues for appeal. The matter is now in the hands of the immigration minister, she wrote in a statement.

Ford said Immigration Minister Alex Hawke is able at any point in time to grant a visa including a visa that would allow the family to return to and live in Biloela. She added: The Australian peoples support, in this case, has been overwhelming as they have related to the familys hardship and the fact both children were born in Australia.

Priya said in a statement that doctors in Western Australia had contacted the government asking for the family to be returned to Biloela, with both daughters receiving ongoing medical treatment for recurring infections and mental health issues.

Priya posted a video statement on Twitter, saying that while her daughters still needed to see doctors this could happen back in my community of Biloela. Biloela is where the girls will get better and be safe. She concluded: Please Minister Hawke, let us return to our community in Biloela.

Hawke continued to refuse to comment, insisting it was inappropriate for him to do so, because the family has a number of other ongoing legal matters. Some legal processes remain, with a separate case being heard in the Federal Court in September, but that does not legally prevent Hawke from exercising his discretion to grant visas to the family.

The governments continued defiance points to the danger of any illusion that popular pressure will change the inhumane immigration policy. While some members of the major parliamentary parties have on occasions cynically offered support for the family, they are all firmly united on the underlying national-based border protection regime.

The policies that have created the suffering for this family did not start with the current government. It was the Hawke Labor government that, in 1986, passed the Australian Citizenship Amendment Act. It removed the right of Jus soli or citizenship by birthright. It established that children born in Australia on or after August 20, 1986, could only be citizens if at least one parent was a citizen or permanent resident.

This meant any children born to refugees who had yet been granted a permanent visa would not become citizens and had no basic rights in Australia.

In 1992, the Keating Labor government instigated the policy of mandatory detention of all asylum seekers who arrive by boat.

The Howard Coalition government extended this policy to send refugees to offshore detention centres. These hellholes were reopened in 2012 by the Gillard and then Rudd Labor governments, which were propped up by the Greens even after they declared that no asylum seekers who arrived by boat would ever be allowed to settle in Australia.

The fight led by the residents of Biloela must be taken up by workers and youth and linked to a broader struggle to free all asylum seekers worldwide. This struggle should demand that all working people, regardless of their national background, have the basic democratic right to live and work wherever they choose around the globe with all the benefits of citizenship.
Source: Flickr.com/Tony Webster

Last week, the US Census Bureau released new findings from the 2020 census conducted last year. The report is one in a series of ongoing releases from the bureau as it analyzes its data. Last weeks report concerns the geographic distribution of the population, the self-identified racial and ethnic background of respondents, age distribution and housing stock.

Most corporate media outlets in their presentation of the report presented its findings in racialist terms, drawing particular attention to the first-ever decline of self-identified whites and the increase of non-whites. The data, however, considered objectively, undercuts the claim that the basic category of US society is race rather than socio-economic class, and that America is a white supremacist society as a result of endemic white racism.

Rather, the data, tracking the changes over the ten-year period since the last census, reveals an accelerating movement of the population from rural areas to major cities, associated with a growth of the working class, and an increasing internationalization and intermixing of different racial, ethnic and national groups.

In other words, racial and ethnic divisions are breaking down, rather than being reinforced by intrinsic differences based on skin color or some other identity trait.

The data shows that as the urban working class has grown, numerically and as a percentage of the population, so too has its multi-racial character. People who do not consider themselves to be of any single race are driving population growth, as urban workers increasingly intermingle, intermarry and raise children with people from entirely different national, ethnic and racial backgrounds.

The racial-ethnic category that registered the biggest increase, by far, was that for people who identified themselves as multi-racial, which rose by 276 percent.

A growing urban working class

The first trend to which the census points is the massive growth of the urban population between 2010 and 2020, as rural people increasingly migrated to major metropoles, especially in the Southwest and Western United States.

Marc Perry, a demographer with the US Census, stated, Population growth this decade was almost entirely in metro areas. Metropolitan areas, on average, grew by 9 percent over the last 10 years, while smaller counties grew only by 1 percent. More than half of the nations counties did not see any growth, and 52 percent of all counties lost population.

The trend points to the continuation of a process that has spanned the last two-and-a-half centuries: the decline of rural lifeespecially the ranks of small farmersas the society became increasingly dominated numerically by an urban and suburban working class. Eighty-six percent of the American population now lives in urban areas.

The breaking down of racial categories

The second major finding to which the census points is the increasingly multi-racial character of the population, as many of these urban workers meet, fall in love and have children with people from different ethnic and national backgrounds.

In 2010, about 9 million people identified themselves as being of multiple races. In 2020, 33.8 million people identified themselves in that way. This 276 percent increase in Americans who consider themselves multi-racial far outpaces the growth of any other racial-ethnic category during this period.

Those identifying themselves as Hispanic or Latino, for example, increased from 17.3 percent of the population in 2010 to 19.5 percent in 2020. Asian Americans increased from about 5 to 6 percent. But those who identify themselves as multi-racialincluding Hispanics who do soincreased from 2.9 percent of the population in 2010 to 10.2 percent in 2020.

In its data, the census distinguishes between individuals who identify with just one race and those who identify with a race in combination with another. Importantly, the Census Bureau notes that The in combination multi-racial populations of all race groups accounted for most of the overall changes in each racial category. In other words, to the extent that any racial group grew, it was mainly because of its share in the growth of a multi-racial population.

This can be seen clearly in what is presented as the decline of the white population. In the 2020 census, those who marked themselves as just white decreased from 63 percent of the population to 57 percent, as compared to the 2010 census. However, while 57 percent of the population identified itself as just white, 71 percent of the population identified itself as either just white or white and another race. In other words, broad sections of white people were partnering with people from other racial and ethnic categories, creating a much larger section of the white population that identifies itself as multiracial.

If anything, these significant shifts point to the questionable, at best, scientific validity of the concept of race and its inability to provide a scientific basis for analyzing historical and social processes, let alone provide a progressive basis for the political struggles of working people.

In total, the US population grew by 23 million people since the 2010 census. The ranks of people who called themselves multi-racial grew by 24.8 million, suggesting that multi-racial couplings were a major factor on the overall population growth.

The census data is in line with a 2017 study by the Pew Research Center on intermarriage, which showed that of newlywed Hispanic people in the US, 39 percent, on average, do not marry someone who is Hispanic. For Asians born in the US, the figure is even higher, at 46 percent. The same study also gives a sense of how intermarriage is increasing: in 2015, 10 percent of the entire married population had an interracial relationship, but among newlyweds, it was almost double, at 17 percent.

What will America look like 30 years from now if this trend continues? Taking the 2010 to 2020 rate of growth of those identifying themselves as multi-racial and projecting it onto the future, about 156 million people would come from a mixed-race background by 2050. That would be about half of todays population.

What if the general trend continued for 100 years, or 500? What meaning would race have when the broad mass of the population had ancestry from multiple countries and ethnicities from all over the world?

The racialist myth exploded

For several decades, but with increasing ferocity over the past decade or so, sections of the upper-middle classespecially in academia, the media, Democratic Party politics, and the artshave sought to present the United States, and, for that matter, the world, as dominated by unbridgeable racial divides.

The pages of the New York Times and other outlets have increasingly devoted themselves toas the Times  discredited 1619 Project puts itconvincing their readers that racism is in the very DNA of this country and its population. This wealthy stratum of the population has in many ways gone back to the original racialist conceptions of the 19th and 20th centuries, arguing as Stacey Abrams does in Foreign Affairs that there is an intrinsic difference between blacks, whites and other races.

But if racism runs in the DNA of the country and its population, why are such large and increasing sections of the population partnering, raising children and sharing finances with people who are supposedly insurmountably alien and hostile to them?

This dramatic growthover just 10 yearsis a simple and powerful refutation of the lie that America is composed of separate races of human beings who cannot genuinely understand each other, culturally relate or speak to one another, or politically unifystuck, as it were, in entirely separate social trajectories.

But it is this very trend documented by the census that is either ignored or twisted by the leading purveyors of racialist thought.

A prime example is a column published this week by Charles Blow, the right-wing, racialist New York Times pundit. Blow presents the census data as a nightmare for white power acolytes. But nowhere in his column does Blow mention that the biggest growth revealed by the census was among mixed-race people, often people with one white parent.

Blow presents the data from the standpoint of a war between racesthat is, the same premise as the white supremacistsbut from the black side of the barricades. He writes that it heralds a race war, a passage of power not without strife between whites and non-whites.

Such are the filthy lengths to which the racialist defenders of capitalism and enemies of the unity of the working class are prepared to go. Indeed, Blow is no less frightened by the increasing internationalization and homogenization of the population than the white supremacists and fascists.

Almost 175 years ago, Karl Marx and Fredrick Engels wrote: The working men have no country National differences and antagonisms between peoples are daily more and more vanishing, owing to the development of the bourgeoisie, to freedom of commerce, to the world market, to uniformity in the mode of production and in the conditions of life corresponding thereto. ( The Communist Manifesto, Chapter two)

This is the process revealed in the census report. As the population becomes increasingly composed of urban workers, those workers are meeting, falling in love and having children with people from different national, ethnic, religious and linguistic backgrounds increasingly dissolving the historical baggage of reactionary racial categories used for centuries to divide and rule over the oppressed.

Two other points are worth making about the census data.

First, while data released by the Census Bureau last January showed a significant slowdown in national population growth37 out of 50 states grew more slowly than in the previous decadethe data just released shows that young people, in particular, are declining as a share of the population. During the last 10 years there was an absolute decline of 1 million people under the age of 18.

This shrinking youth population testifies to the economic hardship that millions of younger, would-be parents face post-2008. While the Great Recession is over 12 years in the past, the US economy remains, especially with COVID-19, in dire straits. The wealth of the ultra-rich has soared, but the vast majority of the populationregardless of ethnicity or skin colorhas seen a further decline in living standards.

The report also notes that housing units grew by only 6.7 percent between 2010 and 2020, about half the growth of the previous decade. Again, this points to the slowdown in economic growth and the impoverishment of broad sections of the population, including the phenomenon of young people being forced to live with their parents through their twenties. The report also notes that almost 10 percent of the entire housing stock in the country lies vacantsome 13.6 million homes with no one living in them! This not only points to the financial inability of many people to find housing, but also the absurdity of the capitalist system, which squanders resources for the enrichment of an oligarchy and for war, while millions are homeless or without decent and affordable housing.
Clemson University, Tillman Hall (Wikimedia Commons)

Opposition is growing in South Carolinas universities to the capitulation of administrators to the anti-scientific policies of the right-wing Republican state government of Henry McMaster, which seeks to sacrifice the needs of the population to the profit interests of the big corporations.

Over 10,000 South Carolinians have died of COVID-19 over the past 18 months, and between August 9 and August 13 alone, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control reported almost 15,000 new cases. Hospitalizations in South Carolina are higher than at this point last year contrary to the claims of Governor McMaster. The supply of ICU beds is also dangerously close to drying up. Less than half of South Carolinas eligible population is fully vaccinated.

Clemson University faculty organized a walkout that took place yesterday, the first day of class, with a rally on Bowman Field on campus.

After a state Supreme Court ruling yesterday allowed mask mandates to proceed, both Clemson and the University of South Carolina, as well as most other universities in the state, immediately reinstituted mask mandates which had been struck down by the state government, although Clemsons mask mandate will last only for the first three weeks of class.

Clemson University Associate Professor Kimberly Paul, who organized the walkout, called the limitation of the policy to three weeks puzzling and a partial measure, adding that we still have some work to do regarding reinstating a Mask Policy.

Under these conditions, schools and universities in the state are sending K-12, college, and university students and instructors back into crowded classrooms with minimal to no protections against the spread of the deadly Delta variant of COVID-19. There is no official acknowledgment of the unique dangers of this new variant, which some scientists and doctors have begun to refer to as tantamount to an entirely new virus.

In recent weeks, epidemiologists have warned that the low-quality masks that many people use are much less effective against Delta, that casual contact (such as passing someone walking in the opposite direction on a sidewalk) is enough to transmit the virus, and that the virus can be transmitted readily outdoors. However, at the behest of Wall Street and the big corporations, state and national governments, the corporatist trade unions and university administrators are all engaged in a concerted effort to downplay the severity of the risks posed to the population by reckless school, university and workplace reopenings.

Epidemiologists and other scientists have long understood the need for a layered approach to pandemic mitigation. Taken by itself, each form of mitigation of the impact of the Delta variant, from physical distancing to masking, personal hygiene, limited exposure time, contact tracing, testing, adequate ventilation and air filtration, quarantining and isolation, to vaccination would be insufficient to halt the spread of the virus. Taken together, however, these forms of mitigation could not only contain the virus but drive it to extinction.

However, from the point of view of the capitalist class, nothing can be permitted to stand in the way of the continuous flow of profits accumulated through the exploitation of cheap labor. Consequently, all talk of another shutdown of nonessential production and a return to online instruction has been systematically excluded from official discourse. This is also why the official debate over school and university reopenings has been confined to the question of masking mandates (or, in a few cases, vaccine mandates).

As in the other seven states where state legislatures have banned masking mandates, the battle over mandates in South Carolina has been especially intense.

On August 2, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson sent a letter to the University of South Carolina warning that the universitys decision to mandate masks in classrooms was illegal. Rather than fight this attack on the welfare of students and educators, the university immediately rescinded its mandate, in spite of the fact that its president holds a Ph.D. in epidemiology.

Yesterday, at the behest of state Senator Dick Harpootlian and a South Carolina faculty member, along with the reluctant assent of Attorney General Wilson, the state Supreme Court weighed in on the matter. According to its judgment, while the budget proviso in question limits the ability of higher education institutions to impose mask mandates on unvaccinated individuals, it does not prevent universities from imposing blanket mask mandates regardless of vaccination status.

The struggle over masking mandates in K-12 schools has been fierce and remains largely unresolved. A separate state budget proviso forbids all masking mandates in publicly funded K-12 schools. However, Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin declared a state of emergency on August 11, followed by an order that all individuals at schools and day cares serving 2-year-olds through 14-year-olds be masked.

The Columbia City Council ratified the ordinance. This was followed by the decision by Richland County Council on Monday to pass an ordinance requiring masks to be worn indoors in all public and private schools in the county serving 2 through 14-year-olds. The Charleston County School District also defied the masking mandate ban and voted on Monday to implement a mask requirement for all students, staff and campus visitors.

At the University of South Carolina, students and alumni are planning to launch a statewide South Carolina Education Rank-and-File Safety Committee in alliance with the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees.

The students and alumni have drafted a statement that opposes the complete abandonment of physical distancing measures by the university, and the exclusion of outdoor areas from its masking mandate.

It explains that the limitation of the mandate to indoor areas will create a situation where close contact with unmasked individuals on the way to class will be unavoidable. The statement calls for a complete shutdown of in-person instruction and a return to full online learning.

The statement concludes with these demands:

1. There must be an immediate shutdown of all public colleges and universities and K-12 schools in the state and a return to remote instruction, with a vast expansion of funding to ensure that every student and educator has access to high-speed internet and state-of-the-art technology. 2. All non-essential production must cease until the pandemic is brought under control with full compensation for all workers. 3. This time the shutdown must not be wasted. A serious program of contact tracing, quarantine and vaccination must be implemented, in combination with the resources for a serious effort to raise the scientific literacy of the population as a whole to meet the challenge of the pandemic. 4. All essential workers who have not yet been vaccinated must be provided with paid leave time to get the vaccine and recover from its aftereffects. 5. Parents and other caregivers must be provided with the financial support to stay home with their children while they take part in remote education programs. 6. Before any return to in-person instruction takes place, all classrooms must have CO2 meters installed. Buildings must have MERV filters installed in their HVAC systems, and all classrooms must be tested for adequate air flow with maximum safe occupancy limits corresponding to this airflow posted on the door of every classroom. These occupancy limits must be obeyed and used to determine maximum class sizes. 7. Any relaxation of these public health measures must be approved by the South Carolina Education Rank-and-File Safety Committee in collaboration with independent and trusted medical experts. 8. The state budget proviso aimed at forbidding mask mandates in public K-12 schools must be stricken. 9. Finally, we appeal to all other teachers and workers to form rank-and-file safety committees in your own workplaces and build the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees! Only through a globally coordinated counteroffensive by workers can we bring the pandemic under control

The students and alumni have announced an online meeting open to all South Carolina educators, parents, caregivers, high school and college students and family members who are opposed to the unsafe reopening plans of the schools and universities in South Carolina. To register for the meeting, please click here.
This lecture was delivered with a series of slides and video clips, many of which cannot be reproduced here. These will be briefly summarized where appropriate.

Part of the pro-Trump mob at the Capitol on January 6. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

This report will deal with the events from last November 3, 2020 through January 6, 2021, a period of 64 days. The World Socialist Web Site wrote 12 perspectives in the first 25 days of posting after the election. I urge you to read these, as I can only cite a few of them.

These events, while they involved a bitter conflict within the US ruling elite, were of urgent concern to the working class. Workers should understand them, have a class political attitude towards them, be able to explain them to their co-workers and take action. These are not issues merely for the intellectuals, the political professionals and pundits.

Our approach is the diametric opposite of the position of the pseudo-left, which to the extent they even acknowledge the existence of the working class reduce it to the most elementary trade union form, which is not only historically outmoded, as we have explained, but excludes any intervention by the working class into the big political questions and conflicts that determine the life of society.

The maps of the Electoral College votes in 2016 and 2020 are familiar. There are five states that shifted from Republican to Democratsthe three Northern industrial states, Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania, and the two Sunbelt states, Arizona and Georgia.

In the popular vote, Biden won by 7 million. In 2016, Clinton won by 3 million votes. The Democratic vote increased by 15.4 million and the Republican vote by 11.2 million, raising the Democratic margin from 2.9 million to 7.1 million.

The popular vote margin for Biden was, by historical standards, a decisive victory. By comparison, George W. Bush won reelection in 2004 by 3 million votes, and Barack Obama won reelection in 2012 by just under 5 million votes. Bill Clinton won in 1992 by 5.8 million votes. Bidens margin was almost exactly equal to the 7.1 million margin for George H. W. Bush over Michael Dukakis in 1988. It is slightly less than the 8.2 million votes that separated Bill Clinton from Bob Dole in 1996 and the 8.5 million vote margin for Obama over John McCain in 2008.

The most significant change was the huge increase in voter turnout for both parties, but more for the Democrats, which reflected two related processes: mass opposition to the Trump administration and easier access to voting because of adjustments in procedures due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The percentage of the population voting, 66.8 percent, was the largest since 1900, before women and most African Americans could vote. The biggest percentage increases were among youth 18-29, Asian Americans and those with some college education but not a four-year degree. African American turnout increased, reaching 70 percent, above the national average, across eight battleground states.

The point of reviewing these figures is to demonstrate what was known, certainly within a few days of the election, to Republican and Democratic campaign professionals, elected officials and the corporate media analysts and pundits.

They all knew, based on the national and state-by-state figures and exit polls, that Biden had won and won decisively. There was a colossal increase in turnout, both in percentage terms and in absolute numbers. This was the basic cause of Trumps defeat. It was a popular repudiation of his presidency.

Nothing in these results genuinely surprised the professional analysts with the two campaigns or the media. Trumps own in-house number crunchers had showed him behind for weeks. That was one reason why he had so stridently declared, well before the election, that he would not accept the results.

The state-by-state counts showed no anomalous figures from any of the closely contested battleground states. The election was not close, and there was no objective basis for the claims of fraud and ballot-rigging.

If Bidens victory was in doubt, so too would be the victories of hundreds of Democratic candidates in the House and Senate and in races for state governors. With only one exception, however, the Republican losers refrained from claiming victory and conceded within days, even hours, in the time-honored fashion. But Trump was not playing by those rules.

Trumps response to the election results

Well before the election, Trump had declared that he would not necessarily accept the results of the vote. You will recall that this goes back to the 2016 campaign, when during a debate with Hillary Clinton he refused to accept in advance the result of the upcoming vote. Even after winning in 2016, he claimed that Clintons popular vote victory was due to millions of illegal votes by undocumented immigrants.

This became a regular theme of Trumps remarks at campaign rallies during the summer of 2020. He repeatedly cast doubt on mail-in ballots, even though he was using mail ballots himself, his nominees ran the Post Office and Republicans controlled the majority of state governments or legislatures, particularly in battleground states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Arizona.

In the middle of the night, about 3:00 a.m. on the morning of November 4, Trump went on national television to claim victory, based on the same-day voting in many of the battleground states. Millions of mail-in ballots were still being counted, and Trumps own pollsters, as well as those for the media, were well aware the trend was for Biden. For several days, the media cowardly refused to acknowledge this trend and call Bidens victory, giving a boost to Trumps claims.

As soon as the election was called for Biden, Trump began to set into motion plans to challenge the results. This was an action unprecedented in American history.

Here is the WSWSs first major analysis of the post-election crisis, written by David North and Joseph Kishore and published November 7, 2020, under the headline, Trumps refusal to concede sets the stage for post-election crisis. It sets out, while votes were still being counted, the basic outlines of the situation. It is particularly notable for its conclusions about Trump. We wrote:

It appears that Democratic Party candidate Joe Biden is on the verge of winning enough states to be elected president of the United States.  However, what Biden had once described as his worst nightmarethat Trump would not accept his defeat at the pollsmay, in fact, be unfolding. In an extraordinary speech at the White House early Wednesday morning, Trump proclaimed himself the winner. Frankly we did win this election, he said. So well be going to the US Supreme Court. We want all voting to stop. By an end to voting, Trump means a halt to the continued counting of mail-in ballots that were legally submitted Whether or not he succeeds in the short term in staving off defeatthrough a combination of legal challenges, right-wing protest demonstrations, threats and actual use of violenceDonald Trump, and the anti-constitutional fascistic movement whose growth he has been sponsoring, is not going to disappear from the political scene. As the World Socialist Web Site has repeatedly warned since his attempted coup detat last June, Trumps political strategy has never been limited to purely electoral calculations. During the past three months, he has been campaigning more for the role of Fuhrer than merely president. That fascistic campaign has not ended.

I will not provide a blow-by-blow account of the legal and political moves that took place during the month that followed the election. The Trump campaign filed more than 60 lawsuits, nearly all of them in the six battleground states won by Biden. In none of these was any significant evidence offered of vote fraud. Campaign lawyers like Giuliani spoke loudly about fraud at press conferences and rallies but were far less forthcoming in court.

This was not simply legal malpractice or the dementia or insanity of certain lawyers. There was a definite political strategy involved. Loud claims of fraud were aimed at enraging and mobilizing Trump supporters and putting political pressure on state legislators to intervene and overturn the popular vote in their states. They were to award Trump their states electoral votes, following on the notorious theory of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, articulated in 2000, that there is no constitutional right to vote for president, and that state legislatures may choose presidential electors on their own, defying the decision of the voters. Trump even summoned state legislative leaders and individual state legislators from Michigan and Pennsylvania to the White House, and he was in contact with legislators in Arizona, Georgia and Wisconsin.

Trumps legal challenges culminated in the lawsuit brought by 18 states with Republican attorneys general, who asked the Supreme Court to overturn vote results in four battleground states, an extraordinary effort to have the court sanction political interference by the Republican-run state governments into those states they do not control. The court denied the suit by a 9-0 vote.

These efforts ultimately failed, not because the various state-level Republicans like Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger were intransigent defenders of democracy, to say nothing of the Supreme Court. But there were too many states, and Bidens lead in those states was too wide to make it politically possible to repeat Bush v. Gore. Both the state officials and the Supreme Court justices feared that their intervention on the side of Trump, when he had so clearly lost, would touch off mass popular opposition and become a political catastrophe.

Trump purges the Pentagon

Pentagon officials Christopher Miller, Kash Patel,Ezra Cohen-Watnick and Anthony Tata (Wikimedia Commons)

On November 9, Trump took his first action in response to his electoral defeat, firing Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, with whom he had clashed during the summer over Espers reluctance to deploy the military against mass protests over police violence. His replacement, Christopher Miller, was a largely unknown figure, a former Green Beret with a 30-year military record, including in Iraq and Afghanistan, who rose to the level of colonel in the special forces before retiring in 2014. He returned to the government as a Pentagon official under Trump, as director of the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC).

Kash Patel was appointed as Millers chief of staff. He was a former military lawyer embedded with special forces units. He joined the staff of Devin Nunes, the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, and went from there to the White House. It was later learned that Trump intended to appoint him deputy director of the CIA and then fire Director Gina Haspel.

Ezra Cohen-Watnick, also appointed to a high-level position in the Defense department, was a former civilian Defense Intelligence Agency official who later worked for the CIA, the Pentagon again, and the National Security Council under Trump, where he was named senior director for intelligence programs by Michael Flynn. Cohen-Watnick reportedly leaked information about CIA surveillance of Trump to House Intelligence Committee leader Devin Nunes.

Anthony Tata was a retired career military officer, a former brigadier general, posted to Haiti, Panama, Kosovo and Afghanistan. He had described Barack Obama as a Muslim and a terrorist leader and was so right-wing that his nomination to the Pentagon post had been blocked by Senate Republicans. Trump now installed him as deputy acting undersecretary and, with a vacancy at undersecretary, he began exercising the powers of that office.

The WSWS published a statement on November 11, 2020 headlined Stop Trumps conspiracy to nullify the 2020 elections, which began as follows:

President Donald Trump is refusing to accept his electoral loss and is actively engaged in a coup to nullify the results of the 2020 elections and establish a personalist dictatorship. The situation could not be clearer: Trump is now doing what he announced he would do prior to the elections. He is denying the legitimacy of an election that Biden won decisively, seeking to create a lying narrative that the election was stolen, and conspiring to throw out the votes of millions of people. This conspiracy has been joined by the Republican Party, which is acquiring more and more the character of a fascistic and criminal syndicate. Republican leaders at the federal and state levels have backed Trumps lies and refused to recognize Bidens victory. In a speech on the Senate floor Monday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell declared that Trump was 100 percent within his rights to look into allegations of irregularities and weigh his legal options. Trumps pseudo-legal maneuvers are backed by the incitement of violence by far-right and fascistic forces, supported by sections of the police and state apparatus. Demonstrations are planned this weekend in Washington D.C. to mobilize Trump supporters under the banner of Stop the Steal. On Monday, Trump fired Defense Secretary Mark Esper, who had earlier criticized Trumps plans to deploy troops against peaceful protesters. The new acting Pentagon chief will be Christopher Miller, a 30-year Special Forces operative and retired colonel. In contrast to the ruthlessness with which Trump is proceeding, the Democratic Party is acting with its usual combination of fecklessness and unseriousness. On Tuesday, Biden dismissed Trumps actions as an embarrassment. Biden added, The fact that theyre not willing to acknowledge we won at this point is not of much consequence in our planning.

This statement identifies all the major features of the political situation: the unprecedented actions by Trump, the support for it by the Republican Party, the incitement of violence, the purging of the Pentagon and the utter complacency of the Democratic Party. This is only four days after Biden was declared the winner of the election.

Trumps fascist co-conspirators

I Alone Can Fix It

The book I Alone Can Fix It is for the most part a rehash of journalistic reports on the Trump administration, but it does give some vivid insights into the period from November 3 to January 6. It describes a phone call to Milley from an unnamed friend, probably Mattis, Gates or another very high-level former official. I quote:

The friend was very concerned about the right-wing acolytes who had just been elevated and enjoyed special access to Trump, warning they were part of a larger cabal willing to cross every line to hold power. What theyre trying to do here is overturn the government, Milleys friend told him.  You are one of the few guys who are standing between us and some really bad stuff.

The friend began by describing Michael Ledeen  Ledeen had deep connections to Flynn, Cohen-Watnick, Patel, Steve Bannon and Erik Prince, founder of the private military company Blackwater USA [and brother of Trumps Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos]  [Ledeen] was a neoconservative who had studied Italian far-right leader Benito Mussolini and the rise of fascism. Ledeen had long espoused that Iran was the epicenter of evil and needed to be destroyed. His wife, Barbara Ledeen, a longtime Senate staffer, served as a den mother of sorts for neocon planning sessions at Bannons home  where Patel and Cohen-Watnick were frequent guests. The friend reminded Milley of Bannons mantra: Burn down the institutions. Milley was shaken. Was there actually a coup plan afoot?

Michael Ledeen and Steve Bannon (Wikimedia Commons)

Ledeen is well known to the WSWS, and the Bulletin before it, going back nearly 40 years to Reagan and the Iran-Contra affair.

This section in I Alone Can Fix It concludes with the statement by Milley which is perhaps the most widely quoted revelation in the book. After citing Milleys concerns that Trump, following his removal of Esper as Secretary of Defense, might seek to replace Gina Haspel as CIA director and Christopher Wray as FBI director, the book quotes Milley on the prospects for a pro-Trump coup.

They may try, but theyre not going to fucking succeed, he told them. You cant do this without the military. You cant do this without the CIA and the FBI. Were the guys with the guns.

If the men with guns decide to save American democracy from Trump, then American democracy is in the hands of the men with guns. They decide, not the people. And that is not democracy.

Later the book relates that Milley felt that there was a possibility that Trump would seek to remove him as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, although he had only been appointed in 2019 and his statutory term ran until 2023, unless removed for cause. To forestall that or another Trump action the generals opposed, like an immediate pullout from Afghanistan, Milley and the Joint Chiefs discussed a plan for sequential resignations. If Milley resigned or was fired, each member of the Joint Chiefs would in turn refuse to do whatever it was that Milley had refused to do and then resign publicly. In other words, there would be a full-scale officers rebellion, hardly a characteristic of democracy.

In many ways, the pro-Trump demonstrations held in Washington in November and December were the most important preparations for the January 6 coup, because they brought together many of the individuals and all of the organizations and front-line leaders, what might be considered the NCOs and lieutenants of the coup attempt, to the place where they would be conducting their operations.

On November 14, 2020 there was the first pro-Trump rally after the election, which was billed as the Million MAGA March, drawing about 15,000 people to Washington. White supremacist signs and hand gestures were common. Speakers included Alex Jones of the conspiracy website Infowars and newly elected Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia. Trump drove by the rally and saluted it. Milley, according to I Alone Can Fix It, told aides these were the equivalent of brownshirts in the streets.

General Mark Milley in October, 2019 (Wikimedia Commons)

On December 12, 2020, on the eve of the casting of Electoral College votes in the 50 states and the District of Columbia, a second march was held, under the banner of Stop the Steal. It was significantly smaller, perhaps less than 10,000, a reflection of the demoralization among ordinary, non-fascist Trump supporters after the Supreme Court rebuffed his last legal avenue the day before. Speakers included fascist Nick Fuentes, Michael Flynn, the former National Security adviser just pardoned by Trump, and MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell. Trump buzzed the crowd in his helicopter Marine One in a show of support. At night, there were violent clashes with counterdemonstrators, and several people were stabbed and seriously wounded.

Supporters of President Donald Trump who are wearing attire associated with the Proud Boys attend a rally at Freedom Plaza, Saturday, Dec. 12, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Luis M. Alvarez)

As Trump was appealing openly to these fascistic forces, we wrote a perspective on December 3, 2020, headlined Donald Trumps Mein Kampf. This commentary replied to Trumps semi-deranged speech of December 2, which the networks refused to broadcast, even Fox News. It appeared only on social media.

The speech by Donald Trump posted on his personal Facebook page Wednesday afternoon was a declaration of war on American democracy. It was a scarcely veiled call for a right-wing insurrection to overthrow the election results and maintain in the White House a president who has been repudiated by the American people The main purpose of the speech, which brands the Democratic Party and most state election officials as criminals, was to incite Trumps most fervent followers to stage violent attacks against anyone targeted by the would-be fuhrer in the White House. Denouncing those who desire to hurt the president of the United States, Trump demanded that something should happen.

We go on to focus on the response of the Democrats:

The Democratic Party and the pro-Democratic sections of the media have responded with silence to Trumps open declaration that he won the election and would continue in office. As of this writing, the Biden campaign had issued no statement, nor had leading congressional Democrats like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi or senators Chuck Schumer, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren ... The Democrats fear not Trumps threats of violence and dictatorship, but the mass popular revolt that would be touched off if Trump actually attempts to carry out his long-threatened election coup. The Democrats know very well that America is a social powder keg, deeply divided between the fabulously wealthy financial aristocracy, which both Democrats and Republicans serve, and the vast majority of the population, struggling to survive.

The last days before January 6

There followed a series of events that demonstrate the increasingly fascistic turn in the White House and among those closest to Trump, and his deliberate overtures to fascist elements on the streetshe tweeted that January 6 will be wildand in the military and paramilitary forces, as with his pardoning of the Blackwater murderers.The clearest proof that Trump was targeting January 6 came in his phone conversation with acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen, which we wrote about, based on handwritten notes recently made public. One of the notes records that Rosen told Trump that the Justice Department cant + wont snap its fingers + change the outcome of the election. Trump then replied that he understood Rosens position but wanted him to just say the election was corrupt + leave the rest to me and the R. Congressmen.

Trump even mentioned the names of several of the congressmen who would later oppose the certification of electoral votes for Biden.

Trump apparently discussed firing Rosen, but as in the Pentagon, all the officials immediately under Rosen said they would resign en masse rather than fill his place, forcing the president to back off.

There were many advance warnings in the days leading up to January 6, 2021. I can only refer to a few of them.

The social media site Parler referred threats of violence to the FBI more than 50 times in the weeks leading up to the attack. One message, which Parler had sent to an FBI liaison on January 2, was from a poster who warned, Dont be surprised if we take the Capitol building, and Trump needs us to cause chaos to enact the Insurrection Act.

On January 3, a Capitol Police threat assessment said: Unlike previous postelection protests, the targets of the pro-Trump supporters are not necessarily the counterprotesters as they were previously, but rather Congress itself is the target on the 6th  Stop the Steals propensity to attract white supremacists, militia members and others who actively promote violence may lead to a significantly dangerous situation for law enforcement and the general public alike.

On January 5, the Department of Homeland Security warned the Capitol Police that it had found a map of the Capitol complexs tunnel system posted on pro-Trump message boards. Also on January 5, the FBIs Norfolk field office relayed concerns about threats of violence, citing ultra-right message boards.

According to the New York Times account published July 13, the FBI warned the Capitol Police and the District of Columbia Metropolitan Police that extremist groups would be attending the January 6 protests and planned to use specific radio frequencies for their communication.

The emergency communications office of the Metropolitan Police then programmed some hand-held radios to those frequencies and gave them to the Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department to use for monitoring.

The artificial intelligence company Dataminr told security officials on January 5 that it had uncovered several disturbing posts, including appeals to go to Washington on Jan 6 and help storm the Capital. One post continued: We will storm government buildings, kill cops, kill security guards, kill federal employees and agents.

Valerie Hasberry, chief security officer for the Architect of the Capitol, said in an email: There is now chatter on Parler about storming the Capitol, please let me know if there are any updates to credible threats.

A duty officer at the Capitol Police security center responded to Hasberry, saying: There is no talk about any credible threats or storming the Capitol.

Dataminr is one of the sites that Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he was personally monitoring before January 6.

The events of January 6

People are seen in the House gallery as rioters try to break into the House Chamber at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington [Credit: AP Photo/Andrew Harnik]

Much has been written about the disorganization of the Capitol Police, their failure to deploy anti-riot equipment, and the flimsiness of the barricades, which resembled bike racks. But the most important aspect of the stand-down was sheer insufficiency in numbers. A crowd of thousands was assembling outside the Capitol, but there were fewer than 50 officers deployed to guard the entire exterior of the building.

Lets go through a timeline of the days most important events:

The initial fighting takes place while Trump is still speaking to the crowd outside the White House. There is already a crowd at the Capitol of sufficient size to push through the initial police skirmish line on the west side of the building at 12:50 p.m., and the officers call for reinforcements, both Capitol and Metropolitan D.C. police.

Trumps co-conspirators are at work inside the Capitol as well as outside, although at the last minute, at 1:00 p.m., Vice President Pence releases a letter confirming that he does not have authority to intervene in the process of certifying electoral votes, that his presiding over the joint session is purely ceremonial. He then gavels the joint session of Congress into order and begins to call all the states in alphabetical order.

At 1:10 p.m., Trump ends his speech to the rally outside the White House, urging his supporters to march on the Capitol, where a full-scale attack on the police is already under way, and certainly known to the White House. He is throwing gasoline on the fire, sending thousands more toward the building where at least a thousand have begun a frontal assault.

Two minutes later, Arizona Representative Paul Gosar and Senator Ted Cruz rise to object to the certification of Arizonas electoral votes for Biden. This happens after rioters have already overwhelmed the first police line outside the Capitol. The joint session separates into the two chambers to debate the question.

There are multiple video accounts of the mob attack on the center of the Capitol, during the hour when they would breach the defenses. The video presentation prepared by the New York Times gives a very good account of what was taking place inside and around the Capitol, although it says nothing about what was taking place at the White House or the Pentagon. Here are a few excerpts from the timeline:

 2:10 p.m.: On the west side of the Capitol, Proud Boys lead an attack up the stairs within scaffolding erected for the upcoming inauguration of Biden, and the crowd overwhelms lightly defended police lines and reaches the actual Capitol Building.

 2:11 p.m.: Proud Boy Dominic Pezzola breaks a window on the west side of the Capitol using a police shield.

 2:13 p.m.: First rioter, Proud Boy Michael Sparks of Kentucky, enters the west side of the Capitol through the broken window. More sections of the crowd start to breach the Capitol, pushing through windows and doors, with Proud Boys and Oath Keepers in the lead.

 2:13 p.m.: Secret Service removes Vice President Pence from the Senate chamber and down a flight of stairs to a secure location.

 2:14 p.m.: Rioters pursue Capitol policeman Eugene Goodman up a flight of stairs away from the Senate chamber while senators escape. Officers remove Nancy Pelosi from the House chamber.

 2:15 p.m.: Oathkeeper leader Stuart Rhodes forwards a message by an unidentified person in charge of Oathkeeper security to an encrypted Signal message group called DC Ops 1 that included regional leaders later arrested for the attack. They have taken ground at the Capitol. We need to regroup any members who are not on mission.

 2:20 p.m.: The House and Senate adjourn, and members begin to flee the Capitol or go into specially prepared secure facilities.

 2:24 p.m.: Trump tweets, Mike Pence didnt have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution, giving States a chance to certify a corrected set of facts, not the fraudulent or inaccurate ones which they were asked to previously certify. USA demands the truth!

 2:25 p.m.: Rioters breach the east doors into the Capitol, after half an hour of pushing and shoving, when rioters from the west side reach the east doors and open them. An active duty Marine Corps officer, Christopher Warnagiris, holds open the doors for the mob.

We have all seen the video and audio of House Speaker Nancy Pelosis staff barricading themselves inside a meeting room, tweeting desperate appeals for help, and the mob trying to break down the doors.

Then follows the shooting of Ashli Babbitt, the only rioter actually killed by police in the course of the day. The rioters arrive outside the front door of the House chamber, which they find barricaded by armed police. The representatives are being moved towards a rear door, through which they will be taken to safety.

Several attackers, including Babbitt, break off from the crowd and go around to the back entrance, where they see the representatives escaping and attack the door. A Capitol Police officer draws his gun. As Ashli Babbitt begins to climb through a smashed window, in the technique the rioters have used to force their way through many doors into and inside the Capitol, the police officer opens fire. Babbitt falls back with a fatal wound.

At the same time, a group of heavily armed police arrive outside the back door, and the rioters pull back.

The right-wing campaign to demand the public identification of the officer is motivated in part by the fact that he is believed to be an African American, Lt. Michael Byrd, the senior officer assigned to the House chamber. There is a racist subtext to Trumps incessant praise of Babbitt as a beautiful, wonderful woman.

What did the military do?

We now turn to what was happening at the Pentagon. The main events here are non-events, in the sense of inaction. At 1:49 p.m., General William Walker, commander of the D.C. National Guard, calls Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy for permission to deploy his troops to the Capitol. He has soldiers already on buses, expecting a quick approval. Instead, he waits for hours.

At 2:26 p.m., there is the first of many conference calls and other appeals, with Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser, Metropolitan Police Chief Robert Contee, and Capitol Police Chief Steve Sund, appealing to a group of generals. One of them, General Walter Piatt, says that we dont like the optics of the National Guard at the Capitol, and he would recommend not sending them. Gen. Charles Flynn, brother of Michael Flynn, is on this call, although the Army initially denied this.

At 3:00 p.m., Defense Secretary Miller says he approved the order to activate the D.C. National Guard, although they were already activated and ready to go. He does not give the order to actually deploy until 4:32 p.m., and even that is held up in communication to General Walker. The order to deploy came 15 minutes after Trump tweeted that his supporters should go home.

At 3:46 p.m. and 3:55 p.m., two incidents take place which offer further proof of the military collaboration with the rioters. General Daniel Hokanson, Chief of the National Guard Bureau, calls the Virginia commander, Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, to verify no Virginia military forces would move without prior permission from the Pentagon. Nine minutes later, he calls the commander of the Maryland National Guard with a similar request: Do not move without permission from the Pentagon.

At 5:08 p.m., General Walker finally receives permission to send his troops to the Capitol. Finally, at 5:22 p.m., the first National Guard troops arrive at the Capitol.

Two incidents in I Alone Can Fix It, one vastly publicized, the other not, touch on the question of the attitude of the Pentagon towards the Trump coup.

Before the attack, Milley expressed fears that Trump was inciting violence in order to stay in power. This is a Reichstag moment, Milley told aides. The gospel of the Fuhrer.

On January 3, top military officers and National Security Council aides met with Trump at the White House to discuss Iran. At the end of the meeting, Trump asked Miller, Youve got enough guys, and youre all set for the sixth of January? Oh yes, Mr. President, Miller replied. Weve got a plan.

Given all that transpired on January 6, the claims that the Pentagon was unprepared and Millers order on January 2 that no National Guard units should deploy to the District of Columbia without his express permission, this conversation has no innocent explanation. It is a major issue that has not been investigated. Miller has not been asked about it at any congressional hearing, so far as I know.

The WSWS analyzed the role of the military in a perspective published more than a month after January 6, when these details came out in testimony before Congress, in a commentary headlined One hundred and ninety-nine minutes in January.

We explain that the headline is a play on the famous book and movie, Seven Days in May, about a fictional, but entirely realistic military coup attempt against a US president. With the difference, of course, that this was a coup by a US president. We review the testimony of National Guard Commander William Walker that he asked the Pentagon for permission to deploy troops to the Capitol at 1:49 p.m., that is, as we have seen, while the rioters had not yet breached the buildings defenses, but was denied permission until 5:08 p.m., three hours and 19 minutes later.

We explain and reject the various pretexts offered by Miller, McCarthy and others in the high command for why they waited as the violent storming of the Capitol played out on their television screens as they watched from the Pentagon, the nerve center of the most powerful military force on the planet.

[A] decision was made not to act as a definite political strategy was implemented. For more than three hours, the fascistic groups had virtual free rein over the Capitol building. The militarily trained elements within the rioters knew that they were being given time to seek out hostages among the Senators and Representatives. Trump, meanwhile, was prepared to declare a state of emergency, which would have been used to shut down Congress. This would have delayed indefinitely the formal certification of the electoral victory of Joe Biden, a delay that had the support of Trumps co-conspirators in the Republican Party. Discussions would have ensued with the Democrats over a compromise, perhaps involving sending back disputed state election tallies to Republican-controlled legislatures, resulting in the continuation of Trumps presidency. The Democrats made a compromise of this sort in 2000, when they accepted the theft of the election through the intervention of the Supreme Court. In the end, the military only intervened on January 6 when it became clear that the operation had failed to achieve its objectives 

The New York Times video gives a panoramic overview of the entire assault on the Capitol, showing the location of each of the eight separate breaches. Most of them were made by columns of right-wing paramilitaries, such as the Oathkeepers, in military garb, who were organized and directed by their officers.

The police eventually cleared the Capitol. I want to just underscore that the Capitol Police, the Metropolitan Police of Washington D.C., local Virginia police from Arlington and Fairfax, and Virginia and Maryland state police did all the work of clearing the building, taking control by about 4:00 p.m.

Only a handful of federal agents were deployed to the building. No National Guard troops arrived until more than an hour after the building had been cleared. If it had been left to federal government forces alone, the rioters would have remained in control of the Capitol for many more hours and might well have located congressmen and senators, who were sheltering only a few hundred feet away.

There is another historical parallel, besides the analogies to Hitler, which is critically important to consider. It is from the same historical period: France in 1934. On February 6, 1934, an armed demonstration by several thousand fascists threatened parliament in Paris, but police dispersed it, killing 15. The government was not overthrown but fell one day later

The Wikipedia entry on this coup attempt reads, in one of its first paragraphs, that according to historian Joel Colton, The consensus among scholars is that there was no concerted or unified design to seize power and that the leagues lacked the coherence, unity, or leadership to accomplish such an end. That very much echoes the conventional and pseudo-left dismissal of January 6 as an actual coup attempt.

One day later, on February 7, French Prime Minister Eduard Daladier, from the bourgeois-left Radical Party, resigned and was succeeded by Gustave Doumergue, a representative of the political right in parliament. Wikipedia states: This was the first time during the tenure of the Third Republic a government fell because of pressures from the street.

An incomparably greater analyst of French politics than Professor Colton, Leon Trotsky, had this to say: The French people for a long time thought that Fascism had nothing whatever to do with them. They had a republic in which all questions were dealt with by the sovereign people through the exercise of universal suffrage. But on February 6, 1934, several thousand Fascists and Royalists, armed with revolvers, clubs and razors, imposed upon the country the reactionary government of Doumergue, under whose protection the Fascist bands continue to grow and arm themselves.

The WSWS responded to the attack on the Capitol with a perspective written that night, as the Congress has just resumed meeting, and posted even before Congress had completed voting on certification of the presidential election. It was written by David North and headlined, The fascist coup of January 6.

The fascist insurrection in Washington D.C.which resulted in the storming of the US Congress, the panicked dispersal of terrified senators and members of the House, the delay of the official validation of Joseph Bidens Electoral College majority, and even the occupation of the office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosiis a turning point in the political history of the United States. The hoary glorifications of the invincibility and timelessness of American democracy have been totally exposed and discredited as a hollow political myth. The popular phrase It Cant Happen Here, taken from the title of Sinclair Lewiss justly famous fictional account of the rise of American fascism, has been decisively overtaken by events. Not only can a fascist coup happen here. It has happened here, on the afternoon of January 6, 2021.

I would like to draw attention especially to what was said about the response of the Democrats:

As for the president-elect, Biden waited hours before finally appearing before the public. After describing the attack on the Capitol as sedition, Biden made this extraordinary appeal to the leader of the conspiracy: I call on President Trump to go on national television now, to fulfill his oath and defend the Constitution and demand an end to this siege. Normally, when confronted with an attempt to overthrow the constitutional regime, the political leader threatened by the conspiracy must immediately seek to deprive the traitors of all access to the mass media and a nationwide audience. But Biden, instead, called on Trump to appear on national televisionto call off the insurrection he himself had organized! Biden concluded his remarks with the following clarion call. So, President Trump, step up. This bankrupt appeal to the would-be fascist dictator will go down in history as Bidens Hitler, do the right thing speech The events of January 6, 2021 must be taken as a warning. The working class must elaborate a political strategy and plan of action to defeat future efforts to impose a dictatorship.

This analysis has been completely vindicated by the actions of the Democrats over the ensuing seven months.
Police carrying out an eviction at an apartment building (Source: Twitter/@tiffanydcross)

Out of the $46.5 billion in funding provided for rental assistance under two bailouts enacted in December 2020 and March 2021, the vast majority has not been distributed, with only an estimated $3 billion of the funds being distributed as of August 3 according to CNBC, while millions are at risk of eviction or foreclosure.

According to the Eviction Lab, in the six states and 31 cities tracked by it, 480,456 evictions have taken place during the pandemic. In just those areas alone, 6,108 evictions were filed in the last week. This is in spite of the announcement on August 3 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the extension of the eviction moratorium to October 3 for counties experiencing substantial and high levels of community transmission levels.

The moratorium extension itself was only issued after Democrats allowed it to expire on July 31 and then after they washed their hands of it. The latest temporary version is a significant revision of the previous moratorium which, at least in letter, covered all renters. While CNN, citing a source familiar with the effort estimates it covers 90 percent of renters, which by no means should be taken at face value, that would still mean hundreds of thousands are now not covered who previously were, and can be thrown out of their homes amid a surge in the pandemic.

The extension itself has an uncertain legal future, as suggested by the federal judge who allowed the Biden administrations revised moratorium to remain in place temporarily, while the case is appealed up to the extreme-right Supreme Court.

Approximately 1.6 million households reported being very likely to face eviction in the next two months according to the US Census Bureaus July 21-August 2 Household Pulse Survey, while another 1.9 million were somewhat likely. Some 5.8 million were not at all confident in their ability to pay next months rent. Additionally, 238,000 homeowners were very likely to have to leave their house due to foreclosure, while another 826,000 were somewhat likely to have to leave.

For those seeking assistance, only 287,000 cited applying and receiving household rental assistance through state or local government, while 1.49 million were waiting for a response and 890,773 were denied assistance.

Only 15 states and the District of Columbia had spent 10 percent or more of the funds initially approved by Congress, as of the end of June, according to the US Treasury, despite $25 billion of the funds for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) having been approved on December 27 of last year and $21.55 billion in March 11 of this year, under the Consolidated Appropriations Act and the American Rescue Plan Act bailouts, respectively.

According to a HuffPost analysis of Treasury Department data, in roughly 40 states, counties and cities, not a single cent from ERAP made it out the door during that time. This included some smaller counties, but also whole states such as New York, which received $801 million in funds, and Puerto Rico at $325 million, where nothing from ERAP was distributed.

Chicago hadnt distributed any of its $80 million in ERAP funds by the end of June, with the spokesperson for the Chicago Department of Housing saying that the department had been waiting on the City Council, which is ruled by Democrats, which has failed to allocate the funds since May when the applications opened.

Politicians for both parties have criticized local governments for the glacial pace that rental assistance was distributed.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell stated last week, The problem has been with state governments who have been pathetically slow to get the money out.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized his own state of New York, stating he would send a letter to the state government to immediately start disbursing those funds.

Representative Bobby Rush, Democrat of Illinois, referring to the city of Chicagos delay of $80 million in ERAP funds, stated that Bureaucratic bungling is unacceptable, and, I am astounded and heartbroken that my constituents, who are suffering from horrendous economic woes in the midst of an ongoing pandemic, have not received the full financial relief that I voted for.

New York Citys Mayor Bill de Blasios spokesperson Bill Neidhardt stated, referring to the unemployment benefits, The main reason is that the application was fucking impossible.

Neidhardt, saying perhaps more than he intended, added, I think its strategic incompetence. Thats why they delayed it, and thats why they rolled out a mind-bogglingly unusable interface. Both those things show they didnt want people to get the money.

Sarah Saadian, vice president of public policy at the National Low Income Housing Coalition, stated that while some places were distributing funds, many states and local governments were putting in place their own documentation requirements or very lengthy application processes, which are getting in their own way of distributing aid.

State governments undoubtedly played a role in holding up these funds through sheer incompetence and indifference. The central reason, though, has the same roots as the holding up of unemployment money, and that is the drive to shove workers back into low-paying jobs through economic blackmail so they can get back to producing profits for the financial oligarchy. As the WSWS wrote on April 29 of last year:

The unemployment benefits program included in the CARES Act has been, to a large extent, an elaborate exercise in deliberate mass deception. When Congress and the White House presented the additional 13 weeks of state-based unemployment insurance beyond the typical 26 weeks, plus an additional $600 weekly federal supplement through July 31, 2020, as a social safety net during the COVID-19 crisis, they knew very well that millions of unemployed workers would be unable to take advantage of it. The Democrats and Republicans knew that many workers would not be able to get through to the antiquated systems in the state capitals across the country, which would be completely overwhelmed and unprepared for the number of people seeking to apply for benefits. They were counting on these systems being so backed up with delays and confusion that workers would give up and end up receiving little or nothing of the government money.

Just as before, both Republicans and Democrats are well aware that the distribution of rent support money would encounter significant obstacles, yet they did nothing to address these.

In most cases they couldnt scale up an already-existing program, or if they could scale up an existing program, that program was tiny compared to the funding available now, Ann Oliva, a housing policy expert at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities told HuffPost. That explains some of the lag.

The glacial rate of the distribution of ERAP funds is in direct contrast to the lightning fast speed at which the continuous bailout by the Fed to Wall Street and large corporations is carried out. The justifications, evasions and blame game going on in D.C. and across the states are thoroughly unconvincing given that the Fed gives out over $120 billion per month, almost triple the total amount allocated to ERAP , to buy up corporate bonds and other financial assets, which are quickly used by Wall Street to fuel an orgy of speculation whose result can be seen in soaring stocks and soaring wealth of the billionaires. This contrast becomes even more evident when its considered that only a fraction of ERAP funds have been distributed, while the $120 billion is quickly put to use in speculative activities by Wall Street.

One could also point to the bailout of the airline industry, which, while being nominally allocated less money, in reality received far more than the $3 billion currently distributed. American Airlines received $5.81 billion through the CARES Act, while Delta received $5.4 billion, with both of their CEOs receiving millions while laying off tens of thousands of workers.

The failure to provide for housing, and the ongoing eviction and foreclosure crisis, is a testament to the bankruptcy of the capitalist system and to the necessity for its overthrow and replacement by socialism, reorganizing society to meet human need rather than private profit.
The Dixie Fire in Northern California continues to ravage through the mountain communities of Butte, Plumas, Tehama and Lassen and has forced the evacuation of thousands more people. It has already decimated the towns of Greenville and Canyondam.

The massive firethe second largest in state historywas forecast to be quelled by August 20. It is still only 33 percent contained and has destroyed over 1,100 structures, including 650 homes and with another 15,000 threatened. Wind from the north fanned the flames yesterday, causing the fire to burn another 9,000 acres overnight. The total burn area is now more than 635,000 acres, nearly 1,000 square miles.

Scorched cars rest on a property on Winding Way, Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021, Grizzly Flats, Calif., after the Caldor Fire burned through the area. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)

The Dixie fire is currently threatening the town of Susanville, which has a population of 15,000 and includes two prisons. Evacuations are underway as the fire continues to gain ground rapidly. Janesville, another town located 12 miles outside of Susanville, was evacuated Monday evening. On late Tuesday night, the town of Mineral, located in Tehama County, was likewise evacuated.

Megan Bray, a store director at the local Safeway grocery store, whose store posts local updates about the fire, told the Guardian, Every year we are just holding our breath for when its going to start. And this year it started way sooner than we expected.  It has been heartbreaking  People have been living here for generations and suddenly theyre just having nothing. Its surreal.

Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) has shut off power to 51,000 residents in response to the fires combined with a forecast of high winds threatening to knock down power lines and cause more fires. The dilapidated equipment is suspected to be responsible for the Dixie fire and has been proven to be responsible for several large and devastating wildfires in recent years. The company, which serves over 16 million customers in Northern and Central California, pleaded guilty to 84 counts of felony manslaughter and one felony count of unlawfully causing a fire last year.

The charges were related to the 2018 Camp Fire, which was sparked by a faulty PG&E power line. The company reached a minimal settlement of $13.5 billion for the victims of that disaster, many thousands of whom lost everything in the blaze. At the same time, PG&E refused to replace old equipment and infrastructure in favor of paying even higher sums to its shareholders and bonuses to itself, and not a single executive has been charged or imprisoned for the lost homes and lives.

There are 10 other fires burning throughout Northern California. One in particular, the Caldor Fire, which began this past Saturday, has already torn through the town of Grizzly Flats, located 65 miles east of the capital of Sacramento.

Driven by strong winds and dry conditions, it quickly expanded to 53,772 acres by Wednesday afternoon. Over 50 homes have so far been lost, two people are seriously injured, and 6,500 residents are currently under evacuation orders. Chris Vestal, a public information officer for Grizzly Flats, announced on Tuesday that, The fire has grown. It is spreading quickly. It grew so quickly, in fact, that the fire was well beyond fire crews abilities to keep up with it, or to record accurate documentation of it. Although the department was hopeful that reinforcements would be arriving on Wednesday, only 242 personnel were on the ground as of Tuesday evening.

Derek Shaves, a resident of Grizzley Flats, told the Guardian of the town, Its a pile of ash.  Everybody on my block is a pile of ash and every block that I visited, but for five separate homes that were safe, was totally devastated. Linda Blalock of Pleasant Valley told Mercury News that she did not expect the fire to spread so fast. By early Tuesday morning local sheriffs deputies were pounding on her door, warning her of the fires approach. It ran, she said. It just exploded overnight.

The McFarland (Platina, California) and Monument Fires (Hayfork, California) have also both expanded significantly. Currently, the McFarland Fire has burned over 107,100 acres and the Monument Fire is just over 128,000 acres. Both fires have also been driven by extreme heat and wind gusts of over 30 miles per hour and remain under red-flag warnings.

The increasingly disastrous fires on the West Coast are a result of increasingly hotter and dryer summers, a consequence of global warming, which is being exacerbated by the ongoing drought. There have been approximately 6,540 in California alone this year, beginning as early as January. In total, over 40,000 fires have torched 4 million acres all across the US, with states such as Utah (3), Wyoming (3), Alaska (4), Oregon (11), Washington (19), Idaho (22), and Montana (27) all currently battling their own blazes. In 2015, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) published a report estimating that wildfire seasons are now 78 days longer compared to what they were in the 1970s.

The Center for Disaster Philanthropy states that the United States and Canada have historically shared their resources to see each country through their fire seasons, be it personnel or equipment, such as vehicles and helicopters. However, because each country has been battling numerous fires with larger and more unpredictable fire behavior, this is no longer feasible. When there arent enough crew on the ground, international firefighters are called in. Currently, fire fighters from Mexico are assisting with wildfires in Canada, while an air tanker from Australia has been deployed. Last year, firefighters from Mexico, Israel and Australia were utilized to assist in several large wildfires in California.

In fact, lack of adequate funding and low pay are just a few reasons why retention of fully-staffed fire crews are lacking. Most rookie firefighters working for the federal government are paid as little as $14 an hour, and many positions do not come with benefits. Zora Thomas, a firefighter in California, stated that around 20 percent of all fire crew vacancies went unfilled last year. That makes it hard to retain people.  If you dont take care of federal firefighters, you dont understand what they do or who relies on them. Its a failure to recognize the realities of fighting wildfires and the danger the blaze present to the public, she wrote on the online climate justice forum, Grist.

The threat of smoke particles amid a resurgence of the coronavirus pandemic presents an additional grim reality for many wildfire victims. As numerous fires release towering plumes of smoke particles, blanketing cities in ash and affecting air quality, conditions such as asthma and cardiovascular diseases are exacerbated by the fumes, sending many people into hospitals already strained under the weight of the pandemic last year, and presenting an additional challenge for those battling COVID-19.

In addition, a new study published in the journal Science Advances last Friday details how smoke inhalation may have been responsible for as many as 19,000 COVID cases and 700 deaths during the record-breaking fire season of 2020. Smoke particles, known as PM 2.5, are tiny enough to lodge themselves deep into lung tissue, causing excessive inflammation of the cells lining the airway and lungs. This process can then trigger an immune response in the body, causing the immune system to expend more energy fighting the response, and lowering its ability to respond to diseases such as the coronavirus, leaving the patient vulnerable to the effects of COVID-19.
More than 10,380 students in Floridas Hillsborough County school district were sent into quarantine this week after hundreds COVID-19 positive infections were detected among children. Nearly 400 students were confirmed positive for the virus on Monday after a little more than a week into fall semester as the entire state has moved to resume full in-person learning in schools.

According to Hillsborough County Public Schools dashboard, 1,805 total cases among students and employees have been reported since classrooms opened up on August 9. The district, which encompasses Tampa and its immediate suburbs, is the third largest district in Florida. It currently has 338 school employees in quarantine out of 23,596 in addition to the 10,384 students in isolation out of a total of 213,491 districtwide.

Students, some wearing protective masks, arrive for the first day of school at Sessums Elementary School in Riverview, Florida, August 10, 2021 (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara, File)

The extraordinary toll the virus is now taking on the population is a testament to the recklessness of the reopening strategy designed by district officials and underlines the criminal handling of the pandemic by Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, whose administration has threatened all school districts with funding cuts, fines and reductions in salaries if they enforce mask mandates on campuses.

The county joined the majority of regions in the state which elected to adopt an opt-out option for mask wearing, which gives parents and students the choice to wear masks without mandating it be worn on school premises. In response to the ominous growth in cases, the school districts policy has been to isolate students for seven days after close contact with unmasked COVID-19 cases. Vaccinated students, despite being able to transmit the virus, are not required to be isolated unless they show symptoms.

A majority of the isolated students, nearly five percent of the student population, were placed on quarantine because they had opted-out of wearing masks or were exposed during lunch periods or other settings where masks could not be worn sufficiently. Like all major school districts in Florida, Hillsborough has completely scrapped its online e-learning remote program as an option this year, which has left thousands of students in isolation potentially having no access to instruction during their quarantine.

In response to the catastrophe now unfolding, Hillsborough Countys school board was forced to hold an emergency meeting on Wednesday where they voted to reverse their previous policy and mandate masks for all students and staff. The vote now eliminates the option for parents to immediately opt their children out of the mask mandate and now instead requires parents to seek permission from a medical professional to allow their children not to wear masks.

There is an immediate danger to the public health, safety and welfare, board member Nadia Combs stated after the vote was passed. Hillsborough had seen 929 cases confirmed among students on Monday before having that number jump to 1,800 infections Wednesday, an almost 100 percent rise within less than two days. The number of isolations soared by 4,780 after having 5,599 recorded on Monday.

School board members decided to meet for their emergency discussion a day after state officials punished two other Florida districts for violating the governors order prohibiting school districts from establishing mask mandates. Floridas Board of Education voted Tuesday to impose sanctions against Alachua and Broward counties for defying DeSantis demand that districts include an opt-out option for masks. The details of the penalties, the first to be handed down by the right-wing governor against districts seeking to establish safety measures, were not made known following the boards decision.

Floridas Department of Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran sent a letter earlier this month to Broward County School Board Chair Rosalind Osgood and interim Superintendent Vickie Cartwright threatening to invoke the sanctions if the districts policy did not add the opt-out option that DeSantis order requires.

In clamoring for the elimination of all public health measures aimed at quelling the deadly virus, Corcoran ferociously denounced school districts that choose to prioritize safety precautions above the antiscientific and reactionary opposition to masking. We have districts who are picking and choosing what laws they want to follow, he declared at a virtual education meeting on Tuesday.

The Broward County district has reportedly remained undeterred by the penalties that were announced against the county. District officials have opted to begin classes on Wednesday without including the Governors opt-out option allowing parents to choose against their children wearing masks.

Although local officials have expressed opposition to the Republican administration of DeSantis, Broward County, which is a stronghold of the Democratic Party, has stood steadfast in their opposition to remote instruction for the school year and has lined up with the Republicans in herding students and faculty into schools despite the rising tide of infections. Robert Runcie, the predecessor of interim Superintendent Cartwright, stated as early as April, it is our intention, as a school system, to open up, full time, in-person this coming fall.

The homicidal and politically-motivated assault on the school districts comes amid warnings of a catastrophe awaiting students and educators forced into unsafe classrooms, as deaths among educators and staff have begun to grow. Last week, two teachers and a teachers assistant from Broward County died from COVID-19 within just three days. Moreover, doctors in South Florida have been reporting a massive surge in pediatric COVID-19 cases over the past month leading up to the start of classes.

At Broward Countys Joe DiMaggio Childrens Hospital, pediatricians reported treating more than 240 children with COVID-19 in July after caring for just 20 children in June. Just in the first 10 days of August, theyve seen 160 children positive for the virus, with five being placed in the hospitals intensive care unit (ICU). Dr. Marcelo Laufer, a pediatric infectious disease specialist, said there has also been a spike in COVID-19 cases at Nicklaus Childrens Hospital in Miami-Dade County. Pediatricians reported on Tuesday that 25 child patients were being treated for the virus, with seven remaining in the ICU.

At Miamis Jackson Memorial Hospital, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Hany Atallah pointed to the Delta variant as the main culprit for the sudden explosion of child infections, which is coinciding with the reality facing students nationwide as the variant has become the dominant coronavirus mutation in the US. Atallah noted that doctors are seeing higher viral loads in patients bodies and accelerated transmissibility. In addition, patients who have not been vaccinated are experiencing more severe symptoms.

In Orange County, which is home to Orlando, the school district shattered its record of COVID-19 daily cases among students on Monday, skyrocketing from 97 on Friday to 238 new positive tests. The school district has recorded 898 confirmed cases among students and faculty since August 2, with 552 students and employees currently in quarantine. Meanwhile, a public health crisis was also revealed on Monday when Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings, along with health officials, noticed elevated levels of COVID-19 have been detected in the regions wastewater. According to Demings and other health experts, the concentration of the virus in wastewater was very high and very concerning.

County officials shared the announcement during a coronavirus briefing at the Eastern Water Reclamation Facility in Orlando, which is one of the largest wastewater facilities in the county. According to Orange County officials the plant, which serves more than 280,000 residents, is one of the three of the countys largest wastewater facilities that are witnessing an alarming growth in the detection of coronavirus, pointing to the risk of increased transmissibility heightened by the community spread caused by school reopenings.
Indonesia persists as the epicentre of COVID-19 infections in Asia and, in terms of deaths, of the world.

There were 1,180 official deaths confirmed in Indonesia on Tuesday, taking the overall death toll past 120,000. The past 31 days has witnessed over 47,000 deaths and more than half of the total deaths from the pandemic have occurred in the last two months.

Workers in protective suits carry a coffin containing the body of a COVID-19 victim into an ambulance to be taken for a cremation in Bali, Indonesia, Monday, Aug. 16, 2021. (AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati)

The number of daily cases has fallen from the July highs of 50,000 to 20,741, attributed to a drop in figures on the heavily populated islands of Java and Bali. The latter was devastated over the past month with hospitals overwhelmed and gravediggers unable to work fast enough to cope with the bodies.

On Tuesday, the island of Bali recorded 888 new infections as well as 48 deathsthe first time in three weeks that new cases fell below a thousand.

In the capital Jakarta, daily active cases per have dropped from 100,000 in mid-July to below 15,000 as of last week. New cases have dropped from 10,000 per day to 2,500. Bed occupancy for referral hospitals has likewise dropped to 33 percent and ICU occupancy to 59 percent.

Out of a population of roughly 10 million, a vaccination campaign in the devastated capital has resulted in 5,437,338 people fully vaccinated and 2,697,619 partially vaccinated as of Wednesday.

Even though 40 to 50 people continue to die each day, the fall in case numbers has led to authorities junking the red zone status of many in the city districts and declaring the disaster over.

Currently, the partial lockdown measures which began on July 3 are extended for another week. Shopping centres in 21 cities on Java are allowed a maximum capacity of 50 percent between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m.

Chief investment minister Luhut Binsar Panjaitan, who has overseen the medical disaster, stated, On one hand, it [the lifting of restrictions] indicates a rapid economic recovery but on the other hand it brings a serious risk of another surge in new cases in the next two or three weeks.

Meanwhile, the virus continues to spread throughout the archipelago in Sumatra, Sulawesi, the southernmost province of East Nusa Tenggara and even the far-flung Riau islands.

As of August 6, new infections in areas outside Java and Bali accounted for 54 percent of the national total, up from 44 percent at the start of the month and 34 percent on July 25.

All of these provinces are dangerously behind Jakarta in terms of vaccination. The health infrastructure is ill-equipped to deal with major outbreaks, and lacks accurate reporting and contact tracing. Vaccination rates are approximately 15 percent in East Kalimantan, on the island of Borneo. In East Nusa Tenggara, it stands at just 11 percent.

Poverty with multigenerational families living in cramped quarters, poor nutrition and lacking information exacerbates the dangers of contracting the disease, particularly for children. Since July, 100 children have died each week from the disease according to the Indonesian Paediatric Society (IDAI).

People said that children are not affected and that children cannot die. But right now, we have a lot of children dying, said Dr Aman Bhakti Pulungan, head of the IDAI in an interview to Reuters on Monday.

Inequality is one of the problems. Inequality in treatment because not every place has a paediatric or neonatal intensive care unit.

Dr Mario Nara spoke from Sikka, East Nusa Tenggara, which contains high rates of malnutrition and child mortality.

Some are asthmatic some are malnourished others have heart problems, or other disabilities. They may have hydrocephalus [fluid in cavities of the brain], cerebral palsy and most of them are stunted, he said.

A condition like stunting or malnutrition will impact the childs immune system. If they get an infection, it is likely to hit them harder.

In an interview with the Financial Times, Fansca Titaheluw the acting director at Provita Hospital in Jayapura, the capital of Papua province in eastern Indonesia, reported three COVID-19 patients and a baby in intensive care had recently died due to oxygen shortages.

If the outbreak caused by the Delta variant continues, and there is no change in attitude from the community, Jayapura will be in chaos, he said.

On the island of Batam, Marlyan Marzzaman told the New York Times that when she was diagnosed with the disease in July her doctor told her to isolate at home. This led to the infection of her otherwise-healthy four-year-old Daniel, who developed a fever within days.

The hospital, having reached full capacity could not treat him in time. It lacked oxygen, ICUs for children and staff. The child died. I am very, very disappointed, Marlyan said. When I asked for help there was no response. They really dont value life.

On Monday, President Joko Widodo emphasized in his State of the Nation address the need to always balance health and the economy, by means of avoiding a complete lockdown [We must] find the best combination of interests between public health and economic interests because the virus is always changing and mutating. Thus, the handling must change according to the challenges faced, he said.

Widodo also stressed the need to continue to implement the governments pro-business job creation law passed last year amid mass protests by workers and labour groups. It constitutes an economic offensive against the social position of the working class with the slashing of real incomes, the removal of limits of the length of contract work as well as the scrapping of mandatory leave for childbirth, marriage or bereavement.

The pandemic has indeed significantly slowed down our economic growth, the president said. But it must not hinder the process of structural reforms of our economy.

Like governments around the world, Widodos administration is putting the corporate profits and the business interests of the wealthy before the health and lives of working people, with tragic consequences.
With COVID-19 infections rapidly spreading across most Australian states the World Socialist Web Site has reached out to health care workers whose situation is largely hidden from the population.

Health care workers in Australia, like their counterparts globally, confront impossible challenges in treating increasing numbers of COVID-19 patients in a health system already buckling under the impact of decades of budget cuts by governments, both Liberal and Labor, resulting in chronic understaffing and placing themselves and their patients at risk.

The WSWS provides a voice for health care workers. The following interview is with a New South Wales paramedic, employed in the working-class suburbs of western Sydney, which is the centre of coronavirus infections. The worker, who speaks anonymously out of fear of reprisals from the government and the union, explains the difficult conditions facing a workforce pushed to the limit by the growing pandemic crisis.

Ambulances lined up outside Sydney's Westmead Hospital on August 17 (Source: Australian Paramedics Association NSW Facebook)

WSWS: Has there been a change since COVID?

Paramedic: Everything is more difficult. Even before COVID the understaffing and under-resourcing was a major problem but since COVID its gotten worse.

The day-to-day tasks of our job are more difficult. We have to wear the full personal protective equipment (PPE) which is quite restrictive and difficult to work in, especially in warmer conditions. The risk to ourselves and our family is heightened because we are potentially coming into contact with COVID and could be bringing it home, even with increased PPE. With the fatigue, which always exists due to understaffing, everything has come to a head, and I think that the staff are feeling it more than ever.

WSWS: What is it like in the PPE? What do you actually have to do?

Paramedic: We wear a high-grade mask, which impacts on your breathing because it needs to filter out particles and the virus. So breathing is restricted. We have to wear goggles, which fog up and make it difficult to see, and to be compliant with the PPE policy you have to wear all that all the time. If you remove anything like goggles that are fogging, you become noncompliant with the PPE policy.

As well as goggles and masks we have to wear a plastic gown that wraps around your upper body and the upper part of your legs which is a really hot, restrictive, and tight garment. Its difficult enough having to wear that inside an air-conditioned hospital building, but when you have to wear it out in the hot sun of a car accident or in the confines of a small house with no airflow or air-conditioning it is very difficult. You start to sweat so the goggle-fogging gets worse, moisture builds up in your mask and so its just incredibly difficult and restrictive to perform duties.

It also means cleaning and decontamination requirements are now far more extensive than before. After virtually every single job you have to decontaminate equipment and the ambulance. This obviously takes longer but there are no extra staff to cover the ambulances that are offline doing the cleaning so the mountain of work that already existed gets bigger and bigger and bigger and that impacts morale. Its like a never-ending mountain of jobs that continue to pile up with no end in sight.

WSWS: Have you had to deal with COVID patients?

Paramedic: I had my first one recently. We took the patient to Westmead Hospital which was my first experience of how it manages COVID-positive patients.

We arent permitted to bring a COVID-positive patient into the hospital. We have to stay outside in the ambulance waiting for the hospital to find a bed for them, which took two to three hours. So, we had to stay outside in the ambulance bay. Luckily the patient we had was a younger person who wasnt too critically ill.

The treating paramedic must sit with the patient in the back of the ambulance and the driving paramedic can sit in the front of the van or stand outside in the ambulance bay, but we must stay with the patient for as long as it takes to find a bed.

The patient wears a mask, and we had the doors open to provide some airflow. The treating paramedic still has on all the PPE but it extends the exposure time with a confirmed COVID case. This increases the risk because even with PPE there have been cases of paramedics and health staff contracting COVID while wearing full PPE.

WSWS: Do you have a sense of the general feeling in the hospitals?

Paramedic: The reason why the hospitals take so long to deal with ambulance arrivals is because they are understaffed and there arent enough beds to keep the system flowing smoothly. They are under the same sort of pressures and difficulties as us.

While we are delayed in hospitals in triage, often nurses express how difficult and busy for them it is and apologise, but the problem for them is the same as for us.

WSWS: What do paramedics need to deal with the crisis?

Paramedic: I guess, the main thing that is required is a better approach to managing the virus as a whole. We need more consistent lockdowns, better access to vaccines and the rollout of the vaccine.

We need the same thing that was required before COVID, which is a massive increase in staffing numbers and resources. Before COVID, staffing levels were hugely inadequate and fatigue a major problem impacting on mental health.

Managing COVID as it is nowafter having been mismanagedmeans we need staffing increases. Specific staff who are employed to properly decontaminate ambulances after patients because at the moment it falls on the paramedics to carry out the emergency work, and also to deep clean ambulances.

In hospitals they have cleaning staff that are employed and trained to properly decontaminate and clean medical equipment and areas. The ambulance service needs staff along those lines to reduce the workload on paramedics. Paramedics were already exhausted just responding to jobs.

An ambulance in Sydney earlier this year (Credit: Wikimedia, Helitak430)

WSWS: In your opinion, do we need to double the number of paramedics?

Paramedic: I dont have access to all the stats and figures. There have been times in previous years where Ive been rostered at stations and the staffing numbers doubled because a new class of paramedics were sent to the station, so there was a temporary doubling of staff.

It meant four ambulances increased to eight but there was no noticeable difference on our workload. We were still responding from job to job continuously throughout the shift and there was no change. There was still no access to breaks or reduction of workload. And that was with a doubling of staff so at the very least you would have to double the available resources at each station in Metropolitan Sydney. That would be a start.

WSWS: Do you ever get to have breaks?

Paramedic: Its rare. You have two half-hour breaks in a 12-hour shift but its rare to get those, especially in the busier stations in the more populous areas in Sydney. Typically, what should happen is you are assigned back to the station, and you call for a crib break [meal break]. While we should get 30 minutes to have food, rest or whatever you need to do, we still are available to respond to any sort of job which comes in, which it mostly does. They call up and your crib break is broken, and you have to respond. Most staff find the time in between jobs, say at hospital, to eat food or go to the toilet or get a drink.

Now, with COVID, the service has said that ambulances arent any longer designated eating areas because eating areas must be separate to clinical areas. In hospitals they have separate tea rooms, but we dont.

Management isnt providing time for staff to get back to the station to eat in appropriate places so you are forced to eat in the ambulances even if they are potentially contaminated. So, the risk of transmission is heightened because staff need to eat and drink regardless of what is happening.

If there were proper trained staff that were to deep clean ambulances after each patient then the safety of paramedics would be increased.

WSWS: Do you have enough resources?

Paramedic: There is definitely more of a supply of PPE now unlike earlier in the outbreak. But whether the PPE that we are wearing is adequate is another question. Unlike some other health services, the PPE we wear doesnt cover our hair or our neck and the lower part of our legs are exposed. Our back can be exposed because we are moving and bending a lot more than an in-hospital worker would be doing. The PPE on your back can also separate, so whether the PPE is adequate to protect us is another question.

WSWS: What do you think of the role being played by the unions?

Paramedic: The fact that there are two unions that represent one workforce is hugely divisive and causes problems for paramedics and workers trying to achieve anything. There was a wages policy and strike action that took place recently to increase pay and standards. That has all just fizzled out. There was no increase in pay and the campaign seems to have just all but stopped. I suppose you could say the unions have allowed workers to be defeated on that front.

The unions seem to have changed tack now to try to keep themselves legitimate in the eyes of workers and they are focusing their campaign on the COVID issue and getting the resources and cleaning staff for COVID.

At the larger super stations there are make-ready teams that are tasked with restocking and cleaning the ambulance at the end of shifts but they are not able to be accessed while on road or at hospital so the unions are trying to get mobile make-ready teams at major hospitals to provide cleaning services to ambulances while they are on road.

But the major campaign for staffing and pay and working conditions seems to have dropped off because clearly the government wasnt going to come to the table for that.

WSWS: If the government promised to double staff numbers, how long would it take, given that paramedics do a three-year university degree?

Paramedic: Currently there is a large stream of qualified graduates from the universities but there are no positions for all these students in professional ambulance services because the funding for the positions isnt being made available. And with extra staff you need extra ambulances, so that is another funding issue. There are plenty of willing and qualified people, but they arent employed because of funding restrictions.
The WSWS is publishing below a letter from a government hospital nurse in Sri Lanka describing her bitter experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her name has been withheld to avoid possible victimisation.

I am a nurse at a main hospital in the central province. I want to inform you about the difficult working conditions and experiences I, and other health workers, are now facing following the resurgence of the pandemic wave last month.

Last month, after 40 members of hospital security service were found to have been infected with COVID-19, staff in our ward were also tested. Many of them were found to be infected. Following this situation, patients in the ward were subjected to PCR tests. Fifteen out of 19 patients had been infected over a two-week period.

Kandy hospital nurses protest in July 2020. One placard calls for nurses to be paid outstanding allowances for treating COVID-19 patients. Another says We don't want to be called Health Heroes, living in luxury quarantine hotels. Pay us the outstanding allowances. (WSWS Media)

The first group found to be infected were sent to the coronavirus ward at Peradeniya hospital. Other infected patients, discovered later, were kept in our ward.

Ongoing attempts over several weeks to find a place at a hospital specially allocated for coronavirus infected patients were in vain. This means that other institutions have been overwhelmed with coronavirus patients.

That is how the ward I am working suddenly became a ward treating pandemic-affected patients.

Hospital authorities failed to conduct PCR tests on the rest of the staff, to find out whether they were also infected. Is it because of the unscientific approach to COVID-19 by heath authorities or is it because of government manoeuvres to keep us continuously working and cover up the real situation?

Staff in the ward were forced to work in the presence of these infected patients. There were some days when we had to work for 18 hours straight, from 7 p.m. until 1 p.m. the next day. However, because of the prevailing conditions in the hospital, there was no possibility of going home after working 6 or 12 hours.

At times we did not even have enough time to drink some water or go to the toilet because in order to get there we had to pass through other coronavirus wards. There was no possibility of going to another ward because they had infected patients and other ward staff were fearful of us.

We were forced to sleep on a shift basis, and wearing face masks, during this entire period. We also had to postpone bathing or going to the toilet until we got home. Our restroom was within the ward itself. You can imagine the dangers.

It should also be stated that we were forced to travel home on common transport and without any cleaning. There are no outdoor washrooms or changing rooms. The government does not care about our transport or the danger of us spreading the virus to others.

Whilst treating coronavirus patients, I was forced to lead an isolated life at home. I was not only prevented from spending time with my three kids but also not allowed to cook meals. At times, we were also asked to work in out-patient departments due to nurse shortages.

We spent our time almost without slumber, out of fear that we would be infected, and our lives threatened. I also suffered from sleep disturbance due to this fear. We are, in fact, exhausted and under stress.

Only by chance have I not been infected. Nurses here have not been provided with personal protective equipment (PPE) and are working with low-standard KN-95 face masks because the hospital does not give us proper N-95 masks.

It was sad and unbearable to see how our patients were suffering. We were not allowed to properly attend to patients needs. When working in a normal ward we go and help patients if they are vomiting or have any other problem. We couldnt do that here.

One of my colleagues at a hospital allocated for the coronavirus-infected told me that there were frequent shocking scenes of patients dying without oxygen, like people drowning in water.

A few days ago, coronavirus patients said to have recovered were sent back home. They were only given rapid antigen tests, which are not a sure testing system. Who knows whether they had all recovered?

The ward has now been reopened with other patients. Last week, another doctor was found to be infected through a PCR test. I think a new round of the pandemic has started but it is now proposed to keep COVID patients in the wards themselves because there are no other places.

These experiences are not confined to me or just in the hospital where I work. Because there were no separate places for the COVID-19 infected patients among the inmates of the psychiatric ward at the Kandy General Hospital, nurses there were forced to spend time with them.

Staff were not subjected to any PCR testing. A friend told me that they have become laboratory mice in order to find whether the coronavirus can infect people using the limited protective equipment provided.

She also said that they had to work around the clock in the wards like us. Three nurses who went to the restroom passing through the coronavirus ward became infected and I learnt that their family members were also infected. Irrespective of governments boastings, I believe that the lives of health workers and their families are now under the shadow of death.

Authorities are now attempting to send the overburdened nurses to Neville Fernando Hospital and the Kotelawala Defence University Hospital (KDUH), which is situated about 100 kilometres away. They are using a raffle system to forcibly transfer the nurses because they do not like this and are opposed to going there.

It was recently discovered that wards allocated for COVID-19 patients at KDUH were not properly or regularly cleaned and so many nurses serving there became infected.

There is enormous shortage of health staff because the government has not recruited new nurses, or other frontline workers, during the recent period. Even during this health emergency with a deadly and contagious virus taking its toll in this country and others, the government has not expanded the public hospital system.

While patient numbers are increasing because the government is letting the disease spread, it is also attempting to exploit us to the core by not even providing PPE. At the same time, trade union officials are involved in drawing up shift time-tables to facilitate the governments efforts.

If a full-scale lockdown is not implemented, the entire health system will definitely collapse because most of health workers will become infected or die. This will make the situation even more disastrous for people who become infected from the rapidly spreading pandemic which is now taking hundreds of lives.
On Sunday, August 22, the World Socialist Web Site hosted an online event featuring leading scientists from around the world. It discussed the realistic and achievable measures that must be taken to eradicate the coronavirus, stop the wave of death and end the pandemic. Its aim was to provide the public with the information and knowledge it needs to initiate a broad-based and determined world-wide popular movement to end the pandemic and reclaim the future.

This event featured distinguished scientists who have been in the forefront of the global fight for eradication: Professor Yaneer Bar-Yam, Professor Michael Baker and Dr. Malgorzata Gasperowicz. It was moderated by World Socialist Web Site Editor David North.

The COVID-19 pandemic is escalating. Amid the global spread of the Delta variant, the number of daily new cases is approaching all-time highs. There are growing reports of breakthrough infections. Most ominously, the virus is infecting children in alarming numbers, resulting in long-term debilitation and even death.

Inadequate and even blatantly wrong policies have allowed the virus to spread and mutate into more infectious and vaccine-resistant variants. The drive to fully reopen schools worldwide, even as the virus spreads out of control, is socially irresponsible and ignores the scientifically established facts about viral transmission.

Current media talk about learning to live with the pandemic not only underestimates the extreme danger posed by a highly infectious virus. It also justifies the refusal to take the measures that are necessary to stop viral transmission and end the pandemic.

The world faces a stark alternative: Either the eradication of COVID-19 or the continuation of the pandemic for years to come, resulting in the long-term debilitation and deaths of millions of infected people.

Only the first alternative is acceptable. Without eradication, there can be no safe workplace, let alone a safe return to schools. There is no acceptable level of mortality which can be tolerated. The pandemic can and must be defeated, but the only effective and scientifically based strategy to save lives is one which is aimed at the eradication of COVID-19.
It sounds confusing -- federal health officials say the Covid-19 vaccines are working well, providing more than 90% protection against severe disease and death. They're keeping people out of the hospitals.

Yet they also say studies are showing that even vaccinated people are more likely to become infected now, so they are laying plans now for providing boosters, if federal regulators give the go-ahead.

How can both be true?

It's because of a triple whammy of naturally waning immunity, a fast moving new variant, and a population that's been slow to get vaccinated in the first place.

The coronavirus vaccines, especially the Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines, are remarkably effective -- providing upwards of 90% effectiveness against infections that cause symptoms.

But it's important to remember that vaccines do not stop the virus cold.

"Some people think that if they are vaccinated, there is some sort of force field surrounding them," said Scott Hensley, an immunologist and microbiologist at the University of Pennsylvania.

However, if virus is in the air, even vaccinated people will breathe it in. What immunity does is control what happens after that.

Antibodies matter

The first line of immunity comes in the form of antibodies. These proteins can attach to an invader like a virus, and either make it harder for it to attack cells, or completely neutralize it.

A vaccine boosts levels of these antibodies, and trains the body to produce antibodies specifically designed to stop a pathogen such as coronavirus.

Antibodies can stop viral infection quickly.

This production starts to wane over time, in no small part because the body needs to make antibodies against other invaders, and there's only so much room.

Plus, some of the new variants have evolved mutations that help them evade antibodies.

"With some variants the virus may actually be able to get into cells and replicate for a round or two," Hensley said.

That may be what's happening in the US. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published two studies Wednesday that showed immunity fell among people over the summer. While the vaccines still were 90% protective against severe disease and death, the number of people getting mild or asymptomatic infections grew.

"Recent data makes clear that protection against mild and moderate disease has decreased over time. This is likely due to both waning immunity and the strength of the widespread Delta variant," US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy told a White House briefing Wednesday

One study of nursing home residents showed immunity from any kind of infection fell from 75% in March to 53% in August.

But a third dose of vaccine boosts these antibody levels tenfold, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told the briefing. "Higher levels of antibody may be required to protect against Delta," he said.

A second line of defense

There is a second line of defense involved -- the cellular response.

Viruses attach to certain cells in the body and inject their own genetic material into them, hijacking the cells' natural functions and forcing them to become virus factories.

Immune cells called T cells can recognize these hijacked cells and work together to kill them before they produce more virus. B cells set up a longer-lasting production of antibodies, and can help recognize and neutralize viruses, also.

This longer-term immune response is likely what keeps people out of the hospital, Hensley said. B cells and T cells cannot prevent infection, but they nip it in the bud, before people become severely ill.

"The virus is cleared much more effectively in vaccinated individuals," Hensley said.

This is where some of the debate over the need for boosters comes in. The World Health Organization and some infectious diseases experts note that the vaccines are still doing their most important jobpreventing severe disease and death.

"The third dose will likely do very little for further boosting the vaccine's ability to reduce hospitalizations and deaths. That's because the vaccine is already pretty darn good at that," Hensley said.

But federal health officials said while there's no indication this second level of protection has started to wane in the US, data from Israel hints that it may have begun to happen there. Because Israel vaccinated most of its population quickly, US officials are looking to surveillance there to predict what might happen in other countries.

New variants

The Delta variant now accounts for 99% of newly diagnosed infections in the US, according to CDC data. It's clearly more transmissible than earlier variants. This on its own could account for the new cases, but there's growing evidence it can bypass that first line of defense set up by antibodies.

"Vaccine effectiveness is generally decreased against the Delta variant," CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky told the White House briefing.

To support this idea, Walensky cited so-called cohort studies -- which are studies that follow the same group of people over time.

One, covering 4,000 healthcare workers and other first responders, found vaccine effectiveness against either symptomatic or asymptomatic infection fell from 92% prior to the arrival of Delta to 64% once it became widespread.

What made CDC think Delta was responsible was this: it didn't matter when these volunteers were vaccinated -- it was the arrival of Delta that made them more likely to become infected.

The air we breathe

No vaccinated person would be at risk of a breakthrough infection if the virus wasn't still circulating.

Coronavirus is airborne, and as long as people are unprotected and breathing, they'll spread it.

"Even if you're vaccinated, we still all breathe the same air," Hensley said.

"Our chances of actually breathing in SARS-CoV-2, whether you are vaccinated or not, is still the same."

That's why the CDC has called for even vaccinated people to start wearing masks again indoors, when they might be exposed to spread.

"It's the only way you are going to prevent the virus from going up your nose," Hensley said.

And while no study has shown this yet, there's a growing belief among scientists that it takes a smaller dose of Delta to infect people than with previous variants. So even if there's just a small amount of virus floating in the air, if people breathe it in, they may be more likely to become infected.

And any infected person might infect someone else. Coronavirus can be spread by people who do not have symptoms.

However, vaccinated people almost certainly clear that infection more quickly. "The overwhelming majority of hospitalizations and death continue to occur among the unvaccinated," Murthy noted.

Herd immunity

So health officials, doctors and nurses across the country are clamoring for more Americans to get vaccinated and WHO is pushing for more vaccines to be distributed to the rest of the world.

So long as people are becoming infected with coronavirus and spreading it, the virus will infect some vaccinated people. And it will evolve into new forms, perhaps versions that can more easily evade the vaccines.

That's what herd immunity is about -- when enough people are immune to infection that a virus stops circulating. This usually only happens with widespread vaccination.

The US Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must make the decision to give people booster shots, but White House officials said they wanted to have a plan ready to go if and when that happens.

"We're not saying you need a booster dose right now," Walensky told CNN Wednesday evening.

"We're saying we're starting to see waning in vaccine effectiveness against moderate and mild disease and we're preparing for the month ahead because we've seen in other countries that that could portend waning for severe disease."

The-CNN-Wire

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Twenty-six lake and stream projects are getting money from Indiana's Department of Natural Resources.

The money comes from fees boaters pay when they register with the bureau of motor vehicles.

One of those projects is Lake Sullivan, and IDNR has awarded the lake a $100,000 grant.

Lake officials said boaters will see benefits from the money.

Sullivan County Park and Lake Board President Dewey Collins said they've battled erosion before at Lake Sullivan.

"We've got a lot of bank erosion, so you've got a lot of places out there that you can't launch a boat from," Collins explained.

Funding from the Lake and River Enhancement (LARE) program will be used to add riprap along the shoreline near several homes.

Riprap is rocks or other material used to protect the shores from weathering and erosion.

Collins says the improvements won't just benefit the homeowners.

"It's [convenient] for the homeowners. It also stops our banks from eroding. Every time you get a little erosion, you just wind up getting more silt in the lake," he said.

Andy Lanham often visits Lake Sullivan.

He says he's happy to hear there's money coming.

"There's not a whole lot of bigger lakes around here, so any money they can get for improvements, I'm all for that," Lanham said.

Lanham says he sees a lot of big boats on Lake Sullivan for its size, and that can lead to bigger issues.

"When a bigger boat goes through, that wake is bigger, and if you're fishing on the side, those waves can be pretty tall, and when they hit that bank, they're really hitting it hard," he explained.

Collins said this is just one of many grants he's applied for.

He said he'll continue applying for additional funding to improve all parts of Lake Sullivan.

Lake officials told News 10 work around the shoreline could start as early as the end of September.

They said the timing will depend on the contractor and should only take a few weeks to complete.
STARKVILLE, Miss. (WTVA) - Students filled the classrooms once again at Mississippi State University (MSU) as the school started its fall semester.

The campus was packed on Wednesday with students walking to and from class.

Students returned to campus at Mississippi State for the Fall 2021 semester on August 18, 2021. Students returned to campus at Mississippi State for the Fall 2021 semester on August 18, 2021.

Students wore masks while indoors but were free to roam the campus maskless.

Each classroom is back to full capacity, making it feel a little more normal for students.

WTVA spoke with a senior and a freshman at MSU about their emotions for the first day of school year.

I kinda forgot that I had to go to class today. I was like man, I gotta walk to class," said senior, Adrain Andrews. "Its all good though. I was excited. I was pumped. Ready to finish out strong.

MSU freshman, Chloe Greer said she was a little nervous. "I was like, Oh my gosh. What if I forget where the classes are? And I didnt know where the rooms were," she explained, "but it was really fun to see everybody like walk in, so Im not the only one.
WASHINGTON  The Pentagon says the U.S. military is ramping up evacuations out of Afghanistan, and that 7,000 civilians have been taken out of the country since August 14.

Army Maj. Gen. Hank Taylor told reporters that 12 C-17 aircraft departed with 2,000 evacuees over the past 24 hours. Speaking at a Pentagon briefing Thursday, Taylor said the military now has enough aircraft to get 5,000-9,000 people out a day, depending on how many have been processed and other factors, such as weather.

There are now about 5,200 U.S. troops at the airport, a number that has been steadily increasing in recent days.

We are ready to increase throughout, said Taylor. His comments came amid ongoing chaos at the Kabul airport as Afghans and other civilians desperately try to get on flights out of the country in the wake of the Taliban takeover on Sunday.

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said there has been no Taliban violence against U.S. personnel, and that the U.S. hasnt seen the group obstruct American citizens trying to leave. There have been widespread reports of Taliban violence against Afghans, including efforts to prevent them from getting to the airport.

He declined to say whether Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin believes it will be necessary to continue the operation beyond August 31. And he said there have been no discussions with the Taliban for an extension.

President Joe Biden has said he will continue military evacuations of Americans until all those who want to leave are evacuated.
Morgantown, WV (26505)

Today

Cloudy with periods of rain. Potential for flooding rains. High 68F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy early, then clearing later on. Slight chance of a shower throughout the evening. Low 53F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.
Charleston, WV (25311)

Today

A steady rain in the morning. Showers continuing in the afternoon. Potential for heavy rainfall. High around 70F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. Slight chance of a shower throughout the evening. Low 56F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.
Clarksburg, WV (26301)

Today

Rain likely. Potential for flooding rains. High near 70F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected..

Tonight

Cloudy early, becoming mostly clear after midnight. Slight chance of a shower throughout the evening. Low 53F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph.
Left 4 Dead Characters Are Available For Free Now in Zombie Army 4: Dead War
kourtney-kardashian-kim.jpg

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Kim and Kourtney Kardashian

Kim Kardashian's college experience was a little different compared to some.

The Keeping Up with the Kardashians alum, 40, revealed on Wednesday that visiting her older sister Kourtney Kardashian at the University of Arizona had put her off of drinking and partying at a young age.

Sharing a throwback photo of herself with the Poosh founder, now 42, Kim wrote in the caption, "College Years Baby!!!"

"University of Arizona single handedly stopped me from turning into a wild party girl," she continued. "I remember visiting Kourt on campus and being her designated driver. I hated all of the wild parties so much that I stayed home and never wanted to drink or party EVERso thank you U of A. I was never a student there but u shaped my life more than you know ."

Kourtney previously attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, before transferring to the University of Arizona, where she graduated with a major in theater arts and a minor in Spanish.

On the other hand, Kim briefly attended Pierce College in Los Angeles but never graduated.

Kim Kardashian and Kourtney Kardashian

Kim Kardashian/instagram

RELATED: Kim Kardashian 'Had Her Years of Partying,' But Her 'Life Is Completely Different Now': Source

While Kim has never been much of a drinker, she does have some wild stories about her younger days. During a 2018 episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians, the SKIMS designer admitted that she was on ecstasy when she married producer Damon Thomas, as well as when she filmed her 2003 sex tape with Ray J.

"I got married on ecstasy. The first time," Kim said of her 2000 nuptials. "I did it again, I made a sex tape. Like, everything bad would happen."

"I definitely went through a wild phase, I would say in my late teens," she said elsewhere on the episode. "I'm not like that anymore. But I still have fun  don't get it twisted, I'm always the life of the party."

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RELATED VIDEO: Kim Kardashian Posts Throwback Bikini Photos from 2001: 'Baby K'

Shortly after the episode aired, a source told PEOPLE that Kim "definitely does not do drugs and hasn't for years  and even then she barely dabbled."

"Now she drinks here and there, but mostly abstains," the source said. "She may have a glass of champagne on a holiday or for someone's birthday, but it's rare."

Another source told PEOPLE at the time that the mogul "pretty much doesn't drink at all. She's not a partier and it's just not part of her life. Occasionally she'll have a drink, but she really doesn't like the taste of alcohol."
Home Depot

Source: Justin Sullivan / Getty

The National Labor Relations Board has filed a complaint against Home Depot after a former Minneapolis employee claimed he got fired because of his Black Lives Matter activism at work.

In the complaint, the Minneapolis branch of the NLRB said that the friction between the company and the employee began around August 2020 when the latter started wearing a Black Lives Matter (BLM) logo on his apron.

The employee also wrote emails, engaged in various conversations with his coworkers and supervisors about subjects such as ongoing racial discrimination and harassment and engaged in other BLM-related protected concerted activity, according to the NLRBs complaint, which is public.

Although the months detailing exactly when the following events happened are redacted, the complaint highlighted the BLM lettering on the employees apron was a particular point of contention between him and his Home Depot employers.

The employee was suspended. After he returned, he was asked to choose between wearing the BLM logo or his employment at that Home Depot location.

After all the escalation, he was ultimately was terminated.

RELATED CONTENT: Gabrielle Union Says Dont Be The Happy Negro When It Comes To Speaking Out Against Discriminatory Workplace Practices

The complaint further detailed that in February, management at that same location threatened employees with unspecified consequences if they engaged in conversations surrounding BLM and racial discrimination.

The NLRBs filing was issued on August 12.

On August 16, the organization released a statement in which they highlighted that the employee raising issues of racial harassment with coworkers and managers and displaying a Black Lives Matter slogan on his apron were both all protected actions under the National Labor Relations Act.

In short, it reiterated the NLRBs argument that Home Deport unlawfully enforced its otherwise lawful dress code and apron policies and threatened employees not to engage in activity regarding racial harassment.

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Insider reported that a Home Depot representative said that the NLRBs complaint misrepresents the relevant facts of the situation that led to the termination of that Minneapolis employee.

The Home Depot does not tolerate workplace harassment of any kind and takes all reports of discrimination or harassment seriously, as we did in this case, the spokesperson said. We disagree with the characterization of this situation and look forward to sharing the facts during the NLRBs process.

As outlined in the NLRBs filings, the home improvement company has until August 26 to respond to the complaint.

RELATED CONTENT: Government Labor Watchdog Says McDonalds Violated Workers Rights Over Protests

Insider additionally noted that while Home Depots dress code prohibits its employees from wearing causes or political messages unrelated to workplace matters along with their aprons, workers are allowed to bring up discriminatory practices happening in the workplace  racial or otherwise  in light of the aforementioned National Labor Relations Act.

Many companies made public statements in solidarity with BLM last year following George Floyds murder.

In a statement released on June 01, 2020, Home Depots CEO Craig Menear said on the companys behalf, we must stand with all who are committed to change that will bring us closer to realizing an end to discrimination and hatred.

Still, the home improvement retailers various other sociopolitical stances have made waves in the past.

11 Alive reported that in April, various faith-based leaders representing over 1,000 churches in Georgia called for a nationwide Home Depot boycott after they claimed the company  which is headquartered in Atlanta  showed no interest in their concerns regarding the then-new restrictive voting laws put in place by Governor Brian Kempt.

In comparison to other big corporations run out of the state like Coca-Cola and Delta, which the religious coalition highlighted were more open to a discussion on the changes happening to the states voting system, Home Depots absence from their virtual conference on the issue came across to them as the company being in support of Kempts law.

NPR reported back in 2019 that Home Depot faced threats of boycott then too, after its billionaire co-founder Bernie Marcus pledged to back President Trumps bid for re-election in 2020.
The verdict has been rendered: The Covid-19 vaccines on offer in the United States  Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson are safe and effective. The vaccines protect (to some degree) against Covid-19 infections, but they also vastly reduce the chances of serious illness, hospitalization and death following rare breakthrough infections. Except for a smattering of transient, relatively mild side effects and extremely rare severe reactions, whats not to like?

Yet a sizable number of people here and abroad have refused vaccination. Only about 60 percent of Americans have gotten at least one vaccine dose. You can blame Americas lax vaccine attitude on a variety of factors, but other countries that have national health care systems, universal access to the vaccines, and cultural and class homogeneity have struggled to jab everybody, too. Take the egalitarian republic of Iceland, which has only 360,000 residents. Just 80 percent of this well-educated population of civic-mind folks have taken the shot, and the rate of vaccination has slowed, maybe even plateaued. The United Kingdoms vaccination rate similarly has slowed, currently standing at about 70 percent, as has Canadas, currently at about 73 percent.

In polls, people offer a grab-bag of reasons for resisting vaccination. They intend to get the jab later. They worry about the side effects, or about how quickly the vaccines were produced. They say they cant afford to miss work if the vaccine makes them sick. They express distrust of big pharma and doctors. They regurgitate vaccine misinformation. They protest they dont know where to get the shot. For some Americans, rejecting a vaccine could be related to their faith  24 percent of white evangelicals told a pollster in June that they wouldnt get vaccinated, the highest share of any religious group. And even though some 4.7 billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines have been administered in 183 countries so far, some people still say theyre waiting until the shots are proven safe. (Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy is not just a U.S. thing, by the way. Russia, other parts of Eastern Europe and parts of the Middle East lag, too.)

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Without questioning the poll respondents motives, we can agree that these excuses are paper-thin. Yet reluctance to get vaxxed seems to be built into many vaccination programs in the United States, including vaccines for the flu, shingles, hepatitis, polio and others. No matter what vaccine is packed into the syringe, no matter the quality of persuasion and education applied, most vaccines hit a ceiling well below 100 percent of the U.S. population. Vaccine reluctance has been with us since the first vaccine, which prevents smallpox, proved its worth in the late 18th century. During the 2019-2020 flu season, only 48 percent of U.S. adults took the flu vaccine. Its unlikely the avoiders declined that vaccine over trust or because they couldnt find it or they wanted to wait until it was proven absolutely safe. Only about 35 percent of people over age 60 have taken the recommended shingles vaccine. At least that 24 percent of white evangelicals who said they would avoid the Covid-19 vaccine are consistent on the subject: In a 2018 Pew survey, 22 percent of them said they oppose mandatory vaccinations for children. Nor is mass vaccine avoidance new. At the turn of the previous century, the Anti-Vaccination Society of America was founded to combat mandatory vaccination.

Where, exactly, does this long-held indisposition come from? Wall Street Journal columnist William A. Galston surmised earlier this summer that, in the United States, an innate Republican antipathy for being told what to do informs the reluctance. He might be right, but that doesnt explain the vaccine holdouts in Iceland or Canada, home to very few Trump Republicans. Scientists studying the vaccine conundrum have found that some people anchor their vaccine mindset to initial doubts about safety or efficacy, and that those attitudes harden even after safety and efficacy have been assured. Once people question the safety or effectiveness of a vaccine, it can be very difficult to get them to move beyond those negative associations, said Feng Fu, one of the studys authors.

Setting aside mathematical models, political analysis and polls for a moment, we should remind ourselves that most vaccines are elective, designed to prevent or reduce the severity of illness in healthy people. Taking a vaccine is like buying insurance. You might never know for sure if the vaccine blocked disease, but taking it will buy you some peace of mind. Most other medicines are the opposite of elective  theyre taken by the sick in order to get better. Although there are some outliers, most people take meds without making the excuses vaccine resisters offer. Sick people demonstrate almost no drug hesitancy. Instead, some people who come down with serious Covid-19 infections experience a deathbed conversion and ask if they can still take the vaccine. (Sorry, its too late.) Of course, theres an obvious downside to the resisters who catch Covid-19: Their infections spread the contagion. The ghoulish upside is that they also increase herd immunity.

Often, the more medicine people take, the more medicine they want. Old people, many of whom already take statins or blood thinners, have normalized drug-taking. They sense their mortality, and this knowledge makes them open to additional medical intervention. Adding a shot of Pfizer is a simple matter of adding another arrow to their medical quivers.

The million-dollar lottery appears to have failed to win vaccine hearts and minds. Can we change resisters into enthusiasts by encouraging them to become pill-popping hypochondriacs? Probably not. Convert them into enthusiasts by providing more facts? Assuredly not. Now that billions of doses safely have been served and untold thousands of lives have been saved, its hard to imagine a fact we could conjure that would persuade them. If visiting an intensive care unit and finding that nearly every ventilated person is unvaccinated wont convince you to take the vaccine, what will? Should we teach fear of the virus by screening the Covid-19 equivalent of those old bloody drivers ed films? Lecture the anti-vaxxers for the 100th time that prevention via vaccination is superior in almost every way to treatment? Explain the cost-benefit argument one more time? Appeal to their altruism? Explain once more that, absent a vaccine, its less a question of whether youre going to get a brutal case of Covid-19 than when?

Mandating vaccination for employment or for admittance to the next Foo Fighters concert will move some people on the margins, as will public shunning of the unvaccinated. But persuasion, shame, nudging and the setting of barriers have limited powers over people. Governments can enforce laws requiring vaccination, according to a Supreme Court precedent from 1905. But the punishment is only a fine, and recent rulings have upheld religious exemptions to the laws.

A world in which 100 percent of the population volunteered for Covid-19 vaccination would be the best. But thats not the one we live in. Vaccine resistance is not solely about this particular vaccine. Dont vax me, bro, has been the default setting for many adults since the invention of the first vaccine, and door-to-door visits and passports cant change that. As much as the campaign to vaccinate might want to exercise zero-tolerance policies against resisters, in the absence of a law mandating universal compliance, we cant reach that goal. Realism requires us to accept  though not salute  deadenders who have burrowed deeply into their tunnels. Some people will never surrender their lost causes.

******

Send me your best reason for not getting vaccinated: Shafer.Politico@gmail.com. My email alerts collect vaccinations the way Jay Leno collects cars. My Twitter feed seeks an Ebola vaccination. You dont have to convince my RSS feed that its sick.
On Aug. 13, Transport Minister Omar Alghabra announced that all air, provincial train, and cruise ship travellers must show proof of vaccination to board. Government-issued vaccine passports are already in the works for fully vaccinated Canadians who plan to travel internationally as well starting this fall.

The new travel rule applies to passengers and workers in the travel industry. Exceptions to the policy will require screening and testing of travellers.

With a fourth wave in play, places such as government offices, colleges, and universities, are requiring people to show proof of vaccination, but Canada says wants to take an additional step with mandatory proof of vaccination rule in the transport sector.

"Canada's vaccination rate is among the best in the world, but to protect ourselves and each other from the virus and its variants we must do better," said Alghabra.

Domestic airlines such as WestJet and Air Canada are committed to working with the government to set vaccination rules to curb COVID-19.

"Since the beginning of the pandemic, Air Canada has advocated and continually adopted science-based measures to keep its customers and employees safe. This has included encouraging its employees to get vaccinated, setting up workplace clinics and supporting community vaccination programs to make vaccinations more widely accessible," stated Air Canada's press release.

"We continue to be a strong partner in Canada's vaccination rollout and are working diligently to implement the government's policy on mandatory vaccines for airline employees," said Mark Porter, WestJet Executive Vice-President, People and Culture.

"Vaccinations are the most effective way to ensure the safety of our guests and employees, while curbing the spread of COVID-19."

Canadians split on vaccine rule for travel

Some Canadians are happy about the new rule so they can travel safely and it will help restart the travel industry.

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"This #FullyVaccinated Canadian is thrilled to hear. Can't wait to travel on Via Rail," tweeted Kelly.

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People wonder why it has taken some time to bring this rule forth, but are pleased with the decision made now as it will protect Canadians.

"This is profoundly awesome news. I have no idea why it took so long," tweeted Eric Bunny Blair. "Our governments were naive to think that enough people would get vaccinated without strong incentives. Some people are just too selfish to be trusted to do their civic duty."

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While some agree Canadians proof of vaccinations and vaccine passports should be mandatory, others do not.

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Aug. 19Medical professionals in the region see no reason for booster shots to bog down vaccination efforts against the coronavirus.

Booster shots  inoculations that come sometime after the original vaccinations for a disease  frequently are part of vaccine regimens, they say. That doctors and scientists now see a need for boosters against the coronavirus only reflects the fact that they continue to learn about the disease.

Dr. Jagdish Khubchandani, a public health professor at New Mexico State University, wrote in an email that news from the federal government about a booster is "a welcome step and right in line with what was known about this virus and the vaccines."

Guidance came Wednesday from federal administrators, who said new information indicates the vaccines' strength against mild disease declines with time. They also said protection against serious disease might be found to decrease as well.

They said the booster shots are expected to go to people who received the two-shot Pfizer and Moderna coronavirus vaccines eight months after receiving their second doses, starting Sept. 20. They also mentioned those people should wait until the Food and Drug Administration rules that third shots are safe and effective.

And they said health care workers and nursing home residents should hold priority. The FDA last week already authorized use, however, for immunocompromised people. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine hasn't yet been cleared for booster shots.

Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center's specialty clinic at 433 St. Michael's Drive in Santa Fe had plenty of business Wednesday for COVID-19 vaccinations, including people who received the booster shot.

JoBeth Cash of Santa Fe said she had a prescription from her doctor for a coronavirus booster because of her severe asthma.

Cash, 67, received that booster shot Wednesday afternoon.

"Well, so far, so good," she said later. "I just was very anxious to get it."

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Christus spokesman Arturo Delgado said those receiving the booster shot at the clinic at this time must be immunocompromised and have a doctor's order for the shot.

Jennifer Reich, a University of Colorado Denver sociology professor who has written extensively about vaccination hesitancy, said it's not clear if additional booster shots will be needed. If the core aspects of the virus remain similar enough over time, the immune system will continue to recognize it and respond, Reich said.

If the virus mutates profoundly, the immune system won't recognize it from before. "And I think we can't quite know yet," she said.

Dr. Jeff Salvon-Harman, chief patient safety officer with Presbyterian Healthcare Services in Albuquerque, said needing a booster shot shouldn't lead to questions about the vaccines' effectiveness or safety.

Salvon-Harman said studies have found the antibody levels decline a bit over time and that a booster shot after eight months may strengthen the response against the delta variant of the virus.

He said scientists managed to devise the coronavirus vaccines in surprisingly short order with minimal complications.

That "should give us incredible confidence in science and in the medical community," he said.

The state Department of Health reported Wednesday that 75.2 percent of New Mexico residents 18 and older have received at least one COVID-19 shot.

The delta variant here and elsewhere has significantly driven up the coronavirus caseload. As of Monday, the state Department of Health reported, there had been 4,915 cases in the state in the previous seven days. That rate hasn't been seen since early this year.

Historically, most vaccines have required boosters, said Jasmine Meyer, clinical programs manager at La Familia Medical Center in Santa Fe. The delta variant is a "vast mutation," Meyer wrote in an email, but the coronavirus vaccines are "still quite effective."

She added, "It's natural, and to be expected, that we would need a booster for additional protection."

David Morgan, a spokesman for the New Mexico Department of Health, wrote in an email the booster shouldn't fuel any arguments against the vaccines.

"In our view, this is less about arguing and more about understanding and  where appropriate  respectful efforts at persuasion," Morgan wrote. "At this point, we see daily stories across the country  and some here in New Mexico  about people who choose not to get vaccinated, get sick, and express regret on their deathbeds. We don't want that to happen to more families."
Danggeun Market, the publisher of South Koreas hyperlocal community app Karrot, announced it has raised $162 million in a Series D round of funding with a valuation of $2.7 billion. (By the way, Danggeun means carrot in Korean.)

This round of funding was led by DST Global, with additional participation from Aspex Management, Reverent Partners and existing investors such as Goodwater Capital, Altos Ventures, SoftBank Ventures Asia, Kakao Ventures, Strong Ventures and Capstone Partners.

The latest funding officially makes Danggeun Market a unicorn, with $205 million total raised.

The company plan to strengthen its capabilities in local commerce with Danggeun Pay, or Karrot Pay, which is set to launch this year, and Danggeuns platform Karrot enables approximately 300,000 local SMB partners to go digitalized by offering offline to online (O2O) service. Danggeun Markets consumers access everything from fresh local produce delivery to essential services, including cleaning, education, real estate brokerage and used cars in their local communities.

The funding proceeds from the new round will be used for further global expansion, business diversification, R&D, investment in advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning technology and recruiting team talent.

Danggeun Market plans to focus on accelerating further overseas market expansion for the next two years after closing Series D funding, and in South Korea, we will diversify our business, aiming to be a super app, co-founder and co-CEO Gary Kim said in an exclusive conversation with TechCrunch.

Danggeun Market, which is short for "the market in your neighborhood," was founded by Gary Kim and Paul Kim in 2015.

Danggeun Market also plans to launch its payment service Karrot Pay, expand offline to online (O2O) service for South Korean SMEs that use its platform Karrot and invest to develop advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning in its platform for suggesting personalized feeds for users to stay longer, Kim continued.

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Danggeun Market is expected to get approval from South Korea's financial supervisory service (FSS) as early as September for two licenses, such as payment gateway operator (PG) and prepaid payment means operator, to launch Danggeun Markets payment service, Karrot Pay, this year, Kim said.

Danggeun Market, which already launched its global version of hyperlocal community app Karrot in the U.K. in November 2019, currently operates the Karrot app in 72 local communities in four countries: the U.K., the U.S., Canada and Japan.

We see some active transactions in Manchester, Birmingham and Toronto, Kim said. Danggeun Market launched Karrot in Canada and the U.S. in September and October 2020, respectively. In February 2021, it opened in Japan, Kim said.

When asked regarding the next foreign market location, Danggeun Market will not designate a particular country this time. We will change our overseas penetration strategy slightly by opening the app Karrot globally and monitor the countries that show organic growth and then we will narrow down specific countries and cities to focus on more, Kim said.

The company will still seek the high population density areas in foreign markets and keep the distance limit set, Danggeuns unique feature that only shows people listings from sellers located within 6 km radius in South Korea and 10 miles (about 15 km) maximum for the U.K. for providing hyperlocalized community service.

For the next round, Gary Kim said it depends on its global expansion growth. If its global business works well and Karrot draws more global users and reaches active MAU and transactions the company has set, Danggeun Market will definitely raise another funding in two years, Kim said. We are not in a hurry for an IPO at this stage since we can raise enough capital in the private market now. We want to consider going public after we make stable profits, Kim said.

Danggeun Market now claims its total registered users exceed 21 million (South Korea has a total of 20.92 million households) and has consistently experienced over 300 % year-on-year growth since 2018.

The company reached 1.8 million monthly active users (MAUs) in 2019, 4.8 million MAUs in 2020 and finally increased to 14.2 million MAUs in 2021, growing 3x every year over the past three years. According to global app analytics platform App Annie, Danggeun Market users spend an average of two hours and two minutes per month on the app.

Over the past few years, Danggeun Market has demonstrated overwhelming dominance in the Korean C2C market with unique user behavior from location-based communities, Danggeun Market continues to showcase its potential as the hyperlocal super app, managing partner at DST Investment Management John Lindfors said.

COVID-19 highlighted the importance of people wanting to connect to their neighbors and community. When meeting a friend for a simple coffee can no longer be taken for granted, we realize all the more importance of our relationships and community. Danggeun Markets service bridges the offline and online world, enhancing both in-person interactions as well as purely digital ones. The core of Danggeun Markets growth is its digital end-to-end platform that allows consumers to feel both genuinely part of their communities as well as have the comfort and safety of being part of a larger network that can grow together, co-founder and managing partner at Goodwater Capital Eric Kim said.
FILE - In this Oct. 20, 2018, file photo, Kate Marshall speaks to supporters during her campaign for lieutenant governor, at a rally in downtown Las Vegas. Marshall said on Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021, that she is resigning her position as Lieutenant Governor and is accepting a position in President Joe Biden's administration as Senior Advisor to Governors in the federal Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. She plans to continue serving as Lieutenant Governor until the fall.
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Today

Some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 81F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.

Tonight

Some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 81F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.

Tomorrow

Sunny skies. High 99F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph.
VILLANOVA, Pa.Villanova School of Business (VSB) professor Jonathan Doh, PhD, has been elected as a Fellow of the Academy of Management (AOM)the largest and most prestigious professional organization of management scholars globally. Election as an AOM Fellow is a permanent designation and honors a select group of scholars who have made significant contributions to the science and practice of management and distinguished themselves at the top of their fields.

I am deeply humbled by this recognition from the most accomplished scholars in management, Doh said. It reflects well on the supportive culture of Villanova and the School of Business where teacher scholars are encouraged to excel in research, teaching and learning and in contributions to policy and practice.

In addition to serving as Professor of Management and Operations, Doh also holds several other positions at VSB, including Associate Dean of Research and Global Engagement, Rammrath Chair in International Business and Co-Faculty Director of the Moran Center for Global Leadership. Arriving at VSB in 2001, his teaching and research focus on the intersection of international business, strategic management and corporate responsibility. Doh is a leading scholar in international business, who continues to have a substantial impact on his scholarly field, serving as an editor of and publishing in leading journals.

Doh has published more than 85 refereed articles, 35 chapters, a dozen teaching cases and eight books. Many of his publications appear in elite or top-tier management, international business and ethics/social responsibility journals, including Academy of Management Review, Business Ethics Quarterly, Journal of International Business Studies, Journal of Management, Journal of Management Studies, Management Information Systems Quarterly, Organization Science and Strategic Management Journal, among others. His most recent books are Aligning for Advantage: Competitive Strategies for the Political and Social Arenas, and International Management: Culture, Strategy and Behavior, a best-selling international management text.

He has presented more than 80 papers at international conferences, and served AOM, the Academy of International Business, and the Strategic Management Society in numerous capacities. He has also served as Associate Editor and Special Issue Editor at several journals and competed a four-year term as Editor-in-Chief of Journal of World Business in 2018. He became General Editor of Journal of Management Studies, after previously serving as Senior Associate Editor. Doh was ranked as the 12th most prolific international business scholar for the period 2001-2009 and in 2015, he was elected a Fellow of Academy of International Business.



Dr. Doh brings tremendous prestige to Villanova and is the epitome of the Villanova teacher-scholar, where scholarship and teaching complement each other, said Joyce E. A. Russell, PhD, the Helen and William OToole Dean of VSB. We are honored to have such a celebrated faculty member, role model and leader within the School of Business.



Founded in 1936, AOM has nearly 20,000 members from over 120 countries that include professors and PhD students in business schools at universities, academics in related social science and other fields and practitioners who value knowledge creation and application.

Dr. Doh richly deserves this honor, which is bestowed on less than one percent of the management scholars who belong to the Academy of Management, said Donald Siegel, PhD, Foundation Professor of Public Policy and Management at Arizona State University and Dean of Fellows of the Academy of Management. Jonathan was cited for his path-breaking research on international business, strategic management and corporate social responsibility. He is the quintessential intellectual boundary spanner. Jonathan joins an elite group of scholars who have made major contributions to the science and practice of management.

The Villanova School of Business (VSB) undergraduate program is top-ranked among business schools in the nation. Its online graduate business programs are ranked #5, and its online MBA program is ranked #17 by U.S. News and World Report. VSB has been at the forefront of business education since it was founded in 1922. Serving over 2,700 undergraduate and graduate students, VSB is home to five Centers of Excellence  the Daniel M. DiLella Center for Real Estate, the Elenore and Robert F. Moran Sr. Center for Global Leadership, the Center for Business Analytics, the Center for Marketing & Consumer Insights and the Center for Church Management  with each designed to foster innovative, cross-disciplinary research and applied opportunities for students. VSB is known for academic rigor; creativity and innovation; hands-on and service learning opportunities; a firm grounding in ethics; and an applied education that prepares students to become outstanding leaders and global citizens within the ever-changing, complex, and fast-paced world of business. For more, visit business.villanova.edu.

About Villanova University: Since 1842, Villanova Universitys Augustinian Catholic intellectual tradition has been the cornerstone of an academic community in which students learn to think critically, act compassionately and succeed while serving others. There are more than 10,000 undergraduate, graduate and law students in the University's six collegesthe College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Villanova School of Business, the College of Engineering, the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, the College of Professional Studies and the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law. Ranked among the nations top universities, Villanova supports its students intellectual growth and prepares them to become ethical leaders who create positive change everywhere life takes them. For more, visit www.villanova.edu.
Kevin Sandefur, CEO and founder of BearWaters Brewing Company in Canton, told reporters the flooding wiped out an outdoor seating section the brewery added to make customers feel safer during the pandemic.

It was very frightening. I was more concerned for everybodys safety," he said. My partner was the last one out of the building and barely made it out of here in his truck before they closed the bridges and the streets because it was up that high. Its very scary how quickly it came up and overwhelmed us.

An emergency shelter at a nearby high school housed 11 people Thursday.

North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper surveyed flood damage Thursday afternoon, vowing afterward to help the area rebuild and noting: "Storms are more ferocious than they were before. Climate change has contributed to that. Republican U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis toured the area earlier in the day.

Farther north, about 10 families evacuated their homes in the rural town of Western in central New York as waters rose.

Ive got three roads that are closed and 15 that have flooding, said Western town Supervisor Diane Butler, who noted the town is still recovering from a tornado last month that downed trees and damaged homes.
HAMMOND, Ind. (AP)  The Democratic mayor of Hammond has started a campaign to challenge Republican Todd Youngs reelection bid in Indianas U.S. Senate election next year.

Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. filed with the Federal Election Commission on Wednesday to begin raising money for a Senate race. McDermott has been mayor of the largest city in northwestern Indianas Lake County since 2004 but isnt well known outside that region.

Despite that, McDermott has been the highest-profile Democrat openly talking about challenging Young, who defeated Democratic former Sen. Evan Bayh in the 2016 election and had $4.5 million in campaign cash at the end of June.

Im hoping that the Democratic Party is excited about my candidacy, McDermott said. Im hoping the Democratic Party is willing to try to help me overcome history.

McDermott unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination last year for an open U.S. House seat in northwestern Indiana, finishing second in the primary to now-Rep. Frank Mrvan.
New Delhi: After the successful launch of the Ola Electric scooters, the Bengaluru-headquartered company is now gearing up to manufacture electric cars in the near future, aiming to disrupt the EV sector with Ola branded offerings.

Olas co-founder and CEO Bhavish Agarwal said that the company could foray into the electric vehicle project in two years, i.e. by 2023. However, the co-founder didnt share more information about the companys plans on how it plans to take the electric four-wheeler industry by storm.

At present, while Ola Electric doesnt sell electric cars, its sister firm, Ola Cabs does run a fleet of electric four-wheelers as cabs across many cities in India. The company also operates hubs that are used for the charging of such electric cars.

Agarwal revealed that Ola Electric is currently working to develop the Krishnagiri plant which is based in Tamil Nadu. The company will use the manufacturing hub for its future electric vehicles as well, he said in an interview with TOI.

The company is also planning to build an ancillary or supplier park near that centre. The purpose of the park will be to create an ecosystem where they can sell to other buyers directly.

Agarwal also urged the automobile industry to make investments in the electric vehicle segment in India to turn the country into an Electric Vehicle hub in the future.

The news of the possibility of an Ola Electric car launch comes after the Bhavish Aggarwal-led firm had debuted the S1 and S1 Pro electric scooters in the electric vehicle market on August 15. Also Read: Zee Exclusive: 5 tips on how to maintain a healthy credit score

The electric bikes have been launched at a price point of Rs 99,999. Ola Electric is expected to start the deliveries of the electric two-wheelers starting from October 2021. Also Read: Meet the latest Indian billionaire to enter the list of world's top 100 richest people

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New Delhi: In a big setback to the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Thursday recommended a preliminary inquiry by the CBI into the procurement of 1,000 low-floor buses by the AAP government.

It may be noted that a matter of "corruption" in the annual maintenance contract (AMC) of the bus procurement by the Delhi Transport Corporation was raised by the BJP in Delhi Assembly in March this year.

Ministry of Home Affairs recommends a preliminary investigation by CBI into the purchase of 1,000 low-floor buses by Delhi Govt pic.twitter.com/12MUn9nu9V  ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2021

Alleging a multi-crore scam in the purchase of 1,000 buses by the Delhi Transport Corporation, the Delhi BJP had demanded a CBI probe into the matter.

BJP Rohini MLA Vijender Gupta had alleged serious irregularities in the terms of the purchase and maintenance contracts.

Gupta had said that in January 2021, the Delhi government had placed a work order of 1,000 low-floor buses costing Rs 890 crore. Along with the order for purchase, it also took out the tender for the annual maintenance of the buses for Rs 350 crore per year, he said.

The BJP leader alleged that this too was handed over to the same bus suppliers. A three-member committee formed by Lt Governor Anil Baijal in June had found procedural "flaws" in the AMC and recommended scrapping it.

The LG had referred the matter to the MHA in July for its consideration, the officials said.

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New Delhi: DMart founder Radhakishan Damani has become the latest Indian billionaire to mark his presence in the world's 100 richest list compiled under the Bloomberg Billionaires index. For those uninitiated, Bloomberg Billionaires Index is a list of the worlds richest people that changes almost every day, keeping track of the market and economic movements.

Wealth of Radhakishan Damani

According to the Bloomberg Billionaires index, Damanis net worth is currently valued at about $19.3 billion. He is currently at the 97th rank in the world's 100 richest list. In 2021, he saw a surge of 30% in his wealth, led by the rise of the stock price of DMart in the ongoing calendar year.

Source of Radhakishan Damanis wealth

Damani runs a hypermarket chain under the name DMart. The Mumbai-based retailer runs over 200 DMart stores across the country, selling food items, clothing and other consumer products.

In the financial year 2020, DMarts parent firm Avenue Supermarts had reported a revenue of about Rs 25,000 crore ($3.5 billion).

Growth story of Radhakishan Damani

Damani was born in Mumbai, India. Initially, he made his fortune from stock market investments. In the year 2000, he exited the stock market to kick his project which later turned into a multi-billion retail empire.

He opened the first D-Mart store in the year 2002 after acquiring a large piece of land for cheap in Powai, Navi Mumbai. Since then the entrepreneur didnt turn behind, as D-Mart currently operates 238 retail stores in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, NCR, Tamil Nadu, Punjab and Rajasthan, according to Mint. Also Read: iPhone 13 expected to launch in September

Indian billionaires in Bloomberg Billionaires Index

Besides Radhakishan Damani, the names of Indian billionaires such as Mukesh Ambani, Gautam Adani, Azim Premji, Pallonji Mistry, Shiv Nadar and Lakshmi Mittal are also present on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Also Read: Bank holidays August 2021: Banks to be closed for 5 straight days from today, check city-wise list here
Chennai: Tamil Nadus Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami and a host of senior AIADMK leaders called on Governor Banwarilal Purohit and submitted a petition. The Opposition party alleged that the DMK government helmed by MK Stalin was run on the sole agenda of Corruption, Collection and Vendetta. This comes at a time when the Tamil Nadu Assembly session is underway and the Opposition AIADMK staged a walkout on Wednesday.

During the newly formed DMK governments tenure, state agencies have been probing graft cases against influential leaders of the AIADMK and the former ministers, besides conducting raids at their premises. This is in line with the DMKs poll promise of investigating the corruption allegations, based on the 10-year long tenure of the AIADMK. MR Vijayabaskar and SP Velumani are among the ministers who were under the agencies scanner.

Another case that has hogged the limelight is that of the sensational Kodanad murder case that took place back in 2017. It involved the murder of a security guard at the premises of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaas lavish estate in the ecologically sensitive Nilgiris. Burglaries and break-ins had also taken place at the estate. The Tamil Nadu Police had questioned one of the accused in the case, Saiyan, earlier this week.

According to K Palaniswami, these alleged acts of vendetta politics are meant to divert public glare from the DMKs inability to fulfill their tall poll promises, despite having completed 100 days in power. The AIADMK has been hitting out at the DMK over the latters poll promise of doing away with NEET Entrance exam for Medical courses. It is notable that the ministers from the DMK government have asked students to prepare for the NEET exam, as the entrance test is to be held as usual.

The DMK constituted a committee led by a retired Judge to study the effects of NEET on students from disadvantaged sections of society. The committee had submitted its report to the State government, which is examining it. However, it remains to be seen whether a State government can overturn a Supreme Court order that mandates NEET exam across the country and seek exemption for NEET for Tamil Nadu. Chief Minister Stalin said on Wednesday that the government was preparing to table a bill against NEET in the State Assembly. It must be noted that this is the second such anti-NEET bill from the Southern state, the first one being during the AIADMK-rule. However, the AIADMK government failed to get Presidential assent for the then bill.

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SRINAGAR: Terrorists on Thursday (August 19) shot dead a Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party leader in Kulgam, officials said here. Ghulam Hassan Lone was shot at by the ultras in his native Devsar area, they said, adding he was rushed to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. Police said they have taken cognisance of the incident.

This comes just two days after terrorists shot dead BJP leader Javeed Ahmad Dar in the same district. Before that, two Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists on August 9 barged into the house of a BJP sarpanch in Anantnag district and killed him and his wife.

Lone's killing also evoked widespread condemnation from mainstream political parties including the PDP, the National Conference and the People's Conference. "Unfortunately there seems to be no end to the spree of political killings in Kashmir. Unreservedly condemn the killing of Apni party leader Ghulam Hassan Lone. My deepest condolences to the bereaved family," PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti tweeted.

National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah said the "renewed trend" of militants targeting mainstream leaders is "very worrying".

"Very sorry to hear about the assassination of Ghulam Hassan Lone in Devsar area of South Kashmir. This renewed trend of targeting mainstream politicians by militant outfits is very worrying & I condemn the same in the strongest possible terms. May Allah grant the departed Jannat," Abdullah tweeted.

People's Conference chairman Sajad Gani Lone said, "Strongly condemn the killing of @Apnipartyonline leader Ghulam Hassan Lone in Kulgam. Recent spate of attacks on mainstream leaders is worrying. "Violence only brings miseries to people. Such killings only create more widows and orphans. These heinous acts must cease," he added.

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New Delhi: India's External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar highlighted the growing activity of Haqqani network, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed in Afghanistan, urging the United Nations Security Council to not take a selective, tactical or complacent view of the problems we face.

Speaking at the UNSC meeting on terrorism, EAM said, In our own immediate neighborhood, ISIL-Khorasan (ISIL-K) has become more powerful and is constantly seeking to expand its footprint. Events unfolding in Afghanistan have naturally enhanced global concerns about their implications for both regional and international security.

He explained, The heightened activities of the proscribed Haqqani Network justify this growing anxiety. Whether it is in Afghanistan or against India, groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed continue to operate with both impunity and encouragement.

He was chairing a meeting on threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts" at the UN body. India is the President of the Security Council for August and the meeting was the third important signature event of the month, after meeting on maritime security, UN peacekeeping.

At the meet, EAM said, We must never countenance sanctuaries for terrorists or overlook their raising of resources and without taking Pakistan's name said, when "we see state hospitality being extended to those with innocents blood on their hands, we should never lack the courage to call out their double-speak.

Pakistan had gone to UNSC to get approval for "basic expense" for Lakshar-e-Taiba's leader Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi and Mahmood Sultan Bashiruddin, a Pakistani nuclear engineer both of whom have been listed as international terrorists by the UN.

Drawing parallels with the COVID crisis, Jaishankar said, "'None of us are safe until all of us are safe also holds true for terror.

Coming Saturday will see the fourth International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism.

During the meet, EAM also paid homage to the victims of the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, the 2016 Pathankot airbase attack, 2019 Pulwama terror attack at the high table.

Earlier this year, EAM had addressed the UNSC meet and proposed an eight-point action plan to deal with the issue of terrorism, including the summoning of political will to deal with the scourge, no justification of terror, no double standards on dealing with the issue, and no blockade on the listing of terrorists.

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New Delhi: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday to discuss the caste-based census. "I had sought an appointment with the PM to meet him along with a delegation from Bihar to conduct the caste-based census. Many thanks to the respected Prime Minister for giving time to meet on August 23," Nitish Kumar said in an official statement.

Nitishs Janata Dal (United) is an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Bihar and favours a caste-based census. The state Chief Minister has been advocating for a caste-based census in the country and had thus sought an appointment with the Prime Minister.

"The demand of the caste census is not just the demand from Bihar but other states also. Our party MPs had written a letter seeking time to meet the Prime Minister. The opposition parties in Bihar also wanted to meet the Prime Minister with us. We had written a letter to the Prime Minister regarding this," he had said on Monday.

The caste-based census and its impact on the country`s political landscape remain a sensitive issue for the government, given the fact that seven states will go for assembly polls over the next year.

Nitish said a resolution regarding the caste-based census was passed unanimously in Bihar Legislative Assembly as well as the Legislative Council in 2019. A resolution was passed unanimously once again in 2020 in the state Legislative Assembly.

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New Delhi: After breaching the value of one in the first week of August, the R number, which reflects how rapidly the coronavirus pandemic is spreading, has been steadily ebbing in the country including Kerala and some northeastern states, according to researchers.

The R-value between August 14-16, calculated by the researchers, now stands at 0.89.

If R is less than one, it means the number of newly infected people is lower than the number of infected people in the preceding period and the disease incidence is going down.

"India's R has fallen to around 0.9," Sitbara Sinha of the Indian Institute of Mathematical Science, who is leading the research, told PTI, citing their data.

The R-value of Kerala, which has the highest number of active cases in the country, is now below one, signalling a relief to authorities who have been struggling to bring down the infection levels in the state.

Earlier this week, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, visited Kerala with a central team to review the COVID-19 situation in the state.

The minister said the Centre has allocated Rs 267.35 crore to the state to strengthen its health infrastructure and will also provide 1.11 crore vaccines in August and September.

There are currently 4,98,630 people under surveillance in various districts of the state. Of these, 4,70,771 are in home or institutional quarantine and 27,859 in hospitals, according to the state health department.

Kerala, which recorded the first COVID-19 case in the country, received accolades for effectively handling the first wave, but the state government has been under criticism after the second wave.

The northeastern states seem to have finally come out of the second wave, Sinha said.

The R-value for Maharashtra, another state which has a high number of cases, is 0.89, the data shows.

However, Himachal Pradesh continues to have an R-value of above one, although it reduced in the last few days, while Tamil Nadu and Uttarakhand still have R very close to one, Sinha said.

Among the major cities, the R-value of Mumbai was lowest (0.70 from August 10-13), followed by Delhi (0.85 from July 31 to August 4), Bengaluru (0.94 from August 15-17), Chennai (0.97 from August 15-17).

However, the R-value remains high for Kolkata (1.08 from August 11-15), Pune (1.05 from August 10-14).

The Reproduction number or R refers to how many people an infected person infects, on average. In other words, it tells how 'efficiently' a virus is spreading.

A smaller R indicates the disease is on a decline. Conversely, if R is greater than one, the number of infected people is increasing in each round and, technically, this is called the epidemic phase.

After the devastating second wave that saw hospitals and health infrastructure being overwhelmed by the patients infected by SARS-CoV2 coronavirus, the R-value started to decline.

During the March-May period, thousands of people died due to the infection while lakhs were infected.

In its bulletin on Wednesday, the Ministry of Health said India saw a single-day rise of 25,166 new COVID-19 cases, the lowest in 154 days, taking the tally to 3,22,50,679.

The national recovery rate was recorded at 97.51 percent, the highest since March 2020. Less than 50,000 daily cases have been reported for 52 consecutive days. Over 56 crore COVID-19 doses have been administered in the country.

During May 15 to June 26 period, the R-value stood at 0.78. However, it slowly started increasing - it was 0.88 from June 20-July 7, 0.95 from July 3-22, 0.96 from July 24-27.

It breached the value of 1.03 for the first time after the second wave during July 27-31. However, since then it has slowly started to decline.

The value was 0.92 from August 6-9, rose to 0.99 between August 12-14. But it slipped to 0.89 between August 14-17.

Earlier this month, the central government said 37 districts across nine states, including Kerala (11 districts) and Tamil Nadu (seven districts) are still showing a rising trend in the average daily new COVID-19 cases over the previous two weeks even as the nationwide daily new infections continued to register a decline.

It said the R-value is more than one in five states -- Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh -- which remains a cause of concern.
New Delhi: The countrys first smog tower will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on August 23, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said on Thursday (August 19).

The smog tower, located at Baba Kharak Singh Marg, Connaught Place, will clean 1,000 cubic metres of air every second and reduce PM 2.5 and PM 10 levels in Delhi, ANI reported.

PM2.5 is defined as fine particulate matter suspended in the air that is two and a half microns or less in width.

"I am certain that the smog-tower built at the cost of Rs 20 crores will contribute immensely towards this cause. The smog tower will work with full force after the monsoon season. The scientists of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee will accordingly assess the performance of the tower and present a monthly report, Rai told the news agency.

Further, the Delhi Environment Minister said if the smog tower is found effective, more such towers will be set up across the national capital. "If the performance of the smog tower is found to be satisfactory, then we will replicate similar smog towers throughout Delhi.

Rai, who inspected the progress of the project on the ground, added, "I am confident that the smog tower will yield positive results for us. It must be noted that Central Government is also constructing one such tower at Anand Vihar. This is being done after Supreme Court ordered both Delhi and Central Government to immediately install smog towers in the national capital.

Meanwhile, as per Swiss Air Quality expert IQAir report, 22 Indian cities including Delhi, Bulandshahr, Bhiwandi, Noida, Greater Noida, Kanpur, Lucknow, Faridabad and Meerut are in the top 30 most polluted list.

Another report, prepared by British company HouseFresh, placed Uttar Pradeshs Ghaziabad in the second most polluted city spot out of the 50 'most polluted cities' in the world in 2020. Bangladesh, China, India and Pakistan contribute to 49 out of the 50 most polluted cities worldwide, the report added.

(With ANI inputs)

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New Delhi: As the Taliban have taken control of Afghanistan, harrowing pictures have surfaced showing people trying to escape the country. Fearing what the Taliban might do, a mass exodus of Afghans is underway even as the world watches. The pictures are reminiscent of what happened 31 years ago in Jammu and Kashmir.

Zee News Editor-in-Chief Sudhir Chaudhary on Thursday (August 19) drew a parallel between the present situation in Afghanistan and the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from Kashmir in 1990.

Whatever is happening with the people of Afghanistan today, the same happened with Kashmiri Pandits 31 years when they had to leave their homes overnight to escape from radical Islamic forces. Those people are still living as refugees in different parts of India. Those who could not escape were killed.

In 1990, when Islamic fundamentalists forced Kashmiri Pandits to flee from Kashmir, they gave them three options: 1. They should accept Islam, 2. They leave Kashmir and 3. Be ready to die.

31 years later, the Taliban have also put the same three conditions before the people of Afghanistan  Either they accept Sharia law or leave Afghanistan or die.

According to different estimates, in 1990, 5 to 7 lakh Kashmiri Pandits left their homes and became refugees in Jammu and other parts of the country. So many people had to become refugees in their own country. Similarly, today about 25 lakh Afghans are seeking asylum in different parts of the world.

In the 1980s, radicalisation began Kashmir and soon the place became a laboratory of radical Islam. Before that, the situation in Kashmir was different. Films were shot there, women could go out of the house fearlessly and could easily go to schools, colleges and universities to study.

Similarly, in Afghanistan before 1980, women had the freedom to read and write and wear clothes of their choice.

But in the 1980s, as fundamentalists pushed Kashmir into the dark side, Afghanistan got embroiled in a civil war. By 1990, Kashmir became a stronghold of terrorists and the Taliban rose in Afghanistan.

Some time ago Zee News spoke to Kashmiri Pandits who had witnessed that violence of 1990. We also talked to many people who came from Afghanistan. If you listen to the pain of these people, you will find that whenever extremism dominates any country or state, the future generations suffer for decades.

But thankfully, India never allowed foreign forces to enter Kashmir. It not only controlled terrorism on its own, but today citizens living in any part of the country can travel to Kashmir without any fear. One can even buy land, study and live in Kashmir. If India had asked other countries to find a solution to Kashmir, the situation of Kashmir would likely have been very similar to that of Afghanistan.

Also Read: Read more about Taliban here: Taliban's History

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NEW DELHI: Defence Laboratory Jodhpur (DLJ), a Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) lab, has developed an advanced chaff technology to safeguard Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter jets against hostile radar threats.

DRDO's Defence Laboratory Jodhpur (DLJ) has developed an Advanced Chaff Technology to safeguard fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) against hostile radar threats: DRDO pic.twitter.com/dk8HhX26aq  ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2021

DLJ developed the advanced Chaff material and chaff cartridge-118/I in collaboration with High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), a Pune based laboratory of DRDO, meeting qualitative requirements of IAF.

DLJ developed advanced Chaff material & chaff cartridge-118/I in collaboration with High Energy Materials Research Laboratory, Pune meeting qualitative requirements of IAF, which has started process of induction of this technology after completion of successful user trials: DRDO pic.twitter.com/yCgS2NTjWd  ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2021

The Indian Air Force has started the process of induction of this technology after the completion of successful user trials, a government release said.

In todays electronic warfare, the survivability of fighter aircraft is of prime concern because of advancements in modern radar threats. To ensure the survivability of aircraft, Counter Measure Dispensing System (CMDS) is used which provides passive jamming against Infra-Red and radar threats. Chaff is a critical defence technology used to protect fighter aircraft from hostile radar threats, the release said.

The importance of this technology lies in the fact that a very less quantity of chaff material deployed in the air acts as a decoy to deflect enemys missiles for ensuring the safety of the fighter aircraft. This DRDO-developed technology has been given to the industry for production in large quantities to meet the annual rolling requirement of the Indian Air Force, the added.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has lauded DRDO, IAF and the industry for indigenous development of this critical technology, terming it as one more step of DRDO towards AatmaNirbhar Bharat in strategic defence technologies.

Secretary Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Dr G Satheesh Reddy has congratulated the teams associated with the successful development of this advanced technology that will further strengthen the Indian Air Force.

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Bhopal: A farmers' Union leader in Madhya Pradesh's Malwa region has threatened to move court against what he claimed as the IMD's "wrong" predictions leading to crop losses for cultivators in recent times.

However, a senior scientist of the India Meterological Department said farmers might have been "misled", as a private weather service predicted early monsoon this year, in contrast to forecast of the IMD (an agency of the Ministry of Earth Sciences of the Government of India).

He also said that cultivators should check whether the information was coming to them from genuine sources.

"In most of the cases, the weather predictions released by the IMD have failed. This has led to huge losses for farmers," Bharatiya Kisan Sangh's Malwa prant (region) spokesman Bharat Singh Bais claimed while talking to PTI on Wednesday.

He said they were planning to move court against the IMD's "wrong predictions" and a final decision in this regard will be taken soon.

Bais, an Ujjain-based farmers' leader, said at times, farmers prepare themselves for sowing as per the IMD's weather forecast.

"But the failed predictions led to huge losses and sown crops got damaged, as it happened during the recent rains. About 300-400 hectare of land was lying unused (without sowing) in Ujjain district alone due to the IMD's wrong rain predictions," he said.

In such a situation, farmers cannot trust the IMD's forecast, he added.

Bais said in the US and other countries, weather predictions are precise and people can prepare themselves according to them.

"In India, the government is spending huge money, but the weather predictions are coming out to be wrong," he claimed.

Bais said he was collecting the data of losses incurred by farmers due to the "wrong weather predictions" of the state's MeT department.

The data of wrong forecasts in the past two-three years was also being collected, he informed.

"After collecting the data, we will take a decision about moving court against the IMD by next month, after holding a meeting," he said, adding that at present, he and his associates are engaged in organisational elections.

Bais also said they had earlier staged a protest against the IMD's "wrong predictions" and it yielded results.

When contacted, a senior scientist of the IMD's Bhopal centre refuted the allegations and told PTI that farmers might have been "misled" by the weather forecast from more than one source.

"The farmers should at least check that all weather-related information is coming to them from genuine sources. A private weather forecast service predicted early monsoon arrival, in contrast to the IMD's predictions. This might have led to the problem," he said.

In several districts, some self-proclaimed weathermen were making forecasts as if they were IMD's representatives, which was leading to confusion, he said.

"There is no truth in such allegations. This is not the problem of farmers...Rather, some 'netas' (leaders) had earlier staged a protest to get compensation," he said.

The scientist also said that media should also be cautious while publishing weather-related predictions.
Rampur: In an alleged case of forging birth certificate, a charge sheet has been filed against Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan, his wife Dr Tanzeen Fathima and son Abdullah Azam Khan in Uttar Pradesh`s Rampur district on Wednesday. Notably, an investigation into the matter is still underway.

"Abdullah Azam Khan contested Vidhan Sabha elections with the help of one of these birth certificates," District Government Counsel (Crime) Arun Prakash Saxena told ANI. He further said that Dr Tanzeen Fathima was physically present at the hearing, while Azam Khan and Abdullah Azam Khan were present through video conference.

Saxena further said, "It was revealed during the inquiry that he was not of 25 years at the time of elections. They were presented in court. Charge-sheet has been filed against three accused including Abdullah Azam Khan in this matter."

"Rampur police had already submitted two charge-sheets against the three under sections 420, 467, 468, 471 and 120b (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC)," the official added.

According to the District Government Counsel, Dr Tanzeen Fathima was physically present at the hearing, while Azam Khan and Abdullah Azam Khan were present through video conference.

Earlier on August 10, the Supreme Court had granted bail to Samajwadi Party (SP) leader, Azam Khan and his son Abdullah Khan in the alleged birth certificates forgery case. Azam Khan and his son Abdullah Khan are accused of forging the latter`s age on his educational certificates for him to participate in the 2017 elections.

Abdullah Azam Khan, who was elected as an MLA from Suar seat from Rampur in 2017 Assembly election, was disqualified from the membership of the State Legislative Assembly for being less than 25 years of age as on the date of the election, in December 2019.

The Allahabad High Court also found Abdullah guilty for submitting a forged birth certificate to the election body to contest elections. The first birth certificate, which recorded his date of birth as January 1, 1993, was allegedly used for making passports, etc and was misused in foreign travel.

The complainant further alleged that the second birth certificate, which recorded his date of birth as September 30, 1990, was "misused" in government documents for contesting election to UP Legislative Assembly and in different recognitions given to Jauhar University.

(With Agency Inputs)

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Mumbai: Former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh on Thursday said he will appear before the ED, which had summoned him in connection with its probe into a money laundering case, "after the legal process is completed". Deshmukh in a statement claimed the "Supreme Court has accepted his plea on the ED and it will be heard soon".

The SC on Monday refused to grant interim relief to NCP leader Deshmukh, who was seeking protection from any coercive action in connection with the money laundering case lodged by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

A three-judge bench headed by Justice A M Khanwilkar, while hearing a batch of pleas including those challenging the constitutional validity of certain provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), said Desmukh is at liberty to access remedies available to him under the law.

Deshmukh in his statement said the apex court on Monday allowed him to move a lower court as well for lawful remedies under the CrPC (Criminal Procedure Code). "The legal process has begun and I will appear before the ED after the legal process is completed. I will cooperate with the ED. I have always followed high standards in my entire social-political life," he said.

The ED had earlier issued summons to Deshmukh in connection with a criminal case registered under the PMLA related to an alleged Rs 100 crore bribery-cum-extortion racket that led to the the 71-year-old NCP leader's resignation in April this year.

Deshmukh skipped appearing before the ED for the firth time on Wednesday and had stated that he was taking recourse to "lawful remedies" for the protection of his liberty.

He had a three-page reply to the investigating officer of the case through his lawyer, saying the Supreme Court has "made it open for me to take recourse to all appropriate remedies available under CrPC including filing of a quashing petition".

The NCP leader had said he was taking recourse to legal remedies for the protection of his liberty "within a day or two". Deshmukh had also said he was a "law abiding citizen" as he requested the agency to record his statement through an electronic medium, till the time "appropriate orders are passed by court(s)"

The ED's case against Deshmukh and others was registered after the CBI had lodged a corruption case related to allegations of at least Rs 100 crore bribery made by former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh.

In his letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray after he was removed from the police commissioner's post, Singh had alleged that Deshmukh asked suspended Mumbai police assistant police inspector Sachin Waze to extort over Rs 100 crore a month from bars and restaurants in the city.

Deshmukh, who resigned from his post in April following the allegations, has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. The ED had arrested Deshmukh's personal secretary and personal assistant after it carried out raids against them and the NCP leader in Mumbai and Nagpur.

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New Delhi: The Kerala government is all set to administer COVID-19 vaccination to children and will initiate necessary steps once approval is received from the Centre, state Health Minister Veena George said on Thursday (August 19), PTI reported.

George made the remarks while addressing the reporters after visiting a Drive Through Vaccination Centre at the Government Women's College in Thiruvananthapuram. Talking about the drive through vaccination centres, she said its special feature was that people can get registered, vaccinated and also undergo observation without getting out of their vehicles.

Meanwhile, George told about her meeting with Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and said she has asked for 1.11 crore extra vaccine doses by September end for which the Union minister has given his nod.

Kerala Govt has already started talks regarding vaccine production in the state. We are trying to introduce fill-finish units. We have discussed the issue (with the Union health minister) and the Centre is very positive, ANI quoted the state health minister as saying.

Further, she added, It was a very positive meeting. We asked for 1.11 crore more doses of COVID vaccines by September end and he (Union health minister) agreed to it. We are thankful to the Union government.

When asked about the daily high COVID-19 cases in the state, George said it is as the government has ramped up testing to detect new cases. We are ramping up the testing to identify every single case. Our system is already on high alert and we are taking the best possible measures to contain the disease, she informed.

George also said that the Kerala government's aim was to vaccinate all eligible persons above 18 years by the end of September. She also asked people to be cautious during Onam season as COVID cases are increasing in the state.

Kerala on Wednesday logged 21,427 new COVID-19 cases pushing the caseload to 37,25,005. With 179 additional deaths, the number of people succumbing to the infection mounted to 19,049. The state currently has 1,77,683 active cases, a state government release said.

(With agency inputs)

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Chennai: In two separate instances, patients who suffered from COVID-19 and related lung complications miraculously recovered, after being on ECMO support for a few months. Doctors are of the opinion that patients recovery after such prolonged ECMO procedure is very rare, as ECMO is recommended only for a duration of a few hours or a couple of days to prepare for Lung transplant. Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO), is a procedure that pumps and oxygenates a patient's blood outside the body, thus, allowing the heart and lungs to rest.

At the MGM Hospital in the city, a 32-year-old COVID-infected patient was on ECMO support for a period of 72 days. Doctors say that it is perhaps the longest in the country. The patient had contracted COVID-19 on May 18, following which he had suffered severe lung damage and a host of health issues such as ENT, bleeding, seizures etc. Doctors said that he was put on ECMO in the first week of June and underwent tracheostomy in the second week of June, while admitted in another hospital.

According to Dr. KR Balakrishnan, Chairman-Cardiac Sciences Director, MGM Healthcare the patient was admitted at their hospital on July 13. He was brought to us with 100% involvement of the lungs and we decided to continue ECMO support to stabilize his health condition. The team then worked on settling his health issues one by one, he said.

Dr Suresh Rao, Institute of Heart and Lung Transplant, MGM added that, patients who are induced artificial support for long periods experience substantial variations. The body loses considerable immunity and there is always a higher risk of infection with the patient experiencing other health issues as well. The chances of recovery reduce a lot in such cases. By supporting him on ECMO, we could rest his lungs so that it could heal and start functioning. he said.

According to the doctors, the patient had responded positively to the treatment and his vitals are currently stable.

At the Rela hospital, a 56-year old COVID-19 patient had a similar miraculous recovery from his seriously deteriorated condition. According to doctors, Mr Mudijja had tested positive in April end and developed breathing difficulties early on and had moderate COVID-19 pneumonia. They said that he had 92% oxygen saturation level (Sp02) in room air and that as his condition worsened, he required 15 litres of oxygen per minute. The Heart and Lung Team led by Dr C Arumugam, Senior Consultant, Heart and Lung Transplant Surgeon decided to move into ECMO and follow a method known as V-V ECMO.

According to Dr C Arumugam, after having been on ECMO for 50 days, the patient started improving and showed better lung performance, following which they decided to treat him without a lung transplant. On the 54th day of ECMO support, CT scan showed improvement and we gradually reduced the ECMO support and 62 days into ECMO, the patient was taken off ECMO. We kept him on minimal ventilator support with tracheotomy for another two weeks and weaned him off the ventilator by July end, he said.

Prof Mohamed Rela, Chairman & MD, Rela Hospital said that ECMO had traditionally been used as an intermittent arrangement until Lung Transplantation and highlighted how the team of doctors made it a life-saving procedure. With the third wave around the corner and the public still unvaccinated, the ECMO machine is a critical tool the healthcare fraternity shall depend upon, he added.

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New Delhi: The Delhi's government's General Administration Department (GAD) had earlier declared Muharram holiday on August 19 (Thursday), but changed it to Friday following a Union government's decision in this connection. "Government of India, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pension, has revised the holiday on account of Muharram from Thursday to Friday. "Accordingly, holiday on account of Muharram is declared on Friday (August 20, 2021) for all government offices under Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi," an order issued by the city government said.

The Assam government, in a press release on Wednesday (August 18), has said that the government has declared half day on August 20 on account of Muharram in the state.

Meanwhile, several states have cancelled the Muharram procession in order to contain the spread of COVID-19. The Uttar Pradesh government had directed all the district authorities not to allow any religious procession in the state to reduce the spread of COVID-19. The Karnataka government has banned all Muharram processions until August 20. Meanwhile, the Hyderabad government, ahead of Muharram, said that it has taken necessary precaution in view of COVID-19.

Also read: UP bans religious processions during Muharram

Apart from these, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Telangana and Jharkhand will be oberserving Muharram on Friday. As per media reports, Puducherry, observing Muharram on Thursday in the Mahe region. Karaikal and Puducherry and Yanam will observe it on Friday, according to Puducherry government order, Hindustan Times reported.

(With Agency inputs)

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NOIDA: A collection agent of a private company was allegedly looted of over Rs 10 lakh by three unidentified armed men on a stretch of road in Uttar Pradesh's Noida on Thursday, police said. The in-charge of the local Sector 39 police station has been suspended in the wake of the incident that took place around 4 pm in Sector 106, they added.

Joint Commissioner (law and order) Love Kumar said, "The collection agent was on a motorcycle when he was taken over by the assailants, who forcibly took away the money from him." "The exact amount of the money looted is yet to be calculated by the agent and the company but after an initial estimate, they have put the figure somewhere between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 15 lakh," he told reporters.

The officer said multiple police teams have been put on the case and efforts are being made to crack it at the earliest. The incident led to the shunting of Aazad Singh Tomar, the station house officer (SHO) of the local police station. "In view of the incident, the SHO of the Sector 39 police station has been suspended from the post on charges of negligence," a police spokesperson said.

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New Delhi: The Uttar Pradesh government, which has decided to open schools for physical classes, on Thursday (August 19) said the attendance for students will not be compulsory and schools may be closed again if the COVID situation worsens. Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma told this to the state legislative council while replying to a question by teacher constituency member Dhruv Kumar Tripathi.

"In basic education, attendance is not compulsory. We have also not made attendance mandatory for classes from 9 to 12," Sharma said. "Guardians, teachers and political organisations have also said the offline education should be started even if it is for a shorter period," he said. "In UP, the present atmosphere is sufficiently secure but if there is any indication of any concern (regarding COVID), we can also close schools," he added.

Tripathi also asked Health Minister Jai Pratap Singh if there was any arrangement for vaccination of teachers and students below 18 years of age. In a supplementary question, SP member Shatrudra Prakash asked the minister if it is safe for little children to go to school without vaccination.

The minister replied that the vaccine for children below 18 is not yet available but it is expected to be available by September. He said after the vaccine is available, a campaign will be launched to inoculate children.

The state government has opened schools from August 16 for classes 9 to 12. For classes six to eight, they will be opened from August 23 and for classes one to five from September 1.

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New Delhi: A 35-year-old woman was allegedly raped by two men inside a car in northeast Delhi's Shastri Park area, police said on Thursday.

The woman was brought to the city on August 16 by the men on the pretext of a job. They are all from Surajpur in Uttar Pradesh's Noida, according to police.

She reported the incident to police on August 16 and based on her complaint, the two men were arrested on the same day, an officer said.

The victim's statement has been recorded and she has undergone medical examination as well as counselling, he said.

The officer said that based on the woman's complaint and her medical examination report, a case has been registered under Indian Penal Code sections 376 D (gangrape) and 506 (criminal intimidation).

During inquiry, the woman named one of the accused and gave police the registration number of the car, he said.

On the basis of the car's registration number, a police team traced the men, the officer said.

They have been sent to judicial custody and the vehicle has been seized, he said.

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New Delhi: In a significant development, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) requested its respective schools to prepare a list of candidates for the coming year's Class 10 and Class 12 board examinations. Meanwhile, the board has also asked the schools to make necessary arrangements for students to register in Class 9 and Class 11.

For the academic session 2021-22, CBSE will soon launch a portal where schools will be able to register students and upload lists of candidates. The board also informed that such facilities will be made available soon. The recognized board has also asked schools to make necessary preparations so that both the list of candidates and registration could be done within the stipulated time in a smooth and correct manner.

"It is desired from the schools to kindly make necessary preparations so that both LOC and registration could be done within the schedule provided advance preparations made by the schools will help them in the submission of LOC and registration correctly," the CBSE Controller of Examination Sanyam Bhardwaj informed in a letter.

Earlier, the CBSE had issued a notification saying that for the academic session 2021-22 it will hold two examinations  term 1 and term 2/ year-end  as a one-time measure to address the issue of COVID-19 pandemic. "The term 1 exam is proposed to be conducted in November/ December 2021 and term 2 or year-end exams in the month of March/ April 2022," the board said in an official notice.

The CBSE has released a fresh circular asking its affiliated schools across the country to take steps in order to complete both the list of candidates (LOC) and registration within the given deadline.

"It is desired from the schools to kindly make necessary preparations so that both LOC and registration could be done within schedule providedadvance preparations made by the schools will help them in submission of LOC and registration correctly," CBSEs Controller of Examinations Sanyam Bhardwaj said in a letter to school principals.



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New Delhi: Amidst the prevalence of the pandemic, the Maharashtra government on Wednesday (August 18, 2021) informed that the second wave of Covid-19 is under control in the state. As per the official statement by the Chief Minister`s office, zero active cases of Covid-19 were reported in the Nandurbar district of Maharashtra today and districts like Dhule, Washim, Yavatmal, Wardha, Bhandara, Gondia have less than 10 active cases.

Districts namely Parbhani, Hingoli, Nanded, Amravati, Akola, Buldhana, Chandrapur, Gadchiroli have less than 100 active cases currently.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday also expressed his concern about various political gatherings by parties in the state. During the Cabinet meeting, the Chief Minister appealed that all parties should avoid any kind of political gathering to avoid crowding.

In a statement released from the Chief Minister Office after the cabinet meeting, it stated that the second wave of the Covid-19 infection has come under control in the state and that this has been possible because of cooperation from citizens along with various measures taken by the state health department.

The CMO also informed that the average weekly positivity rate of the state has come down to 2.44 percent and in the last few days. The growth rate in Ratnagiri and Kolhapur district was alarming but now that has also been come down to 2.44 percent, as per the official statement by the government.

However, Satara, Sangli, Ahmednagar, Pune, Osmanabad, Solapur and Sindhudurg logged a gradual increase in the number of daily cases.

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New Delhi: The minuscule Sikh and Hindu community members who have taken shelter in Gurdwara Karte Parwan, Kabul ever since the Taliban took over the reins of Afghanistan in their hands have appealed to the Indian government for their immediate evacuation before it was too late especially in wake of the outbreak of a fight between Taliban and anti-Taliban mujahedeen forces in Panjshir Valley and step by step imposition of Islamic Sharia laws in Kabul and other parts of the war-torn nation.

"There is no police and civil administration or other government officials. We are at the mercy of the Taliban. We don't know where we should go except India and we have pinned our hopes on the Indian government to evacuate us," said Talwinder Singh, a Sikh resident of Kabul who, in recent past, had also issued a desperate appeal to Sikh bodies of the US and Canada to help them move out of Afghanistan.

As the Taliban entered Kabul, one of their delegations went to Gurdwara Karte Parwan and assured their representatives of Sikhs and Hindus to not fear from them and also shared their mobile numbers and advised contacting in case of any problem. The next day, a media team of Taliban again went to Gurdwara to record a propaganda video.

Taliban media the team asked Hindu and Sikh representatives to give statements that they felt safe and secure under the Taliban regime. They also offered to give them two Talibans to guard the Gurdwara, but the offer was declined by the Hindu and Sikh leaders.

Taliban's friendly gestures have failed to win the confidence of microscopic communities living in Kabul as they vividly remember the past brutal regime of the Taliban for nearly six years and are of the firm belief that once settled, the Taliban's would not hesitate to implement Sharia by force in the next few days.

"If there are any hiccups in our evacuation or any kind of other delays, the Indian government should at least evacuate our women and children which is the need of the hour," said Talwinder while talking to Zee News.

The reports of eruption of the fight between Taliban and anti-Taliban Mujahedeen emerging out of Panjshir Valley have only panicked the Hindus and Sikhs living in Kabul.

"The resistance forces have become active in various provinces and their fight with the Taliban is spreading with taggering speed and scale, even a few people especially the women folk have staged demonstrations against the Taliban in Kabul. This is not a good sign, they (Taliban) will for sure indulge in tortures and executions as they did during their previous regime to spread terror among peace-loving Afghanis'," said a Sikh resident of Kabul on condition of anonymity.

Sources informed Zee News that representatives of the Indian government were also in touch with the Sikh and Hindu community members of Kabul and efforts were a foot to airlift them from Kabul assoon as possible.

Sikh bodies in Indian including Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and Delhi's Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, are also in touch with the Center government for the safe evacuation of hapless Hindus and Sikhs living at the mercy of the Taliban in Afghanistan.

These Sikh bodies have also assured of their help once they are in India.

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New Delhi: Akali Dal leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Wednesday (August 18) shared a video clip on Twitter that showed some Taliban members meeting people belonging to the Sikh community in a gurdwara. Sirsa claimed that the Taliban have assured the safety of the Hindus and Sikhs who have taken refuge in the gurdwara.

I am in constant touch with the President Gurdwara Committee, Kabul S. Gurnam Singh & Sangat taking refuge in Gurdwara Karte Parwan Sahib in Kabul. Even today, Taliban leaders came to Gurdwara Sahib and met the Hindus and Sikhs and assured them of their safety, tweeted the SAD leader.

I am in constant touch with the President Gurdwara Committee, Kabul S. Gurnam Singh & Sangat taking refuge in Gurdwara Karte Parwan Sahib in Kabul. Even today, Taliban leaders came to Gurdwara Sahib and met the Hindus and Sikhs and assured them of their safety @thetribunechd pic.twitter.com/glyCgZBwVI  Manjinder Singh Sirsa (@mssirsa) August 18, 2021

In the video, the head of the Kabul gurdwara said that the Sikhs and Hindus stranded in Afghanistan have been assured of their safety and they do not feel fear or anxiety.

The video was tweeted by Taliban spokesperson M Naeem.

Earlier this month, the Nishan Sahib (Sikh religious flag) was removed reportedly by the Taliban from the roof of a Gurdwara in Afghanistan's eastern Paktia province. It was, however, later restored.

Rehman Chamkani, the caretaker of the gurdwara, told Zee news that on August 6 night, a group of about two dozen Taliban members came to the village and asked him to reinstall the Nishan Sahib.

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New Delhi: The Union Cabinet has given its nod for ratification of the Kigali Amendment for phase down of harmful hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) by India under the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.

Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer was adopted by the parties to the Montreal Protocol at its 28th meeting in Kigali, Rwanda in October 2016.

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, gave its approval for HFC phase-down which is expected to prevent greenhouse gas emissions. A national strategy for the phase-down of hydrofluorocarbons will be developed after required consultation with all the industry stakeholders by 2023.

Union Cabinet yesterday gave its approval for ratification of Kigali Amendment to Montreal Protocol on Substances that deplete Ozone Layer for phase down of Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) by India, adopted by the parties to Montreal Protocol on October, 2016  ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2021

Amendments to the existing legislation framework, the Ozone Depleting Substances (Regulation and Control) Rules to allow appropriate control of the production and consumption of hydrofluorocarbons to ensure compliance with the Kigali Amendment will be done by mid-2024.

The phase-down of HFCs is expected to prevent the emission of up to 105 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent of greenhouse gases, helping to avoid up to 0.5 degree Celsius of global temperature rise by 2100, while continuing to protect the ozone layer, officials said.

The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer is an international environmental treaty for the protection of the Ozone Layer by phasing out the production and consumption of man-made chemicals referred to as ozone depleting substances (ODS).

The stratospheric ozone\ layer protects humans and the environment from harmful levels of ultraviolet radiation from the sun.

According to the amendment, implementation of HFC phase-down through the adoption of low-global warming potential and energy-efficient technologies will achieve energy efficiency gains and carbon dioxide emissions reduction which is a "climate co-benefit.

There would be scope for domestic manufacturing of equipment as well as alternative non-HFC and low-global warming potential chemicals to enable the industry to transition to the low global warming potential alternatives as per the agreed HFC phase-down schedule.

In addition, there would be opportunities to promote domestic innovation for new generation alternative refrigerants and related technologies, the government said. Hydrofluorocarbons were introduced as a non-ozone-depleting alternative to chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) such as R-12 and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFC) such as R-21.

While HFCs do not deplete the stratospheric ozone layer, they have high global warming potential ranging from 12 to 14,000, which has an adverse impact on climate.

Recognising the growth in the use of HFCs, especially in the refrigeration and air-conditioning sector, the Parties to the Montreal Protocol reached agreement at their 28th Meeting of the Parties (MOP) held in October 2016 in Kigali, Rwanda to add HFCs to the list of controlled substances and approved a timeline for their gradual reduction by 80-85 per cent by the late 2040s.

India will complete its phase-down of HFCs in four steps from 2032 onwards with a cumulative reduction of 10 per cent in 2032, 20 per cent in 2037, 30 per cent in 2042 and 80 per cent in 2047, the government said. "All amendments and adjustments of the Montreal Protocol, prior to the Kigali Amendment have universal support, it said.

India became a Party to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer on 19 June 1992 and since then has ratified the amendments to the Montreal Protocol. India has successfully met the phase-out targets of all the Ozone Depleting Substances as per the Montreal Protocol Schedule, officials said.

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New Delhi: The Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad (UPMSP) has released the UP Board Exam 2022 Time Table for Advance Registration on Wednesday (August 18, 2021). The UPMSP has also released the dates for advance registration of classes 9 and 11.

The students who want to appear in UP Board Exam 2022 can visit the official website of the UP Board- upmsp.edu.in for more information.

According to an official notice by UPMSP, some of the dates have been revised for Advance Registration of UP Board Exam 2022 and for Classes 9, 11 owing to the COVID-19 pandemic situation. Now, UPMSP has directed all the students to fill the application forms and register.

The official notice also revealed that the exam fee for class 10 regular students is Rs. 500 and for private students is Rs 700. The fee for Class 12 regular students is Rs. 600 and for Class 12 private students is Rs. 800.

ALSO READ | CBSE Class 10, 12 board exam 2022: Check CBSE's BIG announcement for students

The students can check the complete schedule here.

UP Board Exam 2022: Advance Registration Schedule

Last date of admission: September 15, 2021

Last date to deposit fee through Challan in the Treasury: September 22, 2021

Last date for uploading information of examination fee deposited: October 6, 2021 (Till 12 am)

Intimation of deposited examination fee with late fee: Till October 9, 2021

Last date to upload details of students: October 10 to 13, 2021

For Classes 9, 11:

Last date of admission in class 9 and 11: September 15, 2021

Last date to pay Rs. 50 as an advance registration fee through challan in the form of a one-time deposit in the treasury: October 6, 2021 (12 am)

Checking of details of students: October 7 to 9, 2021

Revising the uploaded details of students: October 10 to 17, 2021 (12 am)

Last date for submission of a copy of the Treasury letter to regional office: October 25, 2021

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NEW DELHI: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday said that India, like other world countries, is fully aware of the situation in Afghanistan and the governments top priority is to ensure security and the safe return of Indian nationals.

At the moment, we are, like everybody else, very carefully following developments in Afghanistan. Our focus is on ensuring security in Afghanistan and the safe return of Indian nationals, EAM S Jaishankar said at the UN Security Council on being asked 'how will India deal with Taliban'.

At the moment, we are, like everybody else, very carefully following developments in #Afghanistan. Our focus is on ensuring security in Afghanistan and the safe return of Indian nationals: EAM S Jaishankar at UNSC on being asked 'how will India deal with Taliban' (18.08.2021) pic.twitter.com/WuWI4bq68n  ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2021

The EAM further stated that at this point in time, we're looking at what is the situation in Kabul. Obviously, the Taliban and its representatives have come to Kabul. So, we need to take it on from there.

S Jaishankar made these remarks while replying to a question if India has made any communication with Taliban in recent days.

He went on to say that as far as the Indian investment in Afghanistan is concerned, it reflected New Delhis historical relationship with the Afghan people. That relation with Afghan people obviously continues. That will guide our approach to Afghanistan in the coming days, the EAM added.

Prior to that, the External Affairs Minister and his British counterpart Dominic Raab exchanged views on developments and the immediate challenges posed by the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan.

"Welcome the conversation today with UK Foreign Secretary @DominicRaab. Exchanged views on the Afghanistan developments and the immediate challenges," Jaishankar, who is on a 4-day visit to the US, tweeted on Wednesday.

Dominic Raab also held talks over Afghanistan with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. The Taliban entered Kabul on Sunday and took control of the presidential palace.

Meanwhile, a senior Taliban leader has said that it will be "an Islamic government based on Sharia laws, there would be no democratic system at all because it doesn't have any base in our country."

Waheedullah Hashimi, a senior member of the Taliban who has access to the group's decision-making, added that the Islamist militant movement's supreme leader, Haibatullah Akhundzada, would likely remain in overall charge.

Soon after the terror group claimed control over the Afghan capital, several countries evacuated their diplomatic personnel from the country, and hundreds of people flocked to the Kabul airport in an attempt to leave Afghanistan.

Over 60 countries including the US, United Kingdom, Japan, Germany and Canada have urged "all parties" to safeguard the departure of foreign nationals and Afghans who wish to leave the war-torn country and said that roads, airports and border crossing must remain open.

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Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday (August 19) said that the state government has raised the dearness allowance of government employees to 28 per cent. He added that the government plans to enhance the wages of Anganwadi workers as well.

The state government has increased the dearness allowance of government employees to 28 per cent (as per the Centre's mandate) with the effect from July 2021. The government will enhance honorarium to Anganwadi Workers / Anganwadi Helpers, Adityanath said in the state Assembly.

The UP government yesterday presented a supplementary budget of Rs 7301.52 crore to meet additional expenditure.

The supplementary budget was presented by Finance Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna in the presence of the chief minister.

"It is only 1.33 per cent of the annual budget of Rs 5.5 lakh crore presented by the government earlier," Khanna had said.

The Assembly was adjourned sine die today ahead of its scheduled conclusion on August 24. The House, whose first sitting was held on August 17, functioned only for three days.

Yogi Adityanath is likely to reach Delhi in the evening today to meet BJP central leadership, as per media reports.

Media sources said that he is likely to meet BJP chief JP Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to discuss partys poll preparedness in the state.
Jammu: An Indian Army officer and a terrorist was killed in the heavy exchange of fire after a gunfight broke out in Jammu and Kashmir`s Rajouri district on Thursday.

According to reports, a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) of the Indian Army was martyred in the gunfight with the terrorists.

Defence Ministry Spokesman Lt. Colonel Devender Anand said, "Today during an encounter with the terrorists in Thanamandi area of Rajouri, one JCO of Rashtriya Rifles suffered bullet injuries.

"The JCO was immediately evacuated to the nearest medical facility, but later he succumbed to injuries," he said.

#UPDATE | One Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) of Rashtriya Rifles, suffered bullet injuries. The JCO was immediately evacuated to the nearest medical facility but later succumbed to his injuries.  ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2021

News agency ANI, citing Defence Ministry sources, said that one terrorist was also neutralized by security forces in Thanamandi encounter.

The J&K Police had killed two terrorists in the same area on August 6. Reports coming from the area said the operation against the terrorists was still underway in the area.

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New Delhi: Bank of India (BOI) is seeking to hire for the posts of Support Staff. The BOI recruitment 2021 will fill up to 21 posts in the organization. Interested candidates can apply through the official BOI site at bankofindia.co.in.

The application process, which began on August 16, 2021, will last till August 31, 2021. The recruitment drive will fill vacancies of support staff at RSETI Mainpuri, Rseti Kannauj, and RSETI Farrukhabad on contractual basis.

Eligibility criteria:

Candidates must have a graduation degree in BSW/ BA/ B.Com/ with knowledge of computers. Candidates applying for the posts should not be less than 18 years and the maximum age limit is 45 years, subject to physical fitness.

Selection procedure:

Candidates will be selected on the basis of written test, personal interview and demonstration/ presentation. The written paper will test candidates' General Knowledge and Computer capability. The personal interview will be conducted to assess communication skills, leaderships quality, attitude, problem solving ability and ability to get along with the trainees development approach. Demonstration/ Presentation will help in gauging teaching skills and communication capacity of the candidates.

Tenure:

The selected candidates shall be engaged on contact basis for a period of 2 years. Renewal may be considered at Bank's sole discretion in terms of extant policies and rules," the notification read.

Candidates are advised to read the official notification on the official website of the bank  bankofindia.co.in.

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New Delhi: The Union Public Service Commission will conduct its Preliminary Examination (2021) for the first time in the city of Leh.

The Minister for the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) shared the information on Wednesday. This will address a long-pending of the youth from Ladakh region said, Minister Jitender Singh.

The minister also recalled that about five years ago, the demand for a UPSC examination centre had been taken up by the DoPT, but it could not be carried further.

With the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Ladakh has been given the status of a separate Union Territory. It was considered in the fitness of things to open an exclusive and self-reliant facility for the convenience of the civil service aspirants from the region, which has, in the past gifted some of the finest IAS officers to India," Singh said.

The announcement came shortly after the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, R.K. Mathur, called on Singh in the North Block to discuss the placement of IAS officers and other service-related matters in the context of Ladak

He informed about the monetary benefits in the form of 'Special Allowances for All India Services Officers' from the northeast cadres also been put out to AIS Officers working in the UT vide an order dated April 12 this year.

The special allowance is 20% of the basic pay to the AIS Officers in the North-East region.

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New Delhi: Afghan pop star and reality show judge Aryana Sayeed recently fled Afghanistan after the Taliban took over the country. In her Instagram post on Wednesday (August 19), she shared a picture of her on a US flight and revealed in the caption that she has reached Doha, Qatar and is waiting for her flight to Istanbul.

She also prayed for the citizens of the country and expressed that she hopes they will be able to live peacefully without fearing suicide bombers and explosions.

In the caption, Aryana wrote, "I had said in one of my recent interviews that I will be the Last Soldier to leave the Motherland and interestingly enough, that is exactly what happened. I hope and pray as a result of the recent changes, at the very least my beautiful people will be able to start living a peaceful life without the fear of suicide bombers and explosions. My heart, my prayers and my thoughts will always be with you!"

"My heartfelt gratitude to each and everyone of you for your well-wishes and prayers who were concerned about my presence inside Afghanistan after so many others with lesser dangers/concerns had already left. I am well and alive and after a couple of unforgettable nights, I have reached Doha, Qatar and am awaiting my eventual flight back home to Istanbul. After I get home and my mind and emotions return back to normal from a world of disbelief and shock, I have many stories to share with you My LOVE/S!! For now, please stay safe and please stay united! xoxo," she added.

The pop star concluded by saying, "I hope and pray as a result of the recent changes, at the very least my beautiful people will be able to start living a peaceful life without the fear of suicide bombers and explosions I am well and alive and after a couple of unforgettable nights, I have reached Doha, Qatar and am awaiting my eventual flight back home to Istanbul."

Check out her post:

After this post, her husband Hasib Sayed shared a boomerang of the pop star while she was sleeping on the plane and praised her for her bravery considering the dangerous events that took place in Afghanistan over the past few days.

For the unversed, pop star Aryana Sayeed is one of the most popular Afghan singers and TV personalities. She sings in Persian and Pashto. Interestingly, she was a judge in the Afghan version of The Voice - the show aired in 2013. Later, she also became a judge on the show Afghan Star. She has won several awards as well such as the Afghan Icon Award and the 2017 Best Female Artist of Afghanistan.
Mumbai: Actor Anupam Kher heaped praise on Hollywood star Robert De Niro on his 78th birthday and described him as 'Godfather of acting'.

Taking to his Instagram account, Kher posted a heartfelt wish for Robert, and recalled the dinner they had together. "Dear Mr. #DeNiro! Wishing you a very happy and healthy birthday!! May God give you all the happiness in the world. You have inspired generations of actors all over the world. On a personal level, every moment spent with you is most precious and a big learning experience! Thank you for the most delicious dinner and an amazing evening few days back!! #RobertDeNiro #GodFatherOfActing #Friend #Inspiration #YourBestIsToday," he wrote.

Alongside the sweet note, Kher posted a few pictures of him sharing smiles with Robert.

Robert is considered one of the greatest actors of Hollywood. He is best known for his versatile performance in 'The Godfather Part II', 'Taxi Driver', and 'Raging Bull'.
New Delhi: Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor Khan shot parts of the film Laal Singh Chaddha during her second pregnancy and the pandemic. In a recent interview, she revealed this worried her sister Karisma to the core. However, the 'Tashan' actress revealed that she credits her co-star Aamir Khan for taking care of her safety on set.

In a conversation with a leading daily, she divulged that she would commute from her husband's Saif Ali Khan's hometown Pataudi to Delhi for shooting.

She told NDTV, "I had an hour and a half journey in the car every day and we shot late nights mostly."

Kareena expressed she was in touch with her gynaecologist throughout the shooting.

"I was constantly in touch with my gynaecologist, asking him if the baby would be safe and if I am working and I am not getting rest, how it is affecting my baby. So, he was like if you are getting eight hours of sleep in the day, you can be working late in the night. He just said that keep washing your hands, wear the mask and keep faith and that's exactly what I did, and it was a brilliant shoot," she further revealed.

She also joked that her second son Jeh is technically in the film. She said, "So, my son is practically in Laal Singh Chaddha. He is in the romantic song with Aamir and me."

Shockingly, the actress had fainted on the sets of the film when she was in the 8th month of her pregnancy. When asked to described her ordeal, she said, "That day maybe it was the heat, it was the humidity, all the mental stress, like we were in the middle of the lockdown. Maybe everything came together. I just couldn't get myself out of the van. I couldn't get myself together. I felt like I was going to faint. I sat down and said you know I can't go ahead with this particular shoot right now."

On the work front, the actress will next be seen in Aamir Khans Laal Singh Chaddha and Karan Johars multistarrer magnum opus Takht.
New Delhi: Popular Pakistani film and television actress Mehwish Hayat wished her countrymen on Independence Day (August 14) and it hogged the limelight for all wrong reasons. The stunner blasted haters for trolling her.

Mehwish Hayat took to Instagram (IG) and wrote: "The Quaid said, It is only with united effort and faith in our destiny that we shall be able to translate the Pakistan of our dreams into reality." Hoisting the flag is not enough, if we really respect this country, we need to embody the ideals of our forefathers. Happy Independence Day."

Later, when haters commented on her innerwear with distasteful remarks, she bashed them on her IG story. Here's a screenshot:

This is not the first time that a celebrity has been trolled online.

Meanwhile, in other news, a female TikToker in Pakistan was abused and harassed on Independence Day. As per IANS, Lahore police on Tuesday registered a case against hundreds of unidentified persons for assaulting and stealing from a female TikToker and her companions at the city's Greater Iqbal Park on Pakistan's Independence Day.

As per the FIR, the complainant stated that she, along with her six companions, were filming a video near Minar-e-Pakistan on Independence Day when around 300 to 400 people "attacked us".

A video of the incident started circulating on social media with citizens expressing anger over the actions of the men in the video.
New Delhi: From today onwards, banks are going to be closed for 5 straight days. However, these specific holidays will not be observed across the country uniformly. Holidays of the mentioned days will be observed in various regions according to the state declared holidays, and only for the gazetted holidays, banks will be closed all over the country.

Before visiting your bank branch in the coming week, you must note down the list of important days during which banks will remain closed. It must also be noted that the bank holidays vary in various states as well not observed by all the banking companies. Banking holidays also depend on the festivals being observed in specific states or notification of specific occasions in those states.

Here is an elaborate list of bank holidays in August. Check out the city-wise list.

August 19 - Muharram (Ashura) - Banks closed in Agartala, Belapur, Jammu, Kolkata, Mumbai, Nagpur, Patna, Raipur, and Srinagar

August 20 - Muharram / First Onam - Banks closed in New Delhi, Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Kanpur, Bhopal, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Ranchi, Bangalore, Chennai, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram

August 21- Thiruvonam  Banks closed in Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram

22 August - Sunday

23 August - Sree Narayana Guru Jayanti - Banks closed in Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has mentioned some days when the banking operations will remain closed in the month of August 2021, although online banking activities will continue to work. Banks will remain closed for total 15 days in the month of August-- 8 as per the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) holiday calendar list and the remaining days are that of weekends. However banking activities in different states may vary from each other.

Reserve Bank of India places its Holidays under three brackets --Holiday under Negotiable Instruments Act; Holiday under Negotiable Instruments Act and Real Time Gross Settlement Holiday; and Banks Closing of Accounts.

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New Delhi: Your investments in the schemes offered by the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) and the Employees' Provident Fund (EFPO) could be invested in Indias startups to offer you promised returns. Both the state-backed organisations are in talks with the Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) to invest in Indias startup ecosystem, which has grown manifold in the past few decades.

If the government allows LIC and EPFO investments in Indian startups, then the countrys startups wont have to depend on foreign fundings for their growth. At present, Indian startups usually raise most of the capital from several countries such as Singapore, Saudi Arabia, the US, and Canada, among other nations.

Additional secretary of DPIIT, Anil Agarwal, said that the government is in the process of encouraging the two state-owned firms - LIC and EPFO - to start investing in Indias startups to get hefty returns from their funds, according to a report by ET.

Agarwal reportedly cited examples of how state-backed funds like Canadas Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Board earned a 9.5% annual return by investing in the countrys startup ecosystem for the past three years.

We dont want India to become a digital colony. Out of the $70 Bn that came in the last six years, only 10% is Indian money. We want more Indian money to come in. And for that, the capital gains tax has to be reduced. It will move the market much faster, Agarwal was quoted as saying.

What does it mean for investors?

Investors of the LIC of EPFO may need not worry, as both the funds offer assured returns. At present, fund managers of EPFO and LIC invest in Sensex and Nifty stocks, government bonds and other debt instruments to offer your assured returns. Also Read: BSNL Rs 1498 annual data prepaid plan launched: Get internet, unlimited Calls throughout the year

Investments in startups could be risky but the money put in debt and the stock market will ensure that you receive promised returns in case the LIC or EPFO starts placing their bets on Indian startups. Also Read: Honda CB200X ADV launched in India: Check price, specs and features in pics

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New Delhi: Amazon on Thursday said megastar Amitabh Bachchan's voice will now be available on Alexa that will allow users to ask for music, set alarms and even get weather updates in Bachchan's signature style.

In September last year, Amazon had announced its partnership with Bachchan for creating a unique user experience on Alexa-enabled devices.

This is India's first celebrity voice feature on Alexa, Amazon's digital assistant Alexa that is available on Echo devices, Fire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote, Fire TV Edition apart from the Alexa app.

"Indian customers can choose to add Bachchan's voice to their Alexa experience on Echo devices or by pressing the mic icon on the Amazon shopping app (Android only) for an introductory price of Rs 149 for one year," a statement said.

Users need to say "Alexa, introduce me to Amitabh Bachchan" to start the purchase and interact with Bachchan's voice using the wake word 'Amit ji'.

The celebrity experience features content handpicked by Bachchans stories from his life, a selection of poems by his father, tongue twisters, motivational quotes and others, the statement said.

In addition, customers can also ask for music, set alarms and get weather updates in Bachchan's signature style, it added.

Users can ask "Amit ji, play songs from Kabhi Kabhi", "Amitji, Sholay ke gaane bajaiye" or "Amit ji, tell us a funny story" to hear some fun behind-the-scenes info.

Users can also add a special touch to birthday celebrations with greetings in Amitabh Bachchan's voice by saying "Amit ji, it's my birthday".

"Working with Amazon to introduce my voice on Alexa was a new experience in bringing together the magic of voice technology and artistic creativity. I am excited that my well-wishers can now interact with me via this new medium, and looking forward to hear how they feel about this," Bachchan said.

Puneesh Kumar, country leader for Alexa at Amazon India, said, "Building the Amitabh Bachchan celebrity voice experience with one of India's most iconic voices has been a labour of love." Also Read: Simple One bike, battery warranty details revealed: Compare with Revolt, Ather, Ola's warranty offers

"Creating the world's first bi-lingual celebrity voice required us to invent and re-invent across almost every element of speech science ? wake word, speech recognition, neural text-to-speech and more," he said. Also Read: Facebook took action on 31.5 mn pieces of content for hate speech in Q2
New Delhi: Facebook Inc on Thursday launched a test of a new virtual-reality remote work app where users of the company`s Oculus Quest 2 headsets can hold meetings as avatar versions of themselves. The beta test of Facebook`s Horizon Workrooms app comes as many companies continue to work from home after the COVID-19 pandemic shut down physical workspaces and as a new variant is sweeping across the globe.

Facebook sees its latest launch as an early step toward building the futuristic "metaverse" that CEO Mark Zuckerberg has touted in recent weeks.

The world`s largest social network has invested heavily in virtual and augmented reality, developing hardware such as its Oculus VR headsets, working on AR glasses and wristband technologies and buying a bevvy of VR gaming studios, including BigBox VR.

Gaining dominance in this space, which Facebook bets will be the next big computing platform, will allow it to be less reliant in the future on other hardware makers, such as Apple Inc, the company has said.

Facebook`s vice president of its Reality Labs group, Andrew "Boz" Bosworth, said the new Workrooms app gives "a good sense" of how the company envisions elements of the metaverse.

"This is kind of one of those foundational steps in that direction," Bosworth told reporters during a VR news conference.

The term "metaverse," coined in the 1992 dystopian novel "Snow Crash," is used to describe immersive, shared spaces accessed across different platforms where the physical and digital converge. Zuckerberg has described it as an "embodied internet."

It has been referenced in several recent earnings calls by tech CEOs including Zuckerberg, Microsoft Corp`s Satya Nadella, gaming company Roblox Corp`s David Baszucki and Match Group Inc`s Shar Dubey, who have talked about how their companies could shape aspects of this futuristic realm.

In July, Facebook said it was creating a product team to work on the metaverse, which would be part of its AR and VR group Facebook Reality Labs.

In its first full VR news briefing, the company showed how Workrooms users can design avatar versions of themselves to meet in virtual reality conference rooms and collaborate on shared whiteboards or documents, still interacting with their own physical desk and computer keyboard. The app, free through the Quest 2 headsets which cost about $300, allows up to 16 people together in VR and up to 50 total including video conference participants. Bosworth said Facebook was now using Workrooms regularly for internal meetings.

The company said it would not use people`s work conversations and materials in Workrooms to target ads on Facebook. It also said users must follow its VR community standards and that rule-breaking behavior can be reported to Oculus.

Facebook recently halted sales of its Oculus Quest 2 headsets and recalled the foam face-liners due to reports of skin irritation in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Also Read: Honda CB200X ADV launched in India: Check price, specs and features in pics

The recall notice said it affected about 4 million units in the United States, providing an estimate of Quest 2 headset sales which have not yet been officially announced by the company. Facebook reported non-advertising revenue, which comes from the AR and VR part of the business as well as e-commerce, of $497 million in the second quarter of 2021. Also Read: LIC, EPFO could start investing in Indian startups, do investors need to worry?
New Delhi: TV actress Nupur Alankar recently spoke about her brother-in-law Kaushal Agarwal being stuck in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan and how he is surviving the political turmoil that is unravelling in the country.

A leading daily reported that Kaushal, Nupur's sister's husband, was supposed to return to India on August 15, however, due to the Taliban overtaking the Ghani government, he couldn't.

In a phone interview with ETimes, Kaushal described his situation in the war-torn country. He said, "Its a very scary situation here. When I reached Kabul on July 16, it wasnt bad and nobody expected things to spiral out of control in such a short span. My original plan was to return to India on August 15, but since I hadnt finished my work, I went to the Indian embassy for an extension of my visa till August 30."

At the moment, the actress' brother-in-law has taken refuge in his friend's office. In the interview, he revealed that there are many power cuts throughout the day, and water shortages which means they can only shower once in three days.

He further said, "I charge my mobile phone by using the car battery. They have instructed all mobile network providers to stop the connection from 6 pm to 6 am. So, I can make calls only before and after that. The Taliban can be seen patrolling the streets of Kandahar and it is unnerving. I am stuck here and all I want to do is return to India and be with my family. I have mailed a request to the Indian embassy, but there is no reply from them yet. My calls to their office have gone unanswered. I will have to go to Kabul to take a flight to India, but the worry right now is how do I get there?

Commenting on the tense situation, Nupur told ETimes that she and her family did get a chance to contact him. She revealed, "He tries to assure us that he is safe, we are in a state of panic. When I last spoke to him, he said, Abhi tak toh safe hoon, aage dekhte hain. We are constantly praying for his safety and hoping that he returns soon. I remember how when he had just landed there, he would tell us about the local cuisine and clothes Things changed drastically in a months time!"

Nupur Alankar is best known for her roles in shows such as Pran Jaaye Par Shaan Na Jaaye, Ghar Ki Lakshmi Betiyann, Swaragini and Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon?...Ek Baar Phir.
Lucknow: In view of the improving COVID-19 situation across the country, several state governments have issued detailed guidelines and issued notifications regarding the reopening of schools amid strict adherence to the COVID safety norms.

The Uttar Pradesh government led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, which has recently decided to open schools for physical classes, has made a very important announcement regarding the opening of schools and the attendance for students.

State's Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma has said that attendance of students will not be compulsory and schools may be closed again if the COVID-19 situation worsens.

Sharma informed the state legislative council while replying to a question by teacher constituency member Dhruv Kumar Tripathi.

"In basic education, attendance is not compulsory. We have also not made attendance mandatory for classes from 9 to 12," Sharma said. "Guardians, teachers and political organisations have also said the offline education should be started even if it is for a shorter period, Sharma said.

In UP, the present atmosphere is sufficiently secure but if there is any indication of any concern (regarding COVID-19), we can also close schools," he added.

Tripathi also asked Health Minister Jai Pratap Singh if there was any arrangement for vaccination of teachers and students below 18 years of age.

In a supplementary question, SP member Shatrudra Prakash asked the minister if it is safe for little children to go to school without vaccination. The minister replied that the vaccine for children below 18 is not yet available but it is expected to be available by September.

He said after the vaccine is available, a campaign will be launched to inoculate children. The state government has opened schools from August 16 for classes 9 to 12. For classes six to eight, they will be opened from August 23 and for classes one to five from September 1.

Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath had on Tuesday said that his government is considering reopening schools for classes 1 to 8 in a week or two. This was announced a day after the schools reopened for students of classes 9 to 12 on August 16 with 50 per cent attendance and strict Covid protocol in place.

A tweet by Chief Ministers Office said that the CM is considering reopening schools for classes 6 to 8 from August 23, on the occasion of Rakshabandhan, and classes 1 to 5 from September 1.

                                             Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) August 16, 2021

Schools in UP have remained shut for the last 17 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the students are being taught through online classes.

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New Delhi: A woman passenger had a near-death experience at a train station after she fell near the train. The incident happened at a railway station in Indore city of Madhya Pradesh where the woman was trying to board a moving train.

The authorities revealed that she was saved due to the alertness of co-passengers in the train in Indore. According to the Railway PRO, Khemraj Meena the incident took place on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, CCTV footage of the incident is now going viral on social media platforms, in which the train can be seen accelerating and moving out of the station when the woman tries to board and falls on the ground.

Watch the viral video of the incident here:

#WATCH | Madhya Pradesh: Fellow passengers saved the life of a woman in Indore who was trying to board a moving train, yesterday. (Video source: Railway Protection Force, Indore) pic.twitter.com/0HgbYLrnwq  ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2021

ALSO READ | Cute toddler walks the ramp with a swag, melts netizens' hearts

The woman passenger was boarding a train along with a man and a child. After keeping the luggage inside the train, the man and the child boarded the train. The woman slipped off and fell off from the moving train and got stuck between the station and the platform, said Meena.

"Because of the alertness of co-passengers, they pulled the chain on time so the train stopped and the woman was rescued, he added.

(With ANI inputs)

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Thirty-four-year-old Harish Bangera, an air-conditioning technician reunited with his family on Wednesday after spending as many as 600 days in a prison in Saudi Arabia for a blasphemous Facebook post he didn`t make.

Harish was arrested on December 22, 2019, for making blasphemous remarks about Mecca and using abusive language about the King of Saudi Arabia on Facebook.

However, the Karnataka police who took up the investigation of the case found that the contemptuous remarks were posted by two persons in the Udupi district by creating a fake Facebook Id in the name of the victim.

The police arrested the accused persons, Abdul Huyez and Abdul Thuyez in October 2020. The family of Bangera submitted the investigation reports to the Saudi authorities and finally managed to get him released from Saudi prison.

Bangera arrived at Kempegowda International Airport on Wednesday said, he thanks the Karnataka police for finding the real culprits. He further thanked everyone who helped his family to get him released. Though the submissions were made, the courts in Saudi were not operating due to Covid-19. "Otherwise, I could have been released much earlier," he said.

Bangera was welcome by his wife Sumana, daughter Hansika and friends.

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New Delhi: A day after usurping power in Afghanistan, the Taliban has been making international headlines as the nation plunges into deep political crisis. Though the Taliban has maintained that that they want peaceful relations with other countries and would respect the rights of women as permitted by Islamic law.

In these videos the Taliban fighters are seen laughing and riding electric bumper cars while holding assault rifles and weapons. Similar videos surfaced of the armed militants in a gym.

Watch here:

Among scenes of despair and gloom these videos of the armed militants enjoying themselves at the Kabul Amusement Park which has gone been widely shared on the social media stands out in sharp contrast.

Here's another video of the militants at the trampoline:

In this video, the militants are at the gym of the presidential palace.

Des Talibans decouvrent la salle de sport au sein du palais presidentiel : pic.twitter.com/IJqezGFscl    (@Mohamedparisar) August 16, 2021

Meanwhile, countries are scrambling to evacuate their diplomats and citizens from the war-torn country as it plunges into further political crisis.

Read more about Taliban here: Taliban's History

India too has evacuated all of its embassy staff. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval spoke with his American counterpart Jake Sullivan for the smooth evacuation of Indians. A flight with Indian passengers reached Gujarats Jamnagar at 11 am on Tuesday.
Santiniketan/Kolkata: Union Minister Subhas Sarkar courted a controversy on Wednesday with his remarks that Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore's mother did not cradle him in her arms when he was a child because of his "not so fair complexion", provoking angry reactions from West Bengal's ruling TMC, which said it was an "insult" to a state icon.

The BJP, however, defended the minister, saying his remarks were against "racism".

The Minister of State for Education made the comments during a visit to Visva Bharati, the university founded by Tagore.

The doctor-turned-BJP MP said before a small audience that while other members of the Tagore family had "bright yellowish fair" complexion, Tagore was fair but had a reddish hue to his skin.

"There are two types of fair skinned people. One that are very fair with a yellowish hue and those who are fair but with a reddish tinge. Kabiguru belonged to the second category," he said.

Sarkar went on to say that "due to his not so fair complexion, his mother and many others in the family did not cradle Rabindranath in their arms or sat him in their laps."

Sarkar's comments triggered a controversy, with educationists and politicians denouncing him.

Former Rabindra Bharati University Vice-Chancellor Pabitra Sarkar said, "No idea on what basis the Hon'ble minister made such comments. Don't know if he has read biographies of Tagore thoroughly or whether he understood the spirit of these writings properly."

"Tagore was not of dark complexion though people like his elder sister had described him as Rabi, our dark-complexioned boy. This was an exaggeration. Did the minister mean to say Rabindranath was as dark as Africans? Or he meant he had a complexion that was somewhat between fair and dark?"

"The minister did not clarify. And will he say what he wanted to prove by referring to the complexion of Tagore? How does it matter? Did that matter for Tagore when he got the Nobel, did it matter for Tagore when he became a world visionary, a poet-writer-painter-playwright, a Mohican?" Pabitra Sarkar said.

He said the remarks were "unexpected from an education minister" and only indicated the "insanity we see all around and the sad state of affairs in the country".

In his speech at the varsity, the union minister talked about the world vision of Tagore which prompted him to found Visva Bharati and his multifaceted personality. He likened his visit to Visva Bharati to a pilgrimage and promised to transform it into one of the top universities in the world.

The TMC reacted angrily, accusing him of insulting the icons of Bengal.

"Subhas Sarkar is not aware of history. By all accounts, it is well known that Rabindranath Tagore was fair skinned. This is a racist comment (by the minister) and an insult to the icons of Bengal. Subhas Sarkar should not be allowed to enter Viswa-Bharati ever again," senior TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee said.

Echoing him, CPI(M) central committee member Sujan Chakraborty said such comments only reflect the "racist and anti-Bengali mindset of the BJP".

However, the West Bengal BJP leadership stood by the union minister and said his comments were, in fact, against racism.

"Subhas Sarkar has neither said anything against Rabindranath Tagore nor his family. He has spoken against discrimination on the basis of the colour of skin. His comments were not at all intended to insult anyone. The TMC should stop politicising just everything," state BJP spokesperson Shamik Bhattacharya said.

Echoing him, senior BJP leader and former Tripura governor Tathagatha Roy said Sarkar's comments had been blown out of proportion.

"His comments are being blown out of proportion. If you go through matrimonial advertisements, you will find Bengali families always seek a fair-complexioned groom or bride. His comments are just a reflection of the society and against such discrimination," Roy said.

Repeated calls to Subhas Sarkar for his comments on the controversy went unanswered.
New Delhi: In a major setback to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the Calcutta HIgh Court has ordered a court-monitored CBI probe into the incidents of post-poll violence in West Bengal. All case detail as required should be handed over to the CBI.

For other cases, the court has ordered an SIT to be headed by Suman bora Sahu and two other police officers. The court also ruled that the compensation to victims to be given through direct bank accounts.

Further, no adverse action to be taken without court direction.

Calcutta High Court orders a court-monitored CBI probe into the incidents of post-poll violence in West Bengal pic.twitter.com/QmSQBQRjgA  ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2021

A five-member bench headed by acting Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal had reserved its verdict on August 3. A number of petitioners had moved the court alleging widespread violence post state Assembly elections after the Trinamool Congress returned to power on May 2.

Hailing the decision by the high court, BJP General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya claimed that the Calcutta High Court order has exposed the Mamata Banerjee-led government. as the post-poll violence took place under protection from the state government.

Post-poll violence in West Bengal took place under the protection of the state government. The order by the Calcutta High Court has exposed the government. We welcome the court order: BJP General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya (File photo) pic.twitter.com/zJNQ1cG1XC  ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2021

A committee of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had been formed as directed by the high court to probe the various complaints of post-poll violence in West Bengal. The victims had levelled serious allegations of murder, rape and destruction of property.

On July 15, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) team submitted its final report which termed the situation in the state a manifestation of the law of the ruler instead of the rule of law.

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LAHORE: A powerful explosion ripped through a Muharram procession in central Pakistan's Punjab province on Thursday (August 19), killing at least two, including a seven-year-old girl, and wounding 59 people, the local government and police officials said. The incident took place in Bahawalnagar, some 260 kilometres from Lahore when a Shia procession was heading to an Imambargah as part of the annual Ashura commemoration.

The Punjab government issued the list of the dead and injured. According to it, the mourners - Maheen Zahra,7, and Salman Nazir, 20, lost their lives. It said the condition of three of the injured persons was critical. "The (Shia) procession (was) comprising 500 men, women and children, when an explosion took place. It seems to be a terrorist activity," the report said, adding that most of the injured are young men.

Punjab Home Minister Raja Basharat confirmed to the media that at least two people were killed in the attack carried out by a man who threw a hand grenade at the mourners in the procession which was passing near a mosque in Bahawalnagar. He said the attacker had been arrested and pictures shared on social media showed police dragging a bearded and shirtless man in handcuffs.

Basharat said besides the two people killed in the explosion, two of the injured were in critical condition and undergoing treatment at Bahawalpur Victoria Hospital, where all wounded had been shifted. Videos circulating on social media showed people running around in panic after the blast and ambulances rushing injured persons to the hospital. A senior police officer told PTI that apparently a man threw grenades at the procession despite high security.

"Two persons including a seven-year-old girl Maheen and 20-year-old Salman lost their lives while over 25 were injured," he said. He said the suspect threw grenades when the procession passed by the Jamaia Masjid Mohajir Colony at 10 am this morning. "Police have arrested the suspect on the spot," he said. Another police source said the attack seemed to be sectarian in nature.

"The suspect who threw grenade(s) was hiding in a mosque and when the Ashura procession reached there he suddenly appeared on its rooftop and threw a grenade at it," he said, adding that in the south of Punjab, anti-Shia group Lashkar-e-Jhanghvi (LeJ) has its roots and it leaves no chance to target the minority community. A senior police official from Multan also said the police had arrested the man who threw the grenade on the Ashura procession. "He is in police custody and investigations will be carried out to find out his links and contacts as well," he said.

Rescuers have shifted the injured to district headquarters hospital Bahawalnagar where the condition of five of them is said to be critical. Another senior officer of the Punjab government confirmed the death of two persons and scores of injures in the attack and said it was a sensitive matter that is why the police and the government were not issuing any statements. "Ashura processions are underway in the country and we don't want to create panic through this tragic news," he said.

Opposition Senator Sehar Kamran condemned the attack on the Shia procession and termed it a "cracker attack" and prayed for the recovery of those who were injured.

Rights activist Ammar Ali Jan said in a tweet: "Shocking reports of explosion during Ashura procession in Bahawalnagar. All sections of society must strongly condemn sectarian violence. Sectarian bigots are continuation of Yazid's legacy. Hussainiat always defeated the terror of cowards. It will win against it today as well."

Bahawalnagar was trending on Twitter on Thursday with people posting videos of the incident, even as mobile services remained suspended in Pakistan's major cities, including Karachi, Hyderabad, Quetta, and Sukkur to avoid any untoward incident during the Ashura processions.

Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar chaired a high-level meeting at the Safe City Authority and ordered the Counter-Terrorism Department to submit a report on the Bahawalnagar blast after completing the combing operation and investigation.

As many as 218 processions were taken out in Karachi on Ashura and the Karachi police said a total of 12,455 security personnel had been deployed across the city. In Lahore, police said 46 processions are taken out from different areas of the city. Shiite Muslims took out processions across Pakistan amid tight security arrangements on Thursday, commemorating the martyrdom of Imam Hussain on Muharram 10.

The annual commemoration mourns the death of Prophet Muhammad's grandson Hussein, one of the most revered figures of Shiite Muslims. Prime Minister Imran Khan and President Arif Alvi urged citizens in their separate messages to ensure compliance with coronavirus standard operating procedures. "Imam Hussain became a symbol of force against falsehood and strength for all movements fighting against tyranny in the times to come," Radio Pakistan quoted Khan as saying.

The president urged the nation to rise above hatred, malice, and sectarianism in line with the teachings of Imam Hussain, the state broadcaster reported. Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar chaired a high-level meeting at the Safe City Authority and ordered the Counter Terrorism Department to submit a report on the Bahawalnagar blast after completing the combing operation and investigation.

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Kabul (Afghanistan): Waheedullah Hashimi, a senior member of the Taliban who has access to the group's decision-making, Afghanistan may be governed by a ruling council now that the Taliban has taken over. While talking to the news agency Reuters, Hashimi added that the Islamist militant movement's supreme leader, Haibatullah Akhundzada, would likely remain in overall charge.

Not a democracy

While the Taliban are still deliberating on the structure of the government, the system of the government is clear, said the senior member, adding that it will be "an Islamic government based on Sharia laws, there would be no democratic system at all because it doesn't have any base in our country."

The Taliban would also reach out to former pilots and soldiers from the Afghan armed forces to join its ranks. On recruiting soldiers and pilots who fought for the ousted Afghan government, Hashimi said the Taliban planned to set up a new national force that would include its own members as well as government soldiers willing to join. "Most of them have got training in Turkey and Germany and England. So we will talk to them to get back to their positions," he told Reuters. He added that they will have to make some changes, to have some reforms in the army, "but still we need them and will call them to join us."

Waheedullah Hashimi, a senior Taliban commander, spoke to Reuters during an interview at an undisclosed location near Afghanistan-Pakistan border (Pic: Reuters)

Everday running of the country

Hashimi mentioned that a council will govern Afghanistan and oversee the day-to-day activity while Haibatullah Akhundzada, the supreme leader of the Taliban, is likely to remain the overall in-charge. This is reminiscent of the previous Taliban rule in Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001. Then, supreme leader Mullah Omar remained in the shadows and left the day-to-day running of the country to a council.

The President of Afghanistan

"Maybe his (Akhundzada's) deputy will play the role of 'president'," Hashimi told Reuters. The Taliban's supreme leader has three deputies - Mawlavi Yaqoob, son of Mullah Omar, Sirajuddin Haqqani, leader of the powerful militant Haqqani network, and Abdul Ghani Baradar, who heads the Taliban's political office in Doha and is one of the founding members of the group.

However, Baradar has beeen so far largely touted in the media to be the next chief. Born in Uruzgan province in 1968, Baradar is the second senior-most leader in the Taliban hierarchy after Haibatullah Akhundzada. He was freed from a Pakistani jail at the request of the US less than three years ago. Baradar is also the political chief and Talibans most notable public face today.

(With Reuters inputs)

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At least 37 people - including thirteen children aged 15 to 17 and four women - were killed in an attack in western Niger's Tillabery region on Monday. Niger, officially known as the Republic of the Niger has been named after the river with the same name and is a landlocked country in West Africa.

UNICEF has said that it's deeply shocked and outraged by the terrible attacks against children and families by unidentified armed groups in the village of Darey-dey, in the rural commune of Banibangou, Tillabery region, in western Niger."We are saddened to confirm that at least 37 civilians - including thirteen children aged 15 to 17 and four women - were killed and several others were injured. We express our deepest sympathy to the victims, families and communities impacted by these brutal attacks," UNICEF added.

It is the third attack that occurred in this village this year. Conditions on the ground remain extremely dangerous for children.UNICEF and others have repeatedly called for the protection of civilians, in particular children and women, and for the respect of international humanitarian law. Killing children is a grave violation of human rights. Attacks in the region of Tillabery, and along the borders with Burkina Faso, Mali and Nigeria have led to significant displacement and continue to wreak havoc on the lives of hundreds of thousands of children.
Berlin: Germany is set to provide 10 million euros (USD 11.7 million) for a program to support people in Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said. The German Foreign Ministry will provide 10 million euros ($11.7 million) for a program to support people in Afghanistan, Sputnik quoted Foreign Minister Heiko Maas as saying on Wednesday (August 18).

"We are looking into the period after the evacuation, I spoke about this with representatives of German human rights organizations... These days, many representatives of NGOs, science and culture addressed us. In recent years, they have maintained a close partnership with civil society (in Afghanistan) which they would like to continue to support," Maas said.

"To ensure this, we are creating a support fund for those who campaigned for human rights, freedom of science and culture, we want to expand specific protection programs for Afghanistan... and we are allocating immediately 10 million euros for this," he added.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday described the Taliban`s Afghanistan takeover as "bitter, dramatic and terrible".

During a televised news conference Merkel said, "This is a particularly bitter development. Bitter, dramatic and terrible...it is terrible for the millions of Afghans who have worked for the freedom of a society," CNN reported.

On Sunday (August 15), the Taliban completed their takeover of Afghanistan by entering Kabul. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani left the country to prevent what he described as bloodshed that would occur if militants had to fight for the city.

Most countries have reduced or evacuated their diplomatic missions in the Central Asian country following the events.

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Washington: Nobel Prize winner Malala Yousafzai has expressed fear for women and girls in Afghanistan as the Taliban has once again taken control of the war-torn country after 20 years of US military operations.

"The Taliban - who until losing power 20 years ago barred nearly all girls and women from attending school and doled out harsh punishment to those who defied them - are back in control. Like many women, I fear for my Afghan sisters," Malala wrote in an op-ed published in New York Times on August 17.

"I cannot help but think of my own childhood. When the Taliban took over my hometown in Pakistans Swat Valley in 2007 and shortly thereafter banned girls from getting an education, I hid my books under my long, hefty shawl and walked to school in fear. Five years later, when I was 15, the Taliban tried to kill me for speaking out about my right to go to school,'' she wrote in the NYT op-ed.

Malala Yousafzai added, "In the last two decades, millions of Afghan women and girls received an education. Now the future they were promised is dangerously close to slipping away."

We will have time to debate what went wrong in the war in Afghanistan, but in this critical moment, we must listen to the voices of Afghan women and girls. They are asking for protection, for education, for the freedom and the future they were promised. We cannot continue to fail them. We have no time to spare," Malala also said.

Interestingly, striking a conciliatory tone this time, the Taliban has vowed to "respect women`s rights" in the country.

Raising skepticism of the Talibans vow, Yousafzai wrote in New York Times, "Taliban`s history of violently suppressing women`s rights, Afghan women`s fears are real. Already, we are hearing reports of female students being turned away from their universities, female workers from their offices."

Yousafzai, long an advocate for girls` education, survived a Pakistani Taliban assassination attempt when she was just 15 years old when they shot her in the head.

Since then, the Oxford graduate has become a global figure promoting education for girls. The terror group took control over Afghanistan on Sunday after entering the presidential palace in Kabul.

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Les Cayes: An earthquake that killed more than 2,000 people in Haiti had left the Caribbean nation "on its knees", Prime Minister Ariel Henry said on Wednesday (August 18), as survivors showed increasing frustration about the sluggish arrival of relief to hard-hit areas.

Henry had on Sunday flown to Les Cayes, the southwestern city of 100,000 people which bore the brunt of Saturday`s magnitude 7.2 quake, and pledged a rapid increase in aid. But in a video address on Wednesday evening, he conceded Haiti was in trouble.

"Haiti is now on its knees," Henry said. "The earthquake that devastated a large part of the south of the country proves once again our limits, and how fragile we are."

Dozens of people went to Les Cayes airport demanding food after a helicopter arrived carrying supplies, a Reuters witness said. Police intervened to allow a truck carrying aid to leave.

Following another night of rains, residents in Les Cayes, including those camped in a mushrooming tent city in the city center, complained of scant assistance.

ALSO READ: US troops might stay in Afghanistan longer to evacuate all Americans: Joe Biden

Haitian authorities said late on Wednesday that the official death toll had risen to 2,189. Concern was also growing for more remote places outside Les Cayes such as Jeremie to the northwest, where access roads were damaged, videos on social media showed.

Pierre Cenel, a judge in Les Cayes, rebuked the government in Port-au-Prince.

"As a judge, I must not have a political opinion. But as a man, as a man concerned about the situation of my country, nothing is working. They didn`t do anything to prepare for this disaster," Cenel said.

The poorest country in the Americas, Haiti is still recovering from a 2010 quake that killed over 200,000. The latest calamity hit just weeks after President Jovenel Moise was assassinated on July 7, plunging Haiti into political turmoil.

Jerry Chandler, head of Haiti`s civil protection agency, told a news conference he knew aid had yet to reach many areas but officials were working hard to deliver it.

"The frustration and despair of the population is understood, but ... the population is asked not to block the convoys so that civil protection can do its job," he said.

There were at least 600,000 people in need of humanitarian assistance and 135,000 families displaced, Chandler said. The goal was to deliver aid to everyone in need within a week.

RISK OF DISEASE

In the tent city in Les Cayes displaced residents were getting worried. "We need help," said Roosevelt Milford, a pastor speaking on the radio on behalf of the hundreds camping out in soggy fields since the quake destroyed their homes.

Milford and others complained they lacked even the most basic provisions, such as food, clean drinking water, and shelter from the rain. Tanks of drinking water were destroyed during the quake, authorities said.

Tropical Storm Grace this week swept away many shelters and inundated the field.

Moril Jeudy, a community leader in Marigot south of Port-au-Prince, said while the town had emerged intact from the quake, Grace had flooded hundreds of homes, killed four people and left several more missing. And no help had arrived yet. "Even the NGOs didn`t come," he said.

Security concerns about gang-controlled areas on the route from the capital Port-au-Prince, slowed aid access.

The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said negotiations with armed groups had permitted a humanitarian convoy to reach Les Cayes.

Chandler said the government was increasing the number of aid convoys going by land, and aimed to reach three a day soon.

In L`Asile, a town of over 30,000 people 60 km (40 miles) northeast of Les Cayes, community leader Aldorf Hilaire said government help had yet to arrive, and survivors were relying on support from charities such as Doctors Without Borders.

"We are desperate," he told Reuters. "The springs are dirty: the water is not drinkable ... We had a bad night during the storm and the people need tents and tarps."

Authorities have said the earthquake killed at least 1,941 people and injured some 9,900 others, but with rescuers still pulling bodies from the rubble, the tally looks set to rise.

In a rare piece of good news, 34 people had been rescued in the last two days, Chandler said. But hopes are fading.

ALSO READ: Couldn't even put on my shoes, didn't take money from state funds: Afghan President Ashraf Ghani releases first video after fleeing Kabul

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New Delhi: After the Taliban took over the Afghan nation, Ahmad Massoud, leader of National Resistance Front of Afghanistan, said he is ready to follow his fathers footsteps and launch a resistance from Panjshir against the Taliban.

In an opinion piece for The Washington Post, Massoud wrote, I write from the Panjshir Valley today, ready to follow in my fathers footsteps, with mujahideen fighters who are prepared to once again take on the Taliban. We have stores of ammunition and arms that we have patiently collected since my fathers time, because we knew this day might come.

Massoud explained how despite him having soldiers from the Afghan army and weapons to fight, it will not be enough to fight the Taliban.

Appealing to the West for more weapons, ammunition and supplies for their armed struggle to oust the Taliban, Massoud said, We also have the weapons carried by the Afghans who, over the past 72 hours, have responded to my appeal to join the resistance in Panjshir.

He told, "Former members of the Afghan Special Forces have also joined our struggle.

Further, he added, But that is not enough. If Taliban warlords launch an assault, they will of course face staunch resistance from us. The flag of the National Resistance Front will fly over every position that they attempt to take, as the National United Front flag flew 20 years ago. Yet we know that our military forces and logistics will not be sufficient. They will be rapidly depleted unless our friends in the West can find a way to supply us without delay.

Massoud wrote in the Washington Post that the Taliban is not only the problem of Afghanistan alone. He asserted that he and his mujahideen fighters will keep the fight alive and defend Panjshir as the last bastion of Afghan freedom.

Massoud is the son of Ahmed Shah Masood, who fought against the Taliban in the past and was killed on September 9, 2001 by assassins from al-Qaeda.

As per a Reuters report, the Afghan ambassador to Tajikistan declined Taliban rule and said Panjshir province, north of Kabul, would serve as a stronghold for resistance led by self-proclaimed acting president Amrullah Saleh.

I cannot say that the Taliban have won the war. No, it was just Dr Ashraf Ghani who gave up power after treacherous talks with the Taliban," he told Reuters in an interview.

"And only Panjshir resists, led by Vice President Amrullah Saleh," he said, adding, "Panjshir stands strong against anyone who wants to enslave people."
KABUL: Soon after the Taliban promised peace and respect for women according to the Sharia tradition, a video showing the terrorist group capturing Salima Mazari, one of the few female district governors in Afghanistan who had once fought against the oppressive militia in the Balkh province of Afghanistan.

Her supporters claim that Salima Mazari could soon be executed by the Taliban to send out a message to those who wish to offer any kind of resistance to the group. However, there is no official word about her present status as yet.

At a time when top Afghan leaders, including President Ashraf Ghani, fled the country fearing persecution by the Taliban, Salima Mazari decided to stay in the Balkh province till her district of Chahar Kint was captured by the Taliban.

Sources from the region said that Salima Mazari was taken into custody after the insurgents gained control over the entire nation one by one.

A few years ago, Salima Mazari had become one of the three women governors of Afghanistan. Till her capture by the Taliban, she fought bravely to keep Chahar Kint district in Balkh Province out of the Talibans hands.

In 2020, Salima Mazari  a notable female figure in the Balkh province, had negotiated the surrender of over 100 Taliban militants in her province.

Who is Salima Mazari?

Salima Majri, who is of Afghan origin, was born in Iran as a refugee in 1980 after her family fled during the Soviet war. She has been brought up in Iran.

After graduating from Tehran University, Salima Mazari decided to leave her parents and returned to Afghanistan. Before that, she held various roles in several universities and international organizations.

In 2018, she came to know that there is a vacancy for the post of Governor of Chahar Kint District. Since it was her ancestral homeland, she applied for the post and eventually took charge as the Governor of the Chahar Kint District.

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Armed U.S. fighter jets have been flying over Kabul to ensure security for the evacuation operation, the Pentagon said on Thursday, adding that there had been no hostile interactions with the Taliban or attempts to impede the evacuation.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told a news briefing the jets had not conducted "low pass" flights over the city but had been engaged in "overwatch."

"The overwatch flights ... have been in the air since before the noncombatant evacuation operation. It`s prudent force protection measures in the air, to make sure that we can protect our people and our operations against any threat," he said.

Army Major General William Taylor told the briefing that multiple gates at Kabul international airport were now open and about 7,000 people have been evacuated so far. He said the military now has more than 5,200 troops at Kabul airport to guard the evacuation.

Kirby said the Pentagon had not seen any hostile interactions with the Taliban and had not seen the group's fighters impede, harass or obstruct the movement of American citizens into the airport.

"We`ve made it very clear to the Taliban that any attack upon our people in our operations at the airport would be met with a forceful response," he said.

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Kabul: As the world watches horrifying scenes unfolding in Afghanistan, almost every day a new clip of Taliban insurgents from the war-torn country are emerging and going insanely viral on the internet. These clips clearly portray that the militants seem to be having a gala time after taking over the country.

Over the last few days, several videos and photos have surfaced on social media, showing the militants enjoying amusement parks, in the presidential gym and now a new picture shows fighters enjoying ice cream in Kabul. Several militants can be seen posing probably outside an ice-cream parlor.

The image was shared by TOLO news on his Twitter handle @AbdulhaqOmen. As expected, this photo too went viral like previous others. Netizens were creeped out and had a lot to say while a few others made memes.

Meanwhile, former President Ashraf Ghani, who fled the country and took refugee in UAE, has pledged to return to Afghanistan.

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